Unchanging Truths

by Rego


Chapter 5: Worse than her Bite

The walk back to the castle had been awkward to say the least. Applejack had stayed back to walk with Chrysalis, trying to strike up a friendly conversation with the changeling, but the dethroned queen was having none of it. The deposed queen kept her eyes locked on the ground in front of her as she clinched her stone crown close to her chest. AJ would have more luck asking a barn to paint itself with how little good it did.

Even though it wasn’t real, Applejack couldn’t help but marvel at her reformed appearance. AJ didn’t consider herself a shallow mare, but she knew a looker when she saw one. If that’s what she’d look like after metamorphosing, Chrysalis’ beauty gave Fleur and the princesses some stiff competition in the looks department. It made her wonder what the changeling herself thought about it. After all, Applejack hadn’t enjoyed being “Appletini” even a little bit after her run-in with Poison Joke.

With the effects of the cream only lasting an hour, Chrysalis had refused Zecora’s offer to brew up a cleansing herbal bath. Instead, she’d allowed Fleur to escort her to her room to wait out the effects of the baneful shapeshift. Applejack had followed them, but Chrysalis refused to let them into her room and demanded to be left alone. After that, the bitter bug slammed the double doors in their faces and resealed it with her emerald magic.

“We really need to get a proper dungeon,” Fleur complained.

AJ shrugged. “Those ain’t exactly known to be very friendly.”

“Don't remind me. This might as well be a hotel with how lax our security is,” Fleur complained as she dismissed her bound spear. “I guess it’s fine for now anyway. Thanks to the Elements' stupidly short sentencing, Chrysalis isn’t our prisoner anymore.”

“What about the Crystal Empire or the Changeling Kingdom? They’ll be pretty cross if she gets away before they get here.”

“As far as I know, Equestria was the only nation with a warrant out for her arrest, and she just finished serving her time. If Princess Twilight wasn’t letting her stay to figure out her ‘second chance’ then I wouldn’t have let her back inside the castle in the first place.”

It was a weird thought, knowing Chrysalis wasn’t a wanted mare anymore. She’d gone from prisoner to guest in a little under a couple of days since she showed up on the edge of the forest. AJ wondered what the real Thorax or Princess Cadance would have to say about that.

Still, there was only one question burning in everyone’s mind: Now what?

“I need to see about convincing Twilight to convert a wing to a few jail cells for next time.” Fleur turned away from her former post and began walking away from the door.

“Next time?” Applejack looked between the door and the guard, deciding to follow her friend. “You make it sound like Chrysalis can’t help herself.”

“She’s gotta eat sometime, Applejack. Last I checked, the harmful siphoning of energy from another through magical means is second degree magical assault.”

Applejack hated that the guard was right. Chrysalis hadn’t been banished by the Elements, but they hadn’t changed her either. Unless Poison Joke was outclassing ancient artifacts these days, that mare was still a love-eating changeling under that lovely disguise of hers. She’d need a constant supply of love or she’d die. No matter which way she sliced it, it didn’t seem right. It was like Harmony was setting Chrysalis up for failure. Just what were those darn Elements thinking?

“You know, I gave Chrysalis some love myself. It wasn’t that bad,” Applejack said as she recalled the strange, warm sensation. “Kinda made me a bit snippy for a while, but it was pleasant in a weird way.”

“Maybe it's fine for you, but you wouldn’t be forcing yourself like I’d have to.” Fleur hardened as she furrowed her brow. “I’ve had to knowingly give a changeling infiltrator my love before. I… I don’t want to do that again.”

Applejack turned around to see the mare known as the Mythril Lily showing a chink in her impenetrable armor. The usually stoically guarded Fleur had stopped in her steps and lifted a hoof to her heart.

“The damn bug managed to replace a VIP under my watch. I knew immediately it wasn’t him, but I had to give him my love to not rouse suspicion.” Fleur gritted her teeth to power through recounting the memory. “Not only had I failed my mission, but then I had to let some monster use me for his food. We didn’t do anything more than kiss and cuddle, but…”

Applejack put a hoof on the guard’s shoulder, who stiffened at the touch with a sharp intake of air, but smiled at the friendly contact.

