19
Sunday, the 29th, October
Pharynx looked between the two Orduud members as if they had suddenly turned into manticores in frilly dresses. It was perhaps the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard, and yet… No, he wasn’t going to entertain the notion. It was the last thing he thought he’d hear in their de facto capital at Griffonstone.
“You two are crazy,” the changeling king muttered, trying to shoulder past the dragon and griffon barring his path, “Hey! Let me through, or I’ll-”
“Or you’ll what?” the dragon sneered, “Fight us? You’ll fight us for standing in your way, but you’re not going to fight those stupid ponies pushing us around?”
“What’s your name again?” Pharynx narrowed his eyes, “Gurgle? Whatever. I’m not going to help you guys ruin the peace. I’ll join you if the ponies throw the first punch, but we can’t be the aggressors here.”
“My name’s Garble, you oversized bug!” the dragon snapped.
“Easy,” the griffon Pharynx remembered as Grigori said, “Pharynx, the ponies have struck first. They have the buffalo surrounded, they’ve been pushing back at Cameloo’s border for years now, and they’ve been forcing everyone else to adopt and live by their standards.”
“They’re not forcing anyone to do anything!” Pharynx snapped back, though in truth he agreed with every word of it.
“Open your eyes, man!” Grigori scoffed, “We came to you because you are the only one of the changelings who shares our views. Rumor has it you resisted changing your ways longer than any other in your swarm. You haven’t embraced the ponies’ ways, have you?”
“Of course not!” Pharynx cringed.
“Then why not join us?” Garble asked, “We’ve got warriors from every member of the Orduud ready to attack – hundreds of soldiers!”
“It’s underhanded, going behind Ember and Rutherford’s backs like this…” the changeling muttered, “and my people are neutral. Me fighting puts their peace at risk.”
“You’d be fighting as an independent agent,” Grigori offered, then tapped a claw to his beak, “Actually, if it concerns you so much, why not pretend to be a griffon? No one except us would be the wiser.”
“And you’d get a chance to fight like a real changeling,” Garble chuckled, “Maybe not with a swarm, but with a horde.”
Pharynx looked between them, mouth slightly open, face conflicted. The offer was too good to pass up, but if Thorax ever found out… Well, wait a minute. Why did he care if Thorax ever found out? Since when did he kowtow to his brother’s weakling decisions? He used to have some respect for Ember and Rutherford, but they were hacks losing hold over the Orduud. The fact hundreds of camels, yaks, dragons, and griffons were ready to betray them and perform a raid against Equestria was proof of that. Still, something inside him was hesitant and looking for an excuse.
“Even with hundreds of warriors, we can’t take on Equestria,” Pharynx pointed out, “Their Royal Guard alone is hundreds-strong! Then you’ve got those Alicorns, and the Elements of Harmony.”
“We’ve thought of that,” Garble scratched his snout, proudly, “We’re attacking at night, when Princess Sun-butt is asleep and her sister’s in the dream world.”
“They are also divided,” Grigori explained, “A small portion of cities broke away to form something called a republic, and there’s a lot of unrest and rebuilding going on as a result. The ponies are weak now. The camels are striking back at Saddle Arabia, while we’ll send the bulk of our forces to Canterlot. Small raiding parties will attack their silly Republic while the rest are busy trying to repel our assault on their capital.”
“Those ponies are going down!” Garble cackled, “With their most powerful princesses captured, the Elements will have to do whatever we tell them to!”
“Hey, this could actually work!” Pharynx’s eyes widened, “Divide and conquer. That’s a classic changeling strategy, though usually we’d be a little more creative and include some espionage, infiltration, and sabotage beforehand…”
“Alas, we wouldn’t fit in within Equestria,” Grigori chuckled.
“And real warriors fight!” Garble slammed a fist against his chest, “They don’t skulk around in shadows.”
“Alright, I’ll join you,” Pharynx agreed, ignoring Garble, “When are we striking?”
Grigori grinned, knowing the changeling wouldn’t have taken much convincing.
“Two nights from now,” he growled out.
…
Starlight tapped her hooves nervously against her desk in the manor. Her manor.
She still wasn’t used to that.
“What does a president actually do?” Starlight asked Chancellor Mare earlier that morning when they arrived.
“You serve as the Head of State,” the older mare explained, “Your job is to engage in state functions, and deal with foreign relations. My job is to serve as the executive. I oversee the Senate and enforce their decisions.”
“I thought president meant I preside over those kinds of meetings?” Starlight asked.
“Traditionally, but an office doesn’t have to match its title,” Chancellor Mare shrugged, “The Empresses rarely behaved according to their title.”
