Bugs Out
A melody of buzzing wings filled the air, and Thorax clapped his hooves in anticipation. “Um...how long until Fluttershy gets back?” He asked, gnawing on his chitinous hoof. “She will be back, right? Nothing bad happened...right?”
Spike chuckled. “Stop worrying! She’ll be back by noon, give or take. The train isn’t all that reliable...”
Thorax mumbled incoherent words, staring intently at the door. He fiddled with the blanket that Fluttershy had let him borrow, feeling comforted by the small quilt. Turning his cyan eyes, he watched Pharynx silently.
His brother had a small pile of books laying around him. Apparently, the older nymph found interest in the novel’s writing, but never wanted to share what he was reading with the younger changeling.
“It’s not something you’d like,” was his answer, like that was going deter him. It only fueled the younger one’s curiosity. It wasn’t like he could read either, so he was left completely in the dark.
“Pharynx, are you done?” He asked, tapping his older brother’s shoulder. The red changeling barely reacted, hissing under his breath. “You’ve buried your head in those books for hours...for the last few days...I think it’s time to stop...”
Violet eyes glared at him before the crimson nymph focused back on the book. Sighing, he turned towards the impatient bunny, who stood in the corner, pouting.
“Hey,” he said quietly, then pointed towards his older brother. “Can you do something to get him mad?”
Angel looked at him with an odd expression, flattening his long ears. His whisker twitched, sniffing the changeling. “Um...just something small, because Pharynx is lost in his world right now...”
The white rabbit smiled mischievously, rubbing his front paws together. Thorax watched the bunny hop over towards the distracted changeling, his steps light against the wooden floor.
When Angel was a good distance away from Pharynx, he stopped. Looking around, the rabbit found a dulled pencil laying across the floor, promptly kicking it at the changeling’s violet carapace.
The book slammed shut, and Pharynx growled. “What. Do. You. Want.”
Angel quickly scampered away, running under Thorax’s front hooves. The younger changeling clapped his hooves, smiling. “Welcome back the world, my brother.”
Violet wings buzzed, glaring at Thorax with annoyance. “Of course you enlisted help from the rodent...” he sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. “What do you want, Thorax?”
“You’ve been reading those books for hours. I think you need to rest...” Thorax flattened his ears, his wings vibrating against his carapace. “...preferably now before Fluttershy comes back...”
Cyan eyes gazed worriedly towards his older brother, who stretch out his wings and legs. “I want to finish it....” Pharynx frowned, looking at the small pile of books that he laid around him.
“I can always check it out for you,” Spike called from behind them, and both changelings turned to look towards the dragon. Pharynx tilted his head, unsure of what to do.
Spike continued. “Because this is a library, I can check out books for you guys. You can take the book home for a week and return it on its due date. Sound good?”
When nobody responded, the dragon sighed. “Just...tell me what books you want to keep, okay?”
Pharynx looked across the books that he had laying around, before levitating a thick, leather-cover novel off the ground. The rust-color cover was painted black, around the edges, a broken lantern depicted on the front.
Invaded in violet magic, he lifted his chosen book towards the dragon. Spike looked at the cover before opening it up. Pulling a small stamp from atop the desk, he stamped the inside cover with a red tree. “Bring it back next week Friday, okay?”
The older changeling hummed in acknowledgment, grasping the newly checked out book in his hooves. A slightly chitter echoed from the back of his throat, his crest pulsing against the back of his head.
Before Pharynx could go back to his reading trance Thorax heard the clicking of a doorknob open. A click of anticipation could be heard in the air as the door swung open. Before them, a pair of mares stepped through the door.
Thorax chirped when he saw Fluttershy, smiling. “Hi, Fluttershy!” He trotted over towards her, tilting his head up to meet her gaze. The rabbit behind him raced towards the pegasus, nuzzling onto one of her hooves.
Fluttershy smiled back, both tired and delighted. “Hello my caterpillar, how did the week go?”
“Um...I went okay, I think...” he whispered, turning his gaze towards his older brother. “Pharynx still can’t get his head out of the book, though...”
Fluttershy chuckled, turning her teal eyes towards the distracted nymph. Pharynx was hugging the novel against his chest, buzzing his wings as he landed next to the winged mare.
