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Chapter 20 - The mother and the sister.
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Cheerilee had gotten up early this day as she wanted to catch the first train to Crystal's empire because she had gotten an audience with Cadance at noon and did not want to be late, Clear Spark was excited to hear the news but was still sleeping when Cheerilee went to see him to his bed, the teacher arranged all her things and made sure she had in her bag the scroll written by Petal Dance and the foal's medical record and how he had improved.
As dawn broke with the sun peeking over the horizon Cheerilee was heading to the train station carrying a sound asleep foal on her back, she was carrying some food for the trip for when Clear Spark woke up, and as they boarded the train they were the only passengers, five minutes later the train left for the crystal empire.
At about ten thirty in the morning, the train arrived at its destination and Cheerilee got off with Clear Spark on her back, the colt had just woken up and had already eaten what Cheerilee brought him for breakfast and now they were both going to the castle to talk to the princess of love.
"Hello, my name is Cheerilee and I have an audience with Princess Cadance at twelve o'clock sharp." Said the teacher to one of the guards at the entrance.
"Good day, follow this path and down the hall, you will find an office where you can give all your information before seeing the princess."
"Thank you." Cheerilee did as the guard instructed and was already in a special room waiting to be called, there were also other crystal ponies and some magnates, nothing out of the ordinary for a princesses day, and a few minutes later she was called but not to the throne room as she expected, but to Flurry Heart's room.
The room was easily the size of the Ponyville school or maybe bigger, toys everywhere and Princess Cadance was playing with her little daughter who had a Petling between her little hooves, the young princess had the collection almost complete in a corner, Cadance stood up with Flurry between her hooves and approached Cheerilee.
"Greetings, I am Cadance, princess of the crystal empire and this little foal here is my daughter Flurry Heart, I was told that you came all the way from Ponyville to talk something with me." The princess was known throughout Equestria and so was little Flurry, but she had to follow the protocol of introduction.
"Yes princess, my name is Cheerilee and this little guy is my back is Clear Spark, and I would like to talk something privately with you concerning...you know who." Cheerilee and Clear Spark's name was also mentioned many times between the princesses but the teacher thought it would still be appropriate to introduce herself to a regent.
Cadance's loving look changed to one of annoyance as she heard the pony's words and knew who she was referring to, she didn't want to know anything about Chrysalis but she could give her a couple of minutes of her time to listen to her.
"Thorax." Said the princess with a smile looking at a unicorn standing by the door. "Could you take care of Flurry and little Spark for a moment?."
The unicorn nodded and took Flurry between his hooves and guided Clear Spark over to where the Petlings were, the three began to play animatedly amidst the army of stuffed animals.
"I wouldn't imagine that you being a princess would need a babysitter." Cheerilee commented.
"He showed up along with others for the audition and Flurry immediately took to him, plus he's very good with all the foals and charges less than the others, it's like he just wants to make Flurry happy."
Cheerilee's sharp mind worked very quickly upon hearing the princess's words and from what she knew of Red Bug and Chrysalis living in Ponyville, she got a very clear idea of who Flurry Heart's new nanny was.
Cadance led Cheerilee to a table away from the little ones where there was some fruit and other things to eat and the two sat down to talk.
"I know you want to talk about Chrysalis, and that is a topic that is not to my liking so I would like to keep this conversation brief." Cadance said pointedly.
"I'd like to know why you brought charges against Chrysalis for crimes committed long before all of this happened?"
"She impersonated me on my wedding day and tried to marry my husband to seize the throne and conquer Equestria, I believe that is more than a necessary reason to imprison her, but the current law does not allow me to press charges about what happened in Canterlot that day because according to our law that was not listed as a crime, so I had to seek other means."
"You know as well as I do that changelings need love to subsist and she admitted to me that that was not one of her better plans and had she thought more about it she would have taken another path, a more peaceful one."
"Remember also that she foalnap that little boy and feels no remorse for separating him from his mother."
