10: Life Slices
An electric lamp cast a stark white light over Twilight’s cluttered (in her mind) steel desk. Luna’s moon waned in the window as the lavender queen chugged her tenth cup of cold coffee. The beverage went down hard, but Twilight ignored the distaste so she could refocus on the ancient chitin that mocked her with its secrets.
Twilight fought the bags weighing her eyes down as much as the indecipherable text before her. She squinted while levitated a quill to trace the text as she read.
Third Sabbath of Moon’s Zenith: I know not what the High Deacon did to us to make us so alien, so monstrous, but last night was the most trying yet. I barely returned to my chambers after the evening meal when the pains that confounded me all day finally ended with two spherical objects being expelled from me.
Even for a prestigious scholar as Twilight, it took her a moment to compute what she saw through the late night fatigue. “I don’t get it… why would she not know what egg laying is? At least that’s what it sounds like…There has to be something I’m missing.” I’m beginning to wonder if this is even the right queen’s journal.
As she started carefully sifting through the various slates of magically preserved chitin, a gentle knock on her chamber door along with a respectful ping over the Link pulled some of Twilight’s focus away from her work. <Good evening, Gentle Touch.>
The former caretaker held a small tray with food aloft in her magic. She spied Ratchet was draped over a new combat Clockwerk. He was obviously snoring, but the air rippling around him betrayed the noise cancelling enchantment.
<Actually it would be good morning, my queen.> She danced the line between snarkiness and being polite. <I brought you some warm honey and jelly cider to help you get some sleep.>
A headache that had been slowly prowling Twilight all night chose that moment to strike. Twilight squinted in pain as she peered at the clock. “It’s after five already?” she replied quietly.
Gentle set the tray down after Twilight cleared a spot for it. <Aye, that it is. You’ve been at this for almost eight – make that nine days.> I had hoped the week she spent at her pony family's home would lift her spirits.
Twilight gave a long tired yawn before sipping from her cider. <Thanks for looking out for me, Gentle.>
The drone snickered as she nuzzled Twilight’s foreleg. <As if it wasn’t my burden and joy to do so, mother.>
Twilight pulled her personal assistant into a side hug, relishing both her presence and the love they shared. A blade of sadness hit her in the heart at the thought of it. I’ll never feel this kind of love with Velvet ever again… She pushed her depression away as quickly as it came. It can wait for the next Day of Mourning. I have a hive to run and a homeland to discover.
She managed to hide her brief lapse of depression from Gentle. Twilight looked down at one of her very first drones, the tenth to hatch by her count. Gentle buried her muzzle into Twilight’s fur. Her eyes were closed while a dreamy content smile danced over her lips. Twilight was moved every time her drones could sneak in a few brief moments of mother Twilight, rather than Queen Twilight. After seeing Kreesus’ and Pulpa’s drones, I could never survive in a hive full of mindlessly obedient children. She hugged Gentle a little tighter.
The moment could not last forever, and a second yawn from the exhausted queen heralded its end. “I should get to bed. Can you delegate the rest of these translations?” Twilight requested while pointing at her desk.
“Of course. The archaeological team from the Equestrian Reclamation Service came aboard today, so this should keep them busy.”
Twilight downed the last of her cider. “Perfect. The more we intertwine our efforts with ponies, the easier integration will be later.”
“That’s the plan anyway,” Gentle commented as Twilight carefully levitated Ratchet off the mechanical golem and placed him in bed. Fearing she might wake the prime consort, Gentle continued over the Link. <Oh, by the way, Chief Caretaker Gear Ratio wanted me to remind you that the hatcheries are ready and the schedule will require only three weeks’ worth of eggs this time around.>
<Very well.> Twilight stood still for a moment and focused in on herself. A few nerve signals there, a muscle pull there, and she was rewarded with the all too familiar brief tightening of a few organs. <There, tell her the next clutch will be ready in three days. For now, I’m getting some sleep.>
Gentle Touch lingered as Twilight climbed into bed. It wasn’t like her to hover like that. <Is there something else, Gentle?>
She nervously rubbed her foreleg. <I think something’s off about Aunty Dash lately.>
It wasn’t the first time Rainbow Dash spooked one of Twilight’s drones, so she thought little of it. <What’s she done this time?>
<Nothing actually. At least to us, or anything. It’s just that a few of my siblings have noticed she’s a lot more… huggy than she used to be.>
Her bed demanded satisfaction for making it wait so long, and Gentle was keeping her from it. <She’s probably still getting used to how much love she needs on a daily basis. It doesn’t come to her instinctually since she didn’t undergo rebirth. Besides, I thought you’d prefer a huggy RD,> Twilight teased as she snuggled up to a sleeping Ratchet.
<I hope that’s all it is.>
Twilight wanted nothing more than to cuddle with Ratchet, but Gentle’s concerns wormed at her, even after the former caretaker departed. RD’s asleep right now, I’ll have Resta take a look at her just in case. There might be some issue with her high hybridization ratio.
With the command sent to the medical drone acknowledged, Twilight happily buried her muzzle into Ratchet’s mane and promptly fell asleep.
Princess Celestia walked through the royal garden with the lightest of springs in her step. The chirping summer birds and the scent of flowers filled the air as she allowed herself to be taken in by the abundant greenery. Alas, even on a beautiful day like today, the burden of rule was omnipresent.
The day court was only held every other day, but that was only half of ruling the nation. The other was done away from the public eye. Not so much for herself, but for the typically noble petitioners. Each proposal made to her was publicized before ever being decided upon, but the petitioner was kept anonymous.
