Author's Notes:

If you have not yet had a chance, or you missed it, Please read my blog about this chapter. This will most likely be the last 2 parter, so I hope you all enjoy!

Twilight Sparkle stood atop the Phoenix looking down at the burgeoning hive below. At present, the hive only consisted of several prefabricated structures and a wooden wall at the first perimeter surrounding an area of roughly three and a half square kilometers with the Phoenix at the center. Supplies from the colony ship’s hold were being stockpiled outside as the drones laid the foundations for more permanent structures. A sawmill near the walls, a foundry near the Phoenix's bow, and a tailor towards amidship were just a few of the businesses already in high production. Bit by bit, the colony ship was being broken down at the edges to fuel the hive’s growth, yet only a few meters on each side had been repurposed thus far.

There was an electric excitement in the air as the drones worked night and day to build their new home. Those of the more militant variety barely had a day’s rest between the constant pressure put on by the Everfree Forest itself. The untamed woods did not give up land easily, and fought the technophilic invaders for every scrap of land they claimed. Disruptions to construction efforts ranged from Poison Joke rendering drones and machines ineffective to the mighty hydras and manicores breaching the walls on multiple occasions with the latter being driven back by the lethal turrets on the Phoenix. At the very least those breaches provided a new source of steak for the week.

At present, Twilight had a wide grin fixed on her muzzle as she was riding high on what she felt was the most revered queenly activity: deep communion with the hive mind. A few soldiers remained by their queen’s side to make sure none of the aerial threats of the Everfree Forest could threaten her as she completely immersed herself in her work. With their queen concentrating so much on the Link, construction crews found themselves more efficient, complementing each other’s movements and seeing greatly improved construction speed. The sentries manning the walls more vigilant and reacting to any threats one of their comrades spotted instantly. Each drone felt their queen’s influence bolstering their morale and drive.

Even the nymphs playing in the schools and dormitories felt the stronger presence of their mother. Many were urged on to study harder, and others were more rambunctious in play time. Some simply sat there, basking in Twilight’s palpable presence. While the young changelings could have whatever information they needed to learn simply handed to them via the hive mind, Twilight limited it so that her children would develop a love for scholastic endeavors. It didn’t always stick.

While the majority of Twilight’s concentration was directed at the hive mind, she spared enough to seek out her newest sister. It was not hard to find her. Aegis and several of her fellow Jevruun Vrunningee were panting heavily as they recovered from the grueling training session Rainbow Dash had just put them through.

The former Wonderbolts officer wasn’t content with just physical training however and had the ailing changelings follow her to the top of one the Phoenix’s main deck guns. Twilight decided to borrow one of the soldiers’ ears and eyes rather than interrupt her briefing.

Rainbow Dash was flying near a chalkboard and paced back and forth in front of it. Her flying under the new wings was rocky, but hovering and slow flight was simplistic enough. “I know most of you are used to me giving you guys flight lessons, but things have changed. Previously, my oath to the Wonderbolts forbid me from instructing you in ways of combat, but (rather obvious) recent events have seen me discharged from the Bolts, and both Princesses have given me permission to share sensitive information. As such, I can teach all of you how to handle the chaos spawn we will be facing down in roughly six months' time. Seeing as my sister..." Rainbow paused briefly as a small smile flit across her face. There was something about referring to Twilight as a sister that felt… right. "My sister has put me in charge of the hive's military training, and we're not going to waste any time!”

She landed to try and wrap the piece of chalk in her magenta magic, but Rainbow was barely a week out of the shell and her magical command still left much to be desired. Bah, I don’t have time for this. Rainbow snatched the chalk in her hoof before her weak telekinesis attempt could become awkward and started drawing.

Rainbow talked as she drew a ten centimeter high changeling on the far left side of the chalkboard with a twelve centimeter version of herself standing next to it. She made sure mini-RD struck a radical pose, although her tone was all business. “I’m going to say it here and now. The Chaos Lands are a complete disaster area. The first area my platoon patrolled during my tour was right on the south western edge of an active volcano. The land around it is little more than a lava blasted ash wasteland. There’s three pegasi weather teams stationed there at all times to clear the ash after eruptions.”

