Outside the door, we were met by Refined Skill. "Sir Spike, Lady Anonymous Flicker, is everything alright?" she said with a look of surprise. It might've been because of the fact that I was once again in my buggy form, or the fact that I was trembling while Spike supported me. Her surprise only grew when she noticed the reformed changelings stepping out the door behind us. "King Thorax, Dr. Apocrita... has something happened?"

The young drake cast a glance over his shoulder as the door was pulled closed by a hollow hand comprised of sand. "Dessert was crashed by an uninvited guest," he explained. When the guards posted outside the door tensed, he just shook his head. "No offence, guys, but she's probably on or close to Discord's level."

I noted that Spike glanced around after having said that, as if expecting the devil himself to leap out from behind a vase or something. Given that Désirée had appeared from literally nowhere, I wasn't entirely convinced such an expectation was wrong. Then again, if the fabled draconequus was gonna show up, I'd think he'd be more inclined to show up when she did. Though it's funny he's left me alone so far.

"The young queen is quite shaken by the appearance of the goddess of the changelings of old," Dr. Apocrita offered in a reverent, if somewhat scared tone. She seemed more awed by the appearance of the embodiment of Hunger than the new King, although from my understanding, she might have also been a generation or two older. It was hard to tell with these reformed changelings. "It is a humbling experience for a physician and historian such as I. None since Chrysalis' rule began even—"

Thorax, maybe having witnessed her ranting like this before, or wishing to redirect the topic, pressed his hoof against her muzzle, silencing her. "It might be best if we return to her room," he explained to Refined Skill, accompanied by an emphatic nod from Spike. "There are things we should discuss."

That last comment got a raised eyebrow from the maid, who was likely thinking the same thing that I was. Even if I was intellectually an adult—or somewhere close to it—I was legally a minor and a ward of the crown. It may not have been what he'd intended, but he'd effectively stated that he wished to discuss things with me without the presence of of a guardian. Spike was too young to count, and Skill was a mere servant of the crown.

Still, we couldn't just keep standing here. The maid was just as aware of this as I was, and thus she acquiesced and began to lead us back to the quarters I'd been assigned. Neither of the 'reformed' changelings—despite the knowledge that had been dumped into my brain, I refused to think of them as traitors—had visible pupils like I had, so it was hard to tell, but I was pretty sure that the smaller of the pair couldn't keep her gaze off of me. It also didn't help that I couldn't gauge their emotions like I could everyone else.

In a way, though, that was a relief. It told me that there was somewhere I could go if I ever needed to get away from all of the mental noise. I imagined, as we walked, that I might be able to read another changeling based on their pheromones, although that wasn't really something I'd be able to make sense of until I took the time to unpack everything Hunger gave me. It might be years before I could manage it all, but despite the bias that Hunger implanted in me, I had hopes that I could get along with these creatures.

To my surprise, however, the ponies along the way through the castle seemed to not look at me with as much disdain. Was it really that reassuring seeing King Thorax and Apocrita walking with me without much fear, when not long before, I'd been with Aunt Twilight and I was regarded as a monster? Ponies make no sense sometimes.

Once we arrived back at my room, I wondered what came next. Even as I flew up onto the bed—looked as though the linens had been replaced—I couldn't help but think that the pair probably didn't just wish to discuss the weather. If there was a topic that they wished to discuss, it was probably me... or maybe attempt transforming me into one of theirs.

Not that it would work. Désirée said that she'd 'fixed' whichever flaw allowed for the old changelings to undergo this harmonious metamorphosis.

I turned around to face the pair as I settled myself down on the pillow at the head of the bed. A moment later, Spike hauled himself up onto the bed and sat a respectful distance from me. "So, Your Highness," I prodded, hoping to move this along. "What is it that we needed to discuss?"

As Thorax sat himself down beside the foot of the bed—the smaller bug remained standing—he just shook his head. "Please, Thorax is fine," he replied in a friendly tone. "As for what must be discussed, I'd like to ask you two things before anything else." He actually looked a bit nervous. "First, do you have any designs or intention toward ruling over my changelings?"