Sitting in her Presidential Manor, twiddling her hooves several hours later while the important decisions were handled by politicians arriving in from the city-states, Starlight was beginning to wonder if she actually served a purpose. She was the face of their new nation, and her office dictated she governed affairs of international policy. On paper she also had some emergency powers that could make the Senate and the Chancellor irrelevant, but she wasn’t about to exploit that system. The decision to make her the dealer with other leaders and former-Mayor Mare the nitty-gritty leader had been a brilliant one. As a disciple of the Princess of Friendship (and, if she were being honest, a student of Ambassador Spike), Starlight had learned a great deal about diplomacy, while Chancellor Mare had years of experience in actual governance.
But that didn’t make waiting for work any less boring.
“Good day, Madame President!” Flim invited himself into her officer, jovial as ever, “Need a break?”
“Quite the opposite, actually,” the mare groaned, “I thought there was all sorts of paperwork involved with this job?”
“I imagine there will be once the ball is truly off and rolling,” the taller unicorn said, “Apparently the Lunar Republic has been orchestrating this for weeks. They already had senators elected, and a rudimentary government created. They even had a fancy supporter in Canterlot willing to donate their house! All they needed was to legalize it with a vote and start moving ponies, but naturally the republican city-state representatives that have been here for weeks were the ones they chose to be senators.”
“It’s just happening so fast,” Starlight sighed, “and now I’m sitting in a palace, leading a new nation! Less than a month ago I was just arriving in Canterlot, wanting to study politics… Crazy, right?”
“Didn’t Applejack and the others go on crazy adventures weekly, or something?” Flim arched an eyebrow.
“Try biweekly,” Starlight snorted, “I think they had 100 adventures in only a year? I guess it’s not too crazy for this to happen in so short a time, but still… Something doesn’t feel right. It’s almost like some external force has been manipulating events for it all to happen so quickly, so perfectly.”
The two unicorns stared at each other before bursting into a fit of laughter.
“Right, external entities…” Starlight wiped a tear from her eye, “What am I thinking?”
“Any idea which foreign power you’ll negotiate with first?” Flim asked, “I’ve got some fellas in a betting pool…”
“Well, Princess Cadence is coming down for a visit soon,” the President smirked, “and I really need to patch up this rift between the Lunar Republic and the Empire. Is it even called the Equestrian Empire, now?”
“There’s a lot of rumors about name changes,” the former-swindler explained, “I hear Celestia’s changing the Imperial Senate to the Imperial Diet, now.”
“What?” Starlight gaped, “Didn’t she just name it the Senate?”
“I guess she didn’t like us using the same name,” Flim laughed, “Or she thought diet sounded fancier.”
“…It does sound pretty cool…” Starlight scowled, “So, what do you do now? I’ve noticed you work here.”
“I’m the Minister of Finance,” he declared, proudly, “It’s just a fancy way of saying treasurer, but don’t tell the mares that.”
“Don’t you mean the mare?” Starlight smiled, coyly, “You plan on heading back to Ponyville anytime soon? Show a certain farmer how much you’ve changed?”
“I… might be planning a vacation here in a few weeks,” Flim blushed, “but right now, unfortunately, there’s a lot of work needs doing. We have no economy! Simply tragic. Actually, since we now rely on international trade, what with our being completely isolated and surrounded by the Empire, that means you and I will be working together a lot!”
“Oh joy,” Starlight feigned sarcasm, but Flim saw through it.
“On the subject of distant relations,” he said, his soberer tone catching his leader’s attention, “how are things with our scaly friend? I heard he turned down your offer to live in the manor.”
“Things are fine,” Starlight said, though it felt like a lie to her, “He didn’t want to make Apple Bloom jealous, living in my building instead of hers. Even though neither of us own the places we’re sleeping at. To be honest, I don’t understand why they’re still together. I mean, I’m the one who pushed them to be together, but all he’s done is complain about how she ignores his views, simply writing them off. What’s up with that?”
Flim shrugged, for once at a loss for words as Starlight continued her tirade.
“I thought they’d be perfect together! He’s young, she’s young, they’re both hard workers, pretty smart, loyal, orphans…” the unicorn trailed off, feeling her face heat up in frustration.
“Glim-Glam,” Flim started, then stopped at the death stare Starlight shot him, “Er… Starlight, perhaps you should just tell him how you feel…?”
“What makes you think I feel anything towards Spike?” the President rounded on him.
“Not to be impolitic,” Flim chuckled at his own little joke, “but it’s pretty obvious. The only one who hasn’t figured it out is Spike, himself. I do believe even the smallest Apple pieced it together. Then again, considering her sister, I’m not surprised she was smart enough to piece it together. After all, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, eh?”
