A thunderous boom reverberated through the imperial palace, its crystalline walls shrieking from fractures cracking the pristine surface. Applejack rocked herself out of bed in a jiffy, but another blast threw her down to the floor.

“What in tarnation?”

With no time for mane ties, she grabbed her hat and bolted for the door, nearly tripping once or twice from the constant explosions. Applejack barely managed to get a hoof on the handle and pull it open before another one could stagger her. She was met with a yelp of surprise from Sunburst on the other side.

“Applejack!” he cried with strained relief. “Thank the stars you’re okay.”

“A bit roughed up, but no worse for wear. What the hay is going on?”

“It’s terrible! Chrysalis has gone on a rampage!”

“What? But that’s—”

Another burst rocked the castle, stumbling Sunburst forward. Applejack reached out, catching the stallion before he fully toppled over. He was surprisingly light for being on the doughy side. She couldn’t even feel him, but maybe that was the shock of it all talking.

“Thanks, Applejack. We have to stop her!”

“Where is she? Maybe I can—”

“There’s no time! Prince Shining Armor is barely fending her off as it is and I can’t find the princesses. We have to find a way to help him stop her!”

Applejack couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This was far beyond even her worst nightmares. Luckily, she had her failsafe. Taking her hat off, she reached for the lunar amu—

“Look out!”

Sunburst jerked them to the side, making Applejack lose her grip on the hat. It blew back into her room just as the floor above crashed through the doorway.

Applejack took a second to catch her breath after nearly getting buried alive. “Thanks for the save. Help me move those rocks—”

“Oh no… no-no-no-no! If the structure’s been compromised, then we need to get out, now! The whole tower could collapse at any moment!”

“But if we could just—” Another crystal-shattering boom shook the floor, interrupting any counterargument she could raise.

“There’s no time! Follow me!” Sunburst shouted before galloping away.

The farmer hesitated, wondering if she should try bucking the boulder out of the way. If they could summon Luna, then maybe—

The ground rumbled with the sharp crackle of crystals fracturing beneath her hooves. If she didn’t start moving now, there wouldn’t be a floor to run across. Cursing under her breath, she sprinted after Sunburst, hoping that the collapsing castle would also break the amulet. It didn’t take much running to catch up with the slower mage, who’d stopped at a doorway.

“Which way, Sunburst?”

The stallion chewed on his lip as he looked between the earth pony and the door. “This is an old emergency stairwell leading down to Foundation Square, but that’s also where His Highness is fighting Chrysalis. We can’t just go down there without a plan.”

“No, that’s good! If she’s right down there, then maybe I can talk some sense into her.”

Sunburst jaw nearly hit the floor. “Are you crazy? She’ll vaporize you the moment she sees you!”

“You don’t know her like I do. There’s gotta be a reason she’s all riled up.”

Applejack tried to think back to what happened yesterday, but she couldn’t focus with the adrenaline running through her veins. There was a fight. Chrysalis had gone with Twilight after… something. Everything was just so foggy. The harder she tried to remember, the murkier it got. Why couldn’t she remem—

“Listen, Applejack, We need to think of something, anything that can help us sneak past her. I don’t think she’s in a receptive mood, no matter how well you know her.”

“Unless you got a better idea of calming her down, I ain’t seeing any alternatives.”

“Well, no. But that’s because I haven’t been able to find Princess Twilight. She’d know how to stop all of this, once and for all.” His gaze shot over Applejack. “Unless Chrysalis told you how to stop her, too.”

Applejack’s blood ran ice cold. “You can’t be seriously thinking…”

“I know, I know! But what are we supposed to do?”

“Anything but that!”

“It might be the only way to save the empire! Do you know how we can stop her?”

Applejack gritted her teeth. “Even if I did, I wouldn’t betray her like that! If you wanna make a break for it while I try to talk her down, that’s fine by me, but I ain’t—”

Just as she was about to spill her heart, a purple bolt struck the stallion’s chest, launching him down the hallway. He tumbled over and under before flopping down in a heap beneath his cloak.

“Good morning, Applejack,” a mockingly monotone voice called out.

Twilight Sparkle, or something like her, stumbled towards her friend. The princess’ coat was a matted mess of muted purple with sweat and criss-crossing streaks of red, fresh from battle. Despite her wounds, it was her eyes that were the most striking. They glowed a familiar, sickly emerald green with an almost impossible intensity.

