A Demon's Deal

War was starting to take its toll on the world of Equestria. It had affected ponyville to the highest extreme. There were burnt husks of houses and skeletons of wagons and push carts. The remaining houses were beaten, windows broken, and doors flung off of their hinges. Things were carelessly thrown into the street by Diamond Dogs and other thieves rummaging through what people had left behind when they left for safety or died trying to protect their homes. Even the apple family orchard had fallen prey to violence and destructive magics. The local library had been freshly destroyed, along with a few select other buildings. Some ponies came back from the safety of the castle, not to get things they left but to destroy anything there. The town was forsaken and any pony that tried to bring something back was shunned, beaten, or even killed by the others. Everypony said the town was cursed, that it had changed from its happy self and turned into some kind of... monster.

The princess, or who the people thought was the princess, welcomed anyone with open arms. She looked into anyone who came and seemingly peered into their soul. Nopony left once they arrived at the castle, not because they were forced, but because they did not want to. No matter how reluctant they once were, after one glance by the princess they felt comfortable and overjoyed to be around her. To them they were her savior, their protector and they loved her for it. Discord no longer came to bother them, not while they were at the castle. The Diamond dogs, who for some reason started to attack the village a little after discords first visit, did not attack them, not at the castle. Everypony loved living on the castle grounds no matter how under nurished, dirty, and sick they became they did not want to leave. It was better than anywhere else, why leave?

“WE HAD A DEAL! I am the one who snuck you in here, I told everypony to go to the castle. Without me no one would be here, you would have never gotten were you are now!” Trixie yelled at Chrysalis, who was in the form of Celestia, in her sleeping quarters. “I planned this out, I am the brains of this operation! I am this operation!”

“HA! You  the reason for the operation!” Chrysalis said with a chuckle. “It was the original plan to let you get what you want but, I think plans have changed. My army is disguised as the ponies that Discord took away. These ponies are so desperate and are just throwing their delicious affection my way. I have been able to stay in this form in my sleep! The power I have rivals that oaf Discord!”

“I don't care about you. I care about my book!” Trixie glared at Chysalis, disgusted by how perfect her transformation are, even the speech pattern of the princess has been perfectly copied. It sent shivers down Trixie's spine that she could do this with anypony. “I just want access to library. Just let me past the guards and I will be on my way.”

Chrysalis laughed in her own, original laugh, with complete disregard for being caught. “You know to much you little pest.” Chrysalis's horn began to glow and she stood up from her beds comfort. “I don't think you will be leaving here.” She said in calm confident voice.

“WAIT WHAT!” Trixie screamed. “I, umm, what! I.. I... I am sure that, ha, we could work this out right!” Trixie tried to weasel her way out of harms way. “I will leave right now! Ya that's it! I will leave and you never have to see me again, ok?” Trixie turned towards the door and raised her hoof to the handle.

“Stop right there.” Chrysalis's horn had dimmed down, “I can see you don't want to die. So how about I lock you in the dungeon instead?”

Trixie was frozen with fear. She was shaking violently and began to say prayers to anyone who would listen to her hushed words. She craned her neck as to face chrysalis. “I... I could just leave...” Chrysalis advanced on Trixie and loomed over her. Her horn glowed like the sun she now moved everyday. “I... umm... which way was the dungeon again?” Chrysalis grinned and motioned Trixie out the door.

“Don't worry, I will bring you there. Wouldn't want you to get lost now would we?” Chrysalis chuckled.

Chrysalis tailed Trixie throughout the castle, giving her no way to escape. Trixie began to panic as she walked, dreading every step. She look around frantically trying to escape. She talked a big game but without the book she so desired she was powerless against the powerful princess of the changelings. The princess was powerful alone but all the excess affection in the area was making here grow more powerful every second. She was the center of attention, just as planned. Trixie knew the plan in and out but could not stop the monster she had helped set in motion.

Chrysalis shadowed Trixie into an almost stereotypical dungeon. The smell was musty as they climbed down the spiral staircase towards what Trixie could only assumed was eventual, unpreventable  death. She hated every second of this walk. Chrysalis her supposed friend, assistant in starting this take over, was breathing down her neck as they walked. She gave a smile to the guards and acted as the princess would. Trixie didn't speak to anyone. She didn't call for help, she didn't tell anyone that this princess was fake. She was not very good at removing magical cloaks, she was not as good as she wanted to be.

“Chyr... Celestia are you sure you want to this. I won't say a thing I promise. I will act as though nothing has happened.” Trixie tried one last time to get Chrysalis to let her go free. Chrysalis did not say anything as she motioned for a guard to grab the cell keys and prep one for Trixie. Trixie's expression changed from one of discouragement and fear to one of anger and spite. “I knew you were untrustworthy, conniving changeling. Your kind as a whole will never be accepted in any culture. We can't trust you farther than we can throw you!”

Chrysalis laughed at Trixie. “You are right we will never be accepted. I am their leader and as long as that remains true the only thing we changelings will do is get continuously stronger and stronger, and I will remain more powerful than any of them.” Chrysalis's horn glowed and without warning she grabbed Trixie by her cape with a green glowing hand that seemed to generate out of thin air. Chrysalis seemed to lift Trixie into the air without as much as a twitch. The hand she generated was huge, like nothing Trixie had ever seen. Trixie was amazed, she had never seen anypony that was so powerful. I... I don't think that even Celestia or Luna could stop her, not even toghether. The Great and Powerful Trixie felt small and feeble against this unbelievable force.

The guard walked over and dropped his spear in sheer shock. “Pri-pri-princess what.... what are you doing doing?” The guard shakily reached for his spear. His hoof was inches away from his spear when was thrown against the wall by another giant fist. He struggled to get upright and spat a small amount of blood onto the dungeon floor. “Your... your an imposter!” The guard turn tail and ran but did not get far. He was pierced through the flank with his own spear, pinning him to the wall. “You won't get... away... with... this.” He growled at the princess through gritted teeth. He tried to say more but Chrysalis wrapped her magic fist tightly around his neck.

“What a shame. You were so loyal to your princess.” She laughed as he struggled to try and pull the spear from the wall. “I love it when you pony's struggle to get free.” A pool of blood was beginning to form at chrysalis feet. The warm sensation of blood running across her hoofs seemed to fill her pleasure. “I am the queen of the changelings, NO, the queen of Equestria, and you will not change that. NO ONE WILL!” She squeezed whatever life the poor guard had left out of him and threw Trixie into the cell that he had prepared. “Rot you worthless unicorn.” She slammed the door and locked it tight. She began to walk away but turned to the cell. She threw up a barrier around Trixie's cell and walked away.

Trixie was in shock. Not because of what Chrysalis did but what she didn't do. She left Trixie alive! I.. I AM ALIVE!!! Trixie screamed in her mind. Hopefully she forgets about me for a while so I can plan my daring escape and get my book.