Doctor Whooves: Ever changing

by AvianAlpha1

Chapter Four: Time for a Field Trip

Doctor Whooves: Ever Changing

Chapter Four: Time for a Field Trip

Vinyl was surprised at how much time had passed since they first found the Doctor. The fact that everything that transpired all had happened in the same day had told her how fast everything was moving.

The four of them were currently riding a private train car towards Appeloosa, where apparently just beyond that was where the changeling hive was. Vinyl noticed that when they got to the train platform, Lucky whispered something to the conductor, who led them to the car they were in now. Lucky Clover explained that the changelings were able to befriend certain ponies before the attack, so they could fulfill certain needs and requirements in order to safely bring food and supplies back to the hive. This disturbed Vinyl a bit as she wondered just how many changelings lived in Ponyville that continued to serve the queen and how long they've been there.

Vinyl was brought out of her thoughts as the Doctor sat down beside her, no longer wearing the cloak, socks, sunglasses and scarf that they used to disguise him. Unfortunately, Lucky Clover wasn't able to teach the Doctor how to disguise himself, as the Doctor was more concerned about Lucky Clover’s biology and wasn't able to stand still long enough to focus and perform the spell. The Doctor smiled as he looked at her, though his fangs didn't help to easy her nerves. She decided to look out the window for the time being as she tried to think about other things.

“You still don't like me, do you?” The Doctor asked as his smile faded in to a frown.

Vinyl didn't move. She had to admit, she still had some distrust towards the Doctor, but she felt a bit more comfortable around him. Vinyl felt a light tapping on her shoulder and she turned her head a little bit to see the Doctor looking curiously at her.

“Hey, I know you must be scared,” the Doctor said in a calm tone, “but I promise I won't let anything hurt you or Octavia.”

Vinyl huffed as she looked back out the window.

Scared? More like freaking out of her mind. They were heading right in to the changeling hive. Was she supposed to think, that everything was going to be rainbows and sunshine when they got there?

Vinyl jumped as she felt a hoof rest on her shoulder, Vinyl turned and was about to glare angrily at the Doctor, but then she saw his eyes. She had seen many retired guards with eyes like those at bars that she’d been to before, but something about the Doctors was different, almost sad in a way.

“I promise that everything will be alright,” the Doctor said before he got up to go talk to Lucky Clover, leaving Vinyl alone with her thoughts once again.

---

The sun was setting when the train reached its final destination at a small shack in the middle of a large desert. The Doctor, Octavia and Vinyl all got off the train and waved goodbye to Lucky Clover as the train departed back to Ponyville. The group walked in to the shack where there was nothing inside except for a keg filled with, what was most likely alcohol, and a brown mare sitting behind a counter reading a magazine.

“May I help you,” she said, not even looking up at the group. Lucky Clover told them about this part, as there was a passphrase gain entrance to the hive. That is if they haven't changed it by now.

The Doctor smiled as he walked up to the counter as both Vinyl and Octavia crossed their hooves.

“Yes, I was told that you made the best cider here,” the Doctor said, causing the mare to look up.

“We sure do,” the mare responded, “what would you like in it?”

Here came the moment of truth.

“A drop of honey, a dash of nectar, and a spoonful of TLC,” the Doctor said with a smile.

The mare stared at him for a while and twisted the spout on the cider keg. A loud hissing could be heard as a section of the floor dropped down to reveal a hidden tunnel. The Doctor looked back at Octavia and Vinyl as they both visibly gulped before walking up to the Doctor. They then proceeded in to the tunnel as they made their way in to the hive.

The tunnel was surprisingly spacious as the trio made their way deeper and deeper down the tunnel, the only light source was a strip of green crystal that lined the walls. The tunnels walls were perfectly smooth and had virtually no imperfections in them. Curious, the Doctor pulled his sonic screwdriver out from behind his ear decided to scan it.

Whirrrrr

The Doctor looked curiously at the screwdriver as it was not picking up on any trace metals or chemicals that could explain this. The Doctor put the sonic back behind his ear and decided to ask about it later.

After about five minutes of walking, the group reached a large set of green doors. The Doctor looked around as Octavia and Vinyl grew worried.

“I don't understand,” Octavia whispered, “where are the guards?”

As if on cue, two changelings in navy blue armor appeared out of nowhere and tackled Octavia and Vinyl to the ground with in the span of a second. As soon as they were secured, a third one dressed in green armor stepped out and approached the Doctor.

“You foolish nymph,” the green armored changeling proclaimed, its voice sounding feminine, “Don’t you realize what you have done?”

“Not at all,” the Doctor said with a smile on his face, “I have to ask, this tunnel is quite fascinating, how did you get it so smooth?”

This caught the green armored changeling off guard for a minute before she shook her head and glared at the Doctor. “State your designation!”

“Well, I’m the Doctor and this is…” the Doctor began before being cut off.

“THE DOCTOR,” the green armored changeling proclaimed loudly before pointing at the other two changeling guards. “You two, get off of them.”

The two changelings quickly released Vinyl and Octavia allowing the two mares to quickly scramble to get behind the Doctor.

“I apologize Doctor,” the green armored changeling said as she bowed, the other two following suit, “I did not recognize you.”

