The light dims within the depths of the dungeon as it trickles from the barred off window near the ceiling. Christian is hanging from the wall down below; arms and legs shackled to the bricks with large metal chains. His heavy panting from trying to break free numerous times has done a number on his body. The stress of being locked in this dingy cell wasn’t helping his mood either. Suddenly, the metal door to his cell creaks open. Queen Chrysalis trots in all high and mighty about her accomplishment as she has done for the past few days. It is a routine that makes Christian’s blood boil with anger and shame.
“How is my prized prisoner doing today?” She asks with pep in her voice. Christian says nothing, his eyes still focused on the cold stone floor he is hanging over. “No need to speak; I already know the answer.” Chrysalis continues, ignoring his lack of an answer. “Besides…” A small squad of changelings enter the cell behind their queen and shut the door. “It’s best to save your energy.” A fang filled smirk overtakes her face. The changelings start to surround Christian, who continues to remain motionless and silent. “Now… Let’s see if you will give me an answer today, Christian.” Chrysalis says as she lifts the human’s head up to force their eyes to meet. This makes Christian finally react.
“Over my dead body.” He murmurs weakly. Chrysalis snickers at the sentence.
“We’ll see about that.” She says while releasing his head and walking back toward her troops. From one of her drones, she picks up some sort of object with her magic and levitates it in front of Christian. Christian knows what the object is and what she wants from it. Chrysalis has tried this stunt four times in the past week, and today would be no different. He is not going to give Chrysalis any information. Period.
“So… Tell me, Christian. How does this thing work?” The queen demands. Christian pulls against his restraints.
“How about you give it to me and I’ll SHOW you how it works!” He yells with rage. Chrysalis laughs at his threat.
“Come now, Christian. All I want to know is how to operate the magic restricting ring. Just give me its voice-activated password, please?” She pleads with fake puppy dog eyes.
“And betray The Elements of Harmony and Conflict? I may as well go out and capture them myself!” He responds. “You’re not going to get an answer out of me.”
“Oh? Is that so?” Chrysalis dawns another evil grin; making Christian’s eyes narrow. She is up to something, he could feel it. “You know, it’s funny that you mention capturing the other Elements…” The queen motions towards one of her drones. With a nod, the insect goes to the metal door at the other end of the cell. He hesitates before opening the creaky gateway; which lets in another small group of changelings. From within the swarm, the bugs toss a pony from the group and onto the floor. Christian sees the new prisoner and gasps softly: It’s a mulberry alicorn.
“T-Twilight?” He questions, his voice trembling out of shock. The alicorn slowly lifts her head up to find the source of who called her name.
“C-Christian?” She stutters in response. Christian couldn't believe what he is seeing. And he knows exactly why Chrysalis captured her. He pulls against his chains once more at the thought.
“You conniving little wasp!” He shouts to Chrysalis before she shocks him with a spell. Christian grunts in pain as the static encompasses his body momentarily. “ACK!”
“Tsck, tsck. Language, Christian” She belittles him with a forehoof. “Surprised?” The queen continues. “I captured Twilight while out trying to get some answers. She was with her friends wandering around Equestria trying to find YOU.” She says this as the alicorn is hoisted up onto the wall in the same manner as Christian. “Now this changes a few things doesn’t it, Christian? Either give me the information I want or pathetic little Twilight will pay for your noncompliance!” Twilight whimpers at her imminent danger. Yet she knows if Chrysalis were to access the ring, she could take over in matter of hours. That ring had the capabilities of sending out a magic restricting emp-like blast in the surrounding area while keeping the user safe. Who knows how Chrysalis would abuse such a power?
“Christian…” She pleads.
“Using others to get what you want, how gutless.” Christian retorts. “I’d rather be tortured!”
“Believe me, you WILL be. Both of you.” She goes to turn back towards the door. “I’ll give you one hour to give me an answer…” She turns to face the human in the doorway. “Or you both will be in for a world of pain.” Her final words echo as the metal door slams shut and locks behind her. The guards outside standby and take one final look in before returning to their posts besides the cell. The moment they do, Twilight starts yanking against her chains in an effort to break free.
