“No.”
“Come on Pharynx, please?” Thorax begged as he followed his brother down the hallway of the Hive.
“No means no, Thorax.”
“But why not?”
“I’m busy!”
“It’ll only be for a little while!”
Pharynx wheeled around to face his little brother, glaring. Thorax pouted at him.
“I’m only asking you to watch Apex for a couple of hours. You like playing with him!”
“In a way. Usually I’d agree and get some time to train him, which, I remind you, isn’t playing. But why does it have to be now?” Pharynx growled
“I’m supposed to spend time with Ember today in the Dragonlands, it’s no place for a nymph!”
“You coddle him too much, Thor. Need I remind you he trains with me more than three times a week? He’s capable of handling a bit of rocks and fire.”
“No he can’t! He’s only five, Pharynx!”
“Well he might as well come along with you anyway, because my answer is no.”
“Why, Pharynx? What have you got to do today besides drill the soldiers?”
Pharynx looked away, and Thorax cocked his head at him.
“You… do have to drill the soldiers today, right? I’m not mixing up your schedule or anything?”
Pharynx hesitated. “...I gave the soldiers the day off. It’s not like they can get any worse than they already are.”
“But why? You love yelling at them.”
Pharynx blushed slightly. “I-I have other plans.”
Thorax’s eyes widened. “Pharynx, did you make a friend?!”
“What?!” Pharynx looked up at him. “I just-no!”
“Aww, come on, you can tell me.”
Pharynx blushed harder. “I-I’m just… meeting up with someone. A-And I don’t need a grub hanging onto my carapace the whole time.”
“Who is it?” Thorax asked curiously. “You have been leaving the Hive a lot lately…”
“N-Nopony important!”
“Nopony, hm?” Thorax grinned. “Who is it? Shining? Trixie? Starlight? You don’t know many ponies so it’s got to be one I know.”
Pharynx growled and turned to leave. “J-Just a pony, I think the purple princess knows her.”
“Wait, it’s a mare? Pharynx, is my big brother in lo-”
“Don’t say it!” Pharynx spat
Thorax giggled. “Fine. But seriously, who is it?”
“None of your business.” Pharynx snarled. “The point is, I can’t take Apex for you.”
“Why not?”
“He’ll just be bored the whole time, and if he’s bored the whole time, he’ll annoy us.”
“He won’t cause any trouble Pharynx, I promise!”
“Don’t make promises for him Thorax, you know him.”
“Okay… but then what am I supposed to do?”
“Stick him in the nursery like you’re supposed to?”
“You know he doesn’t like playing with the other nymphs.” Thorax sighed, looking away. “I don’t know why but it worries me, he should have friends.”
“Well I don’t have time to debate this with you, I need to go before I’m late.”
“But-”
“Look, just take him with you. You can keep him near you at all times.”
“But what about Ember?”
“It’s Apex, if he can make me like him, then he can make anyone like him.”
“I guess…” Thorax sighed
“There, problem solved. Now I have to go, I’m going to be late.”
“Since when did you care about being late for anything except training, Phar?”
Pharynx blushed. “S-Since now. I’ll see you later bro.”
“Alright.” Thorax smiled slightly. “Have fun on your date.”
“It’s not a date!”
“We’re changelings Pharynx, I can tell you’re in lo-”
“Don’t you dare!”
“Fine, fine. Just have fun.” Thorax smiled and nuzzled his brother before heading to his room to get Apex. He had let the nymph play there while he talked with Pharynx.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Please be nice to Ember, she’s a great friend but she can get upset easily.” Thorax told the little nymph perched on his back. They were walking towards the Dragonlands, Thorax having landed a little bit outside it.
“Okay Papa Thorax. Bu’ why do I go’a be up here an’way?” Apex asked, climbing onto Thorax’s head.
“Well, the ground is going to start heating up once we get closer to the lava pools of the Dragonlands."
“Can’ we jus’ tran’form in’o dragons?”
“It’s politer to stay in our own forms Apex, you know that.”
“Bu’ Uncle Pharyx says we shoul’ take ‘nother forms if they’re ben’fickle.”
Thorax giggled slightly. “Beneficial, Apex. Pharynx isn’t wrong, but the heated rocks won’t affect me as much as they will you, so it’s better to just let you ride on me until we get there.”
“Okay.” Apex said, settling down on Thorax’s head. Thorax smiled at him.
“Ember’s going to meet us at the border, then we’ll fly to her cave. It’s at the top of a mountain, so the rocks won’t be as hot from the lava.”
“Okay Papa Thorax. Whas’ she look like?”
“She’s a blue dragoness with bright red eyes. And she’s really tough and smart…” Thorax blushed slightly. Apex looked at him.
“Papa Thorax, d’you like her?”
“Wh-What?” Thorax blushed harder and Apex giggled. “N-No Apex… I mean… I like her, just… she probably doesn’t like me that way so…”
“Why don’ you tell her?”
“Because she’s not that kind of creature, sweetie. She doesn’t like feelings or emotions, and I’ve been teaching her to be more sensitive to other’s feelings, but… I don’t think she’d like me if I told her.”
“Is tha’ her?” Apex asked suddenly, pointing ahead of them. Thorax looked over and squeaked, blushing as he saw her.
The blue dragoness looked over and waved at him, flying closer. She clutched a purple-blue scepter with a red gem at the top.
“Hey Thorax.”
“H-Hey Em.” Thorax said, smiling at her. Ember then saw Apex perched on his head.
“Uh, who’s this?”
“O-Oh, this is Apex.” Thorax levitated the nymph off his head and into his hooves. “My brother Pharynx couldn’t watch him so I had to bring him.”
