“… So, what are you reading now?” Chrysalis asked.
“The same thing I was reading the last five times you asked,” Tirek said, flipping another page. “Either an oddly informative cook book, or the rather strange diary of a pony who has a strange desire to camp.”
“What’s wrong with camping?” Chrysalis asked.
“It is the sign of a diseased mind,” Tirek said. “Why would you desire to go out when you have a perfectly good home with amenities? Camping should only be done when there is no other choice. I would expect you, a self-proclaimed queen, to understand this.”
Chrysalis sighed and just continued to rest her head on her hooves. Annoying. She counted the bars of her cell for the ten thousandth time before speaking once more. “So, what are you reading now?”
Tirek gave a sigh. “Same as the last five times you asked. You do realize if you desired you could always ask the bard to have some reading material brought to you as well.”
“I would sooner die of starvation than ask that PONY for ANYTHING!” Chrysalis roared, standing up on all four hooves. “I am a queen, I do not ‘ask’! I demand!”
“I can see that,” Tirek said, not even glancing up from his book.
“To imagine, the once great ‘Lord Tirek’ begging for reading material from mere ponies!” Chrysalis yelled.
“It is that or sleep,” Tirek said dismissively. “There’s also a large distance between asking and begging. As for books, well, they can be fascinating.” A wicked grin formed on his lips before he closed his book and picked up a different one. “This one, for example, is about a strange magical realm where ponies and griffons have swapped their positions in lives, more or less. It gives a lot of insight into how ponies see griffons. It kept me entertained for hours.” He grinned even more when he saw her eyes latch hungrily onto it. “Tell me, ‘Queen’ Chrysalis. Can you ask?”
“A queen NEVER asks,” Chrysalis said.
Tirek shrugged and dropped it back onto the pile. “Very well.” He picked up his book again and opened it.
After a few minutes she asked yet again. “What are you reading now?”
Tirek gave a soft sigh. “Very well, queens do not ask. But perhaps we could make a trade. Queens trade, do they not?”
Chrysalis’ eyes narrowed. “Perhaps. What is it you desired? You cannot have my magic!”
Tirek gave a light snort and eyed her. As if she had much magic to give now. “No, what I desire is simple. The truth.”
“From a changeling?” Chrysalis asked with a laugh. “That’s a valuable commodity indeed.”
“This book is part of a three part series,” Tirek said. “And I have all three.”
Chrysalis was silent for a long while before she finally spoke up once more. “Very well, truth then. For all three. What truth is it you desire to know? Because no, those bars do not make your muscles look big.”
“That story you told the bard,” Tirek said. “About your origins. Is it true?”
Chrysalis was silent for a long time before, finally, giving a sigh. “Parts of it, I suppose.”
“Only parts of it?” Tirek asked. “Come now. There must be more to it than that.”
“I am… not… certain," Chrysalis said gently.
“Birthed from a dead tree in a cursed watering hole?” Tirek asked. “I’ve never heard of magic such as that.”
Chrysalis glanced around before looking to him. “I will sate your curiosity, but only for your vow that these words never leave this prison. That obnoxious earth pony will never know. Agreed?”
Tirek gave a light snort. “Very well, for as much as my word is worth, I give it.”
“Good,” Chrysalis said. “I am truly uncertain. I know a spell, a very specific spell. I require a symbol of the creature, a piece of them such as a hair or a few drops of blood, and an image. With those three, I can use a tree and make copies of them.”
“Oh?” Tirek asked. “Fascinating. I’ve never heard of such magic.”
“Neither have I,” Chrysalis said. “Yet, it is a spell I know. The first spell I knew. I… often wondered if that was the true nature of my birth. If I was a copy, a poorly done one of something. One of these ponies. Perhaps one who could change their form. Or perhaps something else entirely, a spell done wrong. I will likely never know.” For the moment, the queen sounded sad, digging her head into her hooves. “The lands I awoke in were foul and twisted. The spring’s water was like poison to most creatures, but not me.”
“And your first hive?” Tirek asked. “Did it spring from the tree with you?”
Chrysalis cringed. “They… came later. I was confused, disoriented. The place I was in was… strange. I was nearly eaten by many of the plants there. By the creatures of the darkness. But… I did… eventually meet a creature that wasn’t quite so dangerous.” She licked her lips. “A most delicious creature. One that gave me my first taste of love and fed me so superbly.”
