The Island of Tambelon

by Rakoon1

A Changeling Can Change

Author's Note:

The idea to this chapter and some of the lines came from the sixteenth episode of season 6 of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic titled “The Times They are a Changeling”.

The journey of the heroes continued, with the Destiny’s Bounty sailing without any complications. It looked like the stabilizer that had been damaged was holding pretty well.

Star was inside the ship, heading to one of the quarters. He knocked and Twilight’s voice said:

“Come in.”

The young prince did that, opening the door and finding his mother sitting and writing a letter behind a desk.

“Mom, can I talk with you for a minute?”

“Of course, Star” she replied, while writing. “Just let me finish this letter to Princess Celestia. I have to warn her about that island full of Quintaped. Sure I have to give her a much generalized location due to the island being unplottable, but I’m certain that this way she will be able to warn others about the Isle of Dread.”

“The Isle of Dread?” Star asked, frowning in a confused look.

“It’s the name I decided to give it” Twilight replied, ending the letter and wrapping it. “I believe it fits it quite well, don’t you think? Now I just have to send the letter along with the journal. This will give me the opportunity to write a very interesting article once we get back and I want you to help me.”

“Me?”

“Of course, it was you and Moonlight that discovered the journal and it was you who defeated the Quintaped. I am certain that will be a good story to tell when he go back to the academy… beyond the ones you already have from the war.”

Noticing her son’s worried look, Twilight asked:

“Is everything all right, Star? You seem very concern.”

“It’s about these mishaps that we had” he replied. “First, we faced Allegro, then it was the Quintaped… Mom, I believe the Lord of Chaos is interfering with our journey to Tambelon.”

There was a pause and then Twilight replied:

“Yes, I have already considered that hypothesis. The Lord of Chaos may be imprisoned in his own dimension, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have any influence on the Pony World. But you shouldn’t worry about that.”

“But… he can place an even bigger obstacle on our way” Star said. “You want me to not worry when I know that fact?”

“I have been watching the maps with Captain Celaeno and we’re close to Tambelon” Twilight declared. “Besides, we can deal with anything the Lord of Chaos sends against us, like we always do. Star, that doesn’t seems you. Normally, you’re not that pessimist.”

Twilight’s son sighed and the confessed:

“I think this all mission is making me nervous. I can disappoint great-grandfather Star Shield, failing to release Tambelon.”

The princess rose her child’s chin, making him look at her directly, and told him:

“Listen to me carefully, Star, we will free Tambelon. And even if we can’t, we will give all the fight we can. Don’t worry about grandpa Star Shield. I am sure, wherever he is, he is proud of you, as long you keep being the pony you are.”

That caused Star to smile and then say.

“Thank you, mom. You’re the best.”

The two hugged and then Star got out. After his exit, Twilight prepared to send the letter and the journal to Princess Celestia when, suddenly, a vision invaded her. It was a very vague vision, but it clearly showed an immensity of ruins. However, on a pillar, there was an equine figure posing while unleashing a strong light. At that moment, the vision stopped.

Twilight asked herself what had just happened. Could it be a vision about Tambelon like the one Blue had? And who was the figured involved in light? Not finding an answer that could justify the vision, the alicorn princess thought it was better to put that aside while she didn’t understand it. So she sent magically the letter and the journal to Princess Celestia.

An island appeared at the horizon and the ship started to go down until landing at the ocean and moored.

“Okay, scallywags, let’s make a stop to rest and inspect the stabilizer!” Captain Celaeno exclaimed.

Some of the passengers got down to the beach of the island to feel again the sensation of being on firm ground.

“Ah, how Ah miss’d the sensation ov bein’ on tha ground” Applejack said. “Last time, Ah couldn’t enjoy it ‘cause Ah was competin’ with RD and runnin’ from five-legg’d monsters.”

Moonlight turned to her mother and asked:

“Mom, can go for a walk on the island?”

Fluttershy thought carefully on her daughter’s request, having in count what had happened. However, remembering she had been able to get out fine, replied:

“Okay, but don’t go too far.”

Moonlight made a large smile, hugged Fluttershy and then moved away. A little while later, Star came down from the ship and asked:

“Where’s Moonlight?”

“She went for a walk” Fluttershy answered. “If you hurry, you may catch her.”

“Thanks, aunt Fluttershy” he thanked.

And the young prince went to the inside of the island.

The young half-thestral was walking happily through the woods when she heard strange sounds. Curious about what could be causing them, Moonlight advanced with caution, using the nearby vegetation to hide herself. When she arrived to a small clearing, she managed to know where the sounds were coming from and it was a good thing she hid herself.

She was seeing Scorpio, one of Chrysalis’ mutant changelings, who was corning a normal changeling. That changeling didn't look like the changelings she knew, having vivid opal eyes and an immensely scared look.

