//------------------------------//
// Thorax: Part Three 
// Story: The Royal Canterlot Family 
// by CartoonNerd12 
//------------------------------//

"You're nuts! You know that?!" Screwball shouted as she was stuck in green glop by the dark throne.

"Funny… I thought you were one that was nuts…" The queen smirked evilly.

"Har-har." Screwy said bitterly.

"My dear sweet child, do you know why I brought you here?"

The swirly-eyed mare slatted, "Revenge against my family no doubt."

Chrysalis released a low chuckle, "Actually, revenge was the furthest thing from my thoughts… No, you're here, because my son has it in his head that you should be his queen…"

"What?!"

"Tell me, child, why do you suppose your beloved prince freed his mother and the rest of our kind?"

"I… I don't know! Maybe he thought he could change your evil ways so you could be the mother he's always wanted!"

The queen released another chuckle, "Changelings cannot change despite changing forms, but it's our nature to remain cruel and uncaring."

"And yet your son and Thorax aren't like that…"

"Yes, well, my son was unfortunately given a heart while Thorax was a defective member of the colony. Speaking of colony… believe it or not, but I won't live forever and the changelings will need a new ruler, that is where my son comes in, but he needs a queen in order to keep the species going… And guess who the lucky mare is!"

"What makes you think I would ever rule over your disgusting race?!"

"I'd watch that mouth of yours, or have you forgotten that you're dating a changeling?"

"Mothy's different! So is Thorax!"

"Ah, but what if I was to tell you that in order for you to be queen you must also be turned into a changeling?!"

Screwball gasped, "No-no! That can't be true! You're lying!"

"Oh, wake up, girl, why else would Mothball have come to me in the first place? He knew this to be true and wanted to find some other way to avoid it. I told him there wasn't but if he had set us free, I could produce another royal changeling to replace him."

"Then why are you bothering with all this?! You're free, you can do just that! You didn't need to capture me!"

"Oh, but I had to…" Chrysalis's eyes grew dark, "I didn't see it before, but Thorax and Mothball are just the beginning… soon, the rest of the changelings will want to think for themselves and won't want to rely on a queen… won't want to rely on me… I need to keep in control, for if I cannot have Equestria then why shouldn't I still have my changelings to keep under my hoof! If I lost them… I would have nothing left!" she shouted out that last part startling Screwball.

"Now… when my son comes, I will make sure he gets what he wants as long as I get what I want…"

"He won't do it…" Screwy glared back.

Chrysalis touched her chin while flashing a sickly-sweet smile, "Oh, but he will, my dear… He will…"




"Do you have any idea of where we're going?" Mothball asked as him and Thorax made their way through the Hive's maze of tunnels as some opened and closed at will.

"It's been a long time since I've been here." the smaller changeling admitted.

"I didn't think I would ever see this place… Mother told me she kept many castles around Equestria so that the Changelings could move from one place to another without ponies capturing them of course that happen when she had captured the princesses before I was born but this was the original Hive where she first came into rule."

"It sure was…" Thorax sadly said.

"Was it really that bad?" the taller changeling questioned in concern.

Thorax sighed, "It was strange growing up with the Changelings. I felt like I was just one with the crowd…"

"You're lucky, I would I have given anything to be one with the crowd. All my life, I've heard how the other changelings ranted about me being a prince… Some of the females of the swarm griped how it should be a girl ruling the Hive or that they would brag I would choose them as my queen."

"Guess the joke was on them when you chose a pony-draconquus hybrid instead."

"Perhaps, but Screwball isn't going to what to be a changeling queen… That's why we're here in the first place, all because I couldn't face her and tell her the entire truth. She saw me opening the doors that let my mother and the changelings out, she'll never want to speak to me again…"

"You don't know that. Maybe there will be some tension at first, but I felt the love the two of you shared, and it was strong. I saw the same thing in the Crystal Empire with Cadence and Shining Armor, and again in that throne room in Canterlot, with all the princesses and their husbands."

"What are you saying?"

"I've been all over Equestria and I have seen many couples sharing a powerful love connection as the royals have and you have that too. Believe me, you will overcome this with the mare you love. Don't be afraid to admit how you feel for her and share your fears to her and if she objects to what you tell her, stand up to her. Why should she be the one that decide what should be done in your relationship? If she truly loves you she will listen and figure something out with you."

"And if she doesn't?"

"It's not my decision to make, but why stay with her if she'll just be as controlling as the queen was to you?"

Mothy pondered on that and voiced, "You really think we can get past this?"

"As long as the love between you stays potent, I think so."




After a few close calls of dodging changelings on patrol, Thorax could sense they were getting close to the throne room and saw two different paths that lead to it. He gestured, "I'll go this way, you go that way."

Mothball nodded and took the left hole. As Thorax took the right.

Upon entering the seemly empty throne room, the tall changeling saw Screwball stuck in the glop by the throne and rushed to her.

