//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Wondering and Wandering // Story: Dawn of a New Age // by GTthe4th //------------------------------// (The Farasian Sea) After arriving in Hakoda (and explaining to a somewhat traumatized Thorax that he wasn’t, in fact, missing any vital organs from the warp gate trip from Appleoosa), Twilight decided that it would be best for everyone to stay the night in the Zebra city and stock up on supplies before they continued on their trip. While Twilight booked passage on a small fishing boat to take them to the mainland, Rarity found a cozy hotel for them to spend the night in, and Applejack, Thorax, and Spike visited the market to buy any last-minute supplies they might need. Hakoda itself was one of the two major cities within the small Zebra nation of Farasi, and while it didn’t boast an enormous ziggurat like Zebrat, the capital, it made up for it in being Farasi’s chief exporter of fish, seaweed, and various spices and herbs for potion makers and chefs across the world. Twilight was also ecstatic to hear that Hakoda held one of the largest collections of ancient Farasian artifacts and scrolls, carefully preserved throughout the ages. She visibly teared up when she realized she’d have to wait before she could see them, but remembered why she had come to the city in the first place. It was a breathtaking experience for all those involved. For the Ponyville residents, it was like stepping into a whole new world, with a fresh culture and new ways of living life. Rarity practically drooled over the prospects of bringing Zebra fashion to Ponyville, and Applejack was tickled pink to learn that Zebras loved the Apple Family Cider, particularly from the Ponyville orchards. They tried to keep a low profile, but once the Zebras learned that Princess Twilight Sparkle and some of her friends had arrived, the whole city was soon demanding to see them. Many of the merchants thanked Twilight for sending a team of her Dusk Watchers to help with their bandit problem, although they did inform her that they would’ve preferred it if the desert didn’t get any more craters. Twilight wasn’t exactly sure what they meant, but she smiled and nodded all the same. Finally, after fighting off a horde of fans, Twilight and her friends made it to the hotel and promptly went to sleep without anymore fuss. The city quieted down after that and the Zebras went their way, leaving the poor Ponies alone. Tomorrow came with the cry of a rooster, and the five of them packed up their gear, bid farewell to the city, boarded their boat, and sailed out of the harbor at the crack of dawn. It was a calm, misty morning, with bulbous, grey clouds on the horizon. The lands to the west of Equestria were always stormy this time of year, being uncontrolled by the Pegasi, so Rarity made sure to pack raincoats for everyone. The little wooden boat, the Minnow, bobbed up and down on the waves as it slowly made its merry way to the western mainland, where Thorax felt sure he was being led to. The captain of the boat, a grizzled, somewhat chubby Pony by the name of Gill Skipper, paid his passengers little heed as he whistled a tune and set their course. Where they were going was none of his business, but the Princess had paid him a pretty sum, so he was perfectly fine with not fishing for a day or so. After a few hours of sailing, the shores of Farasi eventually disappeared in the mist, and Thorax took that moment to go below into the cabin, leaving Rarity and Applejack to act as volunteer crew for the captain (who was telling Rarity a story of how he once caught a “twenty-five-pounder”, much to her chagrin), Spike to be the one who made breakfast for everyone, and Twilight with nothing to really do. After a short while of contemplation, she soon joined Thorax below deck, shaking off the water droplets that had stuck to her fur. She found him sitting on a cramped bench, still in his Appleoosan disguise and sipping at a cup of water, looking oddly melancholic. When he noticed her, his eyes brightened slightly and he waved her forward. “Hey Twilight.” “Hey,” she replied with a smile, sitting down in a chair opposite of him. “Not much to do up there besides stare at the waves and watch Rarity slowly descend into madness, so I thought I’d join you down here.” He shrugged in response. “Not much to do down here either.” “Yeah, but you’re here, which means we can talk.” Thorax took another sip and then set down his cup. “What about?” “In your letter, you mentioned an ‘Emperor Tarsus’,” said Twilight. “What can you tell me about him?” He sighed, leaning back in the bench and closing his eyes as he recalled the message that the Changeling Emperor had imparted to him. “Honestly...not much,” he replied at last. “I remember his voice, but that’s about it. He sounded...young, probably even just a few years older than me at most, and yet he had this way with words and the way he spoke just made you want to bow in reverence, or even fear...” “Fear?” “Well, maybe not fear...I don’t know, something,” Thorax murmured. “All I know is that he scared me, and yet he wasn’t exactly trying to be scary, you know? More like he was giving me an order I couldn’t refuse, and he knew that I knew it.” “But surely as a king you’d--” Thorax shook his head. “No, not even that could stop him. Once his messengers made contact with my Hive, there was no stopping the Emperor’s words from being heard.” “What did it feel like?” she asked, leaning forward slightly as a twinkle of learning appeared in her eye. Behind her, a notebook flashed into existence with a quill next to it. “Hearing the Emperor, that is.” “Well, like I said, scary, but also...” He paused, searching for the words. “As if...as if something that had been buried in each of us was suddenly brought up to the surface. An instinct we never knew we had was suddenly found. We all just knew that we had to obey