//------------------------------// // Chrysalis is released from her statue prison // Story: A New Chance of Forgiveness // by Twilight Star //------------------------------// In the garden of Canterlot Castle, there was a statue that had been there for a long time, everypony who visited would probably remember the trio of villains. Of all the villains who tried to dominate Equestria, for them, the trio were the most evil, in the view of the ponies. But just because it was about twenty years ago, that didn’t mean that the ponies didn’t remember what this trio did to Equestria. To this day, ponies remember what Chrysalis, Cozy Glow and Tirek did. But now that the trio was nothing but a statue, the ponies were calmer, because Equestria now had no more villains. The Legion of Doom had three different poses: Gozy Glow had an expression of fear while having the two front hooves on her face, Tirek had his eyes closed and gritted his teeth, and Chrysalis had an angry expression while making an attack position.  Years ago, Twilight Sparkle went for a walk in the castle garden. She was saddened that she had failed to reform Chrysalis and that she had not prevented Queen Changeling’s petrification. But whenever Twilight promised herself that around Spike, her friends, her student and her subjects, she would smile, but whenever she was alone in her room, she would cry.  In the garden, the statue remained the same as always. But suddenly, statue-shaped Chrysalis started to glow white and started to break. An explosion occurred and Chrysalis fell to the floor on her stomach. Her shape was’t the same as before after she was petrified. Her fur was white and her mane was light blue angelic.  “Did I… have I been released from my statue prison?” Chrysalis got up on the floor, still confused. “But how?”  Chrysalis looked back to where she was and realized that Cozy Glow and Tirek were still petrified. She was even more confused. Who freed her? Was it the princesses Celestia and Luna? Was it the Elements of Harmony? Or was it Twilight itself? Whether or not it was one of those options, she needed to know.    Twilight Sparkle was on her throne with Spike. Twilight was already an adult alicorn and Spike, an adult dragon. Spike wore a golden medallion and Twilight Sparkle, a golden perk and a golden crown with the design of a pink six-pointed star. Twilight argued about politics and was smiling. She could be happy on the outside, but on the inside, she was sad.  The pony in the room, smiled and bowed. “Thank you very much, Princess Twilight. Your gratitude will always be appreciated by me.”  “It’s a pleasure to help you, Twisted Candy,” said Twilight Sparkle with a smile.  The pony left the room happily. When the doors to the throne room closed. Twilight’s happy expression changed to a sad one. She was struggling not to cry. Especially with Spike at her side.  No... Not in front of Spike...  The tears were trying to get to the cheek, but Twilight went faster and wiped the tears away with a hoof. She blew out a sad breath.  “Twilight, is everything okay?” asked Spike as he looked at Twilight Sparkle.  Twilight looked at Spike with a smile. “Yes, Spike. Don’t worry.”  Spike didn’t seem to accept that. “Are you sure, Twilight? I’m sure I hear you sigh.”  “Spike, you don’t have to worry about me, okay? I’m just thinking about my future that I have now.” lied Twilight Sparkle with a smile.  Spike was about to speak until Gallus opened the door and ran over to them. “Princess! Princess! Is it urgent!”  Twilight looked at Gallus worriedly. “What happened, Gallus?”  “It’s Chrysalis! She was released from her statue prison!” exclaimed Gallus, startled.  Twilight Sparkle was scared on the outside but happy on the inside. Scared of not knowing how Chrysalis was freed and happy because maybe Chrysalis was freed by somepony. But now she was in doubt. Who released Chrysalis? Did the ex-queen of the Changelings herself manage to break free through a spell? But that would be impossible. Chrysalis couldn’t use her magic while she was petrified, could she? Now she was confused.  “Twilight? Are you alright?” Gallus asked when he noticed the look of possible concern.  Twilight Sparkle came out of the shock and smiled nervously. “Yes, Gallus. I am fine.”  “Princess, we need to surround the entire castle with royal guards,” replied Gallus.  “But, Gallus. What if she regretted her actions? I’m sure she regretted it and that we don’t need to surround the castle with royal guards,” said Twilight Sparkle hopefully.  Gallus and Spike were surprised by what Twilight said. “But, princess. Chrysalis was part of the Legion of Doom. She will try to attack Equestria again,” said Gallus desperately.  “Trust me, Gallus. I’m sure of it.” Twilight Sparkle smiled.    