This is Home.

by Lucy_Marigold

Chapter 3 - Primrose.

~Chapter 3 - Primrose.~

10:01 AM, December 27th, 983 C.E.

In a mountainside cave, under Canterlot.

After a minute or two of staring, Alyssum gently lowered the nymph to the ground, trotting over slowly to the collapsed changeling before her. The Libellua changeling was burnt, scars both old and new littered her chitin as blood seeped from the cracks between her plating. She winced, seeing the deepest cut under her chestplate.

Suddenly, the Libellua changeling jolted awake, “AAHHH!” She screamed, startled by Alyssum's proximity to her.

“Calm down! Y'all need ta calm down before you get them ponies down here.” Alyssum hissed under her breath, equally as panicked.

After a moment, the unknown changeling calmed down, ruffling her wings in frustration as she visibly grimaced in pain. Using her magic, Alyssum grabbed her saddlebags, pulling out a long roll of gauze. “I’m Alyssum, a former soldier of the Enigma Hive.” She stated. It was more out of habit than a formality. She unrolled the gauze before motioning for the other changeling to sit up.

“I’m Primrose, a former soldier of the Libellua Hive. Might I ask why you're so far from your Hive?” The changeling, Primrose, responded, allowing Alyssum to wrap a large quantity of gauze around her burns.

“I could ask you the same thing. I ain’t got no Hive anymore.” She sadly mumbled, sorrowfully looking out to the sunlight in the sky.

“I’m the last Libellua changeling. My Queen issued that order. I’m not much of a Libellua changeling seeing as I fled almost immediately” Primrose let loose a strangled cry of pain, wings laying limply against her side as she began to genuinely cry.

There was a moment of silence between the two of them. Alyssum had heard what kind of orders the Queens of Libellua had ordered in the past. Whatever order, it was bound to be bad. “Whatever Enigma changelings are alive are part of The Xenica Hive now. The hivelink is empty except for me and this little one. “ Alyssum’s eye wandered over to the small nymph who was struggling out of her blankets. The nymph crawled over, lavender eyes glancing up in curiosity.

“Uppies!” The small nymph cooed, stretching out a pair of small limbs.

“Is that a Queen?” The Libellua asked, wiping her tears away to lift the small nymph queen. The child cooed, giggling as Primrose bounced the changeling nymph up and down.

“The last Enigma Queen, Queen Odonata’s daughter-”

---

12:05 AM, June 3, 2 S.E.

Rap, tat, tat. There was a quiet tapping on the window, causing Twilight to glance upward. The cups of tea sat empty, Applejack having emptied hers moments ago. The changeling in question paused her story, a swirl of lavender fire transforming her back into her pony form as the window was tapped on again. Rap, tat, tat.

Hovering in the window was Rainbow Dash, highlighted by the artificial lights bathing her with a warm glow. She was tapping on the window again. Rap, tat, tat. Twilight swung the window open, the cyan pegasus landing on the library floor in a hurricane of feathers. Why she was here, Twilight didn’t know.

“Hey, Applejack, Twi.” Rainbow Dash casually trotted forward, plopping herself down in a nearby chair, completely confusing Twilight to no end. “Have ya told her yet?” Rainbow Dash leant back, pointing at Twilight with a single hoof as she seemingly spoke to Applejack.

“Ah was gettin’ there. She knows ‘bout me.” AJ said curtly, pouring herself another cup of tea. “Go on then, you tell her.”

There was a swirl of red flames as Rainbow Dash vanished. In her place was another changeling. This one had red colouration with beetle-like wings. “Bam! Are you super surprised or what?” Dash stood proudly, puffing out her chest.

Twilight Sparkle just stared, the dots finally falling into place. “Of course. It makes so much more sense!” Snapping out of her sudden daze, she teleported the chalkboard into the room, pointing at her notes. “I knew something was up with my shield. It makes sense that you’re both changelings! Ugh, how didn’t I see this sooner?!” She levitated over a notepad and quill, biting her lip for a moment before rapidly scribbling something down. “So too much love can equate to a colossal discharge of love magic, I know that. But why weren’t you two hurt like those other changelings?” She finally turned to face them, AJ shedding her disguise.

The two changelings shared a wary glance, Dash raising a hoof to point at her. “Did she ask you questions too?”

“Nope.”

---

11:01 PM, December 23rd, 983 C.E.

The Libellua Hive, The Nursery.

Smoke. There was billowing smoke surrounding the entrance to where she stood. Primrose’s blood turned to ice, freezing her to the very core.

The Hive was burning.

The young nymphs and larva beside her were being rapidly ushered in baskets by the other changeling in the room, one larva still stubbornly clinging onto the armour Primrose wore. “Hurry Prim. We’ve gotta-” The brood-mother which Primrose had trained with ushered her along but was cut off by a resounding command that echoed through the hivelink.

Brood-mothers, Nurses and other drones, I, Queen Rhene, apologize for the next order. With a heavy heart I order you all to stop Chrysalis from getting to the nymphs and the larva. Preserve our kind.

The two brood-mothers rapidly paled, glancing at each other. “Anthurium, we don’t have to do this.” Primrose spluttered out. “We can’t, these are our future hivemates.”

“If we don’t, you know what happens. We can’t afford to let the Xenica Hive use our abilities. Do you know what they could do if they could use our poisonous abilities? We. Can’t. Let. Them. Win.” Anthurium gritted through her teeth, snapping the fragile neck of one of the nymphs before repeating it once more.

“But!-”

“Enough, Primrose. You know your orders.” The mood had shifted drastically, the other changeling now extremely frustrated at Prim’s reactions.

Another nymph fell to the floor, head hanging limply to the side as green blood covered the once lush moss, another one being tossed on the growing pile a second later. Recoiling, Primrose fled with utter terror and regret the only things following behind her.

Comments

[Sorentis Stars]

Damn that’s harsh but I guess it’s for the greater to save the rest of Equestria (unless they’re not in Equestria at the time)

[Armored_Shadow]

I was able to follow the story no prob, but wow,...that ending.

[Lucy_Marigold]

9750437
Not saying. Spoilers.