Chrysi’s eyes stared into Twilight’s own. Were she not mechanized, Chrysi would be sweating buckets. She whispered in a sudden panic as she moved to the side, only for Twilight’s eyes to follow her.
“Can she see me?”
“No.”
From behind Chrysi, Lulu’s voice sounded.
“She cannot, though Alicorns are in tune with magic to a higher degree than others. She can sense our magic, but cannot pinpoint the exact source, just that she should be on alert for any potential threats.”
Chrysi tilted her head, as Twilight stared straight at her, or rather her position.
“I don’t get it, if she can sense you, surely she can feel that she wouldn’t stand a chance.”
Both Lulu and Tia chuckled at this, the elder of the entities speaking softly.
“She is well aware that our magic dwarfs her own, but see how she is tensing her hooves? She’s prepared to fight to the last if anything should happen.”
“But why would she risk herself in such a manner? Just to protect…those that…cannot. No way…”
Tia leaned down and whispered.
“Almost something a mother would do, isn’t that right?”
Chrysi’s processor skipped a frame as her circuits began to power up. She screamed as a deluge of information flooded her neural receptors. Images and scenes of a forgotten life filled her memory banks, her eyes growing wide and wider still as the pieces fell into place.
“No, it can’t be!”
“That Applejack, nopony is that honest, I’ll bet she is secretly a master swindler…I have no doubt Rarity’s generosity is merely surface level, you can’t tell me she wouldn’t slide a poisoned blade twixt my ribs in an instant… I’m telling you, Cozy, Pinkie Pie is a serial killer, no sane Pony wears a smile like that. Just be careful of her darker half, that’s all I’m saying… Tirek avoid Discord, Fluttershy is not to be messed with; she gets angry and it’s like a wild animal is on the loose. Everycreature says she’s too timid, but it’s always the quiet ones…Twilight? What about her, Grogar? I suppose one thing I could give her credit for is being a very protective mother to her friends and their antics…Starlight is always so commanding, why isn’t she a princess? ...I hate these emotions, I failed my hive, I failed my cause, I’m just a failure. If I were a machine…
Chrysi wordless mouthed.
“I wouldn’t feel pain.”
Suddenly, Chrysi HUD lit up as a file appeared on her desktop: Escape.EXE. Her eyes widened as the application was launched. The world around her started to fade away and everything changed to 1’s and 0’s.
Lulu shouted out as darkness engulfed Chrysi.
“Tia, she’s doing it again!”
And then, Chrysi was gone.
From all directions, the darkness radiated the same 1’s and 0’s, slowly the numbers faded away and left behind an entirely familiar scene. Before her stood a mechanized version of Twilight. Chrysi’s heart caught in her throat as it pounded away. This can’t be happening, she thought bitterly.
“You are not the Chrysalis from this world, are you? From what I can see, you are a completely organic, non-metallic life form. The saline falling from your eyes onto my alchemical plating tells me you have been through much, and though I am glad you found solace in seeing Twilight again, I'm sorry to inform you; I’m not the Twilight you are looking for…”
Chrysi wasn’t listening as she just stared in disbelief. Had all this been a lie? A trick of her mind to convince herself she wasn’t hurting?
“Not an easy pill to swallow, is it my daughter?”
Suddenly beside her stood Lulu, the featureless entity sounding somber as it gestured to Twilight, who continued to talk as though nothing happened.
Chrysi just watched as Starlight entered the canvas tent, after talking to Twilight. She looked at Chrysi.
“Don’t. Give. Me. A. Reason.”
It was all the same, just as it was when she had arrived in Exuus. And it wasn’t even real. Nothing more than a simulation she was running in her mind. Chrysi began to sob.
I-it’s not even real! None of it. The love, the happiness, it was all just in my own head! How could I have been so-”
The world around her turned dark once more as everything changed into countless 1’s and 0’s. And then they too, were gone.
“-Stupid.”
Chrysi gasped. Before her, was her. But not her. An oozing dripping version of her. And its disgusting maw was opened wide, connected with strands of revolting black ooze, in a wide mocking smile. It sneered at her.
“What’s wrong Chrysssi?”
From the darkness of the void, chains shot out; oozing, dripping chains made of the same putrid sludge as the version of Chrysalis in front of her. As the acrid scent of rotting flesh reached her nostrils, manacles latched onto her hooves holding her in place. All the while, Chrysalis mocked the imprisoned Chrysi.
“Isn’t this what youuuu wanted?”
Chrysi coughed and sputtered as the putrid smell filled her nostrils, threatening to suffocate her.
“Wh-who are you?”
Swirling around her, as though made completely of slime, the globulous Chrysalis stared into her eyes, it’s own rotted, and sickly green. It spoke matter-of-factly, in a stern voice.
“An excuse.”
