Author's Note

Trigger warning for the rest of this story, it'll tackle some pretty heavy stuff. Also, know I am far from a good writer, but I do try my best. Do comment though, love hearing other's thoughts.

1 - Talk

“Hello Chrysalis! It’s good to see you again!”

“Uh...yeah. You too…”

The room was as...pink as ever. She would never understand why Ms. Amore loved the color so much, it made her eyes hurt seeing it all over the walls and the carpet, not even mentioning Ms. Amore’s own skin being a soft pink.

Granted, pink naturally looked good on her, it just wasn’t a color that should be coating every surface of a room.

Stepping further into the room and flopping belly first on the (pink) sofa, she let out a sigh that sent strands of her long, unkept teal bangs fluttering while her heavy boots hung over the couch’s arm. Glancing over at the woman behind the extravagant desk, she let her eyes wander some.

Mi Amore Cadenza, or ‘Cadance’ as she liked to be called, was a beautiful lady with flowing pink hair with golden and violet highlights. That flowing hair did a wonderful job at framing her regal face as if to remind everyone that she came from a powerful, influential family. Plus, in that hot pink suit of hers, she looked like a piece of art.

The exact opposite of Chrysalis.

“Chrysalis? You have that look again.”

She shook her head to snap out of her heavy observations and let out another breath, chin resting on the arm of the couch and eyes staring out the window. She could see the courtyard of Crystal Prep being drenched in rain, a couple of unprepared students fleeing towards the entrance with arms and binders over their head, making her lips twitch into the faintest of smiles.

“What look.”

She ‘asked’, her voice rough and sounding rude almost naturally, her eyes locking onto a girl with long pigtails of beautiful white hair. Absentmindedly, she reached up and ran a hand through her own hair, feeling the rather greasy locks cling to her fingers. Maybe she should try that…

“The look you get when you start thinking little of yourself. The one you’re wearing right now.”

An annoyed sigh left her lips as she turned her head, gaunt cheek pushing into the soft fabric of the couch while she once more looked towards the principal turned personal ‘counselor’. “That’s just my face, principal.” She responded, watching that pretty face of her’s drop into a little frown.

“Chrysalis, please. We’ve talked about this. You can’t help yourself if you continue to think so little of your own appearance.”

“Of course I’m going to think little of my looks.” She snapped, real emotion passing over her usually blank face, teeth bared and eyes widening to show strangely slit eyes. “I’m fucking disgusting!”

“No, you are not,” Cadance said sternly while scribbling something on her clipboard. “You are a lovely young lady who has had an unfortunate experience that I want to help you overcome.”

“Lovely? That’s rich, coming from you.” Chrysalis hissed with a sneer, able to feel her over-pronounced canines poking out from under her lips. “You don’t have constantly greasy hair, or patchy gray skin. You have perfect teeth and normal eyes while I get to look like a demon. And overcome what? It’s happened, it’s done, nothing else to talk about.”

Cadance reached up to rub at her temple, a tired look crossing her pretty little face. “Chrysalis. You know that is an unhealthy mindset to have. Experiences like yours can lead to lasting trauma. I know you’re smart enough to know that.”

“Yeah? Well, I’m also smart enough to know when to mind my own business, so how about you do the same!” Her voice was much lower and came out as a growl while moving so she was sitting up, chewed up nails attempting to dig into the couch cushion. “Just...talk about something else!”

“...alright, I’m sorry for upsetting you Chrysalis.” Cadance said in a more soothing tone, and after a moment of silence to let her calm down, seemed to perk up while those pronounced lips formed a little smile. “Ah, how has your friend Thorax been?”

‘Friend’ was a bit of a stretch for what he was, but she would humor the principal, especially to get away from that particular conversation.

“He’s...fine I guess. Why.” She grumbled, slouching back and crossing her arms over her chest.

Not denying the friend part seemed to make the pink woman brighten up. A stupid thing to get so happy over, but whatever. “Because hanging out with kids your age is progress, and making friends could lead to a better mindset.”

“...cool?” She mumbled with a small shrug. “He’s just some guy I hang out with. Not something to get so worked up about principal.”

Even then, she had that smile of her’s while scribbling something on her clipboard. “Yes, I suppose so. But progress is progress.” She answered before glancing out the window, the rain looking to have only gotten heavier. “Hm...speaking of progress, I can see by your hair that you have been...skipping hygiene again.”

She tensed ever so slightly but tried to stay looking relaxed as she let her thin arms spread out over the back of the couch. “...yeah, missed a shower or two.” She mumbled, eyes looking anywhere but the principle.

