//------------------------------// // Birth in The Hive // Story: Metalwing // by SprocketProductions //------------------------------// The first thing I ever felt was some kind of thick liquid. The translucent green sludge gave way as I bit through the membrane of my egg, crawling out soaking wet to look at Chrysalis, the queen of the changelings. She levitated a small furry creature down to me, laying it on the residue left behind from my natural incubator. Looking down at the loving animal, my instincts took over. My horn full of holes light up a sickly green and a beam pointed at the critter. My mouth opened and I began to inhale, sucking every bit of love from the little runt until it had no more to give. The Queen looked down at me, pleased. I had done my job, and for the time, it felt good to me. I followed her to join the other changelings. They welcomed me as insect-like armor was applied in between my transparent wings. I licked my sharp teeth, beginning to form thoughts. I wondered what my life was to be like, and I wondered if I would ever see any battles. I had hatched full grown, so it must've been a full grown pony that I came from. The hive was damp nearly all over, some sort of fluid that allowed changelings to share thoughts to a degree. Plenty of other changelings were pumping my young head with new thoughts. I wanted to feed, I wanted to take ponies' love. I wanted to drain them until they were all dry. Suddenly, I felt something tingling all over me. I looked down and saw solid white hooves in place of the black ones covered in holes I had seen before. Other changelings looked at me and cheered. I had become a new pony image. I had the ability to live among the ponies as somepony. I could feed on my own love, changelings told me that it would be much richer than the love toward somepony else. I smiled, knowing that I could now feed on somepony who's love was just for me. I licked my lips, greedily and wondered when Queen Chrysalis would let me go and do so. The Queen looked at me, smiling excitedly. I tried to change back, my horn glowed green, a brighter green this time. Magic enveloped me and when it cleared, I was still the same form. I looked up at Chrysalis, "My queen, I cannot change back." "Oh? No matter, I shall have you infiltrate Canterlot and join the royal guard. Can you change races?" She replied. I concentrated and felt my body begin to change. My horn shrunk and wings sprouted, growing larger until they were of size for me to fly. My horn had completely disappeared. I looked back at my new feathered appendages, knowing they would be useful. I suddenly knew my queen's intent for me. I spread my new wings and flew upward and the ceiling opened up for me, giving way to bright sunlight. I squinted as my eyes adjusted to the harsh glow. As my vision started to clear, I looked over the landscape of Equestria. My own individual thoughts began to form, not just the flood of the other changelings'. I wanted to feed, yes, but more than that, I wanted to see this land in its majesty. My senses were bombarded with everything from the smell, to the touch, to the taste. I eagerly began flying my way to Canterlot. When I landed in the city, my wings were tired. They had grown sore from the long flight. I didn't have the energy to fold them, so they dragged along with me. I went from door to door, seeing if anypony would house me for the night. Something about the way I spoke put most of them off and my never before groomed wings dragging behind me made the rest of them weary of me. I found an unoccupied alley to sleep in that night. I layed down in the filth, now aware to how cruel this world was.