//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Historical Significance, Part One // Story: An In-depth Study of the Origins of the Changeling Race // by Crystal Static //------------------------------// Historical Significance, Part One The discovery of that second journal, written by Queen Monarch, was sheer luck on Trixie's part. If the enchantment on the tome was anything to go by, this journal is the big break everypony was looking for. {~~~~~~~~} Week one: Day one. I know that the world at this time cannot accept the existence of my race, and it is only a matter of time before somepony finds out about us, so I have decided to take my hive and go somewhere that we will not be disturbed by ponykind. I am not sure if we will find peace, or if we will one day be able to walk the streets of Equestria undisguised, but I am sure as tartarus that we will survive by any means necessary. Week one: Day five. I have located a suitable location for us to make our own. The ruins of the extinct 'flutter ponies', as they are called in the childrens tales, are surprisingly close to what we need. I have a hunch as to why, but I need to do some research first. My children love our new home, and I anticipate the day where we make it truly our own. Liris and Analis have quite the potential as future queens when they finally go out into the world to make it for themselves. Polistes and Vespidae are becoming quite adept at magic, and show great potential to develop our race's magic. Chrysalis is something of a problem child, she is downright abusive to the local animal life, and she has strange fantasies of grandeur powers that, as long as I can help it, she will not have access to. I am not going to let her leave on her own until I am sure she will have the best interest of everypony in mind. I will not knowingly unleash a tyrant on this world. Week two: Day seven. I have discovered that my body can produce a waxy substance that, when mixed with soil or sand, forms a surprisingly durable construction material. My children have started working on making our home our own. I direct the drones through a telepathic link I accidentally discovered when I was thinking about how thirsty I was. I had three drones approach me with several bottles of water from our supplies, and I was quite surprised when they told me that they knew I needed something to drink. But back to the point, we have made a central tower in our 'hive' where my daughters and I live, the drones have a barracks near the spire, and we are slowly making our city whole. I have laid two more clutches of eggs, and we should have fourteen more drones soon. Polistes and Vespidae have devised a way to store emotive energy in crystals, and I have sent Liris and Analis to collect enough to feed me and the rest of our hive. Our race is coming along quite well in the first few weeks of it's existence. Week five: Day three We have come a long way, we have over seventy-five drones in our hive, the telepathic link me and my children share has strengthened, and we are training drones to collect emotive energies to feed our growing numbers. I have decided to call the telepathic link the 'hivemind', for lack of a better term. It is essentially a hivemind, several individuals sharing thoughts and feelings on a fundamental level, although it is not a true hivemind, as the members maintain their individuality. Me and my daughters are working on developing a social caste system to help our civilization to survive. I have, regretfully, abducted a lower ranking captain in the Equestrian Royal Guard to train some of our drones as soldiers. Said guardspony is also teaching me and my daughters basic combat skills so we can defend ourselves without magic if we need to. Sharp Edge, the guardspony that I had abducted, was hesitant at first, but after I explained the situation as to why I did it, he decided that he would assist us. He is surprisingly open minded for a guardspony. He understands why I did what I did, and he insists that 'if you had only just explained the situation and asked me, I would have helped anyways', but I notice that he is always a tad on edge when he is around us in our natural forms. He seems the most at ease with me and my daughters. I have instructed him not to train Chrysalis as she is unstable and aggressive. Week twelve: Day two. I think I am falling for Sharp Edge, he is always so kind and compassionate to my daughters and drones, he is a natural leader and would be a great member to my hive, not to mention the fact that he is quite the stud of a stallion. The hive is coming along nicely. We currently have one hundred and sixty two drones in our hive. My daughters are doing quite well, Chrysalis is still a problem child, but my other daughters may be ready to start their own hives soon. I am thinking of asking Sharp Edge if he would like to become part of my hive. I am not sure if he would agree to that, but at the same time, I would like him to stay. Week twelve: Day seven. I have asked Sharp if he would like to become my general, and join my hive. He told me that he would think about it and get back with me. Chrysalis is starting to behave a little bit better, I have been trying to teach her how to act. I have, on more than one occasion, threatened to forbid her from starting her own hive. We have about two hundred drones now, and a small number of drones are actually laying small clutches of eggs. I have given them a new caste, as 'breeders', it is their job to spawn more drones as we need them. Week thirteen: Day six. Sharp has accepted my offer, he is scared of the conversion process, but as long as I am there to make sure he is safe, he is calm. We started the conversion process about three hours ago, it is much more refined than how I came to be, and he doesn't have to experience his body vaporizing and re-forming. Today would be perfect, but one of my drones suffered an accident when out on patrol, and lost his life. We did find the manticore and take care of it though, and at least he wasn't eaten by the beast. I have met the other drones he is closely associated with, and I gave them my condolences. I was surprised to find that he did have a mate who was part of the worker caste, and they had their own child. I was unsure if my race could reproduce by live birth, but it seems that we are entirely capable of it. That is great news if Sharp and I ever start to become intimate with each other. Week fourteen: Day two. Sharp has completed the conversion process, and I am teaching him all I know about being a changeling. He is surprisingly adept at defensive magics, and he is shaping up to be a good general. I asked him if he wanted to pursue a romantic relationship with me, and he said yes! We are going to go out on a date in three days time, in our pony forms. I am so excited about it. I am surprised that the hivemind hasn't picked up on my excitement.