//------------------------------//
// Chapter 19-Phantom in the Opera 
// Story: Emerald Fires 
// by FolkloreBrony 
//------------------------------//

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Chapter 19-Phantom in the Opera
////
Time kept moving.

Down below the hospital wing, the research labs were buzzing as doctors stepped with precision around testing new drugs commissioned by the crown. The inside of the labs were white and clean, vacuum sealed by glass doors and steel bearers to keep out foreign contaminants, and keeping the sensitive research save. The squeaks of lab rats were muted by the vroom of centrifuges testing blood samples brought down from upstairs. And in the corner of the facility, a large black mirror stretched across the room, an information center with transistor computers and modems concealed behind, the latest in technology which translated to glorified calculators boosted as the future of research.

There Satcher sat at his desk gingerly sipping down the last of his coffee while going over the engineer notes, looking for anything that stood out as he rubbed his temple. But the research was slow and tiring. He had been working all night into the day, and now the sun was setting again. This wasn’t even his field of study, but the workers had insisted on his presence to try and understand what sort of medical implications the device had on the passengers. He supposed that they felt that he might have some insight on the effects it might have on ponies. Well, he didn’t know much of anything about this sort of thing, and neither did any of the engineers. At least he wasn’t alone.

Still, there was some work to be done. The lab had sent him the blood samples of his patients a few hours before, and currently, he was running some tests. He looked at his watch. He’d have to go to a meeting with the other workers in a few minutes, trying to band together to share thoughts and opinions. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, yet, something didn’t feel right. Like he was missing something. He didn’t know, he couldn’t place a hoof on it.

He paused, looking up. One of the workers came into the room carrying a coffee pot with him, pouring some into his own before looking towards the doctor, “Want another filler-up?”

“No, I’m fine.”

"You sure? Cause we’re probably gonna be here until morning,” he said, raising the pot along with his eyebrows.

“Are you serious?” Dr. Satcher asked, his ears drooping, thinking of how long it had been since he had last slept.

The worker shrugged, “Hey, what can I say? Princesses want this thing dissected down until it’s showing off its pride and joys.”

“Shit.” Dr. Satcher grumbled, before gesturing his cup to the man, getting his fill. Before the stallion could leave however, Dr. Satcher quickly spun around, grabbing his attention, “See if you can get me a heyburger too, okay?”

“Got it,” he said.

Dr. Satcher decided to get up from his seat and stretch his legs, leaning over onto the observing glass, behind of which held the box, glowing a dull green while Celestia’s team did their work. What are you? He thought, staring at the cold device. The box just sat on the table in response, glowing so faint as if it were sleeping. He frowned. He didn’t like the feeling it gave him. It felt at times as though it were alive, waiting for something. At least, that’s what he felt, but he was a doctor, and he would much rather listen to reason. Still, being around it made him tense, a cold seeming to fill the room by its presence. 

The engineers began to clear the room as Dr. Satcher looked at the time again; the meeting was about to start. He grabbed his things and his notes at went to the door, looking back one more time, as though he had heard something, but in the silence, he shrugged it off and left, turning off the lights.

Alone and in the dark, the box reacted on instinct, glowing sickly green in the shadows. Her children were near, spread across the city, but near. A loud humming rose from the box, singing out a cold tune into the shadows, seeking them out. They had work to do, they would have their revenge, and finally, they would thirst no longer.

It was time to feed.
////
The sun painted the sky with the ambient colors of twilight as Novis lay in the bathwater, contemplating his and Luna’s exchange. His hair glistened in the setting sun, flowing down into the water like blue rivers. He ran the bar of soap over his body, rubbing it against his skin as he thought. Luna, how could she? How dare she? How dare she lecture him, how dare she threaten him! What did she know? He thought, lifting his leg up. Life was so easy for them, prancing about their lives without a worry for tomorrow. He had always worried, worried for himself, for his subjects, for those he loved. And she could just come in and hold such a horrible thing over his head?

Through his train of thought, Novis had started to rub the soap harder, back and forth as he grip grew tighter, until he had so much force that he crushed the bar in his hands, flacks falling into the water as he looked angrily, throwing what remained across the room, hitting the wall with a load smack!

How dare she be right.

That’s what he hated most. She was completely, one-hundred percent right. This one secret, haunting him still, holding him back, would grow darker the longer he waited, and if he didn’t take action, his relationships would be broken. Thinking of it more and more, it became ever more clear to him that only heartbreak would come of this ruse.

But he didn't want to. Oh god, he didn’t want to. What would happen if he told the truth? How could they understand? How would they be able to look at him, all the things he’s done. It scared him the most, not knowing with a truth so unpleasant.

Novis sighed, lifting himself from the tub, levitating a towel to himself as he walked out onto the balcony, staring out towards the mountains. It was beautiful, up here in the north, away from the open green fields and sprawling forests of Equestria, instead peaceful cold and snowy top mountains that shined like gold in the reflection of the setting sun. He felt the breeze brush against his face, closing his eyes to enjoy its touch. It made him think of home, and that made him think of his family. He had yet to hear their voices, and he wondered if he ever would again. He knew he had let them down, but he had hope, hope that the could forgive him.

He sighed, and opened his eyes. A shape was coming in from the sky, gliding black towards him, growing only slightly. He smiled as the shape got closer, revealing itself as a welcome and familiar friend.

“Muninn.” he smiled, reaching out as the raven landed, looking up at him and crowing. He smiled, brushing his fingers through the bird’s feathers, to which Muninn rubbed his little head against his touch.

“Chu-ka, muwa.” he said, leaning down, “Maybe you can tell me what to do, hmm?”

The bird just looked at him, craning his head, blinking and grogging at him.

“Yeah, I don’t know either. All I know is that I don’t want to.” he sighed, before recoiling in pain as Muninn peaked his fingers.

“Hey!” he yelped, looking at the raven surprised, only to get an angry caw in return, almost as if the bird was disappointed in him.

“Don’t look at me like that.” Novis groaned, feeling as though he was being scolded. He stared down at his pet for a long moment, then just shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck. His head had been throbbing off and on all day. He needed to relax, to go somewhere and clear his thoughts. He looked down into the city streets, noticing ponies congregating at the front of one of the buildings, a theater house ordained in crystal and gold. And in his mind, he pondered for a moment, until slowly, a smile grew on his face.
////
The stars began to show their first light as the embers of the city were torched, the busy night of the empire shining out as ponies set out for a night out on the town. Twilight however, was focused on herself. She was trying to get the earring to shift in right, her tongue sticking out as she fumbled with it. Rarity sat beside her, working on getting ready for the show herself, staring into the mirror before them. The dressing room they sat in was large, ordained with red patterned walls and gold-leaf ponies. Twilight moaned, her mane standing on end, completely unable to get it under control.

“Do you need help with that, darling?” Rarity asked, watching as Twilight struggled with the dress, wincing as she fought with it.

“Please,” Twilight replied, standing up as Rarity walked behind her, brushing away Twilight’s mane as she worked to zip up the dress, careful to respect the fabric.

“So Flash is your date, how exciting.” Rarity said, stirring up chit-chat.

“It’s not a date. We’re just going as friends.” Twilight answered, looking at herself in the mirror, making sure she hadn’t gone too heavy with the makeup, which to her relief wasn’t even noticeable.

“Oh, well I only assumed...” Rarity cleared her throat, puffing up the shoulders as she looked at her, “It’ll be fine, I’m sure.”

“Oh look at my baby girl.”

Both mares turned as Velvet leaned in from the door, eyes glimmering at her daughter. She quickly made her way across the room, bringing her daughter into a tight hug, much to Twilight’s protest and Rarity’s amusement.

“Mooom, you're messing up my mane,” Twilight whined, trying to escape her mother’s embrace.

“Oh, I’m sorry honey, I’m just happy for you, finally coming out of your shell.” Velvet smiled, almost immediately trying to fix up Twilight’s hair, much to her protect.

“It’s not a date, mom.” Twilight rolled her eyes, before she winced in pain, having to bring her hoof to her head to rub the pain away. 

“Are you alright, dear?” her mother asked, feeling concerned.

“I’m fine, it’s just a headache.” It wasn’t though. It had been growing all day, and each time it hit it only got worse. She didn’t know what to do. She had tried taking a nap, drinking water, she had even taken an aspirin, but it only continued to increase, stabbing her by the hour. Nothing was working, and she was steadily becoming more concerned.

“Have you been getting those too? Spike was complaining about having one earlier,” Rarity tilted her head, wincing, ”And if I’m being honest, so have I.”

Twilight stared at her, thinking over the coincidence, “Hmm, strange.”

In truth, this deeply troubled Twilight. This was a bit weird, having all of them coming down with these headaches. She wondered if it had something to do with Chrysalis’s device. What was she thinking, of course it did. Curse that wretched woman, Twilight thought, sitting down. The first thing she was going to do in the morning would be to go down to the labs and find out anything they might have learned.

“There, I think that should do it.” Rarity smiled, snipping away the final loose strand of hair, stepping away from in front of the purple mare so she could get a good look at herself in the mirror.

“Oh, honey, you look so gorgeous.” Twilight’s mother smiled, holding back a whine as she looked her daughter over, making Twilight blush, “Something seems...missing though, don’t you think?”

Rarity raised an eyebrow, looking Twilight over as well, “Why, yes, I suppose you’re right. Hmm.”

“Oh I know, here.” Velvet reached up behind her head, unhooking the chain of her necklace and handing it over to Twilight, “Take this.”

“Oh mom, dad gave you this, I can’t take it.”

“I know, but tonight is special, so I can part for it for a while. I do expect it back by the time you get back though.”