Celestia made it a game of sorts. I wonder who will approach me first. Kick Back with his green bean tariff reform, or will it be Count De Monte with some new tax he wants to impose?
She rattled off a dozen other possibilities as she bent down to smell a tantalizing rose before biting the tasty treat off the bush. The lush petals reminded her of a bygone era that echoed through her memories. Memories of before crowns, politics, and the other less pleasant aspects of leadership.
“Princess Celestia,” a lofty masculine voice called out from further inside the garden. “Could I have a moment of your time, if it pleases you?”
The diarch in question looked up to see Prince Blueblood of all ponies approaching her. I thought he was on a business trip to Manehatten. “I’m free for the moment, what can I do for you?”
It was only when he got closer that Celestia noticed little mechanical pony toy walking beside him. “Thank you for your consideration, your highness. It has come to my attention that Queen Twilight Sparkle has made – discrete – overtures in formally merging her hive with Equestria.”
Celestia momentarily eyed the little robotic toy at his hooves. It was painfully obvious it was of changeling make. “If that was the case I would welcome it,” she replied carefully.
“I suspected you might,” he replied stoically, “as do many in court, given recent developments. I personally don’t care much for political games, they’re so boorish. No, I am far more interested in things like my little friend here.” He levitated the robotic pony to be eye level. “Fascinating little toy isn’t it? It only has a single crystal barely a fifth the size of my hoof providing it with rudimentary intelligence, but everything else runs on steam. I dare say these technophilic insects have created a form of magic all on their own.”
“They do have a certain knack for that sort of thing. Although I don’t believe you’ve come all this way to show me a new toy.”
He gave an oily grin and lowered the toy back to the ground. “I’m a business pony first and foremost, your highness. You know that, I know that, and since we’re in private I don’t need to put on an act to shoo off any annoying suitors, I can finally talk business. To be frank, Your Highness, my motives are painfully obvious to you so I won’t beat around the bush. These changelings are an economic powerhouse waiting to happen, and I would like to put forth my full endorsement that Queen Twilight be allowed to settle on Equestrian soil. Customs and tariffs are such a pain for everypony involved, and I see no reason that should get in the way like it has with the Crystal Empire.”
“I’ll put your proposition into consideration. I assume you have put many of the aristocracy’s worries to rest before coming here.”
“That is, unfortunately, not an entirely exorcised problem,” he replied disheartedly. “Even after utilizing every single ounce of tact and guile at my disposal, quite a few houses are still vexed by the idea of giving over good homesteading land to Queen Twilight Sparkle. I will give them credit where it’s due however. Given that the relationship between the two of you seems as strong as ever, it is practically a foregone conclusion that you would want her to settle in our fine nation. I tried to argue that better lands for them meant faster profits, but they simply wouldn’t listen to reason.”
“There seems to be a lot of that going around lately,” Celestia remarked dryly in a rare lapse in tact around others.
Blueblood only nodded sympathetically. “I knew you would understand, Princess. So many short sighted ponies these days. So you can understand that I was equally vexed by the conundrum, but then I remembered these changelings originate from the Cresnox Jungle, in the deep south.” Celestia nodded to hide her confusion. “Any and all tales I’ve heard about that place are completely dreadful, it makes one wonder how they survived down there, let alone build a civilization.”
“I admire the queendoms’ resiliency,” Celesta agreed, “although it makes me wonder why they chose to settle there permanently.”
“A riveting mystery I’m sure,” Blueblood sniffed dismissively, “but it gave me an idea. These changelings are a hardy breed, and are already well adapted to hostile climes. I put forth the idea that we could hoof over territorial rights of the Everfree Forest to Queen Twilight. She gets to keep her sovereignty (if she so chooses), and in exchange Equestria would get in house trade agreements.” Celestia cooed internally at the idea keeping Twilight close by, but betrayed nothing as Blueblood continued. “The forest is pretty from afar, sure, but it’s a dangerous and inhospitable area. The insects should feel right at home there, and Queen Twilight gets her reunion with Equestria.”
Once she took it all in, Celestia frowned inwardly. Is it really too much to ask to give Twilight better land? We have plenty of wide open land that would suit her better… but I suppose that’s the point. “I will run the idea by the queen before making this proposal public.”
“I knew you were a smart businesspony, your highness. I’d say you missed your calling, but you’d actually give me a run for my money,” he tittered at his own joke.
“Heavens forbid you be freed from your wallet. If that is all?”
“Yes, quite right. I’ve taken far too much of your time. I have a ball to attend anyway, and it started…” He looked at his timepiece. “Two hours ago, perfect timing for me.” He bowed deeply. “You’re highness.”
She gave a slight nod, cuing him to leave. I’ll have to inform Rolled Scroll of this. It might be the only option I have without causing political backlash.
A couple of days later, a knock on a door echoed through a darkened room. “Rainbow, are ya awake in there!” a feminine southern voice called out. “You promised Pinkie you’d help watch Slice while she sets her party up!”
“I told you, she’s unresponsive over the hive mind, she’s obviously asleep,” another voice replied in a raspy tone.
“Well she’s gotta get up or else she’ll be late holding up her Pinkie Promise and I do not want that hurricane happening on this floating castle of yours.”
A dull clunk resounded through the frame and the door slid open to the left with a small exhale of steam. The light from the hallway was cut in half by the Stetson hat perched on top of the first intruder. The first thing that hit them was an ear splitting snore.
The second prowler folded her ears back and quickly followed her in. “I’ll get the lights.”
