private Huggo-Buggo Friendship Airship - 1x1

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

OOC Link: https://mlpforums.com/topic/182973-huggo-buggo-friendship-airship-ooc-1x1/

@~C. Discord~

As the sun shined down on the land an airship was making its way towards the kingdom of the changelings. Loaded with a cargo designated as 'urgent' for the changelings themselves the ship stayed steady as it floated towards the castle. At the helm was the silvery-white pegasus Corsair; captain of the ship and leader of its crew. "Lookout! How close are we to the changeling docking rig," he asked with a proud air, always happy to be in the ship on course for its next destination.

"A bit aways Captain," answered Zipper; the lookout of the ship. "Keep her on course; we should reach the dock in a few minutes. The changeling receivers should be out soon to guide us in!"

"Very good Zipper," Corsair complimented. "Crew! Ready the cargo! Let's get the changelings' supply ready to deliver. It shouldn't take long to unload what's due."

"You never stated just WHAT was in those crates; Captain," stated Gypsy, a griffin and second in command. "They were unusually light."

"You'll find out soon; I think you'll be surprised," he said with a grin and a wink, leaving the griffin confused. "Quartermaster Trailblazer; status of the cargo?"

The slim, golden-eyed deer looked up from the lower deck. "Cargo is ready to go. We'll be ready to unload as soon as we dock."

"Captain," yelled the changeling lookout. "Receivers incoming; we're very close!"

Corsair nodded with a grin. "All right; let's get to it," he said, steering his ship.

[NavelColt 22,880]

"Prince Pharynx, an airship has arrived - it's been identified as Captain Corsair's crew. Receivers are on their way to the ship dock area, now!"

His lavender eyes tracing along the approaching airship, a dark blue changeling narrowed his gaze as he stepped into a nearby windowsill's casted light. His blood orange antlers gleamed in the sun, contrasted to his dark carapace, and with a curled lip he turned to the small orange drone grinning at him so readily. "Thanks, Scapus, I can see that. Be sure the receivers have enough help, I'm not sure how much cargo they have for us, let alone what it is. My brother's only referred to it as a 'community gift', whatever the heck that means."

"Yes, Prince Pharynx!", Scapus replied with pep, trotting excitedly in place for a few moments before dawning a realization. "Oh, wait, I haven't seen King Thorax all morning. Shall I inform him of the delivery?"

Pharynx rolled his eyes. "I'll find him, he's probably off consoling a nymph or something. He should at least be present for his delivery so he can enlighten us on what it is. Inform the ground units that we're expecting a landing, I need security present for everyone's sake."

Nodding his head, the orange changeling buzzed his wings and left the room in a flash. Left to his thoughts, Pharynx stared out the window. A half-dozen changelings now beelined for the approaching airship, slowly orbiting around its hull until reaching the present crew on board.

"I swear, if you got a privateer airship delivery for anything short of practical I will kill you, Thorax," the changeling grumbled, trotting from the room.

--

"Hello, captain," came the sudden voice of an emerald drone, appearing alongside the ship's command deck. "Welcome to the Changeling Kingdom! Follow us to our docking bay. Well, what we're using as one right now, anyway. Kinda still under construction if I'm to be honest!"

"Ugh, you're too chatty, Petallia," came an exasperated voice on the opposite side of the ship. "Just greet and beckon. Greet. And. Beckon."

Petallia wore a sheepish smile. "Whoops, sorry, it's my first day on receiving! Uh, anyway, we'll lead you in, captain."

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

As much as he enjoyed being part of a crew on an adventure or even a run-of-the-mill delivery, the red changeling Zipper was still excited to see other changelings again. As he watched the receivers approach a big smile appeared on his face.

"Seems like you've missed your homeland, hmm," mused the female zebra Zira, sitting a little behind the changeling. "You know, a lot of us haven't really felt like returning to our homes with you as an exception."

Zipper sighed, though he couldn't blame Zira for the thought. "Yeah, I may have left the kingdom for other pastures, but I still have a fondness for the place, as well as King Thorax, who keeps sending me letters, always seemingly worried about me." He gave a nervous chuckle to the zebra.

Laughing, Zira responded, "I think it's cute, actually! Thorax seems to really love appreciate those around him, unlike the previous administration."

"Zira! Get ready; we'll be unloading as soon as we dock," yelled Trailblazer from afar.

