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// Epilogue 
// Story: Chrysalis & Mirage 
// by Zobeid 
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Days after their battle, Chrysalis and Mirage had recovered from their bruises and cuts, and they had improvised saddlebags and a haversack with which to carry supplies on their journey.  They waited at the edge of the oasis, both sitting with blankets wrapped around them to ward off the cold morning air, waiting for dawn to break and signal their moment to depart.

Mirage glanced at Chrysalis’s legs, now with their bandages removed, holes almost disappeared.  Then she asked, “How are your wings?”

Chrysalis answered, “The new ones are growing in normally.  It will be some while yet before I can fly, though.  How are your illusions?”

Instead of speaking, Mirage only smiled.  Then her form blurred and swirled, and in a moment a perfect representation of Princess Celestia sat in her place, complete with her regalia and multi-colored, etherial mane.

“GAAH!!” Chrysalis jumped back, losing her blanket.

Mirage laughed in perfect mimickry of Celestia’s voice, and said, “It seems Lord Chaos merely suppressed my powers for a little while.”

Chrysalis frowned, and her horn glowed as she cast a spell, then the image of Celestia became transparent and phantom-like, revealing Mirage within.  Chrysalis snorted softly.  “You won’t fool me again.”

Still grinning, Mirage shrugged and dispelled the illusion entirely.

Chrysalis looked to the horizon.  “Dawn is breaking,” she observed.  She levitated her saddlebags and draped them over her withers, and the blanket across her back.

Mirage likewise stood and picked up her haversack.  As she moved to position it comfortably for walking, Chrysalis asked her, “Do you think Lord Chaos will be satisfied with our alliance?”

Mirage shook her head.  “Who can say?  Lord Chaos is like a child, but a child with almost unlimited power.  I humor his absurd whims — for now.  Someday he will be put in his place.”

She stepped out into the desert, and Chrysalis followed.





Somewhere in another dimension, in a place utterly impossible to describe with mere words, a winged blue cat played among his many scattered toys.  He pushed two of them together and said, “Now kiss!”