“What if I am in love?” Starlight turned her chair around so she wouldn’t have to face the other unicorn, “Me confessing to him isn’t going to change anything.”
“Apparently you and Spike share being oblivious to romantic feelings…” Flim murmured, “I don’t doubt he’d drop Apple Bloom for you in a heartbeat.”
“Oh yeah?” Starlight peeked around from her chair, slightly, blushing, “What makes you so sure?”
“I recognize the look in his eyes when he sees you,” Flim smiled sadly, his usual quick-speaking dropping away, “It’s the same look my brother gives Celestia; the same look Big Mac gives Luna; and, dare I say, the same look I give Applejack. I don’t see that look in either his or Apple Bloom’s eyes.”
“What do you see in their eyes?” Starlight asked, more interested in dodging any commitment than actually answering.
“Guilt, reluctance, the kind of emotions that come when you’re putting on a sham for too long,” Flim grimaced, “I’ve seen those emotions in my brother’s eyes before, and he’s seen them in mine.”
“I never realized you two actually regretted any of your stunts,” the President chuckled, “Well… I’ll think about what you’ve said, but matters of the heart aren’t really what matter here and now. You were right; we’ve got work to do.”
“Our bleeding hearts can wait,” Flim chortled, bouncing back to his old self, “If you wanted to start work, I’ve drafted up trade plans.”
“Oh, please, yes!” Starlight grinned, “Anything to feel like I actually have a job!”
“That’s the spirit!” Flim levitated the documents onto her desk, “Let’s begin.”
...
“Are you sure this won’t be a problem?” Princess Cadance asked as she watched Sunburst carefully handle Flurry Heart. Her husband, Shining Armor looked close to death already, the exhaustion of raising Flurry Heart being taxing enough; the prospect of his beloved wife heading into Equestria proper, where ponies were rioting and rumors of her aunt going insane were spreading, was just icing on the cake. “I could postpone…”
“No!” Sunburst gaped, the blushed at his own audacity, “I mean, Your Majesty, if what Prince – I mean – Empress Luna says is true, then some pony needs to step in immediately! I know that if any pony has a chance of resolving an issue between family, it’s the Princess of Love.”
“You give me too much credit,” Cadance smiled all the same, “Princess Twilight would be just as suited to this task – perhaps more so. Still, you are right. I said I would go with all haste, so I shall. But… do you two really think you can handle Flurry Heart all by yourselves?”
“Absolutely, honey!” Shining Armor chuckled, managing to stand tall and look more like his old self, “The nobles are more than capable of picking up some of the extra duties for us – in fact, that’s part of Celestia’s new government, isn’t it? As for Flurry Heart, with the nobles taking some of the leadership responsibilities off our chests, Sunburst and I can spend even more time with her!”
“I’m pretty excited that I’ll be staying in the castle,” Sunburst grinned, “Usually I return home whenever I’m not needed here.”
“Just don’t spend all your time in the library,” Cadance giggled, “My husband will need all the help he can get.”
Sunburst chuckled nervously, embarrassed that – without guidance – the library probably was where he’d spend all his time. In truth, he wanted to go to Canterlot, to make sure Starlight was alright, but that wasn’t happening anytime soon. Without Cadance there, things would be difficult enough; he couldn’t leave all the responsibilities with Shining Armor alone. Besides, he rather enjoyed his duties as Royal Crystaller and looking after Flurry Heart. It was an honor to be entrusted with the stewardship of the world’s youngest alicorn.
Something of his regret must have shown on his face, for Cadance spoke up.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come along?” she asked, “We could bring Flurry Heart. I’m sure Shining wouldn’t mind a break from the stress of fatherhood.”
She had meant it as a joke, but her coy smile fell when she saw the fear in her husband’s eyes.
“Are you kidding me?” he asked, “I’d be nothing but afraid if you took our daughter to Canterlot right now! We have no idea if the riots have died down…”
“I’m sure the reports on the riots are greatly exaggerated,” the princess said, “but you’re right. It’s probably not the best place for our daughter at the moment. Still, would you like me to send for all of you if things are calm?”
“It would be nice to have a family vacation,” Shining visibly relaxed at the prospect, “We could even coordinate with Twily, get her to filly-sit her favorite niece…”
He left the suggestion of privacy unspoken, but Cadance smirked at his sultry tone. Sunburst cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with their innuendos. The couple blushed, forgetting they weren’t alone for a moment.
