Following Through
By Alaborn
Standard disclaimer: This is a not for profit fan work. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is copyright Hasbro, Inc. I make no claim to any copyrighted material mentioned herein.
Chapter 7
What was hopefully my last day in Equestria began with a light rapping on my bedroom door.
“John? Spike just delivered a message from Princess Celestia,” Twilight Sparkle said. “You’re going home!”
“Does this mean another train trip?” I said.
“No, we’re going to travel by chariot,” she replied.
“Okay.”
As I showered and the fog of sleep cleared from my mind, I thought about what Twilight Sparkle said. A chariot? Wouldn’t that be slower than the train? And wasn’t there a lack of road between Ponyville and Canterlot, given that Jason was working to build it?
Well, that mystery would resolve itself soon enough.
“So, when do we leave?” I asked once I rejoined Twilight Sparkle.
“Not until 10:00,” she said. “Two guardsponies should have arrived by now, to pick up Jason and Bobbie and escort them here. Once they arrive, we can pack for the journey.”
“What do we need to pack?”
“Only everything you brought with you.”
Soon, I was packing two sets of saddlebags with all of Jason’s textbooks. “These weren’t needed?” I said.
“No. I’m guessing they had enough information to recreate the spell from last time,” Twilight Sparkle said.
I buckled one set of saddlebags, and looked for the rest of the books to fill the other. I saw them, in a stack, with Twilight Sparkle doing a bad job of trying to hide them from me.
“But I’ve just started Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!” she protested.
“We can ask Jason if he wouldn’t mind leaving the books with you,” I said.
Twilight Sparkle beamed.
A curt knock on the door interrupted us. “Twilight Sparkle?” a gruff voice announced.
She concentrated and opened the door with her magic. A pegasus guard stood there, in armor and bearing a spear, and Jason stood behind him.
“Be prepared to leave at 10:00,” the guard stated before flying off.
“Come in, Stone Arch,” I said.
To Jason’s credit, he still had a smile on his face, even as he slumped onto the couch. “All good things must come to an end,” he said.
“But memories will remain,” Twilight Sparkle said. “Can I ask you a big favor, Jason?”
“Sure.”
“Can I keep your Harry Potter books?” Twilight Sparkle looked at him with big puppy dog eyes.
Jason laughed. “How can I say no to that? Besides, I’ve already read the books, and if I want to read them again, I can always borrow them from John.”
“Just not my Bloomsbury printings,” I said.
“Yes yes yes yes yes!” Twilight Sparkle squealed, hopping in little circles around her prized stack of paperbacks.
I sat down on the chair opposite Jason. “Did you tell Lemon Spark the truth?” I asked.
“Sort of. I said I wasn’t from Equestria originally, and that I would probably have to go home today, unless Princess Celestia personally intervened on my behalf.”
“That should work,” I said. “These ponies really love their princess.”
“Will I have a chance to meet Princess Celestia?” Jason asked.
“Yes. We’re all going to meet with the princess beforehoof,” Twilight Sparkle said.
My stomach rumbled. “Can we eat before we leave?”
“Of course,” Twilight Sparkle said. “Once Bobbie and Amber get here, I thought we’d go out for breakfast.
Around five minutes later, there was another knock on the door. Twilight Sparkle opened it, revealing another pegasus guard. Behind him stood Fluttershy and Bobbie; Amber was resting on Fluttershy’s back. The guard gave a stiff nod, turned, and departed.
“Now that we’re all here, how about a trip to Sugarcube Corner for breakfast?” Twilight Sparkle suggested.
Jason jumped up eagerly. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world!
Our little group gathered outside and departed. Amber nudged Fluttershy. “Can we fly there?”
“Only if your grandmother says it’s okay,” Fluttershy replied.
Amber looked to Bobbie. “Pleeeeeease?”
Bobbie sighed. “Okay.”
“Yay!” She focused her puppy dog eyes on Bobbie again. “Fly with us?”
“I don’t know,” Bobbie said.
Amber’s lower lip quivered.
Fluttershy smiled warmly. “Just remember the lessons I gave the two of you.”
Bobbie still looked hesitant. I walked up alongside her. “Give it a try. It’s something you’ll never have a chance to do again. If I can do magic with my horn, you can fly with your wings.”
