When Echo awoke, she found herself laying in an extremely uncomfortable position on a floor of cold, hard stone. There was one window in the back of the room, very thin with bars. Looking around, she saw that the door to the room was also made of iron bars. Through it, she could see another cell across a small hallway. Damn it.
“You're awake,” Chrysalis' voice called out from the cell opposite hers, “are you okay?”
“Yeah, I think so,” Echo mumbled, “what happened? Why are we in jail?”
“Well, it probably has something to do with that invasion we tried a few months ago,” Chrysalis said sarcastically.
“Right, dumb question,” she grumbled. As she regained her cognitive functions, a burning question came to her. “Chrysalis, what about Scootaloo? What do you know about Scootaloo?”
“The last I heard, she was in critical condition, but stable. You've been unconscious for a couple of days, you should really drink something, Echo,”
“I don't care about me,” Echo roared, “I want to see my daughter!”
“Well it isn't going to happen any time soon,” Chrysalis retorted.
Echo considered roaring something else back at Chrysalis, but realized that her mother was right. “What about my friends? Why aren't they here to help?”
“Did you really think that ponies would be that receptive to having a changeling living among them? Do you remember how Rarity reacted to me? That's how they should all react to a changeling.”
“No,” Echo said, “you're wrong, my friends didn't care when they found out.”
“Because of me,” Chrysalis huffed, exasperated, “they were all under the influence of one of my spells. It just so happens that when I lost my cool with Cluster, I also lost control over the spell. After you passed out, and Scootaloo was safe, all of your 'friends' came back to their senses, and the town had you thrown in here with me. So now you and I get to sit here all nice and cozy and wait to be executed. What a charming mother-daughter experience, wouldn't you agree?”
Echo didn't bother with a sarcastic response. She was too busy trying to accept that her friends didn't like her anymore. “What about Twilight,” Echo realized, “She knew about me for months before you showed up.”
Chrysalis' eyes widened for a moment, and she looked back at Echo. “Did she really?”
Echo nodded, and a small smile crept over her lips, “yes! She came across me while I was … well, while I was beating the snot out of somepony who was trying to mug me.”
“You're definitely my daughter,” Chrysalis said with pride.
Echo felt that if blushing were possible through her chitin, she'd be beet red. Ignoring the embarrassment, she continued, “I'm sure she'll be coming by. She can help us!”
“Maybe she can help you,” Chrysalis mused, “but I'm probably out of luck.”
Echo was about to try to console her mother when she heard a heavy iron door opening from somewhere down the hall.
One voice, a gruff sounding male, asked, “are you sure about this?”
“Yes,” Twilight's voice called out, “I want to hoof-deliver this.”
“Speak of the devil,” Chrysalis sneered as Twilight came into view. The purple mare ignored Chrysalis' snide remark and turned to Echo.
“I'm pretty sure I've exhausted my 'Princess' Personal Student' favors for the rest of my life in getting this done,” she said, “but I got you out of here. This is a copy of the order,” she levitated a scroll through the bars to Echo. As soon as it slipped through the bars, it dropped to the ground. “Sorry, it's a magic dampening field to keep prisoners from using their magic while imprisoned.”
Echo grumbled as she bent over to pick up the scroll. She fumbled with her hooves and teeth, trying to unroll the scroll, but eventually settled on rolling it out on the ground and stepping on either end of it to keep it from rolling back up. Once she had it unrolled, she began to read aloud,
To whom it may concern,
It has come to the esteemed attention of the royal court that there are two changelings being held in custody in Ponyville's jail. One of them goes by the name of Echo, and the other is the changeling queen Chrysalis. It is hereby ordered that Echo be released forthwith and that all charges against her be dropped. She is to be placed on a period of probation until a formal record of her reformation can be established. With regards to Chrysalis, after much debate, the court has elected to release her as well, under the conditions that she submit to the close supervision of Miss Twilight Sparkle, and that a magic dampening spell is to be applied to Chrysalis to prevent her from using any manner of mind control magic. Rest assured that my faithful student Twilight Sparkle possesses the skills necessary to apply this spell.
Regards,
Princess Celestia,
Princess Luna present
Looking up, Echo saw Chrysalis' face contorted into a decidedly not regal expression of shock. She turned her gaze to Twilight, who was smiling very gently back. The guard behind her moved to unlock her cell door, and pointed his spear at her as he did.
“Prisoner,” he called, “step to the back of the cell. Turn around and face the wall. Do not move until you hear the order.”
“I thought I was getting released,” Echo grumbled as she obeyed.
“It's just part of the procedure, Echo,” Twilight assured. The cell door unlocked and clanked open.
“Prisoner, step backwards. Do not use your wings. Do not turn around.”
“Buddy,” she said calmly, “I'm being released, can you cool your jets?”
“Prisoner,” he repeated, “step backwards. Do not use your wings -”
“Do not turn around. Yeah, I know,” she interrupted as she obeyed. Honestly, I was the same way when I was still an officer. Gotta admire his dedication.
As she exited the cell, the guard took his spear point away from her. “Stand with Miss Sparkle,” he said simply. She obeyed, and the guard turned to Chrysalis' cell, “Prisoner, step to the back of the cell. Turn around and face the wall. Do not move until you hear the order.”
