From Mars With Love
3 Irony
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We had experienced twelve sleep cycles since I first spoke with the mares. Our drones do not seem to be capable of interacting with them even when ordered. This is perplexing. Sandy Chrome of the pony settlement Ponyville had informed us this is because I am special. I asked the hive if I was a special designation of drone, but it did not reply. Perhaps my query was simply silly.
Our Quadmatrix was assigned another chamber to service on the eighth day. As the Primary Drone I split our Quadmatrix between the two chambers, but the additional assistance of Three of Four was required by the others. Apparently pegasi are more difficult to care for. This left me to care for the ponies designated Sandy, Bonbon, and Pond Bubble with no assistance. The burden was not great, and the uninterrupted freedom to converse with the mares allowed me to form enough of a personal bond to extract the occasional love to supplement my nutrient intake.
A day ago we concluded… I concluded Pond does not desire anything to do with me. However Bonbon seems to believe our conversations have value of some kind, and Sandy rarely stops talking to me. For clarity of audio, I moved my bedding into the pen chamber. I wish she would speak mentally like a civilized person so I could go about other tasks without being rude and unable to listen.
“So One, how’s the hive doing today?” Sandy asked as I got to my hooves to begin this cycle’s work.
“I’m sorry… I understand being hungry. How about you are you ok?”
I answered looking around the pen. The other two ponies were asleep. This made my duties impossible as I could not adequately inspect their bedding.
Her face scrunched in confusion, “Because ponies can’t do that.”
I could swear there was some way for me to fix this problem. Unfortunately nothing came to mind, but I could feel something buzzing around my skull. Something I knew I could do but what was it?
Sandy trotted to the edge of the pen and stuck her hooves through the pars, resting on the mid bar much like you would lean on a fence. “So what would you like to talk about today? We have plenty of water and food for now. Oh! Could you maybe get us some carrots? A Grass only diet isn’t exactly good for the intestines…” she blushed, I wondered what this signified.
Suddenly I remembered, I could link an other’s mind to mine if they were close enough! I could let Sandy hear the hive’s reply. I quickly forged the link. Sandy twitched, “Ah! What are you-”
“What was… did you just link me to the hive mind?” Sandy asked, looking very afraid. This… unsettled me. I closed the link.
Sandy looked at me thoughtfully, “You would let me hear all of your thoughts and feelings? That’s… that’s actually really sweet… You know if it weren't for the circumstances we could be go-”
The hive cut her off with an alert! <PONIES ATTACKING HIVE! SOLDIERS DEFEND THE ENTRANCE! DRONES PROTECT THE LIVESTOCK! WORKERS CONSTRUCT DEFENSES!>
The hive’s scream was painful, I fell to my knees, hooves cradling my head as I screeched audibly. The sound awoke the other two mares, Sandy winced and instantly asked, “Are you ok One? What’s wrong?”
“What the hell is it’s problem?” Pond moaned getting up slowly.
“You didn’t make her mad or something did you Sandy?” Bonbon asked.
The two recently awoken mares instantly disobeyed my orders. They begun to bite, kick, and push at the resin bars.
“Girls! Please! Listen to One. I think I got her… look she’s my friend ok?”
The other two mares gave her an incredulous look, “What?”
“She’s my friend. I am sure that if the hive is under attack by ponies-”
The hive cut me off again, screaming orders so loudly I only could catch mine. <DRONES! THE ELEMENT BEARERS ARE HEADED FOR THE PEN CHAMBERS! DO NOT LET THEM TAKE THE LIVESTOCK!>
The ponies were looking at me, Sandy had one hoof pressed against her head as well. This confused me until I realized in my panic from the hive’s scream I had reopened my link to her. “Owwww… One, please stop that. Um-girls, it looks like the Elements of Harmony are coming for us.”
“Yes! No way they will fail at rescuing us!” Pony pumped a hoof in victory before screaming at the top of her lungs, “Princess Twilight! This way! Follow the sound of my voice!”
Bonbon trotted over to Sandy looking at her with suspicion, “How do you know that?”
I informed, wincing at the headache the hive’s screaming was producing.
“Yeah and it kinda hurts hearing that many ponies speaking at once… Please stop it.” Sandy said closing her eyes tightly.
I closed the link, but did not destroy it. She was my friend… I had never had a friend before. Perhaps I could convince her to mentally bond with me one cycle.
“And you are ok with that thing rooting around in your head? What if it brainwashes you?” Bonbon chided.
When did I learn how to control my mental powers? When did I get my mental powers? I knew that Changelings could speak mind to mind, but I could also read a mind, was this universal? I didn’t know.
“It’s ok Bonbon, the only thing she’s done to me with it is give me a headache.”
