When Chrysalis opened her eyes, it seemed she was floating. The feeling was liberating, as if the was being carried. Chrysalis tried to touch the ground underneath her and heard the rustling of the blanket. All of it vanished when she opened her eyes.
Compared to the sky, Fluttershy’s room didn’t look as beautiful and open, but in Chrysalis’ opinion, it was more than alright. Struggling with her own body which begged her to stay in bed for just a little longer, she sat up, rubbing her eyes to drive away the haze of sleep.
“Ugh, what did I drink last night?” she mumbled, jumped off the bed, and trotted towards the door.
She didn’t exactly know what she would say to Fluttershy once she’d see her. The shy pegasus did save her life, after all. A chill ran down her back at the memory of the rejuvinating warm liquid dripping into her mouth.
There were only a hoofful of fancy ways she could come up with to circumvent the word ‘blood’. She never liked the word; it sounded far too… blunt. Maybe she’d heard it far too often when she’d visited the Queen’s chambers and had gotten sick of it.
As her thoughts strayed further and further away from the subject, she made her way out of the room and trotted downstairs. Chrysalis could hear cheerful chatter: Fluttershy, Sombra and Nightmare Moon. The little changeling hesitated. Do I belong here? Should I even go to them?
Brushing the unecessary pondering away, Chrysalis boldly trotted onwards. Useless thoughts would never help. Thinking about whether or not she’d fit in would never increase her chances. Actually doing something to show everypony she was no longer a butt would. So, less thinking, more friend-making. Or what could be considered as such.
Chrysalis quickly trotted downstairs completely, the sound of a rather casual conversation getting closer and closer.
The happy trio was having a calm breakfast: cornflakes, with a single drop of honey. Fluttershy and Nightmare Moon were casually eating and chatting, while Sombra looked really immersed in making pictures out of cornflakes. Chrysalis took a deep breath and finally announced her presense.
“Hi!” She raised her hoof and waved as all three turned to her and stared. The eerie feeling of being judged by several ponies at once gripped Chrysalis and she shrunk a little. The team didn’t seem happy to see her. Well, Fluttershy displayed a gentle smile, but Nightmare Moon and…
“Chryssie!” Sombra’s loud exclamation staggered Chrysalis, and him rushing to her and tackling her down in a tight hug didn’t help. “You’re alive! You’re okay! You’re back!”
As Chrysalis was about to say something in reply, Sombra, like a puppy who had found its long lost owner, started licking her face in an absolutely adorable yet slobbery fashion. Chrysalis’ eyes shot open and she desperately tried to push Sombra off of herself.
“I missed you! I missed you so much!” Sombra managed to exclaim in between licks. Finally, Fluttershy persuaded him to leave Chrysalis be with a soft pull. He obeyed and got off the changeling to be immediately confronted with her saliva-covered angry face and rather furious eyes.
“That was uncalled for,” she deadpanned, obviously struggling to not shriek in outrage. Sombra responded with a slight blush, biting his left hoof out of embarrassment.
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “I was just… very happy to see you.”
Chrysalis relieved him with a gentle smile and a pat on the soft head. “It’s okay, little helper. But next time you want to salivate all over me, at least warn me.” Sombra brightened up immediately, seeing as Chrysalis was no longer angry at him.
“Of course! Next time, I’ll certainly tell you!”
Chrysalis nodded and turned her attention to the pony that was likely to refuse her offer of peace the most: Nightmare Moon. The alicorn slowly approached, looking at her with a mixture of prideful snobbism and sympathy. Moon’s face was remarkable for being able to contain and express so many emotions at once.
“Umm... “ Chrysalis hummed briefly, taking a look at Fluttershy in hopes of getting moral support. She nodded quietly and her smile just screamed ‘Go on. Do it.’ Chrysalis flexed her semi-translucent wings, fixed her stance and prepared to say the words that would be written in the annals of history.
“Nightmare Moon, I know we had a rough start. I didn’t exactly treat you very nicely, and also said things I shouldn’t have said… which, let’s be fair, was pretty much everything I said.” She took a moment to rub the back of her head, a blush that she knew would be green creeping on her face, causing discomfort. “I wanted to.. err.. I… wanted… to…”
“Oh, I prithee, do go on,” Moonie said pompously, trying to make it seem like she didn’t even care about the whole ordeal. Chrysalis gulped, losing her mind over the myriad of words she knew, yet none of them being suited for an apology.