“Yeah, that sounds good,” Cadance chuckled, anxiously, “Don’t worry about a thing, my dashing husband; if the worst I have to fear in Canterlot is a bunch of angry ponies, then I will simply use my charm to get them to cease their violent ways.”
“Of course,” Shining snorted at the joke, but understood what she had really meant. She was an alicorn; nothing short of Chrysalis posed a serious threat to her. Well, that or another alicorn, or Discord, but as much as Shining hated to admit it, the draconequues was steadily becoming an accepted part of Equestria.
“Oh!” the Princess of Love gasped, “I hope things are well in Canterlot! We can get every pony together in time for Nightmare Night!”
“It’ll be the first time Flurry Heart’s spent Nightmare Night with everyone!” Shining beamed, “I hope she won’t be too scared.”
“She’s braver than she looks,” Sunburst commented, “She’s got a lot of her father in her.”
Shining Armor laughed in fatherly pride at the comparison. Cadance smiled at the idea of her daughter becoming some kind of soldier like her father. She felt herself shift for a moment, a vision of a far older Flurry Heart, armored and armed, standing before serried ranks of warriors, a great, scaled beast sprawled around her, obscured by smoke…
The vision was gone as soon as it had appeared, but the vividness of it stunned her. It was no mere conjuration of imagination, the vision too deeply-engrained, too specific, too perfect… It was definitely in the realm of a telepathic message, or an illusion. Or, she dreaded, a vision. Cadance was all too aware of the decaying relations with the dragons and the other non-ponies. What she had seen in her vision was definitely a great dragon, but the image had shifted too quickly. Was Flurry Heart standing before a slain foe? Was she about to be attacked from behind? Was it purely symbolic – a metaphor for an unending war with a great host, a war that future generations will be forced to carry?
Cadance shook these thoughts from her head, not wanting to burden the stallions with her. They would not have the answers she needed anyway.
“I’ll go pack, then,” she said, instead, leaving the room at a brisk trot.
The further she got away from the room, the further she got in denying that brief vision. It was so very brief; it could have been anything. It might have actually been her imagination. Who could say?
…
“Um, Tia…?” Flam asked.
The Alicorn Empress reclined upon a large couch, her Day Guard fanning her with palm leaves and feeding her grapes. She wore a fine robe of fiery red silk, lined with fur, and enough gold jewelry to make her gold-plated guards seem underdressed. For some reason, she had taken to increasingly ostentatious decorations, all while deferring more and more of her duties to toadying nobles who even Flam found unscrupulous. At first he hadn’t minded, what with her doting over him, inviting him along for the pampering, and dressing him in fine clothes and jewelry himself – all, she claimed, as reward for his good work in the Finances Bureau, though he hadn’t even done any work there.
The initial joy of his spoiling soon wore off once he realized she was treating him as another object in her collection. There was affection, but it was shallow and critical. She only seemed to notice him when he spoke out of turn, then she’d coo at him once he returned to doing what she wanted only to ignore him. He was like a doll to her: dressed up, expected to do and say what she desired, then ignored until he fell out of place or the fancy struck her to play with him again.
He would be insulted and infuriated if he weren’t so heartbroken.
“Tia,” he repeated, more firmly.
The Empress of the Day opened an eye, to lazily stare at Flam. The unicorn flinched back, paling at the orb. It was a sharp, burning orange-yellow thing with a black slit, like a snake’s, resting in sockets of red so dark it was almost black. There was nothing but malice and cruel amusement in that eye. She blinked, and when her eye opened again, it was back to normal. Purple, bright, yet… somehow less than it used to be. It was like the difference between a photograph and the real thing.
“Does something trouble you, my dear?” she purred out, not bothering to shift herself to get a better look at him, “Why don’t you come over here and cuddle? I could use a warm pillow right about now.”
“I was hoping we could actually go out and do something,” Flam tapped his hooves together, blushing, “Perhaps we could see a movie again?”
“So you can spill a soda on my lap again?” Celestia gave a bark of a laugh, “Pass. Besides, I hate movie theaters. They’re gross, sticky places filled with rabble. Not like a real theater.”
“O-okay,” the unicorn gulped, “Why not go to the real theater, then? We could see a… a romantic play?”
“Hm…” the Empress pursed her lips at the idea, “I do so love the theater… Very well. Servants, ready my carriage.”
Flam sighed, partly out of relief as Celestia brought herself to her full height and towered over the others. She hadn’t left the castle in several days, and aside from raising the sun, the unicorn wasn’t sure if she had done anything other than abuse her station for pampering. Perhaps seeing the outside would help rekindle her passion for her subjects…
“Actually, I have a far greater idea!” the Empress grinned, “Why don’t we play a game?”
