Changed: Saving My Friend

Thorax gazed at the newly constructed supports in the egg chamber. It was made to remove pressure from the other supports. It also allowed more eggs to be moved into the chamber. He looked at the workers and smiled in approval.

He complimented them. “Good work, all of you.” He asked. “How many more do you need to make?”

One of the workers replied. “We plan on building two more here and three in the south chamber.”

He nodded. “Okay.” He smiled at them. “All of you remember to be safe. And, don't forget to rest okay.” All of them nodded before they started work on the next support.

Thorax smiled at them again before leaving the egg chamber. He had to go check on the rest of the hives' renovations. As he walked through the halls his mind drifted back to him again. Another week had passed and he still slept in the cocoon. He found it hard to believe two weeks had already passed. Two weeks since the incident with the monster. Two weeks since he sent the letters. And, he was still waiting to hear from Twilight.

“Why hasn't she responded yet?” He asked as he turned down another hall.

He was surprised that she hadn't responded yet. And, at the same time, he wanted to give her a piece of his mind. Thanks to the hive mind he saw everything he kept hidden. It wasn't just being left out of her birthday. There was the time Applejack hogtied him. Rainbow Dash mocked him frequently for being a lame dragon. Pinkie and Fluttershy treated him well. But, Rarity, used him like her own private butler. He saw all of the abuse he went through. Yet, he still called all of them his friends and family.

“Thorax!”

He quickly turned to face who had called him. Only to gasp in shock as he found himself standing in the middle of a snow-covered field. He recognized the area; it was one of the fields outside the Crystal Empire. Why was he here? He started to walk into the field. He suddenly found himself falling down a hidden hole, his backside landed on an ice slide. He slid down and fast to a huge crevice.

“Wait?!” He felt himself stopping. “I remember this place. This is the cave where I first met Spike.”

Sure, enough, he saw their first meeting play out right in front of his eyes. In an instant, everything changed again. Now, he was in some kind of tree library. He wondered if this was the home he mentioned once. He heard someone crying and started to look around. Eventually, he found Spike on his knees.

“I'm in the hive mind, that's a given.” He continued to watch the memory. “But, what's going on? What happened between him and?”

“Please, Twilight,” Spike begged. “Don't.”

“I told you.” Thorax saw Twilight standing before him. She had a cold expression on her face. “I do not need a pathetic dragon like you.”

He gasped when he heard her say that. Why in the world would Twilight say something like that to him? He watched as he reached for her with outstretched arms. He moved to hug her. Only to be blasted by her magic.

“I said I don't need a pathetic dragon like you.” She glared at him before picking him up with her magic. “Now, get out. YOU UNWANTED ORPHAN!”

Thorax watched as he was thrown out of the library. He was horrified by the treatment of his friend. The area shifted and it showed Spike and Twilight at the bottom of some stairs. They stood before a door that led to nowhere. Twilight closed the door and explained what it was. It was a trap that led to every creature's worst nightmare. Spikes was being sent away from the only family he had known.

“Oh, Spike.” He sighed.

The area changed again; only this time he was inside some kind of dungeon now. He looked around the area. He didn't recognize it. But, something felt familiar about the place. He walked further into the memory. He walked through a series of winding hallways; it felt like he was in a maze. A scream echoed through the halls. It was Spike. He began to run through the maze; only to run headfirst into a pair of dark red eyes. Those eyes filled him with fear.

“Thorax!”

He gasped as he was pulled out of the hive mind. He was still inside the hive, but now he was surrounded by a few guards and his brother was standing next to him. All of them looked at him with concern. It was then he noticed that his heart was beating rapidly and he was covered in sweat.

“Thorax, what happened?” His brother asked him.

“I don't know.” He rubbed his forehead as a throb of pain shot through. “I think I was in the hive mind.” He admitted.

“You were?” One of the guards questioned.

“What did you see?” Another asked.

He held up his hoof. “Hold on.” He focused on the messenger. “Do you have a message from Twilight?”

“I'm sorry.” He apologized before he informed him. “but, no. I delivered the message to Starlight and she passed the message along.”

He nodded before all of them felt a chill go down their backs. It went through the whole hive; every Changeling felt it. Thorax felt exactly where it came from. It had come from the cocoon. He moved out of the crowd and started to head towards the throne room again. It didn't take him long to reach the room. What he saw left him shocked.

Emotional energy was pulsing inside the cocoon. It was a mixture of fear and anger. He wanted to vomit after feeling the first wave. Something was wrong with Spike. He ran up to it and gazed inside. He gasped as he was pulled back into the hive mind. He saw him curled into a small ball. He was crying. While something was whispering around him. The voice whispered horrible things to him. Reminding him that he was an unwanted hatchling. Reminding him of how weak and pathetic he was. Telling him that he was no hero.

“All you are and ever will be. Is pathetic.”

“Enough!” Thorax shouted as he ran towards Spike. “Leave, him alone!” He continued.

“Thorax, help me!”

That was when Spike reached out to him. Thorax tried his best to reach him. But, he was stopped by the appearance of sharp fangs. They hissed at him while sending out murderous intent. The feeling was so strong; he was pushed back and out of the hive mind. He found himself falling back and onto his backside. He groaned a little before he looked at the cocoon again. The shifting emotions slowly faded; it wasn't long until it was glowing its normal color again. He could feel his friend calming down. But, he could also feel the sadness coming from him.

“Thorax!” He turned and saw his brother walking up to him. “What happened?” He asked while helping him up.

“Someone just attacked Spike from the hive mind.” He groaned as another headache hit him. “Whoever it was. They're trying to kill him.”

Some of the guards that had followed his brother gasped. To attack someone in the hive mind was the lowest form of an attack. They were essentially kicking a changeling while they were at their most vulnerable.

“Who?” Pharynx asked.

“I don't know.” He admitted. “Whoever it was. They knew how to disguise themselves well.”

That was never good. That meant it could be any changeling in the hive. But, it was almost impossible to think of any one of them attacking him. Spike was liked by many of the changelings in the hive. One of the guards walked up to him.

“My lord. If you wish I can take a team into the hive mind.” He suggested.

“No.” He denied. “Whoever that was. They managed to kick me out of it. I don't want to put anyone else at risk.” He looked at the cocoon. “I'll monitor the hive mind. But, I want a guard stationed here to monitor him.” He looked at the guard. “Any volunteers?”

Three of the guards raised their hooves. He thanked each of them before dismissing them back to their regular rounds. As they left he looked at the cocoon again in worry. Who in the world just attacked Spike? How in the world did they know how to use the hive mind? Was there a changeling among them trying to harm him? Or, was there a darker force at play?