//------------------------------// // Differing Views // Story: Chassis // by LoosePartyCannon //------------------------------// Elizabeth Day 1 Badlands "I swear to the gods, If you try anything it will not end well for you." I threatened again as I continued to walk my Chassis through the spacious, dark tunnels. It felt like hours ago since I last saw sunlight and these bugs weren't helping to alleviate the feeling that I'm walking blindly into a trap, but my limited resources and lack of awareness of the world around me made me a bit more trusting than I would usually find myself. These strange bugs looked nothing like any race I had seen before. Their hardened chitin was a new sight; most species that evolve this far into the evolutionary field aren't evolved from bugs. Most species have flesh or scales like humans and Rakans, feathers like the Avia or completely forget about their physical forms and transcend to a less physical form like the Novets. These creatures look like nothing seen before, they have hardened shells yet grow hair like a human or Avia would despite having what appears to be an exoskeleton, strange. Their eyes, though hard to see when I’m about twenty feet above them in a giant war machine and their wearing hoods, are completely blue with a slight light blue shade where the pupils would be, maybe their eyes function differently? I'll have to ask someone if they aren't hostile. Their bodies were a bit hard to see on account of their armor but their body proportions seemed all over the place. The light armored ones had small, skinny bodies but showed no visual signs of undernourishment whereas the captain of the team had a tall, imposing and masculine form that towers over the others. Whether this is a sign of diversity or good breeding I wouldn't be able to say. "Again, being, do not expect an attack from us, we have no trap planned." The captain spoke calmly as he continued, "We are going to arrive at the Hive soon”. His voice was strange, a bit scratchy yet clear and masculine. "I’d rather be called Elizabeth than ‘Being’” I replied. "That name is not one I’ve heard before. Captain Mirage, at your service Miss Elizabeth." The captain said with a surprisingly chipper tone of voice. "If you don't mind me asking, what the hell are you? If I'm going along with this I think I deserve an answer." I asked bluntly, causing the captain and some of the soldiers to laugh. "We're Changelings, a proud and strong people who live all over the world. Our species is one of the most diverse on the planet with various hives, cultures, beliefs and customs, quite the opposite of what some less dignified creatures would say." Mirage said with equal respect and contempt. By his words I can deduce a few things; their species could be as vast as the humans, more or less, their species is either experiencing class warfare, civil war or a normal war with another race and lastly he specifically has a hate of a particular group of people. Great, a possible racist alien is leading me into a dark hole in the ground. All those horror stories people spread during training was suddenly coming back. 'It's ok Liz, there's no way in hell these bugs could kill you. you're basically immortal.' I thought to myself. "We're here. Welcome to Valguard Miss Elizabeth." Mirage spoke with a hint of pride. As I stepped out of the dark tunnel into the open chamber I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought maybe it would just be endless tunnels and eggs like an ant colony, I thought it would just be a bunch of bugs sitting around in dirt waiting for something to eat or even just a bunch of green goo and rocks shaped like houses making a semi town. What I saw was so much grander in scale and design. I stepped out onto a small platform that had a small staircase running down the sides of this huge underground city. As I looked down I saw houses and shops made from various materials, ranging from shiny black chitin like material and green mortar, grand metal buildings of various precious alloys and gems creating a luster rarely seen in architecture and some buildings were made from more basic materials like stone or brick but it still gave off a beautiful glow. The entire city was illuminated by giant glowing crystals placed all over the city. Some jutted from the walls like a vein of ore, some broke from the ceiling like a stalactite and some of them were carved or cut into fine shapes and placed in the city like a lamppost. The city and the air above where a buzz with activity as Changelings of various shapes, sizes and colors went about their business with a few flying around. In the center of this giant cave sat a castle unlike any I had seen before. It touched the roof of the underground chamber, it radiated a green, beautiful light and its walls and mortars were so well designed that it must have taken years to construct. The castle was made of the black chitin like material but it never gave off an evil feel, instead the light that shined of the walls, the well-kept garden surrounding the palace, the strong and intricately designed wall that surrounded the palace and stain glass windows made it feel both alien yet radiant. "Wow...This is fucking awesome." I muttered in awe. "Valguard is renowned for its amazing architecture, art and military strength. Now, do be careful when going down these stairs, they were made to allow caravans, travelers and large military forces to go up but can be difficult to walk down." He said with an air of caution. "I’d rather fly, if that’s cool." I said nonchalantly as I activated my Chassis boosters and set them to hoover. I was propelled off the ground and floated a few feet up in the air, the heat from my rockets slightly scorching the ground below me. "Well then, I guess we can just fly to the Castle. If I may ask, what enchantments are you using?" The captain said after a slight pause, not expecting something that looks so heavy to be able to achieve flight. "The fuck are you talking about?" I asked brashly. "To fly, surely flight would be impossible for something so large without magical assistance." I paused for a bit, and then laughed loudly at how stupid he sounded. "Aah you're a funny guy Mirage. Yeah, magic that's how I can fly." I replied sarcastically. 