The Changeling Theatre

It was just a few weeks before the Queen's master plan was to be unfurled and the control of Equestria would be under Queen Chrysalis' hoof. The Queen had scheduled a play in the Hive's castle auditorium for this evening while she went away on her private errands. She hoped to boost the morale of her minions while at the same time mocking her most despised foes, The Royal Princesses and those who served under them.

Throughout the ancient halls of the once mighty fortress of Tamilane the Greater changelings were scurrying about to and fro. The changelings were panicky; literally tripping over themselves and other changelings, trying to keep up with the demands of the changeling high lieutenants. These high lieutenants or "Cerebrates" which they've  become accustomed to being called as; acted as advisers and organizers of the hive. To show such status they were clad in black robes lined with cyan colored runes that littered the haunch and flank of the cloth.

"You there, Minion!" The cerebrate called out as he pointed down from the royal balcony.

The changeling carrying the over sized tuba on his back shifted his gaze from the floor to the balcony.

"My name's Tom..." The changeling called out in a monotone voice.

The cerebrate rolled his eyes. "Note taken, 'Tom'." Accentuating the name with a sarcastic tone as he gestured quote marks with his hooves. "Now get the rest of the instruments to the bottom of the stage. We must hurry before the Queen comes back!" The cerebrate yelled as he stomp his hoof on the ground. His eyes examining for any stragglers on the floor below.

Pointing his hoof toward  the lower area of the auditorium. "You! Get that rope to the back stage pulley, I wanted those curtains working five minutes ago!" The cerebrate gave an irritated glare at the wingless purple eyed changeling as it trotted below him as it magically dragged a long rope along with it.

"Go on! Move with haste you fool!! The Queen will be disgusted with 'you' if we don't finish in time!" bellowed the cerebrate while giving the "unique" changeling the most threatening stare that he can conjure over the rubble of ancient stone railings. This caused the mutant changeling to rapidly gallop and trip itself on the rope; a large scowl then marked the cerebrates face as he watched the mutant descend down the gradual slope of the main stage walkway. The cerebrate then slapped his hoof on his forehead and clenched his eyes tightly while quickly looking to the floor in embarrassment. He then heard a loud *Clunk-splash*.

When he opened his eyes, he saw the drenched whimpering  mutant fruitlessly attempt  to pry its head out of a cleaning bucket. The cerebrate let out a loud sigh of annoyance and turned his gaze towards two other changelings that were standing nearby with their mops over their blushed faces, vigorously fighting to keep their laughter in. The cerebrate's bright cyan gaze came in contact with theirs, quickly diminishing any thought of laughter inside the two. Both changelings quickly stood stiff with anxiety, preparing for a loud scolding. The cerebrate then rose his hole ridden hoof and signaled the two to assist the utterly helpless mutant.

The two changelings then scurried towards the wingless changeling which was still trying to free its head from its brain bucket prison. The two changelings grabbed both sides of the bucket, counting before the great heave.

"1, 2, 3- Pull!" shouted the changelings, their hind legs pushing against the poor whimpering mutant's body as they pulled with a loud grunt. The bucket, after a hard struggle, popped off with a loud *SCHLOONK*.

The sudden change in resistance took the changelings by surprise as they flew away in opposite directions, both crashing into random crowds of busy workers.

He turned away with a large scowl and a slow shake of the head. He whispered to himself with a sigh, "This is going to be a long day..." as he walked into the balcony's back room.

The other cerebrates barked on and on, commanding any and every changeling that looked like they were loitering about. They observed the auditorium, making sure all of the preparations were being carried out correctly.

The Fortress's auditorium room was large, probably the size of the Canterlot Great Hall. The main stage area at the very front of the auditorium was humungous, including those two great intricately decorated columns that stood erect on both sides of the stage. The columns had small actor ponies carved about in a swirling pattern. Each doing a different type of pose with their masques and costumes. Below the columns was the oak wood floor. The hardwood stage floor had a beautiful auburn glow whenever light hit it. But at the moment, the beauty of the stage was blocked by the swarm of changelings that were reciting their lines and preparing the props.

In the middle of the stage floor was a large trap door that was covered by an old blue rug, the door leading to the ruined section of the under-stage. Along the back wall were old markings and glyphs crudely engraved in the stone that were never bothered to be deciphered by the Hive's intellectuals. Many of the changelings saw them as just poorly made backstage decor which they later covered with another curtain to protect the Queen's view from such eyesore.

