"Learn to shoot magical bolts."
"Why?"
"Wha- What do you mean why? Its a useful skill that can easily be employed to defend the hive. A hundred magic bolts can pierce the strongest of shields."
"Why do I need to learn this? Don't a hundred bullets can do the same?"
"...Bullets?"
"...I meant arrows."
Pharynx gave Pigeon a strange look.
"While a hundred arrows might be able to come somewhere close, magical bolts are just better. The power of bolts vary between 'lings, Meaning the damage they can regurgitate out varies. Meanwhile, arrows have a set amount of power. Arrows also cost resources, while magic costs just magical power that is regained with rest. Now, spit out a bolt for me."
Pigeon looked at him blankly.
Pharynx sighed. "You don't know how to do that, do you?"
Pigeon continued to look at him blankly.
Pharynx sighed again. "Really?"
Pigeon did not stop looking at him blankly.
There was a third sigh. "Alright, fine. Call upon your magic like you would before using levitation."
Pigeon did just that. His horn lit up, a green aura present, as is with all guards. Was.
Pharynx shook his head. Constantly musing on the past would get him nowhere. He returned to instructing the guardslint.
"Now force your horn to shoot a bolt."
Pigeon started trying to do just that. Emphasis on tried. He failed rather miserably.
Pharynx wondered how long it would take for Pigeon to learn how to shoot.
He rather hoped it wouldn't be too long.
It was only a matter of time before he learned how to shoot magical bolts.
He was deathly wrong.
Pigeon couldn't vomit out a magical bolt if he was granted a changeling queen's magical affinity.
Pharynx was currently lying on his stomach, utterly bored. Usually he was alert and commanding his troops, but it really wasn't necessary when Pigeon was set to fail the simplest of commands when it came to any magic that wasn't levitation.
He was given a guardslint that had above average scores in weapon handing. In fact, the best handling of the crossbows, though is was clear that Pigeon was uncomfortable with the crossbow and would prefer another weapon. Searching for another ranged weapon, he had given him a bow. He was even worse with a bow then he was with it's other cousin. He had yet to find a ranged weapon that Pigeon would be most proficient at.
He had, out of desperation, tried to make Pigeon summon a magical sword. Pigeon still failed miserably.
Currently, Pigeons expression was one of set determination.
If there was one thing Pharynx could commend, was that Pigeon knew what discipline was and tried to follow orders.
He had yet to observe Pigeon attempt to be intentionally disloyal. That wasn't much, of course, any 'ling would know basic deception at the very least, but it was still something that Pharynx could respect in Pigeon.
Ridiculous name aside.
Pharynx got up and breathed in deeply. Well, onto the other dozen options he could try.
"Pigeon," He called, "Let us try making you summon your weapon of choice."
Pigeon looked his way. "Does it involve imagination and extreme focus, like with all other spells?"
"Yes." He said bluntly.
"Then why don't all of the other spells work?" There was frustration tinged in his voice, though he hid it well.
Pharynx shrugged. "All magic-wielding species have an innate sense. Maybe yours is just pitifully weak. It sounds like a skill issue to me."
Pigeon let out a sigh. "Alright, I will try it, Commander."
Pharynx nodded.
Pigeon turned around, getting ready, then paused.
He turned his head back to Pharynx. "Wait. How will I bring my favoured weapon if my memory is mostly wiped?"
Pharynx mentally winced. He disagreed with Pigeon's "penalization" completely. It was much easier to punish a criminal when that criminal deserves to be punished.
When the convict can't even remember most of said criminal's existence, then blaming the convict was hard. He wanted it to be so that one could bash a convict against a wall and not have the convict wonder why he was being bashed into a wall. The fact that Pigeon didn't seem to care about having his memory wiped (Likely an effect of the magic spell) was even more unnerving.
Pharynx regained his senses, though. "You should likely be able to remember it either subconsciously or through horn memory." He said "Or maybe you can't, I don't know. I am really wondering what was erased from your mind and what wasn't."
