Twilight hummed happily as she glanced around the library. Everything was completely in order. It had taken her and Spike three full days, but they had managed it; every single book was in it’s proper place. Non-Fiction? Check. Mystery? Check. She sighed as she looked at the Fiction/Fantasy section. They had managed the impossible; Fiction/Fantasy was organized. This was truly a work of art.
A loud snore broke her thoughts. “Hmm?” She glanced behind her to see a very tired dragon. “Oh, Spike…” She smiled as she levitated him, placing him on her back. He curled up softly, mumbling something about Rarity. With a roll of her eyes, she brought him to his crib.
She tucked him in with a soft smile, chuckling. “Sorry I kept you up so late, Spike.” She lightly tousled his spikes before returning to the main room of the library. With a content breath, Twilight collapsed on a cushion. “Uugh…” She was exhausted, to say the least.
Her ears perked up as she heard a rapid knocking at the door. With a groan, she lifted herself up. “Coming…” She made her way to the door as the knocking continued. “Hold your horses…” With a yawn, she opened the door. “Hm? Rainbow?”
“FINALLY!” Rainbow flew in, spinning as she did to keep her eyes on Twilight. “I was knocking for forever!”
“Dash, it was only a few seco-”
“Nevermind that, Twi. Did you KNOW they were coming?!”
She tilted her head. “They? Who’s they?”
“So you didn’t know?! Um, well, they’re coming quick, so you’re about to get a bit of a surprise.”
“Surprise? Rainbow Dash, what are you-”
“Ahem.” Twilight tensed up and looked behind her. Celestia chuckled and Luna merely smirked. “We’re sorry, my faithful student,” Celestia said, “but it was imperative that we met with you and your friends immediately. There simply wasn’t time to send a letter.”
Twilight felt her jaw drop. “P-Princess Celestia! Princess Luna! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” She gulped, standing taller. “Um, yes, oh, I’m sorry if the place is a mess! Spike and I were so concerned about organizing all the books, we forgot about cleaning up! Oh, if only I had known you were coming, I would’ve cleaned up a b-”
“Twilight Sparkle, your room is plenty clean.” Luna bowed her head lightly, smiling. “We do request that you fetch the rest of your friends, however. We have very much to discuss.”
“R-Right away, your highness!” Twilight nodded to Rainbow and together they ran out.
Celestia took a deep breath as she sat. Luna sat beside her, her smile now lost from her face. “Are you alright, Sister?”
“I am. This is just going to be difficult. Twilight and Spike overcame much in the Crystal Empire after the wedding, but I do not know how they will respond to the task we have for them now.”
“They have proven themselves time and time again, Sister. They have already reformed one monster.”
“Luna, you know I hate when you refer to yourself as such.”
“It is nonetheless true, Sister. I was a monster as Nightmare Moon… but they brought me out of it, together. I am positive they can do as you ask.”
Celestia sighed as her horn glowed, summoning a scroll with a broken emerald seal. She looked at it with a mix of dread and curiosity. “I certainly hope so.”
*~*~*~
“We’re all here now, Princess’,” Applejack said as she sat down near them. “What’s it you wanted to talk to us about?”
“Is there a new threat to Equestria we must face?” Rarity asked.
“Or maybe some new monster that showed up whose butts we need to kick?” Dash did a few aerial kicks with her back hooves, saying ‘take that’ and ‘ka-pow’ as she did.
Pinkie stood on her hind hooves, eyes wide with terror. “Did Canterlot run out of cakes?!” Everypony looked at her, bewildered. She shrugged. “What? That’d be a national emergency!”
Celestia held her hoof up. Everypony was silenced. “I asked you all to gather here today because of a communication we’ve received from beyond Equestrian borders.” They all looked at each other, muttering. “I fear you may take this information as a shock… The letter in question came from the Outer Lands - the home of many beasts, but in particular, the home of the Changelings.”
At once, there was an uproar - or at least, as much uproar as six mares can make. “What?!” Dash landed, eyes wide. “The Changelings? Are they back?” Her eyes narrowed and she grinned. “Aw yeah, I knew I was right! We DO need to kick some butt!”
“Dash, calm down,” Applejack said, shaking her head. “We don’t know what that there letter’s about. Let’s not go buckin’ up the wrong tree.”
“W-What is the letter about,” Fluttershy muttered, looking back to the princesses.
Luna shut her eyes. “It is not, as Rainbow Dash so keenly believes, a declaration of their return and wrath.”
