The Drake Six

by JNKing

Episode 46: Thorax

For a terrifying moment, Spike feared they were too late.

As he and Swift touched down at the Crystal Empire, they found the crystal-cobbled streets bare. No ponies walked to and fro from their jobs. No trumpets sounded.

It was like a ghost town.

“Spike?” Swift struggled not to whimper. “M-Maybe we should’ve brought the others.”

Spike rested a claw on Swift’s shoulder, though even he was gulping nervously. They had thought it best to only have two people for recon, but now Spike was wishing he had Jackknife’s fists or Diamondback’s strength or even Night Fire’s unpredictability.

Any of them would’ve been preferable to himself and his unstable problems with rage.

Spike glanced at poor Swift, who was shaking despite his best attempts to look brave. If any changelings hurt a feather on his head…

Spike stopped himself from going down that route. “Focus, buddy,” he chastised himself. “Nothing’s attacked us yet. Just stay calm and see what’s happening.”

Carefully, Spike edged into the city, Swift right behind him.

“Hello?” Spike called out. “Anyone here?”

A gasp sounded from nearby, only to be quickly stifled. Swift and Spike shared a glance and approached the house the gasp had come from.

“You foal!” someone whispered. “They’re coming this way!”

“But it’s Spike the Brave and Swift the Glorious!” another voice hissed. “They’ll save us again!”

“Assuming that it really ‘is’ them! How can we be sure?”

Spike and Swift shared another surprised glance. “You guys have seen the changeling?” Spike asked.

The house remained silent.

“Because we’re hunting them,” Swift promised. “We want to make sure they don’t hurt you guys again.”

The house still remained silent.

Swift and Spike shared another hopeless gaze before Swift sighed. “My dragon mother’s name is Sunny?”

“And I was magically hatched by Twilight, so she could be considered my mother?” Spike offered.

The house was silent for only second, before two Crystal Ponies raced out, their eyes wide with hope.

“It’s really you, isn’t it?” one of them asked, cupping Spike’s face as if testing if he was real.

“They seem real enough,” the other one noted, smoothing back Swift’s feathers.

“Oi!” Swift yelped and hopped back away from them. “Yeah, it’s us! We’re real, just… easy on my feathers. I just preened them!”

“Oh, sorry, but please,” the crystal pony stammered. “You have to help us.”

“That’s what we’re trying to do,” Spike assured them. “You guys saw this changeling?”

The two crystal ponies looked around in fear, before nodding.

“Talk to Prince Shining Armor,” one of them said. “He can tell you more details.”

The second one shook Spike’s hand. “Good luck, Sir Spike,” she said. “We have complete faith in you.”

Spike managed a smile as the ponies ducked back into their house, though the smile faded as he looked towards the Crystal Castle.

“Something tells me this isn’t going to be a normal family reunion,” Spike mused.

Swift shivered, smoothing his feathers back and running to keep up with Spike.

##

With the reception they got in the town, Spike was barely surprised when their approach to the Crystal Castle was waylaid by spear-wielding guards.

“Who goes there!?” one of them barked.

“Sirs Spike and Swift,” Spike declared. “Saviors of the Crystal Empire.”

The guards didn’t lower their spears. “We’ll need some proof of identification.”

Spike paused, his cheeks turning slightly red. “Well, I got something that should prove myself to Prince Shining Armor, but… I think he’d rather I share it with him and just him.”

The guard’s eyes narrowed, but the arrival of the prince himself caught his attention.

“I’ll take it from here,” Shining Armor said, his horn still glowing as he got close to Spike. “Well?”

Spike leaned in close. “Remember when we read Power Ponies together, and you admitted to me that you thought the Mane-iac was… cute?”

Shining’s own cheeks reddened, but he straightened. “He’s clear.” He glanced curiously at Swift. “As for him…”

Swift raised his hands in surrender. “My mother was Sunny the Dragon,” he recited. “Though her actual personality is anything but Sunny.”

“Don’t worry, he’s with me,” Spike assured.

Shining sighed. “Yeah, he is,” he admitted. “Though definitely give us another fact that we can use to check that later.” He turned to Spike. “A changeling was spotted nearby.”

Spike nodded. “Yeah, we know.” He indicated Swift. “Swift thought he saw something, and we wanted to check it out.”

“We would’ve gotten here earlier,” Swift added, “But… we ran into some trouble in Ponyville.”

“Honestly, I wish you guys had,” Shining admitted. “After Queen Chrysalis almost took over Canterlot… we don’t want to take any chances.”

