Chapter 4: Should have seen it coming.
Three days had passed since she had ceased to be queen, three day since she was now forced to stare at a face she hoped never to see again when she looked at her own reflection. Three days since her own children looked at her with a dread mix of fear, confusion and worst of yet; Hunger. She shivered and drew her winter gown close around her; at least her coat served better in this environment than her chitin would have. Turning from the shallow pool of water she looked at her surroundings; The Dragonlands.
She honestly didn’t know much about this place, there may have been a time once when that was different; but when Sombra, she swallowed quickly remembering the bindings she now bore, when King Sombra had violated her mind he to tear this form, her original form from the depths of her memory he had not exactly been gentle about it. What was before her didn’t engender any feelings of deja vue or nostalgia. Cold, snow bound and overly grey from volcanic ash that somehow remained airborne even as the volcanos that surrounded them lay dormant; or maybe she was just too tired to tell; they had been marching for three days. Her King didn’t seem to tire, he rarely stopped for food or water and other than the barked order once and awhile he hadn’t spoken to her since they had left the hive.
She broke into a trot, having fallen behind the main group they had been headed down hill for the past six hours now that she was actually curious, she could see objects poking from the ash and snow shrouded valley that as she got closer; became what was clearly their destination dilapidated spires of elegant and jagged design. A City? Did the Dragons even live in cities? She felt like she may have once known this; whatever King Sombra had damaged on his mental rampage prevented her from pulling the answer. Instead she was greeted with an image of Princess Celestia, smiling at her? Chrysalis shook her head causing viridian locks to whip about and agitating a few of her children as she past them. She hated Celestia, didn’t she? Yes, anger at her and Shining Armor the Captain of her guard, no, wait. That wasn’t right…Twilight Sparkle? No that was the Earth Pony that catered the wedding. Was it? Wedding? Was she married? No! Maybe?
Tears stung at her eyes as she desperately tried to will her memories back into order, her trot became a full gallop as if she could escape the chaos in her own head. She didn’t notice that King Sombra had stopped, she didn’t notice the large rock next to him, until she barreled head first into it only to fall back on her haunches stunned. When her senses returned to her, she saw King Sombra staring at her, a look of displeasure on his face; she cringed memories of his violation still very clear. He was going to do it again! He turned towards the valley; looking into the murk for what she didn’t know. Perhaps she should ask? Surely he wouldn’t slight her for being curious, would he?
She cringed as power surged from him, eyes ablaze with dark magic parting the grey as if it was the sea. Airborne detritus pulled away she gasped; it was like nothing she had seen, not that in her current state had she seen it before could she remember. Massive towers pulled up from a cooled lava bead; homes, shops and other structures of stone and brass sat in various states of disrepair on a scale far larger than anypony could ever hope to use. She focused, trying to search for something that she may have once known; all that she could muster was the image of a large winged reptile, snake like, a large mouth with far too many teeth, beaded eyes four limbs ending in sharp claws. Was that a Dragon? Couldn’t be, wasn’t large enough to live in this…Then again, from the looks of things, nothing had lived in this for a very long time.
King Sombra returned to his trek down, the parted mist revealing what appeared to be more or less pony sized stairs. Well, it was now or never; never was a really good idea.
“My King, what is this place?” her voice quivered in dread anticipation of the punishment to come.
“Its name was lost before my first birth; all I know is that it was the capital of the dragons.” He growled, not at her at least; she did take note that his features softened ever so slightly as he began what she could only call a lecture. “Before I was king, I read a great deal about it, long before Discord, before the three tribes even knew much of each other; the Dragons ruled this world.” He stopped to test a portion of the stairs that seemed ready to collapse; assured that it would not. “My world.” he continued.
“By my first time, they were already a race at the end of a long decline; unaware of their own greatness of their power or once home. Even of their own origins.” He stopped to look over the ancient metropolis. “And in time, they even fell from themselves.” His mood darkened again, prompting her to continue the rest of the descent in silence. What did he mean they fell from themselves? Maybe they had memory issues too; if only Luna was here, she would understand. Wait, what? Princess Luna? Why would she want her here? She hesitated, stopping in place for a moment. Why wouldn't she want her here?
