"I wouldn't say Heroes...."

by TheOneWhoWanders

Natural Instincts

Pharynx had led Alejandro into the small jungle that surrounded the spire. Pharynx noticed that the creature he was leading to the Changeling Kingdom had been incredibly quiet for the duration of the journey. He was fine with that, he hated talking to outsiders. Ponies were about the only ones he was willing to tolerate. Speaking of the creature, it was looking around at the foliage with....was that amazement? Wonderment, perhaps?

"What's with that look on your face?" he asked with a raised (what should be) eyebrow.

"Hm? Oh, its just....my people are incredibly in tune with nature. We understand it on the most complex of levels. We literally speak to trees. I'm just amazed by the plants here. How do they survive in a desert like this? What magic do you use?" Alejandro asked, looking at the bug-moose walking with him.

Pharynx groaned before talking.

"This will probably sound like a child's story but this whole place is run on the power of....'love' and slowly spreads the more the hive expands."

"The hive? So your insectoid in nature, then?"

"A couple months ago, yes. Now? I have no idea. You should probably ask the King these questions. He'll know more."

The rest of the journey was quiet. Pharynx kept an eye on the stranger, who had returned to examining the flora along the path. It wasn't long before they met more changelings and some of them found the bipedal creature fascinating. Those changelings followed along and whispered to each other. Alejandro paid them no mind, still keeping focus on the plant life.

Eventually, they entered the main area of the hive. The throne was empty and there was no sign of any royalty that the wood elf could see. Pharynx told him to wait there while he went to find 'that air headed softy of a brother' in the 'feelings forum'. Alejandro sat cross-legged on the steps in front of the throne and went over the events of the previous hours in his head. A noise attracted his attention and he looked over at the hall. He could spot a small shadow trying to move out of his vision. He smirked. His eyes always spotted what was wrong with something. It looked like a changeling child was a bit shy and he was the only one around.

He waved over at the shadow and called out:

"Hello! How are you?"

The shadow sank back further. Alejandro got up and walked over, slowly. He raised his hands to show they were empty and crouched down in front of the creature which shrank back even further.

"Come on, I won't hurt you."

He reached his hand out and held it there. The small changeling looked up at him, still covered in a shadow, and slowly, very slowly, reached a hoof out and placed it in Alejandro's hand. The changeling then stepped out of the dark. It was light blue pale pink frills in stead of a mane or tale. On its back was what looked like ladybird wings. A horn came out of its forehead and its eyes were a sea-foam green.

"Hi, my name is Alejandro. Who are you?" he asked with as friendly a voice as he could muster.

The small changeling looked up at him.

"....I-I'm O-Ocellus."

"Hello, Ocellus. I noticed you were watching me from over there. Is there something you want to ask me?"

"Oh, um, if that's okay?"

Alejandro nodded.

"I-if its n-not too rude, um, w-what are you?"

The ranger let a small laugh escape his lips and shook his head. He explained that he was a Wood Elf, one of many types of elf, and gave a small description of what made him him. That seemed to grab Ocellus' attention and she asked about how he came to arrive outside the hive.

They went through a good question and answer session when they were interrupted by a voice from the other side of the room.

"Pharynx told me that we had a visitor! Hi! Welcome!"

Alejandro turned around and his eyes met a large changeling who was primarily two shades of green with splashes of orange across his torso. His wings seemed to be more towards a butterfly's than anything else. Two large, orange antlers were positioned on his head with a horn between them. He had a large, warm smile on his face.

"My name is Thorax, and I see you've already met Ocellus! Its good to see her coming out of her shell."

Ocellus' face turned slightly red near the cheeks and she let out an awkward giggle before excusing herself. Thorax motioned for the visitor to follow him. Alejandro was led to what looked like a meeting room.

"I'm tremendously sorry if I have in anyway disturbed or interfered with anything hear," the Elf began "but this was the only place I could see which looked to have some civilization around it."

"Oh, don't worry. I was just on my break and the other changelings are really hard to get annoyed and even then we have the forum."

"You are most gracious, my Lord."

Thorax's expression changed to a look of uncomfortableness at the words 'my' and 'Lord'.

"Please don't call me that. The only reason I'm in charge is cause I spearheaded the reformation of the hive. When people call me things like that I get a little....uncomfortable."

"I can understand perfectly. I'm just so used to royals and nobles being stuck up and expecting you to kowtow at their feet."

"Thanks. Anyway, what can I help you with?"

"Well, to explain I need to go into a bit of history if what I'm going to tell you is to make any sense."

And with that, Alejandro dove into both his personal history and the history of the group he is travelling with. He began with how his home village in the forest of Elderglade was destroyed by soldiers serving the Imperium of Terra and a large bandit/mercenary gang. He told about how he was adopted by a human couple and how he joined the Green Legion, a Wood Elf resistance movement , as a ranger. He then told of how he met the ones who would become his closest friends in the Free City of Seldun. He told, with a great fondness in his voice, how each of them had their own abilities and skills. Specifically, he told of Elincia's ability to detect large build ups of magic. He then explained that a portal simply spat him out in the desert.

"......So please, may I request your aid in finding my companions?"

Thorax was stunned. The individual in front of him had grown up in and lived through a great many battles. He likely had more combat experience than the whole hive put together. Thorax told him that he would do all he could to find Alejandro's friends. It was then that another changeling slammed the door open with a scroll caught in its magical grasp.

"Thorax! We've received a message from the Crystal Empire!"

Comments

[Golden_Reflection]

"I'm tremendously sorry if I have in anyway disturbed or interfered with anything hear," the Elf began "but this was the only place I could see which looked to have some civilization around it."

Remember: ‘here’ for places, and ‘hear’ for sounds... you’ll get there eventually!

[TimeLordStudios]

Great story! Hope you wouldn’t mind this being added to a group should help with getting recognition

[Blackdust]

10052735
So it is! Didn't even notice.

[Blackdust]

9383040
OI! IT'S BEEN A BLOODY YEAR SINCE YOU UPDATED! WHEN'S THE NEXT CHAPTER!?!?!