Author's Note: This fiction was written for the Equestria Daily's Nightmare Night Fanfiction Contest. If you read this, please comment on any way that I can improve it. It would be much appreciated. The contest ends October 24th, and I will be editing this fiction before then. Make your comments count please!
--—The Things That Change Us ----
We live our lives. This is something that is true throughout the ages that come and go with the ease of a leaf blowing in the wind. However, much like the leaf, we find ourselves cast in every direction by the wind. Some of the fallen plants find themselves sitting in the bright sunlight, being seen and ignored by those who walk by.
The others fall into darkness, never to be seen again.
Trixie Lulamoon, known by many as The Great and Powerful Trixie, or at least she had been at one time, found herself walking down a nameless road in a nameless town somewhere on the fringes of the Equestrian kingdom. On her right stretched a dark forest, the gnarled trees reaching out to her with curling branches. On her left, a small, brightly lit village sprawled. Between these two things, Trixie trotted silently on the road that gently wound around the bulges of both the houses and roots.
As she cast a glance at the forest, another pair of eyes with green irises looked out at her and sent a violent tremor of fear jolting through her body. Still without speaking, for she had lost the wish to voice what she felt inside long ago, Trixie leapt back from the road and the flash of fire that had lashed green across its grey stones, leaving a black trail. Her heart thudded in her chest as she backed away from the burn, the absolute terror that filled her screaming for her to run away but at the same time stopping her from doing so.
A rumbling growl that vibrated deep inside her core came from inside the darkness before the creature, whatever it was, withdrew into the curtains of black. What was that? She fearfully waited for a few moments as if her answer would reappear as suddenly as it had come before eventually turning away to face the village with an apprehensive air. In the days when she had called herself a performer, she had often stepped into a place with her head held high, but now it was low to the ground in anticipation of the onslaught of curiosity.
Many of the ponies that roamed the streets stared at her with confused-but-friendly eyes, as the inhabitants of small towns often did. Each of their looks produced another set of pricks along her back, sending flares of irritation through her mind. Why do they stare? I just want to be left alone. Of course, her wish would be ignored here as it had been in several other places like it. She had to suppress a sigh as a set of hooves stepped right into her path and stopped a few feet ahead.
“Hey there!” Trixie’s eyes traced up the bright-yellow hooves to the face of the mare that they belonged to, which was equally as bright. “Welcome to town! Ah’m Sunny Day, who’re you?” The slightly country accent that the exuberant pony spoke with reminded Trixie of a less-than-pleasant mare. The wide smile that was plastered on the earth pony’s face faded ever-so-slightly as Trixie contemptuously looked at her outstretched hoof. “Uh, ya okay?”
The royal-blue unicorn simply stepped around the pony and walked further into the town, whose cheeriness seemed to fade alongside Sunny Day’s. Only after a few moments of peaceful silence, the sound of quickly trotting hooves started up behind her. Within moments the yellow mare was beside her, exuberant smile hitched back into place and bubbly attitude reasserted.
“Since you’re new here, Ah’m gonna be the one to show you around a bit.” Trixie almost imperceptibly shook her head and continued on at a faster pace, eager to get away from the intrusive mare. “Boy, you walk fast, don’t ya? Well, right there’s the Mayor’s house. She doesn’t come out much anymore, she’s got so much paperwork. Poor Mayor.” The pony’s bubbly voice turned into one of pity as she spoke about the town’s leader. “Course, these ponies dying in the forest over there aren't helping any.”
Trixie stopped in her tracks as her gaze followed the pointing hoof to nearly exactly where the strange creature had been. Dying ponies? What kind of place is this? She shuddered as the image of ponies being consumed by green flames drifted, unbidden, into her consciousness. After taking another close look at the still-speaking mare, Trixie shook her head. She can’t be serious. Nopony can be that happy. Another memory, this one involving an impossibly cheerful pink mare, sent a flash of irritation through her. Nopony but her, at least.
