"It's too late, Princess."

Princess Twilight Sparkle had never heard her title spoken with such venom. She scrunched up her nose as Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings, leaned forward to menace her. The Queen's breath was beyond terrible, and her shining fangs triggered instincts that put Twilight's fur on edge. "No it isn't! You'll never get away with this, Chrysalis!"

The Queen straightened up again, out of reach of the bound alicorn princess. She chuckled, but there was no real mirth in the sound. "Who is going to stop me? Celestia is already mine. Luna is gone. Your 'brother' is keeping Cadance occupied in the Crystal Empire..."

Twilight's glare only drew another chuckle.

The Queen grinned again, all fangs. "We even captured the friend of yours that was trying to break you free."

Who would try to rescue her on their own? Rainbow Dash, maybe? "Don't hurt her to get to me! I'm the one you need to stop!"

Chrysalis slipped her gnarled, pitted hoof toward Twilight, and touched her horn with it. Twilight pulled away as best she could straining at her chained collar. Her magic was useless, with this changeling goo on her horn. The Queen smiled down at her once more. "You aren't a danger to us anymore, without your magic. Your earth pony friend never had any to start with."

"It must have taken a dozen of your drones to even hold Applejack down!"

The Queen only smiled again. "Applejack? She's occupied with her 'family', trying to hold her farm together. No, this was your pink friend. I only needed one drone to stop her, and none to guard her cell. How would she even start to pose a threat to my swarm?"

The smug expression on Chrysalis' face became one of bewilderment, as her captive alicorn princess suddenly laughed. Not a miserable laugh of lost hope, or a triumphant laugh of victory, but an honest, lighthearted laughter that Chrysalis never expected from any of her captives.

Princess Twilight Sparkle smiled up at her captor, all her worries gone. "Chrysalis, you have no idea who you're dealing with."

Chrysalis' brow knit in a glare, but her eyes widened as her hive shook with what sounded like an explosion, followed by a loud party horn. One glance at Twilight's silly grin, and Chrysalis lit her horn in a fury and stormed out of the room and toward the noise.

The Prompt: The right mare in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world.

This is a thirty minute writing prompt, meaning you have thirty minutes to finish your story from the time you start writing. You may take as much time as you wish to think, plan, or outline before you begin, but once the first word is on the page, the timer begins. When you are finished, post your story to this thread, and, in the tradition of the TMP mods of yore, I will read and give it a comment when I can.

Traditionally, TMP prompts would have a six to eight-hour window in which to submit, but for these legacy prompts, there will be no limit after the prompt is up. Go ahead and post something a year from now, if you like. Just bear in mind that I'm less likely to respond with feedback to anything submitted more than a week or so after the prompt. Good luck!

Also wow, Legacy Prompt #50. I almost feel like we ought to have saved the milestone for Esle coming back. Oh well.

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Legacy Prompt No.50, untitled, by KwirkyJ

Here's a comparison: patience is surprisingly like teeth enamel -- when it's ground down, there is something like pain. Here's a tip: if Princess Celestia invites you to a dinner party, ask what kind of dinner party before saying yes. Here Lies Sunset Shimmer: She Died From Boredom.

Acutally, that's a terrible epitaph, and not at all accurate.

"Which is all to say, your majesty, that the eastern buttress didn't get poured until a week behind schedule! Can you believe it? Not that was in any way a hinderance..."

And he's still talking. Guh. Sitting there, filling the time with his inane, useless blather, making me just sit here, mute, unable to do anything remotely interesting, and I can't even trust myself to pick up my fork anymore. Shame, that, as I'm really bucking hungry. Ha, or not. Who could eat when their ears are so full?

Celestia isn't even aware of me, anymore. She's just being the Princess, perfect, sitting there to the glory of the 'honored guests.' She barely has to say anything; just a word or two, and off Prince So-And-So or Baroness Blah-Dee-Blah goes off into whatever little world they have in their head and talk for ten minutes without pause.

It would be nice if there weren't also a half-dozen other conversations going on at the same time, down the length of the table. If I close my eyes, I can almost imagine a swarm of bees, buzzing their wings. The two are just about as interesting.

"Are you enjoying the meal, my pupil?"

So, not totally forgotten. As if it matters. I turn carefully to the Princess. "Of course."

"You have scarcely touched the third course. Was it not to your liking?"

No, it wasn't at all. Seriously, who serves fish? Answer: griffons. Guh. "Maybe I had too much soup, before."

