• Published 15th Oct 2013
  • 8,158 Views, 822 Comments

The Start of Something New - Rhino



No one ever said being a new parent was easy, especially if your wife is a changeling. Regardless, there is a little one on the way, and Rhino and Gel will have to learn how to be parents, as well as dealing with the first pony-changeling hybrid.

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Chapter 16: Learning

Saturday morning comes and as usual, the home of Rhino, Gel, and Ruby is slow to start. Both parents snooze away content in their usual positions of Rhino on his back and Gel on her side against him, both with their arms around the other. The slight difference today though, is the small space between their midsections, where a certain Pink filly slept cuddled nice and snug.

She slowly stirs, her eyes blinking open. She yawns and stretches, looking around curiously. Seeing her daddy, she giggles brightly, climbing on top of him and toddling up his body. She slides off him and stops next to his head. She pokes his cheek, babbling in what might have been a question.

The large green stallion's mouth twitches, but other than that he doesn't respond.

Ruby, confused by his reaction, pushes on his chin, whining softly.

He grunts, his eyes slowly opening. He blearily looks around, trying to figure out what woke him up.

She cheers, happily hugging his face as her tail swishes behind her.

He jumps slightly as he feels the mass suddenly grab onto his face, but relaxes a moment after as he realizes what it is. Using the hoof not around his wife, Rhino hugs the filly as best he can. He moves the hoof to stroking her mane while he kisses her cheek before speaking quietly. "Well, good morning to you too, Ruby."

She nuzzles him before pulling away, giggling some more. Her expression becomes hopeful as she holds up a hoof. "Ba?"

He tilts his head, trying to understand what she's trying to ask him. "Umm..." He holds up his hoof and touches it to hers, looking at her hopefully.

She pouts, turning her attention to the bookcase. She closes her eyes and screws her face up, her horn flickering to life. One of the small books on the bottom shelf gets covered in the same green aura, slowly, if shakily, floating over to them. She opens an eye and it falls to the bed next to her, much to her delight. She pounces on it, her forelegs resting on the soft cover of the new book, and beams at her dad. "Ba!"

He stares at her, astonished. "Ruby... since when could you do that?" He looks to the bookshelf then to the filly happily looking at him on her book. He shakes his head after a moment. "At least it wasn't a surge..." Smiling at his daughter, his own horn lights up as he floats the book out from under her, setting it upright. "Ok... early morning story it is."

She grins, giving off a small 'squee', and quickly snuggles up against him, resting her head on his foreleg and eagerly looking at the book. She notices a cute kit on the cover, reaching out for it curiously.

Rhino follows her eyes, seeing what she's looking at. "Looks familiar doesn't it? Do you know who that looks like, Ruby?" He chuckles, just seeing the silver fox in question sleeping on the end of the bed.

She looks up at him, still smiling as brightly as before and looking in the same direction. She points to the fox excitedly, something surprising escaping her mouth. "Me'cwy!"

Her father freezes, not quite believing his ears. He leans down to the filly with wide eyes. "What did you say? Say it again, Ruby."

"Me'cwy!" She giggles as the pet in question wakes up, shaking himself a bit before looking at them.

He tilts his head at the stallion, as if asking whether he woke him up.

Rhino however, is a bit too preoccupied as he scoops up the filly, hugging, nuzzling, and kissing her in his excitement. "That's my girl! That's my smart filly!"

She doesn't understand what he's happy about, but she is enjoying the affection he's giving her. She readily hugs him back, cooing softly and giggling even more.

All of the noise wakes up the navy nymph nearby, if the stallion suddenly sitting up and throwing her off him hadn't already. She groans, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "...love? W-what are you doing?"

He turns to her excitedly. "Gel! Listen to this!" He turns back to the foal, keeping his voice soft as he points her to the fox. "Ruby, who is that?"

She laughs brightly, pointing at the silver form once more. "Me'cwy!"

The nymph's eyes bug out from shock. "...h-her first word?" She smiles softly, tears forming in her eyes. "...oh...I'm so proud..." She watches the fox walk over and nuzzle the pink filly, eliciting a cute giggle from her, as well as her mother. "...and so is Mercury, apparently." She turns to Rhino, smirking coyly. "And you thought it would be 'daddy'."

"Well... Maybe she'll learn that one in time..." He leans forward and kisses his wife. "Besides, you can't tell me you don't look forward to those times in the future where she walks up to you, holds out her hooves, and says 'Mommy!'."

