It was a cold day in Tartarus when Flurry Heart finally reached the mountain pass guarded by Cerberus.
All three heads of the great beast roared at her in perfect unison, sending waves of icy air blasting through her mane. It was a technique practiced over the centuries and designed to scare the cutie marks off any pony foolish enough to approach. Poets had written reams and reams of scrolls on the ferocity of this fell creature, and even the most hardened of warriors would have wet themselves at the sight of the towering mass of teeth and claws.
Flurry Heart rolled her eyes, extended her wings, and flew towards the snarling beast. With her magic, she conjured up three buckets of dog treats, each larger than herself, and floated them over towards the three open maws.
"Thanks, Aunt Fluttershy." She deftly dodged around their slobbering tongues to give each head a quick nuzzle before moving on.
The magical locks on the door to Tartarus had been heavily reinforced since the days when Princess Twilight Sparkle had trapped Tirek here, and the Key of Unfettered Entrance had long since crumbled to dust, but none of that mattered to Flurry Heart. She wasn't here in a show of force or stealth.
"I, Princess Flurry Heart of the Crystal Empire, Daughter of Princess-Empress Mi Amore Cadenza and Prince-Consort Shining Armor, request entrance into the Republic of Tartarus for the purposes of parley as a representative of the Crystal Empire."
As she waited for a response, Flurry Heart's composure finally began to falter, and she pawed nervously at the ground. She'd done her best to purge herself of the tell, but as the weight of her decisions began to press down on her, the comfort that the repetitive motions brought outweighed the break in discipline.
Fortunately, she didn't have to wait too long. The large stone doors creaked open with a soft rumbling, allowing her to see the dimly lit corridor that awaited her. Two guards, one a lamia and the other a changeling, stood waiting, their spears conspicuously pointed near her but not at her — threatening an ambassador would break the rules of parley, but they wanted to make sure she knew she was being watched closely.
"Please come with us, Your Highness." Flurry did as instructed, and was led through the twisting passages of Tartarus. She tried to map out as many paths as she could see along the way, forming a mental map of the network of endless floating paths that stretched outwards, like a hive stripped of its walls.
Though she should have been able to see the entire realm with ease, some artificial darkness kept her vision from reaching beyond more than a couple stone's throw in any direction. It was almost as disconcerting as the fact that the illumination surrounding her also seemed to have no central source. Tartarus was truly an odd realm, and if Princess Twilight's notes were correct, one not fully tethered to Equestria.
Eventually, they reached a — well, room wasn't the right word for it, since it had no walls, but the darkness that swallowed up anything beyond the floating island they were standing on made it seem like it was enclosed, so Flurry decided to stick with that nomenclature for the sake of her sanity — room that looked to be around the size of the throne room back in the Crystal Palace.
And, just like in her home, there was a throne in this room too, though this one was carved from obsidian and towered over her from atop a set of stone steps.
And sitting — no, lounging — on the throne was the Empress of Tartarus.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" To her credit, the Empress sat up straight at the sight of the young alicorn standing before her. "A Little Snowstorm here to blow us all away?"
In any other setting, the pegasus mare who had united this prison realm into a nation would have blended seamlessly into the background. She was ordinary in every way, from her pretty-but-not-beautiful looks to the casual way she was slightly slouched in her posture. Your eyes wanted to skim over her with barely a mental note as to her presence.
But in a realm where the worst monsters to terrorize Equestria had been banished, the Empress commanded attention. Her sneer conveyed the disdain of one who had seen the most powerful beings in the world brought to their knees, and found the supplicant before her wanting. And her eyes sparkled with a cunning that captivated Flurry.
Still, she had spent most her life around beings of unimaginable power, and she would not be cowed by this one. "As I said, I come in peace, with only the intent to parley." She wasn't sure why she was sticking to formalities when the Empress didn't really seem to care about them. A product of a lifetime of upbringing, she supposed. "You have captured twenty members of the Crystal Guard, and are holding them in captivity here in Tartarus. I wish to negotiate for their release."
"Your guards were very naughty and sneaking around where they shouldn't have." The Empress was waggling her hoof at Flurry, like a parent scolding a child.
Despite the lack of respect, Flurry kept her tone calm. "They were investigating an incursion on Crystal Empire soil by Tartaran troops," she argued.
"Uh huh, and they just happened to poke their noses in the spell matrices that keep this realm stuck to Equestria." Cozy rolled her eyes. "Please, princess, you really need to get better at lying. I know Honesty is one of the Elements, but this is politics, and you're going to have to learn how to make up a more convincing story." Her eyes narrowed. "Especially if you're trying to buy time for something."
"We didn't know they were located there," Flurry argued. "And I came alone. This isn't a rescue mission."
"She's right." Another voice, one that seemed to reverberate against itself, made Flurry turn around to see a tall, dark changeling walk into the room. "At least, about coming alone. Our scouts searched the entire perimeter and didn't find anything."
"Thanks, Chrysalis," Cozy said. "Tell the scouts to double patrols anyways."
Chrysalis nodded. "Yes, Empress." Flurry could hear how much saying those words grated at her, but she nevertheless still bowed to her ruler. "So, what's this whelp doing here?"
"She's trying to argue that we were the bad guys for defending our land." Mock outrage filled Cozy's voice. "Imagine us doing something so evil!"
Chrysalis ignored the outburst, her calculating gaze focusing on Flurry. "Huh, you're an impulsive one, just like the other heroes that Equestria is plagued with," she said with disdain. "I wonder how many times one of your type will just waltz right into our lands."
