Rise of the Wholesome

by Masterweaver

Changing Points of View

"Listen to those who are wrong, so that you can know why they think they're right."

"Look, if ya'll're gonna help out on tha farm, Ah'd 'preciate it if ya stayed away from Bloom."

Chrysalis didn't frown, her time as a performer had taught her to keep her emotions hidden, but she did quirk an eyebrow. "Of course. Though... might I ask why?"

Applejack glowered at her. "Well gee, Ah don't know, maybe it's cause Ah think ya might corrupt her poor lil' mind with yer immoral ways?"

"And which ways are those?"

"Which--ya have orgies twice a month! And ya're willin' ta tell people bout yer..." The farmgirl gesticulated, her face turning pink.

"...Okay, seriously, they are not orgies. They are communal pleasure and support sessions." Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "And we do a lot more than that anyway." She turned to her children. "Why do people always think we're an orgy club?"

"You're an ex-pornstar," Thorax offered. "So, you know, associations and all that."

"I did that to pay my way through college. However!" She held up a hand to forestall Applejack's objection. "I can agree that miss Bloom is not ready to learn about that particular aspect of life. I'm sure she'd disagree, being a curious young lady, but as she has no need for physical pleasures, I see no reason to tease her with the knowledge of them."

Applejack huffed, but gave her a reluctant nod. "Ah guess that's as much as Ah can expect from ya'll. Come on, let's get ta gathering."

The gathered multitude spread out among the orchard, ladders and baskets carried every which way as they went. Chrysalis nodded in approval, taking her own ladder and propping it up to the closest tree.

"Now wait--wait just a cotton-pickin'--!"

"Do relax, miss Applejack." Chrysalis plucked an apple from a branch, examining it carefully before dropping it into a basket marked with green bands. "I am in perfect communion with many of my children. Any instructions you have for them, you can give to me."

The farm mare frowned, turning on her. "Is that why so many o' them have the same colors as ya?"

"No, actually. Dear Spinnerette found a way to manipulate her own chromelanin, and of course shared it with the rest of us." This next apple was half eaten, half rotten; into the red banded basket it went. "I'll admit, my children wear my colors to honor me, but I do not demand it of them."

Applejack paused, considering her words. She glanced about--a little too casually, in Chrysalis's opinion, but she was no actor, and a teen besides. "...Manipulate... chromelanin, ya say."

"Yes." The grand Mother peered at her, noting her unusually pale skin, and decided to take a gamble. "I'm not sure if it could be used to restore chromelanin, mind. It is a very recent bit of magic. But should you know anyone willing to... experiment..."

It was brief--probably less then a second--but she noticed the teenager glancing down at her peach-colored arms. Still, she shook herself and regained her composure quickly. "Ah ain't goin' ta join yer orgy cult just ta look normal."

"Oh, of course not. I wouldn't dream of suggesting it."

"Really? Ya dangle that fruit in front of me and expect me ta believe that?"

Chrysalis smiled down at her. "Well, certainly. After all, the Wholesome is all about completion of the self. And you, miss Applejack, are very complete."

"...what's that supposed ta mean?"

"Simply that you have found most of what you need already." A black hand gestured across the farm. "You have your purpose, you have your friends, you have your family. You might want for, oh, excitement, but somehow I expect your close ties to miss Shimmer will provide. You may, one day, want for a spouse, or children... but you do not want that now, and I doubt you would take what I offered. What little doubt and need you have, what little holes fill your heart, they are easily filled and mar you not one bit."

Applejack quirked an eyebrow in confusion. "Uh... thanks. Ah think..."

"Of course, just because I don't see the need to invite you doesn't mean I don't have the wish to help you," Chrysalis continued. "After all, it was an urge to help others that led me to found the Wholesome. That and... well. Suffice it to say that if you ever should need anything that I can provide, I'd be quite willing to give it to you."

"Uh-huh. So if'n Ah asked ya for a mansion--"

"That is a want. Not a need. At least, not in your case."

