A Colony of Errors I
“Not only must the message be correctly delivered, but the messenger himself must be such as to recommend it to acceptance.”
--Joseph B. Lightfoot
~*~*~
As the sounds of wings buzzing and insects screeching echoed throughout the land, different changelings flew off in various directions, each with their own task to attend to. Rocks towered over like skyscrapers as many of the ebony insects took to the highest point to observe and remain on guard, or took toward the underground as they flew into the hivelike holes that littered the sides of the canyon. Whether it was digging a tunnel, finding water, or guarding their terrain, the colony was alive with activity this night.
With a roaring fire burning in its emerald color in front of them, two simple scouts sat perched on a nearby boulder near the edges of the Everfree Forest as they kept watch. If a threat they could not handle entered their territory, then they would have to be quick to warn their higher ups of the coming threat. And being stationed so close to the dark forest meant they had to remain vigilant, keep on alert, and most important of all: keep a cool head.
“Hey Scorch, why are we out here again?” one with a droning voice asked to the other like it was just a simple question. The changeling dubbed Scorch looked at the other changeling with gawk and anger. Like someone just told him his mother was a stink beetle.
“Ugh!” his oily sounding voice groaned. “For the last time, Scab, we have to fill in the shifts for the army that’s still healing! I told you this yesterday!”
Much has happened since the Great Fall the High Queen and her mighty army took. While many were either missing or in recovery, that still did not keep the colony from remaining in motion. An insect colony was like a well-oiled machine. With each gear both big and small playing a vital part in its running. As of now, the changeling colony had lost many of its biggest gears.
It might’ve fallen to pieces were it not for the little gears, however. After all, Chrysalis didn’t take all of her forces with her. Her territory needed to stay guarded and her noncombatant subjects needed to be protected, so the soldiers that were deemed ‘unneeded’ for the invasion were left under the watchful leadership of Reflection, while Dead Ringer and his Queen took the needed combatants with them.
This meant, however, those that were considered ‘unneeded’ for the invasion were now the ones filling in the spots only Dead Ringer’s best could handle. Granted, some did heal quickly and were up and about, but the main core of the army was still resting deep in the underground catacombs as their wounds and scars mended from the terrible fall they took.
The two changelings, Scab and Scorch, were some of the few to be released as of recently. Under Reflection’s orders they, along with two others, were tasked to remain on watch at one of the scouting posts near the forest.
Currently, he and Scab remained behind while the other two were off with tasks of their own, which wouldn’t have been so bad for Scorch if his counterpart didn’t keep pestering him with his inane questions almost every minute!
All of a sudden, both his and Scab’s ears flinched as they heard the sound of approaching wings. Snapping their gazes in the direction of the coming sound, they took sight of another changeling landing before them.
Whoever it was it managed to brighten Scorch’s grumpy expression as he welcomed the new figure. “Raider!” he beckoned, “What news do you bring?”
Despite the welcome he was given, Raider looked less than pleased. “Nothing,” he answered, disgruntled as he sat down in a slump. “I was at that castle for hours like you asked, and all I got was the hairy eyeball from her majesty’s disturbing guards.”
“She still remains dormant?” Scorch asked.
A curt nod followed as his answer. “Confirmed.”
“Agh, dirt!”
Another consequence from the great fall was the damage it did to Chrysalis. She was the one who took it the worst. Immediately after slamming into the hard rock of her homeland, she quickly retreated to the confines of her castle. Despite some subjects’ offers to aid her, she just ran past them all, not even bothering to look any in the eye as she stormed off. All the while, she held her gaping wound.
Since that day, no word was heard from her. No orders. No public appearances. No singing, even. It was as if she dropped off the face of the earth.
The only signs that she still remained alive at all were the signs of her guards moving about her castle. As of now to the colony’s knowledge, the only creatures who knew of the Queen’s status were her personal bodyguards, and no one was up for starting a chat with them. Well, those who were considered semi-sane at least.
It was all just a mystery. A mystery Scorch hoped Raider could help unravel. It was better than just waiting around, but it appeared the Queen’s Praetorians proved more able than Raider did.
“Scorch, I have a question,” Scab’s nagging voice interrupted.
“Scab, I swear,” Scorch cautioned. “Is it about why we’re here?”
The warning seemed to fly right over Scab’s head as he continued with his question. “If the commander’s missing, who ordered us here?”
Scorch’s hoof said hi to his face as he sighed in aggravation, but for whatever reason, he felt compelled by some unseen force to answer the pest. After taking a deep breath, Scorch calmly answered, “The Lieutenant did. With the commander MIA, she’s taken over most of his duties.”
“How does he not know any of this?” Raider observed as he gawked at the scene.
“I think he landed on his head during the fall,” Scorch returned.
“Hey Scorch, I have another question,” Scab asked.
Scorch had to muster all the strength he had just to suppress the loud shriek he was holding in. “What is it NOW, Scab?”
“A Dung Beetle is called that because it thrives in dung right?”
Silence.
Raider and Scorch stared blankly at one another as they paused for several seconds, almost concerned over what was going through the peculiar changeling’s mind.
“Where are you going with this, Scab?” Scorch asked with reluctance.
“If it falls into water, does it become a Water Beetle?”
Scorch opened his mouth to protest, but instead he just stood there without saying a thing. It was hard to tell if he was angry or just confused.
However, Scorch seemed to loosen up after a moment. Instead of ranting or raving, he just straightened up and gave a small hint of a smile as he approached his fellow scout.
“An interesting question, Scab,” he said as he patted his counterpart on the head. “And now here’s my answer.”
Scorch’s answer came in the form of a powerful backhoof across Scab’s skull.
“OUCH!” Scab cried, grabbing his head.
“Ask me one more stupid question, and I’ll reach down your throat and pull out one of your stomachs,” Scorch warned with a hiss. “Got it?”
“Okay,” Scab replied while rubbing his now sore head.
“Speaking of stomachs,” Raider interrupted, trying desperately to divert this disturbing conversation. “I’m starving. You said you’d have food when I got back.”
“Shadow went out to find some,” Scorch answered as he sat back down.
“You sent HIM?!” Raider rebuked like that was the craziest idea he’d ever heard, probably because it was. “We’ll be lucky if that beetle-hide leaves us with anything!”
“Eating little is better than eating nothing at all!” Scorch countered heatedly. “Besides, Shadow may be a lot of things, but he’s good scout. If there’s any soldier who can find a decent meal in that forest, it’s Shadow.”
As if on cue, they heard the sounds of approaching wings. “You hear that?” Scorch asked with a sly smile as he sat up, as though the approach reaffirmed his point. “I bet that’s him right now.”
The sound of flying turned into falling. Before any of the three had a chance to react, the incoming flyer crashed into them.
Pulling himself from the pile, Scorch and the others got a good look at the moronic flyer. Whoever it was, it certainly wasn’t Shadow. In fact, it was the last changeling either expected to see today.
“Courier Scatty?!” Scorch exclaimed. “What in the pit are you doing here?”
Picking himself up, Scatty kept a tight grip on his mouth as he tried to stand up. “Scatty’s mouth hurts,” the injured courier whimpered. The pain was just too much. There was no way he could fly like this.
The cause was hard for the others to see, but there was no denying that Scatty was in pain.
“Courier, have you been chewing rocks again?” Raider inquired as he leaned in to get a better look at the cause.
A short beat of silence passed. No answer came.
“Maybe,” Scatty finally confessed, looking in no way suspicious. “Look.” He directed their eyes to his chipped tooth, the cause of his discomfort. “Mean Queen-Guard pushed Scatty into ground. Hard.”
“Queen-Guard?” Scorch repeated, now completely forgetting about the crash. “Wait, you were recently at the castle?”
“Mmhmm.” Scatty nodded while rubbing his mouth. “Scary guard for Queen approached Scatty. He tell Scatty that Queen ask for him.”
“Her Majesty called for you?” Raider asked.
“Mmhmm.” Scatty nodded again.
“What message did she give you?” Scorch asked with renowned intrigue.
