Hive Alive Momentsby BlackWaterChaptersToo HotPerfect MarriageThe Hive Before HalloweenTake TwoShy My HeartToo Hot The day was unbearably hot. It was the middle of summer and just far enough past noon for the sun to have heated the whole land to a sweltering temperature. It was the kind of time that pegasi used their own wings to help fan themselves off. It was also the kind of time that changelings were grateful to have those holes in their bodies. It helped with ventilation. Oh, but it wasn't merely the bare sun that made the heat so intense. Thick cloud cover blanketed the sky with a claustrophobic darkness, keeping the light out but not doing a single blasted thing about the hot waves of temperature. If anything, the clouds only made it worse by dumping unbearable levels of humidity to make the air feel close and unwanted. It probably felt a good twenty degrees hotter than it already was. One could see the sun behind the dark curtain and know, bitterly, that it was radiating its heat down below as if there were hardly any clouds at all. Chrysalis waved a forehoof in front of her face to get some wind. She was sweating and the air whistling through her hoof holes felt rather good. The occasional buzz sounded from her wings, which moved on reflex to cool off. Twilight was currently doing something similar with her own wings. “It's hot,” Chrysalis remarked, as if it was some incredible wonder that none had yet noticed. Whether she was speaking to the day in general or the two current occupants of the treehouse was unclear. “No. Really?” Twilight droned from her desk. A little magic flipped the page of the book in front of her. The changeling looked to the book her queen was reading. She had to lean her head around a bit to make out the title on the side where it was visible just under the left-side flap. Hot: How To Be. A hum-like laugh echoed throughout the library in several frequencies, some beyond the hearing range of most ponies. “What?” Twilight deadpanned without taking her eyes from the pages of her book. They kept scanning along at a reasonable pace. “Only my queen would want to know how to be hot when she already is,” Chrysalis' laugh toned down to a giggle. Twilight, however, seemed encouraged by this declaration. “Why thank you, Chrysy,” she smiled and finally looked over to her changeling. “Uh,” the tall shape-shifter stammered. It might make sense for the knowledge-obsessed pony to take it as a compliment, but there was still that feeling of a page missing somewhere. “Well, um,” she buzzed unsure. “We are both hot, after all.” It was true. They were both sweating, though Chrysalis was now sweating for two reasons rather than one. Why was Twilight looking at her like that? “That's a bit self-serving don't you think?” the alicorn now abandoned her book entirely and walked casually over to Chrysalis. “Not that I'd deny your...alluring physical status.” “Alluring?” the changeling cocked a brow. She wiped some sweat from her forehead and felt the damp strands of her blue-tinted mane. She wouldn't describe how she probably looked to be “alluring.” “I think you'd be an eight out of ten right now according to the book's scale,” Twilight decided as she stepped right up to Chrysalis' face and brushed some of the damp strands behind her ear. Thankfully, her own mane was short enough to be far less trouble in these situations. “I like a little change now and then but some points will always and inevitably be lost for the lack of cleanliness. If we're going to go with the slightly soaked look then I prefer it to be after-shower, early morning, and on the ring pad with a cool breeze coming through the window.” Chrysalis felt very confused. It was as if she had attempted to have an intelligent part in a conversation but didn't have the faintest clue what it was about. Much like marriage, actually. Twilight's smile wilted a bit from seeing the lost expression. “I'm sorry, it's just that I thought...” “It's okay,” Chrysalis assured without knowing what she was assuring. “You're just very hot right now. It's hard to think straight like that. I certainly know that I can't.” Twilight smirked, her lips wavered, and then she stifled a giggle. “I think I know why you look so worried.” “Huh?” the simple buzz came. “I do believe,” Twilight waved her hoof up for exclamation and for an entirely unnecessary lecture point, “that we are having two conversations at the same time.” “Huh?” the simple buzz repeated. “You're making me hot,” Twilight said suddenly while putting her hoof down and forming the biggest tooth-filled evil grin she had worn in quite a few months. “I'm sorry,” the changeling frowned. She started backing away, all usual pick-up on flirtatious conversation failing to engage. “I thought so.” “I don't follow, my queen.” The alicorn tutted gently. “The term 'hot' has many different uses. One must, however, be careful when attempting to interpret a given conversation so that double or alternate meanings are not derived where they were not intended. Improperly assuming an implied meaning can result in some very embarrassing situations. In this case, I was implying...” “Implying what?” Twilight raised her brows. “Need I clarify?” “As fluent as I may have become, some of your pony ways still elude me when it comes to conversation,” Chrysalis admitted, biting her lip a bit in disappointment. She was still quite articulate in her speech, though. “I was saying you were 'hot' as in beautiful, enticing, attractive, and several other complimentary terms.” Chrysalis' face reddened. She sweat a bit more, but not from nervousness. She was quite comfortable with taking praise from her queen. “Perhaps a kiss then? If my queen finds me so becoming.” “Nah,” Twilight grinned again, turned, and walked back to her book to continue reading it. “It's too hot.” Perfect Marriage It hadn't occurred to Chrysalis until just then. Oh, the irony of it all. She had impersonated Cadance with the intent of taking Shining Armor's love and now, though she impersonated none but herself, she was taking Twilight Sparkle's love instead. It didn't make her feel bad because