Her confusion was quickly becoming far more terrifying than her King’s wrath. It was one thing to be stripped of a title, another to be robbed of ones brood; but still far worse to be stripped of ones very identity. Lost in thought she hadn’t noticed they had reached the bottom of the stairs that had emptied out into a large circular court of etched bronze. King Sombra moved to the center, brushing away centuries of cover.
“Bow!” he shouted, the force of his words caused her bindings to glow; her children did as he instructed they bowed. She however, did not. She knew she was playing with fire, she wasn’t sure why she was doing it; but it felt right. He would have to ask twice! Not that he would, why was she doing this again?
He hadn’t noticed, he was focusing his power for something, she could see that clearly. She slowly inched towards him, he was still focusing. But for what? A dead city? Something inscribed in the brass court?
“I call you out! Ancient Six, Of Fire, of Ice, Of Sky and Stone! I call you Of Day and of Night! I call you here and now, I call you before me by ancient pacts and promises set in oldest stone and youngest tree! I call you before me Lords of Three above and Three below! Parlay I seek! Parlay you shall grant, for the soul before you stands strong! Not weak!”
She was knocked back by the force of his words, magically enhanced words at that. His baritone had become as thunder blowing many of her children away from their prone positions while blasting away the covering of the court revealing a massive mural of six giant creatures; not that her attention was on that at the moment, the king now stood still, ear cocked listening. For what? The city was dead and had been for a long time as he had implied. She was about to speak when the world shook. Earthquake? No, Thunderstorm? No lighting. Two pairs of giant glowing eyes coming from the darkness of the city streets, each alone the size of a small mountain, well yes that is what was approaching. Wait, what? She went rigid.
Sure enough, from the ashen shadows of the city streets, north and west came two pairs of great glowing eyes. The eyes where attached to two creatures, two very large creatures. Two truly titanic creatures; more feline in gait than serpentine. The first to emerge from the shadows as of crimson scale; though time had left many of them cracked and muted, something about how it walked told her that it was female. Dark horns swept back from the crown of its beaked head as it lumbered forth on four limbs, each ending in claw that could have held dozens of her children with room to spare. The second, broader of build, most likely male; but none the less ancient was a similar creature of silver scale. It also had horns, of a gentler curve but no beak, what appeared to be lips twisted into an amused smile graced the creatures head, as a massive fine ran along it’ back to the end of its tail. Both creatures had wings, both creatures where much bigger than what her ragged memory told her a dragon was.
They chose that moment to speak; the forcing her to muster all her strength to keep standing as the world trembled at their words.
“Such pretense in our mausoleum; it has been some time since we have been shown such respect.” The silver one sounded as if it was about to burst in to laughter.
“It is what we deserve; but not enough for your life…” The red ones tone started lyrical before promptly dropping to a threat, causing the silver one to roll his eyes.
“What could they possibly offer us Kalistastradikalament? A new cheese from Canterlot? Or do you require new drapes from Neighpon?” The snark from the silver one was practically a physical force, the red one, Kalistastradikalament; flinched in anger as if she had been struck.
“You maybe content in our nadir Silrandoramubandostrom; but I am not. We are owed a gift of memory, visions from beyond our kingdom.” The red one, even thinking her name put Chrysalis’s mind in a loop; she turned to look at King Sombra expecting him to use a show of force any moment only to find him waiting nonplussed, patiently for the two giant being to once again acknowledge him.
What was he getting at; she wanted to know as fear crept back into her heart. She wasn’t stupid, but once again she was all too aware of the state of her memory; what good was mental capability without reliable memory? She must have known something of these at some point in her long life…Has she lived long? Yes she was sure of that; she had to have she remembered, remembering much; too much. Lost in her own thoughts she remained oblivious to the ground shaking dialogue between the two dragons and the armored pony who summoned them.
“Agreed then.” Sombra’s deep growl cut the frigid air and her concentration like a knife. “I doubt I could offer jewel or coin of interest; but perhaps you would enjoy experiences of the lands beyond.” The two dragons gave Sombra a look as one would give a slow child; unexpectedly not gaining a glare or retaliation for the slight from him other than an annoyed exhalation.
“I offer you the memory of the one thing you can never experience.” She wasn't sure what he meant by that; or exactly how to read the bizarre contortion on the scaled faces before them; shock, maybe?
