//------------------------------// // Chapter Two // Story: A New Home II: A Queen's Revenge // by APoeticHeart //------------------------------// Princess Celestia stood outside on the balcony of Canterlot Castle as she gazed over the land with her sun cascading a shower of warmth over Equestria. She sighed deeply as a warm smile formed across her face and she took a breath of the morning air. Princess Luna came trotting out onto the balcony to join her sister. “Good morning Tia, how are you feeling?” She asked as she gave her a soft smile and looked out across the land. Celestia let out a soft sigh “I am feeling good sister,” she gave Luna a warm smile. “You know Luna; it has been a whole year now since we have welcomed our little nephew Toby into our home and I believe today is his birthday,” she let out a soft giggle. Luna nodded in agreement letting out a soft giggle of her own “I believe you are right Tia. I think we should make today a special day for the precious one and attend his birthday party,” she gave a warm smile to Celestia. “What do you say Tia, shall we depart from Canterlot to Ponyville?” The sun princess nodded “Yes we shall sister. Let us make this a birthday that the precious little one shall remember forever,” she smiled warmly as the two turned to trot back inside the castle. While they were inside the castle preparing to go attend their nephew’s birthday, the princesses were unaware the danger that was rapidly approaching Ponyville. Queen Chrysalis and the Diamond Dogs were treading through Rambling Rock Ridge, the home of the three and their guards. While trotting along the rocky ground Chrysalis turned to them with a glare of annoyance and let out a disgruntled sigh. She shook her head at them disapprovingly as she turned back to the path up ahead. They finally reached the edge of the ridge as they entered the dreaded Everfree Forest. As soon as they stepped their paws onto the land the Diamond Dogs immediately started to tremble nervously. Chrysalis could hear their teeth chattering as she turned to look at them and let out an annoyed sigh “What in Equestria is wrong with you mutts?” “Neh… w-well your highness, t-this is the forbidden Everfree Forest,” Rover spoke nervously. “This is the place where all ponies dare not trot, because it is filled with dangerous creatures,” he swallowed deeply. Spot and Fido nodded in agreement as they trembled closely behind Rover. Chrysalis grunted “Oh, please what kind of creatures could possible scare three oversized flea ridden mutts like…,” she was cut off as she could hear the sound of snarling behind her. She slowly turned around to come face to face with a timber wolf glaring angrily at her with its glowing green eyes. She looked at it in the eyes and shrugged “Oh, this kind of creature. Hmm… is that what you three are scared of?” She turned her head back to the three dogs. They nodded nervously as she let out of a huff and cackle of amusement “How can you be scared of this pathetic pile of firewood?” She turned back to the timber wolf “Time to say goodbye you poor excuse for a wolf,” she closed her eyes and concentrated her magic, lighting up her horn. Rover and the other two looked at her curiously as she shot a beam of green light that enveloped the timber wolf in its aura. Suddenly there was a bright flash and the timber wolf was scattered all around the forest floor in broken twigs, branches, and leaves. The three blinked their eyes in shock to see such a fierce creature effortlessly defeated by the changeling queen. Her horn dimmed as she gave a sly grin “Mm… that felt wonderful to use my powers once again, but I got to be careful to not use all my energy,” she thought to herself as she turned to the Diamond Dogs. “Are you three done cowering? If so, let us continue on to Ponyville,” they nodded as she turned and trotted forward with them following in tow. Venturing deeper into the forest, it felt like the day was getting darker even though it was still morning. Fido and Spot kept close to each other as Rover walked ahead of them keeping up with Chrysalis. She would turn to look back at the three ever so often displeased with their cowardice. As they treaded further along the ground, out of nowhere jumped a manticore that let out a ferocious, ear-splitting roar. The Diamond Dogs all yelped and jumped into some bushes to hide from the beast while Chrysalis just stood there with an icy stare fixed on the creature. She let out a sigh “Well, you do look more vicious than the last fellow we ran into,” she kept her glare fixed on the manticore. As she stared at the creature her eyes started to glow an eerie green and the manticore started to let out a deep whimpering growl and lowered its stance. Its eyes were the same eerie green as hers. Chrysalis grinned evilly “That’s a good boy. Now leave,” the manticore let out a low whimper and turned to walk away. Chrysalis let out a cackle and turned to the shaking bushes “Guh… alright you three scared puppies, you can come out now,” she shook her head disapprovingly. The three came out swallowing deeply. “Neh… how did you do that my queen?” Rover asked looking up at her curiously. She let out a soft chuckle “Oh, my dear mutt, I can do much with my ability