“Chrysalis!”

“That’s Queen Chrysalis…” the Changeling Queen replied with her usual morose tone from within her cell where she lay sprawled out on the floor.

“Whatever…” the guard replied gruffly through the slot in her door. “Today is Princess Twilight Sparkle’s planned visit with her court to check up on the conditions of your captivity.”

“Oh, is that today?” Chrysalis sighed, her head turned away from the door. “Whatever. I don’t care either way.”

“Just be on your best behavior,” the guard replied with a slight scowl. Then he turned and left, closing the slot in the door behind him.

Chrysalis was left all alone in the shadows with nothing but the eerie green glow of her changeling pods to see by.

Luckily, such a glow more than sufficiently illuminated the entirety of the room…including Chrysalis’s drawings of Twilight Sparkle (most of them maimed almost beyond recognition), and her scribblings of Twilight’s title in a circular pattern on the floor (her writing was actually almost carved into the stone at this point, she had written the word ‘Princess’ over and over so deeply), and her general messages of hate decorating the walls beneath the hibernating changelings. Each time the guards gave Chrysalis paper and quills (as per Twilight’s instructions, in case the changeling Queen felt like keeping a diary or sending any letters), all she did was write and create all of these odd expressions against Twilight. They were a small bit of beauty in her otherwise dreary cell, at least to her.

Finally alone in the solitude and quiet of her cell now, Chrysalis sat up at the center of her monuments against friendship, and smiled to herself.

She gazed upward to the glowing pods of slumbering changelings all around her—so innocent, so perfect, so safe in such a state. She spoke to her people in what passed as a soothing tone for her eerie voice. “It’ll be all right, my subjects. Twilight Sparkle comes today. And your Queen has a plan…” Chrysalis chuckled softly to herself. Suddenly, her expression changed a little. She was quiet (and seemed to be listening for a moment), and then raised an eyebrow and spoke again. “Yes, I know the purple one has been kinder to us than Celestia ever was in her punishments. But it’s all a lie, don’t you see? All a trick…! She gives us a mild prison, but if it weren’t for her we wouldn’t even be in prison in the first place. She requests food ‘prepared with love’ for us but still fails to understand that she might as well be feeding flowers coated with diamond dust to a dragon. And she comes to visit us, but it is only to mock our plight with her perfection! To make sure she is in control of us!”

Chrysalis stood and smiled in a crooked way. She began to pace around the cell floor, following the pattern of her etchings of Twilight’s title. As she moved, her gaze roved over the drawings and messages of hate upon her walls. “Twilight…Twilight…Twilight is the key. She beats us with friendship—like love but complicated in a different way, and something that we cannot absorb. At least Celestia honestly fought us, but Twilight couches all of her persecution in ‘kindness’ and ‘laughter’ and ‘generosity’ and ‘loyalty’ and ‘honesty’. Twilight will be the undoing of us all…” the changeling Queen’s crooked smile grew, “Unless we undo her first.”

Chrysalis sat again amid her prison and laughed softly to herself. Then she looked up to her Changelings once more and nodded. “I know, I’ve promised you a home before, but this time is different. We will succeed….I simply won’t allow us to have the option of roaming around pointlessly again, scrounging for love.” Her look became firm. “It won’t be like in Canterlot…at the wedding. I’m through with subtlety and playing nice. We are having it out with the ponies once and for all. But of course we wouldn’t have to resort to that extreme option if it wasn’t for Twilight Sparkle!”

Seething, Chrysalis looked to one of her Twilight sketches (the one with the eyes gouged out) and magically put a slash down its horn. Her breaths heavy, she spoke to the mutilated image. “All YOUR fault! We would have taken Canterlot easily and peacefully for our own if you had just left us to it! No one would have been hurt, just drained here and there throughout their lives! They barely would have realized it!”

Chrysalis’s face contorted into a look of rage, and she stood and approached the tattered sketch of Twilight. “My changelings trying to invade was a ruse—why do you think I let them attack so openly?! It was a diversion so that no one could notice I had switched places with Cadance! Once I married your brother and established my new role in the society, the changeling threat would have ‘disappeared’, and I would have merely let my people slip into the city quietly. They would have blended in, fed as needed enough to keep themselves satisfied but not so much that it would have depleted our food supply—we’ve already made the mistake of sucking ponies dry too many times. We could even have used Cadance’s magic to create more love for us and to refuel the ponies, and I personally could have lived on Shining Armor’s love alone for decades. I would have even let Celestia rule so long as I could have fed off of her and Luna too in wisps without them realizing it! My people would be in hiding, but they would have found a home and sustenance! No one had to get hurt! BUT THEN YOU CAME ALONG!” Her magic suddenly moved in a quick circle along the walls and gouged a three-part slice through all of the Twilight drawings, like a pair of claws through paper.

“Hey, do you hear that shouting in there?”

“She hasn’t been that loud ever since she got here. Should we take a peek? What if it’s a trap?”

