From the Ashes: Ember's Story

by Zoljen

Hive Mates

Ember paced back and forth in her living room as she kept looking back at the door. It had been three weeks since she saw Torch, or rather Lode Stone, and since then she wondered why she hadn't bothered to seek others of her hive out.

She couldn't really blame herself, her first instinct was to flee from the drakes and it just snowballed from there; running from drakes, protecting innocent griffins that were caught helping her, and helping a ship crew that she hardly knew from a drake sneak attack. Yeah, your priority of finding hive mates was bottom of that list.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by a knock at the door. She looked at it, and couldn't detect any emotional energy behind it. She went up to the door and leaned on it, looking through the peephole.

“Who is it?” She asked, seeing the vague shape of a dark blue pegasus with a short blue and green mane grinning at the door.

“Feather Dust. I was told an Emerald Haze lived here.” He sighed. “Please tell me I didn't get the wrong house, again.”

Ember chuckled softly and opened the door. Feather Dust gasped when he saw Ember and quickly lunged forward to hug her. She gasped for breath as she tried to hug back.

“Ack, Brimstone… can't… breathe!”

He quickly let her go and held her at arm's length. “Sorry! It's just been so long since I last saw you! When I got Lode Stone’s letter that he found you, I couldn't believe it.” Ember grinned and pulled him back into a hug that he happily returned.

“Two decades is too long to be apart.”

“I agree with that, I thought I saw you in Manehattan during that Canterlot Wedding. You were running somewhere with a small group chasing after you, yelling your name.” Ember dragged him inside and closed the door, gesturing towards the couch.

“They were friends, ones I made on my trip here. Gold Star and some of his crew.” She sighed as she sat down. “My vacation was cut short because of that attack.”

“Admiral Gold Star?!” he gasped. “You know him?!”

Ember blushed faintly as she rubbed the back of her neck, “Yeah, he ferried my sorry tail here.”

“By the egg, you have to tell me how you know him!” Feather Dust bounced in his seat, acting like a fan filly. “One of the most famous captains on the sea and you're just friends with him. Must of been one heck of a story for you to get here.”

“Once everypony is here. Guess I can go first,” she chuckled, glancing at the door just as it got knocked on. She stood and went over to it, peering through the hole again to see Lode Stone, with two other shapes she couldn't make out. She opened the door and saw a deep orange bat pony with a blue mane and tail that had green highlights. He wore various bracelets that had really fancy looking gems in them, and his bat wings almost looked like sapphires.

Standing next to him was a snow white unicorn with a blue mane and tail, except the mane had a streak of purple in it, and his tail had a darker streak of blue. He wore only a pair of bracelets, and had greaves of the royal guard on. They both grinned at Ember as she opened the door further.

Lode Stone chuckled as he stepped back, letting the three embrace in a hug. “And now that everypony is here, we can get this little reunion started.” Ember nodded as she gestured everypony inside, closing the door and locking it.

“So, this is your little home?” Scope, the white unicorn, started. “I would have thought a doctor of the Canterlot General Hospital would be living in the high class part of town.”

“This is all I need,” Ember shrugged as she sat on one of the chairs she had to get since she had more company over than usual. “I may get something bigger down the road, but, for now, this is comfortable.”

“Yeah, in case you and Quicktail decide to adopt.” Lode Stone grinned, as the other three looked directly at a blushing Ember.

“You mean…” Feather Dust started.

“Yup.” Lode Stone nodded.

“Wow,” Topaz Echo, the bat pony, chuckled. “Our Ember has grown up.”

Ember cleared her throat, looking at Scope and Topaz. “I’m more curious how you two function in the Crystal Empire.”

“With tingles,” Scope said with a grin. “Though I get more energy from the heart than Topaz does, since I'm closer to it on a daily basis. But I can't really explain it.”

“I have a theory.” Feather started, making them all look at him. “Since we don't feed directly on love, we don't get as much, ah, nourishment, from it. I wouldn't put an Equestrian Changeling there though, as they are way more sensitive to it.”

“How do you know that?”

“I’ve visited one of their hives. What they considered to be adequate, was a feast for me. I suspect it's because of the drakes that we take after that we are so efficient in our consumption,” Feather shrugged.

“So if one of them went to, say, a Wonderbolt show,” Ember chuckled.

“He or she could...either become really drunk, or worse.” Topaz tilted his head, looking at Ember. “Why bring up one of their shows?”

“Because I was described as being buzzed afterwards. Even though it felt like I ate five Hearth’s Warming Feasts.” Ember grinned. “According to Gold Star and Spin Helix.”

“And you can start your story so we can learn how you know them so well!” Feather grumped as he looked at Ember.

