A 24th Century Spirax Taleby TheOnlySaneDraconequusChaptersPart the SecondPart the ThirdPart the FirstPart the Second“And I led the Invasion on Canterlot.” Spike felt a chill run through him at those words, and he stared at Thorax in shock. Thorax clearly felt shame and distress, Spike didn’t need to be an empath to see that. “No!” Spike choked out. “That – that couldn’t have been you!” The memories of that day were already pouring back… The wedding of Shining Armor to Princess Cadence had been just a few short years ago, but for Spike, it might as well have been another lifetime. He was younger then, and if not more innocent, naiver. He, Twiley and the girls had been having a picnic in a beautiful meadow on Equuis Prime when Twilight had gotten a notification, an invitation to the wedding of her brother! Spike was kind of surprised that Twilight hadn’t told the girls about their BBBFF, but thinking back on it, he’d never mentioned the coolest pony he knew either. He couldn’t wait for his brother to meet his best friends! And the best part was that Shining was getting married to Cadence! Even as a hatchling, Spike could tell they were head over hooves for each other, it was a perfect match. The girls chatted happily on the speed rail to Canterlot, but Twilight was distressed that Shinning hadn’t bothered to tell her he was getting married! That was huge! Spike tried to console her by telling her that Shinning hadn’t mentioned anything to him either. When the girls met the Prince-to-be, they oohed and ahed. It was obvious a few of them were smitten. Shinning Armor was the Captain of the Royal Guard, the perfect mix of pretty boy and ruggedly handsome, kind, funny, caring, and a huge dork. Spike didn’t have a crush on his adopted brother, that would be weird, but he hoped he could find somepony like Shinning someday. Spike hadn’t come out to anybody but his diary – uh journal, but it’d been obvious to him for some time that he liked guys. He hoped his family would be OK with that, but yeah, this wasn’t the weekend for that kind of announcement. Shinning greeted them almost robotically, and Cadence was – weird. Almost cruel. Spike hadn’t seen her for some time, but the Cadence he remembered wasn’t a snob. She completely brushed him aside. Figuring it was just the stress of the wedding, Spike decided to give them space. He was so happy to see Ma and Pop again! He gave his parents a bone-crushing hug. As the weekend wore on, Spike reconnected with his family and the girls, all having a very good time. Twilight started acting … weirder than normal. She seemed paranoid and was overly suspicious of Cadence’s every move. Twilight was convinced the Princess was evil or something. Spike tried to reassure his older sister. If only he’d believed her… The weekend came to a climax with a shouting match between Twilight and Shinning, in front of everyone. Eventually Shinning delivered an ultimatum: Twilight could love and accept both him and Cadence, or he could never see her again, and live with that. Spike was distraught. A wedding was supposed to a happy time, but his family was splitting up?! Twilight simply turned and ran, nobody noticing the smirk of triumph on “Cadence’s” face. At the ceremony, Spike pulled on the collar of the suit Rarity had made him. It was some of her best work, and even he thought he looked good in it as he’d posed in front of the mirror, but he couldn’t be comfortable in it. He was still serving as the ring-bearer since he didn’t want to back out, but he didn’t know if he’d have a family anymore after the “I do’s” were said. He wouldn’t be able to enjoy this wedding, as much as he’d wanted to. Partway through the ceremony, Twilight rather dramatically burst into the room, with … Princess Cadence?! Everyone turned in shock to look at the Cadence standing next to Shinning, who gave a chilling grin and revealed herself to be Chrysalis, Queen of the Changeling Hive. Twilight had been right the whole time… Spike could only watch in horror as Chrysalis wiped the floor with Celestia. As the Elements of Harmony prepared for a showdown, Spike heard screams coming from outside the palace. Acting on instinct he rushed to help… and felt like someone was doing the fandango on his grave. Swarms of Changeling ships had surrounded Equuis Prime and were repeatedly firing at the Orbital Defense Shield – something Shinning had helped design. ‘They can’t make it through, right?’ Spike thought. With a sickening crack, the shield broke like the world’s biggest and most expensive piece of stained glass, and the invading ships swarmed the city. With impressive tactical precision, they disabled the rest of the city’s defense grid. Small Scout Ships zipped through the city, as larger ships descended and deployed drop troops. The Drones all wore identical masks that resembled fearsome insects, and all looked like clones of each other. Some groups broke off and took to the wing, but most marched on, each of their steps in perfect synch. Spike watched as the battle began, the Unicorns of the city laying into the Swarm with bursts of magic and laser fire, but no matter how many Drones they took out, the Swarm seemed endless, marching forward patiently. Spike spotted another Drone, smaller than the others, almost delicate looking compared to them. Spike couldn’t make out their body, but their mask was different to the other Changeling’s, seeming to serve as an indicator of their rank. They hovered above the fray, seeming to wordlessly direct the attack below, acting as a hub of sorts. Spike didn’t see it, but as the lead Drone watched, they became increasingly agitated by what they saw, finally flying off to an empty Scout Ship and taking to the sky. Eventually, they won the battle, and Shinning and the real Cadence banished the Changelings with a burst of Love that knocked them back to the Badlands. There were tearful reunions and apologies, and the real wedding was wonderful, but to Spike, it was all a blur. He’d have nightmares that even therapy never banished about that endless marching army, and the monster in the mask who led them. Even Sombra hadn’t scared him that much when they met later. Spike became an adult shortly after Twilight had become a Princess. He approached her one night to tell her something. He told his sister he still loved her, but her life seemed to be made up of battling monsters, and Spike didn’t think he could do that the rest of his life. He wanted to strike out on his own, and see the Sol System, and maybe even beyond! Twilight didn’t say it, but she knew he’d never really gotten over the Invasion. She was crying, but she hugged her little brother as tightly as she could. “It’ll be OK, Shooting Star,” her pet name for Spike. Spike’s egg had been found in a meteor that had crashed to Equuis Prime eons ago. When the meteor had been mined, a preserved Dragon egg had been discovered at its heart. The egg changed hands several times before winding up in Princess Celestia’s collection, and was finally hatched by Celestia’s Student, Twilight Sparkle, who named her new brother Spike when she saw his tiny green ridges. Shining often joked that while Spike was the baby of the family, he was the oldest sibling at the same time. Spike returned the hug and sobbed. He wasn’t brave. Or glorious. He was a scared little hatchling running away from the monsters in his head. Twilight discreetly pulled a few strings and called in a few favors. She gifted Spike with what was frankly the wreck of a scrap hauler. Spike loved the ship on first sight, naming it The Elusive Heart. Spike’s knowledge of gems rivaled most professional jewelers, and his skill at mining was second-to-none. Shinning had been teaching Spike to fly almost since he could walk, and so he was a brilliant pilot as well. So, Spike set off to become the best miner he could be and earned a reputation as the best in the business. And, in a way, he was happy, always coming home for Hearth’s Warming, and staying in touch with friends and loved ones. But he still woke up screaming some nights at the sound of those endless marching hooves. As Spike’s memory trip ended, he looked at Thorax in shock. He hadn’t seen that Drone’s face under the mask, but – Faust. It was true. That really had been Thorax. Spike was filled with more rage than he’d ever felt before. “You – you BASTARD!!!!” he screamed. Thorax flinched but didn’t respond. “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU DID TO MY FAMILY?! WHAT YOU DID TO ME?!!!” Spike began punching and kicking the Drone almost mindlessly. “I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU!!!” he screamed, not at Thorax as much as … Thorax. When he’d calmed down, Spike realized that Thorax hadn’t moved, or retaliated, or even tried to defend himself, taking every blow. He’d – he’d hurt Thorax! A part of Spike was horrified at that, but he didn’t know why. Spike may not have been a full-grown dragon, but those blows could have done serious damage. A trickle of blue blood ran down Thorax’s forehead. The Drone found his voice. “You can’t hate me more than I hate myself. I was the perfect little General,” he said bitterly. “It wouldn’t have gone that well without me. But when I saw what we were doing, I – I couldn’t live with that. So I just ran. And I kept running, until I crashed, and you found me. When I first met you, I just thought you were a random dragon hauling scrap. I didn’t work out who you were for some time. And you were so nice to me!” the Changeling wailed. “As if I deserved it!” “I should blow you out the airlock!” Spike snarled. He took a breath. “But I don’t want blood, not even yours on my conscience.” He grabbed the controls and punched in a course. Thorax watched with fear, breathing a small sigh of relief as he realized they were headed away from Spike’s home world. Eventually, they came across a planet that was more or less a ball of ice. Yakyakistan. Spike spoke with the Yak who hailed them, Thorax not sure what was being said. He was surprised that the drake spoke Yak, but he supposed Spike had traded here too. As Spike piloted them towards a certain spot on the surface, the dragon said without emotion, “You should probably look like a pony when we touch down.” Thorax changed forms, unsure what was happening. They touched down outside a Yak village. Spike greeted a large female Yak warmly as the two conversed. When he was done, he pulled Thorax aside. Thorax felt his stomach crawl at the way Spike looked at him. “I figure not even Changelings mess with Yaks.” Thorax shook his head. “You can live here now, you’ll be safe.” There was a long pause before Spike said, “Have a nice life,” and headed back to the ship. “Thank you,” Thorax whispered. Spike whirled around. “Don’t thank me!” he snarled. With that, the doors to the Elusive Heart closed, and Spike took off. Thorax bowed his head in shame. The Yak walked over and clapped him on the back. In slightly broken Ponish, she said, “Is not Equuis, but you might come to like it here!” Thorax didn’t answer. He faced away from the village and began to walk out into the frozen wastes. He heard the Yak shouting .”HEY! HEY PONY! YOU NOT SURVIVE OUT THERE!” But the snow closed around him, and he was gone. In his quarters, Spike twitched and thrashed in his sleep, occasionally muttering. He then sat up with a scream. He put a hand to his chest and felt his heart beating madly. In a daze, Spike headed to the cockpit and flew to Yakyakistan. He asked for permission to land almost robotically and touched down where he had before. He stepped out. The only thing he was wearing was a set of thin pajama bottoms, and he shivered as the cold assaulted him. Spike’s friend Yvonne rushed over to him. Her Yak was far less broken than her Ponish. “Your friend is CRAZY!” she shouted at the dragon. “He just walked off into the Wastes! We’ve been searching for hours but there’s no trace.” “Gotta find him,” Spike muttered, “Which way?” Yvonne pointed and Spike set off in that direction. “HEY!” Yvonne shouted, “YOU’LL FREEZE TO DEATH! COME BACK!” When Spike paid her no mind, Yvonne gave up and shouted, “YOU’RE ALL CRAZY!!!” Spike pressed on. Ever since he’d left Thorax here, he’d felt like someone had forcibly ripped off one of his arms, and since he had woken up, finding the Drone was the most important thing in the world. Spike just couldn’t say why. He didn’t have any tracking gear, or any winter clothes, or, well, clothes. The vast whiteness around him obscured his vision and was all he could see. He could have turned around five times and not noticed. He was so cold; he’d gone straight through numbness into lack of any sensation at all. It was getting increasingly harder to move, or even think. Dragon or not, Spike was still a half-naked lizard in a blizzard. He was going to go into torpor and die, and he didn’t even know what he was doing here! he thought with a laugh. He had to press on though. Spike didn’t feel himself fall or feel the impact, but his perspective changed like he was watching a movie. He could just stay here a while, and find Thorax after a nice, long nap. That sounded good. Spike’s eyes began to droop. Before he blacked out, he heard a loud droning, seeming to come from everywhere at once. Author's Note Thorax reveals who he is, and that he knows who Spike really is as well. We learn a bit of Spike's past too. Don't worry, Spike isn't going to freeze to death! But what would have drawn him halfway across the Sol System to the person he hates most in the galaxy? P.S. I've done a chapter a day, but that is a very rare fluke, probably shouldn't expect it. Part the ThirdSpike stirred a few times before his eyes opened. He was in a large cave, but he was alive, dry, and … warm! He grinned. He noticed that he was under a large furry blanket. He stretched, and it fell off. Oh. He was stark naked underneath it. He heard a crackling sound and turned to spot the source. A large fire was burning nearby, close enough for warmth to seep into his bones but far enough to avoid burning him. His pajama pants were hanging nearby, apparently drying out. He supposed they’d been removed to keep him from freezing more. Spike was grateful, but still cautious. He knew the caves around Yakyakistan were infested with Yetis, having met a few himself. But he knew Yetis hated fire, and he doubted they would have covered a meal to keep it warm. Something else had saved him then. Spike walked over to the fire and warmed his claws. He touched his pants. They were drier, but still pretty cold and wet. Modesty would have to wait, it seemed. “Hello?” he called. There was no response, just a brief echo. Spike walked