“Ever since Princess Flurry Heart’s Crystalling,” another guard explained. “The Empire’s been filled with more love than anywhere in Equestria. It’s a Changeling buffet just waiting for them to feast on.”

The second guard eyed Spike and Swift hopefully. “You and your fellow dragons saved this Empire before. And you saved Canterlot from the changelings as well. Do you think you could… help us?”

Swift and Spike shared a chuckle. “Why do you think we came all this way?” Spike asked.

##

A few minutes later, Spike and Swift were leading a contingent of Crystal Guards across the borders of the Empire.

“Remember,” Swift was telling the guards. “Changelings can assume any form. Not just sapient life forms, but simple things like rocks. Stick together and trust nothing!”

One guard gave a nervous glance at a nearby pebble. Narrowing his eyes, he whacked the pebble with his spear.

The pebble bounced, but otherwise showed no malice. Or pain.

“Uh, I like the enthusiasm,” Spike noted. “But I’m pretty sure changelings can’t turn into rocks that small.” He turned and noticed a more pony-sized boulder. “Yeah, look for things that are pony-sized. Like this rock.”

One overzealous guard charged the rock with his spear with a war cry. He bashed the rock at full force, and ended up tipping over into a concealed pit.

“Hang on!” Spike yelled, catching the guard. But the snow around the pit was slippery, and Spike found himself slipping in.

“Spike!” Swift cried out.

But in a split second decision, Spike tossed the guard to Swift.

“Help him!” he got out, before he tumbled down into the pit below.

For a terrifying minute, Spike’s world was turned into a spinning vortex of snow and ice. His dragon scales trembled as he rapped against cold stone and slid across freezing ice. Eventually, he finally came to a rest at the bottom of a massive cavern, though right on the edge of an even deeper pit.

Scrambling back, Spike glanced back up at the hole he had slid down from. Swift and the guards were nowhere to be seen, but it looked like a simple enough climb back up, as long as he was careful.

However, as Spike started to carefully pick his way back up… something caught the corner of his eye.

He turned, but it seemed to just be his reflection staring back at him. When he moved his limbs, the reflection moved its limbs. When he stuck his tongue out, the reflection stuck its tongue out too.

But… something didn’t feel right. Spike glanced up and around, pretending he was still checking to see if his reflection really was a reflection. The cavern seemed to be a lot wider; too much for an icy wall to be near.

As Spike did a quick spin, he checked his side of the cavern… and froze. It looked different from the side his reflection was on. Which meant…

Completing his spin, Spike lunged forward and tackled ‘his reflection’ to the ground. As his doppelganger hit his head, a burst of blue flames nearly threw Spike back. And seconds later, he found himself skidding on the ice… on top of a changeling.

But instead of hissing… the changeling yelped and covered their face.

“Wait, please!” he stammered. “Don’t hurt me!”

Spike froze - he remembered the same look of fear on Starlight when he had last lost control - and in that moment of hesitation, the ice slid him and the changeling off the cliff.

Spike flailed out, a scream escaping his lips as he seemed to plummet towards certain doom… only for his fall to stop.

He looked up, and couldn’t believe what he was seeing: the changeling was holding him aloft. With what had to be herculean strength, the changeling swung Spike back onto the ledge to safety.

Spike scrambled for a foothold, hoisting himself back up and staring at the changeling in shock.

“You… saved me?” he asked.

The changeling buzzed nervously. “The, uh… ice is really slippery. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt because of me.” He looked down. “I’ve hurt enough already.” He started to fly away.

Spike stood, careful not to lose his footing again. “Wait! I don’t understand!”

The changeling paused and turned back.

“Everyone up there is terrified the changelings will hurt them,” Spike explained. “But you don’t? Why?”

The changeling considered his question. “I saw what happened. At Canterlot.” He looked up at Spike in awe. “The way you and your friends fought. The way you worked together. The way the elements… chose you.”

Spike remembered the way he and the dragons and ponies had each other’s backs. At the time, it had all gone by really fast. But with the way the changeling was watching him, it seemed that it had been quite the spectacle. Even to the enemy.

“I’d never seen true friendship like that,” the changeling continued. “And all my life… I thought that the Hive Mother… the one you know as Chrysalis… I feared that she was leading us the wrong way. Canterlot proved it: we can’t get what we need to survive by constantly manipulating, stealing and harming the ones around us. We need to find another way.” He looked down. “I just… don’t know what that way is yet.”