him.” Twilight frowned and raised her head from her notebook. “That doesn’t seem fair. You’re an individual like everypo...everyone else, and you shouldn’t have to be forced to obey someone if you don’t want to.” Thorax shook his head a second time. “That’s not how it works; no one’s being coerced or forced into doing anything. But think of it: a Hive gravitates around its leader, like bee drones and a queen bee. The Changeling drones are the same way, and I guess it’s the same for all the Hives. Only each Hive acts as its own singular entity, gravitating around the Emperor. We all still act in our own interests, but if he speaks, we listen.” “Fascinating...” Thorax hummed. “Aaaand, that’s pretty much all I can say about him, really. I only just learned about all this yesterday, and half of it is just guesswork.” Twilight’s ears drooped. “Oh. That’s...disappointing.” “I’m sorry,” Thorax said with a grimace. “No, don’t be,” Twilight replied, setting aside her notes. “It’s like you said, you just learned about this yourself, it doesn’t make much sense to ask you about all this now. I should’ve just waited until later.” He shrugged. “You’re curious, and so am I.” “Yeah...” Twilight nodded, her voice drifting off. “Well, um, how about a slight topic change, then? How’s the Hive doing?” “Oh, well, you know, it’s okay,” Thorax replied, shifting in his seat. “Everyone’s content, plenty of love to go around now, all that good stuff. We just started making the place look nicer by putting plants around, and we’re starting repairs to the throne room.” He put a hoof to his chin. “Oh, and Captain Shelly, the Changeling in charge of patrol when Pha...when the general isn’t around, she’s been a great help. She’s kinda like my secretary and advisor, until someone else can fill in for her.” “And how are you doing?” Thorax raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?” “How do you feel as king?” Twilight asked, raising a hoof. “Or even just in general.” He shrank slightly in his seat, and his ears twitched. “I’m good, I guess. It’s tough leading them, but it’s not like I can’t do it. Yeah, I feel pretty good about it.” “You don’t sound very confident.” Thorax sighed and looked up at her. “Is it that obvious?” “Well, let’s just say you sound like me when I first became a Princess,” Twilight said. “What’s wrong, Thorax? Do you want to talk about it?” Muttering under his breath, he raised a hoof and rubbed the bridge of his snout. “I’m just...I really don’t think I’m the right Changeling for this job. For as long as I can remember, we only had one leader of our Hive, and she...well, you know how she was like. Ruthless, selfish, power-hungry, and brutal; but she was also efficient and experienced. She knew how to run a Hive, how to lead others, and how to survive. We may not have been happy under her rule, but we were alive, and her leadership kept us going for hundreds of years.” He let out a sardonic laugh. “And then there’s me...young, hopelessly shy, never lifted a hoof to lead others in his life, clumsy but well-meaning, and not traditional in the slightest.” Twilight said nothing and simply stared at him with a contemplative look, prompting him to continue, “I’m just not cut out for this, Twilight,” Thorax murmured, letting his hoof fall from his face as he looked down to the deck. “They try to hide it under their smiles, but I don’t think that the Changelings are very happy with me being their leader. When I was just a nymph, I was always smaller, more afraid, less aggressive, quieter, and nowhere near skilled enough in infiltration. Others had to pick up the slack for me, and now I’m the one leading them all. There are so many better candidates for the job, and yet I was chosen. Why?” “I know exactly how you feel,” Twilight said, exhaling slowly. “When I ascended into Alicornhood and Celestia gave me my title as Princess of Friendship, I had no idea what I was getting into. I couldn’t even fly very well for my first few months, and I knew I still had a lot to learn about friendship, much less teach other Ponies how to be friends. Back then, I was worried that I wasn’t ready, and even now, I still wonder if I ever will be, or if I’m worthy of the title.” Thorax snorted in bemusement. “But you’re Celestia’s protégé, and before ascending, you were one of the most powerful Unicorns in Equestria. You have a wealth of knowledge at your hooves, you have your own castle, you have so many friends everywhere, you have the ear of Celestia herself, and your entire family has been blessed to be in the court of royalty. You take to the job like Changelings take to love. How could you not be worthy?” She giggled, smiling. “You might think that, but you’re only seeing one side of things. When the public thinks of me, they think of this powerful Princess who defeated Lord Tirek and stopped Chrysalis’s first invasion, and who has a small army of Ponies who travel the world to help all those in need, even if it’s something small and insignificant. They see a Princess who’s a master at magic and the paragon of friendship, and who can do no wrong.” Her smile shifted into a mischievous smirk. “But you wanna know what my friends see? They see this crazy, panicking mare who fusses over the smallest details, nerds out over books, and acts like a complete goofball and dork whenever her plans fall through. Celestia, Luna, and Cadance all rule over kingdoms, I rule over a concept. And not only that, it’s a concept that I repeatedly fail at and keep learning about. And yet despite all that, Celestia still trusted me with my title, so I won’t break that trust or let her down.” “Then how do you do it?” Thorax begged her. “Please, tell me.” “I could tell you all I know about leading a nation or a kingdom, or all the books I’ve read on the subject, but that’s not what you want or need to hear,” Twilight replied. She leaned forward and put a hoof on his shoulder, meeting