Chrysalis looked at the guard with an absolutely unblinking, incredulous stare. She raised one eyebrow slowly. “Foal, I'm a queen. Treat me with a little respect, and then maybe I'll listen to you.”
“Prisoner,” the guard repeated, “step to the back of the cell. Turn around and face the wall. Do not move until you hear the order.”
“Yes,” Chrysalis stated, “we've established that. I've also told you that I will not do as you ask until you treat me with the respect my title deserves.”
“Prisoner,” the guard was beginning to sound like a broken record, “step to the back of the cell. Turn around and face the wall. Do not move until you hear the order.”
“Chrysalis,” Twilight pleaded, “just do what he says, please.”
Chryaslis looked at Twilight, then at Echo, and finally back at the guard. She closed her eyes defiantly and said, “no.”
“Mother,” Echo groaned, “let it go.”
“Let it go, you say?” Chrysalis grinned maliciously, “as you wish.” In an instant, she had lowered her head and charged toward the cell door, blowing it from its hinges. Free from the cell's magic dampening effect, she grabbed the guard's spear from him and laid its point on his throat. The normally unflappable guard was now laying on his back with terror in his eyes as the changeling queen grinned smugly over him. “Relax,” she said, tossing the spear behind her, “if I had wanted to kill you, I would have. Now perhaps I could have a little respect? Henceforth, you will refer to me as 'queen Chrysalis', or 'Your Highness'. 'Your Majesty' is also acceptable.”
“Y-yes, Y-Your M-Majesty. Apologies, Y-Your M-Majesty,” the guard stammered.
“Much better,” Chrysalis cooed. She patted the guard on the head lightly with her hoof as she turned and walked toward Twilight. “At your leisure, Miss Sparkle.”
With that, Twilight charged a spell to her horn, and Chrysalis was momentarily enveloped in a purple glow. The guard had managed to stammer to his feet and had stepped in front of them. “If you w-would, Y-Your Majesty, p-please f-follow me,” he said as he led them out of the cell block. They spent a minute or two going over paperwork before they were finally allowed to leave the jail.
As they walked, Echo felt a nagging question tugging at the back of her mind. “So, Twilight,” she started, “How exactly did you manage this?”
Twilight groaned, “It wasn't easy, Echo, believe me. As soon as you were both arrested, I got on the first train to Canterlot,”
A Day Earlier
“The royal court calls to attendance Miss Twilight Sparkle,” called the gold-glad royal guard standing at Celestia's side. The throne room was vacant aside from a hoofful of guards and the two royal sisters presiding over this special engagement. “The matter is the incarceration of the changelings Echo and Chrysalis in Ponyville's jail.”
Twilight bowed as she approached the throne. Both princesses appeared stoic and regal. Just because she was their friend did not mean that they would give her any special treatment in an official setting like this.
“Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia began, “you have requested an audience with the court today to discuss the incarceration of two changelings that had been hiding in Ponyville. One of the changelings in question orchestrated the largest military engagement against Equestria that anypony alive today has ever seen, save for me or my sister. The idea of petitioning for their release is an audacious one, to say the least. In the interest of not getting ahead of ourselves, however, I ask that you state your case now.”
Twilight swallowed the lump in her throat.“Your Majesties,” she began, “if it pleases the court, I will first address Echo. I would like to offer myself as a personal reference to her character. While she was at one time a part of the force which attacked Canterlot – a fact that she does not deny – she has changed. Through her time in Ponyville, she has made genuine friends, and even developed such genuine affection for a young filly named Scootaloo that she decided to adopt her. That filly is currently in hospital in critical condition because of the actions of an insane changeling. Echo is genuine in her concern for her daughter, and since they met, she has done nothing of a questionably moral nature. I argue that rather than incarceration, a period of probation is in order for Echo, to establish in a formal record that she has reformed.”
The two sisters shared a few whispers before Celestia turned back to face Twilight. “The court believes that, given the circumstances, Echo can be released under the conditions you have laid forth.”
“Thank you, Your Majesties. This brings me to the question of queen Chrysalis.”
“Indeed,” Luna said, “while the release of a single former changeling officer is not, under these circumstances, altogether unreasonable, the release of the Changeling queen from custody is a much less easy concept to condone.”
“I understand, Your Highness. It is my opinion, from my contact with Chrysalis and my observation of her behavior, that she possesses immense potential for reformation, and that at such a time as she is deemed by your Majesties to be reformed, she – and by extension the changelings who still follow her – would be an invaluable asset to Equestria as a whole. I also understand that she possesses magic of a mostly unknown and exceptionally powerful nature. However, in the months that I have known Echo, she has allowed me to study her magic and has answered all the questions I have posed regarding changeling magic and biology to the best of her abilities. I believe that I understand their magic well enough that I could be Chrysalis' custodian through the course of her reformation, and that I would be able to place her under a spell which would prevent the use of any offensive magics.”
“Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia began, “are you absolutely certain that you understand the implications of what you are saying? Queen Chrysalis is phenomenally powerful, and I believe she has not fully revealed her power to us yet. I cannot, in good faith, release her into your custody unless I know that you can truly restrain such immense power.”
