After less than an hour in the kitchen, Fluttershy was ready to feed everyone.
When she entered the living room, a lot of eyes were upon her.
While it would be utterly terrifying for her if they were ponies looking at her on a stage, the glittering eyes of her animal friends when she came to feed them only brought her a happy smile.
The canary she found last week watched her so intently she could have swore it was a statue.
She knew Mister Mousey and his wife did not look different, even if she wasn't able to see them currently, hidden by the small door-like hole made especially for them in the wall.
But then, she saw something new.
As usual, the couple of ferrets she housed were looking at her, each one standing on one arm of the sofa, only their heads visible above the back of the sofa.
What was not usual, though, was the changeling head, only visible from the eyes up, in the middle of the same sofa.
His blue, pupil-less eyes were reflecting the light as well as the ferrets', and Fluttershy couldn't help but giggle at the sight.
After half her tour was done — she had to go back to the kitchen to get a carrot and an onion slice to satisfy Angel — she came to the sofa, where the three heads didn't move an inch.
Of course, she was used to that. Even Harry finally learned to calm his greediness and wait for his turn.
She was glad the changeling was so well-behaved from the start.
She gave the ferrets their plates and a few comforting words like she did with everyone, and they answered in their own way before digging in: one of them hugged her leg for a second, the other jumped on the sofa and licked her face, making her giggle again.
She then turned to face her new resident.
“I... I hope you'll like it. I saw your long teeth, so I thought that you would prefer a fish diet?”
She offered him a plate.
“Of course, if you prefer, I can prepare you something else!”
#32481 was still tense, but answered nonetheless.
“Thank you, Miss Fluttershy. I can eat fish.”
She was still holding the plate in front of him, but he didn't dare take it.
All the animals she had served until then have just waited for her to put the plate down in front of them, so he waited, too.
Even if the smell was actually very tempting.
And he did not eat since the failed invasion.
That fish was looking very nice, too...
He quickly shut his muzzle when he felt some saliva dripping from it. That wouldn't do.
He didn't hear it when his stomach growled, though, his attention captured by the plat in front of him.
Fluttershy was hesitating, her eyes shifting away from him, but at last she placed the plate down.
He was right to have waited, then.
Yet, all the others have thanked her in one way or another.
He was very nervous about it, but he didn't want to make a faux-pas.
Choosing the move that looked the most like an act of submission, he moved in front of her and lowered his head to her hoof.
Fluttershy was still wondering why he didn't take the plate directly; maybe his magic was weak and he was not used to do things by hoof?
She then saw the changeling looking at something near her hoof, so she lifted it to make it easier for him to see.
But instead of looking at the ground, he just pushed his head against her hoof, like a cat wanting to be petted.
The pegasus eyes were sparkling.
Such a cute little thing!
She gladly obliged the changeling, petting his head affectively.
“Aaaw, poor little one. Don't worry, you're safe now. You should eat your dinner, you'll feel better after.”
She then went back to her tour, a spring in her step.
What just happened? #32481 was not sure.
He was glad she accepted his submission, but then she gave him a lot of love-energy — much more than what he needed for the day.
And she sad he was now 'safe'.
Was she trying to take him in as part of her heterogeneous pack-like group?
A weak worker like him?
He should not get his hopes too high.
It was still unlikely anyone would want him in, especially not if they have been attacked by his kin a few days before.
He was not even sure his own Hive would let him back in if he strayed too long.
Yet, that would explain most of her behaviour.
Or did the fact that he so very, very much wanted his old life back made him see what he wanted to see?
It was so easy before... He just had to obey his orders, and he knew his acts were contributing to the Hive as a whole.
The smell of his plate hit him again.
Well, he could still philosophise about it later. Time to eat.
Fluttershy completed her tour a bit quicker than usual.
Now that the chicken were fed — she was glad to see that Elizabeak was well rested and didn't have nightmares any more — everyone was accounted for.
Well, everyone but her, of course.
So she went home, tidied up the kitchen a bit, and had her own dinner.
She knew that by the time she will be done, she could start a tour again to take back the plates and cups before doing the washing up.
It was a tiring life, but she did it for them, and she felt that it was worth it.
Still not able to move as much as he would have liked, #32481 had little to do but watch the pegasus doing her chores.
And then, only until she went outside.
She was very dedicated to her caretaker activities.
At first, when she told him she was not only a warrior but also a caretaker, he thought she was just posing as such on her leisure time; maybe thinking her rank allowed her to do as she pleased.
But he watched her, and she was certainly doing a good job.
He knew that back at the Hive, a nurse's pride was to show how calm and well-behaved the larvae under his care were.
