Before their expecting eyes, a portal stretched open. A glowing pool of purple that slowly churned. Allura beamed at it, then reached into a bag around her neck and pulled out two tickets, handing them over. "They gave them to me, to watch an event at the rink. You'll have more use for it than I will."

She wriggled her back end as if preparing to pounce, but she was the one pounced as something burst from the portal and tackled her to the ground. "Oof!" It was about the size of herself, and also a feline, with purple fur, darker purple spots, and fiery colors highlighting the ends of his wings and tip of his mane. "Get off me!"

"No." Alterro settled right on Allura. "Last time I let you get out of my sight, you were gone for moons."

Allura tried to push him off but failed, sighing in resignation. "Alright, fine, you win." She glared over him to the gaping ponies. "It's, um, good to see you again." She forced a smile. "But must you make a scene in front of all of them?" She could hear Twitch snickering at her predicament. "Traitor."

Alterro raised a paw to wave at them, but didn't move from atop Allura. "Hello! Nice to meet you." He grinned at them. "What's your opinion of Allura?"

Sunny advanced, if confused. "She's a nice creature, and I hope you are too? I'm Sunny, and these are my friends." She took the time to introduce them all, pointing at each with a name. "Izzy, Zipp, Pipp, Hitch, and Misty."

Alterro nodded to each. "It's good to meet you all." He finally climbed off of Allura, but he kept a wing over her. "So you know Allura?" He looked hopeful, like he was ready to hear the most fascinating story ever.

The portal casually closed itself with a swooshing sound, simply gone.

Pipp flew in closer. "Woah, check you out." She snapped a picture of Alterro. "For a feline, pretty handsome. Now, not to burst any bubbles or anything, but you just came a long way. Was that on purpose?"

Alterro frowned. "No? I mean, yes? I mean... sort of." He shook himself out, wings stretching wide. "The last time I saw a portal like that, Allura and I were much smaller, and I let her hop in without me. I, um, figured if I jumped in this one, maybe it'd bring me to her, and I could apologize for being an idiot."

Allura glanced away. "No. I mean, you're not an idiot. I was for jumping before I looked." She poked Alterro with a paw. "Which you just did! I was about to go home, you idiot! You're stuck here, with me."

Alterro shrugged lightly. "That doesn't seem too bad. We could explore this place together."

Zipp rose an eyebrow, flying up to him. "Hey, handsome, what are we talking about here? You're going to move into Maretime Bay, just like that? Not even a little upset?"

He looked down at Zipp with a shrug. "Why should I be? Ponies are cute, and this place seems beautiful." He turned to look Allura in the eye. "I've waited years for you. I never forgot you, you know. I was sure, eventually, we'd find each other again."

Allura trembled as she sank to the ground. "Miserable idiot." She flopped to the side. "I missed you so much. You were looking for me? All this time? Why?"

He tilted his head. "What do you mean why?" He padded over, laying next to her, foreheads touching. "We were siblings, weren't we?" He pawed at her, claws running through her thick fur, clearly to no harm to her. "Is it odd to miss your sister after she vanishes like that? I was wo worried something bad happened to you."

Allura snorted. "Bad did happen, but I survived it. Twitch here helped me." She reached over to pat her rabbit friend, who smiled with excitement. "He was so helpful."

Sunny watched the siblings with a smile. "I think this calls for a celebration."

Izzy danced excitedly in place. "Ooo, we just doubled the big kitty population and I'm here for it!" She spread her arms wide. "Welcome to Equestria, Alterro! We're gonna throw you the best coming soon party! I can teach you games and crafts! Do you have crafts where you're from?"

Alterro laughed gently at Izzy's words. "We do. I was never, um, that good at it, but I know what they are." He sat up next to Allura. "You have such interesting friends, Sis."

She nodded softly. "I know. They're very sweet." She patted the ground. "But you have so much to tell me. Have mom and dad been worrying about me, or were they not minding too much? How about my friends?"

He rubbed the back of his head, blushing lightly. "Well, mom and dad have been worried, of course, and it's been a long time. I'll tell you everything." He threw an arm over her back. "Let's go talk."

As they wandered off together, Sunny pointed to the crystal. "Well, that did what we wanted it to. We should get it back to the boardtrot before we have a riot on our hooves." She laughed lightly.

Zipp nodded. "I'll go return it, then." She grabbed it up in her hooves and pulled at it with a grunt. "How do we get it back to little pieces again tho?" She tugged anew, but the crystal was pleased with its restored form.

Izzy laughed and flew over, patting the crystal with a hoof. It suddenly split into dozens of pieces of varied sizes, just like that. "There you go, a puzzle!"

Pipp swooped in, starting to gather them into her hooves. "Everypony grab some and let's get them tucked away all over the boardtrot like they were the first time."

The ponies gathered pieces and flew out together, making their way back towards the boardtrot.

