A Time to Think

by The Sonic Mage


Chapter 12: An Enlightening Day (Part 1)

Chrysalis was definitely kept busy. Every other day, She was asked If she wanted to attend some event or go somewhere in the Changeling Empire. A small dinner party one day, a theater performance another. And there were also days where Thorax would just engage in just simple conversation with her. She didn’t feel tired as much as she felt bewildered. She felt like she was on a tour. Which reminded her; Thorax was going to take her on an actual tour of the Hive. A day she waited for with both curiosity and un-ending dread. While she had pushed passed the idea that she was going to be killed at every turn, she still wasn’t over the massive amount of gilt she felt.

Regardless, she had said “Yes” to it earlier, and was mentally cursing herself now for it.

‘Why do I do this to myself?’ A question she had no answer to. But what she did have an answer to, was the knock at her door.

“Come in,” she said, knowing who was at her door just from the knock.

Sure enough, Thorax was the one to walk in. He smiled as he entered, happy to see Chrysalis. “Hey there,” he greeted.

“Hello,” Chrysalis responded. She knew exactly what was coming.

“So,” Thorax asked, “Ready for that tour?” He was nervous about her answer.

Chrysalis quietly took a deep breath, “Sure! Whenever you’re ready.” Her answer allowed Thorax to keep up his cheery expression.

“Great,” he said, “If you’re sure you’re all set, then we can get started.”

Chrysalis walked out of the room, and they began to go on their way.

“So,” Chrysalis asked, “Where are we going first?”

Thorax continued looking ahead as he walked along his guest, “Well, I do have an interesting first stop picked out.”

>~~~~~~~~~~~~~<

Tibia was speed trotting through the kitchen keeping an eye on everything in her view. Noling could rationalize how she managed to act as head chef and a waitress when they were short on staff, and yet she did without breaking a sweat. She was on her way to her office, when a sight caught her eye. It was the sight of Thorax and Chrysalis walking into the kitchen. On a dime she detoured in their direction. She almost startled them with how fast she appeared before them.

“Monsieur Thorax! Madam Chrysalis!” the Prench Changeling exclaimed.  

Thorax bowed his head to the chef, “Hello Tibia.”

“W-What are you two doing here?” Tibia was still slightly in shock.
“Thorax here is taking me on an official tour of the Hive.” Chrysalis answered before Thorax could.

Tibia gasped, “Monsieur Thorax, why did you not tell me about this? I would have prepared something special for you!” She yanked his ear as a mother would do to their disobedient child. “Honte à vous Monsieur.”

Thorax massaged the yanked ear, “Sorry Tibia. I just didn’t want anyling to put on an act on my account.”

Chrysalis was stunned by the exchange. ‘She...She just pulled on his ear! On her KING’S ear!’ She pondered how it was possible for Tibia to get away with such an action. A bizarre thought came to her. ‘Are Thorax’s subjects so comfortable around him that they can do such things?’

Tibia cleared her throat, “Well, I guess I could show you around the kitchen.” She motioned her hoof to the rest of the facility, “If you would follow me, please.”

They had only taken a few steps before Tibia stopped them “Oh, mon Dieu! I almost forgot!” She pulled an elastic hair band out of a pocket in her uniform, and turned to Chrysalis. “This will only take a moment Madam,” Tibia said as she reached for the former Queen’s long mane.

Chrysalis reeled back a bit, “What are you doing?”

“I am tying your hair up, Madam,” The Prench Changeling clarified, “All Changelings with long manes must tie it up. It’s a heath protocol.”

“Oh…” Chrysalis felt a little silly for not thinking about such a thing.

Tibia then tied Chrysalis’ hair into a neat bun. “There we go, Madam.” Tibia looked at her handy work and smiled “Oh, it looks fantastique!”

“Y-You really think so?” Chrysalis was unsure of the compliment.

“I’d have to agree,” Thorax added on, “It suits you.”

