All alone

A loud crash echoed through the hive waking everyling inside.

"What was that" the young changeling thought to himself

He heard banging a loud and explosion rock the very foundation of the hive. he decided to investigate the strange banging. He walked slowly and cautiously desperate to keep his balance on the shaking floor. As soon as he exited the tunnel towards the main hub the site horrified him. There was blood everywhere changeling running for their lives from these strange white creatures in golden armor. He felt something grab the back on his carapice and pull him back into a small alley.

"Don't go out there kid" a larger changeling said to the young nymph "those ponies are going to kill everyling they find just hide here and you'll be sa..." He began but a abruptly stopped staring in horror at something that was behind the nymph

The young changeling turned to see a tall white figure but unlike the others this one was much taller and had a horn and wings. The magenta eyes oddly struck fear into the young changeling. He noticed the creature was too large to fit through the small crack that formed the alley.

"Come out and your end will be quick" It said

"Follow my lead" the adult changeling whispered to the nymph "I won't make it out but at least you will no reason for us both to die"

They came slowly out of the alley way and once they were out they both backed up two steps from the figure. The adult suddenly lunged knocking it onto its back

"RUN!" He shouted to the nymph who did the only thing that he could and ran.

They had all been taught the emergency exits from the hive that where contaminated with large amounts of sulfur which prevented any living creature other than changelings to access them. He jumped out of tunnel and began to fly quickly towards the exit miraculously dodging the magical blasts meant to knock him out of the air. As he came in for landing a blast hit him directly at the wing causing him to hit the ground rather hard. He wasted no time in getting up and running as fast as he could down the hall. From a corridor perpendicular to his that magenta eyed creature suddenly appeared once again fresh green blood on her hooves.

"My my your a fast one aren't you" She said beginning to walked towards him

"Stay back Celestia" A voice yelled from behind the creature as she as pinned to the wall by the Queen Chrysalis her eyes blazing with fury "Run child run until you can't run anymore" she began pushed back by the strange creature "Then keep running" she finished kicked it off her.

The nymph ran past them and his stood and looked back for a moment  and saw Queen Chrysalis lunge at it only to be impaled on its horn. A sick slicing sound was heard as the horn removed itself from his queens chest and left her trembling and bleeding on the floor of the hive.

"Pathetic" Celestia said stepping over the body and approaching the child

Chrysalis's seemingly lifeless body jolted and  grabbed one of the creature legs "Celestia please my people don't deserve to die for my sins"

"They didn't have to follow the orders you gave them" Celestia said her horn beginning to glow with magic

"Celestia's he's only a child please where is your sympathy... your compassion i thought you were suppose to be kind" Chrysalis begged the blood loss weakening her further

"I need not explain myself to anypony especially not you" Celestia said tugging her leg trying to release the grip

Chrysalis had no other choice even if to only save the life of a single changeling it would be worth it. She bared her fangs and bit down deep into Celestia's leg. She began to feel very sleepy and unsteady.

"What have you done!" Celestia demanded

"The poison... will keep you... unconscious.... long enough.... for him to escape" She said between labored breathes

"You insolent....prepare to know true pain!" Celestia said turning and her horn began to glow brighter and brighter until the glow was all but blinding.

The nymph watched in horror as there was a bright flash and the sound of Chrysalis's screams pierced the air. When the light finally died down there lay a limp Chrysalis and a still rage filled Celestia who had turned her attention to him.

"You...will be.... next" She said collapsing from the poison that flowed through her veins

The nymph realized that he wouldn't get a second chance to escape the invaded hive and continued down the path. He constantly tuned corners to escape the strange creatures who were murdering his friends and family. tearing stinging his eyes as he went. He soon began to see light and as he ascended towards the surface he saw the full damage of the assault. The hives roof had completely collapsed in and the hive was burning and thousands of those strange creatures stood ready to murder anyling that came out the mainways.

