Taking the Queen

Chapters

Chapter the Second: New Home
Chapter the Third: Coffee
Chapter the Fourth: By Royal Decree
Chapter the Fifth: Terms and Conditions
Chapter the Sixth: The First Lesson
Chapter the Seventh: Stricken
Chapter the Ninth: Fancy Dress
Chapter the Tenth: Art Appreciation
Chapter the Eleventh: Change of Plans
Chapter the Twelfth: Change of Mind
Chapter the Thirteenth: Communication
Chapter the Fourteenth: Breathe
Chapter the Fifteenth: Compromise
Chapter the Sixteenth: Bite
Chapter the Seventeenth: Buckle Up
Chapter the Eighteenth: Open Skies
Chapter the Nineteenth: Hit the Showers
Chapter the Twentieth: Lather
Chapter the Twenty-First: Cider
Chapter the Twenty-Second: Scones
Chapter the Twenty-Third: Conjugal
Chapter the Twenty-Fifth: Stretch
Chapter the Twenty-Sixth: Niche
Chapter the Twenty-Seventh: Returns
Chapter the Twenty-Eighth: Inspection
Chapter the Twenty-Ninth: Exhibition
Chapter the Thirtieth: Starlight's Subterfuge
Chapter the Thirty-First: Kinky Pie
Chapter the Thirty-Second: Buttershy
Chapter the Thirty-Third: Sluttershy
Chapter the Thirty-Fourth: New Thread
Chapter the Thirty-Fifth: Finished
Chapter the Thirty-Sixth: Execution
Chapter the Thirty-Seventh: Date Night
Chapter the Thirty-Eighth: Surprise Guest
Chapter the Thirty-Ninth: Dinner Service
Chapter the Fortieth: Eaten
Chapter the Forty-First: Price for Freedom
Chapter the Forty-Second: Back in the Cell
Chapter the Forty-Third: Urgent Meeting
Chapter the Forty-Fourth: Twilight's Call
Chapter the Forty-Sixth: Umbra
Chapter the Forty-Seventh: The Moon Rises
Chapter the Forty-Eighth: Until Dawn
Chapter the Forty-Ninth: Sun Worship
Chapter the Fiftieth: Love Incarnate
Chapter the Fifty-First: Everything has Changed
Chapter the Fifty-Second: Floodgates
Chapter the Fifty-Third: The Fate of the Changeling Queen
Epilogue: Two Years Later
Chapter the First: Booted
Chapter the Eighth: Fine Dining
Chapter the Twenty-Fourth: Deep Cleaning
Chapter the Forty-Fifth: Shame and Regret

Chapter the Second: New Home

When Chrysalis awoke from her slumber, it was not amidst the grass she had fallen asleep on, though it was no less cushioned. Her head was elevated, and the crick in her neck from the past few days was greatly diminished. It felt as though she were in a small bed, up against a wall.

What might have happened ran through her head. She always transformed before going to sleep, just in case she was found. It was standard practice when travelling the roads, and an extra safety measure when cutting across the countryside. She was too valuable to lose, being the queen, so in any circumstance, she needed to sleep shifted. It was the only safe route. She had probably been picked up by some stallion who brought her back to his home to nurse her back to health.

As soon as she opened her eyes, though, she remembered that she hadn't shifted. It would have taken too much of her energy to shift because she hadn't eaten in so long. She had just been herself. So when she was found, she was immediately identified as not only a changeling, but a changeling queen. That meant...

"You're awake."

Chrysalis knew that voice. She'd recognize it anywhere. "Princess Twilight Sparkle." Chrysalis chuckled as she stood up, rolling out of bed. "Come to gawk at my little cage? Or perhaps you're here to surrender before things turn ugly?"

"It's a little late for that," smirked Twilight. "Surrendering now would be quite the misplay. I'm not a big fan of backsteps. The question is, are you willing to cooperate with us?"

Chrysalis chuckled as she took a step closer to Twilight. "I'm an open book, princess. Ask me anything."

"How many changelings did you have in your invasion party?"

"Two hundred and six."

"Where are your guards?"

"Just up the stairs and to the left."

"What is your plan this time?"

"We're going to dress up in kitten costumes and be adopted by Fluttershy. She has enough love to feed us all for centuries."

Twilight sighed. "So, you're not cooperating?"

"Of course I am!" smirked Chrysalis. "I've given answers to all of your questions!"

"Unbelievable answers," scowled Twilight.

"Even if I were to tell you the truth, would you believe a word of it? You're already set to strike me down with a prejudicial treatment, whether I say I have no guards or a thousand, whether I'm cutting a swath through Equestria or just going to the west coast for a beach party, and whether my plan is to slaughter all of Equestria or start a new breed of vampire puppies. No matter what I say, you're prepared to not believe me." She leaned in close, pressing the corners of her snout against the bars of her cell. "Isn't that right, Princess?"

Twilight sighed. "I was going to give you the benefit of the doubt. I was going to send a recon team out to verify that your information is accurate and go from there. I was even legitimately willing to cut a deal with you to improve your situation. A nicer bed, a bigger cell, even somepony to feed you. But if you're going to make this difficult, then I have little choice but to let you rot in here."

"Oh, you most certainly do have a choice, Twilight," grinned Chrysalis. "And you're going to take the other option. I know you will." She turned and walked back into her cell, flagging her tail to show Twilight her arse. "Because unlike me, you don't have the stomach to let your prisoners starve to death. You're too caring for your own good. You'll feed me, you'll make sure I am regularly bathed, and you'll ensure that I am kept healthy. Because you care." She sat down on the bed and cackled. "Tell me I'm wrong."

As much as she wanted to, Twilight could not disclaim the validity of Chrysalis' accusation. Her threat to let Chrysalis rot down here was an empty one, as even with the safety of Equestria at risk, she could not bring herself to sentence the changeling queen to death, even through inaction. She'd be thinking about Chrysalis starving every time her mind began to wander, and it just seemed too cruel for her. Twilight did not have the heart for it.

"Your silence speaks volumes," snickered Chrysalis. "Even though it is I that is behind bars, you're more a prisoner than I am, simply through your own emotions. You're trapped in here just as much as, if not more than, I am. You'd do well to settle in for the long haul, Twilight. I can outlast you."

"Is that so?" huffed Twilight. Her frown twisted into a smirk. "Well, I'll take your word for it. I'm going to go have a big lunch, talk to whomever I so choose, and go back to my very own plush feather bed after nightfall. I may even have company that I can invite in or send away at my leisure."

"But you'll be back," sneered Chrysalis. "Whether it's tomorrow morning or three days from now, you'll be standing in the exact same spot, feeding me because you took pity on me, and you don't want me to die in your care."

"We'll see about that," growled Twilight, turning and walking away.

With Twilight gone, Chrysalis approached the cage wall again, looking up and down the corridor. A single guard was patrolling the hallway, and the silence indicated that she was fairly isolated from all of the others. She waited for the guard to come close, then grabbed him through the bars.

Rather, that was her intent, but she had not noticed that her legs were bound to the back wall. Her hooves moved a few centimetres through the bars, then the chains went taut, and her legs could go no further.

"Yeah, you've been deemed a hazard to other ponies," explained the guard. "You're pretty well in there on a permanent basis until Princess Twilight says otherwise. You'd best make yourself comfortable; you're going to be locked up for a very long time."

"You know what would make me comfortable?" she asked, licking her teeth. She pushed her face as far forward as it could go, trying to suck away all of his love, but it did not work. She received nothing.

"Is there anything else you want to try?" asked the guard. "I'll outright tell you that most of it won't work. We've accounted for almost every scenario."

Chapter the Third: Coffee

"...and that's when I realized that he was saying "corn,"" smiled Shining Armor.

Twilight and Starlight let out a laugh at the joke. Twilight was holding back her guffaw, as she was in a somewhat public place and her brother had just told a dirty joke about editors and their relationship with spellcheckers. If she laughed too loudly, ponies would start sending dirty jokes in her fan letters, and that would simply be too much.

"So, what's new with you?" asked Cadance, having heard the joke twice on the train ride down to Canterlot. "What with all of the Saddle Arabian diplomats having signed the peace treaty by unanimous decision, I imagine things have calmed down around here."

"You would think," said Twilight, rolling her eyes. "Unfortunately, we've encountered a new problem."

"Any way we can help?" asked Shining, sipping at his coffee. "You know we'd be willing to do whatever we can."

"Not with this one," Twilight sighed, shaking her head. "This is something you both have a rather unpleasant history with, and I'd rather not involve you, solely because I believe the result would be quite upsetting for you. Just leave it to us, okay?"

"Are you sure?" asked Cadance leaning across the table. "Even the most unpleasant experiences can be made better if you have somepony you care about watching your back."

"I appreciate it," smiled Twilight, nodding, "I truly do. If it were any other problem, I'd be actively trying to find ways that you could help me, because I honestly would like to have an excuse to spend more time with you."

"Well, you could have them tend to your other duties," suggested Starlight, squeezing the juice from a lemon wedge into her coffee. "That way, you have more free time after you finish dealing with Chrysalis."

Shining spit out his coffee, coughing and hacking. "She's back?!"

Twilight sighed, having wanted to keep the details under wraps. "This is why I didn't tell you exactly what the issue was. I didn't want you to be upset by it."

"Of course I'm going to be upset!" growled Shining. "Why wouldn't you tell me that she's wandering the streets?!"

"She's not wandering the streets," interjected Starlight, putting her hooves up. "She's locked up in the dungeon and chained to the wall. Twilight and I both have keys to the restraints, and only the two of us together can unlock her from the wall."

"That was my idea," added Twilight. "We have to be together, we have to be working in tandem, and we have to be absolutely certain that we are ourselves. For safety reasons."

"Well, that's good, at least," sighed Shining. "I had really hoped I would never hear from her again."

"And I was going to try to facilitate that," nodded Twilight.

"Can she be reformed?" asked Cadance after a brief silence. "Like what Starlight did with the other changelings?"

Starlight shook her head. "She'd have to want to change, and I don't see that happening. All of the others didn't want to be hungry all the time, and were willing to change to make that happen. She refused my help the first time, so I don't know if she'll change her mind."

"Or allow you to change her mind for her," smirked Cadance.

"This isn't a time for jokes, Cady," snorted Shining. "If she's not willing to change, then she will remain as she is, and that makes her a danger to Equestria. If she won't change, she needs to be disposed of."

"I can't just kill her," huffed Twilight. "Even if she is the most cruel, heartless creature in all of existence, I can't take her life away."

"I'll do it," growled Shining. "She has caused so much harm to those I love that I have no qualms about dealing with her permanently."

"No, you won't," admonished Cadance, placing her hoof on Shining's shoulder. "She's going to be reformed. She's going to change for the better, and she's going to be harmless."

"I did say she has to want to change," reminded Starlight. "What makes you think she'll change her mind?"

"I meant what I said," she smirked. "You may have thought what I said was a joke, as my husband clearly did, but it was not intended to be. I was being earnest. You need to convince her to change her mind so that she wants to change her ways."

Starlight took a long sip from her coffee cup. "How?"

"Well, I can't speak to the methods you employ, but surely you have some way of convincing her to accept that the world is changing around her? If she cannot adapt, then the change of the seasons will end her whether you're involved or not. Find out what she wants, what she would be willing to do to change herself, and start there. There has to be some way of convincing her."

"But what if there isn't?" asked Twilight. "What if I pour all of my effort into this, and it makes no difference? What if she dies in my care, solely through her refusal to change?"

"Then it's not your fault," smiled Cadance. "If she dies, then it will only be your fault if you didn't try. If you do all you can, and I know that's a lot, and despite your best efforts, she falls? Then you can rest easy. You will have given her every opportunity to succeed, and it is through her own actions that she has rotted away."

Shining looked uneasy. "Are you sure about this, Cady?" He poured a fresh cup of coffee from the carafe and stirred in some milk and sugar. "I mean, if she changes, I still won't forgive her. She's done too much damage."

"Nor would I ask you to, Shiny." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Likewise, I'll not forget all of the things she's done. However, If she is willing to change, we may be able to build a whole new relationship."

"Building something new atop a completely unusable foundation?" huffed Twilight, pouring the rest of her coffee down her throat. "This is going to be one of the hardest things I've ever done."

"I'll help," offered Starlight. "I was able to convince the rest of the changelings, and we do have a healthier relationship with them now. Plus, I'll take everything she says a little less personally."

"Then it's settled," smiled Cadance. "The two of you will work together to turn Chrysalis into a productive member of society, fit to be on display before the princesses."

Chapter the Fourth: By Royal Decree

"Come in."

The door swung open as Twilight was just about to knock. "Princess?"

Celestia didn't look up from her papers. Using just a bit of magic, she pulled a violet bean chair over next to her and puffed it into place. With a tentative swallow, Twilight walked over and sat down. The seconds clicked by loudly from the wall clock, only drowned out by the crackling wood from the fire. Perhaps she should have thought about this more before bringing it directly to Celestia's attention? Perhaps she should have enacted the plan first? No, she definitely needed Celestia's permission. But was it better to ask forgiveness, instead? She did have the best of intentions...

"Are you going to ask your question or tell me what's on your mind?" asked Celestia. "I'm listening, I just want to finish this before bed." She glanced sideways at Twilight, expecting an apology that she would immediately accept. That was just how Twilight acted when she was nervous.

"I'm sorry," she sighed, looking down. "I suppose I'm just conflicted in how I want to phrase this."

"It's alright," smiled Celestia, signing her name on the bottom of the scroll and rolling it up. "Everypony has that feeling sometimes. What's important is that you feel that you can trust in those close to you. So, what has you in such a tizzy?"

Twilight took a deep breath. "So, I talked to Chrysalis this morning." She paused, waiting to see Celestia's response.

"And she said?" asked Celestia, turning to look at Twilight.

"Oh, uh... Nothing out of the ordinary, I suppose. The usual taunts and so forth. No more or less than I would expect."

"Then why are you so nervous?"

"Nervous? Who said I was nervous? I'm not nervous. What would make you belie--"

"Twilight?" interrupted Celestia, "you need to stop squeezing my hoof so hard."

Twilight immediately let go. She hadn't even realized that she'd instinctively grabbed Celestia's hoof for her own comfort. "Sorry, sorry..."

Celestia smiled knowingly and wrapped a wing around Twilight's shoulders. "You know very well that I have your best interests at heart. Likewise, you know that I place all of my faith in that you will come to me with your problems, that I may help you to solve them to the best of my ability."

Twilight took a deep breath. "Well, she called my bluff that I wouldn't end her life if she didn't cooperate. It was a lie, and I'm not very good at those."

"I am well aware," smiled Celestia. "You're very honest about your thoughts, a trait I find to be very admirable."

"She said that, because I don't really want her to die, I'll stand in the way of things that will kill her, like starvation. She's right, too. If you signed a paper that would order her to be beheaded, I'd beg you to reconsider. With what she's done, all of it, I despise her, and I will not forgive her for any of it. When it comes to life and death, though, I can't stomach the thought that I had a hoof in her demise. It's harrowing."

Celestia squeezed Twilight a bit closer under her wing. "I would only issue such an order if I had no choice. If, even in that cell, she were a threat to Equestria, I'd only try to end her life if I could not diminish the threat to be a non-issue."

Twilight took a deep breath. "So, I brought up the fact that we'd captured her to Shining and Cadance at our afternoon tea, despite everypony opting for coffee instead. Shining had no issue with ending her life, but it still felt wrong. If he had stood up, I feel I would have held him back."

"Why did you tell him in the first place? You knew how he felt."

"Well, actually, I was going to just talk about "a prisoner" that we were having issues with, but Starlight dropped her name, so we had to talk it out."

"I see."

"Cadance thinks that we should try to reform Chrysalis again, Like Starlight did with all of the others."

"Do you think that's a possibility?"

"Well..." Twilight thought about it for a moment. "From what I recall, the last time Starlight tried to change the changelings, everyling in the hive was amenable, albeit with some coaxing. Maybe it wasn't the easiest transition, but at least they tried, and eventually succeeded. With Chrysalis, she just pushed Starlight's hoof away."

"Slapped it away, is what I heard," nodded Celestia.

"I don't recall all of the details," sighed Twilight. "The point is, she didn't want to change. If she refuses to change, as she very much has, then all of our effort will be for nothing."

Celestia shook her head. "It's never for nothing, Twilight. You'll have tried your best, and that is a very encouraging thought."

Twilight nodded. With Celestia's approval, she knew that she had the tenacity to see this project through. Normally, she could do that regardless, as her curiosity and drive were enough to propel her through even the most difficult of trials. Knowing that Celestia was in support of her trying to make Chrysalis presentable, she could narrow down her goal and zero in on exactly what she wanted the final result to be. She began to nod more enthusiastically as she pieced it all together in her head, outlining a mental flow chart covering all of the steps she would need to take in order to achieve her goal.

"It seems you have a plan, then," smiled Celestia. "I'm glad I could help you settle your mind. I know you can become lost in your thoughts sometimes. I hope that our talk can serve as a lighthouse to guide you through the wayward waves of information you regularly sail through."

Twilight reached up and hugged Celestia. "Thank you, Princess. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. I promise, I'm going to do everything I can to make Chrysalis a productive member of society."

Celestia pulled back a bit. "I do want to mention, though, that we don't want to introduce her to society until we're sure she's not harmful anymore."

Twilight nodded. "Of course, Princess. When I think she's ready, I'll have you inspect her personally. Whether or not she leaves the dungeons is dependent on you approving her behaviour." She stood up and put away the bean chair, and made her way to the door. "I'm going to go put together a plan for how to fix this. Thank you for all of your help, Princess."

"Don't stay up all night, Twilight," chuckled Celestia. "You know how you can be."

Chapter the Fifth: Terms and Conditions

As Twilight walked down the corridor, she was filled to the brim with anxiety. What did she have to be afraid of? She was the decision maker, here, and she would be extending the choice to Chrysalis as to whether or not to cooperate. She had all of the power, and at the end of this conversation, she would be giving some of it away, specifically the decision that she was uncomfortable making. She was about to have a weight taken off of her shoulders, so why was she experiencing an overwhelming sense of dread?

When she reached the cell, she was greeted by the sight of Chrysalis hanging from the wall with her hooves over her head. The door was open, and the guard was trying to untangle her. "Come to laugh?" asked Chrysalis, scowling at Twilight.

The guard stopped and bowed to Twilight. "I'm sorry, Princess. When I started my shift ten minutes ago, I found her like this. I thought it was too cruel to leave her so bound, as she was not done up yesterday. I should have asked first."

"No, no, you're fine," smiled Twilight, placing a hoof on his shoulder. "She's not supposed to be like this." Twilight's horn lit up and the cables began to unbind from Chrysalis' legs. "How did you do this to yourself?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," sneered Chrysalis.

"Yeah, I would," snapped Twilight. "That's why I asked."

"And what makes you think I'm going to tell you?"

"What I'm about to tell you is going to make you regret not telling me now."

"No, I don't think I will."

Twilight smirked. "Well, I was about to feed you, but since you've decided to change my mind, I suppose I'll just... not."

"Ha! I'm not even hungry!"

As if in response, Chrysalis' stomach growled quite loudly. "You sure about that?"

"Positive." Chrysalis' stomach growled again.

"Sounds like you haven't eaten in two weeks."

"Joke's on you, it's only been ten days!"

Immediately, Chrysalis regretted her words. Why had she said anything? She could have remained silent, and Twilight would have had no idea how long she had been away from her food source. She could have bluffed high and made Twilight want to feed her or bluffed low and used her weaker condition as proof that Twilight was mistreating her to the guards. She may have been able to leverage a better deal, but that was out the window now.

"Well, then, this should be a relief to you and your growling stomach. I have a list of terms that you need to accept, and if you do, you can feast directly from me, in less than an hour's time."

Chrysalis' stomach rumbled a third time. "I suppose I don't have a choice, do I?"

"You do have a choice," smiled Twilight. "I'm giving you the choice. Do you remember what you said yesterday about how I didn't have the stomach to let a prisoner just wither away, but you did? Well, that responsibility is now yours. You will be the prisoner, and you will be the one who determines whether or not you will be fed."

"Letting the inmates run the dungeon?" smiled Chrysalis. "In that case, I decide that I shall eat as much as I want. And you shall be my first meal!"

With enough of her bindings undone by Twilight's magic, she lunged forward. In response, Twilight blasted her in the face with a repulsion spell, smacking Chrysalis against the wall, while blowing herself back several steps.

"Sorry," huffed Twilight, scrambling to her hooves. "That was more powerful than I had intended. Are you okay?"

Chrysalis opened her mouth and sucked up what little compassion Twilight had just offered, chuckling as her stomach was no longer completely empty.

"I hope you enjoyed that," puffed Twilight. "I'll not be giving you any more today. I was going to feed you a full meal, but with that, I don't think you deserve it anymore."

"Save your bullshit for somepony who believes it."

Twilight shrugged and waved for the guard to follow her out of the cell. "I suppose then that you don't want to take my deal today. That's fine. I don't have to give it to you. But I will be the bigger creature here and tell you what it is. Let it not be said that I'm unfair.

"First and foremost, it is up to you to decide whether or not I feed you. This will be through our daily interactions. If you behave yourself and perform well in the tasks that I assign you, then you will have earned the right to be fed that day at my discretion. If you do not behave, then I have no obligation to feed you. If you wish to feed regularly, you must become a productive member of society."

"Why?" smiled Chrysalis. "Do the stallions in Canterlot not have productive members? Is your population on the decline? Is that why you altered the anatomical structure of my hive? You wanted a good fuck, didn't you?"

Twilight looked on as Chrysalis went on her tirade, clearly not amused. "Finished?"

Chrysalis grinned wide. "Or perhaps you think your society has no productive members because you've only ever fucked your brother, and the resulting offspring was inviable?"

Twilight's look of disinterest turned to one of disdain. "You can stop now."

"Or perhaps you knew from the beginning that it was inviable, and only sucked him off because you didn't want to bring such an abomination into the world? Not that I blame you; it'd be an ugly ba--"

Twilight's horn lit up and Chrysalis' mouth was forced open with a rather large ball gag, which was tightened around the back of her head one more notch than was recommended, making it very uncomfortable to wear. If left in for too long, it could potentially damage her teeth and jaw, but Twilight wasn't planning on leaving her like this all night.

"Now, you are meant to become a productive member of society. That means you are to understand what it is to behave in a competent way, be honest and truthful, have manners, and present yourself in such a way that would have you deemed as helpful and societally acceptable. As it is not expected for you to have all of the knowledge as to how our social structure works, I will be administering lessons to you. After every successful lesson, you will be fed appropriately, and when I deem you as fit for release, you will be tested on your ability to perform your duties. Now, since you are in such a state as you are unable to answer, I will give you some time to consider my proposal. I'll be back this afternoon."

Twilight slammed the door shut and walked away, letting the guard know that he was not to enter her cell until she returned. Being freed from the wall had made Chrysalis too cocky, and she'd made an attack on a princess. This was not going to be easy.

Chapter the Sixth: The First Lesson

Twilight returned in the late afternoon, after a light early dinner. She didn't want to see something that may ruin her appetite later or upend the meal she had already eaten. On the other hoof, if Chrysalis was now willing, doubtful as that was, then they could possibly go through the first two lessons, the second of which being dining etiquette. If everything went great, she'd be having more to eat right away. Even if not, she could just have some light snack later, so it wasn't a big deal.

She came to Chrysalis' cell, only to find her tied against the wall again. With a tug, she removed the queen's gag. "Are you going to tell me what you did to end up all tangled again, or do I have to explain it to you?"

Chrysalis huffed exhaustedly. She had lost all feeling in her front hooves, and the sudden lack of pressure on her neck was far more jarring than she had expected. "If you already know, then why are you asking?"

Twilight set to untangling her hooves once again. "Because I want to be sure that you've figured it out. If you're unaware, I can just give you the answer, but you have to ask nicely. Now, are you going to tell me what you did?"

"Piss off, already..."

Twilight shook her head and clicked her tongue condescendingly. "You know, if you keep trying to disguise yourself, this is just going to keep happening."

Chrysalis looked up with a sneer. "Is that what you think I was doing?"

"I know it's what you were doing," smiled Twilight. "I talked to Thorax before you woke up. It was his suggestion to secure the chains through the holes in your legs, rather than giving you a harness that you could just shift out of. You see, when a changeling shifts, they have to close those holes in their legs. I'm sure you already knew that, as avid a shifter as you are. However, have you ever wondered what happens to any objects wedged into your holes?"

Chrysalis scoffed. "You're lecturing me on changeling anatomy? The queen of the changelings, being told how changelings work by some pony princess who sleeps with her brother?"

Twilight slapped Chrysalis across the face. "That was uncalled for. You need a lesson in good manners."

"And it's good manners to slap?" Chrysalis chuckled.

"Fine," huffed Twilight. "What happens when something is wedged in your hoof hole, and you try to shift?"

"Easy. It's expelled."

"And what if it can't be expelled, as is the case with a steel chain such as runs through your hooves? Have you ever tried to shift with a long cable though there?"

Chrysalis looked at her hooves. It was true. Every time she had tried to disguise herself, the chains has spun around, feeding through her hooves until she was pinned to the wall, growing thicker and thicker as she was clamped to the anchor. "You're asking a changeling to not do what changelings are meant to do."

"That is accurate," smiled Twilight, nodding as she finished undoing Chrysalis' right hoof. "Every time you think about transforming, remember that you will be thrown against the wall, whether I'm here or not. It's going to create problems with your back, and your wings look like they may break if you hit them too hard, too often. A bit of a shame, really. I think they could be beautiful wings. It would be heartbreaking to have them unusable in the future."

"Is that a threat?"

"No, nor is it an option I'm going to take. If you wish to keep slamming yourself against the wall until your ribs break, be my guest, but if you would rather cut your losses and change for the better, then you may yet be released from this cell. That's all up to you."

Chrysalis considered her options as circulation returned to her legs, every movement causing a tingling pulse through her dark carapace. If she was going to stay in here, perhaps it was best to not transform for a bit. Then again, she could feign having learned her lesson, and be allowed to escape as the security became more and more lax. Deception was something that changelings were adept at, after all.

"After much consideration," smiled Chrysalis, holding out her hoof, "I have decided that you are correct. I've been a bad girl, and I need to be punished."

Twilight pushed Chrysalis' hoof away. "As much as I wish for that to be true, you do have a record of trickery. I'll need to see some proof before I place any amount of trust in you."

"Isn't there anything I can do to convince you?"

Twilight narrowed her eyes. "Greet me, as you would greet a friend."

"A friend?" scoffed Chrysalis. "I don't have friends. I have subjects. Shall I greet you as though you are one of my subjects?"

Twilight stepped outside as Chrysalis' left hoof was fully unwrapped. She hadn't considered that she had never met somepony as an equal. Still, she knew what it was like to be in a position with no friends and needing to make some, especially as an adult. She was uniquely qualified to help in this oddly specific scenario.

"Let's start with something you may know already. Have you ever joined forces with another force of any variety in a battle of some kind? Either receiving aid from, say, the diamond dogs, or perhaps offering aid to gryphons?"

"You can't prove either of those."

"No, I wasn't--" Twilight rubbed her face. "I wasn't making an accusation, I just want to know, no details necessary, if you've ever worked alongside some force other than the changelings under your command."

"Of course. I forced the ahrlings into submission and sent them into battle in front of my own forces. I suffered fewer casualties because the sheer number of ahrlings was overwhelming my foe. Then I had the remainder killed off because they were an inferior subspecies."

"I remember that one," said Luna, stepping out from behind the corner. "T'was a cowardly move your grandmother performed back then. To have sent so many to an unnecessary death, I cannot fathom how terrified they mu--"

Luna stopped short. Chrysalis had spat in her eye, prompting Twilight to shove her back into the cell. "That is no way to behave!" she admonished, chasing after Luna, who was now looking for a sink in which to wash her face.

Chapter the Seventh: Stricken

Hearing hooves approaching, Chrysalis flipped her body up onto the bed and began masturbating furiously, wanting to upset Twilight as much as possible. It was all she had for fun, and now that she knew that she couldn't transform, it was all the more important that she be more vigorous. Her original goal was to disguise herself as Twilight and give the guard a show, but without the ability to shift, this was the most she could do.

"Fuck me harder, Shining Armor!" she moaned, spreading her legs as wide as she could. "Please pound my puffy purple princess pussy!"

"Even if you looked like Twilight, I wouldn't remotely believe that was her. Who would even use their partner's full name for sex? And that dialogue; it's not remotely believable."

Chrysalis stopped and looked up at the mare unlocking her cell and sliding the door open. "You're that bitch that cost me my hive!"

As Chrysalis lunged at her, Starlight stayed perfectly still. She knew that Chrysalis could not reach her here, so no matter how much she hissed and stuck out her tongue, Starlight was perfectly safe. So safe, in fact, that she smacked the changeling queen's chin from beneath, closing her teeth on her tongue and essentially causing her to bite herself. "I see you've learned nothing of how to behave in a polite society. I thought Twilight was exaggerating, but it seems she was giving you quite the benefit when discussing your progress thus far."

"You made me bite my tongue, you rancid cunt!"

"Serves you right for sticking it out like that. If you had just sat on the edge of your bed and spoken to me with full restraint, you wouldn't be nursing that tongue of yours. Can't you at least pretend that you're learning something about friendship from all of this?"

"And give you the benefit of seeing me brought to heel? Fat chance, bitch!"

Starlight closed her eyes and shook her head. "It seems we'll have to put you on a disciplinary rotation. Even biting your tongue has not dammed the profanity dripping from your teeth. I suppose it can't be helped."

"And what authority do you have to do that?" chuckled Chrysalis. "You're not a princess. You're not a princess in training. You're definitely not powerful enough to take on a queen! You're nothing more than Twilight's favoured whore!"

Starlight chuckled. Her horn lit up, and Chrysalis' hooves were propelled to the back wall, where they stuck to the stone bricks. The chains were still loose and hanging to the floor, piled up in a way that would likely see them tangled if not sorted. Chrysalis pulled, but she could not separate herself from the wall. Worse, she was facing the wall, not looking out into the hallway as she was accustomed.

"Well, you're right in that I am neither a princess nor in training to become one. In fact, I'm kind of over that phase of my life. Which, ironically, has brought me so much closer to royalty than what I had been doing. What I am is a mage, and a charismatic one, at that. Something you have not realized, but oddly should have, is that there is a powerful magic woven into the relationships we have with those we care for. Twilight found it in friendship, and you definitely should have found it in love. In fact, your hive found it just fine. If you had, then I have to wonder if you would even be here."

"Release me at once, pissworm!" Chrysalis struggled, but found herself unable to even slide her hoof away. "Do you have any idea who you're messing with?"

"I seem to recall you saying that I'm not powerful enough to take on a queen," Starlight taunted, walking up behind Chrysalis. "If I am so weak as to be no match for you, then you will have no trouble breaking away from your bindings. Go on, then. Show me what it is to be a queen so powerful as you."

Chrysalis struggled and strained to pull herself away from the wall, unable to budge. She tried to kick behind her, but her hooves were stuck to the floor, as well. Eventually, she gave up.

"So, let me make this perfectly clear. Your power as a changeling queen pales in comparison to mine." Chrysalis felt a hard smack across her flank, and due to its unexpected nature, she yelped out in pain. "It pales in comparison to Twilight's as well." Starlight brought down the paddle on the other side of Chrysalis' flank. "And in fact, I alone brought you in. If you had been found by a guard, they might have skipped the trial process and just killed you where you stood. In fact, a few have offered."

"And why don't you let them? It's because you're a spineless, weak-willed little cu-- AHH!!"

Starlight smirked, waving the paddle in front of her face. "You don't learn your lessons, do you? For every time you use foul language, you will receive a good swat. I count eight instances of you refusing to speak with a civil tongue, three of which have been accounted for. I'm willing to forgive the other five, if you are willing to apologize for being so atrocious."

"Fuck you, bitch!" Chrysalis spat at Starlight, landing a gob of saliva on her hoof. Starlight was not amused.

"Seven to go, I suppose."

Chrysalis felt her tail being lifted. She tried to lower it, or move her flank to the ground, but Starlight kept her up on full display. With her arse fully exposed, Starlight showed no mercy in her swings, leaving bright green marks on the changeling queen's soft flesh. She delivered a good ten spankings, the extra three coming from Chrysalis cursing in response to the punishment. When they were all done, Starlight released her grip, letting Chrysalis fall to the floor, though she did slow her descent as not to injure her.

"Now that we have that taken care of, Twilight has given me permission to feed you in her place. Now, your behaviour has not been to my satisfaction, so I am remiss to do so, but if you say, "Please, feed me, oh gracious and forgiving Starlight," then I shall do so. The question is, do you have the capacity for kind words, or would you prefer to feel the sting of my paddle once more?"

Chrysalis sneered at the request. She had just been humiliated and spanked by this filthy common pony, and now she was expected to beg for her food? It was madness. "Go suck your princess' cock, harlot," she mumbled.

"I'm sorry?" smirked Starlight, giving the paddle another swing through the air. "I didn't quite hear that correctly. Could you say that again, louder?"

Chrysalis eyed the tool of torture, and the smug grin of the mare holding it. She was beaten, as was her arse. Worse, she had nothing to use against Starlight. She could annoy Twilight until she left, but this one... She needed a weapon. Something to make her leave. For now, it was time for a tactical retreat.

"Plea..." the word caught in her throat. She should never have had to say something so vile. "Please, graceful and forgiven... whatever the fuck your name was. Feed me. Now."

Starlight lifted Chrysalis' chin with the paddle to look her in the eye. "That's not what you were supposed to say, and you should be punished for that little comment about my name. Still, I suppose that can't have been easy. Good work." A cloud of love cascaded down to the changeling's lips, which she hungrily sucked up as Starlight walked out and closed the door. "I'll be back for another appointment soon. Keep that tongue of yours under control, and for future reference, you may refer to me as Starlight, Mistress, or Mistress Starlight. Good night."

Chapter the Ninth: Fancy Dress

Starlight made her way down the corridor, stopping as soon as she reached Chrysalis' cell. "Am I going to have to start securing you to the wall to make you stop masturbating every time I come near?"

Chrysalis stopped and leaned forward. "You again? I thought for sure it was going to be Twilight this time."

"Why does that matter?" asked Starlight. "If you hear hooves coming toward you, I expect you to make yourself presentable, no matter who it is. Twilight, myself, Princess Luna, Prince Shining Armor... I don't care who's approaching you. From now on, if ever I hear of or see you being uncivil, I'll drop in, and show you exactly what happens to pony children who behave as such."

"You think me a child?"

"No. I think children often behave better than you. If you were a child, I'd be more forgiving of your behaviour. Because then, it'd make sense that you were being a petulant, entitled little shit."

Chrysalis smirked through the bars. "I thought profanity was a bad behaviour? Didn't you batter me at our last meeting for using only a few of those? I think perhaps it's time I spanked you for that." She licked her teeth and patted her lap, indicating that she wanted Starlight to bend over her thighs that she may be stricken.

