Chapter 4
The hive was organized. Enough love was coming in that Jarret had to take some of the larger nymphs and start training them in how to keep it viable. The artisans had started selling their work in Equestria, and the bits had started to trickle in (and from there, deposited into an account in one of Canterlot’s biggest banks). And, if the recent influx of eggs was any indication, her changelings were feeling much more hopeful about things.
Now, Twilight could take some personal time and do some research. Usually, self-experimentation was considered taboo, and at the very least, unwise; but in this case, she was willing to make an exception.
After all, how could she be a queen of the changelings if she didn't even know the first thing about changing?
So thus it was that Ithir and Nemri stood in one of the abandoned storerooms of the hive, eager and prepared to teach Twilight all about changing.
Well, perhaps ‘prepared’ was a bit strong of a word.
Ithir tapped his chin and looked over at Nemri, who shrugged helplessly. He looked back at Twilight and scuffed a hoof. “I know we said we'd do anything to help; but I don't even know where to start.”
“How did you learn to transform?” Twilight asked.
Nemri scratched his neck. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “We just see other changelings doing it from the time we’re hatchlings, and we just try it. Like learning to walk, or pegasi trying to fly. It's pretty instinctive.”
“Am I even changeling enough yet to change?” Twilight asked, prodding at yet another portion of her foreleg that seemed to be just skin over a shallow depression in her hardening flesh. “I’d hate to… uh… whatever the transformation version of ‘splinch’ is.”
“I don’t really know. I’ve never seen a new queen. You might be able to change your eyes back, at least,” Ithir said hopefully.
Twilight grinned. They'd been solid green for about a week now. “I’d like that,” she said. “How do I do it?”
“You… just do it,” Nemri supplied unhelpfully.
Twilight cocked her head.
“Our magic is instinctive.” Ithir shrugged. “You just picture a target and concentrate and you… change.”
Twilight squinted. “That doesn’t make much sense.”
“It does to a changeling,” Nemri said.
“But… but… you’re changing everything,” Twilight pointed out. “I mean, you’re forming new internal organs and veins and arteries to supply them with blood—you’re forming blood, too!—and new tendons and new bones and other things that changelings just don’t have and then there’s all our fur and our manes and tails and…”
“You’re really overthinking this, Princess,” Ithir said soothingly. “Just try it.”
“Be bold!” Nemri said, striking a heroic pose. “Take a chance!”
“Let the magic work!”
Twilight inhaled. This could work. She could do this. She picked one of her friends and closed her eyes. She concentrated on how she'd have to change. Her fur would have to change color, her mane would have to shorten, her eyes would have to change color-
“You're overthinking it,” Nemri interrupted.
“Maybe start small?” Ithir suggested. “Just do the mane for now.”
Twilight nodded. She imagined her mane changing from the stringy blueish mess it now was to the curly purple of Rarity’s mane.
And then she noticed it. Something inside her she hadn't noticed before. Like, magic, but not. Was that it? She pulled it up and imagined that her mane was growing longer and more purple.
Her mane was suddenly wreathed in flames; but any victory that this may have been was quickly ruined when Twilight collapsed. She tried to get up, but to her horror, she found that she couldn't move.
“Oh, no!”
“She burned her love stores!” Nemri moaned.
“You know, I don't think I've ever seen her feed…” Ithir murmured. “Don’t worry, I got this.” He stepped forward, leaned over Twilight’s face, moved her long purple mane out of the way, then reached down and opened her mouth with his hooves…
Twilight realized what he was going to do a split second before he did it; but to her horror, she was completely and utterly powerless to stop him.
He made a hacking cough, and coughed up a pink pool of love onto his tongue. Leaning over further, he let it trickle down, curling his tongue like a funnel to guide it directly into her mouth.
Twilight was helpless, unable to even blink, watching as that little pink glob dropped lower and lower until it hit her tongue.
Relief was almost instantaneous. It was like taking a drink after being dehydrated and suddenly realizing just how badly you’d needed it. It was slightly sweet, if a bit bitter. Maybe like a mango? She wasn’t sure. But she did realize that she could now blink again, and her hoof twitched. As much as it pained her, she knew what she needed to do. She stretched her tongue out, pulled it in, and swallowed.
