Chapter 11
A cloaked figure made her way through the night, the soft crunching of the gravel beneath her misshapen hooves the only companion Chrysalis has.
Well, that and her thoughts.
In the past 50 years, Chrysalis had matured into a fully grown Changeling Queen, her hive beginning to prosper. Due in no small part to the donations she was getting from Luna.
The changeling's thoughts turn sour again as she remembers the bad news she bears, her latest experimental batch was a failure, the structure of her praetorian guard is far too bulky, requiring too much love to maintain, of the few hundred she birthed, only four survived to maturity.
She cursed under her breath as she makes her way to the meeting point Luna gave her, her dread only growing as she thinks about how the Dark Alicorn will take her news, if anything these past few years Luna seemed a bit...unstable.
Pushing her way through some bushes she finds her quarry sitting on a cliff overlooking a small village, her wings are spread wide behind her, framing the moon before her perfectly.
The stunning sight is enough to make Chrysalis' breath catch, stopping abruptly to view Luna's form.
Blinking and shaking off her distraction Chrysalis moves up, and takes a seat next to Luna, following Luna's gaze, her emerald eyes fall upon a singular house on the outskirts. Chrysalis' mouth opens to deliver her excuses only to find it abruptly shut before any words emerge, a glowing blue aura wrapped around her head.
Chrysalis' gulps, with a single flick of magic the alicorn could snap her neck like this. The Queen holds perfectly still, her mind racing. Does she know? has she been spying on me the whole time? around and around in a spiral Chrysalis questions the many faulty steps that lead to this moment.
"Calm yourself, changeling, your breathing is growing frantic, I simply wish to listen." The Alicorn's magic releases the queen's head. "A new experiment is about to be complete- Ah, our other guest has arrived." Turning her head slightly to the right The alicorn's eyes bore into a shadow behind a tree. Good to meet you Crimson C-" When the figure she's looking at steps away from the shadow she realizes that the figure is female. Rising to her full height.
"Crimson Knife. Why is it that you show up when I asked for your husband? Where is Crimson Court."
Chrysalis looks at the newcomer, Glowing red eyes stare at both of them, flicking toward Chrysalis' as if sizing her up. A pair of fangs similar to Luna's poke over her bottom lip. Her coat is ashen and bland unlike other ponies she has seen, a horn upon her head marking her as a unicorn.
"I'm afraid my husband will not be joining us tonight. We had a rather...large disagreement about his latest project, So he's going to spend a little while...staked to our bed."
Staked? what on earth does that mean? Before Chrysalis can even ask Luna's voice roared. "You best explain yourself Knife or I shall bind you and drag you into my sisters light myself." Standing above the odd unicorn staring her down, the weird ponies confidence fading fast.
"Wait! I caught him planning something alone." The unicorn is holding her hooves up, pleading with the Alicorn. "He tried to convince me to abandon your chosen path, but I'm always going to be faithful to you my queen!"
They stare at each other for a long moment before a loud scream pierces the night, followed closely by a howl.
"Our business is not over Crimson Knife. For now, observe the newest addition to our army."
Luna's gaze shifted down to the village below, a house on the outskirts of the town swarming with commotion. A Thickly furred shape running from the house. A heavy weight settled into chrysalis' abdomen, a thick feeling of dread filling the air.
Shortly after the shape fled into the forest, Luna gracefully flies down from above, framed perfectly in the moonlight as she lands next to the dark shape. Chrysalis followed her closely, getting a good look at the creature before her.
Clawed paws dig into the ground, white canines flashing in the moonlight. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be a wolf....though this one is far bigger. Lighting up her horn to fill the area with soft light chrysalis frowns.
Since when did wolves have pink fur? The changeling was beginning to feel like she was missing a crucial piece of a puzzle, a haze of frustration filling her as she tried to make sense of what was happening.
"Come little one, there is nowhere for you to go now. Those ponies won't understand what's happened to you." The wolf growls at Luna but the alicorn simply smiles at the creature. An almost motherly glow coming from the alicorn.
"Now now, don't be that way. I know the urge is strong, but surely you can tell I'm much stronger than you." A Soft whine comes from the wolf as it slumps to the ground, glancing back toward the city one last time before bowing its head to Luna.
