Whirring Cogs had his wing around Lavender Dream’s barrel as they made their way home in the gently falling snow. The Hearth’s Warming Eve celebrations had been marvelous, but the evening was getting a bit too chilly despite the bright and cheery lanterns that lit the street. Lavender snuggled up close to her husband with a contented smile on her face. Following close behind was Dandelion Dreams with her wife, Summer Storm; her husband, Sunrise Blaze; and their three foals. Next came Sky Fern and her marefriend, Green Hoof, accompanied by Forest Breeze who was home for the holidays from his House Path posting.
They were all looking forward to some hot chocolate around the fireplace to warm up again, but regretting that the night’s festivities were almost over. Fern also was sad to have to part with Green Hoof as the mare had to leave early in the morning to attend a family gathering in Ponyville. The group paused outside Green’s home as Fern gave her an appropriate farewell, and then continued on to Cogs’ and Lavender’s home. Cogs headed straight for the kitchen to start working on the hot chocolate while Dandelion went to stoke the fire. Forest and Fern joined Cogs in the kitchen to check on the progress of the roast dinner that they had helped prepare earlier, while Summer and Sunrise settled into chairs while keeping a close eye on the foals who were hungrily eyeing the presents under the tree. Lavender hung back at the entry to sweep out the snow that the ponies had not successfully stamped off their hooves on the porch. As she was about to close the door though, she noticed two strangers approaching, and she paused to find out what they wanted.
The first was a unicorn mare, pale blue of coat and with a bright blue mane and tail. She was very tall and lean of build, and bundled-up well against the cold. Her companion was a pegasus stallion with a tan coat and a red and white striped mane and tail. Aside from a scarf, he was unclothed, which was typical of cold-tolerant pegasi. The mare seemed a little nervous while the stallion appeared to be calm. They stopped a pace away from the doorway, remaining silent until the stallion gave his companion a nudge.
“May… may I talk to Whirring Cogs, please?”
“I don’t see why not,” Lavender replied. “Who may I say is calling?”
“My name is Crystal Path, and this is my husband, Cloud Thumper.”
“Is this about an emergency job? Cogs and Dandelion are on a holiday break at the moment.”
“No. This is… personal.”
“I see. Come in and wait here, please.”
Lavender let them in the door then closed it before heading to the kitchen. She found Cogs spooning cocoa into mugs while milk was warming on the stove. “Cogs, dear, do you know a mare named Crystal Path?”
Cogs frowned. “Sounds vaguely familiar. Why?”
“She’s at the door, asking to talk with you about a personal matter.”
“Okay, I’ll see what she wants. Forest, watch the milk for me while I’m away.”
“Okay, Dad,” the stallion replied.
Cogs headed to the door accompanied by Lavender. He gave the mare a smile and asked, “Hi, I’m Whirring Cogs. You asked to see me?”
The mare looked even more nervous than before. “Umm… yes. I needed to see you to bring some closure between you and me.”
“Do I know you?” the puzzled pegasus asked. He now realized that he was facing a changeling in disguise, but he was a little confused as to which type.
“Probably. Maybe if I gave you my full title. I am Princess Crystal Path.”
Cogs’ eyes opened wide in recognition. “The changeling princess adopted by Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor when you were a nymph.”
Crystal nodded. “Yes, a blue changeling. We’re related.”
Cogs smiled. “I’ve heard a little about you from Twilight. You’re not here to ask me to help start a new Blue Hive, are you? If so, I’m afraid that I will have to disappoint you.”
The mare shook her head. “No, I don’t intend to start a hive for a long while, and I have no intention of bothering you about it when I do. No, I came today to put one last demon behind me.”
The pegasus changeling raised an eyebrow in puzzlement. “What do you mean?”
“Did Aunt Twilight tell you how they found me?”
“Just general details. After the battle to defeat Nightmare Chrysalis, you were found at her base. Presumably Chrysalis was going to raise a new generation of queens to take over Equis.”
“Yeah, that’s the story that everypony was told, anyway.”
“Oh? What didn’t Twilight tell me?”
“Auntie Twilight was merely protecting me. You of course know how the new Avatars of Harmony defeated Nightmare Chrysalis?”
Cogs smirked. “My son is one of them, so I got to hear the details of that encounter.”
“Not all of the details.”
“Forest kept something from me? I find that hard to believe.”
“It was at the request of the Princesses. That nymph might have been persecuted otherwise.”
“A nymph is too young to have been corrupted. What was so different about you?”