She was about the take the book when Pharynx hissed. His fangs bared as a forked tongue slithered in and out of his mouth.
“Let me carry it,” she smiled, taking off her saddlebag. “Then you won’t have to carry anything when we get back home.”
Pharynx stopped, hesitantly allowing the book to go into Fluttershy’s hooves. Carefully, the pegasus slid it into her bag, closing the clasp.
“I do hope things work out,” Twilight called, trotting up to her stairs. “Spike! I need my quill, stat!”
Spike sighed, but before he could stand to follow the unicorn, Thorax ran towards the dragon. “Wait! We are still friends even if we don’t see each other, right?”
“Yeah, of course!” Spike smiled brightly at the little nymph. “Come by the library sometime, though!”
“Well I-I can try but I can’t promise any-“
Thorax was cut off as the dragon pulled an arm around his shoulder. Giving the changeling a side-hug, Spike dashed up the stairs, waving a goodbye.
He was stunned for a little bit.
Before he had time to react, he felt Fluttershy scoop him up in her embrace. Secure hooves placed him across Fluttershy’s back, right between her wings he dug his hooves into her feathers, burying himself into her mane.
Pharynx had returned to his magpie form, fluttering his blue and white wings. Fluttershy spread her delicate wings, flapping them as she floated off the floor.
...is that a hug? He wondered, clicking his jaw as the town below him became small. A warm feeling filling his body as his wings buzzed.
His ecstatic energy quickly faded as an overwhelming anxiousness filled the air. Its taste was sour on his tongue, and he wondered where it was coming from.
It didn’t take long for him to pinpoint it onto the flying mare. Fluttershy, though keeping a calm expression, was radiating the green energy like a waterfall.
...why is she so anxious?
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Aww, cute little bookbug Pharynx. Wonder what happened in Canterlot though...
Wow apparently pharynx taking a liking in reading hey at least he's having some enjoyment by that right and thorax wants him to take a break from Reading because my goodness lol but it looks like Twilight and Fluttershy came back from Canterlot now the question is what did he mean he felt anxiety coming from Fluttershy and I wonder what kind of information she learned I guess we'll find out next time
You monster
how can you deny poor Thorax the hugs when he's all sad and lonely?
Also, Fluttershy's anxiety seems to be contagious. Hopefully nothing too bad happened in Canterlot... Are buggos in danger?
REALLY good job on the exchanges, characterizations and future set-up in this chapter. I greatly enjoyed Spike trying to get Pharynx to take his snout out of that book (hopefully, by the time Pharynx learns to shape-shift, he is NOT going to be TOO MUCH into Lovecraft, as THAT would be a bit TOO scary for most others [:-D]), even resorting to unleashing Angel on him. And, Twilight and Fluttershy have finally returned from their trip to Canterlot. Thorax's mix of enjoying Fluttershy's hug and wondering why she was so worried definitely makes sense. Here's REALLY hoping Twilight and Fluttershy are able to convince Celestia and the Royal Guards to allow Fluttershy to raise these Changelings as they are REALLY FAR better off in HER care than they are among their own kind.
Definitely looking forward to more of this.
10577952
Yeah how can you not hug thorax he such a sweet chanceling 😊
Probably the anxiety coming about the new information that Princess Celestia told on about the changelings and probably told them about their backstory and they do not have a good reputation yikes hopefully it doesn't change anything between Fluttershy and the two changelings
10577827
Probably because what Princess Celestia told about what Queen Chrysalis did in the past and what they do and Done which that's a big huge ouch 😬
This is the only instance I will allow him to touch-eh da child
10578230
Maybe. But Twi and Flutters still didn't seem to mind Thor and Phar so maybe it went okay
10578252
I hope you're right hopefully whatever anxiety that Fluttershy have doesn't affect their relationship with those two changelings
10578256
I'm sure it won't, she loves them
Stat? Is this a medical emergency? That's typically what that's used for, though I don't know why
Nice to see Pharynx getting a new hobby, but it seems his artistic interests are growing. First he draws and now he reads. Wonder what they think about music..
Anywho, what transpired in Canterlot, I wonder.