//------------------------------// // Still Bored (Chrysalis, Limestone) // Story: The Life and Times of Everypony // by Leafdoggy //------------------------------// The floors of Twilight’s castle were always icy cold in the mornings. The chill of the night would seep into the crystals and refuse to let go, and while that grasp could never last forever, it did last long enough to freeze the hooves of early risers who may be wandering the halls.  Twilight had never bothered to put down carpets because she liked the chill. She despised being groggy, and the sharp, biting sensation as she would walk the halls was always a good wake-up. Besides, she thought, it never hurts to have an excuse to wear nice boots. Starlight, however, did not feel the same way. The sullen look on her face as she wandered the halls on this crisp autumn dawn made that clear. Her sunken frown, her furrowed brow, her narrow eyes, everything about her radiated her disdain for mornings. It was too early to even get lost in her thoughts. All she could focus on as she walked was the hollow echo of her hoofsteps ringing through the halls. Then, like always, she was in the kitchen. She rarely had the inclination to cook this early in the morning, and she especially didn’t want to on such a cold day. So, instead, she popped open the fridge and started to scrounge. With all the food Applejack and Pinkie Pie piled on them, it was always stocked full of leftovers. She decided that today she was going to start the day right. Today was a day for pie. She didn’t bother going to sit down to eat. She just pulled it out, closed the fridge, and started in on it. Bite by bite, the kitchen around her slowly regained its color. Her expression lightened, and her muscles relaxed. It rejuvenated, and finally she felt ready to start her day. She trotted over to the sink to wash up and— “Aah!” Starlight jumped back as a flash of green light blasted out in front of her. Magical green and black smoke filled the kitchen in front of her, and in her panic she flung the plate as hard as she could at the intruder. A second later she heard it smash on the far wall of the kitchen. Chrysalis laughed haughtily as the smoke cleared around her. She looked down her nose at Starlight and smirked, her razor sharp teeth glinting menacingly.  “Boo!” Starlight scowled at her. “The least you could do is get hit by the plate.” “I’ll consider it next time,” Chrysalis replied with a chuckle.  “What do you want?” Starlight asked. “Just visiting.” Chrysalis reached out and rustled Starlight’s mane. “Twilight’s busy.” Starlight swatted her hoof away. “Really? We’re doing this again? I thought you made friends with Fluttershy so you wouldn’t have to bug me again.” “She’s busy too!” Chrysalis scoffed. “Can you believe it? Apparently she’s spending the day with a ‘Limestone,’ whoever that is.” “She’s Pinkie’s sister,” Starlight said. She started to walk away from Chrysalis. “Which probably means Pinkie is free today, so go bother her instead. After you clean up that plate.” Chrysalis trotted along after Starlight. “She has a sister? That’s terrifying.” “Three sisters, actually,” Starlight said. “Which I know because I actually care about my friends.” Chrysalis pouted dramatically. “I care about my friends! Pinkie Pie is just difficult to talk to.” “Uh-huh.” Starlight rolled her eyes. “I know you talk to Rarity, do you know about her sister?” “Of course I do, she’s adorable.” “Then what’s her name?” Starlight asked. “Well I don’t know that much about her,” Chrysalis said.  Starlight stopped walking and stared at Chrysalis. “How can Twilight stand you? You’re so bad at friendship!” “She’s very patient,” Chrysalis replied. “More like paranoid, I’d say,” Starlight said. “She won’t actually teach you anything because she’s so caught up in you two being equals.” “That seems harsh. Being with Twilight has made me far more receptive to friendship.” Starlight groaned. “Friendship isn’t something you just have to be ‘receptive’ to, Chrysalis. It’s active. Friendships don’t just exist, you have to be a friend.” “I- Hm…” Chrysalis hummed as she searched for a response.  “Oh, and no,” Starlight added, “defaulting to them when Twilight is busy doesn’t count.” Chrysalis sighed in defeat. “Fine. I’ll take your words into consideration. That said, I am still bored.” “That is not my problem,” Starlight said, and before Chrysalis could say anything else she vanished in a flash of blue light. “Rude.” Chrysalis paused at the door of Sugarcube Corner. Ponies in hats and scarves walked by, some waving, most just smiling politely, but Chrysalis didn’t notice any of them. She was deep in thought, agonizing over what to do next. Eventually, she reached a decision. In an instant, she was engulfed in glowing green flames. They wrapped around her like coiling snakes before constricting, all at once, and crushing in on where Chrysalis had once stood. Then they wicked away, just as easily as they had come, and where Chrysalis once stood was now the elegant form of Rarity. With that, Chrysalis put on a cheery smile and walked inside the bakery. The inside was completely empty of customers, probably because nopony had wanted to ask Chrysalis to get out of the way, and Pinkie was stretched out on the counter with a bored look on her face. “Hello, Darling,” Chrysalis mused as she walked up. She flipped her mane dramatically and fluttered her eyelashes.  Pinkie perked up immediately. “Hiya, Chrysalis!” She bounced over the counter and pulled Chrysalis into a hug. “Am I glad to see you, I was getting so bored.” Chrysalis scoffed and stepped away from Pinkie before changing back to her true form. “How do you always do that?” “What, jump over the counter?” Pinkie giggled. “It’s not that high. Watch!” She started to hop back and forth over the counter to show Chrysalis how it’s done. Chrysalis rolled her eyes and snatched Pinkie out of the air with her magic. She pulled her over and floated her in midair so she could keep eye contact. “I meant, how can you always tell it’s me when I’m disguised?” “Ohhh,” Pinkie said. “I can’t! I’ve just been calling everypony who walks in alone Chrysalis.” “Wh-” Chrysalis groaned and dropped Pinkie, who fell onto the floor with a squeak. “I just cannot understand how anypony can keep up a conversation with you.” “Me neither,” Pinkie said. She didn’t bother to get up, instead just laying on the floor where she had fallen. “I think most of ‘em just start to tune most of it out.” “That sounds… Frustrating.” Chrysalis walked over to one of the larger benches and took a seat. “It can be,” Pinkie agreed, “but I get it. It’s not a big deal.” “If you say so,” Chrysalis said. “So whatcha doin here?” Pinkie asked. “You usually only visit me when I’m with Fluttershy.” “Well, it turns out today is a very busy day for just about the entire town, and in my boredom I…” Chrysalis coughed awkwardly. “It occurred to me that I know very little about you, and that I could probably be doing more to be… Friends.” “Aw, we’re friends, silly! You don’t need to jump through hoops for that.” Chrysalis sighed. “Are we, though? Are you friends with me, or are you friends with Twilight’s Girlfriend? I’d like to be more than just an obligation.” “I mean, I’m friends with you.” Pinkie poked herself in the chest. “But are you friends with me? I bet I was an obligation for a while.” “I…” Chrysalis had to stop and think for a moment. “I don’t know.” “Sounds like a no,” Pinkie said. “Okay, well, that’s what I came over here to fix,” Chrysalis said defensively. “Alright,” Pinkie said, “so what’d you have in mind?” “I didn’t think that far ahead.” Chrysalis shrugged. “How does one be a good friend?” “You’ll figure it out.” Pinkie bounced up onto her hooves and over to Chrysalis. “Let’s go do somethin!” “Don’t you have to watch the store?” Chrysalis asked. “Nah, Gummy can handle it. C’mon!” Without waiting for a response, she started to skip towards the door. With a sigh, Chrysalis got up a moment later and followed her outside. The cold wind bit into them as soon as they stepped outside. Pinkie was waiting with a grin when Chrysalis joined her, and then she started off again down the road, assuming Chrysalis would follow, which she did. Pinkie waved and said hello to every pony they passed by as they walked. They were all thrilled to see her, some stopping to chat for a moment, and then they would say goodbye and leave. Greeting