Feeling quickly returned to her hooves, and she could soon push herself upright. She shuddered. That had better have been a one time thing, because she would never be able to get used to that. Perhaps the most uncomfortable part was seeing Ithir standing there so proudly after he'd just... ugh... in her mouth. “Thank you, Ithir,” Twilight said shakily, pushing the long mane out of her face. “I think that’s enough experimenting for one day.”
He bowed proudly. Twilight shuddered. This did not bode well.
* * *
Twilight slowly walked down the hallway. Changelings bowed politely as she passed, but her mind was too preoccupied with what she was about to do. What she had to do.
Much sooner than she'd hoped, she arrived at the love chamber.
Jarret straightened up and bowed as he saw her. “Princess! We've been waiting for you.”
Even he knew it was inevitable. “Hi, Jarret.” She took a deep breath. “I… I need to feed.”
Jarret brightened. “Of course,” he said. With expert movements, he swirled a new ball with the hooks on his hooves. Twilight couldn't help but notice that he had pulled more of the pink over, so that even though there were more blue, green, red, and purple streaks in the bowl, her ball was mostly pink with a few streaks of purple and blue. He held it out and bowed, like a chef presenting his meal.
Twilight took it hesitantly. This was a new step for her, and definitely one she wouldn't be able to go back from.
She ran her tongue along the underside of her teeth. Her left tooth felt a bit sharper against her tongue, so she lifted the ball up and bit down.
She didn't bite hard enough, it squished between her teeth like a gummy candy. She smiled wryly, and then tried again.
This time, her tooth did pierce the coating, and the liquid inside squirted out into her mouth. It was, once again, like water to a pony in the desert; and Twilight had sucked it dry almost before she had a chance to think about what she was doing. Even the crusty exterior ended up in her mouth, and it quickly reverted to liquid on her tongue and she swallowed that as well.
“Wow,” Twilight said. It had tasted a little bit like bubblegum, but with a more full flavor; and she couldn't keep a smile off her face. “I feel… much better.”
Jarret smiled. “I'm glad. Come back whenever!”
Twilight nodded and trundled off.
Once she was out of sight, she rested against the wall. She'd fed on emotions. That was... it was a big step. She was definitely not pony anymore.
“Ha!” she heard behind her. Her ears swiveled. “Two weeks, one day before feeding. Pay up!” And then the sounds of grumbling and cats on-hairballs and passing over to the winning changeling.
Twilight cracked a smile. Not pony; but not so different, either.
* * *
Ithir and Nemri walked down the hallway and both slowed to a stop.
“You've never been down to the queen's chambers, have you?”
“Nope,” Ithir said. “I was never that unlucky.”
“Me neither.”
Both shuddered at the thought. Thankfully, if the rumors were true, Twilight had yet to bring a changeling (taken or otherwise) to her bedchamber. Instead, Twilight tended to meet in large, open rooms. No chance of any sexual activity there.
At least, not from somepony with Twilight’s disposition. Apparently, it had taken her two weeks before trying to feed again.
They arrived at such a room and bowed. “You wanted to see us, Princess?”
“Yes.” Twilight took a deep breath. Her transformation had continued; there was a small patch of bare skin on her left foreleg, her eyes were completely green, and both of her fangs were poking out ever so slightly from her upper lip. “I’ve figured it out.”
“Great!” Nemri cheered, rearing up. He hesitated and dropped back to the ground. “What have you figured out, your highness?”
“We’ve all got a natural form. You, Nemri, could take the form of Ithir, but that’s not your natural form. When you want to decloak, you have a set form to fall back into.” It was easy to tell them apart now. Though they were twins from the same egg, there were slight discernible differences in how they stood and how they did their head frills. It was hard to imagine a time when she had thought all changelings looked the same. She continued. “So this is my natural form. I imagine that with time, the changes to my body will continue until I look like Chrysalis. But I’m still a changeling queen. So, with enough love energy…” Twilight closed her eyes.
And a burst of green flames overtook her body. When they'd faded, there stood a purple alicorn, one that hadn't been seen in about a month. She smiled hopefully, revealing perfectly straight (and flat) teeth.
Ithir cocked his head. “I don’t remember your tail being so voluminous,” he said.
Nemri jabbed an elbow sharply into his ribs. “I think you look just fine, Princess,” he said, as if defending her.
