//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: The Beetle and the Bards // Story: Metamorphoses // by Orkus //------------------------------// Chapter 6: The Beetle and the Bards One day prior Beetle was not a normal changeling. The type of chitin that comprised his skin was as average as your normal drone, but he lacked the vital ability to shift forms. His mind was also as dull as a rock, and he took almost everything literally, but the one thing that he was proud of was a gift. He was a technological savant when it came to armor-crafting, and his skills in combat were a legend to the hive. When they showed no sign of stopping their taunts over his disability, however, he left his home, and became a roving changeling that took many an unsavory job. The drone whistled to himself as he worked, sweeping the dust off the porch of his rock-mound he called home, which lied in the middle of a dry canyon in the Badlands. Over his face was a red bandanna with a pattern of white flowers going along it, the cloth made to keep the dust from the occasional dust storm from getting into his mouth. Before the last of the dirt was off, he heard a sudden buzzing go through the ear, causing him to lift his head. His joyful expression turned to an unamused one when he saw the shape of a changeling fly down from the sky. The changeling landed in front of his doorway, brushed himself off, and gave a smirk to the aged warrior. "Greetings, Beetle. I'm Weevil," the messenger introduced. "I come bearing a message for you, from the queen." "Come inside," Beetle gestured unenthusiastically, in a somber voice. They both walked inside of the mound of rock, and when Weevil looked around, he saw there wasn't much to take notice of in the abode. The only thing worth capturing his attention, was what appeared to be a large rack, pieces of intricate, and masterfully-crafted armor resting on it, forming a full body. Each piece was unlike a high-ranking changeling's gear, being made of a silver-steel tinted metal, and there seemed to be spike-like protrusions at every corner, the most notable being the large, razor-like crest that ran along the helmet's top. "What's the problem now?" Beetle asked in a tired voice, walking up to the armor. Weevil scratched at his head while he answered, snapping back to attention. "Well, Beetle, it's the Theatre Metamorphoses," the drone replied. "Queen Chrysalis wants you to destroy their queen." "The hay is that?" Beetle asked, as he took the bandanna off of his face and ran a hoof along his helmet, examining it for any imperfections. "The Theatre thing?" Weevil gave a thoughtful look, thinking back to what Chrysalis told him. "I know some about it, but the queen didn't explain much to me. Only that a worker that was once part of our hive stole some of her royal jelly, became a queen herself, and ran off with some deserters to start a hive of her own about four-hundred years ago. They took that name as their own." "Why didn't Chryssi deal with them sooner? Sounds quite like it would be quite a nuisance to have a rival queen to look out for." "She... well... tried," Weevil went on. "Twenty-odd years ago, she sent some other changeling to do the job, and he succeeded in his task. Apparently though, their queen must have laid an egg before she died, and since a new changeling queen-slash-princess is leading the show, it must have survived." "Huh. Imagine that," he chuckled in an admiring tone, gaining a curled brow of disapproval from Weevil. "She said that you're the only one she trusts to finish the mission. You're made to do the job." "I don't like doing things like that anymore," Beetle sighed, taking his hoof off of his helmet, and turning back to Weevil, showing his cleft lip-scarred snout to the changeling; a wound from a past scuffle. "Nobody appreciates me for what I do. I want to ret-" "She told me she'd have you killed if you failed to comply," Weevil interrupted, his face showing a small bit of disgust when he got a full look at Beetle's injury. Beetle gave a sharp look to the messenger, and licked his lips. "Killed? Wow. This changeling princess must be really serious business." "From what I've heard, it's very serious business," Weevil said back. "The queen said she's a threat to our existence." "In what regard?" "In the regard that she's a rival queen who threatens to steal all of Equestria's love for her own, of course," Weevil spoke. "We must