//------------------------------// // Episode 12: Chrysabliss // Story: My Little Pony: The Days of New Equestria (Season 1) // by ScorchingFlamesInc //------------------------------// "-so I'm thinking we... um... should maybe work on your flight soon?" Cozy asks me as we make our way to the map room. "Um... how about no?" I reply. "Oh, come on!" Cozy groans. "You've been declining to go for days. You have to practice at some point!" "Ugh! Fine! We'll practice... soon!" We were already at the doors to the map room. As I extended my hoof to the door, Cozy spoke. "Hey, does it smell like... lavender?" she asks. "I don't know. My nose doesn't pick up scents well sometimes." I creaked open the doors, and a waft of lavender goes up my nostrils. "Scratch that... now I smell it." Cozy and I made our way closer to the map. What we saw was at least four scented candles bunched together, right in the middle of the table. Placed in front of four of the chairs was a plate, some neatly aligned silverware, and napkins folded into swans on top of our plates. "Well this is... odd," I mutter. "Good mooo-oooorning!" a singsong voice chirps. Cozy and I both jumped and look behind us. We saw Chrysalis, her mane all done up, and we also noticed flowers in her mane too... obviously placed there. She also had some jewelry around her neck. "Chrysalis, you seem... different," Cozy begins. "And not just based on what you're wearing." "Yeah, what's up?" I ask. "Well, it's pretty much because of my many visits to the kingdom," Chrysalis said. "Listen, visiting the kingdom opened my eyes. I realized that I spent so much time either going against friendship or saving the world with the power of friendship, that I haven't taken time to fully learn about my kind. Sure, I changed, and understand the basis of friendship and sharing love. And sure, I've learned a bit of culture and food, on my first visit. But I don't feel... tied! So, for the next few weeks, I'm going to be bringing a bit more culture into the castle to access what I call my inner metamorphosis." Cozy and I looked at each other. "Eh, you do you," I shrugged. "Oh, but don't worry... it won't affect your food. I doubt you'll be that invested in changeling food... heh..." Chrysalis suddenly tapped her armored forehooves. "That reminds me, I've got pancake mix waiting to be cooked!" And then Chrysalis lit her horn and teleported out of the room. "Well, she's 100% a completely different changeling," Cozy muttered. "Better that some changeling who is determined to have revenge, thinks friendship is a disease, and is always vain..." I mutter. "True." Intro... "Where are we going?" I asked as Cozy and I continued going through Ponyville. "I'm going to meet up with the Crusaders again," Cozy explained. "I'd told them that I'd introduce you to them." "Is today even a good day?" "Well, let's see..." Cozy muttered. "It's Sunday." "Right, right..." "Hey, what do you think about the whole 'Chrysalis situation'?" Cozy asks. "What do you mean?" "I mean, how long do you think it will last? Are we going to have to smell lavender for the rest of the month? Will we see less of her?" "Oh. Well... try not to worry too much about it," I assure her. "Chrysalis is... she's just... um... she's just trying to fit in. You remember how she was. We shouldn't be surprised about her intentions. She wants to fit in with the others. She wants to feel like she belongs. She wants to understand something that she used to despise." "I get it, I get it... I guess you're right. I mean, look at me. I want to live like a normal kid, you know?" "That's going to be hard with the Alicorn horn," I pointed out. "Same for you." "Good point..." I shrugged. Castle... Chrysalis lit some candles in her room, humming a merry tune. Knock knock "Come in!" Chrysalis chirped. The door opened, and Tirek walked in. "Um... hey," he said. "What brings you here?" Chrysalis asked, using her magic to levitate a floral necklace onto her neck. "I have to ask..." Tirek cleared his throat. "...um... how long do you plan on doing this?" "As long as it takes," Chrysalis looked in one of the books in her room. "I see..." Tirek cleared his throat. "On to another question... what exactly is your inner metamorphosis?" Chrysalis put down the book. Then she shifted her gaze to the ground and sighed. "Inner metamorphosis is where you accept your new life. Where you forgive yourself, and take an inner vow to always be at peace. That last one bothers me. I may have accepted friendship, but most nights where I go to bed, I feel... guilt. I feel like my past self is her own entity, and she watches me when I sleep. So if I do this, not only will I feel like one of my kind, but I'll finally feel free. Don't you feel it?" Tirek looked at Chrysalis, with a look that expresses that he feels bad for her. He shook his head. "I don't feel the way you do," Tirek admits. "But look at your past, Chrysalis. Out of you, me, and the kid, you were the worst of us." "That helps..." Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "Hear me out... you were the worst of us... but you changed anyway." Tirek came closer to Chrysalis and lifted her chin with his hand. "You worked with us and came close to bringing Equestria to a mighty end. But twenty years later, you stepped up, worked with us again, and saved Equestria from an even mightier end. I believe that you are capable of getting over this. So... I will leave you to your business, and I wish the best for you." Chrysalis smiled. "Thank you, Tirek..." "It was an honor to reassure you," Tirek nods with satisfaction. "Now if you'll need me, I'll be-" "Working out?" Chrysalis lifts a brow. Tirek snapped his clawed fingers. "Working out," he grins with affirmation. And then Tirek turned and left the room. When Tirek was a good distance from the room, Chrysalis took a deep breath. "You can do this, Chrysalis..." she whispered to herself. "I think it's time..." ... ... Cozy Glow's hoof knocked on the door. I stood next to her, already having an idea on what to expect. The door opened, and a familiar orange-colored mare was in the doorway. "Cozy Glow! And-" the mare, who I recognized as Scootaloo stopped. I was really hoping to not have them freakout. That's too... um... mary-sueish for me. And in spite of the fact that I'm an Alicorn, I am no mary-sue. "Hey, girls!" Scootaloo called out. "He's here!" Suddenly two other mares came up next to Scootaloo. "Well Ah'll be," the Earth Pony (Apple Bloom) smiled. "You must be Cozy's Alicorn friend." "Yep!" I smiled. "The name's Leo." "Leo? That's an interesting name..." the unicorn who I knew was Sweetie Belle said. "I come from a very far place..." I shrug. I technically wasn't lying... Earth is a pretty far place. "Well, what are we standing around for?" Scootaloo piped. "Come on in!" All three mares backed away, allowing for Cozy and I to enter. And that was when I got my first glimpse of the CMC clubhouse twenty years later. I don't remember 100% of it, but I was still able to make out some new things. I noticed a bit of a repaint, and there's a few more things in here, such as a rug designed to match the CMC symbol, along with a small bookshelf nearby. "What does it mean?" I turned my head to Sweetie Belle, her question grabbing my attention. "Huh?" I ask. "What does your cutie mark mean? I don't think any of us have seen anything like it." "Yeah, what does it mean?" asked Apple Bloom. I looked at my flank. It hasn't really been a major thought of mine on what my cutie mark is. Considering it's my own face (in the form of how I draw it), I assumed that it reflected the fact that I was human. So here comes the question: should I tell them I'm human, or not? I already knew that answer. I pretty much spilled my former life to Diamond Tiara. What's the harm in telling the Crusaders? "Well... remember how Cozy told you I was a creature from another world called a human?" "Uh-huh," the Crusaders all nodded in unison. "You're welcome for saving you a few minutes, by the way," Cozy says. "Well, considering where I come from, I guess it means that I'm actually a human?" The Crusaders didn't say anything for a second. "Oh, yeah. That makes sense," Scootaloo states, all three Crusaders keeping their smiles. "Ah' agree!" Apple Bloom nods. "Though how is being a hooman a special talent?" Me, deciding to ignore being called a 'hooman', said "Beats me. Being foreign is a talent, I guess? I don't know, my Cutie Mark was pretty much here from the start." "Interesting..." Sweetie Belle scratched her chin. "So... what are we gonna do?" "Remember when I said I'd bring homework if we needed to review it?" Cozy brought up. "Oh, right!" Apple Bloom piped. "I... um... brought mine too," I raised my hoof up. "That's fine," Scootaloo assures me. "We're always happy to help!" "Yeah, I've known that since we... heh... first met," Cozy sheepishly blushed. "Uh, shouldn't we get started?" I cut in. "Oh yeah!" Cozy lifted the saddlebags off her and opened the first bag. Chrysalis... Chrysalis stared at the drawings and sketches that she drew onto her floor with some changeling slime. Surrounding it were a few candles. Her door knocked. "Come in!" Chrysalis called. The door opened. "Hey," Tirek said, poking his head slightly in. "Just checking on- what's this?" "I think it's time for me to finally perform the final step in accessing my inner metamorphosis," Chrysalis explained. "Here, I sketched this layout onto the floor and surrounded it with candles. What it's going to do is send me into my inner consciousness." "What will happen then?" queried Tirek. "What