> The Young Warrior: A Stroke Of Luck > by Melody Song > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Missing You > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Apex and Zenith were chasing each other around in the fields outside the Hive. Pharynx sighed as he watched the nymphs, laying down in the grass. “Nice weather, isn’t it?” Thorax asked his brother as he laid beside him. “If you say so.” “Clear skies for miles.” “Yep.” “I bet if we flew high enough we could see all the way to the Crystal Empire.” “Sure we could.” “Okay, what is up with you?” Thorax asked, poking his brother in the side. “Usually when I say something like that you do some kind of quip.” Pharynx sighed and sat up. “I’m sorry. I’m just not thinking right today.” “Or maybe you’re thinking too much.” Ocellus suggested as she trotted over. Pharynx stared at her blankly. “Where did you come from?” “I mean,” Ocellus continued without answering, “Today is, you know, the anniversary of the Canterlot Invasion and– ow!” Zenith had dashed over and jabbed her in the side, making a shushing motion. Ocellus looked at him in confusion. “What?” Pharynx grunted and stood up, trotting off. Zenith gave Ocellus a glare. “Come on Ocellus, even I know that the Canterlot Invasion was when Fortuna died!” Zenith hissed. “Oh, um, oops.” Ocellus chuckled nervously. “Sorry.” “Papa Thorax, how come Uncle Pharynx always gets upse’ about For’una?” Apex asked. Thorax picked him up, sighing sadly. “Fortuna was very close with both of us, she raised us as though we were her own children, and we looked up to her. She was our mom.” “I didn’t know Pharynx was so close with her.” Ocellus said softly. Thorax chuckled softly. “They were inseparable. When she died, she even left him her name.” “Huh?” Apex asked, blinking in confusion. “Leaving someone your name is a right reserved for only the highest ranking changelings, Pexy.” Zenith responded. “Hunty told me about it. If Fortuna left Pharynx her name, then it means he can do whatever he wants with it.” “Most ‘lings change their own name or give the name to their kids.” Ocellus added. “More than that, warriors usually give their names to others in their family.” Thorax emphasized, nuzzling Apex. “Fortuna left Pharynx her name because she loved him like her own son.” “Wha’ ‘bout you Papa Thorax?” Apex asked “Well, when she died I was still an outcast, remember? I’m sure she intended some things to be given to me, but because I was rankless I never got them. Other than that, most of her old things that didn’t go to Pharynx were left as memorials in the Veterans Hall. But that’s where they belong.” Thorax kissed Apex on the forehead. “I guess that’s why Pharynx visits the Veteran’s Hall for so long,” Ocellus hummed, trailing off in thought. “Maybe we should do something to cheer him up.” Zenith suggested “A par’y for Uncle Pharynx!” Apex cheered. “I don’t think he’d like a party, but maybe a gift.” Thorax said slowly, hesitant to agree to something he figured Pharynx might not be comfortable with. “Can it be a joke gift?” Ocellus asked. “No!” “Fine.” “Come on, let’s go inside.” Thorax sighed in exasperation, and the four headed back into the Hive. Thorax, Apex, and Ocellus went in search of Pharynx, while Zenith went off to find Hunter. Unbeknownst to his family, Pharynx was currently sitting in the memorial room of the Veteran’s Hall. He sat before a grave marker that consisted of a simple stone slab, with the image of a golden necklace engraved on it. “Hey mom.” Pharynx whispered, touching the memorial. “I know it’s today, I hope you know too.” Pharynx ducked his head, scuffing his hoof on the ground silently. He finally sighed and smiled sadly at the stone marking where her grave would have been, had her body been found. “I miss you mom.” Pharynx laid down on his stomach, pressing his muzzle against the memorial. “I wish I could see you again.” “Uncle Pharynx?” Apex trotted over, and he raised his head, letting the nymph curl up in his hooves. “Papa Thorax said you we’e sad.” “Well, he’s an idiot.” Pharynx replied. “Then how come you’e crying?” Apex asked. “I-I am not!” Pharynx stammered, as Thorax came up behind him, chuckling. Ocellus was close by, though she stayed further back