You trot around your cell, dark but not damp. Sunlight filters high above you, obstructed by steel bars, swimming with a certain princesses golden magic. Oh my, how the mighty fall. You trot more, ignoring the judging and harsh look of a royal guard. You had gotten used to it, hadn't you? Looks of anger, betrayal, vengeance.
Your ears perked up, and your fangs bared in surprise, as three scrolls materialize magically, onto your bare desk. Nopony had been allowed to send you letters. Had they? If they had, why did some only come now? Not sooner? You rushed to the letters, and let out an annoyed hiss. On each letter were Starlight's cutie mark. Mocking you from beyond the grave, it seemed.
You opened the letter, and, in puzzlement, noted the heavy, near unintelligible calligraphy. There were also water stains on the paper.
So, you made it. Congratulations. You didn't perish, despite flying too close to the sun. I assume that that it feels as though you have perished, from your perspective, yes? After all, life in prison is worse than death. At least I believe so. This is in regards to your actions.
Do you understand what you did, Chrysalis? I wonder, do you regret your actions at all? You showed no remorse when doing them. Many died for what you did. Many perished under your attempted apocalypse. I knew several of your victims, you know. I'm hoping when I tell you of them, you'll feel a spark of remorse. Because what I'll do next could make or break the future, for the both of us.
I knew Fleur Dis Lee. Did you? Probably not. You didn't get acquainted with pony society, I believe. If you had, you would have known how to behave and act as another. Then again, I don't presume to know your story. But Fleur- I knew HER story. A fascinating tale, you know.
An ex royal guard, and a supermodel. What a diverse career, don't you agree? A shame that her life was cut short, before she could ever reach her full potential. She could handle fighting creatures, with strategy and all that. She saved me, you know- that's a story for another time. Unimportant. What DOES matter is that she was an amazing pony, I will tell you.
Anyhow, that supermodel career I mentioned? Due to her figure. Not many ponies look like she did. She had the exac body type of princess Luna, so I'm told. When I say she looked as beautiful as a princess, I mean it in the most literal sense of such words.
Despite this beauty, though, let me tell you, she didn't have the most amazing time, in regards to her appearance, when she was younger. Tallness began with lankiness, and thinness began with frailty. Fortunately, Equestria is the type of place that, despite it's judgment, is willing to change for the betterment of itself.
That's not to say she went judgement free of course. She was a model in an upper class society. And I don't know if you know this, but many ponies believe that being an upper crust pony is an excuse to behave however one pleases. Talk however one pleases, too. Undermining, and assuming, that's what many of them do. Fortunately, my very talent is socialization and interaction. For poor Fleur, this wasn't the case.
She had to learn to keep herself hush about the cruel things ponies would say. To deal with it, privately, without even talking to such cruel ponies. And strong mare that she was, she did just that. That was Fleur, do you understand? She was a strong unicorn, with physical and mental strength beyond even my comprehension. To top it off, she was intelligent.
Did you ever have to deal with such things, Chrysalis? Cruelty, judgement, and hardship? Change? Perhaps you feel you are experiencing it, now, within that cell?
No matter. Do you know what you did to her? She was infected by your disease, and she did what she would never do. She assaulted me- tackled me to the ground and tried to get a nip out of me. She succeeded. She bit me, and I
This was where the water stains came in, you noticed.
I killed my dear Fleur, in an attempt to preserve my own life. I had to, at the time. I was taking care of somepony- somecreature else, you see. I doubt you care. But somewhere deep down, I hope that for both of our sakes, you do. Why else would I send you the third scroll?
Perhaps you are curious on how I survived, without changing, yes? Well, Fleur had bitten me on my horn. It hurt, but I had responsibilities. And in an attempt to stop the infection from spreading, I removed my horn. Cracked it off. Let me tell you, going unconscious from a breakage of the horn is not the best feeling one can experience...
I had to change paper, my apologies. Now, is the time for me to speak of the others, who's lives you destroyed or ended, alright? I'm not going to talk about Starlight Glimmer, or anypony who you have killed directly. No, I don't believe your mind would change in the slightest for their sakes, as things are, now. But perhaps if you understand the everyday ponies I came to know through your cruelty, you'll give a flying feather.
I had to travel several cities, to get to the Crystal Empire. One city was a certain 'Manehatten'. I had never visited there, before. When I got there though, I found that it had been much like Canterlot, before the fall. In the 'busy' way, anyhow. By the time we had gotten there... They were eating through food stores. They were running out of food at a rapid rate, due to the lack of imported goods.
