Chapters Chapter 1 - The First Step
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.
I opened my eyes to a welcome sight. The smooth rolling hills of the empty valley I had come to appreciate so much filled me with contentment. The only sound that could be heard was the slight breeze blowing down through the various mounds of earth. Time was meaningless here; I could spend an eternity in the comforting embrace of its passionless void.
My ears perked as a new sound cut through the stillness. I couldn't make it out, but it was foreign, unwelcome. The world around me quaked at its coming, like a body reacting to a cut. The sound grew louder. It was a voice of worry. Emotions flooded into me again and I dropped to the ground, my hooves flying over my ears in a fruitless attempt to cut out the invading noise. The earth cracked and split beneath me as the dream’s integrity was lost.
"Are you OK? Hey! Wake up!"
My eyes flew open to a brown colt standing over me. I tried to jump to my hooves, but I found myself entangled in a blanket and tumbled off the opposite end of a bed unceremoniously. I quickly unravel myself and take a defensive stance before he could try anything, placing the bed between me and him. His short light brown mane and tail had darker browns throughout them, making it hard for me to figure out if he was dirty, or just colored that way. Something was off about him, like he was missing something. Then it came to me: he wasn’t afraid.
"Who are you?" I demanded, “Where am I?”
I was ready to run at any sign of aggression. I looked around quickly, searching for any clue as to why I was now in one of the small houses I had seen earlier. The floor was covered with tools and trinkets, and papers were strewn messily across the table tops.
"Whoa, whoa, calm down. That's no way to treat someone who just saved your life." He nervously scratched at his messy mane as he spoke. "Are you hurt?”
Saved my life? I didn’t believe him. "Where am I?" I spoke louder as I took another step back.
"Did you fall out of the sky or something? You know you shouldn't be flying during a storm. It’s lucky I found you hidden in those bushes,
Could he even hear me? As my abductor rambled on, I took the opportunity to search for an escape route. Closed windows, one door, and just my luck! It was behind him. I could probably walk right past him and he wouldn’t notice though. He didn’t seem to care about anything else I said or did.
“...and you started moving around like you were in a nightmare or something...”
I couldn’t take it anymore. I focused as much power as I could into my horn and - my horn! Where was my horn!? I felt no flow of magic. I quickly placed a hoof to where my horn should be and was shocked to discover that the light grey leg before my eyes wasn’t mine. My anger grew at an alarming rate.
“That bitch!”
The colt jumped back in shock, but at least he wasn’t talking anymore. I could feel my face red hot with pure anger. This had to be Chrysalis’ work. She was the only changeling I knew who was able to alter another changeling’s form against their will, and on top of all that, I couldn’t change again until the spell wore off.
I looked up to see the confused pony still standing in front of me, a disturbed look across his face. I hated to admit it to myself, but I needed this idiot… at least until I changed back. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself.
I lowered my guard and took a step closer in an attempt to ease the tension I had just caused. “What did you say your name was again?”
“Oh! umm- My name is Rusted Shell!” he said with flare of pride, Puffing out his chest.
Well he certainly recovered quickly. “My name is Iniquis,” I replied with a half-hearted smile. “I’m far from home and I got lost in the storm. Do you know where we are?”
“My house.”
I stood in awkward silence as I waited for the answer I wanted to arrive. Yet again, I was denied, and my fake smile quickly faded.
“No! I mean, WHERE are we?”
“Ponyville,” he said with sarcastic tone, as if I should have known this already, “or, on the outskirts anyway.”
“Do you know of a place I could stay for awhile?” My patience was growing thin, but I tried to keep my voice as sweet as possible.
“You really aren't from around here huh? Well, if you're going to be staying here awhile I should show you the town.”
I tried to ignore the fact that he, again, failed to answer my question, but I was curious about the town and I needed time to sort everything out. I accepted his offer. Maybe I’ll run into someone who can actually help me.
It was already well past noon as we made our way down a long path toward the town. He had served me lunch before we left, and I ate a little bit, but changelings don’t need such things to live.
