Title:           Thread 73: Stories 16-30
Author:          PrincessApplejack
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/VfjSbXge
First Edit:      Monday 11th of May 2015 03:21:57 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Monday 11th of May 2015 03:21:57 PM CDT

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 >Chitania
"Librarian"
'Guard'
~~~~~
 
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!"
 
>Some of us are trying to read.
 
"YOU SHUT UP! AND YOU, START EXPLAINING!"
 
'Babe come onnnnnnnn! You know I want to go to it, but this new guy's been making me fight seapony monsters all day! I'm completely swamped!'
 
"Don't give me that, you just don't want to have dinner with my parents again! You're finding another excuse!"
 
'Nooooo, baby cakes! I'm totally cool with your parents, really! Who wouldn't be cool with stallion who won't stop glaring at me and a mare who won't stop saying I 'converted' her daughter to debauchery, it's fine! But oh man, this training? You see what this training is doing to me?'
 
"HRMPH!"
 
'No, really babe, feel it, feel what this training is doing to me.'
 
"...Well, you are getting... a little more fit."
 
'See? Check it, check the muscles.'
 
"Oh my!"
 
'Told you? But wow, you know, I'm just so swamped with work.'
 
"Yeah... feels like you're doing more than normal."
 
'Oh, I am.'
 
"..."
 
'You can stop feeling it anytime.'
 
"Uh huh..."
 
'...When's your lunchbreak?'
 
>Four hours ago.
 
"EEP!"
 
'GAH! SON OF CELESTIA'S WHORECHILD!... I HATE THAT SHE IS ALWAYS HERE!'
 
>It's a public library.
 
'FUCK YOOOOUUUU!'
 
>What, you want to feel my muscles too?
 
'PFFT! Mine are totally better than yours, ain't that right babe?'
 
"..."
 
'...Really?'
 
"You're hotter than her."
 
'But am I more FIT than her?'
 
"...You're prettier than her?"
 
'MOMENT RUINED!'
 
*STOMPSTOMPSTOMPSTOMP!*
 
"WAIT! I'm sorry! She just gets to me and... LOOK WHAT YOU DID!? NOW I'M GOING TO BE STUCK ON THE COUCH!"
 
>Right? She should thank me for getting her out of that dinner like that.
 
"...WAIT A DAMN MINUTE!"
 
>Some small part of me is enjoying this.... okay, a big part.
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
Non-Canon
>Pinkie
"Luna"
~~~~~
>Welcome to Not Late Night /pa/ with your host Pinkie Pie! It's during this time that content does matter, but sleep is still optional! Now for our main guest...PRINCESS LUNA!!!
 
"If sleep is optional, how are they watching-"
 
>How about them kids eh?
 
"Oh they are a pleasure to have around."
 
>You're a service to lolis and shotas everywhere.
 
"...what?"
 
>Kids.
 
"...Language has gotten a lot stranger. Much like the word Tween."
 
>...I'm so sorry you know that term.
 
"Why?"
 
>That's our show! Sweet dreams because Princess Luna is watching you sleep.
Luna wakes up.
 
"...We really wish she wouldn't make it creepy like that."
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
NC
 
>SA
"Chrysalis"
 
>...uhh, I haven't seen you smile that...wildly before
 
"Ohhh, I just a goooooood feeling is all"
 
>Ok, I don't think I like it
 
"It involves strap-ooooooooooons~"
 
