Painfully, terribly... awkward. That was the only way Chrysalis could think to describe the current situation. At the moment the diarchs of Equestria were eating while she sat there in silence. They had asked if she wanted any of the food but she declined as changelings do not need regular food to survive. Although with the ambient emotion the two were giving off she was getting quite the feast of positivity.

“What is this?” Celestia suddenly asked in monotone. Looking at the princess Chrysalis noticed that she was addressing a very nervous looking waiter. While her tone had implied something was wrong the changeling could feel the mischievous aura around the princess.

“Beg pardon your majesty?” The waiter said while trying to keep his teeth from chattering. Celestia answered in the same manner as before. “I asked what this is.” The waiter tried to gather his jumbled thoughts and form a response. “It is a salad?”

“Just a salad. Are you certain?”

“Yes your majesty.” he answered in a cautious tone.

“Well you didn't sound very certain.”

“I am very sure that is the salad you ordered your majesty.”

“You don't notice anything strange about it?”

The beads of sweat dripping down his face were becoming more akin to a waterfall at this point. “I uhm... did not notice anything your grace.”

“Interesting. Tell me, do you believe I am overweight?”

“Of course I don't think you're fat! Insinuating so would be beyond disrespectful!”

“I said overweight, you said fat. So is that why you brought me a salad without dressing? Because you think I'm fat?”

“I would, do not think such an, an, abhorrent... I will correct this strait away princess.” He bowed low and then dashed off to the kitchen. The moment the door closed Celestia dropped the sour look and began laughing like a maniac again. Luna on the other hoof had quite the disapproving look on her face. “Don't you think that was a little much Tia? The stallion looked ready to soil himself.”

Celestia wiped a stray tear from her eye. “Oh come now Lulu, it was all in good fun. You know for a fact how gullible most of our subjects are. It is so hard to resist the perfect opportunity when it comes around. That and I really did want some dressing, salads are so bland without it.”

“I would take that stallions advice, you could stand to lose a little around the midsection.” Both princesses froze and turned to Chrysalis who had an innocent smile on her face. She feigned surprise and put a hoof to her muzzle. “Oh I'm sorry was that too blunt?”

Celestia looked down to her belly and gently poked it with her hoof. Luna was too busy delving into a giggle fit to notice her sister. Chrysalis just sat in her seat with a smug grin on her face. The waiter came scurrying back with a rack full of various dressings in tow. While the scene before him was confusing he completed his assigned task and swiftly trotted back to the kitchen to avoid another mishap with the princess.

Luna had since regained control over herself and with a smile on across her muzzle snapped her sister out of he self pity. “So how does it feel to have a taste of your own medicine Tia? Your looking quite self conscious over there. Perhaps you will think twice before making the servants victims of your 'humor' again.”

Chrysalis couldn't help but smile. “To think The Princess of the Sun had a weight button, priceless.”

“Oh yes, she is surprisingly sensitive about it. Maybe Tia wouldn't be if she didn't know that she ate far to much cake on a regular basis.”

“Well to be fair Luna, ponies now a days tend to prefer their mares with some curves. You could stand to gain a little weight, just look how thin you are!”

“I maintain my figure by training vigorously with my guards every day. They, unlike your day guards, are prepared for any situation. If only an incident were to happen at night instead of the middle of the day. Then we would see who has the superior fighting force.”

“I will be honest sister, you do have the superior force, though in this time that is not as important as image. Most ponies look at the night guard and are afraid. Those who look upon the day guard are impressed and feel protected.”

Luna wasn't able to hold back a dejected sigh. “I am aware of this sister, though what if something serious were to happen and we were in need of a serious fighting force? That is why I do what I do with the night guard. Even if they do not uphold the image of valiant protectors they undoubtedly hold the image of noble warriors. In a time of need they will protect this kingdom and show every single citizen why they are to be respected.”

As silence once again took over the room Chrysalis couldn't help but think. 'How noble, protecting a kingdom that fears you. All for the sake of respect you can't guarantee they will give.' It reminded her of her own subjects. While part of the hive mind, some of the drones would share every single thought... they were not always positive or pleasant. Contrary to what most ponies seemed to believe, the drones were not, actual drones. Each and every one had an individual personality, the hive mind was simply a means to communicate. She was the Queen and ruler, though the subjects were allowed to have their own opinions. After all, a country without free will isn't really a country, merely the projected will of a single individual.

“Chrysalis? Are you still with us?” Celestia asked in her overbearing mothers tone. Apparently the changeling had spaced out. “Yes, and if I may ask, how long until you are done with your meals? I would like to retire to my room for the day.”

“Well I am finished and so is Luna, if you wish you can return to your room until later that is fine. Although, I would like to accompany you, seeing as our rooms are next to one another.” The deadpan look Chrysalis gave Celestia should have been enough of an answer. Instead of consenting to let her go alone the diarch of the sun just continued to smile until the former queen relented. “Fine I will walk with you, just keep the incessant dribble to yourself.”

Celestia just smiled a little wider and got up from her seat. “Well then we should get going, Luna will you be doing night court?”

“Yes, the citizens will have a princess to talk with tonight. You need not worry Tia, the kingdom will not fall apart if you take a single day off. Just get some rest.”

