"-cant believe you just let me fall asleep like that! There were things I could have done, things I wanted to do and now it's breakfast time and I've not done anything!"

Maximus followed along as the solar alicorn directed a distressed stream of irritation at him. It wasn't especially bothersome, but the heat was impressive. Both in her emotions and coming off her coat. Turns out touching the sun while emotional tended to give her a solar aspect aligned with the emotion. Anger made her coat almost simmer with heat.

'Awesome 'Hey Crystal, tonight we're running an experiment. We're going to make Luna squeal before she raises the moon, prefferably close to when she has to do it.'

'Um, why?'

'Because Celestia raised the sun while angry and she's literally smoldering. I want to see if Luna glows.'

The queen was silent before an explosion of what could only be amusement struck him through the link. As Celestia slammed the doors to the dining room open and stomped over to her seat, he found Crystal doubled over in laughter.

"I trust you can explain this, Max?" Luna asked before taking a sip of tea. "Both situations?"

"Celestia's mad because I fell asleep after taking care of her wings. She wanted to get some stuff done and was up stupid early, but fell asleep when I was preening her. It was, as I said, stupid early so I fell asleep soon after. As for Crystal? Celestia's burning her cushion right now because she raised the sun while angry."

The older mare blinked, a bit of toast hanging before her open mouth at his words. She twisted, looking underneath herself before yelping, jumping off of the smoking pillow and using her magic to beat it against the floor.

"I figured experiencing a particular emotion before linking to your charge actually had a physical effect on you, maybe a climax beforehand would make you glow."

Crystal was still trying to recover from her earlier amusement, giggling even as Luna's muzzle twisted in confusion. Her eyes widened a moment later as it struck her and she giggled as well. To everyone's surprise, Celestia joined in.

"Alright. I admit that would be amusing. You will need to let me know if that works."

Luna's jaw dropped.

"Laughing at the mention of coitus? Who are you and what have you done with Celestia?"

"I was not that bad," Tia defended herself. Seeing the raised eyebrows all around the table she huffed, opting to sit on the stone floor rather than risk igniting another cushion should her temper and temperature flare again.

"Bothersome ponies, all of you. Luna, Maximus has asked that you gather some of the metals in the cavern before we fill it in. I shall begin moving the stone into position. Shall we be teleporting it down there or pushing if down Crystal's tunnel?"

"I would think the tunnel would be easier, barring a clog," Max offered. "If she smoothed it out while Luna and I look for good ore deposits we have access to, it should work well. Maybe even see about getting Rusty to help us out, at least for the deposits on the cavern floor. Could be a good first joint mission."

"We would have to share the resources gathered in that case, though. I'm not certain if that would be a good thing or not. If there are disputes between ourselves and the elders over resources so early in our relationship it could become dangerous."

Max shrugged at Crystal's warning.

"A fair point. Either way we need to do something about those metals. If needed we may be able to get Lady Sapphire to check them, but there's a difference in asking her to check the mine and asking her to check a cavern a good distance under the castle."

"Oh, that is correct. I'd nearly forgotten about Sapphire. Her horn should have recovered by now, correct? I shall speak to her, but she is currently busy sorting through that pile of gems that were recovered earlier. She was delighted to have work, but apparently raw gems are of greater value when cut. She is currently working with Glyph, who needs the gem dust for the enchantments that we were asking her for."

"Ah, I forgot about that. How is that coming along?" Max asked.

"Well since she didn't have the gem dust before, she's doing much more now," Luna giggled. "I like the idea of a magic-cooled cellar. I am surprised that the idea has not been used before."

"It may have, Luna. We lost much information and technology during the unification and the Era of Discord. Dream Valley could very well have used it," Celestia added.

"It's fine," the changeling stallion assured them. "We'll get it back. Then we'll blow it out of the water. I think we've got a solid setup here for the moment, and as long as we stay flexible, because things are going to get crazy in the future, mark my words, we'll make it through this as number one."

