Give and Take
It had been three months since I had arrived in Equestria. Still can’t figure out how I got here, and to be honest after the first week I stopped caring. A kind and eccentric zebra named Zecora had found me unconscious in the Everfree forest, and she had started a series of events that led to my stay at an amazing city built into the side of a mountain named Canterlot; in the royal castle no less. Nominally it was so that Celestia and Luna, the two sisters ruling over the land, could keep an eye on me, but it wasn’t long before I was talking with them like old friends. As time passed I became little more than a curiosity, not deemed dangerous enough to fear nor interesting enough to seek out.
It wasn’t until the wedding of Cadence, the niece of the two royal sisters, that I did anything worth mentioning. I had been attending the wedding ceremony, sitting inconspicuously in the back of the chamber when all hell broke loose. It had started strangely and just got weirder from there. First Cadence, the real Cadence, had burst in with a purple pony named Twilight in tow. The real Cadence had confronted the imposter taking her place, a creature that turned out to be the Changeling queen Chrysalis, the strangely beautiful leader of a race that fed off of love. Chrysalis had spouted some melodramatic evil mastermind speech, and it turned out she had brainwashed Shining Armor-Cadence’s fiancé and captain of the royal guard. Thanks to that act Chrysalis’s army of minions had been able to break through the barrier protecting the city and soon they were swarming the streets, wreaking chaos and destruction.
At first I had fled with a number of the other Canterlot elites, attempting to escape. However we all soon found ourselves cornered in the palace gardens, surrounded by a number of the cackling black Changelings. Somehow I found the courage to stand up to them. I grabbed the biggest stick I could and led the other ponies in fighting them off. I don’t know how long it lasted, but by the time a strange spell had literally flung all of the Changelings from the city I was exhausted, battered and bruised. Instead of getting to rest, I found myself being carried around by the same group of ponies I had fought to protect, all of them cheering my efforts and exclaiming their praise for me. One of them, a gentlepony named Fancypants, invited me to attend the wedding banquet as his guest. I happily accepted his offer.
The banquet was the next day, and although I was still in pain from yesterday’s ordeal, my spirits were high and I was definitely hungry for a feast. At first Fancypants’s praise of my ‘heroic defence’ was embarrassing, but they had some really good wine there and it all went to my head pretty fast. I don’t know how, but somepony (did I really just write that? Damn I hate only having a pen) brought up the Everfree forest and soon everyone was suggesting that I explore it. After all, nopony no one had ever been brave enough to map the whole place but surely someone as brave as me could. I really wish I hadn’t accepted, but I was drunk, and there were a lot of ponies cheering me on.
So now here I am in the Everfree forest three days later. I have provisions, I have a sword, I have all the kit I could need or want. I have this journal and supplies to make a map.
I have no idea how to make a map. This is a really bad idea.
You set the journal and pen down on your knee with a heavy sigh, wishing you had had the presence of mind to not go on this idiot’s quest. You are currently sitting on a stump in a small clearing around two kilometers into the forest. You debate, for the hundredth time, abandoning the task but you at least wanted to give it a try, if for nothing else than to not appear as a coward. Maybe after a couple days you would head back. You put the journal away in your pocket and hoist your heavy backpack onto your shoulders. With a grumble about your own foolishness you set off deeper into the forest.
Brambles and thorns scratch at your arms as you push branches out of your path. The forest is so thick in parts that you have to take detours and find alternate routes. Thankfully, you have yet to see any of the predatory creatures that make the Everfree their home, although your hand still strays to the sword sheathed at your waist at the slightest provocation.
The quiet sound of flowing water eases the anxiety growing in your stomach. It seems to be coming from your right a ways so you quickly change directions and head towards the relaxing sound. After ten minutes you break through a stand of trees into a clearing and take in the sight before you with a startled gasp.
A small brook is flowing through the area, crystal clear water bubbling and flowing noisily. Small patches of wildflowers dot the ground, and an ancient willow tree sits close enough to the brook for its hanging branches to brush the surface. Your gaze, however, is focused on a black figure about your size on the grass in front of you. You recognize her as the strangely beautiful Changeling queen, Chrysalis.
Her limbs are splayed out painfully, a wooden stake pinning each to the earth thanks to the strange holes that cover her legs. Her head is lying on the ground and her eyes are closed. A greenish substance that you guess is her blood has congealed on a nasty looking wound on her head, the area were you remember her crown sitting. Her breathing is labored and slow.
You know that if you had met under different circumstances you would be angry at her for what she attempted to do to Equestria, but seeing her in such a painful and vulnerable state has softened your heart. Briefly, a spark of fear ignites in your gut but it is doused almost immediately by the pained sounds coming from Chrysalis. You take a few hesitant steps towards her, but stop sharply when your foot breaks a branch that had been sitting in the clearing with a loud snap. Her brilliant emerald eyes slowly open and she focuses on you. They are full of pain, anger, and most of all sadness.
“I’m going to help you,” you say quietly, almost as much to yourself as to her as you continue to approach her. She attempts to shrink back in fear but the stakes pinning her to the ground prevent the movement. You kneel next to one of her limbs and grab the stake holding it with both hands. With a groan of exertion you slowly yank it out of the earth, falling on your backside as it comes out with a pop. You quickly repeat the action with her other limbs and step back to admire your handiwork.
