"...and that concludes our tour! Our hive isn't quite as breathtaking as Mount Aris or Seaquestria, but we love it here. We worked really hard to turn all this into a home full of warmth, and I hope I was able to show you that, today."
Thorax wore a smile before he even turned. The regality of the hippogriff queen and her entourage stared back at him, pleased and attentive.
"Oh. My. Gosh."
Princess Skystar somersaulted over her mother's guards to be by her side, as if that were the only way to accomplish it.
"Mom, there were baby changelings back there. The tiniest ones were as tiny as Shelly and Sheldon. We have to go see them!"
"Princess Skystar, I swear," Queen Novo groaned in exasperation. "You are in the presence of royalty other than yourself and you will be respectful. What did I say about how we behave in another creature's kingdom?"
"But mom, King Thorax said that was the end of the tour, so can't we-"
"Mm-mm, what did I say?"
Skystar's bubbliness faded as she fell to earth. She seemed to grow antsy, frantically looking down the twisting tunnels behind her, then back to her mother.
"'Let King Thorax decide on what we do while we're visiting.'"
"Mhmm. And what else?"
Skystar huffed impatiently. "'King Thorax and his brother will decide what they are or are not comfortable with us doing during the visit.'"
Novo nodded sagely, satisfied.
"That's right. We’re guests here, My Pearl, and we will give the changelings the respect they deserve. The same respect that I'd expect from any visitors of ours."
The hallway sat quietly for a time. When Novo spoke next, she addressed her host directly.
"So sorry about that, Thorax. The tour was delightful."
"Thank you," said Thorax. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. I was really kind of nervous, actually."
Queen Novo giggled. "Well, as you'll remember from our letters, I've never seen a changeling hive before. I thought this was a marvelous first impression."
"Yeah, and it's really pretty, too!" Skystar added. "Please don't belittle it by comparing it to our home. That's not fair to you. All homes are beautiful in their own way, and you've made yours beautiful with all of these plants! We don't have nearly this many pretty vines on Mount Aris!"
Thorax placed a hoof to his chest.
"Princess Skystar, what a lovely thing to say," Novo whispered, nuzzling her daughter. "Stars above, she knows how to bring both the storm and the sun out of me. So be it, then. I hate to be a bother, Thorax, but would it be too much trouble for us to visit the nursery area one more time?"
"Oh, not at all. The nursery is designed for play and high energy, and there are always plenty of adult changelings there to supervise. Visitors are welcome."
Princess Skystar squealed. Her claws instantly found her mother's leg.
"Come on, mom! Let's go see the baby changelings! They had such big, colorful eyes and little buzzy wings! They're like hummingbird ponies!"
Sighing in defeat, Novo locked eyes with her host. She ignored her daughter’s impatient calls to action.
"Will you be joining us, Your Highness?"
"Well, in a minute," Thorax replied, looking elsewhere. "Now that our tour is finished, I really need to check up on someling before I do anything else. If I don't, I'm sure to get an earful about it. I'll have some changelings escort you, for now, and I'll meet up with you."
Thorax motioned a hoof and drones flew past him on command. They bowed before the hippogriff queen and waited patiently for her to take the first step.
With unspoken understanding, Novo chuckled through a closed smile.
"Some things in our lives will always take priority, won't they? There's no need to rush; we're in no hurry. Anytime I bring my daughter anywhere I have to plan to make a day of it, whether I want to or not. I suppose we'll be seeing you soon then, King Thorax."
Thorax bowed respectfully. Novo mirrored it perfectly.
"Mom!"
"Gracious, yes, baby changelings, I hear you. I assure you momma is not old enough to be going deaf just yet."
The queen turned to follow the bouncing princess back the way they came, and her escorts closed rank behind her. The small entourage disappeared down a side corridor, and Thorax was left alone.
The young monarch turned to another adjacent hall. His ears twitched. He couldn’t see or hear it, but he could feel it, even from this distance. It was the anticipation of someling waiting to see him, somewhere beyond these walls.
He grinned a foalish grin. The feeling came from more than one source, and they were together. With that in mind, Thorax broke into a run.
