"What are you doing?"

The words fell on deaf ears at first, the Pegasus continuing to build a little shack right where the path was supposed to go. As we're about four other ponies, unsurprisingly, and Max could already see that another two had been added since he'd last been there. The difference between Max asking them to move and Celestia telling them to move became apparent a moment later. The stallion was levitated from his work with a surprised squawk, as were all the others currently attempting to build huts right in front of the gate.

"I asked a question. What are you all doing? Maximus gave warning that there would be a road built in this location and Luna told me that she had confirmed the route the day after. The ponies who attempted to move the stones were jinxed to have pink polka-dot coats and were picked up by the guard. So why did you believe building your homes here would be beneficial?"

"We-we were told that if we did you'd build the road somewhere else!" one squeaked out.

Max rolled his eyes as Celestia sputtered in confusion.

"Build the road where? You are building homes only six paces outside of the gate! There's nowhere to go, nowhere that I may weave a road through this mess of homes and huts that would allow proper travel! I look upon this hamlet and wonder how I am supposed to walk out of my own front door! I need to fly to leave now!"

"You were set up to take the fall for them," Max told the ponies, pointing back at the peasants currently peeking out from the huts that had already been made and had yet to be moved. "They hoped for one of two things. First, that if anyone gets in trouble, it would be you. Yes, those wonderful ponies back there set you up to be thrown in the dungeon. They set you up to take the fall in their stead. They also hoped that more ponies making homes here would force us to choose a different route. Something that's impossible because there is only one gate. We may be able to make a secondary one with a lot of magic and a lot of time, but it won't allow a full contingent of knights to leave easily like the main gate. Honestly, if it were up to me I'd brick this gate up and open up another wall. You guys would be at the back of the keep with no quick route inside. Would serve you right, too. Expect us to protect you, but then not letting us leave the keep? It's the dumbest thing I've seen so far."

"Either you will remove the homes you have started upon, or I shall move them myself. If I must do so, I shall not be gentle with them," Celestia told the ponies. Setting them down and stepping towards the preexisting homes, she raised her voice. "Did you hear me? I shall finish my walk today and return tomorrow. If you have not removed the homes from the path that has been planned, I shall do so for you! You have been granted adequate time to do so on your own!"

"What did you do to her?" a cloaked mare accused, pointing at Max. "She was kind before, what vile magics did you weave in her mind?"

That set the crowd off. Suddenly ponies were pressing in shouting about destroying the monster who hurt the alicorn. Max was staring at the crowd wide eyed, not expecting the sudden surge of bodies intent on doing him harm. A rock bounced off of his chitin, then another. Then a piece of wood. The crowd's jeering and shouting slowly picked up, ponies who's homes were threatened looking to the changeling as the cause of their woes. They stopped when Celestia lit a golden shield around the two of them.

"This is my thanks?" she growled, staring angrily at the crowd. "I share my bread, I offer protection, I do all of this to make a land safe for you to live in and you become upset when I ask for a path from my door from which to leave my home? Not only that but you accuse Maximus of trickery? The only trickery being played is those who told others to make their homes where a road was planned. Those who set others up to fall in their stead!"

Max poked her shoulder, whispering nervously.

"Tia, let's go, we can come back with help and-"

"No!" the alicorn shouted, stomping her hoof down. Her aura began to flare, magic pouring off of her as she took the homes outside her doorway and picked them up in her magic. Not just the half-finished huts either, but every hut on the path. "I am done. I welcomed ponies here, attempted to do what even the unification failed to do. I did not want the tribes to merely be at peace. I wanted them living together, seeing each other as family. I cared for Luna before her ascension, a unicorn filly minding a pegasus filly. If we could find happiness why then could others not?"

"Instead I find the same bigotry on my doorstep! Ponies lying to one another, using one another! Making false accusations and attempting to rouse others to violence! I will not allow this to occur! If you foalish ponies are unhappy with how things are done here, than you may leave. Find elsewhere to settle."

Walking the houses out beyond the markers for the outer wall, some still containing ponies that were clinging to walls and windows, she set them down in a heap.

