Amie woke to uncomfortable pressure against her real body, jostling her back to reality. She blinked, then opened one eye. A bug stood nearby, bouncing with nervous energy.
It took her a moment more to recover—back to her bloated body, and the cramps that came from a long time holding still.
"What is it?"
"Food's here!" he said. "I mean... the hunters' food got here. And there's a horse with them. Wants to see you."
"Pegasus?" she suggested. "Stallion? Big wings? Tailslide."
The bug nodded. "Said you would know him. What should we do?"
She stood, bending down for an exaggerated stretch. Even transformed into this Alicorn disguise, she still felt bloated and swollen. There would be no relief, not until those eggs were growing outside her body.
"Bring the glamour into the vault with the rest. I'll meet the pony. He's... a friend."
Either the kid couldn't tell what she meant or was too nervous to call her on it. He scampered off to deliver her instructions.
"You allow a pony here?" asked another voice. Natane whispered from the shadowy depths of her room, returned to her unnatural, supernal confidence. "Do you realize the danger that represents? They remember all they see and carry that knowledge to your enemies. Even if the chattel is ensorceled, there is always risk they will pierce your magic and rebel. Ponies overflow with magic and can inflict devastating harm if you aren't prepared to put them down."
Amie ground her teeth together, ears folding back. "I would appreciate if you don't repeat any of those things to my guest when he gets here. Tailslide... fathered those eggs. He's not ensorcelled, whatever that means. He's not a slave. We're... together."
Natane rolled her eyes. "If it were possible, I would have taken command of your swarm, long enough for you to grow to maturity. You may soon have eggs of your own, but you are a nymph in every other respect. Alas, this cannot be done. Your swarm must necessarily survive with your leadership or perish."
She bowed low and mocking, before making her way out. "All this innovation will either make you the greatest queen to ever live, or a swiftly slain lesson to all others. Banish every pony notion of affection and togetherness from your mind, if you can. What does not serve you is a liability."
As she left, Tailslide appeared in the doorway, flanked by a half-dozen other bugs. Some were guards, a few were workers—all stared, with expressions somewhere between confusion and hunger.
You thought we were new at this, but we weren't. We had Wes living with us before. If I made that work, I could make this work too.
"Who is this?" asked Danelle, the only one brave enough to follow the stallion through her open door. "Is it a good idea to have ponies here?"
"No," she answered honestly. "It's a terrible idea. But he has a right to be here." She stood up straight, raising her voice. "Make sure everyone knows. This pony is my guest. He has already done a great service for Stella Lacus, and he will be treated with respect. If any bug touches him, they won't be welcome in my camp anymore. We do not harm our guests."
Danelle nodded weakly, backing away through the open doors. Several others remained in the doorway. Amie couldn't rely on the ignorance of younger campers to conceal what really existed between them. Tailslide's feelings radiated bright enough to sense through several layers of stone. He would draw the other bugs here like a space heater in a cold room. It didn't matter if his feelings were too diffuse to be harvested by anyone watching.
Good thing they aren't starving anymore, or this would get ugly. Amie levitated the door closed, clicking the lock across behind him.
"Amie," Tailslide said. Both wings opened to either side, feathers disordered from a long flight. His scent was heavy with sweat and ozone—more of that fantastic energy that had drawn her to him in the first place. "You're a..."
She flushed, both wings opening reflexively. "I know. I wasn't going for Alicorn—I tried to get back onto two legs. But I couldn't get it to work. I tried to force it with a ton of glamour, but I ended up like this."
He closed the distance between them in a few steps. "Not that. I... knew you could copy Alicorns. Happened during the invasion. I meant—" He touched her belly with one wing, brushing gently against it. "That's ten months too early. Neither of us should even know yet."
Amie nodded. "Used to keep protection in my purse. If I'd known... Our biology is so different, I didn't even dream it could happen. Everything I've read says it can't! But I think there's something different about us—the humans who transformed, not the ones born here. I think it must be because of that—the other changelings couldn't be wrong about something so important."
"Other changelings?" Tailslide's eyebrows went up. "You've met... other changelings? In Equestria? Not more friendly ones from your planet—the evil invaders?"
