“I will admit, this meal is… quite enjoyable,” Chrysalis commented as she took a bite of cake. “It’s quite different than anything I’ve had before. Thank you. Not that a queen needs to thank her subject, mind you.”
It was more than enjoyable. It was the best meal she’d ever eaten, by far. Even the flowers for the salad that she gathered were somehow very delectable. She didn’t understand why, but it felt more filling to her than anything she’d ever eaten in her whole life. Quite strange she thought, and maybe a tad suspicious.
“What have you put into this to make this as filling as it is?” she asked curiously, taking another bite of cake.
Cadance shrugged, replying, “I didn’t add anything special. I just followed the recipe book for everything. There’s nothing different about it.”
“You must have added something to it, because it’s very deli- I mean, it’s a meal that’s acceptable for a queen such as I. Even the salad, it shouldn’t be nearly as tasty as it is. What did you add?”
“You were with me the whole time,” Cadance smiled, one that revealed that she clearly knew the answer. “You didn’t see me add anything in, did you? Maybe it’s just in your imagination that the food tastes so good.”
“I don’t believe it’s in my imagination,” she said, now starting to get frustrated and frown at the alicorn. “What did you add to this?”
“Nothing! Really! I promise!” Cadance told her, holding up her hooves defensively but still smiling. “Maybe you’re just able to taste the love we put into it when we made it, I don’t know.”
“I- no!” the queen of the changelings blushed. “I mean, of course I’m hypersensitive to these things, but it certainly can’t be that making it taste different.”
“You can tell yourself that, sweetie,” Cadance shrugged as she took a bite of cake. “I didn’t do anything to it. I’m glad you like it though. It was fun to bake with you, and I put a lot of love into it because we did it together.”
Chrysalis mumbled something under her breath as she took another bite as well. Now that Cadance mentioned it, it did taste a lot like love. And not normal love, either. She could say this particular flavor was one of deep affection, which made her feel embarrassed. Queens of her stature were not expected to have deep affection directed at them, especially not as a genuine feeling on the giver’s part. The love she expected to receive was one of respect and fear, as her hive used to give to her. She struggled to comprehend why she was doing this.
“I have a question for you, Cadance,” Chrysalis asked as she stared down at her plate, not wanting to make eye contact when she asked what she did. “And I demand a factual and reasonable answer.”
“We already finished doing get to know you questions, remember sweetie?” the alicorn smiled. “Did you forget about that?
“I know we did, but- I am not a sweetie- why do you emanate such affection for me?” She sounded as serious as possible, trying to make it seem like she couldn’t possibly care. “I mean, of course I expect it,” she continued. “I am a queen after all. However, it’s surprising to feel it coming from you, especially given how at odds we seem to be.”
“Oh, well, I know about all of that, but you’re just so darned cute,” she replied, giving a wide smile as the queen blushed. “Seeing your cheeks go red like that is adorable.”
“Be serious with me! And know that I don’t return such affection in the slightest.”
“Oh, I’m sure you don’t,” Cadance said playfully. “And why does it matter? Don’t you love feeling the love coming from me?”
“I want to know how you can possibly say that after… certain events between us.”
“Well... “ she started, looking up and pondering what to say. “I think that, despite our differences, deep down, you’re a good pony.”
She made a face at that. “I am a queen and I demand-”
“Let me finish, silly filly. You’re a good pony, err, changeling, it’s just you have a silly way of expressing it,” she told her. “I mean, with how much you talk about your hive, you clearly love them, and you did say you were invading because you needed to find food for them, so it’s not like you’re King Sombra and trying to just enslave ponies. Did you build that hive yourself? Lay all those eggs?”
“I- of course I did! Who else would’ve done it?”
“So then that would make you a mother, too! That’s adorable! Have your foals ever call you mommy?”
The bug blushed again, now deflecting. “Let- I’m hungry! Stop distracting me from my meal!”
“And what exactly would this be?” Chrysalis asked as the two sat on the bed in Cadance’s bedroom. “I cannot say I’ve seen anything like this.”
