Epilogue I: Cold Stone is a Solemn Reminder
Thorax shivered, though there was no breeze. The entire valley had grown still now that the conflict responsible for shaking the land had decayed to recent memory. Upon making his way down the mountain, Thorax had taken to observing the fields at its base, where various groups of creatures met in the aftermath. He could only make out segments of their conversations, but even just the sight of so many different creatures getting along was enough to make him feel joy.
Thorax furrowed his brow. The more he thought about it, the more miraculous the whole situation became. After being rallied by mere school children, an excess of five different kingdoms had converged on a nameless hilltop outside Ponyville to assist Equestria in ridding itself of its darkest villains. The initial charge was even led by a unicorn who once held a reputation for xenophobia. True harmony was achieved in the face of true evil.
The irony was there, but Thorax wasn't laughing. In fact, the conflict’s end had left something foul and bitter in its wake. A problem he’d been avoiding now confronted him, demanding his attention with cold, calcified eyes. As he stood amidst piles of confectionary goo and sprinkles, Thorax found himself just as frozen as the statue he surveyed.
"Typical. Leave it to the Equestrians to hog all the fun, and just when we finally got to see some action, too. They always did enjoy being judge, jury, and...well, I suppose the last bit doesn't really work in this context. Is 'jailor' not literal enough? 'Sculptor', maybe?"
Thorax acknowledged his brother's hoofsteps and his humor with a lopsided chuckle, but his focus remained on the grim figures before him.
The sociopathic foal, Cozy Glow, clasped her hooves to her cheeks, her eyes wide in a moment of realized terror. Whether it was real or just another hollow ploy for empathy was anyone's guess, but for Thorax, it was unsettling either way. A short, thick buttress of stone sprouted from her lower hoof and tail, and connected itself to the centaur, Tirek, propping her up and effectively maintaining the illusion of flight. Decrepit and wretched, Tirek cowered from the inevitable in a similar fashion, having closed his eyes before the effects of petrification could reach them.
Only now did Thorax realize his breathing had become short and ragged. His mind knew what his nerves did not. The protruded tongue, bared fangs, and pouncing posture of the statue's third figure posed no threat, but it haunted him from his peripheral, daring him to meet its hideous face.
"Thorax."
"...Y-yeah?"
"What are you doing?"
There was impatience in his brother's voice. Just how long had he been sitting there? Thorax scrambled to turn his melancholy stare to a dopey smile.
"I'm fine, Pharynx. I'm just thinking. Is everyling okay?"
Pharynx flattened his lip. "Define 'okay'."
Thorax frowned and turned his head. "You know what I mean. Was anyling hurt in the fight?"
Pharynx guided his brother's gaze to a medical station tossed together at the far treeline. It consisted of a snowy tent with a cross and a series of wooden benches. There, a few changelings, dragons, and yaks were being tended to by a staff of nurse unicorns.
"A few scrapes, a few bruises," Pharynx assessed dismissively. "Nothing to write home about, and certainly nothing for you to coddle them over. Hive forbid we have even a little pride in our war scars. Most of them are just coming off the adrenaline. Not every day you get to face your ex-queen and her band of freak shows in decisive combat."
Thorax's ears nervously flexed. His face reflected the mild concern his heart felt. True, the changelings seemed to be casually chatting with the nurses, but just the sight of bandages on his subjects was distressing.
He'd need to make a mental note of which changelings would be requiring additional hugs later. His brother didn't need to know.
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Are you okay?"
Pharynx scoffed. "Actually, no, it was way too chilly on that hilltop, Thorax. You know, the one far away from the action? I'm rather upset about it. Those unicorns could’ve at least installed heating in their little barrier spell while we puppy guarded the princess and her friends."
"Guess you're fine," Thorax mumbled. "Your sarcasm is working."
"Is it? Wow, gold star, Thorax. So what are we doing next? We going home now, or what?"
"Shortly, yes. I wanted to stick around and see if any of the princesses wanted to talk. Also, I've been looking to see if Queen Novo was here. Have you seen her?"
"The hippogriff queen? Why?"