Upon seeing Trixie's look of both fear and disbelief, Sunny Day patted the unicorn with a hoof. "Don't pay that no mind though. You're safe in town. Those dark creatures in that there forest only attack them ponies that fancy themselves adventurers." The pony shook her head before pulling Trixie around with a hoof and continuing the tour.
Dark creatures? Why haven't they called for some guards to help? Trixie glanced back at the forest where, for a moment, two blue orbs stared back with a cold regard. She would have been frozen in place with fear had Sunny Day's hoof not been wrapped around her shoulder and pulling her along.
“And this here’s the inn that you’ll be stayin’ in." The mare's giggle at her small joke drew Trixie from her uneasy thoughts. "At least, if you’re gonna be stayin’ here in town.” Trixie was pulled from her unpleasant recollections as a hoof nudged her in the side. “Did ya hear me?” The light-blue unicorn shook her head and tilted it to the side.
“That’s all right, Ah’m used to repeating mahself at this point. Ah just can’t figure out why ponies don’t hear what Ah say.” She held up a hoof to her mouth and a confused Trixie leaned in closer to hear what was said. “Ah said, you’ll be stayin’ here in this inn! Unless you’re gonna be stayin’ someplace else instead!”
Wincing at the pain that stabbed into her ears, Trixie backed away and looked at the building before her. The inn, if that was what it was called, looked nothing more than a simple house that had been given a shoddy paintjob that had only been halfway done before the pony who was painting it gave up; whatever paint that was on the walls was peeling from age and neglect. There were only a few windows set into the faded wood and each of them held a crack or hole in their panes. The sign that hung just over the door was too dilapidated to read correctly; the only letter that stood out from the wood it was on was a large S.
She expects me, Trixie, to stay in a dump like this? Ha! As if I would ever be so desperate to stay in this inn. Haughtily tossing her mane, Trixie turned to the mare that looked at her with nearly pleading eyes and prepared to shake her head with finality. At the exact moment of her head beginning its movement, a loud crack of thunder shattered the silence that hung over the town.
Wait, silence? Wasn’t there a crowd of ponies here earlier? Trixie turned back to where only a few seconds before there had been a crowd of onlookers. Did they all run inside because of the rain? Her gaze fell on a ball that gently rolled across the street. But... they didn't take their things with them. Upon finding no other soul in the street, Trixie slowly and apprehensively looked back to the bright yellow pony that stood in front of the inn with a large smile on her face.
Her eyes wildly searched for another soul in the street but upon finding nothing, she slowly and apprehensively looked back to the smiling mare. “Oh, don’t mind that, it’s just some rain we had scheduled.” She had obviously meant the thunderstorm and not the fact that there wasn’t another pony in the street despite it being only late afternoon. “Ah guess that means you’ll be stayin’?”
For a moment, Trixie considered going out in the thunderstorm. I’d rather walk through pouring rain than stay here. At least I won’t be dirty. Another flash of lightning, followed by a boom of thunder that shook her to the core, washed over the small town. On second thought, it might be a wise choice to remain here. I can always be rid of them in the morning. Just then, the first drops of rain began to fall onto the two ponies who stood alone in the street.
"Aw, it's raining already! C'mon, little mare, let's get you inside and out of the weather." Trixie found herself being pushed into the gaping mouth of the building and before she could react was deep inside the bowels of the metaphorical beast. "Welcome to my place, Ah hope you'll like it." As they made their way over to the counter, Sunny Day walked around to the other side of it and pulled out an cracked, leather notebook along with a quill and inkwell. "So, you're gonna be stayin' here for just tonight?"
Trixie nodded in response, unable or willing to speak her mind. As if I would want to stay here any longer. As the apparent innkeeper jotted a few things in the small pages of the book, Trixie drew out her small purse containing the last few bits that she had. She reluctantly set them down on the countertop as the mare before her finished writing in the journal.
