Hive Mind

Chapters

The Transformation
Realization
Origin Point
Come Together
Lucky Finds
Urban Sprawl
From the Shadows
Bridge Chapter: The Biology of a Changeling (Equestria Edition)
Sail
Time For A Rematch
For Earth
In Closing
Bridge Chapter: Nightmare
Alternate Ending 1: Retribution

The Transformation

Ordinary day, ordinary weather - save for the April snow - and ordinary homework. I let my head drop to the desk, moaning. When in life was I going to need to calculate the leftover angle in a random spew of lines? Who would design a house that wasn't normal?

I heard something move. The cat was leaving. Only cats could abandon you that well.

How had I heard the cat?

I lifted my hand to rub my ear. For a few seconds, I watched the cat turn around a corner and vanish.

It took me a few minutes to realize I had looked past a hoof.

Is there anyone in the house? No.

But there are a lot of windows. Never know when the Google Maps truck'll be coming by.

Well, bedroom it is.

I'm not really worried or terrified in any way. I've read a couple of human-to-pony stories, I know basically what to expect.

It's actually really dark in here with all the blinds closed. I've never noticed before. I check again to make sure the door is closed.

Meanwhile, I've been growing fur. Not the pastel, snuggly-looking fur like on ponies and cats. This is rough, short fur.

I started out kind of exicted. You know, "Bahahahaha I'm gonna be a pony!" excited. I wondered what color I'd be, what breed... and then the bombshell - "Holy nuggets, my hooves are cheese."

So know I'm sitting here, wondering about both the structural integrity of my floor and what's going to happen. I'm not extremely scared, in fact, this is one of the best things that could happen - I can act like nothing happened! I can hide my... ponyness?... until I'm ready to show it! I can fly! I can use magic! I can be the best cosplayer that's ever lived!

And now, the awkward part.

You know how the minions had a bit of an exoskeleton and shells? Well, they're more like insects than you think. I can feel my insides splashing around. I swear to god, if I stood on my front hooves right now, my stomach would fall out of my mouth. Which would be gross, and I don't recommend it.

Okay, I have a horn, and wings? Let's try these babies out! I poke the my shoulders a few times. Do insect wings have muscles? Do I just think about it?

Think, think, think think think... the ground shouldn't be that far away! I'm flying!

I turn around, looking at my wings. Despite how wimpy they look right now, I am completely off the ground! Whoo! Okay, okay, calm down. I can try this later, when I learn to transform.

Time for magic. Wait, landing. Landing comes first.

Landing is difficult.

Curtains are surprising harder to get out of when you have four limbs and can't stop flapping your wings.

Okay, upright. Standing, despite being unable to stop my wings from flapping. Magic time.

There's my target. About five inches of wood, rubber and graphite. Coated in plastic.

That's right. Dollar store pencil.

I manage to get my horn to light up. The pencil rolls across the table. I quickly realize how hard it'll be to pick it up with hooves, and that my shoulder is at table level and crawling will be difficult. And then the pencil is floating in a green bubble! I did it! The pencil is floating!

With a lot of concentration, I manage to lift the pencil back up to the table.

And drop it hard enough that it rolls off anyway.

I'll get it later.

Bam! Fluttershy!

Bam! Rainbow Dash!

Bam! Rarity!

Bam! Twilight Sparkle! Applejack! Pinkie Pie! Luna! Celestia!

You know you're jealous. I can sense it.

In the show, they make transformations look instant and painless. I guess in real life they're just as fast, and painless, but... creepy. I can feel every bone in my body melt and reform, or grow anew, and my organs become solid. My fur completely disappears before regrowing again. Any extra parts are formed from scratch. It feels like it should take at least ten minutes, but no, seconds! It's probably a good thing it's hidden by a flash of light, because I wouldn't like to see myself in a mirror.

But this is just so fun.

Discord! Derpy Hooves! Lyra! Bonbon! Mrs. Cake! Mr. Cake! Pound Cake! Pumpkin Cake! Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo! Apple Bloom! Cheerilee!

I would warn about turning into the opposite gender. It feels creepy.

Okay. I have to focus. Time to become... well, me.

Which brought me to something kind of shocking - what if I had been a Changeling my whole life?

I stop mid-change and revert back to my original form.

I've read that some insects seem to almost communicate telepathically. They can move as one, as one large organism instead of millions of smaller ones. A hive mind.

Changelings are pretty close to insects, right?

It takes a few seconds of thought, before I decide there's no harm in trying.

It's an indescribable feeling. Suddenly, my mind just seemed to open up. I could see through thousands of eyes, hear through thousands of ears, and all in one big scene. And then it all just faded together. It seemed like a cave. There were a few glowing rocks...

...rocks that were squirming.

One of them burst, sending a flume of slime plummeting towards the ground. A Changeling crawled out, shook off it's wings, and hovered away into the dark.

My eyes were adjusting. The walls of the cave were coated in sleeping or resting Changelings. Most of the airspace was filled with them too, most looking bored. A couple flitted closer to the ground, a sense of purpose obviously fueling them. Something changed in the group, making the ones in the air scatter to the walls. A couple dropped to the ground, one landing right beside me.

And it turned around and looked at me. Not through me, at me.

"You new here?"

I stared at it. They couldn't talk in the show... I think. "Uh... kinda?"

It stared at me for a few moments, before nodding. "I came from an outer hive too. Her Great Majesty is coming, so we all have to move out of the way."

An eerie light flooded the cavern, a green glow coming from down the tunnel. Around the bend came three armored Changelings, each carrying a lantern as well as their own magic. They were followed by two lines of gaurds, which had another line behind them. There must have been twenty of them, but they kept changing formation.

They were surrounding one of the most eerie creatures I had ever seen.

The Changeling Queen, Chrysalis.

And no matter how creepy you thought she was before, it's way worse when she's flying towards you.

I felt a sudden breeze. The Changelings around me had scattered. I was kind of confused. Why were they leaving?

THUMP

I think I turned around slower than I ever had before.

It was her.

"I don't know you."

"I... uh... well..." To be honest, I was suddenly aware of her little entourage in a very tight circle around me. With teeth bared and horns lowered. "I've... uh... been gone for a while, and..."

"Female 3217?"

"Uh... yes? I don't really know, honestly."

"I sent you away thirteen years ago to scout?"

"Uh, I think it's fourteen now."

"What in Equestria happened?"

"I... I... I forget."

"You... forget?"

The ring drew closer, the Changeling closest to Chrysalis conjuring up a glowing spear. The Queen herself looked little more than surprised.

"You forget? How could you forget thirteen-"

"-fourteen-"

"-years away from the Hive?"

"Well, I don't know how, but I didn't end up in Equestria. I didn't know I was a Changeling until two hours ago."

"Guards, leave 3217 alone. I'll be fine." The guards looked at her in shock before obediently fluttering away. "Where did you end up? You see, we had a problem-"

"I know. The power of love. It's called Earth."

"Earth?" She sat back, lifting a holey hoof to her chin. "Release yourself from the Hive Mind. I will follow."

The original feeling returned, a sudden omnipotence before shutting down to my own mind in my own body, in my own room.

thwack thwack thwack thwack thwack thwack thwack thwack thwack thwack thwack

Chrysalis had found the fan.

Realization

Ponies are actually quite large.

I know this, because I live with a farm on the property. A pony is normally about fifty-eight inches at the withers - the base of the mane. For the people like me, that's one-hundred and forty-seven centimeters. So, in theory, most ponies can fit through doorways height-wise. Most ponies are round, too, and width is a problem for doors.

But the Queen - and I assume Celestia and Luna as well - is closer to the size of a horse; sixty-five inches, or one-sixty-five centi's.

Add her neck, and bucking horn...

It took a very long time to get her out of my room. A very, very long time. I'll have to fix that door before my mom gets home.

Luckily, the living room has a lot more space.

"How long were you gone? Exactly?"

"Fourteen years. You told me."

"How have you survived this long?"

"What? I ate food, drank water, breathed occasionally..."

"No. Those are all important... but where have you been finding the love you need?"

"Love...?"

"Love." She repeated, eyes narrowing. "The main source of life for a Changeling?"

I blinked, lifting a hoof to my chin. "How are you living, then? Out in the middle of nowhere, I mean."

"I survive on the hive's love for me. My perdiequum squad survives on the same, as they protect me. For my hive, they collect it as they need it. I have no reason to trap them inside a hive, unless there is a contagion. Many have left the hives and never been heard from again. Now, you."

"I don't know. Well, I do, but I don't think I'd work for you. I have a family. A human family."

"How did you find them?"

Every part of me stops. I can't breathe, I can't move, and every thought I had before has stopped.

"Are you alright? You're shaking."

"Fine." I choke out. "I'm fine." I don't like lying much.

She's frowning, I can tell with my eyes closed. "Whatever you say..." Her ears twitch, and she frowns. "I have to go. Those morons have set fire to an outer hive again."

In a flash, she's gone.

I'm a pony... she's evil... I'M A PONY. I snort, shaking my head quickly. I know, I tell myself. I'll let it sink in later... Great. I'm talking to myself. Not only am I a demon-pony, I'm a demon-pony with some level of insanity.

I don't think she'll be back soon, and it's getting dark. I need to think.

Trotting out of the room, I absentmindedly unlock the door with my magic and push it open, letting the wind shut it behind me.

