"And you believe her?"
In a corner of the bedroom, Chrysalis sat on the ground, playing with her crown and rolling it around with her hooves. Celestia was sitting in front of a small table, sipping on some tea while eating her third breakfast. Twilight was in front of her, having just asked the question after listening to the explanation the Princess had provided.
"What am I supposed to do? I can't throw her in a dungeon if she's telling the truth, do you know how much that would hurt my reputation?"
"And getting fooled by Chrysalis and captured wouldn't hurt it?"
Celestia gulped down another slice of cake. "After something like that already happened six times in less than a decade?"
"Seven, if you count the second time Sombra came back."
"Don't remind me of that. Didn't we decide to have that removed from the official history?"
"Still working on that."
Twilight took a sip of her tea.
"Anyway, I still think you shouldn't trust her. She should have changed by now if she was sincere."
"What if she can't change? Maybe being a Queen means she can't. Maybe she doesn't know how to do it, it looked like it took a conscious effort for the other changeling. Besides, do you really think she would take it this far?"
Twilight remembered with a shudder the way Chrysalis had jumped on her when she'd arrived at the castle. The large bug-like creature landing on her and starting to sniff her mane, followed by an innocent "Can we be friends?" spoken like it was the most normal thing in Equestria. "Yeah, I don't know if she'd be willing to. But about the changing thing, maybe we can try asking her. Chrysalis, could you-" Twilight turned around, and saw the room's door opened, no trace of the changeling save for her discarded crown on the ground, "-come... here."
"Oh, look at the time! I have an audience to attend. Well, looks like you'll have to find her on your own, Twilight."
Turning back towards Celestia the purple alicorn saw only the flash of light left by the teleportation. After a few moments of staring at the empty seat Celestia reappeared, grabbed the rest of the cake and disappeared again.
The guard was frozen in fear. The large changeling walked closer and closer to him, her eyes fixed on his body. Step after step, every click of her hole-filled hooves on the floor another second that ticked away from the countdown to his demise. Soon it would all be over, and the beast who had once attempted to destroy all he worked to protect would finally exact her vengeance upon him. The end was near, he could see it. Just three steps more. The deliberate slowness with which the creature approached was tearing him up. Two. She knew he couldn't run away, she was playing with him. One. He closed his eyes and waited for the moment it would all dissolve.
It never came. He slowly opened his eyes, and found himself face to face with the abomination, her piercing green eyes a pair of windows to a dimension of pain and suffering, two lakes, two oceans of poison and acid, the sound of her breath howling from the deepest abysses of darkness, her fangs knives ready to tear his flesh and drink his blood.
"Hi," said Chrysalis to the guard, "My name is Chrysalis, what's yours? Do you want to be friends? You have a really pretty colour, you know? I really like your armour too."
The guard passed out with a chocked scream, his body falling limp on the ground. Chrysalis curiously lowered her head to get a better look at him. From the end of the hallway came the scream of a guard who'd just rounded the corner. Chrysalis turned towards him, confused, but he had already began to run away, screaming "She's eating him!" over and over.
The changeling began to walk through the corridors, every pony she met running away from her when they saw her. A few jumped out of the windows. She kept wandering around until she finally bumped into somepony who didn't start screaming as soon as she tried to approach them.
"Twilight!" happily said Chrysalis, walking towards the purple alicorn.
"Chrysalis! I've been looking for you all over the castle! What did you do?"
The changeling was taken aback by the pony's angry tone. She stopped and stared at Twilight, eyes starting to water a little. "What... What did I do?"
"What did you do? What didn't you do is the question! Do you think you can just go around the castle scaring ponies like that?"
"I-I'm... I'm..." Chrysalis burst into tears "I'm sorry!"
Twilight stared at the crying changeling in front of her, her body thrashing around with sobs. She was just scared, after all, she couldn't blame her for not knowing what she was doing when she didn't remember anything. She went to her and hugged her tight. "There, there. It's all going to be okay. We were worried about you, that's all."