“Still, we should look and check on her, especially with Princess Twilight arriving soon.”

When the guards who owned the voices that had made these muffled comments from the other side of the cell door finally opened the slot, all they saw was Chrysalis lying in her usual dark heap upon the floor and facing away from them. She sighed deeply.

“What is going on in there, Chrysalis? You haven’t raged like that since you were brought here!” one of the guards demanded.

Chrysalis kept her voice weak and dreary as ever. “My changelings—they cry in their sleep. They’re starving…”

The guard sighed. “But we’ve offered you food countless times, and you’ll barely even taste any of it. Princess Twilight has you on four square meals a day prepared with love, which is no easy task to find way out here.”

“Such food is not for us!” Chrysalis sighed dismally. “I might as well ask you to live on dead grass and muddy water. Just leave us be. My changelings are tired, and so am I.”

The guard sighed again. “Fine. But just keep it down, please.” The slot in the door closed.

Encased in darkness and the eerie glow of her people’s cocoons once more, Chrysalis sat up again, frowning and scowling. “Patience, my Changelings. We just have to wait a little longer, and then the purple one will come. She put us here, she will get us out.” Her eyes narrowed as they fell to one of the etchings of the word ‘princess’ upon the floor before her. “And what has she ever done to deserve to be royalty? The sacrifices I’ve made as a Queen…the consequences I’ve endured…the responsibility I’ve known! All she ever does is play with her friends. Princess…Princess…PRINCESS! Perhaps I’d like to be a pretty pony princess and do nothing but smile and sing and have everyone give their love to me freely! And perhaps if Twilight is so special, she would like to lead a dying race for millennia and starve until the end of her days!”

Chrysalis stomped her hoof against the ‘princess’ etching! Her eyes were closed, and she was quiet for a moment, her breaths shallow and shaky…

But then Chrysalis sat up straight and looked to her changelings again, her tone soothing once more. “But don’t worry, my changelings, your Queen is here to stay, and she realizes now the way to save us all. But first we have to get out of here…and then we’ll take care of Twilight. And as Twilight falls, so falls the nation…Canterlot…the Crystal Empire…Ponyville and beyond. Something about her binds the ponies together. Something about her will make the ponies come apart.” Her glare darkened, and her smile grew. “And won’t it just cut Celestia to the quick when I work my wrath upon her dear little precious student. Then she will know what it is like to raise and guide somebody for years only to have all hope for their future dashed. I’ll do more than steal Twilight’s love, I’ll do more than steal her magic…I’ll steal her legacy, her destiny, her freedom…. Whatever it takes to secure ourselves a true home and true sustenance.”

Chrysalis held her head up proudly and remained that way for several seconds in the silence and gloom.

But then, even though she liked to imagine her minions talking to her, the silence around her grew deafening…and her smile fell. She sighed very deeply.

Chrysalis stood and slowly dragged herself over to the sofa. She collapsed down upon it. “My changelings…” she whispered softly, her face on a pillow and turned inward, “Can I tell you a secret?” She waited for a moment, listening to the silence, and then went on. “I pretend to be tired and drained to lull the guards into a false sense of security…but sometimes I do genuinely feel that way. And it grows worse the longer we stay here. It’s been so long since I’ve tasted love. Hibernation is dulling much of your pain, but I must stay awake for you.” She sighed, closing her eyes. “It must be so nice to be the kind of creature who generates and attracts love instead of the kind who needs to feed upon it. But still, our race deserves to be a proud one. Our way of life deserves preservation. I’ll find a way for us, I have my plans. You just wait and see, my changelings—I will always be here, and I will always lead and defend us.”

The changeling Queen’s head rose, and her gaze went to the honeycomb of changeling pods around her, all glowing and warm, keeping her people sleeping and separate from the pain of their reality. Something very soft came to her gaze…and then something enraged came to her gaze. “I hate you, Twilight Sparkle,” she hissed to herself. “I hate you for always besting me, for always fighting so ‘nobly’, for always winning! I hate you for having everything! I hate you for trying to do the same thing I’m trying to do—taking care of your people—and succeeding at the expense of my failure! I hate you for your power! I hate you for seeing through everything that I am! And I hate you for not hating me!” She sat there, seething, breathing heavily, her eyes flashing their murky green but also seeming to shine as though tears could fall…

Suddenly, Chrysalis heard the guards approaching again.

When the slot in the door was opened, the guards only saw Chrysalis lounging on the floor in weakness once more.

A guard scowled. “Princess Twilight and her court have reached the outer gates. No funny business, Chrysalis, got it?”

Chrysalis sighed dramatically, her voice gloomy as ever. “Oh please…. I barely have the energy to stand, let alone to attack. I wish you would just send her away though. I want no visitors, I just want to be alone…”

“Well, you’re getting a visitor today,” the guard advised. “Princess’s orders. So prepare.” And with that, the slot was closed again.