I used the quiet walking time to think up my strategy. I needed to gather as much information about the town and the ponies here as I could. A new hive was the last thing on my mind to worry about. Feeding and blending in were far more important. It shouldn’t be too difficult; pretending to be someone I’m not is something I was quite good at, but I have never had to make up my own personality. I usually just copied the personality of someone I knew, but I only knew changelings. Ponies seem to respond better to others who are nice, or maybe that was just him.
I looked over at Rusted as he walked beside me. He had a carefree attitude about him that bugged me, like an ignorant child who didn’t know any better. He noticed my stare and glanced back at me, a friendly smile beamed across his face. I quickly looked away. It made me uncomfortable in a way I had never felt before. I didn’t like it.
The town was more different than I had imagined. Colorful signs pointed the way to the many shops that ran down the winding dirt streets, still soft from the previous day’s downpour. Rusted had been talking nonstop about his job, something to do with metal? I had a hard time paying attention with all there was to see here. Many ponies of amazingly various hues went about their lives working and shopping- all with smiles on their faces. It was all so foreign.
I came to an abrupt stop as a shimmer of light caught my eye. I ran up to one of the store windows and positioned myself in front of the ornate mirror on display. The pony looking back at me was so strange yet familiar. Long purple hair fell down a little past my shoulders. Grey fur covered the rest of my body, save for my tail, which was also purple, and something else- on my flank was a mark I didn’t understand. I lifted my feathered wing out of the way so I could get a better look, a little pleased that she had at least left me with the ability to fly. I knew what a cutie mark was, but why my mother chose this was beyond my understanding. My flanks were adorned with a short silver colored tree. Half of the leaves white, the other half black. My curiosity grew only more as I studied myself, but I had little time to think about it as Rusted had realized I wasn’t with him anymore.
“Hey! whatcha lookin at? Oh that is a pretty mirror,” he said as he flexed in front of it, “This was one of the first things I made after moving here.”
“You made this?” My eyes wandered over the intricate detail of the bronze frame. I had never seen anything like it. Pegasi could be seen sweeping across the top, while earth ponies and unicorns could be seen at the bottom all flowing together beautifully, making it seem like they were all part of something bigger than any one pony. It was impressive to say the least.
“Yea, there aren't many ponies here that know how to work with metal.”
I looked away from the mirror at the many ponies walking behind us, all with their own marks. All of them were good at something. A part of me envied them.
“I wish I was good at something-”
“I’m sure you are! Whatever…” He looked down quickly at my flank and back up, “...plant related thing that helped you get your mark.”
Oh no! Did I just say that out loud? It was too early for this. I would need to feed soon if I wanted to keep my emotions in check.
“Uhh yes, yes you’re right,” I replied with a nervous smile “I don’t know what I was thinking. Let’s continue this tour of yours”
He took me all over town showing me the various sights of ponyville, talking about the random things the town is known for. One story stood out among the rest:
“This is the library.” He pointed a hoof at a dead tree that had long since passed it’s prime. It had been hollowed out and used as a building. “Magic used to keep this tree alive, but even the most powerful of magics can’t keep something alive forever.”
I don’t know why but I was saddened by this thought. It was probably my emotions taking over again, but there was a wise truth in what he said. This was my only time in the world to do something. Will anyone remember me for what I do?
“A really powerful unicorn used to live here,” he continued, “She even became an alicorn.”
This didn’t impress me much. I didn’t know or care how rare or impressive an alicorn was. I can fly and use magic so a pony who can do both just seems a little less useless than the rest of them.
Then he started to talk about all her achievements. I became more and more impressed with every story. This was a powerful pony indeed.
“...She even stopped two changeling invasions, and saved an entire empire from-”
“What was that?” I asked quickly, stopping his ramblings short.
“Oh, the crystal empire? Yea, it was gone for almost a thousand years and-”
“No, the thing before that!” I said, raising my voice in curious desperation.
“The changelings? She helped stop them twice.”
It was so frustrating trying to get information out of this guy. I was only left with more questions. Were ponies really that powerful? What had my mother thrown me into? I was extremely interested in hearing more about it, but my gut told me to keep the subject off of my kind.
