Nor Iron Bars A Cage

Chapters

Prologue: Freedom
A Warm, Weird Welcome
Eccentric Is Just A Polite Word For Weird
Dragon? Griffin? Pony?
Staff Meeting

Prologue: Freedom

"So, what have you decided?"

Aphid watched the proceeding with interest. The eight-year-old hatchling rarely had a chance to see the rest of the hive, what with her duties, but when a grand summons goes out, everybuggy was expected to be present, without exception. Both aristos and commoners were present in the hive's amphitheater, to see the events that would decide the future, for good or ill...

A grand summons only happened when something big was going to go down, something that could change the hive for centuries to come. The hive had been buzzing about this one for a week already. Everybuggy knew that today's meeting was about something that was going to tip the balance of power in the high houses in a major way...

The fate of a 'House Of One' would be decided today...

It was rare, but it happened sometimes: A house would lose a power play, and would end up getting ravaged by the other houses. The servants, like rats leaving a sinking ship, would flee to other houses, and before you knew it, only a few members would be left, typically the youngest ones. When that happened, the heirs would typically be expected to join with one of the other houses to survive... and the primary heir would bring all of the love from their house with them.

Love is power, and the more love a house has, the higher their influence. While the current 'House Of One' had not belonged to a true high house, the love he carried, coupled with that of a house of greater power, like Scorpion, Wasp, or Spider, would place the house he joined above all others. If he were were joined to a less powerful house, then that house would ascend to a high house instantly. The balance of power would shift in an eyeblink...

She wished she could have gotten a better look at the aristo in question, but even now, she had work to do: There was a reason why House Ant kept her around, after all. Still, while still young, possibly no more than eleven, he was probably handsome: Tall, straight backed, shoulders just starting to widen. His fringe of a mane was short, but definitely disheveled. It seemed he'd had a rough night. She couldn't see anything else, as his back was turned, facing the queen as he answered her question...

"I choose none of them," the young aristo said, his voice still that of a hatchling.

There should be a word for the sound made when an entire room filled with sapient creatures drop their jaws in shock. While it might have been a subtle sound, it was definitely there, and Aphid was a part of it: Whoever the young aristocrat was, he was either the bravest son of a bandersnatch in the hive, or the craziest...

Queen Monarch, looking tall, regal, and as thoroughly shocked as the rest of her subjects, opened and closed her mouth a few times as she struggled to find her voice. Whatever response she had expected to her question, this was obviously not one she had been prepared for. After a moment, the queen commanded, "Explain yourself!"

With a voice cracking in preparation for maturity, the youth said, "I will not join my house with that of any other. I have looked over all of my options, and have reached the conclusion that, no matter which one I were to join, the result would be the same."

Her expression stern, the queen asked, "And that result would be?"

"Disaster," the youth stated confidently. "No matter which house I join, it would result in terrible upheaval. If I join with a lower house, that family would become a high house, and would immediately try to increase its status further. The other high houses would descend upon the new threat like a pack of wolves. Death and destruction would follow. If I join a high house, then that house will ascend to a state where it sits above all the others. The other houses will join together to try and bring it down. Failing that... then the new 'highest house' will likely decide to try and take on the throne..."

The youth's voice caught at that last part. Aphid could not blame him: The entire chain of events that had left him the sole survivor of his house began with is parents taking part in an attempt to overthrow the queen...

The queen, her expression severe, observed, "While possibly true, an ambitious young changeling like yourself could use that to rise to power."

The youth's shoulders began to shake. At first, Aphid thought that he was sobbing, but when the sound reached her ears, she realized that he was laughing...

...It was not a sane laugh.

Rising up on his hind legs, the youth held out his forelegs wide, and exclaimed loudly, in a voice that sounded almost completely deranged, "LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT AMBITION, YOUR MAJESTY!" Pointing a hoof towards a group of aristocrats seated near the back, he continued, his voice still like that of a madbug, shouting, "My parents, may they rest in peace, allowed the former leaders of houses Roach, Beetle, Louse, and Flea to talk them into joining an attempt against your royal personage. The result?" The youth drew a hoof across his neck, making a sickening sound as he did so, then let his head tilt to one side. It seemed that his tongue was hanging out, although from Aphid's position, it was hard to say.

A flurry of motion, and the youth gestured dramatically, pointing towards where Lord Scorpion sat, impassive. The youngster yelled, angrily, "My eldest brother's first act, upon becoming head of our house, was to lock horns with Lord Scorpion, hoping to elevate our house to greater status! The result?" The youth spread his forelegs out wide, and his body flared as he changed appearance, and he abruptly became headless. If Lord Scorpion seemed perturbed by that accusation, he did not show it. Cold-hearted, that one...

His appearance returning to that of a normal changeling, the young aristo held his forelegs up high and exclaimed, "My dearest uncle, upon becoming the steward of my family, decided that he would keep the seat of the Lord of our house for the rest of his life, and... and..." His shoulders slumped, then he buried his face in his hooves as he began to sob, too wracked by emotion to carry on. Not that he needed to: Everybuggy knew why today's meeting was preceded by a public execution, and it was related to why the youth's house was a 'House Of One', instead of six...

Seeming to regain a little control of his emotions, the youth raised his head, then said in a voice filled with anger, "If my family were just the slightest bit less ambitious... then I might still have one. I am done with it. Done with ambition, aristocracy, the entire mad Game Of Drones as a whole. And if the laws of the hive demand that I join a house, perpetuating the madness that has already claimed those dearest to me... then I am done with the hive as well."

The queen, a small smile crossing her face, said simply, "Then go."

The youth's head snapped up, his expression shocked. The queen stated, "Dryococelus Australis, Sole Heir to the House Of The Stick, by the power vested in us as Queen of all changelings, we do hereby banish you from the hive. You are to leave now, without delay. You will keep all of our secrets secret, upon pain of death. Do you understand?" The youth nodded. "Good," the queen continued, smiling, "Then be off. And I hope that, wherever you wind up, you find the happiness that you could not find here."

Half an hour later...

Aphid knelt before her master, careful to keep her gaze upon the floor. After an uncomfortably long wait, Lord Paraponera Clavata commanded, "Rise." Lifting her head, but keeping her eyes glued to the floor, the young commoner remained silent. She had learned, the hard and painful way, that you did not speak unless spoken to. And you definitely did not make eye contact with the master of pain spells...

Behind her stood four guards, her 'caretakers', the ones who had made certain that she had remained in place during the entire grand assembly, the ones who would have dragged her back if she had tried to flee... and the ones who would have ended her if she had tried to reveal her secret to anyone in the hive.

