Chapter 1: And so our story begins...
What makes a changeling unique? That is a question no one pony can answer from looking at just a group of drones. But what about the changelings? How do they define unique? Simple. If a changeling bares a unique characteristic -- primarily having a mane and tail -- then the queen immediately assumes they can serve to a higher purpose than just a drone. This method is not fair nor accurate as having a mane and tail was just being genetically lucky; not a sign of being something special. It’s simply just the way the queen narrows down what changelings to give more important jobs.
These changelings with discernible features are referred to as the “Durse Changelings” and are pushed by Chrysalis to become nobles, scientists, teachers, engineers, doctors, etc. Durse Changeling supposedly means “lucky” or “unique” changelings; but, I think it’s really just something Chrysalis made up to make us all feel important. How does she decide what role would suit which changeling best? Yet again, simple. She keeps a closer eye on the Durse Changelings than the rest of her brood; monitoring them from birth to see what interests they take or what areas they excel in. These changelings have access to a larger array resources to play around with. Once the changelings reach a certain age, chrysalis gives all these unique changelings a universal test to determine their interests and career goals. She then proceeds to force the changelings into whichever category they score the highest in. Which is totally accurate and has never left anyling in a place they hate. Never…
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I was rudely brought back to the land of consciousness from the much more preferable land of dreams from a faint tapping on the door to my quarters. Shifting over to my other side in bed like a teenager who doesn’t want to get ready for school, I try to milk every last second of slumber I can before starting the day. However, the being behind the door knew me too well. Opening the door, a slim and older changeling stepped into the room. He was dressed in his usual formal suit that he wears everyday; his face hugged by a thin white mane and beard. His name...well, changelings don’t have names. Not even us “special ones.” So, we instead refer to each other by either our profession or the accessories that differentiate us. Thus he is typically referred to as butler since calling him “suit” wouldn’t work since several others also have suits.
“Good morning Top Hat. It is time to get up” he says, his voice soothing and gentle with a nice richness to it. He was approaching my bedside to drop off a small envelope that he had retrieved from his coat pocket. All while maintaining a disturbingly professional and unwavering smile. “Inside this letter contains the daily duties you are to fulfill.”
“Thank you Butler” I reply, trying to be nice to the old changeling since he maintains this routine everyday. His job is to write daily agendas, wake up the Durse Changelings, do menial tasks if they require it, give said agendas, then spend the rest of the day serving the queen. Primarily serving the queen wine or doing small odd jobs. Seeing that I was awake was enough to satisfy him to leave. Giving a small bow, he then proceeded to exit my room.
My eyes refused to leave the sight of him until he was gone. Something about him was deeply unsettling, which is strange since his voice matched with his professional exterior and actions would seem perfectly normal. Just something about the way he looks at me. That smile and those eyes. The smile a facade of what lies underneath that I’m not quite sure is friendly. And the eyes analyzing your very being; peering deep into your soul as if looking for something.
With the click of the closing door, I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Turning my attention to the envelope residing by my bedside, I opened it only to not be surprised. “Teach by yourself” were the only words inscribed upon the parchment. Slightly different than the usual “teach” but not by much.
Setting the note aside, I begrudgingly arose from my bed, stretching my muscles and adjusting my unkempt blonde and orange mane to it’s proper place. Calling my rat’s nest a mane is almost laughable. But that’s how it is with every Durse Changeling: our manes looking akin to Chrysalis’. In other words, they look like someone super glued colored and hole riddled seaweed to an insect’s head. It’s the queen’s orders that I must try to look as professional as possible since I am “a scholarly educator” as she put it. That’s also why she gave me a top hat, it looks “professional.”
I gazed into the smudged and cracked mirror upon my wall, looking at myself morosely. My mane was parted from one far side of the head to collect on the other side with my top hat sitting atop it. The top hat was dyed to specifically match my mane. Another thing the queen does to make us think we’re important when really I’m sure ponies can whip up a top hat of any color for anypony. Not that special now is it? I further examine myself, looking at my somewhat taller and sleeker build. I also see a young changeling who, as of today, has been appointed with the most life draining role possible. A teacher. It is my job to brainwash the young into being mindless subservient drones who will only obey Chrysalis as soon as they reach the age of work. That age is 16. I turned 16 a week ago and have since spent my time learning how to teach from another educator. This fellow teacher is one of my only companions. Although our conversations aren't the ripest and most interesting, I think we both just enjoy the company of another like minded changeling; both of us wanting change and questioning Chrysalis' motives, yet he doesn't seem to be willing to do much about it. Either from sheer laziness or fear of the repercussions such actions are sure to bring. However, this week long apprentice period has ended. I'm now being rushed into teach my very own class of changelings by myself.