further into the cave. It seemed unlived in. Spike spotted his reflection in a shiny wall. He grinned and puffed his chest out. Out of habit, he flexed, and said, “Lookin’ good, Spike! Lookin’ real good!” As Spike passed by, his reflection slipped on a patch of ice and fell on its butt, letting out an “Oof!” as the wind was knocked out of it. Spike stared in shock as it rubbed at its head and grumbled. That hadn’t been his reflection, but an exact duplicate of him that had mirrored his movements to pretend to be his reflection. Spike had no idea what could have caused that, but he hadn’t been near the mirror pond, so… “Thorax?” Spike asked carefully. His doppelganger nodded with a sheepish grin. “H-hi!” the Changeling squeaked. “Why are you naked?!” “You needed my clothes more than I did…” “What? I – oh. The blanket?” Spike guessed that that was actually the Drone’s Morph Suit. Thorax nodded. Spike sighed. “I – jeeze … I’m sorry. For, for what I did.” “I hurt your family. I hurt you. Your reaction was … understandable. And, no offense, but my brother hits harder than you do…” It was strange for Spike to see a sly grin on his own face. “Yeah, but I dropped you off in the middle of nowhere!” “You meant it as a kindness, and you were right, this was the best place for … someone like me to lie low.” “Yeah, but…” Spike sighed. “I’ve just felt weird since then. I-” Spike pulled Thorax into a hug and ran his cheek along the other Spike’s. He blinked in surprise. “Why’d I do that?” “I think you just marked me,” Thorax said. “I … think I know why, I felt like I was dying after you left.” Spike realized he was still tightly hugging a naked copy of himself. He quickly pulled away. “OK, that’s a little bit too narcissistic.” Thorax grinned. “Do you always do that in front of the mirror?” “Just when I think I’m alone!” Spike stammered. Thorax laughed and changed back into himself. It was the first time Spike had seen the Drone even shirtless, let alone … holy heck he was hot! His chest was covered in lighter ridges of exoskeleton, and his wings were tucked into a beautiful carapace. His arms and legs were full of holes, but while alien, it was beautiful, as long as you didn’t have trypophobia. Thorax squeezed Spike’s arm gently. “C’mon, I have some things to explain…” Spike allowed the Changeling to lead him back to the main cave chamber. Thorax sat and crossed his legs, looking thoughtful. “I … have good reason to believe that you’re my Al’serai,” he said. “Your what?” Thorax sighed. “The closest word in Ponish would be ‘Soulmate.’” Spike snorted. “That’s an old mare’s tale impressionable fillies believe in.” Thorax nodded. “For Ponies, and maybe for Dragons,” he added with a grin. “For Changelings, it’s very real, and a bit more than what you’re thinking.” “What is an Al’serai?” “Some Ponies have a word … re-in-car-nation?” Thorax said, testing each syllable to make sure he said it right. “Some souls, some extraordinary souls, are Al’serai. They live multiple lives across time and worlds. And they always find each other, in each life they live. It’s a bond … I can’t put into words. It’s beyond love, beyond one lifetime. It’s …” Thorax laughed. “It’s why you feel the way you do, right now. It’s why when we separated, we both felt like we’d lost a vital part of our being.” Thorax gently took Spike’s claws, and placed them flat on his chest, as his own hand lay over Spike’s heart. Spike’s eyes widened. Both their hearts were slowly beating in perfect synch. “OK, that’s sort of cool. And yeah, I’ve had a crush on you since, well, almost since you woke up in my ship, but … we’re soulmates?” he said with a laugh. “And what, I’ve known you over multiple lifetimes? I’m sorry, but I can’t believe that.” “If I’m right, I could prove it…” “How?” “Do you trust me? Because I know how you feel about Changelings, and this could seem like mind control…” That made Spike nervous. “What if you’re wrong?” Thorax gave a reassuring smile. “Then absolutely nothing will happen. It only works if we are truly Al’serai, and if at least one of us is a Changeling in this life.” Spike took a deep breath. “I don’t think you’d try to control me, and I’m curious. Go for it. Anything you need me to do?” “Relax and let me in…” Thorax raised his fingers and pressed them to Spike’s temple. He closed his eyes and began to breathe slowly. “You should close your eyes too…” Spike did. He felt a tingling seeping from Thorax into him. “OK, that’s kind of-” A flood broke down the walls into Spike’s mind and he was suddenly somewhere else. He walked through the corridors and out into the sun, stretching his wings as the rays warmed his exoskeleton. ‘Whoa!’ Spike thought. ‘Are these your memories?’ ‘No, Spike,’ Thorax replied in his mind, ‘These are yours. Looks like you were a Changeling once. This is the Changeling Homeworld, so this is ages and ages ago… Long before Chrysalis…’ Spike walked through the lush grass, enjoying it squidging under his hooves. No, he wasn’t Spike, he was … Tarsus. ‘I’m a scholar!’ Spike thought in surprise. ‘The Soul varies little from life to life,’ Thorax replied. Spike thought it was cool that they could still talk. Someone put their hands over his eyes. “Guess who?!” a voice called cheerfully. Tarsus pretended to think about it. “Hmm… Elytrum?” he guessed. The hands were removed, and Tarsus saw the Prince before him. “Tarsus!” Gaster almost whined. Tarsus chuckled. “Forgive me, majesty, I couldn’t resist.” He took the Prince’s hand and kissed it. “Are you excited for tonight?” Gaster chuckled. “Excited, terrified, ready to throw up… I’ll get it all wrong!” “You are the Prince of the Colony; you will do wonderfully. I’ll be with you every step of the way.” The two parted ways. Tarsus was excited beyond words for the upcoming festivities. The Prince had come of age and would choose his mate. Tarsus had an inkling of who Gaster would name… The scene blurred to Gaster’s party. Drums filled the night, and Changelings whirled throughout the glades and sky in a night of celebration. Tarsus was nervous as well, he’d practiced, but this wasn’t another lecture he’d be giving. At the appointed time, he walked to the center of the party, bowing lowly to the Prince. Gaster held up his arms and splayed his palms out flat. Tarsus joined his hands with the Prince’s, pressing his forehead to Gaster’s. The two Changelings began a slow, careful, highly choreographed dance. It was a mating dance, a sign that they would be sealed together. Each turn and step had centuries of meaning, although some of the motions had a decidedly sexual bent, for good reason. ‘Do Changelings still do this?’ Spike asked with wonder. ‘I don’t recognize any of this. We’ve … lost much,’ Thorax replied. The dance concluded. The Prince and his consort were now mated. As the two basked in and fed on each other’s love, the Colony cheered wildly. The scene shifted again. ‘Oh!’ Spike thought with embarrassment. ‘We’re…’ ‘Making love,’ Thorax replied simply. ‘We were mates, and our love sustained the Colony.’ Tarsus was enjoying himself, but Spike felt a bit mortified. A small, traitorous part of his mind was taking notes though. The scene again blurred. A new form, and a new life. Spike was an Earth Pony stallion. He worked out that this was the Middle Ages, long before the Unification. ‘I’m a vegetable merchant?!’ he thought in shock. ‘Quite a cute one, too…’ Thorax added. Spike waited to see who Thorax would be this time. A russet farmer, apparently. Spike’s best supplier and customer. The two chatted happily over Spike’s stall, some flirting only they would recognize as such going on. Eventually, they slipped away into a sunny meadow, just the two of them. Bargain Buys, Spike’s name in this life, pounced onto Top Soil, Thorax, knocking into the grass and attacking him with kisses. “I missed you,” Bargain breathed. Top wound his fingers through Bargain’s mane. “I missed you as well.” They kissed again and again, before Bargain rolled off of him, and laced the fingers together, the two staring up at the sky. They could only be themselves in these stolen moments, but each was a treasure. The scene changed yet again. Bargain and Top were on trial. They were accused of acts of perversion. Both held their grounds, speaking their piece. As they would not repent, they were sentenced to death. At dawn the next day, Bargain and Top were each tied to a funeral pyre. They gave each other one last look as the flame was lit. The fire roared up around Bargain, but he would not confess. He would not take back what he had done. The flames burned hotter and hotter; this would be the end. Bargain let out a groan. The way he had chosen to die was hotter than – Dragonfire! Spike was turning cartwheels through the sky, letting out a jet of flame in shear joy. He recognized that sky, he was in the Dragonlands, although he was a full-grown Dragon. Yet another life. Spike had flown small ships before, but this was an experience like no other. The joy of sky and wind meeting ground far below him. Eventually, he made his way back to his cave, finding his Mate awaiting him. The large black dragon wound his neck around Spike’s and the two shared a moment of peace. Their shared hoard was truly impressive, befitting of – ‘Holy shit!’ Spike thought as he realized. ‘I was Dragon Lord!’ ‘You are always Brave and Glorious, even if it doesn't feel like it…’ As the two dragons continued to playfully nip at each other, a group of hatchlings walked into the room, begging for attention. Spike felt himself tear up. ‘We … we had a family…’ ‘Looks like…’ Spike couldn’t see Thorax, but he could feel a warm glow of pride coming from the Changeling. A new life flashed before Spike’s eyes, followed by another and another. They were coming too fast now for him to tell who, or where, or what he was, but he could begin to see their souls, dancing together, across the worlds, and throughout the ages. I will find you, came a promise, I will always find you… The … vision, or whatever it had been ended. Spike stared at Thorax, who was looking at him uncertainly. Spike grabbed the Changeling and pulled him into a desperate, hungry kiss. When they finally managed to sperate, Spike panted. “Like, forty-nine different versions of me want to take you, right here, right now…” “Always so eager, my Lord,” Thorax purred in flawless Draconic. The voice wasn’t Thorax’s, but it was very familiar to part of Spike. Dragon Lord Pyre purred in Spike’s chest at his Mate’s voice. Spike chuckled. “I can’t tell my memories, from … mine. Is that permanent?” Thorax chuckled. “Our past selves woke up, but they’ll fade in a few days. In time, the memories will fade as well. We aren’t really supposed to have them.” Spike was disappointed by that, but he could understand it. He nibbled at Thorax’s earfin. “Al’serai,” he murmured. “I found you…” “You found me,” Thorax agreed as he pulled Spike in for a hug. The two of them just stayed like that for some time. Spike was the first to break the silence. “I love you,” he realized. “I don’t even know you, but… I love you,” he chuckled. “I know … so much about you. More than you know about yourself. You know more about me than I know about myself. I don’t want to lose that… Can … can I get to know you? Properly in this life?” Thorax nodded. “I won’t let you go again. Not if I can help it. I want to get to know you too.” Spike realized that he was very firmly pressed against his soulmate, and the two of them were still buck naked. Spike chuckled. “I’m kind of hoping the old versions of me quiet down soon, it’s going to be hard to behave…” Spike let out an adorable squeak as Thorax effortlessly pinned him to the ground, straddling him with his hands locked around Spike’s wrists. Thorax didn’t know which version of him said it, but he was pretty sure it was all of him who purred, “Behaving is overrated sometimes…” The two were cuddled up together by the fire. Spike was on cloud nine. Thorax chuckled. “You have the same sweet spots! That’s hysterical.” Spike nodded. “Shuddup. You just have thousands of years of practice playing me like a fiddle you used back there.” “Don’t tell me I was your first? Again.” “Nah, but Spike,” Spike cleared his throat. “I,” he corrected, “have a long history of falling for the wrong guy.” He chuckled. “I still feel like a couple of hundred different people. That was just a fraction of our story, too, wasn’t it?” Thorax nodded. “It goes back further than you can think.” “I sort of get why we’re not supposed to keep those memories, but would I suffer karmic backlash or something if I wrote them down?” “I’m not sure. I doubt you’ll be cursed or anything, but maybe only the highlights? Just to be safe.” Thorax then chuckled. “What?” Spike asked as he craned to look at Thorax. Thorax gave an embarrassed grin. “You were my first this time. I have less than no experience in this life. Luckily, old versions of me had plenty, so I knew what you’d like,” he finished as he playfully booped Spike on the nose. Spike chuckled. “Faust, you are always such a dork! In every life! But you’re my dork, so I love it.” He then smooched his bug. He remembered something. “Our first life, well, not our first first, but the first I remembered with you … we were very different. I mean, Gaster didn’t look like he was starving.” Thorax nodded. “If I’m remembering right, Changelings used to share love, not steal it. As we lost so much, and as Chrysalis took over and poisoned us, we became … this,” he finished flatly as held out his holey arm. “You’re still cute,” Spike said with a grin, “But yeah, I was … more whole I guess as a Changeling way back then. I didn’t feel constantly empty. I wonder if I can love you enough to help?” Thorax chuckled. “I think the metamorphosis is triggered by Changeling to Changeling shared love, otherwise I would have transformed by now.” Spike frowned at that. He hated what Chrysalis had done. A fire of determination began to grow. “OK. So we’ll teach that to the Changelings.” “You … want to go to the Hive?!” “I want to kick Chrysalis off her throne myself!” Spike shouted. “But I’d need your help. We can help Changelings remember what they’re supposed to be!” Thorax chuckled. “I’d tell you that’s impossible, but I know that wouldn’t change your mind…” Spike nodded. “You and I have changed the world before. And, honestly, changing the destiny of the galaxy is sort of my family’s stock and trade in this life. We can do it, I promise.” Thorax nodded. “I believe you.” Spike sighed. “Going back there will be Hell, for both of us, but before then, we need to do something even harder.” Thorax gave him a confused look. “What’s that?” “I want