"Screwball!"

"Mothball! You came!"

"Of course, I came, why wouldn't I? I love you."

"Quick, we have to get out of here! She'll be back any minute!"

"But aren't you upset that I released my mother and the other changelings?"

"We'll worry about that later, right now, we have to go!"

"Too late." Chrysalis hissed as she buzzed down to the couple blocking their path. "Now, Mothball, commence with the transformation…"

"I thought we had a deal, Mother! Your freedom in exchange for you to produce another royal changeling!"

"I made a loophole. Screwball is a royal, so I will plan to make her a changeling. See? Royal…changeling." She gave a snicker before continuing, "I had you lure here as you are my royal heir, and I intend to keep it that way! But I am a reasonable queen, I could never deny my son the pleasure of the one mare he so desires… She is all yours, all you have to do is begin the transformation."

Mothball stood there for several moments, considering his options. Then, he said with confidence, "No."

The queen said, take aback, "What?"

"I said, no. Screwball is the one mare I'll ever love and I love her the way she is."

Then Chrysalis said with a dark smile, "Are you sure she is who she is?"

As if on cue, Screwball transformed into a hissing changeling. Mothball yelped as he realized that it was a trap. At that moment, Chrysalis saw a hint of blue glimmer in the changeling's shocked eyes. She then knew what it was.

She snarled, "You little fool…thinking you could deceive me. I know who you really are. And you are not my son!"

With a glow of her horn, Mothball disappeared in a green flash, revealing Thorax himself. He whimpered as he looked at his undisguised self.

Chrysalis said with an evil smile, "Hello…traitor. Where is my son?"

Just then, something sticky fell on her head. She wiped it with her hoof and saw that it was green goo. She looked up and saw the real Mothball pulling Screwball out of her cocoon.

Chrysalis growled, "You!"

She flew up at them with such fury, but they were able to dodge her and Mothball carried Screwball to behind the base of the throne.

"Come out of there! You can't hide forever!"

But the couple stayed where they were.

"We will stay low until we find a way out and get Thorax…" whispered Mothball.

"Is it true?" she whispered back.

"What?"

She softly asked with big eyes, "In order for the changelings to continue you would've had to change me into a changeling?"

He deeply sighed and turned his head away, "Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was afraid."

"Afraid?"

"Of losing you. Screwball, would you have wanted this? To be queen of changelings even if it meant having me? Would you have wanted to be a changeling too?"

She winced and hung her head before muttering, "No…"

"I thought not. I didn't want this for you, but Mother refuses to have another heir and as horrible as Changelings are I couldn't have it on my conscience to let them become extinct. I'm afraid it's come to a point where you have to decide. I've already made the choice to be the Changelings' next ruler. You can still go and walk away from this and I won't stop you. I just want your happiness and that'll be enough for me since I had the pleasure to know what love was…" he was on the verge of tears when he finished.

Screwball was speechless. He was willing to let her go to avoid this fate. Suddenly she remember what happened in the altered timeline, how they were forced to let go before. Did she want to repeat the same thing? She was so heartbroken when she thought to have lost him forever but so overjoyed when she found him again. Did she really want to give it all up just because she was afraid of a little change? She would still have her beloved wasn't that what matter? And maybe… because she and Mothball would be the rulers they could help improve the Changeling way… that wasn't such a bad deal now that she thought about it. There was just one thing that concerned her.

"If I do go through the transformation… would I still be me?"

His eyes widen in surprise before he gave a small smile, "I reckon you would, you would still have your powers and you would have changeling powers too, you could always change your appearance to look like your old self."

"Uh, that doesn't sound so bad," she smiled, "would you teach me how to use my new powers?"

"Of course, but we don't have to do the transformation yet, Mother still has some time before I'll be needed to ascend to the throne." he released a small chuckle, "Before, I dreaded the day I would become king, but now that I have you by my side, I don't have to worry anymore…"

They moved into an embrace as she said, "No. No, you don't."

Once they let go they put on battle faces as they walked out from the queen's throne.

Mothball addressed Chrysalis who still had Thorax in her magical grasp. "Alright, Mother, you win. Screwball has agreed to be my queen, but I am not going to transform her until the time is right, is that understood?" he firmly said.

The queen smirked, "You have finally embraced your birthright! As of the brat, fine, as long as she's transformed before I die, I could care less."

"And you'll let Thorax go?" he questioned.

She shouted, "Of course not! He is a traitor! And as so he will be punished!"

"No!" The couple yelled.

"Silence! I am still the queen! You two are not the rulers yet so you stay out of this!" she magically started draining Thorax's love.

The small changeling weakly said, "She's taking out the love I have…"

Mothball watched on in horror as his brother was growing weaker by the second. But then he remembered what Thorax said about sharing love how Screwball and him shared love and they were powerful because of that… He shouted out.

"Thorax, share your love! Give it all to her!"

