Angry baby tussleworms thrashed around in Thorax's stomach, creating knots as he stood there trembling.
"Hey, what's wrong with you? What's with the shaking, quit it already."
"S-S-S-Sorry" he squeaked. "I'm j-just nervous" his ears drooped.
The youngling beside him narrowed his eyes, his aura turning gaining shades of red at the edges. "What else is new?" The smugness so sour.
"How about you leaving my brother alone?"
"Whoa! Pharynx, hey! Uhh--"
"Move it or lose it Nibbler. Or else," Compound eyes narrowed.
Glancing Thorax's way, Nibbler hissed lowly, then with a click from his elytra he moved away from the brothers to join the rest of their peers up ahead. "Loser!" Nibbler hissed as he stalked away.
Thorax visibly began to relax as his brother got nearer. "T-Thanks Pharynx."
Turning to look at his brother with a raised condescending look, Pharynx turned and swatted Thorax's nose with his tail. "You need to start taking those aggression lessons more seriously."
Rubbing his nostrils with a frown, Thorax followed after his brother as the tide of changelings stood waiting in front of a wall while activity buzzed around them.
The royal halls opened with dark green walls sliding apart. The floor Thorax and Pharynx stood among their clutch immediately became a house of noise, filling with 'awes' and 'cool' as every youngling watched in amazement before the sea of bodies were being ushered along by caretakers and adults.
"I've been looking forward to this since the announcement!" Whispered a voice to his brother's right. "Can you believe its finally our turn to meet the Queen? And so close to the Numbering also!" Pharynx snickered at the nymph on his right.
"Well I'm not surprised" he proudly smiled, chest puffing out. "I've been destroying the others in our physical exercises. The Queen keeps an ear out on the progress of our clutches y'know? She must want to congratulate the best of us and give us a reward or something. It's about time also, I was wondering when I'd get some acknowledgement for my strength and ferocity. Isn't that right grub?" The older sneered as he shouldered his brother when the crowd began moving. Almost knocking poor Thorax off his balance in trying to see above the heads of their peers.
"Pharynx!" A voice hissed in the same instant a shadow fell over the small group lagging behind their peers. "Stop bullying your brother and pay attention! The Queen has a schedule and she appreciates punctuality! Now help Thorax up and move."
Scowling Pharynx reached out and hooked hooves with his brother. "C'mon Thorax, let's get moving. I'd rather avoid having Mother Unit embarrassing me anymore than she has." He glared as the changeling quickly buzzed out of view.
Oofing as he was righted, Thorax offered a sheepish smile to his brother and a muffled thanks as they quickly ran behind the moving tide. "I don't get how you're all so excited about this!"
Various compound eyes glanced his way and there was the distinct feeling he could sense at minor annoyance at his words.
"What's not to be excited about?" Pinch hissed over her shoulder at him, tongue flicking out in aggravation. "You know as well as anyone else in the Hive that being in the presence of Queen Chrysalis isn't a daily thing. She never visits the clutches personally, and speaking with her face-to-face like this is virtually impossible unless she ordains it! This is our once in a lifetime chance to meet and speak with Greatness incarnate outside of protocols! How many of us are gonna be a part of her Elite division once we all get our places in the Hive?"
"I know I will. Was born for the Sentry Division, I'm going to climb up the ranks and be a member of the Venom branch!"
"Yeah yeah Pharynx- we know. You don't shut up about it!" Called a voice up ahead.
"You maybe want to fly over here and say that to my fangs, Spitter?!"
"HA! You couldn't chomp your way out of an eggshell!"
"Oh really?!" Pharynx's elytra opened and his wings clacked in irritation.
"Pharynx, please," Thorax desperately whispered.
"Be quiet grub let me--"
"BE SILENT!" A hush fell over the younglings; whispers died, chatter quieted, and the commotion that was about to unfold was put on pause as the clutch turned their attention to the changeling hovering above them, the bio-luminescent light from hanging bulbous plants catching glint of cobalt blue and green armored plating along her chitin.