“It wasn’t the VIP’s fault, but after that bug touched me while wearing his face, I just couldn’t stand being around him anymore. After their Grand Metamorphosis, the changeling came up to me and tried to apologize for what he did to me, but…” Fleur’s resolve failed as she trailed in disappointment. “I couldn’t forgive him. I hated him. I still hate him.”

“That’s okay, Fleur.”

“Thanks. Princess Luna has been helping me in my dreams. She’s actually the one that suggested I transfer out here to be with Zecora. They’ve both been so helpful.” A comforting smile spread across Fleur’s face as she thought about her precious zebra, but it faded when she peered over her shoulder at the door behind them in disgust. “So if I can’t forgive him, how do you think I feel about the monster that ordered him to do it? And she’s capable of so much worse. She makes me sick just looking at her!”

Applejack winced at the resentment burning in Fleur’s eyes for Chrysalis. Seeing how the guard had put up with being around the changeling without showing a sliver of her true feelings spoke to the mare’s professionalism. She’d seen Fleur put the hurt on Discord before. She didn’t want to think what Fleur would do to Chrysalis if given the order.

“To be honest, If I’d been bug zapped like Twi’s brother was—”

“The term you’re looking for is ‘enthralled’,” Fleur spat, as if the word was acid on her tongue.

“Yeah, that. I’m not sure I’d be able to forgive Chrysalis so easily if she did that to me.”

“Luckily, you don’t have to worry about that. You’re not showing any signs of magical manipulation as far as I can tell,” Fleur assured as her horn lit with magic. After a quick scan, she smiled. “Yep. Still clean of illusionary thoughts. Your questionable taste in mares is a hundred percent legitimate.”

Applejack shook her head. “Nah. It ain’t like that at all.”

“Really? Then explain what this whole love giving thing is if you don’t love her.”

“Zecora says it’s pity, and I think she’s right.”

“My marefriend's words do have a very succinct bite,” Fleur rattled off without missing a beat. AJ couldn’t help but chuckle at the mare’s goofy pride in her rhyming. “My marefriend can be pretty insightful, but she’s definitely wrong on this one.”

“What makes you think that?”

“I might not get it, but seeing you rush to Chrysalis’ side after she collapsed? That was genuine compassion. Are you thinking about giving Fluttershy a run for her money in the kindness department there, AJ?” Fleur teased with a cheeky grin.

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Very funny, Fleur.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t be able to do that. I’m too good at holding grudges.” Fleur laughed half-heartedly. “I know it’s wrong, but I was actually glad when she turned to stone. You’re a better mare than me, Applejack.”

“Shucks, Sugarcube. If you can’t honestly forgive somepony, you shouldn’t tell them that you do. You’d be living a lie on top of all that. I’m pretty sure you ain’t alone in feeling a bit salty towards them.” Applejack softened as she recalled one of the more harrowing times with her friends. “You know, it wasn’t exactly the same, but I’ve had my head messed with before too.”

Fleur pondered AJ’s words briefly before her eyes sparked with a guess. “Are you referring to Discord’s hypnotizing spells during the Modern Chaos Outbreak?”

“Modern Chaos… Shoot, the Royal Guard’s got a fancy name for everything, don’t it?” Applejack chuckled as Fleur’s smile strained for some reason. “I’ll be honest, it took me more than a little while to get over Discord messing with me when he turned me into a liar, but I eventually forgave him. Between you and me, I still think he’s aggravating as all get out.”

“How’d you do it?”

“I think I just got more sick and tired of holding it all against him, so I forgave him.”

“Seriously?” the guard asked in disbelief.

AJ nodded. “Simple as that. I won’t tell ya that you need to forgive anyone, especially if they ain’t doing a thing to make it right. That being said, it was a load off my withers when I finally did.”

“I see. I think I’ll have to ask Princess Luna about it in our next dream session.”

The two continued their quiet trot down the crystalline halls of the castle. Seeing it was getting into the early afternoon, AJ knew she'd spent far too long away from the farm. Giving a nod to the guard as she opened the door to the Cutie Map room, she began trotting away towards the front door.

“Where are you going? The princesses are in here,” Fleur said, pointing her horn towards the room.

“Okay. What’dya need me for?”

