//------------------------------// // Seeing Stars // Story: The Young Warrior // by Melody Song //------------------------------// Soon, Cadence, Shining, Sunburst, and Luna had returned. Hours later, at around eight, Celestia came with Luna to take them to the dining room as promised. “So you’re aware, Celestia and I have informed the chefs of your dietary needs.” Luna told the three changelings as they entered the dining room. “Fish?” Pharynx asked, muzzle twitching as he smelled the familiar scent. “Indeed, I hope you like it.” Luna replied “I had fish once!” Apex said, bouncing up and down as they took their seats. “Only once?” Celestia asked him as she sat down by Luna. “Uh-huh! Mos’a the good food is for the queen an’ we jus’ ge’ berries an’ some’imes love an’ mea’ tha’ the hun’ers catch. Bu’ fish is the bes’ so on’y the queen ge’s i’.” Apex explained “I had it once back in the Hive, the queen gave me some as a celebration when I became the general…” Pharynx murmured thoughtfully “So then when did Apex have fish?” Cadence asked “I’ was while we were goin' to the Empi'e!” Apex said, smiling. “Avunculus-Pharynx was catchin’ us fish by s’anding in the s’ream, an’ while Papa Thorax was puttin’ them on the fire, Avunculus-Pharynx fell in!” Shining and Luna began laughing as Pharynx blushed. “I was standing on slippery rocks, and the grub distracted me!” “Heheh, sure.” Shining chuckled, grinning at him. Pharynx growled and ate his food silently. “Pharynx is usually a great hunter.” Thorax put in helpfully. “Sure he is.” Shining teased, and Pharynx looked up, glaring and snarling. “Relax, I’m just joking.” “Yeah, you better be.” Pharynx grunted, returning to his meal. The ponies let out a few last chuckles, then continued eating. Apex ate his food happily, oblivious to the embarrassment he had just caused Pharynx. But as he nuzzled up between the two changeling brothers, Pharynx apparently couldn’t bring himself to care much. He merely rubbed the nymph’s head, watching him giggle and smiling slightly. “Heheh, you do care about him.” Thorax murmured “Whatever…” Pharynx muttered, but he still smiled at the cheerful nymph. After the main course had finished, dessert was brought out. Apex was staring at the array of sugary-sweet looking treats even before they were set on the table. Luna noticed, sliding over a plate of a circular dish with a brown crisscrossed crust on the top. “Apple pie, made with apples fresh from Ponyville.” Luna told them, beaming at the little nymph. Apex eagerly reached for it, and Thorax seemed eager to do the same, though Pharynx eyed it with disdain. Thorax cut two slices from the pie using his knife, and with Cadence’s help on which were the proper utensils to use, then set them on two plates, giving the smaller one to Apex. “Don’t you want any, Pharynx?” Thorax asked. “I’m full.” he replied bluntly. “Can I ha’e yours?” Apex asked eagerly, having already bitten his slice in half. Pharynx raised a brow at him. “Not falling for that grub, you have enough energy as it is.” Luna chuckled softly, sliding a plate of what looked like little disks of chocolate past him. “There are plenty of other options should you change your mind. I’ll request some be brought to us later.” “And what makes you think something’s going to happen later?” Pharynx asked. “I was resting in my chambers when my sister took the time to get to know you, I believe it is only fair I get a turn, is it not?” Luna asked rhetorically. Pharynx chose not to respond. “I would like for you three to come with me in a moment, once we give the young one some time to work off the sugar.” ------------------------------------------------------------ Sure enough, after Apex and Thorax had finished their pie, and Apex had calmed down to his usual energy levels, Luna led the three up to a balcony on one of the highest levels. A comfortable armchair had been set out for her, as had a small couch for the changelings. A plate of the round disks lay on a table between them, along with a teapot and four cups. “While it may be best to keep the nymph from having too many sweets, the two of you may have some cookies, if you wish.” Luna told the two adults, gesturing to the plate of disks. Thorax picked one up after a minute, sitting on the couch beside Pharynx, with Apex curled up between them like a cat. He took a careful bite, his eyes widening at the flavor, before eating the rest of it. Luna chuckled softly, levitating two cups of tea over to the adults, giving Apex a smaller cup that he could lap at. She then looked up at the sky from where she sat in her chair. “Do any of you know the constellations?” “We know the stars we were taught of, but I doubt the names we were told are the same as what you know.” Pharynx responded. “No, I suppose not.” Luna agreed. “Who taught you about the stars?” “...My mentor.” Pharynx said after a minute. “And I taught Apex.” “Do you know about the Mare In The Moon?” Luna asked. “Cadence told us.” Thorax