Dream Team
After a quiet and pleasant evening that ended with Chrysalis snuggling up with Luna in bed, she found herself in a dream taking place in Bugartha that quickly ended when Luna pulled her out of it and into her dream realm. Chrysalis had been here numerous times, but the sight of the endless stars and the many dreams surrounding her almost always left her breathless. “I’m so glad you agreed to join me, Chrysalis. I think the two of us will make a far superior team than the three of them!” Of the many dream orbs falling around them, Luna summoned three before herself. How Luna was able to find anything without even looking was still a mystery to Chrysalis. Now that she thought about it, with Luna’s reign over dreams, how truly powerful was the younger royal sister? “Are you ready to begin?”
All Chrysalis could feel was stress as she looked at the orbs, but then she turned her head to see Luna grinning expectantly. With her changeling charm, Chrysalis smiled lovingly at her, no matter how hopeless this task felt. “As ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s get to work.”
Entering the first orb, Chrysalis covered her eyes from the brightness of the dream. It look similar to the Canterlot throne room, only with a lot more gold and jewels that radiated in the sunlight. When her eyes adjusted, she moved her hoof aside and gasped at the sight. Before her was what she assumed to be Adagio in her true form laying in a massive bath that reeked of salt water as an endless amount of ponies and changelings stood before her.
However, the siren herself was gigantic and any food brought to her was enhanced in size by Twilight Sparkle, who was chained up and looked absolutely miserable. The alicorn was set on a balcony high above Adagio and picked up strawberries from a bowl, enlarging them before tossing them in the colossal maw below her. On the ceiling directly above the siren was a massive mirror facing the bath and Chrysalis dared not think of what purpose it could serve.
Chrysalis and Luna flew over the crowd and were kept invisible from the dreamer. “Queen Adagio!” one pony called. “In a short amount of time, you have united all kingdoms of the world and brought all crime to an end, making you the most successful creature that has ever lived. Do you have any comments?”
“Absolutely. I could go on all day about me.” Chrysalis and Luna rolled their eyes. “But in short, there’s no need to for people to fight when they spend all their time worshipping me.” Adagio chuckled. “Unless I have them fight for my entertainment, but that’s not a crime in my kingdom?”
“Your Highness, is it true you are going to star in a movie?” asked a changeling.
“Many! In fact, my first film will be my origin story.” Adagio sat up and posed dramatically with the back of her hoof on her forehead. “It will be about how I was the most talented siren to have ever lived and was destined for something greater. There were many obstacles in my rise, my fall, and then my rise to stardom like pesky ponies and, ahem, certain doubters.”
She pointed toward the corner of the room, where they saw Aria also in her true form as she sat under a giant neon sign that read “I questioned Adagio’s talent and all I got was the official title of ‘World’s Biggest Moron’.” The frown the pink siren bore bent far more than what seemed possible. “And when it comes out, everyone must watch it unless they would like to find themselves in the dungeon. Then again, who can say no? Nobody!” Adagio loudly laughed and laid back down before devouring another strawberry.
Chrysalis spat on the ground as the crowd barraged the siren with more questions regarding her movie. If changelings fed off pride instead of love, Adagio could have ended the hunger of the entire changeling kingdom on her own. “Luna, would you do the honors and end this?”
“Gladly.” In a burst of magic, the dream poofed into smoke, leaving them in a black void of nothingness, and Adagio flailed around before slamming onto the solid floor of space.
“W-what’s going on!? Where’s my kingdom!? My fans!?”
“And I thought I had an ego problem,” commented Chrysalis with disgust.
Adagio picked herself up and looked down at them. It was fortunate that they were only in a dream as Chrysalis feared what a creature like Adagio could do to her in the real world. “You two!? Tell me what’s going on!”
“We’re in the realm of dreams. Everything you just saw was merely something your mind created.” Luna brought them out of Adagio’s dream and back to where all the other dreams were. Adagio quietly gasped when they arrived and she curiously watched the orbs fall around her. “Sorry to interrupt your pleasant...fantasy, but we have business tonight. We will explain more once we retrieve your friends, so please wait here. Come along, Chrysalis.”
As Luna entered the next orb, Chrysalis grinned at Adagio. “Just watch your footing. One wrong step and we can never get you back from the dark abyss of nightmares.” Adagio whimpered as she looked downward and a hoof came out of the orb to pull in Chrysalis.
“Must you torment her when we are trying to teach friendship?” scolded Luna as the bright light of the dream began fading.
“Fear always makes an effective motivator. And who said I couldn’t have any fun tonight?” Brushing off Luna’s hard stare, Chrysalis finally turned her attention to the environment and her cheerful grin died in an instant. “Oh no.”
“Oh yes!” Luna flew forward, squealing and jumping like a filly as she looked at every arcade machine she found. “Now this is what I call a dream come true! Chrysalis, do you remember our date to the Canterlot arcade? I had never played so many games in my life!”