Zira nodded back at him. "Talk to you later Zips," she said as she trotted to the deer and the hippogriff in the hold. Zipper sighed and kept his focus up front as the other changelings made their way towards Corsair.

-------

Corsair was about to respond to the one changeling, but only chuckled at the exchange between the two. "All right; lead us in! We'll follow as instructed," he said back to them, then looking at his second in command, the black griffin Gypsy. "You still seem a little pensive."

"It's nothing Captain," said the exasperated griffin. "I'm still not too sold on the lovey-dovey-ness here, but hey, that's just the griffin in me. You'd have the same if a dragon were a crew member."

"Fair enough," he responded, looking forward as he steered his ship.

[NavelColt 22,880]

Continuing their fluid flight formation, the half-dozen drones lowered their altitude, guiding the ship ever closer to the ground. Awaiting them down below was an even larger group of changelings, all of them curiously watching the ship grow closer. Many drones sported excited grins, lifting their hooves or buzzing impatiently a few feet off the ground.

"Just a little lower now," Petallia called out, rotating a hoof. "Maybe spin just a bit to your right, the left side isn't aligned yet."

"Um, port-side, Petallia," a cobalt drone called out from above the deck, "the term is port-side."

Petallia sighed. "Fine, turn to your port-side a bit, thirty degrees or so."

Little by little the ship aligned with the approaching dock, an outcropping of stone just on a cliff-face overlooking the hive. The ship's onlookers were now within earshot, and their excited chatter began to fill the air - before long several of the receiving changelings found themselves in crowd control roles instead, holding back the crowd from getting too close to the un-docked ship.

Not every changeling was so forward in their curiosity, however. Standing in the hive's cool shade stood a light blue drone, peering out at the bizarre scene with uncertainty. Only once before had he seen an airship, and by no means was it a close encounter. Dragging a hoof through the warm soil, the drone traced his eyes along the ship's deck as it grew increasingly more visible, his interest peaking at the variety of creatures onboard. When a bright red shell drew his attention, he gave a light gasp in surprise.

"...is something wrong, Calor?"

His heart leapt into his throat, and Calor found his body besieged by onset shakes. A familiar pair of antlers entered his peripheral, and he gulped.

"Um, n-no Thorax, I'm fine," the drone stuttered. "I just thought I saw a changeling on board, but, that's silly, right? Isn't it?"

Stepping into the light of the sun, Thorax's pastel shell gleamed, as did his smile. The bug monarch turned to find Calor staring up at him, his head cocked.

"Actually, that is a changeling you saw," Thorax replied simply. "His name is Zipper, and he's been with Corsair's crew for a while. He's very adventurous and didn't like being cooped up in the hive all the time, so he left. I miss having him with us but, he's a lot happier so I've settled on just sending him letters. Today's delivery is a good time to say 'hi' though, don't you think?"

As Calor digested this plethora of information, Thorax began to trot from the hive's entrance, but he only made it a few yards out before casting a look back.

"Come on, Calor, don't you want to say hello?" Thorax prompted, gently motioning his head towards the ship. "I could use your help with getting everyling ready to bring the delivery inside. They're not heavy boxes, but they are big and bulky."

Like a mother hen patiently waiting for a timid chick, Thorax stood and waited for a time. When at last the mounting pressure caved, Calor took a few steps from the hive's shade and took follow, and together the pair of changelings advanced towards the now docking airship.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

Corsair carefully guided the ship to its docking destination; thanks to the guidance of the changeling receivers. He again chuckled at the exchange between the two close-by changelings as Gypsy looked over the sides of the ship; surprised at all of the onlookers around. "Don't tell me they haven't seen an airship before."

"I'm sure they've seen a couple at least, but this is still a new think to them Gypsy," he responded. "This isn't like Saddle Arabia or Manehatten where something like this is common and airships are a bit-a-dozen. In any case; at least they're excited."

"Yeah yeah, fair point, just not used to THIS much attention from the local folk." She straightened the bandana on her head and trotted to the helm, overlooking the rest of the ship. "Seems like our lookout is quite invested in what he's seeing."

"As he should be, though if the letters say anything, I'm sure King Thorax is definitely wanting to see him," he said; steering the ship to it's resting spot. "All right; you know what to do #2! I have to meetup with King Throax."

"Aye sir! Trailblazer, Comettail, Zira; get the cranes ready, we're unloading ASAP!"