Twilight took the necklace and stared at it for a long moment, then looked up to her mother and brought her into a hug. In truth, she was looking forward to this night. She had so much to make up for, and she intended to do everything she could to make it special.
////
Flash Sentry stood at the bottom of the castle stairs, checking the time while he waited for Twilight to finish. It was getting late, and he didn’t want them to miss the show. Mares needed to take their time, he supposed, looking up at the stairways. Spike stood beside him, looking down at himself desperately preening himself, making sure he looked as presentable as possible. Flash however was fully erect, wearing his formal military uniform, while Spike wore a full black tuxedo, a red crystal flower tucked into his chest pocket. The hall they stood in was massive, purple carpets of silk and linen lining the floor with beautiful design. Crystal formed its walls that gently reflected every light that touched their surfaces, which gave them the appearance of stars as the moon began to rise. Lights from the streets shone in from the windows, a fiesta in full swing taking place outside. All in all, the night was filled with such joy and pride that it was infectious, spreading to all who felt its light.

But the air around them was wholly awkward. Spike had mostly kept quiet the whole time, and Flash had very little to say. There really wasn’t much chemistry between the two; they knew very little about each other after all. And now they were left together, aimlessly eyeing the room like disruptive children waiting to be called into the principal's office.

The silence was broken however, when Spike let out a sigh.

“I look good. Do I look good? I look good right?” Spike said with fast persistence, overly concerned with his appearance.

Flash looked at him up and down, “Ahh, hey, you look good?” he said, as if it were a question.

“Do I?”

“M-hmmm” Flash nodded, surer of himself this time.

This seemed to calm Spike down for a moment, letting out a sigh of relief. Flash looked at him, noticing how perturbed he was, tilting his head with a sympathetic glance.

“Nervous?” he asked, gaining the kiran’s attention

“Yeah, yeah.” Spike said quickly, breathing in and out heavily. The two stood quietly for a few moments, and the small conversation seemed to have finished. That is, of course, until Spike spoke up again, “I mean should I have gelled?”

“Sweet Celestia, I hope you’re not like this on your date.” Flash laughed, making Spike’s ears to droop.

“I-I’m just new to this you know?” Spike whined, completely unsure of himself, “What if I completely botch it up? I don’t want to embarrass myself.”

“Well man, I don’t know what the tell you. The least you could do is not be so wound up.” Flash said as rubbed his head.

Spike groaned, wiping his forehead before he felt a chill down his back. He looked up, staring down the empty halls, looking for someone who might be there. But there was no one, empty shadows in the gaze of twilight. Yet, he still felt as if he was being watched, and it was making him uncomfortable. It was unsettling.

Something caught his eye as he quickly spun around, looking into the dark corridors before him. Something stood in the dark, staring back at him with unseen eyes. Spike blinked, only for a moment keep in mind, but as quickly as it had appeared it was gone, as if never there. Spike tensed, looking around for the mysterious figure.

“Who was that?!” Spike snapped, suddenly very tense as Flash gave him the eye.

“Who?”

“Down there! There was somepony there, staring at us, then they were gone!” Spike insisted, pointed down the dark empty hall.

Flash stared for a long time, hoping to maybe catch a glimpse of this mystery figure. But there was nothing, save for the sound of the crowds celebrating outside, “I don’t see anyone.”

Silence.

Flash paused and listened. He could hear heavy breathing behind him as he tensed, his response yet to be answered. Cold breath brushed up on his back, the hairs of his fur standing on end. He wanted to look but, he found himself...scared too. Why should he be scared? It’s just Spike, right? No, no it was something else. What stood behind him let out a loud snort, breathing and growling like an animal, as Flash grew the courage to finally look back slowly, inching his vision closer to its source.

And at that moment, his head exploded with such intense pain of which he had never felt before. He gasped in pain, falling to his knees as it overwhelmed his senses, leaving him paralyzed as it soared through him like a virus, taking hold inch by inch.

And then it stopped.

“Hey, are you listening?”

Flash opened his eyes, gaining his senses again. He looked to his side, eyeing Spike as the Kirin stared at him. Spike raised an eyebrow at him, his demeanor wanting a response.

“Did you say something?” Flash asked, gaining an unsatisfied huff from Spike.

“Yeah, I was talking about not wanting to screw this up. Were you even paying attention?”

“Yeah, yeah I was listening but...weren’t we talking about something else?” Flash asked, rubbing his head, the pain daled to the point that it almost went unnoticed.

“What do you mean?”

Flash honestly didn’t know. He tried to remember but, nothing was coming to mind. But still, he felt that they must have been talking about something. He looked down the halls, empty as they had been minutes before. They had been looking at something, hadn’t they?

“Ah-hmmm?”

Both stallions looked up towards the sound, staring at the mares prostrated at the top of the stairs. Twilight glittered in her scarlet red dress, contrasted to her purple skin. She wore a pearl necklace around her neck, a magenta stone ordaining the middle and pressed against her chest. To her right Rarity stood, her hair running more smoothly than normal, gleaming in the faint embers of the hall. Her dress was the faintest violet, fading into the whites.  Twilight smiled, quickly walking down the steps to them, curiously raising an eyebrow to Flash.

“Well? What were you two looking at?” Twilight asked, almost glowing as she half-giggled.

“Oh nothing, we’re just a little nervous I guess,” Spike spoke up, rubbing the back of his head as Flash rolled his eyes.

“Well, what’s there to worry about? I think you look stunning.” Rarity mewed as she leaned on Spike’s shoulder, making him blush a little.

“Alright, alright. If we don’t hurry we’re gonna be late for the show.” Twilight smiled, standing beside Flash as she glanced at him, admiring how he looked in uniform. Rarity nodded, pulling on Spike’s arm and pulling him forward, leading them both towards the castle doors. Twilight sighed to herself, watching as they went, then turned to Flash, who was lost in thought.

“Hey?” Twilight nudged Flash, getting his attention, “You okay? Something on your mind?”

Flash stared at her for a moment, then turned to look down the hail, pondering over something she couldn’t guess.

“Yeah...everything’s fine.”
////
The street was packed in front of the Chal Mon’dif Theater, ponies on their way to see the show. The theater had been destroyed long ago by Sombra before the empire had vanished, and no real plans had been made to replace it. But the populous had been adamant on having it restored, holding the building dear to them. So Princess Cadance had ordered its reconstruction, but there had been problems. The citizens had been very particular about how the building should be designed, and they had constantly made it their mission to point out what the princess was doing wrong. Ornaments weren’t being made with the correct materials, the original art had to be painstakingly reconstructed, rooms being placed in the wrong areas. They were, after all, a culture of heavy traditions and meticulous design.

But, the princess had been patient, and the project finally came to a close. Now a year and a half later, and the theater had become one of the staples of the empire, a must for tourists and vacationers. And what a theater it was. The searchlights pointed towards the front of the building illuminated the structure like a giant pearl, gleaming majestically against blue banners with the royal seal printed on them. The steps to the entrance led down to the cobblestone street, where white posts stood holding up golden lamps. And the face of the building itself was truly beautiful, a stone mural carved into its surface that stretched across the entire front, depicting some battle from a bygone age.

But the most important thing that had been restored was the plays themselves. Painstakingly reconstructed and translated from their original versions to be given new life, to entertain a generation of ponies to an art lost for a thousand years. Many stories held precious to the empire, from the Quod lux vexillifer and the Tempête de Romance to the most famous of them all, the Comiti Moncrito.

And that was the one they were going to tonight. Twilight, Flash, Spike, and Rarity rod towards the theater in an oak stagecoach from the castle, making several ponies turn to see who from the royalty was gracing the building with their presence. Many even hoped that it could perhaps be Princess Cadance herself, but that wasn’t to be. The carriage horse pulled up to the front of the theater and stopped, one of the theater boys immediately hurrying over to open the stagecoach door. One by one they stepped out, gaining excited bows from many in the crowd that had gathered, while getting a few disappointed groans from others.

“Oh, how lovely. It’s even more magnificent than I imagined!” Rarity elated, smiling as she walked ahead. Spike made his way to catch up with her, while Flash stepped out of the carriage and reach up, giving Twilight his hoof to let her down. As she looked around, many ponies started to gather, watching with interest as she began to walk. She hated this part of being a princess. Just go about as normal, Twilight, she thought, keeping her gaze low. Unfortunately, with her eyes to the ground, she didn’t notice the wall of ponies in front of her as she bumped right into them.

“Oh, excuse me.” Twilight politely apologized, trying to move along. However, the ponies weren’t so quick to leave it in passing, beginning to press her for any news on the royalty, all asking in unison.

“What’s the news on the royal heir? Is it a little prince or princess? Is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza alrig-”

Twilight began to retreat into herself, not liking to be pressed, before Flash stepped in between her and the crowd, “Everypony, settle down. We’re just here for the show, we don’t have any news for you.”

The crowd, however, was stubborn, adamant to get some news out of them, “What do you mean, you don’t have any news? She’s related to them, isn’t she? Shouldn’t she know?” One stallion said, farrowing his eyebrows.

“Oh I’m sure she does, but perhaps privacy is on her mind. And is that really so bad?”

Twilight and Flash turned to see who had just spoken, looking up the steps to a white stallion in his mid-fifties, sporting a well-combed mane, business suit, and monocle, strutting up towards them with a friendly smile, a young and beautiful mare with a flowing pink mane close behind him.

“Fancy Pants! It’s so good to see you.” Twilight smiled, truly glad to see him after so many years.

