//------------------------------// // Chapter 25 // Story: A Nightmare Come True // by ShadowSprint //------------------------------// “How’s this?” Spike asked, directing the others’ attention towards a fallen tree trunk he’d found just resting by the side of the beach. It was a victory for sure that they’d made it this far, but they still needed to cross the Celestial Sea. “We could use it like a canoe.” Maud and Derpy both stepped up to the log. It rested at an angle, alongside some other brush. Cast amongst the branches like some garbage, the log looked solid enough. With a close eye, Maud spotted a variety of abandoned woodpecker holes. From the sheer number of them, this thing must’ve been like an apartment complex to the little critters. “Well?” Derpy asked, watching the earth pony carefully study the thing. Maud rolled the log around, inspecting the other end. She knocked on wood and listened closely. Then spinning it back over, Maud stomped her hooves into the old bird homes. She crushed out the bark, busted off the wood that had long been damaged from fungal attack. Each time, she stopped, rolled the thing over to make sure she hadn’t pushed to far through. When finally Maud finished, she had crushed out enough of the wood to provide room for two ponies and a small dragon to comfortably sit. “It’ll work.” “We could use these branches like paddles.” Spike suggested. “Good idea.” Maud answered calmly. Derpy glanced towards the sea and watched as the water crashed against the shoreline. Thick nimbostratus clouds closed in above, darkening the skies and threatening storms. Derpy knew these clouds. As a pegasus, she’d run into them all too often. “W-We should get moving.” She said to the others. “We are.” Maud said, “Help us get this into water.” “What are those?” Derpy asked, having missed the whole conversation about paddling. “They’re our replacement for paddles.” Spike announced. “We have to get ourselves moving somehow.” “B-But that won’t be fast enough. There are . . .” and her voice drifted off as she motioned up towards the sky. A soft rumble passed on through the heavens, something that only Derpy seemed to notice. “It’s the only way.” Maud explained. “No. We should probably move faster.” The pegasus said and then scanned the area. There had to be something better than branches. Otherwise not only would they be stuck out in sea, but they’d be stuck out in sea during a storm. And Derpy wanted neither. Maud was about to speak when the pegasus cut her off. Rushing past the two in a blur, Derpy flew on over towards the edge of the jungle they’d just emerged from. Grabbing a hoofful of vines, she tugged and pulled until several of the thick ropes broke free. “I can pull you across.” Derpy announced happily, thrilled with her sudden stroke of brilliance as she dropped the vines in front of her friends. “That’s a little dangerous don’t you think?” Spike asked. “What if something happens?” “But . . . there’s a storm coming. And if we’re not fast enough, we’ll never make it to the Dragon Lands.” Derpy took in a deep breath. Her two friends silently deliberated her idea, and the pegasus found herself growing more antsy. The clouds rumbled once more, and this time, the two took notice. Even the wind bore an eerie whistle as it rustled through Derpy’s mane. “Please . . .” “Okay.” Maud answered, much to the Derpy’s relief. “Help me tie her on.” The farmer said to Spike. Within a matter of minutes, they’d knotted the vines securely around Derpy’s chest and over her neck. The vines were soft, yet tight in how they wrapped around her body. She had enough movement with her wings and legs, but that was about it. “Okay. Ready?!” Spike hollered. A hole was carefully torched through the trunk. It was just big enough to run the vine through, like threading a needle. The two had also tied some small branches onto each side of their log, to assist with balance. It was a fairly shoddy boat, more like a raft, and Derpy prayed it’d hold together long enough for them to reach the other side. “Alright! Let’s go!” Spike said. Lifting herself into the air, Derpy grunted as she pulled with all her weight. The boat dragged in the sand below for a couple of feet. Maud and Spike were out pushing to assist. The thing certainly was far from light. Derpy could feel the vines digging into her skin as she flapped her wings steadily faster. It hardly seemed as though she was making any progress until suddenly the pegasus lurched forward. Almost losing her balance, Derpy glanced down and saw that the log had finally hit water. The two pulled out their branches to try and help paddle along. With the waves now carrying some of the weight, Derpy found it a touch easier to direct the little canoe. She pushed forward, carrying the three further into the Celestial Sea. Up above, the darkened clouds boomed and flashed with streaks of lightning. The wet smell of rain filled Derpy’s nostrils. She wouldn’t be making it through