“And what experience, pray tell; little pony could you possibly offer us; who were old when the world was young; who once drove the heavens with our claws; who built cities when those whom would become your kind did yet crawl from the seas with Gaia’s blessing.” The Silver one was surely going to burst into laughter at any moment.
“Change. True change; change only possible by joy felt with guilt and failure made possible by success.” Sombra was grinning now, something was wrong; well more wrong than normal Chrysalis decided given recent events.
Whatever he was getting at, he had their attention now as they looked from him to her. What was wrong? oh…no… her eyes grew wide as she prepared to flee only to find that Sombra’s bindings held her in place. No, No, No, not again, her heart was trying to escape he chest as panic seized. Sombra’s power blossomed forth; dark tendrils of black magic gathered around the monarch without a kingdom. A smirk; not even a full smile played across the unicorns face.
Her blood froze as she once again felt his mind slip into hers unwelcome and once again, felt her body refuse to scream, her legs go stiff as she fought with every shred of her being to hold onto what little coherent memory as her perception fell into pain and chaos managing, impossibly a single word, a single plea.
“Help…”
No answer came
***
Appejack arched her back until she felt and heard a relaxing pop; then froze, eyes darting around to see if anpony in the ritzy ballroom that stood elevated off the ground on the south side of the Ponyville Palace had noticed; not that she really cared, but even after three days of what she called rest she still wasn’t up to dealing with Rarity’s dramatics if she caught wind of it. Thankfully, the ponies around her hadn’t noticed; which meant no talking too from the prissy pony. Small Favors she smirked, making her way towards the open bar stiffly thanks to the dress she had been talked into wearing shortly after collapsing from exhaustion days earlier. Trotting up past a trio of gossiping Unicorns, from Canterlot no doubt from their accent and too caught up in there chatter to notice anything short of Discord. She tapped a hoof on bar to get the attention of the barpony doing her best to sound like she was having a good time. “Howdy; what’s on tap?”
If the barpony took exception to how she sounded or her tone he hid it well smiling at her as he placed used glasses in a wooden cart. “Nothing on tap at this bar Lady Applejack; but we do have spirits and beverage from all over in bottles.”
She sighed at the title as he brought over a drink menu. “Thank you kindly, but ah’d appreciate it if you’d drop that lady nonsense, I ain’t anypony special.” The barpony looked confused, he was young; maybe five or so years older than Applebloom. Then it clicked, first job. “ah’ll have some of the Dodge Junction Cherrywine.” He nodded and dropped behind the bar to fetch her order while she turned to look over the party celebrating the arrival of some royal whose-whats-it.
It wasn’t a bad party as far as they went, Pinkie Pie had outdone herself; upbeat music filled the hall from the local big band performers with Pinkie herself providing the vocals. Streamers of silk and glitter sprinkled balloons bobbed lazily from every table. Ponies from Manehatten, Canterlot, Fillidelpia, Los Pegasus and half a dozen other places mingled with those from Ponyville. The party was swanky, but had that Pinkie Pie flair; Applejack was right proud of the eccentric mare. “Your drink, Lady App..Uh, Miss Applejack.” The barpony slid her a crystal glass with a smile. “Anything else?”
She leaned into the bar before balancing the glass on her hoof. “Nope, Much obliged though!” She dropped a few bits into his tip jar from one of the pockets Rarity had reluctantly sewn into her old grand galloping galla dress.
“Thank you Ma’am; I’ll leave the bottle for you.” The Barpony vanished again behind the bar itself.
Applejack’s tired smirk grew into blank smile as she took a sip from her drink. If somepony had told her years ago that she would be standing in a crystal tree, as a celebrity, in a dress she’d have called them plum crazy. She looked back over the party; rightly, it was in full swing after all Celestia had just lowered the sun. Rarity was in the corner entertaining the attentions of half a dozen ponies with her dress and no doubt being might entertained by their attention herself. Fluttershy was sitting at a table; not alone as one would normally expect to find the timid veterinarian, but rather chatting with Juris Prudence, Ponyville’s only judge. Juris was a fine old pony, his thick glasses always amused Applejack; waxing nostalgic how he had seemed old when he first came to Ponyville on the same train that brought her back from Manehatten. Good Girl Fluttershy; she may not agree with Fluttershy defending Discord before the high magistrates in Canterlot, but she respected her for sticking to her guns and seeking advice. Juris would be good for that, he had been a major player in Manehatten courts for decades before his quasi-retirement.
Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash where easy to spot at the far end of the dining hall, standing with Princess Luna greeting various ponies of supposed importance. Applejack quickly took a gulp of her drink, this was really good wine, She had to keep from laughing. Rainbow Dash looked bored out of her mind in the fancy dress uniform that Rarity had at some point found time to make while helping the reconstruction. Twilight looked right gorgeous herself, clearly enjoying chatting with another bookish pony. No doubt over something in a dusty book somewhere. Twilight deserved a night of enjoyment; though she knew her friend would have preferred a book and cup of coffee. As a princess she had saved Equestria, Had a loving marefriend, two amazing adopted children; her son Spike who had recently shot up a foot and a half, naturally thankfully her mind floating back to the odd greed inspired growth spurt. Her Daughter, Scootaloo who was zipping around the legs of the larger attendees with her own sister and Sweetie Belle was happy; which was good for both ponies.
“Can you believe it? First Princess Mi Amore Candenza gets married to the Lord High Marshal and now Princess Twilight Sparkle is involved with her own Captain!” Applejack’s ears twitched at the sound of a trio of the unicorns that had been by the bar the whole time; Gossip, ugh, that shot her smile down to a frown. Rarity should really practice her teleportation magic so she could take Applejacks place by the bar. This was really good wine.
“He wasn’t the Lord High Marshal when she married him, only the captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard.” Another remarked, there was some venom in it. Sweet Celestia, couldn’t the pony have left out the attitude?
“Oh yes, only the captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard; just like Princess Twilight Sparkle is only involved with her captain and one of the elements of harmony.” The pony put too much emphasis on “only” and sounded might proud of herself for stating the obvious. Applejack couldn’t take much more; maybe she could pull Rainbow Dash away from Twilight for a bit to chat…after another glass of wine; she eyed the bottle.
“Speaking of the elements did you see the dresses designed by Rarity?” that elicited a pair of enthusiastic “mm-hmms” Applejack really head to get away from the bar.
“Oh my yes, anypony would find themselves hard pressed to believe she was still just a commoner; but there can be diamonds in the rough I suppose.” Applejack gritted her teeth, forcing down another gulp of her wine. Who did these ponies think they were? And why wasn’t she leaving the bar to escape the pettiness they generated? Oh yeah, the wine. Another glass emptied down the orange ponies throat.
“Oh I do so agree; it’s not as obvious with Rarity and Fluttershy, at least they minor celebrities in fashion circles. But the other three? Please; no amount of fame or royal favor can uplift them. I have no idea why Princess Twilight tolerates them.” Tolerates? Really? Applejack went to take another drink, empty; good thing the bottle was still present for her to refill the glass. She may have done something might stupid if it wasn’t.
“Oh yes the fat pink one; well she does throw excellent parties at least when she’s acting her age; and she does fill out that dress incredibly well.” Applejack took another gulp, Pinkie Pie wasn’t fat by any stretch; sure she carried a few pounds but what can you expect from someone who spent years working as a confectioner? Another gulp, and her age? Sure, Pinkie was a handful at times; but that was just uncalled for.
“Then there is that brute of a farm pony.” The stuck up pony chuckled. “One is hard pressed to recognize that the rube is in fact a mare I mean, she’s got the assets and figure beneath all that all that unsightly muscle.” Heh, they thought she had a nice figure. She had to admit, that was funny. Applejack poured more wine into her glass.
“Then there is that idiot Rainbow Dash; she is an athlete. oh yes, but I heard that she never finished any formal education! It truly does speak to the undesirable aspects of Princess Twilight’s personality that she obviously chose a consort just to make herself feel smarter.” Right then, something might stupid it was then.
Applejack slammed one hoof down on the bar, with a touch too much strength; sending a crack down the center of the polished wood and the party into silence. “Now ya’ll listen hear; Ah, Don’t care much for what yer saying about my friends.”