“Princess, it’s a pleasure,” he said, reaching for her hoof to kiss it before his attention returned to the crowd, “Now I’m sure you’ll all hear from the Prince and Princess will tell you everything you want to know soon, but they must just want to be left alone for the moment. You can understand that, can’t you?”

A murmur arose from the crowd, a few nodding heads as the begrudgingly agreed that that was appropriate for the new parents.

“Good, now excuse us, we have a show to catch.” Fancy Pants smiled, leading the two up to the doors.

“Thank you. These people are a menace.” Twilight sighed, shaking her head.

“Oh, they’re just enthusiastic. National pride gets the best of us I suppose.” Fancy Pants said as he cleaned his monocle, Fleur leaning against him, “Rarity! How is the clothing business fairing?”

Rarity turned and brightly smiled at him, quickly coming over to give him a hug, “Oh, it’s going splendidly. I’m hoping to get a branch set up in Canterlot sometime next summer. Nothing’s set in stone, but I think I can pull it off.”

Fancy Pants looked at her, “Marvelous. When I go back, I’ll be sure to put a good word in for you among some investors.” he said, gaining a smile from the mare.

“What are you doing out here anyway?” Rarity asked, tilting her head. The aristocrat opened the door, gesturing her and the rest to step inside.

“Business mostly. Though I must say, being a little romantic too.” He smiled towards Fleur, who nuzzled him on the cheek.

Rarity gleamed, starry-eyed at the two as she smiled knowingly. The mare continued to talk as Twilight began to roam, gazing in wonder at the interior of the building, taking in the craftsmanship of the architecture. Pearl marble carved into wonderful murals of ponies sailing the seven seas, flying above the highest mountains, or battling against creatures of myth.

But in the corner of her eye, she noticed a familiar flash of color pass by. She turned, looking around the crowd, looking for where the figure had gone. She moved into the group of ponies and looked around again, this time seeing the stallion she recognized, standing alone in the corner, admiring some painting.

“Novis?”

The stallion tensed as he turned to look at her, surprised that she was here. Twilight was just as surprised, but somewhat pleased to see him nonetheless.

“Finally decide to spend some time outside away from all those books??” Twilight teased, feeling a little silly to be lecturing him on not spending enough time out of a library.

“Oh, yeah...umm.” Novis muttered avoiding eye contact, causing Twilight to raise an eyebrow.

“Is everything alright? You seem a little tense.” she asked, a little concerned.

“Everything’s fine. Besides, you should be worrying about you. Afterall, I see you’ve got company.” Novis said, gesturing his head towards Flash.

“Oh?” Twilight said obliviously, before her brain snapped back to working properly, “Oh yeah, we thought it would be a good idea if we both spent some time together. Get to know each other better.”

“Hope you enjoy yourselves.” Twilight watched as Novis walked away, frowning. She knew something had him upset, but she didn’t want to press it. She knew better to leave him to his privacy, and if he wanted to talk about it, well he would come to her.

Twilight let out a sigh and turned away. She’d see if he’d be more willing to talk sometime tomorrow, but for now, she wanted to be with her friends.
////
Rarity smiled as she sat down in the booth, Spike beside her while Fancy Pants and Fleur de Lis found their seats behind them. The theater was large and open, row upon row of red velvet seats circling around the stage. They however, were staying in one of the overhanging rows of booths above the stadium seats, giving a perfect view to the center of the room, each made of a marble shell decorated with golden doves and olive branches. And above their heads, golden arches held up the ceiling, which presented its own beauty, a grand chandelier hanging from a large sprawling mural, paintings of sirens, pegasi, and umbrum souring against clouds in an open sky.

Rarity wanted to talk about the amazing architecture with Twilight, but she’d have to wait until after the show. Twilight and Flash had decided to get their own booth, wanting to be together in private. Rarity had her suspicions, and she couldn’t be happier. She could imagine them both up there pouring out their hearts to each other, getting to know each other better intimately. 

But it wasn’t proper to fantasize about one’s friend and their relationships, and besides, Rarity had someone to focus on herself. Spike had never been to an official theater house before, and he was completely enthralled. Perhaps it was his fancy towards theatrics, she didn’t know, but she was excited to hear his thoughts after the show.

“So what have you heard about this show?” Spike asked, leaning over to speak into her ear.

“Not much, it’s going to be such a surprise.” Rarity cooed, smiling with child-like glee.

“I heard,” Fancy Pants spoke up, allowing the two to turn their heads around to look at him, “That the Comiti Moncrito is based on an old Imperial legend. Dating back a few thousand years even.”

“Really? What’s the story?” Spike asked, interested in the prospect.

Fancy Pants cleared his throat, “Well if you must know, it’s supposed to tell the early history of Unicornia. Ever heard of them? Apparently, they were a predecessor to the Unicorn Tribe.”

“And apparently, it’s supposed to tell the story as to why the unicorns and the pegasi became hostile to each other.”

Spike and Rarity stared at each other in anticipation. That sounded thrilling to both of them. Rarity was interested in learning more of the Crystal Empire’s history, and Spike had heard about the unicorn tribe’s history for most of his life from Twilight. But the prehistory, what came before was beyond intriguing.

A new sound arose from the crowd as the orchestra prepped, musicians tuning their cellos, violins, basses, and the shamisen. Ponies began to draw their attention towards the stage, the conductor tapping his baton against the stand, signaling the orchestra to be prepared.

“Quiet now, it’s starting.” Rarity hushed them all, her attention given fully to the stage as the lights fell. In the dark, a silhouette of a mare stood in the middle of the stage, a white glow surrounding the figure from behind as music began, the strings slowly building before she spoke.

Let us think back to a time long past,
And a world beyond our own,
When sirens sung and time was young,
And tyrants sat on thrones.

The curtains parted and the light came on the stage as the setting was revealed. In the center of the stage stood a mighty throne, surrounded by ponies either chained or in ragged clothes. On the throne sat a dragon, or at least the puppet of one, yet it was so well made and stunning that it looked real. The magical effects provided by the unicorns were to thank for such realism.

The dragon opened its mouth and roared, spewing flames over the audience's heads, drawing many cries of fright and excitement. The dragon spoke an ancient language, all the ponies on stage cowering in fear as it laughed. They hung their heads though, completely submissive and at the mercy of this tyrannical creature.

But, even in this land of misery, some obscure form of happiness bloomed, in a little village in the countryside...

The stage grew dark as the sets were shifted, and when the lights went up, the audience was introduced to an old medieval village, worn down but filled with life. Ponies went about their business; unicorns stamping metal in a blacksmith shop, pegasi weaving fabrics, foals running in the street. One of these foals, a unicorn colt with a light-grey coat and a short blonde mane, stood out from the rest. His eyes were a deep green, dirty as he darted them back and forth, clearly up to some mischief. Beside him stood an older colt, stone features defining his face with eyes of bronze.

“Come on, Kel!” the younger colt whined, impatient as he hid behind the village well, peering around the stones as the governing family made their weekly pass among the peasants.

Kel rolled his eyes, tugging on the colt’s shoulder, “Torbin, would you quit screwing around? I’m hungry. Let’s go swipe the bakers already.”

Torbin however ignored him, shrugging him away so he could focus on the ponies coming. That’s when he saw who he was looking for: a filly who walk close by the town leader, her father. She was one of the higher-ups in the broken system that could be called the social status. Her coat was clean and white, with long strands of purple and blue hair and eyes of bellflower blue. And to Torbin, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

She moved away from the rest of the group and began to curiously examine the stands where old mares tended to cooking pastries and spun silk. Torbin stuck to the side, watching her movements with admiration, completely taken by puppy love.

Little did he know that she was well aware of his gaze. 

Kel hissed, annoyed by his friend’s obsessions, “Would you cut that out? Amerila’s never going to talk to you, stupid.” he said in a brash tone, looking at him with his jaw tightened.

“Hey, I can dream, can’t I?” Torbin said with a smug grin, staring at her as she walked away.

“Yeah, dream. What are you gonna do, win her over with you’re charming personality?” He teased, rubbing the younger colt’s head, who squirmed and batted at him, looking at him annoyed.

“No...” Torbin said dejectedly. Kel smiled at this, glad to be over with it as he began to walk away, only to be pushed down as Torbin became confident again.

“But I can siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!” Torbin suddenly stood up with a bound, startling Kel who had a miserable look on his face

“Oh no…” Kel groaned, shaking his head in embarrassment.

Torbin left the confines of the well, and stood up to make himself known. He pranced over towards her, following her in a silly manner which drew laughs from the crowd.

Watching from afar,
Something grand, something new,
I watch her as she goes,
Another day, another mare,
But like none I’ve seen before,
My heart souring to her.

Amerila however, was unimpressed. Though Torbin tried, she made it a point to dance out of his steps, actively avoiding his advances. She gave him a passing glance before sticking her nose in the air, shunning him as she began to sing as well.

Being watched from afar,
Nothing grand, nothing new,
He watches as I go,
Another day, another boy,
The same I’ve seen before,
Following wherever I go.

She moved away from him, only for him to follow. They both moved out of sight behind the well, only for older actors to come out the other side, spells made up to make them look the same as their younger counterparts. Torbin smiled as he sang, brushing away his mane which had grown longer.

Watching from a distance,
Walking by, by her side,
Talking as we go,
Through winter chill, and summer breeze,
So much we see as the years go by,
But slow as I stand with her.

This time however, her tone had changed. Now older like Torbin, Amerila was less inclined to avoid him, tolerating his presence, and quite frequently turning her gaze towards him as she sang.

Watching from a footstep,
Something different, something new,
Laughing and singing,
Silly boy, he makes me laugh,
Though much we’ve lost as the years go by,
It’s worth it as I stand by him.

