Fluttershy was, it turned out, not as timid as Driftwood had been led to believe, even if everything he’d heard about her had been a third or fourth accounting from someone who had invariably heard it from a friend or family member. They had not conversed on a wide variety of topics, but he’d learned that she was an animal caretaker in Ponyville, as well as a warden in the Ranger Corps. While his own occupations weren’t anything she personally had experience with, she nevertheless found it admirable that he would try to guide ponies — and other changelings — through difficult and confusing times in their lives. He would remember the smile he’d received — warm and filled with honest joy — for a long time afterward.
It was near the end of the latter topic that Applejack finally returned with Rainbow Dash in tow. While Applejack settled back onto her vacated cushion as if nothing had happened — or at least as near to such a state of being as well possible, all things considered — Dash all but fell onto hers, folded both her arms across her chest, and promptly began glaring at the wall for several seconds until Applejack cleared her throat. With an annoyed huff, Dash turned her head to glare at Driftwood instead, and while she certainly did not look happy, she also didn’t look like she might try to attack him either.
“So. Changelings don’t eat love, huh?” she asked, sounding less like she was curious and more like she had been told to ask.
“Well, no. I don’t even know how you could eat something like that,” Driftwood replied. “Changelings can’t eat love anymore than they can eat magic. ”
“But, ya’ll still need it, even if you don’t eat it, right?” Applejack ventured.
“It’s not really any different from food or water, except for where it comes from” Driftwood answered, turning his attention to Applejack. “Changelings that don’t absorb love always die. If we never disguise ourselves or use magic, we can live for a little while, but we always die without it.”
“Are you absorbing it right now?” Dash asked suspiciously.
“Well —”
Driftwood was interrupted by the sound of a door opening, and when he turned to look, he saw Rarity approaching from the small conference room she’d joined Twilight in earlier, a glowing smile on her face. Without wasting even a moment, she walked right to Driftwood and nuzzled against his cheek. “I told you everything would be fine,” she said. “Twilight only has a few more questions for you. Just relax and be truthful.”
“No promises about relaxing, but I can be truthful,” Driftwood replied sadly.
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic,” Rarity said. With a quick peck on the changeling’s nose, she nudged him towards the door. “Go on.”
Turning to the door to the conference room, Driftwood took a breath and walked to and through it.
“Wait! How do changelings absorb love?” Dash called somewhat frantically.
“Oh, did he not tell you?” Rarity asked. “They breathe it.”
The final word to grace Driftwood’s ear as he shut the door behind him was Rainbow Dash asking, “What?!” at a volume that was wholly inappropriate for use indoors.