Changed: Saving My Friend

A week had passed since the fight with the monster. Thorax had regained his health. But, Spike continued to sleep inside the cocoon. He gently pressed his hoof against it as he looked at his friend. His body had healed. But, the cocoon was slowly changing him. His wings had become more transparent and an elytra had grown over them. He also noticed a small horn growing on his forehead. He sighed and walked away from it. He may have been worried about his friend; he was still the king and had responsibilities to his subjects.

He exited the throne room and headed for the meeting chamber. He was waiting for the replies to his letters. He was more worried about what Princess Twilight would do rather than Ember. Spike had warned him about Twilight's Twilighting moments. As he walked through the halls of the hive; he didn't feel alone. Somehow it felt like Spike was walking right beside him. It made him feel better. But, he wished for him to be out of that thing.

“King Thorax!”

He turned to face a guard that was running towards him. The guard stopped in front of him and bowed. “Your, Highness. The messenger who was sent to the dragonlands has just passed our borders.” He smiled at the good news. “But, The Dragonlord is with them.”

He sighed while shaking his head. He figured she would respond in form rather than letter. “Alert the rest of the guard and inform my brother that I'll be outside the hive.” He ordered.

The guard saluted him before running off to complete the task at hand. Thorax looked up and flew towards an opening in the ceiling. The moment he exited the hive he flew towards the eastern border. The dragonlands were off in that direction. As he flew through the air he saw the messenger and her. When they were closer he motioned for the drone to head for the hive. She nodded and flew around them and to the hive.

He focused on Ember. She was heading right for him. He moved to land in a field close by; she followed him. They landed in the field and faced each other. He saw how angry she looked; he even saw wisps of flame at the edges of her mouth. She began to stomp towards him.

“Hey, Ember.” He greeted her.

“Don't you hey Ember me! Thorax!” She shouted at him. “What in the world were you two idiots thinking!” She started to rant. “Fighting some kind of monster on your own! A monster that neither of you knew anything about!? Why in the?!”

“Shut up, Ember.” He said calmly.

“WHAT!” She shouted at him.

“I SAID SHUT UP!” He shouted back at her.

She wanted to run up and punch him in the face. Her claws were clenched into fists and she felt a fire building inside her chest. Her anger was replaced by shock. He was glaring at her; he was even clenching his teeth in anger. This was a first from him; normally he was a pushover.

“Ember, when you got that letter, did you ever think that I wasn't saying the same thing?” He asked her. “Did you not think that I haven't been blaming myself?” He continued he looked down at the ground. “I would give anything to trade places with him. If I could do more; I would be doing it right now.” Images of his friend flashed before his eyes. Horrible images of his mangled body flashed before him. “Did you not think for even one moment.” He looked back at her with a tear-filled glare. “THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN REGRETTING WHAT I LEAD US INTO!”

It was silent in the field. Some birds that had landed nearby were spooked by his shout. He continued to glare at her. Oddly, enough, the tears he was crying made him look more intimidating. She started to walk closer to him. Her glare was gone, replaced by a soft expression. When she was close enough; she wrapped him in a gentle hug. He shut his eyes as he felt her hold on him. He was trying to stop crying.

“You're the king.” She reminded him. “You can cry for however long you want.”

She broke the hug and he wiped the tears away. For a moment it was silent again. “Can I see him?” She asked.

“Yeah.” He replied before turning towards the hive. “Follow me.” He instructed before he spread his wings and started flying.

Ember followed close behind him. As they flew back to the hive; they talked about a few things. He asked her why she didn't have her guards or at least one of them with her. Her answer was that this was a personal matter. In other words, she told them to stay away; unless they wanted her to tear their wings off. She asked him about Twilight. A question that went unanswered for the remainder of the flight. He led her through the opening he had flown through. Both of them landed in the hall. He led her to the throne room.

Before she could enter he stopped her. “You're, probably not gonna like what you see.” He warned her.

A look of worry came upon her face. He stepped to the side and motioned for her to enter the room. She slowly entered; he was correct she didn't like what she saw. The cocoon was suspended in the air in front of the throne. Its purple and green shell appeared to be pulsing. It looked disgusting. Almost as disgusting as a roc's corpse that had been left out in the hot sun. She stepped closer to it. As she got closer she could see Spike on the inside. A gasp escaped her and she ran the rest of the way to it.

She gently touched the cocoon. “Spike!” She called out as she stared at him.

She was shocked by his appearance. He looked like he was part dragon and part changeling. His wings looked different. There was a horn on his forehead. Even, his claws were starting to change. She looked back at Thorax. “It's really changing him?” She asked.

