Ne’er-Do-Well never appeared again, and the mares were able to escape Starswirl’s domain without incident. Sunset had no explanation for why they were allowed to leave. Neither of them were about to complain; Twilight was just thrilled to be away from the ceaseless screaming and blood.

Even so, there seemed to be no escaping the effects of her close encounter. She always had this feeling that there was too much air in her lungs, and her chest was still terribly sore. A cough consistently pestered her, though it came briefly and over prolonged periods. She wondered if she hadn’t contracted some kind of sickness from Ne’er-Do-Well, but if so there wasn’t much that could be done about it. They had to keep going and Twilight wasn’t about to let a little cough get in her way.

They discovered a wide tunnel where boulders the size of carriages floated in the air. Sunset thought it would be a safe place to rest, so Twilight – worn out from the escape and possibly from her sickness – took the opportunity to sleep. It was a fretful slumber, filled with terrible dreams of blood and glowing yellow eyes. When she awoke she hardly felt rested at all… but she wasn’t going to linger.

Twilight's greatest fear at the moment was that Sunset might descend back into her melancholy, so she immediately went in search of her. The pony was standing watch close by, eyes set on the path back to Starswirl’s domain. Twilight was glad to see that Sunset’s colors had mostly returned to normal, but her perfect stillness was worrying.

“Sunset? Are you okay?”

Her guide twitched as if coming out of a trance and gave her a studious look. “Ah, you’re awake. Feeling any better?”

Twilight lowered her head with a sigh. “Not really, but I’m ready to go if you are.”

“Good, then let’s not waste anymore time.” Sunset turned and trotted off. Twilight watched her go with a hesitant frown before following.

They traveled in silence for a short while, moving beyond the floating boulders and into a system of tall caves. Sunset kept up a steady pace that felt a little hurried to Twilight… but perhaps it was just because of her weak condition. She hoped she would recover from whatever Ne’er-Do-Well did soon; she couldn’t imagine traveling through the whole of Tartarus while getting worse. Maybe she should have rested a bit longer…

Her brief coughing caught Sunset’s attention, prompting her to slow down. “So, are you still glad you decided to escape?”

Twilight glowered at her haughty manner. “I was never ‘glad’ to make the decision. It is confidence and optimism.”

Sunset observed her from the corner of her eye. “You don’t seem so optimistic, now.”

“I’d like to know how you’d feel after a close encounter with that monster.” Twilight cringed as a small jolt of pain hit her chest. “I wish I knew what it did to me.”

“I can’t imagine,” her guide admitted. “I make it a point not to associate with monsters.”

“Is that why you went to Limbo?”

“No…” Sunset drooped a little, her haughty demeanor fading swiftly. “I ended up there because I wasn’t wanted anywhere else. Kind of like how things were up top.”

Twilight studied her, suddenly feeling a touch of concern. “So what are you going to do once you get out?”

Sunset’s face grew hard. “I’m not getting out. I’ll die before I make it.”

A frustrated sound came unbidden from Twilight’s throat. She wasn’t really in the mood to hold Sunset’s hoof… but no, she wasn’t going to ignore her. The way Twilight saw it, Sunset was more in need of her help than the other way around. “You’ve got to stop being so negative. Come on, surely you have something you’d like to do once you escape.”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “You mean after all that you’ve already been through, you’re still thinking there’s a chance? How did somepony as naïve as you become Celestia’s protégé?”

That bit, and Twilight had to fight to keep from snapping at her companion. Instead she took a moment to set a hoof to her chest and slowly extend it with a long, calming breath… which was punctuated by a small cough. “You wouldn’t be doing this if you didn’t think there was a chance. Please, just let me know what you’re planning.”

Sunset let out a huff and turned her head away. “I don’t know why you should care…” A couple of tense seconds passed, but then she heaved a long sigh. “If you must know, I… Well… I want to see Celestia.”

Twilight paused to stare at the pony, abruptly recalling Sunset’s claims towards the princess. There was no way that Celestia had thrown her in here for the reasons Sunset claimed… but after being down here so long, was it possible Sunset believed it?

“You’re not out for revenge, are you?”

Her companion shot her a glower. “If I was going to take revenge against anypony, it would be you for usurping my place. No, I just want Celestia to see me, to accept me…” She came to a slow stop, head lowering and ears laying back. “She threw me away. I… I was her protégé. She was so important to me, and now what am I?”

So that was it. Twilight was stunned; could it be that Sunset viewed Celestia in the same way that she did? That wasn’t like the Sunset she knew. It made her feel a curious sense of familiarity.

It also left her with a peculiar, distressing thought: if this timeline’s Sunset was like her, did that mean this timeline’s Twilight was like the Sunset she knew?

But that was a topic to address when – and if – it became pertinent. Right now Sunset’s sadness was far more important, so Twilight took a step closer and reached a hoof for the pony’s shoulder…

Sunset sidestepped out of reach, head held high and expression proud. Twilight paused, hoof still raised, and waited… but Sunset only resumed walking. The alicorn sighed and followed with a small cough.

