Chrysalis Visits The Hague

by Dan The Man

Correspondence Between HM Celestia and HRH Twilight Sparkle from November 23rd, 2015

AUTHOR: HRH Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship

ADDRESSEE: HM Celestia, Princess of the Sun

INTERCEPTED: 23.11.2015, 17:10:81 UTC+1 (23:10:81 UTC+7)

POINT OF ORIGIN: The Hague, The Netherlands, Europe

ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Standardized Equestrian

CONTENT:

"Dear Princess Celestia,

I regret to report that earlier today, I

You might have heard what happened in the courthouse right after the

I mucked up.

I am sorry. I am so sorry for what I did. I know that I’m the Princess of Friendship. I know that I am a grown mare. So I know what is expected from me.
But for one moment, I couldn’t control myself!
You know best how easy it is for Chrysalis is to have her way with other ponies. She got the better of me this time. I know it was my fault to start with - not only because I let her under my skin so foalishly, but because I shouldn’t have been in that corridor at that moment at all. It’s a long story.
I’m also sorry that you have to deal with the consequences of my actions. If there is anything I can do to help, please do not hesitate to ask! I will do it.

I don’t know if it excuses anything that happened, but the day’s just been terrible for me. It felt like everything was just about to go off the rails in this Hague.
The human realm’s a mysterious place, and I won’t pretend like I know the first thing about it. But it was naive of me to expect that they’ll share all our values.

Chrysalis is acting up - and the humans do nothing to rein her in. Her lawyer skews and lies about things that we've got in black and white - and the judges let him get away with it. Shining’s almost going crazy trying to keep up with Chrysalis’ constant scheming - and yet nopony seems to be bothered.

We need to talk about my brother, Princess. He is not well. I can feel it. He is too far away from Cadance and the Crystal City, and this place is clearly getting to him. I mean, the human world is keeping all of us on the tips of our hooves, myself included. But for Shining, it would only be a fraction as bad if it weren’t for Chrysalis being there.

She’s doing something to him. I don’t know what, but Shining’s starting to act all kinds of strange when he as much as comes near her. It's almost as if she’s surrounded by some kind of force field that twists and turns the minds of anypony unlucky enough to come close.
When I first saw him ‘on duty’ in Chrysalis’ prison, he looked like he hadn’t slept for three days in a row! He was acting completely unfocused and could hardly string a coherent sentence together.
A couple of times, he became extremely scared and worried for no obvious reason and was moments away from running around in circles. Other times, he became angry and began snapping at his colleagues for supposedly letting their guard down around Chrysalis. And then, he’d just go all silent, as though he suddenly was without a care in the world.
All the while, there was just one topic on his mind: Queen Chrysalis! Every waking moment, just Chrysalis!

I may not be a Royal Guard, but I’ve never seen anypony act like that. My brother definitely hasn’t ever been that obsessed about anything.

Princess, could these perhaps be the effects of a magical spell? I’ll definitely go analyse his behaviour and see if I can deduce any trends.
I just know is it’s her who’s maintaining some kind of magically link to him, somehow (a tap maybe, or a bond?).
They say her horn is secured and her magic ‘suppressed’, but both you and I know that you cannot ever truly suppress somepony’s innate magic.
Somehow, and even though she’s locked in a cell, Chrysalis seems more dangerous and surefire than ever. I couldn’t begin to imagine what would happen if she made it back to Equestria as a free mare now.

Actually, that’s another thing I’ll have to discuss with you about in more detail.

If you ask me, they seem to be getting pretty chumm

I have the strong feeling that they might begin to sympathise with Chry

Is it possible that she might be exerting some kind of influence on

For a start, of course I couldn’t begin to imagine that the humans would ever let Chrysalis off the hook, but let’s just say that I wouldn’t have imagined that they’d starting to reject the charges against her either.
I probably shouldn’t count the chickens before they’ve hatched, but I feel like anything’s possible at this point. I have undying eternal respect for the fact that the humans value the assumption of innocence so much - I really really do! Yet I think they’re about to go overboard with it.
Chrysalis is not innocent. We both know that much’s objectively true. We were there, and they were not.
And yet, we should start asking what will happen if they do end up setting Chrysalis free - if some skillful words can fool the judges into thinking that she is actually blameless.
Just to be on the safe side.
We will need bar her from re-entering Equestria. We can do that, right? Nopony could blame us for doing that.

I apologise for all the panicked ramblings, Princess. I really should be above worrying my head off about things haven’t happened yet. - things that, I hope, won’t happen at all. But my heart tells me that if we don’t do something, this could turn for the worse.

I only really need to ask you for one big favour: It’s not for my sake, but for my brother’s. Please relieve him of his duty to guard her! He is in grave danger, even if he isn’t realising it himself. If you want to save him from being driven completely crazy by Chrysalis, then let him back to Cadance!

Meanwhile, I will hold the fort in the Hague. I will make sure that Chrysalis isn't going anywhere. And I will not leave until we see Chrysalis’ fate is written in stone.
That is a promise.

Somepony must do something. The only question is, what?
I loyally seek your guidance.

I know it’s only been barely a week, but I don’t think I
It’s getting a little lonely out here.

I miss you.

Sorry again.

Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle.

PS: If it’s okay with you, I will try to have another word with the director of the ICC. He said to me that the only thing that stopped him from having me arrested on the spot is the fact that I have diplomatic immunity. But maybe, if I can convince him that I really hadn’t been planning on confronting Chrysalis, maybe he will lift my ban and allow me to enter the court and prison again after all. It can’t hurt - at least no more than already."

