Seeking

Chapter 10

            Number 156 threw herself into her webby hammock.  Compared to Jailer training, basic training was easy.  Oh, how she missed those days, the teachers were kinder, the food was better and you could actually see your parents.  No.  It’s forbidden to think of your parents.  She shook away the thought and focused on something else.  How many holes were in her leg?  She rolled over to her back and stared at her legs.  One, two, three, four….twelve in all, that was normal, one of the few normal things about her.  She sighed and rolled back over to her stomach.  She hated her black insect like skin, her red eyes, her long mane, she hated it all, she hated herself.  Was she crying?  Yes.  Why?  Changelings aren’t supposed to cry, they are strong, fearless, all powerful, the greatest species of all races on this planet.  Weren’t they?  No, this was a lie, a lie she believed, a lie she had to believe, a lie every changeling had to believe.  She knew the truth, what the changelings really were.  They were a race that consumed love, but survived off of hate and despair.  Thousands of them could die, but it wouldn’t matter, as long as the queen was happy they were happy.  They blindly lived for their queen, even she was fooled by her.  She lived for her, to make her proud.  Why?  She knew all these things, but she stayed loyal to the queen.  She hit her forehead.  No, if anyone caught her thinking like this she’d be put to death.  She looked out into the bed chamber.  It was dark, the torches were put out so it was hard to see, but she could make out something.  Two small figures moving around in the dark and shadows.  They were whispering, talking about something they didn’t want others to hear, but their voices sounded young and un-changeling like…like they were ponies…oh no…they had to be ponies, all the other changelings were at training, besides her. There was a chance that these were other “sick” changelings coming back from training.  If only she hadn’t faked sick to get out of training she wouldn’t be in this situation.  Maybe they hadn’t noticed her yet!  She had to try and listen in on their conversation.

            “Are you sure this is the right way to castle?”  A young filly like voice asked.

            “Not as sure as I was five minutes ago my cold winged friend.”  This time it was colt talking.  A filly and colt, how’d they get in here?

            “You’re so useless, I thought you said we’d find the castle no problem that you had a plan, that nothing would go wrong, that it was going to be an ad-ven-ture.”

            “Your cutie mark should be you nagging other ponies, you know that right?”

            There was no doubting it now, they were ponies.  No changeling was allowed to get a cutie mark.  What should she do?  There was two options, engage them or ignore them.  If she ignored them they would be on their way and she’d never have to deal with them again, but wasn’t it her duty as a changeling to capture an intruders?

            “What happens if we run into any changelings?”  The filly asked.

            “Well not much we can do, we can hope they’re as nice as the changeling who’s pretending to be asleep on that bed over there.”  The colt replied.

            Crap!  Had they found her?  What should she do?  What could she do?  She was too exhausted from training to fight anypony and she was outnumbered…by a filly and colt who were probably two years younger than her.  She had to do something though.

            Number 156 worked enough courage to jump out of bed and face the two ponies, “Listen here, who are you guys?”

            “Um…over here…” The colt said from behind.

            It was very dark and what Number 156 actually faced was two piles of dirty blankets.  She quickly turned around and let out an awkward cough.  “Anyways, you’ll tell me who you are now.”

            “I’m Friend and this is Frost Bite, ummm here let me-” A light flickered over the dark purple unicorn’s horn.  “Hi I’m friend and this ice blue pegasus is Frost Bite, careful, she really will bite you.”

            “Um…hi….please don’t kill us?”  Frost Bite begged from behind Friend.

            “Why are you here?”  Number 156 asked in the bravest voice she could muster.

            Friend trotted up to her and poked her chest, “Why are YOU here?” He asked mocking her voice.

            “I sleep here….WAIT!  I’m the changeling and you’re the pony you need to answer my questions!”

            “Why can’t I ask questions?  I want to ask questions!”

            “You’re in our homeland, so I get to ask the questions, now tell me what are you doing here?”

            “Friend we should just listen to her before she calls more changelings here!”  Frost Bite insisted.  She pulled at his hoof trying to lead him away, but he wouldn’t leave.