She picked up the bottle and waved the neck at the three Unicorns, uncaring that the entire ballroom was staring. The unicorns seemed to be caught between fear and shock. Applejack didn’t notice, she was too focused on the mares before her. She didn’t care about the insults lumped on her or for their petty games of status. But by all the princesses in Equestria she was tired; and maybe even tipsy. But even if she wasn’t she wouldn’t have left any insult go onto her friends unchallenged.
“Ah’n who the hay do ya’ll think you are? Pinkie Pie ain’t fat, it’s called be’in ah-live, unlike you cahdavers strut’n round these parts with ya’lls bones pop’n out five ways tah Sunday.” She just normally wasn’t this showy about standing up.
“Ah’n you!” she jabbed the bottle at the center of the three unicorns. “Rarity an’ Fluttershy have more class in what they do in ah’n outhouse than ya’ll got in yer entire skinny plot!” She heard Rairty faint at the comparison. That was pretty darn funny, she’d laugh later. It was still time for more things might stupid despite every voice in hear head telling her to buck the Tartarus up.
“An’ don’tcha’ll dare speak ill of Twilight or Rainbow Dash. They’ got each other; they got children an’ they got their friends.” She narrowed her eyes snorting steam down, towering over three who had earned her wrath.
“That last’un is something I reck’on ya’ll don’t know hide nor hair about!” Now they looked positively terrified, their legs trembled; Applejack stopped, not for the first time in her life she felt revulsion at herself both physically and for her behavior. She looked down at the bar, the crack was bad, she had only used a hoof and ruined something that most likely cost more than half of the farm house. She looked at the shallow mares before her, or rather down at them. She was a full head taller than them, and could in all likelihood weigh in more than all of them combined. She then looked at the stunned party goes; somewhere dealing with Rarity, but most stood at her mouths agape.
“Ah’m sorry everypony, if ya’ll pardon me…” She grabbed the bottle of Cherrywine and moved swiftly to the closest door; ponies parting to give her a wide birth. Might stupid indeed.
“Did you see that?”
“So violent, so unlady like”
“Why didn’t the guards throw her out?”
“Was that a mare?”
“See just like I said a brute.”
Applejack passed through the doors into the cool night air; letting them shut behind her, glad at least they would hide the forming tears in her eyes from her unfortunate audience. The music, muffled resumed from beyond the closed barrier. Consarn it; she looked at the bottle in her hoof; fighting, unsuccessfully back the tears. She didn’t care, she didn’t care what they thought of her, and she didn’t care how she looked. She had her Family, her friends, her farm…She caught her reflection in the bottle, she was a mare; the insults had managed to hit home. Sure life on the farm had taken a pudgy little filly and turned her into one of the strongest ponies she knew, but at what cost? Was she really that brutish?
No, damn it, not her thoughts, she didn’t care, she didn’t want to care. The hurled the bottle off the balcony in anger. Who was she fooling; she knew they were right. She was right too. She didn’t care; most of the time, but every mare liked to be told they looked all pretty once in a while, right?
“Now that looked expensive.” An amused voice that she could describe as rusty barn door broke her out of her momentary trap of self-loathing.
***
For the first time since her performance, she looked up and around. The door she had apparently chosen was to a balcony; an unfortunately occupied balconey. Occupied by a single steel grey pegasus stallion; who was looking at her with what she could only describe as a “kick me in the face” grin.
“Horseapples.” She muttered.
“I was going to go with Ponyfeathers myself, especially if the bottle had hit me.” He turned away from her and threw his fore legs over the edge of the balcony looking out over Ponyville.
“Ah’ll just be go’in now; didn’t want to be trouble’n anypony.” Applejack hung her head; unmoved by the clear amusement of the stallion.
“Oh no trouble at all, I thought you were coming out here to drag me back in.” the sound of glass on crystal grating perked her ears as the pegasus pushed a decanter of what she instantly recognized as hard apple cider into view.
“Want a sip? I don’t think you really want to be going back through the party, unless you have wings under that dress.” The stallion wasn’t mocking her; but it still got under her coat.
“Ah’n why wouldn’t ah want to head back in? Did you see the mess ah made? Gonna give me yer two bits?” She bit her lower lip before marching, as well as she could in the dress up to the grey pegasus, noting his cutie mark a book in front of what looked like a hammer and wrench. She snorted ready, she was angry; she wanted nothing more than to buck someone right now. He turned emerald eyes looking straight into her own; he was tall, not as tall as Big Mac but enough to look her in the eye.
