Equestria; Edge of the Badlands and Equestria; 1:00pm

For the past two hours, Chrysalis has been traveling with Ouros across the Badlands to the border of Equestria, during that time Chrysalis has been questioning why they aren’t using their respective powers to go to their destination. “Now now, no need for that, besides we can’t recklessly attract ourselves, so it’s best we don’t use any magic or whatnot.”

“So your saying that flight spell you use to walk on midair was magic?” asked Chrysalis.

“Oh no, that I can do naturally, I mean that I just don’t like using my powers… I get sleepy whenever I do so.”

Chrysalis grumbled to herself, the fact she was trotting by hoof to who-knows-where and is unable to use her now rejuvenated body… though it was probably smart to travel naturally than by flight or magic as that blast would of attracted some unnecessary attention. Right now for those past two hours they traveled across the Badlands and were reaching an opening between Macintosh Hills and Hayseed Swamps… but there was one problem.

Ahead of them was a guard outpost, with several building; five of them were sizable and block-shaped, mostly barracks to hold troops, one building had a red cross on it, another had a strange device on the top and was smaller than the other buildings, while another seemed to be some sort of hangar.

“Great, a guard outpost, ever since the incident with my invasion and that Tirek nearly taking over Equestria, the Equestrian military have improved and posted several outposts at all border entrances to Equestria, the one near the Badlands is the most heavily fortified out of the others from what my spies have told me… well… my spies when I was still queen,” said Chrysalis.

“Yadda yadda yadda, quit mentioning your previous occupation… Now for these guards though… been a while since I’ve been in combat,” said Ouros.

“What!? We are not fighting an entire army!”

“Meh, you call this an army, I’d hazard the numbers are roughly close to a company. Okay, I think if we sneak toward those hills, we might get a better vantage point… though we might be quickly spotted before we even can do so… okay, you be the distraction and I’ll head to the hills.”

“Who made you the leader?”

“Nobody, I just don’t like being the distraction, now hop to it young lady.”

Chrysalis was getting more and more angry with him the longer she was with him, but she knew what he was capable of and if she didn’t went along with his asinine plans… she be in a far worse fate. Standing up begrudgingly, she slowly approached the two guards stationed near the outpost, two torch posts placed near them.

The two guards were in a middle of a conversation, now usually Chrysalis would transform to some poor pony that gotten lost, but from the look that Ouros was giving her… he didn’t want her to transform. I swear if I get killed because of that psychotic moron, I’ll haunt him till he rots back at whatever hellhole he came from.

“So anyway, she was all interested in me but then Icy Night had to-” The guard speaking quickly saw the large silhouette in the darkness and after flashing a quick light spell, the form of Chrysalis was quickly illuminated before them. Not even pausing to stare, he fired a flare spell and screamed at the top of his lungs. “CHANGELING! WE GOT A CHANGELING!”

Immediately, a swarm of a nearly hundred guards – both Royal and Lunar Guard – rushed forth. Unicorns stood at the back with earth ponies posed and ready, pointing their spears and swords forth. Pegasi and thestrals flew above with crossbows pointed toward the ex-queen of the changelings.

“I thought the changelings were our allies now?!”

“They are, but the queen is still on high alert, we’re to capture her at all costs!”

“SURRENDER NOW, OR WE WILL USE FORCE!”

Chrysalis stood there and was tempted to blast them, but she was the distraction, gazing to the hill she expected Ouros to be… she found it empty with no signs of him being there. Where is he!? The lead guard shouting for her to surrender was getting more agitated, the guards themselves ready to attack her.

“Oh screw this! FEAR ME FOOLS, FOR I AM QUEEN CHRYSALIS, THE LAST QUEEN OF MY HIVE! COME AND FACE ME!” shouted Chrysalis, charging a spell.

“She’s firing a spell, attack, attack!”

The guards charged as a flurry of arrows and spells were fired at her while the earth ponies charged forth. Chrysalis casted a shield around herself as the spells and arrows bounced off, before charging forth and firing a swath of green flames. The flames licked against the guards causing them to back off while some didn’t manage to and ran past her whilst ablaze.

“Burn you worthless fools, burn like the pieces of feces you are! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!”

