> Tainted Love: A Twysalis Prompt Tag Collab
>  by Foals Errand
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> 1) Love by Europa (Slice of Life)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Europa

Twilight reflected that maybe bringing her marefriend - or workerfriend, as she called it - to visit her old foalsitter may not have been her best idea, up there with Want-It-Need-It, placing an invisibility cloak on Spike's pet phoenix who lived in a tree, and building the ceiling of her book forts out of heavy encyclopedias.

Chryssy and Cadance hadn't stopped glaring at each other for the past half hour. The three of them sat around the dining table inside the Crystal Palace. In front of Twilight was a plate of buttered crystal rolls, and across from her, Cadance's plate of spaghetti and hayballs was being pulled into a vortex by the alicorn's eternally twirling fork. Chrysalis herself didn't have a plate, but if Twilight looked closely she could see tiny motes of blue energy from the Crystal Heart forming around her crooked horn and slowly trickling down into the changeling queen's head.

"So," Cadance said at last, breaking eye contact with Chrysalis to look at Twilight. She cringed downwards, her wings ruffling, under the immense weight of the Disappointed Foalsitter look. 

"You and her."

"What can I say?" Twilight said. "She grows on you."

"Mmhmm."

Chrysalis took that moment to speak up. "Twilight's a very... fortunate worker to have grown up with a sitter like you," she said. Mentally, Twilight gave her points for trying to be polite. "I'll admit, the reason I was so bad at taking your place was that I thought you'd, based on the other pony with Celestia for an aunt, act more like a spoiled noble. I'm so... happy to have been proven wrong and - " She turned towards Twilight, eyes wide and pleading and she is so adorable like that. "Can we leave?" she hissed. "All this awkwardness smells so sour!"

Not even phased by the connection between emotion and taste, Twilight responded by saying, "I know, I know," she said. Then, after a pause. "Alright, I don't quite know, but it's not comfortable for me either." Under the table she placed a hoof on Chryssy's own hardened, chitinous one. "You agreed to this."

Chrysalis muttered something under her breath in Hemipid, likely a curse. "I did, didn't I?" She shook her head, the hole filled but surprisingly smooth and it feels so soft on my coat mane flying with the motion. "The things I do for love."

Cadance cleared her throat. "Yes, well," she said nervously. "I suppose that if Twilight can feel that way for you, I should just be happy for the two of you, shouldn't I?" This was so unlike the Cadance that Twilight knew, full of warmth and love. She really hoped that she'd warm up to Chryssy; it'd been five years since the alliance was forged, she felt it was long overdue.

The alicorn of love put on a smile. "Twily, I really am happy you found somepony." A cough. "Someling," she corrected. "Don't get me wrong, I am, it's just... you know. Old wounds."

Twilight nodded. "I know." She looked over at Chrysalis, then back at Cadance. "But can't you two try and work over them? For me?" she pleaded.

"Alright."

"Alright, dear."

"Great!" she looked over at Chrysalis. "And, um, think you can let him down now?" she said, motioning towards the ceiling where her BBBFF hung in a changeling cocoon, forehooves crossed and looking generally miserable.

"But, but his love!" Chrysalis pouted cutely.

"Chryssy..." she said warningly.

"Fine, fine. I'll let him down after dessert."

Twilight sighed and shook her head. "Good enough." She leaned in to Chrysalis, and the queen responded in kind, the two of them sharing a brief kiss before parting.

"Eeeee!" Cadance squealed happily in the background, all previous discomfort forgotten.


> Pod by Magicman7997 (Romance)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By: MAGICMAN7997

The Changeling hive was a quiet place. Every drone settled in for the night, not even the guard drones made much noise as they patrolled the labyrinthine halls. It was a very unsettling feeling for one Twilight Sparkle, one she wasn't sure she'd ever get used to. How beings, who seemed to have no real acclimation to magic or modern tools could so effortlessly tunnel through layers of bedrock still astounded her. Of course, given how powerful their, “Mother” was…

Twilight blushed at the thought. Five years had passed since a broken Queen Chrysalis appeared in Canterlot again. Five years had passed since she was taken into custody on the spot and dragged before Celestia and Luna. Five long years since Chryssy had surrendered herself begging for any help to save her race from complete extinction. Her pleas struck a particular chord with Luna who could easily see the Queen's redemption as a parallel to her own. It was Luna who suggested the peace accord between the nations, but it was Celestia who sent for Twilight to assist in discovering some way to feed the Changeling race without resorting to harming anypony. Now, not even five years on, the Changelings had not only survived, but thrived in their newly constructed hive under the mountain of Canterlot.