Spike gazed at the changeling in pity. Yet, as he reached out, the changeling suddenly hissed.

Spike jumped back, nearly losing his footing again, but the changeling helped him stabilize himself, looking horrified at himself.

“Sorry-sorry,” the changeling whimpered. “I’m just… I’m so hungry. And there’s so much love in the Crystal Empire. If there was a way I could convince them to share, I…” He looked down. “Oh, but I can’t do that. No way they’ll understand. Not after everything the Hive Mother did to them.”

Spike sat down and pondered what to do. It was clear this changeling wasn’t like the others.

At least… he better not be, a dark part of Spike thought.

But Spike shook that thought away. For too long, he had been letting darkness and greed control his actions. He had lashed out at Starlight. He had tried to threaten Trixie. He…

Spike winced as he remembered those poor griffons that he thought were working for Starlight.

I have to be better, he thought firmly. I have to be different.

No. I have to be who I was before I left for the Dragon Lands. The dragon Twilight knew as her number one assistant.

“Spike!” a voice called.

The changeling winced, but Spike held out a hand. “Wait,” Spike said. “Hide yourself nearby, but don’t run away. I got this.”

The changeling watched Spike nervously as he climbed up higher, reaching the pit he had fallen down just as Swift flew down to join him.

“Spike!” Swift stammered, landing next to him. “I’m so sorry, I should’ve come down sooner. I-I just thought we should get that guard you helped to the Empire. A-And then I thought we should get Prince Shining Armor. A-And then…”

“It’s okay,” Spike assured him. “It’s okay, man. In fact… things might be better than we thought.”

Swift tilted his head. “What’re you talking about?”

Spike glanced at where the changeling was hiding, but forced himself to look at Swift first.

“Do you trust me?”

Swift shivered in his grip. Spike found himself remembering Swift’s advice about not splitting up. “I…”

“This is the Spike you met,” Spike reminded him. “The one that protected you alongside Jackknife when your Aunt Hawke wanted to give you away to those slavers. You trusted me then, and we didn’t even know each other that well. Can you trust me now?”

Swift’s chest rose and fell with the beginnings of hyperventilation, but as he gazed into Spike’s green eyes, his breathing stabilized. “Of course,” he said. “You’re my friend. I trust you.”

“Okay.” Spike released him. “Then please, don’t freak out. There’s someone here who wants to meet you; who needs help.”

Swift curiously crept forward… and Spike brought him over to the changeling.

Thankfully, Swift’s words hadn’t been lies. Though his wings flared and he hopped back like a nervous bird, he didn’t take off screaming just yet.

“Listen!” Spike said firmly. “He’s a good guy. He’s…” A wave of guilt washed over Spike; he hadn’t even asked the poor changeling’s name. He turned back to the changeling. “What’s your name?”

The changeling gazed up at them worriedly, having noticed Swift’s terrified expression. “T-Thorax.” He looked down. “It’s okay. I-I can’t believe anyone would want to help me.”

Swift’s feathers drooped in guilt, but Spike managed a small grin.

“You’d be surprised,” Spike admitted. “My name’s Spike.” He indicated Swift. “This is my friend Swift. We helped save the Crystal Empire in the past. The ponies there respect and admire us a lot. Maybe we can convince them to give you a shot.”

Swift winced. “Spike, are you sure? They might just think we’re changelings too. I did warn them not to split off from each other.” He paused and looked up in horror. “I just split off from them. What if…?”

“We have to try,” Spike said, giving Swift a desperate look. “I know it’s risky. I know others might not think of us the same way. But how can we call ourselves brave if we’re not brave enough to help someone who really needs us.” He indicated Thorax, who was still shivering. “This guy’s starving. He needs help.”

Swift gazed sadly at the changeling, and took a deep breath. “Okay,” he said. “But you know we’ve gotta do this smart. After what Shining and Cadence went through…”

“You don’t need to remind me of that,” Spike said darkly.

Swift flinched down. “O-Of course. Sorry, sir.”

Spike winced. Even his friends were scared of him.

‘I’ve got a long way to go,” he realized.

As if to drive the point home, Thorax twitched and his fangs nearly showed again. Swift stepped back nervously.

“Uh, are you sure about this?” Swift asked.

“Right!” Spike turned back to Thorax. “First things first; we can’t have you hissing and showing fangs every time someone shows you love or even kindness.”

