Time is a Heartless Master
Chrysalis flew through the air, unable to control her flight path. She had just been blasted out of Canterlot, and was still sailing through the air. Her changelings were being spread across all of Equestria. Her pride was smashed. And it felt like one of her wings was as well. The day couldn’t get any worse for her. The only highlight was her trajectory. It would take her straight to the hive. Chrysalis turned around, aligning herself so her back would take the brunt of the impact. It was the strongest part of her body after all.
I did go overboard with the whole invasion thing. She thought to herself. Perhaps I should have just snuck in. Then again, with that damn shield, there was no way we would all get in. I wonder why Twilight was so mad at me... Chrysalis thought on it for awhile, unable to come up with an answer. With a shrug, she moved on. I had hoped to find Luna. She was always kind to us. I hope my children are okay... She closed her eyes, relaxed, and waited.
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It felt like minutes, but just as easily could’ve been hours, later that Chrysalis awoke. She rolled over, stretching as she stood. Looking around she noticed that she had in fact arrived at the hive. To be more precise, she had smashed through it, destroying it upon landing. Which had broken her other wing. Looks like it did get worse. Can’t fix them though, need to help my children first. She sighed in defeat, mentally adding repairing the hive to her list of things to do.
First though, she had to check to see how many of her changelings had survived. She closed her eyes and reached out with her mind, searching for the Hive that all changelings were a part of. While they had their individuality, and were not forced to follow the Hive, it tied them all together, made them a whole, one that was greater than the parts.
She was glad to find that most of her changelings had survived. There were many that were unaccounted for, but many more were recovering around the world, connecting to the hive, wondering what to do next. “My changelings, hear me. We have failed. I have failed.” She thought out, speaking to her subject. The Hive, though buzzing with conversations before, now fell silent, as everypony listened to their queen. “Return to the hive. I will send along what love I can to those who need it most. Unfortunately upon landing, I crashed through the hive. I will have to repair it. Go.” And with that she pulled out, turning to face the wreckage of her home.
Lowering her horn, she began to levitate the pieces, slowly fixing them. The hive was made of much the same material as the cocoon she had used to trap Celestia, and so stuck to itself well. Though it used most of her remaining power, she slowly managed to fix the hive.
Chrysalis sat down, exhausted, and closed her eyes again. She felt out amongst her subjects, sending healing love to those who needed it, taking what she could from those who didn’t. As she watched her changelings regroup, she smiled, admiring their resourcefulness. She had long since started training them to always seek out love where they could, and siphon what they could, without being noticed. After all, they merely needed to be in the vicinity of loving ponies to siphon it off.
Slowly the first of the changelings began to trickle into their clearing. Many had come in disguise, dropping it as they entered the clearing. Many more were stuck though, either fully transformed, or, in rare cases, partially. She used what magic and love she could to help them change back. Slowly her numbers grew, as more and more changelings managed to return. Perhaps we can find another place full of love.
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Twilight and her friends sat around a table, laughing together. However, although she was seated with them, Celestia was silent, her eyes staring off into the distance. Twilight soon picked up on this, turning to face her mentor. “Princess, what’s bothering you? Pinkie’s joke about the oatmeal was hilarious, and you hardly reacted.”
Celestia turned to face Twilight, slightly surprised. “I’m sorry Twilight. I’ve just got a lot on my mind is all.”
“Like what sugacube?” Applejack asked, smiling happily.
“Ya! Nopony should be all mopey right now!” Pinkie exclaimed. “We beat those nasty changelings and sent them flying away!”
“That’s just it.” Celestia hung her head. “The queen revealed herself, and I fought her. And I lost. I didn’t protect Equestria. It was your distraction that allowed Cadence to free Shining so they could save us all. I failed.” The Elements stared at her, at a loss for words. It hadn’t occurred to them that Celestia was taking her defeat this badly. “What good am I as your princess if I can’t protect you?”
“Princess, you’ve taken care of us for millennia. Without you, Nightmare Moon would be ruling this world. And we likely would have all died off from the eternal darkness.” Twilight replied, trying to cheer her mentor up.
“Without me, Luna would have never fallen to become Nightmare.” Celestia retorted. “She would have happily ruled over the night and day. And all I did by banishing her was prolong it, and eventually push it onto you. And the same with Discord. Again, I just pushed my problems to you.”
“Dear, please.” Rarity spoke up. “Without you we would have never met Twilight. That’s enough for you to stay. And just because you were unable to stop a few threats doesn’t make you any less qualified to rule us. Why, no matter how powerful or immortal you may be, you’re still just one pony. You can’t do everything. And just because you’re our ruler doesn’t mean you have to protect us. What would we ponies do if you solved all our problems?”
