The Meaning of Chrysalis

"Alright, so all I have to do is throw the dart at the board, and aim for the bullseye?!" Chryalis asked, examining her dart  she held curiously.

"Yep! And it's super-super-super fun! Except when you're playing blindfolded, of course. One time I totally did it that way while drinking a little and almost gave Fluttershy an ear piercing! Isn't that crazy?!"

"Yeah," Chrysalis said, raising an eyebrow. "Uhhh, we're not doing that, right?"

"No, of course not silly! We'll just be playing it standard style."

"How about Rainbow style," Rainbow Dash finally said, walking towards the duo and glancing at Chrysalis suspiciously. "Hello, Queen Chrysalis. Watcha up to?"

"Nothing. Just trying to have a little fun with Pinkie here," Chrysalis said innocently.

"Uh-huh," Rainbow said, narrowing her eyes. "Anyway, Rainbow style is simple. It's sort of like truth or dare. Whenever someone racks up one hundred points they get to ask anyone in the group: truth or dare. And they have to answer truthfully."

"Wow Rainbow! We've never played this before!" Pinkie bounced.

"I wonder why..." Chrysalis muttered. "How do you know when someone is telling the truth?"

"Good question," Rainbow smiled, turning about. "Hey, Applejack!" she called.

Applejack quickly looked up from a glass of appletini she was drinking, shooting Rainbow a curious look and Chrysalis a wary one. A second later, she trotted over to the duo, sober as can be.

"Heyo, watcha need me for?" she asked warily.

"We're playing a bit of Truth or Dare darts," Rainbow smirked. "And I want you to work as our lie detector. You're the best there is."

Applejack gave a shrug.

"Sounds good to me. Count me in!"

"Alright, let's play already!" Pinkie bounced.

Chrysalis gave a slight gulp at that. If Rainbow were to ask why she was hanging around Pinkie, and if she were to answer 'to get close to Twilight,' would it look bad?

"Last chance to back out, Queen Chrysalis."

"I have nothing to hide," she said bluntly, and she could already tell Applejack was examining her.

"Then let's begin! I'll go first."

"Very well."

She handed Rainbow the dart, who quickly stood on her hind legs, stuck out her tongue, squinted an eye, and chucked the dart.

WHOOOOSH-PWANG!

Fifty points.

"Damn..." she grunted.

"Guess I'll give it a shot, no pun intended," Chrysalis smiled, and levitated another dart towards her.

She had never played the game before, but it seemed simple enough. She did as Rainbow did; she struck the same pose, reeled her arm back, and tossed the dart.

WHOOOOOSH-PWANG!

Seventy five points.

"Not bad for a newbie! My turn!" Pinkie bounced.

WHOOOOSH-PWANG!

Bulls-eye.

"YEEEEEEEEEES!" she squealed, before turning to Rainbow, smirking. "Rainbow, truth or dare!"

Rainbow folded her arms, smirking confidently. "Dare! Throw anything at me!"

"Hmmmm," Pinkie pondered. "I dare you to..." She glanced about the bar. "Drink an entire bottle of hot sauce!"

"Hah?! That's all?!" Rainbow grinned. "I can drink that stuff like water! Bring it on!"

She quickly flew over to the bar table, grabbed a bottle, and chugged.

She then turned, smiling proudly at the group.

However, a second later... saying her mouth had become a volcano would be an understatement.

"AAAAAAGGGGGH! WATER!" she screamed, launching herself over the bar counter, nearly knocking over the tender, and grabbing an entire pitcher. She guzzled it down like it was the last link to life.

The group broke out into laughter.

"Hehehe, gotta love that cocky mare," Applejack smiled. "Mah turn!"

She took a shot, and with the skill of somepony who had played this game more than was healthy, she immediately made a bulls-eye as well.

"Well I'll be," she said, trying to hide her pride. "Rainbow!"

"Agh, what the hell?!" Rainbow cried, still panting as she walked up to the group. "Fine, truth!"

Applejack narrowed her eyes. "Did you drink that batch of cider in mah barn when I wasn't looking last week?"

Rainbow gave a gulp. "Uhhh... what batch of cider?" she said innocently, grinning sheepishly.

Applejack gave a deep sigh. "Damnit, Rainbow..."

"W-Well... it's not my fault you make it so good!" she cried. "And what the heck, you're supposed to use this opportunity to question Chrysalis!"

The group took pause at that, and a few in the bar turned towards them. Apparently, Rainbow was a little louder than intended.

Chrysalis lowered her eyebrow. "If you want to question me, then go ahead. Like I said, I have nothing to hide."

Rainbow gave a skeptical huff.

