A royal delegation from Equestria was on its way to the Changelings' hive. Onboard the carriage being carried by Pegasus Guards were Twilight, Spike, and a few guards... chief among them being Tempest Shadow.

"I can't wait to see Thorax again." Spike smiled. "It's been way too long."

"I know you're excited, Spike." Twilight chuckled. "But don't forget, this is a political meeting first and foremost. Once we've sorted out the talks for our latest treaty, then you can hang out with Thorax."

"Better late than never." Spike shrugged.

"Uh, not to question your royal wisdom or anything, but why am I here?" Tempest spoke up. "Last I checked, the Changelings are our allies."

"That's true." Twilight nodded.

"And I don't know if you've noticed, but my area of expertise lies in combat." Tempest pointed out. "So I'm not really sure what the point is in my being here."

"Tempest, I asked you to help train the Royal Guard not just to help defend Equestria, but Equestria's allies also." Twilight replied. "So I think it'll help for you to get to know one of those allies up close. And the Changelings might have something to teach you, too."

"If you say so." Tempest shrugged skeptically.

"That's the spirit..." Spike said sarcastically.

Soon after, the carriage touched down atop the hive, not far from Thorax's throne. The Changeling leader looked upon the arrivals with a smile. His brother Pharynx, on the other hoof, wasn't nearly as enthusiastic regarding their visitors.

"They're here!" Thorax grinned.

"Yippee..." Pharynx rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Pharynx." Thorax sighed. "At least try and be nice. It's important to uphold our alliances with our pony friends."

"I know." Pharynx scowled.

"Besides, it wouldn't hurt for you to interact with them more." Thorax added. "You know, learn something about our neighbors? Give it a try, at least. For me."

"Yeah, yeah..." Pharynx sighed. "Doesn't mean I have to like it..."

As Twilight and her delegation disembarked from the carriage, Thorax and Pharynx approached them (Pharynx very reluctantly).

"Welcome, Princess Twilight." Thorax smiled. "Always nice to see you."

"You're too kind, Thorax." Twilight nodded.

"Wow, Starlight wasn't kidding when she told us how much this place has changed since Chrysalis left." Spike declared, having never seen the renovations made to the hive before. "You guys really did a great job brightening things up."

"Thanks, Spike." Thorax grinned. "But it's still a work in progress."

"Isn't any society?" Twilight suggested. "We can spend our whole lives growing and changing, and so can our homes. And I'm sure your hive will always look its best. Don't you think the hive looks great, Tempest?"

"A little too green for my tastes." Tempest admitted. "But I've seen worse places in my time. Way worse..."

"Oh." Thorax said awkwardly. "I guess I should take that as a compliment..."

"Some compliment." Pharynx snarked. He glanced at Tempest, vaguely recognising her from when the Changelings took part in the battle against Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy Glow. "Don't think I got your name, missy."

"It's Tempest Shadow." Tempest replied curtly.

"Seriously?" Pharynx frowned skeptically.

"Got a problem with that?" Tempest scowled.

"Nah." Pharynx shrugged. "It's just that in my experience, ponies have words like 'glitter' and 'sprinkle' in their names."

Tempest, recognising the Changeling's sardonic tone, felt it wise to refrain from mentioning her birth name in front of him.

"Sorry to disappoint you." She said sarcastically.

"Who said I'm disappointed?" Pharynx smirked. "I'm just glad there's at least one pony whose name I can say without feeling like it'll give me a toothache."

"Real funny, Pharynx." Thorax rolled his eyes.

"Tempest here is helping to train the next generation of Royal Guards." Twilight explained. "So they can defend both Equestria and its allies... like the Changelings."

"Thanks for the offer, but we can defend ourselves." Pharynx said bluntly. "Especially since I'm the one training our soldiers."

"It never hurts to get a little help, though." Spike pointed out.

"Spike's right, Pharynx." Thorax agreed. "What if we one day faced an attack by an overwhelming force? There'd be no harm in Equestria helping us, just like we helped them."

"Yeah, well... we should still at least try to handle our business ourselves." Pharynx retorted. "If we had help all the time, we wouldn't be able to do anything on our own."

"He's kind of got a point." Tempest admitted.

"Well, we each have our own opinions." Twilight noted. "And part of being friends is listening to, and working with those opinions. But it goes without saying that the Changelings will always be able to count on Equestria's help when they really need it."

"We'll keep that in mind, thanks." Pharynx pouted.

