In Which Twilight Hears a Song
The road into the hive was abuzz with activity, changelings coming home for their festive holiday, dashing in and out of the tunnels with gifts, food and all manners of decorations they had brought back from beyond their borders. A few circled the greater hive, hanging up long chains of firs branches and other local flora for the upcoming festivities. The feeling of joy and happiness flooded all conversations, as Twilight Sparkle wonderfully enjoyed when Ocellus excitedly greeted her at the local train station.
“Princess!” the small frame of her former student crashed into her, hooves wrapping around her in a loving hug. Though she had grown in stature, Twilight still had to keep her balance with a soft step backwards, before wrapping her wings around Ocellus.
“Hello, Ocellus,” she chuckled, “While I appreciate the warm welcome, I did see you barely a week ago in Ponyville.”
“I am excited to show you all the changes we’ve done to the hive since your last visit, Princess,” Ocellus excitedly buzzed her wings and she broke away from the hug, looking over towards Princess Twilight's blue shadow, “Hey, Gallus.”
Ruffling his feather, his scowl slowly dropped as his friend came over to hug him as well, one that he awkwardly reciprocated. Twilight giggled at him, watching her guard puff up in embarrassment of not stopping a “threat” to her.
“Will you be staying with us for the holidays? I thought Silverstream wanted to spend the holidays with you?”
“I know, but the Princess requires a guard at all times,” he said, a crooked smile coming to his beak, “We don’t want another Westhold Library incident.”
“THAT was one time,” Twilight spat out, her face flushing, “They had the full collection of Clover the Clever books AND the-” She froze as she finally noticed a small gathering of changelings around her were starting to stare. Recomposing herself, she looked at Gallus and Ocellus nervously, “I mean, let's go inside and Ocellus can show us around.”
“Should we do a security sweep first?” Gallus asked, a grin spreading across his beak, “Make sure there aren’t any wild collections of books.”
Giving him a sharp look (and ignoring Ocellus suppressed giggle), Twilight cleared her throat, and nodded, “Indeed. But I do believe my next location I plan to visit should be visited to make sure it is safe and secured.” Gallus gave her a confused look, face scrunching up as he attempted to work out where her next location was. A playful smile appeared on her face as she winked to Ocellus, who was similarly confused. “Lieutenant Gallus Blu-feather, did you forget I have a second destination I am going for this holiday?”
“No? You’re only going to be-”
“I have plans to visit Mount Aris and Queen Novo after my week learning about the Changelings holidays,” She explained, “I feel maybe the Captain forgot to mention this too you, but it was very hush hush.”
Gallus’ look of confusion continued, before Ocellus nudged him, “What I-”
“I mean it would be nice for you to meet with her niece to help set up the time there.”
Twilight has seen many times of her teaching Gallus during his education at the school of Friendship, that he could be slow, and that the gears in his head could click slowly into place. Sometimes she’d have to lead him to the path to the answer, and others she could explain the answer to questions or examples he got wrong, but Gallus would always get there in the end. Oftentimes she was certain she could hear such clicks.
Said gears were slowly turning again, slowed by that confusion he had. But the click happened quickly, mouth opened to protest, stopped by Twilight pressing her hoof to silence the predictable challenge to the idea.
“Gallus, go have a good holiday. I will see you in a week, besides. I am amongst friends here and very safe with Prince Pharynx incharge of security,” Twilight said, her large wings ushering him to the southwest, “Besides, I doubt the library here will have anything I haven’t already read.”
She was certain he’d protest, but thankfully, he didn’t. Nodding quickly, he turned away and took flight, “I’ll be seeing you in a week.”
She watched him race to the train station for a brief moment, before looking at Ocellus, “Is Smolder or Pharynx more or less difficult?”
“Oh, significantly more difficult. Now let's get to showing you the hives Hearth Warming Celebration, Princess,” Ocellus tittered, leading the way into the greater hive itself.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
It never ceases to amaze Twilight how the Changeling navigated the twisting and winding tunnels of their hive, even with the paths having become permanent and unchanging after the expulsion of Chrysalis. To her, each moss or plant covered wall looked the same, having been cut out and cleaned in a manner that only changeling seemed capable of doing with stone, but Ocellus led her confidently towards what Twilight was certain was the core of the hive.