'Gods, it’s always fun talking to a native, they believe the stupidest shit.' I thought. "Okay? Then how are you flying if not through magic?" He asked quizzically. "Simple, a shit ton of fuel mixed with some retrofitted plasma boosters." I answered. "What is a plasma booster?" He asked curiously. "A rocket, now where’s this queen I'm supposed to meet? As much as I would love to play twenty questions with you all day I feel we should get moving." "Follow me, though I imagine she will want to know more then I." He replied. Then weirdly, almost see through tattered bug like wings seemed to slip through his armor and he was soon in the air. The other soldiers did the same and soon we were all in the air, though they went out of their way to avoid my boosters. They led the way over the city as I powered my rockets almost completely down to avoid over taking them. As I flew over the city I couldn't help but wonder how all of this was possible, an underground city this big has to have some way of supporting the roof, otherwise it would collapse, yet aside from the castle and a few buildings that touched the roof I see none. I refuse to believe that the castle and a few tall buildings are the only thing supporting this whole place. That just flies in the face of logic. As we continued to fly I saw more and more of the locals fly near me, though they were told to stay away from the guards they still hanged around a bit further back. Soon there were dozens of the things but as we neared the castle the bugs seemed to scatter. As we flew over the walls a large amount of soldiers gathered around on the courtyards ground. "Captain Mirage! What is this steel beast and why is it here?" A female voice shouted sternly as we touched down. Surveying the yard I saw the voice belonged to a bug covered from head to toe(or hoof I guess...) in shiny armor that looked like a mix of silvery chitin and gold embedded with strange writing. The armored figure, along with all the others, wore a helmet that covered their whole head and only leaving a small slit for them to see out of like the archaic human armors. "Guard Captain Valkyrie, I have brought the creature that her majesty Queen Chrysalis wanted to see." Mirage said with a quick salute. "And does this creature have a name?" She demanded as she looked at me. Cutting Mirage off I decided to answer. "Yeah, it’s Elizabeth." I said, surprising the captain. "And here I thought you were a mindless machine, who ever made you must be so proud you know your own name. Follow me Captain, her majesty is waiting." Valkyrie replied, unimpressed and snidely at the same time. After seeing the size of the front door to the castle I realized I could walk my Chassis in instead of getting out. Climbing up the steps leading to the door in one step I was soon inside the castle and it was just as grand as the outside. The walls where made of the a much more brighter material on the inside, like marble but darker, and the walls held giant tapestries and banners that bore the same symbols as the symbol on the shields of some of the knights I had seen. The floors were lined with green, velvet carpets that looked soft yet durable and along the walls on the ground sat small tables or platforms that held vases, artworks of some kind or what looked like artifacts of an unknown nature. Needless to say, whoever owned this place went all out. The hall was also lined with guards here and there. They stood tall and proud in immaculate jade and black colored armor designed to no doubt withstand a direct strike from a crossbow bolt or hit from a sword but also had a soft cloth like material that doubled as a clock and a hood that covered their helmets. They either were armed with a halberd, a sword and shield or a crossbow and dagger. The halberds were unlike any I had seen before, the staff was made of black wood and had a dark green ribbon spiraling down and ended at an emerald embedded at the bottom. The ax was made of a material that looked just like glass yet gave of a shine that doesn't seem natural. To top off the design the short pike at the tip looked sharp enough to pierce my chassis's lightest armor, though I imagine its just the craftsmanship, I doubt a simple pole arm could dent this baby. The swords were of a similar design with a wooden handle covered in a dark green leather cover and a sharp crystal blade. The sheaths were black, though it looked like all of them had something written on them in green ink. The shields they wielded where black heater shields with a green creature of some kind on it, like the banners. It looked similar to a lion in the way it was built though it sported a pair of leathery wings, a scorpion tail and giant claws. The design of the symbol was similar to that of a lion rampant. And lastly, the crossbows where made of a black wood, along with the arrows, but the strings and arrow fletching where green. The string could have just been colored and the fletching was probably a feather of some kind. The daggers were of the same design, sheath included, as the swords but looked more like a small butterfly sword. I noticed that all the hallways we passed down where all similarly designed and was completely void of fault in design or defense. Many rooms were hidden behind guarded doors but the ones that were opened showed beautiful rooms like a ballroom with the most exquisite chandelier that seemed to be made entirely of metals and gems, a giant foyer that lead out to a garden