She finished drawing a crude recreation of what the gathered soldiers could only surmise to be a rocky bulldog with no eyes and an oversized mouth. It stood twice as tall as the drone figure. “This beastie’s called a Lava Hound. Not very imaginative, but you try making up a better name when he’s boiling your hide off just by being next to you. They’re dormant except during eruptions and that’s when they rampage the surrounding area until the volcano chills out. They don’t really seek anypony out as they don’t care about eating ponies, but they’re still deadly and cause forest fires if allowed to go far enough south.”

The gathered soldiers tried to ignore the mild twinge of apprehension, with most taking solace in their ability to fly.

Rainbow Dash revealed three other creatures that called the outskirts of the Chaos Lands home, not all of them were as disturbing as the last, but they were all equally deadly. She was about to go over a fourth when Twilight signaled a hive wide lunch break.

Finally some grub, Rainbow mused happily before addressing her audience. “I want all of you to disseminate this information to the rest of the military arm. I want everypony coming back from the expedition when it finally starts.”

Scattered acknowledgements answered back. Rainbow found one of the plazas below was being furnished to an outdoor dining area, much like Stripped Gear’s own. I think Rarity and the others will be down there.

A spoon wrapped in lavender-orange aura gently mixed Twilight’s tea while a second spoon swirled Rarity’s own beverage. They were sitting with Fluttershy on one of the first tables placed on the South Central plaza as they waited for their order to be delivered from the ship’s kitchens.

“I must say Twilight, your progeny are quite industrious,” Rarity complimented as she let her eyes examine the hive growing around the colony ship. “The Everfree Forest might be a decent place once you’re done with it.”

Twilight giggled before taking a sip. “I hope so. I’ll be living here for a long time.” She looked over to Fluttershy who was poking the small toy Clockwerk with curiosity. “I’m glad you came by to visit today, Fluttershy. The nymphs have missed you since we left Canterlot.”

The bashful pegasus blushed. “They’re such sweet little angels, even if some can get a bit rowdy. You’ll be pleased to know that Canterlot Medical was rather surprised by my report on nymph development cycles. They were half expecting the eggs to hatch into a caterpillar-like larva.”

Rarity scoffed at such ignorance. “Well I for one am glad you set them straight, Fluttershy. The more the public knows about changelings, the less they’ll fear.”

“Which will also help strengthen ties with Equestria,” Twilight added. “It won’t happen overnight, but I’m sure one day my hive will be as welcome as griffins and minotaurs are.”

“Speaking of the hive,” Fluttershy prodded meekly, “how’s Rainbow Dash handling things? It must have shocked her to death to wake up a princess.”

Twilight glanced up at the blue changeling flying towards them. “Why don’t you ask her yourself?”

Everyone looked up to see Rainbow Dash come in for a mostly smooth landing. “Hey girls, sorry I couldn’t say hi earlier, Flutters, the kids are seriously lacking real combat experience.”

A drone flew over to drop off some cider for her aunt before buzzing off to tend to her siblings. Twilight repeated Fluttershy’s concerns via the Link. A slight frown crossed the blue changeling. “The whole egg thing’s got me kinda freaking, to be honest. But I guess… I guess I’ve always been a part of Twily’s hive.” She shot her sister a weak lopsided grin. “The kids sure think so, and they’re real class acts.”

Both ponies were a little distracted by how Rainbow heard Fluttershy’s earlier statement, but passed it off as a non-issue. Rarity cooed as the waitress finally arrived with their food, Rainbow’s included. “I must say, Dash, you surprise me with how much dedication you’re putting into your new role in things.”

Rainbow sighed with pent up sadness as she munched on a salad. “It’s not like I got much else to hope for. I’m a royal bug, and at some point I’m going to end up looking like Twilight. And not for nothing, sis, but your body shape and size may be great for laying a dozen eggs every day, but it just wouldn’t cut it in the Bolts.”

It didn’t take much for Twilight to sniff out the other side of the problem. “You’re more worried about laying eggs than flying fast, aren’t you.”

Rainbow tried to ignore her sister’s statement of fact with more food and said nothing. Yet the silence itself was answer enough. Twilight knew better than to try and lift Rainbow’s spirit via the hive mind. She needs to work this out for herself.

Fluttershy nibbled on her food for a minute or so, battling with herself on how to phrase her next comment. “You seem to like Twilight’s drones a lot.”

A slight upward tug on Rainbow’s muzzle lasted only for an instant. “Yeah, they’re a good bunch of kids. A lot of them are just as dorky as their mother, but it’s the good kind of dork that makes them alright in my book.”

“I don’t know if I’ve just been insulted or complimented,” Twilight fumed mildly.

