The Lost Changeling: Taken it Back

It is the third morning since my welcome return to the hive and my recoronation. My dream last night had been interrupted when Carina came and told me that she would be visiting the hive for the weekend, so having woken up myself, the sun hasn’t risen yet. The rest of the hive is asleep, so all interaction will be through solitary deliberation at the moment.

Perhaps...

If I ever have to leave the hive, I will send Cilia to bring you to the hive.

Perhaps I can let Carve know about Carina’s visit. Though, even if I have settled back down within these past couple of days, I’m not sure about Cilia. She isn’t a changeling queen, so I have no idea how she’s feeling right now. Well, maybe I can improvise. I’m not leaving the hive anytime soon, so it might as well be optional for Carve to come to the hive. However, knowing her, she’ll be here if Carina will. At the very least, Cilia has the option to report to me whether or not Carve will visit the hive, and when if she will. I believe this can work particularly well.

Heading lower in the hive, I pass through the third nest hall of the twenty fourth level, a nest hall known as Crater Hall. Passing through the empty gap, previously containing the late pro-Thorax Correal, I look at the note on the right, and carved permanently into the hive wall.

Va Cutera Solaz.
-Colir

I found out exactly what happened when one changeling insisted that she “catch up with me” on what happened throughout the near month I was exiled into Equestria. At the time I didn’t want to talk about my doings at that time, not did I ever want to hear a thing about what happened over here, just knowing how stupid it would’ve sounded, that was until she got to what happened to Correal. It’s not a particular occurrence now, me not planning anymore invasions and all. But I still feel the event was very unfortunate, now knowing exactly how those urban adventurers would’ve felt, hearing about that one day from Carve.

Refreshing my focus, I find myself on the next lower level. Most of the nestrooms in the first hall look to be closed at the moment, except for one. Having heard a cracking sound as I bounced back to reality, I can assume that this open nestroom wasn’t this way all that long before I came down here. As I begin peeking inside, it looks like the changeling inside is still slumbering, Then, she shifts about one hundred and eighty degrees, resulting in me seeing her front side. Her eyes creep open, only to shoot the rest of the way, the changeling nearly jumping, shifting to a near sitting position.

“Oh, er... hi, Queen Chrysalis.”

“Greetings, Cilia...”

“Uh, what’s g-going on? Why’re you in front of my nestroom?”

“Carina had interrupted a dream that I had, saying that she will be here for the next two nights.”

“So, uh, are you leaving the hive to meet her?”

“Well, no. But I still would appreciate it if you let Carve know about the visit. I know how she is about seeing a long distance friend. Carina is a far more extreme case of that than any changeling living here.”

“Okay. I’m feeling up to letting Carve know.”

“Marvelous. Please let her know as soon as you get to Las Pegasus.”

“Will do, Queen Chrysalis.”

;=;

The near rest of my day is spent in my nest alone, patiently waiting for any of the two changelings. I know Carina will be here soon; having a surprise for me and Carve is reason enough to visit alone. However, I don’t know when Carve will be here, if she will be visiting, due to Cilia forgetting to report to me of Carve’s situation. No matter. It isn’t terribly vital anyway.

Then with the sun at a more than halfway declined angle, one changeling walks into the throne room, bearing a small necklace. With no guard accompanying her, I can only assume it’s the stand-in queen.

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

Carve simply nods.

“Yes, Queen Chrysalis. I have.”

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

As I express my prediction, a guard arrives at my throne.

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

“Send her in.”

After the guard walks out, three minutes pass before his brief return with Carina in tow, who looks up at me warmly, having a small white plastic bag hanging from her left wing.

“Hi Queen Chrysalis.”

“Simply Chrysalis will be fine, Carina.”

Carina chuckles slightly.

“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 levitates something out of her bag. It appears to be something similar to what I saw in one of Jon’s recent dreams, something he called a phone. I don’t have the level of knowledge Carina has on otherworldly technology, so I’ll have to take his word for it. Compared to Carve though, I might as well be as cultured in this sort of field as Carina. The extensive way she studies it starts making me and Carina a requirement to hold our reactions. Luckily, Carina has enough resistance to boost mine like laughter.

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

Carina turns the screen to herself and swipes it up as Carve moves beside Carina to see it happen.

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

Carina turns her head to Carve.

“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 takes her belonging with her as she is led by the guard, out of the throne room.

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

“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?”

While Carve nods, I look down closer at the necklace. Something seems a little off about it. It has a diamond shape, with red on the top half of it and white on the bottom half. It looks slightly familiar, like Carina showed me the same design a decent amount of time before I was exiled. I may want to look at it myself.

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

“Oh, and Carve?”

“Yes?”

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

“Sure you can.”

Carve takes off the necklace and puts it in front of me.

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

I nod to hide the rising confusion from her wording, letting her leave.