For Whom the Twilight Falls
Chapter 2 - She Who Plots
“What do you mean the books are gone? I just browsed that shelf yesterday!”
Luna flung her hooves around, flailing, as the librarian stared - just stared - at her; a tiny crease in her brows before it smoothed over.
“They are gone, Miss Luna. They disappeared yesterday night.” The elderly mare spoke in the same flat tone she’d always spoken in, turning her head back to the shelves, floating a book up from her trolley, and sliding it into its allocated slot.
As if this was something beneath her concern.
Ancient Quill - as her name suggested - had been here for as long as the young unicorn could possibly remember, never seeming to even change.
She always had the same unwavering expression of weariness, the same no-nonsense black bun wound up tightly at the back of her head, and - though she certainly never got younger - Quill never seemed to age either. In fact, Luna had once heard Celestia wondering whether the librarian was born old.
Gaping, Luna stood frozen for a second before scrambling into the trolley’s way. “B-but,” she spluttered indignantly, gesturing wildly at the shelf. “Books don’t just disappear!”
“These ones did.” And that was it, apparently. Quill pulled a book down from the shelf, her lips pursing as she shook her head. “These youngsters. Always putting them in their wrong spots.” She muttered, “Does the label say shelf sixteen B to you?”
Her aura snapped the aforementioned tome into her trolley and she once again walked around Luna, as if she were beneath her notice, grumbling to herself. And indeed, as the elderly mare passed her, Luna spied the tag of ‘shelf ten C’ pasted in the bottom-corner of the worn spine.
“Well, why haven’t you submitted a report to Princess Sunset?” Luna pressed, trotting up to keep up with the librarian in the narrow bookcase aisles. “Surely she’d take notice of an entire twelve books on transfiguration going missing?”
“I’ve submitted multiple reports,” Quill replied shortly. “But the princess doesn’t seem to think that books going missing every night is a concern. My colleagues from Fillydelphia, Marelaysia, Germaney and Las Pegasus tell me their books are going missing too.”
Before Luna could ask for an elaboration, the librarian turned the corner of the shelf, leaving the young unicorn alone in the aisle. It didn’t look like she was getting anything else out of that mare any time soon. She sighed, eyes narrowing slightly, sheer stubbornness - and the unwillingness to leave a mystery like this unsolved - leading her to ready herself for a long week of chasing trails and sniffing out evidence.
She just needed a cup of coffee first.
“So let me get this straight,” Celestia pursed her lips, eyes still trained on her phoenix, Philomena, who was somehow still managing to stay upright on her stand, even whilst asleep. “Books are disappearing, and Princess Sunset just... isn’t concerned?”
Luna nodded, downing a whole cup of coffee. Black, naturally. None of that diluted rubbish her sister liked; she practically glared Celestia’s empty cup on the desk - light brown foam still clinging to the sides.
“Miss Quill also said her colleagues from the other libraries have been experiencing the same thing,” She spoke finally, after swallowing all the coffee. “I was thinking we could do a little investigating, maybe ask around? Perhaps the bookshops also have the same problems? If we can get enough evidence, then we could bring it up to Princess Sunset…”
“What sort of books, to be exact?” Celestia queried, running a hoof absentmindedly over her familiar’s sleek feathers that were perfectly preened as always. Luna smiled inwardly. Many ponies thought her sister to be unintelligent, unworthy of the honor of Philomena. But time and time again, Celestia proved to have a sharp mind under the brashness, able to ask all the right questions.
“Transfiguration and Mana-shaping,” Luna answered, biting her lip as she was wont to do when facing a particularly stubborn problem with no blindingly clear solution. “All related to magic and spell casting.” She glanced at Celestia’s desk, the simple mahogany base holding several notes strewn over it. One of them in particular, a fully colored diagram of Philomena, caught her eye.
Celestia tapped a hoof on her chin thoughtfully. “I’ll help. But we do have to be careful. Queen Arach is in Canterlot, remember? We’ve already gotten in trouble once or twice before; and with the changeling queen in town, Princess Sunset is going to be on edge. If we’re going to bring this up to her, we’ll need concrete evidence that something... untoward is happening.”
“We’ll be careful,” Luna assured her sister, a small smile starting to tug at the corners of her lips. “We just have to ask a few questions, check around, that sort of thing. It could be just one of the draconequui messing around, but we still have to make sure.”
There was a crackling noise behind them as Philomena awoke, flames briefly dancing along the skirts of her feathers. She cocked her head at the sight of Luna as she stretched her wings, straightening a few particularly plumes out of habit, probably.