"I believe in following one's heart," Flurry replied simply. "That's my nature, and the reason I received this cutie mark." She glanced towards her flank, which proudly displayed the image of a Queen of Hearts playing card, with the hearts replaced by the Crystal Heart.
"And your heart is telling you that you were right to order an illegal invasion of Tartarus?" Cozy taunted.
Flurry sighed. "I'm not here to discuss legalities and trade accusations about what may or may not have happened. Those ponies have families, wives and husbands and children and parents who want to see them again and who are worried sick about what might happen to them."
The Empress' expression didn't change at all throughout Flurry's impassioned plea. "That's very sad, and I feel bad for them for getting caught up in all of this, but we can't just ignore an insult to our republic like that. Actions have to have consequences."
Flurry nodded. "I understand, and I'm not here to ask you for mercy. I'm here to negotiate for their release."
"Oh, and what is the Crystal Empire willing to give us?"
"Me."
For a moment, the tension was thick enough to choke on. And then, the Empress laughed. "Your parents have no idea where you are, do they?" she fluttered up into the air, her wings stirring barely enough to keep her aloft. "I wondered why it looked like you came here alone. I thought it was some kind of trap, but no, you're just being an idiot and trying to play hero."
Flurry grit her teeth. "Do we have a deal?"
"Hey, if you're stupid enough to trade yourself for a few guards, then I'm not going to stop you." The Empress waved a hoof at her guards as she continued to buzz about in the air. "Free the prisoners and make sure they get back to Equestria safely."
"Empress," Chrysalis interjected. "You do realize this is a trick? There's no way she doesn't have some kind of trump card to play."
At that, Cozy scoffed. "Well, duh. But that doesn't mean she isn't way more valuable than some random guards. And Tartarus is a pretty special realm, good for making sure princesses can't just walk out."
"I'll triple the patrols," Chrysalis muttered. She then added hastily, "If that pleases you, Empress."
"Knock yourself out," Cozy replied with a casual wave of her hoof.
"And I'll pen a letter for them to carry back informing them of the trade, if that is agreeable to you as well." Flurry was technically a prisoner now, so she felt it was a good idea to defer to her new captor.
"Yeah, sure." The grin on the Empress' face grew wider. "Oh, this is great. I never in a million years thought I'd have my own princess as a guest here." Her erratic flight path brought her muzzle to muzzle with Flurry, and the young alicorn could smell the musk of power and command coming off from the Empress. "I am so looking forward to talking to you." Her smile turned wicked. "You're going to be my key to getting everything I want."
"We'll see about that, Empress."
"Please, call me Cozy Glow." Genuine warmth flowed from her tone. Or at least, perfectly feigned amicability. "After all, we're going to be such good friends down here."
"I'm sure we will, Cozy." Flurry bowed her head to hide her own smirk. Cozy Glow might be the Empress of Tartarus, but Flurry Heart was a Princess of the Crystal Empire.
The cute pink pegasus wasn't going to know what hit her.
As a political prisoner, Flurry was given much more comfortable accommodations than she was sure her guards had been placed in. Her room was easily as large as her bedchamber at home, though it felt even larger due to the lack of walls. The perpetual darkness that defined the borders of her confines was a little disconcerting, but Flurry had endured worse as Chrysalis' prisoner.
Of course, it was still a prison cell, as indicated by the wall of magical force tuned to Flurry that kept her from leaving.
Cozy Glow had left her in the custody of her guards soon after their deal had been struck. Flurry Heart was certain that she'd return to her as soon as she had finished whatever matters of state that had to be tended to. As such, she needed to begin preparations.
Fortunately, Cozy had remembered to send toiletries and other sundries to her room. As an alicorn, Flurry had little need of the protection that iron and steel could afford, but that didn't mean she didn't need her own kind of armor to ride into battle with. Flurry allowed herself the luxury of a long, hot bath after her trek through the harsh mountains, and then it was time for her to begin the next phase of her plan.
Moisturizer, eyeliner, blush, mascara. These were the armaments that Flurry wielded as she prepared for her captor's return. She conjured up an arsenal of mirrors and brushes to supplement the ones on the vanity, ensuring that every inch of her body was groomed to perfection, with not a single feather or hair out of place.
"And this one's for you, Aunt Rarity," Flurry whispered under her breath as she put on the final touches of makeup on her face. Then, with that done, she settled down with the pack of playing cards that she had also requested, shuffling them absently.
Just as she was about to deal them out, she heard the sound of hoofsteps approaching. Given the timing, Flurry had to wonder if Cozy had eyes on her and was just waiting for her to be finished. It would have been more unnerving if Flurry hadn't already spent her whole life being watched anyways.
The empress herself stepped into the room, her presence filling it despite her small stature. "Hello, Little Snowstorm, I hope you're enjoying your stay so far," she said, saccharine sweetness dripping from her voice. "It's not the palace bedrooms, but we know how to treat a mare right around here."
"It's lovely," Flurry replied politely. "I appreciate the hospitality."
"Only the best for our most important guest." The smile on Cozy's face was at odds with the cunning in her eyes. "Looks like that playing card on your flank really isn't just for show, huh?"
"I find solitaire to be a relaxing way to pass the time." Flurry shuffled the deck in her magic as she spoke. "Though, it's always more fun when there's someone to play against. Especially if there are some interesting stakes involved."