The side walls of the auditorium were lined with thick deep blue drapery that were blanketed by thick layers of dust and cobwebs. But hidden underneath the dust were fascinating yet faded murals of great battles against evil, villages and cities celebrating the return of what seemed to be a king, and a very unfinished map of Equestria. Although at the very end of the huge cloth mural; near the entrance way of the auditorium, a very dark and depressing image dominated the wall, an image of the three pony species being separated by a single tall ebony figure surrounded by a scarlet vortex. The figure with its claws high in the air, a defeated figure under its right hoof, and the gesture of laughter in his stature. The rest of the mural that was after the ebony figure was burned away. Scorch marks covered the stone walls on both sides of the room.

Above the stage was a large diamond shaped crystal chandelier held up by a giant wooden beam. The enchanted crystal allowed any light that came in contact with it become amplified, brightening the whole theater with light. A tarnished floating bronze ring that rotated just under the middle of the diamond chandelier had the inscription: "Geldinghold Keep Theater" carved along its outer face.

All around the the stage and assembly area, changelings were galloping and flying like a hoard of bumble bees hastily doing any chores before the Queen arrived.

A myriad of changelings flew in from the entrances with pieces of rusted and charred braziers retrieved from the abandoned arcane study rooms of the castle. The large braziers were then suspended on the ceiling, all hanging above the audience seats. A few moments later, three changelings flew up towards the brazier. Each of them had; in their magical grips, a formidably large crystal prism, possibly the size of a small filly. And by the strenuous looks on the black creatures faces, they were not light. A nearby cerebrate was observing the changelings up above from the main floor with a quizzical thinking face and a slight frown.

"You, the minion on the right."

The changelings above drew their attention to the robed figure as they all pointed at themselves in confusion.

"No, the far right!" Yelled the small black and teal figure from below.

The changelings threw their gaze at the last changeling holding the last of the prisms. Pain covered its face as it has been nearly 20 minutes since it had put down the ungodly heavy crystal.

" Put the prism on the brazier...Good..." The cerebrate rose his hoof to his chin as his brows scrunched together in thought. " Hmm, Move it back to the left a little."

The changeling was straining in exhaustion while it pulled the crystal with its magic over to the left of the large braziers plate. The poor little creature was heaving and wheezing heavily, each breathe growing louder.

The cerebrate eyes shot about as he observed the other braziers, comparing one another. He rose his hoof toward the exhausted changeling, motioning it more to the right.

The changeling looked at him anxiously with its very tired eyes. Pulling together the last of its strength, it moved the prism. Quickly, the changeling's eyesight got blurry and its body started to shake. Then almost instantly, the changeling's mind fell into darkness.

The changeling fainted briefly; the magic that held the prism dispersed, leaving the prism tilting over on the very edge of the suspended brazier plate. The exhausted changeling used the very little energy it had left to fly but its wings had failed to flap. A second later the a loud rubber ducky squeak echoed from the floor.

"Hurry catch it! Catch it!" Shouted the cerebrate in panic while ignoring the unconscious minion lying six feet away from him. Stars and bubbles orbited around the unconscious minions head as it groaned softly.

Luckily the other two changelings that were above caught the prism before it tilted off the brazier. The changelings sighed with relief.

One changeling asked in a very irritated tone as it lifted the prism back into place onto the brazier, "Why did we haul these giant crystals all the way here for again?"

The cerebrate frowned, "The Queen wishes us to use those crystal prisms as spotlights for the show." He retorted in a haughty voice.

"Couldn't we just have used the lanterns?" Asked the other changeling.

"Dear Chrysalis no! The lanterns are too dim and you can't direct any light with them. With the prisms you only need to beam very little light..."

His horn glowed bright green,

"...and direct it into the crystal."

A small beam of light shot from his horn to the prism.

"The prism then amplifies and redirects the light to the stage."

The prism then started to glow with a light green tint. After hitting the its brightest capacity a beam of light shot towards the stage, illuminating a section of the stage with a large square spotlight and a very faint hue of green.

Turning his attention back to the two flying black figures above. His facial expression suddenly snapping from an informative teacher to a disgruntled mad-pony.

"Now get back to work!" He commanded at the top of his lungs as the two airborne changelings fumbled about before they flew away.

Staring at the unconscious changeling, the cerebrate called for the medical crew to carry her off to the Hive's healing chambers. Two changelings with pink backs instead of purple, unraveled a stretcher made up of opaque cyan membrane and thick branches near their injured comrade. Using their magic, they carried the unconscious minion onto the stretcher. They then carelessly dropped the changeling onto the stretcher as an audible squeak resounded from the already injured creature.

The changeling was then carried off out through the theater entrance way, the stars and bubbles following not far behind.

Two thick-bodied drones stood guard at the main entrance to the castle's great hall. The sun slowly creeping towards their legs through the destroyed ancient windows. Very little was left of the window except for the bent metal frames and a few shards of stained-glass here and there. The sun shined through the glassless metal frame, casting a cobweb of shadow along the stone floor near the guards. Up above windows stood a flock of pigeons, all staring at the two guards below from their wooden rafter abode.