His voice creaking with age, the elderly aristocrat asked, "How much did you gather?"

Gulping, she admitted, after a moment's hesitation, "Three centuries, milord." It was less than she'd hoped, but still a sizable amount...

The next thing she knew, she was on her back, her body feeling as though her veins had been filled with molten lead. She knew this feeling: A pain spell, and this one worse than any he'd unleashed upon her before. Dimly, through the red haze of agony, she heard him shout, "The entire hive in your sight, and you could only gather that much!?! DO YOU WANT ME TO KILL YOU!?!"

"Father," a younger voice interrupted, calmly, "Be reasonable. She had to be cautious: Even the dimmest commoner would notice more than a few hours worth of love missing. Better to be too cautious than too greedy. After all, taking too much, too fast, was how you caught her in the first place."

After a few seconds, the pain subsided. Aphid resisted the urge to try and move, instead remaining perfectly still. After a few seconds, the elder admitted, "True. And three centuries is no small thing. Very well. Rise, slave."

Unsteadily rising to her hooves, Aphid returned to her former posture, and awaited orders. She did not have to wait long. "Deliver," Lord Ant commanded, without preamble.

Aphid began transmitting love energy to her master without hesitation. She'd learned, after the first year, that even hesitating to obey was viewed as disobedience... and disobedience was not tolerated.

And all this, because she was born 'special'. She could have been beautiful, smart, athletic, or brave, but no, instead, she'd been born with a single gift, one that she'd learned to hate with a passion over the last three years.

For nearly every other changeling, love was difficult to obtain: One either had to be taking the place of someone that was loved, or it must be forcefully extracted from a victim. However, nobuggy could simply absorb love energy radiating from those around them, and especially not other changelings...

Nobuggy except Aphid.

Other races had individuals known as pickpockets, who could steal valuables from others without their victim noticing. Some were so skilled that, allegedly, they could steal your teeth from your mouth, and you'd not notice until you tried to eat something and realized you were having some difficulty in chewing. But even the greatest thief who ever lived would have been unable to 'steal' love like Aphid could. All she needed was line of sight, and she could begin siphoning love from anybuggy in the hive, even the queen herself, and remain unnoticed... unless she tried to take too much, too fast. She could absorb ambient energy from non-changlings in love, even when disguised as a unrelated pedestrian, a feat impossible for others. She could even transmit love to other changelings without physical contact, another seemingly impossible feat. In many ways, she could have been considered the perfect changeling: All she needed was for the ones around her to be happy and in love, and she would never want for sustenance...

But then, three years ago, she had to go and try to 'pick' the wrong 'pocket'...

After transmitting three centuries worth of love, a veritable fortune, to her master, she knelt again, silently, and waited to be dismissed. Lord Ant might have tried to speak (With her eyes glued to the floor, it was impossible to tell), but then began to cough violently. After a few minutes of noise, his fit ended, and her master said, "Enough. To your cell, until we have need of you again."

The master's grandson, Myrmecia Pyriformis dismissed the guards, saying, "She seems a little unsteady. I shall escort her personally." Suppressing a shudder, Aphid could not object, as much as she desperately wanted to. She'd have rather left alone, even if it meant crawling on her belly...

As they walked alone to her cell, Myr told her, "He's not long for this world. He might last as long as ten years, but no longer than that, the physicians tell me. And when he is gone..." The nine year old aristo smiled, or at least, he bared his teeth to her. While he'd spoken of it to no other, he'd made it clear to her that, when he became Lord Ant, he intended to make her his bride, whether she wanted it or not, and in spite of the laws that would see them both executed if it were discovered. He thought it worth the risk, if their offspring held both an aristocrat's magical abilities and her own love siphoning talent. Such offspring could easily rule the hive.

She wished that she'd possessed even a fraction of the courage of the youth that she saw earlier today, to be able to fly in the face of tradition and do what she really wanted. She wished that she could have simply ripped the love from Myr, leave him locked in dry hibernation, and fled the hive. Maybe she could have caught up with that young exile, and they could have run away together. She could have lived her life free and happy, with no one knowing who or what she really was...

But she was too much of a coward to take that first step...

The young aristocrat from the meeting earlier had spoken of the madness of ambition. In Myrmecia's eyes, she saw a madness that blazed hotter than the sun... and one that, she knew, would destroy both of them.

And because of her cowardice, she was powerless to stop it...

Aphid awoke suddenly, stifling a scream. It took her a moment to remember that she was not a little hatchling anymore. That she was no longer trapped in the swarm. That she was free...

Free...

An almost manic grin came to her face as she remembered that last bit. Freedom. No more House Ant, no more pain spells, no more collar, no more cage. She could do what she wanted. Go where she wanted. Be what she wanted...

She was still riding on that wave of bubbly enthusiasm that she had felt since that moment Azure Blue had told the guards that Aphid had been held against her will, and that Ring Master, the one who'd put her in that blasted cage, was a criminal and should be put in jail... and that she had every right to the freedom that everyone else had. In all honesty, were she not so sore from her enforced immobility during her imprisonment, she'd likely have started doing a 'happy dance', while singing the praises of Equestria at the top of her voice. Regardless, things were looking better now than they ever had before.

She could have declined Azure's offer of employment, but after the lengths he went to in order to free her, it seemed right that she do something to pay him and his family back. Besides, from the way that Howe put it, they were in desperate need of help in getting the family estate back into presentable condition...

Howe...

Just thinking about him made her blush. While she might have known almost nothing about him, he definitely seemed nicer than many of the other changelings, or ponies, that she'd met, limited as that experience may be. While she'd never say so aloud, that handsome butler was probably the main reason why she would be staying with them. The thought of spending time close to him was so deliciously intoxicating that she could scarcely stand it.

A polite knock sounded from the door to her room, safe and secure in the luxury car of the train, followed by Howe's voice. "Miss Aphid, we will be reaching our destination in half an hour." With a chuckle, he added, "If you still need rest, I can assure you, we have equally comfortable bedding available for you, once we reach the manor."

Taking a deep breath to calm her pounding her heart, and fighting the urge to drag Howe into her room for some aggressive 'snuggling', she said, "Thank you for letting me know, Howe. I'll make myself ready."

After everything that she'd been through, it would be nice to finally have a nice, quiet, peaceful life...

