Actias of the Snow - A Changeling Tale - Chapter 1
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Its cold. Far, far to cold even for one thick as him. He made his way through the whiteness of the snow, the winds slicing through him as if it was made of knives, the snow collecting upon his cold shivering body as he fought with all of his strength against the winds.
“Why did I leave the cave?” He had wandered to himself. “Oh, thats right, he was starving and cold”, It had been quite a long time since he had last had a decent meal for himself and making a fire here was nearly impossible considering all of the trees within the tundra was coated in ice, what made it worse was the fact that the wood refused to dry even when the ice was broken away.
So this left him alone, in the unforgiving tundra, without warmth, food or even family, and certainly no connect to the outside world. He had to admit to himself, his energy was running out and he would surely die within this frozen tartarus-hole. But he would not give up, one thing he had been told was never to give up. He would be make good use of that advice and take it to his grave if he must.
He never stopped moving, even long after he could no longer fill his limbs, which was slowly collecting ice and making his movements stiff and barely manageable. Each sharp intake of breath felt like his lungs would freeze within him. He tripped falling into the cold snow unable to stand he just lay there.
“M-Maybe just a nap, yeah that will do me some good.” He thought to himself as he lay there, his eyes fluttering slightly but they would not stay closed, a light shined into his eyes, he tried to resist the light but it relented causing him to look up through the snow and ice.
The light appeared to be coming from just over the next rise. He grunted as he forced himself upon his limbs and begin moving once more, though admittedly a little faster than before. As he made it to the top of the rise a chilly blast of air hit him causing him to shield his eyes from the onslaught of snow.
After a long moment he looked out over the frozen wasteland to spy a massive dome. And not just a dome, but a city within the dome. He could not help but smile as he gained a bit more energy he did not know he even had as he rushed down the slopes towards the city.
It took about twenty minutes of freezing wind and near whiteout snow but the glow led him, he followed it. Every now and again he thought he heard the sound of one of his most feared enemies. The Wendigo, creatures that were not made of physical form and feed off of hate and fear. When one of his kind would find one of them they would kill it, and vice versa. But he dared not think about, in fact it only made him move a little faster until he was right next to the barrier.
He breathed heavily walking toward the dome and running into it. The dome had been solid. There was no way to enter, he reached up touching the dome looking through it at the shadows and movement within.
“P-please”, his eyes flickered threatening to close on him as he slumped into the dome. “H-he-lp, me.” He heard a sound turning he seen it. The Wendigo he had heard before was a mere ten feet behind him. He turned his head away closing his eyes, a tear trickling from it.
A single tear, filled with regret, fear, sorrow and knowing. Knowing that his time had come. As the Wendigo drew closer he felt warmth, the howling of the wind had all but stopped. He lay there on the ground, hearing a almost rhythmic thumping.
“My heart.” He thought to himself. “It must be my heart trying to save me from the loss of blood when the Wendigo smashed my skull, and now i’m dying. But if i’m dying why do I not feel it? Oh right, the cold had made me so numb that pain just don't register anymore.”
As he lay upon the ground the sound of running can be heard, and someone giving orders, he tried to look up, he could not move, he tried to open his eyes but they were far too heavy, so instead his mind drifted into the darkness where he was sure death would be waiting to calm him.
“M-mommy, what's that?” A small filly pointed out from across the street, her mother looking up seeing a figure of a pony with ice and snow covering its body laying on the ground inside of the protective shield that surrounded the city. A then the crashing! A Wendigo had began to slam itself into the barrier repeatedly trying to get to the creature inside.
The mother stood for only a moment picking up her child and dashing down the street quickly.
It was not even a minute after that when the Royal Guard had come marching down the streets to the location. Shining Armor yelling out orders as the guard rounded the corner taking up locations around the area.
Several of the guard held spears pointed at the barrier, while others held spears at the creature now laying upon the ground unconscious his eyes flickered for a moment as Shining Armor trotted up looking at the Wendigo that smashed into the barrier one finely time before drifting back until it vanished into the thick white snow.
