Four years later…

Spinnekop had begun to open her eyes when the loud cacophony of the Hive waking up caught her ears. She grumbled something incoherent before pushing herself off the membranous layer that constituted a bed. She rubbed her eyes with her hooves before hearing the thin door membrane pulled apart.

“Spinnekop!” A small voice called. “We’re going to be late for the Queen’s meeting if you don’t wake up!”

Spinnekop grumbled before letting out a yawn. “Relax… What time is it?”

The voice called back. “It’s Nine o’ Clock! You slept in!”

Spinnekop’s eyes shot open. “NO! Why today?” She shouted. “Why did I choose today to sleep in!”

“Just hurry up!” The young Changeling called back. “The Queen requested us. You know how much she hates waiting.”

Spinnekop glared at the young Changeling. “I remember…” She said. “Just give me a minute.” She grabbed the pendant from beside her bed, and looked at the crystal.

“Where is it pointing today?” The Changeling asked.

“It’s pointing to the west… again…” Spinnekop replied. “Come on, Cara, we need to go!” She slipped the pendant over her head so that it rested at her chest, before rushing towards the membrane.

Cara had been Spinnekop’s roommate in the Barracks ever since she got moved there as a Pupa. They were both looking forward to the same thing that day, the Queen would be speaking to them personally! While it would be for different reasons, for Cara it would be to see what branch of the Military she would be in, while with Spinnekop, it would be to see what her assignment was.

“Don’t you think you should get some food, Spinnekop?” Cara asked.

“No time!” Spinnekop replied. “I’ll eat later!” She shouted, rushing off towards the exit to their Cluster’s Barracks. “We’ll be late if I stop to eat!”

Cara sighed and began to run after her. While Spinnekop was naturally better at picking out details, she was much less athletic than the others in the Hive, so Cara had very little challenge catching up to her. “Not even a little bit?”

“Cara… I said… No!” She said while trying to focus on running down the hall without bumping into anybody.

“Alright. But don’t blame me if you fall asleep during your little mission.” Cara said earning her a glare from Spinnekop.

The two of them ran through the Hive, not stopping to talk to anyone or catch their breath, they stayed focused on the large black structure in the far side of the Hive, Chrysalis’ Castle, where the Queen personally handled the Hive in almost every way. By the time the two of them got there, Spinnekop was breathing hard, while Cara was barely even deviating her breathing pattern.

“You’re late.”

They looked up to see the Red eyed glare of General Mimic, the commander of Chrysalis’ army. “What do you two have to say for yourselves?”

Cara glanced over at Spinnekop. “General Mimic, sir, I had trouble rousing Spinnekop from her sleep. I only just managed to get here this late.”

The General looked down at them. “Spinnekop, you should know better than to test the Queen’s patience.” Spinnekop lowered her ears and backed away slightly.

Mimic sighed. “Get in there you two.” He pushed open the door with his hind leg and let Cara inside, but stopped Spinnekop. “Listen, Spinnekop, you can’t keep doing things like this. You aren’t a pupa anymore.”

“I know, General…”

“Then I expect you to take this punishment very seriously.” He said. “When you get back to the barracks, you are to help care for the newly laid eggs.” He lowered himself to look into her eyes. “Next time, you’ll be helping clean out the entire Barracks.” He moved his leg to let Spinnekop in. “Don’t make me enforce that punishment.”

Spinnekop nodded and ran into the castle, quickly managing to find her way to the Queen’s Chambers, and line up next to Cara.

“What took you?” Cara whispered.

“Mimic had to punish me…” Spinnekop replied.

“As if you don’t have it bad enough already…” Cara said. “I think I’m the only one who likes you in the Cluster.”

Spinnekop nodded. “You aren’t wrong.” Just then, the door to the Queen’s Chamber opened and a Changeling guard walked out.

“The Queen will see you now.” He said, his spear held in his hooves, as if daring any of them to try something. He turned around and walked back into the throne room, the line of Nymphs following behind him.

The Throne room was a large, black room with green windows that looked out to the entire Hive, at the far end was a throne made of obsidian stone, carved perfectly to suit the large green crystal heart above it, as well as complement the one sitting in it.

Queen Chrysalis looked down at the Nymphs, silently judging them from how they acted, some of them cringed slightly, took a small second pause between a step, and some kept on walking straight. As soon as the Nymphs were lined up in front of the Queen’s throne, General Mimic walked in and closed the large doors. There was a brief pause before he walked up to the throne, and stood next to the Queen.