---

That order sparked a slight frenzy as the deer, hippogriff, and zebra opened up the main hatch and raised the crane from the hold; getting ready to unload the first crates as Zipper watched. Smiling, he looked out over the from of the ship and immediately noticed King Thorax approaching the ship. He also noticed Corsair flying from the  bridge to meet the leader of the changelings.

[NavelColt 22,880]

Parting the sea of changelings without so much as a word, Thorax trotted his way up to the ship's docking ramp, where he quickly locked eyes with Corsair. The dull roar of his drones' excitement fell to silence, and the world paused to watch the two leaders make contact. Though noticeably taller than Corsair, Thorax found himself at eye level with him, thanks to the captain's elevated footing on the ship's ramp.

"Hello, Corsair," the king greeted with a warm smile. "Great to see you again. From the looks of things everybody got here in one piece."

Flashing his violet eyes, Thorax met the gazes of his hovering receivers, floating up by the ship's mast. "Great job, you guys! You can come on down, now. Let's take these boxes into the hive once Corsair's crew has lowered them off the ship, okay?"

The hovering changelings smiled and nodded, and buzzed down to the ground in sequence. Thorax's attention flickered to a new target again, this time to the red changeling still on board, who stared at him with intrigue, and a hint of excitement.

"Hey, Zipper! It's great to see you again, too!" Thorax called shamelessly, unintentionally casting every changeling's eye to the red drone all at once.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

Corsair landed softly on the docking ramp as his crew readied to unload the cargo. He saw the changeling leader approach; looking as approachable as he always has. With a relaxed smile he bowed before the leader in respect. "Indeed; it's pleasure to see you again, as well as the other changelings. I see their enthusiasm has only increased since the last time we were here," he said with a laugh. "My crew should have your cargo unloaded shortly. There's quite a few crates, but they're all quite light in weight."

He looked up; noticing the crane with a couple of crates loaded on a platform being lowered down to the ground. He also chuckled as Thorax waved at Zipper.

---

Zipper blushed a ton, though it was hard to tell due to his red exterior; not expecting the sudden attention of the ENTIRE HIVE being cast upon. "H-hi King Thorax; it's great to see you after so long!"

[NavelColt 22,880]

"Oh, well that's what makes things so fun around here I'd say, they're all easily excitable," Thorax commented with a mutual chuckle, scanning an eye over the observing crowd. A few changelings who overheard him playfully stuck out their tongues. "I'm glad you and the crates made it alright, and yeah, I'm not surprised they're light - they take up way more volume than they are heavy. Let's help you guys out."

With a motion of his hoof, small squads of drones emerged from the encroaching crowd, ready to grip boxes that lowered from the crane.

"Zipper, why don't you come on down," Thorax projected with a grin. "You still have friends in the hive who remember you, you know, they want to see you. I'm sure everyone would love to hear about your trips while we're unloading cargo, too!"

The crowd of bug ponies emitted shallow gasps, and began to chitter among themselves at the prospect. But more than any other, Calor stared at the red drone with a childlike curiosity. The bandanna, the way of life, even his carried demeanor - not a single thing felt familiar to him, but yet he, too wanted the red drone to come down.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

Corsair nodded with the Changeling king; taking a mental note of the crowd around them. "It was an uneventful flight from Canterlot; just sunny skies all the way down to here," he said, watching as some of the changelings began grabbing crates and carrying them into the kingdom. "Whatever the cargo is I hope it's beneficial for you and the entre kingdom."

Zipper looked down at Thorax; still a tad embarrassed that so much attention was being placed on him at that point. "Umm...I don't know...I mean, it won't be long till we have to go and-"

"Zipper! Come one down; the crew has earned a little rest from all of this, same goes to you," he said with a smile.

With a sigh, both relieved and not, he flew down to where Corsair and Thorax were conversing. "Ummm...hi," he said, not sure how to compose himself after so long away.

[NavelColt 22,880]

Calor, along with a plethora of other changelings stared at the bandana buggo with thirsty intrigue, but Thorax stared down at the red drone with something else - a paternal smile, brimming with glee.

It happened in the blink of an eye, a hoof firmly wove itself around the base of Zipper's neck and gently pulled. The changeling came face to face with Thorax's glimmering chest gems, as he was held in a hug.

"Before I turn you over to your awaiting crowd, I get to have my moment with you," Thorax whispered playfully, resting his chin a safe distance above the drone's horn. "Four months of 'we're super busy, not around those parts of Equestria, maybe in the future' leaves a hive king antsy, you know."

