A Guardian's Hope

by Last Satisfaction

Chapter 9

A small silhouette entered Chrysalis' private chambers. Unintentionally silent, Aglowing dragged her hooves to a heavy tapestry. Behind it, halfway up the room, was the alcove. The latter was large enough to offer the comfort worthy of a queen, the walls covered with the same greenish and viscous material as the hive's light sources. The young hybrid came to nest against the one who slept there.

The queen, who was lying on her flank, laid a foreleg on top of the child before affectionately tightening the embrace. Then she sighed, her mind still drowsy. "Haven't we had a conversation about this nasty habit of yours, my love?"

The child half-heartedly caressed her mother's cheek, before answering with a small distracted pout. "But mother, it was Chitin who wanted me to come and tell you. The tree has grown again. Besides, she says it's fruiting."

Chrysalis' deep luminescent green eyes opened in shock. Through the darkness, she looked at her daughter, thoughtfully. She wasn't questioning what had just been said, but that fast? Why not, she was far from being an expert in farming, after all. Resigned, she offered a sweet kiss to the child’s forehead before getting up.

Chitin silently followed them from the shadows, as the mother and her child went to the south wing of the hive. After the endless spiral descent, the warrior could see that the distance between them was increasing recently. And the attempts to fix the gap didn't change that.

Forgetting her worries, the child left her mother behind, running towards the feet of the tree. She climbed over the branches without difficulty, thanks to the microscopic hooks under her hooves that even let her perch herself upside down on the ceiling, and began to jump joyfully, shaking the leaves and the few fruits that were on the tree. "Look! Look! Look!" she chirped in the heat of the moment.

"I saw it. Calm down now." Chrysalis had stayed at the entrance, green cocoons were circling the entrance along the walls and ceiling, emitting this soft bioluminescent light. She observed the tree, and fully understood why she had been advised to plant it there. The gigantic, gnarled shrub had grown spreading its highest branches to reach the ceiling that separated it from the open air. Several times, it twisted on itself as if tortured from being locked underground. The bark seemed to have petrified in a stage of advanced decay. On its largest branches were heart-shaped red fruits. Chrysalis approached the tree, and used her magic to grab one of its fruits. "Let's see if it lives up to the promises this unicorn made," she whispered to herself, observing the fruit more closely.

Chitin came closer to Chrysalis. "My Queen, let me eat the first fruit. We cannot take the risk that you will end up poisoned," they proposed, sincerely worried for Chrysalis' well-being.

Chrysalis kept the fruit under the influence of her magic, observing Chitin from the corner of her eye. She could not prove them wrong, however, since Chitin was the weakest, depriving themself the most to save what was left of love. And the queen could not afford to lose a changeling of this magnitude. "No, go get one of the drones who patrol-" A noise caught the queen's attention.

On the branch of the tree, attracted by the smell, Aglowing had grabbed another fruit, and made it her morning snack, biting into the fruit with appetite.

The queen and the warrior took fright. "Aglowing!" they shouted in unison.

The child took her nose out of the fruit, wiping the juice that was dripping down her chin off with her hoof. When she saw their eyes, she felt like she had made a mistake, making a little pout while she was watching the two adults below. "What? Mother said it was a gift from Pepper, and Pepper said she would be here to help me! Besides, this fruit tastes like her love."

This last sentence challenged the queen, who tossed the fruit to Chitin who quickly tasted it to make sure that the little queen was safe. "How do you know the taste of her love?"

Aglowing needed to think for a moment, she scratched her cheek with her hoof, her eyes showing intense reflection. "While you were away to see Nightmare Moon, she asked me to collect her love."

Chrysalis was as surprised as she was puzzled. "She asked you to collect her love? Why?"

"I don't remember much, but she seemed happy afterwards."

This new information left Chrysalis thinking. For as long as she could remember, no pony had ever offered a changeling their love voluntarily. She observed the base of the tree while revisiting the memories of that night. Slowly, she remembered the words of Nightmare Moon, the explanations of Bitter Truth. From there, it was easy to imagine theories about why she had asked this.

In the meantime, Chitin had bitten into the fruit. And as they chewed, they felt their hunger calming down. They devoured the rest of the fruit in a few bites. When it was done, they let a sigh of satiety, inhaled deeply before stretching all the muscles of their body. "Strange. I feel better, feeling like I've collected love. But yet I feel like I haven't gained in strength."

Chrysalis looked at her subordinate, curious about what they said, she picked another fruit before eating it whole. She put the core on the ground, wiping off the juice that was dripping on her chin with the back of their hoof. "You're telling the truth." She mentally counted the number of fruits as she looked up at the highest branches of the tree, wondering if there was enough fruit to feed the sleeping changelings.

But suddenly the sound of heavy hoofsteps was heard. Someone was walking down the gallery that led into this room. Chrysalis rattled towards her child's direction as she was turning around into an aggressive position, Chitin at her side also ready to kill the intruder. Aglowing obeyed her mother's order, and went to hide in a higher branch. The sound of footsteps faded, the intruder continued to descend, he soon appeared in the light of the subdued sources. He stopped there, whistling impressed at the sight of the tree.

Chrysalis relaxed when she recognised Bitter Truth, she laid her paw on Chitin's shoulder to silently instruct them to calm down, which the warrior did.

Aglowing asked from her hiding place with a rattle if she could come down, but her mother's rattle as Chrysalis turned her attention towards the tree, was so virulent that the child became afraid. The branch in which she was hidden started shaking, betraying her position.

Suddenly, in a murderous mood, the queen turned towards the stallion. "As far as I know, this is the third time you've entered my hive without permission. What are you doing here?"

The oracle sighed wearily, yet he smiled. "I wanted to see with my own eyes if the tree gave you satisfaction."

Chrysalis took a look at the tree and at Chitin. "Barely," she spat. The pony was not born to whom she would be grateful. "Fruits, and then what? Once we've eaten everything, we'll be back to square one. We are predators, not farmers."

"It's a substitute for your diet, I admit, but it's better than starving, right? I couldn't either give you food that would make you more powerful, I already have enough problems to deal with as it is. Your child, for example."

The atmosphere suddenly became electric. Chitin whistled, all fangs out, trying to intimidate the pony. At these words, the branch stopped moving, the child cautious by the turn of the conversation.

Chrysalis shot Bitter with her gaze. "Be careful of what you say, pony, because chances are, they could be your last words," she said in an icy tone.

Bitter Truth sighed again, then he inhaled: "I am an oracle, in other words, I know the future, that's why I manage to get into your hive without being detected by the few sentinels who patrol the tunnels under the badlands."

Faced with this revelation, the reaction of the changelings ranged from misunderstanding to scepticism.

