A New Day

    We made it to our house with no trouble. Our home is a large building with ten bedrooms, five shared bathrooms, one kitchen, a dining room, and a living room. We only needed eight of the rooms since Leaf and Tulip were siblings and would share one. We had some decorators make it seem like a royalty lived there.

   My broodlings insisted on that. Wormwood made sure that they didn’t even lay a hoof on the two extra rooms. He wanted to make those up in the hive fashion. And they turned out beautiful. Both are now two of the most important chambers a hive needs. Of course only my broodlings and I have a key to their doors.

   The one upstairs became a training room. Complete with training dummies, ringed targets, a blackboard and three mirrors. We practice our magic, our strategies for escapes, and our shape-shifting. The other is more important; it’s our love pool.

   It is the downstairs room in the back, thankfully. It is covered in the same slime substance as the training room, but instead of all the training gear there is a pool. The pool is in the far corner of the room and is filled with a light pink liquid. We call it ‘Plink.’ It’s the love my two hunters collected while on there jobs. They can take in more Plink from ponies than a regular changeling.

   When we came inside the door the others popped out from the kitchen. Rook shut the door and dropped his disguise and the rest of us followed. “Welcome home!” Wormwood shouted. He must have put some clear slime on the floor because it was gleaming in the light. Poor boy, he really loves building.

  “It feels good to be out of the fur, don’t you agree,” I said. The three changelings behind me said yes in unison. To me hivemind is horrible, I hated having them always agreeing with me. No way to change that. The only way is if a changeling queen is cut off from her hive forever. And my broodlings wouldn’t do that.

   “What’s cooking?” I asked. “Onyx is making celery soup, my queen,” Wormwood answered. I trotted into the kitchen seeing Onyx over a stove levitating the green vegetable to a soup pot. “Smells great,” I said. Poor boy, I scared him.

   Onyx jumped at my voice and clung to the ceiling. “Oh it’s you, my queen,” he said. I trotted up to the pot as he slowly fluttered down. “It’s your favorite,” he said his voice growing softer. I really felt bad for Onyx. He came from Chrysalis’s Swarm and was shook up upon seeing his former queen.

  “Thank you Onyx,” I said. “Have you seen Nymph?” As if on cue, a black blur jumped on my back. “My queen, are you all right?” Wormwood cried. Onyx took cover behind a flour sack. “I’m fine,” I said. I got up with a small changeling clinging to my back.

From Nymph’s Eyes

  It’s been nearly two hours since mom left and I’m bored! Onyx has been in the kitchen for the whole time, Wormwood was busy sliming the floor, and Tulip won’t play with me. I really hate it when mom leaves. The only other ling was Leaf and he was in the training room.

I walked into the kitchen seeing Onyx using the stove. “Onyx can I help,” I said. I can’t believe I did that. He turned around from the stove. “Oh, hello Nymph. Can you get the celery,” he asked. At least I get to fly. I rose to the shelf and grabbed his celery. After handing it to him I got an idea.

From Emerald’s Eyes

   “Nymph!” I shouted. This was the twelfth time this week he ambushed me. He climbed off my back head hanging low. This was the first I yelled about it. I attracted the attention of all my broodlings. They filed into the kitchen thinking that he would be punished

  He looked up at me with his big green eyes. Staring at him my eyes met his horn. Poor Nymph. When Locust saw his egg amongst all the others, during my mother’s rule, he was certain that my mother would throw his egg away. Nymph was born with a small horn; it was about the size of a unicorn’s. For a changeling that was not good.

  “Nymph, please don’t do that again,” I said. “You could have been hurt.” He is weaker than others. “I’m sorry mom,” he said. Mantis and Locust glared at him. Those to kept telling him to call me queen, but I remind them he is my child.

  “Nymph go get ready for dinner, that goes for all you,” I said turning to the others. “I want sparkling faces.” My brood saluted and went to their bathrooms. As I was trotting to the stairs to mine, I heard a knock at the door.

With a flash of magic I sent the warning signal to the others. Green flames came from the back rooms, indicating they got it. We have a visitor. We do get them every now and then, but at this time?

  Changing into my disguise I answered the door. “Hello,” I said in a cheery tone. Always be happy. The pony at the door was a white unicorn mare with a curling purple mane. “Excuse me darling, but is Cupcake here?” she asked. I nodded and let her in.