It feels nice. The wind on my fur is relaxing, and not cold. The rising darkness is hiding me from the world.

The world isn't hiding from me, though.

I used to be scared of the dark. More, of the things that could be in it.

But now, in the dusk, I don't have to worry. The darker it gets, the easier it is to see. Lines that flash like silver outline every object. The sky is a black blanket, save for the few early stars. The grass is a rippling lake, a few tress painting dark shadows on the surface.

it's a beauty I have never seen before. And if I slip up in front of Chrysalis, one I'll probably never see again.

On a whim, I change into the form of Luna. A glance up to the sky confirms what I've always assumed - the sky has no darkness for her. Every space has a star. It always has, for her.

I change back.

For the rest of us, we have to make our own stars.

I reopen the door, let the cat out, and close it again.

My fur starts to prickle, and something tells me I should move.

A bit flash lights up the hall where I had been standing. "Sorry about that." Chrysalis groaned, shaking a bit of ash off her wings. "You have no idea how many idiots I have to work with. Where were we?"

Just, you know, making me doubt my whole life up to this point, "Feeding grounds?"

"Ah, of course. And?"

"I've survived on the love of my friends." White lie number two. "I'm sure you'll find victi... hosts here."

Chrysalis's eyes narrowed. "You know, keeping secrets from a Queen has ended many a life."

"Not keeping secrets." I muttered. "Wouldn't dream of it."

She sighed, kneeling down and setting a hoof on my shoulder. "Look, Femal-"

"I have a name."

"-Female 3217." She growled. "I will kill you if you don't explain further."

I shrugged her hoof off, taking a couple of steps back. "No! You are not my Queen! You left me..." A couple of evil thoughts, here and there, "... and you can't kill me because you don't know what to expect here."

"What?! No! I can kill you, and I will! I can find out about this place on my own!"

"You can't! You barely kept up a pony guise for a couple of weeks! This place is mine! All mine."

Chrysalis drew backwards, a mix of shock and pure fury on her face. "A little touchy, aren't we? I'll have you know that the hive-"

"Will do nothing! You send them here, and I swear to Celestia I will kill every single one."

"3217, you better apologize."

I glare at her.

"Fine!" Chrysalis hissed. "Good luck without the hive."

A flash of light, and she's gone. I sit back, shock setting in.

I'm a pony.

Not just any pony, one of the most feared breeds in Equestria.

I've just made enemies with the leader of my species.

She wants Earth.

Slowly, I stand up, walking towards the window. With a little effort, I prop myself up on my back hooves.

"Not today, witch. Not. Today."

Dear Princess Celestia,

HELP ME STOP PROCRASTINATING.

