“Hey, Amber,” I said as I entered the galley of the airship, surprised to see the Changeling in such a place. Changelings didn’t really care for normal food.

She looked up from the cup of hot chocolate before her, “Feel better, sir? You slept for most of the day.”
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“Much, thank you,” I said and started to open and close lockets. Now if I was a ship cook, where would I keep the tea?

Pausing, I looked over towards her, “...What are you doing here?”

“Drink, sir.”

I nodded, “Hot chocolate?”

“Yes, sir.”

Chocolate is one of those foods that Changelings actually enjoyed on some levels. But I had not really seen Amber going for it before.

“...Are you sure you are okay?” I asked as I put the kettle on the magically heated plate.

“I’m fine, sir.”

I frowned and looked at the changeling, her nose almost into the cup on the counter. She really, really didn’t look okay.

“No, you’re not,” I said and moved up to her, “What’s wrong?”

She sighed, “I failed, sir.”

I shook my head, “No, you didn’t fail, Amber. What happened? I’m guessing you got piled on by a dozen ‘lings.”

“...Pretty much, sir,”

“Exactly,” I said, “No ‘ling could be expected to manage that,” before I sighed, “...In all honesty, it wasn’t a fair task for you in the first place.”

Amber blinked at me, “Sir?”

“Guarding an Alicorn,” I clarified and jumped to sit up on the chair next to her, “...Kinda silly, isn’t it? I mean, if there is an Alicorn level threat, what could we possibly expect you to do about it?”

I may be the weakest Alicorn, but the weakest Alicorn was still an Alicorn. Anything that came after me, would be ready to fight an Alicorn. To expect any guard to stand against that was just stupid.

A legion of them, yeah. But one or two? That’s just unreasonable.

“No need to worry about that now, sir,” Amber said and looked down into her hot chocolate, “Princess Skitter has resigned me back to my old tasks.”

I blinked at her in surprise, “What?”

“Didn’t keep you safe, sir,” she said and shook her head, “Should have noticed them, should have warned you.”

“Yeah, that won’t work for me,” I said and shook my head, getting off the chair and taking the now boiling water off the stove. “Not your fault. I’m going to talk to Skitter about it, get you assigned back.”

Amber shook her head, “No, sir. Better that you get a better guard.”

“None of that,” I said as I poured the water into the teapot before adding enough tea to make it technically a solid, “You are very good at your job. Anyone, ‘ling, pony or otherwise can do absolutely everything right and still fail. Not your fault.”

Putting a cup on the table, I returned with the teapot, “Amber, you didn’t fail. Not only did you do your job as well as anyone possibly could, but I’m here and fine. Everypony and everyling is fine.”

She didn’t seem overly convinced by that as she sniffed at her chocolate.

I smiled at her and poked her side with my wing, “Besides, what would I ever do without you with me, Amber? Would I have any idea what meetings I had?”

“...No, sir.”

“And would I have any clue about where? Or even with who?” I asked her with a smile, “Would I have any idea where I put anything? Or how to get anywhere?”

That actually got a small smile from the changeling, “No, sir.”

“See? I couldn’t possible handle things without you,” I said with a smile, “Amber, I don’t want another ‘ling following me around. Princess Skitter picked you to start with for a reason and those reasons still stand. I’ll talk to her… unless you absolutely don’t want to stay? I wouldn’t force you.”

Amber buzzed her wings for a second, “...I’d like to stay, sir.”

“I’ll talk with Princess Skitter then.”