“Good morning, Brass,” Coco greeted as we approached the castle’s doors.
“Good morning, Miss Coco,” Brass returned and gave her a slight bow. “To you too, Pin.”
“Good morning,” I said. “May we pass?”
“Of course,” Brass said and opened one of the castle’s doors for us. “The meeting is in the same room as yesterday.”
“Thank you.”
Coco and I entered the castle and took our needed turn. We went a few steps down the hall and heard a commotion from the meeting room.
Coco’s ears perked. “Who is that? They sound tickled.”
“That sounds like Celestia,” I said, the princess’ full laugh bringing a smile to my face.
As we approached the door, I could make out voices.
“What do you mean we can’t ask them questions yet?!” Cadance asked.
“My decree was clear,” Luna said with authority. “Their bond with each other, whatever it may be, is not to be discussed until the meeting. Since the meeting has not begun, there shall be no inquiries on the matter.”
When we got to the door, I eased my head around the doorframe. The same group of Ponyville ponies, minus Pinch, from the previous morning was in the room along with the additions of Noi, Kevin, Spike, Starlight, and Thorax. The room, while not crowded, was cozy with all the ponies in it.
Cadance, her plumage puffed in frustration, sat on one side of Celestia and fumed at Luna.
Luna, looking smug, sitting on Celestia’s other side, held herself to her full height and regarded Cadance with a goading smile.
“Pin! Coco!” Rarity waved at us to come into the room as if glad for the distraction. “Please, join us.”
“Now there are but two who are absent,” Luna said.
“Of course they had to be the last ones too,” Cadance said and pouted. “We could have talked with them instead.”
As Coco and I took our seats, Rarity told Cadance, “I thought you might like to know that Pin described the fine characteristics of crystal ewe wool to us the other day.”
“That’s wonderful!” Cadance’s mood returned to its typical cheerfulness. “It’s great to hear that our wool is making inroads into other markets.”
Rarity nodded. “He said the wool makes wonderful blankets. That puts me in the mind of warmer clothing, but I will have to make such determinations after I inspect some for myself.”
Cadance gave Rarity a curious look. “You haven’t examined the wool yourself?”
“I haven’t had the opportunity to see the blanket he bought or any of the others the others offered at the spa,” Rarity informed the princess and cut her eyes in my direction. “Pin gave the blanket to Coco as one of gifts he gave her while completing their courtship the night before last.”
Cadance turned her attention toward Coco and me. “Really?” She leaned forward and smiled. “What else did you get her?”
Blushing from the attention I was getting from everypony, I started to reply, but was interrupted by ponies entering the room.
“I told you we’d make it,” Sassy said, as she led Silent into the room. “We had two minutes to spare. Look, Princess Twilight isn’t even in the room yet.”
“Thank the Sisters,” I whispered without thinking.
“We had no influence on the timing of their arrival I assure you,” Celestia said, regarding me with a good-humored smirk.
“It would seem she found you,” Luna said to Silent.
“He was where you said he would be.” Sassy patted Silent’s armored back as if comforting him. “I had to rescue him from another group of curious foals, though.”
“It fascinates me that foals are inquisitive as to my guards while many adults seem put off by them, but that is a topic for another time.” Luna asked Sassy, “Did Silent meet your expectations as an escort last night?”
“He was wonderful,” Sassy said.
“You have to give more details than that,” Cadance insisted.
“I would, but we don’t have time. I’ll sum up by saying he was as charming and fun as he was the other night in Canterlot.” Sassy poked Silent in the ribs to no effect. “If he weren’t in his barding, I’d hug him again.”
Silent smiled. “I did my best to make the evening special.”
“You succeeded,” Sassy told him and touched his cheek with a hoof. “I didn’t want to give you back.”
“He may return to you, when he has completed his duties for the day,” Luna said.
“Did you get a wing hug from him?” Noi asked.
Sassy grinned and nodded to the filly. “Yes I did. It was a very nice one too.”
A hum filed the room. With a pop and a flash of light, Twilight, Cheerilee, Matilda, Pinch, Cranky, and Kevin appeared close to where the princesses were sitting.
“Did we make it?!” Twilight asked Celestia.
“With seconds to spare,” Celestia told Twilight.
“Whew!” Twilight said, letting out a relieved breath. “Everypony take your seats, please.”
“Give them a second, Twilight,” Amethyst said, and put a steadying hoof on Cranky’s shoulder. “They still need to get their hooves under them.”
“Not doing that again,” Cranky declared and shook his head.
Matilda nodded. “I agree. That is not at all what I thought teleportation would feel like.”
Cheerilee leaned on Amethyst for support. “Count me out too.”
Kevin moved to Pinch, who seemed in as bad a shape as Barrel had been after being teleported the other day, and braced her with his hooves. “You okay?”
Pinch gave him a careful, slow nod. “I will be once I know which way is up.”
“Everypony is here,” Piña said. “Can we ask now?”
“The meeting has yet to begin,” Luna pointed out. “Silent, please shut the door.”
“Yes, Princess,” he responded and moved to shut the door.
“So how did your pre-meeting meeting go?” Celestia asked Twilight.
“It went very well. I hope this one is just as productive.” Twilight glanced around the room. “We’re all here, everypony is in their seats, it’s ten o’clock, so let the meeting begin!”
“She enjoys this kind of affair far too much,” Luna commented to Celestia in a stage whisper.
Noi raised her hoof a fraction of a second faster than Piña.
