//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Sweet Hearts and Princesses // by lollipopchica //------------------------------// Because there were no training sessions scheduled for the day, the Castle Training grounds were relatively empty given the circumstance. There were a handful of ponies out sharpening their skills or going over last minute drills but no pony noteworthy. Such was not the case for a steely eyed pegasi as he watched his companions training. Justyx Coal was a snow colored Pegasus pony with a jet black mane and dark blue eyes. Boisterous and charming, he had the reputation of a thrill seeker and ladies’ man. Despite his loud nature, he and Shining Armor got on rather well. Armor had a way of calming the pegasi down, while Justyx was constantly encouraging his friend to take risks and live life to the fullest. It’d been a week since Justyx’ first meeting of his friend’s friend. How a pony as chivalrous as Shining Armor tolerated somepony as arrogant as Chrystal Emerald was beyond him. Even Armor’s family agreed. Justyx lazily observed their exchange with a frown on his muzzle. Chrysalis growled as another attempt dissipated in sparks of bright green magic. “What am I not doing…” she groaned in exasperation as she threw her head back. “Calm down,” the Shining Armor chuckled as amusement danced in his cerulean gaze. “I don’t understand,” She pouted. “Why won’t it hold?” Because of her changeling heritage, magic was something Chrysalis was well versed in. It had been a while since she had to work so hard at something magic related and it bothered her. “Concentrate on turning your magic into something tangible,” Shining Armor instructed after taking pity on the brooding mare. “Fortify it into something solid. You can cast, but none of that matters if you can’t hold it. Concentrate on sustaining… Your magic supply should be constant.” And just as he said, it was holding the spell that proved to be the most difficult. The casting was simple, as she picked up that part of the spell on the second day. “You can do this,” He encouraged. “Just take a breath, and relax.” “Right,” a determined expression came over Chrystal’s coal colored features as she concentrated on forming another magical barrier before her. This cast would be different, she thought doggedly to herself. Her dark horn glowed brightly with magic as the space in front of her responded to her casting solidifying into a magically transparent shield. At least her work ethic was respectable, the pegasi thought. To both Shining Armor’s and Chrysalis’ satisfactions, the incantation held. “Good,” The stallion praised as he scrutinized the barrier before him. “I can’t pinpoint any obvious weak spots.” “Only one way to find out…” Justyx drawled provokingly. Shining Armor rolled his eyes ignoring his friend‘s input. “Can we?” Chrystal asked excitedly as the shield magically disintegrated. She was tired of doing drills. “If you‘re up to it… but it‘ll be harder because you‘ll actually have to counter force with magic.” Shining Armor chuckled at the satisfied grin that blossomed over the mare’s stern expression. “Sounds like fun,” she winked almost lecherously. “Don’t go easy on her, Armor!” Justyx called from the sidelines with a serious expression on his white face. Shining Armor and Chrystal took up their respective stances some feet away from each other. Justyx hoped the spell blew up in her face. He was still sore about the defeat he suffered at her hooves a few weeks ago. Justyx’ first thoughts about the mare his friend brought to training with him had not been those of a dignified soldier. Chrystal Emerald was attractive, exotic even, but he was pretty sure this wasn’t supposed to be their extra training buddy. So imagine the pegasi’s surprise when Shining Armor informed him that this was the pony who wanted to train with them. Magically inclined or not, she didn’t look like much of a fighter in his opinion. Jokingly, he had asked the mare if she wanted to spar. Minutes later, he was no longer laughing when he found himself face down in the dirt with her hoof painfully pressing into the sensitive spot where his wings met. He remembered hearing Armor’s laughter in the background adding to his mortification. In short, he didn’t like her- but that was mostly his wounded pride speaking. Shining Armor narrowed his eyes as he sized up the confident mare in front of him. Without warning he let loose a barrage of magic bolts that Chrysalis found herself ducking and dodging as she broke out in a sprint towards him. She was quick, but the stallion proved to be quicker as he dashed to the side launching another round faster and stronger than he had the first. Chrysalis managed to dodge most of the magenta colored bolts, but one them caught her in the shoulder and another in the knee making her cry out in surprise. Rolling with the fall, the mare fired off her own dark powered projectiles to meet the ones she couldn’t avoid. Harlequin eyes flashed with determination as the mare realized she had to catch the solider off guard. Deciding to go