The guards then sent some of the pegasi off before they came back with several rain clouds, dousing the flames on their comrades and the ground, cooling and soaking it immediately. Soon after, the unicorns fired several frost spells, freezing the ground and covering Chrysalis in frost. The ice managed to freeze her to the ground, but not for long as Chrysalis broke free but as soon she did, she was pelted by arrows, one of them managing to slip through her chitin, piercing her back leg.

“ARRRGGHHHH!” Falling down, she was soon surrounded by several spears pointed at her, with the pegasi aiming right for any vital points.

“Last chance, surrender or we’re going have to tell the princesses that we had to do an immediate execution of you here and now!”

Spitting a glob of blood at the guard captain, Chrysalis watched as the captain nodded to the guards holding the spears, readying to pierce her… when something flew by and slammed against the guards. “What in Celestia was that!?”

Turning around, standing amongst the bleeding and defeated bodies of both the unicorn guards and some of the other guards standing near the entrance of the base, was a bipedal figure who was currently gripping one pony by the throat, choking him with his tight grip. “WHO THE BUCK ARE YOU!?”

“Oh me? Just your passing madman going by, I thought I nicely ask you fine gents to let my lady friend go, but you appear to be threatening her than giving her a proper trial. Now that is no way to treat a lass like her,” said Ouros.

“Are you insane! Do you have any idea who this is, either you surrender now or I’ll come there and beat you senseless!”

Ouroboros was still gripping tightly against the guard while gazing at his handy work, not seeming to pay attention to the captain’s threats. “I SAID DROP HIM OR WE’LL EXECUTE YOUR FRIEND!”

“I am nobody’s friend-”

“SHUT IT!” One of the guards slammed their spear at Chrysalis, and what occurred next was like a blur.

Guard Captain’s Perspective – Equestria; Badlands, Border Outpost; 1:25pm

The strange being gripped one of my guards by the scruff of his neck, but I can tell he was slowly choking him. When I heard that the queen of the changelings was spotted by the entrance facing the Badlands, I immediately prepared our forces to detain her. While a scuffle occurred with her, we managed to surround her… but apparently she wasn’t alone.

Now nearly a sixth of my guards are down on the ground bleeding from a single enemy that sneaked behind us. I thought we were at a crossroads and that we could bargain him to let my guard go and for him to surrender… that was until one of the rookies slammed their spear against Chrysalis… all hell broke loose.

First what happened was that the thing started to chuckle ominously to itself, before cackled crazily before it became silent… and continued to speak. “You want your friend… then, come, and, TAKE HIM!” It was so quick but with a turn of his heel he faced us, he was posed in a throwing position and he tossed, no, he threw the poor guard at one of our pegasi guards. He threw him so hard and fast, when the thrown guard made contact with the flying pegasus the two literally exploded into a cloud of viscera and gore as the guard that was thrown was barely recognizable. The pegasus fell with a splat on the ground, twitching from having a piece of his body missing.

The sheer brutality of the attack was so sudden… I soon felt a sudden weight to my body when I found myself face first to the ground.

Third-Person Perspective – Equestria; Badlands, Border Outpost; 1:28pm

The guard captain was knocked unconscious when Ouroboros rushed him and slammed him face first to the ground, a trail of blood coming from his snout. The guards would of attacked… but something felt off about this being; while changelings could easily sense the emotions of other living beings, ponies had a similar sixth sense, making them connect with their own better than other races.

The guards and even Chrysalis felt the sheer bloodlust and psychopathy dripping from him like a river, he was craving for blood and he would get it. “So… whooooo’s next?”

One of the guards charged forth, but as he took one step forward… his upper half was missing, the guards stared wide eyed as Ouros’ hands and arms were drenched in their comrade's blood as he literally tore through him with pure strength and speed. The upper half of the guard was several meters away from them, his expression of terror plastered on him like a freshly painted art piece.

Without pausing, Ouros lunged forth as he slaughtered them all with his bare hands, cackling maniacally; he smashed them, cut them open with his bare hands and sometimes he grabs them and chuck them so hard at one another they explode like balloons of blood. The pegasi and thestrals tried flying a safe distance, but it was a shock when suddenly this thing started literally climbing up in the air, like he was on a set of invisible stairs.

