Paradise in hiding chapter 1'
The big ask
It has been months after the failed attempt to take control of the ponies capital city, but now with that dam city finely in changeling hoofs, and with the last of the royal guards retreating to Cloudsdale in there hundreds there is nothing to st.......
"Hey! Deadwing, what you doing, come on we need to get going",an familiar voice called out
"Ummm nothing firetail just umm writing something down” Deadwing answered recognising his friends voice
"Well stop writing and start moving, come on we got to get going” Firetail replied, and then started to push Deadwing towards the tunnel entrance trying to get his friend moving
"So why do we need to get going so quickly” Deadwing asked, Firetail stop pushing after a while and just kept on moving towards the tunnel while his friend started follow quickly after him
“Haven’t you herded yet? The army is now in touching distance of Cloudsdale and are queen has asked for thousands of more solders to be brought to the frontline"
“So what, we’re not solders?" Deadwing replied
"Yeah but we could be!" With that Firetail started to pick up pace
"Come on fire just think about this for just one second, you’re a worker, you can't fight in the frontline you will be killed" Deadwing then puts a hoof on Fire shoulder bringing him to a stop
Fire then turns around and pushes Deadwing away with both hoofs, and then started to flap his wings, lifting his hoofs off the ground hovering just above Deadwing head forcing him to look up at him, and gaining his full attention did fire say “It doesn't matter what we think! The queen ask, and we must follow her every word, as a changeling"
" yeah I no, we must do what’s best for the hive and all that" Deadwing tone then dropped after looking into his friends crimson red eyes "but just please for one second use that hive mind you call a brain and just think about yourself for once,
Deadwing then close his eyes waiting for Fires reaction to what he just said, but it never came he open one eyes to see why, just to find hundreds of blue and green glowing eyes surrounding him..........
Only After a few tense moment of waiting, which felt like hours in Dead eyes, did the silence of the tunnels finely end, but only two be broken by two un normally large changelings, which were covered head to hoof in purple knight helm armour, covering all around their head and back with holes cut-out for their horns and wings, and which were all bonded together with bright green changeling goo
The two changeling spoke in sync with each other , their eyes staring straight at them both, not even blinking for one second, one of them spoke in a deep strong commanding Voice" you two the queen would like to see you!"
Deadwing said after taking in what was going on" why would the queen want to see a couple of worker drones?” With a more of a confused tone
One of knights spoke back still not taking its eyes off the them both
“That wasn't a question!" The knights answered
Deadwing head was racing desperately trying to find any way out of its, he look over to Fire to see if he had a plan, but all he saw a scary smile across his friends face, he also notices that the other changelings that had surrounded them before had started to back off slowly away from them
After another few short moment of silence, Deadwing still saw no way out of this, so finely gave in and said in a low tone of voice “ok?"
While leading the way, the two knights didn't say a word, which gave Deadwing and firetail time to talk, they spoke in a quite tone so not to alert their guides,
"Hey Fire" dead asked while looking side to side to check if the knights where taking any notice of them? “Why do you think the queen would want to see us?"
"Maybe to make us knights, or even guardians of the swarm, Fire said while still have that stupid grin planted on his face
“I don't think that's what this is about?" Deadwing answered
"What else could it be, and come on would that be awesome" Fire replied his voice started to get louder with excitement,, which made one of the knights leading take notice on what they were saying
"Come on Deadwing, were some on the best workers in the hive, why wouldn't the queen take notice of us" Fire said trying to get his friend over to his way of thinking
“because we are workers, and why would she" Deadwing train of forth was stop by one of knight deafening shape voice
"You two shut it now!, or else were not going to bring you to the queen in perfect condition!" Deadwing and Firetail were two scared to speak up after that, not knowing what the knight would do if they spoke back? , after 2 hours of walking they notice they were goings deeper and deeper into the hive deeper than they have ever gone before in their lives,
The closer they got to the middle of the hive, they passed more and more check point normally, guarded by two or more knights, and at the sixth check points the knights leading them both forgot to inform one of the knights on duty they were taking them in, which may them believe they were stress passing, which nearly got them both killed, but the guides notice just in time before a spear was about throw Deadwing head!
After all the mishap and walking, they finally got to centre hive, it looked to be one huge circler cave with one big platform in the middle dispensed by green bright goo fashion together to make rope hanging from the walls and roof of the cave, and was surrounded by smaller platform connected by green rope bridges and with even more changeling goo put everywhere to make a form of light source for the cave
It was hard to see the walls of cave because of hundreds of thousands changeling drones hanging from the sides, which made it look like the walls where moving all around them,
One of the knights pointed a hoof towards the middle platform and said “the queen has asked for your acquaintance in the main chamber"
the two changeling workers then started to notice that the walls of caves suddenly stop moving, this was because all of the drones around them started to stare at them both not even blinking for a second , their eyes glowed bright blue showing just how many there actually was,
The knights that had been be hide them had started to jester both of them toward, what looked to be the main bridge leading up to the platform, which had on top a large green crystal spiked city in the middle of it, and what looked be some form of rock surrounding the great changeling capital forming a circular wall protecting the beautiful kingdom inside
The two changelings were frozen still by the all inspiring site, of the changeling capital city, well they would have been if they warrant terrified by uncertainty of why they were brought here in the first place and for what for?