He saw them t the same time they had seen him and soon a whole team of them had been after him. He ran outwards away from the hide away from his dead queen and the purple eyed monster, and away from the death murder and violence. He eventually lost them and soon came upon a forest like setting. He soon began to slow his pace to a slow walk as he observed his surroundings. The forest was dark and depressing and had an eerie feel to it that put the young nymph on edge. He heard a loud roar and whirled around to see a horrifying creature charging after him. It looked like a mash together of a scorpion and a few other creatures that the young nymph hadn't even heard of while he had lived in the deep caverns of the hive.

It lunged towards him and he promptly jumped backwards. He shot blasts of magic into the trees watching with a sly grin as the manticore looked at him with a quizzical expression. The next thing he heard was the loud crash and the shout of the manticore when the trees came down upon his head. Even changeling nymphs were tough nuts to crack. The manticore leaped forward and cut a long gash down the back of the changeling. The manticore lunged once more pinning the changeling and causing his chitin the crack and bleed under the weight. In a last desperate attempt the changeling gathered the majority of the power he had left and blasted the manticore full in the face. It was sent flying backwards and slammed with a crack into the rock. The changeling looked up and even through the manticore wasn't dead he could see that he had done very much damage to its eyes and it was probably blind.

The battle had left him drained of most of his energy and a slow walk was all he could manage as he fled from the manticore. He heard a soft rustling in the bushes and turned. Nothing was there so he kept exploring his new surroundings. His new world was extremely odd. For one thing there was a large white orb in the sky that seemed to light the entire expanse of land around him. For one small orb to be able to do all of that was mind boggling to him but he paid to no mind.

He came upon a strange building that he perceived to be a home of some sort. It was small and made of wood. The building seemed so alien to him being used to the cold rock on the hive rather than the, by comparison, softer wooden building. He heard a clicking sound and hid in the bushes as he heard a creak and the door opened. Out came a rather strange looking creature but then again he had lived his whole life underground so strange was a term he had decided to use relatively lightly.

It looked much like those things that had destroyed the hive but it was black with white strips or white with black strips he couldn't really tell. He could just barely made out a set of gold rings around its neck and right foreleg which he perceived as odd. He never thought gold as of much use seeing as it is weaker than most other metals and couldn't protect. He hadn't been able to grasp the concept of fashion over function. It seemed so strange to have something that was of no use. As he retreated further into the foliage he had stepping on a twig and consequently broken it. It turned it's head in the direction of the bushes. He could feel the adrenaline begin to pump through his veins causing a cold like feeling to wash over him. He had two choices either fight or run. He perceived both as pointless.

The fight even though this creature seemed to possess no magic seemed like a bad option considering the fact that his encounter with that savage beast had drained most of his energy. The running and hiding method didn't seem alright because his wings were only just beginning to mend and he wouldn't be able to fly. He sat motionless simply hoping the creature would think it was merely the local wildlife. He wasn't so lucky. It walked over to the bush and stared waited for the slightest tremor. He had no choice to was either run or die so he did.

He bolted out of his hiding place startling the creature and  causing it to fall backwards and the young changeling didn't even bother to look back to see if he was being followed at the moment. He ran down the path picking forks in the roads at random no thought to where he was going. He eventually turned backwards to see if that creature was still following him. It wasn't he thought that he had lost it on the way and was just about to return to exploring when he turned and saw a cockatrice staring at him. He hadn't heard of many creatures of the overworld but this one was infamous even to the changelings.

He had heard dozens of stories of one managing to find the hive and turning whole generations to stone before it was finally killed. He began to feel his hooves turn to stone. He turned around and bolted in the other direction moving as fast as his slowly petrifying legs could take him. Slowly and painfully each step grew more labored. He tripped over himself and unable to get up found himself at the mercy of this foul creature. When he turned to face his death there was nothing there.

Had he lost it in the bushes or did it merely enough toying with him allowing for hope to build and finally crush it with its mere reappearance. He turned over and saw the cockatrice dead pinned to the tree with an arrow through its chest. He could feel something behind him yet he didn't know what it was. He presumed that thing had killed the cockatrice and anything that could go head to head with a cockatrice and kill it was surely too powerful a force for a nymph to handle.

