Author's Note

Clarification(?) I suppose, the Cuckoo are essentially moth ponies at a glance, and while flying they look like stick bugs because their coat below the neck is all wing. For a reference of this if you would like one, look up "Unraveler DragonFable" and that in pony form is essentially what I was aiming for. Also I'm probably going to fuck about while I'm trying to figure out how to actually get to the story I want, so forgive me and bear with me please. Any feedback and corrections are appreciated and encouraged. UPDATE: updated chapter after feedback on many issues from a friend

2

Chrysalis would only be out for a short while. Twilight knew she could rest for a very long time in sleep compared to dragons, but this wasn't sleeping. Chrysalis was strong. With a room full of love begging to be eaten she would be awake in no time. Twilight couldn't feel the things Chrysalis felt. She had no doubt that Chrysalis was using her incredible self restraint to not devour everything she could. It was either that, or Chrysalis was worried she would be incapable of doing so.

Twilight stood over Chrysalis and kept anyone from getting too close. There was a panic she needed to take care of and she couldn't deal with the questions about her strange guest. No creature had mentioned it to her so far but she could tell many of them had watched Chrysalis with suspicion. No doubt rumors were already in the works about the black and scaly creature no one could recognize that seemed to be buddy-buddy with the Princess.

“There is no need to panic!” Twilight said in her Royal Canterlot Voice. The chatter and panic of the room fell into hushed whispers as they all turned their attention to the princess. “Cuckoos, you are in no danger. It was an accident, there is no need to be alarmed.” One by one, the black and white insects started to reappear in the air and descended. Twilight had been worried about using her Royal Canterlot voice for that message, afraid the crowd would focus on the tone rather than her words.

Twilight said, “I apologize to everyone here for the disturbance. please, help yourself to the refreshments.” A new table of food and drinks rolled out.

In a matter of seconds the room was filled with questions about what had happened. Thankfully, none were directed at her in particular and instead focused on the Cuckoos themselves.

Twilight looked down to see that Chrysalis was already stirring, her mouth making slow chewing motions. No doubt Chrysalis was regaining strength. Chrysalis was a sleep eater, she would have to remember that.

Using her magic, she lifted Chrysalis onto her feet and dragged her back towards the entrance they arrived from making the excuse to her guard that she should be excused to handle the situation. It was a very short lived time in the party; she had walked in, and walked out. She had shown up at least.

A short time after leaving the room full of creatures Chrysalis woke up. She noted the change in scenery, jolted out of Twilight's magic, and latched onto the nearby wall. The hall wasn't long, and they had only just turned a corner from a hall that lead to the party. Chrysalis could feel the distance, and she yearned to return, and fill her stomach. She would have settled with slowly feeding herself through the night, but had she known she would have been removed prematurely she wouldn't have held back, consequences be damned.

“What did you do to me!” Chrysalis demanded. “Some trick? To keep me in place no doubt.”

“You're one of a kind now.”

“What?”

“It's what I was trying to explain to you,” Twilight said. “There are no more changelings, you're the only one left.”

“I can always make more. Those things are mockeries, imitations! I am the Queen of the Changelings, and I will not rule over those failures,” Chrysalis shouted. “They are not changelings!”

“Would you come down here?” Twilight asked with a sigh. “I know you're going through something but I cannot take you seriously when you're just latched to the wall.” Chrysalis glared. “Okay, you're throwing a tantrum. Come on Twilight, you babysat Flurry Heart for a whole year when she was a filly, you got this.” she said to herself.

“Okay, let's start with the upside, you aren't completely alone.”

“How do you mean?” Chrysalis hissed.

“Technically, you aren't alone. Because of the deal we made, you're with me and will never be alone again. And vice versa.”

“And that is meant to comfort me?” Chrysalis laughed.

“Knowing you, I didn't think so,” Twilight admitted. “It's not just us. There are dragons that remember you, and other immortals, such as Cadence, who I'm sure you remember as well.” Twilight continued. “And there is yourself as well. A version of you exists in another world. I have seen her. Time works strangely in the other world. You see, here I've been alive for centuries, while there I appear only to be in my fifties. Many of my friends that are now long dead here are also still alive over there. So while the you of that world will not nearly have your experience or age, she's still a counterpart.”

“You ramble, did you know that?” Chrysalis asked. “And all I am hearing is pure waffle, these are not changelings, and I do not care for them. Especially your, 'princess of love.'”

“The point is that there are people who know who you are. Unlike in there,” Twilight said, gesturing to the party, where all Chrysalis could see was a banquet of love ready for the pickings. “I can tell you're still hungry. We can stand outside the room until you've had you've had enough.” Twilight turned to walk.

With hesitation, Chrysalis hovered herself down to walk behind Twilight. the promise of food trumping whatever fight she had over the details of her species. They were not what upset her. It was that the moment when she tried and failed to communicate, a barrier was put up, a strong one she could get around in time. For now, she could feel no one, and the small buzz of thoughts around her were gone. She felt only silence around her.

