DEC 1 Friday.

Celestia stands up from behind her desk and moves over to the couch to lie down as I watch Cadance close the office door. I turn back to Celestia as she looks me up and down again. "Hmm, you know? You really are such an odd pony." She says a bit abruptly.

Unfortunately, her expression is too subtle to sense so I tilt my head as it's the only way I can really show my confusion. "Should I be insulted? Because I've accepted that I'm very weird, and I did it a long time ago." I use a joking tone to show just how unserious I actually am.

She giggles a bit and smiles at me. "No, it's far from an insult." She brings over her tea from the large desk. "I've often said you see the world from a different perspective. To place yourself in the place of others and to see the less... Peaceful side of things." I'm a bit confused about her actual point here.

She turns to me and motions to my head. "That helmet is a great example. You gained extra senses and instead of combining them with your sight, you replaced your sight. Why? More is often better when it comes to gathering information, is it not?" She reasons.

I'm still not sure where she's going with this but I go along with it all the same. "I suppose the loss of my sight temporarily was better than potentially losing it forever in a fight. I could always just take the helmet off if absolutely necessary." I reason back and decide to lie down on the floor.

She smiles more and nods. "That right there, is what I mentioned. Your reasoning was sound, but it was immediately about what could go wrong, it's something I've often noticed. Like I said, you notice the less peaceful things in a situation. I suppose that is useful in situations like this though." She chuckles a little bit.

I don't really have a response to that so I just nod. "I guess so, but I would rather my worrying stay inside my own head." I shift a bit as one of the armor plates is poking my side "Speaking of the situation, how are we actually going to be doing this? What's the actual plan here."

She straightens a bit and nods again. "Well, the entire meeting should be simple enough. We, along with a few of my other elite guards will be heading out in a flying carriage, you will probably be the first pony on the ground when we arrive, I'm hoping you can check the area." She has a more professional tone while explaining all that.

I nod my agreement. "I'm probably the most heavily armored and the only other pony that can teleport out if it is a trap. Although I think Queen Chrysalis is smart enough to avoid that. I've noticed that Changelings might be a bit like me and may tend to think in a similar way."

I move over some tea from her tray and awkwardly drink it with my helmet on. "They will notice just what you're capable of and take that into account while thinking about starting a fight." I base that off of the interaction I had with Cricket when I tested the Changeling disorienting spell I made on her.

She goes a bit silent for a moment. "Do you think I'm to be feared?" The question somewhat blindsides me and I'm reminded of that time I nearly hurt her. But her tone is level and it's more curious than sad or hurt. "I know you don't, Shade and I believe that. But would they fear me at this meeting?" She adds to reassure me after I don't answer for a moment.

I stay silent for a moment longer. "If they were smart they would." She raises a brow at that. "Celestia, you are an extremely powerful being, plain and simple. They are feeding off of the very beings you rule over, I'd be terrified if I was in that position and really trying to make friends." I stay silent and drink some more tea.

"But I doubt even many of them truly realize how strong you are. So I'd still expect some arrogance or foolish hostility from them at some point, a misunderstanding at a minimum." I take a breath after being so utterly blunt. "That's not to say it's bad, everypony is feared by somepony for some reason. The details are what matter." I try to put some reassurance in my words.

She nods slowly. "I'm not blind, I see all too often how others may look at me. We've gotten off topic though." She changes the subject and I'm a bit saddened to hear her words but I try to focus on the important things for now. "After we make contact and start the meeting you won't be talking much at the beginning."

I make a mental note to reassure her later and nod. "And I'll be keeping an eye out for anything that shouldn't be there. What happens if I do find someone nearby? Would you just want me to tell you or point it out?" I ask moving us along further from that saddening topic.

She thinks for a moment. "They wouldn't look good bringing others along, so presuming they don't and it's also not a trap... Leave the meeting and subdue them before telling me if you can't tell me first without alerting them. I'll handle things from there." Her tone has a slight edge to it at the end, and I notice she puts emphasis on subduing them.

She opens her mouth again but a knock comes from the door and Celestia looks up at a clock on the wall. "It's time we go and I lower the sun, we'll leave right after that." She stands up and moves to the middle of the office with me while I stand up straight.

"You may enter captain," Celestia calls out after cleaning her appearance up a bit. A moment later a pony I recognize opens the door and walks inside with regimented steps. Ash Mark, captain to Celestia's guards if I remember correctly. Once she enters she takes notice of me.