Max chuckled, putting his hoof towards the center of the table. Crystal was the first to recognize the gesture, quickly putting her own hoof on his with a delighted giggle. Luna followed as well, looking intrigued. Finally they all looked to Celestia.

"I suppose I must take part in this madness as well," the white mare grumped, though her face twisted into a grin as she put forward her own hoof.

"I believe the line was, One for all, all for one?" Crystal asked Maximus.

"I was going to say go team, but sure, we can use that one," Max laughed.

The smiles of the alicorns soon matched those worn by the changelings and the group broke contact, each with an idea of what they needed to accomplish.

Max hit the bottom of the cavern with a clatter of chitin on rock, his notes, quickly rewritten to a second scroll so that the originals didn't become damaged as well as keeping the notes down to just the descriptions and warnings on reactivity or dangers of the materials. Throntium for instance reacted to water, often sparking and generating enough current to hurt someone.

'Could use it, I'm certain, though it may degrade quickly if the current is used. I know we're in magic-land, but things don't change that much I don't think.'

He used some thick brushes to wipe away dirt from a shine on the floor, nodding at the bulbous surface of the metal deposit before him.

"Luna, over here. More titanium."

The alicorn flew over, a slight sheen of sweat present as she landed from her exertion. She lit the metal with her magic, cleaving the ore from the earth and teleporting it to a beaconed location set by Celestia, the white alicorn adding a new beacon after every batch of metal arrived on the surface. They'd made good time, leaving the materials to be sorted later. Celestia would be the one to transport most of it to the keep for safe keeping. While he didn't think the peasants would try to steal it, he also didn't think someone would be willing to swing a knife at Celestia.

'Shows what I know,' he snorted in amusement.

Max continued his job as junior prospector for a good while and by the time they were even half-way done Luna was hitting her limit.

"Alright, we'll call it a day," Max called to the shaking alicorn. "We'll head back up and Sunny can start dropping the first batches of rock down here. I owe you some TLC for all your hard work."

"We need this material, do we not? I am still, fit to work," she panted. She stood straighter as well, trying to appear to be in better shape but she didn't fool him.

"It's extra. We don't need it but it will help us in the long run. We don't even have a forge set up, but this will help with that as well," he explained. "Everything you pull now is something we won't need to mine or buy later. But seriously, Luna. You're exhausted and you still need to take care of the moon later. Celestia can help, you two can do your ritual, but you shouldn't kill yourself if you don't need to."

She pouted, her wings sagging in exhaustion and defeat at his words and he trotted closer, kissing her cheek.

"Come on, lets go. We've been playing in the dirt all day. We all need a bath."

The two began flying towards the exit tunnel but Max stopped, a glint of light shining off of something in the distance. He stopped, confused as it wasn't a metallic shine but wet.

"Luna, hang on."

Max landed a few paces from the shine and his face twisted into one of horror.

It was a pony.

"Oh fuck. Oh shit oh fuck, shit shit shit," he gasped, rushing to the form. Luna was close enough now for her light to give details and none were encouraging. Pulped legs, blood that was mostly dried, the young pony had been there for several hours at least. Most of the body heat had faded, leaving a flattened corpse directly under the tunnel entryway. Since the dogs were digging an alternate route now, hey wouldn't have found it either.

"What happened to him?" Luna whispered.

"Fell, from the tunnel up there. Unicorn, no wings so they fell. The tunnel was kind of steep so if they took a tumble they never would have been able to stop. Fack, I completely forgot about that. We need to rope off the tunnel, make sure nobody wanders in. Dammit, if I'd just-"

"Maximus, this was an accident. You did not go out of your way to harm ponies. One merely wandered where he shouldn't have. I shall...return the body to the peasants. The parents should at least know his fate."

Max sagged, his wings buzzing with his anger. It was obvious now that he thought about it. Hell, it was why retention ponds were all being walled off; too many little kids wandering into the water. A deep dark hole in the ground relatively close to a village? One that has enough of an incline to walk into? For pity's sake they had just removed a ton of gems and other shinies from the cave the day before, of course someone was going to try and look.