Twilight continued to speak about the nature of Cuckoos, and of the relations of other immortals. Chrysalis didn't bother to interrupt her; it would only prolong the explanation process. Eventually Twilight talked about the Minotaurs and their obsession with cheesecake. Twilight was trying to be humorous, and failed.

The party ended with very little interruption. Only a guard or two came by to make sure everything was all right. Chrysalis ate nonstop for hours, eating more than she thought she could, but still feeling empty. Also that wall still closed her off.

“I didn't prepare a guest room for you,” Twilight said as she guided Chrysalis through the castle. The halls long and tall were meant to show Chrysalis good favor. Chrysalis knew how things worked and wouldn't be fooled by such acts. She walked past many mosaics that told stories of what Twilight had accomplished. “You'll have to do with the guest room as is. A room will be made for you if you wish. You will be allowed to request any personal touches you would like.”

Twilight continued, her formalities falling on deaf ears. Sure, Twilight thought she was being kind, but Chrysalis could only resent her kindness. Her friendship was the reason she failed. She was at the center of all her failures. Now, although she was free, she was free on a leash. She was meant to serve a purpose different than the one she knew she should serve. Now she was here to keep Twilight company, to prevent her from being lonely. She was a pet with a job.

“I still do not understand,” Chrysalis said, interrupting Twilight. “Not only do you have an affinity for me, but you chose me out of quite a few others who you would find more pleasant company with. The Princess of Love likely wouldn't turn you away. Unless being a concubine makes you feel insulted.”

“I understand your confusion,” Twilight said. “Truth be told, it is quite convoluted if you have not experienced it yourself – and you haven't. You prevented yourself from understanding anything about Friendship.”

“Because it is what took everything from me,” Chrysalis spat.

“But I decided that I respect the others too much, not out of reverence, but out of the fact that I like them.”

“Pardon?”

“I do enjoy their company a great deal, but when we are around each other we tip toe around the stones in our path. We avoid any conflict and any upsetting news that isn't necessary. We please the other and everything is peaceful,” Twilight sighed. “It's maddening.”

“I'm afraid I cannot relate,” Chrysalis said, holding her head higher and donning a smug smirk. “An endless supply of affection to feast upon sounds wonderful and like bliss.”

“I'm sure it does.” Twilight laughed. “But the issue that I have is that I cannot feast on the love they share for me. It becomes boring. And you have already proven frustrating tonight,” Twilight said with a smile.

Twilight recalled briefly the moment of temper she felt creeping up as Chrysalis yelled at her from the wall. She hadn't felt like that in a long time, at least not in a way that hurt her. The most recent was her fight with Spike, but that wasn't just frustration. It was laced with love and hurt. this was simple, and it had been too long since she had had simplicity.

Chrysalis was a villain, and Twilight knew that she would love the word for herself, another simplicity. Chrysalis didn't like her. That alone made her different from most of her citizens, from everyone she met usually. She had seen her kingdom flourish under her rule, a well oiled machine with hardly any slow downs. She had seen the machine work properly for centuries. Chrysalis was a machine designed to break.

“Your silence is worrying,” Chrysalis said.

“Oh, my apologies. I think we actually passed the guest room. They don't get used very often but the staff keeps every room clean.”

“I would expect nothing less than perfect for royalty.”

“You may keep your title,” Twilight said. “I will not take that away from you. This is your room. Have a pleasant evening. I still have a bit of paperwork to do before I can turn in myself. The guild of messengers will be expecting an owl in the morning. Oh, I suppose that's a confusing thing to say isn't it? Ignore me, I'm off.”

Chrysalis watched as Twilight closed the door behind her. The door was large with intricate rooting patters of gold on purple. The bed was large with a canopy, a red pillow larger than herself next to the bed, a vanity, again large, and a closet. There wasn't much to the room. Personalizing wasn't necessary, she thought, when it would only be used briefly.

Chrysalis walked to the wall closest to the door and flew up into the corner where it was cold and dark, her exoskeleton latching her in place. She needed to plan, to prepare for an attack, but she was filled with love and had been awake for centuries, and she needed sleep. She would plot her plan for domination in the morning, or whenever she woke up.

Chrysalis had closed her eyes and had begun drifting when she felt a breeze hit her. She kept her eyes closed but stayed awake. There were no windows in this room. At risk of looking insane only to herself she said softly, “There seems to be a draft.” She said as if she were talking to someone. And after a moment, the breeze left, and she opened her eyes.

There was one of those black stick bug moth ponies flying now a few yards away.

“Uh, hi. I promise I'm not trying to be a creep,” It said. “But, I wanted to apologize–” There it was, that damn infectious friendly need to apologize. It made Chrysalis want to hurl.