I AM one with the hive, I AM one with the swarm, I MUST feed the Queen, I SHALL protect the Queen - The Changelings (Primary Instinct)
Dark and light, dark and light, dark and light...
What is that? I thought to myself as I awoke from my slumber.
I slowly opened my eyes and as soon as I did I regretted it as the sunlight from the caves roof flickered onto my eyes. Quickly closing them, I slowly opened them to adjust to the light. After twenty seconds of letting them adjust to the the light I quickly stood up on all four of my hooves.
Hmm, another 'glorious' day to serve the Queen.
I started my advance towards the ground below the holes in the caves roof and observed my surroundings. As I looked around several of the other drones turned to look at me then they continued doing what they were doing before. I could hear their thoughts, all thinking about their days ahead. After listening to their thoughts and turning it off with a click I noticed their smaller forms as they moved around, mingling with each other as they trotted around. I slowly turned my head to look at the holes in the caves roof and started to ascend through the biggest hole I could find. Two guards looked at me intensely then looked away as I headed towards to entrance and battleground side of the Changelings territory.
Time to collect more love for the Queen. I swear it is like this every Celestia damned day.
I sneered at the name Celestia, it made me think of what a worthless piece of a pony she is. She doesn't care for ALL of her subjects, I mean look at what happened with Luna. The Queen on the other hoof does.
Finally after ascending through the hole and passing two other drones who looked at me suspiciously I landed outside. I looked around as I took in my surroundings yet again, I just felt the need to. I saw where the training field was where some other Changelings were sparring. I noticed Quickstrike who was practising and my heart lifted a bit, at seeing her fight.
Too bad our love isn't usable to feed the hive.
With that last thought I turned around and started preceding towards the the entrance of the ground until I was suddenly surrounded by eight other Changelings.
"Where do you think you're going." One of the Changelings growled.
"I'm trying to get love to feed the Queen, now if you will kindly call of the rest of the drones, then I will go do my job." I replied staring the one challenging me down.
The Changeling had a look of confusion on his face before he looked back at me hard.
Turning my thoughts on with a click I heard him command a Changeling next him to get the Queen, and I was confused as to why he would get the Queen, there is no emergency or intruder so why?
I then clicked out and returned staring at him. More or less it was actually looking down at him and him trying his hardest not to falter.
"Why can't I go for?" I asked getting pissed off.
"You know as why you can't." The Changeling said with his voice growing in anger.
"I do NOT know why, but I shall comply to your will this time, but next time I will not stand for this nonsense." I replied lowering my voice so he could detect my hate and malice behind it.
He begun to fidget on the spot as he waited for the Queen to come but still keeping up his air of defiance. The other Changelings were just looking at me intently, not harsh but focused, as if to watch what I was going to do. I was too busy 'studying' each of them that I didn't notice the Queen's arrival, which was fairly quick.
"What do you believe you are doing Dark Light?" The Queen asked.
I slowly turned and bowed out of respect, then rised and partially repeated what I said before, under the Queen's scrutinising eyes.
"I simply was going out to gather love to-" I was halted by her as she narrowed her eyes.
"You do know you are not allowed to leave this hive here."
I was shocked by this news and proceeded to ask "Why?" as the Queen looked at me like I was stupid, but before she continued to talk she narrowed her eyes at me as if to study me.
She looked like she was thinking hard about something and I honestly had no idea what it could be. I mean all I have done my life is serve her, collect love for her and guard her.
"Dark Light, do you even remember what has conspired within the last week?"
"Yes I do, I have been practising my battle techniques in my natural form ( I pointed with my hoof at my humungous size) as well as collect love and practice my stealth in my smaller form. How has this affected the hive in any way that I am not able to leave?"
There was silence for a few seconds, and I swear something glinted in her eyes? Was it light? No I don't think so we are under tree cover and only very few parts have sunlight filtering through the tree cover. So what was it? It was hope, I could also feel a little bit of it.
I had a creeping suspicious something was wrong about this but that instantly fled when the Queen asked me to meet her in her chambers.
"Why do you want me for your majesty?" I asked curiously.