on the offensive, Chrysalis used one of her illusion spells to change things up a bit. There was a flash of acidic green magic as the mare muttered an incantation disappearing in a fog of magical discharge before reappearing to the side of the stallion. He was ready when the mare attempted to charge him headlong. “Armor, watch out!” Justyx warned as he saw what his friend didn‘t see. Shining Armor had readied a spell of his own, but when he fired the concentrated blast, the attack went right through the mare who seemingly vanished. By the time the shock registered on his face, he felt something hard slam into his back, toppling him over as he yelped. The stallion tucked into the fall as he quickly readied another spell, firing it off in the direction the hit came from as soon as he righted himself. He heard Chrystal’s surprised shout along with the violent sound of her shield’s dissipation. The sudden break with her casting knocked the mare off her hooves skidding a little ways along the ground. “Chrystal! Are you alright?” Shining Armor raced over to the mare with a wary expression painting his features. Chrysalis liked having Shining Armor as a teacher. He was just as serious as she was when it came to what they were doing. He treated her just like he did any other solider- at least most of the time he did. The Changeling Princess was seeing stars when her harlequin eyes opened. With a groan the mare pushed herself up onto her haunches as she took a moment to recover. “Again,” she muttered after clearing her head. “Hey, Armor!” Shining Armor turned in his friend’s direction after making sure Chrystal was really okay. Shield burst always left him with a major migraine. “You sit this one out.” Justyx smirked as he stood on all fours stretching his wings. He’d been waiting to pay that smug minx back personally. *-*1111*-* “Ouch, ouch, ou-, OUCH…” “Sorry.” Shining Armor grumbled as he helped the injured mare upstairs. Chrysalis leaned heavily against the stallion as she hobbled along as her right foreleg was useless for the time being. She couldn’t feel the limb, but the pain still persisted making her oddly more complacent than normal. “How’d I do?” Chrystal winced as she magically unlocked her front door. Shining Armor gave her a look as the two passed through the threshold together. A cool wind greeted the two making the skin beneath their coats prickle. “You’re crazy,” he snorted as he helped her to a spot by the fireplace after shutting the front door. “Obviously it wasn’t that good of a trial if you wound up hurt.“ It would seem neither Justyx nor Chrystal cared much for each other. Unfortunately for Shining Armor, he found this out the hard way as their friendly sparring match went way awry. Chrystal ended up with a dislocated shoulder while Justyx was left with a sprained wing. Chrysalis rolled her eyes despite the pain radiating up her limb. “Hey,” she winced, “I wasn’t the one launching spears and doing suicide dives! In my defense I was only protecting myself.” She managed lowering herself gently to the floor. “Was it a good shield?” The stallion shook his head as he stood over her with a scowl. “I can’t believe you two…Do you have any peppersnag left?” Shining Armor ignored her question with a sigh. Another good friend of his named Aero was tending to Justyx. He hoped the pegasi was alright. “Check the pantry,” Chrystal replied as she lowered her head dreading what was to come next. The sooner her shoulder was back in place the better, but she‘d be a liar if she said she was looking forward to the stallion actually popping it back into place. Shining Armor walked into the small sized kitchen and rummaged around the mare’s storage space until he found the proper herbs needed to make the peppersnag. Moments later, Chrysalis could smell the strong substance and braced herself for what was to come. The stallion magically floated a cup worth’s of the brew to the mare. “Isn’t that a bit much?” Chrysalis cringed as she magically took hold of the cup gently setting it down in front of her. “Have you ever had a limb popped back into its socket?” The mare flattened her ears as she conceded to her companion’s wisdom. Harlequin eyes were full of loathing as she stared at the brew. She could still remember when her ribs were tender and the stallion insisted she take the peppersnag every time he came over. The taste was harrowing and Chrysalis felt she’d had enough to last a lifetime. Shining Armor made his way back to the mare staring at her expectantly as he sat by her numb limb. Chrystal stared back with a hesitant expression on her face. “Don’t look at me like that… the sooner you drink it the sooner we can get this over with.” She scowled, baring her teeth. Taking a deep breath the mare grabbed the small cup with her good hoof and threw it back. The foul tasting concoction burned down her throat and just as she was about to gag she felt the guard pony thrust her shoulder back into place with a loud pop. Every foul and ill-mannered word she could think of, real or imagined, came to the tip of her tongue. As