11- Nicaea
Infiltrator Sclerite observed the class as the changelings took their seats.
For the most part, nymphs stuck with nymphs and adults stuck with adults. It was strange having both age groups in her class. It was by the Queen’s orders that the infiltrator program be expanded and so many adults working in other sectors of the hive were put into infiltrator classes.
In Sclerite’s class alone there were excavators, soldiers, processors, and engineers. Friends, colleagues, and strangers filled the room. And the nymphs, who were just limited to friends and strangers.
So Sclerite called the class to order, and asked the changelings to reseat themselves in neat rows and columns with nymphs up front and adults behind. Not that there were any seats to help them. No, the room was completely barren, devoid of furniture. That didn’t stop the changelings from taking their assigned positions with practiced efficiency.
As they reordered themselves, Sclerite felt her heart beat quicker. That was strange, she felt calm up till that moment. Right as the last adults were moving to sit down in the back, the door on Sclerite’s left opened.
She watched as a changeling she’s never seen before entered the room.
‘Ah, there’s Prince Phasmatodea.’
Chamberlain Eucharis had informed her a few days ago that the prince would be attending, so she had a head’s up on the new student. His hatching had been announced three months ago, and very few have seen him since.
The rest of the class had no such warning.
When the door opened, all heads swiveled to look and twenty three pairs of eyes latched onto the young changeling. For all of them, Infiltrator Sclerite included, this is the first time they saw the new royal.
He looked sorta like a changeling However, he lacked the holes in his legs, he had orange eyes and orange back, and he was essentially a large nymph. He wasn’t as big as an adult but he was at least twice the size of a nymph.
‘Gonna have to stick him in between the two age groups, then.’
I walked through the door only to freeze in my tracks.
The moment the door opened, every head swiveled towards me. The moment I walked in, about half the jaws in the room dropped. I absently noted that the room seemed to be two thirds nymphs up front, one third adults in the back.
‘I feel like a cliche visual novel side character. Rich, privileged, and just entering a class filled with normal people.’
But these were changelings, not normal people at all. That reminder brought me out of my silence.
“This is Infiltrator Sclerite’s class, is it not?”
The changeling straight ahead, the only one not in rows spoke up. “Yes, Your Highness. I am Infiltrator Sclerite, the teacher for this class. I am honored that you would join us.”
“Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Infiltrator Sclerite,” I said while moving forward to shake her hoof. The changelings started to whisper.
“Class, this is Prince Phasmatodea. We have the honor of having him with us, so I know you’ll all be on your best behaviour. My Prince, if you would sit there,” she pointed to an open spot in the middle of the room, a gap between the two segregated age groups, “then we will begin lessons.”
I nodded and moved into the open spot.
‘A classroom without chairs, table, chalkboards, or ancient projection machines. This certainly is strange.’
As I sat down, all the changelings kept staring at me, and the nymph closest broke the silence.
“Are ya really the prince?”
That broke the floodgates.
“Is it true that the throne room is covered in gold?”
“What’s Queen Chrysalis like?”
“Why do your eyes look weird?”
“Is it true you can breathe fire?!”
“How come you don’t got holes?”
“AHEM.” That last one was Sclerite. Her loud throat-clearing got the attention of the class, “Now class, we’re going to go through a round of introductions. I know we did that the first day but now we have a new class member.
“I will start. Good morning class, I am Infiltrator Sclerite. I am thirty six years old and two interesting things about me are that I have been all the way to Manehattan and I have listened to actual pony music.”
She looked at the first nymph in the first row expectantly.
“Oh, my name is Pyrina…”
The introductions went on, with the nymphs picking facts like their favorite color or what sports they play. It was nice to know that basketball still existed, though I couldn’t wrap my head around the logistics of it.
Do you dribble with your magic? Your hooves? What’s the ball made of?
My mental tangent left me unprepared when the nymphs finished and it was my turn.
“Hello everyone. I am Prince Phasmatodea, or Prince Phasma for short.”
‘I should avoid talking about my new upbringing to avoid distancing myself from these changelings.’
“And two interesting things about me are that I hope to learn how to ski like ponies do, and that I’ve tasted pure love.”
‘No, damn it! That was-’
The changelings gasped and one asked, “You did?! What did it taste like?!”
‘... a mistake?’
“Err, it’s… like being wrapped up in a thick blanket on a freezing day.”
‘Please none of you ask how I know what a freezing day is like despite my age…’
Luckily, they all seemed to nod, and Sclerite smiled and took this to input her own lesson.
“For those of you who will pass my class, you won’t have to wonder what love tastes like. Successful infiltrators taste love regularly. We’re the ones who bring much of the food back to the hive, after all.”