“Oh you’ll love this years holiday with us, I promise. We deviated from your guide over the years, making our own little changes, but we still do try to follow the guide you gave us,” Ocellus excitedly explained, Twilight nodding along, Ocellus wings buzzed excitedly as she turned another corner, a dull buzzing starting to come from further down the way now, “We still raise the tree up, but now we do singing and carols at the same time.”
“Oh? What carols do you sing?” Twilight expected maybe some old changeling songs repurposed or maybe a bastardized Equestrian one, as the limited cultural knowledge she had of the changelings from Chrysalis’s reign was barren at best.
Ocellus giddiness became more noticeable, her wings buzzing as they closed in on the soft droning that was ahead of them now, prancing cutely ahead as she let out a merry laugh, “Well we don’t exactly sing. Just… listen?”
Twilight gave her a confused look, followed her guide nonetheless, the droning buzz sweeping up in volume as they entered into the great antechamber of the hive.
It was vast, having been hollowed out over decades or even centuries depending on how long ago Chrysalis was born or how long she had settled her, but its vastness was quite astounding. Hundreds of feet deep, Twilight looked down to the base of the chamber, seeing dozens upon dozens of entrances and exits all through. Each had a ledge protruding out beyond them, allowing several changelings to stand to observe the chamber itself. At the base were two larger tunnels, both clearly leading up and down into other chambers. Glowing substances were built into the walls, granting a warm pleasant feel to the room as though it was lit by a small fireplace throughout the room.
Twilight had once joked that ants colonies were closest to what a changeling hive was light with Thorax, but he commented they were far too simple for a changeling hive.
At the top of the chamber was hung a tree, something that was decorated in the manner of a traditional Hearth Warming tree, though they had seemed to adopt the New Mareland tradition of hanging one upside down. This large tree, probably an oak from how the leaves looked at the current distance of where she stood, was ‘planted’ into something, maybe in an attempt to keep it alive to replant it later.
At the base of the tall room stood dozens of changelings, a mix of warm pastel colours mulling around, but she could make out that many had their elytra moved out of the way to let their wings gently buzz in sync with others in the room. They moved about, bringing out platters full of what were obvious fruits and other sweets, some small collections of protein, but all lovingly prepared and filled to the brim with love.
Twilight's eyes were drawn to the masses of ‘tables’ down below, where denizens of the hive seeme to all be starting a greater festivity, but that droning buzz, that all encompassing noise within this great chamber, kept her from focusing too much on them. Instead, the noise drew her attention, as she listened she heard subtle changes, before those changes to a form, a beat, a cadence, and finally, a slow gentle melody.
She looked to Ocellus, who’s wings also hummed along to the middle octaves of the song, and simply listened for a time. She wasn’t a master of music, but her companions wings hummed out gentle but quick changes in the song, and Twilight hear the melody to the more baritone sounds of the larger changelings, while the younger changelings or those flying, beat quick and sharp pitches to accent the song, like clarinets punctuating the old songs of canterlots great orchestras. They were jolly, like nymphs or breezies dancing across the holy or wreaths around the room, tending to their duties from their nature demands of them with gleeful abandon.
After what feels like just a few long drawn out seconds, Twilight realizes she’s been quietly entranced for well over ten minutes to rising and changing songs. Like when she found a good book or text to read. As if she had been consumed by her habits.
For a brief moment, it freaked her out, the droning noise having consumed her into the melody of the songs but a quick glance at Ocellus told her it wasn’t just her. Ocellus' eyes were lidded, with a warm pleasant smile on her lips, swaying ever so gently to the beat, and her wings flawlessly matching the tone.
Twilight considered pulling her out of this state before realizing the song had started to die off, and Ocellus’ eyes began to refocus on the world around her. She smiled as her companion took stock of the world around her, and nodded for her to follow her as she buzzed down towards the floor below. Twilight fell in behind her, seeing that the tables were now full and many changelings were filing in to the room to sit at the long ponderous tables.
“That was amazing, but… why does it feel like I was only standing around for a few seconds when the song was well over ten minutes long?” she asked Ocellus, getting a nervous giggle.
“It not just you, we have that happen with us as well,” she confessed, before smiling, “but we think it has something to do with the tempo and noise of our wings as we buzz out the carols.”
“That was a carol?”
“Yep, though that was the longer one we came up with,” Ocellus said, landing next to the head of the table were several larger chairs were placed. The two at the head were clearly for Thorax and Pharynx, while one of the others was likely for herself, though she had an inkling feeling that Ocellus was to get the other large chair as foremost ambassador to Equestria for the hive.
“How long is it?”
