//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Post-Wedding Revelations // Story: Queen of the Predacons. // by Gyvon //------------------------------// Chapter 2 Post-Wedding Revelations "Well Megatron, I must say that you are a fantastic host." said Chrysalis as she soaked in the tub. "What is it you wish to discuss?" "It's quite simple." replied Megatron. "We both have our wants and needs. You need to find proper nourishment for your subjects. I need to keep my Predacons happy or they'll try to oust me from power. I believe we can help each other with our predicaments." "How?" she asked. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but your species feeds on 'love', correct?" asked Megatron. "Any strong emotion will suffice." said Chrysalis. "Although love is the most potent." "Amazing!" exclaimed Megatron. "You Changelings have such a... fascinating biology." "And you seem to know a surprising amount about us." said Chrysalis. She couldn't help but feel that there was something... off about the way Megatron was treating her. "I have good spies." replied Megatron, as he reached over to grab a remote with his left hand. He pointed it at the computer and pressed a button. The screen came on and showed a scene from the battle her Changelings had with the Element Bearers. "How?" asked Chrysalis. "I have cameras placed in almost every public space in Canterlot. The only exception being the Palace itself." Megatron stated. "Speaking of which, why don't we focus on where your plan began to fall apart." Before she could object, Megatron pressed another button and the screen changed to show Twilight Sparkle. She was alone at the altar in the Canterlot chapel, crying. Chrysalis realized that this was when Twilight Sparkle had first accused her, just after being told off by her brother. She watched herself, disguised as Princess Cadence, approach the dejected Unicorn. "What, exactly, was my mistake?" asked Chrysalis. "It's really quite simple, my dear." said Megatron, sending an involuntary shudder up the Queen's spine. "The greatest threat to your plan had been discredited. Even Celestia had turned her back on miss Sparkle. If you had left her well enough alone; or even better, accepted her apology, you would have been the wife of Shining Armor without so much as an objection from the Unicorn." Chrysalis winced. It was such a simple mistake, and yet she needed someone who hadn't even been there to point it out. She felt like such a fool. Seeing her distress, Megatron reached over and stroked her mane reassuringly. "There there my dear." he cooed. "Everyone makes mistakes." It was then that Chrysalis realized why she was getting a funny feeling from Megatron. He was infatuated with her. She did not recognize it at first because of his semi-mechanical nature. It was an exotic flavor for her. "Do you have a plan?" she asked. "Of course." replied Megatron. "It will take some time to put all the pieces together, but that'll allow me to spend time with a beautiful creature such as yourself." Not much had changed in Canterlot since the Predacon attack and open relations with Earth had been established. If you said as much to either of the Princesses, however, they would only reply "yet." It hadn't even been two months, after all. Princess Celestia's parlor room was not the largest room in the castle, but barring the main dining room and throne room, it was a close second. It was ornately decorated, much to Celestia's disdain. Rich silken tapestries were hung from the walls. Bookcases filled with rare books, some one of a kind, occupied every empty space. The southern wall was open, leading to a small balcony from which Celestia could view the surrounding countryside. Along the north wall was one indication of the changes since contact with Earth; a plasma-screen television. It has been a day since the Changeling attack, and Shining Armor and Princess Cadence were finally wed. The Royal Sisters, Celestia and Luna, were pouring another round of for their late-night guests; Princess Cadence, her husband Shining Armor, Twilight Sparkle, and the only non-pony in the room, John Kelley; also known as Gyvon Prime, the leader of the Autobot contingency on Equestria. "Have you two decided where you're going on honeymoon?" asked Luna. "That depends." said Cadence. "If John came through with his connections, we were planning on taking a tour around Europe." John smiled. "I got the paperwork." he said. "I just need you two to stop by the office in the morning to sign them, and you'll be on your way with the first 'bridge." "Fantastic!" said Shining Armor, finishing his latest drink. Twilight downed her drink as well, winced, and furiously began scratching her back. "You alright there, Twi?" asked John. "Yeah." replied Twilight, still scratching. "My back's just been itching like crazy since the reception!" "Scratching will only make it worse, Twilight." said Celestia with a barely perceptible smirk. "Put some mint oil in your next bath. That should help considerably." "Thank you Princess." said Twilight with a yawn. "I think I'll go do that now." With that, she stood up and headed out the door. "I think that's our cue for bed." said Shining Armor. "We've got a big day ahead of us." Bowing respectfully, Shining Armor and Princess Cadence followed Twilight out. "It is getting late." said John, looking at his wristwatch. "But before I go, I have one question for you, Tia." he said, taking a swig of whiskey once he finished. "Oh, John, you do not need my sisters permission to date Twilight." said Luna with a giggle. Her laughter swelled when she saw his reaction. "What the hell?" he sputtered, wiping the rest of his whiskey off his dress-white shirt. "Where did you get that idea from?" For a few moments, Luna didn't answer. She was still laughing uncontrollably. She managed to get a hold of herself and took a deep breath before answering. "You two spend so much time together, it's a surprise you don't already have something between you." "And my sister is right, John." interjected Celestia with a smug grin. "You do not need my permission." "She's just a good friend." retorted John angrily, causing Luna to giggle harder. "Besides, that's not what I wanted to ask anyways." "My