Author's Notes:

I find that this represents the changelings well, but don't click on it if you want a different atmosphere.

"-a breeding grounds." Cadence finished.

The group were standing on a very high platform with two flat 'slides' leading down both ways. These slides were dug out of the wall so as to facilitate keeping the larva on the ground below. Looking through the thin film used to imitate windows, the group stared at the grounds from very very high up. There were millions of eggs everywhere. Many were glued to the walls whilst changeling workers were placing others near the middle. They seemed to be ready to hatch.

"Hmmm. Usually, the queen would be either in or near the chamber holding all the eggs." Steamlord wondered aloud.

"Then we need to get through one of the exits. There's two on the ground." Sunrise noted.

"But there's a bunch of holes in the walls." Cadence noticed."We can't sneak in here."

"Holes are incubators for newly layed. None are entries or exits. All are to be ignored."

"Oh. Look. They're hatching." Sunrise said.

"That's not important." Steamlord scolded.

"Sure it is. Even for changelings, I suppose. I bet their children are disgusting, acid-spewing worms as everypony says. I'll help with viewing them." Cadence said.

The alicorn's horns glowed brightly, creating what looked like little pink circles in front of everyone's eyes. They functioned like binoculars. Using this, the group looked below to see the changeling adults flying over or walking gently through the enormous patch of eggs by hopping and skipping. There was a bizarre looking one staying near the edge of this patch. It possessed several different limps in place of its wings, and its eyes seemed to be mutated in various areas, possibly for deep analysis of the larva. Being extremely watchful of the eggs, one changeling heard cracks and what sounded like a little squee. One of the eggs was broken open. Its strange, alien-like ribbed surface was broken open, and a viscous, vanilla colored liquid oozed out. There was a tiny, almost transparent changeling who had tirelessly broken through its shell, hoping for a loving world to greet it.

"Awww. It's so cute!" Cadence and Sunrise said in unison.

"...You were wrong about their appearance." Steamlord noted.

"I...I guess I was."

The little baby was violently ribbed from the ground, held by its legs, and carried to the bizarre changeling. Upon closer inspection, it was at least larger than normal changelings by a half. The little baby began to cry, then it was grabbed by the various, very long and boney appendages on the analyzer's back. It just remained sat as the baby was analyzed. It checked its throat, used on of the appendages to check its heart beat, another for chitinous properties, and many more. This all happened in a flash. It then held it up in the air for the worker to take it to the growing chambers. Another came by, but the baby wasn't moving.

"Oh no." Sunrise cried.

The analyzer checked the changeling baby, then said:

"Dead. Birth process defect. Disposable."

It then tossed the baby into a previously unnoticed pile right next to the left-most exit.

"Hm. They seem to have a very effective and direct method of disposing of the dead. I wonder what they do with the bodies afterwards?"

This happened for quite awhile until one of the eggs released a tiny blue flash. One of the changelings hesitated to grab it, but the analyzer forced it to. The baby seemed to have already developped its black, chitinous exterior whilst its "mane" and "tail" were a deep royal blue. It even had claws of the same color. The analyzer scanned it for quite awhile. The little blue changeling began to tear up and sniffle. The analyzer looked closer at its face, but was taken aback when it started to cry. It was affected so much that its head jolted backwards.

"This changeling is a defect. Mutations comprise wings of coleoptera family, and magic absorbing properties within its chitin, suggesting that this is the reason it has already developped an exoskeleton. Exoskeleton is reinforced to control the energies within, whilst the cranial fins store them for future usage. Changelings have no need for these mutations. Magic is irrelevant. This is a defect. Dispose of it."

The analyzer tossed it harshly over its shoulder into the pile, where it was buried by the dead larva. One could hear its muffled screams and cries for help, but the changelings cared not. This was an everyday occurrence to them, so they toiled on.

"I see. I guess that this is how they work in the changeling hives. They seem very Spartan-like now that I think about it."

Sunrise turned around and looked at her dad with anger.

"How can you let them just get rid of that poor changeling? It's just a baby!"

"This is obviously how it works for the changelings. We can't interfere with nature."

"Then why did you save me? Wouldn't my death have simply been a part of 'nature'?"

"Yes." Steamlord answered nonchalantly.

Sunrise was left with her mouth agape.

"Look behind you." Steamlord added.

"What about it?" Sunrise raged.

"Where's the inky creature?" Cadence wondered as she started to look around.

Sunrise turned around, then used the magic lens and started to search all around the grounds. Then she spotted it; A black puddle running along the walls and going towards the pile. It eventually rose up to form the mechanic who promptly tossed the dead larva away and grabbing the crying changeling mutant.

"...Is that why you were so calm?" Sunrise apologetically asked.

"My technology is still working, isn't it? I also can't use my cloak for more than four people, myself included. I haven't had time to perfect it."

"They're going to attack him!" Cadence yelled.

As surprising as it seemed, the baby seemed to like Ink's 'arms', although it was still sniffling and crying. The mechanic had walked to the side of the analyzer and just looked at the eggs. The changelings didn't seem to care. This wasn't normal to Steamlord.

"Let's go. Don't attack unless provoked. We don't want to cause unnecessary casulaties."

"But they're changelings! They're just monsters!" Cadence complained.

"That categorization is only relevant to certain individuals. Sometimes you do what you must to survive. Don't judge an entire race by the actions of a single individual, especially if it's a species."

The groups slid down the pathways, with the robots sliding on the feet, weapons in hand. They all ran towards Ink, but the mechanic asked them to stop.

"This is not a trap. This is my learning."

"The queen is the room to the right, if you wish to leave now. As for you, I did not think you would have been taken by that machine." the analyzer said.

"Machine?" Steamlord wondered aloud.

"Yes. It came one day and destroyed the hive. It took the defect to my left for unknown reasons. It appears that its brain capacity was far greater than initially expected. Excellent adaptation in unsatisfactory body."

"This body has provided increased adaptability to all environnements."

"It does not provided natural adoption of indiciduals for blending and love harvesting."

"Those are irrelevant to my needs and actions."

"Let's leave. These two are going to be arguing for quite awhile." Steamlord said.

The others followed. The robots passed through the algae-like doorway first to allow time to scout. Needless to say, they were 'provoked'. When the three followed, they were surprised to see Chrysalis hugging her throne and shaking in fear. Centurion had stopped in front of it with an enormous weapon in both hands, and the black stains and holes everywhere indicated that it had fired more often near the queen than anything. The knights had stopped in front of the throne and had their claymores slammed into the ground with their hands on the hilt.

"I see you tried to ambush us. Your tactical prowess is...laughable, at best." Steamlord taunted her as he walked towards the throne.

This room was...rather small. All it had was a mounting with small steps leading to the throne that seemed to be an exact copy of Celestia's, itself being even older than the one who sits on it.

"Who are you?! Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-what are those th-th-things?!"

"Oh? You haven't heard about this creature joining my aunt's council?"

"Cadence? I was certain you would find out about Luna sooner or later. What did you do to my subject."

"My creations killed it. Rather gruesomly I might add. Now are we going to discuss where the princess is or am I to assume you'd rather have me destroy the entirety of your hive and its residents?" the human threatened.

The changelings were well-versed in emotions and the oldest had learned how to recognize bluffs and so forth from non-changelings. Because of this, the queen knew that whatever this thing was, it definately wasn't bluffing.