Alteration

Chapters

Evasive
Concerns
Introductions
Sitting in the Dark

Evasive

A/N: I've made this intro to be more on par with the original.

I took a deep breath as I pressed my back against the tree. My legs ached, my chest pounded, and my lungs stung with each breath. Moving ever-so-slightly, I peered around the trunk of the tree. I could make out the glint of golden armor. Cursing under my breath, I shook my head and looked to the treetops. It was a long shot, but it might've worked.

I lowered myself to the ground, as if preparing to pounce. My wings snapped open in a quick flourish, and I straightened out my legs and let my wings do the rest. A moment later, I was safely on a sturdy branch.

They passed under me quickly, still galloping in the general direction I was running earlier. I smirked. Traversing the treetops would be safer, I told myself. It took me a moment to gather enough balance to stand on the branch. I spotted a perfect place to land; the crotch of a nearby tree.

From that spot, onward, I pushed forward, carefully navigating each tree. It wasn't as fast as flying, but if I flew, then they'd spot me for sure. And I couldn't have outrun them forever.

Three minutes of leap-frogging from branch to branch had gotten me almost nowhere. I decided it was safe to get back to the ground. I was wrong. I heard a shrill whistle from behind, and I saw an armored pegasus staring at me from through the brush.

I held my breath. A tingling sensation overcame my entire body, as my flesh began to simply evaporate. Still holding breath, I cautiously crept behind a tree, and dived into the nearest brush I could find. I heard more hooves, trampling the path.

"Where'd it go?"

"I have no idea, I swear it just disappeared into thin air!"

"The sun's getting to you. Somepony take him into the shade. Move out."

I just barely poked my head out of the brush. Two of the armor'clad ponies remained, one of which was the pegasus from earlier. The other was... smaller, with a much slimmer frame. A mare, perhaps. She carried a horn instead of wings. The pegasus was... embarrassed. His scent gave him away. The mare seemed as though she was trying to comfort the pegasus.

I waited for two, maybe three, minutes longer. The two dispersed, following the main group. I sighed with relief, and dug myself out of the brush. Perhaps getting back home would be easier if I were disguised, I thought. I took a deep breath, and focused. In a flash of green, I was in my other skin.

I had shifted into a young stallion of average size. Brown coat, darker red mane styled into what I had heard ponies call a 'mullet'. My eyes turned a bright blue, and from what others had told me, I had a tired look about me.

I walked cautiously on the forest path, the opposite direction the ponies had gone. One little slip up could lead to an easy downfall. I could hear chatter from down the path, despite the fact that the group I saw went the complete other direction. I listened in for a moment.

"What do you think we're gonna do if we find the nest?"

"Burn it. Burn the whole damned thing. And stomp out all the life in whatever hole the things call home."

I grimaced. Their words were filled with hatred and anger. If I could simply sneak around them, maybe through the brush and trees, I could have made it past them without a hitch. However, I'm well aware of the fact that in my pony-form, I'm what most would call clumsy.

I brought my body down to the ground, and worked my way into the brush, off the path. All I had to do was stay silent, move quickly, and keep out of sight. It all seemed easy, but my environment seemed to prove me otherwise. I kept under the bushes and other foliage, and moved as quickly as I could at that level. All I had to do was stay nice and quiet...

- Snap! -

Damn it.

Before I could react, I had four fully-armored stallions staring me down with eyes filled with rage and seething with a hunger for retribution.

"What are you doing out here, citizen?" one asked gruffly.

I gave a sigh of relief. They didn't suspect a thing - save for the fact that I was practically face-first in the dirt. "I, uh, lost my dog! She ran off, and I've been looking for her."

"Dog?" I could smell suspicion rising from him. "What breed?"

"She's a mutt." I answered like clockwork. "Brown coat, white spots, have you seen her?"

They all eyed me for a moment. Exchanging glances, they all returned to their original positions, back on the path. "Haven't seen her. Good luck finding her - and be careful."

"Will do." I replied, simply going back to the path and walking away. "You biters."

I took ten or so steps, and I was about to take off at a full-gallop, but my luck seemed to be running thin.

"Wait!" I heard from behind.

I stopped dead in my tracks. I was fully prepared to cast domination now. Now, I didn't want to, but I was ready to. I heard the guard trot behind me. I was half-expecting nothing more than a shot to the back of the head - but thankfully it never came. Needless, my chest began throbbing.

"Your dog," He began. Instantly, I was filled with relief. "About, yea high?" He brought his hoof up to knee level.

I shook my head, "She's taller. About chest level."