“Already tried that.” Christian says with a sigh. “It didn’t work the last ten times I tried. These things are tough.” Twilight breaks into a fit of panting as she realizes her futile and strained effort.
“Well, at least I found you.” She says with an optimistic smirk. Christian laughs a bit at her effort to stay positive.
“Yea, and now I have someone to talk to.” He smiles a bit, looking on the bright side of things in this situation is the least he could do.
“So,” Twilight continues. “How did you get stuck in here, Christian?”
“Chrissy and her drones ambushed me and I was outnumbered.” He says with another defeated sigh. “You?”
“Trying to find you. The rest of the girls and I split up to try and track you down.” She looks down and the ground. “Should have known it was a trap; walking into the Badlands to try and find you." Her head hangs low; eyes focused on the dungeon's stone floor. "I shouldn’t have gone into that cave alone… I…” Christian notices a few tears starting to drip from her eyes.
“Hey.” Twilight glances up to Christian. “It’s not your fault, you had no idea this would happen.” He assures her. Twilight sniffles at her friend’s comforting words.
“Thanks, Christian.” She replies while trying to calm herself down. The cell then falls to a state of abrupt silence for a couple of seconds. “You know…” Twilight starts back up. “You’ve been here for a few days. I’m surprised you look okay.”
“Chrysalis isn’t a monster, Twilight. She’s feeding me and all that. Besides,” He glances at the door. “She needs me for the ring anyway.”
“Have you said anything?” Twilight questions with worry.
“Heck no.” Christian snaps. “And I’m not going to say anything, either. She cannot get the password to use that thing. The power it contains is way too great.”
“Right, but…” Twilight starts shaking a bit. “I’m… I’m scared, Christian.” She whispers. “What is she going to do to us if we refuse? She seemed set on using me to get what she wants from you.”
“The way I see it; we’re going to get tortured. It’s just a matter of time.” Christian’s fists curl up at his words. “But no matter what happens, we say nothing. Not a word. I don’t care if she turns me into some monster or uses me as target practice. I won’t give in.”
“Same here.” Twilight adds. “I’d rather be a prisoner for the rest of my life than let Chrysalis rule.” They both nod simultaneously. “Besides, our friends should be here soon. I’m confident that we’ll be out of here in a matter of days.”
“The sooner the better.” Christian says while glancing up at the small window above. “Chrysalis better pray I don’t escape though. Or she’ll be the one in for a world of pain.”
“Is that a threat, Christian?” A voice echoes from outside of the cell. The door swings open and Chrysalis marches in, rushing to meet Christian’s eyes with a furious rage. “Next time, how about you say it to my face?”
“How long have you been listening?” Christian asks with annoyance.
“Long enough. I want an answer.”
“What happened to ‘one hour’?” Christian growls.
“I changed my mind. Now out with it!” She grabs Christian by his shirt collar and yanks him up with a forehoof. Twilight starts pulling against her chains again in a fruitless effort to try and stop the mad queen.
“LET HIM GO, CHRYSALIS!” Twilight shrieks at the top of her lungs.
“Not until I get my answer!” The queen persists.
“If you’ve been listening, you already have your answer.” Christian says with a smirk. Chrysalis throws the human back to the wall he is stuck to. Christian in return, seizes up in pain for a few seconds from the slam.
“So, that’s how you want things to be, huh?” She grunts in frustration. “Very well.” She motions her swarm behind her. “Changelings, prep the two of them for… extreme interrogation.” The changelings start encasing the two prisoners bodies and limbs in a green goo as they unshackle them from the walls; preventing either of them from pulling anything. As soon as they are full unshackled from the bricks, the prisoner's limbs are quickly re-chained together within the slime.
“Do what you will, Chrysalis. You don’t scare us! We’ll never talk!” Christian persist through his containment.
“Christian’s right, Chrysalis!” Twilight agrees with her friend. “There is nothing you can do to break us!” Chrysalis laughs at their words, meaningless to plan formulating in her mind.