“Just take the compliment, Dear,” Rarity encouraged while trying to avoid giving Rainbow an admonishing glance. “As you for you, Dash, I thought you’d see this whole egg thing as a blessing more than anything else.”

Twilight and Fluttershy’s ears perked up at that, but said nothing as they ate. Rainbow Dash leaned back on her chair to give the fashionista a disbelieving scowl. “Look Rares, the whole princess thing isn’t all bad. I get it. Hell, I’ve practically been an honorary princess to the kids for years. Now that I’ve become Twilight’s biological sister, it just means I’m officially their aunt. But even if I could get my old wing power back, I’m going to end up growing into a queen long before that happens, and I just can’t see myself ever being Wonderbolt material after that.”

Rarity tried to make a reply, but Rainbow grit her teeth as she kept going. “So I’m stuck okay? I really like it here with Twilight. I don’t mind taking up this whole princess role, because for all intents and purposes I’ve been one for years now.” Rainbow suppressed a depreciating sigh. “I really thought that at least as a drone I’d get a chance to enter the Bolts again one day. But now…” She looked at Twilight and saw her future in her. “Now it’s just not going to happen. So the hive’s all I got anymore.”

Oh, Dash, I wish I knew what to say, Twilight lamented. Rarity busied herself with her meal while Fluttershy was struck with an idea.

“You know Rainbow, this could be far better than you being a drone instead. Not, that I have anything against drones I mean,” Fluttershy quickly added, but Twilight was far from being insulted.

Maybe I should have just eaten lunch by myself. I’m just dragging everypony else down. Rainbow tried to lift a fork with her magic, but only managed to rattle her silverware and sighed in resignation. “How?”

“Well, umm, you’re going to have lots of drones one day, right?”

“As if I could forget.” Rainbow guzzled her cider to get the sour taste of the conversation out of her mouth.

Fluttershy nervously rubbed her forelegs together as she tried to word everything correctly. “And they’ll all be like you, right?”

“I guess so,” Rainbow muttered as she gave up on the magic and just leaned forward to eat.

“While Twilight’s children are wonderful fliers, I know without a doubt that yours would be the best possible right?” Fluttershy gave Rainbow her best encouraging smile. Twilight was more than willing to concede the best flier title to her new sister, and leaned back without saying anything while giving a nod of agreement. When no one objected, Fluttershy pressed her point. “So maybe you can’t be a part of the Wonderbolts anymore. That doesn’t mean you and your children can’t make something ten times better, right?”

Twilight hummed in curiosity. “If you do it right, you might be able to outdo the work you’ve put into the Jevruun Vrunningee.”

Rarity gasped as a she bounced in her seat with a lady like shriek of cheer. “And I could design a whole uniform line that would fit your stunning mane colors to a tee!”

Rainbow Dash stopped chewing the instant her friends’ suggestions finally registered. She looked up at Fluttershy with a lackluster smile. “Yeah, the princesses mentioned something like that. The idea’s cool and all, but what it’ll take to get there…” The thought of laying hundreds of thousands of eggs, having thousands of drones calling her momma, and the prospect of one day managing a hive, sent a cold shudder down her spine so frigid that it made her wings buzz in fear.

Fluttershy wrapped a lock of her mane around a hoof and kept twirling it as she spoke. “I know its not what you expected to have to deal with, Rainbow. But you’re the bravest pony - er - changeling I know. You wouldn’t let something like this drag you down, now would you?”

Rainbow Dash blinked slowly as she processed Fluttershy’s encouragement. It helped a little, but it wasn’t enough to pull Rainbow out of her funk. “I guess not.”

The timekeeper drone sounded the changing of the hour across the hive mind, causing both royals to look to the Phoenix. Rainbow snarfed the last of her food before standing. “I better get back to it, or the kids won’t last five minutes in the chaos lands. Cya!”

Twilight watched her go before giving her pony friends a quick hug. “I better get going too. I need to oversee a new logging machine before it's implemented.”

“Just as well, Darling,” Rarity fussed while collecting the dirty dishes in her magic. “The life of a seamstress is never dull around here.” She saw Fluttershy trying to give her a nod towards Rainbow Dash who was already nearing the awaiting soldiers. “But RD has me worried. You wouldn’t mind giving her a sister-to-sister talk would you? I’m sure it would do wonders for her.”

