//------------------------------//
// Chapter 9 
// Story: Feeling the Rhythm 
// by DougtheLoremaster 
//------------------------------//

Celestia blinked as the world came into view. She raised a hoof to her aching head before exclaiming in surprise.
“I’m in control!”
Behind her, a voice said softly.
“For now.”
Whirling around, Celestia found herself staring at the sight of the Dancling on her throne, sprawled lazily with its hooves draped over the side.
“Chrysalis! Where’s my sister?”
Gesturing almost without care to the royal dance floor, Chrysalis pointed to Princess Luna; the Alicorn, and a random guard mindlessly performing a waltz for the Dancling’s entertainment.
Immediately, Celestia ran over to Luna shouting and trying to stop her from dancing.
“Lulu! Wake up! It’s me Celly! Luna stop dancing!”
“It’s no use, you know. Your sister belongs to me.”
Whirling around Celestia cried out.
“Why are you doing this?”
Chrysalis looked annoyed for a moment before saying simply.
“I’m looking for something.”
Celestia took a deep breath in confusion at this reaction, almost calming down instantly. She stared puzzled at Chrysalis.
“What are you looking for?”
“This Twilight Sparkle, your sister mentioned.”
“Why not ask her, then?”
“Because you’re the Diplomatic one and besides, I tried. She just flew into a rage and refused to cooperate until I re-established control over her. I decided to try you instead, as you are far less likely to fly into a frenzy.”
“I see, and what do you want from me?”
“Twilight Sparkle’s whereabouts.”
“What makes you think I’ll tell you?”
“Because Little Lulu is still under my absolute control and if I so ordered it, she would do anything Celestia. Even dance until she died.”
Celestia looked down as she whispered.
“Is it so important to you that you would threaten my sister’s life?”
Chrysalis sat silent for a moment before replying offhandedly.
“You don’t know what it’s like. Nopony knows what it is like when you can’t enjoy something as simple as a dance. Look at me Princess, I am a Danceling; a creature born to dance, to love dance, to enjoy dance! And I can’t even do that!”
Muttering to herself, Chrysalis scoffed in a voice Celestia could barely hear.
“A truly cursed existence I live.”
Glancing over at Celestia, Chrysalis’s voice softened.
“Alright, fine. I’ll tell you what Celestia. I’ll set you free, your sister as well, and relinquish my hold on your citizens; just tell me where this Twilight is.”
Celestia looked flabbergasted at the sudden offer of generosity.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“And how do I know you’ll keep your word?”
“What other choice do you have? You alone aren’t able to defeat me, and you’ve no dance partners to unleash your magic, so tell me. Where is this Twilight Sparkle?”
“Fine. She’s at Starlightlight’s record library in Ponyville.”
“Wonderful, well I’ll be off then.”
“Wait! What about my sister?”
“Oh, there’s no need to worry, I’ll keep my word. I just didn’t say when, but there is no need to worry your pretty head about it, Princess. Now, look into my eyes, let your worries fade away. And let’s dance.”





Twilight tossed and turned in her sleep; finding herself on a dancefloor face to face with a strange creature. It was like something she had never seen before, a black insectoid possessing an almost Alicorn build. Seemingly it had holes throughout its body almost as if parts of its very being were missing. It spoke with the rather intriguing voice of a mare, and somehow captivated Twilight’s attention with its gorgeous, envious green eyes.
It held out its hoof to her and said.
“I heard you love to dance. That you would dance with any being?”
Her voice sounded almost hopeful, pleading even as though desperate. Twilight looked at the strange creature and smiled happily.
“Would you dance with me?”
Twilight woke up in a sudden cold sweat, looking around. That dream; It had felt so real. Why? And what was that creature? Looking around she saw Applejack and Fluttershy snuggled under a blanket; fast asleep. She chuckled. The wild ones. 
The other beds were surprisingly empty, though that was nothing out of the ordinary for Rainbow, Pinkie, and Rarity. All three were known to enjoy the nightlife. Slipping out of bed, she headed downstairs to get some water. The dream and the creature; both still fresh in her mind. 
Heading down the stairs, Twilight made her way to the 2nd-floor kitchen, hearing the voices of Spike and Starlight in the next room. Suddenly hungry, Twilight reached into the fridge as she heard the words.
“That night on the dance floor, Luna and I ended up creating Twilight within her. Our little bundle of joy was created during a burst of magic in the dance to save our friends.”
Twilight’s blood ran cold. What did Starlight just say?
	“So Twilight is really over 50 years old?”
“Yeah, but she’s still a filly by Alicorn standards. Nopony, including her, will notice her wings until she’s fully grown into them.”
What are they saying? Wings? Swiftly, Twilight looked at her back, she saw nothing out of the ordinary. There were no wings. And then it struck her. Luna and I…Is Starlight my…Father? How? What?
Taken by curiosity she edged towards the swinging door, to listen in as the two continued talking.
“That sudden burst of dance magic had an adverse effect on our friends, though Luna, myself, and Celestia were unaffected; their fur changed colors, and time for them reversed, changing them into fillies. We gave them new names and I was tasked with raising them, we didn’t need them remembering what had occurred. My Alicorn status was revoked by Harmony herself, as a misuse of my powers I assume.”
“Misuse of powers?”
“Ponies think Alicorns are chosen by the citizens to rule, but in reality, we are chosen and created by the Melodious Harmony of Equestria; itself. Our abilities are one of a kind and we only sprout our wings when we grow into maturity of those powers. Time, sun, moon, love. We were given reign over others to guide and nurture them.”
“But why didn’t you stick around? Twilight has been dying to know who her father is!”
Why weren’t you there?
“Royalty is a strange thing, and two Princesses of two separate kingdoms out of wedlock with a foal? Oh, the press would have had a field day. I couldn’t do that to my Luna. So, I opted to watch from afar. As painful as it was.”
“Are you planning to tell her?”
There was a moment of aggravating silence, Twilight desperately wanting to hear the answer before:
“That’s why I asked Luna to send her here so that I could reconnect with her. Give her what I couldn’t when she was a foal.”
There was more silence and then Twilight heard Spike speak about something, though she could really only hear her own heart in her throat. Starlight was…My father? My sire is a mare? I’m an Alicorn? I…Think I need that water now.
Turning around she found herself staring into a pair of familiarly green eyes and opened her mouth to scream only to find something warm and soft pressed against her muzzle. Twilight’s mind went crazy as her face flushed a bright pink and she found herself calming down in the throes of the kiss.
As the being pulled back, those green eyes stared into hers as though searching for something. Twilight could see it was the strange creature from her dream. She opened her mouth only to find a hoof pressed against it. The strange being whispered gently.
“Not a single sound. Got it?”
Slowly Twilight nodded, and the hoof was lowered. Turning around the creature gestured to herself.
“Call me Chrysalis. Follow me. You and I need to talk and I don’t need Mrs. I-can-control-time to hear us.”
Watching the strangely feminine insectoid mare walk away, and without a clue what drove her to do it, Twilight slowly followed her out the backdoor and into the chilled midnight’s wind.