Chapter Seven: The Interrogation
Celestia walked downstairs to the dark cold dungeons and wondered why they kept it this way, it wasn't for energy purposes since that wasn't a problem with magic, but she supposed it did create an uneasy mood for some, but if she wanted to be honest better lighting would probably make it easier to detect a jailbreak or any visitors that might be sneaking around in the shadows.
But whatever the case she still had a job to do, and she was going to do it no matter what it took, and so she slowly went up to the cell holding what they thought to be the general. “Well hello there changeling scum, as you can see you are in the Canterlot dungeons and I know you do not wish for any comforts that others might, the only thing you want is love and I already know you’re loyal to your queen so I will make this very simple, tell me who informed you of the exact position of Flurry Herat and I will spare you from the pain you are about to feel.”
The changeling smiled at her mockingly pretending not to be afraid, “Now that’s no way to treat a guest of yours, isn't it? Or are you not the perfect princess everypony thinks you are, because if you aren't perfect Chrysalis would love to expose that simple fact that has been hiding in the closet for so many long years, one that you keep hidden because you do not want the ponies you claim to serve and protect to know what you have truly done in the past to let them have their own nation of peace and joy, wiping out and erasing entire nations, excluding any who would not adopt your ways and change, and even causing so much pain, strife, grief and misery, and even killing the ones you need to, if I didn’t know any better I might even call you a monster, I think you’re almost as bad as you claim our queen is, maybe even worse because at least ours does not try to hide her lies and mistakes, she admits that she should listen to us occasionally, but she still claims that the ones that adopt to your ways are traitors, we’re changelings, we’re monsters in your eyes and nothing more and we will have our way, not yours! Death to your kind and any who may support you!
Death to your allies and death to you and your sister, and long may our queen live and may her reign be a great and glorious one, and I pray that one day soon the time of the changelings will come and that the time of the ponies ends!”
“That’s enough brainwashed talk from you, and whatever you’re saying now is just a lie that your queen is feeding you, nothing more,” she said.
“Oh, but there is always plenty more to any story, isn't there? You did those things, we saw with our own eyes, you can lie, but not even a pony great and glorious as you can hide the truth forever, nothing ever can, the truth comes out sooner or later, and when yours comes out our kind will rejoice and we would love to see the ponies you protect shun you and burn you on a stake!”
“And I would love for you to give me the name of your informant now.”
“I would never betray my queen, whatever pain you have planned for me would only be a fraction of what my own queen would give me, you might as well kill me, but you can't do that without being seen as cruel, so instead what will you do? Keep me locked up here until I die or until I escape, oh yes, much more kind to do that than to do me the mercy of killing me now to end my pain.”
“Do not underestimate my power, you have no idea what I can do!”
The changeling smiled at her, “So the rumors we have heard are true, there is a darkness even in you, deep down inside you want power just as much as any of us do, you might try to deny it, but the more you do the more tempting it will become, and the more willing you will be to accept pain and suffering to protect others and the offer of power too. But we were never properly introduced, my name is Grant and it is a genuine pleasure to meet you, princess.”
“I didn't ask for your name and nor do I need it either,” she said.
“Indeed, you don't, but even I have my own general and leaders, but if you have no intentions to torture me for my information which will fail then please leave, I wish to be alone with my thoughts, after all, the dungeon is a perfect place for that, so much time to reflect on what we did wrong, which we won't do, sorry.”
“You have no idea what I have planned for you, but sooner or later I will find your spy and deal with them as need be, after all, the truth does always come out sooner or later, but please do enjoy your stay in the jail, goodbye.”
Grant smiled to himself as she slowly walked away and once she was out of sight and hearing distance he started to choke up a secret communication device and opened it to see the picture of his current leader, “The mission was a failure and we are currently in the Canterlot dungeons, no information has been leaked and our plan still remains intact, how goes our secret plan for the queen? Is the nursery ready? Are the changelings ready to welcome her home yet?”