Chrysalis looked over the line once more. “So these are the newest Soldiers this Hive can offer?” She stood up and walked down the steps of her throne, slowly coming to stand in front of them. She shook her head and walked down to the end of the line. “Pathetic.” She said looking over all of them. Some of the Nymphs were clearly nervous, their legs and wings buzzing slightly.

“Soldiers! Attention!” Mimic shouted, all at once, the Nymphs snapped to attention almost in perfect sync with the soldiers in the room.

Chrysalis began to walk slowly down the line, looking over each of them with a critical eye. “Sloppy, all of you.” She said, stopping at one of the larger Drones, she lowered her head down to stare him directly in the eyes, but his stony expression never wavered. “Hmph.” She said as she stood back up. “At least one of you can do something right.” She said.

She walked down the rest of the line, criticizing each Changeling in turn. When she finished she flew back up to her throne. “I’m disappointed if this is all of the Soldiers you could manage to whip into shape.”

“They may not be the best at posture, but at least their scores are good.” Mimic said. “One of the top five clusters of this generation.”

“Yes.” Chrysalis replied. “We’ll see how well they handle themselves during their tests.”

Along the line a small muttering of “Tests? What tests?” spread until Chrysalis raised her hoof to silence them.

“You will all be expected to at least pass your first tests, if you do not, then you are merely a liability if we let you into the field, you will be demoted to Tunnelers. A shame really, I don’t like wasting my time.” Chrysalis said, glaring down at them. “Now, let’s see what the scores say about your chances.”

Her horn lit up green as a stack of papers immolated themselves into existence. Mimic stepped forward to speak to them. “You will step forward once your name is called, at which point the Queen will determine which area of the military best suites your skills.”

“Molt!” Chrysalis shouted, looking over the first sheet. A small unassuming Changeling stepped forward. “Excellent flight and magic scores, pathetically weak endurance, but overall acceptable Hoof to Hoof combat. Aerial class.”

Molt stepped back into line.

“Corath!” The sequence continued for quite a while, before Chrysalis finally came to the last three sheets.

“Cara!”

“Good luck.” Spinnekop whispered.

“Excellent Endurance, Deception, Ground speed. I dare say that you would be perfect for an Infiltrator.” She frowned. “If not for the fact that your flight scores leave much to be desired, as well as your Combat scores. Quick thinking, analytical, small stature…” Chrysalis rubbed her chin. “I’d say that you would make a perfect Scout.”

Cara held back her smile of joy at that statement.

“Cocoon!” The Changeling in question stepped forward. Chrysalis glared at him. “Your scores are absolutely pathetic.” She hissed. “Worthless intelligence, weak physically, I’m surprised you found your way out of an egg, let alone this hive.” Her expression changed only a little bit. “Though… Your magic scores are simply absurd… Perhaps the highest I have seen.”

Chrysalis ignited the paper. “However, I need soldiers, you would be better served elsewhere.” She looked over the last paper. “Spinnekop!” Chrysalis shouted.

Spinnekop took a deep breath and stepped forward. Waiting to hear whether she would be able to proceed on the mission Chrysalis had been watching her train for.

Chrysalis looked over the paper, keeping her expression neutral as she looked through the scores. “Interesting…” She said, looking over it. “Spinnekop, you are to return here tonight after the evening meal.”

Spinnekop’s ears fell. “Yes… Queen Chrysalis…”

With that, the session concluded, the group was led out of the Throne room and back towards the barracks, where Spinnekop had yet to cheer up.

“Come on, Spin,” Cara said as Spinnekop landed on her bed with a huff. “It isn’t that bad.”

“Easy for you to say…” Spinnekop said. “You actually got the job you were looking for.” Spinnekop opened her small dresser with her magic and pulled out an inch thick stick, and a knife, and began whittling away at it.

“Spin! Don’t do that! You know what Mimic will say if he catches you…”

Spinnekop sighed. “You’re right…” She placed the materials back in the drawer and closed it. “I need to go take care of the Pupas…” She grumbled. “As punishment for being late.”

“Spin… Just… Keep calm alright… I’m sure it will be fine.”

“Or I’ll just get kicked out of the Hive…” She mumbled holding her necklace with a hoof. “Now it’s pointing North…” She said. “Does this thing ever make up its mind?”

“Well, at least it acts like a compass now.” Cara replied. “Come on, Spin, cheer up.”

Spinnekop looked at her friend. “I have spent four years of my life training to do a special mission for the Queen, and now I might not even get the chance!”

“Maybe she just doesn’t want everyling knowing? I mean… she never told you what you were training for.”

“I guess so…” Spinnekop replied. “But… She may just exile me because my scores were so low!”

