//------------------------------// // Episode 7: Love Under the Stars // Story: My Little Pony: The Days of New Equestria (Season 2) // by ScorchingFlamesInc //------------------------------// "And so this is pretty much the whole garden," a royal guard said, while showing the new guy around the area. "Some stone statues here... flowers there..." "Alright... hey... wait a minute... what's that?" The new guard pointed a hoof at the stone statue nearby, showcasing a familiar changeling queen in a pose as if ready to pounce. Her mouth was open, her snake-like tongue appearing to point at whoever stared into her eyes. "I thought Chrysalis was no longer in stone, along with Tirek and Cozy Glow," the new guard said. "They aren't. This is Cicada Grizelda... Chrysalis' evil duplicate. According to the Princess, her Royal Advisor, and Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow themselves, she was created by Grogar. Before she was caught, however, she was part of a team led b Seph... Serphtis?... I forgot the name, but you get the point." "If she used to work with a team, then aren't they going to come and free her?" "Doubtful," the first guard replied. "We have guards on watch around the castle, and the Princess has used her magic to ensure that no intruders can enter the garden. Only we can get in." "Well that's not too bad, but what if something happens and she's somehow free? Like Discord?" "Also doubtful. Discord was highly powerful. If she were to get out on her own, something powerful would have to have a part..." "Oh, alright." "Anyways, now that we've explored the Garden, it's time to explore the more local area of the area. Right this way..." The two guards left the stone statue behind. Meanwhile... Yawning, Tirek went into the kitchen ready for a late-night snack. He didn't expect to see Chrysalis in there as well, sipping a cup of juice. "Oh... you're up?" "Tirek!" Chrysalis jumped. "You startled me." "Are you alright?" "Yeah. I'm just excited... Tomorrow's our first date, and all. It's something I've been anticipating for quite some time." "Staying up won't allow you to be completely ready." Chrysalis chuckled. "Yeah, right. You're up too." Tirek shrugged. "Hey, so um..." Chrysalis coughed a little. "I know we agreed to save our next romantic kiss for our date, but... could I at least have one on the cheek, or something? Or a hug?" Tirek crouched down and opened his arms. "Come here, you." Chrysalis ran into his embrace, and they both squeezed each other. When they pulled back, Tirek gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Chrysalis could feel her heart flutter. Back to the garden... A crack burst on the Cicada statue, right where the heart was located. Cracks began to run around the statue, and chunks of stone peeled off her body and fell onto the ground. When all the stone was completely shattered away, Cicada pounced off the statue, and crash-landed on the ground. Her body and hooves shaking, she slowly stood up, coughing. "I'm... I'm free?" Cicada's head darted in all directions to see if it was true. And indeed it was... she was free. "I'M FREE!!!" Cicada laughed. "So... let's see what the other me is up to..." Using the power of the hive-mind, Cicada concentrated in order to get a sense of Chrysalis' thoughts. She could hear a conversation between Tirek and Chrysalis. It seemed they were talking about... something. However, Cicada finally got her answer when she heard Chrysalis mention a date. A date between her and tirek. "Interesting... it appears Chrysalis is planning a... date with Tirek... hmm... this could very well be perfect. Not only will I exact revenge on my other half, but this will serve as an opportunity to drain the love radiating of of her and Tirek! And this time... I will ensure that I won't be stopped!" Cicada again laughed, only more maniacally. ... Intro ... Chrysalis and Tirek did all they could to prepare for the evening. And they didn't prepare alone. Leo and Sunburst were there while Tirek got ready, while Cozy, Starlight, and Chrysalis went their own way of getting ready. Cozy continued setting up Chrysalis' mane as a future reference for it's official style later on. "Now, I'm no Rarity..." Cozy began. "But I believe my experience of curling my mane will serve as an advantage." "I trust you," Chrysalis replied. "So... first date, huh, Chrysalis?" said Starlight. "How do you feel?" "It's just... unbelievable... For years, my goal has been to drain love. Feed off of it. I never wanted to know what it was like to share love. And... I've never experienced actual love or feeling. So this... this is something that I've been wanting to experience ever since my feelings first came about." "I'm happy for you, Chrysalis. Really, I am. You've sure come a long way. All three of you." "Thank you Starlight." "Alrighty, Chrysalis..." Cozy raised a mirror. "How did I do?" Chrysalis covered her mouth in astonishment. Her mane was all beautifully done up, most of it having streaks that are curled up and spiraled similarly to a ribbon, and the rest was put up in a bun. "It's beautiful, Cozy... thank you." "No problem. Hm... maybe I should work for Rarity, after all..." The Guys... "Well?" Tirek presented himself in his suit-top. "What