Scootaloo has had a secret desire for a long time...a desire to become a Changeling
Since the invasion of Canterlot, an event that terrified most ponies, Scootaloo has harboured a secret desire to become a Changeling and join their ranks. When she confides in Babs Seed, she receives a shock that she was not expecting.
Scootaloo sighed. I wish I could tell my friends, but I am so embarrassed. How could I tell them that when I saw the Changelings battling the Royal Guard for control of Canterlot, that I wanted to be one of them...one of the Changelings? That I want to ride with the Hive...that I want to be one of their loving family? At the very least they would be horrified, maybe even disgusted with me. Perhaps they might even turn me in to the Royal Guard for an interrogation or worse. It's one of the most shocking things that a pony could ever wish to be. But then at least I could sleep in a bed instead of on the streets or in the public parks or the CMC Clubhouse. She met Babs Seed walking down the street and Babs said to her "Scootaloo, you look a bit unhappy. Would you like to come to my house and talk in private?" Scootaloo nodded. It was getting cold now as summer turned into autumn, and not having a house to live in, she stayed at her friend's houses as much as she could, always joining any sleepover that was going on, and never staying too long in case she outstayed her welcome. It had been this way since she was a young filly. So a few minutes at least at the house of Babs Seed would provide some much needed warmth and perhaps something to eat.
When they were in Bab's house Babs asked her "Scootaloo, what's wrong? Since we first met I have rarely seen you so unhappy. Have Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon been bothering you again? Whatever the problem is, I want to know about it." Scootaloo backed away up against the wall. "Babs, do you promise not to tell anypony about this? This has to remain between ourselves."
Babs nodded and Scootaloo blushed deeply and said "Babs...I...I want to be a Changeling! I want to join a Changeling swarm and ride with them and do everything that they do. I want to be loved...I want to have a family. I don't have one...my mother died when I was a young filly and my father rejected me and threw me out of the house several years ago. I'm homeless. It's not that bad in summer, there is plenty of fresh grass and berries to eat and it's warm too and rarely rains at least in town. But when it gets cold, and the grass starts to die, I have to share your food, shoplift from shops, beg, or busk. My skateboard is all that I own. I stay at any sleepover that I can get to, otherwise I sleep in the bushes or under bridges or sometimes in the CMC clubhouse and stay out of the way of the Royal Guards. As a changeling I would have a loving family again...an entire swarm."
"Scootaloo, are you serious about this or is it a joke of yours?" Babs asked her gently.
"I am serious...I want more then anything to be a Changeling."
To Scootaloo's immense shock and surprise there was a flash of green flame and where Babs Seed had stood, there was a black-shelled, green winged changeling of the kind that had invaded Canterlot. Rather then scream or panic Scootaloo stood her ground and grinned. "You are amazing...can you make me one too?"
Babs Seed took her old shape and said "No...but I can put you on the path to becoming one. But first hear me out. Whilst there are many wonderful things about being a changeling, it's not all that you think it is. It's not all crafty undercover work at least, not at first, and certainly it won't be for you, a pony who wants to become a changeling. Changelings are always suspicious of those who want to join their ranks, in case they either can't cope with it or worse, are spies or even would be assassins. But I know you so well and you are no spy or killer, and I trust you and think your wish to be a changeling is genuine, so I'll start by teaching you Changeling 101, otherwise known as basic changeling protocol. Only Changeling Queens can turn ponies into changelings, and contrary to the beleifs of some ponies and griffins they never do so lightly."
"First, there are four main Hives known as the Big Four...Miasma's, Chrysalis's which is the one that I belong to, Aractnia, and Necrotia. Hive Miasma does not like Hive Chrysalis and they have been feuding for years. Aractnia works with griffins, and griffin love is much harder to gather then that of ponies. Necrotia, well, the less said about them the better. Tonight I'm going to take you to meet the fellow changelings of my chapter. Don't expect them to shake hooves when you first meet or be particularly friendly until they get to know you. Don't call them Bro or Sis. You have never shared your love ration with one of them who is sick or injured, or stood and fought to enable one of them to escape a fight, or taken a punishment for one of them who did something wrong. You have not earned the right to call them your brothers or sisters. Show them respect, they love that. Oh, and this is very important...don't touch their wings. Changeling wings are a lot more sensitive then pony wings and unfortunately are weaker too, and as such they are very protective of them. Touch one once, you'll most likely just get a warning not to do it again, do it again and you'll get a hoof in the face. Do you still want to meet my chapter?"
Scootaloo nodded and Babs Seed took her to a house quite near Sugarcube Corner and tapped three times on the door. "Let me in, I'm with a friend of mine who wants to be a friend of ours."
The door opened and Babs and Scootaloo walked in. The room was full of undisguised changelings, chatting to each other, drinking cider and playing pool. They fell silent and all eyes were on Scootaloo until Babs took changeling shape again and said "She's with me, she wants to hang around here," and everything went back to normal. Scootaloo accidently brushed against the green translucent wing of a changeling, who spun around, grinned, and said politely "The next time you do that, pony, I'm going to wrap my cue stick around your head," and went back to his game.