Chrysalis was already inside the castle looking for Celestia and Luna for answers. She just hoped the princesses won’t stay without being irritated by the fact that she was released from her prison. But inside, she knew that the princesses wouldn’t be happy at all that Chrysalis was released from her statue prison. She was very evil to everypony and was blind with hate in the past.  Suddenly, she heard footsteps, she looked back and saw royal guards with spears running after her. Chrysalis gave no time and started to run to what she believed to be the throne room. Until Chrysalis saw a door close. The former Queen of Changelings smiled, she was hoping it would be the throne room. She stopped running to open the door with her magic before entering. Upon entering, she turned on her back to hoof the door.  “Chrysalis?”  Chrysalis’ ears cheered when she heard Twilight’s voice. She slowly turned her head in fear and what she saw, shocked her. Twilight was an adult alicorn and Spike, an adult dragon. Twilight approached in surprise at what she was seeing. “Chrysalis, have you ever looked in the mirror?”  “No. Why?” wanted to know Chrysalis, now no longer in shock.  “I believe you were reformed, Chrysalis,” replied Twilight Sparkle with a smile before bringing up a large mirror of Chrysalis’ height.  Chrysalis was surprised to see herself in the mirror. “How did I get like this?”  Twilight Sparkle started to think about the events. Twilight remembered when she had just been appointed ruler of Equestria, she went to the statues’ garden to mourn her failure in failing to reform Chrysalis. She didn’t know if Chrysalis heard her, but Twilight needed to know. “Did you hear me talking about you when I was in the castle garden?”  “Yes, Twilight. I heard that, and I couldn’t feel anything but sadness to see you cry,”replied Chrysalis, now sad and with a hoof in her chest.  “You know, Chrysalis. I didn’t have sure if you were listening to me,” said Twilight Sparkle, before smiling. “But I’m happy that you reformed when you were a statue. That means you have become a better changeling.”  Chrysalis smiled at the last sentence. Chrysalis didn’t imagine the pony she considered her enemy, it was happy with her.   Footsteps were heard and the door opened. The guards went to Chrysalis with spears. “Stay still, Chrysalis! If you move, we will launch these spears at you!” Chrysalis was paralyzed with fear.  Twilight Sparkle, noticing this, went to the guards. “It’s okay, guards. She’s good now. All of you can stay calm.”  The guards looked at themselves before looking back at Twilight. “Are you sure, princess?”  Twilight Sparkle closed her eyes before nodding and opening them again. “Yes. You can trust me. Return to your posts, please.”  The guards looked at themselves again before smiling. “Your orders, your majesty.”  Chrysalis was calmer and relieved. At least the Twilight royal guards already believed in her. Now the ponies only needed to believe her.  The guards came out and left Twilight, Chrysalis and Spike alone in the throne room. Twilight turned her back and went over to Chrysalis. “Well, Chrysalis. I’m sure Thorax will be surprised to see you’re reformed and he will accept you to continue to be the queen of the Changelings.”  Chrysalis seemed uncertain about that. “Twilight, I don’t want to be the queen of Changelings anymore.”  Twilight Sparkle was surprised by what Chrysalis said. “But why not?”  “It’s just that after everything I’ve done, I don’t think I deserve that title,” replied Chrysalis, now sad.  “Chrysalis, I’m sure they will forgive you.” assured Twilight Sparkle with a smile.  “No, Twilight. Thorax proved his worth. He’s better than me when it comes to taking care of the Changelings and I would feel horrible if I took that away from him,” said Chrysalis.  “You don’t even want to warn them?” asked Twilight Sparkle.  “No, Twilight. It is better that they don’t even know that I am no longer a statue,” replied Chrysalis.  “Chrysalis, if that makes you feel better, I can go with you to the hive that the Changelings live in so you can go and talk to the Changelings and Thorax,” said Twilight Sparkle.  Chrysalis was surprised. “Really, Twilight? Would you go with me to the hive?”  “Sure, Chrysalis. After all, we’re friends now, aren’t we?” said Twilight Sparkle, now with a hoof on the Chrysalis tourniquet.  Chrysalis was surprised when Twilight Sparkle said, “friend”. She never thought Twilight would consider her a friend. “I dont understand. Why do you see me as your friend?”  “Because I know you have changed. I can feel it in you. I know you’re sorry for what you did,” replied Twilight Sparkle, before looking at Spike. “What about you, Spike?”  “I am friends with Thorax and since I met him, I realized that he wasn’t evil. It took a while for others to believe that a Changeling could change,” replied Spike. “But I managed to convince them with a song and if I already saw Thorax as a friend, I see no reason why I shouldn’t see you as a friend too.”  