"No! Not them." She couldn't say more, not without risking her oath to Pachu'a. "That trip I went to was... far away from anywhere ponies live. They're in the wilderness. Look, that's not important." It was so strange to be looking down on Tailslide instead of up—disorienting. "That's not what this is about. It's—I'm gonna be a mom, Tailslide. Not long now—a few days at most. I know it's not what you expected."
He laughed; voice strained. He could act better than most, but the pain underneath remained naked to her. "I can't think of another mare I'd choose. I don't want to—I don't want to be the one to tell you this. But if you haven't already considered..." He pushed her shoulder, easing her into a sitting position. He felt far weaker than she might've otherwise expected—weak enough for her to resist, if she wanted to. She didn't.
"Ponies have hybrids with lots of other species—but changelings are so different! Whatever's happening... that foal might not make it all the way out. Especially this fast—there's no way that's a pony pregnancy.
Amie relaxed, visibly enough that even Tailslide could see. "You're not upset?"
"Not that! I... already know it's not an Equestrian pregnancy. It's... really gross, remember? Like I said. Best thing that can happen is you not seeing until it's over." She stood up, backing away from him. "Even then, you might not want to see. I wouldn't. Human biology is yucky enough."
The pegasus circled slowly around her. His attention flicked into the room, at her notes and the makeshift office she had built. "I didn't abandon you before, Amie. Whatever happens—I want to be part of it. I gave up my chance to fly south a long time ago. Might as well see it through to the end." He lowered his voice, barely even loud enough for her otherwise sharp senses. "If that SMILE agent was telling the truth... I won't abandon our foal. No matter how they look."
Amie had almost managed to forget about that particular sword of Damocles hanging overhead. No sooner could she overcome one threat when another appeared to consume her. Unlike every threat before it, this one struck from a field that she didn't understand. There was... only one bug who might know. Only Amie hadn't told her.
Amie galloped over to the door, throwing it open. "Natane!" she yelled, voice echoing down the hall. "Where is Natane?" Several bugs waited outside—at least a dozen by then, so thick they blocked the hall. "Where is Natane?" she asked, desperate.
Tailslide followed her, expression bewildered. But the presence of so many other bugs kept him silent. She could hardly blame him for his fear.
"She went to the nursery," someone said, pointing. "To inspect it. Were we supposed to keep her?"
Amie shook her head once. "I need to see her. Everyone, return to your duties. Tunnel team... you bugs shouldn't be up here. Same with you, construction. You've got furniture to move. I'll share the news this pony brought when it's time, I promise."
The crowd parted for her, scattering at her reproach. Tailslide followed behind her, soon matching pace. "What was that about?"
"There's a bug here who might be able to help."
He nodded, following silently behind her through the mine. Bugs scattered and stared as they passed, attention focused instantly on Tailslide. It didn't matter that half the bugs looked like other creatures—the delicious emotions of the real thing were impossible to miss. Tailslide's devotion to her, his self-sacrifice and commitment through adversity—drew bugs to them from all over the mine.
Amie scrambled onto the freight elevator, a heavy wooden platform surrounded by metal supports and lots of naked stone. She waited for Tailslide to join her, then engaged the lift. They dropped, turning the stone walls to brown smears.
"There are other ways down here, but I've got the stairs locked up. Most of this old mine is still dangerous, even for bugs meant to live underground."
Tailslide stepped into the center of the platform, tucking both wings to his sides. "This feels... unsafe." He had to raise his voice over the violent squeaking and straining wood of the elevator—a modern machine, this wasn’t.
"Oh, yeah. They were still running this thing as a tourist attraction, so I assume it's safe. You should see the roller-coaster. If we can get the generator running again, we should be able to get it working too. After we come up with better restraints."
The stallion spun on her. "You can't be serious. You built a theme park ride?"
"Already here. Fixing it is very low priority. Would be nice if we could switch it on once before we have to scavenge the parts."
“Not sure how I’m supposed to keep up with you.” Tailslide settled onto his haunches, eyes fixed on her. Anything other than staring at the rapid motion of the lift. “Aren’t you fighting another war right now? You had to take your camp over to stop the kids from starving. How are you going to fight them and Equestria at the same time?”
She chuckled. But such a quiet sound was instantly lost in the maelstrom of noise. “He surrendered! He’s working for me now!”