“Yes, Noi,” Twilight said with a giggle, as Piña glared at Noi.
“Will Kevin be in school with us now?” Noi asked.
“That’s an unsettled issue,” Cheerillee said. “Because of his… unconventional education, he’s already past the levels I am certified to teach. We tested him when he first came to town to see if he would need any remedial lessons. There were some gaps in his knowledge, but Amethyst, Matilda, and Cranky have tutored him in those areas. Thanks to them, he’s on par with graduates from our school.”
“Whoa!” Dinky looked at Kevin with wide eyes. “So he’s a genius.”
“I’m not a genius. I had to learn how to absorb information fast back at the… where I came from,” Kevin said. He gave Dinky a sad smile. “To be honest, I’m a failure. Despite all the cramming I did and the training I got about survival and how to blend in with ponies, I still couldn’t make it on my own.”
“You’re wrong,” Thorax told Kevin in a comforting tone. “You were meant to fail and didn’t. Reaching Equestria’s capital city on your own shows how good you are.”
Dinky, looking uncertain, raised her hoof. “Thorax, what happened with Kevin and the others? Why are they here and not at the hive?”
Thorax glanced at the Princesses as if asking for permission to speak.
“Let it be told,” Luna said. “Though I did not want it discussed in front of the younger foals last night, ponies must know how calculating and ruthless your queen can be.”
Thorax nodded and turned back to Dinky. “Our colony is suffering from starvation. When we tried to take Canterlot, we used up most of our already low stores of love. After we failed, things got even more desperate. To reduce the number of changelings we would need to collect love for Chrysalis ordered that the least aggressive nymphs in the hive be rushed training to act as infiltrators. When their crash courses were finished, Chrysalis ordered them to gather love for the hive and bring it back. She told them that whatever fate they faced out in the world would be far more merciful than what she would do to them if they failed.”
Muffins pulled Dinky and Amethyst to her sides with her wings. “How could she do that to foals?”
“From her perspective, it was a win-win situation,” Thorax said. “She either got a few new infiltrators while eliminating those she thought would be a burden to the hive, or they all failed and she had fewer mouths to feed while setting an example for the rest of the hive.”
“Where are the others?” Rumble asked, after raising his hoof.
“They are safe,” Celestia assured. “Their locations are being kept secret to protect them and those taking care of them. Even we princesses do not know the locations of all of them. I believe Kevin is the only one who all four of us know where he is.”
“He’s home,” Cranky said.
We Ponyville ponies voiced our approval of Cranky’s words.
“So, if he won’t be at school, what is he going to be doing?” Piña asked.
“If he wants, he’ll be helping me run the castle library, while Twilight does her princess stuff,” Spike said. “What he doesn’t know about being an Equestrian pony yet I can teach him.”
“That sounds great,” Kevin said. “I’ll be glad to help, but I’m not sure how good of a pony you could ever make me.”
Celestia raised her hoof in a motion that demanded attention. “We need to discuss something. I was told by Thorax you said changelings are ‘horrible emotional parasites’ yesterday.”
“I did say that, Princess,” Kevin affirmed.
Celestia’s expression became troubled. “Do you consider yourself one too?”
Kevin nodded. “Yes, Princess, I try not to act like one, but I’m still a monster.”
Spike laughed. “Dude, I’ve seen monsters. You are not a monster. Yeah, you’re a changeling like Chrysalis, but beyond that you and Thorax are nothing like her.”
“It bothers me that you think yourself a monster. No pony should think so of themselves.” Celestia turned to us in the room. “Do any of you consider Kevin a monster? If you think so, raise your hoof.”
No pony moved.
“Please drop your disguise,” Cadance said to Thorax.
Thorax nodded, was obscured by green fire for a second, and then reappeared in his natural form.
“Thorax looks different that most ponies in Equestria, but my family has taken him in and now he is family.” Cadance put a foreleg around Thorax’s shoulders and pulled him to her side in a hug. “You’ve seen how Flurry adores him, and she has seen him as he is right now more often than when he’s in his other forms.”
“Let us cut to the quick of this matter,” Luna said. “Who among you would take Kevin into your home if the need were to arise?”
Without hesitation, I raised my hoof. I paused, my hoof three-quarters in the air, and looked to Coco.
Coco, grinning, took my hoof with hers and raised it high.
Not one donkey, dragon, or pony failed to raise a hoof.
Kevin seemed shocked as he looked around at us.
“Changelings are not parasitic by nature,” Twilight said. “By definition a parasite has to harm their host. From what I can tell, changelings absorbing love doesn’t harm ponies. Unless taken to extreme measures, I should say, but that’s true for any form of magic.”
Celestia looked around the room and asked, “Have any of you noticed any adverse effects from being around Kevin or Thorax?”
I glanced at Coco, who shook her head.
“Me either,” I said.
Coco declared to all in the room, “None here!”
“Nope, were all fine,” Turner said.
“None,” Rarity said with a smile and leaned against Thunderlane.
“Nothing here either,” Barrel said.
Muffins raised her hoof. “I want to hug him until he feels better. Does that count?”
Twilight laughed. “I don’t think so, Muffins.”
“Matilda and I are fine,” Cranky assured Kevin. “With all the time you’ve spent with us, if something bad was going to happen it would have by now.”
“Chrysalis fed off Shining’s love for days, and he didn’t even notice,” Cadance told Kevin. “When he had headaches, they were because of her mind control magic not her feeding on his love.”
