Chapter I: A Friendly Game
Living The Hive Life
~~~
Chapter I: A Friendly Game
Changelings are some of the world’s most mysterious creatures. They are intelligent shape-shifters, lead by a group of nine monarchs known as the ‘Unseelie Court’. Their society is one of great strength, every single Changeling trained for combat and espionage from birth. Of course, there is more to their species than just their military, similar to the Ponies, Griffins and all other sentient races.
There are many professions outside combat or infiltration. Against popular belief, many Changelings still eat, for -- although their primary sustenance comes from love -- the taste and texture of real food is hard to beat. There are teachers, performers, private businesses and many more options.
The Changeling species is divided precariously into nine prime ‘Hives’ with many smaller ones surrounding them. Our story starts in Hive Mephistis, home of Queen Chrysalis and some of Changeling history’s greatest heroes. Nocturus Lance, captain of the honour guard and one of their most powerful warriors. Sa'kira, one of the world’s most talented seers.
Recently, there have been rumours of an impending war between Changelings and the other races. In this time of worry, with potential enemies pressing in on all sides, the Unseelie Court looks to its warriors to stand strong and protect their civilisation from the multiple threats. They look to their species’ elite warriors, who have spent their entire lives training for the day that they go to war.
“I’M BOOOORED!”
This isn’t their story.
Mimic Shift landed face-first on the couch in front of him. Fumbling a little, he kicked the door he had walked through, effectively shutting it. Swift Shade turned around in his chair to look at his house-mate. Mimic had a pretty impressive stature for one who did so little actual work. He was much slimmer than most Changelings, giving him a look of speed and energy. His horn was smooth and curved upwards. Mimic’s mane was spiked upwards -- typical of a Changeling -- and he wore a smooth, dark blue carapace.
Swift Shade was his opposite. Whereas Mimic was slim, Swift boasted broader shoulders. Like his friend, he too sported a smooth dark blue carapace, but where Mimic’s horn was smooth, Swift’s was jagged and dangerous looking. He was slightly taller than Mimic, landing him a good hoof taller than most Changelings. He had a slightly torn left ear from a brawl he’d gotten into a few years earlier. Mimic was younger than Swift by about a year. The two had met at the academy and had become fast friends.
The smaller Changeling rolled over, groaning overdramatically. It was at times like this when Swift regretted that decision.
“What’s up, Mimic? Shouldn’t you be on patrol?”
The smaller Changeling immediately stopped his groaning to look at his friend. The two stared at each other for a moment, deep pools of cerulean blue studying the other in detail. They held this position for a moment, before Mimic burst into laughter.
“Oh, oh sweet Nocturus, you nearly got me!” Mimic gasped through a bout of laughter. He wiped a tear from his eyes before continuing. “Seriously Swift, you know me better than that. ‘Sides, it’s not like the guard would fall apart without me.”
“You really should at least try and show up to your job Mimic. I am honestly surprised you still have one,” Swift chastised.
“Oh c’mon, it’s not like you’re much better. When was the last time you even showed up?” Mimic countered, still grinning as Swift joined him on the couch. Swift opened his mouth to reply, but found himself at a loss for words. When was the last time I showed up?
Seeing that he had won, Mimic laughed again before hopping off the couch and stretching his legs. He looked around the room. Well, room wasn’t really the correct term, more like cave; Just as most Changelings did, Mimic lived inside a hollowed-out cave. The two shared the place with their friend Dusk Shadows because none of them could afford rent on their own. Despite what some of the other Changelings thought, being a guard really didn't pay very well when over a third of your entire species served as one. Maybe I should just go and live in the barracks? Mimic thought, before immediately dismissing the idea. He wouldn't take that kind of charity, not from anyone. Besides, most of the other guards didn't like him anyways, why give them an easy shot?
He frowned at this, Why doesn't Swift stay in the barracks? having never really asked anything personal, Mimic unsurprisingly didn't know very much about his friend as a Changeling. Urgh! Thinking. Bad. Don't do it! Thinking is something smart Changelings do, I am not a smart Changeling. Mimic groaned, he was getting bored. When he got bored, he got introspective. That was bad. Suddenly, an idea popped into Mimic's head.
“Hey Swift?” Mimic asked, casually leaning against the wall.
“M’yeah?” Swift replied, opening his eyes to see Mimic’s mad grin mere inches away. “WAAAH!” the larger changeling screamed, scrambling backwards in surprise.
“What in the name of Tartarus was that for!?” Swift shouted, recovering from his initial fright and tactfully ignoring the fact that he had been screaming like a hatchling mere moments ago. All Mimic did in response was hold a hoof to his lips.
“Shhhhh.”
“What are you tal--”
“Shhhhh.”
“Bu-”
“Shhhhh!”
“What!? What is it!?” Swift shouted in exasperation. Mimic’s response was to lean forward and bop his friend on the nose.
“Tag,” whispered the smaller Changeling, before turning around and gracefully leaping out the window.
Swift stared out the window for a moment, before looking back at his nose. He repeated this a few times before his mind could actually comprehend what had happened. Deciding to just ignore it, he turned back to his desk to continue reading. Unfortunately, his book was no longer there. Swift let out a long, angry growl.
“Mimic!”
A black blur shot through the streets of Mephistis. It darted between stalls, narrowly missing the many other Changelings who were out on business. The blur swerved this way and that, throwing itself in a spiral as it passed through the middle of a group of Hive Guard. The armoured changelings angrily shouted at the speeding blur to slow down, but their warnings fell on deaf ears.
Mimic grinned. He was pretty certain that had been his patrol group. I’ll make sure to make a return visit later, preferably with a few buckets of water in tow. He giggled childishly at the thought.
Mimic’s line of thought was abruptly cut short when he flew head first into a familiar bulky shape. Shaking his head, he looked up at the smug face of Swift Shade. The larger changeling leaned down so that he was face to face with Mimic.
“Book. Now.”