Scatty was about to answer, but immediately stopped with a cringe as a wave of pain shot through his jaw. There was no way for him to continue unless he fixed this, and soon.
Whimpering, Scatty then looked from his tooth to the others, getting an idea. “Can you fix Scatty’s mouth first?” he asked the three.
“I’ll do it!” Scorch volunteered almost immediately as he grasped Scatty’s mouth with both hooves. “I’ve been needing something to punch all day.”
With good reason, the word ‘punch’ did little to invoke pleasant thoughts for the now frightened Scatty.
“Now hold still,” Scorch advised as he drew his right hoof back, still holding Scatty’s mouth in place with the other. All the while, Scab and Raider watched with amusement.
Before Scatty had time to object to this unpleasant course of action, Scorch’s hoof collided with Scatty’s busted tooth, sending him to the ground.
“There!” Scorch proclaimed proudly. “Problem solved.”
Scorch was correct. The problem was solved, sort of. Scatty’s mouth still hurt, but it wasn’t because of the tooth anymore, since said tooth was gone! Instead of having one working fang and one chipped fang, Scatty was now one front fang short.
Baffled how this method ‘solved’ anything, Scatty turned to Scorch. “But--”
“Shut it!” Scorch barked, cutting the meek changeling off. “Be grateful I actually helped at all!” Not wanting to anger him any further, Scatty gave Scorch a silent nod yes. “Good, now talk.”
Taking a deep breath, Scatty took a moment to collect himself as he waited for the pain from the punch earlier to subside. All the while Scorch, Scab, and Raider leaned in with interest, wondering what their Queen had to say after such a lengthy time of absolute silence. What words of wisdom did this simple messenger carry for his people?
New orders? New plans? Lenient water restrictions? Whatever it was they were going to be the first three to hear it. The tension was almost palpable.
After a full minute of absolute silence, Scatty looked to the three and said, “Can’t tell you.”
The response, to say the least, was not what the group expected, as they were left in complete shock and confusion.
Scratch that. Raider and Scab looked confused, but Scorch looked like he was about ready to pop a blood vessel. The twitch his eye was making only contributed to showing his rising anger.
“What…?” he asked, sounding like he was nearing the boiling point.
“Scatty just can’t tell you,” the Courier clarified with a shrug.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN’T TELL US?!” Scorch bellowed as he lunged for Scatty. Raider and Scab, thankfully, were swift enough to grab him before he was able to ‘solve’ any more problems for the now scared out of his wits Scatty.
“The Queen gave you a message, did she not?!” he screeched. His voice was sounding higher pitched than usual.
“Y-Y-Y-es?” Scatty croaked out while trying to cover his face. Mostly he was trying to cover his nose so he didn’t have to smell the anger Scorch was feeling towards him.
“Then. What. Is. IT?!” Scorch crooned through his grinding teeth. All the while, his horn was burning with green fury. He looked like he could explode any minute. Literally.
Scatty’s eyes shuffled from side to side, for he knew he was going to regret what he was about to say. “Scatty… not allowed, to tell you.”
Sometimes a character defined their thoughts and feelings through full-fledged speeches or soliloquies, using various words of syllables and affixes to convey their thoughts and feelings. Yet somehow, Scorch managed to condense all his into one simple syllable:
“WHY?!”
Scatty was seized with panic up to this point. He had to explain himself fast, before Scorch realized his magic was the one thing the others could not restrain.
“Scatty was told to give message to proper subjects, then escort them to see Queen! Scatty can’t give you because none of you are ones she ask for!”
His words lingered there as Scorch just stared at Scatty with an unreadable expression. Scatty was too scared to breath, too afraid that his nose would still pick up the pure rage the irate scout was expelling.
Thankfully it looked like something he said was starting to reach him as Scorch, after some restrain, began to calm down. His breathing had decelerated and even that weird twitch he had was gone. He actually looked like he was starting to relax.
Thinking it was safe Raider and Scab released him, but still kept close in case Scorch went into another blood rage.
“Okay then,” Scorch huffed as he dusted himself off once he was released. “Who’s the one you’re really looking for?” Scorch figured if the message was for someone specific, it must be for some changeling important to the colony then. At least important enough that it warranted a courier coming to find him.
“Shadow,” Scatty bluntly answered.
“Say what?” Scorch asked thinking he might have spoken too soon. Raider and Scab looked like they missed a step themselves.
“Shadow,” the Courier reiterated. “Scatty is here for Scout Shadow.”
“Him?” Scorch balked making sure he was hearing this correctly. “The Queen sent you to find,” Scorch paused, not believing what he was hearing, “HIM of all changelings?”
The response he and the others were dreading came in the form of a simple and subtle nod.
Scorch opened his mouth ready to comment on this, but no words came out. He was mad, but there was no one to get mad at. Scatty was just following orders, Scab had been quiet throughout everything, and Raider… was Raider. So he did the next best thing: rant to himself.
“Oh this night just gets better and better!” Scorch muttered as he stormed off.
While Scorch left to have his little temper tantrum, Raider stepped in to answer for him. “Well good luck finding him. Shadow’s out hunting in the forest.”
“Oh…” Scatty nodded in understanding. “Okay.” Giving his mouth a rub, Scatty checked to see if the pain had waned. Other than the fact that he was now one fang short, he felt all right.
Now knowing where his next destination was, Scatty started buzzing his wings as he took off towards the forest. Only to immediately turn back when he realized Raider was referring to THAT particular forest, the Everfree Forest. The one that was dark and scary. And now that he thought about it, the ONLY forest that’s within range of the borders of their homeland.
Trying to pretend that didn’t happen, Scatty cupped his hooves as he pleaded to the three, “Could nice scout soldiers take Scatty to forest?”
No sooner had Scatty asked Scorch had chosen now to come out of his rant to find all eyes on him. Without even saying anything, he already knew exactly what they were all thinking. “Why me?” he pointed at himself.
“You’re the one who sent him out,” Raider pointed out. Scab nodded in agreement.
Scorch hissed in response, clearly not enjoying being ganged up on. “Can’t we just wait for him to come back?”
“If the Queen has asked for Shadow, then like it or not we have to comply with her wish,” Raider explained. “And the sooner, the better.”
“For the love of,” Scorch grumbled to himself. He hated Raider. He hated him so much right now. He even hated the creature that had spawned him. And what he hated most of all: the annoying changeling was right.
“Hey, Scorch,” Scab asked, choosing now to voice his newest question. “Why does Courier Scatty have a title and not you?”
Thinking about it now, that probably wasn’t the only thing he hated most of all. “Scab…” Scorch warned slowly, “what did I say?”
“You said ‘for the love of,’ then trailed off,” Scab reminded, pleased with himself for knowing the answer.
Scorch’s hoof said hi to his face once more as it smacked into it. “I don’t believe this,” he muttered to himself aloud. “If it’s not enough that I’m forced to put up with these two frustrations...”
“Hey!” Scab complained while Raider just snarled back.
“... but now I gotta escort this defective changeling around a dank, dark forest at night,” he gestured to the Courier, completely ignorant to the hurt look on Scatty’s face.
With a heavy sigh, Scorch reluctantly swallowed his pride. It was no use delaying the inevitable. But if he was going to suffer, he wasn’t going to suffer alone. “Raider, you’re staying here with Scab.”
“What?” Raider practically screeched. While Scab looked like he didn’t mind staying behind, Raider looked like Scorch just ordered him to go bite a dragon. “Why can’t he go with you?”
“One,” Scorch calmly explained as he took one big step toward Raider, “because at least two have to stay on duty for our post.
“Two,” he took another step forward, now face to face with Raider, “if I’m left alone with the two of them, I’m more than likely going to do something they’ll both regret.
“And three,” Scorch then grabbed Raider by the sides of his skull, looking the now disturbed changeling square in the eye with absolute malice, “because if you don’t stay with him, I will do things to you that would make even an Ursa Major cringe! Crystal?”