Twilight followed Rarity’s gaze to her sister. A frown sullied her features. “I gave her an open invitation to talk about it, but I felt giving her time and space was what she needed most. Still, maybe actually talking to her about it would be for the best.” She worked up a smile and shared it with her friends. “I’ll do it as soon as I can. Bye, girls.”

The sun had long since slipped below the horizon when Rainbow Dash sat alone on the edge of a main deck gun. Her forelegs dangled over the lip of the gun barrel as she watched the night shift work under lamp light. Day or night the hive was under constant construction.

Fear simmered at the edge of her mind as she watched Twilight’s brood toil away to build their new home. The cold night sky felt nice upon her withers as the breeze tousled her mane. Yet even after eight days since hatching, the image of the nursery’s hundreds of chrysalises haunted her. All of her bluster and posturing from before melted away the more she thought about it. Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but to squeeze her back legs together as if hoping that would be enough to delay the inevitable.

What am I going to do? she thought worriedly as she gripped her head. I’ll never make a good queen! I’m nothing like Twilight and her stupid crazy organization or Cadista and her perfect leadership.

Rainbow let her head go and vacantly stared down at the hive. I’m supposed to be a Wonderbolt. Top ace flier and daredevil, not some egg laying bug queen.

The hive mind sensed her deepening anxiety and several drones tried to talk to her, but Rainbow blocked it all out, leaving only the background din audible. As much as she hated it, a tear dampened her fur. Twilight doesn’t need a military dog for a sister. If anypony it should have been Rarity or Fluttershy. They’d love being a royal, I’ll just fail miserably at it. The hive’ll crumble, and the worst part is Twilight won’t do the right thing and kick me out. Maybe I should—

“Hey, sis.” Twilight’s voice snapped Rainbow out of her musings. She had been so deep in thought she hadn’t even noticed the queen’s buzzing wings until now. “You’re feeling kind of down.”

Rainbow’s first reaction was to puff up her chest and give her trademark superior grin, but then she realized there was no point to it. She deflated almost immediately and slumped on the turret barrel. “What’s the point in trying to hide it from you…? Or anypony on the Link for that matter.”

Twilight fluttered over to the turret’s second gun barrel to land. “I can teach you how to shield your emotions, Rainbow.”

“Maybe later.” Rainbow tried to stretch her face with her hooves, but they bumped into her horn. Stupid useless thing. Why does pegasi magic have to be so different from using a horn?

Twilight wasn’t sure what to say, so she settled for nestling down on the other turret barrel. It’s not like her to think this hard. She’s trying to forget about oviposition, but what can I say to make her feel better?

Coming up with nothing, Twilight settled for just keeping her new sister company. Wish she had picked a place where I could hug her without falling off.

Ideas about what her future drones would be like, and what she’d end up doing with them slid in and out of Rainbow’s mind, but she mostly just tried to keep her brain vacant. Unfortunately it was a lot harder than it used to be, and eggs kept bouncing back into her mind’s eye. Gah! If there’s anything else I can’t stand about all this is that Twilight’s blood is making me think too much. I can’t not think about it.

Rainbow casually glanced around to see if there was anyone else within earshot before turning to her sister. Twilight was stargazing. A slight furrow in her brow betrayed her inner concerns, but overall she was a paragon of content. “Twi, can I ask you something?”

“Of course you can, RD.” Twilight turned away from the stars to face the blue changeling.

“How do you handle the whole… egg thing?”

Twilight wanted to laugh, but kept it down to keep from insulting her morose sister. “I’ll be the first to admit it was terrifying in the beginning.”

A snicker escaped Rainbow Dash, injecting some much needed humor. “That’s for sure. The look on your face in the library’s bathroom was priceless. You’re lucky I didn’t have a camera.”

Twilight shared in the laughter and covered her mouth as she did. “What can I say? It was life changing.”

“Yeah… I guess it was.” Rainbow’s cheer threatened to fall back into depression. “What about now though?” She waved at the hundreds of drones toiling below. “You just get used to it?”

“Well…” Twilight looked up as she tapped her chin. Memories of her proto-queen days bubbled up, bringing an odd sense of nostalgia back with them. “It sort of became routine by the end of the first week, and after that it was just a fact of life for me that I would always lay eggs for the rest of my now very long life.” Rainbow’s ears drooped and she laid her head back down on the cold steel turret. “But it all changed once my first eggs hatched and the nymphs entered my life.”