“Morning, Mena,” Luna greeted casually, levitating her coffee cup up to her muzzle, only to sigh and drop it again upon realizing the absence of the precious black liquid of life left within. Philomena inclined her head in response, her eyes darting from Celestia to Luna.
“The draconequui wouldn’t do such a thing on such a level,” Celestia countered as she began sorting the mess on her desk, Philomena pointedly staring at her. “The occasional prank, sure,” She arched her brows at the phoenix, “but nothing on this scale.”
“Yeah, true,” Luna admitted. Ever since the First Draconequus fell in love with the Lady Fluttershy, their offspring, the half-draconequui, had been mostly conforming to Princess Sunset’s rules. “My last experience with one of them was one of jokes and a touch of chaos magic here and there.”
“Mother would be able to tell you two more, I’d imagine,” Philomena commented finally, though her attention still rested on preening. Honestly, was that a phoenix thing, or a Mena thing? Luna was sure she’d never seen the Princess’ phoenix so absorbed with her appearance. “She’s been around since the Age of Chaos.” The bird did as best of a shrug with her wings as her anatomy allowed, falling silent once more.
Luna grinned, already tasting the satisfaction which would come from inevitably solving this newest mystery on their hooves.
“Then that’s where we’ll go first.” She cried triumphantly, leaping up from where she was leaning on the desk, Mena cawing indignantly with a startled flap of her wings at the sudden move.
For reasons completely unknown to the unicorn, her sister just exhaled a long-suffering sigh.
“None of the draconequui are in Canterlot; of that, I am sure,” Radiant sniffled. “I would feel their ambient chaos the moment they enter the city. Perhaps you should consider that it could be a simple clerical error, maybe-” she paused.
“Maybe what?” Luna prompted. “Ma’am.” she added hastily.
“Dismiss with the formalities,” Radiant flicked one of her wings. “We’re not in one of our lessons, nor is Sunset here. As for your question, it is merely a theory that would be disproved almost immediately. Several factors would be against that idea.”
“Mother,” Philomena smiled wryly, her beak curving as much as it could physically. “You know how Luna is. As impossible as it is, I think she’d like to hear your theories anyways.”
“Very well,” Radiant nodded as she hopped off her perch and onto the desk, which had papers strewn everywhere. Sorting through them with her beak and claws, she pulled out a bundle of papers that looked like a report. “When I heard books were going missing from Raven, I investigated myself, since Sunset is busy with preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration.”
Luna curiously took the papers in her aura. Scanning it quickly, she read through the contents. “Dark shapes...night watch reports that a few changelings have been acting weird…” she read. “Guard Silvent was watching the Trottingham National Library when he spotted a cloaked figure stealing the books from the shelves. When in pursuit of the book thief, the cloaked figure escaped, but left behind a scrap of paper that read-” she blinked.
“What?” Celestia eagerly asked. “What’s it say?”
“Ponyville. Isn’t that where the Summer Sun Celebration is taking place?” Luna raised an eyebrow.
“Something may be happening,” Radiant admitted. “The Summer Sun Celebration would be the most opportune moment for somepony or somecreature to cause havoc, since thousands attend the celebrations. I can’t investigate myself, but you can. The changelings are strangely jittery, except for the ones in Canterlot at the moment.”
“Then to Ponyville we go,” Luna decided. “Thank you, Radiant.” Celestia chimed in her thanks along with Luna.
“Mother.” Philomena acknowledged, before fluttering to perch on Celestia’s shoulder as they trotted out of the study. Luna placed the bundle of papers on the desk, before following her sister.
As the door closed behind them, Radiant’s neutral expression shifted to one of worry. “Sunset, I swear on Twilight if this plan of yours endangers them...I’ll never forgive you. Oh, please be careful....she’s more dangerous than Sunset thinks she is…”
“Mother.” Princess Chrysalis, of course, did not whine.
The Queen of the Changelings did little more than hum a brief acknowledgement, not even taking her eyes off of the oh-so-fascinating scroll.
“Mother!” She stood from the couch, not-at-all-petulantly flinging the book about pony culture - the one she’d been forced to read over so many times she could practically recite it page by page - behind her and letting a ear flick at the thump.