They moved on, passing through more strange places. By this time Twilight hardly reacted to the chaotic nature of Tartarus and took much of these things in stride. She imagined that such a developing adaptation would make it easier to tolerate Discord once she got home. The only region that threw her off was a section that looked like the interior of a medieval castle… except it was covered in stairs that climbed walls, moved over ceilings and sometimes randomly took on an entirely new angle. The first time she saw Sunset casually start walking up a wall and on the ceiling was an eye opener, but not as much as trying it herself.

Once past that they reached a new place that had sandwiches, cakes, and cookies lining the walls and ceilings and floor. Twilight was at first just relieved that she was walking on normal ground again… but then something dawned on her.

“When was the last time I ate?” She felt at her stomach, wondering at how she didn’t feel the least bit hungry.

Sunset hardly noticed, walking along a breadcrumb road. “Another trick of Tartarus. I haven’t had a bite to eat since I got here.”

“Huh…” Twilight was tempted to eat one of the goodies lining the walls – just for the sake of experimentation – but ultimately decided against it. After all, this was Tartarus; for all she knew the food was poisonous. “If this place weren’t so… well, Tartarus, it would make a fascinating study. No need for food, never dying, never aging? I can’t believe nopony’s tried to mine its secrets.”

Sunset waited at the exit until Twilight caught up, her face dour. “Oh, they tried.”

Twilight shot her a curious look. “What do you mean?”

“There’s a reason there are so many ponies and other creatures in Tartarus,” Sunset explained as they left the food-covered tunnels behind. “Creatures came from all over the world when it was first discovered. It was a regular gold rush.”

The path began to descend in a gradual but clear slope as Twilight asked, “So what changed?”

“The draconeqii found out.” Sunset peered ahead. “Turns out they didn’t like mere mortals trampling around their cemetery. The Gates were created as part of a deal to keep out potential interlopers.

“But now the draconeqii are gone, for whatever reason.” She paused as the slope leveled out, raising a hoof to block Twilight’s path. “Ponies tried to go in once it was clear the draconeqii weren’t going to interfere, but then they saw what was happening to those who never got out.”

Twilight nodded her understanding. “So they decided it was too dangerous and made it into a prison instead. Why are we stopping?”

Sunset gestured up ahead, where Twilight could see that the tunnel abruptly opened up. “There’s a cavern up ahead. It’s the territory of the next Lord.”

“Oh…” Twilight wilted. “I hope this one’s not as bad as the last one.”

Sunset shot her a glare that made Twilight wince before moving on, shaking her head with a disgusted sneer. “How did I ever lose to a wimp like you?”

Twilight glowered at her back, coughed and followed. “First of all, you didn’t lose to me. Second, you’ll excuse me for being a little hopeful considering I haven’t spent a few years down here.”

“Third,” Sunset snapped, “the closer to the Gates we get, the worse things will be. So stop whining.”

“I’m not whining!” Twilight moved ahead with head held high. “Maybe I don’t know what’s ahead, but that hasn’t stopped me! What’s more intimidating, knowing or not?”

“You’ll be rethinking that before the end.”

Twilight sneered. “So why don’t you tell me—” She paused, her hoof landing on something… squishy. She looked to find herself at the cavern entrance, standing atop some sort of soft brown… she didn’t know what. The word ‘gunk’ came to mind. It carpeted the cave floor, its consistency like baking dough.

“What in the wide world of Equestria?”

“Oh, Goddess…” Sunset paused beside her, a shiver running down the pony’s body as she gazed over the scenery. “I really didn’t like this one.”

Twilight couldn’t blame her. She shook her hoof, the nauseating material flying off in small pieces. She didn’t know why, but it left her with a disgusted feeling… “I guess there’s no way around?”

“If only we were so lucky.” Sunset hesitated, one hoof hovering over the gunk and a revolted frown on her lips. It took her several seconds to take that first step, and when she did Twilight thought the pony would vomit. But Sunset held it in and, heaving a shuddering breath, walked into the cavern. “The sooner we move, the sooner we can get out of here.”

Twilight wasn’t about to disagree, hurrying to keep up and cringing at the soft, mud-like feeling beneath her hooves. “What is this stuff?”

Sunset licked her lips and swallowed, closing her eyes for a moment. “You don’t wanna know.”

Twilight glanced about the cavern; if she weren’t so disturbed by whatever she was walking on, she might have been more amazed at its size. She couldn’t even see the ceiling, the walls looming in the distance like the cliffs of mountains. She wondered at the scale of it… and how it managed to be structurally sound. Perhaps it had to do with the draconequus magic that saturated the place?

Sunset’s eyes darted about the area, her lips pursed as she adamantly refused to look down. “Keep an eye open for shelter.”

“Shelter?” Twilight observed the rock formations and stalagmites that stretched all around them. “You mean like something to hide under? Why?”