"Stop it. We are attempting many things at once, Max. I do not expect you to think of everything and accidents happen. Let Tia and Crystal know I shall be bringing up a deceased pony."

Luna pulled him into a hug before pushing him away. Not waiting for him to respond she turned to the body, pulling a large slab of stone free to use to carry the young stallion.

With one last glance at the broken body, Max took off for the tunnel again. This wasn't the kind of alterations to time he was hoping for. Who's many-greats grandfather was that? An entire line of ponies never being born because he'd forgotten to take the necessary safety precautions.

He slowed as he flew through the tunnel back to the surface, however, sending a quick ping to Crystal as well about what they had found. It was also possible the family line died out in the disaster they were currently trying to prevent.

'Luna's right. You can't think of everything. Learn and move on,' Crystal encouraged him.

'I know but it's still, I feel like I should have remembered something like this. It's a basic safety thing, but with having wings now I didn't think about it.'

Max cleared the entrance to the tunnel soon after, finding Celestia already prepared with a blanket laid out on a liter.

"Crystal has told me, how bad was it?"

"It would have depended on how he landed. Best cause scenario he died instantly. Worst case...I know he was already dead by the time we showed up, since here were no emotions in the area. Some faint traces, but there are ghost emotions all over the place. You learn to filter those out."

Max sat down heavily turning to watch as Luna arrived with the thin stone slab. She carefully pushed the pony off of it and onto the litter, wrapping the blanket around the body before chucking the bloodied stone into the tunnel behind her.

"We should either seal the entrance while we're not here or post guards. We can't have the this happening again."

"Fools, I say. I know it is different here but can you really stop a young stallion from wandering into a dragon's maw?" Crystal asked the older shape shifter. "He is young by your standard, but he is an adult by the thinking of the ponies. Do not think you allowed some foal to die, because that stallion was old enough to know better."

"While I do not approve of Crystals attitude she is correct. He was old enough to know better. Old enough to process the risk of wandering into a small hole in the ground. We shall find out if there is any family in town. Unicorns stay with their families a little longer, from what Celestia has told me."

Turning to the older alicorn, Luna smiled softly.

"Tia, would you accompany me?"

The white mare nodded, picking up the litter in her magic and following Luna back to town. For his part Max wanted nothing to do with the situation but knew it wouldn't be the last body he came across.

'No rules, no laws but what we enforce. Scarier than you would think, actually. I'm so used to laws enforcing some basic decency I don't know how to react when they don't exist.'

'That's why you have family. Those who you know will protect you,' Crystal offered, pressing into his side. 'Even in the village I attacked death was common. They lost four ponies even as I made my plans to take the town. Do not forget that. There are no hospitals; Cracks workplace is a M.A.S.H. at best, though less equipped and with poorer staffing. Education here was minimal. Medical technology is all but nonexistent. Defense technology is okay for this time, especially when we add unicorn magic but that only barely puts it above your own world's abilities at this point.'

'Even the most powerful humans did not create their empires overnight, Maximus. While Mother was not patient even she knew this. The hive was powerful but it was also at least a century old, likely more.'

The smaller shape shifter gave him a quick nuzzle before moving towards the hole in the ground, sizing it up.

i]'We are done for the day, correct? I shall seal it.'

Max watched in fascination as the queen began lining the outer ring of the tunnel with a thin layer of resin before blasting it with a fiery burst of magic to solidify it. Once she'd covered about a foot in depth she began to try to put a thin film over the entrance. Emphasis on the word try.

'I could use some help. I don't have enough resin.'

"Can you teach me to do this?" He asked her.

'Certainly. Start by spitting some resin right here and thin it out along the outer ring of the entrance. Then you run a quick wash of magic over the film to harden it. Now at this thickness it won't hold up to a weapon or an adult pony pressing into it, but it will definitely keep out your main concern, little foals. Okay, next I want you to catch the next bit of resin in your magic. You need the start adding to what's already there in a circle, flashing it hard after every ring. Good, now run magic, just like that.'

