2 - The Switch
“Okay, we’re almost where I hit Twilight Sparkle. We’ll stop a little bit after that, though, since we don’t want to risk running into me from a few hours ago.” Time Keeper explained as he fiddled with various levers, dials, buttons and other contraptions. Time travel seemed a terribly complex business to Chrysalis.
“And why does it matter that we don’t meet past you?” Chrysalis questioned with the borrowed voice of Twilight Sparkle. She had already taken on her disguise of the violet unicorn she was to replace.
“Because I would remember it happening if it did, but I don’t, so it didn’t so I won’t. Make sense?”
Chrysalis merely rolled her eyes in response. She could just mess with his past self’s memories if she needed to do so, it really didn’t matter if they happened to see each other, but she had no desire to argue. “Whatever. Let’s just get this over with.”
His plan was simple. They were to arrive minutes after the past Time Keeper dragged off the dead Twilight Sparkle and she was to take her place and live her life to ensure that the universe didn’t collapse in on itself and kill all life. Time Keeper would show up every now and then to check up on her and let her know about major upcoming events in history and how they needed to unfold. Yeah, very simple.
“Aaaaand there!” Time Keeper announced. “Just open the door and have you take your place and we should be good to go! Time paradox and the destruction of all space and time averted!” He slammed a button with his hoof and the door swung open. Natural light flooded from outside and the sound of voices filtered through the opening.
“I’m telling you I saw it all happen! A big, metal box crashed on top of Twilight Sparkle, then a grey pegasus stallion dragged her into the box and they just disappeared!” A frantic stallion’s voice explained.
“And this happened one hour ago?” Came a regal, motherly voice in response.
“Yes, Princess Celestia.”
Chrysalis’ eyes widened at the sound of Celestia’s voice and she flattened herself against the interior wall of the time machine. “I thought you said we’d only be a few minutes after you left!” She furiously whispered.
“If I were any good at time travel I wouldn’t need your help to begin with! We’re lucky I didn’t crush Celestia too!”
“Or myself.” Chrysalis shuddered as she remembered how he had crashed his time machine into her chambers. “Okay, what now?”
Time Keeper cautiously glanced out the door at the attending royal party. “I have an idea!”
In the air floating before the eyes of Princess Celestia, a royal guard and a unicorn noble, the time machine’s invisibility dropped as it faded into view. Moments later, a screaming Twilight Sparkle fell from it to the earth below. Following this, a grey pegasus stood proudly in the opening she had fallen from.
“Behold! It is I! Zarplat of the planet Zirc! I have finished with the primitive creature known as Twilight Sparkle! Now I must return to my—hey! What are you doing! Stop that right now!”
The entire time machine was suddenly wrapped in the golden glow of Princess Celestia’s aura and it was being dragged down to the ground with ease. When ‘Zarplat’ tried to escape inside his box, he too was wrapped in the same glow, brought down to earth and forced to lay prone in the dirt beside the dazed Twilight Sparkle.
“Twily! Are you okay?”
Chrysalis groaned. She was going to kill Time Keeper for this indignity. Wait, that voice sounded familiar...
“Shining Armor?!” She bolted upright from the shock.
“Yeah, it’s me, Twi. I’m here for you.” He attempted to soothe who he believed to be his sister, nuzzling her lovingly. It had been a long time since she had last experienced Shining Armor’s nuzzling, and she couldn’t help but smile lightly at the memories of what else she had done with him.
While the two siblings were reuniting, Celestia towered imposingly over the pegasus that had kidnapped her favourite student.
“I don’t know who you are, or why you have done what you have, but I will find out. Nopony hurts my little ponies.” Her voice was cold as ice and hard as steel. Her glare could bring the strongest of stallions to their knees. The bravest of warriors would balk at the magical power crackling from her horn. Time Keeper was neither of those. He curled into a ball and quaked in abject terror.
Under different circumstances, Chrysalis would have loved to see that little fool suffering through cold blooded torture beyond his abilities to imagine. She would have gladly done it herself, but if he revealed the truth of the situation to Celestia then her cover would be blown, her chance to shape history in her favour would be ruined, and if what the insufferable insect said was true, then the entire universe would end too. At least they had had the foresight to remove Twilight's corpse from the machine and left it inside Chrysalis' chambers. With tremendous regret, she tore herself from the love that Shining Armor was unwittingly providing her to save Time Keeper.
“Princess, please don’t hurt him!”
“This is none of your concern, Twilight.” Celestia sternly informed her, not even taking the time to look away from the cowering stallion before her.
“I don’t give a damn what you think is or is not my business! I’m the one he wronged in this situation and I demand he shouldn’t be treated like this!”
All assembled ponies, minus one terrified Time Keeper, stared in shock at the young unicorn. Never before had she ever dared to speak out against her mentor, let alone with such determination and profanity. Only the snoring of a small, baby dragon filled the uncomfortable silence.
“I think I should go.” The noble stated nervously as he snuck off.
Suddenly apprehensive, Chrysalis began to wither under the combined gazes of Princess Celestia and the captain of the royal guard. Had she gone too far? She swallowed a lump that had developed in her throat. It was time for damage control.
