Cassandra's Tangled Adventure

by Acceptable_trash

The letter

Last night Celestia had spent hours agonizing over books cataloging any and all creatures, even extending her search to tales of mythical beings and the religious figures from far off lands. She had come across many strange bipedal creatures in these books, most were pictured as monstrosities of evil.

Celestia repressed the urge to frown in disgust. Those griffins certainly knew how to create a terrifying image with words, and knew how to paint a nightmare-inducing picture even better.

The scattered innards and bloodied broken bones filling the picture of a particular beast seemed a bit unnecessary. Their description of it's eating habits was enough to get the point across.

Celestia leaned forward in her throne a bit, keeping up the appearance that she was wholly invested in what the stallion in front of her was saying.

With the rising of the sun, the day had torn her from her search, whisking her away to a sea of responsibility that was her royal duties without a care for her research.

So here she was in day court, smiling down on her subjects, losing precious hours in order to put up the facade that all was well in the kingdom, that she could afford to spend time solving the troubles of her subjects herself.

But even as time slipped past her hooves she was not idle in her work, with the centuries had come the wonderful ability to multitask while maintaining impossibly perfect awareness of her surroundings.

It was an ability that she was currently putting to use, analyzing everything she had gathered from her late-night reading, connecting and combining pieces of information that swarmed her thoughts as a chaotic cascade of knowledge and experience that would even make Discord look twice.

"It's just unreasonable to require us farmers to use nonlethal force when dealing with vermin! Already we have to maximize spell use against parasprites making us have to spend a fortune just to protect our crops! And what we get back from our sales is hardly enough to support us without jacking up the price another five bits!"

Celestia nodded as she continued her thoughts, assuring the plump earth pony that he held her attention.

Bipedal creatures were a rarity in the known lands. While they were large in number they only had variety within a species, like the cats of the west and the dragons down south. Each could be remarkably different from the other but they still fall into the same race.

Dragons were dragons and cats were cats, no matter the difference in fur length or size. But they could still be broken down into subcategories based on appearance or ability much like ponies.

Dragons that could only produce fire fell under the 'normal dragon' category while dragons with magical properties like Spike fell into the 'enhanced' category where their traits were further broken down.

At least, that was what she had gathered from her books which apparently held everything except what she wanted to know.

Centuries of discipline kept an annoyed groan from her lips, millennia of accumulated knowledge, and not one scrap of paper had what she needed to know.

Not one picture matched her description, few papers listed bipeds capable of harnessing magic and most couldn't use dark magic without total deterioration of their bodies.

Celestia smiled as she looked down at the rounded orange pony. "Your worries have been noted, do you have anything more to say, perhaps your input on how this should be resolved?"

The stallion flicked his tail. "The only option I see is to lower the royal tax on crops. Already we are up to our ears in laws taking our hard earned bits from our hooves, lower the taxes and we will be able to comply with using nonlethal force against pests while maintaining a profit."

She nodded. "Thank you Celery Branch, I shall see what I can do. This case is adjourned."

The stallion harrumphed and turned away. "See that you do, cuz I'll be back if you don't."

Celestia brushed off his brash attitude and waited for the next case when a telltale tingle ran through her horn, interrupting her mental symphony of notes and observations.

A familiar scroll appeared in her magic and she lifted a wing, making her guards pause in bringing in the next pony.

There was a purple seal on the royal red ribbon, the mark of her faithful Twilight.

Perhaps she could use this to excuse herself and return to her search.

"Court is canceled for the day, I have something to important attend to." She ordered while stepping up from her throne and stepping out of the room.

While unexpected, this letter couldn't have come at a better time, making her contemplated the exact contents. Was it something important? It wasn't time for another friendship report.

Once she exited into the hall she teleported to her private study, leaving the guards behind to wonder after the Princess and clear out the courtroom.

She appeared in her study and picked a few books off the unread pile on the floor, glancing over at their titles.

These looked promising...

Celestia sat down and set the books on her table.

First things first, the letter.

She unrolled the paper and scanned the contents.

"Dear Princess Celestia. Today my friend Rainbow Dash..."

Celestia read quietly, smiling as she continued. Twilight had written her about Rainbow Dash's experience in Las Pegasus clearly this was an early friendship report.

Celestia began to put the letter down on the table, her eyes still scanning its words as she began to push it away, planning on reading it later.

That is until she came across a certain sentence just as she was about to turn away.

"There she saw the terrible sight of a dead griffin, murdered by a guard..."

What...

Celestia furrowed her brow and read the words more intensely, creases of worry began to grow across her forehead.

