A changeling queen

Everything is quiet and… I like it that way. “Break free.” Says a voice and I look around to see nothing that would produce a sound and I returned to my blissful resting. “Break free my princess.” Says the voice and again I can’t determine which way it came from. Attempting to move my head to locate what was disrupting my wonderful silence, I soon found that I don’t have enough room to move. So, I started to feel my body over for anything that would be of help. However, all I felt was that I have six limbs that I have no idea what they’re for, a mouth, a bump on my face, two eyes, two tall pointed bumps on top of my head, a bump at the lowest end of my spine, and something sticking out of my forehead. Not feeling many options at the moment, I did my best to move with the thing sticking out of forehead until I felt it come into contact with something hard. “Break free my princess fore we await for you.” Says the voice and it is annoying that it was disrupting the silence that I love so much. Doing my best to drive my foreheads bump into the hard surface to get at the voice I kept pushing harder and harder until I felt the surface start to break and give way. “Ha! Now whatever has disrupted my beautiful silence will get the beating it deserves.” I thought and continued until finally I broke free and my head is the first thing to break free.

Opening my eyes to look around for what disrupted my beautiful silence. Looking around I saw a short, black creature with a colored back that had its head on the ground while its rear was in the air. “Greeting my princess.” Says the creature yet its mouth didn’t move. “Is this the thing that broke my silence?” I think not sure if this thing is responsible. “Yes, I alone broke your silence over the hive-mind.” Says the creature still in the same position. Now knowing what broke my silence I move to try and attack it but the attempt ended with me face planting myself on the ground. “Princess, would you like my help getting out of your cocoon?” asks the creature presumably looking over me. Not wanting to seem weak and helpless I gave it an answer, “No and stay right there when I get free of this cocoon you’ll get what you deserve for breaking my silence.” I say and I start to wiggle my way out of the cocoon.

Once I am free I feel something looking to my side I see that there is movement. I will for the limb to move and it barely moved at all. “Um, Princess. I can give you information on how to move your body.” Says the creature sounding like it is scared of me. “Good, it should fear me once I can…what did it say, move my body? Whatever I don’t have time for trial and error.” I think to my self before answering the creature, “Yes, give me that information.” I think toward the creature and not long after I now know how to move along with what the unknown parts of my body are and what they’re used for. Getting up shakily I just about fell over back on to the ground when I felt something holding me up. Looking over my shoulder I see three other creatures that appear just like the one that broke my silence.

“My princess, please calm yourself. I am truly sorry for such a rushed and rude awakening but we need to hurry up and move to the teleportation array.” Says the creature sounding even more fearful. “Why? What do you have to fear besides me?” I ask the creature still angry that my silence was broken. “Everything will be explained once you are to safety my princess, but please trust me that we must hurry to the array.” Says the creature. “Fine, but if I don’t find your explanation satisfactory I will end you.” I think and with the help of the ones helping me stand I steadily start to walk on my own.

[BOOM, BOOM, BOOM]

“What was that?” I ask stopping and moving towards the sound. “That would be the renegade’s forces using their artillery…again.” Says the creature taking the lead of the group. “Who is this renegade?” I ask wanting to know if I could get the renegade to leave me alone with my silence. “The renegade's name has been struck from all records and memory for there are many names for those who betray their kind and go, rogue, as well as break the old laws of the queens.” Says the creature. “That is not what I asked. I want to know the renegades' name.” I say not happy with the useless information. “(sigh) Very well I’m sure there is at least one archivist that is still alive, waiting at the teleportation chamber and has yet to remove the renegade's real name from our records.” Says the creature and we continued to the teleportation chamber in silence with only the occasional rock falling from the ceiling or the sound of artillery.

