Pharynx liked being in charge of security. He still got to feel like he was protecting the Hive, even when the Hive had gone soft. Unfortunately, he seemed to be the only one to actually care about security, and all the other changelings thought they could just leave it up to him. So he had to do everything himself, even if it called for going to Equestria.
He was in Canterlot of all places. He could remember the attack Queen Chrysalis led him and his fellow shapeshifters on. The smell had been beautiful, but it wasn't the same anymore. It wasn't just the love he liked; it was also the fear.
Not that he'd tell Thorax that. This diplomatic trip was too important to him. It was something about a trade deal. A deal which would make the changelings subservient to the ponies, Pharynx had no doubts about that. Still, Thorax was sure of this. Thorax knew the king must be obeyed, and Thorax was happy that his brother was happy.
The day started off nice, but so do all days that go bad. Pharynx woke up early and grabbed the shard of Chrysalis's throne he kept as a charm. Then he waited until breakfast time to wake Thorax—the meeting was over lunch, but Thorax had a lot to do before then.
They were staying in one of the spare rooms in one of Fancy Pants's houses. It was a large, ostentatious room that made Pharynx overwhelmed and anxious. He had assaulted the unicorn with questions when they received the invitation, but he really seemed to just be some noble snob who wanted to make a good impression on foreign royalty. His marefriend, Fleur de Lis, was upset that this intrusion might interfere with her particulars and habits. She was annoying, but she didn't seem to be a threat.
Nopony at any of the stores seemed to mind their presence. Nopony on the street bothered them, either. They were all shopping, eating, or attending what appeared to be a talent show for magic students. Pharynx could smell trouble, but he couldn't place it. His nerves were getting to him; as a changeling, he knew trouble could be hiding anywhere he looked.
Pharynx's worries were confirmed over lunch.
Lunch started off nice, but so do all lunches that go bad. The princesses were cordial, and Thorax was starting to get comfortable. The food tasted fine, and the deals were turning out to be fair. He took a second bite of his salad. Maybe things were really different; maybe he was just being paranoid. As he reached for another leaf, he felt his insides convulse. It was like a maulwurf had grabbed his stomach and twisted. He let out a scream before collapsing to the ground.
The day started off nice, but so do all days that go bad. Pharynx woke up early and grabbed the shard of Chrysalis's throne he kept as a charm. Then he waited until breakfast time to wake Thorax—the meeting was over lunch, but Thorax had a lot to do before then.
They were staying in one of the spare rooms in one of Fancy Pants's houses. It was a large, ostentatious room that made Pharynx overwhelmed and anxious. He had assaulted the unicorn with questions when they received the invitation, but he really seemed to just be some noble snob who wanted to make a good impression on foreign royalty. His marefriend, Fleur de Lis, was upset that this intrusion might interfere with her particulars and habits. She was annoying, but she didn't seem to be a threat.
Pharynx stopped dead in his tracks the moment he and Thorax walked out the door.
"What's wrong, Pharynx?" Thorax sounded genuinely confused.
Pharynx's eyes darted around. "I, well, I think—"
Thorax looked concerned.
"Come on," Pharynx said. "Let's just get this meeting over with. I don't want to be in this country longer than I have to." He didn't care if the meeting wasn't for another several hours; he ignored his brother's protests and dashed towards the castle.
He felt like he had done this before, like in a dream. He had taken Thorax to the castle, he had passed ponies shopping and eating, and he had passed—
He turned the corner and saw a group of ponies setting up some sort of stage outside of a building signed Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns. He faltered. He had definitely seen that red stage before.
"Pharynx, wait!" Thorax had finally caught up. "The princesses aren't expecting us yet."
"Thorax, listen to me," Pharynx said. "I don't know what's happening, but we need to leave Canterlot."
"But we need to talk to the Princesses about the trade negotiations," Thorax said. "We can't just leave."
Don't look at me like that.
"I know you're stressed. Let's go see if we can get the princesses to talk to us early, then we can go."
"Fine."
Lunch started off nice, but so do all lunches that go bad. The princesses were cordial, and Thorax was starting to get comfortable. Pharynx was anything but comfortable. Thorax apologized for the intrusion and said they were urgently called back to the Hive. Pharynx was told the food tasted good, but he refused to eat any. The princesses seemed to be making a concerted effort, to be fair. After several hours of talking and haggling, along with a few words of input from Pharynx, the deal was struck and signed.
"It was a pleasure, Thorax," Celestia said. "I hope this works out best for both Equestria and the changelings."
"Sister," Luna said, "you can go watch your school's talent show now that our meeting has ended. The highlight act should be starting now."
"That's a wonderful idea!" Celestia said as Pharynx's stomach burned with agony. "I'll do that."
Everything went black.
The day started off nice, but so do—
Pharynx jumped out of bed and desperately shook Thorax awake.
"Pharynx?" Thorax said. "What is it?"
"What day is it?" Pharynx hadn't heard himself sound so threatening since he accepted the changelings' new form of love.
Thorax shrunk into his bed and pulled the sheets closer. "It's the fifteenth. We go do the trade deal today, remember?"
Pharynx didn't bother listening for more. He grabbed his lucky shard and galloped outside. He was supposed to be good at stopping threats, so he was going to Tartarus before he let this happen again.
Now where would he find ponies capable of this kind of magic who weren't princesses? The answer was obvious. That damned magic school. He galloped over and saw the beginnings of the red stage, and he stomped his way up the steps.
"You won't be doing this talent show!"
The teachers and students looked at each other in confusion.
"Why not?" asked one of the students, a teenaged mare with a curly mane and a pocket watch cutie mark.
"Every day I get here, things go wrong, and I know it has something to do with this school."
"But our talent show doesn't happen every day?"
Pharynx didn't have the time for this. With a grunt, he turned and kicked the nearest table, snapping one of its legs in two. None of the members of the school could stop him, and he had destroyed over three-quarters of the equipment before the royal guard arrived. They had to drag him away from the fragments of clay, glass, and wood hissing and kicking. Once he was in chains and a police transport, he sat and waited; there was nothing else to do. He watched through the bars as buildings and ponies passed by. He saw Thorax talking to a worried Twilight Sparkle, he saw guard ponies filing paperwork, he saw a good many things before he was shoved into a small holding cell in the guardpost by Canterlot Castle.
Then he watched through his barred window. He saw the sun reach its zenith. He saw the sun set. Nothing happened to him or to his stomach.
He smiled and waited for Thorax to arrive.