Monday morning, for many ponies it's the start of the work week and thus something not always to be looked forward to. It means no longer getting to relax, looking towards five straight days of it, and of course Monday can also mean extra work for some. This last scenario is the case at the vet clinic this particular day, which is why Rhino, Gel, and the pets have the pleasant company of Manila this morning.

As she and Gel sit close to each other in the normal desk seat and the extra one Manila pulled up, the two are going over the last month's records. Considering it also marked the first month that Gel had been working here, this is doubly important. Right now, the light blue maned mare is humming as she goes through the paperwork, smiling and nodding all the while.

Gel presses the keys on the typewriter, making sure to add any information needed. She glances at the other mare, thinking a bit before speaking up. "...so...did you have a nice weekend?"

Manila nods as she flips through a few more pages with her usual carefree smile. "Yep, Mane had a date that didn't work out so I decided to spend my Saturday just out enjoying myself. I went to see a movie, fed ducks at the pod, did a little pony watching... a very nice weekend overall. You?"

She beams brightly, remembering Saturday. "I reconnected with my best friend..." Her smile falters as she remembers the previous day. "...and then I got turned into a filly."

Manila cringes. "Ah right... Mane told me there was crazy stuff happening yesterday... honestly I missed it all." She rubs the back of her head with a hoof. "I may have stayed up too late Saturday night then totally crashed and slept through most of Sunday..."

"Oh?" She tilts her head to one side, looking at the tan mare curiously. "Why did you do that?" She smiles playfully, giggling a bit. "Have your coltfriend over?"

Manila slows down her work as her voice goes a bit quiet and she has a bit of a blush. "No... I don't have a coltfriend... "

Gel blinks at this surprised. "What? A nice mare like you doesn't have a coltfriend?" She taps her chin, narrowing her eyes at her. "...who is he?"

The earth pony looks shifty. "Who's who?"

"The one you have a crush on, silly!" She playfully bumps her shoulder.

The mare blushes more. "What?! Who said I have a crush?"

"You just did." She smirks, tapping her nose. "By not denying it. That, and blushing so much you look like an apple."

At the word 'apple', she blushes even harder. "Oh... woopsy."

She sees this and her jaw drops in shock. "...no way...you're in love with Big Macintosh?"

Manila burns brighter as she simply lays her head down on the desk and nods into it.

Gel smiles, patting a hoof on her friend's back. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone else." As long as I don't have to give my word, this might end well...maybe I can figure out if he feels the same way about her!

Manila looks up. "Well, if it's any consolation... I'm pretty sure Rhino already knows... he did say he was going to do something about it if I didn't approach him myself..."

She nods, a hoof to her chin. "...is that so..."

At that moment, the door to the clinic opens and who else walks in but the big red himself, along with the basket containing an obviously very pregnant Winona.

Gel immediately sits up, beaming brightly at the stallion. "Hello, Mister Macintosh!" She glances at the canine in the basket. "Here for a check-up?"

He nods. "Eeyup."

Meanwhile, Manila has slowly slid down behind the desk, trying to make herself as small as possible.

Gel picks the retreating mare up by the waist, giggling softly. "Miss Manila here will be happy to help you and your dog. I have to go find Doctor Rhino. Be right back!" She hurries over to the hallway, making sure to keep herself from grinning in glee.

Manila looks after the retreating mare with wide eyes before she slowly turns back to the patient stallion. "Umm... Ok... Let me just get her file here..." She averts her eyes and ever-present blush as she quickly digs through the desk.

Big Macintosh waits silently, only turning his head away once to check on his dog when she shifted. He recalls seeing this mare a few times around town, but only ever speaks to her here.

Manila comes up with his file and opens it. "Here you are Mister Macintosh..."

He speaks in his deep voice. "You don't need to call me 'Mister' Macintosh, Miss Manila."

She blushes more as she nods her head quickly. "Okay... and you don't have to call me 'Miss' Manila... deal?"

He chuckles as he switches his sprig of wheat he holds in his lips to the other side. "Deal."

As the two smile at each other, a certain couple peeks around the corner. The white mare giggles, looking up at her stallion. They seem to be getting along, well.

He smiles too, but his mental tone is thoughtful. Yes... but she still hasn't made a move yet, this is all still cordial stuff. I still wonder if she'll need a push...

Maybe...but how do we do that? She taps her chin, considering this a moment before a radical idea hits her. ...I think I have a plan...