He struggled to stand or move his body at all when something tugged at his foreleg. His head turned to see that strange creature form not to long ago dragging him. Another flood of adrenaline shot through him as he struggled to get free. He fought aimlessly for about 3 minutes until he could feel the annoyance radiating off the creature. He saw a small flask filled with a strange clear liquid that smelled rather sweet. He could see it wet a small rag with some and cover its face. It pressed to on the young nymphs mouth. He held his breathe. If that thing had no intention of breathing it neither would he. Tried as he might he eventually needed to breathe and once he did he began to feel light headed and drifted off into unconsciousness.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

He awoke drowsily feeling quite off balance. From where he sat he tipped over and fell on the floor with an audible thump. He could barely made out  the outline of a black and white figure towering over him. He realized that his legs were bound with rope and began to thrash and tried to desperately tear them apart.

"Hold still!" A voice snapped presumably coming from the creature  in front of him "without a cure this stone could kill"

The young changeling stopped resisting after the sound hit his ears. Why did it care whether he lived or died?

"Why do you care?" he asked truly perplexed by her concern for his well being

"Just be happy i'm helping you one more second and you would have been through" It said rhyming its words which would have made the changeling roll his eyes if he could move.

His vision had completely returned to him by now and he could see the strange creature holding a glowing liquid in a bottle.

"now keep still" She said thankfully not rhyming

She walked to opposite side of the changeling and he suddenly felt a burning sensation as the liquid from the bottle hit his chitin. He screamed in pain an thought that he was to some degree on fire. He could feel the sympathy begin to radiate off of her. His horn lit up as he took in the prominent emotion it may have not been the most powerful or energizing of all but he was practically starving and he would take any he could get even pity was welcomed by a dying changeling.

"Arghhh STOP THAT!" The creature yelled falling over slightly "you little rat..." it began when he began to whimper

"I'm sorry i can't help it" He whimpered " You have no idea how bad one day can be" he said doing his best to lower his voice keeping in mind he was the one hat was tied up

It disappeared and after a short while reappeared with a small sharp dagger. The changelings heart nearly burst out of his chest while it walked towards him with it. He had seen it only once in his life back at the hive so much blood...so many dead changelings the mere thought was enough to send him into a panic and he began to cry. He heard a cracking like sound and suddenly found that he could move his forelegs once more another was heard and he could move his whole body. He noticed that the rock that had covered his hooves were now gone replaced once again by his midnight black chitin. He turned and saw the creature with a doubtful expression on her face.

"Oh really" It said "try me"

After about six minutes of running through every chilling detail of the attack and Chrysalis's final words and sacrifice he and the creature that had saved his life were now both crying. He cried and was nearly completely sure that he was the last changeling of the hive left alive. He could feel the sorrow and sympathy flowing from her. He knew not why she was crying over his misfortune but then again many new things of this world had boggled his mind. Many strange things that he couldn't understand sympathy and compassion both which he had seen yet couldn't understand but where now thankful that they existed for he wouldn't have survived without them.

" I'm all alone" he said tears once again stinging his eyes " I'm all alone!" he cried curling into a small black ball

"Not anymore" The creature said hugging the young nymph

Normally he would have bitten or attack anything that even made contact but he simply didn't have the will to fight or the need. He was lead by the creature into a small room that had many curious looking objects none of which had even been heard of by the young changeling. He was told he was allowed to stay for as long as he wished as long as he didn't cause any trouble.

He heard the door shut and laid down on the floor and went to sleep completely exhausted from his long and hard trip. The door slowly creaked open and the nymph was found lying on the floor. Zecora sighed and put him over in the bed and draped the covers over him. She blew out the candle and went to bed

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

The young changeling awoke to the barren landscape of the wastelands and squinted. He turned behind him to see his old home in all its glory. He began running towards it. He noticed the closer he got the worse and worse it began to look. He stopped directly on the ridge above to see it burning and crumbling apart at the scene. He gliding inside through the collapsed roof strangely no changeling were to be found not a single once.

