//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Tales of Equestria: Changing into Love // by Noratcat //------------------------------// All the while Chrysalis walked to Spring and Summer’s clinic, she concentrated on her grumbling stomach. The sensation of a hungry belly was foreign to her, to all changelings. At least that applied to her hive in the old days. It was a well-established fact Changelings gained sustenance from the love of other creatures. They could eat other things, but they gained no satisfaction from it. If anything eating was a mere method of blending in when shape-shifted into a new form. But now in this pony body, Chrysalis found out how true hunger felt. She gritted her teeth and winced as she felt the pangs eat away at her. On and off it went, growing more insistent by the minute. She hissed as she attempted to silence it. The entire thing was annoying, to say the least. It seemed the only way to quiet it was to fill it. She supposed Spring and Summer prepared something, least that would be the courteous thing to do since she was their guest after all. As she opened the front door, a powerful smell filled the room. A plethora filled her and she soon found herself overwhelmed by the suddenness of it. “Crystal, you’re back!” Spring’s voice called as he entered the room. Chrysalis sniffed the air several times, “That smell, what is that...tantalizing smell?” Chrysalis asked. Flashing a proud grin, Spring replied, “Why don’t you come and see?” Taking the pony’s cue, Chrysalis followed after into the dining area and the minute she did her eyes went wide. The table was filled with a plethora of food! Some of it was the standard pony herbivore fare, but there were some grains, namely bread and pasta, but Chrysalis noticing something else. Growing closer, she felt a trickle of drool seep down her chin. “Haha! I see that drool there!” Summer announced. Chrysalis quickly wiped away her drool and glanced over the meal. She noticed in the center there was several pieces of what appeared to be braised pork. The former changeling shook her head, “I’m sorry, is that meat?” Had ponies turned to carnivorism since she was imprisoned? “Yes and no,” Spring answered. “What do you mean by that?” Chrysalis asked. “What my brother means is its meat, but it’s not “real” meat. It’s all made from plants!” Summer explained. Chrysalis did a double-take at the “meat”, “Meat? Made from plants?” She exclaimed in confusion. “It’s some new thing the griffons developed,” Said Spring. “Griffons made this?” Chrysalis asked. “Boy, you sure like asking questions don’t you?” Summer said with amusement. Chrysalis frowned slightly at the mare’s comment but paid it no mind for the most part. “It’s not surprising you haven’t heard of this, it’s still fairly new in Equestria, but it’s getting popular,” Spring said as he set himself down, “Why don’t you take a seat and dig in?” Chrysalis did that and continued to gaze upon the feast before her. The smells of the dishes wafted upward continuing to fill her. She felt a giddy excitement swell up within her. Cautiously she took a sample of the vegetables. She held it in front of her, her magic casting a strange glow around it. Then she took a bite and chewed. For an awkward moment, she chewed, sampling the food before swallowing. Smacking her lips for a few seconds, her face lit up like a Hearth’s Warming light. “This food…it’s incredible!” Chrysalis exclaimed, “I’ve never sampled such delights!” She took another bite, then some more, and before lone, she was piling her plate high. A plethora of flavors hit her taste buds, all mixing in at once, and the more Chrysalis put in her mouth, the more she wanted. All the while, Spring Herb and Summer Flower watched, nervously looking at one another. And as Chrysalis ate away, she recalled a lesson her mother imparted onto her. XXX “Now Chrysalis, tell me what I have told you about love?” Cocoon ordered. Young Chrysalis shifted nervously in her place, before she spoke, “Love is something to be exploited, only to nourish us and the hive.” Cocoon smiled, “Good my dear, at least you are paying attention. With a thrust of her head, several drones appeared dragging something behind them. Coming to a halt, they revealed their prize: It was a small rabbit, shivering with fright. Its eyes darted around the room as the changelings glared at it. “Now Chrysalis, I want you to drain this creature of its love, every last drop,” Coccoon directed. Chrysalis looked nervously