//------------------------------// // Chapter Two // Story: A Meeting Under the Moonlight // by MoltenXKid //------------------------------// The tea kettle whistle. Using her magic, the queen changeling poured two cups of tea. She then handed one to Luna who took it, smelled it, and took a sip. IT was the same brew they both would drink in the dead of night a thousand years ago. "How have you been the passed few centuries?" asked Chrysalis. "Well I was trapped on the moon for a thousand years, but I'm back..." Luna responded. "Sounds terrible..." mused the Queen. "So tell me, what have you been doing?" "Oh...you know...living..." Centuries had passed and with it, the bond Chrysalis had with Luna. It didn't break like she expected, but the night Luna left, it became so faint, so unnoticeable that she soon forgot about it. If Luna could just leave and abandon her, then Chrysalis could do the same. Within her lonesome, she became hungry and literally starved for companionship. The small bond still fed her, but it was becoming futile. She managed to live off the land for many years, but what kind of life was that? Starving? Cold? She didn’t want that any longer. So, taking the form of a female guard long since deceased-with less bat-like features- Chrysalis, soon found a male who provided her with love that matched Luna’s. She began to reciprocate his feelings and she moved in with him. Soon, she completely forgot about Princess along with the rest of the world. All she cared about was this one stallion. They were married, and soon she was pregnant. Yet, she felt as if she was lying to her husband. Her real form never being exposed, so decided to show the truth. It was a hard decision , but one that needed to be told. “Honey…I have something to tell you.” She told her husband. “What is it?” He responded ever so happy to see her. “I haven’t been telling the whole truth about myself.” “Okay? We all have our secrets.” He nodded, “Like me, I’m the one who keeps eating the hay when you leave.” “That explains why you’re getting fat.” She smiled at her statement, but returned to her purpose, “I’m not exactly what I say I am.” “You’re not a Pegasus from Canterlot who served in the royal guard?” he asked, “What are you? Some sort of monster?” “Depends on your definition…” A green aura surrounded Chrysalis. Swirling around gathering dust. As it descended , the fur turned to shell, she grew in height, the wings changed in shape and colour, a jagged horn from her head, the mane the stallion so loved grew in length and changed to green, yet what remained the same was the bulge in her abdomen. When she was finished transforming, she smiled and took a single step towards her husband. “Stay away from me you…you monster!” He yelled, “You can’t be my wife…what have you done to her? Give my wife back!” Within that day, Chrysalis was ran away from everything she had grown to love. Her husband gathered townsfolk to hunt her down. Try to find her “real wife”. They never would, though. Chrysalis knew her husband had fallen in love with something she couldn’t always be. So, she fled into the woods. Pregnant, alone, scared, but not hungry. She could still feed from the love of her husband and sustain the children. Eventually, she went in labor,and laid multiple eggs. Instinctively, she buried them and waited. When they hatched, they were smaller, more generic versions of her. She could already feel the love they felt for her, and they could feel the love she had for her, successfully creating a self contained community. “The rest is history…” Chrysalis concluded, “My children and I built our home, and I kept laying egg. I only needed to be inseminated once. “ Everyone sat in silence as the recollection of the past ended. The royalty in the room seemed unfazed, but the guards were at a loss of words. History like that was never taught or exposed. It was simply hidden from the daylight. It didn’t take long for Luna to get uncomfortable in the silence. “So…how did you know I was back?” Luna asked. “Remember that bond? Well, after you returned, it became relatively stronger. It had to be you;somewhere inside you is still love for me. I know my babies love from any other. Plus, I only felt love like that twice…and the other option is long dead. I…sometimes visit his grave. He spent his whole life searching for a lie…” “So why come to me? I assume you out grew our previous friendship?” Luna assumed. “How could one possibly forget growing up with their, mother?” Chrysalis replied, “Look, Chrys-“ “Queen Chrysalis…” “Queen…Chrysalis…We can try to return to our old ways, but I must warn you, I’m still getting use to the new world.” Chrysalis laughed before immediately calming herself. Luna’s guards took their spears and pointed them towards Chrysalis causing her guards to point them towards the guards. Luna used her hooves to lower her guard’s weapons, returning everything back to it calm demeanor. “No…I don’t want to return to our old ways, mother. Rather, I want a chance.” The Queen changeling explained. “A chance for?” “A chance of victory. A chance of glory. A chance of a new empire.” “Please explain.” “We changeling are tired of leaving life as a small shadow, or a hushed rumor. It’s time we came out of hiding and showed everyone who we are. Plus, the amounts of love on the surface are insurmountable after Celestia’s reformation.” “What exactly do you want?” Luna asked, becoming defensive. “A chance to take over Canterlot.” “This meeting is over!” Luna turned to leave, yet as she did, her two guards cross their spears. “What is the meaning of this?” she demanded. Right before her eyes, the guards morphed back into changelings. She could have simple used her magic to remove the pests and her creation, but decided to stay and listen. Chrysalis eyes Luna as she sat back down. It had been centuries since she has seen her mother; she hadn’t changed a bit. Well, she looked less stressed than when the incident happened. It was until recently that she even discovered Luna was banished. All those years, she didn’t know. But, without them, she wouldn’t be who she was now. “Go on, Chrysalis…” “The way I see it, you have two options. Either way, the invasion is going to happen. Number one: You let us invade. You do nothing to stop or help us. You’re simply a bystander. Option two: If you don’t agree, we will invade, yet this time we will tell everyone that you created us.” Luna scoffed at her options, “How is the latter so bad?” “Sources say…you’re not exactly the most trusted pony around. The whole “NightMare Moon" thing, So after all the hard work you put in to build up trust and your reputation, it comes out that you illegally created the creatures that invaded Canterlot. That would be a trajedy.” Silence once again took over the meeting. Chrysalis waiting for an answer; Luna weighing her options. Within her thoughts, Luna nervously started to make star art. The Queen Changeling was transfixed; her memories of a simpler time flooding back. Both royalties seemed to remember those moments. By the time Luna stopped, she had made a decision. “I choose option one, but on one condition…” Luna stated. “Hmm?” “Once you lose, we’ll find a way to meet every so often. For old time’s sake.” “Deal...” Both equines shook hooves, yet in the action, a green mist filled the area. It wasn’t thick, and Luna saw the changeling disappear, but not without her feeling a quick hug. She returned it before Chrysalis ran away. The fog rose leaving the area clear of any clues to what happened. Luna sighed as she made way for her room. Was it worth it? Can her daughter be trusted? Will she succeed in invading Canterlot? She was drowning in her thoughts. “Whoa! Watch out ,Princess Luna!” yelled a female guard as she barely dodged Luna, “It’s a little late for you to be up.” “I was just walking…” Luna solemnly responded. “Maybe walking and doing star art.” “You noticed my art?” “Of course! It’s been a saying in my family to always look up to see the pictures in the sky. You know, my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandmother was a royal guard. She’s the one that started It.” explained the guard as she flapped her bat wings excitedly. Luna simply nodded at her guard’s saying. Even through the generations, her favorite guard still managed to cheer he up. “What do you think of my art?” Luna asked as she began putting the stars back in order. “Your art is beautiful,” The guard commented watching the stars, “… but a star is out of place.” “Your ancestor said the same thing…” Luna said as she moved the star, “Dear guard…Let me tell you a story of when she was around…it’s about…a simple insect.”