To Tame a Substitute Queen

As I walk down to Carve’s room, I can hear most of the changelings in their rooms, all seeming to talk about how the day’s been going, or a brand new fork of buckball.

One hall is relatively empty though, the hall that Carve’s room is at. That room’s across from Carina’s old room now turned guest room. Holes on both sides grow to reveal both of them are empty.

Wait a minute. I forgot Carve was trying to integrate Areola back into the hive after how badly the Ponyville-Canterlot cross invasion went fourteen and a half years ago. While Sunset Shimmer, Twilight, and Aita were asking about why the map called them to my throne, thus making me busy, living arrangements are just about as important.

Well, I’ll have to track her down. I light my horn to perform a small trail spell that amplifies emotions. Actually now that I think about it, it’s the same thing Carina used to help Jon find me eight years ago.

I follow a fresh trail of obligation and frustration. Two surefire emotions Carve might be feeling the most. Eventually I do find her, but is talking with Areola now, so I keep my distance.

Hey, is that Chrysalis? Areola notes to Carve.

“Was this a bad time, Areola?”

Areola shakes her head. “No-no, Chrysalis. You’re fine. My ducks were in a row anyway. Carve did a splendid job taking your place to pick my room while you were busy.”

I momentarily drop my jaw. “S-she did? In that little time? Regardless, I would like to have a talk with her.”

“Sure thing; I’ll leave you two to it.” Areola nods, then whispers an old phrase to Carve I haven’t heard since the turn of the millennium.

“Hello Carve.”

“Chrysalis? You wanted to talk to me?”

“Yes… but let’s go to your room first.”

“So, what did you want to talk about?” Carve inquires.

“Do you remember writing to me when you were in Wisconsin? Biting my tail during the interview in Canterlot? How about walking in on my visitors up in the throne room?”

Carve hesitates at the last event I mention. “Um, yeah I remember doing all that.”

I sigh. “Carve, I love you, but you’ve got to learn your cues around me. I can’t always drop everything I’m doing so that problems can be fixed. My first lesson I ever taught you was to make your own decisions in case I can’t be with you, even if one of your closest friends won’t like it in the end.”

“I know you taught me that. So how do I keep forgetting?”

“You’ve been living with those easy-going adventurers for over six years now. That’s how. If you can at least fulfill an errand I can’t attend to without letting me know, then consider the issue resolved. Are we clear, Carve?”

Carve holds her head forward and strokes the ground. “...Yes, Chrysalis.” I catch on to this pose.

“I know that expression. You wanted to tell me something, did you?”

Carve nods. “You were pretty impressed when Areola told you about her new room. What changed about that?”

I sit down on the nest and pull her up to wrap my hoof around her.

“Carve… once you saw what I was doing, you reminded yourself of the task I had to miss. That… that’s what I want to see. I want to see you performing royal duties without coming to me when I’m not there to perform them myself. That’s why you’re my stand-in. Understand?”

As I speak, Carve seems to start realizing just what I’m asking of her. By the end, she gives me a salute. “Yes, Chrysalis. Very much!”

“That’s more like it. I’ll be up the throne room to check on my visitors.”

While Chrysalis is out, Twilight, Sunset and I are all sitting atop the throne. Sunset Shimmer looks at us in astonishment for Chrysalis.

“Hard to believe just how much Chrysalis changed. Before that cookout, I never would’ve suspected she was so open to listen to us, let alone having us all sit on the throne.”

“She really never was the meanie my homeworld liked to think she was. Yeah she did some awful things, but you girls saw how she’s acted lately. She’s more of a friend now than she ever was before.” Twilight checks my DS again to see if the stylus is glowing while I’m talking. I do notice, but I wait to ask until I’m done. “Anything?” I ask her.

Twilight shakes her head. “Not yet. But at least it seems we’re on track, judging by our interaction with Chrysalis earlier.”

And it just keeps getting better. Queen Chrysalis enters the throne room in a mood even better than when we initially came in. “That chat with Carve went quite well if I do say so myself. Hopefully you ponies can go home soon.”

Twilight and Sunset show their cutie marks, Twilight also showing the DS’s stylus. None of what they show is glowing.

“Oh, right. It’s going to take some time before Carve has anything to perform in my place. If she can prove that she doesn’t need me to help her fulfill my duties, do you think all of that will start glowing?”

“That’s actually a good theory. There’s been a trend with the map where both ponies have to do their part to settle their differences before our work is done.”

“Sunset, how do you know that?” Queen Chrysalis questions. “This is your first time ever being called, and also Aita’s. At least with Aita, he knows what happens whenever the map calls the ponies because he watched us.”

“Just because I don’t experience it doesn’t mean I don’t know about it. Twilight filled me in on that once or twice.”

Twilight starts thinking. “Besides the whole finding Areola a room, was there anything else you had planned, Chrysalis?”

“Not that I’m aware of,” Chrysalis replies, looking for all the possible duty Carve could attend to. She’s drawing blanks; I can tell by the slight worry in the air. “Only possible thing is naming any newborns, but they’ve already hatched before the map even called you.”

“Maybe there just isn’t anything going on,” Twilight points out. “It’s been so peaceful here, the only changelings we’ve seen were you, Carve and Aita, and he’s with us.”

Sunset Shimmer’s eyes widen. “I think I have an idea. Aita, do you think you could track Carve down?”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Sunset Shimmer thinks I can track down another changeling so early? Even Twilight is confused about this.

“Me? But I’d never find her with my trailing skills… or lack of trailing skills.”

Chrysalis floats me onto her upper back. “I could teach you. We do share the same species.”

“R-really? You’d do that, Chrysalis?”

“Of course. With your attention to detail and my instructional clarity, I can’t think of a way you’d learn any faster.”

I hug Chrysalis around the neck. “Thanks, Chrysalis! I’m ready and willing to learn!”

“Then let’s get started right away!” It’s a good thing I’m hanging onto Chrysalis, because for a moment, she gets up on her hind legs and moves her forelegs with a circling motion during her declaration.