>Ah, I see
 
*Click*
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
>SA
"Chrysalis"
'Twilight'
~~~~~
 
>The fact she insisted you be here is worrying me.
 
'Uh... she just wants to make sure it goes off right?'
 
>That is only increasing my worry. I am on next level worried right now.
 
"AWWW! Shiny's worried about me, isn't that cute? He's so cuuuuute."
 
>...I take it back, proceed as was intended.
 
"Thank you! Now, this is the legendary ability of my dear cousin Cerura! BEHOLD!"
 
Her mouth opened wide, and instinctively Shining Armor threw up a shield around him and Twilight.
 
...And then nothing happened.
 
>Is... is that it?
 
"IS THAT IT!? I'll have you know I just sprayed a bunch of... what's it called, Twilight?"
 
'Formic acid.'
 
>ACID!?
 
"INDEED!"
 
'It's an acid in the same way citrus juice is an acid. The simplest carboxylic acid, in fact, and in addition to changelings it's found in a large variety of ants. It just stings, not melts like what you were thinking.'
 
>Oh... oh! That's not so bad.
 
"NOT SO BAD!? It's like I'm armed with pepper spray!"
 
>Well, where is it?
 
"Over there!"
 
>...
 
"Admittedly, it's in such a small amount you can't see it, but still!"
 
>...
 
"What? It's not like I could make a bunch of it, or I'd die like Vinula."
 
>Who?
 
"Her daughter. Tragic. Never even made it to Queenship."
 
>Oh... what happened to her?
 
"Terrible STD, wiped out her whole hive."
 
'........WHAT?!'
 
>HRRKKKK!
 
"HAH! Just kidding, it was just fire. Come on, no Queen is ever going to fuck a drone, come on! That's just retarded."
 
'You do realize that via hierarchy equivalence, Shiny was at the level of a drone back at the wedding, right?'
 
"....He's special."
 
'No arguments there.'
 
>This is adorable but-GAHHHH! MY EYE!
 
"Oh hey, the cloud must have reached him. Neat."
 
>AHHHH IT STINGS SO MUCH!
 
'SHINY NOOOOOOO!'
 
>...Was just a little sting, Twilight.
 
'...Oh.'
 
>...Put the magic water down.
 
'NO!'
 
"HAH!"
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 >AJ
"Spike"
~~~~~
 
"...Uh, this one's new."
 
>Oh gad dang it, what now?
 
"Legal matter for you."
 
>Goody. Never freakin' stops, does it? What's this about?
 
"It's a changeling related thing. A complicated changeling related thing."
 
>Fanfreakin' tastic! They're gone, and Ah'm still gettin' a headache from them! What'd they do now?
 
"Apparently one of them is selling covers of songs."
 
>Posin' as someone else? That's illegal, cut and dry, ain't no complications here.
 
"He's not posing as anyone, in fact he's billing it as "Music by a Changeling"."
 
>Oh... well, there ain't no law against singin' Ah' guess. What's the problem?
 
"Like I said, he's doing covers of other ponies songs."
 
>And?
 
"Uh... better listen to it yourself."
 
With that, he hopped down, pattered over to the record player, and popped in a disk.
 
The moment the needle touched black, she understood.
 
>...That sounds exactly like the real thing. EXACTLY like the real thing.
 
"Right, but he prefaces it at the start saying it's not the real thing, and mixes up the lyrics to be more 'changeling'."
 
>But he's still soundin' exactly like someone else.
 
"EXACTLY like someone else, correct."
 
>So... so is it illegal ta' sound like someone, even iffin' yer' not pretendin' ta' be the real thing?
 
"You're the lawmaker."
 
>...Hrm....
 
"..."
 
>....Hrm....
 
"...."
 
>.....hrrrmmmmmmmmm....
 
"..."
 
>...Fuck.
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
>Pommel
"41"
'SP'
-Guards-
 
>Alright guys, good work today! We keep this up and pass what we know to the new recruits and we'll be up to snuff in no time. Hey, Daw, turn off the simulation, will ya?
 
"Can do!"
 
>...uhhh...Daw? You're sounding a lot more-
 
"Buggy? Yeah nah, she ran off to go have scurvy somewhere else. I'm 41, hi Captain Dead Guy!"
 
>Captain Dea-wait, 41? I thought you guys all left after that mess a few days ago!
 
-She wants to bang Sucker Punch!-
 
Thwack!
 
-Ow!-
 
'Jackass!'
 
"Hey, Punch! Guess what! I got the tickets to El Templo de la Violencia!"
 
'Oh hell yeah!'
 
>El Templo-? Uh, that's nice, 41, but could you let us out?
 
"Sure sure...what button does that?"
 
>...oh crap.
 
-NOT AGAIN!-
 
-Quick, Punch, go psycho again and start punching the walls!-
 
Thwack!
 
