After a not especially nutritious but nevertheless filling luncheon revolving around lobby snacks in buckets and on sticks, and a good run-through of some key scenes of the performance planned by Ocellus and her troupe as the evening’s entertainment, everycreature flew or hiked back to the Changeling Hive together for their planned afternoon pursuits. Changeling or not, imminently that involved attending the feelings forum shortly upon their return, which may not have been mandatory, but they’d all agreed to go together – some wanted to accompany Yona and Sandbar in what was certain to be a fresh experience for them, while Elytron in particular was curious what Rarity had meant by “clearing the air” while she and Spike had spent time around the rehearsal.
Elytron and Boscis led the way on hoof, chattering and teasing each other about drone stuff and intermittently transforming into things, largely megafauna as big as they could get away with within the Hive’s confines, to playfully bother each other. The three females of the troupe, a modicum more composed amongst themselves and in no great rush, fluttered behind. Dearlove in particular laconically flew a backstroke with her forelegs crossed behind her head, while Ocellus and Trochanter accompanied Yona and Sandbar, their fledgling thespian yak and pony couple, as they talked among themselves about the excitement Ocellus had scripted and Elytron had choreographed for the evening. Trochanter, the wannabe spirit of the forest, had eventually revealed herself as a willowy, midnight-purple changeling with flowing frills, milky-grey eyes and a galaxy of freckles to match, although she had blithely assured everycreature that she was liable to resume her vegetative state once they’d reached their destination.
Spike and Rarity followed to the youngsters’ right, Spike riding upon Rarity’s back as she kept pace alongside Yona, the pair of them as jolly as they’d been when descending from their crag earlier despite the lingering awkwardness of what had happened upon it, which they both privately and independently suspected needed some further talking out. Nonetheless, spirits remained high between them, and as Rarity trotted along, Spike’s claws found her shoulder blades firmly beneath her fur and mane. She certainly didn’t mind as he held on, not too tight but firmly enough.
The open, semi-exterior area they were navigating through was, being fairly close to the Hive’s top, quite verdant, carpeted with moss and with grasses and vivid pink phlox and irises sprouting from cracks in the rocky, viney walls. The roof this high up in the Hive was semi-extant; the changelings at large had decided after the cataclysm that had ousted Chrysalis and knocked them, like skittles, into their new lifestyle, that it was desirable to let blooms and weeds alike take root in the public places of their home, the same as the throne room at its very top.
There were a few other changelings travelling around this part of the Hive, a few headed to the feelings forum like themselves, although while changelings enjoyed doing activities of an emotional bent at least as much as their creative pursuits, many had other things to do instead. At one point the group passed a changeling gardener in a straw hat giving the surroundings a gentle shearing, since keeping the overgrowth in check was a continuing concern.
The forum was set, as it was every week, in an open room up here, not far from the patisserie Rarity had procured the pear tart from that morning. One could smell a dozen intermingling fruit and dough scents from across the way, something that wasn’t lost on the other visitors in their entourage.
Sandbar commented first, his nostrils flaring before he exclaimed, ‘Oh, wow. Something smells pretty darn good right now!’ Then he paused, before turning to his yakfriend with a grin and a sniff near her ear. ‘Kinda like cough drops. I can smell, uh, pies and stuff too, but I just ate so whatever.’
Yona giggled with a blush, looking back at him affectionately as the changeling troupe looked on, perhaps a little too attentively. ‘Um… yeah! Yona reapply eucalyptus scent backstage before we head back to Hive, got kinda warm under sun during rehearsal. Yona’s special somepony notice, as always!’
Ocellus trilled with laughter, blushing madly as Yona rewarded his observation with a playful smooch behind the ear, and Sandbar beamed, flicking an ear as her muzzle brushed his mane. She shook off that loving feeling before explaining, ‘Um, there’s a communal bakery just a couple minutes’ flutter away, the one where Ms. Rarity picked up that tart we ate for breakfast before we headed into the valley for the morning, I think? They fan the baking smell out to attract more changelings. It’s better for business that way.’
‘Yep,’ said Spike, looking up from the back of Rarity’s neck as her attention was too drawn leftwards, ‘She brought a slice to me afterwards, and it was pretty good, in this dragon’s estimation. Oh, there’s Thorax! Hey, my stag! Hey, Counsellor Freelove!’ he waved, suddenly vaulting off Rarity and flapping ahead to the changeling king who was indeed standing at the entrance of their destination, speaking with the group therapist in question and with several changeling grubs of every colour of the rainbow clambering and buzzing around him. He had a bag with several pouches draped around his neck, which Spike figured probably contained various baby goods fit for the task.
Everycreature rushed ahead to likewise greet the pair as Spike gave Thorax, who was still wearing the somewhat garish sweater-and-bandana ensemble Rarity had gifted him yesterday, a high-five. ‘H-hey, Spike, everycreature else. How’s life outside the Hive going?’ he asked, returning the gesture with a raised hoof, ‘I just came up here from nurture and wellness. Brought some friends to the forum since their, uh, nurse needed a break. They really like the sweater.’
Rarity giggled, not unkindly, upon bearing witness to Thorax’s more fatherly side for the first time. ‘Changeling grubs liking yellow… why, I should’ve seen that coming in retrospect,’ she said, before tipping her head at the indigo grub hanging off his neck, who looked her square in the face with a quizzical expression. ‘Hello there little one… enjoying a trip with your uncle Thorax, are we?’
The grub’s only answer was a continued blank stare before climbing onto Thorax’s back and shifting to a metallic purple, with its corresponding companion, who was hanging off of Thorax’s back leg, switching to indigo in turn. ‘They don’t understand you, Rarity,’ Elytron guffawed, ‘Little grubs like these dudes mostly understand nectar for dinner and nap time.’
‘I am aware of that, I was simply exchanging pleasantries, as one does, with the younglings. Younger than yourself, anyway!’ Rarity mock-sniffed with a smile that made Elytron blush, before turning back to Thorax with a bounce of her mane, answering the question he’d asked Spike as the grubs started to gently fluctuate in colour more generally. ‘It’s simply divine out there, sweetheart, although you can see that for yourself,’ she said as she waved a hoof at the sun rays streaming through the open roof, ‘And we had a very nice time, ah, spending time getting things ready for later. I don’t doubt the troupe here will surprise you, even after all the performances they’ve done already!’
Thorax laughed before giving the now-purple grub a gentle stabilisation with a flick of his carapace, just to sit them properly upright. ‘Oh, I expect to be surprised. Ocellus brought a lot of wild ideas back from Equestria and I’d be more surprised if she’d run out so soon! And with the rest of you, well… it’ll be great, I’m sure of it!’
Ocellus bowed her head at her king and blushed, her ladybird shell fluttering closed as her hooves hit the soil. ‘Please, I get so flustered when anycreature flatters me… don’t lay it on so thick!’
Sandbar snorted, then gave her a nudge on the shoulder. ‘You deserve it, Ocellus, everybug’s gonna go nuts for the play. I’d say more, but I suspect that spoiling the evening’s light entertainment in front of royalty is kind of a faux pas.’
Dearlove pursed her mandibles, and Ocellus cringed. ‘You’re doing it again, Celly. We all worked on this, you know! Take a compliment gracefully, for bugs’ sake. Let us have the adulation of our monarch without getting all… blushy about it.’
Counsellor Freelove swished faintly as she moved from the tassels hanging off the tie-dyed dress hanging off her carapace. She bowed her head at the performance troupe, looking over her spectacle frames as she addressed them with her measured, slightly quavering voice. ‘Dearlove could be gentler, but she is quite correct, Ocellus; you should calm yourself and free yourself of your worries.’
She cocked her head and, with a wiggle of her ears, took a step towards Sandbar who was caught off-guard with a slack expression before he stood to attention. ‘Like this green pony here, so calm and collected, yet not simply passive in his nature… “Sandbar”, isn’t it? Ocellus has told us much about you, and firebrand Yona likewise,’ she said.
‘Uh, good things, I’m sure?’ Sandbar half-joked with a grin, suddenly not feeling quite as like the laid-back pony Freelove considered him.