“Almost, and I am sorry for your loss, but if the queen’s plan works out then soon enough we won't have to worry about that anymore, clearly we underestimated the power of Flurry Heart, but that is a mistake we shall not make again, and I wish to thank you for your royalty on her behalf, and our spy’s identity still remains a secret, and while our queen still may be in prison her plan will work out, soon the age of the changelings will come again and the return of the old villains shall happen yet again, others might think that we’re crazy, but we are only doing what is needed to survive, but still, good work general, I expect to hear a report from you if you do somehow manage to escape from that damp old dark cell, if not then I do wish for you to keep this line open.”
“Understood, but miss Chakra, when will it all come together?”
“Soon, that is all I can say for anything including your freedom, Chakra out.”
With that said he sighed and closed his communication line resigning himself to reside in this cold, damp, dark cell with nothing to do at all whatsoever, shit.
Meanwhile…
Celestia decided to walk to a different part of the dungeons, a part reserved for the most dangerous of criminals, a place that had more security around it than any other place in Equestria combined, once you were in here there was almost no escape from the inside or out. Currently there was only one resident inside this part of the dungeon, a resident that had been here for many years, a resident that had killed Shining Armor and take revenge on Equestria many times.
The resident was none other than Queen Chrysalis herself who had four very thick chain balls around her legs and a suit-jacket over her body and clipped wings and more than two dozen spells in and around her cell preventing her from transforming and/or escaping, in fact the only way to get out of the cell was with a special key, one that was only granted to princesses and nopony else, not even the friends of Twilight had a key even though Celestia had considered giving them one many times, but she did not wish to compromise her own rules.
There were only three keys in total, she had one, and her sister too, and Cadence had one, Shining Armor had one once, but Cadence gave it back to Celestia and now it was safe deep in the ground, and she made sure that the keys were always safe and she never went anywhere without checking that she still had it first. But as Celestia slowly approached the cell Chrysalis smiled at her.
“Well hello there princess, it sure has been a long time since you’ve come for a visit, it feels like you’ve almost forgotten me, but I know that can't be the case since you never forget a dirty little secret you keep, because if you did then other ponies could find out and that would be very bad for you. But what do you want to talk about, the weather? If so it sounds dreadfully boring and dull.
Maybe we can have some tea and toast while we’re at it.”
“I do not have the time or patience for your silly little games or pointless talk! I demand the name of your spy right now or else I will hurt you!”
“You cannot hurt me more than you already have, not even hurting my children will change anything! But you’re worse than me, I don't hide my faults and lies, but at the same time we are very similar, we each do the things we think are needed in order to keep the ones we rule safe, no matter what the price might be, but tell me who do you think is the real monster here, me or you?”
“Do not try to trick me with your questions!”
“I might seem crazy to you, but I have only done the things I have done for the safety of my children and to feed them, nothing more, nothing less.”
“All I hear from you is lies, and it is clear now that no changeling is stupid enough to change their ways if they’re loyal to you, of all the villains I have ever met you and Sombra were some of the worst I’ve ever had to face.”
“What about your sister, does she not count?”
“No, because she was consumed by grief like you and Sombra are consumed for the thirst of power, and I know now that nothing I can do will ever change that, no matter how hard I might try you will never listen to me,” she said.
“Finally! You see the truth and you accept it, now go away please.”
“As you wish, but I will find your spy, sooner or later, the truth will always find a way, nice talking with you, enjoy the rest of your stay in your jail cell.”
And with that said Celestia wandered off slowly as Chrysalis smiled and pulled out her secret communication device to talk with her spy.
“Tell me, how goes it?”
“Excellent my queen, Flurry Heart does not suspect a thing and I am as a shadow, silent and invisible, undetected, neither of them will know what hit them, I just hope that your plan will come together soon.”
“It will, trust me, but until then keep up the good work, Chrysalis out.”
And with that said she flipped the device shut not needing any more info, after all, she had faith in her children as they did with her, one way or another it would all work out, and when it did nopony would be able to stop her.
And then finally the age of the changelings could begin again, and with that thought in her mind she slowly smiled waiting for the day it would come together.