“Oh, we shall see about THAT!” She howls while leading the two of them out of their cell. As the group travels down the corridor, Twilight and Christian glance at each other and nod; keeping a silent promise to stay strong no matter what. As Chrysalis approaches the end of the hall, Christian can’t help but feel nervous as to what Chrysalis has planned for the two of them. Twilight looks over at sees the unease expression on his face.
“Hey.” She murmurs to him. Christian glances over to the alicorn. “Everything will be fine, Christian. Don’t worry about what will happen.” Christian smiles and nods at his friend’s blissful words. Suddenly, the group comes to a halt as Chrysalis stands by another door. With gleeful anticipation, she swings open the new door and points inside. Christian and Twilight glace inside to see two metal tables and a variety of straps and restraints. It is basically their original cell, only with two tables in the center.
“Strap them in. I’ll be back in a minute.” Chrysalis lets out a laugh as she walks back down the hall, eager to start her little game with her prisoners. The changelings quickly strap the two prisoners to a table in a matter of seconds before swarming out the door. Christian and Twilight try to move in their new surroundings, yet their movement is even more impaired than when they were chained to the wall. The only thing either of them can do as writhe a bit to each side and turn their heads to look around the new cell.
“Well, this is new.” Christian says as he tries to resist his new straps. “Chrysalis is going all out this time.” He adds as he glances around at his new form of containment.
“If this is just for holding a prisoner…” Twilight says while trying to cast a spell, yet the magic fizzles out into nothingness. “I can’t imagine what she has in store for us.” Twilight’s eyes grow big with worry, as do Christian’s. It seems that Chrysalis is determined to get her way by any means necessary. Twilight starts to panic again on the inside about the current situation; but then she quickly realizes an easy way to remedy her worries. “Hey Christian,” She says, suddenly. Christian peers over to her with a scared look on his face. “R-Remember when we were at Area 51 a-and we were in that warehouse that was about to explode and you u-used your magic for the first time and saved us?” She reminisces with a soft smile. Christian nods, losing a bit of his former fearful expression.
“Yea.” He laughs a little as he thinks over the event. “I remember when you were fighting Trixie there, and you hit her in the face with pies three times in a row.” Christian’s laughter increases at the thought. Twilight also starts to giggle, as she remembers the fight all too well.
“What about when Chrysalis first captured all of us and tried to get Celestia to reveal her Element of Conflict’s location only for Frostbite to find out what she did to her father and betray her and then save us all with the Element of Conflict that she had found?” She laughs again; and Christian laughs right along with her.
“I remember. Those cocoons were way more comfortable than this table.” They continue laughing at the reminiscing of their adventures in the past. Then, Twilight brings up a certain special moment in her life. A moment she will never forget.
“Christian, do you remember after you first came here and found out about Chrysalis? Remember when we were all flying towards the portal and Chrysalis hit Celestia? I was falling to the ground and I was sure I was history, until…”
“I saved you.” He finishes her thought while looking up at the ceiling. Twilight nods happily. Christian sighs as he recalls that moment; all of the fear seems to have vanished from his face entirely. “Twilight, that was one of the best days of my life.” He looks over at her, a full smile now on his face.
“I’m glad, Christian” She responds, also donning a smile.
“Alright, you two!” Chrysalis’s shout startles the two captives as she re-enters the chamber. “If you’re done with your little trot down memory lane, we can get started.” Her fang filled grin stuck to her face as a long list of horrifying methods replays in her head. Christian and Twilight both gain a look of determination on their faces.
“Do whatever you wish, you disgusting insect! We will not fall to you!” Christian shouts.
“If we have to endure torture for an eternity, so be it! We will say nothing!” Twilight adds.
