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Staying on Course
Celestia closed her book as she heard a knock on the door. She knew who was coming.
“Come in―” she barely got out before the door burst open, unsettling the copious amounts of dust that had built up over the years. She turned her head to see Queen Chrysalis, chest expanding and deflating like bellows.
Celestia could very nearly picture a hint of fire coming out of the Changeling Queen’s nostrils.
Chrysalis took heavy yet measured steps towards Celestia, placing her face within an inch of the Princess’s.
“What.” Chrysalis clenched her jaw. “Happened.”
“Well,” Celestia replied as she waved a hoof out of her new window, displaying the clearly non-euclidean formations that composed the new landscape, “someone didn’t adhere to the Geometry of Fate.”
Chrysalis growled and pressed a hoof to Celestia’s chest. “Are you implying that I went rogue after having to do that forsaken wedding hundreds of times!?” she looked away and gagged. “I never want to look at another piece of cake as long as I live.”
“Nor do I.” Celestia sneered. “Even though success is no longer my ally.” She looked out upon the wasteland, then back at Chrysalis. “I played my part. Even―” Celestia took a deep breath “―explained to my sister what was going on. She didn’t believe me, but she trusted me.”
“I did my bit,” Chrysalis said as she massaged her throat and paced about. “Went after those troublemakers in Ponyville, first.” She snapped her head to face Celestia. “I’m assuming you were captured?”
“Hmm.” Celestia stood up and placed the book back on the shelf. “I don’t recall being captured.”
Chrysalis sat down on her haunches and rested her chin on a hoof. “Huh. I’d never guess that they’d be able to defy the grooves of history.” A chortle escaped her throat. “They really are getting powerful if they can fight against fifth-dimensional drift.”
“I’d expect no less of them,” Celestia said as she reorganized her bookshelf. “They’re exceptional ponies.”
“Not quite exceptional enough if they didn’t survive the temporal short-circuit.”
Chrysalis grunted.
“You should probably drug their tea this time.”
Celestia paused. “… What?”
“Or coffee, or cider or whatever―”
“I think you suggested that I cause harm to ponies who are my subjects,” Celestia said without turning around, “as well as my friends.”
Chrysalis stood up and faced her counterpart. “Well, suck it up,” she said as a snarl formed on her face, “it’s not like you’re sacrificing your entire species to ensure Destiny’s survival.”
“Well, Chrysalis.” Celestia walked over and looked Chrysalis in the eye. “Some of us still have morals.”
“Morals?” Chrysalis chuckled mirthlessly. “There are no morals if you want your little ponies to thrive.” She rubbed her face. “I’m only doing this because it is really annoying to end up back here every time someone screws up,” Chrysalis said as she dropped her hoof to the ground with a resolute stomp. “My failure to preserve my race goes against my morals, did you think of that?”
Celestia pursed her lips. “Well, what if I explain it to―”
“Do you honestly think they’ll accept that explanation, being who they are?” Chrysalis blew a strand of hair out of her face.
Celestia looked down, then back at Chrysalis, then back down―then walked to the bookshelf.
“Fine, you win. I’ll drug them,” Celestia said as she pulled out a glittering book, “but let it be known I’m maintaining history’s flow under extreme duress.”
“As I do every time,” Chrysalis said with an empty smile, Celestia’s horn already glowing.
“Let the river of history stay the course,” Celestia said.
“Likewise.”
And with that, they both phased out of the world that never was.
“Come in―” she barely got out before the door burst open, unsettling the copious amounts of dust that had built up over the years. She turned her head to see Queen Chrysalis, chest expanding and deflating like bellows.
Celestia could very nearly picture a hint of fire coming out of the Changeling Queen’s nostrils.
Chrysalis took heavy yet measured steps towards Celestia, placing her face within an inch of the Princess’s.
“What.” Chrysalis clenched her jaw. “Happened.”
“Well,” Celestia replied as she waved a hoof out of her new window, displaying the clearly non-euclidean formations that composed the new landscape, “someone didn’t adhere to the Geometry of Fate.”
Chrysalis growled and pressed a hoof to Celestia’s chest. “Are you implying that I went rogue after having to do that forsaken wedding hundreds of times!?” she looked away and gagged. “I never want to look at another piece of cake as long as I live.”
“Nor do I.” Celestia sneered. “Even though success is no longer my ally.” She looked out upon the wasteland, then back at Chrysalis. “I played my part. Even―” Celestia took a deep breath “―explained to my sister what was going on. She didn’t believe me, but she trusted me.”
“I did my bit,” Chrysalis said as she massaged her throat and paced about. “Went after those troublemakers in Ponyville, first.” She snapped her head to face Celestia. “I’m assuming you were captured?”