With a temporary electric buzz the lights came on to reveal a messy room with various bits and pieces of junk strewn about haphazardly. The bedroom was quite large for an airship, but that still only made it as big as Applejack’s bedroom back on the farm.
She spotted the snoring pegasus draped over her bed as if an interpretive dancer was in mid-step and just dropped on the bed.
“Consarnit, Rainbow, get up!” Applejack shook her friend until the pegasus jolted awake.
*Snzznt* “Huh?” She blearily blinked her eyes at the farmpony glowering at her. “Oh, heyya, AJ.” She belted off a long sleepy yawn. “What’s up?”
Resta, one of the hive’s physicians, walked out from behind Applejack. “Aunty, you have to keep a promise to Pinkie Pie.”
“What time is it?” Rainbow groaned as she flopped out of bed.
“Only you could sleep twenty hours a day and still be tired. All you’ve been doing lately is sleep’n.”
“Oh buzz off, I always take power naps,” Rainbow tried to shush her with a feeble hoof wave.
Resta cleared her throat. “It’s half past four, Aunty. I think Applejack is more accurate than she realizes. You don’t normally sleep this much.”
“I’m fine,” Rainbow protested as jumped to her hooves and shook herself like a wet dog to get the blood flowing. It wasn’t quite enough so she snatched a still mostly full tankard and chugged the whole thing in one go, much to Applejack’s annoyance at the delay, and Resta’s indifference. It was a bit stale, but it actually tasted better at room temperature. Rainbow gave a refreshed gasp while wiping her mouth with a fetlock. Wish I still had a plate of bacon left. “Too much royal jelly cider makes me crash after an hour that’s all. But a little pick me up like this,” Rainbow tapped the keg for a few more drops in her stein, “perks me right back up, in a big way.”
Everyone looked at the now empty keg which was as big as a pony and distinct lack of any other steins meant she had drank it all herself. Rainbow picked up on Resta’s chiding disbelief via the Link. “Okay, so maybe I drank more than a bit.” She downed the last of the sweet nectar before dropping her stein.
“You’re going to end up killing your liver if you keep that up,” Applejack scolded.
Resta found the empty mug still had a drop left, and hummed at the taste, however it was the smell that was the most telling. “This is Pepper’s Malt. Seventy five percent jelly, and only five percent proof. You’d have to drink…” She looked at the keg. “That whole thing to get a buzz.”
“See? My liver’s doing just fine.” At the thought of her internal organs, one in particular chose that moment to pounce. Rainbow squeezed her hind legs shut and started dancing impatiently. “But my bladder’s not! Thanks for waking me, and all, but I gotta go!”
“Hold on a moment, Aunty, mother wanted me to check up on your health. Just to make sure nothing’s wrong with your stark level of hybridization.”
Rainbow puffed her chest out and thumped it for good measure. “I’m fine, I’m healthy, but I gotta go! Look if it’ll make you drop it, I’ll tell you how it is, the royal jelly just puts me to sleep if I eat too much. I’ll lay off it a bit in the mornings, okay?”
Resta pointed at the adjacent restroom, one of the perks for being Twilight’s close friend. “Go on, but I’m going to wait right here until you’re done.”
“Kay, thanks!” Rainbow shot inside and let off a sigh of relief so loud, Applejack blushed out of embarrassment.
Being the speedster she was, and running on the high her latest dose of cider had given her, the prismatic pegasus was out of there in less than a minute. “Okay, see ya later, girls!”
Resta ran over to block the exit. “Sorry, Aunty, but I insist! And seeing how you’ve avoided me for days about this, I’m pulling the ‘doctor’s orders’ card. Besides, your reaction to the jelly is unusual to say the least. I just want to give you a brief examination, it shouldn’t take too long.”
“Gah!” Rainbow groaned as she rubbed her face out of mild exasperation. “Fine, whatever, just don’t put me on bed rest for weeks on end.” Applejack rolled her eyes at that one. “I’ll be there soon, AJ.”
“Ah wouldn’t worry about ‘er, Resta. The only thing wrong with her is lazyitis. Ah'll see you girls later, ah have to get back to the farm and teach the new farmhooves how to do things the Apple way.”
“It was good seeing you again, AJ, try not to harass the drones too much.” She wrapped Resta in a friendly hug while jabbing her in the chest. “You guys make great engineers to be sure, but farmers? I just don’t see it.”
“Heh, just wait til the new strains mature,” Resta quipped with a hip bump. “But enough stalling. Sit down while I ready the probulator.”
Applejack cringed as Resta withdrew an unpleasant looking instrument out of medical satchel. It had hooked scalpels, a extendable syringe, and automatic needier for stitching. The whole thing twisted and popped as it extended out to its full size of a pony’s head.
The farmpony gave an impressed whistle. “Welp, you two have fun now, ya hear?”
“It was good meeting you, Applejack.” Resta’s murder toy started a whirring sound, reminding both ponies about the horrors of the dentist’s office.
Rainbow shot a fearful glance at the probulator before giving Applejack a pleading one. “You wouldn’t abandon a friend in need would you?”
“Now hold still,” Resta warned flatly, “if I do this wrong it’ll hurt a little, if I do it right, it’ll hurt a lot.”
Applejack nodded to her friend and rushed to lay a distracting hoof on Resta’s withers. “Hold your horses, girl. What is that thing for anyway?”
