Queen Chrysalis’s POV

I shut my eyes a little tighter as sunlight threatened to open them up. Ugh… I enjoy Princess Celestia’s company, I really do enjoy it, but there is a reason why I liked Princess Luna more. The main reason was Luna had a giant pet rock, and Celestia had a pet star that decided it wanted to be special and be out during the day instead of the night. And of course, because Canterlot is horrible, Fruit’s bedroom just had to have a window facing towards the east, meaning no matter what, one of us was going to be awakened by the Sun.

Figuring that sleeping in wasn’t an option today, my mood did brighten as it has turned out, Fruit Punch has the whole day off. That meant I could take him out to play more mini golf, take him to an amusement park that I've read up on, and it wasn’t too far from Canterlot which is also where I can take Fruit to. Anything really, just the chance to spend time with my coltfriend made me happy. And because I ordered Fruit to take a break from practicing martial arts, or exercising, or selling pizza for today only, I get to keep Fruit for today!

That damned workaholic. Seriously, it is like Fruit feels the need to keep his mind preoccupied with something, or else his world will collapse on itself.

Speaking of Fruit, he was noticeably still present, which was a shocker. I could taste just how happy and safe Fruit was despite him being not even conscious at the moment. Out of habit since I’ve revealed my true self to this stallion, Fruit has always cuddled up with me. Mostly because it was cheaper to share a bed, and partially because I was ‘soft, cuddly, and warm’. What has happened since we’ve started dating is, instead of me just playing pillow, Fruit lets me pull him up to my chest, and he then buries his face into my neck like he was right now.

Just for Fruit, I remained perfectly still as Fruit snored away. Given how much Fruit Punch tries to work himself to the bone, it’s unsurprising that he actually needs the sleep. From his job, to his side hustle of selling pizza, my coltfriend always seemed busy with something. Either he was reading a highly educational book, or working, or training in self defense.

He almost put my drones to shame in terms of productivity. Almost.

Fruit eventually woke up, nuzzled me, and quickly hopped out of bed in order to get his daily routine out of the way… How does Fruit actually wake up so quickly? Even some of my best drones struggle with getting up in the morning.

While Fruit was in the bathroom, I cracked some eggs, got some bread in the toaster, and even got a couple cups or orange juice poured. So now I was just sitting in the bedroom, waiting for Fruit to get done, so that I may also get my morning routine done. While it wasn’t embarrassing for either of us to even shower together, I took up a decent amount of space, and the bathroom wasn’t very big, so it was best if we just took turns… even if I could shrink myself down to Fruit’s stature and easily in the bathroom.

And like any good marefriend, I decided to start snooping in Fruit’s nightstand.

It really did not take long to find anything, as the drawers were empty, save for one journal with the word… ‘journal’ sewn into the cover. Whoever designed this book cover must’ve been paid thousands for their contributions of designing this book. I flipped it open and giggled; it was a diary. Obviously, I should not read this thing, but I will stash it away for a later date, and possibly read it with the Princesses. Today, however, was meant to be spent with Fruit Punch, and I am not letting go of the opportunity so quickly.

I slid the book back into the drawer, in the exact spot I found it, and left it for a later read.

Fruit and I sat cuddled up together on a bench in the theme park I had wanted to check out. We had just got off of a rather fast roller coaster, but Fruit just didn’t seem impressed at all by anything here. Sure, I suppose I should not be nearly as enthralled by the roller coaster either, as I have flown faster than that rollercoaster had moved, but there could be a myriad of reasons. Despite how most of the rides left Fruit disappointed, I could still tell that my coltfriend was enjoying himself.

Probably because he was spending time with me. Not because of the random apple bobbing stand he had also tried out. I refuse to eat apples, disgusting, red, little balls of torture those are.

“You know, I was expecting a little too much from this amusement park, but I suppose as Bo Burnham would put it: Lower your expectations.” Fruit chuckled to himself. “I think I’m just spoiled though.”

“Is this a human thing? Are you humans just not scared easily?”

“Oh fuck no. Humans used to drown each other because we thought every other person was a witch, and we humans were scared of witches. Heck, based on primal instincts, I should be scared to death of changelings.”

“Oh?” I wanted Fruit to continue.

“You see, on Earth, insects, arthropods, yadda yadda, basically ‘bugs’ used to be huge. Then we humans weren't exactly humans at the time, more like a lizard-mammal type of thing that was the predecessor to all mammals, used to be said big bugs’ food. So most humans are scared of tiny, tiny little insects now because of this very primal instinct of ‘I don’t want to be food’. It’s really fun stuff…” Fruit shook his head. “Anyways, ramble aside, humans love amusement parks, just imagine the roller coaster we were just on, but they go as high as the highest tower in Canterlot’s castle. Going at speeds that would make even the Wonderbolts look like snails.

