A monolith of stone rose up from the desert sand.

Outside the sun beat down mercilessly on the arid landscape below.

Within the base of the mound Queen Chrysalis paced restlessly.

The chamber around her was a light sickly green color.

Her jaws were clenched together in anger, rage and spite filled her narrowed eyes.

At her side was a much smaller drone. One of many identical drones.

His only distinguishable feature was his mind; created as a sounding board for the Queen herself. After all; one could not create a plan by oneself.

“Dammit, dammit, dammit!” Chrysalis raged. “Nothing works!”

“That is because you have been stomping back and forth for the last hour doing nothing but lamenting the failure of nothing,” her loyal drone pointed out.

Chrysalis turned on him and let out a low growl. “Then tell me, drone, what is to be done?!”

“I have no ability to think of that,” the drone replied. “Were you to give me more than nothing, perhaps I could think of something.”

Chrysalis glared at the drone and repressed the urge to crush its skull. It was doing what she’d created it to do after all, there was no point in losing another one. She’d already destroyed five and did not want to have to go to the trouble of making a seventh.

“Very well,” Chrysalis hissed. “Here are the facts you require. Six months ago I attacked Canterlot using a cunning plan, I was to imitate Princess Cadence, using her stud as a way to undermine Canterlot’s defenses. That plan failed and I was beaten off, my swarm of children, many of whom were actually thinking were killed.”

“I’m aware of that,” the drone stated blandly. “What I am unaware of is how this plan backfired so disastrously.”

The level of disinterest in the drone’s voice further infuriated Chrysalis. Of course, she had made it to be that way, but damnation if it wasn’t vexing to speak with.

“The plan backfired because Queen Luna was able to see into the dreams of Princess Cadence and discern my ruse,” Chrysalis explained. “As long as she is there and capable of doing that... no plan using subtlety will be capable of succeeding.”

“Agreed,” the drone stated. “Finally, we may be getting somewhere.”

“Did I ask for your opinion?” Chrysalis snapped angrily as she turned on the drone.

“I do not believe so,” the drone replied blandly.

Chrysalis stared at it for a moment before shaking her head. “What caused you to state what your opinion was?”

“The fact that you know the reason why your plans are doomed to failure,” the drone replied calmly. “Queen Luna.”

“Yes... but what does that tell me?” Chrysalis demanded.

“That you must eliminate Queen Luna in order to form any successful plot,” the drone answered her.

The fact hit Chrysalis like a ton of bricks... how had she missed it? Queen Luna was the lynchpin in her plan’s failure. If she was gone then Celestia’s Canterlot would be wide open for invasion. She grinned for a moment but as fast as it had appeared, her grin disappeared.

“But how am I to eliminate her?” Chrysalis asked blankly. “She’s infinitely more powerful than I am, and far too observant for any of my few remaining agents to get near.”

“Yet she can bleed and die just like Celestia can,” the drone replied simply.

“True...” Chrysalis trailed off in thought. “But... how do I go about killing her? Better yet, how do I get close enough to her to even attempt such a thing?”

The drone remained silent.

“Speak to me,” Chrysalis commanded.

Still the drone remained silent.

“I said speak to me!” Chrysalis roared. “You cannot have a spark of inspiration one moment and then lose it the next!”

“And yet that is the way every mind works, I am nothing but an extension of your mind,” the drone replied neutrally.

Chrysalis gnashed her teeth at its frustrating, yet impeccable logic.

It would seem that she had to puzzle it out for herself.

Strength itself was, oddly enough, not the strength of the changelings. No. That lay in deceit and cunning and spies. Chrysalis was not the only Changeling Queen in existence, nor was she the most lauded, yet Chrysalis did view herself as the most devious. The Badlands were her domain after all and they were not an easy land to keep free of other pests, the other Queens included.

