Chrysalis hated Aria Blaze. Utterly! Completely! Obsessively! She hated her with a passion that would make ice cubes burst in flames and set fire to an industrial freezer. Since day one, the siren had made it her goal to ruin any semblance of normality Chrysalis might have in this shell of a world. And there wasn't a thing anyone could do about it! Magic was so inefficient here that it took weeks for the former queen to gather enough of it to change her hair, let alone anything more substantial. From there things only got worse. A single basic appearance meant a limited supply of prey, which meant less food, and in turn less changeling magic for her to use. Because of Aria, Chrysalis had ended up trapped in a vicious circle without any hope of escape.
"I'll tear your hooves off, Aria!" Chrysalis kicked the bathroom door in. The few girls gathered there quickly grabbed their make up and rushed outside. Chrysalis didn't even bother to snarl. Placing both hands on the sink, she started at her reflection in the mirror.
Why did I have to be a girl? A stupid teenage girl! Had she been her majestic self she wouldn't have to scrounge for brainless jocks or smelly geeks for a few meager morsels of love-covered sighs. She had no army, no allies, no powers, just a wretched human body with breasts flatter than a laminated sheet of paper. Even the witch Aria had more shapely forms!
"Just one decent meal," Chrysalis sighed. Her finger slid up the mirror making a loud screeching sound. If only I had enough magic. For several seconds she gazed at her image, her lips briefly curving into a viciously sweet smile before twisting in anger again. "And you had to ruin it!" she shouted.
Reaching under her blouse, she grabbed a rolled up sock strategically placed in her bra. If she had money she would buy real bra pads not suffer this pathetic and incredibly uncomfortable alternative.
"I hope you never restore your voice!" Chrysalis threw the sock on the floor, then reached to get the other one. She had spent days finding clothes that would create the perfect look with a semblance of a bust, and Aria had messed up everything in a single second.
"Are those socks in your bra?" Aria had asked deliberately loud in the middle of the schoolyard. The disappointment coming from the football team had almost caused Chrysalis to choke. There was no way she could feed after that. Not in a thousand years! By now the entire school probably knew, making the likelihood of her finding something to eat grimmer than ever. At most, she would have to rely on second hand sympathy.
The second sock flew at the mirror, then bounced off, made an arc above Chrysalis’ head and went straight into the toilet. A loud plopping sound told the changeling that the worst had happened. Great. She closed her eyes, barely keeping herself from smashing the sink to pieces. My best pair. Now I'll have to borrow money again.
The bathroom door swung open.
* * *
Aria loved Chrysalis. Hopelessly. Even since the changeling had appeared in this world, she had brought with her enough hate to feed an entire army. A single minute had been enough to restore Aria's singing voice for hours, and that was just the start. The siren had never felt so alive before. There was no way she would let such a catch slip through her fingers. Not for anything or anyone. Adagio might grumble all she wanted, Sonata could spend every night trying to get her to reconsider, Aria had already decided.
Walking down the corridor, the siren smirked at the students glancing at her. It didn't take magic to tell what they were thinking. Most had been openly hostile the day she had returned to school. That had made Aria uneasy. Without her voice and Adagio and Sonata by her side, she was as vulnerable as a cat in a veterinary clinic. Chrysalis had changed all that in an instant. Her spite and hatred had been fermenting for centuries, even millennia; so sweet, so sinfully delicious that Aria had almost fainted out of sheer pleasure. Even better, the changeling seemed to be a constant source of delectable delight. The only thing Aria had to do was be as nasty as possible to her—something the siren excelled at.
"To hate you—" Aria sang as she slid her fingers along the wall "—is to love you. As beautiful as new." Her voice was clear and vibrant with enough sweetness and magic to make heads turn. A geek dropped her books, beside her a jock dropped his jaw, only to have it halfway closed by a mesmerized cheerleader. Lovely being the center of attention again.
"I'll take a chance on a beautiful changeling," Aria span around, earning some applause.
This was so perfect. Minutes ago she had yelled at Chrysalis, asking if the changeling had put socks in her bra... right in front of the entire football team. Chrysalis had turned pink, red, deep magenta, then erupted in an explosion of unadulterated hatred. It was so intoxicating that Aria's mouth had instantly filled with saliva.