“I know that, I simply wanted to ask if you were holding it. You know, some ponies would be troubled if they could not visit you in their dreams.”

“That is true, most of the ponies that have the capacity to visit tend to come almost every night. If their princess wasn't there I am sure they would despair, especially a DJ that operates in the Canterlot Nightclubs. She visits for advice almost every night.”

“Good for her she has such a diligent ruler to listen to her troubles. For now I will see you when you wake Lulu, have a peaceful rest and I will see you tomorrow.” Luna gave her sister a hug while Chrysalis was already leaving, unfortunately for her Celestia took no time at all to catch up. While most would have trouble finder their way in the castle Chrysalis was quite at home; she found her way with no trouble at all. After all it was much less complex than a changeling hive.

The two continued on in silence for a time until Celestia tried to break the ice. “I know that you haven't spent much time at all in the castle so far, but I wanted to know how you were liking the environment. Personally I tried to act like usual and I believe Luna did the same. We did not want you to feel out of place so we just treated you as another good friend. Would you like to change anything about the way we acted? Possibly we were too casual and made you feel uncomfortable?” Celestias tone was heavily laced with worry, although she tried to play it off as her usual overbearing nature.

“You two can act whichever way you please. It will not change what you are, Celestia: the mother of all ponies, Luna: the ultimate warrior of your race. No matter what act or facade you put on there will be no true change in your nature. There is no use in acting in front of a changeling, we can sense what you feel at all times no matter how deep you bury it.”

Celestia just looked down the hallway as they continued to walk. “Then I guess you know that everything we said to you was genuine.” The changeling queen could not deny the truth in that statement. Instead she walked on, like she had never heard it in the first place. Trying to ignore the obvious turned out to be impossible as she found herself thinking of the emotions the princesses had went through during their lunch. Celestia had nothing but admiration for Luna as she praised her for holding night court after such a trying day. Luna could only sit in astonishment as Celestia seemed to have turned someone who was once a villain into a peaceful creature in just a single day.

All of that was true. Chrysalis had felt it herself. The sisters, while drastically different, held one another in such high regard. They thought of one another as equals or even better than themselves. It was a hard concept for Chrysalis to grasp, seeing as she was the only queen for hundreds of miles. Every single one of her subjects looked up to her for guidance while she ruled, it seemed odd for a ruler to have an equal, let alone a better.

When she regained focus her room was in view, yet Celestia was still with her, even though they had already passed her doors. “You know I won't get lost on the thirty second journey from your room to mine. I am no child.” Both of them had stopped in front of the double doors to Chrysalises room. “I did not mean to insinuate that, I only wanted to see if you wanted to speak any more before you retired. I can see now that you have no desire to do such a thing so I will leave you be. I look forward to breakfast tomorrow morning.”

As the solar diarch left Chrysalis let out a sigh of relief and entered her bedroom. It seemed to match the rest of the palace quite well. White, purple, and gold were the main colors. It looked to be an ordinary guest room with no special amenities or precautions. Honestly it was foolish for the rulers to place so much trust in an unknown entity. Luckily for them the former changeling queen lacked any motivation or drive to exploit these weaknesses. She just walked into the room flopped down onto the bed and tried to sleep. While she was starting to nod off a something heavy weighed on her mind. How long would she be able to stand this? Being treated as a friend by an old enemy that seemingly held no animosity towards her, even though they had every right to do so. The fact that she could not understand their reasoning was maddening to the former queen. Her dreams reflected that turmoil, and since she wasn't a pony there was nothing that Luna could do to help her.

While Chrysalis tossed an turned, plagued by the uncertainties of her life, Celestia was resting on a throw pillow by her fireplace. While less confused than her guest she was equally as troubled. 'What could we do to make this better,' she wondered. The only reference to help solve this problem was Discords reformation. Even so, that wasn't much of a reference as Discord is an extremely... unique individual. It was hard to compare him with anyone else.

While that was true, something stood out, he did not immediately take to the idea of having a friend that he could rely on. Then after he did finally take to the notion he was almost exclusively friends with his reformer, Fluttershy. It took much longer for him to even warm up to the others. Longer still for the others to warm up to him. The only thing she could think of was time and patience. Those were the keys to making this work. Chrysalis was in a somewhat fragile state, easily swayed and put off from certain things. From the information she had gathered the changeling was not used to having anyone on par with her. Formerly what she commanded was law and her will was the kingdoms as well. Having an aptitude for control would come with a job like that.

It would be best to take it slow and let Chrysalis acclimate to the changes made, whilst being pleasant and real. Truth would be most important here as she would be able to detect lies from a mile away. Her emotional radar was frighteningly accurate. Though that shouldn't be a problem, Celestia and Luna were known for their honesty, especially Luna, seeing as she was the elements former bearer.

Celestia let out a tired hum and laid her head down to rest. The days to come would be difficult and have serious long term consequences, but as she lay there in front of the blazing fireplace Celestia couldn't help but be confident. For she would never falter in her task and she would not fail.

Author's Note

What is goin' on people. Hope you enjoy this chapter, the main goal was character development and I think it went fairly well. On a totally unrelated side note I recently bought overwatch and that shit is so fun to play. If you don't have it you should cuz it's awesome. Anyway I'm liking the story so far and can't wait to write more chapters for everyone.