Since I Was Small
Written by: Fifth Alicorn
“Again,” came the order, and the instructor found himself staring at a common eagle.
“Again.” This time, a griffon, but undersized and breathing heavily.
“Again.” The instructor narrowed his eyes. He was staring at himself, but with the ears of a dog and the tail of a fish. “Is that supposed to be funny?”
“No... I swear. I’m just tired and..”
“Then. Do it. Again,” the instructor growled. His counterpart closed his eyes, concentrated with all his might, and tried to shapeshift again. This time, however, the transformation failed, and the doppelganger was reverted to her original form, a small, young changeling. She struggled to get up, clearly exhausted.
Her teacher loomed over the gasping form, clearly unimpressed. “Miss Chrysalis, do you ever hope on succeeding your parents as Queen of the Changelings?”
Chrysalis looked down in shame. “Yes, Mr. Olto.”
“And do you really think that King Morfo and Queen Virga would appreciate seeing their daughter unable to shift into basic forms at will?”
“No, Mr. Olto.”
“Then GET out of here, and I don’t want to see your face until you actually want to begin to learn. You are dismissed.” Mr. Olto promptly turned his back on the young princess, and stormed into his office. Tears of frustration welling up, Chrysalis dashed out the door in search of the one who was always able to comfort her.
************************************************
“I hate him.” Chrysalis stated, eyes narrowing and baring her fangs.
“Who? Olto? Has he been riding your flank again about little details?” Deetsa asked.
Chrysalis looked away and snarled. “It’s never right! It’s always something!” she thundered, swiping her hoof through the air in frustration. “There’s no appreciation for my efforts, just more practice and more practice to unending screams and threats.”
“Ooh, I love it when you get angry. Hold that hatred for just a second longer, I’m due for a snack.”
Chrysalis stopped and glared at Deetsa, shaking her head and batting away a strand of hair that had fallen in front of her face back into place. “You know I hate it when you feed off of me.”
Deetsa grinned back at her. “Oh come on, Chryssy! We’ve only known each other for about forever. I think I’m entitled to a little bit of rage snackage and some pouty eye-candy. You taste so delicious, too!”
Despite herself, Chrysalis smiled.
Chrysalis frowned again. “Mother and father are requiring me to learn the histories of all the other major countries. ‘Knowledge is power’ they keep saying, but all it’s doing is making me feel tired and hungry. Mostly annoyed. I rarely get the time to see you or any of my other friends anymore...”
“Have you told your parents you want more free time? I know how you get when you don’t get your daily dose of Deetsa.”
Chrysalis sighed. “Yeah, I did. They yelled at me for about a half hour about how I’m going to rule Arkadium when they get older and how it’s important for me to know all this, but it’s so boring!”
“Well, maybe I’ll just have to talk to His and Her Majesty on your behalf. They can never resist my smouldering smile.”
“This is serious, Deets. If you actually did that, I don’t know who they would punish more for such ‘insolence.’
Deetsa shuddered. He’d seen King Morfo do terrible things in his wrath, things he wasn’t comfortable repeating or thinking aloud. “No, you’re right. But you should still say something, Chryssy. You’ve been working yourself to the marrow these past few weeks and you need a break.”
“I’ll... I’ll think about it, but I need to get going. This textbook has more uses than just physical abuse to uppity changelings, you know. Now I get to learn about the Second Great Griffon War. Talk to you later, Deetsa.”
“Have a good time, Chryssy! Don’t give me an excuse to feed off you again!” Deetsa promptly ran away to avoid a second attack by The History of the Griffin Kingdom: vol. 1.
************************************************
“Chrysalis? Are you alright? You’ve barely touched your food.” Queen Virga frowned with concern. It wasn’t like her daughter to refuse fresh fruit bat.
Chrysalis almost sighed, but remembered the polite table manners her parents had forced upon her since she was barely old enough to feed herself at table. Instead, she managed a small smile. “I suppose I’m just tired. You’ve been putting a lot on my plate lately, and I just don’t mean this orange creature in front of me. Transformation classes, history, flight training and even making me sit with you when you hold court. Don’t I get any time to myself?”