quick as the whole ordeal was, it took Chrystal a little while to find her voice. The pain that followed the loud pop of her shoulder being relocated was breathtaking in its sharpness. Shining Armor almost felt bad for her as she hid her face beneath her good foreleg. “You‘ll be sore for a day or two, but at least you can use your leg.” Shining Armor said as she slowly lifted her head. “I guess a warning was too much to ask for…” She said winded. He shrugged. ”Sometimes it’s better to jump in before you can talk yourself out of it… Besides it‘s your own fault.” Harlequin eyes were half-lidded as the peppersnag was beginning to take effect. Maker, that stuff was quick! “Now… that doesn’t sound like you at all…” The coal colored mare gladly welcomed the brew’s potent effects. “What do you know about me?” He asked absently as another cool draft prompted him to kindle a fire much to the mare’s delight. In order to keep her magic reserves up the changeling disguised pony lit her fires the old-fashioned way. Since she had started seeing the stallion on an almost daily basis she didn’t have to worry about her reserves as often. In addition to the work she did as Oceania, Chrysalis found that the combination of prurient emotion and friendly companionship proved to be a functional mix. Still, with her shoulder sore and aching she really didn’t feel like moving around regardless of the coolness of her home. If there was one thing Chrysalis had noticed about Shining Armor it was that everypony liked him. “I know this city thinks of you as its personal golden boy…” He was considerate and genuinely modest. It was irritating and yet oddly charming. “You’re like a modern day Argonaut… Your parents might as well have named you Jason.” She could taste the uncertainty bubbling beneath his skin despite the pleasant surprise on his face. “Thanks.” Harlequin eyes watched as the stallion used magic to put the few pieces of wood she had into the fireplace before lightning them with a spark of magic. The dry kindling was swallowed by flames as the stallion’s magic reacted accordingly to the dead material. He plopped down next to her as he enjoyed the fruits of his labor. “Don’t get used to it.” He nudged her playfully, which caused her to wince. “Sorry!” “But you don’t feel the same way.” It wasn’t a question. Something had been bothering the stallion and it was high time he spit it out. It left an awful taste in her mouth. “Why not?” “I guess my family doesn‘t see it that way. I mean they were livid when I signed up for the Royal Guard…” Cerulean eyes flashed with something unpleasant. “They pretend to be okay with it now… but I know they wanted me to do something more…. ‘respectable.’ Meet more ‘respectable‘ ponies.” As a changeling she couldn‘t really relate as the hive was all that mattered and no changeling questioned that. As a princess unwilling to answer her birthright’s calling she completely understood why he felt such dissonance with himself. It was hard going against traditional norms and expectations and she couldn‘t fault him for exercising something she never really considered until now. “Well you’re happy with what you’re doing right?” “Of course… protecting my family and my country is something I’m passionate about. I love my job and I’m good at it…” She smiled warmly at the fire in blue eyes despite the goose bumps that prickled beneath her coat. “I just don‘t want to choose between the two.” “Your family loves you…” She murmured with weary eyes as the medicinal brew was now in full effect. “Especially your sister. I don’t think you could ever disappoint her. Her love for you is pure. It‘s nice…” She briefly wondered if her mother was disappointed in her… She certainly felt unhappy with herself. “You think so?” His smile was gentle as he thought over her words. “If there’s one thing you should know about me it’s that my powers of perception are unprecedented. Not even Princess Celestia could compete with me.” Chrysalis said matter-of-factly as she raised her nose in the air. She would not cry over spilt milk… She wouldn’t. “Conceited much?” Shining Armor grinned at the medicated mare. Chrysalis laughed as she slid closer to him till they were flush against each other. He felt so warm, and all that security and affection she was absorbing from him was nice. He cautiously laid his head over her neck as the two cuddled comfortably in front of the cackling fire. Orange flames danced before them bathing the room in warm hues of red and gold. He‘d never thought of Chrystal as affectionate and yet here she was actively seeking his touch. It was nice… He seriously doubted she’d be this affectionate without the effects of the peppersnag. “Laugh now but it’s true.” Chrysalis grumbled before sobering. “Sometimes it’s nothing that we’ve done personally… It’s just parents have a habit of letting their expectations get in the way of seeing you for who you are.” Though she was only 17, the changeling princess was not lacking in life experience. She’d been infiltrating since she was thirteen. “Oh yea…” Shining Armor was thoughtful. “What do your parents think of you?” “I decided not to care and left without a backwards glance.” “How’s that working out for you?” He asked quietly as he lightly nuzzled the resting mare. Despite the aloofness in her tired tone, he had a feeling she wasn’t nearly as unaffected as she appeared to be. Chrystal was blasé like that. Her poker face was something he admired whenever he wasn‘t actively cursing it. She was strong and why no one else saw the value in that was beyond him. Shining Armor wasn’t as oblivious as he knew she thought he was. He saw the way his family regarded her and pretended to listen when they lectured him about ‘mares like that.’ Honestly, it was starting to annoy him putting strain on his familial relationships. “It’s not, but I guess I’ll have to make do. But I wouldn‘t worry if I were you, blockhead…” She giggled at the pouting she knew he was doing. “I‘m an amazing judge of character,” she yawned, “And you… have ab…so…lutely nothing… to worry about. Not even from little old me.” Shining Armor was a poster child. His parents would get over it and he‘d probably end up marrying that ’respectable’ pretty-in-pink princess. “Are you sure? The part about you, I meant…“ He winced at how non-articulate he sounded. “I mean ‘what about you?’” “…” “Chrystal?” Chrystal’s light snoring was the only response to his question. *-*-*-*-*-* “You can’t run forever, Chrysalis.” Chocolate tresses fell over the Queen’s shoulder as a touch of sympathy leaked into her gaze. “The hive is your life… And as such, it demands life in return.” Her mother’s twisted horn glowed bright with magic and before the filly could protest she was swallowed by the dark energy, writhing and seizing as it painfully robbed her of her life force. “Mother!” She screamed as the magic burned through her chitin seeping into her body. “Mother!” Chrysalis felt as if she couldn’t breath as she gasped painfully for air. The weight on her body was lessening as she came to be in the world of the living. She couldn’t focus as the lingering tendrils of fear still clouded her perception. “Hey, hey… calm down.” Came the concerned voice of Shining Armor as he had his hooves on her shoulders in a gesture of comfort. Cerulean eyes were bright with anxiousness. “There’s nothing here that can hurt you.” “Shining?” Everything was still so twisted and her nightmare had felt so real. She was dumbly aware of him pulling her into an embrace as she buried her face in his mane. “Oh Maker!” She breathed with jaded relief. The effects of the peppersnag had long since worn off and the calm she‘d felt earlier had abandoned her leaving her with nothing but fear and guilt. “She can’t make me and I won’t! I won‘t do it!” “Chryssie, it’s okay… I’ve got you now and no pony can make you do anything.” She could taste his concern as she relished in the warm and breathing body pressed against hers. She was so embarrassed. Chrysalis kept telling herself she didn’t need anypony… and yet here he was. It felt right somehow. Moments passed as the two sat that way in front of the dying embers of the fire in the mare‘s small living room. He stroked her messy tresses until she got her breathing under way. “Why are you doing this?” Chrysalis sniffled as she pulled back to look at him. Her ears laid flat as she stared at him with wide teary eyes. She felt like such a wretch. If he knew what she was and what she was running from she didn’t think he’d be so comforting. “Doing what?” “This… comforting me… I don‘t understand.” And she didn’t. Not only was all of this frustrating but it was giving her all sorts of weird ideas in regards to their steadily growing bond. Why was he there? More importantly… why was she allowing him to be there? “You’re my friend, Chryssie… why wouldn’t I?” Shining Armor gave her a lopsided grin. Chrysalis was used to being admired and respected. There were those she admired and respected as well, but she’d never been viewed by or viewed anypony as a friend. Friends were ponies who knew you intimately. Ponies that chose to keep you close for reasons that outshone your negative traits. Harlequin eyes stared at him with something near to fascination. He wasn’t saying so to be nice or even to make her feel better- he wasn’t the type. She was selfish, and shrewd to the point of being manipulative, and yet he still enjoyed her company. Shining Armor meant the words and it truly blew her mind. “You called me Chryssie…” she murmured as his words echoed in her head. “You don’t like it?” “No, I like it…” She rushed forward to dispel his anxiousness. “I like (this) it.” Chryssie… like Chrysalis, but not Chrysalis. It felt honest as strange as that sounded. “Good…” She could hear the smile in his voice and it made her smile too. “You wanna talk about it?” he asked in regards to her nightmare. “No… Just stay with me… Please?” She ducked underneath his foreleg in a one legged embrace. “Please? That’s a new one,” he teased as he pulled her closer. She reached up and nipped his ear causing him to sharply intake air as he winced. “Kidding, kidding…” he stressed.