--- Meanwhile at Canterlot --- Darky was in his room with her daughter, Midnight Lullaby. She was a grown up mare now. He was reading her a book as both laid down on the bed. Soon, Luna walked into the room and smiled as she saw them, but then her smile faded as soon as a guard gave her a paper. Ponies had gone missing and they suspect the changelings are the ones that did it. Luna told that to Darky and Lullaby. "Then we need to go." He said as he let the book and stood up. Lullaby nodded and also stood up, ready to go.
Chrysalis then nods. "There is a spell used in our race that makes leaving our hive a cinch." She says with a smile. "Hold still." Chrysalis casts a spell that blurs Thunder's vision only for it to return a few seconds later. She was outside the hive! Chrysalis's spell worked!
Thunder looked around "Wha...oh....I guess that works" she said as she made her way towards the closest town with a train As she walked she pulled out the scroll and opened it to see who she was after and where he would be
Taffy awoke in total darkness. She was terrified, and wanted to call out, but somehow the darkness seemed too oppressive to even do that. She tried to calm herself down. Think! How'd Ah get here? She thought to herself. She thought back... She had been working on her project, and had gone to see her black market contact to get a few more parts. She'd thought something odd was happening when he didn't mention her extensive tab; last time she had visited, he had been throwing out all sorts of threats and warnings, but this time he had just smiled as she came to the counter. After that, things went black again, then... Tunnels! She remembered tunnels! And... Changelings!? Oh, this was not good! She had only been partially concious at the time; under the effect of some changeling spell, she suspected; but she remembered the changelings talking about her debts, and her work... They'd seemed interested in the latter, and after some questioning, had decided that the 'Queen' would want to talk to her, and had dragged her down here... into the dark place... Remembering all this did little to comfort her, and she continued to hang there, restrained in some kind of shackles, waiting in terror to see what fate would befall her...
Chrysalis could sense activity in the Deep Hive. She looks to Shade with a smile. "It looks like a fresh capture of ours finally is conscious. Could you be a dear and see to her needs while I prepare the 'treatments'." Shade smiles wide and giggles. "Yes, my Queen! Right away!" She soon scurries off to the Deep Hive entrance, which was a giant hole in the floor of the hive in a room equally as big. She heads on down on a magic platform that lowers her and she steps off once she was at the bottom. This place was pitch black and dead cold. Hardly any changelings aside from Chrysalis, and the few guards that watch the deep hive, go down here. It's for a good reason too. She heads down the long tunnel to the main chamber of the Deep Hive to meet the cocooned pony. --- When Thunder looked at the scroll it spoke of a merchant that goes by the name 'Trace'. This rogue merchant is a master of finding objects that are otherwise impossible to find. Not mention that the sales in pawns have landed him with some unique items and odd trinkets. There is a warning notice that says: "Is armed and considered dangerous. Any sales done should be taken seriously and with great care. He will kill hagglers on the spot." Then below the warning is a path detail. It seems he smuggles from Canterlot a lot and will sell to ponies of Ponyville for 1/4th of their worth. He also has records with Appleloosa with selling equipment for their orchards at 1/2 of the original cost. At the bottom is another notice: "Is to be apprehended for reason of Treason by the Rule of Queen Chrysalis. Deep Hive reform is required. Bring back the accused ALIVE." The scroll stops there. It was obvious that Thunder will need to look in one of the three listed places. Maybe all three to be sure to catch him.
Taffy was shivering; partially from fear, but also from the cold. She didn't know much about changelings, but she'd heard they lived in hives, and from what she'd seen, she assumed she was now imprisoned in one. Somewhere deep, deep underground. As she was thinking on this, she thought she felt a presence of some kind; a stirring in the otherwise horribly still and clammy air. Was someone coming? "H-hello?" She called out, hesitantly. "I-I-Is somepony there?"
thunder stopped. she didnt like the sound of this and what was she supposed to do seduce him thunder shuttered as she looked at the ponies picture "wait.....maybe i can drug him" she said aloud as she continued walking "just means ill have to stop at rainbow falls first" and with that she was off towards the train
Shade walks past a few guards keeping an eye on the tunnel to the main room. She could hear the pony call out and she smiles quietly. Somepony is certainly awake down here. She enters into the room and takes out a lantern, using her changeling magic to light it. The glow from the green flame made her body show up in the otherwise pitch black main room. She takes it to a near by pedestal where she places the lantern and suddenly the luminescent lights come on in the room from the magic flame's cast of energy. The room was fully lit up now and the sight of the room was ghastly for ponies. It was a cocoon room with young baby changelings and a few ponies imprisoned in them. Shade smiles as memories flooded back to her. "Ah, this place is so nice and peaceful." She says with a giggle, before approaching the pony that is awake in her cocoon. "Hello there. My name is Shade. I'll be tending to your personal needs." She says with a devious smile. "Let me know if you need anything." She finishes saying. She looks at the pony's condition and even the cocoon's condition to be sure there are no breaches. She was happy to see them both in healthy condition. She then wrote it down on a notepad she pulls out of her one of her saddle bags. She had a joyous look as she wrote down the status report. It was almost creepy how happy she was.
As the light flooded the room, Taffy tried to shield her eyes with her hoof, but found she still couldn't move it. As her eyes readjusted, she realized with sudden horror that she wasn't shackled, but was in fact trapped in some kind of cocoon, with only her face sticking out of the translucent membrane. She looked around, and saw she was surrounded by hundreds of similar cocoons, some holding ponies like herself, others holding... Oh Celestia, this really wasn't good! For a moment she was hopeful as a pony approached, but that hope quickly died as she got a proper look at her, and heard what she had to say; this pony was not to be her salvation... "P-Please!" She pleaded, looking at the strange pony, Shade. "Why'm Ah here? A-Ah didn't do nothin' t' no changelin's! This' gotta be some kinda misunderstandin'!"