to introduce you to my family.” Thorax swallowed nervously. “Oh, Flark.” Author's Note Two updates in one day?! I must be sick or something. So our boys have a longer shared history than they'd thought! Glad they found each other again. Sorry for the, uh, burning at the stake scene, but the Middle Ages would not have been a good time to be gay. At least they "lived" through it... Spike introducing Thorax to his family couldn't possibly go horribly awry, right? This is my first story where the downvotes outnumber the upvotes, probably because M/M gets downvoted automatically on this site, and probably because the story's crap. I'd still appreciate any comments if anyone is enjoying this at all, they help keep me going... If nobody enjoys this, sorry to have wasted your time, but it's at least doing my mental health a bit of good. Thanks! Part the FirstSpike was reclining in the air, his hands tucked behind his head as his tail lazily swished from side to side. A wrench floated past him. He’d been told a billion times that living in zero gravity too long would affect his growth but switching the artificial gravity off once in a while was just relaxing. Just him, his thoughts, the universe stretching away infinitely outside the ports, and – an alarm went off. Spike sighed. “Welp. Back to work!” With practiced ease he “swam” through the air towards the door, hitting a button that turned the gravity back on in the main corridors. He landed on his feet and dashed into the cockpit. He’d left the ship idly scanning the asteroid belt he was parked in, and he had apparently just hit the motherload. A large asteroid dead ahead of him was crammed full of gems. He grinned and hit a large button on the console. The ship began to tractor beam the asteroid in, robotic limbs cutting the gems out and sorting them once it was in the main storage bay. “The check is in the mail!” Spike said proudly. He gave the console a loving pat. “Good work, as always.” The Elusive Heart may not have been the fanciest scrap hauler in the galaxy, but she always got the job done. She and Spike always made quite the team, and they were all they needed. It’s not like Spike ever got lonely way out in the boonies of the Sol System for months on end… Spike was pulled out of that depressing thought by a new notification. They were picking up a distress call, from an unknown ship. It had apparently crashed on an asteroid the size of a small moon nearby. This wasn’t Spike’s first rodeo, a distress call could very well be an ambush, but he felt he had a duty to check, especially if someone really did need his help. He cautiously made his way to wear the signal was being broadcasted from. Breathable atmosphere, which was a plus. His heart sank into his feet at what he saw. “Oh, shit!” he whispered. He definitely recognized that make of ship, he’d had nightmares involving them for almost a year. It was made of a strange dark grey, organic looking material, had an asymmetrical spiky design, and was full of holes. It was a Changeling scout ship. One pilot only, unless this was an ambush… The ship had definitely crashed into the asteroid, there didn’t seem to be an occupant in the wreckage. The controls were all wrong, but Spike managed to switch off the distress call after a few tries. He definitely didn’t want any more Changelings showing up. He glanced all around the craft. “Where are you…?” Spike sniffed deeply. It was different smelling than he was used to, but that was definitely blood. Dragons had evolved on a harsh world and had risen to be the top predators. Although they’d long since moved past the hunting beasts they’d been, some things had stuck, including the ability to track potential prey. Spike followed his nose, noting a splotch of a thick bright blue liquid on a rock. He stuck his snout slightly closer and sniffed. “Oh. So that’s what their blood looks like…” He finally found his quarry. The Drone was actually taller than Spike, surprisingly, and rail-thin under the suit he was wearing. From what Spike remembered, all Changelings looked like they were starving, but he’d never seen one up close. The suit was made of what looked like black rubber, and skintight, it almost looked like a catsuit. The Drone was male, judging by the bulge Spike could make out between his legs, and unconscious. His head had a nasty cut that was still bleeding. Worried it could still be a ruse, Spike gently poked him in the chest. He didn’t react, but from where spike had touched the suit, a flash of green rippled out in hexagon-shaped cells. “Woah! Cool! And kind of kinky…” Spike had more reason than most to hate Changelings, but it was obvious that this Drone was injured and in need of assistance. Spike couldn’t just let him die. He sighed. “Faust damnit if Twiley finds out…” Spike glanced at the Changeling. “Uhh… stay there!” He then dashed back to the Elusive and grabbed a charge. He planted it in the wreckage of the scout ship. Twilight would have killed to get her hands on the technology it had, but Spike had his reasons for this. His ear fins folded down in shame and he grit his teeth. “I’m sorry…” He pressed the button, and the ship went down in flames. Now it couldn’t be traced. Spike made his way back to the injured Drone, relieved that he was still out cold. He picked him up, slinging one of the Drone’s arms around his neck. Spike was surprised by how light the Changeling was, it was like lifting a feather. Spike brought the Changeling into what passed as the ship’s med bay, laying him on the table. He briefly considered restraining him in case he woke up but thought better of it. While even an injured Drone could put up a good fight, Spike wanted to give an impression of good will when he woke up. First things first, Spike went back to the cockpit and punched a random course as far away as he could get without running into anybody just in case the Hive had received the distress call. He then went back to the “med bay.” Spike took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. He didn’t know the first thing about Changeling physiology, Twilight was the expert in Xenobiology, but he prayed it was close enough to treating a Pony. That he could do well. Knowing there was a high chance he could accidentally kill his patient with medicine not designed for him, Spike carefully used a dermal regenerator on the injuries he could see. He tried to get that strange suit off, but it seemed to be almost welded to the Drone’s flesh. Spike sighed. “You couldn’t have made this easy?” he grumbled. He pulled over the med scanner to check for internal injuries. The organs were what he’d expect from a pony, and the worst thing he could find was a concussion, which was easily treatable. Spike prayed to any Draconic, Ponish, or hypothetical Changeling gods who were listening that this would work before he gave the Drone a round of standard antibiotics and a shot to wake him up. Spike then backed away and hid behind a convenient stack of spare parts. The Drone’s eyes fluttered open. They were a brilliant shade of cyan, and compacted, like an insect’s. He groaned and rubbed his head. He slowly sat up and looked around, a nervous look on his face. “Wy’xeal hi?!” he said in a shocked tone. Like the other Changelings Spike had met, his voice had a buzzing quality, and a slight echo, as if two people were speaking in not quite unison. Spike discreetly pressed a button on his pad. While the Elusive wasn’t fancy enough to have a true on-board A.I., hopefully the translator could work with Changeish. Which meant the Drone had to talk more. Mentally preparing for the worst, Spike stepped out of his hiding spot. The Drone’s jaw dropped at what he saw. A lanky purple dragon with green ridges was dressed in a tan scrap hauler’s jumpsuit. Brilliant emerald eyes watched him carefully. He swallowed nervously. This was it. This was how he died. He cursed the fact he never learned Draconic when he had the chance. “Do you speak Ponish?” the Drone asked carefully. Spike blinked in surprise. He then realized it made sense that a Changeling would speak other species’ languages since they infiltrated other worlds. “Yeah,” he replied. After an awkward pause, he asked, “How are you feeling?” “Like I crashed and nearly died,” the Drone replied in an equally awkward tone. “Did … you save me?” Spike nodded. “Yes. I mean, I know Ponies and Changelings are sort of at war, but I couldn’t just leave you there to die.” “It’s not war,” the Drone muttered. Spike sighed. “Sorry, I’ve only ever heard the Pony side of it, and I couldn’t think of a better word. ‘Conflict’ I guess… Still not my place to just pass by.” “You are … a very strange Dragon,” the Changeling muttered. Spike rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, giving an adorable, embarrassed grin. “Well, I was raised by Ponies, that’s most of it… What’s your name?” “Thorax.” “I’m Spike. Spike T. Dragon. My friends call me ‘Spike the Brave and Glorious,’ but as a friend joke.” Thorax grinned, showing off his fangs. “‘Spike?’” he asked in an amused tone. Spike sighed. “My sister was like 8 when she named me, nobody told her that wasn’t a typical dragon name.” Spike thought carefully. “I won’t actually go into the Badlands, but I’ll drop you as close as I-” “I CAN’T GO BACK!” Thorax shouted, terror in his voice and plain across his face. “Woah! OK! Why not?” “My M- The Queen kills those who leave the Hive and return. She says they’re ‘corrupted by outside forces.’ I’d like to live, thanks…” Spike nodded. “Yeah, I can get that. Only problem is if I take you within 3,000 klicks of Equuis Prime, you’d probably be dissected, and I don’t think either of us want that…” Thorax shook his head. Spike sighed. “Is there anywhere else you could go?” Thorax again shook his head. “I’m pretty much a fugitive…” Spike sighed. “Well, if nobody finds out about you, I guess you can travel with me for a bit. At least until we find a place you can lie low, it’s a big system… So! Welcome aboard the Elusive Heart, Crewman Thorax! Mi Casa es su Casa, but I expect you to pull your weight. You’re the only other person on the ship, and we can go months without seeing another living soul. Is that all right?” Thorax smiled. “After what I just left, that sounds great. Thanks. What kind of scrap do you haul?” An affronted look crossed Spike’s face. “I’m a gem miner, thank you very much! I’m commissioned by the Equestrian Federation and everything! I’m one of the best in the business!” “Sorry…” “No problem, it’s an easy mistake to make. I’d better find some quarters for you… C’mon then, I’ll give you the grand tour!” Spike showed Thorax the cockpit, his incredibly messy quarters, the mess with a basic replicator, and storage. He laughed. “That’s about it, but I hope this will make an OK bedroom for you!” It was a small room, used as a second storage, but it had a broad window, and was tidier than the rest of the ship. Spike blushed. “I’ll have to clear this stuff out, and we’ll have to buy you a bed, the replicator’s food only. Oh, do you have any other, uh, clothes?” Thorax’s head tilted slightly to the right. “What kind of clothes should I have?” “Something less conspicuous? Like what a, uh, non-Changeling would wear?” Thorax nodded. He brought his arm up and apparently typed something directly into the suit he was wearing. The suit shimmered green and morphed into a pink t-shirt and some tan pants. “This is what Ponies wear, right?” “Woah! That is awesome!” “Yes, morph-suits are very useful.” Thorax’s eyes widened. “T’lChak!” he apparently swore. “What happened to the ship I was in?!” “I … kind of blew it up,” Spike said sheepishly. “I didn’t want the Hive to track it or me…” Thorax sighed in relief. “Is this outfit OK?” Spike gave him the thumbs up. “You look great! Just need a face to go with it…” In a burst of green flame, Thorax was replaced by a buff lime-green unicorn with orange eyes, and an orange mane. The outfit had grown to match his new body. “How’s this?” “Looking good! Are you up to a trip to a trading post to find a bed? I don’t want to make you take the floor.” “I should be OK,” Thorax said uncertainly. “Are you OK spending Bytes on that?” “Well, I just got an amazing haul, so once I turn that in, I should be pretty loaded for a bit. A bed’s no trouble, and if there’s anything else, let me know! We’d need to travel to my drop-off point, but we’ll pretend you’re not here then, OK?” “Sounds good. Oh, call me… Key Lime. I’m a baker from Appleoosa.” “Can you bake?” Spike asked disbelievingly. “I’m OK…” “Can you even eat physical food?” Thorax nodded with a grin. “It doesn’t give us very much nutrition, but it tastes great, and it’s not like we get fat, so why wouldn’t we? It definitely helps us blend in…” Spike gave a nervous chuckle. He then realized something. “Oh. You were … kinda dying, out there. Do you want something to eat? Would that help?” Thorax nodded eagerly. “I’m starving! But then, I’m-” “Always starving,” Spike finished with him. “Must be a miserable life. Well, I replicate a mean pizza, is that OK?” Thorax nodded. “I love pizza!” Spike had to ask, but now wasn’t the best time. “Right.” He folded his arms and grinned. “Which way to the mess, crewman?” Thorax got it right on the first try. “Wow!” Spike said. Thorax chuckled. “The Hive is kind of an ever-changing maze, so over time we adapted a really good sense of direction.” He shifted back into his Changeling form, back in the Morph suit as it was apparently called. For being a species of raiders and spies, Changeling technology seemed kind of cool, Spike thought. “Uh, does the morph suit come off?” Thorax did the head tilt again. “Yes, but then I’d be naked. Do you want me naked?” “No!” Spike shouted. “Sorry. When I was examining you, I couldn’t get it off to get a better picture of how injured you were. I was just curious, that’s all.” Thorax nodded. For being an alien Spike had been raised to hate and fear, the bug-like Equine was actually pretty cut- Spike mentally slapped himself. The last thing he needed at this point in his life was a crush, especially on an enemy of the state. With a fine ass… Spike thought with a sigh. Yeah, he was going to request Thorax not wear anything that provocative around him. “Any toppings you like?” “When we eat physical food, we’re omnivores, so meat is fine. I could do with the protein. I definitely can’t break down gems,” he said with a laugh. “I’m not picky, whatever you think would be good.” “OK, but nobody likes anchovies,” Spike said with a laugh. “I love anchovies!” Thorax said with a grin. Spike blinked in surprise. “Me too. One pizza, coming up!” Spike punched an order into the replicator