Cadance The Crystal Princess

by Sean Tan the Brony

Chapter 11 - Flashback Three: Fall of Queen Chrysalis

Outskirt of Crystal Empire, One year ago

Darkness shrouded the Arctic North of Equestria. Most of the crystal ponies had retreated to the safety and warmth of their homes, leaving the streets deserted and silent save for the occasional howl of the chilling wind.

At the edge of a precipitous cliff, a group of undisguised changelings gathered, their forms silhouetted against the backdrop of the Crystal Palace. Among them, Pharynx, with his distinctive red frills, took charge, his imposing presence commanding the attention of his comrades.

"Listen up, changelings," Pharynx began, his voice low but commanding. "You all know the plan. We disguise ourselves, infiltrate the Crystal Palace, capture the princess and her family, and return them to the Badland Hive. Any questions before we proceed?"

The group shook their heads in unison, their determination evident in their resolute expressions.

"Excellent," Pharynx declared, his wings twitching in anticipation. "Let's move out."

But just as they prepared to take flight, a calm and composed voice interrupted their preparations. "Excuse me?"

The changelings froze, their movements halting as they turned to face the source of the interruption.

Standing a few feet away was a unicorn mare; her coat being light bluish gray, her mane and tail being moderate blue, a cutie mark of dark blue heart and her eyes being moderate lime green. Though her appearance was quite startling, it was her expression that was the biggest surprise. She doesn't looked scared. In fact, she looked more calm.

Finally moving past their shock, the changelings assumed a fighting stance toward the unicorn mare. Yet, despite their hostile posture, the mare remained unfazed, her calm demeanor unwavering in the face of their aggression.

Pharynx walked past the group before stopping just in front of the unicorn and demanded. "Who are you?! What are you doing here?!"

The mare did not flinched back from Pharynx's demand and opted to answer calmly. "Who am I is not important. But as to what am I doing here, I'm here to make you open your eyes and see through Queen Chrysalis's lies."

Her words hung in the air, causing a moment of uncertainty among the changelings. They exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of how to react to this unexpected revelation.

Pharynx narrowed his eyes, his gaze probing as he considered her words carefully.

"And what proof do you have to dare claim that our queen is deceiving us?!" he demanded, his voice laced with skepticism.

His response was the unicorn mare conjuring the diary with a flick of her magic. Flipping through its pages with practiced ease, she located the pertinent entry and presented it to the red-frilled changeling.

"Read it," she urged.

The changelings exchanged uncertain glances, their confusion evident as they realized the diary belonged to Queen Chrysalis. Despite their reservations, Pharynx seized the diary without hesitation, his curiosity outweighing any apprehension and read the page.

]When I was pretending to be the bride at the wedding in Canterlot, I decided to sneak inside one of the libraries to see if I could find any information about the Elements of Harmony. As I was skimming through the shelves, I happened to stumble upon a page about us in The Monstrous Manuscript of Monstrous Monsters book. Apparently, there is a way for us changelings to rid ourselves permanently of our hunger for love.

I was taken aback as I read the words over and over to ensure I had not misunderstood, but it was true. I contemplated revealing this knowledge to my subjects, but then I realized that by keeping it a secret, I could maintain control over them, ensuring they remained dependent on me for sustenance. By keeping them in a perpetual state of hunger, they would be more aggressive and more compliant with my plans.

Nevertheless, I destroyed the book, ensuring that my subjects would not stumble upon it should they ever venture into the library.

As Pharynx scanned the page of the diary, his expression shifted from skepticism to disbelief. The words written on the parchment seemed to leap off the page, painting a damning portrait of Queen Chrysalis's deceit.

The other changelings gathered around, their curiosity piqued as they peered over Pharynx's shoulder to read the contents of the diary.

"What does it say, Pharynx?" one of the changelings asked anxiously, his voice tinged with apprehension.

Pharynx's jaw clenched as he slowly lowered the diary.

"It says that... there is a way for changelings to be permanently rid of their hunger for love." Pharynx admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

The revelation sent shockwaves through the group, their faces a mixture of confusion and anger.

"But... but why would she lie to us?" another changeling questioned, his voice trembling with uncertainty.

As the changelings grappled with the implications of Queen Chrysalis's deceit, Pharynx sank to the ground, his mind reeling with a mix of emotions.

He pulled himself out of his reverie and turned to the unicorn mare to ask. "What do we do now?"

The changelings fell silent, their attention now focused on the mare's response.

The unicorn mare, who had remained quiet until now, met Pharynx's gaze with unwavering resolve.

"I think you know what you need to do," she said, her voice steady.

Before any of the changelings could react, the unicorn mare disappeared via her magic, leaving the group at the place she once stood.

After a while of silence, Pharynx's closed his eyes before opening them, his gaze hardened, a steely resolve taking hold as he squared his shoulders.

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Badland Hive, a few hours later

Queen Chrysalis's day had taken a turn for the worse as she sat alone in her throne room.