Raider failed to respond. It was hard to tell if he was still trying to decipher the warning or if he was too scared to respond. The loud gulp he gave proved it was most likely the latter.
“Clear.”
Releasing him, Scorch turned around and started marching in the direction of the forest, his hardened expression unwavering. “Scab, you’re staying here with Raider.”
“Okay.” Scab commented without even a second thought or rebuttal.
Stopping for a second, Scorch shot Scatty a look as he motioned him to follow. “Come along, Courier.”
Trying his best to conceal his fear, Scatty awkwardly nodded back as he followed after Scorch. One thing was for sure: he was heading into the scary forest with a changeling who was equally scary; so at least they would be safe long enough to find Shadow. But there was now something new that was troubling Scatty. That word Scorch muttered earlier. The very word he used to describe Scatty.
“Defective?” Scatty repeated to himself quietly so that Scorch could not hear. “Scatty’s… defective?”
Scatty did not know what that word meant. But the way Scorch used it did not give the shaken Courier any pleasant thoughts.
The forest of the Everfree was filled with all kinds of hostile creatures, many big and many small. However, it was not without its gentler inhabitants. Take for instance the phoenix: beautiful, free, and majestic, but still dangerous if ever threatened. On this night in a tall tree, two happy soon-to-be parents sat comfortably in their nest as they kept their eggs warm.
They were about ready to drift off when a call caught their attention. It sounded close, but was too quick to make out. They listened again, waiting to hear if the sound would repeat itself.
Sure enough, the sound repeated itself, only this time they were prepared for it. The sound was weak, kind of like the cry of sick crow or a hurt bat. However, it wasn’t the cry of any of these creatures. It was the cry of a phoenix, and judging from the sound, an injured one.
The sound was distant, but near enough that they were able to hear it. Again the cry repeated itself, only louder this time. It was definitely the call of a hurt phoenix crying out for help.
The two phoenixes listening were torn. They didn’t want to leave their children unattended, but they couldn’t very well just sit there and do nothing while one of their own was in pain. There was also the lingering chance its cries would attract nearby predators, and that wouldn’t be good for them or their children.
The more they thought about it, the more the two knew what had to be done. Nodding in agreement, the couple gave their eggs one final nuzzle goodbye as they took off toward where the sound originated, oblivious to the lurking predator observing them from the foliage. Its eyes trailed them until they were soon out of view.
“Well, that was easy,” Shadow observed as he chuckled to himself. While his ‘distinctive’ personality remained the same since the fall, Shadow’s appearance was a bit different.
In the middle of his forehead was a noticeable scar wound, just below his horn. While most of his injuries from the Canterlot Invasion had healed, the one on his temple had not. He didn’t care, however. While others saw a simple scar, he saw a war wound. A sign of his contribution and sacrifice for the colony, but also of his experience in battle. Experience that commanded the respect he deserved from others.
Now if only the others could bother to actually give him some.
It didn’t matter right now. Right now, all that mattered was his dinner. This was probably the easiest one yet. He didn’t have to change into anything; he’d just had to alter his voice to mimic the sound of a phoenix and then fake sickness. A child could’ve done it.
And now it was time to reap his reward. Latching onto the bark of the tree, Shadow slowly crawled his way up the bark and then onto the branch where the nest of over six unborn phoenix eggs laid.
“Helpless and sealed for the taking.” His tongue moistened his lips as his yearning eyes lingered on the helpless eggs. “Exactly how I like my food.”
Caressing the first egg in his hooves, Shadow readied his jaws as he prepared to-
“Hi Shadow!” a voice cried from below.
...to lose his balance and drop the egg, which fell safely back into the nest before he plummeted to the ground and landed with a loud thump.
Ignoring the fall, Shadow quickly picked himself up to find his dinner for one had now picked up two unwanted guests. “Scatty?! Scorch?! What the blazes are you doing here?!” Shadow shouted in irritation.
“Looking for you,” Scatty chirped while an amused Scorch sniggered at Shadow’s misfortune.
“No, I mean how did you find me?!” Shadow bitterly clarified.
“You weren’t that hard to find,” Scorch explained. “We just walked in and I picked up your scent almost instantly. You barely entered the forest.”
Shadow’s sour glare turned from Scorch to Scatty. “Well whatever message you have for me, Scatty, it can wait.” He turned to face the tree, not about to have his meal ruined by these two.
“But Shadow, it’s important!” Scatty pleaded.
“Well look at all the rocks I give!” Shadow spat back with a glower. Judging by his tone and expression, Scatty deduced Shadow did not give any.
“I’m in the middle of feeding time. Whatever it is, it can wait.” Waving Scatty off and his mind made up, Shadow resumed climbing toward his dinner.
At a loss for what to do, Scatty turned to Scorch for aid.
Reading Scatty’s plea, Scorch turned to Shadow as he casually said aloud, “He’s got a message for you from the Queen.”
“What?!”
Shadow immediately dropped from the tree and landed square on his flank. Yet despite the fall, he was more stunned by the news. “The Queen?” he echoed, not believing what he was hearing. “For me?”
Jumping to his hooves, Shadow was instantly up and badgering Scatty for the message. “Well what are you waiting for? Lets hear it!”
Giving Scorch a small grin as thanks, Scatty cleared his throat and spoke as serious and straight a way as he could, “By order of her impeccable grace. You - ‘Shadow’ - are to accompany Scatty back to the castle. Her highness have important task for you.”
“What is this important task?” Shadow asked. A question Scorch was wondering as well.
“Scatty not know,” the Courier answered. “Big boss Queen tell Scatty it very important. Say it big. And important.”
“Well, I shouldn’t be surprised that she picked me for such an important task,” Shadow boasted, casually giving his hoof a good shine. “No doubt she’s heard of my many contributions to the colony.”
“What contributions?” Scorch quipped flatly.
“Hey!” Shadow barked back. “I’ve done more for this colony then you or the broken bug here combined!”
“Broken bug?” Scatty repeated while Scorch and Shadow started to bicker.
That was the second time today. Scatty’s been called a number of things before. Annoying, foolish, stupid, idiotic, another word he couldn’t remember. But he’d heard other changelings call each other these names before, so he’d never thought too much into it. If anything, it made him feel more like one of the others. But broken? Defective? Why was he these names? And for that matter, what did they mean?
His ears drooped as his posture faltered. Whatever it did mean, it was probably something not very nice.
“Done more?!” Scorch huffed as he and Shadow continued to argue. From the way he was baring his teeth, he looked like he was ready to strike the infuriatingly taunting scout. The difference here was that there was no Raider or Scab to hold him if he did. “As I recall, beetle-hide, you and I both were chosen for the invasion! I’d say that makes us equals.”
All the while, Shadow was cool and unflinching in response to Scorch’s body language, still acting like this was just a casual conversation. But there was a clear undertone of taunting and mockery in his voice, and that only served to anger Scorch further. “True, but while you were off rounding up whiny namby pamby ponies, I was off fighting at the front lines. I earned this scar by facing our enemy head on.”
“Oh yeah?” Scorch rebuked with one brow raised as he stared at said scar. “Then how did you REALLY get that mark?”
“A story for another time.” Shadow quickly answered, almost like he was avoiding the question. “Regardless, that was the past. This is the present, and presently I’m the one the Queen has asked for, not you. So why don’t you head back to camp, while Scatty and I head to our meeting?”
“Fine!” Scorch hissed before storming off, leaving Scatty and Shadow alone.
“Come along, Scatty,” Shadow waved the courier to follow as he started to walk, looking cockier with every step he took. “We shouldn’t keep her highness waiting.”
“We can’t.”
Shadow almost fell over as he snapped to look at Scatty; who still hadn’t moved. “Why not?” he asked with rising angst.
“Scatty needs to deliver message.”
“You just did, you moron!”
Moron! That was the word! Now Scatty remembered. Of course, it was not relevant now. With a shake of his head the Courier replied, “Scatty gave message to you. Now Scatty has to give message to others.”