Sunset pointed a hoof straight up. “Sometimes it rains.”

Twilight paused to gaze straight up, half expecting to see clouds. “Another Tartarus thing, I expect?”

“Something like that.” Their uneven path was blocked by a large rock formation, which Sunset began to climb. “The river Phlegethon is above us. Every now and then it seeps through the cavern ceiling.”

Twilight started up the rocks, her nose wrinkling as her head was forced close to some of the gunk that covered it. There had been no observable scent earlier, but up close it reeked like a corpse. She sucked in a deep breath to spare her nostrils and continued after Sunset.

They reached the top together, taking a moment to catch their breaths free of the rancor. Twilight resisted the urge to rub her muzzle. “By Celestia’s multi-hued mane, I hope the stench doesn’t stay on my fur.”

Her eyes caught something on the other side… and it filled her with revulsion; a thick mound of the gunk that was falling over the side of a short cliff. It hit the floor with an audible splat…

...then started to move. The sight made her stomach churn. “Oh my goodness… is that thing alive?”

Sunset turned away from it, lips pulled back in a sneer. “A wretched creature… I hope the rain takes it soon.”

Twilight tilted forward, peering as the entity slogged off between some boulders. “What is it?”

“A homunculus,” her guide replied, not daring to look. “A disgusting thing created from the material we are standing on… and sometimes from a fresh victim.”

Twilight felt a distinct dread as the thing shuffled out of sight. She raised a hoof to stare at the slop that clung to it. “Fresh victims? Sunset… who rules this place?”

Sunset was already making her way down the rocks, and Twilight hurried to catch up. She landed just behind her companion, cringing at the squishy sounds her hooves made. “Sunset?”

Sunset sucked in a calming breath.

“Chrysalis.”

“The Changeling Queen?” Sunset nodded and pressed on. Twilight followed, eyes going to the rocks where the creature had hidden. “So even the changelings were defeated.”

“Not just defeated,” Sunset pointed out, “exterminated. The changelings are extinct.”

Twilight came to an abrupt stop, gaping at her guide. “Extinct? An entire race? That’s… Well, I had about as much love for the changelings as the next pony, but extinct?”

Sunset cast a glance at her that was probably meant to be lecturing, but she was so visibly disturbed by their surroundings that the effect was lost. “I might have to start questioning if you really are Twilight. This is common knowledge: Celestia led a war of attrition against the changelings that lasted three hundred years!”

Twilight considered this, mind going back to what she knew of Equestrian history. “That seems to coincide with the wars that took place in my own world. What does it have to do with their extinction?”

Sunset paused to stare at her as if she were daft. “What do you mean, ‘what does it have to do with their extinction?’ Celestia exterminated them!”

Twilight rolled her eyes and coughed. “Oh, please. Celestia, lover of life and harmony? You really expect me to think she did that?”

Sunset’s jaw dropped. “What is the matter with you? We’re talking about Celestia! Yes, she personally saw to it that every changeling was hunted down and slaughtered, to a foal. Their extermination was the whole point of the war.”

Twilight pursed her lips, anger swelling in her mind. To accuse Celestia, Princess of Light and the keeper of all that was good, of committing such an atrocity was almost more than she was willing to tolerate. She could see that Sunset believed every word, though… and that kept her temper in check.

Sunset had been trapped down here for years. Even without draconequus magic addling her brain, that had to have an impact on her sense of reality. So Twilight held her tongue; she had no intention of arguing with a pony who wasn’t all there. She just hoped there weren’t any more absurd accusations lingering in Sunset’s mind, because Twilight didn’t know if she could put up with it.

Information. She should use this opportunity to get information. “Okay… So if the changelings are extinct, how can Chrysalis be here? She is a changeling, isn’t she?”

Sunset sighed and turned away, shaking her head. “The last. She’s perhaps the most pathetic of all the Lords.”

“Pathetic?”

“Pathetic.” Sunset lead her through a maze of mountainous rock formations and towering stalagmites, expression grim. “Can you imagine losing everything you’ve ever fought for? Every friend, every loyal follower? And then, rather than giving you the dignity of death, the one responsible throws you in here, where you never age and never die? Chrysalis wallows in the guilt of her failure to protect her race.”

Twilight had to admit, that was pretty harsh. “It sounds like she’s more deserving of pity than fear.”

Sunset’s already grim expression only grew more firm. “No, Twilight. Fear is very appropriate.” Their ears perked in unison as a new sound touched their ears; a soft pattering noise. “Crap, rain. We need to find shelter.”

Twilight looked at the blackness overhead, still feeling like there should be clouds. “It’s just rain.”

“This is Tartarus,” Sunset reminded her, bounding ahead. “We do not want to be caught in the rain!”

The urgency in her voice told Twilight it was better not to argue. They galloped along the winding path until they came upon a slab-like boulder the size of a house, taking cover beneath its elongated form. A few seconds later something did indeed fall from the sky, but it wasn’t rain.