She, for some reasons, was unable to establish contact with any of her subjects. Frustration gnawed at her insides as she attempted to reach out across the wavelengths, only to be met with silence.

A creak from the door drew her attention, and she looked up to see Pharynx, his expression dark with anger, standing before her.

"Pharynx?!" The changeling queen snarled, showing her own carnivorous fangs as she continued. "Do you mind explaining to me why have I lost all contact to the entire hive?!"

The red frilled changeling stayed quiet before throwing Chrysalis's diary on the floor in front of the changeling queen via his magic.

The changeling queen's eyes widened as she regarded Pharynx, a mix of shock and anger evident in her expression.

"Where and how did get your hooves on my diary?" She demanded, her voice laced with impatience.

The red frilled changeling crossed his hooves over his chest, his scowl deepening before he replied. "I think the real question is why did you decided to hide the fact that there is a way for us to rid ourselves permanently of our hunger for love."

Chrysalis's glare intensified, her wings flaring out in a display of aggression. "That's none of your concern! And how dare you speak to me in such a manner!" She snapped, her tone sharp and dismissive.

Pharynx remained unfazed, meeting his queen's furious gaze with steely resolve. "It became my concern when it affects the entire hive," He retorted, his voice firm as he continued. "You've kept this knowledge from us for far too long."

The changeling queen's eyes narrowed as she asked, her voice betraying a hint of sarcasm. "And what do you intend to do now?"

"It's not just me," Pharynx declared as the door swung open, revealing a throng of angry changelings before he continued. "It's all of us."

Chrysalis's shock turned to terror as her subjects flooded into the throne room, their expressions set with anger.

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Crystal Empire, the next day

Princess Cadance sat upon her throne, a mountain of paperwork towering before her, each document demanding her attention with its insistent presence. Her expression betrayed her boredom as she mechanically filled out yet another form. Meanwhile, her husband, Shining Armor, was occupied with their energetic daughter, Flurry Heart, elsewhere in the palace.

Just as the Princess of Love was lost in the monotony of her task, the doors to the throne room burst open, disrupting the quiet atmosphere. A crystal guard hurried forward, his urgency evident as he bowed before the princess.

"Your majesty!" The guard announced, his voice tinged with urgency.

Cadance looked up from her paperwork. "Yes?" She inquired, prompting the guard to straighten up.

"We have located a group of changelings at the outskirts of the empire, and we have detained them. We are in the process of bringing them here for questioning," the guard reported, his tone grave.

The Princess of Love's interest was immediately piqued, her mind racing with possibilities. "And is there anything else?" She asked, sensing there was more to the guard's report.

The guard hesitated for a moment before reluctantly continuing. "Your majesty, the changelings we detained were not in disguise. They were in their true forms."

Cadance's eyes widened in shock, her grip on her magic faltering for a moment as the documents slipped from her grasp, scattering across the floor.

A moment later, with a mixture of concern and determination, Princess of Love rose from her throne and addressed the guard.

"Thank you for informing me," she said, her voice steady. "Escort the changelings to the throne room immediately and bring my husband here. I will speak with them with my husband."

The guard nodded in acknowledgment before swiftly departing to carry out her orders. Left alone in the now-silent throne room, Cadance took a moment to compose herself, her thoughts racing as she considered the implications of this unexpected development.

A minute later, Shining Armor came through the door, his face being worried

"Cady." Shining started. "What's going on? The guard told me to come to the throne room as soon as possible."

Princess Cadance turned to her husband as she recounted the urgent news.

"Shining, we've had an unexpected development," she began. "A group of changelings has been detained at the outskirts of the empire, and they were not in disguise. They're being brought here for questioning."

Shining Armor's brow furrowed in concern as he absorbed the gravity of the situation. "Changelings, in their true forms?" he echoed, his mind racing with possibilities. "That's highly unusual. What could they want here?"

Cadance nodded in agreement, her thoughts mirroring her husband's. "That's what we aim to find out," she replied, her tone resolute.

A few minutes later, the heavy doors swung open once more, and the crystal guard returned, leading a group of changelings into the chamber. The prisoners were kept under close watch as they entered the presence of the royal couple.

While the changelings still had black chitin covering their body, there were several major differences. First, there were no holes in their hooves or their wings, which shimmered in the light. The carapaces on their backs were different colors. Lastly, their eyes had changed to ones like Queen Chrysalis had, except each had an iris that matched their carapace.

The Princess of Love and the Prince stood side by side as they assessed the newcomers. Their gaze swept over the group, their eyes narrowing slightly as they took in the undisguised changelings.

"Welcome," Cadance began. "I trust you understand the gravity of the situation."

The changeling with a purple carapace and purple eyes carrying saddlebag on his back stepped forward, his posture rigid as he addressed the princess and the prince. "We do," He replied. "My name is Pharynx."

The Princess of Love and the Prince nodded, acknowledging the red frilled changeling's name. "Alright Pharynx," Shining started, "Why have you come here, and why in your true forms?"

The changelings exchanged uneasy glances, a flicker of uncertainty crossing their features before Pharynx spoke again.