King Morfo huffed, irritated his meal was getting interrupted with complaints. “Your history lessons are important, daughter, and if I find out you are not taking them seriously you will not like the outcome.”
“Yes, I know that father, but why is it so important to learn now? Why should I care that King Sombra was overthrown in the Crystal Empire centuries ago? Or that Equestria’s Princess Luna turned evil, transforming into Nightmare Moon and waging the War of the Night a few decades later? All I want to know is why Equestria hasn’t had a named Queen in centuries, but none of history books tell me that!” Chrysalis felt like pouting but she knew her father wouldn’t allow it at the dinner table.
“Because as future Queen of the Changelings, if you become queen,” Morfo said, “it is your duty to learn everything you can. No one race, be it pony, dragon, griffon or changeling, knows for sure the true story of the Crystal Empire. But imagine if, one day, it returns. Or someone finds clues leading to its civilization again. Arkadium would need a leader heading the expeditions, and I will not allow such an opportunity to be taken by Equestrians because the Queen is too worried about her own sleep, should we be so unfortunate as to have the Crystal Empire reveal itself after I pass away.”
“Yes, I know father, but I just wanted to-”
“Enough, Chrysalis. What I have said is final, and I do not expect you to question me again. Are we clear?”
“Yes, father.”
King Morfo sniffed at the air. “And do I detect a scent of anger in the air, young one?”
“No, father.”
“I didn’t think so. Now finish your fruit bat, Chrysalis. You have a spellcasting lesson in a half hour.”
Chrysalis picked at her food a bit more. “I’m not too hungry. Can I be excused? I’d appreciate some fresh air before my next class.”
Morfo’s eyebrow raised. “Absolutely no-”
“Morfo...” his wife interrupted. The king grumbled under his breath and nodded in assent. Flashing a grateful smile to her mother, Chrysalis excused herself from the table and exited the dining room. Her father watched her go, shaking his head in disapproval.
************************************************
Exiting the dining hall and leaving Arkadium Castle altogether, Chrysalis took a long, deep breath of the fresh air and exhaled it slowly, relishing the sensation. Between her frequent classes and trying to hang out with Deetsa in between, she was rarely able to take the opportunity to partake in one of her favorite pastimes anymore; just walking and thinking.
From where Arkadium Castle stood within Arkadium itself, with the palace in the center of the sprawling metropolis and elevated high above the rest of the buildings, any changeling could almost see the whole of the city as he or she walked along the ramparts. Chrysalis saw much more than just a kingdom when she gazed upon it. She saw responsibility, a burden which would one day rest upon her back. She felt the life of every single citizen. She heard the music of schools and taverns alike, and occasionally sensed a stray gust of wind as it blew her aqua-colored hair in its wake.
Most importantly, she saw her legacy presented before her. Her family ruled Arkadium as the Changeling Monarchy for millennia, quite a feat even considering the average changeling lifespan of two centuries, and each residing king or queen had each left a unique and important mark on Arkadium. Of course, Chrysalis couldn’t know what she would leave behind, but she knew beyond a doubt that it would be unforgettable.
She took another cleansing breath and began to wander the ramparts, surveying the city that would one day be hers. Chrysalis sighed remorsefully; she wished her neighboring nations could see Arkadium as she did. Towering, ebon buildings topped with emerald greens and sapphire blues, ever-present lights in the buildings and pubs, and just the pure majesty of the place the changelings called home.
As always, Chrysalis cursed the one blemish on the face of Arkadium. From a distance, the landscape surrounding the thriving metropolis appeared a brown, barren wasteland. As time went by, Chrysalis saw fewer and fewer ambassadors from the neighboring lands who were not blessed with aerial travel, claiming that they were unwilling to traverse the depressing terrain on foot to visit “The Black City,” as many came to call it. As a result, pegasi representatives from Equestria and griffon visitors from Aephora, the Griffon Kingdom began visiting less and less, as Arkadium was considered less and less “relevant” to international business. Eventually, as generations from the races with shorter lifespans passed, Arkadium soon became forgotten by all but history. Chrysalis suspected her race had become nothing more than legend, much like the fabled Mare in the Moon she saw from her bedroom every night.