The violet eyed changeling waited for the hush to settle in full before she spoke, again in a loud clear voice.
"Welcome, all of you. I know this is a bit early since the Numbering has yet to begin for this brood, but let me welcome you to the Hive early. Before this you were all mere just extra mouths to feed, but after you meet the Queen, it will be your first step of acceptance into the Hive as an official part of us. So, do not disappoint me. Our great Queen waits down these halls and from here, you all go alone. As I'm sure you all remember from the daily announcements, Hive Members are not allowed to intervene when the brood undergoes their Numbering. The rules are pretty much the same here. We will be watching, but we will not intervene.
"And so my students, I want to give you all a bit of advice before we send you off. Our Queen expects the best out of us always. And that especially goes for each new fresh batch that she meets. You should always remember your actions are a reflection of your caretakers and of our division. Your behavior in the Queen's presence is important not just for yourself but for us. You represent our success and are a reflection of how serious we take our responsibilities. Do not disappoint me, and do not disappoint the Queen. Behave is all I ask of each and every one of you. Am I understood?"
"Yes, Head Worker Vice," the younglings said as one. "We will not disappoint you."
Vice nodded once, then without a word, the guards blocking the entrance hall moved aside and the buzzing swarm of adults flying around the group of younglings quickly faded away.
Down the magnificent large hall the younglings went, row by row, huddled close together but not too close. They eyed the old works of art of past changelings. Acidic The Savage. Gladys the Deceitful, Queen Chrysalis the Great. Changelings honored in these halls were immortalized even if they didn't live as long as the Queen herself and deep down Thorax sort of wished to be one of them someday. Through the glowing bio-luminescent lit halls the tide of younglings moved forward till they came to a large empty room with a small raised platform. A flash of light momentarily blinded them and while Thorax rubbed his eyes he heard hoof steps. Prompting him to join the others in looking towards the source.
In the distance he could see her. Queen Chrysalis in all her glory trotted down a hall to the center of the lit platform of the stage and as she appeared, other flashes of light sparked to life like candles as changelings teleported inside; appearing on the upper floors, staring down below, casting shadows in the dim lit theater. A hundred, then a thousand eyes peering through the dark, watching in detached silence as the Queen approached the young.
Thorax immediately felt that nervousness crawling up to meet him as he froze up, but a hard shove from a youngling behind him got him moving forward once again at least till the whole group stopped dead.
Standing on his back legs, Thorax craned his head to watch the giant on the stage. The giant among grubs, smiled as she neared the hesitant then said a few simple words that washed over the hive with warmth like the sun.
Come to me my subjects. Let me share some wisdom with you this fine day.
Every word Chrysalis spoke radiated warmth and kindness, washing over him like a wave, and while it did nothing to a single changeling's diet it certainly left Thorax feeling delightful, giddy. Inspired. Excited. Melting away his nervousness from before and letting the joy of the experience really take hold.
Queen Chrysalis sat down on some bulging mushroom shaped protrusion in the center stage, got comfy and then with a glance through the crowd surrounding her she waited expectantly.
For several seconds the crowd didn't move and wings of his peers could be heard rubbing together in nervousness and uncertainty.
The Queen sighed, and then rolled her eyes- a move that caused many of his peers to turn tense and made Thorax wince at the disappointment that now took away the warmth of kindness.
It never changes no matter how many times I do this. Always so shy, even though some of you are so vicious with those little wooden toys you play with in your training. Well, I suppose it shows that your caregivers have taught you well. At least you understand the importance of respect.
There was a sudden light that filled the room with a light green glow, its radiance piercing the dimness that covered the theatre and spreading outwards like a wave across the sea of younglings. Thorax sensed his brother's emotions shift from hesitance to awe at the same time as he became more aware of the faint shift in all his peers. Like them he was transfixed by the Queen's light as her magic bathed the stage and all of them in her radiant magic like a beautiful star in the night on the few instances he could recall seeing stars, and before he could fully understand what was happening as he felt the tingle in his horn- the light winked out in a eye blink. Wrapped around the Queen's horn, and then all of a sudden he found that he was in a field of magic.