“Others?” Shadow drawled, sure he was missing something hidden in Scatty’s babbles. “The Queen asked for more than just me?” He pointed at himself, feeling rather insulted by this revelation.
“HA!” Scorch’s voice cried out mockingly.
“GET LOST SCORCH!” Shadow shouted to… nothing as he realized he couldn’t tell where in the forest Scorch was now. Ignoring the irritating insect, Shadow whirled back to the other irritating insect. “Who else?”
“Scatty will explain on way.” The Courier silently stared at the tree for a couple seconds before walking off. “Shadow and Scatty better go. Firebirds don’t look happy to see us.”
“Firebirds?” Shadow reiterated. Before he could ask what the moronic courier meant by that, Shadow flinched as his attention was drawn back toward the tree he’d climbed earlier.
The two phoenixes from before were now back in their nest, and they did not look happy to see the predator who was so close to their tree. Before the nervous changeling had time to react, the two erupted into flames as they leaped from their nest and swooped down toward him.
“Wah!” Shadow yelped as he quickly ducked out of the way. Picking himself up, he ran after the courier as the two gave chase. “Scatty, wait up!”
The life of a Drone was different from that of a Soldier. While they protected the colony, the drones worked on building it. If they weren’t ensuring the topside had a steady supply of water for the week, they were down below looking for water resources for themselves. And if they weren’t doing any of that, they were busy working on forming a new tunnel for the inner catacombs.
Whether it was digging away with their hooves, blasting it away with their magic, or in one ‘unique’ case, using their teeth, they dug away at the hard rock and molded the area as their Architect dictated. The one blessed with this title was the one who was charged with choosing when, where, how to fashion the new tunnel.
Deep underground, a large group was hard at work as they dug away at the tough stone. Many were covered in dirt, soot, or rock pebbles. Some had noticeable tear wounds in their flesh, making their scales looked cracked or peeling in varying places. Some on their faces, some around their bodies, but mostly in their hooves.
All were clear signs from their lengthy hours of cutting away at rock. It had been a long and arduous time, but they knew they would be finished soon, so no one complained.
“WHERE IS HE?!”
Well, except for one just now.
Walking into the digging area, one cross looking drone with a half chewed ear trudged through the area as he searched for the one in charge of this dig. His eyes scanned the area where most of the workers were digging; he needed look no further, as his target was in sight.
While many drones stuck close to one another as they worked, one was watching casually from afar. With a hoof to his chin said drone’s eyes turned from the workers to the layers of rock. As if he was judging and grading the appearance and elegance of it.
“THORN!”
His concentration was broken as voice called out his name. Facing the direction of its cry he saw the lone drone marching towards him with clear anger in his eyes. “What in the pits of tartarus are you doing?!” the drone shouted like an adult coming across their child in an act of disobedience.
Despite the response, Thorn maintained his cool composure. “Cartographer Lurker,” he calmly answered, trying to be courteous to the rude drone. “To what end do I owe this unwanted disruption?” His brow furrowed a little. “And that’s Architect Thorn to you.”
“I know that, you moron!” Lurker spat back. “I’m trying to insult you!”
“Well you did. Congrats on your success. Now leave!” With nothing more to say to his associate, the architect focused back on his developing tunnel.
Not about to be ignored, Lurker jumped into Thorn’s frame of view. His dark piercing gaze stared deeply into Thorn’s shockingly disinterested eyes. “Not until you order them to cease digging!”
Trying to disregard the disruptive changeling, Thorn kept his eyes focused on the dig. “Why would I want to do that?”
“Because they’re digging directly underneath an open cavern!” Lurker explained, now more shocked then angered at how casual Thorn was being about this.
“I’m well aware of that,” Thorn answered nonchalantly, keeping his composure as he continued to watch the others work. “We’re gonna open a new tunnel and connect to it.”
“Well, did you also know we have a subterranean ravine there that we’re using?” Lurker pointed out.
“I know that, you big hatchling.” Thorn countered, his patience now wearing thin. These constant accusations were disrupting his concentration, and his work. “We’re far enough below that we’ll miss it. I’ve taken everything into account.”
“Did you also take into account how deep it runs?” Lurker continued, oblivious to the vein growing in Thorn’s forehead. “If you crack even the slightest--”
“Alright, now you see here!” Thorn finally gave Lurker his full attention. The two stared at each other with down as the Architect continued. “Commander Dead Ringer and the Overseer may have dubbed YOU the Cartographer of this colony, but I know these caves like the back of my skull. And to have you here insulting my--!”
“Architect Thorn!” a worried voice called from afar.
Rolling his eyes at all these interruptions, Thorn turned toward the caller. “WHAT? I’M BUSY!”
No response came. In fact, to Thorn’s confusion, there was no noise whatsoever. The entire area had gone silent. Everyone had stopped working. All he could hear was the sound of something dripping.
“Look.”
A single worker directed Thorn’s attention toward the cracked center of the rock they’d been digging at. Seeping through the cracks was the reason for the halt and the silence: water.
It didn’t take much for everyone to put two and two together. They’d sprung a leak in the rock protecting them from the massive ravine that was right above them.
Thorn did his best to swallow the uneasiness building in him. The last thing he was going to do was let Lurker smell any bit of angst on him. It did little to stop a bead of sweat from dripping down his forehead, however.
“Okay everyone, just back away,” Thorn casually warned the others as he and Lurker started stepping back themselves. “Just back away and we’ll just--”
The Architect didn’t even have time to finish that sentence, as the pressure building up started to cause more and more water to leak through, in turn making the cracks grow larger and larger. Judging from the build up, a spill was imminent.
Everyone immediately started running like their tails were on fire. All except for Thorn and Lurker, who remained frozen in their tracks while everyone galloped past them.
“Know them like the back of your skull, huh?” Lurker flatly quipped as if the chaos all around him were invisible to him.
“Don’t start with me!” Thorn returned heatedly. Turning around, he was ready to follow after the others.
“Hold it!”
Instead, he fell to the ground before he was able to get at least two steps away. Looking from over his shoulder, he saw Lurker pinning his tail to the ground.
“What’re you doing?!” he shrieked at the mad changeling as he tried to pull his tail free. “We have to go!”
“Listen, Architect!" Lurker hissed hastily, pressing his hoof harder against Thorn’s tail until he had his full attention. Time was short, so he had to make this quick. “Seeing as you’ve clearly miscalculated how deep that ravine you just cracked was, I’m going to keep this simple.”
He curtly nodded in the direction of the leak as he continued. “If we don’t seal this area off now, we’re either going to lose more ground, or lose the water.”
As much as Thorn wanted to go, he knew Cartographer Lurker was right. Either the water was going to flood the area, which was bad, or the water was going to spill until it was gone, which was just as bad. “Ideas?” he asked.
After releasing Architect Thorn, Lurker started scanning the tunnel around them, trying to find something that could help them. There wasn’t much to find, however. It was an already mined tunnel after all. Nothing there but rocks and gempods all around them, both below and above.
Looking up Lurker studied the molded ceiling for a few moments, and then drew his eyes to the cracks at the dig site. An idea he had, but it was a stretch. However, he wasn’t in a position to be picky. “Aim for the top!” he ordered Thorn as he started charging his bolt for the strike.
Following along, Thorn mimicked Lurker’s instructions, but held a look of uncertainty as he reluctantly complied. “What’re we doing?” he asked.
“Causing our own cave in! The collapse from the rocks should stop the flood!”” the Cartographer replied with a hint of boasting over his plan, ignoring the look of alarm on Thorn’s face over this revelation.
“But that might--!”
Discounting the badgering insect, Lurker took his shot. Releasing his fire-bolt, the shot hit the top. Attacking a fragile spot, the bolt split the stone as the support around them started to crack and shake. Soon it was going to give out and cave in, sealing the tunnel along with everything inside.
“There!” Lurker cheered as he smiled with pride over his handiwork. “That should contain the spill.” The tunnel was lost, but at least they stopped the water from spilling into the nearby cavern. Thankfully it was a controlled cave-in, so there wasn’t any risk of it affecting the whole catacomb network or any nearby caverns.
