A HOLLOW VICTORY
1
Queen Chrysalis paced a good many steps outside the closed set of doors. At the moment her mind was split between wanting to enter and at the same time turning away and forgetting the evening altogether. If she gave in to temptation, all this anxiety that had been allowed to run prevalent around in her hardened chest would release like a popped balloon and she would be able to return to her mundane duties as Queen. But if she didn’t go in—if she left that door closed and undisturbed—then the question of whether it would have been tonight would forever linger in her mind.
Until she’d try again, she supposed.
She could almost imagine what he’d be thinking behind those doors—once too often she had thought and fathomed of these moments.
She’ll be here any time now, he must be thinking to himself, appalled, annoyed, exacerbated. She’ll try everything exactly the same as before and nothing will change. She’s just a lonely Queen with too much time on her hooves and too much hate in her heart.
Nothing can change.
Nothing will change.
But then why did she feel it might this time?
Gathering what little regality she clung to while speaking to her thousands of underlings, the dark Queen ran a hurried hoof along her mane, before once again checking to make sure not a single one of her hive members watched her in the act.
Removing what little emotion she felt on her features, she finally entered.
2
Just as he had been the last four nights prior, Shining Armor sat stoically in his blackened and curving chair, the binds that held both pairs of legs together just out of sight below the sprawling table laid out before him.
The room—which used to be one of Canterlot castle’s mesmerizing dinning halls—had been redecorated in the weeks following the wedding that both ended something extravagant and began something of an entirely different color. Chrysalis had had a ball while deciding where the new pods would go, as well as what color scheme would run rampant throughout. More than once she caught herself almost forgetting it was that old white and gold castle at all, and not just another slice of home she was walking through.
But once she saw the stallion dressed in complete red and blue Guard attire, did she remind herself just how she got to such a wonderful place.
They even look washed and clean, she thought, reminding herself just how kind she could be if the mood struck her so. I hope he understands the trouble I went to get them like that.
“Shining…” she cooed from the doorway.
He didn’t bother to turn to face her, so she gingerly trotted to the other side of the long, narrow table—not the faintest of haste in her step. Each hoofstep on marble echoed distinctly against the black and green curving walls of the room. As Chrysalis steadily angled around him she glimpsed his rigid face, every muscle on that muzzle pulled as tight as wire.
So brave, she thought. Even after defeat… even after everything. Is that why I find him so endearing? Even with his boring good-natured demeanor and simple white and blue color tones?
Chrysalis pulled out the only other chair along the table and crossed one leg over the other, as lady-like as she could. While she dangled one leg in front of the other, the sizeable holes gave a view of the stationary one beneath.
“I’m so glad you’ve decided to join me tonight, Shining,” she said casually, completely forgoing all those pesky little details that she was fully aware of. Such as how the stallion sitting before her had been bound and gagged and then dragged to this very room on each and every one of the past evening occasions.
But hadn’t this last time been a tad more painless than the last? Hadn’t he walked here by his own accord this night?
Chrysalis couldn’t help but warm to the notion.
Anything could be broken given time. A drip of water could break a stone over millennia. So why not some star-crossed lover? Why not when all other choices were beyond moot?
“You must be famished, my dear,” she said, each word slicing cleanly in the overwhelming silence of the room. “I’ve already eaten, mind you, but I hear you’re still having trouble adjusting to your new food. I assure you, it’s safe, and once you get used to the taste, you’ll hardly believe you ever ate anything else.”
At the center of the table sat a small silver bowl filled with what appeared to be green pudding, only a whole lot runnier. She slid it across the table before levitating it a few inches from his face. His stone-hard eyes never bothered to watch as the bowl narrowed its distance from him; only glared at her with that same demeanor he had been holding since they begun their small, isolated meals together. But wasn’t there something else there this time? Chrysalis honestly wondered. Wasn’t there—
If she expects me to crack from something so childish and simplistic, she never knew me at all.
And now those thoughts were coming back to her, forcing their way in. What Shining Armor must be thinking as he tried to burn her with his eyes.
She had played my wife for days and yet she never in that time bothered to learn a single thing about me.
Why would those thoughts not leave her alone? Did they not know how hard this was without their constant judgment weighing on her?
But what could I ever expect from some Changling monster?
Chrysalis had to look away from those baby-blue eyes to stare at the floor. In spite of herself she tried to smile.
She levitated the spoon stuck in the green mush closer to his mouth, like some adult would to an uncoordinated filly. “You’ll need to get used to this sometime, Shining. I can’t have my guests going hungry. And once you start eating like the rest of us, you’ll see how much faster eating can become—double the protein in half the serving. And you’ll never need to cook—or even wonder what to make for your next meal.”
The Queen wanted to scold herself from such incessant pandering, but this type of situation called for anything she figured might loosen the rigid pony before her. Would she try again after tonight? Five nights with not a single budge? She truthfully could not say if her pride could take much more.