Chrysalis was more of an afterthought much of the time, but the ponies all did it because she was with Pinkie. “Ooh!” At one point, Pinkie stopped and started waving excitedly at the sky. “Dashie! Hey, Dashie! It’s Pinkie Pie!” She kept yelling until Rainbow Dash, who had been sleeping on a cloud, finally woke up and peeked over the edge at her. “She looks annoyed,” Chrysalis commented. “Yup,” Pinkie agreed. Then she went back to yelling. “Dashie! Come down here! I wanna talk!” Rainbow Dash groaned so loudly they could hear it on the ground, but then she relented and tumbled lazily off the cloud. A moment later, she landed with a thud in front of them “Hey, guys. What’s up?” “I just wanted to say hi,” Pinkie said. “Hi! Chrysalis said you were busy, are you on break or somethin?” “I didn’t actually check with her,” Chrysalis said. “I am busy, though,” Rainbow Dash added. “Busy relaxing.” “Aw, so you don’t wanna hang out?” Pinkie frowned. “Uh, no offense,” Rainbow Dash said, “but hanging out with you two seems kinda like jumping into a pit of lions.” “How could we possibly not take offense to that?” Chrysalis asked. “I just mean that you two aren’t exactly a great fit.” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “I don’t really wanna be there when it blows up.” “What? We’re a perfect fit!” Pinkie jumped at Chrysalis to hug her as proof, but an aura of magic caught her before she made it and held her in place. “We’re working on it,” Chrysalis said. Rainbow Dash pursed her lips. “I don’t know. Even for Twilight, this feels kinda like throwing you into the deep end.” “Twilight didn’t ask me to do this,” Chrysalis told her. “I chose to of my own accord.” “Well, good luck with that, then,” Rainbow Dash said. “I guess I’ll be around if one of you needs to talk when it goes bad.” Then she blasted into the sky, off to find another cloud to sleep on. There was a beat of silence before Pinkie spoke up. “Uhh, Chrysalis? I don’t really mind bein carried, but we probably shouldn’t just sit here.” “What?” Chrysalis looked over at Pinkie, still held aloft by her magic, and rolled her eyes. “Oh.” She dropped Pinkie and followed as she went back to bouncing along. “Fair warning,” Pinkie said after a minute, “Rainbow Dash isn’t actually the best for talking to about bad stuff. Not for me, at least.” “Noted,” Chrysalis said. Then, a moment later, she added “Do you expect this to go badly?” “I mean, I don’t want it to, but you gotta know it’s possible, right?”  “I suppose so,” Chrysalis admitted. “If it does, though,” Pinkie continued, “it’s not the end of the world. We’ll just patch things up and do better next time!” “How optimistic.” Chrysalis watched Pinkie for a moment. “Where are we going, anyway?” “Huh?” Pinkie stopped and looked back at Chrysalis. “Why would I know?” “Wh-” Chrysalis growled in frustration. “Because you were leading us!” “I was just bouncing.” “I didn’t come all this way for bouncing,” Chrysalis said. “I came to be your friend.” “That’s what I’m doing,” Pinkie replied. “It doesn’t matter what you’re doing if you’re doing it as friends.” “I spend time with you ‘as friends’ all the time, though,” Chrysalis said. “I need to do something more.” “I dunno what to tell you,” Pinkie said. “Starlight started out by making a friend from outside our group. Maybe do that. Then it won’t feel like you have to be friends with them.” “Who in the world would want to be friends with me?” Chrysalis asked. “You all are the only options I have.” “Well, that’s what happens when you only ever talk to Twilight,” Pinkie told her. “It’s kinda your own fault.” “Gee, how kind of you to say,” Chrysalis said. “You’ve helped so much.” “Limestone’s in town,” Pinkie said. “I could set you up with her tomorrow.” “Your sister?” Chrysalis grimaced. “I’m not sure I could tolerate a pony like you who I’m not obligated to like.” Pinkie laughed. “Oh, she’s not like me. You’ll see. I’ll bring her to the castle tomorrow, ‘kay?” Chrysalis sighed. “I suppose it would be unwise to overlook this opportunity, so alright. I’ll give her a chance.” “Hooray!” Pinkie leapt at Chrysalis again, and Chrysalis caught her again.  “I can’t make any promises, though,” Chrysalis said. “If she gets on my nerves, I’m leaving.” “Deal!” Pinkie said. “Let me go and I’ll go tell her.” “If she gets on my nerves, I’m leaving.” Limestone’s heavy steps echoed through the halls of the castle. Her weary eyes and deep scowl made her a portrait of grumpiness, a stark contrast to the bright, bouncing face of Pinkie beside her.  Pinkie giggled. “Deal!” “Are you really not gonna tell me anything about this lady?” Limestone asked. “This better not be another surprise blind date.” “No way, my ears are still ringing from last time!” Pinkie laughed. “You sure can yell.” “It’s not my fault you’re completely blind to all of our tastes,” Limestone said. “Please at least tell me that she actually talks. I love Fluttershy and all but I don’t think I can handle two in a row.” “You’ll see!.” Pinkie stopped in front of a nondescript door in the middle of a hallway and knocked. “I think this is her room. Probably.” There was silence for a bit. “Is she actually awake?” Limestone eventually asked. “Iunno.” Pinkie shrugged and knocked louder. “Hold your horses,” Chrysalis shouted from inside the room. There was a clatter as she knocked something over, then another clatter as she picked it up. Finally, the door opened to reveal Chrysalis, looking exhausted as she stared down her nose at the two ponies. “Oh, right. You’re very early you know.” “Woah,” Limestone said as she looked up at Chrysalis. “They make ‘em big in Ponyville, huh?” “I’m not actually from Ponyville,” Chrysalis explained. She smiled and bowed gracefully. “I am Chrysalis, once the queen of the Changeling Empire.” “I’m Limestone Pie.” She smiled, which with her angry demeanor made her look mischievous at best. “Current queen of the rock farm.” Pinkie clapped excitedly. “Ooooh, you like each other already! I knew you would!” “Yes, Pinkie, thank you for introducing us,” Chrysalis said. “Limestone, would you like to come in?” She stepped aside, and Limestone walked into her room and started to look around. Pinkie moved to follow, but Chrysalis shut the door before she could. “I’ll see you guys later!” Pinkie shouted through the door. “Have fun!” The inside of Chrysalis’ room was a confusing mess. It was a bedroom, that much was inarguable, but that was all that was clear about it. The floor was a strange, matte black material that felt soft under Limestone’s hooves. The material continued up and into a dome around them, its surface craggy and uneven, and every time Limestone looked away from a spot, it seemed to be different when she looked back.  The center of the room was dominated by a massive bed hidden behind black curtains. Its tarnished golden frame was matched by the other furniture in the room, giving everything a certain regal air. Not that there was much more furniture. She had a vanity, at least, and a small wardrobe, and nearby the bed was a hard stone throne. Besides that, though, the room was just filled with scattered objects. Piles of books, pieces of pottery, and anything else Chrysalis could want was laid out conveniently on the floor around their hooves. Limestone had to watch where she stepped, lest she accidentally break something. “That was efficient,” Limestone said as she hopped up onto the stone chair. “It took Fluttershy an hour to ditch Pinkie.” “I have some… difficulties with your sister,” Chrysalis said. She pulled aside the curtain around her bed and laid on it. “She is a bit much for me.” “Yeah, I get that,” Limestone said. “Just make sure you tell her. Pretending it doesn’t get to you won’t help either of you.” “Oh, she knows.” Chrysalis chuckled. “I’m not sure I could have hidden it from her if I tried.” “Mm,” Limestone replied. She started to lean on one of the armrests of the throne. There was a beat of silence as Chrysalis waited for Limestone to continue. “So,” she said once it was clear Limestone was done, “Pinkie didn’t really tell me enough about you for me to plan anything. Is there something you’d like to do for the day?” Limestone shrugged. “It’s my day off. I’d honestly rather not ‘do’ anything.” “Oh, I see.” Chrysalis thought for a moment. “Well, alright then, I guess we can just sit here and talk.” She shifted around to get more comfortable. “You said you oversee a… Rock