“Okay, that did work,” Thorn observed before snapping, “But how’re you going to keep the tunnel from caving in on US, you idiot?!”
Lurker’s pride fell as that thought only now just occurred to him. His idea worked, the tunnel would cave in and seal everything inside. Everything INCLUDING them.
“Uh oh…” he breathed, only now realizing this lapse in judgment.
“Look who else ‘miscalculated?’” Thorn bitterly mocked.
“Shut it! We gotta move!”
Double-timing it, they started buzzing their wings and hauled it out of there as the tunnel already had started to shake. Soon, the cracks in the ceiling above started to give out as large chunks of rock and gem shards fell. It was easy to dodge the small ones, but the farther they got, the bigger the falling debris got as well. Thankfully, they were nearing the way out. They would be safe soon.
However, just when they thought they were in the clear, a stray rock broke from above and fell directly for them. Sighting the large shadow looming over them it didn’t take brains for them to know what was coming.
But just when they thought it was all over, the growing shadow of their incoming doom stopped. Instead of hearing the sound of their bodies being crushed like a beetle under a hoof, they were instead greeted by a third set of insect wings flapping from above.
Turning their eyes up, they were greeted by the sight of the boulder floating over them. The only thing keeping it from landing was a single changeling holding it from below.
Wiping the sweat from his eyes, Lurker got a better look at the bold insect. He was clean, healthy, and too young to be one of their diggers. Lurker recognized the youthful changeling as one of Reflection’s soldiers, Fragment.
“I’ve got it, keep going!” Fragment ordered them as he mustered every ounce of strength to hold onto the rock. Taking their chance, the two landed on the ground and galloped off, leaving Fragment alone in the doomed tunnel.
It wasn’t until now that the young soldier recognized this might not have been one of his brightest ideas, seeing as how he was now completely alone and stuck under a large boulder in a collapsing tunnel.
He wasn’t fast enough to just fly out from underneath in time. Neither was he strong enough to just throw or destroy the rock. All he could do was just fly there in midair under the large boulder’s shadow, straining every muscle he had to keep himself afloat.
Despite how much energy he was pushing into his legs and wings, the mass of the rock started pushing Fragment down as he saw the ground growing closer. His eyes shut tight as he fought against the boulder; he could feel sweat gushing from every inch of his body as he struggled. If he didn’t do something soon, this place was about to become his tomb.
And then, just when he felt like his muscles were going to give out, the rock started getting lighter. Even with his eyes closed, Fragment could tell he was floating farther from the ground.
“Fragment,” an almost empty yet gruff voice called. Empty, but familiar to Fragment. Opening his eyes, it was only now Fragment realized he was no longer holding the giant rock on his own anymore. Flying beside him with a firm grip on the rock was his older, and more experienced comrade he knew as:
“Mirage?”
The bigger soldier nodded curtly as he flew alongside his companion. He wasn’t grunting, wasn’t sweating. He didn’t even look like the weight of the thing was fazing him. “Go,” he ordered. “I have this.”
“But--”
“Fragment,” Mirage said cautiously, yet his voice never rose above its normal pitch, “I said go.”
Fragment didn’t want to leave Mirage behind, but Mirage was more experienced in these kinds of crises then he was. So, with great reluctance, Fragment did as he was ordered and flew off. Leaving Mirage behind as he headed in the direction the other drones had fled.
All tunnels routed to different locations within the Hive. Different catacombs, different caves, but they all connected to what the drones dubbed: The Great Center. Here is where the main core of the drones dwelled. The area was as wide as a stadium, and as loud as a hornet’s nest. The various sounds and noises of different changelings could be heard everywhere.
It took some tricky maneuvering, but Fragment finally found his way out of the doomed tunnel and into the Great Center. Already there was a crowd forming outside as a party of drones that was watching the falling tunnel greeted him.
From the looks of things the news caught the attention of a lot of workers as many of the diggers from site were being tended too. Fragment even recognized the two he saved were here as well.
A small bead of sweat lingered over his forehead before dripping down as Fragment realized no other troops were there with him. It seemed Mirage and him were the first ones here.
The feeling was unsettling, looking at all the faces he barely recognized. Being the only soldier class changeling here, he couldn’t help but feel like a black ant in an all red ant colony.
Fragment shook his head as his rational mind caught up with him. There was no time for this, he had to get moving and help Mirage.
He was just about to head off when his attention was drawn back toward the cave in. Much to his horror, the final rock had given out and the hole collapsed in on itself, covering the area nearby in a smoky cloud of dust and dirt.
Fragment, like the others unfortunate enough to be nearby, fell into a coughing fit as they choked on the dirt particles that filled the air. All the while Fragment made his way over to where the cave in ended, trying to find any sign that he could get back in and find Mirage.
But as the dust started to settle, a large silhouette of a figure could be seen dusting himself off in the distance. Despite all the dirt in the air the large figure seemed unfazed by all this. It didn’t take much for Fragment to immediately recognize the lone survivor in the dust.
“Mirage!” he called with delight as he ran up to his partner. Immediately he noticed Mirage’s condition as he casually stood there, dusting the grime off himself. To the younger soldier’s shock, he looked fine. No scratches, no bruises, not even a shred of blood could be seen on him.
That still did little to keep Fragment from asking his associate of his state of health. “You alright?”
“Affirmative,” Mirage informally answered as he rubbed his shoulder. “No damage. Minor soreness. Should alleviate within a few seconds.”
Despite the accident, almost every one seemed accounted for from the dig site. It seemed like it things were going to be okay. That is, until the voices of the two titled drones were heard.
“It was YOUR idea to seal the tunnel!”
“Which we wouldn’t have had too if YOU had just heeded my warning!”
Thorn and Lurker continued exchanging blame as a crowd started to form around them. While some looked like they were just there to enjoy watching the two bite each others heads off, many were there to see which one held the higher amount of blame. Most likely so they knew whom to ‘repay’ for this incident.
“Should... we do something?” Fragment suggested as he watched the scene unfold from a distance.
“Negative,” Mirage answered curtly as he watched as well. “Unless hostile, it’s not our place to intervene with worker disputes.” His eyes then drew to the side as he soon made out something approaching from one of the afar tunnels. “And it looks like this dispute will be settled soon enough,” he said vaguely.
Fragment’s expression gave way to confusion, looking out to see what had gotten his companion’s attention. Its distance was too far for him to make out, but whoever the new figure was, it was marching straight toward the mob of workers at a leisure pace.
Back in the center the two arguing changelings weren’t making much headway. From the way the two were staring at each other, it was clear both were unwilling to stand down, nor except the responsibility of this event.
The bitter staring contest was eventually broken by Thorn. “Fine, we’ll just have to let the old coot settle--!”
“Let the old coot settle what?”
Both nervously fell silent as soon as the frail yet gravelly voice answered. It got even quieter as all the workers within the mob surrounding them bowed, revealing to Thorn and Lurker the one who answered.
The changeling’s empty eyes had noticeable bags under his them, which only served to fit the wrinkles on his face. The bottom scales of his hooves were cracked and festooned with sores, and the spines on his back were withered as well. But the biggest and most noticeable eyesore was his missing right wing. All were signs of his age from years of digging and surviving underground for so long. Long enough, however, that he was awarded the title of Overseer.
His name was Overseer Rockbiter, one of the oldest drones left in the colony. While Dead Ringer and Reflection commanded the armies, he oversaw the needs of his workers that thrived throughout the land. Or in this case, throughout the underground.
While his title put him above his drones however, he still answered to the army and its leaders Dead Ringer and Reflection. And of course his exalted Queen.
Despite the welcome he received by all, Rockbiter looked less than pleased as he marched toward the now sweating duo.
“Overseer Rockbiter!” Thorn clumsily greeted his better, trying in vain not to look nervous or guilty. “A-a-a p-pleasure!”