“Pinch, now would be an excellent time to talk to Kevin,” Cheerilee suggested.
Pinch swallowed and nodded. “Yes, Miss Cheerilee.”
Kevin turned to face Pinch. “What do you need to talk to me about?”
“It’s something I should have done before now,” Pinch told him. “I want to apologize how I acted at the wedding.”
Kevin shook his head. “You don’t have to apologize for anything.”
“Yes I do,” Pinch insisted. “Twilight had been helping me study emotions and changelings and had told me a lot about Thorax before the wedding. When you were sitting out in the open I should have known not to be afraid.” Pinch made a gesture to Kevin as if she wanted him to let go of something. “Please, let me see you again.”
Kevin gave a slow nod and, with a flash of green fire, dropped his disguise.
Pinch studied Kevin for a long moment. “I feel ashamed of myself. I’m sure you felt I was scared of you then.”
A smile came to Kevin’s face. “You don’t have to feel bad at all. I couldn’t tell what you were thinking, but I knew you weren’t reacting to me like the other foals. You had some fear, but you had curiosity, concern, comforting and protective impulses towards me, and some guilt too. You separated yourself from the other foals and came the closest to me. I could tell you wanted to come closer, maybe even sit with me, but another part of you wanted to remain close to your friends.”
“That’s pretty much what I was feeling,” Pinch said. Her ears folded in shame. “I should have sat by you and broken the ice. You might not have felt so unwelcome, if I had.”
“You’re being too hard on yourself. I could have moved to sit by you and I didn’t.” Kevin blushed. “I should tell you something too. If it had been any other filly had asked me to come to the Celebration yesterday, I don’t think I could have made it out the door. Because of what you did and felt during the wedding, I could. Thank you.”
“Tell him about your hypothesis,” Twilight told Pinch. “I’d like to get his and Thorax’s thoughts on it.”
Pinch looked shocked. “But it’s not ready yet! I haven’t written it out or anything!”
“Tell me, please,” Kevin said and gave Pinch a supportive smile. “I’d like to hear it.”
“I’m not sure if I can explain it,” Pinch said, looking nervous. “I’m not sure it even makes sense.”
“It did to me, when you told us about it earlier,” Cheerilee said. “Though, you need to refine how you explain it. We should be able to help with that.” She looked to the younger ponies in the room and made a gesture for them to approach. “Children, please come to the front and sit with Pinch and Kevin.”
The foals glanced at each other and then did as Cheerillee asked.
Cheerille moved to sit in front of the foals. “What have we gone over in class about teaching others something new?”
Rumble raised his hoof. “You have to understand it yourself and then break it down into its smallest parts for whoever you are teaching and build up from there.”
“Right!” Cheerillee said. “Pinch, what is the central idea behind your theory regarding the tribes of ponies?”
“That each tribe of pony has something special to provide to the other tribes,” Pinch answered.
Cadance hummed an intrigued note. “So you believe that changelings are another tribe?”
Pinch nodded.
“But we’re so different,” Kevin said.
“Not really,” Pinch said. “Look at bat ponies,” she said and pointed towards Silent. “They are ‘different’, but you can’t say they’re that different from other ponies.”
“What purpose do you attribute to my bat ponies the pegasi could not accomplish?” Luna asked.
“They take care of us in the night,” Pinch said. She seemed to gain some confidence as she explained: “That’s why they have different characteristics than day time ponies. They have eyes, wings, and ears that boost their senses for protecting us at night.”
“What purpose do you see the changelings serving?” Cheerilee asked.
“Making sure ponies are emotionally healthy and have friendly relationships with others,” Pinch said, some of her uncertainty seeming to return.
“Interesting,” Celestia said.
Though she maintained a neutral expression, there was a note of approval in Celestia’s voice.
“What led you to have such an idea, Pinch?” Cheerilee asked.
“Most of the tribes focus on something particular to their natural abilities. Earth ponies are strong, can build all kinds of things, and provide everypony with food. Unicorns use magic to protect us from magical creatures and wild magic that gets loose from places like the Everfree Forest and the Flame Geyser Swamp. Pegasi protect us from the air and manage the weather and seasons and bat ponies guard us at night.” Pinch looked more uncertain of herself as she spoke. “But nopony takes care of our emotions and feelings.”
“Is that needed?” Cheerilee asked in a leading way.
“I don’t know,” Pinch said in a near whisper.
“You know you’re right,” Kevin said. “You’re getting nervous, but deep down you feel you’re right.”
Pinch turned to him. “But I don’t have any evidence.”
“When you were talking with us in the pre-meeting meeting, it sounded to me you might be on the right path to find some.” Cheerilee turned to Piña. “Piña, what major event allowed for the founding of Equestria?”
“The three tribes’ defeat of the windigos,” Piña answered.
Cheerillee looked at Noi. “Noi, what caused ponies to need to defeat the windigos to begin with?”
“The distrust and fighting between the three tribes,” Noi said as if she had gained an insight.
“The tribes needed a Thorax!” Dinky exclaimed. “They needed somepony who could tell them they were getting upset at each other over nothing and everypony just wanted to be happy and safe!”
Kevin and Thorax’s eyes went to Luna.
“Such council could have served Equestria well on more than one occasion,” Luna said in a shaken tone as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Dinky got to her hooves.
“Dinky, what are you doing?!” Amethyst asked through her teeth, as Dinky sprinted from the other foals.
As Dinky ran towards where the princesses were seated, Celestia’s horn lit and Silent gave a surprised grunt.
