//------------------------------//
// Evil Twilight Good Chrysalis 6 by Europa (Story) 
// Story: Tainted Love: A Twysalis Prompt Tag Collab 
// by Foals Errand 
//------------------------------//

by Europa

There were tears in her eyes as she slowly walked up the aisle, the clip-clop of her hooves loud in her ears. Changelings from all over the hive stood in to the side, up the walls as well. There must've been thousands. From the sidelines her wife, Twilight Sparkle, looked at her sadly. Chrysalis herself was cocooned with ornamental robes and her mane had been done up in a bun, instead of letting it hang loose like she usually preferred.

First was a sweeping green gown fastened around her thorax with a gemstone - opal - clasp, intricately woven with patterns that depicted changelings marching down her back, engulfing themselves in flame partway down, and various ponies trotting and soaring down the last part of her gown as it swept past her tail. Her wings were tucked away beneath her turquoise shell which, like the rest of her exoskeleton, had been cleaned, polished, and waxed to perfectly reflect light, her fangs sharpened to a point.

Second was the ornamental Princess Crown that she almost never wore, designed to fit around the natural crown growing from her head. The band of obsidian - enchanted for toughness - went around her head and rested just behind her horn. There was a series of spikes along it, short and dull in the back, coming up to one tall spike that mimicked her horn's curves just behind the real thing. 

Lastly were the rings around each of her legs, golden bracelets that adhered to her chitin, with a brilliant orange inlay.

Chrysalis continued up the aisle, to where the Hive Speaker stood. He was a tall changeling. Not as tall as her, but a good head over the rest of his fellows. His horn gently glowed with orange light as she approached.

Soon, Princess Chrysalis felt her mouth moving, words and oaths coming out. She was aware of the eyes on her form, of the tears in her own eyes as they remained on the Hive Speaker. She had the impression that he too was speaking, asking questions of her faith to the Unified Changeling Swarm and to their culture, their ways, and she felt she was answering. Chrysalis wasn't sure. After all, her mother was dead, how could she focus on something like this? It had taken everyling by surprise; Queen Thorax was so strong, healthy. To suddenly be felled by something as unglorifying as a heart attack...

Finally, "Then do you, Princess Chrysalis the Green, swear to lead the Unified Changeling Swarm into prosperity, glory, to rule with righteousness and mercy over your subjects, to change your face but never your soul, from now until you die?"

"I so swear," she returned, bowing with closed eyes.

She felt him give a little smile, and his orange magic intensified. She felt the crown on her head being lifted and set to the ground. Chrysalis fought the urge to open her eyes and appear power hungry; she knew what was down there at any rate. She knew what it would look like; the crown she would wear from now on. It was similar to that she had worn, but was made of polished smoky quartz instead of obsidian, and the spikes were all the same length, all of them were imitations of her horn. Little spokes went together to hold a diamond in the center.

The Hive Speaker lifted the crown over her head and set it down, resting it behind her horn as the diamond settled right inside the towers of her natural crown. "Then rise and take your rightful place in the hive." She stood and opened her eyes, turning around to face the assembled changelings. She scanned her gaze over them, resting a moment longer on Twilight's beaming face. Slowly, as if a wave washed out from her, everyling lit up their horns with orange light, Twilight with magenta.

Then Chrysalis fired up her own magic, brilliant emerald. Slowly, everyling's magic flickered, shuddered, and was overtaken by the same tint, until not a trace of the former color remained. The rings around her legs had the orange bands in them transition smoothly to green. Then, one by one, the changelings began to bow, resting their forelegs on the floor - or wall if that's where they were - and lowering their heads, wings spread out. Twilight gave her a reassuring grin, then did the same. It was a formality, of course, but the smile helped steady her nerves. Whatever else would come, she could be sure that Twilight Sparkle would be there to support her. She blinked tears of joy from her eyes.

"Take your place, Queen Chrysalis the Green."


THE END