it was truly genuine. On the other hoof, it made a snide fang-filled grin creep onto her face. The wedding itself would be nothing in comparison to the look on the faces of her new in-laws. Shining Armor and Cadance would definitely make for the best extended family. What presents would they offer at the reception? What ill and uncomfortable looks would they have? She would have to make for the most magnificence banter. The dinner table jokes would be priceless. Well, I couldn't nab the brother so I figured I'd shoot for the sister. Chrysalis laughed so hard that her transparent wings started to buzz about in a spasm. She could just imagine the horrified looks on their faces. How would they respond to that? Nervous chuckles and ill stomachs? There's was simply too much fun to be had with the new relational dynamics she'd have. Rarity sighed in aggravation. "This is the last time, Chrysalis." The unicorn was getting tired of how many times Chrysalis would fall onto the floor in a fit of laughter and wrinkle her perfectly tailored wedding gown. The changeling, of course, didn't give a muffin. Her inexhaustible supply of love she received from Twilight gave her the magical strength to fix it a thousand times in half a second. DING! A chime had suddenly sounded somewhere outside the waiting room. "There, you see?" Rarity grouched as she got the changeling back to her hooves and smoothed out the folds. "It's time for the walk and you've gone and creased it again." "You worry too much," Chrysalis hummed as a flash of green magic fixed the rest. "There won't be any problems today." Rarity puffed a cheek stubbornly as she led the shape-shifter towards the double doors. "A thousand things can go wrong at such a grand Canterlot wedding as this. What makes you so certain?" "Because, dear Rarity," Chrysalis purred with head held high. The doors opened. "This day is going to be perfect..." The Hive Before Halloween Chrysy!” shouted a slightly frustrated Queen Sparkle. Her Starswirl the Bearded costume jingled as she moved about. The happy sound of a changeling buzz was audible from around the corner. Was Chrysalis giggling? Twilight raced up the stairs of her treehouse library, following her changeling up to the bedroom. It was black as usual and fully reminiscent of a changeling hive chamber. Chrysalis had darted into the sleeping ring, laid down, and began sorting through her loot she had acquired throughout the night. Technically, it wasn't Nightmare Night yet. Chrysalis was guilty of preemptive candy snatching. “I said it was only a test run,” Twilight huffed as she stomped into her sleeping ring. “And that candy is for other ponies tomorrow night.” “Apples and oranges,” Chrysalis hummed in a sing-song tone. She quickly removed certain candies from her bucket. Namely the unidentifiable pieces that nopony ever ate anyways. Twilight rolled her eyes and laid down alongside her changeling. “You're lucky AJ isn't here,” she commented. “You'd get a few choice words for using that saying around her.” The large blue-haired changeling ignored her queen and popped a small chocolate into her mouth. “Hey!” Twilight's eyes narrowed. “I said those were for tomorrow!” Without any kind of warning, Chrysalis leaned forward and pressed her lips to Twilight's. She pressed forward more when the alicorn leaned back out of surprise. When their lips parted, Twilight could taste a hint of chocolate. “Even with a beard,” Chrysalis remarked, “you're irresistible.” At first, Twilight's lips wavered and her mouth opened and closed without a sound. She then looked towards the room's entrance and the sole window. Both closed with a purple magical aura. Spike was still downstairs, knocked out from sugar overload. “C-can't you wait until I ask you to kiss me?” Twilight tried to sound authoritative, but her blush and averted gaze betrayed her. “Why do you turn every moment into some flirting thing?” “I thought you wanted some chocolate,” Chrysalis shrugged in faux innocence. “Dark changeling chocolate...” Rather than lecture her about her continued bantering, Twilight bit her bottom lip and grabbed her changeling around the neck. She pulled the taller pseudo-pony down so that they were laying with their heads against the soft cushion of the sleeping ring. The green circular light came on and bathed them in the soothing pre-sleep glow. Chrysalis forgot about her bucket of stolen-from-Twilight candy. Instead, she focused her thoughts on her queen, embracing her and holding their bodies close. Though she enjoyed the moment, she wouldn't let the time pass without comment. “What is it with you and cuddling?” Chrysalis asked and beamed at the same time. Twilight was immediate on the comeback. “What is it with you and suggestive flirtation?” The changeling's lips pursed to form an “O” of defeat. “En garde?” “It's touche,” Twilight corrected as she buried her muzzle against her changeling's neck. Her Starswirl the Bearded costume blinked off of her with a magical pop of teleportation. It was easier now to hug the black shape-shifter. “Did you switch shampoo?” “Oh,” Chrysalis said and then gave an “ah” as she explained and stroked her queen's mane with a holey forehoof. “I ran out of the usual. I'm surprised you didn't notice since you're normally psychotic about stock levels in the bathroom.” “I resent that.” Chrysalis smiled but continued. “Fluttershy let me borrow some. Mountain Spring or something like that.” Twilight took a deep breath against her changeling's mane and then relaxed again within her hooves. “It's very nice. Makes sense that you got it from Shy.” One of Chrysalis' hooves traveled down to Twilight's back. She liked the feel of her queen's soft feathers. Unlike her own wings, Twilight's didn't buzz about whenever she felt content. Instead, they popped out when she was surprised. Actually, there were several other instances in which the alicorn's wings would spring out on their own. Chrysalis had discovered that through the many nights Twilight's hive had slept in the same ring. No sound made itself known in the closed-off bedroom, save for their own breathing. Chrysalis' steady