"The Chrysalis Hive has a saying "Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead." Scootaloo, you may be one of my best friends, but if you inform on us, I will cut your bucking throat, understand?" Babs said. "Now, tell them why you want to be one of us."
"I have no family, my mother died and my father threw me out. I want to know I am valued and loved, and what better way to find love then as a member of a Changeling Hive? This Hive, Hive Chrysalis."
A large Changeling with a dent on his shiny black carapace beckoned her over. "So you want to be one of us, do you? Well, most changelings are born from eggs, not made. If you want to join this chapter, first you just need to hang around a little, and let us get to know you. Then we'll take you to our Hive and you get to become a prospect-a Changeling without wings or changing ability yet. For a while, you'll need to do the hard and dirty work of the Hive. Things like digging new tunnels and shoring them up, guard duty, bringing Changelings cups of love, maybe even latrine duty. After anything from a few weeks to up to a year, you'll earn your wings and be taught your full Changing abilities and be one of us. From then how far you rise is up to your talents and luck. The best job that the average Changeling can get is that of infiltrator, when you get to replace a pony and life as that pony, basking in the love of that pony's family and friends...and sending some of the love back to the Hive of course. If you want an easy life...you could always choose to be cocooned instead."
Scootaloo shook her head. "No thank you."
"One on all, all on one. If one of your fellow Changelings is ever in a fight, be it military in nature or a bar brawl, you must always enter the fight on that Changeling's side, even if it means you get hurt, arrested or both. I got this on my carapace helping out one of my brothers, and I don't regret it a bit. If I had to I would do it all over again. Now contrary to what you might think, we don't generally fight a lot. Apart from the legal and physical risks, fighting interferes with our primary aim, the collection of love for the Hive and ourselves. We fight in emergency self defence, to protect our cover, to protect our interests including from other Hives, or, very rarely, in an army when our Queen summons us to do so. If we can avoid fighting so much the better. Many Changelings get to avoid fights through their whole lives, but if it happens, always come to the aid of your brothers and sisters. They will do the same for you."
"Do not worry about my loyalty."
The Changeling continued. "Snitches are a dying breed. If you ever inform to the Royal Guards or indeed to anypony or anybody on another Changeling, even if that Changeling is not of our Hive and hates us, if we find out and we catch you, we will kill you and eat your body down to the bones, and leave the bones in a public place as a warning. Now, it's possible you could escape, perhaps Canterlot Intelligence will put you in a witness protection program. But even then you will spend the rest of your life wondering if we will one day track you down. Understand?"
"I understand."
"Blood in, blood out. As one of your final tests to become a full Changeling, you will have to help entrap a pony. As for leaving the Hive, you only get out by dying, naturally or otherwise. I'm going to give you one chance...if you want to leave now, you can walk out of that door, but if you choose to stay, there is no going back."
"I really do want to become a Changeling."
"Well....eat that meat then. It's chicken, not pony meat." And he pointed to a chicken breast on the table. Scootaloo's stomach churned but she forced herself to bite into it, to the laughter of the changelings in the room, and to her surprise she found it tasted good.
"Hey, maybe you have what it takes to make it after all."
After a few days hanging out with the changelings and getting to know them she was told "Tomorrow we're going to take you to the Hive itself out in the Badlands, where you will meet Her Majesty and start the prospect stage. Things will be hard, but remember how good it will be once you earn your wings and your full changeling abilities."
"I....I can't fly, there is something wrong with my wings."
"We'll rig up a basket for you. Once you become a full Changeling, your new wings will work perfectly well and after a few days or weeks of flight training you will be as able to fly as any of us. Meet us here at 9:00AM tomorrow. If you are not here we will fly off and leave you behind."
The next day Scootaloo went to meet them, very excited and a little bit worried about what would happen next.
Having managed to wangle a night at Sweetie Belle's house to make sure she could get some sleep, Scootaloo told Sweetie Belle "Thank you for letting me crash out at your house. My family are going to Prance because my father got a job there, so I won't be back for a while. I'm going to miss you and Apple Bloom so much. Goodbye Sweetie Belle." She hugged her friend and kissed her cheeks. "Don't forget to write back when you can, and let me know when you earn your cutie mark. We will miss you too. At least you won't have to put up with Diamond and Silver anymore. Goodbye Scootaloo," Sweetie Belle replied. As Scootaloo headed to the secret changeling den, she wondered what the Changeling Hive would look like. It'll be something like a cross between a giant beehive and a huge anthill, at least that is what it will look like from the outside. And inside it will most likely be earthy and covered in green glowing slime.