Celestia landed heavily outside the new storage area that had been completed only a few days ago. The runes on the wall were still a work in progress and thus were not empowered, allowing Max and Crystal to enter the cellar in relative comfort. The male's ears perked at the alicorn's landing, walking to an unused corner and lighting it with his magic, all while making notes on his ghetto clipboard. Seriously, a slab of wood with an improvised clamp holding the paper to it and the ponies found it a wonderful invention.

'They'd cream themselves at the thought of a decent pen.'

His charcoal stick flashed over his paper as he took notes of the metals and the amounts being stored, many of them still raw or loaded with dirt. They would need to be refined but the village had neither the time nor the facilities to do so.

'Maybe we could just wing it. I mean I know what a forge is supposed to look like.'

The entire wait for the forge was getting to him. It was something they should have had within a week of setting up here. Instead they were going on three years since Celestia and Luna defeated Discord and created this home. If this was a video game, he'd be calling them all newbies for lack of foresight.

'I razz those girls enough as it is though. Not going to bitch at them for something they didn't anticipate. Not when they thought the nobles had their backs.'

Celestia dropped the ore with a grunt, the heavy metals and constant exertion now taking its toll on her. Luna had tried offering to help with the transportation but all three of the larger beings had sent her to the keep, Max even ordering her to drink water or tea to rehydrate.

"This is nearly all of it," the solar mare panted. "One large chunk of titanium remains. The Knights have already gathered the smaller bits of metal and gems on a wagon and are bringing them here using Lady sapphire's wagon."

"Isn't that the one Flint tried to steal?"

"The same. Perhaps that is why she was so willing to allow us to use it. She was unconscious while it was being stolen and would have never known."

"Leave the last chunk, Tia. We're calling it a night."

"But the metal-"

Max laughed.

"If a pony manages to walk off with half a ton of titanium, with no footprints or drag marks, the little shit deserves it. You and Luna killed it today, it's time to grab dinner and get ready for bed."

She wrinkled her nose in frustration but nodded, her wings sagging in exhaustion.

"Very well. I will not argue that I have not exerted myself like this in a long time. Luna and I still have yet to change to sun and moon."

"Honestly we've done more in a single day than most species would be able to do in several days, if not a week."

Making a note in his papers, Max nodded and started towards the door.

"I may try to set up a forge on my own. We've got to get this done. Is there a town nearby we can visit besides the duke's?"

Celestia hummed in thought as she followed along behind him, closing the door to the storage room as she left.

"I believe there was a mare by the name of Copper Road that was nearby as well. It's a bit farther than Silverblood Keep and not as big but it should be viable. You should take Luna when you go there. She would be a better option until I...complete my recovery."

"You're most of the way there, Tia. You'd be fine to go if you'd like. In fact I think it would be good for you. You like talking to others, right? That's going to be half of this trip, talking to Miss Road and setting up a possible trade agreement between this village and her own. In fact I suggest that we bring some samples of the metals we recovered as proof we're legit; that we actually intend to trade. We may also be able to learn about Silver and why he's got it out for you two."

"Why don't you stay with us tonight, too. We'll get all the washing done and I'll see to it that you girls get another massage. You're probably going to be sore tomorrow, even if it was just magic you were flexing."

"That would be nice, but I'm certain she was looking forward to spending time with you, and I do not wish to-"

He looked back at her, his smile becoming devious.

"Oh, you are horrible. I will stay for the bathing and the massage but then I'll leave you all to your night. You will need the love for the trip, even if you can supplement it with friendly affection and interactions on the way."

"Oddly enough, Crack and Flick have been storing a ton of emotion lately. As drones they burn less energy than Crystal and I do on an average day. That means that the simple camaraderie they feel with the Knights and servingponies here is more than enough to sustain them. It's amazing how much they've stored in all honesty. Maybe I can borrow some for the trip."

"I do not believe they will object. After all, you were the one who allowed them to make this life."

Max shrugged.