“Then bumper cars, ferris wheels, merry go rounds, hell, most amusement parks even have arcades now. It was fucking awesome…” Fruit chuckled. “Though I barely even had the chance to even go to an amusement park; I’ve only gone twice or thrice, but each time I did, I was just so… amused. Oh! And then waterparks, oh my god the water parks… That is something I actually do miss from Earth, the internet’s cool, but going on a roller coaster that moves at terminal speeds straight down… Can’t beat that kinda thrill. Well, aside from jumping out of a plane to parachute.”

Fruit smiled, perhaps studying his kind’s ancient relatives was a favorite pastime of his before… He had arrived in Equestria. That did make me a little concerned about my choice in activities today, however.

“So… Is this amusement park not fun?” I asked. Did I just force Fruit into something he didn’t enjoy?

“Oh no, this amusement park’s not bad, but in comparison to what I’ve experienced, it’s not nearly as impressive. No loop’d’loops!” Fruit nuzzled me. “Plus I’ll put up with anything if I get to spend some time with you. Through the Fire and the Flames, I’ll carry on if it means I can have my Chrysalis!”

“That was cheesy and you know it.”

“So? I love you. I get to be cheesy with you.” Great going, Fruit, now my cheeks are burning. And now you’re leaning into me and nuzzling me… Fruit. “I love you, Chryssy,” Fruit sighed as he nuzzled deeper into my side.

“Fruit, we are in public and ponies are staring at us.”

“So? They can go fuck themselves if they hate you, or want to be with you. You’re mine, and if they attempt to hurt you in any way, I’ll kick their teeth in. If they want to sleep with you, then they better understand that I’m quite selfish when it comes to my marefriend.” Fruit kissed me on the cheek, before moving to kiss me directly on my muzzle…

“Fruit there are foals-“

I burped… Too… Much… Love. I rubbed my belly and leaned over onto Fruit Punch.

The next day, I couldn’t stop Fruit from going off and doing some training, or work, or anything for that matter. Seriously, I've never met a pony, aside from Celestia’s secretaries, that likes to keep himself so busy. Fruit, I know you aren’t exactly a pony, but please, please take some time off to yourself. Even if it means spending a day away from me; you can seriously hurt yourself if you don’t get a breather. I’m going to look for a day in Fruit Punch’s schedule, and have one of my drones drag him away to somewhere where he can just relax.

Like some random lake side house.

With Fruit out of the house, I took the opportunity to swipe his totally not a diary, and bring it to the castle. Upon asking, Celestia’s schedule was cleared, and Luna was awoken, and Cadance had managed to find a break in her ‘how to Princess’ lessons as well. The idea of reading somepony’s diary without their consent is quite… not good, but I’m Fruit’s marefriend, I get to know my stallion’s darkest, deepest little secrets.

“You claim that you have found Fruit Punch’s diary?” Luna asked. She, like the other princesses, was intrigued. Celestia and Cadance rubbed their hooves together, feeling as dirty as I do right now, but oh so ready to pounce on this opportunity.

“Indeed I have!” I quickly turned into Fruit Punch to begin reading aloud.

01/15/20…?

I don’t know the actual year, I just know the date and month. God this is so strange. I’m currently writing with my hoof, yes, a hoof, instead of my hands or mouth. For one thing, mouth writing feels awful when you have to hold a feather pen in your mouth. Another, mouth writing leads to you actually drooling on your parchment, so hoof writing it is! Surprisingly using my hooves to write isn’t too different from handwriting; it’s all in the wrist baby!

Or I think it’s a wrist, or is it an ankle if it’s technically a part of a leg? Or is it a wrist because your forehooves basically work like hands through some magical bullshit.

I’ll say they’re Ankbows.

Anyways, ramble aside, I’ve ended up in a land full of talking ponies and figured I should start writing in a diary in order to keep myself from going insane. It’s been… roughly fifteen days since I’ve ended up here, and I was unconscious for a good three days. I kinda fainted when figuring out that I was in a land full of horses- ponies that can speak English, have societies, and even monarchies. Or diarchies? Triarchies? I don’t know, I’m not a politician.

I met the diarchs on day one of me being a pony, because I fell on top of one, and they demanded my arrest or something… I forgot because as soon as they spoke, I screamed and passed out. I woke up again, a contemplated why the fuck I have hooves and a horn, which I’ve scientifically dubbed as a ‘head penis’, only to pass out when a nurse walked in to check in on me. The next time I woke up, I had a conversation with the diarchs, two princesses, and boom! I’m a free man renting a house from them.