Alone on the floor, Chrysalis smiled to herself. “It never fails with ponies—the bad guy tells them what she wants to do, and they do the opposite. I don’t want Twilight Sparkle, so they assure me she’ll be seeing me at all costs. Idiots.” Chrysalis rolled over a little to gaze up at her changeling cocoons. She whispered into the darkness. “Come to me, Twilight Sparkle…I am waiting. And my changelings shall wake soon. Yes, my people, we will feed and have our revenge…but nothing matters more than the destruction of Twilight Sparkle one day. Once she is gone, everything will be better. I know it. And I know you know it too.”

Chrysalis shut her eyes in the darkness and green glow, her smile growing, and awaited the princess and her friends…and her chance at freedom.

The next day…in Canterlot…

“And that’s what happened, Princess Celestia. Please don’t blame the girls or the guards—it was all my fault. Chrysalis escaped because of my reckless mistake. She’s my responsibility and nobody else’s….” Sitting in the Canterlot castle throne room, Twilight Sparkle bowed her head low before the sun princess and awaited whatever reprimand or punishment she might receive for accidentally releasing Queen Chrysalis and the changelings from imprisonment.

The princess of friendship was met with quite a few seconds of silence, which only made Twilight cringe a little. Her wild imagination pictured Celestia lecturing her for days or rescinding her title or even sending her shamefully back to the unicorn academy for…dare she think it, make up classes in defense against dark magic! Or maybe the princess would just make a stained glass window of Twilight releasing a cheering changeling Queen so that Twilight would always have a reminder of the grave mistake she had made today. Twilight took a deep breath—whatever the consequences of her actions, she would accept Princess Celestia’s response with grace, humility, and the understanding that she would have much hard work to do in order to make up for her unforgiveable error.

Finally, Twilight heard Celestia sigh softly. Then Celestia spoke.

The sun princess’s tone was cool and calm, betraying no emotion either way other than her usual patience and poise. “Twilight…I’m afraid, considering the circumstances and your new role as a princess in Equestria, you are indeed responsible for the Changelings’ escape and whatever consequences might come of those actions.”

Twilight nodded, her head going lower for a moment and her frown deepening. But then she sat up as straight as she could, took a deep breath, and replied, “I know, Princess Celestia. And that’s why I’m prepared to pack my bags and lead the search for Chrysalis throughout Equestria. My friends wanted to come with me, but I don’t know how long it could take to find the changelings, and the girls all have lives and jobs here to take care of. So…they’ll look after the castle and Spike for me while I lead the troops.” Her look was firm. “I promise, I won’t rest until Chrysalis and the changelings are back in custody.”

Celestia, looking down at her faithful student, smiled a little but shook her head, standing and descending her throne. “Twilight…while technically I can’t deny you permission to lead the search since we’re both princesses and of equal rank now, I will have to advise you very strongly as your friend not to go off looking for Chrysalis with the troops. You’re needed in Equestria, Twilight, in the Harmony Castle. You know your duties toward friendship are connected strongly to that place, and your friends won’t be able to manage those responsibilities without you.”

Twilight blinked and frowned up at her. “But…But like you said, Chrysalis getting out is my responsibility—I have to be the one to go look for her. I don’t know…” she put a hoof to her head, looking forward in distress, “Maybe I can strengthen my teleportation spells and be able to hunt for the changelings part of each day and take care of my friendship duties the other part of the day.”

Celestia smiled a little more but shook her head. “Twilight, even Luna and I have to split up our days to be able to rule at our best. You can’t do it all. And trying to will only hurt your effectiveness as a leader. Even when it comes to your duties of friendship, you rest some of the responsibility on your friends as the Element bearers, and that’s what has allowed you girls to accomplish so much.”

Twilight nodded. “I-I know, but still…how can I take responsibility and fix what I did other than by going after Chrysalis? It’s bad enough I’d have to inconvenience some of the guards to come with me, but to send them on their own…” She frowned in guilt.

Celestia put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, her tone softening and her smile warming. “Twilight, the guards know their job is to protect the safety of Equestria when danger arises—they took on that responsibility and accepted that they might have to face criminals when they joined the ranks. And on their own they’ll actually be able to do a better job of seeking out Chrysalis.” Twilight raised an eyebrow, and so Celestia explained. “Twilight, if you go with the guards, along with having to search for the changelings, they’ll also have to worry about keeping you safe as one of their princesses. You going along will also make them more of a target for attack…” Celestia’s smile fell. “The prison guards magically sent me some images of the inside of Chrysalis’s cell. And I know you saw it too…the drawings of you, your name written everywhere… She dislikes you even more than she dislikes me, Twilight. If the guards go alone, in the weakened state the changelings are in, they probably won’t attack unless pressed. But if you go, Chrysalis will attack no matter what. And if she captures you, we’ll have a much bigger problem on our hands than just she and her people being free again. Do you understand, Twilight?”

Twilight considered these words and finally sighed and nodded. “Yes, Princess, I understand.” She frowned more again. “Still, there must be something I can do to help.”

