Remember that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are now the same age as the CMC thanks to my change of mind.
Oh ya, and Sweetie Belle is Belle from Beauty and the Beast. I chose Sweetie Belle, because she has Belle in her name! I'm such a rebel :D
• Chapter Twenty-six: Day Three •
…
Snow Flutter peered around her dim lit room, knowing that the dwarves had already left for their work. She peered up, as a few moths hovered around the flickering light on the roof. She beckoned them over, and the winged creatures flew down. They landed on her hoof. She couldn't help but sob softly, as she cooed a small melody.
"Peace can't help me now...
Nothing's been considered,
Things that go's deliberate.
No pony will tell me how.
Just how I will get through,
With my mind wondering to you."
She sighed, as she looked at the floor below her bed, and saw the debris of her old typewriter scattered over the carpet.
"Can I move my mouth?
To utter some word?
My fantasy has gone... I'm sure you've heard.
From north, things go to south...
Not even destiny would know.
Trying to avoid my lurking foe."
She watched as the moths began to flutter off of her hoof, and back towards the only light source in her room.
"Tell me, when you left...
Did you know I'd be like this?
You're the only one I miss.
And I shan't toil with murder nor theft,
Just to stay awake at night...
Alive or dead, I won't fight."
Sighing, Snow Flutter got up, and left the room, feeling her dull, pink mane slipping over her eyes. She didn't complain though, as she reached the main room, and began to sweep the floors. They weren't dusty, but she didn't care. Anything to try and pull her mind from the one she only thought about.
…
Chrysalis narrowed her eyes, in front of her mirror, and admired her reflection. "Today's the day, I shall be free from her... now I just need to see if that potion actually works." Chrysalis summoned the ointment she had created into the air, and unscrewed the lid. Then, she took a few sips of the droplets, and narrowed her eyes. "Not only is it supposed make the shape shifting transitions much more smooth..." Chrysalis's horn powered up, as she allowed a green flame to envelope her body. She took the form of some pony, before powering up her horn, and two more ponies appeared besides her, reflecting her devious expression. "But it allows you to duplicate yourself- or create completely new ponies... who are all you!" She smirked into the mirror, as she took the form of a light-cerulean mare, with a short, fringed light grey mane. Then, she changed one of her duplicates into a medium grey pegasi stallion, with a pale opal, spiky mane, and the other clone into a light gold-brown pegasi stallion, with a dark brown mane.
She smirked, as she summoned a dress onto her. It was black, with white stripes and pink highlights. Finally, she summoned a pair of black sunglasses with pink lenses.
"And I, Photo Finish, will go!"
...
Day 3 - Part 1
It has been three days since I have cruelly been locked up in this castle against my will, with zero food or water... survival will be tough, but I might be able to pull it off.
Hello pony folk. If you are reading this, it probably means I am dead. The lunatic which has locked me up down here, has sent me to sleep with gas every time I try to make a move... and I do not know if I will survive. You never know- next time he might pull out a poison gas, and kill me. Anyway, if by any chance you get this message, and I am still alive, send out help, and free me from this horrible castle.
Yours sincerely,
Sweetie Belle.
Sweetie Belle put down the pen, as she completed the third entry to a diary she had found in one of the drawers of the desk. She sighed, as she trotted through the room, and towards the door, peering through the keyhole. "Why won't he just let me go?" She leaned against the door, and stared up at the sky. "I miss my friends so much... I'd do absolutely anything to see them again." She felt her stomach begin to complain... she had missed dinner that night. Exhaling, Sweetie Belle got up, and opened the door, cautiously trotting through the halls, and into the kitchen. She poured herself some cereal, and sat at the table. She leaned down, as she heard hoof steps. Then, the pony appeared at the doorway, sympathetically peering at her. There was a few silent moments, before he spoke.
"I am sorry if you miss your friends."
Sweetie Belle didn't reply, as she continued to eat. She forced herself to not even look at him.
"And I know what I am doing is wrong. I'd miss my friends a lot too." He glanced at the ground sheepishly. "I missed you more than all of my friends."
"You don't know what you're saying," Sweetie Belle gritted her teeth, as she continued to eat, and make no eye contact. "I don't understand what you are saying, so why shouldn't you too?"
He hesitated. "I don't though. I don't know what I am doing... why I am forcing you to stay here." He peered at the ground. "I just haven't spoken to a pony in six whole years... and this is so big to me, and I don't know how to act."