“I...wanted to… to say…” She could feel the temperature in her body rise to abnormal levels. She could say sorry to anypony — Flutters, Sombra, Appleajck, Apple Bloom — but not Nightmare Moon! Her pride was still too strong to allow that.
“I… wanted… to… to say… so-”
“Soooo?” Nightmare Moon displayed a villanious grin. Chrysalis regretted her decision to change; she would totally put Moon in the cookie jar again and seal her there. Permanently.
“So...So...So...rrow grasps my heart…” Chrysalis looked up, trying to remember the words. “But I must say thee… that I indeed love another mare…”
Dead silence claimed dominion as all three ponies stared at Chrysalis. The poor changeling bit her lip, desperately searching her thoughts to find something at least half-sensical to say.
Maybe the good old trick of ‘What’s that behind you?’ could work? No, that was a stupid idea. Nopony would fall for that.
“I’m not sure if that was really an apology, Chryssie…” Fluttershy bit her lip and blushed.
“If that was what she was supposed to be doing, I am not impressed in the slightest. This is the poorest attempt at an apology… ever!” Nightmare Moon wrinkled her nose.
“Erm… let me try again! Ehm…. Excuse me?” Chrysalis tried to make round begging eyes, but Moon was adamant.
“No! Never!”
“Please?”
“No!”
“Pretty please?”
“Never!” Moon shook her head. “Why should I forgive thee at all? Thou hast done nothing but hurt me all throughout our stay here!”
“I, umm, of course, do not approve of that decision, but… oh… maybe you should try a tini-tiny bit harder… Your attempt was good, but… a little bit of improvement can make it perfect.” Fluttershy tried to encourage Chrysalis however she could.
“Fine, fine. One more try…” Chrysalis took the deepest breath she’d ever taken and then…
“I did a lot of things. Some of them were pretty indecent. When I first saw you, I considered you to be a stuck up self absorbed pretty-princess-type of pony whose only concern was her own well being. And it was foolish to think so, since… I’m not that good at telling one archetype of pony from another. I guess I have a habit of judging ponies on first glance. For example, there was this pony who I thought was a real nasty butt… but, in the end, she turned out to be good. She was just doing things her way… Just like I do. So, I guess I made a mistake by treating you as I did, you know, bullying and… shoving you into a cookie jar and stuff… So, I promise I will change my ways. Getting rid of the ‘all who oppose me are enemies’ mentality is now my primary goal in life… So, peace?”
Chrysalis let out the remaining air in her lungs in a loud sigh of relaxation. This was the longest speech she had ever given in her entire life — and, moreover, it was an apology!
“I… I am indecisive…” Nightmare Moon, after a long pause, finally broke the silence. “I have not expected that thou, of all ponies, say’st something so… profound and thoughtful.”
“I think it is a lesson we should all learn.” Fluttershy patted both fillies on the heads. “So, are all our differences settled?” The two ponies nodded in unison. “Very good! Then how about doing something fun?”
“I’m in! I’m totally in!” Sombra exclaimed immediately.
“I shall join in the amusement as well!” Nightmare Moon exclaimed. All three ponies looked at Chrysalis.
“Oh, sure, count me in.” She nodded, earning a hearty smile from both Sombra and Fluttershy.
“We’re glad to have you along!... Just… don’t drop any hives anymore, okay?”
Chrysalis giggled at the mention of that awkward scene. “Of course I won’t. I’ve learned my lesson: do not mess with the coockoos. They’ll mess you up.”
***
“Alright, team, we’ve got a lot of things to do: some fences to fix, some animals to feed, and a lot of grass to shorten!” Chrysalis sung happily, looking around the yard. Many animals, upon seeing her, ran back into their homes and hid, the memories of the ruckus she’d caused still fresh.
“Why do we have to do this as well? We have committed no crimes against Fluttershy! Thou art the sinner! And yet we are obliged to help thee? For what reason?” Nightmare Moon puffed out her cheeks, when Chrysalis suddenly popped up right in front of her and pressed her hooves on them. The air was forced out through her mouth, creating a rather amusing, yet shameless sound.
“Because teamwork is overpowered, my dear Nighty. Together we can do my chores much faster! Come on, let’s hurry!”
“Woohoo! I love feeding animals! It’s so fun!” Sombra grabbed one of the big bags of animal food and started dragging it along. Nightmare Moon, though really liking to feed animals, was still dissatisfied with Chryssie’s actions.
“Fluttershy has tasked thee to take care of the yard. That is thy punishment for all the crimes thou hast committed! Thou must atone!”
