//------------------------------// // Secrets Unkept // Story: The Problems with Changeling Royalty // by Snorlaxkid //------------------------------// "What, what is it? You've just been standing there gawking at it for the past several minutes." Pharynx asked impatiently, leaning in for a better look. He was exaggerating of course. Thorax had only been stunned into silence for a couple of minutes at tops. "It's Chrysalis she's..." Thorax wasn't really sure how to spill this. How does one tell their brother that he just found out they threw their mother out of her own home? Well, she'd been a complete sociopathic monster, sure, but still! He passed the scroll to Pharynx. "Here, at the bottom." There was a brief pause while Pharynx read. His eyes narrowed as he did so. "That... explains a lot actually." He commented, his tone dropping to a dark one. "Especially why you're suddenly completely speechless." "I don't talk that much." "You felt the need to say that." Pharynx pointed out as he looked back over the scroll. "What are these numbers, dates of death? ...Are you happy with this?" Pharynx rolled the scroll back up before offering it back to Thorax, who took it carefully. "No. No I'm not." ------------------------------------------------ Thorax spent the next few day pouring over his options. It quickly became apparent that the best course of action would be to seek advice from his friends. The issue was how to word it. Dear Twilight, Starlight, and Spike, I would like advice on some distressing information Thorax crossed out the last couple words and crumpled up the letter. No, that wouldn't do, too direct. Maybe something like... I was recently looking into genealogy No! That was worse! He needed to word this in a way that would leave him some wiggle room in case the letter was read by the wrong pony. Dear Twilight, Starlight, and Spike, While looking through old documents hidden in the depths of the hive I found some information I would like to discuss in person. I would like a chance to meet with you all as soon as possible, please make a decision and send a date for me to visit back with this messenger. Sincerely, King Thorax Was it a bit too much to refer to himself as "King?" No, no it would do. Thorax rolled the letter up carefully and sealed it. The easy part would be finding someone to take the letter to Ponyville. The changelings loved any excuse to visit Equestria. ------------------------------------------------ A few days later Thorax was flying to Ponyville, scroll strapped to his back. Pharynx had insisted he come too, as this was about him too, and Thorax had been unable to say no. The two were mostly silent on the way, however Pharynx spoke up as they approached the last leg of the journey. "You should have talked to me first before agreeing to meet with anyone on this." Thorax rolled his eyes. "You would have just said no. I know Twilight, Starlight, and Spike. They'll know what to do." Pharynx just snorted and shook his head, before tilted himself to change direction. "Come on, let's head around to the castle. We'll attract less attention if we avoid flying over the town." Thorax sighed and took his brother's detour. He knew it was pointless to argue his brother's paranoia about routes. He'd been through this before, it didn't matter if you knew who lived there by heart, an enemy could be hiding anywhere. The remaining flight was uneventful, and soon Thorax was landing just behind Pharynx at the entrance to the crystal castle. Pharynx looked the castle up and down as they approached the front doors. "...Flashy place. Is it a thing for ponies to build their strongholds so they can be seen from miles?" "It's a castle Pharynx, not a stronghold." "The only difference is that one has royalty living in it and the other doesn't." Thorax didn't have a counter-argument for that, so he was rather glad when Spike opened the door for them. The young dragon started to greet Thorax when he saw Pharynx. "Oh I... Didn't realize you were bringing someone else with you," Spike commented, pulling back to let the two changelings in. "Oh! Right! You two haven't met. Spike, this is my brother Pharynx. Pharynx this is Spike, he found me when I was in the Crystal Empire." Pharynx took pause at this introduction. "Spike. I remember that name. You protected my brother when you first met. Not many would give that kindness to a stranger. You have my thanks." "Uh... You're welcome and it's good to meet you too?" Thorax chuckled lightly. "You don't have to be so formal Pharynx. We're all friends here." The three continued on to the map and throne room where Twilight and Starlight were waiting. Thorax immediately walked up to the map table and unstrapped his scroll, hovering it to Twilight and Starlight. "This is what we found. It's a family tree of the..." Thorax paused, not sure how to put it. "Of the royal lineage of the Hive." He waited for Twilight and Starlight to reach the bottom of the scroll. "Chrysalis... Pharynx and Thorax," Starlight read aloud. "You're Chrysalis' sons? Why isn't your father listed here?" "Chances are we were supposed to be backups, the real heir was never born, so we're just b-" Pharynx started, pausing to stop himself upon remembering his company, "Illegitimate children." Thorax shook his head. "Chrysalis would have no reason to add us to the scroll in that case. I'm guessing it's our father who was considered insignificant, not us." Spike was rubbing his head with his claws. The young dragon was having trouble wrapping his head around all of this. "So you're telling me, that Chrysalis, the psycho queen-" "Ex-Queen" Twilight reminded. "Psycho ex-queen, is your mother?" Both Thorax and Pharynx nodded silently. "So why are you asking us for help specifically?" Twilight asked. Thorax and Pharynx looked at each other. Pharynx gave a silent nod. "We want to find her," Thorax said as he turned back to his friends. "And we want to bring her back home."