Twilight had discovered she could synthesize the same nutrients the Changelings required without their need to feed off emotion. Now, every single drone could be well fed and never need to assault a pony. The discovery had been a great achievement. In return for a never ending food source, the Hive had named Twilight “Zug'marshalproteca” or “Savior of the Hive”. Even Chrysalis herself had seen fit to thank the lavender alicorn. It was in that short meeting that something clicked.

“Is something wrong Zug'marshalproteca,” asked a guard drone. “You seem lost again.”
“No, I'm fine, thank you though,” Twilight replied. She was still adapting to how these beings sounded when they spoke Equish. Their native language as a mixture of buzzes, chirps, and clicks, made it difficult for her to teach them Equish at all. It had been necessary however, when the Hive discovered a large trove of minerals in the mountain. Chrysalis saw great potential to trade with Equestria and thus peace, for now, was solidified.

“Mother was asking for you,” the drone spoke again. “I believe she said something about your shared project bearing results.” Twilight perked up at this. Without a word, she quickly sped to the Queen's chambers. Stopping just short of the door, she caught her breath and approached the two guards posted there.

“Good evening sirs. May I enter,” it was a formal request. If Chrysalis was looking for her, she had no doubt left instructions for Twilight to be instantly admitted on arrival. Still, appearance to keep up and all.

“Hail the Zug'marshalproteca! We are not worthy of your presence. We humbly submit ourselves before you and grant you entrance to the Mother's chambers. Long may you both live!” That part was still taking some getting used to. Hero worship was never high on Twilight's list of life goals. But, the more time she was spending in the company of the Changelings, the more she was getting used to it. She stepped softly in the cavernous room that Chrysalis had taken upon starting this new hive. Lit up by spellfire torches that Twilight had designed herself, the massive space resembled more an alchemist's laboratory than a Queen's chambers. All matter of test equipment and vials of liquid were scattered about the place. A small apartment like area did occupy about a third of the circular room, the rest dedicated to the furtherment of the Queen's beloved race.

“So nice of you to find you way back,” Chrysalis' voice called out. “I missed you you know,” She left the workbench she was at and crossed over to where Twilight had entered. She gave the alicorn a soft kiss on the muzzle. “Your synth food might be good enough for the drones, but I still prefer the real thing.”

“Missed you too,” Twilight said as she nuzzled into her lover. She could feel Chrysalis' magic begin to ebb into her and take a small bit of power from her. Over the time that they began to date, Twilight had been able to help Chrysalis come up with a method of feeding that didn't leave the alicorn so exhausted that she couldn't move. In truth, Twilight enjoyed the small bits of energy she gave to Chryssy. It was as intimate an act as one could share. Just one more thing she loved about the queen. “I was told you'd made some progress on the pods.”

“Oh yes! Come, you won't be disappointed!” Chrysalis led Twilight to two small pools of a ruby colored liquid that were stationed near another work bench. Inside the two pools Twilight could clearly see two Changeling pods adrift in the liquid. “The DNA took hold easily. Your magical manipulation of life matrices combined with our spawning pools was a genius idea. I was finally able to find a suitable drone carrier strain to use as a base. After I was able to make sure it was all stable, the rest was just elementary.”

Twilight peered closer into the pools. Using her magic, she lit up the pools with a soft magical glow. Inside the pods, she could see two pony foals, incubating quite nicely. The one on the left, a pegasus filly with a cyan coat. The one on the right, an earth pony with a pink coat and mane. A small tear threatened to fall down Twilight's face. Sensing the change in her lover's emotion, Chrysalis came to Twilight's side and nuzzled her softly. “Don't worry dearest. It will work this time. We'll be able to get them back. All of them.”

“I hope so. I really do. Thank you my love. For everything.”

“Only for you. Only for you.”

As the two lovers shared a tender moment, the foals slept peacefully in their pods, growing stronger and nearly ready to bring the first two of the five lost Elements of Harmony back to the world.