"We came here as representative for a long lasting peace between Equestria and our hive." He explained.

Both Cadance and Shining widened their eyes in surprised as the processed the words the purple changeling said.

"A peace treaty?" The Princess of Love repeated, her voice tinged with disbelief. "But why now? And why in your true forms?"

Pharynx met her gaze and said. "A coup took place within our hive. Our queen, former Queen Chrysalis, had been permanently disposed and drained to death."

"Permanently disposed? And what do you mean 'drained to death'?" The Prince asked in confusion.

"Why don't you open my saddlebag and see it for yourself?" The purple changeling replied.

The royal couple looked at each other in confusion for a while, before Cadance reached out an item wrapped in cloth from inside Pharynx's saddlebag via her magic.

Confused, she removed the cloth from it and the royal couple gasped in shock, their eyes widened and their mouths hanging agape.

Inside was a black crown with turquoise gemstones tipping each point on it. Both Cadance and Shining knew the crown belonged to Queen Chrysalis as they remember the changeling queen wearing it when they first saw her in their wedding.

"That's..." The Princess of Love stammered as she continued. "That's Chrysalis's crown."

The Prince looked up from the crown toward Pharynx and asked. "Why did you disposed her?"

The changelings face immediately darkened as the purple changeling spoke. "We found out that she had hid the knowledge that there is a way for us to rid ourselves permanently of our hunger for love."

Pharynx's revelation hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over the already tense atmosphere. The royal couple exchanged a glance.

"You mean... Chrysalis knew how to end the changelings' need to feed on love?" Cadance said as her voice quivered with a mixture of shock and disbelief.

The purple changeling nodded solemnly before replying. "Yes, your majesty. She possessed the knowledge, but she kept it hidden from the rest of us."

Shining arched an eyebrow and asked. "And this knowledge... how did you come by it?"

The changelings exchanged glances before Pharynx answered the prince's question truthfully. "A unicorn mare came to us before we could infiltrate your empire. She gave us our former queen's diary that contained that knowledge."

Surprised, the royal couple looked at each other before the Princess of Love asked the purple changeling. "This unicorn mare... who was she? How did she come by Queen Chrysalis's diary?"

Pharynx sighed in resignation before replying. "We do not know her name, or her intentions. All we know was that she appeared to us with the diary, urged us to open our eyes and see through our former queen's lies before vanishing without a trace."

The prince stared at the purple changeling before asking. "This unicorn... what does she looked like?"

"She has a coat of light bluish gray, her mane and tail is moderate blue. She has a cutie mark of a dark blue heart and her eyes are moderate lime green." Pharynx answered honestly.

The throne room became silent as the royal couple processed everything the purple changeling had told. After a while, they sighed and nodded at each other.

"Pharynx." Cadance spoke. "We thank you for your honesty. We will take this into consideration as we move forward."

"Meanwhile, you and your group are welcome to stay while we write a letter to Princess Celestia."Shining said as he trotted up to his wife's side.

"Thank you, your majesty." The group of changelings said as they bowed down before Pharynx asked the royal couple a question. "Do you both know where my brother, Thorax, is?"

The Princess of Love and the Prince blinked in surprised before composing themselves.

"Well..." Cadance started. "He is currently in Sunburst's house. It's near the outskirts of the Crystal Empire. He's been helping with some research and magical studies."

The purple changeling's expression softened with relief upon hearing this news. "Thank you," he said sincerely.

"And if you and your group require anything during your stay, our staff will be at your disposal." Shining said.

Pharynx nodded his head, before him and his group were escorted to their temporary quarters within the palace.

As the doors closed behind them, the Princess of Love turned to her husband and said. "Shining, we need to inform Twilight and the others about what's happening. They'll want to be kept in the loop."

The prince nodded in agreement and replied. "I'll send Spike a letter right away. He can relay the message to Twilight and the rest of her friends."

Cadance smiled appreciatively at her husband's quick action. "Thank you, Shining. And while you do that, I'll start drafting a letter to Princess Celestia. She needs to be made aware of the situation as well."

With their plan in motion, the royal couple set to work, each fulfilling their respective roles in addressing the unexpected turn of events.

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Just a couple of distance away from the Crystal Empire, the same unicorn mare stood there watching before green flames surrounded her.

Once the flames died away into nothingness, it was replaced with a tall form of changeling queen; Queen Seraphine, elder sister of Queen Chrysalis.

"Forgive me, Chrysalis, but I cannot allow your insatiable thirst for power to wreak further havoc upon our kind." The changeling queen murmured, her voice heavy with regret and sorrow.

With a flutter of her majestic wings, Queen Seraphine took to the sky, her form disappearing into the night as she soared away from the empire.

Author's Note:

I don't like the episodes 'To Where and Back Again', so I thought I changed the whole thing and have Queen Chrysalis die.

Edited by Bronyshot2020

Comments

[Luckyfanisaac]

Queen Chrysalis's day had taken a turn for the worse as she sat alone in her throne room.(——

"Thank you for informing me," she said, her voice steady.(——