"Nice try," chuckled Starlight, opening the cell door. "Small doses, used with restraint and without malice are fine. There's also a claim to be made for tone and environment. Now, when you speak, it's a rather absurd endless tirade of four-letter words. Besides, we're not on about that today."

"Not following through on your lessons?" joked Chrysalis, chuckling to herself.

"More along the idea that you need to be introduced to a long string of ideas, and if we need you to repeat any lessons, we'll do that later. It's best to introduce our expectations at the start, feeding the details to you one at a time and really focusing on them. Last time I was here, it was behavioural. This time, it's visual." Starlight lit up her horn and brought in a rack of dresses. "Now, the hope was that you'd be able to be presentable to the public, and that we'd be able to parade you about at one of our formal events, showing everypony that you are capable of belonging in society."

"Prepare to be disappointed."

"Already done. In fact, I don't think you're capable of walking out of this cell on your own. You're going to be locked in here forever, and likely starve to death. To once more compare you to a child, I don't think you're capable of learning your lesson."

"Really?"

Starlight smirked and stepped closer. "Prove me wrong."

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes. "Gladly."

Starlight pulled an outfit off the rack and threw it to Chrysalis. "Put this on."

Chrysalis took a look at the outfit. It was a very conservative long-sleeve blouse, the cuffs rolled to be up near the elbows. It was paired with a plaid necktie, and a plaid pleated skirt that fell down to her knees. "You can't be serious."

"I'm as serious as a heart attack," responded Starlight. "You want to prove that you can blend into society? That outfit is easy to wear. Schoolfillies are given a similar one to wear daily as part of their school uniform."

"Not the same?"

"I can't just give you a schoolfilly's uniform."

"Why not?"

"Because it wouldn't fit you." To indicate the proper size, she waved her hoof at about chest height, barely cresting the queen's knees. "This was picked up at a custom shop because I needed something in your size. Now, are you going to put on your clothes, or are you going to concede that a random filly I can find at any school in Canterlot is better than you?"

Chrysalis looked back at the clothes. They were just articles of clothing. Mere tools. But now she was at an impasse because of them. If she put them on, she would prove her superiority over a child. In the same movement, however, she would be sacrificing her pride, notably in her resilience to the idea that she needed to change. She could throw the clothes on the floor, demonstrating that she would never change for anypony, but if she did, she would make it seem as though she were inferior to not just a pony, but a larval one, at that. There was no good choice, here. She'd talked her way into this mess and had no means of talking her way back out.

She sighed and went to put on the shirt, only to find Velcro straps along the sleeves and across the chest. "Is this what ponies find fashionable?"

"The straps? No. That's not normally found on regular pony clothing. It was added special in your case, as your legs are bound to the wall. If you want nicer clothes, you'll have to separate yourself from the stone, and that means behaving yourself. Now, are you going to dress up, or do I need to spank you again?"

Chrysalis hurried into the clothes, remiss to find that the tie was a clip-on. Sure, she didn't know how to tie one, but she could use it as a garrote. She couldn't strangle a guard with a clip-on. Especially one this short.

"Congratulations," smiled Starlight. "You've really gone and showed me how wrong I was. You truly are at or above an elementary school student in terms of capability. I applaud you." She clapped her hooves in a condescending manner. "I will say this; you managed to put everything on correctly and straight."

"Is it straight?" chuckled Chrysalis, "Or are you dressing me up like this because it's your fetish?"

"I picked that outfit because it was easy and casual."

Chrysalis stood up on her hind legs. "So you say, but what I hear is this." She pushed her ovipositor out and forward, causing her skirt to bunch up as she pitched a tent. "Come on, you know you want me inside of you. Come on, touch it."

Starlight took a deep breath and pushed Chrysalis up against the wall with her magic, grabbing the ovipositor in her hoof and bending it harshly, causing Chrysalis extreme discomfort. "Can you go one lesson without me questioning whether or not you deserve to live? I'm trying to be nice, but if you keep fucking up, I swear, I'm not against performing reconstructive surgery to chop this thing off and sew it up inside of you, letting it rot, fester, and poison you from the inside."

As she released Chrysalis, the changeling queen fell to the floor. She had struck a nerve, but Starlight had struck right back. This was not worth the pain it has caused as her ovipositor squeezed its way back up inside of her.

"I'm not feeding you today," added Starlight. "Let that be a lesson on its own. When I come back, I expect you to not be masturbating. I'm leaving the clothing here, but you don't have to wear it." With her hoof, Starlight rolled Chrysalis over to look her in the eye. "Of course, if you are dressed when I show up, I might be more inclined to believe you're deserving to be fed. If I were you, I'd grow accustomed to the idea of wearing clothes."

Chapter the Tenth: Art Appreciation

Twilight started the phonograph up and let the piano and violin duet permeate the whole of the cell. It was a somewhat melancholy tune, though not inherently sad. To her, it seemed as a window looking back to a time before a tragedy of some sort and hoping for the innocence of such a time to return.

"Why do you want to listen to two cats fighting over ice cubes?" sneered Chrysalis. "This is dreadful!"

"How dare you!?" scolded Twilight. "I happen to love Passacaglia! This is a spectacular work. Just listen to those fugues!"

"Ugh. Classical music. So boring, bland and quiet. How can anypony listen to this without falling asleep?"

"Well, a lot of ponies do like classical music to help them fall asleep. It's very often calming, though that's not necessarily true of all classi--"

"Oh, spare me. It's all soft and supple with no bite to it."

Twilight kept her mouth shut. She didn't need to respond with words. She had a stronger response. She pulled the record off of the turntable and replaced it with one from a different composer. However, rather than placing the needle arm at the beginning of one of the tracks, she instead moved it to somewhere near the end. There was a short string section as the softer parts wound down. The, after a brief stint of silence, the woodwinds kicked on, accompanied by the strings. Then, the brass, then percussion, and as the whole thing came to a crescendo, the sound of cannon fire reverberated off the stone walls, followed by bells. As the music dipped down for the finale, Twilight smirked. "Just try sleeping to this. It's not going to happen, I promise you."

Chrysalis responded with "You can't control when I do and don't sleep," but Twilight could hear none of it as the brass had once more reached its crescendo, right before the percussion came back in. Chrysalis repeated herself twice, but was drowned out once more by the cannons and bells.

"I love that ending," smiled Twilight. "It's one of the best overtures in history, and it's just so full of energy!" She lifted the needle and returned it to the beginning of the track, where the strings began on their own a soft, soothing and breathy introduction that felt very official, yet hopeful. It would be several minutes before it reached the ending again.

"And yet, despite your love for it, you've returned to the boring section that looks like it takes most of the song."

"It's not a song," corrected Twilight. "Songs are sung by singers. You sing a song. This is a musical piece. There are no lyrics, only an instrumental orchestra, a battery of cannons, and a carillon."

"Yeah, all at the end because the composer couldn't think of putting anything interesting in the middle to keep ponies interested."

"I'll have you know that there's plenty of good music in the middle, and at the beginning. The violin section in the middle is beautiful and smooth."

"Garbage, then."

"It's not garbage, you're just jaded because your culture couldn't produce something so delicate."

"So today, you're just going to torture my ears with your country's greatest superweapon?"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "I was trying to introduce you to the finer parts of our culture. But no, I have more than just music for you to listen to. I thought you might like to see out into nature again."

"I highly doubt you'll let me walk outside at this stage in my punishment."

"Not yet, but I thought you might be interested in the realism of Claude Ponet." She pulled out a few prints of ponds with bridges, poplar trees, lily pads, and countrysides. "He was very much an impressionist painter, but he was also quite into realism, which I personally prefer. Lots of serene scenes with adorable little flowers. The impressionist side tells of so much peace that you can't help but lose yourself in the brushstrokes, but at the same time, the realistic touches make it look so familiar that you could step right into this picnic. Wouldn't that be lovely?"

"Yes, it would," smirked Chrysalis. "I could devour all of their love, and I wouldn't have to listen to your pathetic drivel any longer."

Twilight frowned and sighed. "Perhaps Ponet wasn't the best choice. That was my fault."

"It was your fault," agreed Chrysalis. "Everything that goes wrong is your fault."

Twilight hadn't even heard that. She was looking through other prints of paintings. She owned some of the originals, and was allowed access to several more on top of that, and she could always commission more, but she didn't want to risk having them stained when Chrysalis spat on them. They were nice, and she wanted to keep them in good condition to look at them again.

Eventually, she pulled out one with deep blues. "This seems more your preference. Van Goght. He wasn't a pony, but he was a part of Equestria, and he was involved in the art movement."

Chrysalis turned her head to both sides, looking at it. "What's this even supposed to be?"

Twilight looked down to make sure she was holding it correctly, then back to Chrysalis. "It's a starry night. In fact, that's what he named it; Starry Night."

"Those are supposed to be stars?" she scoffed. "I thought that was swamp gas bursting into flame."

"No, they..." Twilight grunted in frustration. "Isn't there anything you like about this? It's a spectacular impressionist piece. Say one good thing about it, and we can do something else."

"Okay," smirked Chrysalis. "I like how the pillar of black flames are about to destroy the town. Soon after this picture was taken, all of the ponies that live in those houses were burned to death as the flesh was seared from their bones, killing them in the most horrifying and brutal way possible. Now, turn off that music and come fellate me like you do to your brother." She lifted onto her hind legs and pushed out her ovipositor. "This isn't goi--"

Chrysalis was knocked onto her back as something hard collided with her face. She could feel the impact radiating throughout her entire skull as she writhed on the floor.

"Oh, gosh!" exclaimed Twilight. "I didn't mean to do that! Are you alright?"

Chrysalis tried to once again suck up Twilight's caring, but it was no use. Her care was not being directed at Chrysalis, but at a book with a bent cover. It was the same book from two days ago. It was the object that had collided with Chrysalis' face.

"Come on," Twilight said, carrying the book away. "I know a licensed bookbinder who can fix your cover right up."

Chapter the Eleventh: Change of Plans

Having been knocked on her arse the last two visits, and pretty sure that Starlight would be the next teacher to darken her doorway, Chrysalis reasoned that it was time to submit. She could still resist, but the guards didn't seem to care that she was being battered. Perhaps she would need to be struck in front of guards who had not seen her instigating, but if she didn't instigate, there would be no violence. The whole process seemed unwinnable. For now, perhaps it would be best if she stopped resisting. At least then, she'd be fed. In favour of being fed, she had put on a dress. She was sporting a short floral skirt and top, nothing too elegant, but likely good enough for Starlight. She hoped, at any rate.

Multiple sets of hooves approached. There was a light clattering of metal, possibly a patrol of guards? Perhaps they were here to end her. Her suspicions were confirmed as Starlight stopped in front of the cell door. Four guards stood behind her, armed to the teeth and looking in on her.

"Well, well, this is a surprise," chuckled Starlight, pushing the door open. "Here I was, thinking that you'd never change, that you were so stubborn that even our greatest tortures would have no effect. And yet, here you are, proving me wrong. I must say, I'm proud of you."

Chrysalis shrank down and looked away. "I didn't have much of a choice," she spat.

"I suppose not, but I was expecting you to resist. It almost has me wanting to reconsider the change in lesson plan."

"Change?" Chrysalis looked up. "You're here to kill off whatever freewill I have left. That's been your plan from the very beginning. Why would you give me a reprieve now?"

"Because it looked like you were heading down a different path, and I thought it would both be easier for you and bring you out of this cell faster. However, if you would rather continue with the classical music and impressionist paintings, I can always just grab a rock or something to hit you with if things go poorly. It seems to have worked last time."

"Just give me the new one," snarled Chrysalis. "I don't care what it is, it's better than the shit I have to put up with daily."

Starlight cocked her head to the side. "Are you sure you don't want to hear what it is, first?"

"Does it really matter? Your first choice was a solemn condemnation. Anything is better than what you're putting me through."

Starlight nodded and waved the guards in. The two at the back were carrying a large folding table that sat very low to the ground. As they set it up, Starlight fitted a large ring gag in Chrysalis' mouth and clamped all four of her hooves to the table legs. Chrysalis' face was immediately filled with regret for not asking any questions. She looked to Starlight, unable to ask, as her mouth was held open.

"Oh, that's to make sure you don't bite any of them," she smiled. "You see, your behaviour is not at all indicative of a high-class lady by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, you're positively repugnant. However, I've found a spot that would be a more fitting place for you in society."

With Chrysalis tied down rather tightly, the guards began removing their armor. "You see," continued Starlight, "You're very much in tune with your sexual nature, having propositioned Twilight and I several times. You also don't have to give your opinions on grand pieces of beauty and splendour, as your mouth will be too busy with other things. You are not somepony's trophy wife. You are going to be a whore."

Chrysalis' eyes shot open as one of the guards, now stripped, tilded her head back and shoved his cock down her throat. She instinctively tried to bite down on it, but the steel ring holding her jaw open stopped her. She didn't have the tongue strength to push him out, either. Her chest convulsed as she tried to cough out the offending member.

Starlight leaned down and spoke directly into Chrysalis' ear. "How does he taste?" she whispered. "Savour that flavour. Bring it into your very being."

As the guard pulled out at Starlight's direction, Chrysalis coughed and gasped for breath. She couldn't believe that Twilight had approved this.

"Open your throat," instructed Starlight. "Learn to control your breathing. Until you've learned to do so, you're going to want to hold your breath. Breathe in..."

As Chrysalis took a deep breath, her throat was once more blocked off. When she felt that she couldn't take any more, Starlight beckoned with her hoof, and the guard pushed all the way in. She couldn't breathe. Her lungs were full, and she couldn't expel any of the air.

Starlight ran her hoof along Chrysalis' throat. "Feel that fullness. You deserve to be filled with cock, don't you? And when you can better control your breathing, you'll be able to smell his balls. Won't that be great for you?"

The stallion pulled out once more, and Chrysalis was left coughing and hacking. "Isn't he something?" smiled Starlight, tapping against the changeling queen's neck. You should take a whiff of his balls, regardless. It's truly an intoxicating aroma, wouldn't you agree?"

The stallion pushed his hips forward, smearing her saliva over her cheek as he pressed his balls against her nose. She did her best to hold her breath, but eventually had to take it in. His groin had a burning, acidic stench to it, but was also deeply musky. It was odd that he smelled as though he hadn't showered but had very little taste. Did he wash his dick, but not his scrotum?

"Stallions love it when you treat their balls, too. Show me that you at least know what your tongue is used for."

Like it or not, Chrysalis had chosen this path. She had embarked without being able to see the end of it, but it had been her decision to do this instead of looking at paintings and listening to instruments. What's worse, she wasn't going to be fed until the end of the lesson.

With no other course of action, she stuck out her tongue, long and pointed, and wrapped it around the stallion's ballsack, just above the testicles, giving them a rub and tug. If she did well, she would eat well, or so she hoped. At this stage, she just wished it would end.

Chapter the Twelfth: Change of Mind

Chrysalis was beginning to choke, the cock lodged in her throat throbbing and pulsing now. Every contraction this stallion was having made her feel as though she were trying to swallow something that just would not go down. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't call out and she couldn't signal to any of them what was going on. All she could do was release muffled shouts, but the stallion seemed to enjoy the vibrations in her throat.

Just when she thought she was about to pass out, the stallion pulled away, letting her breathe again. However, there was something sticky and salty remaining in her mouth. But it wasn't just salty. There was a certain familiarity to the flavour, something she'd eaten before. It was sweet, and as her tongue caressed his dick, she could taste more of it.

Starlight chuckled as the stallion pulled away. "How was that?" she asked, rubbing Chrysalis' throat to help her swallow the sticky substance. It felt like a gob of mucous, leading her to question whether or not it was safe to swallow, or if she'd just vomit it up later, as one might do with a cold. "I can tell you that it was good for him. He loved it."

Love. That's what was mixed in with his semen. The flavour had been familiar because it was what she had been eating for ages. Her whole life, she had subsisted on it, but it was odd to have it mixed. It tasted different when added to something. Eating straight love and eating food that had been prepared with love were different experiences. That's why she recalled the taste but was unable to place it.

The next stallion approached and placed the head of his cock against her lips. Immediately, her tongue wrapped around the shaft. Stallions could discharge love from their penises, somehow. She needed love to survive. If she could learn how to hold her breath better, if she did some deep breathing exercises, she could do this to survive, though she would have to avoid suffocating to reap the benefits.

As she took a deep breath, the stallion slid in, and she felt hooves on her thighs. She choked a bit as she tried to twist her head around to see who had touched her, but with her whole body tied to the table, she could not look. Even as they drifted down and rubbed her labia, she couldn't say anything with her mouth full. Instead, she pushed out her ovipositor. Perhaps seeing something that looked like a dick would deter him from trying to push his way in.

No such luck. She was met with the familiar sensation of a cock sliding its way into her pussy, stretching her open. This stallion was bigger than any of the changeling drones she'd mated with in the past, which was odd because she had chosen several of her suitors as a direct result of their size. Come to think of it, she'd never sucked a changeling's dick before. They had been selected for the sole purpose of mating. There was never any reason to ingest it orally.

The stallions began to pump their hips, sliding in and out of her. Every couple of thrusts, the one humping her mouth would pull out and let her breathe. She found herself anticipating it and timing her breaths to when he would pull out. She found it to be much easier, despite the fact that he was giving her the same interval between breaks as the other stallion had.

It felt like a good fifteen minutes before they both finished, far longer than most of her mating sessions with the changeling drones. What stamina these stallions had. Even better, their love filled her from both ends, and despite the fact that she was used to devouring it through her mouth, as most changelings do, she found that she could absorb quite a fair amount from her womb. Strangely enough, she could feel the emotion permeate her uterine wall and flow directly into her stomach. It was possible to eat without eating at all. Was this common among ponies?

"Very good," smiled Starlight. "Very well done, Chrysalis. See, I knew you were cut out for this role. You were already good at it. Now, you've taken three of the guards. One remains. However, I'm so confident that this will go well that I'm going to start feeding you right away."

As the final guard shoved his turgid cock into her dripping vagina, Chrysalis felt her head being lifted. It had been draped over the side of the table to keep her throat straight, but she was now being allowed to look up and extend her tongue, a crucial adjustment, as Starlight was now sitting over her.

"I am going to slowly release my love into your mouth. Your meal ends either when I reach my climax, or you stop feeding. From now on, this is how you will be fe-e-EEHH!"

Chrysalis dug her tongue into Starlight's pussy, digging as deep as she could. She needed that love. She had to have it. Even if she wasn't fond of the taste it was mixed with, it was better for her to swallow as much as she could, as fast as she could.

Starlight's slit was very drippy, and every drop was filled with love. There was so much of it. Even if she ate it all, and Starlight became no more than a husk, she would have enough energy to control Starlight as one might a puppet. Even if she couldn't feed off of her any longer, she could easily just make Starlight bring her places. There was a cutoff for how much love Starlight could give, but no limit to--

"A-Ahaaa!!"

Vaginal discharge splattered all over Chrysalis' nose and eyes as Starlight clamped down on her tongue. After a few moments, the love was cut off, leaving just the sticky medium through which it has been delivered.

"That's something you're going to want to work on," panted Starlight, climbing to the floor. "I did say when the cutoff would be. As I have reached my climax, this is the end of your feeding session." She turned to the last guard. "Pick up the pace, we're done for the day."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Anyway, longevity will have you better fed. Don't just rush for the nut. Really draw out the pleasure. Make it last, and you'll be a much more desirable tart. Good lesson. I'll see you soon."

As soon as the last guard finished inside of her, the group untied her and left the room. Her outfit had been mostly kept clean, though it was now soaked with sweat. The only part to have been dripped on was the back of the inside of her skirt, where it had all leaked out of her pussy. All in all, this had been a good day. She was still hungry, but she had eaten, and grown stronger. What she needed was more of this. The ability to make Starlight keep leaking, the control to hold her breath, or redirect her breathing. She could be better, given time and effort. At the very least, this was better than the alternative.

Chapter the Thirteenth: Communication

Chrysalis stared at the rack of dresses that sat across from her in the cell. Her eyes traced the fabric as she practised her breathing exercises. She'd opted for something with a very short skirt today, to avoid any dripping on it. She really liked the black satin number with the thigh slit, but any white dribbles she didn't catch would stand out.

"Hey!" shouted Twilight from outside the cell, drawing Chrysalis' attention. "Are you even listening to what I have to say?"

"To be frank, I didn't even know you were here," answered Chrysalis. "How long have you been talking?"

"About ten minutes. What have you been doing all this time when you were supposed to be paying attention?"

"Thinking to myself," answered Chrysalis. "I was focusing on my diaphragm, and how that played into the last time I had interspecies sex. I have no idea what you were saying or when you arrived. Perhaps you would benefit from calling for my attention before you start talking, so that I know when you're saying something important?"

"And perhaps you should know that when I'm saying something, it has to be important," huffed Twilight. "Is it your goal to waste my time?"

"I thought we'd already established that."

"I'm doing this for your benefit, you know. I don't want to have to come down here every other day. Would it kill you to pay attention when I say something?"

"Let's find out. Start over from the beginning."

Twilight let out a long grunt of frustration. "Just tell me what I said before you stopped paying attention."

"You said you were going to take your book to be rebound."

"I never said that!"

"Yes, you did."

"When?"

"Two days ago."

"You didn't listen to anything I said today, did you?"

"Didn't you pay attention to anything I said today? I thought I made it very clear that I was paying attention to something else, and neither heard you approach, nor did I know you were standing there, talking at me."

"Talking to you."

"Talking at me. If you were talking to me, I would need to hear and understand, and respond back thusly. Right now, you are talking to me. Before I started listening, you were talking at me."

Twilight sighed. "You're making that up."

"Nonsense. Imagine you're playing a game of hoofball. If your compatriot kicks the ball toward you with you expecting to receive it, it would be kicked to you. If you are not expecting it, it will come at you instead. The difference is the recipient's expectation to catch it. If it bounces off the back of your head, you weren't planning to catch it and run."

"Fine. I'll accept that it's something changelings say. What's your point?"

"My point is, I caught none of what you said today, and you'll have to start over from the beginning."

"What's going on here?" Starlight rounded the corner and looked into the cell. "I can hear you two arguing all the way out in the hall."

"We're fine," puffed Twilight. "She's just not listening, as usual."

"I didn't hear her walk up," replied Chrysalis. "I was lost in my thoughts on your lesson from yesterday and didn't even know she was here."

Starlight sighed. "Twilight, do you remember when you were studying that treatise collection on the bo, and I came in to ask you about a rash that had showed up on Spike's underarm?"

"You're taking her side?"

"She happens to be right this time. You didn't hear what I said the first four times, until I slammed my hoof onto the page you were enthralled with and interrupted you reading about the weaponized spade. Just give her the abridged version."

"We've wasted enough of my time already," smirked Chrysalis. "Didn't you just admonish that?"

"And you," scowled Starlight, turning back to Chrysalis and holding out her paddle. "Don't make me come back down here today, or we're going to be having words."

Chrysalis shrank back. Starlight was her primary food source right now. Upsetting her would have her going hungry again. What's more, she still wasn't powerful enough to overturn Starlight's punishments. "Y-yes, ma'am..."

Twilight looked between Starlight and Chrysalis, her jaw dropping a bit more with every turn. "How did you do that?"

"Communication," answered Starlight. "She knows exactly what I said to her. She heard it and understood. And I expect her to pay attention if she ever wants to improve." Starlight's eyes stayed locked on Chrysalis the entire time, causing Chrysalis' gaze to drop to the floor.

"You'll have to teach me that later," smiled Twilight as Starlight walked off. She turned back toward Chrysalis, who was now sitting on the floor, staring at her hooves. "Are you ready to listen now?"

Chrysalis nodded and shifted forward to reposition her skirt.

"Now, the short version of what I said is that it is important that you pay attention to whoever is talking to you. You need to make sure you're listening, and you need to understand the point they're making. That way, when they're done talking, you have something better to say than "I like the way your lips move." It's very important that you have something to say in response to what they said."

Chrysalis looked up at Twilight. "I like the way your lips move."

Twilight sighed loudly. "Didn't you listen to what I just said? Even with the abridged version?"

"Okay, fine. You want a response that matches the statement? How about a question? Why did it take you ten minutes to say all of that the first time? In fact, why didn't you give the abridged version from the start? And furthermore, why did you ramble on for ten minutes about listening before confirming that I was listening? I'd say that you're the one who needs to learn about communicating. We, the changelings, have had little issues in communicating, as it is a necessity for deception. How could we possibly disguise ourselves as ponies effectively if we could not mimic your speech and body language?"

Twilight thought for a moment, then shook her head. "You need more than just deception. Communicating requires much more than that."

"Intimidation, coercion, persuasion, influence and flattery. I think you'll find that I have a great appreciation for the ability to speak in such a way that will lead to ponies giving me exactly what I want. Assuming, of course, that they are communicating in such a way that I can understand what they are saying, and they can understand what I am saying."

Chrysalis stood and walked to the bars as she spoke. When she was done, she smirked down at Twilight, her superiority clearly shining through. In evidence, she did not need to say a word for Twilight to know how she felt; her body language was more than enough to show how good she was at communicating with a willing participant. With her tail between her legs, Twilight walked off silently. She didn't receive a meal that day, but the feeling of pride Chrysalis felt was spectacular.

Chapter the Fourteenth: Breathe

Chrysalis once more was concentrating on her technique when she felt her shoulder being shoved. She turned to see Starlight standing outside her door with two guards. "What did you say, again?"

"I said good afternoon, and asked how you slept," answered Starlight. "I appreciate that you've become more thoughtful and accepting of your situation, but it would be folly to lose all of your awareness. Keep your ears open."

"I'll try to remember that."

"Good. Now, we're going to build on what we worked on last time. Except this time, you're going to be the one in control."

Chrysalis looked up, her eyes wide. "R-really?"

"Well, no. I'll be in control of you if need be, and you'll be in control of the activity. Consider it a trial run with all of the safety switches enabled." Starlight pushed her hoof through the bars. In it was the ring gag from their last lesson. "Put it on and kneel down."

Chrysalis took the gag in her hoof and stared at it. She had considered for the last two sessions accepting this change. Ever since she'd arrived, being tied to the table had been her best experience. She'd been pressed into it, but she had felt better afterward, by a wide margin. Even yesterday, she'd bowed out of an argument with Twilight, having this fear that she'd go hungry again. Is that what she'd been reduced to? She'd never been afraid of anypony before. She hadn't even stepped down against Celestia. But Starlight? She was a cause to be afraid. She was powerful, and unafraid to exert it. She was smart, she was attentive, and she had done much more to feed her than Twilight had. She had grown dependent on this unicorn. She needed to keep her happy, else she would suffer her wrath.

With a deep breath, she placed the ring gag between her teeth and pulled the straps behind her head. She tried to latch it, but due to the mechanism being unfamiliar, she could not convince it to latch. After about thirty seconds of fumbling, she took it off and held it in front of her to try figuring out how it worked. That knowledge would be twofold: she would be able to secure it properly while she was in here, and later be able to take it off if she wanted, or perhaps even secure it to Twilight, and take her down a peg or two.

"Do you need help?" asked Starlight. "What's the problem?"

"I've never used this type of buckle before," answered Chrysalis. "I don't know how it works."

"Open your mouth," instructed Starlight, grabbing the device with her magic. She locked it in place, even as Chrysalis was lowering herself to the floor. "I'll teach you that one later. Rather, I'll have Twilight tell you. She and Rarity once attended a symposium on fasteners of all varieties, and can tell you much more about the many different types. That way, you can operate all of the different gags, not just this particular type."

This just kept improving. Knowledge was power, as the ponies tended to say, and knowing how to operate ever single gag in Equestria was a huge boon. She could silence anypony once she returned to power. Glorious.

The door slid open and the guards stepped inside and began disrobing. "I understand that you've been working on your breathing exercises," smiled Starlight. "That's good. We'll see how far along you've come today, as you will be allowed to use your mouth however you wish, with the exception of talking and biting. That said, we do have a plan as to what you'll be doing, and I will enforce it if I have to. If I don't have to, then we'll consider it another successful day."

As soon as the first guard was nude in front of her, she noticed that his spear was leaning up against the stone wall. She could easily reach out and grab it, slaughter them all, and be on her way out. Then again, there were likely to be more guards, and they would undoubtedly pile in as she tried to pry herself from the wall.

She then noticed that he was flaccid. Last time, they had all been quite firm and ready to go, but this one was droopy and soft. Lowering her head to be closer to it, she began licking the tip. Just the tip, for now. She wanted to push it up to attention in order to better utilize it. After all, he would need to cum in order to feed her, and in her experience, there was no cumming from a wet noodle.

Before long, he was nice and firm, and she was taking him down the throat. It was much harder this way, as her throat wasn't a straight tube while she was down like this, whereas his cock was straight. How could it fit in this position?

"Try leaning forward," suggested Starlight, rubbing herself. "Push your body down beneath him. That'll help you straighten out your neck."

Chrysalis lowered herself as directed, reaching up with her front hooves to balance against his hips. Doing so, she could not only push past his medial ridge, but could feel the heat of his balls resting just over her chin. It was difficult, but she could still kind of breathe if she focused all of her attention on it. It wasn't a lot of air, but it was almost enough that she could have this inside of her throat all the time and still be alive. She would still be needing to take a deep breath, but she could stay down for longer periods of time, now. She still needed some practice.

"I hear gurgling, but I don't see any movement," called Starlight. "Tell me you're still alive down there."

Chrysalis waved her hoof before pulling back her head to show that she was still kicking. This had merely been a benchmark test, to see if all of her efforts over the past two days had been worth her time. Now that she knew that it had been, she would continue to do so, gaining more and more skill. She was, after all, a changeling, and that meant that she could replace any pony at any time. And not just any changeling, but the queen. She had to be the very best, and that meant she needed to test her skill. However, now that said test was finished, it was time for some fun.

Chapter the Fifteenth: Compromise

Three more stallions had arrived out in the corridor while Chrysalis had been working on the stallion in front of her. The other one that had come in with Starlight, she was now massaging through one of the larger holes in her hoof. The tip kept poking her in the ear, and every time she would relax her grip, the thing would smack her in the back of the head.

She was going slowly this time, following the advice that Starlight had offered up in their last session. She was trying to make it last. It wasn't a lot of love that she was receiving, so if she didn't expend too much energy, she could make it work. And if Starlight was right, she'd earn love in larger portions, and that meant a net gain.

It had been about twenty minutes since she had begun sucking this stallion's cock, and he was only just now starting to throb. She knew from her last lesson that this meant he was about to finish. She focused in on that and swallowed his discharge as it shot down her throat. She could feel it landing in her stomach, as it was very warm, and immediately she could feel that the love she was absorbing was more potent.

The first stallion stepped away, and another took his place. She had since switched to sucking off the one she had been masturbating, and as a result, had a free hoof for the newcomer. As she had been edging the second guard for quite some time, he was already close. It didn't take much coercion to bring him up over the edge.

The next guard to join in was still partially armoured. However, this was the less surprising shock that Chrysalis found. There was no cock to speak of. The newest guard was a mare. Chrysalis didn't know how to react to that, nor did she know what she was supposed to do here.

"What's the holdup?" asked Starlight, settling down. "Why aren't you doing anything with her?"

"Ah gon go hac hoo goo," answered Chrysalis through the gag.

"Don't lie to me like that," scolded Starlight. "For the first several days, every time I came in here, you were masturbating yourself. You know exactly how to please a mare with your hoof. And in fact, I'm quite certain you've used your mouth to do so in the past, too."

She did bring up a good point. The last mare she had serviced, Starlight had reached her climax with little issue. On top of that, it had resulted in a bigger, more immediate payoff. With minimal thought, Chrysalis switched to jerking off the stallion, now lubricated with saliva, and opted to use her tongue to eat out the mare. Every little drip was just as filled with love as Starlight's had been. A single drop was nothing, but several over time was certainly adding up. A single drop was nothing, but a thousand... She could definitely grow accustomed to that.

Unfortunately, despite her best efforts to take things slowly, she found that she was unable to make the mare last. It wasn't any more than two minutes before she clamped down on Chrysalis' tongue. Was she just a lightweight, or was there actually something wrong with her technique?

At any rate, she couldn't ask until the gag came out, and as the mare was leaving, she couldn't ask after finishing up here. She still had two stallions, at least, and Starlight on top of that. Sure, she could ask Starlight what was wrong with her technique, but if Starlight was her only benchmark, how could she tell whether or not she was actually doing something wrong?

As the last stallion came in, she noticed that he walked right past her and sat down next to Starlight, whispering something in her ear. "You'll have to talk to her about it," came Starlight's response. "I put her in charge today, so it's her decision. My advice, though, would be to wait until she's done with Ace. He's already been interrupted once."

Chrysalis wondered what all of that meant. The new stallion was asking for something specific, and she had no idea if she could deliver. She had thought that it would just be the same thing today, but she'd already been given a mare to deal with. What was next?

She finished up the stallion that had been designated as "Ace," noting that he had a shovel as his cutie mark, an odd observation. What did Ace do with a spade that was so special? The observation itself was odd, in that she hadn't cared about anypony else's cutie mark or name. Was something changing about her?

As Ace geared up to leave, the last stallion stood up. His cutie mark was a doughnut, which was fitting, as he was rather wide-set. "I wanted to ask if you would be willing to do something a bit unorthodox," he stated. "I was wondering if you would let me fuck your arse."

"Hy oug ai ech oo goo ach?" she responded.

Starlight undid the ring gag and pulled it away. "A whore can't always choose their clientele, or what they do with them. Usually, if there is an issue, they would be protected by their pimp. For you, I am that protection. If you don't want to take it up the arse, you don't have to. That said, whores who cannot do as they are required are often not called on as frequently. Declining now means no deposit from him, and the way this has all been going, I'm pretty sure you want what he's offering. I'll even let you eat me out for as long as he lasts."

"Deal," nodded Chrysalis, spreading her legs and lifting her tail. "I presume you brought lubrication?"

The guard held up a small tube while Starlight moved into place. As he smeared it on with his hoof, Chrysalis hungrily devoured Starlight's snatch. As she had offered all of the time that it took for this stallion to cum, she was certain that she could keep Starlight situated here for at least ten minutes, and that meant a lot of food. However, it also changed her plans, as she was now free to rush, and devour all that she could within the marked time limit.

Chapter the Sixteenth: Bite

Chrysalis was typical among changelings in that she very rarely ever used her arsehole for any purpose. Dining on love created very few byproducts within the changeling digestive tract. Often, any waste materials were excreted through her saliva, stored as bile. Really, the lower end of her digestive tract was only used when eating pony food.

As a result of its disuse, it was very, very tight around the intruding member, which stretched her significantly as it pushed its way in. The stallion grunted and gripped her hips, pulling her back as he pushed forward. He was reaching places nopony had ever touched. She had never done this before. Perhaps anal was a bad idea.

Chrysalis' own grunts of discomfort were muffled, being breathed into Starlight's snatch. For a moment, she thought about pulling away, and removing this pain in her arse, but unfortunately, she'd already agreed to it. If she were to renege on her end of the deal, Starlight might stop feeding her. No. She had to put up with it. The stretching, the burning, and the oddly full feeling in her gut. It was worth the pain to be eating all she wanted for this short period of time.

