Today’s story is here for a very good reason.

Why Are You Here, Your Majesty?
[Drama] • 8,405 words

Immortals are few and far between in Equestria, and they are all known to each other. Two of them are about to get to know each other a little better. Because one has just turned up uninvited in another’s private chambers. Maybe it’s time they had a chat?

FROM THE CURATORS: One of pony authors’ favorite pastimes is explaining the world behind the show, so it should be no surprise that we sometimes feature stories centering around headcanon exploration.  When we do, though, we look for something that makes it stand out from the pack.  “This fic is a changeling lore dump at its heart … but the selling point that vaults this above ‘another changeling fic’ is the way the story gets into Celestia’s head as she speaks with Chrysalis,” Chris said in his nomination, and that was one of the factors other curators also cited.  “‘If you forget the crime but remember the sentence, then you come to see yourself as the villain for passing it,'” Present Perfect quoted. “That line’s from Chapter 1. It’s fantastic, and a perfect example of what Chris is talking about.”  Which is not to downplay the also-strong headcanon: “There are some really interesting ideas on display here, particularly its explanation for why changelings act the way they do, and Celestia’s offer for Chrysalis,” Soge said.

But the entire package was tied together by the character at its center.  “What really caught my attention was the portrayal of Chrysalis,” Present Perfect said. “This goes through a number of motions similar to other changeling headcanon fics, but the look into her character here is wholly unique. Equal parts ‘misunderstood mother’ and ‘true tyrant’, but without any of her usual villainous bluster, Chrysalis is strangely vulnerable despite being able to keep her dignity.”  AugieDog agreed: “Chrysalis is presented as being at heart just as uncertain as Celestia, as playing a part just as thoroughly as Celestia. It’s an interesting take on both characters, and I quite enjoyed it.”

And although some of us disliked the prose, even that had its defenders.  “I found the prose to be quite effective for conveying the author’s take on Celestia,” AugieDog said.  “She’s constantly second-guessing herself, constantly trying to convince herself that she’s doing the right thing, and we’re immersed so deeply in her viewpoint that the repetition in the writing just reinforced her uncertainty in my mind.”  That structure also strengthened the piece’s themes, Chris said: “The weighty yet natural-sounding dialogue would be effective on its own, but seeing the princess’ thought processes play out, and how the little conversational gambits unfold, gives this a little more oomph.”

Read on for our author interview, in which forbloodysummer discusses rainbow vocabulary, bedroom teleportations, and secret metal obsessions.

(NOTE: The interview contains significant spoilers for the plot and ending of the featured story; the author suggests reading the story first.)
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