“You really love it, don’t you?” Deetsa said, having found her. Chrysalis smiled as he matched her pace along the castle wall, always welcome for his company.
“Always have, Deets. And one day, this will all be mine. I swear, one day, I’m going to put us back on the map. I’m going to make the ponies, and the griffons, and the buffalo and rhino, and the rest of them remember the changelings. Going to get us invited to balls and conventions and galas. Arkadium will once again be a thriving city of tourists and politicians, involved in every major international decision. It’ll be just like how it used to be, centuries ago, before even my grandparents were alive.” Chrysalis gave a contented sigh, imagining her dream coming to life before her very eyes. “And it’ll all be because of me.”
“I’d like that.” Deetsa smiled. “I really would. How are you going to do it, Chryssy?”
She frowned. “I haven’t figured that part out yet, but I know I can do it. Just thinking about what Arkadium can be, like I am right now, fills me with power and confidence that I’ve never felt, even after consuming more than my fill of rage and hate. It’s wonderful, Deetsa, and it always seems to increase whenever you’re around, too.” Chrysalis performed three complicated transformations, a small rat into a large buffalo and then an average sized dog, before returning to her original form, just to emphasize her point. Such an act would have left her exhausted during a session with Mr. Olto, as is to be expected when changing sizes so rapidly. “I’ve always wondered why that is, what the catalyst is.”
“I’ve had my suspicions, though,” she continued. “Crazy, little thoughts. Probably nothing, it goes against everything the changelings have ever known, and would almost certainly infuriate Father to unpredictable means. Like I said, it’s probably nothing.”
“Even nothing is usually something, Chryssy,” Deetsa said. “Lay it on me.”
Chrysalis stopped and turned to look at her friend. “Well what if...” She paused, still unsure of herself. “Every time I’ve felt strength like that, I’ve never been filled with hatred or rage, obviously the emotions we changelings have always fed off of, besides food itself. In fact, I’ve always been feeling the complete opposite. Instead of hatred, I’ve felt love. Pure, simple love.”
“The power was hard to catch at first, because love energy feels so much different than anger. It felt... tingly, good, and I always passed it off as just having a particularly good day. But when it kept happening, that’s when I began to concentrate on it, and eventually learned to channel it as I just showed you. I don’t know if it’s because love is just a food source we somehow overlooked, or I’m just prone to random feats of strength, but I’ve always intended to research it. I’ve just never had the time.”
“Then... why haven’t you asked your father for time to study this, Chryssy?” Deetsa asked. “Surely if it meant granting the changelings more power than we’ve ever known, it would be worth diverting time away from your studies to look into this.”
Chrysalis sighed again. She began to wonder if it would become a habit. “Because it’s not just my studies, Deetsa. You know how my father is, he’s extremely old fashioned. Even if it did work, I doubt he’d care.” After a quick glance around to make sure he wasn’t somehow listening, Chrysalis transformed only her head to mimic her father’s. “Changelings have always fed off of anger, and always will. I won’t hear anymore of this, now back to your studies. Grrr.” She reverted back to her own face. Deetsa grinned despite himself.
Chrysalis turned away from Deetsa to look over her beloved city once more. “And besides, what if I’m completely wrong, and father goes along with it? To have wasted so much time on this crazy theory and to have nothing to show for it? He might disown me on the spot. Because like I said, I always notice the strength when you’re around, and we’re nothing more than friends.”
“Oh, um,” Deetsa stuttered, blushing gently. “Of course. Definitely. No doubt.”
Confused by his response, Chrysalis turned to look at him, a look of dawning realization slowly appearing on her face. “Deets... I...” What she would have said, however, was quickly lost as a look of shock quickly occupied her features. “Oh shoot, I completely forgot. Deetsa, I’m late for my lessons. I need to go!” She quickly galloped away, all else forgotten. Deetsa watched her go, a forlorn look on his face.
“Yeah, see ya...”
************************************************
Alone in the Royal Library, Chrysalis gave a loud groan of frustration at the textbooks in front of her. She had a test on Discord and the disappearance of the draconequus race in the morning, and the boatload of information proved difficult to master.