Not long after the latest artillery booms, I saw a light at the end of the hall. We continued to walk to the light and when we entered the chamber it was filled with many creatures, but they all looked so much alike that is was impossible to tell one from another until one came up to me. It was much like me, but it had something draped across it, was a bit taller and had a significantly larger chest than me. “I told you to bring her here without causing her to hatch.” Yells the taller creature to the silence breaker. “M-My queen, the renegade was almost upon her hatchery and we had no-ling to carry her while she was an egg. So, I did what I thought was best to get her to safety.” Says the silence breaker to the taller one. “(sigh) I guess I can’t fault you for the fact that the evacuation is hasty just get in the circle with the supplies and who all I don’t need to defend the hive…” says the taller one before looking at me, “… as for you my child. (sigh) I give you the gift of knowledge and if you manage to build a hive. Search for me now too and here…” says the taller one before handing me something that was in the shape of a square and was about half an inch thick, “… this book will give you all the information you’ll need to start and manage your hive use this information well, now go.” Says the taller one before I felt weightless before I felt the air move and then a hard landing on my back inside the teleportation circle then my sight being consumed in a bright white light.

I opened my eyes and there was nothing and it was silent. “This silence is wrong…it shouldn’t exist.” I say before a map appears with several locations having markers over them, then a screen appeared. “Greetings, this is the teleportation hub. You have been granted the…pleasure of going to a place marked on the map to set up a colony. You will be provided information on the location you choose to colonize, but first, you need to choose a location too colonize. So here are your choices: Canter river ruins, Los Mareus, Shadow Hollow, Starlite, ponyville choose one and you and your luggage will be sent there.” Says the screen and I look over the information to make my choice.

1. Ponyville: Population: medium, Guards: low, Love: high, detection upon arrival: low

2. Starlite: Population: low, Guards: very low, Love: high, detection upon arrival: medium

3. Shadow hollow: Population: low, Guards: very low, Love: medium, detection upon arrival: high

4. Los Mareus: Population: medium, Guards: low, Love: medium, detection upon arrival: medium

5. Canter River ruins: Population: none, Guards: none, Love: none, detection upon arrival: none

After I looked at the locations I decided to look at each of the locations dossiers to get a better idea of each of these locations as well as to pick the one best for myself and my future hive.

Ponyville: a small hamlet-village on the edge of the Everfree forest. This settlement is often at risk of being raided by the wild beasts that inhabit the forest. The beasts of the forest will raid the settlements food stores or attack the inhabitants who can't get away quickly enough from whatever is attacking the settlement at the time.

Starlite: a hamlet in the Star Canyon Desert this hamlet is not part of any greater nation and exists as an independent city-state from any nation. The community has little to nothing that poses a risk and appears to be entirely self-sufficient. Yet the Hamlet-like city-state has no official flag on record.

Shadow Hollow: the thorp has little to offer and is very often forgotten by Equestria on a government level as the community has almost nothing of any value. This community very often acts as an outpost in the Shade Hollows forest as the forest is the home of a very much unexplored internal position of the nation. The thorp is often left to its own devices as very little goes to it be it, entertainers, to boost morale or merchants to sell wares. The local outpost in the thorp is little more than a three to ten pony garrison to act more as law enforcement rather than any real military garrison. However, the community is highly conservative and prefer to settle into a rhythm and stick to it until something happens that truly warrants the attention of the local populace. (the conservative nature also extends to heterosexual practices and traditional family dynamics.)

Los Mareus: the large town of Los Mareus is much like Las Pegasus except that the business practices are regulated so that the owners don't act like those of Las Pegasus. The local military garrison is only present to ensure the safety of the community from the wildlife and if any that attack the town.

Canter River ruins: few if any at all know the canter river ruins exist due to the ruins being so deep in the Everfree forest. The canter river ruins are uninhabited as they are not on any maps that exist.

After looking through and reading all of the information I choose the Canter river ruins. “I’ll settle for the canter river ruins,” I say and nothing happens. Tapping on the screen new text appears. “You must select your destination by tapping it on this screen.” Says the screen before reverting back to the list of locations. Now with the knowledge that I need to tap on my destination, I proceed to tap on the Canter river ruins, then my vision is consumed by a bright white light.