He looks down at her. Oh? Do tell.

She glances at the two before shaking her head. It can wait. You have an expectant mother to diagnose.

Right. Rhino straightens up and walks into the front. "Good morning, Big Macintosh. Go ahead and follow me to the back so we can make sure our future mother is healthy."

The red stallion nods, following him.

Gel watches them leave before turning to her co-worker, smiling playfully. "I can see why you like him."

Manila twiddles her hooves. "You are very observant about these things. What could you have possibly realized from that one conversation?"

Gel quirks an eyebrow, an amused smile on her lips. "I can tell you're still too shy to tell him your feelings." She bumps her side. "You should try at least talking with him." She holds up a hoof before she says anything. "Outside of work."

Manila squirms. "I know.. I usually don't have trouble talking with ponies... but I see him and I just fall apart!" She sighs. "I just end up giving up halfway through every time... whether I'm trying to talk to him at his stand or just on the street..."

Gel taps her chin, considering this a moment. "...you didn't seem to have that much trouble just now, though..."

"That's because you forced me to do my job!" She throws her hooves above her head. "I at least have a sort of script I can fall back on here when my normal words fail. I don't have that safety net out there."

She holds up her hooves defensively. "Sorry! I didn't know you would clam up like that!" She sheepishly smiles, backing up a step.

Manila deflates. "Sorry, I just... it's so frustrating... I can talk to most ponies normally because I can just be myself and laugh off anything silly I do... but I don't want to take the chance with him, so I get too lost in my head and I end up doing nothing..."

The white unicorn stares at her a moment, bemused. "...you really should be yourself..." She puts a hoof on the mare's shoulder, smiling softly. "...if you don't, he won't actually know the real you...and what's the point of that?"

The earth pony thinks about this before sighing and coming up with a smile. "I guess you're right... Now I just have to not let myself get distracted by thoughts about him and I'm golden." The sounds of hoof prints can be heard coming from the back.

Gel turns to the hallway, whispering to the other pony. "You'll do fine." She beams brightly at the stallions as they round the corner. "Everything turn out alright?"

Rhino nods. "Perfectly fine. I just advised him on a few things he should do to prepare for the puppies' arrival, start feeding Winona puppy food for the extra nutrients, prepare a whelping area, makes sure she's getting plenty of water, things like that."

"Eeyup." Big Mac confirms.

"But there is one thing," Rhino continues, "since the puppies are expected anytime within the next week, it'll be good for him to have a point of contact within the clinic so he can call us for help if they feel they need it."

The disguised changeling immediately perks up at this. "I know who will be just perfect for the job!" She turns and gestures for the other pony to come over. "Manila, you should be Big Mac's point of contact!"

"Oh! Well I don't...." She looks between Gel and Big Macintosh before continuing. "Ok... sure... I can do that..." She fetches a small piece of paper and starts to write down her information on it.

As she does this, Gel leans in close to the red stallion and whispers to him. "You could probably contact her for other stuff, too. Maybe more personal stuff?" She steps back next to her stallion, fighting to hide the cat-like grin on her face.

Big Mac gives Gel a curious look before turning back to Manila, who hoofs him the piece of paper.

"Here's my address." She explains. "Just umm, you know, drop by when you need me..." She sheepishly smiles.

He nods as he stows the paper under his large collar.

The white unicorn waves her hoof, catching Manila's attention. She nods towards Big Mac, trying to urge her into action.

Manila seems to fight herself for a moment before she speaks again. "...and... you know... maybe we could... go somewhere... and do something... sometime?" She shrinks after she says this.

Big Mac regards her with an analyzing look for a minute before he smiles and says simply. "Eeyup."

The mare freezes at his response while Rhino waves off any notions of payment he had. "Don't worry about it. This one was free because we didn't really do anything but check if things were still going fine."

The red stallion nods as he turns to leave, but not before looking at Manila and saying one last thing. "See ya around, Manila." With that, he is gone.

Gel grins widely, playfully pushing on the mare's shoulder. "Now was that so hard?"

Manila pushes her back. "Hush you, like you had it so easy confessing to yours."

"Well, yeah." She sheepishly smiles, rubbing the back of her neck. "...I had to accidentally splash my eye with lemonade...b-but still!"

The other mare giggles. "Well, I guess you helped me not to have to resort to personal injury, so, thank you. For everything."

Gel giggles, tilting her head to one side. "What are friends for?"