However, Chrysalis understood better how he had known her intentions regarding Pepper's body. The tone of the conversation could have become lighter, if it had not been mentioned that Aglowing Shell was a problem. With a few clicks of her teeth, she ordered Chitin to escort the child to her room and stay with her until further notice.

The hybrid hovered to the ground, the warrior made sure to stand between her and the intruder. It was the first time the child had met a pony of the opposite gender, the robust figure intrigued her very much. When she passed him, she tried to see him over Chitin, and Bitter looked back at her, smiling at her. Aglowing immediately smiled back at him. Not appreciating this familiarity, Chitin suddenly stood up to cut off eye contact, whistling again with anger, in order to keep him away.

Bitter looked out of the corner of his eye at the duo leaving the room; as soon as they were out of sight, he turned his eyes to Chrysalis and cut her off. "Yes, I am an Oracle. No need to repeat my words, Your Highness."

Chrysalis watched the unicorn with a mixture of uncertainty and fury, not very delighted by the impression that came from his last words, the crazy idea that he was able to read her mind. There were endless questions in her head, but everything she was thinking about, was her daughter's safety. "If you care a little bit about your life, pony, you're going to use this gift you claim to have and you're going to tell me exactly what I want to know, otherwise..." She pointed at the tree with her hoof. "I will use your corpse to grow a second one," she whispered.

The stallion looked down, seemingly thoughtful and serene he was despite the situation. "Your daughter, recently, has developed new fears because of you, Your Highness."

Chrysalis reviewed what she had done to disturb her daughter. But having done everything for her well-being, even going so far as to encourage this friendship with Nightmare Moon, she didn't find out what the problem was. She rose up, to have a better look at Bitter Truth. "Continue."

"Your daughter is worried. She gets jealous; she's afraid of losing her relationship with her friend, because of you stealing this friendship from her. I know- don't get carried away, it's silly- but its no less stupid than the jealousy that gave birth to Queen Nightmare Moon."

Chrysalis blew through her nostrils. "My daughter is jealous? Big deal, all I have to do is explain to her that I'm not trying to steal her friend. Then, the deal will be settled."

"You are the changelings, you are the swarm, you are the predators who lie to get the love you feed on. You are her mother, and I do not doubt that she will always obey your maternal authority. But in this case, on this very specific subject, will she believe her rival? Moreover, friendship is a pony thing; only a pony could explain that to your daughter."

Chrysalis squinted. She was beginning to understand what he was getting at. "And I'd have to leave you alone with my daughter, I suppose? You're too late, there's already Nightmare Moon circling her."

"I've seen what will happen if I don't talk to her. Just as I saw what would happen to you if you gave Pepper's body to Queen Nightmare Moon. I do what I can, it doesn't satisfy everypony, unfortunately." He sighed. "Yes, there's no need to ask me the question, I'll answer it. Informing you would have been pointless. Queen Nightmare Moon would have hunted you down relentlessly. The maze of your hive was your best asset, elsewhere you would have been exposed, rendering your daughter vulnerable. Princess Luna's talent allows her to watch over dreams, but it's like the stars in the sky, there are so many of them. She can detect nightmares easily because they have the particularity of shining brighter. Queen Nightmare Moon would never have discovered your daughter if she had never had a nightmare. And without this discovery, she would never have sought to protect you later. As I always say, I'm just an Oracle. I can help people by answering one and only one question to change their lives. You wanted to know how to save your kin, and I told you so. For the survival of the changeling race, the genocide had to take place."

Chrysalis was thinking while listening. She didn't know which was worse. If she had known, she probably would have tried to escape that threat. In another subject, there were so many conditions to get to this situation that the probabilities of getting there were almost nil, and yet, simply by following their lifestyle without changing anything, she stood in front of a pony that could predict the future, and behind her was a tree capable of feeding her kin. Her gaze meandered, as she wracked her brain. The worst thing undoubtedly, was that feeling of helplessness that was growing in her, the idea of being just a pawn on Bitter Truth's board was slowly but surely becoming unbearable. With a renewed anger at the refusal to do his bidding, she raised her eyes to the unicorn. "So you think you can sneak into my hive, tell whatever you want, and get out harmless?" she asked as she approached.

Bitter Truth laughed nervously. "No, last time I almost bled out. And today seems like I'm going to end up hurt again. But I am convinced that the mother that you are will put the well-being of her daughter before the rest, Your Highness," he said, while moving back slightly to the left.

"Before being a mother, before being a queen, I'm mostly a monster. Give me a reason not to hurt you right now," she said while following him.

"You are a changeling. Your diet... certainly that makes You a monster ever since your first breath, from Equestria ponies point of view. When opportunity arose, you seized power and became a Queen, as such, you took what you desired. Love from a young groom. Now a mother. And it would not take much, thanks to this last step, for the queen you are, to become a princess," he said, cornered against the wall.

The simple idea of being a princess, in Chrysalis' eyes, was most absurd, even coming from an Oracle. "Don't make me laugh."

Bitter Truth made a fake pout, smiling on the corner of his lips. "So I can't tell you the joke I was keeping in reserve?"

The queen suddenly raised her right forehoof and hit the wall next to the stallion's head with all her might. "You're in the changeling hive, facing the queen you are pissing off a little more every time you open your mouth, any pony would tremble with fear in your situation, and yet you stand there, smiling, quiet, as if you were convinced that I would never suddenly want to kill you like the other sociopath who serves as a magic compost, and I can't help but wonder why."

He lost his smile, becoming strangely serious. "Simply because you are a queen back from the Equestria’s classical period, ensuring your domination over your subjects by force, never hesitating to kill those who proved unfit to serve you. A sociopath whose intelligence never ceases to devise twisted and perverse plans, despite being able to compete with those of the greatest strategists that this planet has known, a haughty mare who was not afraid to fight against all odds, you whose power depends only on consummate love, to defeat Princess Celestia, when you yourself did not know the outcome of the fight. Now you are taking sadistic pleasure in making fun of Queen Nightmare Moon, belittling her under the guise of her nascent friendship with your own daughter, and at the same time, you are weaving a unique relationship between queens." A strange passion emerged from his voice as he painted a portrait of Chrysalis as he knew her. His gaze was as cold as the one he was diving into. He used his telekinesis, and forced Chrysalis to lower her head, so that their faces would be at the same height. "I'm not afraid of you, Your Highness, simply because this pest that you are, I'm in love with her." At these words, he put his lips on those of the monarch, a brief contact, the best proof that he could offer to a changeling to support his statements.

