Chapters The Sad Tale of Chrysalis
Chapter 1: I Was Good Once
It was just a day at the hive when Chrysalis got a tug at her leg from her daughter, the future queen, current changeling princess, Coocoona. "Momma," asks Coocoona, "have changelings always been evil?"
"No," responds Chrysalis, "I suppose it's time to tell you my story." She lets out a sigh. "I was good once. I used to have a heart. It was your grandma that ripped it out of me, literally. Before that, I had a good life. I'd spend my free time freely flying through the Everfree, swimming in the waterfall. No one was scared of me. In fact, the woodland creatures were my closest friends, especially a little cockatreese whom I named Crypt. We'd always play together and have a blast. One day, however, things changed. Mom got word of a new city settlement. It was called Canterlot. Mom then told me to go undercover and scout it out, and I, being terrified of her, agreed. Once in Canterlot, I got into my disguise. I took the form of a unicorn mare with a ladybug cutie mark named Lady Bird. I then got a job at the Canterlot palace, all the while keeping my cover. I soon learned that Canterlot was being ruled by two winged unicorns, alicorns the ponies called them. Their were two adult ones and two fillies. The queen was named Galitae and the king was named Cosmos. The fillies were called by the names Celestia and Luna. I soon grew close to the two fillies and was soon hired as a royal filly sitter. A few years later, after the princesses got their cutie marks and their parents died, I returned to the hive and was happily greeted by mom. It was all a facade though because upon my return she ripped out my heart. She then crowned me queen and stepped down from the throne. She then tutored me, mentored me. She also taught me the spell on how to rip out hearts myself, which I did to all the changelings I hatched. From then on, they were heartless, we were all heartless, I was heartless. However, I still maintained my friendships from the Everfree Forest despite my new lack of heart."
Several years ago in Canterlot, a young disguised Chrysalis starts her first day at the castle as the Royal filly sitter. "Hello, your majesties," says Lady Bird. "I'm the Royal foal sitter you hired." Chrysalis gulps. "I can't wait to see little Celestia and Luna. Are they around today?" She soon hears a giggle come from behind Queen Galitae's legs. She then chases the two little princesses and a game of tag begins between the three, them laughing all the while. The three, later, then went to the carnival and out for ice cream. They were out for hours before returning to the castle. Once back at the castle, the two princesses turned in for the night and Chrysalis returned to her room and hopped into her coocoon to sleep for the night.
The next morning, a young Chrysalis took back on her Lady Bird disguise and went and got the princesses in the Royal hall from their parents once again. Their parents then went off to their first meeting of the day with the Saddle Arabian royalty. Chrysalis then took the young princesses to a traveling magic show. The two fillies had a blast, clapping and laughing at all the tricks. "I was getting close to the royals and that was sure to get me praise from mom as well as several opportunities to invade from mom as well in the future. I couldn't help but feel proud of myself. Mom, herself, could never get that close to the princesses."
A few weeks later, Chrysalis takes the Royal princesses to the firework show, which the two thoroughly enjoy. This is also when Chrysalis sees the two meet Discord for the first time, when they find him in a bush and present him with some ice cream and cotton candy, which he happily downs. He then thanks them with some pinwheels that he creates out of thin air. He then joins them for the rest of the fireworks, while Chrysalis looks on in disgust. "Hey Lady Bird," asks Celestia after the firework show, are you going to be our filly sitter forever?"
"Umm," responds Chrysalis, sweat dropping from her forehead. "I sure hope to, little one."
"Well, we hope you do," respond Luna and Celestia in unison.
"Me too," lies Chrysalis. "Me too."
A few hours later, they return to the castle with Discord in tow. The princesses then hide Discord in their room, under their bed. The three, tired from all the excitement, then fall fast asleep. Back in her room, Chrysalis hops into her coocoon and falls asleep. Tomorrow is another day with the princesses, this time to the beach. She can't wait.