destroy her before she depletes a major source of our food." "I still don't see why I should be involved in this," he huffed, before spitting a glob of resiny, green goo to the ground. "I hunt alone." Weevil scoffed. "You may not officially be part of the hive's military or workforce anymore, but you still serve the queen. We both know that little factoid very well." Beetle's expression went glum, coming to terms with what the messenger was (obnoxiously) saying. "Where are they?" he finally asked. "They're in Ponyville, right now," he replied, watching as Beetle turned around, and pick up his helmet, before placing it over his head. "Then I'd better get a move on there, I suppose..." he responded back, his voice ominous, as he looked at Weevil from behind his face-concealing helmet, a pair of glowing, piercing eyes staring at the fellow changeling through its visor. "For the queen." Present day Longinus and Carol were sitting at a picnic table from just behind where the theater stage lied. The sound of the kelpie laughing seemed to drift through the air as the two talked to each other. Carol had taken off her helmet, and placed it on the table in front of her, revealing her blue, equine head. "Sae, yoo're tellin' me 'at Pinkie Pie pony is almost as nutty as me?" she laughed. "'at doesnae soond possible!" "Almost. Not quite, but almost," he replied, suppressing the urge to join in on Carol's tittering. "Gezz an example, 'en," she asked. "A few hours ago, I could swear she was about to say that the actors were "changelings," believe it or not," Longinus chuckled. Carol gave a strange look at her friend. "But... they ur changelings," she said in a shocked tone that sounded as if she thought he knew all along. "...What?" Longinus replied, confused and surprised by her words. "'at they're changelings," she repeated. "Ur, at leest, 'at's whit Ah hink they ur. " "What?" the alicorn repeated. "They're... they're all changelings? Do they steal love from others?" "They teel me 'at they feed aff ay "adoration" 'at they gie frae their performances," she responded, rolling her helmet on the wooden table from one hoof to the other while she talked. "Fur some reason, they also teel me 'at they're nae loch th' "other hive," ur somethin' loch 'at." "Well... I guess that would explain the "legendary acting" everypony states that your coworkers possess," he said in a troubled tone. "From what I know of Thoraxis, changelings are extremely long-lived. I presume they'd have more than enough time to hone their skills in the field of acting." "...Ain singin'! Ye forgot singin'," she added. "They hae lots ay guid singers." "Do you sing for the show?" Longinus asked. "Your voice is quite beautiful." "Nah, Ah jist pit up posters, an' help build sets," she replied. As she finished her sentence, a blue mare in an attractive blue dress approached the table. On her face was a warm smile. "Hello Carol. How are you and your friend doing?" "Guid day punica. We're daein' guid," she replied. "Ah was jist tellin' Longinus abit hoo ye aw ur secretly changelings." "Oh," Punica said, her face turning to Longinus, and transforming into one of extreme worry as she heard the words, before going downright pale. "Oh! Oh, no, no! W-we're not changelings, hehehe..." "Ay coorse ye ur!" Carol said back, in an arguing tone. "We're not, Carol. Remember what we... told you?" "Ah min'. "Never teel anypony 'at yoo're... changelings..."" she responded, slowly coming to realization of what her mistake was as she recited the rule. "Uh-oh." "Carol... what have we told you about this?" Punica spoke in a disappointed, and angered tone to the kelpie. "Don't fret, please!" Longinus spoke up, attempting to sort things out. "She explained to me that you apparently feed off of willingly given adoration, not forcefully-taken emotion. I can understand that." Punica gave an odd look. "You're not... disturbed... about us being changelings? I mean- if we were changelings, anyway..." "Why would I be?" he laughed. "My best friend is one, and he's peaceful enough." "Y-you are?" she gulped. "So... you're not going to tell any ponies about us?" "As long as you don't want anyone to know about your identities," he replied. "And as long as you don't do anything that could cause harm to this town's citizens." Punica sighed in relief, placing a hoof to her chest. "I assure you, we won't." "Then neither of us have anything to worry about," Longinus