Death of a Queen, V2.

by Arkane12

28: On Our Own

“So, does anyone actually know where we are? Or have any idea where we’re going?” Starlight stood in the center of the castle hallway crossroads. She spent a long moment staring down each of the possible endless paths.

Twilight and Spike stood at her sides, equally as lost.

“The ponies, I get. But you, Thorax?” Chrysalis scoffed as she strolled past them, continuing down the center path by herself. The rest of the group shared quick glances before bounding off after her.

“You know where you’re going?” Starlight asked.

“Of course,” Chrysalis shot back with a proud smile.

“You know the layout isn’t actually the same as the real castle,” Twilight whispered at Chrysalis’ side. “I know they look alike, but this realm likes to play with time and space.” She glanced up at one of the portraits of a long-dead noble, and flinched as it gazed back.

“For you, maybe.” Chrysalis flipped her mane. “Such illusions are pale and immaterial. They have no effect on me. And they shouldn’t have worked on Thorax, either.” She turned toward the young changeling, her eyes narrow.

“I was following Starlight,” Thorax defended, wilting under her glare.

“Yeah, sure, blame this all on me,” Starlight scoffed.

Chrysalis glanced back over her shoulder. While Starlight and Thorax argued, Twilight edged toward the back of the group, her head down. After clearing her throat, Chrysalis stopped. “That is a pitiful excuse, Thorax. As punishment, you will lead us to our destination.”

“What?” Thorax balked. “But I--”

“You would dare disrespect me like this?”

Thorax stiffened. His cheeks paled.

“Of course not, My Queen–” He paused. “I mean, fine. I’ll find the way out of here. Because I know how to, not because you asked.” Thorax stood up straight and marched forward.

“Ha. Serves you right for trying to pin that on me,” Starlight said between chuckles.

As the others walked off, Chrysalis put out a hoof to stop Twilight.

At Chrysalis’ touch, Twilight raised her head. “What? Did something happen? Why did we stop?”

“I wish to speak with you, Twilight.” Chrysalis waited for their companions to gain a bit of distance from them before withdrawing her hoof.

“Oh?” Twilight blinked a few times. “What about?”

“You’re poisoning the air back here. Tell me why.”

Twilight reddened. “Poisoning the air? What? I’m not . . .”

“I meant your aura. It’s sour. Unappetizing.” Chrysalis frowned. “You’re upset.” Upset was putting it lightly. Despair probably fit better. Still, Chrysalis couldn’t deny something else. Confusion. Heartache. Desire.

Twilight’s eyes widened. “Yeah. I guess you could say that.”

“Would you . . .” Chrysalis glanced at an ethereal portrait on the wall. Not only could she feel Twilight’s desire, she could feel it directed towards her. “Would you stop? It’s making things rather uncomfortable for me.”

“Sorry.”

Chrysalis waited, but Twilight’s aura didn’t change. She frowned at the pony, who avoided meeting her gaze. “You’re not stopping.”

“It’s not something I can just turn on and off,” Twilight snapped.

“Really? That’s annoying.” After a few silent steps, Chrysalis spoke up again. “Would you like me to turn it off for you? I can try to disable your emotions. It might leave you a gibbering wreck, though, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

Twilight’s aura darkened as she blew a puff of air through her nose. “Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll pass. You don’t have to stand here. If it bothers you so much, why don’t you just move away?”

Rather than answer, Chrysalis chewed her lip, taking a sudden interest in a floral vase on a table nearby. “This castle has a hideous design. Have you ever considered redecorating?”

“Chrysalis, what do you want?” Twilight didn’t sound angry. Instead, she sounded exhausted. Her words were slow and drawn out. As if it hurt to speak. “Besides offering to lobotomize me, I mean.”

“You seemed upset.”

“I am upset.”

“And I want you . . . to not be upset.”

Twilight sighed.“I’m really not in the mood right now, Chrysalis. Whatever game you’re playing, can’t it wait until we get home?”

“I’m not trying to play a game.” Chrysalis growled. “I’m trying . . . I’m trying to help you.”

Twilight’s eyes widened for a split second. “You . . . you want to help me?”

“I want you to stop being upset.”

Realization finally struck. Twilight nodded slowly. “You want to ask me what’s wrong. Why I’m upset. Is that it?”

“I . . .” Chrysalis scratched the back of her neck. “Look, you and Thorax pulled me out of a rough situation back there. I know that I’m not exactly your friend, but I suppose it’s only fair that I try to help you in return.” She shrugged. “Although, now that I think of it, your attempt to help me involved trying to vaporize me with magic. Maybe I should return that favor.”

