With a groan of displeasure, Chrysalis finally managed to get off the floor and heads toward the stairs of the Solar Tower. Her horn still wafted steam, and the queen had to work hard to ignore the intense ache.

In spite of the meeting being around the corner, the victorious monarch wanted to ask Plain Thatch one more question. When she arrived back in Celestia’s living quarters, she heard busy sound of activity from the bath chamber, so she trotted in.

The two assistant changelings were scrubbed away at the sludge that lined the partially drained bath tub, one vigorously pushed up and down on the drain with a large plunger. The gloppy motion was occasionally rewarded with a gurgle of drained filth.

Plain Thatch hoofed over a bucket to one of the assistants when she heard the clop of the queen’s hooves. She turned to greet her new ruler, but gasped when she saw the state of Chrysalis’s appearance.

“Oh my Cel-, what happened?”

“The sun is going down…”

All the polish on Chrysalis’s horn was burnt and blackened, and her eyes, oh her eyes. Well green and red are complimentary colors right? Other than that most of her body was still in a good clean condition.

“I want to know if you have anything to treat burns, or relieve irritation.”

“Um yes, I’ll get some eye drops and icy cream.”

The maid ran quickly to a cabinet with the desired items, they were found in a small kit. The eye drops were obtained from the vanity. Plain grabbed the eye dropper with her mouth and mumbled to the queen out the side of her mouth

“I’ll need you bend down your majesty, and keep your eyes wide open.”

The giant changeling rested her body on the floor and kept her eyelids peeled back. Plain quickly put a few drops in each eye, with Chrysalis flinching from the uncomfortable sensation. After a moment to roll her eyes around in their sockets and a few blinks for good measure, they felt pleasantly numbed.

Plain followed up with an uncapped,round container, labeled “Icy cream” and dabbed a hoof in the white substance. Gently, she placed some on the queen’s long horn, this triggered a loud gasp, quickly followed by a relieved sigh.

“This is far more pleasant than putting a burn in mud.”

Chrysalis cooed with her eyes closed as the tan earth mare applied the cooling balm. Plain gave a weak grin as her brow furrowed in concern, at least her service was working to satisfaction.

“Anything else you desire your majesty?”

“No, when you finish cleaning come to the Gala Hall, I am making important announcements that concerns everypony and changeling.”

Determined not to burn another moment the queen set her wings a flitter. The heavy buzz echoed through the living chamber and quickly shifted through the hallway. The queen’s expression hardened, she would first have to show these ponies they would not be allowed to disrespect her, instead they would come to love her. Though she had her doubts, if such a thing could happen. Shade’s idea still seemed a little too optimistic to her, even if she did fancy the thought.

Canterlot Castle was abuzz with activity. Throngs of ponies were being escorted and guided by numerous drones toward the Gala Hall. The night had finally come and the stars shone weakly in the heavens. Many of the ponies were sweated as the evening hadn’t really cooled yet, the over-exposure to a noon high sun had caused a wave of heat as intense as high summer.

The gloss on Chrysalis’s horn refracted extra light as she prepared a spell, and summoned her lead changelings to her side. The magical resonance coming from Shade, Vivisect, and Colony let her know her call was being answered.

As Chrysalis turned the final corner to the Gala Hall, where they hovered in the air patiently. The head of the sentinels, vanguard, and drones wore pleased expressions on their fanged muzzles.

“Let us get this over with, I am weary of my exertions today.”

“Yes my Queen”

All three changeling leaders chimed in chorus. The giant Queen was flanked by her smaller councilors as they flew into the Grand Gala Ballroom. The loud clamor of a crowd, who murmured among themselves, was the first noise to hit Chrysalis’s ears.

The room could only fit several hundred ponies, compared to the thousands that had shown up, who now trailed in lines out of all the entrances. Hundreds more lined the gardens, and many peered in through the large windows that decorated the ballroom.

Thankfully, Colony had seen that a makeshift pedestal was erected in an elevated position, right in front of the largest central window. The queen hovered down to the position obviously meant for her, and struck a pose in front of the pedestal.

The three councilors took their positions next to the queen and surveyed the body of Canterlot before them. Chrysalis gave a short nod to the leaders of the three changeling divisions, each one in turn cast their respective spells to gain the attention of all changelings. Vivisect’s eyes glowed orange, Shade’s went purple, and Colony’s eyes gleamed bright blue.

All Changelings went silent. The sudden eerie quiet from the changeling swarm caused the gossip of the ponies to lower their voices to faint whispers. Chrysalis’s horn flashed briefly as she cast an amplification spell, and flinched slightly from the sensitive state of her horn, yet shrugged it off before proceeding to speak with a powerful voice.