"Riiiiiiiiight." Applejack rolled her eyes. "And what would ya say Ah need, then?"

"You in particular? Hmm." Chrysalis held an apple up, examining it carefully. "You need... openness, actually. I'm not saying you're in any way prejudiced, but when you come across something strange, something that doesn't fit into your worldview, I think you try to push it out to arm's length."

The cowgirl scoffed. "That ain't true!"

"Oh? Who was it, then, who assumed I would fill Apple Bloom's ears with lascivious whispers?"

"Well, that--"

"And while I don't pay attention to high school politics that much, I did hear that you were grumbling over Twilight's 'false Crystal Prep gal pal' during one of your friendly get-togethers."

"How the hell did you--?!"

"Come to think of it, what was your first reaction to the world changing? Was it, in fact, acceptance?" Chrysalis glanced sidelong at her. "Or did you demand answers from miss Shimmer when you saw her next?"

Applejack was silent.

"...Fear of the unknown is intrinsic to humanity." The grand Mother dropped the apple she was holding. "That's why we have science. To make things known. To look at the void in our knowledge and wrestle it to the ground. To explore and define the shadows. What you feel isn't wrong, Applejack. How you react, perhaps... but even then, it's understandable."

"...Ah ain't going ta join yer... Wholesome."

Chrysalis smiled faintly. "I'm quite sure you never will."

Comments

[Malandy]

Woah! Chrysalis is smart! Well, she's got a doctorate and she's a professor as mentioned on the story page... How old is she, exactly? No one's acting like she's significantly older than them... From Group Precipitation, she's a contemporary of Luna and Celestia... Did she go to Camp Everfree too??

Is she a teacher somewhere? Don't you have to do research and/or teach, right?

Chrysalis could have avoided the long chatter if she just went "I'm just offering to restore your Chromelain, no strings attached." ... Or is being a member a spell requirement? Doesn't seem to be.

Hmm... Which member of the EQG Crew next? We've got Sunset, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack down. I wonder what Chrysalis has to say to Rainbow Dash?? Rarity, I can see as talking about color schemes with the new coloring, or something, Fluttershy for empathy and emotion-stuff... Twilight about the magic stuff in general... But what does Rainbow Dash have to relate to Chrysalis??

Talk with Discord? ... Deities Anonymous scene is gonna be here as well, I assume...

[QueenMoriarty]

Very cunning.

[Razzy]

Nice psychoanalysis on the go.

I wonder when is she going to discover that she can change shape.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Yeah, I could see some friction between Applejack and Sugarcoat, assuming that's who Chrysalis had in mind. Nothing rankles quite like someone almost, but not quite like you. And AJ could definitely stand to open her mind more often.

That said, I do wonder why Chryssy's even here, scouting out Sunset's friends. Curious. Most curious.

[Ri2]

And once more, I feel justified thinking of Applejack as worst pony. Go Chrysalis!

[PresentPerfect]

Okay, but AJ not being the same color as her pony counterpart making her essentially an albino in this world... That's fascinating. Good use of setting!

[Clear Tactic]

"--and so you seek completion in each other, helping everyone in your group where they need help and providing help where you can," Pinkie rattled off casually. "And sex is only a part of that, yeah, you've told me. Seriously though, I don't know why you call yourselves the Wholesome when you have regular orgies."

On one hand, I suppose it's a good thing the local changeling population is already onboard with the whole 'sharing their love with each other' thing no matter how they choose to do it. On the other hand, I seem to recall a quote on a magic card about finding completion in numbers...

"No, actually. Dear Spinnerette found a way to manipulate her own chromelanin, and of course shared it with the rest of us." This next apple was half eaten, half rotten; into the red banded basket it went. "I'll admit, my children wear my colors to honor me, but I do not demand it of them."

That settles it. Wholesome are sliver people. Best not to let them reach critical mass.

[StarrySkies]

I'm not sure what's meant here, honestly? I mean, Applejack is a little paler than her MLP counterpart, but she still has fantastically orange skin. Doesn't she?