Rainbow Dash waited just long enough for Resta to turn around before giving Applejack a thankful wave and bolting out of the door. <Rainbow! I have to examine you!>
<Maybe next year, Resta,> Rainbow shot back with a smug grin. <Or without that torture device of yours.>
She ignored any further protests from the fuming medic as she flew through the hallways. The past couple of weeks was all she needed to complete her integration into the hive mind. The first thing she used it for was the same thing she was now. That is to say, blitzing through the hallways at breakneck speed while using the Link to know which passageways were blocked and when to veer up to avoid ramming into anyone.
A rainbow contrail filled a fourth of the ship before she arrived at the main reception hangar where Pinkie Pie was banging away at a stage. Streamers and balloons decorated room. A handful of drones were arranging tables and chairs, and gave passing greetings to Rainbow.
Pie Slice was biting one end of a balloon while Gummy was gnawing on the other end. Rainbow rustled his mane as she passed by. “Hey Pinks!” Whew, not late.
The party pony grinned massively and bounced over with a cardboard box on her back. “Thanks for coming over to help, Dashy. Slicy Wicy is such a sweet colt, but he accidently ripped up my last four banners. So I need somepony to keep a hoof on him while I set up the new one.”
“How did he manage four... you know what, never mind that. What is this party for anyway?” She looked to the scattered drones in the area, only to receive confused head shakes or shrugs in response.
“Why for Twilight’s hiveship’s landfall of course, see?!” Pinkie set the box down and pulled the banner out to reveal the banner saying the same thing.”
“Uhh, Pinkie – where did you get the idea that the ship was landing?”
“Well, my mane was itchy, my right back hoof was all floppy, and I thought it was going to rain bowling balls, and I was like, ‘no way, I didn’t get a eye flutter first, but then my tail went all wavy and then it all made sense! Twilight’s getting some super exciting news, and it can only be that she’s founding her hive home in Equestria! And that means this big metal bird isn’t going to be a bird anymore!”
In a flash of motion, Pinkie raised her banner overhead.
Happy Hive Landing Day!
Now that the purpose of their labor had been revealed, the drones cantered over to join the ponies. “I haven’t heard anything about being granted a landing site,” one commented.
“Mother says she hasn’t heard anything about it either,” a third added.
Rainbow Dash however, felt a massive grin cleave her muzzle. “Girls, if there is only one thing that you ever learn from me, it is that you should never doubt the Pink.”
Celestia poured over her written proposal as she read, reread, and then reread it again to make sure it was perfect. Every loophole was filled, any nebulous phrasing was absent, and the legality was all there. Twilight worked so hard to earn her title as queen, it would be unfair to ask her to surrender it. Not to mention the other queendoms might see it as a weakness. But this, this should satisfy everypony.
She looked up and away from the parchment to rub her sore eyes. Celestia’s private study would be considered a museum by most, but to her, the tomes and artifacts were physical manifestations of her memories of an age most ponies glanced over in the history books. It was the only place in the entire palace that had authentic first generation Equestrian décor, with busts and furnishings heavily decorated with the symbol of Equestria.
Even an original oil lamp sat at her desk unlit only because of the midday sun casting the entire room in a brilliant light thanks to all of the strategically constructed windows and reflecting surfaces near the ceiling.
The ruffling of feathers on the wind caught her ear, and Celestia looked over to see her sister coming in for a graceful landing. “Lulu, I’m glad you’re still awake. I wanted you to give this your eye to see if it meets with your approval.”
Actually I was asleep, Luna grumbled inwardly, but the request had piqued her curiosity enough to crawl out of bed. “You usually don’t ask for me to give a joint signature on new laws or whatnot. But this is reason enough to make an exception.” She talked while walking towards her older sister who promptly levitated the document over, cutting her off. Luna arched an unamused eyebrow before giving in to the silent request. “I was wondering when you would finally finish drafting this.”
Celestia remained silent as her sister read the document carefully. As keen as her eyes were, Celestia wanted to make sure she didn’t miss anything. While she would never admit it openly, Luna had a better eye for the letter of the law than she did. When the proposal was returned unmarred by corrections, Celestia’s magic wrapped around a large bell sitting on her desk and rung it near the door, prompting a guard to stick his head inside. “Would you please tell Rolled Scroll I will see him now?”
“At once, Princess.”
Luna spied a half-eaten cake and snuck a bite before the lavender drone could enter. He bowed low, his falsetto tone carried the same reverent respect Twilight held the princesses, only to a higher degree. “I am at your disposal, Princesses. What do you require of me?”
“Please, come in.” Celestia levitated a pair of cushions for her sister and guest. Scroll graciously accepted and took the offered document into his magic. “With the press finally working in our favor, and a few key noble ponies seeing the benefit of having your hive stay on a more permanent basis, we-“ she said while glancing at her sister, “finally have an opening to grant your queen equestrian land.”
“Truly?” Scroll’s wings buzzed excitedly. “My queen had not expected this for another several months, and even then only at the cost of political strife.”
“Well, therein lies part of the problem,” Luna added dryly. “The land we can grant you is not exactly choice. I’d prefer if Queen Twilight could look this over to see if its agreeable before we go public.”
“I see. One moment please.” Scroll tilted his head and closed his eyes as he communed with his queen. A slight tug pulled the edges of his lips upwards. <You honor me, my queen, I am ready to receive you.> A few moments later, he opened them again, only with lavender slitted eyes taking their place.
Both alicorns were taken aback by the sudden change, and their confusion only mounted when Scroll spoke in Twilight’s voice. “Hello, Princesses. I figured this would require my immediate attention.”
Twilight missed the alicorns sharing a highly confused look as she started pouring over the document. Scroll’s entire body language changed to perfectly mirror Twilight’s own. Luna saw her sister was not exactly sure what to say, but found she was an equal loss for words. Did – did Twilight just take over his body? The old queens never showed that ability, if it is indeed true. “Twilight?” she asked carefully.
