//------------------------------// // Neighbours // Story: Cupid Chrysalis // by Nightmare Darkness //------------------------------// Over the course of the next week she explained and prepared the changelings for the culture shock they were about to endure for their queen. Many were sceptical and many approached her with alternatives that were meer patch jobs for the food problem. Unlike most creatures in her position, she would listen to her subjects as she had come to know them, care for them. Finally the day had arrived where she was to leave her old home. Chrysalis walked in the throne room for the last time as her assistant Boren walked out carrying a bag full of her effects from her study. He stopped for a moment looking at her then put what he was tasked with working on and approached her. "Highness?" he asked causing her to jump slightly at his voice. But relaxed as she looked at him. This was not the Chrysalis he had come to know but a more reserved and melancholy one. "Boren is everything packed?" she asked. He nodded then indicated the small bit left he had just set down to talk to her. "Just that and we're good." he said. Then he saw something in his Queen that he never thought he would see...hesitation? "I am doing the right thing..." she said more to herself the Boren. Boren didn't like seeing her so at odds with her choice so he did the only thing he knew would bring her back to her normal self. "Oh c'mon Chrissy it ain't all bad." he said patting her on the shoulder. One of two things happened in that instant. First were eyes that were once dull embers of her usual personality roared into a firestorm. She hated that nickname. Second her magic acquainted Boren with the ground repeatedly. He laid there for a moment groaning. 'what I do for my queen...' he thought to himself. "Come Boren I have chosen where we of operations. I'll set up the main headquarters in some bumpkin town outside of Canterlot." she said rolling her hoof in an exaggerated fashion. Boren lifted himself from the ground and cracked his neck. "The town is called Ponyville, and again why do you want to set up there?" he asked as he went to pick up her things he had set down. "Because, Canterlot is too close to the Alicorn sisters and anywhere else is too far to reach the outlying cities in quickly. So surprisingly this town is a strategic vantagepoint to set up a network." she said smiling at her own brilliance. He admitted the logic was sound but to see her go from a castle to a small town home was going take some getting use to. As she left the castle doors she was greeted by her guard who came to a crisp attention. "Your Highness the chariot is ready." Her guard captain said stepping forward and bowed to her. "Good we must make our way to Ponyville at once and begin our new lives." She said walking past him. "Yes of course your highness." he said. As she climbed up onto the chariot Boren joined her after packing the last bags. "Are my subjects split up accordingly?" she asked him. Boren nodded as he reached for a scroll and unfurled it. "Your subjects have been divided up amongst the towns and cities of Equestria evenly. So when they set up shop in their respective areas they will send word and monthly updates of goings on." Boren said. Nodding she was happy with this. She looked to her Guard. "Take on the forms you choose, for that will be your identities for now on." she said. He guards shifted uncomfortably. They were use to taking the form of another pony but to come up with one was something of a personal choice. The guard changes as they all became pegasus a multitude of colors and shapes. Her Guard captain had changed to a red coated, black maned stallion whose blue eyes looked stern and uncompromising. His Cutie mark that of a green bolt over a black shield. "What is the name you have chosen?" she asked him. He looked awkwardly at his cutiemark. "Bolt Shield." he said as he chuckled. She then focused on herself. Chrysalis had spent hours trying to come up with a persona she could endure looking at in the mirror. her horn glowed as her form changed to that of a black coated Unicorn with a navy blue mane. She stretched her wings and her Boren chuckled. Chrysalis looked at him vexingly. "What is so funny dragon." she hissed. "Oh just the fact you I guess the fifth princess." he said shrugging. she looked behind her at her wings that were also covered but she was now an alicorn which would not do, she focused her magic and her wings seem to disappear. "Thanks for telling me." she said then brought her hoof down hard on his head making him groan. The travel to Ponyville was boring as she played with Boren, by play she enjoyed dangling him off the chariot threatening to drop him for his calling her Chrissy earlier. The town came into sight. Chrysalis looked down and she waved her hoof making the group descend just outside of the township of Ponyville. She stepped from the chariot as Boren followed her. Her guard followed her as she began to walk towards her new life... dreading every bucking moment of it. Entering the town she was greeted by smiling faces, happy go lucky ponies going about their daily lives. She almost vomited. Swallowing her sick feeling, she walked into the town. "Look out!" came a shrill voice causing her to turn her head slightly. "Highness!" Bolt Shield proclaimed as he jumped to her, taking the blow of an orange blur followed by a butter cream and white color. Horrified that she had been found out and attacked just coming into town she looked to see her attack her and unleash a world of hurt on whomever dared assault the Queen of the Changelings. "Ouch..." came a response. "Scootaloo are you ok?" came a question. "I'm alive. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle you ok?" She said. "I'm ok," came a reply. Bolt Shield was tangled in a line that Scootaloo was towing behind her as she had pulled both Sweetie Belle and Applebloom. He looked livid, causing Chrysalis to bit of a laugh. Shifting her gaze to the young fillies. "Do you just barrel into anypony or is that a targeted act." she said now glaring at the three. They hadn't even noticed her until her statement. Applebloom looked at her and smiled innocently. "Sorry, we dun usually run into ponies. were sorry." she said giving a puppy dog pouty face followed up by Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo joining in. Chrysalis breathed in and out to calm herself. 'You're a pony who wants to spread love, I can do this.' she said to herself. "It's alright. But please be more careful, you could of hurt my friend." she said untying him with her magic floating the towing ropes to them. "I've never seen you around here before, you new in town?" Applebloom asked. "Yes I am moving in today." she said. "Is your name Highness?" Sweetie Belle asked. She looked deadpanned then glared at Bolt Shield. "Y-yes...Highness...Heartstrings..." she said slowly coming up with her name on the spot. "Oh wow Your name is interesting, what's your cutie mark?" Scootaloo asked as all three of them looked at her flank. The mark was of three hearts one broken one whole, then one stitched together connected by a red string. "What is that mark for?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I am a love counsellor." she said quickly as she began to look for an escape she was becoming uncomfortable with the situation and being bombarded by questions. "Ok ok we need to go and get a place we don't have time for twenty questions." Boren said coming out from behind her. "OH wow it's another dragon!" Scootaloo exclaimed causing Boren to falter. "Say wha?" he said. "You're the second dragon we know first is Spike." Sweetie Belle said. 'Spike why does that name sound familiar?' Chrysalis thought. "Hey Cutie Mark Crusaders!" came a shrill high pitched squeal as a pink streak came up beside them. "P-pinkie!" Chrysalis blurted out. Pinkie looked at her with a confused looked. "Oh hi! I don't know your name or you, but you look like." she gasped. "A NEW PONY!" she exclaimed. "Pinkie are you bothering another new pony?" came a question as a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail floated down beside her. "Sorry don't mind her she's a bit crazy." Rainbow Dash said. Chrysalis’s eye had become pin pricks, her heart rate had increased, she began to sweat. If these two were here. "Come on Spike." came another voice. Her most hated enemy, Twilight Sparkle with Spike on her back was trotting by and saw her two friends greeting her. Twilight looked up to her and smiled unknowingly oblivious to who she really was. “Nice to meet you I am Twilight Sparkle this here is Spike, you're moving into town?” she asked. Quickly calming herself she chuckled awkwardly. “Y-yes. I am just moving here. This is my assistant Boren.” she forced a smile as she introduced him. Boren knew all about the mane six and how much trouble they had caused Chrysalis. But seeing how forced her movements were he knew she was in complete shock. “Yes I am her assistant.” he said proudly. “Whoa no way another dragon?!” Spike said hopping off of Twilight and landing in front of him. “Nice to meet you Boren Im Spike!” he introduced holding out a claw. Borens first opinion of the purple dragon was. Pudgy, small, and too energetic. Boren flashed a toothy grin. “Nice to meet a fellow Dragon.” he said shaking his hand then quickly releasing it. “I hate to cut introductions shore but ‘Highness Heartstrings’ and I have a lot to do and she has left it to me to get things done, so if you all don't mind pointing us in the direction of the town hall so we may talk to the mayor about procuring a home.” he said. Twilight looked at Spike with a side long glance. Obviously thinking Boren a very good assistant. Spike picked up on it and looked a little steamed but said nothing. “Oh of course please don't let us stop you. Come on girls let us leave Heartstrings to her things.” Twilight said. “I have a major thing I have to do now!!” Pinkie exclaimed then smiled at Twilight. Chrysalis and Boren both looked at each other their eyes in a silent understanding ‘nut job’. The group walked away as Scootaloo and the other cutie mark crusaders waved to her and she gave a small wave back. After introducing herself and her colleagues to the mayor she and Boren were given a home near the center of town. Her guard each buddied up in homes of their own but Bolt Shield got a home close to her. Borden was leading her as Bolt pulled her things along behind her. Taking one last left turn Borden arrived at their new home. A two story building with a thatched roof with all of the rustic charm of a cozy cottage. Crysalis wanted to die then and there, she had traded a castle for this?! The inside was just as impressive as the outside, she began to think of turning the living room into a walkin area for her business and soon after Bolt had moved all of her things in he bowed to her. “I will take my leave.” he said. Waving her hoof dismissively she dismissed him. “Yes yes.” she said then Bolt turned and crisply left. Walking up to her room where Boren was unpacking everything and placing them in their respective areas he had planned out. Walking to the window that led out to a small retreat balcony she sat down and looked at the sunset as the large tree blocked the rays. It was beautiful, the moon seemingly suffering the sun so that darkness may come. Then the sound of hoofbeats brought her back to this small town. The noise belonged to a pony who was walking towards the tree. The pony had wings looked up at her and smiled revealing a horn then waved. Chrysalis’s heart sank, as her eye twitched. “Hi Heartstrings looks like we're neighbours!” Twilight Sparkle said happily. She laughed lightly but slightly hysterical. “It seems we are…” she said waving back. 'Dear darkness...of all the towns I could choose I choose the one with the elements of bucking harmony.'