do you think?" "I think the tailor did a good job," Sunburst approved. "Just... don't make any messes." "I won't. Trust me... it cost me a bunch of bits. So... any more advice?" Sunburst and Leo exchanged looks, and Leo shrugged. Sunburst cleared his throat. "Well, let's see here... Be sure to respect your date. That's a definite priority." "Yeah!" Leo piped. "And... um... have good hygiene. Gotta have that good impression, you know?" "Make generous offers too. Though if she makes the offer first, then... uh..." "Listen, you'll do great, Tirek. Just play the easy game... play it safe, pay attention, and don't mess up. Don't fully devote yourself to her, but at the very least, make yourself a gentle...centaur? Gentlecentaur." "I suppose I can make things work..." said Tirek. "That's the spirit!" Sunburst beamed. "How much longer until we need to leave?" Leo looked at the clock on the wall. "Around fifteen minutes." "Alright, Tirek, that's your cue." "But would I be able to get past the girls fast en-" Leo and Sunburst tapped their horns, allowing Tirek to catch on. He snapped his claws. "Right!" Tirek then teleported out of the room. "Come on. Let's go meet up with him." "Wait, he gets to teleport, but we're going to walk?!" Leo exclaimed. "We're not the ones going on a date. And we can't use magic for everything." "I guess..." Leo and Sunburst proceeded to leave. Chrysalis... "Alright, you two, open your eyes." Cozy Glow and Starlight uncovered their eyes, and they gasped. Chrysalis stood there in a beautiful dress, styled in a way that accents her being a changeling. "That looks amazing..." Cozy said. "A little too amazing, though. This is a date, not a wedding." "Now, Cozy Glow. Good impressions are always good assets to a date... even if both of them know each other. Besides, look at her mane... you did that." Cozy blinked, then nodded. "Fair point." KNOCK KNOCK "Come in." Tirek, dressed up in the suit he promised to wear for the date, stepped in. "Tirek!" Chrysalis blinked. "What are you doing in here?" "Just thought I'd check in, is all. See how things are coming along." "They're going along smoothly," said Starlight. "Um... Chrysalis... when you're done... and before we leave... I want to show you something. Something private and important, that I want you to be among the first to see with me." "Oh... I don't see why not. I just need an extra minute-" "Go, Chrysalis," Cozy encouraged. "You're basically done." "If you say so." Chrysalis joined up with Tirek and they left the room together. "You look beautiful," Tirek said. Chrysalis giggled. "Thank you." There was a moment of silence between the two. "Tirek... does anything seem strange to you?" Chrysalis didn't want to bring it up, but ever since she woke up, she's been sensing something that she couldn't understand. Tirek shrugged. "Anxiety? This is our first date." "Yeah..." Chrysalis didn't want to tell him that he wasn't correct, but maybe he was. Tirek soon lead Chrysalis into the library, made sure that there was no one around, and then he closed the doors. "The library? What are we doing in here?" Chrysalis asked. Tirek grabbed a table and pulled it off with ease, revealing a small hole inside big enough for Chrysalis to fit. The changeling came over and looked inside while Tirek backed away to make way for her. "I apologize for the endless questions, but... where does that go?" "Your prison." Those two words echoed in Chrysalis' ears. And even after she was suddenly knocked unconscious by Tirek's magic, those two words were still there. Tirek approached Chrysalis' body before engulfing himself in green flames, and transforming back into Cicada. Cicada grinned. Revenge has finally begun once again. ... ... Chrysalis' eyes groggily opened. Her mind was fuzzy, and she felt enclosed. Not only that, but her vision was clouded with green, and everything else was distorted. She tried to move, but her limbs felt bound to her body. However, although she couldn't exactly feel anything, she could tell that something was crawling around her. Suddenly, a familiar face appeared in front of her, hugging whatever it was that she was wrapped in. Chrysalis could see a streak of green goo coming out of the thing's mouth. It all flooded her mind... Chrysalis was trapped in a green cocoon prison, and the one who captured her was none other than Cicada herself, who was hugging the cocoon upside down. Chrysalis wanted to speak, but she couldn't do that either. "Finally..." Cicada's muffled voice spoke. "I've got you right where I want you. And nopony knows that you're my prisoner!" Cicada released the cocoon and used her flight to straighten herself. She returned to the cocoon "You've become gullible. You've lost your touch..." Cicada spat with venom. "I've made my point clear before. I will make it clear again... you are a disgrace. And I will ensure that I take everything from you, before moving on to the others that have defeated me..." Cicada engulfed herself in flames before turning into Chrysalis... even sporting the dress and mane style. "There's another reason I'm targeting you first... food. Even from afar, I can feel the strength of the love that you and Tirek share. Enough to sustain me for at least the time being. I will stop