Escape From the Hive

  I'm not sure what caused me to feel like putting me and my only drone in danger. Perhaps I'm just stupid, I know sometimes it seems that way. What? You didn't think I was completely alone, did you? I'm royal, I get at least one changeling under my control. Her name is Shell, and she's the only one my Mother released from the hive mind to serve me. Don't think it's generous, my sisters have at least ten drones.

  Shell's okay, I guess. Her exoskeleton is lighter in color than most changelings', being a strange gray instead of shiny black. Typical of my mother, giving me a mutant female as a servant. Oh well, at least Shell doesn't hate me. There's just one thing that makes it hard for me to feel superior to the mutant, she's freaking taller than I am. I reach her chest. Dammit. Sometimes I think Shell just listens to me so she doesn't have to go back to being a number. 6244, that was what she was called before Mother plucked her out of the ranks and gave her to me. She's grateful, but since she's under my control her thoughts have been influenced by my own. I'm happy to report that she hates Mother as much as I. Well, sort of.

  But back on topic. We were in danger, because I'm too stupid to know when I've stuck my snout in too far. I suppose I was just curious, practically dying to see what Mother was planning for the tests. That's why I suggested that we go and check it out, see if it would give me anymore of a chance. She didn't protest, why would she?

  "Fine, but if we get in trouble then you're going to be stealing your own love for a week. And don't even think about using that hive mind shit on me." That was all she said, and then we were off. The testing grounds aren't far from the Hives, being just a cleared space with a few black spikes here and there. Well, that was what it used to be. When Shell and I got there we saw that Mother had completely redesigned it. It looked much more dangerous now, with too many spikes to count and beefy drones everywhere.

There were too many obstacles, and things precariously balanced which could crush through any changeling's shell should it fall on them. It looked more like a soldier's boot camp.

  Shell and I were instantly nervous, but of course I led us onward. We did well for the most part, easily avoiding guards and managing not to get ourselves caught.

  "You have to take the test first, don't you?" Shell's comment made me shiver as we explored, reminding me that this death trap might be my end.

  "Yeah," I replied, "That's why we're out here. To make sure I have a plan before I die."

  "You know this might be counted as cheating," she said, her voice portraying a grin through the darkness. "You get caught, we both die."

  "We won't get caught," I growled, aiming my wing for her chin and smiling as it connected.

  "Sure we won't, idiot," she giggled. We eventually made our way through the entire course and quickly turned to go back. By then we were extremely shaken up by the impossible looking thing, and were attempting to break the tension with snide remarks and dares, none of which we would follow through with.

  It began to grow light-hearted as we neared the beginning, and we may have gotten a bit loud. No, that's not when things started to get bad, but it was when we found the thing that made it all go wrong. The dares became silly, like go and kick one of the patrolling drones in the nose. One of the dares was to fly to the top of a spike and back down before the other could count to ten. Seemed easy enough, so for the first time that night I accepted. She seemed mildly surprised, then gave me a mischievous grin.

  "You sure?" she teased, wings beating as she eyed me. I nodded, my own grin sneaking onto my face. "Fine then," she sighed, shrugging and sitting back on her haunches. "Ready..." she raised a hoof and I readied my wings. "GO!" Her hoof smashed into the ground and I shot into the air. Reaching the top was no problem, and I barely noticed the time passing. I froze once up there though, and wouldn't come back down, despite Shell's annoyed calls. I saw something, and it made me shiver. I wasn't sure why, it just unnerved me.

  Eventually, Shell flew up to join me. Her annoyed hisses were cut off when she noticed I was staring at something. She followed my gaze and stared for a moment.

  "What... is that?" she murmured, breaking the silence. I shook my head, coming out of my trance.

  "Not sure," I said. I'm not sure how to describe what we saw, but it terrified us both. It was some sort of mass of spikes, each one a different shade of black and all covered in bubbles of green and blue. Guards practically covered the area, making it even more ominous to look at. It has some sort of aura, radiating from the heart of the structure and causing each bubble to glow a sickly color.

  "Come on Larva," Shell urged after a while. "We need to get out of here." I didn't respond, simply tilting my head a bit and taking a step towards the thing. "Oh come on," she growled, "You're not honestly thinking of going over there, are you?" I gave her a look. "Oh Vavatonem," she groaned, knocking her forehead with a holed hoof. She sucked her teeth for a moment, looking from me to the structure and back again. She took a deep breath, then sighed it out and buzzed her wings. "Fine, let's go." I quickly leapt into the air and she followed, cursing me under her breath. "I hate you, you know that?" she mumbled as we neared the structure. I simply nodded and descended. We landed in front of the structure, several of it's bubbled spikes jabbing out towards us. I walked near it and tapped one of the bubbles. Nothing happened and I looked at Shell. She shrugged.

  "What do you think it is?" I asked, turning back to the thing.

  "Don't know. Maybe it's just for decoration? Like the statues the ponies make?"

  "That's stupid," I hissed, rolling my eyes. "Mother is dumb, but not that dumb."

  "Well what else would it be?" Shell growled, coming up next to me and tapping a bubble as well. She narrowed an eye and tapped it again. She waited a few moments, then reared back and smashed both hooves down on the green bubble she had selected.

  "Don't break it!" I exclaimed, shoving her away. "We aren't supposed to be noticed, remember?"

  "But, it feels weird," she said, as if that was explanation enough.

  "What are you talking about?" I asked. "No it doesn't, it sounds like you're hitting some drone's exoskeleton! Someone will hear if you..."

  "No," she said, sounding determined and looking back to the bubble. "It makes a ringing sound in my head. Try it." I gaped at her, then sighed and hit the bubble. Nothing but a clack.

  "There's no ringing."

  "Harder," she ordered. "Like this." She turned and kicked at it with her back hooves.

  "Vavatonem." I sighed, turning around and mimicking her kick. Nothing. "You're insane," I hissed, glaring at her.

  "No, you're just deaf." She pouted then, turning her head from me. We both jumped when we heard hoof-steps drawing near. "Now we're going to get caught because of you," she hissed. I growled back and we both quickly took to the air. I remember thinking we'd get away, that the drone wouldn't notice the two of us buzzing away. He did, of course, which is why Shell and I are sitting in this dark room, awaiting punishment.