If anybody ends up reading this, hi. I was once human, and I am very confused. I’m gonna go back to my seventy-two hour study session on ‘how to pony’ so I don’t fuck up being a member in society. And also probably eat a whole tub of ice cream because my brain hurts and I need comfort of some sort.

Okay, fuck the date, it’s day twenty-two now. I have a job that happens to be very similar to what I used to work in: fast food! Anyways, My boss is awesome, and my boss also likes me because I am so ‘stupidly fast’ according to him. Also, full time in Equestria is incredibly low. twenty four hours a week, paid once a week with an actual check, and daily with tips. I’ve already got enough money to cover groceries for this week, next week, and a thirty years worth of rent. Mostly because my rent was at a very heavy discount(which meant I paid a bit a month for the house[how much is a bit worth again?]), but still. I’m set for life working here, and I actually enjoy working at Hayburgers!

Granted, I feel incredibly lonely. Like I don’t have very many people to talk to, or casually talk with. I can talk to Celestia or Luna, who are both fun to talk to, but I barely get the chance to talk to them because they’ve got a lot of free time. You know? Free time, something you get about thirty minutes of because you run the largest, and most powerful country on the planet. With a population that makes Japan seem empty, yadda yadda… Can’t talk to them very often.

I’d doubt they’d want to spend a whole lot of time with me anyways. I may not be a pony mentally, but I’m still just a pony. A pawn in society that barely matters. Just another face in the sea of the crowds that they probably face every time they give a speech. Sure, whenever we chat, it’s fun, friendly and kinda relaxing for the three of us, but I think it’s purely because they’re princesses and I think they have to be nice to their subjects.

They’d get a lot of rebellions if they weren’t, after all.

Also, on occasion the Princesses do look me up and down, call me attractive and see if they manage to ‘get me’ for some reason. They usually don’t, but I guess it’s part of their way of getting their extrauniversal subject comfortable around them.

Anyways, aside from the Princesses, who probably tolerate me more than they actually accept me, I’ve got nobody to hang out with. It’s pretty… depressing honestly. Granted, I can probably put up with it since I’m used to not having friends; can’t have time for that when paying New York City’s rent, but this isn’t exactly rocket science:

I need some kinda interaction with people… ponies… people? Anyways, I’m a social creature, I need human- er, pony interaction which I get at work, but that isn’t the same as having a friend. Meh, if I don’t make any friends, then it’s whatever.

After all, in society, we’re all together, but even then we’re still alone.

Day twenty-nine.

I met this mare, who is really fun to hangout with, who also isn’t exactly a pony. For one thing, she’s a bug horse typa thing called a changeling. Yadda yadda, feeds off love, yadda yadda. Anyways, we’re friends now, and I’ve even considered asking if Crystal Clear, or Chrysalis, would like to date me. I have accepted that I just won’t be able to interact with a human woman ever again, so dating ponies it is!

Or bug ponies.

Also, Chrysalis is my roommate now. Yes, she makes for a good pillow, and yes, she’s staying rent free. In exchange she cooks and keeps the place from burning down. Chryssy also acts as my alarm system since her senses are better than mine.

Anyways, I haven’t gotten the nerve to ask Chrysalis out. I’m not even sure if she’s interested in me even if she does let me use her as a pillow every night. Though I suspect it’s because cuddles feed her, and I don’t want my best friend to go hungry. So cuddle it is! At least Chryssy’s kinda soft… Oh. My. God. I got a nickname for Chrysalis now! It sounds adorable too!

Also, note to future self; Chryssy likes cheek rubs and she purrs when you rub said cheeks. Not her flank’s cheeks, you perverted idiot!

“That ignorant stallion,” I laughed. “We’ve even had dinner several times together, I’ve nuzzled and even kissed Fruit before, and he picked up on… none of it!” I giggled. “It was so cute to see him try, and try, and try to bring up if I would like to be his marefriend only to give up because he’s apparently too timid to ask me out.”

“Well, Fruit is just a stallion. When it comes to cues from mares, it takes a while for them to notice, if they notice at all,” Cadance giggled. “I had to kiss Shining Armor and sleep in the same bed as him to figure out that I wanted to take our friendship to another level! Oh Shiny got so red when I kissed him for the first time!” Cadance clapped her hooves before she calmed herself down.

“I… Did not know that Fruit might have some underlying problems,” Celestia hummed, looking concerned. “Fruit has stated in that journal that he feels unimportant, and thinks that myself or Luna deems him unworthy of being a friend of ours… Fruit has tickled me in the past, jokes and talked with myself and Luna like we were old friends. And yet he doesn’t think I consider him a friend? I don’t just relax around anypony; Fruit should know this.”