Grabbing one of the pegasi by the wing, he torn it off before he thrust his arm down the pegasus’ throat and tore out his guts, before using them to strangle another guard with them. One of the guards managed to get a hit, but all it did was nothing as he shrugged it off with it still inside his gut.

Charging midair toward the other fliers, the grounded guards ran away in fear back to the camp to get more backup. Chrysalis watched the literal slaughter, unable to move or breath, the fear the ponies exuded covered the blood soaked grounds like a thick fog, it was practically difficult for her to barely focus due to the vast amounts of negative emotions.

But the emotions that Ouros exuded… was beyond anything she has ever felt her long life. Something demented, crazed and bestial was being unleashed… and it wanted to continue its bloody hunt.

“WHERE ARE ALL YOU GOING, WE’RE NOT DONE YET!?” Chrysalis snapped out of her daze as Ouros charged into the camp with… he was clutching a dismembered leg and using it as a bloody club, smashing any guards into literal pulp. The original number of guards went down from the near two hundred stationed here to only thirty; the bodies of various guards were strung about like a messed up museum of guts and limbs.

The whole outpost was set ablaze when one of the guards tripped and dropped a torch into the stockpile of hay. Many either died being burnt alive or by Ouros, but the remaining survivors huddled, terrified in the middle of the camp.

Chrysalis finally got the nerve to move, approaching Ouros, wading through the carnage left behind. Those who were killed either fought back or would beg for their lives, deserting their posts before Ouros simply blasted them with an orb of black, eviscerating into nothing.

She watched as Ouros dragged the unconscious but still alive captain to the remaining guards; getting their attention, he smacked the captain awake, getting a groan before he faced the crazed smile of Ouros.

“Wakey wakey, smell the bacon,” said Ouros. “Been taking a bit of a dirt nap, but I think it's about time you listen to what I say next.”

The captain stared at the surrounding bloodbath and stared at his remaining guards, before he surprisingly glared back at Ouros. “What do you want?”

“Nothing, just wanted to mosey my way by but you had to be a dick and impede my path… even insulted and hurt the poor cute bug-girl too.”

Cute?

“Anyway, so I killed off your guards… well the ones that felt killing and should have been killed.” At the tone of his nonchalant words of murdering dozens of guards, the captain attempted to stand up, but was stomped to the ground by Ouros' foot.

“Ah ah ah, I ain’t done; you see… they deserved death, because I am the Father of Sin, I have the insight to see the souls of every being in existence… I can tell if they’ve been tainted. The survivors you see are only alive because they show some virtue or they are clean of this taint.”

“TAINT!? TAINT! AND WHAT ABOUT THAT FREAK OVER THERE, SHE HAS DONE AS MUCH WRONG AS ANYPONY ELSE!”

At the mention of her, Chrysalis face paled at the thought that Ouros would rip her in pieces because of her past crimes. However Ouros gazed at her before facing the captain with a psychotic smile.

“Her sins… I will carry them for her, for she deserves redemption from this sickly world… What wrong has she done in your eyes, hmmm? She sacrificed her chance at peace with your kind because she knew that none of you would accept her kind… Sure some lucky few manage to live peacefully with you ponies, but if you truly knew one’s true nature… do you really think you accept them for who they are… or what you perceive them to be.”

The captain stayed silent as Ouros was finishing his rant. “There are always rights and wrongs in this world, but if you let these choices warp who you choose to be… you’ll be drowned in the very sin you sought to avoid. One’s actions can never truly be forgiven unless the person keeps the conviction to follow what they believe in their head – whether it be wading themselves in blood or walking a path of righteousness… and you my poor naive fool have done the opposite.”

“What nonsense are you talking about!?” Ouros cackled as he grabbed the captain by the head and lifted him up, gazing deep in his eyes, to his soul.

“When I heard you threaten Chrysalis, I knew you lied… your leaders never wanted you to kill or harm Chrysalis, but to capture or report of any possible whereabouts of her… You thought by killing her or bringing her in by force you get extra money and fame by your leaders… and if that didn’t work… I know you planned to sell her off to darker sources.” Chrysalis and even some of the surviving guards gasped, the captain himself paled at all of this, realizing that he was screwed. “Oh… and I also know of the other acts you done in this camp… Hmmmmm, it appears you had a certain young guard stationed here two months ago suddenly go AWOL… though it’s strange to call a guard AWOL when he was being viciously mauled by bandits… Friends of yours?”

