Dear Small Pony Book,
I’m sorry for the lack of entries since Learning Day with Princess Cadence last Friday. I hope you will find it within your … pages (do you have a heart somewhere? I searched, but couldn’t find it) to forgive my absence.
I have no excuse to offer aside form the fact that things have been a bit hectic—that seems a nice, fitting word. It has been hectic around the palace.
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine there was so much to do to prepare for a simple trip to Canterlot! So many bags to fill with regalia polish, brushes, toothbrushes, other toiletries (not that sort, it’s a weird naming system I barely understand), and Sunburst’s spare capes and glasses (don’t laugh at poor Sunburst. He hasn’t yet developed the reaction time to shield himself or dodge our overlady’s playful assaults), and all of Flurry Heart’s supplies.
By the First Mother, I hadn’t realized how much there was until I sat with Sunburst and pulled it all out of her closet.
With that said, I must wonder if bags can get tummy aches when overstuffed. I asked Shining this morning, but he just started laughing and pounding his hoof on the table.
Ponies are strange.
On top of all the packing, there was the organizing with local herd leaders—I’m not certain what a “politician” or “councilpony” is supposed to be, but important changelings in the hive are referred to as swarm leaders, so important ponies in Equestria are therefore called herd leaders. This I learned from my old swarm leaders when I was young.
Cadence laughed herself silly when I used the term at breakfast, and Shining snorted coffee through his nose. It looked quite painful, so I can’t imagine why he would ever do such a thing.
Ponies are very strange. But I love my hosts all the same.
Fortunately, dealing with the complaints of the herd leaders wasn’t my task—it was Cadence’s, and I don’t envy her one bit. Though I will say that she possesses far greater patience for such trivialities then my former Queen, or that she gave Cadence credit for.
No, Small Pony Book. My task was far more enjoyable, yet challenging in its own right. But enough talk, let’s dive in, as Shining might say.
He pulled me aside yesterday, calling me away from one of my less pleasant duties as Flurry Heart’s favorite changeling: changing her nappie.
I had a very different idea of what this mean the first time Sunburst first mentioned it. I was such an innocent changeling in those days. Such a shame.
In any case, he led me to his office in the palace. I’ve been there once or twice before, but I’m afraid you’re not permitted inside yet. I am told that such places in the palace, those used by the guards, require a certain level of clearance, which you have not yet been granted. It’s not that they don’t trust you, of course. They simply wish to be careful.
No, they don’t dislike you. In fact, they were smiling when they informed me as to why you could not come by at present time.
Shining’s office is quite nice, I must say. He doesn’t furnish it with crystal, like most of the palace. Rather, he prefers to bring in wood furnishings—his desk, his chair, the picture frames, and military academy diploma mounted on the wall are all done up in traditional Canterlot style. He even has some lovely pictures of Twilight, Cadence, Spike, and himself on his desk, from their younger days.
They were quite adorable at that age. Spike most certainly made for cute baby. Though, I wonder if he is still technically a baby dragon—I’ve seen pictures of adult dragons. Spike, though I love him as a dear friend, has quite a ways to go.
Er, if you wouldn’t mind keeping that between us, I would be most appreciative, Small Pony Book. I’m told that he’s sensitive regarding his size. If you must inform him, then please be sure to impress my support for his longstanding goal to one day look down at Rainbow Dash and ask her how the weather is down there (though I imagine it will be the same as the weather “up here”).
“Sit down, buddy,” Shining said as he trotted around his desk and settled into a blue cushion, gesturing toward a matching cushion across from him. “We need to have a little talk about something from your last entry.”
My earfins twitched. I walked over and sat down as asked—and this time, I didn’t sit on the floor. That had been quite embarrassing the first time.
I couldn’t quite help but let out a nervous chitter, or stop my wings from buzzing, the itch to fly away from the most powerful unicorn sorcerer in the Equestrian Armed Forces was a tough habit to shake, no matter how nice he was. After all, I knew what he wanted, and I knew how close to home it hit.
“You want to talk about the hive in the Smokey Mountains,” I said without hesitation. After all, he is my Prince now. My ruler. My host.
He nodded solemnly. His horn wreathed in a strawberry pink glow, he took up a pencil and a pad of notepaper. “Yes. The one formed by the union of … uh …” Shining’s brows knitted together as he tried to recall.