“What kind of game?” Flam asked.
“A game of truths,” Celestia stared into Flam’s eyes with burning intensity, “I ask you a question and you tell me the truth. Then you ask me, and I’ll tell you the truth.”
“I suppose that sounds fun,” the stallion cleared his throat, “Would you like to go first, my dear?”
“Oh, that wouldn’t be fair,” she purred, “I recommended it; at the very least, you should get first crack.”
“Alright…” he tapped his chin, “I can ask any question?”
“Yes,” Celestia smirked, “my turn.”
Flam tsked, seeing the trap he’d fallen into.
“Do you love me, Flam?” the alicorn asked, batting her eyelashes.
“Yes,” the unicorn responded, instantly, mouth dry. Seeing she was waiting for him, he thought of another question. “Are we… dating?”
“Oh Flam, I’m offended you have to ask,” Celestia giggled, “Have you ever thought of joining the Republic? At all, I mean.”
“The thought has crossed my mind,” Flam frowned, “but only if you, yourself joined. I’d never betray you.”
The Empress had a flash of something in her eye just then. It was a softening of a sort, the genuineness of his words stirring something in her that he hadn’t seen for several days, but it was gone almost instantly. Still, she smiled, though it was almost predatory.
“What kind of pony were you before you ascended?” Flam asked.
“A unicorn, naturally,” Celestia snorted as if it were a stupid question, “This one is a hypothetical… If the Lunar Republic turned against us, and I were forced to, say… take care of its leaders – your brother included – would you still remain loyal to me?”
“I… I don’t understand…” the unicorn’s ears drooped in sickened anxiety.
“Yes you do,” the alicorn sing-songed, “It’s a simple yes or no question, Flammy-kins. Would you stay loyal to me, even if I had to arrest, or banish, or… remove your brother?”
Flam avoided looking into her eyes, the cold calculation of which was quite at odds with her jovial smirk. Slowly, he features dropped. Her smile faded into a scowl as he avoided answering, her bearing growing darker and more intense, her eyes glaring into his soul. Finally, she growled.
“Well?!” she demanded, “Your brother, or me?!”
“You, my dearest!” Flam whimpered, falling to his knees and pressing his horn to the ground before her feet, “I would choose you, over all others!”
Celestia stared at him, her gaze withering in its intensity. Slowly, however, her calmer demeanor returned and she smiled again.
“Come, Flam,” she sighed, “Let’s enjoy a play before the sun must set. Then we may retire to my chambers.”
Flam only nodded, suppressing the tears in his eyes and the shiver in his limbs. His heart was breaking, unable to comprehend what had happened to the mare he had fallen in love with. All of her pretty words and baubles she tossed at him seemed worthless in the face of her increasingly hostile and callous attitude towards him. Yet, he couldn’t help but feel it was he who was failing in some way. Was he not good enough for her? Was he doing something wrong?
Something inside his heart, desperate for reciprocation, unwound. His desire for his lady’s love became feverish, his mind and vision unclear without his brother to help steady and support him. He was adrift, unsure of what to do, so he submitted to the authority of the only pony around he loved.
Ahead of him, leading the way, Celestia’s eyes shifted back to the miniature suns within black sockets, a cruel grin on her face as she enjoyed the suffering sycophancy she had fostered within her loyal stallion. Flam made a handsome bauble, and his loyalty should be rewarded, but she hungered for more. So much more…
She would not stop until all was hers, as was her right.
…
Luna watched the sun set and allowed her own magic to guide the moon into position. She felt anxiety deep inside her, and not for any of the obvious reasons. The first official day of the Lunar Republic was coming to a close and already the fires of division were dying down. The Empire’s supporters were cooling their heads, begrudgingly accepting that five city-states had left them. The hate was still there, the desire to fight – but there was no more active violence, fortunately. Something else was eating away at her famous calm.
Was it her sister’s increasingly reprehensible attitude? Or maybe it was the fact Starlight still seemed unprepared for the responsibility Luna had hoisted upon her? Or… perhaps she was feeling anxious about her budding romance with Big Mac while her country fell apart? She had told him and Apple Bloom to stay hidden, and as such she hadn’t tried too hard to dig him out despite the overwhelming urge to do so.
Luna shuddered at the creeping sensation emanating from the castle. She was certain her personal demon was somewhere within, and had more than a sneaking suspicion that it was trying to corrupt Celestia, even if Cadence said otherwise. Yet, even that horrifying possibility wasn’t what made her blood run cold this night. There was something charged in the night air – the prospect of great violence and tragedy – but she couldn’t place its source.