Lurker on the other hand was quick and ready with his report as he ran toward Rockbiter, stopping right in front of him. “Overseer I tried my best to stop him, but he wouldn’t--”
“He caused the cave in!” Thorn quickly interjected, pointing a hoof at Lurker.
“He caused the water flood!” Lurker added in his defense.
“Enough!” Rockbiter ordered, silencing the two. Walking past them his eyes observed the closed off tunnel. “This unfortunate turn of events changes things.”
Looking over his shoulder he turned to his quiet workers. “All of you may leave, I will deal with these two.” With a nod the mob dispersed as they flew off, leaving Thorn and Lurker at Rockbiter’s mercy.
“Architect Thorn. Cartographer Lurker.” Pointing at the ground before him, he silently ordered the two front and center. Hanging their heads in shame the two complied as they assumed their positions, soundlessly dreading for their coming punishment. “Seeing as you each share fault for this catastrophe, I am placing blame upon both of you. But before I pass sentence, is there anything either of you can say in your favor?”
The two remained silent, not daring to even look their better in the eye.
“I see,” Rockbiter observed. “As punishment for endangering your fellow workers, you two are on dig duty for the next five nights.”
“FIVE NIGHTS?!” both complained.
Rockbiter sternly nodded as he continued. “And you can start by trying to find a way back into that tunnel you just collapsed, and getting back that water!”
Thorn opened his mouth to protest how this course of action would take times given how he crafts his tunnels, but he ceased this protest before it even began as soon as he saw the powerful stare Rockbiter gave him. Excuses it seemed were not something he was up for hearing.
“We’ll…” Thorn coughed. “Get right on it sir.”
“Good. I’m leaving this disaster in both your charges.” Rockbiter leaned in with emphasis. “Do not fail me.”
Turning around the old changeling was about to leave, but not before he saw the looks of shame and disappointment both Thorn and Lurker wore as they stared at the ground.
Maybe it was over their leader’s disappointment in them. Maybe they were shamed for endangering their people’s lives. Whatever it was, Rockbiter could tell they were mulling over their actions.
The Overseer sighed to himself.
Both Thorn and Lurker immediately flinched when they felt an affable hoof on both their shoulders, an action that earned a look of shock from both of them as they faced Rockbiter once more.
“See to the others,” he ordered them with a much more calmer mood, along with shocking of all: a small glimpse of a smile. “Then get some rest. You each have a lot of work come morning.”
Understanding their orders they both kneeled to their kind leader.
The old changeling’s demeanor dissolved as quickly as it came when he shot one last look at the destroyed tunnel. “I need to speak with Reflection. This is going to mean even firmer water restrictions.”
With nothing more to say, Rockbiter turned tail and galloped off toward the nearest tunnel to the surface.
Lurker’s eyes followed his leader until he was completely out of sight. “This is still all your fault you know,” he casually commented to his new dig partner.
“Don’t start with me!” And once again another argument ensued, as the two were at odds once more.
“Harsh,” Fragment commented on the scene he and Mirage just witnessed.
“Perhaps,” Mirage admitted. “But fair.” Fragment turned to him and nodded quietly. Harsh or fair, there were worse forms of punishment. Much worse. He then paused for a moment before his gaze fell back on the bigger changeling, and suddenly his eyes reacted in shock.
“Mirage! You’re bleeding!”
“Hmm?” Mirage’s gaze followed where Fragment was staring. A stray rock was lodged in one of the holes of his leg. While it wasn’t severe, there was some noticeable blood from where the sharp edge was cutting. “Its nothing,” he dismissed heedlessly as he grabbed the rock by the edges of his teeth before chucking it away.
“Still, how did you not notice that?” Fragment questioned, his mind trying to fathom how Mirage didn’t feel that a rock was cutting into his scales like that it. He knew Mirage was tough, but he still felt pain after all. Right?
His answer never came however. Mirage just stared blankly at him as if the question was as relevant as asking why dirt was brown. Turning around he started walking off. “Go check if the workers need assistance. After that we best move on.”
Forgetting about his earlier question Fragment buzzed off and headed over to the few remaining group of workers that remained. Several were busy staring at the now ruined tunnel while a couple were busy looking after a tired changeling that lied in the dirt, struggling to catch its breath. Judging from its giving state and the grime over its body, it was obvious it was one of the workers who made it out.
“Um…” Fragment uttered while trying to not come off as awkward as he approached them. He wasn’t used to conversing with drones when not in a combat circumstance, which usually amounted to ordering them with ‘Leave’ or ‘Go,’ nothing more. “Do any of you require assistance?”
“No,” one muttered. “Now beat it!”
Fragment blinked in surprise over such a bitter response. However, he continued to remain cool as best he could throughout the conversation. “I was only--”
The worker immediately shrieked at Fragment, bearing its teeth while getting into defensive stance as if ready for a fight. Not wanting to provoke it further Fragment took a step back. Just as he did the other workers joined in as Fragment felt all eyes now trained on him.
They all had the same unwelcoming look in their eyes as the hostile one did. Eyes that warned only one thing: Leave now.
“We do not need help from your type! We can take care of ourselves!” the hostile worker heatedly advised. “Now leave soldier!” Picking up his wounded comrade the angry worker along with the rest took their leave.
Fragment just stood there in silence as he watched the workers fly, his mind still in shock over the encounter he just had with the very people he’s supposed to protect. As if it was viral he could feel his own temper flared up inside him. He didn’t deserve this. He and Mirage risked their necks back there and these creatures have the audacity to give them this kind of treatment?
With a small snarl of annoyance he retreated back to Mirage who was waiting for him at the entrance to another tunnel. Preferably one that wasn’t being worked on. Mirage easily noticed his upset disposition, but chose to remain silent as he let his associate vent his rage he could easily tell was coming.
“We do our duty and they treat us like this?” he said to Mirage as he shook his head in angst, before bitterly muttering out loud, “I bet if I was wearing dark armor they’d be more welcoming.” It didn’t take an intellect to know what ‘dark armor’ wearer Fragment was referring to.
“Untrue,” Mirage countered before correcting with, “the armor is not what they welcomed, it was the changeling who wore it they were more accepting too.”
“Not helping,” Fragment muttered.
To be frank Mirage wasn’t trying to ‘help’ per say, he was just stating what he believed to be the facts. However, if what he followed up with lightened Fragment’s mood, then that would be a side effect Mirage would be welcomed to. “Do not take it personally Fragment. You are not the first they’ve lashed out at as of recently. Since the Great Fall from Equestria they’ve been at odds with us for a while now.”
“Whatever,” Fragment scoffed, choosing not to argue with the bigger changeling any further. Staring at the ground in defeat he breathed a sigh. “This whole thing was just pointless.”
“Nothing is pointless Fragment.” Mirage turned over to the Great Center, his eyes focusing on nothing but the space in front of him. End yet he looked as if he was staring at something no one but him could see. “Everything happens for a reason,” he said softly.
That last – and rather vague – statement left Fragment looking up to Mirage in confusion. “What?”
“Never mind, it’s just something from a saying of mine,” the older warrior dismissed as he turned back to his companion. “Now then, since I’ve answered your question, now you may answer mine. Just what were you doing down here?”
It took a moment before Fragment understood the question. “Oh! I heard the commotion and thought I’d investigate.” He grinned at his answer, but his comrade looked less than convinced.
“Irrelevant answer.” Mirage pointed a stern hoof at him, almost like he was accusing the younger changeling of lying. “Why were you down here to begin with?”
Fragment recoiled a little as he scratched the back of his foreleg in a nervous fashion. Mirage’s reason for questioning was understandable. After all, Fragment’s patrol route never went through the underground tunnels. So there was no reason for him to have been down here to help the drones in the first place. “I just… thought, it would’ve been nice to get a drink for once without having to go through a brawl.”
“I see.” Now Mirage understood. When it came to trying to get a drink on the surface, it was difficult to get one without getting into a fight over something. Whether it was because the watering hole was restricted to a certain patrol group, because one changeling looked at the other funny, or whatever reason, it was hard to get a simple drink without some changeling starting a fight over something.