“Is… he your son…?” Ember asked slowly.
“O-Oh, not exactly.” Thorax nuzzled Apex, who giggled. “Apex… he’s an orphan, and I’ve been taking care of him.”
Ember’s gaze softened as Thorax placed Apex on his back. Apex giggled innocently.
“Hey Apex.”
“Hi!” Apex smiled widely. “Papa Thorax sai’ you were a brave dragon, an’ smar’.”
Ember blushed slightly. “Heh, oh, did he?”
Thorax blushed and nodded. Ember chuckled and smiled at the nymph.
“How about we head up to my cave then?”
“That sounds good.” Thorax said, blushing.
Ember smiled and took off, Thorax following her lead. Apex giggled and clambered back onto his head. Ember led them through the Dragonlands, and Apex looked around excitedly.
“Papa Thorax, lookit all the mel’ed fire!”
“It’s called lava, Apex.” Thorax told him
“La’a?”
“Heh, mhm.” Thorax chuckled as he followed Ember into a landing outside a cave. She led them in, setting her scepter aside. Thorax smiled and set Apex down, letting him look around.
“Why’s i’ so dark?”
“The caves sometimes get dark during the day, dragons like having shade.” Ember explained
Apex trotted around in the cave, smiling. His ruby-red eyes glowed in the dim light as he glanced back at the adults.
“Huh, your eyes look like gems.” Ember remarked
“All changelings’ eyes glow in the dark, it’s because we have great night vision.” Thorax explained, trotting towards Ember. She looked over and locked eyes with him.
“Oh, wow, Thor, your eyes look like amethysts…”
Thorax chuckled nervously, blushing. “Th-Thanks Em…”
Ember giggled softly, then glanced at the eager nymph. He was bounding around, pawing at the walls in curiosity. Ember then looked back to Thorax.
“S-So… you really think I’m brave? And smart?”
“W-Well, yeah…” Thorax gave her a hesitant nuzzle, not noticing the blush filling her face. “You helped me get more assertive. And you’re obviously smart to have won the Bloodstone Scepter, even if you worked together with Spike. Y-You’re brave, strong, smart, and so much more.”
“W-Wow… thanks Thorax…” Ember stepped back, rubbing her arm. “I-I think you’re smart too… you’re also really… uh… sweet… and… ugh, I’m bad at this…”
“It’s okay.” Thorax smiled at her softly. “Keep going, you’ve got this.”
“W-Well… I think you’re… smart… and sweet… and sensitive, but, you know in a good way.” Ember smiled slightly. “I mean, being sensitive let you help me get more in touch with my own feelings, so…”
“Thanks Ember…” Thorax smiled, and she smiled back.
“Papa Thorax!” Apex leapt at the older changeling, hugging him. Thorax giggled and hugged him back. Apex cuddled into Thorax’s foreleg, yawning.
“Heheh, is someling sleepy?”
“Nu-uh Papa Thorax, ‘m no’…” Apex yawned again.
“Heh, come on.” Ember beckoned him over to a thick stone slab. “This is my, uh, bed, I guess. It’s not very comfortable for non-dragons but…”
“It’s fine Ember.” Thorax sat down on the stone slab, settling Apex against his side. Apex yawned and curled up there. Ember chuckled and sat by Thorax, curling her tail around herself.
“Heheh… he’s a cute kid.”
“Thanks…” Thorax blushed, looking at her. Ember reached over and laid a claw on his hoof. He blushed harder. “U-Uh, do you… want to hold him?”
“Apex? I don’t know, I’ve never even held baby dragons before.”
“Well, Apex is five, he’s not a baby.” Thorax said, nodding to the nymph. “You don’t have to hold him for very long, just for a minute.”
“O-Okay…” Ember rose and picked up the small nymph, sitting down in his place. Thorax blushed as Ember laid back against him. “Heh, sorry…”
“No, it’s fine.” Thorax assured her, laying his head down on the rock and closing his eyes.
Apex yawned and cuddled against Ember, who blushed. She put a claw on his stomach and tickled him gently. Apex giggled and opened his eyes slowly.
“Huh? E-Ember?”
“Heh, yeah… Thorax said I could hold you…”
Apex giggled and squirmed, closing his eyes. “I’s okay… he’s ‘sleep an’way…”
Ember glanced over, seeing that Thorax was indeed asleep. “How’d you know that?”
“E’eryone has a special tas’e or smell tha’ on’y they smell like, an’ Papa Thorax’s smell go’ fain’er, meanin’ he fell ‘sleep.” Apex explained
“Oh.” Ember looked down at him. “So… what does he smell like?”
“Some frui’y thing… I thin’ he called i’ a man’o. An’ you smell like a fire when i’ goes ou’…”
Ember chuckled. “Matches my name, I guess. You know, you’re pretty cute, little ruby.”
“Ru’y?”
“It’s the shade of red on you.” Ember explained, tapping his carapace lightly. Apex giggled.
“Guess tha’s why Papa Thorax likes you… you’re nice.”
Ember blushed. “He likes me…?”
“Mhm…” Apex yawned and closed his eyes. “He sai’ so…”
Ember looked over at Thorax, smiling softly. “I… like him too…”
“Good. So can you tell him no’ to worry an’ tell you he likes you…?” Apex asked sleepily, and Ember chuckled.
“Sure, I can do that. Go back to sleep if you want, little ruby.”
Apex smiled and cuddled into Ember’s arms. Ember leaned back against the alpha changeling, feeling his soft breaths as he rested. She held the little nymph close against her, closing her own eyes in content. Soon, she was dozing lightly beside the two changelings, Apex still held in her arms.