> Ponyville in Mourning > by DR-Fluffy > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Truly a Sad Day > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ponies set in two rolls inside the Ponyville City Hall; each wore black clothing and held an expression just as gloom. At the front of the room stood a podium and behind that rested a coffin. Throughout the room ponies shed tears; some whispered their goodbyes, while other spoke of their regrets at this tragedy before them. Mayor Mare trotted up to the podium and addressed the crowd. “Thank you all for coming here today I’m sure… she would appreciate the love you are all showing,” she stopped and dabbed at her eyes. “I would like to start things off by having the mares who were there at her end speak,” Mayer Mare gestured to six ponies who sat in the front roll. Twilight was the first to rise from her seat and step behind the podium. “I wrote a speech for today,” Twilight began, showing off a stack of cue cards in her hoof. “But, as I found out, crying on the cards makes them illegible. Its ok, I don’t need cue cards to say what we all know. We are here to honor someone greater then ourselves, someone who everypony should emulate and every foal should strive to be like,” Twilight glanced back to a picture that set in front of the coffin. The photo didn’t truly capture her greatness, Twilight knew, but nothing ever did: the black chitin that covered her face, the stringing green mane, and the eyes that stared with murderess intent. “Queen Chrysalis was too good for this world, too good for us. She was a villain so great in ambition and cunning that she nearly conquered Equestria twice, and at the end when she slapped the hoof of friendship away I knew then that not even our friendship was good enough for her. Truly we were mere ants before her,” Twilight stepped down and dabbed at her eyes as she took her seat. Pinkie Pie was the next to trot onto the stage. She stood at the podium for little more than a second before she flung herself onto the coffin with a cry of, “Take me instead!” It took two stallions to pull her off and drag her back to her seat. “I want to be buried with her!” she cried the whole time. Rainbow Dash was next and wasted little time going into her story. “I remember the first time I saw her. It was at Cadence’s wedding during the first changeling attack, and she had just revealed herself. I remember thinking how awesome she was, and as a certified awesome inspector I know awesome,” Rainbow pulled out a card from her coat pocket and showed it off to the crowd, it read: Rainbow Dash: Certified Awesome Inspector. “Just when you think things can’t get any better, Princess Celestia steps up and is like ‘you are not about to out awesome me in my own city,’ so the two of them fight it out. And get this, Chrysalis wins! Princess Celestia moves the sun and stuff, right? So she’s like a god… or something like that, so that means that Chrysalis is like a god plus two—“ “Hold It!” All eyes turned to the confused looking Starlight marching up the aisle. “What is going on here?” “Umm, we’re holding a funeral for Chrysalis… duh,” said Rainbow Dash. “We told you about it last week,” “I thought you were joking!” With the way everyone was watching Starlight, and muttering behind her back, she felt like she had just grown a second head. “Why are you holding a funeral for Chrysalis of all ponies… changelings?” Fluttershy rose up and trotted to Starlight’s side. With one hoof she embraced the unicorn. “It’s ok, Starlight, this is a sad day for everyone. Just let it out,” Starlight couldn’t hide the annoyed scowl on her face. “Sad? You know she tried to take over Equestria twice,” “I know, she was so close,” “She wanted to eat you!” Fluttershy patted Starlight on the head. “A mother must feed her young,” “Ok that’s it,” Starlight brushed Fluttershy off and stumbled up to the podium. Rainbow was quick to get out of her way and return to her seat with Fluttershy. With all eyes still locked on Starlight as she cleared her throat and began to speak, “Ok, since it seems that everypony has lost there mind let me clear up a few facts. First off, Chrysalis was evil! One hundred present evil! She looked evil, she sounded evil, and she acted evil,” “You’re just saying that because she didn’t like you!” A pony called from the audiences. “Of cause I am! I’ve spent the last year of my life terrified that she is going to pop out of a shadow and stab me every time I leave the castle. Do you have any idea how hard it is to do friendship lessens when you’re afraid that everyone you meat is Chrysalis in disguise? Here’s a clue: not easy!” “So what you’re saying,” another