//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4: Conversations 
// Story: [Archived] Scales and Carapaces 
// by ProjectZerro 
//------------------------------//

	Dear Twily

Sorry for taking so long in answering your letter, I bet you freaked out huh? Anyway I’m doing fine, tell all the girls that I ‘m fine. Just fine.

I get a little homesick at times but what drake wouldn’t?

Anyway I’ll probably have something special for you in the days to come, look forward to it.

With lots of brotherly love and long distant hugs,

Spike the Traveling Drake.	

“A letter to someone?” The sudden voice nearly scared the scales off of Spike’s back. He turned at saw Chrysalis sitting up and somewhat awake.

“Yeah I thought I’d let Twilight know I’m okay. And no I didn’t include you in the letter.” Spike stated preemptively before blowing fire at the note making it turn into a green ash and fly away.

Chrysalis huffed and fixed her mane, “What happens today Sir Spike?” Ugh.

“Well we could continue camping, I could back track about a week to the town just south of here. I’ll let you pick.” Spike dug into his pack and noticed he was running low on food, he had expected to be home by tomorrow after all.

“Camping sounds good, the last thing I need is general panic in my direction…speaking of panic, you’re very good about finding these places we can sleep without danger…” Chrysalis shot him a questioning glance.

“You noticed huh? Well I have a little help finding places to rest, he’s no were nearby though, he’s probably scouting in the opposite direction we headed yesterday.” Spike handed Chrysalis a sandwich and popped a gem or two in his mouth.

“I hope to meet this ‘helper’ someday.” Chrysalis ate the sandwich in delicious peace as Spike nodded and stood up.


“Well how about a different kind of snack to help your progress?” Spike walked over to her and kneeled down in front of her.

“More happiness and love? How could I say no? But are you certain you are doing fine? I refuse to allow you to die because you’re feeding me.” Chrysalis had an oddly attached tone to her voice.

“I’ve been told I have a very big heart.” He waited for her to finish her food and picked her up, she half expected him to sit down. Instead he began walking towards a clearing of sorts.

“What are you-,”

“I reek, unless you haven’t noticed.” Spike said matter-of-factly.

Chrysalis blinked and against her better judgment, took a quick sniff. She wished she hadn’t.

Now he wasn’t smelly, not in a disgusting sort of smell, but it was a muscular musk that could drive any female to insanity. Luckily Chrysalis had some years under her perverbal belt, so she could deal with it to some extent. But Faust was it hard not to swoon under the scent, it had everything to do with breeding and nothing to do with Spike. Okay maybe just a little. But now Chrysalis was painfully aware that Spike’s muscular arms held her close and tenderly, as if he was carrying precious cargo. His expected sharp claws were more smooth and kind than she expected. The fire in his chest heated her up even more than she already was.

If he’s doing this on purpose I’ll fry his spines and turn his tail inside out! Chrysalis shouted in her mind to no one in particular.

She looked towards where Spike was walking and saw a waterfall and lake that led to seemingly nowhere.

“This should do huh?” Spike put her down and looked around, he smiled and looked at her, “Just wait here.”

“Why do I have to-,” Before her sentence was complete Spike had walked over to a rather large rock and lifted it out of the ground with little difficulty and walked over to the lake. He dropped the rock some ways into the water and returned to Chrysalis, “I’ll bathe deeper in, and you can bathe here.”

Chrysalis just blinked at the young drake’s feat of strength, while not all too impressive, he did it with very little effort. “V-very well…”



	

Spike was swimming around near the water fall, the water wasn’t very cold so her figured he could work out a bit and clean up. Chrysalis wished she could be just as carefree, she had removed all of her clothes and was well hidden behind the rock. But she had caught sight of Spike’s clothes as she began to ring out her hair a moment ago. He had taken off everything. Now the water felt much hotter than before.

She shook herself out of her thoughts and washed her body once more for the sake of wasting time. She had washed three times by now, hoping Spike would finish fist so she wouldn’t run the chance of being seen naked. A kind and draconic voice then called out to her.

“How’s the water? Are you cleaned up?” Spike called from somewhere behind the rock.

“Y-yes, well somewhat I um… need to dry off, that’s all.” Chrysalis prayed the fates were in her favor. They were.