“I trust that wasn’t a very unladylike grunt I heard just now, Chrysalis,” Morfo said as he entered the library. Oddly, he had a smile on his face, which nearly alarmed Chrysalis. Her father never had a smile on his face. “I suppose I could let it slide this time. I understand that your studies can be trying. Your mother wished me to inform you that it was time for dinner, and to meet us in the dining hall when you are ready.”
“...Thank you, father.” Chrysalis began to get worried. Her father rarely excused anything he felt was unbecoming of royalty, and his entire demeanor just seemed... off for him. She made a mental note to bring it up to her mother after dinner. “I’ll be down shortly.”
“Very good,” King Morfo replied.. “Oh, and I believe your friend Deetsa was looking for you earlier. I sent him up to your room to await you. I figured you would go there to put your books anyway, so it would be most convenient for you.”
“Oh good. I haven’t seen him since dinner last night. I’ve been meaning to speak with him anyway.”
“Well I’m sure you’ll have much to talk about. I’ll leave you alone, then.” With that, Morfo left the Royal Library, Chrysalis watching him go with a worried expression. Dreading what could have caused her father’s behavior, Chrysalis levitated her six or so books in front of her and made the two minute walk to her bedroom.
************************************************
Crash! Entering her bedroom, Chrysalis dropped her books in shock. In the middle of her room, sprawled on the ground and breathing heavily was an unconscious, bloodied and very injured Deetsa. Dashing quickly to his side, Chrysalis shook him as softly as her panicked condition allowed her.
“Deets? Deeta, wake up. Oh come on, Deets, please. Don’t do this.” She shouted for help but no one was around to hear her.
Coughing, Deetsa slowly opened his eyes and smiled faintly when he saw who had awoken him. “H-hey Chryssy.”
Chrysalis gave a loud sigh of relief. “Oh, thank the spirits you’re alive, Deetsa. But... what happened? Are you okay? Can you get up?”
Coughing again, Deetsa choked out, “I...I don’t know” He tried to stand up, before his hind left leg shook uncontrollably and he collapsed back onto the carpeted floor. “I can barely feel that leg Chrysalis. Oh spirits it hurts”
“Screw my carpet, Deets. What happened? Did someone attack you?” Deetsa looked up at her before slightly shaking his head, refusing to reveal his assailant. “Deets... come on. You can tell me, and I swear, I’ll make them pay. Being a king’s daughter has its perks, I’ll ask father to find him I can’t make any promises as to what I’ll do to him.”
For the first time in her life, Chrysalis was beginning to feel anger. True, unbridled rage. Anything she had ever felt towards her father’s strictness or her workload was mere irritation, anger that was quickly forgotten after a calming breath or a walk along the battlements of Changeling Castle. She doubted she would get over this quite as easily. She meant what she said to Deetsa. Whoever had done this to him would pay dearly.
Staring hard at her for another few seconds, Deetsa reluctantly opened his mouth. “Chryssy, you’re not going to like what I’m about to tell you. The one who attacked me was... your father, Chrysalis.”
Chrysalis could barely believe what she heard. “N-no. Father wouldn’t do this. He’s always been stern, and got angry at me a lot, but he would NEVER do anything like this, especially to you, Deets. You’re my best friend, he wouldn’t. Not to you.”
“I went to go talk to him after Day Court. I knew you wouldn’t want me to, but I did anyway. I told him how tired you always are, and that you...needed a break from your classes. He seemed angry at first, but I thought he had begun to reconsider when I was done talking.” Deetsa took a ragged breath then continued. “He invited me to talk more, but when we were out of earshot from anyone else, he turned on me and used magic to torture me. He was absolutely furious that I would ‘defy’ him, as he put it.”
Deetsa’s harsh coughs echoed in the room. “He never let up on the magic, and it was the worst thing I ever felt. I couldn’t even get the breath to scream in pain. He told me that he used this same spell on prisoners and fugitives he has locked up somewhere, and then harvested from the pain and hate and rage it caused. He said that it’s how he ensures that he is the strongest changeling in Arkadium.” He lapsed into another coughing fit, wincing in pain.
“Shhh,” Chrysalis soothed him. “It’s okay. I believe you. I’m shocked, but I believe you. Deets, I’m good and angry right now. Please, feed off that and get better.”