“This alicorn, does she still live here?” I tried to seem really interested in her. “I’d really like to meet her.”
“You and me both!” He laughed, turning to continue down the path back toward town, followed shortly by myself. “She hasn’t live here for a very long time. I doubt we'll ever get the chance to even see her.”
This filled me with some reassurance, but the story still shook me up. It made me realize I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. On top of that, these ponies may have had encounters with changelings in the past. Panic started to set in. I was having more and more trouble keeping my emotions barred.
“I-It’s getting late. Can you show me that place I can stay at?” I hoped he wouldn’t notice my hurry. So far he was the only pony I had talked for an extended period of time and I was sure I would need him in the future.
“Sure thing! The Ponyville Hayseed Stables is your best bet. I think they even have a special going on to bring in more travelers; First night is free, or something like that.”
Stupid Iniquis. Why can’t I think straight today? Of course it would cost money to stay somewhere, but it seems luck was on my side. I would have to think of a way to get some money later. I thanked him and he turned back toward the way of his house. He told me if I needed anything else just to find him as he walked away
It was at this moment when I first felt it. He only just met me, and it was slight, but it was there. He cared about my well being. I was so hungry. It would be so easy to just- No! I can’t yet. I can’t scare away my prey. I wasn’t skilled enough to feed without a fair amount of concentration. I’ll have to wait for now.
I quickly checked in to the stable and went straight to my room, but it was far from relaxing. My head was spinning with emotional turmoil, like an addict craving her next fix. I couldn’t take this much more. It would become much harder to hide if I wait too long.
It’s decided then, I feed tomorrow.
I woke up early. It was still dark outside my window, but the lack of sleep didn't bother me much. I was focused. I needed to feed if I was going to keep up this facade without looking like an emotional train wreck. I gathered my courage and left my room quietly.
The town was completely different at night. The once busy and colorful streets were eerily empty and completely silent. Darkness covered the town, but thankfully the moon was bright tonight, providing the light I needed to make my way to Rusted’s house. The trip was slow. I had to make sure no one would see me. I stuck to the shadows, and sometimes clouds, flying over the more densely populated areas.
The better part of an hour was gone before I reached his property. I peered through a window in the house, still just as messy as before, looking for any sign of him. There he was, sleeping soundly on the floor, his covers trailing behind him. He must have rolled off the bed in his sleep. I couldn't imagine being able to sleep through something like that. Maybe the fall killed him; I giggled to myself at the thought. What a horrible way to go.
I made my way around the house to the door. I pushed lightly, and with a solid click the door gave way, sending me to the ground with my ears covered. In the dead silence of the night that small click was deafening. I pushed myself against the wall, all my hairs standing on end, listening for any sound to come from the inside of the house. A small steady tick of a clock, some small scratching sounds as the wind blew tree branches against another wall, but nothing that would make me fear he was awake.
I held my breath as I pushed the door further open. I waited for the eventual creek but, to my surprise and relief, none occurred. The door swung open smoothly and I slipped inside as soon as I had enough room. He was still laying there, a stupid grin across his face. He really had no worries at all, did he. I walked carefully over to him, using caution to keep my movements steady as I dodged around the clutter on the floor. I could feel it again as I slowly approached him, yet I still could not wrap my mind around it. How could he care about someone he just met?
It didn't matter, this was my chance. I closed my eyes and started the process.
It’s hard to explain how we feed. It comes so naturally to a changeling. Imagine knowing someone so well you think a thought right before they do. It’s kinda like that, only with emotions. Once it begins, a chain reaction occurs and their emotions become stronger and stronger until they start releasing it. However, something was different about this one.
I couldn't figure it out. I could feel it working, but another emotion was clouding it. This new one was not from him. Was it from me? It couldn't be because it was the same one as his, only- Aghh! This was wrong. My emotions are supposed to be sedated not growing stronger. I had to stop.
