Chapter 2
Close Call
"Ah, Cadence," Celestia nodded to Chrysalis as she entered, a smile playing on her lips. She set down the quill and parchment she was levitating at her side. "It's good to see you. How are the wedding plans going?"
Chrysalis sighed. "Not too badly, I'm pleased to say. Everything seems to be running smoothly..." She let her words trail off, as she'd practiced that morning in front of the mirror, biting her lower lip just so and tilting her head downwards, just a little. Celestia frowned.
"But something is troubling you?" she asked - no, inferred. Celestia was smart; she wasn't asking whether something was troubling her, but what that something was. Shining Armor wouldn't have picked up on so few hints - Chrysalis was proud that she had learned to gauge how subtle she needed to be with different ponies after having known them all for so little time, but she was also worried. She'd known Celestia would be intelligent, but every time she'd spoken with the rainbow-maned figurehead she'd found that her spies had totally underestimated her. Every second in a room with Celestia was a gamble, but likewise it was a challenge too fascinating - too risky - to ignore.
"Yes," she admitted after a brief pause. She took a deep breath, as if she were worried what Celestia might think about her. "I'm concerned about the dressmakers. They've made so many royal outfits over the years, I know, and I know each one has been wonderful, but I've seen their plans for my dress and it's just so... fancy!" She cringed as she said it, aware of the insult in her words. Celestia smiled wryly. "They won't listen when I try to tell them I'd like something with fewer frills, something understated."
"So you'd like a different dressmakers?" Celestia asked knowingly. Something about her smile made Chrysalis suspicious, but she was sure it wasn't something Cadence would worry about, so she brushed it from her mind. Her own thoughts were unhelpful now. She needed only Cadence's.
"... not just them," she admitted, grimacing. "The reception is being hosted by the ponies who put together the Grand Galloping Gala each year." Again, Celestia's wry smile told her that the ancient princess had already picked up on her worries.
"I'd have thought that you would be thrilled to have such excellent organisers with such an impressive resume organising your reception?" Chrysalis chuckled.
"Come now, Celestia, I can't be the only one who thinks the Grand Galloping Gala is one of the most boring parties Canterlot has ever had the misfortune of hosting?" Celestia cocked her head to one side, her eyebrows raised as if in surprise, the smirk tugging at her lips indicating her agreement.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Celestia replied, a gleam in her eye. "The Grand Galloping Gala is the finest tradition we have and a chance for ponies from all over Equestria to enjoy the most dazzling entertainments Canterlot has to offer." Chrysalis couldn't help but smile at the Princess' slight hint of sarcasm.
"Well, what about the caterers?" she suggested. Now it looked like Celestia's frown was genuine, as she seemed genuinely surprised by this complaint. "We've got the same caterers who cook for the palace every day, Celestia. Their food is delightful, but just for once it might be nice to have something a little different? I want this to be a really memorable day, not just the same things we see and do every other day here in Canterlot." Chrysalis sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Celestia, but a Canterlot wedding never really appealed to me. I can see why ponies from outside Canterlot would want one, with all the grandeur and spectacle, but I live here. I know Shining Armor can't leave the city until the threat made against us has been resolved but just because I'm having my wedding in Canterlot-"
"I understand," Celestia interrupted with a smile, "and I think I know how we might solve this little mishap. I'd need to discuss this with my sister and my pupil, but I think I have a team who might be able to get you what you want."
Chrysalis had to contain her initial reaction. The way the Princess reacted, her smug, confident smile throughout their conversation, all suggested that Celestia had known that she - or rather, Cadence - would have a problem with a Canterlot-style wedding. A small part of her was mentally applauding Celestia on playing quite so well; the Princess could have easily just suggested this team from the outset, but by withholding them until a complaint was made she appeared to be quick-thinking and considerate. But most of her reaction was fear - Celestia clearly knew what Cadence really wanted from the wedding and had she not done enough research, had she not ensured that her disguise was as good as it could be down to the smallest detail, she would have been cast under suspicion for behaving very much unlike Cadence. She'd come extremely close to failure without even realising it, and failure was not an option; she needed to question Cadence further, ensuring the accuracy of her portrayal.
It took a great deal of concentration, but Chrysalis forced herself to grin and show nothing of her true thoughts in her expression. "That would be just perfect, Celestia," she said, and Celestia grinned back, allowing her composed and regal mask to slip for a moment. And why shouldn't she? She was in the company of another princess after all. "Thank you so much."
"It's not a problem," Celestia replied. "I thought you might be particularly interested to hear Twilight Sparkle would be on the team. I hear you two have quite the history." It took all of Chrysalis' concentration to make her eyes light up with joy at that statement when she felt nothing but fear and worry. It had been Twilight who had noticed her slip-up in her nightmare; any event that brought an encounter with her closer was one that caused Chrysalis to doubt herself.