Cara rolled her eyes. “She wouldn’t exile you, she would most likely just put you into Tunneler duty, but you’re too smart for that.” She replied. “Just relax, this will all be fine.”

Spinnekop sighed. “I hope you’re right…” She replied, taking off her necklace with her magic. “Don’t want this to get acid spit all over it… again…”

Cara smiled. “I’ll keep my eye on it.” Cara replied. “I know it means a lot to you.”

“Thanks Cara.” Spinnekop said. “Now I’ve got to go… Something tells me the Pupas are going to be… less than pleasant.”

Cara giggled, which came out with a small buzz. “Serves you right for being late.”

Spinnekop rolled her eyes. “Yeah, Yeah, keep rubbing it in…” Spinnekop said, walking out of the room. “Just keep that necklace safe! If I find it missing, I will kill you!”

“Sure you will.” Cara replied. “Now get going, you have Pupa to feed.”

When Spinnekop came back, she was covered in vomit and wearing a mask over her snout. She walked in to be greeted by Cara sitting down reading a book. “So? How’d it go?”

Spinnekop removed her mask. “One of the little devils puked on me…” She sighed. “I had to wear this so that I wouldn’t accidently breathe any of it…”

“So… You’re good?” Cara asked.

“Yeah… I just… Really need a shower.” She said. “The small waterfall should work right?”

Cara nodded. “You plan on actually coming to Dinner tonight?” She asked. “Remember Chrysalis wants to speak with you.”

“I know…” Spinnekop replied. “I’m going right after evening meal.”

Cara nodded. “Good. I’m not keeping track of you again.”

Spinnekop sighed as she grabbed her necklace, and looked at the pendant. “I want to know what this means…”

Cara sighed. “Spin, we don’t know, you were found with it outside the barracks. We know just as much about it as you do.”

Spinnekop looked at the pendant, the small needle making only minor changes to its position. “You’d think my parents would leave me something functional…”

Cara was going to reply, but Mimic walked into the Chamber. “Come on, you two, evening Meal is in a half hour.”

After the evening Meal, a standard affair of a bit of hay, some love, and a few oats, Spinnekop made her way shakily to the castle. “I can do this…” She whispered to herself. “It’s not that bad… I won’t just be thrown out of the Hive to slowly starve…” She shook that thought away as she reached the polished black steps to the castle. She sighed and climbed the steps.

“State your business, Nymph.” One of the Guards barked at her.

“Spinnekop… I was told to come back after the Evening Meal…”

The Guard smiled. “Ah… You’ve been stirring quite a bit of attention, Nymph. Speculations are running wild on what the Queen called you for.” He opened the door with his magic. “Best not keep her waiting.”

Spinnekop gulped as she stepped into the large hallways of the castle. She dreaded the large structure at night, so many places that this could go wrong, some stories spread that if a Changeling entered the chambers at night, they never came back out… Those stories all made Spinnekop shiver. She was now inside the castle, when it approached night.

“Those are just stories…” She told herself. “There’s no such thing as Darklings…” A sudden clang made her jump into the air several feet. “M-Maybe I’ll just go faster…”

She made her way through the castle until she got to the Queen’s throne room, she knocked on it when she heard Chrysalis speak through the Hive mind. "Enter"

Spinnekop let out a long breath before she pushed open the door. She didn’t know how, but Chrysalis was even more intimidating when she was alone then when she was with Mimic. In her magical grip, was a sheet of paper. She looked down at the Nymph when she entered.

Spinnekop bowed when Chrysalis gazed at her. “Y-You wanted to s-see me… Your H-Highness?”

“Yes, Spinnekop, I did.” Chrysalis said, taking the paper and levitating it down to her. “Tell me what you see here?”

Spinnekop hesitated. “Go on.” Chrysalis urged.

Spinnekop looked at the sheet, it held a number of rows which each held a small line graph on them or a number. The Magic stats and endurance were measured with graphs, while most others were with numbers. “I… See an average Changeling…”

Chrysalis moved the sheet forward. “Look a little closer… Specifically on the bottom.”

Spinnekop looked at it, most of her scores were pretty average for a Changeling, her combat scores weren’t the greatest, she had bad endurance, but the one stat that seemed strange was… “Artistry.”

“Yes…” Chrysalis replied. “Read what it says.”

Spinnekop did. “Shows excellent creative potential, enjoys working with hooves, a few contraband items located within quarters…”

“Now why is that?” Chrysalis replied. “That the only Changeling in the entire Hive that has an impeccable felicity for expression, is also the only one that I need for this job?”

Spinnekop cringed back. “I… Don’t know…”

Chrysalis walked over to stand in front of Spinnekop. “I believe you understand how much Artists in this Hive hold us back?”

