I sat across from Will, thinking about things. He knew I was thinking about things. When our hands were clasped, we could practically feel one another like we used to do all the time. I was quietly glad he enjoyed doing it as much as I did.

"What's on your mind?" he asked, surprising Hope, which in turn roused Dust Kicker who had both been resting against us.

I leaned in and tapped noses before righting myself. "It's been a learning experience, the differences between parasites and spectrums, that is. It's kind of funny, but I don't think it's so simple these days anymore." I waved a hand, wobbling it. "I mean, before... it was 'me good, parasite bad, ick ew.' Looking back on it, I feel so childish and stupid."

She squeezed my hand gently and I could feel the warm support flowing from her. "Don't say that. You weren't stupid, we just didn't know more. We're learning and growing. What have you learned specifically?"

"A few things." I reached with my free hand and began stroking Dust Kicker along her ears. "For starters, you noticed how I immediately got to work reshaping my body. I wanted to be like you, so I pushed things along those lines. Sure, some parts of the body stayed true despite it, and when I see Dusk here, I feel the urge... he's family, close family, my father even, and Sandra is my mother, and I can accept that." I tickled Dust under her chin, getting a little equine purr from her. "But I've melded entirely with the form, then bent it where I wanted it. Someone who only knew the person beforehand would have a hard time picking out what's left now."

She looked thoughtful a moment. "And how does Karen's method differ specifically?"

"How doesn't it?" I smiled at Will. "She's taking the body almost as-is. She won't be Karen who happened to have a body with a past, she'll be this new little crystal pony, who happens to be Karen. There's a difference there. Can't you see it?"

She could. I could feel she could, but she spoke to expand on it, "I don't think that's really 'spectrum' and 'parasite', that's just racism with a new target. Both of you are unique for your species. I mean, think about it. Neither of your species even had thought before, or needed it. You existed because you existed, and did things because that's what happened. You were chemical reactions, just with energy, without thought to make things more confusing, or potentially fulfilling. You two are the first, of something new."

There it was. I smiled brightly. "You always say the right thing. Of course you're right." I sat up and looked across the hallway, to where Crystal was probably resting and eating. She was growing larger by the day. It wasn't instant, as I had thought at first. "We're... Maybe we're the same thing, now? What would we be?"

She tapped me on the nose. "Wonderful?"

Dusk Hope sat up and looked between us. "Void Princess," he suggested with a hopeful expression.

I considered that a moment before nodding slowly. "Void princess... Not bad, Dusk, not bad at all. We're both representatives of that lonely place, elevated to this sudden position of importance and public view." I plucked him up with magic and brought him in for gentle nuzzles and nips. I loved my father, and he loved me.

Dust Kicker rose up and stretched. "As peaceful as life has been lately, and I shouldn't... complain, is this all we're going to do? Unlike some of you, I can't really do those jobs. I'm not an earth pony, so farming's out on any but helping-hoof level, and being pregnant means no electrical duty, but that's boring anyway. We weren't given these powers just to sit on them." She grunted with annoyance as she sat on her haunches.

Dusk squirmed free of my magical grasp. His control of magic grew with practice, and he could get out of my grasp easily when he wanted to. He landed on the ground and bounded to Dust's side and snuggled her, aggressively challenging her discontent with his pure love. It was adorable to see. Dust nipped one of his ears. "Hope, stop taking the wind out of my sail. A lady has the right to be annoyed once in a while."

Dusk flicked the ear before nuzzling right back in, burying his face in her side. "You're becoming a mother now. Let's enjoy being parents for a little while before looking for more adventure."

Will gently pet down across Dust's spine. "I'm sure trouble will find us, eventually, but there's no reason to not incubate in peace. We helped make all of this possible, isn't that something?"

Dust let out a sigh mixing the pleasure of the attention heaped on her and her own irritation. "Of course it is... I'm not saying it isn't, I just wasn't... I liked doing things. Didn't you all like it, even a little? Getting things done, big things."

That reminded me. "Did anyone hear what happened with New York? Is that settled?"

Dust shook her head. "It's a bit of a mess. They're doing better than before, that's for sure. The state is nominally back in the fold, but the outlying towns are a minefield, with some being nice as can be, and others taking up arms to keep out 'that fake army slash invading force'. I hear they're using pony soldiers more than human ones out there, and it helps. It's hard to put human biases on a fellow four-legger. Still a mess." She rolled onto her side. "I've been keeping up to date whenever I could get someone to talk about it. They say it'll be settled in a few months, which is army talk for a year at best, but they are pushing past it. With New York City absorbed, there wasn't much reason for them not to push to finish their 'manifest destiny'. A unified America will be a thing again soon."