breaths served to put the queen at ease and vise versa. Perhaps the changeling was incapable of staying serious through one of her Nightmare Night preparatory testing scenarios, but Twilight was happy they had wound up here nonetheless. They both needed sleep. It was late and they were both tired anyhow. “Do I need to pay for that chocolate I ate?” Chrysalis made a rare breach of self-confidence to ask a sincere question. “You already are,” Twilight hummed in contentment. The ring padding was soft enough as it was, but the glow of the light, the lateness of the hour, and the reassuring warmth of her changeling's embrace were enough to lull her asleep. Perhaps, when she awoke, she'd be able to finish her study on the holiday and write to Princess Celestia about the alternate title she had come across in an old dusty tome. Halloween was such an odd word that it made sense for the holiday to be called Nightmare Night instead... Author's Note Happy Halloween! May your candy be delicious and your times memorable. Take Two R1-D5: #1 - Change is Profitable Nifty," the princess remarked. Chrysalis smiled and started toward the stairs across the room. "I think Spike has finished preparing dinner," she explained. Might as well, Twilight thought. She could settle the matter of her bedroom over the meal. Or perhaps just think it over. After that good bout of sleep, some thinking certainly was in order...wait. "Dinner?" Twilight asked. "Huh?" Chrysalis blinked and felt her heart go cold. "Oh, shoot." "Cut!" shouted an off-screen Discord, who was wearing a full director's uniform. Twilight smiled and even laughed a bit. "Gee," she grinned at the changeling. "I know I can sleep in sometimes, but dinner? I think my stomach would wake me up after the first sixteen hours of sleep." "Ugh," Chrysalis groaned. "I didn't sleep well yesterday. Somepony left the TV on all night." R2-D3: #2 - Communication is Critical It's okay," the princess calmed her friend as she stepped into the cottage with the changeling in tow. "You know Chrysalis is as harmless as a marshmallow now." The two guards took positions outside of the door, which only worked to continue the yellow mare's flustered state. Feeling just a tad awkward and closing the door again, she turned to her two guests. "T-tea?" "I prefer love," Chrysalis joked and received a purple elbow to her side. "I don't think I can..." Fluttershy flustered even more. "I don't know," Twilight wondered aloud with a smirk. "I mean, as far as mares go, you're quite the catch." "Twi-?" Fluttershy went wide-eyed at her friend's off-script dialogue. "I mean, dang, girl!" Twilight wiggled her brows. "I'd be all over you like a parasprite on AJ's apples." Discord was laughing himself straight out of his director's chair. Chrysalis was already on the floor and nearly out of breath. The pink-maned pegasus felt like she was going to melt from embarrassment. "Aw, c'mere," Twilight soothed her friend with a dopey hug. R3-D7: #3 - Knowledge is Useful Twilight then walked over to one of the bookshelves and looked across some titles, missing the gagging gesture that Spike gave her in return. Almost immediately, she found the folk lore section. “Spike?” “Uh-huh?” he replied as if he expected some kind of jab. He didn't look up from the book he returned to but kept on reading it, using the cover to hide his frown from the purple pony. “Did Cheerilee come through here earlier? After we got back from Fluttershy's?” Twilight stuck her tongue out in concentration as she got closer to the title she was looking for. At that, Spike did look up from the book, this time with a confused expression. “Yeah,” he said slowly. “You didn't know? She wanted to see your unfinished mid-terms.” "Cut!" Discord called out. "Spike!" Twilight grouched and face him with a tick in her eye. "That was going to be a perfect take." "I wasn't the one that goofed," he shrugged without a care and waddled off stage to the snack and drink stand. "Cheerilee?" "What?" Rainbow Dash walked up to Twilight from the backstage area. "He's right. You said Cheerilee. The line's Chrysalis." "Snap," Twilight muttered beneath her breath. R4-D4: #4 - Pink is Preferable The blur materialized to a very familiar pegasus and Element of Harmony flapping right before them. “Room for two now, huh?” the blue pony chuckled. “Ha!” Pinkie Pie laughed in return. “It's not like I couldn't keep up, Dashie. I just like a stroll now and then, that's all.” Twilight Sparkle felt very much like she had missed something important that had happened between her two friends. Perhaps that was just an inevitability of life. “Well, Twilight doesn't need your thingamajig. She's got wings now!” Rainbow Dash countered proudly. She was still riddled with excitement about her new possible flying buddy. The princess saw her chance to speak and took it. “I'm not that good a flier though. I still need...” "Practice?" Rainbow Dash went monotone at the purple mare forgetting her line. It took her a second to realize what had distracted Twilight. She followed the mare's gaze just when the director called out. "Clear the shot!" Discord grumped with folded arms. Derpy had snuck into the camera view and was waving a hello to the lens. "Derpy..." Rainbow groaned. R5-D2: #5 - Reason is Subjective Uh...yeah...” the dragon dropped his pose. It wasn't often that somepony (or someone) offered him help. The unusual occasion made him forget that the changeling had dodged the question again. “Could you take S-Z over there?” “Ah, yes,” Chrysalis found the piles and started organizing them back on the shelf in the new order. “We'll finish faster together. Maybe we can make a jewel cake afterwards,” she added in the hope of keeping Spike from remembering anything about her earlier “errand.” Out of the corner of her eye, Chrysalis could see the magical reptilian perk up and then deflate. “But I don't have any jewels right now. Help books don't help much when you don't have anything to begin with. And that's all I have until my next allowance.” “I have a few to donate,” Chrysalis recovered hope for the dragon. “They're