The hatchery was typically a semi-noisy place. The distant chugging of steam and gears mixed with the ever-present flow of liquid through the tubes snaking all over the place for each cocoon and the laughter of nymphs going to and fro created a welcoming ambience for most changelings.
Aegis paced in front of Blitz’s cocoon with a precise clock hovering in front of her face, though her gaze kept dancing between the chrysalis and the watch. <Come on and hatch already. Do it, do it, do it!>
She pressed her face against the waxy cocoon, trying to see the heavily obscured figure within. Despite Aegis’ insistence, Blitz’s hive voice remained unchanging and she didn’t stir.
<I know you’re awake! I can see you moving in there!> She hoped the accusation might get through, but to no avail. <Come on, Blitz, it’s been exactly one month, fourteen days, seven hours, and fifty one seconds. You’re done baking so get out of the oven already!>
Seeing that hive-speak was failing her, Aegis tried a different tactic and took a long deep breath. “Hatch, hatch, hatch, hatch, hatch, hatch, hatch!” On and on she chanted until she was out of breath and wheezing out the words.
Aegis took a second breath to try again when Twilight spoke. <Aegis, you better not be at Blitz’s pod yelling for her to hatch again!>
<I’m not yelling, I’m simply encouraging her very loudly.>
Dang it, girl, you are going to disturb the other cocoons. I think I need some way to keep you out of the hatchery for a while. <Alright, you, that’s enough. RD will let you know the moment Blitz’s voice changes in any way. Now, get back to the surface, we’re about to reveal Rarity’s present!>
<Oh sweet, on my way!> Aegis glanced around and found Gear Ratio doing routine checks on the chrysalises nearby. Aegis buzzed over nonchalantly and wrapped an arm around the chief caretaker. “Hey, ol buddy, ol friend, ol pal, can you do a thrice over on my counterpart here? I think she’s a little sluggish in waking up.”
Gear paused a moment as Twilight spoke to her. “Momma says you better not interfere with our work over this anymore or she’ll find a way to postpone Blitz’s awakening by a month. Just to make sure she becomes a proto-queen before you.”
“She wouldn’t!” Aegis cringed at the thought of Blitz and her being out of sync. A light brush of motherly glowering from the Link was all Aegis needed to flee the hatchery. <Alright, alright, I’m going!>
Twilight chuckled to herself at her daughter’s antics. Ahh, young love.
Both changeling queens were walking through the palace with Rarity between them. The fashionista was immaculate as usual. “I must say, with no small amount of modesty, that this castle is positively brimming with color now! I can’t thank you two enough for giving me the honor of decorating it.”
Working with the technological motif of the former colony ship’s design, Rarity had blanketed the castle with a brass finish with multiple rooms having differing decor to mix things up. For the most part however, a motif of pistons and gears covered various parts of the exterior and the omnipresent aroma of lubricant and oil drifted throughout the entire hive.
Thankfully, Rarity had grown accustomed to the ‘scent’ long ago. It’s not about what I like, it’s about what the customer likes, and these adorable drones can't seem to get enough of that… fragrance.
Rainbow couldn’t help but to marvel at the gear work below her hooves, visible thanks to the steel grating. Said grating was also covered in resin to protect their hooves. “Gotta say Rarity, I still can't believe you managed to make almost all of these gears actually serve a purpose outside of looks.”
“Well you can thank Steamy and his crew for that. Honestly, his ability to make anything I think up reality is simply amazing. We were able to tie every door and light into the overall machinery to bring form and function to new heights!” Rarity sighed contently at the years of memories and effort coming together so fabulously.
“We can’t thank you enough, Rarity.” As Rarity expected, Twilight was enraptured by the feel of a living castle. “You’ve made our castle a fitting home.”
“It’s was my pleasure, really. And while it was great fun, I do so miss the fashion world. I have a lot of catching up to do.”
Rainbow Dash grinned knowingly. “We figured as much.” Rarity nodded in absent agreement. “So that’s why we think your boutique back in Ponyville just won’t cut it anymore.”
Rarity would have stopped walking out of a flash of sadness had the two queens not kept on trotting ahead. “Well I admit it is probably woefully out of style by now, but that’s nothing a little TLC can’t cure.” She let the comment roll off her with dignity. “Besides, I should really get back home anyway, or else Epaulets will end up raising my little Cloudy Skies and Summer Seas without me.”
Twilight felt truly happy that each of her friends, even bashful Fluttershy, had gone on to have families of their own over the years. In the mind of the changeling queen, individual death was far less terrifying than not leaving behind a legacy. As long as a part of each of my pony friends continues on over my long life, I’ll be happy. Scaring away her inner musings, Twilight was glad to see the door to their destination was up ahead.
“We fully understand, Rarity, but sticking in just Ponyville will make such a career return difficult, so we thought of something to help with that.”
“Oh?” Rarity cooed as Twilight opened the hatch and waved Rarity to enter.
What lay beyond took Rarity’s breath away. All three of them were in one of the much smaller dry-docks used for the gunships. Instead of the usual patrol ship, a vessel that looked like someone took a gleaming brass store and merged it with an airship, turning it into a mobile fashion extravaganza. At least it would be once Rarity had her way with it.
The ship itself was just a bit bigger than Rarity’s old shop/house, and had a collection of six traditional propeller engines, four for lift and two for propulsion. With the Longshot still unproven in battle, neither queen was willing to invest too much into it.
The exterior had a primer coat of paint for protection, and several panels for future advertisements or other purposes that were all left blank. Twilight waved at Steamy and his two assistants who were hovering by the shop front which had plenty of large glass windows for displays. “We knew none of us had the critical eye you do, Rarity, so we thought the next place you decorated would be your own little mobile fashion store. We like to call it the Carousel Floatique!”
“I – I don’t know what to say,” Rarity replied dumbfounded. A tear of joy threatened to spill out. “Can I look inside?”
“Of course, Rares, it’s your home now. If you want to make it that.”
Spotting the gangplank easily enough, Rarity bolted as fast as a dignified lady could. The front room seemed deceptively spacious. Comfortable wooden floors with an oak finish were complemented by wooden walls and ceiling. Steamy followed in after Rarity and the royals. “We remembered you mentioning you wanted to remodel the Carousel Boutique so we left the interior as bare as possible.”
Twilight followed up the blue drone’s comment with one of her own. “Since we were going to leave the fine decorating to you, we figured we’d make the place modular instead.”
Rarity zipped around to inspect each and every facet of the store’s floor. “Ladies… I – I don’t know if I can put it to words.” She turned around to find both queens hovering nearby with excited looks that paled in comparison to her own. “I love it!”
Countless designs raced through Rarity’s mind, colors of all kinds, styles of every shape, and motifs that could make alicorns weep warred with each other for which would be brought forth into life. Rarity nearly dropped her aristocratic poise as she ran over to give both queens a crushing hug. “I never dreamed of having a flying shop before! Oh how all the other designers will be jel - I mean inspired by it.”
Rainbow smirked at the the whole thing. “I knew you’d like it. I mean, who wouldn’t want a flying house, am I right?”
“It’s our way of saying thanks for everything, Rarity,” Twilight commented with a sly look at her tactless sister. “The Floatique is ready to fly. In addition,” she trailed off as Steamy approached with a booklet Rarity knew all too well. “Steamy and Crescent Wrench have volunteered to stay on as pilot and engineer respectively.”
Steamy gave a manly blush. “It’s the least we can do until you or your family learn how to operate and pilot the vessel yourselves. Wrench would be here if she wasn’t busy getting her things packed up.”
Rarity gave a lady-like titter and patted his head. “You’ve been such a big help already, I couldn’t possibly drag you away from your home.”
“It was his idea,” Twilight offered.
Everyone looked in Steamy’s direction for details. “W-well, you know. We have our diplomats, traders, and a few other drones out there, but we’re still pretty isolated here in the hive. I figured we might want to ‘spread our wings’ as you ponies say.”
“Yeah, and you know, he could set up his own engie shop out there one day, or return home. Either way, it’s all good.” Rainbow’s raspy snark was present even when not needed.
“For the time being though,” Twilight cut in, “we already have your tools, the dock, and all the lingpower you need. Whatever you need to bring your latest vision into fruition, it’s on us.”
“Ooohhhh, you spoil me to no end, you know that,” Rarity teased with a dramatic hoof wave. She slid over to Steamy and waved off the booklet. “I already have some ideas on what to make. I think a meshing of my Ponyville home and your technological motif would be perfect for a flying boutique.”
“We’re already happy to help, Miss Rarity.” Steamy flexed his muscles, causing the alabaster mare to blush. Like his predecessor Spike before him, Rarity never went past teasing between Steamy and her. It was a personality quirk her husband actually expected from mares, given that it was typical behavior during the Moonlit Empire’s golden age.
Thundering hooves from the gangplank heralded Aegis’ entry “I didn’t miss it did I?!” she half-yelled while scanning the room.
Before either queen could respond, Rarity waved at the manic princess. “Not at all, not at all. I dare say you’ve arrived just in time.”
“Oh good,” Aegis wiped the sweat off her brow only to find Rarity cantering over to her. “I was worried I’d miss your new shop taking off.”
“So kind of you, Aegy. But your mother’s right, it would be best to add that nice polish right here in the dock. And,” Rarity added with poise, “I think assisting me with this would be an excellent exercise for simultaneous hand and telekinetic work.”
“Ahhh,” Aegis dropped down on all fours. “I would totally love to help you with that, but um,” she looked to Rainbow Dash. “But Aunty and I have to work up some new siege tactics together. Part of my queen training, you understand.”
“Nonsense,” Rainbow Dash announced with a fang filled smirk. The rebuke deflated Aegis, causing her ears to droop. “That can wait for later. I think Rarity’s suggestion is perfect for you.”
Twilight made her way to the door where more drones were lined up and waiting with draft paper and pencils. “I know you’ll do excellent, Aegis. Just think of it as part of your expanding knowledge base, something every queen should have.”
Rainbow Dash was following close behind her sister. “And I need to go over the proposal of turning a freighter into a navy tender. So you guys have fun.”
Rarity butted in just before Aegis could speak. “Don’t worry, ladies, we will.” She looked at Aegis who was doing her damnedest to keep a diplomatically friendly face. “Won’t we, deary?”
Oh happy day. Maybe Blitz’ll wake up to save me from this suffering. She found Rarity looking at her expectantly with a friendly smile. “Ahh, well, why not. I have allll the time in the world it seems.”