Author's Note

Paraponera Clavata: The Bullet Ant, an ant with a sting as painful as getting shot.
Myrmecia Pyriformis: The world's most dangerous ant. Aggressive to the point of insanity. If decapitated, its head and body will immediately start fighting each other.
Aphids: While in a symbiotic relationship with some kinds of ants, it is essentially a form of slavery: Aphids eat, then the ants force the aphids to excrete honeydew. When winter comes along, the ants eat the aphids, saving only the eggs for spring next year.
Dryococelus Australis: Rarest insect in the world.

A Warm, Weird Welcome

"Wow. Just... wow."

The Crystal Empire was an incredible sight. Everything was so... sparkly, and twinkly. The houses seemed as if they might have been made of gigantic gemstones, the street looked almost like polished crystal, and the ponies... the ponies looked like crystal statues come to life. If that had been all there was to the city, it would have been an amazing sight to behold. But for Aphid, there was one other major aspect to the city that took her breath away.

Love was in the air, everywhere she looked around...

Aphid, with her unique ability to see and absorb ambient love energy, had a unique perspective of the Crystal Empire. Love energy flowed through the city, coloring everything Aphid saw in dazzling pinks and reds, blues and golds. She could see the light, fluffy pinks of fleeting crushes and brief infatuations; the deep, passionate reds of romantic affection; the sad, dark blues of unrequited love; the brilliant golds of true, unending love... and a thousand other shades that she'd never seen, or even imagined, before. And the feeling of it...

It was like... like...

Chuckling, Howe asked, "It's almost like coming home, isn't it?"

Was it? Aphid had never had a 'home' that she'd have wanted to come back to, or one that she'd feel this good upon returning to it...

Azure Blue, grasping her hoof, began pulling and gesturing towards the exit to the Crystal Empire's train station. "We need to get going," Azure said, enthusiastically, "There's so much more to see! You've gotta see the manor! I swear, you'll flip when you see the manor!"

Aphid almost did flip when she saw that manor: It was... well, in terms of sheer size, she estimated it to be larger than Canterlot Castle. Not quite as tall, or as... ornate. This wasn't a palace constructed out of reverence for beloved leaders, this was... this was...

This was somepony's way of proclaiming how big his coin purse was to the world at large.

No wonder they were needing the extra help in getting this place cleaned: It would take a week just to see every room, never mind cleaning everything. From what she could see, just from the front, this building should have been used to station an army, not a wealthy family...

Howe asked, deadpan, "A magnificent display of excess, isn't it?" With a small chuckle, he continued, "The current patriarch's great grandfather decided to celebrate his sudden rise in status and power by building the largest, most ostentatious estate in the city." With a half-smile, he added, "I'd make a comment about compensating for something, but the fact that said pony sired thirty-seven legitimate heirs, and untold legions of illegitimate offspring, implies that he was every bit as 'grand' as his lodgings."

With a little laugh, Azure said, "Great great grandpa Duke Blue Streak was the biggest stallion in Equestria back in his day. They say that anypony who saw him could not help but be awed. They even say that Princess Celestia's jaw dropped when they first met."

At Aphid's shocked expression, Howe said, with a perfectly straight face, "He was, in truth, incredibly tall and muscular, to the point where even Celestia seemed like a filly before him." Gesturing towards a gigantic statue, easily three stories tall, the butler added, "Actual size, and built perfectly to scale, I'm told, although, in good taste, they left off the 'anatomical correctness'."

Azure Blue, a lop-sided smile on his face, said, "Not so much left it off, as there wasn't a goldsmith in the city willing to make a solid gold duplicate of his 'Wonder Cannon' that shot shurikens and lightning."

After a moment's shocked silence, Aphid started laughing. Howe and Azure joined in, and for a few minutes, all three of them had a good laugh about it. When they finally stopped, Howe said, "Miss Aphid, the Blue family is filled with eccentric individuals, and has been for generations. The staff is no different. I hope that you'll come to enjoy everyone's uniqueness as much as I have."

The first individual to greet them upon their arrival was an earth pony colt, trailed by half a dozen young fillies. Similar to Azure Blue, this pony's color scheme was blue on blue, save that his mane was darker, and his coat lighter, while Azure's coat was dark, and his mane lighter. Perhaps more telling, this young fellow was a true earth pony, not a crystal earth pony. Given what she'd been told by Azure and Howe, this was likely Cobalt Blue, Azure's foster brother.

Saluting, Cobalt proclaimed, "Hero-In-Training Cobalt Blue, reporting in, Mister Howe! Are you ready to hear about the condition of the estate?"

Howe, with a half-smile, nodded, then said, "Certainly. I see the manse is still standing, so I imagine that things did not spiral too far out of control in my absence."

With a shrug, Cobalt said, "Well, Rhonny and Glace had a bit of an argument. Rhonny said some harsh words, and the begonias caught fire. New mommy never liked those flowers much anyways, so after the two of them apologized, she got out sticks, graham crackers, and marshmallows, and we all had a campfire roast with smores."

With a snort, Howe admitted, "I expected something like that. Did you learn any new words?"

Nodding, Cobalt said, "Oh yes, I never even knew that 'Nerferder' was a curse word until now." The young colt tapped his chin, then said, "Mommy told Lapis to scrub all the floors in the northern wing, but didn't tell her when to stop, so she kept doing it over and over again... for two days straight. The good news is, the floors in the north wing are really, really clean. The bad news is, if you go in there at the wrong time of day, the glare of the sun off the floors might blind you. Oh, and watch how you walk on them, cause they're really, really slippery."

Chuckling, Howe said, "Well, I imagine that you and your friends had fun skating on the floor?"

His eyes widening, Cobalt exclaimed, "I KNEW WE FORGOT TO DO SOMETHING!!!" The colt's hooves were sudden dance of indecision, as if torn between going to do just that, or staying to continue speaking with them. The fillies, amused by his behavior, chuckled at the show...

Howe, cleared his throat, then asked, "And Jacquelynn?"

Suddenly going still, the colt said, "She has been... worryingly quiet since you left. I tried talking to her yesterday, but her only response was to tell me to go fly a kite. But then she gave me a kite, and it was a bright, sunny day with lots of wind, so I did what she told me." Scratching the back of his head, embarrassed, he admitted, "I got a little distracted. Sorry."

Smiling, the butler said, "Quite alright. You did quite well, given that we were gone for three whole days." Laying a hoof atop the colt's head, Howe ruffled Cobalt's mane and said, "Keep up the good work." With a gesture toward Aphid, he added, "Ah, and have been remiss in my duties. Allow me to introduce Miss Aphid, the young lady we'd been searching for."

