A Beautiful City to be Deceived
The beauty of Val Roa intensified the further the noble caravan penetrated the heart of the city. No street went straight for any distance greater than twenty meters. Every avenue was curved; every alleyway bent. The courtyards and paths were built in a serpentine fashion, constantly accomodating for the curved, asymmetrical foundations of the polished spires towering above. Despite how cramped and claustrophobic the streets felt, they were no less busy and bustling than any other city Rainbow Dash had seen in her travels. Ponies and deer alike trotted from vendor to vendor, from garden to garden. Residents sat out in the open, sharing merry stories, refreshing themselves at breezy cafes that dangled with gardens bespeckled with desert flowers.
There were creatures from all walks of life. Rainbow Dash looked out the windows of the cart, spotting llamas and giraffes... zebras and rams. There were even a few merchant hubs where naga stood, their bodies fully clad in mana-powered Lounge gear. The place was—by and large—the most diversified cultural gathering that the pegasus had seen in the bulk of her travels.
However, it was still rather obvious who the power belonged to. Though a distinct flavor of aristocracy filled every district of the bronze-toned city, the elks and deer were clearly the best-dressed out of all the citizens. Basically any creature with branching antlers were considerably more priviledged than the rest. They congregated on balconies to lush apartments that overlooked the lower halves of the polished amber spires where the sunlight only occasionally reached. Banners billowed from sharp, pointed rooftops, bearing the Val Roan crest which—to very little surprise—illustrated deer antlers silhouetted against a starry desert sky.
“It's a nice place...” Ebon Mane muttered. “Just... a lot nicer than I expected.”
“Hmmph.” Kera folded her forelimbs. “In other words, boring.”
“Well, what did you expect?” Mamunia asked from across the coach.
Ebon shrugged. “Well... I-I mean... with all of the horrible conspiracy stuff we've heard about, I suspected the citizens living here would be less... less...”
“Stuffy?” Rainbow Dash droned.
“Happy.”
“Heh...” Rainbow smirked. “Ebon, they might look happy, but—”
“Oh, they are,” Ebon said. “Trust me.”
She squinted at him. “And how do you know that?”
The shape-shifter simply stared back at her.
She winced. “Er... r-right.” She peeked out the window again. “I always forget you could do that.”
“What'd you bring me on this trip for, then?” He smirked. “My good looks?”
“Nah. Then I would have brought Props.”
Kera giggled.
“Don't let the looks of this city deceive you,” Arcanista said, then faced Ebon. “Or the feeling.” With a soft sigh, she gazed out beyond Jake and Floydien. “While the majority of this town's populace is completely and utterly innocent, there's a tiny oligarchy spinning a web of lies that will only bring this entire kingdom to ruin.” She exhaled out her nostrils. “And Bountiful along with it.”
“Bananas.” Jake grumbled, glancing briefly over his shoulder. “We ain't gonna let that snot hit the shower stall floor, Duchy Baby! Isn't that right, Floydo-Boyo?”
“Don't crowd Floydien.”
“Ain't my fault! Someone built this dayum city after the small intestine!”
“Meh.”
“It's the same crap that's happened in Ledomare and Xona,” Rainbow Dash said.
“How do you mean?” Jet asked, blinking. “Do you mean...”
“This is the perfect nest for Queen Chrysalis to take a nasty dump in,” the mare said. She turned towards Kera and performed a mock bow. “Oh, beg your pardon, 'Princess.'”
“No, carry on!” Kera nodded, smirking. “You've woken me up!”
“It's simple, really.” Rainbow frowned. “Simply evil. Chrysalis sniffs around, finds a kingdom with a lot of deep-seeded problems, and then she goes about exploiting it! Ledomare had a totalitarian military that sent loved ones off to war and experimented on non-ponies. Xona had a bunch of zealots ready and willing to sacrifice their lives for an estranged monarch. Chrysalis replaced some ponies here... added some changelings here... and Bam! Suddenly she was taking all the worst stuff from both kingdoms and—like—accelerating their demise! The war intensified, and she got to feed on the tasty tasty misery that she forced her brood into thinking they needed.”
Ebon Mane shuddered, eyes locked on a wall of the jostling coach.
“And the citizens just...” Mamunia shrugged. “...let all this happen?”
“They were blind to it?” Jet asked.
Rainbow nodded. “Think about it. If there's something already sucky about the nation you live in, and it just happens to get suckier, are you really gonna question it?” She shrugged. “You sure as heck wouldn't think a bunch of bug-eyed shape-shifting ponies are somehow responsible!”
