The Lost Changeling: Taken it Back

Looking at the necklace in front of me, I study it further by rubbing my right hoof on it. It feels slightly like how I imagine the screen on Carina’s phone would feel. However, shortly after, I hear a hiss coming from in front of me, more specifically, the necklace. Then, a light pours out of it, causing me to leap out of my nest. Still looking at it, I witness the necklace open up, a bright, growing ball emerge from it. When the ball reaches its peak, it starts crossfading with two rapidly spinning scrolls. As the last bit of energy fades out, the scrolls fall onto my nest.

I unveil one of the scrolls, end result being a letter to Carina.

If you see a letter for Carina soon, it’s from me.

So, Carve wrote this letter? Hmm... that wish... how she could visit Carina and Aita. I may be able to help her with that.

But then, I open the second letter.

Queen Chrysalis,

Thank you for sending Cilia over to my house to let me know that Carina was coming over. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known. In any case, I am so glad that things are back to normal. I guess it’s good that I will return to a scheduled visit by the end of the year. Hopefully, Carina will keep true to her word and bring new music to hear around the hive. Will you please let her know that I visit at the beginning of each month in case she doesn’t get her letter? Thanks in advance.

Your subject
Carve

Look at Carve’s letter one more time, prompting me to smile, weakly though as I have gotten tired from seeing the beginning of civil twilight. I simply turn onto my right side and brush the letters slightly farther away from me so that they’d fall in front of the throne, making all the space I need to rest.

;=;

When I wake up, I see the open necklace at the edge of the throne, prompting me to jump to its place and look down. The necklace falling, only one letter is present to accompany it as it lands. As I focus on the letter, it appears to be the one for me.

I decide to head out and walk over to Carina’s nestroom to see if she retrieved her letter. And as it turns out, she has. Carina turns to me a few seconds after the nestroom opens.

“Oh. Hi Chrysalis.”

“Greetings, Carina. I noticed that you retrieved your letter during my slumbers.”

Carina nods.

“Mhm. I have. Who knew that Carve felt the same way I did.”

“...about...”

“Visiting each other. Carve wrote that she wanted to visit my place someday.”

“And you also want to visit Carve’s?”

Carina nods.

“I’ve been wanting to visit Rusty Flashlight.”

“...I’m sure you already know how Rusty Flashlight acts since you’ve lived with an urban adventurer yourself for the past seven years.”

“But Jon almost never takes me on his explorations. Carve could’ve gone on up to two hundred with Rusty Flashlight.”

“...Perhaps the emotional content in Wisconsin and beyond are far more different than in Equestria, which has almost no negative emotion in general. I would ask Carve about going on one of Rusty’s explorations really. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”

“Hmm... Okay. I think I’ll be up for that. I guess I should let Jon know about visiting Carve next time I visit you.”

“Actually, Carina. I know a time for your to do that. If this works out like I hope it will be, your schedule should be unharmed, and you’ll be home in time for one of Wisconsin’s holidays. You can even invite Carve to your place after your visit if you want.”

Carina thinks for a bit.

“...I guess that could work. Thanks for the consideration, Chrysalis.”

;=;

Having talked with Carina from the hall, I turn around as the nestroom across opens up to reveal Carve. She seems to have the phone that Carina had yesterday at sunset.

“Good morning, Carve.”

“Hi, Chrysalis.”

“What are you doing on Carina’s phone?”

“Wait. This is called a phone? I guess it makes sense to have an unusual name for such an unusual thing.”

I start to turn unamused.

“That doesn’t really answer my question, Carve. What are you doing on Carina’s phone?”

“I’m just checking it out. Carina woke me up at the crack of dawn and told me to watch it for her.”

“Shouldn’t you be returning it to her? She’s in her nestroom.”

Suddenly, Carve buzzes her wings to talk like Carina.

And don’t worry about returning it. I’ll be back in your room if I need it.

“Hmm... intriguing. Well, I already talked with Carina about you visiting her, and she expressed to me that she would like to do the same.”

“Really? Carina wants to visit Rusty’s house?”

“Yes. I will let her know that if she wants to see you, she’ll have to meet you either here or Greta Scone Corner.”

“Actually, you don’t have to worry about that. I’ll let her know when she gets into my room.”

“Fine. That sounds like a plan.”

;=;

With Carve and Carina ready to go about the rest of their day, I’m now left to deliberate more on my throne.

“At this point in time, I have no plans to refine my invasion skills within my lifetime. Wherever Rolling Acres is believed to be headed, those skills will be there as well. Perhaps I could perform a calling on that.”

I proceed to chuckle lightly.

“Oh, well. I haven’t changed on that kind of level ever since January- oh... pft! One thirteen. All in retrospect, my student years seemed to fare much better than the years after. Steering clear of Las Pegasus was a step in the current direction, but only for Carve. I have learned my lesson about fooling with Equestria. Carve and Carina already provide love for the hive from where they live, and I must say, they brought a high amount of love for just a two days chance of collecting it. Equestria would be proud.”

My eyes shoot open shortly after speaking with myself, thinking back to my retrospect. During my ruling years, I made error after error.

Questioning young Carve’s anticipation before the Appleoosa invasion...

Going to session with a near mother and her practical owner...

The Canterlot Invasion...

Treating Carve like a pawn the two months afterward...

The invasion that got me dethroned...

You can be the leader your subjects deserve.

...swearing revenge on Starlight Glimmer... the pony that offered to teach me what I had afterwards learned on my own. I may not’ve needed her help to reclaim my position, but swearing revenge on her? That may’ve been the worst thing I have ever done as a ruler of the changeling kingdom. But even then, nothing I ever did hurt me more than what happened to Correal, when her queen that she could've otherwise turned to was exiled for a king fit only for ruling Equestria.

I know what I must do. And I know, from my experiences, just how hard this will be.