and a pizza whirred into existence. He’d left the gems off since his guest couldn’t even bite into them, and in Spike’s not-so-humble opinion replicated gems tasted like packing peanuts. As part of his payment, he always kept a cut of “snacks” out of what he found. The pizza was peperoni with anchovies and olives. Spike portioned out half to Thorax who tore into it ravenously. “Mmm!” Thorax moaned. “So Fli’ken good!” Spike chuckled at the slip into Changeish. “Changelings have an enhanced sense of taste,” Thorax explained, “So I’m getting more out of this than you are. This is amazing!” He wiped a bit of grease off his chin. Spike chuckled. Okay, Thorax was adorable, that didn’t mean he had a crush on him though! “You’re not like any Changeling Scout I’ve met,” Spike said. “I … haven’t been a scout long,” Thorax replied. There was a long, awkward pause, as they both knew what issue they weren’t talking about. Thorax broke it by pointing at the replicator. “Will you show me how to use that?” Spike nodded. “You’ll be here for at least a few months, so of course! Can I buy you some clothes in exchange?” Thorax looked confused. “My morph suit can turn into anything I want, and it’s self-cleaning. Why do I need more clothes?” “It’s kind of … revealing,” Spike managed to say with a straight face. Thorax was definitely confused now. “It covers almost 90% of my body. How is that too revealing?” Hoh, foal. “It … uh, hugs you a little bit too tightly.” “It isn’t alive, how can it hug me?” Spike facepalmed. “Yes, it covers you, but it’s so tight you might as well be naked! I can see your ribs! I can see, well never mind, but it’s a bit distracting.” “My body is distracting to you?” “Very,” Spike sighed. Thorax shrugged and punched another code into his suit. It changed back into a shirt and pants. “Is this better?” Spike nodded. “Strange…” Thorax muttered, going back to his pizza. “If you don’t want the default form of the suit, I will happily wear clothes you get me, but we’d need a few sizes and body types probably…” “Should be manageable.” “Are you this generous to all your stowaways?” Spike chuckled. “Nah, I just … haven’t had company in a while. We can leave to drop off my haul and go shopping for you whenever you’re ready!” Thorax nodded, and they set off. “Key Lime” was in awe at the bazar around him. It was a major trading hub for the entire system, anything you wanted could be found for the right price. Even if it wasn’t entire legal, but that section was deep below the surface. Spike and Thorax were sticking to above board sales today. Thorax had to stop himself from purring as he tested each mattress, each seemed better than the last! They were testing things for beds in star craft since gravity could be unpredictable at times. They finally found a mattress and frame Thorax loved, and even got a decent price to install it! Next was clothes shopping. Thorax’s siblings had always poked fun at him for it, but he had enjoyed playing “dress up” as a nymph. When practicing a disguise, one of his favorite parts was creating a matching outfit. They got a number of outfits in different styles and sizes, since Thorax assured Spike he could adjust his measurements to fit, rather than the other way around. Spike insisted on buying underwear for each outfit, although he didn’t want Thorax to model those for him. At least outside of his head. His eyes caught a pair of sinfully red lace panties that were in Thorax’s size in his true form. Spike’s heart began to thud in his chest, and he could feel a flop sweat starting as his mind conjured Thorax in them, lying in a silky bed with a cute expression. No. Absolutely not! It would be wrong to get them for the Changeling just because. He was the Captain, Thorax was his crew, and this wasn’t Space Trek for Faust’s sake! Spike snatched them anyway. They were about his size. Since he certainly wasn’t going to give them to Thorax, he might look good in them. It wouldn’t be his first time. Maybe he could get a date the next time he was in the civilized sectors. Thorax loved each and every outfit Spike helped him pick out, promising to find a fun face for each. He obviously didn’t have Bytes to repay the drake, so he opted for a bone-crushing hug, joy lighting up his face. Spike realized that this was probably the nicest anyone had ever been to the Drone. They had a nice lunch in the food layer, and Spike introduced Thorax to some foods the Changeling had never heard of. The Changeling was surprisingly not picky, seeming to enjoy everything he tried, though he went meat free in his current form. Spike had to remind himself that these weren’t what the Changeling really wanted, and that on some level, the Drone saw him as a snack. Spike’s pad pinged to let them know Thorax’s new room was installed, and they rushed to see it. Thorax’s jaw dropped. The former storage space had been converted into a cozy if small bedroom in soothing colors. Thorax carefully reached out towards the bed as if he were afraid he’d spook it, and gave it a quick pat. “I – I’ve never had one before…” he whispered. “A bed to yourself?” “A bed. A door. A room that wasn’t crammed full of Drones trying to stay warm. This is … thank you.” Spike discovered that day that a Changeling could cry from happiness while not disguised. The trip to the bazar was brief and unusual, business never really stopped for Spike. Well, Spike and Company now. He enjoyed speaking to Thorax, but it was painfully obvious that there were certain subjects they were dancing around. Neither of them ever mentioned family, or the Wedding… Spike had broken down and asked if Thorax would be able to properly feed, since Spike didn’t love him, and wasn’t about to let him drain an innocent soul. Thorax patiently explained that Changelings could feed on any positive emotion, love was just the strongest and most filing. There were also lots of different types of love, each meaning different things. Thorax admitted with a blush that he’d actually been simply feeding on Spike’s love for his ship and his work. It didn’t have to be romantic love; love of life was love too. Spike hadn’t noticed Thorax’s snacking on him at all, but he wasn’t any worse for wear, so he was OK letting things stand where they were. Spike didn’t know if it was an inherent trait of Changelings, but Thorax was a very fast study. He’d picked up how to fly the ship at lightning speeds, and now he could fly the Elusive Heart almost as well as Spike! Almost. The two males were sitting in the cockpit as it idly scanned a new section of asteroid belt for anything they could harvest. Thorax sighed. He was fidgeting slightly, Spike noticed. “What’s up?” Thorax cringed. “Kinda bored,” he admitted slowly, as though it were something shameful. “Why the tone of voice?” Thorax looked at him with wide eyes. “You’ve given me so much! A home, a bedroom, companionship, your love, and a career! My being bored with my work is an insult to your gift!” Spike chuckled. “Thorax, it’s fine! Gem mining is pretty mind-numbing at times, it’s OK if you’re bored once in a while.” Thorax relaxed slightly. “I’ve got some comics in my quarters if you want something to read while we wait.” “Comics?” Thorax asked in confusion. Spike chuckled. “Oh, are you in for a treat! Just go find something that peaks your interest, I’m sure you’ll find something to amuse yourself.” Thorax nodded and headed off. Spike chuckled; he was happy to be the one to introduce Thorax to the wonderful old-fashioned medium of the graphic novel. Spike ran through a mental catalogue of what he had on board. Spike chuckled a bit. Years of living with Twilight had rubbed off on him, but while he was by no means a slob, his quarters weren’t quite as fastidiously tidy as Thorax’s. The color drained from Spike’s face, and he let out a very rude word in Draconic as he remembered something important when it wasn’t just him on board. He ran as fast as he could. Thorax was a bit nervous at entering Spike’s room. While Spike was a very “chill” person, years of habit made him wary of entering the room of a superior, even with their permission. He closed his eyes and grit his teeth, forcing memories back down. “You’re not here, you’re not here, you’re not here,” he mumbled almost as a mantra. The anxiety drained out of his arms, legs, and wings, and with a sigh of relief he headed in. Thorax had no idea what comics were, but he had a feeling he’d know them when he saw them. Next to Spike’s bed was a small bookcase, stuffed to almost double capacity. While books were arguably outmoded, they were by no means dead. Maybe a comic was a genera of book? He thumbed through the shelves. Some of the books were much thinner than the others, and softback, with … pictures? No, they were mostly pictures. It seemed these were the comics Spike had recommended to him. Thorax pulled a comic at random off the shelf and gave it a quick glance. He chuckled. These were definitely something Spike would enjoy… He could give them a try. As he went to find the next issue, something fell off the shelf. It looked like a magazine. Figuring it was another comic, Thorax cracked it open. Oh. Oh, stars, this wasn’t a comic! A prerecorded hologram of a beautiful gryphon tom flared to life in front of Thorax’s eyes, as the male spouted fairly cheesy dialogue. Thorax had to admit he was handsome; he could see the attraction. Thorax turned around, and his ears fell. Standing in the doorway, his face several shades lighter, his expression that of someone who swallowed a lemon, Spike stood in burning shame. It radiated off of him in waves. Thorax was confused. There was certainly an accidental invasion of privacy on his part, but why was Spike feeling that way? Thorax snapped the risqué issue shut, shutting off the hologram. He puzzled for a few minutes. When he looked back up, Spike seemed to be praying in Draconic, his eyes closed. Thorax had it figured out. As kind as Spike had been, he was still a dragon, so Thorax approached him carefully. “Spike?” the Changeling asked with concern. Spike didn’t respond. Thorax put his hand under Spike’s chin and tilted Spike’s head up so the shorter male was making eye contact with him. “Uh. Hey. So, about that…” “I like males too,” Thorax said simply. “He was gorgeous. I can understand being, uh, lonely out here, I’m sorry for invading your privacy. I won’t do so again.” Spike blinked in surprise. Thorax was … gay? The guy he had a mad crush on, could maybe like him back? No, this was just the universe toying with him. Any second now he’d wake up. Thorax was speaking again, a hurt look on his face, not because of Spike, but for Spike. “I am sorry others made you feel like less for liking males,” he said. “What?! NO!” Spike shouted. “I mean, yeah, some of the ponies growing up could be pretty homophobic, but I didn’t give a shit about that. My family are all super-supportive, which is awesome. My adoptive Mom keeps asking when I’ll bring a cute guy home,” Spike said, a blush showing through his scales. “It was just…” “Me,” Thorax said simply. The tattoo of Spike’s heart trying to escape his chest began again. Why did he have to be such a nervous wreck?! Shit. Did Thorax know?! No, there was no way, Spike had been incredibly careful around the Drone. He’s a Changeling, he can literally sense your emotions, how could he not know?!!! Spike mentally screamed at himself. Before either of them could get a word out, an alarm began to blare through the ship. Thorax’s ears swiveled as he analyzed the sound. “I don’t recognize that one,” he said slowly. “Diamond Dogs,” Spike said. He grabbed Thorax’s shirt front and pulled him as hard as he could to the front of the ship. “Have you met Diamond Dogs?” he asked. “Many times,” Thorax hissed, his eyes narrowed, his fangs on display, and his tongue sticking out angrily. Spike shivered. He hadn’t seen Thorax angry before, he was honestly kind of scary. “OK, so you’ll know we’re outgunned, and have no way of knowing where they are.” Diamond Dogs were a species of scavengers and slavers, but they had a technology they’d “acquired” that put them leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the system. It allowed their ships to tunnel through subspace, allowing them to hide and burst out at random before they quickly hid again. They would swarm larger ships and overwhelm them without taking a single hit. No one had ever managed to land a hit on a Diamond Dog Cart, despite any bragging claims to the contrary. They were one of the main banes of miners’ and scappers’ existences. Thorax fired up the weapons system. “Thorax, you can’t hit something you can’t se-” Time seemed to almost slow down. With almost mechanical precision, Thorax somehow predicted exactly where each Cart would appear from, landing a shot that disabled their power. Interestingly, he seemed to be more focused on simply disabling the Carts than inflicting serious damage. Spike’s jaw dropped. Shining couldn’t shoot that well, it was impossible! Within moments, Thorax had disabled the entire ambush they’d walked into. The Drone stood up, shaking with fury and gave the ships the Finger, a universal symbol. “Rey’ax Ca’al tu Von Baug!” Thorax screamed. He sat down and smiled. “Ha! Re’sei neir tal uur, Pharynx?!!” he said, apparently speaking to his memories. Thorax then hit the drive, steering them well out of the way of trouble. Spike cleared his throat. “How … how did you do that?!” Thorax looked at the young drake with a fearful expression. “I – I’m not a Scout,” he whispered. “No shit!” Spike snarked. “I’m the youngest broodson of the Queen, and second heir to the Hive. I don’t like combat, but I can hold my own.” Thorax wasn’t looking at Spike as he whispered with horror, “And I led the Invasion on Canterlot.” Author's Note Don't worry, plenty more to come, but that was a good cliffhanger to pause on. Bwa-ha-ha! Hope you get some enjoyment out of this! For a bit of worldbuilding explanation the 3 tribes of ponies all developed on seperate worlds in the same star system, along with all the other MLP species, like Dragons and Changelings. While each originally devleoped on a seperate world, the Sol System is more-or-less unified under the Equestrian Federation. The Badlands are a dangerous asteroid belt even scrap-haulers and miners stay well away from. Spike will explain his adoption story next chapter, BTW. Thorax isn't the only one with family secrets... Quick translation for when Thorax slipped into Changeish: "Wy’xeal hi?!" - "What the Hell?!" "Fli’ken" - I'm not translating that... use your imagination... “Rey’ax Ca’al tu Von Baug!” - ancient Changeish Warcry. "Re’sei neir tal uur, Pharynx?!!" - "Who's the lousy shot now, Pharynx?!!"