“Pff, semantics, we just share sisterly! Get to work, rapping princess, you’ve got a lot of manure piles to clean up,” Chrysalis sang as she trotted away to Sombra. Nightmare Moon gritted her teeth and turned away, trying to hide her angry face under the hood. Though, several seconds later, she relaxed and trotted towards her favorite part of the yard: an anthill in the shade of a tree.
“Hey, Sombra, whatcha up to?” Chryssie hollered just for the sake of it, casually walking up to Sombra who was leaning on the fence and looking outside.
“I want to get wet,” Sombra stated in a rather thoughtful voice staring at a tree outside the fence
“Wet?” Chrysalis raised an eyebrow. “For what exactly?”
“There’s one particular hole I want to explore. And I can’t—” He leaned on the fence more and it gave away a rather pathetic creak. “—can’t quite get inside it.”
Chrysalis bit her lip, a single drop of sweat running down her brow. “Do you… often want to get wet to slide into holes?”
“No, just this one time. You see, my head cannot really get through, otherwise I would fit in just nice… I think!” Sombra turned around and faced Chrysalis.
“I can relate to your problem.” Chrysalis nodded and looked at a gaping hole in her leg. “It’s rare, though. I normally don’t stick things in them.”
She swiped the sweat off her forehead and sighed. “Darn, is it me or is it just so hot today?” A few drops fell off her nose and mixed with morning dew. “Ugh… look for me in the shade if you need me. Good luck getting wet.”
“Thanks!” Sombra smiled at Chrysalis as she walked away, then turned around and continued looking outside. Whatever he was doing there, Chryssie didn’t want to know.
***
Sugarcube Corner was loud and obnoxious, just as always, and yet Fluttershy enjoyed its atmosphere. So many times she and the rest of her friends had gathered here to discuss recent events, weather and stallions, if Rarity felt the need to bring it up. Again. They would often order a big cheesecake, and then have Pinkie eat most of it in one big bite. They also had such delicious cacao that Fluttershy would never even hope to match it in its sugary, yet soft taste.
However, today Fluttershy felt extremely uncomfortable entering it: her head was full of thoughts, and most of them went along the lines of ‘This is a bad idea!’, and it seemed like everypony was staring at her every step of the way, judging her… like they all knew what secret she had to bear!
“Oh, good morning, Fluttershy!” Ms. Cake waved at Fluttershy the instant she’d closed the door behind her. “Glad to see you here! You haven’t paid us a visit in a long time.”
“Yeah… I’ve been rather... busy lately.” Fluttershy blushed, approaching the counter. Ms. Cake’s gentle smile relieved her a bit; there was something highly relaxing about this mare’s smile.
“It’s okay. We’re always happy to see you around. So, anything you want? — muffins? — cupcakes?”
“Actually, I want…” Fluttershy stumbled for a moment, trying to remember what kind of cookies Nightmare Moon preferred. “Chocolate chip cookies. Sixty of them…”
“Wow, sixty?” Ms. Cake raised an eyebrow and smiled. “That’s quite a lot. Even by Pinkie’s standarts. You’re having a party tonight?”
“No… Uh, yes… A party for my animals…” Fluttershy couldn’t muster anything but mumbling after that.
“Alright, then. Your cookies will be ready in a while. Take a seat while you wait.”
Fluttershy nodded and sat down in furthest corner, trying to hide herself from stray sights. Maybe she would manage to get her cookies and leave without bumping into anypony. Perhaps, her plan would succeed, and she would finally disco—
“Fluttershy!” Her hopes for solitude came crushing down like the pink body on her with the sole intention of hugs.
“Gakh! Pinkie!” Fluttershy started to fight back, wiggling around, trying to force herself out of Pie’s grip. Finally, the crazy party pony loosened her grip and let her go. “You- you startled me… I thought I was going to have a heart attack!”
“That’s the whole point of surprises, you silly! — Getting startled! It’s like being scared for fun!” Pinkie Pie hopped over Fluttershy and landed on the opposite chair. “Sooo, I heard a rumor that you’re organizing a party for your animals…”
“Pinkie, I said that just two minutes ago…”
“And that I, of all ponies, wasn’t invited. That makes me cranky!” Pinkie pierced Fluttershy with a questioning, one-eyed gaze, trying to drill through her facade. “And when I get cranky, my mane flattens!”