The starvation had driven them stark-raving mad, much like the Crystal Empire. Thanks to you. However, thank goodness, travelling Appleoosans had come with goods, before they could resort to cannibalism, like the empire. Now, to the important part. A pony I met in my travels, a young "Babs Seed".
She was all alone when I had found her. Her parents had succumb to the disease, and she had locked them in her bedroom. She was only a filly! The worse was yet to come. The poor thing hadn't had a thing to eat or do. She had only waited there, to die or be found. What else could she do?
She told me of how she'd take bullies any day, over what you'd done. She had been through a lot. She never told me this, but I can't help but believe so. Her sister had died. She missed the Apple family. Such a close family that stuck together through hard times, forced apart, incapable of contacting one another. Can you imagine such a thing, Chrysalis?
Have you ever been torn from those you hold dear, due to a change in your life, beyond your control? Have you ever been unable to adapt to this change, so harrowing? Perhaps when Starlight found a better way for your changelings and changelets? Maybe not. I'd like to believe so.
Now, how about one more? Ah, yes, perhaps this can get you to understand what you have done.
We- the companion I was travelling with and I- found one of her friends. A young changeling named Ocellus. She had a hard time. She couldn't exactly share friendship, nor did she have love to eat. So her food source and alternative were wrenched away from her, by you. Did you know, without friendship, a changeling would revert to their original, perpetually starving form?
Not even Ocellus did, according to her. Fortunately, my "travel buddy"- Yona was her name- gave her enough friendship for another transformation. But this took time, of course. It took a few days. But during those days, she displayed saddening behaviors she probably had to endure for awhile.
She avoided any reflective surfaces, and cried whenever she saw herself. She felt absolutely hideous and horrid, no matter what reassurances were thrown her way. She felt like she had turned into YOU. And anytime she thought about you, she hoped you were okay, in what seemed like the end, for you see, nopony KNEW it was you.
Unfortunately for her, the world was harsh. The cannibalistic Crystal Empire, much harsher, angered by your actions, Sombra's spell, and angered by changelings even further, didn't even give her a chance. I was too late to save her, for Yona and I had been imprisoned as well.
Have you ever been outcasted? Cast aside? Then cruelly destroyed by the world around you, which you had grown to know? Perhaps when you were all alone?
Do you understand what you have done, now, Chrysalis? Do you understand the plight of those you have affected? Who knows? I have a feeling there will never be a direct answer. How unfortunate.
You blinked slowly, thinking of your fallen kingdom. Your fallen leadership. The story of one of your former subjects.
Is this the end? Has the final curtain been drawn? What did you hope to accomplish with this? You got your vengeance, yes? But was vengeance the only reason you did this, Chrysalis? Did you do it for your pain? Did you do it in hopes of a gain?Do you have remorse for your actions? For the plight of others? Or do you only have remorse, for yourself? Either way, I'm going to give you something.
I must admit I'm weary about this. After all, you have proven yourself cruel, despicable, selfish, and unreasonable. But... Well, this is Equestria. This beautiful nation is my home. It's been hurt. It's changed, because of you, and the ponies within it have changed for the worse. This is a way to make amends. To us. To you. A way to save the place I love so much. This is a nation of forgiveness. We have forgiven and forgiven over and over again. In this world, even a monster like you can change and thrive. A changeling can change, as some say, and despite your actions, I wish you to, as well.
It can get better or worse, but I don't know. I never will. It's up to you. What will you do, Chrysalis? What ending will you choose for us? For yourself?
For now, whatever you have done, up to now, nothing will matter. They're still dead. You are being punished for your mistake. You made many mistakes. You don't understand this land, it seems. You never tried to understand. I asked what you were trying to accomplish, but I must also ask, What DID you ACTUALLY accomplish? Are you satisfied with the results?
You failed to be evil. You failed to destroy. You accomplished nothing but murder and misery. What did you achieve?
Try again.
There's a different way. There must be. You have a chance, Chrysalis. I am providing it to you. Think carefully about what you do next. I'm putting every creatures fate in your hooves. Including your own.
On the back of this scroll is a modified version of StarSwirls spell, intended for going back in time, several years. You can make amends. You can try to be your better self. If not? Ah, well. I won't really know if life had been better. Whatever you do won't make a noticeable difference to anypony.
Only YOU will know if the ending satisfies you.
A clock ticks above you, and wind blows in your mane. Above you is a portal where gears turn back the years in time.
Are you satisfied?
No?
Author's Note
This isn't really a sequel, as much as an AU of the AU. I won't explain the differences though, of course! If I did, I'd spoil the main story~.