The spoon covered in green glop gently bounced around the corners of Shining’s mouth, leaving a smear around a sizeable portion of his face. Now it looked as if he’d applied some ghoulish lipstick while keeping his eyes closed and standing on one leg.
Those venomous eyes of his never wavered an inch.
But did she not view a hint of a smile on those lips?
Chrysalis did not want to grasp as such frail straws, but… why not?
Why not when there’s nothing else?
She lowered the bowl from the air and back to the table. The Queen pursed her lips and felt the silence of the large room once more closing in on her.
“Where’s my fiancée?”
Oh no. Please no.
“Where’s Princess Cadence?”
He’s doing it again. All over again. The exact same. Every time it’s the same.
“What have you done with her?”
Even with a sizeable glob of green mash plastered to the side of his face, Shining’s piercing glare could take the years off any adversary. With trepidation, she tried to meet those eyes. It was the least she could do at such a time.
“Cadence is… alive,” she told him awkwardly. “She’s well.”
“That doesn’t answer my question. Where is she?”
Chrysalis paused. “She’s… in the castle. She’s… around, you know. I’m sure she’s being well kept, like you are.”
It didn’t seem as though that was enough. “I want to see her. I want to see her right now.”
Did he talk this much on previous nights? she brazenly contemplated. Is he opening or is he only angrier than before? I don’t remember him ever saying so many words…
The Queen bit along the edge of her tongue. “How about I do away with those shackles my drones have you wearing? Would that put you at ease?”
The white unicorn said nothing to the contrary. Only regarded her with mild curiosity.
Chrysalis shut her eyes for an instant and a metallic clank hit the floor. Shining raised his forelegs and rubbed the areas where they’d been irritated. “Thank you,” he muttered (something the Queen had to more or less read from his lips than actually hear).
But that didn’t mean he didn’t actually say it. It didn’t mean it hadn’t actually happened.
Unknowingly, Chrysalis rubbed one of her sharp hooves against the other.
“You know, Shining…” she started, an odd lack of air present in her lungs, “…you don’t need to feel like you’re trapped here, like you might believe you are. My hive and I might have ruined your wedding, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still find happiness elsewhere.”
Shining finished wiping away the gunk from his face with a black cloth from the table. “So you’ll let me go then?”
“I… never said that.”
“Would you let both of us go?” he continued regardless. “If we wanted to? Cadence and I?”
Chrysalis felt as though a new hole had suddenly formed in her chest. “I never meant it like that, Shining. You’ve lost… every single one of you ponies have lost your way of life—we have taken it from you—but that doesn’t mean you can’t still have a good existence. I…” She swallowed thickly. “…wouldn’t mind seeing that for you. In the time we spent together, as unorthodox as it was, I think I got a glimpse at the real you, and you just seemed so much better than the rest of your kind.”
Shining slowly placed both forelegs on the table. His mouth hung open ajar as if in mid-thought. That hard sheen he’d proudly displayed all those nights prior finally gave way as he viewed the Queen over. But it wasn’t the expression she had been longing for. No. It wasn’t anything close to that.
Shining Armor was staring at her with bare pity on display. Was there something more to it, too? Sadness? Sympathy?
Chrysalis found something new forming around the corners of both eyes. It was of liquid origin and in no regard did she remember giving it permission to try and pry itself from her body.
Yet never before had she been looked at in such a way. Never had she been looked so down upon. It was an utterly terrifying experience.
“I want to see Princess Cadence.”
As fast as that pitying expression claimed his face did it vanish from view. What replaced it was that same solemn glare of gritty determination.
Sluggishly, Chrysalis shook her head. “I can’t let that happen, Shining. I’m sorry.”
“You’re not sorry,” he rebuked thickly. “I imagine you’re a lot of things but ‘sorry’ I would never label you as. If Cadence is dead or alive I have no way of knowing. If you won’t show her to me than there’s really little for us to discuss. You won’t release me from this place or kill me. What is it you expect to happen from these secluded visits, Chrysalis? Honestly. That I’d somehow grow feelings for you? That I’d see something beneath that blackened shell you call a body? You ruined my life and the lives of everyone I know. What did you expect from me?”
The Queen lowered her head. “I know what I’ve done to you. And that’s something I cannot undo, nor would I. The fate of my hive is well above anything I care about. But I still want to help you if it is in my power…”
“Then show me Princess Cadence.”
Chrysalis thought for a moment. “Okay. If that is what you want.”
A wash of black and green fire erupted around the seated Queen. What remained after the flames was a slender alicorn of bright pinks and purples, her eyes sharp and beaming.
The Cadence-shape leaned across the table, giving the stallion a touching grin.
“That’s…” he began.
Shining looked as though he was fighting an odd battle within himself. Half of his body leaned back in his chair as another part of him leaned forward. His eyes took on a glossy appearance and his mouth twitched in-between a scowl and a smile.
