Patrilineality: Making Up For Time We Lost

by Melody Song

Chapter 28: The Heaviest Rains Must Fall...

Metamorphosis opened his eyes a while later, looking outside. It was early morning, the three changelings had slept through the night. He sighed and stood, doing his best not to disturb his sons. Thorax shifted and clutched Pharynx closer. Apex was curled up by his head, forelegs wrapped loosely around the king’s antlers. Metamorphosis, sure that they’d be alright, left the room.

He trotted down the empty hallway, letting his hooves lead him somewhere unknown. He found himself heading for Ocellus’ room, and opened the door with a heavy heart. He found Ocellus sleeping on the floor, surrounded by books and notepads. Metamorphosis leaned down and nosed her slightly.

“M-Mom…?”

“No Ocellus, it's me, I'm sorry…” Metamorphosis said, and she opened her eyes. Ocellus sat up slightly, her ears folding back as she realized it wasn't her mother Pupae, but Thorax and Pharynx's father.

“Oh… hi Metamorphosis… is it time for…?” Ocellus trailed off, unable to say the words.

“No, it will happen in the evening.” Metamorphosis told her, giving her a gentle nuzzle.

Ocellus nodded and stood up. “I… I think I’m going to go outside… for a walk.”

“Alright. Be safe.” Metamorphosis hugged her, then let her go. Ocellus nodded and grabbed her saddlebags, stuffing a book or two into the bags before leaving the room.

Metamorphosis sighed as he watched her go, then left the room himself. He turned right, heading towards the throne room so that someone from the royal family would be there if the other changelings woke up before Thorax and Pharynx. It would be best for them to have a reassurance at least one member of their royalty was there, even if it was someone who had directly stated he wouldn't allow them to feel as though he had an authority over them. Not that it mattered. They needed guidance and someone to look to for reassurance, not orders.

Everyling in the Hive knew about what was to occur that night, and the negative emotions could be felt throughout the Hive. Thorax had had to leave the Hive multiple times to take a breath of fresh air. Many other changelings followed his lead, lest they end up vomiting due to the sick feeling negative emotions left on most changeling's tongues. Only Pharynx seemed immune to the effects, though Metamorphosis couldn't quite see this as necessarily a good thing.

Metamorphosis noticed that many changelings that passed Ocellus in the hall nuzzled and hugged her in comfort. He could tell by the emotions Ocellus gave off that she was grateful, but that she’d rather be alone. Unfortunately, everywhere she went, there were changelings there to provide words of comfort. Upon a later round of the Hive with Pharynx, Metamorphosis didn't see her, and figured she must have retreated to her room again.

Soon, it was evening. Metamorphosis joined Pharynx in getting Ocellus. Sure enough, she was in her room, once again surrounded by books and notebooks. She was staring at them blankly, seeming lost in her own thoughts, though she looked up when they came in.

“Ocellus, come with us.” Pharynx said, beckoning to her.

“Where are we going…?” Ocellus asked

“It's time. You need to come stand beside us during...” Pharynx trailed off in his explanation, but Ocellus seemed to understand.

Ocellus whimpered a little, but took a breath and nodded. She stayed silent after that, not questioning Pharynx or Metamorphosis as they led her. When they reached Thorax outside the Hive, he was standing before a crowd consisting of the entire Hive. Pharynx sighed as they joined the king, and turned to Tibius, who was beside Thorax. Pharynx took a crossbow Tibius presented to him, and Tibius bowed to them before joining the crowd.

“Where’s Apex?” Ocellus asked aloud, glancing at the older changelings.

“He’s with the Fangs.” Pharynx replied, examining the crossbow. “Near the back of the crowd. We didn’t want him to be too near… the burial, and he’s got his friends with him.”

Ocellus closed her eyes, then nodded in understanding, a single tear dripping down her cheek. The sun dipped low over the horizon, making way for Princess Luna’s inky black night sky.

“It’s time.” Metamorphosis whispered, locking eyes on the bodies in the distance.

They were covered in many vines and flowers, but Metamorphosis knew that underneath, four bodies were positioned with care. Two adult changelings with their hooves around two nymphs. He sighed, looking at Ocellus, who was crying again. Lives taken too young, and from too many.

“I’m ready.” Pharynx said, raising the crossbow. “Ocellus, usually this would be done by the remaining family members, but you don’t know the proper way to fire a crossbow.”

“Okay… but I know the words.” Ocellus whispered “They were taught to all the nymphs in the old days.”

Pharynx nodded. “Then say the words and I shall fire for you.” he said, clutching the crossbow and slowly taking aim.

Ocellus took a breath, then stepped forwards. She steadied herself, then spoke clearly, but with a wavering tone. Metamorphosis and Thorax stepped up beside her.

“Here do I see my father, and there do I see my mother, and my sisters and brothers.”

Ocellus’ tears fell faster, and Metamorphosis realized it was because the old words, unfortunately seemed to be tailor made for this situation. Her sister and brother, father and mother, were all gone. Metamorphosis pressed closer to Ocellus in comfort, sharing some love with her. She leaned against him, gathered herself, then continued.

