Princess Luna lounged in her castle tower, where she could gaze out over the land below. She could see almost every corner of her domain from up here. From the shimmering seas in the east, to the sparkling lights of Manehattan. There, under the carpet of her stars, ponies slept through her lovely night.

Not all of them. She had learned that was no longer true some time ago. In fact, some ponies slept through her sister's day. Truly the modern day was a strange one. Still, less did that than slept, embraced by her night, with her as their guardian.

A soft crunch of hooves on stone roused her. She looked over to see one of the night guards standing at attention before her. She gave him a gracious nod. "How are you doing, Skyline?"

Skyline returned the nod. "All proceeds well. I am fast approaching when It'd be better if I just looked the part I'll be playing. One of the new drones has already entered that phase, but they were already female."

Luna inclined her head faintly. "Tell me, do changelings even have genders? Truly, that is, beyond a preference as one pony may prefer a different hat than another."

Skyline cleared his throat. "Well, not entirely, but, like ponies, there are certainly a variety of, um, physical changes that happen." He ruffled his wings and whiskers with a long breath. "When we are born, we are sexless. Those develop later, if at all. Under Queen Chrysalis' domination, there is no need for that unless one is assigned as a broodling. As a guard, or one in the hive, you might choose your own form and wear it when the time calls for it."

Luna tilted her head faintly, waving a hoof about. "Tell me, did your choices differ before and after you came to be a batpony?"

Skyline pinkened faintly. "I was, um, mostly male. I still am, but spend more time as a female, as I'm about to return to doing." He reached back to rub along his midsection. "I will have an egg coming. I left my queen for a princess, and she made me a broodling."

Luna's ears pricked up at that. "Skyline, that way of phrasing it. I don't want to force you, even gently. If you wish this to stop, it stops. You may remain my guard, or leave, and be a welcome member of the nation." She gazed out over the land once more. "I'm sorry if I have misused you."

Skyline snorted with disdain. "The only being to misuse me is Chrysalis, through not giving me an easy way to walk away from her." He smirked faintly. "There are other ways, I shouldn't be too nice to her." He turned entirely to Luna and dipped his head. "I am glad to be here. I am even glad for this new position. I looked down at the broodlings before, thinking them weak. I've learned a lot, since coming here. I have respect for them and what they do. I wouldn't want to stop my work. You haven't misused me, nor would I let you. Thank you for asking."

Luna let out a slow breath, her wings shifting about behind her. "Good. As last time, you are to be excused from active duties outside the castle during the last trimester of your progress. Just as any mare, you're in a delicate state, and we don't want you or your egg to come to harm. You're permitted to roam the castle, as always, and spend your time however you wish."

Skyline squirmed in place. "This is all too much. You should at least charge me rent."

Luna burst into laughter at that. "You are working for me. Did you not just say I made you a broodling? Why would I charge my broodlings rent?" She rose up, ruffling her wings behind her. "You have done excellent work, and will be paid for that."

Skyline folded his wings against his back, calming himself. "Thank you, Your Highness." He turned an ear at her, though faced the view of the nation below. "My pups, at least one of them is eager to join the night guards. Are you ready to have a real batpony, who doesn't need armor to look the part?"

Luna watched Skyline with an appraising eye. "If they are anything like their father, then they will be a welcome addition. Come, Skyline. It is time to rest, while the land below us sleeps."

Skyline looked ready to approach before it hit him. "Oh! Yes, sorry." He backed away. "Good luck in your dream patrols, Your Highness."

Luna shook her head with a soft laugh. "I don't mind. It's appreciated, but not required. Good night, Skyline." She waited for him to leave before continuing her own work.

Skyline let out a slow breath, flames rushing over him as he became a she, becoming the mother bat she'd stay in a for a while. She found a mirror to examine herself, turning left and right before it appraisingly. "Mmm." She was a pretty bat. She laughed at the thought, flashing her sharp teeth at herself.

Content with her appearance, she trotted through the hallways.

"Sky?"

She turned to the voice. "Ah, Pointed." She closed with him, avoiding the flow of traffic.

Pointed caught Skyline in a hug, squeezing gently. "It's good to see you again. You look good."

Skyline rubbed her cheek with his a moment. "Figured I'd go she-bat until the big day." She shook herself out lightly. "Expect a lot more lady Skyline."

Pointed grinned at the news. "It'll be nice. We should do lunch, just us." He reached out and brushed a wingtip over Skyline's belly. "Maybe more than lunch."

Skyline colored sharply at that. "I figured you weren't interested in that. I thought you preferred stallions."

Pointed bit at Skyline's shoulder. "I prefer you." He kissed the very same spot, as if apologizing for the nip. "And if I can spend time with you, then it's time well spent."

Skyline touched noses with him. "We could have dinner. My foals will be going to bed."

Pointed nodded along eagerly. "I'd love to do dinner with you." He blinked, then snorted. "Did you really think I liked you less when you changed? You're a changeling! If I wasn't ready for that, I did a terrible job picking a boy/girlfriend."

Skyline nodded, but the words crashed into her. "W-wait? We're boy and girlfriends?!"

Pointed colored suddenly. "I... um, not unless you want to be."

Skyline cooed gently, brushing a wingtip over Pointed's. "I'd like that."

Pointed did a little dance in place. "Then it's official!" He went in, not for a brush, for a full and proper kiss. Skyline didn't fight it, and pressed back, the two locked for a few quiet moments as they merged together.