Breathing heavily, he shook his head. “No.”
“What? But why?”
“I... don’t want to feed off your hate, Chrysalis,” Deetsa muttered. His eyes were beginning to droop. “It wouldn’t be right.”
“Damn it, don’t fall asleep on me, Deetsa,” she whispered. Chrysalis sighed in resignation, forcing herself to calm down. “Alright. Deetsa, I want you to do something for me. So far, all my research into feeding off love has been with just me, no testing with any other changeling. You’re going to be my first test subject, okay?”
Deetsa couldn’t say only in reply, but nodded faintly.
“Good. Now, it’s easy to do. Remember how hate and anger tastes? It’s thick, difficult to miss for a changeling. But love is different. It tastes light, like freshly baked bread. Unless you’re specifically looking for it, it’s difficult to find. That must be how we missed it for all these centuries. Just... look for it, Deets, okay? Be strong, and I’ll be strong for you.” Deetsa coughed weakly in response.
Unwilling to waste any more time, Chrysalis began to nuzzle Deetsa tenderly, making soothing sounds and doing anything she could to make her closest friend more comfortable. Deetsa was unable to do more than watch her as she worked. Suddenly, she remembered the conversation she had had with him the previous night, what he said and didn’t say, just before she was forced to dash off to class.
Praying to the spirits that it would work, Chrysalis slowly leaned forward and kissed Deetsa directly on the mouth.
She suddenly sensed a wave of warmth, with a feeling of lightness and freedom she never felt before. It felt... fantastic. Something that she could not have achieved on her own; experiencing love from another changeling.
Chrysalis held the kiss for several seconds before releasing it, and looked at her suddenly smiling friend.
“I don’t believe it…” she gasped. Even as she watched, she could see the immediate effects of her actions. Deetsa’s wounds sewed themselves back together like a master seamstress makes clothes. Even looking in Deetsa’s eyes, she could see the strength flooding back into him. Both his ears perking up, Deetsa gave one last, short cough, and grinned widely. It was clear he was not in pain anymore.
“Yikes,” he finally managed to stay after several seconds of mutual, shocked silence. “What a rush.”
“That was... incredible,” Chrysalis (said in) agree(ment)d. “I’ve never seen healing that quick. Not from father, not from anyone. It would appear that my theories were correct. This is... this is amazing! Can you stand?”
“Well, one way to find out, huh?” Cautiously getting his legs under him, and waving off Chrysalis’ attempts to help with a flutter of his wings, Deetsa managed to stand on all fours, despite some wobbling in his previously injured leg. “Well how about that. This ol’ leg can’t keep me down after all. Sorry leg, maybe another day.”
Chrysalis allowed herself a smile at Deetsa’s jokes. Everything had turned out well. Deetsa was fine, she had proved her theory on love being a better food source for the changelings as correct, and the only thing left to deal with was... her father. Her face soured immediately at the thought.
“Chrysalis, don’t do anything rash about King Morfo,” he warned. “Look, I’m fine! Everything turned out right in the end. Don’t do anything you’ll regret later. Please.”
“No.” Chrysalis said flatly. “I can’t let this one go.” Now that the wave of elation at Deetsa’s healing had passed, Chrysalis began to feel the anger again that she had felt not too long ago. Stiff with rage, she continued. “Father crossed a line, and this time he’s gonna get it from me. I rarely yell at him because he always punishes me, but I refuse to be afraid of him anymore.”
“But...”
“I’m sorry, Deetsa, but my mind is made up. He’ll be waiting for me in the dining hall. It’s likely to get loud and messy, so please wait outside in the corridor. I would rather you not see it, and him not see that you’re already back on your feet. Do you understand?”
Gulping in trepidation, Deetsa nodded.
“Good. Then let’s go.”
************************************************
Taking a deep breath, Chrysalis enveloped the doors to the Royal Dining Hall with her magic and slammed them open. Save for her parents sitting at the end of the long dining table, the room was empty, the servants having already prepared and served the food. Startled, Queen Virga’s head jolted up to look at the sudden noise, while her father just stared, a knowing look in his emerald eyes.