"Perfect. Crimson, Chrysalis, meet the newest part of our army. And... A declaration of war toward my sister." Everyone just looked at Luna questioningly, waiting for her to explain.
Luna's laughter fills the forest as she begins walking deeper into the forest. "All in good time, my children of the night."
~~~~~
Celestia stands in front of a glass window, looking on at The pony strapped to the bed. Flanking on her left and right are two ponies holding clipboards.
"We've yet to determine what causes the disease, your highness." The alicorn's gaze is locked upon the pony inside the other room, watching as he screams and hurls any loose items at a doctor trying to get some readings.
"We know you've been following this disease's progress for decades, but...we've yet to find a readily available cure."
Biting her lip Celestia held back yet another curse upon Chaos for doing this to her ponies. "Updates? Has the fatality rate dropped at all."
The pony to her right's ears folded closer to her head. "I'm afraid not. It's still holding steady at 95%. The ponies who survive have no connection to cutie mark, blood relation, or even political views. As far as we can tell..."
Celestia sighs. "Survival is completely random." A golden glow begins filling the room, The white Alicorn's horn beginning to glow as a powerful blast of Light shatters the glass and slams into the pony on the other side. the pony cries out in pain, his body being pinned to the wall opposite Celestia.
Celestia's Eyes are locked upon the pony's form, watching as his grey coat slowly regains color. right before the process finishes the pony slumps, growing limp as the color fades from him once again.
Biting her lip Celestia lets the pony's limp body hit the ground, the spell slowly fading, the three doctors looking at her in shock. In a low voice, Celestia said one word. "Leave me." The deadly seriousness in her tone made all other activities stop.
The shock of what Celestia just did slowly fading the ponies rush toward the two separate doorways, only to collapse to the ground a moment later.
Celestia feels a cold wave wash over her body, her form wavering for a moment as she feels a familiar sensation.
She had to move quickly, lighting her horn she envelops the doctors around her in a golden barrier, her own pulse beginning to slow in the meantime. Darkness began to fill her vision, she ignored it as she finished the spell on her ponies.
Only once the others are safe does she turn her attention to herself, stabilizing her body right as she begins to hear a faint clop of hooves slowly approaching a nearby doorway.
Each step fills her with cold, even her protections are not enough to fully stop the chill she's feeling. When a familiar skeletal form finally enters the doorway.
The hunched alicorn leans down and inspects the glowing ponies at his feet, reaching a hoof closer to them, only to have a small spark of yellow light repel him.
"Hmmm, not your best work. Seems after using that book she gave you, your magic is far more...." The pony stops speaking for a moment, searching for the right word, his milky eyes roaming the room. "Ah. blunt. it's a bit more forceful than it was before. no longer an elegant suggestion to go away, this one's a simple command." Death rises and steps over the ponies littering the floor, their chests barely moving as his very presence seems to drain the life from them.
Celestia takes a few deep breaths to steady herself, he couldn't have come at a worse time. Her emotions were still in turmoil from dealing with the plague Chaos brought into the world. "Can I...ask that we do this later? I'm barely keeping my anger in check as it stands, and putting my ponies at risk with your presence is not what I need to clear my head."
Death shakes his head sadly, looking to the still smoking remains of Celestia's ire. "I'm afraid not, I'm simply completing a task for someone who is no longer capable of accomplishing it, but it seems I’m a tad late in arriving, your guard’s enchanted armor was rather troubling to bypass.
It was too much, too many thoughts were racing through Celestia’s head, with a wordless cry she channels all of her frustration into her solar body, causing a massive flare in the skies above, accidentally vaporizing the clouds that were being gathered for today’s 3 o’clock rainstorm, to many pegasus’ dismay.
Feeling better Celestia takes a deep breath, steadying herself as she sighs. Slowly her thoughts begin to organize themselves, her mind stopping its frantic workings. Looking at Death something he said strikes her as odd. "What do you mean 'completing a task'. It's quite unlike you to walk Equestria yourself."
"And here I thought I'd have to be patient for you to ask the right question." Death's thin face turns into a smirk, his head more resembling a grinning skull than a living pony as his thin laughter fills the small room. "I'm simply taking the place of Time's errand pony. I'm afraid her task was a bit too much for her soul to take. She's currently wrestling with her literal inner demons as she fights to reclaim herself."