Shining Armor then looked down at the pony before him almost completely covered in snow. “Get a medical team here now!” Shining Armor instructed to, two of the guard who dashed off quickly. Shining Armor walked over to the Unicorn brushing the show from its face but soon retracted his hoof from the creature.
“How.“ Shining Armor thought to himself before speaking up. “Guards I want this creature in shackles and guards posted around the clock wherever it is.” The guard saluted several guards moving forwards putting cuffs upon the ponies legs before moving away from it. Just as they did the medical team arrived running though the guards to get to the pony.
Shining Armor turned and made his way back to the street as the medical team made to help the pony taking him up on the stretcher and heading towards the street quickly to get the pony to the location to treatment.
Shining Armor watched as they carried the the pony away. “How did a Changeling manage to get through the Barrier?” This was his only thought as his face became stirn.
“Cadence.” The voice of Shining Armor called out as he entered their bedroom. “Cadence! I-”
“Oh Shining come look at this!” She called out happily to her husband from the next room poking her head through the door and waving a hoof at him.
Shining smiled at his wife looking a little perplexed as he was sure that door had not been there before. He obeyed his wife and went into the next room, he opened the door, walking in seeing looking at a nursery. Shinings jaw dropped. “Honey? Since when has there been a room here? And is this a nursery?”
Cadance clapped her hooves together giving shining armor a big hug. “SURPRISE!” She all but screamed in his ear as she tried to crush the life out of him.
Shining sat there dumbfounded, within his mind the gears begin to turn once more and his eye went wide pulling back from his wife. “Your?”
Cadance nodded happily her grin could not be wider as she hopped up and down in front of him. “We’re pregnant!”
Shining stood still shocked at the announcement but soon snapped out of it hugging his wife with a smile. He can tell her later that somehow, In some way a Changeling had managed to slip past the protective barrier and got into the city. But for right now, her happiness was far more important.
It was warm, warm and soft and dark. He slowly opened his eyes a room blurrily coming into view. He was staring at the white tile ceiling, a rhythmic beeping sounding and a burning in his nose his. His mind was not piecing together anything quite yet as he reaches out with a hoof trying to pull himself up into a sitting position, as he moved a crystal at the head of the bed changed in color, He looked around seeing the walls where made out of something other than wood, He groaned reaching up and touching a tube was hanging from his nose, he give it a slight tug which caused him to wince.
“Oh no, dont do that sir.” a soothing voice came from his right as she took his hoof and helped him lay back down. “You are very weak, you need your rest.”
The changeling looked over at the pony still being groggy like he was he known that struggling would only result in him being more hurt.
“There, there.” The nurse rubbed his hoof with hers. “Can, you speak?” She asked him with a calm voice a smile on her face.
He took a moment just looking at her, he could feel a warmth from her, it was light but still there, he could feel something else to now that he thought about it, a feeling of warmth all around him, not from the magically enchanted covers but just everywhere. He blinked before opening his mouth, there was a raspy inhale and then he began coughing hard rolling onto his side as small droplets of water came flying out of his mouth from his lugs. The nurse rubbed her hoof on the changelings back gently patting him as his coughing quieted down.
“T-Thank you.” The changeling said in a raspy whisper that made the nurse smile.
“I’m nurse Pain, what is your name?” She said sweetly.
The changeling looked at the nurse with slightly larger eyes. “Thats not really reassuring.” the changeling croaked out causing the nurse to giggle.
“My full name is Painless Draw.” She smiled, “I’m really good at taking blood samples.” She finished with another giggle that felt so warm to the changeling.
“Actias.” The changeling stated after a moment.
“Actias?” The nurse said perplexed.
“Thats my name.” He closed his eyes groaning. “Can you get this thing out of my nose? It really burns.”
“Oh.” said simply before adding. “Your lungs have taken damage from the cold, if we remove the tube you could suffocate.” She frowns slightly giving him a sad look. “I’m sorry.”
He takes a breath coughing slightly in the process. “That cold really messed me up.” He thought to himself. “I nearly died, I thought I had when that Windigo attacked.” He sit there for a moment before speaking again. “Where i’m I? Why are you not afraid of me?”