"Well, the stakes are definitely high here." Cozy smiled. "You're going to be a very valuable bargaining chip for me once your parents find out where you've snuck out to."
Flurry nodded, refusing to show any weakness. She couldn't afford to do that around Cozy. Not yet. "I know," she said, keeping her voice equally casual. "I wouldn't have come here otherwise."
"Oh, you're definitely a princess." Cozy's smile faded. "You know, I spent a lot of time around princesses a long time ago, and even if you're all sanctimonious do-gooders, you're not idiots. Your kind are smart, and I'm not going to make the mistake of thinking you're not. And I have to wonder why a smart pony would trade herself for a bunch of random soldiers."
"I don't suppose you'll believe that I did it out of the goodness of my own heart?" Flurry asked, fluttering her eyelashes as she widened her eyes in a mockery of innocence.
"Oh, I definitely believe that," Cozy replied. "But I'm also smart enough to know you have to have a plan, even if it's something ridiculous." She tapped her hoof against her chin. "You came alone, so I don't think it's some kind of friendship shenanigans. Maybe you think your selfless sacrifice will awaken some ancient magic in here that'll help you get free?"
"As much as I would have appreciated a gambit like that, if there was any hidden power in here, I think it would've been activated already." She was getting to Cozy; Flurry could tell from the way the pegasus' eye twitched.
"You think you've got everything under control, huh?" Cozy flitted up to Flurry, grabbing her chin with a hoof and forcing their gazes to lock onto one another. "There's a lot of different ways to make ponies talk. Tartarus is pretty good at the whole torture thing, y'know. We've got ways to make you hurt real bad physically and mentally, and a lot of people here would just jump at the chance to cut a princess open while she's still alive."
The way Cozy delivered that threat, in her usual, cheerful sing-song voice, sent shivers down Flurry's spine. "Don't forget, we princesses are emotional too," she replied, forcing herself to remain cool and collected. "If my mother finds out that you've hurt me, things are going to go quite poorly for your nation, even if it's not the politically correct course of action. Our kind tends to be guided by passion."
Cozy sighed. "I guess so." A curious gleam lit up in her eyes. "How about you, Little Snowstorm? Are you driven by passion too?"
And now, it was Flurry's turn to smirk. "I'm the most passionate of them all."
That got a glare from Cozy. "I'm going to figure out your plan," she promised, anger and frustration bleeding into her tone.
"I look forward to seeing you try," Flurry replied. "It'll be nice to have somepony intelligent to talk to while I'm trapped here." Her horn glowed as floated over a scroll and quill. "Would you like me to write the letter to my parents now?"
Cozy snatched the writing implements out of her magic. "I'll be writing the letter," she said. "Not gonna let you sneak in some hidden message. You can sign it tomorrow after I'm done."
Flurry shrugged. "That's fine. But you'll need proof of life, though." Her horn glowed, and a moment later she winced as she plucked two primary feathers from her wing. She floated them over to Cozy. "Here."
Eyeing the offering suspiciously, Cozy reached out to grab both. "What's the second feather for?"
And with that, Flurry smiled. "It's a gift to you, Your Majesty," Flurry said. "I thought you might appreciate having something pretty to decorate your room with."
"You're going to regret coming here," Cozy promised before walking away, leaving Flurry alone with her thoughts once again. But there was only one thought that was at the top of her mind, and it kept her smile going as she settled into her bed to sleep for the night.
"Well, Little Snowstorm, your parents aren't happy about your little stunt," Cozy said a few days later as she entered Flurry's room. "They're already demanding a meeting to negotiate your release right now. I wonder how long it'll be before they start sending rescue parties."
"They're probably already on their way. Are you going to give them the meeting?" Flurry asked, resting on the chaise lounge. This had definitely been some kind of guest bedroom before Cozy had turned it into a prison. "There's advantages to striking while the iron is hot, but you also don't want to appear too eager to get rid of me. It'd be an obvious tell that could be exploited."
Taking the seat opposite to her, Cozy glared. "That attitude is really starting to get on my nerves."
"And yet, you keep coming back to me," Flurry replied, doing her best impression of a Detached Princess Smile. "I'm managing to keep you interested enough to return to me every day for our chats."
"It's going to feel really good when I finally break you," Cozy replied, allowing herself to slouch against the cushions.
"You have to admit, it's an interesting set of cards you've been dealt," Flurry said. "You're incentivized to return me of sound mind and body, but you also need to figure out my secrets before it might be too late. An ace up your sleeves that you don't know if you want to slip into the turn, because your opponent might have an ace in the hole."
"That's the rational option, but then again, I'm not exactly a rational mare." Their gazes met, and yet another battle of wills began. "You might want to remember that before you piss me off some more, Little Snowstorm, or I might just decide to lose the match just to capture the queen. Tirek was a valuable lieutenant, but I still had him killed when I needed to set an example."
Their staring match lasted almost a minute, with both sides refusing to yield. The iron will behind Cozy's eyes was staggering, but Flurry had been raised by the princesses to rule, and she was not so easily cowed as some of the monsters in this place.
Still, she had to admit that Cozy held the obvious power here, and they both knew it. Even if Flurry had an ace up her sleeve, she couldn't play it if Cozy decided that she wasn't worth the hassle of keeping alive and sane, and Cozy had the advantage of being a known loose cannon.
