Twilight Sparkle has been abandoned.

After an expedition into the badlands is torn to tatters by an unprecedented monster attack, Twilight finds herself stranded in a hostile environment with no safe way back home. With no supplies and no survival training, It all seems hopeless for the scholarly unicorn until she is discovered by a type of creature she has never seen before. A changeling named Thorax, a native of the badlands.

With Thorax's knowledge of the environment, he is Twilight's best chance of getting home safely. And by that same token, perhaps Twilight is the best chance the timid, pacifistic drone has of discovering something he has lived his entire life without.

Set well before the Season 2 Finale.

Cover art was drawn by me.

This is a spiritual successor to The Bug in The Herd, and The Bug in The Basement.

Edited by Mister Hypothetical.

This story is a sequel to The Young Warrior: Thorax's Hope

After a long and trying journey to reformation, and then the trials that came with forming a kingdom from the ground up, a peace has fallen amidst the Hive. The changelings are finally living in harmony with most of the world, and they're content knowing their Royal family is watching over them. But when a forgotten enemy begins to rise to the forefront, fear follows in their wake. With their protectors in disarray, the changelings are afraid. And for once, Thorax, Apex, and the rest of their family don't know how to help. To find their way out of this, it looks as though they'll need a true miracle.

Or perhaps, just a bit of luck.

Beyond the mirror of opposite-Equestria, Thorax is tyrannical and bloodthirsty. This doesn’t bode well for the rest of the hive when he decides to crown himself king.

Co-written with the wonderful BezierBallad.

It started off as another normal Guys Night at the Friendship Castle... Well, as normal as Guys Nights can get anyways. The party of brave ponies and changelings gathers around the table, with Dungeon Master Spike sitting at the head waiting behind his screen. And yet, tensions seem unusually high tonight. Might have something to do with Pharynx being one of those Changelings invited. Oh well, least it can't get any weirder or more awkward than that time Discord was invited... Right?

Huge thanks to PonyJosiah13, Milksnipe and LegoLassy13 for the help on this story. Ponyjosiah and Milksnipe for the proofreading, and LegoLassy for teaching me the ins and outs of Dungeons and Dragons.

During a diplomatic visit from King Thorax, Princess Luna discovers that, inexplicably, his brother Pharynx hates her lavender. And for that matter, potted plants in general.

That won't do, of course – even if Pharynx is the new Changeling Prince – and so she'll need to teach him a lesson.

And one lesson won't be enough.

Featured from 18/05/2020 to 20/05/2020, peaking at #4 in the box.
Featured on Equestria Daily! Also featured in Equestria Daily's 38 Fanfics to Read for Luna Day 2020!
9/10, from My Little Reviews & Feedback.
8.8/10 and 8/10, from the Reviewer's Mansion.
Rated Really Good by Ghost Mike!

Edited and proofread by VoxAdam, pre-read by Valtyra. Thanks, you guys

Written for the May 2020 Original Pairing Contest.

Cover by hosikawa_choco.

Author's Commentary