> Longing by Palaikai (Dancing the line Romance)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Palaikai

The Everfree Forest was home to many things; some benign, some dangerous. There were very few sentient creatures in residence, however. It was an unnatural, chaotic place, completely independent from the magical whims of the ponies who tended to the rest of the Equestrian landscape. Very few stayed willingly for more than a couple of hours if they could avoid it.

Chrysalis – no longer a queen since the disastrous events that had seen her hive repelled from Canterlot – walked aimlessly, only stopping every now and then when her hooves ached too much to continue. She caught sight of herself in a stream, and wondered what had happened to that proud, noble bearing. The lines criss-crossing her face, the slump in her withers, was less to do with exhaustion and more to do with starvation. The cuts, the scratches, the dents in her tough, black hide, the muck and grime that coated the perforations in her legs …

While there was plenty of food and fresh water to be found in the forest, none of it quite met a Changeling's unique biological needs: they were emotional vampires, leaching off particularly strong feelings. In Chrysalis' – former, she had to remind herself – hive's case, they needed to ingest huge quantities of love in order to function.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a decent meal; the lonely months of wandering through the Everfree Forest had left her drained, and the being who had once gone hoof-to-hoof with Princess Celestia herself slumped to the ground, defeated. Love, perhaps the most plentiful emotion in this world – given so freely by the ponies, even to complete strangers – was denied to her.

It took her a while to realise that she was not alone. “I do not wish my last moments to be observed,” she said wearily, assuming it to be some small critter or other that would take one look at her frightening, chitinous visage and go scurrying off into the bush as so many had done before. When it didn't leave, Chrysalis turned to face it, intending to scare it off with a blaze of her green eyes. “You!” she croaked, not quite believing who was standing before her.

“Fluttershy was wondering why so many animals had been fleeing to her cottage lately,” said Twilight Sparkle, barely suppressing the shock of finding the Changeling Queen here of all places. “I guess that answers that question.”

“So sorry to be a problem,” muttered Chrysalis, letting her head drop to the ground once more. Her energy reserves were all but depleted, and she didn't intend to spend her last moments trading barbs with the wily unicorn that had uncovered her ruse and defeated her plans. “Very soon, I shall be nothing but an empty shell. My carcass will make an excellent nest for one of the rodents that infest this swamp.”

A look crossed Twilight's face. On the one hoof, this monster had manipulated her brother, impersonated a princess, had almost brought ruin to an entire kingdom and had attacked Celestia, but on the other … this was a living being who had been trying to provide for her subjects as best as she knew how. Now Chrysalis was starving, weak, near death and she needed help. Help that Twilight could provide.

Showing compassion to the enemy?

But it wasn't an enemy lying at her hooves. Nor a monster. Nor a queen. Just a scared, broken creature who needed rescuing.

Twilight's horn blazed with light and she enveloped Chrysalis in her teleportation field. They arrived back at the library, and the unicorn manoeuvred the Changeling into the bed.

“Why do this?” asked Chrysalis weakly. She wanted to sleep, but was afraid to do so in case she didn't wake up again. The warmth of the library was helping, as was the feeling of concern radiating from the unicorn, but it wasn't quite enough to fully revive her.

“Because I can't find it in my heart to hate you, or fear you,” Twilight explained. “I feel sorry for you. It can't be an easy existence.”

“No,” the Changeling agreed, “it isn't.”

“What will happen to your hive without you?”

“Those that didn't perish in the attack will regroup and fight it out until a new ruler is appointed,” Chrysalis explained. “They'll probably go back to being scavengers, digging for whatever scraps they can get in and around the smaller pony-inhabited areas.”

Twilight disappeared for a moment and returned with a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a cloth. Chrysalis eyed her warily. “What's that for?”

“Your shell has multiple chips and scratches in it. If any of them get infected, the bacteria could eat through the entire thing,” replied Twilight.

It was fortunate that she'd spent so much time in the company of Fluttershy, Twilight reflected, as she got to work on Chrysalis' many wounds. While her technique was not as refined, she was able to get the worst of the sludge out of the cracks in the Changeling's shell without causing her undue discomfort. All that changed when Twilight approached one of the holes in her legs.

An animal howl erupted from Chrysalis' throat and she recoiled as if she'd been struck by a hammer blow, rather than a gentle brushing.

“Are you alright?” asked Twilight, waiting for the Changeling to calm down a bit. She was still panting heavily and her legs were twitching.

