Four Months later…
The door jingled as it opened up, signaling that a customer had just entered. A middle-aged mare looked up and grinned, “Oh hello Crystal!”
The one in question, Crystal Hoof looked up and grinned herself, “Hello Mrs. Prance.”
“Oh please, you’ve known me for months now, call me Bagger,” The mare said.
This wasn’t the first time Crystal had been asked to stop adding the “Mrs.” title, but Crystal did it all the same. After all, one did have to have signs of showing respect.
Crystal moved through the aisles gathering bits and pieces of what she needed. Once she was done, she filled up her cart and headed towards the front register.
“Ah, so I see it’s your turn to cook tonight eh?” Bagger Prance noted.
“Yes, I do have to make up for last time’s little incident,” Crystal noted.
“Summer still giving you a hard time?” Bagger asked.
“When is she not?” Crystal asked.
“Oh don’t worry dear that’s just her way of showing love. She won’t admit it, but she does like you,” Bagger Prance noted.
Crystal didn’t argue despite having her doubts, “Very well, here you go,” She said as she handed the exact change.
“Pleasure doing business with you as always,” Bagger said before she turned her attention to the next customer.
Putting everything in her bags, Crystal headed out the door, stepping into the open air. It was a lovely day in Trotter. Most days were, not counting the times' rain was scheduled to their little hamlet. And of course not counting the times an accident at the weather factory in Cloudsdale forced bad weather in their direction. Despite controlling most of how their world went, ponies were not perfect. Crystal knew that foremost. Of course, back then she hadn’t been known as Crystal. Sometimes she lost herself in the “Crystal Hoof” persona she often forgot about her “Chrysalis” one.
Chrysalis put it out of her mind as she concentrated on heading home. Before long she made it to the front door, stepping inside.
“I’m home,” Chrysalis announced her presence.
Spring’s voice broke through, “Now for the last time remember your allergies,” The stallion spoke in a chiding tone.
Judging from the look on his patent’s face, he had some kind of allergic reaction of his own doing.
“I know Doctor it’s just honey is sooooo good!” The pony exclaimed.
“Yes, yes, I know, but try to lay off it okay?” Spring asked almost as if he were asking a favor.
This wasn’t the first time this had happened. This particular pony had stepped through the clinic doors more than once, for the same problem no less.
The pony passed by Chrysalis, shutting the door behind them as they did. Chrysalis merely shook her head and grinned at Spring.
“You would think he’d stop eating food that gave him an allergic reaction?” Chrysalis noted.
“Yeah he’s a stubborn one, but what can you do?” Spring rhetorically asked.
“Put up a sign that says “No repeat patients please!”” Chrysalis said jokingly.
That earned a chuckle out of Spring, “I guess so.”
“I got everything on the list for dinner tonight,” Chrysalis said jostling the bags she carried.
“Let me guess, you plan another interesting “recipe” tonight?” Summer’s voice spoke through as she entered the room.
Chrysalis’s face took on a hunt of offense, “I can pick up the sarcasm in your voice.”
“Well considering your last attempt at cooking, I think I’ve earned it,” Summer noted.
Holding her nose up, Chrysalis replied, “I have no idea what you’re talking about!”
“Let’s dial back. Two weeks ago,” Summer began, “It was your turn to make dinner, and you decided to go with a classic, Spaghetti. Simple enough, you got the noodles, the plant-based meatballs, the cheese, but then came the sauce,” Chrysalis’s eyes narrowed as her housemate continued, “As my brother and I took a bite of what we thought would be tomatoey goodness, when suddenly are mouths suddenly got hot,” The mare held up her hoof in dramatic poise, “the more we ate, the hotter it became until we looked at the bottle you had picked. And to our surprise, instead of pasta sauce, you grabbed a jar of salsa.”
“The bottles looked the same! How was I supposed to know?” Chrysalis retorted.
“You could have simply read the label on the bottle,” Summer chided.
With a “hmmph,” Chrysalis turned away, “You’re never going to let me live that down are you?”
“Not so long as you live here,” Said Summer.
“Come on Summer lay off, everypony makes mistakes. Besides, I loved “Pasta ala Salsa”,” Spring said winking at Crysalis.
Chrysalis saw that barely hiding her grin as she did.
“All right, all right, I’ll let your little girlfriend get to cooking,” Summer said abandoning her teasing.
Both Crysalis and Spring looked at one another curiously at that remark. Chrysalis headed into the kitchen while Spring pursued his sister.
“Girlfriend?” He questioned his sibling.
Summer looked to her brother, her face practically saying “Why not?”, “Oh don’t deny it, she pretty much is.”
“How is someone "pretty much" someone’s girlfriend?” Spring asked.
“I’ve seen the way you look at her, and the way she looks at you,” Summer affirmed.
“So? We’re friends...I think,” Spring said with half-uncertainty.
“Yeah but you always take her side, and considering the way things are going, I wouldn’t be surprised if you two hooked up,” Summer noted.