“Your Highness,” Twilight bowed, “with all due respect, how would you propose we gauge my abilities?”
“Through a demonstration,” Celestia said as she stood up and walked to the center of the room, “I will attempt to cast a spell at you – don't worry, it's harmless. Before I do so, I would like you to attempt to restrain my magic. If you succeed, then the court will consider – consider, nothing more is promised – your request.” With that, Princess Celestia stepped down from her throne and took up a position in front of Twilight. “You may cast your spell now.”
Twilight exhaled before she began to charge the spell. The air around her began to swirl and glow with the aura of her exertion, before a bright purple beam shot from her horn and surrounded the princess.
After Twilight's spell had been cast, a bright glow like the sun itself began to creep up Celestia's horn. Farther and farther it went, until it had nearly reached the tip. Twilight thought for a moment that her spell had failed. As the princess prepared to release the spell, though, her head was surrounded in sparks, and she found that Twilight's spell had, in fact, worked. Twilight sighed in relief.
“Impressive, Twilight. I'm very proud of you for managing a spell this difficult. Now that we have established your ability,” she retook her place on the throne, “we can discuss the logistics of this matter.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. Echo already has a home,” Twilight said, “and I have enough space for Chrysalis to live with me in the library.”
The royal sisters shared another glance and a few whispers before Luna turned to Twilight, “Miss Sparkle, we will need to take some time to debate this.”
Twilight nodded and sat on her haunches while she waited. The two alicorns talked and gestured to each other, at times seeming hopeful, at times seeming angry, and at times seeming sad. Finally, after some unknown number of agonizing minutes, Celestia regarded Twilight.
“Miss Sparkle,” she said, “the court has considered your request, and we must deny it.”
Twilight's heart dropped in her chest. “Princess,” she pleaded, “You sent me to live in Ponyville so that I could study the magic of friendship. At first, I believed that was a waste of time, but through the time I've spent there, I know that there's nothing more important to a pony's well being than her friends. The lessons I've learned have taught me that anypony can change for the better, if they have good friends there to guide them.” Twilight fought back a tear, “I implore you, Your Highnesses, to reconsider. My studies of Friendship compel me to believe that Chrysalis can change.”
Celestia looked down at her student with a stern eye. Slowly, her gaze softened, and she turned again to her sister. The two shared nothing more than a nod before the elder again turned to Twilight. As their gazes met, Twilight bowed.
“Very well, Twilight -”
Twilight had to restrain a shout of joy at those words. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Princess!”
“- on one condition. I'm going to teach you something to add to that magic dampening spell of yours.”
The Present Day
“Wait a minute,” Chrysalis shouted, “you mean that if I try to use any offensive magics, I'll be knocked unconscious?”
“It was a condition of your release,” Twilight said simply, backing away from the changeling queen slightly.
“Why you little,” Chrysalis began to growl before a green glow began to creep up her horn.
“Chrysalis, no!”
As the aura was about to reach the tip of her horn, a shower of purple sparks materialized, and the changeling queen fell limp to the ground, unconscious.
“Well, honestly, I think she brought that one on herself,” Echo mumbled, looking at her prostrate monarch. “If you'll excuse me, Twilight, I think I'm going to go visit my daughter." As Twilight began to attempt to revive the queen, Echo flew off in the direction of Ponyville Urgent Care. Since everypony already knew about her, she didn't bother to take on a disguise. Ponies would just have to deal with it if they didn't like the way she looked.
She landed in front of the hospital, and the memories came back to her in a rush. Memories of just a couple days ago, when she had landed in this same spot with her unconscious, dying daughter on her back. The filly's mane had been stringy and unkempt, her fur matted with her own blood and the tears of both her mother and surrogate sister.
Echo stepped through the doors, and a few ponies gasped at her, just as they had done the last time she had stepped through these doors. The nurse behind the desk at the head of the lobby stifled a gasp by clasping a hoof over her mouth.
Unfazed, Echo approached, and stated simply, “I want to see my daughter.”
“Yes, of course, miss Candleli – ”
“Echo. My name is Echo.”
“Of course, miss Echo. Right this way,” the nurse said as she led Echo through the corridors of the hospital. They passed a dozen rooms, all their doors identical except for the number nailed into them, and then a dozen more. Finally, they turned a corner, and at the end of the hallway was door number 126. Unlike the others, though, it was plastered with trinkets and “get well soon” cards. Several bouquets of flowers had been left outside.
Confused about why these were outside her daughter's room, she asked, “have you not been allowing visitors?”
“No, that's not it,” the nurse said as she opened the door, revealing a room full of balloons, bouquets, cards, and other decorations. All of her close friends were sitting in the corner of the room around a fold-up card table, sharing their breakfasts. On the bed in the center of the room, Scootaloo was still unconscious, but her mane had been primped with the trademarked style of Rarity, and her fur was so clean that it was shining. Through her mane, a bow just like Apple Bloom's had been tied. On either side of the bed sat Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, talking to each other over their unconscious friend. “There's just not enough room left in here for the rest of the gifts.”