She weakly tries to stand up, but falls back to the ground almost immediately, too weak to move. You quickly go to her side, gently lifting her in your arms. She isn’t as heavy as you were expecting, maybe 120 pounds, and her skin is smooth to the touch like silk and firm like ripened fruit. As carefully as you can you begin to move out of the clearing, heading back towards a small cave you passed about an hour ago.
Thanks to your extra baggage it takes you twice that to reach the cave, and by the time you do your arms are burning from the exertion and the sunlight outside is beginning to fade. Even so you gently set Chrysalis down inside, quickly pulling out your sleeping bag and moving her into its warmth. In about fifteen minutes you have a small fire going, just in time to avoid complete darkness. Chrysalis’s head rests peacefully in your lap, breathing slowly as she sleeps, and your back is against the cave wall. You take some healing salve from your backpack, worried about her injury. As you gently rub the ointment into the wound on her scalp you wonder what happened to her after she was flung out of Canterlot, and why she attacked Equestria in the first place. Eventually you fall asleep with your hand resting peacefully on the back of her neck.
=====
You wake some time later, shivering. It looks like the sun is just beginning to rise outside the cave you took shelter in, and the air is crisp and cool. The Changeling Queen’s head is still lying gently in your lap, set in a state of delicate repose. Gently, so as not to wake her, you get up and tend to the fire which had died sometime during the night. Soon you have a small blaze going again, warming the cave and eliciting a grin of contentment from you.
A sudden noise causes you to turn, seeking its source. Chrysalis has woken, and is sitting up and staring at you with a mix of confusion and worry. You raise your hands in a non-aggressive manner and take a seat opposite her, waiting for the queen to say the first word. As the both of you sit in silence you become increasingly more impatient until at last you blurt out, “Why?” You pause, and silence continues to fill the air. You decide to continue the train of thought since it has already started.
“Why did you do it? Why did you attack Equestria? I know you said your people needed love to survive, but why didn’t you just ask? I’m sure they would have been happy to give it to you.”
Chrysalis looks at you with an incredulous expression before snorting in derision. “Give? Give? Do you honestly think anything is ever given freely? Every Changeling knows that there is no such thing as a gift freely given. It is our first lesson, and it has kept us alive for centuries in the Badlands. Sooner or later it will come back and bite you in the flank. No, it is much better to take, to do the work yourself and to make certain you are not relying on another.”
You sit in silence, briefly made speechless by her blatant cynicism. Finally, you respond. “Can you honestly believe that after having been in Equestria? Their whole civilization is based on kindness and love. Yes, there is always something one gains in return for giving, but it is the good feeling of giving to another. There is nothing to be bitten by.”
Chrysalis looks away and you can briefly see a flash of pain across her brilliant emerald eyes. “It is never that simple,” she spits out fiercely, “the lesson of give and take has been passed down by my people for as long as can be remembered. It was the lesson my mother taught me, her mother taught her, and her mother’s mother taught her.”
The Changeling sways a bit, almost falling over thanks to the venom and force of her outburst draining what little energy she has left. You rush to her side, softly putting your hands on her shoulders and steadying her. “Why would I have helped you then? What could I possibly hope to gain besides the feeling of helping another?” You say quietly.
Chrysalis’s head droops in a semblance of defeat. “I…I don’t know.” She sighs before continuing, “I can’t think. I don’t have the energy.”
Out of concern you decide to draw Chrysalis in closer, holding the Changeling in a gentle hug, attempting to channel feelings of love and affection towards her. “That won’t work,” she says weakly, her voice muffled by your chest, “you can’t force love. It has to be true.”
“What can I do then? How can I help you? There has to be some other way that you can feed, otherwise your people wouldn’t have been able to survive.” Your mind races, trying to think of something as the queen sits in silence. From what you understand the Changelings live in the Badlands, a desolate place with few other sapient creatures inhabiting it. There would be no love there, especially if all the Changelings indeed thought about giving in the same way Chrysalis did.
Chrysalis finally speaks up, breaking you from your thoughts. “Blood,” she whispers, “I can feed on blood. That is how we have survived; feeding off the blood of creatures we catch. We hate it, it is nothing compared to the vitality we gain from love.”
You pause only briefly before replying with a nod and ignoring the voice in the back of your head telling you this is a bad idea, “Okay. Just try not to take too much.”
The Changeling stares at you with a look of absolute confusion. “What? Are you serious? You are willing to…to give me your blood just like that?”
“Just like that,” you respond, doing your best to give a confident smile. Inside you can feel a little knot of fear, fear that the Changeling will kill you. But if you can show the beautiful creature that it is possible to give for the sake of giving, it will be worth taking the chance.
As Chrysalis sits and stares at you her conflicting emotions flicker across her eyes. Eventually one of them seems to win out, and it brings a real smile to your face. Hope, she has hope that what you have been saying is true, hope that the way she has lived her life up to now is wrong, and hope that she can change.