“We still need to talk to the princesses about what we’re going to do about Chrysalis.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “And what exactly is there that we need to talk about? You said it yourself, she’s a free mare now. It’s up to her to figure out what she’s gonna do. Besides, I’ve already missed a bunch of work on the farm already. Can’t rightly let Big Mac and Apple Bloom work the honeycrisp harvest all by their lonesome.”

“Please, dear Applejack. I would very much appreciate your counsel before you leave,” Luna quickly called from the other side of the door. Craning her neck to get a better look, she met the midnight blue princess doing the same thing around a throne to see the two ponies in the doorway.

Heeding the princess’ summon, AJ heaved a tired sigh and walked into the room. “Speaking of forgiving folks,” she muttered as she passed by Fleur.

Entering the map room, just like last night, it was just the three princesses, Fleur, and herself. The guard shut the door behind them and took her position at its side. “And where’s everypony else?”

“It is only you that I wished to speak with,” Luna answered as she motioned for Applejack to take a seat at the Throne of Honesty across from her. The farmer gave a firm nod and did as she was told. “I see you are still angry at me.”

“I’m still a little heated, yeah,” she replied while eyeing Fluttershy’s kind butterfly cutie mark above Luna’s head.

“I will not apologize for doing what I thought was right. That being said, I find the verdict delivered by Harmony to be troubling.”

“What? Were you hoping for her to be a good lawn decoration for a few centuries?” Applejack scoffed.

Twilight frowned uncomfortably as she bit her lip from her quickly fraying nerves. “Applejack, please.”

“It is alright, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said evenly as she raised a hoof towards the younger princess. “I never said my actions were above reproach, only that I believe them to be justified. Applejack has every right to be angry with me.”

“Well, shoot, Luna. It’ll be mighty hard to stay mad at’cha if you’re gonna be like that,” AJ said with a weary smile.

“Then I am sure my next statement will not be so well received.” Luna frowned to herself as she fixed her gaze on AJ’s. “Harmony’s judgment has left me concerned. We had not anticipated an outcome such as this.”

“You mean that she’d come out scot-free?”

“No, Applejack. My sister and I assumed either she’d be changed by the Elements or sealed away until we’d know a way to change her ourselves. We are not so heartless as to leave a creature we can sense good within in such a state forever.”

“But y’all would’ve been plenty fine keeping her as a permanent rock garden ornament if she wasn’t.”

Luna paused and shut her eyes to collect herself. AJ knew she was being ornery on purpose. It didn’t even feel good to stay mad at the princess. Still, she couldn’t get the sight of Chrysalis’ frozen terror out of her head.

“I would’ve,” Celestia confirmed to Applejack’s and Twilight’s surprise. Celestia hardened looking between the two. “What? I kept watch over Discord for over a thousand years. It was necessary for the good of Equestria. I don’t remember either of you being upset when you resealed him with the Elements.”

“Be still, sister. I am capable of defending myself,” Luna said to Celestia with a calming smile before turning back to Applejack. “Had you asked me upon my return, I would have been as well. However, it was you and your friends that changed my perspective on this.”

“And me as well,” Celestia nodded in agreement. “At first, we wondered how Discord had escaped his imprisonment after so long, but after talking to Luna about it, we considered that we’d been thinking about it the wrong way. You and your friends saved my precious sister from her corruption as Nightmare Moon.”

“And it was you who was able to temper Discord’s more destructive impulses,” Luna added. “If the Element’s seal on him was broken so suddenly, perhaps Harmony thought you could help him. In the same way, this quirk of fate could be Chrysalis’ chance at redemption.”

Applejack leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs in a huff. “That was all Fluttershy’s doing. I could buck him further than I could trust him.”

With the same piercing perception of last night, Luna gazed into Applejack’s soul. “Do you trust Chrysalis?”

“That’s a tough one,” Applejack replied with a shrug. “You said it yourself, Luna, she’s a lying, manipulative love-stealer who’ll apparently explode like a firecracker if y’all get her riled up. Can’t say just because I feel a little sorry for her that I can trust her.”

Luna smiled. “But?”

Applejack returned with a smirk of her own. “But that don’t mean we can’t give her a chance, right? Showing a critter a little compassion when they need it most can go a long way.”

