Dual Natured Change

It wasn't that I was unhappy with my life. In fact, I had a very comfortable life. I didn't want to be different and stand out. I didn't want to be special or famous. I just wanted to blend in. But it figures that every time I tried, everyone paid more attention to me. It might have been the fact that I was the only girl there, or more likely that I was the only daughter of the Queen. Either way, I didn't have a choice; fate had given me this life and I had to deal with it.

Be it my magical studies or my flight classes, or even my food, special attention was given to me. Because of this, I had a hard time trusting anyone. I couldn't call anyone my friend, not that I even wanted one. The idea of being friendly toward anyone felt unnatural to me. Most days I would alienate myself from the others. I became adept at hiding in plain sight at a very young age. Often I could be found sitting near an opening to my dark hovel, wondering what it was like beyond the dirty nest I so reluctantly called 'home'. However, the day would come, sooner than I had ever imagined, that I would find out the terrors that lay beyond the hive.

I am a changeling. My name is Iniquis. And this is my story...

I was not in the best of moods today. The low but steady roll of thunder beat and echoed against the dirt walls of my small room like a deep drum, accompanied by intermittent loud claps that would send shivers down my spine. I never liked bad weather. The thought of being struck by lightning, leaving nothing but a scorched corpse, scared me. That and the fact that the rain was coming down hard meant that any chance of viewing anything outside today would be less than likely. So I instead confined myself to my room as I laid prone against the hardened dirt floor, dragging my hoof slowly across it again and again in a vain attempt to dig my way to freedom.

My imagination soon took me out of my percussion filled prison and into a new world. It was a place I knew well. An open field with slow rolling hills, completely barren and empty. Serene in its absence of everything. I desired it more than anything else. The absolute nothingness of it all filled me with tranquility. It was perfection.

A loud buzzing brought me out of my wonderful reverie and back to the dreary floor I had been staring at. I looked toward the annoying source of the noise to see a fellow changeling hovering just inside the doorway of my room. His yellow wings indicated he was one of mother's personal assistants. Another clap of thunder roared through the room.

"What do you want?" I practically yelled, trying to hide my fear behind anger. The shock brought him down to the floor with a thud as if he had suddenly forgotten how to fly.

"My a-apologies Mi-Miss Iniquis, I have a message for you." He stumbled over his words as he attempted to recover. He cleared his throat, obviously looking for more courage, before speaking again and even more obviously not finding any as he continued to fumble every word.

"Queen Chrysalis wishes to see you... uh ma'am."

"Did she say what she wanted to see me for?"

"She didn't... I mean I didn't think to ask..." The worried changeling was now clearly shaking.

I didn't bother to let him finish. I pushed him aside as I hurried past the doorway. I didn't particularly like my mother's talks and I wasn't in any state to deal with one right now. I turned to the doorway and, with a flash of green light, sealed it shut, trapping the very confused assistant inside. As soon as I knew it was sealed well enough I closed my eyes, focusing hard on what the assistant had looked like. I was quickly engulfed by green flames. The many fingers of the fire danced around my body eating at my flesh and soon I was completely consumed by them. The flames died out as swiftly as they had appeared, revealing my new form. The once small purple maned girl was now a stout male worker like the rest.

"Now to tell the Queen the bad news," I giggled to myself as I practiced imitating the assistants voice.

I knew the hive well, but I took my time as I made my way through the winding tunnels and pathways. The clop of my hooves, echoing through the endless halls, accompanied by the drone of many wings made an awful cacophony. The walls were as dull as the periodic sounds of idle chatter that reverberated through the immense structure. Everything that was there served an important role, save for the occasional table or empty chest. You would never find decorations or various ornamentations around here. It didn't bother me much, but it did make for an extremely boring place to live.

I finally reached the main chamber where my mother was usually lurking. I had passed a few other changelings, but they didn't think twice about me in my disguise. This wasn't the first time I had pulled this trick, but I had never tried it on my mother before. I was getting a bit nervous. Good, use that nervousness, I told myself, remembering how the assistant was on edge.

I passed through a sweeping archway into the hall, much larger than my small bedroom. It was as if this chamber lay beneath the roots of a giant tree. Huge natural columns rose from the floor which met the ceiling, providing stability for the oversized chamber.Torches were secured on the columns, tossing light against the otherwise dark walls. Most of the upper layers of the hive were lit naturally but the main hall was located too deep for sunlight to penetrate.

It didn't take long to spot her. She appeared to be talking with one of the hunters. From the sound of her annoyed tone, I figured that the hunters must be having a bit of trouble in the storm. Many think that changelings are void of any emotions. The opposite is closer to the truth. We feel fear, anger, regret and worry just like any other creature, sometimes so intense we can barely function. While feeding does help to mediate these feelings, it was becoming apparent that we did not have enough 'food' to sedate my mothers anger. Maybe pulling this trick now might be a bad idea.

I began to feel uneasy about this plan. I backed away slowly from her, trying not to make my presence known. Right as my courage was about to leave me completely, the hunter flew off with a quick zip and she switched her attention to me. I lowered my head in respect which gave me a queasy feeling. I neither loathed nor revered her but I had no choice anymore, I needed to play my role well if this was going to work.

"Well?" she asked in anticipation, "Where is she?"