Like a tide being pushed forward all two thousand younglings were pulled towards the stage with telekinesis, closing the gap between the Queen and her subjects.
There. Much better.
The Queen shifted and looked around. Thorax blinked and like most of his brood mates he found that he, like all the others, were arranged around the large circular stage with his peers around Her Prestige in the center.
Now, what should we talk about?
No one answered, all eyes simply stared at the giant in awe. The biggest changeling to ever be seen outside the lower parts of the Hive. It was something of a shock really. Every nymph knew of the Queen but had never met her before till now. Thorax honestly found himself thinking it was a dream. It was common for every brood to meet the Queen during and after the Numbering it, wasn't fairly common for her to meet the brood days before it. And it was only now dawning on him just how much she towered over them.
Despite being in preadolescent the Queen towered over them all like Caretaker Units did when a clutch was freshly hatched. She was gigantic, nothing like the paintings, nothing like the small statues, description dwarfed the real vision. In many ways it was like what Thorax imagined exploring the Hive in full would be like.
Before the Numberings, younglings were not allowed to enter certain parts of the Hive, because they were not yet fully fledged Hive Members. They conducted their training both in and outdoors within territory and might often get training in small villages in the Badlands desert regions, but for younglings not yet part of the Hive, they were not allowed to enter most sectors of the Hive till the Numbering Honor had been bestowed and they had fully accepted their roles. To have seen the Queen before it, it was a new thing. One Thorax didn't fully get, the reason he was slightly nervous.
Right now, looking up at his Queen, he didn't feel that anymore. All the aura he could feel from the Queen was warmth, kindness, amusement-- Changelings couldn't feed off each other- but this- this right here, this moment. It was all he needed to feel the sheer might of the Queen they so worshiped. To understand that bond between Queen and subject. Like Thorax, his brood mates were now linked to their Queen just as all changelings were meant to. The way her aura simply felt even if he couldn't taste it or feed on it- it was the single most greatest experience he could ever imagine feeling. Greater than the first experience he had of tasting honey, a delicacy of the Hive because it helped briefly settle that eternal hunger every changeling felt. This moment right now exceeded that first bite in every way.
He never wanted this feeling to go away.
The Queen flashed a fanged smile and ran a hoof under the chin of one lucky youngling who cooed, a feat that made her laugh. Her laugh elicited chattering and forewings in excitement. Thorax could tell she was enjoying this.
An old lesson popped into his head that reminded him while Changelings could not feed off each other, they could gain strength from each other. The emotional aura from hive mates could empower them and strengthen anatomy temporarily-
Or in my case change it permanently--
Thorax shook his head when he felt his brother's nudge, looking in confusion as he came out of the daze when Pharynx gave him a wry grin.
"Staring a little too much there aren't you brother?"
He looked away, elytra twitching and wings shifting. "S-Shut up."
Pharynx merely cackled much to Thorax's growing embarrassment, a sound soon drowned out by multiple voices from other younglings as they chattered among themselves in response to thinking up a topic to discuss.
Finally a youngling spoke up the loudest, breaking through the noise, a youngling called Fang.
"Queen, Your Majesty!" Fang's hoof waved about, "What's it like living among other Sapiens? What's it like tasting love!?"
As if a candle had been blown out the room suddenly went quiet. Coldly so. The changelings that sat on the upper floors were statues now, none blinking, all watching. Eyes locked on the same target as their Queen, blinking only when Chrysalis blinked. Wings shifting only when she shifted to better face the youngling.
