//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4: Tutoring and a History Lesson 
// Story: Chrysalis's college days 
// by MephileztheHam 
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“They what!? And they said all that in the book!?” yelled a very upset Squelch, his breaths growing ragged as he paced the living room. Rolling my eyes at his outburst I craned my head to view the clock on the wall. Ten forty five pm, it is way too late to deal with a ranting idiot. 

“Calm yourself Squelch, this is indeed a disturbing revelation but I would rather you not rave like a lunatic and wake the neighbors!”, yelling in a hushed tone as I magically slapped him. My slap seemed to have done the trick, the left side of his face was a little swollen but at least he was quiet. I sighed, perhaps I hit him a bit too hard. With a grunt I disdainfully got up from the couch and into the kitchen. Taking a step in the kitchen I was happy to see that it was stocked with all the essentials, microwave, fridge and the like. 

After a few moments I scrounged up ice cubes from the freezer and stored them in a plastic bag. Returning back to the living room I found Squelch sitting in the same spot I left him in, his eyes glued to the floor and his hoofs idly rubbing his wound. 

“Here, sorry for hitting you so hard, we are both a little at edge from today aren't we?”, I apologized and placed the bag of ice on the swollen part of his face. He looked at me for a moment before nodding and taking the bag into his own hooves. With a wince and a grunt he applied the cold relief and spoke.

“I'm used to this sort of thing so don't worry about it”, he smiled weakly as he spoke. I assumed he was speaking of his family, but I asked anyways.

“Really? Tough upbringing?”, I asked, hoping this would change the conversation away from the whole book dilemma for a moment. Squelch nodded, his smile slowly dissipating to a frown.

“Good ol dad was a hard ass, with him being the captain of your royal guard it wasn't surprising that he wanted his sons to join the legacy”, he was speaking of Carapace, he was a grizzled changeling and I knew him well. He was the grittiest soldier you could ask for, but he was quite the softy when you got to know him. 

“If I failed a exam or didn't keep up with the other initiates during training he would hit me to get me going, but not hard enough to scar or anything”, he waved his free hoof around his swollen cheek for emphasis. I rolled my eyes at him, sure it would bruise but it wouldn't be permanent. 

“But he did it for appearances you know, he wanted to show everyling that he had no favorites in the barracks, not even his own son”, he sounded like the exact opposite of mother, she would always place me first ahead of Gynaephora, even after my failure she still kept me close as her favorite daughter.

Suddenly Squelch chuckled, his lips curling in a smile over his fangs. 

“Whenever we got home after a day like that he would apologize to me for hours, treating me like a prince all the while explaining that he didn't mean any of it. I always forgave him of course though. He wanted me to know that he loved me and he only did it to keep the image of the grizzled guard with no emotion. My mother didn't like my father's methods but she always did squee at the sight of dad being a huge softy”, how sweet and unorthodox, reminds me of father before he passed although there was much less hitting. 

“And I assume your brother didn't take kindly to how pampered you became after those days?”, I asked while I sat back down on the couch pulling the coffee table closer to me as I did. 

“Oh right, him, yeah Shell didn't like it when dad did that you know. He complained that father was making me weak, that if I can't handle a few hits then I wasn't fit for the guard”, Squelch explained, lacing his voice with poison as he uttered his Brother's name. 

“Personally I just think he was jealous. Sure he got recognition from my folks for excelling at nearly everything during training but he was never coddled like I was and I think it is the main reason he is so sour all the time!”, Squelch chuckled and as did I. 

After that little laugh a awkward silence fell between us. I took advantage of the calmness to begin writing a letter to mother, using the convenient supplies that lay on the coffee table. Several stacks of paper, an inkwell with a feather and envelops, perfect. Surrounding the feather in my magic I dipped it in the inkwell and began writing. 

“Dear mother, I wish to inform you that all is well here in Canterlot. The apartment is quite luxurious and spacious, I thank you for acquiring such a place for Squelch and I. However I need to tell you what I have learned from my first day at college, and it isn't going to be good news so I pray this doesn't ruin your day mother. When I attended class I found something quite unfortunate, they are teaching the students in Bravehills about changelings. And not just simple things like what we are but everything about us in great detail, it seems that those rumors about the captured scouts being interrogated are true mother. But that isn't the worse of it, the author of said information is none other than Celestia's apprentice Twilight Sparkle”, I stopped writing just to glare at the last two words I wrote, just looking at that name makes my blood boil. 

