Gel walks alongside her stallion, back in her guise of Angel. "...t-thank you for taking me to your work...m-maybe I'll get to see what you do, this time..."

Rhino chuckles as he gives her a quick nuzzle. "True, last time things were slow work wise weren't they? I just forgot what with the... news... we found out at the end. I will tell you one thing though, between your glasses and the new bow, you might actually give some of the pets a run for their money on cute."

She blushes and rolls her eyes, playfully bumping his side. "Flatterer." She watches a couple of birds chase each other overhead. ...aww...love birds...how cute!

The vet looks up and smiles. Yes, I'm sure in a few months we'll be hearing the sounds of little birds chirping for their food. Such is one of nature's beauties.

Shame I've never seen it, myself... She turns her attention back to the path, attempting to keep a neutral expression even as her face turns a brighter red. ...is it really as painful for mares as...certain stories...make it out to be?

He coughs and turns away. Well, according to my mother? Usually the answer is yes. Of course, that's what painkillers are for. A thought occurs to him and he scrunches his face in conflicted emotion. Technically I'm qualified to help with non-pony births, but as wonderful as an experience like that would likely be, I'm a bit nervous for when the first time comes up.

She giggles, a sly twinkle in her eye. I'm sure most feel that way, too, but you shouldn't be worried. You're a natural, after all... She glances over at him, waiting to see his reaction. ...wouldn't you agree?

He looks over at her, his eyebrows raised high in surprise. At assisting birth? I honestly have no idea where you get that idea...

She turns to him, a brow raised slightly. ...when did I suggest we were talking about births? She teasingly trails her tail along his side, humming softly to herself. I was considering the part that...leads to that...

His face burns bright red as he realizes what she is implying. Oh... I umm.... well... thank you... He clears his throat in an attempt to buy himself enough time to get his head together for a response. Well, I'm... definitely more nervous about what you were talking about than what I was talking about... your confidence is reassuring though...

Well, you're a vet. I have no reason to doubt your skills with pets, or any other sapient being, for that matter. She notices the approaching building, smiling brightly. As for sex, I'm sure you'll be gentle with me, our first time...

He stumbles at her blunt statement. You umm... you certainly are in a good mood this morning...

I'm finally able to remember events of another day. She squeals, gaining a bounce to her step. I'm stoked! She accidentally skips into the closed door, falling onto her flanks and whimpering. ...and in a bit of pain...

He shakes his head at her usual danger-prone trait before lifting her up. I thought I told you I don't like seeing you hurt. He kisses her nose where she hit it. Better?

She blushes brightly, nodding quietly. ...b-better...t-thank you, love... She returns his kiss with one of her own, placed delicately on his lips.

He smiles and resists the urge to continue the back and forth affection. "Why don't we head inside where it's more private?" He unlocks the door and holds it open for her. "Let's head for my office."

Gel giggles, winking as she passes by. Kinky.

He flicks her with his tail for that comment as she passes him. The two stroll down the hall and Rhino unlocks the door. He heads inside, doing his usual routine of throwing some things off and putting others on until he stands before her in his medical professional uniform.

She stares at him for a few moments before tearing her gaze away. ...um...y-you look nice... She squeaks, holding a hoof to her nose. "D-darn it!"

He steps forward worriedly. "What is it? Are you alright?"

She quickly nods her head, refusing to lower her hoof. "Y-yes, I'm fide." She pauses, thinking over what she just said. ...fine. I'm fine. Just a small nosebleed, that's all.

He shakes his head with a small smile. "Always something isn't it?" He grabs a tissue and walks over, putting a hoof around her shoulders and offering it to her. "Let's get that taken care of."

She hesitates slightly before sighing, lowering her hoof to reveal a trail of blue down her muzzle. ...i-is it bad?

He raises an eyebrow as he takes a look. "Well, I just learned that your blood is blue, but no, it looks like just your average bleed." He wipes her face before putting it to her nose. "Lean forward for ten or fifteen minutes and it should be fine."

O-okay... She does as she's told, turning her gaze to the ground. ...s-so, you're doing well with your first changeling patient... She nervously giggles.

He nuzzles her lovingly. "Well, I do have a vested interest in this particular patient. Though, you do bring up a good point that technically, vets would be the doctors for changelings..." He looks down in thought. "That... would be difficult, given that we pretty much know nothing concrete about your physiology... it's all speculation."

She looks up at him, curious. ...what if...I could help you?

He looks down at her. I'm not sure if I should make a joke about you being willing to help me learn more about the changeling body...

...I'd love to teach you more about mine, but that can wait another time... She winks playfully before becoming serious once more. ...I-I used to be a field medic...not the best, mind you, but still pretty good...