The next day, Chrysalis, Discord, and the princesses do the beach and have a blast. Even Chrysalis can't help it but have fun. It's the most fun she's had in a longtime. They even do snow cones. If her mom found out, however, she knows she'd be hung by the throat.
"How is that possible?" Asks Coocoona confused. "Are we still heartless?"
"I, I don't know," responds Chrysalis, "honestly. And yes, we are still heartless. I never learned how to reverse mom's spell. Now back to the story. Not long after the first set of hatchlings grew up, I took on a new disguise and returned to Canterlot once again. This time, I took on the form of a Pegasus with a raindrop cutie mark named Rain Dancer. I then lived their for several months until I got word of an upcoming royal wedding of a certain Princess Mi Amoré Cadenza. I knew that was the chance I was waiting for. I soon found the princess and switched places with her like a Freaky Friday sort of situation and posed as her to get close to her fiancé Shining Armor and soon to be sister in law, Shining's little sister and Celestia's favorite pupil, Twilight Sparkle. It worked to. All except on that little brat, Twilight Sparkle. She saw right through my facade. Her friends, however, were the most gullible. After all, I made them bridesmares. What mare wouldn't want to be the bridesmare of a princess after all? I would never turn that down and neither did her stupid, idiotic friends. My plan was working and soon, I'd have the captain of the guard under my control for good. Unfortunately, Twilight saved Cadance and then got her to Shining and blasted me into oblivion. I swore my revenge after that. I then did it again three years later, but replaced all the Mane Six and Princesses to get at Starlight, and once again, it blew up in my face because of Thorax, Trixie, and Discord. How I kept failing, I couldn't understand at the time. Now I do."
The Sad Tale of Chrysalis
Two hundred years ago, a now Queen Chrysalis rules the changeling kingdom, but still with some mother issues in tow. Her friend, Tenneth, now captain of her changeling army. "Tenneth," says Chrysalis to the captain, "how are our little spies in Canterlot and The Crystal Empire doing?"
"Neither set of spies has been caught," responds Tenneth, "and hopefully it stays that way, your majesty."
"Good, good," cackles Chrysalis, cracking a smile. She then whispers to herself, "mom would approve."
Five hundred years back, a young Chrysalis goes out with her mother on a special undercover assignment. "What are we doing exactly, mother?" asks Chrysalis.
"It's called scouting, my little pupa," responds her mother. "Now shut up and turn into your disguise." Chrysalis nods and does what her mother says. She turns into an earth pony named Rose Petals. Her mother turns into a unicorn pony named Tulip Dreams. The two then march into the city of Canterlot, no one noticing that they're not actually ponies. As the two stroll through the city, Chrysalis looks around her in awe. Her mother, on the other hand, is very annoyed at her. "Stop staring around at everything, it'll give you away," her mother says harshly.
"Oh, sorry," responds Chrysalis, "it's just oh so different from the hive."
"Hush," responds her mother. "Shut up or you're going to give us away!"
The two then soon reach their location and fade into the crowds, simulating amongst the other ponies in the city. A few minutes later, they slip away and towards the palace. There, they sneak inside and start spying on the young princesses, whose parents have since passed on.
"I'm so sorry," whispers Chrysalis to herself. After all, Celestia and Luna are still her friends, even though they don't truly know her as Chrysalis.
Meanwhile, back in present day, Chrysalis is taking her daughter, Cocoona, on her very first scouting assignment. As they fly, Cocoona continues to ask her mother questions. "How bad did things get between you and grandma?" asks Cocoona curiously.
"It got bad. She'd abuse me mentally and physically. She didn't know how to raise a princess and a future queen. She ripped my heart out to make me bend to her will after all. That's not how mothers should be," responds Chrysalis with a sigh.
"You'd never tear out my heart, would you mother?" asks Cocoona.
"No, of course not, my pupa," responds Chrysalis. "Now let's get into our disguises." Cocoona nods and turns into a pegasus mare named Faded Lily while Chrysalis turns into a pegasus mare named Morning Daze. The two soon land and begin scouting out Ponyville with Chrysalis keeping a special eye on the unicorn mare, Starlight.