"Exploding in golden light and transformed into a biped with bright blue hair and pale skin..."

This was the description of the monster, the very one sighted in the White Tail Woods.

Celestia pulled the letter off the table with her magic and held it closer to her face.

"Revived the griffin with the use of either necromancy or incredible powerful healing magic..."

"...Bright bursts of golden light accompanied by a song that could not be remembered..."

Necromancy...

Such an art had been long forgotten, mostly disregarded as an exaggeration of the past. The only ponies who knew better were those who were enrolled in her school for the gifted in magic, and even then the subject was only ever mentioned and not taught, making many forget that such magic was even real before graduation.

She disregarded the possibility of light magic, such a craft could only be harnessed by pure beings. This creature could never hope to use healing magic, not without being consumed by the light and bursting into flames.

This 'golden light' must be an illusion, a trick, nothing more.

"The possible use of dark magic, specifically that which was used by Sombra marked by the familiar characteristics of green eyes which ooze purple smoke, red pupils, deep voice..."

"Active use of crystal magic and alteration in appearance linked to the switch between magic usage..."

A confirmation of her previous thoughts, necromancy was the only possible way to restore life without the application of light magic. And the presence of crystal magic acted as further proof in showing that this was a skilled being in darkness.

"...Death by decay..."

Celestia resisted the urge to cover her mouth with a hoof, stifling her gasp under her tongue. One of her ponies was dead, murdered in front of Rainbow Dash.

Oh, the poor little one, she was brave yes, but one could never be ready to see the death of another, to watch as the light fades from one's eyes.

Celestia closed her eyes for a moment. One was never ready for death, she would know...

It took all her years of self-restraint to stop her from releasing her fury onto the paper. To think, that one of her ponies died in an attempt to apprehend the evil creature only further cemented her beliefs that that, whatever it was, was a danger to her subjects and needed to be banished from this plane of existence and destroyed If possible.

"...Followed by the defense of the three griffins and pony..."

Celestia tried to stamp down her anger, least she accidental set the room on fire with the wrath of the sun.

How could one of her subjects defend such a monster? Such a blatant creature of darkness?

"Since the defeat of Chrysalis, there is no changeling left capable of such magic, leaving me to believe that it must be some other creature capable of shapeshifting..."

"Rainbow Dash has suggested that this creature could simply be misunderstood..."

Celestia instinctively fought the urge to scowl. Of course, it's entirely possible that this monster not only works in darkness but also alters the light, confusing the minds of her poor subjects and twisting them to its side.

"Unknown if the other two guards escaped the same fate, Rainbow Dash had left before she could find out..."

Celestia couldn't blame the pegasus, if she had been in her hooves, a simple pony facing a dark master, she would have made a tactical retreat as well.

"...Dash asks that the 'benefit of the doubt' is given to the creature. We believe it is possible that such a being may simply never have been educated in proper morality..."

"...Referring to Discord..."

"...Struck out in anger..."

"...Much like the dragon phrase 'An eye for an eye'..."

Celestia narrowed her eyes. A being over thousands of years old had plenty of time to learn what is right and what is wrong. Discord was a very different subject and even he was currently treading on thin ice.

"Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

Celestia set the paper on the table and gave a tired sigh.

Oh Twilight, if only she could be as innocent as her. Trusting and believing wholly that anypony could be better, that she could trust her Princess and believe she had an all perfect ruler who always knew how to make things right.

To have peace of mind, the cost of immortality.

Her poor Twilight, she would have to watch as that innocence fades away, as it did to her sweet Sunset Shimmer...

Oh, how bitter she became...

Celestia quickly wiped away at an eye and frowned. No, she would not allow this to continue. A plan of action had to be made and quickly.

She was a Princess, ruler of Equestria, and protector of her ponies. Daughter of Queen Sunrise and King Dusk, encourager of peace, and embodiment of the sun.

She had sheltered her ponies for these last thousand years, from war and suffering. She would make sure that this threat would be taken care of before it became a problem as large as the invasion of Canterlot.

A sharp knock sounded at the door before swishing open, revealing a tired Luna.

"Sister, we have much to discuss." The dark Princess began.

Celestia nodded and pulled up the letter from Twilight, a look of seriousness on her face. "Yes, we do."

Frosted Tip clutched onto the blanket wrapped around him like a lifeline, trying his best to assure himself that he was safe, that the bars of his cell were not made of evil crystal.

He was free, he was safe, the cell was merely a precaution.

He closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

They were safe, nopony was going to die.

The Officer outside the cell looked at the pad in his hooves with unease. "Are you sure that's it? Your commander went crazy and killed some griffin who came back to life before he was magically murdered by a strange bipedal creature?"