Thanks a bunch,

Your newest genetic enemy.

~~~

Wow, fastest reaction I've ever gotten to a story. 80+ favorites? Over 100 notifications in a single day? 45 uprates, and almost-thirty comments? I love you guys. *group hug*

In the next chapter... you'll just have to wait for the next chapter.

It will also be longer, and probably written much faster.

Origin Point

Something moved behind me. Preparing myself for the worst, I turned around.

The only other Changeling to speak to me looked back, seemingly confused by my snarl.

"H-hey. Calm down." He took a few steps backward. "I'm not here for the Queen."

"Then why are you here?"

"Just to talk." He paused. "You seemed confused in the hive, and I was wondering why."

"Because I don't know what the heck I am, for one."

He looked away. "Well, you have a reputation at the hive..."

"Hm?"

"How much time do you have?"

"Enough."

He hesitates for a few seconds. "Okay. About fourteen years ago...

A huge explosion rocks the hive. Thousands of Changelings pour out of the exits, filling the sky.

Chrysalis herself is thrown out from the shockwave, joining her subjects in the air.

A projected voice fills the air;

"Changelings of the hive! What Chrysalis has made us do is wrong! We do not need trickery and disguise to receive love! If we stop hunting now, we can still redeem ourselves! Pony-kind will accept us, and we'll live normally! We don't need to fight!"

"Don't listen to them!" Chrysalis roared, flying between the burning hive and her colony. "They are different! They seek only to destroy our race!"

Ten Changelings climbed out of the hive, standing at the top. They all seemed to be different than the rest, each one just a little bit off.

The one who had been talking before flew above the others. "She doesn't understand that these ponies will accept us! We have tiAAAAUUUUUuuuuuhhhhh...."

Chrysalis's green lightning faded as the Changeling dropped back to the hive's surface. The electrified creature twitched, changing into mixtures of other forms as the energy faded.

"See? They are different! They are not like us!"

The seething mass of Changelings muttered, unsure.

"We are like you!" Another Changeling protested. "We are your brothers and sisters! We have simply seen what can be done for us!"

The smallest in the group took to the air. "In trying to defeat us, you only show the hive how wrong you are! New and different are not bad! We can be stronger!"

"Guards!" Chrysalis shouted. "STOP THEM!"

"We will not be silenced, Chrysalis." The electrified one slowly stood up, shaking her mane back to normal. "No matter what you do, we know you're wrong."

-----

These Changelings were, indeed, different. Since birth, they had shown signs. Each had a special talent, like the ponies they fed off of.

The oldest was the strongest, having a wide range of magic at his use and excelling in every arcane field. The next was physically strong, able to lift many times his own weight and had single-hoofedly defended the hives from many outside threats. A group of five females, all around the same age, filled in the middle; they were specialized in stealth, illusion, lies, espionage, and reconnaissance. These five were the best hunters, and retrieved a lot of energy for the hive. The three youngest had the most amazing powers of them all. One could make anypony who heard him believe him, no matter how outlandish his statements were. One could create synthetic love with her magic, and used it during times of starvation. The final, only a year old, was the strangest - she did not need to see to change. Her own mind could make forms for her.

They all shared a single trait - the Hive Mind rejected them. They could not see the thoughts of others, and vice-versa.

Chrysalis could not corrupt them into assimilating with the hive.

They were taller, faster, stronger, and smarter. They could see what they could change, and they were ready to die for their families.

-----

"After that battle, Chrysalis captured all ten, and, to the general knowledge, killed them. She didn't need any protesters against her way of life. So, that's what a lot of Changelings thought happened. That all ten died." He sighed, looking down at his hooves. "I know that's not true. Ten of them suffered through torture, mentally and physically, until they forgot what they were and what they stood for. Nine of them were cast into this dimension."

"The tenth? Was he killed?"

He let out a small laugh. "He forgot what he was as well. For a long time. Then, one of the Changelings he was allied with decided to come back. And he remembered her, through all fourteen years of separation. Suddenly, he knew what he was, why the Queen treated him so gently. And he knew that the one he had seen had no idea."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm one of them. I'm the third-last. I lied to the Queen, said I was spying for her, protecting her, and she believed me, of course. I became a member of her personal guard, for a time. We vowed never to use out powers on the hive; we didn't want to be like the Queen. And you... you were the changer. You didn't need to see a pony to become it. You had limits - you stayed the same size, and your talents only improved slightly with each form, but you didn't need to see a dragon to breathe fire. Of course, the size and talents were related to your age. I'm sure they've improved now."

I didn't care about me. Not now. "What about the other eight?"

"Chrysalis will find them. If she does, they'll remember what they've been hiding. They will seek us out, no matter what. We just have to be ready for them."

"I've doomed Earth. Everything's going to... die."

"No." He put a hoof on my shoulder. "We fought against the hive when you were just a foal. We can fight them now as well."

I stepped back. "This is too much. I'm a pony, I'm a Changeling pony, and I'm a Changeling pony with special powers?!"

He grinned. Some part of me remembered that grin, a sure sign our plans were going to work. "Nope. You're anything you can think of with special powers."

I couldn't help but smile.

Hey guys I made up for the chapter that took forever!

Come Together

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"Your Majesty, what of the others?"

"I should have known the male was one of them all along. I thought she was dead."

"But, the other eight-"

"I don't care about the other eight!" Chrysalis snapped, turning to face her guard. "The only other one of them that might be a problem is the magic wielder. Other than him, these two are the most dangerous!"

"Even with the five?"

"The five are only strong together. Until we search them out, they'll be oblivious to their true forms."

"So, what are we supposed to do?"

Chrysalis ground her hoof into the floor of her chamber. "Annihilate them."

The guard hesitated. "Isn't that what we tried to do before?"

"I said ANNIHILATE THEM!" Chrysalis yelled, stomping a hoof.

"YesyourMajestyrightawayyourMajesty."

"Come on."

"No."

"3217, you can do this."

"No, I can't."

"Do you want to fight Chrysalis or not?"

"I don't wanna."

"I don't want to come in there, but I will."

"Noooo."

"3217, get out of bed!"

I rolled over, glaring at the door. "Ten more minutes."

"I already gave you ten more minutes! Get out here!"

"I'm sleeeeeeping."

"No, you're not. Get out."

"Mmmmmph." I roll upright - again, hard to do with four legs - and manage to stay sitting.

"Are you coming?"

"Yeah, yeah, be right there."

Five steps to the door, and I'm in the hallway. I nudge the door shut. The other Changeling is leaning on the wall outside, a slight glare focused on me. "Took you long enough."

"I sleep in on weekends. Deal with it."

"I did." He muttered. "But we have no idea when Chrysalis is going to strike. We have to plan, we have to find the others, we have to make sure she doesn't find the others-"

"-And those are all problems for later. I'm awake. Now what?"

He shrugged. "You have to practice with your powers. I've practiced with mine."

"When?"

"Trying to get you out of bed."

I frowned, but hovered down the stairs behind him. Note: Tackle the whole 'stair' problem.

"How am I supposed to practice? We can't even go outside."

"I went exploring, and you have a basement. I don't think anyone can see you down there? At least, I don't think anyone lives down there. I'm still weirded out by these 'humans'."

"I do not have somebody in my basement." I frowned, shaking a stray hair out of my face. "And I don't want to go down there."

"Why not, 3217?"

"Because there are spiders down there."

"Come on! Are you joking? Please be joking."

"I don't. Like. Spiders."

"I'll bet you spiders are one of the closest creature to you on this planet genetically."

"Nope. There's the other Changelings."

"They don't count! Now suck it up, and go downstairs."

"No." I planted my hooves into the stairs, watching as he turned and frowned at me.

"3217!"

"No!" I felt my bones shifting, stature leaning forward. My hooves split into claws. My mane and tail turned bright red, flowing like fire.

"Oh, well. That's new."

"I'm not going down there with the spiders."

"Don't you think you're overreacting a bit?"

"Not at all."

"You changed into a night mare. A very flamey night mare."

"No. Spiders."

"Okay, okay. We'll find somewhere else." He hovered up the narrow tunnel, glaring at me as I reverted back to Changeling.

"What's your name, anyway?"

"1416. Stop trying to change the subject."

I trotted after him, helping him shut the blinds. "Spiders are creepy."

"Okay." He turned around, smirking. "Change into one."

"Wha... no! No no no no no no!"

"Do it."

"No."

"I will shove you out this door and lock you out until someone sees you."

"I don't care. Go ahead."

"Let me in!" I pressed up against the door, leaning all of my weight on it. "Please."

"No." He replied, smiling through the window.

"Come on! Someone's going to see me!"

"If you turned into a spider, you could fit under the door~"

"No!"

"Well then, good luck."

At least it was warm outside. But no spiders. Ever. Now, there was always other bugs, but... style is everything.

In seconds, I was a cobra. With a startling ease, I jabbed my tail between the door and the frame and pushed the lock open. I nudged the door open with my snout before slithering outside.

He trotted around the corner, frowning.

I reared up, ready to sink my fangs into his knees. With a hiss, I launched forward, ready to pump devastating venom through his flesh.

And am promptly thrown against the wall.

I revert to my original form with the sudden pain - luckily, a flaw I lost while I was human - and lie in a crumpled heap on the floor.

"What in Equestria was that for?!" He shouted, pressing up against the wall.

I stand up, slightly confused as I watch him flinch. "What was what for? I was just going to..." ...Going to bite you?!... "...oh my god, I'm so sorry! I don't know what happened!"

"It's fine, just kind of shocking. Instinct is just something that most foals understand and can control after a few days. I didn't really think about how you would be affected too. I should have thought of that."

"I still feel bad. I was trying to kill you, after all..."

"Well, I agree that something a little less poisonous would have been a better choice, but..." He shrugged, hovering up into the air. He tapped his hooves together, tilting his head. "We can always work on your transformation skills later. They do seem to come quite naturally. Let's work on step two - finding the others. You've been human; where would a human with those kind of talents go?"

I shrug. "The internet?"

Lucky Finds

Hey, guys, guess what? I've found another bandwagon to join! Ta-da~

Message me here on FIM or DeviantArt, and I'll answer! (Introduction of new characters means you can message them too, if you feel like it)

"No. Humans have two legs. Not four. And lose the tail."

"Am I getting closer?"

I lean back on the bed, easily remembering my previous form. "Well, sometimes. You get better... and then you mess up worse somewhere else."

"Like what?"

"Fingers. Faces... everything, really."

