Beneath The Surface

Mirror Image paced in front of the entrance to her hive. "This isn't good," she said to orange changeling waiting along with her, "Foreshadow should have returned by now! It never takes her this long to go into town" Mirror started to pick up her pace in front of the doorway. The hive was located in a cave system just outside of Manehatten, so that the changelings could make trips to gather emotional energy from the city.

"Calm down honey, I'm sure she just got caught up looking through some music shop." Translucence said to his wife, "You know how she gets around instruments, that mare is obsessed". He motioned towards the bundle next to him, "Come over here, our son is falling asleep." Mirror Image trotted over towards her family, she had known Translucence since they were hatchlings in their old hive. Five years ago they had decided that they wanted an egg of their own, and later that year, young Snapshot had been born. Mirror reached the bench and looked down at her son. He had barely been a year old when they had to flee the old hive to become Outcasts.

Snapshot was resting peacefully wrapped up in a blanket when Mirror picked him up. "Wake up sleepyhead!" Mirror said, raising Snapshot in the air, "You want to be awake for the hatching later don't you?".

"I don't care!" Snapshot said, struggling in his mother's grip, "I'm tired now! Why should I care about some stupid egg? I want to sleep." Snapshot yawned, proving his point.

"You know why, Snapshot," Mirror said, placing him onto the ground, "A hatching is a time of celebration for us changelings, it symbolizes new life and hope. There was a party when you were hatched too, you know." She poked his chest, "The fact that our hive is so small makes this an even bigger event. Fifty changelings is barely enough to keep this hive going." Suddenly, all three of the changelings' heads perked up and turned towards the gate.

Snapshot

My head perked up as I felt a presence enter the hive-mind. Since we were such a small group of changelings, the network connecting our minds didn't extend far beyond the boundary of the hive itself. A flood of information entered my mind that I couldn't quite decipher, while I was born with the ability to tap into the hive-mind, understanding most of the information passed through it was a talent I had yet to acquire. Until I learned how to decipher the information myself, an older changeling would have to magically transfer it from the network into me. That's how changelings have passed memories and abilities through the generations. Learning how to decipher the hive-mind, however, could not be transferred. I could still pick up emotions though, and this presence was very, very, worried.

The gate in front of me opened, revealing Foreshadow, a friend of my parents. She was returning from a scouting mission for the hive, and when she entered the hive-mind, whatever she learned was transferred to every changeling in the hive who could read it. I waved my hoof at her, still wishing I could just sleep.

"Foreshadow, what happened?" my mom asked, walking towards her friend.

"I don't know Mirror," Foreshadow said, "I tried to evade them, but they managed to track me farther than they should have. We need to get everyone together and decide what to do." I had no idea what they were talking about, but it didn't sound good. Translucence picked me up and placed me on his back.

"Come on everyone, we need to get the hub" He said, before walking over towards one of the caves that led into the hive proper. The hub was the center of the hive, physically and communally. It was a large chamber connected to almost every tunnel in the cave system. It was also where the Hatching was supposed to be held that evening.

15 Minutes Later

The hub was bustling with changelings. From the amount of chatter both in the room and in the hivemind I could tell that something was going on, but no one would tell me what. When I asked my parents all they would say was that 'It's going to be alright', whatever that meant. The hub was decorated with light crystals and had a stage in the center of the room. Along one of the walls was a few niches blocked with bars. I could see a couple suits of grey armor and weapons inside them.

A signal went through the hivemind, silencing the chatter in the room as everyone looked towards the stage. The feeling of nervousness and worry were prominent throughout the crowd, it seemed as though some changelings were on the verge of panic. Foreshadow stepped forward from our group onto the stage. My parents placed me back onto the floor and huddled close to each other, almost smothering me.

"Everyone," Foreshadow said, projecting throughout the room, "As you know, there was an altercation on my excursion into Manehatten. During my trip to the harbor, I was discovered by the local guard unit." There was a visible shudder in the room, "I don't know what they saw, but they found me even though I was disguised. I was able to avoid capture, but they followed me outside of the city. I'm certain that I shook off my tails, however, they will be on alert for us. It may be time to move our hive to a less populated area." This caused an uproar from some of the changelings around the stage, the idea of leaving clearly not being popular.

"We can't leave!" One changeling shouted, "What about our contacts in Manehatten!"