Errand pony...
A hollow pit slowly formed in Celestia's stomach, looking down she grabbed a clipboard from one of her unconscious assistants and begins flipping through the pages.
At first, it was simply assumed dying was an effect of the 'discorded' ponies. Looking at the first reported cases of death and going in order from oldest to newest follows a set pattern. Starting at the farthest settlements from Everfree and slowly moving closer.
Moving closer at much the same speed as somepony walking from location to location.
The pit in her stomach slowly hardened into a solid crystal of unease.
Celestia's not seen Time for quite a while, She simply wrote it off thinking Time was doing something to protect Equestria.
How wrong she'd been, instead of protecting it, she'd sent her “student“ to remove the cause of her pain.
Death's chuckle filled the room once again. "Seems you're piecing it together Light."
Celestia's ear flicks at that name. "Please don't call me that, especially in front of my little ponies. It's enough that they worship me for bringing the dawn."
Death slowly paced around the room. "Speaking of 'worship', when's the last time you spoke to your sister?"
Celestia goes to open her mouth but freezes when she realizes she's not really made time for her sister.
We used to argue almost constantly, but that all stopped around...twenty? forty? close to forty years ago.
"She has her own duties to attend to, her night cou-"
Death cut her off with a sneer. "has been empty for the past two decades, she doesn't even bother to show up anymore. Did you truly not notice?"
His grin never fades. "I figured she'd do something far sooner, After all, I did give her my book."
Death's book? Celestia's mind whirls for a moment, trying to explain the fear she suddenly felt, after a few moments something clicks in her memory.
"Surely you don't mean you gave the..." Her voice falters, not willing to say the name out loud. "The book to my sister. And even if you did, I doubt she'd use it, She knows there's no place in the world for such..."
"Such darkness?" Death's raspy laugh comes from his decayed throat once more. "You truly haven't noticed it at all. I dare say you should pay your sister a visit. My work is done here."
Death turns to leave, stepping around the collapsed forms of the ponies still sleeping before stopping at one in the doorway. "Ah, I had almost forgotten." He reaches down and moves close to one near the doorway, reaching a decayed hoof toward the glowing barrier, a spark of light hits him but he continues until he touches the pony in the shoulder, the soft breathing of the pony catching for a moment. After a final exhale the pony lies still, the golden barrier leaving the cooling body.
"Such a shame, she had been hiding it so well from the rest of you. If only she had told somepony she wasn't feeling well." Death's milky eyes move and lock onto Celestia's "Giving ponies purpose is well and good, but when they believe their work to be more important than themselves they can easily..."
He paused, a white orb slowly floats from the ponies mouth, hovering next to him and pulsing sadly. "Work themselves to death. Don't worry little one, My other half has a good place for you." With that Death leaves, the sound of his hooves slowly fading in the distance, a soul following him for a distance before fading away.
Seeing one of her ponies die right before her sparks a flare of anger inside Celestia, made even worse by the fact that she’s partly at fault.
This plague’s been messing with her priorities, but first, she has something to do.
She has to see her sister, surely she wouldn’t think about using such vile magic.
Definitely not.
~~~~~~~
A table flew across the room, shattering into wooden splinters and sending books tumbling to the ground, sheets of paper and scrolls slowly drifting to the ground.
In the middle an angry purple alicorn stood, breathing heavily.
For the first time in her life books are beginning to fail her. She's experienced nothing like these current symptoms before. Even after killing Celestia a few times the backlash from harmony didn't affect her nearly as much.
Looking down at the mess she slowly calms down. waving a hoof and the table slowly beginning to reassemble itself, right before the spell finishes a lance of pain shoots through her head, causing the spell to backfire and time to reassert itself again.
"You won't find anything about it. This is the first time it's happened."
Time's ear flicks as a familiar voice comes to it. As she turned around she came face to face with herself.
"A duplicate, why aren't you in your own timeline? The rules are one outside of time, and I take precedence being the Primary."
Upon closer inspection, there's a barrier floating around the duplicate. Time makes a decision to never spawn the duplicate and turns back to the matter at hoof, debating what to do next.
