//------------------------------// // Love is Magic // Story: Derpy's Royal Delivery // by Twiggles6 //------------------------------// “Queen Chrysalis is calling for a royal assembly in the throne room.” Derpy said as she approached a changeling guard. “My standing orders are to make sure this prisoner stays put.” The guard said. “No visitors without the Queen’s permission either, even if she is your daughter.” “That doesn’t matter.” Derpy said, shaking her head. “Our Queen is calling everybody. That includes you.” Derpy said, walking away. “What is she? The Queen’s new favorite pet?” The guard said under his breath as he watched Derpy leave. “Well she has been with the Queen most of the day. Plus, the prisoner’s been quiet since their last visit.” He said as he began walking towards the throne room. “Come to think of it, I haven’t felt any love from the room since then either.” He said, stopping and looking back at the wall behind which was Dinky’s cell. “And the pegasus. What happened to her? When she woke up I could feel her love for her daughter from all the way across the hive. But now…” He said, shuddering slightly at an unknown thought as he turned away and continued to the throne room. After going through several twisting hallways, the changeling guard finally arrived at his Queen’s throne room. “My faithful subjects!” Queen Chrysalis said, her voice booming across the room. “Ever since our defeat in Canterlot, things have changed swiftly for all of us. We’ve experienced loss, and yet in that loss we have also experienced victory!” She said, eliciting cheers across the room. “Not only have you managed to capture the militant prince, Shining Armor. But also, we have managed to thoroughly infiltrate his new kingdom! Even in the royal guard, we have placed changeling agents ready to strike quickly and silently at a moment’s notice.” She said as Derpy took a place next to Chrysalis. “I’m sorry to interrupt, my Queen.” Derpy said with a bow. “But there are still some of your subjects that are finishing up their royal duties before they come to the assembly.” “That is quite alright.” Chrysalis said, patting Derpy lightly on the head. “Besides, I need you to fetch something for me before we can continue on to the main event.” “What might that be, my Queen?” Derpy asked. “I need you to return to your cell briefly to fetch your belongings.” Chrysalis said. “I have a very important task for you. Think of it as… A delivery of sorts.” She said, grinning wickedly. “Yes, my Queen!” Derpy said with a bow. “It will be done.” She said as she flapped her wings and flew out of the room. “Now, if there are to be no further interruptions.” Chrysalis said as she scanned the crowd, seeing that no one was going to object. “Bring forward the egg!” Dinky sat still in the middle of her cell, staring at nothing in particular. “Why am I here?” She asked herself, turning her gaze to the floor. “I was following my mom, but why?” She asked with a sigh. “She doesn’t care about me. She just stood there and let that monster do… Whatever it is she did to me.” Dinky said as she blinked away a couple of tears. “Well I don’t care about her, either!” Dinky said, standing up and stomping a hoof. As she did, she noticed something in the corner that she had assumed was taken from her when she was captured. As she moved closer to inspect the object she recognized that it was, in fact, her saddlebag. The same one that Derpy had knitted for her when she first got her postal job. “This feels familiar.” Dinky said as she touched a hoof to her chest, suddenly feeling a little bit of warmth inside. “I wonder if everything is still here.” She said as she flipped it open and looked inside. “Some oats, bottles of water, a cupcake…” She stopped when she saw the last object in the bag. “The letter my mom wrote me. It’s still here.” She said, feeling her chest grow a bit warmer still as she opened the letter and read the contents. Dear Dinky. I’m sorry again that I need to leave you behind, but I can’t risk you getting hurt on this trip. You mean far too much to me. To see you smile is the reason that I live, and seeing you grow and be happy is why I smile. I just wanted to make sure you knew that and saw this every night and every morning. Just in case I’m gone longer than you expected. You are the best daughter a mother could ever ask for. All of my love, Mommy. As Dinky read the last line, she saw some of her teardrops hit the page. “Why am I crying?” Dinky asked herself as the warmth in her chest grew almost unbearable. Dinky groaned and fell forward, clutching her chest in pain. “Princess Cadence!” A royal crystal guard shouted as he entered the throne room. “Yes? What is it?” Cadence asked, sitting up straighter in her throne. “Have you heard back from Shining Armor yet?” “No, your highness.” The guard said, briefly shaking his head. “But I have urgent news!” “Then speak. What’s going on?” Cadence asked. “It’s the crystal heart, your highness. It’s