“Glad to hear it,” Chrysalis snaps. “Because the way things are going…” The changelings behind the queen march in with a variety of different unknown instruments and tools on multiple tables; some covered and some showing their displays out in the open; making the two captives gulp with fear. “You two are going to be here for a long, long, time.” She snickers at her words. The two prisoners stare at the rows of unknown torture devices around them. A quick exchange of fear once again crosses their faces. “Aww, are you two scared?” Chrysalis taunts with a petty tone. “How adorable!” A laugh quickly takes over the cell’s interior. Walking around the various objects, Chrysalis first picks up a tome and scrolls through the pages. “Now then,” She starts. “Let’s start with a personal favorite of mine.” Her horn begins glowing a bright green. “I think you’ll find this a bit SHOCKING, Christian!” Before Chrysalis’s words are registered by Christian’s ears, a bright green beam is shot directly at Christian’s torso. A series of excruciating shocks is sent throughout Christian’s body, making him scream bloody murder for a full ten seconds as the spell runs it’s course.
“GAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!”
“CHRISTIAN!” Twilight screams as she sees her friend get wracked with electricity. Chrysalis glares at the purple alicorn.
“Quiet Sparkle! Or you’re next!” She threatens. Twilight goes to scream again, but heads the queen’s words and stays quiet out of fear. Her sorrowed expression still on her face as the spell dissipates. Christian pants in pain and weakness as the electricity leaves his body. The shock from the spell was the equivalent to a few stun guns hitting him all over his body. Chrysalis laughs as she sees Christian in this pathetic state. “Aww, what’s wrong, Christian? I thought you could take a little ELECTRICITY!” She howls again as Christian struggles to look up at his captor.
“That… That all you... got?” He struggles to speak. Chrysalis pats his head with insane joy.
“For you? At the moment.” She swivels her head towards Twilight’s table. “Now, I believe it’s Sparkle’s turn!” Twilight’s pupils dilate as the changeling queen approaches her table. She stays motionless with fierce determination in her eyes as Chrysalis walks around her.
“Do your worst, Chrysalis!” She orders, prepared for anything Chrysalis has cooked up for her. Chrysalis snickers at her words.
“Now Twilight,” She says while approaching a rather large covered table. “If I used my worst methods already, there would be no build up to the REAL fun!” She uncovers the table to reveal a giant, tub sized vat of what appears to be water – Ice water. The surface of the pool being blocked from view underneath by a layer of ice cubes. The few shackles to Twilight’s table suddenly become uncoupled as Chrysalis lifts the chained alicorn into the air and over the freezing mini pool. “Tell me, Sparkle;” Chrysalis says with a sneer. “How do you feel about a NICE COLD BATH?!” She plunges Twilight head first into the drink. Christian grits his teeth as Twilight is held under the frigid water against her will. Gurgling can be heard as Twilight starts to panic from underneath the frozen surface. After a few more seconds, Chrysalis lifts Twilight back up from her ‘bath’ to get her reaction. The alicorn is shivering violently due to the temperature of her torture, more than half of her fur is soaked and her mane is absolutely drenched. Twilight coughs and gasps as she tries to regain air as the sub-zero temperatures seem to have sucked the oxygen from her lungs. Chrysalis inspects Twilight’s body. “Hmm, no. I think I missed a spot!” She prepares to lower Twilight back into the drink.
“N-n-no P-p-please!” Twilight pleads, yet her plea falls on deaf ears as she is thrust back into the icy depths. Christian strains against his table, trying to help his friend.
“Let her go, Chrysalis!” He demands. The queen laughs in response.
“Well that’s up to you, Christian. You know what I want.” Christian growls at her request. "What is the passcode to the ring?" She demands. Christian grimaces at her question.
“Drop dead. There’s your passcode.” He responds sarcastically. Chrysalis shrugs off the insult.
“So be it.” She says through clenched teeth as Twilight is pulled from her watery torture yet again. Chrysalis shakes her head at the alicorn in grief. “It seems that Christian refuses to comply with my demands.” Twilight glares at her through her shivering as she is shackled back onto the table.
“G-g-good. H-h-he is s-s-strong n-n-not to f-f-fall to y-y-you.” She manages to stutter out a sentence.
“You okay, Twilight?” Christian asks as her shivering gets worse. Twilight manages to nod.
“Y-y-yes. I’m f-f-fine. A bit c-c-cold, but I’ll m-m-manage.” She stutters again.