A mere few steps away, Calor placed a hoof to his chin and beamed at the scene. A ripple of love energy washed over the crowd like a wave, and contented sighs, as well as adoring 'aww's' filled the air.

"No changeling can get away from Thorax's hugs!", came a voice from the crowd.

"Who would even want to?", challenged another. "Have you ever experienced another love magic as strong as his? That's why he's king, you know."

Calor found himself turning to face the ground, avoiding the heightened conversation of Thorax's love magic, lest his blush be noticed.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

Zipper really didn't know what to do or say when in the presence of King Thorax; let along a whole plethora of changeling. This was especially so when Thorax suddenly had his hoof around Zipper and was pulling him close. In one sense he wanted to pull back, but he let it happen, and once the embrace was in full motion, Zipper suddenly had his two front hooves around Thorax. "I'm sorry for being away so long; I have missed you all," he said; finally at ease and content.

The ripple of love energy didn't go unnoticed by Corsair; nor the crew for that matter. "Will you look at that," exclaimed Comettail. "Never thought I'd see that in my life time!"

Zira beamed from the sight. "Ahhh; it's so beautiful! I wouldn't mind a hug with the king myself!"

Trailblazer chuckled at her comment. "Don't forget we have a changeling as a member of this crew yah know," he stated; poking fun at the zebra.

Corsair was still on the docking ramp; admiring the scene. "It seems like you needed this visit Zipper; looks like I still have plenty to learn about our changeling allies." He smiled; feeling the love around the area.

[NavelColt 22,880]

The efforts to unload cargo had been briefly forgotten, as the effects of Thorax's powerful love magic reached every body in the area. At the mutual high received in return, Thorax gave an even brighter smile.

"You don't have to apologise for following your dreams, Zipper," the king said simply. "Just don't forget that your birth home is a gentler, nicer place now, and you have a lot of friends, here."

Following his release of Zipper, the bandana changeling was immediately swarmed by a multitude of other drones, all of them clamoring over each other's voices in efforts to reach him.

"What's it like living in an airship?"

"Do you guys go beyond Equestria, even to the dangerous regions?"

"What sorts of things do you guys deliver? Ever anything exciting? Or dangerous?"

Before long the poor red changeling was consumed by the mass of shiny bodies, leaving Thorax to retreat to Corsair's side, with Calor still following him like a shadow.

"Heh, sorry, you guys might need to make due without him for unloading," Thorax warned with a chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. "I think I unleashed something more powerful than I realized."

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

Zipper was feeling quite overwhelmed at all of the attention he was now receiving, though he surprisingly didn't mind it. He was proud of the accomplishments he was a part of with his friends on the ship and would love to share his experiences with others...though he wasn't sure if could get to all of their question. "Ah! Ah! One at a time please! Living in an airship is fun; especially the views, though space inside is at a premium! Uhh, yeah, we go to many different places! Yakyakistan, Mt. Eris, Saddle Arabia, the Dragon Lands, Abyssinia, and many others! We deliver everything; from food and medicine, to equipment; even some dangerous stuff. Guys, one at a time please," he said, definitely missing some question.

Corsair laughed as Thorax joined him on the ramp. "Ah, don't worry about it! I think Zipper needed to reconnect, so I'm happy he's happy. He is a member of my crew, so I am responsible for his well-being; both physically and mentally," he said, smiling at Zipper. "I care for my crew as if they were my family, and Zipper has proven his worth as the eyes of our ship, and everyone on the ship has warmed up to him."

---

Zira, Trailblazer, and Comettail were still watching the scenes outside of the ship when Gypsy landed behind them. "As much as I agree that it's a nice scene out there, let's get these crates unloaded...NOW," she barked, getting the other three back to work. Gypsy shook her head and chuckled, also seemingly proud of Zipper.

[NavelColt 22,880]

Whilst Thorax and Corsair continued their friendly conversation, slowly catching each other up on their adventures and faced challenges, Zipper had at last gained some semblance of control over his onset fanbase. Several of those closest changelings had sat themselves upon their haunches, listening intently as he retold his latest adventure with the crew. At the forefront of the group was Calor, sat respectfully and fully invested.

But away from the crowd, Corsair's crew, assisted by the hive's receiving squad worked to lower the ship's cargo.

With two boxes down already, Petallia had no reason to believe the next would be any different. The emerald drone gripped the crane's rope in her mouth and guided the box over the ship's edge.

