//------------------------------// // 3. You've Got to Hive Your Love Away // Story: A Changeling Queen By Any Other Name // by Mike the Red //------------------------------// A Changeling Queen by Any Other Name Chapter 3 -- You've Got to Hive Your Love Away I followed the alicorn as she trotted out of the throne room, her faithful student trotting to her right. I pondered my options as best I could, though the thought of being returned to my human form, tantalizing though it was, was overruled by my desire to return home and provide for my hive, though I hadn't even seen them. Another buzzing came to me while I was trotting behind the Solar Princess, but this one seemed almost alien to me. Who are you? Why are you here? Where is our Queen? asked a voice from this new hive. I wonder if she might have exchanged places with me -- if that's the case, I must return to my home world at once! Where is your home world? Where is our Queen? You'll get your Queen back as soon as I can return to my home world! I shouted mentally, causing the buzzing to diminish to a bare whisper. Their hushed responses elicited a smile from me as I allowed a brief moment of introspection on my ability to command so many so easily. "What are you smiling about, Michael?" asked the alicorn. She raised an eyebrow as she noticed I had stopped trotting behind her. "Begging your pardon, your Majesty, but the hive mind here has informed me that their Queen is not in this world, and that she may have traveled to MY home world. If that's the case, I must return immediately to keep Chrysalis from causing trouble there. I simply commanded the local hive mind to be quiet, which they did -- but I really have to go back. I'm sorry to do this, but I can't have her running amok in my world -- the chaos would be terrible." "Perhaps your return to your home world would precipitate her return here," Celestia mused. "Very well then, Michael, you are free to return to your home world, though I would request you contact me via your car's ability to communicate across the dimensional barrier. Take care and good luck." "I would like to join you, Michael," Twilight offered, almost grinning at the possible prospect of traveling to a new universe. "I don't think that would be a good idea, Twilight -- my world might be a bit dangerous for you," I replied flatly. The librarian expressed some disappointment at this, but Celestia nodded her head in agreement with me. "Trust Michael on that matter, Twilight. I need you here, not assisting him on what might be a very dangerous mission," the alicorn warned gently. "I admire your desire to learn about his world, but I cannot allow you to visit, at least not yet anyway." "I hope to see you again under better circumstances, your Majesty. You too, Twilight, I will keep you in my thoughts. Fare well," I offered, waving my right fore-hoof, feeling the air flow through my spiracles as I did so. I concentrated on my home world, focusing on the front yard of my house. My horn glowed green as I disappeared in a blinding flash of white, materializing five feet to the left of my car. I sent a mental communication to the hive mind, trying to locate them -- I was met with silence, which puzzled me. Where are you? I need to ask a favor of you, I addressed the hive mind. Who are you? We do not recognize you. How are you communicating with us like this? I thought I was your Queen -- is there a new Queen? I asked. Another flash of light forced me to shield my eyes as Chrysalis herself materialized five feet to my left. "What? Are you trying to mock me?" she asked indignantly, glaring at me in disapproval -- or was she scowling at me? "Your hive awaits your return in Equestria. Why not go back and see to their needs?" I asked as I decided diplomacy was the best course of action to take. "I have a hive here, you impostor! Why don't YOU go to Equestria instead?" she retorted almost angrily, her scowl deepening as she flashed her canines at me. I bared my canines at her. "This is MY home world! You have stolen my hive!" I screeched at her, lighting my horn in an attempt to frighten her. She allowed a wicked grin to color her features as she tried to stifle a chuckle. "You have an attitude to match mine! You might be a mockery of me, but I am impressed! If what you say is true, I shall go back to see if you're being honest with me -- but if you're lying, I WILL return to take your hive and your world as well!" "I would hope to make you a friend of mine instead of an enemy," I offered. She tilted her head quizzically at me. "So you must be speaking the truth -- tell me, if you are not me, then what is your name?" "Michael Walker," I replied, which caused her to start chuckling. "You mean to tell me you were one of these ... hairless apes? How did you become like me?" "I have no idea, Chrysalis. I woke up like this earlier this morning. Given my experiences over nearly five decades of my life, I have developed a considerable amount of contempt for my fellow humans and -- to be honest -- this particular transformation has given me an opportunity to manifest my contempt by taking their love energy, though you have probably already discovered how abundant that energy is," I grinned. She returned my grin with one of her own. "You definitely have an attitude to match mine! I like the way you think -- perhaps we could work together?" "Imagine that -- two Changeling Queens working in tandem..." I mused, as my grin widened. "Hmm. That sounds very tempting, Chrysalis." "Great! We can start with Equestria," she chirped. "Hold on a minute there -- I just came from talking to Princess Celestia -- and I assured her that my return here would result in your return there. I am extremely reticent about helping you conquer Equestria, as I have a great deal of respect for the Princess and the ponies there. About my home world -- my concern is not so great," I responded. "I would expect your assistance with Equestria, Michael -- in exchange for assisting you in conquering your home world. I couldn't care less what YOU think about Equestria -- I wonder if you understand the level of contempt I have for that place, especially with what happened about a year and a half ago when my hive and I were expelled from Canterlot -- I had the perfect plan, and those ponies ruined it!" "My suggestion would be for you to work out a truce with Princess Celestia, that you seek a symbiotic relationship where you and your hive can survive in peaceful co-existence with the ponies -- besides, given the size of Equestria as well as numerous towns and