"Augh!" He flipped over, staring at his hooves. "This is hard. How did you do this?!"

"Well, maybe if you didn't give up so easily, you'd be human by now!"

"Because it took so long for you."

"Well, I happened to be human for most of my life, so..."

"This." He slammed the back of his head into the floor. "Is." Slam. "So." Slam. "Annoying!" Slam.

"Get a hold of yourself!" I yelled, glaring at him. "You know what? If this is so hard, be a bird. You can just follow me."

"Where are we going?"

"Wherever. Now show me how to teleport."

He rolled onto his hooves, and waited for me to turn back into a Changeling. With a swing, he touched his horn to my side and teleported away.

Being tugged along by anothers' magic is not quite pleasant. Even less so when the final destination is in water.

"Where are we?" I yelled, pulling 1416's head out from under the water. "Where did you send us?!"

He spit out a stream of water before looking around. "I found a weak signal at the last second. A transformed signal."

I let him go and smacked his forehead. "You could have at least seen where we were going first!"

"It was a better idea at the time!"

I dunked my head underwater, looking around for any fish. Well, there weren't any nearby, but judging by how my eyes were burning, we'd found an ocean.

"Oooooww."

"What? Did the watwer huwrt the wittle Changewing?"

I reached back, shoving his head under the water.

"Augh!" He popped back up. "Water hurts, water hurts! How could humans live on a planet where the water hurts?"

"Great difficulty. Now find the... signaly thing."

"You expect me to go searching underwater?!"

"This was your idea, genius."

"But... but... water..." He frowned, poking at the surface.

"Oh, fine. But you owe me one." I picture a shark, hoping the gills will work themselves out. Luckily, they do. In seconds, I'm underwater, breathing fine. Which is good, y'know, because apparently Changelings don't have much experience with water. Without my hooves holding him up, 1416 starts to sink, his eyes squeezed shut and cheeks puffing out.

I think about yelling at him that he's an idiot, but after a few more moments I realize I can't talk, and instead push him back up above the water.

"I'm dying I'm dying... I'm not dying? I'm not dying! Oh, hey, thanks!"

I wait for him to change as well. Nothing, just him coughing a bit and looking around. I change back, making sure to catch him before he goes underwater again.

"Could you maybe change too? Just an idea."

"What? I haven't seen any animals, though."

"Uh, me? As a shark?"

"That would feel so weird though, stealing a form from you."

"Why?"

"I don't know, it just... seems like it does. I have an idea! It's going to be really, really amazing. I swear. Okay, you, you turn into a shark, and... and I... I will sit on your back and tell you where to go! Brilliant, isn't it? I'm brilliant."

"A better idea would be sticking your head underwater until you see something that swims."

"Oh come on. You know my idea is awesome."

"Actually, no I don't."

I seriously don't know how he won that argument. But here I am, a massive, seaborn killing machine, towing him around the ocean. Occasionally he'll swat the side of my face, and I'll turn. But I don't think we'll be finding anything.

"Stop!"

I slow down as quickly as possible, trying to glare.

"We're right above it now. Find something for me to change into!"

I try my hardest to see, but shark eyesight isn't something worth noting. I realize just how stupid he is today when he sticks his head underwater to help.

"Eyes!"

Moron.

Let's just see just how powerful I am...

I change quickly, with a surge of power. "Gyyyrrrraaa!"

"Whoa." He mutters, sliding further down my back. "What is that?!"

"Gyrados." I grin. These fangs are impressive. "Gyrrraa."

"Neat. Now, form for me...?"

No time for that, good sir! I toss him up in the air, and gently catch him in my mouth. I can feel him scrambling around, obviously terrified. "Was that supposed to happen? Please tell me you meant to do that."

I take a deep breath, filling my lungs and my mouth with precious oxygen. And then I dive.

Never before have I felt so strong. For a virtual character, Gyrados is amazingly powerful.At least 1416 has stopped running around. He's poking my jaw, though. And I hope he's steering, because I'm following him.

I feel him kick, and I glide to a stop. Everything is dark, and judging by the weight on my back, changing forms now would kill me.

I can just hear him yelling from inside my mouth. "Can you see anything?"

I can't really see, but it's pretty dark down here.

Wait! Something just moved!

It's tiny, though. A little octopus, floating by. But it's the only thing moving down here, and because I can't see any warm geysers, there has to be something up with it.

Biologically changed.

A form that doesn't really know how it's supposed to work.

I surge forward, opening my mouth a few inches. 1416 shouts, before the octopus vanishes in my mouth. I can feel him tiptoing around the waist-height water, looking around for what I might have caught. The feelings of a struggle, and then there's two sets of hooves.

A kick. "Go on up, tubby!"

I growl, but obey. The time it takes is minuscule, pathetic even. I breach the surface, letting 1416 and his new friend escape my mouth before I change back.

Floating in the middle of the ocean, I take in the new Changeling. It seems just as startled as we are, looking at it's hooves and glancing between us.

"Well?" 1416 asked. "You are?"

It backed up, almost sinking. "I not know what am."

1416 facehoofed. "Couldn't you at least be grammatically correct!?"

"Calm down." I hiss at him. "You're just lucky I could talk."

He rolled his eyes as I turned to the unknown Changeling. "Can you tell me the first number that comes into your head?"

"1378." It quickly replies.

I turn to him. "Well?"

"1378..." He taps his chin for a few seconds. "Oh! Yeah, 1378. A little older than me, and... can make love! That's it. She doesn't need to feed off of others."

"Why are the numbers so small?" I wonder out loud. "There are, y'know, millions of you, right?"

"Well, that's just the number of us born in the main hive. Most fly in from the others when they're adults." He paused. "Aren't you always telling me to focus?"

"Yeah, yeah. Now, could you get us out of the ocean? We had a mission."

He shrugged, grabbing my hoof and 1378 - who flinched - and lit up his horn.

A flash of light, and the only sign we had ever been there was a small ripple.

Not much for such a long time. I'll try to focus more on the next chapters.

Urban Sprawl

I'm writing a song for this story, and can't do instruments for the life of me. If anyone's willing to help, it would be greatly appreciated.

"So, what's a Gyrados, anyway?"

"Oh, you don't need to worry about it." I reply quickly. "Where's 1378?"

I hear him look around without glancing up from the computer screen. "Damn it! 1378?! Where'd you go!"

I levitate the pencil again, tapping the keys with minimal concentration. Using magic has gotten easier, but I haven't been able to practice my flight much. We finally realized how starving we were once 1416 explained to our newest ally how her powers worked. Not as pretty as Candance's, which was slightly disappointing, but it sure felt good. Are Changelings addicted to love?

Oh, here we are.

Google Maps: Enter an address

Let's see... where would a pony disguised as a human - or other creature, but I'm leaning towards the dominant - go?

To a source of emotion, where they can find sympathy, hatred, love, greed, shock, fear, joy...

I mentally thank 1416 for taking the time to explain all of this last night, between catching the objects I continued to drop while working with my magic.

I think while typing in 'Toronto'; can a Changeling feel love?

"You don't have to hide." 1416 hissed.

I shake my head, standing up straight. "Sorry, I keep forgetting."

I make sure 1378 is still following me (she has a habit of stopping to touch everything) before trotting around a small crowd. After a few more failed attempts at 1416 becoming human and 1378 refusing to change at all, we decided it would be easier to just use a localized hive mind.

It also made sure we didn't lose 1378.

1416 jogged back past me with a snort, grabbing the older Changeling by what little scruff she had and hauling her ahead. I roll my eyes and catch up in a few steps.

I send out a small magic pulse, another thing 1416 taught me. Apparently, it reacts with the magic of other Changelings, or, when outside of the hive, anything with magical abilities, like the ponies, or wild creatures.

It reacts quickly with 1416 and 1378, what seems almost like a burning flare going off in my head. I wait for a little while, and then, on the very edge of my magic - a tiny flicker.

"Hey, I found something."

1416 looks around as he sends out a pulse as well. I feel the shiver in my magic that shows he's found me, and 1378 twitches.

"Oh. You actually did."

I give him a sideways glare and start to pick up speed, phasing through people walking around us. 1416 is close behind me, still dragging 1378.

I'm still wary of people looking down all the time, dodging around toddlers, pets, and the occasional wandering texter. 1416 growls a little each time I move around them.

I keep using my magic pulses, despite 1416 starting to complain and 1378 flinching like she's being attacked by bees. The flair is getting closer, but not stronger.

I turn off the main street, half my body phasing into the side of a building. I'm reminded of a video game glitch - the buildings seem completely sealed, until you find a gap, and suddenly the whole world opens up. Except, instead of flashy colors and interesting enemies, it's dark, and the ground is littered with cigarette butts and what might be dried blood.

I turn at a loud thump - 1416 has dropped 1378 and is wiping her fur out of his teeth. "The pulse is still pretty weak, even now." His horn sparks, and a small red flare drops to the ground, skittering around on the ground like some kind of demented spider.

He looks up from it, seeing my surprise. "It's a tracker, kind of. It'll find what we're looking for."

"So, a Changeling?"

"Potentially." He pins down 1378's tail as she turns to leave, without looking up from the little tracker.

It runs along one wall, picking up speed - and burns out with a pop.

"That's never happened before." He remarks, walking over to where it vanished.

I follow close behind, 1378 behind me, if only because she's curious. As all three of us set foot near the spot, and feel it all at the same time. In a quick flash, we are kicked out of the hive mind we created, standing vulnerable and visible. I start to shiver, an inner chill that emanates from deep in my core.

1416 turns to us and yells something, but my ears are starting to ring... something about 'magical fences'?

The wall in front of us flickers suddenly, revealing another alley. This one's much cleaner though, the ground still looking like concrete and the walls a pale gray.

The chill starts to fade as the wall disappears, and on 1416's lead, we enter the alley. I feel a thrum of magic as the wall reappears behind us.

1416 stops, peering at the wall. "Hey, look. You read human. Explain this."

I trot over, squinting at what seemed like stone. Thousands of numbers, mixed with characters I don't know and some I do, crammed into impossibly small spaces and, by the looks of it, spanning the entire wall.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

A massive Changeling, at least double my width and height, appears out of nowhere. His eyes have a different tint to them, red instead of blue. His shell extends further up his neck, and the three exoskeletal bands along his sides are thicker than the space between them. His fangs and horn are longer too, like if Celestia had a baby with a saber-toothed cat.

I shake that image from my head, focusing on the task at han... hoof.

"We don't want to return to Chrysalis's tyranny!" He roars, wings snapping out - also massive, and look closer to the wings of Luna's guard - and lowers his head. "Remove yourselves from our home!"