--- --- ---

AUTHOR: HM Celestia, Princess of the Sun

ADDRESSEE: HRH Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship

INTERCEPTED: 23.11.2015, 23:47:63 UTC+7 (17:47:63 UTC+1)

POINT OF ORIGIN: Canterlot, Principality of Equestria, Equestrian Peninsula

ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Standardized Equestrian

CONTENT:

"My dearest Twilight,

Do not be afraid.
I understand what you’re going through. It doesn’t matter how literate or wise we might think ourselves - none of us is ever above fear and uncertainty.
You’re in a distant and exotic land, Twilight. You have never been that far away from your home in your whole life. How could I blame you for what you’re feeling?

What you need - what we all need - right now, is faith.
Once faith is gone, what will we have left?

I, for one, have the distinct feeling that the humans, if they haven’t already, will come to value justice a great deal more in the course of this trial.
And do not worry about Chrysalis too much either. If my experience is anything to go by, she’s probably feasting on on your unease. The only way she could possibly regain what she lost is through our missteps. And without us there to pay lip service to her antics, she is but a prisoner, and she knows that.
Even a caged Windigo is just a Windigo in a cage.

You, on the other hoof, are free, Twilight. Do not rest on your fears. Go out and explore that world in all its rich facets as long as you have the chance.
Which is not to say that I won’t be missing you regardless!

Please send Shining Armour my well-wishes. I do not want this task to ruin him, just as little as I want it to ruin you.
If he really is feeling as badly as you have described it, then we cannot leave him to Chrysalis’ presence.
Feel free to relieve him of his duty anytime - in my name, of course.
Cadance is already eagerly awaiting his return. And we don’t want to keep her waiting, do we?

Kindest regards, from me and all your friends,
Princess Celestia."

Comments

[Dan The Man]

8864971
An interesting concept, and certainly worth looking into. Well done!
Also (for what it's worth, since I'm not a native English speaker either) well written.

[Raistlin]

Do the ponies have plans to deal with the changelings in case Chryssy gets sentenced?

[andmos]

8865963
In court of law, you need to accominate both the sentencing as well as an not guilty verdict and their consecvences there after. Thats whats makes an fiction on trial that much intence. You need to plan ahead right now for both outcoms and thats an fact

[Raistlin]

8866007

I think Shining Armor is suffering of PTSD, hard.
Remember: Chrysalis brainwashed (and maybe raped him), kidnapped and suplanted Cadence, leaving her in a cave without food, water or company for days. That without mention the invasion of Canterlot.
Considering Shining´s special talent is protecting others, is no wonder he is so broken.

[drake565]

I'm waiting for the reveal that the ponies launched an unprovoked and genocidal attack on the changelings and edited thier history to say otherwise.

[bloons3]

8866650
TBH, the changelings DID kinda start it. But it would look VERY bad for an Equestrian retaliation to come out...

[Ariel Schnee]

It said 'Intercepted'.

Hmmm...

Did Twilight even get to read this letter any?

[Yutah123]

8866835
Well, Her Majesty Celestia, Princess of the Sun got the letter, so I'd imagine that Her Royal Highness Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship got the reply too. Her Royal Highness Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship would become suspecting if she didn't receive a reply anyhow.

...I don't know what compelled me to write out their full titles. Perhaps my lack of sleep is starting to get to me.

[Apocryphal Frost]

Just caught up reading this. I am heavily invested in the defense and their dealings with Chrysalis, as well as their moments in court.

[GIULIO]

Just a heads up, Dan. All of the opening pictures beginning from first chapter (with the exception of the BBC article) up until chapter XVIII are broken. So is the one in chapter XX.

[Dan The Man]

8876571
Thanks for the heads-up.
I'm on it!

[GIULIO]

8876581
No prob. Just felt like re-reading this gem when I noticed the broken images. Still pretty damn good stuff!

[ponyboy245]

Just got finished with my second read through.

It’s amazing how much I didn’t pick up the first time around. I honestly can’t think of a more densely complex story centered around such morally gray plot lines. The human governments and the United Nations are all plotting to ensure they each get their slice of Equestria’s resources, Clelestia and the Equestrian government are doing everything in their power to smudge and blur and bury the truth of what had transpired centuries past and Chrysalis is shrouding herself in lies and half-truths for a purpose that has yet to be made clear.

And caught in the middle are the humans and ponies who seek to uncover the truth and ensure that justice is served, all the while totally unaware of just how much they are being manipulated by powers and forces that can easily crush them if they don’t play by their constantly changing rules.

It’s so easy to hate Lexy Fori for her bias and bigotry, but when I look more closely, I find myself almost feeling sorry for her. Because whether she knows it or not, she too is also a pawn in all of this but is far too blinded by her loyalty to Celestia and her overzealous need to see Chrysalis punished for her supposed crimes to realize it.

And I feel as though Twilight has some greater role to play in all of this. What that role is, I can’t rightly say, but the the more I read the chapters told from her perspective, the more I see a well intentioned, but naive lttle girl who has yet to fully realize that nothing is as it seems.

I’m really looking forward to seeing how this story progresses, so please keep up the amazing work.

(Side Note)
Whenever I read Alexander Easterman’s dialogue, I imagine him sounding like James Spader’s character of Alan Shore from Boston Legal, which of course just makes him all the more likable, despite his obvious flaws of character.

[nioniosbbbb]

I find it curiosly contradictory that the previous incident would make diplomatic immunity ineffective but this one... Not.

[Vigriff]

Oh, Celestia your dreams of the Utopia you envisioned will not come to pass.