"And what about the work we've put into this hive?" Another shouted, "It would take months to build a new one, even if we could find a suitable area!"

"We barely have enough energy to support ourselves where we are now," The changeling next to me shouted, "If we move we would run out of energy before we could find a new home!" This cry got a few shouts of support. I didn't understand anything that was being said, I barely grasped what 'a suitable area' meant.

"Have you all forgotten why we're here?" Foreshadow said, looking into the faces around her, "Chrysalis has spies everywhere, and when she hears about an outcast changeling being discovered here, she will find us!" I suddenly felt very cold as everyone's emotions turned to fear. The mere mention of Chrysalis ending any argument in the hive. "We need to move," Foreshadow begged with the crowd, "Even if the guard doesn't find us on their own, The Swarm will surely-"

Foreshadow's speech was cut off with the loud BOOM of an explosion from the direction my family had come from. There was a brief moment of silence until everyone in the room moved at once. My father grabbed me and followed my mom as she ran towards one of the barred sections in the wall. Most changelings were running away from the direction of the explosion, but I saw Foreshadow, Mom, and six other changelings stopping to open up the gates around the armor stashed in the hub.

"How did they find us already?" Foreshadow said, grabbing a helmet off a shelf.

"Maybe they followed you back from the city?" Translucence asked, helping my mother put armored plates on the front of her legs.

"No way," Foreshadow replied, "I covered my tracks, there's no way that they followed me, they shouldn't have been able to see me after I left the city. Why would they come here this fast? They've never been this zealous."

"It doesn't matter," Mirror said, pulling an armored vest over her chest and midsection, "They're here, so we have to delay them long enough to get everyone out." I had no idea what was going on, why my mom was putting on armor, or what that explosion was, but the hivemind was going crazy. Focusing on it hurt my head. I looked at my dad, who was helping put armor on Mirror's flanks.

"How long do you think it will take to evacuate?" Translucence asked, stepping back from mom, now fully clad in armor.

"Hopefully not long," Mirror replied, putting a helmet on her head, "Everyone knows the plan, we'll meet back up in the woods." She kissed Translucence, before whispering "I love you" which he returned. She turned her head towards me, "You stay with your father, Snapshot."

"What's going on mom?" I asked her, a look of sympathy in her eyes, "Why's everyone so scared, and what was that noise?"

Mirror Image looked down at me, "Don't worry little one, everything will be alright." She pulled me into a hug before I could reply and kissed my forehead, "I love you, Snapshot." She put me back down and turned to my father, who was loading something into the metal part of the long wooden thing I was told not to play with. She took it from my dad before giving him a hug as well. She whispered something in his ear, before running off with the other armored changelings.

"Come on, Snapshot," my dad said, putting me on his back before running down one of the passages in the hub, "We have to catch up with the others."

"What's going on dad?" I asked, starting to cry from the mass of emotions being given off throughout the hive, it seemed like everyone was in a full panic, and it was taking its toll on the hivemind. "Where did mom go?"

"Don't worry Snapshot, everything will be fine," My dad replied, racing past the hive living quarters. "It's like a game of hide and seek. Mommy just went to make sure we have enough time to hide, and she'll meet us at our new hiding spot."

There was a loud series of Bangs down the passage we had just run through, before something happened in the hivemind. It was different from the normal input I usually felt, it was like someone passed the edge of the hivemind, but suddenly, rather than fading out. My father stopped running and looked back down the passage. "No" I heard him whisper, before he started running faster down the passageway.

"What was that dad?" I said, my voice wavering.

"Ignore that Snapshot! Just keep your head down and try to stay on me!" My dad shouted at me, panting as his pace increased. Why wouldn't he tell me what was happening? I clung to my father's back, hoping that if I closed my eyes tight enough, I would wake up in my room. No loud noises causing panic, no strange feelings in the hivemind, and no changelings trotting off with weapons and armor. If I could just wake up, everything would be normal.

After 10 minutes of running through the corridors that made up my home, my dad stopped. The hive had lost three more signals, I still wasn't sure what it meant, and Dad still wouldn't answer me. I opened my eyes to see him standing in front of a narrow, long staircase. "Alright, Snapshot," He said, starting to walk up the stairs, "I know that you haven't been outside the hive since we came to this one, But we're going to have to go above ground. It's not safe here anymore."