“Has...there been a problem at home again?” Cadance asked, and Chrysalis hated how the concern in that kind voice of her’s made her spine tremble. “If so, please tell--”

“No. Nothing’s going on.” Chrysalis quickly shut her down, eyes narrowed and thin lips pulling into a thinner line. “I just...don’t like getting naked to take them...”

That wasn’t a lie, at least.

“I see…” Cadance once more wrote something down on her clipboard, though stopped after a moment. Then sighed and set the board down, hands clasped together and resting on the most likely expensive wood of her desk.

Ah, they were going to try tackling this again?

“Chrysalis...has she tried to call again.”

Instantly, as if someone had snapped their fingers, the room grew ten degrees colder and much darker to the green-eyed girl. Her arms slowly moved until they rested in her lap, and she refused to look anywhere that she could see her principle. After a minute or two, she opened her mouth to speak, to say something, anything.

“...”

But nothing came out.

The sound of well-oiled wheels rolling against the carpet hit her pointed ears, followed by muffled footsteps walking towards her.

“Hey, can you look at me?”

Her voice was so soft that it made Chrysalis grip her skirt and face scrunch up. She hated hearing it, because it made her defenses break down too damn easily.

A soft pink hand came in view and rested on top of her tensed hand, warm flesh resting against cold and clammy skin. Glancing forward, she could see she was kneeling in front of her so they were eye level, so she forced her eyes back to her lap while the hand under Cadance’s own clenched.

She felt sick, like her stomach was trying to implode on itself while her lungs were struggling to unclench and draw in new air. She wanted to leave, right then and there, but that would require her to move and she doubted she would be able to do something like that in her current state. Especially with her principal right in front of her, blocking her escape.

“Chrysalis, Chrysalis I need you to calm down for me sweetheart!” A soft but worried voice spoke to her, and the hand that was on her own had moved and was resting on the back of her head. Then her face was pushed into a warm, strawberry-scented shoulder while an arm wrapped around her too thin torso.

The very sudden physical contact caused her to lock up instantly, tensing to the point that she felt like her muscles would snap. But at the same time, she was able to force a wheezing breath down her throat and could almost taste the perfume on her principal's skin, a scent that was familiar to her.

The hug, which was mostly Chrysalis having a mental breakdown in her principal's arms while her blunt nails gripped her skirt, lasted far longer than it should have. But it did keep her from crumbling into a sobbing mess because she refused to let anyone see her cry of all things. Seeming to feel her body loosen up, Cadance slowly pulled back with a worried look in her lavender eyes.

“She did...didn’t she?”

She said nothing, she didn’t think she would even be able to if she tried. So she simply gave her a small nod, confirming what Cadance had clearly been so concerned about, and watched how a brief flash of anger flickered over her eyes before vanishing behind concern once more. It was rare to see any real negative emotion on that pretty face of hers, and Chrysalis found she liked it quite a lot.

‘Maybe that’s why I’m such a brat to her.’

“Did she text you as well?” She asked, and was disappointed when the long haired girl shook her head. If she had, they would actually be able to prove their claims against the awful woman who had turned Chrysalis’ school days into living nightmare after living fucking nightmare.

But no, as cowardly and short-tempered as she was, Abacus Cinch was not stupid.

“I see...and your phone’s contact history…?”

She thought about staying silent, but one look at that worry filled face had her talking.

“She told me to delete it. I did.”

She was pathetic.

“Honey, look at me.” That gentle voice made her want to scream so damn much, anger boiling and rolling around in her stomach and wishing to come out in the form of scathing insults and venomous words. But she did look at her, and despite how disgusting Chrysalis was, how horrible she was, she was always good at one thing. And that was reading people.

Written all over her new principal's face, was genuine honest to God concern for her. And it made her want to tear out her heart as it sped up faster and faster. It was amazing how a look she rarely ever got made her want to break down even more.

“Don’t beat yourself up about this.” She said while laying a hand gently on her shoulder, the simple touch sending electricity running through her body. “That's the horrible thing about trauma, it can control your actions. You just have to work on resisting that control, and taking it back.”

“That’s easy for you to say.” She tried to snap, but it came out more like a pitiful whisper that made her want to drive her fist into her own throat.

“Maybe it is, but that doesn’t make it any less true.” Her voice was firm but not unkind, when the hell wasn’t it kind? “And that’s why I’ll be there, every step of the way.”

She hated her. Chrysalis hated this woman so much.

And that was why she threw her arms around her neck and buried her face into her warm shoulder, and started to cry all over that stupid pink suit of her’s. She hoped she ruined it. It's what she deserved for trying to help a lost cause like her.