She tapped three times on the door and out came Babs Seed in her familiar pony shape and the other changelings, that had now taken the shape of pegusai. Four carried a basket which was attached by soft leather belts to their middles. She hopped inside and Babs Seed looked around and in a quick burst of green fire became a Pegasus too. "All aboard Changeling Airlines on a one way trip to the Badlands," Babs said, and they took off. Scootaloo looked down at the ground as it got further and further away. I'm forever leaving behind the life of a pony that I once knew, there is no going back now. It was not long before they had left Ponyville far behind, and then they entered the twisted canyons of the Badlands after about an hour's flying. They rounded a bend and Scootaloo gasped in amazement. Instead of what she expected, there was a beautiful castle made of gleaming black stone, with a myriad of towers, that seemed as large as Canterlot.
"There it is, the Hive, our home. Not quite what you expected? Queen Miasma has the sort of place that you think of what you hear the words "Changeling Hive." Not us. Queen Chrysalis likes to live in comfort and style, and she likes to have the same for her drones. She'll meet you of course and take the oath from you and then part change you, and when you have fully recovered you'll start your prospect time, to prove that you can contribute to the Hive. It won't all be unpleasant, you'll also start learning how to change, first the basics, and then so that you can change as well as any one of us. Then you'll make your bones by helping us replace a pony, and then you'll get given your wings and as a full Changeling, the sky is your limit. You could become an infiltrator-perhaps you might go further and become an officer."
They landed, and once Scootaloo got out, they unstrapped the basket ropes and took their changeling shape. A small gate within the oversized main gate opened to let them in. "You know us well, we are the Ponyville Chapter on one week's leave, and we bring much needed love to the Hive. We also bring a pony who wants to join our ranks named Scootaloo."
Scootaloo walked in with the others and stared in amazement. It was very much like a Changeling version of Ponyville, at least the part she was in was. Undisguised changelings were buying and selling goods, flying along on their way to some job or other, and generally getting on with their lives. The only thing that was different was that the lighting on the street lights was some kind of glowing gloop shaped into bulbs. What Scootaloo saw next made her get to her knees and bow. A mighty changeling the size of an alicorn with a small black crown of chitin upon her head. Queen Chrysalis herself. The other changelings just dipped their heads politely to their Queen, who stared at Scootaloo with narrowed eyes.
Scootaloo was in awe of the Changeling Queen and her gleaming body, and the powerful, clever mind within it. The closest that I have ever been to such a being is to Princess Celestia on the day when she formally and publically raised the sun at the Summer Sun Celebration. The ruler of the entire Hive, and she stopped what she was doing to come and see me. I feel so small and powerless next to her.
The Queen spoke. "After the disaster at the Canterlot Wedding we need to make up the numbers. You will now swear the oath of the Hive, pony, and I will turn you into one of us in everything except the wings, which you will need to earn. Until then you will be a prospect and will be tested to make sure you have something to offer the Hive. Repeat after me...
“I will stand by my brother and sister My brother and sister will come before all others My life is forfeited should I fail my brother and sister I will honor my brother and sister in peace and war”
As soon as Scootaloo had repeated the oath, the Queen sunk her fangs into her neck, and she passed out.
She woke lying in a warm soft silken hammock with Babs Seed by her side, and stared at her new black hole-filled legs, and reached up and felt her horn. "You've been out for several hours whilst you changed into one of us. Now you need to go out there and show us that you can work for the Hive. You'll be asked to do a lot of things, even run off your feet at times, but it will be worth it."
Scootaloo's first day as a prospect was pretty hard, as all sorts of changelings would call her over with demands. "Prospect, polish my chitin." "Prospect, bring me some fungus to eat from the fungus fields." "Prospect, help me carry this piano to my house." But there were a couple of bright spots. First was when she was allowed to spend a couple of hours with the nymphs in Mr Opaque 's class learning how to change into pony shape. It was pretty basic stuff at this stage, but she was proud of how much she learned in such a short time. The other was her nightly ration of love soup. As soon as she drank it down she felt a warm loving feeling as the concentrated love spread through her whole body, and yearned for more.
As the days went on her prospect time became easier as she was called on less often and had a little bit more time to herself. Babs Seed showed her around the public and semi-public parts of the Hive.
Floor Zero was where the captured ponies and the occasional griffin hung in their cocoons from the ceiling. "Do you see the big smiles on their faces?" she pointed out. "That shows that in their minds they are blissfully happy, we did them a favour. In their minds it's like they are in heaven, with the job of their dreams and their family and loved ones around them. If it was unpleasant for them, it would squeeze out their fear, anger and hatred, which tastes utterly disgusting and when made into soup is poison to us. If more ponies knew what it was like, there would be a lot less fear of us."
Floor One was the main market, where instead of Equestrian gold bits, solid pink "discs of love known as sweets were used as the currency. "The great thing with changeling currency is, if you are very hungry you can eat it. It does mean that our bank managers and rich changelings have to have self discipline, particularly the former. A bank manager once got his wings ripped off and was busted to prospect, after he opened the vault one night to, he said "check on the money". Well, the bank staff found him sitting in the nearly empty vault the next day, hardly able to move because of the amount of love he had gorged himself on. True, most of it was regained by making him donate it back to the Hive, but a third of it had been consumed."
