//------------------------------//
// 123. Cute Mornings 
// Story: Rebirth of the Damned 
// by Borsuq 
//------------------------------//

	Matthias raised his hoof to cover his yawn.
“Rough night?” the image of Princess Luna on the mirror asked him, the end of her mouth curling into a smirk.
Not wanting to dwell deeper into the subject, Matthias just nodded and murmured “That’s one way of putting it.”
Thanks to the night-time adventure that had begun with chasing after Storm and ended with him not being able to put the images of Rainbow Dash and Daring Do in bed together, Matthias had caught a little shuteye. Even the alcohol didn’t help him with falling asleep… especially after he began fearing his dreams might reflect his recent thoughts. If Luna had taken a peek…
Unfortunately for him, it looked as if she did, though he didn’t have any memories of them. Maybe she was just assuming this ‘rough night’ was caused by Rainbow Dash? Either way, she looked at him as if disgusted, though her eyes twinkled with amusement. “Well, I would prefer if you would not put it in some other way, on account of the present company,” Luna said, her horn beginning to glow with blue light.
Matthias was about to ask her what did she mean, but soon he found himself face to face with the levitated ‘company’. He smiled to the small foal that started to giggle as soon as she made out his features in the mirror on Luna’s side. “Hello, Moonlight, how are you?”
“Ar-thias!” the little princess babbled cutely, extending her little hooves to try to touch him through the mirror.
From his side, Arthas ignored the odd feeling of hearing his real name spoken by the small pony and pressed his hoof to the surface of the mirror. “I’m happy to see you too,” he told her, causing Moonlight to start another giggle attack.
Luna hummed happily as she trotted closer. “She’s so cute and sweet that I sometimes fear she will give ponies diabetes when they’ll look upon her,” she said, leaning down to nuzzle her daughter.
Moonlight turned her little head to reply to her mother’s affection, but she paused in mid-nuzzle to yawn. “By the Light, could she be more adorable?” Arthas thought at the sight, watching the little filly rub her tiny eyes.
Luna kissed her just below her horn, “Looks like somepony needs a nap,” she said quietly. “Tell your godfather goodbye, Moonlight.”
The small alicorn mumbled something incoherent (and yet extremely cute at the same time) as her mother began to float her away from the field of vision Matthias had from through the mirror. He waited patiently for a few moments until Luna returned.
“Your daughter is growing well,” he complimented her, “though I must admit her sleeping pattern could use a little improvement.”
“You try telling her that,” Luna smirked in response. “After all, I do believe she stayed up so long because I may have mentioned that I will talk with you in the morning.” Her face became gentler and warmth filled her eyes. “I will never be able to thank you enough for everything.”
Normally, Matthias would try to decline such praise, but in the case of Moonlight, he knew how much this meant to Luna. So he just bowed slightly and replied: “Your friendship is enough of a thank you, Your Majesty.”
“I’m beginning to understand why this annoys Cadance so much,” Luna told him in reply, grimacing at the last two words, though there was a good-humored gleam tune in her voice. “Since you decided to remind me of my title, perhaps I should get around to telling you why I contacted you?”
“If you so wish. Had it been something in dire need of my attention, you would have already told me what it is.”
“True,” Luna smirked, then sighed. “It concerns the changelings.”
Matthias sat up straighter and perked his ears.
“Unfortunately, my Night Guard’s investigation regarding that lost changeling has yet to bear any fruits,” Luna continued, and Matthias felt a little wave of disappointment wash over him, causing his ears to fall down by a few inches.
Whenever he tried to picture himself in Wind Reaver’s situation, he always felt a desire to rush all across Equestria, searching through ponies’ houses and beating any information out of them. How the changeling managed to stay as calm as he is was beyond Matthias’ belief.
“However,” the Princess of the Night continued, glancing away at something that was out of his field of vision, “Doctor Angelic Touch finally has the results from the tests she had conducted on that blood sample you had acquired for us.”
With those words, she moved slightly to the side, letting another mare, much smaller, to stand before the mirror. Matthias nodded his head to the blue as sky unicorn. “Doctor, it’s been a while,” he greeted her, smiling warmly. “As always, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
A smile crossed her features as she regarded him with one violet eye. As always, the other was covered by a lock of white hair. Matthias couldn’t help but wonder if there was a specific reason for her to wear her mane like that, or was it just her favorite manecut.