She looks at me with that judging glance before returning her attention to Big Beaky and Little Mint Mare.

"Yes, quite," I hear beside me. Goldblood, or Bluemane, or whatever... 'Nephew', if his insistence on calling Celestia 'Auntie' is any indicaiton. "The pea soup was positively divine, if paedestrian. The ganache --"

I tune him out effortlessly. Something about fish being a wholly wretched thing that shall never pass his esteemed lips, which is somehow ironic given the stink coming out the other way. Besides, I don't like the looks he gives me.

And I'm just stuck here. I reach out to my fork, but Little Mint Mare looks at me. I'm a unicorn, I don't lift eating utensils with my magic. I redirect my hoof to shift the plate instead. I totally don't squirm.

I could be doing literally anything else, instead of being stuck here with all this little ponies and their little thoughts. I should be studying... practicing. But no, I'm here.

I definitely don't jump when a hoof touches my withers. "Yes, Princess?"

"Are you well, my pupil? You look distressed."

I try to keep a scowl off my face. It isn't fair to be angry at her. "Oh, do I?"

"It is only fish." To demonstrate the point, she extracts some of the flesh with a fork and places it in her mouth; chews; swallows; smiles.

I hate that smile.

"You're right, it's only fish." Maybe I'm smiling now, I'm not sure, but I am certain what's about to happen. Ah, the blessing and curse of being a filly with more magical talent than a dozen unicorn nobles combined.

I reach out with my magic to lift my fork. The instant my field grasps it, lifts it, it begins to glow red-hot. By the time it touches the item on my plate, it is glowing white and I can feel the heat on my face. The flesh sputters and chars, cutting and cauterizing the meat. I raise the empty fork towards me, then feign surprise that it is empty.

"Oops."

I drop the slag that was once cutlery, and it begins to burn through the table. I sieze the goblet before me which instantatly disintegrates into molten glass, the water inside flashing to a boil and splashing onto the table.

I can feel my self smiling by now, a wide and crooked thing. It feels great to just do something, something that isn't sitting there like a porcelain doll, ignored and useless.

I turn to Celestia. She's got that really pissed look on her face. So that's how Regal Pissed looks... Somehow, it only excites me more.

I'm already trotting when I say, "Request permission to leave the table, your majesty."

"Sunset Shimmer --"

"I'll be in the study, Your Highness." I say it with all the bitterness I can conjure. I'm almost as good at it as fire. "Someplace useful. Like I'd be anywhere else. Come chill when you get fed up with these chumps."

Author's Note:
This was a tricky prompt, not going to lie. The time constraint definitely degrades this one, but it was interesting to think about and write. Having not actually watched most of either EQG (which I really should rectify), I apologize if Sunset's voice is faulty.

Note you will (again?) be competing with a writeoff event this weekend, so response might be less.

It would have been nice if Esle could have returned for this milestone, but -- alas -- it seems not to be. (Hope zi is doing okay.)

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Legacy Prompt 50: Hidden

“Hello, Lotus. Do you mind if I barge in?”
Lotus Blossom looked up. “Oh! Miss Rarity!” She shook her head. “It’s almost closing time, and I am afraid I still have a couple of clients I need to attend to. Could I perhaps impose upon you to return tomorrow?”
Rarity smiled. “Darling, I think you misunderstand. As delightful as the thought is, I’m not here to ask for your services.” She stepped through the door, carefully maneuvering her saddlebags inside. “I’d simply thought that, since you’ve been so busy all day and your sister’s out of town, I could bring over something for you to eat, and we could have supper together.” Rarity slipped the flap of her saddlebag up, revealing the bundle of sandwiches inside. “Of course, you’re still welcome to these even if the answer is no.”
“Oh… oh!” Lotus looked up. “I… I am sorry, Miss Rarity. I should not have misjudged your intentions. Please forgive me.”
“I assure you, darling, there’s nothing to forgive.” Rarity’s smile grew a bit wider, and a touch of it remained in her eyes even as it dropped from her lips. “Where would you like me to take them?”
“Upstairs, please - I will be up as soon as I can.”
“Of course, dear.” With that, Rarity set off, and Lotus returned to her work.

