> The Ultimatum > by Professor Blu > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > 2 Boxes > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It came down to this. A revolution has been happening for three months now, and it all converges here. Princess Celestia and Queen Chrysalis. The two monumental Titans of the war, standing face to face with only a table in front of them. The table had two boxes. This room was special, magic didn't work here, at all. No disguising, No Lasers, No Chaos. Discord had only just arrived having to fight tooth and nail just be in this room, Fluttershy stood next to Thorax, knowing that what the two where about to do would change the entire history of Equestria, maybe even beyond. Queen Chrysalis stood before a box and stared down Princess Celestia. There they were, deep below Canterlot, in a magic resistant room. Discord had to have a plan. He always had a plan... Didn't he? There had to be a way for him to save the day... There had to be a way that no one died today. Even without magic Discord still had to have a plan. "After I destroy your empire, I will build a new one, a perfect one." Queen Chrysalis stated. "Let me ask you a question" The entire room froze up and looked at the draconequus that just spoke. "When you make this perfect new world, you kill all the bad guys, and when it's right and just and fair. What are you going to do about the people like you? The troublemakers. How are you going to protect your perfect revolution, from the next one?" Chrysalis stared at Discord, tempted to almost laugh at him opting to only speak, "We'll win" "Oh will you?" Discord asked in mock-surprise, "Well maybe you will win, maybe you'll win a thousands times But no one wins forever. The wheel just keeps turning, over and over, so come on. Break the cycle." "Why are you still Talking?" Chrysalis asked in a dangerous mono-tone "Because I want you to see it, and I'm almost there" "Do you know what I see, Discord? A box" In truth there was a box. A box with two buttons. One that could cause a feedback loop knocking out all of the Ponies in Equestria. The other one would disable all Changeling magic, leaving them completely vulnerable to attack. "A box with everything I need..." Chrysalis said as she put her hoof over the box. "For us to" Celestia interrupted. She also had a box in front of her, one would pulse pure magic in a 10 mile radius, killing all non-ponies in that area. The other one would cause a magical feedback loop making a huge explosion, killing everyone in this room along with everyone in Canterlot. "And we're off, Fingers on Buzzers! Are you feeling lucky? Are you ready to play the game? Whose gonna be luckiest? Whose gonna be quickest?" "THIS IS NOT A GAME" "No, it's not a game Tia and I mean that most sincerely."] "Why are you doing this?" Chrysalis questioned "Yes I'd quite like to know that as well." Celestia seconded. "You set this up, Why?" "Because it's not a game Celestia. This is a scale model of WAR. Every war ever fought right there in front of you because it's always the same. When you fire that first shot No matter how right you feel, you have no idea who's going to die. You don't know who's children are going to Scream and Burn How many hearts will be broken How many lives shattered How much blood will be spilled Until everyone does what they were always going to have to do from the very beginning. SIT DOWN AND TALK." Discord finally relented before breathing in deeply in an attempt to calm himself, before he began again. "Listen to me, Listen. I just want you to think. Do you know what thinking is? It's just a fancy word for changing your mind." Discord said running up to Queen Chrysalis "I will not change my mind." Chrysalis stated firmly. "Then you will die stupid," Discord said conclusively "alternatively you could step out and away from that box. You can step straight out of this room, and stand your revolution down." "No," Chrysalis said, holding her ground, "I'm not stopping this Discord. I started this, I will not stop it. Do you really think they'll let me go? After everything I've done." Discord sighed "You're all the same you screaming kids, you know that? Look at me I'm unforgivable, Well here's the unforeseeable." Discord walked straight up to Chrysalis, so close that she could feel his breath. "I forgive you. After all you've done, I forgive you." Chrysalis stared at him before shaking her head, "You don't understand, you will never understand." Discord chuckled "I don't understand? Are you joking? Me? Of course I understand. I mean you call this a war, this tiny little little thing? This is not a war, I have fought in a bigger war than you will EVER Know. A war so huge they called it The Last Great Alicorn War. I DID WORSE THINGS, THAN YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES I HEAR MORE SCREAMS THAT ANYONE COULD EVER COUNT! COUNTLESS ALICORNS AND DRACONEQUUS ALIKE! And you know what you do with that pain? Do you know where you put it? You hold it tight, until it burns your hoofs. And you say this. 'No one else will EVER have to LIVE like this. No one else will EVER have to FEEL this PAIN. NOT ON MY WATCH" Celestia pushed the box away, and put the lid on top of it, looking solemnly at Discord. "Thank you," Discord said before looking back to Chrysalis. Chrysalis hesitated. A second lid floated over to the box and was put firmly on top of it as Chrysalis backed away and Discord smiled. Chrysalis walked out of the room before issuing a command to her entire army. "Stand down, and go home" No more lives were taken that day.