The next few lines I had to erase and do over due to them mostly cursing the name of Twilight and I won't tell what I wrote. Just know that I was going grossly off topic and it started to look like a letter from a madmare. After promptly crushing the letter into a ball and disposing it I began again on a new sheet. Writing back to my stopping point on the now crushed letter.  

“And she has described us as animals in her writing, no more than mindless beasts and savages among pony folk. Thankfully she hasn't written anything about how to sniff us out besides that spell used in the checkpoints. I shall attach the book alongside this letter so you can read it, the information is located on page three hundred and ninety six. Please return it with a letter of your own when you finish it. But one thing is for sure, Squelch and I must be more careful from now on, and I suggest letting Gynaephora know about this. As much as I think it would be hilarious to find her hanging from the gallows I believe it would be best for even her to be safe. All in all I miss you mother, and besides all of this I am enjoying college so far. Love, your favorite daughter. Ps:Squelch sends his regards!”

I looked over the letter twice to make sure it was up to snuff and sealed it in the envelope. Placing it flat on the coffee table I did as mother instructed from her first letter and burnt the letter along side the bio book, to cinders with magic. As the cinders died down the table itself glowed for a moment before returning to normal. Ah the wonders of teleportation magic, what would I do without it. An image of Squelch delivering mail at mach speed brought a grin to my lips.

“That book is really going to make this harder for us huh? Like, for everyling I mean?”, Squelch's question brought me back from my daydream. He looked worried, his eyebrows furrowed, muzzle scrunched up and his ears flat against his head. 

“Yes, yes it will but we have survived far more dangerous things as a people. One chapter in a book won't destroy us all Squelch, but we have to be more cautious for sure”, I reassured him with a complacent hoof on his shoulder. However my hoof was not enough, he still bore that worried look upon his face.	

“And when Medley reads that book....well I may as well lose hope in revealing myself to her, er I mean, uh, never mind!”, Squelch tried to stop himself but the damage was done. This fool was actually thinking of doing that? All for one little morsel who would no sooner shun him then love him back legitimately? He is either brave or stupid, most likely a mixture of both in his case. 

“Squelch, whatever feelings you have for this mare, for Medley, you can't let it jeopardize our mission here”, I said, stopping slowly to consider what to say next. But Squelch had other ideas.

“You can't expect me to just bottle this up in a corner and forget about it? I know its stupid that I fell for a mare that I only knew for a day, I never expected my first crush to be a pony but all of these sights and sounds, all of this....well everything! Its so much different from the hive!”, Squelch explained, returning to pacing the carpet.

I said nothing, simply waiting for him to let this out of his system. I should have foreseen this, 
Squelch has never left the hive. I should have known he would overreact to the stimulus of the outside world. 

“I just don't know how to deal with this, one part of me wants to tell her the truth when the time is right! And another part of me just wants to go back home to a nice hot cup of mom's cocoa! I-I....I just don't know what to do, I am just so confused right now Chrysalis”, Squelch brought his gaze to mine, the look of a lost youth stared back at me. He wasn't making this easy for me.

“Squelch, it is alright. I understand how difficult it is to get used to all of this, but you have to keep a level head okay? I can't have you going all nuts on me got it? And about Medley....”, I was going to break his heart, let him know that this couldn't go on. But then he gave me the biggest puppy dog eyes he could muster. Even I, the great mighty Chrysalis can fall victim to the puppy dog eyes folks.

“Bucking hell I am going to regret this but fine, you can keep seeing Medley”, one second I was talking and the next second I was being hugged to death by a very happy Squelch. 

“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you Chrysalis!”, Squelch squealed happily as he nuzzled me nonstop. It took all of my strength to pry the little ankle biter off of me, the little bastard has a surprisingly strong grip. After a few seconds of struggling I was separated from Squelch and now he was staring at me with the stupidest grin on his face.

“Alright, but let me tell you one thing, promise me you won't do anything stupid like reveal yourself, understood?”, Squelch nodded furiously in agreement. 