The captain was speechless but before he could speak, one of the survivors spoke. “Night Sky… you told me he went missing when he flew too deep into the Badlands… YOU TOLD ME MY BROTHER WAS BEING TOO RECKLESS AND GOTTEN LOST IN A DUST STORM!” The captain tried to speak, but say the disbelief and mistrust in his fellow guards' eyes – they knew what Ouros said was the truth.

“WILL YOU SERIOUSLY BELIEVE THIS FREAK OVER YOUR OWN CAPTAIN! YOU WILL BE COURT MARTIALED FOR THIS!”

“Now now, all will receive punishment, some sooner, some later… you however… I think I know the perfect one for those who lie and deceive one's own peers...” The captain tried to crawl away as best he could, but Ouros grabbed him by the foreleg, and pulled. With his leg ripped off, he screamed and wailed as he twisted and convulsed on the ground from his leg being torn off… but the pain wasn’t over yet.

“Your punishment… IS DEATH BY LEG!” Before he could scream in terror, Ouros began to viciously beat him with his own appendage, giggling insanely as the slow death throes of the guard captain quieted to gurgles until wet splats could be heard from having his own skull caved in with his own dismembered leg.

Dropping the improvised weapon, he stared at the remaining survivors before approaching them. The guards took a step back but the one who was crying over the truth of her brother’s disappearance cried on the ground.

The guard, a young female thestral was weeping before she looked up with her tear-stained face. “...Make the pain go away… I… I don’t want to remember any of this...”

“...That… I can’t do… but rest… and let your woes ebb, and be taken like the winds that carry the dust and ash of a worn torn battlefield. Rest… and let night take your pain away.” With a snap of his fingers, all the remaining guards, slept quietly, crowded together as the whole outpost burned around them.

Chrysalis soon approached; when she first heard the nation of Equestria and went to visit them, she heard reports of how her changelings were being chased off by the border villages. She wanted to change her kind's way of living from her mother, grandmother and past queens methods from before… but it changed when she received a report from a scout one day when a village of zealot ponies, captured and tortured one of her own.

Changelings can sense the emotions of one another, no matter the distance, it was how they managed to communicate, though they do this for more intimate and personal times… So it was when this changeling was being tortured and beaten to death, it pleaded for help from it’s queen and nearby changelings, but it was too late.

That was the day Chrysalis felt the pain and suffering of one of her changelings being merciless killed like an animal… and it was the day Chrysalis would see all living things - except changelings - as food… as worthless sacks of flesh.

But we are all flawed… no matter how much we may improve, we can never change what we were born with…

“Phew… I’m tired… maybe they got something to eat around here,” said Ouros, lazily walking into an intact storage building.

Chrysalis glowered at the weirdness that was Ouroboros; he radiated madness one second, another second he acts jolly and silly… and the next he acts like a beast hungering for blood and death… He was the literal incarnation of chaos, true pure chaos.

...I wonder… What would the world be like if he was around a thousand years ago…

“Oy Chrysalis, I found some FREAKING CHOCOLATE! Today is a day to celebrraaate! Haven’t had chocolate in a long arse time.” Maybe it was a good idea he wasn’t around back then… I’m pretty certain the world would end if he was around, left to his own devices.

“I HEARD THAT!?”

“Shit.”

Sometime later – Equestria; Canterlot, Canterlot Train Station; 9:35am

After the event that recently happened during the celebration, the party was short-lived afterwards as everyone went home or stayed at the nearby hotels. Twilight and company stayed in the guest rooms in the castle, ate breakfast in the morning and were heading to Ponyville. Cadance, Shining and Flurry were heading back to the Empire, while the respective other nations’ leaders were going back to their homelands.

Princess Celestia and Luna stood at the train station, saying goodbye to friends and family. However the strange phenomenon they witness the previous night was still fresh in their minds; Celestia send a squad of guards to the nearest outpost at the Badlands to gain support from them to investigate what caused it.

“That was an awesome party, but that weird explosion we saw really freaked everyone out,” said Rainbow. “What do you think happened, Twilight?”

“Maybe some sort overload of magic… but that would mean somebody had to have released said magic. The only ones I can think to have such strong magic is the princesses and myself.”

