-Celestia-
The noble princess returned to her room feeling her head in a daze causing her to collapse on to her bed. What was going on? She felt different and unwell as if she was drifting in and out of conscientiousness..Her memories were becoming one.. Luna..Twilight.. Luna had created a vampire of her dear assistant or so her thoughts told her. She knew she was not mortal anymore.. A red image of blood soaked fangs haunted the princess. Piercing red eyes entered her mind. These images only came to her head soon after Luna’s departure. She felt feelings that something was swaying her judgment almost controlling at first causing her head to split with intense pain when she decided against her action..but then there was time when she saw naught.. when she would mearly blank out of existence to her conscious, only to awake unaware of anything she had done to reach her location. What had she done this time? Last she remember her head burning with hate for what her sister did. She did not hate her sister..She was however angered and disappointed in her actions..She was scared for Twilight as well wondering what she may be going through..Vampire or not she was no mortal and for a normal pony to be granted that power there must have been sacrifice. Veronica..perhaps she knew what had happened. She must! She was her adviser after all. Celestia rose from her bed and called out.
“Veroni-!” Celestia froze before she could finish. Her body felt filled with lead as if no strength she had could possibly move her. Her eyes being all she could control. The sun princess noticed a cloaked figure trotting towards her.
“Ah, caught you at the perfect time, I need you for your sister to pay for her crime.” The figure said holding a stance.
-Twilight and Luna-
The two trotted down into the kingdom looking on to the glowing green quartz wall with a center gate of iron bars that surrounded a black castle. Twilight unhooded herself since she was in the cave. The two found it harder to breath in the cave, but it became easier as the got used to the air. They approached the gate but, were quickly surrounded by Changelings.
“I expected no less a reception from our enemies.” Twilight sighed at the predictable aggressive actions.
“What brings you here to our kingdom?” One of them hissed.
“We wish to speak with thine queen.” The lunar princess asked.
From the crowd of stood a taller changeling that came to the front analyzing the two trespassers. He shared similar characteristics as the other changelings, but his eyes were a pale green. He was also dressed in a very dark set of steel armor. It was however only covering his torso with light leg padding.
“You two, come with me.” He said in a deep distorted voice.
They kept cool, even if execution was to be their fate Chrysalis would almost certainty wish to know their business. Though they didn't know much about her, but she was a Queen and it was her duty to know when a threat was at her door. The two had no choice, but to follow him so they did so. Twilight was a bit confused, not having seen him in the past battle when Canterlot was attacked. She thought, a warrior type like him could surly do more damage than the type of soldiers that were used in the assault.
“Were you in the attack on Canterlot? I don't really recall seeing you there.” The vampire pony asked hoping his answer would satisfy her curiosity.
“No, I was under strict orders to keep this place safe while in the Queen's absence. I am the Captain of the Guard and will not leave this kingdom unprotected. You are not our only enemies.” The captain answered.
The gate opened slowly as he lead the two beyond the crystal wall. The interior of the wall was filled with houses and shops made of stone and wood of very dark nature. The crystals seemed to have a very faint glow that kept the dark lights of the place lit, but various other means of lighting were still there such as torches and lanterns. There were a lot of citizens in the town gawking at the ponies. The further they were led into the place the more Changelings came to surround them. They yelled many things but the ones that stood out were: “Ponies?” “Kill them!” and hissing noises. The two ponies broke out into a cold sweat hoping their luck with the Queen would not be as bad as with the townsfolk.
“What brings you ponies here? I must say it is unusual to get your kind around here. Especially a Princess.” The armored changeling asked.
Luna took it in slight shock, feeling a bit flattered to be know as a princess to a race such as the Changelings.
“We art here to attempt to establish peace between our two races. Tis why we seek audience with thine Queen.” the alicorn responded.