Twilight grinned sheepishly as she lifted her poofy mane out of her eyes. “Ok, maybe I overdid it on the mane and tail,” she admitted, “but it's a great start. I think I'm starting to understand how changeling magic works.”
“How?” Nemri asked.
“Instinctively,” Twilight answered wryly, “so you were right about that. But just like how you can adapt spells or shift your… uh, how pegasi shift their wings,” she amended, “you can change some things.” Twilight chuckled. “I could probably even change the location of my vital organs if I wanted to.”
Ithir and Nemri chuckled. “Can't say I recommend that, Princess.”
“No,” Twilight agreed, “probably not. It's an interesting thought, though.”
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yeah nothing say ha ha fuck you when an asassin tries to stab you in the heart only to find out its in your left ass cheek
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7833296
Actually, it's probably going to be something more along the lines of, "I'm curious... After killing me, what is it you're planning on doing next?"
Don't overthink it. It's like time travel:
thepunchlineismachismo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/2014-01-13.jpg
Very weird
Oh this is a treat! I wasn't expecting a second chapter this week!
Well you turned me from litterly not thinking about this story for like six months to actually very interested. Any idea what your update schedule is gonna be like?
great chapter can't wait to see the next chapter
that reminded me of a strange story, "winds of change", where Twilight, without becoming a Changeling, learned how to transform after watching Chrysalis transform a few times.
7833360
That sounds like something out of a Discworld book, but I can't remember which one.
What I do remember is the line from Going Postal... "Impressive. You've managed to miss both my hearts."
7833296 There are good and functional reasons why higher vertebrates keep their hearts more or less on their centerlines in the middle of their bodymass. Minimizing energy usage, for one. The excess arteries and veins necessitated bY the displacement, assuming you maintain all the proper plumbing connections and nerve linkages.
I'm kind of presuming that changlings are actually higher vertebrates, despite their apperance.
7833570 which one? i searched that name and got 129 results
7833574
That's actually a quote from the first Pirates of the Caribbean. Still semi-relevant, though.
One day at Carousel Boutique ...
'Rarity' : Good morning Rarity! How are you today darling?
Rarity : Welcome to Carousel Boutique! Where ... eh? ... me?
'Rarity' : Got you. Whoop! (change back)
Rarity : Ah!!! Chrysalis!!! (faint...)
7833678 whoops! this one:
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/202780/winds-of-change
7833626 sheesh some people can take a joke. I was only pointing out how it would be funny if someone tried to kill her by stabbing where her heart should be and she just shrugs it off cause she moved it and her left ass cheek seemed comical enough, considering the 12 up votes to the comment in 1 hour, i say it worked
7833879 She could be creative with portals and give her heart legs, and it could just wander around inside her all the time, even dodge!
7833921 SOME ONE WO GETS ITS A JOKE HUZZA
for some reason this chapter make me crave pineapple
dammit....
I need chocolate, pineapple, and a strawberry daiquiri to ease the cravings this chapter caused me...unfortunately, I have none of those available
7833360
Maaaan, this was set up way to subtle-y obvious not to play a role in the future. I'm just calling that right now
Love tastes like sherbet. Interesting. Maybe they could sell it as delicacy when the supply gets good enough!
We wonder what Twilight will do with the money. Creature comforts for the hive, or promotion campaigns?
Keep going! ;)
7833296
Unreasonable laughter came from me after reading this.
7834851 then my work here is done
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Why have big and easily stabable organs when you could have a distributed network of organs.
So just so I'm tracking the princesses, her family, her friends, and everyone else still don't know she physically turned into a changeling right?
7840765 At least Cadence and Spike know, and I have a feeling Zecora know too.
knowing Twilight at some point in time she'll decide ta organise her organs alphabetically :p
7844418 Hahaha! I can totally see that!
7845913 And The Appendix Goes here, and the Lung Goes There...
Hmm...still possible she goes hybrid or looks like a purple chrysalis with different fester closer to her own. Only time will tell.
Am I the only one drawing comparisons to Twilight in this story with Sarah Kerrigan from Starcraft? Being turned into a godlike insectoid that commands an entire species of lesser insectoids and all.
8210252
Honestly I'm still snickering about the Santa Clause comparison.
8360893
Could you elaborate on that please?
7894674
"So uhh, should my "butt" be labeled as is or "posterior"? "Ass"?"