“It could have helped a foolish pony not allow the Nightmares to stir her hubris and petty jealous thoughts into a maelstrom such they could overthrow her-” Luna paused and looked down at the filly hugging with surprise.
“Dinky!” Muffins said in a frightened whisper and hid her mouth behind her hooves.
“Thank you, little one,” Luna said and embraced Dinky. “Such a mawkish display is unbecoming a ruler of Equestria.”
“We are not made of stone, Luna,” Celestia said and hugged Luna around her shoulders. “Sometimes it is best to let things out, regardless of where we are.”
Noi kidded, “If Dinky paired up with a changeling who’d detect ponies feeling down for her, there wouldn’t be a sad pony anywhere.”
“She does pretty good taking care of sad ponies on her own,” Thorax said. He turned to Pinch and smiled. “Thanks for telling us your theory. It’s given me a lot to think about.”
Pinch smiled. “I’m glad.”
“Kevin,” Cheerilee said, with a slight smile. “What do you think?”
Giving no reaction, Kevin continued to stare at Pinch.
Rumble poked Kevin on the shoulder. “You okay in there?”
Kevin started at Rumbles prod. “Sorry!” He turned to Cheerilee and told her, “It would make sense. I hope she’s right. The idea is already helping me feel better about being a changeling.”
Pinch’s ears snapped up. “Speaking of helping, would you like to help Twilight, Starlight, and me in our research?”
“Sure!” Kevin’s eyes regained their spark. “We can be research partners.”
Sassy teased, “Is that anything like a ‘training partner’?”
“Hey!” Piña and Rumble protested together, while Noi laughed.
“Maybe it could become something like that, someday,” Kevin said and gave Pinch a bashful smile.
“I think you’re already there,” Noi said with a giggle.
Pinch blushed. “Noi!”
“Wait a minute!” Piña said and gave Kevin a suspicious aunt’s look. “Why are you so happy about getting in on this research stuff? You’ve only met Pinch twice; once at the wedding and yesterday.”
“Well, we’ve sort of only met those two times,” Kevin said with a guilty grin. “You and I have met before too. You didn’t know it, though.”
“That’s what’s been happening with all the foals coming and then disappearing!” Dinky let go of Luna, turned, and pointed an accusatory hoof at Kevin. “I didn’t see Sis as a filly either! It was you!”
“It was me,” Kevin confessed. “I try to look like somepony that wouldn’t be around, but that day the colt I was mimicking showed up and I had to change forms before anypony noticed.”
“You can change into a filly?!” Piña asked.
Kevin seemed confused by her question, and his ears tilted at odd angles. “Of course I can. Why couldn’t I?”
“So when you’re a filly...” Pinch trailed off and blushed. “Are you a filly filly, or is it part of your magic?”
“I’m a full filly when I change,” Kevin told Pinch, blushing and not making eye contact with her. “Changelings have both sets of parts, but only one set is functional at a time depending on the form we take.”
“Then are you a boy or a girl?” Rumble asked.
“Changelings are both, sort of,” Kevin said. “When I hatched I was a boy. Since my unchanged form has male... parts, they are the ones that work for...” He glanced towards Thorax, sending a silent plea.
“Making little changelings,” Thorax finished for Kevin. “Why don’t you show them?”
Kevin tucked his tail between his legs. “I can’t show them!”
“Not like that,” Thorax said, sounding as if he was trying to stay calm as chuckles and giggles broke out around the room. “Change into a filly, is what I meant.”
“Oh, I can do that.” Green flames spurted from Kevin. When the flames died out, Kevin appeared as a filly aged copy of Amethyst.
“Dear, no, stay here,” Turner said and shifted to put his foreleg around Muffin’s shoulders. “It’s not her.”
“But he looks just like my little girl,” Muffins said in a tone that held tinges of happiness and bittersweet yearning.
Dinky approached Kevin while studying him from his hooves to his ear tips. “Is this what you looked like, Sis?”
“It’s really, really close if it isn’t.” Amethyst stared at her doppelganger. “Now I know what Hunter was feeling when he saw you. It’s kinda weird in a way.”
“If this bothers you I-” Kevin stopped as Dinky touched his shoulder with a hoof. “Dinky, are you okay?”
Dinky gave Kevin a tortured smile. “I always wondered what it would be like if Sis were my age.” Dinky dropped her eyes and took her hoof from Kevin’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry.” She sniffed. “You have to be feeling what I’m feeling. It can’t be good for you.”
“Sis!” Amethyst walked over and took Dinky into a hug. “Am I that bad of a big sister?”
“No! That’s not it at all!” Dinky hugged Amethyst and nuzzled against her chest. “It’s just you’ve always been bigger, you’ve had different friends, you’ve had different things you needed to do.” She looked up at Amethyst and smiled. “But sometimes I’ve wanted you to be closer in age to me like Piña and Pinch are. It looks like so much fun, and they’re so close and-” She sniffed. “It doesn’t even make sense. You’re a great sister just like you are.”
Amethyst leaned down and touched her horn to Dinky’s. “I think I understand. There have been times I wanted to shrink down to your size so we could play and run around together too.”
Twilight caught Starlight’s attention with a slight motion of a wing and winked.
Starlight nodded and smiled. “Dinky, close your eyes and let go of Amethyst for a moment.”
“Okay,” Dinky said, sounding confused. She let go of Amethyst and closed her eyes.