  Course I didn’t see the group of ponies behind her. I couldn’t leave them outside so I went along with it. Once they were in the living room I turned to the mare. “What do you want with Cupcake?” I asked. She levitated a necklace out of her saddlebags. “She left this when she went with Mister Raindrop,” she replied. “I couldn’t just leave it there, so I asked around till someone pointed me here.”

  Looking over her shoulder I stared at her group. “Oh they are my friends, I hope you don’t mind. We travel together,” she explained. They all waved a hoof at me. The pink one waved a rubber chicken. What?

“Hold on a moment dear,” I said. I trotted over to the hall where my broodlings were hiding. “Come out,” I said. “We have guests.” I sat down on the big chair while the mare stood a little confused. Only the princess thought my home situation was strange. Oh well, ce-la ve.

  The first one was Pinwheel who, once again, jumped on me. Next came Treble, my musical broodling. Next, Green Leaf, smiling almost as big as the pink one. After him was Karma, my resident zebra. Then Wood Well came down stairs, always trying to be different. Cupcake came out soon smiling upon seeing her new friend. Rook and Raindrop came out together.

  “Cupcake this mare has something of yours,” I said gesturing to the white unicorn. “Oh, thanks Rarity. I wondered where this went,” she said. Rarity looked over Cupcake’s shoulder and stared at my broodlings.

From Rook’s Eyes

  I don’t believe it. We never had this many in our house. Hey there’s that purple unicorn. Maybe I can get her name now. Certainly my queen wouldn’t mind. Wait the other unicorn is watching us. Did my disguise fall?

From Karma’s Eyes

  Look at those ponies. With their colorful coats and cutie marks. At least they aren’t looking at me. Maybe I can sneak away. Wait that white horned one is looking. What did you do Mantis.

From Green Leaf’s Eyes

    Oh boy! New ponies! I never meet ponies outside of work. The only visitor we get is the giant white pegacorn. She only sees our queen for advice. Never staying for dinner or dessert! Man I want to meet one of them. Maybe that pink mare over there. She seems friendly. Wait, is that a chicken?

From Wood Well’s Eyes

  I hope these ponies are pleased with my thin coat of slime. It really gives a comfort to the hooves after a long day of standing. I know my queen likes it. She didn’t get rid of it like the green slime last week. Apparently the princess was at the door and Emerald had to get rid of my slime walls. Wait! The unicorn is looking. Helix save us.

From Treble’s Eyes

   I think the soup is burning. Maybe I should go and check. I backed away from my friends. Success I’m in! Now let’s see. Nope it’s fine. Just turn off the stove and walk back in the living room. I stopped at the doorway. The white mare is watching. Is it me?

From Raindrop’s Eyes

   The ponies are all watching us. Should I drop my coat and attack? No wait for orders. I am a good changeling. I must listen to my queen.

From Emerald’s Eyes

  I got up from my chair and stood next to Cupcake. “These are my friends,” I said. I pointed a hoof at each one. “This is Raindrop, Rook, Treble, Wood Well, Karma, and Green Leaf. And the young colt here is my son Pinwheel.” The white mare smiled. Thank the Helix.

   “These are my friends,” she said. Rarity gestured to each one of the ponies behind her. “This is Pinkie Pie.” The pink mare with the chicken. “Rainbow Dash.” The one with a spectrum mane. “Twilight Sparkle.” Must be the purple unicorn Rook played with. “Applejack.” A blonde maned earth pony. “And Fluttershy.” A quiet yellow pegasus a shade lighter than Raindrop.

  “It’s nice to meet you all,” I said. “But we must be getting to bed.” I looked over to my broodlings then back at them. Where did the pink one go? I stared at the spot where she was then looked around searching for the pink earth pony. I got my answer when I looked behind me.

   “Maybe we can hang out tomorrow then,” she said. I nearly lost my disguise. “I’m sorry, but we do have jobs to do.” Pinkie Pie, I think that was her name, frowned and gave out a big “Aw.” Poor girl, I hate making ponies sad. “We can visit you at your homes, if you want,” I said smiling down at her.

  She practically jumped for joy. The purple unicorn came up to me. “We live in Ponyville. If you want to come see us, you have to know where we live,” she said. The six ponies wrote down their addresses and left.

We ate our dinner then I went to each room to tuck my broodlings in. Afterwards I went to my room and dropped my disguise. Felt good to be out of that hot fur. I placed the paper of addresses on my desk then climbed into bed. Making a mental note to remember their names.