The puppet bent the paper away from its face. “Yes, Luna, is something wrong?” it asked with a slight tilt of its head.
“I do not believe I have ever seen you dominate another’s will like this before. Is it over that hive mind of yours?”
Twilight let out a light ‘eep’ at the awkwardness. “Oh I’m so sorry, I thought you already knew about this.” She waved her puppet’s face. “From your past dealings with changelings.”
“I’m afraid this is the first I’ve seen this. All of the queens of the past met with me in person. Even Cadista never appeared to me or-” she turned to Celestia who shook her head, “my sister in this manner before.”
“Oh…” Twilight’s puppet nervously clicked his hooves together a few times while giving stuttering giggle. “Well I know full well about Equestria’s laws against mind magic, but it isn’t like that at all. I’m going through the hive mind.”
Celestia gave a sigh of relief while Luna was a bit more reserved. “So you can’t do this to anypony outside of your hive mind?”
“Correct, and only to drones,” she nodded quickly. “The other queens do this all the time to speak to one another without risking themselves. There's no record as to how we queens evolved this ability, but given the... hostile nature of the jungle, it was a highly valuable development that has since propagated to become a core part of our being. Plus it never harms the drones because they've genetically designed to be suitable hosts since before Yumia was alive.”
Luna leaned back to think about it. “Seeing how critically important each queen is to their hive, I have no real issue with this, if only because it’s not actual mind influencing magic.”
“As admittedly strange it is, I can see the value of such an ability. It would also be terribly unfair of me to condemn something that is a part of you.” Celestia dismissed her concerns with an easy smile. “Since it doesn’t harm your child, I see no reason it should be shunned.”
Twilight’s puppet relaxed by sinking into her cushion. “Thank you. It would have been difficult to stay in contact with the others if I couldn’t use it. Now,” She cleared the air and her throat at the same time. “back to the proposal. I’m a bit surprised you went with the Everfree Forest.”
“Yes, I know its far from being prime real estate,” Celestia replied with a modicum of her annoyance slipping through. “But its the best I can give you at this time without the press thinking I’m giving you better land as reparations for… Velvet’s actions. The only other option would be to continue to let things cool down.”
“…I see. Well - don’t worry about the location, Princess.” Twilight pushed the wave of guilt aside to take solace in the moment. “To be honest, I was planning on settling outside of Equestria and remaining closely allied with you. But if the public doesn't mind letting me have the forest, I’m not going to complain. You have to remember, I re-grew up in the jungles, the Everfree would be easy to settle by comparison.”
Celestia smiled at that. I suspected she would find it agreeable. “We can work out the proper treaties and trade agreements today if you have time.”
“I would love nothing better,” Twilight replied excitedly. “The sooner I can found a permanent settlement, the sooner I can start contributing back to both Equestria and Stripped Gear.”
Luna let a long and loud yawn slip by. “Well I would love nothing better than to return to bed. I trust you two to hammer out a mutually beneficial arrangement.” She stood up, but kept her eyes fixed on Twilight. “But before I go, I would like to say I’m greatly pleased we found a way to let your hive settle here without costing you your title as queen. I always greatly valued my friendships with the old changeling royalty, and it is good to see that will continue with you, Queen Twilight Sparkle.”
Twilight’s puppet stood up and nodded respectfully. “I may only be able to speak on my behalf, but this queen is more than happy to resume friendly relations with ponykind, and you personally, Princess Luna. Would you be free later to go flying? I must admit ever since I grew wings, I finally realized why Rainbow Dash loves the skies so much.”
“Sounds like a wonderful idea,” Luna replied with a small grin. Her heart soared at the idea of her savior from the Nightmare was now giving her a chance to restore friendships with the elusive changelings. “How about tomorrow night?”
“Perfect,” Twilight’s puppet happily clapped its hooves while its wings buzzed noisily. “I look forward to it!”
“Until then, Twilight.” Luna dipped her head. “Good day, sister.”
“Sleep well, Lulu.”
Once Luna departed, Celestia faced the puppet. “Now, I believe we have a treaty to fine tune before the announcement.”
“I can be here all day if need be.”
Twilight’s puppet levitated its cushion over to sit beside Celestia so they could look over the document together. A tidal wave of nostalgia crashed into both of them once Twilight settled into her new seat. With Celestia being the tall motherly figure, and Twilight’s puppet being the size of a normal pony, it felt like old times again.
Celestia wanted so desperately to drape a motherly wing across the puppet’s back, but she checked herself. No. She’s her own mare now, and a ruler in her own right. There will never be another pony quite like you, Twilight Sparkle, she lamented bittersweetly. At least I know you will live a long life, and can be reborn when time takes its toll on you.
A warm motherly smile graced her features as Twilight’s puppet lightly leaned against her, just as she had done as a filly. It was that gentle touch she had always craved, but never dared to presume to do more without consent. Welcome home, Twilight.
Meanwhile in the bowels of the hive ship, Aegis scratched her noggin as she translated several old text from the chitin scattered around her room. Riposte was at her side, going over the same scraps of chitin, but with far less enthusiasm. His skysteel blade hovered on the far side of the room, still wrapped in his lavender-orange magic. It sliced the air with deft arcs and swings, making the air whistle with its passage.
Aegis scowled at the constant noise. “Would you stop that? We’re supposed to be trying to find our homeland here.”