smiled. "I still cannot wait to see your performance." "That reminds me, I, um, came by to tell both of you that the show is starting at six," she spoke. "I just wanted to make sure you two were prepared for it." "We'll be thaur," Carol replied, before Longinus could. Punica, finished with her business, turned her head to the left and her ears splayed back, still thinking of how to properly process the moment. "I think I should... go see Madam Odyssia now..." the changeling said, slowly, before trotting off at a fast pace. Once she was gone, Longinus looked to Carol, and saw she was still toying with her headgear. "Ah still cannae bide tae see th' shaw!" she spoke, excitedly, as she brought it to her head. She suddenly found herself stopped from performing her action, as Longinus placed a hoof on both of her own. "How about you go without your helmet?" the alicorn asked, lowering both them, and the bell-shaped headware back to the table. "An' risk lettin' those pony-folk gie scared aff frae th' shaw by mah monstroos visage?" "It was a long time ago when they saw you as that. You're not that kind of person anymore," Longinus reaffirmed. "And besides, without that to obscure your face, you look fairly comely." With a blush on her cheeks that lasted for but a moment, Carol quietly relented, and let her grip on the helmet falter, before retracting her hooves to her lap. Flashing the alicorn a trusting look, she smiled. "Ye truly hink sae?" "Of course," he replied. "Ah actually dornt ken wa Ah wear it..." she giggled, as one of her hooves began to caress the bell-themed earrings on one of her ears. "Ah guess it's loch an instinct tae me..." "That Vektor fellow told me that you had an obsession with the instruments, before you became cursed," Longinus said. "That may be a factor in it." Carol gave an unsure look as she stared at her helmet, before looking to Longinus. "Trust me," he spoke. "O-okay, Longinus," she finally agreed. They both smiled to each other, until the kelpie's eyes were distracted from his by a glow coming from over his head. Looking up, she noticed his horn was glowing a bright, cobalt blue. When the alicorn himself noticed, his expression turned to one of surprise. "Sorry, I'm getting a message," he apologized. With a popping noise, he allowed a roll of paper to magically appear in front of himself. Unraveling it, he scanned the words that lied on it, mumbling to himself as he read. "Whit diz it say?" Carol asked, getting up from her seat, and walking behind Longinus with a curious gleam in her eyes. "Hmm..." he hummed in reply, as he folded the note back up, and allowed it to disappear once more. "One of my daughters wrote to me that she and her sister are coming to see the show tonight, and they want me to see it with them. How... interesting." "Dochters?" "Yes. Celestia and Luna." "Ooh! Can Ah meit them?" Carol asked excitedly, tapping her hooves together. "Eh'd loove tae meit them!" "I was actually going to invite you to watch the play with me, if you could find the time," he replied. "Since my daughters are coming, I'm sure I can find a way to introduce you to them." "Ye waur... gonnae invite me tae come alang?" "Of course." "Sae, it's loch a date, is it?" Carol inquired again, as she poked the cloaked alicorn's shoulder in a playful way. Longinus coughed into his hoof when she brought the subject up, not expecting her to bring up such an idea. "Well, err... it's not the choice of words I would personally have used, but... well, I suppose it could be considered such..." he shrugged. His eyes lit up as he felt something quickly peck him on the cheek, before realizing that it was a small kiss that the kelpie had planted. "Ah'll see ye at six!" she said in an excited voice, before dashing off into the forest of tents. Longinus simply stayed there, eyes widened in partial shock at what the kelpie did. He slowly rubbed a hoof on his cheek, as his head turned to the table. The helmet laid there, its two empty eye-holes focused in his direction, as if looking at him in a judging, contemptible way. Longinus sighed and turned away from the sight, confusing thoughts he hadn't felt in an incredulously long time swimming in muddled fashion through his mind. Perhaps I should talk to Luna about this he thought, raising his head in remembrance of how understanding his younger daughter had acted toward him in the past. She may have the answers I seek...