“You have been very naughty for running from home, Thorax” Scorpio said, cynically. “It’s time to go back home. Mommy will love to see you again.”

“Please, Scorpio, don’t take me back!” Thorax said. “I beg you!”

“Do you really think I will let a deserter like you wander out there to tell everything he knows to our enemies?” Scorpio asked. “If you think that, then you’re a great dumb. Don’t worry, you’re going to feel just a scratch…”

And the mutant changeling prepared his sting, what terrorized the other changeling even more.

Although knowing changelings were ponykind’s natural enemies, Moonlight just couldn’t let Scorpio hurt anyone helpless. Getting out of her hideout, she said:

“Leave him alone, Scorpio.”

Stopping him just in time, the mutant changeling turned around and said:

“Well, well, just look who she is. Our little traitor. If you’re here, that must mean your coltfriend is not very far. Maybe I should use as bait to capture him and return to the Changeling Kingdom with two traitors and the pony the Lord of Chaos hates the most.”

“That may happen, but only if you manage to capture me and defeat Star, what is highly improbable” Moonlight said. “And believe me, defeating me won’t be that easy too.”

Scorpio laugh from what Moonlight just said and asked:

“What can a little filly like you do against me?”

But she smiled and replied:

“You would be surprised.”

Accessing to the power of the pink pearl, she said:

“Pink Pearl Voice!”

And she transformed into her siren form. Despite the surprise, Scorpio didn’t let himself get intimidated and prepared to attack with his sting. It was then that Moonlight started to sing the song Adagio had taught her. Listening her singing, Scorpio started to moan in pain, while feeling the effects of Moonlight’s voice. Thorax observed, impressed. He had heard about the siren power, but he never thought it was that strong.

Star was looking for Moonlight when he felt the Thirteen Note’ vibration in the air. The power was so big that even him could feel it, even though musical magic was not one of his skills. That could one mean Moonlight had accessed to her pearl’s power, something she would only do in a dangerous situation. Because of that, he hurried to find her.

Scorpio was holding as much as he could, but her voice was too much powerful.

“This… is not… over yet” he said.

And, using the energy he still had, he ran away. Moonlight stopped singing and returned to her normal form.

“That was… amazing” Thorax said, approaching.

Acting in a reflex, Moonlight adopted a defensive position that made Thorax stop, with a disappointed look, and say:

“It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you. Although I understand the reason for you to do that. I know you don’t wanna be friends.”

Those words confused Moonlight who said:

“I don’t understand. Changelings are supposed to be evil… right?”

“Evil?” Thorax repeated. “Oh, not me. All I’ve ever wanted is a friend.”

Flashback…

At the nursery of the former changeling nest, there were many eggs, from where the changelings hatched before continuing their development inside the combs. Thorax hatched from one of those eggs with a smile.

“I wanted a friend ever since the moment I first split my egg in the nursery hive…”

Thorax’s smile quickly disappeared once he saw his larvae brethren, all hissing around in a threatening way against each other, while going to Chrysalis, who was accompanied by her three mutants, who at the time were youngsters. She had an evil smile that made Thorax to shrink in fear inside his egg.

Thorax was also at the war, having been part of Crunch’s army against the Second Unit.

“I was part of the army sent to the war between the Alliance and the General of Chaos for the tailed beasts, but I’d never seen true friendship like that! And I couldn’t just steal it and feed on its love. I wanted to share it!”

In the present…”

“After that, I knew I couldn’t live with my kind anymore. I set off looking for love to share, but…”

“But what?” Moonlight asked.

“I’m starving!” Thorax exclaimed. “It had passed already a lot of time ever since I fed on love and I can’t keep tricking my hunger with my self-control.”

“Well, I can only imagine how hard it must be for you” Moonlight said, approaching.

At that moment, Thorax started hissing in a threating way to her, but he quickly stopped and said, obviously ashamed of himself:

“Oh sorry! I’m just so hungry! If I had a friend, maybe the love we shared could sustain me, but I don’t think any creature wants to be friends with a changeling.”

He started to move away with a sad look. Seeing that, Moonlight couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. It was obvious he was not like the other changelings and that his desire to have friends was honest.

“Wait!” she asked, making him stop and turn around. “What if I told you that you could have friends, tons of them, at this moment?”

“If only that was true” the changeling sighed.

“But it is” Moonlight said. “Don’t you know who I am?”

Thorax stopped to think, but ended up shaking his head.

“I’m Moonlight and I was once a follower to the Lord of Chaos, one of the sirens.”

“Sorry, but no” Thorax said. “I mean, I heard the power of the sirens had returned to the side of Order, but I never met any siren. After all, I was raised by an evil queen and she just used us as an attacking army. I’m Thorax, by the way. I can’t believe you want to help me.”

“Why?” Moonlight asked kindly. “Hasn’t any pony ever just been nice to you? Not even a changeling?”