“No. Because this isn’t our job.” He brought the blade over and embedded it into the wooden table with a loud thunk. She rolled her eyes impassively at him. “We’re supposed to be honing our combat skills, not ‘digging in the dirt’.”
She harrumphed at her brother, and continued working. “Working on translations helps improve mental fortitude, and that’s far more important than working on one’s swordplay.” She jabbed the sword’s hilt with a hoof, and withdrew her pistol. “Especially when we have firearms.”
“Then we should be at the shooting range, whatever.” He tugged on his blade to dislodge it before finding its scabbard while Aegis holstered her pistol. “The point is, leave this to the archeological teams. We’re the Jevruun Vrunningee, the elite, the cream of the crop, etcetera, etcetera. What we are not, are dirt diggers.”
“But we’re so good at it,” she teased while flicking his nose with a wing. “Besides, if you’ve got such a hard one for maximizing your combat potential, then I don’t see why you decided to go with the male form. Mares are naturally more lithe and we consume less rations on average.”
“Maybe, but I can take a hit easier and keep fighting,” he countered. “The added muscle mass and hormonal difference also gives me better stamina. Why do you think almost everypony in the Jevruun Vrunningee switched over in the first place?”
“'Cause you guys are overthinking it again,” she reported playfully. “A female body is a smaller target, royals notwithstanding, and I’m able to play my feminine wiles if the opportunity ever comes up.” She kissed him on the muzzle while teasing his wings with her own, but he was having none of her games and grunted at her sultry foreplay. She sat back and blew a raspberry. “Not to mention those hormones you’re sooo proud of make you more susceptible to a rival queen’s pheromones by thirty percent.”
“As if a royal would ever take to the field of battle,” Riposte countered passively as he begrudgingly took one of the pieces of chitin and a notepad.
Silence reigned for a few seconds as Aegis gave him a condescending eye. “Mother’s been in two fights in the past month.”
“Our queen can hardly be compared to any of the others,” he dismissed, “she’s entirely unique.”
Aegis scribbled more translations onto her tablet. With so much attention on her brother, she was only translating one word at a time, and not truly reading it. “Are you trying to say none of the other queens are unique? I think Fluffy would disagree.”
“Assuming it had the capacity to do so,” he shot back with a smug grin. “But come on. I don’t presume to tell mother what to do, but at least the other queens know they’re too important to risk the dangers of the battlefield. What do you think we’re here for? And they command via just the hive mind or through puppets.”
Aegis tsked at him, but said nothing as she worked for a few minutes. “I still think we drones are better off with female forms if we’re going to be soldiers.”
“Combat doctrine dictates mixed forces often achieve better results than homogeneous armies. It's a scientific fact. Just look at the win-loss ratio of wars against Stripped Gear.” His tone was as dry as college instructor. “Both genders have advantages in combat which is why soldiers are prioritized if we wish to exchange a sausage for a taco, and vice versa.” He sighed heavily. “But I know for a fact you stayed the same because you’re more interested in sex than anything else. You sleep with at least three to four siblings a week, and should I even bother mentioning the five ponies you’ve bedded with since we arrived at Canterlot, or does that go without saying?”
“You're just mad because you miss the female side of sex," He scoffed at her, but Aegis knew it wasn't a denial. Even so, she decided to have mercy on him. "I still don’t know why so many of them only want hetero, what’s up with that?”
Riposte looked at her as if she was wearing a dunce cap. “You can’t possibly be that dense. Could it be, oh I don’t know, because their society is structured around unchangeable genders maybe?”
“Sucks to be them then. If it wasn’t for the one month waiting period I’d try a sausage out just see how it is.” Any further banter caught in her throat as she actually read what she had just translated. “Quit your nagging and take a look at this.”
I cannot carry on anymore. The scale of what we’ve done. The lives we ruined and destroyed both deliberate and accidental haunts me to this day. The others just want to forget, to live on guilt-free. I tried to tell them that we must carry this pain, so that we never repeat the mistake, but I am ignored. They choose to embrace the change where my brother and I wallow in misery about it. I miss having fur, to feel the soft touch of a lover’s warmth, to enjoy the grass beneath the moonlight.
All we are left with is this hard soulless shell. When Fer’dath, Night Mother bless his soul, tried to comfort me last eve, all I could feel was his hard unyielding shell against mine. There was no room for tenderness, because of these cursed forms. The others are leaving. The sun worshippers’ mining encroaches and we will not reveal ourselves. Me because of my shame, them because they do not want to risk discovery to our food source.
Food.
Is that what the sun worshippers are to us now?
Sure my body requires bread and water, but the addiction we tried so hard to free ourselves from was replaced by the life energy of these equids. If that was not damning enough, those things my body kept producing are eggs. I kept the first few out of morbid curiosity before disposing of the others, as did the rest of us.
They… hatched. What I saw was a collection of insects in a mockery of my already horrid form. That was when I finally knew what must be done. Our hubris has damned us, and now we wear our sins. I must kill the others. To keep them from spreading this evil we have become into the world.
The others destroy everything of our past so they can forget the horrors we unleashed on that ill fated day. But I will never forget that my heart, soul, and sanity were left behind in Rookhaven. Since my kin are so keen on forgetting their crimes, then I will slay them all, so that they will never have a chance to repeat them.
May my atonement see my soul to the Silver City.
Riposte furrowed his brow. “Well that was dark. But at least we finally have a place’s name.”
“Sure, do.” Aegis pumped a hoof in celebration. <Hey Intel, you still at the Canterlot Royal Library?>
<I was just about to leave for Pinkie’s party, why?>
<Sorry to hold you up, but could you ask around if anypony’s ever heard of…> she ran a hoof along her notes to find the name again. <Rookhaven.>
Riposte grumbled to himself. Am I the only one who actually wants to improve his martial skills?