That didn't mean she would just roll over though, but she needed Cozy to think she was at least winning a little. Flurry sighed. "It's my nature," she said, keeping eye contact. "Like I said, it's part of my cutie mark. Ponies think it only symbolizes my skill at games of chance, but they don't realize that poker is as much a battle of intellect as it is a matter of luck."
"And chess is all about reading your opponent and winning the mind game," Cozy reminded her. "But that doesn't mean someone won't do something stupid because they're mad, and in this case, you really don't want me mad."
"True," Flurry acquiesced. "I'm also just enjoying getting to be the one with the secret for once. Do you know what it's like growing up with a princess as a mother and three more as aunts? Not to mention your mom being friends with a bunch of teachers?"
Cozy snorted. "I can sort of imagine. I was one of the first students to attend the School of Friendship, before I ended up down here the first time."
"I studied your history," Flurry said. It wasn't a lie, but it didn't quite capture the whole truth either. "One thing I've always wondered is why you decided to try and eliminate magic. Did you really think that was the best way to take over Equestria?"
A faraway look entered Cozy's eyes as she shook her head. "You don't get it," she said softly. "If you studied me, then you know I was an alicorn once, for a little bit. I still remember what it was like to have that much power, so much that I could crush anypony who tried to stop me. And you just had that handed to you when you were born." A bitter chuckle escaped from her lips. "Life's really not fair, huh?"
"It's not," Flurry agreed.
"Anyways, the point is, you don't get what it's like to have to worry about a single pony ruining all your plans," Cozy said. "It didn't matter if I could manipulate all of Equestria into following my rule, one alicorn or really powerful unicorn could just incinerate me and that'd be that."
"So you had to make sure that couldn't happen." It made perfect sense, really, and Flurry had to respect her dedication.
"Sometimes, you have to give up something to make sure somepony else loses even more." Cozy stood up, a smug smile on her face. "But you already know that, don't you, Little Snowflake? It's the same in chess and poker."
"It is," Flurry replied. "Why do you think I'm here now? Sometimes, you have to call a raise when you have the worse cards so that your opponent doesn't know what to expect in the future."
"So sure of yourself, princess." Cozy trotted over and booped her playfully on the nose. "You have no idea how much I want to see you suffer for the crimes of your kind. I spent a lot of years locked up in that stone prison, you know."
"Well, if negotiations go south, you might get your chance," Flurry said, refusing to show fear. "Then again, they did release you eventually."
"Because they thought they could brainwash me into being a good little filly who would do whatever they said." A vicious grin spread out across her muzzle. "I played along for a little bit, just long enough to learn a little bit more about this realm and how to make it my own. And the rest, as they say, is history."
"You've done pretty well for yourself." Flurry made a show of looking around at the darkness surrounding them. "Nopony thought you'd be able to unite all the creatures of Tartarus together, let alone form them into a nation capable of waging war against Equestria and the Empire."
Cozy shrugged. "It's their fault for not acknowledging us as a country in the first place. Not that I didn't want to see them all burn, but I would've been fine with Tartarus and a little bit of land around the entrance to call my own. With you, though, I might be able to get some more."
"We'll see," Flurry replied.
The sound of hoofsteps paused their conversation as princess and empress turned to see a blue, goat-like creature approaching them. "Your majesty," he said, bowing.
"Grogar." Cozy nodded at the ancient necromancer. "Can't you see I'm busy with my guest here?"
"My apologies, Empress, but another messenger has arrived from the Crystal Empire."
"Ooh!" Cozy clapped her hooves in excitement. "Let's see what they're going to try next!" She took to the air, turning around to wave at Flurry. "I'll see you later, Little Snowflake."
Flurry waved back, settling back into her seat as she watched Cozy and Grogar head off into the darkness. The empress still had no idea what Flurry's plan was, and while things hadn't gone completely as predicted, Flurry was making good progress.
She just needed to make sure that her time here wasn't ended prematurely.
Flurry's brows furrowed as she studied the chessboard, feeling Cozy's eyes on her. The empress' gaze had the oddest effect on her, making her feel exposed even though she knew her secret was still safe from her. For now, anyways.
Still, Cozy definitely saw more than she let on, and used that knowledge to her advantage whenever she could. Just like Flurry did.
She pushed a knight between her king and Cozy's queen. "Your turn."
In response, Cozy moved her rook behind Flurry's. "Mate in five," she declared with her trademark smugness.
Flurry's heart sank as she evaluated her options. Cozy wasn't above lying to try to trick her into conceding, but this time, Flurry had the feeling that she'd been trapped well and good. A curse slipped out from between her lips as she tipped over her king, seeing that every move she could make would lead to her downfall. "Well played," she admitted begrudgingly.
"The rook on my flank isn't just for show, you know." After clearing the board, Cozy began setting up the pieces again. "You wanna go again? I still need to get you back for yesterday, with those naughty castling strategies you pulled off."
"Of course." With renewed determination, Flurry made her first move, pushing her queen's pawn forward. "I'd be happy to destroy you."
"You keep telling yourself that, Little Snowstorm." Cozy countered with the same, and the game began in earnest. "By the way, I finally met with your parents," she said casually as they played on. "Good thing we were doing it through those communication crystals or I'm pretty sure one of them would've strangled me. They're not taking losing you very well."
A pang of guilt assailed Flurry's heart, and she forced herself to tamp it down. It was all going to be worth it in the end. "I assume a lot of threats were made?"