With the telekinesis dispelled and the shock had faded, Chrysalis licked her lips. He wasn't lying; this flavour on her tongue was undoubtedly love. And this love, this flavour had something exhilarating, a little something the queen couldn't define. In turn, she stole a kiss, this exhilarating feeling came back, more pronounced. It was love that was dedicated to her, love that she didn't have to steal, it had something addictive. Soon she felt it, a faint flavour that she had never tasted before. She kissed him again, to revive this buzz, letting out a little sigh of ecstasy. She lost the thread of her thoughts, only counted the desire to feed herself with this love that was exclusive to her. Her hoof, still on the wall, lowered, now pressing against his shoulder, pinning him against the wall, to make sure that the food did not escape her. But the intoxication was already diminishing, the changeling resolved to hammer the lips so that the euphoria remained. Starting out sweet, those kisses gradually became brutal, more vivid and just as bitter. Chrysalis needed even more. The pressure of her paw forced the pony to bend over until he fell off and finished all four irons in the air. She hissed with anger at this sudden interruption, as she bent over to feed on that addictive love again. Tucking behind her ear a strand of hair with a little telekinesis, she kept the hoof leaning against the base of his neck. It was a silent tell to him not to dare to move, as she dominated and possessed him. This tasty poison running through her veins tunnelled her mind, as the Queen was soon trapped in a cocoon of well-being. She couldn't stop kissing him, her gaze losing that gleam of intelligence, there remained only the monster, who was feasting on this love that was hers.

Bitter endured the starving assaults without failing, He suffered this animal submission, making kisses for kisses, he couldn't help but smile. He concentrated, as best he could, his magic accumulated in a golden aura around his horn, his gaze at the foot of the tree, and without warning, he disappeared.

The shock of the surprise passed, the changeling beginning to whistle with rage while looking around immediately after this meal that had escaped her. She looked over her shoulder and realised that he was sitting near the tree, picking a fruit. Hungry, she began to run towards him, whistling. Her wings vibrating as she used all the body language at her disposal to intimidate him, convinced that he’d no longer dare to move.

The oracle took a look at the predator. Chrysalis' eyes had become entirely green. The Queen’s pupils were phosphorescent like those of the lower rank changelings. Even if he had just said that he loved her for the monster she was, the vision of this feral state visibly hurt him. Using telekinesis, he removed the core and crushed the fruit into an improvised jam. When the changeling reached his height, he threw the porridge onto her face.

Cut off in her momentum by this sudden aggression, Chrysalis instinctively gave it a lick The taste of the love contained in this fruit, so insipid compared to the one she had just tasted, made her grimace and regain consciousness of herself. She slowly opened her eyes, her cold gaze on the one facing her. Swiftly, she used magic to clean her face, throwing the mashed jam to the ground on her side.

Bitter Truth looked down. "I'm sorry, it was the only way to cut your frenzy short." He remained silent for a few seconds. "I made a promise to Princess Celestia. I do what it takes, so that harmony reigns in Equestria despite her absence, and this requires a conversation with your daughter. I could have approached her without your consent, but I want to bet on harmony. My honesty against your kindness."

The queen sighed, angry. "How could my daughter ruin your precious promise, so that you'd be reduced to bargaining in such a pathetic way?"

"Her hybrid nature, as if you didn't know it." He said, suddenly getting carried away. "If she's always so healthy, physically, it's because of this duality, isn't it? You and Chitin are perpetually hungry, but she, all this time, has never experienced the insatiable hunger for a real changeling. Her body feeds on its own feelings, weaker than a drone and yet in better physical shape than any other changeling. Now that she has a friend, and she is jealous because of you, it could probably give her magical power proportional to the strength of those feelings, make her even more powerful than an alicorn, but it's not a problem after all," he said sarcastically. “Surely, you would let her drown in her own jealousy, and become the monster of her own making. I just remembered who I'm talking to. Queen Chrysalis, or should I say: Chrysalis the monster. Surely you already have so many ideas of how to torment that 'daughter' of yours. Surely you would be just as ready to trample her innocence, despite the mother you claim to be. Surely, I have no doubt, you’ll use the filly as a pawn-- nay, as a tool! All to achieve your own ends!"

This monologue managed to trigger Chrysalis’ motherhood to such an extent that for the second time in her ageless life, she felt disgusted by her own self. The oracle’s words brought to life thoughts she would never have had before, filling her with such unyielding rage, that in a blink, she landed the most brutal hoof in Bitter’s face, making him glide several meters on the floor.

He knew what was coming. He could have avoided the hit with great ease, but her rage would not be satiated before he was hurt as much as he hurt her heart. He stayed silent and still, hooves pressing on the impact zone, trying to smother the burning pain.

---

Less than an hour later, Chrysalis and Chitin were sitting in front of the entrance to the hive, watching Aglowing Shell walking alone towards the unicorn, who was turning its back against them, facing east. Chitin was worried about leaving the little queen alone with Bitter Truth after the Pepper episode, but it was the queen's will.

She kept going over and over it in her head, that moment in her daughter's room, that expression of jealousy as she turned her face away, unable to answer the question that had just been asked to her. Her daughter never had such a fearful reaction towards her. The monster thought that jealousy was irrelevant, she had made a big mistake. Now that the question was asked, she, who excelled in the art of manipulation, had a better understanding of her daughter's attitude in recent days. Moreso, she knew why Aglowing was distancing herself even more now, locked in a bubble of silence and unable to look her in the eye. What could she say to her child to dispel her fears? Nothing. And the mother hated it.

Aglowing Shell was approaching at a slower pace than her small legs would allow. Even though she was going to be able to meet and talk with this pony, her mother's question was still in her head. Was she afraid her mother would steal her friend? Yes. Yes, she was afraid, and it infused painful anger into her heart. Changelings are predators; they take, they never ask. And it was her mother, the queen of the hive. What could she say to prevent her friend from being stolen away? Nothing. And the child hated it.

Sitting next to a rock, Bitter Truth sighed with relief as the ice bag on his right eye worked. Certainly, because of the badlands' weather in the middle of the morning, it was already hot to the point that the ice cubes were only fresh water. But it was enough to ease the pain. Next to him was his travelling saddle, to which something wrapped in large white cloth was attached. He observed the child who was sitting on his left with his still functional eye. "Why such sadness, Your Highness? Is your mother's question what makes you so upset?"

Aglowing remained silent. She was usually so curious about new things but right now had no heart for anything.

"I was right to come with somepony with the same concerns as you. The three of us can talk about this problem that hurts your heart."