not much but we can space them around in the right spots so that you won't notice it all that-" BAM! CRASH! THUD! Spike's eyes were the size of dinner plates and his body froze as a claw clutched his heart. Ponies started racing onto the stage to clear the massive pile of books that had slipped off the shelves and buried Chrysalis. Discord was among them, demanding to know which of the stage-setters had improperly placed the heavy tomes. Eventually, Chrysalis became visible again, mostly okay. "I'm fine," the changeling assured the ponies that pulled her out of the books and offered medical aid. "It happens. Right, Twilight?" The purple mare was among those that had helped and she merely rolled her eyes. "Every day of my life." Shy My Heart Deleted from #18 – Revelation is Clarification Love. No, it couldn't be. Her too? Fluttershy's mind raced openly. Everypony could hear her thoughts and only Twilight kept her from breaking. She wanted this to be over the moment it began. There was just no way she could live with the stress. Rainbow Dash loved Twilight for all the same reasons she did, though the tougher pegasus would likely word her affections differently. Calm down, Shy, Twilight's voice carried through the hivemind and spoke directly to her. This doesn't change anything about what I told you. I'll always be here for you. But Dashie... Fluttershy's concern trailed off. On one hoof, she wanted to support her rather intimidated long-term friend. But on the other hoof, she didn't want her to come between Twilight and herself. Fluttershy cursed her own selfishness, all the while careful not to let her mind actually wander to any real curse words. Even in her mind, she couldn't bear to let herself be foul. Twilight knew Fluttershy was insecure about their relationship. Heck, the purple princess was as well. Too many things had happened to her recently to give her any confidence in her own life. She only knew that she wanted to always have her friends at her side. She knew and yet... There were so many caveats cropping up concerning the life she was headed towards. She couldn't afford to be shy if she was going to be the world to Fluttershy and now Rainbow Dash as well. That was not even to mention Chrysalis. She was shy all the same. Maybe she had taken a page from Fluttershy, but she felt too overwhelmed to be direct about it now. Perhaps if she showed her support and let it gloss over as much as possible then...then she could sort it all out later. Probably. We don't have to worry about it right now, Shy. It's always best to record all of the results and give proper time for analysis before reaching for a conclusion. Um, the yellow mare thought hard. Okay. I think? Even inside of Twilight Sparkle's mind, it took a little adjusting to interpret her way of looking at things. At least Fluttershy felt her anxiety calm a bit. Her queen wasn't jumping into any rash decisions. They had time to sort out the feelings that now bled between them. Unreleased Chapter Stub – Near #19-21 As time passed by, it wasn't hard to pick up on Twilight's shyness towards intimacy. They shared inner thoughts in her hivemind, after all. But matters couldn't go on as they had been. Things needed to change. Rainbow Dash was getting depressed and Chrysalis was getting anxious. Fluttershy could feel the emotions through the hivemind and knew the queen did as well. This was a rare moment when Fluttershy had taken the lead. Actually, it might have been the only time in her life that she had done something like this. By an authoritative voice she typically used with her animals, Fluttershy had ordered all the members of Twilight's hive to gather at the Ponyville Park. The term “all members” meant Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Chrysalis, of course. This matter was specifically amongst them. The day was much brighter than the gloom in their hearts. The sun was vibrant, the grass cool, and the breeze refreshing. A few butterflies were flying about, a family that Fluttershy was well acquainted with. What mattered, however, were the three other females that were laying patiently in the grass with her. “So why are we here again?” Rainbow Dash asked with that tick in her voice that almost made her sound coltish. “I second Rainbow Brat,” Chrysalis added. “Hey!” Rainbow immediately turned to where the changeling lay. “What was that for?” “Slip of the tongue,” Chrysalis shrugged. “I was just reading your thoughts on Twilight through our shared mind. You're rather selfish.” “Enough,” Fluttershy ordered in as firm a voice as she could. It was as if she were scolding one of her animals that had crossed the line. “I know this is a difficult topic for us, but we need to be kind and considerate towards one another.” Twilight had been oddly silent thus far, preferring to stare at the grass between her resting forehooves. As queen, she was feeling the strong emotions of the three mares around her. Adding in her own uncertainties just confounded the problem. She didn't know what to do or say. Of all the ponies that might have taken the initiative, it had to be Fluttershy. Destiny had a sense of irony. It was becoming clearer once more why Twilight had connected to Fluttershy first amongst her immediate friends. The yellow mare stood up from her spot, walked over to Rainbow Dash, and pushed her against Twilight's side. They all started asking what Fluttershy was doing, but the mare was on a mission. She walked around and herded Chrysalis over until the large changeling rolled right into Twilight's forehooves. Finally, Fluttershy laid back down on the warmer-than-before grass on Twilgiht's side opposite of Rainbow Dash. There, she concluded through the hivemind and nuzzled Twilight's side. Chrysalis needs Twily's love as food, so she must be first. We can be patient, Dashie. Twilight loves us all. You know that. Rainbow had a stubborn streak in her and was prone to challenge Chrysalis more than any of the others, but she wasn't stupid. She knew Fluttershy was right. Their hivemind connection made it impossible not to see the reasoning, especially when Twilight worked out the logic automatically and shared it mentally.
