//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Retaking of Canterlot // Story: Viva la Vida // by Arkhamwolf2012 //------------------------------// Canterlot Castle, Throne Room. Ten minutes after the Lunar Assault began... “Such a pity, Celestia...” the Changeling Queen, Chrysalis, sighed with amusement, “You once rode atop the world, feared by many, and beloved by all. And yet, who has taken you down? The bugs you exiled to wriggle, writhe and die in the dirt. And it’s all because you didn’t listen to your faithful student...” she looked up at the white alicorn, who had regained consciousness, and was glaring down at the bug, who looked smugly back up at her. She then redirected her gaze at the seven-odd ponies she put in a similar prison to their leader. Of them, she kept the ‘faithful student’ separate. She may feed off love, but she just loved the taste of pure despair and hatred towards others. It was enjoyable, and laughable how much the unicorn’s feelings mimicked her own, at a time. She was older now, and wouldn’t allow her feelings to get in the way of helping her kind. Suddenly, a single changeling came stumbling in, eyes wide, an arrow through one eye, and getting blood all over her new carpet. “My lady! We have a problem!” the changeling shouted. Chrysalis recognized him as Ross. Ross was a good kid. “What is it? That stupid Luna? We beat her last time, just drive them from the city, and assassinate her. That’ll quiet those stupid ponies up quickly.” Chrysalis brushed it off, but Ross shook his head. “They’re more organized than before! They’re pushing us back, we don’t have a lot of options left! We need your assistance, m’lady!” Chrysalis heard the Princess of the Sun chuckle, weakly. The Changeling Queen gave an annoyed grunt, but before she could remove herself from her throne, it... exploded. The wall, I mean, killing Ross, much to her dismay. There was a silhouette of a colossal biped, that was equipped with straight wings, that somehow kept it afloat. “So, you’re Luna’s new toy, are you?” Chrysalis asked, keeping calm. She could easily take care of this, thanks to her ‘husband’, who was lying, on his side, in his own little jello prison. “Toy? I think you have misjudged me, based on the news your little messenger just delivered. If anyone is the other’s ‘toy’ in my grand plan, it’s Luna, who is relying my orders across the battlefield.” the smoke cleared, and sunlight filled the shadow, making it more holy now. It was easily bigger than the throne room, possibly larger than the entire castle. It also had an... alien look to it, even under the rays of the Solar Sovereign's sun. But, Chrysalis could tell it had sentience. And, if it felt, she could twist it to her will. Putting a plan in motion, she prepared to ‘surrender’ to this thing. “Well, I never would have imagined Luna bringing help from another world. Suppose there’s nothing left to do but negotiate the terms of our defeat.” Here's some ambience music. Click it, don't click it, whatever. A loud, hissing sound was heard from the large being, and down descended a smaller one. Stepping out of the light, everypony that was awake got a good look at their enemy/savior. A tall, slender, bipedal creature, with purple eyes and a smug smile on his face. He was wearing a tattered, imperial cloak, nearly mimicking the one Celestia used to wear on important diplomatic meetings, except... there was a large bloodstain in the middle, where the creature’s heart should be. “Immortal? No... Resurrected? Getting desperate, are we, Luna?” Chrysalis thought, charging up her spell to take over the creature’s mind, “Too bad no one can ignore the allure of my mind control spell!” she released a chuckle as she cast it on the unwitting creature, who remained unmoving. - - - Melded POV(asinweknoweverythingnow,don’tgetconfused.) “That’s.... Nunnally!” Lelouch inwardly reacted. “So, this thing really can transform into the one the subject loves the most... Too bad I already...” Lelouch chuckled, before giving an amused laugh, bemusing those gathered. For a moment, the Changeling Queen thought her spell hadn’t worked on the creature for whatever reason. “Is that all you can do against me, you pompous little bug?” when she gave no outward reaction, Lelouch raised his hand, “Then allow me to show you what absolute obedience looks like! Lelouch vi Britannia commands you...” he removed both of his contacts as his hand drifted across his face, revealing his dual Geass eyes. To everyone who was watching, it was as if birds had emerged into his eyes, but no... it was his Geass, the ‘magic’ that granted the subject the tool with which they could acquire what they desire most. In his case, it was absolute obedience. “Die!” he shouted, and the Chrysalis went stiff for a few seconds, before her horn began to glow. Everybody but Lelouch suspected she was going to kill him, but he stood still, a smug smile on his face as he awaited her to off herself. Just when everypony turned away to be spared the horrors of this strange creature being plastered over the walls, she went up in flames. She didn’t scream. Didn’t give any final speeches. Didn’t even whimper at the pain. She just incinerated herself, all the while looking this ‘Lelouch vi Britannia’ in the eyes. He didn’t even flinch, just stood there, unamused, as if disappointed in the way she chose to end her life. However, in his eyes, he just watched the one he cared for the most, Nunnally, go up in flames, her blue eyes staring straight into his amethyst ones, as she gave him the only look he received from her after she broke his father’s Geass. That cold, hateful stare was burned into his mind, but paled in comparison to what she said to him when he found out she was alive. “No time to dwell on the past...” he thought turning his back on the prisoners and getting into the Shinkirou, much to their protest. However, as it hummed to life, he used the Shinkirou’s main weapon(the Diffusion Structure Phase Transition Cannon) to undo their binding. Before any of them could go to thank him, he was gone. Celestia, unlike the others, knew a lie when she heard it, no matter who tells it. And, if she read this ‘Lelouch vi Britannia’ correctly, he had no intention of using Luna for his personal gain. Still, she worried for the consequences of Luna bringing someone like that here. He could have easily taken the throne, then and there, so he didn’t have ‘gaining power’ on the agenda... Questions, she knew, would have to wait until later. For now, she needed to assist her ponies in driving back the remnants of the Changeling Horde, then in reconstructing the city. She looked to the back of the throne room, and saw him. She knew of him, but never brought him up. He sat there, just like every time before, with a shit eating grin on his face, as if amused of the outcome. He always appeared to her in the most awkward of times, never showing up when he could be questioned, as nopony else seemed to be able to see him. “Good job, Emperor... Not what I would have done, but that’s what makes you so... interesting...” he spoke, getting up. And, in a cloud of smoke, he was gone.