Poems for Chrysalis

Chapters

Candles in the Wind
At Your Eventual Arrival
Burning into a Fire Beyond the Point of Return
No, I Didn't
Now and Forever, My Queen

Candles in the Wind

A bright orange pegasus mare walked through the Canterlot sculpture garden, her backpack hardly concealing the black stripes around her body. She pushed her long and bushy black mane away from her green eyes, staring at the statue in the center of the garden. It was the three villains turned to stone: Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow.

The mare, Tiger Tornado, stepped in front of Chrysalis.

“Even when your jaws are poised to strike, you look beautiful,” Tiger Tornado’s lips barely curved into a grin. “Mother told me not to waste such a trip to Canterlot. Check out all the sights, taste the finest dishes, maybe even try to meet the Princess. She even brought perfumes to wear for her, offerings to flatter her. What would she think if I told her I went to visit a statue?”

Chrysalis’ statue didn’t budge.

“I’m at a loss for words too,” Tiger sighed. “My teacher told me you used to lead her people into war, and that you tried to take over Equestria many times over. When I told my friends that you were hot in the pictures I saw, they either laughed at me or reminded me of what you did. Like I don’t already know.”

Tiger felt Chrysalis’ eyes focusing on her, but not on her eyes.

“Oh, this?” Tiger turned to the side, exposing her quill-pen-and-paper cutie mark. “Mother wasn’t expecting this to be my cutie mark. I was supposed to be a Wonderbolt like my father, who Mother told me was one of the best flyers there ever was.”

Tiger looked away from her cutie mark, staring back at the rock bug.

“What do you think I should bring back to my mother?” Tiger asked. “Maybe I should persuade the guards into letting me see the Princess; take a picture with her. I heard she hasn’t taken another lover ever since her last one moved to Silver Shoals.”

Tiger flinched under Chrysalis’ gaze.

“Don’t get me wrong, she’s not you,” Tiger squeaked. “But we just met, and Mother told me to keep my options open. You understand, don’t you?”

Tiger waited for Chrysalis’ response, and shifted her hooves slowly as she looked at the grass.

“If it helps at all, I wrote a poem for you,” Tiger reached into her backpack, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper that she flattened on the grass. She pulled the paper close, and felt her heart thundering in her chest, the sweat collecting from her hooves onto the paper.

“I...roses are red, violets are blue, but my favorite colors are black and green, just like you,” Tiger whispered, staring at Chrysalis. “I know, I know! I’m supposed to be an eloquent poet, but when I thought of what to write for you, I panicked.”

“So...do you think I should see her?” Tiger asked, her body slightly shaking. “I like to think we hit it off, but if you feel differently…”

Tiger never felt this way before, where sweat was collecting on her hooves, the blood within her body felt as hot as her fur, her ears even felt like lit candles threatening to burn out in the wind. Tiger took out a pen with the tip of her wing, and wrote further in her paper.

“My ears feel like lit candles, threatening to burn out in the wind,” Tiger spoke as she was writing. “I’ve made up my mind, Chrissy. Is it okay if I call you that? Well, either way, I’m coming back here. I just need to get another part-time gig, maybe write some of my classmates’ essays for them. Don’t fret my chrysanthemum, I’ll be back here before you know it.”

Tiger tucked the paper back in her backpack, zipping it shut before standing back on her four hooves.

“I’m going to...find a souvenir for Mother,” Tiger looked away. “They’re wrong about you, Chrissy. I don’t feel any evil piercing my heart when I’m near you, I feel the flock of birds flying over this garden, the flowers swaying peacefully to the wind. I’ll come back, I promise.”

Tiger took a deep breath, glancing at Chrysalis once more before turning around and walking away.

At Your Eventual Arrival

“I’m back,” Tiger’s wings fluttered as her eyes landed on Chrysalis. “I’ve written several more poems, in between essays. Can you believe there’s creatures that don’t like to write? I feel like I’m flying every time my pen hits the paper.”

Tiger inched forward until Chrysalis’ hooves rested on her shoulders.

“I can feel your longing touch,” Tiger smirked. “Did you think of me while I was gone?”

Chrysalis’ hooves were cold to the touch, colder than the wind flowing through mane.

“Mother asked me why I didn’t use my newfound bits to go to Las Pegasus, or to buy more gifts for the Princess,” Tiger explained. "Why would I want some two-cent pegasus, when you're here?"

Chrysalis continued to look into Tiger's eyes, causing the mare's wings to flicker to life.

"Classes have been good, my teacher wonders why I keep asking about you of all 'villains.' She told me about how you were slinking in the Everfree Forest, biding your time until the Chaos Lord summoned you."

