Chapter 3 - Agreements

Cadence, the alicorn princess sighs in boredom within her carriage. Their trip took the rest of the day than expected. Glancing out of her window, she saw that the flying entourage has just landed by Dodge City.

She saw outside her window the subtle luminescence glow of the magical barrier that she had created that she herself created. With the recent appearance of the Crystal empire and its ample supply of Crystals. Crystals are researched recently as an excellent catalyst for long duration spells.

The spell Cadence was eyeing right now is special in its own way. In dedication to her fears and her encounter with the Changeling Queen, the spell is a repellant and an excellent prison for a certain race. The properties it has is to repel any thing or pony that has any active illusion like spell, changeling spell signatures or any emotional storage within their body.
There are records of recent Changeling sightings throughout Equestria has determined through ‘ponies’ who failed to enter any pony town, city or otherwise and Changelings who were found starving within homes of ponies.

The determined numbers pointed to Dodge City having the most Changeling numbers shown. It is a problem that nearly half the populace were in fact Changelings. With that in mind and the immediate imprisonment and Cadence feeding the prisoners with her ample knowledge of love and how they feed on that emotion. What little information she got from each and every prisoner was their job. Many of them were harvesters, trying to obtain love and very few, centered at Canterlot, spies and infiltrators for the hive.

Cadence’s carriage door opened while she was deep in thought. A guard opened the door and saluted to her. Cadence disembarks to the now smaller village than before. The stars now adorn the night sky and Luna’s moon being the main source of life the still depressed city.

The whole of the Battalion set up in tents along the patch of land that was inside the spell barrier. Cadence’s tent was larger compared to the soldiers as they were quickly unpacking the carriages and chariots of both their fellow soldiers and their weapons.

Cadence enters her well adorn tent as Dodge city was experiencing depression for the past month. The knowledge of the fact that half of their populace was composed of Changelings. Thus, the city was mostly acting nearly like a ghost town as many of the folks were none too welcome for now.

That night, Cadence sighs as her plan was nearly underway. The easy part was over, having a whole battalion ready near Dodge City. She sighs as her thoughts drift to her husband.

“Oh Shiny...” She spoke softly to herself as the princess of love rest her eyes. “I need to do this...” She trailed off as she thought about the matter at hoof. Her thoughts reviewing her plan.

Since she is dying from a slow acting illness, she needs a plan to keep her kingdom well and alive. That goal can only be achieved by the efforts of herself and Shining Armor. Unfortunately, her body cannot support that task no longer. She will need a replacement to be her. The moment she fell ill is thanks to the Queen of the Changelings. Her body will need to be encased in suspended animation, or a time-paused state for her to survive. The only situation would be to keep the queen from ever trying to subdue and control her kingdom from Changeling control.

She sighs with an air of confidence and worry. She was going to tread through the Badlands, an area dry to the bone, heat as harsh as an oven and unknown territory that can be under the Changeling’s own jurisdiction.

“Forgive me Shiny… I need to do this for you, for me, for our kingdom… and for me to bury the hatchet...” She whispered to herself as she will be mature about the situation. “I know the Changelings did stage an invasion plot on Canterlot and recently on Ponyville. I know they are very heinous crimes but I must be a leader and be the Princess of Love. I will have to forgive them… with what I will ask of their own monarch as a means to...forgive her and end our feud.” She added as she looks to the moon’s shine over her tent… the worry still ebbing within her.

___

At the first instance of sunlight did Cadence and the Battalion with her march or lightly fly towards the Badlands. Many of the guards, and Cadence kept a stoic look as they march through the still wind of the dry and sad place. The guards surrounding Cadence as they went their way.

By the time the sun has risen, the rays of it’s heat now fully pounding away at them. The wind around them also picked up, forcing many of the pegasi guards to land onto their hooves.

Many of them groan and moan about the increasingly annoying weather. The continuous beating of the wind, even without the sand, was enough to pass heat around their group. Many of the guards were grumbling, growling their complains to the wind. All this time, Cadence kept her regal air and posture even against such elements as they went on.

An hours after sunrise, the battalion was silently aware that they are being watched. The guards clenched their spears more and their golden armor shining about. The Pegasi spied over the horizon, having better eyesight than the rest. The Unicorn guards were steadily gathering their magical energy, staying ready for anything and the Earth ponies own muscles tense, their passive magical potential telling then there are movement around them and the ground was dipped in magic.

An air of silence entered their ears, the wind no longer kicked up and a new tingling sensation washed over them. Unfortunately, the instant they stopped did their view in front of them changed from the endless Badlands to the now dark spire in front of them.

The guards reacted as fast as they can, huddling close to each other and protecting Cadence. The now present buzzing noise dominate the silence as swarms of Changelings came into view, their own battalion arrive by air and by land as they stood their ground, barring the pony entourage from advancing like a wall.

Cadence was confident in the continued activity of the guards but her thoughts still was annoyed with the buzzing. As soon as the stand-off started did the Changelings parted to allow a taller, slender and more imposing image approach the pony battalion.

Like all the Changelings around her, Chrysalis was black with a mid section carapace of teal. Her own mane, wings and tail were a mix of green-blue and teal. Her body also adorn holes upon her legs, wings and her own mane. Finally, her own horn, with chunks of it removed in a circular pattern and atop her head adorn a three asserting points on her crown.

Cadence heeded the image, but it was always the eyes she hated most about the Queen, yet she did not think too much about it as the alicorn like bug spoke, her tone a deep velvet like seductress yet with an after tone of venom.

“Oh my, Cadence… I’m surprised you’re here. I was sure your aunt would have taken this… trip to my kingdom.” Chrysalis spoke out with a facade of curiosity while in fact she was amused about the arrangements.