Letting out a sigh and lowering my head, I wish to just stay in this room all day and do nothing. But that would result in severe punishment. Raising my somber head, I take a deep breathe and exit my room.
While walking the corridors of the hive to my classroom, I can’t help but recall why I’ve been appointed to be a teacher. The answer: I scored highly on the intelligent and analytical scale from the test Chrysalis gives all Durse Changelings. Albeit, I can’t honestly find it in myself to argue against it. Educating the hungry minds of the youthful to help guide them to the passion they will one day fulfill sounds like an excellent and rewarding job. But not like this. It’s also strange to think someling as young as 16 is teaching children when I myself am not even an adult yet.
My thoughts were cut short as I came across a small gathering of guards and other changelings. Stopping the pace I acquired to my classroom, I peer over their shoulders to get a better look at why they’re gathering. A corpse of another guard, one of a somewhat higher stature and command. There was a small note left on his inert body, reading “Maybe things wouldn't have come to this if people didn't get executed just for thinking the "wrong" way.” The only other features of the note is that the text is purple and the small purple rose depicted on the bottom of the page.
The Black Rose. Weren’t they just a myth? A fake group and name used to categorize and label changelings who don’t obey the queen? I silently think to myself in dread, knowing full well that The Black Rose is actually real. Rumors of this group are gruesome. Most just wave them off as being fake, but those who believe in them tell records of the group brutally torturing and ruining the lives of certain officials. They are the anti-queen unseen society and brutally torture, maimed, poison, experiment on, or kill anyone they believe to be too cruel. I’ve also heard they “convert” changelings to the cause. Some by choice, but most by blackmail or promises of abominations. Legend has it they’re whittling down the Durse Changeling who serve the queen too closely until they can finally get to her. Which is a soothing thing to think about, considering I am a Durse Changeling.
The neighboring guards turned to me, examining me for a moment before one spoke up. “Get a move on. Someone like you has more important things to do than gawk at a dead body.” Rather blunt one isn’t he? Well, he has a point. If I don’t get moving I’ll most likely get into trouble. I give a small nod to him and pick my pace back up, although a bit quicker this time.
It's unsettling to think that I could be one of the next targets. Although, The Black Rose isn't known to strike out often. They typically only assassinate those who are particularly cruel. Maybe The Black Rose was actually something for me. But, it's not like they have a bright flashing sign to come sign up for the club. It's also unlikely they'd want anything to do with a mere "educator" like myself.
Approaching the classroom, I take a deep breathe to try to calm my nerves for both being by myself in a room of strangers; but, also to make me not think about the infinite potential the young grub in the room had. That I was going to ruin…
Pushing the door open, I’m immediately greeted with dozens of pairs of glowing greenish blue eyes. Stepping to the desk by the front, I utter a greeting to the classroom “Good morning class.” They immediately reply with “Good morning Mr. Top Hat.” I shuddered at how quickly they did that without even practicing it once. I peer off into the changelings with wistful eyes as they stared expectantly back at me.
Every single one of them looked the same. Every. Single. One. The only differences are small height differences, but they all have that same black chitin, thin insectoid wings and swiss cheese legs. In a society where the vast majority of the populous looks identical, the only way to differentiate one’s self from another is to show creativity, accomplishments, and allow each individual to think and act differently as they seem fit. But I was going to stop that. All these young children could do anything they wanted with their life because I’m the same as them, after all. The only reason I wasn’t brainwashed was because I look different. They’re all perfectly capable of doing the exact same as I have, but Chrysalis doesn’t allow that. So, in turn, I don’t allow that.
Choking down the lump in throat that formed from my train of thoughts going to dark places, I turn back to the board and desk. Levitating up an old pony textbook and binder full of teaching plans and procedures, I inspect them briefly. So cheap we couldn’t even make up our own sources of literature and education. Of course not. I think to myself with resent before setting the book down and opening the binder.
When I was a young grub, I didn’t have textbooks like these. My childhood was more so just doing whatever I pleased. That’s how it was for all the Durse Changelings. Chrysalis believes we are different and knew, from birth, what our destiny was. She waited to see what we gravitated to, but now I see that these changelings don't have that option. They’re thrown into school to learn obedience from birth; then, spend the rest of their day time as slaves to the hive. I briefly shake my head to dissipate the thoughts in my head since the class was still staring at me.