Too Hot The day was unbearably hot. It was the middle of summer and just far enough past noon for the sun to have heated the whole land to a sweltering temperature. It was the kind of time that pegasi used their own wings to help fan themselves off. It was also the kind of time that changelings were grateful to have those holes in their bodies. It helped with ventilation. Oh, but it wasn't merely the bare sun that made the heat so intense. Thick cloud cover blanketed the sky with a claustrophobic darkness, keeping the light out but not doing a single blasted thing about the hot waves of temperature. If anything, the clouds only made it worse by dumping unbearable levels of humidity to make the air feel close and unwanted. It probably felt a good twenty degrees hotter than it already was. One could see the sun behind the dark curtain and know, bitterly, that it was radiating its heat down below as if there were hardly any clouds at all. Chrysalis waved a forehoof in front of her face to get some wind. She was sweating and the air whistling through her hoof holes felt rather good. The occasional buzz sounded from her wings, which moved on reflex to cool off. Twilight was currently doing something similar with her own wings. “It's hot,” Chrysalis remarked, as if it was some incredible wonder that none had yet noticed. Whether she was speaking to the day in general or the two current occupants of the treehouse was unclear. “No. Really?” Twilight droned from her desk. A little magic flipped the page of the book in front of her. The changeling looked to the book her queen was reading. She had to lean her head around a bit to make out the title on the side where it was visible just under the left-side flap. Hot: How To Be. A hum-like laugh echoed throughout the library in several frequencies, some beyond the hearing range of most ponies. “What?” Twilight deadpanned without taking her eyes from the pages of her book. They kept scanning along at a reasonable pace. “Only my queen would want to know how to be hot when she already is,” Chrysalis' laugh toned down to a giggle. Twilight, however, seemed encouraged by this declaration. “Why thank you, Chrysy,” she smiled and finally looked over to her changeling. “Uh,” the tall shape-shifter stammered. It might make sense for the knowledge-obsessed pony to take it as a compliment, but there was still that feeling of a page missing somewhere. “Well, um,” she buzzed unsure. “We are both hot, after all.” It was true. They were both sweating, though Chrysalis was now sweating for two reasons rather than one. Why was Twilight looking at her like that? “That's a bit self-serving don't you think?” the alicorn now abandoned her book entirely and walked casually over to Chrysalis. “Not that I'd deny your...alluring physical status.” “Alluring?” the changeling cocked a brow. She wiped some sweat from her forehead and felt the damp strands of her blue-tinted mane. She wouldn't describe how she probably looked to be “alluring.” “I think you'd be an eight out of ten right now according to the book's scale,” Twilight decided as she stepped right up to Chrysalis' face and brushed some of the damp strands behind her ear. Thankfully, her own mane was short enough to be far less trouble in these situations. “I like a little change now and then but some points will always and inevitably be lost for the lack of cleanliness. If we're going to go with the slightly soaked look then I prefer it to be after-shower, early morning, and on the ring pad with a cool breeze coming through the window.” Chrysalis felt very confused. It was as if she had attempted to have an intelligent part in a conversation but didn't have the faintest clue what it was about. Much like marriage, actually. Twilight's smile wilted a bit from seeing the lost expression. “I'm sorry, it's just that I thought...” “It's okay,” Chrysalis assured without knowing what she was assuring. “You're just very hot right now. It's hard to think straight like that. I certainly know that I can't.” Twilight smirked, her lips wavered, and then she stifled a giggle. “I think I know why you look so worried.” “Huh?” the simple buzz came. “I do believe,” Twilight waved her hoof up for exclamation and for an entirely unnecessary lecture point, “that we are having two conversations at the same time.” “Huh?” the simple buzz repeated. “You're making me hot,” Twilight said suddenly while putting her hoof down and forming the biggest tooth-filled evil grin she had worn in quite a few months. “I'm sorry,” the changeling frowned. She started backing away, all usual pick-up on flirtatious conversation failing to engage. “I thought so.” “I don't follow, my queen.” The alicorn tutted gently. “The term 'hot' has many different uses. One must, however, be careful when attempting to interpret a given conversation so that double or alternate meanings are not derived where they were not intended. Improperly assuming an implied meaning can result in some very embarrassing situations. In this case, I was implying...” “Implying what?” Twilight raised her brows. “Need I clarify?” “As fluent as I may have become, some of your pony ways still elude me when it comes to conversation,” Chrysalis admitted, biting her lip a bit in disappointment. She was still quite articulate in her speech, though. “I was saying you were 'hot' as in beautiful, enticing, attractive, and several other complimentary terms.” Chrysalis' face reddened. She sweat a bit more, but not from nervousness. She was quite comfortable with taking praise from her queen. “Perhaps a kiss then? If my queen finds me so becoming.” “Nah,” Twilight grinned again, turned, and walked back to her book to continue reading it. “It's too hot.”