“I … I should have explained,” said Chrysalis, sounding … embarrassed? “The area around the holes isn't part of our shell, but is a rather a collection of nerve endings. They are extremely sensitive to touch.”

“I see,” said the unicorn, frowning. It made sense. With no exposed flesh on their bodies, the Changelings needed something that would allow them to experience feedback from their surrounding environment. She bit her lip gently. “I still have to clean them, though.”

After a moment's hesitation, Chrysalis nodded. “Proceed. Carefully.”

The former queen tried to keep her cries to a minimum, but even the softest of strokes was sending tingles throughout her body; normally, the bundles of nerves had little more to deal with than the rush of air during flight. Direct physical contact was … unusual and Chrysalis had absolutely no idea what that sensation was pulsating through her spinal column, nor what that throbbing was centred squarely in her pelvis.

All she knew was that she liked it; loved it, even. And she didn't want Twilight Sparkle to ever stop touching her holes.


> Cluster by Europa (Humor)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Europa

It was routine. Sometimes Chrysalis went to her place, sometimes Twilight went to hers. This was one of the latter.

The underground halls of the changeling hive, deep in the Badlands, were impossibly smooth and exquisitely dark. It was hard to see in daylight, but changeling eyes glowed, which was how they saw anything in their home. For Twilight, the only light was that which her incandescent horn gave off, casting flickering, reaching shadows in the claustrophobic tunnels. She'd been wandering around for the past half hour after a pair of changeling guards gave her directions to Chrysalis's chambers, and she was certain she was lost.

Then it was as if the gods smiled upon her. The planets aligned without Celestia and Luna's intervention. She found the entry to Chryssy's chambers. It was a green curtain made of something that looked like seaweed, but was almost certainly not, hanging in thick strands that obscured all vision inside. Right in front of it stood a changeling guard, Imperial Guard if his blue armor was anything to go by.

She walked up to him. "Hello, I'm here to see your Queen."

"None shall pass," he responded stoically.

Twilight frowned. "Um, Chrysalis invited me here. I'm pretty sure I'm already late from wandering around so if you could please move to the side...?"

"I move... for noling." He may as well have been a statue, blending into the walls all creepy-like.

She narrowed her eyes. She hated to pull rank, but..."I am a princess of Equestria and you are impeding royal business," she half fibbed. "Stand aside and let me pass, guard."

"None shall pass."

Twilight bit her lip and screamed internally. She really, really didn't want to have to resort to force, and something about the Badlands' leylines made teleportation stupidly dangerous, so she really did want to talk this Imperial Guard down. "Just let me through," she said tiredly. "I don't want to have to use my magic on you, but I haven't seen Chryssy in so long, so - "

"I am invincible!"

Never before had a hoof met a face so hard. "Okay..." She walked right up to him. He didn't move, but she noticed his blue, compound eyes tracking her. Then, all at once, she darted to her left in an attempt to go around the guard.

Like clockwork, he moved into her path. "None shall pass."

She frowned and took a step back, then spread her wings and flew up a ways; the tunnels had to be high to let Chrysalis move through them. But in response, the drone also took to the air, matching her movement. She moved right and flew forward, and so did he.

Twilight feinted to the left, then jerked to the right, only to have a solid wall of changeling in her way.

"None shall pass."

A scream burning in her throat, Twilight summoned mystical energy to her horn. "Alright, that's it - !"
The curtain moved aside, revealing the regal form of Queen Chrysalis. All action froze as she regarded her, the guard, then Twilight again. Then, the monarch sighed. "Cluster, are you giving my workerfriend a hard time?"

'Cluster' bowed so low his carapaced muzzle hit the ground. "No, Your Majesty!"

"Excellent. Stand aside and let her pass." Chrysalis added a few more words in Hemipid. Twilight thought she caught the words 'friend', 'free', and 'nymph duty'. When Cluster stood back up his cheeks were flushed fluorescent green under his armor, and Twilight had to feel bad for him. 

Chryssy gestured for her to enter. "Sorry about Cluster, he gets enthusiastic in his duties."

"I could tell," she said, walking through the gap Chrysalis left in the curtain. Once they were on the other side, she nuzzled into the flexible but unyielding chitin of her marefriend's neck, who in turn rested her chin atop her head. "So, what did you want to do?"