“Alright class, welcome to your first day of school. Today we’re going to be starting in the very beginning of our textbooks, so please open to page 12.” I addressed the class with my deeper tone of voice, sounding akin to the soothing voice of a narrator from the cassette tapes you could listen to in libraries. Briefly flipping to the right page I skim some more of the lesson plan. “So, we’re going to start with the basics such as Princess Celestia is evil and Chrysalis is our one true solace…” My voice slows and fades as I read what has been scribbled onto the page. Expecting this to be a normal pony textbook, my eyes were instead met with a page of Princess Celestia scribbled over and a poorly drawn Chrysalis instead. Second guessing myself, I wander astray from my desk and to a small filly’s desk, glancing down to her textbook. It was the same. Every textbook had been written all over, pages torn out, and defiled to serve the purpose of the hive but keep information that we were too lazy to reproduce in our own textbooks.
“Mr. Top Hat, why is Celestia bad?” the small filly asked with the most innocent voice. Ripping my gaze from the book and to the filly in question, she's staring at me with the most innocent and curious pair of blue globes I’ve ever seen. This question didn’t please her classmates as they hissed at her for even questioning why Celestia is bad. She shrinks and lets out a tiny whine in response. “S-sorry for asking…”
“No, no! I uh...Celestia is bad because…” Swallowing, I look around to the rest of the class who look confused or angry at the mention of the princess. She was simply just being curious, but the mention of a pony, especially Celestia, in a non negative way wasn't really accepted. “She’s bad because… she’s cruel to changelings.” I pull an answer out of my flanks half assedly. Hesitating for a moment, I try my best to give the filly a warm smile so she didn't think she did something wrong. I make my way back to the board and bring control back to my voice. “Moving on.”
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I had to find something. I had to teach something. I had to DO something. That small filly in that class is going to be either picked on and punished for not following what appears to be the holy fucking bible of our race: "lest thee peasant wander astray from thine teachings, thou shalt be burnt in the deepest pits of Tartarus for eternity!" and so on and so forth. Or, she will pulled out of class to be privately “taught” what she should know with a little less patience and hospitality. I couldn’t let that happen. The others had already fallen victim to Chrysalis’ manipulation, but if I can save one. Just one. Prevent them from being a worker for the rest of their lives until they die, no one batting an eye at their death, then it would all be worth it.
Powered by the sheer determination of doing what’s right, I hastily make my way to the royal library. The royal library is a place only available to either higher up officials or Durse Changelings. It is the only place to contain any kind of actual knowledge and information, not just the ceaseless plethora of propaganda we force our young to devour in order to become another meaningless cog in the machine. I need to be quick because I have to report to Chrysalis about my first day on the job and the progress that has been made.
Approaching the doors of the library, there are two guards posted outside the doors. Upon seeing my mane and tail, along with my hat, they part their spears to let me into the room. Stepping inside, I immediately became surrounded by a myriad of bookshelves that contain primarily untouched tomes of knowledge that have been laid to waste by our species. The unimaginable amount of information, sciences, mathematics, fables, and knowledge in this room make me want to squeal and bounce up and down like an excited filly with too much sugar. But I have a mission to do. So that can wait for later.
Scanning the shelves for what organized each section, I eventually found a few books on pony history. Levitating these up into my magical grip, the next section to look for would be sciences and fantasy stories. The best thing I can hope to do is to show that filly, maybe even the whole class that ponies aren’t bad. Show them what interesting and useful things the sciences hold. Show them the mysteries and epic tales of fantasy heroes. Anything I can do to make them escape this brainwashed state of mind and gain a sense of personal identity would be progress. I just needed the suitable supplies to even just spark interest -- or at least curiosity or suspicion about our hive's state of being -- and allow them to do the rest.
Satisfied with the ample amount of books I have now stuffed into one old book bag that was tossed askew somewhere on the floor. I left the library to run back to my quarters before the meeting with Chrysalis. I had never been a fan for ponies, but I never understood why they were hated either. If anything, I’m just intrigued as to why this whole hate started. Was it some old war from back before even Chrysalis’ times? Is it just that Chrysalis is a daft bitch who hates any and everything? Even her own subjects? Yeah… that sounds like the most probable answer… and the most boring. Well, there goes my hopes to dive deep into historical texts to pinpoint the causation of our proclamation. I was so looking forward to reading all night long to diagnosing the problem, but the answer is most likely having to do with a severe case of the control and power freak known as Chrysalis.
A shame.