"Be gone from my home. I have allowed such poison to fester on my land for too long and will no longer allow such an insult to Harmony."

"Who are you?!" the mare from earlier shouted from behind the crowd. "Celestia would never do this, you imposter!"

Celestia whipped around, scanning the crowd.

"For two years I did as others recommended; as the nobles and peasants suggested. For two years ponies fattened themselves off of the fruit of my labor while they distracted me with false promises and platitudes! No more shall I allow such an insult. Do not hide in the crowd while throwing such accusations, knave!"

"I shall always welcome ponies into my home, always work to protect those who seek me out. But I shall have order in my home. I shall not allow you to spit upon my authority. I shall not allow you to insult those who act in my stead. If you dislike this than you may leave. Let it be known from now until eternity, however, that should ponies spread hatred and bigotry amongst my subjects I shall bring my wrath down upon them like a sun!"

The alicorn trudged back through the village and personally set down several more markers for the new road, slamming some of them into the ground so hard they cracked. Max watched this all with a weary eye, ready to call for help if the alicorn lashed out at the crowds or the crowds became rowdy again. Even as they moved down the path though, several pairs of guards arrived, drawn by the commotion. They quickly took up positions around Celestia, weapons at the ready in case they were needed.

For the most part the final preparation of the roads went smoothly. The occasional pony attempted to heckle them but Celestia would give a quick flick of her magic, tossing them beyond the markers for the wall. If they attempted to re-enter the border, she would throw them farther away, with a warning that next time she wouldn't hold back and that the pony was to leave since they disliked her rule. Eventually the mare from earlier tried rallying the crowd in spite of the demonstrations, shouting how Celestia would never be so cruel and that it must be the second shape shifter that was attempting to replace Celestia. Knowing Celestia was getting ready to launch the entire crowd from her home, Max stepped in front of the alicorn.

"Are you guys really that easily swayed? That mare that keeps shouting things has yet to show herself. She's done nothing but send you guys forward to take the punishments she deserves."

"You just watched this alicorn levitate fourteen huts out of the path for the road and you're still willing to try to strong-arm her? You're still trying to denounce her identity? Crystal and I haven't used a disguise since we arrived. We don't need to. None of the changelings that are working for the princess have. And I'd hate to say this but the world isn't changing. It's already changed. Discord's gone and a new age is upon us."

"Indeed," Celestia said, nodding in agreement. "I shall not be a Princess Platinum, sitting on my throne and shouting orders for the masses to follow while my knights execute those orders. Luna and I shall fight beside them. We shall use our strength and magic to defend and lead by example. Those who are unable to adapt may leave, as I have already said. I have better things to do than sit on a throne and hope my orders are followed. Because clearly doing so has accomplished nothing."

The mare tried once more to rally from the shadows but it failed again, this time the ponies around her pushing her forward and leaving her before Celestia. To the neither Maximus nor Celestia's surprise they recognized the mare. Max in particular remembered her, though her elegant clothing was gone and she was as dirty as the rest of the peasants. On her back was a tattered cloak, the remains of her assumed title and a sign of wealth now being used to keep back the chill of the night and inclement weather.

"Lady Certain Fortune," Celestia said calmly, raising an eyebrow. "Or perhaps it is merely Certain Fortune? You were asked to leave the Keep if my memory serves me correctly. Both for failing to actually do anything and after losing a duel with Luna. Why is it that we now find you attempting to incite a riot amongst the peasants? Was it perhaps you that started this ridiculous idea of forcing us to redirect our road if too many ponies were present on the path?"

The unicorn babbled incoherently for a moment, utterly baffled by her ousting by the peasants. It actually nearly made Max laugh. The unicorn was so certain that she had control of the 'dumb peasants' and had already turned them to her cause that she didn't seem to have any additional plans, not readily available at least.

"Fortune, you were allowed to leave in good faith. We did not pursue you, did not question your rank, Luna did not even demand anything of you aside from leaving Maximus alone. Instead of acting your claim, you attempt to rouse the peasants against us! What noblemare would do such a thing? You shall not be walking away this time. You shall be joining Flint in the dungeons, for inciting unrest and impersonating nobility."