And here, while she took care of many different species of animals entirely — some even sharing a predator/prey relationship — she would get a lot of respect from the worker caste as a whole for the way she handled them.
How could she be so good at both activities? It baffled him.
He always thought the warrior caste was ruthless and only valued drones strong enough to hold themselves in a fight.
She was obviously not acting that way.
Was that a pony thing?
He didn't know, but he certainly didn't complain about it.
Looking at his now empty plate, he wished again that she would actually want him as a part of her... pack? herd?
He didn't even know the right pony term.
But he knew it was only that: wishful thinking.
He should already be thankful that she was willing to nurse him back to health before alerting the officials about it.
Once again, he thought about escaping.
Even if he knew how unlikely he was to succeed...
Still, one lives by hope.
As soon as the kitchen swinging doors opened, #32481's eyes were on it.
He watched the pegasus passing through them with a tea towel on her back, slowly walking towards him.
“So... Was it to your taste?”
He was still nervous, there was no way around it; but he tried to stay calm and keep his head low.
“Yes — thank you, Miss Fluttershy.”
The pegasus let her mane cover her eyes again before continuing.
“I know it's silly but... I still don't know your name.”
#32481 was taken aback.
Yes, she sounded unsure about it, but she actually asked about him!
She was considering him!
He raised his head slightly, just enough to look at hers, and choose his words carefully.
“I'm worker caste drone #32481, from the logistics unit.”
...
She didn't say a word, and looked like she didn't get the answer she wanted.
Maybe she was waiting for more?
Fidgeting, he thought about what he could add, the remembered she first took him for a cook.
“I've been assigned a lot of food transport missions, too.”
“Hmm... Okay? So what is your name, mister drone?”
That was still more encouraging than her previous answer.
But why was she asking again?
Did he say something she didn't like?
...was she speaking about an honorific title?
“I... I don't have any other name, Miss Fluttershy.”
The pegasus looks surprised.
She was probably expecting a high-profile changeling!
But what should he do, now?
Lying to her was probably a very bad idea — one doesn't lie to an elite warrior with impunity, and he was completely at her mercy should anything happen.
So, what to do? Think!
But before he could, she interrupted him.
“But... How could you not have a name?”
She didn't yet look angry at him — and he was still alive.
She's offering him a chance, but what?
“I'm always working my hardest for the Hive, Miss Fluttershy! I always do the most I can!”
He was trembling, now; he knew very well this was a poor excuse, but that was all he had.
The pegasus came closer.
“Shh... It's okay, it's akay...”
...was it?
She then wrapped a wing around him, which was both terrifying and comforting at the same time.
“So, what should I call you, then?”
She was not... Was she...?
His surprise was enough to make him stop trembling.
“Wha... what do you mean, Miss Fluttershy?”
“Well, you need a name, obviously. So, what do you want it to be?”
She was! She was offering him a name!
But why was she asking him about it?
The changeling wrapped under her wing wasn't trembling any more.
She was glad it was so easy to calm him — the poor thing must still be under shock.
Now, he was just showing a blank face.
Maybe she could help him with a suggestion?
Thinking on it, she remembered something that happened earlier today: the way he was looking at her from the sofa, only his eyes and up visible above it.
“Maybe... if it is okay with you... What about Shining Eyes?”
The changeling relaxed slightly.
“Thank you, Miss Fluttershy!”
Speaking about names, she was still not too much into being called 'Miss', but he looked so happy right now that she didn't want to tell him just now.
She was still wary about what she said around him, since he could be scared over anything.
“Well, 'Shining Eyes', I still have some work to do. Why don't you rest a bit more on the sofa? You need some sleep to get better.”
“I will!”
Well, he sure looked more happy now.
Fluttershy left him there and went back to the kitchen, with some bowls and cups to wash.
She still didn't know what to do about Shining Eyes, but she was glad to see he was into his way to recovery.
Back into the kitchen, she started the washing up without even thinking about it.
That's what she liked about it: her hooves were busy, but her mind was free to reflect upon the day.
In this case, her main focus was of course Shining Eyes.
When she brought him home, she was afraid he needed medical attention she would not be able to provide; but since he was a changeling, she could not just send him to the hospital.
She would have had to make sure he was not mistaken as an invader.
So she thought she would go see her friends for advice, or maybe nurse Red Heart directly.
But he was very shy, and more than adamant about *not* wanting to go to the hospital.
She would usually not cave in to such behaviour, but in this case, he as very well behaved.
He was just terrified about a lot of things.
And he seemed to get better without complications, though she wanted to check his broken leg again.
A bone that healed while misaligned was never fun.
Maybe she should check with Twilight if she had a book about them changelings?
It would be very helpful, even if she doubted it actually existed.