“I’ll try.” Bobbie stopped, planting her hooves firmly on the ground, and spread her wings. She looked back, adjusted the angle of her wings, and flapped.
Bobbie rose a few feet into the air. She wobbled and had trouble maintaining a consistent altitude, but she was flying. It was fascinating to watch. There had to be some kind of magic involved, maybe telekinesis or antigravity, since a pegasus’ wings, though large when unfurled, were nowhere near large enough to support one in flight. Yet the positioning of the wings and flapping seemed important to the whole process.
The flight didn’t last long, since Sugarcube Corner wasn’t that far away. Bobbie landed, and said “Never again.”
But I saw a hint of a smile on her face.
“Hello, welcome to Sugarcube Corner,” the plump blue mare behind the counter said.
Pinkie Pie bounced up to our group. “What can I get you?” she said.
“We’re here for a quick breakfast before departing for Canterlot,” Twilight Sparkle said.
“So many choices,” Bobbie said, looking at the cases.
“Get whatever you want,” Twilight Sparkle said.
Jason grinned. “I’m really glad I get to eat here before I leave.”
“You haven’t eaten here before?” Pinkie Pie said. She looked at Jason, or rather his mark. “You’re leaving Ponyville, before I even threw you your Sorry-I-Missed-Your-Welcome-To-Ponyville party?” Pinkie Pie gasped. “This changes everything!”
In a flash, Pinkie Pie pulled out a giant cake, a bowl of punch, and party favors. I’m not sure where she got them, but in the time I took to contemplate that, I had a paper party hat placed on my head and a noisemaker placed in my mouth.
Amber sniffed. “Don’t I get a party too?”
Pinkie Pie mussed her mane. “I always give fillies and colts a party at the same time their parents or caretakers come to town.” She gasped again. “But you didn’t come to town at the same time! So that’s what that third twitch of my tail meant!” She reached back and pulled out, from somewhere.... “Strawberry cake!”
Amber gasped. “My favorite!”
We sat down and enjoyed the sweet treats at this impromptu party. As customers came in, they got cake, punch, and party hats, and were corralled into the celebration.
“Is this normal?” I asked Twilight Sparkle.
“No, but it fits in with Pinkie being Pinkie,” she said. “We’ll need to leave soon.”
“Okay.” I glanced back to the counter; with the party going on, no one was buying anything. “Let me buy something to take home.”
I walked over and eyed the case, focusing on cupcakes crowned with tall peaks of buttercream frosting. “How much are the cupcakes?”
“One bit each, dearie,” the mare said.
Four and a half years ago, I ate a cupcake made by Pinkie Pie. I have yet to find a pastry that is its equal. I was tempted to spend all the money I had on cupcakes, but I didn’t have that much room in my saddlebags. “I’ll take four to go. Chocolate, apple cinnamon, lemon, and strawberry.”
I slid over four gold coins, and took my four cupcakes, each boxed separately.
It was the best money I’ve ever spent.
When Twilight Sparkle had mentioned that we’d be traveling by chariot, I envisioned something like the chariots from some Roman Colosseum race. When we returned to the library, what I saw instead reminded me of the horse-drawn carriages I’ve seen in downtown Indianapolis. It was open to the sky, with two pairs of wheels, around the same size, and two padded bench seats, facing each other.
Six pegasus guards were waiting for us, two carrying spears, and four hitched to the chariot.
I gulped. “Are we... flying to Canterlot?” I said.
“Yes,” Twilight Sparkle said. “It’s the fastest way for a group our size to travel.”
I eyed the chariot suspiciously. Accepting that some ponies here could fly was one thing; I had seen it with my own eyes, and I was already familiar with the mythical Pegasus. But also supporting the chariot? I pictured the chariot pivoting on the hitch, tipping at a severe angle, once the pegasi took off.
Did I mention there was no roof?
“It’s perfectly safe,” Twilight Sparkle said. “I’ve traveled by chariot many times.”
Still uncertain, I stepped into the chariot and sat down. Bobbie thanked Fluttershy for her hospitality; Amber hugged the yellow pegasus’ leg. Soon, the five of us, the four transformed humans and Twilight Sparkle, were in the chariot.
I looked desperately for something to grasp. There was nothing. I felt a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach as the pegasi lifted the chariot into the sky.
Twilight Sparkle lifted her foreleg and rapped her hoof against something invisible. “These carriages are magically shielded to prevent anypony from falling out. It also allows us to talk.”