"We both know she has been living a peaceful life in Ponyville for months and has taken excellent care of Clear Spark, the little one loves her and misses her, don't you think that should be considered and put the foal's welfare above other things."
"It is possible in some cases but I am not going to release her on some assumption, Clear Spark himself has said he wants to return to his mother and Chrysalis continued to lie to him by telling him she was sick and could not return, there is a distressed mare out there looking for her son because of a liar who fortunately is now in prison, so I am sorry but I am not dropping the charges."
"I must tell you that you are wrong about that mare and Chrysalis, and I can prove it to you."
Cheerilee opened her bag and took out some papers, parchments, and some pictures of Chrysalis and Clear Spark in Ponyville, and presented them to Cadance, the intrigued princess started going through the pictures and medical papers until she came to a letter written on hoof by a mare, and the moment she started reading it Cheerilee began to talk.
"Chrysalis told me this story the same day I met her, it's not a pretty story but it's the truth, the first time she found Clear Spark crying alone in the woods and helped him look for his mother with the intention of..."
Cadance took some time going through all the papers and couldn't believe the story, as a mother her heart couldn't accept it either, it had to be a lie.
"You really want me to believe that...to believe all of this?" Cadance asked somewhat annoyed.
"If you want you can investigate everything I said yourself and you'll realize it's true."
Cadance stood up abruptly from the table very upset.
"I can't believe any of this, I won't believe any of this, I know what that harpy is capable of and I won't give her any chance to continue ruining lives with her presence."
"Okay, I understand what you want to tell me and I must respect your position." Cheerilee said calmly as she gathered up all the papers and tucked them safely inside her bag before standing up from the table.
"But before I retire I would like you to think not as a princess, think as a mother what would you have done if you had fallen in the forest and Flurry Heart had been the abandoned filly."
Cheerilee walked over to where Clear Spark was and helped him settle on her back, the colt was a little disappointed to have to leave but knew they had all day to stroll around town.
Cadance, still annoyed, just watched as Thorax played with Flurry to command his army of stuffed animals.
It had already been two days since Cheerilee visited Cadance in the crystal empire. She still didn't know if her words convinced the princess to change her mind, she would find out on Saturday when she visited Chrysalis in Canterlot. Still, now she had another important matter and she was at the station waiting for the train to arrive, AppleJack had offered to take care of little Spark for today, making Apple Bloom extremely nervous.
The teacher was worried because Red Bug said that they would meet that same day to talk to Twilight and try to convince her to change her mind, but the teacher had been waiting since early in the morning and two trains had already arrived and left from the station and Red Bug was not on any of them.
"Cheerilee, what are you doing here?, I've been looking for you all morning." Said a voice from behind the teacher's back.
Cheerilee turned and saw Red Bug in her pony costume wearing a long dress accompanied by Big Mac.
"What time did you get here?, I've been waiting all morning for your train."
"I came from Big Mac's house."
"And why did you come from Big Mac's farm?" The teacher asked intrigued.
Red Bug and Big Mac turned totally red with embarrassment and averted their gazes.
"...OHHHHHHHHHHHhhhh..." Cheerilee said as she realized what had happened. "We'd better...go to Twilight's."
"We'd better." Red Bug said goodbye to his giant boyfriend and walked with Cheerilee to Twilight's castle.
"So... how..." Cheerilee tried to say.
"Awesome." Replied the changeling.
In a couple of minutes, they arrived at the castle and Cheerilee walked over to knock on the door, moments later Spike opened it.
"Hello Cheerilee, hello Red Bug, what are you doing here?" The dragon asked.
"Hi Spike, we're here to talk to Twilight, is she available?." Cheerilee replied.
"Spike who is it?" a voice asked from the hallways.
"It's Cheerilee and a changeling who want to talk to you."
"A WHAT?." Twilight shouted before teleporting in front of the door with her horn glowing brightly, only to see Cheerilee standing next to a mare in a beautiful floral dress. "Spike I thought you said you saw a changeling." Twilight said angrily as she lowered the intensity of her horn's glow.