Sunny Day's eyes widened in surprise as she stared at the small disks of metal on the wood. "Oh, you don't need to pay me. Sides', it's partly my fault for makin' you walk all over town with me." The bits soon found themselves back in Trixie's pouch. The unicorn nodded and flashed a small smile at the innkeeper, who simply waved a hoof. "Don't mention it. Here, let me go get some of our famous tea." Before Trixie could even express her profound dislike for the liquid, the pony had already retreated into the kitchen, leaving the unicorn awkwardly standing by the side of the counter.
Trixie kicked a hoof into the floorboard, partially in anger and partially in frustration. They always have to be soooo nice in these small towns. As she turned to walk into the common room that was filled with chairs and tables that looked like they were on the verge of collapse, a small crackle of paper drew her attention to the cracked-leather book on the counter, which had somehow been opened by an errant gust of wind.
Unable to contain her curiosity, Trixie studied the small, neat letters that were scratched across the page. Day 24, Month 12, Year 98. Tenant: Light-blue mare with a cheerful disposition. Recommended Action: Allow an easy rest.
Why do they have ‘recommended action’? What kind of place is this? Trixie found herself opening the small volume to the page that Sunny Day had just filled with trembling hooves, fearing what the little book had to say about her. With fear and adrenaline flowing through her veins, she leaned in to decipher the now-messy words that were scrawled across the page.
Day 29, Month 1, Year 109. Tenant: Another light-blue mare, this one silent and gaunt. Trixie took a deep breath as she scanned the last few words. Recommended Action- The sounds of hooves on wood made the unicorn jump in fright, her horn lighting and slamming the book shut with a light-blue haze and her own hooves galloping across the room.
"Ah hope you like your tea strong! Ah used my special brand of tea today, tastes real good once it's down." The back end of the innkeeper pushed open the double-doors that lead into the kitchen, the rest of her sun-yellow body following. Sunny Day flashed a smile at her as she set the chipped teacups down on the table that Trixie had run to. "Ya feel alright? Your face is all sweaty."
Trixie simply nodded and picked up one of the teacups with a hoof, her mind being too scattered to even use a simple levitation spell. Small drops of tea spilled from the trembling cup as she raised the vile-smelling concoction to her lips. She shut her eyes as she sipped the liquid that was just as bad as it smelled. Ugh, I hate tea, even when it is high-quality. And this stuff is hardly of quality. As unpleasant as it was, Trixie returned the eager smile of Sunny Day's with a half-hearted one of her own. If the mare had noticed her discontent, she didn't let it show.
For a few moments the two of them simply looked around at the inn in silence, each of them fathoming their own thoughts. "So, how are you liking the Sunshine Stable?" Trixie looked at the mare with confusion. "The inn? It's my pride and joy." The yellow pony slammed one of her back hooves against the floorboards, producing both a hallow-sounding clunk as well as an ear-splitting crack akin to the sound of a tree's trunk snapping.
Right. Pride and Joy. I suppose this is the kind of place only a mother could love. Trixie wished nothing more than to speak, to release the thoughts that dripped with sarcasm inside her mind. As it was, Trixie simply rolled her eyes at the other mare, who turned to Trixie, after her eyes had completed their rolling, and smiled once again. For a second, Trixie thought the saw a strange light in the depths of the golden irises, as if a green fire was leaping out at her. After the yellow pony looked away, Trixie shook her head violently to dispel the thought of the blue eyes gazing out at her from between the trees and the fire that had burned a black scorch mark across the road. Don't be stupid, just because that thing in the forest attacked you doesn't mean everypony is one of them.
Suddenly the earth pony stood without warning. "Would you look at that, it's night already. Time sure does fly like those pegasi." The bright-yellow mare giggled before stretching out her hooves. "Ah suppose it's time to get some shut-eye." Trixie turned to peer out of the window, shock splashing over her as she watched the sun fall below the horizon through the droplets of falling rain. "G'night, your room key is on that there table." The unicorn whipped around to see the double doors to the kitchen swinging from the other pony's passing through them, leaving her alone in the dimly lit common room.