Scootaloo giggled.
"Don't laugh, it caused a financial crisis and there were a lot of very angry bank customers. The Queen personally gnawed off his wings in public, and it took seven years of hard prospect time for him to earn them back. We do have the death penalty but only use it for the absolute worst crimes, so our main punishment is prospect time. When you see a wingless changeling, he normally messed up."
Floor Two was the quarters for most changelings to live and sleep, in small but comfortable little houses of their own rather then uncomfortable dormitories. "Our Queen wants the best for us," Babs Seed said.
Floor Three was the fungus fields and chicken pens that, as well as their diet of love helped feed the Hive. "We can survive on love alone, but we like other foods and a lot of us enjoy eating meat. Some changelings go here when off duty for a little peace and quiet."
Floor Four housed such places as the armoury and the library. "There are all kinds of books here, once you earn your wings you'll have plenty of time to read. Floor Five-that's where the brass hats live. You only go there if you are called, or if you get to become an officer yourself. As for Floor Six-that is Her Majesty's private quarters, even most of the officers don't get to go there. You only get called there if you are either being heavily rewarded, or heavily punished."
Day merged into day, week into week and month into month, and Scootaloo learned how to turn fully into pony shape, griffin shape, zebra shape and even buffalo shape in her lessons with Mr Opaque has well as doing a lot of prospecting duties of all kinds. After over six months the Queen came once more to see her. "Scootaloo-you have done well. You have not slacked in your duties nor stolen love from your brothers and sisters nor tried to defect. You have to go through one more ritual to earn your wings and become a full member of our Hive, known as making your bones. You have to go back to Ponyville and help us capture a pony, a pony that you know well. A pony that goes by the name of Sweetie Belle."
Scootaloo gasped. "But she is...was...my best friend. If I cocoon her she'll never get a cutie mark, she'll..."
The Queen cut her off. "Remember your oath that you took when you joined this Hive? “I will stand by my brother and sister My brother and sister will come before all others." You either do what you are told and make your bones, or yours are the bones that will be made instead. You will be given Babs Seed and three other changelings to help you, and to get you there in the first place since you have not earned your wings first. Now go and do your duty for me and this Hive, prospect."
"But your Majesty, Sweetie Belle is Rarity's sister, and she will go to the ends of the earth to find her," Scootaloo protested.
"That is why you are going to transform into Sweetie Belle and take her place, so that Rarity will never know that her beloved sister has been spirited away. After one more night at this Hive where you will get your wings and plenty of cups of love, you will live an undercover life as Sweetie Belle, and once a month you will come back to this Hive to kick up plenty of love. Look on it as taxation. Don't worry, you'll have all the love you need, and you can resume your pony life as a Cutie Mark Crusader. And you can award yourself a Cutie Mark too. I recommend one that employers will like. Now, do your duty, prospect."
Scootaloo sighed but did what she was told. As she climbed into the basket, she thought to herself If this works I will get my very own working set of Changeling wings...I will be able to take the shape of a pegasus and go to Cloudsdale, and fly from place to place. Only when I'm not busy pretending to be Sweetie Belle of course. As for Sweetie, she'll think she's in Heaven in the cocoon. I am doing the right thing. Soon enough the changelings above her took pony shape as they crossed the border into Equestria, and she took her old shape. A few hours later, Scootaloo saw Ponyville was not far away. I have to get in there quickly, kidnap Sweetie Belle and get out. The problem is, how to stop Rarity from missing her absent sister? Perhaps one of the other changelings could take her place but then how would we be able to get myself and the cocooned Sweetie Belle back to the Hive? I don't have my wings, after all.
Once she landed she told the changelings "Follow me but at a distance, so it does not seem that we are a group." She headed towards the schoolhouse where she knew that Sweetie Belle and the rest of the class would be, and soon enough the bell rang and the class almost stampeded out of school. Babs Seed, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom came out together. "You're back! How was it in Prance?How much did you miss us?" Apple Bloom asked her.
"It was enjoyable enough and the food was lovely, and of course I missed you fillies. Can I hang out with you tonight for a sleepover?"
"Certainly," Sweetie Belle replied.
Scootaloo chatted to them about Prance, making it up as she went along since in fact she had never been there. Luckily for her, none of her friends had been there either. Inside she was thinking about what to do next. I need to get Sweetie Belle when Apple Bloom is not looking and then get her cocooned and dragged away to the Hive. Next morning they can take me away and I can get my wings. Or, I could try teleporting there but...whilst a mighty alicorn could do such a thing, I'm not even fully grown. I doubt if I could teleport anything more then half a mile at most. And I won't earn my wings if I don't bring back Sweetie Belle alive and intact. She came up with an idea and took some time when she and Babs Seed were alone to say "Tell the other Changelings to come back at midnight, and I'll have Sweetie Belle fanged and cocooned. They can take her back and then if need be return for me. hopefully by dawn."