“Nope, been out here all night. I just guessed you wouldn’t want to go back in with teary eyes. Then again if you’re a performer it might be part of your act.” He smirked turning back to the town, apparently amused at his own sarcastic quip.
Applejack blushed. “Sorry ‘bout that. Ah don’t do well at these things.” She took his offer, downing a small amount of the cider, the familiar taste while not as luxurious as the Cherrywine soothed her.
“So was that bottle expensive?” The stallion asked not tearing his eyes from the town below; streets torn up to make ready for piping, some buildings covered in scaffolding hiding their still worked upon facades like a brides veil before a wedding.
“Ah reck’n it was.” She muttered suddenly even more self-conscious about her outburst.
“Well, this isn’t, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t throw it. I’m not blitzed yet.” He chuckled, a sound only slightly less harsh than his normal speaking voice.
“heh” she couldn’t help but smile.
“Oh you can smile? Good I was starting to worry I was some kind of crazy pony.” He took the decanter from her and took a sip himself as she broke into a meek laugh herself.
“That’s still up in the air Ah imagine.” She nudged him, playfully; in the ribs, her tears drying with his humor.
He raised his hooves in the air. “Oh well then! My insane plan to remain unseen for the night has clearly been exposed!” he mockingly put a hoof on his pectoral. “Oh whatever will I do!” He was cracking up at his own faux theatrics.
“Pass the cider.” She deadpanned; shaking her head, then she softened. “Thank you.” As he passed the decanter back over along with his handkerchief.
“Not a problem. The balcony of solitude can fit one more pony I think.” He made an exaggerated motion of looking around the empty sitting area. “Yeah, maybe just one more.” He was clearly an expert at amusing himself.
“Well, Ah thank you again.” She smiled. “So what are you do’in out here in the first place?”
He turned back to look at the town. “I don’t do well at these parties, to many ponies with their noses too far stuck up their own nethers.” He pointed out her distant farm. “That’s more my style.”
“Ah do declare.” She nearly spit up the cider. “Ah Pegasus who likes farms? Ah thought ya’ll had your heads in the clouds.” She froze, had her mouth gotten ahead of her?
“Well, Cloud farms are certainly a thing.” He was smiling; that was good she relaxed and put the decanter down waiting for him to take a drink.
“Ah suppose they are, ain’t ever seen one though. Ah do know how you feel; Ah ain’t cut for these shindigs. Ah mean this whole mess was thrown for some whose-whats-it stallion from Manehatten who jus’ happens to be a royal agent or some such non-sense.” She tapped her hooves in frustration on the crystal railing.
“yeah! What kind of pony has a party thrown for them just for arriving that demands visitors from all over equestira?” he took his drink passing the almost empty vessel back.
“Darn toot’n!” she downed the last of the cider. “Ah hear he’s some big shot engineer or some such, Ah haven’t had the chance to make his acquaintance yet. Ah reckon he’s here to speed things up and generally give Rarity a headache.” She couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of the priss dealing a boring academic with no sense of style. Her head shot strait up nearly sending her hat flying. “Oh mah stars, Ah beg yer pardon Ah didn’t even introduce mahself!”
The pegasus turned to her made a face that wouldn’t be out of place on Ditzy Doo. “I’m going to go out on a limb here; and I could be wrong. After all, I don’t live under a rock and I’ve heard of an amazing invention, called the newspaper! I think that you just might Applejack, Element of Honesty, Owner of Sweet Apple Acres and as of tonight bane of wine bottles.” He broke into laughter; this pony was his own entertainment and audience apparently. That in itself was entertaining, at least to her.
“Hardy, har har. Ah suppose ah walked into that. Ahll right, who are you then?” She adjusted her dresses matching hat, not wanting to lose it, after all then she’d have to sacrifice another work hat for Rarity to turn into a dress hat.
The pegasus extended his wings stiffly, feigning seriousness; then took a bow. “Oh me? I’m just big shot engineer…or some such. But you can call me whose-whats-it.” That was it, he collapsed from the bow into righteous laughter, maybe he was a mad pony after all. Applejack on the other hand was beat red under her coat having apparently humiliated herself twice in the same evening.
“Oh Horseapples.”