“A pony?” Tirek asked.
“Ha, no,” Chrysalis said. “Something else entirely. A kirin, a creature with scales and a multi-faceted horn. Entirely different from a disgusting pony.”
Tirek gave a light snort. “Of course. From there?”
“I killed them,” Chrysalis said with a prideful snort before rising up again, a grin on her lips. “They gave me love and I gorged upon it. As only a queen can. I was powerful, I was mighty. I was--”
“Alone?” Tirek asked.
Chrysalis froze and then collapsed once more. “Very well. The truth? It was an accident. I… did not understand. I was so hungry. For the first time I had a true meal. I don’t think the creature fully understood what I was doing. I certainly didn’t. Before long, they were gone and I was alone again. When the other kirin discovered what I had done, they were afraid of me. They drove me off. I… learned then. The importance of preserving one’s meals for later. Ensuring that I could feed a second time. I got better, though. With new strength I found new ways to gather love. To steal it. When I truly gorged, when I was at my fullest? My body glowing with the love of those I had drained and taken from? I created my first hive.” She gave a light chuckle. “That was… I was incredibly naive. I didn’t understand what I was doing. I thought they would be like me. Strong. Powerful. They were… not so.”
Tirek nodded. “I see. They didn’t last long, I take it?”
“No,” Chrysalis said. “Not even a few years. The first hive… starved. I was weak. Naive. I believed we would be powerful together. It was the smallest hive, only a dozen or so. But each and every one of them I had known. Had known me. Alas, there was not enough love to feed us all. The hive died, I continued. I learned from this mistake, however. Love is powerful, but must be carefully managed lest it run out. Preserved. The individual members of the hive do not matter, only the survival of the hive, and me as its queen, does. Most importantly, though… changelings do not love. We can feel many things. Hatred, anger, sadness, we can even… tolerate some things. But we do not love.” She gave a small smirk. “We do, however, learn.”
“So that story you told the bard?” Tirek asked.
“It is how I would like it to be remembered,” Chrysalis said. “A cursed tree in a tainted spring, born from the wounds inflicted by some great pony magician of the past. Is it not a fitting origin for an evil Queen such as I? Far better than a small changeling waking up inside a strange swamp and stumbling about in confusion like a drunk duck of some sort. Likely crafted from some failed spell.”
“Perhaps,” Tirek said. He then picked up the books he had promised her and walked to the edge of his cage, reaching out to rest them on the ground and then sliding them over to her. “I prefer the cursed tree version as well.”
“Oh?” Chrysalis asked.
“After all,” Tirek said before walking back to his bed. “Queen of the Changelings should have a fitting story. Born from a cursed tree has a nicer ring to it. I would love to know more of that spell of yours, one day. Making copies of a creature must be incredibly useful.”
“Less than you’d think,” Chrysalis said. “They can be delicate. And oddly prone to betrayal. You’d think most creatures would be loyal to their creator. But I suppose betrayal is something most creatures are prone to, are they not?”
Tirek gave a soft sigh. “Isn’t that the truth?” he asked before reaching up to lightly adjust the medallion around his throat.
“Ah, correct,” Chrysalis said. “Your brother betrayed you, didn’t he?”
“So you heard?” Tirek asked.
“I make it a habit to make notice of all creatures that can be useful as an ally or a dangerous foe to me, Lord Tirek,” Chrysalis said. “Besides, at one point I had considered you a possible target.”
Tirek gave a light snort. “Ah, that would have been a waste of your time, Queen Chrysalis. There was little love between me and my family. Even in the off chance you did manage to defeat me, you would have starved.”
Chrysalis gave a light snort. “Truly? Well, then perhaps it was wise I never tried you. Perhaps your brother or even father. Rulers are often loved by their people.”
“Very well,” Tirek said with an amused chuckle. “If we ever do manage to leave this place, perhaps I will even aid you in attempting to dethrone my father. You could hardly be a worse king than that pathetic old fool.”
“I take it you two never did get along, then?” Chrysalis asked. “Surely there must have been somebody in your home who loved you?”
“I thought there was, once,” Tirek said. He motioned to his medallion. “My brother. But we both know how that ended.”
“It seems you and I aren’t altogether that different then, Lord Tirek,” Chrysalis said before reaching out through the bars to slide the books towards herself.