Lightly chuckling to myself, I step back into the familiar atmosphere of my room. Disposing of the books underneath my bed, I take one last look at myself in the mirror to tidy up before seeing our beloved queen. Briskly proceeding out into the twisting corridors of our hive, I eventually found myself at the entrance to the queen’s room. Upon arrival, another Durse Changeling steps out of the room with his head raised high, seeming as if the queen told him he did a particularly good job of being a kiss ass today. Striding into the room after the other changeling left, Queen Chrysalis seemed bored… right up until she saw me.
Her face brightened with slight excitement since it was my first day on the job. Can’t be too excited though, still have to give off the vibe of hating literally everything that moves. “So? How was your first day on the job? Did you teach according to the lesson plans?” She inquired while examining my figure to make sure I still had my hat and looked as “professional” as possible.
“Yes my queen. I followed the lesson plans to the dot.” I replied, trying to sound as calm and professional as possible. She gave a nod but said nothing else, expecting me to go on. “I went over the first few pages of our textbooks to teach the grub about Celestia, Luna, and ponies in general.” She appeared to be more satisfied with that response.
“Good. Very good. As long as we continue to instruct our young in this fashion, we will be the most productive and civil race in all of Equestria.”
Yes, because if you mean civil and efficient, you mean a horde of brain dead flesh puppets that do everything by physical labor rather than using magic and or science to help us do things much quicker, than sure. We’re already there. She gave me one final look “Report back to me at the end of the week and keep up the work.” She had many other changelings to talk to and boss around so she could never spend too much time on just one changeling. Which is good for me because just her presence and looks was making me anxious. I gave a small bow before exiting the room, only to be replaced by some other changeling that has some problem including not having enough dipping sauce with his ration of love. Which is constantly dwindling. Which is yet another fun thing to think about. Starvation is actually my favorite forced pass time.
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Chrysalis only wants to see me at the end of the week. This is perfect! I don’t have to worry about showing up on time for reports. This’ll give me time to at least work with that filly one-on-one and hopefully my whole class at some point. I was laying down on my bed, resting my head on my hooves while laying on my belly, kicking my hind hooves idly behind me. My eyes were busy glossing over the history book in front of me; scanning for any key points that I could look further in depth later. It wouldn’t be long now and it would be curfew for all the changelings. We aren’t allowed to leave our rooms for almost any reason after this time, so I was jotting down rough notes into a small and roughed up journal. My master plan was to teach class as normal tomorrow but pull that filly aside after class to teach her separately. If that plan succeeds and she sees things from a whole new perspective then the next step is to slowly trickle these methods of teaching into the lesson plans.
Curfew has approached and the guards were now doing their sweep to make sure no changeling has left and to check up on rooms that still have lights on. Like mine. I hastily turn the lights off and tuck my books back under my bed since I would prefer not to be caught reading history textbooks. That would land me in some form of trouble; those of which I doubt would be a firm talking to. But since our queen is so unorganized, she doesn’t like when changelings read about ponies in ways that aren’t blatantly slathered in bias, yet she’s too lazy to remove any of them from the library. Doesn’t matter to me as long as I proceed forward without being caught. And I won’t be because Chrysalis or any of her servants have no reason to search and it’s not like they’re going to be randomly sweeping rooms. That'd take ages considering none of the guards are all too bright and there's too many changelings to keep track of. Especially since most of us don't have names.
I didn’t think I’d be saying this by the end of today, if anything, I was expecting I would have been wishing for death right about this point. But, I’m actually excited to go teach tomorrow. At least teach that one filly. Wish she had a name though, it’d make things easier. Maybe that’s something we can come up with together.
Author's Note
Thank you all for powering through the disaster that is this first chapter. Hope you could put up with weird head cannons, immense amounts of foreshadow, and everything else. I promise things will get more interesting in the coming chapter. I just had to establish the basic premise of what is going on in the story.
This is my first story I've ever written, so, any kind of feedback is appreciated so I can further improve upon my skills for later chapters and stories 
.
The morning sun rose across the desolate cliff faces of our life devoid badlands. I, however, could not tell since I was cooped up in a windowless room. Just like every room; somehow making a dead area of Equestria feel even more dead since our entire hive is just one big hole filled rock. I could only hope for a change in scenery; whether that involves me leaving the badlands or some miracle bringing the life to the land. Neither of these were likely.
I was already up and getting ready to tackle the day head on by the time a familiar tapping came to the door. I had gotten up early, despite my love of sleep, to make sure everything was prepared for class today. The door creaked open and Butler walked into the room. I had thought he would've been surprised to see me awake at such a time, but he still maintained that modest and formal smile. He of course also had the daily to-do list with him, as per usual.
