Honey Cupcakes

by Someguy458

"I wasn't expecting this..."

"Nor was I..." was all that Rarity could manage to say in response to Twilight's befuddled statement.

They'd been trailing Chrysalis through the Everfree for the past half an hour, carefully making sure they weren't attacked by the wildlife along the way. They passed the cliff that they'd fallen off while headed to face Nightmare Moon, crossed the same river, and eventually found themselves back at the Castle of the Two Sisters.

What they'd found there waiting for them, however, was beyond their wildest expectations.

"Do you think we should help her?" Fluttershy asked, concerned.

"Ah dunno..." Applejack responded.

Before them, nestled underneath the statue that once held the Elements of Harmony, was a very crude-looking shelter. Its roof was made of ivy, supported with long branches, padded with moss on the inside...

And Queen Chrysalis was lying within it, a clutch of glowing green eggs latched to the base of the statue.

Twilight whispered, "What do you think, Pinkie?"

The party planner, for once, was absolutely shell-shocked. She hadn't said anything since they arrived, and it was starting to grow disconcerting.

"Pinkie?" Twilight asked again.

Still no response.

The book-smart unicorn sighed, realizing that this was going nowhere fast. She turned to Rainbow Dash and asked, with just the barest hint of smugness, "How about you, Dash? Still think she's up to something?"

"Maybe," Rainbow automatically replied, still transfixed on the sight before her. "Or maybe I was a bit too quick to judge her."

It was then that Pinkie chose to speak up: "Rainbow Dash was too fast?!"

Twilight would've chuckled if Pinkie hadn't been so loud. "Who's there?" Chrysalis stood up, taking a defensive stance.

The ponies quickly ducked behind the wall they were spying past. "What'll we do, Twilight?" Fluttershy quavered faintly.

The purple unicorn thought for a moment. "I think the safest option might be to come out and talk to —"

Rainbow Dash was on her quicker than lightning. Still maintaining a hushed tone, she declared, "Now, hold on a second! How is that any safer than making a tactical retreat, or just attacking her?"

"If we flee now," Twilight reasoned, "she might think we were foiled in an attempt to ambush her, so she'll be more on-edge in the future. And we are NOT going to attack her, Rainbow Dash; especially now that we've seen those eggs!"

"Show yourself!" Chrysalis shouted, still looking for the source of the voice.

Rainbow, still quiet, asked, "I don't like that thought, either, but she's still an enemy! What if she attacks as soon as she sees us, huh?"

Twilight rolled her eyes, "Then I can just use a shield spell. She's clearly weaker than she was at the Wedding, so it should be no problem."

Rainbow stared her down for a serious moment. "I really hope you know what you're doing."

Twilight nodded, then stood up straight.

Chrysalis, who was still looking around methodically, spotted her as she left her cover in a visibly passive way. A tense moment was spent as they stared each other in the eye.

Then the Queen raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"

Twilight was momentarily taken aback by the question. She'd been expecting something more along the lines of 'Leave now,' or 'Twilight Sparkle!?', or even just a wordless blast of magic.

Then she regained her composure. "I saw you in town, and I wanted to know why you were headed into the Everfree."

The Queen glanced at the trees outside the Castle. "Is that what that forest is called?"

Twilight nodded. "It's pretty dangerous in there, especially if you're unfamiliar with the territory."

Chrysalis huffed, losing her battle-ready stance. "Well, thank you for the concern, but I can handle myself well enough."

"I'm sure you can," Twilight stated curtly.

A silent moment passed.

"Well?" Chrysalis prompted Twilight to continue.

The lavender mare looked around the ruins, able to see everything better now that she was closer. "This is a pretty decent set-up you've got here."

The Queen now looked confused. "Th-thank you, I suppose..."

"How long have you been here?"

"About three weeks."

That makes sense, Twilight thought to herself.

"Why do you ask?" Chrysalis's eyes narrowed, catching Twilight off guard.

It took the unicorn a moment to re-gather her thoughts. "There was a wedding three weeks ago."

Chrysalis blinked. "...okay? And....?

Twilight made a concerted effort to not let her shock show. It's true, isn't it?

Then she shook her head, playing it off. "Oh, nevermind that; I just thought I saw you at it. What's your name?"

"I am Chrysalis," the Changeling replied. "What's yours?"

That certainly cinched it. "Twilight Sparkle."

Chrysalis nodded, then turned and made her way back to her shelter.

Inside, Twilight was terribly conflicted. On one hoof, she felt like she couldn't stand by and let somepony suffer in the woods, especially if they were an expecting mother. On the other hoof, this was Queen Chrysalis, and the events of the Wedding were still fresh in everypony's minds, especially Twilight's. But on a third hoof entirely, there was the knowledge that could be learned by studying Chrysalis, knowledge about the Changelings that could strengthen Equestria's security.

So Twilight stood there, staring at the ground as she weighed the options. Chrysalis, meanwhile, had settled back down into her shelter, and was now staring at Twilight in confusion. The Queen was about to speak up, when Twilight came to a decision.

"I want to help you."

Comments

[Yoshifan30]

Well then that is pretty something so Twilight and the others follow Chrysalis to the everfree forest and once they made it to the castle of the Two Sisters it looks like Chrysalis made a shelter for her egg Twilight and the others are in the mix about this whole thing but there is one thing they didn't want to leave her in the forest so Twilight ask her if she can remember things and it looks like it's been confirmed she doesn't remember what happened 3 weeks ago so Twilight decided to help her and I wonder how this will work out guess we'll find out next time

[Yoshifan30]

Now the question is what about the other changelings who whete at the Canterlot wedding attack they would probably want to know what happened to Queen Chrysalis after all that is their Queen and I'm surely they'll probably be looking for her I mean thorax probably would not because you know he never agrees about what Chrysalis did but still I was wondering if that would happen anytime soon

[Alondro]

And then Chrysalis gets her memory back, keeps it hidden, and kills them all!

[Doctor_Den]

10670344
for some reason I have a strong premonition that in this universe the whole swarm that attacked the Canterlot, except for Chrysalis, died

[Yoshifan30]

10670870
OH NO NOT THORAX 😭😭 HE WAS PART OF IT

[Razzy]

Well, this is awkward.

Yay eggs!

10670870 Would it be in bad taste to do a happy dance?