“Which is why I wished to speak with you, specifically. We do not know what to do with her.”

“Unless the Empire or the changelings want to raise a fuss, there’s nothing for it, right? She can go and do whatever she wants.”

“If only it were so simple.” Luna rubbed her foreleg with a crestfallen sigh. “While she is no longer an enemy of Equestria, her nature is still parasitic. We are prepared to allow her to live with us in Canterlot and sustain her needs as best we can, but I know from… personal experience that it will not be enough. She will survive, and only survive. That is no second chance at a fulfilling life. We simply offer another prison for her to escape.”

AJ pursed her lips and looked between the princesses. “So, what’re y’all proposing exactly?”


Once again, Applejack was at Chrysalis’ door. She didn’t have time to wait around with plenty of daylight to work the farm, but there was one more duty to perform before she’d be a free mare herself. She was pretty sure a former queen wouldn’t be too keen on the idea they’d come up with, but she’d offer it anyway if Chrysalis actually answered the door. AJ knocked, but heard nothing on the other side.

“Still in there, Chrysalis?” Applejack asked while knocking again.

Another moment of silence passed with no response. She didn’t know a ton about magic, but she was pretty sure the door was still sealed.

“It’s just me out here. Nopony else.”

The door flashed green with dispelling magic and opened. Taking the hint, Applejack walked through and shut the door behind her. There was no spark of magic this time locking her in with Chrysalis. That was an improvement.

The lights were still off, but enough daylight was pouring in through the windows to light the room. Chrysalis wasn’t pretending to be a bedbug this time, and instead was sitting on the floor, completely motionless. The mare was locked in a staring contest with her metamorphosed form in the room’s full length mirror. The only sign that she was alive was the occasional blink of her eyes.

“What do you want?” Chrysalis asked as AJ drew closer, her reformed tenor still ringing as beautifully as it had the first time she’d heard it.

“You know it’s been a couple of hours, right?”

Chrysalis flashed green, dispelling her shifted form into the black bug she knew. Her features were gaunt again as her underbelly pulsed evenly. “So it has.”

“Chrysalis! You have to say something if you’re hungry!” Applejack shouted in shock. “I think I got a little to spare. C’mere before ya keel over again.”

“I’m not hungry."

Applejack blinked twice, looking between Chrysalis’ stalwart staring at herself and the love-starved flickering of her barrel. “Uh-huh. And did you think to check with your stomach about that one?”

Chrysalis said nothing.

Applejack sighed, trotted next to Chrysalis, and sat down next to her. She looked at herself and Chrysalis in the mirror, framed side by side with a former enemy twice her size who, by all rights and accounts, should be draining her of every last drop of love. Instead, the predator was just sitting there, not even giving AJ a cursory glance.

Being a patient mare, Applejack tapped her forehooves on the floor as she sat in the former queen’s presence. Looking over her orange self, the farmer didn’t look half bad for going on barely any sleep. AJ wasn’t a vain mare, but that didn’t mean she didn’t pay attention to her appearance. With nothing else better to do, she stood up and walked over the vanity and retrieved a brush. When she turned back around, she saw Chrysalis’ curious eyes darting back to refocus on herself.

AJ laid back down next to the silent changeling and tossed her hat to the side. She undid her mane and tail ties and placed them inside to begin brushing her hair.

“What are you doing?” Chrysalis finally asked.

“What’s it look like I’m doing?” AJ asked as she shot a reflected side eye at the changeling.

“Grooming yourself.”

“Eeyup.”

Chrysalis sneered. “Could you do that somewhere else?”

Applejack shrugged. “I could, but I need to talk to ya first.”

“So spit it out instead of sitting there and fixing your mane.”

“I don’t want to talk on an empty stomach.”

“Then stop bothering me and go eat something.”

Applejack looked back down at the mare’s traitorous, fading glow. “I ain’t the one that’s hungry.”

Chrysalis dismissed the accusation with a growl. “I don’t want to.”

“But ya need to.”

“Why are you being so stubborn?”

“Cause I’m a stubborn mare,” Applejack said as she checked her hoof-work before turning her attention to her tail. “Dealt with my fair share of fussy eating with Apple Bloom.”