Yet she did it. Her loss against Celestia and Luna were her first real losses in a very long time and perhaps, just perhaps she had grown arrogant. Putting herself in harm’s way. Despite her pre-prepared backup body, she had engaged the enemy directly, and for her reward, she had been smited. So, perhaps instead of attacking Luna herself... she used something else?

“Who could get closest to Luna?” Chrysalis pondered to herself.

“Her lover,” the drone stated emotionlessly.

Chrysalis frowned for a moment and then nodded. “I suppose that makes sense,” the Queen agreed, still frowning. “But... her lover is lost to the darkness, and inspite of her two years of searching, Luna, an all powerful alicorn, has been unable to retrieve her. What chance do I have of such a mean feat?”

“Luna loves her lover greatly, does she not?” the drone asked rhetorically.

“Obviously, else she would not be her lover,” Chrysalis stated with an annoyed frown. “What is your point?”

“Are you not the being with the closest grasp on love?” the drone asked. “For all that she has searched for a way to bring her love back to her, Luna may have overlooked one key facet of it.”

“Love...” Chrysalis’s mouth hardened into a cutting smirk. “She has not used the love!”

“Exactly,” the drone droned. “Love may be the line with which we can use to retrieve the Queen’s destruction.”

“Indeed... it may very well be,” Chrysalis agreed before frowning. “If we are able to acquire the Queen’s lover without her knowledge... then we may turn her against her and then send her off to kill her.”

“A wise plan indeed,” the drone agreed. “But its execution shall be difficult.”

“Yes... I will need a chamber free of any magic, blocked from the outside in order to bar the dreamwalker,” Chrysalis stated slowly as the wheels began to turn in her head. “It must also be insulated to prevent any channels originating from within.”

“Indeed,” the drone stated.

“Once I have her here within the hive, I can break the lover like I would any other good agent, turn her to my will, and yet leave her with the thoughts that she is her own until the time to strike comes,” Chrysalis said slowly, thinking over her thoughts. “And at night, after they have made love, she will stab the knife into the alicorn’s heart and Canterlot will be open for invasion once more, this time with Celestia’s rage pointed at the lover.”

The drone nodded ‘happy’ to have fulfilled its purpose.

“Wonderful... this shall lead me to a great victory,” Chrysalis stated with a wicked smile as she began to plot.

“Damnation!” Luna shouted, tossing the book away from her in a rage. Thankfully, the book was caught a few feet before it hit the window by Twilight Sparkle who calmly set it back down upon the table.

This was not the first time in the two years and six months that Luna had given into her frustrations. Oh no, this was the fourth time that very evening.

“My Queen, might I suggest that you take a break?” Twilight asked with a calm smile. “You know very well that you do not think as well when you’re angry.”

Luna let out a long breath and glared at the unassuming unicorn mare. The mare in question just looked back at her steadily. She had become remarkably skilled at withstanding Luna’s harshest glares, a skill that not many had ever mastered. The fact that she had an uncanny likeness to her dear friend Clover the Clever certainly didn’t help Luna’s inner rage, instead it made her feel guilty.

The mare let out a sigh and shook her head. “Thank you for your assistance in this matter, Twilight. I... suppose that it would be best if perhaps I took a flight to calm my nerves,” the alicorn said as she rose from the table.

“You’re welcome back whenever you’ve calmed down, your Majesty,” Twilight told her with a naturally happy smile. Luna sighed again, the unicorn was an enviously chipper mare so long as she had a book to read, a far cry from the pitiful wretch Luna had rescued upon her arrival in Equestria.

On her way out of the room, Luna nodded to Rainbow Dash, Twilight’s stalwart guard who was devoted to the point of sleeping within the same bed. Of course, that could be because they were together. Luna shook her head and carried onwards, the lives of the ponies around her interested her less than she liked at the moment.

Her research had brought her nothing but frustration and grief, yet she would not give up. She had attempted everything she, her sister, Twilight, and even Archmage Shimmer could think of. Using Nim as a focus for the spell? No, something about the spirit had made it impossible. Then would it be Daybreaker that formed an anchor perhaps? No, it had to be a living, intelligent being. Why not simply use Sarah herself as a target?