“The one where you shook me down for bits so you could win that stupid claw game?” deadpanned the changeling. “The one where you left me in the dust as you played video games and shushed me so I wouldn’t break your concentration? Was it also the one where you screamed at a child in your royal Canterlot voice for beating you in that fighting game several times in a row? Why yes, Luna. I do remember.”
As hard as she tried, Chrysalis could not hold her cold stare when Luna turned to her, revealing her innocent but hurt eyes accompanied with her bottom lip sticking out. Sighing, the former queen walked up and kissed the shorter pony. A sudden roar of cheering broke their tender moment and they looked over to the source of the noise. Around one of the machines was a crowd of strange creatures Chrysalis had never seen before. They stood on two legs, were fully clothed, lacked fur or scales or anything, and had fingers. “Luna, what abominations are those supposed to be?”
“I believe these are the creatures of the other realm that Twilight spoke of.” Luna stepped closer to look over them and tugged at some of their clothes. “I recall the Dazzlings complaining about their forms from here and these beings carry a strong resemblance.” Floating over the crowd, Luna motioned Chrysalis over. “Tell me if she looks familiar.”
In front of the arcade machine labeled “Heartbreaker” stood another creature with familiar features. Wearing purple jeans, a sleeveless shirt under a torn green vest, and sunglasses, Aria Blaze sucked on a lollipop as she held her weapon toward the arcade machine, blasting away other creatures with hearts in their eyes.
“I love you!”
Bam!
“Marry me!”
Bang!
“You think you can date me? You may be hot stuff, but you’re not good enough!”
Ka-boom!
Aria laid waste to her virtual foes with no effort, reducing them into puddles of heartbroken crybabies, until the game ended no less than a minute later. “You win! Love is dead! FOREVER!” The machine showed a high score menu and she placed the first three letters of her name onto the top of the list. Blowing the tip of her weapon, she returned it to its holster and turned toward her fans.
“Aria Blaze is so cool!”
“We love you, Aria!”
“Give us your autograph!”
Aria stood motionless for a moment before raising her hand, forming her fingers into a vaguely similar shape to the weapon she held earlier and pointed toward them. “Pow.” Like magic, everyone fell onto the floor of the arcade, sobbing and wailing as they clutched their broken hearts. With the way clear, she walked toward the exit with immense sway in her hips before everything vanished and she was returned to her siren form. “W-what?”
“We’re just as clueless as you.” Gasping, Aria whirled around to see Chrysalis and Luna approach her. “What was that all about?” asked Luna.
Taking a moment to calm down, Aria returned to her usual rude and uninterested self. “Oh, that was nothing. Just putting the lessers in their place. I’m sure the two of you know how it is.” She crossed her forelegs and looked around the empty void they stood in. “Dream land, eh?”
“How did you know?” questioned Luna in surprise.
“I’m not an idiot. You’re the Princess of the Night with magic powers, so dream powers aren’t a stretch.” Instantly, a can of soda popped into existence and she opened the top. “I always wanted a dream where I could do whatever I want.” Given her massive size, it did not take long for her to empty the can and toss it aside. The can bounced on the ground a few times before it quickly morphed into Twilight Sparkle herself. Neither Chrysalis or Luna had any time to say anything before Aria’s tail pounded the pony into oblivion with a single blow, its might echoing across the empty dream. “So how long have you been spying on me?”
“I do not spy!”
“But you watch ponies’ dreams, right? Maybe they don’t even know you’re there and you just enjoy the show.”
Luna’s cheeks puffed as she looked defiantely at the siren. “I monitor them to save my subjects from nightmares. It is my duty as the Princess of the Night and my form of atonement.”
“Whatever.” Aria pointed at Chrysalis. “So why is bugface here?”
“It’s Chrysalis,” she snapped.
“Sorry. I don’t seem to recall asking for your name.”
“You little…” Chrysalis stepped forward, but was then held back by Luna’s hoof.
“Just wait with Adagio while we go fetch Sonata.” Luna opened a rift and they were back in the dream realm, where Adagio was peeking into an orb in her hooves. “Ahem!” The siren yelped and dropped the orb, letting it fall into the abyss. “Please do not touch those. Why don’t you keep Aria company for now?”
As Chrysalis and Luna went toward the final orb, they heard Aria comment, “How much you wanna bet Sonata’s dream is empty like her head?” This brought out a giggle from the other siren.
Chrysalis braced herself as they entered the final dream, appearing in what looked like a hallway of a school inhabited by more of those strange creatures and it wasn’t long until they found Sonata and Adagio leaning against some lockers. “So how did your test go?” asked Adagio.
“Super! I got an A! As usual.”
“That’s why you have a GPA of twenty thousand.” Adagio put an arm around her. “So how about you give me some studying tips sometime as you are the smartest girl in the whole school? I could use a few pointers.”
“Anything for my best friend! If I help you, will you teach me how to be as talented and confident as you?” Sonata let out a happy sigh. “Maybe then, he will finally ask me out!”
