//------------------------------// // A Parting Under Sunrise // Story: The Bug in The Cave // by Skijarama //------------------------------// The rain persisted for what felt like an age, soaking the world and slowing Twilight and Thorax down on their journey. Thankfully, though, that was the only drawback to the downpour. The constant supply of fresh water was a practical lifesaver, and with some help from Thorax, Twilight was able to gather plenty of it into makeshift stone jugs for when the rain finally ended. Food was a bit more problematic, but Thorax was on top of things. It wasn’t much, only ever enough to keep her strength up, but Twilight wasn’t about to complain. But in Twilight’s mind, the food and water situation was more of a footnote. Her attention was focused solely on Thorax as he regaled her with his tale of everything that had happened since the last time they met. She heard about his thefts, how he had been caught, his punishment, and the miserable days that had followed. She heard about Pharynx’s increasingly protective stance over him, and about Scorpion and Mandible, the two drones that had seen fit to disobey the queen’s will and try to end Thorax personally. Their lives were almost certainly forfeit now. A chilling thought, no matter how much second-hoof resentment she had developed for them over their treatment of her friend. She had been torn over Thorax’s confession of theft. She had been sure to give him a small scolding and lecture about that, but she hadn’t found it in herself to stay upset for long. It had been wrong of him, yes, but at the end of the day, it had saved her life. If only out of gratitude, she couldn’t find it in her to hold it against him. Not much, at least. But when she heard about the horrible physical and even mental abuse he had been forced to endure as a result, any anger she felt had been washed away. It was sickening that such cruel and unusual punishment was allowed in the Hive, and that Pharynx was the only one doing anything to mitigate it! Thorax was a thief, yes, but that didn’t mean he deserved to be tortured! Eventually, his story had concluded when he told her about how Pharynx was giving him a few days to escort her out. Twilight had been a little apprehensive when she had learned that, but Thorax didn’t seem worried about his brother at all.  “If Thorax trusts him, I guess I can too,” she had thought. They traveled through the night, not bothering to stop for sleep. Thorax’s keen eyes picked out their paths through the mud and stone with practiced ease, and he guided her every step of the way. There were times when small mudslides or nearby Tatzlwurms had forced them to hide, but never once had they been accosted. They passed by what little remained of the wreckage from the old expedition team’s wagon and pushed on to higher ground. The next day came, and the rain persisted relentlessly. Twilight had begun to shiver partway through, worried about hypothermia. They stuck to cover wherever possible, and stopped more than once to dry off and warm up. Thorax often assisted with this by transforming into something warm and fluffy before curling around her like a big blanket. It was helpful and gave her an excuse to hug him relentlessly. Every time she did, she made sure to pour every ounce of affection she could into it, giving the drone all the food and strength she could manage. Before they knew it, it was night again, and they pressed on. Twilight’s muscles were aching and burning from the lack of rest, but she forced herself to continue. Their pace slowed considerably every so often so she could get her strength back, and more than once, Thorax had turned into a larger creature and allowed her to ride on his back. Empowered by her affection as he was, it was a simple matter. At long last, the rain finally began to let up. Twilight’s heart began to warm with hope as patches of grass and flowers became more and more frequent, and the shredded, jagged wasteland of the badlands started to smooth out and relax into something far more pleasing to the eyes. She almost squealed with joy when she saw a tree on it on a distant hilltop that actually had some leaves growing on it. She recognized this region. They were about two days of travel south of Dodge Junction, where the expedition team had first set off from. They just had to pass through a gap in the mountainous wall that separated the Badlands from the rest of Equestria, and she’d finally be back in her homeland. As she stepped up and into the pass, Twilight looked up at them. The rain had stopped a short while ago, and the clouds were clearing out, affording her a humbling view of the towering wall. It loomed over her, its very tips shining a fiery red as the first light of the dawn began to spill across the rain-soaked world. She remembered these. The expedition team had passed through this very same pass. She could vaguely recall Relic listing off some information about the geographical significance of these mountains, and how she had listened with rapt attention and taken notes. She had been so excited back then, ready and eager to explore uncharted territory... Now, she was just eager to get the heck out of here and get back to her friends. She could only imagine how they had been taking her disappearance. “Maybe, if I’m lucky, I’ll bump into them on the way home,” she thought, smiling slightly. “That’d be a relief! I could see my friends again, and they’d get to meet Thorax, and… wait…” Twilight slowed to a halt