He gave a nod, "Alright then. We'll keep a look out for her. Have a nice day."

He walked back to his group. I let out a sigh, and continued down the path. But they were still chattering behind me, and it was unnerving.

"Bloody biters scared me stiff..." I whispered to myself.

There was a faint ringing in my ears. I've learned enough about magic to figure out what it was - detection magic. I whipped my head around to look at the group. All of them had glowers on their faces. I took off galloping in the opposite direction.

I could hear them giving chase, but I dare not look back. I felt specks of dirt hit the back of my neck, and mere seconds later, some unknown force scooped me up off of the ground, and threw me at least a dozen feet forward. When I hit the ground, I felt my morph fall, leaving me in my natural form. The only thought in my mind - What magnificent trick was that?

I felt my legs throb as I slipped from consciousness.

It was cooler here. Either the sun had gone down, or I was inside. The latter seemed more likely, considering I couldn't smell any flora. I shifted in what seemed to be a crude bed of rough cloth, to the point I rolled over and fell. I opened my eyes when my head bounced off cold stone.

It was dank and stuffy - almost hard to gather breath. I could see light bouncing off of all the wet stone walls, the flickering light of a flame. I slowly rose up, turning around to be greeted by metal bars, and two figures. One figure was brightly lit by a nearby torch, a stocky stallion in full armor. The other figure was cloaked in shadow and, well, a cloak.

"Your Highness," The guard said in a politely unsure tone, "You know Celestia wants you staying out of the dungeons."

"I know," the cloaked figure replied. It was obviously a mare's voice. "But I must see this creature for myself, I dost not care - 'Tia can punish me later."

I felt an unfamiliar weight on my neck. Cold metal. I was surprised I didn't notice it the moment I woke up. What does it do? I wondered. I also intended to find out. Undoubtedly, it marked me. If I were to change forms, the collar would stay. But was it enchanted? Did it have wards on it?

I held my breath. I was shocked when there was no tingle, and I remained completely visible, despite my best attempts. My thoughts didn't race like they should have in such a situation. I took deep breaths to relieve the stress.

"Oh, is this truly the fearsome creature that tried to ransack our good capital?" The mare asked, sarcasm hanging heavy in her voice. "I am shocked, it seems like t'would rather collect pollen from daffodils than fight a war. Tell me, changeling, why dost thou come to our kingdom?"

I blinked twice. The question truly didn't make sense to me. I didn't answer, instead giving her a curious stare, which she returned. We both sat for a moment, in silence, examining each other.

She dropped her hood. Her coat was a deep and and dark blue, while her mane mimicked a... cloud? It flowed with a non-existent breeze, and shimmered as if specks of reflective dust were caught in her mane. A magnificent tiara sat atop her head.

"Wilt thou not answer me? Thou shalt give me a silent treatment? Fine!" She stamped a hoof down, and her cloak flew off. She had wings too - of course she was flaring them at me, which didn't improve my predicament.

Then came the sound of more ponies. The loud clop of multiple hooves was painful by itself, but the echo quadrupled it, at least.

Two more armor-clad stallions waltzed into view, accompanied by a mare slightly taller than the... Princess? The new mare was of wings and a horn as well. Her coat was a bright and pristine white without a single blemish. Her mane was the same as the other - save for the much lighter coloration. It took only moments to register two things: the two must've been related in some manner, and they obviously held the reins.

Both of the princesses seemed shocked to see each other. The dark-coated princess looked away nervously, while the lighter princess simply raised an eyebrow.

""Tia..." The dark princess began, "I was not expecting to see you down in the dungeons."

'Tia? I knew that name from somewhere... Celestia, the famed princess of Equestria? It seemed unlikely, yet she was right there. That meant... The other was Luna.

"I could say the same for you, dearest Luna." Celestia replied. "Letting your curiosity get the best of you once again?"

"Of course, 'Tia." Luna stifled a giggle, "I shan't let something go on in our castle without my knowing of it."

"Does it truly interest you that much?"

Luna let out a heavy and troubled sigh. I'm sure even Celestia noticed something troubled her sister. I could sense inner conflicts.

"Dearest 'Tia..." Luna began, her heart heavy. "I do not agree with thy plans. Why wouldst thou put thy student in such danger?"

"I understand your concerns, Luna, but your stress is undue. She is capable, and will have guards with her at all times."

Luna looked to the floor and gave an exasperated sigh. Her gaze switched from Celestia, to me. She gave me a certain look - one even I couldn't quite figure out. With a disdainful flick of her mane, Luna strode away, followed quickly by her guard.