"I have a mission for you, I will tell you in my chambers away from the eyes and ears of the rest of my children," She looked at the guards and other Changelings that were around, which made them return to what they were doing in the first place." Also make sure to bring Quickstrike with you, she will need to hear of this as well."
"As you wish." I bowed to her as she turned around and left.
The Queen couldn't believe her luck at the moment. The thing is she really didn't. So the Queen thought to herself as she walked into her chamber and lay down until Dark Light came back with Quickstrike.
FINALLY after all that effort put into the 'treatment' he has been successfully treated. But this raises questions, is he really treated or is he faking? He HAD tried several times getting out by pretending to be treated and saying he was always apart of this swarm. This time did seem different though, he was actually giving me respect, unlike most of the time that wasn't mocking. This is an improvement, and this time he even used his natural form. That is something new of him to do. There is only one way to test if this is actually him playing around or if he is dead serious. This means th-
The Queen halted her thoughts as she her movement coming from out the entrance to her chambers.
"If that is Dark Light and Quickstrike you have my permission to enter, if not it better be important."
As the words left her mouth Dark Light appeared in his smaller form with Quickstrike who seemed to stand a bit closer than any Changeling guard would do.
Huh, I will look into that later.
Both Changelings that entered bowed to her immediately and then laid down on their spots, although Quickstrike very subtly moved a little bit closer to Dark Light.
If what I think is happening is true then it may not be best to include Quickstrike. But she is one of the most loyalist Changelings I have.
She slightly shook her head to rid of the thoughts.
"Now you both are wondering what it is that I needed done of you Dark Light. What I need you to do is kill a certain pony for me. It will prove to me that you are ready for something bigger that is upcoming soon."
"Wait, that's it, all I need to do is kill a certain somepony? Seems easy enough, although this explains nothing of why I wasn't aloud to leave before." Dark Light asked, suspicious creeping into his voice.
"I ordered those guards to stop you and alert me when you were leaving so that you could speak with me before going."
"Why were they so aggressive then?"
"They are trained to be and you should know that."
Please buy it. Thought the Queen, and then added. Or I will make you.
"Ok, that explains it. But if you needed me, why did you get me to bring Quickstrike?" Dark Light asked.
"I needed her after speaking to you, as she IS one of my Generals."
"Ah, ok."
"Now that I have told you what is going to happen, I want you to go practice in the training fields. I will debrief you the rest of the missions when you leave tonight."
"Wait tonight?"
"Yes, is there something wrong with that?"
"No, your majesty." Dark Light said as he backed out.
After Dark Light left, the Queen focused her attention to Quickstrike who seemed to have started fidgeting.
"Is there something wrong Quickstrike?"
"Well not really something wrong, it's just why would you send him out to kill somepony, he could escape."
"Well that is where you come in."
"And what is it that I have to do?"
The Queen looked towards the entrance as if to check if anyone was listening in then said to Quickstrike "I want you to follow him around and watch what he does, listen to what he says, try and listen to his thoughts if you can and most importantly, don't get caught. I want to see if he has really changed so if he tries to escape or tell the ponies anything then you have my permission to kill him. We don't want them knowing where our base is as well."
Quickstrike looked at the Queen, and ran this through her head and started nodding. "Yes your majesty, but I didn't know he has lost his memories.. Also in the treatment he isn't meant to fully lose his memories, only part of them and the most important ones."
The Queen thought this over but then said, "Yes that is true, but he seems to remember this hive at most, but there have been some treatments which have gone a very long time that make the host lose ALL of their memories."
"Yes, Queen."
"Good, now go get ready to follow him and report any suspicious behaviour when you get back, you are to leave tonight. Make sure to not say ANYTHING about his life before the last treament session and I shall warn the rest of the hive not to as well. Also I kn-.... You know what never mind just go and prepare."
"Yes your majesty." Quickstrike said whilst bowing and moving out.
Huh, seems easy enough.
I had just been debriefed by the Queen and flying above the Everfree forest to kill a pony who needed to be killed for an Changeling to take over as him. He was a dark brown earth pony stallion, who had a dark red mane and tail. His cutie mark was that of a shot glass and was an alcoholic who drank a lot in Ponyville bars. Apparently he was one tough guy and when he was drunk (which was most of the time) a lot tougher. The other Changelings have had problems trying to take him down and have escaped. A few Changelings were captured and possibly executed due to the fact the Queen couldn't 'connect' to their minds.
