Chrysalis & Mirage

by Zobeid

Hypnotized

The next day Chrysalis got out of her bed and began exploring the adobe hut and its immediate surroundings. It was situated in an oasis, although nothing like the illusion she’d seen before. The hut was flanked by mature shade trees, and the small lake nearby was home to fish and fowl. As soon as she ventured out, Mirage had strictly warned her against wading into any water or mud until her legs were healed.

Mirage later found the changeling queen resting couchant upon a flat rock near the water’s edge and said to her, “Feeling better already, I take it? You should recover more quickly with those parasites no longer sapping your strength. You may even put on some weight.”

Chrysalis turned her head and glanced back at her own body. “Is that good?”

Mirage nodded. “I should think so. I may not be familiar with your kind, but you look emaciated to my eyes. One hardly expects a queen to be underfed.”

Chrysalis mulled that over briefly, then asked, “When do you think I will be able to cast spells again?”

“I don’t think it would hurt you to try casting a very small one and see what happens.”

Chrysalis bit her lip and turned her eyes upward towards her gnarled horn, obviously reluctant. Then she closed her eyes and flinched, but all that happened was the appearance of sparkling green light from her horn. She blinked. “It worked? It doesn’t hurt!” She tried levitating several pebbles from the ground nearby. “I’ve missed my magic so much. And there’s one spell I’ve really wanted to use.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

Chrysalis grinned. “Come closer and I’ll show you. Sit here and look into my eyes, won’t you?”

As instructed, Mirage kneeled beside Chrysalis and met her gaze. The changeling queen’s eyes began to shimmer with emerald green, and she said, “Be calm now. You trust me, don’t you?”

The green glimmer was reflected in Mirage’s eyes before she replied, “I trust you.”

Chrysalis grinned and commanded, “You will not mock me or show any further disrespect.”

Mirage’s face went blank as she repeated, “I will not mock you or show any further disrespect.”

Chrysalis stared intently, both eyes and horn glowing emerald as she continued, “You and I are the best of friends, and you would do anything for me.”

Mirage replied dully, “You and I are the best of friends, and you would do anything for me.”

Chrysalis hesitated for a moment, confusion flickered across her face. “What…?”

Mirage leaned forward, her green eyes glowing more brightly. “And you would never ever try to mesmerize me.”

Chrysalis’s jaw worked up and down mutely a couple of times, then all expression faded from her face and she replied dully, “I would never ever try to mezz… mezzumm…

Mirage sighed and prompted, “Mind control.”

“I would never ever try to mind control you.”

Mirage grinned and added, “You won’t mind if I backtalk you or call you silly names. And you always listen to my advice, don’t you?”

“I won’t mind if you backtalk me or call me silly names. I always listen to your advice,” Chrysalis agreed in a lifeless monotone.

Mirage murred, “You won’t remember this conversation, of course.”

“I won’t remember this conversation,” Chrysalis droned.

The green glow faded, and Mirage suddenly snapped her fingers in front of Chrysalis’s muzzle, prompting her to blink and sputter, “What? What happen?”

Mirage smiled and shrugged. “You zoned out for a moment. Your mind must have been far, far away.”

Chrysalis shook her head as if trying to clear the cobwebs. “How strange.”

“You’d better not overdo the magic, Bug Brain. Too much, too soon, might cause you harm.”

Chrysalis frowned and nodded. “That is… probably good advice. Thank you, my friend!”

Comments

[fractalman]

Turnabout is fair play chryssie!