Or, it would be, if she could feed right now. With every thrust the stallion gave her from behind, her body would move. Attached to that was her neck, then her head, and then her face. Every time one would move, the rest would follow, and that meant that she could not control her lips and tongue as she kept being bumped back and forth. She couldn't catch everything Starlight had to offer, and so much of it was wasted, dripping onto the floor and soaking into the stone.

It all came to a head as, with a particularly powerful thrust, Chrysalis was pushed so far forward that her fangs sank into Starlight's supple flesh, causing her to put a stop to the whole thing and exit the cell without a word. Chrysalis was about to call after her, but another thrust again clamped her jaw shut, and she bit her own tongue. She couldn't talk like this.

Unable to improve on her situation, she lowered her shoulders and began licking at the stone carefully, using her hoof to hold her jaw open. Adding all of the dust and dirt on the floor really diluted the flavour, and made her question whether or not there was any love to be gained here.

The sex was thankfully short, lasting all of five minutes before he came, chuckling about how tight she was. Chrysalis didn't have the stomach to quip back to him, as she was fairly certain that biting Starlight had damned her, accidental as it had been. As he walked out, she licked clean the wet spots on the floor and tried to suck the liquid love out of her bed where Starlight had been sitting.

"That all looks very pathetic, you know," came Starlight's voice from the hallway. She was holding a towel against her abdomen with a belt. There were a few dark red spots where her wounds were, and a wet spot between her legs. "To see personally that you have been brought so low as to eat dirt off the floor tells me exactly how desperate you are."

"Not willfully," lisped Chrysalis.

"I'm sure," nodded Starlight, stepping into the cell and taking a seat on the bed. "I'm actually quite certain that you did not intend to injure me as such. The way you were bouncing around, I'd wager that it just happened, whether you wanted it or not. I don't put a lot of faith in your intellect, but I don't think you're that stupid. Come, lie down next to me."

Chrysalis did as she was told and lay down on her bed next to Starlight. To her shock, Starlight grabbed her by the horn, moved her head onto her thigh, and began stroking her mane, feeding her love slowly. "Thith ith a thurprithe."

"How do you like being a whore, Chrysalis?"

"It'th okay."

"Just okay? Do you really want to take this route, now that you've seen the road it will take you down? Are you sure you'd rather be a lady of the night than a noblemare?"

Chrysalis thought for a moment before answering. "I find it'th more likely to hafe me fed by the end of the day. I'fe been to the noble'th partieth, and there'th no lofe to be found there exthept from the ponies who already lofe the pony I'm imperthonating. How much could I really exthpect that to cthange if I go ath mythelf? At leatht with the clienth, I can draw thomething out of them."

"So you'll be staying in this line of work, then?"

"I think I will."

Starlight nodded. "I can respect that. I never did much care for those stuffy parties, myself. Much more rewarding to work directly with the ponies beneath you. At least this way, if you are given the ability to transform, you could let the client live out some of their fantasies."

"Do you really think Thighlight would let me tranthform, even if I'm let looth on the thity?"

Starlight chuckled. "That certainly is up for debate. I don't think she will at first, but given enough time, perhaps."

They sat there in silence for the next five minutes, with Chrysalis soaking up as much love as Starlight was willing to give in a slow drip. Starlight, on the other hoof, was looking around, thinking to herself on how she might proceed from here. There were all manner of steps that she could take, but she still had to pick.

Once she was sure, she shifted Chrysalis to the side and stood up. "Remove your clothing and put it on the rack," she instructed. "I'm taking them to be washed."

Chrysalis fidgeted with the zipper of her dress. "What am I thuppothed to wear tomorrow?"

"You'll have them back," promised Starlight, "if not by the end of the day, then by tomorrow morning. I'm adding a few things to your cell for your behaviour today. I'll have them explained in greater detail tomorrow. I have a few things I have to look into personally before our next meeting."

Chapter the Seventeenth: Buckle Up

Chrysalis woke up the next morning to the sound of her cell opening. A large plastic box was being wheeled into her cell, standing completely upright with doors on the front. Two guards had come in to set it up against the wall, and once it was in the right place, remove the wheels. Once situated, one of them pulled out a key and unlocked the box. The doors swung open and from the inside came a wicker basket, which was placed next to the box.

"This is your new wardrobe," informed the guard that had finished the setup. "In accordance with Starlight's orders, you are to keep your clean clothes inside, and drop the dirty clothes in the hamper, here." He indicated the wicker basket he'd set off to the side. "There's also a box inside of there that I've been informed is new, and that it is to stay that way. I'm not going to enforce that, as I'm still on the clock and have more important matters to attend to, so make sure you leave that box untouched."

The guard walked out of the room and locked the door. Chrysalis lowered her head back down to the pillow and sighed. She didn't know anything about the box that had been delivered. She wasn't even expecting a wardrobe and hamper. She was expecting the return of the rack and its hangers.

It was a few hours before she actually stood up. As her meal service was unique among those locked in this dungeon, she did not need to be active for breakfast. As Twilight and Starlight would come by in the afternoons, she used the squeaky wheels of the lunch cart to decide when she would put on her dress. As soon as she heard that squeal, she stood up and walked over to the wardrobe.

She picked a very simple dress today, a dark green shift with a belt to match. As she looked down into the wardrobe, there sat the box. It was a very normal-looking box, looking as if it were made of wood, with the corners rounded, and the whole thing covered in a wicker weave. The latch was a simple hook and eye, meaning a quick prod with her hoof would see it open. There was even a large handle on top, so she could pick it up and carry it, and the latch would keep it closed.

She closed the doors and left the box where it sat. Whatever it was, Starlight had intended it to be unopened. She would not let her curiosity force her hoof. She would wait until she was given a good reason to open it. She had heard tales of boxes that, when opened, would hit a trigger that would cause some sort of damages. Paper snakes were well-documented, but a dye pack could be in there, as well, and that would stain her dresses. Or worse, some kind of explosive.

It wasn't too long before Twilight showed up, as expected. "I see they delivered your wardrobe and hamper. Were all of your outfits inside?"

"As far as I know. I didn't count them, nor did I memorize what was in there previously."

"Well, let Starlight know if there's anything missing tomorrow. I'm afraid that I won't be around for very long today, as I have business in the Crystal Empire for the next few days. Starlight's going to take you every day for the next week or so. I'm actually leaving in two hours, and I still have to pack, so let's make this quick."

Chrysalis nodded, and a silence fell between them. For a moment, they just stared at each other, not saying anything until Twilight gestured for Chrysalis to start.

"What's the lesson today?" asked Chrysalis, shrugging. "Are we on a tight schedule, or aren't we? You know I heard you; I answered your questions. Let's go, already."

"You need to grab your equipment, first."

"What equipment?"

Twilight furrowed her brow. "They brought you the wardrobe. Inside was supposed to be a bag filled with buckles. Starlight said you needed somepony to help you with your buckles. That's what we're supposed to be doing today."

Chrysalis turned her head to the side. "There wasn't any bag." She stepped back and grabbed the hamper, upending it to show that it was empty. She also opened the wardrobe to show Twilight that there was no bag.

Twilight pushed the door open and walked in, unlatching the box and pulling out a cloth bag. "This bag. Didn't you look in the box?"

"I was told not to."

"The guards were told not to."

"Yeah, and they passed that along to me."

"The captain did tell her to leave the box untouched, ma'am," chimed the guard. "He said he didn't want her to damage it."

Twilight sighed. "Fine. Whatever." She opened the bag and dumped its contents on the bed. A large assortment of gags, strap-ons and belts spilled out in a pile. Within seconds, Twilight had sorted everything out into columns and rows. "Wow. She must have put more in when I walked out. I don't even have some of this stuff."

"So..." Chrysalis waved her hoof over it. "What are we supposed to do with all of this?"

Twilight raised her head proudly. "These are the forty-five most common harness latches found in Equestria. There are over a hundred total, but right now, we're going to go over the ones you're most likely to encounter." She picked up the double D-ring canvas strap, the same one that Chrysalis had been unable to figure out yesterday. "This one, for example, is a common choice for belts that need to be adjusted. You feed the belt through both rings first, then around the outside of the second ring and through the inside of the first ring again. When tension is applied to the belt, the rings are the same size and cannot pass through each other, and the pressure will keep a bite in the belt and stop it from coming undone.

"The next one is a simple button and eye, and you'll find this on shirts and pants and all manner of other things. It has a lot of failure points, but each piece is easily and cheaply repaired. A button, some thread, and it's all cleaned up.

"This one's a fun one. It's just simple snaps. You press one side against the other, and they click into place. Either side is riveted into place, too, so they're not likely to break, though they will wear down after a few years of use."

Twilight continued on, detailing the many ways one could attach a belt, from braided leather to jewelry clasps. As mundane and humdrum as it seemed from the outset, as one would think when talking about buckles, Twilight made sure to point out every detail with such passion that Chrysalis had to pay attention. Even if she only needed the information to be able to operate them, Twilight would list out their peaks, their failings, how to repair them, and how to attach them. By the end, Twilight had talked beyond her time limit, and had to leave in a rush, leaving Chrysalis unfed for that day.

Chapter the Eighteenth: Open Skies

Starlight was late. She always showed up around this time, and she wasn't here yet. Perhaps her injuries had been worse than initially guessed? Nonsense, Twilight would have said something. Unless, of course, Starlight's injuries were the reason she was going to the Crystal Empire?

Finally, she heard hoofsteps approaching. Two sets of them. Starlight's she could pick out. The other set sounded bigger, likely the stallion she would be working with today. He stopped just behind the corner, and Starlight continued on her own to the cell.

"I was held up," explained Starlight. "There was something wrong with the tracks, so the train was late."

"It was a broken section of rail," came a familiar voice from around the corner. Chrysalis knew the stallion, but could not place a name or face to the voice.

"A broken rail," nodded Starlight. "Anyway, I couldn't pick this up or have a message brought to you sooner, but you'll be needing to wear this today." Starlight picked up a bag off of her back and pushed it through the bars. "Change quickly, we're already running later than I would like."

"What's wrong with what I have on?" asked chrysalis, stripping out of her schoolfilly outfit.

"We have something special planned for today, and you need to be dressed up in a way that supports the activity."

Chrysalis slipped into the dark green track suit she had been brought. She didn't know what ponies found this attractive, but at the same time, she was not a fashionista. She didn't even know who thought the schoolfilly uniform was attractive. What kind of stallion was into little foals, and why was that allowed? But if that was a fetish, surely somepony found the track suit appealing, too.

As soon as she was dressed, the door slid open and Starlight waved to the stallion, beckoning him to come in. Chrysalis kneeled down, expecting him to dictate her use, but as Starlight walked past, she picked Chrysalis up. "You're not staying in this cell. We're going somewhere today."

As the stallion walked into the cell, Chrysalis could finally place his face and name. "Well, this is a surprise, Prince Shining Armor," she said, forcing a malicious smile. She wanted to put on a powerful air, but in truth, she was mortified. Shining's love was insanely powerful, that much she knew. If she could convince him that she was Cadance, or even Twilight, then he could, and in the past had, given her enough love to take over all of Canterlot. Without the ability to transform, however, it had the capacity to consume her. For right now, that was a fear she needed to hide.

He and Starlight walked to the back of the cell, and with a pair of keys, unhooked her from the wall. She was unbound from her anchor, the door was open, and only a single guard seemed to stand between her and the exit. On top of that, the cables strung to her wrist could act as whips, so she was armed, as well. And yet, she didn't run. She couldn't run. Something inside of her had broken, and what she felt was best right now was to sit and wait.

Starlight gathered up the cables and wrapped them up into coils that she could use as a leash. She gave one to Shining and kept the other, and they both led her along the hallways, twisting and turning, drawing the attention of everypony they walked by. Chrysalis tried to memorize the route, noting any possible doors that would take her outside. In the end, it didn't matter, however, as the last turn they went through was an exterior door.

Chrysalis found herself in a large field, bordered on all sides by walls. Four dozen or so ponies were running around, flying through the air, or punching and kicking at hay dummies. All of that stopped as soon as she was trotted out among them. Everypony turned to look at her, stopping what they were doing to gawk.

"I've made it very clear, or rather I've tried to, that appearance is very important in the line of work you'll be going into," said Starlight, taking the leash from Shining Armor. "It's also imperative that you have a lot of muscle control. Twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays, you'll be brought somewhere to do your exercising. This will make you both more appealing and better at your job. This is imperative, and at this time, non-negotiable."

Chrysalis turned to face her. "Are you sure you want me growing more powerful? I could overcome you."

"Perhaps you will," nodded Starlight. "It's entirely possible that my feeling sorry for you and giving you the ability to move around like this was a bad idea. Perhaps it would have been more beneficial to put an exercise bike in your cell. But it's becoming very crowded in there, and we won't be able to fit all of your clients in there if we go any further."

She turned to Chrysalis and put her hoof on her shoulder, looping the cable coils around her neck so as not to let them become a tripping hazard. "You told Twilight not to pretend that her helping you was done for your benefit. I'm not going to pretend that this is solely for your benefit. This is going to do a lot for me. It's going to do a fair bit for Twilight, and it's especially going to be very good for the guards. It'll also give me the opportunity to spray you down with soap and water, banishing that awful smell and making you more approachable. It also gives the staff time to clean your cell, with the guards searching it for paraphernalia. So you see, this is not done for your benefit, it's for ours. The fact that you become a tiny bit more buff is really one of my lesser concerns. Now, go run at least two laps. Jog if you have to slow down. Justify your upcoming shower."

She swatted Chrysalis' flank just as Shining fired a spell from his horn, blocking off the sky. She knew that the open air was too good to be true. Of course going outside would be limited by a force field upheld by Equestria's most powerful abjurer. No way would she be allowed full rein out of their grasp. She wasn't that far gone yet.

Chapter the Nineteenth: Hit the Showers

As she rounded the third bend, Chrysalis realized just how out-of-shape she'd become recently. Being without sustenance, then with minor sustenance for a short time, all the while without any kind of workout was really doing a number on her body. If she'd had any thoughts of blasting her way out of here on seeing the sky, those were tempered now with the realization that any amount of speed she used to escape would have her out of breath before she reached the outer walls. Perhaps even the inner walls could hold her, as she didn't know if she could even fly that high anymore.

As she started her second lap, a guard joined her. "Nice day, isn't it?"

Chrysalis did not answer. Starlight had wanted two laps, and she didn't dare upset her mistress. She had neither the focus nor spare energy to waste on conversation.

"Actually, it's a little warm for my tastes," the guard continued. "You don't have to answer back; I know you're busy. Anyway, I like the colder weather, myself. Autumn and winter are my favourite seasons. Of course, when I tell ponies that, they instantly think that I just want more Hearth's Warming, and they decide to celebrate a sort of "Halfway to Hearth's Warming" party in June, and I really could just go without. It's the weather that really does it for me, and nopony really cares about that aspect. Give me powder snow over hot sand any day of the week, you know what I mean?"

She did know what he meant. Honestly, she was much the same, preferring the colder weather of the seasons. Rain was her favourite, but snow wasn't so bad, either. The darker days meant she could more easily move in stealth, and a good blizzard would shroud her form entirely.

"Autumn is a bit more tricky of a subject to work around, though. It's not so easy convincing everypony else that you like the three months were everything seems to be dying. Leaves falling off of trees, grass turning yellow and drying up, and all of that. One of the things everypony likes about that season is a legitimate favourite of mine, though. It's the spices. Pumpkin spice, apple cider spice, all manner of things like that. Cinnamon really comes to the front of everypony's mind, and I love it."

That was something she was unfamiliar with. While she knew ponies were into that, she did not need to subsist on pony food, and skipped over a lot of it, with the excuse that she was trying to watch her figure. Even now, she didn't need to, but the way he was talking about it, she kind of wanted to give it a taste, if just for the flavour.

"Anyway, I won't take up too much more of your time. Perhaps we'll talk another time. Enjoy your fourth lap."

As the stallion broke off and made his way to the archery range, Chrysalis slowed to a stop, utterly exhausted. She had not been paying attention to where she was, being lost in listening to him speak. She had doubted that she'd finish the second lap, but she'd finished a third without even realizing it. Was this the overwhelming power that friendship promised?

Panting, she made her way back to Starlight, who was wearing a smug grin. "Made a new friend, did we?"

Chrysalis was panting too hard to answer wholly. A simple nod was all she could muster. There was more to it than a simple yes or no, as she knew nothing about him other than his take on the seasons. She hadn't even looked at his face, and if she were told to point him out, she couldn't. Were they really friends? Were they just two creatures who spoke once and never would again?

"Come on," she said, waving to Chrysalis. "I know we only just came out here, but I wasn't expecting much from you today, what with you being out of practice. It's well past time for you to have a shower."

Taking one of her cables that had been fashioned into a leash, Starlight led Chrysalis inside, and through the barracks. As it was not very far from the training grounds, it wasn't a long walk. Through there, they went into the large open showers. As the guards were expected to be properly bathed for their shift, it was well understood that these showers would always need to be operational.

"This is the stallions' barracks," noted Shining Armor, following them in. "What, did they close down the mares' barracks? Is it all coed now?"

"No, it's not," answered Starlight. "We're coming in here for the stallions, specifically."

Four stallions were showering currently, and one more was toweling off at the far end of the room. They all looked up from what they were doing as the trio entered the room. They were an odd sight, with Shining still dressed in armour, Starlight being a mare, and Chrysalis being a prisoner. All of them were in violation of some rule or another, but with Starlight having a writ to move about the castle for so long as the royalty allowed it, and with Shining Armour being the prince, none of the guards were willing to make the first move.

"At ease," called Starlight. "This is neither an inspection, investigation, nor injunction. If you wish to go about your showers unhindered, feel free to do so. However, it has been well established throughout your ranks that the former queen of the changelings is now servicing members of the guard at my discretion."

"I didn't know that," admitted one of the guards.

Another looked at him. "Really? I thought you had. Didn't you talk about going down there the other day?"

"No, that was a guest room, and a different mare."

"Well, word should have spread to you," continued Starlight. "If it didn't before, it has now. Since at least one of you doesn't know the rules, I'll explain them now. I would have had to add one today, anyway. This," she pointed to Chrysalis, "is Chrysalis. She is being turned into a whore to better serve Equestria. I am overseeing her training. If you wish to assist in making her a more knowledgeable practitioner of the sexual arts, you ask me. Today, she's going to be in here. She needs a good scrubbing, so the bonus rule is, if you want to use her, you have to aid in scrubbing. Any takers?"

Chapter the Twentieth: Lather

Shining Armor sat on the bench next to the entrance, a bag of scrubbers next to him for anypony who came in. Starlight was holding a bar of soap, and any time one of the brushes was too dirty, it would be rinsed off and reapplied. This turned out to be much more necessary than anticipated, as every minute of scrubbing took off layers upon layers of dirt and grime. at the start, the white suds that had come from the brush were quickly turning grey, and the water carried so much dirt that it seemed to turn dark brown, almost black.

"This has been a long time coming, Chrysalis," said Starlight, scrunching up her nose. "I can smell the excessive rot that was deteriorating under your exterior layer, being doused in your bodily oils. This is the most rancid smell I've ever experienced."

"It's not as though I can do this myself," sneered Chrysalis back, wincing as a guard carefully tried to brush through the knots in her mane. "I haven't been granted the opportunity to come in here, and there's no shower in my cell. If I'm dirty, it's your fault."

"I'll admit to partial blame," smirked Starlight. "We were having some trouble convincing you to behave enough that we could bring you up here. We had considered a week ago just pinning you to the wall and spraying you down with a hose, but you decided to cooperate. This will undoubtedly yield better results."

"It's so tangled," grunted the guard brushing her mane, having to pick away at pieces with a comb. "It'd almost be easier just to cut most of it off and start from scratch."

"Do you want her to suck you off while you work on it?" offered Starlight. The guard didn't need to answer, as his body was already doing so. As his cock slid from his sheathe, Chrysalis knew what she was meant to do. She took it between her lips and sucked it into her mouth, caressing it with her tongue. It tasted like it had been recently cleaned, which made sense, as he looked to have been finishing his shower when she came in.

She didn't hear any further complaints from him, but she could still feel him messing with her mane. She hadn't looked at how unkempt her mane had been, as there was no mirror in her cell. That was likely because she could break it and use the largest shard as a weapon, either on herself or her captor. She didn't even have a brush to deal with the knots on her own. all she could do now was watch as the torn away clumps and knots drifted by in the murky water running down her legs and into the drain catch, a soft plastic netting that hat small plastic spikes to catch hair. Guards had to keep their manes and tails moderately short, but they were allowed to keep them long enough that these became necessary to keep the drains unclogged.

"What about me?" asked the guard that was scrubbing her shoulders. Chrysalis didn't need Starlight to tell her what to do here, either. She shifted her hips and raised her tail, displaying her slit. The maneuver was obvious enough that the guard caught on right away and hopped aboard, slipping into her.

"I'm not going to fault you all blowing off some steam and having fun with her, but remember that the goal here is to clean her up," reminded Starlight. "You can blow your load all you like, but don't forget to keep scrubbing while you do." This warning reminded the guard that he had opted to assist. He picked up his brush and immediately began scrubbing at her flank.

Two more guards walked in at that moment, having finished with their training. "Well, this is a surprise," came a familiar voice. Chrysalis pulled her head back and looked at the two of them. One of them was the guard who had run with her. She still didn't know which one, but she had some time to find out.

"You'll need these," said Shining as she turned her mouth back to the stallion brushing out her mane.

"You can use her holes, as long as you scrub," informed Starlight. Moments later, one of the stallions was scrubbing her neck while another was brushing out her tail. The one that was handling her neck, she could fondle with her hoof, but she was unable to do anything for the one brushing her tail.

"Never thought I'd see the day," chuckled the guard scrubbing her neck. "If, during that wedding invasion, you told me that one day, the queen of the changelings would be stroking my balls, I'd think you were absolutely nuts."

"Just wait until she's gagging on your shaft," said the one working on her tail. "She's clearly had some practice."

"Spiceberry's right," grunted the guard on her mane. "She knows how to work her tongue..." It wasn't long before he gripped her horn and blew his load down her throat. As soon as he was done, he pulled away, and the one she was working with her hoof took his place. He tasted and smelled sweaty, having only just come in from his training. The taste faded pretty quickly, though, as the water spraying over them all washed away a lot of the heavier stuff. He still needed soap, but given that he was in her mouth, now was a bad time to add it.

More guards came in over time, and after an hour of switching out, only Spiceberry remained, having just scrubbed and brushed her mane and tail without having her perform any activities on him. It took her the full hour to clean up, partially due to the caked-on grime, partially due to several cumshots landing on her back that needed to be cleaned again, and partially due to her mane, tail and wings needing extra attention to keep them from being damaged by the more abrasive brushing.

When the water was finally shut off, she felt almost two kilograms lighter. She was a bit sore and quite sensitive, having lost her exterior coating that had protected her ever so slightly. It felt kind of nice, actually.

As she reached for her track suit to put it back on, Starlight stopped her. "It would invalidate your shower if you just put your dirty clothes back on," she said. "Spiceberry will take them back to your cell and put them in your hamper." She picked up the cable that served as a leash. "Your cell should be clean by now. Come on, let's go back to have a look."

It was spotless. It had been scrubbed clean, though perhaps not as vigorously as she had been. The bed now had a bit more padding, the dust was gone from the floor, and a chair had been added next to the wardrobe. Starlight uncoiled the cables, made sure they weren't tangled, and secured them back in place. She and Shining locked her in place, and she was back to sitting and waiting, though her space was a bit nicer now.

"I'm proud of you," said Starlight, feeding Chrysalis with love as Shining and Spiceberry walked away. "You didn't bite anypony, even accidentally. You're well on your way to freedom. See how nice it is when you cooperate?"

Chrysalis nodded and was rewarded with a kiss to the tip of her horn. Things were beginning to look up.

Chapter the Twenty-First: Cider

After a long rest, Chrysalis was lounging in her bed. Mornings passed by without any events happening, so she didn't bother standing up. She was still a little sore from yesterday, and several hours would usually pass before anypony showed up. Why bother?

She heard hooves approaching. It wasn't often that somepony would come this way, other than during guard changes. At first, she wondered if it was some other high-profile prisoner. She was the only one in this section, so having somepony in the next cell would make for an interesting experience. She closed her eyes and listened to the echoes until they stopped in front of her cell.

"Good morning," came a voice from the front of her cell. "Still not dressed?"

Chrysalis leaned up and looked out into the hall. "This is a surprise visit," she explained. "Nopony comes here until after lunch."

"Well, I was given permission," smiled Spiceberry. "I brought you something." He reached behind him and pulled out a small paper cup with a cardboard sleeve. "We didn't have much of a chance to talk yesterday, as by the time you were done servicing the rest of the men, I was late for my shift. Prince Shining Armor vouched for me, but I still had to stay late and come in early today."

Chrysalis reached through the bars and grabbed the cup. It was quite hot. "What is this?"

"I know it's out of season, but I do love apple cider. You seemed like you were concentrating at the time, so I don't know if you had a response to it."

Chrysalis took a whiff of the steam rising out of the cup. It smelled very warm, but she could tell right away that it was made with love. "You made this yourself?"

"It's not that hard," he chuckled. "Apple juice, some spices, mix, heat, reduce and serve. It's the hard cider that's hard to do right."

Chrysalis pressed the cup to her lips and took a big swallow, immediately regretting it and having to put the cup down. "Careful, that's still piping hot," warned Spiceberry, too late. Chrysalis took several shallow breaths, trying to cool off. "I just made the stuff before coming in," he said, offering a cup of ice.

She took a cube and began sucking on it. "Is it supposed to be that hot?"

"Well, it simmers for half an hour," he explained. "I took it off the stove and poured it through a sieve literally right before coming in. It cooled a little bit, but not very much. You may want to add a few ice cubes to it, though that will water it down a little bit."

Chrysalis pried the lid off and dropped three ice cubes into the cup. "How long have you been making cider?"

"Since I was eight," he smiled. "I had my first taste of the stuff, and was so enraptured by the taste that I immediately wanted to learn how to make my own. Batch after batch, and after a thousand or so, I finally nailed down the flavour I needed. A cinnamon stick, eight cloves, two allspice and a nutmeg for a gallon of the stuff. If I have to use the ground spices, I have to cut it with brown sugar, though. Not very much, but when you try to mix the dry powder into the liquid, it tends to clump. The sugar helps prevent that. If you're ever out of here, I'll teach you how to do that."

The ice was melted now, and through her hoof, Chrysalis was able to determine that the cider was now just warm. She took a sip, not wanting to risk burning her tongue again. The mixture was thick and sticky, and had a very powerful flavour to it. She could point out the apples, for sure, and the spices blended well into each other. Most notably, however, this was made with a lot of love. Between all of those, it was the most delicious drink she'd ever had, and she downed the rest of it with haste.

"Did you enjoy it?"

"You'll have to teach me how to do that someday," she said, trying to lick clean the inside of the cup with her long tongue. "You need to go into business with this stuff!"

"Well, you need money to do that," he chuckled. "That's why I joined the guard, you know? I'm saving up for a kiosk in the Crystal Empire. Not a big place, just a small little stall where I can sell the stuff."

"Why the Crystal Empire? Why not here?"

Spiceberry looked over to Chrysalis. "Because it's colder there, for starters. I like the weather up north. The snow sticks around longer, the summers are milder... Then there's the fact that nopony up there has a source of cider. They have the ingredients come in regularly, but there's nowhere up there where you can just buy cider by the cup, or by the litre, or anything like that. I can produce and sell it there with no issue."

"But if you're up there, where will I be able to find more of this?"

"You liked it that much?"

"For the first time, I find myself enjoying pony food," she admitted. "You can't hook me on this and then just stop delivering. I need more!"

"Well, I'll tell you what," he chuckled. "I'm going to be in the guard for another year, at least. The next fourteen months, I'm still under contract to live here in Canterlot, or at least very nearby. I'll keep bringing them by, as long as Starlight says it's okay, but you have until then to clean up your act and find your way out of here. If that day comes, look me up."

He picked up her trash and stored it away for disposal on his way out. "My shift starts soon. I'll try to be back tomorrow with more, but Starlight keeps that gate. Try to stay on her good side, because I actually want to come back."

As he walked away, Chrysalis could hear the squeaky wheels of the lunch cart roll past him. She wanted more of that cider. She needed more of that cider. Whatever she had to do to have it, it was worth it. She slipped over to her wardrobe and sifted through it, trying to find a dress that Starlight would like.

Chapter the Twenty-Second: Scones

Chrysalis had pulled herself out of bed early today and dressed up to wait for Spiceberry to come back. She had been good yesterday, doing everything Starlight had asked of her and more, and asked specifically if he could come back tomorrow. She'd said he could, and that was all she needed to wake up early. She was wearing a blue evening gown, nothing particularly special, but good enough to impress him, hopefully.

Sure enough, he came by before lunch, even earlier than he had the day before. "Good morning," he smiled, coming to a stop in front of her cell. "You're looking better than you did yesterday."

"I wanted to make sure you kept coming back," she said bluntly. "Did you bring the good stuff?"

"Right here," he said, picking up a paper cup. This one was larger than the last, at least four times the size. "Since you enjoyed it so much, I thought I'd bring you even more than yesterday. Be careful, It's still hot."

She took it excitedly through the bars, and feeling how hot it was, set it down on her bed. "Do you have any ice?"

"Not today, no. This time, I left it hot so you would enjoy it over time, rather than just gulping it all down at once."

Chrysalis frowned. "I have to wait?"

"Not that long." Spiceberry sat on the ground outside the cell. "I have something else for you, too, to see if that tides you over for a bit." He reached into his saddlebag and pulled out a container with a lid. "I made these several hours ago, so I know they're cooled by now."

"What are they?"

He pulled off the lid and pushed the container through the bars. Inside were a few triangular biscuits. "Scones. Cranberry walnut. I'm not as good at these as I could be, but if I were to find a business partner who bakes, I could expand my shop a bit, theoretically. Mayhaps I'll find somepony up there, who knows the ins and outs of crystalberries."

"Why not spiceberry scones?" suggested Chrysalis, sniffing at one of the scones. "It's your namesake, after all."

Spiceberry chuckled. "The flavour would be way too intense, and would easily overpower my cider. Something a bit more mild would do a better job. It's all about balance."

Chrysalis took a bite. Immediately, she could taste the amount of care he had put into these. After that came the flavours of the berries and nuts, and finally the crumbly medium, which was slightly sweet and mildly tart. She was starting to see why ponies ate this stuff.

"How is it?"

Chrysalis took another bite. She took a deep breath, swallowed what she had, and placed the rest on top of the lid of her cup, sinking to the ground. She held her head in her hooves and stared at the floor.

"Is everything alright?" asked Spiceberry, pressing his hoof against the bars. "Look, if it's not a good scone, you don't have to eat the rest. I'm not going to make you finish it."

"No, it's good," groaned Chrysalis. "It's great, actually. There's something wrong with me."

"I'll go find Starlight and bring her down here. She'll know what to do."

As he stood up to leave, she reached out, only to have her hoof held back by the cables. "Wait!" she called out to him. "Please, come back!"

To her surprise, he did come back, and after she gestured to the floor, he sat back down. She sat down next to him, and for the first time since she'd been locked up, she felt completely and totally safe. She also felt an intense pain in her chest and throat, as if she were deepthroating a stallion, having forgotten how to breathe while performing, and unable to arrange herself in such a way to come up for air. She almost felt as though she would burst.

"What's wrong?" Spiceberry's hoof slipped through the bars and landed on her shoulder.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

He smiled. "Because I want to see you succeed in the goal set by Starlight. I want you to know that you are valued. After all, nopony believed I could be a royal guard. Look at me, I'm skinny and lanky. I have no visible muscle, I detest fighting, and I spend a lot of my spare time cooking and baking, two skills that I was always chided at for having growing up. I was made fun of because I would rather be in the kitchen making cookies than outside playing sportball. And despite that, here I am, a Corporal with only one year left of enlisted service. While it's true that I could try to be a higher rank, for me, this is just a job. For you, I believe that you can be better. I honestly believe that you can be everything that Starlight wants you to be and more."

Chrysalis wiped her eyes. "I used to be a queen," she muttered. "Now I'm supposed to be a whore?"

"You were a queen. You were above everyling else. That's a long way to fall, but you were up there for years. You can be up there again. So Starlight says that your best bet to fit into society is to be a whore. You can prove her wrong, and give up, or you can prove her right, and be a common whore, or you can be better than she says. Be the best damn whore Equestria's ever seen! You have the power, and for as long as you keep pushing for more of it, I'm going to stand beside you!"

His words hit her like a runaway cart. She'd never felt this kind of encouragement before. It was always tinged with the fact that she had to be disguised as somepony else to receive it. She had asked Starlight the week prior if anypony would ever proposition her for sex if she looked like herself, and here was a stallion who believed that she could do it. Could she really do what he said? Was she even capable?

"Stand up," she ordered. "Put your hips against the bars."

With a nod, he did what she said, and moments later, she was sucking him off, completely unprompted. If she was going to be the best cocksucker that Equestria had ever known, then she would need more practice.

Chapter the Twenty-Third: Conjugal

Chrysalis sat in her red velvet dress, watching the door to her cell, just waiting for Spiceberry to come see her. She hadn't known him for more than a few days, but she'd grown dependent on him. Perhaps it was because he'd been feeding her in such a way that she could derive nutrition from. Perhaps it was that he seemed to actually want to spend time with her. Whether or not he wanted to come back after she'd spilled her emotions all over him, she could not say. After she'd blown him, he'd left in a bit of a rush, and hadn't stuck around for her to finish her cider and scone. Starlight had been the one to take away her empty cup.

She wondered how long she'd been waiting. There was no clock here, either in her cell or in the hallway. She never had any idea what time it was. All she knew was that it was after breakfast, but not quite lunch. Perhaps he wasn't coming today? What if he didn't come today?

Then she heard it. The clip clop of stallion hooves coming her way. She found her excitement waxing as she listened to his approach. Except, he wasn't alone. Somepony was walking with him. That was odd. Usually, it was just the two of them, plus the guard whose job it was to watch her. Still, she saw four to five stallions on a daily basis with just the ones Starlight would bring to have their way with her. One more in the morning wasn't a big deal, right?

It turns out that the guest he was bringing was in fact Shining Armor, and the comfort drained from her. She was not particularly fond of this situation, but she puffed out her chest, anyway. "To what do I owe the honor, Prince Shining Armor?"

He shook his head and grabbed the spear of the guard watching her, checking to make sure that the tip was sharp. Satisfied, he unlocked the door and slid it open before walking off without a word. As soon as he was gone, Spiceberry walked into the cell and placed the cup on her bed. "Sorry for the wait. Prince Shining Armor is a bit strict when it comes to you in particular. He was talking to Starlight when I came in, and she let him look into some security concerns he had. I guess he wondered if I was bringing in tools to help you escape, or something."

"Did you?"

