It felt like days, but after just two and a half hours of me and Aita waiting, Areola finally returns to the throne room. And behind her are…
“Ah, Cervix, Twilight. What brings you here?”
“Well, queen,” Cervix starts. “Areola and Twilight were called by the map in the castle, and the former figured out how to solve the friendship problem by having me mend fences with the latter.”
I fly off the throne and land in front of the three. “Well Areola?” I say with patience. “Care to explain?”
“Um, Chrysalis… I think I might’ve overreacted when you called me out on sacrificing the honesty of our story. I was afraid of you seeing me again because of what you might say.”
“But when Areola got me to resolve any qualms I had with Cervix, Brand and the other changelings that took over my castle and the royal family, she found the solution to her own friendship problem without realizing it.”
Areola embraces me in apology. “I’m sorry I lied about our story.”
“Areola… you never need to fret about what I have to say. You were my teacher, and I have learned a lot from you, so of course I accept your apology. As long as you’ve learned from the experience, that’s all that matters.”
As I look over Areola’s shoulder with a smile, Twilight approaches the two of us.
“Pretty amazing how far you’ve come, Chrysalis. I could never imagine this would’ve been possible if it weren’t for Carve and Carina. Areola, would you like to come to the party?”
Areola and I let go, her turning to Twilight as her wings glow alongside Twilight’s cutie mark.
“I would love to.”
“Well, ready to head home, Aita?” Twilight asks, only to get a playful look from Areola and a laugh from me.
“Heavens no,” I answer. “We haven’t finished our story yet. You go ahead, Twilight. Areola and I will finish up with Aita here.”
“Oh, okay. See you at the party then, Areola.”
Aita waves to Twilight as she leaves. “See you later, Twilight! I’ll be home soon!”
A few days after I visited the hive, the Hearth’s Warming party at Twilight’s has finally begun. All the guests come pouring in to start off. Among those guests are Areola, Cervix and another changeling that looks like Cervix. The latter of the three stops when he spots me.
“Hello there,” he greets.
“Hi. I, uh… who’re you?”
“I’m Kevin. Twilight invited me. A-Aita, right?” I nod. “I thought so.”
Suddenly within the crowd, I see Lightning Dust conversing with other pegasi. When she sees me standing with Kevin, she laughs in recognition.
“Hey! Aita! What’s up, kid?”
Lightning Dust and I hoofbump.
“Not much, Lightning Dust. I’m so glad you were invited.”
“Eh, it was a given after the welcome party went so well. And here I am.”
“Wait, you two know each other?” Kevin asks.
“Aita here did an AWESOME job proving Discord innocent when I first met him. He’d make a really good PI ten years down the line.”
I sigh. “At least that sounds more manageable than being a leader. The queens did always say I was bright.”
“Well, it’s either me or Twilight that’s right,” replies Lightning Dust as she, Kevin and I start for the dining room. “Speaking of Twilight, what was up before, Aita? She had me check on you, and you never responded.”
“Well… I was homesick. Chrysalis and Areola gave me a slice of home talking about their first Hearth’s Warming pageant together from forty years ago. Even with Chrysalis correcting Areola, it still felt enough like one of the specials I used to watch with my old family.”
When I look at Kevin, I see him looking down.
“Oh… I know how that feels. I started missing home after I was stranded in Ponyville before I met Matilda. It’s funny you bring up Queen Areola, Aita. I thought we lost her around the same time.”
I blush. “I uh, accidentally revived her on my birthday. Twilight took the opportunity to teach me how magic can bridge nerves and electricity.”
I open the dining room door to reveal that Twilight, Spike and Starlight at the table.
Twilight waves at us. “Hi Aita, Lightning Dust, Kevin.”
“Aita, we know how you weren’t feeling the best just last week, so Spike, Twilight and I made some Hearth’s Warming cookies.”
“Ooooh…” I trot to the table, Kevin and Lightning Dust close behind. I look at the cookies, and take a quick sniff. They are frosted white, bright, and soft looking on one big napkin on the table. There appear to be twenty-four in total. “Thanks you guys. I can tell you had fun making these.”
Kevin sniffs the cookies too. “Oh wow. You’re right, Aita.”
“Well dig in, everyone. There’s plenty to go around,” Twilight confidently announces.
“Don’t mind if I do,” Lightning Dust says as she takes her four and starts chowing down.
Kevin floats one of his up close and takes a quick bite, as do I with mine.
“So Aita…” I turn my attention to Spike. “You remember how last year went. After all that, do you still miss your old home?”
“Of course I do, Spike. I still have good memories there. It’s really too bad none of my old family could go with me when I left, but now I have you, Twilight, Starlight, Lightning Dust and Chrysalis at least. I wouldn’t have it any other way now.”
Twilight floats me up to her, so I just take the rest of my cookies as Twilight hugs me.
“Oh, thank you Aita! We’re more than happy to call you family! And judging by the past year, it’s certainly been worth it.”
Lightning Dust is smiling from the sentiment, but the moment I see her eyes contemplate watering, she shakes her head and takes a quick breath. “You saw nothing… Somepony doing dishes probably.”
“Uh, that happens in the kitchen,” Spike points out, leaving all of us in stitches, including Kevin.