"...Please, come this way." Thorax suggested, eager to diffuse the awkwardness of the situation. "We've prepared a feast for our honored guests. I'm sure you must be hungry after your long trip."

"I could eat." Spike smiled.

"Lead the way." Twilight nodded.

The group made their way to a corner of the hive, which had a large table set up, one covered with multiple pony-friendly dishes (and some dragon-friendly ones, too).

"Mmm, sapphires." Spike smiled, taking his seat by a bowl of gems with haste.

"I know what my friends like." Thorax smiled. "And I made sure that the menu would varied, so ponies I don't know nearly as well can enjoy the feast too."

"Just like a courteous host." Twilight declared. "Wouldn't you agree, Tempest?"

"Yeah, sure." Tempest nodded. "Gotta admit, it's not often that I get invited to an actual feast. Maybe coming along on this trip wasn't such a bad idea after all..."

"...So, what's with the broken horn?" Pharynx asked bluntly.

Twilight and Spike froze with horror, well aware of the past trauma connected to Tempest's lost horn, and how sensitive she could still be about it.

"Pharynx!" Thorax gasped, aghast. While he was unaware of Tempest's past, he didn't consider such a line of questioning to be very polite either.

"What?" Pharynx said indignantly. "I'm curious! You're the one who keeps saying I need to learn more about the ponies!"

"But still, it would help to be a little sensitive about such an obviously touchy subject!" Thorax retorted.

"It's fine." Tempest declared, preferring not to dwell on the subject of her lost horn for longer than necessary. "If you must know, I lost it to an Ursa Minor attack." She told Pharynx.

"No kidding?" Pharynx asked. "Those things are supposed to be pretty big. I'm surprised a pony could survive a run-in with one of them."

"Well, I did." Tempest glared at him. "Maybe you just underestimate ponies."

"Maybe..." Pharynx shrugged, unconvinced.

"Ponies and Changelings alike have a lot to bring to the table." Twilight noted. "Speaking of tables, the food on this table is delicious. My compliments to the chef."

"I'll make sure that he gets them." Thorax smiled. "Are you enjoying the food, miss Shadow?"

"It's pretty good." Tempest admitted, taking a bite of a hay steak. "I'm impressed you guys can make pony food so well. I heard you feed on love, or something like that."

"We used to." Thorax admitted. "But that was back in the old days, before we learned to subsist on the love within us all."

"Does that include you?" Tempest cast a look at Pharynx.

"And what if it does?" Pharynx growled petulantly. "It's just the way Changelings work. Got a problem with that?"

"No problem." Tempest shrugged. "It's just a weird thing to picture sometimes. Eating emotions."

"Not for Changelings." Pharynx pointed out. "Anyway, to us, eating hay is weird. I remember having to eat it once while on an infiltration mission. Nearly blew my cover by getting some stuck in my throat. I wasn't counting on it being so dry. How can you eat it all the time?"

"It's just the way ponies work." Tempest echoed Pharynx's words.

"Not that there's anything wrong with that." Thorax declared. "I've had hay a few times myself, and it wasn't so bad. Guess we all just have different tastes."

"Yeah, well, the ponies can keep that particular taste." Pharynx grimaced. "I'm just fine eating scuttler legs in gelatin, thanks."

"Thanks for sharing that." Tempest cringed.

Before long, most of the food had been eaten, and Twilight and Thorax were ready to begin talking politics.

"Tempest, why don't you go and explore the hive?" Twilight suggested. "I'm pretty sure you don't want to just sit around, listening to our diplomatic matters all day."

"Good call." Tempest nodded.

"Feel free to enjoy yourself." Thorax smiled. "We have dancing, theatre, arts... Any one of those could keep you entertained for a good while."

"Worth a shot, at least." Tempest stood up. "Good luck with the talks, Twilight."

After Tempest departed, Pharynx also stood up.

"As much as I'd love to stay for the boring talk, I've got some soldiers to put through their paces." He announced.

"Okay." Thorax nodded. "Just try not to run the troops too ragged now."

"No promises." Pharynx chuckled.

Following Twilight's instructions and Thorax's suggestions, Tempest filled her time with whatever entertainment happened to be available. She had never been a fan of dancing or art, but was able to find the Changelings' rendition of King Steer mildly intriguing. Still, she felt she hadn't really gotten much to learn from her interactions with the Changelings like Twilight had hoped.

"Maybe I can find something on the lower levels..." She thought to herself.