Intel was greatly intrigued. <Sounds like ancient Thessian, the dead language of the Thestrals.>
<And how do you know that?> Riposte demanded.
<The librarian in the Star Swirl wing is a Thestral, and she showed me some fascinating stuff about her tribe’s ancient history. You wouldn’t know it by their reputation, but Thestrals are actually very friendly ponies. I even invited her to Pinkie’s party.> He turned to face his new friend who was begging one of the guards to cover for her.
Riposte threw his forelegs in the air. <That’s it, I give up. I’m going to go spar.>
<Riposte! Don’t you know what this means?> Aegis asked incredulously. He shrugged uncaringly as he levitated his sheathed sword over. Having been thoroughly dismissed, Aegis groaned before refocusing on Intel. <If I did the translations correctly, and I always do,> she added with shameless pride, <then this means our original ancestors were Thestrals!>
Intel waved at his new friend as she finally convinced the guard to lock up the wing for the day. He kept a friendly face despite being disheartened by the discovery. <I hope you’re wrong about that, Aegis.>
Momma's going to mark me for future rebirth for sure! Maybe I'll even get to be reborn as a princess when we're ready to have one! Aegis was hardly perturbed by his dour tone and started dancing and singing around the room. <Why? This is exactly what we’ve been looking for! We just need to ask Luna to let mother go grab some artifacts from the homeland, and boom she secures the all rights to her crown, it’s a win-win!>
<Sure, if it weren’t for the fact that the Thestrals’ original homelands are overrun by the chaos spawn.>
Aegis’s Buzzing Victory Dance of Historic Discovery was cut painfully short. <Wait, what? You’re kidding me right?>
Intel waited patiently for his thestral friend to grab her bags. She gave him an apologetic lopsided grin as she tried to hurry. <Afraid not. Unless Luna’s willing to give up a whole shuttle bay’s worth of artifacts to satisfy the queens, assuming she has any, we’re down a boiler without a wrench.>
Aegis' dream of future queenhood went crashing into the ground. <Oh boy… Momma is not going to like this.>
Stats
Page generated in 0.059 seconds
Total duration
1,047 users online
1,427,903 hits today, 2,004,447 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Welp, time to face the Chaos Spawn, I'm sure they're not that scar-
img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110403075318/warhammer40k/images/6/66/Spawn_of_Chaos_by_Michael_Phillippi.jpg
Okay, well best of luck to Twilight and her Hive.
Dat note
Well, there goes Twi's chance of easily securing her queendom.
Well isn't that just typical? They finaly find their homeland, and it's behind a wall of chaos spawn. Shall I break out the heavy artilery, or just call in an obital strike? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
I hope that RD is turning into a queen...
Why do I get the feeling Rainbow's turning into a queen?
edit: Beaten by seconds. Bah.
neat, but i really shouldn't listen to gravemind (from halo 3) while reading, makes everything seem so doom and gloomy
Yea that kinda sucks, ya know?
Yay! I love this story so damn much! Rainbow Dash has something going on... If I were to guess I would say she might be part queen or something due to how much love she wants and how much she sleeps/ all the stuff she eats and drinks all that Royal jelly.
4192246
You say that like we don't GINORMOUS SKY DREADNAUGHT.
Sky Blue Egg incoming.
good luck to you dash
Oh, boy. Thestrals and... chaos spawn. Well, on to the next arc!
Ratchet is asleep, I think you mean Gentle.
4192399 We are still dealing with chaos here. That by itself makes advance tech itself a really really tiny advantage. In other words we need more dakka! lots of it
static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/more_dakka.jpg
Aegis's little discussion at the end there was excellent.
4192547
Twilight's probably got blueprints for magi-steampunk battle mechs in a drawer somewhere.
Well, you've gone and done it Dash. Your hyperactive loyalty is to blame. Good luck being a queen, I hear laying is a pain.(or maybe she's becoming a princess?)
Consider yourself reminded. XD
4192547
Neva enuf dakka!
You should never proofread at 3AM
4192644 bring out the megaspells
Rainbows gonna be a queen
4192644 ohh you mean a TITAN!! o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/adam/37854bbd0b7503c88ba1a5642dad60b5/tf-video-bg.jpg
"Cream of the crop"
forums.eune.leagueoflegends.com/board/attachment.php?attachmentid=58830&d=1343769622
wooo! another chapter!
I fell out my seat laughing at this.
Don't proof-read at 3AM.
Tyridinds vs chaos spawn
:
From Equsrtian Diarchy command
command authorization C,L 110
directive Orbital friendship cannons target: Rook haven
cleanse and purge in the Emperors name
Shouldn't these be switched?
What happened to Discord in this? Did Celestia just decide to not give him a chance at reformation with all the difficulty with integrating the changlings into Equestria?
Aegis is just a tad ambitious, no? Also it's getting interesting!
Well, this sounds like a job for Twilight Sparkle's brood alright.
Step 1: Settle in the Everfree and set up shop.
Step 2: Build industrial infrastructure.
Step 3: Breed an army.
Step 4: Mass Production.
Step 5: Invasion!
Step 6: ???
Step 7: Profit!
4192447 Yeah. I'm starting to think letting dash into the hive was a bad idea. According to the record, ALL females were converted to queens. If Dash's circlet contained the same magic that was used so long ago, then that would mean...
SURPRISE PRINCESS!
Have fun finding the resources for that.
