Patrilineality: Making Up For Time We Lost

by Melody Song

Chapter 46: Vacation All I Ever Wanted

“Ugh!” Thorax faceplanted onto Pharynx’s office desk, groaning. Pharynx used his magic to calmly lift his head up and drop it on the side of the table.

“Trying to work, Thorax.”

“I’m sorry! But I’m bored!” Thorax sighed. “We’ve been working nonstop lately, I’m sick of it!”

“You think I’m not sick of it?” Pharynx hissed, slamming his quill down on the desk. “I hate paperwork as much as you do!”

Thorax sighed and squished his face into the desk. “I know, I know… can’t we take a break?

“I don’t think we have the time for a break.” Pharynx sighed, as Metamorphosis came in.

“Boys! I just finished these brownies, do you want to-what’s wrong?” Metamorphosis asked, setting the brownies down on the desk.

“We’re exhausted, we haven’t had a break for paperwork in weeks!” Thorax exclaimed, sighing. Pharynx grabbed a brownie and shoved it into his mouth.

“We just want a break!” Pharynx groaned around the brownie, and Metamorphosis rubbed his back gently.

“I kind of miss being in exile… at least it wasn’t as much work just to hang out with Spike…” Thorax sighed, closing his eyes.

“Well, maybe you two could take a vacation.” Metamorphosis brightened. “I can go with you! It can be a family trip!”

Pharynx made a face, but sighed. “Fine… but how are we going to get away from all this work?”

“Ocellus!” Thorax exclaimed. “We can get her out of school and ask her to… wait…”

“She’s family too…” Metamorphosis sighed “We can’t leave her here.”

“Sure we can!” Pharynx grinned. “She’s got school anyway.”

“Pharynx, if we ask her to cover for us, there’s no way that would be fair.” Thorax sighed.

“Well, it was a bit of a long shot…” Metamorphosis sighed. “Sorry boys…”

“It’s okay dad…” Thorax sighed.

“No, come on, let’s just ask, okay?” Pharynx urged, and Thorax blinked at him.

“You seem very eager all of a sudden.”

“I… just wanna laugh at Ocellus for doing all the work while we go on a vacation, come on let’s go ask her!” Pharynx said, rushing off. Thorax and Metamorphosis looked at each other in confusion, but shrugged and followed him anyway.

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“So… you pulled me out of school… so you can go on vacation for the weekend?” Ocellus asked, tapping her hoof impatiently.

“We’d invite you, but it’s for boys only.” Pharynx told her, and Ocellus gave him a look. “What? You’re always saying school is easy anyway, you don’t need a break.”

“I… well… okay, that’s true.” Ocellus sighed, shuffling her hooves nervously. “Can you give me a little while to decide?”

“Alright. We have to pack if we’re actually going on vacation anyway.” Thorax said cheerfully.

Ocellus nodded and headed off, and Pharynx grinned at Thorax and Metamorphosis. “I told you I could get her to do it.”

“She still hasn’t said yes yet, Pharynx.” Metamorphosis reminded him.

“She will.” Pharynx assured him. “I can tell.”

“How? She’s not a part of our Twintuition thing.” Thorax said, and Pharynx chuckled.

“Easy. She’s going to talk it out with her friends and they’ll agree to help her. It’s what always happens.” Pharynx shrugged.

“I… okay, fair point.” Thorax sighed, and Pharynx chuckled.

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Sure enough, Ocellus came back a little while later with her friends. Metamorphosis greeted them at the entrance to the Hive.

“So, um, I thought about it, and I thought my friends and I could work together to take care of all of Thorax and Pharynx’s duties.” Ocellus said cheerfully. “Our teachers are out to deal with something in Canterlot, so we have an off-day anyway.”

“Yeah, we can do it!” Smolder agreed, hugging Ocellus with one arm. “So where are they?”

“Heh, that’s a wonderful idea kids. As for the boys, they should be here in a minute.” Metamorphosis said, glancing back at the Hive.

“Come on Pharynx! We have the chance to do whatever we want and you want to do extreme things? What about just relaxing?!”

“That’s boring! Why relax when you can explore?”

“You’re a general! I thought you might’ve wanted to do something more subtle!” Thorax exclaimed as he and Pharynx walked up to them, saddlebags on their backs.

“Thorax, I’m not just the general, I’m the drill sergeant. And for once, I’d like to be able to have some excitement that doesn’t involve Ventricle nearly impaling me with a spear.” Pharynx retorted, and Gallus blinked.

“Uh… do we have to do that?” Gallus asked his friends.

“I hope not.” Smolder murmured.

“Well, I’d rather do some relaxing, can’t we just sit by a stream and read a little?” Thorax asked, and Pharynx rolled his eyes.

“Boys-”

“Not happening Thorax, we’re not forty!”

“Boys!” Metamorphosis raised his voice, and they froze. “Don’t you think there’s a better way of deciding?”

“You’re right dad…” Pharynx sighed. “So, what do you want to do? The exciting adrenaline junkie stuff or the boring elderly pony stuff?”

“Hey!”

The six kids began giggling, and Metamorphosis sighed. Silverstream bounced over, reaching into her saddlebags.

“Hey, if you guys are having such a hard time deciding what to do, why don’t you make a list?” Silverstream suggested, pulling out a piece of paper and scribbling on it for a minute. She held it up, revealing she had drawn a simple chart with their faces and names above each side. “Then you can take turns figuring out what to do!”

“That’s a wonderful idea, Silverstream, thank you.” Metamorphosis told her, smiling as he took the paper in his magic. “Come on then boys, let’s head out, and you can make the list on the way.”

“Fine…” they said as one, then Thorax glanced at Ocellus.

“So, Ocellus, are you and your friends sure that you can handle everything?”

“Positive! Don’t worry about it Thorax, we can handle anything you can!” Ocellus said, smiling.

“Alright then. We’ll see you soon then.”

“Don’t burn down the Hive!” Pharynx called as they headed off.

“No promises!” Smolder called back, snickering.

“Alright boys, so where to first?” Metamorphosis asked

“Adventure!”

“Relaxation!”

“Oh boy…” Metamorphosis sighed, shaking his head and smiling softly. “Alright, let’s work on that list…”

Thorax beamed and held out the list, the two brothers disappearing behind the paper as they began writing down ideas. Metamorphosis chuckled, leading the way so they wouldn’t trip. Eventually, Pharynx rolled up the scroll and stuffed it into his bag, taking over for Metamorphosis.

“This way dad! We’re doing my thing first!”

Comments

[BezierBallad]

I can see they’re gonna be having an interesting time.

[Melody Song]

10928110
Indeed

[Late_Night]

time for Between Dark And Dawn: Bugbros Edition, Featuring Metamorphosis!

[Melody Song]

10928265
Yes! More to come!

I also added in the song