The train had more ponies on it for the trip back, it was a coming through from Los Pegasus and, of course, there was a larger contingent of the winged folk aboard. Stick and I found a nice comfortable seat and leaned together, quietly watching the countryside speed past.
"Is that makeup?" Somepony had finally gotten the nerve to come over but, rather than focusing on Stick they were looking right at me!
Another voice piped up, across the carriage. "It has to be, everyone knows the only bat ponies are winged."
I was stunned, I knew I had to react, it would only make all lunar look bad if I let it ride. "That's disgusting!" The first pony, a pegasus stallion, stepped right up to the first pony and glared at her. "Tell this mare you are sorry this instant. By Celestia, how could anypony be so insensitive!"
A LOT of heads turned and looked at the potentially racist mare, a unicorn.
"Well? She is waiting." I suddenly really liked the stallion.
"I never." Her voice made her sound even worse than Fancy Pants, but then, that stallion had helped up a human who he had every right to step around. "Oh, alright. I apologize." There was no measurable sincerity behind it, but I nodded anyway and she turned around.
"Sorry about that, ma'am. I take it that really isn't makeup then, you are a lunar unicorn?" I nodded up to him. "Capture, Stunning Capture." He turned so his camera cutie mark could be seen.
It was then, cuddled to my side, Stick roused from a doze and looked.
"Well, aren't we just blessed by amazing ponies here today?" He was smooth, smooth as silk.
"Stick." My companion said with a smile that showed teeth. "She's Penny Farthing." I smiled too, taking Stick's lead and giving just a hint of fang to him which, it could be said, made the white pegasus pale just a little.
He got the hint but sat down anyway. "And here I thought I had the chance of getting a date with the most stunning pony I have seen in years." He was very, very smooth, smooth enough to make me blush a little under my fur.
"Got all she needs." Stick said, nuzzling into my neck in an obvious show of affection that should have given him the hint.
His wings ruffled and he gave a sigh. "Don't suppose I could at least get a picture, while you are in Canterlot?"
Thankfully Canterlot was coming up soon to forestall any requests to model in the train. "Sorry to say, I have business with the Day Court and my friend here needs to visit her Queen. For that matter, I might too." I looked to Stick and she shrugged.
He looked suddenly so dejected I almost offered to let him take a shot anyway and, at last, I did. "If you want to take a photo of us, on the train, you may." And with that I leaned back to Stick and rubbed noses with her. There was just one flash of light. I blushed a little.
"He was nice, if nothing else." Stick said.
"Canterlot. Canterlot station next and final stop!" The conductor called down the train.
Everypony started to get up and get ready to move. A lot of them had been on the train since early morning and were stiff to rise. Avoiding the path of mare from earlier, we made it from the train and back into the city.
I waited, tilting my head.
Stick stood a moment, paused, listening and finally turning to me. "A song?"
"Nope, nothing." I sighed and we made the choice to see Princess Celestia first. I remembered the way but asked a guard at the entrance before we went in. He smiled and gestured the way with an extended hoof.
We had to wait some time, apparently there was a lot of business that seemed to be a heck of a lot of talk about land borders between farms and such.
"Penny Farthing and Changeling Journeypony Stick." A bailiff's loud voice was heard and we stood.
Celestia beamed at us. "This is a welcome surprise. Penny, Stick, your travel was well?" Celestia was warm with her words but I noticed she said not one hint about the event.
"It was, the rail is quite an amazing thing." Stick chittered a little. "We wondered if we could have some time in private, after court?"
There was a muttering in the crowd but it seemed the done thing to pay attention to the Princess, rather than gossiping nobles. "This would be most welcome. In an hour we will be free, have one of the guard direct you." She nodded and the next pony was already being announced.
Walking quickly we clearly heard one voice, "… they should stay in their part of the city."
I wanted to growl, if I could. Stick had heard it too and lifted her chin, choosing to ignore it.
"Now, lets see to your Queen… uh, should I not channel in the hive?"
Stick looked most alarmed. "No, don't, please!" I nudged her jaw with my own.
"Didn't think it would be good. I assume no changelings would drink from me but with that much energy they might get tempted." She nodded in reply and, just for her, I flashed some magic. My horn didn't glow at all but Stick, she always reacted when I did it.
Like that we were walking flank-to-flank even to the hive. There were drones at the entrance to the large building the main part of the hive was in. "Name and rank?"
"Stick, Journeypony." The drone looked confused at Stick's reply and ducked inside. Muttering could be heard before a gasp and the drone was back out.
"Journeypony Stick and her guest are welcomed to the hive!" Their reply and slight tremble had me wondering what had been said, or gossiped, about our excitement.
Walking through the door, I let Stick go first as she had all the rank here. It was initially a small hallway but after a few turns, twists, and not a few stairs, big doors opened out into a huge, softly glowing room. The green light flowed in from everywhere and, at the back and laying out on her throne, was Queen Fast.
She sat up when she saw us. "Hey, welcome!" She got up and stepped out and before I knew it I was wrapped in a hug by the mare and I don't know why but I suddenly felt a little, well, too close. "You two got quite the reputation, to hear those new drones you beat them up single hoofed." She was looking at me and something about the look felt, naughty.
"I helped an alicorn get the edge over them, not much else." I shrugged a little.
