//------------------------------// // 55: Solar Flare // Story: Death of a Queen, V2. // by Arkane12 //------------------------------// “Umm . . . maybe?” Chrysalis paled beneath the withering glare of the Inquisitor. The gold-clad warrior stomped forward, their armor ringing with each thunderous step. As though her body were acting of its own volition, Chrysalis stepped backwards. “Oh. Where are my manners?” The inquisitor stopped and put a hoof to their chest. “My name is Inquisitor Flare. I am a servant of Princess Celestia and leader of her Solar Guard.” Introductions finished, they started their march toward Chrysalis once again. “And I understand that you were the one who attempted to kill her?”  “I . . .” Chrysalis nearly choked. “I did.”  “I see. I appreciate your honesty, at the very least.”  “Inquisitor Flare, I would speak with you,” Luna interrupted. Flare’s head twisted only a few degrees as they waited for Luna to continue. “It is true that Chrysalis is responsible for Celestia’s condition. However, she has also been working alongside Princess Twilight to heal her.”  “Oh?” Flare loosened up. “With that said, what exactly are your intentions here, Inquisitor Flare?” Luna inquired.  “I’m not sure.”  “She’s dangerous, Inquisitor,” Lord Hilt interjected.  Flare shot him a look, silencing him without a word. “I am well aware of what she’s capable of. However, I am not in the habit of making rash decisions without all the information. Princess Luna, do you have any suggestions?”  “I do.” Luna spread her wings and glided down to stand beside the inquisitor. “Chrysalis is the one responsible for the invasion of Canterlot.”  “I’m aware,” she said tiredly.   “However, in the time since the invasion, Queen Chrysalis was deposed and King Thorax took control of her hive.”  “I know the reports on her, Princess. Start at why she’s here.”  Luna nodded. “My sister received a message from King Thorax with the location of Chrysalis. I do not know why he gave her this information, nor do I know what he expected her to do there.” While Luna spoke, the golden knight started to circle Chrysalis. The ring of guards around her broke away and retreated, allowing the inquisitor an unimpeded view. “When Princess Celestia did not return, Princess Twilight went after her. She discovered both my sister and Chrysalis wounded in the throne room.”  “A fight?”  “From what I’ve heard, yes,” Luna said. Chrysalis could feel Flare’s cold gaze like a live wire against her skin. “But, there is more to the story.” Luna waited for the inquisitor to prompt her onwards. “From Princess Twilight’s report, Celestia would have been the victor of the fight. However, Princess Celestia chose instead, at a great risk to herself, to ignore her own wounds and try to aid Chrysalis. ”  Flare turned toward Luna. That last part seemed to capture their attention.  With the slightest hints of relief on her face, Luna continued. “Celestia saved Chrysalis’ life. As such, Twilight wanted to bring her back as well. To honor Celestia’s wish, as it would seem.”  “I certainly missed quite a bit during my journey,” Flare said.  Lord Hilt approached. “Inquisitor, you can’t allow this changeling to be freed. To do so would cause havoc all across Equestria.”  “Is that an observation or a threat, Lord Hilt?” Flare asked, turning their deadly glare in his direction. “I simply mean that–” “I know what you mean, Hilt.” The inquisitor fell silent for a few short moments. “I have reached a decision. Before I make it official, however, I wish to speak with Princess Twilight. Do you know where she is, Princess Luna?”  Luna looked to Chrysalis for an answer.  “She’s up in my room,” Chrysalis explained. “The abandoned tower, set apart from the rest of the castle. When I left, she was still fast asleep.” She cast her gaze downward. “But you won’t be able to speak with her for a while, yet.”  “And why is that?” Chrysalis expected anger, but Flare’s voice was absolutely calm.  “She’s exhausted. You’re not likely to get much aside from gibberish from her until she gets some rest.” Chrysalis spied Shining Armor from the corner of her eye and couldn’t look away. “She saved my life by feeding me her own love.”   “She what?” Shining Armor lurched forward.  Chrysalis sighed. “She fed me. That's why she’s asleep right now.”  “You filthy little bug, what did you do to my sister?” Shining Armor roared, marching right up to Chrysalis. His fury was stonewalled as Flare stepped in front of him. Shining stopped fast, his furious gaze switching between Flare and Chrysalis in equal measure.  “Is she in danger?” Luna asked.  Chrysalis frowned. “No. After a bit of rest, she’ll be right as rain.”  Shining threw down his spear. “Princess Luna, I would request permission to go and check on Princess Twilight. If she’s hurt–” “Granted, Captain. But unless you have good reason, do not attempt to wake her,” Luna said. Shining Armor saluted, picked up his spear, and rocketed off toward the door.  Chrysalis could feel all their eyes on her. It made her skin crawl. “Look, I didn’t have a choice in the matter, alright? I was lying on the floor dying. I tried to stop her, but she insisted. And I . . . I couldn’t resist forever.” What was this grumbling in her stomach? Guilt? How long had it been since she felt guilty? “You’re sure she’ll live?” Flare asked.  “I cut the drain short as soon as I could. She’ll be asleep for a few more hours, but she’ll be fine after that,” Chrysalis explained.  “You sound ashamed,” Flare noted. Chrysalis tried to meet their gaze, but couldn’t see their face beneath their helmet. “Why did you stop so short? Surely you could have taken more energy?”  Chrysalis groaned. “I . . . I didn’t want to hurt her. I told her that.”  Flare stepped closer. They put themselves eye-to-eye with Chrysalis. The latter could feel her blood flushing with adrenaline. This pony might have been the size of any other, but they emanated an aura worthy of the most fearsome of monsters.  “If I may, Inquisitor?” Luna asked, putting a hoof on the armored pony’s shoulder.  “Something to add, Princess Luna?”  “You have no doubt heard the nobles’ complaints about Chrysalis brainwashing Twilight. Yes?” Flare nodded. “The truth is, Chrysalis and Twilight have developed a rather powerful bond during their trials.”  Flare laughed. It was a sound straight out of a nightmare.  “I see. Well, if I cannot speak with Princess Twilight yet, then I will have to amend my plan.” Flare’s voice grew louder until every pony in the room could hear her. “I will escort Chrysalis to the dungeons and lock her away in one of the high security cells. She will remain there until I’m able to speak with Princess Twilight, at which point, I will render a further judgment. Does this arrangement seem acceptable to you, Princess Luna?”  “It does. You have my permission to do as you see fit.”  “Good.” Flare turned toward the crowd. “And what about you, Lord Hilt? Do you object to this course of action?”  “No. I agree.” Hilt paused. “However, I would be remiss if I did not advocate for more extreme measures. The changeling is dangerous. I doubt we can trust even the most secure cells to hold her for long. I think it would be better if we were to employ more . . . extreme measures.”   “I assure you, she will remain in her cell. I will keep watch personally,” Flare said. “Anything else you wish to add?”  “I . . .” The lord looked over the other nobles. None of them seemed happy with it, but were far more afraid of Flare than they were of Chrysalis. In any other situation, Chrysalis might have found that insulting. “No, Inquisitor. Nothing else.”  “Do you still intend to invoke the Daybreak Protocol?” Luna asked.  “We will.”  “Then I urge you to remember this, Lord Hilt.” Flare stalked toward the noble, just as they had approached Chrysalis earlier. “The Daybreak Protocol might give you control over the guard, but I remain loyal to Princess Celestia. Even if you succeed with your invocation, I will carry out my orders as I see fit. Is that understood?”  Chrysalis almost felt sorry for the poor stallion as he melted beneath Flare’s aura. Almost.  “I . . . I understand, Inquisitor.”  “Good. Now that we’ve settled that, you may return to duties. I will take things from here.” Flare turned on their hooves. “You, Chrysalis. You will follow me.”  Chrysalis didn’t need a second invitation. She followed the inquisitor out of the Great Hall through the same doors she entered what felt like hours ago. Several of the nobles looked rather unhappy with the outcome – Hilt’s niece included – but none of them dared to challenge the behemoth of a soldier that was the inquisitor. Luna, on the other hoof, wore a sly smile as she watched Chrysalis march away. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Hey, would you mind slowing down a little?” Chrysalis asked as Flare led her down a hallway she didn’t recognize. It appeared more run down than some of the others and ended in a downward set of stairs that led underground.  