Chrysalis never expected a dragon to befriend a Changeling and succeed in convincing the ponies that a Changeling could change. But she knew that if it weren’t for Spike, Thorax wouldn’t have met Starlight, Discord and Trixie to save Equestria from her and the unreformed changeling. But despite that, she still felt guilty about everything she did as the queen of the Changelings and didn’t know if the ponies would want to forgive her. She had a sad look.  Twilight Sparkle noticed the sadness in Chrysalis and was concerned. “Chrysalis? What happened?”  Chrysalis looked at Twilight Sparkle, still sad. “I feel guilty about everything I did as the queen of changelings. I don’t even know if the ponies will forgive me after everything I did to Equestria.”  “Don’t be sad, Chrysalis. They will see that their shape has changed.” guaranteed Twilight Sparkle.  “But what if they are mad at me?” asked Chrysalis.  “They won’t be mad at you,” smiled Twilight Sparkle. “Now with me ruling Equestria, ponies and creatures are more united than before.”  Chrysalis smiled. She didn’t know that with Twilight in charge, things would be better for others. But something left her in doubt.  “Where are Princess Celestia and Princess Luna?” she asked.  “They retired, Chrysalis,” replied Twilight Sparkle.  Chrysalis was surprised and gaping. “But why did they retire?”  Twilight Sparkle tried to come up with an answer. “I think it was because they believed that I would be a better ruler for Equestria.” “But will they find out that I was released from my stone prison?” Chrysalis asked, afraid she would be petrified again even though she was reformed.  “No. Unless they come to visit me,” replied Twilight Sparkle. “But it’s been a few years and they haven’t even visited me since I was crowned the new ruler of Equestria. So I don’t think they will come to visit me.”  Chrysalis looked a little more relieved. At least Celestia and Luna wouldn’t know that she was freed from the stone prison.  “Chrysalis, I just don’t understand one thing,” began Twilight Sparkle. “How did you break free from the statue prison?”  “While I was a statue, I saw you crying and I felt very sorry for you. I believe that as I showed and shared love to somepony, my shape gradually changed and when my shape had completely changed, the spell was lifted and I was released,” replied Chrysalis.  Twilight Sparkle was surprised. “You heard me lament about you being petrified?”  Chrysalis agreed. “Yes. I never imagined that my ex-enemy would be like this after petrification.”  Twilight Sparkle smiled. “Well, at least when you were petrified, you managed to hear me. It means that even if you were a statue, that didn’t stop you from hearing things.”  “Yes. But I wonder what made me break free from the statue,” Chrysalis was uncertain. “And will Cozy and Tirek be released from their statue prison just like me?”  “You were released because you showed forgiveness. It took a few years for you to be released, but at least now you’re no longer a statue,” replied Twilight Sparkle. Chrysalis smiled. “Now, I don’t know if Cozy Glow and Tirek will be released from statue prison anytime soon, as they don’t seem to have shown forgiveness for what they did, at least for now.”  Chrysalis’s smile fell. She felt sorry for both of them. But she decided to change the subject of the conversation. “How were your days as ruler of Equestria?”  “They were good. Now, I have a student named Luster Dawn,” replied Twilight Sparkle.  “Where does she live, Twilight?” asked Chrysalis as she was curious.  “She lived in Canterlot before, but she recently moved to Ponyville to learn about friendship.”  “How many days has she been living in Ponyville?”  “It’s been about two days.”  “Twilight,” Twilight heard Spike’s voice, looked back and saw Spike approaching her and Chrysalis. “Twilight, is that true? Is it true that you were sad because of the Chrysalis petrification?”  Twilight Sparkle looked at the floor guiltily. “Yes, Spike. Since she was petrified, I felt sorry and sad for her.”  “But why didn’t you tell me how you felt?” asked Spike as he was confused.  “Because I was afraid that if I told you, you would think what I felt was childish, since I was feeling sorry for Chrysalis,” replied Twilight Sparkle as she looked at the floor. Chrysalis looked sad at Twilight.  “But Twilight, if I made friends with Thorax, it was because I believed that changeling can change. If you believed that Chrysalis could change, I wouldn’t be mad at you, as that would be hypocritical on my part.”  Twilight Sparkle still had a sad look and she look at Spike. “So, you’re not mad at me for hiding something from you?”   Spike smiled as he hugged Twilight Sparkle. “Of course not, Twilight.”   Twilight Sparkle smiled and returned the hug. “Thanks, Spike,” Chrysalis just watched the scene with a smile.   Chrysalis approached Twilight Sparkle. “Twilight, can I stay with you and Spike in the castle?”   Twilight Sparkle and Spike looked at Chrysalis with a smile. “Of course you can,” she replied.