Change of Life

by Lil Penpusher

19 - Making new Friends

The silence echoed through the tunnels as the pack of changelings moved. The silence only interrupted by the sound of their hooves hitting the ground, over and over again. And, although the outside showed nothing but silence, Shade and Thunder were panicing on the inside. What was going to happen? Why would the Queen call for them? Did they do something wrong? There were more than a dozen more questions like that, but none of them could be answered. At least not yet, they would soon find out the answer for every single question themselves.

Rays of dim light struck the changelings as they left the tunnel. They had finally arrived at their destination, the Throne room. Shade had been here several times, same to be said about the guards, yet Thunder still felt more than uncomfortable in the seemingly gigantic room. A dark and evil aura radiated through the room, or, so Thunder thought at least. For the others, it was a simple room, a room made for their beloved Queen. For Thunder, it was a death trap, a trap that was inhabitated by the devil itself.

Suddenly, the dim lighted room was illuminated in bright light as the candles on the wall magically lit up. The changelings, who stood in the center of the room, looked up and around. They knew exactly why the candles were lit, and knew exactly who did it.

"Finally, I am ever so glad you could come." Gave out a feminine voice, it's voice echoed through one of the many tunnels that lead to the room. The guards immediatly stood at attention, Shade looking towards the tunnel from which the voice echoed out of with a worried look, Thunder too followed the voice that eminated from out the tunnel but his look was an angry and furious one, not a worried one.

Then, the Queen of the changelings finally lifted herself out of the tunnel exit. Although she was of bigger figure, she still fitted into the tunnels perfectly. "I hope you had a comfortbale and relaxing trip here?" She asked in a mocking tone. Thunder despised her already, the mocking in her voice only made it worse. Shade, though, tried to keep his thoughts together.

"Um, We...sort of did, my Queen. We were currently practicing-" Shade was about to lie his way out of this situation somehow, yet Chrysalis let him no chance.

"Of course you were, my dear. Of course." Chrysalis mockingly interrupted before she lifted off, flying onto her throne. She once again started talking as she started landing on it. "Do you know why I have called you, Shade?" For the first time her voice became serious during the meeting.

Shade gulped, trying to think of any possible reasons. He had been asking himself this question among many other questions along the way there, but he simply couldn't come up with anything that...really justified a situation like this. "I...sadly don't, my Queen." Shade replied, almost in fear.

Chrysalis grumbled quietly, her slight frown disappeared rather quickly though. "I had told you of the meeting between us two and the princesses. You are needed for..." Chrysalis held in as she remembered it was classified information, something the others in the room, especially the mysterious ex-pony, shouldn't get to know. "...for you know what." If she wasn't a Queen she might have even winked at him in secrecy, but her royal status held her back from doing so.

"Oh..." Shade suddenly remembered the appointment. He had completely forgotten. It was made between him and Chrysalis when they captured Thunder and the Princesses, how could he ever forget that!? He had simply been too busy dealing with his own or Thunder's problems that...he completely forgot. "I...I remember now...I-I'm so sorry for forgetting that most important appointment, my Queen! I really-" His apology was not of worth for Chrysalis, she was not interested in it in the slightest as she simply held up a perforated hoof, silencing Shade.

"I do not hold any grudge against you, Shade. I would never consider doing that. After all these years, you have always stayed loyal and served me well. I can certainly excuse some minor mistakes."

Shade was seemingly reliefed at this, yet on the inside, he was still panicing as much as before. "I...I thank you, my Queen. I should not have doubted your sincere gratitude." Shade bowed respectively as he said the latter. He slowly rose up again, looking at his Queen that now lifted herself up again. Chrysalis' wings flapped as she slowly descended to the ground, right in front of the two ex-pony changelings, her Queen's guard was formed up behind the two. An escape was basically impossible now.

"Now, Let us not waste time with words. We have work to do and we are already late." Chrysalis nodded towards Shade as she targeted a new tunnel entrance to crawl into. However, she didn't come far until a voice behind her stopped her.

"What about...him?" Shade asked awkwardly. He felt uncomfortable both because of Chrysalis and Thunder in the room, he also didn't like adressing him as if he was a problem. For a matter of fact though, Shade knew...he really would be a problem in this matter.

"I thought it was obvious, Shade. We send him home, of course. There, he can practice more on his abilities, without a teacher. He needs to learn how to use them properly without any help, it's a good exercise for him." Chrysalis spoke as if there was never a doubt about the decision, nor was there an alternative.

"Yes...you are right, that surely would be good exercise for my student." Shade said unwillingly before he turned towards Thunder who looked more distrusting than ever. They both didn't want Thunder to stay alone for such a long time, but Shade was afraid he simply couldn't argue with what the Queen herself found to be the best and only solution.

"Send me home, huh?" Thunder spoke up before Shade could, he was speaking quiet enough to be unaudible for Chrysalis. Shade replied with a nod, Thunder on the other hand replied with a disagreeing sigh. "Why don't you just send me home to Canterlot then? It seems like a more appropriate spot to be called 'home'." Thunder spoke up now, The other Changelings turning around to look at him.

