Fluttershy jumped up out of bed, letting out a startled yelp, her breathing almost panting. That was an awful dream!, she thought, trying not to think about her nightmare. All she could remember was being in the center of Ponyville, with her friends. Changelings were everywhere, terrorizing the ponies and destroying the town. But that wasn't what scared her the most. Fluttershy shuddered when she really remembered her friends' glares, the stinging words they had said. 'We should have never trusted you to reform Chrysalis..', they had said. 'You should have never taken her in.'

Fluttershy jumped out of her thoughts when she saw a pair of glowing green eyes looking at her from just outside her bedroom door. The pegasus lowered herself, covering much of her face in her blanket, looking fearfully at the door.

"Fluttershy? Are you alright?", Chrysalis asked, opening the door a bit more, her horn lighting the room in a dim green light. Fluttershy looked up at the changeling, letting out a sigh of relief. She lifted herself up, letting the blanket fall out of her shaking hooves.

"I-I'm fine... You startled me, is all...", Fluttershy replied, her voice a bit shaky.

Chrysalis hesitated before walking a little closer to the scared mare. "Did you have a bad dream? It's still late, you know."

Fluttershy nodded, noticing the sky outside her window was still dark. "I'm fine now, though.. Why are you awake?"

"I went to get some water.. Then I heard you wake up, and came to see if you were okay."

"Oh...", Fluttershy looked down at her hooves.

Chrysalis looked at Fluttershy, still concerned. "What was your dream about?", she asked, climbing onto the bed and sitting at the end of it.

Fluttershy didn't respond, only shuddered after thinking about it again.

The Queen waited, and after a few moments, asked in a softer voice, "Was it about me..?"

Fluttershy looked up at Chrysalis, opening her mouth, only to close it again. After a minute or two, Fluttershy softly shook her head. Chrysalis didn't probe anything else out of the pegasus, heaving a sigh. She folded her holed hooves, lying her head down on them. Fluttershy looked away from the changeling, not knowing what else to say.

The two sat there, silent, for a long time. After what felt like hours, Chrysalis lifted her head back up, looking directly at Fluttershy. "Do you still think I would bring my changelings here to Ponyville?", she asked all of a sudden.

Fluttershy looked surprised, and turned back to Chrysalis. "What makes you say that?"

"I'm not stupid, Fluttershy. I know nopony here trusts me not to do anything like that. Distrust is an emotion, and like any emotion, I can sense it.", Chrysalis lowered her voice, speaking in a soft whisper.

Fluttershy opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by Chrysalis' raised hoof. "But then, who could trust a changeling?", Chrysalis snorted, her voice hardening as she looked Fluttershy right in the eye.

"I...", Fluttershy was at a loss for words.

"That's what I thought." Chrysalis got off of the bed, walking out of the room and abruptly slamming the door in rage.

Fluttershy was about to get up and follow her, but stopped herself when she heard nothing else, other than a long, heavy sigh coming from the living room. I should go and see if she needs anything... But... I don't think Chrysalis wants to even look at me right now..., Fluttershy thought, sighing and laying back down in her bed. Closing her eyes, she found it easy to drift off to sleep.

Fluttershy woke up the next morning to feel a claw prodding her side. She blinked open her eyes and looked up to see a distressed looking Discord looming above her, a small piece of paper in his lion paw.

"Fluttershy, you need to read this. It's urgent.", Discord said, handing the paper over.

Fluttershy,

You'll obviously notice I'm gone. Bet that makes your life easier not having a menace like myself lurking around. Don't bother looking for me, either.

-Chrysalis

Fluttershy's eyes widened as she read the note, looking up at Discord, equally as distressed. And very regretful. Jumping up out of her bed, with Discord trailing behind, Fluttershy trotted swiftly into the living room. She turned, looking at Discord. "Chrysalis wasn't here when you came in?", she asked.

Discord shook his head. "That note was the only thing out of the ordinary that was here. Where do you think she would have gone?"

Fluttershy looked rather troubled as she met Discord's gaze. "I-I don't know... Princess Celestia had said she found Chrysalis with her hive.. but she didn't say where."

"Do you think Chryssie may have gone back to her hive, then?"

Fluttershy shrugged. "That's the most likely place. But I don't know where the hive is..."

Discord looked thoughtful for a few moments, before brightening. "Didn't Twilight talk with Celestia the other day? Maybe she knows where Chrysalis' hive is."

"You might be right, Discord. Let's go look."

And with that, the duo was out the door and on their way to Twilight's castle.

Author's Notes:

I know, I know, this is still short. At least we're getting to a climax here! I'll make sure to make the next chapter longer than these last two.

I've got great plans for this story, and I'm excited to keep writing it.