“Gently, gently.”
“You tell me gently one more time Ember…” Talon growled lightly as he slowly put his burned hoof down on the marble floor. He was currently standing by the bed, easily standing on three out of four legs.
“You can't really threaten me at this moment, Talon.” Ember shot back, watching him as he finally put the hoof on the ground. “You really burned that hoof and fetlock with whatever you did.”
Talon sighed as he looked down at the still wrapped hoof. He put a little weight on it and didn't really feel anything through it. He blinked and leaned back on his other limbs as he looked up at Ember.
“Uhh…”
“It is currently soaked in painkiller. Want me to remove some of it to see if you still have feeling?” Ember poked at his hoof with her own. “I’m more worried if you damaged more than just the nerves.”
“Like what?” Talon looked down at his own hoof.
“Like it's ability to change when you do so.” Ember sighed, “If it can't change when you take on, say, a pegasus disguise. Then you’re going to be spotted right away. You may be able to do your blade thing through it, but taking on colors? I want you to try it out to see if you can.”
Talon just stared blankly at Ember.
“You didn't understand any of that, did you?”
Talon shook his head. “Nerd.” which caused Ember to growl a little. A chuckle off to the side made her stop and both of them look to see Witching Hour, sitting and watching them.
“Go on,” she waved a hoof at them, snickering.
“What's so funny Witchy?” Ember turned to face her directly.
“The fact that, despite the twenty year gap, you two are still arguing like siblings.” Witch mused, looking between the changeling and the unicorn.
“Like you and Leaf don't do this.” Ember turned back to Talon. “Okay. Lets try a simple change first, unicorn appearance.”
Talon nodded, and a familiar red fire engulfed his form. In his place stood a dusty red unicorn, everything on him red, a lack of cutie mark, and the various bandages he still had.
Ember looked him over and nodded, “Good.” She looked down to the scorched hoof, “This may hurt a little.” She started to remove the bandage around it, revealing the gray chitin of a changeling leg underneath it. She let out a sigh as she revealed more, stopping when she saw a hole.
“Just as I thought.” Ember grumbled.
“Care to explain that, Emerald?” Witch stood and walked over, gazing at the leg as Talon lifted it up.
Ember nodded, her horn glowing and a similar glow taking over his hoof outlining various veins. “The nerves along the hoof have been burned thanks to his stunt with the crystal. I suspect he lost feeling in it. He certainly lost most of his magic veins through it.” She glanced at Witch, “Since we are kind of like an alicorn, we have magic in every part of us.”
“I figured that much, continue.” Witch rotated her hoof as she nodded.
“Basically, it helps us mimic an earth pony. We don't get as strong or durable as one, but if we train and work it, we can come close.” She turned back to Talon. “Make one of your blades on that hoof.”
Talon nodded, letting his guise fall as he made his fore legs into small blades. He sat back, to hold his blades up. Ember looked over each one, her eyes stopping on his left, near its joint where the blade meets the wrist and seeing it blackened.
“It looks like you just lost most of the control over it. You can still make a blade it seems,” She tapped one, making him wince and quickly retract the blades. His hooves returning to normal. “Still sensitive it seems.”
“So anypony could see that I'm a changeling, since I can't change this.” He waved his hoof at them. “No point in hiding myself now.”
“Well, it's just the wrist and hoof. You could just cover it up with a bracer or something.”
“You know, that Crystal Empire armor looks cool and…”
“No.” Both Ember and Witch said at the same time, making Talon sigh.
“Awwww.”
“Sorry Talon. You’d really stand out,” Ember snickered softly as Talon glared at her.
“As if I don't already,” he sighed, “Still. Going to have to think of something.” He stood and turned back towards the bed, wobbling a bit before trying to stabilize himself. “Erf…”
Ember was quickly at his side, holding him up in her magic. “Let’s get you back into bed, ok?”
Talon just nodded as he let himself get carried and put into bed. He sighed and looked at Ember. “I’m sorry our reunion was like this.”
“You’re alive, that's all that matters.” Ember sat by his bed, grinning up at him.
“I vaguely recall you mentioning Quicktail… Is he?”
Ember squeaked, “Oh gosh! Quicktail is probably worried sick about me!” she stood and darted towards the door. “I’m sorry! You’re going to meet him in a few days anyway!” She passed by Witch. “Can you watch him for a bit longer?”