As she descended into the hive, she heard some commotion. Following the sound, she found Pharynx putting the Changeling soldiers through some drills.

"Come on, keep moving!" Pharynx demanded.

The soldiers crawled under nets, leapt over hurdles, and attacked dummies made to look like dangerous creatures.

"Him, not bad." Tempest noted. "That's one decent regimen..."

After a few more rounds, Pharynx seemed satisfied with the soldiers' performance.

"Okay, that'll do for now." Pharynx declared. "Take a break!"

The soldiers relaxed, catching their breath.

"Impressive." Tempest made her presence known.

"Oh, it's you." Pharynx glared. "When Thorax said you should entertain yourself, I doubt he meant you should barge in on our training." His glare became a smirk. "Or do you just want to see how real soldiers are trained?"

"Oh, please." Tempest scoffed. "I put my trainees through regimens just as tough. If not tougher."

"Do you now?" Pharynx scoffed.

"Yes, I do." Tempest retorted. "I make sure they're in top condition, so they can handle whatever the world throws at them."

"And how would you know what the world can throw you?" Pharynx said skeptically.

"You think I don't know what I'm talking about?" Tempest asked indignantly. "I spent years travelling the lands beyond Equestria, surviving by my wits and cunning."

"That's about as likely as that line about the Ursa Minor." Pharynx scoffed.

"Excuse me?" Tempest growled.

"You heard me." Pharynx smirked. "You probably lost your horn picking flowers, or something wimpy like that. And you made up the Ursa Minor thing to sound tough."

"I don't need to sound tough." Tempest growled. "Because I am tough. I've faced creatures that would send most running for the hills. What have you ever faced to back up your ego?"

"I've faced a Maulwurf before." Pharynx retorted.

"An oversized mole? Big deal." Tempest scoffed. "What's next, an oversized can of bug spray?"

"Oh, you did not just call me a bug." Pharynx snarled.

"You gonna do something about it, tough guy?" Tempest jeered.

"Oh, I'm gonna do something, alright." Pharynx sneered. "You want to prove how tough you really are? Then I hereby enact a warrior's challenge."

The nearby soldiers gasped with surprise.

"A what?" Tempest frowned.

"An old Changeling tradition." Pharynx explained. "A duel between two combatants to prove who is the superior combatant. Think you can handle that?"

"Bring it on." Tempest grinned. "We'll see who the real warrior is around here."

"Yes, we will." Pharynx smirked.

At that point, Twilight, Spike and Thorax entered the room. The discussions had ended, and they had decided to find out where Tempest had gotten to. One Changeling passer-by (one of Pharynx's traineees, on his way to get some food) had pointed them in the right direction.

"There you are- Wait, what's going on here?" Twilight asked, quickly taking note of the hostilities in the air.

"Nothing that should concern you, Princess." Pharynx replied, never taking his eyes off Tempest.

"Just a little dispute that needs to be resolved, that's all." Tempest added, stretching in preparation for the battle.

"Resolved the old-fashioned way, of course." Pharynx struck a nearby dummy, knocking it over.

"Isn't there a better way to resolve things?" Spike asked nervously.

"One that doesn't involve picking a fight?" Twilight added.

"Sorry, Twilight." Tempest apologized. "But like I said, I'm a warrior. This is how I handle my problems."

"Pharynx..." Thorax glared at his brother.

"Don't even try it, Thorax." Pharynx retorted. "I invoked a warrior's challenge, and I have to see it through. You know the rules. Not even our ruler can dissolve a challenge once it's been set in motion."

"Wait, is that true?" Spike asked.

"I'm afraid it is." Thorax admitted ruefully. "I really should have changed that rule when I had the chance... But there hasn't been a warrior's challenge made in so long. I never thought this would actually happen..."

"I can understand the value of tradition, but still..." Twilight frowned. "Tempest, we're here to strengthen our bonds with the Changelings, not hurt them."

"Relax, Twilight." Tempest smiled. "I promise I won't leave any lasting damage on this clown."

"Oh, really?" Pharynx scoffed. "What are you gonna do, poke me with that jagged stump on your head?"

"Not exactly." Tempest smirked.

Tempest fired a bolt of magic out of her broken horn, scorching the ground at Pharynx's hooves.

"Whoa!" Pharynx leapt backwards, surprised by the mare's attack. "Where did that come from?"

"What's the matter, pal?" Tempest grinned. "Starting to realise this isn't going to be as easy as you thought it was?"