Sleet sheet nodded, staring blankly at the wall.

"And you have no idea where your comrade is."

Frosted Tip sighed. "No, he just ran away... No idea where he could have gone."

The officer quickly jotted down something before tucking the pen on his ear. "Alright I'm going to give this to the boss, somepony should be here soon to pick you two up alright?"

Frost nodded and tucked the blanket closer, praying that this was all just a dream, that he had spent his break with his family instead of Las Pegasus and that he would wake up back in his bed.

Sleet sheet turned to stare at Frost, watching as a small smile curled up on his lips and how tears spilled slowly down his cheek.

Frost was the lucky one out of the two of them, he had a family to go home to, a mother that was proud of him and a brother that looked up to him.

Sleet sheet looked away and felt his own tears pricking at his eyes.

All he had was his friends and two graves in the dirt.

And one of his friends was missing.

Chrysalis paced inside her chambers, feeling restless after being forced to lay still for days on end.

She probably had the worst injuries after the invasion of Canterlot. At least... She had sustained the most damage without outright dying.

The changeling Queen growled and stomped against the ground with her undamaged hood.

They had been so close, the elements had been captured, the Princesses rendered helpless and most of the guards and civilians contained.

The city was theirs, her kind would never have to go hungry again. They would finally have a secure future, a life without constantly scavaging for scraps of love.

But then victory was ripped from their hooves. Blasted away at point zero of the spell she crashed into a few towers before being launched into the dirt, leaving a bloodied crater in her wake.

That was where her changelings found her, unconscious, broken, and on the verge of death.

An ache in her wings flared up suddenly, making her hiss and walk over to her temporary bed, a green cocoon hanging from her wall.

For months after she was dragged home, she had stayed in this cocoon, healing from her near-fatal wounds.

She had been the only one in that room who survived the blast, the only reason she was still alive was because she had been standing at the window and wasn't crushed to death and vaporized against a marble wall.

Just thrown against several towers and burned horribly.

She had only recently been brought out of the healing pod, and only because her body needed to be shelled to remove the damaged outer husk and to stretch.

Chrysalis stood before the cocoon and huffed. How pathetic, she couldn't even molt correctly without assistance, not while she stayed in this pod.

Her self loathing was interrupted by a buzz in her horn, a request to speak to her.

She groaned and opened the channel, praying to whatever forsaken God out there that another one of her subjects did not die.

\Queen Chrysalis, I believe I have some good news for you.\

She blinked, surprised by the very idea that some god might have answered her prayer.

Or perhaps this was a coincidence, she really didn't care.

\Really, what kind of good news?\

\I have come across a being of great power, a defier of death, and an incredible healer. And they are willing to heal our hive.\

Chrysalis felt her jaw drop. This couldn't be true, such magic has never been heard of, not since...

Not since the fountain of dream Valley, the jewel of the once proud changeling kingdom lost over millennia ago.

\Impossible, get rid of this imposter at once and wipe their mind, they speak nothing but lies.\

\No, my Queen, you don't understand! I have seen their power myself, felt it even! Within me runs enough magic to heal twelve of our most wounded, I speak nothing but the truth!\

This time she stopped her jaw before it fell on the floor.

12 of their most wounded...

Willing to help...

She trusted her changelings, believed in them with all her soul, and they in her. Even if they spoke of the impossible she would trust them.

After all, she had seen the impossible the day of the invasion when that Princess and her fool of a husband bested her with nothing but love. The very energy she lived off of!

She prayed one more time, that this was no lie, no dream, and no trick.

\Very well, but be quick. Every day the death toll rises and I cannot stop it. Bring this 'death master' as soon a possible.\

As much as she hated it they needed help. And if this was the solution to her problems than she would take it.

\Yes my Queen. Signing out.\

The channel closed and once again Chrysalis was reminded of her agitated wounds.

But even the pain couldn't stomp down her hope.

Carefully she climbed into the pod and summoned one of her handmaids to assist in sealing the cocoon.

The young changeling entered the room and began stitching together the green mass.

The healing properties of the goop began to lull her to sleep, blanketing her mind in a peaceful fog.

"My Queen?"

Chrysalis opened a sleepy eye and opened a channel to her. Young ones couldn't send hive mind messages yet but they could receive.

\Yes?\

She hesitated before speaking. "Your aura feels different, why?"

Chrysalis closed her eyes and smiled, for the first time in a while. It felt as strange as ever.

\Because I am hopeful youngling, our future may not be as bleak as it seems.\