Babs Seed replied "I know of a couple of other changelings who will take Sweetie Belle back for you, but how can you explain her absence for the time when you are at the Hive being Winged In?"
"I'll leave a note saying that I am going to go shopping in Canterlot. She's done that at least once, after all. Canterlot does have the very best shops, even if most of them are a bit expensive. And hopefully that will give me the time it takes to get back and take Sweetie Belle's place. It's going to be strange pretending to be her, maybe for the rest of my life, but that's part of being a Changeling."
"And you're not going to have any second thoughts or regrets?" Babs Seed asked.
"Hell no, my loyalty is to the Hive now. Besides, Rarity will be like a mother to me. The kind of mother that I never really had as a pony."
As the evening went on Sweetie Belle chatted with her friends, unaware that two of them were now changelings and that she would now never get a cutie mark on her flank except in her dreams. That night, Scootaloo and Babs Seed crept into her bedroom, and whilst Babs Seed clapped her hooves over Sweetie Belle's mouth, Scootaloo drove her fangs into Sweetie's neck in just the place where she had been taught back at the hive. After a single muffled cry Sweetie Belle went limp and was quickly wrapped and cocooned by the two changelings working together. They took her outside where two undisguised changelings were waiting, and the two flew away with her quickly.
With a flash of green flame, Scootaloo took on Sweetie Belle's shape and wrote a letter to Rarity explaining that she was going to Canterlot for the day, and then climbed into the basket and was flown back through the night to the Hive where she would receive her wings and become officially a full member of the Hive. She marvelled at how good and how large Princess Luna's moon seemed from up here. This is the last time that I will have to be carried in a basket to fly. Once I earn my new wings I will be able to fly and climb and dive and loop the loop and maybe even fly as well as Rainbow Dash someday. I hope that I am never called upon to attack Rainbow Dash-she is still my idol. But if I had to do so, I suppose I would have to take the Hive's side in the matter.
It was still before dawn when the black castle that served as Chrysalis's Hive showed up, and Scootaloo got even more excited.
When Scootaloo entered the ebony castle that was the Hive of Queen Chrysalis, they found that every light had been turned out from end to end, as if the Hive was expecting a night time air raid. The only lights were the shining, blinking eyes of scores of changelings waiting there in the dark for her. Then a green circle of firelight lit up around Queen Chrysalis, who grinned. "The full changeling returns. Welcome, Scootaloo, you have proved yourself to this hive. Come and receive your new wings." As Scootaloo came close, the Queen passed her a potion with her magic. "Drink this, and your new wings will sprout. Unlike pegasus or griffin wings they need remarkably little preening, but be careful not to get them torn, the flipside is that they are more easily damaged." As Scootaloo drank the potion, with only a small amount of pain long iridescent wings came out of her sides, and when she fluttered them she was able to take off. "Turn on the lights, and let's party like it's the New Year," ordered the Queen. "Hand the loving cups around-but tomorrow it's back to normal work and normal rations for everyling." As the changelings busied themselves bringing light back to the Hive, Scootaloo's new wings shone and glittered many-coloured. Whole tureens of love soup were brought out along with various kinds of meat, fungus and fruit.
Scootaloo did not feel quite ready to take on eating meat yet, but she drank the love soup happily enough. First she drank the hot, fiery love of a griffin, only to start choking, much to the laughing of the changelings around her. One said "Griffin love tastes like firewater, only some of us can stand it. It's a good thing that you didn't join the Aractnia Hive as griffin love is their staple diet." She decided to wash it down with some sweet pony love, but as soon as she drank it, it brought back memories of Sweetie Belle and she realized that it was . Meeting the white unicorn for the first time at Diamond Tiara's cutecenara. Forming the Cutie Mark crusaders to try and get their cutie marks. The time they thought it would be great to give Big Mac and Cherilee a love potion. All the crazy things that they did together-and now her friend would never get a cutie mark, or a coltfriend, or any of the things she was looking forward to, but instead would hang in a cocoon until she died, providing her love to the Chrysalis Hive. I betrayed one of my very best friends to serve my own selfish needs. To her horror, she noticed that the meat dish nearest her, that three changelings were happily tucking into, was a well-cooked and prepared pony. It had been skinned first, but it was definitely pony meat.
Scootaloo barely managed not to throw up. She asked a nearby changeling "How long do cocooned ponies last before they...die?"
"About five years on average, although some live as long as ten. Once they die, we eat them."
Oh Sweetie Belle, what have I done to you? Scootaloo decided that she could not and would not allow such a horrible thing to her friend. Leaving Sweetie Belle to a long *life* of luxury if only in her mind was bearable, but she would not leave her to a short heavenly *life* followed by dying and having her body cooked and eaten by changelings and the bones thrown into a rubbish pit. She decided to rescue Sweetie Belle somehow even if she risked being killed in the process. She owed it to Sweetie. As a full changeling she could go to most places of the Hive without suspicion. She walked into the room where the see-through cocoons of those captured by the Changelings hung. Most were ponies, but there were a few griffins and a minotaur or two. Soon enough she located the cocoon of Sweetie Belle, who hung there with a big smile on her face. She's not a pegasus, she can't fly. If I free her here, we won't get very far before they find out what happened here and send a search party after us. And what I'm doing is Treason to the Hive, stealing their food source from them. Under Changeling Law they could execute me for this.