Part the Second“And I led the Invasion on Canterlot.” Spike felt a chill run through him at those words, and he stared at Thorax in shock. Thorax clearly felt shame and distress, Spike didn’t need to be an empath to see that. “No!” Spike choked out. “That – that couldn’t have been you!” The memories of that day were already pouring back… The wedding of Shining Armor to Princess Cadence had been just a few short years ago, but for Spike, it might as well have been another lifetime. He was younger then, and if not more innocent, naiver. He, Twiley and the girls had been having a picnic in a beautiful meadow on Equuis Prime when Twilight had gotten a notification, an invitation to the wedding of her brother! Spike was kind of surprised that Twilight hadn’t told the girls about their BBBFF, but thinking back on it, he’d never mentioned the coolest pony he knew either. He couldn’t wait for his brother to meet his best friends! And the best part was that Shining was getting married to Cadence! Even as a hatchling, Spike could tell they were head over hooves for each other, it was a perfect match. The girls chatted happily on the speed rail to Canterlot, but Twilight was distressed that Shinning hadn’t bothered to tell her he was getting married! That was huge! Spike tried to console her by telling her that Shinning hadn’t mentioned anything to him either. When the girls met the Prince-to-be, they oohed and ahed. It was obvious a few of them were smitten. Shinning Armor was the Captain of the Royal Guard, the perfect mix of pretty boy and ruggedly handsome, kind, funny, caring, and a huge dork. Spike didn’t have a crush on his adopted brother, that would be weird, but he hoped he could find somepony like Shinning someday. Spike hadn’t come out to anybody but his diary – uh journal, but it’d been obvious to him for some time that he liked guys. He hoped his family would be OK with that, but yeah, this wasn’t the weekend for that kind of announcement. Shinning greeted them almost robotically, and Cadence was – weird. Almost cruel. Spike hadn’t seen her for some time, but the Cadence he remembered wasn’t a snob. She completely brushed him aside. Figuring it was just the stress of the wedding, Spike decided to give them space. He was so happy to see Ma and Pop again! He gave his parents a bone-crushing hug. As the weekend wore on, Spike reconnected with his family and the girls, all having a very good time. Twilight started acting … weirder than normal. She seemed paranoid and was overly suspicious of Cadence’s every move. Twilight was convinced the Princess was evil or something. Spike tried to reassure his older sister. If only he’d believed her… The weekend came to a climax with a shouting match between Twilight and Shinning, in front of everyone. Eventually Shinning delivered an ultimatum: Twilight could love and accept both him and Cadence, or he could never see her again, and live with that. Spike was distraught. A wedding was supposed to a happy time, but his family was splitting up?! Twilight simply turned and ran, nobody noticing the smirk of triumph on “Cadence’s” face. At the ceremony, Spike pulled on the collar of the suit Rarity had made him. It was some of her best work, and even he thought he looked good in it as he’d posed in front of the mirror, but he couldn’t be comfortable in it. He was still serving as the ring-bearer since he didn’t want to back out, but he didn’t know if he’d have a family anymore after the “I do’s” were said. He wouldn’t be able to enjoy this wedding, as much as he’d wanted to. Partway through the ceremony, Twilight rather dramatically burst into the room, with … Princess Cadence?! Everyone turned in shock to look at the Cadence standing next to Shinning, who gave a chilling grin and revealed herself to be Chrysalis, Queen of the Changeling Hive. Twilight had been right the whole time… Spike could only watch in horror as Chrysalis wiped the floor with Celestia. As the Elements of Harmony prepared for a showdown, Spike heard screams coming from outside the palace. Acting on instinct he rushed to help… and felt like someone was doing the fandango on his grave. Swarms of Changeling ships had surrounded Equuis Prime and were repeatedly firing at the Orbital Defense Shield – something Shinning had helped design. ‘They can’t make it through, right?’ Spike thought. With a sickening crack, the shield broke like the world’s biggest and most expensive piece of stained glass, and the invading ships swarmed the city. With impressive tactical precision, they disabled the rest of the city’s defense grid. Small Scout Ships zipped through the city, as larger ships descended and deployed drop troops. The Drones all wore identical masks that resembled fearsome insects, and all looked like clones of each other. Some groups broke off and took to the wing, but most marched on, each of their steps in perfect synch. Spike watched as the battle began, the Unicorns of the city laying into the Swarm with bursts of magic and laser fire, but no matter how many Drones they took out, the Swarm seemed endless, marching forward patiently. Spike spotted another Drone, smaller than the others, almost delicate looking compared to them. Spike couldn’t make out their body, but their mask was different to the other Changeling’s, seeming to serve as an indicator of their rank. They hovered above the fray, seeming to wordlessly direct the attack below, acting as a hub of sorts. Spike didn’t see it, but as the lead Drone watched, they became increasingly agitated by what they saw, finally flying off to an empty Scout Ship and taking to the sky. Eventually, they won the battle, and Shinning and the real Cadence banished the Changelings with a burst of Love that knocked them back to the Badlands. There were tearful reunions and apologies, and the real wedding was wonderful, but to Spike, it was all a blur. He’d have nightmares that even therapy never banished about that endless marching army, and the monster in the mask who led them. Even Sombra hadn’t scared him that much when they met later. Spike became an adult shortly after Twilight had become a Princess. He approached her one night to tell her something. He told his sister he still loved her, but her life seemed to be made up of battling monsters, and Spike didn’t think he could do that the rest of his life. He wanted to strike out on his own, and see the Sol System, and maybe even beyond! Twilight didn’t say it, but she knew he’d never really gotten over the Invasion. She was crying, but she hugged her little brother as tightly as she could. “It’ll be OK, Shooting Star,” her pet name for Spike. Spike’s egg had been found in a meteor that had crashed to Equuis Prime eons ago. When the meteor had been mined, a preserved Dragon egg had been discovered at its heart. The egg changed hands several times before winding up in Princess Celestia’s collection, and was finally hatched by Celestia’s Student, Twilight Sparkle, who named her new brother Spike when she saw his tiny green ridges. Shining often joked that while Spike was the baby of the family, he was the oldest sibling at the same time. Spike returned the hug and sobbed. He wasn’t brave. Or glorious. He was a scared little hatchling running away from the monsters in his head. Twilight discreetly pulled a few strings and called in a few favors. She gifted Spike with what was frankly the wreck of a scrap hauler. Spike loved the ship on first sight, naming it The Elusive Heart. Spike’s knowledge of gems rivaled most professional jewelers, and his skill at mining was second-to-none. Shinning had been teaching Spike to fly almost since he could walk, and so he was a brilliant pilot as well. So, Spike set off to become the best miner he could be and earned a reputation as the best in the business. And, in a way, he was happy, always coming home for Hearth’s Warming, and staying in touch with friends and loved ones. But he still woke up screaming some nights at the sound of those endless marching hooves. As Spike’s memory trip ended, he looked at Thorax in shock. He hadn’t seen that Drone’s face under the mask, but – Faust. It was true. That really had been Thorax. Spike was filled with more rage than he’d ever felt before. “You – you BASTARD!!!!” he screamed. Thorax flinched but didn’t respond. “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU DID TO MY FAMILY?! WHAT YOU DID TO ME?!!!” Spike began punching and kicking the Drone almost mindlessly. “I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU!!!” he screamed, not at Thorax as much as … Thorax. When he’d calmed down, Spike realized that Thorax hadn’t moved, or retaliated, or even tried to defend himself, taking every blow. He’d – he’d hurt Thorax! A part of Spike was horrified at that, but he didn’t know why. Spike may not have been a full-grown dragon, but those blows could have done serious damage. A trickle of blue blood ran down Thorax’s forehead. The Drone found his voice. “You can’t hate me more than I hate myself. I was the perfect little General,” he said bitterly. “It wouldn’t have gone that well without me. But when I saw what we were doing, I – I couldn’t live with that. So I just ran. And I kept running, until I crashed, and you found me. When I first met you, I just thought you were a random dragon hauling scrap. I didn’t work out who you were for some time. And you were so nice to me!” the Changeling wailed. “As if I deserved it!” “I should blow you out the airlock!” Spike snarled. He took a breath. “But I don’t want blood, not even yours on my conscience.” He grabbed the controls and punched in a course. Thorax watched with fear, breathing a small sigh of relief as he realized they were headed away from Spike’s home world. Eventually, they came across a planet that was more or less a ball of ice. Yakyakistan. Spike spoke with the Yak who hailed them, Thorax not sure what was being said. He was surprised that the drake spoke Yak, but he supposed Spike had traded here too. As Spike piloted them towards a certain spot on the surface, the dragon said without emotion, “You should probably look like a pony when we touch down.” Thorax changed forms, unsure what was happening. They touched down outside a Yak village. Spike greeted a large female Yak warmly as the two conversed. When he was done, he pulled Thorax aside. Thorax felt his stomach crawl at the way Spike looked at him. “I figure not even Changelings mess with Yaks.” Thorax shook his head. “You can live here now, you’ll be safe.” There was a long pause before Spike said, “Have a nice life,” and headed back to the ship. “Thank you,” Thorax whispered. Spike whirled around. “Don’t thank me!” he snarled. With that, the doors to the Elusive Heart closed, and Spike took off. Thorax bowed his head in shame. The Yak walked over and clapped him on the back. In slightly broken Ponish, she said, “Is not Equuis, but you might come to like it here!” Thorax didn’t answer. He faced away from the village and began to walk out into the frozen wastes. He heard the Yak shouting .”HEY! HEY PONY! YOU NOT SURVIVE OUT THERE!” But the snow closed around him, and he was gone. In his quarters, Spike twitched and thrashed in his sleep, occasionally muttering. He then sat up with a scream. He put a hand to his chest and felt his heart beating madly. In a daze, Spike headed to the cockpit and flew to Yakyakistan. He asked for permission to land almost robotically and touched down where he had before. He stepped out. The only thing he was wearing was a set of thin pajama bottoms, and he shivered as the cold assaulted him. Spike’s friend Yvonne rushed over to him. Her Yak was far less broken than her Ponish. “Your friend is CRAZY!” she shouted at the dragon. “He just walked off into the Wastes! We’ve been searching for hours but there’s no trace.” “Gotta find him,” Spike muttered, “Which way?” Yvonne pointed and Spike set off in that direction. “HEY!” Yvonne shouted, “YOU’LL FREEZE TO DEATH! COME BACK!” When Spike paid her no mind, Yvonne gave up and shouted, “YOU’RE ALL CRAZY!!!” Spike pressed on. Ever since he’d left Thorax here, he’d felt like someone had forcibly ripped off one of his arms, and since he had woken up, finding the Drone was the most important thing in the world. Spike just couldn’t say why. He didn’t have any tracking gear, or any winter clothes, or, well, clothes. The vast whiteness around him obscured his vision and was all he could see. He could have turned around five times and not noticed. He was so cold; he’d gone straight through numbness into lack of any sensation at all. It was getting increasingly harder to move, or even think. Dragon or not, Spike was still a half-naked lizard in a blizzard. He was going to go into torpor and die, and he didn’t even know what he was doing here! he thought with a laugh. He had to press on though. Spike didn’t feel himself fall or feel the impact, but his perspective changed like he was watching a movie. He could just stay here a while, and find Thorax after a nice, long nap. That sounded good. Spike’s eyes began to droop. Before he blacked out, he heard a loud droning, seeming to come from everywhere at once. Author's Note Thorax reveals who he is, and that he knows who Spike really is as well. We learn a bit of Spike's past too. Don't worry, Spike isn't going to freeze to death! But what would have drawn him halfway across the Sol System to the person he hates most in the galaxy? P.S. I've done a chapter a day, but that is a very rare fluke, probably shouldn't expect it.