“Grrrrrr... You can’t hold out forever, Christian!” Christian hollars while stomping back to his table. The human’s body surges in retaliation, again trying to break his bonds. The queen smiles as she sees him struggle while she looks around at the various implements that have been laid out for her prisoner’s torture. “Hmm, let’s see…” She ponders the rows of tools and devices, admiring each idea that comes to mind; yet she wants to think big… or simple. She plucks a small hooked utensil from a tray and flashes it at Christian. The human can’t help but laugh at the object.
“Ha! What is that? The sickle thing that dentists use? What are you going to do, clean my teeth?” He laughs at the pathetic instrument. Chrysalis, retaining a large smile on her face, then pulls out a mini chalkboard. That’s when Christian stops his laugh and his expression returns to that of fear.
“Not so funny now, is it?” She says as the sickle approaches the board. Christian starts shaking his rapidly.
“Don’t you even think about, you cretin!” He protests. Chrysalis suddenly stops at his words.
“Oh! Of course, how silly of me!” A pair of earmuffs suddenly appear next to queen and hover over Christian; being placed on Twilight’s ears. “She’ll have the joy of watching you suffer in total silence!” She hisses. Twilight gasps as she sees the silent struggling of Christian as Chrysalis puts the hook onto the board.
“CHRYSALIS! DON’T YOU-” He gets cut off instantly as an ear-piercing sound echoes throughout the cell. The hook’s scraping against the chalkboard makes Christian shirek in agony as he tries to drain out the shrill noise with his own voice, yet it is pointless. The hook is much louder and much more acute. Christian thrashes against his binds as she tries to cover his ears against the noise. Chrysalis, however, seems to enjoy the sound; a smile locked on her face as she continues the scraping. Twilight can only watch helplessly as she hears her friend’s muffled yelling as Chrysalis continues the torture.
“AHHHHHHHHHHH! STOP! MAKE IT STOP! NOW!” Christian yells as the noise grows more and more painful with every second. Chrysalis simply laughs at his demand.
“There is only ONE way to make it stop, Christian!” She yells through the noise. “What’s the password?!” Christian slowly turns his head toward her, his face the definition of being in agony.
“I’ll… Never… Tell… You worthless... Bug!” He shouts defiantly. Chrysalis frowns, mad yet surprised at Christian’s lack of giving up. After thirty more seconds of ear splitting torture and with one final hard press and scrape, the hook finally reaches the end of the board and is lifted off; the sound quickly dying down afterward. Christian, while relieved that the horrible sound had ceased, is still pained by a horrid ringing in his ears. Chrysalis, realizing this, leans in close to Christian’s left side.
“How was that for torture!?” She screams into his ear. The yelling makes Christian flinch in pain, reeling on the table in a fury of torment. Twilight growls at the act.
“You are a sick and vile being, Chrysalis!” She hisses. Chrysalis gasps in admiration at the insult.
“Why, thank you, Princess Twilight!” She bows with a smirk; making Twilight growl again in rage.
“That wasn’t meant to be a compliment!” She retaliates. Chrysalis cackles at her words.
“I know, Sparkle.” She trots back over to her table; leaning in to meet her face to face. Twilight tries to lean her head back at the uncomfortable distance between her and the queen. “And you WILL pay for it!” Twilight’s body is suddenly hoisted into the air by Chrysalis’s magic, quickly flipped around, and latched back onto the table; the princess now lying on her stomach. Twilight gulps loudly and starts panting out of anxiety as she cannot see her new method of torture that Chrysalis is preparing for her. Chrysalis laughs to herself as she goes to another table out of the corner of Twilight’s vision.
“Wh-What are going to do to me, Ch-Chrysalis?” She questions. The queen says nothing as she admires her next torture device.
“Tell me, Sparkle.” She says with malicious intent. “Do you remember when Trixie hypnotized Christian?” Twilight gains a confused expression. What did that have to do with anything?
“Yes, I remem-” Suddenly, Twilight’s pupils shrink into the whites of her eyes. “No…” She murmurs. “C-Chrysalis, p-please!” The princess starts pleading and sobbing at the very thought of what she feared Chrysalis would do to her. “You can torture me any way you’d like! Just don’t do THAT! Anything but THAT!” Christian is confused by Twilight’s begging. Then he remembers what happened; the method Trixie used on Twilight to make Celestia surrender: Whipping. The incident with Trixie must have traumatized her.
