Of Fallen Stars & Ascension

by Hop3l3ssRomantic

Captured!?

-Thirty Sixth Sunrise-
-Captured!?-

I wake to yelling. The lulling voice from before and two raspy ones, met by buzzing sounds and an echoey voice.
“You can't just bring an Equestrian Princess here and endanger my whole hive! I won't allow it!” The echoey voice booms. Loud, angry buzzing follows the words.
“Oh puh-lease your majesty, this is nothing! We'll make her feel right at home and her heart will be ours faster than you can change! Then we'll be out of your dirt filled ‘hive’.” My fillynapper replies.

“This move is not a smart one. I've had it for the last time! I've allowed your cult to stay in the badlands long enough, we tire of your disgusting magics. Begone!” The first voice yells in response. I cover my ears as her voice echoes throughout the room. I look around my room and notice a window like opening. As I approach, I realize it’s more of a balcony.

Looking down I see a swarm of black equine shapes, more bug-like than normal ponies, a larger bug creature with an inky blue mane and tail. Their horns are deformed and their wings have holes in them, as do their legs. Sorrow washes over me at sight of such a creature. My eyes move on to two elderly unicorns standing behind the beautiful mare who fillynapped me. I nearly growl at the sight of her.
The mare’s horn glows red and her eyes light up as dark flames erupt and flow sideways from them. The large bug like creature, presumably the queen of the creatures judging by the small crown upon her head and her clear difference from the rest, moves into an aggressive position.

“You don't really hope to fight me, do you? I bested Celestia in mere power!” The queen yells, her own horn lighting up green in preparation for the battle.

“We both know that was because of an excessive amount of love you had drained. You are not nearly as powerful at this moment.” The mare counters quickly. The two equines begin to circle dangerously.

Suddenly a burst of magic is hurled at the queen, which she dodges easily. She sends back a spell of her own, and a green slime seems to have encased the unicorns foot. The queen shoots another spell, and the unicorn turns to black goo. The queen is soon sent flying into a wall by a spell from behind. She slides down the wall and shakes at the bottom.

All the bug creatures start buzzing madly and fly at the three unicorns. They turn into different creatures successively in attempts to avenge their injured queen. The queen pushes herself off the ground and flies back into the battle.

I turn quickly as a group of the creatures enters the room. A fire of green flares up around one of them. It dies down as quickly as it had flared up. Instead of a bug like creature standing there, now it's Scootaloo.
“Come on, we don't have any time to waste princess! The queen has ordered us to lead you out of here while they hold them off!” She says. While the words are in Scootaloo's voice, the dialect is wrong. I blink at her.

“Ugh! We're changelings, we change shape! I needed to speak like you, so I changed into this filly. Come! Now!” She says, and turns to run down the hall. I shake my head in disbelief and chase after her. The rest of the group follows.

The sounds of battle echo around us as we run through the damp underground. We turn a corner and the tunnel begins to slope downward.

“Isn't this just going to take us deeper?” I ask as I fly down to avoid tripping. Buzzes answer me from behind.

“We have tunnels throughout the Badlands, this one comes up the closest to Equestrian territory.” Not Scootaloo replies. We fly down the tunnel quickly. It gets darker and darker, and eventually we slow. I try to do a light spell that I've seen Twilight do before, but it fails. Green light surrounds me, and I turn around to see that all the changelings had lit their own horns. They seem to smile at me and buzz. The sound seems friendly and kind.

“Thanks.” I tell them, and they make a few light clicking sounds in response. Maybe I should learn their language at some point. The changeling in front of me erupts in green flames again, this time becoming me.

“Sorry if this is weird, but it's so taxing to change into a hornless creature.” She says. Its really weird hearing your voice not coming from you. I hope I can get used to it. The changeling casts a spell and green orbs of light appear along the tunnel. The changeling behind us put out their lights. We begin walking again at a more leisurely place.

We walk for what feels like hours with very few breaks. Every half an hour the changelings cast a detection spell and a few shield spells on the area behind us. It seems like a lot of protection for a princess that isn't even their own.

“So, do you have a name?” I ask the one who looks like me. She turns her head towards me.

“Xincricmux. (Zen creak mux)” She replies thoughtfully. It sounds rehearsed, more so than a true name would, but I leave it be.
“The changelings following us are Axem, Flux, Zip, Exiampec, and Reenexi. They are guards of a sort.” She continues. Each one makes a buzzing sound as their name is called, and I can hear the differences in them when they aren't all buzzing together.
“And what are you?” I ask.
“I am the one saving you, and that's all you need to know.” Xuncricmux replies sharply. I wince a little at the way she says it.

“Okay, okay. Um...well...tell me a story.” I request, hoping to learn more about their culture or just cheer her up some. “Any story really, a memory, your favorite fable when you were young.” I add.

“I don't tell stories.” She replies. I shut up and keep walking. The air between us grows tense as we walk. She must be really upset about something, I wonder what.

A soft buzz sounds from behind, but stops suddenly. One of the changelings slinks further back in the group. I'm more curious than ever of Xuncricmux’s status among the changelings. I don't say anything though.
Slowly but surely the tunnel begins to slope upward again, and it eventually becomes stairs. I begin the trek with dismay and sore hooves. Xuncricmux had turned back into her changeling form a while ago and is climbing the steps in front of me.
After a while we finally reach a platform of stone and I realize we've entered a natural cave. The other changelings stand guard at the entrance of the tunnel and Xuncricmux leads me to the end of the cave. I look out at the night sky and let myself fall onto the ground in exhaustion.

☀✴

I wake on a soft bed of sorts. Its squishy yet just firm enough, and it's smooth as silk. I open my eyes and sit up. I look down at my bed. It's a green goo in circle around the size of my body. It reminds me of a bubble rising from the ground. I look around and notice that I'm still in the cave.
How do I get home? As I look out of the cave at the morning sun and pleasant forest before me I realize that the way to go is already in my mind. I begin to walk the direction my instincts tell me to and begin the long track back to civilization.