when she realized that Thorax was no longer with her. Worried, she spun around to look for any sign of her chitin-clad friend. She found him standing right at the edge of the pass, filling her with a mixture of relief and confusion. Why did he stop? She looked closer, staring into his eyes. “Thorax?” she called back, walking back for him. “Why did you stop? Is something wrong?” Thorax opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came. He looked down, his eyes shifting with indecision as if he were waging some intense inner battle. Twilight’s ears drooped, an uneasy feeling creeping up her spine with every moment that passed. She wasn’t sure what, but something was wrong. Finally, Thorax found his voice when he gave off a quiet sigh and looked back up at her. His lips drew into a thin line before, at last, he spoke. “I… I’m sorry, Twilight. Really, I am, but… I can’t go with you any farther.” Silence. A dry breeze washed over the two of them, causing Twilight’s mane to drift lazily through the air. She blinked at him, not sure if she really heard him right. She licked her dry lips and leaned forward a little bit as if to hear him better. “What are you talking about? Equestria’s right through this pass. We’re almost there, just a little more, and we’ll be home free.” Thorax shook his head. “I know, Twilight, I know… and I know you’ll be safe, now, but…” he turned back and looked out into the badlands, his ears drooping. “...I can’t leave the badlands. I have to go back to the Hive.” Twilight’s eyes widened. “W-what?! But, Thorax!” She protested, reaching out and taking one of his hooves in hers. “How can you think of going back there?! After everything you told me, about all of the abuse you have to deal with, I thought for sure you would want to leave and never look back!” Thorax didn’t speak for a second. “...I’m tempted, Twilight. Really, I am,” he said, a small tremor creeping into his two-toned voice. He turned back to her and offered a small, tentative smile. “But awful or not, it’s my home… and I promised Pharynx I’d come back to him. I’ve lied to him too much lately, I’m not about to go back on my word to him now. He… he’s the only family I have. I can’t abandon him.” Twilight stared at him, slack-jawed and wide-eyed. She searched his eyes, looking for any sign of deception or exaggeration, or even doubt. But there was none. Thorax held firm, his decision having been made long before they reached this point. He was never going to leave the badlands with her… no matter how much she might have wanted him to, if only so she could know he wasn’t in that horrible hive, surrounded by so many abusers. “Thorax…” she whispered, her eyes starting to mist over. “Are… are you sure?” she finally asked, slowly releasing his hoof. Thorax nodded. “I am… I’m sorry.” Twilight sniffled and shook her head. “N-no. It’s okay, Thorax. You don’t need to be sorry,” she told him. She reached a hoof up to her face to wipe away her tears. “I guess it was kind of silly of me to think you’d come back to Equestria with me after everything I’ve learned… I just…” “I know…” Thorax whispered, his eyes looking at something that was floating above her that only he could see. “I see it. I don’t want to say goodbye, either… you’re the first friend I have ever had, Twilight, and… now that I know what having a friend is like, I don’t want to let that go...” He looked down and locked gazes with her. “But I have to let you go. If keeping you in my life means putting you in danger, then what other choice do I have?” Twilight gave him a weak, quivering smile, before leaning in and pulling him into a tight hug. He returned the embrace immediately, burying his face into her shoulder and taking a long, deep breath. “I’m going to miss you, Thorax,” she whispered to him, squeezing him close and savoring the contact with his hard chitin. Once upon a time, the touch might have disgusted her. Now, though? She could wrap herself up in this kind of embrace all day and never grow tired of it.  She felt him nodding into her shoulder, a certain dampness soaking into her fur. “Y-yeah… I’m g-gonna miss you t-too, Twilight,” he replied, his own voice trembling worse than before. “So much…” Slowly, but surely, the sun rose in the distance, bathing the rain-soaked world in its warm light. The red, dust-smothered light washed over the pony and the changeling as they shared one last embrace, warming their hearts and their bodies. After a few minutes, Twilight pulled back and looked into Thorax’s eyes. “Just do me a favor, Thorax, okay?” she asked in barely a whisper. He tilted his head at her, a curious chittering sound emanating from his throat. “Oh, uh, of course. What is it?” Twilight’s smile grew at the adorable sound before she held her hoof over his heart. “Never forget this feeling. The feeling of caring for others…” she told him. She leaned forward and pressing her forehead against his. “No matter how awful they are to you, no matter how much they tell you you’re wrong, never, ever let go of this feeling. There is nothing greater or more powerful in this life than the magic of friendship… It makes us complete when we’re hollow, it lightens our hearts when they’re heavy, and it fills our souls with warmth when they feel cold.” Thorax lifted his hoof to rest on hers. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “...I won’t forget. This feeling… or you. I promise,” he said. He then leaned back and stared into her eyes with growing determination and conviction. “I’ll show them. I’ll teach them everything I learned from you. I’ll prove to them that w-we have it all wrong, that we don’t have to be m-monsters, and when I do, I’m gonna come find you, and I’ll show you just how much better we can be.” Twilight smiled at him. “I look forward to it… Make me proud, Thorax.” Thorax grinned at her, his wings buzzing briefly on his back. A few seconds later, his grin faded, and his ears drooped. A sheepish look overcame him, and he suddenly had a hard time meeting her gaze. “Uh… b-before you go, uh… I have something for you…” Twilight tilted her head, her smile replaced with a curious look. “What is it?” Thorax took a deep breath and pressed his other hoof against hers, pinning it to his heart. “See, all this time that I’ve known you, I’ve eaten up all of the love and affection you’ve had for me at every turn. And… since it was meant for me, Thorax, not some disguise I was wearing... it’s been the most filling meal I have ever had,” he said, closing his eyes. “And it feels incredible. I can’t even describe it… It’s the most wonderful feeling in the world, and…” He opened his eyes and stared into hers. “And I want to share that feeling with you. It’s the least I can do to thank you for being my friend.” Twilight blinked. “Oh, uh… okay. But… how? I’m not a changeling. I can’t eat emotional energy like you can.” “No,” Thorax said, lowering his voice to a low, gentle whisper. He held her hoof tighter to his heart and closed his eyes again. His horn began to glow with emerald light. “But I can give it to you all the same…” And then his heart began to glow. Twilight’s eyes widened as several, faint wisps of pink light began to emerge from Thorax’s chest and flow into her hoof. A warm feeling, unlike anything she had ever felt before, began to spread through her being like ink in a glass of water. It was slow but invigorating, soothing her muscles and easing her mind. “Is this what it feels like?” she wondered, her jaw falling open. “Is this a changeling’s love?” It felt like an eternity that the two sat there together, with Thorax granting Twilight what he could spare of the affection he had for her. The two glowed, shining like a brilliant pink diamond at the border between Equestria and the Badlands. Two creatures that were never supposed to meet, now in perfect harmony with one another. Eventually, the moment had to end. The light slowly began to dwindle and fade, before winking out entirely. The wisps of pink light retracted completely into Thorax’s chest, but the warmth in Twilight’s veins persisted. Thorax opened his eyes and released Twilight’s hoof, allowing her to pull it back and look at it. “Wow… that felt… just…” Twilight breathed, finding it difficult to find the words. “That’s the gift you’ve given to me,” Thorax said simply, pawing sheepishly at the ground. “I hope it wasn’t too much… I’ve never done that before. We’re all taught to never give up our love to other creatures like that. It’s kinda risky if we overdo it even among other changelings.” Twilight shook her head. “No! No, it wasn’t too much. It was… it was…” she smiled and held the hoof Thorax had held over her own heart, her eyes starting to shimmer with tears again. “It was wonderful, Thorax. I’ll never forget this feeling… ever…” She met his gaze, her smile widening. “Thank you. For everything.” Thorax shook his head. “No… thank you. For being my friend.” Twilight held out her hoof one more time. “Heh. You’re welcome, Thorax. It was my pleasure.” Thorax lifted his hoof to hers, grasping it firmly and giving it a slow, friendly shake. Twilight stared at him for a short time, taking the moment to memorize his face. If this was to be the last time she saw him, she was going to make sure she didn’t forget anything about it. “Well… I guess this is it, then,” Twilight said, her voice heavy with resignation when the shake finally came to an end.  “Yeah. You need to get back to your friends, and I need to get back to the Hive,” Thorax agreed, turning back to look out at the desert. “...And to my brother.” “Tell him I said thank you.” “I will,” Thorax nodded. For a moment, he appeared satisfied. Then he tensed up and turned back to her as if he had forgotten something important. “And one more thing…” “Don’t worry,” Twilight cut him off with a shake of her head. “I won’t tell anypony about the changelings. Your civilization’s secrecy is safe with me.” Thorax relaxed, giving off a sigh of relief. “Oh, good… thank you, Twilight.” “Don’t mention it…” she replied before taking a step back. The two shared a moment of quiet. Thorax cleared his throat and nodded past her. “Get going…” he urged her softly. Twilight hesitated, her hooves locking into place. She really didn’t want to leave him like this, but she knew it was time. Her friends were waiting for her. “It’s time for me to go home.” She gave Thorax one last smile and nod. “Alright… goodbye, Thorax.” Thorax smiled softly. “Until we meet again…” And with that, Thorax leaped into the air, his wings buzzing into motion and carrying him back towards the Hive. She watched him go, never once taking her eyes off him. She watched him get smaller and smaller until he was barely a speck in the distance. And then, finally, he faded entirely from view. Twilight stood there for a moment, another dry breeze washing over her. She held a hoof up to her heart, feeling it beating gently against her ribs. “...Until we meet again,” she whispered quietly. With that, she turned around and left the Badlands behind her.