“Come.” Mirage beckoned Fragment to follow as he started walking. “I know of a nearby watering hole up top.”
Fragment’s wings instantly sprang up in excitement. As of now getting some water from the surface was looking more welcoming by the minute. “Yes sir!”
It was right when he caught up that Mirage – for whatever reason – came to a stop. Confused by this Fragment caught a glimpse of his face. Mirage’s eyes were darting from side to side, almost like he was waiting for something, only he couldn’t tell what it was or where it was coming from.
“What is it?” Fragment asked as he tried to locate whatever it was Mirage was detecting, a feat that proved difficult given that the tunnel they were in contained little holes in the encompassing walls.
“A scout approaches,” Mirage’s monotone voice at last answered.
Before Fragment even had a chance to detect anything himself, a black blur leaped from one of the nearby holes above and lunged for Mirage. However, reacting quickly the prepared Mirage collided the assailant with his hoof, sending him to the ground. He then grabbed his attacker with both hooves and threw him against the rock, pinning him to the wall.
But apparently not hard enough as the next sound Fragment heard during the commotion was not the sounds of choking or gagging but… laughing?
“Almost got you that time!” Shadow chortled with a smirk, despite the fact he had a large hoof pressing against his throat.
“Shadow! What’re you doing here?” Fragment remarked upon recognizing the scar headed scout. “Why aren’t you at your post?”
Without so much as a glance he directed Fragment and Mirage’s attention upwards. “Cause I’ve been busy leading this annoying pest around.”
As if his cue was called Scatty appeared from a little hole in the rock above them. Waving at the three with a meek smile he crawled down as he greeted them. “Scatty glad to have found you, Scatty and Shadow looking for Mirage.”
The Courier’s meek smile was replaced with confusion as his attention drew to outside the tunnel. “Hmm, what happen there?” he asked referring to the scene at the collapsed rock site outside.
“Irrelevant,” Mirage dismissed, his eyes still lingered on the soldier he had pinned at the moment. “Your reasons for being here?”
Annoyed by the fact that Mirage still hadn’t released him, Shadow answered with a hiss, “The courier here has a message for you.”
“For Mirage?” Fragment reiterated as he turned to Scatty for clarification. Clarification that came in the form of a nod yes.
Silence fell as Mirage’s eye scanned back and forth from Shadow to Scatty, almost like he was trying to read their expressions to see if their reasons were accurate, or if this all was some kind of hoax.
Shadow’s distrusting grin did little to help, but the fact that Scatty was involved was enough to give Mirage some clarification. Besides, Mirage doubted Scatty would be able to tell if he was part of the trick, or the one being tricked.
“Very well,” Mirage eventually answered as he released the scout, dropping him to the ground in a fashion that left the annoyed changeling rubbing his now sore flank after hitting the hard rock floor. “Proceed.”
Scatty couldn’t help but chuckle over Shadow’s little misfortune, but not loud enough for him to hear.
Realizing all eyes were trained on him like before, Scatty quickly cleared his throat as he prepared to give his message. “By order of her impeccable grace. You - ‘Mirage’ - are to accompany Scatty back to the castle. Her highness have important task for you,” he said like a recited quote, repeating word for word in the same manner he delivered to Shadow earlier. A fact that left Shadow rolling his eyes at.
“The Queen has asked for Mirage?” Fragment said almost at a loss.
“Don’t go feeling mighty over this big guy!” Shadow bitterly accosted Mirage. “You ain’t the only one she asked for!” Despite Shadow’s claim, Mirage’s expression never wavered; he just stared back acting completely composed.
“You too?” Fragment asked, now even more at a loss.
“Of course.” Shadow plainly answered with a renewed grin. “Is it so hard to believe?” It was hard for anyone to tell if Shadow was being sincere or literal over that last statement.
And from where Fragment was standing, it was hard to believe. From a tactical viewpoint nothing about what was happening made sense.
Why ask soldiers that shared little common ground in terms of tactics? While Mirage and Shadow both were trained in terms of combat, their strengths are what set them apart. Mirage did patrols, guarded points of interest, and worked in areas that were more out in the open. Shadow was a scout. He worked surveillance while in the dark with the other lookouts. As far as tactics went, asking the two of them to work in unison made little sense, and seemed almost random.
If this task was important enough that the Queen required her colony’s courier to lead them to the castle, then it only meant that Chrysalis was handpicking these changelings personally. But it also meant she had to have known of them and their strengths as well. All the more strange considering neither shared a title, despite Mirage’s contributions and Shadow’s… infamousness.
It came down to one simple question: Just what is this task the Queen had in store? And just what part did Shadow, Mirage, and any other changeling she selected have to play in it?
“I accept this task with honor,” Mirage at last said breaking the long silence with a modest bow.
“That’s it?” Fragment asked looking up at his partner, an edge of almost disapproval in his voice. “You don’t have any questions over this?”
“I’m a soldier,” Mirage said simply. “Same as you. Same as Shadow. We don’t question orders. We follow them.” His eyes then furrowed a little, forming the closest thing to an emotion – let alone a glare – he’s showed as of today. “You would do well to remember that.”
Fragment gave no answer. The only thing he did was shamefully avert his eyes from Mirage’s gaze.
“Now, if you excuse me.”
Coming back from his short guilt trip Fragment looked up to see Mirage taking his leave, only he was heading in another direction completely. Where to Fragment didn’t know, but wherever Mirage was going it certainly didn’t lead anywhere near close to her majesty’s castle.
“Hey, where’re you going?” Shadow cried after, completely stumped by the larger insects strange behavior. “We still gotta get the others.”
Mirage came to a stop. There was a short delay before he eventually lent them his attention. “I have a few…” his eyes trailed off as if he was trying to find them a proper answer, “obligations, to fulfill before I can see her grace. Go on without me, I shall not be long.”
Turning back he continued on as Scatty, Shadow, and Fragment tried to decipher his rather vague answer. “Once I’ve finished I’ll meet you at her majesty’s castle. Fragment,” his voice then called to, “get that drink, and then get some rest. You’ve done enough for tonight.”
“Any idea where he’s off to?” Shadow prompted as he and the others watched Mirage leave.
“No,” Fragment responded with. “He does this from time to time. Don’t think too much into it.” As of now there were more pressing matters on Fragment’s mind.
“Courier Scatty?” he asked facing the courier.
“Hmm?” Scatty answered after the long period of being the silent observer.
“You have spoken to the Queen I am to assume?”
“Mmhmm.” He nodded.
“Then maybe you can tell me why after all this time is the Queen now deciding to take action? And why is she being picky with this ‘task’ she speaks of?”
Scatty gave his question some thought, tapping his cranium as he searched for an answer. He looked like he was about to give one, until… “Clearly this is a task where she is going to need the best,” Shadow intruded with boast in his voice.
The scout grinned at Fragment’s annoyed expression. “Not that you would know. To be honest we probably shouldn’t even be talking in front of you.” Throwing a foreleg over an awkward looking courier, Shadow started leading Scatty off. “Come along Scatty, who’s next?”
Pulling himself away from Shadow’s grip Scatty turned back to Fragment. “Actually, Scatty is glad Fragment’s here. Scatty has to speak with him too.”
“Me?” Fragment pointed to himself, his annoyance replaced by confusion and a hint of awestruck.
“Him? This weak blood?!” Shadow rebuked to Scatty in a fashion similar to how Scorch reacted over him being chosen earlier. Watching the whole scene left Scatty with a feeling of Déjà vu.
“Hey!” Fragment growled, shoving his face into Shadow’s. ”I’m not some new recruit released from the training mines, I’ve been deployed long enough!”
“And just how much combat experience have you had?” Shadow reiterated with a grunt. “Hmm? If you were any good you would’ve been in Equestria with me alongside Mirage or your own blood sister!”
Okay now Scatty was living Déjà vu.
Sighing with irritation Scatty sat down. The inoffensive Courier was not one to be impatient, but that still didn’t mean he wasn’t a tad bit annoyed by the fact they were once again being delayed all because Shadow couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Thinking about it now, perhaps it would’ve been best if he saved Shadow for last.