"Yup." Cozy smirked. "If I harm a hair on your head, they're going to send me to the moon or something. I've forgotten how much fun it is to be able to hold something over a princess. Makes me nostalgic for the good old days, when I was still trying to take over all of Equestria and bring everypony to their knees."
"You really haven't gotten over them ruining your plans the first time, huh?" Offering one of her knights as bait, Flurry waited to see what Cozy would do.
Cozy's left eye twitched. "Careful, princess," she said through gritted teeth. "Don't make me hurt you to prove a point. I heard that alicorns heal fast."
"I'm definitely not telling you if that's the truth," Flurry retorted.
"And here I thought we were becoming friends." A false pout appeared on Cozy's muzzle. "Don't friends tell each other their secrets? That's an important part of honesty, right?"
In response, Flurry snorted. "Not when you're a princess."
"Oh, boo hoo." Cozy rolled her eyes as she took Flurry's knight with her bishop. "Don't try to tell me that being born an alicorn princess was so hard and you felt like you couldn't connect with anypony because of how special you were."
"I won't," Flurry replied to Cozy's surprise. "Being a princess and an alicorn has given me access to more power than any normal pony could dream of, and I've enjoyed every minute of it. But that doesn't mean that I'm not aware of the things I missed out on because of my position. I'm not a normal pony, and I never will be." Her lips curled up into a knowing smile. "I'm guessing you know what that's like too."
Cozy smiled back, and it looked genuine. "Okay, fine, it's hard being the smartest pony in the room sometimes. It's just so boring sometimes. At some point I was just trying to see what I could get other ponies to do just to entertain myself."
"I'm lucky I had the expectations that I had, I guess," Flurry admitted. "I needed to be smart, to be powerful, in order to fulfill my destiny." She took Cozy's bishop, completing the trade.
"Your destiny of being a pretty face on a throne who occasionally blasts bad guys?" Cozy taunted.
Flurry shook her head. "My destiny of becoming a great leader."
At that, Cozy began to laugh, one hoof pressed against her stomach as she struggled to breathe. "Oh wow!" she gasped out when she could. "I never thought anypony could top your mother and aunts for arrogance, but here we are! You really think you're so great?"
Undeterred, Flurry stared Cozy in the eyes as she replied. "I do. And I'm going to prove it to everyone."
"Well, you've already made one of the worst trades in history by coming here, so you're off to a great start." Cozy's queen advanced on the board. "Check."
Flurry moved a pawn to block. "We'll see," she said, biting back a retort. "Have you decided on your demands yet in return for my release?"
"I'm still thinking about it." Cozy waved a hoof idly in the air. "There's so much I could ask for. When I just had those soldiers, I was thinking of demanding that the Crystal Empire stop its sanctions against trading with us, but now that I have you, I think it's time for Tartarus to finally expand its borders. It'd be nice to have some land that isn't in an extradimensional realm, you know?" She captured the pawn almost absent-mindedly.
"It'd help with agriculture, I'm sure," Flurry said, moving her knight into a favourable position. "I can't imagine this realm makes it easy to grow things."
"We've got some crops down here, but not having to import as much of the good stuff will be really nice." Another pawn was taken by Cozy as she continued her inexorable march against Flurry's forces. "I think I'll ask for either the Asphodel Meadows or the Elysian Fields. They're both right outside and good for growing things."
"You should ask for Asphodel first," Flurry said. She ignored the danger her queen was in to move her knight forward. "The Crystal Empire is planning to approve a bunch of land grants there to develop it, so if you demand that one first, they'll be more likely to yield the Fields to you after."
Cozy glanced sharply at Flurry as she took her queen. "That's very useful advice, if it's true," she said in a guarded tone.
"Ask them about the Project Renewal," Flurry replied casually, as if she wasn't aiding the enemy.
"Why are you telling me this?" Of course she should have expected suspicion from Cozy.
"If you asked for the Elysian Fields first, you'd probably just get stonewalled and things could get unpredictable," Flurry explained. "This extends the talks a little longer, and gives me more time here with you."
"To pull off your master plan," Cozy finished for her. "Or for one of those rescue parties to finally make it here. We've been tracking a few of them, but until they cross the border, we can't really do anything about it."
Flurry shrugged. "One or the other, yes." She moved her last pawn forward. "Mate in four."
Cozy stared at the board. "Oh, ponyfeathers," she cursed. She glared at Flurry. "Did you just tell me that to distract me?"
Another shrug. "My previous reasonings were still true, but yes, I'm not above seizing whatever advantages I can. Chess or poker, conversation is always a weapon."
"You're going to feel really stupid when your plan fails and you just gave me inside information for free," Cozy promised, sweeping away the board. "If you're going to keep doing that, I think I'm going to enjoy these talks a lot more."
Flurry pressed a hoof against her heart in mock outrage. "And here I thought you just liked my company!" she exclaimed, smiling at the empress.
"It beats talking to my own subjects. And I miss having someone around who isn't awful at chess." Despite the disdain in her tone, Cozy still sounded genuine. "I guess you're not terrible for a princess, Little Snowstorm."
"And you're quite the impressive empress." Flurry inclined her head respectfully. "Shall I see you tomorrow for another set?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." With that, Cozy made her leave after a perfunctory goodbye.
"Quite the impressive empress," Flurry muttered to herself after she was gone. "I wonder if that's what they'll say about me after all of this."
If Tartarus had doors, Flurry was sure Cozy would have slammed hers open as she entered.
As it was, Flurry could hear her stomping from quite a distance before the pegasus finally stormed into her room, positively fuming.