Certain Fortune's eyes widened.

"You do not have the right to dispute my claim of nobility!"

"Nopony shall stand by the side of a mare who hides behind peasants and attempts to incite riots!" Celestia shot back. "Name one noble who would dirty their hooves and risk their reputation for a mare who has done such things. None would. None will stand for you in the face of this treachery."

Max felt every muscle in his body tense. Fortune's mood swung quickly, far too quickly for anything healthy. From her earth shattering terror at being caught in the act and the fear of punishment from the alicorn she suddenly shifted to a deadly calm, one that set his nerves on fire. Not even Celestia, with the Elements of Harmony suppressing her emotions, had managed such a calm emotional state. His muscles tensed as he watched her horn flair with power. His second eyelids dropped and the changeling barely had time to remember to keep his left eye closed. The membrane still hadn't been healed, leaving the eye exposed if he tried to use them.

"You are correct, Celestia, I don't have any support not."

The next few moments were a blur to him. The unicorns horn flashed, causing everyone to blink or look away. From under her coat she drew a blade and lunged forward, moving on memory as she kept her magical flare active. The first galloping step and he knew her target. Celestia.

He was moving before he could even reason that a blade wouldn't do anything permanent to the alicorn. She raised her blade to strike, but Maximus struck first.

His fangs sunk into her neck, the force of his impact sending her tumbling with the larger male even as he heard the guards shouting in alarm. The mare screamed even as he attempted to separate himself from her, slamming the blade against his chitin over and over again. The light finally faded and she gave a final shout, putting all of her focus into the blade. Max swore, kicking her in the muzzle and attempting to cause the insane mare to drop the blade. She held firm though and he flinched, looking down to see the blade wedged between the plates of his right shoulder and barrel. It sank into his flesh with the final burst of effort.

The changeling stared at the blade, not daring to touch it. He'd been stabbed. He'd just been fucking stabbed with a knife.

He watched it all happen from a distance, a pair of binoculars hanging from his neck even as he looked through his claw and paw, both appendages currently curled into circles as if he was holding a telescope. He was surprised to say the least. Ponies were always pushovers, running in fear when Discord came through the area. Sure a few would throw a spell or two at him, but he couldn't remember ever having a weapon launched at him.

The mare was gone the moment she was thrown from the changeling, a flash of light and a scorch mark the only sign anyone had been in her position.

Discord let loose a low whistle. The alicorn he'd talked to not too long ago, the mare who had looked at him and realized he'd escaped without so much as a shout of fear, had just vaporized a pony who had attacked the changeling. Oh one could certainly argue that the unicorn had originally intended to strike at the alicorn with the weapon and had thus sealed her own fate, but that looked much more like a defense than-

"Yup, that's an attachment."

The mare was barking orders to the knights even as she began inspecting the blade. Max stopped her from yanking it right out but after a moment she did anyway, casting it aside and having him use that changeling puke to seal the puncture. The moment the goop was in place, she blasted it with a quick fire spell, hardening it.

The draconequus frowned. He knew basic wound treatment by mortals usually involved leaving the items inside as the item often helped prevent additional bleeding, especially in the case of a broken artery or vein. He snapped his talon, magic-ing up a perfect copy of the blade into his possession. Right down to the green blood currently dripping from the tip of the blade. It wasn't the blood that had his attention though, but the sheen it seemed to have at the part that hadn't been covered in blood.

"Wow, that mare played for keeps didn't she?"

Luna arrived on the scene only moments later, a second large changeling hitting the ground and rushing to Celestia and the injured shape shifter. It only made him more curious. Sitting back as Max was transported back to the castle and Luna began shouting orders, he summoned his newest assistant. While the scroll was nice, sometimes it just wasn't able to grasp the finer ideas he tried to communicate.

"Oh, what fresh hell is this?"

"Be nice, Lazyap. I need an analysis on the poison on the blade," he scolded the small grey imp, handing it the weapon. "Also the way to make an antidote. Plants available should be in Equestrian Herbology, time-frame of about 3539 Discordian Era to two hundred AM."