Suddenly I could hear the sounds of fighting coming up the tunnel. I had my orders. I could not let the attackers take the mares… If they took the mares they would take Sandy. They were going to take my friend! I had to protect her! Looking around the chamber I searched for anything I might use to blockade the entrance. Within a few minutes I was levitating boulders over to the entrance to seal us in.
“What’s it doing?” Pond asked nervously.
“Ask her.” Sandy prompted.
“You ask her Sandy! You are her friend after all.” Bonbon huffed.
“One of Four, what are you doing?”
I continued to place rocks, there would not be enough to block the chamber entrance completely, but I could make a suitable defensive wall.
“One, please stop.” Sandy begged.
“Yes. They are my friends, your hive took me from them in the first place. They are just trying to get me back.” Her tone and face held a sadness and hope which should have confused me. But somehow I understood.
I understood what the hive had done. I understood what a friend was, and that being parted from one would feel very bad. My friend had been parted from her friends. But the hive demanded she stay here…
“No one, I want to be with my friends. I want to go with them.” Sandy replied. The other two mares were looking at us with shock. I think they were amazed as I at what I was realizing.
“Did you really just get it to help us?” Pond exclaimed.
“No, I got her to help us.” I heard sandy reply in a grateful tone as I left earshot.
I didn’t get a reply, the hive was too busy to hear me. But within a few seconds I heard the sounds of fighting. Spellbolts flew through the air, one almost hit my left wing. Six ponies were fighting a group of soldiers in front of me, perhaps twenty feet down the tunnel. The soldiers were faring badly, within seconds the rainbow of ponies arrayed before them would have killed or knocked them all unconscious. Then they would attack me… Unless…
“Rainbow, another one just came up the tunnel, take it out!” A purple winged unicorn called as she blasted a soldier.
“Right!” a cyan pegasus exclaimed setting her hooves to charge me.
The cyan pegasus stopped mid charge, sliding to a halt. “Huh? Did you guys just?”
The others nodded, an orange mare proclaiming, “I ain’t never heard a drone talk a’fore.”
The purple winged unicorn seemed to be their leader. She stepped forward and asked, “Are you surrendering?”
Her face scrunched up in confusion, “Right… So girls what do you think, is this a trap?”
“Total trap!” The cyan pegasus exclaimed.
“I honestly don’t think that chinglings can set a trap right now Twi,” a white unicorn pointed out, “there are several hundred of the Crusaders charging all through their hive right now. We have made it past so many of their soldiers ourselves that it seems… they are a bit stretched thin to set a trap right now.”
A pink mare suddenly popped up directly in front of my eyes! I leaned back in surprise, falling into my haunches. The mare stared into my eyes for what seemed like an eternity before smiling. “We should follow her! This one’s nice.”
The purple one looked at her suspiciously, “Are you sure Pinkie? I couldn’t find anything about friendly Changelings in any book.”
“Just because no one has written it down doesn't mean it can't happen. Besides, Changeling number three-hundred-thousand-four-hundred-and-twenty-two here smells a lot like Sandy, also Bonbon… and I think maybe Pond. So she knows where they are.” Pinkie retorted before leaping up to her hooves, “Lead the way Changeling three-hundred-thousand-four-hundred-and-twenty-two!”
“I don't like this one bit. What if it’s a trap?” Rainbow said through clenched teeth.
“Then we fight our way out of it. We have handled worse before.” Their leader informed.
A pale yellow pegasi spoke up quite timidly. I could not hear her clearly enough to understand her even one bit.
“Sugarcube, just ‘cause one Changeling is helping us doesn't mean we should let our guard down.” The orange one informed.
“W-well we should try and see if others are nice too! Maybe they have a reason for the kidnappings other than just being mean.” the yellow one timidly retorted in a way I had not known was possible.
Instantly drones poured out from every chamber entrance. The mares I was leading screamed, spell bolts were thrown, hooves flew in jabs and punches, but within a few seconds the drones had fled down the tunnel. However I was currently on my back, the cyan pegasus hooves holding me down. “I knew it was a trap! I am going to buck you right into next week you lie-”
I pleaded, the pegasi designated Rainbow must be a soldier breed, she certainly was aggressive enough.
“Dash, knock it out. This Changeling is different enough that we should take it-” My world went black with a rather sickening crack.
~~
I awoke in blinding light. There were sounds of many things I could not identify filling the air around me with almost as many sounds a there were voices in the hive… The hive… I couldn’t hear the hive! Where were we?
I tried to stand up, I could only move my legs a little bit before they stopped with a clink. I blinked my eyes, clearing the blinding light as much as I could. I was above ground, that explained the light, and my hooves and neck were chained to the floor of a cart. There were bars around the cart. I was in a pen. My brain informed me this was called irony.