"You would smack the hoof of redemption every time it was offered to you," Tiger explained. "Even teaming up with these two to get your kingdom back. To think, all these decades of resting in that stone prison, your people were painting, holding their feelings forums, and snuggling in colorful dog piles."

Tiger brushed her hoof against her face, wiping off the tears sinking into her fur.

"I'm sorry," Tiger felt her hind legs shaking. "I would never do that to you. I-In fact, I wrote a poem about the day you'd break free of your prison."

Tiger flinched at her last words.

"I'm sorry, I saw her," Tiger whimpered. "She's our only hope, I think I can convince her. I just need to persuade her more. Okay?"

"...Don't give me the silent treatment." Tiger leaned forward, her nose barely brushing against Chrysalis'. "I'll read my poem, and then I'll leave you be. I like you, Chrissy. No Princess is going to change that."

Tiger's already erect wing tilted into her backpack, retrieving a new piece of paper. Tiger Tornado felt the very same struggle in her limbs, the blush tickling her face as she scanned the words on her paper.

"When you break free
My wings will unfurl
Embrace you in a hug that's feathery
As I finally meet my dream girl

I would bring you to school
Where you'd be forgiven
No longer treated as Equestria's mule
By my love, you'd be driven

Not as my friend
Nor my rival
But as a mate, lives together we'll spend
At your eventual arrival

Forever yours, Tiger Tornado."

"I had some haikus, I'll share them with you tomorrow," Tiger smiled. "I'm sorry for bringing her up, you don't mind if I come back right?"

Chrysalis' gaze softened on her, and Tiger squeaked, bumping her muzzle into the changeling's stone nose.

"Oh thank you!" Tiger squealed. "I promise, not another word of her until I can convince her. We'll be together before you know it. That is...if you'll have me?"

"....I understand, take all the time you need, I'm in no rush," Tiger pulled away, her smile softening. "See you tomorrow, my delicate cattail."

Tiger tucked the paper back in her backpack, zipping it shut and skipping away, in hopes that her exposed heart would be enough.

Burning into a Fire Beyond the Point of Return

"I have three haikus for you," Tiger said, feeling the curves of her lips move upward. The facial expression came to her as naturally as a bee to a flower, staring at the stormy grey of her beloved's skin.

Chrysalis stared back, observing Tiger Tornado, taking in the mint green bow in her bushy mane, the one in her tail, and the pink flower cuffs on her hooves. A lavender strand fell from Tiger's pelt, just out of Chrysalis' gaze.

"I hope this isn't too much," Tiger covered her eyes with her foreleg. "Mother was generous this time around, still daydreaming of her daughter as the wife of...well, Canterlot royalty."

"She doesn't know it was used for you," Tiger smirked, still concealing her eyes. "You two must meet, that would be my paradise."

Tiger rested her leg on the ground, exposing her half-lidded gaze, batting her eyelashes as she bit her lip. Pulling out a sheet of paper, she never took her eyes off Chrysalis, only looking away to read.

"Hooves in my depths, highs rolling off all my fur, bathed in thoughts of you,” Tiger blushed, looking away from Chrysalis. “Forgive me, if that was too much information, you’ve given me a lot of imagery to say the least.”

“Cerulean hair, gold underneath your coal skin, fifty shades of green,” Tiger stated the second haiku. “I wrote that one right before art class. And now the last one, I hope you don’t mind it.”

Tiger looked at the bottom of the paper, her mouth opening and closing several times before speaking.

“One day in my tux, my bug queen walking in white, our union lasting,” Tiger smiled, looking Chrysalis right in the eyes. “Can you hold me, Chrissy?”

Tiger tucked the paper back into her backpack and walked forward till Chrysalis’ hooves were resting firmly on her shoulders. The warmth spreading throughout Tiger’s body lured her into an euphoria that she became all too familiar with. The feeling that she knew changelings would die for, the feeling that brought her pen to the paper every time, the feeling that painted the imagery her last haiku brought to life.

“Hope you don’t mind that last haiku,” Tiger whispered. “Mother would walk me down the aisle, every last changeling and pony that ever wronged you would see your life with me. And my classmates, their mouths would hit the floor, my teachers too! The queen that they imprisoned, free to marry the mare that’s fallen head over hooves for her.”

Chrysalis couldn’t look away, the connotations of Tiger’s words turning like gears in her imprisoned mind.

“You don’t have to say it back, but know that I feel it from the bones within my body to the tips of my hooves,” Tiger pulled away, resting her bushy mane against Chrysalis’ chest. “You’ve gotten me starstruck, my still daylily.”

Tiger allowed the sun to start setting below the orange and pink splashes in the sky before pulling away from Chrysalis’ embrace, staring right into her eyes.