It was hail.

Twilight gazed in mild surprise as the red ice pierced the fleshy floor. “I wasn’t expecting this. Is the… what did you call that river?”

Sunset glowered at the hail as if it were capable of understanding her frustration. “Phlegethon.”

“Is the Phlegethon really cold?”

“No.” Sunset frowned at her. “Why must you always seek a logical explanation? Just put everything down to this being Tartarus. Seriously, do I have to explain everything?”

Twilight was about to retort, but her words failed her as she noticed the movement. There was something against the wall of the stone, something alive. She peered and moved a little closer… only to jump back with a shout as a long, thin arm reached for her.

She stared in blind awe at the thing. Was it a pony? A minotaur? A melding of both? It seemed to be sealed with the gunk on the wall, its body half-merged with the stuff almost as if it had melted. A lone, glassy eye from a half-present face gazed at her, a lipless mouth with only a few small teeth gaped. It emitted a long, low moan and continued to reach for her, three pudgy fingers grasping.

It had to be the most hideous creature Twilight had ever seen, her revulsion leading her to turn from it with a shudder.

“Another homunculus.” Sunset took a step closer to the pathetic creature, watching with a grim frown as its feeble arm waved in her direction. “They are as pathetic as the creature that made them.”

Twilight turned to her. “Made them?” She took a closer look at the thing on the wall, ignoring the sick feeling it left in her stomach. “Y-you mean Chrysalis created this wretched thing?”

Sunset closed her eyes and remained calm and quiet, listening as the thing’s sad moans filled the air. “It wants to die. They all want to die. And they will, in time… only for her to try again.”

Twilight turned away once more, not wanting to look at the monster. “I don’t understand. Why would Chrysalis do such a thing? Doesn’t she know the torment she’s causing them?”

“Chrysalis only knows two things,” her companion whispered. “Her race is dead… and she’s starving.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Starving? But I thought there was no need for food down here.”

“For physical food. Changelings survive by feeding on the love of others… but there is no such thing as love down here. She cannot die, but she always hungers.”

Twilight felt at her stomach, imagining what it might be like to never be able to eat again. Sweet Celestia, that sounded horrible… “But it doesn’t explain the creatures.”

Sunset’s words came slowly. Was there pity in her voice? “She’s alone. She longs for something to give her the love she hungers for, but whenever somepony comes along her hunger is so fierce she drains them within a matter of seconds. She dreams of bringing her race back, of saving them, but they are all dead. So she creates new creatures in the desperate hope that they might resemble her beloved followers… or at least give her a smidgen of sustenance.”

There was a loud snap, and the moaning abruptly stopped.

Twilight jerked about, gasping at the sight of the thing’s head twisted about in Sunset’s hooves. “W-what did you do?!”

“I can’t stand to listen…” Sunset sat back with her head bowed, body shaking. “I hate it. I hate it so much…”

“You killed it!” Twilight moved closer, staring at the creature’s blank, lost expression with a growing sense of horror. “H-how could you? Even if it’s a monst—”

“Every living second is agony for them.” Sunset turned away from it and heaved a long, shuddering breath. “A being slapped together from the spoiled flesh of past victims, with a soul taken from one already tortured from centuries of reanimation? Body rotting and falling apart with every passing second in a slow, hideous decay that begins from the instant you first draw breath? What do you think that’s like, Twilight? I don’t know… but I wouldn’t wish it on a single living soul.”

Twilight took a few steps back from the creature, her mind trying to make sense of this fresh horror. If that was what life was like for these abominations... even Celestia wouldn’t object to putting them out of their misery. How could Chrysalis make such creatures?

She bowed her head… and saw the gunk she was standing on. She observed that strange brown color in it and looked up to realize that the creature matched it in every way. Was it created from this… stuff?

Her stomach churned and she had to fight to keep from vomiting. “S-Sunset… tell me we’re not… this stuff…”

She turned to her guide, and when Sunset nodded she began to feel light. No, she was not going to faint! That would mean falling on… on…

Sunset was taking slow, deep breaths, as if she too were trying to control herself. “When somepony ‘normal’ passes through, if they encounter Chrysalis, she sucks them dry of all love they might have left, too starved to stop herself before she reduces them to a mere husk devoid of emotion. In her dementia she uses their still-living flesh in a desperate attempt to create a changeling, but the results are always… gruesome.”

Twilight set a leg over her face, wobbling a little at the image. “Oh p-please… don’t tell me…”

“The flesh is fused in an incompatible mess that ultimately breaks down.” Sunset pawed at the muck with a disgusted grimace. “They literally melt… into this.”

Twilight’s knees grew weak. She sagged low, breathing deep in an attempt to maintain her senses. But that brought her muzzle close to the ground… and the rancid slop assaulted her nostrils.

It was more than she could take; she turned away and vomited. She stepped back, coughing and rubbing her face clean. “I… I can’t stay here. I have to get out of here!”