He heard a piercing scream echo through the hive and flew towards it. He entered a familiar hallway and saw Queen Chrysalis lying there bloody and limp. Something seemed to click and he turned to see darkness down the other side of the hallway and two magenta orbs staring persistently at him. He bolted for the exit with the darkness consuming practically everything right after he had passed it.

He barely made it out of the hive just in time to see it consumed in black.But it didn't stop there it began spreading outside covering the entire wasteland in black darkness.  He began to run but couldn't for some odd reason. His feet were stuck to the ground and he could merely watch as his home and everything he had ever known to be washed into the dark void of blackness that had ensnared him. He could see out of the darkness an ominous pink glow.

"Keep away from me" He yelled

"..." no response but the echo of his own voice

As the glow grew brighter and brighter it seemed to come closer as well. the young changeling shut his eyes tight.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

"Leave me alone!" He screamed his body jolted awake his heart feeling ready to burst forward from under his chitin.

He found himself trembling and looking around the room and breathed a sign of relief. There was a faint glow illuminating the dark room. To anyone else it would have seemed pitch black but to him he could see clear as day. He was still shaking yet he didn't know why and he could help beginning to cry and he thought over every aspect of the dream and how it felt so life like almost as if he was seeing real events through someling's else's eyes. It felt absolutely horrifying.

That same creature burst through the door and walked to the crying changeling side looking rather distraught

"I heard a scream was it something you've seen" It asked. This time the changeling didn't mind the rhyming as he was too distracted by a faint buzzing in his head.

He could sense something although he wasn't sure what it was for some odd reason he just had to find it. He got up and starting to wander the room as he got closer to the door the buzzing began to fade. However when he got closer to the window the buzzing increased in volume. He opened it and jumped out and looked around all the while the creature calling to him.

"Hello?" He said the echo sounding softly through the forest. The buzzing shot to an uncontrollably level and he began to lean slightly before it quickly died down going back to its previous level. He took a few steps into the eerie forest that filled him with a deep feeling of dread and some oddly enough hope and felt the buzzing increase. He heard light hoofsteps behind him and turned to see that strange creature following him. He didn't mind. It took him a while to get the hang of this buzzing thing that was leading him towards something he felt was important.

came to the bottom of a cliff with a small cave inside. The opening looked like it would be hard for even a nymph to squeeze through. He looked around for something that looked fairly small and noticed some ants lying on the ground. He focused on the image and in mere moments green fire had surrounded him and he shifted his form. He crawled through the space and dropped the disguise of the other side. The room was rather dim but he was still able to see much including a black figure lying on the ground.

The black figure was small and shaking as he approached. He stepped on a twig and saw the figure shake slightly trying to stay hidden amongst the darkness. He felt the buzzing in his head grow with each step. He poked at it at which point the buzzing subsided completely leaving his head rather clear.

"Hello?" He said in a soft voice being careful not to startle what ever was lying there

"Who...Who are you" The creature asked begin to crawl away into the darkness

He had to think fast.

"It's best i put up a disguise just in case" He thought to himsel

He began to run through a series of disguises that he had thought of during his travels through the dark forest. A ring of green fire surrounded him as he changed. He changed himself into a gold-coated colt that had a dark-blueish mane that was the color of sapphires and tail with a horn and kind platinum eyes that sparkled even in the dim light. Slowly approached the creature making sure to keep at least legs reach away.