Smirking, Adagio pointed down the hall. “You mean him?”
The two dream guests looked behind themselves and were stunned by the sight. It was a male creature riding upon a massive pony that looked way too much like Prince Blueblood for Chrysalis’s comfort. The bipedal creature’s golden mane flowed in the wind that clearly did not exist and he strummed his electric guitar. He wore glittering jeans and lacked a shirt, displaying his six packed abs to all. His flawless dark blue skin glistened with sweat and he rode up to the two sirens. “Hello, ladies.”
“Hello.” Adagio turned to her friend, who was biting her thumb and looking away. Giving her a pat on the back, Sonata worked up the courage to respond.
“H-hi, Bradley Hunkington.”
“Bradley Hunkington?” repeated both Luna and Chrysalis.
“So summer is almost here,” he spoke in a soothing voice that just reeked of sap to Chrysalis. “What are you going to do, Sonata?”
The dreamer twirled some of her hair around her finger. “Oh, you know. Just figuring out what I’m going to major in college. I’m thinking about getting a degree in being a billionaire with a minor in super modeling. Maybe I’ll do what my bestie is doing and get degrees in singing and being famous. Just basic stuff involving conquering I mean saving the world and stuff.”
“Luna, what in Tartarus am I witnessing?” Shrugging, Luna held up a bucket of popcorn and Chrysalis happily took it.
“That sounds great.” Bradley hopped off his mount and gave it a pat as it exited down the hall. “But how about something fun? I know you like going to the beach.” He slowly took Sonata’s hand, prompting a gasp from her. “I bet you look amazing in a bikini.”
Chrysalis tossed her bucket at one of the students and it just phased through them. Even in a dream, she could feel the sensation of bile trying to escape her throat. “Ugh! Gag me with a spoon already! I feel like I’m trapped in one my sister’s novels!”
Luna loudly shushed her. “Keep it down! We’re almost to the good part!” She leaned in closer, eating popcorn at increased pace, as Chrysalis just rolled her eyes.
“Oh, Bradley…” The two looked deeper into each other’s eyes and the distance between them steadily grew smaller. “I-”
A sudden bolt of magic shot out and grabbed Bradley, pulling him down the hall. Turning around, they saw that he was held captive by another girl in and orange skirt, a purple shirt, a black leather jacket, and a mane of yellow and red. “Well, well, well. My cast didn’t catch a siren, but I guess it’s true what they say about there being plenty of fish in the sea!”
Sonata gasped and took a defensive stance along with Adagio. “Sunset Shimmer!”
Chewed popcorn erupted from Luna’s mouth. “Sunset Shimmer?” she and Chrysalis repeated.
“What do you want with Bradley Hunkington!?”
“My dark mistress Twilight Sparkle wants him to join her friendship army.” Sunset cackled as dark magic enveloped her hand. “She also said that I could dispatch you two if you were to get in my way! I shall seal you away from your lover boy in...THE FRIEND ZONE!” She waved her hand and a burst of magic shot toward them. At the last second, Sonata and Adagio backflipped to dodge the attack.
“Looks like I need to teach you another lesson! This school is ours to dominate!” Sonata pulled out a scepter from nowhere and held it upward. “Siren powers, activate!” The whole room disappeared and they were in a void of pink light. Sonata’s body began to glow and her outfit changed into a white shirt and a short, pink skirt that shined brightly and adjusted in size when her chest and rear expanded significantly. From the top of her head, they could see little pony ears pop up and a pair of pink wings grew on her back. Sonata kept twirling around as more changes were made to her appearance.
“Okay, this has gone on long enough! Luna, end this already!” Nodding, Luna channeled her magic and brought the three of them into darkness.
Sonata, however, kept her eyes closed and she continued spinning and making small noises to imitate her transformation sequence. It wasn’t long until she realized what happened and panicked. “Oh no! Sunset banished me and has taken Bradly away!” She then realized her body had reverted to its original form, causing her to gasp and cover herself with her hooves. “I can’t let Bradly see me like this! I’m not cute or marketable enough!”
Pinching the bridge of her nose, Luna sighed. “No, Sonata. You were just dreaming all that. You live in Equestria now, remember?”
When reality came crashing down, Sonata hunched over, pouting. “Oh. I guess Bradley isn’t real.”
“We’re just going to pretend we never saw any of that.” Luna returned them to the dream realm, where Aria and Adagio awaited. “Now that you’re all here, I shall explain everything. Celestia has asked me to help you three learn the values of friendship since you have been having great difficulty. That is why...wait a minute!” She magically pulled the two sirens toward her and grabbed their hooves. “Chocolate chip cookies? Where did you get these!?”
“We just dreamed them up,” answered Aria nervously.