She readied her portal into the dream realm, staring into the void of midnight that would take her far away. Before she entered, she spared one final glance towards the castle. There was a sensation from that direction, like a cold, foul wind.
With a final breath, she plunged into the world of dreams.
…
THURDOJUN…
Spike’s eyes snapped open. He gasped for breath, his blood on fire. Looking down at his sides, he saw the bedding and mattress torn through by his claws, which had clenched for purchase during his nightmare. He grimaced, his years of housework training filling him with disappointment at the sight. Unlike most of the other guests, Spike had denied the servants work in cleaning his room. He did his own sheets, and all the cleaning. He knew the castle intimately, and had friends in the servants’ quarters who had been his mentors growing up. From them he had developed a sense to do things himself, rather than trust others. It wasn’t a lack of trust in ability, but rather that he had developed a method of order that was distinct, like a signature. The room would be just as clean if he left it to the servants, but it wouldn’t be his clean.
The only other guest who didn’t leave things to the servants was Apple Bloom, her years of farm work having instilled in her a desire to take care of herself rather than be pampered. Well, admittedly she did take days off on occasion, but those were few and far between. Spike appreciated that about her. Thinking about Apple Bloom distracted him from his torn bedding, and got him contemplating his relationship. Despite their disagreements, he felt himself increasingly attached to the farm-filly. If anything, their disagreements only ensnared him more. It hadn’t been long, but he felt himself slowly getting over his attraction to Starlight, comfortable with the idea of remaining friends. With Apple Bloom by his side, he could…
-rule over all.
The dragon shook his head clear of the thought, his pupils narrowing into slits for an instant as an overwhelming sense of greed flooded him. It had been so in his dream. A vision through his own eyes, towering over thousands of dispossessed, a great horde of every sentient creature in the realm, ponies and non-ponies alike, accompanied by the beasts of nature. They marched on Canterlot, but it was unlike the city he had grown up in. The mountains had been fortified, the landscape ravaged… An alicorn appeared in the sky before him, features unreadable with the sun haloing her from behind. There had been a great sense of expectation, like an undelivered blow, and Spike had eagerly leaned into his mind’s eye, desperate to see what would happen next…
…but it ended.
Remembering it now, Spike was stunned by how vivid it had been, and with the booming word that echoed through his skull, the word that had woken him up. Thurdojun. He had been reading about it in Cinder Crisp’s journal, but nothing like in his dream had been described. Ponies fighting alongside the non-ponies? The alicorn was most likely Celestia – she was haloed by the sun, wasn’t she? The idea that he’d face off against the closest thing to a grandmother he had made him nauseous. Worse, the fact he had dreamed of himself as the Thurdojun was unnerving.
He started laughing at the idea, though. Himself as a giant, leading a horde of warriors against the city of his birth… Himself as a prophesied dragon hero, when the days he had spent in the Dragon Lands could be counted on his fingers. It was a joke, a simple dream resulting from his stress and the fact he’d been reading too many legends. He’d had similar dreams when he was younger, where he was a charming savior for Rarity, or a superhero defeating foes.
Chuckling and drying his eyes, the dragon made himself comfortable on his bed, grimacing as he noticed how he had grown yet again, his body shifting in structure. If this kept happening, he’d need a larger bed, and he’d already been upgraded once… He curled up, faintly wondering how much longer was left until his growth spurts stopped. He knew this wasn’t natural for dragons, at least not without an increase in their hoard; he had no hoard to speak of, so it was an utter mystery.
His thoughts drifted to Ember since he had been thinking of the Thurdojun. Was she convinced she trying to fulfill the prophecy? Was someone else pulling the strings? Either way, he hoped his friends in the Orduud weren’t making a mistake. He understood the inequality, but he wouldn’t support them if they made things violent.
He fervently hoped things would work out as he fell to sleep once more.
…
Thorax watched the moon reach its apex, tired but unable to sleep. He could sense something dark was in the works. He had become sensitive to such things after ascending as to a changeling king. It was like a sixth sense, like how the changelings used to be able to detect love to feed off of, he could now sense evil to ward off. Or rather to have Pharynx ward off.
Thorax sighed, thinking about his brother. Thinking about him also got him thinking about Ember, and he contemplated writing her a letter. His purple eyes drifted towards a writing desk overflowing with half-written love poems, a trashcan filled with crumpled failures next to it. He blushed; it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to send her a letter. He might let something slip.