The changeling adult next to me took the brief moment of silence as his cue to continue introductions. “My name is Pharynx, and I was a royal guard before being put into this class.”
‘That didn’t sound bitter at all. I wonder if Chrysalis arranged for him to be here so that there is a royal guard with me at all times.’
“And a second interesting thing?” Sclerite asked.
“... My brother is in this class, too.”
Sclerite sighed. “Alright then. Your turn– and you can’t use the brother thing too,” she said to the changeling next to Pharynx.
The adults all introduced themselves and unlike the nymphs, their interesting facts were all pertaining to what professions they used to be. That, and their second facts were usually along the lines of hobbies, if they’ve had the honor of laying an egg, and one claimed that the infiltrator he was roommates with had an actual book.
After introductions, Infiltrator Sclerite started today’s lessons. They were all concepts that Chrysalis had covered. Apparently she taught me the book material and put me in the class for the practice tours they do outside the hive.
The fact that those start a month from now must have escaped her notice.
During the lessons, I caught more than a few glances in my directions, as well as my name being whispered around the room.
‘Really making me feel self-conscious, huh?’
When the class wrapped up, instead of all the changelings immediately booking it for the door like normal school kids do, they all stuck around. To bug me with questions, of course.
“No, I do not shoot lasers out of my eyes.”
The changeling aww’ed, before being pushed aside by another with a new question. I recognized this new nymph as Lacewing, a nymph who said she wanted to see a painting when she becomes an infiltrator.
“Can you speak through the Weave, like Queen Chrysalis can?”
I perked up. That was a question I did not expect from a nymph.
“Yes.”
Lacewing’s eyes widened.
“Can you show us?”
“Speaking through the Weave is not something to be flaunted around… But I’ll make an exception, just this once.”
It was funny to watch the crowd go from curious, to dejected, to thoroughly impressed so quickly.
“What’s your opinion on ponies?” This one came from the brother of that royal guard.
I thought about what Thorax asked; this was quite the loaded question.
“Their luxurious lives have... made them lose sight of how the world really works. Their time in the sun will soon come to an end,” I said, channeling my inner Chrysalis.
Thorax tried to hide his disappointment.
‘Fool, you’re going to get yourself killed if you do not hide your humanity better. Or would it be changanity? I’ll have to ask Chrysalis later. Oh right, I’m supposed to be cementing loyalty here.’
“Perhaps there are many things we can learn from them. After all, what’s stopping us from taking the best ideas they have to offer, and discarding the rest?”
‘There we go. Vague enough to satisfy your self-inserted ideals? The questioning look you’re sending me says maybe.’
An adult changeling, Tarsus, stepped forwards and asked, “We’re going to go down to the recreation area and play some hoofball. Do you want to join us… Errr, Your Highness?”
I thought for a moment. “That would be interesting, I would enj-”
“Prince Phasma, it is time to go.”
I glared at the interrupter. It was Chamberlain Eucharis, at the door.
“Perhaps another time, Tarsus.” He smiled when I remembered his name.
“I look forward to it.”
“Good evening, all of you,” I awkwardly said my farewell, “I will answer more questions after the next class.”
That cheered up the few changelings that didn’t get to bug me about my non-existent social life.
“Did My Prince enjoy his first experience with changelings of his age?”
“They’re all older than me by at least five months, Chamberlain.”
Eucharis frowned as we continued our way back up.
“Your actual peers are still unable to talk.”
“Peers?”
He straightened up. “I mean the changelings of your age, My Prince. I meant no insult.”
“I’m sure you didn’t. And yes, I did enjoy meeting other changelings outside of the royal court.’
The Chamberlain let out a long breath, “It is good to hear that, My Prince. You may be giving them orders sooner rather than later. That is... Good.”
“Hmm? Nothing about how getting along with my subjects is an important lesson to learn? Or how socializing builds important skills?”
“Who put that idea in your head, My Prince? Was it that layabout Thorax? He’s always up to no good. I’ll investigate the matter myself, Prince Phasma, don’t you worry!”
I shook my head. “Nevermind.”
‘It’s a bit strange how Eucharis goes from caring about my wellbeing one second, to announcing he’s going to persecute a changeling the next. What’s he up to?’
There was something I remembered to ask.
“Speaking of Thorax, his brother claimed to be a former Royal Guard. Was there a reason he was moved into the infiltrator class?”
“The Queen wanted to put changelings from all professions into the infiltrator class. She believed the experiment could yield interesting information on how changelings from different parts of the hive will react to the outside world.”
“Wow, she said all of that?”
“Not a word of it.”