I notice at some point in this statement, I rushed behind 1416. 1378 is right beside me. He angrily snaps his tail across my face, but doesn't look away from the hulking beast. "We are not here for you. We're here with you."

"Stand down, Vim. They are allies." Another Changeling appears, this one looking pitifully weak compared to his giant companion. As he steps forward, I notice it's not just contrast; he's a couple inches taller than me, but he's almost all legs. His neck is long too, and he has an air of power about him, a kind different than the beast behind him.

"1416, Vocem, so nice to see you." The tall Changeling nods in respect. "Who have you brought with you?"

"1378 and 2317."

"Amare and Multas? Very good. My name is 352, or Visus."

1416 jerks his head for us to come out. "Where are you getting these names?"

"Humans seem to have many ways of speaking. I have simply taught myself a few of them; English, French, and Latin. I have not forgotten my Equestrian origins, though, as you may have."

"Girls, meet our magic and offensive specialists, Visus and Vim."

From the Shadows

"Look, 1416-"

"-Vocem-" 352 yells down the alley.

"-I really think we should get going. We still have five more Changelings to find, and we have no idea what Chrysalis is doing while we wait around."

1416 shrugs, rolling onto his other side. "I'm not awake yet. Don't tell me things."

"Well, wake up then!"

"Wake up!" 1378 adds helpfully.

He opens his eyes, glaring at us. "I understand your urgency, but we have time to burn. There's no way Chrysalis would come after us this soon. She may be able to, but she likes a challenge."

"I think we've challenged her enough already."

I turn to 1378 - that's the most words I've ever heard her say!

She doesn't notice me gaping, and continues. "We fought hoof and tail against her for at least three years before she could get rid of us. I think she'd attack whenever she had a chance."

"Well I've been with her since she banished you, and trust me, she'll wait!" 1416's eyes narrowed, and for a second, I thought I saw them flash green.

"I say we move as fast as we can, and find the others before she does!" 1378 protested.

"I'm the only one who stayed loyal to our mission!"

"As if waiting on that witch's every command is our mission."

"Stop it, both of you!" I yell. I feel my magic building up, but it's gone almost as fast. I open my eyes.

352 is standing next to me, his horn lit gently as he drains my access magic. Meanwhile, he's projecting it into levitating my two companions.

"You two should not fight until our battle is over. Then you will either be too happy to care, or dead. Understand?"

"Yes." 1378 mumbled.

1416 faced 352, eyes blazing green. "Put me down."

352's eyes turned a similar shade, his magic sputtering as he dropped 1416.

"You did nothing to help any of us while you were here. You shall not interfere with our decisions."

"Of course." 352 replied quietly. "Of course."

"You said you'd never do that." I muttered, watching as he shook a few spots of chalk off one hoof.

He turned towards me, evidently having forgotten I was there. "I-I... no, I..."

"You said we never used our powers on each other!" I shouted. I felt magic oozing onto my skin, scales forming and body growing stronger.

"No, 3217, please... let me explain..."

"You just did." I growled. Spreading my now-bat-like wings, I took off, shooting up between the narrow walls and stirring huge plumes of chalk dust from them. I landed on the roof beside it, looking down at my claws.

I'd always liked dragons. Figured I'd chosen them as a way to escape.

I looked back at the gap. I could go back down, apologize...

"3217! Come back!"

...but I'd lived this long on my own.

I spread my wings and took a running leap over the next chasm, catching a small updraft and soaring up above the cement wasteland. Surely people could see me, were taking pictures as they stared in fear.

Buck that. I was going home.

I turned slowly, still rising, and started flying away. He'd come find me anyway, I was weak compared to them.

I discovered that moment that a dragon can't actually cry.

I shimmered back to my original form, throwing caution to the wind once again as I dropped.

The cloud dipped slightly under my hooves, but held. I circled a few times, learning that either I bent physics or that clouds did. I could ask 141...

That train of thought went spiraling into an infinite darkness as a tiny little Changeling held up a dismantled section of track with a frown.

I grunted and lay down, watching the sun slowly dip below the city in the distance. With a little tug, a section of cloud broke away from the rest, anchoring back as I patted it down around me.

The last beams of light faded, and it was dark. I sighed and closed my eyes, alone with the stars.

"Ten more minutes..." I mumbled, pulling the cloud over my eyes against the sun. It wasn't long before I realized there was something curled up beside me.

"AUGHWHATAREYOUWHYAREYOUHEREWHAT'SGOINGON-"

The Changeling flattened her ears, magically lifting a book from her hooves and waving it. "Waiting for you to wake up?"

"Wha... do all of you do this?!"

"What?"

"Just show up somewhere and be all 'oh yeah, nothing much, how's your day been' while I'm freaking out?"

"I don't quite understand."

I ran a hoof over one eye. "Who are you?"

"1271, recon and investigative power."

"'Course." I muttered. "And your sisters?"

"Out foraging for food."

"How are you reading that?" I nod towards her novel.

She rolls her eyes. "I do investigative work. Of course I know this language by now."

"Am I basically the only one that forgot they were a Changeling?!"

She nodded happily. "Pretty much."

I plunged my face into the clouds with a tired growl.

Okay, I know this is a midget chapter that is pathetically small compared to the time I took to publish it. The next chapter will get rolling pretty fast and then the story is going to start coming to a close.

In other news, I'm going to go to AnimeNorth next year as a Changeling/Raptor Jesus/(Wolf Link or Ametaresu or DarkGreymon).

Sorry again for the midget chapter, and thanks for sticking with me.

Bridge Chapter: The Biology of a Changeling (Equestria Edition)

"I got you this." 1416 chucked something towards me.

I caught it with my magic millimeters before it hit my face, frowning at his smirk. "What is it?"

"It's a book, duh."

"But what's it about?"

"Changelings." He replied simply.

"Is it in English?"

"No. You'll be able to understand Equestrian enough. Now study up, I'm not patient enough to teach you."

I flip the book around, scanning the back and front. The letters are actually quite flowing, probably more elegant than anything humans have created. I trot away from the computer and over to the couch. It's getting easier to move around, at least. I curl up in the corner, setting the book between my hooves.

"It's got the pony and Changeling version inside, so be careful with it!" 1416 calls from the next room.

"The Biology of Changelings..." I mutter, opening the cover.

A Complete Guide to the Flora and Fauna of Equestria
Chapter Five; Section 2 - Changelings

It looks like this is the only section of the book in here - the inner edge is ripped from being torn out.

A Changeling is a quadruped with a distinctive equine figure. They feed solely on emotion and have no need for physical substance. The main offense and defense of the Changeling is their amazing shape-shifting abilities, which allow them to take on the form of any living creature they see. However, these powers are limited by size and time - Changelings cannot turn into things larger than their own mass, and their illusions tend to strain after long periods of time or when unconscious.

They enter pony society by kidnapping or killing a resident, and taking their form to live their life. The disguised Changeling acts close to exactly like the original pony, and can normally stay hidden for months, if not years. When a Changeling is discovered, it will either flee the town or kill whoever discovered it, leaving a space for another Changeling. When one Changeling flees a town, the others inside will also flee. Any of the ponies the Changelings took the form of are presumed dead after two weeks and a funeral is held.

Upon the capture of a Changeling, it was executed and dissected. When other ponies have skin, the Changeling has a solid gray exoskeleton, marked only by three gray bands behind the shoulder. These bands are slightly thicker, and imitate the rib stricture needed during a transformation.

I unintentionally glance at the next page - a full-page diagram of the dissected Changeling.

...ugh.

They seem to have two hearts with four chambers each, which can pump blood and therefore love throughout the body with double the efficiency. A small pouch between the lungs contains a green mucus which can be shot through the mouth when the heart rate increases. This mucus also bonds the arteries to the underside of the exoskeleton. The rest of the body space is filled with muscle.

The wings of a Changeling are made up of thousands of organic crystals that seem to be created when the creature goes through its metamorphic stage, as they are bonded by a substance similar to the mucus. The shell on its back is, as of this publication, indestructible. The fangs serve no purpose other than intimidation, for they seem too weak to pierce flesh. The eyes are similar to that of all equines, but the blue sheen allows them to see in the dark.

Changelings are dangerous and will attack if seen. Avoid at all costs. If a Changeling is seen, contact the Royal Guard in Canterlot.

"Was any of that right?"

"Not really." 1416 replied. "Judging by the picture, they caught a very, very young Changeling."

"How much is wrong?"

"Keep reading. Hey, how do I make macaroni?"

"Instructions are on the box."

-----

HEY GUYS I WROTE THIS FOREVER AGO BUT YOU CAN READ IT NOW

Mostly because I have homework tomorrow (Health summative: Write a creative story about drugs, alcohol, reasons to say no, blah blah blah... I'm making a story about Pinkamena) you can read this now. The second part (Blahblahblah Not Equestrian Edition) will probably be out at the end of the story, or forever into the future, so... yeah. Expect the story as my next update, not this.

BUT HEY YOU DESERVE IT

YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME

Sail

This is how an angel cries...

"216, SHUT IT UP!"

The guard jumped forward, before facing his queen with a sheepish grin. "My lady, I fear that we can't do anything. It's all in your head."

Chrysalis looked up at him, hissing with anger. "FIX IT!"

"Turn a little to the left." One of the sisters said, her eyes closed. "You're losing signal."

"Sorry." I adjusted my magic, the invisible beam dancing in my head.

"But cool song." 1271 added. "Good choice."

The others had returned quite quickly, each with hooves full of fish. A note on evolution there - that is the reason for the leg-holes; to carry things. Apparently it's extremely difficult to pick things up with your mouth when you have fangs.

The one who was directing me was 1268, who's power was illusion. It not only enhanced her changing abilities, but allowed her to detect when magic was being used on illusion and shape-shifting, or being used by one who had those powers already.

On one side of her was 1269, her power being her amazing ability to lie. Unlike 1416, she explained, she didn't have to believe in what she said, while he did.

On 1268's other side was 1267, who was constantly vanishing into the background of sorts, simply blending in with what was going on and passing out of meandering sight. She was silent on her hooves and wings as well, lacking the low buzz of a regular Changeling's flight.

The final sister, lying on the edge of the cloud, was 1270. She was espionage, and the one who had originally seen my blatant daylight flight. Judging by how focused her eyes were, I assumed she was watching something below us.