-OW! I SAID THE WALLS!-
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 >Jetset
~~~~~~
 
This was unfortunate.
 
This was very, very unfortunate.
 
His Second Queen had given him an easy order, to find information on one of the most recognizable and easily distinguishable species on the planet. This should have taken mere moments. Perhaps minutes, if he wished to be more thorough than normal.
 
But instead, he had been going on at least a day now, and nothing. No sign of any such creature, any such event, he could not even find any such trace that a train had left the station at the approximate time that it had been deduced from via interviews. There was no trace of this mysterious guard, no sign of the wayward changeling, and no trail to follow.
 
There was nothing.
 
Which could only mean one thing.
 
>Someone does not want me to see where the changeling has gone...
 
He would have to report back to her, immediately. He would have to tell her as soon as he could.
 
That changeling was gone. And whoever wished it gone... was very good at not being found.
 
However... they were not the best.
 
>...it's been a while since I've had a chance to stretch my limbs... perhaps this is a good chance to get back in shape.
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
>Spitfire
"SA"
~~~~
 
>And then he fell into a cart and was set on fire. No, I don't know how crystal sets on fire. Stop asking me. I DON'T KNOW HOW IT GOT BURRNED!
 
"Kay."
 
>...Will never stop bothering me how unflappable you are about this
 
"I have seen fires, wars, I have seen the darkness of the pony soul, I have seen ponies rise up from the fires of their demise, beings who could grow to the size of a castle if they wished, I've seen machines walk as pony, I've seen mountains of paperwork come to life and attack the living, I've seen floating lands in the skies, titans of metal and theme park rides, and creatures of pony and insect learn to love and re-write the bodies of all they survey. I have seen it all, Spitfire, and it just rolls off me. Gone... like tears in the rain."
 
>...
 
"...Also, 56 set fire to crystal, like, forever ago. Multiple times, even! So there was precedent is what I'm saying."
 
>Makes sense.
 
"..."
 
>...Did you reherse that?
 
"That obvious?"
 
>Leave the acting to the giant bug thing that wants to bone you.
 
"Awwwww...."
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
>AJ
"Twilight"
'Rarity'
[FS]
{Dash}
~~~~
 
>And that's what's up. So! Uh... what's yer' take on this?
 
"Well, I'm just going to outright say it shouldn't be illegal to sound like someone else. If it was, Pinkie's impressions would put her away for life."
 
'But darling! He's making a mockery of their life's work with this!'
 
[Um, he's not really mocking it. He's just... singing.]
 
{Naaaah, I'm with Rar on this one. This is kind of making it seem like "Hey, you know that thing you worked your whole life for? I can do that, just, super easy." kind of being a dick to all that effort.}
 
"He's not over-writing all the stuff they did, he's just sounding like them and singing."
 
'But he's profiting from it too! It's one thing to do impressions at a party, but to profit from it? That's something entirely different.'
 
"But if you're monetizing that party, and then you do an impression there, aren't you profiting form it? It's a form of entertainment at that party, after all."
 
>Ah'm kinda with Dash here, they didn't really earn it is the problem. They're doin' this thing with their magic they just got born with, it ain't the same as singin' till ya' figure out how ta' sound good. Ain't as strenuous or hard as applebuckin', but it's still work.
 
"So? Unicorns can juggle without any work most times, our levitation just comes naturally, so why shouldn't we be allowed to use the stuff we're born with to entertain someone, and maybe get some money for it?"
 
'It's hardly the same!'
 
>Actually? As a former earth pony, yeah, ya'll unicorns get it easy mode most days.
 
'Well, I never!'
 
[Um, you never what? She said unicorns.]
 
'And obviously I am a... oh, right.'
 
{And I have just realized that I am backing someone who is trying to argue that working for it and validity of great feats should make something illegal, while being... you. I don't want to, I wish I could make them stop, but I'm gonna just say we drop it. Not much of a moral leg to stand on.}
 
'...Ouch.'
 
[That was pretty mean.]
 
>Yeah, Dash, what the hay?
 
"That was kind of low."
 
{Says all the Alicorns to the non-alicorn in the room.}
 
[...She has a point.]
 
>Er, Ah' feel like we're gettin' off topic.
 
"Look, the simplest problem is that we can't regulate this even if we wanted to. Pinkie's friend Cheese can sound like a ton of other ponies, so if we made this illegal we'd have to make that illegal. What's more, even if we focused in on only magic users, we'd have to prove he couldn't just do that naturally without the aide of magic, which obviously would cause a massive bloating of the justice system and a huge tax increase to fund a way to prevent them from doing it just to see if it was magic at all. Because it's natural and internal, we'd have to find a way to shut off their magic, period, and then have him or her try to sing."
 
>...Can we do that?
 
'Yes, shutting off Changeling magic actually sounds like it would be pretty useful.'
 
{Would at least work towards-}
 
"NO."
 
>...Ah'm just sayin'-
 
"N. O. We're not going down that road, holy shit you guys! They need magic to live, which means that just by testing this we run a massively high chance of KILLING whoever we test it on! NO!"
 
>...Could ya' do it safely-
 
"NO NO NO!"
 
>Is that a no ta' mah' question or-
 
*BOOM!*
 
>...Point taken. So, without any way ta' check, we're just gonna have ta' let it slide.
 
"SO LONG as they make it clear they're not the original artist."
 
'And I do suppose they should have to change parts of it just to further clarify.'
 
[Um, and if they do replicate it, they have to pay royalties?]
 
"That's as fair as we're getting."
 
{...Still some bullshit.}
 
>Trust me, Ah' know, iffin' Ah' could stop 'em Ah' would.
 
'Ugh, these things are a never ending headache.'
 
"..."
[...]
 
>What?
 
[...Sigh.]
 
"Meeting adjourned."
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
Non-Canon
>Pinkie
"Celestia"
~~~~~
>Welcome to Not Late Night /pa/ with your host Pinkie Pie! It's during this time that content does matter, but I'm waiting for the cows to come home! Now for our main guest...PRINCESS CELESTIA!!!
 