“Save such smooth words for the half of the castle’s staff that’s interested,” she replied with a smirk, causing him to look at her puzzled. “About every mare that works as help here besides my mother dreams about you.”
A blush covered his cheeks hearing that. He… had some suspicion after those few times he had interacted with maids in Canterlot Castle, but to hear it be put so bluntly…
“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Luna interjected; it was clear from her expression that she was rather enjoying watching him grow uncomfortable. “I think that young noble that had joined the court the other day, Lord Blackhorn, had also stirred some hearts. Still, though,” she continued, glaring at Matthias with a look so evil that he was convinced she must have bore it as Nightmare Moon as well, “the number of mares that would try to break into your chambers next time you’ll stay in Canterlot is simply terrifying!”
“Of course it is…” he thought, somehow managing to not roll his eyes.
However, he did facehoof when Luna hadn’t stopped; “I think it would be good if you gave them a clear message… maybe by starting a serious relationship with a certain unicorn?” she asked teasingly.
“Can we please leave my personal life out of this?” Matthias asked, exasperated. He turned to Dr Angelic with half-pleading look. “Doctor, what was it you had found out?”
The blue mare smiled and winked (or maybe just blinked, it was hard to say when you can see only one eye). “Not that I want to cut your fun short, Your Majesty,” she said, looking back at Luna, “but I do have some other duties to attend to. Maybe we could begin?”
The alicorn glanced briefly at the Royal Physician with disappointment, then rolled her eyes and nodded to her. Angelic turned to Matthias again, levitating a clipboard next to her.
“Let me start by saying that if the Princess hadn’t assured me you’re not one for pranks, I wouldn’t have believed that what you gave me was a blood sample,” she began, making Matthias raise an eyebrow in surprise. “It didn’t resemble the blood of any living organism I had ever examined… which means every living organism known to science save for dragon’s. There were no traces of blood cells, be it erythrocytes, leukocytes, or thrombocytes, and on top of all that, that substance also didn’t resemble plasma. Are you following this?” she looked up from her notes.
Matthias nodded to let her know she can continue. While he wasn’t nearly as studious as Jaina or Twilight, a future king was expected to have a vast knowledge. The fact that he had been a lord of the dead had also contributed to it.
Angelic cleared her throat and resumed her summary. “The cellular build of this ‘blood’ - and I use this term loosely - doesn’t consists any sodium, potassium, chloride or calcium. There wasn’t even water in it, which should be just plain impossible. But,” she paused to once again look at him, “this blood, whatever is made from, is highly dense with strange magic. In fact, I think this is some form of liquefied magic.”
Matthias’ memory went back to his meeting with Chrysalis. Back then, when he and Twilight had arrived, she was drinking a strange green liquid.
“Or maybe it’s liquefied love?” he asked, recalling what the Changeling Queen told him back then. “I’ve seen Queen Chrysalis drink something strange and called it ‘love in this form’.”
The doctor perked up with interest, then nodded. “Normally, I would have considered it to be a rather bizarre assumption. You’re basically saying that they are drinking their own blood. However, when I compared the sample with the amber left from the Changeling Invasion, after some tests I came to the conclusion that they’re basically made out of the same substance. Which means… that both of them are changelings magic that was given a form, and depending on what they want, the changelings create it to do practically everything,” Doctor Angelic summed up. “Their bodies must naturally change it to blood to have the love spread through their bodies… and that means that their circulatory system and gastrointestinal tract must be fused on some level… and probably their respiratory system, too, seeing how they seem to breathe, yet there was no oxygen in that sample… had you ever seen them go to a bathroom?” she asked Matthias. “I’m curious if they need to dispose any waste.”
“No, I don’t think I ever had,” Matthias replied, pondering those revelations. The changelings were unlike any living creature that he had ever heard off… and at the same time, they’ve resembled both ponies and aqirs so much… He recalled how the silithid used natural materials using their bodily secretions to build their homes, comparing that to the changelings abilities...
“I think this also explains how come every member of their kind can change shape so easily,” Luna’s voice pulled him from his musing.
“Quite,” Doctor Angelic agreed. “I would imagine that their entire body must be made from this ‘love’, in different states of molecular structure. Though we won’t know for sure until they decide to... ‘come clean’, so to say.”
“That reminds me,” Matthias said, turning to Luna, “how’s that coming along?”
“I think that we will have the majority of nobles and officials convinced in a few days,” the Princess of the Night replied. “Once that will be over, my sister and I will inform Equestria of our efforts to form alliance with the changelings… though how that will go remains to be seen.”