“Mother's so selfish,” Ebon muttered. “All that matters is her sister's war on the dark side. She won't stop until she's strong enough to return there... or at least until she thinks she's strong enough.”
“And just how will she accomplish that?” Arcanista asked. “Isn't her link with all her changelings broken?”
Ebon nodded. “But she could get strong enough to reclaim that link.”
“Really?” Jet gulped. “Become strong how?”
“By feeding,” Ebon said, muttering. “If she can cause a large enough calamity to happen in Val Roa... causing an implosion of the very culture itself...”
“Then she'll be empowered enough to re-establish her mind-link stuff,” Rainbow muttered, staring out the windows. “And the rest of the sun-lit world is once again doomed.”
“And every citizen looks so peaceful,” Mamunia muttered, gazing out the front of the coach. “Like a calm before the storm.”
“Yeah, well...” Rainbow Dash smirked. “We're here to deliver a bit of thunder ourselves.”
Kera looked at Ebon. “Do you sense her?”
“Huh?” Ebon glanced down.
“Queen Chryssie.” Kera's green eyes narrowed. “Your 'Mother.'”
Ebon chewed on the edge of his lip. His “tattoos” almost faded. “I... I-I...”
The elk and four ponies stared at him.
He sighed, ears drooping. “It's hard to say...”
“What's so hard about it?!” Kera squeaked. “Is she here or isn't she?”
“Kera, we're not betting our entire trip on Ebon's ability to sniff out his Mom,” Rainbow droned.
“Why not?!” Kera pointed at his head. “He's got that empathic changeling homing pigeon stuff, right?”
“I feel...” Ebon shuddered. “I feel her presence, yes, but it's... d-different than before.”
“Different in what way?” Arcanista asked.
“She's here in Val Roa, alright,” Ebon said with a nod. “But... the presence is faint.” He gulped. “Almost paper thin.”
“Well, duh.” Kera smiled over at Rainbow. “She's been up against the ropes ever since Rainbow here gave her the zap!”
“No... I-I don't know...” Ebon rubbed his head, wincing. “It's... h-hard to explain. It's almost as if she's not the same.”
Arcanista reached over with her large hoof. “Shhhhh... Just relax, my little pony.” She smiled. “We have more pressing concerns at the moment. Concentrate on being the Xonan Princess' entourage, and things will eventually reveal themselves.”
“Yeah...” Ebon nodded with a sigh. “I-I hope so.”
Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash was staring once more out the window in the side of the vehicle. At one point, the stagecoach passed a copper-plated tower in the middle of a courtyard. On the top of the platform, three deer sat, their bodies poised meditatively. The stallions' eyes were closed, and their antlers brimmed with a bright emerald glow.
Rainbow leaned forward, squinting.
The bucks continued sitting in total silence. Then, suddenly, one of them opened his glowing eyes, turning to look at the cart.
“Guh!” Rainbow Dash slapped the window shut and scrunched up against a mound of cushions, hugging herself.
Arcanista and her two maids glanced at her.
“What's wrong?” Arcanista asked. “Did you see something?”
Rainbow gulped. “A... a bunch of deer guards with glowy antlers.” She shuddered. “And bright green eyes.”
Arcanista smiled thinly. “Soul sentries.”
Rainbow's eyes twitched. “For real? That's what they look like up close?”
“Undoubtedly they've erected multiple guard stations throughout downtown Val Roa to provide security for the Coronation,” the Duchess said. “It's customary to have a guard in every major intersection to keep a protective watch on the citizenry.”
“Uhhhh...” Rainbow fidgeted. “I saw three guards on this one tower.”
Arcanista's ears folded back. “Three per tower?” She exhaled through her nostrils.
Jake peered back from where he drew the wagon. “That's overkill, even for me.”
Floydien glanced aside. “What what what?”
Jake frowned. “We've crossed at least twelve guard stations since we entered the streets of this place. Never in my long life of goblin clobberin' have I seen that many soul sentries all at once. Val Roa has always had a strong military, but the soul sentry division never had a reason to employ this many dedicated members.”
“It's like the whole city has turned into a military camp,” Arcanista said. “At least by Val Roan standards.”
“What could they be preparing for?” Mamunia fidgeted awkwardly. “A war?”
“Don't be silly!” Jet frowned. “Val Roa has always been peaceful! If nothing else, the kingdom's kept their military engagements outside the West Gate!”
“That could all change,” Rainbow muttered. “Provided a certain changeling queen decides to draw a conflict in.”