He shook his head. "I meant what I said yesterday. I want to see you climb out of here on your own. The best I have with which to supply you is the equivalent of a good, hearty meal."

Chrysalis shook her head. "There's more, actually."

"Oh?"

Chrysalis placed her front hooves against the wall and slid her legs open. "You provide me with training. You give me an opportunity and means to figure out a skill that I have yet to solve."

He walked up and placed a hoof on her flank. "Which one do you need the most practice with?"

Chrysalis lowered her head in shame. "My only attempt at anal ended up injuring somepony. I want to be better at that."

"I can't help with that," he shook his head. "Not today, anyway. I would need to bring in a little something extra. And to be perfectly honest, I think you'd do much better to start with somepony smaller than me. Somepony less girthy."

Chrysalis sighed. "I was really hoping you would agree."

He patted her flank, and even gave it a soft squeeze. "I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I can't come in early tomorrow because it's a training day, but the day after, I'll bring some lube with me, and if you still want to give it a go, we can do it then. Does that sound fair to you?"

Chrysalis smiled and nodded. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Is there anything else you want to try?"

"Starlight wants me to be more accommodating. Is there anything you want to do?"

"In here? Some basic stuff, but what I'd really like to do is take you out for an evening. Catch a concert, go to an art show, a light dinner..."

Chrysalis turned to face him. "An art show... Like, paintings and such?"

"That's the idea, yeah."

Chrysalis swallowed hard. She suddenly wished she had paid attention during Twilight's lessons at the beginning. Then again, if she had, she may never have met Spiceberry. Perhaps if she talked to Starlight, she could have another chance. It wasn't too late, right?

She cleared her throat. "So, uh... you said you wanted to do some basic stuff with me?" She raised her skirt and exposed herself, winking at him to show her readiness.

"Why don't you go sit on the bed?" he smiled. "I want to watch your reactions throughout."

She did as he asked. After moving her cup so as not to spill it, he climbed up on top of her and pressed his body against her. She wrapped her legs loosely around his shoulders. He was already hard, and with her being wet, he managed to slip inside of her easily, and after a few moments, the cell was filled with the sound of breathy moans and soft wet slaps.

She was determined now. She had a calling to which she needed to answer. The look on Spiceberry's face told her that she was doing well, but he still occasionally gave her some hints as to how she was doing, and how she could do better. She did her best, trying to slow his roll so he could be around longer. When he finally came inside her, squeezing her waist, he collapsed, panting on top of her. Love was dripping from him, but she made no attempt to suck it all up. If any came to her, she would absorb it, but she didn't want to take advantage of him like that. He meant too much to her.

After he caught his breath, he adjusted himself and left, closing the door behind him. A moment passed before she heard the squeaky wheels of the lunch cart and made a move to drink the cider he'd brought. It was room temperature by now, and that made it just right for her to drink.

Chapter the Twenty-Fifth: Stretch

Chrysalis had woken up early and brushed her mane and tail, as ordered. She was still unable to use her horn, but the bronze mirror she'd been given showed her that it was not the same as she remembered. It was shorter, a bit wider, seemed to be slowly filling in and was bending backward. She was unsure if it was just the colouration of the mirror or her eyes playing tricks on her, but in this lighting, she seemed to be gaining a lighter tone to her carapace.

She turned to the front as she heard Spiceberry and Shining approach. She had once again opted for a short skirt, as she had plans today. Shining made his inspections and opened the door, then left once again.

"One of these days, he'll figure it out," chuckled Spiceberry, setting down the cups he'd brought. "So, I heard what you did yesterday. Taking my advice? Word on my end says it worked out pretty well. How did you feel about it?"

"Well, with all that's going on lately, It's just kind of sex to me. It did have them drooling all over me, though. That part was kind of nice."

"Just sex, huh?"

Chrysalis lowered her head. "Look, I know you want me to try extra hard, but it's kind of swallowing up my life right now. It's not like with you. They don't want me to grow from this, they just want their fix, and I'm supposed to be the selfish one."

"So, do you just want to sit and talk today?" he asked. He looked genuine, as if it was a legitimate offer. "There's nothing wrong with stopping to take a short rest."

"No, I want to keep going," huffed Chrysalis. "I want to be better, but I feel like the only way to do that is if you're behind me every step of the way. If I fall, I want to know that somepony will catch me, and that somepony..."

Spiceberry nodded and took her by the hoof. "As long as I'm still here."

She squeezed his hoof. "Fourteen months?"

"Fourteen months." He suddenly took a step closer and pressed his lips to hers. "And if you're out by then, you can come up and see me. Assuming, of course, that Starlight and Shining Armor have no issues with that. I don't mind."

Chrysalis wrapped her free hoof around his shoulders and pulled him in close. She didn't know why she did it, it just felt right, somehow.

"Well, I..." He cleared his throat. "I guess we should work on undoing this other cable, hm?"

She nodded and pulled away. "My guess is that, since Twilight's gone right now, we have to wait until she returns to convince her to take it off."

"Then let's work on that persuasion," he nodded. He reached into a paper bag he'd brought along with him. From it, he pulled a bottle of lube and a small silver bauble. "Are you sure you want to try anal?"

"What's that thing?"

"If you fail to take me, this is to help you move up more gradually. I went to an adult novelty store to see if they had any advice that I could give you; I did not mention you by name, I just referred to you as "my partner." They told me to have you use these in your off time, and to hide them under clothing if worn outside."

"I don't think wearing them outside is going to be a big problem..."

"No, probably not. They may be a bit uncomfortable to wear while working out, though. Plus, you'd need to take them out before showering, because they may block some of your skin from being able to clean up. Really, it's more of a problem with the bigger ones, because of the flanges, but..."

"So, how does it work?"

"I'll show you before I leave today, and unless Starlight has you take it out, it can stay in until tomorrow. If it's too small, I bought a whole set, and we can walk our way up the sizes until you're ready."

"Let's see if we even need it in the first place," she said, turning around and pressing her chest to the ground. "I want to know for certain if it's my inability to take, or his inability to give that caused the problem. Any other advice you have would be useful."

Spiceberry began lubricating her arsehole with his hoof, gently probing to see how wide he could go without doing any damage. "It's very tight. Relax. Let the muscles loosen around there."

"I'm trying to relax," she grunted, "but you're shoving your hoof up my arse."

"That's going to change now," he said, pulling his hoof away. "Ready?"

"Just slide it right in."

He lined himself up, and pushed in just the head, stopping just past the flare. "I can't fit any more in if you keep squeezing this tight," he grunted, pushing forward. "You have to loosen up. Take a few deep breaths."

As she took a few breaths to relax her mind, hoping that her sphincter would follow suit, he reached around her waist and back between her legs, gently rubbing her pussy as she tried to pull away the tension. He was squeezing his way in, centimetre by centimetre.

"Tell me if it's too much," he grunted. "It's already really tight in here."

"I think you were right about being too big," she huffed. "I don't think I can take any more..."

Spiceberry began to slowly move back and forth. He wasn't even a quarter of the way in, but he knew how far he could go, and between that and the tip, he tried to move slowly and gently, but after a half dozen thrusts, she was letting out grunts of pain, and he needed to pull out.

"I thought, if you were so into the idea, I'd at least make it halfway," he panted.

"You're just too big," was her response.

"You just need some time to become acclimated to it," he smiled. "That's why I bought the box set. You're going to have to work your way up. We'll find one in your size and start working your way up to mine."

Chrysalis picked up the shiny bauble. "How does it work?"

Spiceberry grabbed it by the handle and lubricated it, then gave it back. "The shiny side goes inside your anus. Just a little bit."

She shot him an unsure glance, then reached back and pushed it in. In comparison to his dick, it was small, but she could still feel it moving around back there. It slid in with little effort.

"It fits."

"It is the smallest butt plug they had. I'll let you use that for a little while, and we'll see how it goes."

"Right." She turned back to him and gave his shaft a long drag with her tongue. "In the meantime, let's give you a proper thanking, shall we?"

Chapter the Twenty-Sixth: Niche

Chrysalis had brushed out her mane and tail after Spiceberry left. She needed to make sure she was presentable for Starlight's visit. Thankfully, she'd managed to swallow his entire load, and none had dripped off onto her clothing, so it was not necessary to change clothes.

The door opened, and Starlight walked in with the captain from yesterday that had punished all of the stallions who had popped off without paying. "Good afternoon," she nodded. "You remember Captain Poultice from yesterday?"

"A pleasure," he offered his hoof.

"I do recall, yes," Chrysalis nodded, shaking his hoof.

"Then you will also recall that he was unfairly removed from the lineup because he was required to chase down the runners. He was not serviced last night because he had to run an extra shift on his day off. So now, you're going to give him what he worked for."

Chrysalis lowered herself to the floor and opened her mouth. If he was expecting full service, she was obligated to give him both ends.

"Nice try," smirked Starlight. "If you recall, I offered him a special, extra service. Are you familiar with the concept of a rimjob?"

Chrysalis shook her head. "Never heard of it."

"Anilingus?"

"Nope."

Starlight shrugged. "Well, I guess I'll just come out and say it, then. You know how you've been eating me out? Shoving that long, wriggling tongue of yours up inside of me?"

Chrysalis looked back and forth between the two of them, confused. "Are you trying to tell me I've been talking to a mare?" She looked between his legs. "There's a cock down there..."

"He is a stallion, yes," nodded Starlight. "You're correct in your assessment. I'm asking you to recall the techniques you utilize to do that sort of thing."

"What does that have to do with him, though?"

"I'm coming to that," nodded Starlight. "Everything you did to me, you'll do to him. Except, you'll be shoving your tongue up his arse."

Chrysalis' eyes went wide at the idea. "Seriously?"

"He cleaned himself out," nodded Starlight. "I watched him do so myself. You'll be fine."

Poultice turned around, pulled his flank aside, and lifted his tail. It certainly looked clean. "So, what do I do, here?"

"The same thing you do with me, except in another hole," answered Starlight. "You may also benefit from fondling his balls and slowly stroking the shaft, but you really need to dig up in there with your tongue. Start with a kiss and see where that goes."

Chrysalis approached the butt and took a deep breath. Halfway through, she regretted doing so in such an order, as she could be breathing in a fart, but that thought dissipated as she realized that it smelled sweet and tart. She thought back to Starlight mentioning that it had just been cleaned, and wondered if what she was smelling was actually his soap.

She pressed her lips to his sphincter, and, comfortable with how fresh he smelled, pushed her tongue forward. It tasted of skin, though it was a bit wet. There was no cleaner arse in the entirety of Equestria at this very moment, she would wager. Starlight had been perfectly honest about how immaculate it was.

As she pushed her tongue past the opening, he spread for her very smoothly. "This is what an arsehole is supposed to do during anal sex," Starlight confirmed. "Feel how he spreads open. He's ready to accept your appendage. Not like you with yo-- What have we here?" She lifted Chrysalis' tail and examined her arse. "Look at you, training yourself. No doubt your little coltfriend put that in this morning..."

Chrysalis didn't respond, as she didn't want to answer the question if it would cause trouble for Spiceberry. Also, her tongue was inside of the captain's arse.

"Let's see, here." Starlight grasped the plug by the flange and pulled it out. The sharp pain from doing so almost caused Chrysalis to bite her own tongue. It was much more upsetting coming out than going in. When it finally pulled free with an audible pop, Chrysalis let out a loud moan. "You like that empty feeling? That sudden vacuum?"

Again, Chrysalis was silent. She was servicing a stallion, and she had to show that her client's needs came before her own. Even though she didn't like the taste of his colon, it wasn't the worst experience she'd had in this cell.

"I am disappointed by how small it is, but your unwillingness to give it up tells me you're not ready for the one I would have picked." Starlight added more lube and squeezed it back in, almost making Chrysalis bite herself again. "You're going to spend a lot of time with that in there. I'm going to check it every day now, so make sure it's in when I come by."

She had planned to leave it in all the time, anyway. She was doing it for Spiceberry. However, the fact that it had been a shock to Starlight was unforeseen. She was under the impression that Spiceberry had cleared this with her; that she knew he was bringing it with him today. Had he really slipped it past her unnoticed?

She stopped thinking about that and focused on what was in front of her. She'd received no feedback so far from him, as to whether or not she needed to change her approach. She decided to follow a bit of what Starlight had told her and reached for his cock. She couldn't find it beneath his legs, so she decided to start with his balls, and go from there. They were right under her chin, so there was little issue finding them. From there, she found his cock right away, rock hard and pressed firmly against his stomach.

The simple touch from her hoof sent a pulse through his body, and his sphincter clamped down on her tongue, trying, and succeeding marginally, to suck her tongue inside as he let out a shuddering moan and spilled his seed all over the floor. When he finally let go of her, she pulled her tongue back into her mouth and raised her head. He had stood back up, though his legs were wobbly as he went back into the hall, trying very hard not to smile or look relaxed.

"Very well done," smiled Starlight, walking out of the cell and closing the door. "You've taken the first step towards taking a cock up your arse. And as you can see by the captain over there, it can be quite pleasurable for you, as well as your partner. We're going to keep working with this, and I'm going to have a word with your coltfriend right now. Keep it up, Chryssi."

Chapter the Twenty-Seventh: Returns

The plug popped out of Chrysalis' arse, and Spiceberry admired the gape. She was unable to squeeze it closed for several seconds. "What's amazing is how fast you were able to adapt to this. Two weeks ago, it was a pain to do the most basic of insertions, but here you are, taking a medium plug out with ease."

"Changeling queen," huffed Chrysalis. "Adaptable, as we have to be. I can't morph the way I used to, but I have some pride in myself."

"I think it's about time we tested that adaptation," nodded Spiceberry. "Bend over, let's see how you do."

Chrysalis mounted her bed, spread her legs, and presented her arse. "Come and claim me, big boy."

Spiceberry smirked as he mounted her. He liked seeing her put in the effort. He liked seeing her try. The more effort she put into the ideal, the more drive she seemed to have. It was beautiful. "Here we go."

He pushed his way in, easily making more progress than he ever had before. He was quite girthy, and often had trouble going into anything. When he'd tried the first time to penetrate her arse, he'd not gone further than just the neck. He slid past the medial ring before meeting any real resistance. He managed to hilt himself on the second thrust, with just a bit of added lube.

"I'm all the way in. How does that feel?"

"Feels like nothing," she chided, smirking back at him. "Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to fuck me properly?" She was definitely becoming more adept with the vernacular required in her profession. She had picked it up with ease.

He certainly wasn't going to ignore her quip, and immediately began thrusting his hips. His balls slapped against her pussy lips with every swing. She wasn't loose; she clamped down as much as she could as he pulled out, but nor was she tight; when he pushed his way in, she relaxed her sphincter and he slid right through. All throughout the event, she gyrated her hips against his, making his thrusts deeper with less work for him. She was to be a comfort for her clients, not a piece of exercise equipment, unless specified otherwise.

For the second time, and the first time for her own pleasure, her colon was flooded with semen. She could feel his testicles tensing up right before each pulse.

As soon as he stopped cumming, he leaned forward and rested his chest against her back. His nose was far enough forward that he could nuzzle her shoulder, which he did lovingly. "Did you enjoy that?"

"It was with you," she chuckled. "I know it's protocol among my kind to tell you that you were the best I've ever had, but honestly, you've been by my side through the worst of this. I couldn't have done this without you." She craned her head back to her shoulder and rubbed her chin against his nose. "Even if it did hurt, I'm so glad it was you."

"Sounds like you've learned a valuable lesson about friendship."

Spiceberry and Chrysalis looked up at the sound of Twilight's voice. In shock, Spiceberry pulled out quickly and dropped to his hooves, saluting her with his member still flopping around, having gone flaccid after finishing but not quite ready to wind up into the sheathe yet. As soon as he pulled out, the vacuum left by his absence sent a shock through Chrysalis' system, and she faltered a bit, letting out a small yelp.

"Are you supposed to be in here?" asked Twilight. "This is a restricted area."

"He has Starlight's permission," scowled Chrysalis, stepping back between them. "He's my personal trainer, and he's been visiting almost every day since you left. Welcome back, by the way."

Twilight furrowed her brow. "You'll forgive me if I don't believe you. I will look into it myself soon enough." She craned her neck to one side. "You seem to be missing one of your bindings. Care to explain what happened?"

"Haven't you been in contact with Starlight?" retorted Chrysalis. "And if you noticed, don't you think she would notice? She'd lock me down if I was off the lead, or even showed signs of trying to escape. This," she pointed to her unlocked right hoof, "is the result of good behaviour."

"We'll see about that," huffed Twilight. "I'm going to have a word with Starlight. Whatever it is you do to prepare for a standard visit, I suggest you begin. We're coming down early for an inspection."

As Twilight walked out of the cell, Chrysalis let go of the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She turned back to Spiceberry. "It's going to be alright," she nodded, placing a hoof on his shoulder. "Starlight knows what she's doing, and will confirm my progress. You also said you think Shining Armor would be honest about what he's seen here, so we're in the clear, right?"

Spiceberry took a deep breath. "We should be fine, but..."

"You have your doubts?"

He nodded. "I do. Shining is honest, and I know he's seen you come up recently, but I wonder if he can put aside his history with you. You're better, but what happened can't just unhappen. I worry about what he'll say, but I promise, I'll do whatever I need to make su--"

"Guard," called Twilight, looking back into the cell, "gather your things and come with me. I'm going to need you to talk to Starlight, as well."

He turned to Chrysalis. "I'll be back as soon as I can," he promised, reaching up and kissing her cheek. He reached into the wardrobe, grabbed a rag from the stack and wiped his cock clean. After tossing it in the hamper, he grabbed his gear, leaving Chrysalis' drink just out of sight, in case Twilight decided to confiscate it as contraband.

Twilight closed and locked the door behind her. For the last three days, the door had been unlocked, allowing visitors. She was still tied to the wall, so she wasn't going anywhere, but she entertained stallions whenever they came by. She went through rags cleaning up spills all the time, though she typically was the one making the mess. She cleaned the stallions with her tongue after every service, but it wasn't often that they cleaned her outside of the showers, and that was iffy on its own.

She wiped herself clean and grabbed her brush. She was trying to be professional, after all, and that meant that her turnaround had to be spot-on and quick. She took a moment to straighten her mane and tail, checked for stains on her clothing, and, finding none, sat in her chair and waited for Twilight to come back. She had snapped earlier, and that was going to cost her dearly. She just hoped it wasn't too much.

Chapter the Twenty-Eighth: Inspection

When Twilight came back, Chrysalis was sitting in her chair, her back straight, her dark green gown visually clean and wrinkle-free, and her mane and tail brushed straight and smooth. Twilight was joined by a whole parade of escorts, with Starlight and Shining Armor at the head of the pack. Behind them, Spiceberry and Poultice, and four more guards.

"Why's the door closed?" asked Starlight. "Closed for inspection?"

"I suppose," nodded Chrysalis. "I could have just told anypony that came up to wait in line while I'm under scrutiny."

"I closed the door," admitted Twilight. "I was quite certain that something was amiss, so I locked it down."

Starlight reached forward, unlocked the door, and slid it open. "With all of her progress, I've been leaving it open during the day. No problems so far."

"None?"

"I was pretty shocked, myself," admitted Shining. "Believe it or not, she's been behaving herself."

Twilight shook her head. "When I left, she was only just starting to come around. I find it hard to believe that after two weeks, she's changed that much."

"She's been very accommodating," nodded Poultice. "All kinds of weird stuff, she's been open to learning. I mean, just look at her. She looked absolutely desiccated when she was walked in here, and now..."

Chrysalis wasn't fat. She ran and flew several laps twice a week, averaging about ten laps both ways before doing some mild weight training these days. She kept up with her cardio and bolstered her weight training with the help of the connections she'd made. Spiceberry pushed her to keep trying, and Poultice kept her on her toes. She was in great shape and improving.

"She's completely changed the way she's done hoofjobs," added Spiceberry. "Look at the holes in her legs. They're squeezing shut."

"You know as well as I do that she can't force the love out of ponies anymore," continued Starlight. "All of the love she's been consuming has been given willingly. No magic, very little freedoms, slowly growing."

Twilight looked over Chrysalis, walking forward and waving for her to stand. Twilight walked around her in a circle, poking and prodding, staring and squeezing. Chrysalis wore her discomfort on her face, but let Twilight do what she wished.

"She's in good health," confirmed Starlight. "Showered yesterday, we're up to four days a week now. We can add an extra on today, if you want to observe."

"I think I will," nodded Twilight. "I want to see her workout, too."

"She worked out yesterday," scowled Shining. "If she works out today, too, she'll pull a muscle."

"It's what my guest wants," argued Chrysalis. "Shouldn't I follow any order given by royalty?"

"I'm royalty," replied Shining. "And I'm telling you not to injure yourself. There's plenty of time for her to see your workout in a few days, when it's scheduled."

"Fine," huffed Twilight. "But I still want to see her cleaned."

Shining stepped forward and unlocked Chrysalis from the wall. "Strip down," he ordered.

Chrysalis did as she was ordered, using her right hoof to organize a fresh outfit while Starlight coiled up the cable. Chrysalis stripped down to nothing and hoisted the cable onto her shoulder.

"You don't guide her?" asked Twilight.

"Not for a while, no," answered Starlight. "She knows the way, and she's not going to bolt."

"Armed guards," pointed Shining. "Battlemages over there. If she tries to run, it's going to be a quick takedown."

Chrysalis took the last big swallow of cider from her breakfast and led the group to the mare's locker room. Supplemental showers were unscheduled, meaning there would be no guards lining up for her. She'd even been granted a locker for her soaps and scrubbers.

There was no sex during this shower, though that was not for lack of effort. Chrysalis' reputation meant that she no longer needed to be so forward, as doing so may be bothersome. Instead, she would act seductive and wait for her clients to come to her. No such luck today.

After a fairly boring shower, she dried herself off and dressed up in her longer blue gown before leading the whole party back to her cell, all without ever being touched by anypony until she gave the cable back to Shing so he could secure it to the wall.

"Is that the whole thing?" asked Twilight. "I'm not impressed."

"I'd have invited you to shower with me, but you didn't respond to my non-verbal advances."

"Are you propositioning me?"

Chrysalis chuckled. "I am a whore, after all. Your guards wanted to join me, but didn't want to do so in front of you. Look at them!"

Twilight looked to the guards she'd brought with her. More than half were hiding half-chubs, including Shining, who had lifted his knee and taken a step back. Even he had to admit that she was drawing him in.

"Well," sighed Twilight, taking a step back. "I suppose I'll be eating crow tonight." She grabbed Chrysalis' chair and moved it out into the hall. "Starlight, set up for whatever you were planning tonight. The rest of you, back to normal scheduling."

Most of the ponies there left, leaving only Spiceberry, Chrysalis and Twilight. Seeing that Spiceberry stayed, Twilight stepped back into the cell. "Don't you have something to do?"

"Not for half an hour," he admitted. "I spend my early mornings in here with her, and then I go to my post up top. I guard the archives."

"Well, you're starting early today," she replied. "This is to be a clean cell today, no visitors."

Spiceberry nodded. "Yes, ma'am." He turned to Chrysalis and gave her a kiss. "I'll be back in tomorrow morning."

"We'll see," said Twilight as he brushed past her. When he was out of earshot, Twilight sat down and looked into the cell. "How much love have you taken from him?"

"A lot."

She chuckled. "I wasn't expecting honesty."

"He gave it to me. I haven't taken all of what he offered. If I had, I'd be a lot bigger."

"So how'd you do it?"

"Pardon?"

"How did you manage to draw it out of him?"

Chrysalis shook her head. "He approached me. He made me something to drink. I was in a bad spot, and he tossed me a rope. All I had to do was appreciate his company. He made me what I am, not the other way around."

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that?"

"Not at all."

Chapter the Twenty-Ninth: Exhibition

For nearly forty-five minutes, Twilight and Chrysalis had been sitting in silence. Two guards had come by, hoping for a bit of time with Chrysalis, regulars that came by every few days. As soon as she saw them, she knew that they had just finished their shift, and were stopping by to be satisfied before going home for the day. As soon as they saw Twilight sitting there, they could feel the tension, and decided to keep walking past, pretending they were still on duty, despite not even operating in this section of the castle.

"I don't often have to turn away my regulars," smirked Chrysalis when Starlight came back with three guards. "Let's not make this a regular occurrence, hm? No slipping backwards into starvation?"

"We'll see," chuckled Starlight. "Show me your plug."

Chrysalis faltered a bit. "I forgot to put it back in," she admitted. "Things were a bit hectic this morning." She looked around, moving some things, but could not locate it.

"Does Spiceberry have it?"

Chrysalis thought back. He had left in a bit of a rush when Twilight first called him away. "Maybe?"

Starlight nodded. "I'll let it slide today. There's been a lot of confusion today, but I want it back in tomorrow. In fact," she turned to one of the guards she'd brought, "run up to the archives and ask him. If he has it, bring it back."

"Ma'am," she nodded, saluting and bolting from the room.

"I was going to have to take it out, anyway," Starlight continued. "I was going to have you start doing anal today, and not just with your tongue."

Twilight shuddered at the thought of having a tongue up her arse, and just to rub it in, Chrysalis stuck out her tongue as far as it could go and wiggled it around. It just sent shivers down Twilight's spine until she looked away.

"Having fun?"

"A bit, yeah," smirked Chrysalis. "Actually, I have a bit of a confession. Spiceberry and I, this morning..."

"You already did?" Chrysalis nodded. "How was he?"

"I don't think I'll bite anymore," she chuckled. "He went right in."

"Then you should have no problem doing what I have for you," she smiled. "You're going to have a guard in either side, just like yesterday, but this time, one's going to be in your arse."

"Why not all three?" Chrysalis smirked.

"Pardon?"

Chrysalis gestured to Twilight. "This is an exhibition. We're showing Twilight how much I can do. Let's push it. One stallion under me, one on top, and when that young mare comes back with my butt plug, she can stand in front of me. All of my growth at once."

After a moment of thought, Starlight smirked. "You know exactly what you're doing. The only issue I have is that you might still bite. I'll tell you what I'm going to do." She pointed to the first guard and had him lie on his back. She directed Chrysalis to straddle him and lean forward, then had the other guard mount her from behind. "I'm going to have you run like that for awhile. If, and only if, I feel that you're capable of keeping your teeth in check, I'll employ you myself. I'll put my own flesh on the line, but only if I think you can handle it."

Chrysalis was already stuffed and lubed in both holes by the time Starlight finished. She looked up, opened her mouth wide, let her tongue hang out, and reached back to smack the flank of her stallions to start them bucking. Perhaps she was a bit overconfident, because the first deep thrust from the stallions had her having to work to keep her jaw open. She didn't end up needing to retract her tongue, but for a few seconds, she was afraid she was going to bite down on it.

After a few good thrusts, the trio fell into a rhythm. As soon as her hips were gyrating properly, Chrysalis lifted her head up, stared right into Starlight's eyes, and wiggled her tongue, her mouth wide open and a big, arrogant smile on her face, just daring her to present herself to be slurped.

The mare guard from earlier came back with a wrapped rag on her shoulder. "I'm back."

Starlight turned to her. "Is that it?"

"He said he did take it away, and he showed it to me. He didn't give it back, though. Instead, he gave me this one." She held up a rather large butt plug, shaped like the front half of a cock, flared and everything. "He said it was time to move up."

"He's right," smiled Starlight, admiring it. "This is good. Fuck, I'd like one this nice..." She placed it gingerly in the wardrobe on a shelf and went to stand in front of Chrysalis. "Now's your chance. Show me how far you've come. In fact, show Twilight."

Chrysalis didn't need to be told twice. She pushed her head forward and stretched out her tongue. She couldn't quite reach all the way, and Starlight needed to come closer, but as soon as their lips touched, Starlight seemed to relax significantly. Chrysalis was able to control her neck, shoulders and hips, and keep herself steady, rather than flopping around as she had been previously. As a result, she was licking clean the entirety of Starlight's vaginal walls, with no issues whatsoever. Her teeth weren't even part of the equation this time.

After several minutes, the first stallion reached his climax and showered Chrysalis with his love. After that, the next one filled her arse and pulled out, completely soaked. Taking a brief respite from Starlight, Chrysalis turned her head to the side and sucked their cocks clean before they left.

Starlight had, in the interim, walked away, and was now scooting Twilight's chair back into the cell where it belonged. "As much as I would like for you to finish me off," she said, turning to Chrysalis, "You're going to make Twilight very aware of how skilled you are right now."

Twilight looked up at her. "What are you talking about?"

"You can't learn by watching. Let her show you firsthoof."

Chrysalis crawled over and licked at the inside of Twilight's thigh, slowly pressing her knees apart. As she lowered her jaw between Twilight's legs, she felt a hoof wrap around her horn and hold her back. Twilight was resisting her. There was a fear in her eyes, and Chrysalis was starting to taste it. She wasn't ready. Not yet.

Chapter the Thirtieth: Starlight's Subterfuge

Spiceberry didn't come by the next morning. Starlight came by early, just before lunch, instead. "So, we lost a few steps last night," she said, stepping into the cell. "I wanted to show Twilight the extent of how far you've come, but she's resisting."

"Be honest, she's afraid that I'm lying."

Starlight nodded. "If you are, that's very bad for her. I've told you from the beginning that you would benefit the most from cooperating with us, and now, I know you see the truth."

"I've never eaten better, even taking from my subjects. I mean, nothing today, but I imagine Twilight put a damper on that."

"She did, but I have a plan to help her see the light."

Starlight stepped away for just a few seconds, and came back with a guest. "I'm sure you remember her."

Chrysalis smirked. "You think I would ever forget such a face? Welcome to my prison cell, Rainbow Dash."

"I wish I could say that the pleasure was all mine," she scowled. "Let me be clear, I'm only here as a favour to Starlight. If it were up to me, I'd leave you in there."

"My, what a glowing recommendation."

"Enough," growled Starlight. "Both of you." She turned to Rainbow. "In the letter I sent you, I made it clear that she was trying to mend her ways. Twilight won't believe her, she's losing a bit of trust in me because I put some trust in her, and I need you to help me convince Twilight that she's changed, at least enough for her to give her a chance. If you tell Twilight that she's changing for the better, she'll believe you."

"There's one big problem with that," huffed Rainbow. "I'm not going to lie to Twilight."

"You don't have to," smiled Starlight. "That's the beauty of it! See for yourself and tell her the truth! I have total confidence you'll see how far she's come."

Rainbow narrowed her eyes at Chrysalis. "Will I, really?"

Starlight sat down in Chrysalis' chair. "Just look. Just go for it. She will do whatever you ask, just tell her."

"What does she even do?"

Chrysalis smiled wide. "I'm a whore."

Rainbow's eyes shot open at the admission. "You just come right out and say it?"

"What's the point in hiding if I can't do it successfully?" she chuckled. "What do you want to do?"

Rainbow looked around. "Just, normal stuff, I guess?"

Chrysalis patted her bed and Rainbow hopped up and sat down. Just as she had done to Twilight, she began licking at the inside of Rainbow's thighs. She looked up to see the uncertainty on her face, and knew very well that she had to be impressive here. Slowly and sensually, she made her way up Rainbow's legs until finally, she ran out of thigh and met pussy lips.

She was starting from cold, so she had to go slowly. She knew Rainbow loved to dash, but this was to be savoured and enjoyed. She didn't want to go too slowly, though, and within a minute, she dug her tongue up inside of her. As soon as she did, Rainbow's apprehension began to melt away as she slid forward, trying to push her hips forward into Chrysalis' face.

"What'd I tell you?" asked Starlight. "She's doing good, yeah?"

"It's passable," moaned Rainbow, trying to hold back. "C-could be better."

With a review such as that, Chrysalis pushed her whole tongue up there. It barely fit, only having enough room to wriggle and writhe, and Rainbow couldn't say anything. She couldn't even close her jaw. The voracity with which Chrysalis was ravishing her insides had pushed her right across the finish line, and she did not stop at just one. Closing her lips and sucking on Rainbow's clitoris, she kept up her intensity until Rainbow dropped to the bed, a panting, heaving mess.

"Just passable, huh?" chuckled Starlight. "What kind of advice would you give on how she can improve?"

"I'd like to change my answer," smirked Rainbow. "I don't know about letting her out yet, but... holy shit..."

"Maybe not," agreed Starlight. "I wasn't asking how you feel about turning her over to the public. I need you to tell Twilight whether or not you think she's improved. If she has, tell her how much. And above all, be honest with her. Tell her the truth. Your real opinion. Can you do that for me?"

Rainbow nodded and pulled herself up to a sitting position. It took some effort to roll back onto her hooves and walk out. She'd resisted almost as much as Twilight, but she was leaving satisfied. That was almost certainly because she relented.

"That's a step up," nodded Rainbow, walking around the bend. "Your turn."

"Looks and sounds like you had fun," smirked Applejack, strolling in. She stopped just past the door and turned to Starlight. "Now, you said she was workin' on reformin' herself, right?"

"We are working on it. If she was doing it alone, she'd have starved by now."

Applejack nodded. "So, I heard exactly what you was doin' ta Rainbow. What else can ya do?"

"I'm a changeling," Chrysalis smirked. "I can be whosoever you desire most. If that pony that I was to replace were unable to perform, that would be a very telling sign. If you have something you want to try, I make adaptability look easy."

Applejack smirked. "Turn around, on your knees, and hooves together behind your back."

Chrysalis did as she was told, and Applejack tied her up. "You know I'm already bound to the wall, right?"

"Well aware," grunted Applejack, tightening a knot. "I want to see how well you can satisfy somepony of my particular tastes. Turn right. You're not gonna use your hooves, and also," Applejack tied a clean cumrag over Chrysalis' eyes, blindfolding her, "you're not gonna use your eyes."

Applejack sat down on the bed and placed her back hoof against Chrysalis' cheek. "Rules: Not a word from you. You can use your tongue in other ways, but keep quiet, cause I'm gonna close my eyes and imagine somepony else. If'n ya do anything that I deem hazardous or you stop listenin', that hoof you're feelin' bucks eight trees a minute on a good day. We clear?"

Chrysalis nodded her head. Not a word from her, as directed.

"Good listen. We're burnin' daylight, here, let's go."

Chrysalis started by turning to the side, slowly licking her hoof. It tasted of dirt, but two stallions had asked her to lick their hooves, and one had asked to lick hers. She found it to be a bit weird, but it seemed to have a certain type of personality attached, and Applejack was radiating that ideal. She tasted of dirt.

After her hoof was perfectly clean, she began kissing her way up AJ's leg, lovingly making her way up to the groin while crawling on her knees. she used her nose to guide her, and sometimes her tongue. She was not expecting to run into the pubic hair but was expecting the scent and taste of sweat. Applejack did take pride in hard work, something Chrysalis had learned in preparing for her takeover of Ponyville, and it was almost expected that she would have come straight from working to visit her. Nevertheless, it was something she was used to, and she neither made a complaint nor shied away from it. After all, the thigh pressed against her cheek could be classified as a weapon.

Chapter the Thirty-First: Kinky Pie

The day after Applejack and Rainbow popped in for a visit, Chrysalis was once again disappointed to find out that Spiceberry still did not come to see her. She'd grown accustomed to him over time, and now that she didn't have him, there was a hole in her heart where he used to be. She wondered if perhaps this was a clever test by Twilight, to show her what happens when somepony you love is replaced by a...