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!”, he said this as he performed some odd ritual as he ended the charade with his right hoof in his right eye.

“What was that?”, seriously what the buck was that?

“Oh, heh, it was something I saw this really pink bubbly pony doing in town, its like a sort of promise I think?”, Squelch chuckled rubbing a hoof behind his head sheepishly. 

“Uh huh, well I am going to bed now since I have to wake up early for class tomorrow”, I announced, trotting over to where the bed room was. 

“Yeah me too, Medley and I have a date tomorrow so I gotta get rested for that!”, I scoffed at that, really? Rutting first and then you start dating?

“One would think you would first date before you rut, Squelch”, I teased. He just blushed furiously, sputtering about something before speeding off ahead of me. Oh Squelch you are so easy to fluster. A few moments later I made it to the bedroom, taking in the room in stride. My, it was as luxorious as the rest of the apartment which isn't surprising, but still. It was stocked with normal room fare, dresser, mirror and of course two beds. Both could fit two ponies but the state that they were in stood out.

One was pristine and untouched while the other one a few feet away from it was a complete mess. Bedsheets thrust all about with pillows hanging from the sides and to top it all off, a unsightly stain in the middle. Squelch followed my eyes and panicked, rushing over to the sheets and promptly covering the stain as best he could. 

“I am still surprised how you even managed that”, I said flatly, gesturing to the stain before climbing into my own comfy bed. Squelch said nothing, opting to just stew in his flustered state and plopped himself in his bed. 

“Yeah, yeah goodnight my quee-hey whats that? That thing behind your ear? Paper?”, his question caught me off guard, paper? My eyes widened in surprise, the memory of Page's sketch came back to me. Reaching up to my left ear I plucked the folded drawing and opened it. And there it was, the well drawn images of Flare courtesy of Page Breakwatt. And there it was, that guilty feeling again. 

“It is nothing, just some notes I took in class, good night Squelch”, I lied, putting the folded paper under my pillow and tucked myself in. Squelch nodded and yawned before wrapping himself in a sheet cocoon. Not even five minutes later Squelch was snoring and fast asleep. First crush problems, overreactions, clumsy and to top it all of, he snores. Boy do I know how to pick em. Glancing my eyes around the bedroom one final time I relaxed, allowing slumber to take me as I drifted away. 

Thoughts ran through my mind that night, every single one of hope that everything will be alright in the future. Squelch would be under control, I would pass my classes and I would be queen in about a year. What could go wrong? But the universe had other plans for me, and things would get worse before they got better.

Two Months later

The next two months went by rather quickly, along with the little scouting missions and school things were going well. Every week I received a few letters from mother and I would scout out Canterlot for any holes in its defense. Everything was indeed a cakewalk. That was until I received my grades for the first half of the semester and things weren't looking good. Out of my four classes I was failing two of them, College algebra and economics. Fortunately I was excelling in biology and speech presentations since they were right up my alley. But mathematics and economics were never my strong suits but I never thought I would mess up this badly. 

So here I am, two months in my mission to take back my throne and I have already hit the proverbial wall. I lost all hope to be honest, Gynaephora would win and she would never let me live it down. But this isn't were the story ends everpony, fate smiled upon me in the form of my teachers taking pity on me. Now here is the kicker, since I have been such a good egg head in biology Mr. Phylum wished to assign me a tutor to assist to make up for my faults. All of those after school extra credit jobs really put me in good standing with the pink haired idiot.

Now here I was, waiting in the college library to meet my tutor that has been assigned to me. My one and only hope at bringing my grades up. And he or she is one hour late. A first impression is something you don't buck up, and whoever my tutor is, they have royally bucked up. I passed the time with thinking mostly about grades and my trusty companion, Squelch. Now that was someling with luck, something I don't have at the moment. 

These past two months have been very kind to my loyal guard. He has found a job at a local bakery named, “The Sweet Tooth”, and is now coltfriend to his first crush Medley. The two fools have been inseparable ever since their first night together. And although Squelch has been having trouble keeping his true identity hidden, he has kept his resolve. But I can't say I don't approve of their relationship actually, you would think I would have snuffed their little romance in a week. 