Celestia let out a deep sigh, and turned to one of her guards. "Inform my dearest sister I would like to see her in my chambers."

The guard gave a nod, and gave chase after Luna. Celestia turned her gaze on me. She raised an eyebrow.

"Do not worry." She said in a surprisingly gentle, yet firm tone. "You shan't stay in there much longer."

And she left. Her guard with her, too. I came to an unstable rest upon the small bed in the corner, wishing for something to drink.

Concerns

I kept my head on the cold stone table, not bothering to open my eyes. I was too tired. Too agitated... Too sick of these damned ponies. My head was throbbing as I waited. For what? I had no clue.

There was no point to it anymore. I was silenced. I could no longer feel the hum of the rest of them inside my head. The silence left a hollow feeling in my head, like a part of me was missing. I was no longer a part of the Hive. But I didn't let go, I clung to a small, and obviously false idea that they might take me back if I stayed strong.

Celestia was sitting three seats away, at the head of this... conference table. Two of her guards stood next to her, and two more stood by the massive metal door at the other end of the room. Different tapestries hung about the room, some depicting the sun or moon, and others depicting what seemed to be ancient battles.

I did my best to pass time, which crawled by painfully slow, by running multiple scenarios through my head. If the two guards by Celestia attacked, I would trip one, and throw the other into the wall. I'd climb up onto the table, and run towards the door. The two guards there would try to intercept me. I'd deliver a shot to the first one's throat while the other clambered up onto the table. I would hiss at him, he would take a step back out of shock, and I would shove him out of my way. Then, I'd bolt for the door.

I was pulled out of my little fantasy when I heard a sharp and exasperated sigh. I rolled my head over, and opened one eye at Celestia. She was speaking to one of her guards.

"Please, go seek Luna, and see what is taking her so long." Celestia instructed in a low voice, "And do make sure that Cadence and Shining Armor are busy, I doubt they would take kindly to our... guest." Her eyes shifted to me.

The guard gave a salute, and trotted towards the door. He disappeared a moment later, and the room fell silent yet again. The stillness in the room was an uneasy one, the kind that makes it seem as though something unfortunate was going to happen. Instead, however, the room simply remained silent and relatively empty.

Time continued to crawl by. I closed my eyes again, doing the best I could to push my troubles out of mind. I seemed to do well, as more time had passed than I would've figured. It was a few moments later I realized that my appendages were beginning to go numb.

Luckily, I was granted reprieve. The heavy doors swung open once again, and Luna stepped into the room, accompanied by one of Celestia's guard, and two more of her own. She strode over to the end of the table, and sat beside Celestia. She didn't take her eyes off me, with a look of distrust and agitation. Her scent was an aggressive one, and her posture came off as defensive. As she sat, she kept her legs above the table, a sign of readiness to react. She kept her chest and stomach covered, for lack of trust. She thought I was going to spring up and slit her throat, or rip out her heart.

Toying with an enemies' emotions can have multiple effects. Doing such is a high-risk, high-reward gamble. I didn't take the risk. Instead, I kept my body low and slouched, remaining passive. I kept my eyes locked on the two princesses, however. The same could not be said of Celestia. She seemed oddly calm with a creature such as myself sitting before her. She kept up the facade surprisingly well, almost to the point that I believed it. But even the dullest changeling could tell you that looks always deceive.

Time dragged on for ten, or perhaps fifteen, minutes. During that time, I was tempted to cast Charm, or maybe even Domination. I decided against it, thinking that would only give them more reason to despise me. Instead, I kept myself occupied by tracing various shapes and patterns on the stone table, eventually I simply dragged my hoof across the chips and cuts in the stone.

The door opened again, and this time, at least five guards marched through the arch. Followed by a lavender mare, donning a horn, and a... juvenile dragon? It was unexpected, to say the least.

"I came as quickly as I could!" The mare shouted, trotting up the length of the table. "Is this it?"

I felt my eyelid twitch, ever-so-slightly. I found the term "it" highly derogatory, and it left another bruise on my fractured ego.

"This is him," Celestia gently corrected, "I trust you already have everything needed?"

"Of course princess," The mare gave a confident nod, "Everything is set up and ready."

"Good, good..." Celestia opened her mouth again to speak, but she was cut off.

"I must protest again," Luna interrupted, "Thy choice is a daft one, sister."

Celestia produced an exaggerated sigh, "I understand, Luna. You have voiced your concerns, and they have been taken into consideration."