“Okay I’m going to swim around for a bit, the water feels too good to leave yet.” Spike shouted back before a splashing sound was made, Chrysalis assumed her jumped back into the water.

Chrysalis grabbed a towel Spike had lent her, she could tell it was his, and climbed out of the water slowly. Her legs only giving her enough support to waddle for a moment. She sat on a smooth rock and dried herself off, being sure to watch her surroundings. She looked at the ragged dress she had been wearing the whole time, it was torn, ripped, weathered and was the only thing she had been wearing. She looked at the rags that Spike had given her and her horn sparked a bit, causing a mix of the two and creating some undergarments from when was left, she made basic lingerie and a long sleeved hooded dress that would hover just over her hooves. “Perfect, seems I’m getting much better.” She slipped on her new clothes and grabbed her wheelchair, pulling herself onto it. She rolled herself to Spike’s pack, which he had gone and gotten before bathing, and just waited next to it.

After a short time the sound of splashing water told her that Spike was coming out of the lake. The drake returned a short while later, without his shirt.

The sunlight shimmered off his scaled, his muscles in clear view of Chrysalis’s line of sight. A sound of disappointment came when Spike put on a shirt, covering her heav-

Hold on one moment! I am not some tail chasing mare, I am…was a queen…I can’t seem to care anymore…	

Chrysalis hung her head a bit and Spike took notice, “Chrysalis? Is something wrong?”

“N-no, I just…I really needed this Sir Spike.” I’ll let that one slide. “I really needed this, it’s been so long since I’ve moved so much…”

She made a sound similar to ‘Eep’ when Spike suddenly pulled her out of the wheelchair and sat down on next to his bag. Resuming an old position with Chrysalis sitting in his lap, an arm around her back, minding her wings, and a smile on his face. “Well then, better get to it huh?”

Chrysalis blinked, thought and then smiled, “I suppose your right.”



	

“Back to your room, now princess.” Blue said heavily as Twilight continued to come up with reason after reason why she should be working and not resting. Which Blue countered with, ‘We can handle that’ or ‘That’s not till next week’ and the odd ‘That’s not even possible.’ Twilight was restless after Sky had basically confined her to her own room, she tired talking to the guards but they said Blue had spoken to Celestia via magic mirror, she agreed with Blue.

She had however managed to leave her room when the guards weren’t looking, only to be caught by Blue. “I can’t just sit in my room! I have responsibilities.”

“So do I, if I let you tire yourself out I’ll be to blame, did you have another nightmare?”

“Not since the last one no, can I please do something? Paperwork? Research? Some cataclysm that I must prevent?” Blue sighed and rubbed the rim above his muzzle.

“Fine you want something to do?” Twilight’s eyes brightened, “You can leave the castle and get some fresh air, walk around, see your friends, I hear Ms. Rarity been asking you over for tea, I suggest you go.”

Twilight thought back to any conversation she had with Rarity, she had promised to have tea with her soon. “Fine, I’ll just go do that.”

“If I catch you researching something-,”

“I won’t, jeez you sound more like Spike every…day…” she suddenly quieted down. Blue placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her.

“Go, leave the work for today to us.” She nodded and took flight toward the Boutique in Ponyville.



	

The alabaster unicorn was looking over a few dress designs and walking aimlessly throughout her house. She was dressed in skinny jeans and a red blouse, her hair held its familiar bounce and her eyes still shone with beauty. A knock on her door escaped her ears, but after a moment the knocks and a voice broke her from her world. “Rarity? Are you there?” A soft and friendly voice called out, Rarity remembered it immediately and put away her work and answered her door.

“Hello darling! To what do I owe this…rather unexpected but still pleasant surprise?” Rarity stood to the side and gave Twilight a friendly smile as she walked in.

“I was kind of…kicked out of the castle, Blue is worried I’m over working myself…I’ll be honest, I think I need a break as well.” She sighed and sat on Rarity’s couch, messily sitting on her royal dress, not that she cared at the moment.

“Whatever could be wrong? Are you being hounded by money-blind nobles again?” Rarity took a seat next to Twilight and listened to her carefully.

“No I just…the other night I had a terrible nightmare, it was about Spike. He was hurt, bad, and there was no one there to help him. He called out for help, his voice kept getting quieter, and the last name he called out, was mine…” Twilight sighed and looked at Rarity with a subtle fear in her eyes. “It frightens me to think that Spike could be hurt somewhere and I…won’t be there to save him.”