Because you could not bring to Equestria that which was not sent from it. Banishment, as it turned out, was easy. Summoning something that had been sent away from Equestria was difficult but doable... but summoning something that had never been native to Equestria? Ha, you may as well try to catch the wind with a butterfly net. Something living and magical in nature was required upon the other end.

Luna ground her teeth as she reached what she had desired. It was her own room, though she barely noticed the light blue carpet or the other features she’d chosen to adorn the place. Instead, she made her way to the heavily enchanted door to her private balcony and threw herself off the edge.

Her wings snapped open and she shot skywards again, swooping up into the clouds above the mountain in a matter of seconds. The alicorn let out a long sigh as the chilly water filled objects drifted through her coat and took a moment to relax in their embrace before pushed up and landed atop it. Clouds were strange things in Equestria, their interiors were cold and wet, yet the exteriors were hard and dry.

It was an enigma that Luna had only begun to think of once she’d returned from her... exile. It made for a good distraction from her real thoughts. She reached down into the cloud and pulled free a portion of it and brought it to her mouth, taking a long drink from the clear, cold, fresh, water stored within it. To think, something so simple as fresh water could be worth fighting and dying over.

Before she could think too deeply on the subject, another distraction presented itself to her, or rather, himself.

“Another unsuccessful attempt?” a casual voice asked from beside her. Luna turned to look at her new companion. He was a light blue thestral with a mane of even lighter blue and two grey eyes looked at her with a surprising amount of understanding despite his young age.

“What do you think, Captain?” Luna replied with a small snarl.

“Whoa, whoa, easy, Lu. You don’t want to be down one Guard Captain,” the thestral said, holding up his hooves.

Luna scowled at him for a moment longer before letting out a sigh. Captain Jackdaw, Jack to his friends, was Luna’s personal guard. He was devilishly handsome and to Luna’s surprise had both the wit and the skills to match his looks.

Her sister had advised him to her and after setting a few ground rules. They were rules that Luna thought would be standard, but apparently Jackdaw was a ‘special case’. The rules were as followed. Always be sober when not on break, no bringing home mares or stallions when on duty, and most importantly, no making passes at the Queen herself. He’d agreed to all of them readily enough and she’d accepted him. What she appreciated about the stallion was his casual nature in her presence, while other guards were very formal, he made it a point to be casual, almost to the point of disrespect.

“I suppose I couldn’t have that,” Luna said, shaking her head and looking back at the cloud. “It took a great deal of effort to get you in the first place,”

“That’s what all the mares say,” Jackdaw replied with a small chuckle. “Some of the stallions too.” Then he sighed. “But for what it’s worth, I’m sorry again.”

Luna snorted and shook her head. “And again I accept your sympathies... even if they will not help me,” the mare stated despondently before glancing at him with annoyance. “You did not have to follow me up here you know.”

“It’s my job,” Jackdaw said casually. “And of course I don’t like seeing my Queen all frowny and sad. That usually means that I’m doing a shitty job and then they dock my pay.”

Luna closed her eyes for a moment and then nodded, a small smile forming on her face. “Thank you for your concern, Captain,” she said quietly.

“Of course, Lu,” the stallion said with a nod as he got to his hooves. “Back down?”

“Back down,” Luna agreed.

The pair descended from on high and landed once more upon Luna’s balcony. “So... do you want to grab a beer?” Jackdaw asked Luna with a friendly smile. “I mean, you seem pretty down, Luna, and I’ve always said that a good drink will have you feeling on top of the world.”

Luna let out a sigh and shook her head. “Thank you, Captain, but no, I do not want to have a beer,” she stated tiredly.

“That’s what you always say,” the thestral replied, frowning. “Come on, Luna, one drink won’t kill you.”