The young hybrid's attention was drawn to them, but she saw no one else. "I only see the two of us here." When she turned her attention back to the stallion, she found herself face to face with her reflection, a mirror in a simple wooden frame, came out of one of the saddlebags in the travelling saddle, almost as big as her. At first she made a gesture of retreat, and realised that the child she was seeing was imitating these gestures, she approached, squinting her eyes, and put a hoof on the mirror. "Is that me? Is that how I look like?" she asked, looking towards Bitter.

"Indeed, Your Highness. Before I start with my duties, I shall introduce myself first" He got up, dropped the ice bag on the rock, made a bow, the horn touching the ground. "My name is Bitter Truth. And I bring you gifts, mine to start with. And before you ask, a gift is something you give for a reason that differs from case to case, but always more to please the one who receives the gift.” Following this explanation, he deposited a large notebook and a box of grease pencils. "Consider this like the mirror of your heart. Use the fat pencils on these white sheets to colour whatever you like. For example, your friend would be a good choice for the first page."

The child used her magic, which manifested itself in a green/yellow aura, to open the box to pick out the purple, blue and black pencils. But she was stopped by the magic of the oracle.

"Please, You Highness, not right away. I also bring a gift, one offered to you by somepony who cannot deliver it in the flesh." At these words, he loosened the strings that held the object still wrapped in the saddle and placed it in front of Aglowing Shell, placing the book alongside the hybrid. "It was the princess of the sun who wanted to offer you this."

This term revived memories of the night she learned the truth. "The princess of the sun? But she's Mother's enemy!"

"The princess of the sun, like all the princesses of Equestria, believed more than anything in harmony and friendship. She was a single-minded altruistic pacifist who never considered herself anyone's enemy. She has always sought to discuss before using force. The real concern is that the respective desires between the princess and your mother were not the same, and she only defended her kingdom."

Aglowing observed the gift without touching it, thinking about the words, and she realised a contradiction. She looked up at the unicorn, her eyebrows frowned. "You're lying! Nightmare Moon says she's the Princess of the Night, but what she did to the mother's hive was far from being friendship!"

He sighed. "Her Highness Nightmare Moon." He remained silent for a few seconds. "It's not good to talk about somepony who's not here, but in this case, it could be beneficial. A long time ago, the princess of the sun and the princess of the night were friends. Together, they ruled equally on Equestria. However, as the subjects of their kingdoms only played during the day, and slept at night, Her Highness Nightmare Moon became more and more jealous. She was afraid of having her nobility title stolen by the princess of the sun. She did not understand it at that time. Then fear became anger, blackening the heart of the night princess, to the point of making it darker than her coat. When her heart was corrupted by this anger, she became a queen. Then she shoved aside all the precepts in which she had believed until then. It grew to such an extent that she no longer even believed in friendship, convinced that power was the only solution to her problems. After a fight with the Sun Princess, she was banished from Equestria. Two years before your birth, at the end of her banishment, she returned. The princess of the sun gave back her title of princess of the night, making her cumulate both titles, being Princess of the Night in Equestria’s eyes, and Queen of the Moon in Broncoliande’s eyes."

This account of her friend's past upset Aglowing, and throughout this story, she was able to put words to the unpleasant feeling that surrounded her heart. But part of that story frightened her more than anything. "She no longer believed in friendship. But she believes it now? Friendship, between her and me, it's for real, isn't it?"

"Yes. And that's why the Princess of the Sun wishes to offer you this gift." He watched the child use magic to cut the string that kept the linen around the object, he continued. "She apologizes to you for what you have experienced, she considers herself the main responsible for your suffering. This gift will allow you to defend everything that is dear to your heart."

After untying the strings that held the fabric in place, the child observed her gift. It was a claymore in a night blue, stained leather sheath, decorated with silver threads sewn in the shape of stars. The weapon was huge compared to the small changeling, just the handle alone was as big as she was, and literally as figuratively, Aglowing didn't know how to take this gift. "I can't use this."

The oracle smiled, "Don't worry about that now. Included with this gift is a request, by the Princess of the Sun, a promise from you."

"What is a promise?"

"A promise is based on honesty. For example, I made a promise to the Princess of the Sun that this gift will be given to you, and I did. Now the Princess of the Sun asks you to promise to use this blade only to defend yourself, or others. Never to hurt someone who hasn't done anything to you. Facing the sun, can you make such a promise?"

She remembered her mother's explanations. Honesty, to never lie. She could not see why she would want to harm anyone for nothing, and defend those she loved, she had not been able to do so in the past. But as a queen in the making, she could not remain inactive. A queen must watch over her hive, and one day it will become her duty. And she had to be at her strongest to protect those who swore to serve her. Resolutely she turned her gaze north, facing the sun. "I promise to do so."

He smiled again. "This blade is yours. The Sun Princess wishes that your friendship with your friend will shine brighter than the friendship she failed to preserve in the past. Do not allow anypony else to use it to fight. Now, are you still afraid your mother will steal your friend from you?"

She lowered her head. "Maybe a little." she admitted with a pout. Suddenly she froze, turning to the unicorn. "How do you know I'm jealous because of my mother?"

He shook his head briefly. "It's not a detail that deserves your curiosity." He pushed the claymore with his hoof, to make it slide towards the child. "Tonight, exceptionally, use this blade, fight your friend, in the name of your friendship. Don't be afraid, you can't hurt your friend with this sword, let alone with your lack of experience in handling it, but the more dangerous you look, the better. However, keep this in mind. If you fight your friend, keep the moon to your left. Always. To avoid hurting somepony else, it is very important that the moon always stays to your left." He moved the rock under which he had previously dug a cavity large enough to hide the claymore. "Let's hide your weapon here. It's an ideal hiding place for when the time comes, you'll see." After placing the weapon and putting the rock on it, he laid his valid eye on the child, who remained both silent and uncertain at this proposed idea. "Any problem, princess?" he asked in a teasing tone.

She was looking at the hive’s entrance, at her mother, but the question drove her thoughts away. "I'm not a princess, I'm a queen!" Aglowing corrected.

"Do you even know the difference between a princess and a queen, Your Highness?"

"No." admitted the child.

"Queens use their strength to direct their subjects according to their own will and do as they please, princesses use their kindness to make their subjects live happily and harmoniously. If you still have doubts, ask yourself this question. What Queen Nightmare Moon did to your mother's hive and what you experienced then, would you do that to others?"

Aglowing looked down, thinking about the question. She thought back to those dark days, her forced confinement, the heavy loneliness, her mother's cries, the misunderstanding, her growing fear. Could she do this to anypony? Her heart tightened by the emotions that overwhelmed her, she looked up at the mirror, she saw herself, trembling lips, tears rolling on her cheeks, the crackling energy around her horn. No, she could never dare do that to anyone. "So I am a princess?" she asked uncertainly, her eyes lowered.