"Good morning Top Hat. Up rather early, aren't you?" I looked over in his direction as he approached my bed to set down the usual envelope he always had.
"Good morning Butler. I am indeed, just trying to make sure everything is prepared for class today." I replied to him, turning my attention back to the mirror as I adjusted my mane to look as good as it possible can.
"Very good." He said in his usual soothing tone of voice. Setting the envelopes down on the end table next to my bed, he returned his attention back to me. "Did your trip to the library have anything to do with that?"
That question made my skin turn cold. How did he know about that? He should've been with the queen at that time. Freezing in my actions, I peer at him through the mirror, only to see him already looking at me through the mirror with the same unwavering smile. Although with a slight raise of the eyebrow this time. I pause for a moment to think of an answer. Taking a deep breath, I make up some sort of excuse for mu trip to the library. "Well, there was some material I wasn't fully educated on. So, I went to the library to try to find resources on the subject matter to better inform the children." I wasn't wrong. It was to find more on a specific subject. Just in a way that's frowned upon.
He gave a small nod and returned to the door of my room. "I don't recall any of the lesson plans being too overly complex. That's interesting..." He finished in a more dark tone, leaving the room withe light click of the door. I still didn't dare move until I heard the soft echos of hoofsteps come to an end. When they did, I gasped for air as if I had been underwater for a minute.
Looking around my room frantically, as if looking for some sort of answer, my mind was racing at a thousand miles per hour. How did Butler even know about my trip there? How much longer until he tells the queen about this? Coming to the conclusion that I was most likely screwed, there's no way I would be able to out smart the Queen's troops for long. The only problem left unsolved was what shall I do with my remaining time on this planet? I could still pull aside that one filly as I had originally planned; but, I will most likely be imprisoned before I ever have the chance to do anything meaningful with the whole class.
It's settled then: I'll teach the whole class the way I was going to with just the filly. Trying to escape the Queen's hounds was inevitable and Chrysalis doesn't exactly like when her Durse Changelings go against her commands; so my proceeding fate would most likely be imprisonment until public execution.
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Stepping into the silent atmosphere of the classroom, I said nothing as I approached my desk. All eyes were glued to me and the book bag across my back as I lifted the binder that held the lesson plans in my hoof. Looking out into the crowd of grub for a few moments, I turned to a nearby bin and dropped the binder in. The young changelings all seemed confused, but nonetheless I took my place back by the board.
"Alright class, today we are going to start our session with a fun activity. Open your textbooks to the very first page." The changelings did as told, although some more skeptical than others. Waiting a moment for everyling to be ready and their attention back to me, I continued. "Now then, we're going to play a game. I want you to tear out each and every page in that textbook. Crumple up each page and try to dunk some shots into the trash bin over there," I pointed a hoof to the large waste bin located in the corner of the room.
They all looked around to one another, completely and utterly confused and not sure how to proceed. They most likely thought this was some kind of test; yet one of them slowly tore the first page out, crumpling it into a compact ball. The foal's classmates looked to him as he looked to me with a questioning stare. I smiled and gave a small nod "Go on then, toss it into the trash." encouraging him on with a low and soothing tone of voice; trying to convince them all that I did indeed want them to do this and it wasn't some kind of trick.
A few moments of hesitation later, the foal tossed the paper into the trash. Not even a few seconds later and the rest joined in. What started as sheepish quickly turned into a frenzy of excited fillies and foals ravenously ripping apart their textbooks. Just as I had planned.
"Alright!" Waiting for the children to conclude this "activity", I tethered their attention back to me. They looked upon me, all eager for what to do next. I couldn't help but grin as they all seemed excited to be here rather than bored. "Can any of you tell me WHY I asked you to do this?" They looked around to each other, none seeming to have the answer but all still curious. "Well then, allow me to give you a hint." Levitating two objects for all to see: one was an exact copy of their textbooks, minus the vandalism. The other was a few pages they had torn out and thrown into the trash. Swinging the textbook open to the same page as the torn page: page 12. The start of our class yesterday. "Anything you notice that's askew between these two pages?" The same small filly from yesterday anxiously raised her hoof. "Yes?"
She was clearly nervous to be speaking out in front of the class since being hissed at yesterday by almost everyling in the class prior. I gave he a warm and reassuring smile, which seemed to help. "U-um, one of them isn't scribbled on?"
"Exactly! These are the same books, are they not? Yet one of them hasn't been touched and the other has writing all over it." The rest of the classroom still didn't seem to understand why I was showing them this. I could simply lecture them as to why things are the way they are, but it's more important to let them think for themselves and figure it out. "So, why is this a problem?"