“Oh.” Now that she mentioned that, I noticed we weren’t hearing the sound of rushing wind.
“So how did you spend your time in Equestria, Jason?” Twilight Sparkle asked. “I’m afraid I haven’t been able to speak with you much.”
“I worked most of the day. After work, I got drinks with my coworkers, saw a play in the park, and explored the town, on my own and with Lemon Spark. It’s very much like what I expected to be doing after college,” Jason said.
“Was the work helpful to you?”
“Practically, no. There’s pretty much zero chance I’d find myself building a macadamia road in my world. But it felt great to be doing the job I always wanted to do.”
“What’s a macadamia road?” I asked.
Jason smacked his forehead with a hoof. “Macadam. The packed stone road you saw me building. For some reason, it’s called macadamia here.”
“Oh! It’s named after its inventor, an earth pony named Macadamia Nut,” Twilight Sparkle volunteered.
I found myself shaking my head. Of all the possible details I could see the creator of a fictional world building into said world, that wasn’t one of them. The nature of our two worlds continued to confound me.
“Why would a pony named Macadamia Nut build roads? I thought your names all meant something,” Bobbie said.
“Not always,” Twilight Sparkle replied. “A lot of the time, a pony is named after her parents, and they share a talent in the same field. And often, a pony will change her name or adopt another name when she discovers her special talent. For example, my old friend Lyra Heartstrings was known as Heartstrings before she got her cutie mark.”
“Oh,” Bobbie said.
“There’s traditionally something of a stigma for ponies whose names don’t match their special talents, but only a few ponies still believe in that. It’s like your coat color, John.”
“What about my coat color?”
“You have an earth tone coat,” Twilight Sparkle said.
I stayed silent. I still wasn’t sure what she was talking about.
“You’re a unicorn,” she continued.
“Wait. In a world where ponies have colors much more varied than anything in my world, there are still bad colors?” I asked.
“No! It’s not bad!” she replied. “A long time ago, some ponies thought that, though.”
I looked to Jason. “Did you know that?”
He shook his head. “I’ve read a lot of theories about Equestrian society, but that one’s new to me.”
“Bobbie? How did you spend your time here?” Twilight Sparkle asked.
“Well, I helped Fluttershy a bit with taking care of her animals. I don’t know how she finds the time to do it by herself. Other than that, I’ve spent my time watching Amber do all the fun things she can’t do back home.”
The little filly fluttered her wings. “It was fun!”
“And you know what I’ve been doing,” I said.
“Uh-huh,” Twilight Sparkle said. “Oh! We were so busy, I never talked about what’s changed with you! Like, you said you’re working now? Can you tell me about it?”
“Sure. I’m not sure if there’s an analog here. I’m working for a company that designs sensors for industrial machines.”
“Oh? How do they work?” she asked.
This was kind of hard to explain. “Like, if you were using a machine to stamp metal, and it needed to be done with a specific level of force, our sensors would monitor the machine, and stop the process if something was going wrong. Or it monitors pressure, or temperature, or the like.”
“Do you like it?”
“It’s interesting. There’s a lot of variety. We’re mostly working with other companies, and what we design has to integrate with their machines, so it can be challenging.”
“You know, it sounds like a kind of magic that’s very important, the magical controls that regulate ritual spells using many ponies. Historically, this kind of magic was crucial, as ritual magic was used by unicorns every day to raise the sun and moon, and the controls ensured nopony was hurt.”
“That was the time before the pony tribes united,” Jason added. “Though I kind of wonder if there’s more to the story than what we’ve seen.”
“I would love to show you some books,” Twilight Sparkle said. “It’s too bad we won’t have the chance.”
“Then why don’t you give us a lesson?” I suggested.
And so Twilight Sparkle started teaching us about ancient pony history. I listened with interest to her lecture, chuckling as she brought up stories I recognized as parallels to our own ancient history.
Anything to distract me from the fact that we were a mile above the ground in a vehicle a lot less sturdy than a 747.
A pair of massive golden doors opened. Trumpet fanfare greeted us as our eyes fell on the massive throne room. A large number of ponies, guards and civilians, were present in the room. We followed Twilight Sparkle’s lead and entered.
“Announcing Twilight Sparkle, from Ponyville, and guests.”