"Uh-huh. Alright, my question for you is: what the heck are you doing here?!" she growled.

"To secure my people's position in the United Neightions," she said calmly, meeting Rainbow's eyes.

"Through what means?! Are you going to replace the delegates with changelings?!"

Chrysalis shook her head, keeping her expression placid. "No. The only two changelings in this city I know of are me and my assistant."

Rainbow glanced over to Applejack, who was looking Chrysalis over.

"She's tellin' the truth as far as I know," Applejack shrugged.

However, at that, a new voice made itself known.

"But she never said she wasn't going to play dirty," it said.

Chrysalis turned, and there was the same pegasus with the strange, blue flight jacket walking towards them.

"Hello, I don't believe we've been acquainted," Chrysalis said, lifting an eyebrow.

"Captain Jack Harness," he said, gazing her down. "And honestly, I'm very intrigued how someone set in the ways of conquest can just... 'change' overnight'. Someone who sang that the day she took Canterlot was perfect. Someone who maliciously sent Princess Sparkle to the crystal caves beneath Canterlot without knowing she could get out."

Chrysalis was beginning to sweat at this point. In all honesty, she had enjoyed every second of taking Canterlot. She was so full of herself... so seduced by her power. And for some reason, she felt a great envy for Twilight, she who was now the perfect student of Princess Celestia...

She didn't want to explain all that... but she could summarize it.

"I was... a different person, then," Chrysalis simply stated. "And it wasn't overnight. It was two years..."

"Mhmmm," he said, lowering an eyebrow. "I changed too, once, you know... almost instantly. All it took was one man... one Doctor, to fix me. However... you are a much different case." He took a step closer to her, narrowing his eyes. "I just want you to know... I'll be watching you."

He gave her one last suspicious look, before turning away to flirt with a crystal pony at the bar who Chrysalis assumed was Cadence's assistant.

"Well, that was awkward," Pinkie blinked.

"He did bring up a good point," Rainbow growled. "And I had one last question: why are you hanging around Pinkie, anyway?"

Chrysalis took a deep breath. "Alright... fine, I just want to get close to Twilight, is all. I need every vote I can get, and I want to show I have changed. Is that so bad?"

"S-So, you were planning to use me?" Pinkie squeaked.

"Well... honestly, I did enjoy darts," Chrysalis smiled. "I'm sorry, Pinkie. It's nothing personal, but my people mean a lot to me. I'll do anything... within boundaries, to see that that blockade is broken."

"Still tellin' the truth, it seems," Applejack nodded, with a hint of respect on her face.

Rainbow shook her head, a little baffled. And much to Chrysalis surprise, she actually followed with:

"You really care about your people, don't you... you're loyal to them."

"More than anything in the world," Chrysalis sighed.

Rainbow folded her arms.

"I still don't trust you, though... your invasion of Canterlot was 'for your people', too, wasn't it?" she asked.

Chrysalis sighed. "It was for a lot of things. Part of it was personal... I wanted to get back at Princess Celestia who I thought had betrayed me. I was envious of Equestria as well, and I wanted your resources. I was being stupid."

"Yeah, you were," Rainbow growled. She then put on a slight smile. "But... we did kick your sorry flank, so nothing really bad ended up happening..."

"Which I guess kicked some sense back into you," Applejack nodded.

"You have no idea..."

"Come on, we need to convince Twilight to vote for her tomorrow," Pinkie bounced. "Her people don't deserve to be enslaved for one little mistake!"

"Little?" Rainbow said, raising an eyebrow.

"Alright, one huge almost nation shattering mistake..."

Rainbow then shook her head. "Wait, what's this about enslavement?! I thought you were just being blockaded..." she continued.

"The goal of it is to force us into slavery... they won't let us feed unless we give up five thousand changelings to them," Chrysalis explained.

The group's eyes widened. "T-That's... that's horrible," Applejack gasped.

"Hey, what's going on over here?" Twilight said, glancing at Chrysalis suspiciously, and giving her friends a slightly betrayed expression.

"Chrysalis' people are threatening to be starved to death!":

Twilight took a deep breath, glancing away from Chrysalis. "The word the blockade has been spreading... Equestrian scouts reported it an hour ago. We had no idea what the intention of it was, however..."

"Well, now you know," Chrysalis nodded, before raising an eyebrow. "Now the question is: are you going to act?"

Twilight gave a growl, inching closer to Chrysalis, her new Alicorn height giving her a bit more of a menacing presence than it used to ."I want one thing straight, Chrysalis. We are not nor will we ever be friends. Did you seriously think you were going to get to me by taking advantage of Pinkie here? After what you did? Your pitiful, spite-filled attack on Canterlot? No... I can't forgive that so easily, even if you have changed. You have to face punishment for your action. Like it or not, even if you are a a different person within, you are still Queen Chrysalis the Deceptive. Your change in personality does not dismiss your crimes."