“That only works within your own dream, which is why you were able to conjure your drink. Out here, I’m the only one in control.” Luna pulled them closer and locked them in a fierce gaze. “You reached into somepony’s dream, didn’t you!?” Reluctantly, Adagio held out her tail with an orb held by her fins. Inside, Chrysalis could see Celestia in a kitchen of a house, putting down a plate of freshly made cookies for Luna as well as younger versions of Twilight, Spike, and Cadance. “Do not interfere with dreams! They are delicate and your actions could have an effect on the dreamer’s mind!”
“Wow. Stolen cookies,” Aria snarked while eating the rest. “Truly a night terror. I’m sure therapists help ponies with that all the time.”
“That’s not the point!” Luna held her stare for a moment and then relaxed. “Just don’t touch anything here. We’re here to help continue your lessons.”
“If I pinch myself, will I wake up and not have to do this?” asked Aria as she looked off into the distance.
“I’m afraid not.” Luna held a hoof toward her companion. “To help me tonight is my good friend, Chrysalis.”
“How exactly is this any different from what Celestia has tried?” questioned Adagio, annoyed. “I could have been enjoying my dream right now.”
“We’re not exactly like Celestia. If you recall, both Luna and I have once tried overthrowing her by force,” answered Chrysalis. “While Luna was purified during her second attempt, it took me time to change my ways.” She walked right up to Adagio and made a slow circle around her. “I know exactly how you feel. You hate Twilight Sparkle with every fiber of your being. The only thing that keeps you going is the thought of getting back at her for what she did to you. You won’t be satisfied until she’s at your mercy and the world is yours.”
Sonata was grinning. “Wow! Are you a mind reader?”
“Not quite. I’ve merely been through the same things as you have. Remember, I was a queen once.”
“And this is supposed to be an improvement?” asked Aria in disbelief. “Are you happy your little sister kicked you out and sits on a throne while you sit in a prison being ordered around by ponies?”
Chrysalis barely held back her scowl. “In a way, I am. The experience has helped me learn many things and helped me become a better person. I may not be queen, but that doesn’t mean I’m not happy with my life now.” Her eyes quickly glanced at Luna. “And I’ve met plenty of special ponies who helped me along the way.”
Luna grew a small blush on her cheeks. “And now we are here to help you. I promise by the end of tonight, you will all think differently of the lessons we are offering you.”
Aria crossed her forelegs and merely rolled her eyes. “Maybe we don’t want your help. Ever think of that?”
Luna’s friendly face began to falter. “Is that so? So you three trying to rip each other’s heads off means that you’re happy and don’t need help?” Aria loudly mumbled something. “Besides, part of the condition of you being allowed back into Equestria was that you would undergo friendship lessons, so you don’t have a choice.” Luna’s horn glowed as she sent them into Chrysalis’s dream, which still remained a void until the princess created a beautiful meadow around them, filled the brim with colorful flowers and trees that shined under the full moon’s light. As a bonus, she also vastly reduced the size of the sirens that that they were roughly her height.
“It’s soooooo pretty!” Sonata floated over to some flowers to sniff them. “You have the coolest magic ever!”
“I thought a pleasant setting would be perfect to help you sirens relax for your lessons.” She laid on the grass and Chrysalis joined her. “Take a seat.” Reluctantly, the sirens joined them. “So are you comfortable?”
“Sure,” Adagio answered uncaringly. “It’s not like we have a say in this anyway.”
“Don’t be so upset, Adagio. I promise this will be an enlightening experience.” Luna summoned a film projector and a screen to replay the rumble she witnessed earlier that day. Watching them go at it entertained Chrysalis immensely, but she dared not smile in front of Luna. If they were taking bets, she would have put her money on Aria without question. “This is where you are now. Look at it.” The Dazzlings barely looked at the screen, each of them flinching. “What’s the matter? Is this not what you truly want? Is this not why you do not take my sister’s lessons seriously?”
The film faded for a moment until another scene played. Inside a disgusting alleyway, the Dazzlings were as those strange creatures from the dreams, wearing torn clothes and look less than healthy. There was no sound as the memory, apparently Adagio’s memory given it was through someone’s eyes and Sonata and Aria were present, as Aria yelled at her for something.
Adagio and the other two became pale as ghosts. “You...you saw that?”
“A dream is merely a fragment of your own mind.” Luna herself looked uncomfortable as Adagio in the film slammed Aria against a brick wall and Sonata stepped in to break it up. Shortly after, the film faded away, but the projector kept running. “I honestly do not try to pry in the privacy of others, but I wanted to know more about each of you when you first returned to this world. I couldn’t bare watching any more of you live that way. It was...painful.”
“How about you stay out of our heads!?” snapped Aria. “I feel violated knowing you can pop into my brain without me knowing about it!” There was a pause as a look of horror grew on her face and then she flew right in front of Luna. “How much have you seen!?”
“I’ve only seen bits of pieces. As I said, I do not wish to trespass as it brings issues of trust, but I thought a few memories would prove insightful. If you truly wish to know what I have seen, I saw how you came together, how you struggled in the other world, your rise, and your fall.” The siren stared at her for some time and Chrysalis wasn’t ready to let her guard down for even a second. She was amazed Luna could show such restraint with her power, especially with enemies as dangerous as them.