"Do you have the rope, Petallia?"

"Vea, ah gaw eet"

"You what?"

I said, I-AAAH!"

She no longer had it.

With a round of resounding gasps, the crate fell from the drone's grasp, and with a crash, splintered its edge across the ground as it came to rest on one side. From it spilled curious white squares, gently toppling over each other and onto the unforgiving dirt and stone.

Thorax could spot Petallia's shame from across the yard, but it was he who winced. Casting a quick glance to Corsair, he ran with the stallion to the fallen box, scanning the crash before looking up. "Petallia, are you okay? Was anyone hurt?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," the drone replied, touching the tips of her hooves together meekly, fluttering in place and avoiding the eyes of anyone but Thorax. "Gosh I'm sorry, I've just been messing things up for everybody, today."

Thorax beamed. "No, you're fine, Petallia. No one got hurt, that's all that matters. Besides, no one is even mad-"

"Let me get this straight - you got a privateer airship delivery and poured the entire hive's time and energy into receiving PILLOWS, THORAX!?"

The voice traveled the dock like thunder, and in a mere moment, Thorax's composure crumbled. He too turned with the rest of the crowd to the hive's entrance, where a lone changeling now stood, teeming with an unbridled fury.

Thorax grimaced. "Uh, oh, good. Corsair, you get to meet my brother, Pharynx. Isn't that exciting?"

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

While Zipper had felt plenty of apprehension at first he was finally feeling like he was at home among familiar kin again, and that confidence allowed him to get a little deeper in his stories. "One of our recent voyages actually wasn't a delivery at all! Two of Corsair's friends, an archeologist names Sojourner and a map-maker named Pathfinder, had entrusted us with taking them to an unmarked mountain deep in the frozen north," he said, sounding all dramatic. "This was the farthest north we had been, and I tell you, it was freezing! I doubt changelings have ever gone THAT far north! Anyway, we dropped them off at the mountain after they told us to come back for them in a week. A week passed, and there they were. But you know what...they wouldn't tell us what they found; just that it was something that required a TON more research."

A buzz of chatter was heard amongst the hive from that.

"That wasn't the end though. As Sojourner and Pathfinder were about to climb on board the ship, a terrible sound echoed all around us. It sounded like-"

CRASH

With that sound everyone's attention was immediately to wear the crate was. Immediately Corsair and Thorax raced to the scene to check on every one. While Thorax was tending to Petalia, Corsair flew up to the deck of the ship to check on his crew. "Are you guys all right? What happened?"

"Yes, we're good, no one on board was hurt or anything; looks like miscommunication amongst the receivers, unfortunately," said Comettail, who was looking overboard at Thorax and Petalia with the rest of the crew. "I ju-"

"Let me get this straight - you got a privateer airship delivery and poured the entire hive's time and energy into receiving PILLOWS, THORAX!?"

Zira blinked; a tad frightened from that. "Ummm...who was that?"

Corsair chuckled nervously; looking at Thorax. "Something tells me that's the King's brother."

[NavelColt 22,880]

As Zipper grew more comfortable in telling his tales of excitement and adventure, the drones too grew more calm, settling down around the red changeling like lounging cats. Many of them adopted loaf-like sitting positions, smiling brightly as their exotic friend went on. Others had even taken to laying upon their neighbors' backs or resting against their laid hooves - any position seen as comfortable against the hardened ground.

More than any other drone, however, Calor found himself the most invested of all. Laid upon his own hooves, the sky blue bug pony listened with growing fascination, Zipper's adventurous lifestyle. The lack of day to day routine, throwing himself to the wind in the open sky with nothing but a heading and his friends, and the courage to face all of this...it was remarkable.

Calor opened his mouth, seeking to ask a question, but not before a shuddering crash made him jump. The ears of he and his fellow bug ponies perked and twitched, as they watched their king and the ship's captain console the clumsy Petallia.

"I knew she shouldn't have been put on receiving duty," a drone to Calor's left mumbled to his neighbor. "She barely graduated Pharynx's training, yesterday. If Pharynx was here I bet he'd scold her about proper unloading form-"

"Let me get this straight - you got a privateer airship delivery and poured the entire hive's time and energy into receiving PILLOWS, THORAX!?"

The crowd froze. From ship crew to bug pony, to antler-toting beetle moose, all eyes turned to the hive's entrance to observe Pharynx, now standing with a look of doom.