said, his wings folding down against his carapace. “Nightmare Moon… you were her once.” “Thorax, hush!” Pharynx hissed, and Luna smiled kindly. “It’s quite alright young one. I do not mind. Your brother would not be the first to say I am her, after all, it is the truth. However, I only bring it up to move us along to another topic. Has my niece informed you of my… other capabilities?” “She said you raise the moon and stars, but…” Thorax trailed off. “Well, I have one other ability she might not have mentioned.” Luna smiled and unfurled her wing to tap Apex’s nose with her feathers, keeping the youngling awake, his muzzle about to fall into his teacup. “To walk in the dreams of my subjects.” “Y-You can see our dreams?” Thorax asked. “Indeed. Rest assured, young ones, I never venture into dreams I know need not be disturbed by prying eyes. I only come into dreams when I am needed; to deal with nightmares that plague the innocent and occasionally the not-so innocent.” “Good.” Pharynx huffed gruffly, using his magic to take a cookie from the plate, giving it a tentative sniff before biting it. He almost put it back before taking a second bite. Luna smirked at his reaction. “Better than you thought?” Pharynx chose to ignore her, looking up at the sky instead as he took a sip of the tea. “So did you bring us out here for an astronomy lesson?” “I feel the most comfortable out in the open air of my night sky, as cliché as it might sound. My domain has always been the place I felt the most free.” Luna responded. “I thought it might be a good place to talk, not about anything in particular, simply whatever the conversation turns to.” Pharynx nodded, keeping his eyes on the sky. Thorax followed his lead, then gasped, his wings buzzing, as something streaked across the white-speckled darkness. “Falling star!” he cried, looking at Pharynx, who nodded. “Apex, did you see?” Apex sat up, clearly holding back a yawn, and looked up as well. “Was i’ tha’ white thing? Or the o’er white thing…? They’e all blinky an’ white…” Luna chuckled softly, her horn igniting to take back Apex’s cup, and lift him into Thorax’s forelegs, allowing the adult to cradle the sleepy nymph. “My sister and I called them Lucky Stars when we were young. Of course, they aren’t really stars, but aren’t they beautiful?” “Fortuna showed us how to make wishes on them when we were Apex’s age.” Thorax told her, and Luna raised a brow. “F-Fortuna was Pharynx’s mentor.” “She must have been a very good changeling to have showed you shooting stars.” “O-Oh, yes, she was wonderful.” Thorax agreed, though before he could say more, Pharynx shook his head at him rapidly. Thorax then stopped talking, and focused on Apex instead. “...You were afraid to meet my sister and I, weren’t you?” Luna asked Pharynx, and he finished his cookie before responding. “Cautious is a better term. We know how powerful the both of you are, and while Cadence and Shining Armor might vouch for us, you might have only settled for tolerance. We didn’t know what to expect.” “Wise words.” Luna nodded approvingly, opening her wings. “However, you need not worry. My sister and I do not only need the word of our niece and her husband to know you are not like your kin, we have seen it in your hearts.” “Thorax and Apex find it easier to be good than I do.” Pharynx admitted softly, and Luna smiled gently. “The fact they came upon the concept first does not mean they are the only ones with hearts so pure.” Luna told him, and Pharynx smiled a little bit. Thorax smiled widely at the Princess, as Apex stirred slightly in his hooves, mumbling in his sleep. “Lulu…” Luna giggled and smiled at him. “He reminds me of my sister… so full of light and energy… I hope he never has to have those things taken from him.” “I won’t let that happen.” Thorax told her. “Neither of us will.” Pharynx agreed, and Luna smiled. “It seems it is more than just brotherhood you two are bound by.” Luna murmured, loud enough for the two to hear. “Apex is the one thing we both love more than anything else.” Thorax agreed. Pharynx nodded, and though he made no attempt to voice it, it was clear he would put his own life at risk for the little nymph in Thorax’s hooves. “Well then, perhaps it is time we saw him to a proper bed.” Luna chuckled, and Thorax laughed softly. “Thank you for the tea, P-Princess.” Thorax said. “Please, call me Luna.” she smiled and winked. “My friends do, and I am trying to make more of them.” “A-Alright… Luna.” Thorax said, and she smiled. “One last thing.” Luna said as they placed their cups down and made to stand up. “Do you recognize that star?” Lighting up her horn, she directed the two awake changelings to a star high above them, shining brightly. Pharynx and Thorax both shook their heads, and Luna smiled, fanning out her wing to guide the three inside as she told them. “That, my little changelings, is the North Star. It is called that because no matter where you are in the world, it will always guide you home.”