"Mom, why are you spying on that unicorn?" asks Cocoona confused.
"Because, she's the most powerful one there is," responds Chrysalis. "And that's a threat to our rule."
"How exactly?" responds Cocoona.
"Just hush," snaps Chrysalis, almost making Cocoona cry. The two then get back to scouting. All the while, Cocoona keeps her mouth shut so her mother won't snap at her again.
After several hours, the two finish up scouting for the day and return to the hive. There, Chrysalis explains some key details of scouting to her daughter. "The main parts of scouting are staying quiet, staying covert," says Chrysalis to her daughter, "do you understand?"
"Yes, sorry mother," responds Cocoona. She then flies off to bed for the night.
A few minutes later, Tenneth comes up next to the queen. "You need to be more gentle with your daughter, she's a sensitive little thing. Fragile."
"I don't need your help raising my child," snaps Chrysalis.
"It's just, you're doing to her what your mother did to you," responds Tenneth. "Just take it down a bit."
"Ok, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks. Tenneth, this is why you're my captain...and my best friend," responds Chrysalis. She then gives Tenneth leave and he flies off. Chrysalis then goes and apologizes to her daughter for snapping at her. She then tucks in her daughter and then leaves the room.
Once out of her daughter's room, Chrysalis goes and sits in the throne room. She then begins to cry. "I'm such a disappointment to my daughter. She deserves better than me. So much better than me."
"That's not true, your highness," responds one of the throne room guards named Maggot.
"Agreed," responds the other guard, Venus.
"You can still be the example your daughter needs," adds the guard Flytrap.
"Thanks," responds Chrysalis. "That was just the pickup I needed." She then leaves the throne room and goes into her mom's old throne room which has since been covered in dust. She then lets out a sigh, "I'm going to be different than you as I raise my daughter to be the next queen. That much I swear!" She slams the throne into the wall and it shatters, pieces flying every which way. She then does the same with her mother's crown. "You'll no longer have hold over me!" Screams Chrysalis. "It's time that I forget you completely and make my daughter do the same!" Chrysalis then, now thoroughly exhausted, falls asleep on the floor amongst all the shattered throne and crown pieces. Tomorrow, her new way of raising her daughter will take affect. Chrysalis promises herself that much at least.
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The Sad Tale of Chrysalis
Chapter 3-Cloaking Abilities equals Cloaking Feelings
It's a new day not long after Chrysalis's fight with her mother. Whilst her mother wanted her to kidnap Celestia and Luna, Chrysalis straight out refused as she had become close to the two.
"Fine you ungrateful brat! Ignore how things work in this hive! I don't care!" yells her mother in a snapping tone. "You fail as one of your kind! The rightful heir! I don't care!"
"Well! I hate you and never wanted any of this!" Chrysalis snaps back at her mother. "I don't like deceiving ponies or stealing their lives like you do, mother! I'll never be like you! Never!" She then flies off in tears to her room and cries herself to sleep. Maybe, after all, she does have a small piece of her heart left or else she wouldn't be able to care for Celestia and Luna.
A few minutes later, the Queen is approached by one of her guards-Antennae.
"What do you want, Antennae?" asks the Queen.
"Well, your highness," responds Antennae, "don't you think you're being a bit too harsh on your daughter. Making her try to kidnap and replace her friends, that's just wrong. Besides, Celestia and Luna will be more helpful to us later, when your daughter is older. Besides, if you get rid of the main princesses, the ponies are definitely going to notice."
"Ok, Antennae, you're probably right," responds the Queen sternly. "You do have a point. Taking the main princesses would raise too much suspicion. That can wait for now at least." She lets out a low but yet still evil chuckle. She then goes to tell her daughter the quote on quote good news.
"Oh daughter," says the Queen as she enters her daughter's room, "good news, we're not going to get rid of your friends the princesses yet."
"Really mother?" says Chrysalis, "thank you so much!" She embraces her mother in a hug. She then returns back to bed and falls fast asleep.
