"You know, sister, it occurs to me that I'm rather detached from the changelings," a blue-hued alicorn pondered aloud whilst sliding books along a shelf.
"Oh, and how is that?" asked another alicorn, her rainbow mane reflecting the light of the sun as she lounged against a pile of embroidered throw pillows.
"As you'll recall, when the she-demon originally attacked Canterlot, I was not within the city," Princess Luna explained sharply. "By the time I had returned from my excursion, Shining Armor and Princess Cadance's wedding had blossomed, and I was none the wiser of the day's events. Only later did you inform me of what had transpired."
Princess Celestia watched the younger alicorn with a sentiment. Luna's ear twitched, as did her wings shiver—telling body language that Celestia knew all too well. She already knew where this conversation was headed.
"I'm sure you remember that night well, sister," she continued, spreading her wings and ascending the aged bookcase. "It took five guards holding me back and a lengthy speech from you to convince me to stay put in Canterlot. If either factor had waned, I'd have sought out that cretin, wherever she had gone and made her pay for her unforgivable transgressions against you and our subjects."
"Oh yes, I remember. Though your protectiveness was endearing, I was relieved you came to see reason," Celestia said calmly. "The ponies of Canterlot needed you, as did I. Although, now that I think of it, I do seem to remember the castle guards avoiding you in the hallways for weeks following that incident."
Celestia subtly fished for a response with her eyes. Luna huffed indignantly.
"Yes, well, I may have, in my frustration, resorted to using the Royal Canterlot Voice in front of them," she muttered, scowling at the ancient books and trying to ignore Celestia's shameless giggling. "However, a whole lot of good staying put did, in the end. I was unable to stop you, our subjects, or even myself from being tormented a second time when the she-demon returned."
“Starlight Glimmer reported to me that you were the one to warn her of the changeling’s intentions before you were captured,” Celestia pointed out. “That’s more than even I was able to do, Luna. You played an important role in this conflict, and it should not be forgotten or understated.”
“Relief that my distress call was heard aside, it still troubles me that I was once again unable to protect those things important to me with my own hooves," Luna countered. “Ever since Nightmare Moon, I’ve done my best not to let my emotions and pride cloud what’s most important. Of course, I am overjoyed everypony is fine and that the changelings are under a new rule. It is just a struggle at times.”
There was a short pause. Luna's wing beat quickened, and her voice took a darker tone.
"If I'm to be open about my feelings, Celestia, I will say this. If Starlight Glimmer had not gotten within my line of sight, the queen would not have escaped that clifftop unscathed."
Celestia nodded, her look solemn and reserved. "I understand your frustration, but please, let your mind be at ease now. The queen is no longer in power, and a wonderful new king has been crowned in her place. I'm quite certain Thorax is in talks with Twilight and Cadance as we speak, discussing a better future for both ponies and changelings."
"Which returns me to my original point." Luna side glanced at her sister. "I'm detached from the changelings, whether as enemies or as allies. While Cadance, Twilight, and yourself have all had dealings with them, I've yet to even hold a conversation with Thorax, let alone interact with any of his subjects. Even during the dinner, the most I could manage was welcoming the group as they arrived."
The sun princess watched the galaxy in her sister's mane shimmer in the light. "Come now. You had the distinct honor of donning Thorax with a Pink Heart of Courage. Does that not count for something?"
"Oh yes, I bestowed him with it alright," Luna grumbled, her eyes rolling in a long, slow arc. "After I successfully made fools of us both in front of our subjects."
Once again, the room was gifted with Celestia's lively giggling.
"If I'm to represent Equestria in our dealings with the changelings, I must know more about them. Not even our outdated archives are too trivial." The night princess set her sights on a book at the opposite end of the top shelf. "Now that I think of it, I was probably still occupying the moon during Equestria's first encounter with changelings, whenever that may have been. Details. It's an oversight I shall now quickly remedy."
Luna's blue magic aura seized her sought book and withdrew it. She then descended to the marble tile floor, face pressed within the book's bindings, and sauntered towards the center of the room, towards her sister and the plethora of throw pillows awaiting her flank. The book's cover, emblazoned with bright golden letters, read, 'Estranged Empires and Sovereignties'.
As Luna sat on her haunches and began to read, Celestia raised an enchanted cup of tea to her lips. "All will come in due time," she said softly. "One day soon, I'm sure Thorax and his subjects will grace even the streets of Canterlot. I have the utmost confidence in both my niece and my former student in their ability to help guide us towards that day."
Cadance's violet eyes anchored onto Apex. The tiny changeling was haphazardly sprawled across Thorax's front legs, his tinier hooves jutting out in various directions. He snored softly, with his head firmly pressed into Thorax's chest, and a thin line of drool shamelessly trickling from his mouth. Every so often, an ear or hoof twitched as he dreamed of all manner of shenanigans.