Did she love Spiceberry? Her days were better with him around, that much was obvious. She had come to enjoy her time with him over the course of the last few months, and now she longed for his return. She could imagine a future without him, but it was drab and colourless. It would be so much better if they were allowed to be together.

She chuckled and shook her head. How ironic it was that their relationship had been contingent on him giving her love, and now it was she who had so much to give to him. It was an odd feeling, loving somepony, one she didn't know for certain, but would be willing to invest in.

She sat there in her black velvet dress until Starlight arrived. She had a cardboard box on her back, with a bow wrapped around it. "You're going to be needing this today," she chuckled, placing it on the floor. "I'm pretty sure we're going to need a broom, too, so I'll be right back."

Chrysalis smirked. "A present? For me? What's the occasion?"

Starlight stopped at the entrance and turned around. "You can guess. I would refrain from opening it just yet, though. I think the pony who sent it wants to be here when you do."

"I suppose you want me to guess who tha--"

The box burst open, and a large shower of confetti rained down from the ceiling. Some of the paper wadding inside had stuck to the ceiling, but would continue to rain more confetti down over time.

"Surprise!" called Pinkie, just a bit late to actually be surprising. She had a party horn in her mouth, which she blew towards Chrysalis.

Chrysalis had taken a few steps back, having been quite surprised, but had since regained her composure. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Pinkie?"

Pinkie tilted her head to either side, looking around Chrysalis as if inspecting her. "Not a bad start," she smirked, walking over and wrapping her hoof around her shoulders. "I heard you were working on no longer being a grump. I can't believe it took this long for anypony to involve me in something like that!"

"It was for safety purposes," explained Starlight. "We didn't want to risk any extra harm to you."

"Well, I suppose that makes some sense," snorted Pinkie, "but really, I could have been a big help to you. I'm totally great at improving ponies' moods, and even the changedlings love my parties!"

"I likely would have tried to devour you," admitted Chrysalis. "At earliest, you could have shown up perhaps a week ago and been safe, but I've been down here for almost a month."

"Don't be silly," chuckled Pinkie, "being silly is my job! I'm not going to make you eat me. That's not what I'm all about!"

"And what, exactly, are you about?" asked Chrysalis, somewhat confused.

"Fun things!" shouted Pinkie. "Playing with toys!"

Pinkie reached into her box and pulled out a large selection of accoutrements. Nipple clamps, a strap-on dildo, a silver marker that was labeled as washable and non-toxic, a riding crop and a wooden paddle with three heart-shaped cutouts came out. It was amazing that with all of this stuff, Pinkie still fit in there.

She gave Chrysalis the clamps. "You do know how to put these on, right?"

Chrysalis rolled them in her hoof, inspecting them as she went. "I've not worn these before, though I have seen them in pictures. Perhaps you could demonstrate?"

"Of course," Pinkie smiled. "It's no fun being left in the dark. One should always be open to new experiences!"

It was Chrysalis' hope that Pinkie would demonstrate by clamping her own nipples and allowing her to watch. This was not the case, as Pinkie quickly and easily snapped the first one shut on Chrysalis' left teat. Honestly, she didn't think Pinkie had that kind of decisive enmity.

"See how easy?" asked Pinkie. "I'll do the next one slowly, so pay close attention."

Chrysalis nodded, her jaw clenched shut to avoid crying out from the sting of being clamped. Pinkie's demonstrative display showed exactly how to attach them properly, and with a lesser sting than the first one. With both clips firmly in place, Pinkie attached a pair of weights, about a hundred grams each.

"Those are the lightest ones they had," explained Pinkie. "They go up to a kilo."

"And ponies find this fun?" asked Chrysalis, massaging her sore breasts.

"They find that it adds to the fun," smiled Pinkie. "A little sting makes them want to focus on the better stimulation, and when they come off, the relief is absolutely titillating!" She tossed the strap-on to Chrysalis, who put it on with all due haste. "I know you have an ovipositor. Draw that out, as well."

Chrysalis looked up "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," answered Pinkie, pulling forth a rubber. "You're going to fill both of my holes and operate the paddle, and I'm going to direct you with the riding crop."

"And the nipple clamps?"

"Are going to apply their weight and swing back and forth as you go!"

Chrysalis was open to the idea of fetishes, and had done some things that were a bit unreasonable in the past. She looked to Starlight, who had requested that Chrysalis keep her ovipositor tucked away, and Starlight nodded in approval. Despite this, she had a worried look on her face, as this was perhaps too much all at once, and could serve to overwhelm their captive. Still, if something went wrong, she would be right there to step in.

As commanded, Chrysalis slipped out her ovipositor. It hadn't seen any use since Starlight had bent it with her hoof, and had only been out twice since, one of which was for medical purposes and the other was for cleaning. Spiceberry hadn't even seen it, and he'd explored almost all of her body.

Just as Chrysalis was lining up, Pinkie slipped the condom over her ovipositor, preventing any unwanted eggs. She also took the cap off the marker and drew two arrows on her left arse cheek, indicating where her holes were. "Fire when ready!"

Chapter the Thirty-Second: Buttershy

Chrysalis was very much regretting her choice to let Starlight walk away. While it took a lot of convincing just to bring Fluttershy in here in the first place, it took even more to bring her to agree to help with Chrysalis' rehabilitation. Even then, she'd only agreed on the grounds that nopony watched them. Chrysalis had thought that this was solely due to performance anxiety. This was no less true than she'd thought, but there was something else lurking just below the surface.

Starlight had hung an enchanted blackout curtain over the cell door. Not only did it remove all light from flowing in and block any spectators, but its enchantment provided a lot of sound protection, as well, meaning that nopony outside could hear what was going on in there, nor could they hear or see outside. For all intents and purposes, they were completely alone.

It started off as expected. Fluttershy had been uncomfortable with her expectant stare, and had requested that she put on a blindfold. Then, concerned about Chrysalis removing her blindfold, she bound her hooves behind her back. At the time, Chrysalis had commented on Applejack's methods, asking if she was going to lick her hooves, but that had resulted in Fluttershy slapping her. It didn't hurt much, but that had been very unexpected.

It was very much a surprise how brutal Fluttershy could be, whispering things into her ear such as "You're going to tell everypony that you enjoyed it, or I'm going to have to come back," and "If you don't meet my standards, I'll tell Twilight you were mean to me." It was all very threatening.

That's why Chrysalis was very eager to please her. It would take no effort on Fluttershy's part to make good on her threats. If word began to spread that she had harmed Fluttershy, all of the goodwill she'd earned would immediately be forfeit.

Once she was tied up, Fluttershy pushed Chrysalis to the ground and sat on her face. Chrysalis immediately shot her tongue out of her mouth and into Fluttershy's snatch. It was dry, meaning there was no excitement to be found inside. Even the simple act of tying her up had excited Applejack a little bit, enough to notice the smell. With Fluttershy, Chrysalis had to use her own spit as lubrication just to be able to slip inside.

Her treatment didn't improve after that, either. Fluttershy's grip on her breasts was very tight and uncomfortable. She tugged and yanked on her nipples as though she was trying to pull them clean off, and Chrysalis just had to lie there and take it, pretending to enjoy the touch as she dug her tongue up inside of Fluttershy, doing everything she could think of to make the mare enjoy herself, but it seemed to be all for naught.

Thinking it might help her cause, Chrysalis pulled her tongue back into her mouth, then suddenly wiggled it up Fluttershy's arse, instead. Clearly, her first attempt wasn't doing anything for her, and she needed to rethink how she was going about satisfying her guest.

Fluttershy clamped down on Chrysalis' tongue and whimpered, which was the first feedback she'd given as to how Chrysalis was doing. For a moment, Fluttershy's hooves let up, giving some much-appreciated relief to her breasts. A single droplet of fluid dribbled from Fluttershy's labia and down Chrysalis' chin as she began to grind against her face. Finally, she was doing something right.

That thought was immediately dashed as Fluttershy leaned down and bit her thigh. Chrysalis really didn't want to make a scene, especially with nopony around to have seen her treatment, and she especially didn't want to infringe on Fluttershy's enjoyment, but she was absolutely hating this, with no control of her own. She just had to weather the abuse.

As Chrysalis took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself down, however, she smelled something foul. It was expected that Fluttershy was disappointed with the services rendered, but mixed in with that emotion were several others. Foremost was fear, and if she concentrated, she could feel her guest trembling. There was also uncertainty and trepidation, along with a heaping dollop of anxiety. Most telling of all was that there was no comfort to be found in her at all.

Chrysalis sucked her tongue back into her mouth. "It's clear to me that you're not enjoying this. If you like, we can change positions."

Fluttershy slapped Chrysalis' tit. "Let me remind you which one of us is in ch-charge..."

Even the slap seemed forced, like Fluttershy was trying to put on an air of toughness. She was very timid in her normal behaviour, and it suited her very well. "If you still want to hit me, you can, but if it's not making you feel better, we ca--"

"I can't go through with this!" whimpered Fluttershy suddenly. She immediately climbed off and ran into the corner. Chrysalis didn't need her nose to find out that she was crying. She was clearly upset by this.

With her hooves still bound behind her back, Chrysalis rolled onto her stomach and crawled until her face hit the wall. With it supporting her, she lifted herself up onto her knees and waddled over to where the sobbing was. She sat down next to Fluttershy and contorted her body in a very uncomfortable position for the sole purpose of placing a wing on the weeping pegasus' shoulder.

"I don't want to do this," she sobbed. "I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt anypony."

Chrysalis rubbed her shoulder. "Then why did you?"

Fluttershy sniffled. "I thought that's what I was supposed to do; take out my frustrations on you in a sexual manner."

"Are you really so frustrated that you needed to do all of this?"

There was a pause. With the tip of her wing, Chrysalis could Feel Fluttershy's head moving, but could not feel how. As soon as Fluttershy looked up, she realized that Chrysalis was still blindfolded. "No," she answered finally. "I didn't mean any of it, really. I just thought it was what I was supposed to do."

"Who told you that?"

Fluttershy shrugged. "I guess I just thought that way. Something in me wants to think you're still bad, and it wants your behaviour to prove it. I don't know what to think anymore..."

"Well, what do you really want?" asked Chrysalis. "What's supposed to happen is that I need to make sure you enjoy yourself. I need to show you a good time. Will you let me show you a good time?"

Fluttershy moved her head nebulously again. "I still don't want you looking at me. Can you leave the blindfold on?"

Chapter the Thirty-Third: Sluttershy

With her hooves unbound, Fluttershy led Chrysalis over to the bed. "Careful, now, watch your step," she warned, "the platform is right in front of you, so don't hurt yourself."

"I wasn't planning on doing so," smiled Chrysalis. "Hop up in front of me." Fluttershy did as she was asked, and Chrysalis kneeled down, only to have a pair of knees close around her neck. "Something wrong?"

"I'm nervous," confessed Fluttershy. "I've never done this before, and I messed up the first one, an--"

Chrysalis placed a hoof against Fluttershy's lips gently. "Don't worry about it. I'm going to handle all of it. You just sit back and relax, and let me take care of you."

"But what do I do?"

"Just relax."

Fluttershy relaxed her legs slowly, and Chrysalis pushed her head forward, gently kissing the inside of Fluttershy's thighs. When she reached her crotch, Fluttershy let out a soft whimper. As this was more gentle, Chrysalis worked more slowly, more softly. She didn't want to overwhelm her guest, and as her guest was not overwhelming her, she no longer wanted to dive right in so it could be over faster.

"It's not b-bad, is it?" asked Fluttershy. "I try to clean down there regularly..."

"You taste just fine," answered Chrysalis, dragging her tongue up her slit. She lightly suckled her clitoris, releasing it with a small kiss. "Just tell me if I'm going too far, okay?"

Not hearing Fluttershy's nod, Chrysalis assumed she was understood and pushed her tongue back inside of her pussy. She could taste the fluid just starting to drip out. It was far sweeter than anypony else she'd ever eaten out, and she wanted more. Still, she had to go slowly.

She sniffed the air again, hoping the mood had changed. Much of it had remained, such as the fear and discomfort, but even that was slowly disappearing. Most notably, however, there was a clear enjoyment starting to blossom forth, and that marked a much-needed improvement.

She reached up and placed her hoof gently on one of her guest's breasts. Immediately, she felt the pegasus tense up and clamp down, having not expected the touch. After a moment, she relaxed once again and settled down. Chrysalis didn't do much with the breast, just rolling it around gently as she worked. She didn't want to startle Fluttershy, after all. She moved slowly, lightly rubbing her teat.

All was going well so far. In light of the better mood, and that Fluttershy was finally starting to rouse, Chrysalis made a bold move. The only thing that had lightened Fluttershy's heart in their first session had been when Chrysalis has gone up her arse. It was time to tease that once again, and see if it drew any kind of response. Sliding out her long tongue all the way, Chrysalis bent herself so that only the thickest parts were writhing around between Fluttershy's folds. The pointed tip, however, slipped back out the other way and drifted down, lightly poking at Fluttershy's sphincter.

Fluttershy pulled her thighs shut again, once more squeezing Chrysalis' head. "Not there," she whimpered.

"Ai ghot?" asked Chrysalis, unable to move her tongue or jaw. "Ooh cheeng goo enghoy ich erghier."

"I know, I know," she whined. "It's not that I don't enjoy it; I do. It's just, it feels like too much..."

"Ich ghot."

"Are you sure?"

"koghighigh."

With Chrysalis' assurance, Fluttershy let go of her head. Slowly, Chrysalis wriggled her tongue up Fluttershy's arse. The more she wiggled, the more her guest leaked into her mouth. All Chrysalis could smell was the slick drippings, as everything that came into her nose filtered through it. She couldn't even take a reading of her emotional state anymore, not that such a test was needed.

Just as she pushed the last of her tongue up Fluttershy's arse, she came hard, splattering Chrysalis' face. For the first time today, she was glad to be wearing the blindfold, as such a blast at such short notice would have likely sealed her eye shut, at least for a little while.

"How's that feel?" asked Chrysalis, licking her face clean. "Is that any better?"

Silence followed.

"No? Are you shaking your head? Do you want to do something else?"

"It was great," answered Fluttershy. "I almost don't want to ask for more."

"Almost?" She began licking at Fluttershy's thighs, cleaning them.

"Well... it's a bit unsettling, actually."

Chrysalis' grin, small as it was, disappeared. She really didn't want that sort of review going out. "What can I do to make you more comfortable? Do you want to tie my hooves behind my back again?"

"No, that's fine, it's not anything you did, it's just..."

Chrysalis held her breath. The next words out of Fluttershy's mouth would either doom her to spending the rest of her life in here, or all but guarantee her release.

Suddenly, the sound of rings scraping against a rod interrupted their thoughts as Starlight walked in, tossing the curtain aside. "Is everything alright?"

Fluttershy closed her legs so fast that she accidentally kicked Chrysalis in the face. "I'm sorry!" she called back as she bolted from the cell, leaving Chrysalis on the floor with a blindfold.

Starlight helped her up and took off the blindfold before repeating her question. "Did everything go well?"

Chrysalis shook her head. "I think she hated it."

"You think?"

Well, she came all over my face, so that was a good sign, but she said there was something wrong. When I asked how to make it right, I wasn't given an answer."

Starlight cleared her throat. "Wow. That doesn't sound like a good time."

"I'm doomed," Chrysalis sighed, sitting down on the bed. "It was the one thing I had to do right, and I fucked it up. Now I'm going to be stuck here forever..."

Starlight sat down next to her and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Losing Fluttershy is a big loss. I'll not disagree with you that this is a big hit to our case. However, we still have Rarity. Four out of five is still good, so if you can just manage to impress her, I think we can pull through."

"But everypony's going to know that I upset Fluttershy, and I couldn't possibly say how."

Starlight patted her back and stood up. "Then let's make sure you didn't fuck up on purpose. Show me what happened."

Though Chrysalis nodded, she was going to skip the first part, as nopony would believe that Fluttershy actually hit her.

Chapter the Thirty-Fourth: New Thread

There was still no sign of Spiceberry. He was no longer coming down to see her. It hadn't been a week separating them, and Chrysalis was growing very afraid, so much that she could smell her own despair. She was almost in tears at the thought of losing him forever.

As she heard hoofsteps approaching, she wiped her face with a rag, just in case she missed anything this morning. She knew that only two of Twilight's closest friends remained, and she had to wonder which one would come in today. Or perhaps it was Fluttershy again?

It was just Starlight this time. She was escorted by a single guard and nopony else. "Good morning. Sleep well?"

Chrysalis shook her head. "I haven't in a few days. I'm stuck in here, and nopony even comes to visit anymore."

"Well, you're at least going to see somepony today. First and foremost, Twilight has reinstated your shower privileges, and you're going to take one right now." Starlight unlocked Chrysalis from the wall. The most exercise she'd had in the last week was pacing in her cell. It would be nice to be able to wash, especially if that meant going outside for some physical activity.

Unfortunately, it was just a normal shower with no guests. Chrysalis did proposition the other mares, but Starlight had shot the idea down, citing that they had somewhere to be and didn't want to waste time. She did, however, allow one of them to help scrub her.

Immediately after the shower, her mane and tail were dried via a hot air blower, rather than the towels they usually used for a more complete dry, though it did need to be brushed again after. Still, they made it out in a timely manner. Rather than returning to her cell, Starlight brought Chrysalis up to one of the residential rooms. Chrysalis hadn't been here since the initial invasion years ago, when she'd shared a bedroom with Shining Armor, before spiriting him off to a separate building under the guise of being closer to the wedding planner's workspace.

"Now, I'm going to keep this guard posted outside the door," informed Starlight as they stopped in front of a closed room. "I expect you to be on your best behaviour in there. I'm not going to stick around and watch, as this will likely take the rest of the day, but if you need me, tell him, and he'll send for me. But do me a favour and don't need me. Prove to me that you don't need me to stick around and watch you forever." She patted Chrysalis' cheek and smiled. "Good luck."

As Starlight walked off, Chrysalis turned to the guard, who took a rather lax stance, leaning against the stone wall behind him. Deciding to play it safe, she knocked on the door. She didn't want to burst in before they were ready. "It's open!" called a muffled voice behind the door. She looked to the guard again, who motioned for her to just go in.

The door swung open and Chrysalis walked in, gently closing the door behind her. Dozens of swatches of cloth of every colour and texture imaginable flew around the room, trying to match up with photographs, but depending on the lighting, they changed up in a significant way.

"Just put them on the bed, there, and I'll sort through them later." Chrysalis knew that voice.

"Rarity, it's her," came another voice from the far corner of the room. Hidden behind a shelf had been Spike. He was much larger now than she remembered, but it had been quite some time.

"Hm?" Rarity turned around. She just stood there for a moment, staring, then turned around and threw several photographs and their attached fabric swatches into a bin. "Those most definitely will not work."

"Excuse me?" Chrysalis was very confused. "Is there anything you'd like me to do?"

"Stand on that platform," waved Rarity, not even turning around. "Spike, take some measurements."

There was no platform in the direction Rarity had indicated, but Spike was able to indicate its actual placement, by way of dragging it over to where Rarity had indicated, or a close approximation thereof. As soon as Chrysalis was up on the platform, he took all manner of measurements wordlessly, scrawling them down on a notepad as he went.

Just as he was done, Rarity approached with the remaining photographs, along with several loose swatches. "Spike, would you light some candles and close the shades? I want a very specific kind of light."

"I don't understand," admitted Chrysalis as Rarity pressed the fabric against her carapace. "This is an awful lot of prepwork. Do you often go through all of this before sex?"

"No, not at all, dearie," answered Rarity, tossing cloth after cloth away. "We're not doing that right now."

"We're not?"

"You were just cleaned, now you need to let me work."

"I feel I should inform you that I already have several dresses, and very limited wardrobe space."

Rarity grabbed Chrysalis by the jaw and turned her head so they were looking directly into each others' eyes. "This outfit, this singular dress that I'm making for you, is not something you're going to be wearing every day. It's going to be for very special occasions, such as tonight. Its use will mark your special occasions."

"Tonight?" asked Chrysalis. "What's happening tonight?"

Rarity cocked her head to the side. "Starlight didn't tell you?"

"No."

Rarity thought for a moment, then closed her eyes and smiled, releasing Chrysalis' jaw. "She must have intended that it be a surprise, then. You'll hear no more about it from me."

Oh, shit, Chrysalis thought to herself. If Twilight was planning a secret surprise for her, she didn't want to know what it was. It crossed her mind that Fluttershy had taken her complaint directly to Twilight, and she was about to be beheaded for her actions.

Her eyes darted to the door. Perhaps she could run? She was strong enough to fly now. She could disappear into the wilds, sneak onto a farm or something in the middle of the night, and cut the last of her bonds, then transform into somepony else and hide out with some family for the rest of her days. She'd developed humility here, perhaps she could be a farmer on the same farm she used to cut her binding?

Spike noticed she was trembling and placed a claw on her shoulder. "Don't be nervous," he said in a stoic tone. "This is all for the best, really."

Chrysalis said nothing. She just swallowed hard and kept shaking. Rarity had been brought in to make a spectacle of her execution.

Chapter the Thirty-Fifth: Finished

Chrysalis barely said a word while Rarity worked. Every so often, she would answer a question directed at her, but she otherwise stayed quiet. She felt small, like she was an insect about to be crushed. She thought that a fitting analogy, and latched onto the idea.

No tears, though. As much as she felt like crying, as much as she wanted to curl up in the corner and await the inevitable, she had to at least try to stay strong. The amount of damage she'd done to Equestria and her citizens was monumental. Having found a respect for ponykind, she knew that she deserved this. Perhaps not execution, but certainly some irrevocable harm; an endless reminder of what she'd done.

She couldn't help but notice the colour of the dress Rarity was making right in front of her. It was a muted turquoise, the same colour as her changeling blood. Even if it did end up stained, nopony would notice. It wasn't showy or flashy, but she supposed it didn't need to be. All eyes would be on her, regardless of what she wore. This was a special occasion, as Rarity had said.

A special occasion... Rarity had mentioned that if she ever wore the dress again, it would be for a similar event; something of equal importance. She couldn't be killed twice. The only other time she would wear this if she was being beheaded would be at a memorial service, but who would mourn her? Spiceberry and Starlight were the best guess for who might show up. Perhaps even Shining Armor, if he cared to check in again. Even then, would they really give her a nice dress to be burned or buried in?

"Time for a fitting," announced Rarity, walking across the room with a half-finished dress. Chrysalis hadn't been paying attention to the method of processing the cloth into the form of a dress, having been lost in her thoughts. She was aware, however, that most dresses, during production, were held together with pins. Usually safety pins if the dress was going to be tried on before being sewn together, to protect the model from being poked. For some reason, Rarity was using clamps. Tiny spring-loaded clamps that pinched the fabric together.

"These look like clothespins," observed Chrysalis. "Don't you usually have pins?"

"I switched to clamps a little while ago," admitted Rarity. "It wasn't my idea, but the stallion who told me about it made a very compelling case. Savage, I think his name was. He did a lot of work with faux leather, and the thing about using pins in faux leather is that the pinholes don't disappear, ever. So he came up with this idea while welding to just use clamps to hold the faux leather sheets in place while he was sewing them, and that would keep everything in alignment. It has a few other benefits, too. If something's too tight with a pin, for example, it could rip out the fabric. With a clamp instead, it'd just pop right off and land on the floor. Plus, you can't stick yourself. They do take up more space, but that's a small price to pay."

"So now you just use clamps?"

"That's correct, dear. Anymore, I find it does less damage to the fabric, and they're easier to clean up, too. Not to mention, if I leave a clamp in one of my dresses, and the customer sits on it, it won't hurt nearly as much. How's that feel?"

In truth, it felt a little too tight around the chest, and needed to be let out a little bit more. If it was stitched up exactly as it was, then any strenuous activity could crush her wings under the pressure. "It's fine."

"Are you sure?" confirmed Rarity. "It looks a bit tight around the chest and loose around the hips." She undid the clips behind Chrysalis' shoulders and lowered the cloth, loosening the chest. She did the opposite at her hips, and the taut cloth gave some extra support to her breasts. "How's that? Better or worse?"

Chrysalis turned her head away. "B-better..."

Rarity took the dress off and fired up the sewing machine. "Is something troubling you, dear?"

Chrysalis shook her head. "I don't want to detract from what you're doing."

"Oh, nonsense, dear, this isn't a part where I need to let my mind wander. I just need my eyes and hooves for this part. If you're nervous, talking will help with that."

"I don't think talking will help me. Not with what's going on tonight."

Rarity raised her voice to be heard over the sewing machine. "So you've figured out what you're going to be doing?"

"Not entirely," called Chrysalis, raising her voice similarly. "Only that it's some kind of punishment."

Rarity suddenly stopped and turned around. "Really? Starlight told me you'd enjoy it."

Chrysalis just shrugged.

"Shame. He seemed so nice when we talked this morning."

Chrysalis sat down on the bed, noting how much more comfortable it was than her own. Starlight had thought this a good idea. She had thought Starlight, of all ponies, would have been able to note her progress. Sure, she'd fucked up with Fluttershy, but would she enjoy being punished?

Rarity tried to bring up bits of conversation again with little luck. Chrysalis would give direct, curt answers without prying back. She did not let up from her work, focusing on finishing the dress as quickly as she could. She only had a few hours, after all.

It was a beautiful dress when finished, an elegant pleated evening gown. The fit was exact. The colour was beautiful. The zipper... was cheaply made, honestly. It ended up sticking as it was being pulled up, and the tab broke off. Rarity had fixed it with a paper clip, but she promised to replace it properly when she had more time.

"We only have about half an hour left before he arrives," said Rarity, pulling up a chair to sit in front of Chrysalis. She opened a small suitcase that turned out to actually be a toolbox filled with makeup supplies. "No more of that sour mood, now. All the makeup in Equestria can't help you if you wear your emotions on your sleeve."

"It's a sleeveless dress."

"I'm saying, you need to cheer up. I know you say it's torture, but even a fake smile will do. The night will be over before you know it, and if you can trick everypony into thinking you're happy to be out there, they just might grant you release."

With a deep breath, Chrysalis lost her sour face, replacing it with one that could have fooled anypony. "As queen of the changelings, I pride myself on being able to hide any aspect of myself at any time."

"Former queen," reminded Rarity.

Chapter the Thirty-Sixth: Execution

With the dress made and makeup done, Spike helped Chrysalis into her shoes. Rarity stepped back and examined her work. "The shoulders need a bit more padding, done up tighter. We should thread some fishing line through the hem of the skirt, too, to really add volume. I'm thinking more pressed pleating over the stomach, and we really should have done something about your mane and tail. Wearing them down is fine, but we really should have... Spike, give her a quick bun."

Spike grabbed Chrysalis by the mane and began twisting until the tightness began to wrap around itself. It was quick and relatively painless, and with a small hairclip, Rarity secured it. "Should I do the tail, too?"

"No," answered Rarity, we don't want her to look like a rabbit. We should curl her tail like mine, and we honestly should have done the same to her mane, but we don't have time. It'll just have to stay as it is for now."

"I'm sure it's good enough for what we're doing," nodded Chrysalis. While she still kept her graceful smile up, her eyes were betraying her worry. "Are we almost ready? I'm not ungrateful, I just want to be done with the worry. Anticipating what's about to happen is taking a toll on me."

"You're ready," nodded Rarity, just in time for a knock at the door. "That's probably him, now. Good luck tonight, dear. I hope it's over quickly, or at least not as bad as you anticipate."

Chrysalis swallowed hard and opened the door. Starlight was just outside. "Very nice work, Rarity. She looks perfect."

"Be honest, she looks good enough," snarked Rarity. "I cut a few corners trying to finish on time. There are plenty of places where it's lacking."

"None that I can see. She looks great." Starlight took Chrysalis' lead and escorted her toward the main door. "Nervous?"

"What makes you say that?"

"There's fear in your eyes."

Chrysalis let out a sigh. "That obvious, huh?"

"It's going to be fine. What are you so afraid of?"

"Losing my head, of course."

Starlight scoffed. "I don't buy that for a second. You have all the self-control you need. Even if you do go a little crazy, there'll be guards nearby to keep you in line."

"Good. I don't know if I'll be able to keep from trying to run. I am walking to my death, after all."

"Oh, don't be so dramatic," chuckled Starlight. "Did Rarity really rub off on you that much?" She stopped in front of the main door and checked Chrysalis over one last time. "Are you ready?"

"As I can be." She took a deep breath. "I truly am sorry. Not that it means anything now, but for the reco--"

"Calm yourself," interrupted Starlight. "He's waiting."

The door opened, and they stepped out onto the stairs. Three guards were waiting. Two in light armour, bearing small weapons, and one in a bowtie and blazer. "Wow," smiled the dressed-up one. "You look fantastic."

Chrysalis' heart sank. "Spiceberry?"

He nodded and smiled. "It's good to see you again."

Chrysalis lowered her head. "I wish it was under better circumstances."

"Better circ-- What?" Spiceberry looked around. "What circumstances? I thought this would be nice; a reward for your hard work."

Chrysalis cocked her head to the side. "How is dismemberment a reward?"

The group fell silent. Starlight approached and placed a hoof on Chrysalis' shoulder. "Is that what you think this is?"

"Rarity put me in a dress where the blood won't show, my mane was tied up so the axe would go through my neck easier, and there are guards here to hold me down. What else could this be, but punishment for what happened with Fluttershy?"

She was about to break down in tears until Spiceberry pulled her into a hug. "That's not going to happen. Come on, I'll explain on the way."

Starlight stayed behind as Chrysalis and the guards descended the stairs. Despite their size difference, Spiceberry kept his hoof on the small of Chrysalis' back, gently rubbing. "Now, I don't know what all happened with Fluttershy, as she was very tight-lipped, but we all met up this morning. Twilight, Starlight, their friends, Shining Armor, Captain Poultice, and myself.

"Rainbow, Applejack and Pinkie were all keen to share their stories, but Fluttershy just wanted to say that your treatment of her was better than she deserved, not going into why. I didn't pry, it wasn't my place. When Rarity was asked, she said that she hadn't shared a session with you, and didn't want to. Spike was also opting out, but reserving the right to form his own opinion at a later time; Starlight hadn't invited him due to time constraints, and she wondered if perhaps you wouldn't have been able to accommodate a dragon as easily as a stallion.

"Anyway, we talked for a long time on what to do with you. There was some talk of placing you under house arrest, locking you to a particular area here in the city, then there was a vote to just keep you where you were in the cell, and even the idea of moving you permanently into a brothel was brought up. In the end, what we decided together was that you needed some experience outside of the castle, but at the same time, we couldn't just set you loose. So, for tonight and tomorrow, you're going to be placed in my care, under constant guard as a trial run. Tomorrow night, you return to your cell, and I report back. We then have to have another meeting the morning after that, and yet more decisions."

"So, I'm yours all night?"

"And all of tomorrow. And since it's my job to watch you for that time, we're not restricted by my paycheck. We can go somewhere nice."

Chrysalis was beginning to calm down. She wasn't in any danger, and was, in fact, going for a nice night out with a stallion that she knew now how much she cared for. Why nopony had told her before, she didn't know, but Rarity and Starlight had been correct. She would enjoy this, and it would not be nearly as bad as she was imagining. "Where do you want to start?"

Chapter the Thirty-Seventh: Date Night

The ponies of Canterlot made way for Chrysalis to walk by unhindered. A month ago, she would have reveled in it, as it would have made her feel royal. The citizens stepped aside so as not to block her. Now, however, it just made the cable attached to her leg feel heavier. She was considered a dangerous criminal; a monster unfit to walk among them. Spiceberry could tell that she was feeling tense and placed a hoof on her shoulder. It did little to detract from the countless eyes on her, but knowing he was beside her did make her feel a bit better overall.

“Is it much further?” she asked, leaning down to whisper to him.

“It’s the building with the red awning,” he answered back. “We’re almost there.”

She took a deep breath. Two more doors to go, and she could be inside, in a place where everypony’s eyes would be pointed away from her. As they crossed the street, she could barely keep her hooves from shaking. She just knew that, were the guards not following her, these ponies would have at her. At the very least, they’d call the guards, but she would not be surprised in the slightest to find out that beneath their fancy blouses, at least one was carrying a dagger.

As they stepped through the door, she released her breath slowly. A greeter approached them immediately. “I’m sorry, sir, but I’m afraid I can’t let her come in.”

“Why not?” asked Spiceberry. “She’s here on behalf of Princess Twilight.”

The greeter lowered his head. “I’m sorry, sir, but it’s not my decision. It’s just my job. I’m not allowed to grant you entrance, or any changelings due to the damages caused the last time they were here. I’m sorry.”

Spiceberry snorted, pulling out a small scroll. “I was going to offer you this writ signed by the princess, but if you’re not allowed to make the decision on exceptions, then I’m afraid I’ll have to ask for your supervisor.”

“Right away, sir,” muttered the greeter, slinking away. He almost looked hurt when he came back a minute later with a better-dressed stallion.

“I’m the curator here,” he said, nodding. “What’s all this about an exception?”

Spiceberry looked to the greeter, then turned to the curator. “Please understand first and foremost that I mean no ill will to your staff or your gallery. It is not my intention to start a fight. We just want to look at some paintings and sculptures. We have a letter from the princess that should explain it all.”

The curator accepted the writ and looked it over, having pulled out a pair of reading glasses. When he was finished, he returned it. “I think we can make an exception this time. Do note, however, that you are responsible for any damages caused by her. You will understand, of course, if we have one of our security guards follow your party for liability reasons...”

“If that’s what it takes,” nodded Spiceberry, passing over a few bits to pay for their party’s entrance. Once through, they were joined by a security guard equipped with a small cudgel and a pair of cuffs. He looked miniscule in comparison to the armed guards, but they were finally going through.

The gallery was practically empty of ponies already, made even more open by the ponies that left when they saw Chrysalis. A few of them stayed, some gawking and whispering amongst themselves, others turning briefly and, seeing the sheer number of guards, went back to browsing.

"So, what do we do here?" asked Chrysalis, looking around.

"Just look," answered Spiceberry. "Or, if you want, we can discuss one of them."

"Don't touch," added the security guard.

Chrysalis looked around and found a painting on the wall. She approached and examined it from behind the stanchion. It was a semicircular red smear, surrounded by splatters of every colour. She stared at it for a moment, then cocked her head to the side.

"What about this speaks to you?" asked Spiceberry, smiling up at her.

"It confuses me," answered Chrysalis. "What's it supposed to be?"

Spiceberry scratched the back of his neck. "It's abstract. It's not supposed to be anything. It's supposed to represent an emotion in some way."

"I've tasted a multitude of emotions," grunted Chrysalis. "None of them tasted like this. What's it supposed to represent?"

"An excellent question," nodded Spiceberry. "I have no idea. I'm not fond of abstract pieces like this."

"You just don't understand it because you're uncultured," spat a noble. "It clearly represents the pain that the artist felt."