‘Of course good things! Best things! Sparklebug friend know yaks best, and Sandbar honorary yak as far as Yona concerned!’ Yona interjected.
Sandbar blushed in response. ‘Yeah. Yeah, I guess I am pretty darn cool!’ he said, and the two of them exchanged a loving glance.
Freelove inhaled for a second before continuing. ‘Of course, of course. Well, mostly good,’ she chuckled again, ‘But nocreature is perfect, after all. Ah, welcome to today’s feelings forum, all of you, especially our visitors from afar, but especially my dear Trochanter. Have you been well? We’ve missed you around here these past weeks!’
‘The swarm led me ’round these parts for now, Mom,’ Trochanter responded with a demure smile, ‘You know I’ve been finding myself in the glades when I’ve not been acting… thanks for the bindle you left out that way last week, by the way. Pot-luck leftovers are still pot-luck, and pot-luck is always delicious.’
The counsellor chuckled, grabbing the yellow grub that was blending into Thorax’s clothing and tucking them under one arm. ‘You’re quite welcome, my dear daughter,’ she said as she gave them a pat on the head, ‘I always said you could be anything you put your mind towards, and if that is a tree, or several different trees, so be it. I’ve kept your plant pot fresh in your absence if you’re joining in this week. Feel free to take root however you like.’
‘Huh, I didn’t know you two– I mean, Trochanter, you didn’t tell us the counsellor’s your mother,’ Spike said, his eyes widening as he looked between the two changelings, ‘I figured you were old enough to be one of Chrysalis’– I mean, of course. Everycreature comes from a mom– um.’
The changelings present, from Thorax to Boscis, had averted gazes and scrunched mandibles all of a sudden, and Dearlove had covered her face with her wings in second-hoof embarrassment. He stopped himself just before Rarity gave him a nudge from behind. ‘Really, Spike?’ she hissed, ‘I suspect this is an inappropriate line of discussion here and now!’
He glanced at her, seeing an ambivalence of concern mixed with slight annoyance in her blue-eyed glare, then took a breath before attempting to dig upwards from the decidedly undiplomatic hole he was sure he was digging. ‘Oh boy. ’Scuse me, everybug. Of course changelings could reproduce before Chrysalis was sent packing. I knew that. Of course I knew that!’
Freelove’s momentarily-raised hackles thawed at Spike’s apology. ‘That we could, although we had no choice but to keep these things a secret at the time. Haven’t you ever told him, Thorax? It’s a sensitive matter for many of us here to dwell upon, not just myself.’
Thorax laughed nervously as a red grub climbed onto his head, appearing between his antlers and looking down at the others before he plucked them off and put them onto the ground for a moment. ‘No, no… the suppression field around the Hive isn’t something that’s come up in casual conversation between Spike and me… and I suppose that’s not something Princess Twilight would necessarily have the knowledge to advise about. I guess I could’ve brought it up sometime… for future reference, Spike, changelings like Trochanter were, um, incubated away from the anti-magic field Chrysalis had around the hive. It was a thing that happened sometimes, and it was kept secret for the sake of the grubs’ lives.’
‘Geez, seriously?’ Spike gasped, ‘That actually fills in a few gaps. I knew you were always capable of, uh, that, but…’ he composed himself before sighing, ‘Yeah, I plead ignorance to that,’ he continued, raising a claw while gripping his royal advisor medallion in the other. ‘It must have been tough for all of you… and I’m sorry. I’ll keep that in mind in future.’
Freelove chuckled. ‘Apology accepted, little dragon. I understand your question came from a place of curiosity, not judgement, and I for one shan’t think less of you for it, such is your willingness to learn. We all make our small mistakes now to learn and grow, to become more capable when dealing with the bigger ones further down the path, after all.’
The acting troupe approached the door en masse. ‘Speaking of faux pas… pases? Passes? Whatever it is… awkward!’ Boscis snickered, putting a hoof on Spike’s head in assurance for a second, ‘But yeah, we’re cool. It’s tough for outsiders to really get the, uh, extent of what Chrysalis did to us all those years. We’re still processing it ourselves, T.B.Q.H.’
Spike didn’t question what he supposed was changeling slang, and nodded as he looked up at him, though he couldn’t shake his embarrassment. ‘Uh, thanks, Boscis. Anyway, now that it’s high time we changed the subject, can we come into the forum? Is it, uh, open yet?’
‘My door is open to anybug… well, insofar as there is a door, and insofar as this room is mine rather than a public forum,’ Freelove laughed before gesturing at the round opening beyond, ‘Many are already in attendance, though we are due to begin in five minutes or so. I just stepped outside to see what the kerfuffle was with our king and his, ah, entourage here. If you’re all ready to enter, be my guest.’
‘Yes! Yona’s body ready for feels!’ Yona proclaimed, passing through the forum’s doorframe, ‘Yona have many feelings right now! Ready to share with sparklebug friends and everycreature else!’ Sandbar trotted a few paces behind, grinning while trying not to laugh at her outburst, and the pair found a few cross-stitched cushions atop some rump-sized rocks to make themselves comfortable upon.
The forum was decorated generally much like the open-air hallway the group had traversed, although there were a number of woven drapes and throw cushions in a rough circle around the wider middle of the room. Like anywhere else in the Changeling Hive the room was a hollowed-out cell for habitation rather than anything strictly architecturally devised, meaning the craggy, rough-hewn walls had many little nooks and crannies from which many more plants and vines could grow, giving the place plenty of colour beside the purples and greens predominant in the corridor outside. Said crannies were also the resting place of a number of scented candles and small piles of more, currently unused cushions, in particular one set that looked to have been cultivated into an actual set of shelves near the head of the room.
There was just one hole in this room’s ceiling, at its far end, shafts of light filtering through into its slightly pollinated air and casting form onto shimmering, airborne particles floating within their stream. They also illuminated a shallow bas-relief of a lotus flower that loomed large above the congregation of changelings that were already in the room ahead of the adjoining acting- and visitor-group, a dozen or more of them, all different colours, who were plainly ready to share their feelings about anything on their minds. Right now they were chatting about whatever, a few of them drinking steaming cups of nectar that appeared to have been filled from a pneumatic machine attached to a relatively straight section of the wall.
Trochanter made a humming sound as she looked around, shrinking slightly as a few of the changelings looked their way. ‘Oh, plants like myself aren’t really supposed to have feelings, so much as just exist… I might just sit quietly and photosynthesise.’
‘Ah, my sweet daughter, ever the wallflower,’ Freelove shook her head affectionately, ‘Changelings do many things trees don’t, whether they wish to or not… such as enjoying pot-luck. Well, nobug’s forcing anybug to do anything they don’t want. The feelings forum is a safe space, after all.’
‘As is the Hive in general, truthfully,’ Rarity observed cheerfully as she and Spike too passed into the room, ‘Now I’ve been here for a few days I can truly say that you do very well by your subjects, Thorax!’
Thorax followed immediately behind, having lined up all the grubs onto his back. ‘The Hive mostly runs itself, but yeah, I do my best to keep charge and fill in the details,’ he laughed. ‘Take these little guys. Don’t you think they’re well-behaved? It helps that they were fed a half-hour ago.’
Rarity watched as, while Thorax spoke, the green grub closest to his shoulders woke up, sicked up something orange on Thorax’s sweater shoulder, then resumed snoozing. ‘What is it…?’ Thorax started as he saw her face fall, before realising what she’d focussed upon, ‘Oh, barf. That’ll happen… that’s getting some cleaning spit after this.’
Rarity’s expression mellowed in understanding; while less than thrilled by a sudden eruption of grub vomit, Thorax was right that these things happened. ‘Spit? Oh, ah, Chitin told us about that the other day… by and large we ponies are used to soap and water, which you have most graciously provided during our visit. Not that yours truly is judging, after I cleaned Spikey-Wikey up with my own spittle and hoofkerchief after he covered himself in tart earlier… one’s saliva can be useful in a pinch!’
Thorax nodded. ‘The king gladly provides, Rarity. You know, I’ve lost track of Chitin since this morning. You haven’t seen her around, have you?’
