The Changeling Badlands
The Great Hive
====

Deep below the Badlands lay the Changeling's great Hive. Formed by their First Changeling King, it was only returned to in times of great crisis.

The death of Queen Chrysalis was such a crisis. The death of a brood queen had never occurred in recent history, and the the remaining Brood Queens had come.

Arachia, Morpha, and Pupitra, queens of the three remaining hives, had assembled their brood, and were waiting.

"How much longer?" Arachia asked, her pink chitin buzzing..

"It shouldn't be much." Morpha added. "Father is never late."

As if on cue, every Changeling sensed a great presence. They all bowed as King Ancestor entered the room, his white chitin formed into armor. He sat down at the head of his throne, and sighed.

"So we come together, my descendants." he murmured. "As you know, Queen Chrysalis is dead, slain by the Equestrians and another, unknown species called...The Militia."

There was nervous buzzing all around the chamber.

"I weep at my daughter's death…" he said. "But I do not decry the circumstances. She brought her death upon herself."

"But what of the Equestrians?" Pupitra asked.

"They will receive their judgement." Ancestor replied. "For now, I shall reign over Chrysalis's brood, and we are to make no moves upon Equestria unless I decree it."

The Changelings gave a buzz of approval. Ancestor waved his hoof, and the Changelings departed.

"Arachia, stay a moment." Ancestor decreed. His youngest daughter buzzed over, and bowed.

"What may I do for you, father?" she asked.

"I need a favor." he said. "I have heard the Equestrians have buried Chrysalis's body. Ask for it to be returned, for our own burial rites."

"Yes, father." Arachia said. "I shall leave immediately."

The pink-colored changeling departed, and Ancestor merely sighed.

"You always were my favorite, Arachia." he smiled.
====
Ponyville
Militia Outpost

Daniel was in the middle of adjusting his Jumpkit when Captain Ellis walked in.

"Captain, sir." Daniel said, reattaching his Jumpkit to his lower waist and saluting.

"At ease." Ellis said. "I need a favor, pilot."

"Sure." Daniel said.

"Twilight has informed me that the local school teacher, Miss Cheerilee, would like a Pilot to speak to her students. I felt you would be up to the task."

"Yes sir." Daniel said. "When should I leave?"

"Now." Ellis said. Daniel flinched, grabbed his RE-45, and was out the door in a flash. Ellis sighed and crossed his arms with a smile.

====

Daniel arrived at the schoolhouse just as the fillies and colts were sitting down.

"You're the…Pilot that Twilight said Captain Ellis would send?" said the purple-colored schoolmaster.

"Yep. Daniel McKenna." Daniel said, shaking her hood. "Miss Cheerilee, I presume?"

"Yes." Cheerilee said. "You may start when ready."

"Alright then." Daniel said. He sat down on a vacant desk, and took off his helmet.

"So…" he said, eyeing the twenty fillies and colts that looked back at him. "I'm Daniel McKenna. I'm a human, and a Pilot in the Frontier Militia's Marauder Corps. Questions?"

"How old are you?" a steel-gray colt asked.

"I'm twenty-two." Daniel said. "My birthday is August 11th."

A pink filly wearing a rather expensive-looking tiara raised her hoof.

"Yes?" Daniel asked.

"Do you have a Cutie Mark?" she asked, secretly hoping to stick a new one at the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

"No, I do not." Daniel said. "As a matter of fact, humans don't have Cutie Marks."

The filly spluttered for a few seconds in disbelief.

"How do you know your special talent, then?" a silver filly asked in shock.

"We learn them and remember what we're good at." Daniel said. "We have tattoos, which is like a painting on the skin, but those are mainly for show or to impress others, though."

"Can you use magic?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"No, we cannot." Daniel said. "For a long time, magic was just the term we use for something unexplainable, or cheap visual or practical illusions used by showmen. That's the thing, though. When we need something done, often we make something to do it for us."

Daniel smiled before continuing.

"For example, hundreds of years ago, cotton, a plant used to make clothing, was really hard to harvest and process, due to its tangled fibers. A human named Eli Whitney made a machine that did both steps just by turning a crank. Case in point is that necessity is the mother of invention. We need something done, we make a device to do it. That's how we advance. We don't use magic, but technology. That's how we've developed all the things we have today."

Several students voiced amazement, until there was a giant shadow that covered the room. A blue light flickered, and a voice spoke.

"Pilot, I have been looking for you."

The students heard Daniel groan and roll his eyes.

"I'm fine, Indy." Daniel said. "Let's head outside, so you can meet my partner who decided to join us."

Daniel led them outside, and IN-2632 looked at the fillies and colts with interest.

"That's my Vanguard-class Titan." he said. "India-Niner, or IN, dash 2632."

"Greetings." the Titan said.

"Don't worry, he's harmless." Daniel said to several students who were backing up from fright. "He won't harm any of you. How'd you find me?"

"I traced your helmet signal, Pilot." IN said. "I was concerned you were in trouble."

"I'm alright.." Daniel said. "Why don't you stay around in Guard mode?"

"Understood, Pilot." IN said as he crouched down and over. Daniel leaned on his arm and set his helmet at his feet

"Any more questions?" he said.

====

Daniel and IN headed back to the camp after forty-five minutes of talking.

"Those kids were nice." Daniel said.

"Quite so, Pilot." IN said. "They seem to be particularly eager towards learning about you."

"I don't blame them." Daniel said as they entered camp. "Miss Cheerilee was really happy I stopped by."

"That was evident by her thanking you, Pilot." IN said. "Her feelings of gratitude were greatly expressed."

"Right." Daniel said. "Let's get some rest, buddy."

"Understood."

====

Author's Notes:

Update!

Next chapter-The IMC arrives on Equis, and things go from good, to bad, to worse for the Militia and the Equestrians...