The sun was peeking out sheepishly from the eastern mountains signaling the coming the dawn. The gentle rays of the sun fell upon Chrysalis' face, warming her as she looked towards the glorious sunrise. The darkness of the night slowly faded away, and the light of the day revealed dark circles under her eyes, signs that her sleep has been minimal the last few nights. She was troubled, her mind overflowing with thoughts. Even when she did manage to sleep, she often woke up from nightmares. Nightmares that had been haunting her ever since her failure in Canterlot.
"It’s all my fault..." She thought to herself.
The rise of the sun did nothing to dispel the nightmare’s effects. As the sun rose high in the sky, the light rained back upon her as did her guilt. Her mind wandered, bringing back the memories she wanted so much to forget: The changelings forcefully expelled from Canterlot by the immense power of Shining Armor and Princess Cadance's spell, the futile struggle of her changelings flying in the opposite direction to withstand the force that blew them away. Some of the changelings weren’t so lucky: their hearts gave out, their carapaces crushed. The force of the spell was great, some even launched through walls before exiting the borders of Canterlot. Their bodies fell into the Everfree Forest, the Badlands and beyond, colliding against trees, rocks and water. The ones who survived began to recover, looking around at their comrades, their friends, their family. She heard them all clearly: the cries of despair echoing through the land, farther than the ponies could hear.
She tried to avoid it but everywhere she looked there was the same image of disarray, her eyes could not escape it. Her own cries echoed through the forests, the birds shunning and flying away at the terrifying echo of her voice across the land. After remembering the nightmare, the rest of the memories flowed into her mind. One memory led into the next.
He was... no... she blocked those memories from coming. Her mind cringed as her mind flashed in the pain that the oncoming memory caused when she tried to block it. That pain however was something she could bear for the remembrance of their fall would surely crack her spirit and that was something she didn't have time to face right now...
The wounds on her body and in her mind were fresh, but she had an even larger problem on her hole-filled hooves: their supply of love was nearing zero. She had to find another way to take care of her subjects, to satisfy them. While the vast amounts of stolen love from Shining Armor still lingered, it wouldn’t be enough to take care of her people for long. Another way had to be found. In the end, while desperately searching for a more subtle way of drawing love, the Changelings settled on drawing from other creatures. Chrysalis decided that they would travel from forest to forests during the winter, feeding upon hibernating animals. They had to be careful to leave before each Winter Wrap-Up, dodging the ponies and not killing the hibernating animals lest attention be drawn to them. All of these risks, just because she let her ambitions take over when she felt the vast, undeniable, unchallenged power of love. Once more did fate strike her down…
She remembered how the emergency of their situation ringed on her head like an alarm. The pressure on her mind was so immense.. she had to do something! Being the voice of her people, their guidance, their leader, their candle in the dark... she had to ACT. It was her own shame that was hunting her now, for it was her actions that led them astray. She had disappointed them... She claimed the power of love by force, ignoring what she already knew about the power of true love and it's magic. In one reckless move, she nearly doomed the Changeling race to fade away into oblivion.
Standing on the footsteps of the Everfree forest mountains on the outskirts of their camps, while looking towards the rising sun and contemplating, she heard the familiar calm and hoof steps... She knew them, she recognized them just like a fingerprint, she cared about her changelings afterall enough to pay attention to the details, so she wasn't surprised at all when she was greeted by the figure of a male changeling with a short-cut pitch black mane and scales that had a color mix of silver and blue.
Mortain approached her carefully not to startle her. Seeing as she was barely sleeping since the attack on Canterlot he was worried. It was true the attack had taken its toll upon them but Chrysalis felt like she was bearing this burden alone, and he wanted to show her that wasn’t true.
"Having trouble sleeping my Queen?" he said carefully weighing his words working his way into learning about her thoughts.
"I thought I told you to forget the formalities when we're away from common sight. Either way I am not wearing my crown right now." said Chrysalis slightly annoyed, she hated bearing a tittle that carried no weight: she didn’t have a palace and throne to sit upon but it was after her latest failure and the following nightmares that she didn’t even want to bear that tittle.
As he walked towards her he noticed that she indeed wasn’t wearing her usual crown upon her mane, but he also noticed how evasive her response was. "I know that... yet you haven’t answered my question." he said as he changed his approach insistent on forcing her out her "scales".
