I play my part
“Thanks again for having me over for lunch, everyone,” Thorax spoke between bites of his hay sandwich.
Twilight beamed at him from across the round kitchen table, as did Spike. “The pleasure is ours. I know it can’t be easy with how much responsibility you have on your shoulders.”
“Yeah. Running a kingdom is definitely a lot of work. I’m just glad I can do whatever I can to help.”
“Speaking of help,” Starlight interjected as she wondered in with a mug of coffee in her magical grip. “Did you have any luck with Chrysalis today?”
Thorax’s shoulders sagged as he sighed. “Well, she didn’t attempt to throw something or bite me this time, but she still won’t talk to me.”
Starlight took a seat next to Thorax and patted him on the back. “I’m with you there, Thorax. I swear, everytime I try to talk to her she’s trying to set me on fire with her eyes. Thought she would’ve tried to do that once Twilight took the magic limiter off, but thankfully, I still have my fur intact.”
Spike thumbed his chin as he sported a thoughtful look at Twilight. “Y’know, I always found it weird that Twilight is the only one she’s remotely nice to, let alone talks to. I hadn’t even done anything to her and she looks at me like dirt.”
“She still has so much hatred inside of her, Spike.” Twilight sighed heavily. “I’m trying what I can to help and understand her more. Sadly, we’re dealing with someone with centuries of negativity and anger embedded in their psyche. The fact I can have a casual conversation with her once in awhile is a miracle.”
“I’ve known Chrysalis since I was a hatchling. Not once have I seen her hold a ‘casual’ conversation outside a disguise or facade,” said Thorax. “She must like you a lot.”
Twilight nearly dropped her hay sandwich. “Huh? You really think so?”
Starlight nodded. “Yeah, I can see that. Sure, her heart might be a ball of hatred, but if someone like Twilight takes care of you, it’s hard to not feel something after six months.”
“I don’t know what impresses me more,” Spike started, “the fact Chrysalis can actually be nice to someone, or that Twilight hasn’t gotten sick of her yet. I don’t know how you do it, Twilight.”
“It’s not easy, and on more than one occasion I’ve gotten sick of her stubborn attitude. But I…” Twilight trailed off as it dawned on her. Dealing with such a miserable and angry guest for so long would’ve normally driven her crazy. Yet as of recent being in Chrysalis’ presence gotten easier. More than that, she found herself looking forward to seeing Chrysalis.
Why is that? It can’t be just because I want to help or that she’s nicer to me than anyone else. There’s something else there, but what?
The answer hung just out of reach. Realizing she stopped in the middle of her sentence to ponder, she placed the thought aside and shifted focus back to her now curious and concerned friends. “Sorry. Just realized that I don’t have a good reason for how I can handle Chrysalis. Guess I got used to her, eventually.”
“Got used to her? Having bricks thrown at my face would be easier to get used to,” Spike quipped. “Seriously, how could anyone remotely like her?”
“Spike! That’s not nice!” Starlight admonished, then hesitantly added, “You’re not wrong, though.”
The banter between Spike and Starlight was lost on Twilight, caught up on Spike’s statement. Chrysalis was by no means a pleasant personality to be around. Demanding, stubborn, aggressive, traits that belonged to a changeling who couldn’t bring herself to trust or care about anyone. Yet, somehow, Twilight enjoyed being around her.
Then again, I’m the only one Chrysalis respects. Well, relatively speaking. There must be a reason for it. Something we’re all missing beneath all that anger.
“Hey, I know Chrysalis is a little difficult to deal with…”
Three pairs of eyes threw unconvinced looks at Twilight.
“Fine. Very difficult to work with,” Twilight admitted with a groan, “but I can tell there’s something special deep down. I just have to keep digging until things come around.”
“You’re gonna need a big shovel to deal with that mountain of nasty,” Spike quipped.
“Seriously, Spike, where did you get such a mouth?” Twilight admonished.
“Nowhere,” Spike, and oddly Starlight, answered quickly.