I sensed their love for each other and what Squelch said about him barely influencing her emotions, he was telling the truth. There was a small trace of changeling magic on her but it was gone after the first week. Usually you would have to keep a targeted pony under your constant influence so that they wouldn't break free. But she genuinely loves Squelch, or at least his disguise anyway. And if love can bloom that quick and efficiently then there may be hope that she could understand if he told her the truth. 

However that is just wishful thinking, I have no idea how Medley would react to Squelch's true identity. She would most likely scream and run to the guard, and that is the best case scenario. But Squelch has told me he was apparently talking with her about changelings and such. Surprisingly Medley doesn't believe what has been written from Twilight's article on changelings. She states that changelings shouldn't be labeled as monsters just based on the wedding incident. 

“Anypony would have done the same thing in their position! Can any of you honestly tell me that if we lacked resources and food, that we wouldn't be desperate for a source of life? Queen Chrysalis and her hive were simply desperate for land and food. Perhaps if our illustrious rulers hadn't blown them to kingdom come, then we could have reached a diplomatic solution!”, that is what Medley had said during a pro-changeling protest. 

It was surprising to learn that a group of ponies actually pitied us, and how accurate Medley's speech was. Indeed my hive and I were very desperate, we were starving after a rival hive had declared a war of attrition on us. We lost so much land, so many changelings had perished and we were forced to retreat from out home. After that we wandered, barely surviving on meat from hunts and love from forlorn travelers. So after much debate I decided to pool all of our efforts and take Canterlot under the ruse that was the royal wedding. 

We all know how that ended, I lost, my status stripped from me and here I am trying to get back what I lost piece by piece. Looking back upon Medley's words I realized that I could have resorted to diplomacy for survival. But I wasn't thinking straight at the time, my hive was starving and so was I. Perhaps if our situation wasn't so dire we would have opted for the peaceful solution. Alas there is no point in dwelling on what could have been. What matters is the here and now, not day dreaming on alternate presents. 

So here I am in this lonely library, tapping my hoof against the table I was sitting at to pass the time. At least it was calm and peaceful here, a few ponies wandered around the library doing their own thing. The smell of old books hung in the air pleasantly, reminding me of my personal library back at the Citadel. Perhaps I would spend my weekends here reading in perfect solitude. Suddenly a large crash echoed in the library, speaking of solitude. 

“Sorry! Sorry, everypony! Heavy load coming through!”, yelled a familiar voice. Oh no, it couldn't be. But unfortunately there he was, Page Breakwatt tumbling through the library. He was carrying two satchels filled to the brim with what seemed to be books as well as a tower of packages on his back. If it was nightmare night you would think he was costumed as a caravan mule. 

Everypony gave him the most anger filled glare they could all muster. Sure he was being loud and disruptive but I think his family name might have made it worse for him. But it didn't phase him, he just kept a tired smile and approached my table, ignoring the hateful looks he was getting. 

“So sorry that I am late, I am your assigned tu-oh great”, his smile faded as soon as he saw my face. I frowned back at him, out of all the ponies in this college I was assigned Page as my tutor. To bring everypony up to speed let me just tell you that our little heated exchange two months ago never got better. For the past weeks we have been at each others throats constantly arguing. And for some bucking reason the universe deemed fit for us to grouped up together for everything. 

Every time there was a group project and I had to choose a partner, the only one left was Page. If there was only seat available in class, it was next to Page. And the worst part is that I recently found out that he moved to my apartment complex, and lives next bucking door. The universe is a fickle bitch with a sick sense of humor. 

“Don't tell me your the student I was sent to tutor?” he asked flatly as he unloaded his satchels and packages on the floor. His eyes never left mine while he unpacked, I suppose he was trying his best to seem aggressive. 

“Unfortunately yes my dear Page, seems the universe wants us together”, I spat dryly. Page just sighed, rummaging through his satchels and pulling out two books. Pre-Algrebra and  Economics Equestria Edition, my two most favorite subjects. Page then pulled out more things from his seemingly bottomless satchels. Pencils, notebooks and a lunch box. Well at least he is prepared for a few hours of study at least. 