"Why are you asking a Question to which you already know the answer to Mortain? Like if it’s the first time I’ve had these nightmares plaguing me." said Chrysalis letting her mane fall in front of her eyes hiding her face, but more importantly hiding her own face from her dear friend. She knew he cared and didn’t want her friend to see her sleepless eyes or the tears that had rolled down her face, however even a deceiver like her couldn’t fool one of the few changelings that knew her for a very long time.
"I know Chrysalis I know... I was there remember? The memories you call nightmares... we experienced them all together. I too was watching the devastation with my own eyes, I understand why you would blame yourself, and I can even understand why you would want to stay away from us a little. What I don’t understand however is why you have to keep beating yourself about it! Why..." He stomped his hoof down with a sense of frustration clearly tired of this situation wanting to snap her out from the grief that he knew she was in.
"He... i fai-" her response was cut short from Mortain who already knew the answer; tired of hearing it once again he stopped her and spoke once again.
"So?! Do you think "He" is going to be happy with you giving up? Try again! Lift yourself up, walk towards the future and seize it! Nothing is given freely, you either take it or you earn it! Why after a whole month can’t you muster the strength like Nousios, Alianna and the rest did and start thinking of the future and forgive yourself! We did what we had to; we shouldn’t feel sorry about it! Each of us has taken the first step... why do you insist on being left behind?"
His words were ringing inside her mind like a loud alarm clock's ticks, she knew what he said was more than right. It was time to move on and she had to do something, yet every time these nightmares returned she felt like falling into a bottomless pit. She swore herself that things would change after hearing Drothea's warnings about the fury of retribution. She steadily stood up and wiped her tears clean.
Mortain watched as his Queen and friend took once again stood up and steeled herself locking a gaze forward in the sky with the determination that promised that there were great things to come, but he also noticed how she looked like searching through it, like if it hid a strange treasure or a message to come. She was clearly expecting something as she scouted the sky, and that piqued his interest so he asked calmly.
"Are you... looking for something?"
"My dreams aren’t the only thing that keeps me awake lately Mortain. Although I do admit my friend that they've been pushing me away from you all, I needed time to think about something else. You haven’t forgotten that our attack upon Canterlot may very well be considered an act of war?" she asked with a serious tone and Mortain lowered his head focused in his thoughts. What she said was true... they didn’t act kindly upon their race, but worse than having an enmity with them was the fact they were not exposed. Now the ponies of Canterlot knew who they are and what they were capable of. Infiltrating them or approaching them even would become harder if not impossible.
"That's a given. I know... we are a known enemy to them now. We always relied on the fact that we were an unknown factor and now that we are out in the light it might be impossible to hide once again. While I am not afraid of fighting them I fear that as Jonaleth would say "We are all but ready to defend our camps from..." Chrysalis interrupted him before he could complete his sentence.
"War might not be necessary..." she interrupted him "There might be another way, one that we never even considered before."
"And that is?" said Mortain tilting his eyebrows up wrinkling his forehead in interest
"Well how about a peace of sorts? They don’t have to like us right now but a truce might give us time and space to be able to figure out our next move. I have to consider this option... i have to be open minded don't i? Even if it doesn't work it will just prove what is already thought by every changeling... That we can't live with other creatures."
In response to her words she heard a grunting of disbelief at the thought that peace could be achieved. “I don’t think their fear would let them think clearly enough. Panicked as they are right now they would only think of killing us outright. It would not surprise me if they thought we were some sort of demon spawn from hell or some kind of corrupted insects. They wouldn't be too far from the truth... but still..."
"Perhaps..." Right at that time she spotted what seemed to be a bright orange dot in the sun slowly approaching their location. "We shall know soon, very soon." Slowly and steadily the form a regal bird came fast approaching from the sky above, it was the size of an eagle with crimson and orange feathers leaving a slight trail of flames behind it. As the phoenix got even closer they both saw that on its back a small cylinder on its back and small crest like a necklace depicting two alicorns flying in what seemed to be a circle with the sun and the moon in the center.
"There is only one phoenix that I know that bears this crest... Philomena." suddenly he understood what this was all about. Why Chrysalis was talking to him about the war, why she asked him if peace was plausible and why she was scouting the sky with such impatience clearly expecting someone... or a message from a certain someone. "Did you send a letter to Princess Celestia? I am... surprised." he said clearly lacking the words to describe the astonishment on his face right now, his eyes shifting from the phoenix that was landing right now and Chrysalis. She approached Philomena chuckling at her friend's expression.