Rarity smiled, looking at the array of sandwiches spread out on the table. Daffodil, Tomato, Watercress, and Clover, each type neatly set out in artfully-stacked piles, stood between two bottles of sparkling grape juice. Her layout completed to even her satisfaction, Rarity began looking around, taking the chance to wander the spa’s living quarters. For several minutes, she simply amused herself by mentally rearranging things to her own tastes, then turned to head back to the little kitchenette. As she did so, she noticed what appeared to be a crack in the wall, and turned her attention toward it.
Upon closer inspection, the ‘crack’ was an irregular line, running loosely from the top of the wall to the bottom. Rarity, thinking how to draw this to Lotus’s attention, put her hoof against it, and quickly pulled it back as the wall suddenly seemed to fall inward. After a few seconds, a large chunk of it had pulled far enough back for Rarity to see a glimmer of light coming from the other side, and her curiosity got the better of her. She put her hoof against the ‘wall’ again, and tried to move it; finally managing to slip it to the left, behind the actual wall. Beyond lay a small stairwell, lit by a single glowing crystal, and Rarity started down.
At the base of the stairwell, there was simply a small hallway, maybe fifteen feet long. Rarity tried to place it, and realized to her shock that this was almost precisely in the middle of the spa, behind some of the separating walls. At the other end of the hallway was another downward-leading staircase, and Rarity realized to her chagrin that this ‘hidden’ passage was probably simply the spa’s cellar. She should, she admitted to herself, turn back around, but the chance to investigate wasn’t likely to come again, and once more her curiosity got the better of her.
Inside the cellar, unlike the hallway above, it was dark. There didn’t appear to be any trace of a lamp nor of any of the glowing crystal lights, only the spill from the stairwell, so Rarity concentrated for a moment, a sharp cone of illumination spilling off of her horn. She carefully turned, taking in the sights. There wasn’t really all that much to see at first; only a few old appliances from the spa. However, as she turned to head back upstairs, Rarity realized that the cellar went on for some distance the other way, and she slipped around the staircase to look at those. Over here, the biggest feature was a slightly-older hot tub. Rarity’s first thought was that it was one that had been replaced from the spa, but a closer investigation yielded the fact that it was in fact fully attached to the plumbing, apparently ready for use. Alongside it were several metal troughs, apparently filled with some kind of liquid by the way they reflected the light from her horn, and Rarity idly stepped over to take a look at them. When she did, she had to force her hoof into her mouth to stifle her scream.
There, floating in the first of those troughs, was Lotus Blossom.
Frantically, Rarity thought her way through things. She didn’t have much time, though, before a voice (a stolen voice, her mind gibbered at her) came from above. “Miss Rarity? I know you’re down there; you left the door open. I’m afraid you need to come back upstairs, Miss Rarity; there are some dangerous pieces of equipment down there.”
Rarity’s head spun around as she tried to take in the entire area, looking for something she could use. Hoofsteps in the hallway above passed over her, and as she watched, a blue hoof appeared on the stairwell. It was followed by another, and another still, until the false Lotus Blossom appeared. She turned her own head, looking for Rarity’s form, and her eyes went wide as she saw where the unicorn mare was standing.
Rarity, for her own part, narrowed her eyes. “You’re not really Lotus, are you.” She went on before the creature could respond. “You’re one of those, those things from the wedding last week.”
The creature held up a placating hoof. “Please, Miss Rarity, it is not what you think-”
“Oh, but it is, isn’t it?” Rarity’s lip began to curl in a snarl. “The real Lotus is right here. That’s why Aloe was conveniently ‘out of town’, isn’t it? You’ve already carted her off so that another one of you monsters can take her place here!” Rarity’s eyes began to burn as she continued, sapphire chips gleaming in the light of her horn. “I shan’t allow it!”
“Miss Rarity, please just listen-” The false Lotus had to dodge sideways as Rarity’s magic flung a small hoofful of junk from the floor at her. Rarity, meanwhile, had turned her attention towards the real Lotus Blossom, and was reaching down towards the strange gel that held her captive. The impostor’s eyes got even wider, and she yelled out. “Rarity, st-"
Rarity had heard the tale from Twilight Sparkle of what had happened to the original bridesmaids. She knew, as the power in the creature's words spilled over her, what it was doing to her. And that is why it shocked her to the core when it snapped its mouth shut, shook its head, and spoke again, without that mind-numbing power behind it. “Please, do not disturb her!”
Rarity’s hoof paused, just barely out of contact with the gel, and ever so slowly, she drew it back, turning to stare at the impostor as she did so. “Why?” she asked, suspicion dripping from her voice. “Why did you stop?”
“Because I do not wish to lose a friend,” the impostor said. It shook its head, then stepped down to the base of the stairwell, turning toward Rarity. “I did lie to you earlier, Miss Rarity, and I am sorry. But my lie was not what you think. Aloe is not out of town. I am she.”
Rarity’s eyes hardened again. “I don’t believe you,” she said, her mind racing. “If you are Aloe, what’s my favorite bath scent?”
“You are expecting me to say violets, because that is what you tell everyone. However, you tend to actually purchase lilac bath salts more often than not.”
“A lucky guess,” Rarity snarled. “That’s not proof.”

