Umbra raised her brows as a bright blue crystal pony came in at Wensley's side. She looked demure and shy, only affording brief glances at Umbra.
Wensley wasn't nearly as worried. "Go on. We're allowed to be here." He hopped up onto a seat across from Umbra with a big smile. "If she didn't want us here, she could have scared us away with little effort."
"I suppose." She sank down on the seat next to him. "Good... afternoon, your lord... I'm not used to meeting famous ponies!"
Umbra gently waved downwards. "Relax, relax. I won't bite your head off, I promise. I just wanted to meet the darling mare that captured his heart."
The blue pony looked to Wensley as if for help, fidgeting in place without a word.
Wensley waved at her. "This is Cobalt Dreams." Just as blue as her name. "And she's thrilled to see you." She did not look happy at all to be there. "Or she's busy imagining what would happen if she got too close to your horn."
Cobalt's eyes grew wide. "I-I'm sure you could avoid..." she trailed off into an uneasy quiet.
"If it helps." Umbra floated over a glass of juice. "I've already heard of Wensley's problems, and I'm still here. It's alright if you think terrible things about me, so long as you don't actually do it." She inclined her head faintly. "Though that's the second time he's brought up my horn. Is my horn that fascinating?"
"It's so sharp." Her eyes locked on that horn in intense staring. "I can't help but to think about it. And so red... If you made somepony bleed, would you even notice?"
"That's exactly what I first thought." Wensley slapped her on the back. "We ain't far apart. She has those thoughts, too. We both don't want to hurt nopony, but we still think 'em."
Cobalt blushed a bright red against the blue tint of her crystal pelt. "You must think I'm awful. I don't want you to be hurt!"
"Nah." Umbra sloshed the cup. "Thirsty?" It was only after Cobalt took the cup between her forelegs that she casually snapped up something sweet and crunchy. "I knew what I was getting into before and I'm just tickled you two found each other. That's really special, and sweet!"
Cold brought her hooves to her cheeks. "You're just saying that! There's no way a pony as together as you is that happy for us."
"Alright." Umbra considered the two. "You look cold. I wonder if he gets frozen when he kisses you."
She gasped with obvious alarm, but he went with it, "I hear you're putting together something with such large pillars, one could fall on you and, splat, no more hero."
Cobalt glanced between the two nervously for a moment, but they were looking at her so cheerfully. "You are a wielder of strange emotion magic. I wondered at times what would happen if you zapped me. Would I get louder?"
"Probably." Umbra didn't look at all put out at the idea. "But you'd also put more attention on the things that matter." She pointed at Wensley. "Which I hear includes this pony."
"It does." She sighed with a little smile. "You're really alright?" Umbra nodded swiftly. "Then... hello! Hello, Umbra, great and powerful." She put a hoof on her own chest. "I hope you make it through the day without poking someone in the eye with that horn."
"Again with the horn!" Umbra was laughing instead of looking offended. "Should I wear a big cushion over it just to relax people?"
Wensley casually reached over and grabbed a pillow off the next chair. With a lob, he stuck it onto the end of Umbra's sharp horn. "There, now yer safe."
Umbra scowled at him, even if laughter was escaping from the seams. "Alright, are you two comfortable now?"
She had met a new pony, and all was well.
"I'm scared." The crystal bat that was actually a changeling worked her hooves together. "There are rumors about a changeling."
"Just rumors." Umbra waved it away. "If it was real, they'd call me."
"Unless they don't want to bother you." Shifting poked at Umbra's front. "Or they're waiting until they have more to work with."
"Huh, would they?" Umbra's brows went up together. "You know, Shining's gonna be at the game tonight. We could just ask him what he knows."
"That'll just make him defensive." Shifting paced from hoof to hoof without actually moving. "What if it's me?! What if they found me and they're just waiting to snatch me?!"
"I doubt that." Umbra smooched the top of Shifting's snout. "There's no way they'd go after you while I was dating you without telling me something."
"Unless they thought you were under the sway of changeling trickery!" Shifting swooned in worry, wriggling on the bed.
"Well, I am. 100% victim of changeling trickery." Umbra touched nose to nose with an affectionate rub. "Oh no. Won't somepony save me? If they don't act quickly, I may spend the rest of my days being happy! Noooo!"
Shifting burst into giggles as she shoved Umbra back. "Ha Ha! But it's serious. They're looking for a changeling." She glanced around to be sure they were alone and private. "Which I am!"
"I didn't tell them." Umbra crossed her heart for extra emphasis. "The crystal ponies get nervous easily, but hang around me. They'll find whoever it is and get on—"
"Umbra?" came a muffled voice. Shining? "Can we talk?"
"It's about me!" Shifting dove to the ground and darted under the bed, out of sight.
"Come in." Umbra slid to her hooves in time for Shining to enter. "Hey, are you ready for the game?"
"Game's cancelled." He directed a hoof at Umbra. "The entire city's going on high alert. We've detected a changeling in the city."
