Chapter 14: Operation Alicorn Sunset part 4 - Compromise
13th of the third moon, 1551 A.E. ???. p.m. - ???
Celestia was surrounded by total blackness. She tried to move, to call out to Luna, to do anything in order to escape her prison. She half-heartedly knew she wasn't in her consciousness and what she was doing was to no avail, yet she tried anyway. Her mind was burning with concerns. Did the element bearers escape? Did Luna escape? How much time had passed?
Frustrated, she flared her wings, ramming the inky blackness with all her might. Contrary to her expectations, she felt a slight ripping sensation, and for a moment was blinded by bright light from all sides. She had no strength left in her muscles, her horntip was aching, but at least she was free... right?
Unfortunately for Celestia, the first thing she saw right after she came to was that buggy monstrosity sitting on her tea table, staring at her with a cynical grin.
Celestia furrowed her brow and tried to ignite her horn, yet the famed sun's power was nowhere to be seen, replaced by mere sparks that fizzed out quite pathetically. With all her remaining strength, she tried to charge the creature, yet it effortlessly locked the alicorn in place with its green magical hue. The creature rose from the chair and slowly walked over to her, its fanged mouth projecting a wide grin.
"Now, now. Where are your manners? Be a good princess, and come have a seat," it whispered, pointing to a chair on the opposite side . Celestia reluctantly complied, since there wasn't much else she could do. To be honest, she was wondering why she was even alive still. The creature had already won. Equestria was presumably suffering under the chains of slavery. What more could she possibly hope to gain by keeping her alive?
"The name's Chrysalis, by the way. I understand that you are quite confused. Let's just say that things... didn't exactly go according to plan for me, either." she trailed off.
Did this villain keep her alive, just so she could torment her with the demise of her loved ones? Celestia was hoping and praying that wasn't the case, but she had to know.
"Where are Luna, Twilight and her friends?" Celestia held her breath as she waited for an answer. She prepared for the worst when her question was answered by haughty laughter.
"You really haven't changed, your highness. In short, nopony was permanently harmed. Luna was captured in her sleep, and is being contained in the same type of cocoon that you were in. The element bearers aren't much of a threat without their elements, so they were escorted back to ponyville under guard. Twilight sparkle, though..."
"I feel she is going to be a huge problem of mine even without the elements, and I debated whether or not to remove her completely from the equation... Yet at the end, I decided not to. She currently resides in a comfy room within this castle with a magic suppressor around her horn. Consider it my small gesture of goodwill."
She let out a small sigh of relief that her loved ones were safe, but her confusion only became worse. What in her name was this bug queen planning?
"What about the real Cadance, Shining Armor, and all the other 'guests' that you invited for the wedding? What did you do to them?"
"As for Cadance, she was not of much use to me after my cover was blown, neither was Shining Armor. They are under house arrest, on opposite sides of this city. The ponies who were fleeing out of the city, though..." The creature flashed a devilish grin. "Let's just say that those refugees had some company with them."
With those words, the creature walked over to one of the crystals lining the room. Celestia could very much recognize what she was seeing, but all the images were drastically different from her memory. Manehattan square, with more of the bug-things locking eyes with the wary populace. Vanhoover harbor, with the bugs checking the shipments from understandably confused foreign merchants. And last but not least, Ponyville, with many crystals showing what each of the element bearers were doing. None seemed to be very happy with their predicament.
There was a moment of silence as Celestia came to realize her nation's situation. If it weren't for her thousand-year-long experience as sole ruler of Equestria, she probably would have slipped into the blackness once more. Instead, she recognized that she was now facing one of the greatest threats to her nation since its foundation. Discord, Nightmare Moon and King Sombra were all formidable opponents, yet they were all solitary predators. When they were gone, their empire would go, as well.
This bug-queen, this Chrysalis was not only cunning and powerful on her own. She knew how organize, inspire, and lead. Yet she was using this ability for conquest and destruction. To make matters even worse, she passionately believed in everything she was doing, to the degree that she even managed to use the elements of harmony. The more time she spent on Equestrian soil, the tighter her grip on it would become. Yet, she hadn't taken the largest step in cementing her power.
"So why didn't you just kill me and take the crown already?"
She said that word with a smudge of hatred in her voice.
Yet curiously, the seemingly triumphant, smug-looking Chrysalis seemed to be shaken by this word considerably. Celestia hadn't the faintest idea why.
"W-well, you see, there's... a few problems with that. For instance, do you know what time it is, now?"
Celestia squinted at the window. Since the sun looked about ready to be lowered.. "6'o clock. Why does it matter," she replied coldly. Chrysalis only gave a small whistle in response.
"Your timing is impeccable, your highness. Yet the sun has actually been up for 36 hours straight since yesterday. Our sentinels are reporting abnormal tides, growing panic... To put it simply, we need you to lower the sun."