Chrysalis looked at the painting again. She didn't see it, but clearly, this mare that had interrupted did. "Pain from what?"

The noble scoffed. "I'm not going to stand here and explain it. You'll just have to figure it out."

As she turned around, Chrysalis spotted another painting in another section, hidden from her view when she walked in. This one depicted two wolves fighting each other atop a crag in a realistic style.

"You like this one?" asked Spiceberry, a bit unsure about the painting, himself.

"I do."

"I'm not a violent pony. I think fighting for dominance over others is a waste, and that we'd be better off elevating each other."

Chrysalis shook her head. "This isn't a fight for dominance. This is to the death. The winner's prize will be surviving."

Spiceberry looked closer at the painting. "What makes you think that?"

"The environment is barren," explained Chrysalis. "This is either far away from where they live, or the land has been spoiled. their prey is gone, and they haven't eaten in days. Their bodies are thin, bony and desiccated. Look at their eyes; they're desperate. They need to eat, or they both die."

Spiceberry looked again, and he saw that she was right. "The loser will provide sustenance to ensure that the winner goes on. Huh."

"That's totally wrong," sneered the noble, coming back. "They're fighting over a mate. They both want to father a litter of pups, and that's the prize for the winner."

"This one does have a penis," pointed out Chrysalis. "I'll accept that he wants to be a father. But the other one can't father anything."

"Why not?"

"Because she wasn't painted with a pair of testicles."

On closer examination, the wolf on the right, the one who seemed to be winning, had breasts hanging from her belly.

"Well-spotted," clapped a donkey behind them. "This is indeed a fight for survival."

"And what makes you so sure?" snapped the noble.

"I painted it. They're a brother and sister, actually. They were hunting over the cliffs, and the way back collapsed. It's a long way home, and she's going to be the only survivor of the three that left. The other was buried under some rocks, but that's a different painting, hanging in a different gallery..."

Chapter the Thirty-Eighth: Surprise Guest

They didn't spend a lot of time in the gallery. Chrysalis kept finding paintings and sculptures she liked, but the noble kept following them around and complaining. Spiceberry could tell that she was making Chrysalis uncomfortable, and wanting to avoid an incident, escorted his date out and away from the conflict. It was unknown to them, but moments after they left, the noble was escorted out, kicking and screaming for bothering the other guests. They had come to look at the art on display, not listen to somepony tell them that they were wrong about everything.

They found themselves now in a public park, walking along the bank of the stream that ran through it. Not a natural stream running down off the mountain, but a lovely water feature designed by the architect. This particular park was not a plot of land untouched by ponykind, but the remains of a large block of torn up buildings that had been put under the care of a gardener and given new life. What was once a basement was now a small pond of fish, the plumbing was refitted accordingly, and exotic grasses and shrubs were planted. In spring, the plums would blossom, and the whole park would be showered in red, white and pink petals. It was a good time to be a guest, but a bad time to be the pump that circulated the water.

"This is pleasant," nodded Chrysalis. "As a changeling, I tend to enjoy the cold and damp." She swirled her hoof through the water, letting it flow through her holes. "Although, I have been growing accustomed to the warmth of ponies of late."

"Let's hope it stays that way," nudged Spiceberry. "I like the cold myself, but nothing beats a fresh cup of hot cider."

"You'll hear no argument from me."

The two shared a laugh and continued walking, chatting about nothing in particular. This brief respite from being leered at was doing wonders for Chrysalis, allowing her to open up. But as they rounded a corner, she suddenly froze up. At the edge of the pond sat Fluttershy, feeding some bread to the ducks and the fish swimming around. Chrysalis tried to take a step backward, but her lead snapped taut against Spiceberry's ankle, and she could go no further without his leave.

It took mere seconds for Fluttershy to notice them, but rather than leaving or going back to her critters, she stood up and walked over to them. Chrysalis wanted nothing more than to bolt away at what might be said, but Spiceberry held her hoof firmly in place.

"Something you wanted to say, miss?" asked Spiceberry, holding up his hoof to signal her to slow her approach.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" she asked him, glancing sideways at Chrysalis from time to time.

"Certainly."

"Alone?"

Spiceberry gave the lead to one of the other two guards, turning back to Chrysalis. "I'll just be a moment," he promised. As he walked off with Fluttershy, Chrysalis sat down next to the stream and ran her hoof through the water. She dreaded what Fluttershy might say to him, and how it would reflect on her. Being out of earshot, she dared not try to read their lips. Whatever was said, she'd have to deal with after, no matter what it was.

Thankfully, it was over quickly, and Spiceberry returned, a somewhat glum look on his face. Had it really been that bad? "What happened?"

Spiceberry waved his hoof. "I'll handle it later. Don't worry about it for now, but I do think we should move on to our next location right away."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong just yet," answered Spiceberry, taking back her lead, "and I'd like to keep it that way. Come along."

Chrysalis followed him out of the park, down several roads to a less extravagant part of town. Actually, calling it less extravagant was a bit of an overstatement. The gilded buildings lit up from the inside gave way to smaller, more plain buildings lit by streetlights, and even further went to dirty buildings lit by sparse, flickering lights. The building they stepped into was brick, with graffiti covering the door. The interior was no better, with the hum of the fluorescent lights complimenting the worn, dirty carpeting.

"Why are we here?" asked Chrysalis, looking around. "Kind of a step down from where we were..."

"This is the last place we're going tonight," nodded Spiceberry. "This is just the entrance. The third floor is better. We just have to go upstairs." He led her further in, down a dirty hallway, up two flights of stairs, and then another hall. He stopped at a door marked 306 and pulled out a key.

"So, this is going to be a bit of a step down from what you might expect. I know I said the third floor was better, but I've just realized that I may be biased. Just... temper your expectations, okay?"

Chrysalis took a deep breath. He was definitely nervous. He practically reeked of it. She placed a hoof on his shoulder, giving him the assurance that she was going to try to stay calm.

The door opened to a small apartment that was admittedly cleaner than the halls. It was sparsely decorated, with a few posters hanging from the wall over a folding couch. One depicted a tiger clawing apart a guitar and read "Trans-Equestrian Orchestra." Another depicted two blindfolded dental hygienists trying to draw a circle with square blocks. There were a few more, as well, but they didn't look like much of anything from what Chrysalis could tell. Dull beige walls gave way to an exposed wood floor draped with old rugs along the paths better travelled, except in the kitchenette, where there was a solid sheet of grey linoleum. The only furniture was the couch, a standing lamp, and two bookcases.

"So, uhhh..." Spiceberry cleared his throat. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable on the couch?"

Chrysalis stepped into the room and poked around a bit. There were only two doors, with an open one leading to what seemed to be a bathroom, and a closed one with a shirt sleeve poking out from underneath. One of the bookshelves was loaded with cookbooks and the other with fantasy novels. The one with the novels also included several record sleeves and a board game box. She turned her attention to the couch, which was visually unappealing and had a very clear worn-out spot where an entire section was covered in silver tape. Draped over the back was a blanket that was just blue, and on the side away from the tape was a single pillow with a bear picture on it.

While she had been looking around on her way to sit down, Spiceberry had been fumbling around in the kitchenette. He'd been in a rush all day preparing for her, and had known that he'd wanted to make dinner for her, especially as she could only eat food made with love, but he hadn't worked out the details until just now. He didn't know what he was going to make, but he had to put his care into it.

Chapter the Thirty-Ninth: Dinner Service

Spiceberry had always intended to bring Chrysalis to his kitchen tonight. If he'd had more time, he could have looked over everything and picked out the very best dish to make, but such was not the case this time. As it was, they had hoof-made tomato soup with potatoes au gratin. For dessert, some chopped apples pan-fried in butter, honey and his usual blend of cider spices, which he had stirred up in a large jar to pull from as needed. He could have taken her out to a nice restaurant, but she could only eat it if the chef made it with love, and that was a gamble.

Likewise, Chrysalis knew that this food was only edible for the addition of the care and desire to impress her that he put into it. For her, that was the only form of nutrition. While they both thought the dessert was very sweet, for her, it was also incredibly nutritious.

Once the food was eaten, Spiceberry took the flatware into the kitchen and scrubbed everything down. He worked quickly, and was done in less than ten minutes, during which time, Chrysalis took a closer look at his bookshelf. She didn't recognize any of the albums, having not been big into the music of Equestria while she was passing through on her many trips. A few of the novels she recognized by name, though she had not actually read any of them.

"Found something you like?" asked Spiceberry, rounding the corner and drying his hooves. "I've read everything on that shelf. You can read one, if you want."

"Perhaps later," nodded Chrysalis, returning to the couch. "What do you usually do after dinner?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, I don't usually eat dinner this early. I'm usually guarding the archives for the next four hours. I usually snack right about now, but today is a special occasion."

"I'm usually still servicing guards at this hour," nodded Chrysalis. "I think, anyway. Time is nebulous in the dungeons."

"So, what shall we do now?" asked Chrysalis. "If this is your last stop planned for the evening, what shall we do?"

Spiceberry reached up and scratched his neck. "I don't usually have this much leisure time in the evenings. I'll be honest, I thought I might need to do some correcting, but you've really been impressing me tonight. I'd also hoped to spend more time at the park, and arrive here later. I didn't expect this all to move so quickly."

"And now you have me in your bed," she chuckled.

He couldn't help but chuckle, himself, taking her by the shoulder and gently pushing her down to a supine position. "And now I have a ravishing lady lying in my bed, expecting a good evening."

As he kissed her, his right hoof travelled down her body, starting from her shoulder and going all the way down to her knee, then returning. "We should probably remove the clothes," she breathed. "We don't want to stain them, after all."

"Right you are..." Spiceberry began removing his clothes, but rather than just tossing them aside, he stood up and walked to the closed door. As he opened it, A lot of things fell out, including two more board games and a record player. He grumbled as he picked up a few of the things, and as one of the boxes popped open, Chrysalis took note of the multitudes of butt plugs that she'd graduated through. She was currently wearing her fifth, but there were still more to go. The largest didn't look like it would ever fit. If it did, she didn't know if she'd ever be able to close her arsehole again.

"What's all this?" she asked, looking over it all.

"I tried to clean up before you came," he admitted. "A lot of this was just lying on the floor because I never have guests. I had less than twenty-four hours to plan the whole night, so rather than try to find a place for it all, I just shoved it into the closet."

"You cleaned up just for me?"

He shrugged. "I don't know if I'd call it clean, but it's better than it was when I woke up. Hell, If I'd known a week in advance, I might have bought an actual bed instead of a fold-out futon. Or scouted out some motel rooms or something... This is kind of a flop."

She reached up and pulled down two hangers, one of which she hung her dress from. "Everyling is flawed. Have you seen us? We're hideous. Putting on airs and deceiving ponies into thinking we're better than we are comes with the territory."

"Still, it's embarrassing... I work hard, I have a career goal, I'm saving up money, and my place is still filthy. I won't even let my mother know where I'm living right now; she'd insist on moving to Canterlot just so I'd have a nice house to stay in, but I don't want her to bother herself with it."

"Where does she think you're staying?"

"Well, when I signed the lease, I was staying with two college students, and I just haven't told her that they moved out eight months ago."

"Ah."

"It's cheap housing, and most of this is stuff I can afford to replace. Not that I want to, I just..."

She placed a hoof on his shoulder. Wordlessly, she hung up his shirt and coat, which were actually stitched together as one solid piece. She was suddenly very glad that Rarity had made a dress for her from scratch. She had to remember to thank her later.

As he closed the closet door again, with the butt plug case still trying to slide out, guaranteed to fall to the floor when next the closet was opened, he took note that the other two guards were still standing near the door. "Help yourself to some leftovers," he said as he led her back to the couch. "In shifts if you prefer. I don't think we'll be causing too many more problems tonight."

"Are you sure about that?" asked Chrysalis, licking her teeth. "The neighbors might file a noise complaint."

He stopped her from sitting down, then lifted and pulled the couch out into a bed. "I've heard you moan. If they do complain, I'll know that I'm doing a good job."

Chapter the Fortieth: Eaten

Now that they were undressed and ready to spend some time together, Chrysalis kneeled down in front of the bed, expecting Spiceberry to sit down in front of her. They both knew very well what she was, and how she was to be treated. He was the one making the rules, and she no longer minded. After all, he'd proven multiple times to have her best interests in mind. Who could honestly say that he didn't this time, as well? He would treat her as she deserved, without harming her in the process.

"Up on the bed," he commanded. "Lie on your back."

That was odd. He usually liked to warm up in her mouth, seeing her go down on him. It seemed that tonight, he wanted to go right into the main act. Not that she minded the change-up, as she was good for whatever he wanted to do. As directed, she sprawled her body across the bed, going corner to corner to make up for her size. Being taller than everypony around her had its drawbacks. She grabbed ahold of her ankles and spread her legs, inviting him in.

Then, even more of a shock came. He did not climb on top and penetrate her, at least not right away. Instead, he dug his tongue into her snatch, in a way she had not experienced in quite some time. She was the one who would service all of the ponies that came in. She was not used to receiving service.

He began to play with her butt plug, slowly moving it in and out. She moaned out softly, holding her voice back as she looked down at him. As he dragged his tongue against her clit, she suddenly realized why Starlight had trained her to do this. It was wonderful. She leaned her head back against the bear pillow and held on tight to the cushions. He wasn't letting up at all, no matter how wet and sticky she became. She had to bite down on her lip to keep from shouting out.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked rhetorically. "Holding back so as not to call out? Let it go. Squeal for me."

She let out a muffled moan, muted by her lower lip. She was in the throes of pleasure, but she didn't want him to know exactly how much. She was supposed to make him feel good, not the other way around.

With a chuckle, he pulled the plug all the way out and tossed it off the bed. Now was the time for him to crawl up her body. He grabbed her by the wrists and held her down, rubbing his erect cock between her sensitive breasts. As he leaned down to kiss her, she could taste herself on his tongue. She wriggled her tongue down his throat. She had intended to just return his kiss, but the love that radiated off of him was so intense that she couldn't help herself.

Within a few blind thrusts, he managed to plow his way up inside of her without looking. Normally, she would have lubricated him with her mouth, but this time, the roles had been reversed, and she was all the slicker for it. They had only just begun, and already, his balls were slapping hard against her gaping arsehole. She had never felt so pleasured before.

He released her wrists, as well as her tongue as he pulled away. He wasn't up for very long, though, as he linked his elbows under her knees and pushed her shoulders down. Nopony had ever made it as deep as he was now. But for the fact that she knew the body parts were not joined, she could swear that he was driving his tip directly into her stomach. She could no longer control herself.

"Spiceberry! Ah! Harder!" she shrieked, her tongue flopped out over the side of the bed. The resulting smile from her lover was complimented by some pounding coming from the walls. Satisfied that he'd fucked her hard enough to send her screaming, he leaned down to her, face-to-face. Before he could kiss her again, she grabbed him by the lip with her teeth, once again driving her tongue down his throat. Wrapping her legs around his shoulders, she pinned him down, clamping her walls around his shaft as she came harder than she ever had before.

She'd been fucked numerous times. She'd been fucked harder than that regularly, but it was always with the intent that she was serving whoever her partner was. It was a job. This time, it was for her. She didn't cum from being filled multiple times, but because she very much enjoyed his display. He hadn't even reached his climax yet, and already, she'd finished. This was uncharted territory for her.

As soon as she wound down, she released her grip and allowed him to move again. As he pulled away, her tongue flopped out of his mouth, down over her face. She'd been open and receptive to him, letting him do whatever he wanted with no time limit, no judgement, and no authority to stand in his way. She was in awe of him at this moment.

Slowly, he began to thrust again. He hadn't finished, and she'd calmed down. It made sense that he would continue. She was a bit sensitive, shivering at his slightest movement, but it wasn't long until he began to speed up again. He was pushing with such zeal that he inverted her almost completely, with his dick pointed straight down and slamming hard against her cervix. There was no such bed space in her cell, and the floors were not nearly so forgiving that she could be propped up exclusively by her neck and shoulders.

With a loud slap, his hips clapped against her arsecheeks, and he fired a load directly into her womb. He wielded such pressure and drove it in with such force that she could feel every spurt. Feeling his throbbing, pulsating rod was enough to send her back into a stupor as she came once again.

As her body flopped down onto his bed, soaking the mattress with cum and sweat, he very nearly collapsed on top of her, his face dripping sweat and saliva. He took a brief moment to tie her hoof to the armrest, then lay down atop her, panting against her breast.

With one more kiss shared between them, they both passed out swiftly.

Chapter the Forty-First: Price for Freedom

Chrysalis woke up the following morning before anypony else. Spiceberry had rolled off of her in the middle of the night to cling to his blanket. It was a bit chilly in the room, but he seemed to be toasty warm, wrapped up in his little cocoon. She sat up to find that her back had stuck to the bed, the cushion peeling away from her skin. The cold air hit her back, still a little damp from all of the sweat. It was a brisk feeling.

She took another look around. Surprisingly, one of the guards was missing, having left his post. The other was sitting against the far wall, sleeping on the floor. Apparently, they'd become bored with the lack of activity. But what was she going to do, really?

As she reached up to scratch her ear, she heard a small click behind her. She turned to see what it was, and her eyes went wide. The support that Spiceberry had tied her to was not secure. The click was a wooden rod sliding along a small hole. with a very small amount of coaxing, she slid the post to one side, and the cable that bound her to the bed came free.

She was not tied to anything. Her guards were either asleep or missing. She was in good health and well-rested. It was still the early morning, and she was wide awake. An opportunity like this did not present itself twice. Quickly, on silent hooves, she made her way to the door while she formulated her plan.

They would find her if she stayed in Canterlot. She had to leave the city to stay hidden. She would need somewhere to stay, of course, and near to one of the decently-sized towns would be ideal. That meant either just outside of Ponyville, Whinnyapolis, or that third one she forgot the name of.

Well, Ponyville was not an option. Twilight made her home there, and the even if she did break into the farm that was near there, she'd be tangling with Applejack right away, and that was a surefire way to blow her cover. Not to mention the fact that she'd already made an attempt to take over Ponyville, and they'd probably be on high alert there.

Perhaps Whinnyapolis? The crime rate in the low-income areas was notorious. There was no place better to hide from the law than among the lowlifes and criminals. They wouldn't dare report her, on the grounds that they would be reporting themselves in the process.

Then again, it had been almost twenty years since she'd been there. Did that section of the city even exist anymore? Even if it did, would it be in the same place? She shook her head, remembering that one of her drones had reported back from there a few years back of a sting operation.

She supposed then that she would head to the town she'd forgotten the name of. It was small, and news of her arrival would spread quickly, but they were supposed to be a close-knit community, or so she'd heard. All she would have to do is "confess" that her ex-boyfriend was a member of the royal guard, beat her, and was sending his friends after her, and they would keep her safe.

All of a sudden, the thought sat like a foul slime on her tongue. She could picture the scene she would have to describe in her head, with Spiceberry slapping her across the face and telling her she would amount to nothing, and would never be anything but a cum dumpster for him and his pals. She could imagine it over and over, but to imagine telling ponies that he'd actually done it... The very idea made her want to vomit.

Her hoof rested on the doorhandle. This was it. All she had to do was push this blockade open, walk out the unlocked door, and disappear into the sunrise. This is all it would take to be free again. It would be so very easy. No more sleeping in a prison cell, no more sucking off stallions in the shower, no more enduring whatever Starlight had lined up for her to take.

No more Spiceberry. No more of his apple cider. No more butt plugs. No more being allowed to show her face.

Click

She locked the door. She couldn't do it. She didn't have the will to leave anymore. Walking out now felt like a betrayal. She was so close now to just being let go. It wouldn't be long before she could walk unhindered throughout Equestria. She could go anywhere, do anything, and be whoever she chose. Right now, what she wanted was right next to her.

She made her way into the bathroom and stepped into the shower. The controls were different from the ones at the castle. In the locker rooms, twisting the handle changed the temperature and pulling it out from the wall added pressure. This one was just two knobs, one red and one blue. She turned the blue and let the cold water rush over her as she inspected his selection of soaps. It was a very standard shampoo and body wash. With nopony to join her, she didn't take very long to clean up.

When she came out, everypony was still asleep. The sun was only just beginning to peek in from the windows, so that wasn't a huge surprise. She made her way back over to the bed to find that Spiceberry had rolled onto his back. Wanting to wake him up happy, she poked her head under his blanket, made her way up to his crusty, sticky sheathe and pressed the tip of her tongue into it, slowly coaxing out his cock into her mouth. She knew she was a little cold, but by the time he stirred enough to realize something was happening and lift the blanket, she was tightly wrapped around his shaft.

"Good morning," she smiled as she came up, rubbing her cheek against his medial ridge. "Did you have a pleasant dream?"

"I think so," he groaned, sitting upright. "I don't remember much of it. Why are you all wet?"

She held up her wrist, showing the unsecured cable. "I used your shower to clean up. Your security is very lacking." Without another word, she swallowed his cock again, sucking her breakfast out of his balls.

Chapter the Forty-Second: Back in the Cell

The day passed by rather quickly for Chrysalis. After sucking her breakfast out of Spiceberry's cock, he stood up and walked to the kitchen, showing her how to make fresh hot apple cider by the cup. He talked about making it in the back, eight gallons at a time when he finally had the means to do so, but for now, going from refrigerator to stovetop was enough. She even talked him into making a whole quart just for her.

"So, what else do you want to do today?" she asked, laying across his lap on the freshly folded couch. "I'm okay with whatever you want to do."

Spiceberry stroked her mane. Starlight had not sent her along with a brush for her mane and tail, so this would have to do. "I'm not really sure. Most of my time off, I either spend honing my craft or taking care of little things like laundry. Not really date material, to be honest."

"Are you telling me that mares that you've brought here in the past don't want to see you rubbing your boxers against a washboard?" smiled Chrysalis.

"Actually, we have mechanical drum washers to do our clothes here. And tumble driers, too."

"You don't do anything else in your free time?"

Taking the hint, Spiceberry pushed her aside and went to the closet. As he opened the door, the butt plug case fell out again, as expected. He shifted a few things around until the record player was at the top of the stack. He pulled it out and set it up next to the bookcase and slid out a record sleeve. The cover depicted a scene at night, with dark trees and a moonless sky. The only bright things were two digits, a one and a three, woven out of grass and set on fire in the middle of a field.

As he placed the needle onto the spinning disc, a dirge of slow, heavy guitar chords slammed against her eardrums, accompanied by the heavy banging of drums. Before long, it calmed down and lightened up as he pulled out a board game.

"How about some very simple games?" he asked. "I have some that are very intricate, but this one, I think requires very little explanation."

"We have all day," replied Chrysalis. "If you really want to try for a more complicated board game, let's do it."

A slow smile crept across Spiceberry's face as he returned to the closet.

Eight hours later, they walked together back to the castle. They hadn't finished their game or even come close. It took over an hour just to explain all of the rules and math, then they started on opposite ends of the battle mat and had to push their pieces toward each other, collecting resource tiles, establishing cities, fighting barbarians and rescuing nomads. The combat alone was a massive undertaking, counting cards, rolling dice, adding, multiplying and subtracting with every impact. Despite not knowing how to play at first, Chrysalis picked it up around hour three and began to catch up. By the time they had to pick up and put it all away, she had the larger army, and was right at his doorstep, but rather than attacking, she just boxed him in, taking all of the points and drops from barbarian raids while not allowing him to move any more than his scouts.

"Face it, I had you beat," she chuckled, elbowing his ribs. "Just admit it."

"We didn't make it to the end," he answered back. "I'll have you know that I was about to take flight. My universities were giving me so much extra science that you wouldn't believe what I had planned. Tech victory, all the way; I was going to put a pony on Alpha Centauri."

"But you didn't," she chuckled.

As they made their way up the steps, Starlight came out to greet them. "Good evening," she smiled, holding out her hoof to take the lead from Spiceberry. "I trust everything went well?"

As evidence, Chrysalis took her lead from Spiceberry's hoof, and placed it into Starlight's. "Very well," nodded Spiceberry. "We need to have our meeting, right now. Gather everypony together and go to the conference room."

Starlight nodded. "Let me just put her away, first. You go tell Twilight and Shining Armor; they should be in the archives. I'll gather everypony else."

Nods were exchanged, and they separated, with Starlight following Chrysalis back to her cell. "Did you have fun?" she asked.

Chrysalis relayed her entire experience to Starlight, especially about her fear of what Fluttershy might have said to Spiceberry that made him want to rush home. "Other than that little hiccup, I thought it was great. I just have to wonder if this will ever happen to me again."

"I will try to make it happen," nodded Starlight. "Not to dampen your mood, but you take up a lot of my time these days. If I didn't have to be looking over your shoulder all the time, it'd be a real nice boon for me."

"Well, gee, tell me how you really feel," grumbled Chrysalis. "Look, I don't want to be a burden on Equestria; I'm past that. I have other things I want to do. The last twenty hours have shown me what I was missing, and what I'm going to continue to miss."

Starlight's smile broadened to cover her entire face. "You have no idea how delighted I am to hear that. In you go."

Chrysalis was about to let Starlight secure her to the wall, then stopped. "Rarity made this dress without the intent that I would be tied to the wall. If I'm secured, I can't take it off without tearing it."

Together, the two of them removed the dress and hung it up in her wardrobe. Rarity had not given any details on its washing, but it wasn't particularly dirty. No doubt, when she came back to finish it, she'd make sure to have it cleaned, as well as leave instructions on how Chrysalis could do it herself.

Bound to the wall, Chrysalis lay down on her bed. After spending the day on a cheap futon in a run-down apartment, she noted how shabby her cell really was. She liked the cold and damp, certainly, but she'd forgotten how hollow and cramped her cell was, having been away from it for an extended time. She hugged her pillow tightly, burying her face and weeping for all of the joy she could have had if she had cooperated sooner.

Chapter the Forty-Third: Urgent Meeting

Spiceberry tapped his hoof against the conference table impatiently. Several of the attendees has already arrived, but Shining and Twilight were late. They were the most important members in this exchange, and it couldn't start without them. He knew he was back earlier than scheduled, but this was important.

The door opened, and Cadance walked in with them. "They were in Twilight's personal chambers," she explained.

"Good," huffed Spiceberry. "Now that we're all here, we can--" he paused for a moment for Pinkie to pass around a box of doughnuts. "We can now begin to discuss what to do about Chrysalis."

"The test was a clear success," answered Shining. "We provided her an escape attempt, and she didn't take it. And thanks to Starlight's manipulation, she probably thinks it was her own thoughts that barred her exit."

"She does," confirmed Starlight. "I asked her myself."

"I still think that was an unnecessary risk," scowled Twilight. "Letting her even try to escape? What if she'd succeeded?"

"That's what the force field was for, Twily," answered Shining. "You know as well as I do that she doesn't have her magic back yet. If she did try to run, she wouldn't have even made the front desk with the guard presence we installed."

"She can smell emotions," reminded Twilight. "What if she's just telling us what we want to hear, having smelled the guards? What if she's figured out the plan?"

"Well, she obviously knows the end goal," laughed Starlight. "I've been very obvious about what we're doing. I've only been lying about how. Need I remind you of my intended method?"

Twilight rubbed her forehead with her hoof. "You reinforce feelings you want her to focus on, and anything that you don't want her to think leaves a bad taste in her mouth."

"Literally, apparently," snorted Spiceberry. "She said that thinking about lying to harm me tasted like somepony had asked for a rimjob as an excuse to lubricate their colon for an impending deposit."

"Ugh," gagged Rarity, covering her mouth and nose. "That's foul. I think I need another ponut to cover the taste of just the thought."

"You mean doughnut?" asked Pinkie, offering a fresh Bismarck.

"That's what I said, dear."

"No, you definitely said "ponut,"" answered Rainbow. "Thinking about a handsome dragon?"

"I'll have you know that she is a prim and proper lady," answered Spike, standing up. "Furthermore, she's not the one under scrutiny here, and you have no--"

He was stopped by Rarity's hoof on his shoulder. "I appreciate your stoicism, but let us return to our topic. We have more important things to discuss." She cleared her throat. "I have reason to believe that she suspects something. Last night, when Spike and I were making her dress, she mentioned that the date was going to be torture for her."

"Oh, I have an explanation for that," waved Starlight. "That thought dissipated right away. She thought we were going to kill her. She thought Fluttershy had been displeased with her treatment."

Fluttershy shrunk down at the mention of her name. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to mess up your plans."

"Think nothing of it," replied Spiceberry. "You more than made up for it with that advice you gave."

Fluttershy cocked her head to the side. "Wait, that helped? I thought I was just being nice."

"You were," answered Starlight. "Turns out, that was a very strong chain you wrapped around her ankles."

Twilight shook her head. "What are you talking about? What advice?"

Starlight smirked. "Her favourite stallion, the one we've been binding her to while building up her desire for ponies, went down on her last night."

Shining's jaw dropped. "You didn't..."

"Not her ovipositor," waved Spiceberry, "just her pussy. Fluttershy was right in that she deserved some kind of reward for putting up with all of this, and I opted to give her what I thought was harmless cunnilingus."

"It turned out to actually be a somewhat permanent bond," finished Starlight. "She's never going to forget last night, even if I were to release her suppression and just let her walk out. Truly, a stroke of genius."

Twilight shook her head. "If it's all going so well, why did we have to show up so early? Why couldn't we have met in two hours, as scheduled?"

All eyes turned to Spiceberry. He had been the one to accelerate this meeting, and he would be the one who had to answer this question. He stood up and put his hooves on the table, leaning in. "It's time. She's ready."

"I've heard that one before," snorted Twilight. "I'm going to need to see some proof. Something that shows me that she has changed."

"I thought that's what we were for?" asked Applejack. "Wasn't the whole reason that Starlight called us up here to ease your ability to gather the proof she needed? Land's sakes, I'm stubborn as all Tartauros, an' even I think she's leaps an' bounds ahead of where we started. Give her a ride, Twi."

"That's exactly it," nodded Spiceberry. "Right now, you're the only one in this room who wants her to stay down there. The rest of us either want her unlocked, or are indifferent."

"And where are we supposed to put her once she's untethered from the walls, hm?" asked Twilight, leaning forward. "We still need to keep her under surveillance, you know."

"If I had a different work schedule, you could put her in my place at night," suggested Spiceberry. "I'd keep her in one spot."

Shining scoffed. "We can feed a tracking bracelet through her wrist hole. We can literally keep watch of her every step. We can return her to her cell at night until more suitable permanent housing is discussed."

"She's going to ask why she can't just stay with me," added Spiceberry. "What then?"

"Tell her it's a matter of security," answered Twilight. "Or are you actually developing feelings for her?"

Spiceberry chuckled. "Yeah, I am. Wouldn't you know it, assigning me the extra duties of keeping her placated has bled off into me, as well."

Twilight scowled. "You can't be serious... She was a monster."

"Exactly. She was. She isn't anymore. And the more she morphs into whatever my hooves want for, the more difficult it is to hide my satisfaction. No doubt, you've noticed that I fed her fairly heavily last night, and a few other times. It's becoming more and more difficult to hold back."

"Which has only made her cling ever the harder to him," argued Starlight. "Like it or not, she's bound to him. It's natural that he would be bound to her, as well. They're stuck together. I think he's right; he should be her handler. All in favour?"

Rarity, Pinkie, Rainbow, Applejack, Cadance, Starlight and Spiceberry raised their hooves.

"All opposed?" asked Twilight. She and Poultice raised their hooves.

"All abstaining?" asked Shining, raising his hoof. He was joined by Spike and Fluttershy. "Motion passes. She can stay with Spiceberry. As a concession, I will continue to blockade her exit at night with a force field, and we will equip her with a tracker. Meeting is adjourned; meet back here tomorrow."

As everypony stood up to leave, Cadance grabbed Twilight by the shoulder. "Go down to her. Assert your dominance over her and see how she does taking care of you."

"Sure," nodded Twilight. "Tomorrow."

"Now," insisted Cadance.

"But..." Twilight fidgeted, "I didn't finish with Shining Armor. Somepony has to give him a hoof."

"How about a claw?" offered Spike. "I'll take good care of your big brother. After all, we're practically family, ourselves."

Chapter the Forty-Fourth: Twilight's Call

As Twilight descended into the dungeons, she was greeted by the weeping coming from Chrysalis' cell. She approached quietly, shushing the guards she saw to hide her sudden visit. When she was near enough to listen in, she stopped and just held her ear to the wall. She wanted to hear what was going on, but as Chrysalis wasn't talking to herself, she stood there for ten minutes and learned nothing.

She rounded the corner and Chrysalis looked up. "Princess Twilight?" Chrysalis wiped her face on her pillow and stood up. "My apologies for not being presentable. I didn't think there would be any guests tonight, nevermind one so important as yourself. Can you give me a moment to clean up?"

Twilight had to fight to keep her jaw from dropping. Not only was Chrysalis calling her by her title with no hint of sarcasm, but she was also being perfectly respectful and adhering to the rules set forth for her. Wanting to see what would happen, Twilight nodded. "You have two minutes to make yourself presentable."

She moved around the corner and silently counted to a hundred and twenty. When she returned, the former queen of the changelings had wiped her face mostly clean, with a smear line being missed in the process, put on a simple dress, and made up her bed. That was quite impressive. Twilight grabbed one of the rags from the wardrobe and finished wiping Chrysalis' face. "You missed a spot."

Chrysalis bowed her head. "To what do I owe this visit?"

"I've come to employ your services."

Chrysalis looked up at Twilight. Her sclerae were blue-green and her eyelids were puffy. "As her majesty wishes. What manner of service do you desire?"

What Twilight truly desired from Chrysalis was something she could not do at this time. Being unable to transform, Twilight could not have her turn into the stallion she wanted. She knew that she held the key that could undo that, but it would mean that Chrysalis was now free to shift as she pleased.

"What is it you normally do for servicing a mare?" asked Twilight. "Just tell me first, so I know what to expect."

"Most of them begin by telling me to scrub them," smiled Chrysalis. Noting Twilight's confusion, she continued, "We often meet up in the showers. They're all sweaty from working out, I'm all sweaty from working out, and they want to feel clean, and it's kind of a domination thing. Or mutualism, if they want to scrub me in turn."

"I'm not scrubbing you, and I showered this afternoon. What's next?"

"Usually, once clean, they have me eat them out. Very basic stuff. Is that what you want?"

Twilight furrowed her brow. That did sound basic. "What else?"

"Your friends were into some weird stuff. What do you desire?"

Twilight huffed. If her choices were vanilla or letting her own fetish show, or even just making one up, she knew what had to be done. "Give me something that you think will impress me."

Chrysalis nodded and gestured to the chair. "Please, have a seat."

Twilight looked over to the chair. It was the same chair she sat on while watching the demonstration of what Chrysalis had learned, and the same one she'd been sitting in when she realized that things were moving too fast. The last time she had been face to crotch with Chrysalis, this was the chair she was sitting in.

Chrysalis noticed the symbolism as well. "This time, when you leave, it will be as a satisfied mare," she promised, dropping down to her knees. With a sigh, Twilight sat down and spread her legs. Everypony had told her that this was worth it, and she had to be the judge.

