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// Nagging, Gnawing, and Aching 
// Story: The Problems with Changeling Royalty 
// by Snorlaxkid 
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Have you ever felt like there was something you forgot to do or to check, but no matter what you can't figure out what it was, just that it feels like it was important? 


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Thorax sat at his wooden throne, the evening sun disappearing over the western horizon. Another peaceful day had come and gone. Each one was a relief after the turmoil with the maulwurf and the old ways that had nearly cost him his brother. And yet, for some reason the relief never seemed to last. Every day brought new "what ifs" and "why nots" to the surface, with no apparent end in sight. Part of Thorax couldn't blame Chrysalis for abusing her power if this is what being a "good" leader was like.

"If you keep staring at the sun while you're lost in thought you're gonna go blind."

Thorax shot up to attention, his older brother having snapped him out of his daze. He gave an exaggerated bow to Thorax, grinning cheekily. "Ah, good, you've returned to the land of the living, I was starting to think I'd lost you."

Pharynx's snark was one thing Thorax hadn't expected to come out of reforming his brother, but it was hardly from the oddest effect. Like Thorax before him, Pharynx was unique among the reformed changelings, taller, and darker colored, and interestingly enough having a different body shape, similar in appearance to Thorax's own. 

"Sorry, I was just, thinking," Thorax started, shaking his head. "I've been really worried about everything lately, and I think I need to get to the root of all of this if I want to finally be able to relax."

The elder changeling shook his head and walked over, sitting down next to Thorax's throne. "You're thinking too much."

"But if I don't think I won't-"

"No, no," Pharynx interrupted, "You're thinking too much about everything in general. If you want to get to the root of this you need to work backwards. Stop thinking about the here and now, get rid of every thought until you've cut your way back to where it all stems from."

Thorax blinked a few times. It wasn't really like his brother to give such good advice, at least not directly, but good advice was good advice. He closed his eyes and went through his mind, he had an idea where to start after all, this all seemed to start during the treatment of Pharynx during the maelwurf incident. He couldn't give up on his brother, no matter how much it seemed to veer away from logic. Pharynx was, is, family. 

Family. The word seemed to stick in Thorax's head. His family. There was Pharynx, but there felt like there should be more. A family wasn't just two brothers, he'd seen many families in the Crystal Empire. There were brothers, sisters, parents... 

Thorax's eyes shot open. He knew what the question was that had been eating at him. "Pharynx, who are our parents?"