“It has to do with how Chrysalis was defeated. Officially, she was destroyed, but Harmony doesn’t do that. It brings balance or cleanses the person.”
“Just as Princess Luna was redeemed?” Cogs asked as suspicion stirred within him.
“Exactly. After Chrysalis was cleansed of the Nightmare, Harmony kept working on her, regressing her until she was innocent nymph once more.”
Cogs stiffened and he scowled. “Get out.”
“Please – I need to talk to you about–”
“I don’t care,” Cogs interrupted. “I said to get out of my home!”
Lavender said, “Cogs – what’s wrong?”
“Don’t you know who this is, Lavender? She’s Queen Chrysalis!”
“No, I’m not!” Crystal protested.
“Why are you still in my house? I said to leave!”
Cogs flared his wings and advanced on the disguised queen in spite of knowing that he was grossly outmatched. Crystal flinched back, but Thumper stepped between them.
“Keep your hooves off Crystal, Mr. Cogs.”
“Who in Tartarus are you?” Cogs demanded.
“I’m Crystal’s husband.”
“Husband? Why would you want to marry a murderous bitch like her?”
“I didn’t. I married a peaceful and beautiful mare. She is not Chrysalis.”
“Not Chrysalis? Not Chrysalis?!” Magic green fire flared around Cogs, and moments later he stood there in natural changeling form. “Look at me! What am I?” he asked fiercely.
“A blue changeling,” Thumper replied calmly.
“A blue changeling harvester! Do you know how many harvesters survived Chrysalis’ madness? Two! Out of the hundreds of harvesters peacefully gathering love, only two of us lived after being used as unwilling arrow fodder when she invaded Canterlot. Those of us who weren’t slain by the Royal Guards and by any citizens who managed to fight us, were killed when we were hurled out of the city. I barely survived thanks to Lavender. For the longest time, I thought that I was the only one who had. So why were we used as soldiers? Because that mad queen thought we were weak and worthless! Do you really think I want anything to do with that monster?” Cogs pointed accusingly at Crystal.
“No, I don’t, and neither would I, but as I said, Crystal is not Chrysalis. That nymph started with a clean slate with no memories of her previous life, and she has never been anything but a model citizen. I know her intimately and she is not and never has been that mad queen since her rebirth.”
“A likely story!” Cogs snarled. He glared at Crystal and growled, “Change! Change into your real form and let everypony see you as you really are!”
By now, the shouting had attracted the attention of everyone in the house, and Crystal had quite an audience. She had been quivering in distress ever since Cogs had started ranting, but she was determined to carry out her self-imposed task. She did as Cogs asked and transformed into her natural form.
Cogs was caught by surprise. Expecting to see the cruel and harsh lines of his former Queen, instead he saw a Princess shaped by love and friendship. The words that he had intended to say, instead got caught in his throat as he stared at the beautiful regal changeling.
Crystal said softly, “Auntie Twilight told me to tell you to remember when an Equestrian Princess discovered one of the invaders hiding in White Tail Village. Who had more reason to hate?”
The harvester changeling’s ire was dampened as he remembered the day when Twilight had found him and almost killed him before realizing his remorse at being part of the invasion. That had led to a far greater understanding between changelings and ponies to the point where the former could walk around undisguised nowadays without fear of reprisal. One moment of understanding. One moment of forgiveness. He had said that he could never repay Twilight’s kindness, but today, perhaps he could. His magic flared again and Cogs was a pegasus once more.
“I... I do not forgive Chrysalis, and I never will. But I believe you when you say she is gone.” Cogs drew a deep, shuddering breath and firmed his will. “We were both born out of Queen Chrysalis, and in a way that makes us siblings, I suppose.”
“Family, at least,” Crystal replied.
Cogs mouth turned up in a half-smile. “Yes, and Hearth’s Warming is all about family, isn’t it?”
“It’s one reason why I chose today to approach you.”
Cogs nodded and he was quiet for a long moment while he thought. Eventually he asked, “Do you like hot chocolate?”
“I love hot chocolate – especially with marshmallows.”
“Of course. Forest – please get out two more mugs. I believe Crystal and I have a lot of catching up to do. Things might be a bit strange for a while, but I think we can work things out.” He led the visitors into the living room. “Sit down and make yourselves comfortable. Then I will introduce you to the rest of our family.”
Crystal’s happy smile lit up the room.
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Author's Note
This was intended to be posted by Christmas Day, but I failed to get my act together in time. I hope you appreciate the sentiment anyway.