Trixie stood slowly, trying not to jump at every other creak that issued from under her hooves as she walked across the room to the ominous looking staircase. Her horn ignited for a brief moment and a levitation spell drew the rusty key over to her. She looked apprehensively at the steps that mimicked the looks of the chairs and tables; each of the sagging boards seeming as if they were on the verge of collapse. A strong wind howled through one of the broken panes of a window and blew out the sputtering lantern, leaving Trixie surrounded by darkness save for the small pool of light her horn cast around her.
Steeling herself, she stepped up the staircase and searched for her room. After finding it, she fumbled around with the keyhole before finally sliding the key in with a sharp click. Suddenly she found herself overwhelmed with fatigue as a set of heavy weights wrapped themselves around her hooves and pushed down on the tops of her eyelids. She barely managed to reach the edge of the lumpy mattress before the arms of unconsciousness dragged her underneath the waters of dreams, where the recollections of her past awaited with a welcoming embrace.
The cobblestones of Canterlot’s many streets clicked as her hooves touched them. “I, the Great and Powerful Trixie, have arrived!” She looked out to the crowd with her hooves outstretched, waiting for the usual reaction that was often received in the larger cities. “The Great and Powerful Trixie apologizes for being late, but she was forced to undergo inspection at the walls of this shield around the city.” Mutters rose around her as she pulled her carriage over to an unused section of space and kicked it open. "Watch in awe as the Great and Powerful Trixie astounds you with hitherto unknown feats of prestidigitation!"
“Oh yeah? What can you do that I can’t?” One of the more uppity unicorn colts walked to the front of the stage.
“Oh my dear simpleton, the answer is simple: everything and more.” She smiled as the hot-blooded pony leapt onto the stage in a fury and snorted angrily at her. She held up a hoof and waved it mockingly at him, smiling widely at her luck. “Oh? You wish to challenge the Great and Powerful Trixie?”
“Yeah, I do.” The colt’s hooves thunked against the stage as he kicked them against its wooden planks. “Name your game.”
“The Great and Powerful Trixie does not simply ‘name her game’ as you so suggest.” Trixie turned to the side and pushed her hair aside with a hoof before smirking at the pony before her. “She prefers that her challengers choose the competition.” She waved her hoof through the air dramatically before pointing it at the colt. “She feels that it is fairer to those who wish to make themselves appear to be fools.”
She smiled wider as the pony kicked his hoof against the stage, working himself into a rage. After he tossed his head angrily, he furiosly glared at her. "All right, if you want to play it that way, I say that we--" Suddenly a piercing noise, akin to the shattering of a thousand glass windows, cut through the air and filled their ears to the threshold of pain. The entire crowd dropped to the ground clutching at their heads with their hooves and shouting with the stabbing pains that attacked them.
“What’s that noise?”
“Make it stop!”
“It hurts!”
Just as suddenly as it had appeared, the harsh noise faded into a low buzzing. Cracking open eyelids that she didn't remember closing; Trixie looked out to the recovering crowd and pushed herself up on unsteady hooves. "The Great and Powerful Trixie is unsure as to what that strange sound was, but her show will certainly go on." She winced at her voice, which was just as shaky as her legs, and flourished a hoof in front of the crowd that stared at her with incredulous eyes.
"F-first Trixie will tell you of the time she defeated the dreaded Ursa Major!" She spread her hooves as if to hug the sky and felt shock splash across her body like a bucket full of cold water. As she stood there, staring up at the sky, the onlookers began to mutter and direct their gazes upward. Within a few moments, their soft words had turned into silent tension. Trixie took a deep breath and asked the question that the others were all thinking. "W-w-what are those things that Trixie sees in the sky?"
Time seemed to stretch on forever as the black dots that blocked out the sun began to move closer at a nearly imperceptible speed. After a few more seconds, each of the plummeting creatures were enveloped with green flames. "Changelings! Celestia save us all!" That one shout, driven out by fear and panic, shattered the silence into a million fragments that had no hope of ever being restored to their previous state.