Thorax, finally at ease, labored a sigh. He nuzzled the nymph's head with his snout periodically, as if to check up on him. It was thanks to this that Cadance's puppy eyes persisted.
"I don't think I'm ever going to get over how adorable he is," she admitted with a chuckle. "Are all changeling nymphs like him?"
Thorax gave the princess an uncertain glance. "If all nymphs were like Apex, I'd have collapsed from exhaustion a long time ago, princess."
Cadance giggled. "A little too lively at times, is he?"
"Let's just say what you've seen today could be called his 'good behavior'. He can be a real hoof-ful when he hasn't gotten enough rest. And since he rarely takes cluster naps with anyling, or rather doesn't like to go to bed in general, he's a hoof-ful pretty frequently."
"I'd say I can only imagine, but I think we both know how Flurry can get at times," said Cadance. "Remember the ‘Bathroom Floor of Eternal Soap Bubbles’? Or perhaps the time she hijacked your transformation magic, and turned you into a squeak toy?"
A blush tinted Thorax's cheeks. "Touché."
The room fell silent, and as it did, Thorax actively avoided the eyes monitoring him. He was at a loss of what to say next, where to take the discussion. For all of his impeccable progress made in teaching rowdy changelings affection in place of aggression, his political skills were still perpetually nonexistent. Even among friends and allies, he was stumped on what to say.
As fun as catching up with Cadance was, it wasn't why he was here. He had responsibilities now.
The alpha bit his lip, and his ears curled at their tips. The silence stoked his anxiety, so he took a deep breath and met their looks head-on.
"I want to apologize for all the distractions today, princess. The changelings have been really antsy today, so it's been hard for me—for us—to focus. It's pretty much been a circus since I woke up this morning. Twilight's visit, then finishing our hive, and then our trip here has been a lot for them to take in. I'd hoped we'd be able to talk about our kingdoms before now."
The fabricated looks of annoyance he had expected played out to be warm, unperturbed grins.
"Thorax, come on," Cadance remarked jovially, "we've had dark kings try to conquer our home, and we've had the entire empire strive to land a national sports competition for weeks. Do you really think some distractions are going to set us off? You should know better than that."
Thorax beamed at Cadance's playfully chiding smile.
"And besides, we can hardly fault you for some early morning mayhem, anyway," Shining Armor added. "After all, I had a rough morning, too. I don't think I'll top 'misinforming the empire about changelings' for some time to come. So don't worry about it, we totally understand."
"Is there anything you'd like to see happen during your visit with us today, or perhaps in the future?" Cadance offered, shifting her position and Flurry’s to one more comfortable. "We have the privilege of knowing you personally, so I believe we can skip past formalities in favor of getting to the crux of the matter—how to integrate our subjects."
The anxieties had loosened their grip. Thorax couldn't tell if the princess was moving the conversation along, herself, or if she had once again read him like an open book. It was probably both.
"Well, I'd love to have the changelings mingle today, if possible," he stated. "Actually, I'm hoping some of them are already doing so. I was thinking about how because the empire was gone for so long, not even scout changelings are familiar with crystal ponies or their culture. They're really curious about the empire, and I think the crystal ponies could teach them a lot."
"There certainly is a kinship between our subjects," Cadance said with a nod. "Sharing love is such an important part of our lives. What's a source of nourishment for you is our primary means of defense and what ultimately unites our kingdom. I think it'd be second nature for our subjects to get along. I'd love to help teach the changelings about our rich culture, and perhaps we'll learn a thing or two from you, as well."
"We just need to provide an environment where the crystal ponies and the changelings can interact freely," Shining Armor put in. "A natural, laid-back environment. Luckily, it just so happens that we may have one of those."
Thorax cocked his sizeable head. Shining Armor put on a foalish grin.
"I didn't have much occasion to mention it before, Thorax, but I’ve actually put together a small celebration for your visit today."
"A celebration?" Thorax inquired. "Really? But, when would you have had time to put together something like that? I could've sworn you've been with us since we got here."
"I have been. I had the idea before your arrival, and things were set in motion following my speech to the crystal ponies," Shining explained. "It may be a last-minute thing, but I think it'll be a great way for the changelings to feel relaxed around the crystal ponies, and vice-versa. The royal guard is setting up carts, tables, and stands in the plaza underneath the castle, and I plan on checking in with them shortly."
"There's an array of staple cuisines from the empire, hoof-made on the spot," Cadance added. Thorax's face progressively lit up like a firework. "I know you don't need to eat in the same way we do, but we wanted to offer your subjects something unique from our kingdom for your visit. Food is a quick but effective fix, after all."
The last of Thorax's anxiety finally melted away. If there was one thing his hosts were always good at, it was becoming a glowing beacon for him when he was lost.