Managing to feel the kindness Moonlight was showing, Thorax lost control for a moment again, hissing to Moonlight. Recovering the self-control again, he hurried to said:

“Uh! S-Sorry! Kindness like that kind of bring it out. Do you still wanna be my friend?”

“Of course!” Moonlight replied, smiling. “And I am one hundred percent sure I can get my friends to be yours too.”

Losing control again, Thorax hissed to Moonlight who added:

“But… maybe I should, uh, talk to them first.”

The two started to move away, heading to the shore. But what they didn’t know was that Scorpio was watching them, showing a wicked smile.

While walking, Moonlight asked:

“Thorax, I’m sorry to ask, but why was Scorpio after you?”

“Well… I am a deserter after all” he replied. “Scorpio was trying to bring me back so could be… reeducated.”

“I don’t like the sound of that” Moonlight commented.

“That’s because it’s not nice at all” Thorax replied. “Because of his poison, Scorpio is the queen’s personal deserter hunter.”

“Well, now you don’t have to worry, Thorax” the young half-thestral said. “Once I convince the others that you are our friend, we will protect you.”

A smile appeared on Thorax’s face and he said, with tears on his eyes:

“Thank you…”

After advancing a little more, however, Moonlight didn’t notice the sting that, in a quick move, stung her on one of her legs. She released a moan of pain and she soon realized what was happening when she felt the effects of the venom paralyzing her body.

“Moonlight!” Thorax called, going to help her.

At that moment, Scorpio appeared, blocking his path.

“If I was you, I wouldn’t do that” the mutant changeling said. “Unless you want to face me.”

Fearing Scorpio terribly, Thorax started to retreat, but in a hesitant way.

“Thorax, don’t worry about me!” Moonlight exclaimed. “Run!”

Although his instinct told him to do what Moonlight said, his will was stronger and he said, doing his best to not stutter:

“Leave Moonlight alone…”

That only caused Scorpio to drop a laugh and then say:

“And what can a weakling like you do stop me?”

With his legs trembling, Thorax took a deep breath and tried to attack Scorpio, but he casted a magic beam that threw him against the ground. He got up again and tried to attack again, only to be thrown away again by Scorpio.

“Is that enough?” Scorpio asked, advancing to him. “Or you want to keep playing this game? The best thing to do is to end you so I can focus on more important matters.”

And he charged his horn for another attack, but before he could do it, a magic beam hit Scorpio strongly, throwing him against a tree. When the mutant recovered and got up, he saw Star appearing, covered by Kurama’s energy.

“Scorpio…” he said. “What are you doing here?”

“If you want to know, I was trying to solve an internal affair, while trying to capture you and the traitor you call marefriend” he replied, while passing the hoof over the place he had been hit. “But it looks like I’m out of luck.”

Noticing the mutant changeling trying to move, Star charged his horn and warned:

“If I was you, I would choose my next move carefully.”

Scorpio observed the situation he was into and realized that, in those circumstances, he couldn’t compete against Star, not when he had the advantage. Because of that, he decided to get out of there quickly.

“You can enjoy this victory, little prince, but believe in me when I say that it will come the day you will fall” Scorpio declared.

Having said that, he moved away flying. Thorax sighed in relief, although for a brief moment, as Star turned to him with his horn charged and told him:

“Give me just a reason to not hit you right now with my strongest magic.”

“Star, stop!” Moonlight exclaimed, while fighting against Scorpio’s poison and managing to get up. “He’s on our side.”

“What?!” Star asked. “Moonlight, he’s a changeling! You know his kind feeds on love.”

“Please, Star…” Moonlight said, getting to his coltfriend’s side and placing a hoof over his shoulder. “Trust in me. Thorax is a deserter changeling. He just wants to have friends… true friends. I can feel the kindness inside him and I am certain you can too.”

Listening those words, Star stopped to consider their veracity. Because of that, using his jinchuriki power, he analyzed Thorax’s intensions and got surprised when he saw Moonlight was right. Returning to his normal mode, Star said:

“It looks like you’re right, Moonlight. I can’t feel any ill intention coming from him.”

“I told you so” Moonlight said.

“Yes, you did” Star agreed, turning to Thorax. “I apologize, Thorax, but you know that the relationship between our kind and yours is not very good.”

“I know and I understand” he replied. “I just hope we can… be friends.”

The young prince traded a look with his marefriend who nodded to him. Sighing, Star adopted his friendly smile and extended his hoof, saying:

“Of course, Thorax, we can be friends.”

Thorax became full of joy, while shaking Star’s hoof, saying:

“Thank you.”

Collecting his hoof, Star told to Moonlight:

“You know, it will be a little hard to explain to our parents and the others that now we’re friends with a changeling.”

“I know, but I am certain that we can convince them all once they see Thorax is our friend” she replied.