A bright spot materialized in Twilight’s aura as she laughed. Chrysalis risked a glance down at her companion. Twilight had her head hung, her shoulders heaving as she laughed. All the while, tears dripped onto the stone at her hooves.

“What’s so funny?” Chrysalis asked.

“You are. I’ve missed that sense of humor.”

“I wasn’t joking--” Chrysalis was interrupted by Twilight stepping closer, nuzzling against her shoulder.

“I’ve missed you, too.”

“You . . .” Chrysalis knit her brows together. “You . . . missed me?”

“I did.”

A long pause filled the air. Chrysalis lifted her hoof to put it over Twilight, but thought better of it and put it back down. “Why?”

Twilight moved away, glancing up at Chrysalis. In the brief time their eyes met, Twilight’s aura ran through a wide range of colors. Bitter sorrow. The salty tang of joy. The cocktail of emotions rushing through her culminated in her turning away from Chrysalis.

“I . . .” Twilight let her mouth hang open. Her eyes moved up and down Chrysalis.

Noticing Twilight’s examination, Chrysalis straightened up. She tried her best to model a regal profile. But Twilight’s enthusiasm only faded with each passing step.

“I . . . It’s not important. I just kind of liked having you around.”

“Really?” Chrysalis turned her muzzle upwards. “I mean, of course you enjoyed having me around. I can be quite charismatic when you’re not ruining my plans.”

“I guess so.” Twilight smiled half-heartedly. “Can I ask you something?”

“You may, though I don’t guarantee a truthful response.” Something about Twilight’s volatile mix of emotions put Chrysalis on edge. The pony was lying through her teeth, obviously, but Chrysalis couldn’t figure out about what. What was she trying to hide?

Twilight’s words brought her back.

“When you asked me to help you start a new life, what did you mean?”

Up ahead, Starlight was looking back at the stragglers. She had her muzzle scrunched, but didn’t say anything. Spike and Thorax were too busy chatting to notice anything out of the ordinary.

Chrysalis raised an eyebrow. “Why are you so curious?”

“It’s just that . . .” Twilight’s lips twisted into a thin-lipped frown. “When I asked you if you wanted to change things, I realized that I’m not sure we wanted the same thing. When I asked you before, back at the castle, what did you have in mind?”

“Hmpf.” Chrysalis put a stray bit of her mane back in place. “I haven’t the faintest clue, Twilight. I suppose that is something I’ll have to discover later. Supposing, of course, that we survive this.” She waved her hooves at the world around them.

“That’s fair. I guess. C-Can I ask you another question?”

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “You’re being annoyingly inquisitive. Do you know that?”

“It was your choice to come back here and talk to me,” Twilight said, arching her brow.

“Fine. I’ll grant you one more question.”

“Alright. One last question, then.” Chewing her lip, Twilight ran through the list in her head. As she thought, her lips moved silently, as though reading.

“Anytime you’re ready, Twilight.”

As she shuffled through her list, Twilight found the question she wanted. “Are you okay?”

A stunned silence echoed through the hallway.

“Am . . . Am I okay?” Chrysalis asked, her posture fumbling for only an instant. “Am I okay? That’s your question?” Chrysalis waited for Twilight to nod. “I gave you one last question, and you wasted it on that? Of all the questions you could have asked? Do I not appear okay? I can’t believe that I would humor you just for you to waste your breath on that.”

“It’s not a waste.” Twilight’s tone grew harsh, but she reigned herself back in before continuing. “It’s an important question to ask . . . to ask a friend.”

Chrysalis threw her head back and laughed, earning an irate head turn from Starlight. “Friends? Oh, my dear Twilight, I’m afraid you’re getting a little ahead of yourself. The two of us are many things, but friends are hardly one of them. I would call us tenuous allies at best.” Hidden behind her laugh, she could feel Twilight’s emotions. Chrysalis wasn’t the most well-versed in the intricacies of friendship, but even she knew that wasn’t what Twilight was feeling.

“That’s it?” Twilight asked. Her words were slow, pained.

Chrysalis puffed out her chest. “You are useful to me for now, Twilight. A means to an end. You would do well to remember that.”

Twilight stayed quiet for a long time. “You still didn’t answer my question,” she said.

“I . . . I’m . . .” Chrysalis' smile faded. “I’m fine, Twilight.”

“I see.” Twilight inspected her hoof as she walked. ”I thought that saving your life would have at least earned me the truth at least once. But I suppose I should have expected nothing else from you.”

Snorting, Chrysalis spoke. “Alright, then. The truth. For starters, my leg hurts. I’ve also been captured by my mortal enemy, dragged into a nightmare dimension, forced to fight for my life, and now I have a headache from this stupid little pony trying to ask me twenty questions.”

