Chapter Three

Some days, he just hated his job.

“I understand that, ma’am, but I didn’t do it. I can’t tell you why the princess cancelled the Night Court, but…well, I’m out here telling you that.”

“But I’ll have you know that my husband and I traipsed all over Equestria to get here, and we only did so because we were told that tonight Princess Luna was seeing ponies with our particular issues. I don’t think that I have to explain that we have our own needs and concerns!” She turned to look at the stallion beside her. “Isn’t that right, Benedict?”

“I—“ He didn’t get past a single word.

“Besides, we have waited patiently here for the past hour just to get to the front of the line to find out that we made this trip, and then waited, for nothing! I simply insist that we see some official tonight! Even if Princess Luna is unavailable there must be some member of court who is willing to hear our complaints and issues.” She turned to the stallion again. “Benedict, I want you to tell this young colt that we have to see somepony!”

“I—“ Cut short again.

“Well this night is not going well, and obviously a complaint will be made about the callous disregard that the nobles are showing to the common ponies. Why, this could be the start of an uprising if they aren’t careful! And we are just a small sample of the ponies affected by this outrage! Benedict will tell you!”

They both turned to look at the stallion, who remained perfectly quiet, his eyes focused on his wife. He waited. And waited again.

“It was just rain,” he finally said softly.

“It was our daughter’s wedding!” She stomped a hoof soundly on the ground. “We petitioned the weather pegasus to make sure that the scheduled rain be moved to a better date, or at the very least kept far away from the ceremony. And what did we get? A soggy wedding! It was ruined!”

“She was happy,” he mumbled.

“All of the time and planning I put into that event was wasted. Wasted! Not a single pony was able to enjoy the sugar sculpture that I had made for them in the shape of grain and a barrel to symbolize their coming together!” She ranted.

“Grain and a barrel?” he muttered.

“We’re brewers!” she shot back at him. “And don’t think that you are off the hoof, either, young colt! I want to hear something from you about this situation right now!”

Regnant Troth looked at her while pointing his head towards her husband. “I’m glad I’m not him.” The husband nodded very slightly. “Now, if you don’t mind, there are other ponies to help.”

That was only partially true; the line had finally faded, so now it was just the stray pony wanting to complain, but he wasn’t going to tell her that. Gently, he pushed the woman aside while she continued to mumble about her plight. Her husband gave him a sympathetic glance, but Regnant shook his head. He wasn’t the one needing sympathy right now.

“Long night, huh?”

His head almost snapped off his neck as it turned to her. He blinked twice, and then shut his eyes tight for a count of two and then reopened them. She was still there.

“Uh, hi,” he said finally.

“Hi yourself,” Fleur de Lis giggled. “I wasn’t expecting it to be so hard to see you tonight. I didn’t think the Night Court was this busy.”

“It’s not.” He shook his head. “It isn’t.” He did it again. “I mean…this is odd.”

“So, you don’t normally get this kind of turnout?” she asked.

“Only last night and tonight,” he answered.

“Really? Wonder why…?” She glanced around, seeing a few ponies still milling about and filtering into the hallway.

“Uh…I don’t know.” He looked around with her, and then finally back at her—and found her staring at him as well. “Oh! Hi.”

“We’ve been over that,” she said. “We can do it again if you like, though.”

“No, no! I’m good.” He nodded.

“Well,” she took a deep breath and smiled, “I was wondering if I could convince you to have dinner with me? Before your next shift, perhaps?”

He looked to the side and back. “With me?”

She answered with a short nod.

“Um…yes?” he squeaked.

“Good. Why don’t we meet at The Gilded Grass. My treat.” She took a half step backwards.

“That place is expensive,” he answered.

“I have expensive tastes. How does 7:30 sound?” She turned her head and her mane fell down over her face, hiding half of it from view. Her one visible eye fell half closed.

“I like that time.” His jaw sat hanging open.

She turned sideways towards him, keeping her gaze directed his way. “Then it’s a date.”

“It is?” He blinked repeatedly.

“That’s…usually what that sort of thing implies, yes,” she laughed softly.

“Oh. Then…yeah.” He nodded quickly. “It’s a date.”

A quick toss of her head threw her mane back away from her face. “I’ll see you tonight, Regnant. Don’t be late.”

“No! No, I will not. I’m never late!” He swallowed hard. “Not me.”

She trotted away with a giggle. He stared at her flank the entire time.

“How in Tartarus did you manage that?” a voice said from beside him. He looked over to see a fellow guard walking slowly up to him, eyes wide and mouth open.

“What? Her? I just…” he paused. “I have no idea.”

“Fleur de Lis? Seriously?” the other guard asked.

Regant pulled his head back slightly. “You know her?”

The other guard turned his head. “Uh, yeah. She’s probably the biggest name fashion model in Equestria. She’s been on the cover of pretty much every magazine I can think of.”

Fleur de Lis. Fleur de Lis. The name rattled around in Regnant’s head a few times before finding a landing place. As it settled in, his eyes opened wider and his pupils grew smaller.

“Holy Celestia!” he shouted. “That’s Fleur de Lis!”

* * * * * * * *

“Would you care for some tea?”

Chrysalis levitated the pot and a cup from the table where they were resting. Stepping into the room, Luna’s magic slammed the entrance to Chrysalis’s room shut, once again rattling the walls and threatening to shake anything left on them to the ground, and then enveloped the doors in a cocoon of dark magic.

“Is that a no?” Chrysalis asked calmly.

“How dare you!” Luna spat and stalked forward towards the other mare. Her eyes glowed black and her fangs glowed silver. “Did you think that I would not find out?!”

The tea was casually returned to its resting place and then Chrysalis turned to look back at Luna. She smiled broadly.

“Do you think that I am an idiot?” she asked.

“Given recent events,” Luna took another step forward, the stone floor screamed beneath her hoof, “yes.”

“Of course you do,” Chrysalis took a step towards Luna, her demeanor remaining even and placid. “Well, allow me to clarify and expedite this, then.” She looked Luna directly in the eye. “I am not an idiot, and I most certainly was the participant in the matter that brought you here tonight.”

Energy bristled around Luna’s horn. Her eyes narrowed and a growl grew in the back of her throat. “Then give me one reason why I shouldn’t destroy you right now…”

A light chuckle rose from Chrysalis before she spoke. “Well, there are many answers to that question, but why don’t I stick with the simplest one,” she rose up, extending her head to rise to her full height, “what did I do wrong?”

“What did you do? Do you jest?! You forced yourself on Celestia!” Luna screamed. “You raped my wife!”