Shade giggles at Taffy's struggle and desperation. She places a hoof on the cocoon and smile. "Please relax, sweetie. I'm just checking your status is all. My Queen will be down shortly with the treatments. You'll learn to love it with us." Shade says, with a happiness to her voice. She obviously wasn't brainwashed or she would be more monotone voice. It was obvious at this point that she is a willing servant of the changelings. "Besides, you're safe with us. We know you haven't done anything to upset us but that is no factor in this. We are in desperate need of new ponies to provide the hive love. I personally never went through the mind bend process, but it looks like that'll be part of your treatment." She says, flipping through the papers for Taffy's treatment. "May I say that you have a cute name, Miss Taffy." She says before giggling. --- Trace was on his way back from Canterlot with a huge sack of equipment and items he has smuggled. He has a very large grin on his face, happy about his most recent hull. He can't wait to set up in Ponyville and make more money. Maybe he could keep the cut of money this time. He really was hurting after a changeling debt collector got him last time. Hopefully the sales will be excellent today.
"What!? M-Mind bend?!" Taffy repeated, almost in tears. Her mind was all she had! She wasn't a great athlete, or particularly good looking, but she loved to build and fix things, and for that she needed her mind, preferably un-bent! And... wait, did she just complement her name? After telling her they were going to take her mind?! This pony was unhinged! "I don't want my mind to be bent!" She cried, actual tears rolling down her cheeks now. She didn't know how to fix this...
Shade then sighs a little. "Please, Miss Taffy. The mind bend treatment is not going to mess with any of your important motor functions or your knowledge in anyway. All it'll do will make you more receptive to the hive mind. My Queen has vastly improved the serums since the early days of mind control. I've seen the process myself. It's nothing to be afraid of in the least. Stronger doses usually are given to disobidiant merchants and ponies whom intend harm to the hive. But for your treatment, it'll call for the very light dose." She says with a soft smile. "As I said, we don't intend to harm you." Shortly after that, Chrysalis arrives with a few vials of a odd liquid. One glows green and it looks rather goopy. One of the other vials contains a purple liquid. They both are intended for Taffy. Shade walks up to Chrysalis and smiles. "I've checked out Miss Taffy's Cocoon status. Everything is healthy and in the green. Her conditions is prime as well. Are you ready to start, my Queen?" She says. Chrysalis nods and smiles.
--- at the road towards the changeling kingdome --- Darky, Luna and Lullaby, as well as a pair of guards, to investigate the reports they got. It took them a while to arrive, and ofcourse, Chrysalis could sense the alicorn magic from there.
When thunder arrived at rainbow falls she went strait to her house and started to rummage around until she found the thorn she was looking for She then went to her kitchen and started to cook something with some ingredients she threw into the pot Once it was done she dipped the thorn into the brew then put it into a glass tube "There now I can get him" She then gathered a saddle bag and put the vile into the bag and headed towards the train station again (I think il search ponyville first) she thought as she bought a ticket and got on the train
Chrysalis readies the serums but then she stops to sense Alicorn Magic. She sighs in displeasure. "Shade, could you deal with Taffy's treatments please? I got some unexpected guests to attend to." She says, disapointed in the fact she couldn't apply the serums herself. Shade nods and bows. "As you wish, my Queen." Chrysalis heads back up to the main hive and back to her Throne Room. She waited for Princess Luna and her followers there. She hopes there is a reason for this rude interruption of her business in the hive. ___ Trace soon makes it to Ponyville and he finds a place to set up in the Square of town. He puts a big smile on his face and begins selling his wears at a unused table. He knows ponies will be interested, but the true question is if they will buy. Interest always come and go, but a bit or two in the pocket is worth a life time. He always saw it that way ever since he got into this game long ago.
Taffy calmed down a bit at what shade had said; no loss of memory? Just a connection to a... hive mind? "So... Ah'll still be Taffy?" She asked, hesitantly, after Chrysalis had gone. "Ah'll just... be able t' listen t' this hive mind thing?"
The three alicorns walked into the throne room.... wait, this is no joke... Ehm... the three of them walked in and saw Chrysalis. Luna was the fistvto step forward. "Chrysalis..." she said frowning a bit. "We have reports that ponies had gone missing and the information points towards you." She explained
Shade looks to Taffy and smiles. "Yes, exactly. I was a special case however, I was found and raised by my Queen at a young age so I have a natural gift for the hive mind from mentally connecting with her. I got my treatments later in life to get some of the enhancements of a changeling." She says explaining things. "As for you, when we apply it, you'll connect to the hive mentally through means that are a bit more forced, but nothing that will damage the brain. If you show progress in obedience, you'll be allowed to walk the hive the same as me." She says with a smile. "So in short, yes. You will be still yourself." Chrysalis sighs in disappointment at Luna's questions. "Is this seriously what you have come to bother me about? Missing ponies? What am I, their mother?" She asks in a noticeable distain. "Look, I'm a very busy Queen. So unless there is something else, I'll be back to my business." She finishes dismissively.
Taffy thought for a moment. "Would Ah have t' stay in the hive though? What would Ah do here?" She still wasn't sure about this, but it didn't sound as bad as she'd feared...