Rainbow leaned her head towards Twilight, but didn’t face her. “I hear a lot of mothers feel that way about their first foal.”

“Yeah, so do I,” Twilight said with a smirking shrug. “While I don’t want to belittle what a mammalian mother experiences upon seeing their first foal, for us queens its far more potent.”

“Ya sure?” Rainbow’s curiosity was starting to override her reluctance. “Cause I would think it would get diluted over having so many kids.”

“Maybe,” Twilight admitted evenly. “But I like to think that I treasure each and every one of my children as much as any mammal.”

Rainbow’s ears flicked in agitation. “Are you really trying to hammer home we’re not mammals anymore?”

“It just came up.” Twilight shrugged before flashing a comforting grin. “No point in deluding ourselves.”

“I guess.” The conversation petered out as both mares enjoyed the wind in their manes and the sounds of construction below. Rainbow could feel the overwhelming serenity washing over her from Twilight. She followed her bigger sister’s gaze to a boarding house that was being raised as the first domicile outside of the Phoenix. Some part of Rainbow resonated at the sight, as if she felt inspired by the drones’ work.

“You seem really happy at least.” Rainbow Dash tried to sound like more pleasant company.

“What’s not to be happy about? I’ve finally gotten a place to build our new home and construction is going swimmingly. The forest isn’t giving up land easily, but we’re still progressing.” Her tone was wistful and full of love. “I know it’s a big shock to you, RD, and I want to help you in every way I can, but I couldn’t ask for a better sister to help me lead the hive into a bright future.”

“Bah, anypony would be better than me. I’m a soldier. I can lead an army, but I’m no good at this civilian leadership stuff.”

“I’m not asking you to be, sis,” Twilight stated firmly, pulled Rainbow’s gaze away from the drones. “We all have to start somewhere, RD. I wasn’t born to rule, I was trained to. First by Princess Celestia, and then by Cadista. I’m sure you weren’t the best flier in all of Equestria on day one either, right?”

“Well, no… I trained myself every day since that race to save Fluttershy’s honor.” Rainbow realized Twilight’s point the moment she finished speaking. “Y-you really think we can make this work?”

A large friendly grin came over Twilight as she flew over to pull her sister into a strong hug. “Rainbow, you can do anything you set your heart on.” She back up to look at the blue changeling in the eye. “You’ll make a wonderful queen one day, sis. And I’ll be here every step of the way. Together, our hive cannot fail.”

“I think you put too much faith in me,” Rainbow replied somberly. She both hated and loved that Twilight’s affection wrapped her in a warm blanket that was prying away at the insecurities that she was clinging to so tightly.

“Nonsense,” Twilight chided before nuzzling her sister. “You have the makings of a great queen, Rainbow. Knowing you, you’d only have to give fifty percent effort to make an awesome possum queen.” Rainbow’s depression cracked a little. “One of these days you’re going to look in the mirror and be proud to call yourself: Queen Rainbow Dash.” Twilight leaned back to reinforce her warm but strongly serious tone. “I know I will be.”

Rainbow stared into the loving eyes of her friend-become-sister. Twilight’s love was like a sun against the snow of her terror. In her mind, Rainbow knew that heat would fade once they departed each other’s company. However for that moment at least, her worries felt less imposing than they once did. “I promise Twi, I’ll be the best sister I can be.”

She hovered above the turret and wrapped her sister into another bear hug, and held on for dear life if only to keep close Twilight’s love to stay warm from the blizzard of doubt that threatened to return. “I know you will, RD. Just remember that anypony in the hive will be more than happy to help you in any way possible. After all, a happy queen is a happy hive.”

*Snrrt* “Sure is.”

“Come on. We should get some sleep, and then-” Twilight separated so she could giggle and clap her hooves. “-tomorrow will be a perfect day to strengthen the bonds of sisterhood!”

“Doing what?”

“Learning all about changeling magic of course! You’ve got a horn, and I’m going to show you how to use it for more than a built in shish kabob skewer.”

“That was one time!” Rainbow attested as she playfully swatted at her sister. Twilight laughed cheerfully as she took the hit on her foreleg. Rainbow tried to look up at the spike jutting out of her forehead and tapped it with a hoof. “Fine by me though. If this thing’s going to camp itself on my head it better start paying rent.” She breathed easier listening to her sister laugh. The blizzard of fear was smaller now, and even as Twilight waved goodbye for the night, the snow failed to return in full. Maybe this’ll work out after all.