"You're welcome," says her mother with a sick grin as she leaves the room. After all, she has a takeover to plan. She just doesn't want her daughter to know that.
Back in the main room, the Queen gathers her guard and explains her plan. "We need to go undercover in Canterlot, collect as much info on the princesses as we can, but we're not to kidnap them. That won't be necessary until my daughter finally becomes queen in twenty years. For now, though, take to your pony disguises and other animal disguises and get out in the field. Now go!" The Queen screams at them, terrifying them. They then transform into their disguises and fly out of the hive and then disappear into Canterlot, no pony realizing the small invasion of Changelings.
Over the coarse of the next few months, the changelings gather tons of information on the Canterlot princesses, Celestia and Luna. Several of them work as servants in the castle whilst others work as photographers and reporters within the city. Every night, the changelings report their findings to their queen, who is disguised as a unicorn pony named Cherry Rose and no pony is the wiser. Their mini invasion, at least in the Queen's eyes, is a huge success.
"Yeah," says Chrysalis to her daughter, Cocoona, "mom was a liar and a jerk. She lied about her not spying on Celestia and Luna. She did spy on them and did a mini invasion of Canterlot. She told me they weren't going to. I hate her for that. I hate her so much. Your grandma was a monster. Be glad you never met her."
"Hearing all this from you, I'm so grateful that she's dead," responds Cocoona as she snuggles up under her mother's arm. She then falls fast asleep. All the while, Chrysalis just stays there until her daughter is fully asleep. Then she takes her and tucks her into bed for the night. Chrysalis then goes into the throne room and falls asleep on her throne a few hours later. Chrysalis is so glad she can keep her daughter from all the heartache, abuse and lies she faced as a child.
The Sad Tale of Chrysalis
Chapter 4-Worthless Hearts
"Remember what I told you about hearts?" the Queen asked a young Chrysalis after their mini invasion all those years ago.
"What?" asks Chrysalis to her mother. "That they're useless, worthless things," responds the bugling.
"Yes, which is why I'm ripping out yours," responds her mother as she gives Chrysalis a tug in the chest with her magic, ripping her heart out and filling her insides with an empty void.
"Why? Why did you do that?" asks Chrysalis. "I thought you loved me."
Chrysalis hears this interaction continue to play out over and over in her head until her daughter awakens and enters the throne room. "Mom, were you up all night? Who are you talking to? There's no bug here."
"Yes," sighs Chrysalis. "I was up all night. That conversation between me and my mother when she ripped out my heart playing over and over in my head and it JUST WON'T STOP. It's been like this ever since I took the throne. All her talk about worthless hearts, useless hearts. She's the reason we're like this! The reason, the reason I...I'm like this." She pauses then looks at Coocoona. "She never liked that my heart was more pure and well intentioned than her own. That's why she ripped it out of me, to make me a soulless, emotionless husk like herself. Now, now, there's no changing that I hate it. My mother is the one that taught me to feed on the love of other creatures, including ponies, against my own will and volition. She said it was the only way to survive after she took my heart. I can still remember the day. The feeling, the tears rushing down my cheeks. My wings going from jade green to this mucky swamp color they are now, my beautiful light purple gray coat turning this wretched black. I was lucky I still had my gorgeous turquoise hair, only now it along with the rest of me looked like it was riddled with bullet holes. My eyes were green, but now, soulless just like everything else. That day, that day was the day I became a monster."
"Well, mom, I think you're pretty," says Coocoona with a smile. "And if I had a heart, I know you'd never rip it out of me. After all, you said you were different than grandma, right?"
"Right, baby," responds Chrysalis with a sigh. "Now please go run along and play with your brothers and sisters."
"Fine," sighs Coocoona as she flies out the room. However, she just returns to her own room and pulls out her favorite book about the Changeling Pony Sorcerous, Moatha, daughter of Mothball and Screwball. She then happily reads it contently on her bed until breakfast feeding rolls around.