Well at least one of them was, Fire was shaking for a different reason, unable to keep still due to the excitement and wonder of the situation,
So excited in fact that Fire tried to take off into flight so that he would get there faster, and so too able to get a better look at the glorious city, but just before his hoof could even get off the ground, an knight behind fire put an hoof on his back, snapping him out of it and reminding him about the situation he was in,
After many more shaky hoofs steps they finally got to the end of the bridge leading to the main platform, the knights still keeping a close eye of them both the whole time,
The entrance to the city was lined with armed guards, around the main gate, top of the walls, and even on the small path way leading up to the gate, noticing the amount of guards there were, may the two changelings feel uneasy,
After walking throught the gate, the site that awaited the two changeling was even more inspiring, the changeling capital looked even more glorious from inside with huge sprawling towers leading up to the roof of cave, made of pure sparkling crystal, reflecting a light green color due to the glow of the changeling goo surrounding them, this made for the main light source for the whole city
And surrounding the towers where small changeling homes made from, what look to be anything they could get their hoofs on,rocks, dirt and even pieces of brimstone, to a normal pony these houses would look like just a pile of missed placed rocks, but to a changeling worker used to living holes of dirt these house where like mansions in their eyes
While Walking towards what looked to be the main tower in the city, the knights took them throught a busy market place, with stalls selling things from cloth, food and even ponies slaves fresh from Canterlot, Deadwing found his eyes strangely focused on one of the slaves being sold, it was an minty green unicorn, but before Dead could get a better look at the mare, a crowd of changeling form around the stall blocking his view
Deadwing was a far distance of the slave stall but could just about hear what was going on “can i get have 2 bits, 4 bites I have for 4 bits for the unicorn, 4 bits going once? Going twice? And sold to gentleman in the armour”
Deadwing would have kept on watching, trying to catch anther glimpse of the that minty green colored pony, but was pushed forward by the knight following on from by hide them, with some much force, tripping Dead up and bring him tumbling to the floor," woooahhhhh" Dead screamed as he hit the ground, Fire stopped and turn around after hears his friend fall, but before dead or fire could do anything the changeling who push him shouted " GET UP YOU DRONE " and then processed pick dead up by the back of his neck using his muscular jaw, painfully lifting him to his hoofs
"Ahhh not so no hard" Deadwing screamed as he felt the knight shape teeth bury themselves into the back of his neck
"Dead" Fire shouted as he ran to help his friend " are you alright, where dose it hurt"
" yeah im ok, just " Deadwing answer while putting a hoof over the back of his neck, trying to hide the blood running down his back coming from the scars, left of from where knight had bit,
Then suddenly a green kind of magic cover them both and lifting them into the air, but before they could protest about this the knight at the front shouted, in a jaw dropping tone “enough playing around, we’re have already wasted too much time"
Dead and Fire travel the rest of the journey to the tower, trap hovering in the air by the knights bright green magic unable to move or talk for the rest of the trip, it was 2hours until the finally reached the front of the tower, and on the way dead tried to remember a few land mark, in case they could make a run for it later, such as, a half built clock tower, a changeling shaped water fountain and a few other oddly shaped buildings, but the thing that really court both and deadwing and firetail eye was mass brimstone tower they were heading towards
" were here" one of the knights muttered as he drop his magical field holding the two changelings up in the air, Deadwing hit the ground with a thud for a second time now while Firetail Realized what was happening, and so started to flap his wings just after the knight magic let go so keeping himself in the air
"Errr? So were finally here" Deadwing said while rubbing the back of his head with his right hoof.