I glared at him in the darkness. What had he done to me? I have heard stories in the past of unicorns resisting before with their magic, but he was just a stupid earth pony. On top of that he was asleep! I took a few steps back away from him. Anger and confusion washing over me in intense waves. He shifted.
I couldn't move. Every bit of me to my core was stuck in this one moment. He kept moving, shifting into a more comfortable position, and just when I thought it was finally over, the worst thing that could have happened did.
Green sparks started igniting at the base of my hooves, breathing to life small flames that burned at the fur on my hooves in waves of cleansing, destroying the lie that I had been, leaving my true form in it’s wake. It was not a quiet process. Unlike normal changes that I had done plenty of times before, this one was violent. I let out a yelp, struggling to keep myself upright as my body fought off the gift that had been so unwantingly left by that bi- "Agghhh!" The pain reached its peak as the last of my old form was torn from me, leaving me panting, gasping for air.
I slowly picked myself up as the pain was replaced by a slight hum in my head. I brought a hoof to it rubbing the ache from my eyes. "At least I didn't pass out that time," I whispered to myself in a weird form of self encouragement.
"Mmm... Wha... Who's there?" I heard a sleepy voice ask just in front of me. Had he really just woken up? I was so stunned I couldn't react but I quickly regained my composure and lowered my hoof from my face just in time to see him look right at me.
I watched as his expression changed from confusion to hate. He knew what I was and I knew that only meant one thing; I'd have to kill him if I couldn't escape. I lowered the front of my body in perpetration of a fight, my fangs barred as a loud hiss escaped my throat. I tried my hardest to seem intimidating to him but his reaction was so fast it seemed like he wasn't fazed at all by it.
He jumped to his feet and wheeled around landing a kick into a small dresser sending it skidding across the floor toward me. I pounced up trying to clear it but I was slow, the dresser catching my hind leg sending me to the hard wood floor with a thud. The dresser crashed behind me. I looked back quickly to see it pushed up against the front door I had come in through. 'Just great, now I will have to kill him,' I thought to myself as I looked back at my opponent who was now armed with a fairly large hammer in his mouth. I stood to my hooves, my horn glowing a bright green and my wings fully extended. He wasn't going to catch me off guard again.
He ran at me, his hoof beats against the floor beat a tune of deliberation, steady and focused. He was aiming to destroy me. And that's when everything clicked. All the training I had undergone under my mother, all those magical lessons, finally everything I was taught in the hive had a purpose. I noticed a slight falter in his eyes as a smile darted quickly across my face. I was excited.
He swung his hammer early throwing it at me. My horn immediately grew brighter engulfing the hammer in a magical field of energy moving it slightly to the left and just missing my face as my focus changed to the pony running at me. I Grabbed one of his hooves in the field sending Rusted stumbling to the floor face first. I heard a cry of pain as landed, rolling a couple times and coming to a stop just in front of me. He didn't move as I stood over him my horn growing brighter than it ever has. This was it. I win.
"Why are you here?" He growled out, his head still laying on the floor, the only movement was that of his chest slowly rising and falling "You monsters can never have what we do, so you try to steal it." He lifted his head and looked me directly in the eye. "But you will never have what I do." His face was puffy and bruised from the fall, a small cut shining red across his forehead. "You can't ever feel what I feel!"
I stumbled backwards as a wave of emotion hit me. He was thinking about me! Or rather the Pegasus he had met. And I still couldn't feed off it! Extreme emotion hit me again and again making it impossible to think. My vision blurred as tears ran down my cheeks. What is wrong with me?
Voices could be heard outside Rusted's door. The commotion must have drawn a crowd. I looked back at Rusted but he was out, his head laying once again on the floor. I heard a sharp knock at the door. I had to get out of there. I focused my horn on a window and forced it open with my magic. I jumped threw and began running. I could hear ponies yelling at me but I just kept running.
I don't know how long I ran for. It had to have been daybreak by now but I couldn't tell in the thickness of the forest. Trees were scattered everywhere, along with various other plant life. Vines and ivy squeezed and choked the trunks and weaved them all together, making it hard to tell where one plant ended and another began. The density of the woods together with the thickness of the air made everything feel more crowded than it really was.