She turned, ready to flee even with that crimson hail, but barely got two steps before jerking to a stop; there were more of the creatures out there. Her heart hit her throat as they approached, moaning and clawing as the ice dove into their frail hides. She could see the different parts that made them: long, twisted griffon claws, eyes where the ears should be, twisted muzzles and short, mismatched legs. Some walked, some crawled, some merely dragged themselves over the muck. Twilight backed away from the sight, unable to think for her terror.

“Though they long for death, the creatures flee pain; they come to escape the hail.” Sunset stood and faced them, her horn shining brightly. “I’ll end their suffering, too.”

Twilight could only stand there, mind numb as she watched Sunset’s thin beam spread out in an arc and cut two of the creatures. One of them literally was sliced in two, flesh sloughing off where the laser cut… but still it clawed on. Their terrible, pleading moans filled Twilight’s ears and enhanced her disgust and dread.

Within seconds they were finished, a dozen half-complete and mucky forms slowly flattening like mounds of mud in the rain.

Twilight started to sit, but the feeling of gooey flesh on her rump made her immediately jump back to her hooves. “P-please, let’s just go…”

But Sunset stood in her way. She kept her eyes downcast as she spoke. “No, we must wait. The hail can be lethal. I know it doesn’t look like much, but it will go right through you. Remember, this is Tartarus. Nothing is as it seems.”

Twilight shivered as she gazed over her companion at the falling ice, watching as it pierced deep into the mounds. She shifted from hoof to hoof, whimpering at the grotesque squishing noises her movement made. She would have done anything to get off that horrible stuff and back on solid rock... but she knew better than to argue with Sunset on this matter, so she waited.

There was no way to be sure how long the hail lasted. It might have been hours, it might have been a few minutes. Regardless, it felt like an eternity. When at last it was finished they immediately embarked on the next leg of their journey, neither of them eager to stay in this place longer than they had to. They crossed great rocky hills, delved into canyon-like crevices, passed along a smooth plain of brown flesh. Every step was a horrible reminder of just what it was Twilight was walking on, and it was a continuous struggle to keep the nausea from overcoming her.

Occasionally they saw some of those creatures roaming about. No two ever looked the same, and not a single one came even close to resembling a changeling. Most shied away, as if terrified of the two intruders. A rare few approached, and Sunset dispatched them with swift and cool lethality. Despite Twilight’s lofty ideals about killing, she could not bring herself to object.

But the most disturbing ones, the creatures that finally managed to upend her stomach, were the ones that ate. There was a surprisingly large number of them, constantly devouring the very gunk they walked on and were made of. They seemed almost ravenous, and Twilight prayed she would forget them quickly.

Why did they eat the flesh?

Sunset had the horrible answer: “Because their bodies are falling apart. They hope to replace that which they lost. These are the ones whose instinct to survive have not yet faded, who strive to keep living even though every moment and motion is utter torture.” She was sure to destroy them too, which only disturbed Twilight even more as those not yet killed proceeded to devour the sloppy remains of those that had fallen.

They journeyed on, ever anxious of their revolting surroundings.

Twilight needed to talk. Anything to distract her from the muck on her hooves and the churning in her belly. “So… h-how far is it to Chrysalis’ lair?”

Sunset, walking a few feet away, shook her head. “Chrysalis has no lair. Her mind is too fragmented for her to really understand the concept.”

That gave Twilight pause. She scanned their surroundings with a sinking feeling in her gut… or maybe that was the constant distaste she had for this place. “You m-mean she could be anywhere?”

Sunset cast a concerned frown Twilight’s way. “Behind us, in front of us. She might not even be near the path. If we’re lucky, we’ll pass by without encountering her at all.”

Twilight tried to take that optimistically; luck seemed to be on their side so far. They’d escaped Sombra with little more than a broken wing, and Starswirl with only a shattered illusion and a small cough. This place was rancid and nauseating, but if that was the worst of it…

The pattering sounds reached their ears and they sought out shelter immediately. They spotted a large, craggy hill in the distance and made for it, hoping that the thin grey stones that jutted from it might provide some cover. They had to circle the thing, and the hail came before they found a suitable hiding spot, so Twilight used her magic to form a protective shield around them.

The ice shattered upon striking the barrier. The sight helped Twilight realize that Sunset wasn’t lying; those red shards would most certainly pierce their tender hides.

They found a crack in the jagged rocks and managed to squeeze inside. Sunset stood guard at the entrance, as a precaution in case any of the homunculi appeared seeking shelter. Twilight took the opportunity to rest… but it was by no means a comfortable wait. The lack of light left her with only touch and sound to focus on. The sound was of the pattering of hail, which wasn’t so bad.

But the smell was the reek of the flesh blanket beneath her hooves.

