//------------------------------// // The Change of Fate (REWRITE) // Story: The March of the Giants // by LindwurmProto //------------------------------// Chapter One : (Rewrite) The taste of iron in her mouth was slowly becoming a familiar taste to her as another thick branch was smashed against her muzzle. As her mouth slacked open from her swimming from unconscious state to a conscious one for what felt like every second, one of her growing fangs fell out of her mouth followed by her light green blood mixed with saliva. A small pool of blood had formed on the ground around her severed right foreleg. The ponies surrounding her and her former protector all were yelling at her suspended body, but she had long since stopped comprehending words after the sixth swing from makeshift clubs across her head. As a young queen, she could take some nourishment from solid foods; and that had been the bait that had strung her up against a tree. Her protector didn’t even have chance to respond as a dozen bolts of lighting from the sky impacted him from different angles, which was followed up by a dozen magically thrown sharpened sticks went through his body. Through her bloated, bruised eyes; she could see the ponies all trotting away happily as a match was thrown in her direction. She could barely comprehend the fact that they had placed dry wood against the tree she was tied against. As the match spun in the air, all that was on her mind was her trying to comprehend what was going on. Why was this happening? She knew that the ponies hated her kind, Changelings, due to the fact that they can change shape; but the fact remained that Changelings would die if not for the ponies. Given half the chance, a hive would build cities for the ponies if it meant that they could consume the love of those who would live in the cities. So as a young queen, she appreciated the ponies for being so ‘lovable’ and had even appreciated the ponies for doing what her kind couldn’t. As her conscious completely faded from reality, she barely recognized the fire blazing to life around her. Then... Nothing. _!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! A sharp pain jolted her awake and immediately regretted trying to move her body. Pain. So much pain shot through her body as she felt scared. She was no longer in the forest she had been dragged into. But she couldn't really judge her surroundings as she could hear screaming. Or was it her? Pain clouded her senses as something was jabbed into her throat and she could feel liquid being pumped into her. She could barely turn her head to look at who had stabbed her neck. What was it? She felt her mind shut down again, this time from drugs, as she noticed a tear stained face of a alien. Why was she crying? Why was she in pain? Why... She lost consciousness again. _!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! "I can't believe she woke up the moment the needle pricked her skin." A male voice spoke from behind a glass wall that seemed to be glowing from some form of light. "How much painkillers?" "Enough to put a Clanner to sleep for a week." A sorrow filled feminine voice spoke as she tossed the needle into a bin. "This world's 'magic' makes them much more durable and her kind is ever evolving, so it was necessary. We could go ahead with the operation." "Doctor..." The male voice sounded worried. "What did she do to deserve this?! She was young, barely even knowing the sins of her kind and-... and..." The woman sobbed as she caressed the Changeling's bloody muzzle before placing a oxygen mask on. "W-why?" "Well, after we save her, let's ask the captain if he’s willing to let her stay. I can't imagine what might happen to her when she's returned back to the surface." The woman nodded silently as she left the room still with tears flowing down her face. "And I'm damn making sure this little one survives. No young children should suffer like this... If I could I would-" He paused before various mechanical arms adorned with medical tools descended on the young Changeling Queen. "Forget it. Let's get started." With many machines whirring to start, a lone woman sobbed on the ground outside of the surgery room. _!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! "Are you telling me, doctor, that this Changeling learned our alphabet, the periodic table, and physics in less than the the year she has been with us?" A well dressed man, wearing a crisp black robe with armor underneath, said as he watched the Changeling through an one-way glass window that served as a mirror to the room she had been given. The Changeling had an bionic limb that could expand to work as hand with four fingers, but still needed a regular dose of modified antibodies; but had rapidly adjusted to life in space. "No, Captain. She's learned more than we have anticipated. She had just recently finished the advanced portion of Mathematics, linguistics, sciences, our history and I can say with confidence that she would learn military level material within a few months at the rate she is learning." The doctor, while wearing a white doctor's coat, handed over a tablet and pointed out a certain chart. "And even more surprising is..." “Is this her blood work?” At the doctor’s nod, the military officer could only look wide-eyed at the results. “Her body is adapting to the bionics to the point where she would no longer require medicine?” "Yes. I can guess that if she was to finally birth her hive, they would be an entire race of-" "It's medicine time!" A cheerful nurse walked in with a metal tray with several needles and a several large bandages. The Changeling looked up from her book and smiled. Her bright orange eyes gleamed happily as her horn glowed the same color as her eyes. Immediately, the book was closed and placed on a cabinet next to her while Patina sat patiently for the nurse to give her the shots that she was beginning to feel unneeded, but didn’t realize it was her body adapting to the advanced medicine of the crew she was with. “Such a nice girl! I’ll give you a treat after your shots!” The injections were made, bandages were placed over the area, and Patina displayed something that had always interested the doctor. The Nurse gently hugged the Changeling and a small pink light passed from the Nurse's body and into Patina's slightly open mouth. Even if she didn't have her fangs, it looked strange to see something eat that was essentially a highly potent mix of ‘love energy’. "Now don't forget to press the button if you need something~" The Nurse singsonged her way out and the door closed behind her allowing the young Changeling to smile and ease deeper into her soft bed. Within minutes, the Changeling was asleep. "Well Captain? Do you think our ship could raise a love-eating equine?" The doctor glanced sideways at the Precentor. He already knew the answer to his own question. The opportunity was far too large to merely throw away. "Indeed. We will leave our legacy with her in this forsaken part of the universe." With his piece said, the armored man merely turned around and left the observation room. _!