//------------------------------// // Chapter 16 // Story: Normal Life // by Hiver //------------------------------// Mmmm. Warm. Forcing my eyes open I saw nothing but stars. Oh... heh. Carefully moving Luna's mane out of my eyes, I slid out from beneath her wing, rolled off the bed onto my hooves, and snuck out of the sphere of silence before I stretched with a yawn. As nice as it was to wake up like that, those feathers were damn warm and I couldn't stay like that for long. Besides, I was getting hungry. Yawning again, I exited the bedroom, closing the door behind me before I grinned. A tray with sandwiches and a teapot were already sitting on the table in the study, the tea piping hot. Making a mental note to something nice for the entire waiting staff for Hearthswarming, I moved up to grab a sandwich and pour myself a cup of tea before I frowned. Speaking of thanks... Putting the sandwich back down, I moved to the door to the stairs and poked my head out, “Skitter, you might as well come in.” before I walked back inside. As expected, the changeling had been sitting there, waiting. The changeling in mostly unicorn form walked inside. The only thing differing her from any other white unicorns was her wings. Her usual chosen way to show what she really was. “Did you sleep well, sir?” She asked as she entered, stopping only a couple of meters in, closing the door behind her. I nodded, “I did. And you?” “Well enough, sir.” “Sandwich?” “No thank you, sir.” Sighing I turned to her, dropping my sandwich again, “Look, Skitter. I would like to thank you for the save last night. We could likely have disabled him on our own, but even so. Thank you.” She scraped her hoof on the floor, “I did my duty, sir. I have been tasked by the Queen herself to serve as your protector. There are significantly worse tasks to be given and it is one I enjoy far more than attacking Canterlot. No thanks are necessary.” I frowned at her, “I think they are. What you did was dangerous and you did it to defend me... and more importantly, Princess Luna. You were not even meant to follow us that day. If I remember right, I specifically gave you yesterday off!” She smiled slightly at that, “While you do have limited authority over me, Lord Page, you can not countermand the orders from your Princesses, nor my Queen. Both have tasked me with keeping you safe.” Stubborn bug. Rolling my eyes at her, I took a sip of my tea before walking up to her, “Stay still.” “Wha...” she started to ask before I turned in the same direction as she was before pressing my side against hers, resting my head across the back of her neck as I closed my eyes and thought of waking up next to Luna. Skitters' side seemed to turn cold and hard as I focused. I stayed like that for almost thirty seconds before Skitter shied away and I almost stumbled, her hoof quickly supporting me before I tripped. Getting my balance back, I blinked a couple of times. Holy hell, I feel like I just had a training session with Luna! “I'm fine.” I said as I stood up straight, “Just a bit tired again. How was that?” Skitter looked worried, “I'm fine, sir. Do you know what you just did?” “Fed you, I believe?” The changeling looked annoyed and she buzzed her wings in annoyance, “You filled me up. I can't hold any more love, there is enough to bring back to the hive!” “...That's not a good thing?” Skitter hesitated slightly before she nodded, “Yes...” “And if I'm not wrong, I'll be back to normal in a week?” She sighed, “You will be completely back to normal in a day or two. By tonight you won't notice it much. You could probably feed another two changelings at a time if you were fully... drained. But you really shouldn't have done that, Lord Page. I was tasked with protecting you, not feeding from you. What I get from the background of simply being around is enough to sustain me.” Moving back to the couch so I could lie down, I frowned at her, “But you are getting enough, right? We're not starving you or anything, are we?” Skitter shook her head and stopped buzzing, “No, sir. Unless you gather love for the hive to feed the little ones, that is the normal way to gather enough love for sustenance. Spend time around ponies or other beings in love. Usually they give off enough in the air that you won't starve.” before she admitted, “Before all this I worked in a nightclub. There was always enough emotions in the air to live... love was rare, but there was enough of others that I didn't starve. This is better. Even enough to improve my magic some.” “Well, this don't hurt me and it's not like I need to give you this much every time. But let me know if you are hungry and I can give you a bit of a boost.” “But sir...” “No arguing. You are my protector, right?” She sighed, “Yes, sir. Which is why I'm not meant to feed from you!” “And more love improve your powers, right? That's how Queen Chrysalis had any sort of chance against Princess Celestia?” “...Yes, sir.” “Then doesn't it make sense for you to have all the powers you need to keep me safe?“ She didn't seem to appreciate my logic from her expression, her faintly glowing green eyes narrowing at me before she nodded,”...Yes, sir.” she finally admitted, “Yes it does.” “Good.” I said and sipped at my tea before adding a couple of spoonfulls of sugar, under the same logic that it helped blood donors and I felt like I needed the energy, “So, anything on the agenda today?” “Nothing scheduled, sir.” she said, green fire crawling over her chitin in less than a second, far faster than I seen her do it before and she was back in her white unicorn disguise, “But I have been told to relay that the Princess of Food and her husband has returned. As soon as Princess Luna is awake, Captain Armor will be able to see her.” Princess of... I almost fell off the couch laughing.