"Sooo? What does the queen want with us again" Fire asked trying to get any information he could from the knights, which haven't really said much yet about why they were brought to this place
After a few tens moments of silents, the knights finally spoke,” the queen is expecting you two in the main hall of the tower and if I was one of you two, I wouldn't want to keep her waiting”? The knight said while gesturing towards the door of the tower
The two changeling knights then continue to open the grand steel double door, which was lined with steel metal carving showing great changeling battles once fought, and towering just above the door was a shining golden crest with the picture of the mighty queen Chrysalis carved on upon it with writing under it saying" long live our queen, long live the hive”
As Dead and Fire peak thought the open door way, they were amazed by the site they saw, the entrance in the palace open up to a large grand hallway, stretching from what looked to be about two hoofball pitches long, with large black pillars running along walls holding up the crimson bricked roof, the floor had a large green carpet draped over it, the hallway also had massive changeling sized marble statues of great historic changeling kings and queen inside the gaps in between the large pillars
Firetail was the first to show his reaction to the site that awaited them" wow!!!!!! This is awesome" fire squeaked frantically tapping his hoofs ground unable to keep still do to the excitement he was feeling,
The happy screams with excitement, immediately made them both forgets about the reason why they were here. do to being overwhelmed glorious site of queen palace
The two changelings then started to walk down the hallway slowly, moving their heads side to side making sure to take in everything from every picture on the walls to every perfectly carved statue of kings and queens once past, all the while the knight still keeping close be hide them
After a few more minutes of walking, which felt like they going down an endless hallway, they finally came upon another large door way at the end the hall, it was even bigger than last one!, the large double doors was made from dark oak lined with gold around the edges, it was also graded by six knight on either side of the door way and, 20+ drones floating above the door armed with some kind of crossbows,
Then When Dead and fire were just a few feet away from the door, two knights from either side to the of the doorway, used their magic to swing open the massive oak door, which a firm but almost sweet voice came out" ahh my little changeling? Do please come in and meet your queen" said the unknown voice
The drones hovering over the door jested there hoofs toward the entrance while the two knights be hide them started to nub them forward, but before the two changelings could even mown in protest a loud but somewhat fuzzy voice called out for them again,” ah the two workers have arrived”, Firetail & Deadwing look around desperately trying to find where that voice came from, and then suddenly their question were answered!
a soft green glow arose from the back of the room and then suddenly engulfed the hole area lighting the up the room for all in see,” do not be shy my little changeling, don’t worry your queen doesn’t bite" the queen asked
The two changelings where frozen still once again, but this time in a mix of fear and shock but was soon quicking snap out of them with a quick pock of a spear in the back, by the two knights behind them, Fire and Deadwing responded with allowed short yell of pain, Firetail was the first to voice his anger “ ahh not so hard you could hurt some pony with that thing?” Fire said in slightly whiny tone while keeping his voice down so that the queen wouldn’t hear him
“please come closer to me my subjects, so that your queen may see your faces more clearly” but the please wasn’t more than an perlite instruction because the two didn't really have choice in the matter, so they just follow their instruction, walking slowly towards their queen, and while knight still keeping a flew hoof steps away from them at all times, making it impossible for them to run backwards
Then after a short walk,in dead silent with only the sound of sight humming coming from drones hovering outside the doorway, “ ah my loyal subjects, that better now let’s get a better at both of you shall we” Chysalis said in a somewhat happier tone
At this close Dead & Fire gone a real sense of the size and height of their queen, as she was towering over them around the size of 4 times the height of a normal drone, they recognised her from the emblem outside the palace , the two changeling found themselves shaking at the knees
“ yes these two will do nicely” chysalis said to herself, while putting an hoof under Firetail chin, moving his head left to right eyeing him over
Firetail put on uneasy smile, trying to not upset his queen, not knowing what else to do in the situation he was in
“hmmmm” chysalis said to herself while inspecting fire “ strong skull, shape teeth, healthy looking wings” after eyeing over Firetail she proceeded to check over Deadwing
Deadwing try to back away but was stop by the knights still keeping a few feet away from them both “ hmmm so your majesty why had you bought us here? Dead asked in the nicest voice possible trying to not upset his queen
“Yeah why are we here?” Fire added, with the same level of tone
Chysalis just stood there eyeing the both of them for a few more moments, then after a few more seconds , she look to the right away from the two workers, and said to the hive of drones standing in the corner” get the two just captured, and bring here” she said in an loud an instructing voice
The drones just saluted and headed off
The queen then look forward again but not at the two changelings standing in front of her, but the knight standing right behind them” inform the mine that the 2 workers, are now in my hoofs” the queen instructed, and for the first time since the knights had collected them both, did they final leave their site, and headed out of the room
Dead and fire were getting a little impatient by the wait, but It was getting over shadow by the over welling fear of HOW, WHY, and WHAT they were waiting for and why they were here?
Firetail mind started to race wild with ideas of why they were here, made be they were become knights them self’s?, maybe they had done something wrong and they were being punished? Death? Tortured? Or even being banished? Every new idea just send fires mind into more despair!
“so I bet that you two are wondering why I bought you here” chysalis said while looking at her own hoof trying not to look so excited
“You have no idea” firetail answer perking his head up
“As you two know we are at war with the pony menace”, Dead and Fire peek up their ears trying listen to their queen every word, hoping to get an answer to their questions
“And after we took control of their precious capital city, the ponies have set up strong defences around the rest of their major cities and towns; the queen started to move around the room, trying to keep their changeling eyes on her
“so how errr? does this involve us two, don’t we have hordes of soldiers to fight them, Deadwing asked still confused on why he was bought here?