“I’m sure that once they reveal what exactly makes them tick, ponies will stop fearing them,” Angelic said.
“Not all ponies decide to trust somebody by knowing what their insides look like, dear doctor,” Luna retorted, smirking. “Most ponies have a few other criteria another has to meet before they stop fearing them.”
In reply to the barb, Angelic Touch rolled her eyes. “Yes, well, making peace between ponies and changelings is your job, not mine. I’m just a help in the biology related issues. Which is why you and your sister had told me to make sure I will have enough of a free time in my schedule to travel to Ponyville, is it not?”
“You will be coming to Ponyville to hear what Nymph and Wind Reaver will tell us,” Matthias realized out loud.
“Hear, document, ask questions...” Angelic shrugged. “Though since they are supposed to tell us about their social structure as well, it’s a good thing Twilight is supposed to be there to make notes,” the unicorn shook her head. “I find the ponies’ society boring enough; no way would I bother writing about changelings’.”
“You know Twilight?” Matthias asked, slightly surprised.
“Oh yes, we met in Celestia’s School for gifted unicorns,” the mare replied, smiling. “Though being a senior by the time she was admitted there as Celestia’s protégée we couldn’t exactly become friends.”
“There’s that, and the fact that you were mostly interested in taking a blood sample from Spike,” Luna added, looking at Angelic sternly.
To her credit, the blue mare blushed with embarrassment. “Oh, Princess Celestia told you about that… heh…” Angelic brushed her mane nervously. When she looked back to Matthias, she saw him also staring with a stern expression (though inwardly, he was more surprised and mildly amused than angry). “I admit, I could have handled that suggestion a bit better… Oh, give me a break!” she finally exclaimed, looking at one and the other. “We know nothing about dragons, and there is one living right around the corner. Can you really blame me for wanting to know a bit more about him?”
“He likes green gems the most, makes good nachos and pancakes…” Matthias began, but Angelic shoot him an angry look, while Luna giggled.
Sighing, the blue mare dropped the issue. “If that’s all, I would like to go prepare for my lecture at Celestia’s school,” she said, massaging her temples.
“Of course,” Luna replied, nodding. “Thank you for your assistance, Doctor Angelic.”
Matthias echoed her words, while the Royal Physician moved away from his field of vision, murmuring something under her breath. Princess Luna stood for a moment in silence, turning to him once he heard the sound of doors closing.
“I think we’ve established that you’re not the only one with an obsessed scientist working for you,” Luna said with a smirk.
Matthias raised an eyebrow. “Are you… seriously comparing Angelic to Putricide?”
“Well, she has obsession. Only she keeps it in check,” she shrugged. “Now, jokes aside, is there anything you feel we should talk about? Because I think I should follow my daughter’s example and go to sleep.”
As much as Matthias didn’t want to stop her from taking a well-earned rest, there was something he needed to talk with her about. “Sorry, but I think there is,” he said. “Last night, I’ve stumbled upon Daring Do.”
“Oh?” Luna asked, her eyes growing wide. Then, much to Matthias horror - as he realized what she was thinking - her surprised expression changed into smirking one. “Well, that explains why you had a rough night.”
“Oh, for the love of…” Matthias muttered, facehoofing. “We didn’t do anything of those sorts.”
He decided not to mention that she had flown away with Rainbow Dash, afraid of how she would react to that. “Probably laugh her flank off.”
“Really?” Princess Luna asked surprised. “I was under the impression that Rainbow Dash is a really big fan of her books. Given the nature of your relationship, I would have thought that-”
“You’re daughter is sleeping like three meters away from you,” Matthias reminded her, feeling suddenly hot. Princess Luna smirked, but she did stop talking and looked to her side to check if Moonlight Shadow was still asleep. Matthias sighed, deciding that since they were already on the subject, he might confide in her. “Honestly, though… I think I decided I’m tired of… such entertainments.”
Not entirely unexpectedly, Luna looked at him with no surprise or amusement, but understanding. “You’re thinking about ending your relationship with Rainbow Dash?”
He nodded, though somewhat reluctantly. “This ‘relationship’ of ours was based purely on bodily needs, anyway. It’s not that we don’t care about one another, but…”
“But it’s nothing compared to how you felt about Jaina… or how you feel about Twilight, right?” Luna said gently for him.