“Its… well, its like the old hive working songs, so it can technically go for hours. It can help pass the day by,” she confessed, smiling nervously, “Though I am surprised it had such an affect on you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, for us, it puts us more into a dull trance,” Ocellus started, “both focusing our attention on a duty, and helping us to get through the day without it being boring. But you also fell into as well, which is strange. Do you normally fall into trances as well doing stuff?”
Twilight flushed embarrassed, looking at the food gathered on the table, only to notice one thing. There were no drinks, “Yes, but that only with books and when I am enthralled in my studying. "Why aren't there any drinks here?”
“Oh that's because we will dive into the honeyed-berry punch later.”
“Still taking that literally I see,” Twilight giggled, “But your carols, it was beautiful and quite a rich moving song.”
She paused, thinking about adding that it spooked her at the loss of time, but Twilight felt better then giving up that info. It was interesting they could do it as a group too, and probably required further study, but Twilight also suspected Thorax would frown on her trying to do such a thing.
Ocellus motioned her to sit, and she sat on the other side of the table, next to what she presumed was Pharynx chair, “Thank’s Twilight, it means alot. But maybe we can actually do a proper carol with my family after the afternoon dinner.”
Twilight smiled, giving a affirming nod, listening as other changeling filed in, heading to open and available seats at the great feasting table. “And I presume that’s what you got me here for so early?”
“Well, yes but also, no. I didn’t want you to miss out on the passing around of gifts!”
Twilight gave her a puzzled look. Last time she had been here, the passing of the gifts had only been amongst family, not the whole hive. Before she could raise her concern, Ocellus gave her the answer to the question she was thinking, “Yes, we still do pass around the gifts amongst our families but Thorax loved the idea he thought we’d do it as a hive too.”
“Oh, what's being said about me?”
Twilight looked to her left, seeing the ruling brothers of the hive take their twined seats at the head of the table, Thorax and Pharynx took their seats. Thorax looked as pleasant as ever, smiling as he sat down, his carapace shiny and clean of a beloved king of his people. Next to him, and sitting next to Ocellus was the smiling, if scarred and marked Prince-General Pharynx, who shared a pleasant look with the smaller changeling to his left before looking to the hives guest.
“Oh I was just thinking about the gift passing tradition, it was news to me that you had brought to the whole hive at once,” Twilight said, looking past Thorax to seeing several changeling wheeling on a huge pile of presents, giving each (starting with Thorax and Pharynx) a wrapped present.
“Oh yes, I did it… two years ago, right, brother?” Thorax asked, nudging his brother, “At his suggestion, as the hive guards have done every year since the tradition started.”
Pharynx nodded, shaking his present softly to hear if it was something unique, “We started it cause we had our duties to do even over the holidays and didn’t always get to be present for such exchanges,” he gruffly explained, “it's usually simple things for us: rations, weapon maintenance materials, new straps, that sort of stuff. And thats what you should expect to get here as well. Everyone pitches in, and everyone gets something,” he had a crooked smile on his face as he looked at Twilight, the scar on his lip barely revealing the fang behind it, “Thorax put in an extra one so you wouldn’t be left out.”
“Oh you didn’t have to!” Twilight said, nervously looking at Thorax, “I mean, I can excuse myself from here if I am imposing to-”
A lime green hoof was pressed against her face to silence her, as Thorax chuckled, “Twilight, a pair of books, with a pair of writing quills was what I put in for you. It was nothing.” She pulled away from his hoof, “Besides, this way everyone gets to enjoy a wonderful evening together, sharing gifts, having food, and being merry with friends.”
“I… thank you Thorax, but I’ll make it up to you another time.”
“So, how's the blue buzzard doing?” Twilight coughed and sputtered, attempting to put on a serious face at Pharynx's question. Thankfully, her response was dignified by Ocellus smacking him firmly in the shoulder, while Thorax also gave him a disapproving glare. That crooked smile remained though, as if he had said nothing wrong, “I mean, it was my recommendation that helped get him in…”
They trailed off into conversation, all four starting to settle into the day's festivities. Eventually, Thorax called for the gift passing to begin, and after the presents were passed around in full for what seemed like ages, they were allowed to open them. Amusingly, Ocellus got “Twilight's” present of books and quills, while Twilight got a large jar of love honey and zap-apple-jam.
Author's Note
Apologies for the aburpt end, but I hope it was to everyones liking. Thank again, and have a wonderful holiday season