“As my drones have undoubtedly informed you, I have a few important announcements to make. This will not be an open question session. When I talk with what’s left of your pony leadership, you may submit any additional queries to them. Am I understood?”

To emphasize the point, Chrysalis made a loud thump on the surface of the pedestal, with her large hoof. The sharp concussive noise silenced the whispers among the ponies, and there was a general acknowledgement through a series of silent nods.

“Good, now my first announcement is you ponies have nothing to fear.”

This was met with several incredulous guffaws, snorts, and angry mutters. Chrysalis responded with an even louder voice, her wings buzzed in irritation.

“You are now MY subjects! That means I am responsible for keeping you alive and healthy. Your lives will continue as they have for the most part, with a few minor changes. We will live among you, and our changeling discipline will not falter simply because we’ve secured power. Expect to work alongside changelings around your homes and places of business.”

There were several ponies that shivered at the announced prospects, a few others quietly grumbled.

“My swarm will feed on your excess emotions, at specified intervals and locations. Everypony will be expected to contribute, and before any pony complains, it does not hurt for a changeling to feed on you. In fact most of you probably won’t notice any sensation when it happens.”

There was a large wave of doubt and apprehension that came from the crowd, any changeling could easily smell it, but this didn’t deter Chrysalis. It would only be a matter of time.

“No pony needs to worry about becoming an emotionless husk either; I will personally see to it that my changelings do not abuse our position, lest they face dire consequences. In fact, I want all ponies with family and relatives outside of Canterlot to write them, and tell them you are safe and sound. That Equestria will not fall apart, but has a new Queen who will oversee you as a glorious and powerful nation.”

Chrysalis paused, the crowd of ponies seemed to be in quiet contemplation, which brought a confident smirk to her mouth.

“That is all for tonight. You are all dismissed.”

She tapped the pedestal twice with a concussive ring, and she turned to the changeling councilors seated behind her. Her attention now addressed them.

“Colony, find out what is left of the pony leadership, community leaders, or anypony with a public face. And gather them for a meeting tomorrow morning. All the specifics will be ironed out then.”

“It will be done my queen.”

“Vivisect, make sure nopony disturbs the royal throne room, or my chambers this night.”

“With certainty my queen.”

“Shade, quietly inform the swarm they can feed tonight, they deserve it, but make sure they do it subtly. If a changeling over drains anypony, report it directly to me. The ponies need to at least think they are being respected.”

“Nopony will know they have been fed on this night my queen.”

“Good, good, now shoo!”

Her commanders quickly jumped to their hooves and went about their orders. The crowd of ponies started to leave, and slowly shuffled past one another, most of them still carried uncomfortable and concerned expressions. A small group bore angry scowls, but didn’t dare shout anything at their new overseers.

Devoid of the need to address her subjects further Chrysalis relaxed her posture, and slightly slumped her shoulders, letting out a long tired sigh she’d been holding in. Between the battle with the two princesses, the incident with the sun and the long preparation process, the Queen was all but completely drained and wanted nothing more than to sleep. However, there was still one last matter to attend to, thus begrudgingly, she started to fly slowly through the air, making her way towards the throne room

---

The grand doors of the throne room were casually thrown wide open. There was a very specific cocoon Chrysalis had in mind, her fanged muzzle bent into a grimace as she thought about her burnt horn. She was going to get the answers she wanted.

With limited grace Chrysalis’s hooves left the floor, and she hovered from pod to pod. Each of the ponies was asleep within their slimy prison, and it was Celestia’s cocoon that Chrysalis rested her eyes upon. Green light softly emanated from her horn and she placed it in contact with the pod’s transparent surface.

---

Celestia sat peacefully in the midst of the Canterlot gardens. A large white canvas mounted on an easel stood in front of her. She calmly moved a brush between a palette of paint and the canvas. The grand white Alicorn was half way through the painting of a delicious looking multi-level cake.

She brought her eyes down to the palette and started to mix red and white to create a pink highlight for the cake painting. When her eyes returned to her canvas she did a double take.

In place of the painting of a cake, Chrysalis’s face now occupied the white canvas. The Changeling’s expression was not amused. The white Alicorn kept her reaction reserved. She simply observed the rather sudden appearance. The painting moved about as if Chrysalis was simply on the other side of a mirror. Before the Changeling Queen could speak, Celestia smeared pink paint over the canvas with a large brush. A comical set of glasses and mustache was added to the angry face that stared up at her.

“Hey! You will respect my royal countenance!”

“Is that so?”