Celestia looked at Twilight with interest. “You’ll probably have more than enough to do just keeping yourself, your friends, and Ponyville safe.”

“But there must be something else,” Twilight insisted, and then she stood up and started pacing. “Princess Celestia, I’ve researched all of Chrysalis’s history, and I told you the story she told me about her origins. There’s a consistent pattern of she and the Changelings ravaging various societies, just barely getting beaten back, being punished for lengthy amounts of time, and then escaping only to do the whole process over again. It hurts the ponies they attack and it must be hurtful to the changelings too. It’s a dangerous situation for everyone involved. But Chrysalis and the changelings can’t just be banished or turned to stone. They’re an entire race of people! I don’t even think the Elements of Harmony at their best could have managed that or that they even would have been willing to! And I don’t think the Rainbow Power could be used for that at all either. It seems…wrong. The changelings can’t be locked up, the changelings can’t be removed from society…but the pattern has to stop for the good of everyone. There must be something I can do about that at least.” Twilight looked to her mentor, a hoof outstretched and her eyes wide as she finally stopped pacing at the delivery of this conclusion.

Celestia just smiled very warmly (and just a touch all-knowingly) back at Twilight. Then she let out a sigh and walked over to one of the windows overlooking Canterlot and Ponyville in the distance. Twilight raised an eyebrow but then followed after the princess. Celestia sat, and Twilight sat beside her. Then Celestia took a deep breath and spoke. “Twilight…regardless of Chrysalis’s escape, I’m very glad you went to see her. I read your ‘one thousand year plan’ for her imprisonment, how carefully it was laid out and how much care for her comfort and the comfort of her people it clearly demonstrated.” Celestia’s smile grew a little. “A concern for all people touched by her powers, citizens or criminals, is a quality a princess should be proud of.”

Celestia glanced at Twilight, who smiled up at her a little. The sun princess’s gaze warmed, and then she turned her head to look out of the window and went on. “But it’s also good that you visited her in another way…the same way it’s good that you read Sombra’s journal with Cadance, that you heard me tell you the legend of Tirek, that you understood Nightmare Moon’s lack of friendship before you used that magic to ‘defeat’ her, that you read the tale of the Music Wars and Starswirl banishing the Sirens before you went to conquer them… and even that you befriended Discord in the end.”

Celestia closed her eyes, keeping her head held high as the early evening sun fell upon her and her former student. “Twilight, no creature is born or chooses to be perfectly evil. Many villains are just people who make poor choices. Sombra chose to embrace his Umbra heritage over his pony life…Tirek chose to pursue power over love…Nightmare Moon chose to seek control instead of friendship.” She opened her eyes. “But there are other people who do bad things simply because their situations are complicated and they are just trying to live and be happy the only ways they know how, regardless of the effect those ways may have on others. But they lack an understanding of the magic of friendship, and so they end up disregarding its need in their lives in favor of easier ways to get by. That was Discord’s problem, Twilight…and it also happens to be Chrysalis’s problem too.” Celestia glanced to her former student.

Twilight looked up at her with a slight frown and nodded. And now she looked out to the window too. She thought for a moment, and then spoke. “Discord can’t help being chaotic—he was born that way. But now that he’s our friend, he’s learned how to express that chaos without hurting others. And the changelings can’t help needing to feed off of love—they were born that way too. And Chrysalis has a whole population of them to look after along with her own needs….” A look of concentration came over the young princess’s features. “She was noble for a moment back at the prison—she said that for the thousand year sentence she was just going to let her changelings sleep because they shouldn’t have to suffer waiting all of that time.” Twilight took a deep breath, her look of concentration growing. “The changelings and Chrysalis can’t help their needs…but ponies can’t help fighting back if the changelings attack them. But being sent away and punished over and over…and now letting her changelings sleep through the full sentence of their punishment so that she can bear it by herself. Chrysalis doesn’t deserve to live like that. All of it sounds so…lonely.” Twilight’s features softened into a frown, and she glanced to her mentor…and then blinked.

Celestia nodded in agreement with Twilight’s conclusion. Then she swallowed, though she kept her gaze out of the window steady. Her tone was very quiet. “Chrysalis was willing to wait a thousand years alone for the freedom of someone she cares about. No, no one does deserve to live like that, Twilight. It is lonely….”

Not too long ago, Twilight had reached the point in her life when she had finally come to realize that Celestia kept some of her private thoughts about some of the private things in her life to herself and that not all of those thoughts were as happy and carefree as Celestia herself always appeared to be for the sake of the ponies. And so as Celestia said these words, Twilight couldn’t help feeling a deep twinge of sadness at the great cloud of sadness she saw in Celestia’s eyes as the sun princess continued to look out over the landscape, lost in memory.