“That’s not what I meant, Chrysalis,” he finally finished. “You know that’s not what I meant.”
The Cadence-shape pushed her chair away and stood by the edge of the table. With a single hoof dragging along its curvy top, she sauntered closer towards him.
“Why can’t we both be happy, Shining?” she said, in a far higher-pitch than seconds prior. “Why do we need to deny ourselves such a thing? You want Cadence. I… want you.” The Cadence-shape bared her teeth awkwardly. “What’s stopping that from happening? What’s stopping us from having that big wedding you were planning on having? What’s stopping Cadence and you from enjoying that life you’ve always dreamt about? Doesn’t it still make sense? Why be alone… when you can be with me? Cadence? The love of your life?”
The Cadence-shape had made it all the way to the seated stallion. Once there, she swiftly saddled the armrest while wrapping a foreleg over his head and around his neck. Shining, meanwhile, edged as far away in his chair while straining to look away.
Yet still he could not completely shut her out.
No. Not the love of his life. Not the copy of the love of his life. Now mere inches away from him.
Again those disparaging thoughts came to the Queen, yet this time she let them come.
It looks just like her, Shining would think—fight—to himself. It even smells like her… talks like her. I wonder if it tastes like her?
He choked out, “I’ll always know what’s hidden underneath.”
The Cadence-shape disagreed. “It’s just as painless as our food, Shining. Once you get used to it, you’ll hardly remember what you’ve had before. Time heals all wounds, and it can do the same here. Am I not perfect the way I am? Am I not your wife to be?”
Shining did not meet her eyes, but neither did he struggle to pull away.
She continued, “Why live the life of a prisoner when you can be happy again? I could be your Princess… or your Queen… and you could be my King or whatever you wanted to be. Why would you not take something so readily available to you?”
In a jerky motion he finally turned to her. In only a few seconds of time did both of his large blue eyes take in every inch of his wife to be. But still something inside was fighting for control.
“They’d know,” he said hurriedly. “They’d know it’s not really Cadence. How would that look? How could I face anyone while they know?”
The Cadence-shape placed a gentle hoof on his cheek, directing him to her. “But there’s no one left to judge, my Prince. It’s just you and I now. And things are perfect the way they are.”
Slowly, steadily, all those calculations behind the stallion’s eyes faded as what replaced it was simple wanting. He wanted her. Whether it was all a trick or an illusion it had become enough, and now he just wanted this version of his beloved.
And for her it would be enough.
The Cadence-shape roughly pulled his face to hers and the impact was enough to push Shining backwards. Still with a hoof around his neck (before roughly adding another), the Cadence-shape leaned further in, adding her lithe body on top of his.
The taste of his lips was everything she thought it might be. Her hurried hooves running along his silky mane tried to grasp at everything they could. She had wanted everything of him and now that she had it she didn’t know what she wanted first.
It’s happened, she thought serenely. It’s finally happened. At last it’s—
That was when a pair of hooves boldly pushed her from the edge of the chair to topple in a heap along the ground. With wide eyes she glared up at the stallion, who in turn viewed her with widening worry. But also childlike determination.
“I don’t want to do this anymore, Chrysi,” he said softly, before he lowered his head to glare at the rest of the room.
“No, Shining!” she pleaded between heavy breaths. “It’s Cadence, remember! We were… we were doing so good… we were okay…”
Shining shook his head. “No it’s not, Chrysi. And I don’t want to do this anymore. It’s gone too far.”
The Cadence-shape held out a hoof to him. “Please, just a few minutes more. Just—”
Shining Armor erupted in a whirlpool of green and black flames. A smaller Changeling in the exact same position now filled his seat. Carefully he pushed out his chair and trotted towards the door.
With a hoof on the knob he said to her, “We lost, Chrysi. We tried and we lost and we were thrown away like bits of garbage. They bested us and we only have ourselves to blame. You have to accept that, too. You can’t live in the past.” He paused. “Shining Armor never had feelings for you—only for Cadence. I won’t do this again—I should have said no after that first night. It’s too uncomfortable.” He turned his head to her; the Cadence-shape still sprawled out on the floor. “We need you back, Chrysalis. We need our Queen back. You can’t just pretend or imagine it all away. We’re starving. And we need a leader again. We all just want what’s best for you, but this isn’t it. I hope you find your way back to reality soon.”
He partially opened the door before Chrysalis spoke from the ground. “You won’t tell them, will you? About this?”
“I never do,” is all he said before he shut the doors on her.
For a long time Chrysalis remained where she had been tossed, debating whether she’d give up on her dreams or return to that harsh and cold reality that seemed to thrive in every dim corner of her home.
And yet she thought tonight had gone so much better than the others...
Author's Note
All right. A little misleading description, but without it there'd be no surprise ending.
I thought I ought to do at least one Chrysalis fic before I die, so here it is.
See you next story.