Bitter Truth telekinetically took out an embroidered handkerchief from the bag. "Dry your tears with this. You are a queen by birth, but you are a princess at heart. You think you're weak, but your friendship, your feelings, make you powerful." He sighed, smiling. "The Princess of the Sun gave me an answer to that question. She discovered the solution to this riddle a very long time ago, shortly after she and your friend became princesses. During her travels with a particular form of magic, she met another kind of queen. A Cæsar. Few people know this title of nobility today. You, your friend, and me." He deliberately avoided talking about Luna." To the rest of the world, it is meaningless."

"If it is meaningless, I would no longer be respected as a queen!" she said fearfully.

"It is up to you to forge the meaning of the title of Cæsar Nobility. Chitin, your mother, your friend, will always respect you as much as ever, believe me. Your choices, your actions, your words, the sum of all this will give meaning to others as Cæsar. If you act accordingly at every occasion, everycreature shall consider you as a queen with a princess heart."

Dizzy about the extent of such work, lost as how to do it, Aglowing instinctively turned to her mother, but remembered her behaviour towards her, which was aggravated when the question was asked.

"What's the matter?" Bitter asked, putting the notebook and pencils next to the child.

"My jealousy. Did she hurt Mother's heart? If so, how could I tend the wound?"

"Often, when the problem is not too serious, such as a cold between a mother and a child, the best way to solve it is a hug. It's a good way for monsters to show that they're sorry, without saying it openly."

She couldn't believe it was that simple. "Just one hug would be enough?"

"Take the book and the pencils, run and hug her. Make sure to not forget where this rock i-"

Suddenly she couldn't hold it in place. She used telekinesis to grab the unicorn's gift and ran as fast as she could to reconcile with her mother who was waiting there. When she had covered three quarters of the distance between them, she left her notebook and pencil box behind her, and jumped to hold onto Chrysalis' neck. She didn't want to hurt her, but being sorry was a sign of weakness, and she did not want to disappoint her mother by showing herself weak in this way, so she remained silent, and offered her a hug with all her strength.

Bitter Truth didn't pay attention to the scene, the mirror in the bag, the saddle on his back, the ice bag on his eye, he was already a figure galloping north.

The rest of the day was a quiet afternoon at the end of summer. And a few hours after dusk, three silhouettes flew across the Badlands sky towards the hive.

Swift, with a mischievous smile on his lips, observed the surroundings while adjusting the saddle on his back before getting closer to Antares. "Is something wrong Cute Bite?" he whispered.

"Cut it out," replied the major between her teeth.

But he couldn't miss such an opportunity. "Are you upset because we had to leave the camp tonight, Cute Bite?"

"I am our queen's aide-de-camp, I obey her horn and wing, you low grade moron," she replied quietly, angry.

He pretended to consider the weight of the basket she was carrying. "Is the basket the matter? Is it too heavy?"

She inhaled through her nostrils, counted up to four, and exhaled through her mouth, trying to stay calm. "It's just food, I could carry much heavier, and you know it."

"Yes, it is true. It should be added that leaving armour and weapons at the camp helps, doesn't it?" he said with a big innocent smile.

She turned her gaze to him with a murderous look. "You're going to suffer so much when we get back." she whispered.

Nightmare Moon turned her head slightly to her left so that her voice would carry backwards. "Enough, you two, we're here." She tolerated these disputes. First of all because she knew that Swift remained alert - having experienced it herself a few times - and would never allow himself this kind of quarrel if he did not think the surroundings were safe. Then because he needed to maintain this stupid attitude for appearances. Especially because it allowed the major to relieve in record time. She sighed inwardly, wondering if she had such a friend a thousand years ago, would she have given in to the torments of her jealousy?

The alicorn landed not far from the entrance of the hive, the bat ponies following it, and those without waiting for the order, undertook to prepare what was meant to be a night picnic. She waited, looking lost in the stars, for her friend to arrive, wondering what she would appreciate in this little mess of food, having brought everything, even meat, a dish she herself loved.

Chrysalis, with Chitin at her side, soon emerged from the tunnel.

Aglowing galloped, passing between their legs, which she pushed with the book and the pencil box. She went to Nightmare Moon, in front of which she stopped, opening the large notebook on the first page to show her the drawing she had made. "Look! Look! I received this gift! So I drew a nice picture of you!"

But Nightmare Moon was not happy to see the drawing, she made a gesture of retreat, spreading her wings. All this time it had not occurred to her to offer a gift as simple as paper and pencils to this child. She was much more concerned about the situation of changelings, taking advantage of every night and even more so of every session to ensure the health and power of these love eaters. She knew that Chrysalis would never ask her for anything, she herself would not have done it if she were in her place. Trust was relative and it was necessary to preserve appearances in order not to appear weak towards each other. However, it was impossible that the reserves would not be empty. She had to find something to feed them without Luna's knowledge. She could not take away ponies by force so that the changelings could feed on their love. And the bat ponies were a race of predators of another kind, her subjects moreover.

The child saw her friend's reaction and lost her smile. And convinced that she knew what was going on in Nightmare Moon's mind, she threw the notebook and pencils to the ground. "I hate this gift!" She shouts before getting closer with a shy little smile. "Please don't be jealous." she begged.

The sudden outburst surprised the audience but neither Chrysalis nor Chitin showed any reaction, digging into the food without asking permission. On her side Antares grabbed Swift by the neck and dragged him further to talk to him separately.

"I'm not jealous!" said the Princess of the Night.

"You seemed scared, now angry, if not jealous, then honesty in words, what is it?" the incredulous child asked, frowning.

They observed each other like earthenware dogs for a brief moment. Nightmare Moon could not help but think that Aglowing Shell's empathy was frightening. Yes, jealousy had made its way into her mind, the idea of losing her friend, bought with gifts. But she couldn't admit it in public. So she diverted the subject from the conversation. "Tell me, since when are you a jealousy expert?"

Antares had finished dragging Swift away from the turmoil and she grabbed his face between her hooves to stick her gaze into his. "Listen to me, if you dare to make the child cry, the punishment of our queen will be nothing compared to what I would do to you, I hope I've made myself clear, Swift." she made it in her most threatening tone, showing her fangs.

He didn't expect this, but the threats made him smile. "Come on, Cute Bite, I've known you for twenty-three years. Have I ever made you cry?"

The bat pony didn't like the implication. An unprecedented anger seized her, and without warning, she struck her most violent blow on his head.

He hadn't seen this attack coming, but his head was hard.

And she was not to be outdone. Seeing him half knocked out, she let go so he would collapse to the ground. "Maybe it's time you quit seeing me as a child," she breathed as she turned her back on him to join the queen.