The Queen eyed Fang with a small, thin smile, a smile that chased away some of the original warmth she had had seconds ago. Fang caught like a deer, stammered and fumbled with his words, the tension built up and the youngling was thoroughly squirming, she laughed a loud joyous sound that made every youngling startle, except the changeling that circled the upper floors above.
"S-Sorry for speaking out of turn My Queen, I--"
No no, no. I am actually glad you asked hmhmhm. I want you all to remember that one day, just like your families and brood mates, you all will have your roles. And many of you will be going outside our abode to conduct missions for the Hive. Some of you might be sent out the moment you receive your Number Honor so it's a good question Fang. I just find it endearing with your enthusiasm is all. Right now my grubs you are numberless and without purpose but in a few days each and every one of you will have your roles in our order. Whatever role you suited with, I want you to remember that each and every single one of you will be crucial to our home. And most importantly of all?
Chrysalis paused and looked around the sea of young changelings that were crowded around her with adoration in their compound eyes. Adoration that fueled her as she took a deep breathe and smiled.
I want you to remember the most important rule of all. And what might that be? Can someone tell me?
Like a class, the brood responded as one:
Those outside the Hive are prey and we must feed to survive.
The Queen smiled.
Correct my subjects. All Sapiens are sustenance. You must never let yourself get attached. They are there for our survival, present for us to feed. A means to an end. Our relationship with them is strictly professional; a business exchange where we must always reap the most rewards. Never forget my puny grubs:
We must always be the ones on top because they would never help us as we are.
Remember this, always. The sun watches out for all that touch its light just as the world of night is a cold and harsh mistress to those that do not study its stars and favor its moonlight. For those of us that must hide ourselves in this cruel world of fools and oafs behind mirages and masks, we are nothing to either of Her. So she will be nothing to us.
We fend for ourselves, fight for ourselves, and leave everything else to rot. Once you are a true member of the hive I will always be with you, and you will always have each other. So long as you obey, so long as you follow my guidance, our Hive will always thrive. Am I understood?
Yes, Mother Queen. We Listen and Comply.
Thorax blinked away the moisture in his eyes staring at the statue of himself in the open forest castle halls. The giant stone version of him looked down with a small smile at the real, flesh him that stood before it. Reminding him of the giantess that had once towered him as a nymph.
A part of him couldn't help but think about what that giantess was doing right now.
Sighing, turning his back to the statue Thorax sat down. Unable to look at it anymore. The changelings had built this in honor of his successful negotiations with Princess Twilight, and it had filled him with a deep sense of discomfort every time he passed by this particular hall ever since. To be completely honest he wasn't sure why he had passed this hall. It was seldom he even went through these paths. Projecting his displeasure through the psychic link would be felt by the other changelings of his hive and if they felt that, things could get shaky with how tense some of the hive had been in recent months.
Frankly it could still be a problem now which was why getting out of here was something he should do sooner than later before he lost what decent control he had. Glancing up at the statue one last time, Thorax rose and continued his trot through the halls of the hive-- his hive.
Five years and it still felt weird saying or even thinking that.
"No matter how many times I say it, it never gets easier to think of as real." He muttered. Hoof falls echoed along stone path, and as he reached the archway gates to the gardens, two changelings in purple green plating stood a bit stiffer and straighter as he approached.
Lost in thought, Thorax didn't even visibly acknowledge Worker 1-0-0-7-1 and Hunter 4-2 as he passed and they saluted by opening their elytra. Not that it mattered either way if he looked at them or not. He was always aware of where his hive members were so long as they were within his range- and even if they weren't, he still felt a connection to them despite the distance. Every pulse, every heartbeat- he could sense them all since he had become a Hive Authority and in a lot of ways the transition to getting used to it was still a ongoing process.
In a lot of ways it also gave him some sort of understanding of the Link that had existed between the Queen and her subjects, back when he had been one of her subjects anyway. As far as he could understand- the Links worked different for each Hive Authority, and his was apparently nothing like the Quee-- Chrysalis' own. The only thing their Links seemed to have majorly in common was the awareness.
