Areola has me lead her across Ponyville into the Everfree Forest. We eventually arrive at the cliff to the tree of harmony. At this point, it’s kind of become a sanctuary for me now.
I sigh as a wave of memories wash over me. “I’ve changed quite a bit here. Across the cliff here is the castle of the two sisters, a place I once visited for research. And with my memory refreshed by recent events, I recall that that research was for performing a cloning spell before exploring the castle reminded me of two of the changelings who’d left the hive under me.”
“I see,” Areola remarks before chuckling. “I heard that the tree of harmony was right by your side when you went to her for help. And considering what I learned when getting up to speed back home, that’s quite a turnaround only a lucky few get to experience.”
With a warm smile on my face, I fly down the cliff and into the nearby cave, Areola following closely behind. As we look at the tree, Areola is the first to break the brief silence.
“There is a reason why I had you lead me here: really it’s for you, and by extension, your castlemates. First let me ask you something, Chrysalis. Do you remember when I became queen?”
“Of course,” I answer. “I was a teenager when you inherited Mother Wavelength’s throne. I would say, roughly eighteen years before the Ponyville-Canterlot incident?”
Areola rests her hoof on my shoulder and huffs in an abrupt sorrow. “I recognize what Lorien did to protect Smoky. You see, Chrysalis, I was going to become queen six years before I actually did. Unfortunately, I found out what happened to who I thought was a dear friend of mine: Jar. After several peers complained about him to Mom, she had to have him executed, and I never recovered from the incident for years. Although I did miss Jar before losing my life, my time in the dream realm revealed to me his true nature… and his interaction with me was quite repulsive.”
“Repulsive?” I flash a challenging look at Areola. “Come now, Areola. Nothing you think Jar could ever do comes close to all the villains Aita and I have faced. You’d be surprised how far a puritan is willing to go for their goals.”
“I will admit, that Superintendent Spitfire you helped arrest was pretty bad, especially since Aita is still a child to this day. But at least that Spitfire was transparent about her malice…”
I have to put my hoof in my mouth to hold back laughter, resulting in a chortle. “Apologies. So I suppose that was not the case for Jar? And so by extension, Mangle?”
“I’m afraid that’s true, Chrysalis… at least for Jar. Tell me; is Lorien normally so hostile toward other guests like he was to Mangle?”
“Of course not. He likes me, Cozy, Aita, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Dr. Ralph, Diamond Tiara, Firelight, nearly anyone he meets. The only ones he didn’t like were Discord and Mangle, and even then, he only gave Discord a stern talking to. If Lorien thinks Mangle isn’t to be trusted, should I listen, even though that drake’s mannerisms point to no wrongdoing whatsoever?”
Areola huffs once again, realizing I might not like the answer. “That’s ultimately up to you, Cozy and Aita to decide. Since you asked me though, I would follow the fox.”
While on the inside, my heart sinks at the thought of having to kick out a dear ally of ours that has fought by our side more than once, Areola makes a fair point about Lorien’s track record.
“Well, as the saying goes: uncharted behaviors are serious business. Let’s head back to the castle,” I say. “We’ll have to gather everyone around for this.”
Cozy Glow and I take a walk to the balcony and see if Lorien is there. After Spike told us about our fox’s second confrontation with Mangle, we can only imagine how scared he is. It turns out, he is on the balcony, sitting and staring at the darkening sky. But the moment we start to approach, he takes off and runs past us, then runs back to the balcony and lies on his stomach with his tail straight on the ground, facing away.
“Lorien?” I start. “Are you okay?”
He looks behind to me and Cozy, growls, and looks back in front of him.
Cozy walks up beside Lorien and lies down on her stomach. “We’re entirely aware we invited someone over you didn’t like, at least now. Based on what Spike told us though, Mangle might’ve left already.”
“What do you suppose was wrong with Mangle?” I ask.
Lorien swings his head back, essentially telling me to transform, so I start with changing into Areola, then Bright Trail. He sits and makes a brief gekker, prompting me to change my transformation approach. I change again, this time into Lily, then Spike, and Smoky. I also try Smoulder, Ocellus and Yona to see who Lorien was gekkering about. Between each transformation, he sniffs my claw/hoof and lies down when the scent is wrong. But Ocellus and Yona’s scents match Lorien’s search, as he holds each hoof in his mouth, chirping when he feels he can’t describe anymore.
“I think I see,” Cozy announces as I change back to my natural form. “But we can’t just tell everyone about this. Can you imagine the ramifications if we do?”
“I have an idea. Cozy, we’ll have to meet Chrysalis at the entrance. Lorien, do you think you can keep everyone else company in here?”
Lorien springs up to his paws and dashes off, leaving me and Cozy to fly out of the balcony and to the front stoop of the castle, where we spot Chrysalis and Areola approaching us and stopping when they see us.
“There you are,” Chrysalis sighs, relieved to see us. “Areola and I need to tell you something about Mangle.”
“We already know, Chrysalis,” I say, much to Areola’s shock. “Lorien doesn’t like him because of smelling younger Sire’s Hollow residents on him.”
