It seemed like only hours ago she had received her invitation, and now Udon was here, in the Crystal Palace, assisting the kitchen staff! They had only a few hours for everything to be completely ready for the guests to arrive, which meant it was crunch time. She zipped over to a large pot and sampled its contents, being sure it had a good balance of flavors. Her holiday special was simple enough to make, but too much of any of the spices would send it to ruin. Her husband was supposed to be here with her, but had come down with an unfortunate cold the day before and so was unable to assist her. Now, it appeared the other chefs were carting out their pieces. She tasted it one more time, nodded, and decided it would be good enough. She then proceeded to poor it into a more friendly-looking bowl for serving, topped it with a ladle, and moved out into the ballroom.
She felt somewhat out of place, being one of the few non-crystal ponies, but that wasn't a new feeling. She'd been living in the Crystal Empire for years now and hadn't seen another thestral since arriving. The occasional pegasus or unicorn came through, but never areions. They tended to live on the outskirts of Equestria Proper, or even outside of it entirely, so she wasn't surprised.
After placing her soup, she retreated back into the kitchen for a moment of rest. It had been a long day already, and now the night was finally on its way. She decided now would be as good a time as any to take a pick-me-up, so she located her bag stashed in a corner, removed a vial of Everwake, and tossed the contents down the hatch. Instantly, she felt rejuvenated and ready to go the rest of the night. Alright, Udon, tonight's your night. Time to shine! she thought to herself. She straightened her hat and uniform and returned to her work.