Part the ThirdSpike stirred a few times before his eyes opened. He was in a large cave, but he was alive, dry, and … warm! He grinned. He noticed that he was under a large furry blanket. He stretched, and it fell off. Oh. He was stark naked underneath it. He heard a crackling sound and turned to spot the source. A large fire was burning nearby, close enough for warmth to seep into his bones but far enough to avoid burning him. His pajama pants were hanging nearby, apparently drying out. He supposed they’d been removed to keep him from freezing more. Spike was grateful, but still cautious. He knew the caves around Yakyakistan were infested with Yetis, having met a few himself. But he knew Yetis hated fire, and he doubted they would have covered a meal to keep it warm. Something else had saved him then. Spike walked over to the fire and warmed his claws. He touched his pants. They were drier, but still pretty cold and wet. Modesty would have to wait, it seemed. “Hello?” he called. There was no response, just a brief echo. Spike walked further into the cave. It seemed unlived in. Spike spotted his reflection in a shiny wall. He grinned and puffed his chest out. Out of habit, he flexed, and said, “Lookin’ good, Spike! Lookin’ real good!” As Spike passed by, his reflection slipped on a patch of ice and fell on its butt, letting out an “Oof!” as the wind was knocked out of it. Spike stared in shock as it rubbed at its head and grumbled. That hadn’t been his reflection, but an exact duplicate of him that had mirrored his movements to pretend to be his reflection. Spike had no idea what could have caused that, but he hadn’t been near the mirror pond, so… “Thorax?” Spike asked carefully. His doppelganger nodded with a sheepish grin. “H-hi!” the Changeling squeaked. “Why are you naked?!” “You needed my clothes more than I did…” “What? I – oh. The blanket?” Spike guessed that that was actually the Drone’s Morph Suit. Thorax nodded. Spike sighed. “I – jeeze … I’m sorry. For, for what I did.” “I hurt your family. I hurt you. Your reaction was … understandable. And, no offense, but my brother hits harder than you do…” It was strange for Spike to see a sly grin on his own face. “Yeah, but I dropped you off in the middle of nowhere!” “You meant it as a kindness, and you were right, this was the best place for … someone like me to lie low.” “Yeah, but…” Spike sighed. “I’ve just felt weird since then. I-” Spike pulled Thorax into a hug and ran his cheek along the other Spike’s. He blinked in surprise. “Why’d I do that?” “I think you just marked me,” Thorax said. “I … think I know why, I felt like I was dying after you left.” Spike realized he was still tightly hugging a naked copy of himself. He quickly pulled away. “OK, that’s a little bit too narcissistic.” Thorax grinned. “Do you always do that in front of the mirror?” “Just when I think I’m alone!” Spike stammered. Thorax laughed and changed back into himself. It was the first time Spike had seen the Drone even shirtless, let alone … holy heck he was hot! His chest was covered in lighter ridges of exoskeleton, and his wings were tucked into a beautiful carapace. His arms and legs were full of holes, but while alien, it was beautiful, as long as you didn’t have trypophobia. Thorax squeezed Spike’s arm gently. “C’mon, I have some things to explain…” Spike allowed the Changeling to lead him back to the main cave chamber. Thorax sat and crossed his legs, looking thoughtful. “I … have good reason to believe that you’re my Al’serai,” he said. “Your what?” Thorax sighed. “The closest word in Ponish would be ‘Soulmate.’” Spike snorted. “That’s an old mare’s tale impressionable fillies believe in.” Thorax nodded. “For Ponies, and maybe for Dragons,” he added with a grin. “For Changelings, it’s very real, and a bit more than what you’re thinking.” “What is an Al’serai?” “Some Ponies have a word … re-in-car-nation?” Thorax said, testing each syllable to make sure he said it right. “Some souls, some extraordinary souls, are Al’serai. They live multiple lives across time and worlds. And they always find each other, in each life they live. It’s a bond … I can’t put into words. It’s beyond love, beyond one lifetime. It’s …” Thorax laughed. “It’s why you feel the way you do, right now. It’s why when we separated, we both felt like we’d lost a vital part of our being.” Thorax gently took Spike’s claws, and placed them flat on his chest, as his own hand lay over Spike’s heart. Spike’s eyes widened. Both their hearts were slowly beating in perfect synch. “OK, that’s sort of cool. And yeah, I’ve had a crush on you since, well, almost since you woke up in my ship, but … we’re soulmates?” he said with a laugh. “And what, I’ve known you over multiple lifetimes? I’m sorry, but I can’t believe that.” “If I’m right, I could prove it…” “How?” “Do you trust me? Because I know how you feel about Changelings, and this could seem like mind control…” That made Spike nervous. “What if you’re wrong?” Thorax gave a reassuring smile. “Then absolutely nothing will happen. It only works if we are truly Al’serai, and if at least one of us is a Changeling in this life.” Spike took a deep breath. “I don’t think you’d try to control me, and I’m curious. Go for it. Anything you need me to do?” “Relax and let me in…” Thorax raised his fingers and pressed them to Spike’s temple. He closed his eyes and began to breathe slowly. “You should close your eyes too…” Spike did. He felt a tingling seeping from Thorax into him. “OK, that’s kind of-” A flood broke down the walls into Spike’s mind and he was suddenly somewhere else. He walked through the corridors and out into the sun, stretching his wings as the rays warmed his exoskeleton. ‘Whoa!’ Spike thought. ‘Are these your memories?’ ‘No, Spike,’ Thorax replied in his mind, ‘These are yours. Looks like you were a Changeling once. This is the Changeling Homeworld, so this is ages and ages ago… Long before Chrysalis…’ Spike walked through the lush grass, enjoying it squidging under his hooves. No, he wasn’t Spike, he was … Tarsus. ‘I’m a scholar!’ Spike thought in surprise. ‘The Soul varies little from life to life,’ Thorax replied. Spike thought it was cool that they could still talk. Someone put their hands over his eyes. “Guess who?!” a voice called cheerfully. Tarsus pretended to think about it. “Hmm… Elytrum?” he guessed. The hands were removed, and Tarsus saw the Prince before him. “Tarsus!” Gaster almost whined. Tarsus chuckled. “Forgive me, majesty, I couldn’t resist.” He took the Prince’s hand and kissed it. “Are you excited for tonight?” Gaster chuckled. “Excited, terrified, ready to throw up… I’ll get it all wrong!” “You are the Prince of the Colony; you will do wonderfully. I’ll be with you every step of the way.” The two parted ways. Tarsus was excited beyond words for the upcoming festivities. The Prince had come of age and would choose his mate. Tarsus had an inkling of who Gaster would name… The scene blurred to Gaster’s party. Drums filled the night, and Changelings whirled throughout the glades and sky in a night of celebration. Tarsus was nervous as well, he’d practiced, but this wasn’t another lecture he’d be giving. At the appointed time, he walked to the center of the party, bowing lowly to the Prince. Gaster held up his arms and splayed his palms out flat. Tarsus joined his hands with the Prince’s, pressing his forehead to Gaster’s. The two Changelings began a slow, careful, highly choreographed dance. It was a mating dance, a sign that they would be sealed together. Each turn and step had centuries of meaning, although some of the motions had a decidedly sexual bent, for good reason. ‘Do Changelings still do this?’ Spike asked with wonder. ‘I don’t recognize any of this. We’ve … lost much,’ Thorax replied. The dance concluded. The Prince and his consort were now mated. As the two basked in and fed on each other’s love, the Colony cheered wildly. The scene shifted again. ‘Oh!’ Spike thought with embarrassment. ‘We’re…’ ‘Making love,’ Thorax replied simply. ‘We were mates, and our love sustained the Colony.’ Tarsus was enjoying himself, but Spike felt a bit mortified. A small, traitorous part of his mind was taking notes though. The scene again blurred. A new form, and a new life. Spike was an Earth Pony stallion. He worked out that this was the Middle Ages, long before the Unification. ‘I’m a vegetable merchant?!’ he thought in shock. ‘Quite a cute one, too…’ Thorax added. Spike waited to see who Thorax would be this time. A russet farmer, apparently. Spike’s best supplier and customer. The two chatted happily over Spike’s stall, some flirting only they would recognize as such going on. Eventually, they slipped away into a sunny meadow, just the two of them. Bargain Buys, Spike’s name in this life, pounced onto Top Soil, Thorax, knocking into the grass and attacking him with kisses. “I missed you,” Bargain breathed. Top wound his fingers through Bargain’s mane. “I missed you as well.” They kissed again and again, before Bargain rolled off of him, and laced the fingers together, the two staring up at the sky. They could only be themselves in these stolen moments, but each was a treasure. The scene changed yet again. Bargain and Top were on trial. They were accused of acts of perversion. Both held their grounds, speaking their piece. As they would not repent, they were sentenced to death. At dawn the next day, Bargain and Top were each tied to a funeral pyre. They gave each other one last look as the flame was lit. The fire roared up around Bargain, but he would not confess. He would not take back what he had done. The flames burned hotter and hotter; this would be the end. Bargain let out a groan. The way he had chosen to die was hotter than – Dragonfire! Spike was turning cartwheels through the sky, letting out a jet of flame in shear joy. He recognized that sky, he was in the Dragonlands, although he was a full-grown Dragon. Yet another life. Spike had flown small ships before, but this was an experience like no other. The joy of sky and wind meeting ground far below him. Eventually, he made his way back to his cave, finding his Mate awaiting him. The large black dragon wound his neck around Spike’s and the two shared a moment of peace. Their shared hoard was truly impressive, befitting of – ‘Holy shit!’ Spike thought as he realized. ‘I was Dragon Lord!’ ‘You are always Brave and Glorious, even if it doesn't feel like it…’ As the two dragons continued to playfully nip at each other, a group of hatchlings walked into the room, begging for attention. Spike felt himself tear up. ‘We … we had a family…’ ‘Looks like…’ Spike couldn’t see Thorax, but he could feel a warm glow of pride coming from the Changeling. A new life flashed before Spike’s eyes, followed by another and another. They were coming too fast now for him to tell who, or where, or what he was, but he could begin to see their souls, dancing together, across the worlds, and throughout the ages. I will find you, came a promise, I will always find you… The … vision, or whatever it had been ended. Spike stared at Thorax, who was looking at him uncertainly. Spike grabbed the Changeling and pulled him into a desperate, hungry kiss. When they finally managed to sperate, Spike panted. “Like, forty-nine different versions of me want to take you, right here, right now…” “Always so eager, my Lord,” Thorax purred in flawless Draconic. The voice wasn’t Thorax’s, but it was very familiar to part of Spike. Dragon Lord Pyre purred in Spike’s chest at his Mate’s voice. Spike chuckled. “I can’t tell my memories, from … mine. Is that permanent?” Thorax chuckled. “Our past selves woke up, but they’ll fade in a few days. In time, the memories will fade as well. We aren’t really supposed to have them.” Spike was disappointed by that, but he could understand it. He nibbled at Thorax’s earfin. “Al’serai,” he murmured. “I found you…” “You found me,” Thorax agreed as he pulled Spike in for a hug. The two of them just stayed like that for some time. Spike was the first to break the silence. “I love you,” he realized. “I don’t even know you, but… I love you,” he chuckled. “I know … so much about you. More than you know about yourself. You know more about me than I know about myself. I don’t want to lose that… Can … can I get to know you? Properly in this life?” Thorax nodded. “I won’t let you go again. Not if I can help it. I want to get to know you too.” Spike realized that he was very firmly pressed against his soulmate, and the two of them were still buck naked. Spike chuckled. “I’m kind of hoping the old versions of me quiet down soon, it’s going to be hard to behave…” Spike let out an adorable squeak as Thorax effortlessly pinned him to the ground, straddling him with his hands locked around Spike’s wrists. Thorax didn’t know which version of him said it, but he was pretty sure it was all of him who purred, “Behaving is overrated sometimes…” The two were cuddled up together by the fire. Spike was on cloud nine. Thorax chuckled. “You have the same sweet spots! That’s hysterical.” Spike nodded. “Shuddup. You just have thousands of years of practice playing me like a fiddle you used back there.” “Don’t tell me I was your first? Again.” “Nah, but Spike,” Spike cleared his throat. “I,” he corrected, “have a long history of falling for the wrong guy.” He chuckled. “I still feel like a couple of hundred different people. That was just a fraction of our story, too, wasn’t it?” Thorax nodded. “It goes back further than you can think.” “I sort of get why we’re not supposed to keep those memories, but would I suffer karmic backlash or something if I wrote them down?” “I’m not sure. I doubt you’ll be cursed or anything, but maybe only the highlights? Just to be safe.” Thorax then chuckled. “What?” Spike asked as he craned to look at Thorax. Thorax gave an embarrassed grin. “You were my first this time. I have less than no experience in this life. Luckily, old versions of me had plenty, so I knew what you’d like,” he finished as he playfully booped Spike on the nose. Spike chuckled. “Faust, you are always such a dork! In every life! But you’re my dork, so I love it.” He then smooched his bug. He remembered something. “Our first life, well, not our first first, but the first I remembered with you … we were very different. I mean, Gaster didn’t look like he was starving.” Thorax nodded. “If I’m remembering right, Changelings used to share love, not steal it. As we lost so much, and as Chrysalis took over and poisoned us, we became … this,” he finished flatly as held out his holey arm. “You’re still cute,” Spike said with a grin, “But yeah, I was … more whole I guess as a Changeling way back then. I didn’t feel constantly empty. I wonder if I can love you enough to help?” Thorax chuckled. “I think the metamorphosis is triggered by Changeling to Changeling shared love, otherwise I would have transformed by now.” Spike frowned at that. He hated what Chrysalis had done. A fire of determination began to grow. “OK. So we’ll teach that to the Changelings.” “You … want to go to the Hive?!” “I want to kick Chrysalis off her throne myself!” Spike shouted. “But I’d need your help. We can help Changelings remember what they’re supposed to be!” Thorax chuckled. “I’d tell you that’s impossible, but I know that wouldn’t change your mind…” Spike nodded. “You and I have changed the world before. And, honestly, changing the destiny of the galaxy is sort of my family’s stock and trade in this life. We can do it, I promise.” Thorax nodded. “I believe you.” Spike sighed. “Going back there will be Hell, for both of us, but before then, we need to do something even harder.” Thorax gave him a confused look. “What’s that?” “I want to introduce you to my family.” Thorax swallowed nervously. “Oh, Flark.” Author's Note Two updates in one day?! I must be sick or something. So our boys have a longer shared history than they'd thought! Glad they found each other again. Sorry for the, uh, burning at the stake scene, but the Middle Ages would not have been a good time to be gay. At least they "lived" through it... Spike introducing Thorax to his family couldn't possibly go horribly awry, right? This is my first story where the downvotes outnumber the upvotes, probably because M/M gets downvoted automatically on this site, and probably because the story's crap. I'd still appreciate any comments if anyone is enjoying this at all, they help keep me going... If nobody enjoys this, sorry to have wasted your time, but it's at least doing my mental health a bit of good. Thanks!
