"...We've lost contact with the Ponyville infiltrator, my Queen." A Drone reports, head held high as his body trembles in fear.

Deep within the Changeling Hives, Chrysalis looks like she's about to snap the closest thing in two. Which is, unfortunately, the messenger. Every other Changeling in the throne room seems to understand this, and a wide berth has formed around the poor soul.

Her hooves slam into the throne with such force, cracks splinter across it, horn glowing threatingly.

It takes her several times of trying to start to speak, biting her lip, snarling, growling and re-forming her words to simmer her rage enough to finally utter something.

"...Explain. NOW."

Anon's home is but a fractured husk of what it once was.

He sits on the floor, propping himself up with his arms, legs splayed.

Barfy sits between his legs, head laid on his lap, staring up at him. Thinking whatever bug-thoughts she had behind those big buggy eyes of hers.

There's still a him-shaped dent in the floor.

There's no furniture left in his living room, just splinters, shards and pieces. Even his poor Timber Wolf memento has been shattered in the prior weeks events, another singular tear rolling. Twilight, then Celestia, then a Changeling --

He looks out his door, still open to the air thanks to Applejack.

These Ponies kind of fucking sucked.

Oh, and Barfy can talk now, apparently. He took a look inside her mouth earlier; she was surprisingly willing, tongue stuck out as he pulled her mouth open with his fingers, toying with her jaw and fangs, trying to figure out how this bug worked under the hood. Anon found her throat-structure looked far more complex than just the simple tube for vomiting it used to be.

Though, judging by the big smears of gold across his body that were slowly helping with his bruises, she could still do it just fine.

And there she goes again, retching onto his leg and smearing it across it.

Forgot to mention; Anon was in his underwear. Full-body sliming was better handled in the buff, or as close to the buff as one could get without flashing the town.

It'd been one day since the Changeling scuffle. And Anon was still waiting to find the motivation to do anything about the state of his house. So, until he did, it would stay like this; what's the point of trying to fix it if they'd just blow it up or break it down in a week.

Said Changeling now sits hog-tied in his closet, and a half-eaten Apple-Fritter sits beside Anon, fork sticking out of it. AppleJack had come by with it, apologizing and offering a new door. Eventually.

Alright, country hick wasn't so bad. Butt-diamonds wasn't bad either. Rest still fucking sucked.

Like this rainbow bitch. She peeks her head in the doorway again -- Anon throws a chunk of furniture debris at her, as she ducks out of the way.

They'd been up to this for like half a fucking hour. Apparently, she doesn't want to apologize -- until you don't want it. Then it's the only fucking thing she wants to do, and won't take no for an answer.

"Anon, come on! Let me in! I just want to say --" Dash shouts from outside.

"Fuck it, suck it and tuck it, Shitbow Dash. Go away!" Anon groans. He'd run out of clever insults to her name, her colors, her rainbow-theme, and her supposed sexuality 15 minutes ago.

"...Fuck." Barfy hacks. She gets a pat on the head. Good bug. She nuzzles into him closer.

She'd been getting physically closer a lot more often, lately. Especially after the Changeling tussle, she's barely left his side.

The train softly pulls into the station, a refreshed Twilight emerging, bags hovering beside herself.

Her Rehabilitation had gone swimmingly. Honestly, it played out more like a week long therapy session than anything, and did wonders for Twilights mental state.

Rarity is waiting for her, waving her down as she emerges out of the parting crowd.

"Darling! There you are!" Her blue-glowing hankerchief flittering around in the air.

"Rarity!" Twilight smiles, the two nuzzling each-others neck.

"I hope your trip was soothing, Darling -- I won't comment, but I think you needed it." She smiles, the two turning to walk into Ponyville proper, heading for Twilights Library.

"Oh, I did. It clarified a lot of things, actually. So, how have things been while I've been gone?" Twilight asks, chipper.

Twilight's Library closes in, the familiar tree bringing a comforting sigh to Twilight.

"Delightful, oh, so delightful. I've at least thirteen new orders -- one of the Nobles back up in Canterlot was so smitten, he's sent waves through his friend group. I'm fully booked!" Rarity boasts, grinning.

"Really? That's great, Rarity! I'm glad that's --

A chunk of a chair soars past their heads, thudding onto the street.

They pause, looking. Anon lived right beside Twilight, and... it looks like their conversation enraptured them a lot more than they expected.

Rainbow Dash is ducked beside... what happened to Anon's house? A pang of guilt almost forms in Twilights chest, until she realizes it somehow looks even worse than it did when she left. Where was the door?

Rarity purses her lips. This was news to her, too.
"That... did you double-dip, Darling?" She asks softly, throwing a glance at Twilight.

"No! I just got here! What the buck happened to Anon's house now?!" Twilight groans, trotting over towards the absolute mess. Rarity follows, curious.

"Dash, what is going on?" Twilight asks loudly, ignored. Dash is far too immersed in her games.

Anon was running low on throwables -- she just knew it. She grins. A couple more minutes, and he'd HAVE to hear her--

"DASH!"

Rainbow Dash flinches, turning -- "Oh, hey Twilight! Hey Rarity! Welcome back!"

Rarity gives a little wave, still transfixed on the mess.

"What happened to his door?" Twilight asks.

"Applejack." Dash shrugs.

Twilight groans, face-hoofing. She positions herself opposite of Rainbow Dash, flinching as a chunk of couch goes flying past.
"Anon, it's Twilight. Can I come in?"

"If you make Bitchbow Bash get the fuck out of here, you can blow it up again for all I care." Anon grumbles from inside.