Celestia herself thought that too… but something felt off about that explosion, the strange energy it gave off wasn’t magic… but something else. Usually Celestia would get premonitions of some immediate power that would come to Equestria, but usually these premonitions come and go as they please… but nothing of the sort came.

Could it be possible that what made that blast wasn’t meant to do harm… but who or what would just blatantly unleash such powerful energy. “Twilight, I want you and your friends to stay in Ponyville. I’m not certain what had caused that explosion, but it’s best we know more before rushing forward. For now, report anything out of the ordinary until I call for you,” said Celestia.

Twilight bowed before hugging her as a farewell. “I will princess; come on girls, let’s head back home!”

As everyone made their way on the train, Luna approached her sister with a worried look. “You don’t think Chrysalis has anything to do with this? We haven’t heard news of her since she escaped the Changeling Hive.”

“Unlikely, she was weakened the last we saw her, for her to use that much power… No… something else is responsible… but wha-”

“PRINCESS! PRINCESS CELESTIA!” Turning around, Celestia recognized the pegasus guard approaching her being the one she recently sent to the Badlands outpost, after the party.

The pegasus guard was exhausted and his fur was matted from traveling from the Badlands and back to Canterlot. “What is wrong my little pony, did something occurred when you went to the outpost at the Badlands?”

“Princess… the outpost… it’s… it’s been destroyed!”

This shocked both Celestia and Luna, they were the only ones left on the station platform as everyone else had left onto their respective trains. Quickly checking if they were alone, Celestia cast a quick teleportation spell back to her chambers.

The guard collapsed but was helped back up by Princess Luna before the three sat in a circle on some beanbags in the princess’ room. “Speak, but don’t leave any details out,” said Luna.

So, the guard retold of him arriving at the outpost, to find it being burnt down; the grounds were littered with ponies, bleeding and dying. The site was so grotesque but he spoke each injury that the guards' stationed there to the princesses as best he could. He later found several survivors huddled just some distance from the burning outpost, apparently they woke up and found themselves in the middle of the destruction, before taking what was still remaining and camping outside rather than within the outpost.

“Was there any evidence of who was responsible for this?”

“No your majesty, nothing of physical note, but the survivors could remember what happened but just barely. All I managed to get was that the queen of the changelings, Chrysalis and an accomplice were responsible.”

So… it was how I suspected. “It appears we underestimated Queen Chrysalis… guard, I want you to report this to the captain of the guard here in Canterlot and send out recovery squads to the destroyed outpost. I also want you to tell the captain to reinforce the nearby outposts and towns near the Badlands. We aren’t certain which way Chrysalis has gone, but she couldn’t have gotten any further."

“Yes your highness!” The guard flew out of Celestia’s chambers window, Celestia herself gazed out the window, a determined look in her eye.

“Damn that Chrysalis, to think she go this far-”

“This wasn’t her doing… Luna… you don’t think the prophecy...”

Luna’s eyes widened before she glanced at the crude drawing of the being in question on Celestia’s desk, knowing full well that if this was all caused by that thing. “So… it’s finally happening, but are you certain this is all caused by… ‘that?’”

“...Father of Sin… Just what are you...” Celestia gazed at the blue skies, knowing that an ancient evil was wandering her lands.

Some distance from the Badlands – Equestria; 9:50am

After defeating the guards posted at the Badlands and looting what hasn't been burnt, Chrysalis and Ouroboros headed the opposite direction of the pathway toward some forests just east of what remained of the outpost. They traveled for another hour before coming across a small cave which they made into their camp.

Due to the previous events Chrysalis was too tired to watch during the evening, which left Ouros awake for the remaining hours. Now with the sun reaching the cave they were staying, sunlight touched Chrysalis sleeping form, rustling awake from a dreamless night.

The first thing she noticed was the now burnt out campfire and the missing Ouros; looking around for her traveling companion, she soon saw him looking through the items he snatched from their recent battle. Leaning down over his shoulder, she saw that he had various items splayed in front of him; there was several provisions, three water containers, some cloth for bandaging wounds, a map of Equestria, some blue potions and what appeared to be fruits.

“Is this all we have, I expected for you to have taken everything?” asked Chrysalis.

“Meh, just wanted the necessary things… besides, while I can’t starve or get thirsty, I enjoy the small things. The map though was useful but I have zero ideas what these blue bottles do?”