"I said it, she's Red-."
"My name is Red Rose, and I'm a changeling druid when we play Ogres & Oubliettes." Said the mare with a smile.
"Ohh... sorry if I made you girls startle a little." Twilight said apologetically. "What can I do for you."
"We'd like to have a word with you if you have time." Cheerilee said
"Now I was a little busy but it would be nice to take a break and chat for a while, Spike could you fix us something to drink, please follow me to the library girls." Twilight turned and walked around turning her back to the group and rounding a corner.
Red Bug, very annoyed, smacked the back of Spike's head, "Spike you know you're supposed to keep who I am a secret."
"Sorry, I forgot."
"Do you two know each other?"
"We play Ogres & Oubliettes with a couple of changelings, Big Mac, and Derpy every week, of course I know her."
"Just remember to keep it a secret or I'll never heal you in combat again."
"Ok ok, I said I was sorry." An annoyed frustrated Spike headed for the kitchen in search of something to drink while the two mares went to the library where Twilight was and sat down at the table across from her.
"Tell me what you want to talk about?."
"What's your opinion on Crystal Ivy?". Cheerilee asked immediately putting Twilight in a bad mood.
"Chrysalis deceived us all for months betraying our trust and not to mention she almost destroyed my brother and Cadance's wedding." Twilight replied.
"You're talking about Chrysalis, I asked you about Crystal Ivy." Replied Cheerilee.
"It's the same mare, and you know it."
"So Chrysalis didn't take care of Clear Spark?, didn't take him to school every day?, didn't participate in the parties?, didn't help fight that hydra?."
"That mare fooled us all and can't be trusted."
"Do you think she doesn't deserve another chance?" Red Bug asked.
"You know her past, you know she's where she belongs now." Twilight replied.
"Then Princess Luna didn't deserve another chance either?, you knew her past." Red Bug commented.
"That's different, she-."
"And Discord is different too?, or Starlight?, tell me what makes them different." Cheerilee asked.
"She... is a changeling and they are only good for one thing." Answered the princess in an annoyed way.
"So you think changelings are just parasites who are only good for stealing love."
"I know it will sound ugly but I can't see her as anything other than a manipulative monster who only serves to steal love."
"I understand."
Red Bug got up from her seat and approached Twilight until she was a couple of steps away before dropping her disguise and showing her true form damaging the dress a bit in the process, Twilight jumped in fright and immediately got into a defensive stance.
"Cheerilee go behind me, I'll protect you." Said the princess without taking her eyes off her enemy.
"I'm not going to do that Twilight." Replied the teacher.
"But she is a changeling and they are surely planning another invasion."
"You're wrong Twilight, just like you're wrong about Chrysalis, they're not planning to invade anyone."
"And how can she be so sure."
"Listen to her Twilight, she wouldn't have revealed herself like this if she didn't have something important to tell you."
Twilight looked carefully at the changeling in front of her who hadn't moved an inch.
"My real name is Red Bug and I am a changeling with a degree in Psychology from one of the hives, I met a beautiful stallion who is in love with me and I am in love with him, he knows who I am and he doesn't care that I am different, neither do the friends I made here in Ponyville and I am tired of hiding like all the changelings out there."
The changeling walked out of the room past a somewhat surprised and confused princess.
"Where do you think you're going!" Twilight shouted turning her body around and getting back into a defensive stance.
"I'm going to the farm to apologize to AppleJack for ruining her pretty dress and to say goodbye to Big Mac." The changeling sighed before covering herself in green flames and transforming back into the chestnut-colored mare. "Bye Spike." She finished saying before retreating.
"See you Red B... Rose." Replied the dragon returning with several glasses of fruit juices.
Cheerilee stood up from her seat and stood in front of Twilight.