I gathered all the courage I could muster and began to weave my web of deceit. "I... I'm sorry my Queen, she's not in the hive! We've searched everywhere."

She gave me a quizzical look and narrowed her eyes as she studied the assistant before her.

No! Had she so easily seen through my disguise?

Her eyes pierced through me like needles and what was only a few moments seemed like an eternity. Thoughts of what she would do to me as punishment crept into my mind.

I had once attempted to leave the hive to explore outside when I was younger and I was sent to the dungeon for an entire week. The hive was a prison enough! It was even worse to be trapped in a prison within a prison. My thoughts raced as I considered my options. Make a run for it? No, at this distance she would catch me before I could even make it to the nearest doorway. Her magic could also easily overpower mine. I began to tremble as the realization that I was trapped hit me.

Her eyes relaxed and she began barking commands at the guards. "Find her! Bring her back back here!"

I did it! I could hardly believe my luck. This was my chance - I could escape while she was busy forming search parties! I would have at least the rest of the day to myself, but I'd have to think up an excuse for where I was later. I turned and began to make my way for the door, when I was suddenly stopped by a whisper in my right ear.

"Where are you going?"

I was frozen in time. She was right beside me. How did she get to me so fast? Her voice was calm but direct. I collected myself and turned to answer. "I... I'm going to continue to search the hive for-"

"No, I have a more important task for you." Her voice remained calm as she spoke making me feel even more nervous than when she was angry. "You will be joining me in the search."

"M-me? Outside?"

"Yes, of course. You said she was not in the hive right?"

"Yes!" I answered quickly. "I mean; yes we checked. She's not here."

I was failing to contain myself. Excitement welled up in me: I thought I might burst. I needed to focus though. I had to keep up this act if I wanted to see anything other than the inside of a cell.

"We leave immediately then."

Cold. My first step outside was cold. The rain was miserably wet and so very cold. But I couldn't let this dampen my spirit. I looked up at my mother and noticed she wasn't fazed by the rain at all. There are rare moments that my respect for my mother grows, and this, seeing her so focused on finding me and not letting anything shift her resolve, was one of those moments.

A blinding light struck near by followed soon by a deafening boom. My reaction was nothing less than utter terror. I was panicked. I needed to calm myself quickly. OK breathe slower. Good, now stand up straight. Legs! Still got legs. I needed to get my mind off what I just witnessed.

"Where are we going to look first?" I asked, attempting to cloud my fear with curiosity.

"Ponyville." Her answer was direct, yet it had a twinge of something else- animosity?

"Is it far?"

"Very.

I hope she didn't see the smile that flashed quickly across my face as I shook the water off my glossy yellow wings in anticipation of flight.

Moments later, I was soaring through the sky. The view was amazing. We had thankfully long since passed the edge of the storm, and although clouds still covered most of the sky, I was too busy looking down to be afraid anymore. This was the highest I'd ever been, and certainly the farthest from home. We'd be going even further too! The craggy, barren desert that I knew only from the confinement of the hive soon turned into a bright cornucopia of life and color. Trees were everywhere and clear blue rivers traced lines like an abstract drawing across the landscape. Houses began popping up every now and then, at first very seldom, becoming much more abundant as we approached our destination. I had so many questions I wanted to ask but I just flew in silent wonderment as I took it all in.

By the time we got there, the sun was setting. We landed somewhere near the outskirts of a town I presumed was Ponyville. We quickly hid among a few trees as we looked down a dirt road, still muddy from a recent downpour. Besides the occasional pony it looked as if everyone was already in their homes ready to turn in for the night. I had seen a few ponies before at the hive, but those had already been half turned or prepared for it. These ponies had an intensity in their hues, and an energy about them that I had never seen before. It was all so different than what I was used to. That's when it hit me. My curiosity had built up to the point where I was unable to keep quiet any longer.

"Are you sure she went this far away from the hive?" I had a hard time believing that if I actually ran away that I would wander too far from my home. I was never taught how to hunt and I would need to return before too long. Something didn't quite fit.

"Do not worry. I know this is the first place she would go."

I was confused. I didn't even know about this place yesterday. But in an ironic kinda way she was right. This was the first place I had gone after leaving the hive. "So what's first?" I asked, ready to go on the wild goose chase for someone that wasn't even lost.

At that very moment, it felt like a ton of bricks hit my left hind leg. A sharp pain flew across my spine as every muscle in my body started to lock in place. I had just enough time to look up and see Chrysalis' horn still glowing from the spell she had cast on me. The pain was unbearable at first but soon faded to a dull ache as the spell finished its cycle. I was trapped.

"What are you doing!?" Is what I tried to say, but all that I could manage was a low rumbling sound from the depths of my throat.

"Listen carefully Iniquis." Her tone was strict, a parent scolding her disobedient child. "This was not how I imagined this day happening."

My head was spinning. What was she talking about? Had she known the whole time?! Only more questions flooded into my mind as she continued talking to the statue that was once her daughter.

"This is your new home. Make it your nest and do not dare show your face, or any other face you choose to hide behind, in my hive again until you have turned every last pony here into your personal swarm."

What?! My mind was running laps, but no coherent thoughts would form. Her horn began to glow again and my vision began to fade as a giant inferno of magic swallowed my body. The last thing I remember seeing was that same intense face I had started to respect before it all went black.