A week had passed since Imago had awoken in Fluttershy's cottage, and the lack of love was taking its toll. Fluttershy had fed him, and he had eaten, but the food had tasted like cardboard in his mouth. It had an utter lack of flavor, and a weight in his stomach that felt uncomfortable in its uselessness. He attempted to hide his weakening state, keeping a happy face for the kind pony's sake, but he felt it. After the second day of his awakening, he had insisted that he slept on the floor, while Fluttershy reclaimed her bed, an idea that was met with more resistance than he had expected. After assuring her that the wooden floor reminded him of home and made him feel more comfortable, she relented, and took her bed back. What he told her was mostly true. While the cold floor did make him think of home, it wasn't perfect. Still, it was nicer than the big fluffy bed.

It had become an unspoken rule between the two that Imago was housebound and to remain out of sight from other ponies. Fluttershy hated lying to her friends, but she knew now wasn't the time to show them the Changeling. Imago had proven friendly enough, but she was still scared around him. But he was a creature in need, despite what his kind had done.

At one point, Fluttershy headed into town in search of Rarity. She needed to cancel her weekly spa date with her, just to be safe. Imago hadn't needed to be fed, but occasionally he needed help clearing the stairs and she'd just feel more comfortable helping speed his recovery along. On her walk back from the boutique, she began thinking.

'What will I do? I mean...he's going to heal up. And he's a Changeling. The others were so mean...But, he doesn't seem all that bad. Could that be because he's hurt? Thank goodness Rarity was so understanding. Hm." Shaking her head once, Fluttershy stopped at her door, bumping one hoof to the top of the other. "No! I have to help him. I promised I would. What I'll do afterward will just have to wait." She put on her most confident smiled and opened the door. "Hello everyone! Hi Angel, Ima-" She cut herself off with a shout of fear and surprise. The male she was referring to was on the floor in the center of her house, eyes closed. The way he was laying seemed unnatural. Rushing to his side, she put a hoof on his shoulder, shaking him once. When he didn't respond, Fluttershy began to panic. Was he ok!? What happened?

"I-Imago?" She asked, her voice barely rising above a whisper. When he didn't respond, she steeled herself, and tried again. This time, her voice rose to normal speaking levels. "Imago, wake up." She coupled this with shaking him again. The Changeling stirred, opening a single eye halfway. He shook his head, attempting to rise.

"S-Sorry", He said quietly. The changeling hadn't been very vocal with the pony. Fluttershy knew this was because he still distrusted her, but there was something else in his voice, something she didn't recognize before, and she was near slapping herself for not realizing it until now. The weak way he moved, his increased sleeping, his shaking…

Imago was starving to death.

B-But how!? Fluttershy had been making sure he was eating, and while he never seemed to enjoy the food, he always ate everything she gave him. She watched him move with newfound horror, his starvation glaringly obvious now.

“I-Imago!” She said, hoping her voice carried any amount of the disappointment and worry that she was feeling. He winced, looking over to the mare with a guilty, weak smile. “H-have you not been eating!?” It was a silly question. She’d seen him eating, but still… Imago gave a soft chuckle.

“…You could say that…”

“Why not?” She asked, aiming for angry, but only concern coming forth.

“…Do you forget what I am?” He said slowly. “I am a Changeling. I cannot survive on your food. You know this, Fluttershy. You heard what your Princess Cadenza told you...” Fluttershy lowered her head, ashamed. She had remembered what was said, that Changelings feed off of love. However she, as all the others, had assumed that Changelings only stole love to grow stronger, not to survive. She felt so terrible, allowing her prejudices to almost let a poor creature starve. She had to make this right! Bringing her head up, she looked to Imago, who had made his way onto the couch with his head sinking sadly onto the head-rest, and focused every last bit of attention on him. Mustering up every last bit of assertiveness and courage in her body, she still could scarcely more than breathe the words…

“I-I…..I-…loveyou…”

Imago blinked at the kind mare, unsure he'd heard her right. She loved him? Of course, even a nymph could've sensed the lack of emotion behind her words.

"...You didn't really think that would work?" He asked, unable to keep the humor out of his voice. Fluttershy frowned.

"I-I do!" She insisted. "Y-you need love to eat, right? S-So, I do.."

"Fluttershy... Even if I couldn't sense your emotions, I feed off of love. I can tell." As he explained, Fluttershy seemed to deflate. "It has to be genuine love, of any kind. Parental, fraternal, romantic, I've even heard of some Changelings eeking out a life on the love of a pet." The commander didn't know why he was telling the mare this, explaining the feeding habits of his people, but it couldn't hurt, he supposed.

"Love of a pet?"

Imago nodded.

"If the story is true, that is." Fluttershy looked down, her bangs covering her face, obscuring her thoughts. Suddenly, her head snapped up, her eyes alight with joy, and rushed out of the room. Imago only had enough time to question what the butter yellow pony was planning before she rushed back in, flying with a bundle of white fur in her arms. Gently depositing the fluff-ball by Imago's side, she landed and watched with a large smile on her face. The bundle of fluff looked up to the black creature on the couch, the eyes of the kitten meeting the large blue multi-celled eyes of the Changeling. Then, without a further thought, she rubbed against him, showering the creature with love. Imago had to admit, the feeling of weakness was slowly beginning to fade. The love from the kitten would be enough to sustain him, but not make him comfortable. He'd still have to hunt to feel full. Even as he thought, the kitten nuzzled him, tucking under his uninjured forearm and quickly fell asleep, love and trust emanating from the animal.

Imago blinked, looking at the animal, unused to the feeling coursing through him. Still, his hunger, though no-where near sated, was no longer threatening to consume him. Fluttershy watched the kitten sleep, even as the Changeling gingerly stroked her head, and lay his own down, idly wondering how a creature she once thought to be evil and monstrous could make such an adorable scene, lying with a kitten.