Twilight tried to focus on the sound over the smell. It was a difficult thing, for the rancid scents threatened to overwhelm her already churning stomach, but she closed her eyes and perked her ears. She focused, she relaxed. The pounding noise was like rain, and if she fought hard enough then she could just see herself sitting at her bedroom window, listening to a passing storm.

Home. Just the thought of being back was soothing. She needed to think on gentle things, on patient things, on the soft and relaxing. Her favorite tea, Spike snuggled up in his bed. She breathed a small sigh… and inhaled something disgusting. Her entire body shivered at the invasion of her little fantasy.

Not enough. She needed something better, something that could soothe and calm better than anything. She needed…

Fluttershy.

What could possibly be more relaxing than her? Just the thought of her calm, tender manner eased Twilight’s tension. That compassionate smile, the gentle voice, her eternal caring. Twilight could just see Fluttershy caring for her animal friends, or cheering the sick with her kind ways. A deep longing filled Twilight, a supreme desire to just sit with her friend and bask in her soothing presence.

A long, deep sigh passed through Twilight’s lungs, a small smile coming to her lips. The anxiety she’d been feeling was fading, her roiling stomach calmed. The pattering of rain filled her ears as she focused on the sweet image of a pony whose kindness was humbling in its totality.

Her optimism and hopes had been hanging by a thread, but now she felt that thread strengthened by the magic of their friendship. She reminded herself with renewed confidence: she would escape Tartarus, and when she saw Fluttershy again she would let her know just how important their kinship was.

Twilight sucked in a long, deep breath and blew out, her body relaxed and calm. Her ears twitched; Sunset was close by and doing the same thing. She smiled, relieved that her companion was finally unwinding a touch. She opened her eyes and looked to her side, opening her mouth to speak–

–and found herself staring into green eyes.

Twilight gasped and tried to back away, but the crevice was too small and there was no room to move. Her eyes were locked with those of Chrysalis, their muzzles practically touching as the former queen gazed with famished eyes and long, slow breaths.

“S-S-Sunset…”

Chrysalis blinked. “This one’s… alive?”

“Whoa!” Out of the corner of her eye, Twilight saw Sunset turn to them and drop to an aggressive stance. “Where the buck did you come from?”

“A live one…” Chrysalis leaned forward in a slow motion, her head hovering just over Twilight’s shoulder as she sniffed. “Ooooh… there is love in you.”

Horror and alarm made Twilight jump sideways and away. She immediately cursed herself for doing it; now Chrysalis was between her and Sunset! And the exit, too… “I d-don’t have anything you want.”

Now that she was away and her eyes had adjusted to the gloom, she had a good view of the changeling queen. Chrysalis was horribly thin, her hole-y legs looking like little more than broomsticks and her waist so small it was disturbing. The queen’s face was gaunt, her cheeks sunken and a deep weariness in her eyes. Her long green mane hung from her head in tangles, swaying like the leaves of a willow tree as her head slowly turned to follow Twilight’s movement.

For all her fear, the dilapidated appearance of the former queen left Twilight feeling sympathy for the wretched creature.

Chrysalis turned to her, her jaw falling limp and her tongue lolling out like that of a hungry dog. She spoke in a breathless whisper, “Love… give me your love. I’m so hungry… P-please, just a taste…”

She moved closer.

Twilight retreated. She caught sight of Sunset, who was frantically shaking her head, and quickly turned her attention back to Chrysalis. “I c-can’t give you what y-you want. L-leave me alone!”

The queen only moved closer, and Twilight soon found herself pressed against the back of the crevice.

“You have so much… I’ve not seen so much love in one place in so long. F-feed me. You can spare just a little…”

Chrysalis paused, her tongue slowly moving about her lips. Her eyes locked onto Twilight’s chest, at first wide… then slowly changing to a peering, ravenous gaze. Her lips turned up in a fanged grin, her breath was coming faster… “Feed me. Feed me.”

Those eyes seemed to clutch at Twilight’s heart. “K-keep away…”

“Feed me!”

Chrysalis lunged and Twilight started to form a shield about herself. The queen didn’t reach it; she was suddenly pulled backwards as two thin, glowing opal chains wrapped about her shoulders. Sunset was just behind her, reared on her hind legs and fighting to hold the ends of the chains in her forehooves.

Chrysalis struggled against the bonds, hissing and snarling like a wild animal. Her demented eyes were locked on Twilight’s chest, pupils shrunk to pinpoints as ferocious sounds erupted from her thin throat. Twilight was mesmerized by the sight, unable to think of anything except how terrifying those eyes were.

“Twilight!” Sunset slipped forward a little at a jerk from Chrysalis. “For buck’s sake, do something!”

Twilight’s mind snapped into place just as she felt the tugging on her body. Chrysalis’ jagged horn was glowing and Twilight could feel her hooves being dragged forward over the muck. Knowing she had only seconds, Twilight though fast.

“Sunset, let go when I say!”

“What? You can't be serious!”

“Just do it!” Twilight bowed her head and focused on the two spells. “Now!”