and a stunning dining hall with the longest table I had ever seen, mahogany I think. I was impressed to say the least, I was never one for going over the top but even I could appreciate the amount of money someone had to have sunk here. I also noticed that despite the great mechanical steps I took and the shaking it caused, nothing fell down, was moved and I didn't crack the floor or ruin the carpets. Either everything is bolted down or something’s up because I know my steps can break rocks if I try hard enough. After we made our way down the halls, taking a few turns and passing through a few rooms we came across a large set of doors that were made of black steel and emerald. The door was guarded by two crossbow guardsmen and two swordsmen. "I take it this is the 'metallic beast' those scouts spotted?" Asked one of the swordsmen in an anxious tone of voice, clearly intimidated by the weaponry and size of my ride. "Yes, is the queen occupied?" Valkyrie answered, cutting Mirage off. "No, she has purposefully been shooing away anyone seeking an audience." The guard continued, never taking his eyes of my Chassis. "Very well then, let us through." Mirage commanded. The swordsmen quickly grabbed the double door handles and opened it. My Chassis barely managed to fit through the doors as I walked into the throne room. The room was long and the walls where lined with stain glass windows depicting various events like war, what looked like two Changelings signing something, a depiction of a king being beheaded by two other changelings, both females, and what looked like someone being crowned in front of a group of knights. The roof was supported by two rows of black stone columns that had words carved into the bottom, they were unreadable but probably was something religious, historical or empowering. We walked down a long green carpet that lead up to a platform a few small steps of the ground which held a black marble throne that was embedded in a giant, black, stone wall. The throne itself was gorgeous, its shiny black marble gave off a grand luster, and its green cushions looked softer than anything I’d seen before. The throne had was flawlessly carved with no sharp edges, marks or cracks like it had just been made yet the stone it was built into looked ancient. The thrones armrests where straight until it ended at arm’s length where it then curved down and turned into a strange design that looked like a crystallized water fall and sparkled like one. The tall stone wall was graphite black yet had carvings in its surface that showed a changeling floating in between the sky and ground. The ground was littered with blood, bodies and gore yet the heavens, which was guarded by strange creatures that looked similar to the changeling, were cracked and separated by a line running through the stone. "I take it this is the monster the scouts saw in the desert?" I heard a voice asked, it was sultry and soothing yet distorted and strange, like two people were talking at the same time. As I neared the throne I was able to make out the person sitting on it. She was...Unique to say the least. She was a tall figure, easily a foot taller than me at seven feet, and had teal green hair that ran down to her back, maybe further as what looked like more hair went down the side of the throne and followed the armrest. She had dark skin like everyone else yet hers seemed softer and darker somehow, like the shadows, and her eyes where dark green with elongated oval pupils. Her face looked both human and alien, it had eyes, a mouth, nose, ears, teeth and hair like a human but the changes ranged from insignificant to bizarre. Her eyes were bigger than a humans, her mouth housed both normal teeth and fangs that looked sharp enough to rip a chunk off someone, her nose was a bit long but not unattractive, quite the opposite, her ears where longer than a humans and a bit flat. Her hair though graceful had literal holes in it yet oddly the hair seemed to move around the holes like it was styled like that. She wore an elegant emerald dress that hugged her body yet was never revealing, sexy or bland. I guess elegant would be the word to describe it? I barely wear clothes so how the fuck could I be able to tell what's good for aliens. "Yes my queen, she calls herself Elizabeth." Mirage continued as he bowed respectfully then rose. I watched as the Queen rose from her throne. The first two things I notice where 1) She has a FUCKING tail and 2) She has god damn holes in her skin. It looked like someone had taken an oversized screw driver to her limbs! How the fuck is she alive? "When the scouts said a massive metal object had appeared in the dessert I was expecting something ground shattering, awe inspiring and extravagant." She said, with an amused voice as she looked my chassis up and down. She seemed impressed yet not awed or terrified like everyone else. "I don't aim to impress when I'm building. If you want to build a gun and make it an impractical piece of shit then be my guest." I replied bluntly, earning a gasp from Mirage as he stared at me like I had just slapped his mother, though the Queen merely chuckled. "Not many Changelings would swear openly towards their queen." She spoke with a small smirk as she continued to stare, though directly at my cockpit like she could see me. "Well I'm not a Changeling." I rebutted brashly. "And I could guess you are not a giant machine?" She questioned with a hint of curiosity. "Yes and no..." I answered, dodging the question. She stared for a bit longer then started to walk back to her throne. "Tell me Miss Elizabeth, what do you know about this world?" She asked as her guards stood close to the throne and eyed me suspiciously. "I know it’s been called 'impossible' and 'an insult to science', but aside from that I can't say I’m familiar with this rock, though from what I saw it looks like most Terran