“Luna, please don’t bring this up,” Matthias sighed, then forced a smile. “We both know how this will go; you will tell me that my past doesn’t matter, that I should put it behind me, while I will continue to think myself unworthy of being friends with everypony, let alone be romantically involved with Twilight. Besides,” he added more briskly, ignoring the look Luna was giving him, “she decided that we should remain friends.”
“Yes, which makes me question my sister’s praises for her intellect,” Luna replied with a sigh, but she waved away the retort Matthias had on the tip of his tongue. “No matter, we will discuss this some other time. Why was it that you brought up Daring Do?”
Glad that they returned to this topic, Matthias straightened up. “She told me what she had found out about Commander Hurricane,” he said, and immediately Luna’s mood grew sour. “In fact, she told me some things about all six Founders, including your ancestor, Queen Platinum. However, what she said about Commander Hurricane was the most haunting.”
“Not really surprising,” Luna replied, smirking briefly. “Fighting off a thousand enemies… I think he would have stirred some things on your old world, despite how some might react on the first sight of him.” Her expression grew more serious and somber as she continued: “But regardless… he is hailed as one of the greatest heroes known to ponykind, and it suddenly turns out that he had destroyed one of the most beautiful places on our world, burned down the World Tree… and maybe shattered a continent.”
“Do you really think that’s possible?” Matthias asked the question that was nagging him ever since the night before. “Not even Deathwing’s Cataclysm managed to shatter an entire continent… well, at least so far. How could Commander Hurricane do that?”
“Commander Hurricane wasn’t an ordinary pony. And while destroying a continent seems impossible, so does killing a dragon as big as Daring Do claims it was.” Luna sighed and sat down. “I remember how when we were foals Bolt would read about Hurricane in some old books we had back in the castle. ‘The greatest pegasus who ever lived’, as he had called him,” she smiled at the memory. “Even after he was no longer a pegasus, Commander Hurricane was still a role-model for him. A pony determined to do whatever it took to protect what was dear for him... I guess it’s for the best that back then we didn’t know what happened during the Dragon Hunt.” She remained silent for a few short moments, then continued: “What do you think of Commander Hurricane? You, Arthas Menethil, who can put yourself in his horseshoes?”
“I think that he is lucky to be remembered as a hero,” Arthas replied calmly without missing a beat, unable to hide a tone of longing from his voice. “I envy him. And Shadow Bolt; I wish I could have protected what was dear to me as well as he had,” looking at Luna, he added: “I know I hadn’t really known him… but I think he would have been happy to see you and Moonlight now. To know that thanks to his sacrifice you two were protected. I’m sure he must be looking over you from whatever there is beyond death.”
Luna’s smiled sadly hearing those words. “And I’m sure your family and friends must be doing the same for you, and are happy to see you free from your shadow.”
Her words managed to lift his heart… to some degree. Arthas doubted he would ever be truly free from the darkness that lingered there.
“Let’s change the subject,” he finally said after a few more moments of silence, when both of them remained in the state of neither sadness nor happiness, as they recalled their close ones that were no longer alive. “You’ve told me how the investigation regarding the missing changeling is going… how is the other one?”
Luna’s brow furrowed, immediately knowing what he was talking about. “As well as you can expect with the trail being so cold. Honestly, I don’t expect it to bear any fruition.”
“But you cannot deny that it must be checked… even if for just a memory’s sake,” Matthias replied. “Have you told Celestia yet?”
A smirk appeared on Luna’s face. “She has her ploys, I have mine. When the time comes, I will bring this matter to her attention. Right now, when it’s just speculation, I don’t see a reason to bring this up.”
“May I remind you, Luna, that I swore an oath to both you and Celestia?” Matthias said uncomfortably. “I am kind off obliged to inform her of such matters…”
“May I remind you, Arthas, that I can nag you about Twilight when you're awake and asleep?” Luna retorted, smirking. As Matthias groaned and facehoofed, she continued. “I do not plan to take any actions in this matter without consulting with my sister, either way, so there’s not really a need for you to worry.” She paused to look at him intensively. “And you could at least talk with Twilight again.”
“Oh, for the love of Light, why?” Matthias thought, already tired of hearing that.
Deciding to move this topic along and end this discussion (as he had a few matters to attend to) he spoke: “We’re both going today to Rarity’s Birthday Party, so we will likely end up talking with each other.”