Perfect Marriage It hadn't occurred to Chrysalis until just then. Oh, the irony of it all. She had impersonated Cadance with the intent of taking Shining Armor's love and now, though she impersonated none but herself, she was taking Twilight Sparkle's love instead. It didn't make her feel bad because it was truly genuine. On the other hoof, it made a snide fang-filled grin creep onto her face. The wedding itself would be nothing in comparison to the look on the faces of her new in-laws. Shining Armor and Cadance would definitely make for the best extended family. What presents would they offer at the reception? What ill and uncomfortable looks would they have? She would have to make for the most magnificence banter. The dinner table jokes would be priceless. Well, I couldn't nab the brother so I figured I'd shoot for the sister. Chrysalis laughed so hard that her transparent wings started to buzz about in a spasm. She could just imagine the horrified looks on their faces. How would they respond to that? Nervous chuckles and ill stomachs? There's was simply too much fun to be had with the new relational dynamics she'd have. Rarity sighed in aggravation. "This is the last time, Chrysalis." The unicorn was getting tired of how many times Chrysalis would fall onto the floor in a fit of laughter and wrinkle her perfectly tailored wedding gown. The changeling, of course, didn't give a muffin. Her inexhaustible supply of love she received from Twilight gave her the magical strength to fix it a thousand times in half a second. DING! A chime had suddenly sounded somewhere outside the waiting room. "There, you see?" Rarity grouched as she got the changeling back to her hooves and smoothed out the folds. "It's time for the walk and you've gone and creased it again." "You worry too much," Chrysalis hummed as a flash of green magic fixed the rest. "There won't be any problems today." Rarity puffed a cheek stubbornly as she led the shape-shifter towards the double doors. "A thousand things can go wrong at such a grand Canterlot wedding as this. What makes you so certain?" "Because, dear Rarity," Chrysalis purred with head held high. The doors opened. "This day is going to be perfect..."
The Hive Before Halloween Chrysy!” shouted a slightly frustrated Queen Sparkle. Her Starswirl the Bearded costume jingled as she moved about. The happy sound of a changeling buzz was audible from around the corner. Was Chrysalis giggling? Twilight raced up the stairs of her treehouse library, following her changeling up to the bedroom. It was black as usual and fully reminiscent of a changeling hive chamber. Chrysalis had darted into the sleeping ring, laid down, and began sorting through her loot she had acquired throughout the night. Technically, it wasn't Nightmare Night yet. Chrysalis was guilty of preemptive candy snatching. “I said it was only a test run,” Twilight huffed as she stomped into her sleeping ring. “And that candy is for other ponies tomorrow night.” “Apples and oranges,” Chrysalis hummed in a sing-song tone. She quickly removed certain candies from her bucket. Namely the unidentifiable pieces that nopony ever ate anyways. Twilight rolled her eyes and laid down alongside her changeling. “You're lucky AJ isn't here,” she commented. “You'd get a few choice words for using that saying around her.” The large blue-haired changeling ignored her queen and popped a small chocolate into her mouth. “Hey!” Twilight's eyes narrowed. “I said those were for tomorrow!” Without any kind of warning, Chrysalis leaned forward and pressed her lips to Twilight's. She pressed forward more when the alicorn leaned back out of surprise. When their lips parted, Twilight could taste a hint of chocolate. “Even with a beard,” Chrysalis remarked, “you're irresistible.” At first, Twilight's lips wavered and her mouth opened and closed without a sound. She then looked towards the room's entrance and the sole window. Both closed with a purple magical aura. Spike was still downstairs, knocked out from sugar overload. “C-can't you wait until I ask you to kiss me?” Twilight tried to sound authoritative, but her blush and averted gaze betrayed her. “Why do you turn every moment into some flirting thing?” “I thought you wanted some chocolate,” Chrysalis shrugged in faux innocence. “Dark changeling chocolate...” Rather than lecture her about her continued bantering, Twilight bit her bottom lip and grabbed her changeling around the neck. She pulled the taller pseudo-pony down so that they were laying with their heads against the soft cushion of the sleeping ring. The green circular light came on and bathed them in the soothing pre-sleep glow. Chrysalis forgot about her bucket of stolen-from-Twilight candy. Instead, she focused her thoughts on her queen, embracing her and holding their bodies close. Though she enjoyed the moment, she wouldn't let the time pass without comment. “What is it with you and cuddling?” Chrysalis asked and beamed at the same time. Twilight was immediate on the comeback. “What is it with you and suggestive flirtation?” The changeling's lips pursed to form an “O” of defeat. “En garde?” “It's touche,” Twilight corrected as she buried her muzzle against her changeling's neck. Her Starswirl the Bearded costume blinked off of her with a magical pop of teleportation. It was easier now to hug the black shape-shifter. “Did you switch shampoo?” “Oh,” Chrysalis said and then gave an “ah” as she explained and stroked her queen's mane with a holey forehoof. “I ran out of the usual. I'm surprised you didn't notice since you're normally psychotic about stock levels in the bathroom.” “I resent that.” Chrysalis smiled but continued. “Fluttershy let me borrow some. Mountain Spring or something like that.” Twilight took a deep breath against her changeling's mane and then relaxed again within her hooves. “It's very nice. Makes sense that you got it from Shy.” One of Chrysalis' hooves traveled down to Twilight's back. She liked the feel of her queen's soft feathers. Unlike her own wings, Twilight's didn't buzz about whenever she felt content. Instead, they popped out when she was surprised. Actually, there were several other instances in which the alicorn's wings would spring out on their own. Chrysalis had discovered that through the many nights Twilight's hive had slept in the same ring. No sound made itself known in the closed-off bedroom, save for their own breathing. Chrysalis' steady breaths served to put the queen at ease