Tailslide rose in a blur, stopping just in front of her. “You promised there wouldn’t be fighting without me!”
“There wasn’t!” Not quite true, but close enough. “I tricked his soldiers, caught them, and the war ended before it began. Kinda hard to fight the girl who’s bringing in all your food.”
He relaxed, settling both wings to his sides again. “Oh. That seems… uncharacteristic for changelings. The invaders were incredibly violent with each other—almost as violent as they were with us.”
Amie braced her hoof against the lever, then brought them to a stop. Not quite at the bottom—but any lower, and they would hit the flooded section. “You should know by now—we’re not like those bugs. No one here’s perfect—but I think they would all rather settle a disagreement with conversation.”
She stepped out, lighting her horn ahead of her. The electrical cables weren’t here yet, though her construction team already had thick hoses and pump equipment here, piled up beside the elevator. If they were very lucky, it would all still work.
This close to her, Amie could sense the other bugs nearby. A few of her workers remained in the nursery, to help with the construction as much as give Amie a quick way to check in on things. She could think of fewer safer positions for the camp’s souldeath victims.
But there was one other—Natane, exactly the bug she had come to find. She broke into a trot, eventually emerging in the nursery.
The trickle of water had stopped, though a large clear pool remained against the bridal veil. The exit was entirely sealed now, covered in fresh cement.
“You brought a pony down here?” Natane said, without turning around. She still had the book on her shoulders, though she carried nothing else. No other tools or weapons. But considering the magic a queen could wield, she didn’t need any. “He should not know of this place. Or if you insist on this male in particular, there is a procedure. At least your vanity would yield a plentiful harvest of glamour.”
Tailslide shivered. Fear rippled over him, and he hesitated in the doorway. She turned, just long enough to meet his eyes. I won’t let her do it, she thought. But she had no way of sending that to him, the same way she could with her bugs. He would have to read her intentions the simple way.
“There’s something I meant to ask you,” Amie said, ignoring her invitation completely. At least she never had to wonder who she was talking to. “The Equestrian princess… she has dream magic, doesn’t she?”
That was strange enough to catch Kaya off-guard. She turned, crossing back through the empty cavern in a few quick strides. “Whatever you’re imagining, you should stop. The Alicorns are mighty beyond your imagination, nymph. Their powers cannot be resisted, even by the most powerful among us. Queen Chrysalis proved that in spectacular fashion. Even a momentary victory proved only to be the entire destruction of her tribe. We cannot overcome, only hide.”
Their powers cannot be resisted. Her words came down on Amie with the crushing weight of certainty. There was no secret royal way to stop an incoming spell. In that case, it was probably better that the other queen not see Amie’s weakness. She still might have a way out of this. If they could get back to Earth, no magical dagger would matter.
“It is not wise to discuss this further,” she went on. “Least of all in the presence of this one. It would be different if you intended to slay him when you were finished—but you will not even do that to your enemies. Your lover will surely be spared.”
Amie nodded harshly. “Yes, honored one. I’m not big on murder, if it’s all the same to you. But I would like to know how to construct a nursery.”
“Natane can inform you,” the queen said. “I will leave you now. It would not be proper for the queen of another tribe to attend such a sacred occasion. I will watch again when the ponies come to slaughter you.”
The drone twitched, and her expression relaxed. “Was there something you needed, honored queen?”
Amie shook her head once. “Not now.”
I really want Kaya to be proven wrong and there not to to be super murder-happy ponies about. That Amie's methods will work better. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Kaya is clearly as stuck in her ways as some of the ponies are. Given how murder happy Kaya is I think that she and Amie will never really get along.
That’s now the second time Starscribe has skirted around an explanation of the Dream blade. Guess there really is something fishy about it.
And Kaya is becoming only increasingly contemptuous. I’m really concerning she might go behind Amie’s back on something. She should recall her elders’ prophesy.
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It seems like kaya doesn't think this will ever work but is still willing to sponsor the alien queen and the prosperity she represents. Of course you can't simply tell another queen what to do even a nymph like Aimee so she's letting her make her own mistakes so she can learn from them and when Aimee manages to do the seemingly impossible I'm sure she'll be happy to have such a resourceful ally and someday perhaps tempted by the allure of open borders and tourism and the at home delivery 🍕 it provides :p
Sink or swim Do or die
Kaya certainly has doubts about the whole thing but she'll either win a lot or lose little. I don't expect her to befriend the ponies but she'll certainly work with the changelings that will. That's one step towards improving relations between the two species.