"One shows those nasty ponies while the other shows our mommy!" A colt blurted out from the back of the classroom. He got a few other classmates to make unintelligible noises of agreement.
I raised an eyebrow to this, walking slowly towards his desk while addressing his outburst. "You aren't wrong, but why are the ponies nasty?" Standing near his desk, it looked as if he was about to say something, so I cut him off before he said something else. "What made you think ponies were nasty? Have you yourself ever met one?"
He shut his previously open mouth and looked a bit flustered. "W-well, no. But the Queen and older changelings always told us they were nasty!"
"Now why is that? Did any of them ever give you a reason for that?"
"It's like you said yesterday, they're mean to changelings for NO reason!"
Perfect. I smirked at his answer, getting the answer I was hoping for. It was the answer they all had to questions like these: someone said they're bad because they're bad. "Exactly. They're bad for NO reason, right?" The class yet again looked confused as I stepped back behind my desk. "If we don't have any reason to believe they're bad to us, then how can we know they are. Everyling will always tell you ponies are bad, but why? Why are they bad? I'm sure some of you have asked this before at some point and I'm sure you never got a straight answer." I put a hoof to my chin in mock thought while looking across all of their gazes "So if they didn't have a reason to hate ponies, why must you also hate them?"
I could see the faint flickers of understanding that I had wanted to see. Their kids. Teaching them to think and do differently other than what they're supposed to is risky for sure; but at this point, all I can hope to do before Butler reports me to the guard is leave a seed implanted into their minds. Leave them all with the mindset to question their surroundings and ways of life; to delve deeper until they find the answer and further try to change their surrounding atmospheres. But, alas, the topic of ponies not being bad doesn't seem to work with some of them. I have just the perfect topic.
"Let me ask you this: Why am I up here teaching and living differently than all of you?" Around half of the class said something about Durse Changelings, whilst the others appeared to be lost in an internal mental conflict. "Ok, sure. But what makes me different?" Yet again, half said something involving a mane and tail. "But does that really make me special? I'm the same as all of you in every other accord. Same wings. Same horn. Same eyes. Same body. The only thing that is different is my mane and tail. Is that really a sign of something special? A mane and tail are merely just appearance traits, which means that you're all perfectly capable of doing anything a Durse Changeling can because we are the same as you."
This seemed to convert a few more over to my side. I wasn't expecting this to work perfectly or take effect immediately, just as long as it made them even consider why things the way they are or to do things differently, then things were going as planned.
"Then why should we listen to you if we're just as good as you?!" Another colt stated from within the class.
'Well, has any other Durse Changeling done something like this for any of you?" Gazing across the class, they all shook their heads. "All of the Durse Changelings do as the Queen says to avoid getting in trouble and view the rest of you as tools. I'm merely trying to guide you all in a new direction."
That seemed to ease the colt --and other like minded changelings-- at least somewhat.
I allowed the class to talk among each other for a while to exchange thoughts on the subject. None of them knew this would be happening today, so many were still skeptical about the entire situation. But they had been talking for long enough. Onto helping them discover their passions. "Alright, attention back to me please." The class, of course, went silent in under a second.
"I've tried to show you all to think for yourselves, but even if that didn't persuade you to my side, I have more activities for us to do." Levitating all of the books out from my back, I placed them upon my desk. I glazed over the class with my eyes, briefly getting a rough count of how many I was dealing with. "Group your desks up into 10 groups of 5."
A few moments later, they were all in groups now. Walking by each group, I placed one book down on each group while further informing them of our activity in a formal tone. "You and your group are going to be looking inside the book on your desk for 5 minutes. Each book is different and they range from cooking, to science, to art, to gardening. A little bit of everything you could ever hope to see is right here. Every 5 minutes you will rotate to a different station. By the end of our rotations, I want you all to stand up by your desk original so I know your done."
They seemed very excited about this activity; already opening their books before I had even said to start. Glancing at the clock, I kept mental track of each five minutes while slowly strolling from station to station to make sure they're all on task but also to answer any questions they had. Questions on gardening I couldn't really answer, but questions relating to science or math I probably over answered if the confused look on the children's faces were anything to go by.
"Rotate!"
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The end of our activity and class period are nearing an end, so all of the grub are standing by their desks. They were eagerly chatting to one another about the things they found interest in. Of course, most of them didn't know almost anything about any of the matters, but that's fine. As long as it just sparked an interest, I was happy. Resuming my position behind my desk. I levitated the books back to me in one big pile.