“…I know how you feel darling…Fluttershy and I both experienced similar dreams…” Twilight’s fear turned into pure shock.

“Really?”

“Now, now, the dreams we had were much different, in mine Spike was…angry at me, yelling at me for forsaking him…Fluttershy’s was about Spike turning into a ferocious and terrible beast,” Rarity smiled and held Twilight’s hands, “While not all that similar I can understand why we’re having these nightmares…”

“…we miss Spike…” Twilight’s cheeks redden just a bit.

“He’s been with us for so long, it only makes sense that we’d feel this way.” Rarity stood up and walked towards her kitchen, “Now how about we stop this talk of nightmares and have a nice chat over tea?”

Twilight smiled peacefully, “I’d like, huh?”

A wisp of sparkling green ash flew through the boutique’s open window and turned into a letter before Twilight, she nearly pounced on the letter, opening it and proceeding to read it to herself.

Rarity quickly made her way over, “That is from Spikey isn’t it?”

“…I feel so silly…” Twilight giggled and handed the letter to Rarity, “He’s doing fine…just fine.”

Rarity read the letter and smiled, “See? Nightmares are just that nightmares.” She handed the letter back to Twilight and turned to go back to the kitchen. “Now for that tea!”



	

“Chrysalis? Hello?” Spike called to the slumbering beauty in his lap. “Jeez, you could have told me you were sleepy, you gotta wake up.”

Chrysalis shifted in his lap and lazily opened her eyes, she looked at Spike and a hue of red over took her face. In a single motion she jumped from his lap to the wheelchair, staring straight ahead. “I-I’m sorry I didn’t realize I was s-still tired…”

Spike laughed and stood up, “No harm done, we just need to get moving. So? How’s you magic doing?”

“I could probably change my skin to a colored fur now and cover the holes, I can change my eyes at will so that’s not an issue. My mane and tail will be the easiest parts, should I go ahead and give it a shot?”

Spike nodded and stood back a bit.

“Okay…” Chrysalis closed her eyes and her body began to shine brightly. The light blinded Spike for a moment but when it dimmed down Spike looked upon Chrysalis and a wide smile built on his face.

Chrysalis’s jet-black skin was now a vibrant dark purple coat, her jagged horn was much shorted and resembled a normal unicorn’s. Her fangs were missing and there were no holes in her arms. She was missing her wings from where Spike could see. She opened her eyes and flashed a playful smiled at Spike, her green mane and tail were now a bright teal, “What do you think?” The echo in her voice was gone now and her eyes flashed magenta as she spoke.

“I’m speechless, honestly I am.” Spike gave her a toothy grin and Chrysalis immediately pulled up her hood. “I kinda prefer your true form but this works too.” Spike continued to push her embarrassment as he chuckled to himself.

“I detest you…” Chrysalis growled from under the hood. She looked at her hands and played with the coat a bit. “I can keep this spell up as long as needed, it doesn’t take too much to maintain it, but it does take a bit to cast.”

Spike nodded and walked to his bag, he pulled it on his back and grabbed the wheelchair, “Well that’s a load off my back…now comes the tough part…”

“What do you mean?” Chrysalis let the hood slip and looked at Spike.

“I don’t want to force anything on you but…I have to head back home, to my home, to Ponyville.”

Chrysalis’s eyes showed a tingle of betrayal before her gaze turned sorrowful, “I see…well I suppose-,”

“I’m not giving up on you.”

She couldn’t have turned any faster if she tried. Chrysalis turned completely around on the wheelchair and looked Spike in the eyes. “But why would you…”

“I’m not turning you in…I want to keep helping you…I have to keep helping you.” Spike looked her in the eyes right back, “I’m the only one you have right?”

Chrysalis felt like she was much smaller than she really was, she blinked over and over trying to understand the drake’s reasoning. “……I have nothing left…”

Spike placed his clawed hand softly on her cheek and smiled, “Not anymore.” Chrysalis instinctively dug her cheek into his hand. She wanted to yell and shout that she didn’t need his pity, but she had lost so much…it was happening so quickly. She looked at him once more and opened her mouth to speak but only air came out.

She swallowed hard, “Take me there…”

To be continued…