Scrumptious. The siren followed the trail of hatred, as if she were slurping down a tasty strand of spaghetti.
"The toilet?" She smirked. "Why not?" She brushed her fingers through her hair, then pushed the door open.
* * *
"Witch!" Chrysalis shouted as Aria entered. "I'll claw your eyes out!" Without thinking she rushed straight at the siren. Enraged and half-starved, the changeling had lost what little self control she had remaining. I'm going to tear your stupid twin tails off, and when you beg me for mercy, I'll laugh in your f—
"Angel." Aria smiled, opening her arms.
The wave of love hit Chrysalis like a brick wall. The changeling hesitated. One more step and her killer intent had gone. I won't let you tempt me! Chrysalis cried in desperation. The sweet smell of love was everywhere, making her entire body tingle as if the tips of a thousand feathers were brushing against her skin.
"I will... not..." The changeling queen's resistance broke. Powerless, she gorged on the succulent love that surrounded her—Aria's love. The remaining inertia let her body float through the air right into the siren's warm embrace. Chrysalis despised herself for it, she despised Aria twice as much. Why does it feel so good? The sensation of magic filling me, making me whole again... I can't stand you, witch! She wrapped her arms round the siren, helplessly.
"I love it when you hate me," Aria whispered in her ear and squeezed tighter.
"I hate it when you love me," Chrysalis sniffed, then relaxed her head on the siren's shoulder.
Chrysalis - Past
Going through the portal hurt. It hurt a lot. Chrysalis felt her mind strands snap one by one, severing her link to the hive. Each was a mind she would never feel, an integral part of her lost forever. She attempted to struggle, to hold onto them a little longer. The resulting pain sent shockwaves through her mind. Thousands of psychic connections were ripped out in a matter of seconds, leaving her blind, deaf, and so incredibly alone. And then, just as she was at her most vulnerable, the ground hit her right in the face.
"I won't forget this!" Hatred seethed through her very being.
Outcast! She hit the ground with her forelimb. Millennia of rule, conquest, harvesting, only to be reduced to this. Her hatred swelled, engulfing her entirely, then slowly plateaued as she came to the cold realization: she was a drone again. No, worse than a drone. Drones had a sense of belonging. They had a queen, a hive, a home. Chrysalis had neither.
Just a setback. The changeling queen lifted her face from the ground. This land will be mine. And then— The words were suddenly torn out of her mind, as she gazed upon the strange pinkish appendages that had been her forelegs.
What the pod?! They weren't hooves anymore. Some type of hands... not griffin, not dragon, more like minotaur hands. Slowly she turned then around and moved her fingers. The feeling was strange. At least they were slender and aesthetically appealing. The rest of her also looked disturbingly unusual. Her body structure had changed completely. As far as she could tell, she had transformed into a biped, her perfect black carapace replaced by soft, squishy flesh, covered in some type of garments. Also, she couldn't feel her wings...
Great. Chrysalis blew a lock of hair off her face. I'm a minotaur. It had been centuries since she had taken such a bothersome form. The balance was tricky, the field of view limited, and it was annoying how often she needed to sit down and rest. Carefully, she stood up, and with extreme calm and precision stretched. The new form felt surprisingly light and flexible. Not much in the way of muscles, but Chrysalis wasn't bothered. She had taken on worse shapes.
"Hey you! Girl!" A yell crashed into her thoughts. "You can't stand there!"
Chrysalis snarled. There wasn't a soul alive that could call her that and get away with it. Briskly, she turned around, eyes pulsing with raw anger. The thing that had addressed her, must have noticed as well, for it took an uncertain step backwards.
Definitely not a minotaur, she mused. The creature was unlike anything she remembered seeing—its face was flat and muzzle-less, with the eyes stuck on both sides of a pimple that passed for a nose. It was the definition of grotesque, yet inexplicable Chrysalis didn't feel repulsed. At some level her mind accepted the being as normal.
I guess I look like that now. Chrysalis tisked. The creature before her stood paralyzed, incapable of looking away. Shock, anxiety, and hope mixed with despair were coming from him like steam from a freshly baked pie. Male. Chrysalis' lips curved in a vicious smile.
