Twilight greeted her castle walls with a sigh. The freshly closed front doors locked with an audible click, and to the signal she slumped to the entryway rug. The rise and fall of her breath lulled the day's thoughts, retiring them to some cozy corner of her mind.

Her eyes fell to the rug, a burgundy fabric with decorative gold patterning and corner tassels. Ruffles from Flurry Heart rolling around on it during her latest visit spotted its surface, but it sat proudly, free of any wear or fraying. Still so vividly could Twilight see the confidence brimming in Rarity's face upon recommending the rug to her, so long ago.

Oh, but you simply must! It's hoof-woven, darling. The Saddle Arabians are proud artisans who believe that hard work begets unmatched quality. Your new castle deserves nothing short of perfection. I will get this for you myself, if I have to.

Twilight smiled, or at least that was her intention. Her facial muscles fared no better than the rest of her.

A groan rattled her throat. She inhaled sharply and balanced herself on shaking hooves - Celestia almighty, they ached. She'd given them a taste of rest, only to tear it away again. What kind of hoof parent was she?

She began to trot, but a sharp pain drew a wince. She stopped at the rug's edge and took to the air. She winced again, but the discomfort was only a seven out of ten, this time.

Flying it was.

As she toured the familiar halls on muscle memory, Twilight scanned each venue with eyes and ears at attention. A certain unicorn she knew was working overtime today at the school, but a certain dragon she knew had no such excuse.

"Spike?", she offered to the hallway, more echolocation than question. Verifying the small dragon was somewhere on her dwindling list of priorities, along with catching a quick nap before company arrived.

The corridors remained still. Though the castle's charm fell short of Golden Oaks, there was a serenity here that had grown on her. She had her own fortress of solitude, providing her a welcome quiet at the end of her all-too-often hectic days.

Of course, the more she probed the castle halls for young dragons, the higher her chances of scaring away that quiet. Locating Spike and taking a brief nap could very well end up mutually exclusive endeavors.

"Spike, Thorax should be here in about an hour or so," she called again, landing on cool crystal and finding that her hooves no longer despised her. "With any luck I'll get some time to relax beforehand. You would not believe the day I've had. I am never, ever letting Gallus and Smolder work together on a science fair project again for as long as I live. Did you know that certain ashes from the dragon lands are magic resistant, and excel as paper mache volcano eruption? It's absolutely horrific to clean up."

Still nothing. That was fine, though. The castle was a seasoned listener, and a little self recollection could work wonders on the nerves now and then. Spike was probably off taking a nap somewhere, himself. The lucky drake.

Giving a pleasant hum, Twilight enveloped her library doors in magenta magic. When the glass doors parted, her sprawling library greeted her, along with a familiar set of rose eyes.

"Oh, hey Twilight."

Her feathers puffed up in some instinctual display of surprise, and so Twilight combed them with a hoof. Thorax watched her with a contagious grin, sat in what appeared to be a fort made from pillows and chairs in the middle of the library's cozy reading section.

Reeled in by motion, Twilight drifted her gaze to a splotch of purple amidst green, and she cooed. Spike was firmly flopped between his friend's front hooves, fast asleep. An issue of Power Ponies lay open across his stomach, rising and falling with the young dragon's rhythmic snores.

"Thorax, you're early," Twilight began, cringing at her own tone before the syllables could fully pass. "I mean, Thorax, you're early! What a pleasant surprise!"

Joining the boys' curious scene, Twilight trotted the perimeter of the fort once before reentering Thorax's view. The two shared a conversation with their eyes, and Thorax's goofy grin coaxed a giggle.

"I hope you don't mind the mess," said Thorax, his cheeks threatening to redden. "I came over a little early because, well...let's just say Pharynx wasn't very amused with me today for reasons I won't get into and needed some space. Spike wanted to show me his Power Pony comics, so we thought we would wait for you in the library while we looked at them."

The changeling placed a thoughtful hoof to his chin. "You know, I don't even remember how we got on the subject of forts. Something about little ponies and a treehouse giving him inspiration?"

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle pranced before her eyes, and Twilight knowingly shook her head.

"No need to apologize," she said sweetly, skillfully commanding a nearby chair to attend her. "I built my share of forts with my brother when I was young. Bookfort Twilight once went two afternoons unassailed by the efforts of Castle Armor. Looks to me like Spike is just giving you another sample of pony culture."