apologies." said Celestia. "Please, go on." John smirked, it was time for him to go on the offensive. "What was with that piss-poor performance yesterday?" Startled, Celestia's pupils dilated and her eyes darted back and forth. "Wha...whatever do you mean, John?" she sputtered. "Don't play dumb with me, Princess." said John. "We both know you could've fried that Changeling chick without even blinking. Instead, you send Twilight out into an active war-zone where she could've easily been killed. What the hell, woman?" Seeing an opening for a counter-attack, Celestia smirked as well. "You seem oddly unconcerned for the rest of your friends. What about Rainbow Dash? Or Rarity?" "My concern for them was implied!" said John, defensively. "Oh, something was implied." retorted Luna, earning a dark glare from John. "Just... Just answer the question, Princess." he said. Celestia sighed. She was expecting the Autobot to pick up on her act, but didn't expect him to confront her so soon about it. "Has Twilight told you about the day she got her cutie mark?" "You mean when her magic went haywire and she turned her parents into potted plants? What does that have to do with anything?" he asked. "Everything." replied Celestia. "The type of outburst she went through that day is called a 'Flare'. It's a rare event amongst ponykind." Princess Luna gasped at her sister's statement. "I'm sorry, but can we get to the part where you tell me why this meant you couldn't just fry Ms Swiss-Cheese yesterday?" asked John. "I'm getting to that." said Celestia, clearly annoyed at this point. "A Flare is actually the start of a process. A process that leads to the creation of an Alicorn." Johns eyes widened in surprise. "So you're telling me that she'll become like you two?" he asked. "Unless I missed my guess, it should happen any day now." said Celestia. "I believe her back is itching because her wings are starting to grow in." "But her transformation should've been near instantaneous, sister!" said Luna. "Oh, that's easy to explain." replied Celestia. "Before the transformation process could begin, I suppressed it." she said, receiving a knowing look from Luna. "Why?" asked John. "Because the instantaneous transformation of an Alicorn is... violent." said Celestia. "If I had let the process finish, half of Canterlot would be a flaming rubble." John gave off a low whistle. "That is bad, but that still doesn't answer my first question." "You're right, it doesn't." admitted Celestia. "You see, it all goes back to when Nightmare Moon returned from the Moon." she said. "I knew that the Elements would defeat her, but I didn't know how they would do so." "What do you mean, Tia?" asked Luna. "There were three possible outcomes." she began. "The first, and most likely, would be re-banishing Nightmare Moon. The second would be outright killing her." she said, earning a gasp from Luna. "The third, and least likely, would be purifying my sister." Celestia closed her eyes and began to tear up. "I got lucky. My sister was returned to me, though still slightly tainted from Nemesis Prime's influence." John grimaced at the mention of the ancient Cybertronian. From his Prison under the mountains near Canterlot, it had been he that first corrupted Luna with Darkness and influenced her to let the Night last forever. He was finally destroyed at the Battle of Canterlot by the combined power of Ponies, Humans, and Autobots. "But I always had a plan B." continued Celestia. Realization suddenly dawned on John. "Twilight Sparkle." he said, receiving a nod from Celestia. "I never intended to raise the Sun and Moon forever, John." she said. "If the elements failed to return Luna to me, I intended to pass the night sky on to my most faithful student." she looked towards her sister and smiled. "Thankfully, my fears were unfounded." "Since then, I've been trying to give Twilight a lasting purpose in life." she continued. "Otherwise, she could easily have a serious existential crises." she said, chuckling. "I remember that happening to Cadence. It took decades for Trottingham to look the same again." "I see." said John. "At least, I think I do. You want Twilight to know that she has a use as something besides a contingency plan?" "That's the gist of it." replied Celestia. Johns eyes narrowed. "I don't like it. It feels like you're using someone I care about." "Ha!" interjected Luna. "You finally admit that you care about Twilight!" "If it's any consolation, John, I don't like it either. I care about her as well." John stared into Celestias eyes for a moment, then sighed. "I'll accept it." he said. He got up, and headed for the balcony. Once outside, he breathed deep of the cool night air. "Thank you for answering my question." he said, ready to jump off. "Before you go, John, I have a request for you." said Celestia. "What is it?" he asked "Help her." replied Celestia. "Twilight will one day realize what it means to be immortal. I need someone that understands what that means as well to be by her side when she does." "Why not you, Princess?" he asked. Princess Celestia giggled at his question. "Oh John, I doubt she will ever get over me being her teacher. I need someone to be there for her as a friend." "And maybe something more." giggled Luna. John shot her a dark look, which softened quickly. "I'll let that one slide, Princess." he said as he turned Celestia. "And I won't let you down there, Tia." "Thank you." she said as he jumped off the balcony. Celestia watched him transform into a miniaturized version of a Human fighter jet, and fly off south, towards the new U.S. airbase. She was soon joined by Luna. "Luna, you are terrible." said Celestia. "You have to admit, they would make a cute couple." replied Luna with a giggle. "But think of what the children would look like!" retorted Celestia, barely containing her own laughter. it took both sisters a few minutes to regain their composure. Celestia sighed. "Do you really think they'll get together?" she asked. "Of course." Luna replied. Celestia then smiled mischievously. "The usual wager?" she asked, spitting on her hoof and extending it to her sister. Luna smiled as well, and mimicked her sister. "Deal!" with that, the two Royal sisters sealed their bet.