"Really?" Chrysalis asked between sobs.
"Yes."
The changeling calmed down. "I'm sorry I disappeared like that. It's just that I was bored and I wanted to play with someone."
"It doesn't matter now. Next time, though, you should ask us to come with you. Or change to something else before approaching ponies, most will be scared of you."
"But why? Am I ugly? Wait, what do you mean change? Can I-"
"Never mind! No, no, forgot you totally can't shape-shift. Just forget I said anything about it."
"Okay. Will you play with me now? Or wait! You can tell me more about myself! You used to know me, right?"
"I didn't really know you that well. But I can tell you more about ponies if you want to."
"Sure! What are those weird things on your butts? Why don't I have one?"
"That's called a cutie mark. You see, when a pony is old enough...
The Sun was setting on the horizon, and in the crowded conference room everypony stared up at Celestia, who was eating a slice of cake. A number of hooves were raised from the crowd in front of her, and she pointed at one of them.
"Princess Celestia, how do you respond to those claiming that your diet is excessive and unnecessary?" asked a green earth pony.
Celestia finished eating her slice and levitated another from the plate near her. "These are baseless accusations. In order for me to have the strength necessary to lift the sun each day each one of my five breakfasts, six lunches and four dinners is fundamental, as well as every other intake of food during my day. Next question," she said while pointing to another raised hoof.
"Princess Celestia, what do you have to say about the reports of ponies jumping out of the castle's windows this morning?" questioned a brown pegasus.
"No such thing happened. Next question."
"Princess, it has been suggested that you might have published books under a false name in the past. Books of a rather salacious content, some claim," said a grey unicorn with a blue mane and a light blue snowflake as her cutie mark, wearing a pair of glasses and a necklace.
"Absurdities, although it would make for a good story. Next, please."
"Your Majesty, there are numerous reports of a large unreformed changeling roaming the castle."
"None of them are true."
"Princess, what about the one that's walking towards you right now?"
"As I've said, these are all false claims without evidence."
"Princess, she is hugging you right now."
"Nonsense. There are no unreformed changelings in Canterlot, and this is my final statement on the matter. We are out of time now, I will be going." Celestia walked out of the room, the rest of the cake floating beside her and Chrysalis being dragged on the ground as she hugged the alicorn's neck. They entered a nearby room and the door closed behind them.
"So, about that book thing," asked Luna from a corner of the otherwise empty room.
"Sister, what season is it?"
"Summer, but wh-"
"Look out of the window, how far can you see?"
"I can see all the way to the edge of Canterlot, wh-"
"Then this is neither the season nor the weather to discuss such matters. Now if you'll excuse me I have to take care of the changeling you were supposed to guard." Celestia looked down at a rather sad looking Chrysalis. "What is it?"
"Twilight explained to me what a cutie mark is. Why don't I have one? Am I good for nothing?"
Those large green eyes stared back at the Princess. "No, dear, no. It's just... You just haven't found your special talent yet. It must be really special if it's taking you this long. I'm sure we'll figure it out. I'll help you."
"Really? Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. Can you put me to bed? Where will I sleep? Can I sleep with you?"
Chrysalis face was full of expectation. "Fine, but just for tonight."
Chrysalis squeed in excitement.
"Don't get yourself hypnotized," said Luna as Celestia and Chrysalis walked away.
After a few hallways and ramps of stairs Chrysalis stopped. "Why are ponies scared of me? Why am I so different? Is there something you aren't telling me?"
Celestia turned back and hugged her. "No. There's nothing wrong with you. I'll tell you everything tomorrow, but don't worry, everything will be-"
From behind a corner a dizzy-looking guard stumbled forward. "Princess, I just woke up... Queen-Queen Chrysalis... she's... she tried to..." his eyes focused on the changeling hugging the Princess and he passed out again.
"- alright."