This seemed to come as a surprise to the Changeling, but it explained the small party. Otherwise they would be fools to announce an attack on the large force, princess or not. They eventually reached the end of the road and now were at the castle door. The castle was large made of what looked to be Onyx gemstone fused into a single solid mass. It stood tall with large stain glass windows and green flag décor. They entered.
Through the entrance the two immortals gazed at the foreign design. The room was lit with green fire candles and chandeliers made out of ivory. The floor stairs and wall were composed out of the same Onyx as the castle. A red carpet led to the throne as to where the Queen sat. She was surrounded by armed guards. The throne was composed of fused emerald quartz with a crystallized feel and decorated with glowing sapphires. They were led in front of the Queen, where the Captain bowed to her.
“Ponies?” She glared at them remembering Twilight's face. “Why have you brought me them, Stone?”
Stone looked up at his leader. “They came here seeking audience with you, my Queen.”
She grinned darkly and looked at Twilight. “You two, what brings you here. Out with it.”
Luna took a step forward. “We wish to speak to you in order to form a peace between us and the Changelings.”
Peace? Chrysalis was in a bit of confusion. She thought that the two were captured perhaps planning a larger assault. She did not completely trust them however. She knew not if they were telling truth or masking lies. It was very strange to her, peace..No nation ever asked for it to her probably because of the way they fed on emotions and how aggressive they were to get their food.
“Peace?..” the queen looked at them. “I shall have to think this over.. In the meantime you should stay here in the castle.” The emotion parasite said. She kept them in the castle only so she could keep an eye on them.
The two trotted off with Captain Stone leading them. Before they could completely exit Chrysalis called out. “Purple one, you stay.”
The two friends looked at each other with saddened looks. Neither of them wanting to leave each other especially in the foreign land. They both departed, then Twilight approached again before the throne. Chrysalis signaled her other guards to leave. As soon as the two were alone Chrysalis smiled. The unicorn knew something must be up. It felt rather odd for her to be singled out from her friend and left all alone with the Queen.
“Is something amiss?” Twilight tried to hide her fear as the Queen came closer.
“No, just a little something I remembered about you..” She looked at her unnerved by her long fangs.
“W-what is that?” the vampire unicorn began to tremble a bit.
She put her hoof under her chin. “I remember you being..mortal..”
She knew?! How did she know? Twilight's eyes filled with panic not knowing what she could do. The shapeshifting queen grinned as she noticed this.
“H-how did you know?” Twilight took a few steps back.
“Why simple, I am a being of change. I can tell because of the way you look and smell. I mean I must be able to tell my subjects apart when they are transformed after all. After I caught your scent I was able to tell you weren't the same girl who foiled my plans..” Chrysalis smiled coming closer with an evil laugh.
“Wait, how does that explain you know I'm a vampire? That's oddly specific.. Besides how can you tell I’m immortal just by looking at me and how I smell?” The unicorn was becoming more intrigued by her knowledge more so than scared.
Luna and Celestia can sense life with magic. She assumed Chrysalis might be able to, but then remembered that love was required to amplify an changelings magic as well as changeling magic was likely to work different than unicorn or alicorn magic. She admitted to herself the library held little information about changelings so anything could be possible.
The leader laughed again. “Do you really think you're the only vampire I have ever seen? You ponies aren't the only ones who have stumbled onto the dark gift. Your scent and appearance are much like our own kind when they are infected. You look pale and cold with the scent of death and blood. Changelings have enhanced senses, but they come at a cost of the way we feed..”
Changeling vampires as well? What did this mean? How long had these creatures existed? Vampires, so much written on them., what was true? What was false? All this scattered knowledge was giving the mare a headache, but she had to know! She had to understand what this was..what she was and how to control it all. She feared being taken by her hunger and hurting anyone. And what of immortal blood? Would it truly end the hunger?