"That's one way of putting it," she said, shaking her head slightly. "It's been so long. How is she?" Celestia sighed, which was strange. In passing, Chrysalis had never heard Celestia say anything other than praise for her private student.
"She's been working hard, and is well on her way to becoming an extremely powerful unicorn," Celestia said. "Although I find myself regretting the plans I had made for her, now. When we first started, all those years ago, I hadn't realised quite how attached I would get to her; now the end is near, I find-"
"Wait, what end?" Chrysalis said, frowning. She'd never heard anything like this from Cadence, or her many spies. Celestia took a deep breath and motioned for the two guards to leave the room. When they had done so, she beckoned Chrysalis closer - she did so, warily.
"I made plans for Twilight Sparkle," she said. "Plans that I have only ever shared with my sister, and even then only when she pressured me. I cannot tell you their nature, but I shall tell you this - your friend Twilight is, without realising it, working towards a goal that she could never even dream of. She would no longer be my student and perhaps, in time, it would be she who teaches me about magic."
"But nopony knows more of magic than you," Chrysalis replied.
"Perhaps not yet," Celestia acknowledged. "But I have high hopes for Twilight Sparkle." She leaned back, quiet for a moment, thinking. Something about her seemed sad, but Chrysalis could feel more than just sadness in the Princess' emotions - she was hurting, more than her calm and collected appearance could ever allow her to show, but at the same time she was... proud? Chrysalis wasn't quite sure what it was she tasted, but despite it's bitterness at its heart was the tiniest sliver of love and compassion, and she lapped it up eagerly.
"Besides, that is not for some time yet," Celestia said, interrupting the silence. She nodded to herself. "For now, she is an excellent student who is doing better than I could have possibly hoped. She mentions you a lot, you know?" It wasn't really a question - more an assurance, an acknowledgement. She was being informed, not asked.
"She does?"
"Yes," Celestia replied simply. The Princess of the Sun turned and walked back to the throne, facing away from Chrysalis. "Less now than she did when she was younger, and certainly less since she moved to Ponyville, but she does still ask how you are every few letters."
"Does she know?"
"About the wedding?" Celestia shook her head, sitting down upon the throne. "Unless you or Shining Armor have told her, I doubt it very much. I have been rather too busy with the security threat to tell her myself, I'm afraid. Would you like me to let her know?" Chrysalis thought for a moment. Cadence would want Twilight to know, for sure, but would she want it told to her in a letter from Celestia, or would she want to tell Twilight in person? Celestia had that same wry smile tugging at one corner of her mouth and Chrysalis was no longer sure she wasn't under suspicion.
"I'd rather she found out from us in person," Chrysalis replied with a shrug, "but if that's not possible for security reasons I would be honoured if you would pass on a message for us." Celestia's smile broadened into one of genuine pleasure, it seemed, and Chrysalis desperately tried not to sigh in relief.
"I'll see what I can do," Celestia replied. "Is that all you wanted to ask me about?" Chrysalis was, for the most part, pleased that the conversation was coming to a close without her coming under any suspicion - or at least, under any more suspicion than Celestia already seemed to hold for her, which was presumably just part of the safety measures Celestia had to put in place. She couldn't afford to take any risks when she did not know who her opponents were.
"Yes, Celestia, that is all," Chrysalis bowed her head in acknowledgement and backed out of the throne room, acknowledging the unspoken dismissal. She felt a slight tinge of disappointment as she did so, feeling as if she were missing out on a chance to try her luck with Celestia further.
She shook her head, banishing the thought from her mind. She couldn't afford to take risks, no matter how fun and enjoyable they might be. This was important. She blinked, uncertain where she wanted to go next. What needed to be done? She'd spoken with Celestia about getting new organisers for various parts of the wedding; the rest of the plan for her day had been to try to find alternatives, but it seemed Celestia had already taken care of that. What was she going to do?
With a sudden jolt of realisation, Chrysalis knew exactly what she needed to do. Ducking around a corner into a secluded space, she summoned up her magic, feeling the raw flow of energy in her horn as she prepared the spell, green flames circling around her as she sank into the floor, eyes closed in concentration.
"Ah, Cadence," she said, seeing the bruised pink alicorn before her. "How is imprisonment suiting you?" Chrysalis stepped carefully down the rugged crystal pathway, trying not to let her concentration on her footing distract her from what was, essentially, a performance. She liked to play with those she was going to interrogate, she always had - toying with the emotions of others was, after all, one way to give herself a meal of her choice.
"How do you think?" replied Cadence, her voice bitter but proud. She wasn't going to give in, even in something as simple as giving Chrysalis the satisfaction of seeing her in discomfort. "I'll be honest, I'm not best pleased with the catering." Chrysalis smiled at that; she had always had a soft spot for those who tried to hold their own even in those situations where they had lost everything.