Chrysalis' tongue ran slowly over Twilight's lips, slicking her up with saliva. There was a flavour to Twilight that was unmistakable. "Kiwi lime," she smiled, licking her lips. "That's a very popular flavour of lubricant right now. Seems you missed something during that shower this afternoon."

"I had a strapping young gentlecolt call on me after," snapped Twilight in response.

"Anypony I know?" asked Chrysalis, digging her tongue into Twilight.

"That includes more than two thirds of the guards in the castle," grumbled Twilight. "You've likely met."

Dropping the subject, Chrysalis focused on Twilight's pussy. The fact that she was still able to form complete sentences was something that had to change. She was going light for now, as she knew that this had to be a well-remembered experience. An event, really. If she made Twilight cum in five minutes, which she could do, then there would be no takeaway. She had to make it last, and she had to make it good. The last time she'd tried this, she'd lost her in with Spiceberry. That could not happen again.

Twilight was not having a good time. Part of this was because of how Chrysalis was moving slowly, but it was mostly her own preconceptions holding her back. She didn't like Chrysalis on the best of days, and was just wanting this event to be over. To her, it was not the care and attention to detail that bled through, but rather, she felt as though she were just being poked and rubbed from the inside. It was her lack of desire to enjoy this that was causing her displeasure.

Sniffing the air, Chrysalis could identify Twilight's lack of joy, and realized that she was not going to provide any enjoyment this way. Something had to change. Thinking back to how Fluttershy's mood had tasted, Chrysalis once more aimed for her arse.

Twilight was not expecting this in the slightest. She immediately clamped down in shock, mashing Chrysalis' head between her cheeks with her legs. With more than half of her tongue inside of Twilight's arse, Chrysalis began beating her tongue against the sides of Twilight's colon. This caused Twilight to writhe and squirm with the new sensation, until finally, she had enough self-control to open her legs again. By this time, Chrysalis was glad to pull away. Being pressed to flesh was fun only to the point where she was no longer able to breathe.

"What was that?!" demanded Twilight. "That wasn't part of the plan!"

Chrysalis licked her nose clean. "You came on my face. I can smell your excitement. You can't lie to me, Twilight. You enjoyed that, admit it."

Chapter the Forty-Sixth: Umbra

Chrysalis dried her mane and prepared herself to slip into a dress. After a steamy night with Twilight, she'd been assigned a workout earlier in the morning than she was used to. She was covered in dried-on femme cum and her fur was quite matted as a result. The long and short of it was that she needed a shower, desperately.

She came back to her cell, having been watched and escorted by random guards all day, to find that Spiceberry was sitting in her cell, waiting for her. He smiled and offered her a cup of cider. "Good workout?"

"Very nice, yes." She accepted the cup and took a long draught, downing the entire cup in one go.

"Well, I hope you're not too tired," he smirked. "After much deliberation, we've decided to organize a few events for you to make amends for your actions."

"What actions?" asked Chrysalis, sashaying closer. "I've been a bad, bad girl, and I need to be punished."

"I'll spank you later. More importantly, I have a surprise for if you successfully convince everypony that you're very sorry and ready to redeem yourself."

Chrysalis turned around and wiggled her arse. "Are you sure you want to wait until later?"

Spiceberry brought up his hoof and smacked it across her flank. "Put on something nice. Starlight's going to be here soon to collect you. Dark colours, if you can."

As he walked off, Chrysalis couldn't help herself as she watched his tail bounce around the corner. When he was gone, she offered her lead to one of the guards that was escorting her, but rather than strapping her to the wall, he just held it in his hoof. Chrysalis wasn't about to complain, as it didn't matter to her anymore. She wanted to be out of her cell, but she needed to stay there to make that happen.

She opted for a very dark red dress. Not knowing exactly what she was going into, just a plain red dress was enough. It was one of three that she owned that matched the dark shade she was instructed to use, the others being green and black. The black one was off being washed, and the green one was damaged.

When Starlight showed up, she took the lead from the guard. "My dark green dress has a popped seam," informed Chrysalis, holding it up to show the hole. "I need somepony to repair it."

"I'll send somepony down," nodded Starlight. "Are you ready to go?"

Chrysalis nodded and took her place next to Starlight as they began their walk. "Can I know where we're going this time?" asked Chrysalis. "I don't want to misread the situation again."

"You're going to apologize to somepony you've wronged," informed Starlight. "Recently, in fact."

"Fluttershy?"

Starlight shook her head. "Not that recently. She already accepted your apology. No, this is from shortly after your capture."

Chrysalis thought back to the time shortly after her capture. She wasn't seeing nearly as many ponies in those days. Most notable from that list were Twilight and Starlight, and the cycling rotation of guards that would watch her. Out of all of them, she probably did the most damage to Twilight. That would make sense, but if she apologized now, it would come across as being for the night prior, and that was nothing to apologize for.

They stopped in front of a well-guarded door with a carving of a moon on it. For a moment, the thought flashed through Chrysalis' mind that this was the royal outhouse. She wouldn't actually say this, as it sounded like an insult, and she was here to make amends. The thought quickly disappeared, as she knew that the castle had indoor plumbing. She'd just been in the showers, after all.

"I'd give you some last-minute tips, but you know what to do," nodded Starlight. "If you remember your training and keep it professional, you'll be just fine. I can't hold your hoof forever. Good luck, Chryssi."

With a firm pat on her flank, Starlight walked away. Chrysalis brought a hoof up to her cheek. A nickname, and the faith that she could do this without help. She took a deep whiff, and could smell a bit of love Starlight had left behind; just a taste. The pressure was increased yet again, but she was going to keep performing. Perhaps this was a test, to see how much pressure it would take to crush her. Steeling her resolve, she turned and knocked on the door. She was a big bug, and that meant she had to be harder to squash.

The door opened, and the moon carving finally made sense. The room was decorated with dark blues and purples. The white shine of the bricks in the hallway instantly cut to a slate grey on the inside. Several sparkling sheer curtains hung from the ceiling, most of them drooping over furniture to create a sort of waterfall look, while others hovered over the windows of smoked glass, blocking out a lot of the natural light and darkening the room.

There were some bright facets to the room, as well. In contrast to the bright lamps in the hallway emitting white lights, these were either covered with a façade, or maybe were actual iridescent mushrooms growing out of sconces. The only other light sources were a candle sitting on a walnut desk next to a stack of books and a scroll, and the chandelier, which looked to be made of knives at first. Upon closer inspection, they were crystalline shards tinted light blue and refracting pinpricks of light around the room. They almost seemed to be made from ice, and yet they would not melt.

"Are we enjoying the decorations?" asked Luna, clearing her throat. "I have spent several months deciding on the exact decorations that suit me. I believe that I have succeeded in doing so, though many disagree. Multiple gentlecolt suitors have been heard mentioning the gaudiness of the room. What are your thoughts?"

Chrysalis did not know what to say at first. Part of her training had been to tell ponies that their belongings, no matter how gaudy, were to be described as the finest jewels she'd ever seen. On the other hoof, she'd been told not to lie. In any other case, she would have been caught between these two options, but in this case, she simply smiled. "I would not change a thing. It's perfect."

Chapter the Forty-Seventh: The Moon Rises

Several minutes passed with the two of them just talking amongst each other. Despite their differences, they actually had a fair amount of chemistry. A lot of this stemmed from Luna's acceptance of her despite her flaws, and when Chrysalis did apologize, Luna waved it off as if it wasn't a big deal. They both knew what it was like to be cast aside as trash by their own race. The difference between their redemption was that Luna had began her own apologies right away and on her own. Chrysalis had taken far too long to realize her error and needed somepony else to initiate.

"It is of little consequence now," smiled Luna, walking over to the desk. "We can no more change the past than the minds of those who can never understand us. All we can do is steer the fates toward the future we desire." She opened a drawer on her desk and pulled out a small vial. "No doubt, you are, by now, familiar with your own line of work?"

"I am," answered Chrysalis. "Today, I am to take your every carnal desire."

Luna chuckled. "Not every one, just until I'm happy." She uncorked the bottle and drank back the fluid therein. "Remove your dress. You will not be needing it, and I would rather it not be stained. They are expensive to clean, and it is we that must pay for it."

Chrysalis did as she was told, draping it over a chair. She turned back to Luna to find that she was removing her jewelry. The potion was also starting to take effect, apparently, as a cock and balls had sprouted between her thighs and were growing.

"What was in that bottle?" asked Chrysalis.

"A cork," answered Luna sarcastically. "It kept the contents from spilling out. I had to remove it to make sure I could drink the potion."

"You know what I mean."

Luna shook her head. "Lupine root extract, heart's desire, chestnut pulp and about eighteen other ingredients. Stir well, heat on low for four hours, then distill thrice. Add some flavour and scent oil to mask the foul odour and taste, emulsify, and store for later use."

"But what's it supposed to do?"

Luna returned to the bed and lay on her back, helicoptering her dick. "I would think its effects were fairly obvious by now."

Chrysalis returned to the bed and kneeled down between Luna's knees. Luna scooted forward and Chrysalis opened her mouth to accept, but Luna just slid off to the side, slapping her dick against Chrysalis' face. "You'll have to forgive me," she smiled, "It's not often I have a chance to fool around. Perhaps one day, you will fulfil all of my carnal fantasies, but for now, let's just have some fun."

After a few more gentle slaps and nose boops, Luna slid her cock into Chrysalis' throat. She went all the way down but didn't stay for very long. "Up on the bed," Luna commanded. "That's enough lubrication for now."

Chrysalis climbed up, spread her legs and lifted her tail. "Which hole does my mistress wish?"

"Let's start here." Without saying where at all, Luna mounted Chrysalis and rammed her cock all the way into Chrysalis' pussy. Chrysalis was partially lubricated already, having enjoyed the taste of Luna's balls, and Luna had her saliva. It all went in so fast with no more than a single thrust.

Chrysalis tried very hard to keep her mouth shut. As Luna's cock slammed into her pussy, she was tempted to drool all over the place, but she didn't want to risk wetting Luna's bed. After all, she had likely been up all night and still had to sleep, and that would be no good if she was wrapped in a wet blanket.

This was a position that Chrysalis was very familiar with, and while she had experienced a harder pounding from other stallions, Luna was not being gentle. At first, she wondered if perhaps all of their bonding meant nothing, and that perhaps she didn't care as much as she claimed, but a sniff at the air told her otherwise.

After a few minutes, Luna pulled out. Chrysalis wondered if she was about to give another order, but no. Luna grabbed her around the waist and pressed her tip against Chrysalis' pucker. Rather than pushing in, she pulled Chrysalis back on top of her, letting the changeling's weight push her down onto her cock. Luna was now inside of Chrysalis' arsehole, and it wasn't but a few second before she began thrusting once more.

With Luna moving her hooves up to Chrysalis' chest and holding her close, all doubt in her mind disappeared. Luna didn't hate her, or even dislike her. Luna was not being forceful to be cruel, but because she was sexually frustrated and repressed. There was some love Luna had for Chrysalis, without even needing to be blindfolded.

Luna's love had a deep, rich flavour to it, but a bit bitter, as well. The flavour of love that shouted out that is originator had been hurt a good many times. This taste told Chrysalis so much about Luna with no words. It was immediately clear to Chrysalis that Luna was very much damaged, but kept all of her pain bottled up. Knowing now who she was dealing with, Chrysalis was much more involved, and kept pace with Luna's thrusts. She was to be a comfort to the princess.

After a few more minutes, Luna once again pulled out. With no ceremony, she pushed Chrysalis back to the bed, flipping her around so that Luna's cock once more pressed to Chrysalis' lips. Chrysalis opened wide and took all of Luna's shaft, licking at her balls as her cock pulsed, grinding against her throat. With a pained groan, Luna came down Chrysalis' throat, her hooves pressing down on Chrysalis' neck and chest. This was not out of malice, but because Luna was finally loosening her grip on herself and allowing herself to feel good.

As the last little dribbles left her flare, Luna rolled to the side and flopped to the bed, panting. Love practically radiated off of her, most of it actively directed at Chrysalis. "I'm sorry," puffed Luna, looking over at her. "I don't know what came over me at the end."

"I do," replied Chrysalis. She crawled over and started licking Luna's cock clean. "I don't know the details, but I certainly felt your anguish. You needed a vent, and I am glad to have been of service."

Chapter the Forty-Eighth: Until Dawn

Luna had asked Chrysalis to stay next to her through the day. That at first meant sleeping together in Luna's bed, but while Luna needed a full sleep, Chrysalis was up after a few hours of napping. She didn't want to wake the princess, so she just waited, and thought to herself. There was a lot to think about, including, but not limited to, what her next task would be.

It was possible, but not likely, that she would have to offer her services for free to everypony in Canterlot, as well as everypony who was visiting during the wedding. The same could apply for those effected by her invasion of Ponyville. She would be at it for months if that was the case.

Then again, it was possible that she'd already done a lot of them already. The royal guards that worked at the castle probably lived in Canterlot, so she might already be a third of the way done. And it was likely that a lot of ponies would turn her down, such as those happily married or those that were underage, or even frightened of her.

It was also possible that this was too much of a task, and Starlight knew this. They probably wanted to make her tasks capable of her completing them in a timely manner. She seemed to be on the home stretch now, and all she needed was that last little bit. Perhaps just the nobility and the ponies who took very good care of themselves.

After a few hours of thinking it over, Luna shifted, pushing against her as she woke up. "Sorry. I thought you'd have walked out by now. Sleep well?"

"Well enough," nodded Chrysalis. "It's been my waking thoughts that have me worried."

Luna pulled Chrysalis close and hugged her. "We all worry about the future. You are well within your rights to be upset, but I'm going to tell you not to worry about it too much. Not that doing so will calm you or help you settle your mind, but Starlight and your coltfriend seem to be working hard to make you into something that can be set loose. Once you reach that point, why would we bother holding you here?"

Chrysalis shuddered. "That doesn't make me feel much better."

"Perhaps not. But you do have ponies trying to help you. It's something to remember. Treat them well."

Chrysalis nodded. It was strange, taking advice from Luna. She never imagined that she'd be doing so. After a short session of cuddling, Luna brought her into her private showers and gave her a simple scrub down. Chrysalis tried to proposition her, but Luna declined, saying she just wanted to clean up, as she would be going to perform her royal duties soon. As much as she wanted to pleasure herself, she held such a high degree of loyalty to her subjects that she would deny herself such joy as being eaten out. It was actually inspiring for Chrysalis, and she took Luna's words to heart.

Once she was dressed, and Luna was prepared for her night, the two left the room, discussing nothing in particular. As they rounded a corner, they ran into Starlight. "I was just coming to collect you," she huffed. "You need to change so we can move on to your next task."

Chrysalis looked back to Luna. "Go," smiled the princess. "We will have more time in the future. We are not finished. We will meet again."

With a nod, Chrysalis followed Starlight back to her cell. She was already cleaned up, and in a nice dress, but what was in store for her now?

"So, I take it things went well with Luna?" asked Starlight. "She seems to have enjoyed your company."

"I think she did," agreed Chrysalis. "You'll have to ask her yourself if you want her side, but I guess you were going to do that anyway. From my end, it was good. Very insightful, too. I learned so much about her."

"That's good." Starlight opened the wardrobe and pulled out a bright yellow dress. "I think it is, anyway. Put this on."

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, not to give you any ideas, but anything she tells you in confidence is between you. If you break her trust, you go right back to being tied to the wall, on a shorter cable than before. And that'll take even longer to break free from."

Chrysalis swallowed hard. "I'll, uh... I'll try to keep that in mind."

"Good girl." Starlight reached up and patted Chrysalis' cheek. "Now, it's good that you're clean and well-rested, because we don't have time for either of those right now. Come along."

The two of them made their way back upstairs, up a different tower than the one Luna had been in. When they stopped in front of the next door, it was painted white with little golden filigree inlays depicting the sun. This was very clearly Celestia's door. The disparity between it and the simple wooden door with a moon carving that marked the passage to Luna's room was staggering.

"Why is this door so much better?" asked Chrysalis. "Why not have a door this nice for Luna?"

"I don't know," answered Starlight, knocking on the door. "You should ask her while you're in there."

The door opened, and Chrysalis found herself face-to face with Celestia, one of very few ponies that could look her in the eye without her lowering her head. After a few seconds of staring, Celestia turned to Starlight. "This has to happen tonight?"

"If you're busy, we can reschedule," offered Starlight. "We just want to move along. We're ready to go."

As Celestia's eyes rose back to meet Chrysalis' the changeling could feel them piercing her. She offered a nervous smile as Celestia sighed. "Come in, won't you?"

Chrysalis gingerly tiptoed in. Snowy marble slabs decorated the walls, carved and gilded in gold. The decorations were far sparser, and a roaring fireplace at the far wall illuminated everything with a shimmering light. Again, a crystal chandelier hung above, but rather than resembling icicles shining in blue, these were very clearly pentagonal prisms of sparkling white. Even the desk was white with gold filigree.

"So, why is your bedroom such a far cry from Luna's?"

Celestia looked around. "I've always been more popular with the masses than Luna. That is not a dig into her, merely an observation. Much of this has indeed made me the face of all of Equestria. As a result, when the citizens shower the royalty with gifts, they are almost always directed at me. Certainly, Luna has her followers, but they are nowhere near as commonplace as my own fanatics.

"Now, it has come to be that, when presented with a gift, I ask the presenter what they have created for Luna. It is uncommon that they have considered the prospect that she needs care, as well. It might seem insulting for them to have no gift, but it is even more insulting when they pull something out of their arses, or worse, say that the clearly sun-themed item is for us to share.

"Additionally, Luna prefers being much more active with her adorers. My door, for example, was brought to me by a professional company looking to advance themselves. Luna's door was a gift from a young stallion that she helped put through carpentry classes. Far lesser in quality, but very personal. She cried when it was hung."

Chrysalis believed every word. It would certainly explain some of what she'd felt from Luna.

Chapter the Forty-Ninth: Sun Worship

After a few minutes of discussion and looking around, Chrysalis turned back to Celestia. She was sitting on a chair in front of her desk, reading from three scrolls and cross-referencing them with a fourth. "Something interesting?" asked Chrysalis, sitting down on the floor next to the bed.

"Property law," answered Celestia. "A brother and sister are trying to take control of a currently failing restaurant from their father, who is mentally ill. No doubt he has little issue with having his kids take over, as his son was head of the kitchen, and his daughter directed the waitstaff, but they're arguing over which one will take ownership and which one will take partial control as a manager. They have agreed that whoever takes over, the other will stay on as staff, as they're both good at their jobs."

Chrysalis furrowed her brow. "If they're both good at their jobs, why is their restaurant failing?"

"Lack of leadership, and the current owner is seeking medical attention for a degenerative brain disease. Previously successful, but with the owner going crazy, it's very hectic for them. In addition, the owner's wife has taken over, as she is the owner on paper. The restaurant is technically a marital asset, but she allegedly knows nothing about running a restaurant."

"So, you're deciding who takes ownership?"

Celestia nodded. "Perhaps not the gritty, high-profile case that decides whether or not somepony lives or dies, but it has gone through countless appeals, and somehow ended up on my desk. I shouldn't have to be the one to decide this, but if all of the judges they went to before refused to take the case, I can't just pass it off to somepony else to deal with. No doubt they're tired of having their case deferred, and if I can't make the decision, who has the hope to?"

Chrysalis scooted closer. "So, what do you think?"

"I think tonight's a bad night to have a guest. I'm kind of busy deciding the fates of my little ponies."

Chrysalis frowned. How could she prove herself useful when Celestia was just sitting there?

Several minutes passed in silence, the only sound being the ticking of the desk clock. Occasionally, Celestia would write something down on a fifth scroll, or shuffle some pages, but it was very boring to watch. Eventually, Celestia stood up and walked to the lavatory to relieve herself.

Chrysalis was very bored. Wanting to do something nice for Celestia, as she could not be let out until Celestia approved of her release, she walked over and fluffed her cushion. It was very soft and comfortable. Softer than Luna's pillows, in fact.

When Celestia came back, she was met with the sight of Chrysalis lying on the ground on front of her desk, the back of her head on the pillow and her mouth wide open. "What are you doing?"

"I'm expected to please you sexually," answered Chrysalis. "If you're just going to sit here all night doing paperwork, why not let me do my job, as well?"

Celestia paused for a moment, then smiled. She conjured up a small chair that would elevate her hindquarters just above Chrysalis' face. As she sat down, Chrysalis began eating her out.

"Nice and slow," commanded Celestia. "I still need to concentrate on what I'm doing. If I finish this, we can take it to the bed. You'll have to forgive me if I'm a bit quiet."

Chrysalis did her best to keep a slow pace. So often, she'd been ordered to just reach that satisfaction, to hurry up and be ready to service somepony else. It was rare she was asked to go slowly, usually with clients who didn't visit very often. Nevertheless, she complied with the speed requested, trying to make up for it with pressure and depth. She dug as much of her tongue as she could into the princess and slowly but firmly pressed it against her flesh.

As promised, Celestia was very quiet, and kept her eyes forward as Chrysalis slurped. She was focused on the case, looking over all of the data, making sure she had all of the information she could, and detailing the intent of somepony who could no longer write it down.

After half an hour, she nodded, wrote down a long decree on a scroll, then sent it off. "It is done."

"Hmm?" asked Chrysalis. Her mouth was full, and she couldn't make clear her question.

Fortunately, Celestia understood it. "Ownership will be taken from the mother and divided equally between the brother and sister. Let them be incentivized to work together, as their profits depend entirely on each other. Neither has more claim to the position than the other, but the mother has only a legal claim. She can stay on as a consultant, mostly to act as a tiebreaker, but otherwise, she can go back to being a hairdresser."

"Omn gnoh?"

"No, I don't think I will go. I don't have any plans to go up to Vanhoover anytime soon, but if I find myself there and they're still open, then perhaps. You have no idea how difficult it is picking a restaurant to eat at as a royal. The way ponies behave afterward is astounding. I've closed restaurants without even walking through the door by deciding to eat somewhere else. Ponies then think that the place I chose is the absolute best, and shun the other places. It's harrowing, knowing that I closed down an otherwise successful spaghetti cafe simply because I wanted goulash that evening."

That was certainly true. Chrysalis, unable to eat most pony food, was unfamiliar with how restaurants worked. It was certainly a far cry from how the hive operated, with a few feeding chambers. It didn't matter which one she went to, as the meals were all exactly the same. She was consuming a pony's love, whether that was directly from the pony itself or brought forward by one of her underlings.

She sniffed the air. Underneath the notes of stress, having to deal with something that should have been fixed ages ago, she could detect notes of enjoyment. As Celestia pulled out a few more pages from another folder, Chrysalis knew that this was going to be a long, slow night.

Chapter the Fiftieth: Love Incarnate

Celestia didn't cum until an hour after midnight. Having several other files to look over, she continued to sit in her chair and work while Chrysalis ate her out. The good part about this was that, because the buildup had been so long, the orgasm hit her hard. As much as Chrysalis tried to catch it, it was too much, and the seat cushion was soaked.

Right after that, Celestia felt weary, and sent Chrysalis back to her cell while she went to bed. Chrysalis had partially expected Celestia to invite her into her own bed, as Luna had, but no such luck. After all, Celestia had a more pristine reputation.

A guard escorted her back to her cell and bound her to the wall. Chrysalis had a decently long sleep, and after she woke, she was treated to another sexless shower. Upon returning, however, she was met with a sight she should have expected. "Princess Cadance. After Luna, Celestia and Twilight, I might have guessed that you would be paying me a visit."

"You certainly should have expected me," she smirked. She held up a key on a string. "Do you know what this is?"

"It looks like the key the guards use to secure me to the wall."

"That's right. At the end of the day, this key will be gone. Snapped in half and ready to be melted down into scrap."

Chrysalis' ears dropped as her eyes went wide. "I'll be locked in here forever?"

Cadance shrugged. "Mayhaps. We shall see. If you do well, you'll be outside of your cell when it happens. If you are back in here at the end of the day, you stay here forever. Or at least, as long as it takes for a locksmith to come after you. Whether or not somepony wants to send for a locksmith actually depends on you."

Chrysalis was visibly shaking as Cadance approached. "Wh-what do I have to d-d-do to prevent that?"

"The same thing you've been doing," answered Cadance. The difference is, this time, you will have to satiate me. And that is no easy task."

Chrysalis moved to her wardrobe and opened the doors. "What would you like me to wear?"

Cadance patted her shoulder. "Make a decision. I'll see you after lunch. Prepare for a long night..."

As she exited the room, Spiceberry walked in. He bowed as she passed, and she brushed under his chin with her tail flirtatiously. He didn't seem to react, going instead to the changeling queen. "I caught the end of that," he said, offering Chrysalis her cider. "I take it she told you what we've come up with?"

She didn't take the cider, just sat down on the floor. "If I don't do well tonight, I'm going to be locked in here permanently."

Setting the cider on the bed, he sat down next to her. "You want out of here, don't you?"

She nodded.

"And you want to make sure that the way you obtain that freedom is by the course we've been taking, right?"

She nodded again.

He wrapped his hooves around her shoulders, hugging her from behind. "You're going to do a fantastic job. Starlight spoke with Luna, Celestia, and Twilight, and they're all convinced. You just have to keep it going. I know you can do it." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "You've been trained well, you've been making good decisions, and you're a completely different pony than the one Starlight found on the road months ago."

She sniffled and turned to him.

"Back then, I would never give any credence to the thought that you could sate the hunger of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. I would be shocked if you could be in the same room without sinking your teeth into her neck. The old Chrysalis would have leaped at the opportunity and devoured her, sealing her away indefinitely. But you? You're different. You're my Chryssi. You will go to that room, you will drop down to your knees, and you will show her what it means to be eaten out. You will fuck her with a strap-on. You will swap butt plugs. You will show her how determined you are. And do you know how I can say that with confidence?"

She shook her head. Releasing his grip, he turned her around, lowered her to the floor, and straddled her, digging his tongue into her mouth. She responded in kind. She was beginning to feel better about the whole situation.

"That's why. You enjoyed that, right?"

She nodded.

"And you'd do anything to make sure you don't lose me, right?"

She nodded emphatically.

"That's all there is to it. Remember what's at stake tonight. Remember that you have to be in peak condition. You're already clean, undoubtedly partially fed, and if I did this properly, motivated. You're aware of the cost should you fail. If I've learned anything about you, it's that, when you want something, you'll fight for it. Fight for your right to see me again."

She leaned up, wrapped her legs around his neck, and sucked his tongue back into her mouth. All of the fear she'd felt had been reformed into determination. This was the moment that would cement her life from this point forward. If she let herself give up now, she would be throwing away everything she'd worked so hard for. All of the demeaning insults she'd brushed off, holding her tongue, not escaping when she had the chance, and training her body to be the perfect vessel for cocks. All of that would be a thoughtless waste if she did not succeed tonight. She couldn't let that happen. She would impress Cadance tonight, or she would die trying.

After her make-out session with Spiceberry, she downed her cider. The whole time, she'd been thinking about what to wear, and what she decided was something that would make a statement. First, a special butt plug that Spiceberry had brought. It had a hole at the back and a remote controller that could strap onto her thigh. Two buttons controlled it. Over top of this, she wore a very large strap-on with two dildos coming out of the front, one a donkey and the other a dog. Her mouth was gagged with another double-ended dildo, one end of which she was deepthroating. The entire ensemble was completed with just belts. She may be meeting with a princess, but she was a whore, damn it! She would not only dress like one, she would make sure she had enough equipment to last the rest of the day. She could not hold back anything. Not today. Today, she would show her worth.

Chapter the Fifty-First: Everything has Changed

Chrysalis, in her ridiculous outfit, pounded on Cadance's door. As it swung open, she was met not with the princess, but with Shining Armor. As soon as he saw her, he burst out laughing.

"What is it?" asked Cadance from inside the room. Rather than answer, Shining stepped aside and waved Chrysalis into the room. Cadance was sitting on the bed in a bathrobe, her mane wrapped up in a towel. When she saw Chrysalis, she couldn't help but to cover her mouth and chuckle, as well. "I gave you full choice on what outfit to wear, and this is what you chose?"

Chrysalis nodded, letting the dildo in her mouth flop up and down. She still couldn't speak, but she figured that her outfit was already loud enough.

"Well, you certainly know your role. I don't know if you plan to use all of that stuff, but I suppose the thought alone is not so bad." She reached up and pulled the towel from her mane, tossing it to Shining. "Leave us. We have business together, to which we must attend."

Shining nodded and carried the towel out of the room, closing the door behind him. This left Cadance and Chrysalis alone in the room together. This exact setup hadn't happened since the invasion. Even down in her cell, there were guards present. Now, it was just the two of them.

"I was expecting something fancier. An actual dress, or perhaps a real bondage suit. A makeshift string of belts was not among my expectations. Turn around, show us the ensemble."

Chrysalis turned, showing off everything from her nipple clamps to her tail braid. She even removed her strap-ons to show what she was wearing inside of her body, as well. All the while, even when her throat was clear, she remained silent.

"Impressive," nodded Cadance, peeling back her robe. Beneath it, she was wearing her own set of gear. She didn't have nipple clamps, but weighted nipple piercings. Her strap-on had only one dildo on either side, rather than the double that Chrysalis was sporting, but it was very large, and rather than a butt plug, she was sporting a string of anal beads. "I'd guess that you're trying to replace me again, but with that bracelet, I don't think you will."

She slipped out of her strap-on, revealing that it was gyrating inside of her, a function that Chrysalis had not expected at all. With it out and subsequently shut off, Cadance moved to the edge of the bed and spread her legs. "Enough wasting time. You went through the trouble of gagging yourself with a double-ended toy, so let's see how you use it."

With as much of a smile as her open jaw would allow, Chrysalis kneeled down next to the bed and used her hooves to direct her mouth-mounted dildo into Cadance's cunt. Oddly enough, once it split her lips, Chrysalis was pulled forward until her nose was pressed against her clit. She pulled back, but Cadance had a lot of strength.

"Oh, yeah, that," chuckled Cadance, waving her hoof. "I provide a fair amount of effort of my own. I've been having gratuitous amounts of sex for a very, very long time. I have forgotten more than most ponies will ever know. I want you to be very aware that, no matter how good you think you are at pleasuring stallions, I have a long history of being better. If you think just being a slut is the most impressive thing you have, I'm very difficult to impress on that front."

Chrysalis swallowed hard. She was hoping to use her newfound sexual prowess as a way of showing how she could be useful, but with her judge being an expert far beyond her expertise, there was no hope for that. She was feeling a bit shaken, but when she closed her eyes, she saw Spiceberry's face, urging her onward.

Steeling herself, she started bobbing her head, booping her nose against the princess' pussy, feeling like she was being throat-fucked at the same time. This apparently came as a shock to Cadance but was not too much of a surprise, as she started going very hard into it, pumping her hips in time and clenching down when appropriate. She even grabbed Chrysalis by the horn and mane to help them both force more down.

This went on for several minutes, without so much as a break for either. For any other mare, the intensity of this would have driven her to at least one orgasm, but Cadance was built differently. Wanting to save her own neck, which was definitely feeling very sore with the forced, jerking movements, she grabbed ahold of the ring at the end of Cadance's anal beads and yanked the first one out. It was almost as big around as her hoof.

"Growing bored, are we?" teased Cadance, holding her down. "Perhaps you want to know what they feel like?"

Chrysalis nodded. Partially because it was true, partially because she thought swapping anal toys might give her some kind of edge; a secret weapon that Spiceberry had given her if things became overwhelming, and partially because Cadance's hoof was pushing and pulling her horn in that motion.

Cadance ripped the plug from Chrysalis' arse with her magic, and to compensate, Chrysalis responded by yanking out the remaining beads. While Cadance moaned like a whore and sprayed Chrysalis' face with her first orgasm, she was nowhere near finished. After shoving the plug into her own arsehole, she began feeding the beads into Chrysalis. The first four went in no problem.

"You've been practising taking it anally," smiled Cadance. "Great initiative. I love the attitude behind it. But how far can you go?"

The next two went in. The first was the size of Spiceberry's cock, then the size of the largest plug she'd ever had. As the seventh spread her wider than she'd ever gone, she decided to try Spiceberry's secret weapon. She pressed the cross-shaped button on her thigh remote.

First, there was a whistling, like the sucking of air. Cadance groaned softly as her legs tensed up. "So that's how you want to play this, huh?" She forced the bead in, and chrysalis pressed the button again. Again, Cadance was caught clenching and moaning, and seemingly enjoying herself despite it. "One more bead," she huffed.

Chrysalis felt like she was being split open as the last bead squeezed in. She'd never been so full and so wide. As it crested her pucker, she felt as if somepony had shoved an entire leg up there, as if they had lost their housekeys, and were shoulder-deep into looking for them. In response, she pressed the button twice, and Cadance fell to her back, gasping with pleasure as her pussy and back legs tried to suck Cadance's head in as she came again.

"No fair!" she called out. "Inflatable butt plugs are cheating!"

Chapter the Fifty-Second: Floodgates

As Chrysalis pulled her gag out of Cadance's crotch with an audible pop, she really wished her mouth was more open. She was restricted to breathing through her nose, so while Cadance was able to gasp for air and breathe, Chrysalis was choking and wheezing.

After catching her breath, Chrysalis pressed the other button on her remote, letting the butt plug in Cadance's arse decrease in size. It would do nothing for her, but it was great relief for Cadance.

That relief wouldn't last long, however. Chrysalis climbed up on the bed, pinning Cadance's wrists to the mattress. She pushed the soaked dildo into her mouth, leaning down and kissing her. The cock in her throat didn't faze the princess at all, and in fact only made her hornier. Her tongue darted out of her mouth, squeezed its way past the gag, and grabbed ahold of Chrysalis' tongue, dragging it back into her mouth.

Meanwhile, Chrysalis was redirecting her horse cock strap-on into Cadance's pussy. While their mouths were busy, she would initiate full-blown coitus, pumping her hips vigorously. This was hardly a distraction for Cadance, who wrapped her back legs around Chrysalis' hips. Her vaginal muscles sucking in the dildo in addition to her legs made it easy to enter. At the same time, the dog cock pressed hard against Cadance's groin, massaging her thighs.

Cadance grabbed Chrysalis by the wrists and rolled over, switching sides. As she pinned Chrysalis to the bed, she picked herself up, slurping the dildo clean as she did.

"You have a lot of nerve, taking charge like that. Not everypony wants to be fucked as hard as I do, you know. That kind of behaviour could land you in a lot of trouble if I were to scream to the guards outside the door and tell them you took advantage of me."

Chrysalis smirked, grabbed ahold of Cadance's waist, and began pumping her hips up and down, drilling the princess. Cadance fell forward, drooling over Chrysalis' face. Her drool smelled of her own pussy, having swallowed down the discharge from the dildo. Her eyes rolled back in her head.

They rolled back into position soon as her mouth closed. She grabbed Chrysalis' cocks and shoved them both up her pussy. Despite the point of the knot on the doggy dildo being to lock in place inside of her, Cadance was so malleable that she could fuck herself on the knot while riding.