acting very strangely.” The guard said. “Show me.” Cadence said, standing up to follow the guard out of the throne room. The two walked swiftly out of the room and down the stairs all the way to the courtyard where the crystal heart was on display. “You see?” The guard asked as he pointed to the crystal heart. “I’ve never seen this kind of phenomenon.” “You were wise to alert me.” Cadence said as she took a few cautious steps forward. “I’ve never heard of it doing anything like this before.” The crystal heart was not its usual blue coloration anymore. Instead, it had turned a bright, luminescent pink and was producing an odd magical effect of the same color. The magic sparkles almost seemed to settle near the ground like a fog. “What does it mean, princess?” The guard asked as Cadence stepped tentatively into the pink haze. “Princess!” “It’s alright.” Cadence said, breathing deeply. As she exhaled, a look of happy contentment spread across her face while thoughts of Shining Armor raced through her mind. Their first kiss, their real wedding, their honeymoon, every happy moment. All of her best times with her husband flashed before her eyes. “It’s nothing at all to worry about.” “But what is it?” The guard asked, a bit worried by his princess’s expression. “Put simply.” Cadence said, stepping back out of the mist. “It’s love.” She said with a smile. “Love?” The guard asked, tilting his head. “How do you mean?” “Somehow, the crystal heart is dispersing pure love energy.” Cadence explained, turning to look at the crystal heart again. “But it’s strange.” “I’d certainly say so.” The guard quipped. “I’ve never heard of anything like this ever happening.” “”Neither have I. But that’s not how I mean it.” Cadence said, earning her another confused look from the crystal pony behind her. “Usually, emotions like this are spread across the continent. But all of this love isn’t. It just seems to be… Seeping into the ground.” “Into the ground?” The guard asked. “Why would it be doing that?” “I can’t be sure.” Cadence said, shaking her head slowly as she watched more of the pink mist sink through the floor. “Mommy?” Dinky groaned as she strained to stand up. Her knees were wobbly, but she managed to steady herself after a few seconds. “Mommy, I… I think I lo…” She began to stutter as a fine pink mist began flowing into the room. As Dinky breathed deep of the mist, memories suddenly flooded back to her. Memories of good times spent with her mother, her friends, and her other classmates too. As every good time flew through her mind, she found the warmth in her chest becoming soothing rather than painful. Closing her eyes in comfort, Dinky let all the memories rush through her like a waking dream. Suddenly, her eyes shot open as she came to a realization. “Mom! I love my mom!” Dinky exclaimed as she bolted over to where the wall had previously opened for her mother and the changeling Queen. “Mom! I’m coming!” Dinky yelled as she pounded on the wall with her hooves. “Let me out! I need to see my mom!” She shouted as she continued bashing the wall as hard as she could. “What’s going on in there?” A familiar voice asked from the other side of the wall. “Mom!” Dinky yelled. “Mom, quick! Get me out of here!” “Dinky, why are you making so much noise?” Derpy asked. “You were quiet earlier.” “Mom, what are you talking about?” Dinky asked. “Please, just hurry and let me out! We need to get out of here!” “Have you accepted Queen Chrysalis as your one true ruler yet?” Derpy asked. “What? No! Of course not!” Dinky said, recoiling from the wall. “Why in the wide, wide world of Equestria would I do that?” “Then you can’t come out yet.” Derpy said as she turned and walked away from the wall. “Mom, wait!” Dinky called out, tears forming in her eyes as she heard her mother’s hoof steps growing softer. “And no noise!” Derpy called over her shoulder as she turned a corner. “Huh?” Dinky said, blinking tears out of her eyes as she stood back. “No noise at all…” Dinky said under her breath. “I don’t know what’s wrong with mom, but part of her is still in there!” Dinky thought as she concentrated hard on the wall in front of her. “I know I can get out through here. I just know it!” Dinky said as she closed her eyes and tried desperately to think of a way to open up the wall in front of her. As she did, her horn began to glow with a faint pink light, brightening and intensifying until it bathed the entire room in its luminescence. “Huh? What’s going on?” Dinky asked herself as she stumbled backwards a bit, looking up at her horn. As she did, a bolt of pink lightning arced from her horn to the wall in front of her, forcing it to open immediately. “Whoa!” Dinky exclaimed as her horn stopped glowing. “I just did magic! I just did my first magic spell! Woo hoo!” She exclaimed, jumping up and down excitedly as the wall began to slowly close. “Oh! Right!” Dinky said just before jumping through the opening. “Hold on, mom! I’m coming!” She shouted