They're EVERYWHERE!

65536: 5

"You know, Luna... you could use a shower," Sharp Biscuit smirks as he sniffs the heavy and stale air of the princess' suite. Then he wipes his forehead, "Huh, and so could I."

Luna looks behind herself at the sheets drenched with fresh sweat from the nightmare they've just escaped and takes a long breath before sticking her tongue out, "Bleh... you're absolutely right. It's not just us, though," she glances at the drone sleeping on its back and firmly biting down on plush Celestia's foreleg.

"How did you not notice it earlier?"

"There were more pressing matters at hoof!" Luna huffs indignantly, "Now shoo! And tell the serva- no," she stops herself. Revealing a live changeling to castle staff would be a terrible idea, no doubt, "Hmph, it seems that I have to ask for a favor-"

"I'll get the fresh sheets, don't worry," Sharp smiles, sniffs the air, and winces, "Possibly some air-freshener, and..." he looks at the changeling, "You know, that buggo could use a bath too."

The changeling suddenly sits upright, looking around in visible panic and hugging Not-Blue. When its eyes stop on Luna, Sharp, and nothing else in the room, it visibly relaxes and breathes out.

"Thanks, Sharp."

The Nightguard commander turns around.

"Shaaa!" 65536 gives him a wave, finally letting go of the now irreparably ruined plushie.

He waves back and leaves.

Luna wrinkles her nose. Now that Sharp pointed it out, she can't get the assault of stench on her nostrils out of her mind. Come to think of it, the part of her bed where the changeling was sleeping is a crusty mess of caked dust, lint, green goo, and chitin shards.

"Ewww. You stay there," she pats 65536's head and points at its spot. The changeling puffs out its chest and remains solid as a rock.

Luna wipes her hoof on the sheet, rushes to the window, and opens it wide while shoving her head outside and taking in the sweet lungfuls of fresh air. The warm late summer night wind does wonders to wash away the uneasiness of the recent nightmare, and Luna soon hatches a plan for the few remaining hours of this horrible night.

With 65536 still sitting in its spot, Luna leaves the window open, walks over to the bathroom where she proceeds to draw a bath. She desperately wants to take a shower but doing so would be pointless before cleaning the ball of smelly mess that's 65536. Splashing some cold water in her face, though, is definitely a step number one.

Sharp returns soon with a load of fresh, clean laundry, and unloads the messy stuff on Luna's bed onto the two guards always standing outside of the suite.

"Anything else?" he asks.

"I need you to stay here. I've got an idea but I'm going to need you. First, though, it's bath time."

"Oh my, you require such personal services from me?" Sharp smirks.

Luna rolls her eyes, her horn lights up, and her telekinetic grip levitates up the changeling whom she shoves directly on Sharp's back.

"There you go, trash collector."

65536 hugs the back of Sharp's neck.

"Does this go into paper, plastic, or glass?" he asks, unfazed.

"Bathtub," she nods towards the bathroom and follows him there.

The bath is full by now, foam and bubbles casually floating above the water surface.

Sharp furrows his brows.

"You know, this might not be the best-"

"In you go, you disgusting little ball," Luna telekinetically plucks 65536 off of Sharp's back and tosses it into the tub.