“Oh? And how so?” Tirek asked.
“Neither of us ever needed anyone but ourselves,” Chrysalis said. “You believed you did and they cut your legs out from under you the moment they could. And I? Well… I created that which can never betray me.”
Tirek gave another light chuckle. “I see. I cannot deny, there is some appeal in such magic. Had I been able to… create loyal subjects, perhaps in the end I wouldn’t have been found out by those princesses.”
“Perhaps, when the time comes, I may be willing to create some minions for you,” Chrysalis said. “Assuming, of course, you could teach me that spell of yours. Being able to take the magic of others directly? Why, it sounds so very useful.”
Tirek gave a low, rumbling laugh. “Thankfully, such things are impossible. Were they, I would have likely been murdered by her royal lunar tantrum maker long ago. Us centaurs are… not quite as powerful in the field of magic as the unicorns of this world, myself excluded. But absorbing the magical abilities of others is something we can do. It is quite difficult, however, and took me years to learn to wield.”
“A shame, that,” Chrysalis said. “It must eat you up inside, knowing that the very ponies who you once wished to absorb power from are instead using your own powers to feed their own.”
“Not particularly,” Tirek said. “If anything, I am impressed. Nightmare Moon has proved to be a far more powerful ruler than Celestia ever was. Were she to have ruled alone when I came here, perhaps I would have found her to be a comrade rather than another fool to eventually absorb.”
“Oh? You would have allied with her?” Chrysalis asked.
“For a time,” Tirek said before his grin grew. “Until, of course, I was strong enough to take her power for myself.”
Chrysalis gave a light chuckle before nodding. “That is one of the things I find tolerable about you, Lord Tirek. You, at least, understand what truly matters. Power. Control. The ability to take whatever it is you desire.”
“Indeed,” Tirek said before a finger stroked along his medallion. “I do wonder if, perhaps, I have been looking at things in the wrong way.”
“Oh?” Chrysalis asked.
“Love,” Tirek said. “I always believed it a foolish, pathetic emotion. Meaningless. But if you changelings are able to absorb it in such a manner and gain such incredible power? Perhaps it is worth considering as another tool.”
“What, you wish to fall in love?” Chrysalis asked.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Tirek said before rolling his eyes. “The ponies are powerful. Far, far more powerful than they should be. Perhaps they, like your changelings, use ‘love’ as a fuel source. Perhaps that is where their great ‘power’ comes from.”
Chrysalis paused, tapping a hoof on her chin. “Perhaps. The love Equestria once had was tremendous. It could have fed my hive for generations. Allowing us to search this world for a new power. In some cases love can be strong enough to even rival an alicorn’s power. Perhaps if you could find a way to tap into such things it would allow you to break these bonds holding you captive.”
Tirek gave a small smirk before nodding. “Perhaps. Unless it is something else. It can apparently bend even the will of a dragon.”
Chrysalis’ eyes went wide. “What? A dragon doesn’t have LOVE. Impossible!”
“Perhaps,” Tirek said. “But a dragon only craves power and riches, as well. Yet the ponies have created one that seems to have… care for others and willingly gives away his riches.”
Chrysalis gave a light shudder. “They are… far more formidable, then, than even I had dreamed.”
“Indeed they are,” Tirek said. “But I am beginning to think that it will be… possible to find the source of their power.”
“Oh?” Chrysalis asked. “And how is that?”
“Twilight Glow,” Tirek said. “Her highness’ precious bard.”
“Ugh,” Chrysalis said. “I loathe her. She acts so weak and pathetic. But that pony holds no mercy. Nothing more than an act.”
“Indeed,” Tirek said. “She did manage to stop your invasion, single hoofed, did she not?”
“She cheated!” Chrysalis said furiously. “She called for Nightmare Moon before I could absorb enough of her power.”
“Exactly,” Tirek said, giving her a knowing smile.
“I don’t get it,” Chrysalis said, staring at him in confusion.
“A mere earth pony,” Tirek said. “Yet she had Nightmare Moon at her beck and call. Has managed to stop your invasion, bend a dragon to her whims, stop the chaos of Discord and bring an end to the Umbrum.”
“Those are all Nightmare Moon’s doing,” Chrysalis said, though she sounded uncertain.
“But are they truly?” Tirek asked. “After all, I’d imagine a changeling of all creatures must see the advantages of not being… open with your power.”