his pleading gaze with a smile. “In all honesty, I make it up as I go every day. Whatever works, I stick with, and whatever doesn’t, I salvage. In the few years that I’ve been a Princess, I’ve made a lot of mistakes, and some of them have almost even ruined some friendships. But with these mistakes, I admit that I’m wrong, and I take responsibility for them so that I can learn from them for the future. Being a leader isn’t being perfect all the time, it’s knowing how to own up to your mistakes and still have the courage to guide and encourage others.” She let her hoof slide off his shoulder, and stood up from her chair. “You might lack the experience right now, Thorax, but that will come in time. You’ve only been a leader for a week or so, and nobody’s going to blame you if you make mistakes, so you shouldn’t blame yourself either or put yourself down. You’ll grow into the role, and when you do, you’ll be a great leader. You have the heart and the courage to lead your Hive, and all the rest can be learned in time. Even Chrysalis had to start somewhere.” A ringing bell sounded above, not urgently, signaling the call for breakfast. Twilight sent Thorax one last smile and put on her jacket again, trotting up the stairs and exiting the cabin. Thorax watched her leave and drained the last of the water in his cup, pondering her words. He still wasn’t entirely convinced, but something in her voice and her conviction and confidence in him made him feel a little less burdened by it all. At the very least, he wasn’t as bothered about it. Feeling lighter, he leaned back and breathed in the salty air of the sea, and smiled. (Western Equestria, shoreline near the Wandering Woods, the next day) The day had passed quickly without much trouble, as did the night. The breeze that had given them a lot of speed in the morning had died down in the afternoon, slowing them to a crawl. The dark sky was lit with a canvas of stars by the time the Minnow reached the mainland, weighing anchor several dozen meters away from the shoreline to avoid running aground against the sharp rocks. Although it vexed the five passengers to no end, they decided to spend the night on the Minnow rather than try to venture out at night. Thankfully, Gill Skipper was more than willing to accommodate them, and took first watch as the five of them dozed off. Finally, when they had all awoken bright and early the next morning, they packed up their supplies and thanked Gill Skipper for his services, before Twilight teleported all of them to the shore. They waved goodbye to the old sailor as he turned his boat around and sailed back to Hakoda, before looking around their surroundings to take stock of where they were. The stony beach they were on was mostly barren and grey, save for a few broken pieces of driftwood, stripped of their bark and bleached white from the sun. The skies above them were dark with rain clouds, and they could hear the rumble of thunder from far away. Behind them lay a tall, sloping cliff that led off towards the north, with a dark evergreen forest crowning its edges. At first they couldn’t see a way up, until Twilight reminded everyone that she could just teleport them up there. What caught their attention the most, however, was the enormous, foreboding mountain far to the north, visible even through the mist and the dim light. Thorax’s ears twitched whenever he looked at it, and he felt as if he was being pulled towards it. Whatever it was, it was their final destination. As she and Applejack loaded their saddlebags onto their backs, Rarity looked up to the sky and scowled at the dark layer of cumulonimbus clouds heading their way. “Eugh...a storm. We certainly arrived at a most inopportune time for traveling.” “Wouldn’t have made a difference when we arrived,” Applejack grunted. “Them there clouds woulda come anyway.” “She’s right,” Twilight spoke up as she, Spike, and Thorax approached them. “The Western Reaches are outside of Equestria, and are thus not under the same weather regulation like Equestria is. Cloudsdale is simply too far away for their weather teams to reach us here.” “What about the local towns?” Rarity asked. Twilight shook her head. “Sire’s Hollow is the closest Equestrian town that isn’t blocked off by the Jackalope Slopes, and their weather team isn’t nearly enough to cover the entirety of the Western Reaches. And Farasi doesn’t have weather teams at all.” Rarity’s face screwed up. “How can they live that way? How can they settle for such...primitiveness?” “That’s the world,” Thorax replied, finally dropping his disguise and stretching his wings. “Ooo, that feels good...but yeah, the world isn’t exactly a paradise like Equestria. Out here, the weather is uncontrolled, the wilderness is wilder, and the monsters are bigger.” “M-Monsters?” Spike gulped. Thorax nodded gravely. “Chrysalis made sure that we all knew about them before we ever went anywhere outside of Equestria. Hidebehinds, werewolves, soul-snappers, tunnelwyrms, thaum wisps, even dire wolves and bloodhunters, just to name a few.” “Goodness, those sound positively ghastly...” Rarity shuddered. “Don’t think Ah’ve ever even heard of some of those,” Applejack added with a raise eyebrow. “And thank Faust you haven’t,” Twilight replied, instinctively pulling Spike a little closer to her. “Princess Celestia told me about some of them when I was still studying under her. Bloodhunters, thaum wisps, and hidebehinds used to haunt Equestria, before she and the Solar Guard drove them all out. Hydras, chimeras, and timberwolves were nothing compared to the threats just those three monsters posed to Ponykind, thaum wisps especially.” A cold shiver ran down her spine, and she grimaced. “Imagine Tirek, but smaller-scale, and you can’t ever get the magic back.” Rarity blanched, and her eyes widened in horror. “Yeeeeah, let us know if we ever run into one of those things,” Spike said, rubbing the