at nothing to get it! And I will stop at nothing to destroy your friends afterwards!" Cicada then teleported out of the room, while Chrysalis only watched in terror. Later... Tirek, Leo, and Sunburst all waited outside for Chrysalis, Starlight, and Cozy Glow. "What's taking them so long?..." Tirek mumbled. "They should be out by now." "This things take time, I guess," Sunburst shrugged. "All we can do is be-" The castle doors opened, and everyone watched. Chrysalis stepped out, and then Cozy and Starlight followed closely behind her, the two of them standing close together. Tirek kept his focus on Chrysalis' choice of style... mane and dress. Leo and Sunburst also kept their eyes on Chrysalis and her escorts... though they both mentally questioned her choice of fancy style. "Wow, Chrysalis..." Tirek gulped. "...you look nice." "Why thank you," she replied. "Are you sure you can handle wearing that during the whole trip?" Leo asked. "Trust me... I'll be just fine." "Well, I think we'll leave you two to it," said Sunburst. "Have a great time, you two." "And thank you all for the help and support," Tirek nods. "Come on, Chrysalis. Let's make our way to Canterlot." "Yes, let us do that." Chrysalis and Tirek were now on their way, and everyone waved goodbye. As they left, meanwhile, Trixie stepped outside the castle. "Um... what did I miss?" Soon... Time went by a little slowly as things were taking place. First, Cicada and Tirek took the train to Canterlot. Throughout the train ride, Tirek and Cicada went on conversing, and Cicada did her best to pretend to be her other self. When they got there, they set off to Twilight's castle, where they planned on eating a nice dinner on one of the balconies of the Canterlot Castle... something Cicada learned during one of the conversations on the train. Cicada had to try her hardest to not let her guard down... sharing Chrysalis' memories, she remembered all to well on how she wasn't at her best when impersonating Princess Cadance. She wasn't going to drop the act this time. The guards welcomed them both as they were led inside. Soon, both Princess Twilight Sparkle and Spike brought them to one of the nicest balconies. A table with candles and chairs had already been set up... all that's missing is the food. The balcony they were on had a beautiful view of what was beyond the Canterlot mountain... and underneath the balcony was the large slope that went down and down into the trees far below. "I'll make sure that the food is here as soon as possible," Twilight promised. "Relax, Princess," said Tirek. "You're a Princess, not our servant." "Well, she is also a friend," Spike pointed out. "I hope things go well for you two." "It will," Cicada said. "Trust me..." Twilight and Spike then left the two alone. "So... first date..." Tirek chuckled. "Things do change, don't they?" "Yes, indeed." But change doesn't always stop bad things from happening... Cicada thought, suppressing a smile. And change doesn't always stop me from returning in some shape or form... Chrysalis... Chrysalis shuffled around in her cocoon prison in an effort to get out, but it seemed impossible. The best that she could accomplish was a small wiggle while inside. The whole time she was trapped, whether she moved or remained still, thoughts went through her mind. It seemed as if every time Chrysalis was put through something... every time something bad happened... she started to gain more of an understanding as to what everyone else went through. The annoyance of enemies always returning. The discomfort of being put in a prison... like the situation she was in now. And then the fear of failing. The lost hope. But Chrysalis has always gained the feeling that every time something happens, she has a little more hope of success than the last. And that's one of the things reformation promised her. She will get out. All she needs is a little more motivation. A push. Something that started to become more dull to her mind. Cicada... Cicada and Tirek waited for their food to be served, and to pass the time, they talked. Just like on the train, Cicada made sure to mask who she really was the best she could. All she kept doing was seeming interested, or risking it with whatever things Tirek brought up or asked... and somewhat always getting it right, making Cicada realize that her mental link with Chrysalis was stronger than she thought... a combination of their shared DNA, along with the fact that they're both meant to be changeling queens. Eventually, Tirek finally did something than other to attempt bonding with Cicada. He looked out the balcony and got up. "Soon, that sun will fully set," Tirek began. "I don't say this often, but... it looks nice." It was then than Cicada took another risk while Tirek was distracted. Unbeknownst to Tirek, a small streak of a pink aura as thick as a thread was spooling through his chest, and right through Cicada's teeth, only slightly exposed by slightly open lips. Cicada was quick enough to stop the moment Tirek turned his head back. Chrysalis... Chrysalis lost all track of time. Her body felt weak, her mind felt weary, and her eyes were droopy. She didn't expect to all of a sudden feel a familiar tingle inside her body... mainly her brain. Some of