Weakness and fear consumed me as I fell to the dirt to rest. What happens to a changeling that can't feed? I had no idea. Only the worst theories came to mind. Maybe I would die. Maybe this will be my final resting place. I was too weak to change form again. No one will let me get close to them in this form. I could feel my heart thump against my chest, and in the stillness of the forest it was easy to focus on. The rhythmic beat slowly put my mind at ease, lulling me into a state of uninvited comatose.
Chapter 4 - A Familiar Face
Here I was again, in The place of empty perfection that I had grown so fond of. The world I had made in my mind was the only place I could ever feel completely at peace, and yet- subtle changes that, at first, had gone unnoticed, were beginning to make themselves known. Soft but steady wind cut through my mane and brushed against my fur. The once brown barren land was now green, or rather, it was covered in grass. And the once dead sky was a bright shade of blue. It made me feel content, and at the same time I loathed it all. It ruined my beautiful perfection. I wanted my old world back, yet I couldn't bring myself to get rid of the new one. I was still very much comforted by this dream yet I felt torn by it. A part of it was missing, like a painting that was only half finished and then abandoned. I never seemed to have enough time in my realm though, as I was yanked from it abruptly.
"Inquis?" A strange voice called out directly to my right. I was awake but still out of it and couldn't comprehend what was happening, until he grabbed me by my arm and violently shook me out of my confusion. "Iniquis! What are you doing here?"
My eyes darted to the right and were met by the eyes of another changeling. I recognized these eyes. Whenever I copy someone I have their image stuck in my head for a long time. It was the assistant I had trapped in my room! I rolled over to my stomach and stared at him blankly for a few moments as all the questions I wanted to ask fought for dominance in my head.
"You're my mother's assistant. What was your name again?" As soon as the words left my mouth I was shocked back into confusion. Wait- why did I care what his name was? By the look on his face, he was equally confused by my words, but he answered before I could retract them.
"My name is Aidel..." he said with a touch of concern in his voice, "...are you ok?"
"I haven't fed." I said looking down at the grass in front of me. I found myself wishing I was talking to someone else but I couldn't say I was unhappy to see him. "How did you find me out here?"
"Queen Chrysalis sent me to watch over you, but before I even got there you were gone and the town was buzzing about a changeling running into the Everfree Forest after attacking someone."
If my head was any lower it would have been touching the ground. I was a failure already and it had only been a few- "Wait! How long did it take you to find me?"
"Two days after I reached the town. I was afraid this is what happened so I brought a parasprite with me," he said reaching his mouth into his pack and pulling out a small cage with a tiny blue creature inside. It had wings similar to my own and was so perfectly round I could have easily mistaken it for a ball at a glance. It's giant eyes were both adorable and creepy.
"A para-" As soon as it's eyes met me I could feel it again. This creature had barely seen me and was already showing affection.
"We carry these when we are training on how to hunt," he said after setting the cage on the ground in front of me. "Feed it and it will multiply. If you feed off of it too much before you make a new one the creature will lose its ability. And keep it in this cage! If you let it out it will multiply beyond control."
I poked a hoof at the cage and it immediately began to rub its soft body against me letting out a sweet sounding purr.
"This is no substitute for a pony. But it will keep you strong enough." He took a few steps back and turned to walk away. "I'll be around but don't rely on me. You wouldn't want to disappoint Queen Chrysalis again."
"Who are you to tell me what disappoints her!" I yelled standing to my feet, feeling my cheeks burn red with anger. But he was already gone, the buzz of his wings dying in the distance.
I looked down at the small creature in front of me and smiled. I have another chance.
I waited for dark and snuck back into town, the cage hanging from my mouth. The once blue creature inside was now a brand new bright red one. I had changed my form back to the Pegasus in case someone saw me but I really wanted to get back without someone seeing me. I had some time to think about what I was going to do on my long walk back so I had it all planed out. I kept to the ground and slowly made my way into the heart of the town. Using all the back ways I knew about from the last time I crept around at night.