"We've been exchanging letters for a while. One of them said she'd enjoy us visiting her, or her visiting us sometime. Shortly after that, I got another letter talking about how she'd heard wonderful things about us from Silverstream, who’s really close friends with Ocellus. Ocellus even visited Seaquestria over this past school break. I haven't heard anything back from the queen since then. I wanted to see if she came here with the rest of the hippogriffs."
"I doubt it."
"Huh? Why?"
Again, Pharynx jabbed his head in a given direction and Thorax followed. A tall, commanding hippogriff with teal plumage was talking with Silverstream nearby the medical tent.
"See him? That's General Seaspray. He’s to the hippogriffs what I am to us, except wetter. You might’ve met him before. He probably visits the princess's school for Silverstream, like you do, for Ocellus."
"Wait, what do you mean 'wetter'? Like, as in the navy?"
"Yes."
"Pharynx, you're in charge of our navy too. We just don't have an official one because we don't live anywhere near water-"
"Missing the point, Thorax. Seaspray is not just the leader of the hippogriff's navy. He’s also their lead dignitary. In all situations where Novo would make a political visit, he goes in her stead. The hippogriffs may have emerged from their little ocean bunker, but that doesn't mean the queen has. I've heard the only time she ever comes on land is for special occasions on Mount Aris."
Pharynx paused. He waited for any kind of response, but none came. Instead, his brother looked at him with something sappy and terrifying.
"Pharynx...when did you get so knowledgeable about all the other kingdoms? I'm so proud of you!"
And there it was.
"You-I'm supposed to know about-my old job literally required me to-...You know what? Nevermind. I'm not entertaining this today. This was my day off before we all got collectively called on to come and solve your friend's problems."
Thorax blinked, and his brother advanced on him, pinning him with that familiar, unapproving glare.
"You can chase hippogriffs and seapony queens later. Let's talk about what's up with you."
"Me?"
Pharynx eyed the statue. He eyed Thorax. "Don't play dumb. Neither the princesses nor Seaspray are over here, so why are you over here, standing alone? What's so fascinating about some defeated enemies? You're acting weird, even for you."
Thorax was again consumed by the petrified triad. This time, he bravely faced the mad look of his former queen head-on. A flurry of painful memories bombarded him, stealing away his breath, but he couldn't look away. She couldn’t blink, speak or express her hatred, but Thorax could swear he could still feel it—an eternal flame of selfish fury, immortalized along with her body.
"Do you think she can still hear us?"
"...What?"
"Chrysalis, Pharynx," Thorax repeated firmly. "During Discord's last visit, he and I talked about his past a bit. He said that during the millennium he was petrified, he could still hear, even though he couldn't see or feel. Do you think it was because he's a special kind of creature, or is all petrification the same?"
As the true nature of the situation came to light, silence took hold between them. When Pharynx spoke again, it was only after exhausting a long and haggard sigh.
"I get it, now." Pharynx's tone had grown quiet. He walked behind Thorax and to his other side, where his former commander's image was clearer. He regarded it with a sneer. "It's closure, you're after."
Thorax didn't reply. He didn't need to. His brother's empathetic senses had long since fully developed. He knew Pharynx could feel his growing anguish.
"I just, I-"
Thorax feared an interruption, although he knew he shouldn't by now. He glanced over his shoulder and found only stern patience. Nothing in all the land, sea, or sky could waver his brother's attention. He watched and waited, as if expecting Thorax to collapse at any given moment.
With that comforting thought, Thorax fell apart.
"...I almost wish she had come back for the throne, Pharynx," Thorax breathed, shakes besieging his voice. "I'm so glad she didn't because I didn't want the changelings put in danger, but...I wanted her to know just how far we've come without her. I wanted her to see for herself that friendship and happiness weren't a weakness. They were how we became self-reliant."
Thorax began to sniff and hiccup through his tears. A firm hoof cradled his back.
"Don't tell me, Thorax. I'm not the one who needs to hear it."
Thorax raised his head, and all too suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu. He was again in the bowels of the hive, sobbing hysterically in a release of anxiety, and being comforted by his brother in a rare moment of compassion.
Thorax clenched his teeth. He cleared his throat as trails of tears stained his lime cheeks and blurred Chrysalis's gaping maw from view.