Celestia was silent for a moment, reflecting, and then she took a breath and went on. “And her people don’t deserve to live like that either, Twilight—cut off from the world for a millennium at a time, even if it is for the sake of temporary peace.” She glanced at Twilight. “Chrysalis is a Queen, Twilight. She knows her subjects’ well-being is more important than her own…or at least, I think she considers it as important as her own. Besides, without her subjects, Chrysalis would be all alone in the world. It makes sense that despite her selfishness, she remains with them and leads them as best she can manage.” Celestia sighed. “Twilight, imagine if the only way our own subjects could survive or be happy was if you led them to do unfair things to others. Would you do it?”

Twilight’s eyes went a little wide at the sudden question. “I…” she looked down in thought, “I…I don’t know, Princess Celestia.” Her eyes went back to Celestia, a look of utter doubt and indecision upon her features. “I honestly don’t know if I would do it.”

Celestia smiled slightly but then looked down, her smile fading a little. “I already have done it, Twilight.”

Twilight’s eyes went very wide.

Celestia cleared her throat lightly and explained. “I’ve mostly tried to take the unfair things upon myself, but as a representative of my people my mistakes lie upon them too as well as upon the whole legacy of our nation. Sombra’s fall, Tirek’s imprisonment, even the punishment of minor villains like the Sirens, and then Luna’s banishment, Discord’s petrification, and everything with the changelings…all occurred under my rule, all were partly or entirely my responsibility. And there are many other events and actions that you don’t even know about yet, Twilight, or at least not completely.” Celestia’s head hung a little heavy. “There’s a difference between what you read in the history books and what actually took place.”

Twilight swallowed. She hesitated for a moment and then replied, barely looking up at Celestia, “You mean like…the sun attack you used on the changelings that gave them all of those holes?”

Celestia sighed and nodded, not raising her head. “Yes, like that, Twilight. Back at Trot, I didn’t realize how deeply their magic relied upon shade and shadow. The solar energy of my attack beat them back with one spell…but it also scarred them for life. I’d imagine a desire to take some revenge on me for that event is part of the reason Chrysalis and her people never seem to travel outside of Equestria anymore. And I also thinks she likes to cause me pain by making me look on what I did to her and the Changelings whenever she attacks.” Celestia looked out of the window again, her gaze firm. “The way I lead our people against Chrysalis in the past was unfair. I was so concerned with our welfare that I never stopped to think of the changelings’ welfare. Who are we to deny them the right to live as it’s natural for them to live?” She frowned. “It must be awful for them, craving love like that and never being able to get enough of it. Don’t you think, Twilight?”

Twilight actually had light tears in her eyes now, though she quickly brushed them away and nodded, replying softly, “Yes…I never thought about it like that, but I think you’re right, Princess. It must always feel like they’re starving, in a way. And if Chrysalis cares that much about her people, it must cause her a lot of pain seeing all of them in pain like that.”

Celestia nodded. “I agree. I’d imagine her role as their Queen is difficult for her. Twilight, you said you wanted to take responsibility for her escape,” Celestia turned to Twilight, “But you already see there’s a much larger problem to be addressed…”

Twilight nodded. And then she took several seconds to think very deeply about the situation. And then she spoke again. “Just blaming myself for the escape and trying to fix it isn’t going to do anything but make me feel better about making a mistake. And even if I went out and found Chrysalis and the Changelings and got them all in their cell again…we’d only be right back to where we started—the problem of them just trying to survive and of us punishing them simply for the way the are as beings in Equestria. But there has to be something better for everyone, a different kind of solution…” That pensive look remained on her features for a moment, but then Twilight blinked a few times and looked to Celestia with an eyebrow raised. “Is that right, Princess Celestia?” she asked, in much the same tone she had used to use in the past to ask Celestia if a certain test problem or magical spell theory of hers was correct.

Celestia couldn’t help but smile warmly at the familiarity of the tone, and she nodded. “Yes, Twilight, that is very, very right.” She glanced inside of the throne room for a moment, gesturing to all of the stained glass windows depicting historical scenes from her and Luna’s rule along with the scenes from the exploits of Twilight and her friends. “Twilight, I’m capable of defending our subjects and keeping them safe. But you are capable of helping and healing not just our subjects but any potential new friends. Your talent is something that extends beyond the borders of our nation—it’s universal.” She lowered her hoof and looked to Twilight. “I think, deep down, something in you was meant to release Chrysalis, Twilight. Perhaps she will never want to be our friend, but I think at least that you can help her find peace.”

Twilight nodded, her eyes wide and her look firm, and a smile growing on her features. “Yes, Princess Celestia. I agree, and I’ll do my best. More than anything else, I want Chrysalis and the changelings to find a way to be happy in Equestria. And I want Chrysalis to know that even if she never wants to be my friend, I’ll always be willing to be hers.”

CLINK, CLINK.

Both Princesses blinked and looked across the throne room to some suits of armor in the early evening shadows, which had clearly gotten bumped into just now judging both from the sound and the fact that half of one of them was lying in a pile on the floor.