Mimic held his hooves up in the air innocently. “Hey pal, I haven’t got anything, see?”
In response, Swift nudged his friend to the side. Overbalanced, Mimic fell over, revealing a red tome which he had been sitting on. Mimic scrambled back up and took the book in a telekinetic grasp.
“Alright alright, you got me, but one thing first.”
Swift sighed. “What?”
“You were meant to say ‘tag’,” Mimic concluded, tossing the book high into the air before jumping over his bewildered friend and continuing his game. The book fell back down and was caught by the fleeing Changeling. Swift was a little more prepared this time -- it only took him a second to recover before he tore after his friend, and more importantly, his book.
Mimic laughed as he ran. This was a great way to relieve boredom! In a way, I’m even doing my patrol right now. He flew around a stalactite, alighting on top of it for a moment to catch his breath. After a less-than-graceful landing he scanned the surrounding area. All around, Changelings were going about their daily business. Blocks of dark stone buildings sprouted up all over the place. Even further down Mimic could make out some of the lower levels of the hive. In the distance sat Queen Chrysalis’ castle, its huge spires almost touching the top of the cavern.
A buzzing sound reached Mimic’s ears and in one smooth motion he backflipped away from the edge of the stalactite. A bulky black blur shot underneath him and crashed directly into the hard stone. The Changeling skidded across the rocky surface, making a sound akin to scratching a chalkboard. Mimic winced, covering his ears. That’s gotta hurt.
Seemingly unperturbed, Swift twirled back up around to face his friend. Before Mimic could say anything, the larger Changeling buzzed his wings and tackled him off the stalactite. The two hurtled towards the ground at an alarming speed, twisting and turning to try and get a better grip on the other.
“Just give me the book!” Swift yelled over the rushing wind.
“No!” Mimic shouted back, slapping Swift across the face with the side of his hoof. Any response which Swift may have formulated was cut short by a resounding crash, as the two fell through the ceiling of somebody’s house. This was followed by a splash of water and a scream. The former due to the fact that the two had luckily landed in somebody’s bath — the latter because said bath was occupied.
Mimic yelped as he was smacked around the head by a brush. Quickly scrambling backwards, his eyes darted around the room. The door was probably locked and his wings were too wet to fly with, so the window wasn’t an option. The Changeling who’s bath he had crashed into screamed again, calling for the guards to come help.
Oh this is bad.
Mimic ran over to the door, fumbling to try and open it. Suddenly, from behind him came a monstrous war cry. Twirling around, he saw Swift sprinting forward, head lowered and wings buzzing. Mimic quickly jumped aside to give his friend room. This is going to be good.
The door shattered outwards, pieces of it flying in every direction. Swift Shade grinned smugly at his work. Behind him came Mimic, who was busy fending off an enraged Changeling wielding a hairbrush.
“You crazy bastards are paying for that!” she screamed angrily.
“Argh! Swift, help!” Swift Shade turned to regard the scene, tilting his head to the side in contemplation. After a minute of consideration, he fired a quick stun spell and the angered femling fell to the ground. Mimic stared at the unconscious changeling for a moment, before turning to his friend.
“I’m pretty sure we just broke the law.”
“Yup.”
“...”
“...”
“Wanna run for it?”
“Sounds good.” Swift replied. He then turned to the front door, casually opened it, looked both ways to check for any witnesses, and then ran like tartarus was biting at his back. Mimic followed his example, stopping to scribble a quick note and leaving it on top of the poor Changeling, before making good on his own escape.
Dusk Shadows flung open the door to her house, and flicked her long, teal mane out of her eyes. Trotting in, she dropped her bag onto the floor and flopped onto the couch beside her housemates. As she took in the sight of the room she noticed that the window had been shattered and was currently covered by a tactfully placed rock. She would have asked what had happened, but decided that it was best if she didn’t know.
“So what did you two do today?” she asked, hoping that she was stepping into easier ground.
Mimic and Swift shared a glance.
“A friendly game of tag,” they replied, before clinking their bottles of cider together and simultaneously taking a swig. Dusk Shadow’s eyes darted between the two, and suddenly she was very certain that they had let loose some kind of evil god. Before her mind could begin constructing any more terrifying fantasies, Mimic tossed a bottle of cider her way. She looked up at him, confusion evident in her eyes.
Mimic simply grinned at her in response “Here’s to freedom Dusky,” he said, raising his bottle. The other two followed suit and with a chant of ‘Hi-yay!’ The three drank together into the wee hours of the morning. Today was a good day.
Ivory Light woke with a start. Urgh, what happened? A cursory glance over her surrounding areas brought her memories right back. Two Drones had crashed through her ceiling, broken down her door and then knocked her unconscious. In the corner of her eye, Ivory noticed a small note. Hesitantly, she picked it up and read aloud.
“Hey Miss, sorry about the ceiling, don’t worry though, they aren’t hard to replace. For all the trouble I figured I’d leave you something. If you check on your desk you should find a ‘I’m sorry’ present.
Yours truly,
Sexy rugged stranger.”
Ivory made a face as she read the last sentence. Nevertheless, she walked over to her desk to see what had been left. Sitting on it was a large, thick, red tome titled ‘Daring Do and the Fork of Truth.’
“Seriously?” she asked the air incredulously. “A book!?”
“YOU BASTARD!”
“Hey, it’s not my fault! You broke her roof!”
“I can lick my nose!”
“...”
“...”
“...”
“I’m just gonna buy a new one.”
“That would be best.”
Author's Note
Whew, I've been working on this story for awhile and I'm glad to say it's up. Mimic and the gang have been running around my head, so I'm very happy to see them doing stuff now. Anyway, comments, upvotes favourites and all are greatly appreciated! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I'd like to say, any suggestion for future chapters are welcome. Have a nice day everyone!
EDIT: Thanks to the review generously provided by Garnot, I have edited this chapter with a little more info and changed a few things. Thanks Garnot!