Looking over at Aphid for the first time, the young colt gulped, and then, looking a little sad, said, "I'm sorry..."

Confused, Aphid asked, "Whatever for?"

"A little over three moons ago," Cobalt said, unhappily, "Howe, Sombra, and I were on a train to the Crystal Empire. We looked out the window and saw you in a cage... and Howe was ready to jump out the window to go rescue you. I convinced him not to, because Sombra and I needed his help, and we were sure that we could find you quickly once we were done with our business there..." Sniffing, he said, "I was wrong. I'm really, really, really sorry." He honestly and truly was, as tears were welling up in his eyes...

Cupping his face with a hoof, Aphid asked, "Was what you needed to do in the Crystal Empire important?" Cobalt nodded. "Really, really important?" Cobalt nodded vigorously. "Save the entire city important?" Cobalt, and the fillies that had come in with him, nodded, as did Howe and Azure.

Smiling, Aphid said, "Well, my math isn't very good, but I think that an entire city full of ponies is a lot more important than one changeling, so I'll forgive you for having your priorities straight."

Smiling through his tears, Cobalt gave Aphid an enthusiastic hug, and said, "Thank you."

Returning the hug, Aphid said, "No, thank you for not forgetting to go back for me, even if it took a while to find me." Letting go of the little colt, she said, "Now, those floors aren't going to skate themselves, so you'd better get moving."

Saluting, Cobalt, beckoned to his foster brother, and said, "Come on, Azure! Last one there's a rotten egg!"

Azure hesitated, but Howe said, "Well, we certainly don't want you to be an egg, rotten or otherwise, so you should get moving. I'll introduce our young lady to your parents, and her new coworkers. Go have fun, young sir. You've earned it."

Saluting, Azure took off after his younger brother, the gaggle of young fillies in hot pursuit...

Eccentric Is Just A Polite Word For Weird

"Before I introduce you to your new employers, I should advise you of something."

Aphid and Howe stood outside the door of the master's study, where the master of the house, Blue Blazes and his wife were currently waiting. They'd been moving too quickly for Aphid to take in many details yet, but what parts of the house they had been through were almost painfully clean. It made sense, in a way: These were likely the parts of the house that saw the most use, so naturally, they were the first ones the maid staff would have worked on...

Howe, clearing his throat, continued, "Firstly, Count Blue Blaze's wife is not the mother of Azure Blue. Sadly, Countess Pearly White passed away a year before Sombra's appearance. I am given to understand that she was born sickly, and while she was able to endure the pain of childbirth twice, her heart finally gave up, and she passed away quietly in her sleep. Mrs. Penny Whistle, Blue Blazes' new wife, was the kind lady who ran the orphanage where Cobalt was raised. The two met shortly after Cobalt's escapades. Blue Blazes and Penny Whistle had what you might call a whirlwind romance, and were wed within a moon of having met."

Aphid might not have been the brightest bug in Equestria, but she was fairly good at noticing things. "You said that she endured childbirth twice," she observed, "so is there another little boy blue here?"

Shaking his head sadly, Howe said, "Count Blue had two brothers. One of them fled while Sombra and the princesses fought a thousand years ago, and was never seen again. The other was a knight, and Count Blue's younger son served as his squire. Both knight and squire were outside the Crystal Empire when it vanished, and in spite of an exhaustive search of historical records, no conclusive evidence was ever found regarding what happened to them, or where their descendants might be found."

A small half-smile on her face, Aphid asked, "Have they checked Cobalt's bloodline?" The resemblance between Azure and Cobalt, color schemes aside, was quite uncanny, age difference or no...

Chuckling, Howe admitted, "If there was one to check, I am certain it would help shed light on a few things. Sadly, Cobalt was a foundling. Basket on the front doorstep of the orphanage and all that. Whether his parents are still alive or not is questionable. Still, we may have gone a little far afield. What I really need to warn you about is the whistle... and the beard..."

"It ish sho nishe to finally meet you," Penny Whistle said, smiling, seated behind the desk with her husband. The copper colored pegasus had a long, flowing, bright green mane, and would have been considered attractive by just about anypony's standards... save for the gap in her front teeth, and the lisp that caused her to whistle through that gap like a tea kettle whenever she made an 's' sound. Still, that aside, she had a lovely voice...

"Indeed," Blue Blazes added, with a curt nod. "Young Cobalt was quite distressed that you might never be found." The count, a blue on blue Crystal Pony, pulled apart a crust of bread, and fed it to the bird nesting in his beard. It really was an impressive beard, especially for somepony in his thirties. From what Howe had told her, the count had developed a fondness for birds, and the raven that had taken residence in his beard had become an unofficial member of the family since the day that it had flown in the face of an assassin, all scratching talons and furiously pecking beak, and saved the count's life.

Looking over Aphid with concern, Penny couldn't help but notice, "Dear, you are sho thin. Are you alright?"

Ah, that. "I'll be okay," Aphid said, smiling. "I wasn't allowed much exercise in the cage, nor was I given much opportunity to feed, so I'm afraid I've lost a little weight. I'm sure I'll gain it back soon enough."

Nodding amiably, Count Blue said, "Perfectly understandable. You'll have plenty of time for exercise, and I am given to understand that love is free and abundant here in the Crystal Empire, so you'll not want for 'food'. We won't expect you to do any heavy lifting until you're back in proper shape."

Giving a small bow, Aphid said, "Thank you, you are most kind."

Clearing his throat, the count asked, "Penny, Howe and I need to have a word in private. Would you mind showing Miss Aphid to her quarters? I'll send Howe along to pick her up and give her the grand tour once we're done speaking."

With a smile and a nod, Penny Whistle said, "Of courshe, shweetheart. I don't mind at all."

Once they were alone, Count Blue asked, "Do you know why I keep you as head butler, Howe?"

Completely deadpan, Howe replied, "Because the only other applicant for the job was a trained ape, and he did not look nearly so smart in a suit, sir?"

With a big laugh, Count Blue said, "That, and because you've managed to bring in some very effective, if somewhat unusual, help. In less than three moons, the four you brought in with you have managed to do more than what twenty times their number could normally accomplish, nevermind your own significant contributions. I'm truly grateful for both you and for them, regardless of their personal eccentricities." Petting the raven nesting in his beard, he added, "Although I am hardly one to talk." His expression turning more serious, the count added, "However, I received a file today, via firemail, directly from the Bureau Of Changeling Affairs, although a noticeable amount of the material is from other departments of law enforcement. I'd like you to take a look at them." The count pulled out a folder from beneath his desk and handed it to Howe.

