Chapter 43
A queen? Amie turned over the word, baffled. But she said nothing, just closed both of her wings and waited. The last thing she wanted to do to a group of armed, frightened people was give them a reason to fear her. Another reason, anyway.
"I sensed strange emanations from her," Pachu'a shot back, defiant. "But nothing like this. It must be a change. We see history unfold before our eyes—the emergence of the Queen of all their tribe. And we are the first bugs to witness her. We may be recorded in that account with honor."
Then he faced Amie again, and bowed dramatically. The other two imitated him, spreading their wings as wide as they would go. Then he spoke again, with a voice like a religious incantation.
"We, sent by one who is greater, meet in supplication to one who is great. May you treat us with mercy, knowing other eyes watch through ours." Then they froze, expectant.
No one moved, no one spoke.
Until Wes did. "Not to interrupt, but what the hell is going on?" he asked. "Why are you talking to my sister like that? Amie's pretty great, she saved my life twice since we got banished. But we're not royalty. Our country doesn't even believe in that stuff—people being better than other people. We even had a war about it once."
Pachu'a ignored him. The other two bugs looked frustrated, but he managed to keep his expression neutral. "The customary response is a promise of forbearance and neutrality," he said. "Ancient custom requires that queens never come into conflict with ordinary bugs, only each other. So we ask for your mercy, and you grant it. That's how it works."
The implication—that somehow Amie could've wiped out these bugs easily, and it was only fear of some distant master that would stay her hand—was obvious silliness. What kind of fighting did they think she could manage? She had a handgun, at best she could score a single hit before the other two closed and killed her.
"Of course I grant my... mercy," she said, exasperated. "Pachu'a, I thought we were on the same side. We were allies a few minutes ago, why would that change now? I'm the same bug you've been working with this entire time."
He rose, and the other two did likewise. They remained firmly behind him now, never looking directly at her. "Looking after the needs of your starving bugs, organizing their affairs even when you were separate..." Pachu'a said. "I should've seen the signs. This drive possesses every queen. She is fiercely loyal to those of her swarm. Lesser insects need not be so loyal."
Amie rolled her eyes. "I'm not 'possessed' of anything," she repeated. "I look after them because it's the right thing to do. It's moral to protect the helpless, from your tribe or mine or ponies or other weird aliens I haven't even met yet."
She looked away, frustrated. Every new second was another reminder of how much she didn't know. "How can you even tell? You're right about... different powers. Maybe that means a queen. But I haven't used any of them in front of you."
Pavati laughed, her voice the usual strange reverberations. "You look like a queen. Your eyes, and mane for one. Every queen I've ever met was carrying eggs too, can't quite tell in the dark if you are..." She pressed in suddenly close, staring at Amie's belly. At least she didn't press with a hoof.
She blushed, backing away. Just when she started to forget about how naked she was, someone had to do something like that. "Pachu'a, does this change anything? We promised to go with you. Will your Elders still see us, even if I'm a... queen?"
He nodded hastily. "Of course. Queen Kaya will be required to attend, by custom. She will want to see you personally. Now that there is one among the Green Swarm with authority to conduct negotiations—it changes much. We can do more than send gifts back and forth. Real treaties may be signed."
She read his emotions, the truth and confidence behind his words. She searched for any sign of violence or treachery—maybe the orange bugs would see this as an opportunity to eliminate a rival before she grew strong. But she felt nothing from him, only enthusiasm, mixed with ambition. If things went well, the treaties they signed would be credited to him.
If only her brother could communicate with her the same way as the other green bugs. He might not have had to say what he said next. "Amie, I don't... Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"It is always a good idea to honor oaths," Pavati hissed. "Perhaps you do not understand, as you are unlike any changeling I have ever seen. But among our kind—civilized bugs keep their promises, no matter what. Is your swarm civilized?"
"Yes," Amie said. She touched up against her brother, resting her wing over his back. She was still shorter than he was, but the difference was less than she remembered. She no longer had to reach up quite as high. "My brother and I are... newcomers to your world. It is very different from our home. We will still be civilized."
"Then conceal yourself again," Pachu'a commanded. "With respect, great one of another swarm. But you still do not know the way, and it is still proper for you to follow my directions. Unless you know the way to Sonoma without them."