***

Things were quiet in the land around the desert outpost. As the sun set, all was still. Well, all except three roughly equine shapes flying quickly in formation towards the hidden tower. Smoothly, they all swoop down towards the opening in the base of the outpost, but instead of landing outside it, they all glide inside and alight in the center of the floor, giving them minimum time to be spotted outside of it.

Waiting for them is the familiar form of the Brigadier General. He salutes smartly, though a smile tugs at the corner of his lips. "Generals. It is an hon-" He blinks as the only nymph among them pushes past him, a crate floating behind her in her magic. He watches her hurry up the staircase before turning to the remaining two, finding it difficult to keep himself from raising an eyebrow. "An honor for you to come here to help."

The orange-tinted changeling nods. "It was decided that this incident was of enough priority for us all to see that it was resolved."

"I agree." The last, a red-tinted drone, solemnly steps forward, past the others and towards the stairs as well. "I...need to plan."

Flick stares in stunned silence as he leaves. He slowly turns to his superior, a little unnerved. "Permission to speak, General Port?"

"Granted." Port focuses back on the yellow tinted changeling. "But for the sake of clarity while we are here since all of us are Generals of various ranks, let us just use names for now."

"Thank you, Port." He gestures towards the doorway. "I'm confused. Has Mimic ever been...hesitant, before?"

Port shakes his head. "Not that I have seen, but these are not normal circumstances either. You know our law, no changeling may ever leave the hive. Every once in awhile, one of the lowest drones or nymphs tries, and they are returned, one way or another. To have one of our own, one of the elite, turn traitor, is... unprecedented..."

Flick sighs, nodding sadly. "Yes. It is." He turns towards the stairs. "If I may, I'll show you your quarters for the time being."

Port nods and follows. "So, was there any information you didn't mention over the hive mind about this case?"

He pauses at the entrance to the next floor, trying to think of a way to word this. "Colonel Gel...fell in love with her target."

The orange changeling stops, confused. "Once again... this is something we would expect from a rookie... definitely not an officer..."

"I have to agree." They go through the second floor to the next door. He opens it, muttering to himself. "I don't really understand the layout of this outpost. Why can't there be one solid stairway connecting all the floors?" He shakes this off and climbs up the next set.

Port answers. "I believe it was once a way to have multiple security levels that one would have to pass through in order to reach the top."

"Learn something new every day." Flick immediately stops at the top of the flight of stairs, staring at the shiny silver door to the next room. "Luster certainly made herself at home, didn't she?"

His companion nods. "Well, out of all of us, hers is the most... tangible element. At least she can set up or take her things down quickly."

"No doubt about that." The yellow-tinted changeling pushes open the door, revealing the room beyond.

Metal coats every surface, pillars forming every few steps. In the middle of the room sits a single, indigo-hued changeling. Her body is past toned and edging on muscular, most notably in her legs. Every other part of her looks like a normal changeling, except for her larger fangs.

She instinctively tenses, a hoof on the black metal staff next to her. Upon seeing who it is, she relaxes, sitting back down on her self-made throne. She gives the lower-ranking officer a stare, silently wondering why he bothered her.

Flick holds up a hoof defensively. "Don't mind us, Luster. I'm just showing Port to his quarters."

She scowls at him, pointing fiercely at the door behind her.

"All right, we're going." The drones walk around her, the younger of the two shaking his head. "I swear, she got more demanding after she lost her voice."

"She never had much patience to begin with." Port looks back at the nymph before turning back to the front. "Being easily misunderstood likely makes her even less patient if subordinates stand around once they actually figure out what she is saying." He thinks for a moment before adding. "Still, she does train some of the best silent squads that I've seen come across my desk. Well, those that get through her training anyway."

"I still feel bad for that one recruit that couldn't keep silent." Flick shakes his head, shuddering softly. He opens the second door and starts up the next flight of stairs. "Anyways, your quarters are on the next floor. I even had a couple soldiers bring up some extras for you."

The next floor is actually quite pleasant. It contains the desk and materials one would expect from such a bureaucratic changeling, but there are also many tasteful waters displays such as fountain and pools that line the sides of the room.

Port lets out a breath. "Thank you, Flick. These should work wonders."

The yellow-tinted changeling smiles, nodding genially. "Only the best, right?" He turns to head back downstairs, frowning slightly. "If only the same could be said of this building's layout...what I wouldn't give for a window or two..."