"Uh, or you know, maybe he has other priorities," the drone by Calor whispered under his breath, making an ugly grimace.

Prince Pharynx emerged from the hive's shaded crossway, scattering drones a few dozen yards in front of him with every stride he took. All the while his deep lavender eyes pinned Thorax to his spot, daring the younger changeling to do anything but fidget uncomfortably.

"Um, hey, Pharynx," Thorax put out with a sheepish grin, "nice to see you out and about at this hour!"

"Says the guy who sleeps in till noon with a pile of other lazy changelings," Pharynx spat with a growl, stepping up to the ship's dock and casting a glance to the fallen crate, before turning a cocked brow. "Also the guy who said he 'completely understood' me the other day when I said, 'the hive doesn't need any more excuses to lazing about during the day'. If you're going to lie to my face Thorax, you should do a better job of covering your tracks."

Amidst his tirade, Pharynx cast his gruff eye to Corsair. "Nice to make your acquaintance. I apologize for my brother's incredibly wise decision to waste your crew's time delivering pillows, of all things.

His ears drooping pathetically, Thorax's discomfort turned to a frown. "Hey, it is not a waste of their time, and these pillows are worth it, Pharynx! We may have more moss and plant life now but we still live in a giant rock."

"That's what bed burrows are for, Thorax," Pharynx countered. "Cocoons made from soft sand in the side of the hive's walls. Not everything during Chrysalis's era was deplorable and in need of drastic changing, you know."

"We share love now, Pharynx," Thorax retorted back, "that means we regain our energy, improve our moods and grow our relationships through spending time together, not hiding ourselves away in individual bed chambers. Just because you don't like the communal nesting chambers-"

"Oh here we go," Pharynx grumbled, rolling his eyes.

"-doesn't mean other changeling's don't enjoy the opportunity to be closer, now. It's easier to do that when we have something soft to sleep on, instead of hardened stone floors. They'll stay in the nesting chamber, I promise."

"You still should have told me about this instead of springing it on the entire hive last minute, my liege!"

As the brothers continued their arguing, the lack of whispers and side conversations grew painfully more obvious.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

Corsair could only clear his throat as the two changeling leaders went on a back-and-forth war of words over the cargo. While he did bow in respect when Pharynx had apologized, he tried to remain as neutral as he could so as not to offend either royal. While being familiar of the older brother, he had never interacted with him until now. He sort of reminder him of Gypsy in how much of a stickler she was for keeping things practical, but even this might shiver her feather. "Awkward....," was the only work that came up in his mind.

---

"I would not want to be Corsair right now; standing there between a brotherly civil war," Zira stated, watching the argument as it went on.

"You and me both," Comettail replied. "That....what was his name...Pharynx changeling seems like a harsh one."

Trailblazer also watched; taking a special note of Pharynx. "I woulnd't say that; he reminds me of Blackthorn, the captain of the Royal Guard of Thicket. He demanded only the best from the other guards, and while that may seem harsh, it's also a good thing to have instilled in you."

Grypsy nodded. "If any creature can get these changelings into shape it'd be him; from the looks of it. I like him!"

---

Zipper blinked; even more stunned after finally seeing AND hearing Pharynx in the flesh. He remembered Thorax mentioning him in the letters, but he wasn't expecting this from the older brother. Quietly he moved to the nearest changeling; which happened to be the blue Calor. "I don't suppose that's Pharynx," he asked in a whisper. "Is he always like that?"

[NavelColt 22,880]

Torn from his thoughts, Calor focused his azure eyes on Zipper. "O-oh, uh, well, I guess the answer to that would be 'sometimes'. Pharynx is basically Thorax's opposite - he leads the guard units, enforces rules and creates patrol routes. He's...strict, but only explodes like this when his patience gets pushed. He's not a big fan of the whole 'cuddlebug' philosophy that Thorax created, so they sometimes get into fights about it."

---

"I made the delivery request before we had our heart to heart about toning down the cuddling and sleeping in, Pharynx," Thorax sighed. "So I don't understand what your issue is. I didn't lie to you and even if I had, it's just a load of pillows."

Pharynx mumbled something under his breath to the tune of 'only dorks need pillows', but his brother ignored it.

"Try to remember that this wasn't just about the delivery either, Pharynx, it was about Zipper getting to be with his friends, again."