“So, I hope you had a good day today Page”, I asked, hoping to break the ice as well as the animosity. He said nothing, just raised an eyebrow at me with a confused expression. Usually I would expect some form of rebuttal from him but it seems I caught him off guard with my nicety. Honestly, I really wanted to make him squirm but he is my only hope at passing.

“Uh, yeah I had a great day today Flare, hopefully it stays that way”, lucky for him I had no intention of making his time here a living tartarus. The goal today is to be as nice as possible if only to get him to cooperate. 

“As do I Page, so, I assume you know my faults and are prepared to help?”, I asked. He nodded, pushing the math book towards me. Math first then? Wonderful. 

“Yes and from what I have seen from your previous test results I can say that you are lacking. I have worksheet for you to work on first so I can see were you are at”, with that said he handed me a worksheet and left me to my work. I sighed but began working on the problems, finding the hardest problems and doing them first. I cannot say enough how I hate fractions and all of these imaginary numbers. “Find X! Find Y!”, it is so bucking pointless to search for numbers and decimals. 

The next half hour was spent in silence, I working on the questions and Page writing on his own piece of paper. Finally finished I looked it over and erased the unnecessary chicken scratch I used for counting. I cleared my throat and passed the sheet under his nose. Page never looked up from his writing, simply taking the sheet in his hoof and examining it. After a few agonizing minutes Page raised his eyes up to me and back to the sheet.

“Well at least you have some sense in this chapter, however you failed around half of these questions”, ouch, well that was to be expected I suppose.

“Let me show you a trick I knew, now first you start with the fractions”, and that is how the first few hours went. With Page teaching me tricks and me doing my best to recreate said tricks. At first it was a slog but over time I was actually getting the hang of it. 

“There! See that wasn't so hard now was it? Now use that trick on your next test and you got it made!”, Page smiled as she spoke, odd, well it was odd for me anyways. Every time I saw him on college grounds he always had moped around wherever he went. But right now he looked genuinely happy. He looked better with a smile on his face, not that grimace he wore 24/7.

“It is definitely easier Page, thank you. I suppose all that is left to do is economics then?”, Page nodded, pushing the economics book towards me with it already opened on the chapter I was having issues with. 

“Your teacher told me that you just didn't pay attention in his class, just review this chapter and be sure to write notes!”, I didn't like getting ordered to do something but I had to grit my teeth and bare it. And so I did, writing notes on all about the Equestrian economic status for the past decade and recent endeavors. It was incredibly boring and bland, the writer didn't care much for interesting facts. This book was drier than a desert, thankfully small talk with Page broke up the monotony. But it didn't stray past conversations about the weather and class troubles. Occasionally I would steal a look at his flank, or more importantly his cutie mark. A compas crossed over a feather pen, now whats the story there?

“So, ever want to talk about what happened two months ago? That whole fiasco in Biology?”, Page froze up instantly at the question. Page glared at me for a moment before returning his attention to his writing.

“Sorry, if you don't want to talk about it then forget about it”, I regretted asking him that now. Now he is going to go ballistic and I lose my one and only chance at success. I couldn't help it though, curiosity killed the cat. I just had to know why Page is treated like a outcast here. 

“No, its fine Flare, I might as well tell you why folks treat me different if we are going to work together. You noticed how everypony likes to hang my name around like some kind of threat to me right?”, I nodded, every time he gets abused his name gets mentioned at some point. Its hard not to notice. 

“Well  you want to know the reason why i'm so bucked up? Its all because of my Celestia damned father! The stallion who ruined everything for me, the stallion who broke my family apart, Alidade. He married my mother Aurora and had me, a nice little Canterlot family right? Well it sure as hell didn't last. But before he changed he was the best father anypony could ask, teaching me about how to use maps and chart them. And that is how I got my cutie mark, the one thing that I thank my father for giving me.”

I tried my best to calm him, telling him to stop yelling. He eventually calmed down but I sensed his negativity, this is affecting him to a breaking point.

“You know cartography was the main reason the Breakwatt name was held in such high regard. In past wars of Equestria my family would be called upon for service in the war, providing their skills with maps and geography in use against the enemy. My father was still called upon by the military to update maps every so often, going on long expeditions across Equestria for months at a time. He often took my mother with him on his expeditions and left me alone with my aunts and uncles. But every time he came back he was different, I should have noticed what was happening.