out of respect. “Sure you aren’t.” Thorax laid down beside his brother, reaching to press his head against the memorial. “Hey mom. I don’t think we’ve introduced you to Apex yet, officially.” Apex stopped and stared at the memorial, touching it with his tiny nose. “Tha’s me! ‘M Apex and I’m a wa’ior like you!” Thorax chuckled and kissed Apex on the forehead. “He’s my baby boy. And Pharynx’s deputy.” Apex nodded proudly. “And I got a boyf’iend!” Thorax laughed softly and hugged him. Pharynx chuckled dryly, staring at the memorial. “Uncle Pharynx?” Apex asked, and he glanced over. “D-Do you wish she was he’e?” “Of course I do. Every day.” Pharynx responded, eyes watering. “Sometimes I think about what I’d do if she was still here.” “She’d like you, Apex.” Thorax said, nuzzling the nymph. “I wish I could mee’ her.” Apex said, squirming in his father’s hold. “Me too grub.” Pharynx sighed, standing up and trotting away. “Phar?” “She’s not coming back though, like you said Thorax. She never will.” Pharynx said dully, walking away. “When did you say that?” Ocellus asked Thorax, who sighed. “Back when it first happened, Pharynx was… I’d never seen him like that before. He was frantic, rushing around and screaming for Fortuna, almost begging her to come back. I was trying to calm him down, but I made it worse. He searched through the forest for hours before he passed out from exhaustion.” “Then wha’ happened?” Apex asked, and Thorax looked away. “I didn’t have enough strength to carry him back to the Hive by myself, so I curled up beside him and went to sleep. He seemed back to normal the next day, so we went back to the Hive. I didn’t realize until we got back that he hadn’t actually gone back to normal. He’d just accepted she had really died and was grieving.” Thorax sniffled quietly, and the two nymphs hugged him. “It’s okay Papa Thorax, it’s no’ your fault.” Apex said. “It’s Chrysalis’ fault.” Ocellus murmured, and Apex shuddered. Thorax nodded with a small sigh, putting his hooves around them both. “Come on, you two, let’s go find Pharynx.” “Can we s’ill cheer him up?” Apex asked “Of course we can, my little warrior.” Thorax said, booping his son on the nose. Apex giggled and smiled. “Le’s go fin’ him!” Thorax smiled, placing Apex on his back and leading Ocellus out, feeling much happier now. They would find Pharynx, and cheer him up again. > Attack > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Idiots.” Pharynx grumbled to himself as he left the Hive, storming out into the open fields. He had just spotted some of his recruits goofing off when they were supposed to be training. “Please go on patrols with at least one other soldier, Pharynx, you know we’ve been hearing about some strange activity at the border.” Thorax’s words echoed in Pharynx’s mind as he headed to the forest at the edge of their territory. He just scoffed, stomping into the woods. “I’m the General, I should be able to decide if I feel like taking backup. It’s not like those idiots would be useful anyway, they’d just end up shooting their own hooves if they ran into trouble.” he grumbled, not noticing the sudden rustling of the vegetation behind him. “Then again, I suppose bait would be useful.” As Pharynx contemplated the pros and cons of going back to get a soldier to join him, a shadow-cloaked figure watched him from afar. Finally, Pharynx paused, realizing the forest had gone quiet. The only sound in the green was his own hoofsteps, as even the wildlife had gone still. Something wasn’t right. He pricked his ears and looked around cautiously, baring his teeth. “Whoever’s out there, show yourself.” Pharynx hissed, but nothing moved. He glared around, releasing a threatening snarl. A rustling caught his attention at last. He growled and lunged at the movement, only to fall straight through a bush and land hard on his stomach. Pharynx groaned, standing up again, then looked down to see what had made the noise. It was a chipmunk. Pharynx facehoofed, mentally scolding himself for not thinking. “Who am I, Thorax? Since when am I this paranoid?” Pharynx sighed and turned away from the chipmunk to continue on his walk. But right as he was about to take a step forward, something sliced through the trees and cut into