~DeepShift
Living The Hive Life
~~~
Chapter II: Family
Hearths Warming was an active time for Changelings. Although originally a Pony celebration, the Changelings -- and many other races -- had adopted the holiday as their own for various reasons. For the Changelings of hive Mephistis, it was to celebrate High Commander Nocturne’s victory over the self-proclaimed ‘Lord of the Winter’ -- a rebel Changeling -- named Voruk. The traitor had lead an entire Hive into rebellion against the court, backed by the powerful spirits of hate and anger known only as the Windigo. The short-lived war was brutal and cold, happening a few decades after the Pony’s own Hearths Warming story.
The war came to its end when Nocturne lead a group of Honour Guard into the centre of Voruk’s forces, fighting the insane Changeling one-on-one. This was also the duel in which Nocturne lost his right eye, something which would become a symbol of the hero many years later. It is said that the duel lasted for days, finally ending when Voruk made a rash attack, his blade getting stuck in the trunk of a tree. Nocturne was able to slip under the Winter Lord’s guard as he thought to remove the blade, and remove his legs. The war ended soon after, the Windigo being banished back to the fae after their conduit -- a gem Voruk wore around his neck -- was destroyed.
Even now, some of Voruk’s rebels remain scattered throughout the northern mountains. The Traitor’s hive was destroyed after the war, burying all remnants of his madness under rubble and ice. It has become tradition for Changelings to decorate trees with gems and blades in honour of Nocturne's first step into the halls of legend. Over the centuries, the holiday had evolved from a small tradition to a full-blown celebration. Parties would be held all throughout the Hives, gifts would be given and many fun times would be had. It was not unheard of for Changelings to journey to the surface at this time of year, to share the holiday with some of the other races and enjoy the different cultures.
Mimic Shift particularly enjoyed the holiday, as it gave him time off work to hang out with his friends and just relax. When you worked in the Hive Guard, you didn’t really get much free time, so Holidays like this were an utter blessing.Sure, the weeks coming up to it were brutal --the drunken revelrie of many Changelings often got a little out of control -- but it was well worth it when the holidays finally came.
The Changeling was currently standing in the back of Chaser’s -- a club owned by his friend Mist Chaser -- mixing drinks in preparation for a party which would be held in a few hours. Misty stood with him, working on her own drinks. Out in the main room Dusk Shadows and her friends Ivory and Violet Light (who Mimic was doing his best to avoid for fear of retribution for a certain roof-related incident) were working on the tree. They had spent the better part of a week trying to get that thing down from the surface, but it had been worth it. The large green plant stood proudly in the centre of the club, shining with light from the many crystals that hung from its branches.
A little further in, was a small-framed Changeling setting up a large set of speakers next to a mixing table. She had a pair of purple headphones hanging around her neck, and her eyes were luminescent pink, a sure sign that she was from a different Hive. Maybe Miasma, Mimic seemed to recall their aura colour being pink or purple or something. Nobody seemed to know her real name, but she had become locally known as ‘DJ Pink Eyes.’ She’d moved in a few years back, and had taken up a permanent job as Chaser’s resident ‘Disc Jockey.’
Swift Shade, Night Raid, and a few other members of the guard would be dropping by later for the party, but that was still a few hours away. Realistically, Mimic should have been working on his drinks, but at this moment in time he found his mind drawn to other things. Hearths Warming was a time for family and friends to get together, to talk and have fun. To share in that bond which ties you to the others of you brood.
Mimic had no such thing. He had never known his family, never been part of a clan. He had no distant relatives, he was an abnormality. He’d simply been dropped with a foster brother -- a Hive Guard called Mantai. About a century and a half ago, Mantai had lost his life to the claws of a great Buggane. It had been this that inspired Mimic to join the guard, that way nobody else would have to die like that again.
It was at this time of year that Mimic found his mind drifting back to his brother. He never admitted it, but he missed Mantai. He always felt a little lonely around now. Dusk Shadows would be going to visit her parents after the party, Swift Shade was off to see his dad, even Misty had her sister coming down. Everybody else would be spending Hearths Warming Day with family, or in some cases, their entire clan.
Everyone except me, Mimic thought miserably. He wasn’t even remotely related to a clan! Almost everybody was at least sort of related to a clan, but nope! Not me, not Mimic! He’s not allowed to have a family, ‘cause he’s a Chrysalis damned freak of nature! His increasingly dark line of thought was abruptly cut off as a hoof lightly touched his shoulder.
Mimic jolted, twirling around to see Mist Chaser’s worried face.
“Sweet, baby Discord on a pike don’t do that!” Mimic exclaimed, shaking his head a little. He looked back up to see the still worried look on Misty’s face. Fuck.
“You okay Mimic? You look troubled,” she asked with that calm patient smile of hers. A small smile of Mimic’s own broke across his face, Misty was always looking out for others. She was the kind of person he signed up to protect.
“Yeah, yeah I’m cool. Just got a little thinky again, you know how dangerous that can be when it comes to me,” Mimic replied, flashing a charismatic grin to assuage his friend’s fears, No need to get Misty worried about me. Mist Chaser smiled back, giving her friend a little bump with her hip.
“I’ll let you in on a little secret. Even I get a little thinky sometimes, and it isn’t always bad,” she said with a small chuckle. She turned to go back to her work, but she stopped after a few steps and called back “But if you’re really all that worried about it, you better get back to work on these drinks, they should help keep the thinking away.”
Mimic laughed at that, shaking his head before getting back to the drinks. No point getting all miserable right now, there was a party to prepare!
Swift Shade strolled through the streets of Hive Mephistis, nodding at the occasional passerby he recognised and wishing them a happy Hearths Warming Eve. It seemed that Hearths Warming really did bring out the best in people. He had a bag of gifts floating in his telekinetic grip, one for each of his friends.
A grin spread across Swift’s face, he couldn’t wait to see his friends! It was Hearths Warming Eve and finally time to head down to Chaser’s for what would probably be one of the most fun days of his life. Everyone from his and Mimic’s guard companies would be there, alongside all their friends. It promised to be the greatest event of the year -- no scrap that -- the decade!
