Celestia blinked and looked around to find herself standing in what appeared to be a great, empty expanse of white. Whatever it was that lay beneath her hooves, it was solid and unyielding, giving her a place to stand without granting her any hint as to where she may be.
"Hello?" She called.
Her gaze narrowed and she searched her surroundings for any hint of color. Yet there was nothing but the infinite void, nearly blinding in its intense, directionless radiance. There was simply nothing out there, at least not for as far as Celestia could see anyway.
"What is this place?" Celestia muttered to herself.
She turned her head, intent on continuing her search only to find that she had found what she was looking for. A small cottage, familiar in its shape sat a few feet away, resting on the top of a small hill surrounded on all sides by light vegetation that gave way to endless white. The structure was a simple, one-story affair that looked like it would have been more at home in the center of some creepy bog, spooky green fog spilling out of the windows.
In short, it looked like the home of a witch, only far more well-constructed than any depiction of a traditional witch's dwelling. It was Chrysalis' cabin, there was no denying it. It was also Celestia's home as well, but Chrysalis had always taken a special interest in maintaining their domicile, going so far as to treat it as one would a favored child.
Sometimes Celestia had wondered if Chrysalis had loved the cottage more than she did her, but that notion passed quickly. Pesky doubting thoughts tended to depart forever when you spend multiple megaannums together with someone.
"What are you doing here?" Celestia thought to herself, as she trotted towards the door.
As she walked, Celestia caught the scent of fresh cricket pie being cooked, the smell making her mouth water. It hadn't been a flavor she had initially enjoyed. Heck, she hadn't liked it even after five millennia but somewhere along the line, she had acquired a taste for it.
She could also hear the sound of music coming from within, the soaring orchestra igniting an almost primal nostalgia in the mare. Classical music had always been her favorite genre, and though Chrysalis had hated it for nearly as long as Celestia could remember, even the ornery changeling had come to appreciate it. Such a love came begrudgingly to the shapeshifter, but that was something of a theme to their relationship.
Celestia raised her hoof.
"Come in," called a familiar voice.
Celestia blinked, and pushed open the door, stepping inside.
Looking around, Celestia found that the cottage was exactly as she remembered it. It was the first incarnation of the space, being little more than a large room yet to be divided into sleeping areas and the like. The layout hadn't lasted long, only a single winter after construction and it had a considerable amount of imperfections but Celestia knew Chrysalis thought back on it fondly.
The changeling herself was also present, sprawled out on a luxurious couch stolen from one of Rarity's boutiques as a prank on one of the mare's many descendants.
"Chrysalis, you look..." Celestia began, only to trail off.
"Like a snack?" Chrysalis replied. "Or do they not say that these days?"
"I err, don't know but that's not what I meant," Celestia exclaimed.
"Ahh yes, the return to the black and holey," Chrysalis remarked, gesturing to her now much smaller body and its stark black exterior riddled with holes. "I hope you don't mind but it seems as though this place has a habit of returning things to their original forms. Speaking of which, you look good. Even without the wings and the horn."
Celestia grabbed at her head only to find that yes, her horn was gone. A glance over her shoulder informed the mare that she also didn't have any wings or the magnificent flowing aetherial mane she had sported since nearly as far back as she could remember. Not only was she mortal again, but she was also slightly smaller, retaining only the earth pony magic she had been originally born with.
"What... what is this place?" Celestia muttered.
"The afterlife, or somewhere really close to it anyway," Chrysalis answered, gesturing out the window. "It may not seem like it but if you keep walking, you'll eventually return to the living universe or whatever lies beyond."
"The doors," Celestia exclaimed suddenly. "Why do I know that? I've never been here before."
"You have, several times. The same goes for me," Chrysalis declared, rising from the couch. "Enough gawking, come. Sit."
Celestia bobbed her head and moved to join her wife, sitting next to her on the bright purple and gold lounging couch. The moment her posterior touched the plush surface, Chrysalis wrapped her in a tight embrace.
"It's going to be a bit overwhelming for a moment, but give it a minute and it will all come back to you," Chrysalis whispered.
Celestia nodded once more, content to simply lay her head in Chrysalis' lap and wait.
Seconds ticked by, and slowly turned into minutes, during which Chrysalis continued to gently run her hoof down Celestia's back.
"Wait, I think I remember," Celestia murmured.
"What do you remember, dear?" Chrysalis pressed.
"This is the doorstep of eternity," Celestia declared. "From here we may choose to enter the endless pastures of the great beyond, or to return to the universe and live once more."
"Aaaand?" Chrysalis prompted.
"And we're dead," Celestia answered.
"Obviously," Chrysalis retorted with a snort.
"I... I missed you so much," Celestia whispered, pressing her face against Chrysalis' stomach and wrapping her hooves around the changeling. "I thought I'd never see you again."
"Oh pisha. As if some ninth-dimensional god of unreality could keep me from you," Chrysalis exclaimed. "Honestly dear. It's like you have no faith in me."
Celestia sobbed quietly for a minute during which Chrysalis continued to gently run her hoof through the other mare's mane.
"So, how long has it been for you anyway?" Chrysalis asked gently. "I've only been here what feels like a day, but time... well it doesn't mean much anymore."
"A few centuries," Celestia blubbered. "I had to stay to seal all the rifts, but after it became clear that the only way to close the master rift was to go through and shut it from the other side I volunteered in a heartbeat."
"Always the bleeding heart," Chrysalis remarked.
"Twilight tried to suggest that we use a robot or something but there was no time. A decision had to be made," Celestia added.
"What a selfish sacrifice," Chrysalis mocked. "You lose your wife of nearly five million years and suddenly you throw your life away."
"You say that like you wouldn't have done the same thing," Celestia whispered.
"Oh, I'm not saying I wouldn't have. The only difference is that I would have made a grander show of it all," Chrysalis replied, extending a hoof as if she overlooking a crowd of people. "I would make sure the universe knew that I, Chrysalis had saved them all."
"You always were such a big fan of statues," Celestia murmured absently.
"They are the only medium that can truly capture even a tenth of my true majesty," Chrysalis proclaimed.
Celestia sniffed and wiped her face before sitting upright, head resting on her wife's shoulder.
"So... what now?" Celestia whispered.
"You know our choices," Chrysalis retorted.
"I know that if we go back there is no guarantee we will ever find each other again and if we do that we will be anything like who we are now," Celestia answered.
"Shining Armor did," Chrysalis shot back.
Celestia snorted.
"Shining Armor is the only creature who could somehow manage to find and remarry his wife in nearly every life he had ever lived," Celestia declared.
"Always the white knight," Chrysalis murmured absently.
"But that is no guarantee that we will," Celestia retorted. "I know I only just learned this now that I'm here but the chances of us meeting, never mind falling for each other even a second time are slim."
"Yeah but being alive is so fun though," Chrysalis countered. "I know what lies beyond the other door is nice and all but think of the thrill of it all."
"I do wonder what Twilight has gotten up to in our absence," Celestia mused.
"Probably cultivating another species or something," Chrysalis dismissed. "Or taking her fifty millionth partner."
"True," Celestia admitted.
For a moment there was only the distant sound of music coming from an old-fashioned stereo, and the pleasant aroma emanating from the pie sitting on the windowsill.
"So, up for another go?" Celestia asked, glancing up at Chrysalis.
"You know it," Chrysalis declared with a smile, only to lean back. "But not right now."
"This is kind of nice," Celestia agreed, sprawling out on the couch.
"And besides," Chrysalis began. "We've got all the time in the world."