this trip dry, that was for certain. “How’re you doing?!” Spike called from below. “F-Fine!” Derpy shouted back. It was difficult for her to speak with the vines wrapped around her chest. The dragon watched Derpy from above, watched her pulling and weaving to keep the log moving. Glancing back, the shoreline slowly shrunk with each passing minute. “Wow. We’re really doing it.” Spike said to Maud. “We’re really going to the Dragon Lands.” “Yeah. We are.” Maud answered, keeping her branch steadily dragging along the water. Spike did his best to keep his branch moving in rhythm with Maud’s. “What do you think you’ll do? When this is all over I mean?” “I’m going to go home to my family.” Maud said. She took a glance up at Derpy, and then blinked her eyes back over to Spike. “I don’t know after that.” “I think I’ll be ready just to sleep in my own bed again.” Spike said. “And it’ll be nice to have Twilight back.” Maud didn’t respond. She just continued rowing their make-shift boat, hoping it eased Derpy’s tugging. “We’ll probably have to put Ponyville back together.” Spike’s voice drifted out, asking no one really. “We left it in such a mess. I wonder what it looks like.” He pushed his branch through the water as best he could. Again, Maud didn’t respond. She had no words of comfort, or encouragement for the dragon. All she could do was to dunk her branch into the water and paddle along. The voices of both Spike and Maud carried up into the air, past Derpy’s ear. She couldn’t quite make out what they were talking about, but she though she heard them mention Ponyville. The pegasus wondered if they’d ever see it again. Nothing could be guaranteed at this point. Not Ponyville, not Doctor Hooves, not even the dragons. They couldn’t even guarantee the dragons were even going to help. Derpy breathed in a heavy breath. The vines around her chest squeezed tight and she weaved against the wind just to loosen them up. If the dragons didn’t help, if they didn’t come along . . . what would they do? A splash of water suddenly tickled the pegasus’ nose. Then another, and another. A moment of silence followed, and then the rain began. Derpy quickly found herself soaked. The green ropes around her body grew sticky, and slimy. The gross sensations of the vines running and rubbing over her body caused the pony to shudder. And while the wind died down, the water pelting down from above created a growing rapping noise against the sea and made the far-off Dragon Lands difficult to see. Tugging at her reigns, Derpy took in another breath and forced herself onwards. The skies continued to darken, until the clouds above were blacker than the flesh of the Sun Flares that had chased them in Dodge Junction. Lightning stabbed into the sea far off starboard. The rumbling of the storm grew louder, as if a monster were approaching them. Pressing onwards, Derpy let out a yelp when the boat below inexplicably yanked her off further starboard. She clung onto her bindings, beating her wings harder to propel them forward. But the jerking came again and about took the breath out of her as Derpy almost crashed into the water. Derpy looked over her shoulder to ask what was going on. That’s when she saw it. Maud and Spike must’ve been hollering at her for attention, but through the rain and the thunder, she’d hadn’t heard them. On the port side, a growing ivory hill arched out of the water and then dipped back in. She had caught the tail end of the scaly sight as it disappeared beneath the depths. A few seconds passed and Derpy had stopped flying altogether. She was frozen in fear when the thing returned once more. This time it arched out of the water, climbing high into the sky like a mountain. It cast a shadow over Derpy and her friends. Two more arches appeared and the pegasus recognized this as the body of sea serpent. From the way the creature’s body looped in and out of the water, it was impossible to tell which end lead to the head, and which end lead to the tail. “Derpy,” Spike shouted. “Derpy!” It took the pegasus several seconds to take her eyes off the mountainous beast. She turned her head towards Spike, darting glances between him and the creature that slowly passed through the water. A sound in the distance echoed over the seas, its voice deep like that of a train barreling down the tracks. “Keep moving.” Spike shouted. Derpy only nodded and flapping her wings as hard as she could, the pegasus pulled the little boat ahead. Climbing back up into the sky, she tried to keep her distance from the beast. She watched as the towering body of the sea serpent moved in and out of the water with them. Derpy gulped. “I-Is it following us?” She asked. No answer. Of course, they couldn’t hear her. As Derpy pulled on ahead, both Spike and Maud watched the pegasus from below. “You think she’s okay?” Maud asked. Her voice raised slightly to be heard over the downpour. The two kept up their stroking, trying to help their friend as much