"Then how come you don't come with me then?" Sweetie Belle pricked her ears, as she finally met his eyes. "We can leave this castle, and join my friends! I am sure they'd accept you as a fellow Crusader! Then you'd never be alone again!"
He shook his head. "You don't understand. No pony would ever accept me. I am just a... a beast."
Sweetie Belle cocked her head. "We'd accept you! It'd take time for all of us to accept you... but I am beginning to! And that's a start! We should go now!" She ran forward, grabbing ahold of his hoof, and dragging him through the hallway.
"Wait... no Sweetie Belle!" He gaped, as she reached the front doors, and opened them with her magic. She galloped through, and into the front yard. "Sweetie Belle! It's harder than you think it is! Stop!" He cantered ahead of her, blocking her path.
"What?" She faltered, hurt in her eyes. "You won't even let me see my friends if you come along too?"
"That's just it though. I can't come too... I... I am cursed into this castle... I can't leave any further than the front yard!" He peered at the ground in sorrow. "You can still leave though. You still have actual choice in your life! I don't though! I am stuck in a castle, and expected to play video games for the rest of my life! I don't want that destiny! I really don't!" He began to cry softly.
Sweetie Belle's ears drooped, but she gave him a sympathetic glance. "I... I apologise... I didn't realise..."
"You're going to go now, aren't you? Knowing that I'll never be able to catch you?" He bit his lip in sorrow. "But this is possibly the last chance I have to actually talk to another living soul... to socialise. To live the life of a normal pony."
Sweetie Belle shook her head, thoughts rapidly speeding through her mind. Confusion, sympathy, hope. She breathed out heavily, "I won't leave for now."
"Really?" He gazed up, light glinting in his amber eyes.
"Sure," Sweetie Belle replied, but silenced him before he could say anything. "But firstly, I need to tell you more about me. If you think I live the life of the average pony, then you are so, so wrong." She dragged him back into the castle, and took him into the back garden. The flowers danced in the sunlight, as they made their way through. Finally, Sweetie Belle stopped at a grassy meadow, sitting down in the lush greenness. She beckoned him to sit beside her, which he anxiously did.
"Okay. This should be a good place for explaining. Now let me give you the story of my life. I have a feeling that you know the first four years, but the next six are completely anonymous. Am I correct?" Sweetie Belle turned up to the sky, and peered at the fluffy clouds.
"That's right," he nodded.
"Okay, then this is how my story goes..." Sweetie Belle skipped through her timeline, years flicking by, as new information was devoured by the pony. She explained the mishap with her sister; how she had been sent to the edge of the Everfree Forest by Chrysalis. She explained the exciting adventures, she and her fellow Crusaders had had. The pony's eyes were wide, as Sweetie Belle finished her story with being kidnapped by him. She concluded, "that's my story."
The pony shook the dazed expression from his face. "Listening to a story like that makes me wonder what I have been doing with my life for the passed few years."
Sweetie Belle shook her head sternly. "Stop that."
"What?" The pony questioned.
"Stop putting yourself down. Just because of what has happened to you, doesn't make you less of a pony." She lay down on her back, peering up at the beautiful clear sky. It was rare to have a sunny day during winter, and she was going to cherish every moment of it.
The pony slowly nodded. "Okay... thanks."
Sweetie Belle shrugged. "It was just the truth." She rolled over to her side so she was facing him. "So what's your story?"
"I have already told you everything though," the pony peered at the ground. "I have nothing to say."
"But you're not an open book," Sweetie Belle spoke. "Anything, and I mean anything, you'd not mind me seeing or knowing..?"
He hesitated, before brightening up. "I'll show you how I know things! Well- I knew that you and your friends were in my castle long before I showed myself. I guess I was just too shocked. Follow me!" He got up, and trotted through the garden. Sweetie Belle curiously followed, as he trotted into the castle, and into the gym.
"The gym? What's so special about here?" Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow.
"This!" the pony proudly stood at one of the machines, and pressed a button on the side. Suddenly, it moved to the side, and the floor opened up below where it used to be. A staircase lead down into the ground.
"Wow. You have a lot of trapdoors," Sweetie Belle retorted, as she followed him down the stairs.
The lights on the sides of the walls went on as they moved further down the stairs. Finally, the passageway expansed before them, and they were in a large room.