his shoulder. He let out a hiss of pain and surprise, stepping backwards and staring in the direction the object had gone. An arrow had become stuck in the tree behind him. Pharynx’s ears pinned to his head as hissing suddenly erupted from all around him. The forest was no longer silent. Unreformed changelings, rogues, crept out of the undergrowth from all around him. Some flew down from trees while others shifted back from disguises of rocks and bushes. Normally, Pharynx would not have backed away from them and just charged straight on. But this time – and he hated to admit it – there were too many. He’d never be able to fight them all, especially if they charged as one like swarms were supposed to. Pharynx still stood his ground after allowing himself a step backwards from surprise. “Stay back.” Pharynx warned, his antlers igniting. “I will not run.” The rogue changelings gave no response, other than more hissing. Pharynx glared, putting on a snarling expression to rival Chrysalis in her prime. His eyes went wide and threatening, focusing on them in an unbending, fixated stare. His mouth opened to show his teeth, still somewhat sharp fangs glistening. Pharynx’s stance mimicked his expression, straight and tall with one hoof raised, his back legs tense in preparation to spring at a moment’s notice. The rogue changelings, to their credit, didn’t show any fear. But oh, could Pharynx taste it. The bitter wash of almost suffocating fright covered the swarm like a blanket. And he drank it all. Fueled by the utter terror he himself had caused in their numbers, Pharyrnx lunged. The rogues barely had time to react, only managing threatening hisses before Pharynx knocked into the ones directly in front of him. The fight began, and Pharynx felt the world slow down. He reacted faster than he usually could, his eyes scanning over the battlefield. Somehow, he could see everything. Every possibility. If he hit that group, the others would rush to take over, allowing him to skid around and come at them from behind. If that other group charged in one direction, he could swerve and hit them from the side, knocking them into the stragglers. Those two changelings seemed to be the leaders, if he took them out he could easily assert dominance and scare the rest away. So he did. He went for the first two groups he saw plausible wins from, and then headed for the ringleaders. But before he could get there, he paused, struck with a sudden thought. He seemed to be moving faster than logically possible, but was somehow maintaining his focus and gaining the ability to see every action before it happened. Only one creature he knew could do that, last he checked. Unfortunately, the moment Pharynx paused to consider this, time resumed its normal flow. He fell to the ground mid-leap, misjudging the landing and crashing into the earth. One of the leading changelings seized the opportunity provided, and quickly sunk their fangs into his shoulder blade. Pharynx gasped out a hiss of pain as he felt the venom coursing through his veins. He staggered as he tried to stand, forelegs buckling under his weight. Pharynx scrambled up and snarled, blasting the changeling backwards with his magic. They let out a cry as they were launched into the trees, but noling else looked threatened. Pharynx panted, struggling to focus as the venom took effect. Something stabbed into his hind leg and he cried out, stumbling again. A changeling jumped onto him from behind, and Pharynx felt them bite down on the back of his neck. He collapsed to the ground, strength already dwindling due to the first venom-filled bite, antlers sparking weakly as he struggled to get up. The rogue changelings converged on him, but Pharynx managed to force himself to his hooves, and with an almighty roar, he tossed most of them off. Pharynx stood on trembling legs, panting, surrounded by rogue changelings. The unreformed lings struggled to get up from where Pharynx had tossed them, too dazed to move. The beta changeling managed a slight grin. “Rogues zero, Pharynx… more than zero.” He slurred, the venom numbing his body from antler to tail. Despite the numbness closing in, Pharynx still attempted to charge his magic enough to fire a shot. Suddenly, a dagger