"AM?" the little imp asked, hefting the blade like a battleaxe.

"After Me, of course. What else would it mean?"

"Right, right. All the masters I could have ended up with and I get this guy," Lazyap grumbled. "Coulda been someone who spent all day looking at demoness butts and breasts, but no, I get someone who actually wants the imp to do things."

Luna stood in a small hut as she scoured the area for any trace of the poison that had been on the blade. She was terrified for his safety, having seen him starting to curl in pain as it began to have an effect. What the effect was she couldn't guess, but the blade was on its way to the alchemist so that the mare may attempt to figure out the poison used as well as form a cure. Knights were also present, bringing her eveyr scrap of paper in the building. They'd learned from the peasants that Fortune had taken the home from another mare, threatening her with false rulings and promises of incarceration if the owner didn't vacate the hut. It disgusted Luna, but more awful than that was Fortune's attempt to incite a riot amongst the peasants.

"Need a little help, Princess?"

Luna's blood froze at the voice. She'd extracted from her sister the truth of the statue in the gardens but had been too busy to actually confirm Discord's whereabouts. Looking up she found herself staring down at a brown unicorn with a shattered horn, various scars over his form and several patches of missing fur. What unsettled her most though were the eyes, yellow eyes with red pupils. The eyes that had haunted ponykind for hundreds of years.

"I heard your beau got hurt, nasty bit of business that. But what I saw in the aftermath made me curious. It left me wanting to know what I've missed in the interim. Of course, you'd never just talk to me. So I decided to go a different route."

Luna tensed as the unicorn sneezed out a scroll, causing it to roll to her hooves. She nearly panicked, blasting both the scroll and the unicorn; it would only be natural after the years the alicorns battled him. Something about his tone though, it was different. Too similar to the tone he used that last day of his rule. It was calm, nowhere near his old methods of spastic and unthinking chaos. She looked to the knights surrounding the unicorn and held up a hoof.

"Leave us."

As the last knight left Luna cast a quick privacy spell over the hut and turned back to Discord, only finding that now he was in his natural form. Or at least as natural a form as a creature like him could have.

"What do you want, Discord."

"Oh, it's simple. I've learned the importance of curiosity. And right now I'm curious. So very, very curious. A second changeling is now living in the castle? Did you know they were considered monsters, a menace in the future I was throwing off track? I figured things would be different but to see another-"

"There are two other smaller drones as well. Three changelings besides the one you left us. And we have cast out a good number of the nobles who were distracting us and accomplishing nothing."

His eyes lit up in surprise at that.

"Truly? How interesting. Even more interesting to me, however, is this attachment Tia seems to have formed with him. Last I recall she was ready to leave him in the dungeons to rot or worse, destroy him herself."

"Things have changed, Discord," Luna said simply, levitating the scroll in her magic and reading it. To her surprise it was exactly what he had said it was, the composition of the poison as well as several cures made with common and easily retrieved ingredients.

"It appears you have changed as well. No trickery? Information for Information?"

"I need to get in the practice. One of the worlds I'd like to visit is very...particular about exchanges. You have to be careful about anything you offer, even words of encouragement or jeers. A calm mind can keep you out of trouble, so I've had to learn a few new tricks."

"I can hardly imagine a creature that would threaten you. Even with the Elements, Tia and I were only able to slow you down. You escaped not two years later."

To the mare's surprise Discord just smiled. Not the one she usually saw on his face, not the smile that told her the being before her saw her as nothing more than an amusement. It was a familiar smile though. One that she'd seen on Starswirl's face as he calmly corrected their false assumptions.

"I've met several, actually. One was not only capable of it, but actively tried to kill me. It was a surprise as much as any other, knowing I wasn't the top dog. Sobering, too. We can discuss this later though. I believe you'll want to get that to an herbalist or alchemist before too long. Not that he's in any danger, mind you, but the sooner he's cured the sooner he'll stop being in pain."

Luna nodded, making for the door but stopping just as she reached it.

"Since when did you worry about the health of others?"