Twilight Sparkle bowed, lowering the front half of her body to the floor. It was a gesture that I remembered failing to accomplish when I tried to imitate it, so I didn’t. Hopefully, this wasn’t a big breach of protocol, given that we weren’t actually subjects.
“Rise, my faithful student,” Princess Celestia said warmly. “It is always good to see you, and it warms my heart to see you helping these ponies in need.”
“Thank you, Princess.”
“We shall speak in private. Court is dismissed until 12:30 this afternoon,” Celestia announced.
We followed the princess to a conference room, larger than the previous one. Perhaps twenty ponies could fit in there. Servants quickly entered the room, setting out refreshments, and just as quickly departed. Princess Celestia remained quiet until we were alone.
“The ritual is ready. We shall open the gate to your world at noon,” Celestia said.
“But that’s more than an hour away!” Twilight Sparkle said.
“Such rituals are best performed at certain times, as you well know. But I am happy that you have arrived early, as I would like to take the time to learn more about you four guests.” She turned to Amber. “I am surprised that one of my guests is one so young. What’s your name, little one?”
“A-Amber,” she stammered.
“Such a beautiful name.” Princess Celestia leaned down and nuzzled the filly. “Do not be afraid, my little pony. I would like to learn all about you and your time here.”
“But Princess! What about...” Twilight Sparkle interjected.
“Discord’s seal remains unbroken, we have no word of changeling activity, nor do we have any new worries about our common foes,” Celestia said calmly. “We have time to talk.” She turned to Amber. “So what did you do during your time in Equestria?”
“I opened my eyes and saw a hoof and then I saw my wings and then I was scared, because it was dark and it looked like it was going to rain, and then I saw I was all alone, but then I saw some apple trees, and I knew it was safe, cause Applejack was there, and then I saw the clubhouse, and then I met the Crusaders....”
I smiled as I listened to Amber’s happy recounting of her time in Equestria, a speech that I’m pretty sure didn’t have a single period anywhere in it. Bobbie followed, giving a much calmer version of some of Amber’s stories. Jason followed with his tale of living and working in Ponyville.
I told my tale last, sharing the narration with Twilight Sparkle. We were talking about searching through all of those files when we were interrupted by an urgent pounding on the door.
“Princess Celestia! A group of ponies have arrived, wishing to speak on behalf of Stone Arch,” a male voice said.
“By all means, send them in.”
I watched with curiosity. Who knew Jason, and why were they important enough to interrupt our private meeting?
The door opened, admitting five ponies, mares and stallions from a mix of tribes. I recognized Lemon Spark. Actually, I recognized all of them. They were all from that crew of ponies building that road!
“Lemon Spark!” Jason exclaimed.
The ponies bowed, and Princess Celestia ordered them to rise. “I must say, I am surprised to see such a large group come to speak on behalf of a pony like Stone Arch.”
“Lemon Spark insisted, and since we can’t work with both our engineers gone, we decided to come show our support,” an earth pony stallion said.
“This was your idea?” Celestia said to Lemon Spark.
“Yes, Your Highness,” she replied.
“Then speak. I wish to hear from all of you.”
“When Stone Arch told me that he was going to be taken to Canterlot and then sent away, I was heartbroken,” Lemon Spark said. “We’ve only known each other for a short time, but we’ve connected in a special way. And he’s a darn fine engineer.”
“When Stone Arch started, he was in the position of many ponies before him, moving from books to working with his hooves for the first time,” another earth pony stallion said. “He picked up on it quickly, even the machines many engineers look down upon.”
“Stone Arch is passionate about building. A simple stone road might not mean much to some ponies, but it matters to him,” a pegasus mare said. “You can see it’s what his cutie mark is telling him to do.”
“He’s not afraid to grab a cold one at the bar after work,” said an earth pony mare. “Heck, he even laughs at Digger’s jokes. And that’s a trait that’s hard to find.”
“Hey!” the first earth pony stallion, probably Digger, protested.
“I realize I don’t know what you know about Stone Arch’s situation, nor to I presume to know what’s best for Equestria, Your Highness,” Lemon Spark said. “But I wanted you to know how much he means to all of us, and I hope you will consider our words before you make your decision.”