“Doctor, you said you haven't been here before,” Octavia whispered as Vinyl glared at him.

“I haven't,” the Doctor said before adding, “Well, I haven't yet.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Octavia asked in confusion.

“It means he’s coming completely insane, Octy.”

“Hey, who said that,” the Doctor proclaimed as he looked around.

“Wait, you heard that?”

The Doctor and Octavia both turned around slowly and looked at Vinyl who currently had a shocked expression on her face.

The Doctor turned around as he addressed the green armored changeling, “Excuse me, but do these tunnels happen to amplify telepathic abilities?”

“Yes they do as does the rest of the hive. We use it as a way to communicate quickly within the hive, why do you ask?” the changeling questioned with a raised eyebrow.

The Doctor turned back to Octavia and Vinyl. “Because I think that we are hearing Vinyl’s thoughts. The caves must be having a strange effect on Vinyl.”

Before the group had time to question the green armored changeling cleared her throat drawing the group’s attention. “The queen has allowed your entrance in to the hive.”

The doors were opened by the other two changeling guards as the group was lead deeper in to the hive by the green armored changeling. As they got closer to the end of the tunnel, they could hear dozens upon dozens of voices.

“HEY, HOW MANY CHANGELINGS WILL BE ABLE TO HEAR MY THOUGHTS?” Vinyl yelled in her thoughts.

Numerous groans could now be heard from the end of the tunnel as Octavia, the Doctor and the green armored changeling all held their heads.

“Vinyl,” the Doctor groaned as he turned to look at her, “could you please use your inside thoughts.”

“Sorry,” Vinyl thought as she looked abashed.

“With as loud as that was, I'm sure over half the hive heard that,” the green armored changeling said, still rubbing her head.

“By the way, we never quite got your name,” the Doctor asked as he looked at the green armored changeling.

“You can call me Melody,” she said with a smile.

As they reached the end of the tunnel, it opened up in to an enormous cavern that seemed to stretch on for about ten kilometers in all directions. In the middle stood a tall spiral tower that glowed a bright green as it poured light in to every crevasse of the cavern. The strips of green crystal seemed to converge on the tower, suggesting that this was the source of the lightning in the tunnels. Numerous bridges crisscrossed all over the cavern as well as numerous tunnels and hexagonal shaped alcoves all evenly spaced out along the walls. Pools of glowing, green goo sloshed around in pools in random areas around the floor of the hive.

“Whoa,” Vinyl thought as she looked around the hive.

“There must be over to ten million changelings here,” Octavia said as she noticed the number of changelings flying around and performing tasks around the hive.

“Twelve million, seven hundred thousand and thirty, and counting,” melody said as she looked over the hive.

“And all of them linked through a hive mind, with information ready at a moment’s notice,” the Doctor said with a grin on his face, “fantastic.”

“How come we’re not hearing all of the other changeling’s thoughts?” Octavia asked as she looked at the Doctor.

“Probably because your brains haven't developed the need for telepathic communication, at least not as much as the changelings have,” the Doctor explained.

“Can you hear them Doctor?” Octavia asked as she looked curiously at the Doctor.

The Doctor shook his head, “No, they must be using a telepathic frequency that I am unfamiliar with.”

“When a changeling is born, the queen is the one who links them to the rest of the hive, where they receive their tasks for the hive,” Melody explained as she motioned for the group to follow her down a nearby spiraling walk way.

They descended to the floor of the hive as they made their way toward the queen’s throne room. As they walked, several changelings would stop to bow to Octavia, Vinyl and the Doctor. Octavia was smiling awkwardly towards the changelings, while Vinyl was soaking up all of the attention, waving at the bowing changelings.

“Doctor,” Octavia asked, “Why are all of the changelings bowing to us?”

“Don't know,” the Doctor said as he looked around the hive in wonder. “What ever we did, we haven't done it yet.”

Octavia shook her head and asked, “What do you mean by that?”

The Doctor smiled as he looked back to Octavia and said, “Spoilers.”

Unbeknownst to them, melody smirked a little.

They quickly reached the doors to the throne room, which seemed to be made out of a translucent green materiel and was decorated with polished gold inlays. Melody stepped to the side as she motioned to two guards in maroon colored armor. The two guards nodded to melody as they opened the doors.

Melody turned to the Doctor, Octavia and Vinyl and motioned inside. “The queen will see you now.”

“Thank you Melody,” the Doctor said as he made his way inside, closely followed by Vinyl and Octavia.

“Anytime,” Melody said as she watched the doors close. When they swung shut she added with a whisper, “Welcome to Equestria… Sweetie.

Author's Note:

Took a little inspiration for the hives interior design form another great story that I personally enjoyed reading, "A Novel Tale", which is found here. http://www.fimfiction.net/story/87718/a-novel-tale

Comments

[ColtKit Productions]

I really do love Changeling River Song and am Eager to learn more about how she got here in the sequels

[flutterboot]

“Anytime,” Melody said as she watched the doors close. When they swung shut she added with a whisper, “Welcome to Equestria… Sweetie.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO ivegotchillsiloveitloveitloveitloveit