His irritated front disarmed, Pharynx's mouth opened for a remark, but instead opened and stayed there. With a turn of his head, the stirred changeling took in the sight of the surrounding drones. Amidst a sea of concerned looks were two drones, one sky blue and one crimson red, the only conversation in the entire clearing other than themselves. Within a few moments of drawing his gaze, the pair took notice of him, casting unsure glances.

"...alright fine," Pharynx said at last, taking a deep breath and regaining his composure. "You're right, I'm just causing more of a scene, and I shouldn't be taking away from Zipper's visit. Let's hurry up and get these boxes inside and let these guys go on their way."

Pharynx pivoted in place to face the fallen box, waving his hoof to garnish assistance from the observing drones. Thorax found himself grinning.

"Wow, Pharynx, you're actually being reasonable, today-"

"Once they're gone we'll be continuing this chat later, Thorax."

Thorax stopped mid-thought, and gave another sigh. "...alright, fine."

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

"Cuddle bug," Zipper asked; not familiar with that term. Having left the hive shortly after the reformation he never really got THAT acquainted with Thorax or any of his polices post-Chrysalis so a "cuddle-bug philosophy" was unfamiliar to him. "What do you mean by that? I don't remember Thorax mentioning something as specific as that in his letters." The conversation was short though as Pharynx took a look at the both of them as the argument finally seemed to simmer down.

---

Corsair inhaled, then exhaled as the brothers winded down their argument. He never really liked being around quarreling royals, so he was glad they could calm down. "King Thorax? My apologies for the interruption, but judging from the amount of crates unloaded we should only have at least a couple of them left. Once we finish we'll prepare for departure and leave you to your pillows," he said, with a bow.

[NavelColt 22,880]

Noting the red changeling's perplexed look, Calor stifled a giggle. "Hang on, you don't know anything about our current way of life?" Zipper gave an unsure shrug, and Calor's giggle found its escape. It was Zipper's lucky day, for he happened to be an expert on such things.

"Well, where should I begin?", he asked rhetorically. "Changelings used to feed off of love, taking it from other creatures, but after Thorax left the hive he found a better way for us to live. It turns out we can share love with one another, and produce sustenance through having friends and relationships."

A chill ran down his shell, and Calor turned to spy Prince Pharynx eyeing the pair of them carefully in the distance. For a moment he sat like a spooked deer, waiting for the beta changeling to call his name out, or perhaps make a gesture to him. Calor's ear twitched - neither of those things happened. When Pharynx turned his attention away again, Calor blinked, his mind wheeling to retain his original train of thought.

"Um..." he muttered, finding that Zipper's look had also returned. The red changeling stared at him curiously. "Anyway, a few weeks after Thorax took over as the hive's new leader, we started to discover that love magic has even more to it than we thought, more direct effects on us."

First, Calor captivated the bandanna-ling with the warmest smile he could muster. After harnessing his focus the blue changeling then leaned in and wrapped both his hooves around his new friend. Within moments a warmth surged through Calor's body, and from the surprised gasp he heard, he knew Zipper could feel it, too. The warmth rushed through each extremity, filling each ear tip, and then fizzled out like a cooling breeze. Any traces of his fatigue had vanished, as had his body's sluggish demeanor. When at last he let go and pulled back, Calor's hoof stifled another laugh at the shocked expression hanging from the red bug pony's face.

"Well, what do you think?" Calor asked with another a grin.

--

"R-right," Thorax replied, forcing a smile and nodding sharply. "Like my brother said, let's hurry and get you guys on your way. Thanks for the delivery, I know everyling is going to enjoy these a lot, captain. And, it's been great seeing Zipper again, as well, of course. Keep an eye on him, okay? He can be a little slow with his letter replies sometimes, and it worries me, you know?"

Working together, the changeling convoys, assisted by the airship's crew unloaded the remaining crates. Though Pharynx's dissatisfaction with the box's contents was continually made loud and clear, he too assisted in the efforts. It wasn't long before each crate was safely brought inside the hive's protective exterior, leaving a very accomplished and cargo-less airship sitting outside.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

Zipper literally had no words for the rush...the feelings that he had just felt from when this changeling had embraced him. This feeling was unlike anything he had felt previously. He had originally thought the reformation was fine in itself, but...had he really been missing something like this for so long? "I...I mean...I...is this what it really feels like? The love I just felt...I mean...was that love? I mean I'm not saying I never felt love before, but that...wow..."

He couldn't directly answer Calor's question, but his smile was saying enough. He took a look at the nearby changelings who also were all smiling at the two of them. "I loved it...I...never felt anything like that before..."