That was when her world was enveloped in an all-out battle for survival between the Equestrians and the Changelings. Screams of pain and death surrounded her as she galloped away from the smoldering remains of her stage, destroyed by the impact from one of the green comets. All around her beams of light collided with lances of fire in deathly beautiful showers of sparks. The vibrations of the fireballs colliding into the cobblestones around her shook her to the core as she ran. Without warning, a massive line of black loomed before her, each of the monsters that it was composed of sporting a flaming horn.
Dodging around the many flashes of emerald-green fire, she ran down a small side street and into another part of the city, also embroiled in combat. She looked to her right and nearly lost her footing as the two changelings that had been waiting leapt at her. Instantly she cast a blue shield to push the black creatures into the wall with a sickening crunch. Every so often she found herself repeating her spell on the unfortunate creatures that found themselves in her path. Soon the road around her was green with the monsters’ blood.
She ran on, sparing no pity for the dead invaders. She didn't have a destination but rather ran with the sole purpose of escaping the place where she had been before. It was the flight of a panicked animal surrounded by a group of predators. The only way to stay alive was to keep moving.
As she turned around another corner, she saw something that made her blood freeze. A squad of royal guards, all felled in battle, were being feasted upon by a swarm of the changelings. The unseeing eyes of the poor stallions looked over to her as if they were trying to warn her to escape. She backed away slowly, gasping aloud instinctually as she collided with the wall of a nameless building. One of the creatures’ heads jerked up and, by some cruel joke of fate, locked eyes with her. Its hiss brought the rest of their eyes up and around to leer at her with malicious intent.
"Look out!" Without warning, a guard leapt before her and cast a spell that took the form of a large shield. The many spears of emerald fire cast by the monsters exploded against it in a nova of sparks and death. She flew through the air and collided with a wall, its hard surface bringing nothing but black swirling up to take her under.
“Hey, wake up!”
Somepony was trying to help her, but she couldn’t move her mouth to answer.
“Wake up!”
I’m trying, she tried to say, screaming it only in her mind.
“Please, you have to wake up! The changelings are here!”
They're already here! What are you talking about? They're going to kill us all! She tossed around in the warm bed that she lay in, throwing back the covers as she swatted at the hooves that attempted to push her out of it.
"Stop that, Ah'm tryin' to save our lives! Now get up and hurry! They're gonna kill us all!" The hooves shoved a final time into her side, succeeding in knocking her from the soft mattress and jolting her awake. "We have to hurry! C'mon!"
Trixie rubbed at her eyes with a hoof, trying to draw herself fully into the world of consciousness. A green lance of fire sliced through a wall just above her and shattered the doors of the wooden cabinet that stood against the wall opposite. Now driven by urgency, Trixie rushed outside with the yellow mare and stood next to her, staring at the burning inn.
"My baby, she's burning down. She's dying. She's dying..." The once-upbeat innkeeper descended into sobs as the sounds of crackling flames consuming the building filled the silence.
Suddenly a scream came from the next street over, followed by a harsh cackle and the sound of something snapping violently. We'll die if we stay here. Trixie reached over and grabbed the moaning mare with a hoof, dragging her away from the burning inn. As she met the resistance common for one not wanting to leave something they loved, Trixie mentally screamed at the pony that she held. Move! We have to get out of here! You can't do anything!
“No! No, please, no!” The yellow pony swatted weakly at her with a hoof, her futile attempts at getting away from Trixie doing nothing but slowing them both down. “I don’t want to go outside! I’ll stay here where it’s safe!” Just then another lance of fire lashed through the walls, this time lighting the wood with emerald flames. After the innkeeper opened her eyes, she gave a howl of agony. “My baby! She’s dying! She’s going to burn down!”
"No, no! I don't want to leave her!" The distraught mare slapped weakly at Trixie's hoof, achieving nothing but slowing their escape. "Please, no! Don't make me go!"