Chrysalis frose in that moment. She was being complimented on her appearance. Any other pony, grown or foal, would describe her as “hideous”, “abominable”, or run away screaming. Yet here, she was described as looking “fantastic” with no sarcasm or fear.

“Well then,” Tibia inquired, “Shall I show you two around?”

>~~~~~~~~~~~~<

The walk around the kitchen was standard but still interesting. Tibia showed them the main cookery, the fondue maker, and all the other major sections of the work place that she ran. At the end she made them gourmet chocolate strawberries as a treat, said their farewells, and the duo were on their way again to their next location.

“So,” Thorax said after swallowing a strawberry, “Where in the Hive would you like to go next?”

Chrysalis couldn’t really think of anything. She was at a loss for Ideas. “You’re the tour guide. Your pick.”

Thorax thought for a moment and then came up with a great thing to do. “How about we see what my brother is doing?”

“Oh… well sure.”

They began walking to do just that, but Chrysalis soon realised something. “Thorax, this isn’t the way to the balcony.”

“We’re not going to the balcony,” He said, “We’re going to the courtyard.”

“What!” Naturally, Chrysalis panicked. “B-But…He’s training pony soldiers. If they see me, they’ll-”

“You still remember how to shapeshift…right?” Thorax interrupted, with a quizzical look on his face.

Chrysalis was stunned. “Wha...What?”

“Shapeshifting,” Thorax repeated, “You still remember how to do that, right?”

Chrysalis went from panicked, to down right bewildered. “But…the inhibitor...it-”

“Have you checked it recently?”

Chrysalis looked down at the bejeweled crest that was meant to detain magic, and if her jaw could drop any further, it would probably hit the floor. The inhibitor’s level of restraint was even lower now than the last time she checked, which now that she thought about it was a while ago.

“So, you still remember?” Thorax smiled.

Chrysalis began to concentrate. It had been a long time since she had used such a power. Still couldn’t hurt to give it a try. She created a picture in her head of what she wanted to look like, who she wanted to be: A new Changeling with rose colored wings and a light green carapace. All accompanied with a pair of purple eyes. She pressed her teeth together in concentration. Slowly, the magical flames wrapped around her like a blanket, and enveloped her. After a few seconds, the flames receded, revealing that yes, She still remembered how to shapeshift.

>~~~~~~~~~~~~<

“COME ON, MOVE!” Pharynx barked at the trainees as they moved across the field, “Move like death is after you!”   

The recruits moved as fast as they could, trying to get past every obstacle correctly. Pharynx kept ahead of them on the course, doing along with them. He saw it as a way to motivate the trainees, to show that it was possible to do it. However, there were a few recruits struggling with the climbing section, one more than others.

“Oh, that’s right Private Aster,” Pharynx barked at the pony from atop the wall, “Don’t make any actual effort to get up to the top of the obstacle. If Celestia wanted you up here, she would have miracled your hide up here by now, wouldn’t she?” His orientation speech may have been him letting of steam and having fun, but some of the troops were honestly wearing on his nerves. And it showed.

Private Aster, a brown coated, black maned earth pony, Struggled to climb the wall. While he was making progress, it was painfully slow.

“Private Aster! Whatever you do, don’t fall down! That would break my heart!” Pharynx was determined to get that pony to the top of the obstical. “Get your hide up here, Aster!”

“I-I’m trying, S-Sir,” Aster managed to sputter out in his exhaustion.

“I’ll bet you if the mare of your dreams was up here on top of this obstacle, you could get up here! Couldn’t you!”

Pharynx wanted so badly to lay into Aster with verbal thashings all day until he climbed the obstacle. However,he took a few deep breaths, calmed himself, and tried something else.

“TROOPS,” Pharynx shouted, getting everyone’s attention, “Get washed up and take a 5 minute break. After words there will be a 5k march before meal time.”