“Chrysalis,” Christian starts; his rage building with every word. “Don’t. You. Dare. Do. It.” He yanks at his restraints once more; though they still do not budge. Chrysalis takes no notice to the human’s threat and prepares to reveal her newest torture tool.
“Do what? I was only going to…” The new weapon is shown to both of the prisoners. Twilight starts weeping out of sheer fear and Christian pounds the table with a fist at what he sees.
“WHIP HER!” Chrysalis finishes her sentence by revealing a cat o’ nine tails. Twilight’s sobs start getting louder as Chrysalis approaches her with the multi-whip menace.
“CHRYSALIS! PLEASE! DON’T! I’LL DO ANYTHING! ANYTHING!” She begs for mercy as she can feel the queen lingering over her with her new weapon.
“Oh, I know you will, Sparkle. Yet, it is not up to you whether I use this on you.” Twilight glances over to Christian; tears flowing down her face. Christian feels like he’s about to cry too, as he knows what Twilight will say.
“C-Christian... D-don’t…”
“I won’t, Twilight. Stay strong!” He shouts back at her. Twilight tightly shuts her eyes as she prepares for what is next.
“Well then, Christian…” Chrysalis starts; raising the nine up above Twilight’s back. “Let’s see if THIS CHANGES YOUR MIND!” The nine tails comes down hard on Twilight’s back, cutting at her fur like knifes. Twilight’s bloody-curdling screams make Christian cringe and look away; not wanting to see what Chrysalis is doing to his friend. The nine tails keeps slapping against Twilight’s back. Twilight can feel the individual whips’ stings pain her more and more as she cries out:
“AHH! PLEASE! STOP! CHRYSALIS!” Christian can’t take it anymore. Hearing Twilight crying and begging for her torture to stop is torture for him in it of itself. He swivels his head to see the continuous whipping getting more fierce as the time passes by.
“THAT’S ENOUGH, CHRYSALIS!” He howls, on the verge of tears. Chrysalis instantly stops whipping Twilight; a large smirk filling her face. Eager to see if she had finally broken him.
“You know the only way to stop it, Christian.” She hisses happily. Christian glances at Twilight’s now red and slashed back and then back at the nine tails. Looking defeated, he starts to think over his options. Twilight gasps silently as she realizes that he may give in to Chrysalis’s demands.
“C-Christian!” Her shouting makes Christian’s eyes lock onto hers. “Don’t… you… say it!” She yells at him, struggling not to cry again. Christian focuses on her pained state, and nods at her request.
“So, I take it you’re still going to keep mouth shut.” She snarls. Christian nods again. Though on the inside, the movement pains his very being. “So be it.” The nine tails comes back down on Twilight’s new red and open wounds from minutes before. Christian writhes against his shackles with every one of Twilight’s pained cries for help. After a few more minutes of this torture to the both of them, Chrysalis finally puts down the nine tails and proceeds to lift Princess Twilight back into the air to turn her over on her back. As Twilight is set back down and locked into place, the cold metal stings at her fresh wounds; making her cringe and twitch as she tries to lessen the burning sensation. However, when she turns to see a defeated and depressed Christian, she gives him a small smile.
“Good job... Christian. Ah!” She says, trying to arch her back to prevent any further pain. Christian returns the smile; happy that her pain was over. Chrysalis marches in front of the two prisoners, signing in annoyance at not receiving her information. However, she still has one trick up her sleeve...
“Hmm, you are quite the resilient one aren’t you, Christian?” Chrysalis says, admiring Christian’s tenacity. “However, there is one thing that I know you will be against. Even more so than Twilight’s whipping...” Christian and Twilight’s tables suddenly shift upward and turn in order for the two prisoners to face each other. The two look at each other puzzled as to what the queen is up to. Chrysalis summons her tome once again as she flips through a few more pages. “Aha! Found it!” Chrysalis taps her forehoof on the page she had been looking for. With another cast from her horn, Christian’s entire body starts to be enveloped in a sickly green glow.