The others nodded with Rarity, smiling. Celestia looked up, starting to smile. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”
As the group went back to talking, Celestia taking part this time, a certain blue pony trotted over. “Hello everypony. So seriously, what did I miss?” Luna took a seat between Twilight and her sister, stroking Twilight’s leg with her hoof under the table, causing Twilight to blush lightly. “I was told the wedding was to take place this morning, with the after party in the afternoon. Instead it seems that everything was pushed back by a few hours.”
The others at the table turned to Luna, all somewhat annoyed. “We were invaded by the changelings sister.” Luna turned to face Celestia, both alicorn’s faces sour. “Where were you during all this? We barely escaped with our lives! I needed you!” She exclaimed, on the verge of yelling.
Luna stared at her sister, slightly annoyed. “So the changelings invaded.” Celestia nodded, to which Luna rolled her eyes. “This morning, interrupting the wedding?” Again a nod. Luna brought her hoof to her face, closing her eyes and shaking her head. Opening them, she looked at her sister and said “I was exactly where I am everyday after I set the moon. In my room. In my bed. ASLEEP. I was sound asleep Tia! If you needed help why didn’t you send anypony to wake me?” She asked indignantly.
The faces of each of the Elements of harmony fell, all of them realizing how obvious her answer was. Celestia stuttered for a second, trying to find a rebuttal. Realizing she had none, her face fell, though it stayed annoyed. “I thought an invasion would wake you sister,” she mumbled
“Tia, I slept through Discord getting free. Why would an invasion wake me?” Luna sighed, turning away from her sister. “Well, what actually happened? How did you repel them?” Though Luna was curious, she was also annoyed. She happened to quite like the changelings, and sympathized with them. As she heard the tale of what happened, her mood turned from bad to worse. “So you’re telling me, that you forcefully ejected a race who feeds upon love, simply because you were scared of them?”
“They were trying to take over Canterlot! And they were going to hurt all of us, just like Chrysalis hurt my brother!” Twilight replied, shaken by Luna’s suddenly very sour mood.
Luna turned to glare at Twilight. “Did it ever occur to you that they might have been invading because they were starving? As a changeling starts to run low on food, their body starts to fall apart. If they go too long without food, they fade away completely. From how you’ve described them, this was a desperate attempt to feed themselves! And how do you know it would hurt to be fed off of? Did any of you try it? Did Shining look hurt?”
“He could barely stand when Cadence freed him from her control!” Twilight yelled back, annoyed. “You expect me to believe he wasn’t hurt?”
“He had just been freed from a mind control spell Twilight. He could barely think, let alone stand. And the only reason Chrysalis used the mind control was because she knew she couldn’t fool your brother.” Luna yelled back. “Again, I ask, did any of you let them feed off you?”
The elements stared at Luna stunned. Twilight hung her head, realizing the truth in Luna’s words, and having nothing left to argue with. Five of them slowly shook their heads, admitting to not knowing how the changelings actually fed. They then all turned to Fluttershy, who had tried to shrink under the table. Realizing they wanted to know why she hadn’t shook her head, Fluttershy spoke. “I did. It was actually kinda nice. As we were being taken back to the queen the changeling who had me almost fainted. I was about to run away from him when, I realized, I couldn’t.” Fluttershy’s voice was quiet, just loud enough to be heard. “I looked at him, just laying there, barely able to move. He looked so helpless. I wrapped a wing around him, helping him up. He gave me a smile, and nuzzled me. I felt a little weird, but then he was back up to full strength. He was very nice as he led me back.”
Luna smiled, glad to see at least the Element of Kindness lived up to her title. The others stared at her. “Changelings don’t have to replace somepony you love to feed off love.” Luna explained. “That is the best way for them to feed, love directed at them, but a skilled changeling can survive on the love that ponies feel for each other. Spending just an hour in Canterlot, at the wedding, would have fed them for hundreds of years. Instead they had to break in, just to get close enough to feed off the love. And then they get kicked over after a few minutes of feeling nothing but fear.” Luna shook her head, still very annoyed. “Now, Celestia.” She said, rounding on her sister. Celestia looked up, slightly worried. “What was this threat that was made against Canterlot? And don’t try to lie, previous Element of Honesty.” Luna growled through gritted teeth.
Celestia flinched as Luna brought up her old title. The others gasped, not knowing which Element Celestia had been. After a moment Celestia wilted, admitting, “There was no threat. Chrysalis had sent me many letters asking to bring her subjects into Canterlot, saying they were starving. I ignored them at first, but eventually, I denied her entrance. Told her she would never be welcome in Equestria again, not after what she did the last time she was here.”