Spike and Refined Skill both looked outraged at the suggestion, but I just laughed. It occurred to me how much I probably sounded like Chrysalis, what with the double-layer to my voice in my new natural form. When Thorax and Apocrita looked nervous, I stopped laughing. "Oh, you're serious?" When Thorax nodded, it was my turn to look affronted. "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I'm eight. Even if my being of a certain phenotype entitled me to ruling your hive—which it doesn't—I'm not about to rule anything bigger than a box of cookies." I shrugged. "Besides, I'm not some usurper. If I wish to have a hive, it'll be one of my own when I'm good and ready to start a family."

I expected him to look offended, as if I'd just inferred that his hive wasn't good enough for me. Even him being surprised that I'd thought far enough ahead that starting a hive was a possibility made sense to me. Instead, both he and his companion let out a relieved sigh. "That's a relief," he answered after a quiet laugh. "When we received Spike's letter, mention of you becoming a queen—one of the old kind, no less—created quite a panic at the hive."

There was a nervous sound from Apocrita that might have been a laugh. "Pharynx will be relieved that he will not have to purge a child," she added in a 'helpful' tone. "When he heard there was another queen, he began preparing to defend his brother's rule." I recoiled slightly at the mention of purging. I'd barely escaped death, and now I was being told that there was someone plotting my death after all. "We are all thankful, as such an attempt would surely provoke a war."

If I wasn't in shock at her casual proclamation, I'd have had half a mind to point out that this Pharynx would try and fail. Even if I didn't personally swat him like a fly, I doubted he could actually get close enough to harm me—especially now that the threat was out there. Even if Spike didn't mention it to Twilight, the maid certainly would. To his credit, however, Thorax gave her what I assumed to be the stink eye.

"What was your other question?" I asked as my tail flicked with agitation. The initial rush of panic I felt when Apocrita went and stuck her hoof in her mouth hadn't had much time to abate, and I was painfully aware of the fact that Spike was also shaken. If anything, the alarm he was radiating was only pushing me towards a panic attack. "I've only been awake for a few hours after experiencing two months of trauma in the span of two days, and the days prior haven't exactly been a walk in the park, so I'm kind of out of energy here."

Thorax opened his mouth to speak, but the iridescent shelled Apocrita darted over to my side. "If the young queen hasn't sufficiently fed, I will offer up some of my love as penance for my faux pas," she chattered before anyone could say anything. "Love is very import—"

Whatever it was that she was going to say, it died in her mouth when my fight or flight reflex took over and I shot up through the canopy of my bed. One moment, I was there, having my personal space invaded, and the next I was clinging to the ceiling, upside down. I hadn't even noticed that one of my forelegs had once more become the same serrated spike I'd used to prevent my own death only days before. My heart was pounding in my chest, and it was getting hard to get my breath.

"That is quite enough of that," the blue-maned maid snarled, her horn alighting in a glow that matched her sister's pink mane. That same glow wrapped around the changeling physician, levitating her away from the bed. To my utter shock, Skill carried Apocrita all the way to the door and all but threw her out before slamming it behind her. "I apologise, King Thorax, but ensuring the well-being of those under my care is very important, and your subordinate has overstepped her boundaries one too many a time. She may return only when Lady Anonymous allows it."

Much to my surprise, even as I reverted my leg and was trying to catch my breath, Thorax agreed with the maid. "She means well, but she was out of line." Turning his head up to regard me, the antlered king gave a sad smile. "My other question can wait. It's nowhere near as important." He turned to leave, but then paused. "If you do still require love, please send word to us, or Princess Cadance if you would prefer, and some will be delivered. Don't try to actively feed on anypony if you can help it..." At that, he exited the room through the same door.

By the time I was sure I wasn't about to black out from panic, Refined Skill had helped me down from the ceiling and onto the bed. I think I startled Spike when, instead of returning to my spot on the pillow, I instead nestled up against him. I couldn't say why that was. Maybe it was the warmth? Perhaps it was just that he was a fire-breathing dragon and the scared part of my brain insisted he could protect me.