farm?” “Someone’s gotta, and my sisters are all useless at it. Not that I mind, I take a lot of pride in my work, that’s just how it came about.” “How do you farm rocks?” Chrysalis asked. “Well, there’s rocks.” Limestone paused to shift her weight to the other side of the chair. “And we farm ‘em.” “Ah, I see,” Chrysalis said sarcastically. “I am enlightened.” Limestone laughed. “Nah, but really, there isn’t all that much to it. Maud could go into the specifics better, but basically we’ve got a bunch of land that’s got a bunch of rocks, and there’s ponies out there who need rocks. Marble countertops and granite slabs don’t just appear outta thin air, you know. They appear outta the ground.” “Sounds like consistent work,” Chrysalis said. Limestone scoffed. “If by consistent you mean ‘backed up.’ With Pinkie and Maud gone, and Ma and Pa gettin older, we just can’t keep up with the demand anymore. I’ve tried to hire help, but they all cost more than they bring in cuz this kinda thing takes years to learn.” “Get some changelings,” Chrysalis suggested. “If anything can follow directions, it’s a creature with a hivemind.” “I’ll look into it,” Limestone said. “Enough of that, though. What is it you do?” “Currently?” Chrysalis thought for a moment. “Not much. Twilight won’t give me any royal duties, so mostly I just stay here when I’m not spending time with her.” Limestone laughed. “Wanna work on a rock farm? I’ve heard changelings are good workers.” “That seems… Beneath me,” Chrysalis said. “Hey!” Limestone scowled at her. “There is nothing wrong with being a rock farmer.” “No, no, of course not,” Chrysalis said, “but I am a ruler! I’m destined to rule Equestria, not farm it.” “Oh, get over yourself.” Chrysalis gasped. “Excuse me?” “You heard me!” Limestone glared at Chrysalis. “I work harder than you probably have in your entire life. You don’t get to talk down to me just because you used to be a queen.” “I-” Chrysalis fell silent for a moment. “I… Don’t know what to say to that.” “‘Sorry’ is the word you’re looking for,” Limestone told her. “Maybe it is…” Chrysalis looked down in thought. “Okay,” she decided. “I apologize. I did not realize I was being condescending.” “You’re a weird one,” Limestone said. “How do you just not realize something like that?” “Well, it takes some time to get past being an evil dictator, alright?” Chrysalis huffed defiantly. “An evil dictator?” Limestone groaned. “Ugh, did Pinkie bring me here to ‘redeem’ you or something? I told her I don’t have time for that!” “No, nothing like that,” Chrysalis said. “She introduced us because I was looking for a friend who I wasn’t obligated to be friends with.” Limestone narrowed her eyes. “Sure. Well, if we’re going to be friends you’re going to have to quit it with the high and mighty stuff.” “Well, if I stop entirely, I’ll be dreadfully boring,” Chrysalis said. “However, I can strive to continue in a way that isn’t disparaging to others.” “Yeah, whatever.” Limestone stretched and shifted around in the chair. “Listen, I wasn’t kidding though. I’m going home tomorrow and there’s gonna be way more to do around the farm than I should be doing alone. I’d appreciate a hand out there, and it really sounds like you need something to spend your time on.” “I…” Chrysalis hummed in thought. “I’ll consider it.” “Train leaves at dawn.” Limestone hopped out of the chair and started to trot towards the door. “I expect to see you there.” “You’re leaving already?” Chrysalis frowned, just a little. “Train leaves at dawn,” Limestone repeated as she stepped carefully through the room. “I need to take the sleep when I can get it.” “Then I suppose I’ll be seeing you,” Chrysalis said. “It was… Interesting to meet you.” “Likewise, bug lady,” Limestone said as she stepped out the door. “Remember. Dawn.” With that, she clicked the door shut behind her. The streets of Ponyville were empty when Chrysalis stepped outside the next morning. The sky was still dark, and the town was glowing in the soft moonlight. It was mornings like this that made Chrysalis glad that the cold didn’t bother her. She was trying to arrive early, but she was still the last of the group to arrive at the station. A loud gasp soared through the