The two walked through the empty city, Queen Chrysalis looking around warily at the dim buildings and wondering where everypony had gone. Moments before, it was filled with livelihood, ponies giving her smug looks and cursing her very name, but in only a matter of steps, the streets had become deserted, and much more bleaker than before.

As she passed by the cookery section of the town, irresistible smells of what was once distinct bakery goods was completely gone from the air, it’d seemed. A ghost town type of vibe had descended upon the place.

Last time she trotted along the gravel road morphed into Cadence’s body, she could enjoy the sweet, looming taste of biscuits and deli treats just from a quick whiff. Now, it felt bitter, barren and threatening, for it wasn’t the darkness of alleys she feared, but who lurked within them. Everypony in the town wished for their chance at personal revenge.

Why wouldn’t they? Queen Chrysalis posed a serious danger in her days of the Canterlot invasion. Even if she no longer had that same tyrannical attitude, the ponies she encountered seemed they would always view her in that light. Always a threat and monster of her kind.

“You’re not going to be shown any mercy,” Celestia said calmly, her voice monotone and without emotion. “Many here want nothing but the swiftest justice. If it was my choice, you’d be allowed to walk away freely, but it’s not.”

Queen Chrysalis nodded. “I understand.”

“I may be the ruler, but I cannot let my voice outweigh the citizens of Canterlot. This is a just decision they are all making as a group, for you and all your subjects tried very hard to not only deceive us, but ruin us as well. I can’t tell them they are restricted from hurting you, but at the same time, I feel two wrongs don’t make a right. Nevertheless, it’s not my call to make. They’ve spoken, true through hatred, but this is what they’ve chosen. Even with my power, I am at the end of my rope when the entire nation wants this so badly.”

Entering the palace, Chrysalis and Celestia passed by many stationary guards, all of which gave the queen affronted glances, so thanks to that, the queen hastened along sticking mostly to Princess Celestia’s side, hopeful that if they attacked, she would protect her. As foolish as it was, she knew more than likely, Celestia would allow it.

Chrysalis kept low to the floor, fear racing through her soul that at any moment, somepony would jump out of the corners and lash at her aiming to kill. There would be nothing stopping them, too, except maybe the fact that they might’ve wanted a proper and public death. After all, it wouldn’t be fair for just one to witness the event. Everyone in the city deserved to watch Queen Chrysalis meet her fate.

As she was shown through a hallway, dark without any real features except the purple painted walls, blood red carpet and a few doors on either side, she took the time to say something that had been on her mind. “What’s going to happen to me?”

Celestia slowed her pace, but kept moving. Instead of answering her prisoner’s question, she began giving orders to her. “You will only speak when spoken to. You will not ask questions, and if someone wants information from you, I highly recommend complying without hesitation. Is that understood?”

Chrysalis bit her bottom lip, felt yet another tear escape and answered, “Yes, ma’am.”

One last turn down jagged and circular stairs, and Chrysalis then knew good and well where she was headed. It wasn’t really a jail, but more of an interrogations center used for hardened individuals back in olden times, when harmony didn’t reign very freely.

Passing by many long lasting candles that illuminated the walls every three or four steps, she very much wished to speak, maybe plea for her life, and her children’s as well, but that would’ve been pointless. She couldn’t get herself out of this situation no matter how hard she’d try, so she followed the princess deep down in what felt like never ending stairs.

Finally, they touched the bottom. It must’ve been about fifteen or thirty minutes they were descending, but Chrysalis wanted it to last longer just to avoid the punishment that awaited her beyond the door in front of Princess Celestia.

As the doors opened slowly and creaked every inch of the way, Celestia walked in followed by the shivering changeling, but something felt different being within the room. A draft of summer’s brink and fond emotions swept through her mane that came from her right, and as she began to look in that direction, her eyes almost couldn’t believe what they were observing.

Sunlight, brilliantly bright and radiant shined through an archway opening where she was originally sure to see nothing but cold stone wall. Through the phenomenon, Queen Chrysalis could just barely make out what appeared to be the figure of a beautiful mare with a star coated mane and royal hoof shoes the kind Celestia wore. At first, her majesty couldn’t tell what she was chanting, but as the apparition turned around and faced Chrysalis, the words became clear.

“Where are thou? Can’t ye hear us?”

Queen Chrysalis closed her mouth to clear her throat and prepared to yell back at the mare, but just before she was able to, Celestia interfered. “Chrysalis...?”

She looked away, blinking with confusion, and asked, “D-did you hear that?”

The voice that answered her wasn’t Celestia’s. However, it was familiar. “Hear what?” The tone was unkind, and very aggressive. The Canterlot guard commander stood from a wooden table, squinted her eyes and said, “Great, Celestia... You not only brought me a fugitive, but a mad mare as well.”

“No, I saw something! It looked like a-”

Without a moment to stop herself, Chrysalis was grabbed by the commander and slammed against the wall next to the open door. “Didn’t Celestia inform you of the rules, scum?”

Chrysalis gulped, felt the side of the commander’s forearm press against her very bones and coughed a bit before wheezing, “I’m s-sorry...”

She was let go, fell straight to the hard floor and held her hurting neck. Celestia walked up next to her, not even glancing down and told the commander, “Do whatever you need to make her talk about the others. I remember her stating she had three left. Find out where they are in the quickest amount of time possible so I can deploy the other guards and be done with this.”

With that, the door shut, and Chrysalis was then alone with the interrogator. She giggled with glee, happy at the fact she’d received special alone time with the queen, and stated with a voice that could barely contain her excitement, “This should be exhilarating!”

Author's Note

Coauthored with RainbowBob