that glistened with some kind of black fluid came flying out of the trees, so fast that Pharynx didn’t even have time to react. The blade stabbed directly into Pharynx’s side, just under his carapace. The beta changeling staggered and collapsed to the ground at last, the magic gathered at his antlers releasing, firing off into the air before fizzling out uselessly. Pharynx lay on the ground, head falling as he finally accepted defeat. As the rogue changelings began to converge on him, he managed to open his eyes just briefly, to get a good look at his attackers. Unable to hold his eyes open, Pharynx allowed himself to fall unconscious, hoping his death would at least be quick. Strangely, Pharynx thought he saw a flash of gold just before his eyes could close completely, triggering a jolt of energy inside his mind. But before he could raise his head to try and get a closer look – and he couldn’t lift it if he tried – he passed out. > A Sign? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Whe’e’s Uncle Pharynx?!” “He has to be around here somewhere, keep looking!” “The signal was from over here, right?” “Papa Thorax, look! Blood!” “Pharynx!” Pharynx gave no response from where he lay on the ground, completely unconscious and unaware of anything going on around him. Though there were signs of the brutal fight due to the destruction of some of the surrounding foliage, none of the unreformed changelings remained. They had disappeared without a trace, even having abandoned their prey. The only sounds in the woods now came from Thorax, Ocellus, and Apex as they called for Pharynx. Unbeknownst to the three changelings looking for Pharynx, a single cloaked figure stood over the wounded beta ling, examining the dagger embedded in his side. The figure tilted its head slightly, judging whether it would be better to leave the blade in or remove it. They came to a decision as the sound of hoofsteps grew closer. Grasping the dagger in a black, hole-riddled hoof, they yanked it swiftly but firmly out from Pharynx’s carapace, setting it beside him as red blood seeped out from the wound. They then reached their hoof out and lifted Pharynx’s head, pulling a folded up blanket from under their cloak and placing it under his head like a pillow. Finally, they gently stroked the beta changeling’s antlers, before leaving with a whirl of their cloak. Just as the figure faded into the woods, Thorax, Ocellus, and Apex found their lost family member. “P-Pharynx?” Ocellus’ tail went between her legs like a sad puppy, while Apex let out a soft, dismayed cry. Thorax rushed forwards and carefully inspected his brother. “Ocellus, come help me, Apex, run and get Cilia or Needle, hurry!” Thorax instructed, and the two did as they were told. Ocellus ran to Pharynx and began examining him, her past training as a medic apprentice kicking in. “He has a scratch on his shoulder here, and a crossbow arrow stabbed into his leg, but it looks like it was knocked out. A dagger, obviously, but he must have pulled it out. Bite marks on the back of the neck and shoulder blade.” Ocellus noted, poking Pharynx’s snout. “Unresponsive.” “Something’s on this dagger, it’s got an unusual gleam on it.” Thorax nudged at the handle of the dagger as Ocellus tugged the blanket out from under Pharynx’s head. “Where did this come from?” Ocellus asked. Thorax shrugged, lifting the dagger in his magic. Ocellus left the blanket and walked over to him, watching the alpha changeling examine the blade. “We should take this to the Alchemy lings.” Thorax murmured, turning the dagger over in his magic, noting the faintest traces of a black substance on the metal. “There’s something on the blade that definitely isn’t blood.” Apex then emerged from the trees, Needle fast behind him. The medic carried his bags in his mouth, gaze set in firm focus. The two skidded to a halt beside Thorax, and Needle immediately turned to Ocellus. “Dagger wound under the carapace, scratch on the shoulder, stab in the leg from an arrow, bite marks on shoulderblade and neck.” Ocellus relayed what she had found. “Sounds like the work of unreformed changelings.” Needle said as he bent to examine the Pharynx. “These are definitely changeling bites, and crossbow arrows and