“Lemon Spark, this meeting was your idea?” Celestia said.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“It is very brave to speak on behalf of your fellow pony, when your words are presumed to be in opposition to my wishes,” Celestia said. “Lemon Spark, please stay. I wish to speak to you further. The rest of you are dismissed for now.”
The other ponies bowed and then departed. The room fell silent, all eyes on Princess Celestia.
“Lemon Spark, your devotion to Stone Arch is noted, and may well prove to be laudable,” she said. “I mean it when I say you were brave. My little ponies are quick to see me as infallible, but I am capable of making mistakes like anypony.”
Lemon Spark smiled and nodded.
“So if what I’m about to do proves to be a mistake, I will beg you for your forgiveness.” Celestia said.
“Huh?”
Lemon Spark looked up, a confused expression on her face. And that’s when Princess Celestia blasted her.
“Sparky!” Jason yelled.
Twilight Sparkle concentrated, and a violet glow surrounded Jason, holding him in place. Lemon Spark was now floating in air, suspended in some blue aura, with a white energy seeping out of her body. The mare was grimacing and gritting her teeth as she resisted the magical attack.
And then her appearance changed. The first thing I noticed was the fangs now visible in her mouth. Then I saw the shiny black shell, the twisted horn, the insect-like wings, and the holes in her legs.
Lemon Spark was a changeling! And a big one at that, standing somewhere between my height and the princess’s.
Princess Celestia released the energy from her magical attack, but followed it with conjuring some kind of magical bindings around her legs, wings, and horn.
The changeling opened her green eyes. She was panting heavily, as if just having run a marathon, but she was still able to sneer at Princess Celestia.
“Explain yourself, changeling,” Celestia ordered.
“I am no mere changeling,” the captive spat. “I am Princess Imago, future queen of the hive.”
Poor Jason was staring at the changeling. He looked like he was about to cry.
Celestia faked a yawn. “I’ve heard the story many times before. And now that you’ve been stopped, you will never claim Queen Chrysalis’ throne.”
“Chrysalis was a fool! Thanks to the efforts of the changelings under my command, the hive learned about these humans and their technology, and then about the potentially boundless source of love and joy they represented. Yet Chrysalis stupidly continued with her invasion plans.”
“Like her before you, you have failed,” Celestia said.
“I have proven my plan works! Such energy I collected!”
“You will not steal the love from my little ponies.”
“And why do you care about somepony who isn’t even one of your ponies? There is an entire world waiting to willingly give their love!” Imago said.
I walked over and embraced Jason. He buried his muzzle in the crook of my neck. I wished I knew a spell that could stop us from hearing this.
“I have heard enough. GUARDS!” Celestia shouted.
Two guards burst into the room, with more at ready behind them.
“Summon a Class A containment squad to take this prisoner away.”
The guards saluted. The pegasus guard flew off, while the unicorn teleported away.
The guards returned, a large squad this time, and took away the changeling prisoner.
“What happened?” Bobbie said. I noticed she was clutching Amber close to her, shielding her granddaughter with a wing.
“What you have just witnessed is but a hint of the drama of a changeling hive succession battle. The failed queen is slain, her essence returned to the hive, and then two or more changeling princesses battle to prove their worth to take control. It is not something I would want anypony to see,” Celestia said.
“How did you know she was a changeling?” Twilight Sparkle asked.
“I didn’t. I had my suspicions, born of centuries of experience, but they were still just suspicions,” Celestia said. “And in those centuries, we have known only two ways to positively identify a changeling. A magical or physical injury sufficiently debilitating to make her lose control of her illusion, which is too cruel to be a test. Or, drain her of magic until the illusion falters. But draining a pony of magic is draining part of her life energy, which makes her sick and can kill if overdone. Yet it is better than the alternative.
“Now, Princess Cadance and your brother came up with another test, but that was a special case, not one I can replicate.”
“Oh,” Twilight Sparkle said.
The room fell quiet again. Jason sniffed. “She was the one,” he said quietly.
“You’ll find someone else. You always do,” was all I could say.
I felt a large wing wrap around me and Jason. I looked up and saw Princess Celestia, a sad but knowing expression on her face. “You’re a good friend, Jonathan Lockhart. Please be there for your friend.”
None of us really wanted to stay in that room anymore, so we immediately departed and headed to the gardens. I noticed we were positioned far away from the statue of Discord.
I looked over at Jason. He didn’t look sad any more, but rather weary, as if it was a burden he’d carried before. And knowing him, he had experienced this many times before.
