//------------------------------// // I - Centuries in the Past, but not Many // Story: Zebrabwe's Secret // by GMBlackjack //------------------------------// Chrysalis sat on a throne of marble in the midst of her hive, glaring at the entrance to her chambers. All of her armored drones were standing as still as they possibly could, knowing that one wrong move would earn their Queen’s ire.  The muffled sound of an explosion reached Chrysalis’ ears, prompting her to bare her fangs. “If they don’t stop her…” The drones said nothing. This disappointed Chrysalis; she had been hoping for an excuse to lash out. She spent the next little while pondering how, exactly, she could prompt a drone to react and thus justify an outburst. Actually, as Queen, she might not even need justification.  Before she could act upon this realization, however, the main entrance was engulfed in a brilliant solar flame, revealing a massive armored alicorn. Her pastel mane swirled with its usual ethereal energy, mocking the tattered mess on Chrysalis’ head. “Celestia…” Chrysalis breathed. “We meet again…” “This is going to go as it always does,” Celestia declared, blowing the drones away with a simple burst of magic. “I really do have to make this harder for you,” Chrysalis grunted. “One of these days your magic will be useless against me!” Celestia smirked. “Then I’ll just find another way. Evil will never triumph.” “Never?” Chrysalis grinned. “I think you’re forgetting about all the other places I’ve destroyed. Imagine, if you will, a world without me or my brood. How many ancient nations would remain without my influence? How much competition might you have?” “I would much rather have competition than your scourge upon the world.”  “And what are you going to do about it? Take me out again? We both know that doesn’t work. I just. Keep. Coming. BACK!” Celestia’s grin didn’t falter. “I am going to seal you in a volcano.” “...What.” “You heard me.” “Did I? I could have sworn you said you were going to seal me in a volcano.” “That’s right.” “That’s ridiculous. And my drones would find a way to get me out even if it wasn’t. They always do.” “That’s why I’m sealing them with you this time.” Chrysalis raised an eyebrow. “Really? Really? You don’t have the power.” “My power? Oh, no, it wouldn’t be mine. It would be…” She tossed an orange crystal on the ground. “This.” Chrysalis stared at it in disbelief. “Is that…?” “I have no idea what it is,” Celestia admitted. “But I know what it does. Have fun, I hope you get a nice tan!” Chrysalis shot the crystal with her magic.  This turned out to be exactly what Celestia had wanted her to do. The crystal took control of Chrysalis’ own magic and, through her, the magic of the entire changeling hive. Chrysalis vanished in a puff of orange dust… reconstituting inside a red cavern just above a river of molten lava.  “...Sassafras,” Chrysalis muttered. “Why does this always happen!? She didn’t even use an army this ti—”  Her brooding was quickly interrupted by several hundred changelings falling onto her.  “CURSE YOU CELESTIA!” Celestia did not hear her. She didn’t hear anything. After all, the hive was now completely empty.  Deciding her work was done, Celestia encased the orange crystal in her magic and buried it in the ground where she hoped no one would ever find it.  But, sometimes, even the Princess of the Sun engaged in a bit of wishful thinking.