Ch. 0
Prologue
BY: cleverpun
Chrysalis had lost count of the days since her defeat at Canterlot Castle. She had been so close to victory, and yet she was still sitting in a dank cave, her forces dead or scattered across Equestria. Every day since she had been plotting anew, examining the flaws in her plan, trying to pinpoint where it had gone wrong so that she could guarantee success the second time. The days had begun to blur together immediately, and changeling biology meant she had no built-in timer based on hunger or fatigue.
And no matter how many times she went over it, she always hit the same stumbling blocks; the Elements of Harmony and of Love, her missing army, and her own weakened state. Without any emotions to feed on, she couldn't gather enough strength to rebuild her empire, and without either, she would never be able to subdue the Elements.
And then, after going over it in her head for perhaps the three-thousand-and-twenty-first time, she realized something… Why not take care of all three problems at once?
If she could somehow gain control of one of the Elements, their emotions would be able to refuel her powers, and with enough manipulation, they could be the first commander in an entirely new army. It was perfect. It would take care of every impediment in one fell swoop.
She didn't dare strike at the Element of Love, they would be on guard after she nearly won at their wedding. But the other six… surely one of them would be vulnerable to her machinations. She just had to bide her time, act more carefully than she previously had.
With as much optimism as could exist in a changeling, Chrysalis forged herself an appropriate disguise and began her long journey to Ponyville.