‘So he might still be a bodyguard. Knowing bug-mom, he definitely is a body guard.’
“Alrighty then… What’s the real reason?”
Eucharis looked at me, “That is the real reason. Her Majesty just left me to connect the dots when carrying out her orders.”
“Sounds like an inefficient way to rule a kingdom.”
“Well don’t expect me to tell her that,” Eucharis mumbled quietly, but not quietly enough for me to miss. “Her Majesty rules her hive as she sees fit. And she sees more of the bigger picture than all of us.”
‘Tactfully avoiding agreeing with me or disagreeing with me, huh? I can be an ass-licker, too!’
“Oh, that makes sense. I guess actions that seem strange to us are actually well-thought out.”
We walked the rest of the way back in silence. Changelings still bowed to me in the hallway, and there were more of them this time.
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Thorax you FOOL! For a species that relies on acting you ain't that good.
That last convo was as hilarious
10521783
He gets it from Chrysalis
I need moooooorrrrrrrreeeee
10521821
True.
Looking forward to see him give them more understandable tasks.
Sleeping, or reading this chapter?
.
.
.
I wonder what Prince Phasma's relationship with the other changelings will be. Will he make some friends, or be kept away from the "inferior" changelings by Chrissy.
So, about changeling mating...
Can someone explain it to me?
Are phasma can mating with normal female changeling or female pony? You know
Is he must mating with his mom to make new eggs?
10522479
Uh, he can be with anyone he wants?
This isn't that kind of fic, though.
10522479
From the first chapter it was implied that the only egg from Chrysalis was his. Normal mating as ponies do. It is vary likely that only royals come from royals.
“Hmm? Nothing about how getting along with my subjects is an important lesson to learn? Or how socializing builds important skills?”
“Who put that idea in your head, My Prince? Was it that layabout Thorax? He’s always up to no good. I’ll investigate the matter myself, Prince Phasma, don’t you worry!”
I would think it is still important to learn social skills even if it is just used to use other ponies and changelings.
-Been utterly loving the story! More please!
10522499
10522501
i am just curious tho...
Can you blame me?
Anyway, who dislike my comments damnit..
I am just curious... 😡
10522719
You aren't even the first to ask that question (just the first in the comments). It's just not something I put any thought into, nor do I plan on pursuing in a plotline.
10522719
Nope. If it wasn't established already i might have asked what they eat; yeah... they eat love but do they need it? In the comics Chrysalis, and her whole hive, were sealed under a volcano. No food, water or love for X amount of time. My canon theory is that they were immortal zombie ponies that only breed to replace casualties and only eat love to fill the emptiness in their hearts. They lived in some nebulous in between state of life and death. Reformation fixed that.
So yes; not plot important but nice to hear.
Thorax is here!!! :D
Damn... That chapter was great
Cute Nymphs and interessting positiv reinforment in both directions. This should win him more sympathy than the scary and uncaring Queen get.
To be fair i think Chrysalis become this way after having to see countless Changelings die trough old age, starvation, enemy contact and so on.
Probably a 'Walking dead' the game situation. When ever someone has to die she has to decide and endure the consequences
There's a troll lurking in the comments! Disliking those it fancies!
10522499
He might be thinking of the Of the Hive series, where usually, fertilization is preformed...ah, in house, as it were
10608779
I believe there may be double trouble in this case
Heh, he better yet used to double-speak.
10628906
No, it's spelled right
Brrrrrrrrown noser!
10522479
Its a legit and later on vital topic. If he cant produce Offspring with non Changelings he can go for ladys without worry. Otherwise ones spring hits... Things become complicated 
Good question. Ones Chrysalis is no longer leading its one of the most important things to know. As male he can produce many royals at the same time if need be.
10522501
Depends on the lore of the Author. For all we know Phasmas body is like that of a seahorse were males carry the children not the females.
10522602
They rush Phasma so hard there no wonder they skip important stuff
10522719
Yep. Trolling isnt nice
10522721
Yet
10522791
That sound horrible in so many ways. Would make Thorax kinda Impossible
10608779
There always that on guy
10620498
A wide spread traditional behavior human royals did over the millenia...
10641301
One troll two accounts? Since the likes/dislikes cant be traced...
10727305
Unless there shit is black
I wonder how the usual King Thorax thing will play out with a new royal thrown into the mix?
Poor former human... Surrounded by hoove lickers and fanatics...
10821908
Pretty sure it ends like that:
In the worst case scenario...
I feel very sorry for the Changelings, well done KKSlider.
Thorax was in Canon a bad leader, though a good ambassador. Confidence and calculated decision making is important for leadership positions.