"I'm still going to ask. Never assume someone's going to give you something. That goes double if you need it badly. Otherwise you could end up in a bad way, especially if something bad happened and now they need it. I mean, there are possibly other changelings out there so-"

"There are, sir," Flick said quietly, buzzing her wings in nervousness as she landed beside him.

"A few drones have started gathering nearby. They can smell the honey we've been keeping but they also saw Crystal and it worries them. She wasn't the nicest proto queen but one was an infiltrator like myself. He contacted me and asked for information, like why I'm not using a disguise. They're scared, sir, but they're also lost and hungry. Can we help them?"

Celestia cocked her head thoughtfully, a smile forming on her lips.

"I do not see why not. You have done no harm. Just ensure these new drones are aware of this rule, that harming ponies by overfeeding is not tolerated."

"It also causes the ponies to feel less to you," Flick said, nodding. "I got excited once and drained a knight a little too much. I, I worked his shift while he recovered as an apology. He didn't taste the same for a few days after that, like he was afraid."

The changeling drone's ears wilted at the memory.

"It wasn't a good experience. He forgave me, but he still doesn't taste the same

"We can meet them tomorrow. As petitioners, actually. Have them approach the Keep for an audience with Celestia and Luna. Petition for citizenship, for the right to join the townsponies here."

"Some of them will want a hive, sir."

Max paused at that. It was still something he was getting used to, having someone with access to his thoughts. Crystal was fiercely loyal though and wouldn't hurt him. The same couldn't be said of the drones.

"What does expanding a hive like that include, Flick?"

"I don't know, sir. I've never dealt with the hierarchy involved. You and Crystal though, you're physically different from us. I've never really tried to pull information from a queen. I don't know how it works."

"Can a drone disconnect after a connection has been made?"

It was like he'd offered her an early Christmas present.

"You'd let me choose? You'd let me leave if I didn't like being in your link?"

"Flick, I thought you'd realize by now that I don't think like that. I've never demanded you serve me, never demanded a link, I've never even demanded the extra honey you and Crack stock up on. In fact I was going to ask if I could use some for a trip."

She nodded, her wings carrying to his barrel as she latched onto him.

"As much as you need. Thank you, thank you so much! I was so worried you'd just forgotten or assumed it was yours like the queens always did. I'm sorry I doubted your kindness, anything you need sir, I'll do anything-"

"Whoa, Flick. Calm. Did you make sure those drones out there are fed? You can spare some extra honey until we can talk to them, right? Then tomorrow we'll talk about the hive. I may need Crystal's help with that. She's the one who linked to me after all."

"I still have those jars you gave us to store as well. We have so much right now, it's wonderful! I'll take two jars out with Crack, is that acceptable? I'll tell them you're the hive leader, not Crystal. That Crystal listens to you and the large blue mare."

Flick pressed her face into his chest once more, torn between crying and laughing.

"I won't let you down, sir. I'll talk to them, they'll be ready to see you when you want. Will you be bringing one of the large ponies?"

"Bring Luna, Maximus. It will settle their minds seeing the affection she feels for you."

"You're getting pretty potent yourself, Tia. I do agree though. Luna, maybe Crystal if it doesn't bother them too much. I'd prefer to bring her since she's part of the family."

Flick nodded quickly.

"I understand, sir. I'll speak to them. I can't tell you where they are, they made me promise not to, but some will come to speak when you are ready."

Max nodded and the drone buzzed off, squealing happily as she went to speak with the new changelings.

"Could make things interesting for certain. Kind of worried how a hive will impact me though," he said to the white alicorn.

"I am certain you shall find a way to adapt. I am uncertain I could have achieved the level of comfort you have found in your new form as quickly."

Max stepped closer, pulling her into a hug.

"You nut, you weren't comfortable with your own body to begin with. I was. It may be different but it's still mine and as soon as I figure everything out about it I'll be good to go."

Celestia sighed.

"Very well. Now I'm hungry and it is almost time for sunset. Let's go."

The changeling perked at her words.

"Shit, I'd nearly forgotten!"