“I only asked two--”

“But, that’s only the last few weeks, of course.” Chrysalis threw her hoof up in a dramatic flourish. “I can go beyond that if you like. I’ve got centuries worth of complaints and painful memories to haunt me. Is that the answer you wanted?”

“Don’t talk to Twilight like that.”

Chrysalis turned toward Spike, still standing on Starlight’s back. He had his claws crossed, staring at the elder changeling with a venomous look in his eyes. DIstracted by Twilight’s questions, she hadn’t realized the rest of the group had stopped for them to catch up.

“It’s alright, Spike,” Twilight said.

Thorax, Spike, and Starlight all looked from Twilight to Chrysalis. Meanwhile, Chrysalis refused to meet any of their gazes. Instead, she pushed past them, taking the lead once again. The rest of the group slowed, allowing Twilight to catch up.

“She seems like she’s in a bad mood,” Starlight said.

“I’m sorry, Twilight.” Thorax put a hoof on her shoulder.

She answered his kind gesture with a smile. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for.”

Starlight leaned over, close enough to whisper. “Okay. I’m a bit out of the loop. What happened back there in the throne room? I thought the two of you were all made up and happy.”

“It’s a long story,” Thorax moaned.

“I know she can be hard to get along with.” Twilight shook her head. “But she’s hurting. Whatever happened back there, she’s not over it. She’s just letting it fester. I’m not asking you to be friends with her, but can you at least go easy on her?”

At the head of the group, Chrysalis kept her focus forward. But that didn’t stop her from hearing Twilight’s whispered plea. She thought back to the first night Twilight came to her, begging for her help. The day they spent in the garden. Even just a few moments ago, to their meeting in the throne room.

No matter how badly she wished to ignore it, Chrysalis couldn’t dismiss the heaviness in her chest. Since the start of her incarceration, Twilight had shown her nothing but kindness.

She offered protection from Luna’s threats.

She fought back against Shining and Cadance’s plans.

And now, even after being verbally berated and insulted, Twilight’s main focus was still on Chrysalis. Still protecting her. Still caring for her. For as much as it infuriated Chrysalis, she had never understood why. Not until now.

The world had never been kind to her. Even from a young age, Chrysalis knew that much. If she wanted to survive in this world, she needed to take what she wanted. No one else mattered.

Then he showed up.

And for the first time, she tried to see the good in the world. She also remembered the pain it brought when it all came crashing down.

Now, history was repeating itself. As hard as Chrysalis tried to deny it, she had felt a great affection from Twilight. And no matter how hard she tried to fight it, she couldn’t deny that she enjoyed being around Twilight.

That thought just made the pain worse. The pain of impending loss. The pain of hope.

But most of all, she felt a sharp pain in her muzzle as she crashed into the door.

---

“You’re too nice for your own good. Do you know that?” Starlight asked.

“That’s funny, coming from you,” Spike shot back. “Her being too nice is the only reason you’re here right now. Or did you forget that you used to be a villain, too?”

“Don’t be mean, Spike,” Twilight said.

“It’s true!” Spike argued.

“Wait, what?” Thorax asked, searching the faces of his companions. “Starlight used to be a villain?”

Starlight groaned. “Yes.”

“She used to lead a cult,” Spike bragged.

“It wasn’t a cult,” Starlight shot back. “It was just a group of ponies that I convinced to follow a set of ideals and spread . . .” She sighed. “It might have been a cult, now that I think about it.”

“Huh.” Thorax studied Starlight as if she were a two-headed stranger.

“Oh, don’t get all high and mighty on me,” Starlight shoved him playfully. “You invaded Canterlot, remember?”

Their conversation came to a screeching halt when they heard a pained cry. Their heads snapped forward to see Chrysalis, rubbing a small bump on the end of her muzzle.

“What happened?” Thorax asked.

“I ran into the stupid door,” Chrysalis whined. She pointed to the door in front of them. One emblazoned with the crest of the moon.

“Looks like Chrysalis found the door,” Starlight said, stifling a chuckle with her hoof.

“Are you alright, Chrysalis?” Twilight asked. Her answer came in the form of an angry eye roll. “Then we’re good to go. The sooner we get through here, the sooner we get home.”

Chrysalis pulled the door open and marched inside. Twilight followed. Starlight and Thorax didn’t.

“Uhh, this might be a problem,” Starlight said.

Twilight turned to look at her. The unicorn had her hoof pressed against an invisible barrier in the doorway. Each tap sent ripples of energy through the air, making the magic visible for the duration.