“No way!” Jet stammered. “General Saikano wouldn't allow it!”
Rainbow Dash, Ebon Mane, and Duchess Arcanista exchanged glances.
Jet gulped. “R-right?”
Arcanista took a deep breath. “I shudder to think...”
“What's that tower of polish polish up ahead?” Floydien muttered.
“Sternum!” Jake beamed. “The Sandstone District!” He glanced over his shoulder. “Hey Duchy Baby. We're almost there. Boy do I gotta piss like there's no tomorrow.”
“Hmmph. Keep it in the boomer's bag.”
“Easy for you to say, Duke of Dryness!”
“Shhhhhh...” Arcanista leaned forward. “Politeness... serenity... patience.” She smiled. “Bring us in to the palace slowly, Constable. Once a servant of the Council arrives, I shall do all the rest.”
“Hrmmmff... sure thing, Madame. But I'll be watching!”
“Of that, I have no doubt, Constable.” She turned and looked back at Rainbow and her fellow jurists. “We have arrived.”
“Okay, Rainbow!” Kera smirked, straightening her mane and gown. “Time for you to go into unassuming mode!”
“Bleack. I hate unassuming mode.”
“And how do you think I feel?” Kera asked. She looked up at Ebon, rolled her eyes, and picked up the stone shard. “Honestly!” Thwap! She slapped it over his wincing forehead. “What's the deal, here?!”
“S-sorry! I was... d'uhm... d-distracted by all the Val Roa exposition!”
“Don't make me go all Belle on you!”
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Hmm, apparently Chrysalis' plan is to cause an invasion to feed on the misery. Sound, if not evil.
Thirty four-count flutterkicks, ):(. Knock 'em out!
That ending line.
Seriously, the twisty roads (though not the spires) give me vibes of Haven in the Valdemar series. So I already like it.
And serious military presence. And Chrysalis changed. My "She has a plan" sense is TINGLING.
I feel like someone's going to accuse me of beating a dead horse if I bring up my theory again, though.
Nopony expects the Spanish Exposition.
...so Chrissy is changed, eh?
In the previous book, I'd suggested a theory that the harmony-blast that changed the rest of the changelings went back even to Chrissy. And that once they got to Val'roa, she'd be 'good' (kinda) and, being essentially an alicorn level being, she'd have access to powers... one would be to draw away some of the chaos that's killing Dash.
...I'd like to reiterate this theory, in the light of this chapter.
Okay...new plan. Meet the Prince, convince him (by using Ebon to demonstrate) about Chrysalis and her evil plan, have Rainbow peform a Rain-nuke over the city which reveals her (like it did in Xona) and then we have Rudolf the glowing eyed mana batteries zap her like a convict on the green mile....good plan? Great plan!
Well shoot, I'm not sure what to think anymore. Maybe she's Saikano, manipulating the military. Maybe she's Quill, manipulating the throne. Maybe she's Midnite because reasons. Or maybe she is actually changed as someone proposed earlier.
...Nah.
Also, Soul Sentries. *shivver*
Damn it, Ebon, breaking the fourth wall is… oh, hay, I don't even know anymore.
5211166
Well duh, she changes all the time!
...
I'll go back to my corner.
I am not liking those Soul Sentries...
31.media.tumblr.com/c92bebd2b50d0e338c184a6856689e9c/tumblr_ndo635x8pE1tthhlho1_400.gif
1d4chan.org/images/thumb/4/49/Angry_Marine_Desktop.jpg/800px-Angry_Marine_Desktop.jpg
But that's heresy, Kera-kohai.
C:
Or I swear to God I will magick us off a cliff RIGHT NOW
The Val Roan web of intrigue has just added some more junctions to expand off of.
Why do I get the feeling that at some point they will have to work with Chrysalis?
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At this point I think the unexpected thing would be for Chryssi to not be the chief antagonist, and for the entire mess here to just be good old-fashioned political corruption and intrigue. Chryssi could be just not here, or maybe she got zapped so hard that she hasn't recovered and she's hiding. Heck, she could end up on the Jury by the end of things, or with whatever group moves on to the Choke. Dash could use a guide.
There could also be some other Big Bad on the move. The whole Soul Sentry + snorting Choke Dust (the spice must flow) + magic resistant Choke amulet thing is probably going to be big, and is giving me creepy vibes.
5211442 Chrissy as a guide would be absolute badass. I can just picture Roarke constantly just staring her down a la
. But yes, I'm expecting Chrissy not to be the antagonist here.