“Good,” Luna commented, smirking, as if she had won the discussion. “Maybe you two will finally come to your senses and be together, Prince Arthas.” Matthias blinked in surprise as she referred to him by the title he held in life. “I mean, just think about it; if you two would get married, then she would be called Princess Twilight Sparkle. Doesn’t it have a good ring to it?”
Despite how wrong that entire conversation was, on accounts of both Luna touching the subject of his previous life and the subject of his relationship with Twilight, Arthas couldn’t help himself from imagining the scene that simple sentence had portrayed for him: he and Twilight getting married…
“Princess Twilight Sparkle…” he tasted the thought, “... that does sound good…”
The giggling from the other side of the mirror brought him back to his senses. He realized as he looked at smirking Luna that some of his feelings must have reflected on his face.
“Please wish Rarity a happy birthday from me and my sister,” she said, still giggling, as she ended the connection.
From within the mirror, an earth pony whose cheeks were more red than white looked back at Matthias.
 



 
“I. Love. Mares!”
That more or less summed up Rainbow Dash’s thoughts as she woke up to find Daring doing… pretty much the same she was doing when she had finally passed out late at night. Not that she loved stallions any less; in fact, the only way this could be any better would be by having Matt here as well. She kicked herself mentally for dragging Daring to her house so quickly… even if her bed was more comfortable than Matt’s…
Which, to be perfectly honest, didn’t help her much. She was so sore! Around the end of the first hour Rainbow had realized that Daring left out a lot from her adventures in her books. There was no way she could have learned all those things she did to her during those few flings she wrote about. As much as Rainbow had enjoyed her fun times with Matt and would have gladly have him here, there was no denying who was a better lay.
By the time Daring was done, Rainbow was once again panting. “That. Was. Awesome,” she managed to say, looking lazily at the other pegasus beside her.
Daring smirked. “I know,” she replied, her hoof traveling up and down Rainbow’s body. “Though you’re not half bad either. Can’t believe that was your first time with another mare. You’ve got quite an enthusiastic tongue there…” Daring murmured as she leaned for a kiss, which Rainbow happily gave her.
“Well…” Rainbow said, smiling awkwardly, “I may have… done some things while drunk…”
Daring chuckled. “Oh, I see… I guess that’s why you had those ‘toys’ here…” she grinned as Rainbow blushed. “Trying to figure out your identity and such?”
“Kinda,” Dash admitted. “Though I decided that I like both; plastic just doesn’t feel as good.”
“I hear ya,” the other pegasus nodded. “But sometimes it can be soo hard to find a willing colt-toy. Take, for example, that Sir Lightbringer…”
Her ears perked up. “... What?” Dash thought, stunned.
“Can you believe he turned me down?” Daring asked, pouting.
“What?!” Dash this time asked out loud. “Why would he…” she began to say, but then she quickly reminded herself who they were talking about. The masochistic stallion determined to be forever unhappy and not being with the mare he loves had now apparently decided that he did no longer want to be... adventurous. Which under normal circumstances Rainbow would have applauded, as it might finally bring him and Twilight together… but he really could have picked a better timing for snapping like this! “Ugh, I can’t believe that idiot! We could have-”
Rainbow had just realized that she was speaking out loud.
“‘We could have’... what?” Daring, looking at her oddly, asked when she had stopped talking. “Are you telling me there is something between you and Sir Lightbringer, which would most likely be the reason why he had turned me down?”
“Um…” Dash mumbled, and then managed a faked smirk. “Nah, of course no- Yeow!” she yowled in pain as Daring smacked her already sore flank really hard.
“That,” Daring said, looking at her through narrowed eyes; somehow, an image of one Ahuizotl's cats suddenly came to Rainbow’s mind, “was for lying.”
“No, I- YEOW!” Dash once again yowled as another smack hit her, even more painful than before.
“And that...” Daring said, leaning over her face. Rainbow Dash swallowed nervously, preparing for the worst... “was for calling his name,” she finished with a smirk.
Rainbow's jaw dropped. Daring moved away as she began to laugh. “Oh, the look on your face is just priceless!”
“I… really called his name?” Dash asked, embarrassed.
She had no idea what she was getting into.
Daring stopped laughing closed her eyes, and: “Oh, Matt!” Rainbow’s cyan coat started turning into red as the other mare continued to moan and gasp. “Oh yes! Harder, Matt! Harder!”
Unable to look at her, Dash covered her head with her hooves. Daring giggled seeing that and pulled her hooves apart. “Oh, come on,” she said, kissing her neck, “that was actually cute! And it only happened once,” she added with a grin. “Most of the time you got the name right.”