“Twi…” Applejack barely muttered above a whisper.

“Her Obsidian Majesty, Queen Chrysalis, has requested your audience.”

Twilight’s droning voice made AJ’s skin crawl. The mare was completely enthralled and then some, stripped of every shred of emotion. Her eyes didn’t move at all, only listlessly gazing and shining out like flashlights. Every shambling step jerked awkwardly, like a marionette with tangled strings. She wondered if her friend was still alive under all of that magic.

“I’ll go with you, Twi. But first, let me check on…” As Applejack turned around, she didn’t see horn or beard hair of the unicorn. Had he run off while she was distracted? It was like he just—

“Apple… jack…”

Her ears twitched at the barely whispered name. She whipped back around to see Twilight, the alicorn underneath, struggle through the spellwork keeping her bound.

“Chrysalis… you have to stop Chrysalis…”

“I know. Let’s get you some help first and then I’ll go talk—”

“No!” she cried, her anguish breaking her voice. “You have to tell… please! Tell him how to stop her! I can’t! I can’t get her out of my mind!”

“Sunburst? I don’t even know where he went!”

“Not him! Shining Armor! Tell His Highness how to stop…” Twilight grabbed her head, screaming as her voice split into a two-toned shrill. Finally, she fell back as a spiraling flare of purple and green engulfed her. The alicorn’s purple coat was slowly consumed by black chitin from her hooves. It wrapped up and around her head, devouring her wings and burning her mane into a gossamer amethyst.

Applejack stepped forward cautiously. “Twilight?”

The mare’s eyes flared open, revealing queenly, predatory pupils behind them. She hissed and lunged forward, pushing them both through the door. They flew past the floor and fell through the center of the tower, with the world falling away into an endless spiral of stairs. Faster and faster they plummeted into the dark abyss. There was no way to know when they’d hit the bottom, but before finding out, blinding, purple flames encircled everything around them and burned it all away.

“Applejack!”

The mare slowly opened her eyes as she shook the dizziness away. As her surroundings came into focus, she wished she hadn’t.

Applejack had woken up behind Prince Shining Armor and his shield. The stalwart stallion wielded the flicking Crystal Heart, barely holding his ground in the face of the encroaching darkness. His Imperial Armor hung threadbare off his shoulders, tattered and broken beyond use. Still, he held his own against a furious rain of magical bolts. Beyond the barrier was a wasteland. There was no castle tower, nor any buildings left standing. The entire empire had been shattered, reduced to crystal shards, and burned in emerald fire.

“Are you okay, Applejack?” the prince asked through his panting.

“What in the world happened?”

“What do you think?” he shouted as his shield deflected a green blast of energy. “Chrysalis has taken the Empire! We have to get help!”

“Help from where? There ain’t nothing left!”

“I don’t know, but we have to do something! Is there anything that we could use against them? Anything at all?”

“Let me talk to—” Before she could finish, the changelings above fired another deafening volley, sending cracks through his shields.

“Please, Applejack!”

“Darling…”

Buzzing above them was a changeling swarm, a new one made up of former crystal ponies. Leading them was a sickeningly familiar royal changeling with a blanket of rosy gossamer draping her and her precious nymph cradled at her chest. The little princess turned her head and opened her eyes, revealing the same slitted irises as her mother, burning with unending hunger.

“Cadance? No.” The Prince faltered as tears pooled in his eyes. “No, please!”

“Come now, my love.” Another, far darker timbre purred, joining the chorus of her new hive. “Stop fighting and come join your family.”

A towering pillar of blinding emerald light shot up from the ground, shattering and melting the crystals in its mighty wake. From the depths of the underworld arose a monstrous, twisted changeling, twirling skyward with unfathomable power stolen from an entire nation of loving ponies. The very air burned into an acrid vapor from the sheer toxicity of her presence. When she deigned to open her eyes, the sky itself turned green.

“Shining Armor,” Queen Chrysalis whispered with sadistic glee. “Stop this foolishness and surrender that little heart to me. I promise to be gentle, my lovely prince.”

“S-stay away from me!”

The corrupted queen giggled to herself. “Wrong answer, Shiny!”

Her minions began gathering together and giggling amongst themselves as energy poured into their almighty ruler. Chrysalis savored their love, shuddering with pure ecstasy as she fed off her new hive. Nameless minions began dropping like flies out of the sky, their hearts completely devoured.