A giggle escaped Skyline as they parted. "Oh, yeah. Definitely official." She rested her cheek against Pointed's. "Why don't we go out for dinner tonight?"

Pointed smiled in pleasure at the thought. "Let me go talk with my CO. I'll, uh, tell them I'm guarding you, which I am. You're still a high priority object of Luna's. They'll probably say yes."

Skyline gave him another kiss before letting him go. "I'll be here, waiting for you."

"I'll be back soon, I promise." Pointed nodded firmly and hurried off, only to be back a moment later. His cheeks were colored. "Uh, my CO saw through me a mile away." Pointed shuffled in place. "But they still said yes."

Skyline giggled gently at that. "Of course they did. They know you're working." She flicked an ear. "Tonight, let's go see what this neighborhood has to offer." She leaned against him, all cuddly and soft.

Pointed wrapped his arms around her, snuggling against that softness. "My little bat. I love you so much."

Skyline squirmed at the words. "Love you too, you silly colt."

Pointed drew her closer, touching their foreheads together. "And I will keep you safe, no matter what happens."

Skyline let out a chirping purr of sorts, enjoying the intimate closeness a moment before she drew back. "I'll hold you to that, soldier. Now get out of here. You know where I live, be there at six and we'll go have some fun."

Pointed brightened, seeming to grow just a bit taller at the promise of play. "I will. Count on it!" He leaned in, stealing one last kiss before dashing off.

Skyline blushed heavily, heart pounding as he left. "Love." She rubbed where her cheek was so very warm. "I feel love." Not incoming love, but outgoing, and that was a curious feeling. "I'm giving it." Was that normal? She shook her head gently. Normal or not, it was happening. She wandered towards her quarters, whistling a merry song.

At home, her foals were just arriving. They found her waiting by the door with open wings.

Sure Arrow leapt into the embrace, landing against Skyline with a laugh. "You're a mom again!"

Night Wind slid to a stop and smiled at Skyline. "You're pretty as a mom, mom." He inclined his head slowly. "You're handsome as a dad."

Skyline laughed at the praise. "Why thank you." She began swishing her tail from side to side, while still hugging Sure Arrow. "How was your day at school?"

Sure Arrow grumbled a moment before finding a better place to perch. "We learned about ants and why they work together, and that if you step on them, it's not that big of a deal."

Skyline lowered her ears. "Changelings aren't that different from ants. We're both very social insects, with a lot of parallels. Um, we changelings are smarter at least."

Night Wind looked confused a moment. "Oh. I forgot you were one of those, mom. You're just a batpony for us."

Sure hugged Skyline from her back. "You're a changeling to me, and I love all of you. Batpony or changeling. You're awesome!"

Skyline went over to the kitchen. "Well, my little ones, what do you want for dinner? I am cooking tonight." She shuffled through the cabinets. "I suppose you both already had a good lunch, but something sweet wouldn't hurt, hm?"

Both cheered at the idea of a sweet dinner, cheering on their mother as she gathered the ingredients.

It was a simple thing, nothing too complicated. The ponies did seem to be big on sugar and honey. So she found herself making honey cake. Something light, but still sweet. And warm. She slid the mixture into the oven to bake properly with a nod. "Now all we have to do is wait." She turned to look at the two foals sitting side by side. "Do you two have any homework?"

Both sighed dramatically. "We don't have any." Night Wind rubbed his chin with a little flap of his wings. "But I have to practice my spelling more."

Skyline ruffled Night Wind's mane with a wingtip. "Well, then why don't we do that, together?"

Night Wind looked at Skyline as if she'd suggested something crazy. "Huh? You'll help me?"

Sure Arrow pulled a book from her saddlebags. "I'll go first! Come on, mom."

Skyline chuckled gently. "Of course I'll help. I'm off-duty right now, so plenty of time to help my foals, who deserve it."

Sure Arrow looked over her shoulder. "Come on! We have lots to learn, mom." She opened the book and flipped through pages. "There we go!"

Skyline snuggled up behind her colt, eyes on Sure. "We'll start with you since you're so eager, then it's Night's turn."

"Yep! So I'm supposed to write out these words, here, see?" She pointed at some fancy writing.

Skyline put a wingtip over the letters. "Why don't you try sounding those out, nice and slow?"

Sure Arrow was eager to start, to show off her skills. She made some mistakes, but never without the same rush to show off for Skyline. She was confident, even in her errors. Skyline had seen that a lot. The little ones were so eager to do well, and ponies expected them to. With encouragement, they did, as long as they were allowed to.

Night Wind wasn't as bold, but he didn't fight much either. With soft encouragement, he stumbled along. He made less wild mistakes than his sister, but he wasn't in nearly as much of a rush about it. Skyline caught him mouthing some of the words under his breath, rehearsing how they were supposed to sound.

Skyline watched both with a smile. These two were something else. They had so much love inside them, and it shone through their eyes. "I have such a lovely family, and so talented too." She leaned in and shared nuzzles with each of them. "You two did very well. Your teachers should be proud of you too."

Both pups perked up at that. "They're not there for us right now."

Skyline winked at them. "Exactly. I'm here instead, and I am so proud of you two. Now, why don't you two play outside while I get dinner ready?"

Author's Note

That chapter felt sweet and lovely to me.

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