Spinnekop nodded.

“However… I believe we can use this.” Chrysalis replied.

Spinnekop looked up at her hopefully.

“Now, I have plenty of Infiltrators at my disposal, all of them cunning, ruthless, deadly.” She turned to look at Spinnekop. “Why do you think I asked you to come here?”

Spinnekop shuddered. “T-To talk?”

“To assign you a mission.” Chrysalis replied. “While my Infiltrators are the best, I need one with a little more…” Chrysalis twirled her hoof. “Expression. Tell me, what do you know of Alicorns?”

Spinnekop blinked. “I… Don’t know…”

“Regardless, they are some of the most powerful creatures on the planet, one alone can control the movement of the Sun and Moon to her whim.” She walked to stand next to Spinnekop. “And I have heard tell of one being born not all that long ago.”

Spinnekop looked up to her. “I’m sure you are well aware of the method I use for young infiltrators?”

“You… Build a relationship… Then bleed them dry…”

“Precisely, however I do not think letting you roam would be an intelligent decision, so I have an alternative method.”

A Courier Changeling flew into the Chamber, distinguishable due to his larger wings. He held a white envelope in his magic.

“You see, the ponies have a system known as… Pen Pals… they write to one another about their lives and other such drivel. That is where you come in.”

Spinnekop looked up at the Queen. “What do you want me to do?”

Chrysalis took the message from the courier and levitated it down to Spinnekop. “I wish for you to write to the young Alicorn, learn what you can, build up a relationship. Consider it, you’re very own special mission as one of my Infiltrators.”

Spinnekop beamed. This is great!

“You will receive and write letters weekly at first, and you will use this journal,” She levitated over a small brown book, “to keep track of any information you find out. I want monthly reports of progress, and while you are not doing these tasks, I want you to continue your training. Understood?”

Spinnekop nodded. “Yes, my Queen!” She said happily.

“And one final thing.” Chrysalis replied. “You are not to make any mention of being a Changeling.”

Spinnekop’s smile dropped. “Huh?”

Chrysalis shook her head. “You are to create a pony persona, and use that instead of your actual name, other information can be used, however you must choose a race and color scheme as well as a name, should you have trouble, Mimic will assist you.” Chrysalis lowered the envelope to Spinnekop. “Now get back to the barracks, I expect the first letter to be written tomorrow.”

Spinnekop grabbed the envelope and book in her own magic and bowed. “Of course, my Queen.”

“Go.” Chrysalis said, and Spinnekop left the room, as she closed the door, she barely managed to contain the excited chirping. She was safe, she had a job! She didn’t fail her Queen! But she stopped when she realized one very important thing. “I don’t know how to be a Pony!”

Sure they had made disguises, and been taught some basic mannerisms, but none of the big stuff came until they were already accepted into the military. What if I mess up? She began to shake a little at the thought. Just be yourself… It won’t be that hard… Oh Chrysalis, I’m going to be in so much trouble!

She looked up at one of the magically wound clocks that were littered around the Hive, she had to get back to the Barracks, or she would miss curfew!

“I’m going to be late!” She shouted as she began sprinting through the castle halls, and rushing through the streets.

When she got back to her room, she was breathing rapidly, her wings fluttered to help push off the adrenaline. Cara was sitting on her own bed, looking at Spinnekop. “So,” She said. “How’d it go?”

Spinnekop smiled. “I got an assignment!” She said happily. “I need to make a pony form!”

Cara looked at her. “A pony form? What for?”

“I can’t tell you.” Spinnekop replied. “But I need to do something while I think.” Her horn lit up as the stick and knife flew out of the drawer and landed on her bed.

“Spin… If Mimic…”

“I know, Cara.” Spinnekop replied. “But I need to do something. I’ll just explain to Mimic if he sees, I need to talk to him anyway.” She said, sitting down on her bed and grabbing the knife with her hoof, while steadying the stick with her magic. She began to run the blade along the wood, taking off small strips of it while she worked.

Cara sighed. “I’m not getting in trouble if you get caught.” She yawned. “Remember… We have an early wake up tomorrow as well.”

“What for?” Spinnekop asked.

“Our tests, remember?” Cara replied, hopping onto her bed and climbing under the thin covers. “Even if you don’t have any, you still need to wake up early.”

“I’ll go to sleep once I get my form down…” Spinnekop replied. “Just go to sleep Cara.”

Cara yawned. “Don’t get wood filings all over the place again…”

Spinnekop sighed. “I’ll try.”

With that, the steady sounds of breathing were only interrupted by the sounds of whittling wood.