side of his head as he looked at the cliff and forest with a nervous gaze. “We should be fine, as long as we stick together and keep our eyes peeled,” said Thorax. He then pointed to the mountain in the distance. “Now, I think that’s our destination, and if we start now we might be able to make it there by nightfall.” “How can you be sure it’s where we need to go?” Rarity asked, as the group gathered around Twilight. “Instinct,” Thorax replied, just as Twilight’s horn lit up and they vanished from the beach in a flash of light, reappearing at the top of the cliff. Applejack shook off the effects of the teleportation and rubbed her head. “Well, if’n ya think we’re on the right track, then that’s good enough for me.” “I just hope we can make it there before the storm as well,” Rarity said, throwing a scarf around her neck as she joined the others in walking towards the forest. (Wandering Woods, a few hours later) They did not, in fact, reach the Spire before the storm set in, much to Rarity’s consternation and Applejack’s eternal amusement. After only a few hours of traversing the cold, rocky landscape, the five of them soon became drenched in heavy rain, and so ran for the only cover they could find in the Wandering Woods. There they sat for another miserable hour, watching from their spot under a large blue spruce tree as the rain continued to pour down. The storm didn’t seem to be going away any time soon, judging by the increase in rain (which surprised Applejack, who could’ve sworn that there was enough rain to flood half of Sweet Apple Acres and still have leftover for Ponyville). Eventually, the group ‘s boredom reached an all-time high, so it was decided that should play a game to pass the time. There was a few debates over which one they should do, but given their rather limited options, they eventually settled on Truth or Dare (much to Spike’s eternal shame). Thorax had never played it before, so the mares explained the rules to him. Thinking it wasn’t anything to be ashamed about, he volunteered to go first. One dare later, both he and Spike were blushing madly, Rarity was on her back laughing her butt off, Twilight was hiding her face, and Applejack was rolling her eyes skyward and whispering a silent prayer for strength. It was promptly decided by all those involved (including Rarity, who Applejack held down with a hoof) that Thorax’s first dare would never be spoken of again, and from that point on, only the mares participated in the game, while Spike and Thorax simply watched. “Alright, your turn, Applejack,” Twilight said. “Truth or dare?” “Truth,” the farmer replied. “What do you think you would be if you weren’t a farmpony?” Twilight asked. Applejack didn’t even blink. “Accountant.” Spike choked on the granola bar he was chewing on and stared at her incredulously after he coughed out the offending piece. “Really?” Applejack shrugged. “It’s what Aunt and Uncle Orange were teachin’ me to be when Ah was livin’ with ‘em in Manehattan, as well as all that highfalutin stuff. If it wasn’t for the Rainboom, Ah woulda stayed there.” “What a sight that would’ve been to see,” Rarity commented. “Well then, I suppose it’s my turn, and I’m feeling rather daring right now.” “Alright, Rarity,” Twilight smirked, pointing to her. “I dare you to tell us which Princess is your favorite.” Applejack and Spike groaned in unison. “Not this again, Twilight!” Spike exclaimed. “What’s wrong?” Thorax asked. “Equestria has four Princesses, and every couple of years, a survey goes out to see which one is the most popular among Ponies,” the little Dragon explained. “An’ Twilight here,” Applejack muttered, pointing to her. “Has been tryin’ to figure out who Rarity keeps votin’ for every year.” Thorax raised an eyebrow. “Why’s it important to know?” “Because every time I ask she always has something else to do, someplace else to be, or somepony else to meet!” Twilight cried out. “But you can’t escape this time! I’ve got you fair and square!” Rarity sighed. “You’re never going to let this go, are you?” “NOPE!” “Fine, then I’ll say it,” Rarity grumbled. “It’s Celestia, she’s my favorite Princess in the world. There, are you happy now?” “I KNEW IT!” Twilight shouted, bouncing in glee and holding out a hoof to Spike. “Pay up, Spike!” “Yeesh, she wins her first bet and she acts like she won the lottery...” Spike muttered, digging in his backpack and pulling out five bits, tossing them towards Twilight one at a time. Rarity sent them both a deadpan look. “Seriously, darling?” “What, don’t act so surprised,” Twilight defended herself as she stored the bits away in her saddlebags. “I’ve long suspected she was your favorite, this just confirmed it, that’s all. Don’t worry, I Pinkie Promise not to say anything.” Rarity blushed and scratched the back of her head. “It’s not like it was a secret in the first place...” Applejack smirked. “She’s right, most of Ponyville knew about it, we just never told ya.” Twilight frowned. “Why not?” “I was afraid that telling you the truth would hurt you,” Rarity admitted, looking away shamefully. “I know, it’s a silly thing, but your friendship means a lot to me, Twilight.” “Oh Rarity, you could never hurt my feelings over something like this,” Twilight replied, smiling at her. “You’re right, it’s just a silly poll, and everypony has their own favorites. I was just curious, since you kept hiding it for no reason, that’s all.” “I suppose I have been stressing out over nothing, then,” Rarity said, smiling back. “You’re not mad?” “Nah, of course not,” Twilight giggled. “Besides, Celestia’s my favorite Princess too.” As Rarity and Twilight hugged, Thorax leaned down and whispered to Spike, “What did I just see?” “A very minor friendship problem being solved, I think,” Spike replied with a shrug. “Welcome to my life.” After the hug ended, Rarity straightened herself and said, “Well, ahem, I believe it’s your turn