Luna placed her head in her hooves again. “You xenaphobe. All she did was impersonate you, gather the love sent to her, and feed her children.” Luna stood, staring down her sister. “What could possess you to do this Sister?” Luna turned her back to Celestia, striking her wing against her sister’s cheek. “While it was Cadence and Shining who sent them out, it was because you made them out to be evil monsters. Chrysalis was once my friend Tia. I intend to help them, even if you won’t.” And with that, Luna left, mumbling to herself angrily.
Time is a Heartless Master
2
The seven remaining at the table looked at each other, not sure what to do. “I’ll go after her.” Twilight eventually decided. The others slowly nodded, watching as Twilight left. The unicorn made her way through the crowd, eventually making it out of the gardens. Knowing her marefriend, Luna was likely to follow up on what she said, and leave soon for the changelings. She raced around for a bit before realizing the one place Luna would go to at a time like this, the balcony outside her room. With a smile, Twilight closed her eyes, and teleported away.
In a small flash Twilight reappeared, standing just outside Luna’s oak doors. The pair of Lunar Guards who always stood guard at her doors immediately lowered their spears, pointing them at Twilight. A few tense moments passed before the guards raised their spears, sighing. “Twilight, please stop doing that.” One of them requested. “We’re all a little twitchy right now. Just, please, teleport in farther down the hall.”
Twilight grinned sheepishly, recognizing her mistake. “Sorry sirs. Is Luna in her room?” They nodded, opening the door for Twilight. “Thank you.” She said, rushing into the room, skidding as she turned to head for the balcony. Looking over she saw the doors still open, Luna standing on the balcony her horn’s glow just fading, a large cloud mass having formed just on the other side of the balcony. “Luna! Wait!” Twilight cried out, sprinting out onto the balcony.
Luna stopped, turning around, watching as Twilight ran up next to her, panting. “What is it my love?” Luna’s horn began glowing softly, the clouds slowly shaping into a vessel behind her.
“Is there any way I can convince you to leave them alone?” Twilight asked, having caught her breath. “Why is it you want to help them anyways? They were going to kill us!”
Luna shook her head, sitting down, pulling Twilight next to her. “Twilight, you need to understand a few things. The changelings are less likely to hurt me than you are.”
“But Celestia said-” Twilight began.
“As I said, Celestia hates Chrysalis, and is a horrible xenophobe.” Luna interrupted. “I love her dearly, but there is a reason diplomatic relations have been shaky the past thousand years. To Celestia, the ponies are above all others. She is hardly willing to treat others on the same level.” Twilight stared, shocked at what she had just heard. “Before my fall, I handled the diplomatic issues.”
Twilight stared, not knowing what to believe. On the one hoof, Celestia had practically raised her. Twilight looked up to her, and couldn’t fathom her being anything less than perfect. On the other though, Luna was her marefriend, and Twilight had long since learned to trust her. And she had known Celestia for far longer than her. The unicorn battled it back and forth in her mind, eventually giving in to the obvious. “Why? Why does she hate the changelings?”
“As I said Twilight, about fifteen hundred years ago, Chrysalis came to the old capital city, in what is now the Everfree Forest. The changelings weren’t doing so well, but not as bad as now.” Luna’s horn relit, the clouds beginning their formation again. “They gathered love just by walking around, and slowly recovered. Celestia was never happy with them though. Eventually she said they had to be gone by the end of the week. She said she couldn’t trust the changelings to not harm her subjects.” Luna rolled her eyes, her horn’s glow fading as the clouds had finished forming into a chariot for two. “Climb on Twilight, and I will continue.” Twilight quickly cast her cloud-walking spell before clambering up next to Luna. With a flap of her wings, Luna sent their cloud chariot flying off. “So, on the day before they had to leave, Chrysalis took on the form of Celestia. She must have been saving up a massive amount of magic, Celestia and I are very hard for her to imitate. But anyways, she walked out amongst the ponies, greeting them, pretending to be Celestia. She got about an hour of love and adoration before Celestia came in with her guard. She quickly dropped her disguise, to which everypony fled. I arrived in time to watch Celestia declare that the changelings would never be allowed in Equestria again.”
Twilight simply stared. The story had shaken much of what she knew about her mentor to pieces. “So that’s why Celestia doesn’t like them? Because Chrysalis impersonated her, to gather love?”
“Yes.” Luna responded, wrapping a wing around her love. “Celestia has never liked outsiders, as she calls them, but after that she just got worse.” Luna hung her head, sighing. “All Chrysy was trying to do was feed her children. And she got kicked out of Equestria for it.”
Twilight’s face fell after hearing Luna’s explanation. Then it perked back up, staring at Luna. “Chrysy? Where did that come from?”