Sitting upon her flank, the alicorn whimpered, enveloped in a cushiony embrace. Her head flopped back uselessly.

Oh, yes. This could stay. She labored a groan unbecoming of any living creature, let alone a princess, and the changeling ogled her.

"Long day, I take it?"

Twilight chortled. She breathed in, an autobiographical paragraph ready to spout forth, but it caught in her throat. Her mind had fogged to the onset of relief her muscles now bathed in. Essay jargon now fell somewhere just short of harrowing magic duels against centaurs in terms of difficulty.

"Yeah, something like that," would have to do for now.

"Well, please don't mind me," Thorax said. His tone mimicked the soft reassurances he so often gave his drones. He gingerly raised a hoof as to flick the end towards her. "You should relax if you're exhausted. Spike is way ahead of you."

Twilight picked up her head again rather suddenly. The changeling watched her with a selfless investment.

She grimaced. No no, this wouldn't do. She wasn't a magenta drone being dotted upon by her patriarch; she was an Equestrian princess, at present being an abysmal host.

"Goodness no," Twilight dismissed, furrowing her brow and sharpening her dulled thoughts. "You came all the way here today just to see me, Thorax, to further discuss my letter. It sounded like you may have had some concerns? Please, let's talk. I have no intention of taking a nap right now."

You liar.

Thorax fidgeted under the spotlight, the warmth in his eyes waning to anxiety. "Oh, it's not that bad, actually. I was just a little cautious when you brought up Canterlot, that's all. The changelings, they-we're making a lot of progress, but Canterlot is a...big step. I doubt there's another place in Equestria more scarred by the changelings than Canterlot."

"Scarred by Chrysalis, you mean."

Thorax curled his lip, unconvinced. Not one to be seduced by such pleasantries - at least not yet - Twilight withdrew herself from her chair and joined the changeling where he sat.

"We were there too, Twilight," Thorax said in a hush.

"Carrying out your queen's will," Twilight finished.

"Do you really think the Canterlot ponies will see it that way?" The changeling squeezed his live dragon plush and bit his lip. "We were the ones attacking them, not Chrysalis. We were the ones encasing them in slime and preparing them for long-term feeding storage in the middle of the street."

Twilight cast a coy smile. Thorax pouted.

"Okay, maybe I didn't, personally, but you know what I mean," he whined. "When the ponies of Canterlot think about changelings, our actions against them is what they'll think of. The fact Chrysalis had us under her hoof isn't going to matter. Trust me, Twilight, I know how prejudice works."

Silence trailed after his concerns, and Thorax forced a chuckle.

"Maybe this has been bothering me more than I let on," he mumbled. "Pharynx was agitated over the insomnia I had over all of this, last night. I may have woken him up a little too early for advice."

"It's true that actions speak louder than words or intentions," Twilight began, laying a hoof upon Spike's smooth, scaly head. The dragon twitched in response, but remained submerged beneath the waves of his dreams. "By that same token, though, the fact the changelings chose to move past Chrysalis, chose themselves over their queen's ambition speaks volumes. You, her successor, are actively trying to forge connections with Equestria. You see ponies as allies, as friends, not sources of food to rule over and pen up as cattle. That counts for something, Thorax, more than you give it credit for."

The changeling flicked his ears, his lavender orbs listening just as well.

"As somepony who grew up in the stingy crowds of Canterlot, I know exactly how stubborn and petty some ponies can be. I won't lie to you, I can't say there won't be ponies who won't trust you, even with the support of myself and the other princesses. I can't say there won't be other races who won't trust you. But then, concerning yourself with what others think of you isn't your immediate concern, is it?"

Thorax surrendered, both to logic and the cushions below his hooves. Twilight baked herself into a loaf and followed suit, withdrawing into the fort's shaded warmth. For a time, breaths lulled by comfort filled a space void of words. When at last Thorax smiled, Twilight had a front row seat.

"My concern is the changelings, and ensuring they're happy, safe, and have space to grow."

"If the changelings are your priority, then what's the best thing you can do in regards to political visits?"

Thorax contemplated Spike's spines for a time, tossing audible hums every so often to signal his continued thought.

"Well, I want to reach out and show Equestria we've changed, but I also don't want to rush that, for the changelings or for Equestria. For now I guess as long as I make the effort to be communicative with other nations, that's all that really matters?"