"Oh, that sounds wonderful!" Thorax exclaimed giddily. "All changelings are capable of digesting things. We just don't tend to do it very often outside of certain traditional ceremonies. I'm sure they'll love it. And I know first-hoof how good the empire's food is, princess, so you don't have to sell me on the idea, believe me."
"Well then, why don't I leave you two to it, and I'll go check on how the preparations are coming along?" Shining suggested. "I'll help finish things up, do some quality checks. I'll let you know when it's ready."
"Oh, please do. As soon as Princess Cadance and I are finished, I'd love to come outside and see things for myself," Thorax answered with a smile. "And feel free to have your guards direct the changelings towards the plaza if need be, Shining Armor. Though I have faith in them, they do tend to wander."
Shining Armor rose from his spot on the floor and stretched the stiffness out from his legs. He granted his wife and child a farewell kiss before departing towards the doors. But just as he crossed the threshold, he stopped and turned his attention towards his sister, who was still quietly muttering to herself from inside her circle of knowledge.
The stallion shook his head. For a moment, he'd forgotten she'd even been in the room.
"Twily?" he asked, louder than need be. Or rather, louder than need be for most other ponies.
"..."
"Twily, we're not really doing this again, are we?"
"..."
Raising an eyebrow, Shining Armor used his magic to roll up a scroll resting by Twilight's side. He lightly tapped her on the head with it.
"Bonk."
Caught by surprise, Thorax and Cadance giggled, but neither of them giggled quite as loudly as Flurry Heart.
Twilight's eyes moved from their spot within the page. "Shining Armor, did you just-"
"Bonk."
Flurry giggled louder. Shining grinned wider. Twilight turned to raise her head, challenging the stallion with a sly grin of her own.
"Oh, if you want the ‘Best Aunt Ever’ to entertain Flurry Heart with some slapstick, Shining Armor, I think you'll find she's outmatched."
All at once, Twilight abandoned her laboring studies. She rose from the floor, her magic commanding the many books, papers, and scrolls to rise with her. Twirling them around her in a brief display, she then sent them back into her saddlebags.
Twilight met her brother's eyes, only to find a gloating smirk. He relinquished the held scroll to his sister's magenta storm.
"Actually, I was going to ask if you'd like to accompany me on some preparations for something we’re putting together for Thorax," he said plainly, his mischievous smile holding steady. "I just figured that, as the B.A.E., the sound of Flurry Heart giggling was probably the best method for getting your attention."
Twilight nodded to the proposition and rolled her eyes at the smart-aleck reasoning. Joining Shining in his resumed trot towards the door, she waved a hoof at the trio watching her leave.
“We'll meet up later, Thorax! I finally finished all the relevant notes! I’ll have copies made when I’m next in Canterlot!” Twilight called. “And goodbye, my sweet niece! I hope we’ll have some time to play later!”
“We’ll be back up as soon as preparations are done,” Shining Armor reminded, stepping past the doors to allow Twilight through before engulfing them in his magic aura.
“Oh, hun, can you take a look around the cart wagons and see if there’s anything Flurry might be able to eat?” Cadance quickly put out before the doors could close. “I know once we go down there she's going to see the sights and smell the smells, and that'll be that. If there's even something small we can give her that should keep her satisfied.”
"Of course. Only the best for our little girl!" Shining exclaimed, displaying Flurry an array of ridiculous faces as he slowly disappeared beyond the closing door.
The resulting shut echoed like a muffled thunderclap, but inevitably submitted to the room's shroud of dead air.
Apex shifted around in his sleep, drawing Thorax's gaze to him like a watchful mother hen. Thorax's eye movements were a subtle, flickering occurrence, but they were not lost to Cadance.
"I have to say, Thorax, I'm impressed by the unique dynamic you've forged between you and your subjects," she complimented. "The balance between authority and intimacy is a difficult thing to maintain, let alone master. You've only just gotten here, but I can see that the changelings seem to both respect you as a leader and hold you in regard as a sort of parental guardian. It's fascinating."
Thorax gave a sheepish smile in return. Cadance shared it, laughing at her own seriousness.
"I'm sure you've heard enough of this already from my sister-in-law," she said apologetically. "I keep forgetting she's been shadowing you the past few days."
"Don't worry about it," Thorax assured. "Like I told Twilight, I don't mind the comments and questions. Even the changelings are still reeling from just how different things are now, so it's only natural ponies are curious too."
More silence followed. Thorax skillfully repositioned his hindquarters without disturbing his napping nymph.
"They just deserve better," he continued, watching Apex grimace from within his dreams. "We weren't born into this world to be monsters, scavenging on other creature's emotions; always hungry, always feared, always hated. At least, that's what I've always believed. Chrysalis called me a traitor, and maybe I was in her eyes, but even when I fled the hive, I was always thinking of my kind. I wasn't pulled from the changelings; I was pushed from them. I hoped to return one day, but only after I found a better way for us to live."