Suddenly a wide-eyed looking Luna emerged from the shadows. She quickly cleared her throat and then held her head high, her voice low and cool. “Greetings, sister and Twilight Sparkle. We apologize for our intrusion and for our disturbance—we were merely seeking one of the guards to assist us with something.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow at first but then smiled and waved her hoof. “Hi Princess Luna, it’s nice to see you.” She stood and looked back to Celestia. “I should probably get going now anyway, Princess Celestia. I have a lot to think about.”

Celestia (after glancing at Luna for a moment) nodded to Twilight and stood as well. “Of course. And I know you’ll come up with something, Twilight. What happened yesterday might seem like a mistake, but it might also be the start of something better for all of us.” She reached out and gave Twilight a hug with her foreleg. “Just do your best, my former faithful student. That’s all anyone can ask of you.”

Twilight nodded and gave Celestia a hug back. “Thank you, Princess Celestia.”

The two old friends pulled apart with smiles.

Then Twilight turned and proceeded across the throne room to the door. She smiled and waved to Princess Luna as she went by her. “Have a nice day, Princess Luna.” She raised an eyebrow, pausing for a moment and rubbing her head with her hoof with a curious smile. “Actually, it’s rare anyone sees you during the day, so I’m glad I ran into you so that we could say hello.” Her smile brightened.

A sort of strange, slightly forced (if passable as normal and polite and perhaps just the result of a little sleep deprivation crankiness) smile came to Luna’s lips, and she nodded. “Yes, well…we sometimes find day walking to be convenient. And it has been a most…unexpected surprise to say hello to thee too, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna gave the slightest bow of her head.

Twilight raised an eyebrow again, but then her usual smile returned and she nodded and gave a slight bow of her head too in return of the formal gesture. “Well…have a good day and night then, Princess Luna. And make sure you can get plenty of sleep before moonrise. Bye!” She gave the night princess a wave, and then Twilight trotted out into the hall, closing the door behind there.

There was a heavy silence in the throne room, Celestia glancing out of the window again, and ‘Luna’ standing very still (and trying very hard not to look very uneasy). Then the night princess swallowed. “Well, we shall depart then for our slumber. Farewell for now, sister.” She began to head to the door.

Celestia let out a sigh. Her eyes didn’t turn away from the window as she spoke. “Sister, before you go, come here for a moment please. I’m afraid I have an urgent and very secret matter of Canterlot security to discuss with you.” She tried not to smile as she heard Luna’s hoof falls instantly stop. And she just barely glanced behind her to see Luna pause, bite her lip…and then hesitantly turn in the direction of the window and approach.

Luna cleared her throat. “Yes, Celestia. We are always available to listen to details of secret royal matters of security. Is there…perhaps a weakness in our defenses that we must address?” Luan stood directly across from Celestia…and now the two sisters faced each other before the window.

A heavy silence returned to the room…and the two mares continued to look into each other’s eyes.

Finally, Celestia’s smile picked up slightly on one side and she spoke. “Luna doesn’t use the royal ‘we’ so much anymore. And she never uses it when talking to others of the same rank as herself. Also, I know ethereal hair must be a difficult thing to mimic, but I would expect the changeling queen herself to approximate the rate of the flow with much more accuracy.”

And indeed, Luna’s mane, while flowing, seemed to be having some ‘frame rate’ issues—a ripple here, a pause, a ripple there, but nothing truly like the movements of the real Luna’s mane.

This Luna’s eyes went very wide (her pupils narrowing slightly). Her gaze remained firmly locked with Celestia’s though.

And then the changeling Queen changed back into her normal form.

Celestia let out a breath. She smiled softly. “If I ask how long you’ve been here, will you tell me?”

Chrysalis’s gaze was piercing. Then she replied coolly, “If I ask how long you know I’ve been here, will you tell me?”

Celestia gave a single nod. “Honestly, I had some general suspicions that your people have been around Canterlot. Discord has been sensing unusual magic. But I didn’t know you were here in this room now until you knocked over the armor.” She raised an eyebrow, tilting her head in interest. “You’re usually excellent at stealth—why did you stumble? And why did you pick Luna of all people to turn into? Honestly, if you’d chosen a guard, I probably wouldn’t have realized the truth. You must have known I’d know my own sister too well, just like Twilight knew her future sister-in-law too well back during the royal wedding.”

Chrysalis glared at Celestia but then just held her head high, keeping her voice casual and cool. “My stumbling was merely an accident caused my leaning closer to better hear you and the purple one. And I was disguised as a guard initially. Changing to Luna was a reflex.” Chrysalis’s eyes narrowed, and she pouted slightly. “And it’s a pity you’ve swayed the draconequus. I always hoped he and I could form an alliance. He could not hate you as much as I do, but he was the only one I knew who could be close to doing so. I can’t imagine what you offered him in return for his loyalty.” Her look became dry. “I almost suspect you or Luna might have granted him a title. Or at least betrothed one of yourselves to him.”

