It got very boring, very quickly when you were frozen in stone and damned to a life as a statue in some pretty little pony’s garden. Discord knew this all too well from his years of personal experience. He had been forced to watch from a distance as his darling Screwball grew from a filly into a strong young mare. He had seen the filthy ponies that had trapped him in the first place grow and lead fulfilling lives. However the most insulting thing was that the princess whom had led them all went on to rule for many years and would likely rule for many to come. Discord didn’t know what he wanted more, revenge on the “pretty little ponies” or a return to his beloved world of chaos. However at this rate, he would never get either one. Yes it got very boring, very quickly being stone.
Chrysalis sat there in her throne room and thought. She thought about the pitiable state her army of changelings was in. She thought about her undying thirst for love and affection. She thought about the damnable ponies that thwarted her plan to rule Equestria. While she sat there and thought she became more and more infuriated. It wasn’t fair that she should be relegated to ruling a dying race. It wasn’t fair that Celestia should live a life of luxury while she rotted in her damp dark quarters. No. none of this was fair. She deserved better than her life of misery. Queen Chrysalis deserved to rule the ponies and the changelings. Queen Chrysalis deserved the finest champagnes and the most handsome stallions. Queen Chrysalis deserved to rule Equestria, not that misty eyed little princess Celestia.
The only problem was that there was not much Chrysalis could do. Her army was a shadow of its former glory and the changelings as a race were starving and rebelling. She couldn’t very well just march into Canterlot and declare herself ruler, and she couldn’t disguise herself again. The ponies were now all too wary of the changelings and their shape-shifting. Queen Chrysalis knew that the ponies had a spell to uncloak the changelings and reveal them for what they were. If Chrysalis was to have any hope of overthrowing the three sisters, she would need help.
Twilight had been feeling off all day. She had woken up with a feeling of dread and hadn’t been able to shake it. She was afraid to mention this feeling to her friends and she hardly wanted to bother the princess with what would undoubtedly turn out to be nothing more than a feeling. However the knowledge that everything was well in the world did nothing to quell her fears.
“What’s up Twilight”, Rainbow dash asked. Twilight turned and looked at her.
“Huh”, she mumbled.
“I asked you what was up”, Rainbow said. Twilight looked at her absentmindedly and said,” Oh nothing.”
“Is something on your mind”, Rainbow asked. Twilight shook her head. She was determined not to mention her fears.
“Don’t worry Rainbow”, Twilight said and turned away.
“If you’re sure”, Rainbow dash said even though Twilight could tell she didn’t mean it. She walked over to her desk where she had laid a book open and then forgotten it. The words “Mythical Beasts and Foes” were written on the spine. She looked down at the pages and tried to make sense of the words. She had turned to the page on Changelings, although she really didn’t think they deserved to be “mythical” creatures anymore, and had been continuing her studies concerning them. Twilight had become the leading expert on the Changelings in the years since they had threatened her beloved brother Shining Armor. God she missed Shining Armor.
Fluttershy tapped Twilight on the shoulder.
“It’s time to go”, she whispered,” Rarity is waiting for us.” Twilight nodded and followed her. This was Rarity’s special day she was going to see her filly off to Canterlot where she had enrolled in the schools of magic. Twilight did not want to spoil this momentous occasion for Rarity with her silly little fears. She followed Fluttershy out of the room.
As the sun rose on the open garden, Discord watched as a bird fluttered down and landed on his shoulder. He could almost feel its little talons digging into his soft flesh. If only he had flesh. However something told Discord that this would be a good day. He didn’t know what it was, he just had a feeling.
“Be gone bird”, he shouted and listened as it echoed through the garden.
“Shut up Discord”, shouted the guard that had been assigned to watch him. Discord growled, a deep sound emanating from low in his throat, and shouted an obscenity at the guard. He took pleasure in the fact that he maintained the ability to speak despite being cased in stone. Yes, he felt good about today.
Chrysalis had a good feeling about the day ahead of her. Something just felt…right. Like everything was going to go her way. She had even planned a short outing to Canterlot to survey the status of the princesses’ royal guard. It was her favorite activity, short of consuming the love of a couple that it, and she figured she might be able to fit that in as well. Chrysalis summoned her servants.
“Prepare the chariot”, she commanded.
“Yes my liege”, the two frightened ponies said. Just because her army was in shambles didn’t mean that Chrysalis didn’t still have some of her prisoners of war. After a few minutes the ponies returned to her throne room.
“We have done as you commanded”, they told her. Chrysalis smiled and walked out into the courtyard. She climbed into the waiting vehicle and snapped the reins.
“Onward and upward”, she said with a malicious smile.
Twilight and all her friends gathered around as Rarity and her filly stepped out of their carriage in a whirl of sequins and feathers... Rarity still commanded her love of flair and flamboyancy even after all these years.
“Come along little one”, she said to her filly Gem. Artful looked out from behind her and waved shyly to Twilight and her friends.
“Come and we’ll get you into school now, Gem”, Rarity said. She walked off with Artful following her. Rarity turned and looked at her friends. The age marks were so pronounced any more. She looked much older than her forty years. Twilight supposed that it was to be expected when one worked in as stressful of a field as Rarity did.
“Thank you all for coming”, Rarity said in a tremulous voice,” it means a lot to me.”
“It was nothing Rarity”; her friends all said in unity,” we wouldn’t miss it for anything.” Rarity smiled and a tear ran down her cheek.
….
Queen Chrysalis stepped out of her chariot and quickly donned the guise of a well to do unicorn. She liked to think of herself as a pony at times, liked to imagine that she hadn’t been relegated to her place in life and that she could be anything she wanted. Chrysalis took a deep breath and cleared her mind of all that sentimental nonsense. She had a goal and she wanted to achieve it. The first order of business was to stroll through the palace grounds and tally the number of guards. Content with this plan, Chrysalis walked off in the direction of the royal gardens.
Discord could just overhear the guards talking to someone. “Oh great”, he muttered to himself,” another damnable tourist come to gawk.” He sighed. He was Discord, not some pretty little statue to be displayed in someone’s garden. He wasn’t some sort of lawn ornament. He was the ruler of chaos… hell he was chaos incarnate.