"With a little help from the friends you made, you did just that," said Cadance. "Visionaries are quite often seen as outcasts at first, Thorax. Real change is scary, even for changelings; but what is, isn't always what's best. We can always better ourselves, whether as individuals or as kingdoms."
Thorax allowed her wisdom to digest for a moment. He turned his gaze towards the illuminated windows and the beauty of the day outside.
"I guess being a guardian just comes naturally to me. I don't really think about it, I just want the changelings to be happy, and I want to be a positive part of their lives."
"Well, as a co-ruler of the Crystal Empire, I can confidently say that our nation would be more than honored to be close allies with a kingdom ruled by such a compassionate mindset."
Thorax fought it, but he couldn't stop his face from heating up, or the glowing display of teeth that followed.
"So, sister, let me get this straight."
"Yes?"
"All we knew of the changelings prior to Thorax's crowning is that they were, and I quote, 'frightening insect-like creatures who feast off the love of ponies. They can change their form to mimic anypony or anything they choose. Extremely dangerous. Flee on sight.'"
"Go on."
"I cannot. It is two sentences, followed by what I can scarcely even call footnotes."
"And what's wrong with that?"
"Nothing, if this were a children's trivia game. However, this is an ancient volume with pages spanning the thousands. We have entire chapters on the Saddle Arabians and even a fair amount of records concerning the griffons. In the thousand years I was occupying the moon, how did Equestria only come up with a mere two sentences detailing such a dangerous species?"
"Formerly dangerous species."
"Don't give me that. You know the point I make. Besides, even without her armies, the she-demon still lurks."
"If I remember correctly, the changelings are an invasive race not originally from Equestria. I don't believe we even encountered them until very near the thousandth year of the Summer Sun Celebration. What little information was known about them prior to the events of the royal wedding was from sources in Equestria's outskirts, which, as you can see, were somewhat limited."
"And you didn't send ponies to investigate such a disturbing description of a potential threat?"
"Research was done to be sure, but nothing was turned up. The described creatures could not be located, so they were ultimately forgotten about. Changelings can change form to not look like changelings, Luna. That was an obstacle that proved difficult to overcome."
"I believe I recall Twilight Sparkle describing to me a method she used for reverting changelings to their original forms, during the Canterlot invasion."
"You're using Twilight as a standards bar for preparation?"
Luna opened her mouth. She closed it again.
"Point taken. Nevermind."
Sighing, Luna closed the dusty encyclopedia and floated it back up to its proper place.
"At any rate, that was far less helpful than I'd hoped for," she muttered. "I suppose we'll just have to start at square one with the changelings as we did with the dragons."
"The fun is in the journey, as they say," Celestia chimed, effortlessly refilling her cup of tea with her golden magic. "But I wouldn't worry too much, Luna. If I know my former student, she's been documenting and recording all manner of information regarding the newly-established Changeling Kingdom since she first arrived there yesterday."
Luna rolled her eyes and stood from her extravagant throne of pillows, turning her attention to the door.
"Yes, well, you'll have to inform me if and when we receive such information. For now, I have notes of my own for the dream realm that I must review before the raising of the moon tonight. If I do not see you before then, sister, I bid you a very early goodni-"
A sudden flash of light broke her thoughts. Just to Celestia's left, an impressive stack of paper-clipped pages, neatly assorted with identification tabs, had appeared. While Luna gawked on with surprise and confusion, Celestia threw up a mildly curious eyebrow and levitated the first page from the stack. After a few moments, she giggled lightly to herself and returned to her tea.
"What? What does it say?" Luna asked impatiently, trotting over and seizing the page from her sister's grasp. With a curl of her lip, she began to read.
Dear Princess Celestia...I haven't written those words in so long, oh my gosh!
Spike and I are currently in the Crystal Empire with Cadance, Shining Armor, and Thorax. Things are going incredibly well! I'll be sure to update you on more events as they unfold.
Even more exciting, though, I've finished compiling a rough draft of notes for published documentation regarding the Changeling Kingdom. I've been learning so much over the past two days! I wanted to send you all of what I've learned thus far, see what your thoughts are, and ask how best to go about editing and publishing notes for the Canterlot Royal Archives. If you have any suggestions, please be sure to let me know at your earliest convenience!
Forever your Faithful Student,
Twilight Sparkle
There was an uncomfortably long silence. Luna lowered the page, took one glance at the tower of pages, and then turned to find Celestia staring back with a shrewd smile.
"How about that, Luna? Information on the changelings!"
"You have got to be kidding me. The next time you send her off on a foreign affairs mission, you need to confiscate her quills and parchments. And maybe Spike, for good measure."