Nurse Painless smiled again before speaking. “You are within the Crystal Empire.” She paused before adding. “And you are in no shape to put fear into anypony.” She smiled. “Besides, you are our patent, and i’m here to help you in any way that I can. Now get some rest.” She said standing to her hooves and pushing a small button on the IV which caused Actias to grow more drowsy.
He lay there on his back watching as the nurse walked from the room closing the door behind her. The Crystal on the bed turned back into a green color that Actias found kinda soothing; it reminded him of the luminescent fungi back at the hive. He frowned slightly as his eyes begin to close. “Home.” He said aloud as a tear slid from his eye dripping upon the sheets as he finally fell into a dreamless, drug induced slumber.
Actias of the Snow - A Changeling Tale - Chapter 2
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Nurse Pain stepped out of the room where a pair of Crystal Guards stood on either side of the door leading into Actias room, closing the door she walked down the hall stopping at a open area with a long desk, several other ponies sitting behind it a male voice speaking up. “Nurse Draw, may -”
The Nurse coughed into her hoof looking at the Unicorn doctor that stood nearby with a clipboard floating before him in his magic.
The doctor looked over the clipboard at her. “Nurse Dra-” The nurse coughed again causing the doctor to sigh. “Nurse Pain.”
“Yes Doctor Scalpel?” Nurse Pain give the doctor a kind smile that caused the doctor to beat his head with the clipboard.
“Why do you insist on going by that nickname?” The doctor drawled out. Nurse pain only giggled at him.
“I think its fun.” She grinned at doctor Scalpel, which only made him sigh.
“Very well, Nurse Pain have you any news on the new patient?” The doctor finally relented the the Crystal Pony.
“Yes Doctor.” Nurse Pain nodded nearing the doctor taking out a clipboard of her own and begin reading. “His name is Actias, he is an unknown creature, I’ve never seen anything like it before, its like he is a hybrid between a pony and an insect. He has a hard exoskeleton which made it quite difficult to get an IV into him.” She paused looking at the doctor before continuing on. “His body appears to be black but also has white streaks, on his exoskeleton.” Nurse Painless lowered the clipboard. “Thats all we know at the moment sir.”
Doctor Scalpel “Hmm’d” for a moment. “You managed to get his name?” The doctor asked the Nurse. She give him a little nod.
“Yes Doctor, He woke up for a short while. when I found him he was trying to remove his muzzle tube but I calmed him down, he is resting now.” The nurse said with a plain face.
“Very well Nurse Pain you’re free to go.” The Doctor said turning back to his office.
Hours later, Shining Armor was still in the nursery with Cadance. Cadance had been talking non-stop telling him all about everything they were going to do and everything they needed and the cute little onesies causing her to squeal in delight.
Shining Armor sighed heavily causing his wife to take pause putting down a baby blanket and moving over to her husband.
“Is something bothering you Shiny? She give him a sad look that caused Shining Armor to smile weakly.
“We had a breach in the shield this morning.” He raised a hoof to stop his wife from speaking. “Its okay, the guard took care of it. However, when we arrived a Windigo was trying to break through the barrier. It left but you know how bad Windigos can be? He paused
Cadance give her husband a nod to continue, and he let out a sigh. “Well, the Windigo had chased a pony though the tundra; well I thought it was a pony at first, come to find out it was a Changeling.”
“But Changelings aren't capable to breaching the shield.” Cadance said still a little worried.
“I know, but somehow it did. And now its in a nearby hospital under guard.” He had a look of disgust on his face.
Cadance put a hoof upon Shinings shoulder. “Shining, we should speak with the changeling. I know you don't like them very much, and I understand but. If this Changeling could get through the Barrier, there had to be a resin. You know just as much as I that there are very few ways one can enter from the outside.
Shining Armor took a breath before nodding at his wife. “Youre right. And I shouldn't judge somepony before I get to know them.” This made his wife smile and nuzzle his cheek. Shining Armor had learned a lot of Cadance over the time they had been together, one of them is that he should not judge a book by its cover, and to show kindness to every living thing old enemies or not. But he was still leery of the whole situation.
“Do you think we should contact the Princesses?” He asked his wife with a hint of concern in his voice.