“Oh, it’s just a little something Twilight Sparkle and I were able to get from the mirror version of Equestria. This is a movie called Beauty and the Beast. It’s supposed to be quite a good one from what she tells me.”
“Well, if that’s the case, I expect to be thoroughly entertained,” she replied as she laid down, setting her head on the alicorn’s stomach. “I will make it known if I am not,” she said as she looked up in her eyes.
“I’m sure you will,” Cadance said, using a hoof to touch her mane before the bug told her off.
“Do not stroke my mane,” she told her. “I’m only laying on your stomach because it’s more comfortable. Do not mistake my using you for personal pleasure as something else you believe I reciprocate for you.”
“I would never,” she said with a smile, using her magic to start the program up. “Not in a million years.”
With that, the two focused on the movie, Chrysalis commenting on every little thing and Cadance explaining it all to her. At one point, she’d got in her head that she was meant to be the beast and Cadance, Belle. Clearly this movie was made to mock her and tell her how resistance to friendship was futile, and she sat up in bed in protest.
“I’m not a puppet, you know,” Chrysalis said as the alicorn paused the film. “I will not reform, especially not with such pitiful tactics as the ones you’re using.”
“Okay,” was all Cadance replied with, sending a kind smile her way, one that made the changeling scowl.
“That’s all I get?” she asked. “An okay? No ‘I’m sure you will’? No speech about something involving the power of friendship? Nothing?”
“If you don’t want to reform, then you don’t reform, silly. Making you reform isn’t something I can do, even if I can try to help you on that path. It would be great if you reform, but if you don’t, then that’s just how it goes.”
“Then why do you-”
“Because I like you for you,” she told her, pressing a hoof against her chest. “I know you don’t believe me, but I wanna date you for you, whether you reform or not. Now let’s start the movie up again.”
With that, she pulled the bug back down, letting her rest on her stomach again. Chrysalis grumbled, but didn’t refuse, closing her eyes to listen for a moment as the movie started up again. As they watched, she felt Cadance’s hoof make its way to her mane to pet, and she considered telling her off for doing such.
“Well, I guess it’s not that bad,” decided, breathing deeply at the slow, methodical motion. “There are worse things that could be happening. But this is an opportunity to take her love. I don’t understand why she continues though, especially since I told her I didn’t plan on reforming. If she doesn’t care about that, what does she care about?”
“Awwwww are you purring, Chryssi?” Cadance asked, a wide smile forming. “That’s adorable! I thought you didn’t want me to pet your mane because you didn’t like me, not because you loved it so much!”
“I am not purring!” she said angrily, although she didn’t move away. “I’m merely digesting the food that we ate before, as well as consuming your love. This is not what you think it is.”
“Oh? It’s not?” she asked cheekily. “Then how come you haven’t moved away yet? The evil bug queen I know would’ve already been gone had she been caught purring, and yet you’re still here.”
“E-exactly! I’m not moving because I’m expressing my current… my current…”
“Contentment?”
“Yes! Contentment! Contentment at being full from a meal. It has nothing to do with your hoof in my mane. That is why I haven’t moved, because there’s no reason to. Moving away implies that I'm embarrassed by some reciprocation of feelings you have for me, which I am not because they don't exist.”
“I see.”
"And- and even if, on the off chance, I were indeed purring,” she continued, “and it was for such a ridiculous reason, it is not a princess’s place to question the actions of a queen. Queens such as I are above reproach.”
“Oh, that wasn’t reproach silly filly,” Cadance smiled. “But if you don’t want me to, I won’t comment on it anymore. I just think it’s absolutely adorable.”
“Good, you’d do well not to,” she told her as she looked up into her eyes for a moment before turning back to the TV. “Also a little to the left would be nice. That’s an order from a queen to her future subject... and I'm not adorable.”
“Of course it is,” Cadance laughed. “No trouble.” There was a moment of silence before she added, “You know, this is a little bit like Beauty and the Beast. I’m taming you right now, because before-”
“Stop it!” Chrysalis shouted, blushing in embarrassment.