Chrysalis stiffens at the implication. “Do you mean to tell me what I think that means?”
Cozy nods. “At this point, it’s pretty clear. And I thought I was headed down a dark path.”
Did you now? All four of us turn around to a familiar voice coming from behind the southeast corner of the castle. The source of the voice is revealed to be Mangle himself. “What’s all this talk about me?”
I hover up to sniff around Mangle, which kind of weirds him out as looks at me.
“Huh. Smells fine to me. Maybe foxes just have stronger noses than us.”
Mangle scratches his head in confusion. “Wh- what's this about scents?”
Cozy Glow whispers into Chrysalis’ ear and then comes up to Mangle while I return to Chrysalis and Areola.
“Do these two look familiar to you?” Cozy asks as Chrysalis and I transform into Ocellus and Yona respectively.
Mangle peers at us, looking even more confused. “I know the yak is my deputy, but who’s the changeling?”
“Sheriff dragon sure no recognize comic clerk?” I ask, imitating the yaks’ broken grammar.
“I haven’t even been to Operation Comics. Sheriff’s work is no small job, you know. And before you girls say anything about Yona, our interactions are nothing but a formality. You remember how I could relay Stellar Flare’s escape to Canterlot and the Crystal Empire.”
Chrysalis and I change back to our natural forms, still not quite convinced with Mangle’s argument.
“Look,” Mangle continues. “If you really want to find out the truth. I think you should start by going to Sire’s Hollow and asking those citizens yourselves.”
Chrysalis comes up to Mangle and offers her hoof. “Maybe not until we find the time, but I’d say we shall. For now however, perhaps it is best for you to head home. It appears your claw has seen better days.”
Mangle looks at his claw, and of course there are two minor cuts on it, which are possibly a bite mark made by Lorien. He rests that claw on Chrysalis’ hoof and shakes it.
“Hope we still get to hang out. Only we’ll have to do it in Sire’s Hollow.” Chrysalis, Cozy and I nod at Mangle, prompting him to fly off.
When we all look at Areola, she gives us a disapproving look. “You learned nothing about that story I told you, did you, Chrysalis?”
“Of course I have Areola. I would certainly like to visit Starlight in Sire’s Hollow someday, so that shall be the opportunity where we investigate.”
Something springs up in my mind. “What if Yona and Ocellus tell a similar story to what Mangle said? We haven’t heard a real peep from them ever since Carve visited.” Areola nods to me in agreement.
“That would mean Lorien would’ve been wrong about Mangle,” answers Cozy. “That is something I wish was, like Mangle said, a fluke. But Lorien’s been right about everyone else he met.”
“We’ll find out another time, girls,” I say to them. “We have a dinner to serve.”
When Cozy Glow, Aita, Areola and I take our remaining guests out of the library and into the dining room for the dinner, I initiate a preface by clearing my throat to get everyone’s attention.
“Perhaps you’re wondering where the last guest is: Mangle.”
Bright Trail tilts her head. “Yeah, I last saw him just after that first barking fit Lorien had.”
I nod in confirmation. “Indeed. Unfortunately, Mangle had to leave because of our fox’s disdain for him. Lorien even drew a pair of cuts in his claw. For Lily and Smoky’s sake, we cannot reveal his reasoning for this disdain, but just know Mangle cannot visit our place anymore… at least not in Lorien’s lifetime.”
“There is one more thing we want to do before dinner,” Cozy adds. “Lorien? Are you okay with everyone else around here?”
Without another sound, Lorien runs around, kissing everyone and pausing occasionally to hold some of the claws and hooves within the dining room.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” says Aita. “Light grips to arms and forelegs are definitely a good sign.”
I think back to my first proper interaction with Lorien just after the whole nightmare incident, and it appeared Aita was right about that. His burst of energy was the excitement over my embrace.
Looking now at Lorien, he appears quite excited to get to know all these friends of ours, bearing the same face he did that first night I properly saw him. Honestly the only thing that’s surprising is that the burst of energy didn’t kick in.
My thoughts are interrupted by a tap on the back as everyone sits down at the dining room table, leaving five spots open. I turn around and spot…
“Fluttershy? George?” The two wave to me, Cozy and Aita meanwhile taking Lorien with them as they head to the dining room.
“I hope it’s not too late to join in on the dinner tonight,” Fluttershy says.
Hm. a net gain of one guest doesn’t sound so bad. “Of course there’s room for you,” I reply. “Please make yourselves at home.”
I follow George to two of the empty spots at the table as Fluttershy takes one on the other side.
“Who’s the grey dragon?” George inquires, pointing next to Fluttershy.
“Oh him? His name is Smoky; I met him through Cozy Glow,” I pause before continuing my answer. “Just don’t ask about his guardian.”
I chuckle a bit at the events that have led up to this moment. While Mangle may not be invited to the castle for a long time, as long as the fluke misjudgement theory can be maintained, he’ll remain friends with everyone here… except obviously for Lorien. Seeing everyone at the table enjoying each other’s company, I head out of the dining room to catch up to Cozy and Aita and help them with cooking.