I stand a lot taller than her even while she's in her armor and has a well-built body. I nod in silent greeting before turning my gaze back to Celestia. Ash looks a bit startled by my appearance but is professional enough not to say anything and bows to Celestia. "Your Highness, everything is prepared."

Celestia nods and Ash stands back up quickly. "Thank you captain. This is Shadow, he'll be added protection, make sure to take him seriously. He is more than capable." Celestia uses a far more formal and ordering tone before looking at the clock, a moment later a blinding light fills the room.

I don't feel nor can I see the difference, but I know she just lowered the sun. Me and Ash fall in behind Celestia as she walks past us and leaves the office. We all start moving down a hallway. I sense the older unicorn mare captain looking over my armor and weapons as we walk.

Ash Mark is not the only one either, it seems like every guard we pass can't help but react a little to the sight of me after Celestia passes by them. When we arrive outside, near the gardens I think, we see a carriage and three other ponies waiting for us. And to my surprise, I spotted Cricket among them.

She's in her disguised form but it's definitely the Changeling. The other two are armored Pegasi guards already linked to the carriage. I cast a lightening spell on myself so I don't weigh down the carriage before following Celestia and Ash Mark inside with silent movements.

Cricket is the last to enter and looks concerned about me. It's clear that not having emotions is throwing her off along with my appearance. Celestia turns to Cricket as she enters the carriage, "Thank you for coming Miss. Cricket. This is Ash Mark my guard captain and that is Shadow."

She looks a bit stiff at interacting with all of us, but as the carriage takes off she keeps her face schooled. "It is an honor, Your Highness. A pleasure to meet you both." She takes this moment to remove her disguise in a small burst of green flame. The guard captain doesn't react and neither do I, it seems she's used to that.

Ash Mark just nods in greeting. I do the same but actually speak, "Likewise." My very deep tone seems to throw them both off a bit and Cricket seems even more uncomfortable in my presence. I take a moment to note the carriage's layout in case I need to get out quickly.

Celestia just nods and gets our attention again. "Shadow will be the first to land and clear the meeting location, he'll shine a light once it's safe." I can tell that's more of an instruction for me than an explanation. "After that things will go as we've discussed. Miss. Cricket, did you do as I asked?"

Both just nod in agreement and Cricket takes out a pair of small gems from a small satchel she has on her. "Yes, Your Highness, the two Love Cells have more than enough in them." She shows both gems. "I'm not entirely sure how much they really have, but I tested it as you asked and it's a large amount."

Celestia takes both gems and moves them under a wing with a smile. "Thank you. Please make sure to stay calm during the meeting, although I do believe things will work themselves out." She speaks with a confidence that puts Cricket at ease. I can tell she's on edge for being involved in all of this, I am curious as to why they picked her? Maybe because Cicada is louder and less calm?

The next while is spent in silence as I focus on our surroundings and making sure nothing is flying anywhere near us without me noticing. A few minutes later we finally arrive and the carriage starts to circle the area. Celestia turns to me with a nod, "Shadow, if you would please." I nod back silently and open the door before stepping right out.

I catch a look of surprise and shock on all their faces for a moment before I focus as I start to plummet through the air quickly heading to the ground. The wind rushes past me quickly and I extend my senses to see where I'm landing and how far down it is

I laugh a bit to myself thinking about Celestia's face before focusing again. We are only a few hundred feet up so before I can accelerate too much I cast a more powerful lightening spell to make myself much lighter and I add an overpowered levitation spell.

The simple combination of spells slows my descent quickly and I land on my hooves a few moments later, softly and without a sound. :She's going to hit me for that, but it's so worth it: I sweep my senses around the area several times quickly, each time focusing on a smaller area with more detail.

I'm in a large clearing that's inside of a thinly wooded forest, everything is covered thickly in snow almost a foot deep and it's pitch black. After making sure there was nothing nearby, and double checking again just to be sure, I cast a light spell several feet away from me. A minute later the carriage lands in the snow with the guards dragging it giving me odd looks.

I start to move the snow and clear out a several dozen-foot area before standing still in the darkness. A second later a much more powerful light spell lights up the area as Celestia steps out of the carriage, the look she gives me before the others can see it says everything I need to know, it was still worth it.

Dropping like that was a hell of a rush and I'm now adding that to my list of things to train. I nod to her, "Nothing here, everything is clear, best to stay alert though." I add some advice but keep my words simple and concise, it's best I don't talk more than needed.