Chrysalis opened her mouth to object, only to pause after a moment. “She… did disappear when I chased her into that room. No earth pony should have been able to do such. Not to mention she… oh. Oh that clever pony. Wait. MY HIVE! If she is truly so powerful, what does she desire of my hive? Does she believe she can turn them against me?! Impossible!”
“Of course,” Tirek said. “Impossible, perhaps. But she doesn’t need to know that. More importantly… you may wish to start being more subtle with your distaste.”
“Oh?” Chrysalis asked.
“There is an opportunity here,” Tirek said. “If a pony like that is capable of bending the wills of others so well…”
“She will not bend mine!” Chrysalis roared.
“Yet, if she believes she has?” Tirek asked with a small smirk. “After all. Discord is out there, free to do as he pleases. While you and I…”
“Are here,” Chrysalis said, a hoof tapping her chin. Slowly, a grin formed on her lips. “Oh, Lord Tirek. You truly are a clever one, aren’t you? Perhaps you are right. This… bard… may be the key after all. Should we eventually gain our freedom… perhaps the two of us should form an alliance of our own.”
Tirek gave her a small smirk before looking back to his book. “Perhaps.” Though, despite his words… he still felt oddly uneasy. Not about Chrysalis, no. She was easily dealt with and didn’t frighten him.
There certainly was a powerful magic here. If Chrysalis knew that dragon’s couldn’t feel love, well, she would be the one to know. There had to be an even greater threat from these ponies that even he didn’t yet recognize. One that even Discord feared. Beyond magic, power, love.
He would discover it. Somehow. He would understand it. Eventually, he would even harness it. Though, a part of him feared that the cost of harnessing it would be far worse than he ever imagined. Would he have to learn to… ugh… actually care for these ponies? He’d already aided one once on a whim. Would that become… common?
Ah, mental gymnastics of the evil, truly an Olympic event to witness! Thank you for the words good author!
Foreshadowing perhaps? In Tirek's quest for power and constantly having to talk and rely on ponies he may develop a soft spot for them. And even realize they're not so bad, with Chrysalis along for the ride
But ... But ...
<Ahem>
Thank you for your generosity, of sharing your ideas on paper, and your time in doing so. It is very appreciated, and we are honored that you have shared your time with us in this manner.
OK, time to apply the "methods of rationality" reading behind the lines here.
Hmm. So, a cook book ... perhaps a collection of potion recipes?
So, what I see is:
1. Acceptance of what is, rather than insisting that things be different. This is a very good life viewpoint, and one I'm having trouble with.
2. A search for knowledge. The willingness to ask for knowledge. The willingness to take advantage of someone else (Twilight) who wants to share knowledge.
This. Even in canon. Brightly colored prey in a world of predators is screaming "Stay away, I am here". Usually it's poison, or something. So what is it with them?
Teamwork.
Not love. Teamwork.
Prior to friendship, the underlying core, is working together.
Dragons, griffons -- everyone else that we see, operates from "what's in it for me". Ponies operate from "What's in it for us".
Even when Cozy Glow manages to "destroy friendship", does she turn ponies into "Save myself"? No, "Save our tribe". Even she cannot get rid of the "us" factor, she can only shrink it down a little.
Well ... Chryssie revealed a *lot*, without intending to. So dragons in this world normally are unable to have love, even for their family? Even between Torch and Ember? Only respect?
What is beyond power of the individual, the magical ability of your spells and gear, and even beyond the love that ponies can put into a loveless species? And can ponies put love into changelings?
Tirek got a *lot* of information, for just three books and a kind word.
More importantly, he knows that if he seeks power, it may change him, and he's OK with that. There's no better example of "Rational Tom" than that -- if you seek a great power, do not complain when you get it.
Ooo, I like your theory about Chrysalis’s origins! I never connected the similarity of her odd wood replicator spell with her comic book tree origins! And it’s interesting to see hints of the loneliness Chrysalis has dealt with all her life and likely developed part of her hard, cruel shell to block out. Tirek still has skme bad habits to shake, but at least he’s opening up to the idea that learning how to love might actually be useful. That’s the crack in the door to a further redemption arc >:D
11529015
And lets not forget ponies are just upsetting discord lately... yet he likes glow for some reason I think he knows she was ment to be a unicorn/alicorn
11529011
I enjoyed reading your insights! I definitely think that Chrysalis is an unreliable narrator when it comes to things like knowing whether dragons can love; after all, she thinks Changelings can't love, either. And I like the concept of Tirek still wanting power but being willing to accept that it might change him for the "better."