"I'm afraid that won't work either. I'm here for a very specific Grimoire. And in your current state, you can't stop me." The soft sound of hooves on carpet move around Time and the duplicate begins slowly floating up toward the top.
Right toward the dark section.
Time reached out to slam the duplicate to the ground, only to have her magical grip slip off the duplicate, feeling like she was covered in grease. "What? you are me. I decide when to use those tomes, and they are not necessary. this is supposed to be a-"
The duplicate cuts her off. "Vacation, I know. It was bound to happen eventually. With infinity at our hooves, you were bound to run out of experiments at some point."
The Duplicate looked at her sadly. "I'm afraid that you can't affect me. surely you recognize the barrier?"
Now that her attention was drawn to it the telltale signs of Chaos practically ooze from that barrier.
Time's voice came out in a vicious snarl. "Of course he would even be able to turn me against myself."
The copy's expression softens at that. "That's truly what you think? You’ve drifted farther than I ever expected." Her expression turned sadder as she reached the top, hovering near the dark section. “To think that this would have been me…” The copy raised a hoof, a tome lifting from the shelf and flying toward her Hatred and the magic of Vengeance and Abhorrence slowly floats through the barrier, one more dangerous artifact released into the world against her will.
With a cry of rage Time released a blast of pure magical force from her hoof, magic powerful enough to level a moderately sized city simply washes over the copy's form, her sad expression seeming to grow deeper, the tomes behind her completely unaffected by the magic and Time's head flares in pain, driving her to her knees as her vision swims a bit.
"And now you've begun attacking yourself." The duplicate shakes her head, a few words coming out as no more than a whisper. "Chaos was right."
And with that, she's gone.
With the second most destructive Grimoire Time has ever created.
~~~~~
The pink pony thing is huddling in the corner, staring out with fearful blue eyes.
Chrysalis‘' attention, however, was focused on the situation between Luna and Crimson Knife.
Luna is pacing back and forth, her silver covered hooves ringing softly on the marble floor of her chambers.
"You are sure he planned to betray me."
Crimson knife's form is pressed against the ground, black chains wrapped around her body and keeping her pinned to the floor, It looked highly uncomfortable but the strange pony's gaze is even and unafraid. "Yes, I don't think he would run to your sister, such a thing would be a death sentence, but he discovered how to share our curse with others, and was turning ponies into servants."
A soft crack filled the room, one of Luna's hooves came down a bit too hard, splitting the marble she was standing on. She makes no other outward signs of anger, her eyes still looking similar to a dragon’s as it stared at Crimson in silence.
"Under no Circumstances are you to 'turn' other ponies into what you have become. I've already released my curse upon the world." She gestures to the shaggy pony in the corner, which flinches back, brilliant blue eyes watching Luna intently.
"I do not need more to deal with, my plans are nearly complete." The blue alicorns gaze moves to Chrysalis. "I’ve already got one disappointment, I was looking forward to praetorian’s being front line soldiers, by all accounts the changes shouldhave worked."
Chrysalis flinches slightly at that. "I saw the issue and did my best to plant agents into the guard. It's been long enough that I doubt anyone remembers our kind aside from the...longer lived species such as yourself." As Chrysalis opened her mouth to continue a soft knock comes upon the door. "Sister?"
Luna curses. "Why does she have to come now of all times. it's been decades since she's even been in this part of the castle." The blue alicorn turned to Crimson, With a flash of magic the chains are gone. "Take her and leave." Luna gestured toward the pink pony, her gaze flicked to Chrysalis and was blinded by a green flash of light before the changeling queen is gone, a simple servant standing in her place. Seeing that that is handled she looks back to see Crimson and the pink pony sinking into the shadows of the room, vanishing from sight right before the door opens and Celestia walks in.
Luna lets loose a snort of annoyance. Of course she would just let herself in without asking permission. Luna almost didn’t have time to change her eyes back to normal before her sister sees her and greets her with a tense smile.
"Ah, I was hoping you were here."
Luna made her way to her bed and laid upon it, looking at Celestia closely. She seemed a bit nervous. Chaos’s plague must really be weighing on her if she came for my advice. Luna turned to the ‘servant’. “Leave us.” The mare nodded and casually walked out, closing the chamber doors on the way out, the green glow of her magic going unnoticed by Celestia.