daggers were our main arsenal.” “Needle, there’s something on this dagger, I-I think some kind of poison. Will he be alright?” “He should be fine, Thorax, the venom will wear off in a couple hours, though he was bitten twice so recovery might take a bit longer. The wounds we can just bandage. As for whatever is on that dagger, we’ll ask Almexa to confirm, but it’s probably not serious enough to be a threat.” Needle assured him, taking the dagger from the King and placing it in a sealed bag he pulled from his supplies. “O-Okay.” Thorax took a steadying breath, looking at the others. “We need to move him out of the woods, take him to his room.” “Let’s hurry. I don’t like being out here unprotected if somecreature was able to bring down Pharynx.” Ocellus shuddered. Thorax nodded in agreement, looking around nervously. Needle quickly bandaged Pharynx’s wounds, then Thorax lifted him in his magic, laying his injured brother on his back. “Let’s go, he’s heavier than he looks.” Thorax said with a soft grunt of exertion, as Apex flew over to nuzzle his uncle’s cheek. The group made it back to the Hive without any incident, though word of the Prince’s injuries spread fast from onlookers. Soon, panic began to sink in as they realized what this meant. The Hive’s most formidable warrior had been beaten by rogue changelings. Both the fact that it was their own kind who managed to defeat the Prince and the fact that it was Pharynx who'd been beaten rattled the Hive to the core. The changelings were terrified, despite the royal family’s best efforts to comfort them. This was partly due to the fact that while the Hive was swept with panic, Thorax was admittedly ignoring his job. He had taken to pacing around in Pharynx’s room, watching his brother’s fitful sleep. The beta changeling had woken up once, briefly, but before Needle or Cilia could be summoned, he had passed out again. So Thorax stayed with him, refusing to leave his brother’s side. “I’m sure it’s just his body having trouble reacting to being bitten twice, Thorax.” Ocellus tried to comfort him. “I-I mean, changeling venom is really powerful, and they got him twice in different places.” “He still should’ve slept it off by now.” Thorax resumed his pacing. “I-I’m sure it was whatever was on the dagger, what is taking Almexa so long to test it?!” Ocellus sighed and sat down in a corner, realizing the King was too upset to listen to her reasoning. Apex was in a similar state, curled up beside Pharynx and cuddled into his chitin. “Papa Thorax?” Apex asked softly, and he glanced over. “W-What if he doesn’ wake up?” “H-He will.” Thorax stammered. “He has to.” Apex stared up at Thorax’s teary eyes, then looked at Pharynx. He got up and moved closer to his head, nosing him. “Uncle Pharynx? Please wake up, you’e making me an’ Papa Thorax sad.” Pharynx groaned softly in his sleep, but didn’t wake. Apex whimpered softly, resting beside the larger changeling’s head, gently nosing his uncle. “He won’t be up for a while, I’m afraid.” Cilia spoke quietly, entering the room with a grave expression on her face. “W-What? Why?” Thorax’s voice was shaking. “We heard back from Almexa.” Cilia hesitated, sighing. “The dagger was coated with the juice of Bacas Somni Aterni.” “W-What?! But they’re called Berries of Eternal Sleep for a reason!” Ocellus jumped up, looking alarmed. “You told me that they cause-” “I know, Ocellus.” Cilia trotted over to the bed to check on Pharynx, pressing a hoof to his forehead to monitor his temperature. “But he got lucky. The dagger went under his carapace and did end up embedded in his side, yes. However the juices didn’t get a chance to fully sink into his bloodstream before we found him. If it hadn’t been removed when it was, well, it would be a different story.” The medic's voice trailed off, letting the terrifying possibility hang in the air. “S-So he’ll survive?” Thorax asked at last. “He’s not out of the woods yet. But the fact that he’s alive now means that yes, he will.” Cilia confirmed, and they all breathed a synchronous sigh of relief. “Hang in there, brother.” Thorax moved closer to the bed to rub his cheek against Pharynx’s, feeling his brother subconsciously shift his head into the touch. “You’re gonna be okay.”