“Chrysalis,” Arach admonished with barely a glance at her daughter. “Volume please, and mind how you treat that book. Each tome is a symbol of the knowledge granted by Her Grace-”
Chrysalis could do nothing but groan under her breath, knowing, of course, to not push it too far. She knew who her mother was talking about - everyling did. Princess Twilight. According to their history books, she was the one who had first offered the olive branch to their species, the act of peace allowing them to join with the ponies relatively smoothly.
However, she had disappeared about a thousand years ago, leaving them and no trace behind. Since then, the changelings - her people, had held Princess Twilight in high esteem still, praising her for what she had done - when Chrysalis knew inside that Princess Sunset was the one who had worked tirelessly after Princess Twilight disappeared to integrate them into pony society. Sure, she knew that Princess Twilight had done a lot, but the way her mother spoke of the princess was like she was still around - which obviously wasn’t true.
“It is imperative that you learn the ways of a Queen, Chrysalis. You are my heir and you are to take my place when I step down. I will not have you destroying our race - Her children, Her legacy - just because you cannot bear to sit yourself quietly on a couch for a mere few hours.”
Her mother was looking at her now, her lips thinning as she frowned. The Queen had, quite obviously, never agreed with her - frankly non-worshipful - opinion of Princess Twilight, and was never hesitant to call her out about it.
Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “Mother, I’m still barely of age. I won’t be Queen till later - besides, couldn’t one of my cousins-”
“You think that just because you have a few decades left before you must take the throne, you can afford to spend years pulling pranks and frolicking in the sun?” The young Princess instinctively froze, breath catching slightly as the monarch’s voice dipped, dripping in ice. And disgust.
“You have a responsibility, Chrysalis! And if you cannot be bothered to look after our subjects - to fulfil the sacred task entrusted to us by Her - then perhaps... you are right, for once. Perhaps you should be taken off the succession. Perhaps the sacred title of Heiress should go to a changeling who knows better.”
Chrysalis hadn’t meant it seriously. She hadn’t. She’d always thought of it as just something to just say, something to rile her mother up with, but something her mother would ultimately never- No. She… She wouldn’t. “B-But. I’m… I’m your daughter, I…”
“Do you think being my daughter means anything if you can’t bother to even live up to that?” Arach hissed, glaring at her. “I know what you’ve been up to with your cousins. Thorax and Pharynx, was it? I turned a blind eye because I had hoped you would mature, but it doesn’t look like it. Your aunt Carapace is coveting the throne for her own daughter - I held her off for years. Maybe I shouldn’t have.”
Then she changed, and despite everything, this was what pricked at Chrysalis’ eyes and tugged at her heart. This, as the Queen’s enraged eyes died down and her features smoothed over, as her mask of perfect indifference closed up around her - even to her own daughter - and she turned back to her papers, quill moving once more.
“Get out, Chrysalis. You say you are tired of sitting around here? Go. Go to the train station, board a train to Ponyville, make some of those friends you think are more important than your duties. If you want to go somewhere, you might as well make yourself useful. Make sure Princess Sunset’s celebration is going well, supervise my changelings’ preparations. Perhaps that is the problem - I have pampered you too much these years, I have given you too much and have expected too little.”
“But I-”
“Go. Until you have grown up, you are just another drone to me. Until you have grown up, I wish not to see you again.” There was a small, barely noticeable pause. “And until you have grown up, you are no daughter of mine.”
And so, with glistening tracks running down black carapace, with a heaving chest and scrunched up features, the estranged Princess of Changelings rushed out of the room, tripping over her hooves, crashing into ponies and corners alike, wings flapping unevenly as she shot into the air, suddenly desperate to be anywhere but there.
And as the Queen’s words repeated themselves over and over again in her head, the changeling felt small. Small, like she was in the dreams she had about her mother - no, Queen Arach now - where she would cradle Chrysalis in her arms, where she would sing and tell her just how very proud she was.
So much for that fever dream.
Arach watched. Always.
Arach watched, as tears of her own making sprung to the familiar toxic green eyes of her daughter - her daughter, no matter what she’d said.
Arach watched, as Chrysalis struggled to keep her breaths steady, backing away into the door and shaking her head, as if in denial.
Arach watched, as her little Princess wrestled with the knob, fumbling magic finally heeding her need and pushing the poor door violently out into the hall and colliding with one of the guards - rather painfully, as well, judging by the muffled cry.
Arach watched, as she dashed out - unwilling, perhaps, to allow her mother the satisfaction to hear her first sob. But she heard it all the same.
Arach watched, as the guard who hadn’t been hit poked his head in rather worriedly, only to receive a curt dismissal befitting a collected, in control queen.