Rainbow Dash, still flushed, began responding to the smooches. Soon the smooches turned into another round, after which both laid unmoving for some time.
“Gotta get up at some point,” Rainbow finally muttered reluctantly.
“Yeah,” Daring said, somehow having the energy - and health - to rise. “I have to get to Canterlot today; got a lecture tomorrow,” she said, stretching.
“Right…” Dash trailed of, recalling that a few of her books actually started with Daring giving a lecture in Canterlot. “Hey, are all those students really crazy about you, or did you make that one up?”
“‘Make that one up’?” Daring replied with a smirk. “I don’t make things up… and as for those students, can you blame them?” she added sultrily.
“Hm… guess not?” the cyan mare replied, finally also getting up… and then falling right back down. “I think you broke me.”
“Well, I would offer a message to make it better, but we both know how that’s gonna end,” Daring Do said, hopping off the bed.
She trotted to stand next to unmoving Rainbow Dash, and swiftly pulled her out of the bed and unto her back. “Where’s your bathroom?” she asked.
“That way,” Dash replied, pointing a little to the left from her bedroom’s door. As Daring began to trot away, Rainbow wrapped her forelegs around her neck and buried her muzzle in her mane. “So,” she asked, savouring the smell, “what happens now?”
“Shower, breakfast, then for me it’s Canterlot and then more research,” Daring said as she trotted through Dash’s hallway in the direction she was pointing. She looked back at the pegasus on her back with concern. “Hon, I hope I hadn’t given you the wrong idea…”
But she stopped as Rainbow immediately started chuckling. “Sorry, Daring, but I am not looking for a relationship anytime soon,” she said, amused that the tan pegasus had thought her to be that kind of a mare. “Though it would be nice if you would drop by from time to time,” Rainbow added when she stopped laughing.
“Oh, I intend to,” Daring replied, grinning.
 



 
“I tried to convince him to go as well, but there’s no reasoning with him,” Nymph said as she caught the apples with her magic before they fell to the ground. Levitating them to one of the few empty barrels there were left on the cart, she continued: “I know I cannot possibly imagine what he must be going through, with his intended mate missing, but I had really thought that Rarity’s Birthday party would cheer him up.”
Big Mac, who was about to buck another apple tree, stopped to look at her, “Didn’tya say you two ain’t friends?” he asked, cocking his head. “Why do ya care so much?”
As most of her days had been starting ever since they had returned from the Crystal Empire, Nymph was on Sweet Apple Acres. She was helping Big Mac with his chores, and although the first time she spend most of the day talking, the changeling was now more than happy to just simply be there and enjoy his company. A few times she had even gotten Big Mac to talk and she was the one listening. Nymph wished he would do that more often; he had a really beautiful, strong voice…
He wasn’t the only one she would spend time with while on the farm. The Cutie Mark Crusaders would often come here after school and would attempt to drag her away to play with them or help them earn their cutie marks. Most of those attempts were successful, as Nymph liked playing with the fillies; plus, Big Mac’s confusion every time she took a shape of a pony his little sister’s age was really amusing.
There was also Applejack. The mare still didn’t trust her, and gave her a look whenever they would bump into each other. Thankfully, those last couple of days she and her brother tended to different parts of the farm, so Nymph didn’t have to spend too much time in her company.
The last member of the Apple family was Granny Smith. Nymph met her when Big Mac insisted she would join them for a dinner one time. Well, not as much as insisted, but looked at her with those green eyes of his and she just found herself unable to say no (despite that her unicorn shape’s fake stomach couldn’t exactly digest food). The dinner was nice, and so was Granny Smith… though when she asked her why a changeling was hanging out so often on her farm and Nymph replied that she liked spending time with Big Mac and found the work on the farm to be quite relaxing, the older mare, to her confusion, gave an amused chuckle and just dropped the subject.
“That was a weird day,” she thought back then, confused both with Granny Smith’s reaction as well as how she felt oddly when Big Mac asked her to join them for that dinner.
Back in the present moment, after Nymph had made sure that the barrels in which she put the apples were secured, she turned to reply to Big Mac’s question; “Aren’t you ponies the ones that try to be friends with everypony?”
The red stallion chuckled, “Fair ‘nough,” he said, bucking the tree.