“No, but one drink leads to ten, then to twenty, and before you realize it you’ll be guarding an alicorn singing ancient dragon hymns while lamenting the loss of her lover,” Luna retorted. “And nopony wants to bear witness to that sad event.”

Jackdaw let out a sigh. “Sorry, Lu, just trying to help,” he replied. “And I don’t know, I wouldn’t mind hearing an ancient draconic hymn, sounds interesting.”

“Hi fund ni mindoraan rot do nii,” Luna replied, a small smirk forming on her face. “Meyus joor keyrok.”

Jackdaw blinked twice before replying. “Los hi kopruzah? Zu'u lost pogaan kiinoot, ni pah do niin stahraal. ”

Luna now found herself blinking in surprise. “Where in Equestria did you learn ancient draconic?”

“I knew a dragoness, cute little thing with orange scales,” Jackdaw replied, smirking. “She started out wanting to eat me, and by the end of the day, she really had.”

“I... have no words,” Luna stated before a small chuckle emerged from her throat. “You never cease to surprise me, Jack.”

“Another part of the job, Lu,” Jackdaw stated, smiling up at her. “If I ever got boring you’d throw me out and my pay would get docked again.”

Luna snickered. “Well, you should have no fear of that happening, at this rate, you may well die of old age before you run out of interesting things for me to unearth.”

“Once again, part of the plan,” Jackdaw replied.

“What else is part of the plan?” Luna inquired curiously.

“Many things,” the stallion answered enigmatically. “And a happy you is the end result of all of it.”

“Well, I suppose you can consider that plan accomplished for the moment,” Luna stated, chuckling as the pair started back into the castle. Sarah may have still been lost to her... but at least she was in good company while she searched.

Celestia smiled at the two mares in front of her. “Very good, I hope you’ll keep me informed of the situation as it progresses,” she told them.

“Of course your majesty,” the one on the right, a simple cello player replied.

“We just thought that you’d want to know,” the mare on the left, a pink model agreed. “At the moment we’re not exactly sure how things will go.”

“Well, I’m still happy that you two decided to tell me,” Celestia stated. “Farewell.”

“Thank you your Majesty,” Octavia replied with a nod before she turned to Fleur Dis Lee. “I’ll see you at the party then?”

“Of course,” the model answered as they began to exit the throne room and left Celestia alone with Captain Tornado Kicker.

“Interesting,” Tornado stated while he glanced at Celestia. “I hope something good comes of it.”

“As do I,” Celestia stated before she got to her hooves and stretched. “Come, I believe that was my last appointment for the day,” she said with a sigh of relief.

“It was,” Tornado agreed, cracking his neck from side to side as he started after his charge. “An interesting day in Court if there ever was one.”

“Yes, yes it was,” Celestia agreed, draping a wing over her chosen stallion. “So, what do we have scheduled for the evening?”

“Shouldn’t you know that?” he asked with a small chuckle. “You are the all knowing queen after all.”

“All knowing my plot,” Celestia replied with a roll of her eyes. “I’m just kept well informed.” Then the mare smiled. “On the bright side, I’m just happy that the other changeling hives have finally gotten back to me with their alliance request.”

“That is good,” Tornado said with a smile. “Maybe you won’t have to incinerate any more of their armies.”

“That is the goal,” the alicorn agreed. “If one of them had come to me and told me how desperate they were before then I imagine that Chrysalis would not have attempted what she did...” she trailed off and looked down, her jaw hardening. “But that in no way means I forgive her, she tried to hurt my little ponies, not to mention my daughter.”

“I won’t argue that point,” Tornado agreed, his voice dropping as well. Over the years he’d started to consider Cadence to be his own child, after a sorts anyways, and the thought of her wasting away in the caves beneath the city infuriated him. “I’m still not sure why we’re making an alliance with the other hives in the first place...”