“I guess I believe you.” Aria returned to her spot next to Adagio, not once breaking eye contact with the alicorn.
Luna looked over each of them and took a deep breath. “I know it’s uncomfortable to accept how far you all have fallen. We both know. That’s why we want to use our experience to help you become something greater.” The image on the screen changed to the three sirens as ponies hugging each other.
“You want us to become that?” Adagio gagged in disgust. “No wonder you powerful princesses always need somepony to come to your rescue.” Her laughter quickly turned into a yelp when Chrysalis blasted the ground in front of her.
“Keep pushing your luck and you will be the ones in need of rescue,” the former queen growled.
Luna gasped and roughly nudged the changeling. “Chrysalis! Please do not use violence against them!”
“Calm down. I can’t hurt them in your realm. Besides, it’s important they learn proper respect.” She clapped her hooves and laughed. “Looks like I already taught them something. Score one for me!”
“We are going to resume Celestia’s lesson from earlier,” said Luna while giving her marefriend a dirty look. “Now then, Dazzlings, you three have clearly demonstrated frustration with one another on multiple occasions with today being the worst I have seen. I’m very worried that your frustrations with one another is inhibiting your desire to change yourselves for the better.”
Adagio crossed her forelegs. “We refuse to bow down to ponies or changelings. You are prey to our voices. Why should we change? You wish to make us into weak, sappy pawns for your own use.”
“So getting you to stop fighting and to enjoy each other’s company makes you weak?” Chrysalis questioned. “Do you want to know what shows weakness? Knowing there’s a problem and refusing to do anything to fix it. If keeping things the same is truly your wish, then say it to my face. Say that you are happy the way things are between you three and do not want to change it.” Adagio glared at her, but thankfully did not torment Chrysalis’s ears with any more of her condescending voice. “Not such a smart mouth now, are you?”
“Enough, Chrysalis. They get the point. Now this started when you, Aria, were telling Adagio things about her you don’t like. Let’s see if we can resume that without such an undesirable outcome.”
A glance at her leader told Aria that she was already on thin ice. “This is going to end so well.”
“Just try to be nice,” Luna encouraged with a smile.
Aria took a deep breath and faced the other siren. “Adagio, I was trying to say before that I don’t like how you just sat around and did nothing while I did everything in the house.”
Snorting, Adagio jabbed her hoof against Aria’s gem. “I’m the leader and you’re the follower. It’s as simple as that.”
Smacking her hoof away, Aria replied, “Well it sucked. I cooked, cleaned, did laundry, and did most of the grocery shopping. What did you do? Sit around, argue with me, waste money on frivolous junk, and worst of all, I let you do it.”
“And why did you?” asked Chrysalis. “If this was such a problem, why did you not put your hoof down back then?”
For whatever reason, Aria strangely fell silent. It was clear to Chrysalis that she wanted to say something, but she just could not get the words out. “It’s because she fears me,” gloated Adagio. “She’s a tough girl, but I’m the only siren who can bring her to heel. You see, being the leader means having your underlings-”
“I am not an underling!” Aria’s outburst caused them all to jump. “I am not some lowly minion for you to push around! You said we would rule this world together as equals, but no! I’m suddenly lesser than you just because you sing maybe a little better.” Both Luna and Chrysalis became increasingly nervous when the siren growled, showing her many deadly teeth, and her eyes gave off a red glow. “Before you go mouthing off on me again, remember that you and Sonata would have been helpless without me!”
“Oh, that is rich!” The yellow siren floated around Aria, grinning at her. “Me? Helpless without your help? You seem to be speaking about yourself.” From behind, Adagio placed her hooves on Aria’s shoulders. “What about you? Were you so happy when I first found you? You blame me for what happened, but it certainly beats your old life. The one you were so desperate to leave.”
“And you promised me something better. You promised Sonata something better. And look where we are right now.” Aria suddenly turned toward Sonata, who was mostly distracted by playing with one of the glowing flowers. “Come to think of it, I’m not sure why we keep you around. Adagio, I hate to admit, makes a good point about her worth, so what about you?”
Sonata lifted her head and cocked it. “Me? What did I do?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe open your big mouth to Sunset Shimmer. You don’t even do anything useful. I think the only reason Adagio wants to keep you is because she needs someone to fuel her ego since you adore her so much.” With her hooves over her hips, Aria hoovered over the timid siren. “The truth is that you are dragging us down. Sure, you can sing, but what else can you do? You’re just a child we’re stuck watching because you can’t take care of yourself. It’s no wonder why your fa-”
“ARIA!” The siren suddenly looked surprised and turned to Adagio, who went over to Sonata. Chrysalis could hear faint whimpers as Sonata leaned against her leader, who gently held her. “Remember the rules.” Adagio stroked the top of Sonata’s head while Aria turned away, harrumphing.
