Intermission Sibling Highway

Pharynx shakes his head to clear his mind from the overwhelming photosynthetic scenery. In that web of widespread disbelief of ours, Chrysalis and I can feel a slight worry coming from Pharynx. “Where are we?” We turn our heads to face him.

I sigh in melancholy. “The future, or rather, the present.”

“But there’s no one here! Didn’t I save Thorax?”

“You did. Carve and I could see that. But our interactions change more than just the future, it changes who other beings are. Judging by the foliage and the lack of movement, nobody rules this land anymore; it’s completely abandoned.”

“You knew this could happen, Pharynx. You just didn’t want to admit it.”

Pharynx’s worry is growing, realizing his very home is now very much vacant. “Where is he? Where is my brother?”

I lightly press my hoof on Pharynx’s chest. “Come with us, okay? We’ll find out together.”

While we walk around Ponyville, Chrysalis, Pharynx and I see ponies and changelings living together in harmony. From the roundabout to Sugar Cube Corner to Sweet Apple Acres, you would be caught dead without seeing a changeling helping out, eating, chatting, or otherwise have a wonderful time with the earth ponies, unicorns and pegasi throughout town.

We finally come up to Princess Twilight Sparkle’s castle, and go around back to the bank of the river to see a tombstone.

Here lies Queen Chrysalis:

1969-2017

Age: 47 years, 20 moons

Pharynx stares in shock; he obviously didn’t intend to see the queen gone forever. “Queen Chrysalis? How?!?”

Chrysalis sighs. “I wouldn’t be surprised if this is because of Thorax. He saw my new form in this timeline. If you were him Pharynx, would you as a king want to see me succeed like I did?”

“Of course not… but I’m not him. I’m me. I just wanted to see my brother one more time, king or not. But I’ve also always liked you as a queen.”

“Let Carve and I show you where Thorax might be.”

When we come in the castle, we take the usual directions to the throne room, open the door, and wave hello.

Twilight gasps with excitement and runs to us. “Carve! There you are!” When she hugs me, she also notices Chrysalis. Seems like Chrysalis never transformed here too. “Who’s this changeling? She looks familiar.”

“Not important right now, Twilight. Carve and I pulled Pharynx to the present for once. What do you know about Thorax?”

Hm. That looks like it plucked a nerve in Twilight. “Oh that murderer? Yeah, we banished him to the abandoned Frederick Towne Mall. He’ll be made as miserable as possible there.”

Chrysalis looks at Pharynx, who is on the verge of tears, disappointed at him for how all this has turned out so far. “Pharynx… do you see now?”

“B-b-but my brother! I saved his life, and now I won’t even get to see him because he killed the very queen I love?!? What kind of horrible future is this?!?”

Twilight sees Pharynx’s behavior and begins showing some understanding and compassion. She steps forward and wraps her hoof around him. “Maybe one that doesn’t need to happen. You know as well as I do that going back in time will never solve your problems. Queen Chrysalis, I will need to help you, since your hive in this present is abandoned. Can you give me the spell so that you can all fix this?”

Chrysalis hands over the time travel spell to Twilight, who activates the map to send us back to the moment before Thorax was overthrown.

Once we’re back, Chrysalis and I face Pharynx lying on his stomach in remorse, the scene below happening as we converse.

“Carve, Chrysalis, I never would’ve went back if I realized there was a chance I wouldn’t be able to see Thorax anyway! Is there anything I can do to make it up to you two?!?”

Chrysalis sits down and floats Pharynx next to her left hoof to comfort him. “I only hope you can forgive me after what happened to Thorax. I know he was your family, but it’s never too late to start a new one with other ponies.”

“But who do I trust? I’d possessed undying loyalty for your first rule and look where that led me. I don’t know if anyone would take me under their wing now,” Pharynx explains.

I rest my hoof on Pharynx’s shoulder. “We would. That revelation was enough to change your mind. If you can learn from your mistakes like you’ve just shown us, then we can work together to help you in your time of need.”

“You… you think so?”

“We know so…” Chrysalis and I say in unison. Pharynx holds out his hoof, which Chrysalis accepts with her own. Meanwhile, Thorax in the background does his scream. Once that is over, the wind sweeps the three of us into the correct timeline. We recover from the landing and see Chrysalis’ throne send the scroll we had with us into the portal to be forever lost.

As everything dies down, Pharynx hugs me and Carve. “I’m sorry… about everything. You two were right; going back in time is not worth losing the loved ones I still have. I just wish I realized it sooner.”

I hug back. “We’re all home now, Pharynx, and everything is back to normal. As long as you’ve learned your lesson, that’s all that matters.” Pharynx falls asleep while I forgive him. When I see, I roll my eyes. “Why do I always do that? Is it seriously night already? Carve, go back home. I’ll handle Pharynx from here.”

Carve nods, and leaves the throne room. Soon after I leave as well.

I take my time throughout the hive, carrying Pharynx on my back and taking him to Carve’s old room from before she was ejected out of Equestria. From here, I lay him with my magic onto the hive bed.

The way he looks to be sleeping, a variant of the fetal position I saw from Aita when we returned to Equestria after confronting Spitfire, Pharynx is still very scared, possibly from what happened to me in that timeline Carve and I showed him. I hug him one last time before doing the one thing I’ve always done with a scared changeling, especially a young one. As I sing, I use my wings as accompaniment.

Nat fu mel pa nel, tehinteringa.
Valle ladega danen.
Leyu curedon o gutara,
valnat zo ho romonen.

After that small lullaby, Pharynx’s body becomes more relaxed. Perhaps he’s undergoing rapid eye movement and therefore can hear me.

I quickly make a brief dash out of the room and walk back up to my throne. It has been a long day going through time like that. It’s just relieving to be back home in the timeline I belong in. There is no doubt in my mind that Carve and Pharynx are feeling the same way. I let myself collapse onto my stomach, my head turned to the side, feeling the very much heated throne beneath me.

“Well, I know someone who isn’t dreaming tonight.”

And so, I close my eyes and begin to fall asleep.