She moves slowly, gently pushing you to the ground and lying on top of your prone form. She draws the sleeping bag over the two of you for warmth and moves her head to the base of your neck. You can feel her hot breath as she pauses, the feeling causing you to faintly shiver. She gives you one last look before sinking her fangs into your flesh. The pain isn’t all that bad, it reminds you of getting a shot. Soon it completely fades, instead replaced by a cool numbness. You guess that she is secreting some form of painkiller into your bloodstream.
You smile to yourself as she quietly sucks away at your blood, happy that you seem to have made a kink in her cynical beliefs. By the time the feeding Changeling has finished you are quite lightheaded, the loss of blood leaving you dizzy. You close your eyes, still smiling, as Chrysalis rests her head on your chest. You just barely make out her stuttering a thank you before you slip into unconsciousness.
=====
Once again you find yourself waking to the rising sun, although this time the chill in the air has been driven off by the warmth of the Changeling laying on you. You carefully roll Chrysalis off of your chest and get up, eliciting a yawn from her as she begins to stir. A grumbling from your stomach pointedly reminds you that it has been a couple days since you have last eaten so you grab some of your provisions from your backpack, namely a handful of salted cashews and an apple. You eat quickly, and by the time you are done Chrysalis is fully awake, sitting on her haunches and watching you eat.
You turn to her and smile, almost asking if she would like some before you remember that she does not eat the type of food you do. The both of you sit in silence for a while, looking at the other. Finally, you break the quiet.
“We should probably move on from here, today if possible.”
Chrysalis nods in reply as she shifts a bit so as to pull the sleeping bag tighter to her body.
“Umm, we could go to Ponyville, that’s the closest town from here. It’s a small place, and from what I’ve heard the ponies there are all pretty nice,” you continue. “Are you okay with that?”
Chrysalis looks at you with her big emerald eyes and frowns slightly, “I do not think they will allow me entrance, in fact they will probably arrest me.”
“Ponies are very forgiving, and besides, I’ll be there to vouch for you.” You do your best to smile reassuringly.
Chrysalis shakes her head, “No, I’ll just disguise myself as a pony, that way we won’t have to deal with the problems my presence would cause.”
You are about to respond when a growing buzz coming from outside the cave interrupts you. You quickly stand and reach for your sword, grabbing it just as a trio of Changelings land immediately in front of the cave entrance. They glare at you briefly before one steps forward and speaks in a low, hissing tone.
“Give us Chrysalis creature, this is not your problem.”
“What? Why?” you respond immediately.
The Changeling spits on the ground before answering, “Our law dictates that she must be punished by death for her gross failure and endangering the hive. Our queen sent us to make sure that the punishment had been fully carried out but you have interrupted it. Hand her over and we will let you go.”
“Your queen? Isn’t Chrysalis your queen?” As you ask this you shoot a quick glance back towards Chrysalis. She is cowering under the sleeping bag, trying to appear as small as possible and looking nothing like the confident and powerful creature you had seen in Canterlot.
The Changeling barks out a vicious laugh before answering. “She is our queen no longer. The crown has been cut from her head and bonded with her successor. She is nothing more than a pathetic failure. Now leave, your questions are getting tiring and we have a task to carry out.”
It takes you less than a second before you make your choice. You pull your sword out of its sheath with a rasp and set yourself into a defensive stance. “No” you say forcefully.
The three Changelings look at each other with a frown before the leader motions at the cave roof. With a grin they turn to you, the growing glow of magic in their horns causing you to back up nervously. In sync the Changelings each fire a bolt of green energy at the cave’s roof. Before you can react it collapses, completely sealing the entrance and leaving you and Chrysalis in the dark. As the shifting earth and stone settles you can just barely hear the Changelings laughing.
Carefully, so as not to cut yourself in the darkness, you sheath your sword and place it on the ground. You get on your knees and begin to shuffle slowly around, trying to find Chrysalis. Soon you bump into her.
“Chrysalis, are you all right?”
You are surprised as you feel her slump against your chest, it sounds like she is sniffing back tears. “Why did you protect me? What did you have to gain?”
After giving her question some serious thought you feel your face redden as you realize the answer to her question, and briefly hesitate before answering. “Chrysalis…I like helping you, protecting you. Because, well, I like you…” You bite your lip nervously, feeling awkward and anxious while you wait for her to respond.
A soft green glow grows from Chrysalis’s horn, bathing the cave in a little light. Chrysalis is staring at you, eyes wide with what looks like ecstatic surprise. “You like me,” she whispers softly, seemingly more to herself than to you, “not who I am pretending to be, not a false being, you like…me…”
The happiness in her quiet statement causes the little spark of love that you had just begun to notice to blossom into something greater. You did love her. Goddesses only know why, but you did.
In response to the fire of love spreading in your chest her eyes somehow manage to grow wider. A joyous smile crosses her lips as she stares into your eyes. “That feels…that feels so pure. Not nearly as powerful as Shining Armor’s love for Cadence, but it feels so much better. It feels so much more…right.” She sighs happily, the cynical Chrysalis you had found but a few days ago seemingly gone completely thanks to your growing love and kind acts.
You wrap your arms around her and pull her into a tight embrace, her forelegs quickly find themselves circled around your body. The both of you sit there, relishing the other’s presence for what feels like hours.
Eventually, the gravity of your situation dawns on you. “Chrysalis, how are we going to get out of here?” You whisper, not wanting to break the beautiful silence but knowing that you have to start thinking about escape sooner or later.