1271 was still flipping through her book, glancing up whenever 1268 gave me another instruction.

"Okay, you can drop the link. It's anchored."

I let the magic fizzle out, feeling the beginnings of a headache behind my eyes. As if reading my thoughts, 1268 touched her horn to mine, transferring love to me so I could recover.

"Good job. That'll keep up for about a day."

I panted, smiling and nodding.

Chrysalis growled as the music in her head increased in volume, grinding her horn up on of the stones in the wall to try and drown it out. Her guards flattened their ears and gritted their fangs in unison at the eerie screech of the stone's protest.

1270 flicked her ears towards us, but didn't look away from the ground. "Which Changelings were you with prior to this?"

I lifted an eyebrow. "1416, 1378, 598, and 352. Why?"

"Because they're right below us." She stated, turning her ears back again. "And calling your number. Except for 598, he's calling you Multas."

"Hide me hide me hide me-" I ducked behind 1271, who just as quickly pushed me back to where I was.

"You really should talk." She advised, attaching her book to her shell with a speck of green slime. She leaned over the edge beside me, finding the four forms in the dark. "Hey! Up here!"

"2317!" A familiar voice shouted from below. The buzz of wings got steadily louder as I tested just how far a Changeling could burrow into a cloud.

Apparently you can only dig as deep as the cloud itself. I was suddenly in open air, my wings buzzing uselessly against gravity.

"NO!" I felt the shout pass by as I fell, from beside me to high above.

The world slowed down. I was closer to the ground than I had thought, just not close enough to live, probably. Who knows how much force a Changeling can take. Although, now that my eyes were stinging and my face was starting to heat up, I was pretty sure that I had passed the limit.

I had a moment where I saw myself splatting to slime on the ground, left for whatever found me first. Maybe it'd be a human, a real one, one that would take pictures and send them to the tabloids.

Huh. All of a sudden, the tabloids don't seem so fake anymore.

I felt a sudden, intense pain around my belly as my speed dropped to virtually nothing. I twist almost-painfully, seeing the chest and chin of another Changeling, his hooves wrapped around my middle as he struggles to keep both of us aloft.

The ground meets my hooves much gentler than I believed it was going to. The Changeling lets go of me, landing in front of me.

"Are you alright?"

I stiffen, looking up at the Changeling who saved my life. "It was... you?"

1416 nodded slowly. "There's two things you have to know... one of which I should have told you a while ago."

"More things that make me invincible? What now, can I control the universe? Can I just will Chrysalis into turning good again?! I don't care about being perfect!"

"No... well, kinda." He admitted, looking at my hooves. "I don't think it matters now, anyway." He waited to see if I was going to respond before continuing. "Thing is... Chrissy chose you to be her personal successor."

"Whut?"

"You were supposed to take the throne if she ever fell. You showed intelligence, magical abilities, and with your skill in puzzles, your hindered flight meant nothing. Back then, you could make it around the hive, and that was good enough."

I was vaguely aware of the others landing around me. 1271 settled her wing on my back, but I didn't fully notice.

"Once you realized what shape our breed was in, you joined us," he waved a hoof at the group, "and turned against her completely. That's why you couldn't remember anything. That's why she turned against you so fast this time. She knew you were dangerous, and she erased almost everything. Sh left right after you started going against her, because you would remember."

I rolled my eyes. "Why can't this happen to any of you guys? So, the second thing would be...?"

"Oh, yeah. I'm gay, so you can stop staring at me like that." He stuck his tongue out and pretended to gag himself with his hoof.

I was - this time - fully aware of our little gang laughing like maniacs. 1416 himself just smiled pleasantly and brohoofed 352.

I facehoofed, probably something that was going to become a lot more common.

Time For A Rematch

I have 166 chapters to read and a bunch of stories to edit and you guys are more important. BE HAPPY.

"My Lady, I know that you have found many reasons to... in your words, exterminate the deserters. But what of 1416's family? They believe he is out hunting. And the parents of the others - surely they will not fight their own young!"

"Quiet, drone." Chrysalis snapped, before noticing her words. "They have lost the honour of being part of the hive, and their families will want nothing to do with them without this."

A different warrior, looking small in the dark armor, shuffled his feet. "M-my Lady Chrysalis?"

"Hm?" She turned to face him, standing up taller. "You may speak..." she pasued for a moment, trying to remember his number, "5690."

"If I may miss, that's my brother. I'm 5691." He blushed, ducking a little. "We're twins."

"I'm sorry." Chrysalis muttered distractedly. "Now, what was it?"

"Well... 1416 is my older brother... and... if it's alright... I'd prefer not to see him while we're there."

Chrysalis stopped mid-pace, hoof hovering in midair. Her annoyed frown dipped slightly, a flash of her sharp molars showing for a moment.

The young guard seemed to notice. "I'm sorry, if it's too much trouble, I'll just stay behind."

"No, no, you shall come." She lowered her hoof, reaching out through the hive mind for a certain pony.

Deep beneath the hive, even below the underground escape tunnels, a Changeling twitched. It was a female, old showing through chips on her exoskeleton and dullness in her eyes. She focused one eye, the other filled with an impermeable grey-white film.

"You." She breathed.

Chrysalis's aural form nodded. "Your eldest son has rebelled again."

"You know he never stopped." The old Changeling snickered. "You just fell to his power, like the others."

"I would like to tell you that your replacement is doing well in your place."

She smiled. "I'm quite happy down here, too."

"Anyway, I came down here to tell you that," her voice changed to that or a more regal bearing, echoing slightly, "if you refuse to come along on this mission that both your eldest and youngest may be fatally injured in battle."

"You wouldn't dare."

"I have thousands of larvae just begging to be fertilized in the nursery. I wouldn't miss just two warriors." She lifted her hoof, pretending to scrape dirt off the surface. "But you would, wouldn't you?"

The older Changeling stood up, her legs wobbling with the foreign movement. "I'll come with you."

"With the sole purpose of controlling your elder son."

She closed her seeing eye, the blind one's eyelid destroyed in the accident that blinded it. "...Yes."

Chrysalis couldn't help but grin as she cast a small spell, the elder Changeling jolting for a second before she opened her eye again, the blue iris shining green.

"Follow me." Chrysalis whispered.

"Okay, you two. Touch up on your agility, and focus on using minimal space." I jumped to the side, a burning crater appearing where I had been.

"Sorry!" 1416 yelled down. "I missed!"

I stepped a bit more to the side of his target dummy and glared at him, but focused on the task at hand.

Or hoof.

I reared back in Chrysalis's form, avoiding a double blow from one of my allies and smacking them aside with my tail. 358 was quick to catch the falling creature, the magic bubble slowing her drop before popping just off the ground.

1416 was practicing in a slightly different manner; after he was deemed virtually useless in hoof-to-hoof combat, he was moved to the sky patrol with 352, to shoot down ambush attackers and drive back Chrysalis's warriors to give us more space.

My plan was already made up - the second I could see any other Changeling, I was to turn into 1416, like the rest of us. He was the one she would recognize first, after all, and he was potentially the one who would be our greatest weapon. Then, as she came after us, we'd pick another in our group and change to them, 1416 included. If I was targeted, it was my job to fight back, potentially blind the watching Changelings - or create a different veil - and change into her, down to the hairs in her mane.

And then, we would see just how well a Changeling could tell two ponies apart.

"Okay, 1378, you feeling up to a few more feeds?"

I should have come alone.

She knows where I am.

She knows who I am.

She will get me.

She will get the others.

We will fail...

"No matter what happens, my warriors, stick close to me and to each other. If we grow distant, many of us will be lost to the void."

A shiver went through the huge group at Chrysalis's words. The void - the thing that could pull Changelings from the hive mind and render them useless, blind, crippled... or kill them.

"And now we must travel through the void itself in order to save our kind and way of life from these deserters!"

There was a mutter of anxiety, quickly silenced by Queen Chrysalis's guards taking a couple of steps towards the crowd.

"All of you have passed my tests - you are all able-bodied, quick-minded, loyal members of my hives."

Indeed, throughout the crowd, there were Changelings that looked quite different than the others; members of the distant hives who had flown to this hive with Chrysalis's call. A few desert dwellers, with larger ears and redder color, a couple of the northerners, with pale white bodies and icy eyes, and even a single 'rebel', with a unique yellow color and a taller stance.

"And with you all alongside me, we shall annihilate the threat to our hives!"

A cheer rose up as Chrysalis spread her wings, hovering a couple of feet above her guards, and her entire body started to burn with a green fire as she channeled the love she had received into tearing apart the fabric of her reality.

We all froze as a distinct ringing filled the air. We landed as one, staring up at the sky.

A flaming dot opened in the sky, growing larger and brighter in seconds.

We were all thinking about scattering, I knew it. But our little hive, the way we had worked together... we had become a real hive. And because of that, we stayed together.

The dot was coming closer, it's burning green tail fading into the air behind it. A ripple of fire raced over the surface, as if to peel the flames away.

At the front was Chrysalis, her huge, elegant form pushing the heat away from the Changelings behind her.

Then the peeling flame kept going, splitting apart even the tail and the space around it. Hundreds of thousands of Changelings appeared, a seething, writhing black mass.

"We can't do this." 1416 muttered. "There's too many."

"No." 358 argued. "They can still be taken by the void. Watch."

Indeed, many Changelings saw us below and went to split from the group. With flashes of blue-green light, they dropped like stones, shells peeling away into dust and evidently dead instantly. The black comet dwindled.

"Ready for the change?" 1378 whispered. "3... 2... 1..."

"NOW!"

For Earth

Chrysalis almost stopped her dive as the group below emitted a bright flash of light. Those little twits better not have teleported.

But no, the light faded and they were still there. She focused her long-sight - a trait made possible by the slitted eyes of a Changeling fat with love - and noticed something. None of them were in the same place.

She snickered. "As if that'll stop us."

The last of the void's hold was released, only a couple hundred Changelings had fallen to it, their souls smothered. But that was a loss they could manage. Still more than enough to take out a bunch of misfits.

The group below split into a large circle, each one connecting to the next with what seemed to be arcane rope.

The 'rope' launched to the center of the circle and then up, crackling with energy.

Chrysalis spun to the side, the trail behind her doing the same. There were screams as the bolt tore a hole through the group, another hundred Changelings fell to the earth. Damn.