"Oh wow, I can't believe my luck! I caught a rare red-bellied beetle boy! I better hold on to him so I can show Thorax!"
Calor curled around a nymph of vivid lime and cherry, tightly clutching him to his chest. Protests and giggles filled the air as the pair rolled about, bumping into walls and stalagmites alike.
"Let go, Calor!" the nymph cried.
"It can talk? Oh, I definitely have to show Thorax, now!"
Apex puffed his cheeks. He pried at the azure hooves holding him, but they were too strong. He attempted to transform, to reduce his size and escape, but observant eyes commanded hooves to tickle him and ruin his concentration.
"Hey, you can't do that! That's cheating!"
"Do what?"
Apex squeaked. Another hoof motion around his soft undershell made him twitch.
"You know what!"
"I promise I'm innocent." Calor rolled onto his side. Small hooves continued to flail in vain. He grinned an unseen grin.
"You are not innocent! You snuck up on me and that's not fair!"
"Well, of course, I snuck up. You would’ve run away, otherwise."
Apex blinked. "You just admitted it! You’re not innocent! Let me go so I can tell Papa Thorax on you!"
Calor made to respond, but then he heard a noise. His eyes flicked towards the doorway, and with a giggle, he rubbed his chin along the nymph's head.
"Oh, Papa Thorax already knows, I think," he murmured.
"What do you mean? How would he already know?"
"...I can't leave either of you guys alone, can I?"
Thorax stepped into the room, drawing immediate affection from eyes of red and blue. Calor released Apex, and the nymph scurried to his hooves and took to the air, hovering before the alpha changeling's face.
"Papa Thorax, just in time," said Apex, throwing an accusatory hoof behind him. "Calor is being a bully!"
Thorax glanced past the riled nymph. Calor stood and brushed his shell of dirt before returning the look. The adults shared a smile.
"I wasn't expecting to find someling looking after him already," Thorax said, motioning a hoof towards Apex. The nymph roosted himself on a throne of antlers and glared at Calor.
"I figured you'd still be caught up with Queen Novo," Calor explained, walking a bit closer. "I mean, you did tell the tour committee this morning that you'd handle her tour yourself. Then you told everyling that Pharynx was in charge until she left."
Thorax wore a sheepish half-smile. "Where is Pharynx, by the way?" he asked. "He told me he'd at least keep an eye on Apex."
"Probably outside with the upkeep drones," Calor replied. "Apex was coming in from outside when I found him, so my guess is he got bored and ran off."
"Uncle Pharynx never wants to do anything fun," Apex grumbled.
Thorax opened his mouth but said nothing. Calor watched him with a patient smile. The changeling's eagerness to help him deserved more than a passing phrase, this time.
"Thank you, Calor. I don't quite know what to say anymore. It seems like you're always there when I need you to be, even when I didn't know I needed you."
Calor's smile grew.
"You know me, Thorax. Always happy to help."
Thorax looked at the doorway, at his responsibilities that laid beyond it. Queen Novo seemed patient, but to what length did he dare test that? They were so close to the visit's end, and so far, everything had gone perfectly.
Thorax looked back. Calor chuckled, perhaps amused by his uncertainty.
Thorax chuckled, also. Something was telling him to stay, and the more he stood there, the more he agreed with it.
"Well, I have at least a few minutes, don't I? Why don't we sit down for a bit? My hooves are killing me."
Thorax laid down in the shade. With his eyes, he encouraged the blue changeling to do the same.
Little did Calor know it was a ruse. A lime hoof grabbed the drone and reeled him in, tipping him over in the process.
"Yeah, get him!" Apex cheered from his throne.
"Whoops. This thing just has a mind of its own," Thorax bantered.
"I've been gotten!" cried Calor, feigning distress as he readily hugged the hoof holding him.
The room reverberated with laughter. Calor slipped through Thorax’s hooves and strained his own to reach the crimson nymph mounted atop him. With a yank, he claimed the small changeling once more, who yelped in surprise.
"I know you're the real mastermind behind this betrayal!" Calor declared. Apex squirmed and flailed his legs.
"Help! Papa Thorax, he's doing it again!"