Her world went violet. An instant later she’d teleported to the other side of Chrysalis. The chains faded and Chrysalis lunged, smacking face-first against the back of the cave. She spun about, green blood dripping from her forehead, and charged Twilight with a sinister hiss—

—and bashed her face against a solid shield.

Chrysalis fell on her side, but an instant later she was back up and clawing at the barrier, eyes livid as she snarled at her target. Twilight, her horn glowing in the darkness, heaved a relieved sigh. “That should hold her, provided she doesn’t have any special tricks.”

Sunset stepped up beside her, watching with a grim frown as the changeling queen brutally assaulted the shield. “She doesn’t have the mental capacity for that kind of magic anymore. As I said, the most pathetic of the Lords.”

She really was pathetic, wasn’t she? Twilight gazed at Chrysalis, observing as she mindlessly struggled to break through the barrier. Twilight had only met the queen once, but what she’d seen had suggested a proud, capable and dominating personality. To know that such a pony could be reduced to this… She was an enemy, but that didn’t make the scene any less disturbing.

She began sliding across the floor again, noticing that Chrysalis’ horn was glowing once more. She resisted the pull by shoving the shield forward, effectively bashing Chrysalis over the head with it; the queen fell back with a snarl, the green glow of her horn fading like smoke.

Freed, Twilight took a few cautious steps back. “I can’t hold her forever. We need to get out of here.”

Sunset glanced back over her shoulder. “The hail hasn’t stopped. Maybe that’s a good thing; I can make a second shield to protect the two of us while we depart. She can’t follow in that, she’ll get killed by the ice.”

Twilight watched as Chrysalis lunged at the barrier once more, and again, and again. The changeling queen’s shoulder was bleeding from the impacts. “I don’t think that would stop her.”

Sunset’s eyes were as hard as rocks. “Then she’ll die. Good riddance.”

Twilight eyed her, then turned her attention back to Chrysalis. The poor queen seemed relentless in her pursuit. Did she even qualify as a pony anymore? Or a changeling? Was there anything left in that mind other than hunger? And what was her hunger but a desperate need for love? Twilight stared into those starving eyes and couldn’t feel hatred or anger, only pity.

“We can’t let her die.”

Sunset’s face jerked to Twilight, her eyes piercing. “Are you kidding? Look at her, she’s a monster! Letting her die in the hail would be a mercy, just like those wretched creatures she’s been making out of ponies both dead and living. Let’s end her misery, Twilight.”

“No.” Twilight turned away from Chrysalis, her head held high. “I am the Princess of Friendship and I will not see her killed! I would see her reformed, instead.”

“Ref—” Sunset’s jaw dropped. “You can’t be serious. How in the name of all things holy do you expect to reform her?”

“Not me,” Twilight corrected with confidence, “Celestia. Once we’re out of here I’ll talk to her. Using Tartarus as a prison is a horrible punishment. I understand now that nopony deserves such a terrible fate. I will convince Celestia to begin freeing the creatures here, a few at a time, and begin rehabilitating those who can be.”

“You. Are. Crazy.” Sunset threw her hooves high with a shout. “You’re talking about Celestia! She loves throwing ponies in here! She’ll never close Tartarus under any circumstances.”

But Twilight had made up her mind and she wasn’t going to let Sunset’s delusions change it. “We’re going. But first, I’ll leave a little something to keep her here.”

Sunset lowered her head with a scowl, her body shaking with visible anger. After a time she jerked about with a snarl and sat before the cavern entrance. “Fine, do what you like! It makes no difference to me. I’ll either get out or I’ll die, so either way it isn’t going to be my problem anymore.”

Twilight shot her companion a sinister glare but decided there was no point in debating with her. Instead she turned back to Chrysalis, who was now pacing the barrier with head low and eyes peering, her lips pulled back in a perpetual sneer as she muttered. Twilight stepped a little closer and found she could make out some words…

“Miserable foals… starving… love me… feed me… love me… yes… taste it… just taste it…”

Desperation disguised as hatred. Twilight’s heart bled for the poor monster, for that was all Chrysalis really was now. She wished she could help, but for the time being all she could do was provide a little comfort. She thought back on everything she’d seen and began to concentrate. She’d never tried this spell before, but she’d seen it performed so many times…

Her horn began to spark, smoke rising from the tip of it as she struggled. Her legs locked and a sharp pain struck from her broken bone as her wings tensed from the effort.

Love… That was all she needed, just a little spark of love…

There was a faint popping sound as a small, pink, heart-shaped bubble appeared over her horn. She took a deep breath and relaxed, wiping the sweat from her forehead as she admired her work. The heart pulsed with a soft glow and floated forward to hover just at the edge of the shield. Chrysalis’ eyes locked onto it with a greedy glow, her tongue lolling out. She pressed against the barrier and gazed at the magical construct, sucking in rapid breaths in her excitement. “G-give it to me. Love… so much love! Give it to me, feed me…”

Twilight obliged, lowering the shield and setting the heart on the ground. Chrysalis pounced… but instead of attacking the thing she only grabbed it up and held it close to her chest. She fell to her haunches and rocked back and forth, head low as she whispered indecipherably. Her horn shimmered pink like the heart and a delighted smile formed on her lips.