"Oh?" she asked with sweetness that covered the creature's face with sweat. "And why is that?" The softness of her voice grabbed her prey like a web of steel. I'll make you regret annoying me, food!
"'Cause, you know..." The male trembled as he spoke. Chrysalis could feel him instinctively want to flee only to finding himself unable to. Just like a fly caught in a venus trap. "Don't step on the grass?"
Hmph. Just a hatchling. Chrysalis tisked. There was no mistaking that weak blend of love and hopelessness. Nice flavour, but as nourishing as a cup of water. It would take an army of those to provide her with enough sustenance. Then again, she could use an army.
"Care to explain why?" Her hair changed into a deep shade of brown, as she confidently walked towards him. "I'm lost." Even from this distance she could sense his heartbeat double with her every word. "And I—"
"Hey, chick, are you an addict or something?" A mocking female laugh filled the air, completely breaking Chrysalis' hold over her prey. "Is this a drug deal? I'm calling the cops!"
Chrysalis froze. This was twice she had been insulted to her face in the last minute. The more alarming part was, that this new insult had sliced through her magic like a claw through jelly. Any source of love coming from the juvenile creature quickly dried up, replaced by fear and disgust. Chrysalis flinched as the repugnant stench of repulsion filled her nostrils.
What happened? Her concentration broke for a second, just enough for her victim to rush off through the bushes and out of sight. Slimecrap! She hissed. The creature might have been an insignificant, barely nutritious waste of space, but he was her catch! No one messed with her catch!
"Oops, did he get away?" The annoying voice again, this time closer than before. "Trashy chicks must not be his thing."
Chrysalis snarled! The magic inside her pulsed transforming her delicate nails into razor sharp fangs. Annoying pest! She turned around, rushing forward like a fury. Hunger and bitterness fueled her hatred, blanking out any other thoughts. Her senses locked on the target of her anger—a female near-minotaur oozing more confidence than a teenage pegasus.
This wasn't the reaction Chrysalis expected. In the past food and changelings alike couldn't get away fast enough, scampering to shelter themselves from her violent outbursts. This one didn't. Calm as ice, she stood at the edge of a nearby pond smirking, arms on her hips.
Mocking me? You're actually mocking me?! Disbelief only made Chrysalis' anger grow. I'll hurt you so bad. You'll be—
"You're setting me on fire," The pest's voice rang. Each sound felt like a thousand shards of ice, piercing Chrysalis and pinning her in the air like a helpless butterfly. This wasn't some cheap unicorn trick. Real magic was involved here, powerful magic. "Because your hate is my desire, the creature sang on. Chrysalis felt the her rage drained away along with most of her magic as she was gently pushed back on the ground.
No, you don't! Chrysalis pushed back. She wasn't going to let herself humiliated by a simple song trick. Her eyes glowed green, cracking the song's aether and rendering it harmless.
"Wow. You really are a changeling," the other creature said, her annoying smirk growing. "I thought you had died out."
You overconfident little piece of slime! This was a surprise Chrysalis didn't expect. So even here someone had managed to beat her to the punch. Pursing her lips, she looked at the one standing before her. On the surface she seemed like a skinny, short brat with a pair of wet mops that passed for ponytails, and the smug expression of an alicorn princess. Unlike Chrysalis, she barely had any garments on, most likely coming from a swim.
"In your dreams, siren," the changeling hissed. She had never seen one herself, but knew full well what they represented. "I rule Equestria now!" An utter lie. "And I'll rule this place too." Another lie. She had to show strength. In a fight the first to show weakness was the first to lose.
"Hmm." The siren placed a finger on her lips. For several seconds she remained in that position, carefully examining Chrysalis. Then her smile widened. "Such a gourmet hater." She slid her finger along Chrysalis' cheek. The changeling quivered in anger, barely keeping herself of punching the siren in the face. "Oh, that expression!" the twin-tails laughed. "So agonizingly adorable." She turned around, redirecting her attention to the lake.
You're turning your back to me? Chrysalis fumed. You think I'm some harmless insect? I could tear out your vocal cords right now!