Ash Mark seems to totally reevaluate me as she steps out and Cricket looks more frightened and stands with Celestia in-between us. With a flourish of magic a long table appears in the area I cleared of snow along with mats to sit on, "They should be here soon, warn us?" She asks while looking at me.

I nod and sit at one end of the long table with Celestia to my left, to Celestia's left is Ash Mark and then Cricket. There is silence as we all wait and the tension builds slowly, a few minutes tick by, but after a time I sense them. Winter makes it much easier to sense life magic movements so I quickly notice six masses of life magic closing in, and one is much brighter than the rest.

They are flying just above treetops and are heading right to this spot. I spend more life magic and sense even further in that direction, but there is nothing else flying or moving quickly on the ground. "Six flying in at our front, no others." I again keep my words simple as we hear a quiet buzzing noise a minute later.

I back away from the table a bit as I will not speak first and I'm more of a guard than anything, I stick close to Celestia's side though and only move two feet back. As they get close I can clearly make out Queen Chrysalis as she's much larger than the other five and her life magic is much stronger than most ponies, but nowhere near Celestia. "It's definitely her."

I don't know if they can fake life magic but I doubt it, and seems unlikely considering there is still nothing else but the six in my senses. Cricket and Ash give me odd looks but quickly look forward as the changelings land. Five all look mostly the same with slight size and probably color differences as well, but one stands out.

Standing on spindly legs full of large holes and closer to Celestia's height than any of us she strikes a towering figure. I can't see colors but she's definitely the right Changeling and I can already picture her in my mind. I notice they spend a moment looking at all of us after landing next to the table, and we stare back.

I sense Chrysalis's face twitching a bit at seeing Cricket, but she and her Changelings mostly stop at me. I stare back completely silent as they look, probably a bit disturbed by my appearance and my apparent lack of emotion. They approach the table and take opposite seats to us.

Celestia straightens herself and stares down Chrysalis with a royal figure. "Queen Chrysalis, a pleasure to finally meet you," Celestia says in a royal tone. The tension rises higher for a moment as there is no response, but it is broken when Chrysalis responds.

She shows her teeth in a smile, neither large nor small. "Likewise Princess Celestia. You have been rather, insistent on meeting us. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Her voice is level and friendly, but not in a true way. It holds an authority to it and it's clear to me she's is a bit on edge.

They don't know the exact reason they are here and that probably hasn't helped with any fears. Celestia smiles back, not the least bit perturbed by the bluntness. "Of course, but first allow me to introduce every creature." She motions to us one by one. "Miss. Cricket. My guard captain Miss. Mark. And Sir. Shadow."

I ignore my feelings at being called sir. I notice most of the Changelings seem to linger their eyes on me for a beat longer than the rest yet again. I just nod in greeting to them and stay completely silent, a few of the Changelings twitch when I move. Chrysalis controls her face well and I notice her forelegs shift a bit under the table.

She doesn't do anything with them, a hidden reaction most likely. "A pleasure, I see you have brought Interesting company for us." She glances at me and I stare back. "But this meeting has put us in a rather, exposed position." Her tone remains the same mix of bluntness and authority. Unlike the show she is very collected, it remains to be seen if she's crazy but this is a good sign.

That line is also very, diplomatic. Fancy and non-offensive words with a clear meaning, but I notice it's also a bit short and impatient. Not massively so but it's there underneath it all. Celestia nods slowly after a moment, "Yes, we are aware. We are also very aware of a lot of things about your, feeding habits."

The tension spikes abruptly at that and a few of the Changelings look uncomfortable. Chrysalis stills for a long moment, "Yes, we are a rather odd race." She sounds slightly reluctant to say that. "But I can assure you we have done you no harm." That one is hard to determine, I honestly can't tell if it's a lie or the truth.

Celestia keeps her polite smile. "I never presumed as much, our research has shown just as you've said. But your rival is not so well-intentioned. So forgive me if my words came off as too harsh." It's all just theater at this point as the questions meld into a dance of trying to get information from the other party.

Chrysalis shifts a bit and nods, keeping up the niceties that cover the tension. "I am sorry to hear that. Yet another reason to oppose the Mad Queen though." That sounded like blatant propaganda, but it still has some truth to it probably. "I am rather curious as to why you have asked for this meeting?" Chrysalis pulls things back to the main question rather bluntly.