Swift rarely got this excited over things, but something about Hearths Warming always managed to bring out his festive side. He sidestepped as a young drone sprinted past him, wearing a silly red hat with a white bulb at the end. Swift chuckled at the kid, shaking his head a little before continuing on his way.
He could never help but be awed by the change which overcame the Hive around this time of year. An enormous tree had been set up in town centre, so large it could be seen from most anywhere in the Hive. Shimmering gems hung from it’s branches, and an intricately carved clan symbol of wings and curved iron stood resplendent at it’s top. The symbol of Clan Nocturus.
All around the tree were tables of Changelings laughing and making merry, enjoying the holiday. They shared stories and drinks, telling jokes, poking fun at each other, explaining ideas, but most of all they were talking. They were together and they were happy. That, I suppose, is what makes Hearths Warming so special, Swift thought. The fact that, for once, everyone can just be happy and get along. Talk about what they want. Be friends.
Swift turned his attention away from his increasingly sappy thoughts and back to the path before him, grinning as he laid his eyes upon Chaser’s. He picked up the pace a little, wouldn’t want to be late for the party now would I? With that thought, Swift buzzed his wings and took off. It was time to celebrate.
There was a knocking at the door. Dusk shadows turned her attention away from the tree she and the others had just finished decorating. A quick glance around the room confirmed that everything else was ready, or close enough. She steeled herself for the oncoming people, Dusk wasn’t particularly comfortable around others, but everyone else was still busy with the final touches.
After a few moments of deep breathing she trotted forwards and opened the door. Dusk was -- thankfully -- greeted by the familiar face of Swift Shade. The bulky Changeling smiled at her.
“Hey Dusk, can I come in?” he asked, levitating the gifts so that she could see them.
“Y-yeah, come on in.” Swift thanked her and entered the club. The others had really done an incredible job with the place, the tree looked incredible. Mimic and Mist Chaser were talking animatedly at the bar, laughing and drinking some green liquid. Probably one of their ‘specials.’ Swift chuckled at the memory of the last time Misty and Mimic had made drinks together, he was pretty certain that it had taken at least a week for the Hive to recover from that party.
A little further away were two Changelings who looked so similar they could be twins! Thinking over that again, they probably were. Swift noticed that around the same time he realised that he recognised one of them from somewhere.
Oh crap! he internally exclaimed, It’s that girl who’s house we broke a few weeks ago! Swift hastily busied himself with placing his gifts underneath the tree, casually looking around at the rest of the room. Multi Colored strips of tinsel hung from the ceiling, and towards the back of the room stood DJ Pink Eyes on a raised platform. She was running a few last minute checks, but appeared to be almost ready to start the show.
After a few more minutes of hiding, he stood hastily and walked over to Misty and Mimic, still trying to avoid the female Changeling who may or may not have wanted to kill him. Misty noticed his arrival and she waved her hoof in greeting. Mimic simply held his hoof out towards the larger Changeling, which Swift promptly bumped with his own.
“Hey Swift, nice to see you could make it!”
“Are you kidding me? I wouldn’t miss this for the world. Loving what you two have done with the place by the way, you guys make a good team.” Misty blushed a little at that, glancing at Mimic who simply grinned in pride, oblivious to the implications.
“Thanks buddy, but it wasn’t just us. Dusky and her friends Ivory ‘n’ Violet Light helped out a bunch too.” Mimic leaned in close and whispered “Oh, and I’d avoid Ivory. She hasn’t quite realised who we are yet, and I think we’d both like it to stay that way.” He gave a conspiratorial little wink. Swift chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
“So, when does the party actually start? Looks like I’m the first to arrive.”
“Yes, you are. Pink Eyes should be ready in a few minutes, then we’ll get things going,” Misty replied, gesturing to the pink and purple Changeling at the mixing tables. She carried a microphone in her telekinetic grip, and was placing it next to another on the main stage. It was at this moment that Dusk Shadows chose to join the group, she gave a small smile at the other three as she approached.
“Hello everyone,” she said in a quiet voice. Evidently she hadn’t quite gotten over her panic at the amount of people who would soon be arriving.
“Heya Dusky, nice job with the tree.” Mimic gestured at the aforementioned plant “‘Looks real nice.” Dusk blushed and hid a little, pawing at the ground. Mimic and Mist shared a look, and immediately grabbed a drink from the bar, pushing it towards the shy Changeling. She looked at the bubbling liquid in confusion, then back at Mimic and Mist.
“Drink,” they said in unision. Hesitantly, Dusk took a small sip. Her eyes popped open wide, and a grin began to spread across her face. A second later she had downed the entire thing, and was already eagerly pouring herself another. There was a knock at the door and Misty buzzed away, Mimic following.
“Good luck,” he chuckled as he passed Swift who was staring in horror as Dusk downed her third. Oh gods preserve me.
The door opened to reveal a lithe, strong female Changeling. Her eyes were a cold blue, and she had a confident smirk on her face. She carried herself well, and looked as if she could leap into battle at any moment. Her epic pose was ever so slightly marred by a silly red hat which was suddenly pulled over her head.
The Changeling sputtered as she looked cross-eyed at the white bulb dangling in front of her eyes.
“W-what?”
“Happy Hearths Warming Eve, Night Raid!” Mimic laughed from the door, Misty giggling from his side. The taller Changeling glared daggers at him for a moment, before sighing and trotting inside, a bag of gifts in tow.
“Y’know you’re lucky I don’t hit you for that,” Night Raid said pointedly, still glaring.
“No, I’m lucky you love me too much to hit this pretty face!” Mimic said, floating upside down next to the angry Changeling who looked away, not quite hiding the small grin which was forming as she muttered a string of curses too foul to be repeated. She stormed off, leaving Mimic with a guffawing Mist Chaser. He glanced at her, shrugging. “What? She knows it’s true!” Misty playfully punched her friend in the shoulder.