"I'd say that's fair," said Twilight. "There will always be outliers who don't trust changelings, just as there will always be those who look down on ponies, dislike dragons, or judge griffons. But as long as you are genuine and put your best hoof forward there will be many more creatures who recognize it, and accept you for it."

Thorax visibly twinged - whether from excitement or nerves, the princess couldn't tell.

"I love my brother, but you're way better with giving advice, Twilight, thank you. This is why I wanted to visit, today. Um, while we're on the subject, though, I do have a confession to make."

The offered pause did not go unnoticed, but Twilight greenlit the bug pony to continue with a nod.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't also a little scared, personally, of such a big social move for the changelings."

Up came the royal eyebrow. "How do you mean?"

"Politics take a lot out of me, Twilight," Thorax admitted in a grumble, carefully maneuvering Spike against one hoof so that he may lay his own head down. Those big, lavender orbs peered across the library floor. "Ask Pharynx, I napped for half a day after we got back from our visit with Cadance, and that was Cadance and Shining Armor, ponies I was familiar with."

"What about when I came to visit? You know me, and that was for three whole days. You didn't seem fatigued, then."

The lavender orbs fled from her point.

"That wasn't politics, Twilight, that was a friend visiting who happened to be a princess."

Oh, the eyebrow descended, alright; but only because it was counterweighted by a smirk.

"Don't tell me you're nervous about having discussions with Princess Celestia."

"No, not with Princess Celestia," Thorax mumbled. He turned and wore a grimace. "I'm nervous about discussions with Princess Celestia in Canterlot, with Princess Luna, alone. I've never even had a conversation with Princess Luna, before!"

"Oh come on, she gave you that medal during Starlight's graduation-turned-staying-home-party, didn't she?"

"Yes, and it was horribly awkward! Did you see how big and bothersome my antlers were?"

Twilight bit her lip. Debating for Luna's skill with first impressions wasn't an argument she was equipped to win. She watched Thorax measure the width of his head piece, and came to lay her own head against soft carpet.

The pleasantries had seduced her long enough. Her struggles against them would be the stuff of legend, as is. No need to delay the inevitable.

"Luna is very friendly, Thorax, I'm sure you two will get along just fine."

A defeated sound tickled her ear and she twitched it in response.

"I know, I just, I'm just overthinking the whole thing, I guess. An unfamiliar city, the politics, keeping a close eye on the changelings I bring along with me...it's a lot of things to keep track of."

Twilight beamed an unseen smile. "I'm sure the changelings will be fine without Papa Thorax for a little while."

She could picture the squirmy blush without so much as turning her head.

"How about this; you can meet with the princesses and then relax with the changelings while you explore Canterlot for the day. If I'm not particularly busy with the school that day, I'd be happy to give you a tour. I can show you where I used to live, where I went to school..."

She trailed off to see the effect of her suggestion. Thorax merely hummed again. He was like an overgrown, meek cricket.

"Well, that does sound nice. I guess if I'm not only there for the politics, the city won't be so bad," said Thorax.

"As soon as you get a group of changelings together for a trip, just send me a letter for when you'd like to schedule something," Twilight continued, allowing her eyes to close. Though her lips trudged forward with certain professionalism, her mind had long since regressed to foal-hood; to her cozy, quiet afternoon naps in Bookfort Twilight. "I'm well versed in the other princess's schedules, and I don't mind organizing a meeting for you all. I'll let them know in advance that you're looking to have a meeting, soon."

"Alright, I'll definitely keep that in mind. Thanks, Twilight. You're always so ready to help me out, I really appreciate it."

"Mhmm."

Twilight's mind treaded between the waking world of her library and the limitless potential of Luna's realm. With Thorax's concerns satiated, she was now left a prisoner of unrelenting fuzz from her library's carpet, and the various protruding pillows and blankets surrounding her on all sides from the fort's shambled wall. A portal of softness, it was, ready to shepherd her off into a blissful state of rest.

To Tartarus with modesty, it was a rest she very much deserved.

"...Twilight?"

"Mmm."

"Sorry, I hope I didn't wake you. I, uh, I just wasn't sure if you'd like me to leave or not. Would you like me to leave?"

"Mm mm."

"Was that a yes?"

Celestia help this over-considerate bug.

With two turns of her barrel, Twilight twisted herself about, until the changeling's expectant look filled her view.

"No, Thorax-why would you think I want you to leave?"

"Well, you're trying to take a nap and I wasn't sure if me being here would make it harder for you. Spike can fall asleep on command wherever but, I know you struggle with anxiety sometimes, like I do."