“With the energy you are giving me I could attempt to form a portal, take us to that town you mentioned,” she responds quietly.
“That’s great!” You exclaim.
“Well, it won’t be easy. I should be able to sense the town thanks to the amount of life in it, but I do not know where exactly we will end up.”
“Oh.” Your brow furrows in thought briefly. “I guess that is our plan B then, I’ll see if I can tunnel us out of here. Please keep your light going so I can see, alright?”
Chrysalis nods as you step over to the wall of rock and earth that has blocked off the cave entrance. You begin to try and remove pieces from it, but the wall is packed tight enough that you make very little progress. You attempt to use your sword as leverage but succeed in only snapping the blade. After an hour passes with no headway made you turn to Chrysalis with a sigh.
She nods in understanding and begins to concentrate, the glow from her horn greatly increasing. As a green sigil begins to form on the cave floor you hurriedly pack up your belongings and throw the backpack over your shoulder. You move next to Chrysalis and put a hand on her shoulder, trying to give her some support. With a final flare of light the portal is completed. Green flames lick the edges of the circle, causing it to look very sinister.
You gulp quietly as Chrysalis takes one of your hands in her hoof and leads you towards the portal. As you enter it you begin to sink into the ground, causing you to shiver at the wrongness of the feeling. Suddenly, an explosion of light so bright that it is almost blinding surrounds you.
As your head clears you look around yourself, trying to figure out where you ended up. You give Chrysalis’s hoof a squeeze and feel one in return, reassuring you with her presence. From what you can tell you appear to be in a small library, shelves of books line the walls and a circular table topped with a bust of a horse’s head sits in its center.
You and Chrysalis turn as you hear a startled gasp, coming face to face with a purple unicorn that had just walked in the front door. Twilight Sparkle.
=====
Before you can say anything Chrysalis is grasped in a purple aura and pushed against one of the bookshelves, eliciting a pained grunt from the Changeling. Twilight takes a few steps forward and settles into a defensive stance, a look of righteous determination set upon her face and her horn glowing, still holding Chrysalis against the shelf. The Changeling growls angrily and attempts to cast a spell of her own, but before she can complete it a more solid looking magical aura forms around her mouth and horn.
You quickly take a couple of hurried steps, placing yourself between the purple unicorn and the object of your affections. You do your best to make a placating gesture with your hands as you try to talk Twilight down. “Wait! Uh, Twilight right? It’s me, the human Zecora found in the Everfree! We aren’t here to do any harm!”
“Likely story,” the unicorn returns, “You’re probably brainwashed!” Suddenly you feel yourself become weightless as a purple glow surrounds you, pushing you into the shelf next to Chrysalis - albeit in a much gentler fashion.
“I’m not brainwashed!” you respond adamantly, accompanied by a muffled and angry response from the muted Changeling.
“And how would you know that you are not brainwashed? That is kind of the whole point of brainwashing!” the purple unicorn replies, sounding slightly exasperated.
“I don’t know how I know, I just know that I’m not!” you protest.
Twilight stares at you strangely for a second before countering. “That is completely ridiculous, you can’t know something without evidence! That’s just foalish!”
“Twilight, what’s all that noise,” a small purple dragon calls out as he stumbles blearily into the room, “I thought I got to sleep…in…today…” His eyes go wide as he notices you and Chrysalis, and you think you can just faintly make out him stammering ‘ohmygosh’ under his breath. “What’s going on Twilight?”
“Ah good, just in time Spike!” Twilight exclaims, “I need you to take a letter for Princess Celestia!”
“Uh, Twilight, is this really the time? I mean, don’t you have other issues to deal with?”
“The letter is about this, Spike. Now hurry!”
Spike quickly runs over to the table in the center of the library and grabs a roll of parchment and a quill. “Ready!” he states as he puts the pen to the parchment.
“Dear Princess Celestia, please come to Ponyville at once! I found Queen Chrysalis sneaking around in my library this morning preparing for who knows what kind of diabolical deed and I am holding her here until further notice.”
“Dia...diba…di…” Spike mutters as he tries to sound out the word.
Twilight groans and puts a hoof against her forehead, obviously having had to deal with this before. “Just put bad, Spike.”
“Alright, bad,” he mutters as the pen scratches away.
Twilight’s voice changes slightly as she turns to Spike, “did you get all that?”
“Get…all…that…Yeah, I got it Twilight.” He responds.
“Alright, send it right away!”
The small dragon takes a deep breath before exhaling a puff of green fire onto the letter, sending its ashes away to Canterlot on a wisp of magical energy.
“Now I need you to go round up the girls Spike,” Twilight instructs her assistant.
He slumps his shoulders and trudges towards the door, muttering about how much of a terrible day off this is. As he reaches for the doorknob a group of five ponies burst through the door, sending the poor little guy flying.
“What’s goin’ on Twilight?!” an orange pony wearing a Stetson exclaims, “Pinkie said we all needed ta’ get down here quick.”
“I did I did!” a pink pony with a poofy cotton candy mane exclaims happily as she bounces up and down.