---

"Captain," yelled Gypsy from the deck. "We're fully unloaded and ready for takeoff! Our pickup of the buffalo diplomat is next on the itinerary!"

Nodding,  Corsair looked to Thorax. "Then we must depart. If you could please can you find Zipper for me? He is the eyes of our ship after all," he said, seeing him in an embrace with Calor. "Seems like he's made a new friend."

[NavelColt 22,880]

Spotting the glancing amazement in his new friends' eye, Calor's entire demeanor perked up, his smile positively glowing. "Yes, that was love! Not only do we not need to feed on it from other creatures, we're not even constrained to absorbing it over long periods through relationships."

A flutter tingled his chest, and the blue changeling ventured to wrap his hooves around the dumbfounded red bug again. "We can share love in the moment by being close, by demonstrating love through affection. Thorax took the idea and ran with it - he organized an entire area of the hive called the 'nesting chamber', where changelings can take cluster naps together in order to regain energy after work shifts. Isn't that awesome?"

--

"Thorax, you heard the captain, grab the grub in the bandanna so the ship can leave."

"..."

"...Thorax."

Startled, Thorax's far off stare faltered. "O-oh, right," he mumbled. "Sorry, Corsair, it looks like Zipper has made friends with Calor. That's so wonderful to see."

"First off, I'm not Corsair, Thorax, pay attention to your surroundings for Hive's sake. Secondly, yes, that was just made clear, actually."

Thorax turned to face his brother wearing a peeved expression. Long left from his side, Corsair had returned aboard the ship, guiding the crew to ready departure.

"Oh, Pharynx, when did you...I thought you were-"

"I was, and I finished," Pharynx replied insipidly. "The boxes are all inside. Now go fetch your blue lackey so we can get on with the day, please. He's distracting their changeling."

Nodding, Thorax stole himself, and began to trot towards the pair of sitting changelings.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

Zira looked on from the main deck of the ship; seeing Thorax approach the two hugging changeling. "You know; that's the happiest I've seen Zipper in a while. It'd be a shame to have to separate him from his new friend."

"It would be, but as you know, Zipper is an integral part of our crew. I'm sure he'll understand," said Comettail; watching beside the zebra mare.

"Comettail; make sure the room for the buffalo diplomat is ready. He'll be expecting an earnest departure towards Yakyakistan," commanded Gypsy in a stern, yet non-harsh voice. "Zipper will be fine. He knows what he has to do." She watched the hippogriff nod and trot off towards the lower decks as Corsair and Trailblazer inspected the rigging.

---

"That sounds utterly amazing! I've never had such a recharge hit me like this after a shift on the ship," Zipper said with pure and utter glee. "I want to know more about this, to feel more of this amazing feeling. Ah; this is wonderful." However Zipper failed to notice the changeling king approach them.

[NavelColt 22,880]

Giggling to himself, Calor raised a hoof to his mouth. Zipper was so easily impressed, and even more exciting, he found love magic as intoxicating as he did.

"Stupid question, but I guess you have to stay with your crew, huh?" The blue changeling broached. "You can't stay a while and learn about our new society? I'd hate to introduce you to a new way of life just for you to be alone, again - well, you know, alone from other changelings."

Trotting up with a typical nervous posture, Thorax caught the corner of Calor's eye. The beetle moose rubbed the side of his head, analyzing the pair of changelings closely with a warm smile.

"Hey guys," he whispered, leaning his head in and lifting a hoof. "I don't mean to interrupt - I'm so happy you're hitting it off together - but Corsair and Pharynx want you to know they're getting ready to leave. Sorry, Calor, but Zipper's duty calls."

Calor's demeanor deflated, as did his ears flop. "Oh...yeah, I guess you have a schedule to keep."

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

Zipper still couldn't believe what he had been missing out on for so long. The feeling that this love magic was giving him was exquisite! "Yeah, I do have to go soon, but maybe I can-"

That's when Thorax kindly interrupted their hug session; being immediately deflated and flustered over that news. "Oh! Well...I...umm...yeah...I mean...I guess I have to go...I mean...yeah...buffalo...I just...I mean...oh no...I mean..." The disappointment was palpable in his voice; he didn't want to be separated from his new friend so soon, as well as to be separated from that amazing feeling. But he knew he had a duty, but it still hurt. He almost wanted to cry...

"I-I'm sorry Calor...I...have to go..."