I could practically feel the tensions boil over. Luna marched out of the room a moment later, followed by her guards. Celestia sighed again, this time raising a hoof to her forehead.

"Go and tell my dearest sister I wish to speak to her in my chambers." Celestia instructed, pointing to one of her guards. "The rest of you - please accompany Twilight Sparkle back to Ponyville when she wishes to depart. Make special accommodations for her guest."

Celestia disappeared a moment later, with two guards materializing from seemingly nowhere to accompany her. Miss Twilight Sparkle stood for a moment, just staring at me from three or four feet away. She approached, slowly and cautiously. I could sense her curiosity, it was getting the better of her.

She examined me, absorbing each and every detail. She seemed particularly interested in the collar around my neck, it seemed for a moment that she was more interested in my binds than she was in me.

"A tracking rune..." she whispered, "Containment wards..."

She spent at least five more minutes examining me. She prodded at the collar, lightly poked at my wings; the list of various actions goes on. The juvenile dragon, apparently named Spike, seemed to scribble down whatever Miss Sparkle told him.

A few moments later, Miss Sparkle turned to one of the guards.

"I think we're about ready to go. Please prep the -" She paused, as if correcting herself, "Him for travel."

I sat in a large metal box, contemplating how I had gotten into this mess in the first place. A slot, maybe a foot across, and a few inches tall, with bars in the gap, let in filtered sunlight. The box was covered with a cloth, a dirtied white cloth specifically. The dirty blanket they provided me did almost nothing - I wasn't cold. I would've been better off with a pillow. So instead of wrapping myself, I wadded the blanket up to provide just a little cushioning from the harsh blows of the cold metal.

The cart came to a sudden halt, and the heavy metal box lurched forward. As it came back down, my head bounced off the side. The impact left a faint ringing in my ears.

The cloth that covered the box was torn away, and the sunlight intensified, no longer being filtered. Metal ground against metal as the latches were undone, and the entire right panel fell from the rest of the construct. Two guards were visible. I tucked the balled up blanket under my leg. They weren't taking it from me - I would have at least one damned victory on that day. No matter how small.

The two guards flanked me, and at least three more guards followed behind. Another guard was waiting ahead, standing in front of a large door, angled and leading into the ground below a... Giant tree. A giant tree decorated with windows, as if... I could barely comprehend it. They had turned an ancient tree into a building.

The guards marched forward with determination on their faces. They stopped just a few feet short of the doors, and I continued without them, going to where they obviously wanted me to go. The guard who stood in front of the doors motioned down, towards a flight of stairs. I cautiously moved down the stairs, and the guard followed. There was a landing, and then another flight of stairs branching off to the right. I stood at the base of the stairs, and scanned the sub-level.

The area was dimly lit. A single light, in the middle of the room, provided mediocre amounts of light, though I saw the outlines of other lamps in various places in the room. I could make out the shapes of tables and various crates. But what caught my attention most, was the shape in the middle of the room, against the wall.

It seemed to be a large, glass box. It was topped by a bronze shape, like the cover of a modern fish-tank the ponies would keep their pets in. The top of the bronze was rounded on the front face, while the sides were flat. Each flat side of the bronze piece held a vent. On the far side of the box was a heavy metal door, with a small circular window.

The guard led me to the box, and he opened the door. When I hesitated, he gave a rough shove and slammed the door behind me. I heard the clack of a lock. On the far left corner of the box was a bed, low to the ground and lacking a blanket. I gave myself a small chuckle of success. I said I would have a victory, and I meant it. The far right corner was obscured by a plastic curtain.

I paced over, and swept the curtain to the side. There was a lavatory, a shower, and a washbasin, all hidden by the curtain when it was drawn. The space in the box was claustrophobic, but it reminded me of the Nest, and gave me an odd sense of comfort. The only factor I couldn't deal with properly was the lighting - it was bright and irritating, the opposite of the Nest.

I made myself comfortable by staying in the.... Bathroom, they called it. The curtain kept out most of the light, and it was far more humid in that section of the box than anywhere else. It mimicked the Nest as closely as possible, without the actual formation of membranes and nesting materials. The hard floor in the shower wasn't exactly comfortable, but I'd prefer a sore leg or two to stinging eyes.

Minutes seemed to take two eternities to pass, as I sat alone. Well, I wasn't truly alone, Miss Sparkle and her pet - No, he didn't like being called a pet - her assistant Spike, were outside the glass box. I could hear her voice, which echoed in the box, and the sound of a quill on paper.