"But dad," I said, "We aren't supposed to leave the hive! You always said that it's to dangerous."

"I know," he replied, "But it's not safe inside the hive anymore either. We're prepared for this though, once we get out of this stairwell, we'll be inside a forest. Remember the memories I showed you about the forest? Trees as far as the eye can see. Well once we enter the forest, we have to meet with everyone else a few miles to the south. We have a camp set up there, we'll wait for the ones who are still inside the hive, and we'll build a new hive, somewhere else." We walked up to a wooden door, as my dad opened it, there was a gust of wind blew into the stairwell. We walked outside into the sunlight. I had seen it before in the memories I had been shown, but when we left the old hive, it was nighttime. I had never felt the suns warm rays on my chitin, the hive's temperature was kept constant by some magic that I hadn't grasped yet. I wished that I didn't have to leave the hive, but feeling the sun on my body for the first time was something I would never forget.

My father and I were waiting with the other changelings. Dad was being very quiet, and would not look me in the eyes. I guess this was all a big shock for him too. Because we were outside the hive, we had all donned disguises . At that moment, I was a small blue colt with no cutie mark, and my mane and eyes were grey. We were all still waiting for the changelings who stayed inside the hive while we left. Everyone was quiet, but it was a tense quiet that made me uncomfortable. Something snapped in the forest, everyone stopped and looked in the direction the noise had come form. A green mare wearing dark grey armor walked out of the forest into our camp before dropping her disguise, it was Foreshadow. She motioned her hoof towards the bushes she had emerged from, and three other armored changelings appeared, They were all covered in scratches, and two of them were being dragged on stretchers, blood-soaked bandages covering their chitin.

A few changelings rushed forward to help the injured. As they were taken away, other changelings were asking Foreshadow about what had happened. I heard none of this though, as I was scanning these new arrivals for Mirror Image. I couldn't find her, so I turned to my dad. "Where's mom? I can't see her."

Translucence's head dropped upon hearing my question. "...She...She's... I'm sorry Snapshot."

This confused me even more, my father was never one to be evasive, he was always serious, "Sorry about what dad? Mom should have been with Foreshadow right?"

My father starred at the ground for a moment, before looking back up at Foreshadow, who was organizing changelings to start packing up the camp. "Mirror," He said, his voice trembling, "Isn't coming back, Snapshot. Something happened when she went to stop the intruders. She's not coming back son." I saw tears forming in his eye as he looked back to me. "Mom is gone, Snapshot." he said quietly, before wrapping me into a hug.

I froze, "What?" I asked, shocked, "What are you talking about? Mom can't be gone Dad! She can't!" I was starting to cry. It was all to much.

"I'm sorry Snapshot," Dad said, "She's not coming back. She wanted to give us time to run... And she isn't come back."

I pushed myself away from my father, who wasn't hiding his tears anymore, "What do you mean?" I asked, crying almost as hard as my dad, "What's going on?"

My father was silent for a moment, before looking down at me, "We're being hunted, Snapshot. Because of who we choose to be, a lot of bad ponies and changelings are looking for us. And if they find us, they'll to do bad things to us. When Foreshadow went into the city, she was found out by some of them found her. Now they're here and we need to run." My father was trying to be strong, I could tell that much, but without Mirror Image some of his will was gone. I knew he was telling the truth about mom, too, no matter how much I wished I couldn't. Why would anyone want to chase us? We lived in a cave! My body was trembling in my father's embrace, from the incredible shock this day had given us all, my sorrow at discovering my mother's death, and the intense emotions welling up in my chest.

Crack!

My father jerked. Everything was starting to happen fast, changelings were screaming, and running in all directions and hiding behind trees and rocks. The hivemind was losing signals again. My father, however, slumped over where he was sitting, green blood leaking out of a large hole in his chest. "Dad?" I yelled, pushing him, trying to make him move, "Dad what's wrong?" I kept pushing, but he wouldn't move. I looked around, seeing bright flashes in the trees and bushes around us. Changelings were slumped over on the ground like Dad was, while others were running frantically. One of the changelings in armor lifted his wooden stick and it flashed, letting loose a long series of bangs. He only stopped when there was another crack, and the back of his head exploded into a green mist. He dropped his stick and fell over.