"Trouble in paradise?" Flurry asked, glancing up from her novel.
"Don't," Cozy warned, her wings flaring out. "I'm about to execute someone, and I'm not sure who, so you don't want to make me mad right now."
"Oh dear." Flurry put down the book. "That bad, huh?"
"I just found out that Smoke's been stealing from our coffers to add to his own hoard." Cozy shook her head. "But he does a good job managing our funds most of the time, and he's too well-connected for me to just kill without someone trying to start a rebellion over it."
"Executing your own staff does tend to get them in a revolutionary mood," Flurry quipped. At Cozy's glare, she quickly added, "There's other ways to deal with a problem, though."
"I miss when I was still a conqueror and I could basically get rid of anyone who annoyed me without having to worry about politics." Cozy shook her head. "Why does keeping a reign of terror going have to be so complicated?"
"Try being a ruler who cares about being beloved," Flurry retorted.
After a moment of consideration, Cozy calmed down. "Yeah, okay, that's a lot worse. I remember when I tried to do that." She sighed. "I still need to figure out what to do with Smoke."
"Well, whether you rule through fear or love, it's important that your subjects know they can't just take advantage of you," Flurry said. "You need to find some way of making an example of him without risking destabilization."
"I guess I could give him some lesser punishment," Cozy considered. "He's still young and small enough that beatings would still hurt, and it's been a while since we've had a public whipping. Could be good to remind everyone not to mess with me."
"If he's as connected as you say, there's still the risk of retaliation." An idea occurred to Flurry, and she grinned. "You know, there's a trick that Aunt Celestia used to use with her nobles, when she thought they were hoarding their wealth. She'd give them special titles that came with responsibilities that made them spend their own money, like administering some forests or hosting charity events."
An answering grin spread out across Cozy's muzzle. "Everyone will see it draining their funds, but since it's a reward, he won't be able to say no!"
"And if you make the position something that requires him to spend money on his connections, they won't see the problem with it either." Flurry's wings flapped excitedly at the thought. "Some sort of Royal Entertainer, maybe? To throw parties and the like?"
"I can figure out the details of something like that," Cozy replied. "Might brighten up this place a bit too. It's the perfect solution." Her own wings began to flutter excitedly. "Man, I could hug you right now."
"You could," Flurry said with a nod. "It's a privilege that not many ponies have, but I'm at your mercy."
"For a hostage, you sure are helpful," Cozy quipped. "I should've gotten myself a pretty princess political prisoner a long time ago. It sucks that I can't trust you because of the whole secret plan thing, since you'd be a great advisor otherwise."
"It's a shame, yes," Flurry agreed.
"Which is why I still need to figure out how to break you," Cozy continued casually. "Maybe then I'll be able to get some good advice before I send you back home."
"If you told me more about how this realm works, I could provide valuable insight," Flurry offered.
"I'm sure you'd love that." Cozy rolled her eyes. "Is that your plan, to learn everything you can about this realm so you can conquer it later? Or do you just want to figure out how to take down those cell walls so you can escape?"
"I'm not one for leading armies," Flurry replied. "But I do have my reasons for wanting to learn as much as I can about Tartarus. It's important to understand the stakes in a game."
"Yeah, well, maybe explain that to your parents," Cozy said.
Flurry raised an eyebrow. "Have the talks been progressing well, then?"
"They really don't want to give up any land." A frustrated groan escaped from between Cozy's lips.
"At the end of the day, I'm just a pony." A familiar serenity entered Flurry's voice as she spoke. "Even if lots of ponies love me, the Empire has to do what's best for herself, even if it means sacrificing a princess to hold on to her power."
That got a raised eyebrow from Cozy. "You really think your parents would just let you die?"
"They won't let me die, but that doesn't mean they'll give in to your demands unless they absolutely have to."
"Eventually they'll realize that they can't rescue you." Cozy finally sat down. "Well, at least that gives us more time together while they figure out that you can't be saved."
"I'm glad you enjoy my presence so much," Flurry said, smiling.
"It's just nice to have someone to talk to who gets me." Glancing at the ceiling, Cozy idly kicked her legs back and forth. "I don't think I've ever had that before."
A nod from Flurry. "We're more alike than not, which isn't something I can say about many ponies."
Suddenly, Cozy's legs stopped moving as she turned her gaze on Flurry. "We are, aren't we?" Her eyes narrowed for a moment before a casual mask returned to her face. "Gotta say, I knew we were going to have fun when you first showed up, but this has really been something else."
"It has," Flurry replied.
"Anyways, I should probably get going." Cozy stood up abruptly. "You've given me some good ideas and I need to go make Smoke pay for what he did. Revenge waits for nopony!" With a cheery wave, she made her exit, stopping to give Flurry a smile. "Have a nice day, Little Snowstorm."
After she left, Flurry tried to pick up where she left off in her novel, but she couldn't stop thinking about Cozy's smile. They were in their endgame now; she could feel it in her very soul, and there were no more cards for her to play.
All she could do now was wait and see what happened next.
Before she could see if her plan worked, everything went wrong.
The day after their conversation about the wayward finance minister, right before when Cozy would usually appear for their daily meeting, Flurry heard a meaty thud outside, just past the darkness surrounding her, followed by the sound of metal clattering to the ground. She tensed up, recognizing the signs of attack.
Her horn was glowing bright when she saw an armoured pegasus approach wearing a crest displaying a crystal heart on his chestplate. "Your Majesty!" he exclaimed, bowing low. "We've come to rescue you!"
