Celestia lifted her head slowly, seemingly unsurprised as an unremarkable filly came bolting in through the door of her private rooms, looking about, panting hard with fear and exertion.
“P-Princess Celestia!” the filly squeaked, eyes wide as she stared up at the princess. “T-there’s a dragon in the courtyard, come quick!” The filly bolted several steps back towards the door, to lead the way.
Arching a brow, Celestia slowly rose to her full regal height, and then, strangely, turned away. The princess strode over towards the balcony calmly.
The young filly stared at her, blinking once and then bouncing place, pointing a hoof in earnest, “Princess, we need you!”
Celestia calmly tilted her head as she stepped onto the balcony. Her horn glowed, and a candle lit itself, the flame burning an eerie blue. The princess stepped up to the edge of the balcony, peering out over the palace grounds. All was quiet. The crumpled, unconscious forms of several of her guards leaned against the wall, tied up.
“I anticipated this eventuality, Chitin,” Celestia said with a shake of her head, not turning around. “Though I admit, I did not expect you to arrive so soon.”
A derisive snort left the filly, and with a quick shudder, her entire form changed, revealing the Dark Queen in all her splendour. Chitin stepped over towards Celestia, moving to stand beside her, looking out over the ground, sharing the view.
“Your pegasus, the halfblood. She revealed us... forced us to act quickly,” Chitin said reasonably. “And you, dear princess, have something that belongs to me.”
“You speak of the Elements?” Celestia asked, an eyebrow arching upwards as she regarded the changeling queen.
An eager nod was the response, “We need them if our plans are to succeed.”
“I can see that you are not well versed in politics. You do not reveal your intentions to your enemies so readily,” Celestia chided.
“Unless you have no fear of your enemy and wish only to gloat and enjoy your power over them,” Chitin responded calmly, locking eyes with the princess.
Celestia gave a reasonable nod at that. “Would you like something to drink? You do drink, don’t you?”
Chitin nodded in response, “Aye, I drink. It does not sustain my existence, but it is pleasing.”
Turning around, Celestia strode over towards the cupboard near the door. She saw several shadows in the corridor. They looked like armoured guards. Most likely, they were changelings masquerading as her guards. Reaching into the cupboard, she produced a dusty bottle filled with a clear, sparkling liquid. She levitated the bottle over to the table, and sat down in front of it, pouring out a measure of into both glasses, and then sipped at one of them.
Chitin calmly walked over to the other side of the table and picked up the glass, slotting it neatly into one of the holes in her leg like a drink holder, and then sipping it, nodding approvingly. “This is quite good, may I ask what it is?”
“It is wine produced from the Singing Orchid. I am pleased it appeals to your palate,” Celestia said with a respectful bow of her head.
Chitin settled back in the seat, sipping at the drink and watching the princess. “I am surprised you have brooked no argument with my coup of your castle.”
“I am hardly in a position to argue. My castle fell out of my control when you discovered how to bypass my protection magics. I have merely been a groundskeeper until you arrived,” Celestia pointed out with a thin-lipped smile.
“Ah, that. Your methods of detection are woefully inadequate,” Chitin said with a soft, mirthless laugh.
“Please, do tell me what I was doing wrong,” Celestia said with a bow of her head.
Chitin pondered on that for a moment, taking another sip of her drink. “...Very well. I believe that your methods detect the ‘link’ my kind uses to maintain the ‘hive mind’. We simply willingly severed the link and you had no clue we were amongst your ponies the whole time.”
Celestia frowned at that, looking down at her drink, lips pursed. “So that’s why I didn’t discover any of you after the attack on Canterlot during the wedding?”
“I believe so, though the link was severed by the magic back then. I didn’t even need the Elements of Harmony to fool you,” Chitin said quite smugly, smiling openly at the princess.
“Then are you coveting the elements merely to spite me, then?” Celestia queried, ears perking.
Chitin shook her head once. “No. I am merely removing them from your control. My kind knows no magic to counteract your elements. Therefore, we take the elements themselves.”
Something about the explanation didn’t sit right with Celestia, and it showed. “No... That’s not it. Why are you really after the elements?”
A soft snort left the changeling, and she shook her head. “You are much better at discourse than I am, I see. Do you really wish for me to bare my heart to you, Celestia?’
“If it’ll make you feel better,” Celestia said with a gentle nod.
Chitin snorted at that, and then gave a low growl in the back of her throat, standing up and beginning to pace. “To be perfectly honest, I would feel better to just lay it all out and get it off my chest, as it were.”
Celestia nodded gently, watching the changeling queen. “I am going nowhere, you have seen fit to that.” Celestia flicked a hoof towards where the guards stood in the hallway for punctuation.
“But of course,” Chitin said bluntly, continuing to pace, and then pausing to sip her drink, before continuing speaking. “You know of Chrysalis, yes?”