“I think I’ve seen enough.” Luna got up from the grass and looked over each of them. “Rather than risk another fight, we’re going to change things up. Each of you is going speak with me or Chrysalis alone so we can discuss how to better address your concerns with each other and how to respond to any criticism directed at you. One of you will also be allowed to relax in the meadow to help clear your head and think of what you want to say.” She turned to Chrysalis. “Why don’t you deal with Adagio first and I take Aria?” The alicorn walked up to and placed a hoof on the blue siren. “Sonata, go lay in the flowers and try to feel better.”
“Okay.” Sonata was about to leave, but she quickly turned back around with a sudden surge of eagerness. “Oh! Can we get cool dream powers!? There’s a whole bunch of stuff I’ve always wanted to do in a dream!” Luna, biting her lip, studied each of their pleading expressions. With a smile, her horn glowed and soon each Dazzling was briefly alit with the same color of blue. When she finished, Sonata focused and produced a massive plate of grilled fish. “Yay! You’re the best, Princess Luna!” With her imaginary meal, she floated to a small patch of flowers and curled up with her head resting on her tail. Although she seemed happy, Chrysalis watched her with concern as well as curiosity.
Luna walked away with Aria reluctantly following, leaving Chrysalis with the golden brat. “So Chrysalis,” Adagio said as she swam around to her. Just from her face, Chrysalis knew she was up to something and she’d like nothing more than to knock the look off her. “You say you’re happy with how things turned out, but are you really content with being locked up after losing everything? From being born royalty to being nothing more than a slave?”
The former queen knew straight away of what she was attempting. However, she decided she would indulge her for a moment for her own satisfaction. “I admit, it could be better. Being locked away from the world has been rather miserable and I do long for the old days of my royal status.” Chrysalis gave a dramatic sigh. “If only things were better.”
“Well maybe they can be.” Adagio floated beside her ear. “You could be free once again soon enough. If you play your cards right, you can be free to go home and reclaim all the power you once had.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying we should be on the same team.” Adagio produced an image of Nymph’s crown in her hoof. “You and I are clearly meant for greatness, but that was robbed from us by Twilight Sparkle.” An image of Twilight appeared, blasting the crown into dust and stomping on it with a face of malice. “You think she’s your friend, but how can you be friends with the pony who ruined you? You should take back what is yours. Are you really going to let pathetic little ponies choose how you get to live?” A final image appeared in the siren’s hoof, showing Adagio and Chrysalis shaking hooves with each of them wearing a crown and a wide assortment of jewelry as a massive crowd of ponies and changelings cheered for them. “We can make everything better if we work together. You could have your old life back with plenty of extra benefits.”
“I must admit that you have a way with words. Maybe there’s more to you than I believed.” Adagio held out her hoof, smiling, and Chrysalis reached for it. However, the changeling grabbed her leg and pulled her close. “If you ever try to hurt my friends or my sister, I will break your legs and tail before throwing you back into the ocean for the sharks and the seagulls to nibble on as your scream for a merciful end, which I will deny as I laugh.” She leaned in closer to her ear to whisper, “I know where you live.”
Backing away, Chrysalis was absolutely satisfied as she watched the quivering siren, whose pupils were the size of the tip of a quill. “Get out of my sight.” She chuckled a little as Adagio swam away with haste. No doubt Celestia and Luna were going to be very interested in this and hopefully it would be enough for them to banish or imprison these vile beasts.
Once Luna was finished with whatever she and Aria were discussing, Aria slowly made her way over to Chrysalis while Adagio headed for Luna and the two sirens never once making eye contact. “I have nothing to say to you.”
“Perfect. Because I have a lot I want to say, so pay attention.” Chrysalis cleared her throat while Aria just floated in front of her, looking more bored than normal. “First, I strongly suggest that you-”
“CHRYSALIS!”
She had no time react before Luna launched into the air in the form of a blue fireball and landed before her, causing a quake in the dream. “Why are you threatening them!? That’s not how you teach friendship!”
The changeling looked over Luna to see Adagio staring back, giving her a taunting wave with her hoof. “She was trying to talk me into joining forces with her to overthrow you. What was I supposed to do?”
“Certainly not make gruesome threats!! What were you thinking saying something so awful!? She’s practically shaking!” Luna stomped her hoof. “Go to Adagio and apologize this instant!”
Chrysalis snorted. “Apologize? Surely you jest. She hasn’t even apologized for her first attempt in conquering your kingdom. Perhaps you should work on that first? We need to focus on the big picture before we help them with their petty squabbles.”
“Maybe you need to focus on your behavior,” Luna countered bitterly and Chrysalis rolled her eyes in return. “I know you worry for Equestria’s safely as deeply as I do, but you need remember our goal.” She produced a vicious glare at the changeling, who felt her heart start to pump faster. “Next time think before you speak or else I will put you in detention.” With that, Luna left them alone.
“Geez. You sure made her mad.” Chrysalis didn’t see Aria’s small crack of a smile. “What exactly did you say to Adagio?”