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! "How's your new leg, Patina?" The doctor asked as he finished adjusting a few of the settings on the artificial leg. As Patina continued to grow up within the ship, she had become a favorite amongst her crew despite her black coat and insect like wings. Her brilliant orange eyes, long flowing orange mane that she rather liked having tied into a ponytail and her orange tail was considered unique seeing as she was the only Changeling that was on board the ship. The Changeling in question was balancing on her new artificial leg by walking, trotting, and galloping in circles around the ship's relatively large recreational area aboard the WarShip. It had only been a mere day since she had her new leg replacing her old one and she was already using it just as proficiently as her old one. Her once burned coat and wings had grown back, and were just large enough for her to take flight for a short time. Where she once had a stump was now a copper-colored metal leg that moved smoothly as if it had been a real limb. "It's incredibly light and not too uncomfortable. In fact, I like it very much!" Patina giggled as she walked to the Doctor. "Thanks, Doc! Now I can train within the simulators again!" "Don't forget Patina. The leg is tough, but no matter how tough something is..." "It will always break. I remember very well, doctor." The Changeling smiled as she left the gym to most likely where the mechwarriors trained and kept their skills up out of battle. But he did have to admit that Patina was a genius. No, calling her an genius would be an insult. She was a godsend. The decade she had been with them aboard the massive space WarShip that orbited her home planet, she had learned every thing from simple mathematics to surgically installing bionics. It was unheard of and yet, here she was... now learning to pilot the battlemechs in simulations. Of course, there was the issue of her developing a hive. It was not strange to see her unwilling to birth her hive aboard the ship. He knew she suffered from heat cycles much like a equine and those were the moments in which she could easily birth her hive with the artificial love energy he had managed to create after four years of research. And it was only last year she had birthed her first few ‘drones’ to which the crew had taken to their cute baby forms instantly. Their rapid growth had them all surprised, but medically was even more shocking. "Doctor? We really should get working on that present for her..." Another woman, wearing a uniform with a lab coat over it, whispered as she watched the Changeling skip her way through the halls. "Of course... With this, we could easily solve her food problem and finally send her on her way." The last part weighed so heavily on his heart. Most of the crew was reluctant to see their 'mascot' go, but orders were orders. They had year to return back to the Inner Sphere and with the sheer amount of energy required for the Kearny-Fuchida Drive, it would take them a months to go back home. In one month... She would have to return home to the planet below and them back to the Inner Sphere. _!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! "I-I'll miss you!" Patina was trying her absolute best to not cry her eyes out as she adjusted on her seat aboard the DropShip along with the two dozen of her children manning the console. They all wore black skintight armor with helmets with orange lenses over the eyes. "W-we'll make you all proud!" "W-we believe you, Patina." Even the ever stoic commander's voice shook through the video comms. "I'll make sure to come back and visit with the crew!" Various acknowledgements and cheers followed that comment, making Patina hug the goggles that she was given earlier by one of the engineers. It was a simple thing with a surprise that had her filled with joy. Along the inside of the goggles and on the metal that framed the high-tech glass was every single name of the crew etched into it. "Now go carve your future into the world! Attention!" She could see through the screen on the bridge to show numerous infantry, engineers, mechwarriors, the doctor, her caretaker, and the commander saluting her. "Salute!" As her DropShip was detached and launched into space, she 'took' a mental photograph of everyone waving at her and began to sob loudly within the 165 meter tall spheroid DropShip’s bridge. She could hear her children choke back their own sobs, but they had to focus on making sure the DropShip landed safely. As the ship entered the atmosphere, and began to descend, Patina swore to herself that day. She swore that she would elevate her species to travel in the stars like her caretakers. And instead of them coming to her, she would go to them to the fabled Inner Sphere. _!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! As the 20,000 ton DropShip made its way down to the surface, a pair of golden eyes opened and grinned ferociously as they tracked the DropShip. “It would be unfair for the Changelings to have such a immense leap in tech. I wonder what would work with the Griffons... Or even those detestable ponies.” A soft voice spoke to no one in particular. “The griffons want to play with the concept of Imperial Rule, so why don’t I sneak a few ideas in?” “But the ponies...? They can burn with their precious ‘Harmony’.”