//------------------------------// // 6 Canterlot // Story: Know your enemy // by Znegil //------------------------------// Since Canterlot was only about six hours away, there was something we had to talk about. "We are getting closer to Canterlot, soon we will encounter some ponies. Do you have enough magic to change your appearance?", I asked her. "Apart from my wings I am fully healed, so I could store a little power. But changing and keeping a disguise doesn't use much power anyway, as long as you give me some friendship once a day I can keep it up forever. Any preferences on how I should look?", she asked with a sly grin. "No, do whatever you want.", I answered and rolled my eyes. There was a green flash and a unicorn mare stood next to me. She turned on the spot to show me her new body. Her coat was light gray with a yellow mane and tail. Her cutie mark showed a red heart with a yellow outline... she was gorgeous to look at. "What do you think?", she wiggled with her flank. "Love is my special talent." "More like your favorite food.", I replied. "We have to be careful not to walk to close together when I touch you we have a lot of surprised ponies around us." We walked on and made sure always to have a few feet between us. ... As we had Canterlot in sight, more and more ponies showed up passing us in different directions. I knew Chrysalis disguise was perfect, but I expected any second somepony would shout or scream anyway. I guess it was hard on my conscious to smuggle her in. ... We just reached the first houses of Canterlot as a guard came running towards me. "Alex! Thank goodness your alright, we all worried so much.", he shouted. "Greenleafs!", I answered. "Good to see you again, I'm happy to be back in one piece." His horn glowed and shot a beam of light in the air. "Princess Luna has ordered to sent a signal right away when somepony finds any lead where you have gone.", he said while he was keeping the spell going. "I also can't wait to see her again.", I said excited. "I will visit you and your family someday this week and tell everything that has happened. I know your daughter loves adventure stories." He nodded and smiled. "We will make an excellent potato soup and... oh, here she comes." I saw something blue flew at incredible speed towards us, Luna landed only a few feet from me and ran into my arms with such force she tackled me to the ground. "I'm so happy I got you back.", she said between kisses. I enjoyed it to feel her again. My hand ran through her mane and along her neck. I noticed all the ponies staring at us. "We should go somewhere else.", I pointed out. "We have a lot to talk about." I got back on my feet and moved next to Chrysalis. "Luna, meet... ", I had no idea how I should call her. "Emerald.", Chrysalis jumped in. "Nice to meet you, princess." Luna inspected her. "Who is she?", her voice was cold as ice, and her whole body got tense, it looked like she was drawing the wrong conclusions. "She saved my life and is the reason I was able to get back to my beautiful fiancee.", I hastened to clarify. Luna's body relaxed, and her smile came back. "Oh thank you so much, I don't know how we could thank you." "Well, there is more to all this.", I told her. "But we should talk about it somewhere private. I don't want to worry other ponies." She looked at me curiously. "Well let's go to our room then.", she said and led the way. I quickly caught up and put my arm around her while we walked on. While we walked in the castle, Luna explained to me in detail what had happened while I was gone, about the changeling attack. I tried hard not to give away any hints I already knew the story because I didn't want to answer questions until we were alone. ... Finally we reached our room, and the doors closed behind us. "So what exactly had happened to you?", she asked while she sat on some cushions and we did the same. I took a deep breath and started my story: "A day before the wedding I was abducted by a changeling. I was imprisoned in a cell and left to starve if it wasn't for her saving me." I pointed towards Chrysalis. "You know I would never do anything to bring you in danger, please trust me now and be calm.", I told Luna and gave her a little kiss and then stepped between them. Luna's gaze wandered between Chrysalis and me, her face full of questions. After a nod from me Chrysalis changed to her true form. I could see every muscle in Luna's body tense up, but she did not attack. "Chrysalis saved you from dying?", she asked pressed through clenched teeth. "After the failed attempt to take over Canterlot, she nearly got killed by the Changling Queen and got thrown out of the hive to slowly starve.", I explained to her. "She was in a terrible condition when she got me out of my cell, bleeding and her whole body covered in cuts and bruises." Luna looked over to Chrysalis, and her body relaxed a bit. Chrysalis just looked at the ground, she didn't like to admit defeat. "I thought she is the changeling queen?", Luna asked. "I... I was only a princess, but I was sure to dethrone the queen with the powers I had.", Chrysalis answered very quietly. "But that didn't work out so well." "She is no longer part of the hive and wants to change. She is sorry and asks for forgiveness.", I said and sat next to Luna. There was silence for what seemed like forever until Luna finally said something: "I know how it is, I did something bad for wrong reasons and have been forgiven by my sister and more ponies every day. I found someone special who drove away the last traces of evil from me.", she nuzzled me softly. "I understand the situation you're in, but I have to be sure you are not controlling Alex in any way." "How should she do this with the ability of mine?", I asked her. "The same way I healed you.", she answered, and her horn started to glow. Her spell washed over us and the whole room. "Okay, there is no connection." "I hope to live a normal life.", Chrysalis said. "I don't want to cause trouble." "Well, thanks again for bringing back Alex in one piece.", Luna said. "If the stallion... the man I am going to marry trusts you, I will as well." "Thank you, my love. So will you help when we meet Celestia next?", I asked her. To my surprise she smiled. "I wouldn't want to miss Tia's face when she drops her disguise."