“And there do I see the line of my kind, all the way back to our beginning. Guide their hooves to the realm of the lost.”

As Ocellus spoke this last part, Pharynx charged his antlers and set the arrow in the crossbow on fire, raising it up and firing it. It arched high into the air, then came down on the vines and flowers, beginning to burn them.

“I bid they take their place among our ancestors, in the halls of Elysium, where the brave may live forever.” Ocellus finished, as ten crossbows raised up from behind the crowd and sent ten more burning arrows after Pharynx’s.

Metamorphosis looked into the crowd, seeing the ten unreformed figures who fired the other arrows, eight adults and two nymphs. He nodded to them in silent respect, seeing them return the nods. Metamorphosis then turned at the sound of a choked cry. Ocellus, tears falling down her face, let out an anguished cry, turning and rushing off, past the crowd and into the Hive. Thorax's eyes widened and he made to follow her, but Metamorphosis held out a hoof to stop him, then headed after her himself.

Author's Note:

The Fangs belong to MlpHero, you should go check out his work.

And yes, feel free to hate me in the comments, I can take it not. Fire away.

~Melody Song

Comments

[Martydi]

Thorax shifted and clutched Pharynx closer. Apex was curled up by his head, forelegs wrapped loosely around the king’s antlers. Metamorphosis, sure that they’d be alright, left the room.

Aww, that's adorable. Maybe we'll finally get a chapter that isn't...

“M-Mom…?”

Nope, back to depressing.

[CitreneSkys]

10728071
Haha

Nope

[Melody Song]

10728071

10728080

Sorry...I wanted to get this part resolved quickly so people wouldn't hate me for dragging it on

[Martydi]

10728082
Don't beat yourself up too much. I'm having fun reading the sad stuff as well, all the nagging is just a bit of comment comedy.

[Melody Song]

10728095
Ah, okay then

I do expect some people hate me though

[Martydi]

10728096
Yeah, I expected this to be fairly apparent I'm not serious, but after seeing you react like that again, I was getting a creeping feeling my intentions weren't as clear. Sorry about making you worry about that. Rest assured that I'll continue following the story.

[Melody Song]

10728102
It's okay, I'm just worried because it seems like I killed 'Celly's parents for no other reason than "I'm the author, I do what I want"

[Martydi]

10728104
Well, while not exactly that, there are some grievances about this whole thing. I can understand pushing a story in a certain direction, sometimes it just has to be done to keep things moving. It's pretty clear this is supposed to be a sad episode in the story, but the only source of sadness are Ocellus, Capillare and Scorpia. Their parents are entirely forgettable, appeared like twice before their demise and were portrayed as complete assholes and nothing but that both times. And the circumstances of their deaths feel kinda cheap as well. The rest of the arc is still pretty well done I'd say, but I can hardly see Celly's parents as anything but plot devices.

[Melody Song]

10728143
Yeah, I know

If you don't want to be saddened don't read the following, but I actually have a...similar plot, in mind for Pride and Joy, though I go into more depth of the parents, which I chose to do because I realized yeah, Ocellus' parents are kind of glossed over, but by then it was a big center point of the story and I didn't have a way to change it. But Pride and Joy will definitely go into further depth of Oculus and Pupae.

[Martydi]

10728146
That's good to hear. Still though, if you wanted their deaths to have any impact, it should have been posted in the opposite order. Characters that are planned to die need to get characterization before the deaths, not after. Giving them personalities and having the readers get to know them first creates attachment, and at least attempts to give some meaning to the eventual death. Attaching that characterization afterwards just fails to deliver as much impact, and looks like patching gaps in storytelling (even if it actually isn't and was planned beforehand).

[Vailen]

I noticed the 13th Warrior reference there https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mraO8JZbSkg.

[Melody Song]

10728157
True, thanks for the advice

I have most of this story pre-written, there's a stockpile of chapters on my Google Docs. I tried to characterize Oculus and Pupae, posing them as kind of antagonists for Pharynx, being reformed like him but the exact opposite of what he stood for. I guess it didn't sink in for some people enough to give them development

10728158
I honestly got that from the How To Train Your Dragon: Race To The Edge series, there's a scene with it in the Twintuition episode

[Vailen]

10728169
Really, huh, never seen any of the episodes, just the movies. Kind of neat though.

[Melody Song]

10728473
Yeah

[Late_Night]

o u c h
my feels

[Melody Song]

10728610
Sorry...I figured dragging it out would make people hate me more...

[Late_Night]

10728614
not complaining
after all, a wise kirin once told me that rainbows won't light the sky if it doesn't rain
i'm just saying that my feels hurt
poor bookbug

[Melody Song]

10728665
Yeah, true

You want to give her a hug?

[Late_Night]

10728672
as someone who's lost a parent
y e s

[Melody Song]

10728684
*Holds up Ocellus*