Just like he was aware of every changeling's presence, so were they all aware of him, and were always aware of each other. At least that hadn't changed.
Nostalgic he paused, watching a group of colorful little changelings gather fruit from the nearby gardens. The gentle buzz of wings flapping as he watched them reminded him of different times. Times that no longer mattered.
Perhaps it was nostalgia since the week of his rise to power had recently passed that was making him feel all nostalgic? He always tended to feel a bit lost in the past whenever he was reminded of the day everything had so drastically changed. Not just him but their very way of life itself.
Not too long ago, five years ago to be exact, a bunch of changelings had sided with him in rejecting Chrysalis' idea to abandon Overcast as his status declined in the growing tension between him and the surviving Princesses. It had been a fragile time and moment, back then siding with Overcast had reaped the Hive many benefits; work outside the hive as spies against, a steady supply of love that came from the enigmatic unicorn himself, and the freedom to subtly interact with pony society-- the thing that perhaps had changed his views the most on Equestria from just those few interactions with Princess Twilight and her Assistant Spike.
The Queen had wanted the Hive to sever bonds with the unicorn now that his power was falling and use the opportunity to reap some better rewards for themselves- and for some odd reason, the idea had left such a nasty taste in Thorax's mouth that he had spoken out of turn, rejected his beloved Queen's ideas and started a coup to get the Queen to see reason. As a servant to the Queen, he had done the unimaginable by publicly challenging his Matriarch, rejecting her influence and contesting her will with his words. Inciting dissonance by challenging the Queen, he had gained a support from fellow hive mates who agreed with his protest and in turn had created a rift. It had been a moment where the Link, the psychic bond that connected all changelings to the Queen and each other wavered due to the division of wills against each other. The lack of unity in that moment and the sheer disagreement had been strong enough to weaken the bond exceptionally and create a double-edged situation that had sealed his fate.
It was the breaking point that caused the Hive to split into two. One belonging to the Mother Hive, as they called it now, the other one: the Spectral Hive, his hive.
Five years had passed since then and there were times where he woke up and still couldn't believe how much everything had changed. How much was still changing. How much both he and Pharynx had changed, and how difficult it had been and still was simply getting this far.
For eons, as long as they knew, Changelings had never had a good relationship with other Sapiens-- at least till now. In the past they never got along because their ways simply weren't right in the eyes of every other Sapient, even if for some confounded reason the ponies were totally fine with accepting the bloodsuckers that bat ponies mythology said they were to be. Thorax had never questioned Twilight about that bit considering how small in number bat ponies were these days since the Mistress of Night vanished centuries ago, but it didn't really matter. Not with the Mistress of Night back from her starry prison and neutral to his hive so far. Not when his hive was being allowed a home in the Whitetail Woods to grow and flourish.
As the Mother Hive was left to rot.
Maybe not all the old ways did could change after all Thorax frowned, then turned his attention when he heard he was being called.
Waving to the younglings with a small smile as they took their gathered fruit in baskets Thorax watched the small group of younglings take off through another entrance opposite the gardens, back into the Grounds.
If there was one thing he prided himself at least in getting the others to change about the Old Ways, it was that the young could now freely move through the Hive without going through the Numbering. While the Numbering wasn't needed anymore it was something they had used for so long he knew no other way. Outside of using their brood names becoming more common than a rarity. They didn't have to be warriors anymore, not with how things were. And he didn't want the subtle division that had existed in the old hive to be an influence in this one. He wanted to break the boundaries of rank, and so far it was working but it was not like it would be easy to completely stomp out all the old ways in just a few years...
Thorax squinted at a group he saw huddling around a tree.
"Excuse me?" Thorax called to the small quartet of younglings huddled in front of a pear tree. "Is there a problem?" He asked as he approached, watching as the four younglings backed away from the smaller one they had been huddling around.
