Queen Chrysalis woke up, her head pounding. She blinked, and found that that hurt, too. She moved to roll out of bed, but her joints locked up in pain as well. She sighed frustratedly, then tried to lift herself up with her magic, wincing in pain yet again as her horn throbbed sharply.
“Ugh,” she said, “what in Tartarus happened to me?” She looked over with great effort to the night table, noticing that there were sunglasses on them, along with a note. She struggled to drag the note in front of her face with her magic, letting out little yelps. She finally got the note in front of her. She read it.
Thought you might need these after last night.
-Luna. XOXO.
Chrysalis snorted, then winced. Why would she need—
She turned her head to the ceiling and let out an unearthly scream as her eyes were stabbed by the light source hanging off of the ceiling. Then she yelled again as the door was slammed open, the sound echoing in her mind cavity.
“Is there anything wrong, Queen Chrysalis?” a voice said.
“Yes, everything hurts and everything’s too loud! In fact, you’re too loud! Shut up!”
“Is that any way to speak to your ruler?” Chrysalis achingly turned her head to see the source of the voice, the source of course being the one pony you never mouth off to.
“Princess Celestia…” Chrysalis spat out, her eyes shutting to ward off the searing light.
“Queen Chrysalis.” Celestia said.
“Would you mind telling me what you’re doing up at this unearthly hour?”
Celestia looked around in confusion. “What? You mean at three in the afternoon?”
Chrysalis sighed. “Three?”
“Yes, and I’d like it if you joined me for some tea. Now put these on.” Chrysalis felt something touch the bridge of her muzzle. She opened her eyes to find that the light was not so biting anymore.
“What is this magical device you’ve put on my face?” Chrysalis asked.
“Sunglasses.” Celestia said primly.
Chrysalis rolled over, wincing in pain again. “Well, I couldn’t even if I wanted to.”
“Why wouldn’t you want to join me for tea?”
Chrysalis rolled her eyes, yelping as a tearing pain filled her orbital sockets. “Because you and I don’t exactly have the greatest history.” She suddenly yowled in pain as she was roughly jerked out of bed and placed on her hooves, her knees wobbling as she struggled to fight off the paroxysms thrumming through her legs.
“I see no reason why we can’t start new history. You did swear fealty to my sister after all, did you not?” Celestia said as she walked away. Chrysalis sighed, guessing she was expected to follow her. So she followed her, cringing all the way as her legs lifted themselves over and over and over and over again until they reached a sitting area with tables. Celestia approached the one in the center and pulled out a chair. Chrysalis groaned, then trotted towards the chair, slumping down in it. Celestia nodded and took a seat across from her. “You know, that’s no way for a lady to sit.”
Chrysalis chuckled. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not a lady.”
Celestia glanced at a servant and waved him over. “I’ll have a darjeeling, and my friend over here will have a bloody mary.” The servant nodded and expediently rushed off. Celestia then eyeballed Chrysalis and asked, “No? Then what are you?”
“An equinoid abomination from I don’t even know, Beyond the Veil? Is that even a thing?” Chrysalis saw Celestia shake her head. Chrysalis grunted. “Fine. I don’t know where I’m from. But I’m still an abomination of all things pony.”
“I don’t believe that for a second, your majesty.” Celestia said as the servant from before returned with their drink orders, Celestia nodding in appreciation. She then took a sip of her tea and smiled warmly. “I happen to know where you came from, and it’s not from under the sea, or Tartarus or anything like that.” Chrysalis perked up at that. “Why don’t you drink some of your bloody mary.”
Chrysalis eyed the red drink in front of her. “What’s in it?”
Celestia giggled. “Tomato juice, pepper sauce, and vodka.”
Chrysalis exhaled, then picked up the drink in her magic shakily, taking a sip. She recoiled at the sharp taste. “There’s alcohol in here!”
Celestia smiled. “Yes, there is. I find alcohol is the most efficient way to cure a hangover.”
Chrysalis raised an eyebrow. “Hangover?”
“Dehydration caused by excessive alcohol consumption.”
Chrysalis groaned at that. Of course. “Well then, bottoms up.” She then slugged the entire glass back, letting it slide down her throat. She sat there for a couple of minutes, feeling slightly better while Celestia calmly sipped on her tea. She flagged down a servant. “Serveling!” The servant raised an eyebrow. “Bring me three bloody marys!” The servant nodded and hurriedly left the room.
“So I take it you like the flavor, then?” Chrysalis nodded. “I figured as much.” The servant came back quickly with the ordered drinks, setting them neatly in a row in front of Chrysalis.
“That will be all, serveling.” Chrysalis said. The servant nodded with a bemused expression on his face and walked out. She started sipping on the first drink. “What do you mean you figured as much?”
Celestia giggled, sipping on her tea some more. “Tell me, does the name ‘Crystal Mary’ mean anything to you?”
Chrysalis shook her head as she finished the last of the bloody mary, picking up the second one. “No. Why should it?”
Celestia sighed. “You see, back before the days of King Sombra, there was a beautiful alicorn who ruled the Crystal Empire, Queen Crystalis Di Amatore Maria, or Crystal Mary for short. Her body was pure diamond, and her hair flow was made out of pure sapphire, ruby, and emerald. She was the embodiment of love, and everypony knew it. She would waltz about town, inspiring acts of love wherever she went due to her sheer presence. That is, until King Sombra came to power.