Old memories that weren't strictly my own flowed freely. "Does that mean elections will start again?"

Will perked with surprise. It always amused me when I found a fact she thought I didn't know. "I suppose it could, though that will require the military heads stepping down from complete power. I can see some of them doing that without too much fuss, but it only takes one to make it into a huge mess again."

Dusk pointed at Will. "I nominate you for president."

Will laughed and pulled Dusk in tight. "I'm not even old enough to be president, but thanks."

Dust Kicker shook her head. "I'm not a native of the country, I'm out. Hell, I'm technically an illegal alien, but with everyone's identification and records being lost, good luck proving that one way or the other."

I clapped my hands together, breaking contact with Will for the moment. "Things are different. The whole world is different. Maybe you do qualify. Maybe Will qualifies too. Don't rule it out just yet. If you could, would you?" Being separate from Will was a chill, or, more specifically, a lack of warmth. My magic flowed better when we were in contact. I was a princess, a void princess, when we held hands. Yes, I think I did like that title of little Dusk Hope's. I gently slid a hand into Will's and she smiled. It was nice for her as well.

Sandra emerged from down the hallway. She looked hale and hearty, and had that subtle look of satisfaction that seemed to only appear on earth ponies after a satisfying shift of farming that was both hard and rewarding. She paused as she passed our door and turned to join the lot of us with a smile. "Hey there. Didn't invite me to the party?"

Will squeezed my hand. "We had the day off together. They've stopped giving us days off separately, thank goodness."

Sandra rolled her eyes. "Ugh, don't remind me. That was stupid as hell. You two work more than twice as hard when you're allowed to be together, and are more than twice as sad when you're forced to be alone." She glanced away, then back at Will. "So this is going to sound way dramatic, but... are we still, you know, a thing? I mean, no hard feelings, and I know we're a herd and that's great, awesome even! But I get the impression, for real deep love, the kind you share with one person, you have each other for that. Just like Hope and Dust have each other, and I bet Karen will claim Neon for when he's ready."

I hadn't expected that question, but Will seemed to take it in stride. She pulled the hand away from me and offered both to Sandra. "Come here." Sandra trotted up and settled beside Will, to be pulled in close and snuggled against. "I haven't forgotten you, Sandra. We're still getting used to things, but I haven't stopped loving you. Our love is what brought Cindy into being. It was our love that distracted her, made her hesitate. It was our love that gave her life, in the end, and now she's returning that gift."

The way she said that, it made shivers run down my long spine. She was right. If it hadn't been for the love between those two, I would have gone straight for Will and made a princess of him and been gone, never to be missed. Instead, here we were, together as a huge family, and I was my own person, instead of just an unthinking tiny part of Will, possibly still alone. The realization crashed down on me and I felt foolish for not realizing it sooner. As close as we were, it didn't stop us from noticing things the other didn't, like just then. I shuffled over to Sandra and hugged her tightly. "Thank you."

Hope and Dust Kicker were soon in on the act, and we all cuddled happily. Thoughts of jealousy and uncertainty seemed to fade. Silly girl, now that I had been reminded of just how important she was to me, I planned to pay special attention to her. Maybe I could have her next egg...

Will seemed to pick up on my thought. "We should talk about that. Our herd's going to expand quickly, too quickly, if we keep on having kids whenever someone's physically ready to do that. Especially for us, we should be careful about it."

I pouted at Will. "You got to put one in her..."

Sandra nuzzled me gently. "It's the strangest thing, but so long as I'm watching over my egg and waiting for it to hatch, I don't... feel that. It's like it's keeping the heat away. I mean... it's part of why I thought I was losing Will. I just don't feel sexy right now. Loving, sure, but not sexy."

Despite her feelings, I thought she was quite attractive. She was strong, large, caring, and she'd been our dear friend for quite a long time. I even had bits of Will's memory of her being a good friend as a human before things changed. She was a good person, and had been good to us, as a human, and a pony. I would work harder to remind her of that.

Author's Notes:

The herd had some cuddle time, and no sex is involved, yay! Wait, are you sure? Damn it, this may be the work of the typos!