The Lost Changeling: Rolling Ends

by AizakkuHorooee

Epilogue: A Visit to the Hive

Just three days after the celebration at Greta Scone Corner, I would’ve expected to have some down time with Rusty and Pane, but this morning, we get a knock on the door. When I answer it...

“Hey, Carve! Haven’t seen you since that last visit before we all turned to that one king. How’ve you been?”

“Um, I’m uh, good, Cilia. Does Chrysalis want me to fill in for her already?”

“No, but Carina wanted to visit the hive for the weekend. So, when do you think you can visit?"

“Well, I could come the entire time she’s there. How about if I come over after lunch?”

“That works.”

“So, how has it been with Chrysalis back? Pretty refreshing, right?”

“Oh yeah, it is. But I don’t have any time to chit chat right now. I just wanted to know when you were coming or if you were coming to the hive at all this weekend, since Carina’s going to be there.”

“Yeah. I’ll head that way by two. See you then, Cilia.”

“Bye, Carve!”

Cilia proceeds to walk away from the house.

I head towards Rusty’s room to see him reading a comic. I think it’s called “Power Ponies”. I chuckle inside, knowing back when I first met Rusty, I used to hate titles like that. But from what I saw of the comic over the years, the title is kind of true to what the characters are. I look around the room and find a cup containing five pens on the dresser as the cup is next to a stack of papers. I levitate one pen and three pieces of paper and head to the living room.

;=;

Wearing a makeshift necklace, I head inside the hive, having been granted instant permission from the guards, well, being a stand-in queen and all. Then, I arrive at Chrysalis’ newly rebuilt throne.

“Greta Calev. What a lovely surprise of you to drop by so soon. So, you’ve received word that Carina is returning for the weekend?”

I nod.

“Yes, Queen Chrysalis. I have.”

“Carina hasn’t come quite yet, but I anticipate that she’ll be here momentarily.”

Then, one guard marches in.

“Your majesty, Carina has requested access to enter.”

“Send her in.”

The guard walks out and returns with Carina in tow.

“Hi Queen Chrysalis.”

“Simply Chrysalis will be fine, Carina.”

“Heh. Dually noted. Anyway, I have something for you to see that I got after helping Carve out with getting your hive back.”

“Intriguing. Do go on, Carina.”

“Jon gave it to me for whenever I want to record any song that I find. It can do a lot more, but I have it solely to record songs for the choir to listen to and recite.”

Carina shows what she’s talking about, and it appears to be nothing like I’ve ever seen. It looks to be carefully carved into a rounded rectangle, and made of a stone I’m not familiar with. However, one side feels quite accurate to the type of stone that it’s made of, and the other feels like motite was applied to it after having made to have a noticeable edge. I feel the sides of it, but two rough patches on one particular part of it confuses me. Going over one of them, the way that the more slippery side brightens up reminds me of what I saw in front of the cashier when I was at McDonald’s back when Rusty, Pane and I explored Akron.

“Heh. I see you took interest in it Carve. Here. Let me help you with that.”

Carina proceeds to turn the brightened side back to her. I hurry and stand next to Carina as she puts her hoof under where the time appears. Everything except for the background fades out when going up. Then, what fades in are eight small pictures, all on the bottom. On the top right corner, the time is present again. Next to that is what looks like an upside down double T.

“So, this thing is familiar with the ELF?”

“Elf?”

“Equestrian Logo Format?”

“Um, not that I know of.”

“OOOH! Oh, I see the labels.”

“Okay. Well Carve, it’s almost sunset. I kind of have to get to my nest soon.”

“Okay. Goodnight.”

Carina proceeds to exit the room, still holding what she showed me, the guard leading her.

“Have sweet dreams, Carina... Carve, when do you schedule to go home?”

“Not until Carina heads out. I would like to spend some time with her tomorrow.”

“I understand. Now, you go down to your nest and rest for tomorrow, okay?”

I nod.

“Okay. See you in the morning, Chrysalis.”

“Oh, and Carve?”

“Yes?”

“May I see that necklace of yours? It looks interesting.”

“Sure you can.”

I levitate the necklace and land it in front of Chrysalis.

“Also, Chrysalis, if you see a letter for Carina soon, it’s from me.”

Chrysalis nods.

;=;

Finishing the last Power Ponies comic, I hear the doorbell, so I set down the comic book on my bed and head to the main entrance. Pane is behind the door as I open it.

“Hi, Rusty.”

“Hey, Pane. How’re things going over with you?”

“Eh, not bad. Is Carve here?”

“I think so. Let me look.”

I look around the house, only to see a note on Carve’s door. After reading the note, I take it off of the door, tuck it under my wing, and take it over to Pane.

“Pane... look... she left this. It’s a letter from her.”

Pane levitates the note out of my wing and reads it.

“Oh. She left for the weekend?”

“Yeah. Carina’s at the hive and I guess Carve left to see her. It was no wonder it got quiet when I was reading some Power Ponies. I'm glad that she's been making friends with the changelings again.”

“Well, in any case, I wanted to see if you wanted to go to Bundle. Haven't seen it in so long.”

“Oh, that old place? Eh... sure, why not? I went there once, and it looked pretty good for not being used for so long. I like a nostalgia trip every so often. Let’s go.”

“Perfect. Heheh, I’ve been wanting to visit that place for quite a while now. I really enjoyed it when I was a foal.”

“Me too, Pane. Now, let’s go.”

Pane nods at me, placing Carve’s note over on the table in the living room.

And with that, Pane and I finally head out of the house, out to walk to the long abandoned, mint conditioned Bundle Roller Rink.