happens when I'm there, I'm not sure... all I know is that this is what I need to do in order to access my inner metamorphosis, fit in with my former subjects, and finally be able to sleep at peace. This right here... is what I need." Tirek was quiet. But only for a moment. Chrysalis saw the concern on his face, but not the concern that she was crazy. No. Chrysalis had the feeling that Tirek was concerned for her safety... concerned for what effects the spell could have on her. So Chrysalis was a bit surprised when Tirek nodded his head. "Alright... do what you must. Just please... be safe." Chrysalis smiled. "I will." Tirek closed the door. Chrysalis exhaled a large breath of air before she stepped into the center of the layout, and sat down. She slightly lowered her head and closed her eyes. Moments later, the turquoise aura began to shimmer around her horn. The glow shimmered, and before long, the charcoal markings under and around her began to glow the same color. The small yellow and orange flames on the candles gave small turquoise bursts. The now-turquoise flames shrunk. Just then, all the turquoise glows in the room got brighter. And that's when Chrysalis felt herself get sucked into unconsciousness... *** Moments later, Chrysalis' eyes shot open. She was still sitting, but she was no longer in her room. Instead, she was in nothing but an empty black void. She got up, and without any word, began to walk. But many steps later, she stopped. Her head turned left. And she then saw a large door similar to the one in the Ponyville Castle right across from her muzzle. Chrysalis' body turned left to level with her head, before she lifted her hoof. She pressed it against the door, and it opened with a slow CRRRREEEEAAAAAK. What she saw inside, was not something she expected. It was the changeling throne. Not the current one. Instead, it was the one from a long time ago. The one before the changelings began to share love. The one that she ruled. Chrysalis hesitantly stepped further into the room. Her hoofsteps echoed throughout the large space. She kept walking until she was right in front of it. She stared up at it, speechless. "Well, well, well... what do we have here..." a sinister, yet familiar voice, cooed. "No..." Chrysalis whispered. She fully turned around. The door was open, but there wasn't just black on the other side. She could see a pair of green eyes, getting closer and closer. And when the owner of the eyes stepped through the door, Chrysalis started to feel discomfort. It was a changeling, but it wasn't reformed, nor was it just any changeling. It was the same height as her, and it sported a long silky mane and tail. Her wings, hooves, mane, and tail were all covered in holes. And her horn was jagged. For Chrysalis, it was like looking into a mirror. A mirror that didn't show her present appearance, but instead her past appearance. Her appearance from twenty years ago. "Welcome..." Chrysalis' past self greeted, her mouth curved into an evil smile. ... ... "Wha-what is this?" Chrysalis stammered. "Why, I'm you," the Other Chrysalis said. "I'm the real you. Not the pathetic you, that has fallen so far from grace because of... friendship!" Other Chrysalis spat that last word out like venom. "You're not real," Chrysalis whispered. "I..." Other Chrysalis took a step closer, her hoof landing on the ground in a hard stomp. "I am real. And I can't help but gag at the sow that you've become. It makes me wonder about my sanity some times..." "Looking back, I had zero sanity after my exile... but I was saved by friendship! Something you find to be a disease." "Friendship caused your fall!" spat Other Chrysalis. "Look at yourself! You've hung out, and even made amends with our enemies, including that pathetic Starlight Glimmer! You... no... we've could have had our revenge! But the fact that you didn't shows that you've become nothing!" "Me? Nothing?" Chrysalis sputtered with disbelief. "I've saved Equestria weeks ago, and I've never felt so free!" Other Chrysalis scoffed. "Well... If you think you're so right..." Other Chrysalis' horn began to glow green. "Then you don't deserve to be in charge!' Chrysalis then began to hear a rumble. She slowly took a step back, only for the ground under the hoof she moved to crumble. As soon as Chrysalis saw the hole, the whole ground under her crumbled, and she began her fall into the black abyss under her. As for Other Chrysalis, her wings buzzed vigorously, before she quickly dashed down after her original counterpart. Leo... "Phew!" Cozy Glow closed her notebook. "That took a while." "Being teachers must be easy, huh?" Leo asks, stacking his homework sheets. "Eh, it can be tough," Scootaloo shrugs. "But it's worth it to see students smile and succeed." "Well, thanks for the help," Cozy