“Sorry,” Thorax mumbled. “Kindness… like what you’re showing… brings it out.” He groaned. “I’m so hungry…”

“Then let’s see if we can’t try and take care of that before we introduce you,” Spike offered. “How can you feed?”

Swift stepped further back. “Please don’t tell me it’s the way Night Fire claimed.”

Spike and even Thorax gave him a curious look. “How exactly did Night Fire claim they feed?” Spike asked.

“You don’t want to know,” Swift said. “And I’m not just saying that because she said not to share with you. Y’know, cuz, um…”

Spike sighed. “Because I’m too young for subjects like that?”

“Sorry,” Swift squeaked.

Thorax sighed. “Well, whoever this ‘Night Fire’ is, she’s ‘hopefully’ got it wrong.” He hesitantly offered his hooves. “Do you really want to know how to help me feed?”

Spike watched his hooves worriedly, the dark warnings of manipulation and trickery running through his head, but he batted them aside and clutched Thorax’s hooves. “Tell me what to do.”

Thorax breathed shallowly. “Think about the person you love. More than anything in the world.”

“Twilight,” came to Spike’s lips before he could stop.

Thorax shifted into her perfectly. Her mane, her eyes, even her voice.

“Concentrate on how she makes you feel,” he said. “Focus.”

Spike breathed, and let his thoughts shine forward. Twilight. His mother. His sister. His boss. His best friend. His only friend.

Any time he had felt lonely and abandoned when she found someone new to interact with, only to be relieved when she assured him he hadn’t been forgotten.

The fear he had felt at imagining horrible things happening to her, followed by the relief of knowing that she was safe and happy.

Diamondback’s scroll, explaining how she was his rider. Someone that he was devoted to.

“She is mine,” Spike found himself thinking. “And I am hers. She is my everything; I would give everything for her.”

“S-Spike?” Swift’s nervous voice jarred Spike back to reality.

A pink glow was swirling around Thorax. His fangs were showing, but not in a malicious way; he was beaming up to the gums.

As the pink glow sunk into him, so did his disguise. And as he opened his eyes, they looked clearer. More alert. And his body looked fuller and less starved.

The two noticed they were still holding hooves/claws and let go.

“So…” Spike asked. “Did it work?”

Thorax buzzed his wings, stretching his fuller limbs. “I-I think,” Thorax said. “I don’t feel as hungry anymore.” He paused and looked at Spike in concern. “A-And you’re okay?”

Spike looked down at his limbs. Still muscular and colorful. “I think so,” he said.

Thorax covered his mouth in hope. “So… it worked?” He smiled hopefully. “I-I shared love? I didn’t steal?”

Spike’s own smile started to form. “We’ve got to show this to the others.” He turned back to the exit. “Swift, give me a lift!”

##

The guards were waiting with worry on the edge of the pit. Relief showed on their faces as Swift and Spike returned, though it was cut through with fear as the changeling rose up with them.

“Easy now, everyone, easy,” Spike said, “Thorax here is okay. He’s not gonna hurt anyone.” He looked over at Thorax. “Right?”

Thorax nodded. “I’m safe,” he said. “I understand your fear, but I promise you, I’m completely under control.”

The guards glanced at each other, before Swift chimed in.

“Trust your heroes,” Swift offered. “He’s, uh…” he glanced at Thorax. “Sorry, Thorax,” He turned back to the guards. “He’s under ‘our’ control. We won’t let him hurt you.” When even that got a pause, Swift added, “My aunt tried to sell me to Count Verko. I’m pretty sure no changeling knows that.”

“I trust Sir Swift!” one guard said.

The word quickly spread around, and the guards backed up, allowing Spike and Swift to bring Thorax with them into the Crystal Empire.

Several ponies gasped and backed up at the sight of Thorax, but with Swift and Spike at his side, the ponies seemed content to at least let him pass.

At least until Shining Armor showed up. He gasped at the sight of Thorax.

“Spike!” he shouted. “What are you doing? Get away from that thing!”

“He’s not a thing,” Spike said firmly. “His name is Thorax. He’s a friend.”

“And an ally,” Swift added. “He can help us.”

Shining glared at them both before turning his glare to the guards. “Didn’t you check them?” he asked.

“W-We did, sir,” the guard stammered. “They answered the question…”

“I know what Dad said to you when you first met Cadence,” Spike said simply, causing Shining to freeze in place.

“And I can tell you that Cadence’s ring was made of gold with embedded sapphires,” Swift added. “We know both of those things because we’re the real Swift and Spike. And we’re begging you to listen, Prince Shining Armor, because Thorax is not with Chrysalis.”

