//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: A Vengeful Revelation // by Catpaw616 //------------------------------// Chrysalis glared at the guards in front of her as they led her to Princesses Celestia and Luna's throne room, where they are supposedly waiting for them for whatever reason. Chrysalis angrily glanced at the walls every now and then; scowling each time she saw the stained-glass versions of Twilight and her pathetic friends. The stained glasses depicted the defeat of Luna's evil alternative, Nightmare Moon, and another villain that she had once respected: Discord. She closed her eyes and slightly shook in head in shame when she thought of the Draconequus. She remembered a time, a much different time, that she would be fascinated by the deeds that came from the Lord of Chaos. A being that could easily rip through reality, and torture the lives of ponies out of disorderly fun made Chrysalis grow respect for the creature. However, that respect went down the drain when she heard the disheartening news of how Twilight and her friends somehow reformed him. She should've known that good things never last. He shouldn't have been a wuss and be turned to stone the third time. At least it would've been with dignity. Chrysalis mused. What made things worse was that he was part of Starlight's little group; along with the traitor Thorax and an annoying blue pony that she couldn't remember the name of. Due to her castle's ability to suck up all magic, it put Discord in a huge disadvantage. Without magic, he was nothing but a weakling whose only defense was his unamusing wits. She even laughed at how he got inevitably captured by her changeling army. "A pony that led to his ungraceful downfall twice." Chrysalis had said when she saw her changelings drag Discord's unconscious body in her throne room. Leaving memory lane, Chrysalis glanced down at Cozy Glow, who was walking right next to her. Her eyes were wide in fear and her ears were drooped. She looks scared. Chrysalis pointed out as she glared at the foal. For someone who says they have a different mindset from the rest of her kind, she also shares the same common trait of being fearful of their pathetic ruler. She was starting to wonder if her earlier persuasion was all a facade, and she really is like the rest of them, which she had always assumed. "I'm starting to think that you're showing your true colors." Chrysalis growled towards the foal. "You're not who I thought you were. You still fear her? What a joke." Cozy Glow's eyes were now half-closed after Chrysalis said those words. She side-eyed Chrysalis. "Be quiet, ok? It will work out." she said in an annoyed tone. Chrysalis stiffened at her brave, but foolish choice of words. "Excuse me?" she hissed, her eyes narrowed and her lips curled in a snarl. "How dare you silence me, you little—" She stopped mid-sentence when the same guard from before lightly jabbed the side of her body with his spear. "Shut it," the guard ordered her gruffly. Chrysalis responded with a low hiss, exposing her sharp fangs. You're next on my target list. She thought grimly as she glared at the guard. Once they arrived, the throne's golden doors opened in front of Chrysalis and Cozy Glow. They saw Celestia and Luna sitting on their thrones, waiting for them. Chrysalis didn't even pay attention to them, Instead, her focus was on the throne's redesign. The color scheme is more of a blue palette, Luna finally has her own throne, and the design is sleek and polished. Is that what those loud noises were? Chrysalis remembered struggling so hard to get sleep in her cell due to all the loud sawing, hammering, and buzzing noises that could be easily heard in the background. At first, she thought that those noises were the sounds of a vicious creature invading the room, but it quickly debunked when it was happened for four months straight. Chrysalis couldn't help but admit that the throne room looked less ugly now. Not that tell I'll anyone that, anyway. "Chrysalis, Cozy Glow, have a seat." Celestia ordered the two as the throne's doors closed behind them, and the guards returned to their posts, each of them giving Chrysalis and Cozy Glow wary glances. Celestia nodded her head to a table with two cupcakes on their plates and had two wooden chairs waiting for them. Chrysalis eyed the cupcakes on the plates. For a moment, Chrysalis considered swallowing her pride for just a little moment and eat the cupcakes. It would be certainly better than eating bugs... But she shook her head firmly. She was not going to give in to temptation. Especially in front of Celestia and Luna of all ponies. Just the tiniest bit of weakness could destroy me. She blocked the cupcakes from her view and glared at Celestia. "No thanks," she spat. "It's not a request." Celestia told her, her tone starting to become stern. Grumbling, Chrysalis approached the table and sat down on the wooden chair. Already, she was starting to become uncomfortable in her seat. She fidgeted around, trying to find a way to be comfortable. Cozy Glow rolled her eyes as she took a bite out of a cupcake. "Now, if you're done, I would like to discuss some things with the two of you," Celestia informed them. Cozy Glow raised an eyebrow, while Chrysalis gazed suspiciously at Celestia. "For starters," Celestia raised her hoof and pointed at Chrysalis. "Twilight has informed me about the foods the guards have given to