She used her silk glands like a spider to attach Sweetie Belle's cocoon to herself and bit free the strand that held it to the ceiling. It was hard to fly whilst carrying Sweetie Belle, but it could be done. Flying out of a window could be done, but it was illegal except in an emergency and therefore could quickly attract some very unwelcome attention. Every gate was normally guarded to keep attackers and would be unwelcome infiltrators from other Hives out, but surely the gate guards were all carousing in the Main Hall with everyling else? To her relief there were no guards on duty, due to the party that was going on, and she was able to leave the Hive.
Queen Chrysalis raised her head. Something was missing. Not something, someone. The Hivemind, whilst it did not and could not control the Hive members like they were puppets, did let the Queen sense when something was wrong. A changeling was missing. She mentally searched in her mind for which one it was. Scootaloo. The new changeling who was once a pony. Is now in the Love Storage Room. Cutting down a cocoon...traitor. Traitor! "Guards, Scootaloo is escaping with one of our meals from the Left Side Gate. Get after her and bring her back here now." As her royal guards scrambled to obey her orders, she inwardly cursed the day she decided to let Scootaloo become a changeling.
Scootaloo was quite far away from the Hive when she heard a loud buzzing, and glanced behind her to see her pursuers. I can't surrender to them, I owe it to Sweetie Belle and Rarity and Apple Bloom to bring her back to Ponyville alive. I hope that she will forgive me. Weighed down as she was by the cocooned Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo was unable to fly at her full speed, and Chrysalis's guards were getting closer and closer. When they were almost close enough to touch her, Scootaloo forced her diaphanous wings to go still...and fell out of their grip, falling through the sky and through a layer of clouds and mists. When she was close to the ground, she started flying again, landed amongst several tree stumps and with a quick blast of green fire, took the shape of a large tree stump and stayed still. Her pursuers were quickly in the scene, flew around and circled a couple of times and then left the area. It's a good thing that I'm a changeling Scootaloo thought. She shed her disguise and flew east towards Equestria as quickly as possible.
When I get back-if I get back, what will I do about Babs Seed? Scootaloo thought. I suppose I'll have to out her, and she will hate me forever afterwards and see me as a traitor to my race. But if I don't out her she will see me as a deserter and a traitor anyway for leaving the Hive and freeing Sweetie Belle and will want revenge.
As soon as she was within a mile of Ponyville, by which time it was almost sunrise, Scootaloo looked around with care to make sure she was not being watched and to consider her options. What have I done? What the buck have I done? she thought. I am not only a traitor, I'm a double traitor. I turned my back on pony kind to earn my wings so that I could fly, and delivered up a fellow Crusader to the Changelings as a gift. And then I promptly deserted from a Queen and a Hive that had fully accepted me as part of them, and stole my gift back. Queen Chrysalis will never forgive me for it, and neither will Changelingkind as a whole. They hate traitors. She turned her shape back into her old Scootaloo one in a flash of green flame and freed Sweetie Belle's cocoon from her. Sweetie had a big smile on her face and was clearly enjoying it in there, but Scootaloo knew what she had to do and carefully slit the cocoon with her fangs and opened it. Sweetie Belle yawned, opened her eyes and saw Scootaloo. "I was having the most wonderful dream...why am I wet?" She realised that she was lying in the pulpy remains of a changeling cocoon, and in disgust she leapt to her feet. Then she remembered what had happened, and Scootaloo clamped her emotion gathering sacs tightly closed against the avalanche of hate that poured out of Sweetie Belle.
"Scootaloo-you traitor! Why? Why did you become a changeling? Why did you fang me and wrap me up? Why? I deserve to know why you would go against you country and our friendship."
"I....I was homeless, my mother died several years ago and my father rejected me and threw me out. My skateboard was all that I owned and I could not even fly. I was too embarrassed to tell you that. So I decided that if I became a changeling, not only would I gain wings that would work, but I would gain the love and protection that I always wanted as part of a changeling swarm. When the swarm attacked Canterlot I decided that I wanted to be one of them. As one of them I would always be loved and cherished. To earn my wings I had to fang you, and I planned to take your place."
"Rarity will have to hear of this, I'm sorry." Sweetie Belle galloped away and Scootaloo watched and let her go. "She's right, I am a traitor. I deserve the trouble that I get into."
Sweetie Belle galloped into Ponyville and hammered on the door of the house where she and Rarity lived with her hooves, almost bucking it down. "Let me in, sis, let me in! Scootaloo is a changeling!"
Rarity soon came down and let her in. "A changeling? What do you mean? How did it happen?"