“Oh thank Celestia you’re all here, I was just sending Spike to get you,” Twilight states before pointing to Chrysalis, “We have a problem.” One of the ponies, a yellow pegasus with a pink mane, squeaks in fear and ducks behind the others, hiding just out of view.
“Ooh, let me at her!” a cyan pegasus shouts before attempting to charge Chrysalis. The orange pony grabs her tail and pulls her back before she can complete her attack.
“Woah there Rainbow! I think Twilight’s already got it covered. That means it’s safe to come out now Fluttershy,” The orange pony says around the tail in her mouth as the yellow pegasus quietly reemerges from hiding.
“Ugh, fine Applejack,” Rainbow grumbles as she settles down.
You briefly turn to Chrysalis, seeing her scowling angrily at the six ponies, before a realization dawns on you. The Elements of Harmony, the same six ponies that defeated Chrysalis’s attack on Canterlot, live in Ponyville. How in Equestria did you manage to forget that?
A very attractive white unicorn with a flowing and very well groomed purple mane steps forward. “Having her incapacitated is all well and good, but what are we going to do about it?”
“We are not going to do anything about it Rarity, at least not yet. I just had Spike send a letter to Princess Celestia, so she should be here in an hour. For now we just need to make sure she doesn’t escape.” Twilight answers with authority.
Suddenly the pink pony, Pinkie Pie, is standing on the air next to you. “Oooh! I remember you! You were that uh…that uh…that uh…”
“Human,” you interject.
“Yeah, that! Anyway, I remember when Zecora brought you into town! I didn’t have enough time to throw you a welcome party then! Bye-bye,” after she says all that in what seems like one breath, she shoots out of the library fast enough to pull books from the shelves.
Twilight groans and slaps her forehead with one of her hooves before turning to Rainbow Dash. “Rainbow, please make sure Pinkie doesn’t bring anypony else. We can’t really afford having the town panic.”
The cyan pegasus throws a sharp salute before zipping out the door after Pinkie. Around ten minutes go by with the ponies talking quietly among themselves and throwing glances Chrysalis’s way.
With a crash Pinkie returns, this time entering through a window and carrying a load of party supplies. Before you can blink she has transformed the room; streamers, balloons, cake, and punch are all in attendance. The pink pony turns to you with a flourish and shouts “tada!”
She is followed shortly by a panting Rainbow Dash who manages to gasp out that she made sure the exuberant pink pony did not invite anypony else.
Pinkie trots over to you with a beaming smile. “Rainbow Dash said that I couldn’t invite anypony because the town would go cuckoo so I didn’t so this isn’t really a party it’s more like a pre-party party so later we can have a real-party party and then after that maybe we can have a post-party party!” Before you have a chance to respond to whatever it was she just said she hops over to Twilight and starts begging her to let you and Chrysalis down to enjoy the pre-party party.
After 30 minutes of Pinkie wearing down on Twilight the purple unicorn turns to the both of you with an exasperated look. “Alright, I’m going to let you down but I am sealing the library in a magical field. If you try to get out it will knock you unconscious.” Twilight closes her eyes and focuses, and a few seconds later you can feel your ears pop as the pressure changes in the newly formed magical bubble. With a sigh from Twilight the magical fields holding you and Chrysalis dissipate, dropping you unceremoniously to the floor.
You quickly move to Chrysalis’s side, partially to help her up and partially to make sure she doesn’t do anything rash, like attack the ponies that caused her to be dethroned. Thankfully she seems to be controlling herself at the moment although you can tell that it is taking a lot of effort for her to do so.
Pinkie claps her hooves together happily and then cuts a piece of cake for both you and Chrysalis. She hands them to each of you with a beaming smile. You shrug and take the offered piece but Chrysalis shakes her head after a brief pause and turns Pinkie down.
“I can’t eat that,” Chrysalis states simply. “Thank you for the offer,” she forces out as an afterthought.
Pinkie cocks her head to the side. “You can’t eat cake? Are you on a diet?”
“…No, I can’t eat it because all your food tastes like ash,” the Changeling returns with a hint of frustration that seems to be growing thanks to Pinkie’s continued look of confusion.
Sensing Chrysalis’s growing unease and anger with the situation you gently put your hand on her shoulder. You can feel her relax slightly from the contact. “Remember Pinkie, Changelings feed off love.”
“Oh.” Pinkie shrugs and then eats the piece of cake she had offered to Chrysalis in one bite before turning back to the two of you. She raises one of her eyebrows as she notices your hand on Chrysalis’s shoulder, then looks at you, then at Chrysalis, then back at you, and then once more at Chrysalis. Her eyes sparkle and go impossibly wide and she makes an ‘Ooooooh’ noise. In a flash she hops behind you, grabbing your shoulder and pushing you up against Chrysalis. Both you and the Changeling blush as Pinkie’s excited giggling draws the full attention of the rest of the Elements of Harmony.
Soon everyone is enjoying the cake and attempting to keep the atmosphere cordial, if not friendly. “Twilight! Twilight Sparkle!” the library hushes as everypony hears the muffled and authoritative voice.
Twilight quickly brushes cake crumbs from her chin and runs to the door with an ‘eep’ sound. Your ears pop once again as the bubble protecting the library dissipates. The purple unicorn returns quickly with a familiar white alicorn in tow, her flowing pastel mane sparkling in the air. Her eyes are narrowed and focused on Chrysalis.