Not waiting for a response, Max took off at top speeds, pinging Crystal and sending her to Luna's room.

'It's time to science this shit up!'

Crystal laughed at his enthusiasm over the link.

'Yea science!'

Celestia scowled as a large changeling nose poked into the dining hall. She was famished after her long day and had ended up barely receiving much help from Luna during their ritual, though there were now other magics mixed in as well, the changelings providing their own power to supplement the power of the alicorns. Now she was sitting at the table, food prepared for a very late dinner, while she waited on Luna.

There was some hushed giggling and the muzzle darted back out the moment the stallion's eye caught sight of her. Then the door was pushed open and a furiously blushing Luna was corralled into the room by the rest of her flock.

"Ta-da!" Max declared, splaying his forelegs while gesturing to the blue mare.

Celestia squinted in the crystal light, she could just barely make out a faint aura of light around-

Max, seeing her focus, proceeded to snuff the lights with his magic and dropped the light level even more. The results were as amusing as they were beautiful.

As he'd postulated, Luna did indeed glow with a beautiful light of her own, her blush appearing as an even brighter glow around her cheeks. The moon of her cutie mark was a vibrant white, while the flowing mane twinkled in the dark. The changeling was right; Luna glowed.

"Beautiful, isn't it? Just when I thought she couldn't get any better I find out she's got a built-in night-light mode," Max chuckled, pulling the embarrassed alicorn into a hug.

"It is... beautiful. You look lovely, Luna."

The younger alicorn perked at that.

"You mean that, Tia?"

"I do. I am not comfortable sharing that connection with you, but you do look lovely. I dare say that your flock's experiment may be considered a success. We should endeavor to remain calm during our ritual. It could be slightly dangerous should our charges imbue us with powerful magics upon contact. I burned that pillow, Luna. While this particular situation is amusing, be cautious."

"Thanks, Celly," Max said, moving to his seat. "So after this a bath, preening and a massage for the hard working ladies, then bed. Sound right?"

Celestia nodded as she finally dug into her meal. She felt absolutely ravenous. She chomped loudly, her ears beginning to burn as she slowed. Both changelings were watching in amusement while Luna's glow was increasing in intensity once more.

"Grace," Crystal muttered, giggling in amusement as Max tucked into his own dinner at a much more sedate pace.

"Eat, eat. It's why we're here. You two missed lunch and busted your butts. The night's yours," he assured them.

Though she continued to eat, it was now at a more reasonable pace. Stars above, it was a good thing Luna's glow was the primary source of light in the room or they would have been able to see her very un-princess-like blush. The last time she had let herself eat like that was before she and Luna had ascended.

She tucked away another plate of vegetables, not bothering to savor the taste. She was too hungry. More bread, some cheese. A glass of tea disappeared down her throat, the warm liquid doing what her spit couldn't keep up with and helping to wash down the meal. More bread, this time not even buttered. Still her belly demanded more, her energy needed to be replenished after such a long day.

She heard Crystal muffling laughter, but didn't pay it any mind. Luna was stuffing her face as well, her own body screaming for food after such a large display of power.

"Hey, must be the magic," Max muttered, taking an empty cup and choking into it. Celestia's ears perked even as she began eating her third helping.

"Drink up, Luna," he said with a smile, offering the smaller alicorn a glass of changeling honey.

She watched curiously as Luna slowed in her eating long enough to down the glass of emotion. The other mare hummed in delight as the magic-saturated liquid entered her gullet, and her eating actually slowed.

"I don't understand," Celestia mumbled before her eyes widened. "It is the magic, isn't it? But-"

"It's probably why you're hungry," Max guessed. "I mean, have the two of you ever burned that much magic in a single day?"

"Not since Discord. And even then our battles were often quick and decisive...with the draconequus hoofing us our flanks most of the time," Luna said, her muzzle screwing up in irritation at the memory.

"Well, you two just burned more energy in a single day than most people do in a week. Does it really surprise you your bodies need to restore that energy? Look at the bright side. This means you can eat as much as you want without worrying about getting fat. Do you know how many mares back home would kill for a metabolism like that?"