I couldn't move, everything was to intense. I could feel the hivemind cracking from the panic and signals disappearing. I was suddenly yanked up from behind. I turned in the stranger's grasp, flailing my limbs, and screaming at the top of my lungs. It was all to much, I couldn't think. "Snapshot!" I heard a voice say, "We have to go!" I looked into the face of the one who picked me up, it was Foreshadow.

"But Dad!" I yelled, tears still pouring down my face. I reached out to him, why wouldn't he move?

"I'm sorry Snapshot," Foreshadow said as she started to run towards the forest, with me on her back. Everybody kept saying that to me, that they were sorry.

We had just reached the edge of the clearing we were in when there was a sudden jerk, and I was thrown to the ground. Foreshadow yelled out as she hit the ground, she rolled onto her back and a sent a stream of flashes into the bushes around us. As I looked back towards her, I could see all of the bodies in the clearing. Some were moving, but most were still, green blood coating the ground around them. There were still a few changelings standing up, one of the armored changelings and a few unarmored ones were huddled behind a fallen tree. I saw a small green thing fly into the middle of them. The changelings panicked, I could feel the cold fear flowing through them.

There was a flash. Followed by a loud Kaboom, and pain coursed through my head. It was hard to hold my head up, it was too much. Everything hurt. I didn't need to see the changelings, I couldn't feel them anymore.

"Snapshot!" Foreshadow shouted at me again, crawling towards me, "Snapshot, listen to me. You need to run! Okay?" I could tell she was in incredible pain, but I managed to nod my head. "Go Snapshot! Don't worry about us, we'll be fine. You just need to keep running!" I slowly got up onto my legs, and started to run away from Foreshadow.

As I ran, I could hear the noises back in the clearing start to slow down. There was another loud kaboom! and one last signal dropped from the hivemind. With a sharp pain, my mind plunged into darkness, the usual feeling of being interconnected fell away from me. I was alone, and so very cold.

There was another flash of light, before I was once again standing inside the hallway filled with doors. My lungs burned as I gulped in breath after breath. I shivered and rubbed my sides, trying to warm up. Everything was cold. The Princess was on the floor next to me, drenched in sweat and catching her breathe as well.

"What happened?" I asked, gulping down a mouthful of air, "What was that?"

She looked up at me, pity and sympathy clear on her face, "That... The was a memory. One of your memories." She glanced at the door that had opened, "Your emotional outburst must have triggered it. Instead of watching it from outside, we were drawn into it."

We were both silent for a moment, taking in what had just happened. I looked up at her, I could feel the waves of emotion around her again. Sorrow, anger, empathy. That last one surprised me, true empathy was less common than most ponies seemed to think. It wasn't rare by any means, but fully immersing yourself in someone else's situation and opening up to all of the pain that it entails is beyond what most ponies can bring themselves to do. I was used to pity. Misguided or not, pity was a common occurrence. But the princess was devoid of it.

She let out a small breath, "I... I am truly sorry. Nopony should have to go through something like that, especially at such a young age." I didn't respond. Why was I still so cold? I couldn't seem to warm up, no matter how much I tried. "If it is any consolation, I can safely say that you are not associated with Chrysalis. That should ease some of the tension regarding your presence."

I looked up into her eyes, reading her emotions carefully. She meant it, the sorrow was as real as her other emotions. "It's not like it matters," I muttered, "They're still dead." I turned away from her. All of my energy was spent, I was so tired.

"Princess, what are you planning on doing with me?"

She looked troubled with my question, "I do not really know," She said, her eyebrows scrunching, "You are clearly not associated with Chrysalis, but at the same time, changelings are regarded as the enemies of Equestria. You are presenting quite the conundrum." She regarded me carefully, "When did this take place?"

"I was... Uhh," I tried to think of when it had taken place through the fog that was starting to cloud my mind, "It was... Eleven years ago. I think." I laid down on the ground, sitting up took to much energy.

"That was six years before Canterlot? Before the invasion?"

"Yeah, Princess. I was, uhh, four?" I rolled onto my back and looked at her. The Princess had her hoof on her muzzle, deep in thought.

"Princess..." I slurred, talking was to much too. I wanted to sleep again.

"Yes?" She said, looking up at me.

"M' hungry." My head fell onto the floor, colored filled my vision.

"Snapshot!" Her voice called out from a mile away as everything faded to black.