Rarity racked her brain for a moment before coming up empty-hooved. ‘Nnnnnnnot since this morning when I found her with Spikey and their attendant masseuses, now you mention it, Thorax darling. Our group mostly knows its way around this side of the Hive by now, so we’ve not been in dire need of her guidance since. Why, is that a cause for concern?’
‘No, she’s her own bug, it’s just unusual… she’s worked with the court long enough that I know her patterns. Heck, maybe she’s here at the forum, I haven’t checked…’ he peered around, his long neck giving him a decent vantage point before declaring, ‘I don’t see her, or sense any birds that might be her… hmm.’
‘It might be on us, actually,’ Spike observed, flapping upwards until level with Thorax’s view and setting his shades onto his forehead, ‘You know how you passed that proclamation when we arrived? She seemed a bit nervous when Rarity dropped by during the massage she mentioned. Maybe she’s avoiding being in the same room as the two of us together.’
‘Yes, which is why we came here together, for that matter!’ said Rarity, ‘The feelings forum seems the ideal place to clear things up a bit about, ah, Spikey and I, so long as we keep things under control. We wish to be forthright, but not so much so that it causes a second love explosion…’
Thorax smiled, but lowered both his head and his voice towards the pair. ‘Matters of the heart that go unspoken, huh… I doubt that would happen, even if it did that day Starlight liberated us from Chrysalis,’ he said, ‘There’s just the two of you and you’re not that repressed, in comparison to ourselves on that day. There may be a couple more sensitive changelings in here, though, so do try to go easy for the, uh, benefit of the unprepared. By all means, go ahead though – that’s what the feelings forum is for! Just be patient for your turn.’
‘Sure, Thorax. We weren’t going to, uh, steal the show or anything,’ said Spike, ‘That comes later. I mean, with the troupe and the play and all! Rarity made some really nice outfits that’ll knock you out!’
Rarity giggled at Spike’s vote of confidence, and Thorax stood upright, narrowly averting a changeling grub falling onto the floor with another deft flick of his carapace as he craned his neck. ‘I don’t doubt it, guys. Our troupe does good work, but we always benefit from outside input,’ he said, before carefully taking his place upon his normal sitting spot near a large, bruise-purple fern sprouting from a crack where the curved wall became the floor.
While the pair had chatted with Thorax, Trochanter had wasted little time taking root in the plant pot, placed on a ledge on the left side of the room that offered a ray of sunlight from the hole overhead, transforming into a miniature sunflower with a long stalk and leaves. ‘Hey, take these,’ said Spike, taking the red-rimmed star-shades off his forehead and putting them carefully on Trochanter’s inflorescence.
Rarity laughed, planting herself upon an embroidered cushion as Trochanter started gently grooving from side to side in the pot, and Spike landed on the mossy pile next to her. ‘Why, thank you, Spike. They make me feel like dancing… oh, flowers aren’t supposed to have feelings either! Mom is right…’ she sighed, nevertheless continuing to sway like that. Rarity joined in, clapping her hooves rhythmically just for fun.
Most everybug else scanned the room for a place, making themselves comfortable in a spot of their choice. ‘Nice glasses. They suit you, Tro-chan,’ Elytron laughed, pausing to inspect her newest guise.
‘I wanna pair,’ Boscis stated, clamouring next to Elytron with his eyes wide.
‘I can transform into one if you’re desperate,’ his friend retorted, ‘I could spend the entire forum sitting on your face, you like that?’
‘Oh, forget you!’ Boscis snorted, finding a seat next to a bright pink changeling, ‘Where’d you get those, anyway, Spike?’
Spike, too, was grooving side-to-side between Trochanter and Rarity, and he didn’t pause as he answered. ‘They cost, like, a bit from a gift shop in Canterlot. Trochanter can keep ’em if she likes. Consider them a gift to make up for putting my foot in it before.’
‘I do like,’ the sunflower responded mildly, ‘Thanks again, and there’s no hard feelings at the feelings forum, as Mom always says.’
Counsellor Freelove was the last to enter the room, taking her seat on a mossy patch near the gong crafted from what appeared to be a perfectly circular insect carapace at its far end once she’d spent a moment admiring Trochanter’s dance. As seemed routine, she took the hammer hanging near the gong and hit it, and all chatter fell quiet as its size belied the booming crash that reverberated around the room for a moment.
Once all antennae were on her she addressed the changelings present, along with their guests, with quiet gravity. ‘Welcome to today’s feelings forum, everybug and everycreature. Anybug else is welcome to arrive after our scheduled start, but with our new additions here I believe we can begin,’ she said, ‘As you can all see, we’ve been honoured by our visitors’ attendance this week. I believe many of you have met and mingled with Spike, Sandbar, Yona and Rarity at one point or another these past few days. Please, make them feel as welcome as they already have since they arrived… they’re here to take part with everybug else.’
The forum group turned in the general direction of the four non-changelings in the room with expressions as friendly as they’d been the past few days, the quietness Freelove had commandeered returning to a light murmur. ‘Hey, Spike! Hi Yona, Sandbar! Rarity, you made it! Welcome to the forum!’ came a jumble of cheerful voices.
Spike put a claw behind his neck, waving the other as his face turned cerise, Yona’s face was plastered with a broad, fake rictus grin as her eyes darted around, and Sandbar smiled without giving too much away as he waved to the group. Rarity, of course, took the attention in stride, posing demurely in her seated position, one hoof casually upon her cushion as she bounced a curl with the other as she spoke. ‘Hello once again, darlings! Ah, I remember the names of some of these faces I’ve seen from the past few days – thank you for lending me that curling broom yesterday during that activity, Stinger, and I see you’re wearing that bow tie I gave to you, Manyhearts!’
Spike inhaled his embarrassment into his gut, puffing his chest out a bit. Feeling like he should act slightly bolder to compensate for his earlier gaffe given his role as a friendship ambassador, he looked over to the cyan-hued changeling Rarity had addressed secondly, then chuckled. ‘Hey, yeah… one of her gem-encrusted ones. Emerald goes nicely with your complexion! It’s good eatin’, too! You look great!’
The changelings largely took that comment in good humour as Spike flicked gunclaws at Manyhearts, but there was one, a fairly small honeysuckle-yellow female with a short horn, who hadn’t cracked a smile since their guests had been acknowledged in the room, who needed to let her feelings be known. ‘Um, counsellor? I didn’t know the visitors were attending the forum today… I’ve heard around the Hive they give off strong love vibes when they’re together? I’m not sure I feel comfortable being in the same room as them in case something happens while they, um, participate…’
The counsellor nodded reassuringly. ‘Thank you for speaking up, Orbweb, and you raise quite a valid point. The king and I had words with both Spike and Rarity just before they came into the room, and they’ve made clear that they’re aware of the, ah, social issue… but they also wish to make an announcement of sorts, that I’m certain may put you, and anybug else that’s found themselves sensitive to the matter, more at ease.’
Spike casually flicked a salute at the room at large. ‘Dragon’s honour, we’re on our best behaviour right now. Aren’t we, Rare?’
Rarity almost giggled affectionately, then straightened up with a brief scrunch of her muzzle, tugging on her mane slightly as she looked around. ‘Why, yes. We’re not about to start, ah, doing anything too awkward in front of all of you, please don’t be concerned. I assure you that you’ll all get a moderate dose at most. We’re both most apologetic for any inconvenience we’ve caused anybug the past couple of days. Nobug’s said anything to us about it directly, but we’ve suspected this past short while… you’re the first to say it outright unprompted, as a matter of fact. In a way, I for one appreciate you voicing your concern.’
Orbweb tipped her head, still not smiling but with a softened expression. ‘Alright, Rarity. I don’t feel like you should have to leave if the counsellor and Thorax have both okayed it. Just… both of you please be careful? I have a condition, and I don’t want to transform into a bugbear in mixed company at the best of times. Definitely not in a confined space.’
‘Don’t worry, Orbweb,’ Trochanter said blithely from her pot, ‘They may have worn themselves out a little while away from the Hive this morning… I felt it nearby while they were on the crag above the glade I was in. Not bad before lunch.’
Dearlove inhaled, blushing red-ochre. ‘Uh, I don’t think that’s something everybug here needed to know, Tro-chan. Sounds like personal stuff.’