The knight’s stride didn’t falter, as though she hadn’t even heard Chrysalis.  “Hey, did you hear me? I told you to slow—“ In her effort to keep up, Chrysalis stumbled. Her leg crumpled, shutting her up and sending her muzzle-first into the stone floor. Her eye squeezed shut as she rode through the jolt of pain that accompanied her fall.  After a few seconds, the sting started to fade. Her eye opened. Chrysalis hadn’t heard the inquisitor’s footsteps, but somehow they had approached. They were standing over the changeling, their cold gaze forcing her to turn away.  “There. Happy now?” Chrysalis grumbled.  In lieu of an answer, the soldier offered their hoof.  Chrysalis stared at the offering, then up at the knight. With a shaky hesitation, she reached out toward the offered aid, but decided at the last moment to bat it away instead. The knight withdrew their hoof, neither demanding an explanation nor offering a commentary on the changeling resistance.  With a scowl, Chrysalis dragged herself back to her hooves. She stomped her wounded leg a few times, until she couldn’t feel the sharp pains anymore. Back on her feet, Chrysalis caught up to the waiting inquisitor. Together, they continued into the depths beneath the castle.  Several empty hallways later, they finally came upon something new: A doorway lined with thick metal bars. On the other side, two guards sat at desks in the opposite corners of the room. They had their muzzles buried in a magazine and newspaper respectively. Neither of them bothered to look up until the inquisitor knocked their armored hoof against the gate.  The closer of the two guards glanced up from his reading. Without a word, he dogeared the corner of his page and slid his chair out from his desk. He retrieved a keyring from one of the drawers and made his way over to unlock the door. The key turned with a heavy thunk, and the door swung open.  The guard offered only a slight nod as the prisoner and her warden stepped inside. As soon as Chrysalis had crossed the threshold, he slammed the door shut behind her and locked it again. This prompted the second guard to rise. He sniffled and tossed his newspaper onto a disorganized pile of papers on his desk. He produced a second keyring and unlocked the door at the far end of the room. Once again, Chrysalis and Flare passed silently, and he closed the door behind them.  This left Chrysalis standing at one end of a dungeon hallway. A dozen cells lined either side, each one containing a pony dressed in an orange jumpsuit. Most of them stayed silent as she passed, offering little more than a sideways glance. One of them screamed at her, punctuating a colorful string of profanity with a wad of spit. The inmate across from him howled with laughter as Chrysalis wiped her shoulder clean.  “Charming folks you keep down here,” Chrysalis muttered as she and her jailer proceeded down another level. Then another. Then another. With each floor they cleared, inmates became increasingly absent, until they reached a floor devoid of life. “I don’t suppose we’ll be getting there anytime soon, will we?” The inquisitor offered no answer. Instead, she led Chrysalis down a final flight of stairs. This brought them to another empty level. Rather than another descent, this level ended with a thick wooden door. Chrysalis could see light streaming through the metal-grated window. As they approached, Flare drew their own key. It slid into the lock and the door swung open with a groan like that of a sick beast. On the other side of the door was a tall, cylindrical room. Large crystals grew from the rocks all around, casting their glow over the room like a synthetic sun. A pillar had been carved down the center of the cavern along with a twisting path that made it appear like the reverse of Canterlot Castle’s towers. Even from here, Chrysalis could see the cells lining the downward spiral.  The duo approached the pillar by way of a thin stone bridge. Chrysalis cast a curious glance over the edge, but was met with nothing but the pillar, continuing down into an endless chasm. Dizzy, she retreated from the edge and continued following.  “Here,” Flare said, motioning to the first cell carved into the pillar. She exchanged her key for another and unlocked the door. The cell itself resembled a cave, with roughly carved walls of stone. Metal bars were installed over the mouth, save for a door that had been set inside.  “Finally,” Chrysalis said, rolling her eyes.  Flare stepped aside, motioning for Chrysalis to enter. The changeling approached, but stopped just shy of the doorway to inspect the room. One corner had a cot which, like everything else in the cell, had been carved from stone. At the very least, it had a few blankets slung over it, providing the bare minimum of padding.  The only other thing in the cell was a half-rusted bucket that sat alone in the far corner.  “This a deluxe suite?” Chrysalis asked over her shoulder. As she expected, her ribbing didn’t provoke a response. “You know, you’re less fun to mess with than the other guards.” Still nothing. She frowned. “So, you want me to go inside the cell, right?” Flare nodded. “I’m sorry, could you speak up? I couldn’t hear you.”  “Get in the cell,” Flare said.  “See? Was that so difficult?” Despite her best efforts, Chrysalis couldn’t read this pony. Their armor hid their body, and patience hid their personality. The soldier might well have been a machine for all she could get out of it. And somehow, that infuriated her more than any of the guards upstairs.  “Are you going to get in?” Flare asked, still as monotone as ever.  “Yeah, yeah, hold your horses. I have a few questions first.” Chrysalis turned to face the soldier. “Ask.”  “So . . . what . . . why . . . is there . . .” She bit her lip. She couldn’t think of a question.  “I’m afraid I can’t answer that,” Flare grumbled.  “Alright. Fine. You win.” With a pout, Chrysalis stepped inside. The door slammed shut behind her. The key turned with a heavy click. She could only watch as Flare turned and started to walk away. “Hey! You’re just going to leave me down here? Can I at least have a glass of water or something?”  She watched Flare vanish behind the door at the far end of the bridge. “You know what, fine!” Chrysalis slammed a hoof into the bars. When that resulted in nothing more than a somewhat numb hoof, she turned and flopped down on the stone cot. “The service in this place sucks,” she snarled. With literally nothing better to do, Chrysalis rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ An echoing slam sent Chrysalis rocketing up in her bed. Outside her cell, marching toward her, she could see Flare. Their golden armor shimmered in the crystalline light. This time, however, they were carrying a footstool slung over their shoulder.  “Oh. It’s just you,” Chrysalis said, falling back against her pillow. “The boring one.” She watched Flare set up her seat outside the cell. “So, what happens now? Are you just going to sit here and try to drill a hole in my head by staring at me? Or maybe you’re going to let me starve in here until I beg for mercy in the form of an execution? Oh, you know what would be fun? You could–” “You really like the sound of your own voice, don’t you?” Flare asked.  Chrysalis sat up and crossed her forelegs over her chest. “Well, you’re clearly not going to continue the conversation. That means it falls on me to speak enough for both of us. If I don’t, things are just going to get more boring.”  “Is that so?” Flare slouched their shoulders.  The two of them sat in silence for a few moments. Finally, Flare broke the silence when they put their hooves on their helmet. They unfastened the buckles around their neck and tugged their helmet off.  “Well then, Changeling Queen, what would you like to talk about?”  Chrysalis almost let her jaw drop. Beneath their metal skin and monstrous aura, Flare was nothing more than a mare with dull green fur and a trimmed silver mane. Her wrinkled skin and tired eyes no longer carried an ounce of youth. In truth, Chrysalis was impressed the old mare could even stand in all that armor.  “Oh? Is that all it takes to leave you speechless?” Flare chuckled as she set her helmet on the ground beside her chair. The way her voice echoed through the chamber made her laugh sound more like a witch’s cackle.  “I must say, of all the things I expected to see beneath that helmet, somepony’s grandmother was not near the top of that list,” Chrysalis said. She snorted and collapsed back to her bed.  “Grandmother?” Flare rolled her shoulder, all the while her laugh crescendoed. “Is that supposed to insult me? Listen here, Missy, I’m old enough that my grandkids would be expecting their first grandkids. So if you’re trying to make me self-conscious, you’re going to have to try a lot harder than that.”  Chrysalis slid her hooves beneath her head, using them to prop up her pillow.  “Besides,” Flare continued. “When you’re my age, nopony ever thinks you might be a spy. Comes in handy in my line of work.”  “You sure you should be telling me that? I might start spreading rumors.”  “And I’m sure everypony will believe you.” Flare chuckled. “You can’t even get them to believe you’re not trying to kill them.”  “Yeah, well.” Chrysalis shrugged. “They’re a bunch of idiots–” She rocketed upright. “Wait. I can’t get them to believe me. Is that implying that you believe I’m not trying to kill you?”  Flare relaxed slightly. “Maybe. I haven’t decided yet.”  “So, you dragged me all the way down here because I might kill all of you?” Chrysalis scoffed. “Right. Because I’m sure you have nothing better to do than make me miserable.”  “You know, I thought you would like being down here,” Flare said. She motioned to the cavern around them. “I mean, isn’t this basically where you live? A series of large, underground tunnels?” “Yeah. I love it. But it would be much nicer if these bars weren’t here.”  “Hey, not every home is perfect.”  Chrysalis regained her relaxed power. “Whatever. I suppose I should be thankful you’re not actively trying to kill me.”  “Don’t thank me just yet. Like I said, I haven’t decided yet.”  “I won’t hold my breath.”  Another long silence passed between them. It stretched on for nearly an hour. Or at least that’s how it felt to Chrysalis. Time meant little when there was nothing to do but stare at a couple of blank stone walls. She closed her eyes and took a long, slow breath.  “Flare?” Chrysalis asked.  “Hmm?”  “You said you had grandkids?”  Flare offered a stiff sigh. “I did.” “Did?” Chrysalis flexed her jaw. “As in, you did say that, or that you did have grandkids?”  “Which do you think?”  Chrysalis opened her mouth, but struggled to force out the words caught in her throat. After a few half-hearted starts, she managed to speak. “I’m sorry.”  “For what?”  “I know how it feels to lose a child.”  Flare picked up her chair and moved out of sight, setting it against the wall between Chrysalis’ cell and the next. Her old bones and heavy plate creaked as she propped herself up against the wall.  “You refer to when your changelings turned against you?” Flare asked.  “Among other things. Once, I called all the changelings in Equestria my children.” Chrysalis rolled onto her side, burying her head against the cell wall. “Now, it seems like Thorax is the only one who remembers that.”  “Kids can be ungrateful. Don’t take it personally.” Flare chuckled, but the uneven tone of her voice made it sound all the more haunting. “Mine were military. Two boys and a girl. Two soldiers and a nurse. One day . . . the letters stopped, and they just never came home.”  Another silence settled over the duo. This time, though, Chrysalis didn't feel tension or awkwardness. It was simply a moment of silence for everything they had lost. That silence was interrupted when the door back to the castle opened up. Out of the corner of her eye, Chrysalis could see a spot of purple fuzz hurrying across the bridge.  “Princess Twilight?” Flare asked, rising from her seat.  “Inquisitor Flare. Where is . . . Chrysalis? Is she . . . Is she okay?” Twilight asked between panting breaths.  “She’s right here, Princess.”  “Chrysalis? Are you alright?”  At the sound of her name, Chrysalis rolled out of bed onto her hooves. “Yeah, I’m fine.”  “They didn’t hurt you, did they?” Twilight’s words grew quicker in time with her breathing. “I heard from Crow that you were taken for a court judgment. And then I heard about the Inquisitor returning. And then Shining wouldn’t tell me what would happen, and–” “Calm down. Take a breath.” Chrysalis reached a hoof out through the bars of her cage and touched Twilight’s cheek. “I’m fine. Well, as fine as I was before.”  Chrysalis' touch dragged Twilight back from her panic. She nuzzled against the changeling’s hoof as she finally stopped to catch her breath. “Good. I was so scared when Shining came to get me. What happened?”  “Apparently, I made some of the nobles a little upset. That assassin that attacked me? Turns out she’s one of their daughters or nieces or something. To make a long story short, nopony believed me, and the only reason I’m still alive is because of her.” Chrysalis nodded toward Flare, who had finished donning her armor.  “You . . . you protected her?” Twilight asked, staring at the inquisitor with wide eyes.  “I wanted to speak with you before I passed judgment on her.”  