As 1988 trips over a root and gets caught by 8622, it dawns on his hazy mind how exhausted he really is after following the pegasus security guard for so long, the mind manipulation, being watchful throughout the night without love, and flying mixed with walking back.
"We're almost there," says the warrior as 1988 steadies himself, "I'm shocked we haven't been attacked by the monsters so far."
"Please, don't jinx it now. I'm hearing a lot of noise ahead and the last thing I need is for it to be the mass panic of a logging camp under attack," 1988 rolls his eyes.
8622's ears twitch.
"It does sound like wood repeatedly hitting rock, although there's no screaming. Unusually loud voices, yes, but no panicked screaming."
"Hmm, whatever that may be, let's check up on our guys first."
Circling around the camp, they reach the changeling site that's strangely empty for this late in the evening. Usually, the drones would be mucking around, trading scraps or interesting things they found throughout the day, but right now there are only 3 Silents staring blankly their way, barely conscious 9013, and one drone sitting with its back to them and doing something to the warrior.
"We're back," announces 1988, "Where is everyone?"
The drone doesn't react. 1988 and 8622 exchange glances, the infiltrator's is slightly confused but the warrior is clearly ready to slap a disobedient subordinate.
They approach, still with zero reaction from the drone. Only when 1988 steps into the drone's field of view, it looks up, its eyes go wide, and it positively jumps into the air before taking a few steps backwards.
"OH, hi, 1988. GlaD yOu'rE bACk."
"Glad to be back too, 17070," replies the infiltrator, "Where's everyone?"
"Uhh, uhh," while changelings can't physically sweat in their natural form, this drone is somehow getting close, "I, umm, I cAn totalLy hEar yOu juSt fiNe but 9999 kNows eVerYthiNg and you reaLly wAnt tO talk to iT. I'll... I'll go gRab iT!"
17070 bolts away.
"Stop right there," orders 1988, furrowing his brows. The drone ignores him, "HEY!"
Growling to himself, he extends his mental reach through the drone's hive link to take grasp of its mind.
The drone resists him and vanishes out of sight, pumping its legs towards the pony camp.
"Should I go grab it?" asks 8622, "I might break only one leg for this kind of disobedience. Two max, if it keeps resisting afterwards."
What the hole was 9999 doing here while we were gone?! Drones resisting orders and mental control?
I mean, I'm barely scraping by as far as love goes and the drone was full but-
Wait, the drone was FULL.
How?
"No," 1988 shakes his head, "I'll go see what's going on once I'm done here."
"...this is what happens when you don't keep drones on a tight leash. They start to get... ideas..." mumbles 8622.
"Let's not jump to conclusions. To me it looked as if it was feeding 9013," he puts his horn to the prone warrior's head, "Now... we relink the hive connections and-" he keeps mumbling to himself as he frees 9013 from the mental burden and immediately feels the warrior fall asleep, "-done."
"So, now we go find the drones and remind them a little how the leadership structure of the hive works?" 8622 raises an eyebrow.
1988 shakes his head.
YOU ARE READING
They're EVERYWHERE!
FanfictionNo one really knows how many changelings were present during the invasion of Canterlot. Unfortunately for the rest of the world, it also means that the love explosion scattered them all over the surface of Equus. These are stories of their Queen and...