Amethyst looked towards Starlight with a raised eyebrow.
Starlight mouthed several words to Amethyst and made a shrinking motion with her hooves.
Amethyst grinned and nodded.
A bright ball of magic surrounded Amethyst, as Starlight lit her horn. There was an electric crackle and the ball of magic faded.
Muffins gasped. “Amethyst?!”
“Whoa!” Rumble said. “That’s amazing!”
I stared at the now filly sized Amethyst. “That’s a very hard spell to weave,” I whispered in admiration.
“Dinky, you can open your eyes now,” Starlight said, sounding drained.
Dinky opened her eyes and gasped at Amethyst.
“Hello Sis,” Amethyst said, her voice as it was when she was a filly.
Dinky glanced toward Kevin and then towards her sister. “It’s really you?!”
“It’s me,” Amethyst said grinning. “Starlight cast- umph!”
Dinky tackled Amethyst to the floor in a hug. “I can’t believe it! It’s you!”
“She’ll be like this for about ten hours,” Starlight said, still sounding winded. “When the spell wears off, she’ll be back to normal. I can’t cast that spell all too often, but since you made it so Sunburst and I could braid each other's manes I wanted to return the favor and give you a surprise too.”
“Ammy?” Muffins said, taking slow steps toward her daughters.
“It’s me, Mom,” Amethyst said, as she and Dinky got back on their hooves and smiled. “It’s weird looking up at you like this again.” She smiled nostalgically. “There’s part of me that missed it, though.”
Muffins pulled Amethyst and Dinky into a full wing hug. “My girls.”
Turner stepped towards the princesses and bowed. “Princesses, may we depart the meeting early? I would like my family to enjoy every second of this gift.”
“Of course you may,” Celestia said. “Have fun!”
Amethyst wiggled and poked her head over Muffin’s wing. “Before we go, I want to know why you chose me to change into.”
Kevin blushed. “It’s part of our infiltrator training to pick a pony that gets our attention so we don’t have to think about changing into them.”
“Wait, ‘gets our attention,’ you mean like you pick out a pony because of how they look?” Noi asked with a grin.
“That’s just one part of it!” Kevin all but squeaked as Pinch looked at him in an amused way. “When I first saw her helping Cheerilee with things around the school, I noticed Amethyst was disciplined with students while still being caring and funny. After watching her and Miss Cheerilee for a bit, I decided she would be the pony I would copy if I needed to.”
“You have a crush on my sister?!” Dinky asked, her voice muffled by Muffin’s wing.
“It’s not like that.” Kevin tilted his head and hummed a note. “I’m not sure if I can explain it. It’s like finding a new flavor you like and it sticking with you. I felt how she cared for her students, how they felt about her, and how much she and Cheer-”
Pinch put a hoof over Kevin’s mouth and glanced toward Cheerilee.
“We do care for our students and value the opportunities we have to work together.” Cheerilee smiled at Kevin. “I have to admit, it feels odd to be talking about her while there are two of her in the room.”
“I’ll change,” Kevin said, and with a spurt of green fire, he returned to his disguise as an earth pony Star Hunter.
“I want you to know I take your description of what you and the other ponies around me felt about me as quite a compliment.” After Muffin released her, Amethyst walked towards Kevin with a purpose. “Thank you.”
Kevin’s blushed. “I was just telling what I felt.”
Pinch stiffened as Amethyst hugged Kevin and whispered something in his ear.
Kevin smiled and nodded. “I do, and I promise I will.”
Amythest smiled. “Good.” She held on to Kevin, winked at Pinch, and then gave a series of subtle signals using her ears and her tail.
Noi giggled and then muffled herself with a hoof. She turned her head and whispered something to Piña and then to Rumble.
Making as little noise as they could, the three of them got to their hooves, and Piña motioned for Dinky to move to a spot with rapid flicks of an ear.
“Miss Amethyst I like the hug, but-”
Amethyst loosened her hold on Kevin, leaned back, and touched his nose with a hoof. “Call me Ammy while I’m like this.”
Kevin looked at the hoof touching his nose. “Okay, Am-me,” he responded. He glanced around at the foals, who had surrounded him and were smiling with mischievous expressions. “What’s going on?”
“There is a special rite Ponyville foals use to signify when somepony is accepted as one of us,” Amethyst explained.
Kevin glanced towards Cheerilee, who put on an exaggerated serious expression and nodded.
“It’s true,” Cheerilee confirmed. “I’ve seen it done several times.”
“What is it?” he asked Amethyst.
Amethyst grinned, grabbed hold of Kevin, and declared, “Pony pile!”
The other foals, cheering and giggling, lunged together.
“Aaaaugh!” Kevin yelled, as the foals tackled him to the floor and piled on top of him. His laughter joined the other foals’ as they hugged and tickled him.
“You are now an official foal of Ponyville,” Twilight said with a grin.
I smiled, remembering my own ‘acceptance ritual’.
“All right, we got him enough,” Amethyst declared and removed herself from the pile. “Why don’t you all come with us too? I’d like to play with all of you for a bit.”
“That sounds great,” Noi said as she stood and helped Piña to her hooves.
Amethyst said, “I’ll want some time with me and Sis alone too later, though,” as she helped Dinky up.
“Welcome to our crazy group,” Rumble said, patted Kevin on the shoulder, and then rolled off him. “We understand,” he told Amethyst, getting to his hooves.
After all the foals got back up, Amethyst declared, “Let’s go!” and waved for the other foals to follow her.