The Changeling rogue, his yellow eyes surveying the damage done, darted up beside Chrysalis, wings beating with ease. "My Lady, how do you plan on taking them out? If you continue as a single entity, you are going to lose more warriors."

"I am aware of that!" Chrysalis snapped. "Now stay back!"

He frowned angrily and barrel rolled up into the sky, diving back to his spot in the cluster.

"Show off." She heard a guard mumble.

"She's making this way too easy." 1416 laughed, aiming another bolt.

As it fired, I saw his mirage flicker - 358 took his place - and then it was 1416 again.

"Anything I should know before we start?" I yelled over the screaming.

"Everypony for themselves!" He cackled. "Although, Amare has a little heart over her left eye. Add that in." He noted quickly.

"Thanks." I muttered, putting the detail in place. "Like this?"

He glanced over, charging up another bolt. "Yup."

I looked up at the sky again. "So. It ends here?"

He nodded again, this time with a grim frown set on his muzzle.

Despite her hatred of the phrase, Chrysalis had to admit her warriors were dropping like flies. Hundreds after hundreds screamed and fell, charred. Frontal assault, as the rogue had predicted, was failing.

A movement in the corner of her eye made her start. The rogue was flying a good mile away, at an even pace with her, with a smaller swarm following him. She looked around quickly; the other foreigners had followed suit, with close to two hundred Changelings behind each. Her army had dwindled to a thousand at most.

Another bolt passed her, but a substantially smaller amount of Changelings fell.

Instead of yelling at them to get back in line, she flicked her tail. A handful of guards left her side, one for each swarm. She sped up, passing the others while her swarm tagged along in her airstream.

"Tonight, my subjects, we dine on Earth!"

Our circle shattered, each of us running in some direction. I stood still, watching Chrysalis change course for whichever one of us had decided to become 1416. I don't know how we managed it, but none of us were the same Changeling. I saw myself running in the other direction, and I saw me too.

Then 'I' made a funny face, and I was basically one-hundred-ten percent sure it was 1416.

"Here they come!" I yelled, noticing how strange my voice sounded. "I'll face Chrysalis!"

"Oh, no. You will be staying back." 'I' replied, bounding over to stand in front of me. "You have to get ready to change."

I rolled my eyes and pushed 'myself' away. "I can handle her."

There was a moment where we looked at each other in silence, before 'I' nodded slowly. "Don't get killed."

"Well, there go my plans for the day." I growled, getting ready to take off.

Chrysalis saw two of them converse before splitting apart, one preparing to meet her dive.

A single Changeling, with no offensive powers, up against me! Stupid foal... She grinned. "Prepare to meet your death, rebel!"

The Changeling flying up seemed to go faster at the challenge, a few patches of green flame appearing on her sides.

"How much damage do you plan on doing?" The Queen taunted. "What in Equestria could you do to me?"

The green flames coated the flying Changeling, and it showed no sign of slowing. Chrysalis momentarily considered that she might have to move.

"Well?"

"I think," the Changeling growled, the flames intensifying and expanding, "that I can do a whole bucking lot!"

The flames seared away from tar-black scales. The dragon's head was marked with a few sharp horns, and a set of glimmering red eyes shone with anger. The dragon sped up with two flaps of it's huge wings, slicing past Chrysalis and cutting the population of her swarm in at least half.

"You!" She roared.

"Guilty as charged." The dragon responded with a grin, flying in a wide loop to attack again. A few stray Changelings tried to attack it, but did nothing to it's armor.

Chrysalis looked back down at the ground for the replica of 3217. There wasn't one, but there was another of the Changeling she had been disguised as.

The light flashed again below.

Chrysalis used a string of curse words that would rate this story up to mature.

1416 took off, beating 598's massive wings. He seemed to be the only one heading for this wave, which he noticed was being led by not only a foreigner, but one of Chrysalis's guards as well. And in the background, the sudden appearance of a giant black dragon.

"Oh hot damn." He grinned. "They're in for it now."

Just as he was about to lock hooves with the leader, he transformed, a manticore taking his place. The desert Changeling struck out frantically, terrified. A single paw-swipe knocked the breath out of him, the poor creature spiralling away to the ground.

1416 transformed back to his original body, his eyes starting to flicker green. "I am not your enemy. You have all been led here by lies and trickery. Land peacefully on the ground and you will not be harmed."

I banked, the edges of my wings glimmering with a green plasma that I assumed was the color of Changeling blood. What if they had families? How many children would never see their parent... even parents... again? I hesitated, flapping my wings to extend my loop. How many families will never see each other again if the Changelings take over?

I change my speed, shooting in front of Chrysalis's swarm - which has changed target to fight me instead of the gang below - and slide into a hover, blocking them from passing easily.

"I don't want to exterminate your kind." I growl. I notice some of the Changelings start to mumble, no that they're hovering. Glances are being cast between me and Chrysalis. What has she told them? "I know that many of you have been lost today, many just from getting here. Is it worth the loss? You have all of Equestria."

"Lies!" Chrysalis yelled. "She wishes to turn you against your own kind!"

Her words seem to have a deeper hold on her subjects - well, duh - but there are still a lot looking at the bodies below, and a handful with their hooves up near their faces, looking like they're about to cry. I am suddenly aware of a low buzz as 1416 flies up and lands on my shoulder. The others are near me, silent. Chrysalis's other swarms are joining up behind her as well. It's up to either me... or her.

"I have lived on earth a long time." I sighed, waving a talon towards the distant horizon. "And humans are not very accepting of what's different. They shun the animals that live here, use the resources for greed, fight their own kind... the only reason I survived is because I had no idea what I was, and the others were smart enough to stay hidden. If you reveal yourselves here, en mass, all it will do is cause more fighting. You have lost enough already."

Chrysalis turned to her hive, eyes wild and all in all, looking stark raving bonkers. "No!" She screams, a scratchy, panicked noise. "She lies! They want you to leave so they can have this haven for their own!"

The Changelings closest to her have backed away in fear and disgust. The few foreigners have narrowed their eyes, the only factor keeping them from taking her out being their low number.

I changed back, a small group against an entire, seething hive. I raise my voice, if only to be heard over the beating of thousands of wings. "I now give you all a choice. You can join us, and we will return you home safely." 352 nods - we can work together to form a stable portal. "Or you can stay with Queen Chrysalis, and fight us and whoever joins us."

There is a sudden increase in the muttering, Changelings questioning the Queen who they serve.

A silence falls as a single Changeling flies out of the crowd. She looks to be ancient, and half-blind. Unsteadily, she struggles across the gap, a determined frown on her face.

A loud snap echoes through the air, and she falls, smoking. Chrysalis is grinning maniacally, horn sparking from the magic blast.

"HOW COULD YOU!" Somepony in my group screams. A blur races past me, aiming for Chrysalis.

"Brother! STOP!"

1416 is deaf to the yell, the air hissing around him as he begins to reach terminal speeds. Oh no. No bucking way.

A Changeling shoots out of the hive, tackling him and pushing his course away from the Queen, who seems to be virtually paralyzed in shock. "Brother, you're making a mistake."

1416 looks at the other Changeling, his eyes watering. "But... Mom..."

The warrior pulls 1416 into a hug. "She'll be okay. She'll be okay." He's crying too, now.

I glance down at the falling Changeling. Not at that speed... Oh, what the hell. I've already risked my life today. I drop into a free-fall, feeling my body protest against the lack of wings. The older Changeling seems to be moving, spreading out as wide as possible to slow her fall. I shoot past her, judging the distance between me and the ground.

I snap my wings open, shooting up towards her. Instinct is fighting against every move I'm making - leave her, save yourself, yadda yadda yadda. I speed up again, evening the distance between us. Slowly, I open my wings, moving up towards her with a painstaking speed. The ground is dangerously close now... can't be more than a kilometer.

Her front hooves lock around my middle. I snap my wings open completely, the wind screaming in protest. Or I'm screaming, I can't tell. I try to angle out parallel to the ground, with what little space I have left. With a sickening crunch, I hit the dirt, sliding for a few agonizing meters before rolling. I stop as my back slams into a tree.

I can see the elder Changeling a few feet away, panting but alive. Good thing she let go, or I'd be lying against bug paste.

I have a sudden urge to fall asleep. The darkness seems so inviting. I let out a sigh, and feel something drip into my mouth. It tastes coppery. I stick out my tongue, trying to see it. Green. Strange. Huh, I'm so comfortable. I guess... I guess I could close my eyes for a few seconds...

I roll away from the tree, looking up at the sky. I can see strings of black moving away from a black mass, to one tiny little spot. There's only one speck not moving away.

Strange.

I'm so tired...

So...

...tired...

In Closing

I felt... weightless. The ground was nowhere to be seen, and the same for the sky. I couldn't tell if it was black, or white, or an absence of both. Maybe that's what death was - a combination of neither black nor white. But it sure was peaceful. I could hear noises, somewhere in the void.

That's what this was, I realized, I'm in the void.

Well, sure as the holes on my hooves, I'm dead.

The noises are becoming voices, drone becoming words...

"Oh, good gods she's waking up."

"No, not now!"

"Someone needs to bite her."

"What?!"

I can feel a numb feeling that starts around my belly. I try to move my wings. I can't feel anything, but I don't know if they're nonreactive or gone...

"The blood she lost - she needs more venom to recover it."

"That's a last resort!"

"She is a last resort!"

That's kind of harsh, I think, I saved all your flanks against Chrysalis.

Something jabbed my shoulder. Who knows what it was, but it hurt like burning Tartarus. The voices became strikingly clear, ringing in the back of my head. I went to open my eyes, but there was something covering my eyes. Some kind of bandage, I think. I move my legs, my wings, my ears, testing to make sure all my body parts are still attached. I think everything's still there.

The void was still dancing on the edge of my eyes, sprouting golden swirls as I woke up.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." Who is that... 1271?

I go to talk, but my whole mouth is dry. I get the sudden feeling that I'm falling.

"Oh, stay still!." Another voice, 1416. "The venom has to be absorbed."

"Wait a few more seconds," I think it's 1378.

The blindfold lifted from my eyes, and everything glared bright for a few seconds. The sky and ground came into glaring focus, as well as the massive sprawl of Changelings lying around. By the color of the sky, it was either just after sunset or just before dawn.