The draconequus gave her that same smile, folding his arms over his chest and reclining in the air.

"It's easier to worry about pain when you've been subjected to it. I've spent most of my immortal life being the biggest and baddest fish in the pond. I've found my way to the ocean though, and I've run into a few sharks."

The alicorn pondered his words, not knowing what a shark was. A closer inspection of the self-proclaimed Lord of Chaos caused her to shiver, however. The scars of the unicorn form he'd taken were still present, just much more difficult to pick out on his mismatched form. Something had tried to kill him, and judging by the scars had very nearly succeeded.

"Oh, don't worry. I clean up my own trail. Nothing's going to follow me back. I make certain of that after every jump."

Luna nodded, her eyes lingering on a particularly long scar that ran down his torso, nearly a pace long. Time had changed all of them, very quickly too. She surprised herself a moment later when she next spoke.

"We have a private dining room in the castle that we use now. It was one of Max's suggestions. Ask the guards at the keep to allow you entry to meet and dine with us, and they will allow you to enter. Please use your disguise until you arrive though. I may be willing to speak to you, but ponies still remember your reign. If this helps us help Maximus, that will be three that I will weigh against the misery you have brought me."

Without another word the mare departed, leaving Discord in the hut. She didn't care though. She needed to bring the scroll to the alchemist posthaste.

Max listened as Luna breathed a sigh of relief when the alchemist began applying a mixture to the wound. The cures that were to be imbibed were useless for this toxin, as it targeted the stomach and intestines. Constant vomiting, cramping, diarrhea, eventually progressing to intestinal rupture due to all the twisting and pulling if the dose was high enough. And it had been aimed at Celestia.

Half of the poisons effects had no impact on changelings while the stomach issues were more of a hindrance than actually painful. unlike most species, a changeling only produced acids if their pouches were occupied. It left the target compromised though, as without a source of raw emotions the changeling would starve. Both the resin-pouch and the honey pouch of changelings cramped, meaning a changeling couldn't feed on honey while under the effects of the poison.

While being an alicorn Celestia would have survived all but the most potent doses, it would have meant a few hours suffering many of the symptoms rather than a few cramps and expulsion of resin as it did in Max's case.

The injured changeling was currently resting on Luna's bed, the resin on his shoulder having been removed as the alchemist, a pegasus mare of all tribes, pressed a paste into the wound. It was one of many cures but the only one they could easily give the stallion, as many others required being able to absorb it through digestion. Max was not keen on having the wound disturbed, but when the alternative was waiting for his body to finish processing the toxins, he quickly conceded.

Crack was also present, currently working on the larger shape shifter's eye. A simple resin-pouch was held over his eye, attacked with a second application of the material to hold it in place. The pouch contained a bit of gelled love, provided by Crystal, and would soon enough heal the injury.

"This makes zero sense to me," Max muttered as he blinked his eyes, feeling the warm sensations of the honey on his eye. It was as alien as everything else, though. Hardly something that would confuse him too much. The issue came from the lack of logic. When doctors stitched a wound closed, it was bringing the flesh together. In this case, the love would cause the cut to seal, eventually closing the membrane completely. Without, you know, actually holding the separated parts of the membrane together.

"I already explained it, you can't eat anything without vomiting, so we have to use an alternate way to introduce it into your body," the pegasus, Healing Philter, explained.

"No, that I get. In fact, I don't know if anything I drink or eat would get through to me...wait, how did I get drunk then?"

Max blinked, looking to Celestia in confusion.

"You tried getting drunk on wine?" Crack asked in surprise.

"It was after a particularly difficult experience we shared." Celestia explained. "Maximus suggested a little drink to help separate ourselves from the occurrence. To allow ourselves time to center ourselves. We both enjoyed a few uh, casks of wine. In truth, I cannot recall ever feeling so...free. It was an interesting experience."

Luna looked to Celestia in surprise.

"You partook of wine and did not, oh, I remember. I was inspecting the mines with Crystal. We must do that when both of us are present. I have heard it is more entertaining to imbibe in groups."