In answer, Amie changed back, returning to the bat pony shape she'd worn with Tailslide the night before. If only she cared a little less about taking care of her kids, she might've spent the night with him, instead of venturing straight into danger with these almost-strangers. Even if the orange tribe could be powerful allies, that didn't make them less dangerous if provoked.
Wes took a little longer, but eventually managed too. The other hunters changed even quicker than Amie herself had, like they'd been doing it their whole lives. Because they had, obviously.
They set off along a trail known to Pachu'a. More than once he sent one of his hunters up into the air to check they were on the right path, and occasionally made small adjustments.
Wes continued on for several hours without much complaint. But as they walked, he eventually grew tired, and slowed their progress.
"I can't believe we're stopping so soon," Pavati snapped, around one or two in the morning. "We would've already been at the train junction by now if this queen and her mutant servant could fly. Are we supposed to sleep like prey?"
Wes struggled along, barely half as fast as their group was going. The trail wasn't cutting up mountains, but it was still dark, without so much as gravel to mark the way to go. "I can... make it..." he muttered groggily.
"My brother needs to sleep," Amie said, stopping in her tracks beside him. "I'm sorry, Pachu'a. He can't keep going."
The hunter stopped, scratching his false pony chin. Finally he pointed. "There are caves not far from here. We will give him the rest he requires." He turned to the side, speaking to his companions. "He is the true purpose of this expedition, remember. A bug with all our magic, but without dependence on our prey. We should not be surprised he shares some of their needs."
They continued another little while, with the two other hunters looking sour and frustrated. Amie felt why as surely as she sensed their feelings—this group was hungry. They'd probably given every drop of spare rations they had to the people of Stella Lacus, and now they were counting on returning home for more food.
She asked as much as soon as they'd reached the cave, and Wes was sound asleep in his oversized human sleeping bag. The other bugs made a small fire near the entrance, made only from sticks and twigs. It was just enough warmth to stave off the cold, if she got quite close.
"You three don't have anything to eat, do you?" Amie asked. "You gave everything you brought to the camp?"
Pachu'a nodded curtly. By the light of the fire, he returned to his changeling shape. The others did too, seeming relieved. That was probably a product of their hunger too—but Amie had known so little hunger since arriving that she couldn't know for sure. "You said a word before, ‘moral’. It would not be moral to keep for ourselves when so many starved. We had a short journey home, and could have hunted in Agate if we needed to. We did not."
"Do you have another canteen like the one you gave me?" Ami pressed.
They shared a look. Pavati's eyes narrowed. "Did you not listen, queen of another swarm? He said they were empty. We have no offering of glamour to give you despite your station, because we gave it to your swarm already."
Amie sighed. "I'm not asking for an offering. I'm going to share with you."
Pachu'a removed a canteen from his pack, exactly like the last one. He set it down on the ground beside Amie. "That is not the custom. It is very strange for a queen of one swarm to offer to another. But my hunters gave all we had, so the exchange seems... appropriate. I know you could not have hunted much without a swarm to serve you, I do not expect you to fill this. You had none this morning."
"I didn't know how to make glamour this morning." She did fill it, without much effort. Amie wasn't always overflowing with magic the way she used to be—now there was no maximum to the power she could contain. She levitated it back over. "Maybe when you're not hungry anymore, you could tell me what queens are like? We just got here, so I'm... clueless."
Before Pavati even opened her mouth, Amie cut her off. "No, I'm not asking for any dark secrets about your queen. I'm not asking you to be disloyal. Just... what even is a queen? What do they do?"
Her companions took their turns with the canteen, sipping at it. They seemed to drain very little at all before screwing the cap on tight and offering it back to Pachu'a to carry.
"Every swarm has its queen," he said slowly. "They are the oldest and wisest, with magical powers greater than many bugs at once. All within the swarm obey her absolutely. She gives birth to every egg, watches out of every eye, and can command her bugs directly when she wishes."
"And we really shouldn't say more," the other male said. "Forgiveness, strange queen. But your kind do not share openly with us. Whenever a queen births a nymph to spread the swarm beyond her sight, she instructs her daughter in private."
Pachu'a nodded his agreement. "Our queen, Kaya is wise and thoughtful. She guided our swarm through Equestria's great fear and the purge of all bugs they found. She keeps all bellies full, and minds our secrets. She can answer your questions."
