Tainted Love: A Twysalis Prompt Tag Collab

by Foals Errand

Hats by Cytotoxin

by Cytotoxin

"...Hats." - Twilight repeated slowly, - "You want... hats?" The being in front of her squirmed under the inquisitive glare. Stepped from one perforated hoof to the other. Batted her eyelashes cutely. Tried to say something but then suffered a critical anxiety attack and hid her head under the transparent wing. "...Alright, enough with the Fluttershy routine. I admit, you're getting good at it, but I still remember what you are." - proffered mare uneasily, - "Why hats?" Chrysalis just redoubled her efforts to look cute and abashed.

"I want to be pretty." - she offered finally, looking away. That was not exactly what Twilight expected to hear. As per terms of agreement, Chrysalis have had been placed under a geas that made it impossible for her to lie or withhold information from Twilight, so she knew that answer given was genuinely believed in. It just... didn't match what she expected to hear.

"Pretty? Why?" - she regretted the question as soon as it escaped her mouth, stumbling over the words to amend it - "I mean, why do you think it's hat you need to be pretty?" There, much better. She could see the initial question sent thunderclouds across Chrysalis' mood... Thankfully, by now, changeling queen was familiar enough with the oddities of one Twilight Sparkle to know there was no malice in the awkwardly posed question.

"Any mare wants to be pretty." - she answer was simple and quick. And incomplete. Twilight knew it and Chrysalis knew it as well. What's more important, geas "knew" as well too. A second later, and wincing as from a toothache, Chrysalis added quickly - "I met... somepony. I want to look pretty for them." It was clear it's not all of it, but it was also clear that's all the spell would force out. Twilight had to include some limitations to protect privacy - it would be just flat-out inequine to put a geas like this otherwise.

Pausing to collect her thoughts, Twilight ventured - "Still... why hat? You can take any form you wish. You can literally become that stallion's dream mare. So why do you suddenly need a hat?" If Chrysalis was looking evasive before, now she became downright desperate-looking.

"No. I can't." - she finally gritted out, sweating. It was weird to see. Until now, Twilight wasn't even aware changelings could sweat. They likely couldn't, and what she was seeing was just Chrysalis' masking ability doing it's best to reflect the current perturbed mood of it's owner. She simply waited, confident that this time her spell would wring out more out of Chrysalis. She was right. Changeling finally hissed out - "I do not want to deceive her."

Her. How strange. How... wait. No. Nonononono! Not Stackhome syndrome. Please, not it. Anything but it. "So... a her, is it?" - she quipped, voice suddenly hoarse and alien even to herself - "And you don't want to deceive her. Or maybe unable to?" She could see her suggestion hit the home dead-on. Chrysalis jerked and even whimpered a little as she was forced to nod. That was as good of an admission as she could get. What do, Sparkle, what do?

Dimly, she recalled what she could about Stackhome syndrome. Under no condition, it said, should she attempt to dissuade the crush directly. Therapy, yes, working things out, yes. Direct denial? No. That tended to... cause problems. Play along? That could work. For a while. She'd have to get Chrysalis some help. But for now, she needed to defuse the situation somehow. Some... how. Vaguely, she heard someone proffer - "Well, if you'd ask me, you don`t need a hat. You look fine as you are. But, hey... If you want it, then why not?" With a dull surprise, she realized it was her own voice. Saying the right thing, she could tell, if Chrysalis perking up was of any indication.

"Oh, Celestia, what have I done? This is a right mess, that's what it is!" - Twilight moaned mentally, following Chrysalis out of the door. At least the changeling queen was in high spirits now. She preferred not to think what would come later.

Comments

[cvvvrt]

a geas that made it impossible for her to lie or withhold information

Trust is the basis for any kind of relationship (platonic or otherwise). It goes both ways. This is a declaration that Chrysalis cannot be trusted, and she would not trust in return. I can't believe she would ever agree to it, save under duress. This and the resentment such an arrangement produces would prevent any kind of romance, and their interaction isn't traumatic enough to cause Stockholm syndrome.

[Cross Lament]

7082560 It could have been a gesture of trust on Chrysalis' part, to be placed under the geas. A sort-of "I'm willing to go so far as this to make amends" thing? But you're right about how trust has to work, in the end.

[Cytotoxin]

7082560
The idea is that Chrysalis have had been placed under Twilight`s supervision as a political prisoner. I mean, you don`t exactly let ponies who staged an invasion on your capitol to run free, no?

[Quill Copy]

This was really dark and utterly brilliant, I think I have found my favorite story thus far.

[Snowdrifter]

I like this, because hat.