Effective communication is important in any friendship.

Unfortunately for Twilight, Tempest Shadow and Pharynx communicate almost exclusively in overwhelming force.

During a diplomatic visit from King Thorax, Princess Luna discovers that, inexplicably, his brother Pharynx hates her lavender. And for that matter, potted plants in general.

That won't do, of course – even if Pharynx is the new Changeling Prince – and so she'll need to teach him a lesson.

And one lesson won't be enough.

Featured from 18/05/2020 to 20/05/2020, peaking at #4 in the box.
Featured on Equestria Daily! Also featured in Equestria Daily's 38 Fanfics to Read for Luna Day 2020!
9/10, from My Little Reviews & Feedback.
8.8/10 and 8/10, from the Reviewer's Mansion.
Rated Really Good by Ghost Mike!

Edited and proofread by VoxAdam, pre-read by Valtyra. Thanks, you guys

Written for the May 2020 Original Pairing Contest.

Cover by hosikawa_choco.

Author's Commentary

Fluttershy is a normal pony living a normal life. Sure, saving the world once is an achievement, but other than that she was content with the life she has.

But when she finds two abandoned changeling nymphs, her life is quickly turned upside down. Now she cares for young two creatures she knows nothing about, and they don’t seem to trust her.

She is determined to give them the best life that she can.

Edit (Aug. 8th, 2021):

TN, OP now has an editor! Thank you to Helping Hoof for helping me with my work.

They were actually making progress in the conversation department. “Hey, sunshine, you’re a genius, aren’t you? Leading an army and all that. Help me with this crossword.”

Note: I did not make up the name S.M.I.L.E. It is the actual name of the secret agency Sweetie Drops (Bon-Bon) mentioned being a part of in Season 5 Episode 9.

THIS IS NOT A ROMANCE STORY.

I refer to 'Bon-Bon' as 'Sweetie Drops' in this story because it felt right. Instead of 'Bon-Bon', the pony who works in Sweetie Drops Candies selling candies, she is 'Sweetie Drops', the special agent who works for the "super-secret anti-monster agency" as she refers it in Slice of Life.

Cover art by some guy called FanaticPanda on DeviantArt.

It's Thorax's first crystal faire. It's amazing - it's absolutely spectacular, breath-taking, and the love that the crystal heart emanates on the day feels like it could keep him fed for a whole year. It should be the most fantastic thing he has seen all year! And yet...

“That’s a stupid question.” Pharynx rolled his eyes, while coming over to look at the markings Thorax had made in the dirt of their room in the hive. “I think, you dummy, that you can literally transform into any pony that you want.”

“Plus, why would you have wanted to been a pony in the first place? Being a changeling is the best.” He said, puffing up his own chest, before scowling down at the drawing of a pony that Thorax had made, before scraping his own hoof in it, swiping the dirt right back into place over the pale imitation of a pony, before roughly nudging Thorax.

“... Right.” Thorax said, smiling slightly at his brother despite the rough-housing, and the comments as he looked down at the dirt where his drawing had been. “I don’t really know why I would want to be one,” he lied, as he got up from the position he was laying down in, going to follow his brother.

Or becoming a part of something you dreamed of, but never thought you could really have.

Secret Santa gift for Dashie04

Seeking to normalize cluster naps among the hive's excitable young, Thorax has invented a game. For five minutes he attempts to capture nymphs as they fly around the nursery hive. Upon capturing one, a swift hug and the phrase, 'squeeze the bug!' signals a countdown. The other nymphs have ten seconds to free their friend, lest Thorax get a point. Five points and Thorax wins.

Being a sentimental monarch is hard work, but tiring out little changelings so he can take naps with them - most especially with his favorite one of all - makes it all worthwhile for Thorax.

* Featured 11/19/19!
* Part of the Love Bug Continuity!
* A spiritual sequel of To Love as His Own.
* Cover artwork done by the awesome KamDrawings!
YouTube reading by Skijarama!

Twilight Sparkle has been abandoned.

After an expedition into the badlands is torn to tatters by an unprecedented monster attack, Twilight finds herself stranded in a hostile environment with no safe way back home. With no supplies and no survival training, It all seems hopeless for the scholarly unicorn until she is discovered by a type of creature she has never seen before. A changeling named Thorax, a native of the badlands.

With Thorax's knowledge of the environment, he is Twilight's best chance of getting home safely. And by that same token, perhaps Twilight is the best chance the timid, pacifistic drone has of discovering something he has lived his entire life without.

Set well before the Season 2 Finale.

Cover art was drawn by me.

This is a spiritual successor to The Bug in The Herd, and The Bug in The Basement.

Edited by Mister Hypothetical.

My brother and his friends overthrew a perfectly functional monarchy and turned the changelings into a bunch of pastel hippies.

I (regrettably also now a hippie) am trying to reintroduce regiment and strength to the changelings of our hive.

That includes my brother.

Featured 2/15/2022 - 2/17/2022!

A gift for Sockiepuppetry, inspired by their Thorax artworks, and most notably, their Boys Will be Bugs fan animation.

* A part of the Love Bug Continuity!
* Cover art by Wulfumz
* Edited by LevelDasher
* Live reading by Skijarama

Having finally accepted the idea of shared love magic, Pharynx has transformed. Thorax's efforts to lead an excitable pack of changelings have only eased with his broodmate's help, but Pharynx's shape and status aren't the only things to have changed. Much of Pharynx's cold demeanor has begun to thaw, presenting Thorax with something he's never had, before - an interactive, albeit slightly irritating older brother.

* Featured 12/2/18!
* Part of the Love Bug Continuity!
* Bugbro fluff (not romance/shipping) based after the events of 'To Change a Changeling'.
* Cover art by the awesome SpindleSpice.
* Live reading by Quinch!

After an earnest question from Sandbar results in a meltdown and tears, he's pointed away from Ocellus and towards the only Changeling who can advise him on how to make things right. It won’t be without meandering through a few different topics. Even well into his twilight years, Pharynx still enjoys playing with his food.

This is an entry in the Snippet Series, an anthology of old oneshots I (and my good buddy Str8aura) wrote based around interesting pics I found. New ones will be posted every Thursday for the foreseeable future.