"I'll see what can be done about that," she said, reaching the bottom of the rocks and letting out a small sigh of relief. Now she could concentrate on Cadence. "But that's not the reason I'm down here."
"I gathered," replied Cadence, dryly. She glared at Chrysalis, the bitter taste of resentment and repulsion rolling off her, along with the small feeling of confusion most had when looking at their own doppelganger. "I'm not sure what you wanted, Chrysalis, but I have nothing to give you now." Cadence's voice cracked slightly, her pride trying to hold up despite her admittance of her weakness.
"You'd be surprised," Chrysalis replied. "What if I were to say I merely wanted a friendly chat?"
"I would tell you that this wouldn't be the place to find it," Cadence shrugged, looking away in defiance. Chrysalis couldn't help but let out a snort.
"Oh come on Cadence," she said, exasperated. "I know the isolation of this is driving you mad enough to seek any company you can get."
"You're not company," the princess replied simply. Chrysalis stopped still for a moment, ceasing her circling of Cadence for a while. There was a briefest flash of memory - she had asked Thorax why he wouldn't play with her and he'd said, in that matter-of-fact way that only a six-year-old can really perfect, that they weren't friends. She shook the memory and the accompanying pain from her mind and turned back to look at Cadence. She mustn't be distracted, even when she no longer had to act.
"Oh," she said, her voice sickly sweet, though she couldn't quite shake the bitter feeling of rejection that lay under her words. She needed a lie down; this was not a good day. "And here I was hoping I could tell you about the wedding preparations." Cadence was clearly struggling to contain herself, conflicting emotions running across her face - and there it was, her love for Shining Armor. Chrysalis took a deep breath in, savouring the flavour.
"I'd rather you didn't," Cadence replied, turning away, the flavour ending as her thoughts turned solely to her bitter distaste for her captor and cold, salty determination.
"And your desires are clearly my primary concern," Chrysalis replied, rolling her eyes. "That explains why I'm releasing you and letting you go back to Shining Armor." Chrysalis couldn't help but smile at the small twinge of hope that Cadence couldn't help but feel, despite the clear sarcasm in her tone. She mustn't let Cadence give up hope of release, anyway, else she would never be cooperative at all. "Besides, I thought you'd be pleased to know Twilight Sparkle is coming to Canterlot to help with the wedding organisation."
"Don't you dare hurt her," Cadence said through gritted teeth, spicy, fierce hate radiating from her - and there it was again, that tiny spark of love, different now but still oh so sweet. Chrysalis had to work hard to stop herself from expressing the pleasure she felt from such a delightful meal. "You can take my life, my fiancé, my wedding... but you don't hurt her."
"Why so protective, Princess?" Chrysalis goaded. "Why's Twilight so special to you, anyway?" Cadence bowed her head and closed her eyes, thinking.
"She's like the little sister I never had," Cadence whispered. "She's a good friend. I've watched her grow from a shy, book-loving filly into a sharp, studious and talented mare. I'm as proud of her as I would be of any foal of my own." Chrysalis had closed her eyes now, forced to sit by the sheer, overwhelming power of the emotion flowing off Cadence. This was a love she'd never tasted before, the love of a mother for her foal, and it was so much stronger than anything she could remember. Usually when she fed she could feel her power growing, savour the taste as it rolled across her skin but now the feeling was too strong to do anything more than sit, paralysed, whilst it washed over her, incapable of other thought or reason. "Please," Cadence begged, after a short pause. "I don't care if you take Canterlot, just don't hurt Twilight."
For the most part, there was nothing Chrysalis wanted more than to arrange an accident for Twilight. As a powerful unicorn and one of the keepers of the Elements of Harmony, she was undoubtedly a threat, but she was also one of the ponies Chrysalis was most afraid would see through her disguise. But at Cadence's words, a small part of her was starting to think that maybe Twilight Sparkle should be left alive. What was worse, she had no idea why she thought such a thing.
"She misses you," Chrysalis said, simply. Cadence looked up at that, her eyes wide. "Celestia told me, today. She asks after you quite often in her letters." Cadence smiled at that, and Chrysalis couldn't help but smile too. What was wrong with her? She needed to get out of here - this crazy mare's emotions were starting to get to her. She turned to leave, walking carefully up the crystal formations so she could return to the surface.
"Chrysalis?" Cadence called after her, quietly. She stopped still, tilting and twisting her head to one side to indicate that Cadence should continue. "Thank you. For telling me that." Chrysalis nodded and her horn glowed with green light. For a brief moment she considered not leaving and a strange sensation on indecisiveness overtook her; shaking her head, she dismissed the thoughts and let her magic flow around her, pulling her back to Canterlot and her soft, warm bed.
After a morning like this one, she definitely deserved a nap.