Sweetie Belle gaped, as on one side of the room, was a large desk set up. On the wall above it, was screens and screens. Each of them had images on them... more recordings- of the whole castle above them. "This is like a video surveillance!" Sweetie Belle gaped, trotting up to the screens and peering at all of the rooms in the castle.
The pony nodded, trotting up to a seat before the desk. He began to dial a few of the buttons, and the images began to flicker. Sweetie Belle gasped, as the images on the screens changed, and all of them were set in the very room they were in at the second. "This is incredible... how long did it take you to set all of this up?"
The pony shrugged, spinning around on the chair so he faced her. "About the six years I have been living here! It took forever just to learn all of the programming! And then it comes to making all of these screens out of the stuff I had... it was painful!"
Sweetie Belle nodded, waving at the cameras, seeing herself on the screen mirroring the movements. "Okay- I am impressed!"
The pony gave a large smile. "Yay! I wasn't sure whether you would be angry or happy at the fact that I have a whole room for stalking."
Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow. "How much are you down here?"
He blushed. "Um... eh... about fifty percent of my life..."
"What?" Sweetie Belle shrieked, her voice going squeaky. "You spend half of your life sitting in here watching the same images over and over again? How do you cope?"
"It's not just the surveillance!" The pony complained. "I can also play games on the screens!"
Sweetie Belle watched, as he pressed another button, and a massive pixilated screen appeared before her eyes. "What is this?" She eyed all of the colours.
"This is... a video game! I am sure you have heard of them before? All you have to do is run to the side and avoid getting killed." He went over to the desk and retrieved two controllers, passing one to Sweetie Belle. "This little switch is what makes you move."
Sweetie Belle curiously levitated the controller before herself with her magic. "Alright then. Let's get this over and done with."
The pony started the game, and there appeared two characters in a large, expanded area. Suddenly from the sky, came a circle, and it hit down onto the earth, inches from one of the characters. "Which one am I?" Sweetie Belle panicked, as she flailed the switch from side to side.
"The white one- it scanned you before it started the game, and mimicked your colour palet onto the screen. I am the brown one." The pony stuck his tongue out, absent-mindedly as he got involved with the game.
Sweetie Belle gulped, before making her character step to the side. Suddenly, she saw her character flash red, and the words Game Over buzzed onto the screen. "What..? How!" She cried in frustration.
"You got shot," the pony shrugged. "It's alright. You're a beginner. We can start again now!"
For the next half hour, the two foals spent their time playing on the video game. Sweetie Belle eventually got the hang of it, and she even beat the pony a few times. Finally, Sweetie Belle got tired, and put the controller down.
"That was so fun..! We should go now though... we have been down here for a while." Sweetie Belle peered at the colt, but his eyes were glued to the screen. "Oh no you don't!" Sweetie Belle stood in front of him. "Snap out of it!" She rolled her eyes as he peered around her. She trotted up to his desk, and eyed all of the keys. Finally, she found a switch which looked like an off button. She pressed it, and sure enough, the screen faded to black.
"Wh-what?" The pony peered around in shock, before seeing the unicorn filly. "Oh, hi Sweetie Belle! What happened?"
Sweetie Belle sighed. "I think you got lost in the game... I now understand what you meant by becoming the video game itself. Now come... I don't think it's healthy to play them all day!"
"Okay!" The pony set the controller down, and followed Sweetie Belle up the stairs.
"This has been cool. Thank you for taking me down there," Sweetie Belle stated, as she hopped out of the gym, and sat on the floor.
"I am glad you enjoyed it!" The pony trotted passed her, and to the bathroom, but paused before he entered, and turned to Sweetie Belle. "Sorry for sending you to sleep with the gas by the way... I just got really nervous that you were going to leave- now that you say you won't leave for now, I promise that I won't do that on you ever again."
Sweetie Belle giggled slightly. "Your apology has been accepted, but don't take this as your cue for trying out something else stupid, which will annoy the life out of me!"
"Right! Deal," the pony laughed, before leaving Sweetie Belle alone.
The white, unicorn filly with the pink and purple, curly mane trotted down the halls and went into her room, resting on the bed, and taking the diary and pen to her with her magic.
Day 3 - Part 2
Okay, maybe I might have misinterpreted this pony. Today I hung out with him a bit, and he was actually really nice- and I actually enjoyed myself. Now that I have had a think through everything, I have realised that there is over one million worse places which I could be being held captive. I am just glad that this is the place where afterlife chose me to stay.
Yours sincerely,
Sweetie Belle.