‘Well, she’s not wrong–’ Spike said with a raised claw, before getting cut short by a jab from Rarity’s elbow, ‘–Ow! Okay, yes, it is personal even if it wasn’t… um.’ Rarity shot him a raised eyebrow as he looked up at her and rubbed his arms, but her disapproval changed to a thin smile. ‘Can we not talk about that?’ he added.
Orbweb nodded. ‘I understand, no prying. But… knowing that actually does put my mind at ease, thanks. Um, usually our king speaks first, but I needed to make myself heard…’
‘It’s not a law or anything, Orbweb, but thanks,’ said Thorax, who had been distracted slightly by one of the grubs mewling for their bottle of nectar, and he fed them as he spoke, ‘I wasn’t sure whether even coming in with these little guys was the best idea at first, but Freelove said it was fine so long as I had the right supplies, which the nurse I borrowed them from made sure I did, thank goodness… anyway, uh, to address everybug in the room? I feel pretty good right now! About the Hive, that is. Everything’s great.’
‘Care to share further with your subjects, king?’ Freelove prompted, as Thorax bounced a violet changeling – nocreature was keeping track which grub was which since they kept shifting between colours, and they didn’t seem to have names – on his knee.
He stood upright with bright eyes as he placed the grub onto his back once more, and everycreature caught an eyeful of another orange stain that had appeared on his sweater. ‘Alright, if you insist… well, you know we’ve had moments when things haven’t been completely calm, and I haven’t lied to you during those occasions, so please, believe me when I say these past moons I’ve felt more and more confident that everything is turning up really well! More than well. You’re all great changelings, and it’s great to see everybug’s been treating our friends here so well. I’m proud of all of you. Keep it up,’ he finished with a smile, deflating back into his seat.
‘Thank you so much, Thorax. We all appreciate your vote of confidence in us,’ said Freelove, adjusting the flower in her headband, ‘Anybu– I mean, anycreature else who wishes to add to that is very welcome to be heard by us all.’
‘Yona really really like all bugs, Counsellor Freelove! Bugs nearly as good as yaks, very kind, very understanding! And Yona not acted since school, but Ocellus give Yona and special somepony important roles in play! Yona look forward to seeing all sparklebug friends in audience later!’ Yona barked enthusiastically, her braids swinging and her jewellery jangling as she hopped up and down on her cushions. Then she stopped herself unprompted, apologising in a more sober voice, ‘Yona sorry, forget indoor voice…’
As well she might, as several changelings had been caught unaware of that outpouring, one of whom had even fallen backwards off his moss pile. His neighbour in the circle helped him up, and as he sat down again he grinned, ‘Ow… no problem, but you startled me!’
Ocellus laughed, ‘Oh, dear… Yona, you don’t need to worry about being heard onstage tonight, if nothing else! I feel that you’ll knock them out… um, maybe that’s not the best turn of phrase to use after Philophilia just fell down… anyway, I don’t think I need to tell you all I’m feeling pretty nervous about the performance. I do hope everycreature has a good time. Um, and that it’s not too boring.’
‘Ugh. I feel like you need more confidence in your darn script,’ Dearlove pouted, ‘But I’ve said my piece to you outside the forum many times, and it falls on deaf ears…’
‘I tried my best, Dearlove,’ Ocellus said mildly, ‘I’m just, what’s the word Ms. Rarity uses? I’m striving for better, that’s all. I worry a lot, and I am sorry for fussing.’
‘Well, stop apologising for bringing the good stuff, then. If you don’t mind my saying while we’re here, sometimes it feels like you’re telling everybug that none of us in the troupe are any good when you say stuff like that. It feels slightly insulting, to me at least… what about the rest of you guys?’ Dearlove turned to the other actors.
‘Hmm…’ Elytron tipped his head to one side and looked down at Ocellus, who cringed, ‘You do have a bad tendency to get all sweaty when somebug says, well, anything to you about your chosen profession, may I remind you, good or bad. Dearlove has a point. Sometimes I feel like it reflects badly on the rest of us.’
Boscis looked up. ‘Uh, I still get a turn to say feelings stuff later if I say something now, right?’ When Freelove nodded he continued, ‘Alright, well, you worry too much, Ocellus, and it can be contagious, if that scans? You’re awful at hiding when you’re scared that something isn’t perfect, just terrible. I’m an upbeat guy, but you get me down once in a while. Like while we were practicing in the amphitheatre just now… Nobug will notice if the rabbits on the moon are off-white. I didn’t need to shift colours for every line in rehearsal! You should know how tiring a dozen changes in one minute can be!’
Trochanter said nothing, instead putting her leaves over her flower face as she blushed. Eventually she squeaked out, ‘Um… I like singing the songs Celly writes… she’s expressive and funny, but she always apologises before giving me the manuscript… I hope that’s not too negative…’
Ocellus looked wounded. ‘You all really feel this way about my attitude? I mean, I had some idea, but having it all laid out like this…’
Dearlove smiled, tearing up a bit as she put a hoof on Ocellus’ carapace. ‘I’m pretty sure none of us means to pick on you, Ocellus, but this is the feelings forum, and, uh, we all seem to agree on how we feel. You are good at what you do. It’d be nice if you believed it yourself instead of getting weird about it.’
‘Purely as an outside opinion from a guy who’s only been onboard for a few days now, I’m pretty pumped to play the pilot you wrote,’ said Sandbar, before affecting a deeper voice, ‘I think it’s a riot, Ocellus. “Captain Space Thrusters, to the moon and back in my beautiful balloon before breakfast! No bunny too big, no changeling too small!”’ he recited with an amused snort at his own words, puffing out his chest.
‘Yona like Sandbar when he gets all astronutty,’ Yona snickered as an addition to that, putting a cloven hoof around his side, ‘Make fine brave adventurer! And Ms. Rarity make great space suit! All see later!’
Elytron snorted, then turned to Ocellus with a furrowed brow. ‘See? That’s funny! I’m always honoured to collaborate with you, Ocellus, please don’t take what I said the wrong way or anything,’ he said, likewise putting a hoof around his blue friend, ‘I just worry that you don’t have enough pride in your work, the way you go on sometimes. I worry about you, you know? Like one day you’ll give up all hope and never act again.’
Ocellus inhaled and scrunched her mandibles, turning teal in the cheeks. ‘I never thought of it that way… I’d never do that! I love acting and writing and directing and all that stuff… I don’t know what I’d even do with myself otherwise!’
‘Then, uh, act like it a bit more?’ Boscis said bluntly, raising a hoof and bobbing his head forward, ‘We’re not silently judging you behind your back or anything. We mean it when we tell you you’re good at what you do.’
‘What he said,’ said Trochanter, plainly feeling bolder as she returned to her changeling form, still wearing Spike’s shades and with one back hoof still inside her plant pot, ‘I can sing but I’m no good at writing, and you’ve got it… it’s harder than most changelings think! You’ve got a lot of talent, Celly. It’d be a waste if you had a crisis of confidence and gave up.’
Ocellus still looked glum, and she took a moment to respond to her friends. ‘I worry constantly that one day I’ll lose, um, “it” without realising,’ she admitted after a deep sigh, ‘Like you say that now and mean it, but what if… what if you’re all too nice to tell me when– um, if, I write something that’s just awful? I guess I’m afraid of that and it’s been getting me down. And all of you, looks like.’
‘Trust me, I will tell you,’ Dearlove said, firmly but not unkindly and planting a hoof on Ocellus’ shoulder, ‘I’m not working on a production that ain’t up to snuff. That’s right, isn’t it, everybug?’ she half-asked, looking at her fellows.
‘Right. And I’m pretty sure it won’t any time soon,’ Elytron nodded, ‘Even if it did, you have me to set you straight. You know I’m, uh, eager to offer suggestions for what works best.’
Ocellus looked up at him, a small but beaming smile on her face and slightly watery eyes. ‘I guess I can count on the two of you to be difficult… and upon your support, not just with plays and such.’
‘Ah, if I may?’ Rarity asked, raising her hoof as she spoke before pausing.
‘As one of her former professors, if you have something to contribute feel free to go right ahead,’ Freelove nodded.