Max let loose a tired chuckle at that, but still didn't let the topic drop. Instead he looked to the changelings present as a thought presented itself. Went right up to him, turned around, and lifted its tail. Gave him bedroom eyes and everything. Even started talking dirty to him.

'Dammit, I think I'm addicted to Luna. It's been almost a week without a good roll in the hay. I'm getting horny. Tia's been no help there, either.'

"Would it matter if the pony we feed off of is intoxicated?"

"Maybe? I don't know," Crack admitted, moving to observe the wound on Max's shoulder. "Most of my experience with feeding comes from what I've done here, and I don't usually see drunk ponies among the keep's staff."

"Do you think I could get a sample of that resin?" the pegasus asked as Crack began inspecting the wound. "I'm curious about it. Also, do you turn food into that stuff, or any organic material?"

"Any organic material," the medical drone replied. "Some drones would turn off their taste buds, especially those charged with caring for the ponies. Sadly, it was the cleanest way to dispose of things."

All ponies present turned green, though Crystal looked confused.

"And yet changelings were always filling those positions. Why was Mother always so hard-pressed to find drones to see to us?"

"Because a drone lives longer caring for insensate ponies," the drone dead-panned.

"So you're telling me," Max wheezed out, laughing in spite of his injury and the pain the action caused him "that drones would rather, quite literally in this case, eat shit than deal with the queens?"

"Some of the queens and proto queens were prone to bouts of manic violence. I never was given a chance to try and find a reason, but I think it was something the Over-Queen did. She didn't seem bothered by it as long as the other queens directed it to the drones."

Crack frowned, looking to Crystal in contemplation.

"It's possible She tampered with them during their final molt, or perhaps it is something she programs into the queens at their hatching? We won't know for certain until Crystal completes her final molt."

"Is there any way to induce a molt like that?" Max asked.

"Not to my knowledge, though I'm hardly an expert on the nature of queens," the drone answered, using a clean cloth to remove the excess paste before applying another love-pouch to the stab-wound.

"I suppose the princess could always order Crystal to molt."

Max could feel the proto queen tensing at the casual mentions of her name by the drone but she bit her tongue. The smaller changeling was currently patching up one of two ponies she trusted and would likely be the one to watch over her if she was injured.

'Not in the hive anymore, Crystal. Be nice and he'll be nice to you.'

'I know,' she returned. 'It, I can't help it. Drones were respectful. They were punished for not showing respect. I'd have been allowed to do whatever I wished to him for saying that in the Hive.'

'Not in the Hive anymore. Golden Rule.'

The queen pouted, looking away as the alchemist and Crack went into a deeper discussion of biology and things the alchemist had learned from the shed shell she'd been given a month ago. He instead found his focus on the two alicorns standing watch. Celestia still looked tense, watching any movement with a twitchiness that was unnatural. It was unfortunate, but Max couldn't tell if her lashing out at the mare was simply reactionary, a sign she was still unwell, or merely a reaction that was expected. Hell, of someone attacked him or his family with a knife and he had a laser cannon on his forehead, that guy would have been dead before he took his second step.

"How are you holding up, Tia?"

"Wha-I am not the one who was stabbed!" The solar alicorn sputtered. "It is I who should worry about the state of your injury, especially when I came to no harm."

"Don't say you came to no harm. One of your subjects pulled a knife on you. Are you okay?"

Celestia stared for a moment before lowering her head, a small tide of emotions passing over her.

"Why did they do that? I always wanted what's best for everypony but they, they didn't even listen to what I was saying."

Max shifted, wanting nothing more than to give the depressed mare an assuring hug but was stopped by Crack. The drone punched his leg in irritation before returning to his work.

'Crystal, give her a hug.'

'But she's mean! I don't like her!'

'Crystal, you give that mare a hug right now or so help me I will find a way to make you.'

The female shape shifter whined aloud but otherwise moved. She pulled a surprised Celestia into a hug, scowling the whole time before backing off and pointing at Max.

"He said I had to."

The alicorns shared a giggle before Luna lost it, descending into gales of laughter and pulling her beta into a hug of her own. Celestia watched the shape shifter melt into Luna's affection, a happy smile on the smaller mare's face.