Chrysalis smiled more broadly. “No. I didn’t.”

“You…just…ADMITTED IT!” Luna reared up and slammed her front hooves back to the ground, shattering the stone floor beneath.

A green glow surrounded a heavily bound volume that floated over to Chrysalis. She opened it casually to a marked page in the middle of the book and looked over the text. “Hmmm. I’ve been reading a great deal on Equestrian law lately, and what happened between Celestia and myself was,” she shut the book, “perfectly legal.”

Luna’s lip trembled. Her nostrils flared with every breath. “Do not think you can twist your way out of—“

“Tell me, Luna,” she interrupted, “how faithful have the two of you been? Have either of you taken on any extra lovers since you became a couple?”

“That is not the—“

“Does the idea that Celestia may have taken on an extra lover without your knowledge upset you so much?” she asked.

“You know that she did not! She—“

“Isn’t here. Why didn’t Celestia come here herself if she was so upset by what happened?” Her tongue licked along her fangs slowly.

“I. Told. Her. Not. To.” Luna growled.

“Ah, yes. I was very surprised by your…shall we say unique?…relationship with Celestia. I’m sure she obeyed you instantly. She truly loves being a submissive little beast, doesn’t she?” Chrysalis chuckled.

“Say that again. I want you to say that again so that I have the final reason to tear you in half,” Luna’s hoof scraped into the stone, leaving a deep furrow behind.

“First off, I am only stating the truth and you know it. As soon as I realized her preferences, she turned to putty that I molded, and I am sure that you do the same. And secondly…” Chrysalis took a step forward, bringing her muzzle to muzzle with Luna. “…not on your best day.”

The room filled with blue-black energy, rolling and spilling out and across the floor, racing up the walls and across the ceiling. At that same moment, Luna lunged forward, squaring her horn against the crooked, notched equivalent on Chrysalis’s forehead.

“Do you think this wise, Luna?” Chrysalis snarled, giving no ground to Luna’s might. “Open conflict between two Equestrian Princesses? In this time of crisis showing such open animosity—because I assure you it will get out—can do nothing but destroy a country that is trying to rebuild from tragedy.”

“You are a monster. No pony will mourn your passing,” she barked in reply. Sparks arced from the point where their horns met.

“This isn’t about me, is it? This is about Equestria,” Chrysalis spat, “and you!”

“Me?” Luna reared back, her hoof smashing across the changeling’s muzzle, twisting it to the side with a sharp smack, and causing the mare to stagger back a step. “How dare you turn this to me!”

Slowly, Chrysalis turned back towards her. Her eyes narrowed slightly as her tongue snaked out to lick the trace of blood from the corner of her mouth. “Yes, Princess, you.” She shifted to the side, her eyes still focused on Luna. “Tell me the real reason that you made Celestia stay in her room. Was it because she told you she was too weak to stand after our encounter? That she was too euphoric to move or respond in any way? That I satisfied her more in my one encounter than you ever have…and you were afraid that she would want more?”

A scream of primal rage powered Luna forward while tendrils of electric power arced from her body. This time Chrysalis was prepared, and she turned the fury of the the princess against her, easily deflecting Luna’s attack and pushing her on past with a shove of her own magic.

“I’m right, aren’t I?” Chrysalis droned. “It’s not shameful to be the second best she’s ever had.”

“I. Will. Kill you!” Luna screamed at the top of her lungs, again leaping towards her tormentor.

This time Chrysalis met her head on once more, flashes of green and black power filling the room and tearing at the walls and furnishings. The impact alone sent all the contents of the room scattering, leaving the two mares pressing against each other with clenched teeth in the center of a barren space.

“You do not have the strength, Luna. Not without destroying half of the castle. I may not have the power that I had from feeding on Cadance and Shining Armor’s love, but I have been sated, and the power I gained from Celestia last night is enough to stop you!” Chrysalis let a burst of green energy explode from her body, pushing Luna back, but just barely as her hooves once again dug themselves into the stone floor. “So if you want to add to Equestria’s pain, by all means…continue.”

Luna stood there, her body trembling as waves of magical power radiated outward. Both mares waited, staring intently into each others eyes, neither flinching from the other. With an almost imperceptible subtlety, the light returned to the room as the black and blue magic retreated back into its master.

“No,” Luna rumbled. “No, I will not further your damage. This castle will not suffer because of you.” Her eyes lightened from solid black to teal with slits of black inside them. “But you must pay…”

“Really? And how do you propose to do that?” Chrysalis scoffed.

Luna pulled back her lips, exposing her fangs. “By humiliating you in the same manner you did my sister.”

Magic the color of midnight surrounded Luna’s horn, and traced down along her body until is found its destination below and behind her. The magic entered into her sex, and pulled forth a stallionhood of sizable proportion that hung between her legs. Luna raised her head proudly, staring down her muzzle at the changeling.

Twisting her head to one side, Chrysalis peered beneath Luna, measuring her visually. As her head came back up a snicker fell from her mouth, and as she looked directly into Luna’s eyes it grew into a chuckle.

“With that?” she laughed.

With a grimace on her face, Luna lowered her head down to peer at Chrysalis from beneath her brow.

“No offense, Princess, but,” Chrysalis gestured vaguely her direction, “that is hardly intimidating.”

“I’m sure you will still feel that way when you are feeling it on a personal level,” Luna scoffed.

“It’s no wonder Celestia reacted the way she did, considering what I’m seeing,” Chrysalis stated. A green glow surrounded her body and a new appendage appeared between her legs. A very sizable appendage. “Now this is something to brag about.”

Luna’s eyes fell upon the stallionhood growing from Chrysalis’s nethers, and despite any intent, her eyes widened.

“You know she was choking on it, don’t you?” Chrysalis stated, shifting her body to give Luna a more direct view. “I can understand why, if she was used to swallowing that little thing.”

“Little?” Luna’s head snapped back up, staring directly at Chrysalis.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand. By most standards, what you have is…nice,” she said with a soft tone, “It’s just that, while you are good with transformative magic, I am…well, I am the queen of transformations, aren’t I?”

“And…I’m supposed to be impressed?” Luna sneered.

“Aren’t you?” She took a step to Luna’s side, staying just out of reach. Luna’s eyes followed her, and glanced downward. “It’s understandable. As I said, your sister was sufficiently…stirred by it.”

“I am not—“

“You are. It’s all right to admit it,” she interrupted, and then sidled up directly beside Luna. “Look at us both. I’m easily half again as large as you are. Is that the best that your magic can do?”