Part the FirstSpike was reclining in the air, his hands tucked behind his head as his tail lazily swished from side to side. A wrench floated past him. He’d been told a billion times that living in zero gravity too long would affect his growth but switching the artificial gravity off once in a while was just relaxing. Just him, his thoughts, the universe stretching away infinitely outside the ports, and – an alarm went off. Spike sighed. “Welp. Back to work!” With practiced ease he “swam” through the air towards the door, hitting a button that turned the gravity back on in the main corridors. He landed on his feet and dashed into the cockpit. He’d left the ship idly scanning the asteroid belt he was parked in, and he had apparently just hit the motherload. A large asteroid dead ahead of him was crammed full of gems. He grinned and hit a large button on the console. The ship began to tractor beam the asteroid in, robotic limbs cutting the gems out and sorting them once it was in the main storage bay. “The check is in the mail!” Spike said proudly. He gave the console a loving pat. “Good work, as always.” The Elusive Heart may not have been the fanciest scrap hauler in the galaxy, but she always got the job done. She and Spike always made quite the team, and they were all they needed. It’s not like Spike ever got lonely way out in the boonies of the Sol System for months on end… Spike was pulled out of that depressing thought by a new notification. They were picking up a distress call, from an unknown ship. It had apparently crashed on an asteroid the size of a small moon nearby. This wasn’t Spike’s first rodeo, a distress call could very well be an ambush, but he felt he had a duty to check, especially if someone really did need his help. He cautiously made his way to wear the signal was being broadcasted from. Breathable atmosphere, which was a plus. His heart sank into his feet at what he saw. “Oh, shit!” he whispered. He definitely recognized that make of ship, he’d had nightmares involving them for almost a year. It was made of a strange dark grey, organic looking material, had an asymmetrical spiky design, and was full of holes. It was a Changeling scout ship. One pilot only, unless this was an ambush… The ship had definitely crashed into the asteroid, there didn’t seem to be an occupant in the wreckage. The controls were all wrong, but Spike managed to switch off the distress call after a few tries. He definitely didn’t want any more Changelings showing up. He glanced all around the craft. “Where are you…?” Spike sniffed deeply. It was different smelling than he was used to, but that was definitely blood. Dragons had evolved on a harsh world and had risen to be the top predators. Although they’d long since moved past the hunting beasts they’d been, some things had stuck, including the ability to track potential prey. Spike followed his nose, noting a splotch of a thick bright blue liquid on a rock. He stuck his snout slightly closer and sniffed. “Oh. So that’s what their blood looks like…” He finally found his quarry. The Drone was actually taller than Spike, surprisingly, and rail-thin under the suit he was wearing. From what Spike remembered, all Changelings looked like they were starving, but he’d never seen one up close. The suit was made of what looked like black rubber, and skintight, it almost looked like a catsuit. The Drone was male, judging by the bulge Spike could make out between his legs, and unconscious. His head had a nasty cut that was still bleeding. Worried it could still be a ruse, Spike gently poked him in the chest. He didn’t react, but from where spike had touched the suit, a flash of green rippled out in hexagon-shaped cells. “Woah! Cool! And kind of kinky…” Spike had more reason than most to hate Changelings, but it was obvious that this Drone was injured and in need of assistance. Spike couldn’t just let him die. He sighed. “Faust damnit if Twiley finds out…” Spike glanced at the Changeling. “Uhh… stay there!” He then dashed back to the Elusive and grabbed a charge. He planted it in the wreckage of the scout ship. Twilight would have killed to get her hands on the technology it had, but Spike had his reasons for this. His ear fins folded down in shame and he grit his teeth. “I’m sorry…” He pressed the button, and the ship went down in flames. Now it couldn’t be traced. Spike made his way back to the injured Drone, relieved that he was still out cold. He picked him up, slinging one of the Drone’s arms around his neck. Spike was surprised by how light the Changeling was, it was like lifting a feather. Spike brought the Changeling into what passed as the ship’s med bay, laying him on the table. He briefly considered restraining him in case he woke up but thought better of it. While even an injured Drone could put up a good fight, Spike wanted to give an impression of good will when he woke up. First things first, Spike went back to the cockpit and punched a random course as far away as he could get without running into anybody just in case the Hive had received the distress call. He then went back to the “med bay.” Spike took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. He didn’t know the first thing about Changeling physiology, Twilight was the expert in Xenobiology, but he prayed it was close enough to treating a Pony. That he could do well. Knowing there was a high chance he could accidentally kill his patient with medicine not designed for him, Spike carefully used a dermal regenerator on the injuries he could see. He tried to get that strange suit off, but it seemed to be almost welded to the Drone’s flesh. Spike sighed. “You couldn’t have made this easy?” he grumbled. He pulled over the med scanner to check for internal injuries. The organs were what he’d expect from a pony, and the worst thing he could find was a concussion, which was easily treatable. Spike prayed to any Draconic, Ponish, or hypothetical Changeling gods who were listening that this would work before he gave the Drone a round of standard antibiotics and a shot to wake him up. Spike then backed away and hid behind a convenient stack of spare parts. The Drone’s eyes fluttered open. They were a brilliant shade of cyan, and compacted, like an insect’s. He groaned and rubbed his head. He slowly sat up and looked around, a nervous look on his face. “Wy’xeal hi?!” he said in a shocked tone. Like the other Changelings Spike had met, his voice had a buzzing quality, and a slight echo, as if two people were speaking in not quite unison. Spike discreetly pressed a button on his pad. While the Elusive wasn’t fancy enough to have a true on-board A.I., hopefully the translator could work with Changeish. Which meant the Drone had to talk more. Mentally preparing for the worst, Spike stepped out of his hiding spot. The Drone’s jaw dropped at what he saw. A lanky purple dragon with green ridges was dressed in a tan scrap hauler’s jumpsuit. Brilliant emerald eyes watched him carefully. He swallowed nervously. This was it. This was how he died. He cursed the fact he never learned Draconic when he had the chance. “Do you speak Ponish?” the Drone asked carefully. Spike blinked in surprise. He then realized it made sense that a Changeling would speak other species’ languages since they infiltrated other worlds. “Yeah,” he replied. After an awkward pause, he asked, “How are you feeling?” “Like I crashed and nearly died,” the Drone replied in an equally awkward tone. “Did … you save me?” Spike nodded. “Yes. I mean, I know Ponies and Changelings are sort of at war, but I couldn’t just leave you there to die.” “It’s not war,” the Drone muttered. Spike sighed. “Sorry, I’ve only ever heard the Pony side of it, and I couldn’t think of a better word. ‘Conflict’ I guess… Still not my place to just pass by.” “You are … a very strange Dragon,” the Changeling muttered. Spike rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, giving an adorable, embarrassed grin. “Well, I was raised by Ponies, that’s most of it… What’s your name?” “Thorax.” “I’m Spike. Spike T. Dragon. My friends call me ‘Spike the Brave and Glorious,’ but as a friend joke.” Thorax grinned, showing off his fangs. “‘Spike?’” he asked in an amused tone. Spike sighed. “My sister was like 8 when she named me, nobody told her that wasn’t a typical dragon name.” Spike thought carefully. “I won’t actually go into the Badlands, but I’ll drop you as close as I-” “I CAN’T GO BACK!” Thorax shouted, terror in his voice and plain across his face. “Woah! OK! Why not?” “My M- The Queen kills those who leave the Hive and return. She says they’re ‘corrupted by outside forces.’ I’d like to live, thanks…” Spike nodded. “Yeah, I can get that. Only problem is if I take you within 3,000 klicks of Equuis Prime, you’d probably be dissected, and I don’t think either of us want that…” Thorax shook his head. Spike sighed. “Is there anywhere else you could go?” Thorax again shook his head. “I’m pretty much a fugitive…” Spike sighed. “Well, if nobody finds out about you, I guess you can travel with me for a bit. At least until we find a place you can lie low, it’s a big system… So! Welcome aboard the Elusive Heart, Crewman Thorax! Mi Casa es su Casa, but I expect you to pull your weight. You’re the only other person on the ship, and we can go months without seeing another living soul. Is that all right?” Thorax smiled. “After what I just left, that sounds great. Thanks. What kind of scrap do you haul?” An affronted look crossed Spike’s face. “I’m a gem miner, thank you very much! I’m commissioned by the Equestrian Federation and everything! I’m one of the best in the business!” “Sorry…” “No problem, it’s an easy mistake to make. I’d better find some quarters for you… C’mon then, I’ll give you the grand tour!” Spike showed Thorax the cockpit, his incredibly messy quarters, the mess with a basic replicator, and storage. He laughed. “That’s about it, but I hope this will make an OK bedroom for you!” It was a small room, used as a second storage, but it had a broad window, and was tidier than the rest of the ship. Spike blushed. “I’ll have to clear this stuff out, and we’ll have to buy you a bed, the replicator’s food only. Oh, do you have any other, uh, clothes?” Thorax’s head tilted slightly to the right. “What kind of clothes should I have?” “Something less conspicuous? Like what a, uh, non-Changeling would wear?” Thorax nodded. He brought his arm up and apparently typed something directly into the suit he was wearing. The suit shimmered green and morphed into a pink t-shirt and some tan pants. “This is what Ponies wear, right?” “Woah! That is awesome!” “Yes, morph-suits are very useful.” Thorax’s eyes widened. “T’lChak!” he apparently swore. “What happened to the ship I was in?!” “I … kind of blew it up,” Spike said sheepishly. “I didn’t want the Hive to track it or me…” Thorax sighed in relief. “Is this outfit OK?” Spike gave him the thumbs up. “You look great! Just need a face to go with it…” In a burst of green flame, Thorax was replaced by a buff lime-green unicorn with orange eyes, and an orange mane. The outfit had grown to match his new body. “How’s this?” “Looking good! Are you up to a trip to a trading post to find a bed? I don’t want to make you take the floor.” “I should be OK,” Thorax said uncertainly. “Are you OK spending Bytes on that?” “Well, I just got an amazing haul, so once I turn that in, I should be pretty loaded for a bit. A bed’s no trouble, and if there’s anything else, let me know! We’d need to travel to my drop-off point, but we’ll pretend you’re not here then, OK?” “Sounds good. Oh, call me… Key Lime. I’m a baker from Appleoosa.” “Can you bake?” Spike asked disbelievingly. “I’m OK…” “Can you even eat physical food?” Thorax nodded with a grin. “It doesn’t give us very much nutrition, but it tastes great, and it’s not like we get fat, so why wouldn’t we? It definitely helps us blend in…” Spike gave a nervous chuckle. He then realized something. “Oh. You were … kinda dying, out there. Do you want something to eat? Would that help?” Thorax nodded eagerly. “I’m starving! But then, I’m-” “Always starving,” Spike finished with him. “Must be a miserable life. Well, I replicate a mean pizza, is that OK?” Thorax nodded. “I love pizza!” Spike had to ask, but now wasn’t the best time. “Right.” He folded his arms and grinned. “Which way to the mess, crewman?” Thorax got it right on the first try. “Wow!” Spike said. Thorax chuckled. “The Hive is kind of an ever-changing maze, so over time we adapted a really good sense of direction.” He shifted back into his Changeling form, back in the Morph suit as it was apparently called. For being a species of raiders and spies, Changeling technology seemed kind of cool, Spike thought. “Uh, does the morph suit come off?” Thorax did the head tilt again. “Yes, but then I’d be naked. Do you want me naked?” “No!” Spike shouted. “Sorry. When I was examining you, I couldn’t get it off to get a better picture of how injured you were. I was just curious, that’s all.” Thorax nodded. For being an alien Spike had been raised to hate and fear, the bug-like Equine was actually pretty cut- Spike mentally slapped himself. The last thing he needed at this point in his life was a crush, especially on an enemy of the state. With a fine ass… Spike thought with a sigh. Yeah, he was going to request Thorax not wear anything that provocative around him. “Any toppings you like?” “When we eat physical food, we’re omnivores, so meat is fine. I could do with the protein. I definitely can’t break down gems,” he said with a laugh. “I’m not picky, whatever you think would be good.” “OK, but nobody likes anchovies,” Spike said with a laugh. “I love anchovies!” Thorax said with a grin. Spike blinked in surprise. “Me too. One pizza, coming up!” Spike punched an order into the replicator and a pizza whirred into existence. He’d left