“Because, there are too many of them for us to fight,” Celestia replied simply. “They number in the billions and can produce soldiers at an unmatched rate... even my Sun could not kill them all quickly enough.”

“I guess,” Tornado replied. “But do we really have to host one of their queens?”

“She isn’t even here yet,” Celestia said with a frown down at Tornado. “And I expect you to be on your best behavior when she does get here.”

“What am I, your foal?” Tornado asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

“No, I think we both know that’s not the case,” the alicorn said, pausing for a moment to give him a light kiss on the cheek. “Now then, shall we find ourselves some dinner?”

Sarah let out a sigh as she sat against the side of the automated railroad cart. She still wasn’t sure if she’d made the right decision. Sure, Ashur represented an actual future for the Pitt, but it came at the cost of the workers, and not all of them could possibly hope to fight their way out through The Hole like she had.

The woman’s finger absently traced the scar again and then moved to something that she’d made a habit of doing, gently playing with her right ear. Its sharp point and sloping rise was still rather new to her even six months after it had first appeared.

“You’d think I’d get used to it,” the woman grumbled as she closed her eyes and let her mind slip into her mental garden. Nim was there waiting for her as always.

The alicorn’s jet black with fur, dark as the blackest night played softly within the moonlit green garden as her starry mane drifted calmly around her head, constellations and other things which Sarah didn’t know the name of, playing within it. She had long ago given up on wearing a pair of silver horseshoes, and instead went unshod. Her piercing blue green eyes were as stormy as always but Sarah had long ago learned to simply love the depth hiding beneath those seas.

As was her habit, Sarah walked over and flopped down against the alicorn’s side, the soft, incredibly silky feeling of her fur rubbing against the woman’s palms. Nim leaned forwards and gave the woman a gentle nuzzle, paying particular attention to the woman’s ears.

“They do not look bad, you know,” Nim murmured.

“I know, I know,” Sarah said as she returned the favor and ran her finger down the middle of Nim’s neck, the way the alicorn loved. “I don’t really mind... it’s still just a bit strange.”

“Ah, and yet lying against a beautiful alicorn within a garden conjured up in the middle of your own mind isn’t?” Nim asked with a small chuckle. “My dear Sarah, I don’t believe that makes any sense at all.”

Sarah chuckled and leaned over to give the alicorn a kiss on the mouth. She held it for a moment before releasing her and smiling. “I guess you’re right,” she replied. “Why bother?”

“That is what I always say,” Nim agreed, giving Sarah another nuzzle as the woman leaned against her contentedly. “So, what are we going to do about the Pitt when we get back to the Capital Wasteland?”

“Talk to Elder Lyons about it,” Sarah stated immediately. “He’s smarter than me about this kind of thing, and if he thinks I’ve made the wrong decision I’ll ride this thing back, walk into Ashur’s office, and shoot the bastard in the face.”

“Now there is a novel solution,” Nim replied with a smirk.

“I thought it was,” Sarah agreed. “Oh well, at least it was better then the aliens.”

She shivered as a part of her body which did not need to be reminded of that encounter shivered.

“I thought we agreed to never speak of that again,” Nim stated, frowning.

“Yeah, you’re right, stupid me,” Sarah said tiredly as she leaned against Nim’s side. “You’re watching for any problems outside right?”

“Of course,” Nim answered at once.

“Good... because I’m going to sleep,” Sarah stated, closing her eyes and leaning into Nim’s fur and letting out a relaxed sigh.

The alicorn looked down at Sarah tenderly before bending down to to give her a kiss on the forehead and laying a wing over her. They’d been surviving without Luna for six months now and Sarah’s pain was finally starting to recede, just a bit.

Nim was glad... Sarah had been suffering from that pain for far too long. The black alicorn let out a sigh, she too missed Luna dearly... but she’d been the source of quite a lot of Sarah’s pain... and sometimes Nim wondered if maybe... just maybe...

If Luna never returned; would it be such a bad thing?