"...I suppose I can't..." She pouts playfully at this. "Still...I'm glad she's said her first word...and a little more that it wasn't 'Hydro'." She sticks her tongue out at him.

Ruby pokes his foreleg with a hoof, whining softly. "Ba?" She stares up at him from where she cuddles with Mercury, her eyes pleading.

He boops her nose lightly. "Hey, I was just introducing them, I wasn't trying for it to be her first word. Same as you're trying to do with 'Didi', right?"

"...fair enough." She glances at Ruby, who is currently trying to hold up the book that's as big as she is for them. She giggles at the sight of the filly using both hooves to keep it on her head. "I think she wants your attention, love."

"Yeah, it makes me proud that the first thing she wants in the morning isn't food, milk, or even changing. She wants a book." As he settles down next to the filly, taking the book and placing it in front of them, he looks to Gel. "Want to make a small bet on when she says her second word?"

"I don't bet, love." She smirks, playfully bumping his side. "I will hazard a guess, though."

"You don't bet?" He flicks her side with his tail. "I seem to recall a wager placed on a certain fiery race."

She blushes brightly, shyly averting her gaze. "...I was hoping you'd forgotten that..." She clears her throat, nervously smiling. "I-I think she might say it in the next few days. W-what about you?"

"Hmm... Sounds about right. I think she'll have a new one by... Monday night." He kisses the foal's head. "Think you can do that, Ruby?"

She giggles, holding his hoof closer to her form. "Ba." She taps the cover of the book, apparently more interested in the story. Mercury curls up next to her, draping his tail over the filly's back.

"Ok ok, I get it. Story first." He cracks open the book and clears his throat, looking at Gel. "Ready to help with voices?"

She nods, smiling warmly as she settles down next to him. "Of course, love."

***

Later, after a breakfast without Hydro, who seems to have left to take care of something early this morning, the family can be found in the living room.

Rhino stands next to the door, mentally going over his list of questions to ask Diorite. The small changeling had been asleep since they left her yesterday, her body probably needed it. However the time for answers has come, and Rhino plans on getting them.

Gel sighs softly, resting her head on her hoof. "Please go easy on her. I don't think she's fully recovered, yet...and don't forget to give her some love, as well." She looks down, blinking at the sight of their daughter mimicking her pose. ...I don't know what to think of that...

He chuckles. Personally, I think it's adorable that she wants to be like you right now. "Somehow, I think she's sturdier than you think, but I'll go easy on her. You know I'm not really the confrontational type."

She quirks an eyebrow at him. "I know that, love. I'm just worried that she'll...well, get on your nerves." She shrugs slightly. "She's not exactly a tactful changeling."

"I'll try to keep a cool head." He walks over a nuzzles her. "You going to be alright up here?"

"I think so." She pats a stack of books next to her, smiling as Ruby reaches for them. "Plenty of stories here for the both of us."

"Alright, I'll try not to be too long." He gives both his wife and daughter a kiss before exiting the room, heading down the hall and into the basement. He flicks the lights on as he enters the stone-walled room.

The small nymph in the middle of the room jerks in response to the sudden brightness. She falls to one side and groans, trying to focus on the big form in front of her. "Oh. It's you." She squirms a bit, muttering curse words under her breath. She glares at him as she does so, annoyed. "Care to lend a hoof, Red?"

"Red? I'm green." His horn lights up as he unwraps her from the blanket, setting her into a seat position in the crib. "Better?"

"Better. Thanks." She averts her gaze, huffing softly. "Just you? That's odd. I'd have sworn you kept Gel closer for personal reasons."

"I do, and I enjoy it. She's upstairs reading to our daughter. I figured I could go ahead and do this and then just tell her what I learn." He sits down on the couch, easing into the familiar fabric. "Is this arrangement alright with you or would you prefer something else? I think the crib is supposed to be comfortable."

"For lightweight newborns, yes. This body isn't that light." She pauses, a frown growing on her lips, and points a hoof at him. "Don't even make a quip about me being fat. Stone doesn't allow for that."

He shrugs. "To be honest, I'm not even sure changelings can get fat. all the ones I've seen have been very trim."

"Then you must've only seen soldiers." She scoffs, rolling her eyes. "Workers have a bit of flab, and don't get me started on Breeders."