Fluttershy gulped nervously, unable to look into Pinkie’s eye anymore. Making Pinkie angry was a difficult feat to achieve.
“P-please, Pinkie, don’t be c-cranky…. It’s a, uh, very special party… for my animals and me… It’s so special nopony else must be present there… Please, don’t get mad…” Fluttershy’s cheeks turned crimson and she tried to hide her eyes. There was no escape now.
“Pff, I’m not mad.” Pinkie smiled broadly. “Why should I be mad? It’s your party, and if you want to organize it on your own, I’m okay with that! What, did you think I haven’t learned anything from that time when I talked to flour and a rock?”
Fluttershy looked around, not quite sure about what Pinkie was talking about. Though, when was she ever sure about what Pinkie was talking about.
“Come to think of it, Mr. Rock was a nice fellow. I should find him and have a chat. I think we have a lot in common.” Pinkie mused, and then suddenly turned back to Fluttershy. “Anyway… Can I please take a teeny-tiny look at your party? Just a little glimpse?”
“Erm… I’m terribly sorry, Pinkie, but I doubt that is possible… My animals asked me… for a really… special party… just for them…” She could feel herself sweating and her hooves turning cold.
“Aww, I really hoped to see your super-duper-awesome animal party… Oh, wait, I’m not invited… Then it’s super-duper animal party instead!” Pinkie clapped her hooves together and got up. “Well, if I cannot look at it, then I’ll at least help you prepare. I shall carry those cookies for you!”
“Th-thank you, Pinkie. You really don’t have to do this, I… I can carry it on my own…”
“Of course you can, silly! But how can we have a conversation if I don’t have an excuse to stay near you?” Pinkie Pie smiled kindly and tilted her head. “Friendship is not only parties and fun, it’s also conversations! About stuff!”
Fluttershy nodded, biting her lip. It had only occured to her that she hadn’t left her cottage too often nowadays. Well, she used to stay there most of the time, but she would always dedicate some time to her friends. But not anymore, now that she has three troublemakers to take care of. My friends must be really worried, she thought to herself and felt a slight bite of guilt.
“Sixty chocolate chipped cookies!” Ms. Cake’s loud voice boomed through Sugarcube Corner, along with the ring of a bell. In a moment’s notice, Pinkie dashed to the counter and placed the whole box full of cookies on her head.
“Mmm-haaa!” She sniffed the air, inhaling the smell of freshly baked cookies. “Super-magni-licious!” Pinkie tossed a few golden coins on the counter and trotted towards Fluttershy, who immediately sprung up in worry.
“No-no-no, P-Pinkie, you shouldn’t have… I’ve got just enough here… You didn’t need to…” Fluttershy stopped mumbling when Pinkie placed her hoof on her lips.
“Hush, Flutters! If I cannot organize my friend’s party, I’ll at least help it to be the bestiest party as much as I can!” she exclaimed happily, and when Fluttershy was about to say something, pressed on her lips again. “And paying for your cookies is the least I can do!”
Fluttershy didn’t object anymore, and just smiled as the happy, no more cranky pink party pony bounced her way out of the Sugarcube Corner in the general direction of Fluttershy’s cottage. Pinkie escaped her sight so quickly she almost started to panic, but quickly regained her composure and quickly galloped after her, trying not to lose sight anymore.
When Fluttershy finally caught up to Pinkie, she was bombarded with dozens of songs about chocolate-chipped cookies, animal parties, and animals eating chocolate-chipped cookies at parties. Looking at the pink pony constantly bouncing up and down, and the box of cookies that mysteriously was stuck to her head as if glued, Fluttershy wondered if what she was doing was right. Was her idea even possible to accomplish?
Ever since the little villains were put into her care she was wondering who they really were. Were they what Twilight thought they were: the foalified versions of their worst enemies who would eventually become the ponies she and her friends had fought, or were they just kids? Was it possible that they were simply destined to become evil, or was it a choice? Having watched them for quite a while, Fluttershy started to believe the latter in both cases, and yet, her fear would not allow her to act according to her mere belief. So, she’d devised a plan.
Today, she would gather the little villains in a circle and ask them questions about their lives before Twilight interfered with it. Of course, she doubted that they would tell her willingly — but that’s what the cookies were for.
Her plan was to finally hear their side of the story and listen closely and attentively. Fluttershy hoped that through their story, she would manage to see their true nature. What they really were…
However, now there were even more questions in her head than before. And they all demanded an immediate answer.