“I...I’m sorry, Princess. I didn’t mean...” She groveled before the alicorn that she knew could easily tear her in two.
“No...no, it’s quite alright, my faithful student. I should not have ignored you on this matter. As you say, you are the wronged party and I should take your opinion on the matter into account. What would you have done with him?”
“Ummm...let him go?”
Celestia shook her head gently at the request. “While I admire your kindness Twilight, and may provide some leniency, I cannot do as you request. Even if you feel he has not caused you sufficient harm to justify punishment, he still abducted you, harmed Spike and caused considerable damage to this area. Additionally, we do not know how he did so or what this metal box of his really is. Until I can be sure he is not a threat to my subjects, I cannot let him go.”
“Oh. Of course, I understand.” Chrysalis more than understood. In Celestia’s place she would have likely had the stallion executed. “Just go easy on him for me.”
Celestia smiled warmly at her beloved pupil. “Of course, Twilight. I shall ensure he comes to no harm unless absolutely necessary. Captain Armor!”
“Yes, Princess?” Shining Armor saluted his monarch.
“Take this stallion to the dungeons. Do not harm him so long as he doesn’t attempt to cause any trouble.”
“Yes, Princess.” He gave another salute then took Time Keeper in his own magical aura and cantered off with his terrified prisoner in tow.
After watching the pair disappear around a corner, Princess Celestia turned back towards the disguised changeling in her presence. Chrysalis had also been watching the two leave, filled with trepidation over what would happen if their prisoner actually talked.
“Now, with that unpleasantness dealt with, let’s see about getting you to Ponyville to prepare for the Summer Sun Celebration.”
"Wait, what?” Chrysalis snapped out of her thoughts. Was Celestia choosing to not have her prepare for the upcoming disaster because of what had just happened? "What about Nightmare Moon? Shouldn’t I be dealing with her?"
Celestia chuckled. “Still going on about dusty old prophecies? Don’t worry about it. Just go and make some friends and it’ll be okay.”
Chrysalis opened her mouth to argue, but quickly shut it when it sank in just what Celestia meant.
“Yes, Princess.” She acquiesced.
She may not have been intimately familiar with the events surrounding Nightmare Moon’s return and her subsequent defeat, but she knew it required the elements of harmony and Twilight's friends to bear them. It was too bad that Time Keeper had yet to actually tell her the specifics, but she figured she could probably wing it. All she had to do was trick the element bearers into being her friends, and find their gaudy jewellery weapons. How hard could it be?
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problem is this is going to fail right away. Chrysalis couldn't even pull off Cadence so no way Being Twilight. And due he has a freaking time machine he can go back or forwards enough to undo it.
This concept has potential. I shall see where it leads...
Oh my, this looks good.
Well, that went well.
I'm looking forward to more of this.
7476580
Realistically? Probably true. She does have the benefit of being in Ponyville where the only one who knows Twilight is Spike, though...except for Lyra I suppose. But considering they had literally no interaction to the point of Twilight not even realizing she was living in Ponyville, I don't think that'll be a big problem. Even with that, it seems unlikely she wouldn't seriously mess things up.
I'm fond of the theory that Chrysalis, when disguised as Cadance, was purposely getting it wrong in front of Twilight specifically to discredit her so that she would become at odds with her friends. If she and her friends aren't getting along, then the elements of harmony aren't supposed to work (they're not in harmony, see?), which would obviously be something she wanted. Additionally, if she got her fighting with her friends and banished from the wedding by her brother, it's likely that people wouldn't think it odd if she's not around after Chrysalis captured her (which they didn't). That of course doesn't excuse putting her into the same 'prison' as Cadance which also happened to be relatively easily escaped, but what can you do? Is that what the creators' intents were with the episode? Probably not, but it's a theory I like regardless.
As for just being able to go back and forth in time to fix his mistakes...well, I already established that he found he couldn't go back in time to save Twilight Sparkle after he killed her. He also is pretty bad at travelling through time in general, pretty well running the risk of ruining things even further with every trip due to how clumsy he is at it. Even ignoring that, Celestia has just confiscated the time machine from him, he doesn't actually have it right now.
7477204 Sorry but the whole perpousingly being a bad Cadance just doesn't jive with me. Her plan would have worked if she never had Twilight and Cadence meet. Cadence would still be imprisoned and thus unable to shield blast the Changelings.
I have been reading another story named Twilight Facade where somepony has to pull of being Twilight and in that one the character pulls it off enough and since had no history of bad impressions it is working.
Plus Wouldn't Spike be dead to if he hit their chariot.
Admit an interesting idea but not workable.
7477215
No history of bad impressions because he has no history of impersonating anybody at all. Additionally, his attitude is completely different from Twilight's (hates magic and doesn't know how to use magic, really angry, violent, not big on reading if I recall, bigger on physical fitness, zero knowledge of Equestria, etc) and he wasn't even trying to pretend to be the way she actually was (partly because he doesn't know anything at all about Twilight's life, which is something Chrysalis has an advantage with). Honestly, to be realistic he shouldn't have been able to pull it off, either, but the story is still going strong regardless. The only reason he hadn't been discovered was because he wasn't around anybody that knew Twilight except Spike, and he knew almost from the start that something was wrong. He eventually grows into a half ways decent imitation (still way off, but helped by others assuming she's just changing as she grows up in a new environment) after a considerable time lapse, but even then it's only good enough to fool those who know Twilight properly in short bursts.
It doesn't matter, though, you are by no means required to like, read or even think this story is viable. I appreciate you taking the time to comment and critique. Thanks, and I hope you find a story that works a little better for you.
7477242 That story might be one of yours. You almost had me with this one just didn't click right. It is certianly not the worse story idea I have ever heard of on this site.
This is so beautiful.
Well this looks interesting. Good luck to Chrysalis. Might be kind of amusing to see her trying to make friend with the others when she's not very used to it.
And with that last line she has damned herself...
"how hard could it be?"
Careful Chrysalis, those are famous last words!
Isn't this just creating another paradox? If these memories are allowed to remain, then Celestia would recognize the time machines when they are being made. Unless Celestia is dead in Keeper's time, but that doesn't mean the information has to die. This could mean that Time Keeper's Celestia knows about Twilight being "abducted", looks into it, and finds out she was killed instead.
I am interested in what happens to a changeling going through the alicornification process. This story just might make it there for me to see someone's interpretation.
yes, a classic paradox problem.
I like your characterization of Chrysalis. Having her do something like tell Celestia off on instinct helps drive home how difficult this impersonation will be.
7477204
Personally, I'm fond of the theory that Chrysalis' impersonation of Cadance was almost accurate* to the way she would act while under the stress of organizing a huge royal wedding and Twilight's nostalgia and rose-colored memories were the reason she thought things didn't match up. That and a little bit of resentment over not being notified sooner putting her in a mindset to look for something wrong with the situation. Remember, she was ranting about how this "Princess Cadenza" was clearly terrible before meeting her.
Because, Twilight's sole evidence that Cadance is 'evil' (she never accused her of being an imposter, just evil) is that she
A) snubbed Twilight a bit when they first met
B) politely complimented Applejack on her food, but didn't eat it
C) Was demanding about her wedding dress (but less demanding than the main characters were about their gala dresses in Suited for Success)
D) Called Pinkie Pie's party childish (which it was) in a somewhat rude fashion
and
E) Cast an unidentified spell on her brother (if she recognized it as mind-control, she would have said so)
*With the exception of not doing the weird ladybug dance thing, which, since the real Cadance hadn't done it in years, someone studying her would have no chance to observe.
YYyyyeeeeaaaaaahhhhh, I'm not liking this plot. There are plotholes all over the place.
I love how Time Keeper is obviously wrong about the universe being destroyed because if that were the case it would have been destroyed by the displacement of matter the presense of the time machine creates in the first place. Logic!
...Would the Elements actually accept faux-Twilight as a Bearer? Seriously, Chrysalis isn't as...altruistic? Friendly? as the now-dead Twilight, something the Elements seem to require from their Bearers.
8506780
True, but at this point in history Twilight’s only friends were Shining Armor, Cadance, and Spike. So Chrysalis is just as inept at friendship as Twilight was in that point of history.
8506780
Uhm…..Good point, but....
the most detail of the Elements is in the S2 opening Return of Harmony
Twilight tries to use the Elements with Spike taking Rainbow's place.
They worked even if the rainbow died of The Punies.
This clearly shows that ANYONE of good will can use the Elements.
IMO, it was so weak because how well it works depends on
1) How well do the Bearers match their Element?
2) How close is their friendship?
In the first attempt, the answer to both question is "Not very -ING much"
& so it was VERY weak but it worked
IMO, it's plausible that Chrysalis can make it work & at least possible
that she can make it work well enough.
9545954
In particular, Magic doesn't give a gorram about your moral state of being, it only cares about mystical aptitude. 'tis why the thing was hidden behind that epiphany-of-friendship enchantment. So as long as Chrysalis can manage that realization at the proper time and place, she's free and clear to wield Magic.
Of course, actually channeling Harmony, that's an entirely different question.
9546466
There was some line about, "When the five are together a 'spark' will reveal the sixth."
I believe that anyone can wield the Element of Magic, as long as they are sparkly enough.
9833614
Spark, if you listen poorly enough, sounds like Spike. Maybe you just need Spike?
8167187
I'm pretty sure greater forces than molecules being quantum teleported occur in the universe all the time. (suns doing what they usually do, asteroids hitting stuff, supernovas) that kinda stuff.
9865384
Black Holes.
Suddenly getting real Quantum Leap vibe, with Time Keeper in Al’s role.
Also, he’s a worse driver than the Doctor. BTW, I was pleasantly surprised the box mentioned in the description wasn’t the TARDIS.
*Laughs wildly* "Oh dear Chrissy, you have NO idea!" *Laughs more*
7476580
she could pull off being scared? she could make up a story that she has brain damage from being crushed and "saved" and rebuilt by aliens. and when you think about past twilight was kind of a a dick until she got the be part of the mane 6
10833886
The Mane 6 aren't any better. Rainbow Dash being the worst in my opinion.
If only you know the half of it chrysalis