“Morrigan the Temptress of the Mountains and Wily Winsome of the Southern Plains,” I recited almost automatically. Just as Queen Chrysalis would demand if I were reporting to her. Just as I should for my new rulers and hosts.
Shining offered a small smile of thanks. “Yes, them. The ones who run the, ah, brothels in Equestrian territory.” His smile faded. “I’m going to have to ask you some questions about them.”
A small part of me felt suddenly important. I could teach them about my kind! Like they had me! “To learn?”
“Yes, in a way. I’d like to learn if they’re going to be a threat like Chrysalis.”
“The Smokey Mountain hive has never held any interest in conquest or subjugation,” I rattled off before I could even process the meaning behind his words. Then I did. I blinked twice. “Are … are you going to attack them?”
He gave his head a firm shake as his pencil scratched across the page. “I don’t plan on it, but I’d like to be careful. Hearing that changelings have been living in those mountains, running brothels out of them for generations, is a matter of national security. So, while I’ll admit, part of my interest is academic—” his eyes hardened, those warm blue irises were less like the open sky, more like the breath of the Winter Spirits “—if they’re hurting ponies, I’m not going to let it continue.”
I did try to suppress the shudder that ran through my body. Shining Armor, as mentioned before, is no pushover. Absentmindedly, I rubbed my faceplate, the first thing to hit the ground after his shield cast my former hive from Canterlot, and separated me from my kind.
Not a pleasant feeling or memory, but I can’t complain. It led me here, after all. With them. And you, of course, Small Pony Book. Last, but not least on the list.
I licked my lips, a nervous tick I’d picked up from watching him when Cadence was angry. “The Smokey Mountain hive doesn’t like to hurt ponies. They prefer to offer, ah, intimacy in exchange for love. Like, say you wanted—”
“I don’t.”
“I don’t mean you, but say … hang on.” I picked Sunburst’s form from memory and changed in a flash of green fire. “Let’s say Sunburst wanted to enjoy a beautiful mare’s company,” I said in his voice. “If he went to their resort in the mountains, he’d find a hive of changelings happy to see his needs met.”
Shining nodded and glanced down at his notes as he added a few more lines. “Standard practice then. Anything else?”
“Oh, much more. Or, if maybe he was feeling some, ah, urges ponies aren’t too inclined to share because of connotations, they’ll take part to satisfy him.”
His pencil stopped. “That sounds almost like some strange club.” Then his ears twitched. “Though, I suppose that would also fit a brothel’s nature. And given what changelings need … never mind.” With a shake of his head, he resumed writing. “Continue, please.”
In another flash of fire, I transformed into Starlight Glimmer. “Or if Starlight needed somepony to talk about details she didn’t want to share with Princess Twilight, and needed them to show her she could still be loved afterward …”
Scratch, scratch scratch went his pencil across the page. Shining glanced up at me for a moment, frowning. “Could you change back, please?”
“Oh, right!” A blush blossomed across Starlight’s cheeks before I transformed back into my natural form. I rubbed at my headfin and gave a sheepish smile. “Does that help?”
“It’s … information, all right,” he said with a sigh. He brought a hoof up to massage the bridge of his snout. “Ponies go voluntarily, then? No compulsion?”
“None but what takes them there. I think Queen Ember might send a few changelings into the nearby towns to offer services—” he winced at my choice of wording “—but no compulsion is used. Well, unless the pony is inclined toward that sort of thing. I hear it can be quite—”
Shining held up his free hoof. His face twisted as if he were sucking on a lemon. “Please don’t,” he grumbled, his other hoof moved to cover his eyes. His shoulders shook.
“Ah, right. Sorry.” I could’ve bit myself. How could I forget his history with compulsions?
“It’s fine. Just not something I want to hear about.”
Another nervous chitter sounded from the back of my throat. I thought a moment, searching for something else. “Their Queen is quite nice, I hear.”
His ears perked up. “Oh?”
“By virtue of causing Queen Chrysalis to rage for days when she refused to allow our hive to feed upon her patrons so we could strengthen for the invasion.”
Slowly, he brought his hoof down from his eyes. “Really?”