“C’mon, the party’s about to start. Wouldn’t wanna miss the first dance now would we?” Mimic raised an eyebrow at this, bumping his friend with his hip.
“Oh! So you want to dance with me huh? Well you may have a little competition from good ‘ol Raidy over there, I’d be careful.” Misty blushed and stammered at that, causing Mimic to laugh again. “Oh, I’m just messing with ya. C’mon let’s go.” Misty nodded her head, still blushing and the two walked side-by-side towards the dance floor.
“I… I’m alive inside this nightmare.”
A rainbow of lights spun in a circle, twisting in and out of each other. A cheer came up from the now huge crowd of Changelings gathered on the dancefloor. A silver orb descended from the ceiling, and began to spin, sending reflective light all over the room. DJ Pink Eyes grinned from her table, her horn glowing as she levitated a Mic to her mouth.
“In… in a world behind closed eyes.” The twirling lights centred on her, as the music slowly began to pick up. The music was now backed by some claps and stomps, Mimic felt his heart begin to beat faster and he smiled at Misty who nuzzled him back.
“Out... of the darkness watch me run there.”
“Watch me run there,” echoed Misty, holding the note as she reached ‘there.’ Mimic found himself surprised at how well she could sing, and he raised an eyebrow. Misty blushed in response, burying her face in his neck. Damn she’s cute when she’s embarrassed, he thought with a chuckle.
“In... Into the silhouetting skies.” The music slowed down, limiting itself to a simple keyboard beat as Pink Eyes continued singing the next verse, this time singing more slowly as the song developed a more magical feel.
“While the lights die slow.”
“I'm letting go of what I know,” Misty sang in response. Mimic found himself moved, tapping a hoof on the ground. He looked across to see Misty similarly afflicted, tapping her own hoof against the floor.
“The sun will rise.”
“Staying inside, I'm staying inside.” The note held, blending in beautifully with the music. The beat was picking up, the keyboard joined by more instruments. Mimic’s wings began to buzz a little as he found his anticipation building. All around him Changelings were beginning to move to the music.
“Burning through.”
“Watch the world becoming new.” The music was building up, and Mimic could feel something in his chest beginning to rise. He had to move! With a split second decision, he hooked his hooves around Misty and twirled onto into the ari above th dancefloor. She grinned as she hooked her own hooves around Mimic’s neck.
“The paper sky!”
“I've never felt so alive, I feel so alive!” both Misty and Mimic sung together as the club erupted into energy, the music exploding into an upbeat track. The lights which had been centred on Pink Eyes spun out, pointing in different directions as the two Changelings twisted and turned without a care in the world.
Dusk and Swift danced together a little further away, and Night Raid for once seemed to lose her hostile aura, bobbing with the beat alongside Ivory and Violet. All social barriers were broken down as the music filled everyone’s souls with energy and joy, they were breaching barriers which separated everyone all year around. They were burning through that paper sky which kept them apart.
Mist Chaser gazed into her friend’s eyes, she felt a heat rise up in her cheeks. She was here! Dancing with Mimic! Of his own volition! Heck, he wasn’t even drunk, a little tipsy sure but still! There was a pressure in her heart, it felt as though her chest had been filled with electricity. Is tonight the night? Should I tell him?
Maybe…
The music reached a slow point, and the pair’s intricate dance descended down to slow circling as they floated through the air underneath the shining silver ball. The music was building up again, and Mimic felt a refreshing energy build up in his heart. This was what Hearths Warming was about, time spent with your loved ones, and he was damn well enjoying it.
The song returned to it’s energetic beat, and the two continued their weaving dance, shooting through the air in each others hooves. Their hearts fell into sync, beating as one. Faintly, Mist Chaser could hear people chanting their names. Her grin widened.
Finally, the song reached it’s end, and the two twirled back down to the ground. They were panting and laughing in exultation. Mimic put one hoof around Mist Chaser, pulling her into a side hug.
“That was awesome!” he breathed.
“Y- yeah, it was! We should maybe do that again sometime?” Mist stammered, blushing furiously. Man she must have really been working it, Mimic thought as he noticed the heat in her cheeks.
“Sounds great. C’mon let’s grab a drink.” Mist nodded, happy to get some time to sit down. the two trotted over to a booth and grabbed some drinks from the bar. They sat back, leaning into each other.
“Hey you two! Real nice out there.” Swift said as he walked over, a stumbling Dusk following.
“I feel so alive!” Dusk sang -- well, shouted. Swift shook his head, gently guiding her to one of the seats. She plopped down with a wide grin on her face. “Y-y’know. You two looked super pretty out there, I- I think, I think! You two should like… uh…” Dusk trailed off, tapping her hooves together as if that were meant to mean something. After a few moments she looked back up, seeming to have forgotten what she was saying. Everyone stared at her for a few moments to see if she would continue. When they were satisfied that she was done, they turned back to their conversation.
“Seriously, when did you guys learn to dance like that?” Swift asked. In response Mimic struck a pose, smirking.
“Oh, y’know. Just my natural talent at everything.” the two stared at each other for a few moments, before bursting into laughter.
“Man, I’ve needed this. Just time to hang out with friends. It’s been way too long,” Swift said happily taking a sip of his water.
“Agreed, I’ve missed you guys,” Mist added from next to Mimic. He smiled down at her, kissing her on the forehead.
“We’ve missed ya too Misty. We’ll have to try and do this more often eh?” She didn’t respond, merely burying her face in his neck to hide the blush. Swift chuckled from over the table.
“You two are like an old married couple y’know that?”
“What do you mean?” Mimic asked obliviously. Swift merely shook his head, standing up and stretching a little.
“Well, I better get back to the dancefloor. I’m gonna try and get that Violet Light to dance with me,” he said with a grin. Mimic raised an eyebrow at him, but he merely shrugged. He did realise that she was the sister of the girl whose roof we destroyed last week right? “hey, you only live once right?” With that he walked off, a drunken Dusk Shadows getting up to follow him.