A smile couldn’t help but come to Celestia’s mouth. “I assure you it’s really nothing of the sort. All of us merely found a way to be friends.”

And now it was Chrysalis who smiled (though in a much more maniacal way, of course), and she let out a small, eerie chuckle. “You really think life is that simple, don’t you? You sit up here in your gold and ivory tower and smile and wave and play in the sunshine, and everybody loves you, their dear, sweet, perfect princess.” Her look blackened, and so did her voice. “You know…among my people, you’re known as the Sun Shredder.” She held out her leg full of holes.

Celestia winced but kept her poise. Her eyes saddened. “Chrysalis, I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I know that’s no excuse. I was young, you were causing my people great harm, and I was angry enough that I failed to use my magic with the proper restraint. If I could take back what I did, I—”

“Hmm!” Chrysalis retracted her hoof and cut Celestia off. “Your regret is useless to me and my maimed people.”

Celestia paused. She let out a breath. “So…what will you do now?”

“You mean how will this meeting end?” Chrysalis raised an eyebrow, then gave a smile almost like a snarl, baring her fangs. “We could have quite the epic battle in here, you know. And even if I lost, at least I’d get the satisfaction of destroying your throne room.” Her gaze and tone darkened. “I have no intention of losing though, Celestia. Hmm…you’re so full of pure love.” She took a step closer, running her tongue over her fangs. “Draining you of it would be a truly delicious meal…”

Celestia stood her ground. “I mean what will you do now that you’re free? I meant what I said to Twilight, you know…about my sympathy for your situation. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to need to feed off of love, let alone how difficult it must be to have a people who need to feed off of love. And I know now that you didn’t choose to be this way.” Celestia frowned. “Starswirl mentioned that dark tree to me once. I wish I had realized…. Perhaps if someone went to it, they could find a way to harness the magic of the tree to help you and—”

“Enough!” Chrysalis hissed, stomping her hoof into the floor. “Your pity is even more useless to me and my people than your regret! You just want to make us just like you, more subjects all for you. Well, no more, Celestia, I’m done with the punishments and the banishments. Your options are simple now—either you leave us be to feed as our nature intended…or you destroy us all.” She glared and scowled. “You think you’ve had to make hard decisions for your people up until now? You have no idea what a hard decision is…but I think the one I’m giving you is a good start to learning.” The changeling Queen smiled just a little, her green eyes flashing. “I know you won’t let your people suffer…but let’s see what they all think of you when they watch you try and destroy an entire race of people. And then who could blame us for fighting back with everything we’ve got? Let Equestria know your true wrath, the anger and passion of the younger Celestia. Let them remember that alongside the image of their poised and smiling modern princess. Let that legacy for yourself reign in Equestria, and then see how the ponies look upon you then, Celestia!”

“There is another way, Chrysalis,” Celestia merely replied softly. “A third option…Twilight’s option.”

Chrysalis hissed, her eyes flashing.

Celestia tilted her head to the side. “Why do you hate her so much?”

“Why do you love her so much?!” Chrysalis inhaled deeply through her nose and smiled a little. “Hmm…oh the aroma is delicious…”

Celestia resisted an urge to step back and went on, her look serious. “You’ve absorbed enough love to know why people have it for one another.”

“We’re getting off topic.” Chrysalis’s gaze suddenly darkened again. “Let’s return to the fact that I have you alone in this room, and I could easily suck all of your seemingly perfect love out of you and turn you into a withered husk so that I could assume your role in Equestria for all time.” She moved closer.

Celestia did not move, and she continued speaking, her tone calm and full of its usual gentle compassion. “It’s because Twilight only resists you instead of attacking you, isn’t it? Even when you had her brother and his wife in danger…. And it’s because she always tries to reason with you first instead of fighting with you. And it’s because she actually cared enough about your welfare at the end of everything to fall for that trick of yours back at the prison by offering you a book….” Her horn glowed a little and her gaze firmed but she remained unwavering as Chrysalis got very near. “It’s because Twilight Sparkle wants to help you no matter how much you hurt her, isn’t it?”

Chrysalis paused, mere inches from the sun princess. “Rrrr!” And then she growled wildly and stamped both of her hooves into the floor. “Do not say her name anymore!” She seethed for a moment…and then her head went low. And then Chrysalis laughed…and laughed…and laughed…and laughed, so simply, so darkly. “Oh Celestia…” she shook her head, keeping it down, “it’s deeper than that…don’t you see? And it doesn’t matter what the purple one’s ‘option’ is for us. All that matters is that she is the key to the future of Equestria. I know she is…and she’s important to you…and when I find a way to topple her, it will be the sweetest and most delicious victory I could know.” She barred her fangs and let her head rise with a glare and grin, her green eyes flashing.

Celestia’s look became firm at this threat. “If you insist on attacking Twilight personally, I’m afraid you’ll have to get through me first.” Her horn glowed again (and there was a light shine in her eyes as she let it do so). “And I’m afraid you still won’t find my methods quite as understanding as Twilight’s.”

