private Huggo-Buggo Friendship Airship - 1x1

[NavelColt 22,880]

Calor's face continued to deflate, his sunken eyes nearly closed in their observation of the ground. Tears did not fall, but they didn't need to, for the azure changeling's mood was sour to the taste, turning the heads of changelings in the crowd all around.

"N-no, that's fine," he said quickly, raising his head again and shaking it. "You're really busy, and your crew needs you. Your life is all about adventure, and adventure means...not staying in one place."

Changelings all about adopted sympathetic looks, but Thorax's concern projected most of all, Calor's pain reflected in his own face. With a careful hoof forward, the king advanced on the pair of smaller bug ponies, prodding for Calor's attention with an asserting head.

"...Calor, do you really want to stay with your new friend a while?"

Calor solemnly nodded.

"Why don't you see if Zipper's crew wouldn't mind one more changeling tagging along with them for a little while?"

There was a collective, silent look of surprise. Whilst Thorax's pained look blossomed to one of affection, Calor's perked into one of shock and embarrassment.

"Thorax, what are you talking about?" Calor adamantly looked away. "I couldn't, I mean, I'm the hive's activity coordinator - you need me here - and besides, I could never-"

"Calor, you've done a wonderful job helping the hive fine-tune activities," Thorax began, gently placing hoof between the drone's twitching ears. "But, you've been cooped up here your whole life. You've never even been past our borders as a scout or patrol."

"But, that's not-"

"-something you mind, I know," Thorax interrupted with a nod. "But you know, something I've come to learn from making friends, and even leading the hive is, you can't grow if you don't venture out of your comfort zone, at least once in a while."

Calor ignored the head pats, but said nothing in reply. Thorax smiled brightly, turning to catch Zipper's attention.

"Zipper, could you do me a favor and run the idea by Corsair?" He asked politely. "Assuming it's something you'd also be up for, of course."

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

Zipper could only blink in shock at the suggestion; to have a non-crew changeling aboard? Would Corsair allow that? Would the crew be fine with that? These questions ran through the red changeling's mind like a heard of buffalo, but he ended up with a big grin. Something inside him told him that Corsair would be JUST fine with it. "Calor! Actually! I think! YES! Hold that that thought!"

With nary a second Zipper flew up and took off towards the ship where the crew was seemingly about ready to liftoff. Hovering above the deck he looked for Corsair, but couldn't spot him. "H-hey! Has anyone seen Corsair? I need to ask him something," said the changeling in a hurried voice.

"Took yah long enough to get back! He's in the captain's quarter with Trailblazer; discussing the route to the buffalo tribe," Gypsy responded; barely getting a look at him before he zooms away inside the ship. "What in Gruff's name was that about?" The others just shrugged at the griffin; equally confused.

---

Trailerblazer nodded towards Corsair. "If we keep to this course it won't take us long to get to the buffalo tribe. We're meeting up with them at Appaloosa anyway, so it's not like we'll miss them."

"It's all good then. As soon as Zip-"

"CAPTAIN! I HAVE A QUESTION," yelled the huffing changeling; surprising the pegasus and deer in the room. "Oh! Whoops; sorry! Ahem; I mean...c-can...I mean...if it's okay...I just...I just want to ask..."

"Calm down there buggo; what's wrong," asked the concerned captain.

"AH! Is it okay if Calor accompanies us for a little while!? I mean...I mean...I...haven't been around changelings long and I JUST made a friend and...and...what I felt down there Corsair...I've never felt that before. It would mean a lot to me and him...if you would be okay with that..." Zipper them looked down towards the floor; though neither of them could see it he was blushing hard.

Trailblazer cocked an eyebrow up; looking at Corsair who had nothing but sympathy for Zipper. "Buggo; it's good. I'm fine with him staying with us for a little while. Of course; you have to be responsible for him and make sure he doesn't get on Gypsy's bad side, but honestly, I'm good with that," Corsair answered, smiling.

With an absolute big grin yelled a big THANK YOU at Corsair and flew back out; again surprising the deck crew as he flew towards Calor and Thorax. "HE SAID YES HE SAID YES HE SAID YES!!!," he announced, zipping around the two of them.

[NavelColt 22,880]

"Thorax, I...I don't know about this."

"It's just your nerves, Calor, trust me," Thorax replied with a chuckle. Watching the azure changeling chew on the edge of his hoof, his focus lost to nothing and yet everything...it was all too familiar to him. "You just said you'd like to stay with Zipper a bit more longer, didn't you? Getting to spend time with a new friend and go on an adventure? I think I might be jealous, actually!"

"Yeah but, what if Corsair says no?" Calor probbed, touching the tips of his hooves together. The drone's ears scanned in the direction of the deck for any sign of buzzing wings. "What if he says yes? Thorax, I don't think I can do this..."

"Change can be scary, ironically, even for changelings," Thorax replied simply, laying upon the cool stone and prompting the erratic bug to do the same. Not until Calor laid down and locked eyes with him, did the king continue. "You just have to remember it's the tension that's scary, the fear of the unknown. Once you actually do something, you'll come to see it wasn't really so hard or scary, after all."

"But, what if something happens? We could potentially go really far from the hive, and, I'd have no way to contact you, or anyling else!"

Thorax beamed. "We may not know each other well, but I've heard so many things about Corsair and his crew, from the princesses especially, who oversee a lot of business they do with Equestrian cities. They're more than capable of watching after you and Zipper, Calor. Besides, it doesn't have to be for too long. If things don't work out for whatever reason, I'll come get you, myself."

There was a pause. Calor's expression softened, as did the faintest of blushes touch his cheeks, before falling to a curled eyebrow. "Hang on, how would you know about anything going on? Sending letters without magic could take days or even a week."

Thorax grinned. "I'm the alpha changeling, I'll just know!"

"...I don't think that's a thing, Thorax."

Startled by a boisterous yell, Calor jumped from his cat loaf position like a frightened deer. As Zipper began to orbit them at hyper speed, the answer to their sought question became obvious, even without the added shouts of confirmation. "He did? Wow, that was quick!"

Calor's disposition rose, and soon he hovered himself off the ground in excitement, impacted by the sight of the excited red drone. Those other changelings still outside took notice as well, stirred by the rousing excitement, and the glee now permeating the air like a sweet scent.

"What sort of things do you do on an airship for fun?" The blue changeling asked curiously, his orbs trailing Zipper's path. "I mean, not that talking and hanging out isn't fun! I'm actually really good at enjoying doing nothing, Pharynx says so. Well, I don't think he meant it as a compliment, but still."

Gently rising from his seated posture, Thorax's lofty grin only heightened the more he watched the contrasting drones flutter about, chattering back and forth. A golden opportunity, perhaps, for him to conquer one of his bigger tasks as of late...getting the hive's most reluctant drone a chance to branch out.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

Zipper was most certainly a-buzz with excitement; still flying in a quick circle above Thorax and Calor until the latter joined. Once the questions started Zipper slowed down so he could give a better answer. "Oh! Oh...umm...what to do on a ship? Well...I'll be honest; aside from work with being the ship's lookout, I...don't do a whole lot. I mean, I admire the scenery, especially at night, and...umm...I honestly don't know," Zipper answered in a nervous way.

Off in the distance tho Zipper could hear the ship's horn sound; indicating that it was time to head out. "Oh! Calor, we better hurry! We have to stay on schedule! We're heading to Appaloosa!"