The two began to dance more in unison, complimenting each other in their movements while still distinct as they stared at one another, clearly starting to grow more attracted to each other as time moved on.

The two separated again, dancing their way up opposing stairways which led to the top of a tower in the middle of the stage, and as they joined at the top, they were now much older, completely embracing each other as they danced in perfect unison, singing together.

Today is the day we live out our dreams,
Watching side by side,
Say you’ll never leave me,
Hinc animum perducere ad atria caeli,
We’ll be together forever strong,
Standing side by side!

Rarity smiled as the two danced in each other’s embrace, a smile that grew wider as Spike extended his hoof behind her back, holding her by her shoulders and leaning her closer to himself. She leaned her head on him, satisfied and happy to be close to him, as they continued to watch the story play out in silence.
////
Novis couldn’t help but laugh at the little song, smiling at the childlike innocence of it all.

But the innocence didn’t last. The stage had changed once again, now simulating the nighttime as the villagers screamed, fire erupting among the houses as a silhouette spread its ominous shadow upon them, souring and breathing fire down below. This was of course all illusions, but it looked and felt real, Novis feeling the heat of the magical flames even from where he sat.

And then it was over. As soon as the dragon came it had left, taking with it many ponies in its grasp to be eaten. The village was in ruins, and the resident’s spirits broken. That was of course, except for three. Torbin, Kel, and Amerila had been traveling abroad for months, and had only just returned, only to find the carnage. Kel looked on disdain and malice in his eyes, gritting his teeth and spitting. Torbin was silent, thinking over something as Amerila looked out onto the destruction, her eyes becoming watery from a combination from of the pain she was feeling and the ash in the air.

“My home…” she whined, rubbing her eyes.

Torbin looked at her sadly, bringing her into a hug, “I’m going to kill that dragon. Once and for all.”

“Oh hell.” Kel looked at him like he would an idiot, putting a hoof to his side.

“Seriously,” Torbin said adamantly, taking a stance, “Look, I have a plan, and I’ll need you two to do it.”

“Oh, this should be good.” Kel joked sarcastically, before getting jabbed in the gut by Amerila

“Shhh.” Amerila glowered at him, getting him to silence himself.

“Look, we all know that dragons have strong armor. You can’t cut through it. Even their eyes have slits that’ll protect them from arrows.” Torbin pulled out a scroll, opening it revealing a detailed anatomy sketch of a dragon, pointing to it with his hoof, “But, under all that is soft, vulnerable skin.”

“So what? That doesn’t do us much good if we can’t get to it.” Amerila said, looking at him questioningly.

“But I think we can,” He pointed to the sketch’s mouth, showing soft pink flesh, “All we have to do, is drive a spear up the roof of its mouth, and drive it into his brain.”

“Oh well if THAT’S your plan.” Kel rolled his eyes, shaking his head at how stupid this sounded. Torbin looked at him with a huff, a little disappointed.

"Oh come on, where's your sense of risk?"

“It’s crazy, Torbin. You’re crazy.” he said strongly, not liking the idea one bit.

That could actually work, Novis thought, leaning forward as the two argued.

“No, this could work,” Amerila said, gaining a shocked look from Kel.

“Are you serious?! You’re not actually buying this crap.”

“Look! I don’t really know what you think what future we could possibly have, but I’m tired of cowering under this monster.” she said firmly, stepping to Torbin’s side, “And like it or not, I’d do anything to get rid of it.”

Kel looked back and forth between the two with his mouth agape, wanting to say something but could find the words he needed. Defeated, he moaned, shaking his head before taking the sketch to look it over.

“So, what do we do?”
////
The stage grew dark and changed once more. Now returned to the set of the throne room, the three unicorns led a band of ponies they had convinced to help behind them, slowly and quietly making their way towards the tyrant dragon king. The beast was asleep for now, but for how long that would last, they didn’t know. They hadn’t run into any guards, likely the dragon felt confident enough that he didn’t need them. They had little time to waste; they needed to do this as fast as possible, or they were all dead.

Quickly they started setting things up, Torbin pulling a spear with a screw on cap out from a large package they had brought with them. Quickly he took out the spearhead, black steel designed for penetrating the toughest materials, screwing it on tightly. He also pulled out a sword made of the same material, keeping it on himself just in case.

“Okay, get his mouth open,” Torbin said, waving Amerila and Kel over.

The two unicorns complied, using their magic on its jaws, slowly prying them apart. They struggled, having to focus all their concentration on what they were doing. The jaws soon parted, saliva dripping in strains stained red, fresh blood from its latest meal.

“Oh god, he smells.” Kel felt revolted, like he was going to throw up.

“Come on, I need it wider!” Torbin whispered harshly, starting to regret trying this. The two grunted, lifting as hard as they could with their magic.

Only when they had open it wide enough did they realize that its eyes had opened, staring right at them with cold amber eyes.

Kel looked up, his ears laying flat against his skull as he panicked, “Oh no.”

“Bashta kuna tol!” the dragon roared, rearing its head as Torbin held on to its bottom teeth for dear life, shaking violently as the dragon shook its head.

“Torbin!” Amerila cried, throwing a spear at its head, only to bounce off with a clank. The dragon stared at her with an evil grin, preparing to fire.

“The pillars! Get behind the pillars!” Torbin cried, holding the spear as hard as he could.

The ponies scattered, running behind the marble stones, just as the fires reached them, burning like the sun. The music swelled, Torbin crying out as the heat became unbearable before he fell, crashing onto the ground with a loud thud. He groaned, hissing in pain as he rolled, trying to get back up, grabbing for the spear, only to find the entire top half melted away.

Torbin cursed under his breath, scrambling to find the sword. Quickly he felt a jab in his side, wheeling around to find it under a stone, pulling hard on it to get it out. He cheered, lifting it up with pride, before he felt a chill, and looked up. There, looking at him with a cruel and sadistic look, was the dragon. It growled at him, bearing its teeth with a low thunderous bellow. Thorbin stared absolutely terrified, thoughts racing as he created a bubble around himself with his magic without thinking, just as the monster bit down, carrying him into his jaws. 

Amerila and Kel stared up in shock and terror, watching as Torbin screamed, banging around inside the bubble as the dragon tried and failed to bite down and swallow him. He looked around in horror, desperately thinking of what to do next. And then he saw it, the roof of its mouth, just below where its brain was. Slowly, an idea came to mind, as he nervously looked down at his sword, then over to where Amerila was, who was staring right at him.

“Wait, what is he…?” she began to say, only to scream as he canceled the bubble, the dragon’s jaws snapping shut.

“TORBIN!!!”

The dragon smacked its lips and smiled. Now it would eat them too, as he rose on its hind-legs. But then its eyes bugged out, and it began to scream, a loud shrill screech that duffed the ears of all who heard it. Riving about and smashing into the walls, its tail slammed against the pillars and the ground, wheeling around as it shot up, screaming before it quieted down, falling to the ground with a mighty crash.

Dust settled, and the ponies began to gather. The outline of the beast was covered in soot and rubble, caked in the dust of the old castle. Amerila ran to its side, desperately looking for a sign that Torbin was still alive. She listened, pushing her ear against the creature’s mouth, and heard nothing. She became frantic, pushing against it, starting to cry as she opened the jaw up with her magic.

And he was gone.

“No…” she moaned, falling back onto her knees, starting to hyperventilate. That was of course, until a muffled shout came out of nowhere.

“Help! Get me out of here!” she heard, coming from deep inside the dragon’s esophagus. 

Amerila quickly called for the others to help her, using all their magic to lift the jaw open. There inside the sword was lodged in the back of the dragon’s throat, blood pooling down onto its tongue and onto the floor. But further back was something else that moved, a hoof flawing in the air from down its throat in a panic.

“There he is! Pull him out, quick!” Kel said, reaching in to grab his hoof, pulling back with gritted teeth. After a few moments, they finally managed pulled him out, only for many of them to step back at the smell, Torbin completely covered by blood, saliva, and mucus, dripping off him like thick slime as he gasped for air.

“Uuuugh!” Torbin gagged, absolutely disgusted as he whined, flinging mucus all over the place, “Ugh, I’ve got it rubbed into my coat. Oh, it's all up in my crotch!”

The audience laughed. He was soon distracted from his disgust when Amerila embraced him, laughing happily that he was alright. He let out a sigh, giving her a hug, shaking a little as the cold air hit him. The group of ponies cheered, the realization finally sinking in that they were finally free. The audience began to cheer as well, caught up in the excitement as the orchestra played a happy tune. Novis sat back and sighed, captured by the performance, and hungry for more.
////
Time past in the narrative of the story, and the kingdom that Torbin had made for the ponies prospered. Color had come back to the land, vibrant and lush with vegetation and life. The pegasi and the unicorns worked together to rebuild their desolate homes, making their cities glow with their newfound riches. Torbin had been crowned their new king, and with Amerila at his side, they watched over the land for many years, the kingdom expanding into territories previously unknown, discovery after discovery uplifting their lives. It was utopia.

But they didn’t last forever.

Flash watched as events played out and frowned. The tone had suddenly shifted, low based themes playing in the orchestra while on the stage, the pegasi and unicorns began to murmur against each other. The unicorns seemed to become distant from their counterparts, and in turn, became more demanding of the flyers. Unrest and resentment blossomed, and the world rain cold.

Now on the brink of war, and Torbin’s vision of grandeur held in question, he held a summit in hopes to turn the tides.

The court of the castle was in turmoil. Pegasi shouted and screamed on one side, unicorns yelling and pointing accusing hooves on the other. A pegasus ambassador stood in the middle of the court with Kel standing opposite of him, both in the middle of a heated debate. And sitting in the back, sitting on a throne nursing a headache and the weight of a crown.