"Hello Pinkie."
 
>Are you going to give the new Captain the paperwork...and your personal touch?
 
"Of course, it's to be expected seeing how Rainbow Dash struggles with it."
 
>...that doesn't answer the last part.
 
"We'll see how my mood is. He's not Shining Armor, but I care for all my guards...still not sure why they look so similar though."
 
>I'm sure there's some grey ponies somewhere, but that's the end of the show!
 
"...no interruptions?"
 
>Nah, not today.
Celestia wakes up.
 
"...that went better than usual."
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 >Celestia
"Luna"
~~~~~~
 
>Sister? I'm growing increasingly concerned about-
 
"IF THE NEXT WORDS FROM THY MOUTH INVOLVE ANYTHING SPOKEN VIA THINE DAMNED HANGER ON OF CHITIN AND FLESH, WE SHALL REND THEE ASUNDER!"
 
>...She's involved, but mostly-
 
"NAY! WE ARE SICK OF THINGS BEING THROWN AT OUR HEAD! WE DESPISE ALL THE WEIRD PHRASES SHE SAYS, AND WE HATE WITH THE FURY THAT THINE PITIFUL BALL OF FIRE COULD NEVER HOPE TO MATCH WHEN SHE SPEAKS WORDS WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND AND THEN ATTACKS US! WE HATE, SISTER! WE HAAAAATEEEEE!"
 
>...Do you really not know what she's talking about?
 
"NOOOOOO!"
 
>Oh... well, that's a discussion for another time. I'm more concerned with the fact you're not really helping out with the paperwork.
 
"..."
 
>...
 
"..."
 
>...
 
"...MOONDUST ATTACK!"
 
>MY EYES!
 
"AND NOW WE FLEE!"
 
>LUNA DAMN IT COME BACK HERE!
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
NC
>AJ
"Dash"
~~~~~
 
>...
 
"..."
 
>...
 
"..."
 
>...
 
"...WHAT!?"
 
>Ya'll do realize hibernation doesn't mean he's gonna fuckin' die, right?
 
"..........WHAT!? Where the fuck did that come from!?"
 
>Ya' know what? Sorry, no idea. Just came ta' me.
 