It was all so wrong.

“Applejack, I don’t think I can hold them off much longer! Please!”

“This is a nightmare,” Applejack stated plainly.

“I know it is, but you have to focus! Just tell me how I can use the Crystal Heart to stop her! We’re running out of time!”

“No, I mean this is actually a nightmare. Chrysalis would never—”

“Applejack!” Shining cried as Chrysalis began charging one final blast.

“Consarnit! Would you stop interrupting me already? I don’t know how to stop her!”

“You have to!” Shining yelled back as he braced for the next assault. “There’s no way you don’t!”

“How many times do I have to say it?”

That was a clarifying question. How many times had she said it? Applejack had lost count of how many times she’d been through this. Unreality unwound a little from the truth and the fog slowly lifted. Shining Armor stood firm, prepared to shield them from the changeling swarm’s world-shattering blast. As she stared down the blinding glow, everything slowed down. It always did around this point, as if the whole world was buying just a little more time. Just long enough for her to change her mind and tell Shining Armor how to defeat her. It was the final moments of clarity before she’d wake up in her bed, starting this loop over.

There had to be a way to stop this. No, she’d thought that before. She needed to stop wasting time. In a few seconds, the blast would burst through the shield and send her back to that bed in the castle. Her mind raced trying to think of something, but panic was starting to set in again. She wasn’t smart enough to figure out whatever magic this was locking her in this nightmare world.

Shining Armor looked back over his shoulder. “Stop being so stubborn and just tell me already, Applejack!”

Her attention shot towards the stallion. That was new. He’d never said that in any of the loops before. The way the story went shook out a little differently each time, but it always ended the same. Once the laser started to charge and she was aware again, he never spared her another glance. Why?

The prince was tired. His eyes were blackened by the bags drooping down his face. The exhaustion was more than battleworn fatigue; it simmered with misplaced irritation. A reflection of her own at this whole ordeal. This world always ended with his failure to protect everything he held dear, and he was just as sick of it as she was.

“This is your nightmare, isn’t it?”

At once, everything stopped. The distant fires ceased their dance, the changelings and their emerald light froze in place, and the world fell completely silent, all except for Shining Armor and Applejack.

“Your Highness!” Sunburst shouted from everywhere at once. “Something’s disrupted the spellwork. The illusion is collapsing!”

“I know,” the prince spat, eying Applejack with utter contempt. “I was careless and Applejack broke one of the illusions. Recast Somnolence and start again.”

“Your Highness, maybe we should stop. We don’t even know—”

“I said, recast Somnolence and start again! That’s an order!”

“Yes, your Highness. But it’s too dangerous to do while you’re still tethered. I’ll need to wake you up first and…” Sunburst voice tapered off hesitantly. “Sir? Are you somehow casting something from within the dream?”

Shining Armor furrowed his brow. “No. Why?”

A silvershod hoof shot swifter than a moonbeam, answering his question for him as it connected with his jaw. The strike swept the nightmare world away as Luna’s Moondrop Meadow sprouted around them. Prince Shining Armor didn’t have time to scream before he was blown away, disintegrated into stardust by Luna’s meteoric punch. She streaked past like a falling star, her nebula contrail looped up and around, landing right in front of Applejack.

“Begone, heir to Sombra’s throne.”

“Luna!” Applejack rushed to the princess and gave her a huge hug. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes! Thank… well, you that you’re here.”

Princess Luna returned the gesture, wrapping her wings and hooves around the little pony. “I am here, dear Applejack. But time is short and you must listen. You are missing within the waking world.”

“What? How long have I been gone? I feel like I’ve been asleep for ages.”

“Worry not. Daylight has yet to come since you were last seen. I strongly believe you are somewhere deep within the Crystal Castle’s catacombs. Only there could Shining Armor have found such forbidden magic. When you awake, you must escape to the surface.”

Applejack’s hooves numbed. “Oh horseapples. I’ve been kidnapped, haven’t I?”

Luna nodded solemnly. “However, I have given you a head start. Sombra always obfuscated his abuse of my realm for good reason.” She shook the forehoof that she’d decked Shining Armor with. “It will take some time before the foolish prince can be stirred from his dreamless slumber. Not even his gifted accomplice will be able to rouse him.”

“Right. Hoo boy, I gotta take down Sunburst.”