I swear there is enough sass between them to put Dash and Applejack drunk on cider to shame. Guess I can’t blame them for being bothered by our ‘honored’ guest.
“Well Chrysalis is probably getting hungry, so I’ll see what she wants for lunch. I’ll be back.”
“Say hi to the ice queen for me!” Spike joked. Starlight giggled.
“Oh. Uh, same for me!” Thorax joined.
“Right~” Twilight drawled, then moved out of the kitchen towards the hallway.
Twilight was at the edge of earshot when she heard Thorax’s voice. “So… what’s an ice queen?”
This is going to be one of those days, isn’t it?
Chrysalis’ room resided in the upper floors. While it provided a grand view of Ponyville from the balcony, it also kept her at a safe distance as a precaution, mainly for Starlight’s comfort. Spike’s question popped into Twilight’s mind as she made her ascent to the upper floors: How could anyone like Chrysalis?
There had to be a good changeling somewhere in there. Twilight didn’t become a Princess by giving up on others, and as long as Chrysalis was willing to meet her halfway, she would do the same. However, in the back of her mind, she wondered why Chrysalis’ aggressive demeanor hasn’t been as detrimental to her sanity as it should’ve been.
Twilight had reached the top of the stairway when the sound of shattered glass and a painful screech reached her ears. Without a second thought, she teleported down the hall into Chrysalis’ room.
“Chrysalis! Wha—” Twilight gasped, heart ready to jump out her chest.
Shards of broken glass from a ceramic vase glistened in the summer sun. Collapsed over the knocked down wood dresser was the hissing and sweaty form of Chrysalis.
Twilight was instantly at her side. She moved to pick her up off the floor when Chrysalis pushed her away.
“Stay back, Sparkle!” Chrysalis snapped, eyes focused straight ahead.
Twilight balked, staring as if Chrysalis grew another head. “You’re crazy if you think I’m going to just stand here and do nothing!”
“I’m fine!” Chrysalis seethed. She gritted her teeth. Each movement pulled a hiss of agony out of her.
“My flank, you’re fine! You’re going back to bed.”
“Not this time. I won’t let you stop me!”
“If you agitate your spine, it won’t heal properly! I refuse to let you kill yourself over whatever you’re trying to do!”
“Don’t take this away from me, Sparkle!”
Chrysalis’ icy glare clashed against Twilight’s fiery gaze. The only thing stopping Twilight from using her magic to keep Chrysalis in bed was the risk of injury and tears of frustration that threatened to spill from Chrysalis.
Twilight was the first to break the tense silence, sadness etched in her voice.
“Is your pride worth that much to you?” Twilight asked. “Is that all you care about?”
Chrysalis’ jaw moved to speak, then closed as she averted her intense gaze towards the mirror dresser on the opposite side of the room. On it was a series of medical supplies and towels. Among those items was a pitcher filled with water next to a glass cup. She closed her eyes and exhaled through her nose.
“For centuries, nothing was out of my reach,” Chrysalis began. “My subjects heeded every order. My magic was rivaled only by Celestia herself. I was feared by all who knew of my existence. Power and pride was my life.”
She chuckled darkly to herself, shaking her head.
“Now I’m supposed to accept that I can’t even get a glass of water without your help or using magic? You ask for the impossible, Sparkle.”
“If you’re asking me to do nothing while you hurt yourself, you’re the one asking for the impossible.”
A tiny grin fought its way through Chrysalis’ pained expression. “Looks like we’re at an impasse.”
How could she possibly be so stubborn? Her spine had just healed up enough so she wasn’t completely bed-ridden. If I force her to move, she’ll fight it and wind up hurting herself more. Ugh, why is she making this so difficult?
Chrysalis opened her eyes, focused on the pitcher. Her limbs slid carefully to push herself up, minding the shards of broken glass. With a pained growl Chrysalis tried to push herself up. Her limbs trembled with effort, an occasional hiss escaping through her gritted teeth.