"We-e-e-ell," Chrysalis said from on top of her, using that tone of voice that meant she was in one of her 'I've-planned-something-uncomfortable-for-you-but-at-the-end-we're-going-to-my-bed' moods. "Some of my subjects have been inquiring about how your emotions look, quite a few. And what kind of ruler would I be if I didn't assure my people that my integrity was not compromised by a lover?"

They pulled apart, and Twilight frowned. "We'd better get alone time after this."

Chrysalis gave her a lick with her long, long tongue right around her horn. "Oh, you'd better believe it," she purred.


> Tirek 1 By Kildeez (Dancing the line DARK)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Kildeez

“LUUNNNNNAAA!”

The Princess of Night jolted upright in her throne, her eyes, once drifting shut under the oppressive boredom of facing down yet another stack of treaties and bills to sign, flew wide open.  “HUZZAVAH-WHAA!?”  She screamed with as much royal dignity as she could muster before flopping down on the carpet.  The doors to the throne room burst open, and in raced a tiny lavender blur that nearly collided with her on the carpet, stopping expertly just a few inches from her muzzle.

“Princess Twilight!”  Luna said indignantly, pulling herself back up.  “We have told you time and again that there are better ways to contact us than…”

She paused in her rant as she noticed the way Twilight’s shoulders heaved, the frayed mess in her mane, the bags under her eyes.  Like most nights when Twilight threw herself into the throne room like this, Luna sighed despondently.  “She’s having that dream again, huh?”

Still breathing frantically, Twilight bobbed her head up and down, her teeth clenched in fear.

“Oh, Chrysalis…” Luna sighed again, slowly picking herself up and gently laying a wing across Twilight’s shoulder. “Miss Sparkle, I know it’s hard, but you need to calm down.  Panicking won’t help her.”

“I know, it’s just…” the tears that had been threatening in her eyes the entire time she had been in the throne room now streamed down her face, Equestria’s youngest alicorn trembling.  “She’s so scared when she dreams about him!  You wouldn’t believe it, Luna!  She’s in so much pain…”

Her wing rubbing calmly up and down the little princess’s back, Luna’s horn ignited as she snapped a teleportation spell into place.  Within an instant, they were standing in Twilight’s royal chambers (aka her old room in the library).  On the smallish bed, a long, black form trembled, caught in the deepest throes of a nightmare.

“Chrysalis,” Luna whispered, laying a sympathetic hoof on the changeling’s cheek.  Chrysalis drew away, a sweaty lock of mane drifting over the extended hoof as she whimpered.

“P-please Tirek,” Chrysalis mumbled, deep in the throes of the nightmare.  “Nuh-no, I’m sorry, I meant Master Tirek…no Lord, I’ll be good, I’ll be your good little slut…”

Luna’s eyes drifted to the ornate magical suppressor locked on the changeling’s horn and scowled.  She understood the nobles’ worries: the ruler of a nation that had once attacked this very city might well get up to no good if she was allowed, and so a suppressor did seem logical for her weekly visits to the city (or more specifically, to her marefriend).   Thing is, those nobles didn’t know that leaving Chrysalis so powerless would awaken memories of the last time she’d been so helpless, nor did they know of the nightly ritual Luna and Twilight had to endure because of it.

“Please hurry!”  Twilight moaned, crawling in next to Chrysalis and nuzzling her chin.  At that, the Queen’s back arched as if she’d been electrocuted.

“No Lord, please,” she moaned, her body tensing, one hoof rising and falling back protectively over her nethers.  “Please, it still hurts from last time Lord, please, please…PLEASE!”

Finally, Chrysalis jolted upright in the bed, tears rolling from her closed eyes as she howled in agony: “SSSTTTTOOOOOOOOPPPP…”

“Luna!”  Twilight howled, her forehooves wrapped around the changeling’s neck as she kissed her cheek, moving as Chrysalis’s maw worked up and down, even as the scream tapered off into a soundless cry of pure torture.