“Pinkie…”
“Yes?” Pinkie Pie slowed down her advance, so Fluttershy could keep up with her.
“Erm… I have a… friend who has a friend who… erm… has a bit of a problem.”
“Oooh, you never told me about your friend’s friend!” Pinkie’s ears perked up. “Is he like your friend’s other friend? Or that friend of the other friend’s friend?”
Suddenly, she stopped bouncing, her face expression thoughtful. “Wait… If your friend’s friend knows your friend’s other friend, and that friend is a friend of that friend’s friend, then who’s the friend’s friend of the other friend? Hmm…” She narrowed her eyes. “If a friend’s friend is a friend of a friend, what does that make him? And if a friend of your friend of your other friend knows me… Would that make me your other friend’s friend of your another friend who is a friend of a friend of yours?”
“Erm…. yes.”
“Oh! This makes perfect sense now!” Pinkie resumed bouncing, feeling great after resolving another mystery. “So… what was your friend’s friend’s problem?”
Fluttershy took a deep breath. Every fiber of her body was screaming to end this monstrous torture, and just pour her soul out to Pinkie, reveal the secret, tell about the experiment, the villains, and her crazy plan. And yet, Fluttershy gathered all her strength and forced herself to lie.
“My friend… Erm, my friend’s friend has a rather… embarassing secret that he has to keep. His own dignity and the dignity of his f-... b-brother depend heavily on that secret…” Fluttershy made a long pause, to gather her thoughts together. “B-but that secret could… could be dangerous… I’m not saying it is dangerous, I just… think it might be dangerous… There’s a slight chance of them… I-I mean it… being dangerous…”
Fluttershy shook her head, trying to hide her sudden tears. She would travel to any far away land, meet any dragon no matter scary and ferocious — all of that would be better than having to lie to her friends.
Pinkie was surprisingly quiet, letting Fluttershy take her time, and not interrupting her at all.
“So… That friend’s friend feels like he’s about to… break a promise and tell this secret. He just… cannot take it anymore — it’s too hard for him to lie to everypony, especially to his best friends…” Fluttershy sighed heavily, feeling a small part of the mountain fall off her shoulders. At least now, she got to tell the truth, even if in an unclear way, and that made her feel a little better.
“Hmm, that’s a trickyfull situation.” Pinkie Pie’s bounces sped up again as she thought. Suddenly, her face started to beam with happiness. “But the answer is so simpleriffic! Your friend just needs to tell about it — to his friends first!”
She jumped a little closer to Fluttershy.
“That’s what friends are for; they listen to you and help you overcome troubles! And if your friend is in trouble, he should definitely talk to his friends! No matter how embarassing the secret is, we’re always there to help you in times of need!... I mean, your friend’s friend, not you.” Fluttershy’s heart skipped a beat at Pinkie’s correction. “But that advice extends to you too! If you ever have an embarassing secret, tell me! I’m the best secret teller in Equestria!... I mean, keeper.”
Fluttershy stiffled a chuckle. Even when giving friendly advices, Pinkie Pie always stayed Pinkie Pie, but now, her words felt as powerful and wise as if they came from Celestia herself. Fluttershy felt a warm feeling sweep all over her, so she came closer to Pinkie and gave her a tight friendly hug.
“Thank you, Pinkie. My friend’s friend will appreciate your advice,” she said softly while making an imaginary checklist of the lifemaking decisions she would make in the near future. “He will really, really appreciate it.”
“Pff, no biggie! I’m always happy to help a friend’s friend in need!” Pinkie Pie hugged her back happily, feeling her super-duper-awesome-incredibly-amazing day get even more awesome. Another pony smiling is yet another step to Pinkie Pie’s ultimate goal: to make the whole world and every single being in it beam and laugh.
Fluttershy broke the hug, smiling at her crazed yet wise friend. “So… let us go.”
“Oh, yes! You’ve got your animal party! Let’s not keep the poor critters cookieless anymore! Onward!” With quick and agile bounces, Pinkie made her way forward, while Fluttershy followed her, this time beaming like a second sun. She was finally making up her mind about this whole situation. Soon, everything would be clear — clear as the day in Ponyville.
***
Chrysalis yawned loudly, wrapping her tail around her hindlegs and shifting around a bit in an attempt to make herself comfortable. Her eyes were closing on themselves, with a crazy amount of sweat covering her entire body. Every limb was as heavy as if it was filled with lead.
It was almost like she had a fever. Only this time, she enjoyed it.