A collective gasp rang out through the guards, but Thorax hung his head deferentially.

“I understand if you all don’t trust me,” Thorax said. “What Chrysalis did to you was monstrous.” He gazed pleadingly up at Shining. “I never want to put ponies through what she forced me and my siblings to do. Ever again.” He looked to Spike with hope. “Spike showed me that it’s possible to share love, instead of stealing it. If I can learn how to do this with others… I’m hoping that maybe I can teach the changelings how to share as well. Then we’d never have to steal from others again.”

Shining’s gaze was shocked, like Thorax had just done a tango in front of him. Further behind him, Cadence had her hoof over her mouth in awe. But she slowly lowered it, her eyes beaming with pride. She stepped past her husband and offered her hoof to him.

“Then,” she said. “On behalf of the Crystal Empire, I would like to extend my hoof in friendship. And I’m sure all of my subjects can do the same.”

Shining still looked nervous, but he cleared his throat, and offered his own hoof to Thorax.

“I…” he said.

But Thorax shook his head. “Please, no apologies are needed.” He looked to Spike again. “Just gratitude.” He turned to Spike and bowed to him. “Thank you. Thank you for giving me this chance.”

“To Spike the Brave!” one guard cheered.

“To Swift the Glorious,” another cheered.

A round of applause rang through the empire, before Spike and Swift managed to take their lead.

“Well,” Swift noted with a laugh. “What’d you know? Another false alarm. Thorax wasn’t as bad as we thought he’d be.”

Spike held himself up. “Because we were willing to give him a chance.” He looked back towards Ponyville. “Something I wasn’t willing to do at first with Starlight.”

“To be fair,” Swift noted. “She did some pretty nasty stuff.”

“Yeah,” Spike said. “But if Thorax can change… so can she.”

Swift blinked in shock. “I didn’t think I’d hear you say that.”

Spike felt himself beaming. “If you had met me back before I journeyed to the Dragon Lands,” he claimed. “You would’ve believed it.”

He headed back for Ponyville with a new spring in his step.

It felt like he was going back to being himself again.

Back to being the dragon he wanted to be.

Comments

[Comickook]

Again, you did a really good job on this spin of "The Time's Are A-Changeling". The dialogue, characterizations, general wrap-up and future chapter set-up are all wonderfully done. Definitely liked the stuff Spike and Swift went through to prove that they weren't Changelings as well as what they went through helping Thorax prove HE wasn't a threat, all the while Spike learning more of saving the aggression for those nasty enough to truly deserve it.

VERY MUCH looking forward to more of this.

[Comickook]

11765966
Yeah. Those definitely sound like really good ideas. Not only Spike and one of the other Drake Six helping Starlight, Trixie, Thorax and Discord, but also Cozy putting together her own group (not only Evil Counterparts to the Element Bearer teams in general, but also some "heist crew" elements).

Obviously, Cozy herself would be a Pegasus AND the Mastermind, but there could also be an Earth Pony, a Unicorn (it would make sense for the one with telekinesis to be the pickpocket), a Dragon (he/she would be the main muscle of the crew), a non-reformed Changeling (built-in "master of disguise" potential) that WASN'T Chrysalis (as she would both have too big an ego to take orders from Cozy AND would still be in Tartarus at the time [as of this universe's version of the Season Six finale] anyway) and a Griffon (it would make sense for the fastest flier to be the "getaway driver", especially if he/she has strength comparable to an Earth Pony as well as Pegasus type flying ability).

[JNKing]

11770024
Really happy you're enjoying.

I got the idea on Swift and Spike sharing secrets from Harry Potter, of all places; in the sixth book, the cast would often have 'safe phrases' or codes consisting of old memories to see if they weren't disguised antagonists. I tried to use the same method here, and I'm glad that it worked.

Also, I really like your ideas for Cozy Glow's heist crew. And the non-reformed changeling could even be one of Pharynx's loyalists; someone who isn't with Chrysalis, but believes in what Pharynx was saying, and thus was easily manipulated by Cozy to indulge in their more aggressive tendencies.

It'll be interesting figuring out how they'll factor in - especially since I was planning on having the diamond dogs also add some students - but we'll see how it turns out.

Thanks as always for reading and sharing. 👍

[Comickook]

11770166
Yeah. That was some good use of that inspiration and it, indeed, did work.

And, yes, I appreciate the additional note on other students. Certainly sounds like it could be good.

[JNKing]

11770189
Thank you.