"Oh, is he?" Thorax smirked as he bathed the blue changeling in a teal aura and lifted him and Apex off the ground. He put a hoof to his chin while pretending to examine Calor from every angle, gently turning him over in the air as he did so.
In all honesty, though, he just enjoyed watching the two argue and play.
"I dunno, Apex," Thorax said at last. "I mean, he has a shell and everything. I don't think I can stop him."
"Try harder!"
"This is not how you rock someling to sleep," Calor criticized sarcastically. "What a terrible technique, Papa Thorax."
Thorax curled his lip. "If I can't figure this out, maybe I should come back with help. I bet Uncle Pharynx could—"
"No!" the other two shouted unanimously. Thorax nearly dispelled his magic from laughing.
"Well, alright, but I think you might be stuck then, Apex. You might just have to get used to being hugged like that all the time."
Never had the nymph's eyes widened quite so much. Thorax's lip trembled.
"But I don't want to get hugged all the time, especially by someling who cheats!" Apex pushed again at the locked forelegs holding him. He stopped suddenly when a thought came to him.
"Wait, that's it! Tickle him, Papa Thorax! He wouldn't let me transform that way! See how he likes it!"
"That won't work," Calor sang, squeezing his prisoner. "I'm not ticklish anywhere. Thorax is right. I have no weaknesses. You might as well surrender your ringleader to me now, Thorax!"
At first, Thorax said nothing. The aura holding the pair dissipated, and they returned to the ground. Two sets of eyes watched Thorax with rapt attention as he sat back on his haunches, wearing a mysterious little smirk. He then exhaled softly and stared back at them, as if waiting for something.
For Apex, it held no great meaning. There was a tingling in the air, sure, but that was always there. It was Thorax's magic, reaching through space to comfort and energize him. It made him smile, too.
But then Apex felt himself released, and he blinked a moment too soon. In a second, Calor was gone, and the nymph had regained his freedom. Getting to his hooves, he saw Calor and Thorax embracing. He shivered as he felt a great wave of warmth flow over him, and for a moment, he could have sworn the air itself tinted in color.
"No weaknesses, huh?" Thorax remarked softly. "Seems like the hive's 'top cuddlebug' might have some chinks in his shell, after all."
"Now you're the one cheating." Calor pressed his snout into the crux of his monarch's neck. "You know I can't resist an invitation like that."
"...Calor, why are you blushing?"
Calor had his eyes closed, being lost in the moment. They opened quickly to find a curious nymph buzzing behind Thorax's head, ogling him.
"I'm not blushing," Calor responded lamely, blushing even more. He pulled back from the hug to face Thorax. "I'm not blushing, am I?"
"Just a bit," Thorax lied. He hid his amusement behind his smile.
"Are you embarrassed?" asked Apex.
"No, I just-"
"Are you too hot? I felt a big wave from Papa Thorax just now and it was super warm. Is that it? It must’ve been it. It must’ve been really, really warm from this close to him!"
Calor returned his focus to Thorax with considerable effort. His gaze was like an anchor, still and welcoming. Apex's babbling dulled to white noise the longer he held that gaze.
"You know, I've gotten better with keeping up correspondence with the princesses of Equestria, lately."
Calor blinked, and he sighed a subtle breath. The topic had been changed.
"I remember you saying something about that, a while back. Is there anything new going on with them?"
Thorax motioned his head and invited his nymph to take roost once again. As soon as he felt tiny hooves lay across his forehead, he nodded.
"Well, I guess it isn't 'princesses', anymore. Princess Twilight had her coronation, and Princess Celestia and Princess Luna retired, which means Twilight is the new ruler of Equestria. Queen Novo and I talked about it. It's just her and Princess Cadance now."
Calor's brimming smile returned. He nuzzled into the king’s green chitin.
"You make it sound so lonely and sad," he chided. "Don't forget about all the other kingdoms. You, Dragon Lord Ember, Queen Novo, Prince Rutherford, and...do the griffons even have an official leader?"
"You could call him a village elder, I guess. I believe Grandpa Gruff was his name."