Mimic turned his attention back to the small Changeling nuzzled up against him.
“What do ya think he meant by ‘Old married couple?’” Misty smiled at that, thanking the gods for her friends obliviousness.
“Probably nothing.” She paused a moment, her mind tearing at itself. Should I ask him? I mean, we’re good friends but what if that’s it? What if he get’s creeped out and hates me!? What if… what if-
“Misty, you okay? You look panicky. And thinky. Bad combination if you ask me.” She looked up at
him and forced a smile.
“Y-yeah. I’m cool. Say, Mimic?”
“Yeah?”
“I… I was thinking, well we’ve been friends for awhile and… well you see… I mean…” C’mon you idiot spit it out! “Mimic would you like to-” There was a bright flash of green light and an explosion as the front door was blasted off it’s hinges. The music was abruptly cut off as everyone turned to stare..
Oh, come on!
In the doorway stood a tall, imposing Changeling. She had strong, lithe legs, a tall jagged horn and a long turquoise mane. Her eyes were green, and shone with an aura of intelligence. Her translucent wings stood outstretched and her horn glowed with residual power. Next to her stood a haggard looking Changeling in the midnight blue armour of the Hive Guard.
“Is the Hive Guardian known as ‘Mimic Shift’ here? If so, show yourself! Your queen wishes to speak with you!” called a booming voice which sounded as though multiple beings were talking together, all slightly out of sync with one another. Despite this, the voice was distinctly feminine and commanded great respect.
Casually, Mimic raised a hoof from his booth, waving it at the being standing in the shattered remains of a doorway.
“Yo,” he called. To everyone's surprise, the Changeling in the doorway let out a whoop of happiness and did a little hoof-pump. She appeared to be… laughing? What!? Not only was she laughing, but the being -- now recognised as Queen Chrysalis -- was prancing from one hoof to the other in joy.
“Thank the gods! This is the fifth club we’ve been to, and the seventeenth door” The Changeling next to Chrysalis winced, glancing up at his queen.
“My queen? The volume?” Chrysalis looked almost bashful as she looked down and stopped her dancing, visibly making effort to contain her joy.
“Sorry,” she said, biting her lip. She quickly stepped into the club, Cupcakes following her. As she looked around, she noticed that everyone was staring at her. “It is alright, you may all go back to your merriment. Lieutenant Colonel Cupcakes and I are merely here to talk to Mimic.” Everyone turned to DJ Pinke Eyes, who looked between Mimic and the Queen for a few moments before shrugging and putting on the next track.
“Yeah I own this beat!” The music resumed with an upbeat track, Pink Eyes belting out the lyrics in record time.
The queen turned her attention back to Mimic’s booth, trotting over and carefully taking a seat opposite him. She eyed one of the drinks, and levitated it to her lips. A small smile spread across her face, and she downed the rest of it. Cupcakes walked alongside her, mouthing an apology at Mimic. Mist Chaser simply stared. Chrysalis. Queen Chrysalis is in my club. On Hearths Warming Eve. Drinking my drinks. Unable to control herself, she let out a little sound which could only be described as a ‘squee,’ giggling madly.
“So, Chryssi. What’s up?” Mimic asked as casually as possible, ignoring the thundering in his chest. Oh I’m so getting executed.
The queen frowned for a moment. “Chryssi?” she asked in confusion, working her mouth around the word. Cupcakes chuckled a little.
“It’s uh, It’s a nickname. Haven’t you ever had one?” Mimic asked hastily adding a ‘your highness’ at the end. Her frown deepened, her eyes glossed over as if she was thinking about something really hard.
“N- no. I do not believe I have.” Suddenly, Chrysalis broke into a smile. “I suppose this is a very special day then. Chryssi…” She said the word slowly, as if savouring it. “I like it. Thank you Mimic.” Mimic stared at her in confusion, smiling awkwardly.
“Uh, not a problem your highness.”
“Call me Chrysalis, I insist,” she said with a smile. Misty and Mimic exchanged a glance, the two then looked at Cupcakes who mouthed something like ‘Just go with it.’ The two shrugged and
smiled again.
“Alright Chrysalis. So what did you want with Mimic?” Mist Chaser asked, taking a sip from her drink. Chrysalis straightened her back, and she gestured towards Lieutenant Cupcakes who stepped forwards.
“Well, It’s my unfortunate duty to report that last week Captain Morfas of the Royal Guard was killed in action against a Buggane.” Cupcakes glanced up expectantly at Mimic.
“Uh… I’m sorry to hear that?” Mimic said in confusion, unsure as to what they wanted him to do about it. Cupcakes sighed, shaking his head.
“This means, Mimic, that we need somebody to fill the now open slot in the Royal Guard. You have been chosen and would be assigned to Princess Lylac’s personal guard. You would still go on patrols as normal, but would be needed to guard and help Lylac a few days a week. Of course, this is your choice as to whether or not you take the position.” Mimic and Mist’s eyes widened. What!?
“Wait wait, so you’re giving me a promotion? On purpose?” Cupcakes nodded. “Why?”
“Because, Sergeant Shift. When you want to be, you’ve proven yourself to be a damn good soldier. Remember last year when those salamanders attacked and you lead your squad behind enemy lines and took out their leader? If you just put the effort in Mimic, you would probably be a general by now.” Mist Chaser gasped.
“Wait, that was you? I thought you said that you got captured during the attack?” Mimic blushed a little at that.
“Well, I uh, maybe didn’t tell the whole truth. But it’s not a big deal! It’s not like you couldn’t have done the same, Cupcakes. Right?” Cupcakes laughed at that.
“Are you kidding me? I was pinned down in the castle trying to protect the Queen.” Chrysalis nodded.
“I can think of no one better suited for the task of protecting my daughter Mimic. Besides, she asked for you personally.” Mimic’s mind went blank. What?