Butterflies hugged the sides of her stomach with warm, fluttery wings, and Twilight's cheeks dimpled accordingly.

"That's very thoughtful, but no, I'm just fine," she assured, igniting her horn to summon one of the library's throw blankets, strewn across the fort's ceiling. Like a great bat it spread its folds as wings and lay across the three of them, hugging their forms with its weight.

"You're welcome to stay as long as you want, or at least as long as you're able without the hive missing you. You're a friend before a political ally to me."

Thorax grinned. "Same here, Twilight. Well, knowing Apex and the other nymphs, my absence is already causing tantrums, but that's fine. The other adults can entertain them too, and so can Pharynx, albeit on a limited scale. I'm enjoying spending time with you guys."

The changeling shifted to the drake between his hooves. Shameless drool marked Spike's lip, but it did nothing to curb Thorax's smile.

"Somedragon is making it hard for me to go anywhere, anyway," he chuckled.

Her horn now driven by her escalating desire for comfort, another pillow merrily danced its way over to the young princess. Slowly but surely a cocoon of coziness was being formed, parts and pieces of the grand fort being plucked like bricks from a tower of Jenga.

The joke was on the fort. By the time it collapsed, they'd be too snug amidst an embrace of fabric to even feel it.

"He's been making me a little jealous lately," Twilight eventually teased in reply, settling on her side as to face the bug monarch. "Spike and I have been inseparable for as long as I can remember, but I think you've got me beat on the nap buddy front. You're very special to him, Thorax. Although he adores the friends we've come to make together, he really cherishes the friends he's made on his own."

Spike pivoted in his nest of green hooves, as if the mentioning of his name pierced through Luna's veil.

"He's special to me, too," Thorax replied softly. "If it weren't for Spike, I don't want to think how things might have turned out for me, or for the changelings. I might have never made a single friend, might have frozen in the wastes, all alone. Chrysalis might have stayed in power, and the changelings would never have discovered shared love magic. He's 'Spike the Brave and Glorious' in more than just one empire, now, that's for sure."

"And you don't need to feel jealous, Twilight," he added with pep. "If you'd like to cuddle as well, you're welcome to. Neither Spike nor I would mind."

Twilight's cheeks flushed, and she frantically secured her lip with her teeth. "Oh, uh, again, that's very thoughtful of you, Thorax. I'm fine though, I've already created a sort of burrito for myself."

The burrito wriggled for emphasis. Twilight wore a sheepish smile.

"Well alright, but burritos are welcome to cuddle too, if they change their mind," Thorax laughed.

A faraway noise pulled at their ears, something soft and pattering. Upon a glance, trails of rain now raced down the glass dome ceiling. The sun had taken refuge behind a rogue gang of clouds, freshly stacked by a team of pegasi. Their movements blurred to dashing colors through the lens of trickling water.

Twilight could feel the weight of gravity on her joints. The rain cast a spell even she had no counter for.

"Can you tell I'm used to being around changelings?"

Twilight turned. Thorax was staring at the ceiling, caught up in the whimsical behaviors of the pegasi overhead.

"I hope the offer wasn't awkward", he said. "I know ponies don't view cuddling the same way we do."

The alicorn beamed. "Why would I find it awkward? Ponies are known to cuddle too, you know."

"It's just, from what I saw in the Crystal Empire, close affection is more common in romantic partners than in friends. Friends mostly bump hooves, have short greeting hugs or have lunch together and talk about their favorite sporting events."

She giggled. What an amusing turn in the conversation.

"Well, everypony is different. If you ask Pinkie Pie to cuddle, you're probably going to get a very different response than if you were to ask Rainbow Dash."

Twilight mused each reaction of her friends as they unfolded in her head, their reaction upon being asked such a question.

"Ponies are usually pretty cuddle-friendly in general, just not from strangers," she concluded. "Like the saying goes, 'at least buy me a cider first'."

She snorted louder than she intended. Thorax looked as if he'd gravely mistranslated some delicate political message.

She coughed her attempt into obscurity. His aloofness was probably a blessing, this time.

"So, hypothetically, how many changelings do you think you'd bring?" she asked abruptly. "No pressure, of course, I'm purely curious. Do you have a limit to how many changelings you can safely look after? I know you brought eight or so to the empire."