He nodded. “Yes.” He looked away in shame. “I didn't know if it would heal him or not.” A disgusted look appeared on his face. “She.” He said that word with a hint of anger. “Hardly mentioned anything to us.”

She knew who he was talking about. She looked back at Spike again. It looked like he was sleeping inside the cocoon. “Can we take him out?” She asked.

“Only if you want to kill him.” He answered. “If we try to force the cocoon open. It will fill with acid and destroy the creature inside.”

She looked at him with a horrified look. “Was that bitch that crazy?!”

He glared at her. “That bitch is still my mother.” He surprised her with what he said. “And, yes, she was.” He answered before walking up to the cocoon. “She would rather die than be taken alive.” He gently pressed his hoof against the cocoon.

She saw the look of sadness on his face. She couldn't imagine what he was going through right now. It hurt to see Spike inside the cocoon. But, Thorax, was hurting every minute he was spending inside of it. She didn't want to think about the decision he was forced to make.

“Can he hear us?” She asked him.

He shook his head. “I don't know, maybe.” He answered.

“Maybe?” She questioned. “What do you mean maybe?”

He looked at her in frustration. “I mean I don't know. There, have been times, even right now. It feels like he's standing right next to me. There have even been times I've heard him talking to me.” He looked at the cocoon and continued. “I think the cocoon has a link to our hive mind.”

“You think?” She questioned. “Was she the only one who knew what it could do?”

“Yes.” He painfully admitted. “She didn't want any creature to know about this.”

She nodded and sighed before she walked away from the cocoon. “He said it's good to see you.” She turned and looked at Thorax after he said that.

He was starting to cry again. He was more worried about them than he was about himself. He could already hear him saying that he was okay. Trying to calm him down and comfort him as the tears poured from his eyes again. She could only watch as he dropped to his knees in front of the cocoon. Ember sighed in pity before walking up to him and helping him up. They hugged each other again.

“Ember?” He asked.

“Hmm?” She replied.

“Can you come with me to my bedchamber?” He asked her. “I want to talk to you alone.” He added.

She broke the hug and nodded. He motioned for her to follow him and they began to leave the throne room. He stopped at the entrance and looked back at the cocoon. He had just heard him speak again. He nodded at their friend before they stepped out of the room. They began to head towards his room.

Ember sat on the edge of the bed. It felt soft against her scales; better than the rocks she was used to. She would have to ask Twilight about beds. Thorax sat beside her with his eyes cast towards the floor. She sighed again and wondered where that other side of him was.

“So.” She began to break the ice. “What do you wanna talk about?” She questioned.

He was silent for a moment. “I love him.”He said.

She wasn't too surprised by what he said. He had told her his feelings for the drake once. But, he didn't need to tell her that. He had to tell him; he was just too afraid to speak to him about it. She didn't know what to say to him now. What could she say to him? He was still a mess of emotions. He was angry, sad, and numb. She was surprised that he wasn't suicidal.

“Why is it so easy to tell you that?” He asked her. “Why can I tell you everything? But, when I talk to him, I can't find my voice or my strength.” He kept his eyes on the floor.

“I don't know.” She answered. “You're afraid, I guess.”

He chuckled. “You're right. I'm afraid.” He laughed at himself. “I was afraid of losing the bond we had. I was afraid of losing my first real friend. I was afraid of him.” He admitted. “But, now, I'm more angry at my stupid self.”

That comment earned him a slap to the back of his head. “You're not stupid, Thorax.” She was a little irritated by that comment. “You're just.”

“Myself.” He interrupted her. “I know. But, that is why I said that.” He looked at her. “Compared to you. I'm no different than the drone I used to be.”

He managed to silence her again. She wanted to remind him of the things he's accomplished for his kingdom. But, it wouldn't do any good to remind him. She sighed and decided to just let him talk. All she had to do was just listen to him now. She noticed his ears twitching to listen to something.

“What did he say now?” She asked.

“He just said what you wanted to say.” He answered. “I don't think he knows he's doing this.” He commented.

“Why do you say that?” She asked him. “He's obviously hearing what you're saying. So, maybe, he knows what he's doing.”

He looked at her and said. “He once played his belly like a drum and was used like a lighter.” His voice was blunt.

“Huh?” The statement caught her off guard again.

“That's the power of the hive mind.” He began to explain. “I can not only hear his thoughts. But, if I concentrate, I can see his memories.” He snorted a little in anger. “I gotta talk to Twilight about some things.”

That comment caught her interest. “What things?” She asked.

He looked at her and said. “Did you know she left him alone at the library? After he spent all day setting up for her birthday.”