"This paperwork shit is getting to you."
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
>AJ
"Fluttershy"
~~~~
 
>AAANND DONE!
 
She was triumphant as she smashed her hoof to the desk, stamping the paper upon it with a fever that would have made Pinkie told her to tone it down a notch. The only other pony in the room, the chaos alicorn Fluttershy, squeaked with fear and ducked down instinctively, only cautiously peering out when her fellow alicorn slumped back hard in her chair, head dangling off the top and forelegs curled against her chest. Her stamp fell to the ground, worn and used, but she did not give a single care. It was done.
 
>It... is... done.
 
"Um... what is?"
 
Lazily, her head rolled to the side, letting her look at the other pony with a goofy smile on her face.
 
>Ah' finally got rid of every gad dang little thing that bug monster slipped by me. Every little edit removed, every freakin' little amendment gone. It's finally back ta' the way it was, at last.
 
"...Oh..."
 
She had expected a show of happiness that she was happy, a sign that she was proud of her maybe, perhaps even an offer to go celebrate with something. But she didn't.
 
The yellow former pegasus turned back to her paperwork, and continued scribbling this and that on it.
 
>Somethin' wrong? Come on! Ah' just undid every single thing she got in there, that's impressive!
 
"Oh, yes, it is..."
 
Once again, she had started to worry her.
 
>Somethin' the matter?
 
"Oh, no, no no. Nothing, I'm sorry for bothering you."
 
>Fluttershy, yer' actin' weird.
 
She cautiously peered around that waterfall of pink hair, a single eye glancing through.
 
"...What did they say?"
 
>What did what say?
 
"Those amendments she put in, what were they about?"
 
Something between a scoff and a snort left the other mare, followed by something that could only generously be called a groan.
 
>Just a bunch'a crap fer' her guys.
 
"Anything... dangerous?
 
>Probably.
 
"...Probably?"
 
>Ah' didn't read too much about them. Just got rid of them.
 
"You didn't read what they were?"
 
>Nnnnope. Didn't need ta', they shouldn't never of been there in the first place.
 
"Oh... then how did you know where they were?"
 
>Hn? Oh, friggen bug monster told me where they were. Gave a list and everythin', so Ah' just hopped down and turned 'em back ta' what Ah' originally drafted for them... before ya' ask, yes, Ah'm havin' Spike double check for anythin' she might've left outta her list.
 
"So, um... she told you were to find them?"
 
>Yep. Friggen just decided ta' brag since she ain't here no more.
 
"Oh... okay..."
 
Again, she hid herself behind a wall of pink, and resumed scribbling at a furious pace.
 
>...Somethin's wrong.
 
"No no, nothing's wrong."
 
>Fluttershy...
 
"I'm sorry, Applejack, I really need to get this done, or Canterlot's garden is never going to get back to normal."
 
>Fluttershy, ya'll got a problem with what Ah' did?
 
"Oh no, I don't do law stuff. I don't think I would be any good at that. You all need to handle that one."
 
>Yer' a princess too-
 
"No I'm not!"
 
The voice had gone from whisper quiet to what one would consider, at most, an outdoor voice, but the effect was as much the same as if she had blasted it from a bullhorn.
 
>Fluttershy, ya' can't seriously think Ah' should just have left that alone! Ah' can't have her writin' stuff in like that!
 
"No, you can't."
 
>So what's the problem!?
 
"The problem is that her sneaking around and slipping in stuff under your nose is the only time anything helpful to them ever got passed in almost a year."
 
Her yellow hoof shot up, covering her mouth as quickly as she could, but not fast enough to keep her from letting it out.
 
"S-sorry. That came out a little harder than I wanted it to."
 
Too late, she noticed, to stop Applejack from narrowing her eyes and glaring at her.
 
>So, what, it's okay ta' sneak around me cause Ah'm not just givin' her what she wants so she can use it ta' her advantage, again?
 
That, strangely, is what made the yellow pony pause, made her stop, and slowly tilt her head up enough that both eyes could lock with hers.
 
"...Are you serious?"
 
>Yer' damn straight Ah'm serious. Ah'm not just gonna sit around and let her pass whatever she wanted ta' make it so she gets her way again. Shinin' or Cadence want ta' let her roll all over them? Fine. Whatever. Ain't mah' business and ain't mah problem, but Ah'm sick of ya'll and Twilight actin' like Ah' gotta toll right with 'em.
 
There was no argument, no remorse, no apology, no agreement, nothing but two wide as saucer eyes staring back at her with absolute shock. So taken aback by her friend looking at her like that, she couldn't help but squirm a bit in discomfort.
 
>Hey, just cause ya'll hang out with her don't mean ya' gotta pretend she ain't the sort ta' take advantage of that.
 
She looked away.
 
Slowly, painfully slowly, Fluttershy looked away, and back to her papers. After a brief pause, a few moments of utter silence, she picked up her pencil again, and started writing.
 
>Fluttershy?
 
Nothing but the sound of pen on paper was her answer.
 
>Come on, don't you start.
 
Again, nothing but the sound of ink scrawling increasingly fast on the paper, as if to drown her out. She was focused, determined and ignoring her, and it was driving the apple-loving mare up a wall.
 
>Iffin' ya' got somethin' ta say, say it. Come on, ya'll know Ah'm not gonna hold it against ya'. Ah'm a big mare, be honest with me.
 
"...Celestia asking you to work with them was a mistake..."
 
Ten words.
 
Ten little, softly spoken words, and then silence. Silence from the stunned mare, silence from the writing former pegasus, silence all around. Not a peep, not a noise except for that damningly loud scribbling.
 
She didn't know what to say, how to react to that, how to respond to something so bluntly said from someone who could soften a bomb most days. She was left there, adrift in that soundless vacuum, with no idea where to go or what to say.
 
And through it all, Fluttershy never stopped writing, never stopped working. Never stopped, not once.
 
It was only after a long, long silence, that Applejack shoved the old bills into the trash, doing her best to ignore the flicker of a glance that Fluttershy gave her for doing so, and got back to her own work. With that, it was as if a wall had been thrown up, and like magic both of them could no longer see the other.
 
But even if she could ignore the being who said it, Applejack found she could not ignore the words.
 
She had wanted words of Honesty...
 
She just missed it when they had been words of Kindness instead...
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 >77
"88"
'Cheerilee'
~~~~~
 