The bat pony sighed, he would have liked to do her that pleasure, but his oath forbade him to do so.

Meanwhile, Aglowing Shell thought back to the unicorn's words. She turned her eyes to her mother and asked her a question in a cackling noise.

Chrysalis, who until then pretended not to exist for the sake of her daughter's well-being, considered for a moment what should not be told to Nightmare Moon. "Under no circumstances, don't tell her about the tree or the fruits, much less about the unicorn that entered the hive." She ordered in a few cackles.

She didn't like it, but her mother said it was for the good of the hive. "A unicorn came to talk to mother, then to talk to me alone. His name is Bitter Truth, and thanks to him, I understood what jealousy is."

Nightmare Moon immediately turned her attention to Chrysalis. "Did you leave your daughter alone with him? Wasn't the Pepper episode enough?"

Chrysalis looked at her from the corner of her eye. "Chitin was ready to act if he made a wrong move," she lied. She had to keep withholding information, otherwise Nightmare Moon would have feared, in this case, that Bitter Truth's love would make her powerful and therefore dangerous again. "But tell me, my darkness, can you explain to me how a second unicorn has passed your siege?" she asked, carefully choosing her words, before eating a pear pie, a mocking smile on the corner of her lips.

Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes before coming back to her. "By the moon, are you trying to make me believe you don't know this Bitter Truth?"

Antares was back by her queen side.

Chitin, who had noted the altercation between the bat ponies while standing by Chrysalis, asked permission to approach the stallion, who was still apart, in a clicking noise.

Amused, Chrysalis turned her head and wished them a good appetite in their own language, before turning to Nightmare Moon. "I can't believe you didn't try to get him on your side from the beginning."

Chitin went to approach Swift, which was not to Antares' taste.

"He is elusive, even his dreams are out of reach. Either he is using the artefact I granted Celestia after my banishment, or he managed to craft his own to protect himself from my intrusions in his dreams."

Aglowing Shell, who listened wisely so as not to disturb the adults' conversation, was suddenly curious about a certain detail. She caught her friend's attention by putting her hoof on top of hers.

Nightmare Moon looked down at her. "What is it?"

She stepped back a few steps. "That Celestia you're talking about. Is she the princess of the sun?"

It didn’t take long for the mare to understand how the child was aware of that fact. "Yes. But tell me, this Bitter Truth, what exactly did he tell you?"

"He... " She hesitated, but it didn't go against her mother's prohibitions. "He said I have a princess heart, and the difference between princesses and queens, so when I said you weren't like the description of the princesses, he had to tell me about your past. Why you became a queen. And also a little about the princess of the sun."

Nightmare Moon could see that the child was uncomfortable. She didn't like that someone else told her about her past, but that wasn't the most important thing right now. "If you have any questions about me, I have nothing to hide from you."

Aglowing looked away, feeling uncomfortable that she couldn't say the same. "No. Nothing comes to mind."

The alicorn used its magic to bring back the notebook previously thrown in front of its owner on the drawing page before offering her a cheek to cheek caress. "I look pretty in this drawing, but I also look so lonely, why don't you draw yourself next to me? I would like this drawing even more that way. In the meantime, I need to talk to your mother about this Bitter Truth."

The hybrid took advantage of the opportunity to jump on Nightmare Moon's face and hold onto her, partly out of jealousy. She looked for an excuse not to be left out. "I drew you, so you should draw me on the drawing instead," she said with a pout.

Nightmare Moon straightened up, but although she was blinded, she remained calm: "I can't believe it. I Nightmare Moon, am the victim of an eternal night perpetrated by a two-year-old child. Who would have thought?"

Antares no longer knew where to stand, much less what to do in such a situation, convinced that if she had the misfortune to take an initiative, one of the two queens would immediately jump at her throat. Under the influence of doubt, she preferred to wait until her intervention was required.

"I am a queen! And I'm almost three years old." She was not yet ready to use the title of Cæsar, instead, she wanted to do what she wished, like a queen, and at that very moment, she wanted to be with her friend.

Chrysalis was amused. Still on her seat, she used her telekinesis to unhook her daughter and made her levitate until she lodged her in the embrace of her forelegs. "My love, it would be good for you to behave like the queen you claim to be. Why don't you go with Chitin?"

Even if the mother seemed tender on the surface, the child felt that she had no choice. "I'm going, but only because I decided to," she said with a tone and a haughty attitude that made her adorable to the eyes of the two queens. She jumped off her mother's embrace and went to join Chitin.

When the child was close enough, she could hear Chitin, facing Swift, who was making mocking comments. "If you're here, it's because your queen must have great self-confidence, is it my capture the reason, bat pony?"

Swift was not to be outdone. "You have no idea. You are currently looking at the Commander General of the Moon's Undersea Army. But due to a lack of equipment, the bat ponies in my army share masks and snorkels."

Chitin frowned at this casual comeback. For the second time, he made them speechless. They changed their mind, their eyes wrinkled, wondering how to handle him.

"Release Chitin immediately." protested Aglowing Shell.

Only the changeling warrior was surprised by the sudden arrival, Swift having heard her arrive thanks to the echolocation while they were speaking. "But I'm not even holding her," he defended himself after turning to her.

Chitin was about to explain it to the child, but curious to learn more about the bat pony, they let him handle the situation, addressing a mischievous smile at the cornered stallion.

"She just said you captured her, so you release her right away."

Swift observed Aglowing and Chitin in turn, and realising that Chitin would not explain what it was all about, tried to come up with an idea, which did not take long. "All right, all right, all right! I'm releasing her right now." He turned towards Chitin and pretended to untie a knot around his neck before removing an imaginary rope that he presented to the child. "See?" He pretended to throw the rope to the side. "She's free now."

The young queen tried to understand what had just happened. Unsure, she turned to the changeling in armour. "Are you really free now, Chitin?" she asked perplexed.

The changeling hesitated to answer by the affirmative, but they could not let the misunderstanding get any worse. They bowed to the child. "Thanks to you, my queen." They couldn't help but look at Swift, intrigued, wondering what this clown was doing in an army.

Aglowing Shell sighed with relief. Distrustful, she watched Swift for a moment before going to nestle between Chitin's legs to seek comfort.

"Is something wrong, my queen?" asked the nurse.

"Nothing important. Mother wants to be alone with Nightmare Moon to talk," she replied with a sad face.

"And you, what do you want, Your Highness?" Swift asked with a kind smile, who couldn't help but think back whenever Cute Bite was depressed because Antares couldn't play with her.

Chitin was divided by this initiative. They cared about the child's well-being, but the nerve of this bat pony who dared to interfere with what wasn’t his affairs, annoyed them.