"He shows distinctive predatory signs, such as enhanced hearing and vision, sensitivity to light, and enlarged fangs. This will require further study. I plan on delving deeper into the psyche of the species as a whole, and this is as good a place to start as any other." Miss Sparkle's voice rang, accompanied by the rather irritating scribble of a quill.

"Oh," Her voice came again, this time with more urgency, "Spike! Make sure you send that letter to Nurse Redheart. Things could go very badly if she doesn't get that letter."

"Yes mother," Spike replied, sarcasm hanging heavy in his voice.

They went on for ten or so minutes after that, speaking in a low voice - no doubt hoping I couldn't hear them. They spoke of the town we were in - more accurately, the ponies who lived in it. They spoke of the fear and commotion that I would cause. I had only one thought on the matter; It was you who brought me here, on your own accord. I was in no mood to trifle with the concerns of a pony, and so, I laid down and closed my eyes. For a few moments, I almost felt comfortable.

Introductions

I poked at the shape, and it twitched. I was startled at first, but my curiosity took control. The logical part of me told me to just step away, and run back to the feeding hall. But the curious part of me was stronger at that exact moment. I poked at the shape again, and this time, the small ball uncurled. It was a hatchling. A fresh hatchling, no less. It was still soft, two days old, from the what I saw. Its chitin hadn't formed at all. Its eyes were still tightly shut. It seemed like it was barely breathing.

I could hear my instructor behind me, chuckling. I paid no heed to it, just as she had told me to do. I was startled when the small form of the hatchling whined. I took that as a good sign. The form began to shift, an uneven attempt to stand, it seemed. It barely managed to rise up a few inches before collapsing back on itself. At that point, I let instinct take over.

I nudged the hatchling with my snout. It seemed to search the air for my scent, before trying to rise up again. It actually made it to its hooves before collapsing this time. I gave it one last nudge, before it rose up again. It climbed to its hooves, and took three steps towards me. It fell again.

"Good... Good." the instructor said, stepping into my peripheral vision. "I knew you wouldn't fail."

My eyes shot open, and I gasped for breath. I cursed under my breath. This damned collar was supposed to suppress things like this... It wasn't doing its job. My eyes eventually adjusted to the darkness around me - it seemed all the lights had been turned off. Even the ones in my cell.

The floor beneath me was hard and cold. It took me a moment to come to the realization that I had fallen asleep in the shower. It must've been in the early morning hours, but that's just a wild guess. I didn't feel right, as if a layer of dust had gathered over me while I slumbered.

I stumbled to my hooves, and shakily turned towards the wall. My only worry was the strange sensation that had overcome my body, more accurately, getting rid of it. I stared at both of the shower knobs for a moment, before turning the one on the left. The shower head sputtered for a moment, before a stream of lukewarm water rushed out. The temperature didn't bother me at all; the bathing pools in the Nest were far colder.

I shuddered as the temperature of the water rose. After a few moments in the water, my senses dulled again. Wearily, I hissed and shook my head. Now, it decides to work now... I slowly set myself down on the floor, and tried, fruitlessly, to calm my nerves.

I'm not sure exactly how long I spent in there, simply sitting on the floor, paying attention only to the stream of water that washed over me. But eventually, I worked myself out of the lethargic state, and back to my hooves. I turned the knob back its normal position, and shook myself off.

As I stepped out from behind the plastic curtain, the cold air outside hit me like a stone wall. I froze in place for a moment, my body halting from the sudden change. It took me what seemed like an eternity to force myself to move again. I slowly crept towards the bed in the corner.

Wrapping myself in my blanket, I curled up and found myself drifting off to an uneasy sleep.

I was suddenly thrust back into consciousness when I heard the clatter of hooves down the stairs. Not just one set of hooves, but multiple. I threw the blankets off, scrambled to my hooves, and pressed my back against the wall.

I found myself staring at eight unfamiliar faces. Two winged mares, a horned mare, and two mares who bore no wings or horns. Three young fillies accompanied them - one of each species, so it seemed. The mares crowded around Miss Sparkle, asking her multiple questions all at once. The three fillies, instead, found themselves sitting right in front of the glass wall. I slowly made my way over, and sat down across from them. They looked at me with a mix of wonder and confusion.

"Hey mister," The earth filly began, looking me dead in the eyes, "What're you doin' in there?"

I smiled warmly at the filly, "If only I knew the answer to that question. Perhaps you could ask your elders. They might be able to answer it for both of us."

The unicorn filly prodded at her companions. "We're not supposed to talk to it!"

I flinched. "Why must you use that word? I'm a male and prefer to be addressed as such."