"I know you wouldn't care," he murmured, his voice growing steadier with each word. "I know you wouldn't hesitate to reclaim the hive by force if given the chance. I know that our happiness is irrelevant to you and that it always was. I used to hope that you'd one day change your ways, that you’d treat us better. I used to dream of a hive that I belonged in, that welcomed me for who I am, instead of demanding I hurt others to fit in. I stopped dreaming the day I ran away. I guess I finally realized it would never happen."
Pharynx's hoof rose and fell along the curve of Thorax's shell in a steady rhythm. It coaxed the younger changeling to continue.
"And it turns out I was right, wasn't I? You never changed, Chrysalis, and that's why you're here now. You couldn't accept that noling wanted to follow you after they were able to care for themselves, so you lashed out. You lashed out at everyone around you, doing what you've always done: inflicting pain on others for your own gain. Well, this time you went too far. Equestria has no more tolerance for your hate, and neither do the changelings. We may be irrelevant to you, ‘my queen’, but I want you to know that you’re irrelevant to us, too. The changelings are prospering without you."
The hoof came to a sudden stop, and Thorax nearly lost his train of thought. He could feel mild shock coming off his brother's aura.
"I guess this is goodbye. I think I'll always wonder what might’ve been, Chrysalis. What could’ve happened if you'd decided to consider Starlight's words, instead of rejecting them for the only thing you've ever known."
Thorax forced a weak smile in an effort to lift his mood. The next time his glance fell on the statue, his chest did not tighten, nor did his teeth clench. He supposed that was a good thing.
"Wow," said Pharynx.
Thorax chuckled."What? You're the one who told me to talk to her."
Pharynx dipped his chin, and his stare sharpened.
"You're right, I did. On the one hoof, well done. On the other, where in Hive's name did all of that come from? I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't back sass. Have you been holding back this whole time, Thorax?"
Thorax's chuckle bloomed into laughter. The last of his gloom had been dispelled.
"I just…I've never expressed any of this out loud before, at least to this extent," he admitted. "Not even to you. Certainly never to Chrysalis. I guess I had a lot to say. I was always torn up over how she treated everyling—even more so about not being strong enough to do anything about it."
"Well, it's better that you didn't tell her off, before. You're right. She never cared, and I doubt she would now. It might be less impressive to sass a statue, but at least the statue can't hurt anyone when it's told something it doesn't like. For what it's worth, though, I doubt I could’ve sassed her any better, myself."
Thorax beamed. Before he could respond, a familiar figure called out to him. It was General Seaspray, and he bounded towards him with a smile.
"Ah, King Thorax, what a pleasure it is to see you well," said Seaspray, his gallop slowing to a standstill in a few steps. He gave an elegant and exaggerated bow before glancing at the statue at Thorax's side. "Quite a showing we gave those rogues, hmm? I cannot wait to relay our grandiose victory back to Her Majesty, Queen Novo."
Pharynx rolled his eyes.
"Which brings me to my reason for seeking your company." Seaspray reached into a large, brown satchel at his side with a claw. Curled in it upon exit was a wrapped scroll, which he readily offered to Thorax. "Her Majesty, Queen Novo, has requested that I deliver this to you posthaste."
"Thank you," Thorax replied, summoning the scroll with a spark of teal magic. He opened the letter's aquatic blue seal with a snap and unfurled it in his aura. Pharynx read it along with him.
Dear King Thorax,
I have to apologize for my silence as of late. Ever since my subjects regained their safety and started treading the land again, it has been a nightmare trying to coordinate just about anything in my kingdom. These hippogriffs got their heads in the clouds in more ways than one. You remember when I talked about the rebuilding of our village on Mount Aris? Well, you better believe I’m starting to have regrets already. If I have to come up there one more time and tell Sky Beak to put a lid on these screeching contests in the late evenings, I tell you, momma is gonna have a conniption.
Oh, Thorax, I do so appreciate you letting me vent my heart out in our letters. None of my guards and advisors listen to me the same way you have. Princess Celestia has always been a generous ear, as well, but she's been so busy lately with the state of things in Equestria and I can't blame her. You’ve been a sweetheart and a lifesaver these past months.