“The pegasi need to work harder. They must complete the desired tasks presented to them by the crown.” Kel said with a presence of authority, while the ambassador stood looking at him in disgust.

“Why? So that we can be your slaves?” the pegasus stood defiantly.

“Now that’s not fair, we only ask that you do your part.” Kel reassured the representative, placing his hoof on his shoulder, “If that means you have to do harder work, that’s just how it has to be.”

The pegasus, however, wasn’t backing down, rudely struggling off his touch, “Is that supposed to make us feel better? We get nothing in return for our labor. Kind words from a snake are still the words of a snake.” the pegasus said angrily, spitting in Kel’s face.

“What do you think of this?” Flash asked, his hoof on his chin in a thoughtful manner.

“It’s fascinating.” Twilight said, contemplating over something, a thought that wouldn’t leave her, “though, somehow it all seems familiar. I don’t know why.”

Flash nodded as the scene played on. Torbin immediately intervened, getting between the two with his hooves on Kel’s chest, “Now hold on, let’s all take a step back. I’m sure there’s room for negotiation.”

The ambassador sighed, looking at Torbin sadly, “I’m afraid it’s too late for that.”

Torbin and Kel looked at the pegasus in confusion, that was until a scream rang out in the town square outside. They both looked at one another other, running to the doors as the burst open.

In the street before them, a crowd had gathered, terrified faces and trembling voices erupting all around. They all stood far back leaving an open center, where two stallions stood face to face in the middle, a unicorn taskmaster and a pegasus worker with the former’s back towards the noblemen. The pegasus had been doing something to him before he pushed the unicorn, the body falling limp on the ground, blood pooling from a gaping hole in his chest. The two unicorns stared up at the pegasus in shock, as he stared back at them, holding up the taskmaster’s heart in his hoof, screaming out in anger.

“Today, we declare WAR!” he shouted, and then everything was chaos.

Ponies dashed about in panic as pegasi descended from above, fighting and terror erupting in the streets. Torbin and Kel recoiled back inside, both quickly ordering a rally of defense.

“Kel, get to the armory, get our soldiers out there and fight them!” Torbin shouted in alarm, pulling out his sword as a pegasus smashed through one of the winds, attacking before Torbin slashed at his belly, the pegasus falling dead. Kel nodded as he ran, Amerila running on the stage past him with a sword in her magic, joining Torbin.

Twilight and Flash stared at the stage in shock. What had just happened? Pandemonium had completely erupted, the audience taken aback. The two looked at each other, sad looks on their faces; this is not what they had expected.

Flash was about to say something, but his thought was cut short as he held his head in pain, feeling a stabbing sensation course through his skull. Twilight looked at him worriedly, before pain shot through her head as well, making her moan.

“Flash...are you...okay?” She winced, her eyes getting watery.

“Y-Yeah, just...too much light,” he spoke with a raspy voice, hissing before he got up, moving towards the exit.

“Flash? Where are you going?”

“Bathrooms. I just need to...take care of something,” he said rather quickly, making his way out of the booth, leaving the mare alone.

The stage was set ablaze with fighting and bloodshed, armies warring against each other in a display of raw power. But  Twilight didn’t care, all she cared about was the pain. She cradled her headache, her eyes closed shut because of the sore throbbing. And when she opened her eyes again, they glowed a sickly green.
////
Time passed further, and the stage shifted. The story continued, and the war was over. The pegasi had grown tired of the fighting, realizing the wrong in what they had done. And the unicorns welcomed them in, with smiles and warm embraces.

Novis sat in his balcony box watching the stage unfold down below, but his mind was on other things. What was he going to do? How should he do it? Like the play, he didn’t know what was going to happen next.

On the stage, the lights were deemed down low to simulate the hues of night. In the center, a platform rose up above a crowd of ponies eating at a banquet table, characters sitting from both warring kingdoms, Torbin sitting in the middle laughing. Amerila ran up to the middle of the stage and climbed up to the platform. Looking out, the orchestra playing a soft melody; her own personal theme. It rang out into the audience, some even humming such a sweet sound. Amerila looked down on the group, smiling on the happy scene.

Torbin couldn’t have been happier. He had lost so much during this war. His friends, his brothers, his sons. And even then, he chose to forgive, to let it go. His hopes had finally come true. Unicorns and Pegasi mingled together in harmony once again, rekindling friendships long lost. They had fought for so long, they only wished to be together again, if maybe it might be but a short moment. None of them thought this, however; their peace could be forever for all they knew, and really, that’s what they hoped.

Novis, on the other hand, cared very little. He was too deep in thought to really pay attention. That was of course, until something caught his eye. In the shadows, there stood clocked figures, staring coldly at her from the dark. Amerila didn’t notice however, as her focus persisted on the festivities down below.

Torbin raised his cup for a toast, “We sit here tonight, on the very anniversary of this dreadful war, not as enemies, but as friends. So much has come between us, and for us to set that aside, makes me truly glad.”

The partygoers cheered, raising their glasses up to the sky, crying out joyfully. At the same time, the cloaked figures drew closer, swords rising from their cloaks. Novis tensed in his seat, watching first in confusion, and then, as the realization dawned on him, horror.

“We were friends, and we can be again.” Torbin smiled, unaware of what was about to happen.

The cloaked monsters rose their swords high, as Amerila finally felt that something was wrong, and turned back to see what was coming for her.

“All we have to do…” Torbin declared, the orchestra raising in intensity.

Amerila couldn’t escape, as the first blow was struck. The audience gasped, as she fell to her knees, clutching at the sword by her side but too much in shock to pull it, as the five struck her down, stabbing her through many times. The music rose in a horrible shrill screech, each blow striking harder with the musicians backing it up. But no one below noticed, their cheering too loud to hear what was happening above.

“...is be better than what we were.”

The cloaked figures ceased their assault, backing away triumphant. One, casting his sword aside, drew a knife and bent over, his back to the audience to block them from seeing what he was doing. But after only a few moments he backed off, holding up in his hoof her heart, as all five cast away their hoods, revealing who they were, the one standing in front immediately recognized by the audience.

It was Kel.

And not just Kel, but all of Torbin’s loyal generals. They cleaned their swords of their deeds and quickly turned and fled, while Thorbin got up from his seat, and walked to the stairway leading up to the chambers, smiling as he went. The audience soon groaned and sighed, moans echoing out as they realized what would happen.

Novis could only watch, his mouth agape as he watched, captivated by all that he saw. His emotions raced as Torbin entered the room and stop, dropping the cup onto the floor, the glass shattering in the silence so loudly that it was painful. He ran to her side, picking her up and shaking her, desperately trying to wake her to no avail. He looked down at her wound, gasping in shock as he saw what they had done to her, and shook his head in defiance. 

“Amerila…Amerila!” he cried, his voice breaking as he continued to cradle her, holding onto all he had left in the world.

Torbin held her close, tears beginning to swell in his eyes as he began to sing, “Remember me...”

Novis listened, his ears perking up as he watched in silence, hypnotized by the scene.

Torbin continued, “see these tears within my eyes, remember me…”

Novis, as if by instinct, began to sing softly to himself as well, repeating them with such emotion as if he knew them by heart, “Don’t make me say goodbye, don’t let your soul slip away into the lonely, lonely night…”

The theater seemed to pass away as Thorbin was left alone, holding on to her for all he had left in this world, tears rolling down his eyes, “And our paths part ways as lovers often do.”

“Please don’t leave me...please, remember me…”

Torbin’s hand retracted, but it wasn’t his anymore. Novis was crying as he looked down at his blood-soaked hand, shaking in disbelief. She can’t be gone, she can’t leave him. Please...he tried to wake her, but it was a vain attempt. Still he tried, tried to use his gift but, she was too far gone. There was nothing he could do. Him. He could do anything, why not this?

She was gone.

The world came back to him as Novis looked around, the orchestra playing sad, lonesome tunes. He trembled. What had happened was, uncomfortable, but how it felt so real. Novis looked down at the ponies beneath him, his eyes red as his tears welled up, everyone in the audience moved by the scene, watching as so much emotion and pain was delivered upon the stage. But none of them understood better than Novis.

Novis wiped his eyes. He could see now what he needed to do. This was a revelation that weighed heavily on his heart, but he knew it needed to be done, for their sake and his own. Novis got up from his seat and left, walking away from the scene as the music began to build, a low, angry tempest of sound and music sweeping over the orchestra, as the stage was set in red.
////
She felt cold.

Chrysalis had awakened only a few moments before, but was quickly gaining a sense of where she was. The hall she was in was long and empty, with red carpet and golden ornaments lining the walls. She looked down. Her host would do for now, but she needed to feed. She could feel it, a burning hungry in the pit of her stomach. She needed to find love, quick.

She moved down the hall, getting a better bearing over her surroundings, adjusting to this new body. She could feel the strength of magic within; this would be an excellent host once she broke it in. She felt nice, like slipping on a fresh bought set of clothes, hugging tightly against your skin. She wondered where exactly she was, so she began to look, to smell, to listen. Somewhere in the building music was ringing out, a choir singing some sad melody, and every so often she could make out the words being sung.

Upon the path before us, we’ll let the Shadow fall.

Some sort of theater house, she thought, searching the area. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she almost didn’t notice the voices around the corner coming towards her. She quickly leaped into the shadows, watching, waiting for them to come. Then, coming around the corner, two ponies walked side by side, a mare and stallion talking to each other in some conversation she cared nothing about. The stallion was tall, white with a blue mane, wearing a tuxedo and a monocle, and the mare beside him was beautiful, some sort of model she guessed. They were rich, there was no mistaking that but, she could sense between the two, and it was strong. That was unusual in her experience; the rich tended to resent each other deep down, but here it was real.