“I’m going to bring a surprise next time, I’m sure of it,” Tiger decided. “Maybe not quite the one we’re hoping for, but something you should look forward to. Trust me.”

Tiger Tornado zipped her backpack shut and took to the sky, bells ringing in her head as she already longed for that warm euphoria, burning into a fire beyond the point of return.

No, I Didn't

Chrysalis, frozen in her fang-baring position, sensed multiple hoofsteps within range. Perhaps another field trip, there to hear the tell-tale stories of the deserted queen and her monster and pint-sized demon allies?

“Look, Mother! This is the fine mare that I’ve been writing poems about,” a familiar voice chirped.

Tiger Tornado came into view, wearing a rose pink dress and a lavender flower in her hair.

Next to Tiger Tornado, was a taller cream yellow earth pony with fluffy ears, pink spots, a white chest and hooves, and green eyes. The mare flicked her blonde tail, one eye twitching as her mouth hung open for several moments.

“H-Honey, I thought this mare would be a little more…”

“I know, I know. She isn’t exactly the most perfect creature, but who is? We all have dirty laundry, like you said,” Tiger gave a wide grin upon finishing her words.

“...I was going to say a little more animate, dear,” Mother sighed, shaking her head.

“What? She isn’t dead,” Tiger’s smile lessened.

“Unless she pulls a Discord, she might as well be,” Mother admitted. “And your teachers have filled you in about these three?”

“I took a pop quiz on them too,” Tiger smiled, nodding her head. “A monster with no empathy, another with greed for power, and an abandoned queen, devoid of any love from others. Feeding on what she could, and it never being enough.”

Mother frowned, placing her hoof on Tiger’s shoulder and side-stepping closer to her daughter.

“I understand, honey,” Mother whispered. “What does she do for you, that brings you back here with more poems?”

“She holds me,” Tiger replied. “And I feel like the storm in my heart settles to a windy stir, beating in my chest and bathing me in warmth.”

“That’s wonderful,” Mother gave a hint of a smile. “But imagine a mare that could hold you, speak sweet nothings to you, please you, cook meals and desserts for you, marry you, have your foals, buy you any object your heart desires.”

Tiger felt her head spinning, her eyes darting from Chrysalis to Mother.

“She’s a lovely statue to look at,” Mother admitted. “But you deserve nothing less, my tiger lily. Forgive me.”

“There’s n-nothing to forgive, Mother,” Tiger sighed, blinking away moisture from her eyes. “But my heart wants her.”

“I know,” Mother admitted. “And if you want to come back here till your mane is grey, I can’t stop you. But her presence in your heart shouldn’t stop you from being the best author that Equestria’s ever seen, okay?”

“Okay,” Tiger nodded.

“Speaking of writing, did you write a poem?” Mother asked.

Tiger glanced at the pieces of paper in her backpack, before closing it with a sharp zip.

“No, I didn’t.”

Now and Forever, My Queen

Chrysalis felt the sun and moon appear in the sky dozens of times, the vines around her back hooves growing further and further against her legs. There was a twinge of ache within the stone, seeping from her head to her stomach, magnifying with each passing of the two orbs in the sky. There was only static coming from her two stonemates, not that anything other than that would’ve made her situation better.

The ache, dipped into some of the sharpest depths she’d ever known as hoofsteps were barely heard in the storm. Raindrops splattered on every surface of the stone as the orange pegasus finally reappeared in front of her.

“Chrysalis,” Tiger looked at the ground, covering her eyes with her wing. “I tried reasoning with her, she won’t budge. I don’t think anything is going to change, so you won’t see me again. I don’t know what to do, if I throw away the poems, or return the h-historical books with your pictures. I know no matter what I throw away, the black and green will never leave my mind. My heart won’t give up, but I have to. For myself. I h-have one haiku left for you. The rain will get on it, so I’ll read it a-aloud.”

“Tears spent through months gone, there's one more thing left to do, before I leave you,” Tiger was trembling underneath the rain, sniffing up snot while letting her own raindrops join in the storm.

She lifted her hoof, wiping away as much of it as she could, before rubbing the hoof on the grass. Tiger Tornado rushed over to Chrysalis, feeling her hooves rest on Chrysalis’ shoulders once more as her lips pressed against the cold wet stone of her bug queen’s muzzle. Tiger felt a symphony of broken notes play within her heart, as they clashed together in the few seconds the kiss lasted. She had pulled away, sobbing into her hooves for a time that she didn’t keep track of.

“G-Goodbye, my tulipa,” Tiger sobbed, standing up and walking away as if concrete bricks were tied to her hooves. She was scolding herself for only creating two feet of distance between herself and the statue when a sharp white light bursted into the grey sky, knocking the pegasus onto the ground.