She always was good at being unnoticed when she wanted. Shifting her gaze Luna looked at her sister. Celestia’s mane was beginning to fray, errant strands of pink making her look a bit frazzled.
Truly Chaos’ plague was beginning to wear on her, Luna fought back the urge to sneer at seeing her sister so disheveled.
She silently made a note to thank chaos for this small victory on the eve of her plan.
Celestia looked distracted, her gaze roaming the room. It was far darker than it was before, a hint of something in the air making her uneasy. Celestia’s horn lit up with a simple spell, a golden aura beginning to fill the space.
Recognizing the magic her sister was casting Luna speaks. “Why are you here sister?” Try as she might she couldn’t keep the anger from her voice, Celestia for her part let the spell fade as she looked to her sister in shock.
“We haven’t spoken in decades and you take that tone with me? I’m simply checking something I was told recently.”
Luna’s face darkened. “And instead of asking my permission you simply waltz into my chambers, and start casting a scanning spell?”
Put on the back foot Celestia responds in kind. “Of course, if what I’m told is correct, my ponies could be in danger.”
Luna’s face twisted into a snarl at ‘my ponies’. “Of course, it’s always ‘my ponies’ this, ‘my ponies’ that. Must be nice being worshipped with such zeal.” Luna inspected one of her hooves, admiring how the light shone off one of her silver slippers
The simple anger that those words conveyed shocked Celestia to her core, dread filled her and caused her to resume casting her spell.
She had to be sure, Luna wouldn’t-
Celestia gasped, and looks to the floor, the tell tale signs of necromancy lingering in the air, when she widened her search, she gets another positive result.
Looking to Luna’s wardrobe
Luna’s face fell as she see’s where Celestia is looking. She slowly rose from her bed, moving between her sister and the door, she watched as her sister opened a drawer, visibly recoiling as her magic slightly brushed against the Necronomicon.
“Sister?” Celestia looked to the bed, and instead found her sister standing between her and the door, a dark look in her eyes.
“Surely you didn’t…” The large mass of necromantic energy coming from the center of the room answers her question before she even finished it.
The anger she was feeling before was gone, replaced by a pit of dread.
Luna’s face darkened, her anger no longer disguised. “Seems the cat’s out of the bag a bit earlier than scheduled, you weren’t supposed to know for a few weeks when I refused to lower the moon.
Celestia’s face twisted into utter confusion. “But why? We’re worshiped…”
Luna’s voice cut her off, her voice spoken with such force it echoed a few times around the room. “No you are worshipped, I’m shunned and feared.” A memory flashed in luna’s mind. “Even Time’s student attacked me the first time she saw me.”
“That was just a mistake, she didn’t know it was-” Luna’s sardonic laughter cut her off. “Please sister, we both know that Time doesn’t make mistakes, I finally understand what she was showing me now.” Memories of her conversation with Time shortly before their arrival on Equestria flash in Celestia’s mind.
Luna’s hoof made a sweeping gesture toward the window. “They bask in your light, weighing on your every word as if it’s divine providence, where as my court hasn’t seen a single soul for decades.” Luna’s eyes duginto Celestia’s.
Stomping the ground with enough force to crack the solid marble again Luna huffed “I’ve waited long enough.” With that her horn lit up, causing Celestia to flinch and absently take a defensive stance.
It wasn’t the power of the magic, it was the utter hatred that courses through Luna’s magic that gives her pause. Celestia had to hold back tears as she feels how twisted with emotion her sister’s magic is now, her very soul utterly consumed by it.
It was hatred as deep and vast as the open sea.
Shadowy magic begins to cover up Luna’s form, her shape twisting and growing larger. Batlike wings sprouted from her back, her eyes twisting and transforming into draconic slits. With a laugh her teeth begin to deform, growing sharper and longer, a pair of fangs protruding from her lip.
Seeing her sister in her natural form Celestia resigns herself for a fight. She forsook this form in order to show the ponies a kinder face. The small act of throwing that form away means she’s given up winning over ponies with peaceful resolutions.
When the transformation is over her horn remains lit, what she was doing with her magic was lost on Celestia until she realized the room was getting darker. Looking out the window she saw her sisters moon rising in the sky, rising up until it eventually blocked the sun, bathing the world in darkness.
When she looks back, her sister’s expression is twisted into a grim smile. “This is my declaration of war. By this time tomorrow, I will hold this city in my grasp sister.” And with that and a flash of darkness, she was gone.
Along with the Necronomicon.
~~~~~~
Crimson Knife looked at the nearby coffin, her beloved lying inside, his peaceful expression only marred by the wooden stake through his heart.
A blast of cold hit her and crimson looked behind her, only to see the angry expression of a Nightmare staring back at her.
She recoiled in fear for a moment before regaining her composure. “Luna-”
With a wave of her hoof the dark alicorn interrupted her. “Do not utter that name ever again. The ponies had their chance, they see me as a monster, well I shall become one. A Nightmare brought to life.”
Walking over to inspect Crimson Court she sighs. “Tell me, what was that method he discovered of sharing your curse.” her face is set in a grim line. “We’re going to need an army.”
Stats
Page generated in 0.026 seconds
Total duration
665 users online
1,051,261 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
This made me think of Legend of Zelda for some reason. Was that intentional?
What part of the legend of Zelda did that remind you of? ocarina of time? (no, it wasn't intentional)
The NMM story is always so sad to me. Luna suffering and Celestia oblivious. The harshest of wakeup calls for Celestia and for Luna seeing how her fears are correct. Gets me every time.
Crimson changes get name in between scenes. She introduced herself as Blade but later is referred to as Knife. Guess that's not intentional?
Have to admit, I can see this war going very differently in the near to immediate. Looking forward to seeing what these kind of troops will do to the playing field.
9666762
Thanks for spotting that. it's supposed to be Knife both times.
Am I the only one who wants Time to win? Probably learning something in the end, but still kicking everyone's ass?
Little disappointed, was hoping since time is basically breaking down the events of Nightmare Moon might start differently or something. All we got now seems to be the same old story just more dark and light from the author's AU of the Alicorns origins being light and darkness ponified or something. Maybe I'm missing something, it's been awhile since I read the last few chapters and maybe it's gonna start getting more chaotic time whimey later down the line.
9691062
You sound as if you’ve read a few books on the subject. A friend of mine named Roger can go on and on about similar stuff if prompted. It probably has something to do with him being a kung fu instructor.
The chapter I commented that on actually goes into what you were saying as well; the soul being colored by the thoughts and actions the person has. I was actually jokingly referring to Clover’s physical changes - like everybody else I too have daydreamed about being muscular and whatnot, so Clover’s body suddenly getting all toned and chiseled from the dark magic providing her with a boost makes me jealous.
On another note, I am not able to finish reading because it is now 42 minutes past midnight. I’m going to be hand-feeding a pet giraffe tomorrow, so good night.
I am so glad I found this story. This story has been a very interesting read. It is much darker than I usually read but I am still enjoying it.
I love the different threads going on. Please continue!
Man, Discord really seems to be manipulating everyone. I wonder what his goals are. Is his goal to wrest control of the universe away from Twilight? I suppose Time making a laboratory of the universe is pretty boring to him. I wonder if harmony will keep him in check. I also wonder if the mane six will play a role. Will a younger version of Twilight become a protagonist?
This is amazing, one of the first stories ever I have found to have any focus in clover!!!
This story is on a bit of a hiatus for now. I realized that I'm spreading myself too thin with all the stories I started. Currently I'm working on a different story that's 2-3 chapters away from completion. once that is done, I'll finish this one out.
9668331
Have a reply from the far future. Since it's going to be a while (at least another month, maybe more) before I post a new chapter, I thought I'd answer a few of these.
You've misunderstood something about Time, can't explain what without a spoiler for later, but take a closer look at all she's said and done. It shouldn't be much of a surprise that she's not been doing her job right, if at all.
Also, think closer about the possibility that she might be downright wrong about some of the things she's said.
Now for the last bit, if Time (and discord) does nothing to alter events, they would play out exactly like in the show. It's what she meant by 'vacation'. a vanilla run, just to reminisce and relax. nothing to manipulate, just kick back for a few billion years.
unfortunately, Chaos was waiting for this moment. So he changed a few things. now she's got a completely different kind of crisis on her hooves.