"Who are you" The voice asked again sending a shiver of panic up his spine

" I need a name darn it" He thought to himself " Dawn...no Midnight yes Midnight...Midnight Fury perfect" He thought to himself

"My name's Midnight Fury" He said " Who are you?: he asked

"Mine is Dawn Star" The voice said a very small version of those creatures said poking its head out of the shadows

It had a yellow coat and he could see a small blunt horn just barely poking its way out from behind its violet hair he also noticed the small lines of blue than ran through her hair. He also noticed that the creature had soft red eyes that barely shined through the darkness they were striking with an odd hypnotic effect and almost beautiful. He was about to take a step closer when he noticed a dark red substance streaming its way from the darkness and seemed to be coming from Dawn Star. He walked over be side it and noticed a large gash running from its shoulder all the way down to its hoof revealing all the muscle and bone beneath the skin.

He felt a not in his stomach and thought he was going to pass out but nevertheless he needed to figure out a way to get this thing out of here and get it some help. Even though he was merely a nymph even he knew that making merely one friend was enough to survive it was the second thing his was taught he was first taught his shapeshifting spell and techniques. He could feel the desperation,fear, and uncertainly radiating from her and used it to fuel his power.

He knew that he could take to much or else it would most certainly either die or simply be left an empty shell but if he took too little he would have used up all of his energy for nothing. He began to siphon the energy from the creature and charged his horn in preparation to break through the wall. Once he felt like he had enough power he immediately stopped sucking the energy away and blasted a large burst of magic towards the cave wall. It burst open in a fury of sparks and flames.

"Can you walk on that leg" He asked turning to see her backed over in the corner of the cave

" I think so" She said quietly

"Follow me" He said beckoning her to follow him

He took note of how she limped with every step. As they emerged Zecora was about to say something but Midnight shook his head no. They walked silently through the forest until they heard a rustle in the bushes and another manticore came out of the bush. IT seemed to be completely focused on Midnight and began to circle him slowly.

"Go" Midnight Fury said "I'll handle this"

"but.." Dawn Star began to protest

"Go!" He shouted a wave of red washing over his eyes

The manticore pounced and all that could be seen while they were running for there lives were a series of flashes that only grew more and more faint the further they went.

"Were not just going to let him fight that thing are we?" Dawn Star asked

"Midnight will be fine he is young but he will not die" Zecora said reassuringly

"I'm going back" Dawn Star said turning around and beginning to walk

Zecora pretended not to notice. She had tried to warn against it but there was no use of keeping a fool from her folly she could only hope that she makes it out alive.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

The changeling looked upon the black body of what had once been the manticore, burnt to little more than charcoal. A green flame passed over him and he became Midnight Fury. He noticed a painful burning sensation and realized that even this form was damaged. He began to walked and nearly stumbled over. His legs felt almost as if they were stone but alas there was no cockatrice in sight. He tried to walk but fell over. He tried to get to his hooves but inevitably he was completely immobilized. He lay there shivering in the cold night air

"I'm going to die here" Midnight said quietly to himself

He felt the cold icy fangs of death begin to tear through him and waited for blissful release.

"Midnight!" He heard a shrill voice cry

He heard loud tapping as a pair of hooves approached tapping the cold hard ground. He could feel his consciousness slipping from him and gripped it with all of his will.

"Stay here i'll go get help" Dawn Star said as Midnight began to hear loud hoofsteps that soon began to fade to light tapping until they disappeared completely leaving Midnight Fury cold and alone.

He used what was left of his strength and began to crawl slowly towards the cave he crawled slowly through the opening and curled up on the ground and fell asleep. He was awoken by three pairs of hooves one pair making light tapping sounds and the another making a much louder sound yet the last pair made an even larger sound

"That must be Dawn Star" He thought to himself "But who are those two with her mainly the loudest one?" He wondered

He opened his eyes and looked up to see an all to familiar filly staring down at him. As his slightly blurry vision cleared he could also see a white stallion in golden armor with a sheathed sword at his side. If those two were the lighter pair he dared not look over to see the last one. Nevertheless his curiosity got the best of him and he looked over to see a tall figure with purple eyes,wings, and a horn. Midnight felt a explosion of adrenaline surge through him as he looked over at her. She was there the day he lost everything, she killed Queen Chrysalis and he'll never forget the last words she said to him "You're next" just the thoughts sent a chill up his spine and his pupils widened to the size of plates. He began to hyper ventilate. His entire body began to tremble.