"So, how was today's lessons?" I instantly got a lot of excited and happy answers that meshed together into happy bug noise garble. "Good! But, these books I showed you will have to go back with me. I'll bring them back tomor-" I cut myself off as my voice wavered. I had forgot that I probably won't even be here tomorrow. I got too caught up in all of the children's joy, which in turn, filled me with joy. Some of them noticed this and began to look concerned.
I gave a small nervous chuckle, turning my attention to the room itself. There were a few small cracks and crevasses the books could be stuffed into. Maybe those could work. "Scratch that, the books will stay here in the classroom." Walking over to some of the sneaky little areas, I wiggled the books into place and proceeded to place our abundant amount of random rubble and rocks in front of them. "In those places, alright?"
The bell thankfully rang so I ushered the students out before they could ask why I was so nervous. All of them left but that filly. She stayed inside the classroom and waited for everyone else to be gone before approaching me by the door. "Mr. Top Hat, why do you look so nervous?"
I'm pretty sure the answer was obvious to both of us and it was just a means of starting the conversation. "It's nothing, just go on home." I said, attempting to put an end to our conversation before I had to tell this innocent filly I was most likely going to die. She didn't buy it. Sighing, I stepped back into the classroom and closed the door behind us. Taking a seat behind my desk, she joined me shortly after.
"I think we both know why..." I glanced to her to see her head lowered somberly before continuing. "What I did today isn't something the Queen is fond of. She will most likely have me imprisoned before sun rise." I finished weakly.
"But why doesn't she want us to be happy?" Her voice was quivery, making it apparent she was on the verge of tears.
"Because she wants power. Queen chrysalis hates the ponies and is willing to enslave all of her children to get the power she seeaks." Hearing a small sniffle coming from her direction, I look just in time to see a tear drip down from he muzzle. I pulled her close to me and let her sob. She had finally met someling who wasn't forcing her into things she wanted no part in. She had finally met someling who had verified any of her questions about the corruption of the hive. And she was about to lose this changeling.
Our silent moment was interrupted when the door to the class swung open. The changeling that entered was the teacher companion of mine. He did not look pleased. Looking at him for a few more moments, I nudged the filly away from me. "You have to go now." I said softly. She gave me one last look before slinking away from me and slowly walking out the door.
The door then slammed shut again once the filly left. "What were you thinking?!" He did not spare a moment to whisper scream at me.
This changeling was named Bow Tie since he wore a tattered bow tie around his neck. He too did not like the way the hive was ran by Chrysalis, but since we are Durce changelings, he thinks we're "living the high life" so there's no point in going against it. I decided to play stupid just to annoy him some more. "What do you mean?" I asked with a knowing smirk on my face.
He did not like that. "You know exactly what I am talking about! Don't you remember anything I told you?!" He was storming towards the desk that I was located at while shouting at me. "Queen Chrysalis will have you killed for doing this! Was it really worth "inspiring" a group of dumb foals?"
"Yes, please tell me more about how wrong my actions are while you hide behind your "birthright to nobility." You don't like Chrysalis either, yet all you do is sit around and complain. I'm actually doing something about it!"
"By committing suicide?! The noises these grubs were making in this room could be heard in several hallways down! They're just a bunch of stupid foals and fillies, they won't be capable of anything in their lifetime. The Black Rose can't even get close to stopping Chrysalis, so you will never be able to by "teaching" the young."
I hopped off from the edge of the desk where I was sitting, walking to meet him halfway. "I thought that you wouldn't fall victim to these lies, but I was wrong. You really do think we're something special? It's fucking genetics, you dense exhibitionist. All you want to do is follow Chrysalis' orders with your horn up your flanks just so you can get -- what should be normal -- privileges everyling else doesn't!"
"What's wrong with that?! We were born to be powerful! All the other changelings are work animals, that's all they'll ever be! That's all YOU should be. If you can't accept the way things are, when they're in YOUR favor, then there's something wrong with you. I'll be sure to tell the guards of this little incident of ours. Maybe even the Queen herself."
We stopped a foot or so away from each other. I stared deep into his eyes with a heated look. It's laughable to think of this idiot as a friend. We had been before. Or, as close to friends as you could get when you can only see each other around once a week and only talk about classwork. It was still something. But, it was obvious now that he was just like everyling else. If the system favored him, why would he bother to change it for the better of the population?
