Chrysalis found herself in the noodle shop with her good friend, Sunset Snow. Something felt kinda off, but for some reason, it didn't bother her. The proprietor of the... What was it called? The Laughing Nirik. She sat just across from her. They had just finished a conversation.

"So, yes. We kissed. It was... Quite nice.."

She couldn't find words to say. This part felt normal. The kirin laughed, and wrapped her in a hug.

"I'm so proud of you! Honestly, to think I know two royals now..." She smiled. "And I'm just some noodle seller. Crazy."

"You're more than that," she argued. "Don't be absurd. You're also a close friend. You know how few of those I have?"

"That's just cause you haven't tried too hard yet. Honestly, I think you could get more popular then my miso on a cold day." She smirked. Just like she remembered it. Deja vu?

"I try not to have too swell of a head these days," she sighed. The Nirik was perceptive as always.

"You worried about being too much like your old self? Well, stop it. You're a better creature now. It's not possible for you to go back to your old ways, and I, for one, want to see you be your real self." The kirin gave her that winning smile. Chrysalis smiled back.

"Thank you, Miss Snow. Has the shop been doing okay without me? Have you hired anyone else?"

"Busy enough to turn my orange mane to grey; but I'm tough as they come."

"Why have you not hired somecreature else?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Feels wrong. I keep thinking my favorite little Moony is meant to be working here with me." Chrysalis chuckled.

"Fine. I'll have to come work with you for part time. As much as you can actually pull me away from those two." She smirked herself. Sunset laughed.

"Deal! You owe me some cuddlin' too." Chrysalis rolled her eyes.

"I love you, you foolish Kirin."

She realized her mistake too late. Foul magic wrapped her body, lifting her into the air!

"No!" She cried out, banging the side of her rear legs like it could make them stop. But the repugnant colors still crawled up her body. The metamorphosis would not be halted.

She was placed down on the floor unceremoniously. All eyes on her. Her main carpace a disgusting bright yellow. Her shell a repugnant green. Bright blue, unwieldy antlers. This was her worst nightmare! She had to live like this??

"You don't." The princess of the night entered the shop. She bowwed her head and with a quick cast she was returned to her old self. Her true self. It was beginning to come into focus with her new lucidity. This had already happened... With some key exceptions.

"For once, I'm glad to see you." She sighed. "I owe you thanks for that."

"We only do as we have always done." There was that 'we' crap. She focused. Yup. Very faint, but it was like there was two of her. Honestly, it was starting to bother her now.

"So you fear the change that is to come? Is this only because of your appearance? Surely you can alter that."

"Yes, but my true appearance would still exist! Can you imagine how horrid it would be? Imagine if you were pink instead of that dignified dark color. Would really ruin your whole 'dark and mysterious' image."

"I thought you were quite the fan of pink these days." Luna let out a little chuckle. Chrysalis hissed at her.

"Ha ha. Aren't you supposed to be helping me, dreamwalker?"

"Humor oft aids the dreamer in calming down," she said, through eyes filled with mirth. "Now, let's discuss the true terror that twists into you."

"It's pretty much just... Not wanting to look stupid. You're looking too much into this." But Luna shook her head.

"Does this sound familiar? You're wanting to change, but find yourself caught between your old self and your new. You're still chained by your past. You know you must move forward, but that frightens you more then returning to what you are," she concluded.

"Well aren't you clever," she growled. "I should start getting moon repellent. Double strength, so I get rid of both of you."

"Both of us?" The moon princess tilted her head. Oh. Did she really not know? This was the fun kind of evil. The kind where she just got one over on someone! No one has to get hurt, and she got the satisfaction.

"Yes, princess. Were you not even aware there's a second you in there? I can feel two sets of emotions so easily. Even Thorax could pick it up." It was actually extremely difficult, but it was also much funnier if she pretended it wasn't.

"Ah. I suppose the ruse is at its end." What was she talking about? All of a sudden, another pony stepped OUT of princess Luna. Her gorgeous stary mane turned a simple blue. Out stepped the figure, clad in armor.

Nightmare Moon.