“How does it feel to feed?” She grinned darkly. “To drain the very life out of a once living being in order to sustain your own. What do you think of the creature you have become? ”
Twilight began to tear up, feeling her emotions being brought out on how the horror she instilled upon the ones she had killed. Even other vampires cowarded in fear as she crushed their hopes of life and drained their life away with her fangs. All the horror through Nightmare Moon's eyes she committed. But that wasn't her, she thought.. She was controlled! She remembered what Luna told her, that she was still Twilight..She was no monster, she had one inside her, but that was not her! She was the same pony she was before the transformation. She wiped her tears and stood up to the Queen.
“It's horrible the things I've done..But I need to survive! I am Twilight Sparkle, I may now be a creature of the night, but I am still the same pony I was before. I have not let myself become a monster like you!” She yelled in her defense and smiled.
The Queen was indeed a little shocked. She growled angrily at being call a monster. She had been called it before, but a vampire calling her it? She was insulted!
“What makes you think you're any better bloodsucker!? You do the same if not worse for subsistence!” The leader of the changelings stomp her hoof in front of her with a new look of rage.
“It's true I drink blood, but I don't inflict horror on purpose! You stormed an innocent kingdom, crashed my brother's wedding, Stole him away with intent of making him your love slave for what I imagine is until he expires. You were willing to capture all of the ponies in Equestria just to feed your hive. I’m sure there are other ways you changelings have survived until now that you don't require a country. That is what we call evil, Chrysalis. I was right from the very beginning!” the unicorn growled in disgust.
The dark ruler smacked her across the face. “How dare you?! You have no idea how to rule a kingdom! You and your petty existence wouldn't understand what its like..” She trotted looking away from the unicorn. “The stress alone of ruling this kingdom and having to find food for my hungry subjects! We have done horrible things to find ways to control our hunger even converting it to a hunger for blood..not all were successful. You claim your kingdom is innocent?! Innocent is a word you mortals made up to make you feel less guilty than others! You're all guilty of various crimes as are we, but we are true to it! We don’t hide behind words! You and your pony kind are nothing, but cowards that can't face that you are no better then the so called 'monsters' we are!”
Twilight rubbed her face to where she was smacked and came closer. “You're right..But in our actions we seek redemption. We try to do more kind than good. The way you justify what you do by feeding makes sense. Its the way you're doing it that is wrong, but maybe you could be more cooperative then just attacking a place without question. The knowledge of your enemies maybe what you need to survive. The Canterlot library may have something that may help you and everyone else here.”
The Queens eyes widened. Was this possible? Could it be possible that the mortal enemies of the changelings had what they need? Even if it was just a shot she had to know if it was possible for these ponies to help her. “Very well..If it is true and you can indeed help us with our hunger then our nation shall be peaceful..to yours. I offer you a temporary truce for the time. Perhaps even in my immortal life even I still can learn a few things..” She never declared peace with another nation not even a temporary one. She was too busy view other nations as food, with limited or temporary success.
“Now, is it possible you can tell me of the vampires here?” The unicorn asked.
“Very well. Changeling's are made vampires through manipulation with their mind and chemical balance. The first few were made with a surgery and magic mental tampering. Though only one survived. In rewriting the desires of a changelings mind it has different effects on the body. The desire for blood causes the body to think the blood within the changeling was food so it releases digestive acids causing the hunger. As the acid and blood mix they become more and more acidic, even eating away through the body. That’s how the first few died. However if the body adapts to the change quickly enough they can resist the effects of the acid. The adaptation is like a quickened evolution causing enhanced physical abilities and life expansion however I am uncertain of immortality. From other tests the survival rate for a changeling is one in three. With the low rate of transformation we stopped the experiments. There is one change that is an odd change that after that changelings can only change into bats when vampiric. This is likely due to the way the brain was tampered with in limiting transformation. They infect with bite though survival is still an issue. Their eyes also become an emerald green which naturally is very rare for anyone besides the Queens to have green eyes in general. From what we have learned they are weak to heat. Heat causes there blood to boil melting through their skin. That is all we know.” The Queen explained.