“Do not taunt me, Chrysalis,” Luna growled.

“I’m not,” she said softly. “I’m simply making a point. If we are going to compare our…abilities…we should do so honestly, don’t you think?” Chrysalis met her eyes. “So, honestly, is that the best your magic can produce?”

“It is more than sufficient,” Luna answered.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Chrysalis smiled. “Would you like to touch it?”

“What?!” Luna took a step away from the changeling. “How dare you!”

“It was a simple question, Princess,” Chrysalis slowly moved to walk around in front of Luna, heading towards her other side. “You’ve been staring at it so intently that I just assumed…”

Luna’s head snapped up as Chrysalis’s words struck her. She stared directly at the other mare’s eyes. “I was just…”

“Just what? Curious? Fascinated?” Chrysalis continued to step around her, pacing gingerly as Luna turned slightly to keep a clear view of her. “Or is it something else?”

“Choose your next words carefully, Chrysalis,” Luna snarled.

“I think you’re jealous.” Chrysalis’s lip curled up on the right side. “The only question really is are you jealous of me…or Celestia?”

“And what is that supposed to mean?”

Chrysalis continued to pace around her, this time with Luna remaining still and turning her head as she passed out of view waiting for her to reappear—only she didn’t.

“It means that I can smell it on you. It means that as much as you want to have my particular gift right now,” Luna suddenly felt Chrysalis’s hoof press against her sex, and she could not repress the sudden gasp of pleasure, “you would much rather have me use it on you.”

Luna tried to turn, only to find Chrysalis’s other front hoof grasp her firmly by the mane, pulling her backwards as she continued pressing the hoof against her marehood in a small circle.

“L-let go of me, or so help me, I’ll…” Luna’s voice forced itself to a lower octave.

“No,” she answered simply. “No, I don’t think so. I think that I’m going to tell you to get down on your knees, actually.”

“I will never—“

Her voice was suddenly cut off as Chrysalis leaned forward and growled into her ear. “You will do exactly what I say, Is that clear?”

“I…I…” Luna’s voice stammered as her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes blinked rapidly and her lip quivered.

“I want you down on your knees, Princess. Head down and ass up. Is that perfectly clear?” Chrysalis pulled hard, yanking back Luna’s head as a point of emphasis. “Is it?!”

“Y-yes,” Luna whimpered.

“Do it!” Chrysalis threw Luna’s head away, and the black mare sank to the ground instantly, in the exact position Chrysalis instructed. Her muzzle lying on the ground while her flank stood high behind her.

She heard Chrysalis laugh.

“You don’t even understand what is happening, do you, Princess?” Chrysalis’s voice was thick and heavy as she continued to press against Luna’s dripping sex. “Let me explain, then. No pony has ever controlled a sexual encounter with you, have they? That’s because there is no pony that could possibly be your equal—save perhaps your own sister, and we both know she is too much a simpering little sub—except for me.”

She pushed harder against Luna’s marehood, beginning to work the tip of her hoof inside. Luna’s breath was coming in short, sharp takes, her hooves now suddenly clutching the stone she shattered only minutes ago. Her eyes were clenched tight, a hint of tears forming at their edge.

“Beg me,” Chrysalis spat. “Beg me to fuck you.”

“N-no. I won’t do that,” Luna forced out the words. And then she felt a hoof pressing down on the back of her neck.

“That was not a request. Don’t make me tell you again,” Chrysalis instructed. “Do it.”

She hesitated. The pressure on her neck and the feeling against her sex was nothing next to the weight she felt inside. It astonished her when she heard the words come out of her mouth.

“Please?”

“Please what? Be specific!” Chrysalis commanded.

“Please…fuck me,” Luna’s voice cracked.

A soft laugh filled the room as the changeling stepped back away from Luna.

“Turn over. Onto your back, Princess,” Chrysalis said.

Immediately, Luna did as told. She lay flat on her back, with her legs curled up and her wings slightly unfurled to either side to provide extra support. Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw the dark figure of Chrysalis standing between her rear legs. She looked down and beheld the massive erection that stood proudly underneath Chrysalis, and from the corner of her eye she could see the impressive, yet smaller, erection of her own.

“I—I will get rid of—“

“Don’t you dare!” Chrysalis snapped, anticipating her words. Green magic surrounded Luna’s lower half and curled her up until she was almost bent at a ninety degree angle. “I want that tiny little thing to stay right where it is.”

Luna’s dick was directly above her own face.

Chrysalis wrapped her forelegs around Luna’s rear legs as she hoisted herself up and placed her hard she-cock across Luna’s sex. With deliberate precision she began to rub the length of her shaft along the sopping opening, covering it in the mare’s juices.

“I’m sure you can see what a truly impressive feature actually looks like now, can’t you, Princess? And I know that you can feel it,” Chrysalis purred. Luna could only nod in agreement. “Well, lucky for you your cunt doesn’t appear to be quite as diminutive as that thing you call a dick. I’m sure I can fit my length all the way inside you, yes?”

“No,” Luna whispered. “No, it’s…too big.”

A taunting caricature of a smile rested on Chrysalis’s face. “Well, I guess we’ll have to find out, won’t we, Princess?”

Chrysalis rose up slightly, and positioned the head of her she-cock at the opening of Luna’s marehood, and then with a slight shift of her hips she pushed inside. Luna gasped as her eyes flew open in surprise, at both the sensation and the fact that it did fit. And she was equally surprised at how difficult it was to catch her breath suddenly.

“Ooh, you are a tight one, aren’t you, Princess?” Chrysalis gently rocked her body, sliding in deeper and deeper with each tiny thrust. “My cock probably feels like it’s prying you apart, doesn’t it?”

Green magic surrounded Luna’s erection, and began to massage it in tempo with Chrysalis’s intrusion. Reflexively, her mouth fell open.

“Do you understand that I am superior to you, Princess? That I am, in fact, a queen, while you cannot ever achieve such a lofty title. I deserve it. You do not.” Chrysalis’s lips pulled all the way back, revealing a full mouth of fangs dripping with saliva.

She tried, but Luna couldn’t find any words. All she could do was shake her head slightly. The tempo of both Chrysalis’s cock and the magic around her own increased, as the huge cock began to plunge deeper than she imagined possible.

“Say it. Say that I am your queen!” she spat.

“N-no…” Luna whispered.

“Say it!” Chrysalis’s assault on her sex reached a fervid peak. “Say it, now!”