After helping Moonlight recovering from Scorpio’s poison, Star headed back to the ship with her and Thorax.

The others were ready to get on board the ship and Twilight, getting down from the deck, asked:

“The kids didn’t get here yet?”

“No, and I’m starting to get a little worried” Fluttershy said. “They are gone for some time.”

“We’re here, mom” Moonlight said, while she and Star got out of the woods.

“Great, now we’re ready to go” Twilight said. “Let’s go, time to get on board.”

“Wait, mom, before we go, there’s something we need to tell and show you” Star said.

“Something we found in the woods” Moonlight added.

“I just hope it’s not something that tells there are giant carnivore monsters on this island, because we already had enough of those” Rainbow Dash said.

The two youngsters moved apart, revealing Thorax, what caused a great shock to everyone.

“A changeling!” Blue exclaimed, while he and the others placed themselves in an offensive position.

“Let’s get him!” Rainbow Dash said.

But before anyone could do anything, Moonlight placed herself defensively in front of Thorax, saying:

“No, I won’t let you hurt him.”

“Moonlight, what are you doing?!” Fluttershy asked.

“Yeah, don’t ya know ya’re defendin’ a changelin’?” Applejack asked. “Get away from that thin’!”

“No” Moonlight said in a determined way. “And he’s not a thing. His name is Thorax… and he’s my friend!”

That caused everyone to gasp.

“And she is not the only one to feel that” Star said, placing himself beside Moonlight. “Thorax is my friend too.”

And the stupor became even bigger.

“Wow… two ponies friends with a Changeling?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Now that’s something that breaks the wall of weird.”

“Have ya two by chance got too much sun?” Applejack asked. “How can ya be friends with a monster that sucks love?”

“He’s not like that, aunt Applejack” Moonlight said. “Thorax is different than the other changelings. He doesn’t want to steal love, he wants to share it, making friends.

“But, Moonlight…” Fluttershy said.

“Mom, no, please, listen to me” Moonlight said. “All of you, listen. You taught me friendship doesn’t know any borders, that it can be found in anyplace. Well, Thorax proved to me that he is my friend and that for me is enough.”

Tears filled Thorax’s eyes due to the emotion he was feeling listening those words Moonlight was saying.

“But he is a changeling!” Rainbow Dash protested.

“So what? Not a very long time ago, dragons didn’t have any interest in making friends and griffons were not known for their sympathy. Even Discord stopped being the villain he once was… mostly. And all that because he gave an opportunity to friendship. And don’t forget that… I was once a villain as well.”

“That was different, sweetie” Fluttershy replied.

“No, it was not” her daughter disagreed. “Yes, was manipulated at the beginning, but after some time it started to be voluntarily. And if I, after what I’ve done, deserved a second chance, then Thorax deserves it too.”

There was a moment of silence that was interrupted by Star who told:

“I understand that you’re all hesitant. A few moments ago, I was just like you. But don’t let your hate stop you from seeing the possibilities. I also let my instinct of survival take over when I met Thorax, but when I cleared my mind from all the preconception, I could finally see… I used my jinchuriki power and it tells me Thorax is not bad. If that was enough for during the war, then I’m sure it will be now.”

There was another moment of silence and then Twilight started to advance to them. Arriving to their side, the young couple wondered what would she do. It was then that, for their surprise, she hugged them and said:

“I’m so proud of you two.”

“You are?” the two asked at the same time.

“Of course!” Twilight replied with a smile. “You faced your friends and family to protect another friend, even when we didn’t accept him. It’s actions like those that really makes us reevaluate what we really know about friendship. You two today taught us that a new friend can really come from anywhere, even from the most unexpected place. And if you two say Thorax is your friend, then he’s my friend too.”

And Twilight extended her hoof to Thorax who, with tears of joy on his eyes, accepted, saying:

“Thank you, Princess Twilight.”

The young changeling couldn’t believe that he had been able to do that without even feeling the impulse of hissing. That could only mean that he didn’t have the necessity of stealing love, as now he could just share it with others.

After Twilight gave the example, the others ended up advancing and making ties of friendship with Thorax. While observing Thorax getting to know his new friends, Star said to Moonlight:

“You know, Moonlight, you just did a wonderful thing.”

“I just did what anypony would do” she replied.

“No, you didn’t” Star told. “Not everypony would give an opportunity to a changeling. Even I was willing to attack. But now that Thorax is at our side, maybe there’s hope to the other changelings and we may eliminate one of the greatest threats to the Order side.”

“I think I haven’t thought of that” Moonlight said. “But I think that, for now, we should focus on the mission we have on hooves and only then think in teaching changeling how to share love.”

That caused Star to drop a laugh and then say:

“Good point…”

And the two shared a hug and then a kiss.

After that scene where everyone accepted Thorax, they all returned to the ship with their new changeling friend joining them…