Deep underground the changeling hive has rested, not daring to brave the light of the sun or the moon, for fear that the ponies would take notice. It is daylight in the world above, and the hive is as calm as a cemetery, as the changelings sleep in the daylight. The insects sleep in cocoons, which are suspended from the ceiling, with just enough room between them as not to disturb each other. The Hive would be pitch black, if not for the translucent green pockets of luminescent fluid. At the end of the twisting catacombs, the queen's chamber is was a small din of noise, one of the few sources of sound in the entire tunnel system. Queen Chrysalis watches her single child in his slumber, able to read the emotions of his mind, as he cannot not yet process his thoughts...
The young insect was troubled, that much she could tell. He was constantly moving in his sleep, his jaw would go slack, and then snap shut a moment later. Periodically, his forelegs would twitch, and if his movements hadn't been restricted by the cocoon, he would likely have been rolling around and making too much noise. In the gentle glow of the lights, she could see his face, and as she reached out and quietly brushed her hoof over his forehead, his body became still and his breathing deepened. For all that her parents had done, she wasn't as cruel as they had wanted her to be. She let a small breath as a smile spread across her lips. "Be at peace" she whispered softly, her usually set-in-stone glare softening, if just for a moment.
These moments of emotion would soon cease, as her son would be able to gather thoughts and words into his young head, but before that, he would be fed a special serum that would shape his body into the Insect-Alicorn of changeling royalty. And when a changeling prince began to think for himself, it was the duty of the queen to guide him, and ensure he didn't become a foolish warmonger, "Like all of the others" she thought with no emotion. After all, even she could only stand to kill so many of her children. "But for now I need not worry, for he is but a few weeks old" she let that sink in, "A few more weeks before I teach him. However; this one seems to have a different potential over the others". It was true, he was almost as quiet as the rest of the changelings, whereas previous princes would wail on a pitch that drove the other insects to near insanity. "Perhaps, this one will listen to me as I command the Hive". As sleep began to take over her body, she whispered, "Good morning, prince. Good morning, Mandible".
*************************************************************************
It has been eight weeks since that night, and the young prince consumed the serum two weeks ago. His body has been remarkably quick to change, at this point his horn has grown a few centimeters, and will soon begin to twist and molt, much to the resemblance of his mother's. The chamber is quiet, and Mandible is awake before his mother. Green eyes, bright with curiosity and excitement, have taken in every detail of the room over the last two weeks, and they now rest on the Queen, watching her midsection rise and fall with her breath. He has stayed in his cocoon from his birth until this point, bound tightly by the strength of his cocoon, he didn't even know if his wings were developed, he could feel so little. Chrysalis had instructed him about the most basic of changeling abilities, and so far, he was able to sense the changes of night and day, feel the presence of magic and electricity with his hair, and tap into the Hive connection with his mind, which had allowed him to gather an extensive vocabulary over the past few weeks, which, for the most part, he was unable to use.
At the moment he could only say a few words, and sensing the dusk approaching, he decided it was time for his mother to rise. He began to coo his favorite word softly. "Oi, oi". He went on for a few moments, gently urging her to wake up, and his call gradually gained volume. When he reached a point just barely louder than that of a normal speaking voice, the Queen stirred, lifting her head to look at the small insect, whereupon Mandible smiled at his mother, and Chrysalis felt a grin pulling at the corners of her own mouth.
Even without the serum, he would have grown twice to three times the size of a normal changeling, and the only significant thing that set him apart from the others was his silver hair. There were of course other changelings with hair. In the insect world, it is known as a mutation. However, the changelings knew that if they had a mutation, they could be gifted in many ways, such as being able to speak the pony language, which usually required a transformation, if anything. These changelings were generally used as spies for the Queen to gather information on the world above. As Chrysalis regarded his silver mane, she pondered what personality he would develop. He was the only child she had bore to make her stop and consider something other than the warpath the Changelings had trodden for the past several hundred years.
"I have him for the next few weeks" the queen hummed to herself "But after that, he must live with the swarm to gain the skills of fighting and learn of the hive, as he learns of himself". Her face darkened at the thought. Nonetheless, she rose from the cushion of silk that was her bed and walked to stand in front of Mandible. "Would we like to be free, Little One?" she asked, in the soft and lilting voice that only a mother can use as they talk to their child. An enthusiastic "Oi, oi" was his response, and the hanging cocoon started to sway back and forth as his body twitched with excitement. Chrysalis reared up on her hind legs and judged the cocoon, looking for the spot that would weaken the material. When she determined her target, she she brought her head down and slashed the cocoon with her horn, weakening the material enough for the insect to break the rest of it himself. Mandible had flinched as she reared,and quickly curled himself into as small a target as he could, confused as to why his mother was threatening him. He had closed his eyes, then felt a sudden relief in the pressure wrapped around his body, and as he opened them again, he noticed that he could feel his legs, more so than usual. He began to wiggle his whole body around, testing out his legs, as he was quickly overwhelmed by a need to move around and explore. Only a moment later, however, he managed to twist and turn himself around to the point where his legs became stuck, and he was now facing what had been the back of his cocoon. Chrysalis watched with amusement, a small giggle behind her softly illuminated eyes. "Push little one, if you want to be free then break the cocoon".
She heard Mandible grunt softly a few times as he pushed his back against the weakest spot of the cocoon. He was still figuring out how to use his legs, but after a few moments, and with a satisfying tear, the cocoon ripped open, Chrysalis smiling and Mandible giving a brief squeak as he fell straight to the floor, landing on his flank and then rolling onto his back with the extra momentum. The sudden introduction to pain was unexpected, and he lay still, waiting for it to fade. His mother stepped over him and looked down at him, the smile still on her lips. Mandible stared back at her with his large eyes, and the pain faded quickly, replaced with the desire to be close his mother, and to start exploring with his newfound mobility. He did just that, after several minutes of attempting to roll off of his back, much like a turtle. After he had steadied himself on his legs and stumbled over to Chrysalis' nearest leg, he leaned on it as soon as he could. He had yet to gain the useful coordination that comes with experience, and with another squeak, fell forward. Chrysalis moved her foreleg quickly to catch him and leaned her head close. Mandible looked up and nuzzled his mother's face.
"Steady now" she said softly, her double voice blending into a soothing melody as she raised her head to get a better look at him. As she examined him, she noted that his mane was actually a light grey, as opposed to silver, but it still had the shimmering quality that made it look just like the silver ore the changelings found when digging new tunnels. His eyes were indeed green, just like the acid spit the species was known to use if backed into a corner. She also thought he looked slightly smaller in overall girth and weight as compared to the other changelings she had birthed. However; in the same comparison, he was taller, with thin legs that would become lithe and powerful, if he was given the right proteins. When her eyes wandered to his tail, which was nothing special, she also saw that his back was silver in color, making it seem that he had a sheet of material draped over him, head to tail, and then blending into the black shade of his belly. Also on his back, were a set of small wings, which were a glossy black in the thin ribs natural to insects, and in the area between those ribs, it was colored a strange clear black, transparent, yet still clearly colored a dark black.
"Save your strength, Little One" She whispered. "Mother will carry you for now". As both her horn and his body were wrapped in a green aura, Mandible was lifted into the air, spun around, and gently deposited on her back. The Queen slowly turned around and walked toward the thick curtains of silk that separated her Chamber from the tunnels where the strongest, and most unique, brood of changelings slept.