Memory's a Fragile Thing

by TheBestGamer

Rating: everyone
Tags: Starlight Glimmer, Queen Chrysalis, Slice of Life, Alternate Universe, Main 6, Changelings, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 2786

The explosion caused by all the love from the changelings seemed to work well to defeat Chrysalis. Though, perhaps a bit too well.

Equestria has been saved, all the important ponies have been saved, and through all of that the changelings have been reformed. With the exception of one.

As all the ponies escaped from their cocoon prisons they all see that the battle wasn't over yet once Chrysalis emerges from the rubble of her destroyed throne. They were all getting ready for the final showdown and put an end to evil tyrant's ways, however, once she emerged they all saw that something bad has happened.

Apparently the explosion the love from all the reformed changelings has caused was too much for Chrysalis to handle and in doing so caused the former queen to develop amnesia. Absolutely no memory of anything not even her own name.

Starlight Glimmer, however, sees this as an opportunity to make a new friend and she's willing to take the risk.

Published 2018-08-19 08:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2018-08-19 08:20:01 UTC

That One Opportunity

It was finally over. Starlight Glimmer and her group of friends saved the elements of harmony, the Royal Sisters, Shining Armor, Princess Cadence, and new princess Baby Flurry Heart, and all without the use of magic. Though they didn't do it alone. With the inspiration of the newly transformed Thorax the other changelings followed suit and with their help they have defeated Chrysalis and saved Equestria once again, all while being transformed along with Thorax.

Twilight moved out of her cocoon and stood in front of her pupil with both shock and unrelenting pride. "Starlight," Twilight asked looking up at her. "What happened?"

"We defeated the changelings with no magic at all, they found a new leader, and... they're all kinda... good now," Starlight explained to Twilight the best she could.

Princess Luna walked toward the both of them, looked toward Starlight and said, "Well done, Starlight Glimmer. It seems as though you've learned a great deal since we last spoke."

Twilight looked at Starlight confused about what Luna had said making Starlight give her a look that said 'I'll tell you all about it when we get home'. But then, just as they all came to terms about the recent events, each and every one of them, ponies, dragon, draconequus, and changelings alike, heard a sound coming from the rubble of the destroyed throne. They looked and saw that some of the rubble was moving around.

Which to them only meant one thing.

All the ponies, changelings, Spike and Discord got into a fighting stance, realizing that the fight wasn't over just yet. The only one that didn't take a fighting stance was Starlight, a part of her actually being concerned for the beaten changeling queen's well being. After all she was standing on top of the throne when it exploded. Another part of her was confused about Twilight and her friends and the way they are taking this situation, Chrysalis may have captured all of them but even they would be wondering if she was alright. If at least a little bit.

Chrysalis raised her insect like hoof out of the rubble, raised the other one, and pushed herself out of the rubble and into the open area. Her eyes were shut pretty tight, trying to reduce the pain in her head while also rubbing her head with her hoof. Starlight was relieved that she was alright, no permanent physical damage apart from a few scratches. Starlight's moment of relief however, was short lived when she saw that Chrysalis's horn was broken in half. Chrysalis, groaning while still trying to reduce the pain in her head, started to slowly open her eyes to take in her surroundings, however, once she did she looked upon the angry group.

She looked at all of them, filled with confusion as to what's going on. Why do they all look so angry?

About ten seconds or so went by and Discord starting looking confused himself saying out loud to no one in particular, "Why is she just standing there doing nothing?"

Chrysalis blinked a couple times, not understanding the question. She looked behind her to see if he was talking about someone else, but didn't see anything.

Rainbow Dash started getting agitated about what Chrysalis was doing. "Alright what's the deal here," She asked making Chrysalis look back toward them. "Is this supposed to be some kind of act?"

Chrysalis started looking more confused at what she said. After five seconds she asked the cyan blue pegasus, "Are you talking to me?"

"Okay now this has to be your most desperate act ever," Rainbow said with mock laughter. "Well you can quit it already. Face it, you've lost. So just take it like a grown up and deal with it already."

"Do you really expect us to believe this," Applejack asked getting as agitated as Rainbow.

"Believe wha-" Chrysalis cut herself off as she accidentally stepped on something that, within contact, cracked. She looked down and saw that it was something that looked like a horn. She picked it up and saw that, with the exception of the crack she just caused, that it looked like it was broken in half. So where was the other half?

Spike looked shocked at the thing that Chrysalis picked up and poked Twilight, getting her attention. "Is that her horn," Spike asked her.

"Yes it is," Twilight answered looking down at Spike. "Now she no longer has any control of her magic."

Spike looked back at Chrysalis and asked, "Well that's good right? She can't shape shift or anything like that now right?"

"It's a little more complicated than that," She said looking back at Chrysalis, continuing her scowling.