Mind if I probe that wonderful mind of yours while we have time to kill today then? His eyes have a cheerful anticipation of knowledge behind them. I promise to stop if you tell me I'm getting too nosy.

She smiles kindly, nodding. For you, my mind is an open book. She thinks a bit, tilting her head to one side. ...almost literally, in fact.

He leans down to take a look at her nose. Just let me know if there are any restricted chapters.

I'll be sure to do so. She stands as still as possible, letting him check her. Anything you'd like to start out with? Maybe a subject that's on your mind, at the moment? She bats her eyelashes at him, trying to get him to laugh.

He chuckles at her. Didn't anypony ever tell you not to flirt with your doctor? He eases her hoof away. "Ok, it's stopped bleeding, just don't mess with it for a bit and it'll seal up." He looks at the bloody tissue a moment before a rune appears under it and he burns it. Shouldn't take the risk of anypony seeing that. Ok, first question, is all changeling blood blue?"

...I don't think so... She taps her chin, thinking a bit. ...let's see...green...red...yellow...no, I can't think of another changeling with blood my shade of blue...

He rubs his chin. Interesting... He shakes his head and opens the door for her. "Before I forget let's head to the front. In the meantime... what are the names for your genders?"

She steps through the doorway, a small smile on her lips. "Generally, we're called nymphs and drones." She pauses for a moment to brush her tail across his nose. "Care to guess which one I am?"

His eyes cross for a moment as a shiver runs down his spine. "I think I can guess which name applies to you... some might say in more ways than one..." They make their way to the front where he settles in the chair. "No sitting on the floor this time. So... exoskeleton and no bones?"

She nods, looking closely at him. ...not sure how your kind deals without an exoskeleton, but I digress... She shrugs, sitting on his lap. ...no sitting on the floor, right?

He blushes and shifts a moment, finding a comfortable position for both of them. Right... sometimes I feel like you just want to be near me or touching me every second of the day... which I am completely fine with. Do you want to just randomly spout a piece of information on your species while I gather my thoughts?

She thinks a bit before nodding. When love is willingly given, whether to a facade we create or to our true forms - apparently - the source doesn't become weaker. At least, it seems that way, with what I've seen of us... She smiles, gently kissing his nose. How's that?

He raises up his forelegs to hug her. Good, though it does bring up the question: you say willingly given... does that mean it can be taken?

She winces, averting her gaze. "...um...y-yes...i-if we take the place of a pony's loved one..." She sheepishly smiles, shrugging slightly. "...t-that's kind of what the Queen tried to do, in Canterlot..."

"Hmm..." He rubs noses with her. What about your fangs? What are they used for? Are you omnivores?

She blinks, actually surprised by this question. "...um...I-I'm not entirely sure...w-we don't use them for eating, generally, since we eat love..." She rubs the back of her neck. "...m-maybe they're meant to intimidate?"

"Perhaps, they might be more defense than utility..." He starts playing with her mane with a hoof. "So... eating. I assume you can eat food, but does it do anything for you? Nutritionally, I mean, or is it all for the pleasure of it?"

She giggles, shaking her head. "...you and your wording...to answer your question, no. It's mostly to help with our cover...we can still taste it, though. And your lasagna is easily the tastiest I've ever eaten." She smiles, tenderly kissing him. "...anything else you'd like to ask, love?"

He gives her lips a light lick. "I think that'll do for now. I'll probably need the subject directly in front of me next time. You know, so I can examine her and see if I notice anything I need to ask about..."

She smirks, her gaze lidded. "...are you sure that's all you want of her?" She strokes his chest with a hoof, leaning forward. "It sounds like you want to be more...intimate...with her..." She lets her fangs out, teasingly nipping his neck.

As he shivers, his fur and ears stick up. He looks away and talks in an aloof, strained tone. "Well, to perform my job fully, I do need to know all the intimate details. How you interpret that is your business."

Gel rolls her eyes and trails kisses up his neck. You know as well as I that you'd love to be with her. She stops right at the base of his ear, whispering softly. "But we'll have to wait until later for that...a lot later..." She nibbles on his ear, giggling softly.

He lets out a quiet growl at the nibbling, shifting in his seat more. "Well, you certainly found another use for those fangs of yours... are you always so creative?"

"...you'd be surprised..." She pulls away, her gaze turning towards the door. She hums a bit, unsure of what to think.

As she stares, manilla strolls in whistling a little tune. She spots to two unicorns and waves. "Good morning you two! Everything good?"

Gel smiles and waves, moving to get off her stallion's lap. "Couldn't be better, I think." She glances at Rhino. ...well, maybe one thing to make it better, but that's about it.

Rhino answers similarly. "Just another calm, cheerful day here." He looks to her. One thing huh? Do tell.

Manila nods happily. "Good! Now then, first thing's first." She looks pointedly at the stallion. "You, out of my chair." She sticks her tongue out at him.

