Chrysalis simply couldn't relax. It was the dead of night, and she just couldn't seem to sleep. It was like there was a burning in her chest she couldn't extinguish. She'd grown used to her heart constantly giving her trouble, but this was too much. She looked at the mass of bodies around her. Changelings usually slept in a big pile, especially these days. She was on her own (by choice,) but she should be used to that by now. How many nights had she spent in those dark woods? Now if she could just get some rest...

It was no use. In a moment she was on her hooves and walking. The crisp night air bit at her, but she was Empire hardened now. It hardly bothered her.

She found herself wondering what it must be like over there today. Would Sunset be fast asleep, ready for a long day of serving customers? Would Cadance be awoken again by her young daughter?

Cadance...

She stopped in place and gazed over the new hive. Under the light of the moon the quiet and dim nursery looked ghostly. She could spy the feelings form from here (at least Pharynx shared her exasperation with that one.) However she could see one more thing.

Her eyes locked on the figure of Thorax bathed in pale moonlight. It was like that annoying dreamwalker was giving her a sign. With a sigh she headed over to them.

Thorax jolted a little, but quickly smiled.

"Oh hey Chrysalis! Can't sleep?"

"I could say the same to you," she grumbled.

"Ha, busted, I guess... I got up for some water and decided to enjoy the moonlight. It's a full moon tonight. Isn't it pretty?" he replied cheerfully.

"I suppose." And with that she took a seat next to him. Thorax gazed up at the moon a little longer before finally speaking again, though their compound eyes were still locked on the sky.

"So, what's on your mind?"

"Why the hell are you asking me that?..."

"Because you're part of our hive? Plus: you're another creature, and one which is not currently hostile. There's no reason not to make sure you're ok."

She hated it when he made sense.

"My heart has been bothering me recently. I keep getting these weird feelings when I'm out with others. There's a burning in there that I can't quench."

Thorax's laughter filled the empty night. She hissed. "What's so funny??"

"Sorry." He rubbed an eye. "It's just really funny to think that... the one of us who reads emotions the best never thought to read her own."

She blinked rapidly in response. "Excuse me??"

"Don't get mad! It's true. You're just experiencing positive feelings. I didn't know that you didn't get a lot of those. Sorry we weren't better bugs. Maybe you would have know these things before if we had been."

He dared give her sympathy?!

"Look, I'll prove it. Why don't you think about some of the people you enjoy being around over there. I heard you had a Kirin friend. Think about her real quick."

She listened. Her friend was a powderkeg of both passion and fury. She admired her endless spirit. She was the first creature to be kind to her in a while. Even her job was motivated by passion. That mare could cook.

"Ok let's see. I can read ... you really admire things about her, like her passion. And you also worry if she's doing ok. Correct?"

"More or less," she said, slightly caught off-guard. So this is what it was like on the receiving end..

"Alright, let's do an easier one... Think about how you feel about Cadance. I'm pretty sure I already know the answer, but..."

She nodded. He didn't need to say anything else.

She closed her eyes and thought about the pink princess. Her charming smile. The way she carried herself. She thought about the first time she met her. Locked away in a dingy basement. Tears and righteous rage filling her eyes. She hadn't really seen her as another living creature then. Just a pawn for her game. But now, thinking back on it...

Thorax was looking at her with an eyebrow raised.

"What is it," she huffed.

He chuckled at her, and she repeated herself with more venom. "What is it?!"

"That was not what I was expecting at all. You're in love with her. It's honestly really sweet."

"Cease your japes, hatchling. Don't be absurd."

But Thorax only rolled his eyes at her barbed words. "It's true. We know love better then most creatures. I never thought things would work out for you like that but I'm here for it."

"I want a second opinion. You're clearly out of practice."

"You really wanna risk more bugs knowing about this?" he teased. She snorted hot air from her nostrils, as if dispelling his claims.

"Even if you were right, then... you might as well not be."

"What on Equestria do you mean by that Chrysalis?"

"She's married, you fool! AND she's a pony princess. If we were to become 'lovers' it would be... political suicide! Nothing about us would work out even if I wanted it to!"

"Okay, one: no, it wouldn't. We're respected now. That would only increase the influence of both kingdoms. Two: you do remember ponies can be poly like changelings right?"

She took a second to pause. Polycules were fairly common in changeling society, but less so in pony society. It was kind of the forbidden fruit. Tricking one partner was hard, but multiple? A nightmare.

However, polycules often had the most nourishing and filling love (if they were being maintained well.) She had told her changelings to avoid them, as the risk was too high, no matter the reward. But some still failed to listen.

"I'm sure she has zero interest in that," she concluded.

"Do you have any interest in that?"

"What does it matter?! Of course not!" she barked back at him.

"Well if that's really true, let's do our little test again. Think about Shining Armor, and we'll see how you feel about him."

He finished with the most annoying smug look another bug had given her.

"Okay, even if I did-"

"You're avoiding the clear way to find out~"

"Quiet! Even if I did, that would be no help. We have formed an uneasy alliance, but she will not soon forget what I've done to her."

She slumped down and let out a heavy sigh. She missed her stick...

"Well, think about it this way. Cadance is tied to exactly one emotion: love. If she wasn't interested in that, she would have probably dissuaded you. Has she been doing so?"

"No; for some reason she even thought it keen to wedge me between the two of them on the train ride here." She recalled the events of just a few days ago. Her wings went rigid all of a sudden. Thorax chuckled.

"I think she knows," he teased.

That strange comment Shining made the other day.. Did he know too? Was she the only one out of the loop about her wayward heart???

She groaned and covered her face.

"I hate this. Why can't I go back to being feared and respected?! It's so much less bother..."

"Is that really what you want, though?" his soft tone responded.

"Yes."

"Really?"

"... Probably." She rolled onto her back. "You're an ass. When did you get so smart anyways?"

"Probably when I got these." He tapped his royal antlers. "Plus I had a lot of good teachers. One... Tried... To teach me how to be tough. And the other taught me matters of the heart."

"Don't give me that crap. You're hardly the hatchling you were. If you weren't fit to rule, I'd raze this kingdom out from under you, even having gone soft as I am."

"I'm sure." He chuckled. "It means a lot. It's kinda weird, but... sometimes I want to make you proud."

"Fine, fine. Ahem. I'm proud of you, Thorax. Please continue to ensure the hive prospers, even as our definition of who the hive is grows more broad."

He looked at her for a moment before restraining her. Ugh. She half-heartedly put a hoof around their shoulder.

"You should leave the hive." He said softly.

"What?? We were just doing this bonding crap, what do you mean??"

"No, no... Not like.." he sighed. "You will always have a place here, but if you don't deal with that heart of yours you'll never feel at home. Go back to the empire and be honest with her. With him too! You're the toughest bug we know. If anyone can pull it off, it's you."

She let out a weak chuckle. "Fine. Flattery will get you everywhere. I'll head out tomorrow. Don't let my hive burn down while I'm gone, or I'll make sure you wish you went with it."

He saluted her. "We fight and prosper together, your majesty."

"For the hive," she replied with a practiced cadence.

Author's Note

This chapter has a title based on FFXIV! The MMO with the really long free trial. The song is great but I wouldn't recommend looking it up if you haven't played. It hits different when you've been playing forever.

Happy update day! Gonna be a double update week again.

Boy things are heating up huh? I think the next chapter is one of my absolute favs