>...Er-
 
'No no, let her finish.'
 
>...
 
'...'
 
>...It just looks like she's being really rough.
 
'She kind of is, but it's nothing too bad.'
 
>Oh, okay.
 
'...'
 
>...Are you almost-
 
'Dun rushh 'er.'
 
>...
 
"...You have a hot girlfriend."
 
>SISTER!
 
'Thanks? Can you really tell by just feeling what I look like?'
 
"Huh? Oh, nah. How's that work? Hooves can't form to faces, I don't know what it looks like."
 
'...Then why exactly did you spend the last five minutes mashing my face like that?'
 
"I'm hopeful I will see again soon, and wish to milk this as much as I can."
 
>EIGHTY EIGHT!
 
"AHAHHA!"
 
'Pfft, really? If I were in your place, I would have said I wanted to feel what they looked like full body style and used that as an excuse to grope others.'
 
"..."
 
>WHAT!? WHATWHATWHATWHAT-
 
"Brilliant! Hey, Lucky Seven, your marefriend is awesome!"
 
>LOOK WHAT YOU DID!
 
'No regrets.'
 
"AHAHHA!"
 
>Funny... I have many...
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 >42
"CE Soldiers"
~~~~~
 
>...You all have been shuffling uncomfortably this whole time. What is the matter with you all?
 
In response, the normally fiercely trained soldiers just shuffled a little more.
 
>I will make you all run laps if you don't speak right now.
 
"YES!"
 
"LAPS!"
 
"LAPS AROUND THE CASTLE ARE NICE!"
 
"THE CASTLE!? YOU SISSY! LET'S RUN AROUND THE ENTIRE EMPIRE!"
 
"HIS IDEA IS GOOD AND HE SHOULD FEEL GOOD!"
 
>...Okay, now I'm really worried.
 
"WHY!?"
 
"WE'RE GOOD!"
 
"SUPER GOOD!"
 
>....
 
"..."
 
>...I'm going to sit here and stare at you all until you speak.
 
"...FUCK!"
 
"Shit."
 
"NOT THE EYES!"
 
>...
 
"...Are you gonna leave us?"
 
>...am... am I what now?
 
"It's just..."
 
"With the changelings here and all that, we were thinking you would kind of... shift priorities."
 
"To them."
 
"...Not us..."
 
>...oh... oh, uh...
 
"..."
 
>...Majesty hasn't made a mention of it yet, soooooo...
 
"..."
 
>...I am technically just a guest instructor, so if she ordered me...
 
"..."
 
>...A-hem, I've managed to consolidate my time to looking after my species on another continent, looking after my Queen, the Prince and Princess, and also my side activities with my extracurricular club. I suppose, even if she did order me to return to full training, I would still have plenty of time to ensure none of you all fall out of step, ESPECIALLY YOU, CRUMBLES!
 
"EEP!"
 
>I suppose I'd just... make time.
 
"..."
 
*Sniffle*
 
>First one who cries has to go into the punching pit.
 
"Permission to wibble happily, and feel warm and fuzzy inside, ma'am?"
 
>...Granted.
 
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________