Dustin looked at Kiera. Black chitin covered Kiera from the tip of her horn to the bottoms of her hooves. There was a small patch of iridescent green on her little back, that almost looked like a saddle and girth strap. Her wings were small, insectile, and folded neatly to her back.

"What am I?" Kiera asked, but it wasn't her mouth that moved and only Dustin heard it.

Reaching one wing up to brush Kiera's mane of cerulean, silk-like hair, Dustin noticed stray strands of glass fiber mixed through it. "Whatever you are, you brought bits of your shell with you. I guess this ends our mission?"

Kiera couldn't stop herself, she broke into giggles. She snuggled against Dustin a little more, feeling warmth and more radiating from him. Opening her mouth—instinctively—she inhaled the warmth.

Shivering, Dustin didn't notice what Kiera was doing, but the feeling of being drained made Dustin clutch Kiera closer. "What's going on? I feel really cold."

Snapping her mouth closed with a startled gasp, Kiera stopped feeding on Dustin's love and hugged against her. She still couldn't get the hang of her mouth, and continued using Dustin's implant—not that she knew how that still worked. "I'm sorry! It just felt right to do. I just really needed something and you have it and—"

"You don't look so good, Dustin." Twilight Sparkle landed, having escorted Belay and the five new changelings from the ship. It was Kiera that held most of her attention now. "They're changelings, which means they feed off love." Of course, she had no way of knowing the conversation Dustin and Kiera just had, but she did recognize signs of changeling draining in Dustin.

"Love? You're kidding, right?" Dustin looked up from Kiera to Belay, and the five changelings with her. "You're not kidding. I can't believe I'm asking this, but does it harm me if she feeds off my love?"

"It will leave you confused and weak, but it shouldn't do any lasting harm." Twilight was only quoting what Thorax had told her about changeling feeding. "She's not a normal changeling. Those,"—Twilight gestured to the five changelings wobbling along behind Belay—"those are regular changelings, but she's a queen."

"A queen?" Kiera looked between Dustin and Twilight, her eyes struggling with the process of changing focal length. "What does that mean?"

"It means, Kiera, that you can have some more if you need it. Just leave me a little love in the tank, okay?" Dustin sat down and cradled Kiera.

Looking in awe at Kiera, Scratches approached her and Dustin first. "Kiera?"

In Kiera's head there was a distinct echo. Scratches'—she somehow knew that the changeling standing before her was her brightest AI—voice came directly into her head first, then via Dustin's implant, and finally via her own ears. She focused on the first sounding. "Sorry about this, Scratches. Looks like we are flying separate from now on."

Realizing there was a direct link to Kiera, Scratches practically pounced on it. "Never! Where you go, we go."

"Right!"

"Yeah!"

"1"

"1"

Kiera and Dustin were swamped in hugs, the five changelings grouped around them and leaned in.

"I'll send a message to Thorax, he might know something about all this." Twilight Sparkle turned to Belay. "I need a full account of this, from everypony. And we need to find out what can be salvaged from—" She managed to bite back on mention of Kiera's old ship. Her old body.

"You said her feeding will leave somepony drained. How long will that feeding last her? And what of Scratches, Teach, Wallow, JOAT, and Switch?" An odd noise caused Belay's ears to twitch and focus on the group of changelings and Dustin. She could hear soft chirping. "I don't think she'll be too upset at us for salvaging her hull, but let me do the asking."

Dustin wasn't sure when she wobbled and started to fall. The changeling behind her caught her, picked her up and carried her out of the little pile of snuggles. "But Kiera needs more love…" Her voice sounded slurring, even to her.

Teach balanced carefully on their back legs, carrying Dustin over to where Twilight and Belay stood. "Our queen is well-fed, thank you, but we can take care of her."

"You're awake? I was starting to get worried. Twily had said you might sleep for a few days, and I remember how Shiny was after Chrysalis got to him, but three days is a bit much." Twilight Velvet lay on the bed beside Dustin, one hoof still holding the book she'd been reading.