My eyes slowly cleared enough to allow me to see where I was. I was in the middle of camp of ponies. Their soldiers were busily looking over the hundred or so ponies the hive had taken for livestock. I presume they had all retrieved their friends and were making sure they were ok. That was good. I smiled, it was touching. Also filling, the ambient love was more then enough to sate my appetite.
“What are you smiling at Changeling?” I blinked, the purple winged unicorn was standing next to my cage.
The pony flinched, I don’t think she expected that response.
“She is getting fed and cared for by the parents and roommate. You really care for her don’t you? She said you spent the entire time she was your prisoner making sure she was comfortable.”
“You are a very wired Changeling… We are going to take you to Canterlot. As the only prisoner from the military operation you will be interrogated. But… If you behave I will try and see that you are treated as and prisoner instead of an enemy soldier. The law will let you go afterwards then.”
She tilted her head in confusion, “You are locked in a cage and chained up. You are not going-”
I stood up completely, phasing through the chains, then stepping through the bars before letting myself return to being solid. The purple pony gasped as I density shifted, quickly shouting, “Guards! It can walk through walls!”
I looked around for Sandy, she had to be nearby. Unfortunately plenty of ponies looked a lot like her so I had to look very-
I was suddenly in a lot of pain as a guard tackled me from the side, knocking me into the ground. I hissed in pain, I felt my wing rip on a rock as I was tackled.
“Princess are you alright? How did this one get loose?” The guard atop me asked.
“It literally walked right through the chains and bars like they weren’t even there! This is definitely not just a drone! Celestia will want to see it… We need to get it to cooperate… Changeling, if the guard lets you up will you get back in the cage and stay there?” Princess asked. It was so irritating to have to wait to hear a ponies designation before I knew… Oh yes! I could read minds. Right.
I stretched a mental tendril out to the pony called Princess, gently brushing at her mind until I could… Ah, her name was Twilight Sparkle. Princess was a rank, much like Queen. This pony was important… She was concerned that I was going to kill a pony and replace them.
Twilight and the guard looked at each other in confusion for a long moment. Eventually Twilight looked at me. “If I get her will you get back in the cage?”
The guard let me up. I stood up and opened my wings turning to check the left wing for rips. It had a large tear through the center. I focused on the wound, the membrane quivered, rippled then knitted itself back together.
“Ummm… what?” The guard gawped.
“You are telling me… Just… Just make sure she stays there.” Twilight ordered jumping up, her wing snapping open as she flew towards the middle of the camp.
I obediently weighted for her to return. It simply made sense to me to obey the orders of a queen, even if that queen was of another hive… At least as long as I couldn't contact my hive.
The guard flinched, “C-could you please just talk.”
Ugh, how inefficient. I tried to speak out loud, but only chittering hisses came out. We both winced at the sound. Guard shook his head, “Look it’s fine ok? Just… It's really creepy to hear a voice in your head.”
“Because it’s not natural.”
“... Ok. Point to you.” Guard chewed his lip thoughtfully for a moment, “I suppose it’s ok to tell you… Your queen was defeated in combat by Commander Lightning Dash. You probably can’t talk to the hive because there isn't a queen anymore.”
I fell to the floor of the pen with a loud thump.
“L-look I’m sorry… But you have been attacking ponies for decades now! Something had to be done.” Guard said defensively.
“One of Four! Are you ok?” Sandy’s voice suddenly cut through my sadness. Her presence instantly cheering me up. “Twilight why is she in a cage? She isn't like other Changelings!”
“It’s Sandy, just call me Sandy. You don't have to say the rest of it.”
Twilight cleared her throat, “Look this… One of Four is a prisoner of war. Also it has abilities I haven't seen other changelings possess. It is my prisoner until Celestia interrogates it.”
“Princess, with all due respect, One is a girl and deserves to be called as such.” Sandy informed in an irritated tone.
“I-what? Sandy, you are aware that Changelings are well… both right?” Twilight asked.
“Oh… well... ok.” Twilight looked rather taken aback.
She nodded, “Yes. Thank you One of Four.”
“Of course we can still be friends. Just… be as polite as you can… If they let you go I live in Ponyville. Will you meet me there?” She asked.
“Whoa there Sandy, I don’t want a rouge Changeling in my kingdom. If Celestia decides One can go we will return her here to this hive. Its… touching that you could make friends with her though.” Twilight gave me a look of confusion and curiosity.
While her back was turned I could see Sandy’s eyes give Twilight the most hateful glare imaginable. I half expected lasers to shoot out of her eyes and melt Twilight into a puddle. Her eyes turned to em and softened as she quickly mouthed, “Link with me!” I happily opened the link.
I smiled happily. Much to Twilight’s confusion.
I nodded,
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