I get the feeling Chrysalis isn't the best at playing politics, or at least isn't used to it. But she's far from dumb or crazy, I can tell that much already. Celestia adjusts her wings, "Ah yes, of course. You see many of the ponies that work for me know about, well you." That again raises the tension.

Chrysalis finally seems to lose a little patience and takes a slightly more impatient tone, along with the other Changelings getting antsy. "That too I am aware of. But it hardly answers the question you are, providing a lot of context for." Her tone is even more blunt and it's really starting to show she's not the most experienced at this sort of thing.

Celestia moves a wing and a few Changelings tense up. "Yes. Well, one of my more talented researchers made something rather useful." She brings a Love Cell from under her wing and places it on the table as one of the Changelings hisses a small bit, only to be silenced by a look from Chrysalis. "This is why I called a meeting, along with formally meeting you of course."

Chrysalis looks at the small gem for a moment. "And this is what? A, threat?" It seems my guess was right, they do think a bit like me, or at least closer than a pony does.

Celestia shakes her head. "No, we have no reason to make an enemy out of you or your hive. But we also find it difficult to make friends." She moves the gem to the side near me. "Shadow, if you'd be so kind as to explain. Shadow is an expert we have brought for this meeting." Celestia explains without really telling them anything.

I step forward and I feel a few of them twitch at my approach. They all turn to me and I stare at Chrysalis, "With the help of a talented pony we've developed this to store a certain type of magic." I pause to emphasize my point but they only seem to get more impatient at my wording.

Chrysalis looks closer at me. "So this... Being. Knows more about the gem than you?" Her tone is not disdainful but it's clear I make them a bit uncomfortable. I was going to be a bit dramatic to wow them, but I couldn't care less after that so I just reached out and tapped the Love Cell twice.

I move the gem with its expanded shield over to them. "This is used to store love magic with a purity of around ninety percent," I speak in place of Celestia mostly ignoring Chrysalis's earlier words. A few of the Changelings snap their heads back to me and I can tell I have their full attention now.

Chrysalis looks at me for a long moment. "What? What are you talking about?" She says with some clear interest and she lets more of a demanding tone slip through. I let it go as we had been annoying her for a bit now with how slow we were going.

I move the gem close to one of the Changelings. "The shield contains the love magic and keeps it pure from being contaminated with other emotions around it. Just put your foreleg inside." I back up a bit to make them more comfortable as it's clear they don't really like me.

I can sense the confusion on their faces growing as they twitch and look at each other. But after a long moment, Chrysalis nods to a Changeling, "This better not harm my Changeling." She says with a bit of sharpness to Celestia, and her easier mask of royal grace slips more before she sets it back in place. "We are showing you a lot of trust after all." She plays her earlier words off as something besides a threat. :She's getting more comfortable with this, good:

The Changeling hesitates a little looking at me again, but they do reach out a foreleg and put it inside the shield. "Hissss." We hear a slow hiss that sounds vaguely like satisfaction and the Changeling puts their foreleg inside more before remembering something and pulling back quickly. "M-My Queen. It- It appearesss they are, truthful."

She sees the reaction and her eyes widen more, I'm guessing she sensed the new love they absorbed. She reaches out a foreleg but takes it back before jamming it inside, instead, she only puts a small amount inside and her wings twitch in surprise before she moves her foreleg in deeper.

We all sit in silence as she presumably absorbs what is left of the love magic inside. I take note that the other Changelings are looking more and more interested and focused as they watch what is happening, they are realizing we're telling the truth. But in that moment of silence, I feel something concerning.

I've kept my spatial senses around us to watch these six closely, while my life magic senses have been spread around a much larger area to keep watch. A few living things just entered the area a few hundred feet away. They are moving slowly, deliberately, and in an organized line.

:FUCK!:

Author's Note

Thanks for reading. :]
Current year is 995

I'm obviously continuing this next time, so, ya.

In the end for Chrysalis's personality, I tried to go for a mix of a few things. Mistrust for her being in a war and just how Changelings act. Inexperience as she's a new ruler and is not the best at several things that are involved. Along with a mix of greed, desperation, and opportunism that we'll see more of next time.

I want her to be smart, but not a mastermind. A new ruler both dealing with a war and trying to figure out how to do unfamiliar things like diplomacy. I also don't want her to be completely crazy, but also not fully sane from having to deal with a war and all.

I might not do that all too well but I'll certainly try my best.

Tell me what you think?