11528674
Fixed, thankies.
11528723
Thankies. :) Was a lot of fun. In the end, not a EG story, but I did wanna give a pretty clear showing of what steps Sunset had to take to get her redemption in this reality.
11528760
Yeah, Nightmare Moon had a... long night. It didn't help that the court session had been... incredibly... boring and tedious. But once it was figured out that she couldn't just deal with them, she figured Moondancer had it handled. That, or later she'd get a chance to have 'fun'. Either way, she'd had a long night and wanted to sleeps.
11528550
You have quite a few good theories I cannot spoil, but you're on the right path.
11528953
Yeah, Twilight could write a book on them at this point. Sometimes we all struggle to find ourselves in the end, Tirek is just... struggling more than some.
11528964
Hasn't happened here... yet. :P All I can say to all three. But he knows she's capable if anypony is...
11528967
Tirek will always be Tirek in the end... no cost too great in his pursuit of power... even... *shudder*... friendship.
11528979
Trust me, it's all worth it. Reading all the theories and everything makes my day. ^^ I don't wanna spoil things, but I do read them all.
11529011
Yeah, Tirek is still... struggling to find out what he wants. How he wants it. There's... things here he doesn't comprehend entirely. He's just trying to fully grasp them and understand the costs of it.
11529015
Yup. I was actually watching that episode recently for some reason and then had to pause for a moment to go through the comic. It oddly... fits... that the two are connected.
11529146
I don't even know how I'd DO Cozy Glow in this story. She was like... a filly. Is she older than the CMC? Younger? Has she even been born at the start of the series? Can she walk considering its still been years until her first appearance? Not to mention she wasn't even around when I started this. If she pops in I can't say I know when or how.
11529829
Yuuuup. Chrysalis is an unreliable narrator in... pretty much anything. What she says, what she does... what she believes. It's alllll up to, well... in the end, how she sees things.
As an aside to all: While I am altering/playing fast and loose at times with the elements/what they mean, I do agree that when the story finishes I will show everyone how it all ties in. And you can all see my insane interpretation.
Black Mage explains the power of love
Careful there, Tirek. You might not like what's on the other side of weaponizing the power of love.
So, I marathoned the story and I am supriced how the story is altered not through Twilight but in fact Nightmare Moon. You treated the universe as a big canvas and not a contained bubble.
Overall, Twilight beeing an Earth Pony was always a great concept to me scince she was always defeating her foes with intelect while any villian got to be more magicly powerful than her on principle. I personally expected more engineering and tools considering everything but more PHDs, Books and a mean punch does fit everything in its own way.
What I am most supriced is that the Elements of Harmony seem like they attuned to Twilight along with villians to reform. I'd say it will be less a laser weapon solution and more inward healing of the users with the wider Equestria. Elements changing shape does need to suggest more.
Overall, a solid 9.8/10. More Twilight engineering and I'd be completely sold. There was only that moment with the sunlamp but Moondancer was in it too so meh.
11532703
Twilight was *always* about reforming villains, and solving friendship problems. The only time in the entire series when she wasn't? The pony of Shadows, and it took Starlight's willingness to do self-sacrifice to get Twilight to take another look, and find ... a friendship problem and an opportunity for another chance.
She offered a hoof of friendship to Chrysalis, Discord, Tirek, heck, even in season 9, wasn't she trying to get them to reform?
11533394
Not what I meant. Twilight starts off as a magic learnling that focuses hard on her studies, sometimes relapsing into that old persona and having manic episodes. Here it's very different. Twilight faces circles of guilt and is imprisoned with a self-imposed duty. She is purely book-nerding without branching into magic that much and is disintrested with any grand resonsibilities from somebody (Celestia) instead furfilling the goal of acheiving stability. One might argue how much of it is a change of internal character versus growing to a situation but I'd argue it's the former in this case.
Wow, this was a great read. It took a while but was really worth it. I can't wait to read the rest when it comes out.
Wonderful updates!
I love the dialogue between two heartless beings debating the value of love.
I know Tirek isn't a good guy, but he is at least valuing the potential benefits of love. Progress?