Starlight decided not to pay too much attention the core group and focused more on the fallen queen. She couldn't quite put her hoof on it but something about the queen and the way she's acting right now doesn't really feel right. She invaded Equestria and when that didn't work she captured all of the important ponies and imprisoned them. Now for some reason she acts like nothing in her life has ever happened, almost as if she has forgotten everything in her life.

Starlight blinked a couple times and after a couple seconds she gasped.

She started moving closer to the fallen queen which caused Twilight to be concerned. "Starlight what are you doing," Twilight asked her student. "She's the enemy." Starlight didn't pay her any heed and kept walking towards Chrysalis.

Hearing some pony walk toward her Chrysalis looked away from the horn she was holding in her hoof and saw the light purple unicorn in front of her. Maybe she could shed some light on some things for her. "Um...excuse me...miss, but do you know where the other half of this horn is," Chrysalis asked Starlight holding the broken horn.

Starlight started to get worried, now thinking that her hypothesis on this situation was correct. "That's yours." Shocked at hearing that, Chrysalis placed her hoof on her head again and this she felt the place where her horn should, only to feel half of it still there along with cracks within it.

To say that this was shocking as well as odd was an understatement to the rest of the group, though a select few of them still don't believe in what Chrysalis is doing. Going from a tyrannical ruler of the changelings one moment into a changeling that acts like she was just born. A couple members of the group were a little bit concerned about this situation, one of which is Princess Luna who agreed with Starlight, believing that something wasn't right about this.

A moment later Luna started moving toward Chrysalis, near Starlight, confusing every pony especially Celestia. "Sister what are you doing," Celestia asked Luna.

"Just give me a moment sister," Luna replied.

Chrysalis looked over at the second pony to come towards her, but before she could ask her anything Starlight beat her to it. "Princess Luna do you know if anything is going on," Starlight asked surprising Chrysalis with the knowledge that she was in the presence of a princess and that these two ponies do know something about what's going on.

Rainbow Dash however, was still not buying it. "Starlight please tell me your not buying what she's saying."

Princess Luna turned her head over to glance at Rainbow Dash, as well as any other creature who was about to say the same thing, and said, "Please give me a moment."

Luna moved a little closer to Chrysalis and then used her magic on her. Being the pony who can travel through other ponies dreams she can use it to also scan a creatures mind to see their memories and/ or brain waves for something like this. After a moment of using her magic on the fallen changeling she has finished, looking completely shocked beyond belief. All the time she and the rest of ponies behind them have known her they have never wanted something as bad as this, or worse, to happen to her.

Luna looked back over at Starlight, who was right near her, and seeing the shocked expression on Luna's face told Starlight all she needed to know. Her fear of what happened to Chrysalis was in fact true. But, even though Princess Luna's expression said it all Starlight still had to see for herself. Luna turned around and moved back to the group leaving Starlight alone with Chrysalis again.

When Luna got back to the core group Twilight stepped up and asked, "Princess what did you do?"

Princess Luna shook her head, lowered it, and answered, "It's as I thought." Princess Luna looked into Twilight's eyes and continued. "Due to the explosion Chrysalis appears to be suffering from amnesia."

To say that every creature there was shocked at the news was an understatement. Beating your enemy and making them surrender their plan for taking over Equestria was one thing, but this was an entirely other thing on it's own, something that no pony, nor dragon and draconequus would have wanted upon them. "She's what," Fluttershy asked filled with both disbelief and concern.

"Princess please tell me that she just trying to trick you," Rainbow Dash said starting to feel a little unease.

Princess Luna shook her head. "I used my magic to look into her mind wave lengths and doing so looked into her memories to see if there was anything there. However, when I looked through her there was nothing there. The only memory I saw there was when she just woke up from the explosion." Luna hung her head down and said, "Other than that there is no memory left."

They didn't want to believe it but the evidence was right there in front of them. Chrysalis truly has forgotten everything. Both Shining Armor and Cadance didn't know what to think about this. She tried to ruin their wedding day and now she captured themselves as well as all of their loved ones and they only thing that they would have done to her would be imprison her. Having this happen to Chrysalis however, is something completely cruel. The only thing that worse than this that they could think about was death and the very thought of that is enough to make both of them throw up.

She was their enemy but this was just unthinkable.

Looking back over at both Chrysalis and Starlight Glimmer they tried to make out what they were saying. "Excuse me," Starlight asked Chrysalis. "Do you know who I am?"

Chrysalis looked Starlight over and gave her a confused look. "No, I can't say I do," Chrysalis said. She however, thought of something else and asked, "Do you know who I am by any chance?"

"She doesn't even remember he own name," Starlight thought realizing the situation was worse than they thought.

Hearing what they were saying Twilight turned to all of her friends and said, "This is terrible, she doesn't remember her name."

