Thorax stood before Princess Luna dumbfounded. The princess of the night had come to him, and had vanquished his nightmare to boot. Whatever price she asked of him, was too small of one as far as he was concerned.
"O-Of course, your highness!" he answered, and bowed down before her.
Luna continued smiling, but gestured for him to stand up. "You may rise young changeling", she told him,"I am aware of your gratitude for my actions, but if you wish to repay me, please converse with me before our time here is done."
Thorax looked at her in confusion, and then terror. "A-Am I...?"
"Far from it", Luna replied,"We are in my domain of dreams, a place where we can speak freely and not be disturbed."
Thorax calmed down and breathed a sigh of relief. He definitely wouldn't be happy about getting so close to achieving his dreams only to perish in his sleep beforehoof. No longer fearing for his life, he watched as the princess waved a hoof, and a table and chairs appeared in front of her.
"Come", she commanded,"Sit with us as we converse!" Moving over to the chairs, she flashed her horn and a tea set appeared on the table, along with a bowl of sugar cubes, a bowl of lemon slices, and a jar of honey. Thorax cautiously walked over to the other chair and sat down. The princess then proceeded to pour a cup of tea and pass it to him. Not wishing to be rude, he accepted it.
"Um, princess", Thorax said,"I, uh, can't really drink this."
"Then it is a good thing you aren't actually drinking it." she replied. This caused Thorax confusion until she explained.
"We are in the dreamscape, a place where dreams exist. All that is here is a reality, but also a fantasy. What is real here is what your mind makes real, and at the same time, is only as real as you make it."
While the explanation made things make more sense, Thorax was still a bit confused. Luna ignored his state of confusion and offered the sugar bowl. "Thou has made it possible for you to partake of our tea. Please, try for yourself."
Thorax still looked at her with confusion, but decided to trust what she said. Taking a sip, he found that it was not only at a tolerable temperature, but also gave him a rather warm and good feeling inside. The only thing he could liken it to would be the feeling of being full from feeding, if he could ever feel such a thing. The taste was also quite good.
"Wow", Thorax commented,"This is amazing!"
The princess giggled. "We are glad thou enjoys it so", she replied, pouring her own cup and adding a lemon slice.
Thorax sat there for a moment before he decided to ask a question. "P-Princess", he began nervously,"Y-You said you wanted to speak with me, but you're going to be coming tomorrow to do that, so why are you here now to speak with me?"
Luna took another sip of her tea, and then placed it back down onto a saucer. She then looked him straight in the eyes and answered "I am speaking with you now because there is one thing you can do in the waking world that you cannot do here."
"What is that?" Thorax asked.
"Lie" replied Luna.
"Oh, Princess", Thorax countered,"I would never think of lying to either you or Princess Celestia!"
A bright gong-like sound resonated in the dreamscape, startling Thorax out of his chair. He ducked underneath the table and covered his head with his hooves, quivering in fear.
"You may come back out", Luna called to him,"That sound is a feature of an enchantment that I've placed on you in this realm."
Thorax uncovered himself and poked his head out from under the table. Princess Luna was there gesturing for him to return to his seat, which he did. Once seated, the princess continued speaking.
"As I said, we have placed an enchantment on you that will tell us if you are lying or trying to hide information. If you are honest, you will hear the sound you just heard. If you are attempting to deceive me or hide something, you'll hear this noise."
Suddenly, a loud klaxon style alarm sounded, making Thorax flinch. "Could you maybe make them not so loud?" he asked her.
"Certainly" she replied, before both sounds were heard again, this time much softer than before.
"T-Thank you" he told her.
"Has manners and respect for authority", Luna remarked,"Clearly someone taught you those."
"I, uh, picked them up as I went along" replied Thorax, hearing the gong noise around him.
"Where did you pick those up, I wonder?" asked Luna.
"Different cities in Equestria" replied Thorax, who again got the 'Gong of Approval'.
"We are curious", Luna said, before asking,"Would you please tell us of your journey here?"
"I'd be happy to!" answered Thorax, getting the approving noise again. Luna filled her tea and his cup again as he prepared to tell her of his journey away from the hive.
"It all started with Canterlot" Thorax began, with the gong sounding. Upon hearing that, Luna adopted a wide eyed stare.
"You were at Canterlot?", she questioned,"During the attempted invasion?"
Thorax looked at her sheepishly before answering. "Yeah, I was there", he admitted,"but I didn't take part in any of the hostilities. My job was just to make sure ponies didn't try to leave the city (GONG). While I was there, I saw Princess Twilight and her friends fighting against the other changelings. When I saw how strong their friendship was, I knew I would want that for myself, so I began to think about how to obtain it. Not very long after, that massive shield threw us from the city (GONG)."
"When I got back to the hive, I tried to tell the others about what I saw, but they either didn't believe me or called me weak and pathetic (GONG). I knew then and there that I couldn't stay in the hive and find what I wanted, so I decided to leave (GONG). I traveled back towards Equestria because I figured I had a better chance of making a friend there than anyplace else. I mean, your guy's whole deal is friendship (GONG)."
Luna gave a chuckle. "Yes", she admitted,"We do put a lot of emphasis on friendship and harmony. Please, continue."
"The first place I came to was a town called Dodge Junction. I came in a disguise, since this was a few months after the invasion, and I knew that the ponies here would've likely heard about what happened there and would only be wary of me at best (GONG). When I didn't have any luck there, I moved on to the town of Appleloosa, but the reception was also fairly lukewarm (GONG). Most of the ponies there wouldn't even fathom the idea of a changeling deciding to be peaceful and wanting to live among them (GONG)."