"You better run along, changeling. It'll be a laugh if you end up in juvy on your first day." The siren glanced over her shoulder, then jumped into the pond with a splash.
Chrysalis felt an inexplicable urge to cross her forelimbs. Says you! Why was she getting so strung up over this? It wasn't the first time she faced an overly powerful opponent. Even with the odds against her, Chrysalis had always been calm and calculating, meticulously planning her next move. Right now she was behaving no better than a hatchling. There were so many other things worry about, like what is the power structure of this land, who were its rulers, and how could she get them to bend to her will. Yet, she the only thing in her mind how she had been spited.
"Oh, use some changeling magic to grow some boobs!" the siren shouted as she emerged from the water. A deep red streak covered Chrysalis' face. You did not just shout that! She had no idea why breast size was so important, but something inside her screamed in anguish. Panicky, the changeling looked around, hoping, begging there'd be no one to hear. "You're as flat as a lake in winter!"
"Witch!" The word popped out on its own, rendering the millennia-old queen into a girl that was desperately pulling her jacket over her chest in a futile attempt to give it some volume. Wow, I really am flat. Argh! What am I thinking! I can give myself breasts anytime I wish! Not that it matters! She looked away, but the question had already buried itself in her mind. After a several seconds she could no longer resist. Making sure no one was around, with the utmost feeling of guilt, Chrysalis pulled the top of her blouse forward and peeked inside. A split second later she quickly let it go of her blouse. "Slimecrap!"
The changeling bit her lower lip. Apparently, she was stuck with the most basic of shape. Everything more required magic, and she had already wasted too much of that already. Soon, she thought. Soon, I'll have all the magic I need and more! Then we'll see who's flat!
Chrysalis turned around, aiming to leave this unfortunate experience behind her, when she suddenly stopped. Fear she had never known before petrified her entire body, causing her to freeze in place. Less than twenty steps away were a dozen male hatchlings. All were staring in the direction of her chest emitting a cloud of pity so thick it could blot the sun out.
Siren... I hate you!
Chrysalis - Present
"Hey, guys! New roomie!" Aria announced as she entered the room. Behind her, a vexed Chrysalis walked in, trying to create the impression she was doing so of her own volition. A futile effort, ending in her kicking the door frame with the tip of her boot.
Puppy! I'm following her like a slime-damned puppy! There were dozens of reasons why she shouldn't become Aria's roommate. If Chrysalis could claim to have ever had an epically bad idea this was it. Overlooking the fact that She was going to live in a den of slime-cursed sirens, Aria was among the worst roommates that came to mind—she was cruel, manipulative, absolutely delusional and such a megalomaniac that even Celestia would blush. There was absolutely no logical reason for Crysalis to willingly agree to this, and yet here she was condemning herself to a life of comfortably misery.
It's a necessary alliance, she said to herself. A temporary alliance. Nothing but a simple trade: love for hate. The fact of the matter was that the two needed each other, at least until Chrysalis gained enough strength to go solo. And then there was the whole not-sleeping-in-the-open thing. Two weeks of park benches and abandoned buildings had made the changeling remarkably less reluctant to accept Aria's terms. That said, it was Aria who had gotten her kicked out of a dozen other places... a dozen nice, food-rich places.
"Those are Adagio and Sonata," Aria introduced them with a brief wave. "We go back." Chrysalis snorted. She knew perfectly well who they were. Hanging around school had taught her that much at least—the notorious trio that had brainwashed the school. Getting to see them close up sent more than a few shivers down her spine. "Guys, this is Chrys!"
"-alis," Chrysalis added automatically. Having her name massacred was just one of the many things she hated about Aria.
"Your name is Alice?" the blue-haired siren jumped up. "Really?" Chrysalis could taste curiosity in her question, sprinkled with a touch of concern.
"No... it's Chrysalis." So you're the stupid gullible one. A good piece of information to keep in mind for later. Yet why was her aroma so subdued? Other than the momentary burst of curiosity, the girl felt completely deprived of any emotions. It was almost as if someone had come and scooped them out, leaving only that thin layer along the corners that the ice cream scooper couldn't reach. Worse yet, she wasn't the only one. The final siren tasted as bland as chalk. She clearly acknowledged Chrysalis' presence, but didn't give a damn about it. And you must be Adagio...