Enough of this. Banishing the brief, sickening thought of leaving the mare to her fate, Trixie brought Sunny Day up to stare into her eyes and slapped her across the face before violently shaking the disoriented pony. “Hurry up! We have to leave!” Trixie’s voice was lost in the frightful air but the mare nodded in understanding.
"Thanks, Ah needed that. C'mon, I know how this town like the back of my hoof." The slightly dead voice of the pony was barely audible as she trotted quickly down a smaller street. Trixie nearly lost sight of the yellow tail before the pony suddenly turned and gestured frantically. "This way. Hurry!"
As Trixie approached her, she leaned around the corner and gasped, drawing back into the shelter of the shadows. "Changelings, in the street. We won't make it." Sunny Day's breaths soon became fast and frantic as panic took over her mind. Trixie reached over and laid a reassuring hoof on the pony's shoulder before stepping out into the street. "No! Don't go out there!"
She turned back and fixed her with a silencing glare before lowering her horn. Without warning, the blue sheet of magic cast by Trixie appeared next to one of the burned-out towers of some forgotten building and knocked out one of the remaining supports, sending the bricks and mortar tumbling down onto the monsters, who all screamed in pain as the stones crushed them.
Trixie turned back to see the former innkeeper staring at her in awe and disbelief. She jerked her head into another side street and gave the mare a nudge. "What? Oh, sorry. G-good job. Let's get out of here." The small hint of anger that leaked into Sunny Day's voice was lost in the air of fear as they galloped away over the street that Trixie had come into town on. Within moments, they were both inside a blanket of darkness cast over them by the thick branches of the trees that surrounded them.
After what seemed like forever, the screams that they had left behind them faded into silence, save for the heavy breathing of the two ponies. "Ah... Ah think we lost them." Sunny Day looked over to Trixie and smiled a smile that didn't touch her eyes. "I'm glad that we got out of there. It would have been terrible." Trixie's eyes widened as the pony's voice grew slightly deeper and lost its country twang. The strangely cold smile somehow grew wider, sending a chill down her spine. "Now nopony will stop the fun we're going to have."
Trixie's blood froze as the golden eyes glowed emerald green. Fear ran unbridled through her as she backed away, her flank brushing against the hard, unforgiving trunk of a tree. "W-w-what do you mean?" Trixie's voice came out with a croak and drew out a harsh laugh from the advancing mare.
"Oh, you can talk. For a moment, I was scared that I wouldn't get to hear your," the yellow pony licked her lips eagerly and shuddered violently, "delicious screams."
Trixie backed further against the tree, futilly attempting to pull away from Sunny Day, who was only inches away from her. "What are you talking about? What do you want from me?!" She struck out in fear, her hoof touching nothing but air. Spots crowded her vision as something knocked into the back of her head and pushed her to the ground.
A hoof kicked into her side and flipped her over, allowing her to see up into the still-smiling face of Sunny Day. "Nothing important. Well, it isn't important anymore, because you can't stop me." Without warning, the golden coat was enveloped in a collumn of fire, which soon dissapated. There, pinning her to the ground, stood a creature of the darkest grey that stared at her with a cold pair of blue eyes. The fanged teeth shone white in the dim light that filtered through the leaves above, the mouth that contained them forming an eager smile. "You know, you look quite tasty. I think I'll enjoy this."
Trixie's scream of agony was heard only by the reaching branches that blocked out the sky, their branches calling for her to reach up to them. Reach. Reach. Their breathy voices filled her mind as she worked to comply.
I'm... trying...
Reach. Reach, little pony.
I... I can't… I can’t reach you... Her raised hoof thudded against the cold ground, splashing in her blood as it seeped into the soil.
I can't reach...
Her hoof pushed into something that bent around the outstretched limb with only a slight resistance. What...? She pushed harder, adding another hoof and shoving with all her might. What is this? The unmistakable feeling of being underwater washed over her. Her eyes cracked open, filling her vision with nothing but an emerald green. Why is everything green? She twisted around to look below her but she was unable to see anything below her. Where am I?