now, Twilight.” “Hm? Oh, right, the game,” Twilight said. “Ummm...truth.” “Are you interested in anypony romantically?” Rarity asked. Twilight groaned and flopped onto her side, putting a hoof over her head. “This again? Really?” “Hey, eye for an eye, you forced a secret out of me via a dare, now you must spill a secret in return,” Rarity declared, smirking. “As my father would say, ‘life’s fast, you’re too slow, it’s in the grain’.” “What does that even mean?” Thorax pondered. Rarity paused, and her smirk disappeared. “You know, I don’t really know, it’s just something he says. I guess it could mean a lot of things?” Twilight rolled her eyes. “No, Rarity, I’m not interested in anypony right now.” “Ah! There it is! ‘Right now’. Surely that means there’s hope for you yet!” “Rarity, I swear to Faust...” Twilight started. “Anyone hear that?” Applejack asked suddenly. The other four paused and looked at her. Their ears swiveled around, listening for anything. The only sound they heard was the rain splashing against the ground and slamming against the rocks. “I don’t hear anything,” Thorax said after a while. Nevertheless, his ears flicked, and his antlers began to itch. “Exactly,” Applejack pointed out. “Earlier there were birds chirpin’ in the trees, but now there’s nothin’.” “So?” said Spike. “Soooo, the last time that happened to me, timberwolves came outta nowhere and dragged off mah ma and pa,” Applejack growled, standing up and taking an aggressive stance as she stared out from the branches. “Get ready to run, y’all.” As Spike and the mares began to quickly pack up and prepare to run, the irritation at the base of Thorax’s antlers continued, and he rubbed his head in annoyance. Still the itch persisted, and he blinked, turning his head to the north. The wings on his back buzzed for a moment, and his eyes narrowed. ...Is it him?... His eyes widened, and he took a step back. “Thorax?” Twilight asked, turning to him. ...He’s near... “No...” Thorax whispered, taking another step back. “Not again. Please...” It has been a long time since an Equine has visited us. And not just any Equine, but their King. But where is their Queen, I wonder? The voices began to come faster and clearer, and Thorax heard a ringing in his ears. He clutched his head and fell backwards, recoiling at the voices. They were monotone, imperious, and almost accusatory, and they were everywhere. Calling to him. Coercing him. Pulling him towards them. Who are you? Towards the Spire. “Thorax!” Twilight cried as he fell, rushing to his side. Spike was at her side in an instant, looking worried. “They’re here...they’re inside...” Thorax muttered, curling up. “Why won’t they leave me alone...?” What are you? ’What are you?’ The Emperor is eager to meet you, King Thorax of the Equines. He has many questions. ’What are you?’ He needs many answers. “Thorax, what’s wrong?” Twilight asked, kneeling down next to him and putting a hoof on his shoulder. “Who are ‘they’?” “Changelings...” Thorax hissed. “The Primordial Hive...they’re in my head! They won’t leave me alone!” So many voices, all of them after him. Demanding. Commanding. They knew where he was, where they all were. They had always known. They were watching. Just like him... What do you want? Let go. Just like him... Let your mind join with ours. We will not harm you, Thorax. You are one of us. A brother. A son. A King. A Changeling. Let go. ’Let go.’ Just like HIM! “NO!!” Thorax screamed, startling Twilight. “Monster! Fág mé ar m’aonar! Get out, get out!” Twilight’s eyes narrowed and she placed a gentle hoof on Thorax’s head, her hoof glowing with a magenta light and her eyes shining bright white. ”BE STILL,” she spoke softly, her voice low and echoing. Thorax immediately relaxed, letting out a deep sigh and letting his hooves fall to his sides. His breathing slowed, but remained steady, and he no longer seemed panicked. Twilight lifted her hoof off his head and her eyes returned to normal, and she let out a small gasp. Rarity and Applejack hurried over to her and steadied her as she looked down at Thorax again. “What...was that?” Spike asked after a moment’s silence. “Earth Pony magic, mixed with a calming spell Celestia taught me, and a minor sleeping charm from Luna,” Twilight replied. “Whatever he’s going through, it’s in his mind. He should come to any moment.” “The poor dear...” Rarity whispered, putting a hoof over her mouth. “What could’ve caused this to happen to him?” “Monster...” Thorax stirred, cracking open one of his eyes and wincing. “Monster in the North...” “Thorax, are you okay?” Twilight asked in worry, leaning over him. “Please, talk to us. You were freaking out, panicking over something or someone.” Thorax blinked and looked at the trio of mares looking down at him in concern, before planting his elbows against the ground and sitting up slightly. “I’m...I’m alright. It was the Hivemind...the network of voices that connects all the Changelings in a Hive. I share one with all the Changelings in the Badlands Hive, no matter where I am. But, for some reason...” He closed his eyes. Are you still there? No voices answered him. “...For some reason, I can hear voices from the Primordial Hive.” “They were speaking to you?” Twilight asked, as she and Applejack helped him to his hooves. “Yes, and...the words they were saying, they reminded me of...of...” His voice trailed off, and his gaze looked haunted. “Thorax, buddy?” Spike asked quietly, putting a claw on his friend’s side. “Do you wanna talk about it?” “More importantly, are you ready to tell us?” Twilight added. Thorax looked at her, then at Spike, and then at Rarity and Applejack. In all their eyes he saw concern, reassurance, compassion, and understanding. But most importantly, he saw love. They were all his friends, and he was safe with them. There was no reason for him to be afraid, and yet... ’Are you sure?’ He lowered his head, and his breath hitched even as he shook his head and whispered, “No...” Twilight, Applejack, and Rarity enveloped him in a hug, and Twilight murmured, “It’s okay, Thorax. You don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to. We understand.” “No, you don’t...” Thorax whispered back, but he smiled anyway. “But thank you.” Applejack’s ear flicked again, and she looked around as the hug ended. She could hear chirping in the distance. “Ah think the rain’s slowed down a bit, an’...the birds are back.” “Were they ever gone, I wonder?” Rarity mused. Thorax shook his head, and picked up his saddlebags. “They were, but it wasn’t a monster that chased them away. I think it was the Changelings.” Twilight turned towards him. “You think they sensed the Hivemind? Or something else about them?” Thorax nodded. “The Primordial Hive is close. It has to be in that mountain, I keep being pulled towards it. The animals around here must sense the ambient Changeling magic around them, since they returned only after the voices left my head.” “Creepy...” Spike muttered. “Natural,” Twilight corrected, pushing away the boughs of the tree and emerging out from underneath them. “Many animals have higher senses than we do, even when it comes to magic. They can see and hear things we can’t, even some colors.” “Appreciate the science lesson, but we should get a move on, y’all,” Applejack interrupted. “Ah’d like to reach that mountain before nightfall or before the storm returns. Ah think we’re in the eye right now.” “Before we do,” Twilight said, turning to Thorax. “Will you be okay? Do you need a little more rest first?” “N-no, I’m good,” Thorax replied. “Still a little shaken, but that’s all. Applejack’s right, we should go.” Twilight nodded slowly. “Alright, if you say so. Just let us know if you need a moment, okay?” At Thorax’s affirmation, she turned to the others. “Let’s go, and for Celestia’s sake, be careful and don’t slip on the rocks.” (The Spire, a few hours later) Twilight, Thorax, Spike, Rarity, and Applejack all blinked as they looked up the side of the Spire, none of them saying anything or moving. The sky above them was still cloudy, but the storm had passed them by, which they were thankful for. Still, the grey skies, whistling wind, and scattered, thorny trees did little to make the Spire look anything but ominous and imposing. It was even bigger than the Canterhorn where Canterlot lay, and was made up of a dark, almost black stone. From the looks of it, nobody had come to this spot in decades, or even centuries. Finally, Spike gulped and turned his head away. “That’s very tall,” he said matter-of-factly, pointing up. “Indeed,” Rarity agreed quietly, nodding. “So this is the infamous Spire. I had heard from rumor that it was imposing, but I didn’t think that it would be able to rival Mount Everhoof in scale.” “And you’re sure the Hive is in there, somewhere?” Twilight asked Thorax. “Yep,” he answered, popping the P. “This is where I’ve been led to, so there has to be an entrance somewhere. Come on, let’s start looking.” He stepped closer to the mountain and started looking around the cliff face for a doorway of some kind, or a cave. “Uhh, beggin’ your pardon, Thorax, but Spike’s right, this here’s a veeery tall pile of rocks,” Applejack said. “Ah’d say that if we started lookin’ for a tiny little entrance in this whole thing on our own, we’d be finished in, oh Ah dunno, a couple centuries?” “Actually,” Twilight said, pressing a hoof against her chest and grinning. “If we accurately measure the height, width, and depth of the mountain, then calculate the total surface area, and then account for minor discrepancies and inaccuracies, and then cut the mountain up into an equal amount of sectors for its area, and then search one or two sectors per day, we’d probably be able to cut that time down to a couple decades at most.” Applejack, Rarity, and Spike sent her the most deadpan looks they could manage, and Applejack blew a stray hair away from her face. “That’s...great, Twi...” she muttered. “I’ll be in my late forties, and my mane will turn grey,” Rarity pondered aloud. “My earthworms will be dead and buried, and my comics sold to the highest bidder,” Spike added morosely. “My poor, poor comics...” “Are you three done?” Twilight asked with a glare. Thorax sniffed, and his antlers lit up in a cyan glow as he sent a low-level wave of magic brushing past the cliff. The stone reacted to his magic, and his eyebrows shot up. “Yeah,” Applejack replied. “But mah point still stands, there ain’t no way we can find the--” “Guys...” Thorax suddenly warned, backing away from the Spire. “I don’t think the Hive is in the Spire.” “Wait, so we came here for nothing?” Rarity asked. Thorax shook his head, still backing away even as he stared at the Spire in shock. “No...I think the Spire IS the Primordial Hive...” As soon as the words left his mouth, ten yellow flashes blinded them all and caused them to wince and back away. Before anyone could do or say anything, several loud clicks were heard, as well as the tell-tale sound of ringing metal. When their eyes opened, several of the rocks and bushes near them were missing, replaced by tall, well-armed Hornet creatures, each one bearing a sword or crossbow, which they pointed at the group. Applejack blinked away her blindness and squinted at the newcomers, her jaw dropping. Rarity let out a short gasp, and Spike quickly put himself in front of her as the Hornets advanced. Thorax narrowed his eyes and stepped forward, only to stop when two of the Hornets pointed their weapons at him. Twilight had a look of sheer wonder plastered on her face, and like Applejack, her jaw hit the floor. “State your business here,” one of the Hornets huffed. “Who are you people?” “You’re Changelings!” Twilight suddenly cried, clapping her front hooves together. “You match the description Thorax gave me in his letter! With yellow transformation flames instead