Chrysalis almost didn’t hear her as she watched Luna leave, feeling regret tearing away at her insides like fruit bats at Sweet Apple Acres. “It would perhaps be better if I didn’t repeat it. Luna is right that I went too far.”
“Nah. I think you got the right idea. You mean business and that’s something I can respect. You might be less annoying than Luna.” Aria gagged loudly. “All she wants to talk about my ‘true feelings’ and ‘insecurities’ while you get straight to the point. The fact someone like you wants to be friends with Twilight has me curious. How the heck did that even happen? It sounds much more interesting than Luna and her story.”
“Believe me, I went through quite an ordeal to reach where I am now.” Chrysalis reflected at the events of last year, both good and bad, and then sighed. “Look, I like Luna a lot, but I don’t think she’s qualified to teach friendship to bad guys, at least compared to me. I went through the struggles! I fell rock bottom and climbed my way out! I had to deal with the emotional turmoil about revenge and letting go! It’s unfortunate she was banished for a thousand years, truly, but what did she do to redeem herself? She just got blasted by a rainbow and all was well. No one other than her sister is even alive to remember her betrayal. I’m glad she and Celestia have made up for what happened, but she had it easy compared to me.”
“Had it easy!?” Luna huffed steam from her nostrils and paced back and forth next to Aria. “Does she not understand the torment my mind has gone through for all those years? I have been crushed by guilt for so long, sometimes leaving me paralyzed! I think you understand more than her what it’s like to return to a world that has changed beyond recognition.” She could not take another step as sorrow bloomed within her. “I know Chrysalis doesn’t mean it. She just gets angry sometimes and ends up doing and saying things she later regrets. Besides, how can I have it easy when she can hide away from those judging eyes and fearful whispers? She can live life without worrying about what people are thinking when they look at her. In a way, I consider her to be the lucky one.”
“She knows better than I do!? ” Chrysalis roared at Sonata. “The nerve of that pony! I don’t see how she’s so qualified to teach friendship when all she did was get blasted by a rainbow! Sometimes I think I should be taking charge of you three or even of my own situation.” She both sighed and scowled as the memory of the Crystal Empire intruded her thoughts. “If I had it my way, I would be trying to approach these ponies who still fear me and make them understand my reasons. I had a kingdom that had been dealing with food shortage since its very establishment, so I had to make difficult choices, even ones involving conquest. It was a battle for survival. And yet, Luna turned evil and tried bring about eternal night for her own ends, so where are the ponies protesting her? How do I look so much worse in comparison? How do I look so much worse than Discord!? Ponies need to realize my actions were far more selfless than those of Luna’s.”
Luna reared back and slammed her hooves on the ground, embedding prints several inches deep in front of Adagio. “She called it a temper tantrum!? Is that how Ms. ‘She had it easy’ sees my darkest moment!? The utter gall of that changeling! It’s true I did a horrible thing, but she should realize she’s not entirely innocent, either! Ponynapping a princess during her own wedding and intending to marry her groom is not something a good queen does, no matter the cause! And where does this selfless noble behavior fit with her treatment of Nymph!?”
With messages constantly passed back and forth via the sirens, the lesson had been quickly forgotten as both royals focused on trying to one up the other, but it could only go for so long. Chrysalis took flight over Aria and landed on the grass before stomping forward. Luna merely warped past Adagio before marching toward Chrysalis. Their eye contact never broke for a moment as they approached each other. “May I speak with you in private!?” they boomed at each other and before going away from the Dazzlings.
“Hey!” called Sonata. “What about the friendship lesson!?”
Once they were almost out of sight, Luna summoned a massive tree with leaves that twinkled like the stars in the night sky to allow them some privacy. “Chrysalis, I expected so much more from you, but you have done nothing but hinder my progress! First you bully them with threats of violence and now you dare say these horrible things behind my back!”
“As if you’re any better!” the former queen hissed. “Besides, how has your passive techniques been going so far? Last I checked, they are still a bunch of brats who care little for what we have to say!”
“And you are behaving like one! You are going to stop making a mess of things before I force you out of my realm and take care of things myself!”
Laughing, Chrysalis slowly clapped her hooves. “Behold. The Luna I always knew was inside. It’s such a shame you won’t use that authoritative tone on those who truly deserve it but instead chose to talk like that to your dearest love.”
“You have spine to call yourself that after the hurtful things you said.” They once more locked glares. Neither of them said anything as the gentle breeze of the dream brushed past them and scattered the leaves and petals across the grass. Chrysalis had not seen Luna this furious since she had chased her around in the mines under Canterlot, but she was too angry to care. The intense staredown did not last long as Luna’s rage soon flickered out. “You called my fall to darkness a temper tantrum. How could you dare say that after all you did to support me?”
Chrysalis’s heart dropped into her stomach. “Hold on. I never said that! Luna, I know how much that whole incident has affected you. I would never dare use it against you.” She extended her foreleg and Luna hesitated before accepting her hug. “However, what I want to talk about is you saying that you know far better than I do about friendship.”