            “No, not yet, I have some questions for this mare.”

            Number 156 rubbed her face, this pony wouldn’t listen to reason, but maybe he would make a compromise.  “Ok, it doesn’t look like we’ll get anywhere like this.  We both have questions and I’m not really in mood to write a report about finding ponies in the Hive, so I have an offer.”

            “What’s your offer?”

            “Noooo Friend, we should just go back, I don’t think we should trust her, she’s a changeling.”

            Friend looked over to Frost Bite, “That’s got nothing to do with nothing, I want to hear her out.”  He looked back at Number 156 and grinned, “So what’s your offer?”

            “We take turns asking each other questions, but we should be quick about it, training will be over soon and changelings will be heading back here.”

            “OK!  I like it!  Let’s do that one.”  He looked back at Frost Bite, “See!  She’s not so bad, I like her!  You worry way too much.”  He jumped back to Number 156 and bowed his head, “Mare’s first.”

            “Ok…”  This was a very strange colt, didn’t seem like his brain functioned very well, “Where did you guys come from?”

            “According to my mom, the stork!  My turn!”

            “Wai-”

            “No no no no, my turn.  I answered your question now it’s my turn.  What’s your name?”

            “Friend!  That’s a stupid question, just ask where the castle is so we can go!”  Frost Bite complained.

            “I want to know who I’m talking to, listen to your name and chill.”

            “Hmph!”  Frost Bite turned her head in disapproval and trotted away to another part of the room.

            “Soooo, what’s your name?”

            “I’m Number 156.”

            “What kind of name is-”

            “HEY!  I answered your question, it’s my turn.”  Number 156 smirked, but now she had to think of a question to figure out where these ponies came from.  “Ok, how did you guys get into the Hive, where were you prior to being in this room?”

            “We were in the cells a couple levels down.  Me and Frosty here decided to a take a walk around.  We heard that there was a castle somewhere around here so…why not?”  Friend started to walk around Number 156, inspecting her, “My turn, eh?  Hmmm….What kind of name is Number 156?”

            Number 156 kept Friend in her sight as he circled her, “All changelings are given a number that they are identified as, besides spies or high ranking officers of the army changelings don’t get names.”

            “Ok Crimson Glare.”

            “What?”

            “That’s your new name, I think it suits you very well.  Strong, brave, attractive.”  Friend winked at Number 156, “Now my turn!”

            “Wait!  I didn’t get to ask a question, I still need to ask you one!”

            Friend stopped circling Number 156, “You asked me “What?”  I’m pretty sure that’s a question, so my turn!”

            Number 156 sighed, she really didn’t want to deal with this.  “Fine, I think that’s irrational, but go ahead.”

Friend looked over to Frost Bite who was observing the changeling beddings around the room, “Ok, where is the castle located in this place, I heard chit chat about a castle being buried somewhere around here.”

“It’s about time, thank you for finally asking the important question!”  Frost Bite called from the fall end of the room.

“HEY!  Your face is making that annoying sound again, might want to get that checked out!”  Friend grinned, “So where’s the castle?”

“I’m not entirely-”

Number 156 turned to one of the several entrance tunnels to the bed chambers.  Voices.  They were growing closer and closer.  Training was over and the changelings would be returning.  They were out of time.

“I can’t explain where it is right now, we don’t have the time, you have to get out of here now!  If you don’t all of our heads will be on a spike.”

“No.”  Friend planted his feet firmly on the ground and looked at Number 156 expectantly.

“WHAT?!  If you don’t go now we’ll all be killed!”

“I’m with the changeling on this one, I think we should listen to her.”  Frost Bite said, quickly galloping over to friend.

“No, I won’t leave until you answer my question.”

They were running out of time, Number 156 didn’t have time to explain, but Friend wasn’t about to leave.  She had to do something, but…damn it.  It was her only option.

“Fine!”  She shouted, “I’ll bring you to the castle if you promise you’ll leave me alone afterwards!”

“Ok, that works, does work with you Frosty, it works with me!”  Friend began to trot over one of the quieter holes, “Let’s get a move on Crimson!”