4193018
Titans? Pffft.
lh3.ggpht.com/-PueUJQadYSc/UePWb0LClFI/AAAAAAAABpY/vohK7aV_4F0/s1600/pacific-rim-hd-wallpapers.jpg
Go big or go home.
Radicola. Next up, rw will not die!(edited pony quote from cod:bo zombies)
so in the first translated document, i thought they originated from ponies
at first i thought the second confirmed it until i remembered thestrals
then the next few lines from the story confirmed it
this better f***ing happen to Aegis
btw, i think if rainbow was looked at by resta, we would find the royal jelly is continuing the pony to changeling process. she should not be able to use the hive mind that well by now.
4193018
unless you're thinking of this kind of battlemech
1d4chan.org/images/thumb/7/73/Mad_Cat.jpg/300px-Mad_Cat.jpg
it still needs more daka.
Oh, or this one
i.stack.imgur.com/HxQNp.jpg
Heck, I'd even accept
img.4plebs.org/boards/tg/image/1374/36/1374366880330.jpg
but your titan, it needs much more Daka.
Okay, so I'm obviously not the only one wondering why the fudge Discord isn't anywhere and what the Chaos Spawn is.
An update so soon?!??!?!??! aWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *gets down to read*
I think we all were expecting to find out that the Changelings were originally ponies, but I was still surprised to find that they were actually Thestrals. No wonder Luna gets along with them so well. Also, can't wait to see what Chrysalis' dogma makes of this.
That should be dour.
OHMYGOSH?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Do you know what that little passage reveals? It is pretty enlightening thus far. I will recheck, but so far the facts are as following....
The Changelings do not remember how they came to be.
Tia'vil'yet is supposedly the first queen. She made sure the past would be in the past. She defeated all rival queens.
It is confirmed that there was more than one queen at the very beginning.
One of them never embraced the change (passage above), wanted to keep their sins remembered and decided to do away will all others who were already indifferent to it.
I have 2 theories.
No. 1
She succeeded in her venture in killing the others off, remaining by her own or with her brother. Later on, she would have a hive and royal daughters, one of them being Tia'vil'yet, who would know of their past from their mother, but would wish to forget it so that future generations will live unburdened. So... Tia'vil'yet plots, rebels, possibly kills her mother, sides with her sister/followers, seals all records, makes the alchemy so that all changelings look to the future and never to the past. End of theory 1. Not very likely given the facts which are few.
No. 2
She failed in her mission/her mission was discovered by others, including Tia'Vil'Yet. A conflict ensures and Tia'Vil'Yet slays our mystery queen in the process and declares herself supreme queen. Everything else, exodus, etc. follows. End of theory 2. Personally, I gravitate towards this one greatly. Tia'vil'yet and others decided to move out of the caves together, so she must have been already alive with all others at the time.
Somehow, I am getting the feeling this Tia'Vil'Yet is a more sinister figure that we have originally thought. She gives me a bad vibe. Things just do not add up. I believe she usurped the power over others and erased everything else from history to become the exclusive First Queen in any case. I wonder how much of it will be true. The reason why I think so is because the queen who wrote the passage wanted their sins, the history to live fresh in the minds of all who would come after them. Tia'vil'yet wanted them gone forever. So this queen is probably someone else entirely.
In any case the plot thickens. Good work, A Law Abiding Pony.
On a side note, I wonder if comments have word limits.
Anyway, I am wrapping this up, cause it is Law who is the writer here, not me. LOL XD!
P.S. Twilight stood still for a moment and focused in on herself. A few nerve signals there, a muscle pull there, and she was rewarded with the all too familiar brief tightening of a few organs. <There, tell her the next clutch will be ready in three days. For now, I’m getting some sleep.>
I totally know what you did there. :
4194626 nah screw that! dual-duality.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Zoids-Chaotic-Century.jpg
img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090221091956/gurennlagann/images/5/5f/TengenToppaGurren-LagannMECH.jpg
animeout.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/GUndam-Wing.jpg
Dash 's love addiction.... How long will it be before anyone notices she's a queen? Twilight herself was massively accelerated at the beginning, the Rainbow seems to be progressing at less than half, thanks to the efforts of the hive.
We wonder why nobody has thought to try and use the Elements against the chaos spawn yet. Surely Twilight 's element should still recognize her?
Keep going! ;)
4193018 what about Mechwarrior, the O.G. battle mech piloting FPS, which originated in the 80's, gained multiplayer in the mid-90's, and got a reboot just a mere 8 months ago. Honestly titanfall looks like a hybrid of mechwarrior, call of duty, resistance, and infamous (the parkour). Yeah I'll probably buy it for my PC, but it still borrows heavily off of those sources. It just feels too hyped in my opinion. Although that could just be my nostalgia acting up. I grew up with Mechwarrior 2: mercenaries, playing it with the full setup: dial-up, flight stick, headset, hi-res (for the 90's) display and a mid-high end PC when I was just 2. Fun times... That game influenced all if my opinions of fps's in the future, even subconsciously.
EDIT: seems people here want dakka, so I give dakka.
If that doesn't make you want one spearheading your advance, then you will definitely be missing out.
4195194
The Chaos Spawn are, obviously, the results of Discord's reign. (Before Celestia and Luna) they're possibly ponies or animals that have been horribly mutated by Discord's Chaos.
As for where Discord is? Mmm probably still encased in stone.
4194626 If it's Dakka you are interested in, a certain tank would do instead.
5100arrowhead.com/rob/projects/baneblade/complete/baneblade_008.jpg
4196486
I think that needs more choppy, actually.