At the back of her mind, Twilight knew this was foolish and wanted nothing more than to stop Chrysalis from killing herself out of pure stubbornness. This was the part Chrysalis that drove her crazy the most. She’s the only creature in existence Twilight could think of that was so hard-headed and tenacious they would risk fracturing their damaged spine and back muscles for a glass of water.
It was reckless, dangerous, and one of the most brilliant displays of inner strength Twilight had ever witnessed.
How much pain is Chrysalis going through right now? What is going through her mind that pushes her so hard? She knows she can use her magic to get that water. There’s no need to go through all of this pain, yet she does it proudly, all to prove a point to herself and no one else. Even Dash has her limits, and she’s one of the most reckless ponies I know.
Chrysalis has so much willpower and determination, even at her lowest low. She is something else.
Twilight wiped the sweat off her brow, sparsely wondering when the room got so warm.
I can’t just sit here and do nothing, but there’s no way she won’t fight me on helping her. This would probably go a lot smoother if she could at least compromise a little so… wait a minute. That’s it!
Twilight placed a firm grip on her shoulder. Chrysalis threw an accusatory look.
“Remember what I said about friendship means compromising? Well, here’s a practical application of that.” Twilight channeled magic into her horn.
“What are you—Oh!” Chrysalis gasped as magic wrapped around her limbs and barrel. She braced herself to be move, but nothing happened.
“I know your pride means a lot to you. As your friend, I should respect how important it is to you, even if I don’t agree with it completely. I want to take that step and meet you halfway by letting you go for it. And by ‘halfway’, I mean using measures to make sure you don’t fall and injure yourself again.”
Twilight extended her hoof and offered a gentle, almost shy smile. “So… can you meet me halfway, Chrysalis?”
Chrysalis looked up at Twilight, an expressionless mask on her face. Her gaze slowly trailed down to the offered hoof. Twilight could never figure out what was going through her mind when she completely masked her expression.
She briefly recalled the last time she entered her expressionless, yet intense, state. It was also the first time Chrysalis talked to her since their last battle.
Just when Twilight considered pulling her hoof back, Chrysalis grasped it.
Tension rolled off Twilight in waves as she held Chrysalis’ hoof. A tingling heat rushed through the hoof and filled her body. This sensation was compounded by Chrysalis’ smile.
“You really are a pest, Twilight.”
Twilight's heart skipped a beat.
Did… did I just get through to her?
The elation that went through Twilight made her heart soar. A victorious grin exploded on her face.
“Persistence is one of my better strengths, Chrysalis.”
“Duly noted. Now if you don’t mind, I have a cup of water to grab. You better not go back on your word.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Alright.” Chrysalis took a breath and prepared herself. “Let’s go.”
Like a lumbering titan, Chrysalis shifted and maneuvered onto her hooves, using Twilight’s hoof as support. Every jolt of pain that made Chrysalis gasp caused Twilight’s skin crawl and heart race with anticipation, just as it did for the last few months of watching Chrysalis tackle the crippling injuries every day. Once Chrysalis was stable, she released Twilight’s hoof.
“One step at a time. You can do this,” Twilight cheered.
“I know that, now be quiet and let me focus.” Chrysalis’ moved at a slow, deliberate pace. The pain was evident in Chrysalis, instilling Twilight with a mix of empathy and pride to see her move across the chamber.
A few missteps nearly threw Chrysalis on the floor again, only to be saved by Twilight’s magical grip. Once she was stabilized again Twilight relented, careful to only give small pushes of support when it was clear Chrysalis’ balance was too far off. Pure determination was etched into Chrysalis’ face and movements.
After a few more missteps, and several growls from Chrysalis when Twilight misjudged how much extra help she instinctively provided, she reached her destination. She collapsed against it and took a deep, shuddering breath. Her hoof moved to stop Twilight just as she took a step towards her to help. Assured Twilight would remain where she was, she fixed herself a glass of water.
Four glasses later, Chrysalis hobbled her way back to bed and collapsed at the side of it, covered in sweat. There was no objection to Twilight’s approach this time.
