//------------------------------// // 16: Luna’s Plan // Story: Death of a Queen, V2. // by Arkane12 //------------------------------// Cadance put a hoof on her sister’s shoulder. “That’s amazing, Twilight. You should be proud.”   Twilight scratched the back of her neck. “I wouldn’t start celebrating just yet. There’s a good chance that it still won’t work as it is. I’ll probably have to make some modifications here and there.” She smiled. “But it’s a good start.”   “I’m glad to see you so enthusiastic,” Cadance chuckled.  The longer the silence between them stretched on, the more Twilight’s excitement started to wane. She and Cadance hadn’t finished their discussion on Chrysalis. Furthermore, she wasn’t in the mood to continue it right now.  Cadance must have felt similarly. “You should show Luna,” she said.  “That . . . would probably be a good idea,” Twilight agreed.  Twilight squeezed her eyes shut and summoned her magic. And when her eyes opened, she was standing in the Royal Dining Room. She appeared beside Luna, nearly causing the monarch to topple her seat.  “Twilight?” Luna asked coolly. “That was quite the entrance.”  “Right. Sorry. I needed to talk to you.”  Luna raised an eyebrow. “About anything in particular?”  “My research,” Twilight said.  “If you two need to talk, I can step out.” At the familiar voice, Twilight’s research slipped from her thoughts. She turned to see Shining Armor sitting at the opposite side of the table. He wore a golden helm, a chestplate, and an excited smile.  “Shiny?” Twilight felt her stomach twist as she stared at her brother. She should have been excited to see him. And she was, to a certain extent. But beneath that, Twilight felt cold. It would only be a matter of time before she would have to have the Chrysalis talk with him. And that was something she was not looking forward to. “You could at least sound excited to see me,” Shining said with a chuckle.  Twilight snapped out of her thoughts. “Sorry.” She tried her best to smile. “I am excited to see you, I just got lost in thought for a moment.”  “It’s alright. I know how focused you can get on your research.” Shining Armor leaned back in his chair. “I still remember the science fair incident.”  Twilight groaned, her face reddening as she made her way to her seat. “I apologized.”  Luna raised a brow. “The science fair incident?” “Hey,” Twilight interrupted. “Weren’t we here to talk about my research?”  “Of course,” Luna cleared her throat. “Please, tell us what you have found.”  “Wait,” Shining put up a hoof. “What about Cadance? I’m sure she’ll want to hear this.”  “She already knows,” Twilight explained. “She came to visit me in my lab.”  “Oh.” Shining shrugged. “Go ahead then, I guess.”  Twilight set her crystal on the table in front of her. “See this crystal? I used my magic to change it into a teacup. But, by using my potion, I managed to negate my spell and change it back to its original form.”  “And this is good?” Luna asked.  “Yes.” Twilight nodded at her. “I spent several days trying to concoct some sort of antivenom for Celestia, but nothing worked. So, I tried a different method. The poison killing the Princess is magical in nature. If I can nullify that magic, I hypothesize that the poison will be rendered inert as well.”  “You sure that’ll work?” Shining asked. Twilight shook her head. “It’s not a guarantee, but logically, it should work.”  “I do not mean to sound cynical.” Luna muttered. “But it sounds like there are a lot of assumptions in your experiments, Twilight.”  “We’re dealing with something completely new that nopony has ever even attempted to work with before. I know it sounds like a long shot, but I don’t have any other ideas.”  “Magical poison?” Shining whispered. “Are you sure?”  “I am.” Twilight took a deep breath. She could already guess how the others would react to her next statement. “Chrysalis told me about the spell she used.” Luna set her goblet down on the table. “This is Chrysalis’ information?”  Twilight nodded again, slightly less enthusiastically than before.  “And you believe her?” Luna asked, leaning forward. Twilight’s anger from last night came roiling back up to the surface. “It lines up with what little I’ve been able to learn from the wound itself,” Twilight explained. She tried her best to keep her words calm, but found her anger difficult to push back down. “I can’t think of any reason not to trust her. At least, not on this.”  “I can think of a few,” Luna huffed, refilling her glass from a dark green bottle. “What about you, Shining Armor? Do you think Chrysalis can be trusted?”  Shining’s muscles tensed. He looked back and forth between the two princesses. “I can’t help but feel I’m missing some sort of context here,” he said.  “Would you like to explain to him, Twilight?” Luna raised her full glass to her lips. “Or would you prefer I explain it to him.”  “Explain what?” Shining asked cautiously. Twilight grimaced. “I’ve been spending more time with Chrysalis lately.”  Shining jumped out of his chair. “Alone?”  Twilight frowned. “No. I’ve been keeping the guards with me.” Shining didn’t seem to hear her. “Has she tried anything yet? Did she put any spells on you?”  “No, Shining. She hasn’t tried anything. No spells. No escapes. She . . .” Twilight rubbed her chest, feeling the bruise throb, hidden beneath her fur. “She’s hurt. She’s alone. She needs help.”  Shining blinked several times before slowly shaking his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I know you want to help, Twilight, but Chrysalis is dangerous.”  “And here we go.” Twilight scoffed. “You sound just like Luna.”  Luna smiled, but said nothing.  “Do you think there might be a reason for that?” Shining suggested. “I know. I know. You don’t want to trust her. And she doesn’t deserve your trust,” Twilight growled. “But I can’t just turn my back on someone that’s suffering. You know I can’t.”  Shining sighed. “I understand your request now, Princess Luna.”  Luna’s gaze flicked toward the soldier. “Does that mean you’ll accept my terms?”  “Hold on,” Twilight interjected. “What request?” She turned to Shining. “What did she ask you to do?”  “Twily, I want you to listen to me. Chrysalis is using you.” Shining stepped away from his seat and rounded the table to his sister’s side.  “You didn’t answer my question,” Twilight said, leaning away from him.  “You have a good heart. I know you do. And I know that you want to help every pony you can. But this is different, Twilight. Chrysalis is using you. She’s got her back against the wall. She’ll do anything to save herself. Including taking advantage of a kind soul wanting to help.” “Yeah.” Twilight kicked her chair away from the table and turned to her brother. “You didn’t see her. You didn’t hear the pain in her voice that I did.” “Maybe not. But I know her, Twilight. I know what she’ll do to get her way. And I know that she has no qualms about hurting you to do it. Which is why . . .” Shining squeezed his eyes shut, as though his words physically hurt him.  “It’s why I have asked Captain Armor and Princess Cadance to take custody of Chrysalis,” Luna said, setting her empty glass down on the table. “And they will be taking her back to the Crystal Empire to face judgment.”  Twilight’s throat dried. “You what?”  “We’re taking her back to the Crystal Empire,” Shining repeated. “We’ll decide what to do with her there.”  “You can’t do that!” Twilight argued.  “And why not?” Luna asked, glaring at Twilight.  “I still need her for my research. That was the whole reason I had her brought here.” “You said you were on the way to a cure,” Shining said. “I trust that you can find one without Chrysalis’ help. And that’s assuming, of course, that anything she says to you is accurate.”  “I don’t believe this.” Twilight stomped her hoof. “I know that Chrysalis did horrible things. I’m not excusing that. But doesn’t she deserve a second chance?”  “Honestly?” Shining hung his head. “No. She doesn’t. Twice now, she nearly toppled Equestria. And now she’s put Princess Celestia’s life at risk. She’s proven herself to be an enemy, Twilight. She’s taken advantage of every mercy we’ve shown her. One of these times, she’s going to get lucky. It might already be too late.”  “Y-Yeah, but . . .” Twilight tried to speak, but the words caught in her throat. Her brother had a point. After everything he suffered at her whims, after everything that had gone wrong in the last several days, how could Twilight sit here and defend Chrysalis? Logically, it didn’t make sense. But she still couldn’t shake her final excuse. “But what if things are different this time?”  “That’s enough, Twilight.” Shining reached out for his sister, but she backed away. “I know you don’t like it. But it’s not your decision to make. Cadance and I will take full responsibility for whatever fate befalls her. You tried your best, but there are some ponies you just can’t save.”  Twilight grit her teeth, trying hard to bite back the tears forming in her eyes. “You’re not even listening to me. She’s changed. I know she has. I’ve seen it.”  “That’s just what she wanted you to see, Twilight.”  Twilight backed away, her head shaking and her body trembling. “You’re wrong. I know you are.”  “Maybe.” Shining nodded. “But that’s a risk I’m willing to take.”  Twilight looked at Luna. She was driven, her features hard-edged. She saw no mercy in those tired eyes. “I thought you of all ponies would understand, Princess.”  Luna turned away.  Shining stepped between the two alicorns. “That’s enough, Twilight--” “And I thought I could count on you. I thought you would trust me.” Twilight swallowed hard. “But I guess I was wrong about that, too.”  “I do trust you. I don’t trust Chrysalis.” Shining stepped forward to comfort his sister, but she pushed him away.  “Don’t. I . . . I need to be alone. I need to think.”  I’m sorry, Twilight,” Shining whispered.  “Not as sorry as I am,” Twilight shot back.  She readied her magic. Another violet flash and the dining room was gone. Shining Armor and Luna were gone. In their places, a dark bedroom appeared.  Twilight’s knees buckled. Every ounce of energy in her body vanished as she hit the cold tile floor.  “I need . . . I need . . .” Twilight closed her eyes. “I need a shower.”