“I do not believe the court mage will try to stop you. If he does, his heart will not be committed to the endeavor. I cannot say more, lest I violate the sanctity of his dreams.”

“Okay, okay. That’s fine.” Applejack took a few breaths trying to get a grip and psyche herself up. “I think I’m ready.”

“Very good, Applejack.” Luna lifted Applejack’s head, meeting her eyes with timeless conviction. A soothing pulse reverberated through her essence, running all through her body in a wave peaceful serenity.

“Thanks, Luna. I needed that.”

“A calm before the necessary storm. As you wake, you must remember: get away from Shining Armor and escape. While I do not believe the young prince means you harm, he is not himself. I am afraid he has not been for a terribly long time.”

“Don’t gotta tell me twice.” Applejack savored the last bit of the princess’ calming magic before she refocused herself. “You know, he could probably use a visit or two from you, princess.”

“Of that, I am painfully aware.” A glint of sadness crossed the princess’ eyes. With their time drawing to a close, Luna leaned down and kissed Applejack on her forehead. The dream began to unravel and the alicorn took flight.

“See you soon in the waking world.”

Applejack’s eyes shot open. Unlike the many times she’d “woken up” tonight, she had no idea where she was. That, and feeling the dreary chill piercing her coat meant she was really awake this time. The walls were still hewn from the same crystals as the castle, but that was where the similarities ended. Low magefire torchlight cast shadows on the low ceiling, dotted with clumsily cut stalactite stumps jutting out overhead. A clacking of rocks drew her attention to a black crystal mounted on a staff, or at least what was left of it. The few shards that remained were slowly fracturing and crumbling to the floor below.

Applejack leaned up to get a better look, but flinched when she caught a tuft of navy hair behind it. She carefully rolled off the stone slab she’d been laid across and saw Shining Armor laying on one opposite of hers. The princess’ urging still rang in her head. She knew needed to put as much distance as she could between them, but it was hard for her to look away.

Shining Armor was a far cry from the dashing gentlestallion she’d gotten acquainted with. Unkempt, scraggily hairs formed a messy, blue beard that she’d seen on more than a couple of Appleloosan salt lickers. The dark bags under his eyes carried months worth of worried exhaustion. It was hard to see much else under his wild mane covering the rest of his face, but it was enough. The fear had festered so long that it was rotting him from the inside out.

A cacophony of clatters snapped Applejack to attention. Sunburst stood at the door, a box of dropped dark crystals around his hooves. “Y-you’re awake….”

That sent Luna’s stealth plan out the window. “I reckon so, no thanks to you two.”

“How did—”

“Nuh-uh! I don’t even wanna hear another question outta you!” Applejack hunkered down and rubbed a hoof across the ground. “Now, are you gonna let me go or am I gonna have to get serious?”

“Wait! Please! I’m sorry! I just… His Highness is…” The stallion sniffled and whimpered. To Applejack’s surprise, Sunburst fell back on his haunches and started balling his eyes out.

“Woah there, Sunburst. I ain’t gonna hurt ya if ya ain’t gonna hurt me.”

“This is all my fault! I wish I’d never found this awful place!”

Now AJ was starting to feel bad despite being the victim in all of it. She kept her heart to herself though. No reason to give him an edge if he was faking. “We’re under the castle, right?”

Sunburst choked back another sob and nodded. “King Sombra’s old catacombs. His Highness wanted to make it into a bunker in case—well, you saw her. That terrible nightmare plaguing Prince Shining Armor.”

“Can’t rightly remember all the times before, but once was more than enough.” Applejack didn’t even want to think about that twisted version of Twilight again. “Just know that I don’t take too kindly to being forced into somepony else’s nightmare.”

“I know, I know. All these Somber Era magical devices we barely understand. I should’ve just destroyed them all when I found them. And now? His Highness won’t wake up!” The panicking mage ducked to the floor and started searching through his spilled collection of dark crystals. “One of these has to work!”

“Woah there, Sunburst! Princess Luna was the one that put him down for the night.”

“Really?” He perked up with a glimmer of short-lived joy that sank back down with thoughts racing through his vision. “That would explain the resonance cascade’s precision. She probably knew exactly what she was dealing with and utterly destroyed the crystal from within.”

“She broke a lot more than just that crystal. She said you ain’t getting him back up anytime soon. Probably for the best, too. Those bags could carry enough bits for a bushel of apples.”