Flurry's heart sank. "You can't!" she hissed, desperately shaking her head. It was too early. "There's a barrier stopping me from leaving this room."
The guard in front frowned. "Your Majesty, you are a mighty alicorn. Surely you can use your magic to break through it?"
"The magic of Tartarus is beyond me," Flurry replied, hoping it would convince them. "Please, you have to leave before you get caught. Your courage and service is laudable, but this is an impossible mission, and I would not have you be captured because of me." If Cozy found them here, it could ruin everything Flurry had been working towards.
"The Crystal Empire will never abandon its princess," the guard declared. "We will find a way to free you, Your Majesty." He turned towards one of his compatriots. "Somecreature in this blasted realm must know the secret of breaking down the barrier."
"No!" Flurry commanded. "As your princess, I command you to leave this place."
"We have orders from your parents to do whatever is necessary to free you." The guard turned suddenly. "Someone's coming!"
"Oh no," Flurry muttered to herself, panic flaring up and threatening to shut down her mind. Given the timing, their new visitor was likely to be...
"Guards!" A familiar voice called out, and Flurry's heart stopped as Cozy came into view. "We're under attack! Defend your empress!" Flurry heard multiple sets of hoofsteps, and a weight sank into her stomach as she watched all her hard work becoming undone.
That disappointment paled in comparison to the horror that pierced her soul when the guard pointed their spears and horns towards Cozy. "Stand down!" Flurry shouted, trying to avoid a bloodbath that would likely lead to the empress' demise.
Unfortunately, it was at that moment that a host of creatures appeared behind Cozy, brandishing their own weapons.
"For the princess!" One of the guard's horns flared, and Flurry recognized the offensive spell she was charging.
If it hit Cozy, it would likely be fatal.
There was no time to think. Drawing upon all her alicorn magic, Flurry shattered the barrier around her room before teleporting herself between Cozy and the Crystal guards. With practiced skill, she conjured up a shield spell that blocked the incoming blast. "I said stand down!" her voice echoed through the realm, commanding obedience.
Before the guards could even react, however, Flurry heard a sizzling sound behind her, followed by an agonized scream that would haunt her for the rest of her days.
Extending the shield into a dome to surround them completely, Flurry turned around to see Cozy collapsing to the floor, an angry red gash against her chest. She rushed forward, catching the pegasus mare before she could land on the ground. Behind her, she noted that one of the Cozy's soldiers was holding some kind of glowing lance, looking horrified at what she'd done.
"You're going to be okay," Flurry whispered, trying to summon up a healing spell.
Cozy let out a weak cough. "Nope," she said, shaking her head. "I'm not a godlike alicorn anymore, and that shocklance blast is enough to kill any mortal. There's nothing you can do, Little Snowstorm."
"No," Flurry's spell touched Cozy's body, and knit together some of the wound, but not enough to save her. "No! I won't let you die!" she declared through gritted teeth as she began to channel the spell again.
"Wow, you really like me that much, huh?" Cozy chuckled before wincing again. Her voice was growing fainter, and her eyes had already become glassy.
"I love you," Flurry whispered. "I've always loved you, Cozy Glow." The confession was ripped out of her very heart, an anguished declaration that Flurry no longer cared to hide.
"Huh." It seemed that the shock was setting in, as Cozy simply stared at her blankly. "How about that. Well, it's been fun, Little Snowstorm, but I guess we'll never get to finish our little game. Would you mind letting a dying mare know what your plan was? I'm guessing it doesn't matter anymore, since I'll be dead real soon." Another chuckle. "You could've escaped anytime, so it wasn't power you were after, was it?"
"It was," Flurry admitted, tears streaming from her eyes. "Power and love. That's all I ever wanted. I fell in love with you when I studied your achievements, and I knew that being with you would give me everything I wanted."
She was sobbing now, and barely aware of the world around her. There was only Cozy, the object of her obsession, whose life was slowly draining from her body. "That's why I sent those soldiers to Tartarus to get captured," she admitted. "So that I could trade myself for them and get closer to you. My grand plan was always to win your heart. That was it."
"So you did all of this for... love?" Cozy asked.
A choked laugh escaped from Flurry's throat. "I told you I was the most passionate of the princesses."
"That's... the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard." Suddenly, Cozy's expression sharpened, all signs of pain leaving her expression. "I can't believe Cozy was right about you!"
"Wha—" Flurry's surprise was cut short as green flames surrounded "Cozy," consuming her dying form and replacing it with a familiar changeling queen. "Chrysalis!"
She turned around to see her rescue party similarly transform, and shame filled her heart as she realized she'd been deceived.
"Hello, Little Snowstorm." The mocking way she said that nickname galled Flurry. "I have to admit, that was almost too easy. You ponies really are far too sentimental for your own good, you know."
"But..." Too many emotions were coursing through Flurry right now. Falling back on her training, she focused on the most immediate matter, narrowing her shield to protect only herself in case Chrysalis attacked. "What do you gain by doing this?" she asked. "Why would you organize this farce?"
It was somepony else who answered. "Because I told her to, of course."
Another emotion joined the maelstrom as Flurry saw Cozy stepped out from the shadows: betrayal. "Cozy?" she asked, unable to keep the hurt from her voice. "Is that really you?"
"I know you have a spell to detect illusion spells," Cozy said. "Good thing you were too torn up about me dying to remember them." There was smugness in her tone, but it felt almost forced, and Flurry could see a similar storm of emotions in Cozy's eyes.
