“I have stood exactly where you are. Smug and basking in the glorious invincibility of the weakened shade that was my progenitor, but, unlike you, I had the tenacity to make sure her life was extinguished before she had a chance to formulate a single thought of vengeance.” Chrysalis shifted forward, moving until the shackles drew taut and pulled back at the crystalline choker around her neck, her face grimacing.

Cadence stared through the small porthole in the door, her eyes unsympathetic to her discomfort. A hoof played with a golden chained necklace about her neck to which held a very curious looking trinket. “You brought this all upon yourself, Chrysalis. You kidnapped me on my wedding day and tried to steal the love of my life… all to satisfy your hunger… no, killing you is of little use to me. But, alive, on the other hoof… that is an entirely different subject matter altogether.”

“When I escape from this prison, you will wish I had killed you on your wedding day. Your feeble little holdings will only last so long and I have all the time in the world to kill you. Eventually, you will make a mistake; trust me, Princess, I will find that opening… and when I do? There will be nothing you can do to stop me from ripping you apart limb from limb. I will reclaim my title and my army and then, I will flatten the Crystal Empire like I have done to so many kingdoms before… your home will burn to ash and I will slaughter every single one of your subjects before your very eyes.”

The Princess’s eyes narrowed through the porthole of the cell door, silently challenging her to do so. Then, after breaking into a smile, she shook her head. “Without your horn, you are useless," Cadence lifted the necklace, revealing the dismembered jagged horn that onced belonged to the exalted Queen, “your power and your army of drones is now mine to command. I have integrated them peacefully with my subjects so that they may never fear to grow hungry again. They reviere me. I am their saviour and do you know what it took? Compassion. Something you, Chrysalis, can never think to comprehend. You have nothing—no, let me rephrase that. You are nothing. All of this? It is all your fault. You underestimated me and that was your final mistake, Chrysalis.”

“Ah-ah-ah! Is that the correct tone to address your elder, Cadence? It’s Mother, to you,” Chrysalis sarcastically tutted, “at least have the manners to address your parent appropriately… and you? A pony? Come now, my daugh—”

“You did not birth me so don’t you dare ever call me that again!” Cadance snapped, her amethyst orbs fading into a balefire of green. “You tainted me… warped my body… you changed me into some kind of hideous monster and I have been hiding that shame ever since that day! If Shining were to ever find out… he would…”

“Just, your body?” Chrysalis smirked. “I think a lot more has changed than that. The transmutation process must had most certainly messed with your head, as well. I doubt very much you would had done something like this,” Chrysalis gestured to the stump where her horn used to be, “in the past… am I right?”

Cadence’s eyes lowered, then slowly drew up, her muzzle turning into a vile sneer that broke the natural, youthful beauty that she possessed. “I will make you wish that you had never set a single hoof back onto Equestrian soil. You will remain forever down here, rotting away until there is nothing left of you… and, just to make sure your suffering is extended, I am going to come here and feed you just enough to keep you barely alive...”

“Such harsh words for a Princess that signifies love and compassion… you’re beginning to sound like a true Queen of the Changelings. I am so proud of you... I could never had imagined you would grow up so fast and into such a fine specimen.”

“I am nothing like you!” Cadence growled angrily. “I will never be anything as vile and as twisted as you.”

"No, you're right," Chrysalis droned dryly, "you're far worse… for you see, I had the decency to put the one that turned me into a Queen out of her misery the moment I realized my position. I accepted it with open hoofs and all the power it would bring. Unlike you, I do not deny my purpose in life and I certainly do not play with my spoils, like you do… I had a sense of mercy. So, do I honestly think you are anything like me? Hardly, my dear. I think you’re worse. A lot worse.”

The fallen Queen beamed a smile that seemed almost content. She loved getting under her skin. “I wonder what will Shining Armor say when he discovers—”

A spark of green and pink bolts sprayed into the small, hoofcarved cell, covering Chrysalis from head to hoof in a maelstrom of magic, causing her to tense up and drop hard against the ground, screaming in agony and writhing against her bonds in a useless attempt to escape the vicious onslaught.

Green magic-fire smothered Cadence entirely, the flesh upon her muzzle fading into a dark chitinous material, her teeth bearing sharp, deadly fangs as she spat her words in anger. “You are in no position to threaten me! You best keep that serpent tongue of your's shut! Or this pain you are feeling right now? It will be mild in comparison if you continue to test my dwindling patience."

Author's Note

Love, hate, flame, it's all good.