“Wait, you need an adult with you!” Turner said, grinning, as the foals raced out of the room.
Muffins smiled as jubilant as I had ever seen her. “With Amethyst in charge, they’ll need two!” She bumped shoulders with Turner, and the two of them went after the rambunctious herd of foals.
“You made them all very happy,” Thorax said to Starlight. “I hope the spell didn’t take too much out of you.”
Starlight shook her head. “I’m fine. I’ve been using my magic a lot to help get everything ready for the Celebration. It must have worn me out more than I thought.”
“You’ve been practicing your magic Sun Burst a lot too, since we arrived,” Cadance said with knowing grin.
Starlight blushed. “He brought a lot of interesting spells from the Empire I wanted to try.”
“Silent, I am flabbergasted at your lack of decorum for our guests.” Luna turned a critical eye towards Silent. “They should not have had to open the door for themselves.”
“Forgive me, Princess, but I could not move to open the door for them,” Silent said, giving Celestia a look as the eldest princess giggled. “I believe Princess Celestia has stuck my hooves to the floor.”
“So that was the nature of your spell, Sister.” Luna turned to Celestia. “Why did you feel compelled to enchant my guard’s hooves so?”
“He would have intercepted Dinky before she got to you, and you needed the hug.” Celestia’s horn glowed and her magic glowed around Silent’s hooves. “There,” she declared as her magic faded out. “He is free.”
Silent looked down to his hooves, and raised each one as checking to see if they could come off the floor.
Sassy giggled, “That was so cute. You looked like a colt, there for a second.”
“While I would like to end this meeting on a cheerful note, there is one more item we must discuss before we adjourn.” Celestia swept her gaze across the room. “You all have been in the presence of two changelings in disguise for most of a day. I am sure that you observed some of their errors and quirks when posing as an Equestrian citizen.”
“We did, Princess,” Thunderlane affirmed.
“I ask every pony in this room to be vigilant and use the knowledge that you have to spot other changelings who may come to Ponyville. If you encounter somepony you suspect to be a changeling, you are not to confront them. As soon as you can, report them to Twilight, Starlight, Spike, or one of the Elements. They will take things from there.”
Thorax sighed and let his head droop. “I know us sneaking around is wrong, and Chrysalis could be planning something nasty again, but the hive needs the love.”
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Twilight said and patted Thorax on the shoulder. “We’re not going to do anything, if they are just after love. In fact, I hope more changelings come.” She gave him an excited smile and tapped her forehooves together. “It would help with my research to observe a changeling in action.”
“You’re serious?” Thorax looked to Celestia. “They can take love?”
“So long as the changeling does no harm, we shall let them be.” Celestia gave Thorax an understanding smile. “Changelings have been coming in and out of Equestria unannounced for quite some time. My sister and I agreed long ago that allowing another nation to starve was out of the question.”
Luna nodded. “Until the recent events, Sister and I also shared the thought that if our nation was considered an asset to the hive for such practices we reduced the chances of facing invasions as other countries had suffered.”
“Considering it took over a thousand years for Chrysalis to turn her eye toward Equestria I would say our choice was sound,” Celestia said.
“But now the hive is facing shortages and Chrysalis’ pride has been stung,” Thorax said. “I am sure she will try again just to have a shot at getting back at you.”
“There is no doubt of that,” Luna told him. “Therefore, we must prepare as best we can and seek allies who can grant us insight about what Chrysalis could be scheming.”
Thorax pulled himself up, put his shoulders back, and raised his head with determination. “I will do everything I can to help.”
“We know you will,” Cadance said.
“Before we all leave, how long is the research project with Pinch going to last, Princess?” Berry asked.
“I’m not sure,” Twilight said and sighed. “I brought materials on changelings from Canterlot here, but there is not much else I can work from. A lot of what was written about changelings read more like fairy tales than anything else.”
“Perhaps you should try the Crystal Empire’s library,” Cadance said. “We have been getting scholars like Sunburst from all over Equestria visiting us to get access to our collection.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t think of that!” Twilight said, slapping a hoof to her forehead. “I’m so used to going to Canterlot for older materials I didn’t consider searching the Empire’s library.”
Luna prodded Celestia’s side with a wing. “Sister, did she not borrow most of those ‘older materials’ from your personal collection?”
Celestia gave Luna a less than amused look.
Twilight slumped. “But I haven’t finished with the Canterlot materials and I have so much to catch up on. The Celebration has been great, but I’ve had to put aside so many things I need to get to.”
“Send your scribes,” Luna suggested. “Is that not what they are for?”
“I don’t know...” Twilight bit her lip.
Luna tilted her head. “Do you not think them up to the task?”
“That’s not it,” Twilight responded. “It’s just I don’t know if they would know what to look for. I’m not sure what to look for, at this point. It might take two or three trips, if I didn’t go myself.”
Luna gave a slight shrug. “Would it not be possible that numerous trips would be needed even if you attended to the matter yourself?”
“That’s true,” Twilight conceded.
“Then I see no issue,” Luna said. “I am sure the Empire’s ruling family would accommodate multiple visits to their library.”
“We would,” Cadance assured. “I’ll make sure Thorax and Sunburst can help with the research too. Just tell me when your ‘scribes’ are coming, and Shining and I will get everything ready.”
Thunderlane raised his hoof. “What is it you are trying to do with your research, Princess?”