Luna looked slightly embarrassed, realizing her slip up. She cast her mind around, looking for a way out, but quickly found there was none. Twilight continued to stare, an eyebrow raised. “First Twilight, you need to understand how hard it is for Celestia, Chrysalis or I to have a romantic relationship with anypony. To me, your life is going to be over in the blink of an eye. I may have years to spend with you, but that pales in comparison to the years without you. None of us can hold a relationship with a mortal, the pain is too much. Just because we live forever doesn’t mean we are immune to the pain it brings.” Luna hung her head, pulling away slightly from Twilight.
“So, why are you with me then? If the pain is going to be so great-” Twilight began.
“Because I don’t care Twilight.” Luna answered, a small smile spreading on her face. “I don’t care how much pain this relationship will cause me, you’re worth it to me. Even if all I get is a few decades, I want them.” Twilight shifted over, leaning against her marefriend, a smile growing on her lips. After a few tender moments, Luna continued. “But, back to your question, I, long before my banishment, was in a relationship with Chrysalis. We were a happy couple. And my love for her kept all of the changelings fed for hundreds of years. I started calling her Chrysy during that time,” Luna finished, slightly embarrassed.
Twilight nodded, understanding. But, the idea that Luna had loved another, and for so much longer hurt her deep down. She leaned in close, sighing to herself. I won’t live forever, and Luna will, she thought to herself. And I’m just going to cause her pain in the end, she said so. No wonder she loved Chrysalis, they could have been together forever. As Twilight sat thinking, a morbid thought came to her. What if when Luna meets Chrysalis again, she wants to be with her? The thought scared Twilight. Though she wouldn’t say she loved Luna as strongly as Luna loved her, she still didn’t want to lose her. But the fear was there, implanted in her mind, her worry and doubt growing. After all, they can be together for eons. I can only stay with her for a few decades at most.
“We should be there soon.” Luna commented, snapping Twilight out of her downward spiral.
“Where exactly are we going?” Twilight asked, not knowing where the hive of the changelings was located.
“Oh, right I didn’t tell you. Though I am surprised you didn’t figure it out.” As Twilight stared, confused, Luna let out a small chuckle. “We’re going to Prance Twilight. I surprised you didn’t notice her prench accent.”
Twilight stared, confused. “Really? The changelings hive is in Prance? I think we would have figured that one out by now.” Twilight retorted, still in disbelief.
Luna just rolled her eyes. “They’re hiding in plain sight Twilight. The mimes are just changelings with a bit of paint, and a small transformation to hide their wings. And why else would everypony in Prance seem so different from us? Or eat snails? Or all look and talk the exact same? And why else would we call Paris the city of love?”
Twilight thought for a moment, then gently smacked her hoof against her forehead. “Wow, that is obvious when you think about it.” With a small chuckle she curled back up against Luna, settling in for the remainder of the ride.
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Chrysalis opened her eyes, smiling. Most of her changelings had returned, and a few patrols had been sent out to determine the fate of those who hadn’t. So far, not a single patrol had reported losses, just severe injuries. The queen had quickly responded by sending healing love where it was needed. Those who hadn’t been sent out to find stragglers had been split between finishing repairs to the hive, and siphoning love where they could find it.
The queen smiled to herself. Those wonderful Prench ponies. So much love. Not as much as Canterlot, but enough for now. Chrysalis turned to the hive, focusing her horn to help with the repairs. Chrysalis once again connected to the Hive, gathering the newest reports. Her face fell, as did a few tears from her eyes, as she learned that a pack of changelings had been found, brutally killed. The tears flowed freely as she learned of another changeling who had faded just as the patrol found him. She sent out packets of love to the patrols, hoping to avoid any more losses. Pulling away, she sat down, tired. It had been a long day for her. Just as she was about to continue working, her ears perked up as she sensed a familiar magic speeding towards her. Luna. I’m glad you’re coming. I hope you will help us. She thought to herself. As she watched her once lover fly closer, another magical aura became known to her. Though it took her a moment to determine whose it was, its presence filled her with dread.
“Evacuate the hive!” Chrysalis thought out to the Hive. “Luna is coming, and Twilight Sparkle is with her. You all know the plan, and you know the rules of succession. Run.” She commanded, opening her eyes to see the last of her children disappearing into the trees. She stood her ground, knowing she had minutes till the two would arrive. Minutes to live it seems.
Author's Note
Just to be clear, I love the French. And yes, I believe Chrysalis, or at least whoever does her singing voice, is French. At least on 'This day has been just perfect,' the first line of the reprise to the aria, she sounds very French.
That's my headcanon, and I'm sticking with it!