That’s why I've decided to honor you with the pleasure of visiting you and your subjects, personally. I figure it’s about time I stretch my wings a bit, and I've been hearing nothing but love from my niece about her adventures with her little changeling friend. I've been getting a might antsy about visiting my first changeling hive, myself.
Please do get back to me as soon as you can, so that we can plan a date and time.
Yours,
Queen Novo
Thorax re-rolled the letter and looked up to see Seaspray looking quite pleased with himself.
"Well, gents, if you'd care to craft a letter here and now, I shall be on my way home shortly and can bring it to Her Majesty before the sun sets. Otherwise, do feel free to reply at your own pace. I believe we could all do with a good rest after that fiery fray, hence I shan’t rush you."
Thorax grinned. He turned to Pharynx with renewed zest, and in doing so, drained his brother of all expression.
"Pharynx, Queen Novo, herself, wants to visit the hive! Isn't that great!? Oh, I have to set up a tour plan right away! I mean, sure, I set up a committee for it but, Queen Novo? I have to be there! Thank you, General Seaspray! If you have any spare parchment and quills, I'll happily reply now!"
Pharynx could feel his grouchiness twist his mouth and half-close his eyes to form a guise of indifference. He watched in exasperation as Thorax pranced about in anticipation while Seaspray wrestled with his saddlebag to draw out the requested items.
"You know, when the Equestrians wanted you to come over so they could hug changelings and gush all over you, you cried over me for a week about how scary politics were. But when the prissy hippogriff queen comes calling on a whim because you're the only one who will listen to her drama, you're delighted? I think we need to have a conversation, Thorax."
Chrysalis never made a physical appearance in this story, and it was fully intentional. An appearance wouldn't have made sense with the canonical passage of events, given that Chrysalis was far too focused on getting revenge on Starlight and her friends.
For those who never read Lingering Shadows, you're now fully aware of my views on cheeselegs. 
I demonize Chrysalis unapologetically, both because I believe a vindictive, irredeemable monster is what the show gave us in all its provided evidence and because it makes the changeling's bid to break free from her control all the more rewarding to see and read about. In both Lingering Shadows and this epilogue, I've thoroughly enjoyed exploring Thorax's powerful emotions regarding Chrysalis that were never seen from the show, and projecting a few of my own thoughts into that.
For those confused by the rest of this chapter, may I encourage a re-reading of Cerulean is the Warmest Shade of Blue? 
Also, I promise the next epilogue will have x10 more hugs I'm sorry. 
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Oh wow who ever thought that Chancellor naysay would lead the ponies and The Creatures wow lol
It's almost funny.
Aggressive and mad to the last.
Her? I'm, very curious as to why.
He means because hipporgiffs also live underwater.
Yes.
Aw, he cares.
... Damn.
Apparently.
Thorax is, look, he's trying.
Awww!
That was so sweet, and fulfilling, and sad, but beautiful!!! I can't wait to see the other epilogues, I'm sure they'll be just as good!
That was nice. Thorax got to dish out some verbal smackdowns (and against Chrysalis, of all creatures, even if she was too stoned to react) and Pharynx got to display both his love for Thorax as well as the ever present sass. I enjoyed reading that.
Also
Queen Novo seems to have made a typo.
Wow it looks like we made it to the aftermath of the episode the ending of the end so after the battle and stopping the Legion of Doom thorax has been having some conflict feelings about how Chrysalis is right there and pharynx knows what's going on with him and he even told him to let it all out and say it to Chrysalis even though she's a statue even if she can hear or not so with that thorax let out everything he needs to say to her and wow it was something and I have to give it to thorax he put a brave face just to say it so he let it all out and it looks like General seaspray gave a letter and it's from Queen Novo and saying that maybe someday she can visit to the hive and that's pretty cool and he can't wait to meet her after sending a lot of letters to between her and him well I wonder how this will goes I guess we'll find out next time
10691538
Nah, just capturing her VA's manner of speech through text. You've seen the movie, no?
10691569
Actually no, I haven't. My mistake then, I thought it was unintentional.
10691587
As well as any anyone else who hasn't seen the movie (spoilers).
Here's some context for you, then.