Never before had she felt so good. Chrysalis remembered feeling that way after taking her monthly dose of love back in the hive, but never before had it been so powerful. It felt like a big pond of cold water after three weeks spent in a lifeless desert.
Chrysalis yawned once more and thought about quietly leaving the yard, going back upstairs and slipping into Fluttershy’s bed, but felt too lazy to do something as complicated as walking. Besides, the bark of the tree was soft enough to use as a pillow. Though, she would definitely prefer Apple Bloom.
“Chrysalis! Chrysalis!” she heard a voice in the distance. Unbelievable — she was already slipping into dreams. Usually it would take her at least some time, but now it was instantly!
“Chrysalis! Thou evil monster, wake up already!” Chrysalis’ eyes shot open when she felt a light slap on the cheek. She saw Nightmare Moon shaking her hoof frantically.
“Oh, by the moonlight, why art thou so sweaty?! Eww!” she screeched, wrinkling her nose as if she had just touched a cockroach. Chrysalis suddenly got an urge to lick Moon’s hoof — cockroaches were delicious.
“That’s what you get for slapping me, fool.” Chrysalis grinned, rubbing her cheek. “Slapping a pony while she’s asleep — most dishonorable.”
“Bah, thou deserv’st it! Now enough chit-chat! Thou must save Sombra!”
Chrysalis yawned. “From what? The only thing that’s even remotely dangerous in this yard is the rooster. I doubt Sombra would mess with a rooster.”
“He got stuck in a hole.” Nightmare Moon pointed her hoof in the direction of a nearby tree, and Chrysalis saw Sombra’s behind sticking out of what was presumably a hole in said tree. Upon closer inspection, Chrysalis concluded it to be a squirrel’s hole or something like that.
“Huh… so that’s the hole he had in mind,” she mumbled and got up, stretching lazily.
“Come on, hurry! He looks very distressed!” Nightmare Moon looked at Sombra, who was bashing the tree with his hindlegs in a desperate attempt to pull himself out. Two fillies could also hear muffled screams, ocassionally disrupted by sobs.
“On my way.” Chrysalis was about to set out, but stopped and looked at Moonie warily. “Wait, why didn’t you help him? You’ve got magic and wings — care to use them?”
“I cannot! ‘Tis the sunlight!” Nightmare Moon angrily pointed at the glowing ball of gas in the sky while keeping her face in the shade of her hood. “‘Tis hazardous to me, hence the outfit.”
“Ooh, so the rapper hoodie’s not for show? Huh… that explains a lot,” Chrysalis mused. “Well, then, time to save Sombra from a ‘hole’ lot of trouble!”
Nightmare Moon put her tongue out in disgust over such a horrendous attempt at a joke, but something else bothered her way more
Why didn’t you help him? Those words made her feel helpless, useless. Chrysalis was right: she had both wings and a horn and yet she couldn’t use them — not during the day at least! However, the day was when she was needed the most — and she was useless!
Nightmare Moon’s mood worsened significantly. Just in the morning, she thought she made peace with her worst enemy, and now, that ex-enemy reminded her of her most fatal weakness. Unintentionally, maybe, but it still hurt a lot.
It took Moon a few minutes to notice that her mouth was still open and her tongue was still out. Ashamed, she closed her mouth, blushing as if the animals surrounding the yard would start laughing at her. She swept away the saliva on her lips and took a deep breath. There was no point in getting sad; that wouldn’t help anypony. However, if she were to inquire of Fluttershy about possible ways to change the situation...
Then maybe she would find a way to be a full member of their little society! The idea was so great Nightmare Moon almost let the emotions take over, but before she could start hopping in place, she swiped a little sweat from her brow and trotted towards the tree where Sombra was stuck. Overreaction was not befitting of a lady like her, and also, it would seem weird to cheer when somepony, especially Sombra, was in trouble.
“Hey, squirrel pony! You feeling alright?” Chrysalis knocked on the tree, trying to get Sombra’s attention. It clearly worked, since Sombra started waving his legs more frantically than before.
“What? What? I can’t hear you!” The muffled shouts were barely understandable, and Chrysalis looked at Moon for moral support and/or a possible translation. Nightmare just shrugged. “Okay then… I guess you’re not feeling alright. Hold on, I’ll get you out of there.”
A loud buzz resonated through the air when Chrysalis took off. With the beauty and grace of a huge bug, she approached the helpless foal, who continued to desperately hammer the tree with his hindlegs.