of green. And you’re bipedal too! Eeeek, this is too much! What kind of transformations can you do? Where did you come from? Are there other types of Changelings? How long have you been around? Is there a correlation between transformation fire and the type of Changeling you are? GAH! I have soooo many questions!” With each question, she moved a little closer to them, until she was practically snout-to-snout with the leader. The Hornets all stared at her, and sent puzzled looks at each other (while the one closest to her slowly pushed her back with one of his hooves). They promptly ignored her and instead looked at Thorax, a questioning look in their eyes. Thorax stepped forward, shaking his head at Twilight. Clearing his throat, he said, “I’m Thorax, King of the Badlands Hive. I was summoned to the Primordial Hive by Emperor Tarsus.” “A likely story,” one of the female Hornets muttered. “We haven’t had an Equine show up on our doorstep in almost a thousand years. This has to be a trick.” “Shut up, Tess,” another Hornet hissed. “Remember the change in orders? That’s the new King on the block.” The leader of the Hornets stepped forward, lowering his sword slightly. “If you are who you say, then you should still remember the message given to you by the Emperor. Didn’t he tell you that you were to come alone?” Thorax shrugged. “He said that no other Changeling should come with me, and none did. All four of my friends here are from Equestria, and they volunteered to join me on my trip here. This is Princess Twilight Sparkle of Ponyville and her Dragon assistant Spike, and her friends Applejack and Rarity, also from Ponyville.” One of the Hornets blanched. “An Equestrian Princess? They know of the Primordial Hive?!” “We’ve been discovered!” another cried out. “We’re all dead!” “Quiet, all of you!” the leader Hornet barked at them, before narrowing his eyes angrily at Thorax. “You should know, King Thorax, that bringing any outsiders to the Spire is a capital offence under Changeling Military Code, Rule Six, paragraph Thirty-Seven, subsection D, punishable by--” “I’m gonna stop you right there,” Thorax interrupted tersely. “I don’t care what punishment it is, you’re not gonna harm my friends. They already know about the Primordial Hive, and they’ve made the trip here with me, and they’re not here to cause any trouble or harm anyone, you have my word. I’m not about to step one hoof inside the Hive unless you give me some assurances that they won’t be harmed.” “Thorax, it’s okay, we’ll be fine out--” Twilight started. Thorax held up a hoof. “No Twilight, I’m not going to leave you guys out here. I brought you here, so you’ll be coming inside with me.” “King or not, sir, we can’t allow that,” the Hornet leader said, holding up his sword again and pointing it at Rarity, who winced. “If death is not an option, then they must submit to a memory wipe, and then be sent back to the nearest town.” “M-memory wipe?” Spike gulped. “Awww, hay no!” Applejack snorted, stamping against the ground. “Ah ain’t gonna let ya fools touch mah head!” “No!” Thorax growled, stepping forward and charging his antlers with magic slightly. “No memory wipes, no sending them back, and no harming them of any kind. As a Changeling King, I order you to let them in.” “Sorry sir, but you can’t order us to do anything,” the Hornet said with a shake of his head. “Until the Equines are once again recognized by the other members of the Council of Seven, you are all outcasts and rogues. You have no say anywhere in anything.” “There has to be something, darn it!” Thorax cried. “Twilight and her friends wouldn’t dream of hurting anyone here or bringing harm to the Hive! You must see that.” “We don’t know them,” the Hornet leader fired back. “And orders are orders, sir.” Thorax bristled. “In that case, I...I refuse!” The Hornet raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me, sir?” “You heard me, I refuse the Emperor’s call!” Thorax said again, but even as he said the words, worry crept into his voice. Suddenly he felt a lot of pressure in his head, and he felt as if millions of eyes were all transfixed on him, watching him and waiting to see what he would do. “No Changeling can refuse the Emperor’s summons,” the Hornet warned him, and he swiveled his sword towards Thorax. “You will come with us.” “Make me, you...you...thug!” Thorax said, glaring. The pressure in the back of his mind increased, and he began to hear the ringing in his ears again. This was wrong. No Changeling had ever refused, or even could refuse. It was instinct. It was the order of things. And yet, he ignored it all. A line had to be drawn somewhere, and he drew it here. “Thorax,” Twilight said, standing next to him. “You don’t have to do this. Think of your Hive; if you refuse the Emperor’s call, you’ll be exiled, and your Hive will never have their place in Changeling society again. We’re not worth that, not over something like this.” “You are worth it,” Thorax whispered, looking at her. The pressure in his head increased even more, and he struggled to keep his eyes open. “Each and every one of my friends is worth it. You, Spike, Rarity, Applejack, and all the rest have been more of a family to me than my own family, and I wouldn’t be standing here without you. Even for something as insignificant as this, you’re worth it. The Emperor should be grateful, if anything. Without you and Starlight, the Badlands Hive would still be under Chrysalis’s control. To have you shoved to the side and treated as irrelevant, it’s...it’s an insult!” He sucked in a breath and glared at the Hornets. “So tell your Emperor that if my friends...my family can’t be allowed inside the Hive, then he can kiss the Badlands Hive goodbye. I’ve been an outcast all my life, I’ll survive the rest of it.” Silence fell upon everyone nearby. The Hornet Changelings looked aghast at Thorax’s words, and glanced among themselves in