The Young Warrior: Pharynx's Journey

by Melody Song

A New Beginning

Pharynx sighed as he and Thorax walked away from the Veteran’s Hall. It hadn’t been easy going in. Five years later and he still winced whenever he entered the place. Then the one time he'd worked up the nerve to enter it, he hadn’t been there to visit Fortuna, though he wished he could have.

“It was very noble of you to agree to train Apex.” Thorax told his brother.

“Whatever. I only did it because he shows promise.” Pharynx remarked

“Well, I think Fortuna would have been proud-”

“Don’t say her name.” Pharynx snapped at him, before stalking ahead of his brother. “I’ll be in the training hollow.”

“O-Oh, okay Pharynx, see you later.”

Pharynx left Thorax unanswered. Though he did head for the training hollow outside at first, he soon felt his hooves changing direction. He closed his eyes, walking into the room as if on instinct. The armory was the same as it always was, but Pharynx paid the weapons no mind.

He headed to the very back of the room, looking at the wall of swords. It had seemed like only yesterday he was here with the Head General, the changeling who he didn’t yet know he would come to love as his mother. Pharynx sighed and moved past the swords, to a single crossbow mounted on the wall.

He had insisted it be placed here, and he couldn’t believe his mother had consented. Fortuna’s old crossbow. Pharynx lifted it up off the wall, holding it gently. Her name was inscribed in the hoofhold, and the edges were tipped with gold. A silver arrow lay in the arrow fodder, polished enough so Pharynx could see his reflection in it.

Pharynx closed his eyes as memories swirled through his mind. He remembered it all.

Their first training session

When she taught him that his mother wasn’t always right.

When she stayed with him and his brother whenever Thorax was hurt.

Their first patrol together.

When he first called her mom.

When they prepared for the invasion, and talked casually about Fortuna’s interest in the current medic, Nalia-medica.

And then…

Pharynx clutched the crossbow tighter. He didn’t want to remember it. And yet it came anyway. The sickening thud of her body hitting the wall… the burning pain of the shield… her body flying beyond his reach… the screaming…

Those ponies. Pharynx swore under his breath and looked down at the crossbow, not realizing tears were streaming down his face.

“They took her from me.” he whispered hoarsely, snarling. “They took her from us!”

Pharynx roared in frustration, screwing his eyes shut. He choked back a sob. Those ponies had taken a life that could have been long and happy. A life that could have had children, a family… a life that he could have known as his mother.

For that, Pharynx would never forgive them. He placed the crossbow back on its mount and pressed a hoof against it.

“I promise, mom.” he whispered. “I’m never going to forgive them, I’m never going to trust them again. They will pay for what they did to you. I swear on my life. I. Will. End. Them.”

With that, Pharynx stormed out of the armory. He knew, in the back of his mind, that Fortuna wouldn’t have wanted this. She had always taught him to only attack those who attack first, not the innocent.

“Well, mom, he attacked me first by killing you.” Pharynx murmured to himself, heading for his room. “In a way, this is returning the favor.”

Pharynx could no longer feel anything. Just hot, boiling rage. He would find the pony responsible, and kill them. No, he’d kill their mother. See how much they like it.

“Sir?”

The voice drove Pharynx out of his thoughts, and he turned around, seeing the nymph he’d agreed to train. Somehow, the sight of the tiny creature melted away his rage. The innocent little thing scuffed his hoof on the floor.

“Yes, Apex-puer?” He asked.

“I-I was jus’ gonna ask you why you looked upse’… you don’ haf’a tell me.” he said quietly.

Pharynx sighed and beckoned for Apex to follow him. Apex did, and Pharynx led him towards his room. He walked in, looking around, and was glad Thorax was nowhere in sight. He sat down at the edge of the nest, and levitated over a saddlebag.

“Apex, do you know who Fortuna is?” Pharynx asked

“She’s Au’eum in gene’ali. My mommy tol’ me i’ means The Golden Gen’ral.”

“That’s right.” Pharynx closed his eyes. “I was very close with her.”

“My mommy sai’ she was really nice, an’ the grea’es’.” Apex added

“She really was.” Pharynx said, sighing. “Do you know where she is now?”

Apex tilted his head in confusion at Pharynx.

“She’s with your parents.” Pharynx explained, and Apex’s ears drooped. “It’s okay little one.”

“B-Bu’ aren’ you sad?”

“I never will not be.” Pharynx opened the saddlebags and withdrew the picture of himself and Fortuna, setting it before the nymph. “She was in a way my second mother. She practically raised my brother and I, and taught me everything I know.”

Apex picked up the picture, looking at him. “You’e smiling in i’.”

“Because I was with Fortuna.” Pharynx laid down on his stomach, Sphinx-style. Apex stepped closer. “She brought out the best in me, she was and always will be more than just my mentor.”

“I-Is she why you ‘greed to men’or me?”

“Partly.” Pharynx sighed, then reached into the saddlebag, withdrawing a gleaming dagger with a deep blue handle. “She gave me this when I was your age.”

Apex looked at it in fascination, reaching a hoof to graze the silvery metal. Pharynx took the nymph’s tiny hoof and placed the dagger in it.

“I think it’s time it was passed on to the next apprentice.” he told Apex softly. “Use it well.”

“I will Pharynx-dominus, sir!” Apex said, clutching the dagger close. Pharynx nodded.

“Good.” For a moment, Pharynx contemplated giving Apex the same rule Fortuna gave him. But then again, she had followed the rule herself and look where it led her. “...You may go now, Apex. You need to prepare yourself for the apprentice ceremony.”

“Yes sir.” Apex nodded and clutched the dagger in one hoof, walking out. Pharynx sighed, closing his eyes.

He knew Fortuna would be proud of him for taking on an apprentice at last. He’d been a warrior for seven years and never had one. Now he did. But she would have wanted him to tell his apprentice what she told him, he knew that.

Pharynx laid down in the nest and pulled the saddlebags over, taking out the lesbian hoofband and holding it in his hooves. As he stared blankly at the worn out hoofband, he tried to tell himself not telling Apex had been the right choice. He didn’t need another innocent going down the same path Fortuna had.

He wouldn’t lose Apex the same way he lost her.

Comments

[Reality Check]

“I promise, mom.” he whispered. “I’m never going to forgive them, I’m never going to trust them again. They will pay for what they did to you. I swear on my life. I. Will. End. Them.”

Revenge feels kinda overdone in most villain arcs for some reason, though I can definitely see Pharynx going through that sorta thing. Maybe during his journey, he learns to forgive and realize the faults in his mindset?

[Melody Song]

11329049
Ah, might I remind you that by the time he does actually meet the ponies responsible for his mother's death (Shining and Cadence) he's actually quite cordial to them?

He's grieving right now, entering the Anger stage. Give him some time-skip time

[BezierBallad]

11329051
Oh? How does he get over it?

[Melody Song]

11329096
Would that not be spoilers, Bez?

But as I implied, it's a couple time-lapses. I couldn't think of a way to make reliving Young Warrior through Phar's P.O.V entertaining. I had a feeling if the readers were anything like me, they'd gloss over it