“Hey Celestia,” you state with an awkward wave trying to cut through the growing tension in the room.
The alicorn briefly smiles at you, acknowledging your presence, before she returns her focus to Chrysalis. “So Chrysalis, why have you returned to my kingdom? I don’t think you will find me as weak as before.”
As close as you are to Chrysalis you can hear the strain in her voice as she swallows her pride. “I…I would like to ask for asylum. And apologize for my prior actions.”
One of Celestia’s eyebrows rises in surprise. “Oh? Well I can honestly say I wasn’t expecting that.” Celestia walks forward until she is face to face with the Changeling, “I would be willing to consider it. If you were to allow me inside your mind in order to insure you have no desire to harm my subjects.”
You hear Chrysalis swallow in nervous fear as you look at her with concern. You don’t know what having another presence inside your mind would be like but you don’t imagine it would be pleasant.
“…very well…,” Chrysalis breaths with a sigh of acceptance. She closes her eyes tight and one of her hooves wraps around the hand that is on her shoulder. You give her a reassuring squeeze in response.
Celestia nods and gently places her horn against Chrysalis’s head. A magical aura surrounds the two as Celestia performs whatever arcane spell allows her access to another’s mind. With a flash Chrysalis falls back against you panting and gasping for air as Celestia pulls away.
“Chrysalis, what happened? Are you going to be okay?” you whisper to her. She closes her eyes, swallows more oxygen, and then nods. Slowly her breathing recovers and she sits back up.
Celestia moves in close to her whispering just loud enough for you to eavesdrop. “I can sense that there remains darkness in you Chrysalis, but the bond you seem to have formed with the human is slowly wearing it away. I will allow you to stay in my lands, but if you ever harm one of my subjects I will banish you to a place where you will never escape.” Chrysalis becomes a little pale at the seriousness of Celestia’s tone and nods in understanding. The alicorn then turns to the Elements of Harmony. “I am allowing Chrysalis to stay here in Ponyville, under all of your watchful eyes. Treat her as you would treat any citizen and have Twilight report to me if anything happens. Now I have to leave as I have an urgent appointment with a group of delegates from the Zebra Kingdoms.”
With a few quick goodbyes Celestia leaves, heading back to Canterlot and her royal duties.
“Oh goodygoodygoodygoodygoody! Now we can have another welcome party!” Pinkie exclaims hopping up and down before landing next to Chrysalis and wrapping her in a big hug. At first the Changeling pushes away, but Pinkie’s relentless happiness is infectious and she soon returns the gesture, albeit uncomfortably.
One by one the other ponies officially welcome Chrysalis to Ponyville, even Fluttershy managing to squeak out a ‘hello’.
The combined kindness of the six ponies and your presence slowly gets the Changeling to open up and forget about her past conflicts with them, and after an hour she is smiling as you and the Elements talk. More hours pass and she joins in the conversation, at first quiet and dark but becoming progressively lighter. At around three in the afternoon Pinkie leaves on some mysterious errand and returns a half hour later with more party supplies as well as half the town. Thanks to Twilight quickly explaining that Celestia allowed Chrysalis to stay a panic was averted and soon everyone was eating, dancing, talking, and playing games.
At sundown, Applejack’s brother, a large red stallion name big Mac, showed up with a case of whiskey and soon the party became even merrier. After some cajoling you manage to get Chrysalis to try some of the alcohol with you. As everyone in attendance soon found out, Changelings can get drunk, and rather easily at that. Slowly, the party wore down as ponies either fell asleep in the library or headed home until it was just you, Chrysalis, and the Elements of Harmony.
“I, uh, hate to be a bother,” you begin, your mind only slightly hazy from the alcohol you consumed, “but is there any place Chrysalis and I can stay the night?” You motion with your head to the sleeping Changeling you are now carrying on your back.
“Well, I only have one guest room,” Rarity states with a flushed face as she sets down her empty glass and winks at you, “but from what Pinkie tells me that is just fine.”
You blush and mutter a thank you, following the stumbling unicorn out of Twilight’s library and towards her home.
=====
“Right in there,” Rarity says, motioning at the door to her guest room. “If you need anything at all don’t hesitate to ask.” She turns and begins to walk towards her stairs, but turns around to speak one last time. She opens her mouth, hesitates, then turns back with a little giggle and leaves you and the deposed Changeling queen sleeping quietly on your back.
You open the door and step into the room, turning on the crystal chandelier hanging over the bed. While small, it is lavishly appointed. It speaks to Rarity’s immense skill in decoration that the room is full of life without seeming cluttered. You step past a small table with a vase holding a single rose and move next to the room’s single bed. The bed looks just large enough to hold you and Chrysalis; it would be enormous for a normal sized pony.
You gently swing Chrysalis off your back and towards the bed, but before you can set her down she opens her eyes with a laugh and pulls you with her. You are barely able to brace your arms so that you don’t land on her with all your weight. She smiles widely and stares deep into your eyes with her own emerald orbs, slightly hazy from the alcohol but not nearly as much as you thought. She flicks out her forked tongue and licks your cheek with a giggle.
“C-Chrysalis, were you faking being drunk?” you stutter in surprise at her sudden affection.