And she couldn’t pass up on a delicacy this rare.

She hid in the dark, scaling the wall, keeping out of sight as they passed by, deep into whatever topic they found so interesting, as she stepped out of the shadows behind them, quietly following the unsuspecting couple. Yes, they would do perfectly, she thought, smelling the love coming off of them as she breathed heavily, drool dripping from her mouth. Her breathing was so loud that it drew the attention of the stallion, who turned to look behind himself, staring right at her.

“Oh, hello?” he said, unaware of the danger they were in. In the theater, a bell rang out a haunting tune.

Ding Dong Ding Dong Ding Dong

She smiled at him, a wicked grin spread wide as she suddenly rushed him, grabbing him and slamming him into the wall. He tried to get out of her grasp, punching at her several times, but she held firm. The mare cried out his name, slapping her hooves at their attacker. She became annoyed by this, turning her head to slap the mare in the face, sending her plummeting to the floor. She turned her attention back to the stallion, her grip firm against his throat.

“P-Please! Fleur!”

In his panic, he began to punch her even harder, each blow expertly given. She quickly grabbed him by his head and slammed it into the wall repeatedly, wood splintering outward from the wall. That did the trick as he slumped, dazed and beaten with his energy taken out of him. Her smile grew even wider, as she opened her mouth and began to drain him, sucking out the energy that she desired. He struggled, his squirms frantic at first, weakening as she sucked as much as she could out of him, licking her lips as she stared at him.

Fire and madness where darkness dwells, unleashed upon us at the stroke of twelve.

She held him there for a moment, her face hidden from him behind her main. Something...was wrong. She had fed on so much love to fed a dozen of her children, but she was unsatisfied. Confused, she began to loosen her grip, which the stallion took as his opportunity to try an escape, punching her in the face. That quickly got her attention as she snarled like a wild animal, slamming her hoof into his face and stomach repeatedly, drawing blood as he coughed and gagged.

The blood.

She stared at it for a long moment, mesmerized by the scent. It smelled...good. Better than his love had, better than any love she had sensed before. She was like a shark in the open water, a drop of crimson awakening some primal instinct. For a moment, she hesitated, slowly leaning into him, watching as a little bit of crimson welled into his mouth, catching him completely off guard as she closed the distance to give him a kiss on the mouth.

Listen close to the midnight bells, as we descend into the depths of hell.

She pulled away, quietly humming to herself as she looked at him, her pupils dilated, blood dripping from her mouth. He stared at her, and as he looked, he became afraid, beginning to struggle more furious than he had before. He had to get away, but she wouldn’t let him.

He tasted too good.

The mare regained her senses just as their attacker lunged into her lover, snarling and thrashing like a wild animal. Fleur de Lis groaned and rubbed her head, looking up as her world coming into focus, just as she watched the stallion she loved having his throat torn out.

Ding Dong! Ding Dong! Ding Dong!
////
Before their eyes the stage was set ablaze, lights bleeding red. Torbin stood above a large stone, looking out with a dark and haunting scowl, his sword outstretched as he led his soldiers against the pegasi before them. Time had passed in the play, and now there were few pegasi soldiers left, fallen under his vengeful wrath leaving only civilians. But Torbin didn’t care. Too many times he had been betrayed, too many friends lost, and now, even after offering a spot at his own table, they had taken his wife, the last thing he had left to love in the world.

His anger was burned hot as even now they pleaded against him, begging to be spared, if not themselves, their children. His soldiers laughed at their prey, smiling as he passed before them, staring down at the frightened and broken.

“How dare you. You ask for mercy, after what you’ve done?”

“Please...” an older stallion said, his body tired and frail, yet his spirit still strong enough to stand up to the angry king, “We didn’t do this horrible thing, we just wanted the fighting to end. We never touched your wife.”

“Tell that to her corpse!” Torbin said, slapping the old man across the face, sending him to the ground, “Even faced with the wages of your sins you lie to my face.”

Torbin looked at him in disgust, spitting on the ground. From behind Kel, now wearing the full armor of a general came up along Torbin’s side, staring at him as he spoke, “What should we do, your highness?”

At that moment Torbin paused, what was he going to do? He honestly hadn’t thought of it, but many ideas came to mind. But...what about the young, the children? Could they be held responsible for the sins of their fathers? The audience noticed Torbin pause and became hopeful, wanting him to see what he was doing was wrong. The Kel noticed Torbin hesitate too, frowning as he leaned into his ear.

“Your Highness,” Kel said, “They’ve taken so much from us. Our homes, our children, our wives. How long do we take it before we show them who’s the true masters?”

Torbin grimaced at the mention of wives, anger pouring back into him. Closing his eyes, he turned, walking away before he spoke.

“Kill the adults, and take the children in chains. They can pay their penance as slaves.”

The audience gasped, shocked at how cold he had become. The general smiled, rallying his archers to step forward, setting them up to execute them as soldier tore colts and fillies from their parents.

“Please! Mercy!” The old man cried, fear torn through his eyes as he clawed on the ground.

“Mercy’s over.” Kel snarled, stepping on his chest, pinning him to the ground, “Finally you’ll know your place under our hooves!”

“Don’t gloat, this is serious,” Torbin growled.

“Of course it is, my lord, but they should know their place as our underlings.”

“Place? We will only keep THIS generation as servants, let that be clear.” Torbin turned, shouting at the general, “But their children after will be free.”

“What?!” Kel railed in surprise, becoming impatient with his king’s sentiments, “You can’t do that! Not after what they did!”

“Do you want to argue about it?” Torbin said angrily, now looking straight at Kel disapprovingly. 

“As a matter of fact I DO.” he pointed his hoof at him, accusing him, “You’ve always been too scared to make the HARD decisions. You’re too lenient, just like Amerila!”

“What?”

The general became silent, afraid that he had said too much. Torbin stared at him for a long moment, what seemed like an eternity as the two stallions weighted each other up. Torbin looked into his eyes, looking past them searching deep, finding it hard to breathe as the realization came to him.

“You...you killed her. You kill her, and then you lied to me so that I’d...” Torbin stared at Kel in shock, a tear rolling down his cheek as he rose his sword to his neck. In response, all the soldiers turned on him, pointing their spears and arrows at him.

“After all this time, you still don’t see that we’re the superior beings. The master race.” Kel looked at him with an evil glare, confident in his position.

“Superior beings? You’re murdering traitors!” he shouted, gritting his teeth at them, “The pegasi were right about us...all this time.”

“So what? The way I see it, the only traitor is you.” Kel smiled, now pointing his sword at Torbin, “So what are you gonna do about it?”

Torbin looked up at the old general, but this time is expression was different. Rabid, crazed. The general tensed a little, taken aback by this new stance, but held his ground. That was, until he saw his eyes, glowing sickly yellow, wild and angry. He became afraid, taking a few steps back, looking at his fellow soldiers as they began to rethink their situation. But in his stubbornness, Kel decided not to back down, and with a shout, he swung his sword at Torbin, intent on pushing the blade into his neck, cutting flesh and bone.

It shattered.

The general backed away as fear overcame him, and Torbin screamed. A wave of magic expanded around him, shaking the audience in their seats. His eyes grew dark with hate and malice, his mane roaring as his colors shifted white with flames as he rage-shifted, a silhouette of fire. He burned so fiercely that his features could no longer be seen, standing tall and powerful as the soldier began to turn, running for their lives against the pony who looked like one of the four horses of the apocalypse.

And then in a flash, it was over. The audience was blinded by the light, and when they regained their ability to see, the stage had changed. Torbin looked out from the top of a tower as both unicorns and pegasi marched below in shame, silently walking away from the gates of the kingdom. The unicorn watched them leave, saddened that the dream had died. But this was for the best, both their punishment, and his.

In the darkness, the narrator’s voice spoke.

And so, Torbin slew Kel and his army, and banished the rest from the land. And to ensure no other could reap its rich earth, Torbin burned the land and cursed it. A reminder of the bitterness of its people, and his sins.

Thorbin looked out onto the audience, sighing sadly as he contemplated what could have been. Many in the crowd looked at him sympathetically, moved by all that had happened. The orchestra began to come alive again, playing a sad melody as he stared, and in the quiet and with the stage all his in his isolation, he sang.

Is this how I’m to be remembered?
A sad mistake that goes beyond what I intend?
Is this how I should suffer?
A tainted stain upon what once was pure?

Its best that I should go,
My actions will define me until the wrongs are made right,
But myself I will not show,
A burden on my shoulders when darkness came to light,

But one day I’ll return,
To see a greener pasture that’s all I hope to find,
Till one day when I return,
And hope that it’s a better place than what I left behind,

I hope that when the clouds depart the sun will shine again,
And time will tell if all the pain will fade,
And may my sins wash away so I can break the chains,
To put to rest all the doubt and shame,
And the mistakes that I have made.

And one day we’ll rebuild,
Again the world will shine
As prophecies fulfilled,
And answered this wish of mine,

When one day the tears will dry,
I hope we'll stand as one,
And someday if we try,
The world will live in harmony,
Under a peaceful golden sun.

Spike was stunned. He his mouth hung in awe as he listened to those words, and felt moved by each verse. He felt sorry for him, something that felt strange, even after the bad things he had done. But he had been through so much, and all he wanted was the best for his people giving them everything, and they had repaid him by turning on him and taken all that he had.