By all means, do go ahead and demonize B*tchsalis all you want
she got off easy by getting turned into stone, she could use plenty more karma and I don't care how many downvotes I get for saying it
Looking forward to more buggo hugs though, as always, even if they do bring us closer to the end of this story
Man, it's so satisfying reading Thorax say all that to Chrysalis, very well deserved.
10691622
Heck yeah after the things he went through from her he needed to say something to her once and for all even though she in a statue
I’m happy to read more of this story, yet sad we’re already in the epilogues. Seeing Thorax grow has been a delight.
I think it makes sense why Chrysalis never went after Thorax. She is the center of her own world. To acknowledge the fact that Thorax turned the hive against her would be to lend him an agency she can’t accept from her drones. I think it’s far more likely that someone as narcissistic as Chrysalis would rather believe that she lost her kingdom to a foreign element, than to accept that her own people threw her out.
10691642
Yeah, those are good points, and understandable all the more now that I've dabbled in Political Science. I'm just miffed we got next to no more changelings because of the direction she took. We could have had epic tag team bros against Chrysalis, with lore and drama on their strained relationship, but no, the plot armor from the main characters shined to Chrysalis like a bug zapper.
Nice to see Thorax getting a bit of closure, he probably needed that.
I knew ya had it in you Thorax!
Something I’ve always wished I’d see and now my dream has come true.
Just a little skewed, but it does seem like Queen Novo and Thorax have become somewhat fast friends, so maybe that’s why.
Ehh I feel like Chrysalis would blame Starlight more. She was the catalyst for the “reformation” of Thorax and the rest of changelings. She also probably doesn’t see Thorax as a threat, so if she destroyed Starlight first, she can go for Thorax without much trouble.
Or, ya know, she could’ve sustained a multitude of concussions when her throne collapsed atop of her. Seems just as likely.
10691800
Their relationship hasn't been on figurative screen but it's not out of nowhere. Check out the end of the author's notes. This whole thing is a continuation wrap-up based off that past comment, actually. 
You guys missed when Thorax mentioned his first letters with Novo, back in Cerulean is the Warmest Shade of Blue.
Yeah, I've since been given an example of how her response makes more sense. Just gonna remove that part of the author's notes. Prefer people focus on the story not my afterthoughts.
10691808
Oh I guess I never noticed Novo and Thorax’s letter, I’ll have to reread that
10691617
Seriously, the witch tried to murder Thorax on-screen! It doesn't even have to do with Thorax being a cinnamon roll, she literally tried to murder an innocent member of her own kind for trying to solve their hunger problems! Nobody can justify that!
Not really "demonization" when its fact.
10692060
Exactly! I'll never understand why so many people fawn over her so much, especially after that part!
10692081
Many people are willing to overlook the most despicable atrocities if the one committing them is attractive enough... 
My best guess? Carnal pleasures.
10692124
Eh, she doesn't even have that going for her in my case
10692251
Neither for mine. Carnal pleasures in general don't interest me, but even if they did, other changelings can do everything Chrysalis could do and one would have significantly less of a chance of getting backstabbed and/or brainwashed. Plus I think changelings having hair and pony-like eyes actually makes them less cute. Like seriously, they're adorable as is.
I had a feeling that this kind of confrontation would happen. Not exactly what I thought he'd say, but still very good to have Thorax say his piece against his queen. Also, I can't quite remember this previous mention of dealings with the hippogryphs, but I'll take your word for it.
1 down. 2 to go.
10691538
"Believe you me" is a common idiomatic phrase.
10692547 Third person, now?
Ya'll be skippin' the slower bits and it shows.~ Cerulean is the Warmest Shade of Blue
Granted it is short and easy to miss, but I enjoy little toss-outs that actually turn out to go somewhere later on. Maybe nobody expects it in fics. Or maybe it's just me.
10692563
Queen Novo speaks with improper English, once even saying, "well, I guess the pearl's out the oyster, now'.
Sorry, officer, not this time.
I'm just being canon.
10692587
Oh sure, you've captured her voice well. But my point was that it arguably isn't even really "improper": https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/64551/whats-word-order-believe-you-me
10692602
There are various levels of incorrect?
Foiled again.
Changed to 'Well, you better believe I am starting to have regrets already'.
XD I think that was my favorite part of the chapter.