"Hah! My thoughts exactly!" a new, bombastic voice called.

The entire group turned, their eyes widening. Dagger stood at the door to the bar, his sharp teeth set in a wicked grin. At his side was a beautiful, black-dressed mare with a very strange, red target for a Cutie-Mark.

"Heeeeeeeeey folks! The life of the friggin' party is here!" Dagger called, marching over to the bar counter. "Free drinks for everyone! The most expensive Equestrian juice ya got!"

Half the bar gave a cheer.

He then turned to Chrysalis, giving her a wink. "Even one for you, Chryssy." He then looked her over, smirking smugly at her lack of a dress. "Nice dress by the way, or lack of one. Really professional."

"Ah, Dagger," another new voice called, this one coming from Aria of all wolves. "Interesting to see you here."

"Hey, well, the Eastern Slave Company does have a seat on the U.N., Ms. Snowstorm, just staking my claim!"

He then turned to Twilight Sparkle. "And well well, if it isn't the newest addition to the big ole Alicorn clusterbuck that is Canterlot. Just kiddin' of course, nice to meet ya."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "You as well..." she grumbled. "Celestia told me about you. It doesn't take a genius to see what your line of business is, either."

"Pfffft, just because I'm a slave trader doesn't mean I'm a bad guy," he smirked. "Most of the slaves I take? They're criminals. Murderers, scum... you name it."

"You forgot changelings," Chrysalis growled, her eyes narrowing.

"What's the difference?!" Dagger cackled. Nearly half the bar room joined him in his laughter, the Mane Six not being among them. "The changelings are such a bipolar race it isn't even funny. One moment they're trying their best to get love... then when they bank enough of it they lash out at the world. At least with my way they're under a leash."

"Here here!" cried someone Chrysalis hadn't noticed yet, a tall, slim griffin.

"Thank you, Aldaris."

"I might also support this notion," a shadowy figure announced from a far side of the room, his voice a low rumble.

"Thank you too, Ironscale. Loving the dramatic shadow thing."

"Mph," he huffed.

"Everyone, please!" Captain Jack Harness growled. "Keep open political discussions to the council chamber. If you're going to rally support and not just have a good time, do it in private."

"And who the hell are you, flight suit?" Dagger snarled.

"Captain Jack Harness, head of security of the United Neightions," he said calmly.

Dagger rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Weird name, by the way. Who the hell is named Jack?"

Jack merely gave a chuckle, returning to his drink... and flirting.

"You see," Chrysalis hissed to Twilight. "That's the asshole who's planning on making my people a slave race! I'm begging you Twilight. That's right, you heard me. I am on my knees. Please... vote to allow us into the U.N.."

A beat. Twilight closed her eyes.

"I'll... think about it," she finally said, turning away from her. "But in the meantime; stay away from my friends."

"B-But-" Pinkie squeaked.

Twilight snapped towards her. "Pinkie! Listen to me. You can't afford to be naive in this setting."

The Mane Six's eyes widened. Pinkie looked taken aback.

"Easy, Twilight. No need for name calling," Applejack said.

Twilight winced at this, giving Pinkie an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, Pinkie."

"N-No, it's alright," she said sorrowfully. "I really do need to stop being so... naive."

"Well common, let's get back to seeing if Rainbow really does know how to handle her liquor," Applejack smirked.

"Hah, you have no idea!"

"Alright," Pinkie sighed.

At that, Pinkie gave Chrysalis a somewhat sorrowful glance, before making her way over with Twilight to another side of the bar, her friends in tow.

"Ouch. Tough break there, Chrysalis," Dagger said, walking up to her side while munching on a dish of caviar. "Want some caviar? I know you're probably a bit down in the money department... ya know, with me chasing you off your island and all."

"I wasn't chased off, I chose to leave," Chrysalis said bluntly, not even looking at him.

"Must suck not knowing what's going on back home," he said in a sing-song tone. "I wonder how your people are doing? Scared, confused, leaderless - minus your crappy council, of course..."

"If you're trying to influence me to leave, don't waste your foul-smelling breath," she hissed.

"Na, I'm just trying to save you the humiliation of being shot down at the U.N.," Dagger grinned. "I mean seriously, wouldn't you rather go down swinging at my blockade?"

"How about I just kill you right now and face the consequences? How's that for 'going down swinging?'" Chrysalis said, narrowing her eyes.

"Go ahead," Dagger shrugged. "Hate to see what Tassadar would do though with me gone... probably wouldn't involve prisoners."