at the rabbit, then to her mother. She noticed the monarch was glaring at her intensely. The young changeling whimpered a little, something her mother caught. “DO IT!!!” Cocoon screamed. Young Chrysalis flinched and then opening her maw, she inhaled swallowing the rabbit’s love. XXX Chrysalis let out a moan as she plopped herself on the couch. All the while she rubbed her hooves against her rather full stomach. “I...ate...too...much,” She moaned. Summer Flower looked towards the plate, noticing the decimated area, “Your darn straight you did. Guess I didn’t make too much after all,” The mare said half amused. Chrysalis moaned again, unbelieving of what she had just done. She didn’t know what it was? But the sensation of taste, the new experience overtook her, and she supposed she overdid it. “Here, try this,” Spring Herb said presenting Chrysalis a glass of bubbling water. Chrysalis eyed it, nearly rejecting it as her stomach couldn’t hold another bite or drop. But knowing the stallion was giving it to her to soothe her aching stomach, she took it and drank it. Right away a burp escaped her, which prompted a little grunt. “I’m never eating again!” Chrysalis announced. As soon as she said that, Chrysalis felt the concoction go to work and soon found the pain in her stomach vanishing. She still felt exhausted though. It made sense considering she had stuffed herself silly. “Nonetheless, You both did a satisfactory job,” Chrysalis managed a small smile. Summer grinned to herself, “Hey, all those lessons our mother gave us had to pay off!” Chrysalis looked towards Spring, “Well I’d certainly say your mother taught you both well.” Spring grinned back and for a moment, Chrysalis felt the full feeling in her stomach overtake her. In a moment, she felt comfortable, sinking onto the couch. Despite her exclamation of not wanting to eat again, she perhaps felt it was too hasty. After all, this body still needed to nourish itself, and of course...suddenly Chrysalis snapped out of her thoughts as she realized how comfortable she was getting. Shooting up, she felt her packed stomach lurch and another burp escaped her. “What’s wrong?” Spring asked. “I-I-I just need to use the bathroom! Just a minute!” The former changeling excused. She hurried away into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Breathing for a few moments, she stared at herself in the mirror. “Curse these ponies! Lulling me in with good food and drink! Stuffing myself like a gluttonous pig!” She said as she breathed. Taking a few moments, she ran her hooves over her face, examining her face, “Chrysalis, this is just a setback, you can overcome this,” She told herself. Yes, this was just a small hurdle she had to overcome. She wouldn’t let herself get trapped in complacency. Perhaps another visit to the library would help? Though the book had said this enchantment was not easily revered, she was Chrysalis! And the one consistent thing about her was that she never gave up!” “Yes, I will reverse this spell, get revenge on my enemies, reclaim my hive and make Equestria mine!” Suddenly Chrysalis finished by letting out a burst of loud laughter. It ceased as she heard a knock at the door. “Hey Crystal, are you okay?” She heard Summer’s voice ask. Returning to normal, Chrysalis swiftly opened the door, plastering a nervous smile upon her face. “Yes?” She asked. “I heard you laughing, is everything okay?” Summer inquired. “What? Oh yes! I was just...remembering a funny joke!” Chrysalis excused herself. “Really?” Summer asked with a smile, “I like jokes, lay it on me!” Being caught in her lie, Chrysalis thought up another excuse to avoid revealing herself, “Actually I’d rather not...it’s a very dirty joke.” “Hey the dirtier the better!” Summer exclaimed. Chrysalis hadn’t expected this. She needed another excuse, “Actually I feel rather tired...yes! I’m going to see you later goodbye!” The former changeling hurried towards the guest room which she had claimed as her own. Letting out a sigh of relief as she shut the door, she flopped herself upon the bed. That wasn’t a lie, she was tired. Considering how much she had eaten, the body’s natural reaction was to shut down and digest. “Another day,” Chrysalis muttered as she closed her eyes. As she drifted off, she thought about her declaration of her plans. Yes, she would overcome this, she would return to her former glory. But as she finally fell into a slumber, she didn’t realize one thing: the laughter she had given was forced.