Stick, however, looked around the room and satisfied, leaned forward to hug Fast herself. "Something else to report, actually. Penny was put in a pod, a badly made pod, for almost a day."
"Heard about that, how are you recovering?" The Queen's question got a grin from me.
"Well, my 'net is fine, but there is something odd… drink gently." I said it softly, waiting for Stick to nod before I channeled.
The Queen's eyes flew open, her wings buzzed and she almost trembled in place. "What was THAT?"
Stick was getting more used to it by now, thankfully, and was also finding new and creative ways to burn off excess energy. "That was what the pod did. Any time Penny channels her energy a lot leaks and… if it is focused through love, it is really good." My friend drawled out the Ls and Os of those last two words, getting a nod from Fast.
"First rule, never do that in the hive again." I nodded. "Second rule, if you want me to visit, just say!"
We all giggled at this and Fast led the way to a low table to one side, slipping down onto a low cushion behind it. "Anything else to report?"
"Going to the Crystal Empire." Stick's news got one of Fast's hooves to bop her own face.
"I can't stop you, of course, just tread gently there. Princess Cadance is not welcoming to changelings and, honestly, I couldn't blame her one bit." We both nodded to that.
"Regardless, I am going." I poked Stick in the side with the letter Twilight had left for her. "What's this?"
"Twilight said it was a letter to be delivered, only by you, direct to Cadance's hoof." I shrugged as, without thinking, I hovered it over.
"Please, first rule!" Fast looked around. "I wasn't even tasting ya and I felt that."
I looked to Stick and then to her queen. "Queen Fast, if you ever find you really need to, you can drink from me." Stick perked her ears to that but gave a little nod. Fast, on the other hoof, looked a little taken aback.
"Not many ponies offer that. Know this, Changeling-friend Penny, you are welcome to rest at my hive." It was formal, as formal as I had known the Queen to be. "But you really should go now, I could maybe explain away the bursts so far as a lewd pleasure binge, but any more and changelings will talk."
"Next time." Stick got up, I followed her lead and we made for the door. "Next time, we invite you somewhere." Stick blushed a little in the offer, but not as much as I. There were rumors about Queen Fast and her… well, feeding.
We left the hive and returned to the castle, a little early but otherwise without incident.
"Come." The voice had me looking around until I spotted a lunar pegasus, looking far more dangerous than even Silver's wife had, turning and walking away. Stick and I looked at each other but followed.
As we walked I nudged Stick's shoulder and channeled just a touch. There was not even a flinch from the other pony. Stick grinned at me and nodded, having followed my focused look and realized I had worked out a quite interesting little way to spot one of her kind.
In silence we were led to a pair of doors I recognized. Luna's suite. I stood a little taller as we were led past two more lunar guards and into the darker lighting of the room. My slitted eyes seemed to come alive in the dark, irises parting as I could suddenly see nearly as well as day and certainly better than most ponies. The guide was gone, the doors behind us closed. "Welcome, Penny. Stick."
The Princess of the Night was sitting at a set of drawn curtains, her back to the window that obviously would get thrown open at night time. I bowed low, bending my front legs to lower my head. Rising up, I smiled. "I owe you thanks, still. Have you worked out a proper boon for me yet?"
Stick looked shocked I would speak quite so familiarly with one of the princesses.
"We have not. We did wish to welcome you back and congratulate you on your work catching those rogue changelings. You were put in a bad situation and, despite taking hurt, you helped resolve it with nopony lost." It really warmed me to get praise from her. "But we would know what is the extent of your injury. Princess Twilight Sparkle has forwarded a significant amount of medical and scientific notes that we are sure somepony will be able to make sense of in the next thousand years."
Stick lost her control, giggling at the lighthearted jab. Grinning myself, I nodded. "I helped create those reports. Twilight's methods are… not quite the same as human ones, but close enough that with her explaining things I could keep up." Luna's ears jerked fully upright at this and I realized I had surprised her just a little. "When I channel energy, either to the central or edge parts of my horn, some portion of what I channel leaks, it leaks through the emotion I am feeling at the time."
"If she uses love, it is tasty!" Stick giggled and put a hoof over her mouth, thinking herself being too familiar suddenly.
"Yes, changelings can feed from that energy much more directly than their usual drinking. The difference between sipping at a pond and a water spout." The description had Luna nodding.
"This makes the two of you a rather good pairing." The question hung there and I knew she wanted to know exactly how good a pairing.
I leaned sideways and gave Stick a nuzzle, looking to the princess, who nodded and sighed. "We must ponder on this. My consideration will reach you sometime after you reach the Crystal Empire. Go, our sister will be seeking your company shortly."
Stick rose, gave a little bow. I didn't. I ran up to a surprised princess and gave her a hug. "Thank you." I turned and ran before she could see the blush on my cheeks. Stick met me outside giggling.
"She made you…" I nodded to my friend's question. "Explains it. Okay, I don't think I can be jealous of her then." I raised my head in surprise but any question was forestalled by a guard in gleaming gold and silver armor.
"Her highness, Princess Celestia awaits your company."
So much royalty in one day. I wondered if Silver ever had this much trouble. Of course not, he was a mighty diplomancer! I giggled as we followed the guard.