I'm sure Roarke would appreciate that, given how paranoid she's been lately about yours and her relationship, Dash.
Ebon: "You see me standing right here, right...?"
Geez, Rainbow, I knew you were cool-but-crude, but seriously, lighten up a bit...
We're not gonna have to go all the friggin' way to Val Roa just to pick up a piece of Lancie, are we...?
Maybe Chrysalis isn't as evil anymore, perhaps that blast got though to her just like it did the other changelings. Though it could be that since she knows they are looking for her she has decided to go almost completely underground for the time being. Given what has happened both are equally possible at this point IMO.
Man, those opening paragraphs gave me flashbacks of Italo Calvino. Good stuff.
The green glow coming off those Sentries, not to mention the unexpected surge in their numbers, smacks of changeling. But I agree with what several others have said with regards to Chrysalis' supposed "change". I have little hope of her suddenly being good, but what if she, for example, forgot who she was, like so many of her agents? That could certainly complicate things. It also opens the possibility that there's another sinister will at work here. Now that would be a nice twist. But there are so many variables and balls in play in this whole scenario, there's no telling what mischief IC might get up to.
5212007
All of this
Sums up my thoughts and predictions quite accurately.
So the Soul Sentries' eyes glow green?
That's not disconcerting at all!
I think maybe Chrysalis herself has fallen in love or cares for Eino.
Belle mode activate
that's a scary threat
Also, I just had the thought that Arcanista totally needs to be voiced by Brenda Crichlow.
Jesus i fell behind O_o time to catch up.
-stands beside jake-
FORWAAAAAAARD!
MARCH!
Spoiler alert: Chrysalis is actually a platypus.
-Spirit
Does Jake have tourettes?
Hmm . . . are we about to touch on a possible Chrysalis redemption, something that has yet to be seen in the show? Very interesting. But we have yet to know what "changed" is supposed to mean. However, I could totally deal with Chryssi tagging along for the ride. Three tsunderes on one ship . . .
5897298 Maybe? But I dunno, Feels a bit obvious and cliched to me... It's really hard to tell what IC is thinking.
Hmm somehow i think Arcanista is Chrysalis who also gave herself an unhealthy dose amnesia, it would be the most shaking plot twist and it would somehow make sense, maybe she couldn't slip into the Capital and kind of turned herself into a sleeper and gave herself some kind of trigger to wake up, maybe Val Roas problems are actually really self made and Chrysalis just waits for a moment to Assasinate the Prince, because that would simply turn the whole Country upside down.
They're definitely gearing up for something, and it's more than a coronation.
Soul sentries have green eyes... I feel like this detail will be relevant soon. I hope that I'm wrong.
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The sadness of being books behind. You know the answer to this fics Chrysalis and her change if any XD.
Personally, I'm thinking she's refound how powerful love is. Especially after only a tiny bit of love was powerful enough to cut off her power completely in a matter of seconds. So she's going to initiate a coup de etat' that she's going to single hoovedly stop. Protecting the "new" king. And work on getting his utter devotion.
Or possibly is moving more along the original Changelings / Cannon show Lings, rather than her fail wail of a "misery = power" mantra she's been living by for ages.
I wonder... How silly would it be if Chrysalis now also thought she was Rainbow Dash?
... I swear, if you accidentally reformed Chrysalis from a thousand miles away and don't find out until a book later, it'll be a the single biggest motherbucking twist in the series so far.
Kera having to repeatedly re-attach her servant's horn is going to become a running gag, isn't it?
More your great skill with anything edible
you never know when you are going to need good food.
07/03/2017
00:23 UTC
So we've seen before changelings who've had their own memories stolen from them by Chrysalis, as well as changelings who have somehow deluded themselves into thinking they were all Rainbow Dash, despite the impossibility of that. Is it possible that Chrysalis could do the same thing to herself? Maybe Chrysalis temporarily erased or blocked her own memory, and that somehow dulled Ebon's ability to sense her? It would be a really good strategy. Just keep enough sense not to change her goals, erase all memory of why she has the goal, or convince herself of a different reason to have that goal, and convince herself that she really is that pony and she pretty much has the perfect disguise.
I know it's a long shot, and so is this next part, but what if she really is Eine, and the whole point of that chapter was to deliberately throw us off track?
Green eyes? Uh...that doesn't sound great, but we haven't actually seen the Soul Sentries before, so it might be normal.
But Hmmm...why is Chrysalis 'faint'? We're talking one fo the Queens of Changelings here. Something's up.
Dammit, Ebon, you're breaking the wall now, too??