Well, it'd be my memories. She moves out of the way so he can stand. I don't want to miss out on something special because midnight rolls around.

The stallion vacates the other mare's seat, which she happily dives into. Hey, you've been doing better on that. With the bits you do remember, plus your journals, plus me, I think you've got it covered.

...I suppose you're right about that... She giggles, gently nuzzling his cheek. ...and smashing Discord's statue was really therapeutic...even if it was just a dream...

The day continues as normal, a few patients coming in and being cared for. After a time, all three ponies are back in the lobby. They chat for a bit when a small rumble can be felt through the floor. It slowly grows in power.

Gel glances around, unease welling in her chest. ...Rhino? I-Is this a normal occurrence, around here?

Not... at... all... He eases towards the door to see what all the commotion is.

Suddenly the doors burst open and a flood of Pinkie Pies washes into the clinic. Bouncing in and repeating the word 'Fun!' over and over, they quickly run to all corners of the building. A few start playing leapfrog on the waiting room seats, others starts playing around with the mops in the cleaning closet, a group breaks into the examination room, coming out with q-tips and tongue depressors all in their manes, and one even has a doggy treat in her mouth.

The white mare can only stare in shock, an eye twitching from the whole scene developing in front of her. ...so...many...Pinkies... She shivers, unsure of what to do.

As the rattle of Pinkies trying to break into his office rises above the din, Rhino rushes down the hall. "No, no, no..." As he sees three Pinkie all looking intently at the keyhole, he speaks to them "Hey! You can't go in there!" They ignore him and continue.

Gel rushes past him and through the Pinkies, sending them flying as she tries to pull the door open, whimpering. She can't even think with all the pink party ponies around her, unable to comprehend the level of insanity that could ensue.

The three pink ponies stunned, Rhino quickly levitates them and dashes to the front door, tossing them outside where they hop off somewhere else to join the many that are already out there. He darts back to his door and opens it for the changeling.

She kisses him as she rushes in, her thoughts a flurry as she tries to keep herself from actively thinking about the situation. She recites songs, does math problems, anything to keep her mind occupied.

Meanwhile, the stallion tries to just take on each small situation as it comes along because thinking about the big situation will just drive him insane. He and Manila are currently working on prying a Pinkie's head out of the treat jar where she had shoved it. Once done, she is tossed out onto the street to bounce away with other Pinkies. As the two workers turn and see the dozen Pinkies left, their eyes twitch.

He looks to her. "Ideas?"

She looks to him. "Leashes?"

He nods as they run back to the storage room.

Gel, on the other hoof, is curled up in a ball in a corner of his office. ...Pinkies...Pinkies everywhere... She whimpers, covering her eyes with her hooves. "...m-make it stop..."

In the hall, the other two ponies each have three Pinkie on leashes, slowly dragging them towards the door as they all try to bounce as they shout the only word they seem to know. At this point, the stallion is pretty much running on autopilot for the sake of his sanity, he barely registers what he is doing anymore. They drop this load of Pinkies off outside and quickly round up the last bunch. Unknowingly to them, one escapes into Rhino's office. It creeps up quietly on the shivering mare before saying a single word.

"Fun!"

She yelps, lashing out and kicking it square in the face.

It squeaks, but seems uninjured from the impact as it flies into the hall to be caught by the other two ponies and tossed out the door. With a surge of magic, Rhino lifts Manila's heavy desk and barricades the door with it. He places his back up against it before slowly slumping to the ground with a dazed look on his face as what just happened catches up to him and the logical part of his mind goes into shock.

Gel slowly approaches him, concern written all over her face. "...Rhino?" She places a hoof on his shoulder, hoping to garner some reaction from him.

He mutters a single word as if it would haunt his dreams. "...pink..."

She tilts her head to one side, surprised. ...oh, Rhino... She tenderly nuzzles his cheek, smiling softly. ...it'll be fine...we're safe, now, and that's what matters...

After a few minutes, he stirs, groaning as he pushes himself into a sitting position. "So... that happened..."

Manila, who had been taking shelter in one corner with a broom in her hooves, nods. "Yes, yes it did..."

"...well, at least nothing too destructive happened..." Gel shrugs, glancing at Rhino. ...feeling better now, love?

He nods. Thanks to a combination of repression and compartmentalization, yes. Such is the way one stays sane in times like these.

She nods, pecking his cheek before moving over to Manila. "...s-so...are you okay, Miss Goodall?"

She shakily nods, her voice quiet. "Oh yes, just fine... you know, probably just take off early today... I got the broom in case they come back..."

"...if you say so..." She gives her a small hug before turning back to Rhino. ...maybe you should drink some fluids...I hear it helps with shock...

He nods. Right, I need a tall glass of milk after all that.