Nymph swiftly caught the falling apples. “I have a rare opportunity to make friends with another changeling,” she continued. “Wind is currently too worried about his intended mate to think of me as a walking reminder that our Queen might one day be gone.”
Nymph had known that telling Big Mac about being Queen Chrysalis’ heir was going against her mother’s orders, but… she felt so happy being able to finally confine in someling other than Mother. One time when her stay on the farm prolonged up until evening, Big Mac had asked her just why exactly she wasn’t friends with Wind Reaver… and she told him how she was chosen by Queen Chrysalis as her heir, was raised by her for the role of Queen of the Changelings should something happen to her, and how all Chrysalis’ daughters were treated by the Swarm. Noling was unpleasant to them or rude, but just… didn’t see them as another changeling.
She was practically sobbing when she had gotten to that part, and then, to her surprise, Big Mac trotted over to her and gave her a hug. Nymph was so stunned that it took her a few seconds to hug him back. He was so warm, so strong, and yet so gentle… she quickly finished her sobbing over his shoulder, feeling her sadness disperse when presented with Big Mac’s warm feelings.
And he wasn’t the only one with those feelings. The moment their coats had touched, Nymph felt as if she could melt. Her heart sped up, pumping love through her body, and it had nothing to do with the emotions she was being willingly given by Big Mac.
Ever since then, Nymph began to better understand Wind Reaver.
“And I really pity him,” Nymph added to her response. “You ponies have no idea what having your mate be gone means for a changeling.”
Big Mac looked back at her. “Ah could imagine.”
Nymph shivered as she sensed what he was feeling right when he said those words.
“Um, no, you don’t understand,” she quickly said, shrugging off that sensation. “When changelings become live-mates - husband and wife, as you ponies would say - there are a few… um, things that happen to them,” Nymph finished awkwardly. Seeing the questioning gaze of Big Mac she added: “Look, it’s a bit complicated, and I need to go start getting ready for Rarity’s party; it’s already past noon.”
Now Big Mac’s confusion’s grew deeper. “Stallions,” Nymph thought with amusements.
“A mare needs some time to properly prepare for an important event,” she told him. “While Rarity might have said that this will be a more casual kind of party, I plan to be at my best, as a representative of the Changeling Swarm.”
She smiled to Big Mac. The red stallion’s confusion dispersed… but now there was a smirk on his face as he looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
“... or maybe I plan to trot around my room at the Abbey nervously, worried if I look good enough for the party or not,” Nymph admitted, looking down and blushing.
A warm chuckle escaped Big Mac as he trotted over to her. Nymph had suddenly found her chin being lifted by his hoof to meet his eyes. “Ya’ll be fine, however ya’ll look,” he told her, smiling.
She was certain that if she was in her true form right now, her wings would start buzzing uncontrollably.
She didn’t respond, just smiled back to him, thankful for the praise and… just happy. Seeing her mood improved, Big Mac took a step back - making Nymph miss his touch on her chin - and turned his head back. He reached for his something under his yoke, pulled it out, and turned back to give it to her.
Nymph took it with her magic. This ‘something’ turned out to be a ticket for tomorrow’s performance of Ponytones, the vocal quartet that Big Mac had recently joined.
“Tomorrow is our first performance since Ah joined,” he told her, and when Nymph looked up at him she saw that he was blushing. “Ah was wonderin’ if ya’d like to come… and then maybe go for a walk?”
Nymph eyes grew wide. “Is he… asking me out on a date?”
It certainly looked like it. He was obviously nervous, she could sense his emotions swirl around him like a maelstrom, and was waiting for her answer.
“By Ashvattha, what should I say?!”
“I, e…” she mumbled, looking from him to the ticket to him and back. Her heart was pumping love through her body like crazy, and she felt as if the temperature around them had suddenly increased. She looked into his green eyes as he calmly waited for her response, hope glimmering from behind them… “Yes,” she finally whispered, then added louder: “Yes, I would love to.”
She didn’t think she could feel more hot, but she was proven wrong as she saw Big Mac smile at her response. Deciding to get away from him before her heart would explode, she bid him farewell and prepared for a teleportation spell.
“I’ll… I’ll see you tomorrow after the show,” she said, smiling.
The last thing she saw before her vision was obscured by the flash of green were those green eyes of his.
Back in the quarters the Hivespeaker had given her to live in during her stay, Nymph had finally abandoned her disguise. She jumped atop her bed in her true form, her wings buzzing with excitement as she squeezed the ticket against her chest.