"Of course not Your Majesty!" The middle one with orange and yellow hues saluted and responded. "Fine afternoon we have here today, I was merely showing Clicker here how not to damage fruit when picking!"
"Mmhmmm" Thorax hummed and eyed the one called Clicker. Not yet Numbered as far as the Link told him. "And Clicker, can you tell me why you have a pear stuck on your horn?" He gently asked, pointing with his own hoof to his own central horn.
"Actually Your Majesty you see-" began one of the four.
"Excuse me!" Thorax politely interjected gently but firmly, taking a note from Rarity on manners and etiquette in dealing with the unruly. "I asked Clicker, not you Bluet. Please, let Clicker speak for himself."
The four glanced at each other with a hint of nervousness. He didn't need to be an emotion detector to see that they were nervous and he'd been in Clicker's spot some time ago before the change so he had an idea of what was going on.
"I um," Clicker glanced at the quartet in front of him then looked back to Thorax.
"We really didn't--"
A single calm look in Russler's direction and whatever else the youngling was going to say died instantly as he flashed a scowl back to Clicker's direction.
It was times like these that really did make Thorax think about those old stories he and his brood were taught back in the day. Tales, legends that spanned threads of different stories from silk about other hives that had existed before end of the Mad God and union of the Hive under Chrysalis.
His ears picked up the faintest whisper that echoed in his head, a voice effeminate, soft and low:
The Changelings only truly flourished when they were united by Chrysalis once she had fully taken control of the scattered divisions. Just like the Ponies worshiped Her Royal Light and were honored with the Mistress of Night for their success in defeating the Mad God, so did the changelings of the past come to worship the Curator of Prosperity, their Queen who delivered them from the claws of destruction. Different divisions that were divided were made one and for the longest time in a long time the changelings were made whole once unified.
Thorax frowned. Both at this thought and the hesitance he saw from Clicker. It was moments like this that when he thought about it, it really did make sense that the hive might have once never been made from the same brood. Trying to be encouraging he wiped the frown away and offered the shy bug some comforting words.
"Don't worry Clicker, there's nothing to be worried about. I'm just curious." He beamed a smile, one he hoped wasn't discouraging as he leaned in.
The quartet for their part kept their heads low and tried to keep the looks of displeasure off their muzzles, glancing back at the youngling fidgeting and stammering behind them.
"I uh, its like Russler said Majesty, they were just helping me. I flew up a little too high and got one of the fruits stuck to my horn is all. Its nothing, h-honest."
Thorax's smile faded just a little at the reply but he tried not to let his disappointment show. In a lot of ways he understood what Clicker was doing having been there himself, but that didn't mean it made him happy."I see." He said while looking at Clicker's peers. "Well then, just be careful. And you four-" the four in questioned stood at attention, "be careful with how you play with each other. Remember, these aren't the old ways anymore. Things are different now."
As one the four said: "Yes Majesty. We'll be more gentle", and immediately he could tell that that was a lie.
Breathing in deeply Thorax let it all out in a gentle exhale, and watched the younglings gather their baskets. "Go on you four. Go finish your afternoon duties."
Bowing, the group prepared to leave, Clicker gathering any dropped fruit and placing it in his basket. A word from Russler and Clicker picked up his own basket and as the others took off he quickly went after the others. Glancing back at the King only once before they were gone.
"Well," ears rose. "That could have gone better huh?" Thorax smiled just a little.
"Hello brother."
Pharynx trotting into view nodded his head in silence. "Hey." He said gruffly. "What was that about?"
"What?" Thorax asked quirking a brow as they moved to leave the gardens.
"Don't 'what' me, grub!" Swatting his brother's shoulder with a field of magic. "What was with that whole thing back there at the garden? What was going on?"
"Oh," Thorax looked at the cobbled grass floor as they entered the grounds. "Well, some younglings were picking on their peer..."