We're really rooting for the first outcome.
Can't say yet, but accidentally taking on an alicorn form seems to be more evidence that transited humans aren't just garden variety changelings.
That was hubris. They are strong but fallible. A dangerous foe certainly, but the right mind and strategy can prevail.
In HFY fashion, I believe either Amie has the human perseverance to resist, or, a better one, Amie and Tailslide face it head on. Like a true pack bonded unit.
They really should take to diplomacy, with some information booklets pinned at guard HQ and on the town streets, stating their intentions to adhere to Geneva conventions, also stating that assault on queen will be taken as declaration of war, and state that the camp area is exterritorial, since it's the territory transferred from another world.
If to spread the info, Celestia might hesitate doing overly hostile actions for fear of heavy political flak.
Also, contacting other technically inclined nations, like Minotaurs and using their technological knowledge there, while denying the knowledge to equestrians unless they change their policy, might be a significant push to change their tune.
Amie should probably tell Tailslide that it's gonna be slightly more than just one foal. He's gonna be in for a big surprise otherwise.
I'm looking forward to whenever Kaya and her hive realize that peace is not actually impossible. I hope it inspires a good amount of self-reflection in their whole cultural consciousness. Their attitudes are getting old. Of course, the whole dream knife situation doesn't really make it look like they're particularly wrong right now.
My take is that Chrysalis just had a really shortsighted plan. She planned to conquered Canterlot, succeeded in doing so, but had no idea what to do past that point or how to defend a position in enemy territory.
Still rooting for Queen Amie. May her reign be long and prosperous.
So if there's no secret magic to deal with Luna, then I guess no sleep is the only answer until they can create proper pony relationships.
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And considering how blind they were really speaks highly of their power. They didn't even see the danger until it was on top of them.
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I doubt it considering the general wants war and is lying like there is no tomorrow and plus thanks to the wedding ponies are assuming they know everything about changelings.
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THAT is the reason why they should seek contacts outside Equestria. If they make themselves a valuable immigrants of some other country, Celestia's actions against them become more complicated, tenfold at least.
"So you're saying I should get rid of you as soon as possible?"
I've seen both hippogriffs and kirin proposed as examples, to say nothing of real world examples like mules and zonies. I can only imagine what else might be out there. You might say ponies have very friendly genes.
In any case, Amie may not be following the usual changeling playbook, but that presents the opportunity to truly change things. The question is just what that change will entail... and what other complications crop up along the way. Luna's spell in particular could be disastrous... or it could be an excuse that will get otherwise rabid elements of Equestria's military to live and let live, if only because they think they're living and letting die. We'll see soon enough. Especially when Chrysalis execute her even worse plan...
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The hippogriffs are the only ones I can think that might be halfway decent considering the changelings can provide extra security for their people in exchange for friendship and a some land.
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and if you are wrong what are you gonna say sorry? ya right, this ain't a scenario where you can blame him he wasn't just underprepared he did what to him may have seemed like the right choice unless I see something straight evil which I haven't everything could be interpreted as 40k style do this not because I want to but the alternative is worse.
the moment we got to see from him could point to this being more of a misunderstanding that just kept on building from what we have seen of him it's looking more like a hard choice rather than YES I am king of a new world do what i say EVIlllllllll tho i might be wrong and has learned to hide his feeling where going to have to see hell i think are MC here did more damage to the possible survival of them then he has but we will see.
Entirely destroyed? Um, there's a bit of news that someone needs to tell our pride-eating queen....
It's really quite funny, Kaya is very right when it comes to "if this were human Earth". The layout of the sole fortress, location of critical areas, direct access to the most important entity, it's impossibly strongly the Wrong Thing to be doing. And yet, this is Equestria.
Here's to hoping Luna's interrogation tonight will be without prejudice...
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Punctuation. Please use it.
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Who says Amie's sleeping tonight? It's been said that only Wes, the colorful changeling, actually needs sleep on a daily basis. Amie has only slept once since Transit.
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Who said Amy was the one who might be interrogated?