Spike doesn't hate me...

~ 45 ~

I must've dozed off at some point, although not deep enough to end up in the dream room. I almost panicked when I realised that I was hugging an unconscious Spike like a stuffed animal. It took a few moments to remind myself that I was safe here—that nopony wanted to hurt me. I winced at the ponyism slipping through, but didn't open my eyes more than a sliver. Just enough to find the room bathed in darkness, but for an oil lamp on the desk illuminating the maid.

The sun had long since set when Twilight finally returned. She wasn't alone, either. There was someone with her, although their presence was nowhere near as intense as my guardian's. It radiated concern, unease, but an overall sense of... kindness. Fluttershy, then. I didn't look in their direction, though.

"I wish that the others could see this, Twilight," came the quiet voice, just as I had predicted. No Pinkie Pie or Cadance was in range of my senses. "Nopony would think she was a threat if they saw her like this."

Twilight's emotional aura was a bit more negative. There was unease and concern, but also a little bit of fear. It wasn't directed at me, however. I was starting to get better at picking up on whether they were being directed at me, but she wasn't scared of me... Scared for me was more like it, but I mean, look at everything I'd been through. I'm a ticking time-bomb.

Rather than address Fluttershy, I felt Twilight's attention turn to Refined Skill. "Anything of note happen in my absence?" she asked. "I know Thorax wished to ask Anon some questions."

"Any meaningful discussion between the two was derailed before it could even get off the ground, Princess Twilight," Skill stated with an aura of barely-contained fury that didn't at all suit the usually stoic mare. "After clarifying that she had no intent on trying to rule his people, his subordinate revealed that the king's brother is plotting Lady Anonymous' death to preserve his brother's reign. She then promptly invaded Anon's personal space and triggered a panic response that could have resulted in bloodshed. The Young Miss has been like this since."

All at once, the room grew very bright, forcing me to shut my eyes once more. I could hear the crackle of flames, and the emotional presence of my auntie went absolutely cold. Oh no. I am not getting involved when she's like this. I even felt Spike stirring beneath me. "Nnn, Twilight?" he groaned, sitting up and probably rubbing his eyes based on the way I just got smacked with an elbow. With a startled gasp, he struggled out of my grasp. "Whoa, Twilight, what's going on?"

"You, me, Thorax, and Apocrita are going to have a long discussion," she hissed, "about what is and is not appropriate to disclose to a traumatised eight-year-old filly." His weight and warmth suddenly vanished from the bed, and I imagined she'd just levitated her number one assistant over to sit on her back. Already, I could hear her trotting towards the door. "I don't want an international incident, but I will not stand by and let her be threatened. We're just going to sit down and talk things out like rational beings, and then you're going to help him send his brother a very clear message."

When the door cracked open, I heard Spike say, "And what about Anon? Refined Skill can't watch over her forever, and she asked not to be left alone!"

"I don't mind staying with her," Fluttershy offered. I wonder if Twilight knows she's scaring Fluttershy? "After everything she's been through, I'd be afraid to be left alone with my own thoughts too."

There was a thoughtful hum from Twilight, and some warmth returned to Twilight's aura. "Thanks, Fluttershy," she answered after a moment's thought. "If she wakes up, I don't mind if you two leave the room—she's been asleep for two days, so even just a walk around the castle gardens might do her some good. Just... keep her away from Rainbow and the others for the time being. Rarity seems to be coming around, but Applejack's too blunt, and Rainbow..."

"I understand, Twilight." There was a sad tone in Fluttershy's voice, but she seemed more... disappointed than upset. I had to remind myself that if anyone knew Rainbow Dash best, it was her. Even as the door shut behind Twilight, I mused that Fluttershy probably understood exactly why Rainbow was doing what she was doing. All I could do was guess, and my best guess was that Dash thought I was basically rabid dog—a threat to the girls, but more so to the Crusaders.

"Apologies, Lady Fluttershy, but Sir Spike was correct in that I cannot remain forever," the maid quickly spoke up. "There are tasks that I must catch up with, lest I fall yet further behind."