“Those would be mana potions, unicorns and other magical races use them to replenish their mana pools.”

“...The heck’s a unicorn?” This raised Chrysalis brow but before she could answer, Ouros went back to putting everything back except for the map and a single apple. Sliding the items into a satchel he snatched too, he stood back up with a stretch of his arms. “Welp I’ll figure it out later, time to go back on the road!”

Before leaving Ouros stomped on the campfire and any evidence of them being there before looking at the map one more time.

The map showed Equestria and the nearby lands, it was also an updated version so it showed the locations of the Crystal Empire and several new landmarks. “Hmmmm, can’t go to this Dodge-place, too close to that outpost we came from. So if we continue going east we should head to some place called… Boltamore?”

“Baltimare; my scouts told me its some sort of shipping city known to have a famous shipping yard, making it famous for import trades… Where exactly are we going to?” asked Chrysalis.

Examining the map once more, Ouros placed a single digit at the very top of the map, just above the Crystal Empire. Gazing where he was pointing, he was pointing at a landmark known as, Mount Everhoof. Her eyes going wide she quickly turned to glare at Ouros with a pleading and raged expression, but mostly raged.

“ARE YOU MAD- Wait, of course you’re mad! That’s Mount Everhoof, the tallest known area and mountain in the world! Why are we going there of all places?!”

“Well that’s a long story, but we’re not going there, I need to be there but not our exact destination. Where we are going… is just right over here.” Now pointing his digit again, he pointed further south of Mount Everhoof, just central of Equestria. There marked in the middle of the map was another famous landmark, the Everfree Forest.

Chrysalis gazed at Ouros with a blank gaze before sighing dejectedly. “That’s… even wooorse… Not only is that just moments from the capital, but several of the nation’s heroes live in the town beside it…”

Sighing to herself, Chrysalis looked up at Ouros who simply giggled madly and wrapped the map away and into the satchel wrapped around his torso. “So? Besides, we’ll be careful, now all we need to do is head to this Baltista-land, ask for quickest way to the Everfree. Voila! We’re there; and don’t worry about some obstacles, we’ll handle them just fine.”

That’s what I’m worried about…

“Oh ye of little faith,” said Ouros. Soon the two went back on foot and hoof, their destination now planned, they traversed through the forest. At some point, Chrysalis became curious and decided to speak to Ouros, though at some point, she was also wondering about something else.

Just what exactly is he, he just up and appeared before me without any explanation, and so far I’ve been dragged about to wherever he goes… but… why… does it feel like I know him from somewhere… As if we met before…

“Ahhhh, we arrived,” said Ouros, interrupting Chrysalis thoughts. Looking ahead, they reached the edge of the forest and ahead of them was the city of Baltimare. They stood upon a cliff so they got a good view of the giant port with various ships docked and floating on the crystal clear waters. The city was made around a semi-circle lake, making it a beautiful sight to behold. It was one of the few coastal cities in Equestria, famous for both locals and travelers.

Before they headed straight to Baltimare, Chrysalis stopped Ouros before they advanced. “Hold up, how exactly are we going to get there without attracting attention. Unlike me, I can change my form, but you’ll stick out like a sore hoof?”

Ouros lowered Chrysalis' hoof and made his way to Baltimare, a grin that held all the wrong meanings. “I have my ways, but besides… we won’t be here for long.”

Chrysalis watched with an annoyed glance but sighed, following behind to what she imagined would be her inevitable doom. “He’ll be the end of me,” said Chrysalis, muttering to herself.

The duo approached the city of Baltimare, one annoyed and angry at everything, the other insane and possibly the most terrifying being in existence. If there was one thing these two shared, they both had a goal to reach… but how far will they go to get it?

Author's Note

What dark secrets are held within that psyche of madness; Ouroboros is an enigma within an enigma, but what history does he play in the ancient past of this world? Celestia and Luna are getting reports of some disturbing news, just how will they respond in kind to this new and mysterious foe? Chrysalis plans to enact her revenge, but with things now going her way will she hold faith onto this strange being... or go back to her scheming ways?

Madness awaits those to continue on, hold fast... because it'll get weirder and bloodier.

Thoughts: Chrysalis
Celestia