It was almost as sad a sight as watching her claw at the barrier moments before.

“That should keep her occupied for a bit.” Twilight turned and made her way to the entrance, where the hail continued to rain down. “Let’s make some distance between her and us while we still have the opportunity.”

Sunset gaped at Chrysalis, then at Twilight. “Where did you learn to do that?”

A small smile came to Twilight’s lips. “From watching an old friend. Are you gonna make a shield, or will I have to?”

Sunset blinked at her with a blank expression for several seconds before abruptly turning to the exit. “Oh, uh, right.” They left the changeling queen to her emotional meal, the crimson hail cracking against the opal shield Sunset formed. “I’ve never seen somepony just… create love like that. I didn’t think it was possible.”

“It’s not so much ‘creating’ love,” Twilight corrected with a small frown. “It’s not an easy spell… but if one has love in her heart, it’s certainly possible.”

Sunset’s face scrunched up as she stuck out her tongue. “‘Love in her heart?’ How cheesy.”

Twilight cast a grim frown her way. “It worked, didn’t it? But I shouldn’t be surprised; sometimes you seem so devoid of even the basic equine decency. Why would I ever expect you to appreciate such an important emotion?”

Twilight barely stopped in time to keep from leaving the shield’s protection. She turned with a glower… that faded as she caught her companion’s expression. Lost eyes gazed into hers, Sunset’s face slack and her lips slightly parted. After a couple seconds she bowed her head, her eyes shifting as if she were lost in intense thought.

Twilight watched her partner think for a few seconds, wondering what was going through her mind. A touch of guilt hit her as she considered what she’d just said, so she moved a bit closer and nudged her. “I’m sorry, that was cold…”

Sunset nodded, but it was such a slight motion Twilight barely caught it. They began to walk again, Sunset’s face still lost in troubled thought. She cast a hesitant glance Twilight’s way. “You… you said you were the Princess of Friendship. Was that true?”

“Mm-hmm.” Twilight offered a comforting smile. “My journey to becoming an alicorn revolved around my studying and mastering the power of friendship.”

Sunset gazed at the soft floor with wide, disbelieving eyes. “B-but how is that possible? Has Equestria changed so much since I was imprisoned? Friendship… it’s not a valued commodity.”

That made Twilight cringe; what kind of place was Equestria in this timeline? “Where I come from, Equestria is a land of sunshine and harmony. There’s so much love that Chrysalis would never go hungry on her own. It’s a shame she’s so evil; changelings and ponies might have lived harmoniously if her followers weren’t devoted to conquest.”

Sunset eyed her, but for once there was nothing critical about her frown. “You speak as if they’re still around.”

“In my world, they are.” Twilight looked back to the crevasse just as it disappeared from view amongst the tall rocks. “Seeing what I’ve just seen… I can’t help but wonder if we shouldn’t try to heal the divide between our races. The changelings of my world must be starving, too…”

“You would help them?” Sunset’s jaw dropped just a fraction. “But… you said they were your enemies.”

“Friendship requires effort,” Twilight explained. “We will never become allies if nopony decides to take that first step. When I get home, I think I’ll push for just such a step. Equestria – my Equestria – cannot be the bastion of harmony it is reputed to be if it cannot make peace with its enemies and start down the road of friendship.” She leaned over to give Sunset a meaningful smile. “It’s no different from you and me struggling to work together.”

Sunset turned her face away, but there was no hiding the pink in her cheeks. “Y-you’re still on that?”

But Twilight caught her hesitation and felt quite pleased with herself. “Something tells me you don’t find it so far-fetched anymore.”

Sunset’s blush deepened. “D-don’t get your hopes up…”

Just then the hail ceased. They looked up in unison, but the world above was as dark and impenetrable as ever. Twilight felt that familiar itch in her throat and began to cough as the shield faded. This one was a bit stronger than the ones before, and Sunset gave her a worried look. “Are you gonna be okay?”

The coughing ceased and Twilight took a moment to clear her throat. “I’m fine for now. I just hope it doesn’t get any worse.” She took a step forward and offered a confident smile. “Come on, let’s get out of this nasty place before Chrysalis finishes her snack.”

Sunset eyed her with an anxious frown before moving on ahead. Twilight watched her pass with a beaming smile; she was getting through.

She just knew it.

Author's Notes:

My only regret with this chapter is that Chrysalis' appearance was so brief. At the same time, though, I feel it works in the context of the story.

And now we all know why she looks so... hungry in the cover art.

Thus far they've managed to get through three Lords with only minimal damage. Sunset's starting to hope and Twilight's feeling pretty confident.

...

Time for the kid gloves to come off.