"Worthless hearts, worthless hearts," Chrysalis continues to mumble in anger to herself in the throne room. "Why? Mom? Why did you have to rip it out? Tear out my innocence and joy right along with it? My daughter may say I'm pretty but all she really sees is the monster that you made me! Ahhhh! AHHHHH! Why?" She slams her hoof into the ground. "Why? They're not worthless hearts. They're worthwhile hearts. Now if only I could feel the feeling of having a heart, of really getting love. When you suck it, you don't truly earn it. That's something you never understood and now I'll never have that feeling either thanks to you." She shoots a beam of magic into the wall in frustration causing the hive to shake.
"Remember what I told you about hearts?" the Queen asked a young Chrysalis after their mini invasion all those years ago.
"What?" asks Chrysalis to her mother. "That they're useless, worthless things," responds the bugling.
"Yes, which is why I'm ripping out yours," responds her mother as she gives Chrysalis a tug in the chest with her magic, ripping her heart out and filling her insides with an empty void.
"Why? Why did you do that?" asks Chrysalis. "I thought you loved me."
"And I do," responds Chrysalis's mother. "That's why I'm doing this. Out of love."
"Why don't you get out of my head, mother?" Chrysalis hisses and growls trying to continue to shake the conversation from her mind. She thought telling all of this to her daughter would make her feel better, but it's only made her feel worse. The old memories, the bad memories have since begun to wash back over her like a wave, a flood, no a tsunami. "Why did I tell her? Maybe it would've just been better to have kept it bottled up inside me forever? No, that would've been worse. I don't know anymore, honestly. Ugh, honesty sucks. Funny thing is too, I used to look up to mom before she ripped my heart out."
Meanwhile in her room, Coocoona continues to read her book until she hears guards coming around to gather every bug for feeding time. She then quickly hides it and runs back off to her mom's throne room where she finds her mom having a complete mental breakdown.
"Mom!" Screams Coocoona as she rushes to her. "Mom, you're not well. You're not, you're not well." The filly's eyes fill with tears. "Mom! Mom!"
"I'm fine," Chrysalis soon responds. "Just talking to Mother's grating voice in my head. Worthless hearts. Worthless hearts." She continues to grumble and moan. "Worthless hearts. Worthless hearts."
"But mom," responds Coocoona, "hearts aren't worthless. They're worthful."
"You're right, child," responds Chrysalis finally snapping out of it. "They are useful. Now if only I had one to call my own, so my insides wouldn't be a void of pure darkness anymore." She lets out a sigh. "But alas, there is no changeling spell, no magic spell, strong enough to create and reconfigure a heart into a pony or even a shell such as myself. Not even Alicorn magic can do such a thing."
"Well, then? What now?" asks Coocoona.
"Nothing, not until after feeding, now run along now." Coocoona sighs and goes off to feeding with the other changeling buglings. She just hopes she can find a way to help and possibly fix her mom. Alas, she's not sure if Moatha is even still around to help her with such a task or even if she would if she could find her to ask.
The Sad Tale of Chrysalis
Chapter 5-In Search of a Legend
After morning feeding ends, Coocoona returns to her book about Moatha to try and find answers to help her mother. After hours of reading and research, she finds a viable lead. “It is said,” reads Coocoona, “that Moatha still lives in the chaos castle in the Everfree with her mother, father, and Discord.” Coocoona takes to the form of a fly and sneaks out of the hive. She then flies straight towards the Everfree and soon comes across the old chaos castle, rickety and seemingly abandoned. She lands and takes to her pony form and enters the palace. There she starts calling out. “Hello, hello, is any pony around? I’m looking for the great changeling sorceress Moatha.” A voice soon answers her.
“I am she and I’ve been awaiting your arrival, Coocoona, daughter of Chrysalis, my father Mothball’s little sister,” responds the voice. The form flies out of the shadows and with the given approval, Coocoona returns to her changeling form.
“I’m here searching for a way to restore my mother’s heart,” says Coocoona timidly. “She is getting worse, more unhinged every single day.”