A protective group of guards surrounded us, unicorns and earth ponies on the ground, pegasi in the air. Soon, a group of older unicorns arrived, many wearing robes and hats that screamed “wizard”.
“Are all the preparations made, Senior Magus?” Celestia asked.
“Yes, Your Highness. The circle has been drawn, and the ritual controls established. There are two rituals prepared. The first, which is for the two pegasi, is tuned to a time one day earlier than the other.”
Bobbie turned to me. “Did you catch the lotto numbers from Saturday night?” she asked with a smile.
“Sorry,” I said.
“Very good,” Celestia said. She turned to us. “Before you depart, I wish to offer each of you a gift.”
First, Princess Celestia levitated a large plush toy to Amber, one that resembled Fluttershy. “May you always remember our kindness, little Amber.”
The filly beamed and hugged the toy to herself.
“And now, for you, a more serious gift.” She levitated a book to each of us. They looked similar to each other, bound in blue cloth. I took the book in my magic and flipped through it. The pages were blank.
“These diaries are much like those that can be found in anypony’s home, but these books are enchanted. Whatever you write in them will appear in a partner book that will be kept here, and vice versa. Though I remain hopeful, I suspect this will not be the last time our worlds will be linked. And if it happens again, I wish to have a way to contact ponies, or rather humans, I know to be of good heart. Keep them safe.”
“Princess? When you’re ready,” one of the mages said.
Princess Celestia nodded. She stood, stretched her wings, and looked up to the sun. The unicorns concentrated, magic flowing and connecting them, forming a glowing circle on the ground. Then Princess Celestia ignited her horn, her magic empowering the circle.
A blue rectangular gate of pure magic appeared in the circle. I shook hooves with Bobbie and wished her good luck. She wrapped a wing around Amber, and the two of them stepped into the gate.
The gate winked out, and then reformed. “I guess this is my ride,” I said.
“It was nice seeing you again, and thank you again for introducing me to Harry Potter,” Twilight Sparkle said. She raised her hoof, and I shook it.
Oh, to heck with it.
I reached forward and pulled Twilight Sparkle into a hug.
“You have a real treat waiting for you in the last two books,” I said. “And maybe, one day, you can see the movie version.”
“I’d love that!” she said. “Goodbye, John.”
“Bye.”
Jason was watching us. And he was smiling.
“You have my permission to rag on me all you want,” I said. “But not until we’re home.”
Together, we stepped through the portal.
I appeared on all fours, Jason right next to me. I felt the fibers of the carpet under my hands.
Hands. I had hands again, and feet, and no tail!
I looked around. We were back in Jason’s apartment, and everything looked normal.
Jason’s laptop computer was at its normal place on his kitchen table, but fortunately there was no longer a portal. His normal desktop was visible, with no signs of AOL Instant Messenger in use. I checked the date and time, 11:38 AM on December 2, 2012.
Thankfully, no time passed here.
“Want a drink?” I asked. After what he’d been through, I didn’t care that it was before noon.
“No, I’m good.”
“What do you normally do to recover after a breakup?”
“I like to watch cartoons. Something happy. But not ponies this time.”
“That sounds good to me.”
“And how about you?” Jason said.
“What do you mean?”
“What are you going to do, now that you’re apart from Twilight Sparkle?”
I started to protest, but I realized he was right. After spending so much time with her, I saw her for the mare she was. She was smart, curious, loved magic, but still found herself plagued by worry and doubt. And she loved Harry Potter. A perfect match for me, except for the problem of being different species.
“It would never work out. It was like we were from two different worlds.”
I dumped off the bags I had taken from Jason’s apartment originally, removing the cupcakes I had bought. A few minutes later, Jason’s healing process began, with cupcakes, glasses of milk, and Monsters, Inc. on the television. I’m sure we both watched the movie dozens of times growing up, but we lost ourselves in that Pixar classic.
But ponies were still on my mind, as evidenced by my thoughts once we got to the scene where the monsters realized that laughter was a much better power source than fear. I recalled that the changeling princess said humans represented a source of love and joy. Could joy, by itself, be enough to feed the changelings?
Knowing what I know about my fandom, I suspected there were hundreds of changeling fans that would readily volunteer to answer that question.
But I was perfectly happy to leave that mystery unsolved.