//------------------------------//
// Tests 
// Story: Running away 
// by AlphaRidley 
//------------------------------//

Celestia wasn't exactly sure how she wanted to react to the sight of her student being held by her nemesis. Should she react with anger? No, that wouldn't do at all. She'd already promised Twilight she wouldn't hurt ethier of them, and getting mad would without a doubt lead to her hurting Queen Chrysalis, and as a result, Twilight.

So she couldn't afford to react with anger, check that off the list of ways she could react. 

Could she react with suspision? Well, yes, she could. But accusing Queen Chrysalis of brain washing her student was a big risk; one that Celestia wasn't ready to take in case she was wrong.

Well, she could always react with caution and see where that went, it always worked with the nobles after all. Yes, that sounded about right, she'd be cautious, and try to not say or do something that would upset her precious student.

"So..." She paused to think of what she was going to say. "What's all this?"

Chrysalis' wings fluttered slightly when Twilight shifted in her grasp. "What does it look like?" Chrysalis snarked.

Celestia chose her words carefully. "It looks like two of my subjects have been having quite a pleasant time in each other's company." 

"I'm not one of your subjects!" Growled Chrysalis.

The Princess of the Sun was very wise, living for over a thousand years would do that to you, and she knew that she would have to except this relationship eventually, so she might as well start now. "You're going to have to be if you plan to pursue a relationship with a princess." 

"Oh?" Chrysalis questioned. "You'll have to do better than that if you want to find an easy way to seperate us." 

Celestia sighed. "I already promised I wouldn't do anything to harm the both of you, and Twilight knows I always keep my promises."

Chrysalis looked down at the princess in her hooves. "Is she telling the truth?" She hissed in Twilight's ear.

"Yes." Twilight, who'd been silent since Celestia came downstairs, opting to let Chrysalis do most of the talking, spoke softly.

"Very well then," Chrysalis turned her full atention to Celestia after releasing Twilight and hopping off the bed and  moving in front of Celestia. "but she still has to pass my test."

Celestia's ears perked up. "Test?" She asked.

"Oh yes."Chrysalis sauntered closer to Celestia. "It's quite an easy test, too bad I can't tell you anything about it."

Celestia closed her eyes when Chrysalis walked behind her, but didn't turn around lest she lose the Changeling Queen 's trust.

She forced herself not to flinch when she felt Chrysalis' jagged horn trace her back and sides, she was fairly certain what kind of test this was by now, and flinching would probably mean instant failure. The horn was brought over her neck and head, stopping once it reached the tip of her nose. Only once the horn had lifted away did she open her eyes.

Chrysalis was scrutenizing her every movment, and Celestia patiently awaited Chrysalis' judgement.

"Well?" She dared to ask when Chrysalis leaned back. "How did I do?"

The Changeling's eyes twinkled with mirth. "You failed."

Celestia recognized the joke for what it was, and decided not to play Chrysalis' little game. "Oh... That's too bad." 

Chrysalis' eyes twitched. "That's all?"

Celestia tilted her head to the side. "That's all what?"

Chrysalis snarled. "That's all you have to say? I just told you that you failed!" 

Chrysalis clearly didn't like losing, Celestia wold have to keep that in mind for the future. "What am to supposed to say? There's nothing I can do to change your mind." 

"Gah!" Chrysalis shout in frustration. "Fine! You win! You passed! Are you happy now?!"

Celestia laughed. "I am actually, you should know better then to try to trick somepony who has to deal with Luna's pranks on a daily basis."

Chrysalis frowned. "How'd you know it was a joke?" 

"You're not as good at hiding your amusement as you'd like to think, although I doubt anybody but Luna, Discord and I would be able to catch you, so don't feel too bad."

Chrysails slapped her tail against the floor. "Buck." 

"Well, now that that's out of the way, how about we go upstairs and have some tea?" Celestia suggested.

They both looked at Twilight, who had gotten into a sitting position by now, waiting for her answer. 

Twilight nodded in agreement, she was feeling quite parched at the moment.

The three walked upstairs in relative silence. Twilight and Chrysalis sat on one side of the room while Celestia went to the kitchen to fix up some tea for the three of them.

"So..." Celestia started when she came back into the room a few minutes later with some tea. "How exactly did this all begin?" She levitated two cups over to Twilight and Chrysalis, the last she took a small sip out of as she sat across from them. 

Chrysalis and Twilight glanced at each other out of the corners of their eyes. 

"Well, you see..."