as she took off down the hall after her mother, her horn still arcing electricity and opening every hidden door she came across. “I wonder what they’ll do with me.” Shining Armor sighed as he sat in the middle of his cell. “I can’t believe I let myself get caught so easily. But how did that thing know the crystal guard pledge so well?” He asked himself as he got up and began pacing. “Things must be worse than I thought. There must be Celestia knows how many changelings in the royal guard.” As he spoke the last word his pacing came to a dead stop and his head shot up, looking straight ahead with wide eyes. “The royal guard’s been infiltrated! Cadence is in danger!” He exclaimed as righteous anger welled up inside him. “Hang on, Cadence! I’m coming!” Shining shouted as he charged at the section of wall Queen Chrysalis walked through earlier. There was a dull thud as Shining Armor’s shoulder connected with the wall. He could feel it push out slightly, but it immediately bounced back into place, settling just as it was before. “Come on!” He shouted as he charged again with the same result. Shining tried a few more times before backing all the way up to the opposite wall and scuffing the floor with a hoof. “For the crystal empire! For Cadence!” Shining Armor said before charging as hard and fast as he could. “This is it!” Shining thought to himself. “This has got to do it!” He thought, letting out a mighty yell as he leapt towards the wall. As Shining jumped, there was the sound of electrical discharge as the wall opened up just before he hit it. “AAH!” He yelled as he flew through the opening and into the hallway beyond, landing roughly on the floor. “Huh?” Dinky asked as she stopped and turned to investigate the yell behind her. “Ugh. What the?” Shining Armor asked, groaning from the unexpected impact. “Wait. Aren’t you the foal from before?” He asked as he stood. “What are you doing here?” “I’m here to help my mom! Hurry! I think she went this way!” Dinky said as she started off in the direction she was heading before. “Hey, wait!” Shining Armor said as he lunged forward and used his teeth to grab Dinky by the tail. “Hey! Lemme go!” Dinky yelled as Shining held her in place. “Wait a minute!” Shining said through his teeth before letting her go. “You can’t stay here. This place is dangerous!” “I don’t care!” Dinky shouted as her horn began glowing intensely. “I need to save her! She’s in big trouble!” She said as she started off down the hall again. “Hold on a minute!” Shining said as he started after her again. “NO!” Dinky yelled as she turned a corner and ran directly into a group of four changelings. “AH!” She screamed, falling back on her rump as the bug-ponies turned and hissed at her. “Get back!” Shining yelled just before several bolts of electricity shot out of Dinky’s horn and into the changelings. In the span of a second, all four of the changelings were on the ground, knocked completely unconscious. “What in Equestria was that?” Shining Armor said as he helped Dinky to her feet. “I don’t know.” She said, rubbing her head and looking slightly woozy. “It’s been happening for a little while now. I can’t really stop it though.” She said as she stumbled a bit. “Here.” Shining Armor said, catching Dinky just before she fell over. “Let’s go find your mother.” He said as he picked Dinky up and allowed her to rest on his back. Shining began galloping down the halls once the foal seemed comfortable, not entirely sure where he was going. “I’ve brought my things with me, my Queen.” Derpy said as she flew back up to Queen Chrysalis’s throne. She was wearing the mailbag given to her by princess Celestia, though that particular detail no longer mattered the wall-eyed mare. “Excellent.” Chrysalis said, turning her attention to a small green sphere next to her. “Tell me, Derpy. Do you know what this is?” She asked, pointing to the small object. “No, my Queen.” Derpy said, moving closer to examine it and yelping in surprise when it moved a little bit. “Wh- What is that?” She asked, slowly moving closer again. “That, my little pet, is a changeling egg.” Chrysalis said. “You love your queen, correct?” She asked, looking to Derpy. “Of course, my Queen!” Derpy said with another bow. “Well then you will love this egg as well, for it contains my essence.” Chrysalis said. “This hatchling is to be my heir, and I would like your help in raising her.” “You mean that, my Queen?” Derpy asked, looking up into Chrysalis’s eyes in awe. “I do.” Chrysalis nodded. “You are the only one in the hive capable of getting this egg into Canterlot undetected. Ever since the royal wedding, protective spells have been put in place specifically to repel us. But with that mailbag, you can get the egg through the barrier. Once it hatches within the barrier, it should be able to come and go as much as it needs to afterwards.” She explained as the egg glowed with a faint green light. “Treat it as you would your own child.” “My own…” Derpy