Thorax's eyes fell with his smile, lost in thought. Calor's snout dug into him.
"Hey, things change, we change! It's okay. We're all still here. I bet both of the princesses would like to see us again, soon. What about Princess Cadance? Have you talked with her lately?"
Thorax ears perked up.
"Actually, yeah. I was visiting the other week and we got to catch up a bit. Every time I see her, she teaches me something new about love magic, or how ponies show love. She’s always been so wise. On the last visit, we talked about what ponies call 'crushes', and how they fit into the nature of romantic love. Shining Armor had a 'crush' on her when they were younger. Apparently, that's how their love connection started."
Lost amidst his recollections, Thorax failed to notice the return of Calor's blush, or his avoidant eyes.
"What's a crush, Papa Thorax?" asked Apex. Thorax looked up to see what he could of the nymph’s hooves.
"Princess Cadance said it's like a seed of love. It's when one creature feels powerful love for another creature, but it isn't felt both ways. The potential for shared love can stay dormant, or it can blossom at any moment. It all depends on if it's cared for the right way."
"Well, I know you love me so we don't have a crush, then."
Thorax snorted. Calor continued to subtly fall apart.
"What does a crush look like?" Apex continued impatiently. "It's not just ponies who get to have it, right? Changelings know way more about love so it should be our thing!"
Thorax hummed to himself, still fixated on his upper peripheral. Thus far, the tighter squeeze of azure hooves went unnoticed.
"Don't be greedy, Apex. Love is for all creatures. Anyway, a crush is also like a sickness when it's not expressed. Cadance talked about how some creatures will start developing habits because of it. Their heart will race when they're around someone they really love, or they'll find themselves thinking of that someone. In a way, they’re like symptoms. She also mentioned how they'll blush, or seem timid and restless around...those they…"
Thorax looked down at Calor. He met his eyes for what seemed like the first time, and his train of thought derailed entirely. With rose cheeks and an insatiable fidget, Calor seemed ready to gallop around the room or hide under the nearest rock he could find. Perhaps he'd do both.
"Those they what?" Apex tapped Thorax's head with his hoof. "Papa Thorax, you're really bad at explaining things today."
Unfortunately for the nymph, he'd become background noise once again.
"Calor, you-" Thorax stopped and started repeatedly. The blush had infected his cheeks, as well. "Are you-with me? But I never-oh my gosh. Have I not picked up on something this entire time?"
An imagined moment came at last, and Calor found the courage to grin. Through a thin film of tears, he embraced Thorax tightly.
"Even now, I love how aloof you are. You're so pure, Thorax. Just clueless enough to be really, really cute."
Thorax continued to stammer. He returned the hug instinctively.
"Calor, I-I'm so sorry. I never realized or-or even considered your feelings might go that far for me. I've never even thought about that depth of love before...but I guess that kinda goes without saying at this point."
Calor didn't respond at first. He settled against Thorax and thrummed, amusing himself by making the alpha's words vibrate. It made Thorax laugh.
"...So, you're not upset with me?"
"Of course not!" Calor answered immediately. He lifted his eyes, still lit with elation and tears. "Thorax, I wanted to tell you for the longest time. You brought love to our hive. You encouraged everyling to give affection to each other instead of taking it from other creatures. You even invented things like cluster sleep that brought us closer together. It’s all been so incredible. You’re incredible! After getting to know you and opening up to you, I-I couldn’t help wanting to be closer to you. I developed feelings for you pretty early on if I'm honest. You just...never picked up on the fact that our wavelengths were a bit different."
Even Apex was quiet now. The three changelings sat in a void of calm, the sound of steady breaths their only companion.
"If anything, it's my fault," Calor continued. His voice was weak against Thorax's shell. "I was just so nervous at the thought of saying it out loud. Then, I guess over time, I got complacent with how things were and shrugged it off. I could cuddle with you and spend time with you whenever I wanted, so why risk all of that by talking about my feelings? I didn't want to risk our friendship getting awkward for you. It wasn't perfect, but I was okay, for the most part."