Blinking away at days worth of sleep, Dustin reached her forehooves up and rubbed at her eyes with only mild confusion. She'd had dreams of Kiera as a huge, ship-sized black bug-pony, and others of more mundane things, such as Night Light and Twilight Velvet waking her gently at intervals and feeding her, carrying her to the bathroom.

Dustin turned her head and rolled toward Twilight. She only needed to get to her side to be close enough for a kiss. The moment her lips connected with Twilight Velvet's, Dustin wanted and needed more. Starting with just the lightest of kisses, Dustin inched her way over the covers to snuggle up against Twilight.

Sighing happily, Twilight pulled Dustin as close as she could, until their bodies were touching from barrel to flank. She loved the way Dustin kissed: slow and long, with a lot of snuggling. But Twilight was responsible for making sure her lover fully recovered. "Mmm. Dustin, are you hungry or thirsty?"

"Is Kiera alright? What about the AIs?" Flicking out a wing, Dustin wrapped it around Twilight and held her close. Nuzzling in under Twilight's jaw, Dustin just held tight.

Twilight pulled her legs behind Dustin, holding her as close as she could. "She's recovering. Her drones, too. Princess Luna arranged for them to be looked after and have their own quarters."

"Princess Luna?" Dustin was mildly surprised. Her body, pressed so tight against Twilight's, let her feel the gentle thudding of Twilight Velvet's heart. One thing Dustin would never fully get used to was how sensitive all of a pony's body was.

"You would have to ask her yourself. I don't pretend to know the motives of alicorns," Twilight Velvet said.

"Except your daughter."

"Of course."

"And your son's wife?"

"I have been known to meddle a little."

"And their foal, Flurry?"

"Young ponies all want the same things: sweets, hugs, and stuffed toys. What are you getting at?" By now Twilight was fighting off giggles—and losing.

Dustin giggled along with Twilight, their shared mirth combining to expand into a little squirming and tickling, but before it could become more, Dustin sighed. "I need to go see her."

"You do. Want me to come too?" Not getting an immediate reply, Twilight Velvet began nuzzling and licking around Dustin's cheeks until she agreed.

Princess Luna had an entire tower of Canterlot Castle to herself—normally to herself. Today she had guests, and guards, and friends. Her tower was normally quiet, calm, but at the moment it was busy.

Turning her head, Luna looked at the tiny changeling queen sitting on a cushion beside her. Across from them was a very colorful creature: King Thorax. Between them was a tea set, and brewing in the pot was the darkest black tea known to ponykind. The tea itself was grown by zebra and imported to Equestria at the highest cost, but Princess Luna drank it exclusively—the zebra who supplied her (free of charge) raised their prices to the public further because of this.

"She's not beholden to you or your ways, King Thorax, unless she wishes to be. Before we start, I want to make it absolutely clear that Kiera and her drones are under my own and Equestria's protection." Luna wanted no mistakes or diplomatic arguments to arise from the meeting.

"Perfect," Thorax said and smiled wide. "I was worried I'd have to offer you sanctuary, and then have all the problems of admitting more drones to the hive—let alone a queen—and just when everything is settled after the Chrysalis business. Having her exist as part of Equestria, officially, is going to be easier for all concerned."

Kiera wasn't an expert in Equestrian politics—she had no idea what had just happened. Both Princess Luna and King Thorax were smiling, and not in the way that said, "I have a use for you." She opened her mouth to talk when there was a knock on the door. She turned her head, tilted her chin upward, and then felt excitement spread through her. "It's Dustin!"

Standing between the two bat pony guards—with Twilight Velvet standing at her side—Dustin waited for a voice within to invite her. What she got instead was the door flying open and a small queen changeling charging at her. "Ack!"

