Prologue: The "Flight" of the Changeling Armada
Sometimes, I feel like I don't contribute; I feel absolutely worthless when it comes to the big picture of things. Name's Right Wing and currently, I'm flying through the air at a rate of 120-ish miles per hour. Fast. And as I can hear my Queen screaming in defeat, I sit...er fly here wondering about a few things. Like for instance, where will I land? Will I live or perish? What's the chance that I will on both ends? Did I leave the stove on? What's the square root of 72?
Ah, the time for thinking is over now; I see my death approaches quickly an in mountain form. I close my eyes in acceptance and defeat, bracing for the impact and my consequential death. However, I did not feel the impact, nor really anything; even the air was still around me. Weird.
I opened my eyes, scanning my immediate position. I gasped sharply, noticing I was mere centimeters away from one of the jagged cliff faces of the mountain of my would-be death. It seemed I was suspended in mid air right before colliding with the mountain...as were all of my fellow changeling brothers.
Looking around myself, all the others that were flying through the air like myself had completely stopped, frozen in place by whatever that held us. A sudden churning in my stomach made my face go green, it figures after flying at incredible speeds, stopping immediately would literally kill your insides. I held my vomit in best I could, shaking my head and gritting my teeth at the taste of the repulsive substance as it slid back down my throat. I groaned exasperatedly and heaved heavy breathes.
As if things couldn't weirder, an incredibly bright light shone directly in front of me. The mountain had dissipated, and only the light existed. The scenery and other changelings had disappeared, and only the light and I existed. Every single atom of life-sustaining molecules had vanished; every fiber of my body gone, and only the light and my soul existed.
"Something ales you, doesn't it, Right Wing?" it spoke.
"Yes" I replied.
"What is it?"
"A lot of things, really"
A pause, "What is the main reason for your troubles, Right Wing?"
I thought the question over for a moment. What was the real issue with me? Why had this notion only come up till now? "I...can't say..." I resorted.
I heard it giggle with delight, "Of course you know, Right Wing. You just have to look deeper within."
I nodded, or at least had the intention to, and I dug deep within myself and inner conscious. The memories I had stumbled upon playing out like short compilations and montages. Times where I was hanging out with my old buddies, times where I had my first kiss, and times where I would swear my allegiance to the Queen Chrysalis. Thinking in general really...
Then it struck me like a lightning bolt. The conscious awareness of thought was illegal in the Changeling Hive and all citizens of the Hive would be punished on sight for thinking or showing signs of thinking. It was...cruel, unusual and now that I had the freedom to do so, I thought. I thought of the horrors of living in the Hive, the terror Queen Chrysalis brought upon the denizens of Canterlot City and the Royal Palace. How stupid it was to blindly dismiss the fact that love conquers all, saying it's a ridiculous sentiment. And then something else hit me. No wonder she doesn't want us to think freely; it opens our eyes to so many of the horrors and nightmares she puts us through.
The light spoke up, "You've found what the problem is, haven't you?"
I nodded, again, only really intending to, "Yes, I have"
"Would you like a second chance, Right Wing?" it offered.
I was unprepared, what did it mean by that? "I'm confused...second chance?"
A sigh, "We can't ignore the fact that you've done evil in your life"
I thought about it for a moment, I do love doing that, "Fair enough. but I still don't know what you mean by second chance."
The light hummed, "Well, since your mind has been opened, and you accept the fact you've done evil deeds," it began, "you have a chance to go back and start anew" it sighed again, "or I can un-pause time and you can perish forever" it explained.
I gulped, the decision was fairly easy to answer but to know that I could just die was unnerving, "I would love that second chance" I nervously chuckled, "But before that, why did you choose to save me?" I asked the light.
Another giggle, "I'm afraid you'll have to figure that out for yourself, young Right Wing" it said, and before I could say another word, the light had vanished and I was left in a void of darkness.
I sighed, feeling my body return to me and everything around me settle in. I closed my eyes and processed everything given to me in the short time. 'Second chance, huh?' I thought to myself, 'Does this mean I have to move from the Hive?' I sighed, already knowing the answer, 'Gonna miss all my friends...' I thought, just for a moment, how much integrity those "friendships" held. I laughed, a tear rolling down my cheek. "I hate thinking..." I whispered.
The scenery, once again, had melted away and I felt time itself began to return to normal, except in reverse, I guess. I wonder what lays ahead for me, hopefully not that mountain-flavored death. To be honest, I really couldn't blame that light for doing it if she or he decided to just kill me. I couldn't blame anyone but myself.