as possible. “I don’t know. I hope so.” Spike said. He watched out over the sea at the scaly white back of the creature. It looked to be following them, but whether it was friendly or not, he could not tell. “Maybe if we just keep moving, it’ll go away.” “Do you think so?” Spike shook his head at the farmer’s question. No, that was a baseless guess. In all his travels to the Dragon Lands, he’d never before seen a creature like this. It dwarfed their already tiny little stick of a boat. Water rained down on them not just from the sky, but from the water flicking off the scales of the sea serpent. “You think she’s getting tired?” Maud asked. Just a glance at Derpy, and Spike nodded. “Yeah, I think she is.” The pegasus weaved back and forth. She leaned into her straps, attempting to use her weight to drag the boat along just a bit farther. Her wings flapped sporadically, but she didn’t stop. She kept on moving. Her altitude would drop and then she’d climb back up into the sky. It’d drop again; rinse and repeat. The bouncing of the waves and the weight of the rain were tolling on the pony. “Should she take a break?” “Yeah but . . .” Spike started, wishing to reel their friend back into the boat. “When she’d stopped flying before, we were barely moving . . . even with us rowing.” Maud agreed. They couldn’t just let themselves sit out in the middle of the Celestial Sea like this. Who knows where they’d end up if they did? Derpy would just have to deal with it. Maud sighed as she reached her branch out and gave another stroke. When she pulled it out of the water, she found most of the leaves and the twigs to be broken away. She doubted that she had any kind of contribution to the movement of their lil raft. But Maud couldn’t give in now. Not when they had come so far. Dipping her branch back in, she slugged it along the side once more. Off in the distance, Maud spotted a couple specs moving through the air. They were like dots, circling about in the distance. At first, she thought they were aberrations caused by the hazy visibility with the storm, but they were getting closer. “Spike.” Maud calmly said. “What’re those?” The dragon turned to what Maud had pointed to. By this time, they’d grown in size and number. Five of them to be exact. “I don’t know . . .” Spike started to answer but stopped as the wind carried a faint buzzing into their ears. Spike’s eyes grew wide in terror. They’d been followed. “Changelings!” The dragon hurried to the front of the boat, “Derpy!” He shouted. The pegasus didn’t hear him. “Derpy!” He tried again. “We have to warn her!” Spike said, and when he glanced back to Maud, he could almost make out each of their forms closing in. The earth pony pulled out her branch from the water. Breaking off a small piece, she flung it up at the pegasus. Her aim had been dead on and the chunk of wood bounced off Derpy’s head. Derpy turned her head around. She found Spike jumping up and down in the little space that he had, waving his arms. The pegasus stared at him for a moment before following Maud’s gaze out past the back of the boat. That’s when Derpy saw them. The five changelings swarming towards them, lightning reflected off the shimmering rain droplets dripping down their bodies. “Move” and “Fast” were the only two words Derpy made out from Spike’s shouting. Adrenaline pumped through the pegasus’ veins and she pulled on ahead. The giant body of the sea serpent suddenly worried her far less than the approaching swarm. “Gotta move! Gotta keep going,” Derpy whispered to herself. She flapped her wings hard and fast. Thunder rumbled above once more and the rain grew heavier. The extra weight of the water pounding down on Derpy pulled her down towards the waves. Usually flying through such weather was highly avoided due to the lack of visibility and the high probability of crashing into something. Don’t hit the water. Don’t hit the water. Derpy repeated to herself. Below, Spike rushed out to the back of the boat with Maud. He carried his branch in hand, his only weapon. “They’re almost here.” Maud said. Just as the changelings prepared to attack, Spike saw the sea serpent’s tail rise out behind the love suckers. Like a skyscraper tipping over, the tail slammed down into the sea. The changelings scattered, but the resulting wave threw the boat into the air. When it crashed back down onto the water, both Spike and Maud rushed back to the front of the boat. They didn’t have time to thank Celestia for the safe landing. “Derpy! Are you okay?!” The dragon shouted. The vines disappeared into the sea ahead and Spike lost his breath. “N-No . . .” he whispered. He glanced over to Maud in shock, when splashing ahead pulled his attention back to the water. Somehow, Derpy managed to paddle her way back to the surface. They could hear her coughing and gagging as she propelled herself back into he air.