"That's quite alright," Flutters responded as I heard the maid's quiet steps towards the door. "I don't mind at all." When the door shut for a final time, her attention shifted towards me. "Are you feeling any better, Anon?"

I slowly opened my eyes and sat up. "Not really," I whispered, as I regarded her with a wary eye. She was further from the foot of my bed than Thorax had been, just looking at me with a knowing smile. There was some hurt in her aura, but kindness overpowered it all. "How'd you know?"

The pegasus mare didn't answer immediately. Instead, she quietly moved over to the window. It was one that overlooked the gardens, but also had an excellent view of Luna's moon. "My parents haven't always had the best relationship," she explained in a voice so quiet that I had to strain to hear. "They always tried not to fight in front of my younger brother, Zephyr, or me, but that wasn't always possible. I'd come home from flight school, mentally and physically exhausted and nap in the living room, only for them to get into an argument without realising I was home. I'd pretend to be asleep if they entered the room, just so they would tone it down or take it elsewhere."

Giving me a sad look over her shoulder, she shook her head. "It came out in a family counselling session that they always knew when I was awake because of my ears." She actually managed a giggle. "Ponies can't help but track things while they're awake, and it would seem changelings are no different."

Oh. Come to think of it, back when I first met Princess Cadance, she knew I was fully awake that time I was napping and Flurry stepped on me while snuggling. The more things changed, the more they seemed to stay the same. It wasn't a perfect sign that everything was going to be alright, but in a way, it did make me feel a bit better.

After a moment's consideration, I turned my head to regard my back, or rather, my elytra and the membranous wings protected beneath. I needed to move, but I also had the strange desire to spread my wings for a bit. "Auntie Twilight's right," I said, hopping down from the bed and joining Fluttershy at the window. "Some time outside will do me some good, and I think I want to get a bit more practice with my wings."

She looked a bit hesitant at first, watching me as I attempted to hover, only to succeed in flipping myself onto my back. Fluttershy was, after all, not the flight expert that Rainbow Dash was. That said, she was an expert in critter rehabilitation, and she probably knew a bit more about insect wings than Dash. I didn't even have to whip out my sorry excuse for puppy-dog eyes.

Of course the mare eventually caved. We didn't just end up going out the window, though. Not only was that a breach of security, protocol, and such, but it was also dangerous. I wasn't an earth pony anymore, so even a drop from one level up could fuck up my shell—my words, not hers. I believe her reasoning was that until she was convinced I could hover properly and slow my fall, we'd start from the ground.

As we walked through the halls in order to go down and out into the garden, stuck close to her side. If she was at all worried or concerned over that fact, she did a very good job hiding it. I felt nothing but her compassion. In fact, the only time I felt anything besides that the entire way out to the garden was when a door slammed somewhere in a hallway somewhere behind us, and we each tripped one another whilst trying to hide behind the other. It was all the funnier when a guard came to investigate the noise we made, only to find us laughing at the absurdity.

When it came to stepping outside, I was incredibly hesitant. The last time I'd actually been outside, the air had been an oppressive cloud of despair and hate that had left me oozing concentrated emotions and at risk of dying. There was still a teeny-tiny bit of fear lingering in the air when Flutters coaxed me out into the garden, but it wasn't anywhere nearly bad enough to cause health complications.

So for the next hour or so, Fluttershy sat on a bench, patiently watching me as I practised flight. I wasn't perfect—not that I expected to be—but she was kind enough to offer advice. It helped that she pointed out that I was trying to imitate how pegasi flew, while using a completely different wing structure. Go figure. Spend long enough around winged horses and you expect that's how you're supposed to fly when you're a bug, even when you have all these instincts and instructions stuffed into your head.

I was kinda tempted to practice in pony form as well, but I clearly hadn't recovered entirely from my ordeals the last few days. My energy ran out long before too long. That ended up with me lying on my back, panting as I looked up at the stars. There were still lingering thoughts of the nightmare, especially being up on the Ponyville clock tower in the middle of the night, but there was none of the emotion I'd felt then.