Pigeon shrugged, and got back to trying to cast the spell. He activated his horn and started focusing. The glow of his horn increased and-
There was a 'pop' of sorts, and out came some sort of... hybrid between a metal stick and a wooden one.
Pigeon stiffened at the sight of it, likely surprised by how he was finally able to do magic.
Pharynx walked over and observed the stick hybrid that was currently held in Pigeons strange levitation. It appeared to be covered in mostly wood, though there was parts of metal sticking out, so there could be more metal inside. It was likely a botched attempt at summoning some sort of crossbow, likely. There was no magic emanating out of it.
Pigeon appeared to be still shocked at the sight of it.
Pharynx snorted. "Come on, Pigeon. Unsummon it and try to summon something else, like a crossbow."
Pigeon stared at the strangely uniform looking stick-thing for a few more seconds, then said "Yes, Commander." and did just that.
Pharynx let a smile grace his muzzle. "Well, you are able to do magic. Thought I'd never see the day."
Pigeon gave him a friendly, if tired, look of disapproval.
Pharynx laughed for the first time in days. "Oh, deal with it you big grub!"
Pharynx and Pigeon walked silently through the grey walls of hethicus.
They would engage and talk to each other occasionally.
Pharynx decided that Pigeon was a good 'ling. Oh, he would trust his soldiers over him any day, but that mind wipe of his must have made him a better lint.
"The hive seems to be in a panic of sorts." Pigeon mused.
Pharynx agreed. Some areas were either eerily silent or incredibly busy. "Well, what with the fact that they know that ponies are now looking for us, there is some tensity and-" Pharynx stopped. Pigeon was staring at him in dead silence. "Did no 'ling seriously tell you of this?" Pharynx said incredulously.
Pigeon gave him a silent response.
Pharynx shook his head in disbelief. "How many 'lings do you regularly talk to?"
Pigeon stopped, clearly in thought. "About 4, I think. Well, including you." He replied.
Pharynx frowned, stopping beside him. "And who would those other 3 be?"
"Ocellus, Locust, though she barely counts, and Thorax, of course."
Pharynx twitched. "Thorax?"
"Yes, he is a drone-"
"I know who Thorax is, Pigeon. He's my brother."
Pigeon raised his eyeridge. "He's your brother?"
"Yes."
"Huh. Small w- hive."
"Small hive?"
"You know, what with how people have connections to others in ways you don't expect."
"...You know what, Pigeon?"
"What?"
"Let's go see Thorax."
"He in trouble?"
Pharynx coughed. "No." He turned to look at Pigeon. "Just have questions, if you understand my point."
"Wait. You question everyone who interacts with me?"
"We question everyone who has interacted with you majorly and regularly on how they met you, how you act so far and tell them that if any incidents happen we may want to call upon them."
"You've already done this to everyone else?"
"Yes."
Pigeon grimaced at the image he was clearly imagining.
"Oh don't worry," Pharynx said "It isn't done harshly."
Pigeon still seemed to have doubt written on his muzzle, but digressed. He observed Pharynx.
"Why haven't you done so to Thorax, then?"
"Likely because he is a drone, and some 'lings still see fit to underestimate them." Pharynx replied with a derisive snort.
The area around them was dreary, walls of grey ever present. The hive was not much for decorations, he remembered Pigeon mention once. There was no need for decor, and changeling drones made hethicus to emit a soft "level" of light. Unnoticeable, yes, but necessary for changelings to see. If a pony were to enter, said pony would wonder how it was possible to see without a clear light source in sight.
Once, it was said that hives would have complex inlets of sunlight to shine down, instead of glowing grey hethicus, but once was not now.
Pharynx started walking towards where Thorax likely was. In their cubby, since the workday had ended.
Pharynx looked back to Pigeon. "You likely don't know where Me and Thorax's cubby is, do you?"
"No. Cubby?"
"Place of living. Where do you sleep, anyway?"
"On the floor, in some corner."
"Hm. Well, follow me."