They'd already given her more than she expected. It would be easy to let that be enough. Everything else about their magic, she could learn that later with new evidence and observations. But there was one thing, one very personal, frightening thing she'd heard in their hasty explanation.
"What do you mean eggs?" she asked. "Ponies don't do that, they give birth the same way we used to. Two partners, usually one child at a time. Humans needed nine months, I think ponies take eleven. Not... weird gross stuff."
The hunters shared another look, one she couldn't read. Pachu'a was confused when he answered. "I don't think I understand your meaning—weird, gross. These words do not apply. Though the swarms all differ from each other tremendously, all respect the miracle of life. Great resources are devoted to caring for the next generation. Other than the hunters, more bugs work in the nursery than in any other responsibility. They are second in honor only to those who feed the swarm."
Amie's stomach twisted. She might've puked, if she didn't still feel so incredibly hungry. While the others watched, Amie opened her saddlebags, removed a few cans of pony food, and started to eat. "I'm not sure I like the sound of... any of that. If I can't find a way to get everyone home, I'll... delegate that responsibility back to the people. Let them have their own kids.”
Pavati broke into near-hysterical laughter. The other two joined her, even Pachu'a. He was the one to finally speak. "I know queens are powerful beings, but even they are not so powerful." He eyed the can of sweet-peaches, which she'd already half-finished without a fork. "You may wish to ask Queen Kaya more about that sacred subject as well."
Stats
Page generated in 0.062 seconds
Total duration
935 users online
311,025 hits today, 2,314,256 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Umm... We all know the signs, how Amie instantly became hungry for real food after the roll in the hay with Tailslide, but I mean, ordinary changelings can't reproduce, so if Luna's claim about the speed at which changelings multiply is anywhere near the truth... That's a nasty mental image right there. At least Amie could stop having sex if she didn't want more children, right...?
Amie is preggo with the eggo isn't she?
Just putting together a few things now that might be relevent. We the readers know equestria has done experements in traveling between dimentions and likely has had an accident about it in the past. Its not unlikely that the theoretical accident is why people are pulled through to equestria as changlings so thats a guess as to why they are there.
A guess as to the egg situation... Well if we assume changlings as we know them (holes and dark chitin) are a survival form or a damaged version of what changlings are ment to be (like wes and throax proberbly) then maby the hinted infertility of normal changlings and the queens never ending eggs could be assumed to be a survival mecanisum. Drones that are going to be sent out to gather for the sake of the queen and survival of the changlings dont need romance or procreate so that ability is suppresed while the queen is sent signels non stop to have more kids to replenish the (what it assumes to be) mass deaths from a crisis situation.
Would be interesting if im right and celestia and luna found out that they have just been beating down survivers of magical kidnapping of their own doing and their decendents that are traumatised
The moment Queen Kaya confirms that Amie's newfound hunger is because of the eggs, that will be quite a change to her plans.
Pony changeling hybrid coming I suppose. I wonder if in this timeline “reformed changelings” are actually just cross breeds, and Wes just got it by chance. I don’t think tailside would be compatible with amie just to make a regular drone, so….
11439895
11439897
That's my theory from a comment in one of the previous chapters. Welcome to the egg train!
hum so now i am wondering just how large of a clutch Tailslide has fathered?
Oh this just turned things way around.
awesome chapter for a amazing story.
Good chapter, so your changelings have only the queen that can breed?
Man, imagine the moral obligation she'd have to tend to alien children in an alien world with an alien body.
YO DOUBLE WEEKLY UPDATE LETS GOOOOOO
Saturday update! You're spoiling us. More info on queens, as well!
Amie really needs more information about Changeling Queens. The more she knows the better she can help the campers at Stella Lacus.
Amie's hive will certainly look strange to the hives of Equus but it'll be interesting for them bring a little bit of Earth culture back to their cousins.
Looking back and seeing the rent-a-friend truly (albeit inadvertently) turning into a changeling hive is something you'd see in a thriller novel or conspiracy blog. Definitely a nightmare to Equestria if the truth ever gets out. Good thing the "infiltrators" aren't really there for conquest.
Hooray for another update and on the weekend to boot!