Trying to make light of the situation Pinkie smiled and said, "Ooh, ooh golden opportunity, let's give her a fake name and tell her that she came from the circus."

"Pinkie this is serious", Twilight said.

Rainbow stepped up and said, "I think we should do that, that's the least we should since she pony napped all of us."

Before Twilight could tell them off they heard Starlight talk again and turned toward her once again. "Your name is Chrysalis, you were the ruler of the changelings, and..." Starlight hesitated for a moment. "You were...evil."

Pinkie rolled her eyes and said, "Wasted opportunity."

Chrysalis blinked and said, "Evil...what do you mean?"

Taking a deep breath Starlight said, "You commanded the changelings to invade Equestria, pony nap all the important pony figures, and steal their love for consumption."

"I don't remember any of that," Chrysalis said looking down and staring at her broken horn once again.

Seeing the sight of Chrysalis in this state was heart breaking for Starlight. For her she was staring at some creature who was in fact the same exact state that she was in when Twilight offered her a chance for redemption. That's when Starlight realized that there might not be any other chances for this. "Chrysalis if you want I can help you," Starlight said making Chrysalis look up at her.

Rainbow Dash's eyes grew wide with surprise and shouted, "ARE YOU CRAZY!!! You want to help the one who put us all in those slimy prisons."

Starlight turned toward the group and said, "Yes I do."

"WHY WOULD ANY PONY WANT TO DO SOMETHING AS STUPID AS THAT," Rainbow Dash shouted. "I mean trying to reform an enemy, nothing good can ever come from that." Saying that made Starlight raise her eyebrow at Rainbow in a motion that told her 'are you being serious right now'. Rainbow however, didn't catch that and simply asked, "What?"

"You seriously believe that befriending an enemy isn't good?"

"Darn right that's what I'm saying," Rainbow said still not getting while all her friends looked at her worryingly for they did get it. "I mean an enemy is an enemy for life. Can you think of one time that...that...actually......." Rainbow stopped what she was saying as she looked behind her to see Discord, Trixie, Princess Luna, and all the Changelings who have in fact been reformed after helping them. She then looked back at Starlight and after thinking it over she realized what she was saying. "Oh...right." Trying to keep her composure Rainbow dash added, "Well...this is different because-"

"How is it different?" Starlight said getting a little annoyed.

"Well...Chrysalis kept us imprisoned so she can steal the love from Equestria-"

"Um...Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy shy tapped Rainbow making her turn toward Fluttershy as she continued, "I think that is kinda like what Starlight did with us. Except she tried to brainwash us."

"Yeah thinking about that, that kinda sounds a little more evil than what Chrysalis did," Pinkie Pie said catching what they were saying.

"Yet it seems fine that you except me as a friend," Starlight said.

Hearing all this Princess Luna decided to back up Starlight and said, "I also think that it would be a good idea to try and befriend Chrysalis."

"You too," Princess Cadance cut in.

"Are you saying that you agree with what Rainbow Dash was saying," Princess Luna said turning toward Cadance.

Cadance thought about for moment and said, "No I'm not." What she said surprised most of them, Shining Armor especially. "Don't get me wrong I'm still angry about what happened during my wedding, but now," Cadance looked over at Chrysalis who was being looked after by Starlight, "I don't think she should be much of a problem."

Shining Armor however, was going to back up what Rainbow Dash said. "Cadance are you seriously going to forget what she just did?"

"No I'm not," Cadance said to Shining. "But I'm also not going to be some pony to always hold a grudge especially when the one who did something wrong is in a state like this." Shining looked over at Chrysalis and then back at his wife followed by sigh of disbelief.

Princess Luna moved away from Cadance and Shining Armor and close to Chrysalis and Starlight. "Starlight Glimmer, do you truly wish to help Chrysalis," Luna asked.

"I do," Starlight replied.

"Then I believe I speak for all of us when I say that we trust you to help Chrysalis and befriend her." Princess Luna turned to Chrysalis and said, "Chrysalis, I'm sorry about what happened to you but I can assure that any help you need Starlight here can help you."

Chrysalis looked over at Starlight and said to Luna, "You think she can help me with my memory?"

"I'm not sure but I do have faith in her," Luna said winking at Starlight. "You just need to stay with Starlight at all times and can guaranteed that she can help you."

After a moment of thought Chrysalis said, "Then I'll accept her help." Starlight and Luna smiled at that though Starlight thought that Luna might have known that Chrysalis would have said that earlier.

Back over at the group Twilight looked at her student and said, "I do hope that she knows what she's doing."

Princess Celestia said, "I do believe she might, after all she learned all about friendship from the best teacher possible."

Author's Note

If you're wondering if there will be more don't worry there will be more. I just have to figure out what to do for a story that will come after this one.