“Asked for me? Why?” At that, Chrysalis simply shrugged -- which looked hilarious when a being so large did it. It was all so much to take in, what if I mess up? At least when I mess up now it doesn't really do much damage, but if I fail with the princess…
He turned to Mist Chaser. “What do you think I should do?”
“Why are you asking me? It’s your choice, not mine.”
“True, but I trust you more.” Mist Chaser seemed taken aback at that, but after a moment she broke into a smile and hugged Mimic close. Once she was done she turned back to the Queen and her guard.
“Would he still be able to come and visit me? There isn’t any ‘Royal Guards aren’t allowed to see other Changelings’ rule is there?”
“Of course not, what kind of fool would have a rule like that? It would destroy morale.” Chrysalis smiled. Mist Chaser did too.
“Then you should do it Mimic, you can make a real difference up there. Protect a lot of people.” Hesitantly, Mimic nodded.
“Alright then, I’m in.” Chrysalis clapped her hooves together.
“Oh wonderful! Come to the castle next saturday at eleven AM sharp. We will get you outfitted and give you your new timetable.” Chrysalis stood up to leave, but before she could go, Mimic called out to her.
“Your Highne-I mean, Chrysalis?”
“Yes Mimic Shift?”
“Would you like to stay here with us?” The queen of the Changelings looked taken aback, she glanced at the writhing, dancing Changelings. The laughing friends sat around their tables, and she smiled.
“...Yes. Yes I think I would.”
“And what are the odds that I would fall again,to a world that
And what are the odds that through it all, again,
I could find myself alone?”
The room burst into energy and light, centred on a particular group of Changelings.
“But you can't hold me down!
I'll watch the stars come out!
Above this shaking ground,
I'm holding on, for now.”
Mimic Shift grinned at the girl he held in his hooves. Mist Chaser smiled back at him leaning forward and nuzzling into his neck. Dusk Shadows and stood a few feet away, swaying side to side and grinning widely. A little further away, Cupcakes stood with a mug of cider in his hoof, telling stories to a group of the younger guard. Night Raid stood with Ivory and Violet Light, the three dancing as a trio, the worries of the world forgotten.
DJ Pink Eyes, was behind her mixing table, bobbing her head to the music and smirking happily. She looked ecstatic, which was fair enough. After all, It’s not everyday you get to share a stage with royalty…
Speaking of royalty, Queen Chrysalis stood upon the stage, singing into the Microphone. Her ethereal voice reverberated through the room, adding a layer of emotion and energy to the song which had never been there before. She had a look of pure, unadulterated joy on her face. The rest of the club was ecstatic; dancing, laughing, and singing like there was no tomorrow.
“And you can't hold me down!
I'll watch the stars come out!
Above this breaking ground,
I'm holding on, for now!
I'm holding on, for now…”
The lights shut off, plunging the room into darkness, before starting up again in a swirling storm of greens centred around the Queen’s horn. The crowd went crazy as the song exploded into energy, cheering and whooping as one.
There was a sense of togetherness, a sense of energy and happiness which came from this. This was what Hearths Warming was all about. Sure, there was the underlying story of Nocturne’s victory over Voruk, but that wasn’t really what it was about. It was about being thankful that he had won, that we were all still alive today, and enjoying the time we have with each other as much as possible. It was about how he defeated the Windigo, the spirits of hate and anger. It was about love. It was about acceptance. It was about family.
As the song reached it’s conclusion, the crowd burst into cheering again. Chanting ‘Chrysalis! Chrysalis!’ again and again. The queen was in her element, smiling and waving at her subjects. The party began to wind down after that, Changelings trickling off back home in twos and threes. Soon, only Mimic, Mist Chaser, Swift, Pink Eyes, Dusk Shadows, Chrysalis, Cupcakes and Night Raid remained.
“That… was… incredible,” Mimic gasped as he fell back onto a sofa. Misty fell back with him, nuzzling up to the Changeling. Swift and Dusk fell down next to them, grinning happily.
“No kidding! I haven’t had this much fun in forever,” Swift said. Dusk nodded her agreement. Chrysalis smiled at her subjects, marvelling at how they could just sit back and relax without worrying about the dangers tomorrow could bring. It must be wonderful being mortal…
“So, we gonna open presents or what?” asked Night Raid as she gestured to the large selection of boxes sat underneath the tree. Pink Eyes nodded, still smirking happily and glancing at Chrysalis every few seconds.
“Yeah, yeah. Come on guys,” Misty said, reluctantly standing up. The others got up with her, walking over to the tree. Chrysalis stood back a little, carefully observing. She was curious as to what was going on here, why were they opening boxes from under a tree? She had never really known what her little Changelings did on Hearths Warming Eve, and was intrigued to see their own take on the celebration.
The group walked over to the tree, and Misty began levitating out boxes.
“Let’s see here… Dusky, this one’s for you,” she said, passing the box to a still tipsy Dusk Shadows.
“Mmm, thanksh,” she slurred in response, before going back to mumbling the lyrics of one of the night’s songs.
“Next up is Swift, then one for you Pinks, me, Raid…” the list went on for a few more minutes and soon everyone was happily tearing into their gifts. Dusk Shadows whooped as she pulled out a large book titled ‘Mysteries of the fae: An exploration into the unknown.’ Night Raid brandished a new pair of Hoof-blades, and Pink Eyes grinned as she took out a pair of shades with pink lenses.
Swift gasped as he opened his gift from Mimic -- a red book with a sand coloured pegasus mare dangling over a pit of sharks, a glowing fork suspended above her. Scrawled across the cover in black ink was ‘Never give up Swift~ A.K. Yearling.’. “Y-you got me a signed copy of, of Daring Doo and the… the fork of truth?” he tackled Mimic into a hug. “Oh you do care!” Mimic chuckled patting his friend on the back.
“Hey, I figured I owed you one after that whole fiasco last week.” Swift sat back, still admiring the book. He glanced back up at his friend.