said, rubbing her forehead as if in pain. “Mom!” Dinky yelled as she caught sight of Derpy across the throne room. “Dinky?” Derpy asked as she looked up. Every eye in the room was now on Dinky as she rested on Shining Armor’s back. “Mom! Snap out of it!” Dinky shouted, though she looked like she was about to faint. “She’s controlling you somehow! Please, you have to fight it!” “How did you escape your chambers?” Chrysalis asked, now standing up. “And why can I feel such love from the foal? More than I’ve ever felt in one place before!” Chrysalis thought as she watched the two ponies carefully. “Mom, please! You have to listen to me!” Dinky said as she dropped from Shining Armor’s back. “Dinky, be quiet!” Derpy commanded, though speaking the words seemed to cause her pain as she rubbed her head again. “Mom, please! I… I…” Dinky wobbled where she stood, apparently about to collapse. Before she did though, her horn began to glow with an intense light as her entire body went rigid. Huge bolts of pink electricity arced from Dinky’s horn, lighting the entire throne room as a massive shockwave exploded from the tip. The shockwave bowled Shining Armor over, as well as every changeling in the room as Queen Chrysalis hastily erected the strongest barrier she could over herself, Derpy, and the egg. The shield cracked and bent, but just managed to protect them from the blast. “Dinky! What was that?” Derpy asked as she looked at her daughter, dumbfounded. “That was… Very powerful magic.” Chrysalis said, breathing heavily as she looked up at her scattered subjects. Every other changeling in the room was out cold, a contented look on their faces as they slept. “What is this? Is it… Love?” Queen Chrysalis wondered, her eyes going wide. “It’s okay, my Queen.” Derpy said as she flew towards her daughter. “I’ll handle this.” “Mom, I-” Dinky said as she tried to stand up before she was interrupted by her mother, stamping a hoof in front of her. “Dinky, no!” Derpy scolded, looking down at her daughter. “How dare you attack Queen Chrysalis? You should be ashamed of yourself!” She said, looking down at Dinky with angry green eyes. “Mom, please.” Dinky said, tears welling up in her eyes. “You’re scaring me.” “Well good!” Derpy shouted. Just afterwards though, she winced visibly as she felt a hard twinge of pain in her head. “I can’t allow you to endanger my Queen. I’m sorry, Dinky.” She said as she raised a hoof to strike her daughter. “Stop!” Queen Chrysalis yelled across the throne room. “My Queen?” Derpy asked, looking back at Chrysalis as she lowered her hoof. “Mom, I… I.” Dinky said, closing her eyes as tears streamed down her face. “I love you, mommy.” She said just before one more little spark shot from her horn and into Derpy. As the spark touched her, memories came flooding back into Derpy’s mind. Memories of when Dinky was a baby taking her first steps, memories of Dinky’s first few failed spell attempts with Sparkler, and even memories of just before Derpy left on her delivery as she wrote her daughter a heartfelt letter. When Derpy came to, she had to blink a few times and shake her head before the world came back into focus. Her mismatched amber eyes looked around the room without ever actually focusing on the same thing at the same time. That is, until she saw her daughter cowering on the ground in front of her. “Dinky!” Derpy shouted as she dove down to her daughter and pulled her into the tightest hug she had ever given. “M- Mom?” Dinky asked as she looked up and saw Derpy smiling at her with tears streaming down her face, staining her coat. “Dinky, I’m so sorry!” Derpy said as she buried her face in her daughter’s mane. “I said such terrible things to you. I never want to see you this scared ever again!” She said through heaving sobs. “Can you ever forgive me?” “Oh mom!” Dinky shouted as she hugged Derpy back. “Of course I forgive you!” She said as she started crying too. “I’m just glad you’re back to normal!” Queen Chrysalis simply looked on in astonishment as Derpy and Dinky had their moment. “This love. How can this be?” Chrysalis wondered as she stood and flew over to where Derpy and Dinky were kneeling. As soon as Dinky noticed Chrysalis, she jumped to stand between her mother and the queen. “Back off!” Dinky yelled, snorting a little bit as she did. “You can’t have my mom! So go away!” “How can this be possible?” Chrysalis asked, taking another step forward despite the threat. “You were both completely drained of love. How did you recover from that?” She asked as Shining Armor stood back up. “Derpy, are you okay?” Shining asked as he stepped between Chrysalis and the ponies. “You had me worried for a while there.” “I’m okay, your majesty.” Derpy said with a nod. “I told you already. Just call me Shining Armor.” Shining said with a weak chuckle before turning again to face the changeling Queen. “Do you really think you can stand up to me?” Chrysalis asked, glaring down at Shining Armor. “Please. You’re in no