Chrysalis looked up into the sky. Her ravaged body depleted. The guards upon her, she could not bring herself to rise. She had nothing left. All of her scheming had come to this failure. She heard them, they had picked up her trail. She smiled, hunger would no longer trouble her, her children no longer starve, or be stillborn. Thorax and his where no longer hers. They where something different now. The Race had evolved, it was time to die and pass to oblivion. She closed her eyes, waiting for the Guardponies to end her maddened, miserable existence.
Onyx cast his senses into the Aether for the one failiure of Twilight Sparkle. The one enemy never turned to a friend, nor defeated. He looked at the edge of life and death. He looked for an essence that had been run to ground. He looked for a broken pattern that he knew had to be close to total Soul Death, he could not allow that to happen. Twilight would not have wanted that. Then he caught her trail, the process of Soul Death grating against his senses.
"Found her," He paused, "Now to offer her a Deal”
Chrysalis felt a presence touch her mind, then speech, "So this is the great Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings. Where is the conviction? The defiance? Do not tell me you are reserved to death already?”
Opening her eyes she saw a thin stallion in a black suit, wearing the most ridiculously dirty, floppy hat upon his head. He had a Grey Mane and White Coat, his magenta eyes staring back at her mischievously. looking around the clearing she noticed that the trees in the grove weren’t moving, their was no sound, all things where still, "How.....?"
"We are talking telepathically, I just gave you a avatar to interface with. This conversation is at the speed of thought. So your perception has slowed as well. Don’t worry, we have some time. I have come to offer a Deal," Chrysalis could feel the capitalization. "I want you to work for me. In return I will heal all your wounds, protect you, and restore your royalty."
Chrysalis’ eyes narrowed, "What Kind of Work?"
The earth pony grinned, "Being one of my agents. You would have a constant direct line to me. As for what kind of work, you would be asissting in the apprehension of the murderers of Princess Twilight Sparkle."
Queen Chrysalis laughed. "You want me to find the ones who killed Sparkle? Why in Tartarus would I do that? Maybe I killed Sparkle, you ever consider that?"
The Stallion sighed, "You have fought the hunger a long time, haven't you soulstealer?" Chrysalisis Flinched.
"You never wanted anyone dead. You wanted your people safe. You wanted not to starve. You wanted to have nomore stillborn children."
Chrysalis recoiIed, “How was this Pony reading her?"
"As for your little act with Glimmer, slapping away her hand? Because they took your people? Heh, please don't try to game me. I know it for what it was. I am a King. I recognise a political move. Quickly, I need your answer, the royal guards approach, I must have your answer."
Chrysalis knew then who this one must be, "What is your name?"
"I am the Devil's Choice."
"Then we have a bargain, you who dwells in the night, yet eats at the table of the day, I will help find the murderer of Twilight Sparkle. I will be your agent in return for what has been promised. I, Queen Chrysalis do swear myself to your cause, Devil's Choice."
‘Devil's Choice’ smiled. "Then I heal thee and except thy service. Let neither break bond lest the other enact vengeance." He paused, "This may hurt a little."
Green mist sprang from Devil’s Choice enveloping the changling queen. She felt heat as runes burned into her carapace. She opened her mouth to scream, only to choke as the mist flowed down her throat, continuing the process. She silently screamed, her mind alive with pain, the mist penetrating her skull via her eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. The runes smoldering as they where engraved via heat into her body, inside and out. The pain reached a final crescendo as the mist receded into her, the scent of burning flesh thick. Opening her eyes she felt energy flowing into her, she moaned, arching her back, her wounds healing, her hunger abating, the sickening pop and crackle of bones and long forgotten injuries healeding. Her hair cleansed itself, while muscle added to her frame and bones revitalized itself. She screamed her ecstacy again as her body filled out, her painfully thin figure vanishing into the almost amazonian built changling. She rose and grabbed the avatar, kissing the mental projection, drawing even more energy in, life beginning to die around the two as even this was pulled in to fill the void that had been Queen Chrysalis. Devil’s Choice intertwined his tounge with her, his body moving against her, as they both forgot that neither was in the same place as the other. The strength of the bond allowing the feeling of physical contact. She moaned into his mouth as in a final burst she reached her peak, excess energy scorching the ground as she balanced out. The two seperated as Chrysalis caught her breath then gave a wicked smile.
“Amazing! I have not felt this well in my life, my hunger is gone and I am now a part of this world, no longer seperated from it. Tell me Master, what is my first task?”
Choice smirked back, his face as flushed as hers. “I want you to procure employment with Mayor Mare as her secretary. The anti-changling precautions no longer apply. You can now byass them.” Here Devil chuckled, “Use the name Anne Mous”. With that her ‘Master’ faded from her vision, but she could feel her conection to him . Then, turning towards ponyvile, she became a raven, avoiding the gaurds that pursued her.