“Fine!” Chrysalis flipped her mane over to AJ’s side and glared at the earth pony in the reflection. “Brush my mane then if you’re so dead set on it.”

Applejack paused her own work and frowned at the other mare’s silky invitation. “Ain’t a hug way more effective?”

“Just start brushing before I change my mind!” Chrysalis barked back. With a resolute harumph, she straightened up proudly, deigning to let the peasant brush her glorious hair.

“Land sakes, girl. Ain’t no need for the high n’ mighty attitude.” Applejack carefully pulled some of Chrysalis’ gossamer locks and began working on them. She watched the changeling's barrel as each stroke caused the her belly to pulse like before. “So, what’s wrong with a hug?”

“You like my mane for some reason.”

“What’s not to like about it? Sure it’s got a few holes in it, but it’s still smooth and real pretty in its own way.” Chrysalis’ angry frown softened into petulant acceptance, causing Applejack to smirk. “Also, that ain’t a good enough dodge to wiggle out of my question.”

The frown came back as Chrysalis bounced a withering glare at the snarky earth pony through the mirror. “How many times do I have to tell you before it gets through that thick skull of yours? I don’t want it.”

“So, what do you want?”

“What I want is for you to leave me alone, but it doesn’t seem like you’re going to give me a moment’s peace anytime soon.”

“You’re right about that. Leaving you alone in this state ain’t gonna do you a lick’a good.”

Chrysalis scoffed. “Think I’ll run away?”

“Up to you on that one, Sugarcube,” Applejack said as she grabbed a different bundle of silky mane. “If ya didn’t overhear me and Fleur, you already served your time as far as Equestria is concerned. Nopony’s gonna stop ya from hightailing it outta here.”

“Ah ha! So you’re all wondering what my next move is then?” Chrysalis cackled and tilted her head back, but not enough to mess up Applejack’s brushing. She raised a hoof to her chin as she gave a fang-filled grin to her reflection. “Perhaps I will go to the Changeling Kingdom and drain every reformed changeling of their love?”

In the face of such outright evil, AJ couldn’t help but chuckle. “Nah, can’t be that. I’d buy it more if I was a—how’d you put it again? An ‘emotionless husk’?”

Chrysalis bravado flickered momentarily before sparking back to life with another master plan. “Then maybe I’ll sneak to the Empire and try to eat the Crystal Heart?”

“Hoo wee, now that sounds pretty nasty! With that much love, you’d probably be unstoppable,” Applejack admitted as she continued her comfortable work. She pursed her lips in thought as a train in her head didn’t make the right connection. “Come to think of it though, why didn’t you already drain it? Had ample opportunity to chow down while we were all locked up.”

Chrysalis said nothing, but the slump in her smile was far too telling.

AJ’s face split with a devilish grin of her own. “Something tells me that ya did, but it didn’t work out too well.”

Chrysalis’ villainous smugness crumbled into dust as she looked away. “Shut up.”

“Guess Cadance will be happy to know you can’t pop that sucker like a dinner mint and go to town on everypony.” Applejack gaffawed as she tried to grab another bundle of hair, but the changeling quickly whipped her head around to glare at her directly.

“I said shut up!” she shouted.

“Sorry. Didn’t think I’d hit a nerve there.”

“Well you did, okay? Way to go, Applejack!”

The former queen frowned deeply as her breathing quickened. Trying to shake it off, Chrysalis flipped her mane back to Applejack for her to brush and shut up. Whatever had happened with the Crystal Empire must’ve scared her something fierce.

“Wanna talk about it?” AJ asked.

“No, I don’t! In fact, I don’t want to talk about anything!” Chrysalis growled as she glared at AJ’s reflection. “You’re the one who barged in here to ask me something, but so far you’ve said nothing! Now, tell me what it is you want before I throw you out the window!”

“I’ve been trying, but you haven’t told me what you want yet.”

“I already told you! I want you to leave me alone!”

“And I already told you that ain’t happening until you’ve eaten something,” Applejack said calmly as she continued to brush the bitter mare’s mane. “You dang near burnt through all your reserves tearing that blue ball of Luna’s a new one.”

Chrysalis whipped her head back to Applejack, fury burning behind her eyes. “Keep pushing, little pony, and we’ll both see if I can tear you apart as well!”

