Changed: Saving My Friend

Thorax flew faster than he ever had before. He was heading right for Canterlot. Right for her. She was the one doing this to his friend. All of this was her doing. Her monster attacked them. Her cocoon was changing him. And, now she was trying to break him. His anger was a burning rage that would be lethal to any changeling. His wings ached from the distance and speed he had flown. But, he was so close to her. He could see the castle in Canterlot now. With a renewed burst of strength he continued to fly towards his target.

“I am going to make you pay.” He promised.

He swore that he could hear her mocking laughter all around him. His mother, although sealed inside of stone, still found a way to make their kind suffer. He never thought he could ever hate his mother. But, now she had crossed a line. As he flew over the countryside of Equestria he saw Ponyville. He remembered some good memories he shared with him there. He also cursed the number of times he should've just told him. His focus returned to the destination in front of him. In just a few short minutes he would face her again.

He gasped as a bright flash of purple sparked in front of him. He hardly had any time to stop himself from crashing into Twilight. She looked at him with a worried look. While he glared at her for stopping him.

“Thorax.” She spoke to him while extending one of her hooves.

“Get out of my way!” He yelled as he tried to fly around her.

She flew in front of him. “Wait!” She pleaded. “Thorax, what you're going to do is dangerous.” She told him only to get another glare from him.

“You think I don't know that!” He yelled back. “You think I don't know what that bitch is capable of!?” He gritted his teeth. “I'm her damn son! I know her better than anypony or creature on this damned planet!” He began to breath heavily.

She had never seen him this angry before. Not even when Spike had invited him and Ember on the same day. This was a little new to her. But, at the same time she almost understood what he was feeling. His mother was attacking him through Spike. It was like when she tried to use her brothers love to take over. But, what Thorax was trying to do was crazy.

“Thorax, you need to think about this.” She tried to calm him down.

“I don't need to think about anything, Princess.” He had finished that last word with a hiss. “She's trying to break him through the cocoon. She's changing his memories as we speak!” He looked at her with tear filled eyes. “She's making him think every creature important to him. Hated him! Do you want his greatest fear to become reality!?”

She gasped as she remembered a talk her and Spike had a long time ago. It was after they saved the Crystal Empire. He had told her what he had seen behind the door. How he saw her kicking him out of their home or selling off to the highest bidder. She remembered the first night back home. He had so many horrible nightmares. If she was truly changing his memories; that would mean he was forgetting her. He was forgetting how much she and the others loved him.

“Is this the only way?” She asked.

“Yes.” He nodded. “She has to be the one to open it. She's the only one who knows the spell.”

She sighed sadly before she prayed that they would be okay. Before he could fly around her; she used her magic to teleport them to the stone garden. He sighed in slight relief as his hooves touched ground. His wings were going to be cramping later. He looked at her and she lead him to them. The stone statue was hidden in a small maze. He stared coldly at her frozen form as he approached the stone. Her face forever frozen in a state of rage. Her fangs bared and tongue curled in a feral hiss.

“Good to see you again, mother.” His voice was filled with so much venom.

Twilight readied herself to free the former queen. She concentrated her magic and blasted the head of the statue. For a moment it was enveloped in a purple glow. Then, the stone began to turn black; it made it's way down from the bottom of her horn, all the way to her neck. The glow stopped where her neck met her body. Both of them heard her sigh in relief; just before they heard her wicked chuckle.

“So nice of you to visit.” She hissed as she glared at him. “Son!” She wished he was closer; just so that she could sink her fangs into him.

The only response she got from him was a hard punch to the face. Twilight gasped while she just chuckled in wickedly glee. She looked at him mockingly as he glared at her in rage.

“Still the same weak maggot.” She mocked. “I hardly felt that.”

That earned her another punch from him. It was followed by a third and then a fourth. Twilight couldn't believe what she was seeing. He of all changelings was actually attacking her. But, it looked she was enjoying the punishment she was getting. Her laughter was full of enjoyment. She was loving every second of this.

“Let. Him. Go.” He ordered her slowly.

“Hmm, no.” She smirked at him. “Why would I let that worthless reptile.” She was punched in the face again for that comment. She chuckled again. “Go free. Without punishment for all that he has done.”

Twilight moved to talk, but he raised his hoof and glared at her. He really scared her when he put a force-field around them. She moved closer and gazed at them from behind the shield. They were talking now. But, she couldn't hear anything that they were saying. Sometimes he would say something. Sometimes she would say something. He would punch her and she would try to bite him. She tried to bring the field down with her magic. But, every time she tried her magic would backfire. All she could do was wait.

It was the longest three hours she had ever waited. When the shield came down she stood up and looked at them. Both of them were staring each other down. It was so silent in the garden someone could hear a quill drop in Ponyville. Did he somehow manage to break her? Did she do something to Spike? What in the wide world did they talk about?

“Twilight.” He spoke to her without turning to face her. “Release, her.”

She gasped when she heard the command. “No!” Her answer was immediate. “I am not!”

She stopped when he turned towards her and looked at her with begging eyes. That looked stopped her entire train of thought. It was a look that just begged for her to listen. She looked beyond him and at her. She was smiling wickedly at her. That smile sent shiver down her spine. It was a smile she was unfortunately too familiar with. It was the smile of a monster. A monster that held all the cards. Against her better judgment she released her from her stone prison. In a glow of purple magic the rest of her body was freed. Well, all except for her horn.