"You should see the look on your face... priceless! But you should be careful, we don’t want you swallowing any flies now do we?" and so it was that Mortain snapped out of his shock while she opened the case upon Philomena's bag revealing a sealed letter but nothing could prepare him for what he saw next. Sliding through the case was a small crown with several sharp-points extending tipped with five small teal orbs that shone for a moment as the sunlight fell upon them, the crown of the changeling Queen floated encompassed within a lively green glow of magic as she placed it upon her head. Upon touching her head it remained there bound once again with magic to its wearer, Chrysalis' face lit up with the smile as she sighed in relief, and then she lifted her eyes towards the sun picturing with her mind within its rays the face of the Princess of the Sun, Celestia. "Thank you... for at least giving me a chance."
Mortain was just standing there like a pillar of salt, lost within his own thoughts, as Chrysalis carefully opened the letter and started reading it in silence. Sending a letter to the Princesses was one thing, which considering the fact that they had all but officially declared war upon Equestria he thought somewhat improbable, but sending such an artifact as the changeling crown to the Princesses? As Chrysalis finishing reading her letter, one thing was for certain in his mind his Queen AND friend... had lost her pride.
Whilst still looking at the letter she turned it the other way and within a flash of green light she summoned a quill with ink and took an extra piece of paper that was in the letter. She started writing her response as she spoke "Gather Nousios, Alianna and the rest... we're going to Canterlot." but no sound was heard in response, turning her head she saw her friend standing still like frozen in place silently thinking distracted by what he had seen staring blankly ahead. She whistled waving her hoof in front of his face "Helloooooo... Equestria to Mortain? Are you in there?" He slowly turned his head towards her in response “Did you hear me? I said gather the other four we're going to Canterlot!”
"Canterlot? Are you sure?" he said with a questioning look, his left eyebrow tilted upwards in disbelief, clearly thinking this was some kind of joke.
"Yes Mortain now get going! We have a lot of work to do!" came the answer from her mouth as she sighed holding her head with her hoof for a moment in a sense of frustration.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Previous Night
It had been over a month since the changelings invaded Canterlot, and although the fear of them ever returning was still lingering in the minds of the inhabitants of Equestria's capital, none really cared enough to think where they went, why they hadn’t come back, they all seeked to forget what happened, to sink into the delusion that this terrifying force that came upon their homes never even came, and the fact that whatever damage done to their homes repaired or the corpses of the changelings mysteriously decaying in extremely fast rates served only to feed their denial. The wise and the old however know better... looking at the blanket of stars that gently covered the night sky, standing on the balcony of the upper towers of her palace is Princess Luna.
For most ponies it would be normal to see the Princess of the Night staying awake so late. But the way she was looking at her stars as she checked each flicker, each glow and shine, as if looking for an answer, was all but normal. It seemed to be a night like every other until a few moments ago... she rose her moon on the sky and decorated the sky with her stars, everything she was born to do; nothing however had prepared her for the letter she had received. She was landing on the balcony of the highest tower ready to enter the palace once again when she noticed with the corner of her eye a rectangular object encompassed with a teal magic glow flying solely by magic upon the sky. On her hooves right now was a piece of paper and an artifact that she hardly expected. The crown of the changelings was something she never anticipated to be holding in her hooves let alone reading what the Queen of the changelings had to say to Equestria's leaders, in any other circumstance she would inform her sister immediately of this yet she felt that this letter reminded her of their mistakes but mostly her own. After all she wasn’t there when the ponies needed her... she had left her subjects at their moment of need and endangered them all, sure she was glad everything worked out in the end but from what she heard of about Celestia's defeat by the magic of the Queen, the way to the Elements of Harmony blocked, Shining Armor's spell fading and the changelings roaming free upon Canterlot. All of that because of her momentary weakness, her body succumbing to sleep from exhaustion after days of vigilance watching over Canterlot. Not even Celestia's words of care when she told her that it would make no difference if both of them had fallen to the Queen's stolen power, or the fact that her Lunar magic would make no big difference in the daylight, she felt that it was her own fault and now with this letter she was confused and worried more than ever.