those mental feelings were highly familiar to her. A feeling of satisfied hunger. The feeling a changeling gets when love was being drained from another. Images of Tirek started to fizzle in her mind. Chrysalis obviously wasn't there. But conclusions were easily forming in her brain. And they were making her angry. Her teeth began to grit, and Chrysalis started to exert an extreme amount of force in the cocoon. Her muscles pounded as she tried to break free. Her voice gargled as she groaned in her determined intent to escape. When it felt like her body would collapse, the whole cocoon broke, and Chrysalis fell on the ground, landing on her back. The impact was at its worst with her elytra and wings, but it would have been way worse if they were opened. Chrysalis got back on her hooves, and shook off the bits of slime and goo attached to her. "I'm coming for you..." she growled. Chrysalis scanned the area for where the exit potentially was, and when she believed she found it, she tore off the pieces of the dress concealing her sore elytra and wings. And then, Chrysalis revealed her slightly rippled wings, and flew upwards, horn lit. The table that covered up the hole was in the air for a brief second before colliding on the floor. In no time at all, Chrysalis was out of the hole. "Chrysalis?" Chrysalis saw Cozy, Leo, Sunburst, and Starlight all nearby. "Chrysalis! I thought you were with Tirek!" Leo exclaimed. "That was Cicada! And I won't let her get away with what she's been doing!" Not taking time to listen to the others or answer their questions, Chrysalis flew straight out of the library, her flight slightly wobbly. She wasn't going to let Cicada hurt Tirek or her friends. Not now, and not ever again. Back in the library, the other four stared at the door Chrysalis darted out of. "She still has the dress on," said Leo. "And the done-up mane..." Cozy Glow mumbled. ... ... Cicada and Tirek were served their food not too long ago. Their servers were now exiting the room, leaving the two of them alone. Cicada concealed the discontent she had with the salad placed in front of her. She obviously had better food that was sitting right across from her. "I haven't brought this up yet, but you seem different," Tirek said. "Is everything alright?" "Of course it is. This is just something I need to process, you know? I've been waiting for quite some time." "Have you?" "Indeed! The love that you have for me... I feel it. And it's strong. Probably something that I'd be after if I was still evil. Or, you know... Cicada." "Right. Hey... before we eat..." Tirek took Chrysalis' hooves. "I'd like to say I'm happy where I am. And you. And Cozy. Even Leo, in spite of why he's here. When we first met, I felt nothing... though this slight belief of something changing stuck around with me. I didn't care about it though. I ignored it. I had better things to deal with... or so I thought. Now I see that now only have I made new friends and changed for the better... but I have also met someone special to me. And both of those factors are my motivation for moving forward." Cicada wanted to gag, but couldn't. She was so close to her goal. She just needed the right opportunity. Instead, she cracked a smile. Tirek then started to lean in, close his eyes, and get ready to kiss. This was that time for Cicada. She quickly returned back into her old form, and opened her mouth. A much larger pink aura started to come out of Tirek's chest. Tirek's eyes opened the moment he heard the sound of Cicada changing. But before Tirek's love could get into Cicada's mouth, something struck her side, and both her and her attacker tumbled across the ground. Cicada was on her back, and Chrysalis towered over her. "How did you escape!" Cicada hissed. "Determination. Not only is it how I escaped, but also how I got here so fast. Though I also did some transforming into big or fast creatures to get here as we-" Cicada used all four hooves to push Chrysalis off of her body. Chrysalis sprang back up, horn charged. Tirek charged up his magic. "Don't!" Chrysalis held a hoof at him. "This is between us." "We fight together." "Not this time." Cicada charged at Chrysalis. Chrysalis flew outside before she could get hit. Cicada quickly flew out the balcony as well. "Why can't I ever just stay down?..." Chrysalis grumbled. Cicada launched a ray of magic at Chrysalis. Chrysalis dodged and retaliated. After, Cicada then turned into a roc and darted for Chrysalis, talons open, and ready to grab her. But Chrysalis had a way out of it. The moment where it seemed that Cicada would succeed, Chrysalis transformed into a smooze, and Cicada collided with the large green slime, getting stuck. Both of them started to fall. But Cicada escaped her imprisonment by returning to her original form, freeing herself. Smooze Chrysalis however, landed right into the trees at the bottom of the slope. Cicada saw a small explosion of green slime, and bits splatter throughout the trees. Cicada went down to where Chrysalis was, and landed in a spot not far from the green mess. However, the slime started to move on its own, and put itself back together. When the Smooze was all together again, it turned back into Chrysalis. Immediately, Cicada turned into a Timberwolf