"You know Twilight, of all the princesses I thought you would be willing to give Chrysalis a second chance as you did with everyone else, but I guess I was wrong, you do judge a book just by its cover, even after you've seen its contents."
Cheerilee also walked past Twilight saying goodbye to Spike and leaving the castle.
Twilight understood very little of what had happened but had a lot to think about.
Since when did Cheerilee get a degree graduate from Harvard, university and Yale in psychology?
11472216
She deals with annoying parents everyday. Its pretty much like those degrees if not even better.
11472225
What kind of parents requires that much education To deal with?
11472231
I can only imagine.
Now Twilight too? Geez, does the four princesses have to be these massive hypocritical morons!!!???
Aren't they forgetting about Thorax too?
11472245
I don't think the episode with Thorax happened in this world. But Thorax is Thorax & used his real name while in disguise.
Chrysalis needs a good lawyer. It sounds like the State is misapplying the law here. It’s okay to get Al Capone on tax fraud charges instead of all the racketeering and murder, but you still have to be able to make those tax charges stick. I’m not sure if whatever Chrysalis is charged with can really stick.
11472296
Also… who will even preside over a trial? None of the princesses can because they are witnesses/victims/parties. Also a motion for change of venue because I doubt she gets an impartial jury in Canterlot or the Crystal Empire or even Ponyville. Maybe Dodge Junction or Cloudsdale or Manhattan could.
11472245
Cadance thinks Thorax is a unicorn because he's disguised.
11472315
Oh, well she will get a massive surprise by then.
if chrysalis going to die on execution i will never forgive them they are the true villains
11472231
Have you seen Spoiled Rich?
11470661
That doesn't change the fact that it was without a trial even to give her a chance to defend herself. Even if they didn't believe her in that trial, it doesn't change the fact that there was no trial in the first place. I do, however, find it ironic that Celestia acts with Chrysalis the same way Chrysalis acts with Clear Spark. Celestia is acting irrationally. I wonder how angry she would get if she knew someone thought she was acting like Chrysalis in that sense. She probably wouldn't take it well (and end up making herself look more like Chrysalis in doing so).
11472438
I hate to say this, but you're probably right if the hypocritical princess do choose to really kill her. I mean, with that same mindset.
Then Luna herself, Discord, Sunset, Starlight, Trixie, ( Future reformers like Thorax, Stygain, and Tempest Shadow ) WOULDN'T be alive right now.
And Clear Spark will definitely be heartbroken and even despised/hate the princesses.
Plus, they will risk total war from the Changelings that want retribution for their queen.
11472547
then i will literally going to kill everypony if they ever goinf to do it
11472544
I pretty sure mind control and starting a riot would be illegal anywhere. And twilight did do both with that spell. I think she doesn't want to forgive because then she have to be mad at Celestia and her brother and friends. Considering they ignored her and left her crying for the crime of believing that cadence was doing something bad to her brother. And that apology near the end was so lame talk about a cop out excuse of an apology. You didn't know that imposter was an imposter., that is the whole point of imposter to pretend to be someone they aren't. You aren't supposed to know that they are an imposter or that would defeat the point.
11472548
Dude, that is seriously counterproductive if you involve the real innocents in this. Personally, I just go after the four royal morons only, and kick their asses.
No Second Prances: Changeling Edition
In fact, Twilight sounds like Starswirl did when referring to Stygian/the Pony of Shadows. Is that why Starlight isn't around? Or will she come in Chrysalis's defense?
11472231
Spoiled Rich.
11472245
I think this would take place before Thorax's reveal. Or because of the changes to the sequence of events, perhaps the reveal simply never happened.
11472296
In fact, I'm pretty sure that what Cadance is doing could be considered illegal. Charging someone for a crime in the past in order to get them found guilty in the present? If this were the U.S.A, Chrysalis would be found Not Guilty in the court of law based on a mistrial (this is something an actual lawyer has said).
I say Chrysalis hires Phoenix Wright.