Then I was given an secondary objective, apparently there is a pony that is a silver pegasus stallion with red eyes and a blue and black mane and tail in Ponyville that needed to be killed if I could kill him without being caught. I asked why and the Queen said that it was vital if we were to not be discovered. Though she did take her time answering that question. She did sound hesitant like she didn't trust me, so I swore to myself to do this job through and thorough to prove to the Queen I was loyal.
Such a wonderful night tonight. I thought looking up at the full moon. The stars twinkling away in the night sky making the world look innocent, and the moon and it's b-
Wait, that isn't the moon, or is it? It just doesn't seem right? I thought in confusion. Meh, doesn't matter.
I flew for a few hours silently, learning how to stop the buzz in training. Apparently I should've already known. I finally reached the end of the forest just as the moon started to slow with it's rising and start to go down. I felt like I had flown here before and was a lot slower, but I just couldn't think being this slow here.
Reaching the end of the forest I spotted the town I was to find the pony in to kill, Ponyville.
Quickly re-disguising my self I turned into an red pegasus with a brown mane. His cutie mark was that of a cloud (very creative!!!).
Walking through the town, most of the streets were empty, except the occasional drunk which I looked at to see if it was my target or not. There was a tavern down the road that looked like it was open so I walked up to the door and almost entered before it burst open and a pony went flying out the door.
"First have the bits before you drink." A voice rang out through the door, " You will work this off tomorrow." The door then slammed.
I quickly ran over to the pony to 'see' if he was alright and discovered him to just have a bloody nose. He stood up and I quickly realised that this was the pony I was searching for.
Thoughts were running through my mind at this time, such as kill him now and quickly end it. But there was one voice that stood out and it said Don't do it, if you do you will lose the last part of yourself.. I started to listen to that voice and started lifting the stallion to his feet, until he hit me in the nose. It started to bleed.
Now, it didn't hurt as much as it would for a pony, but I still felt that and I felt a rage starting to burn through me.
That's it you're fucking dead.
I hit him in the jaw even harder has he opened his mouth to say something. I felt a sickening but a pleasuring crunch as I felt his jaw crunch. He was now on the floor unconscious.
Worthless.
I had a feeling something like this had happening before, but I couldn't remember it. Well, it must've happened considering I've killed plenty of ponies before when the Queen asked. Or had I? I couldn't remember.
As I was thinking this, I saw a crowd starting to form around me, and I saw a flicker to the top right of my vision.
Another Changeling is here. Enough of that I gotta quickly get this guy out of here and finish him.
"Heh, sorry for seeing that, but I will take my brother home now."
Quickly putting him on my back, the crowd moved out of the way to let me pass and I kept walking until I heard whispering
"He has a brother? But he is one of the most known ponies around and he never spoke of a brother."
"And what about his brother, Why would he punch him for, he's bleeding like a berry. No, not you Berry Punch."
"Why haven't we seen his brother before?"
Crap, they are getting suspicious.
So as soon as I turned a corner I bolted. I ran past a library and a lot of houses as I made it to the forest treeline. I quickly ran, threw the body against a tree, and turned into my natural big Changeling form and looked at the body.
Well, night night.
I then snapped the ponies neck, and hearing a pop and a slight crunch I smiled as the ponies breathing halted.
You've lost your true self now. The voice that told me not to kill the pony entered.
Lost my what?
A small eep came from right behind me and I turned around to see a yellow pony staring at me with wide eyes.
Oh crap.
I had to blink to have noticed she seemed to disappear.
I looked to the right to see a cottage, how did I miss it before?
And then I looked to see the town. Probably to alert the rest of the city that she just witnessed a Changeling killing a pony.
Meh, it's nothing to ba- OH SHIIIIIT!
I quickly picked up the body, put it on my back and bolted through the forest. I quickly set the body a good five minutes in the forest behind a tree and under a bush and continued to run.
Turning on the swarms thoughts with a click I was able to pick up where the hives mind was and head towards that way.
As I ran I switched into my smaller form and flew as fast as I could, back to my home.
Home..... It certainly doesn't feel like home.