“Oh come on, don’t tell me you’ve become a prophet,” Spring said disbelievingly.
“I’m not saying “I” am a prophet, but mark my words, you two are going to wind up in bed together,” Summer stated a tad cheekily.
“Oh come on, that’s just dirty!” Spring exclaimed.
Letting out a soft chuckle, Summer replied, “That’s what happened with Mom and Dad.”
Spring opened his mouth to speak, but swiftly closed it, not wanting to go down that alley, “I’ll just go check on Crystal.”
Summer chuckled again and shook her head, “That’s right, check on your betrothed!”
Shaking his sister’s words off, Spring entered the kitchen where his four-month house guest was at work.
“Well look at you, four months ago you couldn’t even boil water,” Spring remarked.
“I had a good teacher,” Chrysalis retorted, “But I swear your sister has it out for me.”
“She doesn’t, you know Summer, she just likes messing with ponies,” Spring assured.
“Well “messing” with me must be her favorite pastime because she does it a lot,” Chrysalis retorted with traces of frustration in her voice.
“Just how she shows her love, she does recognize you’ve come a long way,” Spring noted.
Indeed, Chrysalis had noted a change within her. At first, she didn’t believe it, but four months of living with these ponies had made her accustomed to pony life it would seem. Before long, she found herself growing comfortable. When she realized it, she had fought against it for certain. Centuries of being the changeling queen had instilled a certain sense of self within her. It went beyond simply playing the role of “Crystal Hoof”, but for now, that didn’t matter, now she had to cook.
“Just get ready for dinner, It’s going to be a good one,” Chrysalis noted.
Spring smiled and left the mare alone to do her work.
Looking over the ingredients, Chrysalis grinned to herself, “Alright Summer, time to make you eat your words.”
XXX
Dinner passed by in a flash, plates were set down and quickly cleaned off. In the end, opinions were given.
“All right, I admit, you did a good job,” Summer relented as she swallowed the last bit of food.
Chrysalis smiled smugly to herself, “Well, Summer, I take it I’ve redeemed myself?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Summer grumbled.
“Come on I think she’s right Sis,” Spring agreed.
“Alright, I’m sorry!” Summer relented, “Geeze rub it in why don’t you?” Getting up from her seat, Summer added, “Look just to show there are no hard feelings, I’ll do the dishes tonight, okay?”
Summer gathered up the dishes and went to work, leaving Chrysalis and Spring to themselves.
“Well looks like another hit from you,” Spring complimented.
Chrysalis let out a small laugh and replied, “I didn’t do much,”
“Don’t sell yourself short, you pulled off a great dinner...I’m proud of you,” Spring said genuinely.
Chrysalis felt a hot flush to her face, and though she didn’t realize it at first, Chrysalis was blushing. The pony pair looked at each other, their eyes connecting. They stared deeply into each other and then stopped in an instant after they heard the wolf whistle.
“Yeah go get her!” Summer snickered.
Now both ponies were blushing, they broke away each saying, “Good night!” hastily.
Summer just continued to wash the dishes, smiling to herself. She just knew what buttons to press to get her brother and their housemate going.
“Just a matter of time,” She told herself.
XXX
Chrysalis took in the night air. It was a breath of congratulations, for she had accomplished a successful dinner. Funny, here she was cooking for ponies. In the past, she would have never considered such a thing, but here she was.
“You should be in bed.”
Chrysalis looked beside her and saw Spring trotting up to her.
“Just wanted to get some fresh air before bed, but I’m sure Summer would tell me to just open a window,” Chrysalis reasoned.
Spring chuckle, “Sounds like my sister.”
The stallion looked on ahead, “They’re almost done setting up.”
Chrysalis observed what lay ahead, “Yeah...looks fun.”
“You don’t sound excited,” Spring noted.
Staring down, Chrysalis recalled her childhood. Changelings never had much use for holidays. Their only goal was to feed off the love they conquered.
“I’m just not one for social gatherings,” She noted.
“Well trust me, you’re going to love this one. The festival was something my sister and I looked forward to every year. Our parents had to practically convince us to go to sleep the night before,” Spring recalled.
Chrysalis looked at her host’s eyes, noting the excitement and longing he held. Ahead she could see stands starting to form, signs being hung. Yes, this “festival” would probably be one to remember. She supposed going to one would do well for her attempt to blend in, but did part of her want it?
“I should get to bed,” She announced, rising and heading towards the door.
Spring looked at her with concern. The sadness she held in her voice was audible, but he paid it no mind and gave her privacy and space. He was like that, always considerate of his patients. Technically speaking she still was one.
Chrysalis continued down the hallway into her room. By now she had claimed the Guest room as her own, so calling it hers was accurate. All the while she found herself divided. She was simply blending in. That’s what those long months were about. Weren’t they? She continued to ask herself that question even as she settled into bed.
Flopping to the side, she whispered to herself, “These ponies are contagious.”