you." "Oh, did she now?" Chrysalis said dryly. "You may be a prisoner here, but it doesn't mean that you deserve neglect," Celestia told her calmly. "Two wrongs don't make a right, after all." Chrysalis' smile quickly faded and started to growl. "Where was this kind of attitude before you left me to rot in the dungeon for two years?" "We didn't leave you to rot, Chrysalis." Princess Luna now spoke, her eyes slightly widening from the accusation. "We gave you food, and offered you warm blankets, yet you refused. Eventually, we just gave up, knowing that you won't budge." Chrysalis' anger only boiled even more. "Oh, after what you and your kind did to me? Why would I accept the help of those who wronged me? Those who took away my rightful place as ruler of the Changeling Hive? You don't pity me at all. You just wanted to see me submit to your stupid blankets and food. Well, I'm never going to give you the satisfaction!" Celestia and Luna looked at each other. "What are you doing?" Cozy Glow whispered to her, putting her hoof next to her mouth. But Chrysalis silenced her with a raised hoof. She didn't want to deal with her right now. Celestia and Luna faced Chrysalis again. "Chrysalis, I simply don't know what you want," Celestia spoke to her softly. "You're too wrapped in hatred to even see sense." "Oh, I see sense alright." Chrysalis seethed through her teeth. Her ears were lowered, and her hooves were slightly starting to shake out of bottled-up rage. Dismissing Chrysalis for a moment, Celestia gazed at Cozy Glow. "And as for you, Cozy Glow. Do you even feel even an ounce of remorse for what you did?" Chrysalis side-eyed Cozy Glow. Now that she thought about it, what did this foal do to earn her spot in the dungeon? For once, her rage was replaced with curiosity. Cozy Glow didn't even answer her. She only rolled her eyes and laid back in her chair. "I guess not." Luna sighed. There was a bit of silence in the room. Chrysalis now wondered what was going to happen next. Were they going back into the dungeon, and not having to see Celestia and Luna's faces for another month? Celestia took a deep breath, then exhaled it calmly. "I've made my choice." She got up from her throne and slowly approached Chrysalis. "Chrysalis, you know as well as I do that you do not want to waste another second in the dungeon. So how about we make a compromise?" Chrysalis just stared at her. "For each pony and creature you apologize to sincerely, your time in the dungeon will be reduced to one minute. And you may pick out your favorite meals for each day of the week the more you keep apologizing to the ponies you have terrorized..." The rest of Celestia's words were muffled. The more Chrysalis stared at her, the more her rage started to boil hotter and hotter until it would finally make her explode. "So, do we have a deal?" Celestia raised an eyebrow after she was done talking. Chrysalis slowly bared her fangs, her eyes remained narrowed. Then the mocking voices of various ponies played into her head. I'm not scared of anyone who's in chains. Do you enjoy your time here in the dungeon? She's not a queen. Not a queen. Not a queen. Then, before she knew it, blind rage took over and with a screech, she stood up and flipped the table with her hooves. Cozy Glow backed away from the scene, her eyes wide and her teeth gritted in fear. "I'd rather die than apologize to you or your pathetic subjects! All of you for pay for what you did to me and my changeling subjects! All of you!" Chrysalis screeched to the Princesses. Still infuriated, Chrysalis charged at Princess Celestia with her head low, and her long, sharp horn aiming for Celestia's chest. Before she reached her, Celestia summoned a forcefield that blocked her path. Chrysalis slammed her face onto the barrier and was knocked down. Right then, the guards quickly arrived at the scene and seized Chrysalis. They wrapped her into more chains and strapped her muzzle with a ring. Chrysalis kept making muffled screeches and the guards firmly held her with their magic. "Send them back into their cells!" Princess Luna ordered her guards, to which they nodded obeyingly. Before they could do the task, Princess Celestia stared into Chrysalis' rage-filled eyes. "I've tried with you." she spoke, her voice stained with disappointment. "I really have tried, but if you want to suffer in the dungeon, so be it." She nodded to her guards, signaling them to leave. The guards carried Chrysalis and Cozy Glow with their magic. The throne's doors slammed behind them. After they unlocked the ring around her muzzle, they shoved Chrysalis into her cell, and slammed the door, locking it. After they were done handling Cozy Glow's chains, they marched their way up the dungeon door. Another slam echoed in the dungeon's halls. "Fools!" Chrysalis' rage was still bubbling inside of her. "They're idiots if they even thought that I would apologize to them!" "Chrysalis, control yourself!" Cozy Glow shouted. "You're going insane!" "Shut up!" Chrysalis whipped her head to glare at her. "You're just like the rest of your filthy kind, you pathetic little roach! Why should I listen to you any longer?" "Because I believe I've found a way to get out of here!" Cozy Glow shouted back with determination. Her eyes shown that she was desperate to snap Chrysalis out of it. In a moment of silence, there was a stare down between a seething Chrysalis, and a calm and determined Cozy Glow.