Returning to the lair, I am greeted as always by the company of human Spitfire, Svengallop, Adagio, Aria and Tirek, the last of whom is the the first to see me.
“Ah, Sonata! Another successful field trip, I presume.”
“You bet! Spitfire was pretty smart in enlisting me to spread all that hatred. Nobody would be any the wiser!”
Spitfire’s forehooves are crossed as she sits with the rest of the group. “Camp Master Chrysalis may’ve been out of her mind that night, but her defense for Aita got me to make sure that wouldn’t happen to any of us in the future.”
“No friendship, no MAGIC!” Svengallop notes to all of us. “It’s so obvious when you think about it!”
“And being left to our own accord has given ME time to prepare for the next part of our plan.” Tirek gets up and walks over to the drawer Grogar’s bell is in, opening the drawer and floating the bell to his hands with his magic. He then takes a book from one of the nearby shelves. “Grogar’s bell! This artifact can steal any creature’s magic; it holds that magic until it is released by THIS SPELL, which means all the magic inside is ours for the taking!!!” He opens the book and points to the spell that releases all the magic inside the bell, and, after finishing speaking, smooches the bell.
Aria hovers and takes it from Tirek. “You’re drooling on the bell.”
“Let’s try this bell,” Adagio suggests, taking the bell from Aria and setting it down on the roundtable. “Nobody’s REALLY in charge of this master plan.”
“Grab my arms…” Everybody glares at Tirek. “...so that we could ALL be part of the spell, unless you’d prefer I take all the magic myself.”
Spitfire, Aria, Svengallop and I reluctantly do as he lightly commands.
“Our path stands,” states Adagio, being the last one to do the same as the rest of us. “What we do, we do together. Once everybody here is defeated, we rule alone.”
So, Tirek uses his magic to ring the bell to give us its magic. Once all of us are hit with it, Tirek grows to the same size he was when he absorbed everyone’s magic sans Spitfire’s, Svengallop and Spitfire become alicorns and Adagio, Aria and I are now in our true forms. We all laugh maniacally.
“Welcome back, everypony!” Adagio exclaims and points to Tirek, who widens his eyes. “What do you say we sap his head off?”
Svengallop snickers. “Sounds like a spectacular idea, Adagio!”
“You and me both!” Spitfire agrees.
Tirek backs away from us as Spitfire floats the bell to point it to him, and with a ring, it absorbs ALL of his magic, him going right back to his old form.
At the changeling throne room, Areola and I are at the entrance while Rusty Flashlight, Pane Fall and Carve are on the throne.
“Feast your eyes, Areola. Today is my last day on the throne. By tonight, it will be Carve’s.”
Areola rests her hoof on my back. “It only felt like yesterday when I recounted to her your rise to studenthood. Now look at her… about to be crowned as your successor.”
Areola and I approach the throne, allowing us to clearly hear Carve, Rusty and Pane’s conversation.
“And Rusty, Pane, you’ll always be welcome at the hive,” Carve says to them before she sees me. “Oh! Chrysalis, what’s up?”
“I just came to show my old teacher how far you’ve come in the past eight years. You have been with me all the way ever since I’ve had my hive back. She’s also volunteered to conduct the choir for the coronation.”
Just as Carve and I meet up and embrace each other, a letter materializes in front of me. Areola floats it to me, so I take it with my own magic and read it.
Dear Chrysalis,
I’m currently home, getting ready for my own coronation as Twilight’s successor, and I have something for you and Cozy Glow. Would you mind coming over real quick so I can show you? Thanks in advance.
Yours truly,
Aita.
“Well, in case you all were worried for me, I still will have plenty of company when I move to Twilight’s old castle,” I remark. “Areola, do you think you can help Carve if she needs you? I must go and see what Aita has in store for me.”
“You can count on me, Chrysalis!”
While Twilight and Spike are in Canterlot, I’m actually home, George and Cozy Glow keeping me company. In the throne room, I sit on Twilight’s throne while Cozy does a few personal errands, like measuring my head to fit a crown for me, while George is sitting on Fluttershy’s throne of course.
“So, uh, how are you feeling about this?” she asks me.
“About what?”
“Well, it’s not every day the princess of friendship moves out and gives all responsibilities to you.”
I laugh. “Right that. I’m feeling pretty good about it.”
Cozy turns her head to George as he speaks. “And that’s wonderful to hear, Aita. I can’t think of anyone more worthy to succeed Twilight. You’ve come such a long way since you first moved to Ponyville.”
“Well,” I reply. “Twilight did say quite a while ago that I would lead someday, that day finally being today.”
Cozy Glow notices two boxes at the center of the map. “Hey, uh, what are these?”
“Oh the boxes? I think it’s best to wait for Chrysalis before you see.” I suddenly hear the front door open. “And it looks like you won’t have to wait for long. I’ll be right back, Cozy.”
Exiting the throne room, I see Chrysalis in the foyer.
“Chrysalis!” I exclaim in excitement, rushing over and hugging her.
“Oh, how are you, young Aita?” she affectionately asks.
I let go and land back on the floor. “I’m doing great. Cozy and George are in the throne room.”
So, Chrysalis and I walk into the throne room together, and Cozy and George wave hello.