"All of them," Crystal said, bursting into a fit of giggles.

"Its like my molting. It's a part of who you are. The alternative would be keeping either a ton of honey or a ton of mana-gems or something like that, gems you store magic in for later use. In the meantime eat, you deserve it. And Tia, you're looking for high-energy things. That includes sweets."

Celestia's eyes widened in delight. She'd always enjoyed sweets but remembered that too many could be harmful. Not to mention wasteful. However this time she had a reason to eat them; she'd get more out of sweet things than most ponies would, actually.

A second choking sound from Max raised her eyes from her plate to see the stallion now holding half a glass of white fluid, which he offered to her.

"It's not love so it's not as potent, but it should help take some of the bite off of your hunger."

The white alicorn stared at the liquid the stallion was offering with a hint of disgust but it quickly disappeared. It wasn't...it was honey. It wasn't like he was offering her a glass of vomit, even if she felt as if that was the case. The honey was magically charged, sweet as well surprisingly enough, though she couldn't for the life of her understand why. Looking to her plate even as she contemplated a forth serving of dinner or maybe even a fifth, she took it in her magic

"It won't make me act too silly again, will it?"

"It may. Some of it is going to be your emotions this time, but you're consuming a lot more. While I don't think it will be totally incapacitating like it was that first time it won't be as effective as what I gave Luna either."

She stared at the glass, taking it in her magic and swirling it slightly, watching the glowing gel with unease. It could leave her a bit dizzy or silly, depending on the intensity of the emotion. Then again it would be better than gorging herself like her body was demanding. She couldn't remember being this hungry before but even against Discord the two alicorn's had never used so much magic.

'Likely because by the time we brought our power to bear we had already lost. That and the he battles were quick and decisive.'

Never before had the mares worked so long and so hard.

'No, that is not completely correct. When Luna and I raised the stone for the Keep, when we formed it the process exhausted us. We ate and slept for a good while after that.'

With a sigh, Celestia downed the honey, smacking her lips at the strange sweetness as she knew what it was. There was no physical reason for emotion to be sweet. Maybe that's why dealing with the changeling was so frightening his connection with Luna and his obvious concern for the two of them helped but...okay maybe frightening was the wrong word. Frustrating? Perhaps confusing was a better word.
The room slowly became a bit fuzzier and Celestia was thankful she had already done her celestial duties for the night otherwise there would likely be problems; she wasn't sure if she trusted herself with that kind of spell in this condition.

"Don't worry, Tia. We'll get you bathed and in bed after dinner. Just finish eating."

She nodded, a giggle escaping her lips as a little bit of fuzziness started to seep into her mind. She was still kind of hungry, but it was fading a little now. She took another bite of her meal, only now realizing how full she was feeling. A wonderful sensation, now that she thought about it. It meant they had food. Luna was full from the contented sigh her fellow ruler released, Celestia felt full, the changelings were well cared for, her Knights, her servingponies, her peasants; all were well supplied with food and water was being seen to both with the irrigation and the new well. She had a warm bed, she was loved...

This also wasn't the first time she'd felt fuzzy in his presence. Max had been with her after her first blooded battle, had become drunk with her and nothing untoward had occurred in spite of her weakness. With Luna nearby as well as Max's concern with her wellbeing, she could relax a little. She could trust them to take care of her.

She didn't need to fear these ponies.

Max rubbed in a methodical way as he worked his way down Luna's back. The entire area around her wings was tense from exertion and it apparently felt great. She was putty under his hooves, as was Celestia nearby.

Crystal was currently the one tasked with the older mares care, Max seeing it as both an excellent time for Crystal to work with the white alicorn as well as a time that Celestia wouldn't complain too much. The Tia was still a bit high, her dopey grin as she melted into the bedding hilarious when compared to the pout Crystal was wearing. Still, the changelings had been relegated to support roles for the day, passing information between the princesses in a way that wouldn't be technologically feasible for hundreds of years. Not only that it may be more secure; it was complicated enough to decrypt electronic communications after all, how much more complicated was the link that joined the two shape shifters?