"Are you alright Midnight" Dawn Star asked

"..." nothing but silence was offered as a response

"I think he's in shock" the tall white figure said

Midnight began to relax as he realized that if she hadn't killed him by now she wasn't going too.

"It must be this disguise" He thought to himself not daring to let a word escape his lips

" Then should we escort him to the hospital your majesty" The white stallion asked

"See to it" It responded

"Can you walk" the guard asked

"I think so" Midnight responded shakily getting to his hooves

Then began to walk. Midnight began to think to himself. He needed an entire identity he needed something to go on. He needed a thousand lies and a this good disguise. He slightly chuckled to himself at his apparent rhyming. He was glad it went unnoticed by the others or maybe they had just chosen to ignore it. They began to walk through a town and he could visibly see the ponies bowing in the presence of the tall white figure that led him.

He didn't need an explanation he already knew that she was a leader of some sort possible a queen amongst her people. He was led into a small building and was politely asked to take a seat. He laid there for what felt like hours until he was awoken by a short white figure with a mane and tail of pink.

"are you awake" It said in a soft voice

"huh what?" Midnight said raising his head and looking around

"The doctor will see you now" It said leading him down a brightly lit hall

When they turned a corner he looked back to see a more dim hallway down the other side and he heard a soft clicking and scratching sounds coming from it. He followed it into a small white room filled with cabinets, a desk,and a small strange contraption in the center of the room.

"Take a seat on the bed the doctor will be here soon" It said

"Bed?" Midnight asked "What's that"

It eyes went wide eyed for a moment "That in the center of the room"

"ohh" Midnight replied sitting on it. It felt pleasantly soft unlike the usual sleeping places in the hive

"I must report this to the doctor" It said turning to leave

"Report what?" Midnight asked

"err...nothing just wait for a moment" It said before leaving

After a few minutes  he heard a click come from the direction of and a brown stallion came in dressed in a white coat glasses and a clipboard

"Alright lets see here" He said flipping the pages "oh my" he said his eyes widening "Um have you suffered any recent head injuries?"

"i'm not sure" Midnight lied

"Alright" he said with a sign flipping through the charts "Have you been in any dangerous situations lately wher its possible you hit your head?"

"Well i have killed two manticores today and had to blast my way out of a cave" Midnight said

"k...k... Killed TWO manticores" he repeated his pupils shrinking

"yeah" Midnight responded rather causally

"Have you sustained any known injuries from the attack" the doctor asked

"I got a bad cut on my back but it doesn't really hurt much anymore" Midnight said

"Alright whats the last thing you remember besides the attack" the doctor asked

Midnight though back and pulled a collection of memories "Darkness, streaks of light, and a strange pale glow" He answered

"Alright then.." the doctor said and began asking him various question of little importance to him

"Can i go yet?" Midnight groaned impatiently

"Almost now we need to know where your parents are" he said

Midnight went completely stiff he remembered the hive, the smoke and smell of blood, and his dead queen and mother's body lying limp on the floor of the hive bloody and her face filled with fear. He began to tremble and tear stained his eyes and blood slowly found its way into his eyes making them red and bloodshot. He was sobbing so violently and uncontrollably he didn't even notice the tall white figure that was standing in the door way a single tear streaming down her face.

"My goodness" it said the loud taps on the floor echoing like the despair that resonated from him so powerful he could feel it without even being in his changeling form.

"shhh its okay" it said wrapping a wing around him a gesture that chilled him to the bone

"The blood" He said "It was everywhere and she lied there bloody and in agony and i couldn't do a thing to help her" he said and he felt the wave of despair come from her which he took in glad fully.

"You have no where child?" It asked

"I'm all alone" He said another tear streaming down his face

"Not anymore" It said holding him tight

"Thank you" he whispered