Wow, it was an interesting amount of lore that the Queen knew. It all wasn't very useful to her. The lores of her vampirism and the changeling vampirism were not similar. Besides drinking blood and powerful physical abilities they were hardly similar. Her mind then wandered to Luna, she felt strangely close to the goddess of the night. However it wasn't love..it was a type of desire to be with her of which she could not explain. “May I see Luna?” She completely forgot to comment on the lore of the changeling vampirism.
“Stone!” Chrysalis yelled as her subject came to her quickly.
“Yes?”
“Take her to see her friend.” The princess commanded.
Twilight left with Captain Stone to Luna's room. Chrysalis smiled thinking of the possibility Twilight had mentioned.
-Celestia-
Veronica came through the door hearing the call and caught the hooded pony in the act of stopping her. She look at her princess whoms eyes widened upon her arrival. The cobalt unicorns horn glowed until she was bucked from behind and sent tumbling to the ground. The pony that kicked her was revealed to be a unicorn as the door was shut and locked with magic.
“Trixie it looks like you're here, not a second late my dear.” The hooded one said holding a stance to keep Celestia in place.
“Witch, the Great and Powerful Trixie is never late, time can just come too early for her.” She smiled arrogantly. She was wearing her hat and cape.
“Zecora is my name on with the cape, do not let the blue one escape.” The zebra said with distaste.
The caped unicorn caught the other unicorn with her magic raising her to a great height and slamming her in front of her. Veronica tried to get up, but was held down by Trixie's front hoof. “And just where do you think you're going?”
“Why..are you..doing this?” the cobalt pony said as blood dripped to the floor from her mouth.
“Simple blue pony, I am doing it to be free. Free of this pain and thirst, that was our goal at first. Luna your sister is the key to this, to give us no thirst would be eternal bliss. Vampires we are if you cannot see, our lives forever they will be. But, there was a rule broken in this all, a new vampire made a thrall. Your sister created an immortal with her blood, the scent of eternal night is now thicker than mud. Even my desire to never thirst, I must make this sacrifice for better or for worse. For I am not vampire without care, for the chaotic death toll of mortals is too much to bare. So to quell this hell we must kill them both blood or not, it is the only option that we have got. Vampire approach to storm your city, so I must kill my friend it truly is a pity. I did not wish this upon Twilight, she had to be infected by that princess of the night...” Zecora said not happy with this.
She had little choice but to kill them both or the vampires would ravage their path to get to her killing countless innocents in the crossfire. The paladins she had forced Celestia to send were her only hope. To turn the two already enemy nations against each other would not be too grand a lose compared to whats coming. She had know choice and knew what needed to be done for the lives of many were nothing compared to the two that would be lost. Still it brought a tear to Zecora's eye.
The show mare laughed. “Trixie for one have no problem with killing Twilight. That mare made a foal out of Trixie! So Trixie came to Zecora who gave her this power! She needed me for my Great and Powerful magic so Trixie agreed to help her for this. Whoever would have known that magic wannabe would be a target for my feats beyond imagination? Trixie just wishes she could deal with the execution more personally!”
“I am truly sorry princess, but it must be done I'm sure you can guess.” The zebra said.
Veronica spoke weakly. “The paladins... how did you know?”
“As ashamed as Trixie is to admit it we didn't. Zecora and I found out when she controlled Celestia. The Great and Powerful Trixie found out through reading her mind a power of Trixie's new form. Trixie was going to send the royal guards, but when she learned about the paladins it was much better almost perfect for the plan. So Trixie thanks you in helping her vanquish that talentless foal!” She mocked her.
Celestia broke free from the control just long enough to speak. “Please! You mustn’t! You can't kill Twilight or Luna their must be another way!”
Zecora shut her mouth for her. “I wish I could, but unfortunately I should.. Now sleep princess let me take you, I will let you go when we are through.”
The princess's eyes grew numb and heavy as she slipped out of consciousness and into a deep slumber...