The guards; clad in their dark lavender armor, stood there as stiff as stone statues with their spears at their sides. The only sounds that could be heard were tapping of hooves and the moving of equipment in the room across the empty, torch lit, stone hall.

These two guards were both given the orders to stand guard at that entrance, no matter what happens; unless it was something drastic, they had to stand guard in front of the great hall. If either of them were to leave their post, they both would be thrown into the catacombs for a week.

One rotund guard; eyes fixed on an old painting of an ancient pony scholar, re-adjusted his legs to a more comfortable spot after being in the same body position for three hours straight.

His eyes scanning the old picture as he stood there and thought. He thought of what it would be like to see the castle before its demise. He wondered about the sights and smells and the ancient ponies he would have met. He gazed out towards the empty hall. Its sight being an absolute eyesore with its grungy filth and dust. The torches barely illuminating the hall, making it look more like a dungeon.

The rotund drone then closed his eyes, trying to conjure up all of his imaginative might. He opened his eyes; his sight filled with an image of a warmer, extravagant place. Chandeliers decorated above, all embossed with artistry and embedded with bronze emblems and gems. The halls were illuminated with a light golden hue, the stones glowed with a warm white and gray essence, furniture of finished wood and brass lined the halls. Royal figures trotting about past him, all of them oblivious of the daydreamer's presence.

He blinked again, being sent back into his dreary world. The hall laid empty and what was left of the ransacked chandeliers hung wavering along the cold air. The torches flickered  against the dark gray and black masonry as airborne dust slowly descended back to the earth.

The guard gave a small sigh and turned to his partner beside him.

"Do you ever feel that life could be better? I mean do you think that 'this', " He motioned one hoof up towards the ugly stone void, "-is the best that life has to offer?"

His friend gave a slight huff, frowning eyes rolling as he turned to the rotund drone. "Ugh, not this again." whispered the drone. "Look, I've told you before, its not our choice, it's the Queens choice. As everybody knows, the Queen always knows whats best for our sake."

"But-" The rotund drone was about to say, but holding his tongue as his friend rose his hoof towards him.

"And another thing, You need to stop thinking so much. Honestly, I think you'll drive yourself mad before this shift is over. Just relax, block out all thought and focus on standing here...in this one spot." Pointing his hoof at the ground.

The other changeling guard felt his hopeless efforts to invoke a change of thought in his fellow guard begin to be extinguished. The changeling's sadden eyes glared the old painting on the wall again, giving out an audible sigh as he drifted back to his dream land once more.

Ten minutes later both of the guards heard a small *Poot* from up above. The rotund guard under the rafters ignored it; his gaze fixed on the painting, as the other across from him looked up.

The guard followed a falling white dot with his eyes, his head slowly moving downwards as the white dot came closer to his comrade's head.

*Plunk*

The other guard's eyes widened as he jerked from the sudden sound and pulled out his spear, flailing it about as if he were being attacked by bats.

"Who goes there!" shouted the drone.

The other guard that was watching was laughing so hard he had to clutch his sides and force himself to breathe. His helm bouncing back and forth over his eyes.

The laughter and fidgety movements before suddenly snapped to a halt as a cerebrate came out of the door down the hall. The two instantly took their original stiff positions as the cerebrate slowly trotted towards.

The poo stricken guard eyed upwards to the rim of his helmet. He saw the white dirg edge at the top of his sight.

"Oh Chrysalis no!" He thought in panic.

The small stream of white then dripped onto his nose. He tightened his body and his eyes clenched from the embarrassment and disgust. His body refusing to move while insight of the changeling authority figure.

The cerebrate then looked at the defiled helmet on the blushing guard. He then gave out an audible snicker and his trotting pace became more rapid.

The guards eyes began to water as if he were about to cry.

The cerebrate then quickly took a left turn, his ebony cloak flapping loudly. The guards then heard a loud "BWAHAHAHA-*Slam* *Clink-clink*. The door slammed behind the cerebrate, the door latch tapping just shortly after.

Both the mortified guard and smiling guard waited for the door to lock.

*Click*

The two guards then instantly resumed to their movement. One quickly brushing off the white stink as the other laughed quite audibly.

The poo stricken guard started to sniffle and whimper in its growling voice.

The other guard looked towards him and said in a humorous tone.

"Aw, Don't worry Pax, It's a sign of good luck when that happens." Smiling, trying to suppress his joyous laughter.

"Really Bruscillus?" Whimpered the brute of a changeling with a small sniffle.

"Yeah! Sure." He responded as he dabbed his hoof in the white dot and brushed it onto his own helmet. Walking back with a reassuring grin.

Pax smiled back with a face of restored confidence.

Suddenly bug horns roared from outside.

The Queen was back from her errands.