Rarity continued, crossing her hooves and looking at her nervous ex-student, ‘Thank you, darling. Ah, Ocellus… we, I mean myself and the other six founders, all thought quite highly of your acting skills back at the School of Friendship. Headmare Starlight likewise thought very highly of you, and I for one am truly impressed by what I’ve seen of your activities here the past few days – you’ve really gone from strength to strength, moving on to scriptwriting the way you have. Like dear Sandbar and Yona already have, I must express my utmost confidence in you in general, sweetheart. You have nothing to fear, either from yourself nor your fellows here.’
Then Spike followed her lead and piped up, looking very serious. ‘I know it isn’t easy sometimes, Ocellus. I’ve been fending off some serious self-confidence problems lately, uh, less so now than I was a few moons ago. Without getting too personal about it… listen to your friends. They care about you. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be telling you this stuff to your face. You’re doing great here, as well as anybug in this crazy post-Chrysalis world, like Thorax was saying. Keep it up, in my opinion,’ he paused, before adding, ‘Uh, I feel kinda like one of Princess Twilight’s self-help books saying that, but it’s the truth! You’ve really brought back what you learned from our school and applied it, it looks to me.’
Ocellus looked at Spike and Rarity, wiping a tear from her eye. ‘I’ve probably been driving these guys nuts particularly since you all got here, actually. I really want to prove that I’ve been applying myself since graduation. You… do you both really mean that?’
Rarity and Spike both started, ‘Of course we d–!’ simultaneously, then likewise interrupted themselves before Rarity continued, ‘Well, I for one am flattered that you seek our approval, but I can’t say I relish the prospect of our presence here giving you such anxiety, darling. We haven’t come to visit just to criticise you.’
‘Yeah, I mean, originally I was coming here alone on official business with Thorax, but then I somehow got strongarmed into three others coming along with me,’ Spike laughed, ‘And everything’s been great. It’s like a slightly weird dream out here, but a really good one.’
Yona sighed, leaning against Sandbar. ‘Ocellus relax. Yona think everything fine, and if not? Try again later! Sparklebug friend work it out!’
Ocellus pulled the friends closest to her against her, and the ones a little further away took her lead, forming a group hug as they fluttered their carapaces with happiness. ‘Oh, that means so much… thank you, all of you… I love you all, too. Self-love can be difficult when you’re afraid of failure, but… ack! Boscis, not so tight!’
‘Sorry. Getting a bit peckish for love after lunch, and a group hug’s the cure,’ he said, blushing before loosening his grip around her. She laughed demurely, reeling him in a bit closer.
Then Yona joined in, wrapping herself around all five actors until their eyes started to boggle out slightly, and Sandbar followed suit around her back. ‘Keep some for us,’ he laughed, ‘It might help to absorb them directly, but we don’t need to do that to enjoy good vibrations!’
Counsellor Freelove, having simply observed alongside the other changelings during the troupe’s discussion, chuckled as she too buzzed her wings for a moment. ‘Well, I’ll be darned. It would appear your troupe has needed to attend the forum for a while after all. I haven’t seen you all here at once for some time, after all, even discounting my dear Trochanter’s, ah, prolonged finding of herself.’
‘True, I haven’t been feeling it lately myself,’ said Boscis, rearing his head from the chirping, woolly bugpile he’d become ensconced within, ‘Getting all weepy and sappy around my swarm isn’t my vibe most of the time– uh, no offense, Tro-chan.’ When Trochanter cast him an uncomprehending glance he added, ‘Uh… trees… sap… weeping willow, that sorta thing? But I’m glad we’ve done this now.’
While unoffended and not breaking her composure, her look changed to one that implied strongly that he should have kept that clarification to himself as she said ‘Oh, you talk too much. Let’s just enjoy the moment… I suppose I can be a feeling flower once in a while.’
Spike and Rarity exchanged a glance and a smile as the troupe hugged it out, followed by a little mutual chuckle as they pointedly kept their claws and hooves respectively on their laps. The other changelings in the room inhaled, some of them fluttering in their seats as they felt the love, until the actors, changelings or not, all let go of one another. Before long Trochanter was back in her pot, a sunflower once more as all the others sat back on their seats.
After a pause Counsellor Freelove hit her gong somewhat more quietly than the first time. ‘Very good, all of you, and I’m glad you’re reaching an understanding – I dare say a stronger bond will bring great results for you, although the details are up to you to resolve. Now, does anybug else seek counsel? I don’t doubt there’s many of you here waiting to speak your piece. After all, that is what the forum is for. I implore you all, don’t be shy,’ she addressed the room at large.
‘I’m going to be a bunny in the play tonight,’ a teal changeling chuckled from the other side of the room. She blushed as she continued and looked around the room, ‘Um, it’s not a rehearsed part so I’ve not been down to the theatre today. Oh, I do love those cute little things… their long ears are so soft and they hear really well…’
‘Oh… yes, Tibia, I was thinking about you while I was developing the script,’ Ocellus addressed her directly, noticeably perkier after hugging it out, ‘But, um, shouldn’t we move on? I don’t want to spoil things for anybug more than we already have. There must be other things happening around the Hive we can discuss in the meantime. I… well, what about you? How is the love mixer doing lately?’
‘Oh, marvellously. You can do all sorts of things with changeling nectar, once it’s been refined, you know…’ she started, plainly knowledgeable about the particulars of what went on down there.
Time passed as the dialogue continued in a more diffuse manner than it had begun for a while as it moved away from the evening’s entertainment, everybug relaxing and, while taking turns and listening as was considered polite during the forum, talking about topics as light as the clement weather, to heavier topics like one changeling’s developing concerns about how his insomnia was affecting his ability to change into anything other than a grey hummingbird with red eyes.
It was actually Orbweb, the changeling who had been so concerned about their presence, who brought up the dragon and unicorn’s announcement, having become noticeably more relaxed as everycreature present had bonded over their shared joys and worries. ‘How long have we been doing this?’ she asked, ‘I think I might need to leave soon, but I want to know exactly what our guests have to say. I’m looking forward to it now, actually… just, uh, give me a little space in case the worst happens?’
‘Who, us?’ asked Spike, looking up at Rarity as he pointed a thumb at himself, ‘Man, I guess we were mainly soaking up the atmosphere and nearly forgot.’
Rarity looked down at him with a spreading smile, and he recoiled just a little as she put a hoof on the crest of his head frills. ‘Why, yes, I suppose so. Truthfully and speaking personally, I’ve been holding my tongue somewhat while everybug goes through their own feelings… it just doesn’t seem right to impose on you all more than necessary, given that we’re mainly guests.’
Orbweb inhaled, frowning. ‘Well, I didn’t mean to silence anycreature earlier, I was just worried, but everything’s gone well so far. Please, share with us!’
‘Yes, I admit I’m curious myself,’ said Freelove, ever the mediator, ‘If you’re comfortable speaking, please, don’t hesitate to speak your minds. Talking about these things always takes the edge off the feelings somewhat.’
Rarity looked at Spike, who dimpled at her with a bright grin. ‘Of course, of course. Ah, we rehearsed this while we were out above the valley, but more in spirit than in word,’ she said faintly sheepishly, pink spreading from her cheeks, ‘Spikey-Wikey, why don’t you take the lead?’
He was taken aback for half a second. ‘Man, you surprise me, Rare,’ Spike chuckled, putting a claw on her hoof in support, ‘Feeling nervous?’
She shrank as her blushing intensified, looking for all the world like Fluttershy during an anxious episode as a curl covered one eye. She cast him a small smile as she said, ‘Tongue-tied for the time being, darling, nothing more. Please? Tell them a thing or two. About us.’
Spike looked around, seeing the changelings were already getting some love from Rarity’s uncharacteristic bashfulness. He stood up straight as he puffed out his chest, still firmly holding her hoof. ‘Well, where should I start?’ he said, formulating his next words before turning to her, ‘Rarity, I first laid eyes on you the day Princess Celestia sent me and Twilight to Ponyville for the first time. Of course we all know now the real reason why, but it was ostensibly to check up on preparations for the one-thousandth Summer Sun Celebration. We’d just met Rainbow Dash, who’d taken the opportunity to show off and really messed up Twi’s mane with some kind of rainbow whirlwind… remember that?’
