My little pony:Adventure of Seresia

It was Rarity's scheduled cleaning day, and by now, it was already late at night. She was inside her boutique, tidying up fabrics and precious silks. However, a sudden knock on the door interrupted her. As she went to answer it, she was greeted by Chrysalis disguised as Twilight.

"Oh? Hi!! Good evening, Twily!! What brings you here so unexpectedly? Did you deliver the Alicorn Amulet to the ambassador?"

"Yes, and you know what? The ambassador was thrilled. He even gave me a wonderful gift." Chrysalis's mysterious tone piqued Rarity’s curiosity. "And I think this gift is better suited for you."

"Oh my... This, this, this!!..." When Chrysalis revealed the dress she had stolen from Meng Yu, Rarity was immediately at a loss for words. She trembled as she took the dress, her hooves running over its fabric, her eyes filled with growing greed.

"Thank you so much, Twily!! I love this dress so much!!" Rarity levitated the folded dress into the air to better admire it, then held it up against herself to see how it looked. "Though it's a little large, that doesn’t take away from its beauty! It's a masterpiece!! I'll take this dress to the Canterlot Fashion Show and let everypony witness its grandeur!"

"This dress has even more amazing qualities~ Why don't you try it on?" Chrysalis smirked, eager to see Rarity’s reaction.

"Oh? What do you mean?" Rarity asked, her curiosity heightened as she slipped into the oversized dress. "By Celestia!!" Within seconds, she witnessed the dress’s "amazing qualities."

"How... how is this possible?! I’ve never seen fabric that can resize itself!!" Rarity’s voice was nearly hysterical as she turned to Chrysalis, desperate for an explanation.

"I don’t know. Maybe it's some mysterious magic from the East?" Chrysalis answered offhandedly, uninterested in the details.

"I... I’m suddenly brimming with ideas!! Oh no!! I need to write them down quickly... These ideas will revolutionize the fashion world!!" Without another word, Rarity dashed back inside, completely forgetting about Chrysalis standing outside. Chrysalis raised an eyebrow, glanced briefly inside the boutique, and then slipped away, blending into the night as she headed back to the Everfree Forest. But before returning, she had one more thing to do.

"When I’ve taken the ambassador's place, I’ll come back for you, my darling. Don’t disappoint me." Chrysalis kissed the amulet and hid it under an old tree root, covering it with rocks and dry leaves before heading home, satisfied.

"My queen, welcome back," Feng Chen greeted her as soon as she stepped through the door, bowing respectfully and offering a crystal.

"Did you get what you were after, Your Majesty?" Chrysalis didn’t respond immediately, taking the crystal and savoring it before replying slowly, "No, but I did gather some useful information." She boasted of her "achievements" but mentioned nothing about the Alicorn Amulet, lying to Feng Chen that the item was safely in Meng Yu’s possession. She then instructed Feng Chen to help her find a way to replace the ambassador.

"I have an idea, my queen, but I will need your assistance," Feng Chen said after some thought.

"What’s the plan?"

"Sleight of hoof."

Days later, in the far north, the Crystal Empire lay under the harsh grip of another extreme winter storm. The endless white plains were a stage for a frigid tempest, the howling wind playing a symphony of death. No pony dared set hoof in such desolation.

"I hate this weather!! Why do we have to go to the Crystal Empire in this situation?!" Chrysalis cursed as the icy cold bit at her face. She didn’t understand why she had listened to Feng Chen and made the journey. Even though they had prepared for the journey, the moment they stepped onto the frozen plains, they were met with the harsh elements. Wrapping herself tighter in the stolen scarf, she continued cursing the weather.

"Forgive me, MY QUEEN!! But this is our only chance!! Twilight already knows you escaped Canterlot. It’s only a matter of time before we’re discovered!!" Feng Chen raised her voice to be heard over the relentless wind, staying close to Chrysalis.

"This plan of yours had better be worth all this effort!! Or you'll regret it when we return!!"

"My queen, if we fail, there won’t be a return!! We either succeed or perish!!"

As they pressed forward, the conditions worsened. Every step felt like they were dragging a ton of weight, and even lifting their heads was becoming an exhausting task.

"Feng... Feng Chen!! How much... longer until... we reach... the Crystal Empire??" Chrysalis shouted hoarsely, her lips trembling from the cold. But aside from the wind, there was no reply. Feeling something was wrong, Chrysalis turned her head and saw that she was alone, the snow and ice now her only companions.

"Feng... Feng Chen!!" For a brief moment, Chrysalis considered abandoning her and continuing alone, but knowing she still needed Feng Chen’s help, she gritted her teeth and retraced her steps, searching in the near-blinding snow. When she finally found Feng Chen, the latter had been lying in the snow for who knows how long. A little longer, and the snowstorm would have buried her forever.

"Y-you are not... allowed to... collapse... on me...!! You... you still have to... help me... fulfill my plan..." Chrysalis muttered in her raspy voice, trying to stay conscious as she dragged Feng Chen along by her cloak, struggling to continue in the near-zero visibility.

Chrysalis had no idea how long she had been walking, but all she could see was an endless field of white. She felt herself drifting off, tempted to close her eyes for a moment of rest. When she opened her eyes again, she was greeted by the burning light of a fire, its warmth a stark contrast to the icy world she had been in. A familiar voice reached her ears:

"My queen, you’re finally awake!"