Perhaps a gift, then? He was quite skilled with crafts. Maybe a friendship bracelet? Did she like those things? Of course she did. She had once told him she liked anything from him, and he could have sworn she blushed a little when saying it. Probably his overactive imagination, or-
Thorax spun, suddenly, responding to the sudden sensation of someone entering his room. He blinked in shock at Ember standing there. The shock instantly turned to longing, to love, but he felt steadily weaker until he cut the connection. Ember staggered, her form shifting for a moment before the illusion fell and a changeling he hadn’t expected to see again stood in Ember’s place.
“Chrysalis?” Thorax blinked, astounded at her sudden appearance, “W-what are you doing- why were you pretending to be Ember?!”
“Does that bother you?” the former Changeling Queen chuckled, weakly, regaining her regal poise with difficulty, “I didn’t enjoy feeding on that kind of affection from one of my brood, either.”
“In my defense, you- wait, I don’t need to explain myself to you!” Thorax ground out, blushing at the situation, “Why are you here? Why were you disguised as Dragon Lord Ember?”
“Oh, it’s Dragon Lord Ember, now?” Chrysalis chuckled as she walked past her successor and looked over the letters piled up. It was obvious she had already looked through them, which only disturbed the king more. She seemed equally amused and disgusted with them. “It was obvious she is the strongest source of love for you.”
Thorax stayed silent, not quite willing to admit that to himself, let alone his former queen.
“I’m starving,” Chrysalis confessed after a moment, “I’ve been living without any love to sustain me for nearly a year since you cast me out. My schemes to return have all been foiled. I’m running out of options.”
“Then come back to us,” Thorax smiled, placing a tender hoof on her shoulder. She wrapped her own around it, briefly drinking in a different kind of love he willingly gave her. The shock of it all made her gasp, but she hardened herself again and stepped away. “You are the mother to us all! You learn our ways, rejoin us. You can make the hive whole again.”
“This isn’t the hive,” Chrysalis muttered, looking around at the bright colors and craftsmanship. Everything was gaudy, pastel, and loathsomely soft. “I would not fit in here.”
“You could learn to-”
“I shouldn’t have to learn to!” the queen snapped back, “Why must we change everything of ourselves, child? You’ve made everything soft and weak…”
“Not everything,” Thorax smiled, disarmingly, “Pharynx is still pretty aggressive, and a few of the changelings have taken to standing up for themselves and being a mix of the old and new. I’ve accepted that not every changeling is comfortable with our new ways, and that’s fine.”
“Pharynx, huh?” Chrysalis mumbled, “I didn’t see him around.”
“He’s a king like me,” Thorax explained, “Not that rank matters, of course. He’s serving as a diplomat to the Orduud while I’m a diplomat to Equestria.”
“The Orduud?” the Changeling Queen asked, reading through his love letters and chuckling now and then.
“A body of non-ponies that are… having a disagreement with the ponies, at the moment,” the Changeling King laughed, anxiously, trying to ignore her going through his private letters. Something in what he said caught her attention.
“Wait, are you saying the non-ponies are united?” she asked, “And at war with the ponies?!”
“What?!” Thorax seemed horrified, “No! I mean, they’re united, but certainly not at war!”
“Interesting…” Chrysalis returned to sorting through poems, but her mind wasn’t on reading them anymore, “In my infiltration of various races, I learned a great deal about many of their legends and prophecies. Most of the non-pony cultures have legends of a final conflict with ponies.”
“A… final conflict?” Thorax asked, feeling his heart sink.
“Oh yes,” Chrysalis nodded, her cobweb hair bobbing with the gesture, “The dragons have a really interesting series of them, something about a messianic figure leading them. The yaks speak of a unifying ruler who will lead them to ruling the world; the griffons speak of a return to their glory; the camels of their desert lands rising to prominence once more… There are countless legends, but they all have common themes, and some of them in each culture suggested those races would unite to make their dreams a reality,” she spared a coy look at her successor, “Just some food for thought.”
“I trust Ember and my brother not to let that happen,” Thorax replied, evenly, “She might have a temper, but she is wiser beyond her years.”
“Knowing how dragons age, it is quite possible she’s more than twice yours,” Chrysalis snorted, “I don’t understand what you see in her, though. I never expected you would be attracted to a dragon, much less one with that kind of temperament…”
“Wait, are you…” Thorax failed to suppress a smirk, “…are you disapproving who I’m in love with?”
“Of course,” Chrysalis looked at the king, confusion on her face, “Why is that amusing to you?”
“It just seems like something a mother would do,” Thorax said, his smirk replaced by a wistful smile, “I’ve always wished you’d be more like that.”
Chrysalis stared flatly at what she reluctantly admitted was her son before looking back at the poems.
