The Forgotten Prodigy

"Hurry up Chrysalis! I don't want to be late to the Gala!" I yelled upstairs in annoyance. Apparently all females of any species take too long to get ready.

"Oh be patient! You can't rush perfection!" Was the Changeling Queens reply.

I growl low in my throat and go stand by the front door waiting for her to come down. I still find it ridiculous that a creature able to change their appearance at will can still take so long to 'freshen up' or something. Who the hell is she trying to impress anyhow? The only high note is that we finally got rid of Celestia's little spy. We ended up sending her back to Canterlot but with some minor adjustments to her psych that made her a sleeper agent of sorts that instead of spying on us she is now spying on Celestia.

While I waited for Chrysalis to come down I made sure my own appearance wasn't missing anything. I had my coat freshly groomed yet I kept my mane in its usual style, I wore a simple silver tux with a black undershirt yet underneath that I wore leather armor. Call me paranoid but better safe then sorry.

"Alright I'm ready now Dusk." Announced Chrysalis as the sound of her hooves hitting the stairs echoed through the house.

"About damn time." I mutter to myself as I turn to watch her come down the stairs.

She chose to take the form of a rather tall mare that sort of reminded me of that one model Fleur De Lis only with a few key differences. Such as her eyes still remained as her usual toxic green, her white coat was a few shades darker, her mane and tail were a dark purple, and her Cutie Mark was a hoof mirror. Her dress was a tight fitting green dress that showed off her curves and brought out her eyes. Overall she would have most stallions drooling at the mere sight of her. Too bad for her that I am not one of those stallions.

"About time Chrysalis now come on we don't have all day. The Gala should be starting soon and I want to make an entrance."

Chrysalis rolled her eyes but stood beside me nonetheless as I started to focus my magic. I wasn't patient enough to simply take a carriage all the way to Canterlot and teleporting is pretty dull. So I decided to try an alternative to teleporting called portals. If one is versed enough in the spell you can control many things about thee portal like how large it is and even what color you want it to be. I chose a swirling sky blue surrounded by a fiery orange and made the portal large enough for a manticore to walk through.

Turning to my companion I see her jaw on the ground in shock and it makes me smile a bit. What can I say I'm a bit of a show off.

"Come a long now Chrysalis we have a party to attend. But what should I call you in this form?" I asked knowing that if I called her by her true name we would both be in deep shit.

Shaking herself from her little trance she throws a bright smile my way that doesn't impress me in the least.

"Oh call me Bright Delight."

Resisting the urge to roll my eyes at her chosen name I wave her along with my hoof and she quickly falls in line beside me as we walk through the portal. Walking through a portal feels almost like walking through water and gives one a kind of weightless feeling. So coming out on the other side Chrysalis had to lean on me for support since she wasn't quite use to the feeling.

When we finally exited the portal it was right at the entrance to the Gala as I had intended. Now everypony that was attending the Gala was looking at my companion and I with a sense of awe. Even Celestia's face was showing how surprised she was at my entrance. Oh how I wish I had a camera.

"I hope we are not late Princess." I say in a polite manner.

This seems to snap her from her thoughts as she shakes her head and gives me a motherly smile. The sight nearly made me vomit.

"Oh no Dusk you are actually just in time. Who might your date be?"

"My companion is Bright Delight. Now can we go in please?" I answer quickly. The longer I am around this mare the more I want to just up and strangle her.

She frowned a bit at my blatant disrespect but still allowed Chrysalis and I to proceed. As soon as we entered the room I sent Chrysalis off to go 'mingle' with the nobles. And by mingle I meant she would be using her magic to draw them to a place for her changelings to pick up and then replace them. You can never have too many spies after all.

Meanwhile I went to the nearest refreshment table and got myself a glass of wine. After that I stood on the sidelines and took stock of who was in the room and planning how I could maybe use them to my advantage. That was until the last ponies I wanted to see showed up. Twilight and her friends had arrived as well as my so called parents. If that wasn't enough Gleaming Shield and Cadence had also arrived.

My grip on my glass tightened to the point I would have broken it had I not reigned in my anger at the last moment. No need to draw attention to myself just yet. Plenty of time for that later.

Instead I opted to observe the group as they conversed in a friendly manner for a few minutes. Then their conversation took a sour turn if the frowns on their faces were anything to go by. I then saw the element of loyalty point at me blatantly and instantly all of their eyes were on me.

I wiped all emotion from my features as I saw them start to approach me yet I did not move. For one if I moved they would more likely than not follow, and two I was honestly curious about what they had to say to me. After all it had been years since I last saw my former family as a whole.

Gleaming was the first to reach me and stopped not even a foot away as she glared into my eyes with anger. It was quite the funny sight as she had to stare up at me and try to look intimidating. Quite amusing really.

"Can I help you Ms. Shield?" I ask casually.

"You don't look how I remember you." Was Gleaming's reply as her eyes narrowed even further.

"How you remember me? Oh you mean the little colt who you always looked down on and belittled every chance you got along with your mother and father?" I answered neutrally while taking a sip of my wine and enjoying the look of guilt that briefly passed over her eyes. What she didn't know however was that I was using a bit of my magic to enhance those feelings since negative emotions actually feed my power and to not take advantage of this opportunity would be such a waste.