pony spoke up. “Is that you’re racist?” “Oh come on! How did you get that? Just so you know, one of my friends is literally a changeling,” Twilight was dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief while muttering, “Oh, Starlight, where did I go wrong?” Starlight’s face hit the podium. “I think that’s enough, Starlight,” Starlight’s head rose up, but the red mark on her forehead stayed. She locked eyes with the Moose Lord himself at the back of the room. “Thorax? Why are you here?” “Like the others here, I came to pay my respects,” said Thorax as he walked up the aisle. “Chrysalis was the greatest of us. She shined the brightest and… and… oh who am I kidding myself. I just came to see if Chrysalis told any of you the password to the hive-net,” Starlight raised a hoof, a confused expression stretched on her face. “So… just to be clear, you’re not here because you’re sad about Chrysalis’ death?” “Of course I’m sad! She was the only one who knew the password to the hive-net. Do you have any idea how hard it is to run a hive when you can’t check your social media?” Thorax started walking back and forth in front of the aisles, a look somewhere between hyperventilating and crying on his face. “We all turned on her, our chitin is forever stained for our disloyalty, and we have nothing to show for it!” Thorax collapsed to the ground, crying. “At least you haven’t completely lost your mind… completely,” Starlight muttered. She pointed out to the ponies with a hoof. “As for the rest of you, Chrysalis was a villain! We do not hold funerals for villains, and we most certainly do not morn their passing, wishing they had conquered all of Equestria—“ Twilight shot up from her seat with the look of inspiration in her eyes. “Everyone listen, I just realized something. We shouldn’t be having a funeral for Chrysalis,” “Thank you!” “We should be trying to bring her back with necromancy!” Starlight threw up her hooves. “I give up,” The crowd was mumbling with excitement, even Thorax had stopped crying and was listening intensely. “I know necromancy is technically illegal, but I think we can all agree that bending the rules this once is the right thing to do. However, the spell to bring back our beloved Chrysalis is going to require a living sacrifice,” All eyes in the room slowly look to Starlight. “W-would you look at the time,” Starlight stammered out. “I need to go help Spike with… something… bye.” She turned and tried to move to the back exit but ponies were already blocking the path. She looked for an escape as the ponies circled her. “I get it, this is a joke... right… very funny,” she gave an awkward laugh. Twilight stepped out from the ring of ponies, a smile on her face. “Starlight, I understand, you don’t want to die, but think of all the good that’s going to come from this,” “You want to resurrect Chrysalis!” Twilight nodded happily. “Exactly, that’s a lot of good,” Starlight franticly looked around. She tried to cast a teleport spell but something was blocking her, and by the growing smile and glowing horn of Twilight she knew what it was. “Twilight, you don’t want to do this,” Starlight pleaded as Twilight stepped closer. “Twilight… Twilight!” *** Chrysalis sat up in bed and removed the black cover from her eyes. Her bed was a mess with most of her pink plushy toys knocked to the ground, evidence of how much she was thrashing in her sleep. The door to her chambers opened and one of her servants quickly entered. “Is everything ok, my Queen?” “I was just having that nightmare again, fifth time this week,” “I see,” said the drone. “Then you will be happy to know that the preparations for your doppelganger plan is ready to go,” Chrysalis tossed her blankets to the side and rolled out of bed. With a green zap of her magic her mane was immaculate once more, and all traces of bedhead were gone. “I’ve changed my mind; these dreams have made me reconsider that plan,” “If not that plan then what, my Queen? Surely you will not let them get away after they wronged you so,” “Don’t be foolish, of cause they will pay, but I was thinking of something more simple. Let us act like changelings and just kill them,” The drone blinked his large eyes. “Infiltration and assassination, that could work,” the drone gave a bow and turned to leave the room. “I shell inform your subjects about the change of plans at once,” Chrysalis looked to her bed. She swiped one of the pink toys from the ground, whose body looked like a dog made primarily out of fluff. She raised the fluffy thing to her face and stared into its button eyes. “Sorry, Fluffyton the Fourth, I have a lot of work to do today, so we will have to skip our usual tea party,”