Chapter 2: Equestria's Most Wanted
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The Hunt for Queen Chrysalis

Chapter 2: Equestria's Most Wanted

Shortly after Twilight had retired for the night, Starlight made her way down to the dungeons of the Friendship Castle which up until that moment, did not house any prisoners until today. The Changelings that were loyal to the ex-Queen Chrysalis were housed in their cells like caged animals. Despite the fact that they were evil, Starlight couldn't help but sympathize with them.

"Changelings," Starlight whispered as she walked toward the cells. "I understand of the pain that has been inflicted on you."

"Why should we listen to you?" remarked one of the changelings bitterly as he struggled to his feet. "Once our queen finds out what has happened to us, you will suffer the wrath that she harbors if it's the last thing we do."

Starlight sighed heavily at this remark, for she knew that Chrysalis would not be coming back to save her captured subjects. Starlight tried to convince Chrysalis to change her ways and when she didn't, it seemed like all the other changelings that were loyal to Chrysalis would not have any chance of freedom.

"I'm afraid that she's ran away," sighed Starlight. "Swearing to return for revenge against me and only me alone. But, I know for a fact that the princesses are going to hunt her down and punish her to the fullest extent of the law. However, you can help yourselves out of this situation."

"Is this a trick, pony?" hissed the second changeling, sticking out his tongue. "A trick to try to reveal the secret location of our queen? If it is…"

"It's not a trick!" interjected Starlight. "Don't you see? Chrysalis has been misleading you all along. You need to share love, not take it! That's what Thorax is preaching to your fellow Changelings now…"

"LIES!" growled the first changeling. "Changelings don't share love! We feed off of love and only love alone and nothing else, pony! And how dare you mention that traitor's name to us!"

Starlight stood at the captured Changeling's in an indigent manner, not believing the talk that they were saying to her. As far as she was concerned, Starlight was a pony that didn't believe in false talk anymore. Taking a deep breath, she scowled at the captured Changelings.

"Well, that traitor is the new leader of the Changelings," cried Starlight. "Chrysalis' reign is over and you can change along with the rest of the Changelings."

The three captured Changelings merely just stood in their cells refusing to believe every word that came out of Starlight's mouth. In their minds, Starlight was just trying to get them to release Chrysalis' whereabouts when in reality, she was trying to save their lives.

"Changelings can never change, pony," the third Changeling hissed. "We believe in the law that our queen has created and nothing more! So, if you have nothing else to say…"

"Of course they can change," preached Starlight, her voice becoming exasperated. "I was like your queen, brainwashing ponies to believe in something that was all made up! Princess Twilight and her friends gave me a second chance at learning friendship and you can too! But, being loyal to a false leader is not going to help you in your situation! The only way you can help yourself is by telling Twilight where Chrysalis is!"

Still, the three captured Changelings said nothing and then proceeded to give Starlight the silent treatment, vowing not to give the whereabouts of their queen. Starlight tried to think of a way to convince them to save themselves, but it was no use.

"I hope you realize in time what I am saying to you," Starlight sighed and turned to leave the Changelings in their cell.

…

The next morning, Starlight came downstairs to find not just Twilight, but also Celestia, Luna and Cadence all converged in the throne room. Trying not to interrupt, Starlight peaked from behind the throne room doors as she listened into what they were saying.

"They aren't talking," said Twilight to her fellow princesses. "I don't know what else to do to get them to talk and the last thing I want is to use harm when they didn't harm us at all."

"None of us do, Twilight," replied Celestia. "After what happened with Tirek, I've had to take a good long look at myself in how I deal with those who harm Equestria. What I have learned is that its better to use as little violence as possible unless I have to."

"Shining Armor doesn't believe that," said Cadence. "He will do whatever it takes to get the captured Changelings to reveal Chrysalis' whereabouts. Nopony is more determined to get Chrysalis more than he does and I don't blame him, especially since our wedding."

The thought of Shining Armor around the Changelings was very much being considered. He was, after all, the one who would do everything in his power to see that the Changeling race was exterminated once and for all. One wrong move by anypony would result in severe consequences for all of Equestria.

"Then you have to convince him to be restrained," ordered Celestia to Cadence. "Yes, the Changelings are enemies of Equestria, but we cannot risk our reputation for petty incidents."

"We have all seen horrible acts against Equestria to last us a lifetime," remarked Luna. "But, there will always be an enemy willing to bring us down to their level. We've seen it with Sombra, we've seen it with Tirek and we have seen it with Discord as well to a degree."

A long silence fell on the princesses for a brief moment as they tried whatever they could do to find a way to get information without any extremes. Starlight felt like she wanted to say her peace on the matter, but after her time with the captured changelings, even Starlight was beginning to wonder if Chrysalis could be redeemed at all.

"Then what can we do?" wondered Cadence.

"We simply continue the questioning," answered Celestia. "If the Changeling gets out of line, we use methods that force the changelings to talk and give us Chrysalis' whereabouts. But, we have to remember that Chrysalis is very dangerous and she cannot be taken lightly."

The other princesses nodded in complete agreement on the matter at hand. Chrysalis' recent defeat at the hands of Starlight had made far more dangerous than before. Even more so was that she was now a fugitive at large and anypony who approached her was at far greater risk than Starlight.

"It's important to remember that while sit here," said Luna. "Chrysalis is somewhere trying to escape our forces that are already on the move."

"Then, we've got to notify other towns in Equestria where Chrysalis is possibly going to," said Twilight. "Even an ounce of love she consumes makes her all the more dangerous to other ponies."

It was at this point that Starlight decided to come in and offer her opinion on the matter at hand. Starlight walked in nervously so as to thinking that the princesses would be insulted to her interrupting their meeting. However, they weren't insulted at all.

"Um, sorry if I am interrupting anything," she said nervously. "I've been overhearing what you've been saying and I think that maybe perhaps I could help in the search for Chrysalis."

The four princesses stared at each other with this suggestion, even though Starlight would not be able to succeed in redeeming Chrysalis.

"I also believe along with Twilight," continued Starlight. "That Chrysalis should be sent to Tartarus once she is captured."

"Starlight, as much as we want to simply lock her up in Tartarus," advised Luna. "It is important to remember that Chrysalis is a creature that won't be afraid to go down without a fight. I've certainly lived through that the hard way."

Celestia, Cadence and Twilight nodded at this, for they could well remember Luna's vicious battle with Chrysalis while in Cadence's nightmares right after the Royal Wedding.

"Then we have to find Chrysalis and capture her before she plans her next move," sighed Celestia as she got up and walked over towards one of Twilight's many large windows. "As of right now, Equestria is on Lockdown."

Soon, the message went out that towns and cities in Equestria were to be placed on Lockdown, but that wasn't going to stop Chrysalis from plotting her next move. For in a far right corner of the Everfree Forest, the overthrown Queen of the Changelings was standing over the grave containing her most loyal General, General Kuwaga, who was buried in the Everfree Forest after he hanged himself following the events of his trial in Canterlot.

"Those fools think that I will go down that easily," she hissed in her distorted voice. "Ha! They are mistaken, for Starlight Glimmer and the rest of Equestria's elite will feel my revenge and before I am done, their precious love will be mine to consume along with the rest of Equestria!"