Mesmera

I’m done with this one. This one purple egg has been here for 5 months, compared to the 2 weeks of everything else, guzzling love at fifteen times the rate for nothing, forcing us to hold back on further operations because we can’t support any more eggs with this thing here. I pointed at a nearby yellow changeling,

“You there, take this egg and get rid of it,” I barked, its empty gaze not-meeting mine

“Yes, Master,” it droned, taking the egg without a second thought--or a thought at all, for that matter--and exiting my pseudo-hive, making its way to the forest. A burst of pheremones released themselves from their vents as I sighed in frustration. That little monster is gone, but I have to wonder if that was smart. With all the resources it took in, there had to be some payoff, right? That’s what I thought the first week. Then the second. Then the second month. There wasn’t any indication that it was even gestating properly. Even if I wanted to get it back, that changeling was probably already too far off to command before the egg was tossed away.

The fifth batch since the bottomless love void had hatched just the other day. They’re the same as all the rest, different only by color. Some are red, some blue, the occasional green or yellow.

“We’ve finished the new expansion, Master,” a teal one soullessly informed me.

“Well we have a new task,” I informed, feeling a bit empty myself, “We’re finally rid of that love-guzzler, so we can now support more eggs.

“I understand, Master. I will put together a team to make new acquisitions,” the changeling left. I leaned back and sighed. Nothing is really interesting. Same old egg-tending, same old routines for the same old identical changeling slaves giving the same old ‘yes, Masters.’

“I need to get a hobby.”

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Darkness was the first thing I knew. its cool embrace enveloped me, the only thing I knew was real. When I opened my eyes I was greeted by a dim amethyst light seeping into my world. It moved closer, then closer, until I could taste it, and feel it on my fangs, cracking, splitting, the light growing in intensity. Suddenly, my world changed, becoming blindingly bright as my egg broke with one final crack. I was alive.

My eyes slowly adjusted to the world, brightening a bit in correspondence to the light they now took in. I stood slowly, hooves shaking as I rose out of the puddle of goo that once held me in my egg. Once I had gotten to my hooves, I took my first step forward.

And failed, falling right onto my butt. After shaking my head and standing up a bit, this time with more ease, I attempted to take another step. This one was more successful, and I was able to take a few steps before falling over again. And again. And again. Finally, after some physical bruises, along with a few mental ones, I was able to manage a simple trot. And trot I did, having nothing much else to do but see what this place held for me.

The forest was alive with all kinds of sounds, chirping of birds, woodpeckers, and all sorts of other things. I didn’t know what any of these actually were, of course, so to me they were just funny noises. I was guided around by them, following whichever one happened to grab my attention at any given time, slowly becoming more adept at navigating terrain after tripping over a few roots.

Eventually, as I was following a bird, I came across a big, shimmering blue lake. As I approached the sparkling pool of raindrops, my eyes laid upon myself for the first time. My eyes and hair were the same soft amethyst shade, rainbows refracting through it like crystal as it sparkled slightly. Two tiny fangs emerged from my lips, as I tilted my head curiously. A horn of intertwined branches, spiraling together into a singular point sprouted from my forehead, made out of the same dark material as my shell.

I wonder...

I extended my wings, before being mesmerized by my own reflection. They were the length of my back, sporting a similar shade of regal purple to my eyes, but with long, lighter veins running about. They shimmered as I waved them about, a halo of light dancing about with each sparkle.

I giggled as I fluttered them about, their colors softening as my mood eased. Purple to red, then to orange, each cycle bringing a dazzling display to the makeshift mirror. However, one could only marvel at one's natural beauty for so long, and soon enough I felt inclined to press on. Maybe there was something important to being able to change my wing color. I just couldn't put a hoof on it.

I looked around and noticed a creature, a deer. It had seen my little light show and was a bit caught up in it. It shook its head when I settled my wings before hopping away.

Seems it was a fan, too. Perhaps I should find it again, let it revel in my beauty some more. I began to follow happily behind the deer, trying to locate it. There was something within it, within every creature, for that matter, that I could sense. It wasn’t that I could see it or hear it, I just felt it, I knew exactly where these auras originated from. What they actually were, I had no idea.

I followed the aura of the deer, and as I did, I started to feel something. A gnawing hunger, eating away at me. As the feeling intensified, everything but the aura of the deer faded out. I needed it. My trot sped up, slowly turning from a trot to a canter to a full-on gallop. My hyper focused mind moved deftly through the forest like I’d been practicing my whole life, which I had, to an extent. The deer flickered in and out of my vision between trees, running and running...until it came to a vertical cliff wall.

The deer stopped, turning around as I used my wings as air brakes to slow me to a stop. As I did so, I also let them light up again, and just like at the lake, the deer was enraptured. Only mere moments passed before my pretty purples and pinks were reflected in its eyes, the rings flowing outwards as all thought ceased. I smiled as I approached, and instinctually, I opened my mouth, drawing a stream of pink energy from the deer’s chest to my mouth, and my hunger began to be sated.

After finishing the meal I so rightfully deserved, the pink stream ceasing to form, I closed my mouth and lowered my wings. Strangely, the deer’s eyes remained as if they hadn’t been closed. Had I just enslaved it? I pointed to the ground in front of me and it moved there, staring mindlessly. A few seconds of silence, then I jump up, buzzing excitedly.

I can control things! My wings give me the power to command the world! I revelled in my newfound power, then turned to the deer. A queen needs her chariot, and you will do nicely. A wing-assisted hop puts me right atop the deer’s back, and I gesture forwards, onwards! I think, and the deer, clearly understanding enough from the gesture, begins its journey west.