and vise versa. Perhaps the changeling was incapable of staying serious through one of her Nightmare Night preparatory testing scenarios, but Twilight was happy they had wound up here nonetheless. They both needed sleep. It was late and they were both tired anyhow. “Do I need to pay for that chocolate I ate?” Chrysalis made a rare breach of self-confidence to ask a sincere question. “You already are,” Twilight hummed in contentment. The ring padding was soft enough as it was, but the glow of the light, the lateness of the hour, and the reassuring warmth of her changeling's embrace were enough to lull her asleep. Perhaps, when she awoke, she'd be able to finish her study on the holiday and write to Princess Celestia about the alternate title she had come across in an old dusty tome. Halloween was such an odd word that it made sense for the holiday to be called Nightmare Night instead... Author's Note Happy Halloween! May your candy be delicious and your times memorable.
Take Two R1-D5: #1 - Change is Profitable Nifty," the princess remarked. Chrysalis smiled and started toward the stairs across the room. "I think Spike has finished preparing dinner," she explained. Might as well, Twilight thought. She could settle the matter of her bedroom over the meal. Or perhaps just think it over. After that good bout of sleep, some thinking certainly was in order...wait. "Dinner?" Twilight asked. "Huh?" Chrysalis blinked and felt her heart go cold. "Oh, shoot." "Cut!" shouted an off-screen Discord, who was wearing a full director's uniform. Twilight smiled and even laughed a bit. "Gee," she grinned at the changeling. "I know I can sleep in sometimes, but dinner? I think my stomach would wake me up after the first sixteen hours of sleep." "Ugh," Chrysalis groaned. "I didn't sleep well yesterday. Somepony left the TV on all night." R2-D3: #2 - Communication is Critical It's okay," the princess calmed her friend as she stepped into the cottage with the changeling in tow. "You know Chrysalis is as harmless as a marshmallow now." The two guards took positions outside of the door, which only worked to continue the yellow mare's flustered state. Feeling just a tad awkward and closing the door again, she turned to her two guests. "T-tea?" "I prefer love," Chrysalis joked and received a purple elbow to her side. "I don't think I can..." Fluttershy flustered even more. "I don't know," Twilight wondered aloud with a smirk. "I mean, as far as mares go, you're quite the catch." "Twi-?" Fluttershy went wide-eyed at her friend's off-script dialogue. "I mean, dang, girl!" Twilight wiggled her brows. "I'd be all over you like a parasprite on AJ's apples." Discord was laughing himself straight out of his director's chair. Chrysalis was already on the floor and nearly out of breath. The pink-maned pegasus felt like she was going to melt from embarrassment. "Aw, c'mere," Twilight soothed her friend with a dopey hug. R3-D7: #3 - Knowledge is Useful Twilight then walked over to one of the bookshelves and looked across some titles, missing the gagging gesture that Spike gave her in return. Almost immediately, she found the folk lore section. “Spike?” “Uh-huh?” he replied as if he expected some kind of jab. He didn't look up from the book he returned to but kept on reading it, using the cover to hide his frown from the purple pony. “Did Cheerilee come through here earlier? After we got back from Fluttershy's?” Twilight stuck her tongue out in concentration as she got closer to the title she was looking for. At that, Spike did look up from the book, this time with a confused expression. “Yeah,” he said slowly. “You didn't know? She wanted to see your unfinished mid-terms.” "Cut!" Discord called out. "Spike!" Twilight grouched and face him with a tick in her eye. "That was going to be a perfect take." "I wasn't the one that goofed," he shrugged without a care and waddled off stage to the snack and drink stand. "Cheerilee?" "What?" Rainbow Dash walked up to Twilight from the backstage area. "He's right. You said Cheerilee. The line's Chrysalis." "Snap," Twilight muttered beneath her breath. R4-D4: #4 - Pink is Preferable The blur materialized to a very familiar pegasus and Element of Harmony flapping right before them. “Room for two now, huh?” the blue pony chuckled. “Ha!” Pinkie Pie laughed in return. “It's not like I couldn't keep up, Dashie. I just like a stroll now and then, that's all.” Twilight Sparkle felt very much like she had missed something important that had happened between her two friends. Perhaps that was just an inevitability of life. “Well, Twilight doesn't need your thingamajig. She's got wings now!” Rainbow Dash countered proudly. She was still riddled with excitement about her new possible flying buddy. The princess saw her chance to speak and took it. “I'm not that good a flier though. I still need...” "Practice?" Rainbow Dash went monotone at the purple mare forgetting her line. It took her a second to realize what had distracted Twilight. She followed the mare's gaze just when the director called out. "Clear the shot!" Discord grumped with folded arms. Derpy had snuck into the camera view and was waving a hello to the lens. "Derpy..." Rainbow groaned. R5-D2: #5 - Reason is Subjective Uh...yeah...” the dragon dropped his pose. It wasn't often that somepony (or someone) offered him help. The unusual occasion made him forget that the changeling had dodged the question again. “Could you take S-Z over there?” “Ah, yes,” Chrysalis found the piles and started organizing them back on the shelf in the new order. “We'll finish faster together. Maybe we can make a jewel cake afterwards,” she added in the hope of keeping Spike from remembering anything about her earlier “errand.” Out of the corner of her eye, Chrysalis could see the magical reptilian perk up and then deflate. “But I don't have any jewels right now. Help books don't help much when you don't have anything to begin with. And that's all I have until my next allowance.” “I have a few to donate,” Chrysalis recovered hope for the dragon. “They're not much but we can space them around in the right spots so that you won't notice it all that-" BAM! CRASH! THUD! Spike's eyes were the size of dinner plates and his body froze as a claw clutched his heart. Ponies started racing onto the stage to clear the massive pile of books that had slipped off the shelves and buried Chrysalis. Discord was among them, demanding to know which of the stage-setters had improperly placed the heavy tomes. Eventually, Chrysalis became visible again, mostly okay. "I'm fine," the changeling assured the ponies that pulled her out of the books and offered medical aid. "It happens. Right, Twilight?" The purple mare was among those that had helped and she merely rolled her eyes. "Every day of my life."