“A little,” she replies, still giggling, “You learn how to act when you’re royalty.”
You shake your head slightly in surprise and grin. You softly put one hand on the back of her head and run a hand through her luxurious teal mane, relishing the feel of the soft hair. Chrysalis closes her eyes and a look of content spreads across her face as she buries it in your chest with a sigh.
“How did this happen to me,” the Changeling asks quietly from your shirt.
“How did what happen?” you ask, not certain which of the many things that had recently occurred she was referring to.
“You. Me. These feelings. A week ago I would never have imagined that something like this would happen. That my entire thought process would be changed. That I would find love. It’s all moving so fast I feel like I’m getting lost in the current.”
“I’m not meaning to rush you,” you begin, “This is going fast for me too. If you want to slow down-“
“No,” she interjects softly as she moves away from your chest and lays with her back against the bed, “I love this feeling. For once I am following my emotions, going with my heart instead of following cold logic and heartless necessity.”
You stare for a few minutes as you drink each other’s presence in. Somewhere upstairs a record player begins to play softly, somepony singing a song remarkably similar to one of Barry White’s pieces.
Hesitantly Chrysalis places her forelegs behind your neck and draws you into a kiss. As her soft lips brush against yours an electric tingle shoots down your spine. Slowly you begin to press against her, slightly opening your mouth and brushing your tongue against her lips. She sighs happily, opening her own mouth and sending her forked tongue out to meet yours. You take time to explore every inch of your partner as she explores yours. You feel her teeth, the sharp points of her fangs. You feel her tongue as it entwines yours, its much greater length letting it playfully tease you. After what feels like an eternity you break off the kiss, and a thin strand of saliva stretches between your mouths as you pull away.
“I-I want this,” Chrysalis breathes as she draws herself closer into you. “I don’t care that this is moving so fast, I want this feeling and I want to be with you.”
You smile nervously and place a quick kiss on her cheek, the silk smooth skin sending another tingle down your spine. You hesitate, trying to think of something smart and beautiful to say, but end up only nodding.
You start to trail kisses along her body, starting at her limbs and slowly working inward, causing the Changeling to shiver in anticipation at every touch. You trace the holes in her limbs with one hand while you massage one of her flanks with the other, still kissing her. Her frayed, insectoid wings flutter and twitch against the bed sheets as her arousal rises.
You elicit a squeak from the Changeling as your kisses finally reach her most sensitive area, already moist and eager. You quickly move her hind legs onto your shoulders before you peck at her lips, adding a slight amount of suction every few kisses. Soon Chrysalis is quietly moaning in pleasure. You take both your hands and begin to massage her flanks, rubbing the tips of your fingers into her firm buttocks. Slowly, you begin to spread her lips with your tongue, each pass causing the Changeling’s moans to become a little heavier. You pause briefly as her body is completely revealed to you. Even with her strange dark green flesh glistening with her secretions she is the most beautiful creature you have ever seen.
You allow your lover to rest briefly, her panting excitement reminding you of the painful bulge in your pants. You ignore it with a smile before returning to your work. Your tongue works slowly into her, going deeper and deeper into her warm depths. She paws at the bed sheets with a moan, approaching climax. You mischievously back off again, only to return seconds later and focusing on her clitoris. You playfully stroke at the nub with your tongue, reveling in Chrysalis’s sighs and moans of pleasure. Her legs clamp down on your shoulders, letting you know she is almost there. As a final gesture to push the Changeling over the edge you place your lips on her clitoris and give it a soft kiss. Her back arcs sharply as she lets out a cry of pleasure, before slumping down with a sigh of contentment and basking in her afterglow.
Gently, you remove her legs from your shoulders and move next to her on the bed while softly stroking her rising and falling chest. You do your best to look seductive as you slowly drag your tongue across your lips, licking up all of the Changeling’s excess fluids that had gathered there, but only succeed in eliciting a hoarse giggle from Chrysalis. She accepts your offer as you put your arms around her and the both of you lay in the quiet, simply content to hold each other close.
An hour passes as the two of you cuddle warmly, but your insistent erection has been poking Chrysalis and she has taken notice. She rolls you over on your back, this time being the one to take charge, and unzips your pants with a quick flash of magic. Your penis pokes against the cloth of your underwear, creating a little tent. She grabs the clothing with both hooves and pulls it all off as you remove your shirt, leaving you completely naked. She sits down on your legs and bends over your member, giving it an exploratory lick with her tongue. With a smile she raises one of her hooves to her mouth and coats one of its holes with her saliva, and then slowly pushes you through the orifice until her hoof is down to the base. The sensation of her silky smooth flesh pressing in on your penis causes you to shudder in pleasure. She smiles at your reaction and bends over, tentatively taking your head into her mouth. Slowly she begins to bob up and down, soon taking in your full length. Her tongue caressing and playing with your erection combined with the feeling of her hoof and the warm, moist insides of her mouth are quickly bringing you to climax.
“Chrysalis…I-I can’t hold it much longer,” you barely manage to choke out as waves of pleasure wash over you.