He raises an eyebrow. "That bad?"

"I said don't get me started on it." She scowls at him. "I don't want to waste time talking about nymphs that take pride in weight gain."

"Well their role is to be pregnant so... I can see that sort of correlating with that..." He clears his throat. "But back to the original question, are you comfortable with this arrangement for our talk?"

She gives him an even look, her eyes gleaming in restrained annoyance. "I want to be untied. And on that couch."

His horn lights up, floating her over to the couch and setting her on the other cushion. "I don't suppose you have the same tendency to keep your word that Gel does?"

"Last time I was asked to keep my word, I was literally stabbed in the back." She snorts derisively. "Even so, I take pride in my word. It's what separates me from...him."

He nods. "Ok... I'll take the ropes off if you promise to be civil and not harm me, Gel, or Ruby. Unfortunately, the gel on your horn stays on because I don't know how to remove it and I would rather do this without having to worry about magic for now. Do we have a deal?"

She struggles with this for a moment but nods, groaning softly. "We do, if you promise - on your love to Gel - that you won't try to harm me."

"Unless I need to defend myself or them... you have my word." His horn lights up once more, wrapping around the rope. After about 30 seconds, the bindings fall slack and takes moves them off to the side where they are out of the way.

She shifts around a bit on her cushion, sighing softly. "That's much better. As for the gel..." She glances up at her horn, frowning slightly. "It wears off after about...eighteen hours, I think." She holds up a hoof. "She spat at me once when she was a pupa. That's all I'll say about that."

He looks at a clock. "Well, I think the one or two hours left should be fine, unless of course she managed to refine that over the course of her life."

"I highly doubt it." She rolls her eyes once more. "I don't think she even knows she has that ability."

He blinks, confused. "She used it on you..."

"When she was a month old." Diorite stares at him blankly. "Surely you realize even her memory isn't that good?"

Sighing, he clarifies, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "She used it on you yesterday, on purpose, as shown by it sitting there on your horn. So obviously she knows she can do it."

"...oh." She taps her chin, thinking a bit. "I suppose a recent event must've clued her in on it, then."

"I suppose so... moving on." He leans back, getting comfortable. "Is there anything you'd like to lead with before I start asking questions?"

She looks at him, eyebrow quirked. "I heard what you said the other day. I'm not crazy."

He gives her a flat look. "Just determined, worn out, and incorrectly assuming?"

"Yes." She bows her head, ashamed. "And I'm sorry I attacked you...I hope, someday, you'll be able to forgive me."

"Well, that's certainly a step in the right direction, and I do appreciate it." He looks over her. "I suppose I'll just start. You said you've been looking for Gel for 11 years?"

"Not exactly..." She rubs the back of her neck. "I was looking for her, yes, but I was mainly looking for Mimic. I wanted to pay him back for what he did...and make sure that my little nymph was safe."

He folds his hooves. "Was it really that hard to track them down? They were both very prominent officers in the military."

She scowls at him. "Mimic was, yes. I was mainly trying to gather my strength to beat him." She glances to the stairs, ears twitching slightly. "...Gel only became Colonel a couple months before she left for Ponyville."

"Gathering your strength?" He tilts his head. "Weren't you just saying yesterday how you could have taken me if you were at full strength?"

"And that's the truth." She groans, staring at a smooth, stone hoof. "This body can't handle it, though. I nearly tore myself apart, the last time I tried...truly a double-edged sword."

"I suppose that brings up one of my biggest questions." He raises a hoof, motioning up and down her. "What is this... body?"

"It's a statue." She narrows her eyes at him. "Seriously, I thought that was rather obvious."

"Not particularly, considering you still eat love, and your eyes and tongue are quite obviously not stone." He holds his forelegs. "Animated golems i can understand, rare but known. You're... something different."

"No, I mean..." She sighs, rubbing the side of her head. "This body used to be a statue. When I died, I...well, inhabited it." She twists and turns her hoof, examining it. "To be more precise...this was a statue I made of Gel. It was going to be her birthday present..."

He raises an eyebrow. "I take it some... alterations occurred when you inhabited it?"

"You could say that." She looks at him, smirking slightly. "Everything that wasn't visible on the original statue became living tissue...but only to a certain extent." She holds up a hoof, showing it off. "For example, my legs require my innate magic to move. No muscles at all in these."