“If you stop that just for a second, I can get your butt out of this mess!” Chrysalis shouted, hoping it would reach Sombra’s ears. In reply, she heard a couple of muffled sounds and his legs finally stopped maltreating the tree. Inhaling deeply, Chrysalis grabbed Sombra by the waist and pulled, buzzing her wings wildly in order to gain some kind of momentum.
“Come o-ooon! Pull your belly in or something!” Chrysalis’ sweat and Sombra’s body covered in water made it extremely hard for her to keep a good grip. “Come o-”
Her complaints were cut short when Sombra finally flew out of the hole like a cork out of a bottle. Flung back by the sudden loss of a counter-force, both ponies did at least a few somersaults in the air before hitting the ground.
“I’m… I can see again!” Sombra opened his eyes and exclaimed, after making sure the delicious feeling of his eyes being bit by the sunlight affected him once more. “You saved my life, Chryssie! You saved me!”
Before Chrysalis could say anything in reply, Sombra hugged her so tightly it made the poor changeling’s chitin squeak. “Thank you so very much!”
“Y-yeah… you’re welcome… Could you please get off of me now? I-I had enough of hugs for today…”
Sombra let her go and they both got up. Chrysalis looked at herself and couldn’t help but feel rather disgusted; being covered in sweat and water really made her feel rather uncomfortable. It felt as if she was covered in a thick layer of crust that impeded her movement. That and the smell wasn’t too good.
“Urgh… yuck… Your curiosity will be your doom one day, I swear it.” She looked around for anything to wash away the grime with. After spotting a small bucket of water, she quickly trotted off in its direction.
“Thou hast worried me, Sombra. Thou couldest have been in real danger.” Nightmare Moon walked up to Sombra looking at him with concern. “Thou couldest have been hurt.”
“I could have… But Chryssie saved me! I told you she would change!” Sombra stretched out and shook his entire body, from tip of the horn to the tip of the tail. He’d picked up this little trick from his new animal friend, the fox, helping him get dry quickly and efficiently… even if a bit messy.
“Eww,” Moon said tonelessly, looking at her splattered hoodie. “Thou couldest have warned me, at least.”
“Sorry.” Feeling clean and happy, Sombra turned around and looked upon the tree where he’d been so unfortunately stuck. It felt a little disheartening to feel that he never got to see how a squirrel’s house looked like. Everything was left to his imagination.
“I wonder when Fluttershy will return. Seclusion and solitude are nice things, but we require her presense.” Nightmare Moon looked into the distance, eeping as a little bit of sunlight managed to bite her cheek. “I shall head indoors. Once thou and Chrysalis are done cleaning yourselves, I recommend you join me.” She hastily retreated into the cottage.
Sombra wanted to head over to Chrysalis at first, but something made him head to the fence and look over it. Maybe he was a seer, or maybe he just got lucky, but he noticed Fluttershy and a strange pink pony walking down the narrow road. The pink pony was partially coated with dust she had raised by hopping around, and there was a large basket on her head.
Sombra leaned a little bit closer, hoping to catch at least a glimpse of their conversation. A new pony meant something exciting — possibly a new friend! The orange pony was very nice and this pink pony looked nice too. Especially her mane. The instant Sombra saw her mane, he started drooling profusely. It looked like candy — delicious, sugary, pink candy.
After some brief words, Fluttershy and the pink pony exchanged hugs, and the pink one left, leaving the basket to Fluttershy, who took it and quickly trotted to the front door and entered. With the speed of lightning, Sombra dashed away from the fence and hurried inside, eager to see his beloved mommy.
“Mom!” he exclaimed happily, upon seeing her locking the door behind her.
“Oh, hello, Sombra. I hope you had great time while I was away. Where are th-”
“Who was that pink pony? Why does her mane look like a candy? And what’s in that basket?” Sombra approached the basket, sniffing it carefully. The warm, sugary scent filled his nostrils, making the foal shudder.
“I will gladly tell you… later. Right now, I’d like to gather all of you and play a very interesting game.” Fluttershy picked the basket up and put it on the nearby cupboard. “Where are Chrysalis and Moonie?”
As if on cue, Nightmare Moon leaned over the couch. “I am right here. Thy promises of interesting games have intriguied me greatly. Wouldest thou be so kind to elaborate?”
“Moonie, it’s not polite to eavesdrop.” Fluttershy smiled, picking the basket back up and carrying it to the kitchen.
“Is it? Excuse me in that case.” Nightmare Moon climbed on the couch and made herself comfortable. “So, wilt thou elaborate?”