worry, wondering what they should do next. Twilight, meanwhile, looked at Thorax with a proud, shimmering gaze, and she, Applejack, and Rarity all smiled up at him. Spike gave a thumbs-up and smirked. Thorax, on the other hoof, stood tall and kept up an outward appearance of calm. On the inside, however, he felt as if his mind would explode. The entire Primordial Hivemind was listening in on the debate, and many of them had reacted with outrage at his words, trying in vain to break into his mind to make him reconsider. Others, however, almost seemed ashamed, and turned away from him, letting the pressure in his mind relax just slightly. And then one of the Hornets began to laugh. Everyone turned towards him, watching as he buzzed his wings and floated into the air, letting his sword drop to his side. He opened his eyes, revealing glowing white orbs, and he grinned at Thorax. And then he opened his mouth and a voice emerged, but it wasn’t his own, nor were his lips moving. Well, well, well...you must be King Thorax, Chrysalis’s usurper. Thorax’s eyes widened, and before he realized what he was doing, he fell to his knees and bowed his head. “Emperor Tarsus...!” The other Hornets did the same, while Twilight and the others looked on in wonder and curiosity. You guess correctly, young King. Get up, it’s not right for a King to bow to anyone. Besides, it’s terribly muddy outside today. As Thorax stood up, the voice continued, That’s better. Now then, I have been listening to this little spat, and I must say, for a King who is lacking in almost every area, you certainly have conviction. I can respect and admire that. That being said, you also don’t know how to pick your battles. Princess Twilight Sparkle is right, this little thing isn’t worth getting so worked up over. I could see a plethora of other ways for you to wiggle your way out of it without resorting to forcing my hoof, but you had to go and make things difficult. Not a very flattering image of you on your first day in the Primordial Hive, boy. Thorax winced, and the voice laughed. Oh, don’t be like that. You’ve got spunk, boy, and that’s an admirable trait. You just lack the experience necessary to use it in the right ways, but that will come in time. But I can see that you won’t be dissuaded from being parted with your friends, so just this once, I will bend the rules for you and grant your request. Your friends will be allowed in, on one condition: they will not be allowed to leave until your trial is complete. The truth is, we cannot afford to lose the Equines again, not while the survival of our race is at stake. “Th-thank you, Emperor,” Thorax breathed out. Only then did he notice that the pressure had left his mind completely. His thoughts were clearer, his focus sharper, and he felt lighter. It had happened as the Emperor had begun to speak. Don’t thank me yet, I still do not trust these outsiders, nor do I know them. They will be under constant guard, and your every move will now be watched. Do not test my patience again, young King. You have much to do in order for your Hive to regain our race’s trust again, and pulling stunts like these will not do you any favors. I will see you all soon. Welcome to the Primordial Hive. With that, the Hornet’s eyes stopped glowing, and he fell to the ground, breathing heavily. Two of his companions stepped towards him, ensuring he was alright, and the Hornet leader sheathed his sword. He turned towards Thorax and nodded. “The Emperor has spoken. You will all be allowed in, but make no mistake, not everyone will like this. They will obey the Emperor’s commands, but your friends better watch themselves. The last time we trusted another race...many lives were lost, and the Changeling race nearly went extinct.” One of Rarity’s hooves flew to her mouth in horror, and Applejack’s ears flattened. Twilight put a hoof to her chest and declared, “On behalf of Equestria, we thank you for allowing us inside the Primordial Hive. We won’t waste this chance. We come in peace, and we only want friendship with you and your people, like what we have with Thorax and his Hive.” “In truth, I believe you, Princess,” the Hornet replied, surprising her. He smirked. “I can hear it in your voice. You speak with conviction, just like King Thorax. If it’s worth anything, I wish you and the King the best of luck in your endeavors. It would be a sight to see, having Equestria and the Changeling Empire be allies and friends.” “I can’t think of anything better,” Twilight replied, smiling at him. “Thank you...um, I don’t think we ever caught your name?” “Sergeant Protus, Your Highness,” the Hornet answered. “Protus,” Twilight echoed. “Well, thank you, Protus.” Protus nodded, then motioned for Spike and the Ponies to come closer. “The door will only be open for a brief moment, so we have to move quickly. Follow close, and stick to the path once we’re clear of the tunnel. The Primordial Hive is a large place, and it’s easy to get lost.” “Understood,” Thorax said. Protus turned towards the Spire and lifted up one of his hooves, pressing it against the rock wall. Instantly a portion of the wall melted away, revealing a tunnel behind it lit with green and blue crystals, leading far off into the darkness. Protus and the other Hornets ushered the group in, and moments later, the mountain sealed itself up once more. As they were led down the tunnel, Twilight trotted up next to Thorax and hugged him with a wing, whispering in his ear, “Remember what I told you on the boat, Thorax? You’re already well on your way to becoming the leader your Hive needs. Don’t let go of those convictions the Emperor talked about, and you’ll do fine. You’ve got this, and remember, we’re behind you all the way.” “I hope so, Twilight,” Thorax whispered back as he looked ahead into the darkness of the tunnel, which seemed to go on forever. “Because I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”