Suddenly her entire world shook, the sounds of sloshing water filling her ears as she struggled against the barriers that surrounded her. I have... to get out... She gave one final shove, just as her strength was on the verge of giving out, and punched through the wall. The emerald glow gave way to an enveloping black. Her scream of fright had no time to escape as she collided with the ground.
She groaned wordlessly as the pain filled her side, trying and failing to stand on her hooves. "What is this place?" She cast her gaze across the room as she futilely tried to pierce the darkness. After a few minutes of frantic searching, a soft-green glow drew Trixie's eyes upward. Fear froze her blood once more as she stared at the strange cocoon-like objects that seemingly hung down from nothing but black. "And w-what are th-those?" She squeaked as one of the strange, green things twitched and became still.
"Hello?" She called out into the darkness, her small and hoarse voice being lost to the void. "Is anypony there?" Pushing herself up to her hooves, she walked a few steps before speaking again. "Hello?" Cruel laughter, loud enough to pound at her eardrums, issued forth from nowhere and everywhere. "Who's there?"
"Ah, the troubled one is awake." A deep voice came from her right, sounding as if the creature that had spoke ate gravel for sustenance.
"Yes, she is." A slightly higher-pitched voice hissed from her other side.
"What do you want with me?" She held a hoof to her temple as the memory of that night in the woods flashed up, unbidden, into her consciousness.
"She asked us a question."
"There will be no answers. We must hurry and bring her to the Queen."
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on!" Trixie tightly shut her eyes and fired a bolt of magic into the void. Her eyes eventually opened to glare at nothing but more darkness. "Wh-where are you?"
"No more questions." The deeper of the two voices held a note of finality, followed by the harsh sound of something scratching along a sheet of glass. "It's time to go, little one."
Without warning, a column of emerald fire surrounded her. "What are you doing?" There was no answer to her question, only the roaring of the flames and wind. "Somepony help me!" Her shout was lost as the green light made way for an inky black. "Somepony help!" Her voice was lost to the rushing air as she fell. Somepony… help.
The sensation of falling left her abruptly, leaving her lying on a cold floor with jagged edges that cut into her face. “Your majesty, we have a newly awakened hatchling for you.”
A jagged hoof brushed across her face slowly, as if savoring her discomfort at the touch. "So, this is the troubled one you spoke to me about." This voice was different than the others, holding a strange dual-tone to its words. Suddenly a burning pain slashed across her face and the hoof was removed. Trixie slowly pulled one of her own hooves to where the other had been and felt along the cut that was slowly bleeding onto the floor. "I see she's finally hatched... and into quite the changeling I might add."
"Yes, Majesty."
"Leave us." Trixie cracked open her eyes and watched as the two creatures that had taken her here were enveloped in a blanket of flame. "So," the sound of hooves clicking on stone drew closer to her, "how are you liking being a pony no longer?"
The jolt of fear and confusion jerked Trixie into a standing position. Her awkward steps were slow and meticulous as she walked closer to the biggest monster she had seen yet. "What do you mean by not being a pony anymore?" Her voice quivered with fear as she slowly made her way over to the apparent ruler.
"I mean just that. Don't believe me?" The Queen's voice grew amused as she turned and walked a small distance before looking back to the confused Trixie. The pitted hoof waved over a small puddle of water, making the surface ripple slightly as it passed. "Take a look for yourself."
Heart thudding in her chest, Trixie slowly walked ever closer to the liquid that splashed merrily around of its own accord in the small dent in the stone. Seconds seemed to stretch into hours, and hours to ages as she peered into the rippling liquid. As it settled, she saw not a royal-blue pony with a silver mane, but a creature that was as black as night with glazed-over, blue eyes. A pair of hooves grasped her shoulder and stopped her from falling to the harsh ground that she would have never risen from. The changeling that the legs belonged leaned down to softly whisper the words that would govern Trixie's life for years to come.
"Welcome to the Hive, my little changeling."