Her mind reeled, and her body followed. Before she knew what she was saying, it came out. “You are a queen.”

“Your queen! I am your queen, Princess!” Chrysalis was pressing down on her legs and body, contorting it further, and bringing the head of Luna’s cock almost against her own lips.

“You…are my queen,” Luna stammered.

“Shout it! I want your sister to hear you scream it out!”

Lune was lost. There was no place or purpose, there was only the sensation that was assailing her from two points. There was only pleasure and the pony causing it.

“You are my queen!” her voice echoed off the walls.

And moments later, so did Chrysalis’s scream. Luna felt wave after wave of cum flood into her womb, filling her like never before, even as Chrysalis continued to thrust her massive she-cock inside her convulsing cunt in time with each spasm.

It was at that moment that Luna’s own orgasm erupted. She felt the walls of her vagina contract, trying to milk that massive organ of all its precious fluid and fill her beyond where she already sat. And simultaneously, her own cock released its contents. Cum spurted out onto her face, covering her in her own sticky white fluid. Her face contorted constantly, each wave of pleasure sending another jolt through her body and another splash of semen onto her face.

She heard Chrysalis growl above her.

Eventually, it stopped, or at least subsided to the point where she felt it would stop. Chrysalis pulled herself free of Luna’s sex, and dropped her lower half unceremoniously to the floor. She felt the changeling’s load begin to seep out of her pussy, past her tail, and onto the floor.

“Lick that off your face. Taste your own cum and realize that I was the one who put it there,” Chrysalis commanded. Without thinking, Luna did as she was told.

As her mind began to return, Luna heard the sound of something being dragged across the floor. She didn’t bother to look at it. As gracefully as she could manage, she rolled over onto her stomach, gathering herself. Sharp, lurching breaths filled her lung in bursts, bringing the world back to her in pieces. With deliberate motion, she picked up her right foreleg and tried to position it under her to help her stand.

“And just where do you think you are going?”

Luna turned at the sound of Chrysalis’s voice, bringing her head around to see the changeling reclined on her chair, back in place from the force that threw it aside. She opened her mouth, hoping for words, but none came.

“You are not done,” Chrysalis explained. She opened her legs wide, revealing a glistening marehood waiting in the dim light. With one hoof, Chrysalis pointed at it. “Now, crawl over here and get to work.”

There was a long moment’s pause, and then Luna slowly turned and began to drag herself over to the waiting mare.

* * * * * * * *

She tread back over the same steps for the countless time. Her eyes focused on the floor in front of her, not to watch her step but because she wasn’t able to concentrate enough to look away. And approximately every twentieth step she accompanied it with a deep, heavy sigh.

“I should not have let her go alone,” Celestia said aloud. “What if she takes it too far? What if Chrysalis takes it too far?”

Reaching the end of her chosen path, she turned around and started back.

“I should have gone. It should be me up there confronting Chrysalis, not Luna. I can’t believe I let her do this.” She stopped walking and shook her head. “No, that’s not right. She forced this on me. Which makes me more the fool. Emotion should never control your actions.”

Turning away from her worn path, Celestia strode over to the window, staring out into the night. A dim glow surrounded her golden horn, and the window slowly opened to the frozen air. She inhaled deeply, feeling the chill play across her coat and ears.

Her ears bristled back and her coat shivered, bringing a welcome sensation to her. She smiled out at the moon, hanging calmly in the cold sky.

“She is a grown mare,” Celestia said to herself with a shake of her head. “I shouldn’t be so concerned.” She took another deep breath. “I just wish she hadn’t been gone so long. I will give her another…half an hour. After that, I will go up there myself.”

The light snuffed out in the room behind her, causing Celestia to turn with a start. Shadows fell across the space, with only a faint twinkle of starlight shining in its depths. She squinted her eyes, searching for more details.

“Luna?” she asked softly. “Is that you?”

The was a long pause before she heard her sister’s voice answer weakly. “Go away, Tia.”

“Luna, what’s wrong? Are you all right?” She took a step forward, moving towards the hidden figure in the shadows.

“Stop!” Luna yelled. “Don’t come over here.”

“What are you talking about, Luna? What’s wrong?” Celestia took two more steps, only to be stopped suddenly by another outburst.

“You need to leave, Tia! Right now!” Luna growled.

“No. I am not going anywhere until you tell me what’s wrong? What happened between you and Chrysalis?”

“It’s none of your concern,” Luna’s voice dropped off.

“You are my wife, Luna! Of course it’s my concern,” Celestia walked with a purpose, directly towards her sister. “And come out of those shadows.”

Celestia’s horn flared to life, casting a warm glow into the room, illuminating her sister for a moment—but only for a moment.

“Don’t look at me!” Luna shouted and then dissolved into a midnight ethereal mist that slid across the floor and under the far door leading into the private section of their quarters.

Celestia stood there, unmoving and unblinking, her eyes still focused on the spot where Luna had just stood. Her mouth opened up and then she slowly closed it again.

Turning her head slightly at first, and then all the way to look at the door, Celestia’s face fell and her eyes looked for an answer through the closed door. The image of her sister standing there was burned into her mind, preventing her from moving or acting at all. Every detail was there: Luna’s expression, her eyes, her coat, her mane, and mostly… Celestia closed her eyes, normally at first but increasingly tighter with every passing moment. No matter how she tried, the image wouldn’t go away.

Across Luna’s forehead, in bright green, three words were written: Property of Chrysalis.

* * * * * * * *

There was a light whistle as he made his way to the table. Carefully, he set the four volumes he had carried with him down, and moved around to the other side of the table to settle in to his seat. He looked to one side to see his cup of coffee—black, no sugar—still steaming slightly in the crisp air of the morning, and then to the other to see two extra quills sitting beside the extra wells of ink—one red and one black—in perfect order. With a deep breath, he moved the top book over and opened to the bookmarked page as he brought the coffee over to his mouth.

Dapifer loved his job at times, and this was one of those times.

Four books filled with details and data regarding everything under his assignment, with careful notes and financial data to corroborate every action and occurrence under his responsibility. Everything had a place, and he made sure that each and every item was in that place. Which brought him delight to no end.

The basics were already put in place by ponies under him, filing the information and recording it properly in each of the volumes: one for costs, one for inventory, one for new employees and outside contractors (along with their roles and responsibilities), and another for employees and outside contractors who were no longer viable. It was his job to know these things, and his pleasure to do his job.