"Thank you. I suppose that until the wound is healed you shall be confined to bed rest?" the white mare asked the medical drone.

Crack nodded in answer, moving Max's head and making sure the love-sack on the injured changeling's eye was secure one last time.

"Nothing to tear open that shoulder. That means you can't play with your...hive for a few days. No walking either until I confirm that the wound is mostly healed."

"Blast, is there no way to bring him to the dining room?" Luna asked.

"You could carry him, but I'd like him to keep most of his weight off of that side of his body."

A chorus of 'I'll do it's echoed and the mares all stared at each other in surprise. Mostly though the eyes were on a blushing Celestia.

"I would appreciate the opportunity to repay his kindness," she explained.

Max rolled his eyes at his flocks antics, Crystal trying to protest while Luna quickly dragged the other mare out the door. He could taste the giddy happiness rolling off of Luna and he had a good idea why. The mares were followed by Crack and Philter, both still chattering about changeling resin and its uses. The moment they were gone Celestia coughed, attempting to think of a way to speak to him.

Max grinned at her nervousness.

"It's fine, Tia. I told you I'd be willing to help you. I may not be so quick to jump a knife wielding lunatic in the future, but I'm still going to look out for you. I promised you that, didn't I?"

"You did," she admitted. "I appreciate that, too. But I did not expect such...aggressive defense from a stallion I have done so much to deny. I went out of my way to hinder you in all things, even when you promised to aid me. I, I am sorry, Maximus. Will you forgive me?"

"You know better than that, Tia," he chuckled. "I told you that you were important to both Luna and by extension myself. I want you to be happy. I know you're scared, we all are in our own ways. Your use of the Elements was done out of fear, wasn't it? Tell me I'm wrong."

Celestia nodded in agreement, sniffling quietly as she looked to the floor.

"I know. I wanted to do this, I wanted to be the one to save everypony. I couldn't though. Instead I put not only Luna and myself in danger, but all of my subjects."

The changeling managed to raise himself with his uninjured leg and pushed back slightly, raising his right foreleg invitingly. Celestia jumped up onto the bed with him, accepting the hug while being cautious of his injured side.

"Thank you, Maximus. I, I don't know what I was thinking."

"Well, nobody may know what you were thinking then, but I- can you do a privacy screen?" Max asked.

The alicorn did as requested, looking at him curiously.

"Luna and Crystal are still outside the door," Max said, playing a few sex scenes in his mind when he felt Crystal pushing for information. "Anyway, I can taste your emotions, Tia, your feelings. I know you've changed how you perceive both myself and Crystal. And if you ever decide you want to give that a shot, you let me know. I'd be more than happy to help you out. I meant it when I said you were a very beautiful mare, and while I don't think you need me to make you feel as beautiful as you are, I love you. We're all a team, the four of us, and we'll do everything we need to do to keep everyone healthy, happy, and safe. If you need anything at all, you need only ask."

The mare blushed deeply and giggled, pulling him closer for a tighter embrace. She quickly backed away, stepping off of the bed and offering the changeling a ride.

"You know, I find it interesting that the last time it was you on my back," Max remarked as Celestia used her magic to help him onto her back. "Get to the door and...can you phase it out? Make it incorporeal?"

Celestia looked to the door thoughtfully, using her wings to hold him in place as she made her way to the dining room. She shook her head, making her way to the side door that led into the bathing room instead, slipping out a second door and finding Luna and Crystal both pressing their ears against the door while Crystal whispered to Luna, both mares blushing deeply. Celestia silenced her steps, moving up behind the flock's mares with a large grin. Leaning in, she whispered into Luna's ear.

"What are you listening to?"

Luna waved her away, both smaller mares giggling as they did their best to listen. Crystal gasped, here eyes widening in shock.

"And now he's-wait, how is he rutting me if I'm out here?"

"I'm just that good," Max whispered, grinning from his position on Celestia's back.

Luna and Crystal flinched, turning to find the one's who had previously occupied the room behind them. Celestia leaned closer, a smile on her face.

"Boo."