Rarity placed her other hoof on Spike’s other claw, snickering as she remembered that day, but no less red in the face. ‘How could I forget such a travesty of hair placement, sweetheart? I simply had to drop everything I was doing to cure her coiffure!’
‘I kinda liked it, actually, but it definitely needed fixing up. Anyway, as we made our way inside the town hall, we saw your work everywhere. You were deep into decorating it with banners and curtains and all kinds of sparkly stuff, and it looked great, everything was hoofmade and super-fancy, and… and then I saw you. I was just a kid at the time, but even then I knew you were something special.’
She rolled her eyes back as she racked her memory for a second. ‘Why, I don’t remember that as well, but I can guess. Was I talking to myself while sorting something or other out, perchance?’
‘Of course,’ Spike chortled, ‘You were turning around in circles on the spot as you compared colours on something or other. I immediately got an eyeful of you from all angles, that’s what I really remember. I knew then and there that you were one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen. Probably the second-most, after, like, a big bowl of gems at the end of a long day of library sorting.’
‘I mainly recall hauling dear Twilight away to the boutique to fix Dashie’s mess, truthfully,’ Rarity blushed, ‘I still remember every detail of that fabulous beribboned saddle I gave her, it was one I’d been saving for somepony who really needed it! Oh, Spike… what was I thinking putting an emerald on the front of that?’ Then she paused, adding, ‘Oh, dear… I suppose I really don’t remember the day we met in the same context you do, do I…’
Undeterred, Spike pressed on, grinning despite her neglect of mind. ‘You were fixated on, ah, what I have personally come to call “Twilight’s Calamity”, I get that. But you’re right, I was just sort of there, quietly mooning over you in the corner while you dressed Twi up in… uh, you certain that was a saddle and not some sort of full-body doily? Even so, it was one of the highlights of that whole day for me. Everypony else mainly remembers the whole battle with Nightmare Moon that same night, but for me, that was the most important of all.’
She chuckled. ‘Well, like you say, you were still young back then, and I suppose I registered you as our future princess’ little draconic attendant first and foremost. Ah, it wasn’t until somewhat later I noticed you outside of that role at all.’
‘It took a while,’ Spike nodded, ‘And honestly? A lot of that was, well, we’ve been over that and I don’t wanna dwell on, uh, the whole pincushion thing too much… but yeah, for a while that first meeting set the precedent. You’d be, well, you, and if we spent time together at all I was more than happy to bask in the reflective glow of your radiance. It was the only way I knew how to express affection for a while.’
‘Hold up,’ Dearlove interjected with a frown, ‘“Pincushion thing”? Elaborate.’
Rarity cringed at that. ‘Oh drat, found out by a slip of the forked tongue… Dearlove, I truly hate to say it, but our relationship wasn’t the healthiest in the early days and that was the worst of it. Using a baby dragon’s hide as storage for sewing equipment while one works because he won’t leave you alone, as I did on a few occasions, was quite possibly one of the most passive-aggressive things I’ve ever done in my life! I would never, never do something so callous to Spikey-Wikey now…’
She clasped her hooves, and Spike saw the sadness in her eyes. ‘I know that, and it’s not like it hurt or anything, thick hide and all. Well, it hurts my dragon pride a bit nowadays, but more that I, uh, debased myself like that rather than anything you did,’ he answered, his own voice taking a downturn.
‘Geez. That sounds pretty bad,’ Dearlove said simply, before suddenly gasping as she was jostled aside by Yona.
‘Bad? Ms. Rarity used Spikey-Wikey as pincushion!’ she harrumphed with palpable indignation on Spike’s behalf, ‘Yak hide also tough, but stick needles in Yona, see what happens! Spike did no thing wrong!’
Rarity was taken aback, unused to Yona’s confrontational side. She returned her indignant gaze with her own, sorrowful glance before exhaling and looking away. ‘Normally I’d protest at a threat like that from my own apprentice, but I deserve your ire. I would never do that to anycreature these days, but I still did it, didn’t I, and one cannot change the past…’ she sighed with a little frown before looking back to Spike, ‘We can chalk it up to social mores at the time, much has changed and I know you forgive me for it, Spikey, but I feel terrible about it too these days. One day I’ll make it up to you properly, sweetheart. I’m truly sorry about it.’
The yak’s countenance shrank back, though she still didn’t smile, her eyes slanted at Rarity for a moment before lightening up into a more generalised disappointment. ‘Yona suppose she know Ms. Rarity long enough to believe that…’ she rolled the words around in her mouth, ‘And know both Rarity and Spike to know they get along at least as well now as Yona and Sandbar. But if Yona ever see anything like that, Yona quit on the spot! Disapprove completely!’
‘The girls aren’t wrong. Pretty problematic,’ Boscis observed pointedly with a raised brow, as Sandbar whispered something to Yona, ‘Sticking pins into a minor definitely wouldn’t fly in the Hive, would it, Thorax?’
The king looked up from the grub he was quietly playing with, while the majority of the rest continued to snooze upon his person. ‘Whu– oh, excuse me!’ he exclaimed, one grub almost falling off as he sat to attention, causing him to juggle them for a moment before resetting them onto his neck, ‘No, nope, if I caught wind of anything like that around these parts it’d be hard rehab time for absolute certain!’
‘And if the king says it’s unacceptable, I’m pretty surprised it was apparently acceptable in Equestria proper,’ Boscis continued, his chest swelled by Thorax’s input, ‘So you two really are cool despite all that?’
‘It wasn’t acceptable, really, but nopony batted an eyelid in the moment. It wasn’t just Rarity, and she wasn’t even the worst of it. Ponies in general had… uh, there wasn’t much precedent on how to treat a dragon living in our society even just a few years ago, not until Princess Ember became the dragonlord, really, and there was some distrust. Like I said, it’s mostly just kind of embarrassing to recall now, after everything else that’s happened between us since,’ Spike said with a claw raised.
Rarity sniffed back her tears. ‘You’ve nothing to be ashamed of,’ she said in a controlled voice, ‘My utter thoughtlessness hurt you, and while that hurt may not have been physical it still happened, and that was my doing alone. It feels trite to say I’ve changed, but I… well, all I can do is promise from the bottom of my heart that it will never happen again.’
‘I guess things change,’ Dearlove said, ‘I mean, us changelings would know! Bug knows I did some stuff as a minion of Chrysalis I’m not proud of, but I wouldn’t dream of doing now. Uh, not that I’m equating the swampy, acidic old Hive with the fancy-schmancy gleaming realm of Equestria as such…’
Spike nodded. ‘No, it’s not the same thing, but I get the comparison. Either way, I’m not a big grudge-holder, and I’ve let it go, but it wasn’t until we started talking about this stuff more openly that we really were one hundred percent cool now you mention it, stating our feelings like we’re doing right here and now. I, uh, felt that I needed to make some changes in my life a few moons ago so I had a meeting with some friends, Rare included, laying it out and asking for their support, and she’s returned that request very generously ever since. It’s not always been easy, but so far? I feel pretty good about where things are headed.’
Rarity squirmed in her seat as Spike elaborated, her other hoof on her burning cheek from guilt as much as the romantic feelings she was trying so hard to quell. She did manage to compose herself as he reached his conclusion, and once he’d finished she looked at him with watery eyes. ‘As do I, precious-scales, and you can always count on your old Rarity,’ she chuckled, her lip still wobbling slightly, ‘You know, all that aside, it would be a lie if I said you didn’t grow on me over time despite our earlier, ah, issues, long before the Gauntlet of Fire or any of that. You became a very good friend to me over the years and even if I’d never developed deeper feelings as I have, I’d always count you among the very best, alongside any one of the other Elements of Harmony.’
Spike chuckled, taking her hoof from her cheek and holding it in his claw. ‘I know that, Rare. You’ve been nothing but… well, I want to say kind and honest before I say generous, but… oh, the heck with it. Being the embodiment of an Element of Harmony doesn’t mean you can’t be the others, but I’m sure I could work loyalty, laughter and magic somewhere in there if I thought about it for a bit. So you were less than thoughtful a few times in the past… so what? We’ve talked this stuff over before. It just doesn’t matter.’