Howe looked over the files, and frowned. After a moment, he said, "I admit, this is disheartening. None of it, of course, is Miss Aphid's fault, but..."

Chuckling, Count Blue said, "Of course, and I have no problem with her staying here, regardless of all of this: She should be as safe here as she would be if she were sitting in Celestia's lap. I just want you to make certain that the other girls are ready, just in case something comes up. I'll leave it up to you, regarding what details to share, and which to keep secret, but make certain that they know that trouble may come looking for Miss Aphid. And if it does?"

The count's attitude became dreadfully serious, his expression hardened drastically, and Howe was reminded, once again, that regardless of his personal eccentricities, the count had once been known as one of the most feared military commanders in all of Equestrian history.

"It is to be dealt with as harshly as they deem necessary."

The bed in Aphid's room was heavenly, and she had to admit, Howe was right: It was equal, if not superior, to the bedding that she'd had in the luxury car of the train. After Mrs. Penny Whistle had excused herself, indicating that she needed to take care of a few minor matters elsewhere in the manor, the changeling had not been able to resist the urge to lay back and rest. After all, who know how long Howe might be...

She closed her eyes for a moment, and stretched her aching muscles. Thankfully, while her muscles had atrophied somewhat, she'd been able to flex enough to keep from losing all of her muscle mass, slight though it might have been. Still, it would be a while before she could move again without aching. She opened her eyes...

And saw she was not alone in her room.

The thing in the room with her was pony-shaped, certainly. Beyond that, however, it was hard to tell, given that its entire body was covered in black clothing, topped with one of those hooded garments (A 'hoodie'? Was that the right word for it?) that seemed so popular in some of the places she'd seen on the road. However, she could see its eyes, like bright red circles, and a white crescent slash of a smile. She could see nothing else beyond them...

Whatever it was, it was watching her with interest. After a moment, it tilted its head to one side and spoke. In a surprisingly musical voice, it asked, "So, you're the new girl, huh?"

Fighting back the urge to scream, Aphid nodded. She did not trust herself to speak right now...

With a chuckle, the apparition said, "Welcome to Mason de Bleu, or as I like to call it, The House of Blues. My name's Jacquelynn. I'm one of the maids. Nice to meet you." It, or rather she, by the sound of it, extended a hoof.

With a little trepidation, Aphid took the hoof and shook it. "Aphid," she said, tremulously. The hoof felt surprisingly solid, and warm, implying that, whatever Jacquelynn was, it wasn't a ghost, or a vampire. At least, Aphid hoped that was the case...

With a giggle, Jacquelynn released her hoof and said, "Oh, don't be scared, Aphid. I won't bite. Well, I could bite, if that would make you feel more comfortable?" After Aphid shook her head, the visitor said, "Well, you never know what others might be into. Anyways, do me a favor and blink, please."

In spite of herself, Aphid blinked, and upon reopening her eyes, realized that Jacquelynn had vanished. From beside her, she heard the apparition say, "Thanks."

Turning over, she saw that Jacquelynn was now laying upon the bed beside her, with her hood down (How had she done that? Aphid hadn't even felt the bed tremble from the weight of a second individual suddenly coming onto it...). And she was... gorgeous. A pale white coat that was practically luminous, with long, luxurious black hair, topped with a frilly maid's headpiece, she had a face that might have belonged to a movie star, or a model. An unicorn with beauty to make the princesses green with envy... creepiness aside, why was she working here as a maid?

Looking back at Aphid with scarlet eyes and a massive grin, Jacquelynn said, "Now, now, don't freak out. If you get all flustered over little stuff like that, you won't last a week. I just wanted to slip in and say hi to my new neighbor. My room is the first one over on the right. Feel free to visit any time after work is done for the day. We can have a little girl talk." Her smile widening, she added, "Oh, and a bit of advice: When you meet Lapis, be careful what you say, she is so literal it's obscene. Rhongomyniad has a sharp tongue, although she's got a good heart, once you get to know her. Just don't touch her spear: It drives her up the wall. Oh, and when you meet Glace, be ready to be hugged like you've never been hugged before."

Stretching, Jacquelynn added, "Well, I should be off: Howe will be here soon, and I don't want him to see me until I give him his welcome back present." With a smile, she asked, "Could you blink for me again?"

Aphid, confused, asked, "What happens if I don't?"

Rolling her eyes and sighing, Jacquelynn answered, "Then I'll have to climb out of bed, walk across the room, and leave through the door. I can do that, but it's kind of awkward. It's much, much more fun if I just vanish when you're not looking." Pouting, with her hooves together in a begging posture, she asked, "Would you please blink for me?"

No one that pretty should be able to make herself look so sad. Even if she was not into females, Aphid could not deny such an imploring look. "Fine," she said, then blinked. When she opened her eyes, Jacquelynn was gone... and in her place was a note with the words 'Thank you' written on it in fine, practically calligraphy-level, script.

After looking around the room to make certain she was alone, Aphid sighed, then sat up. She heard hoofsteps down the hallway, marking Howe's approach. After a meeting like that last one, she desperately hoped that would be the weirdest thing that would happen to her today... but she had a sneaking suspicion that it would not.

Dragon? Griffin? Pony?

"That is a dragon."

Behind her, Aphid heard Howe chuckle. Admittedly, her previous statement was not exactly the smartest thing she ever said, but seriously, who isn't dumbfounded when they unexpectedly encounter a dragon? Thankfully, Glace was not an overly large member of her species, or else there would have been no way that anyone else would have fit inside of the kitchen.

Howe had decided that their first stop would be here, since Glace was a creature of habit, and she tended to make certain that she was in the kitchen when snack time rolled around. The reason why? She liked making treats for Cobalt, Azure, and all of their friends. And today, she was making shaved ice for Cobalt and the gaggle of fillies following him around. It seemed as if there was now a different group following the young colt now, as opposed to the ones earlier today. Aphid had wanted to ask about that, but then realized that there was a dragon in the room, and said the words that would cement her position as queen of the obvious for all time.

Still chuckling, Howe said, "Yes, Glace is a dragon. I apologize for not mentioning that earlier. I sometimes forget how rare it is to have a dragon in one's employ. She is also in charge of the kitchens, and arranges meals for everyone in the household."

Admittedly, Glace wasn't unattractive, as dragons go. While ten times the size of a pony, she was all sinuous curves. Huge, but slender. Her scales were a soft blue, and her eyes were a darker shade. A set of pince-nez glasses perched elegantly at the end of her snout. Where they'd managed to locate both spectacles and a maid's uniform to fit her was beyond Aphid's ability to imagine...