“You asked why I came here?” the queen stated, “I’ve run out of options. I’m going to do something that even I find repulsive, and… I suppose I wanted somebody to know in case I failed in the attempt. I don’t want to be forgotten in that failure… No one has seen me in quite some time, my schemes all orchestrated from shadows, their designer unknown. If I fail in this new endeavor, no one shall know that I’ve even been alive this whole time. I need someone to know I’m still around…”
“Please, just come back to us,” Thorax pleaded, not liking her tone at all, “You don’t have to accept our ways! We can sustain you. I know in my heart that there is a love for you in the hearts of all changelings. I don’t know what you’re planning, but please… I don’t want you to disappear.”
“You’ve gone soft, Thorax,” Chrysalis scowled, then her expression softened, “but I already knew that… I appreciate your concern, but it is likely misplaced. I am a survivor; I will endure and return. I just… wanted to tell you as insurance, in case something goes awry.”
Thorax frowned, but accepted her rejection as he had accepted her rule – reluctantly. He respected her, even now, even after all she had done. He wanted her to stay, but he wanted a lot of things out of others that he knew they couldn’t deliver. His faith in others was unwavering, but his expectations were often too high. He knew Chrysalis could redeem herself, in time, but he also recognized that she needed to do it at her own pace. Still, the prospect of her endangering herself on some vendetta scheme which threatened his friends… He wasn’t sure if he was more frightened of her success or her failure.
“Be at ease, Thorax,” the former queen chuckled, dryly, tiredly, “I can practically feel your anxiety from here. If my plan goes as it should, then no one will be harmed. You know harm was never our intent.”
“Enslaving others to use as a food source isn’t the way,” the king tried a final time, “You’ve seen how successful we’ve been with our way of life. Is it really so awful to you?”
“It’s insulting,” Chrysalis sneered, “It’s beneath us! We should be ruling the world, not making paper crafts! You were warriors and conquerors! Now you do nothing!”
“But our bellies are full, and we know happiness beyond measure,” Thorax argued, the sad smile returning to his face, “What more could you want? There’s no hunger or want, we are at peace, and we are free. Isn’t that a life worth living?”
“Are you really satisfied with so little?” Chrysalis asked in disbelief, “Do you not want the whole world? It is ours by right.”
“What right?” Thorax snorted.
“The right of conquest!” the queen growled out. Thorax only looked at her in pity, concerned about what starving had done to her. Without love to sustain her, she was running off of her hate and desire for revenge, her ambition and envy. It left her even sicklier than normal, which was hard to imagine. “There is no other right. Only through shows of force, only through aggression, can one be sure of their rights and property.”
“Even with Celestia and the Elements beating you at every turn, you still deny the reality?” Thorax sighed, “Before life adapted to compete, it adapted to work together. Even on the smallest scale, life works together in order to survive, yet all you choose to see are the predators and parasites. You refuse to acknowledge symbiosis, herds, flocks, schools, societies… You’re even ignoring the nature of our hive. We work together for the benefit of each other. We do not have to be parasites.”
“Is that how you think of me?” Chrysalis hissed, “As a parasite?!”
“I-I didn’t mean it like that-”
“Enough of this prattling!” the queen seethed, “I’ve wasted too much time on you! And not just here and now… Every ounce of effort I put into your upbringing was a waste, it seems. I’ve wasted years on you, you traitor! You’ve turned your back on our way of life, and corrupted everyone else’s views. You’ve turned them against me!”
“You did that on your own,” Thorax bit back bitter tears, “You never loved us. You taught us to hate and exploit each other… What kind of way is that to raise your children?”
“Children…” Chrysalis grimaced, “You act as if we’re like other races that breed in family units.”
Thorax stayed silent, but he suspected they could breed as other races did, with partners. He felt their change had remade them, breaking their reliance on hives and matriarchy. There wasn’t really a way to prove it until a changeling experimented and proved the idea, but they were still adjusting to their new ways and none of them seemed interested in partners outside of Thorax. For all he knew, he was different.
“Farewell, Thorax,” Chrysalis said, coldly, as she leapt out his window, wings flitting, “Despite your insolence, I cannot deny your leadership skills… When I return, triumphant, I will not punish you… much.”
With that she departed into the night sky, leaving the Changeling King behind. Thorax watched her depart, filling sadness fill him. He missed her. He missed Pharynx. He missed Ember. He missed Spike. He missed his friends in the Crystal Empire, and in Equestria. He longed for the days when he could safely journey to the other lands and spend time with his friends. He longed for a day when Chrysalis would embrace what he had learned, when she would rejoin the hive and they could be a happy, united family. He wanted so much…
He sighed, heavily. Maybe he was asking too much.