and pounced at Chrysalis, claws ready to strike. Chrysalis quickly dodged the attack, and Cicada's claws instead swiped at a tree, taking out some of the bark. Chrysalis attacked back with a beam of magic, which actually hit Cicada and blew her to pieces. Being a Timberwolf though, she ended up putting herself back together as well. Chrysalis then turned into an Ursa Minor, picked up a tree with her massive paw, and then hurled it at Cicada. Cicada jumped over it, and when she landed, she was back to her original form. Chrysalis returned to her original form as well. Both changelings then shot continuous magic beams that collided, and they both stepped closer, the force of the magic making it harder and harder with each step. The collision point stayed in the middle, only occasionally moving to Chrysalis or Cicada before going back to where it was. Their power was equal. They may be different, but they're still the same being. The victor would be determined by motivation and determination. Chrysalis used it before to get out of a jam. She was going to use it again. Images of Tirek and the others popped up in her mind, along with other things like the changeling kingdom. Groaning loudly, Chrysalis pushed the collision point to Cicada, and it exploded in her face. Screaming, Cicada's body flew through the air, before landing in a nearby pond. Chrysalis slowly approached her evil self. Her dress wasn't badly tattered due to Chrysalis being in a different form during the fight, but it wasn't as clean as it was earlier. Especially with the holes she tore for the elytra. Her mane, however, was now completely undone and messy. Cicada stumbled out of the pond, coughing. "You..." she wheezed. "It's about time you... understood..." "What are you talking about?" Cicada coughed again, and when she spoke, her voice was clear and loud. "You've made many enemies during your time... good and evil. And every so often, you'd assume which one was your worst." Cicada's voice got more aggressive. "Celestia... Twilight... Cadance... Grogar... and let's not forget Starlight Glimmer. But I think it's time you realize this... they were never our greatest enemy. It's always been you. Me! I doubt that you've ever been this angry and vengeful ever since you reformed. But just because I placed a simple hoof on that airheaded centaur, you want nothing more than to tear me apart. Don't hide it... I can feel it as well. This is how it's mean to be. Me... yourself... your greatest enemy. It's always been like that. And it always will be..." Cicada quickly ran away, deep into the trees. Chrysalis was about to follow her, but then she heard Princess Twilight's voice call her name. Chrysalis turned around, and both Twilight and Spike approached her. "Hey..." "Are you alright?" Twilight asked. "Tirek told us what happened. Though he's not down here because... obviously..." "I'm fine." "We heard everything," said Spike. "Oh... well... I don't want to admit it, but... with the way I'm feeling... maybe she's right. I am my greatest enemy. The way I feel about her... the way I was trying to take her down..." "Well, even if that's true, don't let her bring you down," Twilight said. "Even if Cicada's your greatest enemy, don't let your determination to end her ruin your date night. After all, you're not her." "Yeah, I know. But it wasn't just because of Tirek and the others... though that's the main part. Cicada's also a walking reminder of who I used to be. And all I want is to forget it and move on." "You can't forget what you've done... it will linger in a way. But the past isn't always what defines you. Your present and future actions will also determine who you are. And from what I've seen... your determination to protect Tirek is strong. Your motivation for the others is powerful. And that will be there with you in the long run." "... Maybe you're right," Chrysalis admitted. "Well now that we've found you, there's a centaur up there waiting for you..." Spike pointed at the castle with a claw-thumb. "But what about Cicada?" "We'll look for her," Twilight assured. "And if we can't find her, then we'll wait for her. I think it's time that you finally relax." Chrysalis didn't want to let Cicada run around. But Twilight was right. This was a moment that she's been waiting for. Tirek... Tirek looked out the balcony, waiting for whatever was going to happen next. But finally, he could see Spike, Twilight... and Chrysalis... flying upwards for the balcony. He made way for them to land, and he and Chrysalis embraced. "You look beautiful," he said. "Do I? Even with the dress and hair?" "Doesn't change a thing." "Now... for real this time... we'll leave you be," Twilight promised. Minutes later... Chrysalis and Tirek stared up at the night sky. They had finished eating, and now they were just going to sit back and watch the night sky. "Are you sure everything is okay?" Tirek asked. Chrysalis smiled. "It is now." For a moment, the two only gazed at each other. But soon, Tirek leaned down, and Chrysalis extended herself slightly upwards. Seconds later, their lips met in a brief but heartwarming kiss. When it was over, they only smiled, and continued staring up at the night sky. A shooting star passed by and twinkled as it did.