The nearest Changelings opened their eyes as we started moving around. A ripple of excitement started to form, Changelings shoving each other awake and turning their attention to us.

352 glanced over at me, smiling slightly as he projected a shimmering green wall between me and the Changelings. "It's for your own good."

"Are they gonna attack me?!" I whimpered.

"The complete opposite." 1416 replied from my other side. "The only reason we need the barricade is because you're still recovering."

The Changelings were... smiling? They were looking at me, and positively beaming. I started to feel a nag in the back of my mind, like something important was going on and I was missing it. I glanced over at 352, who was grimacing, and 1416, who was looking between 352 and the shimmering wall.

352 collapsed, spent, and the wall flickered before vanishing.

The mild nag exploded into a fiery-doom-laden-migraine-to-end-all-migraines. I almost collapsed, but 1416 pressed up against my side. "Hold on."

I straightened up, feeling the pain - which I soon realized was a massive quantity of love energy - slowly fade away as I closed my eyes.

When I opened them, I felt... different. The ground seemed far away. I seemed further away. I looked at... looked down at 1416. "What happened?" My voice sounded different too. Echo-y.

1416 closed his eyes for a second, conjuring up a reflective square of magic flame. I squinted at my reflection.

Well, that was only partially-expected. I shook my head, my mane - now longer and softer - shaking with it. With a bit of stretching, I could see my wings had grown, and the exoskeleton bands on my sides had turned wide and green. My tail was longer too. Turning back to the glassy fire, I scanned my face. I lacked Chrysalis's 'rotting horn' style, instead having a more blade-like bone. My eyes hadn't changed much either, although the lighter blue area was more defined.

I walked in place, trying to figure out how much my walk would change. It had been hard enough before. Actually, this seemed more natural than before, my body swaying in pace with my hooves instead of staying almost-still.

I blinked, focusing on the swarm in front of me. "I thank you for your love and devotion, but I insist that I am no more royalty than any of you." I waited for the expected mutters to quiet down. "I am sorry in that you have lost your ruler today, and many kin. I assure you, the lost will have a proper funeral, either here or in Equestria."

I surveyed the land around us; a meadow in the middle of nowhere, with a couple of trees strewn about. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the reaction about to come.

"And I have to admit that this planet cannot support your kind."

I gritted my teeth, and prepared myself for... nothing?

I opened my eyes, something I had been doing quite a lot in the past minutes. The Changelings were still smiling, getting up and stretching as they prepared to leave.

"You are fine with returning to Equestria?"

There was a mutter of general approval, nods and whinnies spreading.

I smiled gently. "You shall be sent home shortly. For now, you can feed." I looked at 1378, gently filling her up with energy. "Would you feed our guests?"

She nodded, her horn blazing as she discharged the access energy. A glowing pulse expanded from her, flickering between green and pink, spreading over all Changelings present with a warm breeze.

"What happened to Chrysalis?" I asked 1416 quietly, not looking away from my sw- the swarm.

"We've got her tied up over there." 1416 tossed his head towards a distant tree. "She was in quite a state when her subjects turned their love to us instead of her."

"I want to see her."

"That probably isn't a good-"

"I want to see her." I repeated.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. But I warned you."

I sat calmly in front of Queen Chrysalis. She was not like me anymore, as I had guessed. She was back to the size of a regular Changeling, but still had a gap in her horn and her trademark eyes. Her mane was back to being jagged, but was still a blue color.

She was restrained, standing on her hind legs. Arcane chains linked each of her hooves to the tree, as well as one at the base of her head and around her belly. Her wings were spread out against the tree, useless.

She still looked pretty angry, though, hissing and yelling and struggling against her bonds. She also smelled kind of like urine, and I quietly wondered how long I had been unconscious.

"She's been here for five days." 1416 responded, as if on cue. "She's been too aggressive to be untied.

I acknowledged him with a nod. "Chrysalis..."

"That's Queen Chrysalis to you!" She spat.

"Chrysalis," I repeated, letting a bit of a growl slip, "do you know what you have done to your people? How many died?"

"Do you know how many died while they fought you?!" She retorted.

"That's a lie." 1416 whispered to me. "Our rule was that we would not harm civilians unless they were directly attacking."

"Chrysalis, we are going to give you a choice; you may swear that you will assimilate peacefully into the hive and not oppose the leader chosen upon the return..."

"Pah! As if I would ever do that!" Chrysalis turned and spit on the ground.

I narrowed my eyes. "Or we return the rest of the hive and we return home, and you remain here until you die of starvation."

Chrysalis flattened her ears. "You wouldn't."

"After the deaths of civilians that you have caused in your efforts to thwart a currently-harmless enemy, your death would be little less than a celebration."

She turned away, staring off across the field. She relaxed against the tree, a tiny space opening around each of her bonds. I noticed her neck band moved with her; she must not be able to transform with that.

Something in her voice changed. "Unlike you, I was born royalty. Ponies respected me from birth. Then... my parents were killed in a purge by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Many of the royals were killed as well. Soon, I was the only one left - I had turned into a regular Changeling to hide. Since then..." she frowned, "all I've wanted to do is get those murderers back for what they did. But I don't think I'm ever going to do it. So go ahead." She tilted her head back. "Just kill me quickly."

I frowned, looking down at her. "You can go free if you remain peace-"

"I told you!' She shouted. "There's no way I'd be able to watch my hive work alongside those vile creatures!"

1416 warned me to stay quiet with a gentle tail flick to my leg. I waited until she stopped glaring, and her head drooped to her chest in defeat.

"So... you choose death?"

She closed her eyes. "I would rather choose to leave my world than to be ruled in it."

I stood up, slowly walking over. 1416 stayed where he was, a mixture of pity and anger on his face. I moved so that he couldn't see the chained Changeling.

I reared up, feeling my wings open as I balanced, and came plunging down.

I took a few steps back as Chrysalis fell forward. She twitched for a moment, and then lay still.

"Oh gods." 1416 managed to gag out. I heard him turn tail and flee, retching.

I knelt down on my front legs, tapping the fallen Changeling with my muzzle.

Chrysalis opened one eye, fixing it on me. "You didn't kill me."

"You're right." I lay down the rest of the way, our eyes almost level. "I wouldn't take a life."

She laughed weakly, and I could almost hear her racing heart slow a bit. "I should have guessed. You saved that old cripple."

"I don't want to send you back to Equestria. Your hive would kill you, if the ponies didn't. I'm giving you a third choice."

"And that is?" She tried to sound passive, but I heard a quaver of hope.

"You stay here on Earth, alone. Find yourself a human body, fall in love, start a family. And if you stay hidden, I won't hunt you down, and the others will have no reason to."

She looked away, contemplating. "Fine." She growled. "I'll stay hidden."

I stood up as her body enveloped in a green glow.

Just before she vanished, I heard her whisper, "thank you."

And then... she was gone.

"What did you do with the body?" 1416 asked quietly when I walked up. He still looked a little shaken, and I wasn't going to blame him.

"Buried it." I replied softly.

He nodded, pupils contracting as he retched slightly. I draped my wing over his back, calming him down.

"Do you want to help with the funeral?"

"For Chrysalis?" He questioned.

"For all of them." I corrected. "We lost a lot of Changelings."

"I never thought you'd start doing that."

"What?" I looked down at him, where he was grinning.

"You refer to the species as 'us', or 'we'. I never suspected you to be the one who would do that."

I paused, looking at the living Changelings around us, and remembering the bloody sheen on my wings after the battle. "You helped me. You gave me love. You let me fight for us, and you led me up to becoming... this." I tapped a hoof to my chest. "To me, it only makes sense that I'm a part of everything now."

"You sound like an old person." 1416 teased.

I frowned, punching him in the shoulder.

"Hey!"

A few days later...

My friends looked at each other, kind of confused.

"What are we doing here, anyway?" One asked.

I smiled a bit, one hand absentmindedly petting the replica of my cat lying beside me. "I have something I need to tell you..."

-^-^-^-^-

FIN

Thanks to everypony who supported me along the way; this is my most popular story so far! Close to 100 favorites, exactly 100 upvotes as of this comment, various groups and referrals, a bazillion views and even more comments - it makes every day a little bit better!

So thank you, everyone. You all helped make this story into what it is today, and I hope you all keep an eye on me in the future, 'cause I have a lot more stories planned!

For anyone wanting loose threads tied up, feel free to message me here or at my DeviantART page, here, and I'll try to help. And epilogue is planned (which may or may not induce tears) as well as the second section of Biology of a Changeling.

Thanks again!

Bridge Chapter: Nightmare

*dream*

Oh hey I'm a Changeling

WHOA EQUESTRIA

WHOA CHANGELINGS

"Hey you're not a Changeling"

F**k.

ATTACKINGNESS

I'm dead ^u^

*not dream*

YOU THOUGHT THIS WAS A SUPERFAST UPDATE

YOU WERE WRONG

Alternate Ending 1: Retribution

FOR ALL INTENSIVE PURPOSES, 1416 IS NOT GAY AND THINGS HAPPENED PRIOR TO THIS

I felt my body changing, tears virtually evaporating as my skin grew hot.

"You are nothing!" Chrysalis hissed.

I closed my eyes, drawing all the energy left behind from the blast into my horn.

"How did you think you could defeat me?" The Queen laughed.

"I didn't think we could." I growled.

Chrysalis frowned. "Really?"

My eyes snapped open, and I could see the shimmering light reflecting off my muzzle as I glared up at her. Flames erupted along my wings, spreading to at least triple my height, fanning out on either side. My mane and tail lit with the blaze as well, billowing like a curtain.

I shot up from the ground, hooking Chrysalis with a hoof and soaring up. I stilled to a hover, staring her dead in the eyes.

"I knew we could."

I began slowly flapping my wings, starting to roll in a small loop. Chrysalis struggled to free herself, only searing her shell on the flame. The speed increased as the loop tightened, until I was barely moving from a single spot.

"Nopony will miss you." I hissed, and threw her down.

The momentum launched her down, punching through a few clouds. Her wings strained to open, to slow her fall. I was too high up, she would recover before hitting the ground.

With a snarl, I darted through the tunnels she had made, catching up in mere heartbeats. I matched her speed, pressing my hooves down on her neck, and sped up again. The air bent around me, the suction behind me bordering unsafe.

I flapped harder, faster, feeling Chrysalis's heartbeat through my hooves. And then, just as fast, I pulled up. The air tunnel broke, and the compressed force wheeled me away.

The resounding thud told me the Changeling Queen was not as lucky.

I rose up, level with the Changeling army.

"Just go home."