Without warning a cold chill shot through his back like a razor sharp fang cutting through soft sand.
Well, second to last considering whom Scatty was really saving for last. Out of all the changelings the Queen picked, there was particular one Scatty could not believe she picked for him to speak with. Just the thought of it was making him shiver. He had to relax. He wasn’t going… there until he was ready, and with company.
Fragment couldn’t believe this! First the drone from before, and now one from his own side was insulting him? The one thing that kept him from mauling the proud scout was, to Fragment bitter displeasure, there was some truth to his words he could not deny. Having a well-trained and experienced fighter like Mirage around meant he never saw much combat. While there are many who would literally kill for such easy streak, it does little to give a soldier a reputation.
To anybody, he was just a weak blood. Fresh untainted troops deployed from training camp. All the more reason to find it strange that he could be chosen for such a secretive task.
A thought hit him as Fragment laminated on that last statement. If Scatty was saying what he thought he was, then maybe there was someone in this colony who did understand he had value. The most important person in the whole a cursive colony. The Queen of all changelings, Queen Chrysalis!
And who was he or Shadow to question her reasoning for being selective with her subjects? Granted Fragment was questioning it earlier, but the others didn’t need to know that. It didn’t matter now. HE was picked! Courier Scatty practically said it himself! Sort of, he would probably have to clarify Scatty on that one.
But whatever, as of now he could feel all his anger and penitence leaving him as a pride filled grin replaced it. A sight that left Shadow staring back bitterly. It seemed even now the fact just occurred to him as well.
“So the Queen wishes to see me?” Fragment asked Scatty aloud for all to hear. And by all it really was for Shadow.
“No,” Scatty simply answered, while in inside he was cheering that the two had finally ceased their fighting.
Fragment’s face went completely blank for nearly a full minute as he tried in vain to contemplate Scatty’s remark, all the while Shadow was grinning from ear to ear as he listened.
“But, but,” Fragment balked, wildly pointing his hooves to and fro, “you, and I! You said…”
“Scatty said ‘Scatty’ need to speak with Fragment. Queen not wish to see Fragment,” Scatty clarified in response. A response that left Shadow on the ground in a laughing fit, and Fragment’s enthusiasm and hopes completely dashed.
The whole unfolding scene left the oblivious Scatty looking on with confusion. He didn’t see what Shadow found so funny; after all, he still hadn’t finished his sentence.
“She wishes to see Glass.”
Shadow’s laughing fit immediately turned into choking as he tried to swallow what he just heard, at the same time trying to avoid swallowing his own tongue. All the while Fragment was still processing this new revelation as every ear, wing, and scale on his body stood up.
Once more Scatty was left confused. This time over both their reactions, Fragment’s especially. Scatty figured Fragment would be glad for a chance to see one of his own blood again.
“What...?” Fragment practically squealed.
“Glass,” Scatty kindly reiterated. “Scatty wants Fragment to take Shadow and Scatty to Glass.”
“Glass?” Fragment repeated, less in answering Scatty and more in repeating the word to ensure he was hearing this correctly. By now his voice was starting to strain, as if his throat was freezing into an icicle. Which given the circumstance, it probably was.
“My SISTER?!”
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I think the chapter "Cold Heart of Reality" is going to take awhile for me to read!
But other than that I really like it so far! Keep it up! 
Missing unquote.
The hive is doing well, at least.
They progress, and they struggle. The events of the wedding did not occur without pain.
I wonder if they will prove to be friend or foe of this destiny?
Awaiting further releases.
3537135
Fixed it. Thanks for the notice. But all in all, not the worst grammar error to find.
3537257
But...
I haven't read the whole chapter yet.
WTF?!?! That's my changeling OC's name!
O_O
3537270
Well... if you wanna get technical, I first introduced 'my' Fragment in the chapter "Changeling's First Book," which I posted in 2012. The Fragment from 'your' story was introduced of this year. But it's all just coincidental.
To be honest I named the changeling Fragment to coincide with his blood-sister's name, Glass.
Glass. Fragment. Glass Fragment. Kinda like with Big Mac and Applejack. Big Mac Applejack.
3537299
Such enlightenment
Much pony
Many changelings
Wow
images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130826211346/creepypasta/images/0/01/DOGE.png
3537270
thats exactly what i thought when i read it
A lot of new changelings to keep track of, but I guess that's to be expected when dealing with a location shrouded in mystery aside from individual fan interpretations.
...
Why are relatives so surprising in FiM situations? The ponies were surprised that Luna was Celestia's sister. Rarity was surprised at her parents' visit. Twilight was surprised at the news of her brother's wedding. Why is family such a mind-shattering concept?
...
As far as longer chapters than intended, I completely understand. You've got this!
Observing the fractiousness of the colony and the ensuing comedy of errors resulting in massive property damage, it's a wonder they've survived, undetected no less, for so long.
I think this story was On Hiatus for bit there so I never read it... I'll have to fix that.
Many many OC appeared here.....hard to remember....
Interesting take on the subject of Changeling Hives. I like seeing how people take them, and if anything this (and if not some other stories) are more in-canon than most.
Random factoid: Did you know that the MLP Comics are in-canon with the rest of the series? The way you portray the changelings are similar. Nice work.
3540416
Really? Interesting, though I haven't read them.
3540731 I didn't read them until earlier last week. Yeah, I was -insanely- bored and cooped up with a bad cough/cold, so meh. Might as well.
Needless to say, Chrysalis didn't have a hive mind per se, but could 'influence' the others through ebbs and flows of her sheer presence and will. But the kicker is that each changeling has their own personality. (Though in this case they're kinda derpy and silly) but the ones tasked with actually harassing the "Mane 6" in the story are rather brutally efficient.
Suddenly freaking huge storm of OC's. Typically it's a good idea to let those in at a much slower rate, or at least telescope your cast down to a few significant ones so camera focus doesn't get spread so thin. With this many all at once, it's extremely difficult to substantively develop more than a tiny handful of them enough to be memorable -- and that gets even more difficult in a setting like a changeling hive where most of them have such similar abrasive personalities. I can almost assure you that by the time you release another chapter, I'll remember Scatty and almost nobody else. I've already forgotten most of them.
If some of these changelings aren't going to be relevant in the long term, it's okay to just let them go unnamed. By leaving bit characters anonymous, you draw more focus to the ones that'll actually be showing up later.
3543777
Very much so. :P
3544483
I understand and agree with you on these terms, my editor and I believe it or not had a similar conversation about this during his read through. However, this chapter was more or a less a "choose your own poison" decision for me. It was either show these characters and their reactions to events to establish their persona's, or show them later. But I felt showing them later would cause more problems for the reader, because by then they'd be so far into the story, any new characters shown would be pointless, so I felt since this is the Changeling Colony scene, it was better to just get them out of the way so the story could progress.
But I assure you this whole thing wasn't a one trick pony. Minor or not, those unassociated with Scatty will be seen later, this was more or less a establishing chapter. Forgotten or not, the events like the cave in will ring a bell in the reader's brain, and be something for them to refer too for the later events.
I love this! Vivid details are yummy to me.
Me cant wait for next chapter!
I must say that I'm enjoying this story greatly. Very detailed and I like how you portray the changelings: from intimidating to humorous. I feel rather sorry for Scatty. I'd love him to come across a certain cute but accident prone, gray mail-mare one day.
Is this... dead?
4118094
No. The writer has merely been distracted/busy. I promise there will be an update in the future eventually.
4144946
11 weeks into the future...
"Ahgggggggghghghghghghhhh everybodys deaaadd!!" I'M WHININ' NOW! "EVERYBODY IS DEAD!" i'MSTILLalive
-sorryforthat
4534098
In a small way I'm flattered some of my readers want to see this story continue. I'm afraid, however, I can't offer anymore info other then the story will continue, i just need to get my brain back into focus.
Its okay.
MORE CHAPTERS PLEASE