“G-Good going Derpy,” Spike whispered. The pegasus shivered and trembled. She struggled to pull herself more than a few feet into the air. “Spike, they’re coming back.” Maud said. Spike turned and sure enough, three of the changelings dropped down low against the boat. Their branches now lost, the only weapon left was Spike’s fire breath. Spinning around, the dragon pulled in a deep breath. “Don’t light the boat on fire.” Maud said. Ignoring her, the dragon let loose a flurry of flames into the rainy night. The three changelings veered off around the flames, circling the boat like a couple vultures. Then Spike noticed it. The sea serpent’s tail crashed down again, much closer to the boat this time. The waves catapulted them again into the air, tossing the boat around like a rag doll. When Derpy felt them lift off the water, she used the brief momentum to throw herself forward. She wanted to take advantage of everything she could. Of course, when the boat slammed back down below, the pegasus was prepared this time. She dropped herself down to just over the water’s surface, allowing for plenty of slack between her and their raft. Then forging on ahead, Derpy wiped the water from her brow. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she could feel herself panting. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep this up. A hoof suddenly kicked her across the face, forcing the pegasus to careen towards the left. Just as she righted herself, another hoof slammed in from the other side. Derpy backed herself up only to find a changeling on either side of her. The creatures laughed and hissed as they dove in for another attack. Zigzagging around the changelings, Derpy narrowly avoided being pummeled in the face. The screams she heard behind though, caused her to stop. The zigzagging she’d done had violently rocked the boat amidst the growing waves. “Do it again! I dare ya!” One of the changelings mocked. He flung another hoof at Derpy. She tried to avoid it but held herself back to avoid capsizing her friends. The hoof struck squarely on her jaw, flinging the pegasus down towards the water. The boat tossed and turned amongst the mercy of the sea. Spike gripped onto its side for dear life as the sea serpent’s tail again struck dangerously close to their vessel. “We gotta do something!” Spike shouted at Maud. He’d seen the two changelings attacking Derpy and cursed at their helplessness. The other three changelings swooped in again, bringing the monster’s tail swinging once more. With as giant as the thing’s tail was, the changelings easily maneuvered around it. The boat shook violently. Some of the branches they’d tied on for stability were beginning to crack. Maud watched as two of the changelings again hurtled for the boat. She dove across the center and shoved Spike out of harm’s way. The two changelings kicked Maud and pulled up in time to avoid a full-on collision. The resulting impact with the rock farmer though flipped her overboard and into the water. “MAUD!” Spike shouted and rushed towards where the pony had last been seen. Derpy struggled to break free from the two changelings who’d grabbed onto her. She panted, trying to kick them away. The one already had his mouth open, breathing on her. Sweat trickled down Derpy’s forehead. They were about to suck out her love. They were about to drain her. No. Not again. That’s when Derpy heard Spike’s voice and she turned her head towards the dragon. Only, he was the only one in the boat. “M-Maud?” She whispered, shock covered over her face. For a moment, Derpy forgot she’d been trapped between two changelings. When the two changelings noticed the lone dragon, they immediately pulled off of Derpy, and kicked her out of their way. The pegasus managed to catch herself just before slamming into the water. “Spike! Look out!” She shouted. The two changelings scooped up Spike from the boat. He screamed and kicked to get free. “Spike! NO!” Derpy cried out and struggled to free herself from the vines. That’s when Derpy noticed a sudden blob float up to the water’s surface. “Maud!” She cried out and immediately bolted down to the sea. Grabbing the earth pony, Derpy hoisted her back into the boat. “Maud! Maud!” She cried. “Are you okay?!” Maud slowly turned over, coughing. Derpy breathed a sigh of relief and searched the skies for Spike. She saw three changelings dragging the dragon off into the distance. “No!” She cried out again. But Derpy didn’t have time to react. The other two changelings appeared out of nowhere and kicked her back away from the boat. Following right behind them was the sea serpent’s tail once more. Only this time, it wouldn’t miss the boat. Derpy tried to warn Maud, but the impact was immediate. The tail slammed down into their tiny vessel, sinking it far beneath the water. Derpy opened her mouth to scream for her friend, but her breath was suddenly cut short when the slack from the vines went taut. The bindings tightened around her chest and yanked her into the water. Derpy cried out and screamed as she tried to