“What are you planing, Chrysalis?!” Christian yells at the queen. Chrysalis laughs.
“You shall see momentarily, Christian!” Suddenly, Christian’s right arm becomes freed from his restraints. Christian realizes this and quickly tries to pull it toward Chrysalis in order to punch her in the jaw. Yet his arm remains motionless, powerless under his control. His hand remains opened towards Twilight’s table. Then, Christian feels a surge of power starting to flow down his arm. It is then Christian realizes what Chrysalis is up to.
“No… No! Chrysalis! Stop! NOW!” He says while struggling against Chrysalis’s magic. Chrysalis howls as she increases the strength of her hijacking spell. “I know you LOVE to tranquilize Twilight with that bow of yours.” She taunts. “But I also know that you HATE the thought of you actually hurting one of your friends!” She increases the power of the spell further, causing some orange sparks to come out of Christian’s right hand; the hand focused on Twilight. Christian keeps resisting Chrysalis control as best as he can, though he can feel his own power slipping.
“C-Christian? Please…” Twilight begs softly. Christian senses the worry in her voice as he keeps fighting back.
“I… will not… hurt… Twilight!” He struggles to say as more magic starts gathering at his hand.
“You can’t hold out forever, Christian. Unless you give me that password!” The queen demands once more.
“Not… gonna… happen!” Christian continues to feel less and less power over his own magic. He knows he can’t hold on for much longer. Twilight realizes her struggling friend’s dismay, she needs to act quick.
“Christian…” Twilight’s quiet tone makes the human focus on her. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. Just don’t give in! Don’t tell her anything!” Her words fill Christian with a sort of sadness as she understands his struggle, though it is not in his control.
“I’m sorry, Twilight.” He says as he feels that last of his will power drain as Chrysalis amps up her spell to full power.
“I know, Christian. It’s okay.” Her soft smile comforting Christian as a blast of orange for his hand hits Twilight uncontrollably. The shriek that emits from her as the spell makes contact with her body makes Christian cringe in a range of mixed emotions from anger to sadness to helplessness. Chrysalis’s wicked laughter rings in his ears as his eyes remained fixated on his friend’s pained expression. After what seems like hours, Chrysalis finally cuts off her link from Christian. Christian himself is tired from the exhausting amount of energy used to prevent and forcefully cast his magic. He collapses back onto his table, barely able to lift up his own arm. Twilight on the other hand is panting slowly as she recovers from Chrysalis’s forced method of attacking her.
“Twilight…” He murmurs, tiredly. Twilight smiles and nods at Christian, who is still remaining strong in keeping the passcode away from Chrysalis.
“Well done… Christian.” She says with a satisfied smile. Chrysalis snarls at the fact that Christian refuses to give up.
“You are one tough human, I’ll give you that.” Chrysalis comments. “Very well then. I have other ideas planned for YOU TWO.” She gets up close to the two captives, staring deep into their eyes. “But for now, I will return you to your cell.” She stomps a forehoof. “Changelings! Return them to their cell as I prepare for tomorrow!” As the drones carry away the two of them, they can hear the echoes of her laughter bellowing from the torture chamber. The drones heave the prisoners back into their cell, slamming the door shut as the loud metal locks click into place. The moment the two of them are able to get up from off the ground they jump at each other in a hug.
“Can’t believe we actually did it.” Twilight says with a laugh.
“Yea Twilight.” He says. “You know, I… I lost faith... At some points.” He adds through pained breaths.
“So did I, Christian. No matter how short it was, it felt like hours.” She agrees with him. A few more moments pass as the two remain in their hug.
“We should probably stop now.” Christian suddenly remarks. “This is getting awkward.”
“Oh, right.” They quickly separate, and glance around their dungeon room. “Well, at least we’re not chained on that wall!” Twilight mentions as she looks at their old chains hanging from the bricks.
