They're EVERYWHERE!

65536: 8

"Uhhh... are you okay, Luna?" Sharp realizes he unconsciously backed up all the way into the closed door.

"My noggin hurts from so many words..." 65536 rubs its temples, although the conclusion that it's quite likely not getting eaten helps a ton to improve its mood. That's one thing ponies shouldn't learn from changelings, if possible.

"A-hem," Luna's eyes stop glowing with eerie white light and the entire room seems to warm back up again, "Relax, nopony is eating you. What I meant was that if we are to show ponies that changelings aren't just the dark swarm they saw blot out the sky a few days ago, you're going to need to learn some things. However, I can't take care of you for the rest of the day."

"That's no problem, Luna-" offers Sharp.

"And neither can Sharp," Luna interrupts him, "At night, you will take Blazing and the rest of the search party along with Tender Feather to contact the changelings she mentioned. We need to know the state of the non-hive changelings in our city. I don't want any of you to get into a potential negotiation without getting any sleep and I'm still wary of fully entrusting 65536 to any other Nightguards- yes?" she stops, noting 65536's raised foreleg.

"Umm, I can just lie down and rest. That's what we do when no one wants anything from us," it rubs its head, "My head still hurts from Tendy linking up with me anyway..."

Luna and Sharp exchange glances.

"Then I guess it's settled," she nods, approaching the bed, "I only ask you to be careful. I made everything in my power to keep this suite isolated from both the light and noise outside and the burning incense will help me sleep but I still do wake up easily."

"No worries, Luna," Sharp salutes, "Good nigh- well, you know what I mean."

"I'll make you proud!" 65536 puffs out its chest, "I can do nothing like a chump!"

"Champ," Sharp corrects it.

"I'm not a fizzy drink!"

"But you are still not asleep and Sharp is still here!" Luna, now lying in the bed with a mask over her eyes, raises her voice.

"Old mare Luna is on us. Flee!" she hears an overexaggerated whisper from a bat pony definitely not acting his age followed by a buzzing giggle, the scuttling of small hooves into a corner, and the suite door opening and closing before everything goes quiet.

***

Luna's internal clock wakes her up just like evening after evening before. She yawns, stretches, sits upright, and takes off her sleeping mask with a mild surprise. As much as she trusted that the changeling wouldn't want to disturb her, it's still shown itself to be curious on the level of a foal and those aren't known for their discipline and calm behavior.

That's why it surprises her so much to see faint light coming from under the closed door of the bathroom without any noise of running water. A quick look around doesn't show 65536 anywhere, so she walks over to the door, opens it, and her jaw drops.

"Hiii!" 65536 looks up at her from the tiled floor covered with scattered crayons and sheets of paper depicting everything from random lines to an almost photorealistic picture of Sharp Biscuit's face, "Didya sleep well? Was I too loud? Was the light too much? I can see in the dark but the drawings looked weird so I went in here."

However, no part of that is what made her freeze with a mix of emotions too complex to disentangle. The thing that hit her like a speeding train powered by a dragon on steroids was 65536's looks.

It's not as if the small changeling shapeshifted or anything. It's legs and barrel are scribbled on with dark blue crayons, not even as one proper layer but just lines as far as the changeling could reach. Strips of blue and white paper are hanging from its tail stump, glued to it with a small green glob of goo, and the same goes for the changeling's head.