“King Sombra tore into the throne room and blasted her with such a frequency of soundwave that the poor Queen’s body shattered. Some of Crystal Mary’s servants stole a piece of her flank and fashioned the Crystal Heart out of it, which Sombra locked away after he found it, afraid of its power. But I’m digressing.
“So, after Crystal Mary’s sound defeat, Sombra crowned himself King of the Crystal Empire and subjugated the populace to provide a power source for his terrible will. What his will was, most ponies don’t know. But I do, and it is a dark and terrible thing. You see, King Sombra was a stallion of science, but his science was most awful.
“He took the living form of Crystal Mary and performed terrible experiments on her with dark magic. He wanted to take away everything she was, in order to ensure his victory. He warped her crystal form into one most malleable, able to take any shape. He took her beauty, and gave her a black carapace, turning her hair into seaweed. She had holes all over her body because he was missing the pieces that the servants stole. Finally she took her ability to inspire love, and twisted her into a succubus, only able to steal love from others. Then he unleashed her upon the world, which is when my sister and I decided to trounce the evil dictator once and for all. But we had missed his experiment, which had slipped out from under us when all the commotion came about. She led a reign of terror right under our noses, which is where the moniker ‘bloody mary’ comes from for the drink.” Celestia then sighed a long, mournful sigh. “A pity, it was her favorite drink. Eventually, she disassociated from the name ‘Mary’ entirely, which is where you come in.”
“Why?” Chrysalis asked, sipping on her third bloody mary.
“Because you, Queen Chrysalis, are Crystal Mary.” Chrysalis the proceeded to spew her bloody mary all over Celestia.
Chrysalis wiped stray tomato juice off of her muzzle. “Lies! Why wouldn’t I remember this!?”
Celestia shook her head and sipped again at her tea. “They often say that supremely traumatic events are wiped from the brain to prevent further damage.”
Chrysalis stared at Celestia, unbelieving. Celestia wiped the bloody mary remnants off of her and onto the floor. “So I have a kingdom in the Frozen Wastes?”
Celestia shook her head. “You don’t, but Crystal Mary bore a child before her shattering, who had a child, and that child had a child, all the way down to the current ruler of the Crystal Empire.”
Chrysalis stared bemusedly at Celestia, not sure of how to take that. “Who’s the current ruler of the Crystal Empire?” She started sipping on some water.
Celestia giggled. “You may know her as Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.” Chrysalis spewed the water all over Celestia, who frowned.
“I swear, it seems that fate has conspired with your spit-takes today.”
Chrysalis’s jaw was dropped in shock. “You mean that me...and...are related?”
Celestia nodded, sipping the last of her tea. “Yes, you are. She was named Princess because you never technically abdicated.”
Chrysalis rubbed her chin with her hoof. “But you said I didn’t have a kingdom…”
“You don’t. Your hive is a protectorate of Equestria ruled by Queen Chrysalis, just as the Crystal Empire is a protectorate of Equestria ruled by Princess Cadance and Shining Armor.”
Chrysalis looked down, then chuckled. “I guess we must make up one messed up family. But why didn’t you say anything when I invaded Canterlot?”
Celestia sighed. “It didn’t seem like the right time to bring it up. Besides, you had been already so far gone that you didn’t even recognize me.” Celestia looked down. “We used to be the best of friends, Crystal Mary and I. It was so painful to see you not recognize me that I simply addressed you as the monster you’ve become.”
Chrysalis grumbled, “I’m not a monster…”
Celestia raised an eyebrow. “You yourself called yourself an ‘equinoid abomination’...”
Chrysalis snickered. “I suppose so.” Just then, they heard hoofsteps and voices.
“What was with all that snow, Shiny?”
“I don’t know, honey.”
“And why did you bring that bugger along?” Cadance said as she stepped into the room, Shining Armor and Fifty-six in tow. Cadance then locked eyes on Chrysalis, a look of pure rage across her face. Shining Armor looked around shiftily. Chrysalis and Celestia smiled at each other.
“Should I tell her?” Chrysalis asked.
“No, let me. I’ve always wanted to do this.” Celestia then looked at Cadance and said, “Cadance, I’d like you to meet your ancestor and a dear friend of mine, Crystal Mary.”
Cadance looked around. “Look, Auntie, I don’t have time for one of your jokes right now…”
“Oh, it’s no joke, my niece. Look at who’s sitting with me.”
“All I see is that she-devil.” Cadance flashed.
Celestia giggled. “Do you remember the legend of Bloody Mary?”
Cadance thought for a second. “Yes, I do...wait. You’re not saying…” she said as she looked upon Chrysalis in horror. Chrysalis waved with a smile.
“Hey.” Chrysalis said.
“Excuse me, I have to go.” Cadance said as she briskly trotted out. A few seconds later, a blood-curdling scream was heard.
“She even has your scream.” Celestia chuckled.
“That she does.” Chrysalis said. She then patted her lap. “Come here, Fifty-six, and give momma some sugar.” Fifty-six happily trotted over to Chrysalis and hopped up into her forelegs onto her lap and nuzzled her, Chrysalis nuzzling it back. “That’s a good youngling.” She cooed.
Shining trotted over to Celestia and asked. “So are you saying that I almost married my great-grandmother in law?”
“Yes I am.” Celestia said matter-of-factly.
“Hmmm.” Shining Armor said as the two of the watched Chrysalis and Fifty-six nuzzling each other