11472553
The riot part was unintentional on her part, which is why it's not that bad of a charge. As for mind control, I think it's more complicated than that. First of all, the want-it-need-it spell is, at best a minor mind control spell. And Twilight never cast the spell on any ponies, just the doll. So Twilight wouldn't deserve too much of a punishment. On that note, wouldn't Luna deserve to go to prison for life at this point? She performs mind control on a nightly basis. Or is the ability to control dreams NOT mind control? Dreams happen in the mind, so what else would it be?
As for the wedding, Twilight never accused the imposter of being an imposter. She just made the accusation that something wasn't right. And if being an imposter is pretending to be someone you aren't, then by that definition, Chrysalis was never an imposter. Because she sucked at pretending to be Cadance. The rest of the Mane 6 were wrong to disregard Twilight's worries. But it's not like the knew what Cadance was like. Celestia on the other hand doesn't have an excuse. Luna wouldn't have known her for as long as Celestia has, but it's still a long shot to assume she's free of guilt for not believing Twilight. As for Shining Armor, actually, he does get a pass. First of all, when they are in private, Chrysalis did act more like Cadance would've, if only to act like she cared about his headaches. But that's the thing, Chrysalis "taking care of" his headaches was her using mind manipulation. So by the time Twilight accused Cadance, it was likely already too late. In fact, I think the mistake Chrysalis made was letting down her guard in front of the Mane 6, not realizing one of them would know Cadance as well as she did. So perhaps she was a better imposter than what we see in the show.
But my point is that what crimes you'd apply to Twilight isn't nearly as bad as the ones applied to Luna and Celestia. Luna tried to take over Equestria twice, but only was properly punished for one of those attempts. Celestia's crime is more recent, but she can be charged with reckless endangerment of all of Equestria on multiple occasions. Many of these items would be sending the Mane 6 to do something that perhaps she should've handled personally. Dealing with a dragon, attempting to reform Discord when she had no way of knowing if it would work, etc. etc. But the most obvious case of reckless endangerment would be at the wedding. By ignoring Twilight, she put all of Canterlot, as well as all of Equestria at risk.
I do agree with your point about Twilight likely not willing to forgive Chrysalis because it would mean Celestia is wrong about her and all that. I wouldn't be surprised if that likely is her reason for not considering to give her a second chance.
This is No Second Prances: Changeling Edition after all.
11472615
Yeah but if twilight hadn't been losing her mind she would have known what was going to happen when she casted the spell. As for Luna she didn't even show up till the end so we have no idea what she knew in regards to the wedding. But her brother only gets a partial out considering that it honestly looked like he being put under an evil spell. what did he want her to do not try to stop from marrying someone who would do that.? Wouldn't he do the same thing if he thought she was in danger?
11472597
She doesn’t seem like the brightest penny in the horde
11472622
That's my point. She was panicking, so she wasn't in her right mind. I'm not saying she shouldn't be held responsible, just that it's not that big of a deal compared to the others.
I'll agree that we don't know how much she knew about the wedding. But she didn't just appear at the end. Celestia and Luna were taking shifts watching over Canterlot. But for that reason, I suppose Luna is excused considering that she likely didn't know what Twilight did either.
How much responsibility he should take is dependent on how much control he had left. It's hard to tell at what point he was too far gone. But it also depends on whether or not Chrysalis acted differently around Shining Armor. I'm sure if he was aware of Cadance being an imposter, he would be grateful to Twilight for trying to save him. And in hindsight, he probably was after everything was over.
11472690
Spoiled Rich is about as sharp as a beach ball (unless you count her nose).
Geeze, everyone is so fatalistic. Chill all you princesses!
11472544
Want it need it can count because twilight wanted a fight she just got a bigger fight then she wanted. And as far the queen acting skills go nobody ever said an imposter had good at being one. The rule is that an imposter is someone who pretends to be someone else in not legitimate situation such as an actor on stage. And if she hadn't had the wedding as an excuse probably she would have been discovered sooner.