“Aww…”
Celestia unfurled the scroll and began to read. “To the sovereign leaders of Equestria… Our return to the Outer Lands has been met with dread and terror of the future. We drag ourselves close to the ground as we recognize our latest defeat, and realize it may be our last. We foolishly thought to invade Equestria for your love, for one reason and one alone - we, the Changelings, are starving and on the verge of extinction.”
“Woah, what?!” Pinkie’s eyes widened. “Extinction?”
Rarity gasped. “So… those ruffians were looking only to survive?”
“I wouldn’t trust them just yet,” Rainbow said. “What if they’re lying?”
Celestia cleared her throat and continued. “This declaration may come as a shock to you; after all, we did not explain our need. We simply attempted to take Equestria by force. Had we properly discussed our dilemma and hardships, I fear we may have avoided this unnecessary terror. Yet, we did not think so far ahead, and as such, both our races our punished for it. I do not expect you to forgive our race after the hardship we have caused you all; however, I still seek and ask for your forgiveness.”
“What?” Applejack sat a bit taller, surprised. “Forgive ‘em? After everythin’ they did?”
Celestia nodded, licking her lips before she read on. “This request will be met with anger and scorn, I am sure. I know we do not deserve such kindness from you; your kind has every reason to hate us, both for the invasion, and for events of the past.” Twilight rose an eyebrow at that, but kept silent. “That is why I ask this with an offering; peace.”
“I propose a treaty between our races. One that will stem all violence on either end. I see no reason why you will accept this, but after remembering recent events, I also have no reason to see why you would not accept this. I have lived among you ponies and, despite the brevity of my time with you, I have come to learn something of ponykind. You are emotive and harmonious, and to the end of keeping harmony, I request this: an answer to the question of if you will allow me to come to Equestria, alone, to create a treaty of peace with your kind. I await a response eagerly, for you are our last hope.”
Celestia shut her eyes as she reached the signature. “Signed… Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings.”
“What?” Twilight stood, eyes wide. “But she’s dead! We…”
Celestia hanged her head, her eyes still closed. “I, too, thought this to be a trick, my faithful student… but, while conversing with Luna, we came to a startling revelation.”
“Changelings can alter their form,” Luna said, her voice cold as ice. “It is obvious, now, in hindsight; one of the Changeling drones took her place as she ran, free. The Changeling we… executed… was not the true queen.”
Fluttershy gasped, putting her hooves to her mouth. “Y-You mean we... k-killed an innocent?”
Everypony glanced around. Rainbow shook her head. “T-They weren’t innocent, though! They still invaded!” Despite her vehemence, her voice wavered slightly.
“Darling, they were merely following orders.” Rarity glanced at Twilight. “Twilight, you’ve been researching these creatures. Would one of them really take her place like that?”
Twilight ran a hoof under her chin. “I-I’m not sure… The information we have on Changelings is sparing at best. From what I’ve seen, it’s very unusual for a Changeling to take the place of the queen. It would be seen as a capital offense. If a queen were to grow so weak as to be put in that position, her drones would be forced to abandon her…”
“Yet it appears still that we have made a crucial mistake.” Luna shut her eyes. “She provided proof of her identity.”
“What?” Twilight rubbed her head, eyes wide. “What kind of proof?”
“Merely sending this letter. We know much more about Changelings than the books of old, Twilight Sparkle. While magic is not out of their capabilities, the average drone cannot cast strong spells; certainly not strong enough to send a letter so far. A Changeling queen, however…”
All of them looked to each other as they realized the gravity of the past. They had killed an innocent drone. While killing was not foreign to ponies, it was rare in Equestria. So rare, in fact, that the usual punishment for murder is solitary confinement for life in prisons that were long forgotten to the regular citizens of Equestria.
Twilight took a deep breath. “We can’t change what’s happened… Chrysalis is still alive. We need to deal with this letter before we can mourn the events of the past.”
“Eloquently said, my faithful student.” Celestia rose her head once more, evidently having regained her composure. “The… requests she puts forth in this letter are humble. She is truly in need.”
“Princesses, don’t take this the wrong way, but they nearly destroyed Canterlot!” Rainbow scrunched up her nose. “I don’t see why we should forgive them!”
“It is not up for you to decide the fate of an entire race, Miss Dash,” Luna said. “That duty falls solely on the shoulders of my sister and I. We have already come to an agreement of what must be done.”
Luna glanced once at Celestia and nodded. Her sister nodded back before addressing the mares gathered. “We have chosen to forgive the Changelings and form a peace treaty with them.”
Applejack gulped, taking off her hat. “Are y’sure ‘bout that, Princess?”
