Nightfall in a New World

Queen Chrysalis buzzed her wings. Tonight would be a most excellent night for the Changelings. Soon they could wander uninhibited, free of interruptions, feeding until their cute little chitin shells were bursting. Chrysalis made a soft 'squee' sort of sound as she thought of her little children running around happily with terrified ponies in the background.

It was the perfect plan. She would come in, unaccompanied, destroy the sleeping princess, and then call in her Changelings. She was brimming with love energy harvested from griffon travellers, and felt as if she could take on the world.

The guard didn't even know he had been hit. A swift punch to the back of the head was enough to do him in. He slumped to the ground in an unconscious heap. Chrysalis sparked her horn and harvested energy from him before dragging him off.

Encasing him in a cocoon, she copied him perfectly, and casually walked down the halls. As she passed, members of the guard saluted her. She grinned and saluted back, silently laughing to herself at their gullibility.

As she approached the princess' bedchambers, she floored the guard outside. Repeating her disguise process, she entered the door, her horn charging up for the battle to come.

She walked quietly up to the princess. Casting a sleeping spell to ensure her victory, she finished charging her magical beam, and was about to loose it. Princess Celestia wouldn't even know she had been killed...

"HALT!" boomed an ear-splittingly loud voice.

The windows in the room shattered, sending glass scattering through the room. Still Celestia slumbered on. Chrysalis' horn faltered, and the building light flickered out. Angrily, she turned to find the source of the voice, removing her disguise.

Through the broken window, a tall indigo alicorn glided into the room, landing with an angry crash. Chrysalis hissed with surprise.

"There are two of them?" she exclaimed with disbelief.

"We are Princess Luna! We shall smite thee, thou uncouth insect!" boomed Luna, still shouting in her all-too-loud voice.

"Well well well, this is a surprise. I didn't know princesses came in pairs. But it doesn't matter. You're no match for me. I'll just destroy you too!" threatened Chrysalis, her horn once more glowing.

Luna's horn lit at the same time, a turquoise aura emanating.

Both monarchs unleashed their magic at the same time. A huge collision of both bright green and turquoise beams sent shockwaves all throughout Canterlot Castle. Guards, thinking it was an earthquake, hid under any objects they could find. Celestia merely stirred in her sleep, muttering something about a 'Lulu'.

Chrysalis felt as if cracks were spreading all through her chitin. She screeched in pain and her legs buckled, however, still she continued her assault. Unlike Celestia, Luna was visibly straining, gritting her teeth and tensing her muscles.

They were evenly matched, neither making any progress on the other. Chrysalis tapped into her deepest reserves of energy. Her magic surged forward, as Luna fell and clutched her horn, screaming, but firing all the while. Luna upped her own power, and soon the magic output was even once more.

They continued like this, neither gaining any ground over the other, when all of a sudden, the meeting point of the beams exploded.

Both equines were flung backwards. The room was utterly destroyed. Pages lay scattered everywhere, quills lay in pools of ink, feathers from the pillows covered the room and the ponies in it, yet still Celestia slept.

Panting heavily, Luna and Chrysalis engaged in a stare down. The explosion's centre imploded in on itself.

A massive hole in the fabric of time and space opened up, pulling any and all loose objects into it. Luna and Chrysalis, too weak to resist, found themselves being dragged into the wormhole. Luna could only watch helplessly as her unconscious sister was flung in. In that single moment, she lost all desire to escape. She merely relaxed and allowed herself to be pulled.

Chrysalis wept for her subjects. They were cunning, but they would surely fail without her. She loved her little children dearly. she couldn't bear the thought of them lost and afraid. Yet no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't muster the strength to move.

With a final pull on the part of the hole, Luna and Chrysalis were flung in, ready to meet their fates.

Chrysalis groaned. Her horn was throbbing, and she was lying on a hard, flat surface. It couldn't possibly have been anywhere in her castle. Her castle was so soft and spongy that she could practically sleep on the floors.

Opening her eyes, and quickly shutting them again, she caught sight of Luna, lying in a heap next to her. Part of her wanted to destroy her, but another part of her said 'meh'.

'Meh' was the best way to describe how Chrysalis felt about everything right now. She didn't care that she had been defeated. She didn't care that her plan had failed. She didn't care that her little Changelings would go hungry...

Her eyelids snapped open. Grunting with pain and effort, she heaved herself to her feet. Luna was lying on her side, not moving, but shuddering every few seconds. Luna didn't matter. What did matter was her subjects. Chrysalis scolded herself for her previous thoughts. Her children always came first, no matter what.

Striding over to the princess, she decided to inspect her. If she was dead, then 'yay'. If she was alive, then that was a problem. Chrysalis lifted a stiff leg to kick Luna, when she became aware of a soft sound. It was a sound like someone exhaling sharply and sniffling before gasping for breath. The sound of crying.

Walking around the other side of the alicorn, Chrysalis saw that Luna was indeed alive, and awake no less. Luna was the one crying. Hot tears streamed down her muzzle, and she choked out sobs.

Chrysalis couldn't help but feel sorry for the broken mare. She had to actively remind herself that this was the enemy. If Luna wanted to cry like a school filly, then that was her business.

Luna glanced upwards. "Go ahead," she whispered. "Do us in. We find no meaning in life any longer."

It was tempting, Chrysalis had to admit. But at the same time, here was a mare who was obviously in no shape to fight. And Chrysalis had been taught as a larva to never kick someling when they're already down. Extending her hole-filled hoof, she helped Luna up.

Luna looked at her with a mix of confusion and gratitude. Chrysalis snorted.

"Don't get too comfortable. I only did that as a matter of honour."

Luna sniffled, looking at the ground. "It does not matter. 'Tia is gone. We cannot find her. Thou may as well do what thou desires. We have failed her."

Now Chrysalis was really sorry for Luna. She obviously loved Celestia deeply, and was clearly protective of her. Still, Celestia had exiled her people, simply for their appearances, and the misguided belief that a Changeling feeding would render a pony emotionless or kill them. For that, Chrysalis could never forgive her.

Chrysalis and Luna looked around. Tall, shining structures stood tall and proud. Thick black clouds filled the sky. A black and murky river flowed beneath a grand bridge, unlike any they had ever seen before. Boats, with no sails, and made of the same shining material as the structures floated down, slicing through the water like an axe through wood.

"Maybe we should address a more immediate concern..." said Chrysalis.

Luna nodded.

"Where the hell are we?"