free herself from her bindings. Spike watched in horror as the pegasus slammed into the water after the boat and then all was still. He struggled to free himself. But all five changelings were now on him. “Let me go you monsters!” He screamed. “Let me go!” The changelings ignored him, and one flew down, meeting the dragon face to face. Opening its mouth, the insectoid drained enough love from Spike to render him unconscious. The changelings picked themselves up into the air, to return to Canterlot with their prisoner. Behind them, the towering ivory arches of the sea serpent slowly disappeared back into the Celestial Sea. Twilight rested her head against the cold stone floor of her prison. Somewhere amidst the bars was Chrysalis, wasting her time with who knows what. Twilight didn’t care. She was tired. Tired of this cage, tired of Chrysalis’ vein attempts to escape . . . tired of seeing this false image of her friends. She felt as though she’d been trapped in a glass jar, with the whole world burning around her. And she could do nothing but bang her hooves against the walls, screaming even though no-pony could hear her. She wanted to sleep, wanted to shut everything out, even if only for a minute. But sleep wouldn’t come. Believe it or not, she was too tired even to sleep. Honestly, Twilight just wanted to go home. She wanted to leave this place behind and drown herself in something, anything to make her forget what Daybreaker and Chrysalis had done. A loud screech echoed in through the ceiling. Twilight covered her ears as the sound grew louder. The terrible noise resembled someone flipping on a microphone too close to a speaker. The blaring noise continued for several seconds. Even Chrysalis dropped to her knees, apparently just as sensitive to the loud noise as Twilight. “What in the name of Equestria is going on?” Chrysalis grumbled. The noise rumbled on through the caverns for several more seconds, before suddenly dying away. In its place were the sound of hoof-steps and voices. “Are you trying to make us deaf?!” Chrysalis screamed to no one in particular. “Quiet!” Twilight shouted. Her eyes scanned the ceiling, trying to determine whether the sounds were just being projected from somewhere in the castle, or if it was possible the voices really were right above them. “Finally, after much trouble and aggravation, you are finally here.” Daybreaker’s voice echoed in through hidden sound system. “Welcome back to Canterlot, Spike.” Twilight’s ears drooped. “S-Spike?” She whispered. Her heart fell in her chest. “N-No . . . this has to be a trick. Spike wouldn’t . . .” Silence was the only answer the possessed Celestia received. Twilight kept her eyes glued to the ceiling. She stared hard, as if staring hard enough would let her see through the stone. Her mind racing with a dying hope that this was just some elaborate trick; a hoax for the alicorn’s amusement. “Where was we?” Daybreaker asked. It was then that Tremor’s voice spoke up. “Him and the other two were in route to the Dragon Lands when we captured him.” At this, Daybreaker broke out into a fit of laughter. Her booming voice echoed down over Twilight and Chrysalis. “S-Spike . . .” Twilight’s voice dropped down to a whisper. Fresh tears coated her eyes. He’d been going for backup. He’d been attempting a rescue with the help of the other dragons. Who was with him? Maybe they’re still out there . . . Twilight’s thoughts drifted hopefully. If all Daybreaker had was Spike, then maybe . . . “And what of the other two?” The alicorn’s voice echoed once more after her heartily laugh. “Drowned.” Tremor answered almost immediately. “They drowned, Queen Daybreaker. My soldiers saw to that.” “No!” Spike cried out from above. And it broke Twilight’s heart to hear the dragon like this. She recognized the breaks in his voice. She understood the cracks and every tonal change. Spike was trying hard not to break down into tears. “They’re not dead.” He said with a hoarse voice. “T-They’re not.” Daybreaker scoffed. “Such a shame. I expected more from Twilight’s pet.” “I’m not her pet!” “Whatever.” Daybreaker answered, clearly a bit uninterested. “To think though, here I was expecting a great plot of retaliation and rescue from you. And all you could conjure up in that thick little skull of yours was more dragons! Like they would’ve stopped me!” A large crackle of magic reverberated through the walls of the caves. Twilight began to panic. “Spike!” She cried out when she heard his scream of terror. Twilight galloped around the prison, following the hoof-steps that had to be pulling her friend around. Panting, she knew she couldn’t do anything, but she couldn’t leave him. She couldn’t abandon him. He was all the princess had left. “Spike! Hang on!” Twilight cried out, tears flooding over her face. She could feel Chrysalis’ eyes on her, watching her. She didn’t care. Her friend was in trouble. The hoof-steps finally stopped and Twilight looked down where