Rarity exhaled, glancing at the surrounding changelings, who were by and large leaning in and paying close attention, wiping her eyes before turning back to Spike and continuing with a heaving sigh, ‘I’m more than happy to leave it in the past if you are, precious… and I couldn’t be happier that we’re moving along the path we’ve chosen, all that being said. You make me feel like a young filly all over again when we’re together, and you’re lovely company. We could spend all day, every day, just you and I, chatting and doing things together, whether pulse-racing or mundane, and it would be as much as I could reasonably want in life. There’s nocreature else I’ve met that I’d rather give my heart to, and I really do mean that.’
Spike felt a rush of blood to his head before continuing, ‘You make me feel like a better dragon, Rare, and you’re saying what I’ve been thinking a lot these past moons. I’m a lot less worried, or upset or whatever, about our past than I am excited about where we’re going. I… I love you.’
‘And I love you, my favourite little dragon,’ said Rarity, lost in Spike’s thin, reptilian pupils, and he gazed back into hers; those deep, oceanic pools he desired to fall into so much it hurt. ‘Anything that’s in our love’s way is only temporary. I can’t think of anycreature else I’d love to spend my life with.’
Two long seconds passed, and they both felt surging heartbeats and hot faces as they exchanged an adoring gaze with one another’s faces just a few inches apart. Then Rarity’s mane bobbed as she jerked her head left, and Spike followed suit, most likely, he presumed, for the same reason – while they’d kept things as well-behaved as they could, was it enough? ‘Ah, if anybug needs us to, we can leave the room for a tad,’ Rarity said, her voice wavering.
The changelings shrank back as her face returned to its normal porcelain complexion, that intoxicated look Spike and Rarity had seen in Thorax’s throne room the day they’d arrived on most of their faces. Then Orbweb grimaced, suddenly flashed green with a “pop!”, and Rarity gasped as she was suddenly a rainbow trout, flopping around on the floor. ‘Oh, darn it!’ the fish cried, wide-eyed for a moment with her fishy mouth open in a perfect circle.
Changeling murmurs sounded around the room, and Rarity bolted onto her hooves, feeling something must be done at once. ‘Oh, I’m– we’re ever so sorry!’ she exclaimed, prancing for a moment and looking around, ‘Quickly, does anybug here have a bowl of water? Stat!’
‘Ah, there she goes… there’s one on the ledge behind you,’ said the Counsellor, standing hurriedly but still keeping calm as a few of the other changelings glanced around the mossy room worriedly, ‘We always keep a few around just in case this happens, for the transformed’s comfort.’
‘Don’t worry, I got it,’ Spike said, hopping upwards with a flap of his wings, and Rarity turned as he grabbed the goldfish bowl that was indeed snug inside a crevice just a few feet from Rarity’s head. It was a little too full, so Rarity assisted, standing on her hind legs to stabilise with her forelegs as he held it aloft, then to lower it onto the floor without sloshing much. With one last flop, the trout jumped into it with a splash, then swam in circles for a moment as everycreature looked on.
‘Oh, maybe this wasn’t the best idea after all,’ Rarity sighed, as the room calmed and Spike picked up the bowl in both arms, ‘If that hurt you at all, Orbweb…’
‘I’ll be fine… I’d be fine without the water, actually. I’ll change back in a couple of minutes, and I went in knowing the risks when I asked you in the first place,’ Orbweb said with a raised fin once she’d filled her gills, ‘Darn my curiosity. I can still breathe air like this, though, it’s just that being a fish out of water is… let’s just say they’re not designed for it. Also, this water’s not been changed for a week.’
Spike sat back down with the water bowl in his lap, and everycreature that had risen to their hooves took their seat now the excitement was over. Counsellor Freelove half-sighed as she too returned to her place in the room’s centre, ‘Excuse me, Orbweb, I suppose I forgot to freshen it up recently. And thank you both for sharing that… with each other, as much as with all of us here,’ she said.
‘It really is totally okay?’ Spike asked, gripping the bowl as he sat cross-legged, ‘I felt like we, uh, heh… came on a bit strong there? It felt nice to get it out in the open, though, won’t lie…’
She smiled. ‘I condoned it for a good reason. You non-changelings may not be able to tell it yourselves, but that love you exude… how can I put it to creatures without the right receptors? I suppose its scent… is not as sharp as it was. It’s grown mellower with the mutual honesty you’ve just shown one another. Still stronger than the simple philia of friendship, but unlikely to disrupt anybug without a known condition, now you’ve truly confessed to one another with lessened inhibition… and no worse than Orbweb’s transformation just now. It’s mildly unfortunate that she became a fish in a dry place, but nothing was destroyed this time. I was confident that it wouldn’t.’
Orbweb emitted a few bubbles as she laughed. ‘Yeah, this is nothing like the time I changed into a mammoth without warning and took out my friend Weavestress’ entire cell during afternoon tea a few moons ago! She still has nightmares about that…’
‘Well, if you insist it’s alright…’ Rarity started, but the fish interrupted her after swimming in a circle. Adding to that, Spike’s ear frills twitched for a second as he heard a high frequency nearby, but he ignored it in favour of more pressing matters of the heart.
‘Nothing to worry about,’ said Orbweb, ‘You two should, ah, do whatever you were going to do. Hug or kiss or what have you. I’ll be fine now you’ve, ah, said the L-word.’
Spike chuckled, putting the bowl onto the floor. ‘You’d all like that, wouldn’t you?’ he said with a grin as the other changelings, and the yak and green pony present for that matter, looked at them intently as Freelove nodded sagely in confirmation, ‘C’mere, Rare. I wanna give my special somepony a big hug, with these guys as our witnesses.’
‘Oh, you sweet little thing… I do love you so, precious,’ Rarity breathed, and a second later she scooped him up in both hooves, falling onto her back as she held him against her chest, ‘And I’ll never stop! Oh, my little darling gentledragon, mmm…’ she continued as he wrapped his claws around her sides, then kissed him on the top of his head a few times.
‘My… I really hadn’t picked up on this the whole time they’ve been here,’ Ocellus murmured as they embraced, ‘You’d think I’d notice these things! Maybe there’s something up with my receptors!’
‘Probably due to the worry,’ Dearlove jabbed her friend in her side, ‘Fear of failure, like you said. Some say fear is the opposite of love. Might have stopped you noticing the obvious.’
‘Yona not stay mad at Ms. Rarity on Spikey’s behalf when she see them like this,’ Yona said with a sigh and a wobbly smile as she looked on alongside everycreature else, ‘Feels… nice. Mushy. Not mean like pincushion story sounded.’
Sandbar sniffed. ‘Watching my old professors snuggle is a bit much for me, Yona. Mainly makes me wonder why we’re not doing that ourselves. I don’t suppose you wanna– oop!’
He didn’t even need to ask once as Yona embraced him in another one of her huge, shaggy bear hugs, rubbing her cheek against his as he narrowly avoided getting bonked by her left horn as she giggled as sweetly as she could muster, ‘Yes! Yona love special little pony Sandbar, too! Love, love, love!’
After the initial shock he laughed, ‘Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about!’ before returning her hug. ‘Uh, we’ve never kissed on the lips in public before though… privately, sure, but it’s, uh…’
‘Do whatever feels right to you, and don’t do whatever doesn’t,’ Freelove said, ‘The two of you haven’t been inhibited the way Rarity and Spike were, so it won’t cause problems.’
‘Yona tempted, but not ready for that yet,’ Yona rolled the words around her mouth in contemplation, glancing over at the other couple in the room, ‘Hugging fine. Maybe kiss elsewhere like Ms. Rarity.’ She gave Sandbar a lasting smooch on the cheek, and his face turned bright pink from his cheeks to his ears as he held onto her a little tighter besides, ‘Sandbar like?’
‘Of course, Yona,’ he sighed as he pressed his snout against hers, and the room fell quiet as the snuggling proceeded in earnest. Nubby hooves stroked scale and frill and cloven hooves ruffled mane and ear, along with light smooching of cheek and brow as the changelings absorbed the “mellowed” love emanating off the two couples.
As Freelove said, the real issue here had been the repression; the lingering public awkwardness between Spike and Rarity lifted with the renewal of their stated feelings for one another and they posed little further worry, now radiating a constant level of affection rather than the sudden, unexpected flares of it they’d been emitting up to that point. As it stood now, the worst of it was the grubs around King Thorax, who was sitting like a loaf now, looking very much like Hearth’s Warming lights on the tree as they twinkled and strobed colours lazily. While the discussion had proceeded he’d sustained at least two more orange patches on his sweater, but at this point in the forum it hardly mattered.
After a little while that high-pitched sound returned, and Spike broke away from squishing against Rarity as it became louder, looking upwards. ‘Man, I’m sorry to break this up so soon, but can anycreature else hear that?’ he asked the room at large, ‘I think there’s somebug flying around outside.’
Everycreature in the room craned their necks, looking towards the large hole in the ceiling as the sound became noticeably louder. ‘Hey, I hear it too,’ commented a changeling, followed by another who said, ‘That’s angry buzzing. Whoever that is, isn’t best pleased.’ ‘Maybe everybug should step away from there until they come in or go away?’ added a third.
Thorax stood and walked over to the sunny patch in the middle of the room as his subjects parted. ‘I wonder… Chitin? Is that you up there, or somebug else? Whoever it is, you’re disturbing the forum. You can come on down and talk about it if you like.’
The buzzing decreased in pitch, and after a few seconds, a purple face with red eyes peeked through, looking agitated as it eclipsed the sun. ‘Yes, my king, it is I… and I, I won’t come down! I can’t believe you’ve… ugh!’ she exclaimed in a frantic, buzzing voice, waving a hoof in the snuggling non-changelings’ direction, ‘In front of the grubs, as well! Is this what our Hive has become?! I expect better than this… permissiveness from our colony!’
‘Uh, we were expressing our feelings, as we do here every time we have a feelings forum, Chitin. I’m not sure I understand,’ Thorax said patiently at the scowling face, ‘Why spy on us? We can talk about, uh, whatever it is like this if you like.’
‘I couldn’t help eavesdropping on what the outsiders were saying, that’s all! Oh, I can’t believe you of all bugs, or you, Freelove, for that matter, would condone such a flagrant display of… well, from where I’m hovering, you’re all just pretending a, a toxic interspecies relationship like this is good and not deleterious, for your own benefits! Plainly those two should be separated for their own good, never mind the good of the grubs! And I saw what happened on the crag, purely by coincidence – you, Ms. Rarity, are taking advantage of that young dragon for your physical wants!’
Spike grimaced at their moment above the valley being called out, and Rarity sniffed indignantly. ‘Spying, indeed! I’ll have you know that was both consensual, and what happened was an accident! Besides, we all agreed at the beginning of this that it was a private matter. I dare say I don’t much appreciate your prying, Chitin!’
‘Excuse me, Rarity, but let me handle this,’ Thorax frowned, then nearly took off towards the hole before realising that the weight and delicate disposition of the grubs in question precluded that, so he continued from the floor instead. ‘Chitin, coincidence or not, that’s pushing my proclamation from the other day pretty hard. Anyway, even besides Spike and Rarity’s discussion, which I thought was quite heartfelt, personally, everycreature down here’s had a very productive forum today. I’ll let it slide if you’d just take the time to understand–’
She turned red in the face as he spoke, interrupting. ‘No! I won’t! I won’t! I refuse to participate in this wanton love-in, and I’m leaving. Good day to you all!’
Then she flashed green, transforming into what everycreature glimpsed as a pigeon before flying away, and the sun poured back into the room. ‘Oh, dear… highly strung, that one,’ Counsellor Freelove tutted, ‘Not to mention she hasn’t come to the forum for some time. My king, I can care for the younglings if you wish to fly after her. Plainly she needs a little calming down.’
‘Geez. I should… I don’t really want to ground one of my best attendants, and a little word might nip whatever’s going on in the bud. I’m not sure the grubs would like to be separated from me much, is the thing…’ Thorax inhaled through his mandibles, and the pair started to discuss the situation.
‘Ooh, this is what I was afraid of,’ Rarity fretted, shivering a little, noticeably withdrawn now as the changelings fussed, ‘Not everycreature is going to approve of our love. But I swear I meant everything I said! Oh, I’d never…’
Spike put a claw on her shoulder, and she leaned against him morosely. ‘I believe you, Rarity, you don’t need to tell me. Do I need to say it again– heck, I will anyway. I’m serious about what I said, too. I really do love you. I don’t care if one changeling out of a hundred judges us for it. Maybe she’ll come around once Thorax has had words with her. She’ll listen to him – Chitin respects her king.’
‘Perhaps so,’ Rarity uttered, ‘And I love you too, darling. That outburst changes nothing, although I know you know that,’ she continued, giving her favourite little dragon a squeeze, which he reciprocated.
While they did that the troupe had been chattering amongst themselves, and Elytron suddenly got off his seat. ‘Hey, my king, Freelove, I figure you might need another pair of hooves with these guys? I spend enough time herding Boscis around that I’m pretty sure I can help out with the little, uh, angels.’
‘Ah! Yes, I appreciate your volunteering, Ely,’ Thorax grinned, immediately dumping his ring of pouches around Elytron’s neck, ‘Here. From left to right in these I’ve got some pollen powder, a honeycomb in case any of them get hungry, a bottle of nectar each in the next two, a maulwurf toy, and a couple of rattles. They really need to return to nurture and wellness in the next twenty minutes or so… they can’t be away from there for too long or they’ll start to get grumpy.’
‘Uhh, my left to right or yours?’ Elytron asked, immediately overwhelmed.
‘Yours. I mean, mine, from when I was wearing them, I mean– oh, I’ve got to dash before she goes too far! Sorry about this!’ Unencumbered, he left Freelove holding several of the babies, and Elytron with the rest and their supplies, as he flew after Chitin.
‘Dang, that put a dampener on our buzz,’ Dearlove sighed once Thorax was gone, ‘Just as I was getting comfortable with the whole thing, too. Our visitors all OK?’
‘Slightly shaken, thank you for asking,’ said Rarity, ‘We didn’t really expect such a harsh rejection of our relationship like that so soon after everycreature else seemed accepting of it. Otherwise we’re right as rain, aren’t we, Spikey-Wikey?’
‘Yona fine, but purple bug total buzzkill. Just makes Yona approve more of Ms. Rarity and Spike in face of adversity! Purple dragon and marshmallow boss overcome! Love conquers all, just like yaks of olde! Old yak saying!’ said Yona, before giving Sandbar another all-encompassing embrace.
He struggled not to be washed away with the furry tide, before pushing back and returning it with feeling. ‘Oof! Yeah, don’t let one neigh-sayer put you off. Not everypony in Ponyville is comfortable with our relationship, but so what? I wouldn’t trade this wonderful yak for anything!’ he added with a laugh.
‘Thanks for the vote of confidence, both of you,’ Spike said, smiling for the first time since Chitin had cast her aspersions, ‘I hope you’re right. I feel like you are!’
Then he jumped back, startled as Orbweb spilled herself out of the bowl near his feet back into her changeling guise. ‘I feel it, too. I think everything’s going to be just fine now you two are out in the open.’
‘I do hope you’re all correct,’ Rarity sighed, still feeling a mite despondent, but glad that she’d done what she’d done. If nothing else, it had defused a potential situation for bugs like Orbweb… though another may yet have been brewing, she feared.
The feelings forum proceeded for a little longer, but was cut short earlier than Freelove had intended, seeing as how it had become even more of a makeshift nursery than it had been while Thorax, who didn’t return for its remaining duration, had been present. With no other latecomers besides Chitin and everybug soon satisfied with saying their piece, those attending dispersed soon enough, the troupe, minus Elytron who accompanied Counsellor Freelove to return the grubs to their daycare, returning to the amphitheatre while Spike and Rarity retreated to their rooms to prepare themselves ahead of the evening’s activities. All seemed well and their declaration of love had mostly gone down fine, but there was just that one little loose end that hadn’t been tied off yet.
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