“I’m sorry, Chrysalis, but ya gotta eat something.”

“I don’t ‘gotta’ do anything! I told you that I don’t want to eat!” Chrysalis fumed as her eye began to twitch. “Isn’t it better for all of you anyway? You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Wouldn’t you?”

“Woah, now. Settle down, girl.”

Chrysalis pushed Applejack over and stood to her hooves, towering over her to remind the inferior pony who she was trifling with. “Don’t you talk down to me! I’m not Classy, Applejack! You think I’m just some weak mongrel because I can’t survive without your misplaced pity for a stupid dog that doesn’t even exist!”

“I don’t, honest!”

Liar!

Chrysalis reared back as Applejack braced for an impact from the raging changeling. Instead, the changeling pulled the mirror to herself with her magic and clenched her teeth in utter contempt before smashing the reflection, fracturing the mirror’s surface.

“You hate me!” She screamed as she punched it again, shattering the mirror it out of its frame. “You all hate me! Every single creature in the world despises my very existence!”

Despite the rapidly dwindling light in her stomach, Chrysalis continued her unrelenting assault, locking the shards into place so she could pulverize them into dust. Her magic flickered out as she threw the wooden mirror frame to the floor, splintering it to pieces before she began trampling it with her hooves.

“I hate you too!” Chrysalis roared as she continued her assault. “I hate you so much! Useless piece of garbage!”

Applejack cringed as the mare continued to lash out. The smart move would be to run away and leave her to her rage, but the former queen was burning off her reserves like nopony’s business annihilating the poor mirror. She waited until there was nothing but splinters and shiny specs left before she stood to her hooves.

“Feel better?” Applejack asked carefully.

Chrysalis snapped from her destruction and viciously glared at Applejack. She stormed over, each mighty stomp filled with burning contempt. She loomed over the mare and sneered at the peasant who dared to be glib in the presence of royalty. She craned her head down to sneer at the inferior pony, daring her to say one more word.

Applejack sighed. “You said everyone hates ya, right? Well, I don’t hate you, and I sure don’t appreciate you putting words in my mouth.”

Chrysalis said nothing as her jaw clenched tighter and her horn sparked to life.

“Y’know. If you say that junk enough, you’re gonna start thinking it’s true,” AJ remarked as eyes of death stared daggers into her.

“I hate you,” Chrysalis growled, her venomous words dripping with a loathing born from the depths of her soul.

Applejack looked away so Chrysalis couldn’t belittle her reflection in AJ’s pupils. “You really need to learn to be kinder to yourself. It hurts to listen to.”

"Why?" Chrysalis’ breathing quickened as her boiling anger began wavering from Applejack’s unflinching honesty. “Why can’t you just leave me alone?”

“Because I’m worried about you.”

“Stop it! Stop pitying me!” Chrysalis demanded as she turned away, unable to face the farmer. “Stop mocking me already!”

“But I’m not—”

Chrysalis spun back around, her rage renewed from Applejack’s denial. “Yes you are! I know you are! You’re looking down at me! You're pitying me!”

“You’re the only one looking down on yourself. If I was just pitying you, I wouldn’t care what happens when I leave.”

“Ha! You’re delusional.” Chrysalis brushed it off with a scowl. “Why would you care?”

“Because…” Applejack trailed with a sigh. She closed her eyes and took a calming breath. “Because you're alone, and it hurts to be alone. I mean, it’s not exactly the same, but I know what it’s like to lose family.”

Instead of bridging the gap between them like AJ hoped, Chrysalis’ face sunk in terror. The changeling desperately tried to cover up with a stern grimace, but the sheer panic in her eyes told a far different story.

“Shut up! Just shut up! I don’t want to hear that from you. I refuse to hear that from you!” Chrysalis cried as she backed away from Applejack. “You—You don’t know how I feel at all!”

“You’re right. I don’t know. But, hey, at least they’re all still alive, right?” Applejack said with a frail smile.

The war raging within Chrysalis bubbled to the surface as she began pacing around the room. “They’re not just alive, they’re thriving! After everything I did for them, that I tried to do for them, those ungrateful whelps just left me behind!”

“Chrysalis, it’s gonna be okay.”