condition to fight. You’d best retreat while I’ll still let you.” “You don’t scare me!” Shining said. “I need to protect my kingdom from your evil.” “Wait!” Derpy shouted out, catching everyone else by surprise. “She isn’t evil!” “What?” All three of the others asked at once. “Queen Chrysalis isn’t evil. She’s just scared.” Derpy said. “Ha!” Chrysalis laughed. “You think I’m scared of this little prince? Please. I’m many times more powerful than he’ll ever live to be.” “Of course you aren’t scared of him.” Derpy said, shaking her head. “Oh! No offense.” She said, turning to Shining Armor and blushing a little bit. “None taken… I think.” Shining said, looking very confused. “But you aren’t afraid of anypony.” Derpy said, turning back to Chrysalis. “Anypony except yourself.” “What?!” Chrysalis exclaimed, recoiling slightly. “Don’t be absurd!” “I remember you telling me something after you attacked me and Dinky.” Derpy said. “You apologized to me.” “I- I did no such thing!” Chrysalis stammered, backing away a little further. “Chrissy, you don’t have to be so proud!” Derpy said, taking a step toward the queen. “I am not… Wait. Chrissy?” Chrysalis asked, raising an eyebrow. “Sorry.” Derpy said. “Was that too much?” “Enough!” Shining said. “This is pointless! Move out of the way so that I can end this!” “No!” Derpy said. “That won’t solve anything!” “Why are you even defending me at all?” Chrysalis asked. “I drained your love. I drained your daughter’s love! I’ve lived for hundreds upon hundreds of years, and I’ve never heard of such forgiveness.” “If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life.” Derpy said, pausing for effect. “It’s that first impressions of somepony aren’t always right.” She said as she lunged forward and wrapped her forehooves around Chrysalis before she could react. “What the- What do you think you’re doing?!” Chrysalis asked as she briefly tried to shake Derpy off. After a couple of seconds though, she just stood there completely motionless. “Why?” She asked. “Why are you doing this to me?” She asked, looking down at Derpy with one eyebrow raised. As Derpy looked up, she saw that Chrysalis’s eyes seemed a little bit brighter than they usually were. “I’d like to try this meeting again.” Derpy said, letting go of the queen. “I like to make friends with as many ponies as I can. And I’m not too picky on whether or not they’re actually ponies either.” She said with a short giggle. “You can’t be serious.” Shining Armor said. “You’re actually trying to make friends with her.” “Of course!” Derpy said. “It’s better to make friends than enemies, don’t you think?” “Better to make friends than enemies.” Chrysalis repeated. After a few seconds of thought, the changeling queen let out a heavy sigh. “You know. I don’t think replacing royal guards is such a good idea after all.” She said, looking to Shining Armor. “As a show of mercy, I shall allow you and your soldiers to leave with your lives! As well as the messenger and her brat.” Chrysalis proclaimed. “Hey!” Dinky said, looking angrily at Chrysalis. The changeling queen’s horn began to glow threateningly. “Need I repeat myself? I’m sure my decree was quite clear.” Chrysalis said as the changelings around her began to stir. “One of my subjects will lead you to your captive troops. Then, you shall be escorted out of the hive. I suggest you all leave while I am feeling generous.” She said as she turned away and a recently awakened changeling strolled over to Shining Armor. “Your soldiers are this way.” The changeling said as he began walking down the hall. “Do not waste my Queen’s generosity.” He said as he rounded a corner. After looking back and forth between the hallway and the queen, Shining Armor came to a decision. “This isn’t over.” He said as he quickly moved to follow the changeling. “Go on, Dinky.” Derpy said, urging her daughter toward the hall. “You go with him for now. I still need to finish my job.” “But mom-” “No buts.” Derpy said, gently putting a hoof over Dinky’s mouth. “I promise that I’ll see you in a couple of minutes.” She said with a smile. “Well… Okay.” Dinky sighed as she walked away, turning briefly to glare at Chrysalis as she left. “Give them some time.” Derpy said with a sigh. “I’m sure they’ll come around eventually.” “How can you be so positive?” Chrysalis asked. “After everything you’ve been through. Everything I’ve put you through. You actually want to be friends?” “Well yeah.” Derpy said. “If I held a grudge against everypony that made a mistake, I wouldn’t even be friends with myself!” She said, laughing a little bit. “You really are one of a kind, Derpy.” Chrysalis said, laughing a bit despite herself. “But no matter. I have a lot to consider now. First on the list will be a new home for my subjects. I doubt it will be long before we are forced out of here.” “Oh, I wouldn’t count on that.” Derpy said. “These kinds of things have a way of working themselves out eventually. Anyways, here.” Derpy said, digging