So Amie is about to be Mom with way more kids than she ever expected to deal with. Practice safe sex, folks. In other news, I wonder if Queen Kaya will be interested to hear about how the human world is getting along. Sounds like she's not a first gen immigrant, so probably she won't be interested beyond what can be obtained from such knowledge. These changelings don't seem to be super interested in tech, though.
Me pregunto co.o reaccionarán los cambiantes de su campamento, me gustó mucho el nuevo capítulo 😁👍🇱🇻👋
11439897
Leggo.
11439994
Yeah but it will force ponies to see the truth that changelings aren't evil. They are different but just because one group acts like a jerk doesn't mean that everyone is a jerk. The ponies have gone too far in their fear.
11439897
Is Amy gregnant?!
11440255
With enough discipline and support, it will certainly be a challenge to Luna's "plague of locusts" argument. Though I doubt the ponies will completely override their fear since unreformed changelings still have to harvest from them causing some harm though it does seem the damage can be negligible.
11440346
Considering until the wedding they weren't even aware of changelings so it plainly doesn't hurt them considering otherwise they would figure something out before then. Changelings outside one hive aren't Dangerous the ponies just don't want think is there another answer for this problem.
11439895
That's debatable. If it's anything like real bugs, then either the sperm is stored inside the queen's body for use over time, or unfertilized eggs become sterile workers/drones while only the fertilized eggs become fertile adults. Either way, odds are good that Amie will somehow find a way to "turn off" the perpetual egg machine, much to the surprise and consternation of everyone else who thinks that's impossible; heck, in her case, it might be as simple as an epigenetic switch.
11439970
The characters will have to discover the answer to that. I wouldn't want to say anything about it myself.
Green Swarm? But Chrysalis' Swarm was...
11439907
Not a guarantee by any means, but I don't think there was any indication that Amie was part of a "nymph" class that was mentioned earlier. It could be a misunderstanding of biology among the workers as well, and the only necessity is a well-nourished daughter. Likely a favored one of the queen. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if Beth starts evolving too if the rent-a-friend is that successful.
Of interest is Pavati mentioning that she can't yet see if Amie is pregnant because it's too dark. Amie expecting is not 100 percent confirmed.
11440377
Interesting to see male workers like Pachu'a, though. And I don't know if Amie earlier was really distinguishable from any other female in the camp. No royal jelly or anything like that. Just a full belly. Full eusociality might not be a thing with changelings. A possible theory may simply be that all workers suffer stunted growth throughout all hives. The amount of love that could be practically and secretly harvested on Equus can only fully support very few changelings. The lucky few women to rise to leadership positions would gain access to enough love for normal growth. It would be an interesting reinterpretation of Chrysalis's motivation for conquest if she actually knew this. Burn down a civilization to allow the full potential of another.
11440511
If I remember correctly, they were the blue swarm.
11440511
Chrysalis has blue hair. Green back shell. Guess hives go by hair colour
11440545
And so Amie's reserves reveal themselves to be greater than even she suspected. That, or most bugs are used to some serious rationing.
I'm still skeptical of the yellow tribe, but they do seem to at least care for other changelings. I imagine Amie's desire to help even ponies may surprise them though...
It's nice to see some of the culture of Kaya's hive. I wonder how many other hives they are in contact with, what kind of treaties they actually have going. Do they have any treaties with Chrysalis's hive? Probably not many, it might only go so far as a non-aggression pact, if at all.
I'm interested in seeing Amie interact with this Kaya
I love the exploration of Changeling social dynamics.
I mean, if she didn't insist on protection during her roll in the hay with Tailslide, she doesn't really have a leg to stand on about finding herself gregnant, it being with eggies
notwithstanding.
11440545
You right.
11440680
No, my memory is just wrong
Yay, I guess most saw it coming. I mean, the queen stuff. Also, learning that you are egg laying machine... damn XD
Congrats, Amie. It’s a swarm. Whether you like it or not. Trying to delegate that kind of thing is like telling nine women to work together, because you expect that baby in a month.
Definitely looking forward to Kaya’s reaction to this strange young queen and her stranger brother. Let’s hope it goes relatively smoothly.
11440545
Perhaps raising a queen requires feeding her emotions from a strange hybrid like Wes.
11439981
11439984
Seems like updates moved to Saturday
Oooh boy, someone is in urgent need of arthropod birth control : /
No better time to absolutely destroy tradition!