“She said that I couldn’t? Oh, good. That’s reassuring.” He forced a laugh that drifted into a groan. “The princesses know I was using Sombra’s magic.”

“You ain’t the first pony to make a mistake today. I’ll put in a good word for you at least if you point me to the nearest way out. I’m supposed to be hoofing it to the surface right now.”

Sunburst took a moment to recollect himself and put his despair out of his mind. “Okay. That might be a problem. Sombra made sure his prisoners couldn’t ever find their way out. There’s some sort of confounding spell he built into the tunnels. You’ll always get turned around and sent back to where you started without it. You need dark magic to make it through.”

“Meaning I’d need magic. And I guess you can’t leave him here all by his lonesome.” Applejack sighed and then looked back at Shining Armor. “I can carry our sleeping prince out then. Let’s saddle up and get outta here.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea, all things considered. I may be good at magic, but I don’t hold a candle to His Highness’ raw power. And if he wakes up on the way out…”

Applejack frowned. “You think he’d still put up a fight after all of this?”

“It’s more that I’m not sure he wouldn’t, I guess? Rationality got thrown out the window moons ago.” The stallion tapped his hooves together with a nervous grin. “Taking a guest down to an ancient prison to drag secrets out of them using dark magic from your evil predecessor doesn’t really… You know.”

“Point taken. That being said, I ain’t too keen on waiting around till he wakes up.” Applejack tapped her hoof and tried to mull over her options, but she was drawing blanks. “We both know him and his little sister got a mess of magic and then some. If a court mage like you can’t do much against him, an apple farmer ain’t gonna have much better luck.”

“Well, there is one way, but it’s risky.” Sunburst knelt down to the mess of dark crystals at his hooves and started shuffling through them.

“I don’t think y’all should be messing around with those anymore. Luna wasn’t exactly complimentary.”

“And for good reason, but you’re going to need one if you want to make it out of here without spells. You’ll need a keystone.” His hoof tapped the side of a diamond-cut crystal blacker than tar, bringing a smile to his face. “Like this! You’ll need a charged one to find your way through the tunnels.”

The stallion held it up with his magic and shot several flashy bursts into it, making the thing somehow glow black. Didn’t make much sense to her, but magic rarely did anyhow. Just looking at the cursed thing was making Applejack feel sick, like she was a rotten apple with worms wriggling all through her insides. Magic or no magic, that wasn’t natural at all.

“You mean I gotta hold that with me through a bunch of evil caves?” AJ blurted out with dread.

“Oh, heavens no! You shouldn’t let one of these come into contact with any part of your body when activated. It would likely try to devour the innate mana flowing through your system. You’d collapse in minutes.”

Sunburst reached into his bag and pulled out something that looked like a claw and lowered the keystone into it. The talons snapped shut with a shriek of grinding metal. He waved it around a little, making sure the grip was nice and tight before smiling at his work. If he was fishing for her approval, AJ wasn’t going to oblige anytime soon.

“Okay, so this evil magic wand will be my ticket out of here?”

His eyes drew back over his shoulder towards the hall. “Actually, there’s one more I was hoping you could take along with you.”

Taking the hint, Applejack let Sunburst lead the way. Even if he seemed honest, she wasn’t about to turn her back on him now. There was no telling if he’d change his mind from all the pressure and try to put her back under. She kept a keen eye trained on his back for any sudden movements, at least until they arrived at the next room over.

Inside there was a powerful force field in the center of the room like she’d never seen. If not for the deep thrum of magic, she’d swear it was just a sphere made of deep mauve metal. Applejack was about to ask about it, but Sunburst raised a hoof to his mouth and shushed her gently. He took out what she guessed was another keystone based upon the similar shape, though it was a far more welcoming amethyst. He lightly tapped the sharp edge to the side, pressing forward as shield after shield after shield dispelled. The orb became lighter and lighter with each layer removed until she could see what was inside: a baby basket.

More than the nightmare itself, Applejack felt the crushing weight of Shining’s anxiety. The lengths he’d go to stop his nightmare from coming true became clearer and clearer with each shield falling away. It took over half a minute to finally get through all the barriers to reveal the sleeping Flurry Heart underneath it all. Before he broke the last shield, Sunburst turned to Applejack.