Chysalis then begun to laugh “ ahah that why, Dead and fire gave off an confused look
Don’t you see, how many changelings do you know who can speak like that to their queen, chysalis horn then started to glow picking them both off the floor and hovering just in front of her
The magic made it impossible for the two changelings to move or even speak!, they were just able to move their eyes up and down
“you two are somehow have the ability to speak and think freely” the queen started to giggle some more to herself “ normally I would had the both of you kill on the spot for this insubordination, Dead and Fire irises shrunk back into their eyes, thinking their worst fears had come true
“But because of the circumstances I think you two could be useful to me” and like on cue the drones walked back into the room bring with them two brightly colour ponies, one was a minty green colour unicorn with an minty green and white mane, the other one was a cream colour earth pony with an purple and pink mane, they both had iron chains rap around their necks and a gob of glow around the green ones horn stopping the unicorn from using its magic to escape
Chysalis then turned around the two changelings in her grip, making them face the two ponies” your majesty we have bought them here” one of the drones said, It spoke in a very low pitch voice, so low it was nearly impossible to hear it
Deadwing suddenly recognised the unicorn; it was the same one from the market
“good….. So like I said before the ponies as setup strong defences, I need you two infiltrate one or two of their defences and weaken it, so that the mass of the changeling army can break throught chysalis then finally let go off her magical grip, making the changeling fall face first into the ground
“And what if we say no”, Deadwing said his face still hurting from the fall, which had been the third time
“I will kill both of you on the spot and use, your blood as paint for my walls, I bet a bit of green would bright up the place nicely”, chysalis said mockingly
“So how are we a post to infiltrate there HEAVILY strong defences an exactly?? Fire ask. putting an strong influence on heavily
“by appearing as one of them” chysalis answered
“But they know we can change shape now”,Deadwing replied
“Yeah, we will be spotted instantly” Firetail butted in
“An normal changeling would but as you two have shown, you two can think on your hoofs, something you share with the other ponies” chysalis answered
“But err” Fire was interrupted before he could say an another word
“So it settled then, you two will take the lives of these two pony’s and infiltrate one of their cities”, the queen pronounced, then proceeded to walk other to the two pony’s that were being held at the back of the room, before Dead or fire could even say another word….
Chysalis undid the chain around the green unicorn month with her magic and asked it “my little pony, what is your name! She asked in her sweeties voice, so to not scary the pony any more than it already was
“huh hmm l-ly- lyra” the green unicorn said while tears began to fill her eyes
The queen then took the chain surrounding the other pony and asked the same question
“Hmmm bon bon can we please go home now” the pony answered
Shhh my ponies” chysalis said while putting the chain back on, she then turn around to look at the two changelings standing behide her ” did you two get all that” chysalis asked
Ok I understand the plan, yeah great plan and all, but they’re both mares?” Fire said while pointing an hoof an the ponies
“Is that a problem” chrysalis said while rising an eyebrow at fire
“Hmm no” both of them answer trying not to anger their queen anymore then they already had
“Good now both of you pick one” chrysalis instructed
“I call unicorn” Deadwing said quickly
“I call unic…, ah dam it” fire said
Deadwing giggle a bit to himself, while Firetail stared at him with an annoyed look on his face, but was quickly stop by the queen talking” good, Deadwing will become lyra and Firetail will become bon bon, every changeling understand ” chrysalis said, her voice getting happier by ever word she spoke
Dead & Fire wasn't really happy about what they had to turn into or what they were going to do but they didn’t really have much of a choice about it, they both then walked up to their chose ponies and focus their eyes on them looking over every little detail, and with one green flash they had become their chosen pony
“There you go” Deadwing said to his queen, but with lyra tone of voice
“hahah you sound like a girl” Firetail said gigging
“You do, too! “Deadwing answer angrily
They both started to eye each other over for a few seconds, but then suddenly burst into laughter,” your girl, a girl hahah” Deadwing said “no you’re a girl” fire replied, this went on few more second until chrysalis stop there fun
“Stoooop it!” Chrysalis shouted, “Now you both know what to do ,good luck, with that her horn started to glow
“Hey wait what happens if we get court” Deadwing asked
“They will probably kill the both of you, good luck “with that, the two where then teleportedout of the throne room and into a random field fill of corn, somewhere far from the hive
Deadwing got up and looked around still in his lyra form” well that’s just great” Dead said in an frustrated voice
Firetail got up, but then immediately fell back on the ground in laughter”, we both look like girls’ hahahah
End of chapter one