The pegasus filly stared at me, ignoring her companion's banter, and raised a hoof to the glass. A moment later, I raised my hoof slowly, and placed it against the glass as well.

"Get away from there!"

A tanned earth mare stormed over, emanating an aggressive scent. I stepped back from the glass, and put my back against the wall again. The mare scowled at the fillies.

"Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, y'all know better than to talk to this thing!" And she turned her glower to me. "And you stay away from them, you hear me?" Angrily, the mare shooed the fillies up the stairs, and followed them out.

The room fell silent for a moment. All of the remaining five mares, and Spike, traded shocked glances. Eventually, their gazes settled on me.

"Could somepony go talk to Applejack?" Miss Sparkle asked, nodding towards the stairs.

The cyan colored pegasus gave a nod, and bolted up the stairs.

"Thank you Rainbow Dash!" Miss Sparkle called after her. She glanced at the remaining occupants of the room - a pink-maned pegasus, a fully pink earth pony, and a unicorn with a pristine white coat, who looked as though she had smelled something sour.

For a moment, I contemplated sniffing myself to ensure I didn't smell like a manure-field, but the thought passed through my mind as quickly as it came. Instead, I adopted a defensive posture, keeping my body low to the ground and my fangs bared. I kept my eyes tracked on the ponies outside.

When she noticed me, Miss Sparkle glanced at the glass with a scowl. She turned to Spike, and said "Subject appears to be antagonistic. We'll have to keep a closer eye on him and visitors from now on." She spoke in a hushed tone, undoubtedly hoping I wouldn't hear her.

I felt a low rumble in the back of my throat, and it took me a moment to realize I was instinctively vocalizing - a mixture between a hiss and a growl. It seemed to shock all occupants of the room - myself included. I lowered my head, gave a low hiss, and snapped at my own leg, cursing under my breath. Of course, I never drew blood, but it was enough for me to come back to my senses.

"Damn it, I have more self control than that..."

Twilight hurriedly shooed her guest off, starting with the unicorn, then to the pegasus, and the earth pony, "Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie, I think it would be best if you all went for now..."

I blinked for a moment, and listed their names out in my head, believing I would benefit from remembering them. Miss Sparkle and Spike, being the room's only occupants, save for myself, of course. Spike took a seat on a stool, next to a table, while Miss Sparkle stood before the glass wall, eyeing me with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. It almost brought a smile to my face, but if I smiled, she'd be even more suspicious.

"What?" I asked, returning to a more passive posture. "Do you not trust me? You've got me bound and sealed away in this glass tomb."

Miss Sparkle opened her mouth to reply, and a trace look of shock came over her, but she didn't speak, instead, she turned back to the table and jotted something down on a scroll of paper. I was half-tempted to creep up to the wall and try to read what she wrote, but of course, I preferred to simply keep to myself. If I behave, they're less likely to perceive me as a threat - or so I kept telling myself.

I returned to my place behind the curtain, curled up in the shower, waiting for something to happen. I believe I dozed off in that time, because I have only the faintest memory of the sound of a quill on paper, and the voices of Miss Sparkle and Spike the dragon, trading words. However, I was quickly thrust back into reality when I heard a hoof rapping on the wooden door up the stairs.

For a moment, I thought I had finally lost my mind. The thought was dismissed when I noticed Miss Sparkle and Spike prop their heads up and look towards the door. Miss Sparkle gave a small smile, and trotted towards the stairs.

"Oh, I'm glad she finally made it," Miss Sparkle said aloud, seemingly directed to herself, "I've been wondering when she would manage to come out."

Miss Sparkle trotted up the stairs, and came back down a moment later, accompanied by two guards and an earth mare. The two guards moved towards the door to my cell. Instinctively, I pressed myself against the wall, brought myself into a defensive posture, and hissed as they entered. It didn't deter them one bit.

Of course, I put up no fight whatsoever. Doing so would've been very troublesome for my personal health. Even then, they were still unnecessarily rough. They stopped me in the middle of the room, and the newer mare stepped in front of me.

"Please, hold still." the mare said, looking at me inquisitively.

Sitting in the Dark

I fidgeted the moment the strange mare raised a hoof towards me. The two guards beside me both glared at me. That was all the warning I needed. I exhaled, and closed my eyes. I felt a hoof on my chin, pushing my head up.

"Are there any signs of injury, Nurse Redheart?" Miss Sparkle asked. Nurse... It was one of their words for healer. I doubted this mare was truly a healer, but I was in no position to voice opinions.

"Nothing immediately visible, as you could tell." Redheart responded, tilting my head to the side. "Of course, I've never worked with a changeling before, so I couldn't tell you much."