"This saddens us", the princess replied to his story,"I was of the impression that my sister has tried to set an example to our subjects not to be so quick to judge."
"I'm sure she has, but just like me, sometimes your subjects don't go along with the precedent you try to set (GONG). Anyways, I kept traveling to different towns, getting the same result everyplace I went (GONG). After a while, I started getting pretty hungry, and the lack of success on top of it was starting to dampen my hopes quite a bit (GONG). Eventually, I felt the love coming off of the Crystal Empire, which is really strong because I could feel it for miles and miles off (GONG). I started getting pulled this way because of it, and I eventually got here, which was the day before yesterday (GONG). I tried to stay hidden, but some ponies spotted me coming in from the outskirts and raised the alarm, so I had to hide out in a cave (GONG). I stayed there for the night, and the next morning I was woken up by Spike the Dragon (GONG)."
"Ah, yes", Luna responded,"Princess Twilight's assistant. We were told that he defended you and plead your case to Princess Cadance and her husband. What words could you have used to sway him to your cause?"
"Actually, I saved his life (GONG)" admitted Thorax.
Luna looked at him with a shocked expression. "You saved his life? How?"
"He fell into the cave I was hiding in", Thorax explained,"The entrance had been covered over with snow from a snowstorm the day before, so he had no idea it was there (GONG). At first I tried to disguise myself and make him think I was his reflection, but I couldn't keep it up (GONG). After I lost the disguise, he got spooked and tried to run away, but he knocked himself silly on a rock and fell into a crevice (GONG). I flew in quick and grabbed him so he wouldn't fall (GONG)."
"I see", Luna observed, "Then I must thank you for saving his life"
"It was nothing", Thorax said trying to deflect the gratitude shown him,"I'm sure any other creature would've done the same thing for him."
"Even another changeling?" Luna countered.
Thorax flinched slightly. "Perhaps not every creature" he admitted.
Luna took a sip of her tea before speaking. "Why did you save Spike?", she asked,"Letting him perish would've been a greater benefit to you. You could've escaped before any of the guards would've realized you made off."
"It wouldn't have been right", Thorax answered,"It goes against all of the ideas I believe in (GONG). I don't want ponies or other creatures fighting or suffering because of me (GONG)."
Luna smiled. "It is good to see that Equestria has left such a positive impact on you."
"It has", Thorax admitted,"but I've always felt that what my kind was doing wasn't right (GONG)."
"It is unfortunate, but is love not the one thing you need to survive?" Luna asked.
"Yes", Thorax answered,"but that doesn't mean we have to resort to tricking ponies and stealing it from them (GONG)!"
"I think I understand" Luna responded. She took another sip of tea. "You've came to Equestria to find a better way for your kind to gain love. Am I correct to assume you believe friendship to be the way to do this?"
"I believe it with all my heart (GONG)!" Thorax answered.
Luna smiled, but then it faded. "Your efforts will take a great deal of time to pay off", she observed,"There will be many that will mistrust you, and some may even treat you with spite and hatred. But, I think you have the strength to achieve it. The only question I have left is, will the changelings in your hive see it?"
Thorax thought for a moment and hung his head. "I'm not sure (GONG)", he admitted,"But I have to try! I couldn't live with myself if I didn't at least do that (GONG)!"
"So you intend to stay in Equestria and prove yourself worthy of the trust and friendship of the ponies who live here?" she asked him.
"Yes, your highness (GONG)" Thorax answered.
"Very well" replied Luna. With a wave of her hoof, the table and tea set vanished. "Our time together has come to an end", she told him,"but we shall meet again soon in the waking world. I shall inform my sister of our conversation."
"Will you share this with Princess Cadance and her husband too?" Thorax asked her.
"I shall", she replied,"Unfortunately, I cannot make the final judgement about your staying in the Crystal Empire; That is up to Princess Cadance and Captain Shining Armor to decide. However, were it my decision, I would see to it that you were given every opportunity to find what it is you're seeking."
"Thank you, Princess", Thorax replied, a small tear forming in the corner of his eye.
"And I thank you", she responded, and then her horn glowed and a string of pink energy emitted from it and into Thorax's body. The sensation he felt was all too familiar to him. He looked up at her with a confused expression. "I have shared with you our own love. It is a gift for your honesty and a token of my thanks for your actions in saving young Spike."
Thorax smiled warmly at her. "Thank you" he said to her.
Luna smiled. "Our time is at it's end now, and dawn is fast approaching", she told him,"I must now go and lower the moon so my subjects can start their day." Luna then disappeared as though she were made of nothing more than fog. The dreamscape then faded to black, and Thorax could feel his eyes begin to open.
He was in the guest room with the others. He sat up and looked around, noting the thestral guards watching him closely, a feeling of distrust emanating from him. Luna was right in saying that ponies would mistrust him, and that it was an obstacle to be overcome.
"I have to try", he thought to himself,"I have to try and convince them I'm good."
===
Princess Luna was then awoken by her sister, who had came into the chamber a few moments ago. "It is time for us to lower our moon and raise out sun" Celestia told Luna.
Luna nodded, and then stopped Celestia before she could turn around. "Sister", she began,"I'm sure you figured out why I was up here this night, but I feel I must tell you anyway. I contacted the changeling through the dreamscape."
"I know", answered Celestia,"It is a rare occasion indeed when you elect to use the amplification chamber for dream walking."
"It is", she admitted,"but I felt it was necessary for I to make use of it to succeed in my endeavor."
"And I take it that your were successful, based on what you told me?" Celestia asked, realizing where the conversation was going.
Luna smiled at her sister. "We have much to discuss together on our journey."