“Oh, I guess I never said,” Twilight said, looking embarrassed. “I’m trying to find out how changeling magic works to absorb love. I have a theory that whatever made it so the Badlands absorbs magic but never releases it causes the entire area to be devoid of most life. The changelings seem to be afflicted with something similar in that they absorb magic in the form of love but have a hard time transferring it efficiently to other members of their hive. I am hoping I can find some way to make their transfers more efficient so they do not have to rely on ‘stealing’ love from other creatures as their primary way of survival. Considering their hive is in the Badlands, the possibility that the same magical event that turned the Badlands into what they are now could have affected the changelings through-”
Cadance raised her hoof, and Twilight paused. “Twilight, please skip to your conclusion or we will be here another hour. Besides, there are only two ponies in the room, other than you, who could understand the magical theories you’re about to dive into.”
Twilight blushed. “Oh, right.” She turned back to us. “By taking the pressure off of the changelings from having to take love from ponies, it might make it so changelings would be more open to adapting their behaviors so they are more in line with norms of pony society and making themselves more compatible with ponies.”
“Compatible?” Berry asked, looking stunned.
Twilight nodded. “That’s why having Pinch and Kevin helping with the research is so important. Their unique perspectives on the subject and the bond they seem to have created could offer all kinds of insights into the ways changeling and pony relationships could develop.”
Berry drew in a breath.
“Twilight, you might want to reword what you just said,” Celestia urged, while Luna did her best to muffle her laughter.
Twilight, appearing bewildered, looked up at Celestia. “What do you mean?”
Cadance closed her eyes and rubbed her temple with a hoof. “You just insinuated to a filly’s mother you were planning on using her daughter as part of a long term study of changeling and pony relationships.”
Twilight blinked. “Oh, I guess I could have phrased that better.”
“Yes, you could have,” Cadance agreed.
“Not that there would be anything wrong with them becoming partners in that way.” Twilight’s eyes lit with excitement. “In fact, it would be a good thing! I will have to be very careful with how I interact with them, so I don’t skew the data, but if they form a relationship it would be great to study it from its conception.”
Twilight went still, as if struck by a thought.
“Dear, are you feeling well?” Rarity asked, after an awkward moment passed.
“I was wondering if conception of a foal between a changeling and pony could be possible,” Twilight answered as if she was not giving her full attention to what she was saying. “Their physiology is so different, but considering the variety of pony cross species with other magical creatures, such as hippogriffs, it’s not outside the realm of possibility.”
Berry’s mouth fell open.
“Twilight!” Cadance said in an admonishing tone.
If Twilight heard Cadance, she gave no sign. Twilight’s horn lit and a notebook and quill appeared in the air in front of her.
“I’ll have to go back and cross reference the old fairy tales about having pony foals replaced by changeling foals against reliable historical records. It may have been pony hybrids exhibiting their changeling characteristics that were mistaken for ‘swapped’ foals,” Twilight muttered to herself as she jotted down notes in the notebook. “If one parent was unaware their partner was a changeling, it would explain the legends.”
Luna’s laughter filled the room, as she dropped all pretense of holding it in.
“Cadance, please, see if you can help her with this kind of behavior,” Celestia pleaded.
Cadance took in a deep breath and let it out while shaking her head. “I’ll do my best, but it’s going to a lot of work.”
*****
“Good luck finding them,” Berry called to Cheerilee, as the teacher separated herself from our group of Ponyville donkeys and ponies and one Canterlot unicorn.
“Oh, I know where they are,” Cheerilee said. “Amethyst is stirring up trouble at the school’s section of the festival already. I have no doubt about it.”
“Sounds like a plan for after lunch,” I said. “Anywhere in particular anypony wants to go, or are we breaking up for today?”
“Whatever we do, first, I need to go back to the shop,” Berry said.
“Why?” Barrel asked. “We’re closed today, since the festival is still going on.”
“I need a glass of wine, and I don’t care that it’s not even noon,” Berry told him.
Cranky prodded with a chuckle, “You think my ‘nephew’ isn’t good enough for your girl?”
“What?! No! I like Kevin. He’s sweet, but…” Berry trailed off and paused on the path.
We all stopped with her.
“This whole ‘research partners’ thing could become serious,” Berry finished.
“It’s something serious already, for Kevin,” Cranky said.
“How can you tell?” Matilda asked him.
“Because I’m the kind of jack who could fall in love with a jenny I met one time so deep I’d wander the world looking for her,” Cranky said and gave Matilda an old scoundrel’s flirtatious wink, causing her to blush.
Barrel approached Berry and put his hooves on her shoulders. “Talk to me.”
Berry, seeming a touch reluctant, nodded. “I can see them fitting together. He’s everything she wants in a coltfriend and he sets off her protective instincts. She will bond to him real strong real fast. Once she does, she won’t want to let him go.”
“Why does that bother you?” Barrel asked.
“I’m worried they might try to force something to be between them for the wrong reasons,” Berry said, hugging Barrel.
“What kind of wrong reasons?” Barrel asked.
“You saw how worried Pinch was about messing up for Princess Cadance and Twilight. If Pinch sees her friendship with Kevin as part of Twilight’s research, she might reach for a bond with him to please her.”
Barrel chuckled. “Berry, you’ve seen how she’s been acting around Kevin the last couple of days. Do you honestly think Pinch has taken care of him like she has out a sense of duty?”
“No, you’re right, and part of me knows it, but another part of me is looking for something to worry about and there are things to worry about. Kevin very well might go along with it to keep Pinch happy, as much as he seems to want to please her. I think he needs a friend so bad he might follow her blindly and end up putting himself into a bad position too.”
“Kevin’s clever enough that wouldn’t happen,” Matilda said. “He’s very open about what he is thinking and feeling too, so I doubt the two of them would get themselves into that kind of trouble.”
“I don’t doubt that, but even if everything between them is smooth with him being a…” Berry paused and looked around with caution, before continuing, “They will face challenges that most couples wouldn’t on all kinds of levels. If their bond isn’t solid and they get tested, things could fall apart, and it would devastate them both.”
“If you think about it another way, they would be ready to face any troubles that could come up than most couples would,” Barrel said. “Pinch has her knowledge about emotions, relationships and ch... cultures. Kevin can sense what Pinch is feeling and help her work with him to make it through things.”
Berry let go of Barrel and studied him. “This is a switch from the other day. Now, I’m worried about Pinch to the point it’s driving me to reach for a bottle of wine, and you’re the calm one.”
Barrel chuckled. “Kevin and I bonded a bit while we were over at Pin’s. Kevin appreciates the mare that Pinch is on the inside. You saw how he was with Pinch yesterday and how he treated her last night when he was braiding her mane and tail. He didn’t want to put a hoof out of place or do anything that would jeopardize whatever you want to call what Pinch and he already have.”
Coco giggled and leaned against me. “That sounds familiar to me.”
I leaned and touched my head to Coco’s.
Barrel touched Berry’s cheek with a hoof. “I’m more worried about Kevin coming to need her too much or smothering her, but with him being… A feelings specialist, I don’t think that will happen.”
“Now that I think about it, Kevina and Pin do share a few characteristics,” Rarity teased.
“Since your name is being brought up, what is your opinion on the two of them, Pin?” Thunderlane asked.
“If Pinch and Kevin would be good for each other, I’m all for them giving it a shot,” I told him. “They wouldn’t be facing troubles alone either. I know I would help them, if they ran into a rough patch. I’m sure other ponies they know feel the same.
Rarity applauded with polite stomps. “Well said! While I won’t speak for my special somepony, I agree they should have their chance and I will be glad to support them.”
Thunderlane chuckled and pointed a hoof at Rarity. “What she said, minus the ‘speaking for’ thing.”
“If Kevin has any chance of having what could be considered a normal life, it’s going to be with your daughter,” Cranky said. “I think they would be good for each other.”
“Kevin adores Pinch, and I can tell Pinch had feelings of a sort for Kevin,” Matilda told Berry. “I really can’t see things turning sour for them, if they do give it a shot.”
Berry sighed, nodded, and smiled. “If my sister can be in a herd with two of her best friends and have it work out, I guess I shouldn’t worry my daughter with one special somepony too much.”
Rarity looked to Sassy, who was staring back at the castle. “Sassy, you’re worrying me. You’ve awfully quiet.”
“They’ll be fine.” Sassy turned back to us and grinned. “If not, toss Dinky their way. She’ll hug one or both of them into submission and fuss at them until they’re back together.”
Rarity gave Sassy a knowing smile. “Thinking of somepony are we?”
One of Sassy’s ears angled out. “I was thinking about deeper connections or lack thereof too.” She gave a light sigh. “It would be my luck to find a nice stallion, but not have anything to make a connection with him about.”
“You’ve been on two dates, don’t worry about it yet,” Thunderlane said. “You have plenty of time to find common ground.” He leaned so he touched shoulders with Rarity. “If Rarity and I could find things to bond over, you two can.”
“Judging by how he reacted to seeing you again, I don’t think you have to worry about him losing interest before you two can find them,” I said.
“I’m with Pin.” Coco said with certainty, “There’s no chance he’s going to wander off before you two can get to know each other and see how you could stay together long term. You’ve got him until you let him go.”
Sassy gave Coco a smirk. “What makes you think so?”
“He gave you a wing hug on the second date,” Coco said.
I chuckled and nodded. “That is one good sign,” I agreed.
“I take it you have another,” Sassy said.
“His reaction to you petting his ears.” I tilted my head towards Coco and gave a playful wiggle of the ear closest to her. “Give one of his ears a nibble, and I guarantee you’ll be on his mind for days.”
“Pin,” Rarity said in a warning tone.
“Are you speaking from experience?” Sassy asked.
“And what wonderful experiences they have been,” I said.
Coco gave a squeak and hid her face behind her hooves.
“Pin!” Rarity protested.
“I don’t know why you’re upset. You’re the one that encouraged it.”
“I did no such thing!” Rarity said.
“You most certainly did. Thank you for that, by the way.”
“You slanderous ruffian, don’t thank me! I was ensuring a friend wasn’t going to embarrass herself, and you turned my efforts into an inappropriate public display.”
Coco dropped her hooves, revealing her blush and a smile. “Rarity, remember, I was the one who told him to lean down and hold still so I could go after his ear.”
Rarity gave Coco an understanding look. “Don’t blame yourself, dear. He led you to act out of character with his own misdeeds.”
Coco giggled. “He didn’t have to lead me anywhere. To be honest, most of the time I’ve been leading him.”
Rarity looked shocked. “Coco!”
“I’m very glad I’ve followed too,” I said and nuzzled Coco’s mane.
Berry looked over to Sassy and grinned. “Sounds like we will have all kinds of things to discuss during our mare’s night.”
Sassy smiled back at Berry and nodded. “It sure does.”