Pharynx grunted in reply. "Of course. Not surprised. I mean what do you expect? Five years isn't exactly a long time. Old ways don't just go away by calling them 'old'. I'm still getting used to the fact we don't need to feed as much. It's so weird needing to physically eat more than usual." Pharynx grimaced as they entered into one of many halls.
"I...hah, you're right. It is weird." The king slumped, "I'm still not entirely used to it either."
"No one is." Came the sour reply.
"I knooow." Thorax groaned as his head dipped down and his ears fell with it. "I just- I mean it's better than before, right? I mean..." his steps slowed down. "I mean...we're not always hungry. We can actually feel full without needing love as much as we used to so its not as bad as it was before. Right?"
Pharynx paused, looking back at his now taller brother, then looked ahead- staring at the tree trunks that offered their branches to make up a fraction of the roof.
"I can't say Thorax." Shrugged the commander of the guard. "I mean yeah, we're doing better. I know you know I had my doubts when you stood up against the Queen...but, this?" He turned and sat down. "It's not great, I miss my old color scheme even if it now takes magic to go back to it, but its better than being hungry like we used to."
"Is that a compliment?" Thorax asked, hopeful, with a hint of amusement creeping into his voice.
Pharynx scowled. "No."
Thorax grinned, "Thanks big brother."
"Don't mention it."
"Hehe."
"I mean it."
"If you say so." An amused Thorax rose.
"I do." Pharynx huffed and also rose as he began to follow his sibling. As the two transitioned towards another hall, Pharynx opened his mouth and said: "You seen Ocellus around today?"
"Not since this morning. I gave her a few assignments for me to do."
"Don't tell her I said this but" Pharynx looked around, "I'm actually glad you picked her as an assistant. Really helps keep me on schedule sometimes."
"I'll be sure to tell her right now."
"Good, thanks-- wait, NO!"
"Too late, she says 'thank you' and she appreciates all the hard work you put in to keep the Hive safe."
Grumbling in annoyance Pharynx kicked a pebble. "Sometimes you really make it hard not to hate you, you know that?"
"Love you to Pharynx."
The older brother made a face of disgust before moving on. "Anyway, I've been trying to deal with the rowdy ones lately, y'know with the Steels."
Not liking this topic, Thorax looked a little ways down. "And how's that going?"
"Well it's like Princess Cadence said in her letter, us adjusting is taking a toll on some of the Hive- not all, but enough that my division and I are having trouble when more than a few members lose control. You need to start using The Voice more."
He didn't like the sound of that. "We've talked about this before. You know I can't do that Pharynx." Thorax said softly. "I don't want to start putting restrictions and demands on our Hive member. The others like this, I like how things are, they get a bit more freedom--"
"--And" Pharynx sniped, "you get to keep yourself from worrying about being like her. Right? As long as you don't have to use the same emotional restrictions, you think everything is going to just sort itself out in the end don't you?" from the expression on Pharynx's face, Thorax chose not to answer.
Changing subjects quickly Thorax asked, "How are the meditation sessions and extra activities going for the others?"
Pharynx scoffed. "Some of them don't go. You really think some Earth pony with a name like 'Happy Day', is going to motivate anyling from the Warrior class to go talk about feelings? They're like me Thorax!"
His brother paused, looking nonplussed. "They haven't been going at all?!"
"Oh no no, some of them have been forced to go by their families or in some cases I or the others throw them in there."
"You WHAT?!"
"Hey!" Pharynx snapped defensively. "It's not easy when they start running, what do you expect me to do, ask them nicely?"
With clear disbelief in his voice, "YES! THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO PHARYNX! We don't need to use VIOLENCE OR INTIMIDATION to get our way anymore!"
"OKAY!" Snapped the older. "Whatever, it doesn't matter anyway, half of them leave because Happy doesn't even try to keep them inside when they just get up and bail."
That took the fire out of Thorax's astonishment and instead made him slump.