“Of course I will, I just want you all to hear it. Where’s Chrysalis, by th-”
Her sentence was cut short by the most horrifying scream of all time. It resonated through the air, piercing eardrums like a long sharp nail. Fluttershy’s face distorted in fear and worry; she just couldn’t fathom what made such a scary sound. As seconds passed and the pain resonating in her ears abated, she opened her eyes and looked around, afraid to say a thing.
“Was that… Chrysalis?”
***
“I swear, this is the last time I am ever using water!” Chrysalis finished her rant with a loud sneeze. Fluttershy hastily approached her and carefully cleaned her nose with a hoofkerchief.
“Thy body consists of eighty percent water. Does that mean thou hatest eighty percent of thyself?” Nightmare Moon stiffled a chuckle, while Chrysalis glared daggers at her.
“Ha-ha, very funny, smartbutt,” Chrysalis hissed at Moonie, baring her fangs. “I wonder how you would feel if I splashed your face with water this cold! Probably cry like a little ba- achoo!”
“You poor little thing.” Fluttershy cleaned the changeling’s nose once more and this time let her keep the handkerchief. “Are you feeling okay? Maybe you should go to bed and rest for a while.”
“Nah, I’m good,” Chrysalis asserted with a stern look on her face. Fluttershy sat down by her side and leaned closer, wanting to share some of her warmth with the little changeling.
Sitting on the floor was probably not the best decision, especially with Chrysalis’ nose running this badly, but Fluttershy tried her hardest to create an atmosphere that was friendly, and she figured sitting around a campfire was quite friendly. So, the basket filled with cookies became a campfire, the middle of the guest room became the Everfree and they became the wanderers. At least that was what Fluttershy was going for. She even put out the candles to make it feel like a real forest — an unthinkable deed for her. Good thing it was still the middle of the day.
“I feel like I’m on a camping trip. Brings back some good ol’ memories.” Chrysalis looked at her surroundings. “I and… Okay, it was actually just me.”
“Why? Why were you alone?” Sombra leaned closer to the basket, inching closer to his ultimate target: the cookies.
“All other lings in my hive never felt like hanging out. It was boring as heck.”
“Dost thou mean ‘changelings’ or whatever species thou belong’st to?” Nightmare Moon smiled suavely at Chrysalis, who immediately perked up.
“Hey, I don’t go around pointing out races! I mean, who are you supposed to be? Pegasus? Unicorn? Pegacorn? Unigus?” She tapped her chin. “Wow, that sounds dumb.”
“Wa- How rude! I am an alicorn — I possess both wings and a horn! ‘Tis an inborn gift!”
“Uh-huh, sure. Inborn gift of being dumb!” Chrysalis chuckled, and Nightmare Moon was about to lunge at her when Fluttershy intervened.
“Kids, please, don’t quarrel. Don’t ruin each other’s mood; it’s such a good day. Please, let it stay that way.” She sat between the two fillies, hoping it would ease up the tention.
Moon and Chrysalis both murmured something and turned quiet. Fluttershy kept silent for a moment, waiting for atmosphere to ease up, and finally started talking.
“I have gathered you here for a very specific reason. Despite the fact that we had been living together for quite some time, um, we still don’t know much about each other. Am I correct?” The three nodded in unison and Fluttershy continued. “So, I decided that we should play a little game: we sit in a circle — like now — and take turns telling stories about ourselves. For each told story, you get a cookie from the basket!” While Fluttershy looked happy, inside she was incredibly scared. What if they’d refuse? What if they got offended by it, even? What if she’d find out something she did not want to know?
“Wow, this has to be the lamest camping trip ever! How bad can it get when the only thing you can do around a camp fire is talk?... It’s just like every camping trip I had!” Chrysalis curled up, covering her head.
“Come on, Chrysalis. Don’t you want to find out more about me? Or Fluttershy? Or tell us more about yourself?” Sombra inched closer to her and poked her to the side. “Please, Chryssie. I’ll save an extra cookie for you!”
The ball of changeling unrolled and Chrysalis showed herself once again. “I’m doing this for the cookies,” she groused.
Fluttershy patted her head lovingly and clapped her hooves a few times to get their attention. “Alright, everypony, let me begin.” She felt a chill run down her spine when the dead silence settled in the room. However, she mercilessly beat down the fear of silence and the fear of her own voice, took a deep breath and began, recalling the sweetest memory of her childhood.