To the amazement of both Aphid and the gathered colts and fillies, Glace blew gently upon on claw, and in a matter of seconds, it was covered in a ball of ice. Once done, the dragon set the claw over a set of small bowls, and began shaving the ice off with her talons. Once done, she pulled out a bottle of a sweet-smelling syrup, and poured it over each of the bowls in turn. Once done, she handed out the bowls of shaved ice to the colts and fillies, and said, in a soft, gentle, almost motherly voice, "Here you go, enjoy."

As the youngsters began digging in, Howe cleared his throat, getting Glace's attention. Howe, smiling, said, "Glace, this is Aphid, the newest maid here at the Mason de..." Howe was forced to stop when Glace, with a move too fast for eyes to follow, swept up Aphid with a sweep of her tail, and... began enthusiastically hugging the changeling.

"Oh, you are the most adorable little dear that I have ever seen," the dragon exclaimed, almost crushing Aphid with pure enthusiasm. It was a surprisingly warm and friendly hug, but it was much too fierce for somebuggy of Aphid's stature.

"Miss Glace, while changelings may not need food," Howe said, sternly, "they definitely need air, so please release Miss Aphid."

While the pressure lessened to manageable levels, Aphid was still caught in the dragon's grasp. In a stern voice, Glace stated, "No. I have decided that I want to keep her."

With a snort, Howe said, "Glace, you can't keep sapient creatures as pets. You know that."

With a sniff, the dragon argued, "But she's so cuddly!" Pulling Aphid close, Glace whispered in her ear, "Don't worry, I'm just messing with him. I'll let you go in a minute." Aphid relaxed slightly. Nice or not, the changeling didn't want to be a dragon's pet...

Howe, a frown on his face, said, "You're only doing this because you want me to get you a puppy, don't you?"

A half-smile on her face, Glace admitted, "Maybe."

With a small chuckle, the butler said, "If I recall correctly, the terms I laid down for you were that you can only have a puppy if you finished the cleaning the trophy room while I was away. Did you?"

With a smile, Glace answered, "From floor to ceiling. I even had Jacquelynn go in afterwards and double-check: Every single item inside is spotless, and I even polished all of the weapons ... in spite of how much you know I hate that." The dragon gave a shudder at that last part.

Howe nodded, then said, "I shall confirm that with my own eyes later, and then we shall talk." His expression stern again, he added, "Now please let Miss Aphid go: I need to introduce her to the rest of the staff, such as it is."

With a snort, Glace gently released Aphid with a pat on the head and said, "There you go, sweetie. I'll see you later."

"Thank you," Howe said with a polite bow, then asked, "Ah, where might Lapis and Rhonny be?"

With a shrug, Glace said, "Lapis is probably working on cleaning the cellars, and will be there all day. As for Rhonny..." The dragon tensed for a moment, almost as if she was having difficulty in keeping a civil tongue.

"You'll probably find her butchering flower bushes in the gardens with that blasted spear of hers..."

As Aphid and Howe were making their way to the gardens (The gardens were closer than the entrance to the cellars), the new maid could not help but ask, "Is there some sort of bad blood between Glace and Rhonny?"

His tone dismissive, Howe said, "Those two are like fire and ice. When I first met the two of them, they were arguing... and had been for a long, long time. If I'd not come across them, I expect that they'd still be bickering."

Confused, Aphid asked, "What were they arguing about?"

With a snort, the butler said, "Everything."

The gardens were amazingly beautiful: Imagine the beauty of a normal flower garden, then transform every plant into gemstones, and one might have an inkling of the beauty of the estate's gardens... even if it looked more than a little wild and untamed. It seemed that taming the gardens would be a part of the 'to-do list'.

Rhongomyniad, 'Rhonny' for short, was gardening, trimming dead branches from trees and dead blossoms from bushes with a spear. Tall, with an athletic build that might have fit better on an amazon princess than on a maid, the griffin moved with the grace of someone who had spent years honing their skill with their weapon of choice. Her entire body was a uniform dark brown, with golden eyes that darted everywhere, as if always on the lookout for... something. All in all, she was the type who would seem more at home in battle armor, rather than a maid's uniform...

As impressive as the wielder was, the spear was equally fascinating: A long golden shaft tipped with a head that was an honest to goodness piece of art. The head was a perfect replica of the wielder's face, beak open, with the blade coming from the open mouth. The 'tongue' looked sharp enough to cut just about anything...

"Took you long enough," Rhonny said, clearly annoyed. Looking over at Aphid with a disdainful expression, the griffin asked, "So, you're the one, huh? The 'lady in the cage'. What's so special about you, that Howe and the young master had to drop everything and go rescue your worthless self?"

Looking down at the ground, Aphid said, "Nothing, really." If she could help it, Aphid would keep her one special ability secret for the rest of her life...

After a moment, the griffin nodded, with a half-smile on her face. "Well," Rhonny said, chuckling, "at least you're honest about being worthless." Aphid flushed, embarrassed.

"Rhonny," Howe stated, clearly cross, "Do not be so hard on her. She's been free for less than a day."

Scoffing, Rhonny asserted, "And if she'd had any spine, guts, or gumption, she'd have busted out of that cage less than an hour after she was put in." Seeing Aphid's hurt expression at that brutally honest, and more than a little accurate, assessment, the griffin added, "Although I suppose that not everyone can be like me: If there were no damsels in distress, there wouldn't be any heroes in the world."

Howe stated sternly, "That is quite enough, Rhongomyniad. You are already on my list for what you did to the begonias. Do not dig yourself any deeper."

Rhonny rolled her eyes, shrugged, then said, "Fine, whatever." The griffin, slashed at a nearby plant with her spear, cutting off a seemingly unoffensive rose in bloom, then swung the spear about, pruning a branch off of a bush just above Aphid's head. Startled, the changeling felt herself paralyzed with fear: She had felt the spear pass a hair's breadth from her ear...

Scowling, Rhonny said, "You came to see me, and you've seen me. Scram. I've got work to do."

As Howe and Aphid began making their way to the cellars, the butler said, "Don't take what she said to heart. Rhonny is... not used to being around others, and she tends to be harsh when she first meets strangers. If she truly disliked you, however, I doubt she would have given you that little parting gift."

"Parting gift?" Aphid suddenly realized there was a weight above her left ear. Looking at her reflection in a nearby mirror, she realized that a rose had been tucked into her mane. But when? When Rhonny's spear had passed just over Aphid's head? That... that would have taken almost supernatural levels of skill to accomplish. And that griffin worked here as a maid?