through her mailbag and producing the scroll she had been sent to deliver. “Delivery successful!” She cheered as Chrysalis took the scroll in a green magic field. “Thank you, I suppose.” The changeling queen said as she set the scroll aside. “I suggest you get going now. I have much to do.” “Alright.” Derpy said. “I hope I see you again soon.” She said as she turned and began trotting away. “Oh!” She exclaimed as she stopped and ran back to Chrysalis. “I want you to have one more thing.” She said as she dug through her mailbag one more time. “Here. I hope it’s still fresh.” Derpy said as she put down a small plastic container in front of Chrysalis. “See you later Chrissy!” She called as she ran down the hall to catch up with Shining and Dinky. “My name is not- Ugh!” Chrysalis groaned before looking at the small container in front of her. “A gift? Honestly. How can anypony be so dense?” She scoffed as she levitated the scroll in front of her face and opened it. Queen Chrysalis, It has been several months since our confrontation at Princess Cadence and Captain Shining Armor’s wedding. I have been thinking about the events of that fateful day and come to the conclusion that you are a monarch deserving of proper respect. Not only from your own subjects, but from everypony else as well. I hold no animosity towards you or your kingdom, for I am sure that there were motives to your invasion far beyond a simple power grab. In fact, I would be honored if you were to accept an invitation to my royal court. I eagerly await your correspondence. I believe that in time, we and our people may become very good friends. Sincerely, Princess Celestia. “Really?” Chrysalis asked, bursting out into laughter. “Does Celestia honestly think that I would drag myself to her court to become friends? Such tripe!” She exclaimed as she used her magic to crumple up the scroll and toss it aside. A few nearby changelings backed away from the paper as it hit the floor. “Here we are.” A changeling said as a wall opened up and bathed the group of ponies in sunlight. “I hope you enjoyed your stay.” He said as Shining Armor and a group of guards pushed past him with Dinky not far behind. “Why in the world would I say that just now?” He wondered, shaking his head a bit. “Sorry about them, sir.” Derpy said as she walked past as well, giving the changeling a friendly smile. “It doesn’t matter to me.” The changeling said with a shrug. “Maybe you should talk to them or something though. Judging from your time here, your bubbly personality seems pretty infectious.” He said as he turned away and walked back down the hallway. As the wall closed, Derpy could swear that she heard him whistling a little tune for a second. “Bubbly?” Derpy asked herself as she stood still in the clearing for a few moments. Suddenly, she gasped as her eyes went wide and she looked back at her cutie mark. “Bubbly! Of course!” She said with a laugh. “Mom, are you coming?” Dinky called back. “Yes, Dinky! Sorry!” Derpy called as she ran after the rest of the ponies. “Princess Celestia sent that little pony all the way out here just to send me that?” Chrysalis said with a huff as she sat on her throne. “Derpy was put in so much danger, all for a message that would only be ignored. Obviously she’s a much more foolish ruler than I ever gave her credit for.” She said as a changeling approached the throne. “My Queen.” The changeling said with a bow. “The egg has been safely returned to its proper place.” “Very good.” Chrysalis said. “We will make preparations to leave shortly.” “But my Queen, where will we go?” The changeling asked. “I’m not sure yet.” Chrysalis sighed. “But we have gathered enough love here to last us for generations. Wherever we go, we will not go hungry.” “And what of the package left by the pony?” The changeling asked. “I was simply going to dispose of it.” Chrysalis said. “But I suppose I should at least see what kind of offering she made to me.” She said as she picked up the small plastic container in a magical aura and carefully popped the top off. “Hm? This smell…” Chrysalis said, sniffing the air slightly. “Chocolate chip?” She asked herself as she looked into the container and saw the pristine chocolate chip muffin stored inside. “A muffin?” The changeling at the foot of Chrysalis’s throne asked. “It would appear so.” Chrysalis said, removing the muffin from its container and bringing it closer to her face. “I sense something else too.” She said. “What is it, my Queen?” “I believe it’s… Love.” Chrysalis said just before taking a cautious bite. “Very powerful love at that!” She said as her eyes shot open. “I’ll leave you to your meal.” The changeling said as he bowed and turned away from the throne. “I’ll also begin the relocation preparations. Have you thought of a destination for us?” “Actually.” Chrysalis said as she glanced back to where the crumpled scroll had landed. “I believe we have a special invitation to Canterlot that may be put to good use.”