“Mother, may I speak with the king alone, please?” Chrysalis tried her utmost to keep the rage out of her voice.
“Chrysalis? What’s wr—”
“Alone, mother,” Chrysalis repeated, her eyes never leaving her father’s.
Virga’s eyes glanced nervously between her daughter and her husband, but she still slowly excused herself from the table and walked through one of the side doors, leading to the Royal Chambers. Chrysalis tore her eyes from her father to watch her go. Once Virga had crossed the threshold and closed the door behind her, the Princess returned her gaze to her father, where she found him nonchalantly coating toast with honey.
“Father, how could you? I—”
“On any of your walks, my daughter,” Morfo interrupted, “Have you ever taken the time to visit the gardens, specifically the apiary?”
“I... what?”
“The apiary. You know, where the bees live. I have, on multiple occasions. It always fascinates me to watch them make our honey, and I’ve even observed that, if you are kinder to them, the sweeter their honey is. Old, ancient secret.”
“I don’t understand...”
“Don’t interrupt,” he barked. “I’m getting there. As I said, if you are kind to the insects, they can make your life better, but at the end of the day, that is all they are. Insects. Insignificant little creatures barely worth the notice of royalty. Once or twice, on one of my visits, I must have ventured too close to something the insect valued, because it stung me. It did not hurt, but that is not the point. What matters is that the tiny thing dared to defend what it cared about in the face of its master, its better, its superior.”
Morfo looked up at stared at Chrysalis directly in the eyes, his own burning red in anger. “So I did the only logical thing. I scooped it up it my magic so that it could not move or even squirm, I brought it right in front of me, close enough that I could gaze into its pathetic eyes, and I squeezed. Squeezed ever so gently, but consistently, that I could pinpoint the exact moment its disgusting life left its body. It was my right as its ruler. And the best part? The rest of the hive carried on like nothing had happened, like it hadn’t lost one of its members. Its own world completely forgot it in a matter of seconds, as it should have. It was nothing.”
King Morfo took a healthy bite out of the honey-covered toast, and still staring straight at his daughter, who trembled with both rage and revulsion. “In case you hadn’t figured it out yet, your little friend Deetsa is the same. He cared enough about your well-being to dare to defy his king’s wishes. The insect you call your friend thought it was his place to sting me, and had he not meant so much to you, I would have crushed the life out of him as I did with his equal, the bee. Call it my appreciation for being such a devoted student, little Princess.”
Chrysalis felt her stomach lurch and bend within her belly. To be hearing this from her father’s own mouth, such blatant disregard for any sort of life or the well-being of her friend, absolutely disgusted her. Tears welling up in her eyes, she whispered, “You’re a monster.”
“Oh, am I?” Morfo replied, amused. “And here I thought sparing your friend’s insignificant life was merciful. I assume you managed to stabilize his condition before coming down here. Shall I go and finish him off? Then we could truly see what kind of a ‘monster’ I really am.” The Changeling King finished his toast, got up, and started walking towards the door.
“NO!” Chrysalis shouted, and enveloped her father in her green aura of magic, managing to stop him in his tracks.
Morfo snorted, and effortlessly broke her magical hold on him without even his horn glowing. His amused expression now gone, he turned to face his daughter once again. “You would dare to use magic against me, your king, your father, and the most powerful being in Arkadium? In case you didn’t know, daughter, that could very well be seen as an act of treason.”
“N-no! I didn’t mean it like that. I just won’t allow you to hurt Deetsa any more than you already have!”
“Is that so, Chrysalis? And what would you do to stop me? Unless you’re proposing to challenge me to an Ika-Nagi, nothing you could possibly do would prevent me from doing precisely what I want.”
“What’s...what’s an Ika-Nagi?” Chrysalis asked.
“You never reached Advanced Changeling History in your studies, apparently. Ika-Nagi’s are duels, a challenge of honor. Is that what you wish, my daughter?”
“Of course not. I refuse to fight you, father. But I also refuse to stand by and watch you torture my friend at your leisure. If I hadn’t heard it from you, I never would have believed what a vile creature you are. You sicken me.”