I had to keep myself from snickering at the thought of a changeling in a pony's hospital. It almost made my stomach churn. Redheart tilted my head the other way, and made a ah noise. Her hoof left the side of my head, and I opened my eyes. She was a few steps away, digging around in a bag.

When Redheart turned around, she was holding some sort of device in her mouth; a mix of rubber and metal tubes, with a disc-shaped cup at one end, and two... Earpieces, perhaps, at the other. She maneuvered the earpieces into her ears, and raised the cup to my chest. It was uncomfortably cold to the touch, but I kept myself from flinching.

Redheart moved the cup to two different places for a moment, before she turned back and gave Miss Sparkle a shocked look. "I think I hear two heartbeats."

The room fell still. All the ponies traded confused or wonder-filled glances. Miss Sparkle dropped what she was doing and trotted over to Redheart. She glanced at me, then back to the mare.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

Redheart nodded, and gave Miss Sparkle her strange apparatus. Miss Sparkle listened for a moment, and shook her head.

"I don't believe this... Spike, prepare a letter to Princess Celestia! She has to hear about this, right away!"

And Spike scribbled furiously on a scroll of paper. A few moments later, Miss Sparkle took over for Spike and wrote herself, whilst Redheart continued to examine me on her own accord. She was surprisingly... Polite. But I assumed it must have been a habit in her line of work.

When it comes to a changeling, especially a drone or other highly-mobile subspecies, they'll tell you that their wings are one of their most important body parts. And especially sensitive, and frail, body parts. The thin membrane can easily be torn, and as such, the majority of our species is highly defensive about our wings, and anything involving them.

Redheart had made her way to my side, and the two guards stepped back to let her do whatever she had planned on doing. I wish they hadn't. The mare carefully lifted her hooves, and pulled my right wing out. I fidgeted slightly, but apparently not enough to draw the guards' attention. Redheart, at first, gently prodded at the membrane of my wing. Just enough for me to feel it. Her second prod was firmer. I winced, but didn't let out a sound. It was more of an unusual sensation than a painful one.

Her last jab was painful. I highly doubt she intentionally stabbed at my wings like she did, but I felt something tear. I jumped back and yelped in pain, slamming my side against a table. The sound of my sudden vocalization startled the entire room. Miss Sparkle dropped her paper and quill, Spike fell off the stool he sat on, Redheart stepped back, and the two guards both stumbled for a moment.

Of course, they gathered themselves quickly, and had thrown me back inside my cell before I could truly realize it.I sat on the floor for a moment, just waiting to register exactly what had happened. By the time I slowly managed to clamber to my hooves, the two guards were apparently checking if Miss Sparkle and Nurse Redheart were unharmed. A moment later, they escorted Nurse Redheart out.

I scowled as they left, and extended my wings to check myself. When I looked back, I was relieved beyond belief to see that the membrane wasn't torn, simply stressed. It would be back in proper shape in a day or two.When I turned back to the rest of the room, Miss Sparkle was standing at the glass wall, looking at me inquisitively.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

I huffed, and shook my head. "My wings are delicate. I would prefer if you refrain from touching them."

Afterwards, I found recluse hidden behind the shower curtains once again. With absolutely nothing else to keep my attention, I set my head against the wall and closed my eyes.

I felt a gentle nudge on my side."Wake up. Hey. Hey. Hey! Wake up!" The nudge turned to a hard shove. Before I knew it, I was face-first on the stone floor.

I rubbed the back of my head, and looked up to find a taller changeling, still just six or seven years old, like me, standing before me. The grin plastered on his face just irked me.

"Phalanx, you idiot..." I murmur, rising to my hooves. "That hurt, y'know."

Phalanx just rolled his eyes at me. "Oh, come on. It was a joke."

I gave a chuckle, "And so are you."

Phalanx gave me a playful shove, and waved his hoof. "That's the spirit. Now come on, something's going on down in the Nexus. There's a big crowd gathering." Before I had the chance to protest, Phalanx had taken off.

I sighed, and chased after him. We weaved through small groups, jumped over rocks, and occasionally bumped into others. Of course, we apologized, and for a few steps, walked as we were told. After that, we took off again. Looking back upon it now, it seemed like a stupid thing to do, but, we were young. We knew no better.

We had found ourselves staring at the backside of a rather large crowd gathered in the Nexus, a sort of meeting hall in the nest. By the time I had caught up with him, Phalanx was already scanning the wall in an attempt to find a perch. He waved a hoof, and took flight towards a cubby in the upper level of the wall. I landed just a moment behind him.