Chrysalis observed Celestia curiously for a moment…and then she stepped back, though her grin grew. “There’s more darkness in you than even you realize, sun princess.” Suddenly the changeling Queen turned herself into a replica of Celestia but with a wicked smirk and glowing green eyes. “And we’re the same in so many ways…”

Celestia only nodded. “I know…And I also think we could both stand to be better people in our own ways.”

‘Chrysalis playing Celestia’ smirked more and chuckled lightly. “One day when Twilight truly realizes how flawed you are as a leader, I hope she won’t be too disappointed.” The real Celestia took a deep breath and her posture relaxed a little, but she did not reply. Chrysalis went on with a shrug and a pout. “Very well. No battle today.” She returned to her normal form “Besides, my changelings might not be quite as nearby as you think…though make no mistake, we’ll be keeping a sharp eye on this town…and Ponyville…and the Crystal Empire…and all sorts of places. And your draconequus ‘friend’ can’t be everywhere to sense us.” Her wicked grin rose, baring some of her fangs.

Celestia’s gaze and tone only softened though. “Please, let Twilight help you if she can, Chrysalis. I don’t want your people to suffer, and I know you don’t either.”

Chrysalis’s gaze hardened. “I know how to take care of my people better than you and certainly better than Twilight Sparkle. We’ll manage…and not because of your friendship but despite it.” She spread her translucent wings. “You do not know what it is to exist as us, Celestia…you could never understand, and you never will. Just leave us be. It’s the least you could do.” She locked her gaze with Celestia’s.

Celestia gazed back at her, still looking sad, still unwavering. “Go for now, Chrysalis, and think about everything we’ve talked about and everything Twilight and I talked about and everything you talked about with Twilight.” She gave a single nod. “And I hope you and the changelings find peace and happiness, Chrysalis, I truly do.”

Something in Chrysalis’s gaze grew heavy but she managed to keep her head held high. “We will. Make no mistake about that.” And then she suddenly used her magic to blast open a window, turned herself into a dusky pegasus with green hair, and departed rapidly.

Celestia briefly watched her fly away. And then with a heavy sigh she turned to depart her throne room herself.

Handling the changelings under these circumstances would not be easy, and she knew it. But she also knew that the hostilities had to cease and that there must indeed be a way to do so peacefully. She was just grateful that Twilight had realized that fact now. And she knew Twilight was the only one who could truly find and succeed at a compassionate solution for all.

Still, that knowledge and hope for the future did not stop Celestia from having a certain degree of unease…especially as she recalled Chrysalis’s strange obsession with Twilight and those images of her cell. The sun princess sighed and spoke to herself. “There’s a need for violence in Chrysalis even beyond the suffering she causes so that she can feed. She’s always been different from the others in that way.” Celestia swallowed. “I’ll…I’ll send some guards to Ponyville. And I think Twilight’s been sufficiently warned of her potential, but perhaps I’ll send letters to the girls telling them to be on the lookout too…and to Cadance and Shining Armor…and one to Spike telling him to watch Twilight very closely.” She nodded to herself…and then found herself just sitting along in the silence of the throne room.

Suddenly the fallen apart armor in the corner clinked lightly once more.

Celestia practically jumped! But then she quickly realized it had just been a breeze coming through the still open window behind her rustling the pile of armor pieces Chrysalis had left behind. Celestia magically shut the window and set the armor to rights, and then headed for the room exit. “I’ll go see if Luna will let me lie down with her for a little while. It’ll be a comfort to see my real sister.” She smiled a little. “She always cheers me up.” Celestia nodded to herself as she exited the room. “I’ve done my best even if there have been mistakes, and, just like with Twilight, that’s all anybody can ask of me. Twilight’s best might be better than mine, and I could argue mine has been better than Chrysalis’, but that’s a subject for another day. I know you’ll find the best way to help the changelings, Twilight, no matter how angry Chrysalis is. And I know you’ll find a way to spread friendship. I have faith in you.” Celestia smiled more to herself as she headed down the hall, already feeling in better, more optimistic spirits.

Though somewhere far off, the changelings did still brood and gather and prepare for their next glorious uprising…and Celestia still knew that she would have to prepare for it as well.

Author's Notes:

I hope you guys enjoyed this final Fiendship fan fic installment I know I enjoyed writing it (and I think the Chrysalis comic might have been my favorite--Katie Cook never disappoints )

The next chapter is a little bit of (slightly fourth wall bending) comedy relief featuring Discord--sort of a lighthearted capper to all of the drama and tragedy and psychosis that this comic series (and hopefully these companion fics) have provided for us. Stop here if you'd like to stay on the dark side, keep going if you want something lighter in the end, totally up to you (Note--the bonus chapter has absolutely no bearing on any of the comic stories I wrote or the comics themselves. It's a totally independent thing written basically because I like Discord too much.)