"You wish." Pharynx sneered, his antlers glowing. "I've got some surprises of my own, y'know."

Pharynx fired a bolt of magic from between his antlers, disintegrating a rock by Tempest's hooves.

"Not really a surprise now that you've shown it to me." Tempest deadpanned.

"Don't worry, I'm just getting started." Pharynx smirked. "Plenty more surprises on the way, trust me."

"Talk is cheap." Tempest narrowed her eyes. "I prefer action."

"So do I." Pharynx agreed.

The two circled each other, ready to make the first move. Then they both charged at the same time. The two crashed into each other, locking up into a grapple.

Tempest broke out of the grapple first, leaping back and launching a kick. Pharynx dodged, then returned with an attack of his own. Tempest managed to dodge that attack in return.

"That all you got?" Tempest taunted him.

"Not even close." Pharynx smirked.

Before the watching eyes of Twilight, Spike, Thorax and Pharynx's trainees, the two continued their clash. There were strikes, lunges, blocks and parries, with blasts of magic aplenty.

"Yahh!" Pharynx swept Tempest's hooves, knocking her on her back. He then moved in to launch a follow-up attack.

"Hah!" Tempest took advantage of the situation to land a kick in the advancing Pharynx's stomach.

"Oof!" Pharynx groaned, stumbling backward, yet still retaining his footing. "Okay. Now you're really gonna get it..."

"Not before you get this!" Tempest, having taken advantage of Pharynx's stumble to stand upright once more, moved to attack again, throwing out a punch.

This time, Pharynx caught Tempest's attack, using it to flip her overhead. Tempest recovered quickly, and retaliated by throwing her opponent in return. Pharynx hit the ground, only to trip her again a mere second later.

The trainees cheered in support of their teacher, only to quickly fall silent after receiving a glare from Thorax.

The two combatants stood up, still raring to go. They were both thinking the same thing: "Time to finish this."

With another battlecry, Tempest leapt forward. Pharynx did the same. As the two crashed into each other, Tempest dodged a haymaker from Pharynx, and pushed back, ending her lunge with her horn aimed pointblank at Pharynx's midsection, sparking with magical energies. She smiled with triumph.... Before realising Pharynx's glowing antlers were pointed right at the side of her neck.

Silence fell in the chamber as the observers looked upon their sudden stalemate, each one on tenterhooks as they awaited the outcome, feeling as if time was standing still.

"...Well, looks like we're at an empasse." Tempest noted, her voice oddly calm.

"Sure does." Pharynx agreed, similarly dispassionate.

The two glared at each other, locked in a tense standoff that seemed to last for an eternity. Then they both smiled, and separated.

"Guess we'll have to call this one a draw." Tempest declared brightly.

"I can live with that." Pharynx nodded amiably. "And that was really living. It's been too long since I've had a good fight. No better way to get all charged up, if you ask me."

"Oh, yeah." Tempest agreed. "No argument."

"Nice moves, by the way." Pharynx complimented his opponent. "For a pony, that is."

"You weren't so bad yourself... for a bug, I mean." Tempest retorted, smirking. "Gotta say, those soldiers you train are pretty lucky."

"So are those pony guards you're teaching." Pharynx smirked back. "Maybe someday they'll be as tough as you are."

"Well now, let's not expect miracles." Tempest chuckled playfully. "And hey, if you and your soldiers ever need some pointers on how to really fight, let me know."

"And here I was, about to say the same to you." Pharynx joked.

The two shared a friendly laugh, to the bemusement of Twilight, Spike and Thorax.

"So... they're friends now?" Spike frowned, confused.

"Looks like it." Twilight noted.

"I really don't get it." Spike sighed.

"That's just the way Pharynx is." Thorax smiled. "Ever since we were kids, the one thing he's respected above all is strength. All it took for Tempest to earn his respect was to prove her mettle."

"And if there's one thing I know about Tempest, it's that she's a warrior at her core." Twilight noted. "When you think about it, those two are just a couple of kindred spirits."

"As long as they're not gonna start fighting again, I can't complain." Spike shrugged, still having trouble wrapping his head around the sequence of events.

Friendship comes in many different forms, and can be expressed in many different ways. And Tempest and Pharynx's newfound friendship, while born of unusual circumstances, served to further strengthen the bonds between the ponies and the Changelings.

Next Chapter: Dark Tides (Part One) Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 20 Minutes