It was doubly pleasurable since this was the first time that he would get a chance to review the books since taking his position as Princess Chrysalis’s aide. In the few short months since her coronation it was a far higher priority to make sure that Canterlot was operating and rebuilt, as well as making sure that the new princess was going to act according to her new station. So far, so good.

Plus, he had the added benefit of having the whole day to himself. Princess Chrysalis was on the first of her required days off, which meant that he finally had time to do a few things for himself. So, he was using that time to get caught up on some neglected paperwork.

He couldn’t be happier.

The first book was a blue ledger that tracked all of the transactions pertaining to Princess Chrysalis and her court. He always thought it best to start with numbers and then expand that information with the details of the people and companies involved.

His pen tracked down the right side of the page, as he sipped gently from his cup of coffee. His whistling had transformed into a low hum of a tune he couldn’t quite recall, but he knew he heard it at a concert a few months back. It might have been that quartet from Ponyville who appeared for The Princess Trust Benefit Concert, but he couldn’t be sure. He remembered that it was a stallion singing lead, with a trio backing him up, and that the tune was obviously catchy, but his mind couldn’t recall exactly their name or the title of the song.

His quill suddenly stopped.

“That’s odd,” he mused aloud. He flipped back two pages and scanned down the page, and then forward one page, and then one more, each time covering the same section. One eyebrow went up as the other one went down.

Setting that volume aside, he levitated the green one to him, indicating the newer employees and connections. Opening it up, he traced back to just after The Second Battle of Canterlot and Coldheart’s defeat, and began to go over the list of clients and employees that had been added. Understandably, it was a very long list considering the loss that occurred during the invasion, but it wasn’t too dense to daunt him.

Five pages in, he found what he was looking for, along with several other things that caught his eye. He left out a short snort, and, after a deep drink of his coffee, levitated the red volume—containing the defunct employees and contractors—to him and placed it beside the green one. Like the previous one, the section of the book he read was thick and dense, and like the previous volume it did not deter him at all. He found exactly what he was looking for—on the same line and same coordinating page as the green book.

The black volume floated over and he opened it up, quickly turning to the corresponding dates from the blue one. He shifted all four volumes around so that he could look at each at a single glance. Everything lined up in each book perfectly—and that made no sense at all.

Sitting back, he brought the quill up to his mouth, where he lightly pulled the feathered end through his lips. He did it again. On the third go round he put it between his teeth and chewed lightly.

“That’s just damn peculiar,” he muttered as his eyes shifted back and forth.

Three times each in two books, and then a single matching entry in the other two. The first of them all on the exact day. A new merchant is added to replace an older merchant who no longer was in business—despite the fact they were a good distance from Canterlot—who sold and was paid on the same day for goods that were ordered that exact day. That didn’t fit in with the logistics. Not at all.

And each detail traced back to the same court, with the same authorized signature behind each one. But why would Luna’s court need all of this? It didn’t make sense to him, and that was an issue. The day had been going so well up to this point. It should have been a simple, pleasant task to balance out all of the ledgers. And they did balance, but…too well.

Only one thing to do. He had never met the mare, but she was surely as aware of him as he was of her, and she was the pony who was going to have the answers he sought. Which meant it was obviously time to go introduce himself to Tenebrous Quill.

He pushed away from the desk and then levitated each of the four volumes up and placed them into his saddlebags. Lifting up the cup he drained the last bit of coffee and set it back down, licking his lips afterwards.

He stepped around the desk, heading towards the door with the hum of the song returning. His right forehoof stomped slightly just before he reached the door.

“The Ponytones! That was it.” He smiled and opened the door. “I’ll have to look up and see what happened to them.”

* * * * * * * *

“Luna?”

She kept her voice soft and low, hoping to get a better response this time. Her sister had disappeared into the bathroom hours ago, and hadn’t said a word since. Celestia was reasonably sure that she was still inside as there had been no indication of magic and she definitely hadn’t come through the door. From time to time she was still hearing the sound of water as well, so the chances were very high that Luna was still beyond the door.

There was no proof, though.

“Luna, please, say something. Let me know that you are okay,” Celestia pleaded. “You’ve been in there for hours now. I’ve already had to make excuses to miss court today, which means we both cancelled on consecutive sessions. We don’t need the ponies starting to talk, now do we?”

She tried to make that last bit sound humorous, but she was feeling no mirth whatsoever. Her motions were far distant from anything amusing, in fact.

“Luna, you need to answer me,” she said more forcefully. “You cannot hide in there forever.”

Nothing. No response at all. Just like the last two dozen attempts. Celestia stepped a full body-length away, ruffling out the feathers on her wings for a moment as she pulled her chin down towards her chest. The muscles on her neck and shoulders appeared under her coat, flexing tightly as she strained against them. A deep breath and slow expulsion of air made them disappear—almost.

Turning around and placing her back to the door, Celestia pawed at the floor with her hoof, trying—and failing—to not scratch the polished stone. Her teeth ground together with her eyes focused on the distant wall—or maybe well beyond it—while her tail flicked quickly behind her.

She closed her eyes softly at first, but with every passing second they clenched more tightly. When she opened them again there was a deep fire glowing behind them. Slowly she turned around, once more facing the door to the bathroom. Her head raised up until she was staring down her muzzle at the barrier.

“Luna,” she said clearly and as calmly as she could muster, “I’m coming in. Don’t try to stop me.”

Golden magic surrounded her horn, but before she could use it the door opened a crack. She let her magic fade and waited, expecting something more. A few seconds passed before her patience faded again and she once more lit her horn and pushed the door open.

The sunlight fell through the high windows of the room, seeming to fill it with light, save for one spot. A dim gloom surrounded a single pony who sat in front of a sink and the mirror above it, staring back at her own reflection with a blank expression.

“I still see it,” she whispered. “It won’t go away.”

Celestia took several careful steps into the room. A cloth, still damp, sat on the basin in front of Luna. There was a faint stain on it.

“I keep scrubbing and scrubbing, but it won’t go away.” Luna’s eyes never moved. Never blinked.

As she got closer, Celestia saw a very rough and ragged area on Luna’s forehead. The words she saw earlier were gone, but a deep tint of red lay beneath Luna’s coat.

“Luna?” Celestia finally spoke.

She turned at the sound of her name, looking at Celestia with the same empty eyes she saw in the reflection. With the direct view, Celestia could see a long trail of red that ran across Luna’s forehead where the skin had been rubbed raw beneath her coat.

“Luna. Oh, Luna,” Celestia’s words fell and she hurried to her wife, embracing her firmly. Her forehoof wrapped around Luna’s neck, pulling it firmly against her own, squeezing her tight and secure. Luna simply sat there and let it happen.