Cadance looked at her husband. “We will speak with this Changeling first before doing anything more, I am worried about the Windigos though, they can be relentless when hunting their prey, and from what you told me its not going to go away anytime soon.”
Shining armor nodded to his wife nuzzling her neck. “We’ll have to be careful.”
The bird outside of Actias window sang him awake. All he could do is cover his head the best he could and shiver from the cold still trapped within his body. At least he could move most of his limbs now. But the white streaks on his shell had not gone away.
There was a sound of movement within his room and he opened an eye, but only a sliver, just enough to see who was in his room. It was Nurse Pain checking his readings most likely. And when had his cover been pulled off of his head? Had he fallen asleep again without knowing it? He let out a shiver pulling his enchanted covers around him.
“S-so col-d-d.” He stuttered out as Nurse Pain placed a hoof to his forhead withdrawing it quickly when it almost burned her hoof from the cold of the changeling.
“I’ll go get the doctor.” She all but whispered before trotting from the room.
It was silent once more, well as silent as it could be with a bunch of birds singing outside the window and the heart monitor beeping and buzzing. When did it start buzzing anyway?
A fleet of nurses entered into the room with the Doctor quicking rushing over to the changeling they pulled the blankets back from him, his Chitin had almost turned completely white now, the nurses gasped as the doctor used a spell on the changeling.
Actias shivered harder now his body going rigid as the white completely coated over his forum. He breathed out a puff of fog escaping his mouth, the monitors screamed and flashed as Nurse Pain sobbed into the shoulder of another nurse.
Shining Armor and his wife Cadance made their way to the hospital that the changeling had been placed within. As they walk down the streets many ponies bowed to them or waved at them as they passed. They were all very respectful of their Princess and Prince, but at times they could not forget the old ways and many of them still bowed when within the presence of royalty.
They entered into the hospital quietly making their way to the front desk.
“You know Shiny, maybe I should set up an appointment with the doctor.” She smiled. “So we can see the baby.”
Shining Armor smiled at her replaying. “I think thats a wonderful idea honey.” He nuzzled her as they come up to the counter. “We are here to see the doctor that oversees our Changeling guest.” Shining armor said to the nurse waiting at the desk.
The nurse looked up at them opening her mouth by closing it quickly before finally speaking. “R-right away…” She stood and dashed off to Doctor Scalpel office.
Shining Armor and Cadance stood at the desk waiting for only a moment before the nurse returned pointing them towards the Doctors office. When they entered they were not expecting to see the doctor looking so disheveled. His mane was a mess, His labcoat lay over the back of his chair and his hooves were covering his face, On his desk lay an empty bottle of what appeared to be Applejack Daniels.
The doctor finally looked up at the two as they entered into his office he sit back in his chair looking at the ceiling. “Please, come in, sit.” He spoke without worry around the two as they entered and sit in the two seats before the doctor.
“Doctor we came -” But that was all Shining Armor got out before doctor scalpel cut him off and shook his head.
“There is no need anymore Prince Armor. The changeling has long since passed.” Doctor Scalpel said with an air of foreboding. “I dont know what happened.” he shook his head “Some sort of enchantment or, maybe it was just the cold.” he sighed. “This morning the white streaks on his body seemed to spread, and before we caught it, he literally froze. I watched as one of my patients turned completely white before my very eyes.” he leaned forwards placing an elbow on his desk rubbing his left temple with his hoof.
Shining Armor and Cadance sit there shocked at what the doctor had said. But Cadance was the one who spoke first.
“Doctor Scalpel, I want to see him.” She spoke firmly Shining try to interject but she shook her head. “I wish to look upon this changeling.”
Within another part of the hospital deep within the morgue, a place hardly used, a Changeling lay upon the table limply. It was dark, it was not as cold as it had been, Actias still could not really move.”
“Did you hear Nurse Pain had to be sent home for the day because of all this? Seems like she like she enjoyed the little fellows company.”
“Yeah, well he is a creepy looking thing, and she did go by Nurse Pain so.”
The other voice chuckled. “Yeah youre right crazy girl probably fell in love with this thing.”