“Please, take Flurry Heart with you,” he whispered. “If the crystal’s charge runs out, she should have enough inherent mana thanks to her alicornhood to recharge it without consequence.”

Applejack hesitated with all the ways things could go awry with the little princess galloping through her head. “I know I said I couldn’t wait around, but giving her to me is like a jillion times worse.”

“I know, but we both know she shouldn’t be here. Sombra’s catacombs are no place for a foal.”

“Not arguing that. For peat’s sake, why is she even all the way down here in the first place?”

Sunburst winced. “Because everypony else is asleep. Even if she tried to sneak off with her in the middle of the night, there was no way she’d make it all the way down here without knowing Sombra’s magic. Now, please. I won’t force you, but I’m begging you: take Flurry Heart away from here.”

Seeing the little angel sleeping peacefully in her bed, AJ didn’t want to think of what it’d be like for her to wake up in a terrifying dungeon like this. If it was anypony else, she’d be thankful that there’d be no way for her to remember this place, but then her eyes were drawn to the infant’s horn and oversized wings. Alicorns played by different rules, different enough that it wasn’t worth the risk.

Finally, the farmer gave a firm, resolute nod. “I’ll get her to her momma. You have my word on that.”

The stallion lit up with relief. “Thank you so much. Really. You better not weigh yourself down with more than you need.” He drew a shoulder harness out of her baby bag and gave it to Applejack to put on. “Just take her and the wand.” He focused his horn on the crystal and poured every ounce of magic he had left and then some. AJ swore his orange got just a little paler from the effort.

“You okay, Sunburst?”

“Yeah. Just a—a touch of mana exhaustion.” He took a deep, fatigued breath and chuckled to himself as he helped put the finishing touches on the harness before placing the sleeping princess inside. “I’ve got a little coffee stashed away down here to keep me awake while His Highness is asleep. I’ll need to be awake so he doesn’t panic when he discovers Flurry is gone. Now get going. You’re burning mana.”

“Right.” She grabbed the wand and made for the door. “Which way?”

“Left. Just follow the corridor until one of the openings glows green. ‘Evil lights lead to doom’ per the folklore.”

“Just a matter of perspective,” Applejack corrected as she looked down at her evil crystalline guide. “I for one am looking forward to seeing a bit more green after all this blue.”

“Just follow the green. Just follow the green.”

Applejack had kept saying it to ground herself in the maze of openings all around her. The catacombs had more holes than a sliced cheese factory. They were so numerous that she’d accidentally stepped through two by accident and wound up right back at the bottom. Just standing in the middle of it all was eating away at her sanity. There were so many different paths. More than could possibly exist. If even half of these hallways were real, the entire castle was standing on a sinkhole.

She looked down at her chest to see Flurry Heart still asleep in her harness. It was about the only blessing that she could hold onto. If the princess opened her eyes now, she’d develop herself a nice, lifelong phobia in a heartbeat. Applejack was hurrying up as slowly as possible. Don’t wake the baby and don’t run out of juice.

Speaking of which, the cursed wand guiding her hooves was already flickering more than she was comfortable with. There was no way she was gonna touch Flurry Heart with it. Mage or not, AJ’d sooner drain herself dry or risk running into her father than put it anywhere near that precious little horn. She could never forgive herself if anything happened to the foal.

So, Applejack did the only thing she could and pressed onward, following the green lights running ahead of her. The way Sunburst had put it, she was expecting to be blinded by the whole hallway glowing brighter than Bridleway on a premiere night. What she got instead were two snaking threads of magic slithering along the walls. They shot ahead on her sides in streaks of emerald light, crossing over fake openings and portals towards the only real path. The trouble was, they were getting dimmer and dimmer by the minute.

Applejack wanted to close her eyes and just wish herself to the surface. Even without the time limit, this place would be getting to her. Making it worse was there being no way of knowing if she was anywhere near the end. She’d felt herself climbing up, going down, and wandering every which way all around. It was no wonder nopony ever escaped the catacombs. Twilight might’ve said curses weren’t real, but she might change her tune after seeing this madness.

Twilight. Applejack wanted to see her again. Any of her friends. This journey would be so much easier if any of them were here with her. Pinkie to keep their spirits up, Dash to help put on a brave face, Rarity to complain about the whole situation, Fluttershy to be scared with her. Fleur, Zecora, heck, she’d even take Trixie or Discord. Anything was better than this crushing loneliness.