Still, it was good to be sure, so Flurry cast her spell, revealing that Cozy was indeed who she said she was. "It's really you," she said, relief flooding her and blunting the mental image of Cozy dying in her arms. "I— I thought you were dead."
"I'm a very good actor, if I may say so myself," Chrysalis said, gesturing to herself. "And your love was quite delicious, as was your anguish."
"Enough," Cozy said, her usual cloying cheerfulness gone from her tone. "Everyone, get out. I want to talk to Flurry Heart alone."
For a moment, it looked as if Chrysalis was going to object, but the sheer strength of Cozy's glare was enough to make her simply scoff. "I suppose I'll let you two lovebirds sort out your little soap opera. Good luck, Your Majesties."
After that, the other members of the play dispersed, leaving Cozy and Flurry staring at one another outside of the room that had been Flurry's prison for weeks. "You planned all of this in one day?" Flurry asked, not knowing how else to break the silence.
Cozy shook her head. "No, I've been planning a fake rescue for a while. Made up the stories about the rescue parties too. I wanted to see if you could actually get through the barrier, figure out what kind of power you actually had. Also, I figured if you were with your loyal guards, you might be so relieved that you'd let them know what you were really up to."
"An interesting plan," Flurry acknowledged. "But a risky one. That's a very easy bluff to call."
"Yeah," Cozy admitted. "If you got suspicious and decided to cast an anti-illusion spell we were done for. It was always supposed to be a desperation thing, you know?" An awkward grin spread out across her muzzle. "But then, I found out that you were in love with me, and I knew the perfect way to make sure you weren't thinking straight."
"You used my own love against me," Flurry whispered in wonder. She cleared her throat, her voice returning to its cool mask. "I commend you on your cunning."
Cozy's head tilted in confusion. "Huh, I expected you to be a lot madder about it."
"I fell in love with you because of your ruthlessness," Flurry retorted. "You press every advantage you have, and aren't afraid to do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. If anything, I only want you more now." There was no point hiding it anymore— Flurry had put all of her cards on the table, and now it was time to see where the chips fell.
A blush crept along Cozy's cheeks. "Aww, you say the nicest things, Little Snowstorm."
"I do wonder, however, what gave my feelings away," Flurry asked. "I thought I was doing a good job seducing you without showing my own cards."
"You were," Cozy replied. "But then you said that we were more similar than not, and I realized that you probably felt the same way about me that I felt about you." She stepped forward, cupping Flurry's chin with a hoof.
Flurry's heart stopped in her chest. "You mean...?"
Instead of speaking, Cozy responded by leaning in, pressing her lips against Flurry's. After the initial surprise wore off, Flurry returned the kiss with all the passion she had been suppressing, and together their tongues danced in a battle for dominance, with neither side able to gain an advantage for long.
Eventually, they had to separate to breathe. Panting, Flurry stared at Cozy, fire burning in her eyes. "I respect you using my love for you against me, but if you lie to me about your own feelings and string me along, I will destroy you, and this entire realm will burn with my wrath."
Cozy laughed. "Oh, Little Snowstorm, I'd love to see you try. But I guess we'll never know, because I really do love you back."
Flurry allowed herself to smile. "I'm glad."
"I still can't believe that was your whole plan, though," Cozy said, rolling her eyes. "Did you really think you could just waltz into my empire and charm me into bed?"
"Sometimes, you just have to go all-in and hope your cards are good enough." Flurry fluttered her wings seductively. "And as the daughter of the Princess of Love, I was taught to have faith in its power to overcome all adversities. After studying you for years and obsessing over your achievements, I knew my love for you was true, so I came here to claim what was rightfully mine."
Cozy shook her head. "You princesses sure are something, alright. At least you're way more fun than your mom and your aunts." She leaned in for another kiss, and the battle for dominance began anew.
Once again, it ended in a stalemate, but that was okay. Flurry looked forward to testing herself against this beautiful, brilliant, ruthless mare over and over again.
But first, they needed to ensure their tomorrow together.
"I know negotiations with my parents are ongoing," Flurry said. "May I suggest a resolution?"
Cozy raised an eyebrow. "Sure. I'm curious what your plan was once we got to this point. There's no way you didn't have this figured out too."
"It's a classic solution to such a political hostage situation." Flurry grinned. "In exchange for my release, you demand to marry a member of the royal family in order to strengthen relations between our two nations, and to gain whatever dowry I would come with."
Cozy's eyes widened. "You want to get married?" she nearly shouted. "We've only known each other for a few weeks!"
Flurry rolled her eyes. "Political marriages have been forged on less," she said. "And I know our love for each other is true." Her grin widened. "Besides, I'm the Princess of Passion, how could I not follow where my heart led me?"
"You princesses really are crazy," Cozy said with a shake of her head. "But... It's a good idea, and I really like you. You're useful, too."
"Thank you!" Flurry replied cheerfully, glowing at the praise.
"I just want you to know that even if I love you, I'm still going to do everything I can to keep my power here and grow my kingdom." Once again, Flurry could see the cunning in Cozy's eyes, and loved her all the more for it.
"I would expect nothing less." Flurry held out a hoof. "Shall we shake on it, then?"
After a moment of deliberation, Cozy took her hoof, and then pulled her in a hug. "We're gonna do some great things together, Little Snowstorm. The whole world's all ours for the taking, now."