“What?” The alicorn backed up from her, shocked. “But that’s not true! Why would you ever think I would say that?”
“Sonata told me that you…” The gears clicked in Chrysalis’s head and her eyes grew. “Luna. Who exactly told you I said you had a tantrum?”
“Adagio. She said other things such as…” Luna fell silent as she and Chrysalis were quickly putting the pieces of the puzzle together.
“Luna.”
“Yes, Chrysalis?”
“Sirens feed off the negative emotions of others, correct?”
“Correct.”
“So would it be unreasonable to assume they could begin fights between others without needing their magic due to years of experience? Especially when two people are already mad at each other?”
“No.” Fire erupted from each of Chrysalis’s hooves as she slowly turned and walked away. “Where are you going?”
“Those girls want to see anger?” Chrysalis look back at Luna with her eyes glowing brightly. “They just bit off more than they can chew.”
“Now hold on!” Luna ran forward and took Chrysalis’s hoof. “You can’t just go back there and terrorize them! It will only make things worse!”
“Of course I can.” Chrysalis laughed as vile thoughts crossed her mind. “In a dream, what I’m about to do to them is not really...illegal.”
“Since this is my realm, I forbid you from hurting them! Or at least traumatizing them in this case! We need to show patience and-”
“Ah, yes. More passive punishment for some of the most dangerous creatures we have ever seen.” To add further insult, Chrysalis petted the top of the smaller alicorn’s head. “Because it has been working wonderfully so far, it is clear we need keep to letting them push us around.”
“Oh, and assaulting them would be much more effective? Are we supposed to whip them into submission?”
Chrysalis shrugged. “If that’s what it takes.”
Before she knew it, Chrysalis found herself shrunken down while Luna had grown in size. “Well because I was placed in charge of them, we will use my methods. If you don’t agree, then I shall take them into another dream while you sit here until you wake up or grow up.” Luna did not bother to wait for a response and walked away as Chrysalis followed at a distance. They found the Dazzlings simply goofing off rather than run off as Chrysalis expected. Adagio was singing to herself, Aria laid on the grass to stare at the moon, and Sonata admired the flowers. “Sirens! Come here at once!” None of them had any reaction and continued their activities. “Dazzlings!”
“This should get their attention.” Before Luna could stop her, Chrysalis launched a bolt straight at Adagio. When it made impact, it simply phased through her and she had no reaction whatsoever. “What in the world?”
Luna flew over to Adagio and pushed her hoof through her. The siren’s body wavered upon physical contact while Adagio never reacted to her touch. “An illusion!?” The princess quickly dispelled them, leaving only her and Chrysalis in the meadow. “Where are they hiding!?”
They both took into the air and scanned the area, finding no trace of any of them. “They can’t have run far. This dream can’t be this big.”
“I can find them. Give me a moment.” Luna closed her eyes and her horn glowed. Shortly after, she became alarmed. “They’re gone!”
“Gone!? Please tell me they just woke up!” The princess gasping did not help Chrysalis cope with the dread she was feeling. The alicorn hastily created an exit and they rushed back to the main realm.
Luna was in a panic as she collected various dream orbs. “Nightmares! There weren’t this many earlier! They must used the powers granted by me to escape your dream to terrorize the dream of others!”
“How is that possible!?” Chrysalis took hold of the alicorn and shook her. “It shouldn’t be possible! I thought only you had the power to move across dreams!”
“I suppose it always has been possible to anypony I grant dream magic to, but none have ever been brave or foolish enough to try something like this!” Streaks of yellow, blue, and purple each came out of an orb and went into another. “This is a crisis! So many nightmares could cause serious damage to Equestria!”
Luna took the orb and they both entered. Inside the dream was a cherry ranch as some earth pony mare with peach colored fur and a red mane screamed in horror as a gigantic swarm of changelings devoured any cherry they could get their hooves on. “Stay away!” The pony swung a broom around as changelings kept devouring her stock. “Ya’re supposed to pay for those, ya thieving wasps!” With one lucky strike, she struck one of the changelings on the head. However, he turned to her, growing viciously and slowly approached her as the others did the same. “S-stay back! Help! HELP!”
A giant wave of blue magic erupted from Luna’s horn and all of the changelings vanished while the cherry trees returned to normal. As the dreamer looked around in confusion, Luna and Chrysalis exited. “It is worse than I thought! They might be trying to ignite conflict between our subjects! If so many ponies and changelings have horrible nightmares about each other, that could have drastic consequences on the population! We need to stop them first before I can dispel all these nightmares they are creating!”
The streaks of light appeared again. “How do we catch them? They move quick!” Before Chrysalis’s eyes, three orbs glowed a color representing one of the sirens. “What’s the plan?”
“Find them and bring them here! I cannot take their power away unless I am in there in person! And stop any nightmare they cause!” The two mares went their separate ways with Luna going after Aria and Chrysalis pursuing Sonata.