To my surprise, I actually didn't notice any emotional presences that joined us in the garden. Maybe physical exhaustion is key in trying to block it out? It wasn't until I heard Fluttershy gasp and whisper, "Maybe we should go, Anon," that I clued in that anything was up.

When I sat up and looked in the direction she was staring, I was surprised to see the form of Tempest Shadow at the doors to the garden. The dark unicorn wasn't wearing a scrap of her dark armour. She was being shadowed by a pair of night guards, which probably didn't help ease Flutters' nerves. Then again, she was a former enemy, and it'd been a very short time since she surrendered on behalf of the Storm King's army.

I glanced over at Fluttershy, but shook my head. I wasn't going anywhere just yet. "Evening, Commander Tempest," I called out, waving a hoof. Not sure whether the she or the pegasus was more surprised by how casual I was being, or the fact that I almost sounded pleased to see her again. I wasn't exactly... happy to see her, but I was appreciative that I got this opportunity. "I was hoping I'd run into you before too long."

It was hard for me to understand why she looked so surprised that I'd want to see her. Sure, she'd been an enemy and had straight up threatened the extermination of a city if I didn't turn myself in, but she covered for me when I made those guards on that airship look like clowns. More than that, she'd advocated for me, in her own way, before the Storm King. When he ordered me killed, I'd even heard her horrified protests.

After a few moments, her expression softened, and I thought I saw the makings of a smile. "I am glad to see you are alright, Anonymous," she replied. By focusing, I was able to pick up on her emotional aura. There was sorrow, regret, a bit of self-loathing, but also... relief. "There is no expressing how sorry I am that I ever put you in that situation."

To my utter astonishment, I actually laughed. Oh I knew that she was referring to the fact that she brought me before the Storm King to offer me up as a slave and him ordering me killed. "In case you didn't notice, I put myself in that situation by turning myself in," I responded, hopping to my hooves and trotting over to her. My next actions shocked everyone in the garden, the guards included; I took flight, and promptly wrapped my forelimbs around her neck... well, as far around as two stubby foal legs could reach. "I heard your protest and horror when he ordered it... You had no idea he would do that."

The guards nearly lost their shit when she sank to her haunches and wrapped her own forelimbs around me. "At the very least, it should comfort you that you were avenged."

When she released her hug and lowered me back to the cobblestone walkway, she regaled me with the story of what had happened after I had been removed from the room... She mentioned how Auntie looked positively out for blood, and that she probably would have torn the Storm King apart herself if not for having been drained of her magic. Then came the valiant rescue led by Twilight's friends and the subsequent struggle for the Staff of Sacanas... and how Twilight nearly lost her life.

As far as I was concerned, Tempest redeemed herself when she used my gift to her to temporarily blind the bastard, take a blow meant for Twilight, and petrify him even as he was petrifying her. That the bastard was smashed to a bajillion pieces when he fell from the balcony was just icing on the proverbial cake. The celebration upon all the princesses being freed and having their magics returned was short lived, and the search for what was thought to be my murdered body began.

The rest, I already knew, so as her story drew to a close, I looked up at her. "Maybe Aunt Twilight was right, and that not everypony can be redeemed," I said in a sad voice, "but I'm glad that you were someone that could... I'm sorry that your plan to restore your horn didn't work out, too."

Much to my consternation, she lifted her hoof and ruffled my mane. She was pretty muscular for a unicorn, so it was actually kind of rough. "Somepony showed me that there's another way," was the only excuse she gave for the action. "Maybe that pony could even help me get back some of the spells that were lost to me."

I turned and started walking back to Fluttershy. "Maybe," I murmured, casting a glance over my shoulder. "Don't expect any combat magic, though. Auntie would kill me."

Author's Note

Ooops, I know I said that the darker stuff would be done for a bit, but it occurred to me that even after getting told what's what by Désirée and Princess Luna, Rainbow Dash's loyalty-driven protection drive would probably be stupidly high, and any encounter between the two over the next few days would likely be a bit... rocky. Couple that with a pony who is very unwell, and... well... There's going to be an incident in the next chapter.