Everypony stopped and looked in the general’s direction. For them, this came right out of left field. The blank stares didn’t last long, however.

“Well, what are waiting for,” Pharynx yelled, “If you want that break, I expect you to off this field in 2 minutes!”

And with that everypony head for their bunks. Aster was starting to head there.

“Private Aster,” But Pharynx stopped him, “Come here.”

Aster nervously walked over to his current commanding officer. He was shaking, his mouth quivered, as he stood before the Changeling General that was more than a few inches taller than him.

He managed to stammer out a, “S-Sir?”

“Private Aster,”  Pharynx’s voice was stern and commanding, but it wasn’t loud and angry. It was calm, “Why are you unable to negotiate that obstacle?”

“Sir, I-I’m sorry. I was just too weak to do it. I’m sorry, Sir.”

Pharynx looked at Aster with an analytical eye. ‘I know exactly what to do.’ He thought.

“Private Aster,” He kept his posture straight, “Starting tomorrow, I will have you set up to take exercise courses to increase your stamina.”

Aster looked up at Pharynx in surprize and awe. “Wha…?” He was expecting to receive a ejection from the military at best.

“I will also be sending you to the doctor for a full physical,” Pharynx continued, “And if it proves necessary, I will have you trained in the use of special equipment that will allow you to better navigate obstacles.”

Aster was still in shock. “S-Sir...Why...?

“Because I’m your teacher, and your my student,” The Changeling general responded, “And sometimes, students need some extra aid in order to properly learn.”

“S-So...Your not discharging me?”

“Aster, I read your profile. If I thought you had no potential, at all, in any aspect of training, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. So no, I'm not discharging you, because yes, I think you have what it takes.”

Aster would have cried if he were not standing in front of his Drill Instructor, but he was close to letting a few tears loose. “Th-Thank you, Sir.”

Pharynx smiled, “You’re welcome, Private” He nudged Aster’s shoulder. “Now you carry on,” he motioned toward the bunk area, “There’s 3 minutes let in your break.”

“Sir, yes, Sir!” Aster said with a new found self-confidence. He went of to join his fellow trainees.

“So, has anyling told you ‘You could be a father’?” Thorax seemed to have come out of nowhere, but it didn’t startle Pharynx.

“Thorax,” Pharynx turned to face his sibling, “This is quite the surprise visit.”

“Well, I can’t pass up on a chance to support my brother.”

Pharynx then noticed the Changeling next to Thorax. If his memory served him correctly(Which it usually did), he had never seen her before. Yet, there was an air of familiarity about her.

‘Who is this?’ Pharynx telepathically asked through the Hivemind.

‘It’s Chrysalis,’ Thorax responded.

‘You gave her the leeway to use shifting magic?’

‘Pharynx, trust me. You said you would. I know what I’m doing.’

‘...Alright…’ Pharynx then turned his attention to the disguised Chrysalis. “It’s good to see you, mam. You designed a great form to use.”

Chrysalis was stunned for a moment by the fact that Pharynx knew it was her. ‘Okay, stay calm, roll with it.’

“T-Thank you, it took a while to make.” Chrysalis was trying to keep cool under the pressure she now found herself under.

“It really suits you,” Pharynx said politely.

“So,” Chrysalis asked, “Is that how you work with troops?”

Pharynx looked out onto the the field, “Like I said earlier, sometimes they need a little extra support to get the job done.”

Chrysalis spaced out, “Ha…he really is like a Father, isn’t he?” Chrysalis quietly though out loud.

“You say something Chrysalis?” Thorax asked.

“Oh,” Chrysalis was brought out of her thoughts by Thorax addressing her, “N-No, nothing.” She waved her hoof, dismissively.

“So,” Pharynx said slyly, “Who wants to try out my obstacle course?


TRANSLATIONS:

Honte à vous Monsieur (Shame on you Mister)

fantastique (Fantastic)

mon Dieu (my god)