I flipped through the pages, skimming over them until I reached the most recent entry. Some of the things I read up on made me almost tear up.

“I think I know why Fruit… likes to remain so busy,” I said, giving the journal over to the Princesses to read. “Fruit has a lot of mental health issues that he seems to never talk about, even keeps them heavily bottled up, nor does he ever let on that he has any problems. In fact, Fruit is so good at hiding his problems that I can’t even tell that he might be depressed. And I can sense his emotions…” When I see Fruit Punch, I am sweeping that stallion off his hooves, and I am going to shower him with the love and affection he deserves.

And rub his belly, Fruit likes belly rubs. Oh the delightfully vague, yet pleasant things I will do for that stallion just to make him a little happier.

I was interrupted from my thoughts when a guard walked into the room, and was handed a letter from Celestia. The Princess handed the journal back over to me.

“Here I was thinking we’d find something embarrassing for Fruit. Aside from how he gushes over you in his writing, it is… mostly filled with signs that Fruit feels worthless, that he maybe a bit lonely still. And even how Fruit misses some things such as the music from his world,” Celestia grinned. “So I sent a letter out to Fruit, and he should be here within an hour. Any plans on how we can make this stallion’s day.”

“It better not involve lingerie; it’s my job to dress in something scandalous for Fruit!” I snarled. Then a delightfully evil thought came to mind. But first I’ll let the Princesses share their ideas first.

“Worry not, I will keep my collar and chains in my closet, Chrysalis. I have no intentions on taking your coltfriend,” Celestia giggled. I can sense what you’re feeling, you mischievous horse!

“Oh, we know of an idea!” Luna raised a hoof. “Once Fruit has arrived, let us smother him in a hug!”

“That is exactly why I have sent a letter requesting Mr. Fruit’s presence.” Celestia grinned when she looked at me. “You may want to hide that journal by the way. I’m not sure how Fruit would-“

The door opened and Fruit Punch walked in, whistling a tune I haven’t heard before. “Uh…” he paused as he looked around. “Am I about to get ganked or something? Usually when there’s three Princesses and a Queen it either means yelling, or the plot of my demise.” Fruit didn't notice that I was still holding his journal.

“We simply wanted to talk with you,” Celestia trotted over and draped a wing over the unicorn. I may have gotten a little jealous! C’mon! That is cheating, Celly! You and Luna have the perfect wings, made to be nice, big, warm, and perfect for draping over a stallion! I would know how comfortable being under Celestia’s wing is; I’ve dated her before, after all.

“Fruit, would you like to spend the day with me tomorrow? If work is an issue, I can issue a letter to your boss saying that I requested your time tomorrow.”

Fruit looked a bit unsure. “You… actually wanna hang out with me?” Celestia nodded.

“Of course. We are friends, are we not?”

“I’d like to think so,” Fruit whispered so quietly that I could barely even hear him. Celestia rubbed that stallion’s back. I will let this slide, Princess, as you are bringing my stallion’s mood up by doing that. Hold on, that delightfully evil idea!

“Oh!” I finally piped up. “What if we sick Fruit on some nobles during day court tomorrow?” What an excellent idea! Everypony rubbed their hooves together, just as delightfully evil as I had though. Everypony was in on the idea the moment I mentioned it. Except for Fruit. He was just confused. Before anything could continue onwards, I stole Fruit from Celestia’s embrace, and held him close to me.

“Fruit, if you need to chat, I’m here for you. And I’m certain Celestia or Luna would be willing to listen to you if I’m not available-“

Somepony’s eyes were lingering where they shouldn’t.

I glared at Cadance. “Stop staring at my coltfriend’s flanks! You’ve got a husband, don’t you?”

“What?” Cadance asked in an innocent tone. ”Fruit Punch’s flanks are quite… nice. Did Fruit get more muscular?” I threw a pillow at Cadance, then she threw one back and it hit Fruit instead of me, eliciting an ‘oof’ out of him. The Princess of Food was promptly hit by fifteen pillows and a changeling or three held Cadance down while a fourth, Thorax, hit her constantly with a pillow.

“Auntie Celestia, save me!”

That help never came. In fact, the pink alicorn’s aunts joined in on the fluffy assault.

Three more drones joined in on assaulting the Princess of Food with pillows.

Author's Note

i did leave subtle hints here and there about Fruit’s mental baggage, and his unwillingness to unload despite his background in psychology. And while I haven’t gone in depth with it it here, it will crop up here and there.

maybe, just maybe, it’ll eventually explode.