air as soon as Pinkie saw her, and a second later Chrysalis was wrapped in a hug. Behind her, Fluttershy waved meekly and Limestone smiled. “Wow, I wasn’t expecting you!” Pinkie said. “You two must have really gotten along if you came to see her off!” Chrysalis pulled Pinkie off of her and levitated her back over to Fluttershy. “Well, I didn’t exactly come to see her off,” she said. “She’s gonna come help me out on the farm for a bit,” Limestone explained. “That’s… Surprising,” Fluttershy said. “What made you decide to do that?” “Boredom,” Chrysalis told her. “Well,” Pinkie said, “I think you’re gonna have a super time! See what I mean, Fluttershy? They’re great together!” “Are they?” Fluttershy asked as she watched Chrysalis and Limestone exchange sidelong glares. “She’s alright,” Limestone said. “We should go, though. Thanks for the vacation.” Before she could move, Pinkie sprang forward and pulled Limestone into a tight hug. “Love ya, sis!” Pinkie said. “Don’t be a stranger!” Behind her, Fluttershy smiled and waved. “Bye, Limestone.” “Yeah.” Limestone pushed Pinkie away and stepped onto the train. “See ya.” Chrysalis walked on after her. “Well,” she said, “I suppose I’ll see you two later. Don’t have too much fun without me.” “No can do,” Pinkie told her. With that, Chrysalis followed Limestone through the train as she found a place to sit. It took Chrysalis some effort to get comfortable on the small bench she found herself on, but she managed it to at least some degree. Then she turned her attention to Limestone. “So,” Chrysalis said, “what can I expect to be doing today?” “Whatever I tell you to,” Limestone said. “I see…” Chrysalis shifted in her seat and prepared herself for a long day. Chrysalis smiled as she looked out over the barren landscape surrounding the Pie homestead. “Reminds me of home.” “You must not have been there lately, then,” Limestone said. “From what I hear, it’s like a giant garden out there now.” Chrysalis grimaced. “Lovely,” she said sarcastically. “How do you know this?” “Well, there used to be ponies on the outskirts who would go in and get rocks. Without them, our workload is off the charts.” “Has nopony reached out to the changelings?” Chrysalis asked. Limestone scoffed. “Would you go ask Celestia to start paying some bugs for rocks?” “Point taken.” They finally made it to the end of the long, winding path leading up to the house. The sun was high in the sky now, and already Chrysalis could feel its heat radiating off the stones around her. In the distance the rocks shimmered, mirages in a sandless desert.  “Wait here,” Limestone said as she opened the door. Without stepping inside, she whistled and shouted out “Yo Marble! Break’s over!” There was a pounding of hooves as Marble ran down their creaky old stairs. When she saw Limestone, a wide smiled graced her face and she bounded forward. “Hel- Oh.” She skidded to a stop when she noticed Chrysalis. The smile shrank, and a blush grew as she hid behind her mane.  “Hey, Marble.” Limestone grinned and rustled her little sister’s mane. “This is Chrysalis, she offered to help out on the farm today.” Marble gave Chrysalis a tiny smile and a nod. “What needs doing?” Marble leaned forward and whispered into Limestone’s ear. Limestone listened intently for a few minutes, then got a serious look on her face and nodded. “Alright. Marble, you’re on big stuff for the day. Start with the granite slabs. Chrysalis, you’re my assistant for the day.” Marble nodded and zipped off into the farm, out of sight before Chrysalis even realized she had left. Then Limestone started walking off and beckoned for her to follow. “What’s such a tiny pony going to do with slabs of rock?” Chrysalis asked as they walked. “Make them,” Limestone said. “Ponies want slabs, we give em slabs. Marble can handle it.” “I have magic, though,” Chrysalis said. “Would I not be more efficient at moving the heavy things?” Limestone stared daggers at her. “Are you questioning my judgement?” Chrysalis winced slightly. “I’m just curious about your reasoning.” “I’m not gonna let a newbie work alone. I don’t have time to fix your mistakes. Now quit talking. We have work to do.” For the next few hours, Limestone put Chrysalis through the wringer. She could work twice as fast with an assistant taking care of all the menial labor, and she was not at all hesitant to take advantage of that. She told Chrysalis to do any little thing that popped into her head, from lugging rocks to taking water to Marble, and gave her an earful any time she would whine about it.  