Apparently however she wasn’t the only one to be worried; her absence from the palace had not gone unnoticed when she didn't return to sleep in her chambers. While Luna was focused deep into her own thoughts she didn’t notice her sister ascending the stairs of the tower, nor did she hear her hoof steps, only when she felt a touch upon her shoulder hearing the voice of her beloved sister at the same time, did she turn to face her sister.
"You've been away raising the moon longer than usual sister, I was beginning to worry." she sat down next to her, the feathers of their wings touching each other. Luna had been looking ahead, and from the furrowing on her forehead it was clear that her sister was deeply concerned about something.
"Luna... is something wrong?" In response to her question no answer was heard, instead Luna raised an object that she was holding beneath her hooves with her magic, she raised the crown of the changelings in front of Celestia's purple eyes but Celestia kept the same calm tone, her eyes didn’t flinch or blink from it. Instead her sister took a closer look to the crown, and as it bore something interesting she looked at every orb, every corner and detail and a wide smile appeared on her face as if her sister showed her a wonderful work of art. "Beautiful isn’t it? It’s not that flashy yet each from whichever angle you look at it you can feel what it is and what is represents."
"THAT’S all?" Luna jerked her head at her sister and stared at her eyes wide-open focused upon her persistent smile, questioning the carefree tone of her voice "I just received the crown of the changelings, an artifact clearly imbued with the magic of entire race and ALL you have to say is that is it 'Beautiful'? What is wrong with you Celestia?" She was clearly frustrated and by the looks of it not ready to stop yet.
"Luna..." said Celestia retaining her composure, but before she was able to talk once again Luna took a large scroll similar to the ones Celestia's favored-Twilight Sparkle used to send from time to time.
"Read... just read it please." said Luna as turned away her face and sighed within resignation at her sister's unreasonable calamity.
Celestia obliged and spread the scroll open with her magic, and as her horn glowed creating a small steady yellow light she started reading.
Dear Princess Celestia and Princess Luna
I will take a guess that when you start reading this letter you will be surprised or curious plenty enough to pay heed to my words. Let me explain what this letter is and what I want to achieve. There is a big journey ahead of me that I must make and I wish to create fail-safes for my changelings and their future, while I may trust my own people at this their support alone is not enough. We can no longer work in the shadows, keeping our race hidden.
First things first however... as I am sure you have already guessed the artifact you are holding on your hands is indeed my crown, the crown of the changelings passed from generation to generation having changed hooves from King to Queen and so-on countless times through the passing of the ages. By sending you this I wish to facilitate our... "Negotiations". It is however more complicated than it looks, this crown is capable my itself of appointing the wearer Leader, King, Queen of the changelings, whatever title it is that you choose to bear. I advise against it however... the crown will try to test you and break you spirit before you are deemed worthy. I wish that you take this as insurance of my honesty in what I say to the rest of this letter.
Before however we come to our "Negotiations", I would like to claim the opportunity and perhaps explain myself, my actions and perhaps seek you acceptance. In that spirit I desire a chance to talk to you and see how we can avoid my mistakes in Canterlot from escalating into war. While we changelings are indeed responsible for the attack upon Canterlot, it was ultimately my decision to do this, and I do not want my people to pay for my mistakes. Our bodies are decaying; fading away from a disease called "Lov-e-lispsis" that through our magic drains away our feelings and this cannot simply be explained by this letter but what is certain is this: if we don’t do something now within a year's time the whole changeling race will be extinct. As I am sure you've seen for yourselves whatever changelings that died from the blast of Princess Cadence and Shining Armor's spell have now probably decayed to nothingness. This is what awaits the changelings, and I refuse to just sit while this happens. I have one last chance with you... a slim one I am sure but I am going to grab it. At least when the time does come and we fade away to oblivion I will have the dignity of saying that at least I tried my best.
You may choose not to trust me or my changelings and use the crown to trace its connection back to us and kill us, you may think this choice brutal and grim but I’d rather prefer dying while fighting, than waiting for my own death... and I'm not just talking about starving. There is another choice however... You may choose not to trust me and simply wear the crown, accept and pass its' tests, and appoint yourselves leaders of my people. My friends, my generals, even me... all of the changelings will bow down to your will and shall follow you wherever you wish. Perhaps you shall find a way to take care of the changelings better than I did. As I am sure you are already aware the third choice is going to be the hardest, or so I believe. You may choose to grant me an audience with you so that I may negotiate a truce, perhaps talk about making amends, and perhaps... our needs upon the emotion of love.