Though she wasn't afraid, she still took a step back. Why on Equestria would Luna do something so counter to her interests?

The tall black mare gave a haughty laugh.

"The look upon thy face is priceless. Relax. I can not exit the realm of dreams, nor do I mean you any harm." Such confidence. And using singular pronouns now? How intriguing.

"So you remain? Even after all that's happened." Chryssy really hoped Luna would be the one to answer, and she was pleased when she was.

"We have come to terms with, and accepted every part of our part-life. What we did. What we turned into. Nightmare Moon is a part of us. She'll never truly leave, and to spurn her is foolish." Still using we, eh? Chryssy figured that meant that Luna at least considered both parts of her to be one creature, while Nightmare Moon was distinct enough to be her own thing.

"Not that she didn't try. My better half summoned a Tantalus just to taunt herself each and every night. For penace. How absurd." She gave a wolfish smile to the other moon princess. They blushed.

"We are.. Glad to be past that. We've healed." She finished.

"Hmmm. Does Tia know she has two sisters?"

They nodded in unison.

"It's more complicated then that, but yes our other half thought it wise to inform her. And so here I remain. It's not so bad. I get plenty of company." Nightmare Moon snarked. Luna chuckled and gave her a little nudge.

"We've made peace with ourselves. Given your dreamscape on this night, we hope to see the same from you one day." Luna said, going back to her usual sage like tone.

"I've made plenty of peace." Chrysalis spat back. Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes.

"Thou art a poor liar, queen of shades. We've seen your worries. If anything, I find it refreshing that you're feeling guilty in the slightest. But remember not to be a fool like this one and let it consume you." She gestured to Luna, who quickly added on:

"And don't be afraid of who you'll become. It might feel like the world is ending, but that is only because the cost of your new life will be your old. It's... a worthy trade."

"Right... Thank you... Princesses. I suppose this is where we depart again."

"Hold a moment, shifter." That was Nightmare Moon. She turned. Luna had a worried look on her face.

"What is it? If you're hoping to 'hang out' it would be better to do it in the waking world." She raised an eyebrow at the duo.

"Oho, you wish it was so simple. No! You've seen through us, but now, I will see through you?" Luna looked at Nightmare Moon as she spoke, butting in.

"We would love to enjoy your company. What's a good time?" But she ignored the moon princess.

"What are you getting at, Nightmare Moon."

"Luna does not like to pry, but I have zero issues with it. I glanced through your memories via your dreams and I found something you don't seen to know about yet."

She felt anger boil over. This invasion of privacy was too far! As much as Chrysalis was growing fond of this darker half, she was as bad as Luna was originally.

"Speak plainly. You're already trying my patience."

Nightmare Moon gave her a haughty laugh before doing just that. "There are huge gaps in your memory after a specific point in time. Consistently. Your memories are mostly intact before this point in time, but after? Not so."

Her anger went cold.

"What?" She choked out in disbelief.

"How old are you? To your knowledge."

"Close to a thousand years old."

"And yet you knew of Grogar, didn't you? Not even Luna knew of them. Though the nightmare did. They were born of them. As a spawn of them I knew. But why did you know?"

"Why shouldn't I know??" she spat.

"Because at your earliest whole memory, they were long gone."

Chrysalis sat in stunned silence. That couldn't be so. She was pretty sure she had even met him.. Not the imposter version, the real deal. How could that have happened then??

There was only one thing to ask.

"Do you know when my memories begin to... Break? Are you able to tell that??"

Nightmare Moon let out a horrifying laugh.

"Of course. Right around the Fall of the Crystal Empire."

Author's Note

Sonic music again. This time from the excellent "before the sequel" fan game. Check out some of fepard's latest work. The spark series is superb.

We'll be getting into more minor au territory as lead as far as the comics are concerned. We're going to get into the part where I try to adopt certain key aspects of them. Hang on for a wild ride!

This also sort of marks the beginging of the third arc. Arc one is, of course, "Chrysalis's final Gambit" and ends with "the fall."

Arc two would have to be titled something like "A growing heart"

Arc three?

"Revenge and Rememberance."