Twilight’s wings bristled. “Me? Alright. What did you want to ask?”  Though Chrysalis couldn’t see Flare’s eyes, she could feel them, darting back and forth between Twilight and herself. “I wanted to ask you about Celestia. About what happened to her.”  “Okay? Anything specific?”  “Chrysalis here is the one who attacked her, yes?” Flare’s voice took on a hard edge.  Twilight’s feathers turned from a bristle to a slight tremble. She widened her stance by a slight margin, trying to sneak between Chrysalis and Flare. “There’s more to it than that, Chrysalis didn’t–” “That’s a yes.” Flare nodded. “And according to the reports I’ve heard, she’s also been helping you to create a cure for Celestia’s condition?”  “Yes.” Twilight nodded with her whole body. “She’s been invaluable, actually, I don’t think I would have been able to make it this far without–” “And how far along are you in this project?”  “We’ve had minor success so far.” Twilight hesitated. “I’m currently waiting on a package of materials, but I’m confident that one of them will be what I need to finish the cure.”  Chrysalis could only stare at the inquisitor. With her helmet back on, she seemed like an entirely different mare. Any trace of the kind, grandmotherly figure below was gone. Like the flip of a switch.  “In your report, you mentioned that you thought Lady Celestia spared Miss Chrysalis?”  “I did,” Twilight said. She started her story at the beginning, about her arrival at the hive, and about how she’d found Celestia cradling Chrysalis, despite her wounds. All the while, Flare never reacted. “So, you agree with me, don’t you?”  Flare didn’t answer right away. Every second that ticked by without an answer only made Twilight more anxious. If the decision took much longer, Chrysalis was going to have to carry an unconscious Twilight back upstairs.  “Alright.”  Enough weight vanished from Twilight’s shoulder that Chrysalis worried she might start floating away. “Really? You agree with me? Thank Celestia. You had me worried there for a moment, inquisitor–” “Princess Twilight, compose yourself.” Flare gave the princess a moment to rein herself in before clearing her throat and continuing. “From your story, I’ve gained some perspective on the situation. However, I still feel uncomfortable making my final judgment. There are a few more key players I would like to speak to.”  Twilight slumped back against the bars, allowing Chrysalis to catch her. “Then . . . then you mean Chrysalis’ life is still in danger?”  “Listen to me, Princess, and listen well. Lord Hilt and the other nobles were discussing invoking the Daybreak Protocol to get their hooves on her.” She pointed toward Chrysalis. “If I’m going to throw my hat into the ring alongside the two of you, I need to be completely sure about it. Otherwise, the situation just gets messier.”  With Chrysalis’ help, Twilight composed herself and bowed her head. “Very well. I understand.”  “However,” Flare continued, startling the two listeners. “I do believe that Chrysalis isn’t quite the threat the other nobles have made her out to be. Still, there are things that I need to look in to. Therefore, Chrysalis will remain incarcerated here until morning. By then, I will have my answer. Is that a problem?” She seemed to direct that last question toward Chrysalis, rather than the princess.  Twilight stepped forward. “Why does she have to stay here? Isn’t there somewhere else we can–” “Fine,” Chrysalis scoffed.  “Do not worry, either of you. Aside from my own, only the other inquisitors have keys to this level of the prison. Nopony will be able to harm you here without going through me, first.”  “That’s . . . reassuring?” Chrysalis shrugged.  “Then unless there is anything else, I’ll be taking my leave. Princess, if you wish, I can accompany you back upstair–” “inquisitor Flare, wait!” Twilight was staring down at the rock between her hooves. “May I make a request?”  Flare tilted her head slightly. “Very well. What is your request, Princess?”  Keeping her head down, Twilight whispered, “You said that you’re going to have your answer by morning, right? So, then, this might be Chrysalis’ last night.”  “It’s . . .” Flare cleared her throat. “I would not worry, Princess, she–” “I want to stay with her!” Twilight blurted out, flinching.  “Very well.” Flare tapped her chin. “I will have the guards bring down something for you–” “No!” Twilight shook her head.  Even Chrysalis had to arch her eyebrow at this display. “I . . . I want you to lock me inside with her.”