I nodded so vigorously I thought my brain might rattle around in my head. Not pleasant. “That was after she refused to take part in the invasion. She even slighted our hive.”
Shining arched a brow. A bemused smile crept across his face. “What’d she say?”
“That we must be impressively pathetic to come seeking nourishment in her territory, served up like a buffet. She also added that she would take any of us trespassing to feed on ponies an offense of the gravest sort.”
His brows disappeared beneath his mane. “She doesn’t play around.”
“Of course not. The safety of the hive is paramount to any Queen, as is the vitality of their food source.” When I noticed the flat look he shot me, I ducked my head. “Er, well, ours aside. Queen Chrysalis sort of went mad. Even by the standards of our history, no changeling had ever thought to wage open war and risk exposing the entire race as an enemy to hate and fear—I mean, we need love and other positive emotions to survive!”
Again, his brows disappeared beneath his bangs. “So,” he said, “what I’m gathering here is that most of your kind didn’t think the invasion a particularly wise move.”
“To be fair, we don’t do much independent thinking. If the Queen orders it, we do it.”
“Right. Should’ve known that by now.” With a sigh, he ran a hoof through his mane. “Okay. Well, thanks for the information, buddy. That puts me at ease. Somewhat. In some sense.” Shining wrinkles his snout. “As much as I can be with that revelation.”
I sat up straight, happy to have been of service to my Prince. But there was still something on my mind. “So, you’re not going to attack them? Or are they still in trouble?”
“Last time I checked, there’s no law against being a changeling in Equestria.” He set his notepad and pencil down and leaned back, folding his hooves over his belly. “I’ll double check and see if Celestia and Luna know about them. If so, we do nothing. If not, we’ll probably end up trying to contact their Queen—uh—”
“Ember.”
“Right, Ember. We’ll see about some sort of diplomacy with Queen Ember. Something.” Shining took one last look at his notes, then floated them off to the side. “Either way, thanks for your help, Thorax. I appreciate you sharing this with me.”
I bowed my head. “Of course. I’m happy to serve.”
Occasions such as these are quite gratifying, Small Pony Book. They remind me that, despite how strange my hosts might seem, they are still rulers. Rulers are served by good, loyal subjects.
Princess Cadence and Prince-Captain Shining Armor are my rulers. As are Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Twilight Sparkle. To each of them, I am grateful and loyal.
I will always be a good, loyal subject.
1) - Overlady's (you're missing the "d" here I believe)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Those words are unsettling because I can easily imagine them in the context of...
The Queen birthed me, The Queen raised me, she fed me, sheltered me, gave me purpose, and promise. I will always serve her to my greatest extent. She demands loyalty of me for this and I gladly give it.
I will always be a good, loyal subject.
... it's very 1984, Brave New World
Okay, this bit was pretty hilarious.
Can you PM a link to said story? It sounds interesting.
I'm just a little bit embarrassed that I recognized the name and character from the source material.
The etymology of "politician" comes from the ancient Peloponysian prefix "poly-" meaning "many" and "tick" meaning "loathsome, blood-sucking parasite". I realise that it is unfair to compare the fine, upstanding Ixodids of our community to Parliamentarians, but those were bigoted, less sensitive times back then.
Stag party!
If dere was just a little more fightin', an' a little more Orks, dis... dis right 'ere'd be art.
Was the story Queen Ember was from the hive near Ponyville?
Also, finally great to see you back with a new chapter
I've seen SPark's story around every now and then, but haven't gotten around to taking a real look at it.
Sounds worth reading. Opinions?
Well, whatever floats your boat, i suppose
It feels weird now that Thorax is King by the season 6 finale.
I want to know what story you are referencing as well. Mind PM'ing me that link.
On another note while Shining is right in wanting to know about other changeling hives he should be more careful on how he handles those situations. If the IDW story line is anything to go by he sucks at diplomatic conventions and just like Twilight tries too hard to accommodate the other party with their culture while not showing off pony culture. I mean the reason that other parties come to another country is to partake in that country's culture or on the cynical side plan for many bouts of subterfuge or dissent.
I see what you did here.