“Hmm.” Celestia stood up and placed the book back on the shelf. “I don’t recall being captured.”
Chrysalis sat down on her haunches and rested her chin on a hoof. “Huh. I’d never guess that they’d be able to defy the grooves of history.” A chortle escaped her throat. “They really are getting powerful if they can fight against fifth-dimensional drift.”
“I’d expect no less of them,” Celestia said as she reorganized her bookshelf. “They’re exceptional ponies.”
“Not quite exceptional enough if they didn’t survive the temporal short-circuit.”
Chrysalis grunted.
“You should probably drug their tea this time.”
Celestia paused. “… What?”
“Or coffee, or cider or whatever―”
“I think you suggested that I cause harm to ponies who are my subjects,” Celestia said without turning around, “as well as my friends.”
Chrysalis stood up and faced her counterpart. “Well, suck it up,” she said as a snarl formed on her face, “it’s not like you’re sacrificing your entire species to ensure Destiny’s survival.”
“Well, Chrysalis.” Celestia walked over and looked Chrysalis in the eye. “Some of us still have morals.”
“Morals?” Chrysalis chuckled mirthlessly. “There are no morals if you want your little ponies to thrive.” She rubbed her face. “I’m only doing this because it is really annoying to end up back here every time someone screws up,” Chrysalis said as she dropped her hoof to the ground with a resolute stomp. “My failure to preserve my race goes against my morals, did you think of that?”
Celestia pursed her lips. “Well, what if I explain it to―”
“Do you honestly think they’ll accept that explanation, being who they are?” Chrysalis blew a strand of hair out of her face.
Celestia looked down, then back at Chrysalis, then back down―then walked to the bookshelf.
“Fine, you win. I’ll drug them,” Celestia said as she pulled out a glittering book, “but let it be known I’m maintaining history’s flow under extreme duress.”
“As I do every time,” Chrysalis said with an empty smile, Celestia’s horn already glowing.
“Let the river of history stay the course,” Celestia said.
“Likewise.”
And with that, they both phased out of the world that never was.
Man, I don't even know.
So, best guess... Celly and Chryssi are stuck in a timeloop because reasons. The Mane 6 changed something, and it collapsed history.
...That's all I've got.
Um, is the temporal short-circuit Starlight Glimmer's timecrash thing? What's this about drugging ponies? When did Chrysalis ever go after the M6 in Ponyville?
I feel like there's probably a good story buried in here somewhere. But it either needs to be trimmed to size, or an expanded word-count; as-is, I'm mostly just confused.
...which is something I haven't seen yet this round. Huh. You get the first 'overly ambitious for !Hat' gold star!
So, best guess... Celly and Chryssi are stuck in a timeloop because reasons. The Mane 6 changed something, and it collapsed history.
...That's all I've got.
Um, is the temporal short-circuit Starlight Glimmer's timecrash thing? What's this about drugging ponies? When did Chrysalis ever go after the M6 in Ponyville?
I feel like there's probably a good story buried in here somewhere. But it either needs to be trimmed to size, or an expanded word-count; as-is, I'm mostly just confused.
...which is something I haven't seen yet this round. Huh. You get the first 'overly ambitious for !Hat' gold star!
I think this is an ambitious effort, but it's trying to be too epic for the amount of space it has in a minific. There's a lot hinted at, and a lot that's tantalizing, but it's really hard to develop any of it to a satisfying point inside these constraints.
But I can tell the author is really, really trying, so credit for that. This one could have worked better if the focus was narrowed to more fully explore just one small part of what's mentioned, because it does seem like there's interesting stuff underneath the whirlwind of so much rushing by in a short span.
But I can tell the author is really, really trying, so credit for that. This one could have worked better if the focus was narrowed to more fully explore just one small part of what's mentioned, because it does seem like there's interesting stuff underneath the whirlwind of so much rushing by in a short span.
I liked the premise & setting; it was inherently interesting, and sparked engaging interactions between the characters.
I'm having a similar problem to the others, though. If I'm interpreting this correctly, then for history to flow correctly (aka canon) requires the drugging of the M6 (or for them to be dumb, or asleep, or similar as a result of said drugging). I'm not as current on the show as I should be, but I don't recall an instance relating to Chrysalis when the 6 were drugged. So while this makes for an interesting scene, so I can't place it in context with events.
I'm having a similar problem to the others, though. If I'm interpreting this correctly, then for history to flow correctly (aka canon) requires the drugging of the M6 (or for them to be dumb, or asleep, or similar as a result of said drugging). I'm not as current on the show as I should be, but I don't recall an instance relating to Chrysalis when the 6 were drugged. So while this makes for an interesting scene, so I can't place it in context with events.