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if I am writing officially or trying to do a story on here then ill do my best to make sure everything is readable till then na
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Who else could be targeted by Luna under these circumstances?
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Is it not obvious? Who is the one that was revealed to have and demonstrated direct unquestioned access to our intrepid queen?
Btw, this dialogue sequence is really bizarre:
Tailslide is clearly talking at the beginning. So the next paragraph should be Amie's dialogue. But the content of the dialogue makes it look like it's still Tailslide. "That foal" would have to be his dialogue. "You're not upset?" seems like it should be Amie, but the next sequence is clearly also Amie, and different from the "You're not upset?" speaker. Which would make "You're not upset?" Tailslide's dialogue, though I can't understand why he would ask that question. I also don't understand "Not that!" as an answer to that question.
Which makes me wonder if a paragraph with additional dialogue somehow got accidentally deleted between the latter two of those paragraphs.
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That's a decent explanation. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a cut scene. I know I sometimes write half a sentence before skipping ahead to the next one.
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Oh, Sweetie Drops. Aight.
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😈
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Though that’s the problem they only just got there groups together and they are still new to this world
Who’s not to say the dragon, griffin, minotaurs, ,aren’t going to be hostile .
Plus the mountain is kinda surrounded at the moment
Where there’s a will there’s a way, as proved by every other character in mlp.
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Huh? I don't remember any mention of Chrysalis' hive/drones.
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Considering other races, unlike ponies, didn't come under changeling attack, chances with them are much higher.
As for surrounding blockade, that obstacle shall become a joke as soon as camp changelings learn tunnel digging, which must be ingrained instinct for them.
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That's not the point.
I'm not the greatest at grammar, but I can tell how this is sloppy and tedious to read without any kind of punctuation. If you have the basic knowledge of how to use punctuation then you have a responsibility to use it correctly, not doing so is just being lazy.
It doesn't matter if you're writing for a big-name publisher, are posting stories on the site, or are just simply posting a comment, all of it deserves to be treated with care. And if you think otherwise, then you have no business being involved with this medium.
To quote MasterNotWriter6626.
I really don't like the use of the word "ensorcelled." Even before looking up its meaning, it already rubbed me the wrong way. It makes me think back to how some people once speculated that Tailslide might have been bewitched into believing Amie and that the only reason he's been following her is that he's under a spell. I really hope that the story doesn't go this way, I would hate it if it was revealed that he's only been trusting her because she accidentally charmed him.
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Please read more carefully, her name was literally dropped in the prior sentence:
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it's the same as texting as long as the point of view come's across hell how about stopping being a grammar nazi it just comes across as pathic to me
11619954
There's minor grammar mistakes that don't need to be called out and then there's actually being incomprehensible.
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I don’t know changelings harvesting from oth species might be a bad idea probably to other races especially the more predatory ones would be worse than the ponies is they response negitivly.
Plus this would cause international issues considering at the moment changelings are the enemy of the monarchy of equestria.
I think the last thing other countries want is to hardor presumed enemies of equestrian
At least the queen understands that Amy has at least the potential to innovate changelings and possibly change things but it makes sense she doesn’t want to change what works, hence her constantly telling Amy what she should be doing as a queen. We can see she’s an amazing queen but I hope Amy proves her wrong and becomes an even better one.
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if that's the case I'll just got to stop relaying cause am just gonna end up calling you stupid sure am lazy but at least I won't bitch about people's work when I read them and just go oh look mistake then just move on after I figured out what should be there I am not going to put work into what your brain should be able to do if this cant understood well iam just here to enjoy a story not debate the kind with the kind of people id mostly get into a fight in after they stick to being an asshole
Things sure are picking up speed here...
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The only charming she did was the ordinary kind not magical in the least. The kind anyone can do even you and me here in the real world.
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I know, I was just saying how the use of that word reminded me of how people speculated that she might have accidentally charmed him.
Two "l"s in "ensorcelled"
Tailslide has his doubts about the pregnancy, but I can definitely see changeling genes being entirely capable of overwriting 'host' DNA, or at least converting it...
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It would definitely be tragic. I have the feeling it isn't the case - Equestrian magic seems more premeditated than that - but we will see, I suppose.
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It worked out for her in one of Starlight's timelines.
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I meant before that during the course of the whole story.