Shy My Heart Deleted from #18 – Revelation is Clarification Love. No, it couldn't be. Her too? Fluttershy's mind raced openly. Everypony could hear her thoughts and only Twilight kept her from breaking. She wanted this to be over the moment it began. There was just no way she could live with the stress. Rainbow Dash loved Twilight for all the same reasons she did, though the tougher pegasus would likely word her affections differently. Calm down, Shy, Twilight's voice carried through the hivemind and spoke directly to her. This doesn't change anything about what I told you. I'll always be here for you. But Dashie... Fluttershy's concern trailed off. On one hoof, she wanted to support her rather intimidated long-term friend. But on the other hoof, she didn't want her to come between Twilight and herself. Fluttershy cursed her own selfishness, all the while careful not to let her mind actually wander to any real curse words. Even in her mind, she couldn't bear to let herself be foul. Twilight knew Fluttershy was insecure about their relationship. Heck, the purple princess was as well. Too many things had happened to her recently to give her any confidence in her own life. She only knew that she wanted to always have her friends at her side. She knew and yet... There were so many caveats cropping up concerning the life she was headed towards. She couldn't afford to be shy if she was going to be the world to Fluttershy and now Rainbow Dash as well. That was not even to mention Chrysalis. She was shy all the same. Maybe she had taken a page from Fluttershy, but she felt too overwhelmed to be direct about it now. Perhaps if she showed her support and let it gloss over as much as possible then...then she could sort it all out later. Probably. We don't have to worry about it right now, Shy. It's always best to record all of the results and give proper time for analysis before reaching for a conclusion. Um, the yellow mare thought hard. Okay. I think? Even inside of Twilight Sparkle's mind, it took a little adjusting to interpret her way of looking at things. At least Fluttershy felt her anxiety calm a bit. Her queen wasn't jumping into any rash decisions. They had time to sort out the feelings that now bled between them. Unreleased Chapter Stub – Near #19-21 As time passed by, it wasn't hard to pick up on Twilight's shyness towards intimacy. They shared inner thoughts in her hivemind, after all. But matters couldn't go on as they had been. Things needed to change. Rainbow Dash was getting depressed and Chrysalis was getting anxious. Fluttershy could feel the emotions through the hivemind and knew the queen did as well. This was a rare moment when Fluttershy had taken the lead. Actually, it might have been the only time in her life that she had done something like this. By an authoritative voice she typically used with her animals, Fluttershy had ordered all the members of Twilight's hive to gather at the Ponyville Park. The term “all members” meant Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Chrysalis, of course. This matter was specifically amongst them. The day was much brighter than the gloom in their hearts. The sun was vibrant, the grass cool, and the breeze refreshing. A few butterflies were flying about, a family that Fluttershy was well acquainted with. What mattered, however, were the three other females that were laying patiently in the grass with her. “So why are we here again?” Rainbow Dash asked with that tick in her voice that almost made her sound coltish. “I second Rainbow Brat,” Chrysalis added. “Hey!” Rainbow immediately turned to where the changeling lay. “What was that for?” “Slip of the tongue,” Chrysalis shrugged. “I was just reading your thoughts on Twilight through our shared mind. You're rather selfish.” “Enough,” Fluttershy ordered in as firm a voice as she could. It was as if she were scolding one of her animals that had crossed the line. “I know this is a difficult topic for us, but we need to be kind and considerate towards one another.” Twilight had been oddly silent thus far, preferring to stare at the grass between her resting forehooves. As queen, she was feeling the strong emotions of the three mares around her. Adding in her own uncertainties just confounded the problem. She didn't know what to do or say. Of all the ponies that might have taken the initiative, it had to be Fluttershy. Destiny had a sense of irony. It was becoming clearer once more why Twilight had connected to Fluttershy first amongst her immediate friends. The yellow mare stood up from her spot, walked over to Rainbow Dash, and pushed her against Twilight's side. They all started asking what Fluttershy was doing, but the mare was on a mission. She walked around and herded Chrysalis over until the large changeling rolled right into Twilight's forehooves. Finally, Fluttershy laid back down on the warmer-than-before grass on Twilgiht's side opposite of Rainbow Dash. There, she concluded through the hivemind and nuzzled Twilight's side. Chrysalis needs Twily's love as food, so she must be first. We can be patient, Dashie. Twilight loves us all. You know that. Rainbow had a stubborn streak in her and was prone to challenge Chrysalis more than any of the others, but she wasn't stupid. She knew Fluttershy was right. Their hivemind connection made it impossible not to see the reasoning, especially when Twilight worked out the logic automatically and shared it mentally.