“Naw, save mine for last. Tea?”

“Hey! You said you’d go first!” Feather pointed at Ember. “So spill it!”

“Fine, fine.” she chuckled, standing and getting tea ready for her company.

---

The other three ponies listened to her story with rapt fascination, waiting until she was done to ask questions. She told them of her passing out in front of Light Feather and Quicktail and them not condemning her. She told them of her leading the drakes away that had followed her and taking them out, earning her scar that she showed off.

She then told them of the port fort, and getting access onto an apparently famous ship. As she told this part of the journey, Feather Dust and Lode Stone were on the edge of their seats, listening intently. She told them of the drake sneak attack, and how she had inspired the crew by appearing like an alicorn with bat wings.

She told them of what happened afterwards, her form faltering again after expending so much energy while injured with the scar. She explained that for the rest of the story it was boring, just a train ride, getting to work at the Canterlot Hospital, meeting and making friends here. Oh yeah, there was also her visit to Manehattan and attending her first Wonderbolt show and even meeting the Lead Squad. And of course learning of the attack during the wedding. After that she listed off who all knew of what she was and looked like.

“Wow.” Lode Stone leaned back, letting out a sigh. “You had a huge adventure just getting here.”

“I’m sure you guys had just as much of one,” Ember glanced to each one.

“Nope, I escaped by digging my way to freedom, and wound up at in a mining operation on the edge of the griffin kingdom border posing as a griffin miner. After some time there, I made my way closer to Equestria, stopping at various dig sites, eventually becoming the pony you see before you.” Lode Stone shrugged. “Nothing major there.”

“We escaped together, through one of the side tunnels. We decided it best to stick together and somehow made our way to Baltimare. I took up a guard job, and Topaz here worked for a gem store.” Scope nodded slowly as Topaz took over.

“Once we heard the Crystal Empire had returned, I wanted to check it out. That place is simply divine with this crystal structures and, well, everything crystal!” Topaz hugged himself as he grinned widely.

“I probably have the second most interesting story here. The drakes that captured me and tried to capture you had escorted us back to their castle. Me and a few others managed to break away before then, but in the confusion we lost track of each other. I haven't seen them since.” Feather Dust shrugged. “I somehow managed to make my way to Ponyville, and stayed there and help at their small hospital. I also help in Cloudsdale too.”

“So when did you bump into each other?” Ember asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Ten years ago, in Baltimare. Lode Stone here came into my shop.” Topaz pointed to Lode Stone. “And about five minutes after that, Feather Dust here came in.”

“I was getting some rare supplies for Ponyville! And the shops title was familiar. ‘Brimstone and Mortar Jewelry.’ So I went in.”

“So you four just bumped into each other in the span of five minutes?” She blinked, then looked at Topaz. “What about Talon? You mentioned you were in the hive, did you see him?”

“We saw him just as we ducked into a tunnel. He was heading towards the Queen’s Chamber. We… don't know if he got out or not.” They all let out a sigh, looking down.

“Our hive of seventy-five changelings, reduced to maybe fifteen.” Feather Dust looked towards Ember. “I’m sure some of the ones that were with us are still alive, in the Drake empire somewhere.”

“Yeah, except Talon. The queen’s chamber had no escape route.” She flopped back as she sat down with a huge sigh. “I miss him, and everypony else too.”

“We all do. But we shouldn't dwell on the past,” Topaz agreed.

“Yeah! Talon would want us to move on! And if he is still alive out there somehow, he is off fighting somewhere. You know him the best, always a fighter and always going strong!” Feather held his hoof towards the little statue. “He was the one who came up with the winged unicorn illusion trick! I say we all go flying to honour him!”

Ember looked down, “It's been so long since I’ve flown, I don't think I could.”

“Then a toast to his honour, and to our hive! Let it be remembered for the good it brought!” Scope held up a cup of tea, as did everyone else. They tapped them together and took a swig, grinning.

Comments

[The Forgotten Comrade]

Hope more of them made it. Also 75 quite a small number in my opinion but interesting.

[Zoljen]

6810962
It was that big when it was destroyed. Countless generations have been lost because of the blood feud between scales and feathers of their neighbors. And they haven't really been able to generate more between each war.

[The Forgotten Comrade]

6810991
Wow the drakes are idiots then. Kinda suits them though. It's easier to spend someone else's lives.

[Zoljen]

6811019
They did view the changelings as a resource more then an actual being. Useful for their gemcrafting and healing arts. But really didnt think of the cost of, ya know, using them as cannon fodder or destroying their home. Stupid Prince.

[harts fire]

this story is just getting really good and I am siting back and watching for the big one to droop when Ember sees Talon the first time.