Celestia furrowed her brow at her enemy. "I will not do so until you withdraw all your forces from Equestria. If you do not, The power of the sun shall all wither you to death." She hadn't used that phrase since she-knows-when, but she couldn't afford to hold back at the moment.
However, Chrysalis merely scoffed at the proposal. "Us changelings have lived underground for centuries. If the heat becomes too unbearable, we will do so once more, and only when all ponies are dead from either the heat or starvation, only then will we die. I can, however, give you a much better deal."
So that's what they are called, mused Celestia.
"In exchange for peace and the continued rising of the sun, I will give you back your power, your crown, and your sister. I will fully release all of the current hostages except for Cadance, Twilight sparkle, and the elements of harmony, just so you don't try to kill me once you get your powers back. In turn, you will name me to the position of chancellor, and I will nominate the members of cabinet."
The monarch of the sun quietly considered her options. On one hand, she was afraid she would be falling into this creature's trap, whatever it was going to be. On the other, the very same creature could still kill her closest friends if she didn't comply. After a long silence, she gave her answer through clenched teeth.
"Deal it is, then, however much I abhor it."
Chrysalis solemnly nodded, and laid down her own three-pointed crown on top of the table. "Lastly, since I technically outrank you, you will have to -at least formally- take my title of 'queen of the Changelings'. Please, take care of your subjects well, your majesty." She said that last part with particular emphasis.
Instead of saying anything, Celestia quietly picked up the crown and put it on top of her head as a double crown. It felt surprisingly light and soft to the touch. She resolved in her mind to not get used to it, to abandon it when Equestria was finally liberated from this horrid villain.
Twirling the crown with her left hoof, she realized that she didn't know about Chrysalis or the changelings, as much as they knew about ponies and herself. In order to have any chance at liberation, that would have to change.
"Before we conclude this truce, Answer me. What was your original plan? When that failed, how did you manage to use the elements of harmony?"
Chrysalis let out a deep sigh. She suddenly looked much older and tired than her confident self. "Truth be told, I thought we were finished when one of the most powerful magical creatures in world was bearing down on me. I was supposed to be Cadance, be married to Shining Armor, and with my influence, you shouldn't have suspected anything of the sudden "population increase" in Equestria.... As for the elements of harmony, I myself have no idea."
Celestia didn't know what to say. She shuddered at the prospect of her close friend and pupil being replaced by a cold, ruthless, shape-shifting demon. She hated her for trying successfully to brainwash the groom. However, she couldn't help but notice an important detail in it.
"Even if it worked, you'd be in an unwanted marriage. You would have to maintain your facade for the rest of your life."
However, Chrysalis only gave a small chuckle. "Not a problem if you have been doing it for the past 30 years."
Both parties quietly sipped their tea for a brief while. It was an odd blend of green and black, reserved only for the most intimate visits from friends and her sister. Celestia wondered how this 'queen' figured out such a thing.
She decided to pay no mind to it. She probably just interrogated the kitchen staff, right?
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you should fix this one
yay your back! its nice to see celestia is as oblivios to things others do as ever. i wonder if celestia finds out who chrisalis was would she apologise and let things be while helping rebuild the two races as one sociaty or will she only find out when it is too late
Looks interesting,
Ill give it a spin.
The Monk
“Heat? isn't that when... I took a whiff of air when I smelled a smelly smell that smells smelly.” -The Kitsune
10281466
Wow, I'm really rusty after staying away from mlp for 3 months, thanks!
10281466
fixed now!
Whoo-hoo!!! This story isn't dead!
Nice to see this story continuing.
Thanks everyone for remembering this even existed after 3 whole months! In an internet age where info is created and gone in mere days, your dedication really means a lot.
It is alive !!!!!
when is Chrysalis going to drop the bombshell about who she really is, to Celestia?
10284846
Well, imagine Chrysalis's predicament. Her upbringing in the pony world was a never-ending tunnel of misery and hopelessness, with only Cadance and Celestia as her guiding light. One of those lights were snuffed out when it was revealed that Cadance parents essentially murdered hers. After then, Celestia was her only hope and purpose in that world. So imagine her shock of betrayal when Celestia stopped her, one step from achieving her dream. That's why she ran away, and that's why she hates Celestia and her world. As she said herself, the pony Cater Pillar is gone.
Essentially, Chrysalis is suffering from rage-induced PTSD, only held back by her adoration for the life she built up with the Changelings (especially Thorax and Pharynx). I won't spoil anything, but the tug-of-war between these two forces will play a critical role in the story to come.
10285687
great to see a story that focuses on PTSD
Wait, do you mean it's the end? Can you put cancelled tag on it? Or on hiatus, if you plan to revisit it some time in the future?
Huh, I expected this to go down the same as canon, but it didn't! And I'm glad it didn't.
Double crown!