the gems off since his guest couldn’t even bite into them, and in Spike’s not-so-humble opinion replicated gems tasted like packing peanuts. As part of his payment, he always kept a cut of “snacks” out of what he found. The pizza was peperoni with anchovies and olives. Spike portioned out half to Thorax who tore into it ravenously. “Mmm!” Thorax moaned. “So Fli’ken good!” Spike chuckled at the slip into Changeish. “Changelings have an enhanced sense of taste,” Thorax explained, “So I’m getting more out of this than you are. This is amazing!” He wiped a bit of grease off his chin. Spike chuckled. Okay, Thorax was adorable, that didn’t mean he had a crush on him though! “You’re not like any Changeling Scout I’ve met,” Spike said. “I … haven’t been a scout long,” Thorax replied. There was a long, awkward pause, as they both knew what issue they weren’t talking about. Thorax broke it by pointing at the replicator. “Will you show me how to use that?” Spike nodded. “You’ll be here for at least a few months, so of course! Can I buy you some clothes in exchange?” Thorax looked confused. “My morph suit can turn into anything I want, and it’s self-cleaning. Why do I need more clothes?” “It’s kind of … revealing,” Spike managed to say with a straight face. Thorax was definitely confused now. “It covers almost 90% of my body. How is that too revealing?” Hoh, foal. “It … uh, hugs you a little bit too tightly.” “It isn’t alive, how can it hug me?” Spike facepalmed. “Yes, it covers you, but it’s so tight you might as well be naked! I can see your ribs! I can see, well never mind, but it’s a bit distracting.” “My body is distracting to you?” “Very,” Spike sighed. Thorax shrugged and punched another code into his suit. It changed back into a shirt and pants. “Is this better?” Spike nodded. “Strange…” Thorax muttered, going back to his pizza. “If you don’t want the default form of the suit, I will happily wear clothes you get me, but we’d need a few sizes and body types probably…” “Should be manageable.” “Are you this generous to all your stowaways?” Spike chuckled. “Nah, I just … haven’t had company in a while. We can leave to drop off my haul and go shopping for you whenever you’re ready!” Thorax nodded, and they set off. “Key Lime” was in awe at the bazar around him. It was a major trading hub for the entire system, anything you wanted could be found for the right price. Even if it wasn’t entire legal, but that section was deep below the surface. Spike and Thorax were sticking to above board sales today. Thorax had to stop himself from purring as he tested each mattress, each seemed better than the last! They were testing things for beds in star craft since gravity could be unpredictable at times. They finally found a mattress and frame Thorax loved, and even got a decent price to install it! Next was clothes shopping. Thorax’s siblings had always poked fun at him for it, but he had enjoyed playing “dress up” as a nymph. When practicing a disguise, one of his favorite parts was creating a matching outfit. They got a number of outfits in different styles and sizes, since Thorax assured Spike he could adjust his measurements to fit, rather than the other way around. Spike insisted on buying underwear for each outfit, although he didn’t want Thorax to model those for him. At least outside of his head. His eyes caught a pair of sinfully red lace panties that were in Thorax’s size in his true form. Spike’s heart began to thud in his chest, and he could feel a flop sweat starting as his mind conjured Thorax in them, lying in a silky bed with a cute expression. No. Absolutely not! It would be wrong to get them for the Changeling just because. He was the Captain, Thorax was his crew, and this wasn’t Space Trek for Faust’s sake! Spike snatched them anyway. They were about his size. Since he certainly wasn’t going to give them to Thorax, he might look good in them. It wouldn’t be his first time. Maybe he could get a date the next time he was in the civilized sectors. Thorax loved each and every outfit Spike helped him pick out, promising to find a fun face for each. He obviously didn’t have Bytes to repay the drake, so he opted for a bone-crushing hug, joy lighting up his face. Spike realized that this was probably the nicest anyone had ever been to the Drone. They had a nice lunch in the food layer, and Spike introduced Thorax to some foods the Changeling had never heard of. The Changeling was surprisingly not picky, seeming to enjoy everything he tried, though he went meat free in his current form. Spike had to remind himself that these weren’t what the Changeling really wanted, and that on some level, the Drone saw him as a snack. Spike’s pad pinged to let them know Thorax’s new room was installed, and they rushed to see it. Thorax’s jaw dropped. The former storage space had been converted into a cozy if small bedroom in soothing colors. Thorax carefully reached out towards the bed as if he were afraid he’d spook it, and gave it a quick pat. “I – I’ve never had one before…” he whispered. “A bed to yourself?” “A bed. A door. A room that wasn’t crammed full of Drones trying to stay warm. This is … thank you.” Spike discovered that day that a Changeling could cry from happiness while not disguised. The trip to the bazar was brief and unusual, business never really stopped for Spike. Well, Spike and Company now. He enjoyed speaking to Thorax, but it was painfully obvious that there were certain subjects they were dancing around. Neither of them ever mentioned family, or the Wedding… Spike had broken down and asked if Thorax would be able to properly feed, since Spike didn’t love him, and wasn’t about to let him drain an innocent soul. Thorax patiently explained that Changelings could feed on any positive emotion, love was just the strongest and most filing. There were also lots of different types of love, each meaning different things. Thorax admitted with a blush that he’d actually been simply feeding on Spike’s love for his ship and his work. It didn’t have to be romantic love; love of life was love too. Spike hadn’t noticed Thorax’s snacking on him at all, but he wasn’t any worse for wear, so he was OK letting things stand where they were. Spike didn’t know if it was an inherent trait of Changelings, but Thorax was a very fast study. He’d picked up how to fly the ship at lightning speeds, and now he could fly the Elusive Heart almost as well as Spike! Almost. The two males were sitting in the cockpit as it idly scanned a new section of asteroid belt for anything they could harvest. Thorax sighed. He was fidgeting slightly, Spike noticed. “What’s up?” Thorax cringed. “Kinda bored,” he admitted slowly, as though it were something shameful. “Why the tone of voice?” Thorax looked at him with wide eyes. “You’ve given me so much! A home, a bedroom, companionship, your love, and a career! My being bored with my work is an insult to your gift!” Spike chuckled. “Thorax, it’s fine! Gem mining is pretty mind-numbing at times, it’s OK if you’re bored once in a while.” Thorax relaxed slightly. “I’ve got some comics in my quarters if you want something to read while we wait.” “Comics?” Thorax asked in confusion. Spike chuckled. “Oh, are you in for a treat! Just go find something that peaks your interest, I’m sure you’ll find something to amuse yourself.” Thorax nodded and headed off. Spike chuckled; he was happy to be the one to introduce Thorax to the wonderful old-fashioned medium of the graphic novel. Spike ran through a mental catalogue of what he had on board. Spike chuckled a bit. Years of living with Twilight had rubbed off on him, but while he was by no means a slob, his quarters weren’t quite as fastidiously tidy as Thorax’s. The color drained from Spike’s face, and he let out a very rude word in Draconic as he remembered something important when it wasn’t just him on board. He ran as fast as he could. Thorax was a bit nervous at entering Spike’s room. While Spike was a very “chill” person, years of habit made him wary of entering the room of a superior, even with their permission. He closed his eyes and grit his teeth, forcing memories back down. “You’re not here, you’re not here, you’re not here,” he mumbled almost as a mantra. The anxiety drained out of his arms, legs, and wings, and with a sigh of relief he headed in. Thorax had no idea what comics were, but he had a feeling he’d know them when he saw them. Next to Spike’s bed was a small bookcase, stuffed to almost double capacity. While books were arguably outmoded, they were by no means dead. Maybe a comic was a genera of book? He thumbed through the shelves. Some of the books were much thinner than the others, and softback, with … pictures? No, they were mostly pictures. It seemed these were the comics Spike had recommended to him. Thorax pulled a comic at random off the shelf and gave it a quick glance. He chuckled. These were definitely something Spike would enjoy… He could give them a try. As he went to find the next issue, something fell off the shelf. It looked like a magazine. Figuring it was another comic, Thorax cracked it open. Oh. Oh, stars, this wasn’t a comic! A prerecorded hologram of a beautiful gryphon tom flared to life in front of Thorax’s eyes, as the male spouted fairly cheesy dialogue. Thorax had to admit he was handsome; he could see the attraction. Thorax turned around, and his ears fell. Standing in the doorway, his face several shades lighter, his expression that of someone who swallowed a lemon, Spike stood in burning shame. It radiated off of him in waves. Thorax was confused. There was certainly an accidental invasion of privacy on his part, but why was Spike feeling that way? Thorax snapped the risqué issue shut, shutting off the hologram. He puzzled for a few minutes. When he looked back up, Spike seemed to be praying in Draconic, his eyes closed. Thorax had it figured out. As kind as Spike had been, he was still a dragon, so Thorax approached him carefully. “Spike?” the Changeling asked with concern. Spike didn’t respond. Thorax put his hand under Spike’s chin and tilted Spike’s head up so the shorter male was making eye contact with him. “Uh. Hey. So, about that…” “I like males too,” Thorax said simply. “He was gorgeous. I can understand being, uh, lonely out here, I’m sorry for invading your privacy. I won’t do so again.” Spike blinked in surprise. Thorax was … gay? The guy he had a mad crush on, could maybe like him back? No, this was just the universe toying with him. Any second now he’d wake up. Thorax was speaking again, a hurt look on his face, not because of Spike, but for Spike. “I am sorry others made you feel like less for liking males,” he said. “What?! NO!” Spike shouted. “I mean, yeah, some of the ponies growing up could be pretty homophobic, but I didn’t give a shit about that. My family are all super-supportive, which is awesome. My adoptive Mom keeps asking when I’ll bring a cute guy home,” Spike said, a blush showing through his scales. “It was just…” “Me,” Thorax said simply. The tattoo of Spike’s heart trying to escape his chest began again. Why did he have to be such a nervous wreck?! Shit. Did Thorax know?! No, there was no way, Spike had been incredibly careful around the Drone. He’s a Changeling, he can literally sense your emotions, how could he not know?!!! Spike mentally screamed at himself. Before either of them could get a word out, an alarm began to blare through the ship. Thorax’s ears swiveled as he analyzed the sound. “I don’t recognize that one,” he said slowly. “Diamond Dogs,” Spike said. He grabbed Thorax’s shirt front and pulled him as hard as he could to the front of the ship. “Have you met Diamond Dogs?” he asked. “Many times,” Thorax hissed, his eyes narrowed, his fangs on display, and his tongue sticking out angrily. Spike shivered. He hadn’t seen Thorax angry before, he was honestly kind of scary. “OK, so you’ll know we’re outgunned, and have no way of knowing where they are.” Diamond Dogs were a species of scavengers and slavers, but they had a technology they’d “acquired” that put them leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the system. It allowed their ships to tunnel through subspace, allowing them to hide and burst out at random before they quickly hid again. They would swarm larger ships and overwhelm them without taking a single hit. No one had ever managed to land a hit on a Diamond Dog Cart, despite any bragging claims to the contrary. They were one of the main banes of miners’ and scappers’ existences. Thorax fired up the weapons system. “Thorax, you can’t hit something you can’t se-” Time seemed to almost slow down. With almost mechanical precision, Thorax somehow predicted exactly where each Cart would appear from, landing a shot that disabled their power. Interestingly, he seemed to be more focused on simply disabling the Carts than inflicting serious damage. Spike’s jaw dropped. Shining couldn’t shoot that well, it was impossible! Within moments, Thorax had disabled the entire ambush they’d walked into. The Drone stood up, shaking with fury and gave the ships the Finger, a universal symbol. “Rey’ax Ca’al tu Von Baug!” Thorax screamed. He sat down and smiled. “Ha! Re’sei neir tal uur, Pharynx?!!” he said, apparently speaking to his memories. Thorax then hit the drive, steering them well out of the way of trouble. Spike cleared his throat. “How … how did you do that?!” Thorax looked at the young drake with a fearful expression. “I – I’m not a Scout,” he whispered. “No shit!” Spike snarked. “I’m the youngest broodson of the Queen, and second heir to the Hive. I don’t like combat, but I can hold my own.” Thorax wasn’t looking at Spike as he whispered with horror, “And I led the Invasion on Canterlot.” Author's Note Don't worry, plenty more to come, but that was a good cliffhanger to pause on. Bwa-ha-ha! Hope you get some enjoyment out of this! For a bit of worldbuilding explanation the 3 tribes of ponies all developed on seperate worlds in the same star system, along with all the other MLP species, like Dragons and Changelings. While each originally devleoped on a seperate world, the Sol System is more-or-less unified under the Equestrian Federation. The Badlands are a dangerous asteroid belt even scrap-haulers and miners stay well away from. Spike will explain his adoption story next chapter, BTW. Thorax isn't the only one with family secrets... Quick translation for when Thorax slipped into Changeish: "Wy’xeal hi?!" - "What the Hell?!" "Fli’ken" - I'm not translating that... use your imagination... “Rey’ax Ca’al tu Von Baug!” - ancient Changeish Warcry. "Re’sei neir tal uur, Pharynx?!!" - "Who's the lousy shot now, Pharynx?!!"