Water dripped from the table that the body of Actias was laying upon. There was a slight twitch but the two morticians did not even take note of it, they know full well that bodies can have involuntary twitches even after hours of being long past.
“HA Gen!” One of them said with glee causing the other to groan. “What? I thought you said you were good at this game?”
“I am good, but not when I’m playing a card shark.” This caused the other to laugh aloud. There was a sound, voices, the two turned their heads towards the door as Doctor Scalpel came trotting though with Princess Cadance and Shining Armor. The two morticians stood up from where they were making their ways over to them bowing.
“Fluid, we want to see the Changeling, if you’d place.” Doctor Scalpel said stopping in front of the two crystal ponies.
They both stood before Fluid spoke. “Ofcorse Scalpel, right this way.” He lead them over to the metal table where the changeling lay. Cadance looked at the changeling laying before her, almost as if he was sleeping.
“Mister Fluid, what have we found out about our changeling friend here?” The doctor asked, and as he asked the Changeling twitched suddenly causing shining armor to cringe.
“Not to worry, it happens all the time.” Fluid said to the two Royals. “Bodies can twitch for hours after.” Fluid said to them as he went back to telling the doctor what he had learned about the changeling so far.
Cadance just stared at the changeling for a long moment before interrupting the two doctors. “What was his name?” He asked causing the two doctors to turn looking at her.
“His name was Actias if I recall princess.” Another twitch came from the changeling causing Prince Armor to take a step back and look away.
“Honey lets go there” But he did not get to finish his statement, Cadance sat next to the changeling.
“I’m sorry, I wish I could have spoken to you, gotten to understand you.” Cadance bowed her head her shoulders slumping, a tear sliding down her cheek and falling down upon the changelings exoskeleton. “I’m sorry we could not help you Actias.”
There was a silence that ruled the morgue as Shining Armor walked up to his wife rapping his forelegs around her holding her close to him as she cried into his neck.
There was then a high sharp intake of breath as the Changeling shot up off the table breathing in his entire body shivering as air entered into his lugs. Everypony in the room pulled away from the changeling as he breathed out causing fog to escape from his mouth before breathing in again.
Actias did not feel cold anymore, but his body would not move, he heard voices around him, talking about him, they said his name. And as they said his name he would try to respond. He tried to speak, he could not, he just did not have the energy to do so. His body felt like it was in a state of hibernation. A horrible state that a changeling can enter into if they happen to run out of love, but this felt different, for one he could still hear others, while within the state you cannot do that.
One of the voices spoke to him directly. He wanted to move, he had to move, the doctors were talking about dissecting him about an hour ago. He for one would prefer that not happen.
He felt warmth, as the pony spoke with him, a drip of water hit his face, he felt it, it was so warm his body seemed to just soak it up, he felt this warmth before, yes it was when he was in his room, he could feel it ever since then. A constant warmth that flowed endlessly into his body, slowly building up.
“I’m sorry we could not help you Actias.” A voice said to him, it sounded kinda sad. He, he had to move. NOW!
His body bolted straight upright his body shaking as he took in a sharp intake of breath, his eyes opening wide. He breathed out fog flowing from his muzzle before he took another breath looking at the doctors that were now holding eachother staring at the changling, most likely in shock that he can come back to life, even though he was not dead in the first place.
He looked at the room, seeing that he was not in the room before. Turning his head he looked at Cadance and Shining Armor, both of which looked shocked to see the changeling still alive.
Actias did not move, he just sat on the table looking at Cadance and Shining Armor taking another breath of air before moving and stepping from the table onto the floor, the three doctors scrambled away from him as he stepped across the floor towards Armor and his wife.
Shining Armor stepped up between Cadance and the Changeling trying to protect her from the creature as he moved closer towards them.
“Hault Changeling!” Shining Armor spoke loud and firm to Actias who only stepped up to about five feet from them and dropped to his knees breathing out fog from his mouth.
“I, am Antias.” The changeling said to them. “I pledge my life to you Queen Cadance.” What else could he do at this point? Actias thought to himself, he had no hive any longer, no family, nothing. The only reason he still lives was because of this kingdom, and this Queen.