“We’ve faced so much together, and come out okay. Some of us may be incredibly young, but that has never stopped us from the just as incredible feats we’ve accomplished.” I float the boxes now to Cozy and Chrysalis, who open their own, which each contains a medal.
Chrysalis gasps in awe. “Friendship advisor?”
“Organizer? What’s this?” asks Cozy as she puts hers on.
“These are positions I created for you two. Ever since I moved here, you, Chrysalis, have been by my side, defending me from human Spitfire, teaching me to trail, and comforting me when I needed it most… and Cozy Glow, you and Chrysalis helped me become Sibling Supreme, and you were with me during the whole hunt for my belated birthday present. I wouldn’t be the changeling I am today without you two.”
Chrysalis pulls me toward her, Cozy and George coming to us. We all group hug.
“Thank you immensely Aita,” Chrysalis softly chokes out with happiness. “You know we’ll always be right with you.”
“That’s exactly what I thought you’d say,” I say. “because now that the crown’s been fitted, we have a few errands to run.”
I lead Cozy and Chrysalis out of the throne room, but stay behind when George catches my attention.
“Do you think Twilight and Spike feel the same way in Canterlot?” he asks.
“Probably… just the inverse of what we did.”
At the moment, I’m currently in Canterlot, and with my friends - including Spike - with me all around the city. I have a few pre-coronation errands to run. I’m hoping Aita has hers going smoothly, not to mention Carve’s. Over the same street I once saw Cadence cast a peace spell, I see Rarity and Fluttershy coming around the corner.
“Ooh! Twilight, darling, you’re just in time!” Rarity exclaims as I land in front of them with Spike behind me joining them on their walk. “Only one more pre-coronation stop. We’re picking up the final touch for your opres’hor d’oerves gown…”
“Is that before or after the royal marshmellow-eating-contest gown?” I jokingly ask her.
“WHAT?!? I haven’t MADE one of those! You must tell me when they add these sorts of things!” Rarity freaks out and begins floating a quill and paper to write down what I said as I hold back my laughter as much as I can.
I lower the paper and chuckle. “It’s okay, Rarity. I was just joking.”
“Joking? Day of your coronation? You’ve come a long way, Twilight,” Spike crosses his arms as Rarity briefly faints into Fluttershy’s wings.
Once she’s recovered, Rarity leads us to a thread shop; unfortunately, the door appears to be locked.
At Carousel Boutique, I try to open the front door with my magic, only to find it locked. I look back at Cozy and Chrysalis and they shrug.
“That can’t be right,” I say to myself. “Somepony was supposed to watch over Rarity’s shop while she was away…”
“Perhaps they’re in the moment. I can’t imagine why they-”
Chrysalis is interrupted when we hear the lock turn and the door open. And at the main entrance is a stallion that I make clear that I recognize with pleasure.
“Why hello there, everyone!” he waves, prompting me to press my cheeks with my hooves. “Sorry I locked the door. Force of habit.”
“Zephyr Breeze?!? You’re filling in for Rarity?!?”
Zephyr nods. “Of course I am, Aita! Now, who’re these two friends of yours?”
I point to each friend of mine I introduce. “Chrysalis, Cozy Glow.”
“Cozy Glow?!?” Zephyr looks at her and notices the cutie mark. “Ah! So this is who enlisted me to fill in for Rarity!” he notes, approaching her at my side and rubbing her mane.
“So, did you hear anything from the blacksmith about Aita’s crown?” Chrysalis asks Zephyr, who shakes his head.
“Not a peep, Chryssie. I would’ve gotten a message and shown it to y’alls if I did. BUT there is some good news comin’ from yours truly, Aita.” Zephyr takes us inside and leads us upstairs as he explains the news he has. “Cozies here managed to get the whole FAMILY involved with your dress!”
The dress he reveals when we enter Rarity’s workspace is quite unique compared to what Rarity would think of. On the mini-manikin in the center of the room, the dress, while rather basic otherwise with blue and yellow on the back, has flowers sticking out of the back of the collar, and cloud at the end of the short sleeves and the back of the dress itself.
“All I had to mention to Cozies was Fluttuh-Buttuh’s history of sewin’, and that’s all it took for her to get Mom and Pop’s help here. Mom was more than happy to lend a couple of flowers, and Pop and I figured out how to properly attach cloud to solid objects! Pretty neat, huh?”
Chrysalis walks up to the dress and smiles. “It’s truly impressive, Zephyr Breeze. I didn’t know Cozy Glow’s level of organization extended past field trips. Fluttershy will be proud of you when she sees Aita’s dress.”
“But you’re sure Handy Wrench hasn’t written back about the crown?”
Zephyr wraps his hoof around Cozy. “Sorry Cozies, but it’s like I said before; I woulda shown ya the first chance I got if he did.”
“That’s okay; we can always check for ourselves,” I reply. “We’ll be out picking up some dessert on the way anyway at Sugar Cube Corner, that and checking on the decor and technicals at Town Hall.”
“Technicals?!?” a pleasantly surprised Zephyr exclaims. “Girl, you are one step ahead of EVERYPONY! What’re we gonna look at during the coronation, huh?”
“Cozy may’ve been up to organizing everything else, but this was something I personally had to oversee. And only two ponies had the material to pull it off during Cranky and Matilda’s wedding.”
Everyone’s eyes widen when they realize exactly what I’m talking about.