The lights arose as the play ended, the curtains closing as the actors stepped forward onto the stage, bowing to the crowd. Rarity and Spike rose from their seats to applaud with the rest of the crowd, showing their appreciation for the magnificent performance they had all witnessed. It had truly been a wonder to watch, a moving story that they were sure to remember.

“That was beautiful,” Spike spoke, leaning into Rarity.

“It certainly was.” “There’s no denying the talent of the ponies behind this.”

Spike smiled, stopping his praise to turn to look at Fancy Pants and Fleur de Lis, only to stare in confusion at their absence. He looked back into the stairway area, finding it vacant of anyone.

“Hey, where did Fancy Pants go?”

“Huh?” Rarity looked at him inquisitively, looking back only to see empty seats.

“Oh, well I don’t know. I didn’t see them leave.” she furrowed her eyebrows, moving behind her seat and walking out into the exit. Spike quickly followed. He was just as curious as she was to find out where they had gone, looking back and forth the long row just as ponies began to exit, filling up the hall. The two made their way through the crowd, looking everywhere, but with no luck. The mass of ponies was too great, and anyway, wherever they had gone, they had done it during the show. Perhaps something had come up, or perhaps they wanted to discuss something private. Either way, both ponies were quite perplexed.

“Do you see them, Rarity?” Spike asked, looking over the moving heads.

“No, I can’t see past anything,” she said, squinting through the bodies.

They had just about given up on the search when suddenly there came a scream from the entryway down below, quickly grabbing hold of their attention as they ran to see what the commotion was all about. Hurriedly the made their way downstairs, entering the hallway leading to the foyer, only to be met by a huge crowd of ponies blocking their way, all staring in shock. Spike tried to jump up to see if he could look over their heads, but that wouldn’t work, so they pushed their way through the crowd, moving ponies aside as the made their way to the center, where, in the mortal silence of the hall, they looked down upon the scene and gasped.
////
Twilight moved down the hall, looking for where Flash had gone off to. He had been gone for a long time now, and she was getting a little worried. She checked the restrooms first, knowing that that’s where he said he was going, but alas, he wasn’t there. She checked the foyer, empty as it should be. It perplexed her greatly. Where had he gone?

The music in the theater hand become darker in tone, a choir raising their voices to a violent tempest of sound. In the dark of the white and red halls, it gave her the creeps. She didn’t know why, but somehow the halls seemed tighter, more constricted than before. It was a bit unsettling, and it made her want to find him as quickly as possible.

Snort.

A noise came from down the hall, grabbing her attention. Something was moving in the hall, something she couldn’t quite see yet. She decided to investigate, moving slowly towards the sound. It sounded like some animal had gotten into the theater and was making a ruckus, making low grunting sounds and some growling, making her heart skip a beat. What on earth was that soun-

“Twilight?”

Twilight jumped, wheeling around only to have her muzzle planted inches away from Flash’s as she blushed, turning her head sheepishly, “OH! T-There you are.”

Flash smiled weakly, looking a little sick, “I’m sorry, was I taking too long? I didn’t notice.”

Twilight gave him a smile, one that faded once she noticed the sweat pouring off his head, “Flash, are you alright? You don’t look so good.”

“No, no I’m fine.” He said defensively, rubbing the back of his head, “I had to clean myself up, had a bit of an upset stomach.”

“Is that blood?” She asked, staring at his lip.

“Huh?” Flash stared at her, rubbing his mouth, “Oh yeah, I bit my tongue.” he said, waving it off as nothing.

Twilight, however, wasn’t convinced, putting her hoof to his head, “Sweet Celestia, you’re burning up.”

Flash sighed, shaking his head before he looked at her, “Okay, you got me. I just didn’t want to spoil the night.”

“Oh Flash, you’re not spoiling anything.” She gave him a thin smile, sympathetic towards his ill state, “Come on, we can talk about this outside. I was getting bored anyway.”

Flash nodded his head and walked with her, following her towards the foyer and out the doors. Twilight and Flash walked down the steps from the theater and moved out onto the street. Lamps lit the way into the fresh night air, leading the two down the way deeper into town, ponies becoming more frequent the further they went. Flash had improved almost immediately after he left the building, perking up and full of color.

“Feeling better already?” she asked him, tilting her head in surprise.

“Yeah.” Flash sucked in a breath of fresh air, and let it go, “I get I just needed to get outside is all.”

“Well, while we’re here, what do you want to do? I don’t think I really want to go back inside,” she said, looking around at the bright lights of the festival.

“Well, I suppose we could walk for a little bit if that’s alright with you,” Flash asked, raising his eyebrow at her with a smile.

Twilight looked at him, about to counter his suggestion but deciding to remain silent on the matter, nodding her head instead, “Sure. That sounds nice.”

The two began to walk together, keeping silent for quite some time. But that didn’t stop them from admiring the celebration that was exploding around them. The crystal ponies were happily cheering and enjoying themselves, eating festive foods and playing games. Colts and fillies ran past them giggling and screaming in delight, playing with sparklers and lightning jets, all while the adults whistled out and hollered as fireworks lit the sky.

“So how’s Princess Cadance doing, if it’s alright for me to ask?” Flash spoke up out of the blue, making smalltalk.

“Huh?” Twilight looked at him, taken a little off guard by the random question, “Oh, she’s doing fine. A lot better than I thought she would have, actually.”

“I haven’t had much contact with them since I transferred, but hey, we didn’t really talk while I was here.”
“No, I suppose not,” she said, looking awkwardly at herself.

“You’re hungry. Yeah, yeah you’re hungry. I’m hungry too.” Flash Sentry licked his lips, pondering something before he clapped his hooves, “And I know just the place.”

Flash grabbed her by the hoof and lead her around the corner, the street opening up to many nightclubs, taverns, restaurants, and themed shops. The street lamps were strung up with purple and blue lights, leading down as ponies entered and exited the eateries, looking to get a decent meal. It was here that Flash walked up to one of the buildings, a aged stone and crystal establishment with a neon sign hanging in the front, with the bold red and blue letters spelling ‘Platter’s Bar and Grill’.

The two walked inside, Flash holding the door open for her as she peaked at the interior. The inside of the building was spacious, black carpet covering the floors with booths and tables while basked in ambient greens and purples. To the front of the tavern was a bar, a few mares and stallions sitting on the stools chattering at each other, many of whom were off-duty soldiers. The bartender listened closely to the conversations, pouring out drinks from the liquor stored on the shelves behind him, a hundred or two different brands and concoctions lining the wall. The walls were white with hanging pictures of the family business, celebrities, and documents and collected memorabilia from over the years. And in the far back, a band was playing soothing music, an old stallion playing some sweet tune on his piano.

Twilight was a bit surprised. She had expected him to have brought her somewhere higher class, not that she actually minded. In fact, she preferred it. All her years living in Canterlot, studying and always on the go, she was used to eating quick and not really thinking about what it was that she was putting into her belly. It was a miracle that she even learned the most basic cooking skills, but her mother had been dead set on making sure she’d be able to prepare meals and not so dependant on fast food.

They both decided to sit in one of the booths set up by the windows, giving a few out into the street. Twilight sat nearest to the front door, leaning onto the table, while Flash laid back in his seat, making himself comfortable.

“I’ve never heard of this place before.”

“Not many have, but a lot of the guards come here. The owner is really friendly with anypony related to the military.” Flash look signaled that they wanted to be served, “Honestly, I think he might have served at one point.”

“Who?” Twilight asked, giving him a questioning look.

“Flash!” Came a voice from behind her, making her turn her head. Standing behind her was a heavyset earth-pony, round and jolly as he smiled from ear to ear. He was a large stallion somewhere around thirty-nine years old, bearded black with a coffee colored coat and grey hair, bearing a cutie mark of a glass of scotch.

“Hey, Full Platter!” Flash said joyfully, getting up from out of his seat to give the owner a hug, grinning as they patted each other, having a happy little reunion.

“Long time no see, lad. Where have you been?” Platter asked, looking at his hooves and moaning, cleaning off some kitchen grease with a washcloth.

“I got transferred to Equestria. I’m based a Princess Twilight’s castle now.” Flash smiled, gesturing towards the mare sitting down watching the two.

“Well, aren’t you a fancy to see,” the cook said as graciously as he could, giving a slight bow and extending his hoof to her.

“Hello.” Twilight shook his hoof, a little off-put by him.

Full Platter smirked, “Well hey, I don’t want to presume with a Princess, but a friend of Flash is a friend of ours!” he gave Flash a nudge, the pegasus grinning nervously.

“BUT! You’re both hungry, am I right?” he spoke quickly, pulling out an order pad, “Now, what can I get you?”

“The usual for me,” Flash said instantly.

“Soy and hay crumble on rye with grilled mushroom and onion, marinated in home-made honey barbecue. And what would you have lass?”

Twilight stared at her menu for a moment, thinking it over. She didn’t know why, but she felt starved, and that feeling had been persistent all day, “Just the house salad with apple. Oh! And the cheddar and potato soup.”

“Great!” Full Platter wrote it down, tearing off the slip and keeping it in hand, “oh, before I go. Would either of you like anything to drink? We’ve got a large selection.” he said, though he was more or less addressing Flash, expecting him wanting something.

Flash began to answer, before Twilight spoke up before he could, “Two beers, please.”

Both stallions gave her a surprised look at her request before Platter grinned, rubbing his hooves together, “Coming right up.”

Left alone again, the two sat in silence. Flash tapped the table and bit his lip, looking out into the street awkwardly. Twilight avoided eye contact, puffing out her cheeks thinking about whether or not she should say something.