“What? Don't trust me?” She fiend the hurt in her eyes and in her voice. “What did I do to all of?”

“Shut up!” He hissed at her. He then looked at Twilight. “Twilight open a portal to the hive.”

All she could do was nod her head and do as he said. She channeled another burst of her magic and a portal opened to the changeling hive. On the other side of the portal she saw more than a few changeling guards. All of them had their spears at the ready. He looked back at his mother and motioned for her to follow. He slowly stepped through the portal. His mother followed behind him. Twilight entered the portal last.

As she stepped through she closed the portal. The hive was a commotion of panicked whispers and angry hisses. The guards not only had to focus on their former queen. But, also on the other residents of the hive. Chrysalis looked over her former subjects in disguast and in anger. If she had her way; she would have killed all of them personally. But, she was here to earn her freedom. So, her revenge would have to wait till later. Thorax lead them through the hive and to the throne room. He heard Twilight gasp in shock.

“Hmm...my, my, my this old thing is still working.” Chrysalis commented as she stepped closer to it.

She gazed inside the cocoon and glared at the dragon inside. He was almost a full bodied changeling right now. The half-breed filled her with so much disgust and rage. She could feel her sons glare on the back of her head. She simply rolled her eyes and faced them. She motioned towards her her horn.

He turned and looked at twilight and nodded at her. She took no pleasure in the next spell she cast. Chrysalis smiled as she felt the stone around her horn disappear. It felt nice to be truly free. They lived down their part of the deal. Now, it was time to make those fools suffer. She smiled wickedly at them before turning to face the cocoon. She cast the spell to open it. But, then she activated it's special defense. At the top of it were sacks of acid; with her magic she cut them open and the cocoon filled with acid. She began to laugh wickedly as she watched the dragons body dissolve inside the cocoon.

“See, you fools!” She screamed through the hive. “I still have power! I still rule over all of you.” She laughed wickedly again. “I AM STILL!”

“In Canterlot.” Thorax spoke coldly.

Chrysalis gasped as the world around her suddenly changed back to the garden. Only her head was still free. But, how? She was just at the hive! She had been freed! She had just killed that damn dragon!

“Have I made you proud mother.” He said coldly causing her to look at him. “The hive mind works both ways.” The area around them collapsed again. Now they were in a pure white void. All around them there was absolutely nothing. “You see. When I realized it was you doing this. I reentered the hive mind and tracked you down. Once I found you; I pulled you out of your body and dragged you back.” He explained while she looked at him in shock. “You know what this place is?” He asked.

She knew exactly where they were. They were inside the deepest part of the hive mind. A part not even she dared to venture into. She looked around trying to find the path he had taken. But, there was nothing. No, he wasn't going to leave her here. He need the spell in order to get his friend out of the cocoon. She smiled wickedly and focused on him again. Only to see that he was gone. She looked around the void.

“No.” she said to herself as she looked around. She still couldn't find him. “No.” She repeated as she tried to find the path he had just taken. But, there was nothing there. Only the pure white void of a hive mind that was slowly being forgotten. “NO!” She screamed as the true reality of her fate hit her. She was left to be forgotten. She was left in a place that would slowly destroy her mind.

Thorax woke up to the proud smile of his brother. “I got it.” He said happily as he began to get up. His brother tried to stop him. “Let me go!” He said as he pushed his brother away and started walking to the throne room.

Thorax wasted no time getting there. He knew the spell to safely take his friend out. And, he had no intention keeping him inside that thing any longer. He walked up to it and gently placed his hoof on it. Some tears formed in his eyes as he concentrated on the spell. Like he saw before the cocoon started to split open. Bt, thankfully he didn't have to watch his friend die again. It continued to open until it was wide enough for him to reach into. He began to cry as he grabbed hold of his body and gently pulled him out of it. Pharynx watched in slight awe as his brother removed Spike from the cocoon. The young drake was now a half-ling. He still had his scales, but now he had the wings of a changeling and his claws seemed thicker. There was even a small horn on his forehead.

He was now crying heavily as he hugged his friend to his chest. He was so happy to see him still alive. He was a little different but he was okay. That was all that mattered to him. He could hear him breathing. He could sense that his mind was unharmed.

“Th...Thorax.” Spike's voice was barely above a whisper.

But, to him it was the loudest voice in the whole hive. “I'm here Spike.” He sobbed while hugging his friend a little tighter. “I'm here.” He repeated happily.

He felt a little nauseous and he had a small headache. His body felt like it was cramping up. He also felt hungry. “Thorax, what happened?” He asked.

He was only shushed by him; before he was pulled into a sitting position. He wanted to know what was going on. But, his thoughts stopped when he felt a pair of lips pressed against his. It was followed by something delicious. Something that tasted sweet. Thorax was feeding him love. After a minute he had stopped and Spike was resting against his chest. The half-ling had fallen back asleep; the cocoon had drained most of his strength.

Thorax used his magic to pick him up and place him on his back. As he carried Spike out of the throne room; he looked at his brother. “Send a letter to Starlight. Let her know he's out.”

His brother nodded and headed towards the mail chamber. He continued to exit the throne room and headed for his room. Once there he gently placed him on the bed and rested by his side. For, a brief moment Spike had opened his eyes again. They looked like emerald gems filled with starlight.

“Rest well my friend.” He wished him before giving into a peaceful slumber.