cities, perhaps you and your hive could live near Manehattan or some other large city -- there must be at least one location with a sizable population -- and you could siphon off love surreptitiously, living for centuries without arousing the suspicions of the Solar Princess," I offered. I watched her strike a thoughtful pose as she pondered my suggestion for a few moments. "Always the pragmatic approach, eh, Michael? I'm impressed by your intelligence and even though I'm disappointed by your concern for those ... ugh ... ponies, I'd be pleased to help you, if you'd like," she replied. "Thanks for the offer -- I may take you up on it later. By the way, can I get a hug from you? I don't suppose that would be too much to ask..." She smiled and approached me, rearing onto her hind legs. I mimicked her action, my forelegs wrapping around her barrel as she wrapped hers around me. We exchanged a hug, allowing it to linger for awhile. "Thank you, Chrysalis," I said warmly. "Thank you, Michael -- it has been too long since someone showed me that level of affection," she smiled. "Perhaps we could rub horns together some time," I grinned, flashing my canines, eliciting giggles from the Queen. "Stop being silly! We might actually lock our horns up if we do that!" she giggled, then teleported back to Equestria. Where is our Queen? asked a voice from the hive mind. I am your Queen, you must respect me as such, I responded. The buzzing returned, mostly incredulous that I would respond like that. The perception I got was that they doubted me, that they wanted me to prove to them that I was indeed their Queen. I have taken some love energy -- I shall distribute what I can, I offered. Any earlier cacophony of buzzing was a mere shadow of the intensity of this one -- my head was pounding so hard with this incredible level of activity, I fell to the ground holding my head with my forehooves. My hive was approaching, making their arrival extremely well known. The buzzing voices increased in their intensity, then I heard a different buzzing as the changelings started arriving in their physical form. The loud buzzing of their wings as they continued to arrive was deafening and the size of the army astonished me as they continued their approach; I gawked at the sight of five thousand changelings, all of them competing for a share of what I could offer them. I'm going to have to teach them how to take what they need carefully -- can't have them draining every human they see dry -- that would make too many enemies. As I contemplated this thought, the buzzing of the hive mind seemed to concur with my thoughts, giving me a sense of approval. I seemed to instinctively know how to measure out the needed love for my hive, but even what I had absorbed proved to be little more than a snack for them -- they wanted more -- they needed more. "I'm glad you all came -- it warms my heart to know you're here -- and I know that what little I have given you is not enough to satisfy your needs. I will need for you to honor my requests -- I expect this of all of you -- do not kill any humans, we cannot afford to make them our enemies. We can have them as a source of energy, but we must not kill them. We must not drain them of all their love, either, as tempting as it may be to do so," I reiterated as I addressed them. We shall do as you request, my Queen, they answered, almost in unison. One other thing -- I know I already requested this, but please try to keep your volume down. You make my head hurt when you all try to talk at once. We will try to do that as best we can, my Queen. "We will have to find a suitable location with lots of people -- New York City would be an almost ideal choice." Brenda walked out of the house and was stunned by what she saw, then quickly turned around and went back into the house. I heard some of the voices call on me to extract her love and I soundly rebuked them for that demand. She is not to be harmed or any love energy taken from her or her children! Do I make myself clear?! Yes, my Queen, but why her? There are certain humans which must be spared from our needs -- those humans have significant meaning to me and they must be exempt from our actions. I understand your contempt for the entirety of the human race, but I must request you respect those humans I deem exempt from our predations. I need to talk to her -- her name is Brenda. I changed my appearance after I had confirmed the hive would comply with my request, then entered the house. I trudged upstairs to our room to find her in the bed, cowering under the comforter. "Brenda, I apologize for bringing the entire hive here -- we shall leave shortly. I hate to say this, but I'm going to be establishing our new hive location near New York City -- so as to be near a very large food source. As a changeling, my sustenance is now love energy, as I may have told you." "Mike! You can't leave us here, without a way to pay the bills! What am I supposed to do?" I dropped my disguise once again, causing my wife to freeze up in fear. "I'm sorry, Brenda, but I have a new job now. I don't know what to tell you, other than to call on your sisters, your brothers, friends, whomever you can to help you. I can no longer be your husband like this," I stated somewhat sadly. "No! You can't leave me! Why?" "Because the temptation to drain your love energy is too strong. I can no longer live with humans under the same roof, Brenda. I have to go now." I turned around and began trotting to the stairs, then slowly down to the front door. "Mike! I need you here!" she shouted after me as she followed me. I opened the front door and trotted out, closing it behind me. Brenda opened the door and followed me out, only to see the hive still waiting on me -- upon seeing them, she screamed again and fled back into the house. "My children, I am going to establish our new hive location in New York City! The journey will take a few days, but I trust you all to follow me as we lay claim to the largest and most populous city in the country! We shall feast on all the love we can, though we must not drain every human we encounter. Let us be off!" I called out, a big grin on my face as I took to the air, my wings carrying me almost effortlessly. My army followed me into the sky as we made our trek to the east. I was almost giddy with excitement as I relished the opportunity to establish a new home for myself and my hive. I contemplated finding a large abandoned building to suit our purposes, noting the buzzing of approval from the hive mind as I mulled the possibilities.