My little pony:Adventure of Seresia

"Please accept my sincerest apologies, Ambassador Meng Yu. I'm very sorry that you had such a terrible experience. Please don't be upset." Twilight Sparkle, sitting opposite Meng Yu, raised the glass of juice beside her hoof as she spoke. Her tone was sincere, and she wore a smile on her face. Accompanying her at this royal banquet were Celestia and Luna, who sat on either side of the long table, raising their glasses to Meng Yu just as Twilight did.

"I accept your apology, Princess Twilight. However, I hope that they will be punished immediately, not just locked away in the dungeon." Meng Yu swirled the glass in her hoof, but she never lifted her head to look directly at the alicorns present.

Since returning from the Crystal Empire, she had maintained a haughty demeanor, which can made some ponies uncomfortable. Twilight, however, assumed that Meng Yu was still shaken and angry from the previous events and had been trying to soothe her emotions. After a serious discussion with the other two princesses, Twilight decided to host this banquet, with Celestia and Luna attending, hoping to earn the ambassador's forgiveness.

Perhaps it was the rich flavor of the juice, or maybe she was admiring her own beautiful reflection in the surface of the glass. After a while, Meng Yu finally looked up at Twilight, a smile appearing on her face. "You should seal them away again, just like you did with Tirek and Cozy Glow. That would solve this problem once and for all."

"Of course! Ambassador Meng Yu, I will invite you to the ceremony where Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and I will banish Chrysalis forever!" Twilight responded almost immediately, pledging that everything was under her control.

"Very well~" Meng Yu replied briskly, then fell silent. This allowed Twilight to breathe a sigh of relief, but she still couldn't understand: if Chrysalis was really released by Meng Yu and her group, why would Chrysalis attack her? If they didn't release her, then who was behind the magic circle that Starlight mentioned?

Twilight pondered this endlessly, unable to make sense of the logic, which left her a bit discouraged. But with Chrysalis captured, she could finally put her mind at ease, no longer needing to live in fear. What could possibly go wrong now? All she needed to focus on was ensuring that nothing went amiss during the sealing ceremony.

"Is the food not to your liking, Ambassador Meng Yu? Please let us know if you need anything replaced." After a long silence, Celestia's concerned inquiry drew the attention of all the ponies at the table to Meng Yu. Before this, the room had been quiet for while, with only the occasional clinking of cutlery breaking the silence, creating a rather tense atmosphere.

"I have no appetite at the moment." Meng Yu seemed to summon great courage just to take a small sip of juice. After glancing around at her guards, she suddenly smiled and looked directly at Twilight. "But this does remind me of something~ Have you found out the whereabouts of the Alicorn Amulet?"

"Huh? ...I...?" Meng Yu's question caught Twilight off guard, and under the gazes of everypony present, she was momentarily at a loss for words. "Chrysalis has been unconscious since she was captured... If she wakes up, the guards will immediately..."

"If Chrysalis keeps pretending to be unconscious, will you keep waiting indefinitely, Princess?" Meng Yu interrupted Twilight impatiently, her tone harsh and cutting.

"I... I'll find a way to wake Chrysalis and ask her about the Alicorn Amulet! Please don't worry, Ambassador!" Twilight quickly stood up, her voice tinged with a hint of grievance. This was her first meal after returning to Canterlot from the Crystal Empire, yet it ended so abruptly. She had been lost in thought and hadn't even had the chance to eat much of the delicacies on the table.

"Wait, I'll go with you. I don't want to miss this important moment." Twilight had just taken a few steps when Meng Yu's words halted her in her tracks. Meng Yu quickly stood up and walked past Twilight without stopping, disappearing through the door without a backward glance. Twilight barely had time to say goodbye to the other princesses before hurrying to catch up.

As they passed through the corridor and descended the staircase, the natural light from outside gradually gave way to the flickering magical torches on the ancient stone walls. This was the deepest part of Canterlot Castle, a place that held many secrets unknown to most ponies. At every corner and every intersection, guards were stationed, their eyes missing nothing.

"There usually aren't this many guards here, but these are special times. We've deployed three times the usual number of troops, along with some hidden defensive magic." Though Twilight deliberately lowered her voice, her words still echoed through the dim tunnel. Meng Yu, however, appeared distracted, constantly searching her surroundings as if wary of something.

"Rest assured, this place is very secure. There's no way Chrysalis could escape." Twilight patiently explained, her tone gentle. She thought Meng Yu was uncomfortable with the gloomy and oppressive environment, so she quickened her pace, hoping to get her out of there as soon as possible.

They arrived at an undecorated wall, where Twilight glanced around before calling out to a guard standing in the corner. "Report, soldier."

"Everything is fine, Princess Twilight." The soldier saluted and fell silent again. Twilight shot a quick glance at Meng Yu before signaling the soldier to come over. "Open the door. The ambassador and I wish to check on the situation."

"Yes, Princess." As the guard's horn glowed with magic, the ground seemed to tremble, and a strange grinding noise filled the air, grating on the ponies' ears.

After the sound of a lock turning echoed through the space, the wall before them began to dissolve like sugar paper dropped into water, revealing the room beyond—a spacious chamber. In the center stood two magical spheres, one large and one small, floating in the air. Inside them were Chrysalis and another changeling, both held in a forced standing position, their forelegs spread wide. They wore magic-suppressing devices on their horns and necks, inscribed with runes. The floor was covered in a complex magic circle, with dense golden magical energy slowly rotating around it. Additionally, five crystals were placed around the circle, forming a pentagon and rotating in the opposite direction of the magical elements. The entire setup was grand and impressive.

"This magic circle was designed by Princess Celestia at my request. Any attempt to disrupt it will trigger an attack from the crystals." Twilight pointed to the softly glowing crystals, which were still rotating, as she explained. She watched Meng Yu's face closely, hoping to ease her concerns. But Meng Yu's face, reflecting the magical light, showed no emotion. She continued to stare at the magic circle, ignoring Twilight's words.

"Uh... Ambassador, please wait a moment. I need some time to dispel the magic..." Twilight realized that the magic circle would have to be deactivated, even though this might give Chrysalis a chance to wake up and escape again. But just as she lit her horn, Meng Yu interrupted her once more.

"It seems they won't be waking up anytime soon, so let's leave it as it is." Meng Yu's voice was calm, her face still devoid of any discernible emotion. With that, she turned and walked out, leaving Twilight standing there in astonishment.

"Then... Ambassador, would you like to return to the dining hall to continue your meal?" After instructing the guards to reseal the entrance, Twilight hurried to catch up with Meng Yu's group. Seeing them heading back, unsure of their destination, she cautiously asked.

"Actually, Princess Twilight, could you take me to the artifact room? I've heard you have a lot of magical treasures in your collection." Meng Yu suddenly stopped and turned around, her face breaking into a sly smile.