“Wait, what?”
The Chrysalis before Chrysi pulled back and laughed, gesturing playfully at her as it bubbled.
“Oh,but it’s noooot your fault, little Chryssssi, after all-”
It grinned knowingly, its mouth stretching to reveal a grotesque display of decaying fangs.
“Nothing ever issss, is it?”
Tia and Lulu stood still, neither moving nor speaking, between the two lay the powered-down form of Chrysi; having crashed to the ground from the sudden surge of information. Neither Tia nor Lulu seemed bothered by this development. Instead, both were observing what was happening in the depths of Canterlot’s Castle, as the giant metal doors suddenly swung open, and an ashen gray furred hoof passed through the threshold. Twilight turned her attention to the newcomer, as a stallion stepped into the room, dressed in full regalia.
He stood one-third the height of the Alicorn princess, though his gait and stance as he came to a halt suggested a noble upbringing. His mane and tail were silken, jet black and slicked back, with every hair in place. Perhaps most notable, however, were the sharpened fangs residing in his steely smile, as well as the gaze of his fiery red eyes, that burned with the fires of Tartarus, itself.
Twilight gave a gentle nod as he gave a respectful glance towards her.
“Sombra.”
He just appeared amused for a moment before flashing his fang-filled smile and snickering slightly, before turning from her without a word. His horn glowed with a dark red magic, causing a trumpet to levitate from his side to his mouth. Giving it a quick blow in double succession, he addressed the entire room in a flamboyantly jovial voice.
“Announcing the arrival of her highness, Princess Flurry Heart of the Crystal Empire!”
A Pink Alicorn stepped delicately into the room; her wings folded against her sides. From the snout to the tip of her tail, she resembled her mother. It was so easy to mistake her for her mother, Cadence. That is, but for a pair of envious green irises, unlike her mother’s Amethyst ones.
She stood as tall as Twilight if only shorter by a single hoof-length. Her mane and tail were a series of cotton candy pink, blueberry blue and a much lighter shade of violet flowing like ribboned silk in a wavy, almost fluid motion. On her flank rested a cutie mark of a beveled heart made of translucent crystal.
As she slowly walked past all present, they lowered their heads in a respectful bow. Noticing Adagio sneaking a glance at her, Flurry Heart instinctively lifted a hoof to the amulet she wore around her neck, the remnants of the legendary Crystal Heart pulsing slowly within. Adagio looked ashamed as she hurriedly averted her eyes from Flurry Heart, only to find the Princess had used a single wingtip to raise Adagio’s muzzle, forcing the Wendigo to lock eyes with her.
For a moment time was frozen as the two stared icily at each other, before Flurry Heart gave a loving smile and wrapped her wings around Adagio in a gentle, yet warm embrace. While encased within the feathery down, Adagio teared up as she heard a soft whisper.
“It’s in the past, you have my forgiveness. Let’s move forward…Adagio.”
Unclasping her wings, Flurry Heart turned towards Twilight and continued walking forward as behind her tears streamed down Adagio’s face in silence; years of worry and stress finally bubbling to the surface of the normally unshakable Wendigo.
Lulu let out a frustrated growl. Its voice carried an almost anxious tone as it gestured to the robotic corpse.
“How much longer, sister?”
Tia’s tone was as patient as ever, as it replied.
“Oh, sister. She will return when she is ready, for right now she is fighting a battle where we cannot follow, against an enemy that we cannot fight. It will take as long as it does. However-”
Tia fell silent and gestured at Flurry Heart, who now stood before Twilight, now glaring coldly at the Alicorn Princess, before concluding.
“Perhaps she won’t have to do it alone, after all.”
Flurry Heart silently stared at Twilight, her vibrant green eyes flashing with the lightning of a cold fury. Twilight stood there, staring back for a moment, watching the storm behind the eyes of Flurry Heart, before averting her eyes in shame. Twilight spoke just one word.
“When?”
Flurry’s voice was soft and gentle, though her eyes told another story.
“Dad told me everything, before he-”
Flurry Heart’s voice broke as she choked up, tears in her eyes. Swallowing hard, she took a moment to compose herself.
“Before he left to join mom, Aunt Twilight.”
Twilight kept her eyes averted as she sighed heavily.
“Flurry, we only did it to protect you. She only did it to protect you.”
“I know. I just- I just wanted some closure, can I- would you mind if I had some time alone with her?”
Twilight nodded slowly.
“Of course, and I’m sorry for not telling you sooner.”
As Twilight ushered everycreature out of the room, Flurry Heart slowly approached the statue, quietly placing her forehoof on the visage of Chrysalis, her eyes closing for a moment before taking a deep breath and speaking to the Ex-Changeling Queen.
“Hi-”
She froze, swallowing hard before uttering the hardest word of her life.
“Mom.”