Curiouser and curiouser...

The strangest encounter of the day was the earth pony cleaning the cellars with a feather duster, Lapis.

Ah, the cellars. While her experience with such places was slight, they looked the same as cellars pretty much anywhere, just more... sparkly. Aphid would not be surprised if the toilets here sparkled like diamonds...

Lapis was a jaw-droppingly beautiful pony, with a coat of dark gray, and a mane such a light shade of gray to almost be white. In terms of beauty, build, and proportions, she was... ideal. The perfect mare in every physical aspect. If she and Jacquelynn were to compete in a beauty contest, the judges would have been forced to give first place to Lapis... if she ever smiled.

Jacquelynn's beauty was a living, breathing thing, while Lapis was... well, she seemed more like a moving statue than a pony...

"Lapis," Howe began simply, "this is Aphid. She will be working here as a maid from now on."

"Acknowledged," Lapis stated emotionlessly. Not blunt, not rude, simply... a single word spoken aloud. No more, no less.

"If you see that she needs assistance," Howe continued, "please do not hesitate to help her." It sounded less like the butler was speaking to a pony, and more like he was reading a set of instructions aloud.

"Acknowledged," Lapis stated again.

A smile crossing his face, and humor coloring his tone, Howe asked, "Did you really need to spend two days buffing the floors of the northern wing?"

While the pony's expression did not change, a slight change in her posture implied something had altered in Lapis' mood. "I was told to clean the floors," the pony asserted, a slight emphasis on the word 'told'. It almost sounded like she had been offended by that.

With a shrug, the butler said, "Yes, but the floors were clean when you finished the first time. You did not need to do it again."

"I was told to clean the floors," Lapis repeated, then after a moment added, "And I was not told how clean 'clean' was. When I finished the first time, I found that the floors could be cleaner... and then cleaner... and then cleaner..." Shaking her head as if to dislodge something from her mind, the pony stated, "I fulfilled my directive as completely as possible, given the lack of quantifiers."

With a snort, Howe said, "Regardless, next time, stop after the first time, and ask if the job was satisfactory. You are too precious a resource to waste two days on something so trivial."

The only sign that Lapis acknowledged the compliment was that her ears perked up slightly. Still, emotionless or not, she seemed to appreciate the praise...

"Anyway," the butler concluded, "that was everything. Ah, and please let Rhonny, Glace, and Jacquelynn know that I need to speak with them this evening. I'll meet them in the game room a half-hour after sunset."

"Affirmative," Lapis said, nodded, then walked away without another word.

Aphid, watching the pony go, asked, "Is she always like that?"

Chuckling, Howe said, "No, not really. She used to be a great deal worse. She's really starting to loosen up."

Howe walked Aphid back to her chambers. After reaching their destination, he said, "I'll leave you to your own devices for the rest of the day. I'd recommend not wandering far, however: This old house is vast, and it is easy to get lost. I trust that, if need be, you can recall the way to the gardens and the kitchen?"

Nodding, Aphid said, "Yes. I took care to memorize the routes we took."

Smiling, the butler said, "Good. Ah, I almost forgot to introduce you to Jacquelynn: She is right next door." He began to turn towards the the neighboring door...

Giggling, Aphid said, "She already introduced herself to me."

Frowning, Howe asked, "She was not too... strange, was she?"

Shaking her head, the new maid admitted, with perfect honesty, "Meeting her was the most normal part of my day today."

Staff Meeting

"So, do you like your present?"

Different cultures have different ideas regarding what is 'desirable'. Griffins and pegasai tend to be more interested in well-toned bodies and aggressive mindsets than in anything else. Earth ponies liked hard workers who could keep going from sunrise to sunset (In more ways than one, if possible). Unicorns prefered beauty, style, and intelligence. Dragons liked their mates to be beautiful, but also to be caring, dependable, and have a compatible personality: When one has a lifespan lasting centuries, and one mates for life, all the looks in the world mean very little if personalities clash on a regular basis.

Just as there are differing ideals, there are different ways of attracting a mate's attention. Griffins and pegasai tended to put on displays (Sometimes even going so far as to perform a 'mating dance', although such displays were rare in public) that allowed the object of one's affections to see every positive aspect of their body. Earth ponies tended to be more prone to 'friendly love', that is, friendship that eventually moves on into love, often with a coworker. Unicorns tended to pursue individuals that had a great deal in terms of looks, but not much else (All 'flash', but no 'bang', as Jacquelynn had once put it, if Howe remembered correctly), although long term relationships required a little substance to compliment the style. Dragons tried their best to show how reliable they were in a variety of ways.

And then there was Jacquelynn.

Even after having seen what she really is, Howe still did not know what to make of her. He understood, in a vague way, that there were worlds outside of this one, and some were stranger than others. Jacquelynn was strange beyond strange. While Howe still had not fully deduced where all of her proverbial buttons and levers were, he had concluded, from observation, that amongst her kind, bare flesh was considered a means of gaining a potential mate's attention, and going around unclothed in public was a taboo. That was, he assumed, why she went around all the time in clothing that covered her entire body.

And it was presumably why he'd found her spread out on his bed, in his spartan living quarters, eyes half-lidded, wearing nothing but a red ribbon around her neck and a seductive smile on her face. Howe sighed internally, making certain to keep his expression neutral. While the others might have been more 'subtle' about trying to gain his attention, 'Jack' was of the opinion that subtlety was for losers.

Using a spell to gently pull the ribbon off of her neck, Howe said, "Thank you, 'Jack', I'll add it to my collection." Jack huffed in irritation, and took on a slight scowl. With a chuckle, Howe added, "I'll put it between that translucent robe and the apron."

In spite of being slightly miffed, Jacquelynn chuckled at that: The 'Naked Apron' had been her first attempt at getting Howe's attention, back before he'd figured a few things out. She'd been standing in his room, wearing an apron, and his immediate reaction was to tell her that, if she was looking for the kitchens, they were down the hall, on the right. He'd assumed she was lost, and Jack had then spent the rest of the week in a grumpy mood. When Howe had finally confronted her about it, she had admitted that it had been an attempt to seduce Howe. That was when the changeling had first realized that the maids might have had ulterior motives in remaining here, beyond the ones they had initially given...

While Jack was certainly improving her methods (In spite of his demeanor, Howe was not made of stone, and the maids here were all quite... charming in their own ways), she did not seem to understand that, regardless of where she may have been from, nudity did not have the same impact here. If he wanted to see bare skin in abundance, he could just walk down the street, after all...