Using magic, Twilight carefully lifted Chrysalis and placed her properly on the bed. Twilight shook her head. “I never thought it would be so inspiring to watch someone go after a glass of water.”
“Hmph. I wouldn’t be fit to be a queen if I couldn't do something as simple as that.”
Twilight couldn’t help but smile. “I still don’t approve of you risking your injuries over a glass of water, but I guess I’ll let it slide this time. Here, let me change up your sheets.”
Twilight sparked her horn and surgically extracted the pillow and bed sheets, keeping Chrysalis hovered comfortably as she tossed the old ones on the floor and replaced them with the newer ones left at the corner of the room. While levitated, Twilight took the opportunity to grab the towel from the stand near the bed to soak up the sweat from Chrysalis. She was surprised to hear no objection from Chrysalis this time. Too exhausted to do so, she guessed.
All cleaned up, Twilight floated Chrysalis back onto the bed and pulled the bed sheets chest high. Chrysalis eyes fluttered closed as she sighed peacefully.
“Thank you.”
Twilight’s heart leapt. In the six months Twilight had taken care of Chrysalis, not once did she ever thank her for the effort. She flushed crimson, a warmth flooding her system that she couldn’t identify.
“Y-you're welcome, Chrysalis.”
Twilight set about cleaning up the spilled mess and dirty laundry. Joy fluttered in Twilight’s chest as she eagerly cleaned up the room, having made so much headway in Chrysalis’ development.
I can hardly believe that I’m finally getting through to her. I guess all she needed was the right push at the right time, with a little compromising of course.
As she cleaned, a certain question popped in her mind again.
Why would I like Chrysalis?
Twilight stopped mid-cleaning and turned to Chrysalis.
“Hey, Chrysalis?”
“Hm?
“Why am I the only pony you’re nice to?”
Chrysalis’ eyebrow quirked. “Why does it matter to you?”
“It’s something that I hadn’t thought too hard on until recently. I’d figured I would be the pony you hated most after what I did.”
Chrysalis hesitated, staring up at the ceiling with a thoughtful look on her face. “Interesting. I suppose that does seem rather contradictory.”
“So why?”
Chrysalis chuckled softly as she curled up in the blanket to get more comfortable. Her back faced Twilight.
“I suppose neither of us can help but enjoy a good mystery.”
Twilight tilted her head. Enjoy a good mystery? But what does that have to do with me? I’m not mysterious at all, yet she clearly wants me to find the link. Does she mean like the Detective Cobalt books?
“I can feel you thinking from here, Twilight,” Chrysalis sighed dramatically. “You truly are hopeless.”
Twilight grumbled. “Do you really have to be such a jerk about it?”
“It can’t be helped. You make it too easy.”
“Hey!”
Chrysalis laughed. Twilight prepared to admonish her for teasing her when it clicked. Chrysalis was teasing her. Laughing without a hint of mockery or condescending tone. Perhaps, she began to realize, this was just a small part of Chrysalis buried underneath the loneliness and anger. A part of her only Twilight got to see.
Laughter bubbled in her chest until she had no choice but to join Chrysalis. Tension and doubt evaporated, leaving behind a sense of accomplishment that was truly earned. More than that was the warmth that coursed through her at seeing this side of Chrysalis. A side, Twilight concluded, she liked.
Sorry, Spike. It looks like Chrysalis has a point, Twilight thought with a warm smile. She smoothed back her mane, cheeks flushed. I can’t help but enjoy a good mystery.
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9204345
I believe they spent most of those three months with chrysalis in a medical coma and Twilight in a low-key nervous breakdown. Recall what Twilight did to her, nothing just walks away from an injury like that.
I wonder what bug sweat smells like?
Not bad.
Nice work.
9205246
Seeing as insects have no sweat glands it will sadly remain a mystery.
9205973
According to Artistic License, it can taste whatever you want it to be, though if you want other people to agree with you it has to be within reasonable limits.
I love how stubborn both of them are being. It's clear both are strong, powerful Ponies.
Determined best bughorse is determined.
Hah classic Starlight