He reflexively reaches a hoof out, but stops himself. "May I?"

"Of course." She laughs jovially. "I wouldn't be offering if you weren't allowed."

He takes the smaller hoof in his own, turning it slightly in a few different directions. Honestly, at first glance he would just say it's a off-white changeling leg. However, as he holds it, one thing immediately noticeable is the difference in weight from a chitin-covered biological leg and this solid stone version. He taps the hoof as he continues examining. "So... I take it you can't feeling anything with these?"

She shakes her head. "Not at all. I think it's better that way, since my magic makes the stone shift constantly."

"Still though," he continues as he starts tapping further and further up the leg, "I would think it would freak most beings out suddenly no longer able to feel their limbs, almost like a floating head and torso..."

"It almost feels like that, yes." She averts her eyes. "I've...gotten used to it."

He continues tapping. "Could you let me know when I get to a point you can feel this?"

"You've already done that." She glances down at his hoof, which is in contact with her shoulder.

"Hmm... fascinating..." He lets go of her hoof and takes his other one off her. "But you seem to have all your biological functions?"

"Yes, it seems that way." She glances at her flanks, her voice quivering slightly. "Though some of them are...inconvenient..."

He blinks. "Hmm? What do you mean?"

She glares pointedly at him, tapping her hoof impatiently. "I'm a grown nymph in a younger one's body. What do you think I mean?"

"...oh." He coughs awkardly. "Yeah... I could see how that would be irritating... So, this body isn't just small, it's literally young?"

"That would be correct." She claps her hooves together. "Congratulations. Would you like a cookie?"

He notes her cheek and responds flippantly. "Nah, just had breakfast, plus Gel hasn't made any lately."

She raises an eyebrow at his response. She stays silent for a few moments before smirking slightly, resting her head on a hoof. "I think we'll get along just fine."

He smiles. "Glad to hear that. I take it you seem to have no impact on your mind from this... change?"

"...well, nothing major, anyways." She clears her throat, shifting awkwardly on the cushion. "...I did have an issue at...the start of it..."

He tilts his head. "How so?"

"I had felt myself die, had come back in a place different than where I was before, and had a new body...that didn't have any sensations in the legs." She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes as she steadies herself. "...needless to say, I was overwhelmed."

"Ah..." He sets a hoof on her back. "Can you tell me how this happened? Or why you think you got this body?"

"Honestly...I haven't the..." She trails off, brow furrowing in confusion. She turns to his hoof, curious. "...that's odd. Do you have any kind of...raised mark on your hoof?"

He flips over his hoof, looking at it. "No... I'm not the kind to wear horseshoes either so it isn't a mark from those..." He looks to her. "Maybe it's something on you. Want me to look?"

She nods, lowering her head. "Please, do. It'll bug me to no end, if you don't."

He motions for her to turn around, something occurring to him. "Also, you probably need this, one second..." He lets himself relax a bit more from the slightly distant mindset he had been in, letting the concern, rising familiarity, and growing acceptance of the changeling flow out.

She jolts, eyes wide in shock. "Where the fuck were you hiding all of that? It feels like a dam bursting!" She shudders, slowly turning herself around and sitting down in front of him.

"First off, language. There's a filly in the house and I don't want one of her first words to be that." He starts looking over her. "Secondly, I'm not sure. Gel said much the same thing when I first started producing it for her... I think I actually gave her stomach pains."

"She did?" She taps her chin, thinking out loud. "First time I've ever heard of that happening...and what do you mean, 'one of' her first words? Did she already say her first one?"

He nods. "Yes to both things. Ruby actually said her first word this morning, though I never expected it to be our fox's name." He chuckles as he continues his search on her, not seeing anything.

She quirks an eyebrow at him, bemused. "You have a pet fox? Really?"

"And a squirrel and a cat. Blame your daughter and natural baby animal cuteness influence for that." He switches to running the flat of his hoof over her.

She tenses slightly, her wings fluttering a bit. "I see. I never gave into her cuteness, though. I wanted her to earn her rewards, not beg for them."

"An... understandable approach." His hoof runs over a particular spot and he frowns, moving his hoof back and forth over it. "What do we have here?" He looks under his hoof, not seeing much. Tilting his head, he looks at a different angle and sees a small ridge arrangement just under the nymph's neck. "Well... this is odd. You've got a symbol on your neck."