8070289 Oh! I forgot about Dragon Lord Ember
8070320 Well, I wrote about a clopfic with same name.
8069932
It's quite good, actually. It focuses more on Ember as a sex therapist than as a 'lady of the night'. An unusually hands-on therapist, mind. It's still that type of story.
8070121 I like to think that even as a King he makes a point of visiting the Crystal Empire once a week to play silly faces with Flurry Heart. Because silly faces for his lady are important.
Heh, yeah I thought this little conversation Shining wanted to have was going to be a little...awkward...no matter how you cut it.
I like how any object Thorax comes across that he is not immediately familiar with he tends to automatically assume is in some way animate and/or sentient. It makes me wonder what he thought about other common objects he might not already be familiar with and what his first reaction was like...you know, things like refrigerators, airships, vacuum cleaners (actually, maybe you already mentioned that one and I'm not remembering...hmm), blenders, record players, flush toilets...I mean, there's some fun to be had out there with all of these, writing-wise.
Looking forward to the visit in Canterlot and whatever hijinks that might follow...but I am curious about something. The previous fanfic that started all of this talked about Thorax going to school, but I think beyond a passing reference, the subject hasn't yet come up again here, and I just can't help but wonder what a typical day in the school realm for Thorax might be like. I do hope this is something that will be explored further in some future chapter at the very least.
A lovely, charming and quite adorable chapter all about sex.
Hmm. Is there a specific formula for regalia polish or what?
That is the most perfectly Thorax line I've read. It's all too easy to hear it in his voice.
Note: Do not confuse the Courtesan Queen with the Dragonlord. Doing so may result in incineration.
In any case, lovely exchange. Thank you for it.
8070324 okay, so NOT the only one.
Is the story M-rated or something?
8071668 Or death by "educational" snu-snu.
8071572
> I like how any object Thorax comes across that he is not immediately familiar with he tends to automatically assume is in some way animate and/or sentient.
This raises all sorts of questions about the Hive...
I'm just imagining Celestia's face when Shiny asks her if she knows Queen Ember... Hopefully Thorax is around to see and later record how it goes.
This is easily my favorite story that I have read in a very, very long time on this site. I eagerly look forward to updates!
8096211
Yeah that sounds right. We should start marketing these now. Even though ponies don't normally wear clothes or pants.
You seem to have dropped an 'a'.
I'm actually glad Thorax's journal doesn't have a soul, because...well...experience has taught me 'objects with pieces of soul' are generally pure evil, since they require murder and a ritual to craft. They also tend to keep dark wizards alive, even when they, by all accounts, should've died.
Heck, a diary once unleashed a sixty-foot-long basilisk upon an unsuspecting school, by possessing a student. Not nice. Not nice at all.
Why is the story unlinkable?
8604360 For a moment, I read that as unlikeable lol.
What do you mean?
8604377
I think he's referring to this: "Queen Ember is a reference to one of SPark's OCs from a story I can't link here!"
Specially the 'I can't link here!' part
8262856
oh, you made me think of the famous story "fallout equestria", where a pony could take part of her own soul and put it into a enchanted item. without a dark ritual. of course, it could quite painful...
Rarity experimented with this to try and make fashionable armor...
tic
8604377 You never seem to have answered this question. (I expect it's that it's rated M.)
Well those guys actually seem like sensible emotion predators. Too bad this Queen and hive likely no longer exist.
To keep the fire within ever burning.
I'm betting Celestia already knows about them, probably has a lifetime membership card.
9753359
HAHAHAhahahahha omg i laughed so hard when i read this
Don't worry I'm sure you'll get used to it a little bit of their humor 😆
Once again I know this is before season 7 and episode Triple Threat he mentioned he has a brother and then the episode To Change a Changeling when pharynx finally made his appearances came around. But not only he's worried about his fellow changelings but he's more worried about his brother safety so that's why he's worried about that
Ok so it looks like Shining Armor needed more information about the changeling and how they do in about the history even though he did not have good experience back in season 2 and I can understand that but thorax complied the information because he trusts them the only thing he worries about is shining armor is going to attack his Hive which I don't think he would if they give him any reason not to attack their hive so with that thorax relax from that answer but again hopefully it doesn't come to it which unfortunately in season 6 finale that's a different story 😥
That’s... a dragon’s name. Took me a while not to think of the Dragon Lord herself.