Pharynx struggled and snarled from his position on the ground. A single hole-filled hoof was holding him down in the sandy hollow where they were training. Fortuna looked down at him from above, not moving her hoof as she spoke.
“You see Pharynx, this is why you must play to your strengths. With the way you attack blindly you’re ought to get killed one day.” Fortuna told him.
“Grrr…” Pharynx bit down on her hoof, and she released him. He was on all fours again immediately, glaring at her sharply. “Mother says in order to get what you want, you need to attack with whatever idea comes to mind.”
“Well, that’s an easy way to get sent to the Hospital Wing, or worse, a grave, isn’t it?”
“It works for her.”
“It works for her because she has not had to fight anyone herself since the old days. Even if she did, sooner or later it will come back to bite her. It will for you too if you continue to employ the strategy.” Fortuna warned him. “Come now, you’ve been training a while, let’s sit and talk.”
Pharynx resisted the urge to roll his eyes and followed his mentor over to their water canteens. She gave him his and he sat down, taking a drink. Fortuna sat beside him.
“Pharynx, why won’t you play to your strengths like I told you to?”
“I am.” Pharynx said stubbornly, putting his canteen down. “I’m being ferocious and snarling and biting. But you won’t let me transform.”
“You shouldn’t rely on it.”
“But my monster form can scare anyone!” Pharynx argued
“One day you’ll meet someone who isn’t scared of monsters, and then where will you be?”
“I’ll fight them in my monster form, then they’ll be scared.” Pharynx grinned. “Mother says that a transformation is a changeling’s greatest asset, and that the greatest strengths are the ones that cause harm.”
“Transformation is a valuable skill, but it shan’t be relied on like an extra leg, Pharynx-discipulus. That’s mad. Your greatest strengths are ones you’ve yet to discover. Strength needn’t be physical.”
Pharynx raised a brow at her, tilting his head in confusion. “What?”
“Take your brother for instance. What strengths has he got?” Fortuna asked
“None.”
“He has strengths, Pharynx.” Fortuna laughed softly, and Pharynx gave her a look.
“How is screaming and hiding a strength? Because that’s all he does whenever there's a threat.”
“Thorax’s strength is he knows when to back down.” Fortuna stated, looking at Pharynx. “He can recognize a fight he can’t win, so he hides from it to save himself.”
“He’s a coward.”
“He’s smart. You rush into battles without thinking and only win by transforming.” Fortuna gave him a soft jab. “But if you couldn’t transform, you’d end up badly hurt and lose. Your brother knows he can’t win, so he hides, he’s smart enough to know it would stop him getting injured.”
Pharynx couldn’t help rolling his eyes. “Whatever.”
“Pharynx-discipulus, you need to understand the strengths you have.”
“I do understand my strengths.”
“No, you understand that flailing your hooves and biting on random limbs will get you free if you hit hard enough. That is not your strength.”
“Then what do you think it is?”
“At this point, it is your size.” Fortuna reached and gave his head a gentle pat, making him squeak very uncharacteristically. Fortuna chuckled. “You see, with your size as a nymph, you could slip past any attacks and come at your enemy from below.”
Pharynx had to pause for a minute to find a retort. It was actually a smart idea, but...
“But mother said-”
“Pharynx-discipulus, I’m going to tell you something important about your mother.” Fortuna picked up the much smaller changeling and locked eyes with him. “Yes, your mother is the Queen, and she gives us orders that we must obey. But that doesn’t make her right.”
“What?”
“Just because someling tells you something and seems certain in what they say, it doesn’t mean they’re right. You can’t believe everything you hear, it’s not always going to be true. It doesn’t matter how much authority someone has, during at least one time in their life they’re going to be wrong about something.”
“By that logic you can be wrong too, though.” Pharynx retorted.
“But am I making sense?”
“I guess… but mother makes sense too.”
“Think of it this way; when she says those things to you, they make sense, right?”
“Yes…?”
“What about when she says those things to Thorax?”
“He tells me later that violence is never the answer.”
“Exactly. It’s all just your mother’s opinion on what strengths are. Opinions can be different.”
“But she’s not wrong.”
“In your opinion. In my opinion, your strengths are unique to you, and can change over time. Right now, your strengths are your size, your agility, and your bravery. And which of us is the mentor here?”
“...You.”
“Exactly, Phary.” Fortuna said, smirking at him.
“D-Don’t call me that!” Pharynx said, blushing in embarrassment.
“Why not?”
“I-I said so.” Pharynx said, pouting.
“If you say so, young prince.” Fortuna set him down. “Any more questions?"
"Yes actually. Why do you keep talking like that?" Pharynx asked, and Fortuna chuckled.
"My mother was stationed in Canterlot before she had me. Spent some time at university and such for a part of the mission. She picked up a spot of their dialect and when I came round, she passed it on to me. I don't really use it in public, but I've decided to make an exception for you."
"So... it's like, a family thing?" Pharynx's brow furrowed in confusion.
"I suppose you could say that." Fortuna smiled and tapped his nose, making the nymph yelp in surprise. "Come along then Phary, let’s work on a better move, given your actual strengths.”
Fortuna set the nymph down at last and stood up, walking into the sandy area once more. Pharynx followed her, trying not to think about how she’d called him ‘Phary’. He didn’t want to admit how much he liked it. It seemed almost… maternal? He thought that might be the word for it, it wasn’t like he knew, his mother never did anything like that.