Time Limit

The imposter Lotus nodded. “I understand,” she said, “perhaps this will satisfy you?” Without waiting for Rarity to respond, she transformed, the flames briefly blinding Rarity. When they faded, Rarity’s eyes went straight to the figure inside, and her jaw flopped open. The figure in front of her was revealed quite clearly as a changeling… but only in its base shape did it resemble the monsters which Rarity remembered so well. They, after all, had been matte black, not the bright pink which stood before her.
The pink changeling stepped forward, towards Rarity. Rarity reacted instinctively, her horn glowing to life as several more small objects flew from the floor to orbit around her, ready to toss. At the sight, the pink changeling stopped. “Please, Miss Rarity,” it said, in Aloe’s voice, “put those down.”
Instead, Rarity pointed toward the gel-filled trough holding Lotus. “Is that what she’s doing in there?” Rarity asked, “being turned the way you were?”
“Turn- oh!” The pink changeling shook her head. “No, Miss Rarity. I do not know where you got that idea, but it is untrue. The only way to become changeling is to be born as one.”
“So why is she your prisoner?”
Almost immediately, Rarity’s eyes began to widen in fear, because those of the changeling had begun to harden in anger. “She is not, and never will be, my prisoner. My sister is in there because she has been ill and is resting, Miss Rarity, and this way she can at least rest peacefully.” The pink changeling stepped forward again, ignoring the increase in the spinning of Rarity’s ‘barrier’. “I realize you do not trust me, and I understand why, but I promise you that I am who I say.” She stopped, her head cocked sideways in thought, and began to grin, making slashing motions in the air as she did so. “Cross my heart and hope to fly-”
“W… wait!” Rarity allowed her crude ‘barrier’ to fall to the ground. “If you’re willing to go that far, then I guess I have no choice, Aloe. Please, forgive me. It is rather a bit much to take in.”
“I understand, Miss Rarity.” Aloe started to step forward again, then paused. “May I?” she asked.
“May you wh- oh! Of course, my dear.”
At Rarity’s acquiescence, Aloe called forth her flame again, leaving her normal pony form behind. She took a second to slick her hair back properly, then smiled. “Thank you, Miss Rarity.” A frown crossed Aloe’s face as a thought struck her. “Please, you cannot tell anypony about me.”
“I understand, darling. Two stipulations on that, and my silence is bought.” As Aloe’s brow furrowed, Rarity nodded. “First, we must tell Twilight when she gets back from Canterlot. It simply wouldn’t do for her to find out on her own.” Slowly, Aloe nodded, and Rarity smiled. “Second, model for me, please? A pony who can look exactly like any of my customers - how could I not ask?”
Aloe gently began to laugh, and shook her head. “As time permits, Miss Rarity. Now, may we go upstairs and eat while we wait for my sister to awaken?”
“Of course,” Rarity said, and she allowed Aloe to lead her back up into the fading light of day.

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Interesting take! I could see Sunset acting this way as a young mare. She certainly does in the short comic about her, and a bit in the movies as well.

I could see Princess Celestia, ever patient and diplomatic, managing her way expertly through an interminable dinner like this, and Sunset (even Twilight, really) being bored out of their minds. Sunset's magic causing fires/heat is a nice touch, given her cutie mark, and overall the tone was consistent and well done.

Enjoyable read, thanks!

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Changelings, always the changelings!

But it works here. Rarity of all ponies was certainly the right mare to find this little secret out. She handles it well, considering, and I like how you handle her magic. Less direct and violent than Twilight, but still dangerous for a non-unicorn (or anyone, really) to face. Aloe here is portrayed as kind as well, actually avoiding compelling Rarity with magic, out of respect for their friendship.

Overall this was quite good, I liked the exploration bit especially, Rarity pushing back the veil more and more, knowing she should stop but keeping going for the sake of the mystery, nicely done.