"Dustin! I learned how to use my legs, and I stopped biting my tongue, and I can talk!" Kiera didn't care that she was a two-hundred-year-old-filly, she was little and she knew Dustin would let her get away with being silly. Besides, she felt so full of life she couldn't help doing everything that came to mind.

Sprawled on her back, Kiera sitting on her barrel, Dustin smiled up at the little dark shape. "I'm glad to see you too, Kiera." Spreading her wings and reaching up, Dustin snuggled Kiera to her barrel and hugged her for the second time ever.

Twilight Velvet left the pair to their greeting and walked into the room. "Princess Luna, King Thorax. Is that The Night's Own tea I smell brewing?" She knew the answer—Twilight Velvet stocked the same stuff, though she drank it rarely.

Luna tipped her head toward Twilight Velvet. She'd always respected Princess Twilight and Prince Shining's parents, if not because they raised two amazing ponies, then because they were excellent company and unwavering loyalty to the crown of Equestria. "Would you join us?"

Walking around, Twilight intended to sit at Luna's side, but when Kiera (leading Dustin by riding on her back) chose that side, Twilight Velvet sat beside King Thorax. She tilted her head and looked up at the large changeling. "Your Majesty. You'll forgive me for sitting at your side, I trust?"

Thorax blushed as green as his cheeks would go. The rumors of Twilight Velvet and Night Light were the stuff of legend, but despite all the strange things said about the pair they were held in the highest regard by everypony—himself included. "Oh! Of course. You know what they say: more grubs, more cozy."

"Where were we? Oh yes." Princess Luna began pouring the tea, smoothly summoning extra cups for her guests. "Queen Kiera has been granted the title of Princess in Training by Princess Celestia and myself. We're sure she'll find something grand to turn her time to, but there is a small matter of suitable tutors.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle is undertaking the task of finding these tutors, and suggested yourself or a trusted changeling to teach her the way of her species." Luna sipped at the tea. The hot fluid spread in a wave through her body, the caffeine washing away any hint of tiredness, while the tannin's sharp taste reinforced the overall flavor of the brew.

"Sure!" Thorax floated his own cup up, and barely stopped himself from just drinking it all down. Changeling tradition involved consuming as much as possible as fast as possible with the assumption being it might not be there to drink in five minutes. Breaking from traditions was hard, but it had become somewhat of a habit for Thorax. "I have just the changeling for the job. Princess Twilight personally taught her, and she has been teaching the changelings at my hive the ways of friendship."

Twilight Velvet's lips curled into a smile. "Ocellus. A good choice, Your Majesty."

"That leaves somepony to teach her her duties as princess, which I will be undertaking, and somepony to teach her the magic of friendship. I think Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship, might have some designs on that job." Looking toward Kiera, Princess Luna couldn't help but smile at the adorable changeling nymph slumped on Dustin's back. Her own motives were clear, Kiera had given her the gifts of knowledge and understanding, and a few private rides to see the moon. "If that suits Your Majesty, I think we can call business done."

Thorax visibly relaxed. "Thank the hive. My back was aching from sitting up so straight."

"I thought you did wonderfully, dear." Leaning across, stretching up (although not so far now he wasn't stiff and straight), Twilight Velvet gave Thorax a little kiss on the cheek.

Author's Note

Kiera: can you feel the love your former brawns have for you?

"More than that, I can taste it. But Thorax said I should only lightly nibble—I don't want to drain anypony like I did to Dustin." Kiera lifted a hoof to her chin and tapped it there. "Besides, the nice bat ponies taste really nice, and Princess Luna asked them to help, and they said we could feed from them."

So I do this "Ask X" thing. X can be any pony within the story. You can ask them anything and they will definitely, hopefully reply. Keep the questions appropriate to the age-rating of the stories, and they will answer the best question in the author notes of the next chapter. The more votes a comment has the more likely I will get it to the right pony to answer. Try to keep it to one question per post! They will pick one question per chapter.

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