“Yeah!” Pinkie bounced right up to the front of everypony, eyes full of concern. “If we make a treaty with them, they might try and get the upper hoof and steal ALL THE LOVE IN EQUESTRIA!” She gasped. “They might even ask for all the cake.”
“Pinkie Pie, darling, settle down. I’m sure whatever the Princesses have planned, they have this all under control.” Rarity smiled. “After all, a Changeling queen who is here under the watchful eye of two alicorns is hardly going to wreak havoc… right?”
Celestia shook her head lightly. “This is why we have gathered you all. As we saw at the wedding, a queen with a powerful store of love can overcome even an alicorn. With Luna by my side, we may be able to stop her should the need arise… but I would like to prepare for the unknown.”
“Even with our strength, we might not be able to contain her if this is a trick. Thus, we ask you, the Elements of Harmony, to act as hosts to the queen.”
Everypony gasped. “W-We have to look after the QUEEN?” Fluttershy trembled in place, hiding as much of her face as she could behind her mane. “Oh my…”
“Fluttershy is right!” Pinkie put a hoof to her head. “Queen meanie - weenie Chrysie will probably steal ALL OF OUR LOVE for each other!”
Applejack bit her lip. “A-Ah gotta agree with the rest of y’all. Ah dunno what Ah’d do if she tried to take the place of Applebloom or Big Mac.”
Rainbow crossed her hooves, shaking her head. Rarity sighed. “I’m afraid I have to agree as well. Having a Changeling queen in Ponyville… It simply seems unnatural. There’s so much damage she could do… Would the Elements truly be more powerful than both of Equestria’s leaders?”
Twilight opened her eyes. She’d been silent long enough; she’d had time to think this through. “I’ll do it.”
“HUH?!”
Twilight glanced at her friends. “I’ll do it. Chrysalis can stay in the library with me and Spike.” She turned back to the princess. “If this turns out to be a trick, I’m not sure we’ll be able to stop her… She’s proven herself to be powerful in the past... “
She shut her eyes tightly. “But what if she’s telling the truth? What if they really are starving? What if she really does want peace?” She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again; the pride in her teacher’s eyes was enough to make her smile. “We have to take this chance. If we don’t, then we could be missing out on an incredible future; Changelings and ponies, living in peace. We’ll be able to learn so much about them. It’s worth the risk.”
All of her friends looked at each other. Slowly, they all began to nod. Rainbow groaned. “Oh, fine… I don’t have to like it, though.” Twilight scowled at her.
“Thank you, my faithful student. I knew I could trust you with this task.” Celestia smiled at each of them. “We will send communications to Chrysalis with our terms. If she agrees to them, then she will be here in a week’s time.”
Luna stood. “I trust you will protect Ponyville should the need arise, all of you.”
Twilight nodded. “Of course, princess.”
Celestia and Luna rose, trotting to the door. Luna took flight as she left. Celestia glanced back one last time. “We’ll be in touch, Twilight.” Without another word, she was gone.
“T-Twilight… are you sure about this?”
Twilight nodded. “Of course, Fluttershy. I can’t let the princesses down.” She smiled, but inwardly, Twilight was screaming.
*~*~*~
I take a sip of my tea as I watch the sunrise, just as I do every morning now. I wake from nightmares every night; there is never ending screaming for me now. Never ending, needless bloodshed.
But I have come to terms with it. This is my life, now. I will last as this; I will still be queen. For him. For Eacko.
There is a knock at my door. “Enter,” I say softly. My voice wavers as I say it; I take a deep breath and sip more tea as the messenger enters.
“My Queen, message from the border. It came from Equestria.”
“Finally.” I turn to face him. In his hoof is the scroll. I take it and allow myself the smallest of smiles. “This is our final chance. I pray it goes well for us.”
“As do I, my Queen.”
I glance at him. “... Either you’ve grown much better at concealing your emotions, or you hate me less fiercely.”
His emotions flicker over his face; they taste astounding to me. Embarrassment. Happiness. Hope. There is a trace of anger, still, but it fades quickly. “Er, yes, My Queen. I merely followed your orders.”
I find myself speechless. “I…” I gulp and smile. “Thank you, Icaru. That will be all.”
He bows; it is genuine, this time around. “Yes, your majesty.”
“And Icaru?”
“Yes?”
“Have a nice day.”
He looks at me quickly, surprised, before averting his gaze from mine. “Er… yes, your majesty. As you wish.” He leaves quickly.
I lick my lips, tasting the last bit of his hope. It is so foreign. So… delicious.
I lock the door and sit, feeling tears in my eyes. Perhaps… Perhaps Eacko was correct. Perhaps I could be a good queen.