"Hmm, no more than that amount, maybe six," Thorax replied, uncertain even of himself. "Eight was a good number for visiting Cadance and Shining Armor, but Canterlot is an even bigger spectacle. It's on a mountainside, the castle has layers to it, there's a waterfall and everything. I won't be able to keep anyling in line at all."

Twilight giggled again. "Well you definitely want to bring at least a few. I'm sure Princess Luna would be delighted to see, first-hoof how love restoration magic works. Princess Celestia said she was very intrigued by my notes on it."

"Using changeling interactions to win over others," Thorax stated with a weak laugh, dropping his eyes to Spike. "Now you're starting to sound like Spike. You're right though, I should probably prioritize changelings who don't mind being close. If it can convince others that we've changed, I definitely don't mind showing how calm and friendly we can behave, now."

Spike stirred from his dreams, clawing towards the surface with twists and turns, while Twilight's ear pinged to a melodic voice now ringing through the unseen halls.

"Spiiiiike! Princess Twiiiiiliiiiiight! Is anybody hooooooooooome???"

Twilight's hoof found her face. That would be Gabby.

"I think you already have your answer to any possible political problem," the alicorn teased, evolving from her burrito in a flash of magic. With a trot she made her way to the library door, then cast her visitor a reassuring wink. "When in doubt, just cuddle some changelings. Should work fine with just about every empathetic species. Luckily for you, you're already good friends with the Dragon Lord. I'll em, I'll be right back, Thorax. I need to tend to a friend before she gets lost."

The door creaked to a jar, and on command Spike rose from his spot, rubbing a sluggish claw along his spines.

"Oh, hey buddy ol' pal. Has Twilight shown up yet?"

"Achoo!"

"Gesundheit."

"Gratitude."

Luna tended to her snout with a levitated cloth. Celestia sipped a beverage in response.

"Did we borrow that phrase from the Germandis?"

"Yes."

"And that bit about somepony thinking of you when it occurs?"

"Canteroon," Celestia replied again, turning a page in her aged tome with a flick of her eyes. "Though in my two-thousand years I've yet to notice a definitive pattern."

"Surely the timing works out somewhere," Luna challenged, discarding the cloth to a waste bin. "Perhaps a foal is regaling their parents with the lovely dream they had last night."

A snicker grabbed her ear. She ignored it.

"I shall go this time," Luna announced, standing from her spot. With a weary eye she glanced out the window. "Should we wait any longer they'll surely knock again. One would hope that our chain of command need not be this reliant on us for such standard proceedings."

"I do love the ant colony analogy," Celestia mused, her gaze a conductor, laying down her beverage in favor of a blank scroll and ready quill. "Also, thank you. I will grab the next frantic question, should it come. With any luck this will be the last one."

Luna mumbled as she crossed the lounge's threshold, parting the double doors with a confident swing.

"Tis barely three past the afternoon, do not dare get my hopes up," she said with a grunt. "Pray tell, who are you writing to? That's not another invitation, is it? How many dignitaries could we possibly need for a mere museum opening?"

Celestia smiled. "Just extending a personal invitation to a friend. The museum opening is sure to be a populated event, but also a relatively tame one. It could be an excellent opportunity for certain allies of ours to mingle with the Canterlot populace."

The galaxy in Luna's mane swung as she turned.

"Oh, I see where this is going," she said. "Last I recall, that was another princess's job. Your faithful student taking too long for your liking, is she?"

"Just providing a little nudge, Luna," Celestia sang, finishing her letter and depositing it into the ether with a bolt of golden magic. "Twilight has a school to attend to, as of late. No harm in offering a helping hoof. Besides that, if we're to broach our plans for retirement to her and her friends anytime soon, we may want to do all we can to ensure she is as stress-free as possible."

The room paused with her, and Luna framed the open doorway.

"Fair enough," she said at last, venturing the long corridor beyond the doors. Her voice carried on the marble walls. "Should he accept, by the way, do try and be present for when King Thorax arrives. I do not wish to drown in awkward silence. Doubt I can look the changeling in the eye after my tomfoolery concerning his pincer horns."

Reeling back her head in a short fit of giggling, the sun monarch commanded the lounge doors closed with a click.

Author's Notes:

*Insert longwinded explanation of school, work and new interests taking up all his time*.

Truth be told I'm still not totally satisfied with this chapter, but seeing as it's a mirror of events from the previous chapter, it's perhaps as good as it's going to get. If I don't post it now it'll never get posted.