Chrysalis rolled her eyes.

"Uh-huh. That pony in the black dress you were with, who is she?" she asked.

"Ehehe, just a little protection. I have more than one enemy here, you know."

Chrysalis gave him a blank look. "And you seem like such a nice guy."

Dagger broke out into laughter. "Celestia damnit all, Chrysalis. If only you weren't a changeling I'd be lusting after you like a fat kid after candy."

"And I'd be puking like I had just fed off a demon."

Dagger gave a deep sigh. "The hard-to-get ones are always the best." He then shot her one last smile. "Anyway, catch you later, Chryssy. I've got a few rounds to make, and a few drinks to get."

Chrysalis sighed, glancing about the room, organizing a few things in her mind. There were a total of eight nations being represented here that she knew of:

Equestria, The Crystal Empire, Artaria (the northern wolves), Tal'Tara (the zebras), Wingmaria (the griffins), Edeathstria, Argos (the dragon nation), and the Eastern Slave Company (if one could count that a nation.)

She glanced towards the shadowy figure. He seemed to be the dragon ambassador. He was nearly as tall as the ceiling, though even that still meant he had to use some form of shrinking magic to even fit inside the bar. He might have had Dagger's vote... so did the griffins, and Dagger would vote against her as well, of course. So far, she had only Edeathstria and Aria's votes guaranteed... and Aria required a favor. If any of the other nations voted against her, or decided to abstain, she was finished. And if it was a draw, it would be up to the mediator, Twilight Sparkle, to decide the vote...

The Crystal Empire was out of the question. Princess Cadence would probably not even hear her out. The zebra ambassador on the other hand... Tal'Tara was a nation of isolation, and the changelings had never bothered them before. Their vote would reside on their opinion of her actions.

She began to glance about, and soon spotted her in the far corner of the room: a female zebra dressed in a beautiful, shimmering gown. She was busy talking with Twilight's counterpart from the Nightmare Realm. At this point, Chrysalis was beginning to remember a little more on that place. While Equestria did have its fair of supernatural creatures, their creatures leaned towards the more horror side of things: werewolves, vampires, giant, acid-spitting spiders, you name it. It was no wonder this Twilight was opting to support her. Freaks had to stay together, after all.

"So Zecora, congratulations to you on your role!" Soulshard chirped.

"I am quite surprised I was asked to fulfill this role," she smiled. "Though I am one of the few zebras from Tal'Tara to make world exploration our goal."

"So, you think they chose you because of your knowledge of various foreign nations?"

Zecora nodded. "That is my assumption, my undead friend. Hopefully I can live up to my family's expectations before this meeting's end."

"Um... hello, Ambassador Zecora," Queen Chrysalis said, giving her a respective bow. She at least knew one of their customs.

Zecora looked her over warily, before returning the bow.

"I have heard you speak to the others in some note," Zecora said. "Am I wrong in assuming you wish for my vote?"

"You're not."

"My people have watched yours for many years," Zecora said, tapping her chin. "Though you have never bothered us, your actions I personally cannot endear."

"Is that the opinion of your nation?"

"They believe that if we were to vote for you to join the U.N., you would give us a form of compensation in the end..."

"This could be true... but I heard you talking about your family," Chrysalis smiled. "Does family mean a lot to zebras?"

Zecora gave a slight nod. "Family is where my where our hearts lie. Their wishes for me to stay home were not easy to defy."

Chrysalis gave a nod. "Alright, let me ask you this, hypothetically: if someone were to threaten to take... say your brother and sister, and make a slave out of them... what would you do?"

"Fight for their freedom through and through," she said bluntly.

"What's your point with this, Chrysalis?" Soulshard asked.

She took a deep breath. "The changelings... share a very special bond to each other," Chrysalis stated. "We used to be completely hive-minded, but over time we gained individual intelligence. Yet... the link still remains. We can feel each other's joy and pain... our emotions. We're close to each other... almost as close as family. The entire hive."

"And you would do anything for them," Zecora nodded. "Even if it meant risking your pride at the U.N."

"That's right," Chrysalis said.

Zecora tapped her chin again, before nodding to herself.

"Then... I shall consider giving my vote, she who lives up to her name more than most," Zecora smiled.

"Thank you, Zecora."

The zebra gave her a nod, and Chrysalis began to walk away, smiling slightly. That was three on her side, three against her. It was very likely that Equestria would abstain, and even more likely that the Crystal Empire would do the same, or perhaps even vote against her, though she wondered if Cadence would take a personal grudge that far.

She would have to wait until tomorrow to see. But for now, she was going to have a very rough time sleeping.