Shade was sure now. If Thunder truly hadn't done something stupid or bad until now...he surely just did for his first time. "Sorry all! My friend can be a little...unpredictable at times." Shade's try to better the situation were hopeless, but it was all he could do at this point. He would have rather burried himself right now instead of letting the Queen do it later on.

"Did you call Canterlot your home, young one?" Chrysalis asked, rather politely, much to the surprise of Shade.

"You bet I did you little, cheeky bug. It's where I grew up, it's where I live, It's where I work and where all my friends live. It's my home, something this place will never be!" Thunder was unmoved. Although he was scared of Chrysalis and the Changelings, he couldn't hold back his true feelings. It was not of his nature. Not just that, but it was also more than wrong to do so in times and situations like this.

Almost everyone, including Thunder, expected Chrysalis to react furiously to this. They thought this was gonna be it, only one of them would eventually leave the room, most probably Chrysalis. But...nobody expected what she actually did.

"I see...so you do not feel well in the Hive? Why is that?" Chrysalis' question was serious, yet many would have believed it to be purely sarcastic.

Thunder would have laughed if it wasn't so serious for him. "Oh, how about being kidnapped from your actual home, being turned into a gigantic bug that eats love and then having to live in the home of said bugs? Do you think I'd ever call this home?"

Once again, Chrysalis stayed peaceful, not a spark of aggression to be seen. Instead, she tried finding a way to make him more comfortable in the Hive, amongst her race. "You are certainly right about your 'arrival' here, and I do have to apologize for the rather rude introduction to us as a race. However, this should not prevent you from seeing us as friends or even family. We hold together as a race, we care for eachother. That includes you too."

Thunder was unmoved by her pacifism. If anything, Thunder was trying to cause a fight more than anything else. "Seeing you as friends? I only know Shade and...well, we've had our differences, let's say that. Why would I trust a bunch of bugs who look exactly the same: Like oversized, love-eating, evil bugs."

Chrysalis suddenly had an idea to solve the issue. It may not be an idea she had alot of faith in, but she did have faith in a certain Changeling involved into her idea. "Tell me, how about I offer you a tour around the Hive with my own, personal advisor while me and your best friend are gone doing business?"

Shade looked at Chrysalis in surprise, then at Thunder. Shade saw Thunder was in conflict, he was thinking hard about his decision. He did hate the Changelings, even had proof they were plotting something evil but...for some reason the voice of Chrysalis began making him doubt himself.

"...Sure, as if I had a choice. Where is your silly advisor then?" Thunder looked around but saw nobody who could possibly be called the royal advisor.

Chrysalis giggled briefly, replying "A good choice, I trust you won't regret it." and then lighting up her horn in her own, typcial green color.

"Wha-?" Was all Thunder could manage before Chrysalis' spell hit him. From one moment to the other, he had disappeared completely.

---

Thunder shook his head as he stood up from the ground. Something must have hit him hard, something that almost knocked him out. Almost.
"Ugh...what...happened?" He asked, not awaiting an actual reply. He was far too scratching his headache-plagued head than to think about where he really was.

Suddenly, his headache disappeared, as a soft and feminine voice spoke to him. "Um...hello?" spoke a Changeling.

The voice made Thunder forget all his pain, as he suddenly looked up, staring into the face of a rather feminine looking Changeling, who wore a golden amulet around her neck. "I-I...Hey! W-where, I mean, Who are you? I'm Thunder." Thunder gave out in stotters. There was something about that Changeling that simply robbed him his breath.

"Oh, I'm Amaz, Queen Chrysalis' personal advisor. I've been tasked with giving you a full tour around the Hive, showing you our culture and society."
She replied in a professional and neutral tone, yet Thunder could look through her and know she wasn't normally of such professional and high tier nature.

"Oh...right. I remember now." Thunder replied, scratching his head as a last bit of pain got through. "Have we met yet? You seem kind of familiar to me." Thunder gave out in his usual, unrestrained nature. He had not paid much attention during the meeting between him and Chrysalis until now, so he simply didn't notice Amaz being right next to her Queen. Amaz on the other hand, did notice him. In fact, she had stopped listening to Chrysalis at some point to simply focus on him. To look at him. Something in him made her interested. Something...she could not explain herself.

"I...think we've met before, yeah. It was during a previous meeting between the Queen, you and your friend." Amaz thought for a brief moment and added "No need to worry though, it's easy to miss somebody when focused."

Obviously, Thunder felt guilty for missing her, not because of being focused but simply because he decided to not pay any attention. However, he couldn't tell her that. It would make him seem rude. "I suggest we just get on with the tour for now, we can continue our conversation during that." Thunder too thought over what he had just said and added "Don't mean to be rude of course, but I'm not too thrilled about this personally. Might aswell get it over with."

Amaz giggled as she turned around towards the door. "Oh, I'm sure you'll love it! Come on, let's get going then!" Her voice was alot happier and joyful now, instead of the previous 'professional' type of voice which she tried to use to make her seem like a professional at her job.

"Here goes nothing." Thunder gave out as he followed Amaz over to the door. Only then, Thunder noticed that Amaz's home had doors, even though it seemed to be much smaller and less luxurious than Shade's home. Of course, the door only consisted out of a few thin planks of wood, but it served it's purpose.

And so, Thunder and his new friend moved on to discover the Hive together.