The letter ended signed with Chrysalis' name in cursive. As Celestia finished reading the letter, she turned to her sister her expression and composure unchanged. "What do you think we should do sister?" Luna's breath was cut and her eyes widened from the surprise as her sister finished the letter.
"So? What do you propose we do?" said Celestia looking at her sister focusing her eyes upon her, looking at her frustrated and confused expression, eagerly awaiting her response.
Luna's eyes widened in surprise as she backed down wrinkling her forehead for a moment in her surprise. "Me? You are asking me to decide about this? I failed to protect Canterlot, I’ve been a danger to it another two times threatening the world and the balance and you are asking me to decide about this? How did you forgive me back then... how can you forgive me now sister?" She turned her face away masking her face with her dark blue, starlit mane shunning away from her sister's sight. She had failed to assist Canterlot so far, and she didn’t want to fail them once more.
"Luna, Luna... why are you being so hard on yourself?" with her hoof Celestia turned her face around to meet her own only to see her sister's eyes ready to burst in tears, all of her characteristics seemed dragged down by an invisible force that made her look old. She looked at her with a faint smile of care as she pulled her close with her hoofs within a gentle embrace. "You are not the only one that "failed" that day." she said with a grim tone.
"W-what are you talking about?" she responded stuttering in disbelief.
"I am talking about me Luna... me Twilight and the rest. It’s only a matter of luck that we remained free that day. I should have defeated Chrysalis the moment she revealed herself she overpowered me and threw me in her prison, although I wonder why she didn’t attack earlier." she stopped for a moment memories of her capture in Chrysalis' pod flashing before her the gasping breath of the Queen, her frustration and anger conflicting in her face as she was using the pod's magic to seep her emotions out.
"Now that you mention it her actions were somewhat... clumsy, what do you think happened?" she said tentatively waiting to hear more caught on her words.
"I don’t know Luna!" she reacted suddenly within her own frustration pulling away from her "I am not all knowing and even I do mistakes! I made one already and imprisoned you for an insanely long time when I knew all you wanted was truly considerate heart! I tried relying on my own power to defend those I cared about and it didn’t work, I tried called forth the Elements to help us with the changelings and even that attempt was shut down. In the end only the power of love was able to push them back and we discovered that the exact moment we needed it." Celestia awaited a response from her sister but Luna, being stunned by the realization of the truth her sister's word carried, did not answer. “I am not sure about anything anymore. Will I really be doing the right thing by convicting her and exiling her like I did to you?" Hey eyes closed as she sighed lowering her head down tired from the burdens of responsibility of the thousands of ponies that awaited her fair judgment and actions to save the day.
Luna couldn't resist from embracing her sister within her hooves. If anything she now knew that ruling a kingdom wasn't easy for her sister either. She knew now that someone shared her plight, she knew that she wasn't the only one feeling the hardships, that they shared the burden. Once they parted both smiling at each other Luna felt the strength of their sisterly bond supporting them once more. Strange... she felt it... it was like she could see it now. It was something tangible, sweet, gentle and soft. She couldn't explain it but she felt it was beautiful... like a gentle wind of heart-red color connecting them. In any case it didn't matter much right now... she had to air her thoughts to her sister.
"I can see your point sister. Maybe even Chrysalis is having trouble ruling her own people, and condemning her right now would be a mistake. It wouldn’t harm us listening to her and besides this time we'll know she's coming and we'll prepare for it. I shall write a letter to her." her head changed directions and she rose up firmly heading towards the inside of the castle, she soon returned with quill, ink and paper, only to see Celestia looking at her with open mouth and her eyebrows raised with curiosity on her face, and she stopped. "Don’t expect me to sit idly. We'll see how Chrysalis fares in explaining herself... “She said standing down as she begun to write her response.
"Are you sure about this Luna?" came Celestia's response, her expression of surprise unchanged. Inside her however she was proud. Luna had no idea that with the move she did she set in motion events that would bring forth the unseen sides of the changelings.
"We'll just have to find out don’t we?" a sigh was aired as she continued, the sound of the soft quill gently scratching on the paper as it left down the ink. This would either go perfectly well or perfectly bad, but Luna wanted to make amends for her mistakes, she was determined to look into this matter and see that justice was served. In the rare case that Chrysalis indeed wanted to repent she would make sure that she had an active role in it. She swore herself that moment to live up to her tittle of "Princess".