All the guards kept their eyes, their own spears and horns pointed at the Changeling Queen as she spoke.

“So, what do I owe the pleasure of your… Visit?” Chrysalis asked with a teasing tone, as if knowing the reason.

Cadence took a step forward only to cause many of the guards to tighten their formation but parted when Cadence coughed in gesture. The guards parted to allow Cadence up front similar as Chrysalis was.

“I come to your kingdom for two reasons Chrysalis.” Cadence spoke in respect, not in ‘above you’ tone.

“Oh…? And pray tell what those reasons are?” Chrysalis replied in a mocking as if trying to be reasonable in her own way.

Cadence steeled herself as she spoke, as clearly as she can. “I admit defeat Chrysalis, you have won...” She announced clearly and with respect closing her eyes as she was sure there will be a response.

The whole area was silent. Both ponies and Changelings flinched and look in wonder to Cadence, the Guards were staring, pegasi now grounded, unicorns all but stopped their magical charge and the Changelings have all but got to their own hooves as they looked at the pony.

Then the one chain of laughter started, the same one that has haunted Cadence since her wedding, grew louder. It was Chrysalis laughing triumphantly, finding the news both a joke and good news for her part. Both parties, excluding Cadence, was perplex as to why she laughed at the weird news.

As Chrysalis’ laughing died down, her smile, venomous and victorious was adorned on her face. “It’s good to finally know I’ve won, even if it did take nearly a year. And for that, I might as well hear you out… Princess.” Chrysalis spoke as if mocking the pink alicorn before her but as she regains her regal air, she became serious, the degree you see when they stop all such jokes, chatter and even backstabbing as she looks to Cadence.

Cadence, all this time observed the Changelings while Chrysalis was having her laughing fit and saw the condition of the Changelings. She saw them thinner than at her wedding. They all look weak, as if they were salvaging ANYTHING from ANYWHERE. Then her gaze went to Chrysalis, whose form, like her subjects, was thinner than she remembered.

Upon hearing Chrysalis, Cadence started. “My second reason for being here is to finally speak to you about your crimes for two invasion attempts and the punishment that we impose to you.” Cadence spoke to her as if Chrysalis will agree.

“You love to speak as if you are in control, Cadence but I am not willing to just up and get arrested by YOUR laws” The Changeling Queen answered, hissing that she was to be arrested and that was in her kingdom.

“Then you will love the change I have told my aunt about.” Cadence responded, surprising Chrysalis. “The charges of invasion attempt will be wavered IF you agree that services will be rendered rather than imprisonment?” Cadence asked as she eyed Chrysalis, who kept her stoic look at her.

“And these services concern with me, as you have wronged me first before Canterlot.” Cadence finished there as she waited for Chrysalis’ response.

“Is that all?” The Changeling responded with a growing frown on her face. A nod from Cadence answered for her as she continues, “And what makes you think I would allow myself to render it rather than any of my subjects or to upfront, refuse them so?” She asked further as if nothing can change her decision right now.

“I am fine if you do not want to. I’m sure neither of us will win in the end, even after you’ve won against me.” Cadence spoke, the air of confidence gone and only pity trailed into her voice. Chrysalis raised a brow that moment as she sensed it but kept a straight face. At that, Cadence was slowly turning around as Chrysalis knew what the Princess of Love was talking about…

“WAIT!”

___

Inside the carriage, Cadence was staying calm and collective as across from her seat was Chrysalis with also the same situation as they travel over the horizon.

Cadence reflected upon their agreement. Chrysalis knew about their now declining source of food as she suspected her subjects outside the hive has been captured or executed. Chrysalis agreed to serve her time but only if she brings a quarter of Cadence’s battalion size for protection and for both a Pony and Changeling to carry said carriage to their destination.
Cadence, ever the leader, also added a suppression spell on Chrysalis before she left her kingdom. Chrysalis hears out Cadence, her service will be under the orders of both Celestia and Cadence, though the alicorn of love will decide the job. Once their carriage arrived, and the Canterlot guard battalion thinned out, as half of them returned back and the other half was the escort.

The moment the Carriage stopped and landed both leaders looked at one another. Chrysalis held a slight displeasure while Cadence held worry and hope. The doors on either side opens as both leaders disembark. Quickly, Chrysalis changed herself into a white pegasi pony with near cotton pink mane and tail. The few Changelings, four in total, the joined in escorting her randomized themselves as a unicorn pony.

“Well, here we are, my kingdom.” Cadence announces to the ‘guests’. As soon as the Changelings did… their mouths were agape, though Chrysalis kept her facade further. Cadence nods as the pony guards and the Changelings in disguise enter the perimeter of the kingdom.

Once inside, past the subtle magical barrier that radiated from the Crystal Heart, did the Changelings stopped and started to shake, looking around frantically.

“What is this?!” Chrysalis spoke in near panic as well as her four Changeling escorts who were now down on the ground as if their own bodies were getting heavy.

“What is?” Cadence asked, confused. She was sure they feed on love from other ponies…
“Where is this love coming from?! I could feed my own hunger here and get back to ruling my kingdom as if we never starved.“ Chrysalis spoke in half panic as she looks around…

“Oh? You feed also on ambient love? Well… the Crystal ponies are the ones that can and only will help you with that problem.” Cadence answered as she saw Chrysalis basically bow to Cadence.

“If you can share this love… If you do… I’d… I’d do anything!” Chrysalis answered as she pleaded with her, showing her the vulnerable side, not thinking straight, like she once did on Cadence’s wedding.

Author's Note

And there is the Second Chapter, still rough and bad I suppose but still there. Anyway, I have to say this story will be a bit... mushy I suppose. Still, I want to hear comments and such.