After an hour had passed I had reached my destination. I had recalled what Rusted said about the old library being abandoned so it would be the perfect place to stay. The dead tree looked more sinister at night. Its long bare branches reached through the night sky like someone reaching out for help in their last moments of life. There was something wrong about this place, but I had made up my mind and flew to one of the broken windows, pushed it open, and flew inside.
The inside of the tree was way different than the outside. Aside from the random spider here and there, it was much more welcoming. I was inside what looked like the main room that took up the entire diameter of the tree. A staircase along the back edge followed the wall around to an upper room. Bookshelves of various sizes lined the walls with a handful of dusty books scattered inside them. I made my way up the staircase to the second floor. This room was obviously not part of the library but looked to be a living area. It was another round room, smaller than the previous one with a balcony built into the far wall; a broken ladder leading up to it. A chest sat open and empty next to an old countertop with a mirror that had seen better days.
I set the caged parasprite on the counter, which began making funny faces at itself in the mirror, and I flew up to the loft. An old bed frame sat neatly in the corner which concluded that this was indeed a bedroom at one time. The only other point of interest was a small window that overlooked the town. I sat down beside it and gazed upon the small village that was soon to be my own and sighed.
"I guess I'm home"
The parasprite purred sweetly below me in agreement.
The next month went by fairly quickly. I had become accustomed to my life in Ponyville. The parasprites were more than enough to keep me sane, but I was relying on them less as other ponies started warming up to me. There was a time, however, about a week ago, that I thought I was busted when someone walked in to the library and found me inside. But I convinced them that I was a magical flora inspector, testing the effects of residual magic left over from extended use on plant life. I don't know how I thought that up, but it worked. The fact that I had a tree for a cutie mark may have helped. When others in the town found out about it, they actually came in and helped me clean up the place. It was an interesting gesture I had never seen before and it made me feel welcomed for the first time in my entire life.
Visits to Rusted Shell's place were becoming more and more frequent. At first it was to check up on the injuries I had given him which soon turned into daily visits. A part of me felt guilty for hurting him, but a bigger part of me wanted to study him to find out why I continually failed at feeding off of him. He made his emotions so clear. They were there. I could feel them. However, something was keeping me from tapping into them.
I didn't have this problem with anyone else, and I had slowly started to work on anyone who showed any sort of affection toward me. I was getting good at it. I was starting to learn how to feed off of emotions without having to focus as hard. I had also learned how to feed on emotions that weren't directly involving me. I knew it was possible but I had never quite figured it out in the hive. It didn't take me long to find one emotion that stood out among the rest: love.
It was like a drug and I soon became an addict to it. The first time I fed off of love, when I felt it between two ponies enjoying a stroll down the road, I was hooked. It was intoxicating. I soon found myself searching it out. I even let Rusted treat me to dinner a few times so that I could get closer to couples without standing out. He said it was payback for helping him after the attack but I know he is lying. So much emotion inside of him that I just couldn't get- but it didn't matter either way because I had started enjoying eating pony food, although it did take a little getting used to.
Each day passed by like the last and I knew if I kept up this pace eventually one of the ponies would start to turn. The beautiful thing about changelings is that when they start to turn, their loved ones and friends can't notice the subtle changes, and before long the turned ponies begin feeding on them. Soon every pony in Ponyville would be loyal to me. Me, Iniquis, the new Queen...
...My ears perked as a quick loud rap at the front door sent my parasprite into a chirping frenzy.
"Hush Miss Missy!" I had not fed off of this parasprite at all and it had been over a week so I decided to name her and keep her as a pet. The others I had released in the forest whenever they started getting weak. I jumped down from my balcony and hurried down the stairs.
I knew who was at the door. Rusted had promised he would take me to the Everfree forest to show me where he collected his material for metal work. I hadn't been out of town since I was chased out so I was glad I'd be getting some time away from it. I ran up to the door and swung it open, but the pony in front of me wasn't Rusted. Instead a white unicorn, with almost unnaturally bright yellow eyes and a mane to match, stood in front of me.
"You don't blend in very well." I said matter of factly, shooting him a glare.