She looks up at you with her big emerald eyes and they seem to twinkle with a playful smile. She begins to speed up, stroking your member with her hoof as well sucking it with her mouth. Your hands grasp at the bed sheets as you lose control and release with a satisfied moan. You can feel her swallow the load, her tongue cleaning the last remnants of your cum before she pulls her mouth away from you with an audible pop.
She pulls her hoof from your penis and slides up your chest, her head coming to rest just below yours with another happy sigh. After your breathing calms you begin to gently rub her back, tracing over her wings and skin. On impulse you take her head with one hand and guide her into another passionate kiss. Your tongues entwine as you furiously navigate each other’s mouths. Her hot breath pushes on the back of your throat as she sucks and moans into you, quickly beginning to arouse you again. Your hand tangles itself in her silken hair as you continue to rub her back with the other.
After fifteen minutes she breaks off the kiss with a gasp, panting as strands of saliva fall between you. She rubs against your stomach and you can feel her warmth, the Changeling still very much aroused. After another quick kiss you gingerly turn Chrysalis on her back and change positions, the creature below you looking very vulnerable with her limbs splayed out and body exposed. Her slit is glistening with moisture, eager to take you inside, and she is already panting from anticipation. Your member is fully hardened, so you carefully place it against her lips, teasing the entrance and getting the Changeling to moan a little. You stroke your erection up and down, coating the head in her lubrication before slowly sliding it in. Chrysalis gasps sharply as you begin to enter her, and the amazing warmth and tightness of her insides are threatening to set you off before you even start. You carefully continue to press into her, utilizing every ounce of your willpower and self-control to keep from bursting, until you are up to the hilt inside her. She is panting and moaning in pleasure, and one of her hooves waves lazily through the air in search of something to grab. You oblige by taking it in one of your hands and giving it a tight squeeze, and a smile is brought to your face as she returns the gesture.
You kneel there, relishing the feeling of her insides, as you wait to cool off a bit so you can continue. After a few minutes you feel ready to start again, and pull out a little to test yourself. You are able to control your arousal this time, but judging from the gasps and moans Chrysalis lets out at even the smallest of movements you are perfectly managing to touch all her erogenous zones. Very slowly you begin to rock back and forth inside the Changeling, sliding out almost to your tip before pushing gently back in. Soon her gasps and moans are becoming sharper and more harried, and her wings are fluttering and twitching as she reaches another orgasm. You continue to rock as you lean down to your lover and take her in another deep kiss. Her breathing is shaky and short, and as you continue to work she suddenly lets out another cry of ecstasy like the one from earlier, most of the sound lost in your mouth, as she orgasms and her insides clamp down on your member. You are getting close again yourself, and her orgasm almost set you off, so you slow down to let yourself bleed off a little steam even though it takes all your willpower to do so. Before she is even done panting and basking in the afterglow you start up again, breaking off the kiss to lean back and rocking your hips back and forth, sliding in and out of the beautiful creature below you.
Her cries now are louder than before, and her hoof is squeezing your hand almost painfully tight. Her body begins to show signs of approaching climax again, her wings fluttering and her body is tightening in shuddering anticipation, and you are feeling close to release as well. You brace yourself against the bed with the hand holding Chrysalis’s hoof, and pull her tight against your body with the other as you speed up. With a grunt you thrust hard, tipping you over the edge and spilling your seed into your lover. The feeling of the sudden warmth spreading inside her brings Chrysalis over as well, pressing herself into you forcefully with an ecstatic cry as her inner walls tighten on your member. You both stay there, panting, while staring deeply into each other’s eyes. Slowly, your flaccid member slides out of her lips, releasing a few rivulets of your cum and dripping the white liquid onto the bedsheets.
Still trembling from exertion and the orgasm you just had, you lie down on the bed and pull Chrysalis into your arms before bringing the sheets up around you. The beautiful creature cuddling with you sighs happily and nuzzles your neck.
“I love you,” she whispers quietly without a shred of deceit lacing her sultry voice.
“I love you too,” you return with a soft kiss to her forehead.
Gradually, wrapped in the warmth and love of your companion, you drift into the best sleep you have ever had.
=====
The soft light of Equestria’s sun shining through the guest room’s single window stirs you from your slumber. With a contented yawn you sit up before looking fondly at the creature at your side. You still have no idea how things moved this fast, but you certainly wouldn’t go back to last week if given the option. You gently brush a stray strand of hair out of her face before getting up and throwing your clothes on. Still rubbing the sleep out of your eyes you stumble into the kitchen, and a waiting Rarity.
“I take it you both had an enjoyable time last night?” the white mare asks with a raised eyebrow.
Your face burns as you blush fiercely. “I-um-yes. Sorry about that, I didn’t think we were that loud,” you stutter sheepishly.
Rarity lets out a small laugh. “You certainly weren’t quiet; I wouldn’t be surprised if Twilight heard you all the way over at the library. But, I always enjoy when love blossoms around me,” she begins as she moves over to a record player and turns it on, the machine playing the same Barry White sound-alike that you had heard last night, “so I don’t mind.”
You feel like your face is going to burn right off from the embarrassment, but Rarity’s next statement ensures that your face will stay red for the rest of the day.
“One thing though,” she begins, “if you would be so kind as to wash your sheets it would be most appreciated. I may be the Element of Generosity, but that is more a personal hygiene issue than anything else.”