she was. The projection of her friends lay right in front of her. Panting to regain her breath, Twilight shook her head. “Please . . . no . . .” She begged. The projection flickered. It went out for a second. But when it came back on, there was one more sleeping amongst the ponies. In the corner, Spike lay curled up on the ground. His body wrapped up tight like a frightened filly. His cheeks were wet and Twilight couldn’t help but drop to her knees. “S-Spike.” “Bravo changeling! Bravo.” Daybreaker’s voice sounded off from above once more. “You did quite well, for a changeling that is.” “Thank you, Queen Daybreaker.” Tremor’s voice appeared to fumble around for a moment. “And Chrysalis my Queen? When may I see her?” Daybreaker was silent for moment, assumedly in thought. “Soon. First, I want all of your remaining changelings to set up a perimeter around the castle. Make them my guards. Then, we’ll talk about your visiting hours.” Hoof-steps were heard and then silence. The loud screeching noise bounced in through the caverns again and then all was silent. The “speaker system” was off. Twilight laid herself against the floor. She pressed herself as close to the little dragon as she could. For a while, she just watched him. She watched him inhale, exhale, and then repeat. She saw him shiver like the others occasionally did. When Twilight could take no more, she turned her head away and closed her eyes. The princess allowed herself to cry. Time stood still and memories of Spike and her friends rushed on through Twilight’s head. She remembered when she’d hatched him, how cute he’d been. How surprised both of them were at seeing each other. She remembered growing up with Spike in Canterlot. All the running they would do around the castle, laughing and playing until their sides hurt. Then of course their trip to Ponyville, and the introduction to Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash. They were right there. All of them now. Together, yet who knows how far apart. Tears streaked down Twilight’s face and took in a deep, raspy breath. “W-Why? Why did all this have to happen? What could she possibly gain from all this?” The sound of hoof-steps moved up beside her. Twilight shuddered and opened her eyes enough to stare up at the changeling queen. Chrysalis’ stone face stared back. “For control. She’s doing this for complete control. Surely even you can see that.” Twilight bit her lip and nodded. Yes, she understood that. Daybreaker wanted every assurance possible that Equestria would be hers. She knew that. This whole time, she knew that. Yet, something broke apart inside of her. It shattered like glass and ripped its way through her. “He was it.” Twilight whispered, realizing what it was. “He was all I had left. My last hope. And now . . .” “He’s gone.” Chrysalis finished calmly. “Tremor and the others captured him to ensure my safety. They were just protecting me.” Twilight nodded. “I know. I know.” She said. As much as she wanted to, and as easy as it would’ve been, blaming Chrysalis for this one was inappropriate. Enemy or not, this was not Chrysalis’ fault. “I just . . . I wish everything could go back to normal. I want my friends back. I want my life back; our lives back.” “Twilight,” Chrysalis’ voice was calm, almost soothing. “I don’t think anything can bring things back to how they were. Those times are gone.” Twilight nodded. She gulped, swallowing the heavy knot that had formed in the back of her throat. “I know.” She said. “But, I’d settled for close enough. I’d take anything over this.” Chrysalis licked her lips. “There is still my plan.” The princess stopped. “I . . .” she started, and then stopped again. Her gut reaction was to refuse. But she couldn’t. What had been Chrysalis’ plan again? Twilight couldn’t remember. She couldn’t remember anything aside from what lay right in front of her. Her friends. That’s all her mind would let her remember right now. And they needed her. They needed her now, more than ever. “What was it again?” Twilight asked. Chrysalis smiled and leaned down beside the princess. “I believe I can free us. But I need your magic, your love.” The queen spoke slowly, so as not to frighten Twilight off from her idea. “With enough of it, I think I can break us out of this prison. Then together, we save your friends. We find the Elements of Harmony, and we stop Daybreaker.” When Twilight stared up into her eyes, Chrysalis softly added, “Equestria will go back into the proper hooves.” Before she could even consider the repercussions, Twilight felt her lips move, and her voice answer. “Fine. I can’t take this anymore.” Chrysalis hesitated. “Are you sure?” Twilight nodded. A wide smile formed in the back of Chrysalis’ head. So wide, she struggled to keep it from showing. The moment had come. The moment she’d been waiting for, praying for in this dreary little prison had finally come. Sliding herself alongside the young princess, Chrysalis wrapped a foreleg