says, standing up and putting their work in her saddlebags. "We'll see you soon?" "Of course," Apple Bloom nods. "It was nice to meet ya, Leo." "Same for the three of you," Leo says. "Hope we meet again soon. Have a good day." "Bye," the Crusaders all wave, as Leo and Cozy exit the clubhouse. "You know..." Cozy says when she and Leo are off the stairs. "I wonder what Chrysalis is up to..." Chrysalis... Chrysalis landed on the non-existent ground in the abyss, though luckily she felt low pain. However, she started to feel weakened as she started to get up on her hooves. She heard the evil laughter from her doppelganger as she got up and saw her descend. "I may not get revenge against my enemies..." Other Chrysalis sneered. "But at least I'll show you how weak you've become." Chrysalis closed her eyes. She wasn't going to let this happen. She had to not let her guilt finally return, and this time be permanent. There was only one way for her to stop this... Bliss. Forgiveness. Change... The words echoed inside her. You've stopped guilt before... Chrysalis told herself. Now to do it again... and keep it that way... "I'm not the weak one," Chrysalis said, looking up at her evil self. "You are." Other Chrysalis scoffed. "And how's that?" "Because, unlike you, I know friendship..." Chrysalis began. "I know forgiveness. And I've done both. I've struggled more than any of my friends about my past... but each time, I'd forgive myself. And although my guilt always returns, all I need to do is accept the future. It's not about the villain I've been in the past... it's about the hero I am today, and what I can become. I'm going to become a changeling, who accesses her inner metamorphosis, sides with harmony, and lives a live with redemption." "You can't possible be overcoming your gu-" Other Chrysalis cut herself off, and her face suddenly changed to an expression of awareness. She looked at her left hoof, and for the first time, began to show uncertainty... Her hoof was transparent. "This is what inner metamorphosis is!" Chrysalis continued. "Forgiving yourself for good, and feeling like you're part of the community. Not just of changelings, but of all things that contribute to harmony! I was a big foe! But now... I accept myself as one who deserves to be there with them!" Other Chrysalis began to fade faster. Her fear shifted to rage, and she pounced at Chrysalis. Chrysalis didn't move. She only watched as her opponent got closer, and closer, and closer... ... and when Other Chrysalis made contact with Chrysalis, she suddenly shifted into a puff of smoke. All Chrysalis did was curve her mouth into a confident smile. "Chrysalis?" a blurred, yet familiar, voice called out. "Huh?" *** "Chrysalis!" Tirek shook Chrysalis a bit faster. "Wake up!" "Wha- huh?" Chrysalis' eyes shot open. "Tirek?" "Oh thank Twilight!" Cozy Glow, who Chrysalis was surprised to see, said. "You're awake!" "Awake? I was only sleeping for... I think it was five to ten minutes," Chrysalis explained. "Really?" Leo, who was also in the room, tilted his head. "Tirek told us you were sleeping for five hours." "Huh... time really does go fast when you're unconscious..." Chrysalis rubbed her head. "Yeah. When we were in stone for twenty years, it only felt like twenty days," Cozy pointed out. "Don't remind me..." Tirek rubbed his forehead. "Anyway... we're glad to know that you're okay," said Leo. "How was your 'inner metamorphosis' goal, anyway?" "Well..." Chrysalis started. "I think it's safe to say the task was a success." "That's great!" Cozy smiled, before she yawned. "Heh... we only just woke you up and now it's night..." "Yeah, I'm calling it a night." Leo turned around. "I'll see you all tomorrow." "I'm doing the same," Cozy said before she turned and followed suit. It was just Tirek and Chrysalis now. "Well..." Tirek began. "... I'm going to bed too. What are you going to do?" "I know I just woke up..." Chrysalis spoke. "But I feel like I need to fall back to sleep. Like I had a very busy day." "Well..." Tirek scratched the back of his head. "We'll speak... tomorrow, I guess?" "Yeah," Chrysalis nod. "Alright..." Tirek turned around, but before he left the room, he turned his head back to catch a final glimpse of Chrysalis. "Good night." "Good night." And so Tirek walked out of the room and closed the door behind him, leaving Chrysalis alone. Chrysalis stood where she was, but a few moments later, she went over to her bed. She lifted the blankets, crawled onto the bed, and set the blankets over herself. She then shifted to a comfortable position and sighed, a calm smile printed on her face. She rolled over and closed her eyes, her mouth still smiling. And while Chrysalis kept her eyes closed to sleep peacefully, the mimicking shadow behind her opened its glowing green eyes.