Pharynx sighed, "Look, I get it. You've been trying. So have the members that came back from studying under Princess Cadence and Twilight. Your Healing Division is working as hard as my soldiers, but this isn't easy grub. We can't force them to change, not unless you and I--"
"We are not!" Thorax quickly shot back, then immediately sagged when he realized he had shouted.
"Sorry..."
"It's okay." Pharynx shrugged nonchalantly, not at all phased. "I'm used to getting the heat. Was one of the Queen's Sentries before all of" he waved a hoof around, "this, remember?" Not looking his brother's way, Thorax looking downcast, nodded.
"Hey, c'mon don't do that." The sad king however didn't respond. "Ugh!" Pharynx groaned. "Thorax, get up." He did not. Looking around, Pharynx scowled. There were no other changelings nearby, none present he could sense. They were supposed to be looking for Ocellus while they walked around but if his brother was just going to be a log and sit there.
Hating what he was about to do, Pharynx approached his brother and sat down beside him. Ears perking for the sound of any hoof steps. Pressing his side slightly into his brother's Pharynx waited for Thorax to ride out his funk.
After a few seconds, the taller of the two leaned against his thinner but fitter older brother's armor. "I just, really don't like being asked to do that. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell."
"And I said its fine grub. Look, I get it. Five years and we haven't made too much progress but hey, its better than when some of the others still thought we still had to hunt for our survival. Even after my transformation with you, you saw how much I stuck to what we were taught. Like I still do even now. It's not easy to change what's inside, like it is on the outside."
Looking just a little frustrated Thorax stared at the empty hall walls. "I never said it would be easy." He muttered. "I just don't want things to turn bad since things have been going so well with the Princesses."
"...You're nervous about the Night Princess, aren't you?"
It was always a dead give away when Thorax refused to look at him. Pharynx merely shook his head. Even if they couldn't read each other's auras like they used to be able to back in the old Hive, he knew his brother well enough at this point to catch what was really bugging him.
Ever since the Night Mistress had returned every changeling had been on edge in the Hive. While his Link differed from Thorax's with some obvious shift being that his was better attuned to changelings directly joining the Steel Division, his force. It was better to say that most of the Hive was slowly growing tense ever since the Night Princess had her coronation.
"You really think those stories we were told in the past really might be something she'd do, don't you?"
"Of course not!" Thorax scooted away. "I just, I don't know- I'm just nervous about her is all. She's not like Princess Celestia, we at least knew something about her! We infiltrated Canterlot so easily without her immediately noticing till it was too late. But, I don't know- Princess Luna is--"
"--A mystery...yeah, I understand what you mean. No Sapient in the world outside of the Princesses has had much interaction with her since her coronation four Moons ago but what do we have to worry about? We're fine. She hasn't made a move or spoke out about anything towards our presence in Whitetail Woods. Besides I'm sure Twilight and the others can handle her--" Pharynx froze.
"Pharynx?" Thorax rose. His brother didn't respond, like someone had hit pause on a projector he just wasn't moving, staring into space silently.
"Pharynx what's wrong? Is there something near the Hive?"
Pharynx didn't respond, but after a second he did blink. "A messenger. They've come with a letter for us."
Thorax sighed a breath of relief. "Phew, you had me worried there--"
"It has a royal signature."
"OH!" He chirped excitedly. "Is it Spike? Twilight? Maybe Shining Armor's paying a visit with Princess Cadence? Or is it Starlight or Trixie?"
"Its..." Pharynx squinted, seeing something that only he could see. "Its..." his eyes widened. "Oh...uh" he got up quickly, stared in mild surprise blankly, then looking at his brother, trotted briskly down the hall towards a different entrance.
"...Pharynx?" Thorax called after him, confused and now just a little concerned. "...Pharynx what's going on!" He called after his echoes.
In a few seconds his brother was gone down the hall and any response he tried getting through their link was ignored. Now shifting on hooves since he was by himself, Thorax looked around, unsure what to do. Then shouted: "Wait for me!"