"I do?" She starts to turn her head but stops, grimacing slightly. "What is it a symbol of?"

"I'm not sure yet... one second." He floats over a sheet of paper and pencil, setting the paper over the glyph. "Hold still..." He takes the pencil and rubs it rapidly back and forth along the paper, creating a picture of the symbol on it. "There we are. Hmm... Now I'm fairly proud of my knowledge of runes, but this one isn't one I recognize..." He hoofs the sheet to her.

She stares at it, her expression slowly shifting to one of shock. "...I-I've seen this before...in the middle of a circle of similar shapes..." She frowns, tapping the side of her head in confusion. "...at least, I think they were similar..."

He looks at her curiously. "Really? Where?"

"In the previous General's office." She grimaces, holding up a hoof. "I mean, the General before me."

He pushes a bit. "Did something happen? There must be a reason this is on here..."

"Well, I cast it on the spot." She sighs, shaking her head miserably. "I fear I can't remember what it looked like. I doubt I even got it right when I was casting it."

He frowns. "Wait... so you just saw an arcane circle blueprint for a spell and decided to cast it? Why would you do something like that?"

"I was curious." She huffs, blushing brightly. "I was barely out of my teenage years at the time. Give me a break."

Rhino facehoofs, a basic fundamental of his life being the inherent dangers of spells not being cast correctly. "Did you even have any idea what it did? What it was for?"

"I...honestly couldn't tell you. There were hundreds of them in his desk, but the one I used had the latest date on it." She taps her chin thoughtfully. "Even that had about six or seven circles on it, though. The only symbol I can remember," she pokes the paper, "is that one. It was dead center." She blinks, her face screwing up slightly. "...come to think of it, there was a page with it, and a single word..."

The stallion leans forward, curiosity showing clear on his face. He usually uses a single circle at most, with maybe a shape or two attached. Over half a dozen was practically unheard of complexity. "What word?"

She looks him in the eye, speaking as carefully as possible. "Life."

"That... sounds ominous..." He looks over the nymph again. "But... maybe that's why you are what you are? Can't be a coincidence that the symbols match..."

"...maybe..." She sighs, shaking her head. "...it's not a complete answer...but I guess it'll have to do, for now..." She shrugs, sighing dejectedly. "After all, I can't exactly waltz in and ask to see those papers, again..."

"Fair enough... though, if you don't mind me saying this, you may be the next big project of mine." His eyes have that typical researcher twinkle to them as he looks at her back.

She narrows her eyes at him, her tail tucking up around her body. "That sounds unbelievably creepy. You aren't going to do invasive experiments on me, are you?"

"Umm.... probably not..." He smiles sheepishly. "Doctor's do tend to know their patients inside and out so there may be something that comes up... but I assure you I am well qualified, Gel is there for if I come across something unusual, and I never do anything without consent."

Diorite quirks an eyebrow at him. "You know you're digging yourself deeper into that hole of yours, right?"

He shrugs. "Just being honest... what are you worried about me doing anyway?"

She simply shrugs. "I don't know. I figured you were trying to form a harem, or something."

"There are a number of things wrong with that... in a variety of ways..." He points to her. "First off, biologically, you are a filly. Secondly, you are my wife's mother. Thirdly, I was already propositioned to form a herd by another changeling and I turned her down. One is plenty for me."

"Good." She smirks, chuckling softly. "I don't want my daughter with someone who'd break her heart. Truth be told, she always told me about how she'd find true love..." She taps her chin, tilting her head to one side. "...but I never thought she'd find it, much less at such a young age."

"We both just got lucky, I guess." He hesitantly asks again. "So... about that proposition of mine to have you as my next project... May I?"

She holds up a hoof, frowning sternly at him. "As long as you don't break me, I'm fine with it."

He tilts his head. "Break you? What, you mean like crack your stone?"

"Yes." She absently rubs a hoof along her neck. "It hurts like you wouldn't believe..."

"Well, I would assume so, you still have all your non-limb muscles attached to it after all." He nods, thinking. "I know that cracked chitin is painful to have pressure anywhere near it."

"Exactly." She sighs, shaking her head. "Thankfully, I can seal it up quickly, but it still hurts..."

He nods ruefully. "Fair enough. Oh, by the way, if you have any wounds you want me to look at, let me know. I am the official changeling doctor in town. Gel only mentioned severe exhaustion and malnutrition, but she was a little hysterical at the time, so she may have missed something. Anything I need to look at?"