Celestia giggled as she painted large pair of off center pupils over Chrysalis’s eyes. This caused the queen to bare her fangs and growl, so Celestia added a large floppy tongue.

“If you care about the ponies you once ruled over you will hear me!”

The Alicorn’s smile suddenly hardened under the accusation.

“And why would you care what happens to my little ponies?”

“I am not some mindless monster. I care for my subjects like you cared for yours.”

“Why do you need my help? You already proved yourself more powerful than I.”

The dream Celestia narrowed her eyes and maintained a stern, disgusted tone. Chrysalis continued despite the glare.

“The Sun”

“Yes…”

“How did you go about raising and lowering it? That infernal thing nearly singed my horn off.”

Celestia suddenly snorted at the notion of it. She chuckled, and picked up the paint brush set on the palette and started to paint little flames over Chrysalis’s horn. The giant of a queen smacked her face with a hoof, before she slowly dragged it down.

“I know you and the unicorns before you did it without such a backlash, TELL ME HOW!”

Chrysalis’s voice had risen substantially, and the command she shouted blew back Celestia’s mane. The white alicorn was not pleased with the abrasive changeling’s manners, and she let it show with scowl. She responded with a stern suggestion.

“Quiet yourself, this garden was quite peaceful before your presence interrupted it.”

“Grrrruh, Fine, If you would be so kind.”

“My cutie mark isn’t the symbol of the sun for nothing. Besides if you try to move the sun without the proper spell, consequences like that are not uncommon.”

“Could you tell me of this spell?”

“You could just release me, and I would go back to raising and lowering the sun.”

“That’s not an option.”

The stare off between the two tall equines was fierce. Celestia with her cold, hard, magenta eyes, and Chrysalis with her painted on glasses, derpy pupils, long curly mustache, large lolling tongue, and flaming horn… The alicorn broke first.

“I will tell you only because I don’t want my ponies to suffer from you irresponsible blundering. Tell me Chrysalis, how much of the world would you let burn or freeze before you would let me free?”

For a moment Chrysalis seriously contemplated that, and she fought hard to hide any tells her face might give away. She would certainly suffer along with the rest of equinity if the sun were seriously mishandled. However, she couldn’t let that alicorn know any of that would concern her seriously. As long as she was perceived as dangerous, and maybe a little off kilter, perhaps she could continue to extort useful information. Celestia did have such a soft spot for “her little ponies” after all.

“Hmm, I suppose as long as there are enough remnants left to build something from the ashes, I could suffer the losses. Me and my subjects have already been doing that for years. But that isn’t pertinent, what matters more is if you can answer the same question. How much of the world would you let burn or freeze before making this concession?”

The white Alicorn sneered distastefully. To lose thousands of her citizens in a grudge match was not worth it. As long as Chrysalis sought her for advice, she could still influence the kingdom she once controlled. Celestia’s prestigiously long horn touched the surface of the canvas, and flashed gold for a moment. The knowledge of the spell required to move the sun properly was transferred to Chrysalis’s mind.

“Before you try again, gather some help. It will be less risky with several of you to share the burden.”

“My thanks Celestia.”

Celestia simply frowned, she was not happy that an equine willing to be so cold, now sat on her throne. There was nothing else she could do though, the cocoon kept her in a permanent dream state, and this was the only way she could offer her little ponies some means of comfort. Even if it was only to make sure this fool of a changeling didn’t destroy them with the misuse of the heavens.

“Come again if you find your leadership, insufficient…”

This triggered a scowl from Chrysalis

“I can assure you that will not be often, sweet dreams Celestia.”

With that Chrysalis’s obnoxiously painted face disappeared from the canvas. The art work previously done by the white alicorn reappeared right where she left off. A long drawn out sigh was exhaled from the imprisoned diarch. She finished the last highlights she wanted on the cake painting, then put a hoof up to the canvas.

Celestia was able to pull the cake right out of the canvas, which made a seamless transition from two dimensional painting, to three dimensional pastry. She took a bite.

The sweet taste did little to soothe her stress rattled mind. At least this wasn’t the worst way to be imprisoned.

---

The perfect day had finally come to a close, and Chrysalis lazily crashed into Celestia’s massive bed, it was twice the size of Luna’s, and that was already large. A miniature mountain of pillows and other squish-able comforts were piled high around the head board.

As she crawled like a lizard, the Changeling queen buried herself underneath the mound of feathery delights, until only her horn poked out of the amongst the pastel colored pillows. A deep groan of released pressures reverberated across the royal bedchamber.

“Definitely better than my old pile of moss…”

Next Chapter: Ch.4 "Orientation for the Queen" Estimated time remaining: 19 Hours, 58 Minutes