“Of course it’s going to be okay for you! You ponies are the ones who turned them against me!” Chrysalis ducked down defensively, readying to strike with her horn.

“But we didn’t. You could always go back—” Applejack was quickly cut off by Chrysalis diving at her. The changeling’s flickering emerald aura pinned the smaller mare’s back to the wall.

“Don’t you get it? There’s absolutely nothing for me to go back to!” Chrysalis slammed her hoof against the wall behind Applejack as her remaining magic crackled with fury. “I’m supposed to find their food, not steal it from them! Thanks to your magic of friendship, I’m nothing but a burden to them now! They're prey now!”

Chrysalis flared out of control as the mare’s stability fractured. Applejack could only watch helplessly as the unstable changeling bounced between despair and rage. The dam broke as her frustration poured out of her eyes.

“You all made it look so easy. Starlight just told them to flip a switch and suddenly everything's sunshine and rainbows.” Chrysalis’ empty laugh echoed in the room as she beat her hoof against the wall. “Why couldn’t your stupid Elements change me? Do you honestly think I want to live like this? Living in constant, gnawing hunger, never knowing what it’s like to be satisfied?”

Chrysalis leaned her horn against the wall briefly before the flaring anger overtook her senses again. She reared back and began smashing her hoof against the wall over and over as her barrel flickered wildly from hunger. “I’m sick of it! They get to live in peace and harmony while I starve? It’s not fair! It’s! Not! Fair!”

Chrysalis exploded in green fire, assuming her reformed version that the Poison Joke had dangled so cruelly in front of her.

Why couldn’t you fix me?

If there was an answer to that question, Applejack didn’t know. It wasn’t like knowing was important anyway. Even if she could tell somepony exactly why her parents had to die, it wouldn’t make a lick of difference in her life. They’d still be dead. She’d still miss them anytime she thought about them. It’d still hurt.

Applejack said nothing as she forced her forelegs to rise through Chrysalis' weakened levitation aura. Instead of breaking free, she simply opened up, inviting Chrysalis into a hug while still pinned to the wall.

Chrysalis giggled darkly through her exhaustion. “You’re doing it wrong, you stupid pony.”

“Yeah, I know.” Applejack agreed, but held firm in her conviction.

“I'm barely keeping my grip on you. You can break out easily and run. I know you can. You've got to be the dumbest pony alive if you’re still here after hearing all of that.”

Applejack shook her head. “No, Chrys. I stayed because I listened.”

The green aura collapsed, and Applejack barely caught herself from falling over.

“N-no.” Chrysalis’ face ran through a gamut of emotions as her magical grip fluctuated. Her disguise fell apart, revealing the empty queen underneath as she slumped into Applejack’s shoulder. “That’s not fair.”

Applejack wrapped her forelegs around the changeling as they both sank to the floor. “I know.”

“I told you, I don’t want to eat. I don’t want to eat, Applejack!” Chrysalis screamed bitterly into AJ’s dampening fur.

“I know, Chrys. I know,” Applejack said as she fed Chrysalis the love she needed.


It took a while for Chrysalis to calm down. Applejack held the mare throughout her tears, even when she’d stopped giving the mare her love. While it was warm and tingly at first, the pleasantness was eventually overcome by irritation as she gave more of it to the hungry changeling. She couldn’t help but dwell on how much she had to get done today before nightfall, how little sleep she had, and how angry she still was at Luna for making her blast Chrysalis with the Elements.

Still, she couldn’t let her emotions get the better of her. Applejack needed to be the bigger mare. She did her best to bury her anger and look for the silver lining.

At least Chrysalis was healthier. Applejack couldn’t rightly say if the mare was any better, but at least she wasn’t starving. The queen had retreated to the safety of the alicorn bed to hide under the covers. AJ was thankful for the moment apart. It gave herself a few moments to get her mind right so she wouldn’t snap at the greedy bug. A big chunk of her wanted to yell for the changeling needing to take so much love again after wasting it on her tantrums, but she didn’t need that right now.

Applejack drew one final relaxing breath before trotting back to the bedside. “Well, now that you've had a bite to eat, I can finally talk to ya.”

“Joy."

Applejack bit her tongue to stop herself from flipping out at the ungrateful bug. Bigger mare. She needed to be the bigger mare, even though she had no patience left.