Tiger had wondered what unicorn could’ve caught her in the heat of the moment, rubbing her eyes with her hooves and gasping when her vision cleared. Before her, broken from her fellow stonemates, was the black and green bug queen herself. Chrysalis’ eyes were narrowed at the pegasus before her, the rest of her expression blank.

“Chrysalis, I-”

“How dare you,” Chrysalis whispered.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to come onto you! I wasn’t going to come back, I swear!” Tiger yelped, covering her eyes with her hooves. Moments later, she felt cold pressure against her body. She unfurled her wings, only to stare at the bug queen holding her.

“How dare you try to leave your queen without a proper goodbye,” Chrysalis finally allowed a small smile to break from her lips. “Although, I don’t suppose one will be necessary now, will it?”

“No! Never!” Tiger squealed, nearly knocking over Chrysalis with her excited headbutt against the bug queen’s chest. “I can’t believe it! Did my kiss really…?”

“It’s what I needed,” Chrysalis nodded. Looking into her admirer’s bright green eyes and wide smile, she opened her mouth, only to be interrupted.

“Tiger Tornado? What did you do?”

“Oh no, no please, not now,” Tiger begged, pressing her face into Chrysalis’ chest. Chrysalis glared at the arrival of the tall lavender alicorn.

“Be gone, pathetic pony!” Chrysalis hissed. “Leave her be!”

“You’re not taking what’s mine,” Twilight growled, landing on the grass in front of them. Tiger seized up in Chrysalis’ embrace, and the bug queen looked down at her.

“Tornado, what is she talking about?” Chrysalis asked.

“I thought giving myself to her would convince h-her, I did it to set you free,” Tiger whimpered. “She kept giving me gifts. I kept giving them back, or throwing them away. I told her the only gift I wanted was your freedom, but no amount of intimacy would sway her.”

“You bitch,” Chrysalis snarled, looking straight into the alicorn’s eyes. “I will have your head on a pike for using her like that, you’ll wish the timberwolves got to you first.”

“She asked for it. She’s just in a twist because I wouldn’t help her,” Twilight narrowed her eyes. “And you know what happened last time you faced me.”

“Please don’t!” Tiger cried. “Not again! Never again!”

“I don’t suppose your pony friends mind being around such an abuser, hmm?” Chrysalis lifted her head high, smirking at the Princess’ gaping mouth. “Or the guards? The local townsfolk? Suppose I should ask them, see what they think?”

A sudden beam of purple and white light zipped straight towards Chrysalis and Tiger, the former throwing Tiger onto her back and jumping away from the attack. Chrysalis bolted into the sky as Tiger held onto her queen’s back, closing her eyes from the unimaginable terror unfolding before them. Several minutes passed, feeling the magical beams blow past her fur. She opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder, seeing Twilight gaining on them.

“Tiger! She’s just using you!” Twilight yelled. “I’m sorry I hurt you! Please let go, I’ll catch you!”

“Go!” Tiger screamed, puffing up and glaring at Twilight. “Leave us alone!”

Just as Twilight charged another ball of purple and white energy, Chrysalis shape-shifted into a hawk, grabbed Tiger in her talons, and plunged towards the trees below. Twilight stopped, noticing Ponyville just beyond the forest she knew too well.

“Shit,” Twilight hissed, teleporting back to Canterlot.

Tiger covered her eyes with her hooves, sensing the ground coming closer. Moments later, she felt her body drop gently on the ground. Tiger uncovered her eyes as Chrysalis returned to her original form.

“We don’t have much time,” Chrysalis said. “We need a plan, nopony is going to believe an outlaw and her lover, we need other ponies. Your mother, the school, something. Maybe Thorax is willing to lend a hoof to his former...what’s with the googly eyes, pegasus?”

“Lover?” Tiger squeaked. A dark maroon shaded Chrysalis’ cheeks as she looked away.

“I’m sorry. You need time to heal, Tornado,” Chrysalis admitted. “Time to get over what she did to you. But until then, may I still be your Queen?”

Tiger frowned, contemplating the connotations of Chrysalis’ words. She couldn’t deny the sharp stab in her heart from the image of the tall purple monster and her crooked grin. Shaking, Tiger took deep breaths until her body stilled. Giving a small smile, Tiger lifted Chrysalis’ hoof with her own and kissed its dark surface.

“Now and forever, my Queen,” Tiger promised.

Author's Note

I know this wasn't exactly the happy ending people might've expected, more accurately a mix of many emotions. I hope the non-con elements weren't too off-putting, as they were personal to me, as well as important to the sequels that will eventually be written. Thank you readers, for the insightful reviews and kind upvotes. I look forward to any comments and questions you all may have, and I hope you enjoyed this final chapter :heart: