//------------------------------// // Snack ‘n Question // Story: Two Nymphs, One Pony // by CitreneSkys //------------------------------// “Is that your c’ttge?” Thorax slurred the word, and Fluttershy couldn’t help but giggle. “Uh-huh!“ her wings fluttered, a warm feeling drifting throughout her body. The little bug creature was so excitable; it was hard to keep her adoring grin at bay. His friend still didn’t seem to trust her though. The colorful one seemed to lag behind, his eyes frantic as he looked around. “Little one? What’s wrong?” Her voice was filled with concern for the small bug-pony. He, however, stayed mostly silent; only a faint growl could be heard from the back of his throat. Thorax leaped from Fluttershy’s back, tugging at his friend's ear. “C’mon, she’s nice!” he chirped, grinning.  A silent glare graced Pharynx’s face as he looked away. Fluttershy sighed, draping a warm wing across his back. “I’m sure you’re hungry. I have plenty of food in my fridge; you’ll feel better with a full belly.” She smiled warmly, hoping that the small one would know she didn’t mean any harm. Violet eyes darted back and forth between the yellow mare and Thorax before the colorful one sighed and trudged forward. The pegasus’s smile faltered slightly. Picking up the smaller bug-pony, she gingerly placed him along her back. Thorax clung onto her neck, staring straight at the ground as Fluttershy trotted the rest of the way. Pulling against the handle, she opened her wooden door. Hooves clacked against the hard wooden floor and she headed over to her couch.  Setting the pair of bug-ponies down onto her soft cushions, she opened her mini-fridge. “What do you guys eat?” “Love!” Thorax chirped loudly, and Fluttershy was taken aback. She blinked, unsure if she had heard correctly. “You eat what?”  “Love,” he chirped again. He tilted his head. “Well...I guess we can eat any emotion really, but love and happiness are the most nutritional!” Fluttershy pursed her lips, looking at her fridge. “Um...is there anything else you guys eat?” Thorax scrunched his snout, thinking. “...I like fish...” She let out a relieved sigh, taking out the rainbow trout that she had caught the night before. Being a pegasus, she used her wing and carried it over to her kitchen, ignoring the slime it left on her feathers. As carefully as she could, she sliced the fish in half vertically. She wasn’t sure if they could digest herbs or seasoning, so she left it as is and put it into the oven. Rotating her egg timer, she left it going for ten minutes. Just enough time to ask questions. Trotting back onto her living room, she sat on her haunches, wings fluttering. “Your food will be ready in a few minutes. I do have some questions though. Do you mind if I ask?” One of the two looked excited. “Sure!” Thorax’s voice rose a pitch, and Fluttershy had to stop herself from squealing. “Okay...um...what exactly are you guys? I’ve never seen anything like you.” “I’m a changeling,” Thorax answered, looking around the room.  “A changeling?” she echoed. “I’ve never heard of a changeling before.” She made a mental note in her head. I better go ask Twilight about this. Shaking her head, she turned back towards the pair of changelings. Specifically, she turned towards the brighter one. “Sweetie, what’s your name?” He glared daggers at her, turning away. Thorax prodded at his shoulder, giving his friend a hard glare. “Sorry about Pharynx...he isn’t the most trusting...” “No no, it’s fine.” She kept the smile on her face. “Pharynx was your name?” He only gave a slight nod but kept his mouth shut. Improvement! “Well, Pharynx, I promise I will not hurt you or your friend here. I pinkie promise.” She knew that neither of them would get it if she did the whole ‘cross my heart’ thing Pinkie does, but she hoped the message came across. It was hard to tell since the changeling had his back turned towards her. “So...how old are you two?” “Me and Pharynx are five.” “Five?!” Fluttershy gasped. She knew the two were young but she never realized they were that young! “What are you doing out in the Everfree Forest by yourself?!” Thorax winced, pushing himself deeper into the green cushion. Pharynx growled, his eyes narrowing onto the winged mare. She took a deep breath, calming herself. “Sorry, it’s just that it’s not safe, the Everfree. The plants have a mind of their own and many creatures like Manticores and Cockatrices live there! Why aren’t you with an adult?” Both of them stayed quiet this time, and Fluttershy realized she might have struck a sensitive spot. Her face was full of concern, sighing as she placed a hoof on the couch. “...You don’t have to tell me,” she cooed, her ears flattening. “I’m just worried about you two. You can tell when you are ready, okay?” The cyan changeling nodded, while the crimson one clawed at the fabric of the couch. Before she could get to any other questions, she heard a loud thumping from behind her. Turning her head, she saw Angel staring expectantly. “Yes, Angel?” The bunny pulled out the egg timer, which was about to ring. “Sweet Celestia, the trout!” Fluttershy rushed into the kitchen, which now smelled of cooked fish and burning. Quickly shutting off the oven, she opened the glass door, backing off when the heatwave hit her. “Phew, still good,” she mused to herself. Grabbing heat-proof tongs, she pulled the rack out. The rainbow trout had been charred slightly around the edges, but other than that it was a perfect golden-brown. She let it cool on a wire rack, flapping her wings to speed up the process. Bringing the rack over to the changelings in her living room, she pushed over a small wooden table. She smiled as she placed the baked trout onto the table. “Eat up, my changelings!” Thorax drew a tongue over his lip, staring straight at the fish given to him. Tentatively, he trailed his forked tongue over the head of the rainbow trout, before snapping it up and gulping it down in one bite. She would be lying if she said it hadn’t scared her a little bit.  “It’s really good Miss Fluttershy!” he chirped, grinning. Pharynx didn’t seem to have the same appetite as his friend but bit into his serving regardless. Fluttershy smiled at the young changelings she was housing. “Just call me Fluttershy!”