She gives him a blank look. "You broke my hoof off and I was able to reattach it without issue." She rolls her eyes. "I think the hunger is all I'm having trouble with, now."

He holds up his hooves. "Alright, point taken... I think that should be everything I wanted to know then. How's the goop?"

"Still not going to wear off for another hour or so, remember?" She slowly stands up, wincing slightly as some of the stone grinds against itself. "Sadly, I lack fine motor control in my legs without my magic..."

The stallion smiles, standing up off the couch and leaning down, grabbing the false-filly by her scruff and plopping her down on his back. "Well, this should save you some walking."

"Such a gentlestallion." She chuckles, patting his shoulder in slightly jerking motions. "Gel is a lucky nymph."

As he heads towards the stairs, he looks back at her. "Does this mean I get the coveted parental seal of approval?"

"Don't jump the gulch just yet, Re-" She coughs awkwardly, averting her gaze. "I mean, Rhino. I'm seeing why she likes you. I want to find out more before making my final decision."

"Well then, I think a nice family reunion should be informative for everypony." He stops about halfway down the hall to the living room, looking back at her and speaking quietly. "Erm, you do want to do this, right?"

"I do." She jumps as a crash comes from the room, staring in shock down the hall. "...it might not be a good time, though."

His own head having snapped towards the room, Rhino proceeds at a quick pace. "on the contrary, since I want to know what happened, this is the perfect time."

"Point taken." She goes quiet, not sure what to expect.

As they enter the living room, the two are greeted by a sight they probably would never have expected. A smashed vase on one side of the room explains the noise, but what draws the eye is what's happening in the center of the room. The little pink filly sits there, clapping her hooves and laughing as her horns glows constantly. Small balls of light orbit her at various distances, half of her toys floating along side them. Every few seconds she throws up her hooves and a toy flies into the air, hitting the ground a second later. Around the room, there are things that have even been turned green, including the coffee table, rug, and even one of the curtains.

Gel stands on the ceiling, her wings buzzing to keep her in place. Seeing the two of them, she sheepishly smiles. "...um...things got a little out of control..."

Dior quirks an eyebrow. "This is the most 'little' I've seen."

Rhino looks at his wife. "Did you try calming her down?"

Ruby, still focused on throwing her toys up at Gel, doesn't notice the two new beings who entered the room.

"I did." She squeaks as a plush mouse hits her on the nose. "S-she...w-well, she thought I was playing with her."

"Right..." The stallion turns around, grabbing the silver changeling and setting her on the ground. "Would you mind staying here a moment, Dior?"

"Sure, why not." She laughs dryly. "I can be a statue for a little while."

He rolls his eyes before turning back to the foal. With her back to him, ruby doesn't see as he approaches, his hoofsteps muffled by the carpet while he ducks the light spheres. Reaching her, he crouches down, smiling and calling. "Ruby~."

She turns to him, smiling brightly and holding out her hooves to him. "Da!" As she does this, one of the balls of light vanishes with a small 'pop'.

He chuckles. "Yeah, halfway there already..." He scoops the filly up and brings her over to him with a hoof, tucking her against his chest like they both enjoy. He nuzzles her and kisses her head. "Get a little excited?"

One of her toys floats over, and she grabs it. She looks up at him with her wide eyes, cuddling the now-green teddy bear.

Gel slowly lowers herself to the ground, giggling softly. "I don't think she understands the question, love."

"Probably, but whether it's my words or my voice, doing this should get her a bit more calm, or at least keep her occupied. Surges usually don't last too long..." He sits and uses his other forehoof to wave on of the bear's arms at the filly, tickling her nose.

She laughs brightly, nuzzling the paw with a happy little smile. She soon turns from the bear to her daddy's chest, snuggling up against him.

"That's my girl..." He looks expectantly. "That should get rid of her will to have the surge prolonged... just need to wait for the magic to go out now." He rubs his nose against the filly's.

At the contact, the bright lights vanish and a black toy squirrel lands on his head. The filly hugs his snout, cooing softly.

The stallion chuckles, his breath making Ruby giggle. "There we go." His eyes roam around the room. "A bit of a mess, but since only one thing broke, I'd say things went pretty well." His gaze wanders over the still green items. "Those should be back to normal in about an hour."