Aglowing was surprised by such a question. She never had a say, despite her status, obeying Chitin because the latter held her orders from Chrysalis. She stared at the stone underneath which the claymore rested, thinking back to Bitter Truth's words. "Mother taught me to survive even without mimicry, but not to fight. I would like to learn. I need it."

Swift considered the details of the situation. "We have nothing for that, but we could make it a game." He observed the child, letting curiosity take over. "Mimicry is that ability you changelings have to take on the appearance of anypony? In my opinion, it is not very useful. This warrior right here, even they do not use it perfectly."

Chitin, who had remained speechless until now, so surprised by the child's desire, almost choked when they were targeted by the bat pony's mockery. In an outburst of anger they whistled at him. "My mimicry is not flawed at all."

"Oh really, Cute Bite?" said the stallion with a big smile on his face.

Chitin took the fly and draped themself in their dignity, turning the head away rather than having to put up with the sight of that smile anymore.

Aglowing, who had not understood anything about the exchange, remained silent all this time, observing the adults with her big curious eyes. A little frightened by Chitin's sudden anger, but not to the point of diverting her from her desire to learn. "So, about this game..." she asked with a blooming impatience.

Swift looked down at the child, realising that he had strayed from the initial conversation. "Oh, yes." He got up and distanced himself from the changelings before facing them, even further away from the entrance of the hive to the east. "Try to touch me with one of your hooves."

She lifted a foreleg, hesitating for a moment before slipping out of Chitin's embrace, who began to walk behind the child without preventing or hindering her movements. Very quickly, she got close to Swift and jumped to touch him with her hoof, but he moved to the side. She looked at him, not understanding.

"Like in a fight, this game involves a lot of movement. I have to avoid your hoof, and you, no matter what happens, must always try to achieve your goals. The game only stops if you win or give up."

These words echoed in the child's mind, a lesson from her mother. Without thinking too much, she concentrated, using her magic to immobilise one of Swift's foreleg on the spot while running to touch him with the hoof, before giving him the same big smile he had given earlier to Chitin.

Swift had tried for a moment to free himself, but realised soon enough that it was a lost cause. He let her win, without hiding his fun. "Well, it seems that the adage 'the end justifies the means' is a well mastered concept for you. It's a combat basic, but it won't help you learn to fight."

"How is this game supposed to teach me how to fight?" asked Aglowing, who released the magic grip.

"If I may, my queen, I think this bat pony thinks he can teach you attack and evasion, which are the basis of an unarmed fight for those who are not capable of magic like him. But this game is far from real warrior training."

Swift smothered a laugh. "Let me guess, your favourite mimicry is the Smarty Pants toy?"

"We cannot take the appearance of an inanimate object," Chitin said before trying to hit him with a direct hit with their right foreleg.

Swift evaded with a big smile. "You didn't touch me with your hoof. Do you want to try your luck again or do you give up?"

Chitin was angry, and returned to a neutral position behind the child.

Once again, Aglowing remained silent in front of the scene, observing in silence. "So if I play this game, I'll learn the attack and dodge it like you just did?"

"Your warrior is right in that it will take a long training, but yes, I am convinced that some games can make training to fight easier. Along with the right equipment such as wooden swords. That would be a minimum." He smiled teasingly. "But above all, using magic to paralyse is still a very good way to gain an advantage in a fight, though." An ultrasound came to his ears, he turned his gaze to the entrance of the hive. "I think I just heard Cute Bite shout, the queenly conversation must be over."

At these words, Aglowing Shell hurried off to the entrance of the hive, leaving Chitin and Swift in a cloud of dust. They followed in her steps at a slower pace.

The changeling dissected what had just happened. They didn't find much to blame him for. "On my own behalf, I would like to thank you for your attitude towards my queen. You were considerate and pati-" A kiss on the cheek froze them on the spot.

Swift took a few steps and turned around, "What? If I'm not mistaken, it's the equivalent of a mango for your kin. And don't tell me you have food to eat since you've been holed up in this hole for months without trying anything funny. By the way, since you're really Cute Bite's twin sister, I'm going to call you Second Bite from now on. Say Second Bite, I was wondering, a wedding, for you, is it the equivalent of an all-you-can-eat buffet? Would you grow so big that you could mimic a rock if you did? No, because if that's really the case, you should think about converting yourself into a wedding caterer, or something like that. Second Bite, do you listen to me when I talk?"

Chitin saw red, under the effect of their anger they began to regret their attempt to show their gratitude to this moron, as they started to chase Swift who fled away, laughing.

Aglowing arrived before the queens, glad to be able to find her friend again. The improvised picnic was well underway, but there was still a little bit of everything. The clues, in the form of crumbs, all led to Chrysalis.

Swift passed by, still being chased by Chitin, pursuing further into the Badlands. "You're not likely to collect moss, see how you roll me afterwards!"

Antares was jaded, head in hooves, swearing that she would kill him at least twice once back at the camp. Chrysalis and Nightmare Moon watched the scene, but since Swift was shrieking with laughter as he was being chased by Chitin, the two queens acted as if they hadn't seen anything worth focusing on. After all, the pony that mattered was already before them.

The child walked on the tablecloth, amidst the variety of food. Frosting spread over the child's face as she bit into the cake, while a small glimmer of malice appeared in Chrysalis's gaze as she turned to the Queen of the Moon. "But now that I think about it, you have not touched a single item from this buffet," she said accusingly, playing pretend to trigger the evening's tussle.

The Princess of the Night rolled her eyes. "My body does not feed on terrestrial food."

"And what is your lackey's excuse in this case?" replied Chrysalis. "She does not fit into her armour anymore, so she's on diet?" she mocked. "Months staying there watching us, wallowing in your opulent Equestria, and you come throwing us your leftovers," she said as she got up, pretending to be angry.

But before Nightmare Moon had time to answer, a plate flew between them. Antares had the reflex to stand up to defend her queen, but the latter put her hoof upon the guard's shoulder to silently order her to return to her place. Once assured of being obeyed, she turned her gaze towards the child as well.

This one was in an aggressive posture, the look filled with anger. She refused to spend so little time with her friend tonight. She also wanted to play. She wanted to demonstrate her feelings in a way acceptable to the monster she was. The words of Bitter Truth echoed in her mind. "You will not face Nightmare Moon tonight, mother. This evening, I will have that privilege."

The queens exchanged gazes at these words. It was Nightmare Moon who spoke as she turned back to the child. "Aglowing Shell, my dear friend, playing to fight is not the kind of game for someone your age. When you become as tall as us, it'll be another story."