…
"I can't believe mother gave us permission to go to the markets!"
"I know right! For ponies as important us, I am surprised she didn't wait until we were as old as our slave!"
"Talking about the slave, did you set her any work to do before we left?"
"Oh yes- our oldie. I spilt lentils on the floor."
"Good! Now let's go shopping!"
The two fillies trotted through the small town, watching ponies as they made their way through, and admired the accessories at some of the stalls.
"Ugh! It is so dirty here! I hate getting my hooves messy!" One of the earth pony fillies stepped around a puddle. Her coat was cornflower-bluish-grey, and her eyes were dark violet. Her mane was two shades of light grey, and was neatly platted. She wore icy-blue glasses, and her Cutie Mark was that of a spoon.
"Agreed," the second filly whined, as she avoided brushing passed the queuing ponies. This earth pony filly, had a pale magenta pelt, and her eyes were a brilliant sky-blue. Her mane was wavy, with stripes of lavender and white. She had a blue tiara perched on her head- a Cutie Mark mirroring it.
"Beauty hurts," the silver filly shrugged. She approached a stand. "Oh, these are pretty! Come have a look, Diamond Tiara!"
The pink filly trotted up, and eyed some bracelets. They were lined with gemstones, and shone in the light. "Oh my! I can just imagine wearing those to the dance! If only we weren't so young!"
"Hey, some day you will still meet a prince to love- no matter how old you are!" The grey filly twirled around dreamily. "Oh, I can just imagine it! All hail Princess Diamond Tiara! Loving wife of a handsome and rich prince!"
"Stop it, Silver Spoon," Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. "If I marry a prince, it won't be for love. I'll just use him to get money and power!" She greedily beamed. "Oh I'd be a great ruler, wouldn't I?"
Silver Spoon vigorously nodded, as she peered at the price tag on the bracelet. "Oh no! Look how expensive they are!"
Diamond Tiara looked down, and read the tag. "Two-thousand bits? What? You could buy all of Equestria with that money!"
"Really?" Silver Spoon tilted her head.
"Of course not!" Diamond Tiara spat. "But it's still a lot of bits! This is exactly what I mean by marrying for money! If I was in a rich family, I wouldn't need to bother about these stupid price tags!"
"Aren't we already in a rich family..? Chrysalis being ruler of Equestria?" Silver Spoon raised an eyebrow.
"We could still be richer," Diamond Tiara glowered, before grinning slyly. "All we have to do is wait for an opportunity, and use it to our own advantage."
Silver Spoon slowly took in the information. "How? Example please..?"
Diamond Tiara put her hoof at her chin. "Hmm..." She peered around, her eyes scanning the crowds, before her eyes rested on four foals, about their age, gathering around a stall, trading some gathered minerals for some food. "Them."
"What about them? They're just regular, boring foals," Silver Spoon pointed out.
Diamond Tiara smirked. "Yes... but look at them. They're all blank flanks." She smirked as she pointed to their bare rumps. "They'd be desperate for their Cutie Marks- we can use this yearning to our own benefit... we can trick them into doing stuff for us, just by the craving they possess to get their Cutie Marks." She gave a villainous smirk.
Silver Spoon turned to her in wonder. "Wow, you are so smart Diamond Tiara! And we get to pick on a bunch of blank flanks at the same time!"
Diamond Tiara beamed spitefully. "I know... now follow my lead!" She trotted forwards, smirking, as she approached the four unsuspecting Crusaders.
…
Snow Flutter was busy in the kitchen, when she heard the knock on the door. It was three sharp knocks, and they sounded professional. She gulped, as her face went whiter than a ghost's. Oh no... what if it's Chrysalis coming to assassinate me..? Oh what do I care, Discord's now gone, and there's no point living life without him. Curiously, Snow Flutter peered through the window from the kitchen, to see who was at the door. She saw three ponies- two pegasi stallions and an earth pony mare, wearing a black, white and pink dress. The stallions stood beside her, staring blankly into space.
The mare glanced to the ground through her glasses in confusion. "Nopony leaves Photo Finish waiting! What's taking so long?"
Snow Flutter bit her lip, before dipping her head through the window. "Uh... hey. Photo Finish did I hear..? Wait- am I right? Who are you?"
The blue earth pony briskly spun around, and peered at Snow Flutter. "Ah, yes. Photo Finish iz my name, and theze are Twilight Sky and Crescent Moon- not zat zey are important!" Photo Finish trotted up to the window, so that she was facing Snow Flutter.
