//------------------------------// // The forced choices // Story: Brotherly Troubles // by KaylaBlues //------------------------------// Queen Chrysalis never really cared whatsoever for her subjects, she could count the few changelings she liked only on one hoof. As time went on, those changelings were the only ones she trusted the most. She gave them chances she gave no one else. The leader of patrol position for Pharynx, Axery having three chances while others have one and the privilege of doing whatever he wants for Thorax. She still thinks that Thorax is the worst changeling though. In the end, one betrayed the hive, one betrayed her and the last one died. Is there anyone else she could trust? Certainly not after what happened... •••••• Queen Chrysalis was expecting another drama going on in the hive like always. After the failed invasion with Canterlot, she knew she had to think smarter about her next one, the ultimate revenge. Just when she was about to get on with it, a chatter of noises came from nearby. She rolled her eyes and opened her wings as she flew towards the direction the noises were coming from. She landed gracefully on her hooves. She looked around to see that she was too late, her view was blocked by her subjects. She rolled her eyes again and levitated all those changelings upwards with her horn, dropped them the next second with a loud thud. She instantly gasped with her eyes wide on what she saw. •••••• Thorax noticed Queen Chrysalis glaring at them. She flew towards Axery's drained body and slowly put a hoof on it. Queen Chrysalis eyes flashed with shock and sighed. "He's dead." Queen Chrysalis said as she lifted Axery's lifeless body and disposed it somewhere outside the hive. She looked at Pharynx with her eyes narrowed. "What is wrong with you during these few days?" She questioned him with hopes for a valid answer. Thorax's eyes widened with fury. He flew up towards Queen Chrysalis and didn't hesitate at all to say it out loud. "What's wrong with him? Isn't that obvious? He's hungry!" Every changeling was stunned by Thorax's words, even Pharynx and Queen Chrysalis herself. They've never seen Thorax so strong before, the way he stood up for his brother, that's the only thing Thorax wanted to do. Not because he wanted to show how strong he can be, but because he wanted to be there for Pharynx, he owed him that, that's for sure. "Well, that doesn't mean he could feed on whoever he wishes to! Now Axery is dead because of your brother!" Queen Chrysalis argued. Her voice was filled with disappointment. She closed her eyes and looked away, "Now even the changelings I've trusted the most aren't worth it anymore..." She walked away, so did the changelings. There were only Thorax and Pharynx left. Thorax faced his brother and hugged him but Pharynx pushed him aside. Without a word, Pharynx flew away. Thorax sighed miserably under his breath and also walked away with silence, looking back at his brother one more time. He would've just followed him, but it's probably time to give Pharynx some space to calm himself down. Thorax considered doing the same as well. •••••• At this point, Thorax felt lost in his life, unsure if he's gonna stay at the hive, or leave for the better. He was gonna leave but because of what happened to his brother, he didn't even feel like leaving. He wanted to be there for his brother. At the same time, he wanted to see Spike again, his first real friend he met. Thorax stopped by when he saw Queen Chrysalis talking to a- crystal? It's kinda weird but he didn't care, he focused on the words she said. Since she was pretty far, he couldn't exactly hear what she said , but at one point he was sure he heard "revenge". Thorax didn't need to guess what she was actually saying. All of Thorax's friends are in danger, and he might be the only one that is able to warn them about it. He knew that he needed to leave now. He just had to, not without convincing Pharynx. •••••• "Are you nuts!?" was Pharynx's response, really straightforward and predictable. Thorax should've known that it was hopeless. Pharynx not only said those three words. They also came with, "I don't know what led you to think that I would help you with convincing Queen Chrysalis nor that I would help ponies. That's ridiculous!" "For me...?" Thorax said with a shud. He then tried to please Pharynx. "I mean... don't you want to leave this terrible life where you have to feed on innocent creatures? Where you are only permitted to do things under Queen Chrysalis's approval? Don't you want to have a queen who doesn't question your loyalties?" He was hoping the last one would change his brother's mind. To his surprise... It didn't... He was on his own on this one. Thorax sighed and looked down. Thorax have decided what he's gonna do now. He was going to leave the hive, no brother is gonna help him, he's gonna do it himself. Besides, Pharynx doesn't appear to care much for Thorax as he used to. Besides, why continue being at the hive when your close brother decides to not help you? •••••• Pharynx didn't mind Thorax choosing ponies over the hive, over him, his own brother. He started thinking back of what Thorax said about him leaving the hive is what's best for both Pharynx and himself. He could see sense into that statement. In fact, he agreed with it. He just didn't know how to tell Thorax that. He's more used to keeping things to himself than express then openly. He sometimes wondered how Thorax managed to do so. Pharynx also thought of what he had said. "I don't know what led you to think that I would help you with convincing Queen Chrysalis nor that I would help ponies. That's ridiculous!" As much as how ridiculous it sounds, he wanted to get away from Queen Chrysalis. He's tired of her harshness, her merciless attitude, her ego, everything about that changeling, but he wasn't tired of the other side of her, the determined side of her. That's what he admired about her. When he was given the position of lead of patrol, he couldn't be more amused. Until that got taken from him. The only thing he could focus on now is getting that back, and he knew exactly just what to do. He just had to prove that he's still trustworthy and capable to Queen Chrysalis. Now that he knows about her so-called revenge, this would be so much easier.