“I really don’t know what to make of you dude. One moment you’re stealing my stuff, running through the streets of Mephistis and pretty much making anything around you blow up. The next, you’re one of the most gods-damned thoughtful and kind friends I’ve ever had.” Swift laughed. “I don’t think anyone has ever been torn in two directions so thoroughly.” Mimic flashed a grin of his own.
“What can I say? I’m unique.” Swift laughed again, as he levitated his gift over to Mimic.
“Happy Hearths Warming pal.” Mimic took the gift in his own grip, tearing off the wrapping paper to reveal a beautifully carved dagger. It was shaped like a jagged horn, and was made of a shining black metal. The blade had runes carved across it, and the hilt had a red cloth wrapped around it. Mimic levitated the blade in front of his face, the light reflecting off of it.
“Geez man,” he said at length “How the heck did you get this?” Swift’s grin grew even wider as he tapped the side of his nose. Mimic closed his eyes, shaking his head in disbelief. “Thanks Swift, it means a lot to me.”
The gift-giving went on for another half-hour or so, all that remained were Mist Chaser and Mimic’s gifts to each other. Misty took the purple-wrapped box from the tree and walked over to Mimic who was chatting happily with Dusk. She cleared her throat, and Mimic turned around, grinning as he saw her.
“Oh! Misty, I was wondering where you ran off to. Here, this is for you,” he said, presenting a red box.
“O-oh thanks! I, um, I have something for you too,” she replied, presenting her own gift. The two exchanged boxes, and with a nod, tore them open at the same time.
“Oh awesome!” Mimic exclaimed as he pulled out a black jacket, with a high collar. He swiftly put it on, turning on the spot to get a good look at it. He turned back to Misty who was watching him with a small smile. “Thanks Misty, this is great,” he said, pulling the smaller Changeling into a hug.
“T-that’s okay Mimic,” she replied, internally screaming in joy. He released her and looked expectantly at the box that sat in front of her. Misty looked down to see a simple, purple scarf. She took it out of the box slowly, wrapping it around her neck. The material was comfortable and snug, it was warm but not too hot that she wouldn’t be able to wear it during summer. Sh grinned at her friend, now it was her turn to pull him into a hug. “I love it.”
“Dawwwwww.” Mimic and Misty turned to see everyone staring at them, Night Raid with a faint frown and a hint of… what? Jealousy?. Even Chrysalis seemed enraptured at the display.
“Anyway, I’ve gotta go guys. I’m spending tomorrow with my dad, so I’ll see you all in a few days.” Swift said, breaking the awkward silence which had ensued. “Dusk, you wanna come with me?”
“It’s my life, It’s now or never!” she replied, happily swaying to an imaginary beat. Swift shook his head.
“Guess that’s a ‘yes’ then. Happy hearths warming everyone!” and with that he was gone, a drunken Dusk Shadows in tow.
“I ‘aint gonna live forever!”
“Yeah, I better split too. Catch ya later everyone,” Night Raid said as she started to leave too. She stopped at the door to call back “Oh and Shift?”
“Yeah?”
She tossed a box his way. “Happy Hearths Warming. Have a good one.” Then she turned and trotted out the door, not waiting for a response. Mimic caught the box in his magic, levitating it over to get a better look. Inside was a midnight blue helmet, it was very well crafted and appeared to have multiple interlocking plates. A small jolt of magic caused a face guard to fold out from the cheek plates. Stuck to the helmet was a piece of paper with a simple note on it. ‘Please don’t die Mimic. We need you more than you know. ~Night Raid’
He smiled at that. This was a side of her he’d never seen before. I won’t Night Raid, I promise. A few minutes later, Pink Eyes had finished packing up her equipment and had headed out. Now only Chrysalis, Cupcakes, Mimic and Misty remained.
“So Chryssi, did you have fun?” The Changeling queen seemed to consider that for a few moments, before nodding.
“Yes I did. Thank you very much.” she paused, looking at Mimic in a peculiar way. She seemed to be considering something about him. “I came here to evaluate you, see if you really are the right person to protect my daughter. You are a good person Mimic Shift, remember that. You affect the lives of all around you, and whether you know it or not, they love you. Don’t lose sight of that. Come Cupcakes, let us return to the castle.” Chrysalis trotted out the door, Cupcakes following behind.
“Hey, good job Shift. I know it may not be that big of a deal to you, but she really needed this. Trust me. And you remember what she said, Happy Hearths warming kid.” then he was gone too, leaving only Misty and Mimic.
“What do you think that was all about?” Mimic asked.
“I… don’t know. But it’s true what she said, you really are a good person Mimic. Don’t ever change.” Despite himself, Mimic felt a few tears in his eyes. Misty leaned forwards and pulled him into her embrace.
“T- thanks Misty. Hearths warming usually sucks for me, just a time to remember that I’m different. That I don’t have a family, but… but I guess I do. It’s you guys. You’re my family.” he sniffed, and hugged her tighter. It was the first time Misty had ever seen his mask slip, the first time she had ever really seen Mimic. She wasn’t about to pass this up.
“Hey, Mimic? Would you like to stay with me for Hearths warming?” she asked. He looked up at her, and wiped away a few tears.
“Yeah. Yeah I’d like that.”
Author's Note
Mimic's back baby! Ths time with a full-length christmas special and a plethora of new characters. I came up with the idea to write this yesterday (Christmas Eve) and have spent the entirety of Christmas day writing it, as such it has not been edited 'cause I woulda felt bad asking Cerulean or soembody else to do it on Christmas, but wanted to release it in time too. So, here we go! If you guys spot any glaring mistakes, please drop me a message or comment so I can fix it, and I hope you've all enjoyed the special and had a wonderful year! From me, and everyone else in Hive Mephistis, merry christmas everybody! Have a good one.
EDIT: Added links to the songs referenced in this chapter and have changed a little bit about Night Raid's entrance, along with Mimic's rank.
~DeepShift