"That's your stray?" Adagio glanced up from her phone, gracing the changeling with a few moments attention, before returning to her texting. "She stays in your room. You feed her and clean her shit."
Chrysalis sunk her nails into the palm of her hand. I don't like yo— A sharp slap made her lose the train of thought.
"Don't you dare hate my friends!" Aria said sharply, as Chrysalis glared at her with molten rage. "That's reserved for me!"
I hate this! I really hate this! The changeling queen gritted her teeth, her cheek still stinging from the slap. My only source of food is a manipulative, tyrannical megalomaniac, who is jealous as alicorn spawn! I can't stand her!
"Stop playing with your food, Aria," Adagio sighed, partly giving the incident any attention. A step away Sonata had put her hand over her eyes, leaving a crack between her fingers just large enough for her to peek through. "It's disgusting."
"Well since you put it so kindly," Aria grabbed Chrysalis by the hand, "I'll only do it when you're around!" A wave of peppermint love swept through Chrysalis, changing the colour of her hair to deep indigo. "Thanks for clearing that up for me, Daj!" The siren then literally dragged her through the living room and into the side corridor.
What? Huh? That was an unexpected turn of events. What had just gotten into Aria? She was petty enough to transform any topic of conversation into a verbal battlefield, and often did, but slinking off like that didn't seem her style. There wasn't fear involved, nor hate, and only a touch of jealousy. Actually, apart from the brief snack just now, Chrysalis hadn't felt a single thing of significance. It was as if she had walked into a house of living mannequins.
"Sorry about the slap," Aria whispered as they walked through the corridor. "I didn't want them to get any ideas."
Get any ideas? What ideas can they get, witch?! We're using each other, it's as simple as that! The moment I find a way to free myself of this dependency, I'll toss you away like an old shell. Just like you would! Everything else is hormones of this stupid teenage body!
The room was huge. Chrysalis had crashed in apartments half its size. An enormous stretch of space extended in all directions, furnished with furniture that could only be found in high class magazines. This is a bedroom? Chrysalis swallowed. Right now it seemed more imposing that her Equestria hive. Taking her time she examined every element of the room. Ivory painted walls, black couches, a bed that size of a small swimming pool... A fridge! Aria had a slime-damned fridge! In her bedroom!
"Still waiting on the carpet and some other things," Aria said casually, tossing her keys on a small table by the door. "I hate TV, so if you are into that stuff, you can share the game room with Sonata. Just don't play games with her unless you don't mind losing."
"Yeah, right," Chrysalis snorted. The siren's warning glare quickly wiped the smile off her face. You're serious? You're actually forbidding to game rage at people? Just how sick are you?!
"The small wardrobe is yours." Of course it is. Chrysalis frowned as she looked in the direction Aria was pointing. "Got you some clothes to use until you wash your stuff."
Second hand, I bet. Probably something from the nineties you found in a thrift shop. "When do I get my own bed?" she asked adamantly.
"You don't like that one?" Aria pointed with the cruelest of smiles.
"Witch!" Chrysalis spat out under her breath. Of course she would like that bed. It was the most comfortable thing she could dream of. For once she would wake up not covered in bruises. It's the principle that counts!
"Mind you, I snore," Aria added as she took a beer can from the fridge. "A lot."
"This keeps getting better and better," ChrysalIs crossed her arms. "What's next? You get the midnight munchies and want me to cook for you?"
"Oh, about that. Rent is shared." The siren closed the fridge behind her. "You need to get a job. Something that pays."
"Hah. You got to be kid—" A wave of love hit Chrysalis like a freight train. Aria's adoration and desire blended in a cocktail of champagne, cherries and dark chocolate. Deliciously intoxicating with an aftertaste or recklessness. Damn you, witch! I'm not... Back in Equestria Chrysalis would laugh at such a simple offering. Here, after weeks of hunger, she craved it as if it were wedding-fruit. "I... I'll find a job..." she said with clenches fists. Hate you, hate you, hate you, Aria!
"I knew you would," the siren smirked, then tossed her the bear can. "Welcome to the den, roomie."