Max slowed as he worked Luna's shoulders and approached her wings. The muscles were tense but they were also sensitive. Not just to touch, either, but to everything they experienced. Wind, temperature, sudden shifts in air currents, the wings needed every bit of sensitivity they could muster. It also meant they could be used to set off an excited mare once you knew what you were doing. Or at the least, you could mess with them until you learned how they worked. That ran the risk of either irritating the pony attached to said wings, or causing an orgasm.

"Such horrible risks we run," he muttered softly, gently rubbing up to the base of the wings.

Luna mewled softly under his touch, the dozing mare's wings twitching slightly as he slowly and gently ran his hooves over the base of the powerful muscles.

'Jerk! Leaving me to deal with her while you play with Luna!'

'It's not dealing with her, Crys. It's building that all-important relationship and trust. She knew the honey would leave her a little silly but she trusts us to take care of her while she's buzzed. Because you're the one watching her, she knows you're trustworthy as well. I'm not going to lie, you may get stuck watching out for her when Luna and I leave to work out a trade deal with Lady Copper. We need you to watch her back while we're gone, give her someone to trust as well as a way to communicate with us. Otherwise she'd be alone here.'

'There are ponies all over the place, she isn't-'

'Do you feel like your not alone when you walk through the halls, Crystal? I feel kind of lonely. Some are nice, sure. But it's not the same as a solid relationship. It's just not enough for her. She doesn't want someone who will see to her every whim or fulfill her orders. She needs someone to be there for her. She's going to need support.'

'Maximus, that mare just moved enough tonnage to compare with those large buildings you've shown me. She also did this on top of her normal duties, which happen to be raising the damn sun and then setting it in the evening. She fucking moves a giant ball of fire, Max!'

'Crystal, she was using the Elements of Harmony to keep her emotions in check because she didn't trust anyone. Not even Luna. She doesn't need you to physically protect her, but you should be ready to help her mentally.'

The proto queen slowed in her motions, her eyes lighting with understanding.

'Covering weaknesses. This is what you were talking about, isn't it? I watch her when she's emotionally weak and she'll physically protect me with...with the power she was using today.'

'That's pretty much it, but it goes a bit farther. You don't do it because you want them to help, it's not a quid-pro-quo. If Luna and I were to disappear tomorrow she'd be crushed, and so would you. You would need to rely on each other. Comfort each other. That's what Celly's been missing. She has no friends, she has no confidante. Listen to what she has to say and if she asks you not to mention it don't. There is only one exception, Crystal. Can you tell me what it is?'

He felt the queen reaching for his memories but pushed against her, a smile forming on his face.

'Come on, Crystal, use that lump of mush between your ears. Why would I ask you to break her trust? Trust is important, so what's more important?'

Crystal buzzed her wings, drawing a sigh from the alicorn she was massaging as the vibrations were carried into Celestia's back.

'Her life.'

'Exactly. If you see or hear something that makes you worry she may hurt herself, you let me know immediately. I think she's past that but there's a reason I don't want to leave her alone.

'Besides, you've been spending all this time with Luna. It's my turn.'

Crystal pouted a bit more as he nuzzled into the blue alicorn's neck, drawing a happy sigh at the affection from his charge. The smaller changeling wasn't upset at the notion of caring for the white pony though, just his teasing. It brought a smile to Max's face. She was learning, they were all improving every day. Luna was happy and Celestia was stabilizing. Crystal was becoming more intelligent, often times drawing directly from his experiences when she was uncertain of how she should proceed.

'Must be nice, being able to learn so quickly,' he thought to himself while trying to shield the thoughts from the queen. She didn't respond so either she wasn't paying attention or it worked. Maybe one day he'd figure out why he wasn't panicking from the idea of the young mare pulling from his experiences. He was fairly certain such a reaction wasn't exactly normal, even if the one he was mentally linked to didn't seem fully matured at times.