Arach watched, as the mahogany door slammed shut with the force of her own magic, another pained grunt sounding out from beyond, with the wood now sporting a new hairline crack travelling down the side.
Arach watched, under the facade of indifference, under the pretence of calm; eyes glued to the parchment she, like her daughter, had never been reading anyways.
Arach watched, as the ink blot on the page just kept getting bigger, as her quill started to bend, until-
Snap.
Arach watched, as the broken remains of the quill moved itself into the bin by her desk on the accord of a green aura. Disposable, she supposed numbly.
Arach watched, in the reflection of one useless desk trinket or another, a single, glimmering tear trailing slowly down her cheek, and knew, like always, that it was to be the first of many.
Arach watched, as her reflection seemed to almost argue with her - a physical representation, perhaps, of the turmoil within. Chrysalis needed - needed - to learn. She’d dallied, she’d coddled her one darling daughter, she’d given into the baby’s small indulgences, always telling herself that there was more time, always telling herself that Chrysalis had to enjoy her childhood while she still had it.
And by the time she realised that her Princess was of age?
There was no time left.
And Chrysalis was too preoccupied with concepts of interests and friends to make any more time for her responsibilities.
And so, with her hooves tied and her bridges burnt…
Arach could only watch, with nothing left to do but wait.
Just watch, as the day she’d both dreaded and dreamt about came to pass.
"After all," Arach breathed, unwilling to raise her voice more than that, for fear of it breaking. "It will be her very last Summer Sun Celebration.”
A rueful smile climbed her face without permission as her vision swam. “Enjoy yourself while you can, Chrysalis. Make- Make some friends, have - fun.”
“And for what it's worth?" Her eyes shut, the agonised changeling queen from the reflection disappeared. Because she could no longer bear to watch. "I love you."
Even if she’d never know.
The ticket master looked up from the counter as the sound of hooves alerted him to ponies. "How may I help you-?" He rubbed his eyes. "Miss Solaris and Miss Solaris?"
"What is the next available train to Ponyville?" Luna asked him.
"Well, I apologise, but-"
A voice cut into his mind. Let them, Keld. I know I said to let my daughter be the only one on the train - but they are the students of Princess Sunset. My daughter would also suspect my involvement if she was alone. She could also use some new friends. At least until she returns. You know she wants them to kneel before her. Arach ordered through the hivemind. These are my orders.
Very well, my Queen. "But we only have seats in economy class left," he smiled sadly. "But of course, the train after that will-"
"It's fine," Celestia interrupted. "We only travel first class whenever we're with Her Highness. We'll take Economy seating, if that's fine with you." Philomena squawked in agreement.
"Very well," Keld nodded. "That will be eight bits, if you please." As Celestia hooved over the bits, Keld retrieved the tickets from the box and slid them over the counter. "Safe travels, you two. Attending the Summer Sun Celebration?"
"Sorta," Luna said awkwardly. "That's not the main point of our visit - but it'd be nice to attend anyways."
Keld tapped a hoof on his chin thoughtfully. "My wife's attending too. The first time the Summer Sun Celebration isn't in Canterlot for ten years- and I'm stuck here. I have to cover for the guy who got sick."
"Aw," Celestia sighed. "Maybe next year, then."
"Mhm. The train leaves in twenty minutes, so you'd better get going, eh?" Keld raised a knowing eyebrow.
"Oh, of course!" Luna pushed her sister and ushered her towards the train, Celestia rolling her eyes. "See you, Mister Keld!"
"See you!" Keld called back as they got further away.
As Luna ushered Celestia onto the train on platform four, she was struck by how empty the train was. Didn’t Keld say that the train was almost all booked up?
“Why is it so empty?” Celestia wondered out loud, mirroring Luna’s thoughts. “I thought Keld said that the first class was entirely full, that was why we had to take economy. I’d expect a few ponies travelling to Ponyville ahead of the Summer Sun Celebration, at least…”
“It’s because of me,” a quiet voice, wracked with a feeling Luna couldn’t place. She spun her head to locate the source of the voice, and her eyes locked onto a female changeling with a small, black tiara nestled in the cradle of her hooves. She seemed to have been crying recently, streaks still fresh across her cheeks. “Mothe- the Queen’s guards made sure that I got the whole first class carriage to myself. But it didn’t suit me.”
“My name is Chrysalis,” the changeling said as she briefly attempted and failed to smile. “Pleased to meet you, students of Princess Sunset.”