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// New life, part 1 
// Story: The Misadventures of Changeling 42 
// by Changeling 26 
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 		Banished. That was the thought that ran through the Changelings mind as he walked depressed through the Everfree Woods. With every step of his holed hoof the changeling recalled the events that had passed only a few hours ago. He knew he was in trouble when he heard his Queen scream out his name in rage, her voice ringing through the hive.
“42!!” Howled the queen of the changelings. Her voice made every changeling clinch in fear, looking around to fin the very changeling she had called upon.
42 wasn’t a very bad changeling, with that said he wasn’t a very good changeling either. He had always questions the Queen’s reckless decisions, but he chose to obey them obediently. He feared what would happen if he ever did defy and deep down he knew that he was about to find out.
He walked into the hive’s throne room with his head held high, the whispers of his fellow changelings echoed through the room. Chrysalis, the queen, was sitting on the highest chair in the room. It stood higher than any other changeling and seemed to be a part of the walls around it. She looked down at the shaking changeling who stood before, she had a look of anger that 42 had never seen.
“Changeling 42, that is your identity, is it not?” The Queen asked. She knew very well that it was. No changeling would be stupid to take the place of another. Even though they all looked identical to each other, the Queen seemed to be able to spot the differences between every single changeling in the hive. She knew their identities, their jobs, and when they were born.
“It is, my queen” The changeling looked straight forward in the official stance one was suppose to give when talking to the queen.
Chrysalis hovered down to the ground, inches away from 42’s head. Seeing no reaction to her sudden movement, the Queen seemed satisfied and continued to address the changeling. “Do you know what you are here, 42?”
“I do not, my queen.” He stayed steady, even though he was fearful for his life. Even though it was his hatching day, he knew the queen hadn’t called upon him to give him some cake and ice cream. The Queen never calls upon a changeling for good news, only bad.
“Perhaps you will recall a few months ago, during our invasion of the capital.” Chrysalis said, started in to slowly pace around him “What was your job, 42?”
“The find and subdue the local population, my queen” the Changeling answered, his voice staying steady as he began to recall the events that had passed.
“And did you succeed?” The changeling queen asked as she got close to his face, watching it closely for any sign of weakness
His job had been to find the ponies that lived in the area he was assigned and subdue them with his tar-like mucus. He was one of the first changelings in the area, and loyal to his duty. For weeks he had prepared to bring terror to every pony he saw. But upon landing he heard something he had never heard before.
It was music. Long, drawn out, beautiful notes played by an expert musician. 42 stood outside of the house where it was coming from and watched as an earth pony bowed on an expertly crafted cello. The changeling watched her play for hours until he was finally blasted away by the royal couples blast. He had failed at his mission, but he felt that it was worth it to listen to the, dare he say, beautiful play the magical music.
Changeling 42 looked up at the Queen and said “No, my queen. I did not”. She was taken by his honesty and the defiance in his voice.
“And why is this?” Demanded the Queen
42 looked Chrysalis in the eyes “Because I experienced something better than anything I had ever felt before.”
Queen Chrysalis took a few steps back, surprised by the Drones defiance. 42 just looked at the queen with pride, yet at the same time he feared for his life. Controlling her rage, the Queen calmly said “Very well then. Changeling Drone 42! For your negligence during the Canterlot Invasion, I hereby banish you from the hive!”
Banished. The word had rung through the hive. Not a single changeling had been banished in a hundred years, and now 42 had become the first. Though the Queen claimed it was for his “negligence”, 42 knew that he was actually a scape goat to his queen’s rage. He was forced to walk the embarrassing path to the exit of the hive. All of his fellow changelings watched him, whispering insults about him.
The sad little changeling looked back once before leaving the hive, and began his lonely journey into the Everfree woods in search of a new home. So it is then that we find our little changeling, wandering alone. Hooves sore, stomach grumbling. 42 was begin to regret his decision of defying the Queen. He began to think about what he could do to make it back to her. A sound then began to rise into his ears, a familiar sound that brought joy to his little holed heart. Music…
He followed the notes as they echoed through the woods, making 42 remember why he left the Hive in the first place. The louder the music got, the faster his body moved through the forest. He began to ignore the pain and the hunger and focused only on the sweet pleasant music leading the way.
He was almost blind with his passion for the music filling his mind. 42 almost didn’t notice the clearing that he was approaching. He smashed through the woods and into the clearing and came to a sudden halt. He stood there, unsure of what to do. The changeling was standing on the edge of a small town filled with countless ponies. Each and everypony was ignoring the changeling blending in with the forest behind him.
“Well…” thought the changeling to himself “This is going to be a problem”