around the violet alicorn and pressed the mare close up to her side. Twilight let out a nervous squeak that could’ve been mistaken for Fluttershy. When Twilight tried to push away, Chrysalis cooed. “Shhhhh it’s alright princess. I’ll only take what I need. I promise.” Twilight stared back up into Chrysalis’ eyes, filled with uncertainty. Her expression said it all. She was already thinking of pulling out. Chrysalis couldn’t have that. Not when she was this close. Loosening her grip on her meal, the queen gave Twilight some space and asked, “Would it be easier if I took on another form? I don’t have to look like myself for this.” Twilight bent hung her head down in shame. “I’d appreciate that.” She whispered. This is almost too easy. Chrysalis mentally chuckled. After years of observation, of spying on the princess and her gang of friends, Chrysalis already knew the exact pony that could bring her distraught victim solace. She didn’t even ask the mare whom she should turn into. Chrysalis just did it, and once her transformation was complete, she brushed a sparkling white hoof through Twilight’s mane. “Twilight.” She said in that bright, gentle voice. “Twilight my pupil, I am here.” At the sound of her voice, Twilight Sparkle turned to face Chrysalis. Her eyes softened, teared up as she gazed upon the Princess Celestia disguise that the changeling had slipped into. The poor thing wrought with so much guilt and pain, prostrated herself before the fake. “P-Princess Celestia.” She whispered. Chrysalis nodded. “Yes Twilight. It is me.” Then she moved in closer to Twilight. This time, the mare didn’t step away, but actually stepped towards her. Whether she still cared that it was really Chrysalis behind the mask, the queen didn’t know. But she also wasn’t about to find out. “Come closer, and rest. You’ve worked so hard for me dear princess.” Twilight bit her lip. Fresh tears sprinkled down her cheeks and though she fought to hold them back, she eventually burst out crying. Chrysalis moved over to comfort the young princess, draping her in a bright sparkling white wing. For a while, Chrysalis hugged Twilight, brush her cheeks with false feathers. Counting down the seconds until she could feed, she waited until Twilight had calmed down. When finally, the sobbing subsided, Chrysalis tilted the mare’s chin up and locked eyes with her. “Do not cry Twilight Sparkle,” she said, leaning her own lips down towards the princess’. “I’m right here for you.” Chrysalis said with Celestia’s voice. She watched as Twilight nodded, a small blush singeing over her tear-streaked face. “Celestia . . .” The princess closed her eyes and parted her lips. Chrysalis allowed herself a brief smile. This was it. She pulled the alicorn into an embrace and pressed their lips firmly together. Twilight whimpered into her mouth, trembling. Chrysalis hugged the alicorn close to her. With one foreleg wrapped around her back and the other combing through her mane, Chrysalis indulged the princess with her fantasy for a few seconds longer. Without pulling away, Chrysalis began to suck the love out of Twilight Sparkle. She felt the mare’s body spasm and writhe violently below her. She did not let go. Chrysalis kept their lips connected, hugged Twilight close so that their chests rubbed together. The princess started to buck and beat against Chrysalis’ sides. The queen only tightened her grip. As love poured out of Twilight and into her own body, a fresh burst of power pumped into her veins. More. I need more. Chrysalis brushed her lips around Twilight’s into a mangled kiss. When Twilight opened her eyes, pleading with Chrysalis to let her go, the queen did the opposite. Like a filly squeezing a juice box to empty out every last drop, Chrysalis squeezed Twilight against her. Her horn lit up with the overflow of power and the queen stared into Twilight’s weakening gaze. You’re mine Twilight. You’re mine. She concentrated, her hypnosis wearing into the alicorn. When Twilight’s body grew weak, her protesting deteriorated into only the flapping of her tail. Her eyes started to roll back, glowing green. At this, Chrysalis cutoff the flow of love and finally broke her passioned kiss with the princess. She let Twilight’s unconscious body drop against the cold, stone floor. A large smile spread across Chrysalis’ face. She licked her lips and smacked them together.Finally discarding the Princess Celestia disguise, Chrysalis stepped over Twilight and kicked the princess onto her back. She grunted in pain but did not awake. “You’re a far sadder excuse for a princess than I ever could have expected, Twilight Sparkle.” Chrysalis burst into laughter, something she thought she would never again do. “But, you were a very good kisser.” And leaning in, she pecked the princess on the cheek, and whispered, “I’m sure we’ll be doing this again.” Then turning away from the sleeping Twilight, Chrysalis looked towards the bars. “Now. Time to prepare our escape.”