The nymph by his side tilts her head, confused. "Did it take that long when you were young, love?"

He nods. "Yeah, that's what they told me it took. Give or take. Only really was an issue when I managed to zap ponies because they usually had to go somewhere even if it hadn't worn off."

She giggles, covering her mouth with a hoof. "You turned ponies green? R-really?"

He laughs. "Only a few times, luckily. They got better at dodging over time." After glancing over at the vase shards, he levitates them over to a nearby shelf. "Well, aside from the obvious, everything go okay?"

"I-I think so..." She glances at the bathroom door, frowning slightly. "Specter and Selena hid in the bathroom...and Mercury hid on the couch."

At the mention of his name, the silver fox pokes his head out from behind a pillow. He glances around, curious but wary.

Meanwhile, the bathroom door cracks open and two sets of eyes peer cautiously out. As one of them spots the toy squirrel on Rhino's head, the black form darts out, zipping across the room, climbing up the pony's leg, and kicking off the toy before snuggling into the mane himself, a satisfied look on his face.

Rhino just chuckles and shakes his head.

The gray feline mews at this, walking over and sitting down. She gives the squirrel a slightly amused look, her tail twitching slightly behind her.

Specter looks down at her, easing up a bit, but not making a move to leave what he considers 'his spot'.

Rhino just chuckles at the whole thing. "Well, glad to see all of you had an exciting time up here."

"You could say that." Gel yawns softly, lowering herself to the floor. "I think I'll just...take a quick..." She falls to the floor, asleep before she hits the blanket.

Rhino blinks for a moment as he looks down to Ruby. "Aren't you supposed to be the one that sleeps all the time? How'd you manage to tire her out that much?"

She babbles a bit before touching his nose with a hoof.

"...that's your daughter...right?" Dior walks forward, looking at the filly with an unreadable expression.

Seeing her move, and the accompanying winces, the unicorn lights up his horn and floats her over, setting her next to and slightly in front of him. Once he does that, the sleeping form of Gel is levitated over to the couch, the blanket hanging on the back flipping over and covering her nicely. He answers once he's done all that. "She is..."

She leans close, smiling softly at the cute pink filly. "Hello, Ruby." She recoils slightly as the pony taps her nose, but soon smiles once more, gently stroking her mane. "You really are a cute one, aren't you?"

Rhino tenses at first when Dior recoils, some part of him still paranoid about her meeting Ruby. However, as the filly leans into his chest and looks up at him, he forces himself to relax, knowing that she can probably feel his anxiousness. The foal still snuggles against him, but she also starts to lean into the hoof stroking her mane.

She removes her hoof, staring at the filly in confusion. "Her horn just..." She trails off as realization sets in. "...oh. I guess she does have some changeling traits, after all."

As the filly looks at Dior with curious eyes, Rhino explains. "Yes, basic species changing, tends to react to the emotions around her... little things like that."

Her gaze turns toward the room, eyeing the objects that were turned green. "You know, changeling elite tend to reveal their element during their magic surges. If little Ruby is like that..." She glances at the stallion, eyebrow quirked. "...does that mean her element is related to one of those events?"

"Hmm..." He looks thoughtful as Ruby starts sucking on a hoof. "Maybe... though, this is fairly early on in her surges, so I'd prefer to see if she comes up with any other symptoms." He looks to Dior. "How do changeling surges compare to..." he motions a hoof around, "this, anyway? Any different?"

"Generally, they spit slime a bit and start buzzing everywhere." She rolls her eyes. "I think that it's fair the breeding studs have to take care of the pupae after they're born. They'd get off scott-free, otherwise." She walks around the room, examining everything closely and tapping a few times on a few things. She taps on a window and pauses, surprised. "...that's odd. This is safety glass."

He nods. "It is. It doesn't break nearly as easy as regular."

"May I ask why you got it?" She turns to him, curiosity clear in her gaze.

He shifts his hooves a bit, watching his words carefully. "There were some... issues. I suppose technically there still are, but that particular incident has thankfully not been repeated."

She stares at him blankly before frowning deeply, quirking an eyebrow. "You just lost a point with me." She sighs, walking towards the door. "I prefer honesty. You should've just said it was because I threw a rock through one of them."

He blinks. "Wait... that was you?"

"Yes." She glances at him over her shoulder. "It was meant for Mimic, who I thought you were..." She stops in her tracks, turning to him with a skeptical look. "...wait, you didn't know?"

