Two-Sided Prequel II: Who You Work For

by FerociousCreation

Chance

Chrysalis raised a brow. “What do you mean, 'what is the meaning of this?' It's your former boss.”

“I can see that!” Coco shouted in an uproar. The sudden outburst caused the changeling to push herself into the carriage, shoving her friend aside. Coco was backed into the wall of the wagon as Chrysalis towered over her.

“Keep quiet,” the Queen hissed. “I am trying to stay under cover.” Her eyes burned green with anger and fear. Chrysalis couldn't afford being discovered. If herself or her two guards were found out, then attending the gala would be an even more risky endeavor.

As Coco and Chrysalis continued to leer at each other, both mares heard the door to the wagon close, signaling to them both that Fang was also inside with them. As soon as the door closed, the carriage began to move.

To Coco's right was Suri, who looked just as confused as she was angry. Coco stared at her with one eye; the other was blocked by a cluster of blue dresses that hung from a bar from above.

“Why is she here?” Coco demanded.

“I was about to ask her that myself,” Fang said from behind Chrysalis. The queen moved herself to the other side of the carriage and sat down. She glared at Suri, making sure she didn't do anything stubborn, like screaming for help.

Fang looked at Suri with a harsh stare. Even though the poor earth pony was scared out of her wits, she looked back with an equally intimidating leer.

“So why were you stalking us?” Fang asked. Instantly, Suri began to shiver, afraid to answer. “Also, I apologize for taking you so abruptly, but I couldn't have you stalking about. You might stir up some suspicion if you told anypony we were changelings.” Again, Suri did not speak a word.

Not liking being left in the dark, Coco spoke up, “You took her hostage?!”

His friend's sudden outburst made Fang flinch. His mood suddenly changed from intimidating to worried. The changeling did not like seeing his friend upset, sad, or angry. This time, however, he was the cause for her upset attitude and needed to fix that problem. “She was acting suspiciously. You know we can't blow our cover, nor can we have somepony know our whereabouts.”

“And that gives you a reason to abduct her?” Coco let out a sigh, doing her best not to speak too loud. Doing that would anger the queen. Coco looked at her former employer. Suri looked at back with the same displeased stare. “Suri, what are you doing here in Canterlot?”

“Oh, you know,” the mare replied with a sarcastic tone, “minding my own business and getting KIDNAPPED AGAINST MY WILL!”

Chrysalis did not appreciate the outburst. “If I were you, I would refrain from yelling. Something might happen if you do that again.”

“Could you not threaten her?!” Coco shouted. “I think you would behave the same way she is if you were taken to someplace you don't want to be.”

“Please don't shout, Coco,” Chrysalis spoke through her teeth again. “I know we are all upset here, but again, we cannot blow our cover.” In an agreement, the earth pony complied with the queen with a nod. Coco was still not happy with the situation at hoof but had to deal with it.

Looking back at Suri, Coco asked again, “Suri, why are you here in Canterlot?”

With the flames of hatred in her heart, the former boss jabbed a hoof at Fang's direction. “Because of him.” This time, Fang let out a laugh. “Shut your mouth, freak!” Suri ordered, yet keeping her voice from being too loud.

“What did I do to you?” the changeling asked with a smile on his face. “Was it when I showed you what I truly was at the train station? Did I scare you?” Fang's grin grew wider as he mocked the mare. Suri wanted to hit the stupid changeling in the jaw, maybe knock his overgrown fang out of his mouth if she swung hard enough. However, she thought of the many negative outcomes that may come out of the act and discarded the thought.

A light hit struck Fang in the shoulder; it was Coco's hoof. Coco was not liking the cruelty Suri was receiving, even if she did deserve the harsh treatment. Suri also appreciated the act so she didn't have to hit Fang herself; though she would have preferred if Coco hit him harder. Or a different place than the shoulder.

After feeling the harmless blow, the changeling's grin subsided. Fang looked at Coco, displeased with being hit, but understood why he was struck. He was worried that Coco was beginning to hate him because of how he was treating Suri. However, Fang still remembers the harsh insults Suri shot at Coco when they were at the train station in Manehattan and was not yet ready to forgive her.

Looking back at her former boss, Coco asked, “So Suri, why are you here in Canterlot?”

“I already answered your question.” Suri's eyes looked at Fang. “He is the reason why I am here.”

Instead of laughing this time, the changeling simply asked, “How is it my fault?”

She didn't want to tell the truth, but since she blamed Fang already, Suri had no choice. The mare explained to Coco everything she had experienced the last five days, from telling her now former co-workers that there was a changeling in the city, to having to flee from Manehattan to escape the news about the gossiping pony.

As Suri explained, Coco couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Coco saw the sadness in her eyes and could tell that Suri was fighting back tears. Fang and Chrysalis, however, felt no remorse; they both knew of Suri and what she had done to Coco. In fact, Suri's suffering made them feel glad.

“When I saw you walking through Canterlot,” Suri said, concluding her story, “I was astonished to see that you were safe. I only followed around because... I was just curious to see how you were doing, not uncover your changeling friends.” After Suri finished, all was quiet in the carriage. Even though Coco believed her, Fang and Chrysalis didn't. They could tell that her intent was to reveal what they really were. They were also not going to let her go because of that fact.

“I'm sorry that that happened to you,” Coco said with a frown.

“Pfft!” Suri spat. “Yeah right.” Suri shifted herself upright and looked at Coco. “I know you are laughing at me on the inside. 'Serves you right Suri! I'm glad you are suffering! It's about time karma caught up with you!'”

“No... I don't think that at all,” Coco replied.

“Yes, you are!” Suri roared, her emotions inflating. Her outburst made Chrysalis stand up from her seat, causing the shouting mare to scoot into a corner, fearing something was about to happen to her.

Noticing her movement, Coco looked to Chrysalis. “Please stop scaring her,” she pleaded.

“If I don't shut her up,” Chrysalis said, still looking at Suri with anger in her eyes, “she is going to draw unwanted attention to us.” As she spoke, Chrysalis began to inch toward Suri. Coco could see the terror on the pony's face and knew for a certainty that she was going to scream.

“Chrysalis,” Coco pleaded, “as your friend, I ask for you to not harm her and let her go.”

In an instant, Chrysalis' face was up close to Coco's. Fang had to quickly move out of the way or his queen will disregard his existence and trample him down.

It was an all too familiar scenario Fang had seen. Chrysalis would want or do something, Coco would interject, and then the queen would get into her face. Every time Chrysalis did this to her, Coco's heart would begin to race with adrenaline. Even though they are friends, the pony knew that the queen could overpower her easily and had to tread lightly. “Do you think that would be a good idea?!” the Queen hissed. “To let her go free after we have taken her by force?”

“Don't you think Suri has gone through enough suffering?” Coco asked as her eyes looked at the mare who sat glued to the corner of the carriage. “Her name has been tarnished.”

“Do you think I care?” The changeling jabbed a hoof in Suri's direction. “That mare is the reason why YOUR name was tarnished.”

“And that gives you the right to harm her even more?”

Both mares were heated, wanting to overpower the other.

“You are my friend, Coco. And as your friend, I want to show your former employer what happens when she hurt the ones I care about.” Chrysalis' statement made Suri press even harder against the wagon walls.

“And as your friend, I believe you should give Suri some mercy and a second chance. Also, she has done nothing wrong to me now. Suri has done nothing to harm me now. You saying that you want to show her what happens to those who hurt your friends is not a valid excuse. What you want to do is keep her quiet, and I will not allow you to do that.”

At that point, Chrysalis was furious with how Coco was resisting her. Coco made a good point, but again, the queen could not be found out. Chrysalis let herself calm down before even thinking of a reply. She didn't like losing her composure and wanted to speak with Coco in a more adult-like tone.

“Then let me ask you this, Coco,” the queen spoke in a blunt, yet calm tone, “why should I give Suri a second chance despite everything she had done to you?”

Coco didn't skip a beat. “Because I gave you that second chance.”

Comments

[Jirodyne]

“why should I give Suri a second chance despite everything she had done to you?”

Coco didn't skip a beat. “Because I gave you that second chance.”

Oooo. Right in the Irony. *KO* And we got a winner!

[ChrisCornflake]

6644906
Yup. That line finally made be give the story the Thumbs Up.

[FerociousCreation]

6645056 *dances internally*

[Darkus Relling]

That line is the reason why when this is done, I'm putting this in my Honored Reads folder.

[FerociousCreation]

6661345 I got the idea from the comics.

[Razzy]

6661969 Ooh, I have the return of Queen Chrysalis trade, but have yet to read it. Read jet fiendship is Magic issue and loved how she masterminded the fuck out of Twilight.

That last line, right in the irony.

Cya
Raziel-chan