Never a Queen
by Dreamstar Maker
#altcanon #theoryfic
Nopony knew Celestia was there, watching carefully over the ponies camped in the caverns. Nopony knew the danger they were in, and if Celestia had her way, they never would. For something wicked and wild lurked in the woods outside, something that was rather attracted to ponies. Or rather to something they provided.
A shadowy twisted form stalked quietly towards the cave. Trotting through the obscured entrance, she continued down the path, planning to use a hidden ledge to spy on the ponies. Tonight, she would feast, and feast well. At least, that is what had been planned. However, she found her plan unexpectedly halted by a protective Princess.
"Halt, thou wilt proceed no further," Celestia commanded with a flare of wings, her form pulsating with bright energy.
Chrysalis simply laughed in mocking tone, "What makes you think you can stop me?"
"They are my subjects, and I will do whatever it takes to protect them."
"Oh, how noble, how useless. Let them become my servants, it will be so much less a burden for you," Chrysalis lowered herself to fighting stance.
"Thou wicked vile creature, I will not let you corrupt these ponies, like you did those so many centuries ago."
"Who art thou," Chrysalis mimicked mockingly, "to judgest me? You are merely a Princess. I am Queen."
"You are an abomination, wretched and vile!"
"Tut tut," Chrysalis gave a devious smile. "You wound me, dear. To say such a thing about your Mother," she attempted to move past, only to have Celestia block her path again.
A pained look crossed Celestia's face, "You are not my Mother!" she yelled angrily.
"Surely you have not forgotten me already. I certainly have not forgotten you, no matter how hard I try."
Celestia winced, "You are not my Mother."
"Such hurtful words," she sidestepped carefully closer, "I must say, I thought I taught you better than that."
"You are not my Mother!" Celestia growled viciously, causing Chrysalis to stop in something akin to shock. "My mother was kind and beautiful and loved everyone. Not some twisted monster who thinks the world is her supper dish. You just happen to have her body."
"Why, darling daughter, aren't you going to use your precious Friendship to try and redeem me?" she smiled deviously.
"My mother died years ago, when you took over."
"Like it or not daughter, this is who I've become. I am still your Mother. Now enough of this, let me pass," Chrysalis said with unusual seriousness.
"No, you devoured every memory that was precious to my mother. You made her into a hole-ridden husk of what she once was. You killed my Father's heart."
"That was unfortunate," Chrysalis said with what seemed remorse, before adding, "he would have made a great minion. I chose my own path daughter, and it's one on which I will remain. Their is no redemption for me."
"I do not believe so, but it is beyond me me to do it, you must choose for yourself."
"Ha-ha-ha," laughed Chrysalis, "I will never choose such a thing!"
"Maybe, but I choose to believe their is still some small part of my Mother hidden deep inside you."
Chrysalis flared her wings in anger, "Do not dare say such a thing, I ate every delicious memory, every delightful thought, I left nothing."
"Yet…you still remember me."
"As I said, their are some memories I cannot forget," she said with perturbance. "Anyhow, it has been a delicious time here, but I really must be leaving," she turned and began walking the way she came.
"Where are you going?" asked Celestia, knowing retreat was never part of Chrysalis's plans.
She stopped, an angry disgusted look on her face, "I am going away from here, and I will eat and eat and eat until this wretched conversation has been consumed from my memory."
"Go, if you must, I will be watching."
Crystallis looked back over her shoulder, her usual grin returning, "I expect no less of you, Princess."
Celestia felt that parting shot. She always would be a Princess, no matter how old she got. Few ponies knew that Chrysalis, the Queen of Love & Care, had never been annexed from her throne. Celestia could have done it, declared herself Queen and eradicate all but the most legal traces of her Mother. In many ways, she already had, few books ever talked about those pages of history, and she certainly never brought it up. Neither did Chrysalis… which was strange. Her ego was massive, and she loved power. Yet she never claimed the throne, despite having all rights by title. She never even bragged about it. If Celestia ever had a chance to answer this odd riddle, it was now.
Celestia took off, leaving the cave. The question, though unimportant, had eaten at the back of her mind for too long.
Chrysalis was surprised to see herself chased down, and wasn't quite sure whether to hold her ground or fight. "What do you want Princess?" she said, eyes narrowed.
"I want to know why you never claim your position as Queen."
"I am a Queen, my changelings are quite loyal to me."
Celestia decided not to point out that many of them had abandoned her.
"I mean, why have you not tried to claim your title to the Canterlot Throne?"
"Would you let me reign unopposed? I thought not. There's your answer."
Celestia knew that wasn't the reason at all, she was very familiar with this sort of misdirection. "I don't think that's it at all. You seem uninterested in reminding anyone of your title."
"I have no interest. Your little goody-goody squad would try to redeem me if they knew who I was. Unlike you, they do not have the wisdom to see I'm unredeemable, and uninterested in changing."
Celestia knew that wasn't quite the truth either, though it was close. "Is it because you don't want to be reminded of who you were?" she said quietly.
Chrysalis looked shocked, before an angry look flew onto her face. Like black lightning she leapt away, eventually blending into the shadows.
Celestia sighed, she'd suspected as much. She hated this monster each passing day. Hated what she'd done, hated what she'd become. In many ways she did not view it as her Mother, merely a twisted husk of what once was. Still, she was her Mother, Celestia had to admit. She loved her Mother as strongly as she hated the abomination she'd become. Every day she thought back to her childhood, those wonderful piercing memories. Being in the castle gardens at sunrise, cuddling for protection in a storm, simply being with and being loved by her. Still, she loved her Mother deeply. Wishing for the impossible day of her redemption.
It was why she would always be a Princess.
Never a Queen.