He shakes his head. "No, I had no idea. I thought that incident was just because of the PALS ponies got particularly bold." Despite his words, a smile forms on his face. "Though... it's good to know the one thing that happened closest to home wasn't actually them."

"...PALS ponies?" She tilts her head to one side, the gears visibly turning in her head. "Who are they?"

Not saying anything, he instead levitates a small card from his saddlebags by the door. The small slip hovers in front of the nymph.

Dior stares at this for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, with a small growl, she stabs it straight through the symbol with a hoof. She looks at the foreleg, now a stone sword, blinking in surprise. "...huh. I guess my magic's back."

Rhino watches as the blue gel on her head slides off. "It appears so..." He focuses. "But.. yes, that's the group we tend to have trouble with. By we, I mean any changeling in town or their spouses."

"Good thing we're out of town, then." She huffs, her gaze sharpening. "If any of them were to try and do something to my family...well, they would be in a cast, soon enough."

His expression grim, Rhino nods. "Oh, rest assured, they haven't made any direct assaults on us yet. Politically and legally messy or not, I believe I have already shown what I would do to protect my family." As dark thoughts cloud his mind, a small whine causes him to look down.

Ruby looks up at him sadly, nuzzling against him as she feels his emotions.

He sighs, calming himself. "But... luckily things have not come to that."

"Agreed." Dior sits down, sighing softly. "...but what if it does? I don't want you to be hurt by ponies' ignorance..." She holds up a hoof, frowning slightly. "Make a snide comment and you'll regret it."

He raises an eyebrow as he smirks. "Didn't you promise not to hurt me?"

"Hurt you? Yes. Make sure Ruby learns to say my name first?" She smirks, waving a hoof at him. "I never said a thing about that."

He holds his foal as close as possible. "You wouldn't dare!"

"I would." She laughs playfully, shaking her head. "But only if you get on my bad side. Besides, she already said your fox's name." She points to his head, where the black squirrel is sleeping. "What's not to say his is next?"

The stallion narrows his eyes. "We'll see..."

She nods and goes silent, tapping her hoof against the floor quietly. "...so...do you have any more questions? Maybe something you'd like me to do?"

Ruby is the one to answer that question as her father looks down to the sound of her dropping her bear. Now that she has his attention, she opens her mouth wide, one hoof on her stomach and the other near her mouth. "Da!" She opens and closes her mouth several times.

He laughs. "Well, looks like need to take care of this little one's hunger first." He walks over to Gel, flipping the blanket off her bottom half as he sits next to it.

As soon as he sets the foal down, she immediately toddles over to the waiting teats and starts nursing. Rhino strokes her mane fondly as she does so.

He looks over to the small nymph. "This remind you of when Gel was this age?"

She snaps her gaze from the scene to him, blushing slightly. "Yes, she does. She doesn't have Gel's fangs, though." She points a hoof to him. "I don't care what anyone says, even small ones hurt."

He holds up his hooves. "Hey, I'm male, I'll take all you nymph's word for it."

"Good." She glances at the window, her gaze growing distant. "...Rhino, if that other stallion wasn't your lover, then who was he?"

"Hydro?" He smiles. "He's my best friend. Haven't seen him in years before now, and he was in town, so we put him up in a spare room. I told you, I'm not really interested in herding... especially with another stallion."

"Hey, I didn't know that." She huffs, her cheeks puffing out indignantly. "Like I said, changelings naturally 'swing both ways', as you ponies put it."

"I remember, and I understand, it's just not the way I am." He chuckles as he looks down at his sleeping wife. "You know... I really hoped all of us would get a chance to talk... but I guess it can wait until later."

"I don't have a problem with that." She stretches her body, moving into the hallway. "While we wait, could I possibly have a tour of the house?"

"Hmm..." He looks back down to the nursing foal with indecision, but Mercury curling around her relaxes his thoughts. "Sure, I think we could do that." A sudden feeling of weight on his back when he stands up, causes him to look back and see a certain grey cat looking at him as her tail swishes behind her. Rhino laughs while he rolls his eyes at his second passenger. "Alright Selena, you can come too."

She mews happily, purring as she rubs against his cheek.

Dior nods, smiling softly. "Let's go, then."

The parent, grandparent, sleeping squirrel, and attentive cat all head upstairs to begin the tour, starting from the top.