//------------------------------// // Good night // Story: Chrysalis's First Sleepover // by Chaospaladin //------------------------------// The rules of the drinking challenge were simple: Whoever drank the the most zap apple hard ciders before one of them fell unconscious or ended up getting sick won. It was a battle of pure endurance and willpower with no magic, shapeshifting or sabotaging allowed. Once the two agreed to the conditions to play fair, the tiebreaker went underway while the other mares set about dousing the fires and repairing what damage could be immediately fixed thanks to the destructive pillow war, leaving the pair to their own devices after making them swear not to cheat or destroy any more of the castle. Driven by sheer competitiveness and determination, Chrysalis and Twilight pounded glass after glass with relentless fervor. Only a few glasses in, and the potency of the infamous cider was already taking a toll on them. Their bodies started swaying dangerously, speech gradually getting more slurred and raucous as the dizzying effects started taking hold. The other six mares secretly took bets on how long they could keep this up, capping at an hour max. Two hours of non-stop drinking later... “Ah’m gonna… gonna get ya. Then I’m gonna finally beat Sparky!” Chrysalis droned, lazily grasping at the fourth bottle of cider at the edge of the table she laid sprawled out on. The bottle was barely out of reach for her. Despite being drunk out of her mind, glassy eyes dizzily attempting to stare down the bottle to will it to her, Chrysalis might have been able to move barely enough to grab it were it not for the equally drunk Twilight latched onto her back like a sleepy sloth. “Nuh-uh, ah’m gonna win. Ya can’t beat th' great 'n powerful Sparky!” Twilight slurred, giggling madly to herself. Any attempt to go after the bottle herself halted as she started rubbing her cheek against Chrysalis’ back. “Dish is so soft. It’s like a… like a thing that’sh soft.” Chrysalis’ body shifted as she chuckled. “You ish so magical with words.” “Damn straight! Ah’m like a wizard. Or somethin’.” “Wha? Nah, you’re too fluffy ta be a lizard. Stay fluffy!” Twilight gave a weak, playful slap on the back of her head. “Nah, fool! I dun said wizard! Wiz! Erd!” Chrysalis craned her head to look at Twilight. “Da buck is a wizerd?” “A wizard is, you know, t-the thing. That’s magical and awesome. Like, Swirl-star the afro awesome!” Chrysalis gave up her attempts to go after the bottle, resorting to simply staring out into space as she flopped on the table. “Oh dang, I like afros.” Sighing wistfully, Twilight curled up on Chrysalis’s back, drawing circles on her carapace, “A-a-and that’s why I wanna be like ‘Lestia. She’s got a super cool afro. A-a-and she’s really pretty, and smart, and n-never called me Egghead, and just totally understands me, and… and...” She trailed off, mumbling incoherently. “Hmph. I never called you Egghead...” Chrysalis muttered bitterly. “Huh?” Chrysalis wiggled angrily, albeit uselessly thanks to Twilight’s weight, attempting to grab the bottle again. “Doesn’t matter! Ah’m gonna drink this, and beat you, a-a-and feel good about mahself!” Her hoof suddenly shot into the air triumphantly. “Ah’m gonna make Queen Chrysalis great again!” “Whatchu talkin’ about, Chryssi?” “A-ah was the bestesh queen!” Chrysalis bristled, raising her voice. “Everypony thought ah was the knees bees! B-but then you had to come along and ruin everything!” “O-oh no, I did the t-thing?” Twilight’s eyes began to water, her ears pinning back. “All the things! The friendships! The kindness! A-and makin’ me feel fuzzy and wanted! Ah don’t want the fuzzies! Fuzzies are for squares!” Twilight started tearing up, sucking in her lower lip. “But-but-but I love the fuzzies!” “A-a-and then you started beating me up, you bully!” Chrysalis clenched her eyes, slamming her hoof on the table. Tears threatened to slip through her closed eyelids. “Y-you are just so good at everything, and-and friendly, and everypony loves you! But ah’m just scary bug horse who doesn’t know how to make friends or win games! You win at games, you win at life, you win at things! I’m just a big, scary loser.” Twilight let out a sharp gasp. She sniffled in a dry sob, and murmured pleadingly, “No, Chryssi, no…” “LOSER!” Chrysalis slammed her hoof on the table, causing Twilight to wince. “Ah’m always gonna be a loser! Cuz momma told me ah was a predator! And my momma’s momma told her she was a predator, and-and predators are super strong and win at everything! And my momma’s momma’s momma—" “—But you won today!” Twilight exclaimed, cutting through her tirade. “Ya beat me up real good!” “Fool!” Chrysalis swung her body around with all the grace of a wrecking ball, forcing them to face each other, and bumping their skulls together with a light bonk. She glared at her hotly, pressing her face against Twilight's snout. “Ah didn’t win nothin’! Ah couldn’t has done no good without your bud-buds!” “But they be your bud-buds too! Like ah’m your bud-bud!” “I don’t wanna be scary bug horse who can only win with bud-buds! I wanna be a strong, independant queen, who don’t need no bud-buds! Even if they're super nice and made me feel good, or say stuff like “let’s play again”! Ah dun wanna be weak loser anymore! Ah wanna be a winner!” Twilight threw her hooves around Chrysalis' shaking withers, and pulled her in tightly, pressing their barrels together. “Ah’m sorry, mah queen! Ah dun messed up by being super scary and I made you saaad!” she wailed. “Ah jush wanted everypony to see how super special awesome ya are! Ah know everypony kinda sorta thinks you're scary bug horse, but ah wanna show ‘em who ya are!” “Dat I’m a loser?!” “Stupid Chryssi! Hush!” When Chrysalis opened her mouth to argue back, Twilight lurched forward and angrily nommed Chrysalis’ nose, causing her to