King Morfo sneered. “Is that so? And what do you propose to do about it?”
“I’m leaving Arkadium. I refuse to live with your stupid beliefs, and I refuse to call myself your daughter any longer.”
“Well, then, Miss Chrysalis, if you are no longer my daughter, then I have absolutely no issues punishing you for attacking your king.” With a flash of his horn, he magically cemented Chrysalis’s hooves to the floor, rendering her unable to move. “For violence against the crown, I hereby banish you from the City of Arkadium. And befitting your punishment, I shall bestow upon you the Marks of Shame, to follow you around for the rest of your life, that all may know of your failure and treachery.”
With another flash of magic, his own green aura enveloped Chrysalis, and accompanying it, the most agonizing pain she had ever felt in her entire life. Wracked with agony coursing through her body, Chrysalis screamed loudly, until the spell had finally run its course. The spell rooting her to the ground also gone, she quickly collapsed onto the floor of the dining hall.
Laughing, Morfo picked Chrysalis up in his magic, and levitated a nearby mirror to hold in front of her. Forcing her eyes to look into it, he said, “The looks fits you. I should have banished you earlier.”
Shock overrode any feeling of pain she was experiencing, and Chrysalis gasped at her reflection. Whatever evil spell her father had cast had completely destroyed her body. Her once whole limbs, horns, and wings now had holes littered throughout. Holding up her hooves, she could quite literally peer through them and meet her father’s hate-filled eyes.
“W-what did you do to me?” She whispered, unable to comprehend what she beheld.
“Another ancient secret,” Morfo sneered. “The ability to endow the Marks of Shame is inherited by every ruler of Arkadium. Should we be lenient enough not to grant a prompt execution, the Marks of Shame are a healthy alternative. And it appears I have spared another life today. Perhaps I am going soft in my old age...” He chuckled darkly at his own joke.
“Now then, get out of my sight. If I ever see you within my city ever again, do not expect to leave it again alive.” With that, he picked her up in his magic, flung her towards the main door, and exited through the same door as his wife towards the Royal Chambers.
Impacting heavily against the door, Chrysalis slowly got up. As she examined the changes to her body more thoroughly, she found that the gaping holes in her forelegs and hindlegs would not impede her ability to walk. Similarly, she was still able to do magic, and tested this theory by magicking the doors open and slowly walked out, where she quickly found Deetsa.
“Chryssy?!” he exclaimed, galloping quickly over to her in concern. “What happened to you in there? I heard screaming and a loud bang and now... this. What could your father possibly have done to put giant holes in you?”
Chrysalis winced, still in pain. “They’re called the Marks of Shame. An old changeling royalty tradition, apparently. But don’t worry about that, the pain will go away eventually. But... I’m leaving, Deets. That’s what made him do this to me in the first place, and because he banished me, I can’t chicken out even if I wanted to. Are you coming with me, Deets?”
Deetsa shook his head sadly. “I can’t. I want to, but I can’t. Who knows what your father is going to do next? What if he comes after my family? I need to get them out of here, somewhere safe. I’m sorry Chryssy.” He smiled softly.
Chrysalis returned the smile. “Of course. Don’t let me down, Deets.”
“Where will you go now, what will you do?”
“I dunno, Deets, but it’s not going to be here. I could always go see Equestria or Aephora, track down the roaming buffalo herds. Father was always going on about the Crystal Empire, maybe I’ll go and find it. Just imagine the look on his face when he finds that I found the Crystal Empire before he did.”
“I admit, I won’t be looking forward to how he takes it out on his food cattle, but that shouldn’t stop you. Go for it, Chrysalis, and remember to come back one day.”
“I will, Deetsa,” Chrysalis promised. “I swear I will.” She began to limp her way towards the castle entrance, Deetsa accompanying her. Without warning, she kissed him on the mouth again, shorter than the first time, and was able to make the rest of the walk unhindered.
“Chryssy?” Deetsa asked, confused. “That kiss just now, was it just to heal yourself, or was it something... more?”
Without replying, Chrysalis just smiled back at him. And then, after taking one long, final look at her beloved city, she expanded her wings and took off, flying into the distance and leaving Arkadium.
END PART ONE