Above all, though, she really wished Chrysalis was here. Applejack owed her more than a few apologies before she’d help, she reckoned, but the changeling would’ve figured this whole thing out by now if it was an illusion. She’d probably work it out even faster than Twi. Chrys might not know what was true down here, but she was well-acquainted with lies enough to know one when she saw it. Applejack could picture it so well. She’d be complaining at first, maybe pitching a fit without a single swear word. Something like, “Ugh. Now what? Luna didn’t say anything about green lights!”

Applejack’s ears swiveled towards the sound and nearly dropped the wand. “Chrys?”

“Applejack!” Chrysalis shouted from somewhere further along. “Don’t you dare move an inch! I’ve almost figured this stupid thing out.”

“The green lights are me!” Applejack called out in a hush. “Something called a keystone.”

“Oh, you’re doing that? Figures that smokey pinhead had a way to cheat this infernal hall of mirrors,” she grumbled bitterly.

“And be quiet about it, will ya? Got a little sleeper here with me.”

“A captive? Perfect.” A vicious chuckle followed as a pony-sized queen skulked around one of the many corners in front of her. “We could use a bargaining chip when—” Her evil monologue sunk with her shoulders as she spotted the foal slung across Applejack’s chest. “—And of course it’s their offspring. What is she doing here?”

“It’s a long story. Too long if we’re going to get out of here.” Applejack lifted her failing guiding wand. “I was using this to find my way out, and I don’t think it’ll last much longer. Think you can charge it?”

“I could, but…” Chrysalis winced at the crystal and stuck her tongue out. “Why does everything in this stupid empire have to sap magic?”

“It’s all we got, Chrys!”

“No it’s not. I’m here now,” the high and mighty Chrysalis bragged with a hoof to her chest. “We’ll simply retrace my steps to get out of here.”

Applejack was about to question it, but then remembered their apple-bucking lessons along with a little limerick about apple fritters. “Perfect memory.”

“Precisely, Applejack. This pathetic winding path of portals is no match for me.” The changeling flashed her vicious fangs in a victorious grin. “Now, grab my tail and don’t take a single wrong step. Luna said you’d get zapped back to where you started, and then I’ll have to come find you again.”

The pony breathed a sigh of relief. She might’ve already woken up, but now she felt like she was finally getting out of this nightmare. “Don’t gotta tell me twice.”

Chrysalis nodded and turned around to lead the way. She wiggled her tail, waiting for Applejack to take hold. With salvation at hoof, she was about to reach out, but stopped just short.

“Hey, Chrysalis?”

“I thought we were in a hurry. What is it?”

“I’m sorry about what I said earlier, about… It wasn’t a waste. Feeling love like you were.”

The changeling’s ears perked up, but she didn’t look back. “I know. I heard your shower of apologies on the way back to the castle. It’s fine, okay? Now come on. I don’t want to be seen anywhere near that child of theirs.”

“I mean it, Chrysalis. I’m glad you’re here. So glad you came down here for me after screwing up so much.”

Chrysalis said nothing. After a few more moments, she jostled her tail again, urging Applejack to grab hold of it so they could get going already.

“I know it’s downright hypocritical for me to ask this after everything, but could I have a hug?”

The words hadn’t finished crossing her lips before Chrysalis had flashed to her full size. She could barely squeeze into the passage sitting down, her head lurched down from her horn dragging the low ceiling overhead. She pulled Applejack into her chest and bent all the way down, wrapping her up on all sides. Even though Applejack could feel the wellspring of gratitude leaping from her heart, there wasn’t a single drop of love that left her.

“I’m so glad I found you, AJ,” Chrysalis whispered tenderly, each word dripping with absolute relief.

“Me too. I was scared. Real scared before you showed up.”

“Don’t be scared of this pathetic illusion,” she said sweetly as she broke away from the hug. Chrysalis closed her eyes before flinching from an unseen pain. Then, Applejack felt a surge of warm love and appreciation drain all at once from her hooves as the queen shrank back down to meet AJ’s eyes. “Because there’s nothing more terrifying than me when I’m angry. And trust me, Applejack. I. Am. Furious.”

Author's Note

If you find a simple mistake in the GSP (Grammar, Spelling, or Punctuation), please let me know through a private message rather than leaving it in the comment section. Thank you for reading!