as a changeling, and that includes controlling the mind of the simplest of creatures.” She smiled slyly as she turned to continue forward as the three followed. As they got closer to the entrance of the Everfree, they could hear voices in the distance. Chrysalis stopped abruptly from trotting and raised a foreleg up at the dogs “Hide now,” she whispered. The three obeyed as they ducked behind another group of bushes as Chrysalis hid behind a tree. “Ah can’t wait to give our little buddy his present yall,” the voice of Applebloom could be heard as her and the other two CMC came trotting onto the bridge near Fluttershy’s cottage. “I can’t wait for him to see the new outfit me and Rarity worked on together,” Sweetie Belle beamed excitedly. “That sounds cool girls, but I know he is just going to think my present is awesome,” Scootaloo threw her foreleg in the air. She looked at the other two curiously “do you two think Pinkie will be able to watch after our presents while we go get Toby? I mean she might get a little bit excited herself and try to open them.” The two chuckled as Applebloom patted Scootaloo on the back “Oh, Scoots, Ah am sure that Pinkie will take extra care of our presents for Toby, so don’t worry,” she gave Scootaloo a soft smile while Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement. When they got over the bridge the girls felt something surround them “Hey yall, what’s going on?’ Applebloom asked in surprise as she felt herself being levitated along with the others. “Put us down whoever has us,” Scootaloo struggled in the magical grasp but to no avail. “Yeah, put us down you meanie whoever is there,” Sweetie whined. Suddenly the three fillies were dropped at the entrance of the Everfree and out from behind a tree trotted Chrysalis. An evil grin crept across her face as she looked down at the three fillies starting to get up and shaking their head “Well, well, well, hello there little ones.” Scootaloo looked up at the towering changeling queen and hovered up in the air eye level to her and put out her forelegs in a fighting stance. “Who are you lady? Tell us or your face will connect with my hooves,” she licked her lips preparing to fight. “Scootaloo, get down here, there is no telling what this meanie pony will do,” Sweetie Belle begged the pegasus filly as Scootaloo obliged and lowered to the ground. Applebloom tilted her head as she looked up at Chrysalis and gasped “Wait, ya are that pony who tried to ruin Prince Shining Armor’s and Princess Cadence’s wedding, aren’t ya?” Chrysalis let out a sinister chuckle and bowed her head “Well, you aren’t stupid little fillies that is for sure. To answer your question little one, yes I am the one and only Queen of the Changeling Army, Queen Chrysalis,” she stepped toward the three. “Oh, boy, aren’t you in trouble when Princess Celestia sees you in Ponyville,” Scootaloo said as she turned to trot away “C’mon girls lets…. Gah,” she gasped as her and the other two was immediately held in Chrysalis’ magic again. “Not so fast little ones,” she grinned mischievously down at the three. She let out a deep sigh “Now I heard you three were going to take the small child that I have come for to a little party,” her grin grew wider. “How did ya… gah,” Applebloom tried to speak but Chrysalis squeezed at her and the other two with her magic. “Hush you little runt,” she closed her eyes and calmed herself. She opened them and glared down at the three fillies with her eyes glowing the same eerie green as when she looked into the eyes of the manticore. “Now you three are going to do what I say. Do you understand me?” The CMC’s eyes looked up at her with their eyes glazed over with the same green hue, and bowed their heads to her “Yes your highness,” they spoke in unison. Chrysalis cackled and nodded “That’s better. Now you three will go collect this child to take him to his little celebration,” she trotted back and forth. “Afterward, you will bring him to the Everfree, do you understand?” The three fillies bowed their head and replied altogether “Yes your highness.” She let out a cackle “Good. Now go,” she pointed a foreleg to motion the CMC to leave. They nodded and turned to trot away. She licked her lips as she thought to herself “Mm… this is going perfectly,” she let out a low sinister chuckle. The Diamond Dogs carefully came out from behind the bushes they were hiding behind as Rover spoke up “Neh… your highness, why did you let those three little ponies go?” Chrysalis turned her attention to the three and sighed heavily “It is simple you mindless fleabag. Why do I have to get my own hooves dirty when I have others to do my bidding?” She chuckled and looked down at the three “When they arrive here with the tasty little child, you three will snatch him up, and we shall return to my home so I can give my children a feast they have hungered for so long.” The three nodded and bowed their head “Yes our queen,” they said in unison. Chrysalis smiled meticulously as she turned her gaze toward Ponyville and thought to herself “Soon Princess Celestia, your precious Equestria will be mine, all mine,” she let out a cackle as her and the three dogs crept back into the forest to stay hidden until the time comes to snatch her prey.