“Yeah, sure. It's not like I don't have my own life to worry about.” She grumbled, gesturing for Ember to go. Ember just rushed out, making her sigh. Talon waited a minute before looking at Witch.
“Go, I’ll be fine for a night.”
“But I…”
“I can't order you to, but I can ask. Go?”
Witch nodded, and left Talon alone. He sighed, grinning slightly as he reached over and grabbed a book, a Daring Do novel.
“That Yearling writes really good books.”
A few days had passed, and he was informed that Ember was attending some show in Cloudsdale. At first he dismissed it, but then realized why she’d do that. She was getting energy for him.
He was given a few other books to read, while he recovered. And was currently engrossed in one when he heard a thump against the door to his borrowed room. He glanced up, looking confused.
“Dammit Ember, let me open the door!” He heard from what sounded like a griffin. “Seriously, you are a pain when you're drunk.”
“But it's a pain you like.” Talon heard a lyrical tone in Ember’s voice. A moment later, the door opened and in stepped a grey tabby colored griffin, carrying an almost beet red unicorn on his back. She lay spread out, preening a wing with one hoof and the other wrapped around his neck. “Hello Bro! I have acquired a griffin for you!” She shouted as she spotted Talon chuckling.
The griffin closed the door, then walked up to the bed. “You must be Talon, I’ve heard a lot about you.” He extended a paw, the unicorn on his back losing balance and falling to the ground with a chortle. “And you changelings are really weird when your drunk on energy.” He glanced to Ember who was slowly picking herself up.
“Uh, I wouldn't know, honestly.” Talon took the paw with his hoof, shaking it as he watched Ember crawl up onto the bed, giggling. “Never been high on energy before. And I assume you are Quicktail?” The griffin nodded.
“From what she says,” Quicktail moved to help Ember get fully onto the bed. “This is the second time. Seems Wonderbolt shows are full of energy.”
“And Cloudsdale ish the best! WOO! I was feeling buzzed after that flyby, and that was just the start! When the lead squad did their thing, ooh man…” She slurred most of her words as she smiled widely, looking up at Talon. “You Wonderbolts know how to fill a lady up!” She glanced to Quicktail, “And so do griffins! Eeeee.” She giggled, as Quicktail blushed.
“I get the feeling this is more than just excitement.” Talon looked at Quicktail, who looked away, hiding the red glow of his cheeks.
“Perhaps,” he mumbled, still looking away.
Ember scooted up, looking at Talon and gesturing to his horn slightly. “Come ‘ere. I gots something for yas.” She leaned forward, almost smacking his nose with her horn. Talon blinked, then lowered his horn to hers, both starting to glow.
Quicktail glanced over just in time to see a wisp of energy start to leave Ember. The green glow brightening up the room as Ember gave up some of the stored up energy she had, giving it to Talon. After a minute, the glow faded, leaving Talon looking a little better and certainly more perky. As Ember scooted back, she grinned and sighed contentedly, laying her head on his chest and quickly started to snore.
Quicktail sighed as he watched Talon look down at her, and rest his good arm on her, looking happy. He started towards the door, stopping when he heard Talon speak up.
“Stay.”
Quicktail glanced over his shoulder, looking at the pair as Talon kept his eyes on the griffin.
“Your her mate, I'm her brother. You're allowed to stay in here and keep her company, ok?”
Quicktail looked back at the door, and took a step towards it. He stopped when a red bubble appeared over the handle.
“I can order you to stay.”
“You have no rank over a former Sky Wing,” Quicktail shot back, still looking away.
“Fine, I can pull on your tail until it gets back over here.” He emphasized this by tugging on Quicktail’s tail. “It makes you happy to see her happy.”
Quicktail let out a sigh, standing there for the better part of a minute with Talon occasionally tugging on his tail. He took a step forward, getting another tug, looked down, then started back to the bed. He sat on the floor, next to where Ember was currently laying.
“You’re younger than I pictured…” Quicktail started, looking up at Talon, who let his magic fade.
“Don't get in a fight with the chump of Chaos,” Talon giggled, looking down at Ember. “Every day, I missed her, and didn't even know she was a stone's throw away.”
“She missed you too.” Quicktail put his paw on her hoof, “And seeing her just before the show, she was happy.”
Talon moved his hoof to rest it on Quicktail’s paw. “You treat her good. When you mate a changeling, it's for life.”
“And if I don't?” Quicktail smirked, looking at Talon.
“Then I come kick your tail until you do.”