"Look, over there..." Phalanx said, staring out into the sea of faces.

In the middle of the crowd, I could make out the shapes of the Praetorians, the Queen's personal guard. It took a moment, but I found Queen Chrysalis, surrounded by a batch of Praetorians, simply looking out among the crowd. After what seemed like an eternity, Chrysalis' gaze fell onto us.

Phalanx and I both froze. The Queen's gaze eventually turned elsewhere.

"Phalanx?" I asked. "You saw that too, right?"

"Yes..." He replied. "The queen just looked right at us..."

We both just stared at each other for a moment. After that, Phalanx bolted, heading back the direction we came. I followed him quickly.

I felt a sudden jolt as I awoke. For a moment, my breathing was heavy and sporadic. I ran my hooves along my forelegs to calm myself, and eventually rose up to my hooves. Though I couldn't see outside, I had a feeling that it was evening. I could hear muffled chatter from outside. Not bothering to be subtle about it, I pushed through the curtain and stepped out into the rest of my cell.

Miss Sparkle had two guests; the rainbow-maned pegasus and the pink earth pony. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, their names were. My sudden activity seemed to startle the ponies, and I kept myself from laughing. For some reason, the sight of a startled pony is just so amusing.

Within the first few seconds of my appearance, Pinkie Pie had positioned herself right in front of the glass wall. She reared up and placed her fore-hooves on the glass with an ever-growing smile.

"Ooh, can you do that trick? You know, the changing thing?" She asked.

I blinked. It hadn't occurred to me to try changing form. Of course, in any other given situation, if any creature other than the queen herself asked me to change form for their amusement, I would've told them to go get eaten by a hydra. But this situation was... Different.

I planted all four hooves solidly on the tiled floor, clenched my eyes shut, and focused. I felt a familiar tingle over my body, for a moment. In the next second, the tingle fizzled away, replaced by a piercing pain in my neck. A moment later, the piercing was replaced again by a painful buzz, all over my body.

I fell to my knees, attempting to resist whatever had happened. I failed horribly. The last sight I can recall was Miss Sparkle staring through the glass with an almost shocked look on her face.

When I finally came to, I only had the faintest memory of what was happening. Something about a pink pony, morphing, and this damnable collar. Around me, the three ponies, and dragon, had gathered, and I was outside the cell. Miss Sparkle had a hoof on my throat... Checking for a pulse, it seemed. I was in no mood for it.

"Get your hooves off me!" I gasped out, struggling to roll onto my stomach. "I won't be touched by your kind!"

The group that formed around me scattered, most of them seemed to move towards the stairs. Miss Sparkle was the exception. When he noticed her standing there, Spike stood at her side, tugging at her hoof.

"Twilight! Let the guards handle it!" Spike pleaded, still unable to move the lavender mare.

Miss Sparkle seemed to not hear him. She just stared at me. I couldn't make out her scent. It took a moment to register that she had found a way to magically mask her scent. Which completely tore away any advantage I had.

Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash soon stood beside Miss Sparkle and Spike. Rainbow Dash had a look on her face that indicated her eagerness to fight. Pinkie Pie stood with a grin that seemed to not fit the moment.

I backed myself against the wall, lowered my head, and bared my fangs. I instinctively vocalized. Undoubtedly, the sound of my call drew the guards' attention. I could hear the clatter of their hooves on the stairs.

At that moment, with my fangs still bared, I faced a decision. Stand and fight a battle I'll surely lose, or revert to a passive posture and pray to the Great Beyond I came out unscathed.

I'm not exactly sure what compelled me to do so, but I chose the latter. Just a moment after I made my choice, I felt a blow to the side of the head. It wasn't quite painful, but the shock of an unexpected blow stunned me. It gave the two guards all the time they needed to pin me on the ground.

"No, don't be so rough with him!" Miss Sparkle scolded. Her words shocked me as much as it did the guards. For a moment, I saw a trace look of regret come over her face. Regret of what, I was not sure. The look disappeared as quickly as it came. "... I need a compliant subject to study, and hurting him won't help the matter."

"Yes ma'am." One of the guards replied. Both of them clambered to their hooves, and yanked me up as well.

They 'escorted' me to my cell, and slammed the door behind me. I heard the clack of the lock, and I just stared at the wall for a moment, trying to take in everything that had just happened. I made a move for the cover behind the curtain, but before I did, I noticed something in the corner of my eye... Miss Sparkle stood there, giving me the strangest look I had ever seen.