"Those are your parents to you know Setting Dawn." Spoke up Cadence as she finally interjected herself into the discussion as my former parents stood by her gazing at me sadly.

"I would ask you never to call me by that name again Princess Cadenza, and those ponies are not my parents. My name is Rising Dusk and as far as I'm concerned I have no parent's. Especially if your calling those two pitiful ponies my parents." I stated coldly making my former mother Twilight Velvet teary eyed. My former father Night Light though became angry and marched right up and slapped me across the face with his hoof.

"How dare you speak to us like that!? We are your parents! We raised and fed you and you will show the proper respect!" Night Light practically yelled out. This had the desired effect of drawing nearly everyone else's attention to us.

I barely kept the smile that wanted to show off of my face. It was just so easy to manipulate these fools! They are doing exactly what I want them to do. The first step in usurping a kingdom is to create distrust in the current ruler or rulers. And what better way to do that than to discredit the rulers family and their student?

Idly scratching where Night had hit me I speak casually, "now that is where you are wrong Night Light. Sure you and the hag over there may have done those things... for the first five years. Yet when Twilight was born I had to take care of myself. Gleaming was already training in the guard by that time and I was just beginning my apprenticeship under Celestia. Yet you not once acknowledged my existence as it was always either about Gleaming and her guard training or Twilight and her studying. Tell me old man what do you know about my apprenticeship under Celestia?"

He couldn't answer yet he still glared at me unflinchingly. I could practically taste the negativity in the room as the other ponies started to whisper and talk about what I had said. Already they were looking at the Sparkle's with hard gazes almost asking them outright if what I said was true. Their silence and lowered gazes was evidence enough yet I pressed forward going for the throat that would practically destroy not only the Sparkle's reputation but Celestia's as well.

"Oh but I guess that doesn't matter since Twilight was also made an apprentice to Celestia as well hm? You and Celestia would know since Twilight instantly became her favorite. Do remember the day I left? Of course you don't! You didn't give a damn about me for years so why start then huh!? You didn't even mind that I left as long as Twilight and Gleaming were making a name for themselves. Yet it wasn't you that entirely drove me away, oh no. The real backbreaker was when Celestia disowned me after I succeeded in a task not even she could complete! I was to complete Starswirl the Bearded's unfinished spell and I did it! Did I get a congratulations for my efforts? No! I had all my work destroyed in front of me and was cast out for outshining my sister. A pretty shitty reward for success I say."

Gasp's of surprise and disbelief rang out across the room as the tense atmosphere thickened surrounding me like a warm blanket and I loved every. Damn. Second. It was at that time though Celestia decided to make herself known and interject into the conversation. Her face remained neutral but I could sense the fear and anger she tried to hide. I was putting her in a hole that she now has to try and climb out of but I wasn't going to let her, no I was going to bury her alive.

"I assure you he did not succeed my little ponies. I disowned him because he went behind my back and created a potion that could have done more harm than good and I could not bear to have somepony with such reckless behavior as a student." She said soothing while casting me a look daring me to correct her. Oh bitch I do dare.

"Oh please princess. You and I both know you practically all but abandoned me just like those failures you call my parents once Twilight came into the picture. And you and I, as well as Twilight, all know that I succeeded. Don't believe me? The proof is right here!" With that I produced the vial of golden ichor that was the final product of Starswirl's last project.

Celestia recoiled in shock as all of the ponies around us stared on in surprise at the fact Celestia was just proven to be at fault. The simple fools probably never thought their princess capable of being so cruel to another pony but here the proof was staring them right in the face. Celestia probably thought I wouldn't have been able to make the potion once more due to the very rare ingredient's needed to make it yet she underestimated just how resourceful I was and now she was caught dead to rights.

"Well Celestia, what have you got to say now? You going to call me a liar and such? Oh but the Element of Honesty is right there and if she hasn't disproved my words yet then that must mean I've been telling the truth huh?" I stated as I tauntingly waved the vial back and forth in front of her before returning it to my person.

She didn't say another word as she along with the others turned and left the room as the gazes of the other nobles gazed at them distastefully and full of disappointment. I couldn't stop the smile that broke out on my face this time as I watched them all leave. My plan went perfectly!

Just the Chrysalis sidled up to my side and leaned against me. Normally I would push her off but was too happy to care at the moment and let her do as she pleased.

"Wow Dusk you really gave it to them. I can't wait to see what you do next." She purred into my ear.

"Oh Crhrysalis I don't have to do anything with the public for a while. I just defaced Celestia and the entire Sparkle family in plain view of Equestria's entire nobility. By the end of the week all of Equestria and even some of the other countries will know what has transpired here and will begin to question her rule. Now I must focus on other matters."

"Like what my King?" She asked curiously. Calling me King was something new but I did not question it as I would be a King soon enough anyway.

"I need a herbalist on my side. My mind control spells are good for short term but I need someone well versed in potions in order to heighten my spells effect and make it absolute. I may earn most of the populace's support once I take control but there will always be those select few that rebel and I'd rather have them under my control rather than kill them as it would prove such a waste and would make me look like the bad guy in the public's eyes." I said factually. I needed to not only plan my takeover but also how to maintain my control with as little conflict as possible.

Chrysalis seemed to ponder my question a moment before a devious smile overcame her features and her eyes flashed for a moment before returning to their normal state.

"I think I know just what your looking for my King."