In the corner of the room, Misty observed Allura and Twitch. Twitch had gone into another of his fits of mumbling gibberish. It looked like the rabbit was trying to explain something to Allura and Alterro, with only one of them easily understanding.

Fortunately, Alurra seemed to be translating for him, passing Twitch's comments and questions along to Alterro without hesitation.

***

A pair of large cats walk around Maretime Bay. They were talking about their pasts.

"So that's basically what's been going on." Allura finished. "Want to see where I've been working?"

"I would love that. A place where these ponies love it colder? What a nice sounding place." Alterro bumped into her from the side. "Lead on, and don't be afraid to point things out."

Allura rolled her eyes. "This isn't going to be a guided tour. I just know where a few things are." She gestured at the clock tower. "That's a big tower with a clock on top." She chuckled softly as she picked up speed. "When going to work or coming back, I usually don't sight see all that much."

He nodded. "Still, I want to hear about all of it." They walked along the boardwalk. "And if you don't mind me asking, how did you survive when you first arrived?"

Allura put a paw over her face. "Poorly. First, I went to a much chillier place. It was nice, in that way, but had far fewer ponies, and they were afraid of me." She glanced off. "Perhaps for some good reasons. Either way, it was alternatingly boring or fruitless as I tried to get them to get me home."

"Until?"

Allura chuckled softly, shaking herself out. "I made a mistake, and ended up here." She waved a paw around. "Where it's insufferably warm, but never entirely boring. The ponies here have, hm, accepted me. Which speaks poorly about them considering." She smirked at her caustic statement. "But they've grown on me. Their warmth is not like the sun. It's... nice."

Alterro poked her with a paw. "Do I hear a hint of fondness?"

She poked him back, lightly, making him sway. "Don't tease."

"I'm not. Oh! Is that it?" He could see the rink ahead of themselves, advertised with a big sign that didn't make it subtle. "Larger, but wider, not that tall." He moved his paws, taking the dimensions in his head. "It looks fun! What do you do in there?"

Allura chuckled lowly. "I, as it turns out, am an exper." She waggled her brows on the way in. "I keep their cool machine working."

Alterro shivered as the temperature plunged stepping inside. "Wow! That's a lot of cold air." His ears perked up. "Are you sure they're okay? Do they need a coat or something?" He looked over the ponies in concern, but they were laughing, happy and healthy."

Allura shook her head. "They come here for the cold, even if they are normally much warmer. I've learned not to ask such questions. If they get too cold, they can just leave."

"Hm, clever. Are there many places like this?" Alterro looked around with naked wonder at each and every thing he could find.

She shrugged. "There may be, I'm not certain." She scratched at a cheek. "First and only one I found. This way, let me show you the machine that keeps it cold. Twitch and I work together to keep it happy." She lifted him into her paws. "Come on, Twitch, time to get to work."

"Grr?" Twitch was mildly concerned, but he let himself be lifted. He said something indecipherable.

"Yes, yes, of course." She ruffled her rabbit companion as they went down into the hallway that housed the great machine. "There it is! Behold the magnificent cold making machine." She gestured at it grandly. "It hums so beautifully, and keeps the ponies happy. A wonderful arrangement, is it not?"

"It certainly looks like you enjoy it." Alterro sat on the cool tiles, eyes on the contraption. "And it keeps everything nice. It was getting a bit warm out there." He pointed back where they'd come from. "And the ponies pay you for this?"

"Yes. I'm paid money, which I use to buy things." Allura gestured at Twitch. "We both enjoy some, hm, creature comforts." She chuckled softly. "That's what ponies call anything that isn't a pony, but they may have a chat with, a creature. I used to hate the name, but it's grown on me."

Alterro nodded, watching her work. He got a few strange stares from ponies passing through the halls, but most seemed used to Allura and her companion. He, apparently, qualified as 'another one', so none of them panicked, just gazed curiously on their way past. "Well, I'll have to find a job of my own then. I can't do this, you're already doing it, Sis." He smiled warmly at her. "I can't wait to find out what I'm good at."

"You're good at a lot, Brother." She poked him in the shoulder, smirking. "You just need to get around and see what you like. Oh! Until you do, I'll take care of you, dummy. I won't let my brother starve on the street after running off to find me." She huffed gently. "Mother would never let me live that down."

Alterro laughed and nudged her. "Thanks, Sis." He took in a deep breath and let it go. "I want you to be proud of me, you know. You're amazing." He suddenly grabbed her cheeks. "You came to such a faraway place, but you made it work. I would have panicked! I would be panicking right now, actually, but you're here." He let her go to nuzzle instead. "I'm so proud of you."

Allura's eyes sparkled with emotion. She wiped a tear from her eyes and cleared her throat. "Of course." She turned away slightly, hiding a smile. "If you're done looking, I can show you our cave."

Author's Note

What, you thought I'd throw Allura off camera?!

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