yelp. She pressed herself up on her hind hooves until their faces were level, and then a little higher, bearing down on Chrysalis with a stern gaze. “Ya ain’t a loser! You’re, like, the coolest thing ever! Ah have to be on my super duper tippy hooves when playin' with you! Cuz you're smart, and strong, and tricksy! Ah’m strong 'cause you are strong! You are my amazing, bestes rival and beshtest friend!” “Say whaaa?” Chrysalis drawled out breathlessly. “Exactly! But ah don’t wanna make you sad! Sometimes, ya drive me crazy, but happy Chryssi is pretty Chryssi! Pretty Chryssi is best Chryssi!” Wearing a goofy smile, Twilight extended her feathery wings and threw them tightly over Chrysalis' neck, cuddling her for all she was worth. “Best Chryssi is mah Chryssi! Mah cool rival friend!” A lopsided smile found its way onto Chrysalis’ face. She leaned back under Twilight's comforting weight, until her head came to rest on the table. She shifted her head around to nuzzle Twilight's cheek, making the alicorn let out a breathy squeak. Her foreleg reached up, shivering nervelessly, and she simply lay it over Twilight's comfortable back. “Dat. Right dere, is why ya will always be my bestie and rival too. Ah admit, I was scared of ya bud-buds.” “Huh? Why?” “Because they be important to ya. And… a-and I didn’t wanna mess up and lose ya cuz I’m scary bug horse.” Chrysalis suddenly glanced to the side, taking particular interest in the texture of the table. “Ah like your friends." Her voice was low, cracking wistfully around the edges. "Ah just wish I was awesome like you so they can like me too.” “I just said ya were awesome.” “Ah know. Just… ya know how I get. I didn’t have ta think 'bout feelin’ stuff and makin’ friends till ya came 'round. Ah hate… ah hate feelin’ all nervous ‘n stuff when ah’m under pressure.” “Dat’s why I trapped mah bud-buds in here with you! Yay friendship prison!” “Friendship prison is best prison!” The two laughed together. Gradually, they fell into a comfortable silence. Chrysalis was the first to talk. “Sparky?” she whispered softly. “Ya?” “Thank you for being beshtest friend and rival.” Twilight cooed happily, smiling a soft, peaceful smile. “Awww, I like you too, ya big lovebug," she murmured, nuzzling at Chrysalis' neck. Suddenly, Chrysalis started spazzing out in horror, throwing Twilight off her barrel as she rolled around and patted herself. “GAAAH! THE FUZZIES ARE BACK! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!” Twilight flailed about in panic, rapidly patting Chrysalis’ body as if trying to put out a fire. “AH’LL SAVE YA, MAH QUEEN! THOSE FUZZIES AIN’T GONNA GETCHA!” “IT’S GETTIN’ WORSE! SAVE MEH!” “AH’M SAVING YA! DON’T DIIIIE!” Outside the entrance of the council room, six pairs of eyes watched the ensuing madness from a safe distance, drinking their own bottles of hard cider while sitting on foldout chairs courtesy of Pinkie Pie. They had long since finished repairing what they could. But rather than go to bed and letting Starlight keep an eye on Chrysalis and Twilight, Starlight suggested they could all stay up and enjoy the sheer entertainment of the drunken duo. “So girls,” Starlight started after taking a swig, “didn’t I promise the midnight show was going to be amazing?” “Heck yeah. No way I could miss out on Lovebug and Twi going wild! Totally worth staying up late!” Rainbow laughed. “Wow, who knew Chrysalis was such a softy? Kinda cute, in a weird way.” Pinkie said. “I should be more upset that Twilight locked us up here, but I’m kinda glad we got to see those two actin’ cuter than a pair of playful kittens in a catnip field. Never gonna let Chrysalis live this down, though.” Applejack smiled as she took a generous gulp of her family cider. “I couldn’t agree more, Applejack,” Rarity sighed blissfully. “Although I would rather not have to deal with any more property damage, this has been a most lovely sleepover.” “U-um, speaking of cute,” Fluttershy began, “am I the only one who thinks they look cute together?” The group turned their attention towards the council room. Chrysalis ended up flailing on the ground, crying that this was the end for her. Twilight staggered about in a flustered panic, grabbed the last bottle of cider with both hooves, and poured the contents all over Chrysalis to “purge the fuzzies”. When Chrysalis calmed down, gasping in relief, they both took a swig, smiling to themselves. “I couldn’t agree more. They really do bring out the best in each other.” Starlight giggled. “Just one question, though.” All eyes suddenly turned to Rainbow. “So who was the gay pony Chrysalis talked about earlier?” “You’ve been thinking about that all night, haven’t you?” Rarity asked, smirking. “H-hey, I just wanna set the record straight, alright? Besides, you girls can’t seriously tell me none of you are curious about who Chrysalis was talking about.” “I think the answer is pretty clear,” Fluttershy answered sagely as she took a calm sip of her cider. All eyes turned on her. “Oh yeah? So who’s the mystery mare Chrysalis was talking about?” Fluttershy smiled as she tipped her drink to the drunken duo, as Chrysalis was nuzzling Twilight’s cheek, thanking her for saving her life from the fuzzies. “Chrysalis miscounted. There’s actually two.” The other mares gave each other confused looks at the ambiguous answer. But after a few seconds, they all collectively gasped in awe. Starlight lifted her drink, tapping it against Fluttershy’s. “I’ll toast to that. To friendship, great sleepovers… and whatever the hay that is.” she said as she nodded her head towards Chrysalis and Twilight, who decided to break out into the world’s goofiest music number, happily singing— more like shouting—about pink fluffy unicorns dancing on rainbows. The other mares clinked their drinks together and continued to watch over their friends, both old and new. “To friendship and weirdness.”