"...You know, I'm really glad Pharynx isn't here," Thorax said softly. He laid his head against Calor's. "He'd be making so much fun of me, right about now. The signs should’ve been obvious to me, in hindsight. 'Top cuddlebug', becoming the hive's event coordinator, always eager to help me with favors. It was all to spend more time with me, wasn't it?"
Calor snickered. "Don't forget the life-sized plushie of you that I got from that vendor in the Crystal Empire. I was surprised that you didn't pick up on that."
Thorax sighed loudly before laughing.
"Let's maybe not talk about that one," he murmured into the changeling's ear, eliciting further giggles. "But I guess I should thank you for being so patient with me."
"Of course. So then...can I ask what you think about all of this?"
Thorax pulled back to meet the drone's anxious eyes. He could feel Apex’s eyes on him as well, equally as invested. He labored a heavy breath. Several responses jumbled in his head.
"I've never given thought to it before," he reiterated. "I honestly never thought I'd be in this situation. For the longest time, noling wanted anything to do with me, let alone want to seek me out as a mate. I have to admit, the whole thing is really unfamiliar territory for me."
The light in Calor's eyes faded, and he looked away. When a lime hoof guided him back, he blinked in surprise. Thorax was smiling again, with a blush in full bloom.
"With all that said, I'm not against giving it a try. And...I can't think of another changeling I'd be more comfortable trying it with."
Calor squeaked. The tears fell fresh once again, and the two reconnected their hug. The room was filled with empathetic magic, but this time, it was uniform.
Shivering from his perch, Apex leaned out from Thorax's head and prodded Calor’s.
"So, does this mean I have to start calling you Papa Calor now?" He pouted. "Because I'm still mad you snuck up on me and I don't know how I feel about that yet."
The new couple laughed. The nymph was brought down and sandwiched between the two, and his ears vibrated with the combined strength of two adult changelings thrumming.
Suddenly, Apex didn't seem quite so averse to the idea.
Just then, a sour aura spoiled the room and caused all three changelings to turn. Cool violet eyes watched them from within the doorway. It was Thorax who spoke first, tilting his head to better see his brother.
"Oh, Pharynx, there you are. Did you-"
"It's about time, Thorax," Pharynx said dryly. His nose scrunched. "No mistaking that sickly aura. If you're here, finally figuring out you have a pining mate, then I'm gonna assume the hippogriffs are elsewhere, waiting on somebody to finish escorting them. How close am I, so far?"
Thorax grimaced. He'd almost forgotten about the queen.
"Well, you're right, but I was just about to go catch up with her."
"Don't bother." Pharynx sighed, as if mentally preparing himself. "I already told you that I'm willing to help you with political nonsense for your anxiety’s sake. Here's a time to own up to that."
"But Papa Thorax isn't anxious, Uncle Pharynx," said Apex.
The beta changeling shadowed a little smirk.
"Well, close enough," he mumbled. "And by the way, seeing as Thorax could probably use someone to look after him when I'm not around, I should thank you in advance for stepping up, Calor. Way to volunteer. Just understand that if he ever cries while under your watch, you and I will have extensive problems."
Pharynx glared a nasty glare. Only when Calor began to sweat did Pharynx sneer and chuckle to himself. With just a few steps, he was gone.
Thorax turned to Calor. With a subtle movement, their snouts connected, and magenta eyes swam in deep azure.
"Well, what now?"
"Whatever we want, I guess. Wanna tail Pharynx and watch him try to be an accommodating host?"
Thorax chortled.
"I like that idea!" yelled Apex, pulling himself up onto Calor's head. For once, he could stare down Thorax from his own height. "Come on, Papa Thorax, let's go see Uncle Pharynx fail spectacularly!"
"Seriously, who is teaching you this vocabulary?" Thorax mused. "It's certainly not me. Last I checked, you still couldn't pronounce 'metamorphosis'."
"Metamorfeesus!"
"Keep up, Thorax!" Calor called, tearing down the hall. He grinned at the joyous laughs coming from above his ears. "At this rate, we'll miss their introductions! I bet Pharynx grunts through most of his!"
Shaking his head, Thorax unfurled his gossamer wings. He took to the air and made his way after the pair of changelings he loved so much.