"You keep underestimating me, too," she huffed, working herself up and down. "Honestly, if you think I couldn't take both of these at once, you're sorely mistaken. You'll have to try harder than that!"

Chrysalis did have one more, but she was wary about using it. If all went wrong, she might be sent back to her cell now, and that meant that she wouldn't earn her freedom. No, it was too risky. Instead, she broke rhythm, trying to prove to Cadance that she was still taking control.

This threw Cadance off balance, and once again, Chrysalis pinned her to the bed. Rather than holding her wrists this time, she held her shoulders.

Cadance smirked up at her partner. "You think that's funny, do you?"

Chrysalis nodded as she continued fucking.

"Here's what I find funny..." With her free hooves, Cadance grabbed ahold of Chrysalis' breasts and began pulling and squeezing, milking her like a cow.

Chrysalis had thought herself ready for this, with the clamps having weights attached to them, but the pressure was completely different from just having weights tugging on her.

Fortunately for her, she wasn't the only one wearing weighted nipple clamps. Grabbing ahold of the chains, she tugged hard, putting such intense negative pressure on Cadance's nipples that the whore princess moaned in ecstasy.

For the next few minutes, the room was relatively peaceful. At least, as peaceful as it could be with Cadance shouting out in pleasure and Chrysalis slapping her hips against her arse cheeks. Of course, it didn't take too long for Cadance to grow weary of this position. As soon as the thrusting pushed her head over the edge of the bed, she let go of Chrysalis' tits and placed her back hoof against her chest. With a swift kick, she threw Chrysalis back against the headboard.

"You like being on top that much?" Cadance rolled over, looped her hooves over the edge of the bed, and wiggled her arse in the air. Show me what you would do with somepony inviting you in like this!"

Chrysalis couldn't lie, it was very enticing. She picked herself up, and with a swift smack across Cadance's flank to stop her wiggling, rammed both cocks into her pussy.

"Is that all you can do?" asked Cadance, inspecting her hoof. "I was hoping you wouldn't have run out of tricks so soon. What a bore."

A bore? If this were any other mare, having a full-grown horse cock would be something so big and astounding that it would be overpowering. It wasn't pony-sized, after all. Additionally, the dog cock was something exotic and exciting in its own right. Both at once would be too much for any normal mare, even on her best day. And yet, here was Princess Cadance, yawning at the thought of letting them split her open.

"Wake me when you have something impressive for me..." Cadance lowered her head to the bed and mocked snoring. It was insulting.

Or perhaps... Was it an invitation to use her other secret equipment?

Chrysalis pulled out, letting her ovipositor spring forth. If two dick facsimiles were boring, then why not three? She penetrated again, this time with an additional appendage in the mix. This certainly was enough to cause a shock to Cadance, as she began to quiver and shake.

"Y-YES!!"

She was tight, or at least was squeezing down in her. Chrysalis could feel every square centimetre of the dildos and the inside of Cadance's pussy. She didn't know if it was normal for Cadance to take three dicks at once, but she certainly was doing so now. It must have been effective, too, because she clamped down even tighter as she suddenly came hard.

The clamping pressure was almost too much for Chrysalis. She has able to hold herself in a stable position as Cadance came all over her. When she was done, Chrysalis slipped out, huffing and choking again. She had to pull the gag off. She couldn't breathe with it in her throat any longer. It had to go.

As she reached for the clasp, however, Cadance reached between her legs, and grabbed the ring. With a series of audible pops, the beads came out all in one string. The stretching followed by the empty feeling forced Chrysalis into a powerful orgasm that knocked her out cold. Her last thought before she lost herself entirely was that she was going back to her cell. She'd failed.

Chapter the Fifty-Third: The Fate of the Changeling Queen

Chrysalis didn't even want to open her eyes when she woke up. She'd passed out the one time she definitely could not afford to fail. How could she ever face Spiceberry again? After all he'd done for her; bringing her cider, taking her out on the town, giving her an inflatable butt plug and remote, and most importantly, believing in her when nopony else would. Even after all of that, she hadn't lasted the night.

As she curled herself tighter, though, she noted that this was not her bed, and there was something attached to her back left hoof. It wasn't the cable, but something heavier, like a boot. Perhaps a thicker cable to secure her to the wall? Thicker and shorter. She had been warned that she would suffer for her failure.

As she began to cry, however, she felt something; a hoof gently rubbing her shoulder. Her bed felt weird, too. Softer than usual. She opened her eyes and looked forward.

She was definitely not in her cell, but neither was she still in Cadance's room. She didn't recognise this place at all. At best, it looked like the room in which Rarity had made her dress, but less cluttered. It did have a few staples of her cell, such as her wardrobe and hamper, and her chair had been brought in, as well.

She placed her own hoof against the one on her shoulder, turning around to see who it was. Spiceberry smiled down at her. She squeezed his hoof, pulling it against her chest. "I'm so sorry."

He furrowed his brow. "What are you sorry for?"

"I failed to satisfy Princess Cadance," she sobbed.

"Oh, don't worry about that," he waved. "The entire Equestrian army could fuck her and she wouldn't be satisfied. You lasted two hours on your own. I wasn't expecting you to do the impossible. I was expecting you to show how much you've learned. You more than exceeded our expectations."

"I did well?" Chrysalis looked down at her hoof. There was no cable. There was instead a small box on a strap, fed through one of her holes and fastened tightly so as not to bounce around as she walked.

Spiceberry grabbed the box. "This is a tracker. There's still some distrust among the nobility and some disagreements between the princesses as for what to do with you. The princesses will always be able to find you with this, so don't think you can just run off, but if they grant you permission to go somewhere with or without a guard escort, you can move freely.

"Additionally, you've been granted a nicer room to stay in. This one even has a personal lavatory, so you can shower as often as you need to. The maids will come in and clean up for you regularly, but please treat them with respect."

"Why can't I stay with you?" she asked. "If I no longer have to stay in my cell, what's wrong with your place?"

He smirked. "I knew you'd ask about that. We're working on it, as my apartment falls outside of your allowed range right now, but if you behave, that can be expanded. Also, on Saturday mornings, I'm allowed to sleep here, so you'll see me regularly."

There was a knock at the door. "Is she up yet?" called Starlight's voice.

"Come on in," answered Chrysalis. "I've just woken up."

The door opened and Starlight came in, carrying the dress Rarity had made. It was now completely finished. "Did you hear the news?"

"I was just in the middle of telling her," answered Spiceberry. "But, since you have her dress there, why don't you tell her the rest? I was just coming to the ceremony."

"Ceremony?" Chrysalis cocked her head to the side.

Starlight held the dress aloft. "You're going to go before the princesses one more time. Except this time, you're to be fully dressed. They're going to tell you your boundaries, issue your work release, and explain the rules that will bind you until that ankle bracelet comes off."

Chrysalis looked back at the bracelet. She was still chained to the wall and couldn't leave, but her cable was longer than she would have hoped for. She hoped she would be allowed to at least leave the castle.

Chrysalis held her breath as Starlight fiddled with her mane. She was in her best dress, and her judgement was about to be passed down. Starlight had done everything she could to prepare her for it, but if her hooves weren't holding her up, they'd be shaking.

"Nervous?" asked Spiceberry, grabbing her wrist.

"W-w-why would I be n-nervous?" stuttered Chrysalis. "So much power in one room, all with their eyes on me. A flash of their horns, and I'm but vapour."

"Nonsense," huffed Starlight. "You'll be fine. Let's go."

The doors opened magically and the trio walked up the carpet. At the other end of the room sat five thrones. Celestia sat in the big one at the center, Luna and Cadance sat on either side, and on either side of Cadance sat Twilight and Shining in smaller, more movable thrones. Upon coming to the bottom of the steps, they bowed.

"Chrysalis, former queen of the changelings," called Celestia. "When you arrived in our dungeons, you had been charged with criminal acts too numerous to mention in a timely manner. Now, you stand before us, seeking parole."

This was not wholly true, but Chrysalis did not want to interrupt. Instead, she just stared at the floor.

"It is the will of this court that the damages that you caused be repaid. However, we are not without mercy. It would be unreasonable for you to undertake this task alone, especially as it is practically already done. Instead, we have decided to issue you a much more manageable task. All damages paid for by the Equestrian royal coffers has been tallied up, and you are to be assigned a mere ten percent of that. Until you have cleared this debt, you will be restricted to Canterlot with the exception of special assignments.

"You have your choice of options as to how to pay back this debt, with the stipulation that your method must be admissible under Equestrian law. In keeping with this, Starlight has offered up that you are an accomplished consort. There are a good many subjects here in Canterlot that would benefit from such a skill. It is suggested that you do so.

"Until such time as we decide to release you, you will be reporting to your handler. They will take care of your weekly expenses, as well as taking into account your profits, and sorting them out to ensure that you are making enough money to actually pay back your debt. Your initial handler will be Spiceberry, but will fall on the shoulders of Starlight should he prove unable.

"Finally, you have been granted access to a room within the castle. In order to maintain your claim on this room, you must comply with a few conditions. First, you must remain profitable. If you are a financial draw on Equestria, your right to the room will be revoked and you will be relocated to a cell in the dungeon. Second, you must consort with each princess at least once per week, excepting situations in which doing so is not feasible. They may, of course, refuse, in which case you are exempt for that week, and that week only. Cadance is the exception to this rule, as she is unlikely to be available all the time, but trips to the Crystal Empire can be arranged in the future.

"At current time, your maximum distance from your room is just inside the wall surrounding the castle grounds, with special permissions to stroll through the garden, as well. Until such time as we are to remove your tracking device, we shall reconvene once per month to decide whether or not your allowable distance has increased. That is all. You are dismissed."

Epilogue: Two Years Later

"Then it is decided," smiled Celestia, clasping her hoofs together. "Your daughter will make a fine addition to my school for gifted unicorns. I'll have one of our most esteemed alumni show you around." She nodded to Twilight, who stood up and led the trio out of the room.

Celestia leaned back and let out a loud grunt as the door closed. "You could have picked a better time to do that, you know."

Chrysalis poked her head out from under the table, licking the cum from her chin. "I could tell that you didn't like him," she smiled. "He's a pompous, self-important arsewipe. I bet a day's rations that the little filly would be ecstatic to hear that the school has dormitories she can stay in away from home."

"Of course she would," smirked Celestia. "Especially if I command that she be moved there. Let's hope she puts in the effort to make it an option."

Chrysalis licked the rest of the cum from Celestia's crotch. "I'm just glad I could offer you some stress relief."

"And you did," Celestia smiled, tousling Chrysalis' mane. "I suppose a thank-you is in order."

Chrysalis crawled up into Celestia's lap. "Does that mean I'm allowed to go?"

Celestia furrowed her brow. "Did you already fulfil your other duties?"

Chrysalis nodded emphatically. "Luna called for me yesterday, and Twilight had me hauling crates on Monday."

Celestia nodded. "I'll have to check a few things with Starlight, but if she says yes, you can go."

Chrysalis hugged Celestia, kissing her full on the mouth. "Thank you! I'm going to go pack!"

Celestia wiped her lips. "You taste like cum..."

Chrysalis rushed to her bedroom and pulled out a suitcase, stuffing some of her belongings into it. This would be a trip of perhaps two days at the most but was very important to her.

As she clamped the case shut, Starlight walked in. "Ready to go?"

"Am I approved?"

Starlight nodded. "You met your quota for the week, plus a little more. You've also met the requirements as set forth by the order, so you're free to go to the Crystal Empire. Here's your round-trip ticket. Your train leaves in twenty minutes, and your return train is tomorrow at noon. A guard will be at the station to escort you. Have a nice trip."

When the train came to a stop at the Crystal Empire station, Chrysalis was escorted off the train by six stallions who had taken a liking to her company. "See you soon, boys," she giggled, wiping her chin. It didn't take more than a minute to find her escort. Cadance had ordered a special breastplate and helmet for whatever guard was escorting her. The breastplate had a spider embellishment, and the helmet had two fins with translucent green membranes running from the front to the back. Whichever guard was assigned to escort her around as a special guest of the royalty would always wear that set. It would exempt the wearer from normal duties and give them the task of following her around.

"Looking for me?" she asked, sliding up to him. "I'm right here."

"Private Gunk," he replied, holding out his hoof. "We've not been acquainted."

Chrysalis pulled him close and whispered in his ear. "How about we find a lavatory and become acquainted, hm?"

He blushed, clearly flustered. "I-I'm engaged. I don't know if I..."

"Suit yourself," shrugged Chrysalis, letting go of him. "If you're not interested, I suppose I can't force you." She swished the tip of her tail against his nose. "But I won't judge if you decide you want some relief. You'll be with me for the next twenty-four hours, big boy."

She walked off with him in close pursuit. He didn't know what he wanted, but she was fine with that. The timid ones were always easy to satisfy. She, on the other hoof, had an itch that needed scratching that was not so simple to please. She wove her way through the streets, knowing exactly where she wanted to go. There was a line in front of the building, but there always was.

"Coming through," she said, cutting across the line. There were some scattered complaints about her cutting in line, but they died off pretty quickly when it was clear she wasn't taking somepony else's place. She moved to the other side and slipped through the door with her guard right behind her. "I'm here!"

"So you are," smirked Spiceberry, tending to his brew over the stove. "I'll be right there, I just need to have this ready to go."

Chrysalis sat down and waited. Less than five minutes later, when he had the mixture bubbling softly, he took off his apron and rushed over, kissing and embracing her. "Have you been a good girl this week?"

"Would I be allowed to come if I hadn't?"

He took a step back and looked her over. "You're pregnant again."

She smiled and nodded. "This one's Luna's, we're pretty sure."

"Well, the last two were Celestia's. I don't doubt that you've finally managed to take Luna's genes."

Private Gunk wasn't sure how Chrysalis, a changeling, could carry the children of Celestia and Luna, both alicorns. This was especially confusing, as they were all female. Or so he thought. He'd never stared at any of the royal crotches, so he might be wrong, but they carried the titles of princess. He was very befuddled.

After a few more hours of service, the stall was closed down and locked for the night. Chrysalis was introduced to the baker of the operation, a crystal pony named Sparkling Scone. They said goodnight and made their way back to Spiceberry's small apartment a few blocks away.

"Living the dream," smiled Spiceberry, flopping down on the couch. "I have my own small business, I just hired on a partner, and I'm renting a nice place."

"I don't know if it's a nice place," argued Chrysalis, lying across his lap. "I think it just feels nice because you're here."

He chuckled and placed his hoof atop her shoulders. "You're so sweet."

She chuckled coquettishly. "I have you to thank for that." She lowered her head and nuzzled his balls. "So, are you ready for tonight?"

He smirked. "I haven't cum since your last visit three weeks ago. You're damn right I'm ready."

He pulled her up on top of him and lay down. His cock slipped from its sheathe and he slid it into her moist pussy. "It's a sturdy couch," he called to Chrysalis' escort. "You can have her arse if you like."

Private Gunk shrunk down and shook his head. His face was very red, and the head of his cock was just beginning to poke out.

"He's shy," answered Chrysalis. "He can join us when he's sure his fiancé won't mind."

Chapter the First: Booted

Chrysalis walked up the road, her hooves dragging behind her as she went. Eight days. Seven insufferable nights and eight blazing days since she'd had anything to eat. She was always hungry; that was true of all changelings all the time. This was starving. The first five days, she'd wasted so much energy being shifted, only to find that there was no reason to.

This road looked to be decently traveled. There were scores on the ground clearly marking the compaction of wagon wheels, meaning that the grass hadn't grown back due to too much activity. The median to this road was trimmed down and not very overgrown, meaning that somepony was tending to it. Somepony was cutting this grass and keeping it decently trimmed, and free of weeds. It was a single lane road, meaning that there wouldn't be too many ponies at once crossing paths, and likely no more than three at a time, which she would have little trouble taking down without backup. It was the perfect road for her to feed off of while she recovered from her unfortunate situation.

So why was the road so very empty? It can't have been because of her. She'd been careful to not be seen or heard from by anypony, and she hadn't come close enough to either of the two towns this lonesome road connected. This stretch of path did not intersect with another street, was not paved due to heavy traffic, but was clearly in regular use, so why was it so empty?

To make matters worse, it was clouding over, meaning rain was imminent. Nopony would be out in this weather. Changelings were perfectly fine with water, especially cold water, so if she were to run into anything out here after it started, it would no doubt be another changeling, and she'd burnt her bridges with all of them. All she could do in that scenario would be to consume all of the love they had on them at the time, condemning them to death in her place.

Not that she wouldn't do that, but then she'd have to hide the body and hope that they wouldn't recover. Even then, she'd only feel comfortable doing that with one of the changedlings. They were basically the same as ponies, anyway, with their feelings circles and group therapies, feeding each other their own excretions. It was sickening, though it was at least edible, but she didn't mind as much disposing of traitors.

As the first few drops fell from the sky, her vision began to blur, and she began to wobble a bit. The likelihood that she'd find somepony to feed from was dropping by the second, and even if she did find a changedling, did she even have the power to pin them down and devour them? They liked to travel in groups, and if they were more than two, she couldn't handle them all on her own. Could she even handle one right now?

A strong gust pushed her off to the side of the road, and a root sticking out of the ground tripped her. She rolled down into the ditch, collapsing into the ravine amidst the tall grass. She was uninjured, but exhausted. She could no longer see the road from here, lending credence to the idea that she could rest. Her stomach was growling, but there was nothing she could do about that right now.

What a pony would do in this situation would just be to eat the grass. Unfortunately, that was not an option for her. She could only eat pony food if it had been prepared with love, and even then, most of the foodstuffs would just pass through her digestive system without actually being digested. Only the love would be absorbed. This grass was not made with love, and provided no nutritional benefit to her.

There was no sense in complaining about it now. For the time being, this was a safe place to sleep. Nopony was on the road, anyway, or she'd have eaten something in the last week. She wouldn't miss anything if she just closed her eyes for a second...

Starlight rushed along the path, glad that she had the foresight to prepare an umbrella hat. Well, actually, Pinkie had shoved it into her bag when she wasn't looking, along with a sticky note that said "Trust me!" with a smiling picture of her face at the bottom. It had been sunny the last two weeks, and she had expected that the friendship problem in Morgandale would be solved faster. For whatever reason, Pinkie had known that she would be walking back in the rain, and had prepared her.

She was surprised at the problem, itself, actually. A large freight wagon had snapped an axle, which was not a big problem, but the two towing yards in Morgandale had made a big fuss over who was going to fix it, and at every turn, had been causing problems to make the other look incompetent, but had only served to make the problem persist. In the end, it had been her decision that influenced the mayor to let a third citizen, a vehicle repair shop owner, tow it himself. The next course of action had been to draw a line on main street to determine jurisdiction between the two towing yards, thus freeing up the road so that it could once more be travelled.

The road was in a surprisingly good condition, despite not being in use for two weeks. Nopony had been able to use it with the massive blockage, and traffic had been redirected along a detour route, which had caused its own problems, but was much more easily fixed, as it just required some road maintenance crews to clean up. It was just paperwork for her, and that was not a big deal.

This was perhaps not the shortest route back to Ponyville, but it would take her through Whimsyshire, and that was important. She had told the Morgandale mayor that she would take down the detour sign from the other side, freeing up the freight road for both towns. If she didn't volunteer, it'd just be some messenger.

But then she spied something. On the road, there were fresh hoofprints in the light mud, and a few bits of broken grass. Had something fallen off the road? She went over and peered into the ditch. Her heart began to beat faster as she saw a changeling. And not just any changeling. It was the queen of the changelings, Queen Chrysalis.

Chapter the Eighth: Fine Dining

Chrysalis wondered whether she would see Twilight or Starlight today. If it was Twilight, her best bet was to create some manner of annoyance and force her to give up and leave. If it was Starlight, it would be much more difficult to make her leave. Then again, she had more energy now with her recent feeding. Perhaps she could find some way of making Starlight so uncomfortable that she would just walk away. If she had even one changeling under her command, she could send them as a scout to watch over Starlight and report back all of the small things that irked her, that she could double down on and convince her to leave.

She was called back from her thoughts as she heard hooves and wheels approaching. Somepony with a wheelchair? Was Twilight swapping out her teachers regularly to keep her from growing accustomed? That would be a clever move, though it did present a weakness. If always met with a new warden, she could employ the same tactics over and over, and not have to worry about how to scare them off, because she'd eventually find one that would work.

As they approached, Chrysalis saw that it was not anypony new. It was Twilight pushing a metal cart. "I'm disappointed in you, Princess."

Twilight pushed the cart up against the wall and locked the wheels. "Why is that?"

"Well, I'm not going to just tell you, you'd start coming up with ideas. And if you begin to impress me, then where would we be?"

"In a healthy, communicating relationship?"

"Right? And who wants that?"

Twilight furrowed her brow. "I do. And I would appreciate it if you would let me in. I want to help you."

Chrysalis chuckled, leaning back on the fold-out bed. "You don't really want to help me. You want to be able to sleep soundly in your bed at night, content in the thought that I have not been abandoned, nor have I been released to wreak havoc upon the land. You don't care about me, you just want a feel-good ending."

Twilight sighed. Once again, Chrysalis had hit the nail right between the eyes. Perhaps it was part of the changeling's innate ability to tap into emotions. They did need to feed on love, after all, and as such, would need to discern whether or not the emotion they were consuming was what they wanted.

"Regardless of my reasons, regardless of how much I personally benefit from this, should you not be cooperating?" asked Twilight, sliding open the cell door. "After all, you stand to gain, as well. Sure, I'll sleep better at night, but you'll be allowed to walk around outside, even to leave Canterlot if you so choose, and the ability to feed off of any consenting pony. Don't you want the ability to go wherever and eat at your own discretion? Don't you want freedom? That's quite a boost for you, and several more steps up than just sleeping better. In fact, you'll likely be sleeping better, as you'll have an actual bed. So will you let me help you?"

"As long as we're done pretending that you're doing this for me," Chrysalis smirked.

Twilight sighed and finished setting up. she had brought down a small folding table and chair, a wicker plate and bowl, and plastic silverware, which had all been placed in Chrysalis' cell, right up against the bars. On the opposite side of the bars, a much fancier table was set up, with real silverware and flatware, though the bowl was indeed quite empty.

"Come sit down across from me," urged Twilight. "We're going to look over dining etiquette today."

"Dining etiquette?" scoffed Chrysalis. "Do you really think you're going to change my physiology so much that I can subsist entirely on pony food?"

"Not at all," smiled Twilight, taking her place at the table. "It's just that, if ever you want to fit in with society, you'll need to behave as a proper lady, not as an uncultured oaf."

Chrysalis sat up and narrowed her eyes. "Is that how you see me? An uncultured oaf?"

"I have no idea how advanced your table manners are," shrugged Twilight. "For all I know, you're better at this than I am. There are two ways to find out, and one of them is inadmissible. So, you'll just have to show me."

As Chrysalis lumbered over, Twilight pulled out a book, Modern Etiquette. "This manual will be your guide."

"I thought that was your job?"

"It will guide me in guiding you. I can't be expected to know everything, and even if I did, it provides a spectacular table of contents that can easily be copied over into a checklist. That way we don't skip over anything."

"You and your damn checklists..."

Twilight shook her head. "That's not appropriate conversation for a dinner party. Now, Let's begin with the place setting."

As Twilight rambled on and on about what each particular spoon and fork was, their placement and their use, Chrysalis only grew more and more bored. Why did she need to know the difference between the salad fork, dessert fork, cheese fork, table fork, tuning fork and grill fork? The way she saw it, she only needed the biggest one, that she could stab it into her thigh and have a reason to leave if the event became too boring.

When the conversation shifted to the difference between the soup spoon, teaspoon and tablespoon, Twilight suddenly became very interested in a method of serving salads from quite some time ago, often referred to as Prench Service, where the servers would hold the tray in their left hoof and a fork and spoon in their right, squeezing the two utensils together to serve the food, and fascinated by how this style led to the creation of modern salad tongs. Chrysalis was glad to be back to silence, but still bored out of her mind. Weren't parties supposed to be lively?

Searching for something to do, she stuck a plastic spoon into her mouth and scraped at her tongue, gathering up a good amount of mucous and phlegm. Once the spoon was full, she tilted it back and applied tension. "Hey, Twilight?"

"Yeah?" Twilight looked up from her book just in time to have her face covered in mucous and saliva. As Chrysalis laughed at the glob dripping from her face, Twilight sighed. "I suppose that's enough for today."

Chrysalis was moved back from the table, which was extracted and put away. Twilight also made sure to retrieve the plastic spoon as well, as Chrysalis had proven that she was incapable of behaving with it.

Chapter the Twenty-Fourth: Deep Cleaning

Five laps. Chrysalis had managed five laps today and had even managed a short flight from one side of the track to the other. It felt spectacular to be able to climb off the ground, finally. This was a massive improvement to how she had been previously, and she owed it all to Spiceberry. Without him building her up, feeding her his love and giving her extra training in his spare time, she didn't know if she would have even been able to replicate what she'd done earlier in the week, much less surpass it. She was beginning to regain her muscle mass and tension, all because she now had something to look forward to.

Spiceberry was not around today to run alongside her, but she could imagine that he was running just in front of her, making her want to catch up with him. The red berries and tiny leaves of his cutie mark she could see so clearly in her mind bobbing up and down just in front of her. It was all that kept her going.

Still, no matter how much she had been bulking up, no matter how much the echoes of his voice egged her on, she had not been visited by him this morning, due to his own schedule not allowing it. There was thus a limit to how much energy she had, and after her short flight, for which she barely hovered a metre off the ground, she was out of breath and drenched in sweat. This was truly a workout.

"Colour me impressed," chuckled Starlight. "I can't believe this level of improvement. In such a short time, I never would have guessed that you'd be back on your wings and up in the air."

"Perhaps there's more to me than you know," smirked Chrysalis, still huffing and puffing.

"Or perhaps it's your new stallion friend. How about we test that, by making sure you don't see him for the next wee--"

"NO!" shouted Chrysalis, catching herself with a cough. "I mean, do you really want to risk me regressing to an earlier state? It just means more work for you."

Starlight smiled and chuckled. "I thought so. Come on, you need another shower."

Starlight didn't even bother to grab the leash. Shining had one end, but Starlight made Chrysalis carry the other. It wasn't heavy, but it was an odd feeling, like she was being tested. She considered the meaning of such a test, and could only guess at it. Still, she remembered the way, as it was a very short walk to the showers.

When she arrived, there were several stallions all lined up against the wall. Spiceberry was not among them, she noticed, but they were waiting for her. All of the shower stalls were open except one, where a stallion was rubbing a loofah over his arse. If they had been here to shower, they'd had plenty of options.

Shining dropped her leash to the floor, and she carried it over to one of the stalls and turned on the water. Starlight followed her and stood at the edge of the stall to watch as the first two stallions approached, one for a hoofjob and the other for head. She didn't need to say anything, as she wanted to prove to Starlight that she had improved significantly.

She went down all the way, ignoring her gag reflex with all of her might and stretching out her tongue, wrapping under his balls and teasing at his arsehole. This proved to be a mistake, as he pretty much came instantly with a moan that went by so fast that it almost sounded like a yelp. He took two steps back on wobbly knees and fell over, With Chrysalis unable to determine what to do.

A third stallion had gone to Shining Armor to collect some brushes, and as he had only just arrived with them, the first stallion to leave was walking out without having scrubbed. Starlight's response was to wave over a specific pony from the middle of the line. "Captain, you're well aware of the rules, yes?"

"I am, Ms. Starlight," he nodded. "Were it not for the brief nature of this event, I would follow after him and administer punishment post-haste, but I fear that doing so would cost me my place in line."

"Your reservation is noted," responded Starlight. "Go chew his arse out now, and when you're done, come find me, and she'll eat yours."

"Yes ma'am," he replied with a big smile before walking off. Chrysalis had to wonder if she was going to regret that exchange, if she might have been better off speaking up, but she kept her mouth shut. Rather, she kept it open, as a new stallion was approaching who wanted to use it.

The first fifteen loads she swallowed or had sprayed on her were from the front, with stallions brushing out her mane while fucking her throat, one grabbing her firmly by the horn and forcing his way in before wiping her face with a soapy rag, rather than doing any scrubbing. Her mane was silky smooth by the time Starlight demanded that she turn around.

Chrysalis decided to try out something Spiceberry had suggested yesterday while he had been inside of her. They hadn't tried it, as he was already very close to climax and about to leave, but she wondered if he had been right. Rather than placing her front hooves against the wall, she spread her back legs and lowered her chest to the floor.

"Well, well," chuckled Starlight. "Have we been playing with our favourite stallion? Has he been teaching us how to beg for cock like a bitch in heat?"

Chrysalis didn't know what to say. She had thought the position a bit unorthodox, but Spiceberry had promised her that the other stallions would dive after her if she did it.

"All yours, boys," smirked Starlight. Immediately, Chrysalis felt a stallion mount her and begin plowing away with vigour. She could definitely feel the effort he was putting into her, and whether he was intending to or not, he was spilling his love everywhere. In fact, so did the next one, and the one after that, and all of the others. Quite a few had been so into the experience that they forgot their task of scrubbing her, meaning that they were chewed out by the captain, who'd only just come back to watch what was going on.

After the last stallion came without scrubbing, Chrysalis was given a scrubber to clean herself up, which she did promptly before being walked back to her cell past a lot of guards doing extra push-ups. This time, Shining carried her dirty track suit, and tossed it in the bin on arrival.

"I had brought in a small bronze mirror and a brush," instructed Starlight. "From now on, I expect your mane to be free of tangles every time I come by."

Chrysalis nodded as she unwrapped the coils so she could be reattached to the wall. She'd only just begun when Starlight stopped her and unlocked the right one entirely, freeing her hoof.

"You've done very well, recently. Impressively well, in fact. The left side is going to be a little bit shorter, but your right hoof is now free to reach through the bars. You're almost to the same level of freedom as a regular, run-of-the-mill prisoner. Keep at it. Really, I mean that."

Chapter the Forty-Fifth: Shame and Regret

Twilight leaned forward, pressing her chest to the mattress. Twice, Chrysalis had demonstrated that she had the ability to create pleasure for her partner; first by tongue-fucking her arse, then with her hoof gyrating between her hips while holding her close. Now she was bent over the bed, panting as Chrysalis fished around inside of her wardrobe.

"What are you looking for?" asked Twilight, growing more nervous.

"Something that will make you very happy," answered Chrysalis. "Trust me, you'll love this."

She hiked up her dress and stepped into her harness, sliding the strap-on up her thighs. Chrysalis had gathered a fair bit of information from Twilight's emotional state. She could practically smell exactly what she wanted, and it was almost doable. There was just one more thing that needed doing.

With deft hooves, Chrysalis wrapped a blindfold twice around Twilight's head, cutting off her vision. "What are you doing?"

"Everypony knows that depriving you of one sense improves your others," answered Chrysalis. "Putting on the blindfold helps you feel it, and makes everything more of a surprise. You'll never know what I'm about to do, because I'm going to be silent throughout."

"Why?"

Chrysalis did not answer, already enacting her silence. She wanted Twilight to forget who she was with, and imagine that she was with a big, strong stallion with a chiseled jaw and deep blue eyes. She could not match the visage, or swap out her voice, or anything like that, so she had to improvise.

She removed her dress and tied up her breasts to keep them from ruining the illusion, letting Twilight sit in anticipation for a moment. When she felt she was ready, she gently placed her hoof between Twilight's shoulders. She had definitely done this right, as Twilight suddenly tensed up, panting softly as Chrysalis ran her hoof slowly along her spine, stopping just above her tail.

Chrysalis folded her tongue back to let it be about the shape of a typical pony tongue and dragged it up Twilight's thigh. Anypony walking by could have smelled Twilight's arousal, and as Chrysalis placed her hooves on Twilight's hips to mount her, Twilight spread her legs significantly, forcing Chrysalis to stoop down in order to mount her. This immediately choreographed to Chrysalis that the stallion that Twilight was imagining was shorter than her current partner. That was a long list, as she was taller than nearly every pony in all of Equestria.

She pressed the tip of her strap-on against Twilight's labia, pressing her chest against Twilight's back, between her wings. She had to make sure that Twilight couldn't feel the holes in her hooves as she pushed her way in. She was so slick that it didn't take any real effort to push her way in. Chrysalis was balls-deep in a single thrust, with help from two prior ejaculations.

There was little point in going slowly and warming up anymore. Chrysalis was going to drill as hard as she could. Her goal now was to leave Twilight as nothing more than a quivering mess on the bed, speechless and in a pool of her own juices. She began with long, heavy thrusts, dragging the flared tip of the strap-on against the walls of Twilight's pussy, grinding the medial ridge against her clitoris.

This was met with very loud moans from Twilight, who was even starting to drool. She was beginning to lose herself as, without her sight, her imagination began to fill in the gaps. It didn't feel quite like the stallion she wanted, but it was close enough that she could imagine that she was with one of her bedwarmers.

Chrysalis could feel almost nothing from the activity, as the strap-on she had worn was not double-ended, and she had no more desire of her own to dominate ponies. What she wanted was to fulfil Twilight's fantasy, and would stomach her own dominating presence to do so. If this is what Twilight wanted, this is what she would give her.

What Chrysalis could do was taste the intense and unparalleled pleasure radiating from all over Twilight's body. Not wanting to let all of that love go to waste, dripping into the bricks below, she leaned in to suck it all up.

But she found that she could not. She was already being fed with enough love to keep her satiated, and a mouthful of it immediately told her that this love was not for her, but for who she was pretending to be. In the days gone past, she would have sucked it up in a heartbeat, but now, she had a more refined taste. To take love that is not meant for her was akin to eating a meal seasoned to match somepony else's palate. It didn't taste right.

She let the love fall from her lips, dropping her tongue against Twilight's shoulder. Twilight's hoof immediately sprang up and grabbed the back of Chrysalis' head, pressing their bodies together. "Harder," she commanded between breaths. "Fuck me harder!"

Rubbing her tongue against Twilight's shoulder, Chrysalis did as she was told. Finally, Twilight was telling her what she really wanted. Twilight's moans reached a crescendo, and she came, soaking both of them in her feminine blast.

Without removing the blindfold or dildo, Chrysalis helped Twilight into the bed, snuggling up behind her. They both panted, spooning as Twilight slowly began to pass out from a combination of exhaustion and satisfaction. "I love you," came the words from Twilight's mouth, "with all of my heart. I'm sorry you couldn't finish."

Chrysalis sniffed the air again. There was no love for her in the air. She didn't think Twilight was lying, but perhaps her illusion was more effective than expected. She could have broken it by speaking, or by removing the blindfold, and she also thought that perhaps the bed itself would provide some sort of indication that she was not in the right place.

Rather than doing that, she wrapped her hooves around Twilights waist, pulled her in tight, and nuzzled her neck. She then planted a silent kiss on her cheek. It would be best that Twilight continued to think that she was in the embrace of somepony important. That would grant her a restful sleep. And when she woke, she would find that she was happy. When she did realize that the pony who had satisfied her so completely had been Chrysalis, she would be unable to claim it as a trick. Chrysalis smiled at the guard who had watched the whole thing, and lay her head back down, drifting off herself.