“Of course,” Celestia answered with a nod.
“And you know that she abandoned us?” Chitin furthered.
“I am rather sketchy on the details. I know she assumed the guise of a unicorn and lived out her life in the Everfree,” Celestia said, tilting her head slightly to the side.
Chitin growled and stamped her hoof. “Evergreen,” she hissed, her tone low and violent. “How I wish to stain the ground with his blood.”
“Why would you wish to harm a simple woodspony?” Celestia asked, confused, blinking once.
“Because he took our queen from us!” Chitin hissed, stopping and glowering at Celestia, her eyes narrowed. “She fell in love with the bumbling fool and abandoned us! A changeling. The blast from Cadance and Shining Armour must have addled her senses. Made her think she was in love with him,” Chitin stated, beginning to pace again. “We lost our queen, our army was decimated, and I was forced to lead what was left of the changelings from the ashes.”
“And... How is any of this relevant?” Celestia asked carefully, ears perking.
Chitin stopped in her pacing, and then turned to the princess, grinning slowly, revealing her fangs. “Because I’m going to use the Elements of Harmony to fix everything.”
Celestia slowly arched a brow at that. “I... Don’t see how that will change anything.”
“I’m going to build a time bridge,” Chitin said with a flippant wave of a hoof. “Go back to just after the wedding, and ensure that Chrysalis never meets Evergreen. She’ll remain our queen.”
“A... time bridge?” Celestia asked flatly. “I remember the last time that was attempted.” Celestia sniffed, wrinkling her nose, “It took quite a while to clean the ponies participating from the floor of the experiment room.”
“I’ve had a long time to study the elements, and I’ve been taking love from Spike for years now. I am confident I can make this work,” Chitin said with a wild grin.
“If you have harmed Spike, I will destroy you,” Celestia murmured softly.
“You needn’t worry about the dragon. I take good care of him, and he is quite willing.,” Chitin replied dismissively.
“And if you succeed with this time bridge, what will it accomplish?” Celestia asked flatly, staring at the changeling queen.
“I’ll have my queen back!” Chitin hissed, grinding her hooves against the floor in anger. “And that is a worthy goal.”
Celestia gave a slow nod of understanding. “I... sympathise with you. But Chrysalis is dead and gone.”
“Because she turned herself into a pony!” Chitin spat, giving a dangerous hiss. “As a changeling, she could lead us for centuries after now!”
“And if you succeed... you will cease to exist,” Celestia said with a wave of her hoof, giving a sad smile at the changeling. “Did you think of that?”
“I will live on,” Chitin said stubbornly, “As the old changeling that I was.”
“So that’s it?” Celestia asked, giving a slow shake of her head. “You’re going to attempt to change history just because you lost your queen?”
“I told Chrysalis that no matter what happened to our attack, I would remain her faithful servant forever. I will protect her from herself.” Chitin scowled, downing the rest of her glass of wine and then putting it on the table between them.
Celestia shook her head sadly. “I’m... sorry that you lost your queen. But a time bridge is not the answer. There was never any evidence to suggest that they are even possible. Moreover, I spoke to Chrysalis in her final minutes. She... she was happy. I didn’t quite understand at the time, but I think I understand now. She had done all she needed to do in this life, and was content for it to end. She saw that there was more to her life than just stealing love.”
Chitin shook her head firmly. “No. Her mind was addled after the blast. I know if I can get to her before she reaches Evergreen, then I can keep her from convincing herself that she loves him.”
“And you think the Elements of Harmony will help with a time bridge?” Celestia asked, her tone amazed.
“Indeed,” Chitin replied with a shrug. “They are a force of balance. Saving Chrysalis will keep balance in the world.”
“Your judgement is flawed,” Celestia stated flatly, rising to her hooves and placing her glass on the edge of the table.
“It matters not. When I succeed, none of this will have happened. I’ll rewrite our history,” Chitin said with a low, mirthful laugh.
Celestia shook her head, sighing and turning away. “Very well.”
“You will come quietly?” Chitin asked.
“In a manner of speaking,” Celestia said with a wry grin, before turning back to the queen, her horn glowing bright gold and a bolt of magic spinning from it.
An explosion rocked the palace, followed by several aftershocks, and then more explosions as the queen and princess fought bitterly.
Elsewhere in Equestria, a blue candle, just like the one Celestia had lit upon her balcony, flamed to life all on its own. A hooded figure moved over to the candle, and stared at it.
Princess Luna shook her head sadly, and then extinguished the candle with her hoof, tightening her cloak around herself more tightly. The signal was what she had been waiting for, but she was not pleased to see it. The changelings had moved on Canterlot.
Luna pushed open the door of the small cottage and stepped outside, starting down the forest path.