planets; decent size, a few oceans, a few desserts and a 'colorful' native population." I answered truthfully. She seemed surprised by my answer but didn't show it. "So, you're not from this planet. Tell me, why are you here?" She asked, her voice shifting from curious to emotionless as she continued to stare at me. "Originally, it was meant to be a mission of science. After we got ambushed from an old enemy we were forced to kill them which resulted in me plummeting towards the ground, along with a few others. I don't really have a reason to be here, just stuck." I answered truthfully while leaving out stuff she didn't need to know. "Well, I guess I can't fault you for that. Be warned, attack or threaten one of my subjects and you will not only enrage the Hive, you will have me to face. Now, if you truly are stranded here then you have no idea what this world is turning into do you?" She threatened then questioned, her voice shifting from foreboding to calm in a heartbeat. "I could hazard a guess, a war spanning the world over?" I asked, not really caring. "I take it you've been in a situation like this before?" She asked, somewhat surprised. "What can I say, first contact with new civilizations can get a bit repetitive at times, though this is the first time the alien race has looked so..." "Monstrous?" She asked with a knowing tone of voice. "No, exotic would be a more apt word." I said with a small smile. "A refreshing change from the usual disgust. The world is, almost literally, torn apart. The Griffon Empire and United Lands of Equestria are at war over land rights, resources and justice, which has placed many of the smaller nations and tribes in risk of getting caught in the crossfire. Many other countries are weighing in the risks and rewards of choosing a side, the Changeling Hives included, and many believe this to be an unavoidable war for all." She told me, no doubt giving me the informal and quick summery, with a straight face that gave away no hint to what she thought on all of this. "And where do you stand?" I asked. "Where I stand is none of your concern. Now then, where do you plan to go from here?" She said with a small amount of harshness then a knowing voice as she eyed me with a looked that might as well scream she has a plan. "Well, I planned to explore and look for survivors, thought that was going with the assumption most of the people on this planet where still primitive idiots and not caught in a global war. I assume you have a better idea?" I asked with a bit of annoyance. "Well your idea may be direct; it's also ineffective and possibly dangerous. How would warring nations and a scared populous react to a giant flying beast, the likes of which has never been seen before? What I propose is this; I will provide you with information of the world, food, water and a place to stay till you need to leave while I send a few of my spies and scouts already out in the field to look for signs of your friend's locations, gossip and news can be very helpful, and in exchange you tell me about your people." She offered in a voice that seemed calm and friendly. "Seems too good to be true, what's the catch?" I questioned suspiciously. "None. I don't expect you to tell me how your weapons work or how to build whatever you’re in, I just wish to learn more of the worlds beyond from an outsiders view. Your welcome to leave, I'll even provide you with a map and food, but alone you will face challenges both political and militaristic in nature. If the Equestrians and Griffins knew you had come from a Changeling Hive they would probably have you detained or killed from fear alone. My forces are in every town, in every country on every Continent, they are invisible, smart and above all else discrete. With my spies ears to the ground it won't be long before they catch wind of alien sightings or a crash landing. I'm not demanding you to pledge allegiance or live here, you're free to leave whenever you please and I won't stop you. I just ask that you cooperate with me and follow Changeling laws." She said calmly as she rose from her throne and approached me. "Can I think this over?" I asked, not sure whether to agree with her or not. On one hand, she was right. I had no idea what this world was like and I could very well fuck up a situation I have no knowledge of, plus free food, shelter and company are nothing to sneeze at on a potentially hostile world. On the other hand, this feels off. She has stated that by being here I could be arrested, I'm sure there's a reason why. I have nothing to lose by walking away and going alone and I don't trust these natives as far as I could throw them. But she was right, I had no idea where to begin looking for my allies, and if what she said is true, then having eyes and ears all over the world could help shorten my search... "Of course, I don't want to pressure you into an answer you're unsure of. You can stay in the castle for now, I don't think you will fit in a hotel." She said with a small laugh. "Mirage, take her to one of our guest rooms and see to it that she is comfortable." She continued with a strict tone. "Of course, Your Majesty. Follow me Miss Elizabeth." Mirage said with a salute as he led me towards the door. As I walked away I activated the rear camera, opening a small tab on my Chassis’ HUD and watched the Queen walk back to her throne and sit down, making sure she wasn't going to try something. Instead she just sat there, staring with a small smile on her face. As I stomped down the hallways I couldn't help but question two things; what did she have planned for me and how the fuck was I able to walk my Chassis down these halls? The doors where just tall enough to fit me through and I wasn't putting a dent in the floor, only shaking the various items decorating the walls. Seriously, what is this goddamn castle made of and who was it built for?