“What is that?” Twilight asked, walking back to join them. She reached for the barrier, only for her hoof to sail right through it, nearly catching Thorax in the cheek.

“Well, this could be a problem,” Thorax mused.

“It seems the Nightmare doesn’t want us going with you,” Starlight said.

“What’s taking so long?” Chrysalis shouted from somewhere ahead.

“Come back here. We’ve got a problem.” Twilight frowned. She poked at the barrier in different places, probing for a weakness in the spell.

“A barrier?” Chrysalis asked, stopping at the threshold.

“Yeah. Magical. It’s definitely the Nightmare’s magic.” Twilight chewed the edge of her hoof. “Alright let me try something really quickly.” She stepped back through the barrier. Taking hold of Starlight, her horn lit with magic. Twilight blinked back to Chrysalis’ side, but Starlight hadn’t moved.

“Well, that didn’t work,” Spike said.

“What are we supposed to do now?” Thorax asked.

“We split up,” Chrysalis suggested.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Well, you clearly can’t get through. I don’t see much of a choice in the matter. Twilight and I can press on and finish things up here.”

“I don’t know. I don’t like it.” Starlight put a hoof on her hip.

“Chrysalis has a point.” Twilight nodded. “We don’t have a lot of time to figure out a way past this. So, the two of us will deal with the Nightmare. You three get back to Canterlot. Help Shining and his soldiers.”

“And what if you can’t beat it?” Spike asked, chewing his claw.

“Have some faith in your princess, would you?” Twilight pressed a hoof to her chest in mock injury. “I’ve dealt with plenty of dangerous monsters and come out fine on the other side. This won’t be any different. You guys did a great job saving me. I can take it from here, though.” She tried to set her friends at ease with a wide smile.

“Alright. I guess that’s our plan, then.” Starlight returned the gesture. “But promise us you’ll come back in one piece, Twilight.”

“I will,” Twilight promised.

“Pinkie promise?”

“Pinkie promise.”

“Alright. Well, you two heard the princess. Let’s start looking for a way out of here.” Starlight turned and started back down the endless castle hallway. Spike waved to Twilight as they parted.

“Chrysalis. Come here, would you?” Thorax asked. He put his hoof onto the door barrier.

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes. “If you ask me to make a Pinkie promise, I will do my best to make sure both Twilight and I die horribly.” The statement, along with Chrysalis’ ire, earned a quiet giggle from Twilight.

“Nothing like that.” Thorax looked up at his mother, then back down at his hoof.

With a tired sigh, Chrysalis put her hoof against his. “Fine. Say what you will.”

But Thorax didn’t speak. Instead, he closed his eyes. He exhaled slowly. Green energy emanated from his body, gathering at the pad of his outstretched hoof.

“What are you doing?” Chrysalis asked, pulling her hoof back.

“You’re going to need as much strength as you can get. So I want you to take mine.”

“You won’t need it?” Chrysalis reached out to touch him again, but hesitated.

“Not as much as you will,” he said.

Neither changeling moved. Thorax refused to back down, though. He held his hoof steady, watching Chrysalis. Eventually, she caved, and put her hoof back up against his. The energy funneled through the barrier, engulfing Chrysalis in its emerald light. She drew a deep breath, allowing the magic to sink into her. When she opened her eyes, they flashed with mystic light.

“There. That’s all I’ve got,” Thorax said. The dark luster of his chitin had faded to an ashen gray.

“Thank you, Thorax.”

“No sappy goodbyes, remember?” He chuckled. “Now, I’m counting on you to look after Twilight.” He put a hoof up to hide his mouth. “Because she does need someone to watch out for her.”

“Ahh. You know how much I enjoy babysitting,” Chrysalis said with a sly grin.

“Well, I’d better go catch up with Starlight.” Thorax turned and hurried off. But before he could disappear back into the dark, his voice rang out one final time. “Oh, and Chrysalis? You’d better come back. That’s an order.”

And with that echoing through the cloistered halls, he vanished into the dark.

Chrysalis pursed her lips. “That little slug. He knows better than to order me around.”

Despite Chrysalis’ reaction, Twilight thought she saw a twinkle of humor in the old changeling’s eye. With a shrug, she said, “I guess you’ll just have to make it back in one piece if you want to tell him that.”

“I suppose you’re right, Princess.”

Together, the two of them pressed forward into the darkness.

Comments

[GeneraLeeDiscord]

Oh poor Twilight my dear wake up from the dream you had it wasn't real. If you want it to become reality your going to have to work for it. How else will it come true? Ol

Of course you two will have to live past this event first.