After some time, Celestia pulled back and looked her sister in the eyes once again. “What happened, Luna? Are you all right?” The question seemed foolish to Celestia the moment after she asked it.

“I…I don’t know,” Luna whispered. “Things. Things happened.”

“Did she hurt you?” A darker sound rumbled behind Celestia’s words.

For the first time, Luna moved her eyes. She turned to stare at Celestia and blinked twice, and then she slowly shook her head. Her voice all but cracked as she spoke. “No. No, she didn’t.”

“She…didn’t?” Celestia’s eyes almost closed as she stared.

Luna shook her head again.

“Then…” Celestia’s voice trailed off and she took a deep breath as she stepped back from Luna. “Luna, tell me what happened.”

“I can’t,” she said softly.

“Luna,” Celestia’s voice slowed down and each word came slowly and clearly, “I am going to ask you again, and I want you to answer me: what happened?”

“I…” She shook her head slowly.

“Dammit, Luna!” Celestia suddenly grabbed her sister and roared in her face. “What did Chrysalis do to you?!”

“Nothing!” Luna twisted herself free, pushing back from Celestia. “Something. I don’t know. I’m not sure.”

“Oh, something happened, Luna. I walked in to find you sitting here, staring at yourself in a mirror, after hours of being alone. I just want you to tell me what it was!”

“No!” Luna shouted back, and then her voice went soft again. “No.”

Celestia’s eyes became slits and her lips a single line on her muzzle. Sparks of magic played around the edge of her horn. Quickly, she stepped forward and grabbed Luna, turning her towards the mirror once again.

“Look at yourself, Luna! Really look at yourself! There is blood on your forehead! That you put there from scrubbing it!” She spun her back around and scowled at her. “If you don’t tell me what she did, then I will go ask her.”

“No!” Luna screamed loudly, grabbing hold of Celestia. “No, don’t do that!”

“Then tell me,” Celestia growled.

Luna shook her head. “I can’t. Not yet. I…I need to figure some things out first.”

“Figure some things out? Like what?” Celestia’s voice was cold and terse. “Maybe I could help you with that? That’s what both sisters’s and wives are supposed to do, after all, and I believe I still qualify in both areas.”

Once again, Luna shook her head, but as she did, her face slowly turned to a scowl. “Why are you being such a bitch? This is a personal matter, and I just want some time.”

“Personal?!” Celestia’s eyes went wide. “Do you remember what sent you to her in the first place? I don’t think things can get much more personal than that! Now, are you going to tell me, or…”

“Or what?” Luna stood upright, puffing out to her full size. “What are you going to do about it, Tia? I don’t want to talk about it, and I forbid you from going to speak with her!”

Celestia blinked multiple times.

“What did you say?”

“You heard me,” Luna stated. “I will talk to you about what happened, but I will do it when I am ready to, is that clear? Until then, do not concern yourself with this matter, or with Chrysalis.”

Simultaneously, Celestia rolled her neck and shoulders in a slow, deliberate motion, and as she did her wings unfurled slightly, feathers ruffled.

“Say that again.” Celestia’s voice was steel. “Tell me once more what I can and cannot do, Luna. I want you to do it…one…more…time.”

With a snort Luna stepped forward and began to walk past Celestia. She didn’t make it.

“We aren’t done here,” Celestia snarled as her wing flew out to block Luna’s path.

Magic burst from Luna, surrounding her in a corona of midnight energy as her eyes went white with power, pushing Celestia away, but just barely. Golden power surrounded Celestia with an intensity that made it difficult for Luna to look at her directly.

“Stand down, Luna,” Celestia ordered.

“Do not threaten me,” Luna countered, baring her fangs.

“I will do as I see necessary.” She raised her head up, her mane rising to scrape the ceiling of the room. “And now, by my authority, I order you to stand down.”

“Your authority?!” Luna barked. “And what authority do you have over me, sister? We rule equally, do we not? You have been saying that to me for months now!”

“Even so, I insist that you tell me what happened, or so help me, I will drag it from Chrysalis in any way I see fit. She has been an enemy of Equestria, and—“ She cut herself off.

“And?” Luna added. “And what, Tia? And so have I? Is that where you were going?” Her lips pulled back into a snarl.

“Yes!” Celestia shouted. “Yes, you have, and I will not stand idly by and watch a conspiracy form under my muzzle. Now, what are you going to do?”

Half of the room was drenched in pure light that died in the oppressing shadows before it could reach the far side of the chamber. In the middle of it all two mares stood still, a penumbral barrier buffeting between them, neither willing to move.

“Leave, Tia,” Luna stated. “Go away right now, or this will not be pleasant.”

“And you are still giving me orders,” Celestia countered.

Luna took a deep breath, and then spoke words like razors. “Then may I ask you to leave, sister, dear. I would like some time to myself. Until this evening, please?”

“Of course, Luna,” Celestia snarled. “I will be more than happy to leave you alone. Perhaps you will be able to come to terms with yourself while I am gone.”

“I will spend every moment doing just that,” Luna spat.

“Good,” Celestia replied. “It will be nice to see you do something productive.”

The room was filled with magic. The walls were alive with dual energy, rolling and churning against each other at the border where they met. And even with all that power the room felt amazingly cold to both sisters.

In a flash of light, Celestia disappeared. The darkness of Luna’s magic immediately filled the void where she had stood.

* * * * * * * *

He was smiling. Above and beyond everything else, he was making sure that he was smiling as hard as he possibly could. To the point where his face had started to go numb—which was a good thing considering the amount of pain the smile created for the past half hour.

Of course, by concentrating on the smile, he had totally forgotten to speak.

“Are you enjoying the meal?” Fleur asked.

He nodded. And smiled.

“I particularly like the treatment the chef gives to oats here. He adds a layer of complexity to them that I haven’t figured out yet,” she nodded knowingly, “but I will. I’m determined.”

He smiled back at her.

She took a deep breath, held it, and then let it out slowly. Her hooves came up and rubbed her temples while she shut her eyes. When she moved them down she saw Regnant’s smiling face. She sighed.

“Okay, so when did it finally hit you who I was?” she asked bluntly.

He blinked rapidly, his eyes shifting from side-to-side—while smiling.

“This is the part where you stop smiling and speak to me,” she encouraged.

He moved his mouth, gradually working from smile to words. “Uh…last night.” His hooves immediately came up to rub his jaw. “Ow.”