It was more work than Chrysalis had done in years, and it caught up to her eventually. They were at the bottom of a steep cliff face, and Limestone was bucking methodically at the wall to cause tiny rockslides, which Chrysalis had to clean up.  At one point, Chrysalis stopped to wipe some sweat from her forehead at exactly the same moment that Limestone brought down a shower of rubble. The heavy stones soared straight towards Chrysalis, panting and completely unaware, and it wasn’t until the last moment that Limestone noticed and jumped forward to shove Chrysalis out of the way. A mound of stones thudded to the ground where she had been standing, and Chrysalis stared at it with wide eyes.  “What do you think you’re doing?” Limestone shouted. “I can’t be looking over my shoulder all day to make sure you aren’t gonna get yourself crushed!” Chrysalis scowled. “I stopped to rest for one moment, it’s hardly my fault that fate conspired as it did.” “You stopped inside the fall zone, without telling me! It’s entirely your fault. I-” Limestone growled and stomped her hoof on the ground. “You’re done. Get out of my workzone.” “Oh, come on,” Chrysalis said, “I made one mistake. You can’t—” “Out!” Limestone pointed sternly back towards the house. Chrysalis huffed. “Fine. Have fun carrying your rocks.” Then she turned and stormed off. She didn’t actually know where to go, so Chrysalis decided to just lay down in the shade beside the house. She hated to admit it, but as soon as she got comfortable she realized that she really was in sore need of a break. Her legs ached as she stretched them out, and a sigh quickly turned to a yawn that made her rest her head in her hooves. A few minutes later, a set of gray hooves stepped into her vision and offered her a canteen of water. She looked up, expecting Limestone, but instead found Marble looking down at her with a soft, friendly smile. Chrysalis sat up and waved the drink away. “Thank you, but I don’t actually need it. Changelings feed on the love of the creatures around us.” Marble gave her a skeptical look, then shrugged and took a sip of the water for herself. She didn’t say anything, but she sat down beside Chrysalis and smiled towards her. “You don’t talk much, huh?” Chrysalis asked. Marble shook her head. “Well, Pinkie talks enough for the lot of you. I take it you heard your sister?” “Mm-hm,” Marble responded. “Your whole family is a mystery to me,” Chrysalis continued. “She’s the one who was so adamant about me helping out. Surely she had to expect one or two mistakes.” Marble coughed quietly. “Breaks are important,” she said, nearly too quietly to hear over the wind. “Fine, I get that, but she could have just said it,” Chrysalis said. “Why’d she decide to jump down my throat?” Marble shrugged. “Ugh,” Chrysalis groaned. “Your entire family is just so weird.” “Like you’re so normal yourself.” Limestone grinned at Chrysalis as she walked around the house to join them.  “Shouldn’t you be working?” Chrysalis asked her. “Yeah, whatever,” Limestone said. “Look, I yelled at you cuz that’s how I do things around here. I run this farm, and I run it my way.” “What, you’re telling me you yell at Marble like that?” Chrysalis asked. “Mm-hm,” Marble replied. “So you were just trying to make a point?” Chrysalis gave her a sour look. “Oh, no, you’re still done,” Limestone told her. “You can’t work a full day your first time out here. You can stay longer next time.” “Next time?” “You were good out there,” Limestone said. “For a newbie, at least. And Marble wants to get to know you more.” Marble nodded in agreement. “What a weird family.” Chrysalis smiled. “Yeah, I’ll probably be back.” “Cool.” Limestone started walking away. “You can go home now. Marble, break’s over!” Marble nodded and waved to Chrysalis before dashing away again. Chrysalis looked around at the suddenly empty farm. “Um… Goodbye?”