The child exhaled by the nostrils, into her mind, frustration mingled with jealousy, her horn crackled with energy. Looking at the queens, she let her emotions take precedence over the rest. When will she be as tall as them? She did not want to wait that long. To be as tall as they were was the only condition? It was not a problem, she knew exactly how to achieve her goals. She closed her eyes, and concentrating, driven by this hunger for friendship, she recalled the lessons. Her mind visualised what she needed: on the tablecloth, a circle of green flames began to dance around her. "Tall. As tall as they are!" Thanks to her reflection in the mirror, she had a clear image of herself. Mimicry operated. In a sheaf of green flames, she adopted an adult appearance, just as tall as they were. She watched herself for a moment, making sure that she had not missed a detail, then turned her gaze to Nightmare Moon. "Am I tall enough now?" Without waiting for an answer, she got up, and went to the rock.

Speechless, the alicorn watched her walk away before turning to Chrysalis.

She was delighted at the sight of what her child accomplished, when she caught the look of Nightmare Moon out of the corner of her eye, the smile of wonder turned into something more mischievous. She turned her head towards the mare, tilting it slightly towards the right. "What did you expect? First, monsters do not take a no for an acceptable answer, as you and I know well. And secondly, when she will be as tall as we are? Really, could you not choose your words better? "She rolled her eyes, a little sigh of happiness betraying her true state of mind as she picked up a coffee flavoured mini-eclair. Her only daughter, who wasn't fully a Changeling, had finally managed a Mimicry. And a perfect one no less! Too bad it was for a friendship problem, and not in order to harvest some love. But still, Chrysalis felt such pride. "Make sure you do not hurt her, otherwise I'll scream everywhere that Celestia is dead, that you've killed her, and that you're pretending to be Luna."

Nightmare Moon shot a glare at this threat, then got up and went to join Aglowing.

This one was in a state of unprecedented nervousness, a hoof on the rock. She looked at the moon, remembering the advice. She noticed that Nightmare Moon was approaching, and she leaned her head towards the rock. "Bitter Truth asked me to always keep the moon on my left, so it would be nice if you could face me."

The queen obeyed, however curious. "Did he say anything else?" She asked once in front of her.

Aglowing pushed the rock to the side, taking the claymore with her telekinesis. Once the sword came out of its sheath, she observed it in the moonlight, seemingly much smaller now. She didn't know if she could make good use of it, but she had to try. "Yes. Many other things."

Nightmare Moon was shocked at the sight of the weapon. "What is my claymore doing here?"

She had so little control over her emotions, that magic completely covered the blade, giving it an incandescent glow. "It's mine. A gift from the Princess of the Sun, from Princess to Cæsar. To defend those I love! And to fight you!" At these words, she charged at Nightmare Moon, raising the sword high before slamming it down beside the alicorn.

So many unexpected developments occurred so quickly, that the queen lost track of them. As she saw the heavily infused magic attack coming, she preferred to dodge it and assumed the ether form of Tantabus, and her intuition was correct. When the child in a magic adult form struck nearly where she was standing a second before, the impact exploded the ground, projecting rubble and dust cloud around.

Aglowing was frightened by the effect of her attack, a chill running down the spine, she observed the hole she had just created. She turned her gaze to Nightmare Moon.

The queen stood upright, her two straight hoofs floating in the void dug by the attack, she looked back, her eyes as two galaxies turned calmly in their sockets.

"Aren't you supposed to attack me too?" At these words she resumed the assault, frustrated in her heart of this unilateral fight, the advice to act as dangerous as possible in mind, the following blow scarifying the badlands with a larger crater.

Nightmare contented herself with dodging again, for fear of hurting the child, she refused to go to the counterattack.

Knowing how each of her attacks would look like, Aglowing focused on the fight. Her only fear was her inability to make her take a more active role. Frustration gave way to fear. She clenched her teeth, to remain strong, not to be weak. "What am I doing wrong? Why do you refuse to fight with me? Tell me. Tell me!" she shrieked the plea before her third assault. The power behind it gouged a hole in the earth, which swallowed up the previous evidence of her attacks into a deafening crash.

Nightmare Moon took a position on the other side of the crevasse before assuming back a physical form. "It is not that I refuse to fight with you. Simply put, I do not want to take the risk of hurting you that is all. "

Her efforts remained in vain, she turned her head away, her heart caught in a vice. "Taking the risk of hurting mother does not bother you though."

Nightmare Moon watched her, she proudly refused to ask the reason behind this behaviour, wanting to understand the substance of the problem by herself. "I do not specifically try to hurt your mother. She knows how to fight, but you still have a lot to learn, you are only a child after all."

These words echoed in the mind of the hybrid, drunk with rising anger, she glared furiously at the alicorn. "I am a Cæsar!" Following this correction, she dropped her sword, concentrated the sum of all the feelings in her heart to launch a magical attack. A sphere began to grow at the tip of the horn until it reached the size of a mandarin orange. But when the attack was released, slow at first, the sphere grew as it gained speed and its destructive power amplified, leaving a furrow in its path before exploding against the eastern side of the Badlands’s mountains.

Nightmare Moon, having resumed the form of the Tantabus for safety, was just as impressed as frightened by the scale of this attack. If Tantabus was not a creation from the world of dreams, and therefore insensitive to material attacks, it was certain that it would not have emerged unscathed. She turned to Aglowing Shell to contemplate a show of a different kind.

The anger completely consummated by this attack left a vacant place in the terror that slowly closed on the child's mind, her jealousy becoming so unbearable that she began to weep with rage. "Why do you not fight me? What do I do wrong for you to prefer to fight with my mother over me?!" she asked with a broken voice.

At the sight of that gaze she knew only too well, having seen it many times in the reflection of a mirror during the banishment, Nightmare Moon realised what was at stake. In a short gallop she threw herself on Aglowing, regaining a physical form to embrace her affectionately in her forelegs, spreading her wings to cover her back. "Quiet and calm. I'm here, look, I'm here. Everything is fine. Please calm down."

The bubble of jealousy burst, she lost all her strength at once, and wept with tears. "I am scared. I'm so afraid of losing you," she stammered between sobs.

Nightmare Moon was beginning to understand, the clues finally fitting into each other. "Jealousy is a terrible poison. Do not be afraid, no one will be able to get in the way of our friendship."

"You promise?" The child asked, frowning out of a painful relief brought by her words, her eyes filled with tears.

One last surprise that snatched a smile from Nightmare Moon, who tightened her embrace tenderly.

"Yes, Little Cæsar, I promise you. Our friendship will last forever. "

Author's Note:

Credits to Thesmokinguy for fixing this chapter.
Thanks to Nighthawk for proofreading it.