“Yeah, that’s what happens when you lock up a group of muscles for a while,” she laughed. “Well, I have to give you high marks for showing up. Most ponies would have run away screaming.”

“That would have been rude,” he took a moment to speak while flexing his mouth open and closed.

“Well, rude is a personal perspective. I’m actually rather hard to offend.”

“The night isn’t over yet,” he offered.

A sharply dressed pony stepped up to the table carrying a bottle on his back. He gracefully turned and presented the label to Fleur, who peered at it for a moment, and opened her mouth to speak—only to stop and stare across the table. “I believe my companion should be addressed about this.”

The immaculately coiffured pony raised a single eyebrow and turned with a slight bow and stepped over to Regnant. He presented the bottle label to him.

Regnant stared at it blankly for a moment. There were words in another language all over the place. He thought it was Prench, but he couldn’t be sure since he had never been to Prance—or read their language. He glanced up at the sommelier who silently gave him a cue to nod.

He nodded blankly.

Turning to one side, he pulled an instrument from his pocket that Regnant would have sworn he saw in a seminar about resisting torture if captured. Oddly, he simply used it to remove the cork from the bottle with a slight pop. He turned back and presented the cork to Regnant.

“Uh…thanks.” He put the cork in his pocket. The sommelier closed his eyes for a moment.

Pulling Regnant’s glass to him, the sommelier poured a single sip of the wine into his glass and stepped back. Regnant stared at it for a moment, and then glanced up at the pony, who made a motion with his lips as if to drink. Staring straight at the pony, Regnant took the glass and raised it to his lips and sipped the wine.

The strong tannic flavor crashed into his mouth, causing him to wince briefly. Resorting to his tried and true response, he looked at the pony and smiled.

With a slight nod he poured a glass for Regnant and then stepped over to pour into Fleur’s glass. The thing that surprised Regnant as he let his eyes travel from the glass to the mare was that she was smiling—and it looked natural. He briefly admired her skill, and then felt his shoulders relax.

Fleur raised her glass magically, and took a small sip. Her eyes opened slightly. “Excellent choice.”

“Uh…thanks. I didn’t do anything, though,” he stated.

“You didn’t crumble. That’s important. Just like showing up after you figured out who I was. What finally clued you in, by the way?” she asked and took another sip before setting the glass down.

“Well, actually somepony told me,” he said. “Sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing? That just means you said yes because of me and not because of who I’m supposed to be,” she laughed.

“Uh, speaking of which,” he rubbed the side of his head, just below his ear, “aren’t you involved with Fancy Pants? I don’t need to make somepony else mad at me.”

“We’re only friends,” she stated. “Don’t worry.”

He let out a big sigh and slumped a little bit more.

“So, who else is mad at you?” she asked.

“Hmmm? Oh, uh, well, sort of everypony I work with. Not everypony, actually, but more my boss. And her boss, I think.” He looked off to the side as he spoke.

“Who’s your boss?” She lifted her glass and took another sip.

“My boss-boss, or my boss? My boss-boss is Princess Luna, so it doesn’t get much more boss than that, actually. But my boss below her is her aide, Tenebrous Quill. They’re both kind of scary, actually.”

Fleur laughed. “Does everything frighten you?”

“Huh?” He looked over at her.

“You seemed a little scared of our dinner date, and of the wine, and now you’re telling me that you’re scared of your bosses. Just wondering how scared you actually get.” She sat back slightly and waited for his answer.

“No. No, I’m not scared. Not at all. I just…” He stopped and sighed loudly. “Okay, I’m not the best pony at dealing with others. I always seem to say or do the wrong thing. Heck, they’ve told me that the only reason I have my job is because there isn’t anypony better right now. As soon as they get somepony else, I’m gone. They can’t wait to replace me.”

“What have you done to make them so mad?” she asked.

“Uh, well, I kinda have a problem being late to work. I get distracted by…stuff.” His eyes wandered around the room, avoiding her gaze.

“That can be a serious issue, actually. You were on time for dinner, though. Early, in fact,” she said.

“I wanted to be here,” he said quickly, looking over at her finally.

“So you don’t want to be at work?”

“Well, not really. I mean, it’s not a bad job, and I’m lucky to have it, I just…I don’t know. I think what I am had more to do with me getting the job than what I can do.”

“What can you do?” she asked.

“Well, I’m actually really observant. I notice odd things all the time that others miss. I can miss the obvious sometimes, but odd little things stand out to me.” He shrugged. “I just don’t know what I can do with that other than what I’m doing right now.”

“You’d be surprised,” Fleur muttered. “So, tell me about this boss of yours. What’s he like?”

“She, actually. I don’t know, I guess she’s good at her job. She certainly has control of the room when she’s there. I’m guessing that Luna likes her, too. Tenebrous is always right by her doing stuff for her. I guess that’s her job, though.”

“Stuff? What kind of stuff?” She leaned in towards him.

“I don’t know. Just stuff. She directs the guards, me included. She organizes the court that she deals with and everything. She gets Luna food and drinks. You know, all that kind of stuff.”

Fleur stared at him for a moment, her eyes narrowing. “How long has she had the position?”

“Not long. I think she got the promotion about the same time I did. After the whole mess with Coldheart,” he explained.

“Did you know her before that?”

“No. I never heard of her before that, but some of the other guards knew her. They talk all the time.”

“They do? Always the same guards?” she asked.

He looked up at the ceiling, doing his best to ignore the detailed frieze covering it, and clicked his tongue. “Yeah. Always the same ones. I guess they’re friends.”

“Do you ever see them together away from court?”

“No. No, not really.” He pulled back and screwed up his face. “Why are you asking all of these questions about my job?”

“Because, I have a deep personal interest in your work. In fact, I think we should leave and go visit your boss. I’d love to meet her.”

She smiled at him, and he suddenly felt very, very uncomfortable again.

* * * * * * * *

“What was I thinking?”

Her voice was soft and broken. She stood on the edge of the cliff looking down on Canterlot. In the calm of the night the city looked peaceful, which was only amplified by the gentle fall of snow adding another blanket to the streets and buildings. The waterfall beginning its fall beside her cast tiny ice crystals from the mist growing from the cascading water.

A strong wind flew up the front of the cliff, riding beside the waterfall, blowing her ever-flowing mane high above her. The faint glints of light sparking through her mane still shimmered in the dim light of the moon overhead.

“She needed me and I…I don’t know what I did,” Celestia spoke her thoughts aloud, hoping that hearing them might add sense to their jumbled nature. “I almost attacked her. I could have hurt her. I could have almost destroyed her. It wouldn’t have been difficult at all…”

She shook her head, squeezing her eyes closed for a moment.