I have never heard of that, you would think the name of Breakwatt would be widespread and known. What happened to change that?

“Then one day, when he came back from after a especially long expedition, but he came back alone. Mother was not with him, and when I asked him he went ballistic, beating me until I was just a quivering mess. I don't know what happened out there, but this stallion was not my father. Even though I was still a colt I knew something terrible must have happened to my mother, maybe father lost her in a skirmish. But I was so wrong, the truth was so much worse.”

This was starting to sound like a mystery flick you would always see in the theater. As Page went on his tone got darker and darker, his eyes becoming misty with tears.

“After weeks of traveling and abuse we encountered Celestia's own guard. They captured us, binding my father and yelling about treason. And the murder of my mother, ” Page's voice cracked, tears barely escaping his eyes. I didn't know how to react, but how can you react to something like this?

“I learned that my father was leaking information about the borders surrounding Equestria's capitals to other nations. The Gryphon kingdom, the Zebras and many more had been leaked information about security details and exits entrances to blind spots in border security. He bucking sold himself out to every extremist to betray Equestria and its people, and my poor mother had found out!  I attended his trial and saw my father plead guilty and when he was asked why he killed my mother....he bucking called her a loose end.”

Now it all comes together, the reason why the Breakwatt name is held in such low regard. If I felt guilty before, now it was ten times worse. 

“So here I am, one bucked up leftover from my fathers greed. Everpony sees me as the bastard's son that wears his face. Do you have any idea how it feels for everypony to treat you like shit just because of the choices of somepony else? I have spent ten years in tartarus because of my old man and whatever bright future I had before is gone because of him! I try so bucking hard to prove that I am not my father, working hard in classes, doing all sorts of odd jobs just to get a chance to show I mean something. And what does everpony do? They shut me out and refuse to give me a chance to redeem my families name.”

And now its come full circle, my what a broken life Page has lived. I can't help but notice the similarities between us. Two souls just trying to fix their ruined status in life. 

“I didn't even want to be here, wasting my damn time here tutoring you when I could be studying for my major. But I bucked up and now a teacher is holding me hostage with blackmail!”, Page slammed his hooves against the table, cracking the wood underneath. A shushing sound was heard behind us but we both ignored it.

“Isn't it bucking perfect? After all of this I have to deal with being a teacher's bitch until he gets tired of me being his plaything”, with that said Page finally calmed down, resting his head on the table. A glazed look in his eye as he stared off into space.

“Who is this teacher?”, I asked, prodding him with my hoof. He didn't react to my prodding but just mumbled a single word, Phylum. 

“I'm sorry Page, things are tough but it will get better, I promise”, I tried my best to make light of the situation but my words fell flat. I suddenly felt tired and frankly, I didn't care about all of this. But Page didn't notice, he just smiled at me. 

“Yeah, it has got to get better, thanks for listening and I guess I will see you later Flare”, he said his good byes and went to stuff his belongings back in his satchels. I nodded and left the library at a brisk pace. For some reason I felt so tired, like I ran a marathon nonstop. But then it hit me, all of that negativity flowing out of Page was the cause of it. Unknowingly I absorbed his negative energy and left me weak, I need a nap.

A short time later I arrived back home, muffled cries could be heard inside my apartment. Slowly but surely I opened the door and found Squelch and Medley doing the horizontal shuffle on the couch. The look on both of their faces was just priceless, but I was in no mood to tease them about their lovemaking.

“Ohmygods! Your here early! I uh, sorry about the-where are you....going?”, Squelch's words fell upon deaf ears as I left the two behind and plopped down on my bed. Shutting the door behind me I tore off my disguise and cast a sound dampening spell on the room and instantly fell asleep.

“W-Well I guess she doesn't mind, so um, where were we, Stoney?”, Medley cooed, batting her eyes at Stonewall. Stonewall blushed furiously but kept a cool head, planting a deep kiss on Medley's muzzle. Pulling apart from her he planted small kisses along her neck, muttering words in between kisses.

“Oh. I. Think. we. Left. Off....here!”, a very unlady like squeal echoed for all the neighbors to hear. Nopony was going to get any sleep tonight thanks to these rambunctious two, all except for the slumbering would be Queen.