The Young Warrior

by Melody Song

Hive or Home?

“This is strange.” Discord announced. “We’re here and that’s there, and I clearly meant for us to be there, and not here!”

“U-Uh, we could probably explain tha-” Thorax tried to say, but Discord cut him off with a sigh.

“Oh well, if at first you don’t succeed-” Discord raised his paw to snap his fingers, but a glow of unicorn magic held his paw in place.

“Wait!” Starlight looked around at them, her horn glowing as she held Discord back from trying to cast his spell. “Maybe we should come up with a plan first.”

“I second that notion, the Hive-” Pharynx was cut off as Discord laughed.

“Oh come on, why come up with a plan when I can do anything?” he bragged, puffing out his chest and grinning. "I'm me, after all."

“Bu’ the Hi’e-”

“That’s very nice.” Discord patted Apex on the head somewhat demeaningly. The nymph huffed, pressing into Thorax with a pout. “But really, it’s a waste of time, what else could you possibly need when you have me?”

“A draconequus with magic and half a brain might help.” Trixie muttered, glowering at him.

“Why are you here again? Pulling a rabbit out of a hat isn’t going to stop a swarm of changelings.” Discord remarked. “At least my magic can do something!”

“Y-Yes, b-but the thing about magic here is that-” Thorax tried to speak up, but Discord had already made up his mind.

“Like this!” Discord snapped his fingers, and in a flash of light, he was suddenly seated on a flying pig with armor on it, complete with jousting lance and his own armor.

“For Fluttershy!” he proclaimed, flying off the cliff and towards the Hive. Only for the pig to dissipate and DIscord to just barely grab the cliff ledge. Discord pulled himself back onto the cliff and sent another pig out. It also vanished.

"What in the name of Celestia...?" Starlight stared in shock as a wisp of magic that had been the pig was sucked away towards the Hive.

“We’ve been trying to tell you, you stupid snake!” Pharynx snarled at Discord. “Chrysalis’ throne prevents anything but changeling magic from working here! It’s how she protects the Hive!”

“How is that possible?” Starlight asked

“Her throne is carved from obsidian." Thorax stated, as though this explained everything.

"What does a rock have to do with anything?" Trixie asked, flipping her mane. "I get that they're 'cool' and all, I worked on a rock farm for a while. But one stone can't be that powerful... can it?"

"Obsidian is a stone that's very easy to imbibe with dark magic. She enchanted it so that it draws in outside magic the same way changelings draw in love.” Pharynx elaborated. "She told us herself. Any other kind of magic disappears the second it reaches the border of our territory."

Now, even Apex was able to share what he knew. "We'e all taugh' to believe she uses i' to keep us safe, bu' Avunculus-Pharynx says i's ac'ually to en...ensue..."

"Ensure." Thorax pronounced helpfully.

"Mhm! To ensu'e she always has the upper hoof in a figh' on her own land." Apex finished.

After hearing this explanation, Starlight gulped nervously and ignited her horn, stepping forward. She carefully pressed her horn against the edge of the cliff, where the changeling territory began. As the three had explained, the magic was sucked from the tip of her horn and whisked away to the Hive.

"Y-You might want to stop that, if you keep doing it for long enough Chrysalis is going to notice." Thorax cautiouned, and Starlight nodded in understanding, backing away from the border. Trixie trotted closer, trembling with fear.

“S-So… about that plan…”

“Without magic, I have no idea.” Starlight admitted, looking around. “But nopony else is coming, so someone had better come up with something. Pharynx, is there anything else you know about that throne that could help?”

“Well, if we could destroy the throne, that would break the enchantment on the obsidian. We would be able to get you three’s magic back.” Pharynx said.

“That’s great!” Starlight cried

“That’s a terrible plan!” Discord countered. “How are we even supposed to get there?”

“We walk?” Trixie asked rhetorically, jumping down the cliff. Thorax picked Apex up and flew down the cliff with Pharynx. Discord groaned.

“Walking? I haven’t walked that far in a millenia!” he moaned, and the others groaned.

As they continued to walk along the empty space, Discord continued complaining.

“I’m serious! I don’t know how you can stand not being able to disappear and reappear whenever you want!”

“I definitely miss you being able to disappear!” Trixie snapped

“Give him a break, we didn’t know we wouldn’t be able to use magic.” Starlight tried to calm the two down.

“We did.” Pharynx, Thorax, and Apex said in unison.

“That reminds me. If we get separated we need to have a way to make sure we are who we say we are.” Starlight said, attempting to change the subject.

“Ooh! Like a secret code!” Discord began walking faster. “How about, you say ‘we are’ and I say ‘doomed’! Or, you say ‘rescue’ and I say ‘Flu-”

Discord promptly fell down, having tripped over a rock. Trixie snorted with amusement.

“How about we say ‘klutzy’ and you say ‘draconequus’?” she teased

“Klutzy draconequus. Works for me.” Starlight chuckled

“Oh, I’ll definitely remember it.” Pharynx smirked, and Thorax giggled to himself, though he flinched as Discord glowered at them all.

“Klu’zy dra’onequus!” Apex giggled innocently. But his eyes widened as they realized just how close they had gotten to the Hive.

“No guards? Pathetic.” Pharynx scoffed, stepping in front to lead them closer.

“Okay, I am definitely grateful you three are here. I don’t think we’d find our way around here without someone who knows the place.” Trixie said as they walked in.

“You definitely wouldn’t.” Pharynx replied bluntly as the entrance closed behind them, making Trixie yelp. “The changeling Hive is powered by Chrysalis’ throne, it shifts and changes like we do.”

“And only a changeling can navigate it. It’s total chaos to non-changelings.” Thorax added

“Eh, decent chaos at best, I don’t know if I’d call it total.” Discord muttered as they entered a tunnel. With that, the somewhat brave squadron of creatures made their way into the Hive.

Comments

[Reality Check]

“Eh, decent chaos at best, I don’t know if I’d call it total.” Discord muttered as they entered a tunnel. With that, the somewhat brave squadron of creatures made their way into the Hive.

Ok, I kinda laughed at the 'somewhat' bit. Also, can't wait to see if any other changes were made to the 'script'

[Melody Song]

11193551
There were some definite changes, but Discord won't be remarking on any others for a while-he's lost his magic so he probably thinks his gags won't be as hilarious to preform