"I was in my bed asleep when Babs Seed and Scootaloo came in and fanged me...you can see the marks on my neck. And then I woke up in a burst cocoon because...because Scootaloo set me free. She may have fanged me in the first place, but she also set me free."
"The Royal Guards and the Princess herself must hear of this...Scootaloo and Babs Seed must be arrested or at least driven far away from Ponyville and we need to get Twilight to find or write a spell to uncover any more Changelings that are hiding amongst us. Stay with me in case you are attacked again." Scootaloo made no effort to stop Rarity and Sweetie Belle from alerting their friends and the small Royal Guard post in Ponyville, although she did take the shape of a random pegasus pony whilst she decided what to do. The Guards captured Babs Seed that morning, grabbing her as she walked to school and clamping an anti-change collar upon her neck. The Princess Celestia herself was told by Spike herself what had happened and showed up personally to interrogate Babs Seed, who cowered in front of her.
"How many other changelings like yourself are in Ponyville?" Celestia demanded, glaring at the captured changeling.
"First, I don't know, most of the time changelings operate on a cell-based system or even alone, so if they are captured, they cannot betray their Hive even under torture. Second, I don't grass, informing on a fellow changeling is normally one of the lowest things you can do in our world. There is one exception, and that is to rat out a traitor. Scootaloo, it has to be Scootaloo who informed on me. She is a changeling too. Do your worst, pony Princess. I will die if need be with the name of my Queen upon my lips, faithful to my Hive. As for Scootaloo, she is a dead changeling walking if my Hive find her. They will rip those wings right off her body. When you join a Hive rather then being born into one it's blood in, blood out."
"I admire your steadfastness, and how brave you are. What happened to the real Babs Seed?"
"She's bones now in some changeling bone pit, no doubt."
"I could have you executed for murder, locked up in Foalsom Prison for the rest of your days, or sent to join Discord in my Statue Garden. But the death penalty has not been used for decades and bringing it back would be a horrible shock to my little ponies. And turning you into immobile living rock requires the magic of the Elements of Harmony, and they are on the blink at the moment. Do your unknowing *parents* love you? Do they cuddle you and kiss you and give you all the love that a changeling would need?"
"Yes, they do, in fact I'm sometimes embarrassed with the public displays of affection that they give me."
"If I was to let them know that their beloved daughter had been dead for years they will be heartbroken. After the attack on my capital during the recent Royal Wedding, there was a lot of study done upon Changelings and amongst other things, a potion was developed that when injected into a changeling's leg, prevents it from ever changing again. Your sentence is that you will be Babs Seed, a sweet loving daughter, for the rest of your life. Whilst you will still be able to feed upon love, you will never again be a threat to the Equestrian state. If the news gets out to Bab's parents that their daughter is a changeling, investigations will be started into whoever leaked state secrets and said pony or ponies if caught will be in trouble to say the least. Be Babs Seed as well as you can, and live her life for her." A guard came forward and injected Babs Seed whilst Celestia's magic held Babs still, and then the anti-change collar was taken off and Babs was released.
Hearing this, Scootaloo came forward, shed her disguise and took Scootaloo shape, knelt before Celestia, prostrating herself upon the ground, and said "Your Majesty, I ask for the same thing for myself. Send me to replace some pony's missing daughter so that I may do some good in life, and yet stay fed and safe from the spies of the Chrysalis Hive."
Celestia stared at her, clearly not impressed. "You are not only a traitor, but a double traitor, who crossed the line not once, but twice. You are incapable of staying faithful to any country, be it Equestria or the Badlands. I ought to extradite you back to Queen Chrysalis as a peace offering. However, instead you can spend a few days in the juvenile wing of Foalsom Prison whilst I decide what to do with you. I might decide to grant your request, keep you locked up, or see if the Elements of Harmony can be fixed so that you can be turned into a pretty little stone statue next to Discord. Guards, put an anti-change collar on her and take her away to prison. Leave her ability to change intact for now however. I may have a use for her in time, but for now, get her out of my sight."
As Scootaloo was collared and dragged away, she considered herself to have got off lightly, at least for the moment.
The relatively short trip to Foalsom Prison was only a two hour train ride away from Canterlot, but to the chained Scootaloo it seemed like a long ride. A very, very long ride. She could look out of the window and watch foals playing in the playgrounds of the schools, adult ponies going about their business, all the normal things of daily life that she was now being denied. I suppose that I deserve this...I'm not just a traitor, I'm a double traitor. I've let myself down, I've let my friends down, I've let my country down, and I've let my Hive down. The train passed a beggar pony with a begging bowl as a cutie mark, munching on some grass in a public space, and Scootaloo thought that even the life of an unhappy beggar would be better then what was awaiting her when they reached Foalsom Prison. The prison itself seemed the size of Canterlot Castle and like that castle, it was perched on a tall mountain and had only one way out. As a changeling, Scootaloo could sense the misery, resentment and unhappiness of those imprisoned there and clamped her emotion gathering sacs shut to avoid being poisoned by all the bad emotions. How long am I going to be locked up in that horrible place? she thought. A week? A month? Years? Until I die in there?