"You're scared." I stated, maintaining my look at him. His face contorted with rage. "You're scared of change and being thrown under the bus. You know this is wrong, but you're too afraid to take action because you fear you'll lose the power you have." I slowly approached closer to him, whispering in a low tone into his ear. "It won't be a surprise when you are the next cold corpse to wind up in a body bag from The Black Rose." He now looked frightened, knowing that The Black Rose target changelings like him. I stepped past him and to the door. "I'll be sure to mention your loyalty to the Queen and how great of a teacher you are in my will."
He remained frozen in place while I stood in the door frame. "Two can play the blame game, Bow Tie." With that, I left the room. I was most likely already dead, but changelings are allowed to ask the reason for their imprisonment and how they got their information. Which allows me to be able to figure out if he told on me or not.
I casually strolled back into my room and closed the door behind me. Now I play the waiting game. It was only a matter of time before guards came to my door, but perhaps there was a way I could convince them this was a lie? No. That wouldn't work. It's like Bow Tie said, too many changelings would have heard the commotion coming from my classroom. Maybe I could flee before they arrive? No. There are guards stationed outside the hive at all times so I would be caught. My best strategy at this point was to try to maybe lower the charges against me so I at least won't be killed. I definitely wouldn't be able to teach anymore; or most likely do anything other than drone work, but I'd still be alive.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
My thoughts were interrupted with three rather brutish knocks on my door. They came earlier than I had hoped.
Approaching the door, I gingerly opened it and presented a friendly smile to the pair of guards outside of my room. "Good evening gentlecolts, how may I be of service?"
"Come with us Top Hat, you're under arrest." They said disturbingly at the same time.
"Oh? And why's that?" Maybe I can play dumb again.
The answer to that hope was a definite no as they shoved me out of the room with magic and began to walk me to the prison cells. Well, plan B. "May I ask why it is that I am under arrest?"
"You were going against Queen Chrysalis' orders by teaching your class forbidden material. You did so by confiscating books from the library to teach with." One of the guards, the male, answered my question for me.
The last bit caught me off guard. Bow Tie didn't know about my trip to the library, so who turned me in? Now I was just confused. Maybe it was one of the guards stationed outside the library? Someling who saw me go into the library? Nothing was making sense at this point in time.
"May I at least know who informed you of this?" The least I could ask for was to know who turned me in so I can haunt them in the after life.
We had reached my cozy little cell and they generously tossed me in. Such swell people. They then proceeded to stand directly in front of the cell. They never even answered my question. Now I'm peeved. But why, of all the inmates, was I being guarded? They act as if I'm some psychotic killer. Maybe it's because I was first up to be executed? I actually accept that at this point. This cell smells of old cheese.
"Ah, I see you have brought the changeling I asked here; and in record time no less." A strangely familiar voice spoke somewhere out of my sight.
"Yes sir, Mr. Butler sir!" They both replied.
Ah, that makes sense. It was Butler who turned me in. Everything makes sense now. He knew about my trip to the library and what I had planned to do with the books I gathered, so of course he was the one to turn me in.
"As a personal thanks, I would like to present both of you with some of our finest wine. Care to have some? I know you shouldn't drink on the job, but Chrysalis won't have to know. It'll be our little secret." Butler had approached the pair of guards, so now I could see what was actually happening. I stood up from my spot on the floor to get a better look. The wine he had on his silver platter was unusually green. Most of our wine was green, kind of like our blood, but this was GREEN green.
The two guards nodded so Butler poured them both a glass. Levitating them both the glasses he just prepared, they drank the wine then gave the glasses back to him. "And how is it? Care for some more?"
The two guards began to look sickly after just a few seconds, passing out on the floor not long after. Was it passing out? They might be dead for all I know. "Perfect..." Butler said as he maintained his branded smile during the whole ordeal. He looked down upon the guards and levitated up the cell keys.
"Sorry about the rough housing the guards gave you." Butler continued as he unlocked the cell door. I was -- yet again -- beyond confused. If he was the one to turn me in, why is he saving me now. I cautiously stepped out of the cell, looking down to the guards and confirming they are not passed out but dead.
A few seconds later, my attention was brought elsewhere as I felt a hoof lay gently on my shoulder. Turning to Butler's hoof on my shoulder, he was much closer to me than he was previously. His eyes met mine and his smile turned more sinister and dark than it had previously; a sinister shimmer in his eyes. He simply said:
"Won't you please follow me?"
Author's Note
Sorry this is a bit later than I wanted 
. Life got to be a bit hectic. I'm also just now realizing how much this story is like Dead Poet Society in a way... It won't be that way for too long! Things will pick up soon ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