Umbra assumed only she heard the faint squeak from the bed, gauging from Shining's lack of response. "How awful. What did they do?" She was doing a poor job of sounding alarmed.
"Nothing, yet." Shining scowled at her. "But they could be anywhere, replacing anypony.... In fact..." He pointed to the tiara on Umbra's head. "Could you take that off a moment?"
Umbra raised a brow. "That's a little offensive, not gonna lie."
"It's just a matter of security." Shining reached up to his own face and casually poked himself, which Umbra could feel. "You know it's me."
"You are getting good at blocking that." Her eyes widened a bit. "I know youcan, but I stopped thinking about it. You keep it blocked all day?! That has to be draining."
"You get used to it, and now I know you're you." He went in for a little nose touch, getting it. "Only you could have felt me."
"Duh." She inclined her head. "By the way, my girlfriend is likely to be around more often. The whole changeling thing is scaring them."
"I don't blame them." Shining stomped in place. "And good idea. If you two can monitor each other, that's one less pony to keep track of. Great! Now, I need to head out with the guards and look for that changeling." He saluted and headed back out the way he came.
But he wasn't gone for long, or at least the door wasn't empty. Purple Polish was right there. "Sorry, ma'am. He was very insistent and I can't say no to him."
"It's alright. I'll be here with Shifting. Get us a snack, kindly, and knock when you get back. No barging in for now until I say so."
"Yes, ma'am." She trotted off in search of food.
Umbra nudged the door shut with her glowing horn. "The coast is clear."
Shifting popped into view with a loud gasp, as if holding her breath were a part of her hiding. "Do you think he's on to me?!"
"No." Umbra trotted over and offered a hoof, getting Shifting upright. "He thinks you're another scared victim, which works out nicely, I think. They think there's a changeling, but it's not you."
"That's good, and bad..." She tapped where she was sitting a moment. "Maybe you should help?"
Umbra reached out and placed a hoof on Shifting's chest. "I found the changeling."
Shifting burst into laughter, her miasma destroyed. "You know doesn't count! And I mean the other changeling. I bet you could find them, or help confirm there isn't another changeling."
"I can volunteer?" Umbra leaned in. "But that would leave you alone."
"Purple will be watching me." Shifting pointed to the door. "So she can vet for me, and we can share dinner while you search."
"Right right. Go off and do the dangerous thing while I sit back and eat tasty things at home. I see how it is." Umbra rose to her hooves with an angry flick of her tail. "You're lucky I signed up for the hero business."
"Good luck." Shifting went in for a press of lips, hugging Umbra close for a moment.
"Paid in full." Umbra became little more than a shadow, seeping through the room quickly.
But they didn't find the changeling that day. Instead, a more dire message came to them. It didn't come with a letter or a pony desperately galloping towards them. Umbra and Shining received it clearly. The sensations were impossible to deny. "Oh no," breathed out Umbra, sinking to her haunches.
"What is going on?!" Shining wasn't far away. He was looking to Umbra for answers. "You know! What... What is that?!"
"You are about to become a... father." She lowered a hoof to her belly where the feelings were coming from. "Wow... Is that what it's like? Ooh! Oh! Wow..."
"Stole the words out of me." Shining sank down next to Umbra, only to spring up instantly. "I have to get back to her!" He took off at a desperate gallop towards his wife. Changeling or not, it was time for him to be there, at her side.
"Part of me just wants to close my eyes." Just to lie down and experience what was happening and not do a thing at all. Yes, that was a fine idea... But not one she could take. She was not Cadance's husband or wife, but feeling what she did, she couldn't ignore it. "Time to get moving."
She faded into dark fog and drifted quickly towards the source of pain and growth within her. She had never experienced what a woman went through that way. It was a learning experience of sorts. It was also amazing. She could feel the emotions with the sensations. She was opening and preparing for motherhood, and something wonderful was about to happen to her. To Cadance! But it felt like it was happening to her.
Dark shadow and desperate hooves brought both partners of Cadance to the waiting room where a nurse-capped crystal pony turned towards them. "Oh, I thought she'd be alone."
Umbra flopped against a couch with heavy breathing. "She's not done yet!"
"No, she isn't, but she's doing it remarkably. She'll have a little foal to hold in no time at all." The nurse was smiling brightly, not understanding the experience the two ponies in front of her were going through. "Did you run all the way here? You are so devoted! I will be sure to inform Cadance of just how loved she is."
Laughter shook Shining’s tense body as he staggered forward. "Can I help? In any way?"
"You can offer a hoof, and just be there." The nurse nodded primly. "Those two things are enough for a stallion. Go make amends for what you've done."
He laughed even as he nudged the door open. "I'll... do my best to apologize..." And he was gone, the door closing behind him.
The nurse nodded at Umbra. "Not much else for us to do, but wait. Hopefully, we'll have good news to spread around the kingdom!"
"That would be... nice." Umbra closed her eyes as waves of tension and strange new sensations built in her. She would get to learn what being a mother was like, along with two other ponies.