Their drinks finally came, this time a waiter coming to bring them out, a younger mare who looked like she was still in school. They both thanked her and waved, each cracking open their bottles as Twilight immediately downed half her beer, desperately trying to loosen up as Flash looked on worriedly.

“You okay, Twilight?” he asked, a concerned look on his face.

“I...yes,” Twilight tried to lie, but soon found herself unable to hold it up, “I don’t know, I just feel really weird, you know? You, me? It’s kinda awkward.”

“Why? Because of the train?”

Twilight nodded her head.

“Well, maybe it’d be easier for you if you explained why you did it?” he suggested, making her gag a little as she drank.

“You know, this beer has got a great taste!” she stammered, nervously staring at the bottle as she levitated it in her magic.

“Twilight…” Flash said with a bit of tension in his voice, coaxing her to answer his question.

Twilight sighed, feeling embarrassed as she whined, “It’s too embarrassing.”

“Well, you were grinding up against me pretty well, didn’t even bother to buy me dinner first.” Flash joked, “I’d say you owe me a bit of an explanation.”

“It’s silly…” she challenged.

“I’m a good sport,” he responded.

Twilight stared at him for a long moment before shaking her head, letting out a moan, “So like, a few years back I visited this world, an alternate reality that mirrors our own?” she looked to Flash who nodded, “So while I was there, I met this guy, well actually, YOU. And...ooh, we kinda hit it off pretty well.”

“Define pretty well,” he said casually.

“We...went to the prom,” she said, looking away.

“You’re kidding!” Flash laughed, looking at her with a goofy expression as she blushed.

“I don’t know!” Twilight exclaimed, groaning, “It’s just...when we bumped into each other I just felt something. You...he just looked so strong, so dashing, so charming...”

“Well I sound absolutely dreamy.” he joked shrugging his shoulders, happy to take the compliments even if they weren’t actually directed toward him.

Twilight frowned, “You could take this a little more seriously.”

“I am, I just think it’s cute.” he grinned.

Twilight cocked an eyebrow, giving him a bemused glare, “Cute?!”

“Well yeah. You said you were turned into a teenager, right? That must of screwed up your emotions fierce.” Flash leaned forward, moving his hooves away from each other in an exploding gesture, “Your hormones alone must have gone through the roof.”

“Hormones?” she questioned, thinking about it herself for the first time. It made sense, now that she was actually considering it. She had had no interest in relationships before. Never enough time, never worth her time.

“Oh, come on. You remember high school here in Equestria,” he said matter of factly, shrugging it off, only to watch as Twilight curled up into herself.

Twilight “I was privately taught...and I graduated early.”

“So you never...thought about it?” he looked at her questioningly.

Twilight shrugged, “I guess I spent most of my time studying I never bothered.”

“Wow.” Flash couldn’t believe it, he had assumed that she had to have at least gone around the block once, “Well at least you’ve saved yourself a lot of embarrassment.”

“A lot of good that’s done me now,” Twilight said dejectedly.

“Hey, don’t beat yourself up, there’s no harm done,” Flash said, looking at her sympathetically, “Besides, you’re much more pleasant than the guys in my squad.”

“What’s wrong with them?”

“Oh, where do I begin?” Flash leaned back and rolled his eyes, beginning to recall all the stupid crap they would pull on each other, “Platinum and Blazing Armor are always at it, it’s like me and Iron have to babysit them all the time. Just last week the two were throwing punches at each other because of Platinum. Of course, it’s not like he doesn’t deserve it. He’s always cheating, and then he gets the snot kicked out of him. I tell you what...”

Twilight listened to him as he talked about himself and his job and smiled. She was enjoying this, just the two of them talking, letting things out, getting to know each other. She had never realized it before, and she was beginning to see it now, but he was a person, with his own personality and ambition. She had thought of him in a childish light, but now she was understanding the reality, as she leaned in her seat, paying close attention to what he said.

The two continued to talk, enjoying each other’s company as they discussed the inner workings of their everyday lives. Outside it began to rain, the neon lights of the street glowing in the mist. Ponies ran to get out of the rain, staining their coats and manes, while the silhouettes of the two outlined the window from the light within.
////
Luna stood on the balcony of the throne room looking out onto the city, quietly thinking to herself. She had raised the moon about an hour before, bringing on the night and the beginning of the night festivities. Clouds had moved in, and water droplets began to patter on the ground, wetting her nose. Celestia was inside going over some papers from the labs down below, but she couldn’t care less at the moment, she was too distracted by something more important.

Novis.

She had waited patiently for him to come, but in her opinion, it was likely a vain hope at the most. In fact, she doubted that he would come at all. For all she knew he’d try and run, rather hide than face his past. Either way, she was not going to allow this to endanger her kingdom, even if it meant she would have to go over Celestia’s head. She knew her sister. The idealist, the pacifist. And knowing her sister, she would try to fix this situation quickly and quietly, like she would with every other problem.

They couldn’t afford to risk that. Not this time.

Luna sighed, looking towards the stars. At times like this, she wondered what her father would have done. After so many years, she could barely remember her parents. She couldn’t even remember their names. The moon had taken its toll, including many of her earlier memories. Yet, there was one that she did remember, a word of advice that she had carried for most of her life.

Whatever the cost, whatever necessary, do it.

She knew Celestia wouldn’t like it, she would even oppose her, as she tended to do when it came to anything regarding defense. We’re to be better than the other nations, Luna. We will not be known for war, her sister always said. That sentiment had always worked for her for the past millennia, so of course, and when the dark forces started to return, they could always rely on the Elements of Harmony to save them, so why should she think any different?

But Luna knew better. At most, they had been lucky. Times change, and so do people, and luck wouldn’t be so giving forever. They needed to strengthen their forces, Luna always argued, and always Celestia disagreed.

“Luna, we have a visitor.”

Luna shifted where she stood and turned, looking to see if it was who she suspected. She slowly walked inside, and sure enough, there he was. Novis stood smiling talking with Celestia, her sister giving a light chuckle at something that he had said. Luna eyed him suspiciously, her movements towards them cautious.

“Luna! Novis was just telling me a story about one of his brothers, what was his name again?” Celestia asked him, completely unaware of Luna’s tension.

“Arbores,” Novis said, grinning at the memory of his brother.

“Yes. Oh, he sounds like a hoot.” Celestia laughed, holding her side trying to calm down.

“Yes, I’m sure he does.” Luna said, eyeing daggers at him, “Novis...”

“Please, Princess.” Novis raised his hoof, leaving the three in silence for a moment.

Novis walked passed them both, looking outside as he breathed in the fresh night air, before he turned, staring directly at Luna coldly. He then slowly walked towards her, leaning in to make it look as if he was giving her a hug, leaning his mouth to her ear.

“You invaded my privacy, and I don’t know if I can ever forgive you for that,” Novis whispered into her ear with a frown, staring at Luna as she scowled, ready to start yelling at him again.

“But you were right.”

Luna paused. There was a hint of bite and bitterness in his words, but just looking at him her features softened. He looked at her and his eyes were a little sad, and she admitted, she did feel bad for him. But they both knew this was for the best. Novis licked his lips, his throat feeling dry as he looked at Celestia, who had finally caught onto the awkward attitude in the air around her, looking at them curiously.

“Am I missing something?” she asked, becoming a little concerned.

“Yes, I’m afraid there is.” Novis sighed, looking at her, “Once, I couldn’t have seen myself holding secrets, hiding from what was staring me in the face. But, I’ve become old and foolish, and my past keeps chasing me, trying to devour what’s left of who I was.”

Celestia tilted her head, not understanding what he was talking about.

“I’ve been hiding, so long, but now, I think it’s time I be honest with you, and more importantly, myself.”

“Okay? Say what’s on your mind.” Celestia said, Luna, standing off to the side looking away. Novis tensed, bracing himself for what he was about to say.

“My name is-”

“PRINCESSES!”

The three were startled as the doors to the throne room burst open, three guards rushing in towards them. Novis sighed under his breath, content with putting off this conversation as long as possible. Luna remained quiet, wanting to see what was going on. The guards, however, were alert and clearly agitated, completely on edge especially around Novis who they didn’t know, and were cautious of.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Celestia asked, her expression more serious than it had been moments before. Novis and Luna looked at each other, both wondering what could be going on.

“Lockdown, your highness. We were sent to defend you.”

“Defend us? Why? What’s happened?” Luna asked, concern raising in her voice.

“It’s the theater house, your highness. There’s been a murder.”
////
Chrysalis took the backseat while she contemplated what had happened. She was hiding inside now, but she felt exposed. All she could was think and try and contemplate what she had done.

It had almost been immediate after she had killed them that she cleaned herself up in the washrooms, making sure to get rid of any evidence of who had done it. But covering up the scene itself proved to be impossible.

Why had she...done that?

It was foolish, it was brash. She knew better to keep things quiet. Yes, she had killed many times before but...this was different. But something had changed. Something was wrong. It was too ferocious, too out in the open. Chrysalis was used to hiding the things she did, hiding in the shadows and striking like a spider. But her mind had gone cloudy almost like a dream, and the next thing she knew, she was tearing flesh from bone. She had actually EATEN them. The thought should have sent a chill down her spine, it should have made her sick.

But she felt nothing.

All she DID feel was stupid to have done it in the first place. Now they would know something is wrong, that someone’s infiltrated their precious little empire. She needed to lay low for the moment and figure out what was happening, and fix it. She had to stay focused. Her children were dependant on her, and she would make sure that their plans would pull through, and she wouldn’t let anything get in her way. She would do what needed to be done, she just needed to improvise, and figure out how to divert their attention away from this mess.
////