"...Dash, would you giving Anon and myself a moment to speak? Alone?" Twilight asks, politely.

"What? C'mon, Twi! I've almost got--"

"Dash, please." Twilight asks, again.

"That's not fair! I've been here for like half an hour trying to let him see me!" Dash refutes, crossing her hooves and sitting on her haunches, pouting.

"Dash, it's important. I need--"

"Why do you get to just trot in, waggle your horn around and--"

"Go home, Rainbow Dash."

"Y-yep!" Dash squeaks. Rainbow Dash bolts out of there, as fast as her wings can carry, far into the skies.

"My, Darling; authorative! I might have to give that shot myself." Rarity muses.

Twilight giggles. "Part of Celestia's teachings. A little nudge for compliance. Do uh... you mind if I get Anon alone for a bit? There's a few things I'd like to tell him."

"Oh, for certain, Darling. Let me just say hello to Barfy, and I'll be on my way." Rarity smiles.

"...What?" Twilight asks, not sure if she heard Rarity right.

"Barfy, Darling?" Rarity calls.

Twilight watches as a Changeling near Rarity's size trots out of the house, and the two embrace in a quick hug. Wait -- golden gel-like stomach. That was BARFY?!

"Everything fit well, fit good? Nothing pinching or pulling?" Rarity asks, the two settling back down. Barfy holds up her hoof, the collar now on her 'wrist' -- she shakes her head.

"...Go-od!" She slowly chitters out, mimicking Rarity's pronunciation,

Rarity and Twilight's eyes go very wide, for very different reasons.

Rarity squeals, pulling Barfy in close again. "You can SPEAK now, Darling!? Oh, you MUST join Applejack and I on our monthly Spa -- It's in but a few days, and I will not be taking no for an answer. Understood?"

Barfy seems appreciative, but tilts her head, inquisitive.

Rarity gasps. "You don't know -- Oh, that will not do. Darling, in two Days, meet me by my Boutique. I will show you EVERYTHING that a Mare like yourself cannot miss. Now, I need to run -- but Tata! And say hello to Anon for me!"

Rarity gives a little wave to Barfy, then Twilight, and trots off happily towards her Boutique. For Rarity, this was the norm. Things would sort themselves out. She was busy being excited about a new addition to girls night. They really needed to find a new name for that poor thing.

Barfy slowly turns, looking at Twilight. Twilight finally shuts her gob-smacked jaw, reeling back into reality. Alright. Things were different now. Understood.

"...Hello, Barfy. I'm Twilight. Twilight Sparkle." Twilight fields, holding out a hoof.

Barfy stares at the purple bitch. She learned that word from Anon.

Barfy remembers how she wanted to blast her, and how Anon stood between them.

How she wrecked Anon's house, hurt him, and put him in a bad mood for days.

She didn't like purple bitch.

Twilight watches as Barfy tilts her head at the extended hoof, then back to Twilight. Unlike Rarity, her gaze at Twilight is... cold. Barfy turns, trotting back inside.

Twilight would feel snubbed, if she didn't hear "Blue... bitch, bye." be relayed to Anon. She might just not be there yet, socially, Twilight assumes. This brought a lot of questions that needed answering.

Twilight slowly creeps into Anon's house, wincing at the damage.
"I... didn't do all this, did I? I'm sorry, Anon."

Barfy is sat back between Anon's legs, as he strokes her head, fiddling with her fin.
"Nope. Culprit for half of it is in the closet. Also, hey Twilight." Anon says deadpan. "Meeting with Sunbutt go good?"

"Wh..." She trails off, confused again. The buck was happening? "Uh... yes, Anon, thank you. Can I?" She points towards said closet.

"Go ahead. You can have that one, actually. I like this one more." Anon grunts, shifting his wait to fully lay on his back. Barfy chitters as the petting stops, crawling on top of him. "Shit, you're getting heavy." He grumbles.

Totally not a cryptic choice of words. There's a pang of guilt as she realizes he's using her full name, no attempt at a funny nickname. Somehow, that hurts more than if he'd had yelled at her. Twilight tentatively crosses the one undamaged doorway in his house, turning the knob with her magic.

A hog-tied, bound and gagged Changeling Elite Infiltrator slumps out of it, thudding to the floor. It glares at her with a foul expression; an immediate contrast and far cry to the one sitting on Anon right now.

Purple glow covers it as Twilight promptly lifts it, shoves it back in, and shuts the closet, turning to head outside.
"I need to find Spike and send a letter. Can we talk later, Anon?"

"...Yep." Anon groans. Seriously, why was Barfy so fucking heavy now?

Celestia sits comfortably in the dining room, enjoying her usual. A cup of tea, and a slice of cake.

Two, actually. A little reward for how well handled the whole Twilight situation went. The Rehabilitation went swimmingly.

Though, she couldn't help but feel like she forgot something...

...

She shrugs, sipping quietly.

A little-green flame poofs in front of her -- she flinches, watching the letter hit the table. For a split second, she glances around, the latent trauma of being drowned in parchment not fully gone.

... No second or third or fourth or five hundredth and twenty-second parchments. She's good. She sighs, relieved, picking it up in her golden grasp, unfurling it.

"Let us see what our Prized Pupil has..." She trails off to herself, as she reads the contents. A Changeling had assaulted Anon, and further destroyed his home.

Anon. THAT'S what she forgot. His house was probably still demolished; she'd been meaning to have him reimbursed for the damages. Half of them were likely from her rather huffy, sudden teleportive appearance in his living room.

Woops.

Author's Note