“I wanted to offer you a job if you’re interested.”

Chrysalis said nothing.

“I’d pay ya, of course. A good amount of bits and all the love I can muster to keep ya healthy.”

Slowly peeling back the covers and sitting up in bed, The former queen looked at the farmer in absolute confusion. “What?”

“I just figured if you wanted to work for your food rather than just steal it, I’d give you the opportunity.” Applejack smiled neighborly through the bitterness inside. “The farm's in the middle of harvest season, and the Apples could always use an extra set of hooves in the orchard.”

Chrysalis chuckled, then laughed, and finally cackled like a madmare. “You expect me, a queen, to work on a peasant’s meager farm?”

Applejack crossed her forelegs proudly and smirked with confidence. “Guaranteed gratitude for ya. Easier than begging after a dog and pony show.”

Chrysalis grumbled, but relented to the point. “As if any ponies want me around.”

“Well, I know I wouldn’t mind. Pretty sure the whole family would appreciate the help once they warmed up to the idea.”

“Right. Who would I have to disguise myself as?”

“Didn’t think about that one.” AJ scratched her chin in thought. “Does changing into an earth pony give you earth pony magic?”

“No.”

“Then why not just come as yourself?”

“Seriously?” The changeling chuckled in disbelief. “I’m me.”

“Something wrong with that?”

Chrysalis furrowed her brow. “Obviously. In case you forgot, I’m me!”

“Now that ain’t a good excuse at all,” AJ corrected with a frown. “Discord’s still running around as his miss-matched self. If folks can get used to seeing a tricky varmint like that, then they can get used to a changeling like yourself.”

For a moment, Chrysalis seemed to consider the option with a little smile before it flipped upside-down. “The princesses put you up to this, didn’t they? This is another hopeless ploy to see if you can get me to metamorphose like a good changeling would.”

“You're right. They did ask for some help to change ya, but I don't know a thing about that. This here is my idea of helping. I’m not sure how much good farm works gonna do on the morphing front, though.”

Chrysalis looked away in disappointment before snapping back with what little pride she was clinging to. “Then why bother with it at all?”

“Everyone needs a reason to get up in the morning, Sugarcube," Applejack said with a neighborly smile. "You said you’re supposed to provide food for your kin, right? That's what I do every day. I’m sure they won’t be turning down anything grown on Sweet Apple Acres anytime soon. So unless you've got something better in mind, why not work on the farm?”

“I’m sure an evil, love-devouring queen will do wonders for your business,” Chrysalis mocked while glancing sidelong at her reflection in the nearby vanity mirror.

“Well, you ain't pulling full-time hours prettying up the Canterlot Gardens as a statue right now. I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that means you’re reformed as is.”

“You’re going to gamble on six useless rocks that couldn’t hold me for more than a few seconds?”

“Eeyup!” AJ replied without missing a beat. “If the Elements thought you’re plenty good already, then that’s good enough for me. You might need to eat love, but I can work with that. I love hard workers.”

Chrysalis grumbled under her breath before giving in. “Fine. It’s your funeral, Applejack.”

“Great! Thanks a lot, Chrys!” Applejack gave Chrysalis a warm hug, finding a little bit more love to give her.

“What do you think you’re doing? Let go!”

“Just showing my appreciation is all. Think of it as an advanced payment. Can’t rightly have you showing up on your first day starved.”

“Knock it off! You’re already drained! And who said you could call me ‘Chrys’?”

AJ pushed the mare off and quirked an eyebrow. “Ya didn’t complain about it the first two times.”

Chrys said nothing as she grumbled and looked away.

“Alrighty, it’s settled then! I’ll tell the princesses the good news before I head back to Sweet Apple Acres. Gotta let the family know we’ll be having a royal farm-hoof around starting tomorrow.” With a happy nod, Applejack trotted out the door, hoping the changeling would show. She was already behind on her work thanks to Chrysalis, but having her help out would more than make up for it if the former queen was a quick learner.

AJ popped back around the corner and waved goodbye to her new help. “See ya bright n’ early at five o’clock sharp, Chrys!”

Chrysalis shuddered and uttered a horrified “Five?” before AJ shut the door behind her with an evil laugh of her own.