Soon enough the Royal Guards marched her out of the train and up to the prison gate, and tapped on a small door within it, and a slot opened in the door to see who it was. "We have a prisoner for you, Scootaloo, a changeling who used to be a pony and is therefore a traitor to Equestria." The door fully opened and Scootaloo was handed over to the prison staff and pulled inside by unicorn magic and the door slammed shut beside her.
Inside was the cell block, with a great polished circle mosaic of polished steel upon the ground floor. Around it prisoners scurried on their way to some errand or other. The unicorn prisoners had magic suppressors upon their horns, and the pegasui prisoners had their wings chained to their sides. The guards, mainly unicorns, were dressed in black uniforms and peaked caps, and amongst their cutie marks upon their flanks were handcuffs, chains, keys and batons. Their commander, a unicorn with two crossed keys and a peaked cap as his cutie mark, said "My name is Lock Up, Governor Lock Up to you. Try and break out of here or attack a guard, and you will be in a world of pain. Oh, and the place we are standing on is called the Centre and no prisoner except those cleaning it ever stands on the Centre. We guards have a saying about it-Princess Celestia Herself may walk on the centre, but she only does it when the guards are not looking. And you have to go clockwise around it. Take her to her cell." As she was taken away, Lock Up and his guards drew their batons and thumped them on the grill filling the cell block with noise.
Scootaloo struggled not to cry. I can't give in and cry in front of them or they will torment me even more. Soon enough, she was thrown into a large cell with several other ponies, and sat in a corner on the hard stone floor watching the other ponies around her. Many had cutie marks with crowbars, knives, and other such tools of their criminal trade that they had used on the outside. Whilst Equestria generally had only a low crime rate, it was by no means crime free. She decided not to cause any fights but to defend herself if need be.
After a while a sturdy earth pony came up to her and looked her up and down. "Well, well, a changeling, we don't get many of those around here. Listen carefully, changeling. I am going to ask you a question. Think before you answer. I am out in the pouring rain without shelter, and you have an umbrella. I am likely to get sick. What would you do?"
Scootaloo thought with care, and answered "I would come out in the rain with you."
The pony grinned. "Excellent. I'm....."
Just then he was interrupted when another changeling prisoner came into the cell, and shouted "You're talking to a traitor-she was a pony but she betrayed her own kind, and then turned around on top of that and betrayed her Hive too and her fellow changelings. She is the very lowest of the low." Scootaloo's heart sank when she realized that she was looking at Babs Seed, now shorn of her disguise.
Several of the other ponies came forward swinging sharpened mugs on the end of strips of cloth in their mouths. "I think you belong in the Big Ears gang, but that gang does not exist on this prison wing. We hate informers here, we really, really hate them."
Just then the cell door was opened, and a guard snapped "Scootaloo, you have a visitor. A very high ranking visitor." Scootaloo scooted out of the cell and was taken to a small room where Captain Shining Armour himself was waiting for her.
"Scootaloo, whilst what you did was thoroughly despicable, you did make amends of a sort by putting right what you did. The daughter of a noble family in the Crystal Empire came over to Ponyville on a visit, and unfortunately got injured by getting in the way of a carriage. Glitter Gleam is her name. Her family love and adore her, so there would be enough love to keep you fed for the rest of your life. And the Crystal Empire is far from the Chrysalis Hive, so whilst there might be another Hive's changelings there for all we know, they won't know who you are or what you've done and won't bother you if you don't bother or inform on them. If you take care, they won't know that you are a changeling. The parents don't know that their daughter is very near death, and we want you to spare them that fate; and also spy on them for Canterlot Intelligence and report any disloyal remarks about Princess Cadence, so that we can nip any revolt in the bud before it starts."
Scootaloo nodded. Anything is better then being back in that horrible gang infested prison. "So what are the conditions?"
"No replacing anyone else, in fact don't shape change from the shape we give you except in a dire emergency. Stay in the Crystal Empire, report any rebellious remarks to the contact we will give you, and obey the laws. In return you get your freedom, forgiveness from Princess Celestia, and as much love as you can gorge on. And you even get to fly." He levitated a photo over to her of a gleaming glittering golden crystal pegasus pony with three small pink hearts as a cutie mark.
"Agreed."
Shining Armour went and spoke to a nearby prison officer who was outside and soon enough he and Scootaloo were escorted outside, and Scootaloo's magical lock was removed from her horn. As soon as they were alone together, in a flash of green fire Scootaloo took the shape of Glitter Gleam. "So, is there anything else I should know. What about her friends and her family?"
"Her mother is Shimmer Gleam and her father is Glow Gleam, as for her friends and more distant family, you can explain that you got amnesia from the accident but that it won't take you long to be reminded of them. Find her diary if she kept one, that will help you a lot. In this way you can make amends for what you did and help Canterlot Intelligence at the same time."