Hoping to soothe her wounded pride, Howe said, "Sadly, even were I in the mood for that kind of recreation, this is not the time for it. I expect company to be here shortly: I sent Lapis to gather the others for a meeting. There are a few things I need to tell you about the new girl."

While Jack had worn a slightly annoyed expression for most of that, she perked up at that last part. A bemused look on her face, the 'unicorn' raised an eyebrow and asked, "Oh? There's something special about her?"

Howe pulled open his closet, and began pulling out a clothes hanger to place his suit: He'd take it to the laundry after the meeting, but for now, it would be good to be out of uniform after the last three days: If he'd had sweat glands, then his clothing would have been ripe, but in spite of his mostly odorless nature, the outfit was starting to pick up a slight aroma. "As far as I can tell," Howe said, plainly, "she is as ordinary as a changeling can be. However, I fear that she may have accidentally planted herself in a difficult situation." With a chuckle, he added, "Beyond having to deal with you and your coworkers, of course."

As Glace began squeezing herself into the room, with Rhonny making offensive comments about the dragon's over-sized flank in the hall, Jacquelynn admitted, "We are an eclectic bunch, I admit, but we're not that bad."

The dragon finally made it inside, and the griffin followed promptly. Lapis brought up the rear, and within short order, the four took a seat and waited for Howe to begin. They did not have to wait long.

"I fear that Aphid has a bit of a problem," Howe began without preamble. "The individual who was keeping her prisoner, one Ring Master, had a brother, a fellow by the name of Ring Leader." Pulling open a desk drawer, he picked out a thick folder, the one that Blue Blazes had show him earlier, then the changeling continued, stating, "A thoroughly unpleasant individual. He runs a considerable portion of the criminal underworld in Equestria. Contraband smuggling, sapient trafficking, and multiple counts of murder top the list of his crimes, but the full file would go from floor to ceiling thrice over. While the two were not close, they did keep in touch, and Ring Master was smuggling contraband on his brother's behalf."

Rhonny, with a snort, asked, "So, what? Is his brother likely to come after Aphid? Ice the witness and make the charges disappear?"

With a scowl, Glace said, "They try that, and I swear..." She did not complete the sentence, but the fire in her eyes made it clear that it would not go well for anyone who tried...

Howe sighed, then said, "If only our lives could be so simple. Due to the Changeling Protection Act, any crime that involves the abuse or mistreatment of changelings in Equestria goes immediately before the princesses. There's no way of bribing one's way out of that. Ring Master was supposed to go before the royalty this morning, and would have been expected to spill his guts about everything in order to save his skin, but..." Pulling out a photo from the folder, he let the girls see what had become of the former circus pony. "Someone decided to take the initiative, and silence him. He won't be testifying about anything now."

"Whoa," Rhonny said, her eyes wide as she saw the photo. "That is hardcore..."

Glace, equally amazed, asked, "He was turned into solid gold?"

Lapis, her head tilted slightly to one side, observed, "His head is missing."

Jaquelynn, irritated, said, "Thank you, queen obvious. It was probably so that no one could restore him. Odds are, it's been melted, smelted, and turned to bits by now. That's taking blood money to a whole new level." While Jack got on well with Glace, and tolerated Rhonny, she could not stand Lapis, although she would not say why. Taking in the environment of the murder scene, Jack asked, "So, was he murdered in his cell? Locked door? No witnesses?"

Nodding, Howe said, "Yes. No clues, either. It was obviously magical in nature, but there's no telling if there was someone else in the cell with him when it happened, or if it was done from a long distance. Still, it is clear that whoever is responsible has no compunctions about killing those in his way." With a snort, he added, "Odds are, Ring Master was silenced by someone acting on behalf of Ring Leader. The two brothers were not close, as I believe I mentioned earlier. While this means that Aphid is safe from being killed to prevent her testimony, there's another problem."

Pulling out another sheet of paper, the changeling double-checked to confirm the facts, then said, "Ring Leader's syndicate had a bounty out for a changeling matching Aphid's description, and had one for three moons. Alive, I should add. Ring Master appears to have been completely unaware of this, else Aphid would have been long gone. We believe that there's someone out there who wants Aphid, and they've offered the syndicate a ridiculous amount of bits in exchange for her."

Jack, an eyebrow raised, asked, "How ridiculous are we talking?"

"More than this mansion is worth," Howe stated simply. An astoundingly absurd sum, beyond the imagining of most any pony in the world.

"If they have somepony who can turn ponies into gold," Rhonny said, flatly, "then I wouldn't want to touch a single bit of that bounty, no matter how much they might be offering. Like Jack said, that's beyond blood money." While Lapis remained silent, Jack and Glace echoed the sentiment.

After a moment, Howe stated, "I intend to have one of you with Miss Aphid at all times. I will give her assignments that will ensure she does not find that strange in any way. I expect you all to be ready to react to any sort of a threat that might appear. The master of the house has given authorization to react in whatever manner you see fit to danger. I ask only that you leave someone alive for questioning." After a moment, he added, "And I ask that you keep Miss Aphid unaware that she is in any danger, if possible. She has had enough problems for a lifetime, if half of what I've read in her file is true. We do not need to add to her worries, unless it becomes necessary. Agreed?"

The four maids nodded, and Jack raised one hoof.

After a moment, Howe asked, "Yes, Jacquelynn?"

Grinning, the 'unicorn' asked, "Can I have day one with the new girl?"

Glace, glaring at Jacquelynn, said, "No fair! I wanted day one!"

"You can have the second day," Howe said, forestalling any arguments, and added, "And I am certain that Jacquelynn will be happy to bring Miss Aphid by for a visit tomorrow."

Nodding vigorously, Jack said, "Of course! I wouldn't leave you hanging, snowflake!"

Glace gave a surprisingly girlish giggle for a creature her size at that, then said, "Thanks."

Rhonny, her expression neutral, said, "I'll take third, then: I have some time off scheduled the following day, and I'd rather not spend my day babysitting her."

Howe looked over at Lapis and asked, "Any objections to taking day four?"

Her expression perfectly neutral, she said, "Negative."

Nodding, Howe said, "Very good. I'll take the fifth day, then. On day six, it will be back to Jack, and we'll keep that schedule going unless circumstances require it to change." Looking around the room, he asked, "Any other business to discuss?" After a moment, when no one spoke up, Howe said, "Very well. You may all go about your business. If there's any sort of change, I will let you know."