“I see,” responds Moatha. “Restoring a heart is not a spell on record, at least not here. We are going to need to travel to the Crystal Empire for that. Luckily the royals there are friends.”
“Then by all means, let’s go, I’ll do anything to help save my mother and her sanity,” responds Coocoona. The two then take flight towards the Crystal Empire in the forms of Pegasus ponies. After several days of flight, the two land and begin their ascent towards the castle, now in the forms of polar ice bears. Once at the castle on the summit, the two revert to their earth pony forms and knock on the door. Soon, they are greeted by none other than the Prince and Captain of the Guard, Shining Armor himself.
“You two must be freezing, please come in,” Shining says with a kind smile. The two mares nod and follow him inside. There, they are brought before Princess Cadence.
“I know who you are and why you are here, Moatha and Coocoona. You can undisguise yourselves. Mothball and Screwball gave us a heads up that you were coming.” The two how their heads and their disguises fade away returning them to their changeling forms.
“Thank you for the warm welcome,” respond the changeling mares. “We are in search of a heart restoration spell and we think it may be in your library and archives.”
“Well, Shining can take you there, I have some work to do at the orphanage,” responds Cadence. She then flies off and Shining escorts the changeling pair to the library and its archives where they get to work searching for the fabled heart restoration spell.
Several months of arduous searching later, the two find something. “Heart Restoration Spell,” read the pair.
“This is it! We found it!” Squeals an ecstatic Coocoona. They thank the Crystal Empire royals and return to Equestria proper. Moatha accompanies Coocoona and the spell back to the changeling hive where they show the spell to Chrysalis. Chrysalis looks at them dumbfounded.
“So it is true, the spell really exists!” Says the queen in shock.
“Yes, the Crystal Empire had it under lock and key all these years,” responds Coocoona.
“I’m surprised Cadence was on board with this after what I did to her, I guess is all,” responds Chrysalis, “now what are you waiting for? Cast the spell!” The pair nod and begin chanting the spell.
“Restore the lost. Mend the heart. Restore what’s broken, gone. Restore the heart. Make the change. Heartless no longer. Whole once more. Cora, Cora, Corazon. Corazon returned, restored. Heart for the heartless, whole once more!” And with the end of that chant, Chrysalis feels a change overcome her and she begins to transform as her heart re-enters her body. As it does so, she returns to her old state yet more radiant and lovely. All the holes, gone. Mane and tail back to their beautiful aqua turquoise color. Her wings back to their heart shape and jade green color. Her gorgeous opal gems on her crown and chest reform into splendid heart shapes. She is whole once more. She looks at herself in shock and awe before flying over and embracing her daughter and Moatha in a great big hug.
“Glad to have you back, fully back, mom,” says Coocoona as she hugs her mother.
“And I’m glad to be back. I feel whole, fulfilled, loved, like truly loved,” responds Chrysalis. “And it’s all thanks to you, my darling girl.”
“I have to leave soon, gran,” says Moatha. “But I’m glad I could help you out.”
“Sure thing,” says Chrysalis as she lets go of Moatha, “just tell your father that I miss him and hope to see him again someday. Tell him I’ve truly changed this time.”
“Will do,” says Moatha. She then flies out of the hive and returns home to her parents at the chaos castle. There, she hugs her parents and tells Mothball what Chrysalis told her to tell him. “Your mother misses you, daddy, and she also says she is sorry for ever hurting you and Screwball. She asks for your forgiveness. She’s changed. She’s no longer heartless. It’s true.”
“How do you know that?” Asks Mothball curious at this statement.
“We found the fabled heart restoration spell,” responds Moatha, “me and your baby sister, Coocoona did.”
“Well, I’m glad mom’s changed, it’s just gonna take time for me to forgive her still,” sighs Mothball. “But at the same time, I’m glad your home. Your mother and I both are.” Mothball and Screwball embrace their daughter in a hug. Hopefully someday her father will forgive his mother. Hopefully, hooves crossed.