"Oh... okay. And what are you here for..?" Snow Flutter gulped, half hiding behind the blinds.
"Well, Photo Finish haz heard rumours about zere being a fairest of zem all! Ponies tell me zat it iz you! I am here to make you- a star!" Photo Finish reached up, and took Snow Flutter's hoof. "Just picture it- being famous! Shining across the world! Everypony knowing your name- ze offer iz undeniable!" Photo Finish stared into space, as though she was imagining it as it was.
Snow Flutter quickly pulled her hoof away from Photo Finish's grasp. "Uh... thank you for the offer... but that is the last thing I'd want to do right now- be known I mean. You see, I am actually trying to hide from other ponies... the changelings want me murdered as it is. I am sorry though..." Snow Flutter was about to close the blinds and turn away.
"Halt, Snow Flooter! I, Photo Finish understand your situation! I cannot just walk passed a pretty face like zat though! Why don't I just let you wear one of our dresses, then we will be right on our way? You can keep the dress too- iz Photo Finish's offer good enough for you?"
Snow Flutter glanced from side to side. She is really not going to leave until she hears me say yes, is she..? Oh, and I don't want to hurt her feelings... Snow Flutter swallowed. "I am still unsure..."
"You might be sure when you see ze dress I, Photo Finish have in mind!" The blue earth pony turned to the two stallions. "Show her!"
They obediently nodded, revealing a gorgeous green dress... it was just so simple... but it was still very beautiful. Snow Flutter thought it all through- she hadn't pampered herself in a while, or made herself look pretty... what did she have to lose? Besides, she was getting really worried about Photo Finish being here in the first place, and the sooner she was gone, the better. "Okay... alright then..." Snow Flutter trotted to the door, and anxiously opened it up, stepping to the side as the three ponies entered.
Photo Finish was almost instantly at Snow Flutter's side, with a measuring tape. She zipped around, before going back, and retrieving a dress. "Zis one should do."
Snow Flutter put the dress on, and peered at her reflection through a mirror. "Wow... I do look a bit nice..."
"Ah yes," Photo Finish purred. "Let Photo Finish tighten ze dress- it looks too flimsy at ze moment." Not waiting for a reply, Photo Finish began to compress the dress by pulling at a lace.
Snow Flutter felt it begin to fasten around her. "Uh... a bit too tight..." Snow Flutter stuttered, as the dress continued to constrict around her.
"I know what I am doing," Photo Finish's voice sounded different, and a more smug expression was on her face. She was also no longer speaking in third person. She cramped the dress tighter around Snow Flutter. It was digging into Snow Flutter's skin... and her ribs felt like they were crushing.
"Photo Finish! Stop! I can't... breathe..." Snow Flutter clutched at her throat, as she tried to suck in any air, but the dress was far too firm around her- it was choking her. Snow Flutter's pupils shrank, and went cloudy, before she collapsed to the ground unconscious, her breathe incredibly shallow, and in small wheezes.
"Oopses," Photo Finish stepped back, and watched as the butter-yellow pegasi closed her eyes. "In a matter of minutes, she'll be dead... oh what have I done?" She let out a sinful laugh, and trotted out of the house, allowing neon green flares to erupt over her body. Her clones flew to her like magnets, dissolving into her original form- that of a changeling queen. Her eyes blazed with fire, as she flew up into the sky. "Bye, bye Snow Flutter."
Okay, reasoning behind Chrysalis disguising as Photo Finish in this chapter. It had been bothering me for the past few weeks on who to disguise Chrysalis as first. It had to be a pony, which had something to do with fashion (and not Raripunzel). Suri was out of the question, having killed her off, and Coco Pommel is too much of a pushover... like Snow Flutter herself. Even when changelings are disguised, I try to get them to imitate their disguise's personality. Sapphire Shores is no dress obsesser- she is a singer, and I wouldn't want it to be Hoity Toity. My list finally came to Photo Finish. I was unsure though... Photo Finish is more into taking photos than making dresses, but then I discussed it with my BFF who I know irl. She thought of Photo Finish, and mentioned that it would be cool if it was her, because in Green Isn't Your Colour, Photo Finish is focusing on Fluttershy. The interaction between these two characters was enough to convince me that Photo Finish is the one for Chrysalis to imitate. Thanks wildfur123 for helping me!