“Yea, but these chains sap you of any power you have. We’re just as powerless now as we were on that wall.” Christian states as he observes the shackles on his wrists and ankles; noticing the bits of changeling slime still on part of the chains and over his clothes.
“This gunk doesn’t help either.” Twilight says as she pulls a strand of slime from her hair. Apparently, also acknowledging the ooze on her body.
“Anyway, I wonder why that torture session was so short?” Christian question aloud. Twilight shrugs.
“I’m just glad it’s over.”
“That’s not a good thing, Twilight.” Twilight looks at him like some sort of lunatic. Did that static mess with his head?
“How so, Christian?” Twilight asks as Christian slumps down one of the back brick wall to sit.
“It means Chrysalis has an ace up her sleeve. Next time, we won’t be so lucky.” He glances up at the lone window above him and Twilight, the dim light still flickering in. Twilight sighs as she sees the outside world. “But you know…” Christian starts up again, which makes Twilight’s ears perk up. “I’m just glad I have you to talk to, Twitty.” He smiles at her, a smile that she knows all too well. It’s that smile of joy with an undertone of Christian mocking her that she loved. She laughs a bit at it.
“Heh, you haven’t called me that in a while.” She says with a soft smile. “I’ve… missed it.” She leans on Christian and puts her head on his shoulder.
“I only call you that when we’re not in some precarious situation.” He responds.
“I guess now is the perfect time.” She adds. “It’s nice to hear it again.” She sighs again, relieved that at least the worst was over… for today at least. “Does Chrysalis torture her prisoners often?” Twilight asks him, popping up from her stance. Christian shrugs.
“Beats me. That was the first she’s even done it to me; well, besides trying to get in my head. But it has never been anything physical before, and I’ve been here for days.”
“Wonderful.” Twilight rolls her eyes in worry. “So that means that…”
“Hey.” Christian interrupts her negativity. “Let’s not think about it. Right now, we have the rest of the night to… relax... so to speak.”
“Well, this place isn’t exactly a luxury resort.” Twilight points out.
“No duh, Twitty.” He chuckles. “But, let’s make the best out of a bad situation. Besides,” He closes his eyes for a few seconds; feeling for something before opening them again. “Our friends are getting closer, perhaps it will be a day or so before we are out of here.”
“What about Chrysalis?” Twilight asks, nervously. Christian laughs.
“What about Chrysalis? She couldn’t break us now when we were almost at our tipping points; as long as we stay vigilant, we should be fine!” Christian jumps up and nods at Twilight in confidence. Twilight nods back, keeping her spirits high. She then lets out a long and rather loud yawn.
“Well, I’m exhausted.”
“Heh, you and me both.” Christian adds as the two of them sit back down; with Twilight resting her head on Christian’s shoulder once more. With another yawn, her eyes slowly close shut.
“Good night, Christian.” She whispers.
“Night, Twitty.” He glances over to her before resting his own head on the back of the stone wall they were sitting against. Soon after, both of them are sound asleep; content in having each other’s company.
Meanwhile, outside of Twilight and Christian’s cell, Chrysalis had been listening in on their conversation. What she just heard could not make her happier.
“Close to their tipping point, eh?” She snickers quietly as to not wake her two captives. “Well, I guess I’ll have to TRULY step up the game tomorrow!” Her snickering continues as she goes back to the entrance of her dungeon, manically planning tomorrow’s activities in order to finally break Christian and Twilight AND get that passcode. “And one more thing…” The queen says to herself before pointing to one of her closest drones. “Guard! I want an increase in security around the castle. Make sure that no pony interferes with my endeavors over the next few days.” The drones stands at attention.
“Assssss you wish, my Queen.” He states quickly. Chrysalis laughs again.
“Excellent.” She savors the thoughts of tomorrow in her head as she leaves the dungeon and ascends the steps toward her castle’s interior. Tomorrow for her could not come soon enough, as she had already assembled a plethora of ‘wondrous’ ideas to get the information out of Christian tomorrow. Plus, she did so love to mess with both the human and Princess Twilight Sparkle herself. “Mmmhmm, yes…” She goes over the ideas in her head again. “Tomorrow shall be a fun day indeed!”