Screwball gapped at what he was saying.

Thorax was confused by what his brother meant but he then released the love within him and bursts of light emerged that made the queen float away and smacked into the throne as the light slowly started destroying it. But then Thorax was in a cocoon and in a blinding light he came out of it but he didn't look the same.

"Thorax?" both Mothball and Screwball inquired.

Thorax was taller, was a light shade of green, his wings were dark purple and shimmering, his eyes were purple as well, there was no holes in his body, and he had antlers on the top of his head.

Mothy asked in awe, "Is that really you?"

"I… I believe so?" Thorax answered uncertainly.

There was a buzzing sound as the swarm of changelings started surrounding them.

Thorax spoke to them, "Don't you see? This is what happens when Changelings share love rather than take love! I shared love and I became this! Changelings, you can began anew if you so want to! Share love, don't take it!"

The changelings glanced at one another and as if in silent agreement, they started to share love and they began to have the same cocoon that Thorax had for his transformation.

Screwy and Mothy looked on in awe as the Changelings changed into colorful creatures.

"Aw, they're actually kind of cute this way." she said.

"I wonder…"

"Mothy?"

He positioned himself to share the love as well but was tackled.

"Oh, no you don't!"

"But you seemed to like the new Changeling transformation better."

"It looks good on them but it would look terrible on you." she smirked.

"You actually prefer me this way?"

"Well, duh, I fell in love with you, didn't I?" she leaned forward and they kissed, unaware that Mothball's wings started to shimmer.

The transformations became so overwhelming that it blew up the entire throne room. This did not go unnoticed by the royals waiting outside. Now that the magical barrier was down, Twilight teleported them all to the ruined site.

Discord gasped and screamed, "SCREWBALL! HE BLEW HER UP!"

"Oh, Daddy stop being such a drama king…"

They looked up to see Screwy floating up with Mothball and the newly changed Thorax. The family gapped as they saw the changelings looking so strange and different.

Twilight questioned, "Thorax, is that really you?"

"It would appear so." the green changeling smiled.

Mothball was beaming as well, "I think this means we have a new changeling leader. My brother, I would gladly step down so that you may take over." he bowed his head in respect.

Thorax asked, "Are you sure?"

"We're sure." both Mothy and Screwy said together and smiled at each other.

Discord then teleported the couple in his arms as he tightly hugged his daughter. And was squeezing Mothball.

"Oh, I'm so happy you're safe!" he exclaimed before frowning at the changeling and lowered his face in a menacing way, "You got off lucky this time, but the next time you pull a stunt like that…" his eyes glowed, "I'll make you wish you never hatched…"

Mothball gulped and put on a brave front, "Believe me, Mr. Discord, it won't happen again."

Screwball scowled at her father, "Daddy, it was an honest mistake and if I was in his place, I think I would have done the same. Mothy was trying to save me from being turn into a changeling, I would think you would be a bit more grateful that he didn't want to force that on me…"

Fluttershy smiled, "She's right, honey."

Discord set them down so that Fluttershy could hug her daughter and thanked Mothball for saving her.

Screwball grinned, "Now thanks to Thorax, we don't have to worry about that anymore. But even if any of this didn't happen, I still would have been my sweet Mothy's queen…" she told that last part to her beloved.

Mothball beamed at her words as he held her close and whispered, "All the same, I'm glad we're free from my mother's rules and that we get to make our own life now."

There was excited chatter among the ponies and changelings when suddenly they heard a rustling and out came a hissing Chrysalis from the wreckage. Immediately the large group stood their ground to face the queen as they braced themselves for the worst.

Twilight being the high queen that she was addressed the former changeling queen.

"Chrysalis, you have done great wrong against me and my family. But I am willing to forgive your transactions if you repent now and share love as your followers have. You can start a new life and not have to feed on a pony's love no more."

Mothball looked on with pleading eyes and uttered, "Mother…"

For moment there it seemed that Chrysalis was sorry for all she done, but then she scowled and angrily said.

"You've taken everything from me! Twilight Sparkle, you and your family will rue the day for ever destroying all that I had! My kingdom, my subjects, my son… And so doing I will take all that from you and more!" she released a green burst of light and they could see her buzzing away in the distance.

Discord declared, "I'll go and get her!" he was to teleport away but his daughter stopped him.

"No, Daddy, let her go." upon seeing the sadness of her love when his mother refused to take the other path, she couldn't bear to see him suffer if they had captured her, then his mother would have been more alone then before.

Twilight nodded, "I agree. She's without an army so she's not an immediate threat at the moment, if she comes back we'll be ready for her." she turned to Thorax, "Now then, as the new king of the changelings perhaps we should discuss a treaty between pony-changeling relations?"

"I quite agree, Your Highness." the changeling bowed his head.

While the two leaders were discussing and the rest of the family were talking among the newly formed changelings, Mothball and Screwball watched on with content knowing this was a new beginning for them all.