“No. No, no. That’s not right. It’s not her. It’s not me. I have to remember that.” Her eyes fell down on a balcony she had stared at many times. “It’s her. It’s her fault.” Her face turned to a scowl. “That bug gloating in my castle—and I have waited long enough.”

Her wings unfurled, catching the wind. The feathers spread out, raising her up slightly from the ground. She used its force and glided up into the darkness. Her body arced gracefully up and around, taking her on a circular journey around her beloved city. The devastation was still apparent from above. On the streets, careful attention was taken to create the illusion of peace and calm once more reigning in Equestria. Peace was the heart of the city and of her ponies, and she would do anything to maintain it.

As she lighted on the balcony, her heart was calm and her mind was clear. She hoped it would stay that way.

The doors opened easily under her magic, and she stepped through them at once, bringing a burst of cold air and snow with her.

“Good evening, Celestia. What brings you here tonight?”

Celestia fixed her eyes on Chrysalis, who sat calmly with a book and a cup of tea. She seemed totally non-plussed at her arrival.

“You know why I am here, Chrysalis.” Celestia raised her head up and folded her wings back. “We need to talk.”

Chrysalis laughed. “Funny. Your sister said almost that exact same thing last night.”

The hairs of Celestia’s coat bristled for a moment. “I’m glad that you remember things in such detail. It will likely be quite useful in the coming minutes.”

Stepping into the chambers, Celestia took in her surroundings. Many items in the room seemed to be casually thrown about, as if they were out of place for some reason. The majority of the room still carried the order and decorum she expected from an Equestrian Princess—even Chrysalis.

“I am a bit surprised to see you come in through the balcony, though. Didn’t feel like visiting through more conventional means? Such as a door?” Chrysalis levitated the book over to the table beside her chair.

“This is more of a personal visit than official,” Celestia stated, stepping to stand two lengths from the changeling. “I want to know what happened.”

“Do you? Well, I guess I can provide you my perspective.” She stood from her chair and faced Celestia. “I entered your chamber in disguise, and approached cautiously. Once I was sure that you were—“

“NOT…what happened between us,” Celesita interrupted. “I want to know what happened between you and Luna.”

“Why don’t you ask her? You two are beloved after all,” Chrysalis purred.

“Because I am asking you.” Celestia let some energy well in her eyes. “And I advise you answer.”

“Ooh, forceful,” Chrysalis laughed. “I’m sorry, Celestia, but I don’t intimidate. I thought I made that clear.”

“Well, I’ll have to correct that, as well.” Celestia slowly stepped around the room, keeping her eyes on Chrysalis. “Besides, I would have thought you would want to tell me. Aren’t you the type to gloat?”

“No, actually. I enjoy my success, but if I spend time praising my past I will never live up to my next goal,” she explained. “And you seem far more agitated than normal, dear. Why is that?”

“Don’t call me ‘dear.’ Never call me that again,” Celestia growled. “You are an aggravating insect.”

Chrysalis recoiled, though it was difficult to tell how much of it was genuine and how much exaggeration. “Name calling? You? Now I know you are upset. Did something happen between you and Princess Luna?”

Celestia lunged, driving her head towards Chrysalis, who was able to counter the lunge and parry the great alicorn’s golden horn—but just barely. Celestia pressed her advantage, driving Chrysalis back several steps before the changeling regained her hooves.

“Give me a reason to go further, Chrysalis. Just one,” Celestia snarled.

“You have so much in common with your sister. Still, perhaps it is better that I give you a reason not to go any further,” she countered with a strained voice, and then called out to the side. “Oh, Princess?”

Celestia felt her before she saw her. The shadows of the room folded against themselves and left a figure in their wake. The distraction was enough for Chrysalis to take advantage, and she twisted her head free, spinning Celestia’s head around sharply. The golden crown on her head went skittering across the dark stone floor, and Celestia followed it until it came to a stop—beneath a silver-clad hoof.

Luna stood in the room in full battle armor.

“Luna? What are you doing here?” Celestia asked.

“Stopping you,” she answered. “I thought you might try this.”

Celestia went slack-jawed. “Try what? I came here to talk! She’s the one—“

“Who did nothing. I watched, Tia. You assaulted her.” Luna took a step forward. “I’m here to make sure she’s safe.”

“Not that I couldn’t take you,” Chrysalis whispered.

Celestia snapped her head around towards her. “Be quiet, bug! Or I will add to the holes that lace your body!”

“Celestia!” Luna drew her attention back. “You need to leave. Now.”

“Not until I get answers!” She stamped her hoof down, breaking some stone.

“Between the two of you this whole floor is going to need replacing,” Chrysalis sighed.

“Shut up!” Celestia shouted at her, and then turned back to Luna. “And you start talking! What is going on!”

“And I told you to leave!” Luna shouted in return. “We will discuss this in due time!”

The stone beneath her hooves sizzled as Celestia stepped towards her sister. “This is due time. We will discuss it now.”

“It sounds like the two of you need some alone time. Perhaps I should leave,” Chrysalis said lightly.

Celestia jumped back, flaring her wings out in front of Chrysalis. “If you take one more step I will reduce you to ash. Is that clear?”

A dark mist rose up between them and coalesced into a familiar form. “No, you will not!” Luna shouted. “This is your last warning, Tia!”

“Then I am duly warned!” she shouted. “And now let me warn you: I will not tolerate any unrest in my kingdom. The two of you are among the greatest threats that this nation has ever faced, and if I have to I will drive you both to Tartarus forever to save it.”

“I beg your pardon?” Chrysalis stepped to the side, clearing the view to Celestia around Luna. “Now, Celestia, I admit that this ruckus has been a world of fun, but I don’t believe that either of us has threatened Equestria lately.”

“Lately!” she barked. “Equestria is in too much turmoil to see either of you rise to power! I will stand up for what is right!”

“And so will I.”

Luna’s voice was calm and even, but with enough power in her words to cause all eyes to fall upon her. She took a deep breath and stared at her sister.

“Princess Celestia of Equestria, by the laws and regulations set down in the charters that formed this country, I question your right to rule.” Her head rose up as she looked down her muzzle. “I challenge you for the throne of Equestria.”

…to be concluded

Author's Notes:

"Well, that escalated quickly..."

Yes, I know. And yes, next chapter is the last one. And yes, everything will make sense--including the attitudes and behaviors of some of the characters in this story.

Just thought I would be proactive about those concerns.