Nodding, Luna calmly stepped up to the bed and touched her horn to Chrysalis’s.  Without being instructed, Twilight immediately touched her horn to the spot where the two others met.  There was a glow, and a deep, soothing blue wave of magic cascaded down the crooked horn and over the changeling’s body.  As each wave passed, a bit of the pain in the changeling’s face melted away, her fangs slowly disappearing behind her lips as her head sank back down into the pillow.
The spell complete, Twilight eased her way back into Chrysalis’s forehooves, kissing her cheek as the changeling slept soundly.  Luna let out an exhausted sigh and shook her head.  “And I thought we suffered at that monster’s hands,” she whispered.

“Luna?”  Twilight asked tentatively, her voice low so as not to wake her lover, resting peacefully at last.  “When do you think she’ll talk to us?  About what happened back then?”

The Princess of Night looked into the young alicorn’s eyes and wished Twilight wasn’t as perceptive as she was.  Maybe then she could make up a lie to help her sleep better.  “I don’t know, Twilight, I just don’t know.”


> Carapace by Bobbananaville (Sad)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Bobbananaville

Twilight Sparkle did not join the festivities outside. She hid away in her room, intermittently sobbing in her blanket and staring blankly at the wall.

How could they? They’d been in love! How could her friends not recognize it? But no matter what she said, the remaining bearers were undeterred. She’d been restrained by Fluttershy (For her own good, she’d been told), and the others relentlessly attacked Chrysalis, saying horrible things, telling her to stay away - and why? Because she was a changeling?

Twilight did not continue that train of thought. Chrysalis never did like the taste of rage.

“Twilight?” The lavender mare glanced at the door. “Please, come out. I… I know you cared about her, but she-”

Twilight did not listen any longer. She closed her eyes and buried her nuzzle in her chitinous blanket. She took in the scent, and smiled as happier memories of greener days filled her mind. It may not have been a substitute for the real thing, but Chrysalis’ carapace was something she’d treasure always.



> Rebirth by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Europa

Deep in her underground hive, Queen Chrysalis the Green waited.

She waited and she waited, day after day, week after week. Every day, Cadance moved on a little more after Shining Armor's death and defilement. Every day, her people became more and more friendly with the ponies, and the ponies with them. And every day, she took a trip down into the depths of her hive, where only she was allowed to tread, to check on her latest experiment.

The caverns were ancient, being the hatching place of Queen Tenodera the Green, Unifier of the Hives. It predated Nightmare Moon, the alicorn sisters, it predated Equestria itself. As such it'd had a lot of time to grow, to burrow deeper into the ground.

Deep near the bottom of the crust, where the boiling heat of the mantle was kept out with layer upon layer of cooling enchantment, was a room.

Chrysalis flew in and landed, trotting over to the room's only waking inhabitant; the giant ram Grogar. Celestia had thrown his bells into the sun, his jewelry was replaced with inhibition shackles, and his eyes, once burning red with evil and necrotic power, glowed green with her hypnotism. He was chained and depowered so much that nothing would ever save him. No amount of creative use of his powers or can-do attitude would save Grogar. Noling even knew where he was, and he was so hypnotized that even if she lifted the veil he would remain her obedient slave, just like he deserved.

She'd kept him hypnotized like that for the past two months. Queen Chrysalis still had use for him, as only he knew just how grievous the injuries his dark magic inflicted were.

"Hello Grogar," she said harshly. "How is she?" Chrysalis asked, referring to the worker - mare - in a cocoon on the other side of the room.

Not moving from where he laid in chains, Grogar turned his head mechanically to her. "She rests and heals," he responded.

"How long?"

"Within a month, best estimate."

Chrysalis smiled, showing her fangs. Finally, her beloved would return to her. One month, she could wait that long. Given the injuries she'd sustained it was a miracle, even with changeling magic, that she'd make it in three months. The other pretty pony princesses thought she'd never wake up, but Chrysalis knew better.

Trotting over to the cocoon, laid along the floor, Chrysalis rested a perforated hoof on its surface and stroked it lovingly, wishing so much that it could instead be a soft purple coat on her chitin, a heaving belly riding on her green shell, telling her that she loved her, scrunching up her muzzle in that adorable way…

Inside Twilight Sparkle slept, her forelegs pulled in close to her chin, the regrown mane and tail fibers drifting limply in the slime, and one or two feathers speckled her open wings. Her coat was still mostly scorched off, but here and there a patch of purple fur had grown in over the soft, vulnerable pink skin. Pink skin that still sported too many burn marks, scars where it had been gored by horns.

She looks so peaceful like this, Chrysalis thought to herself, still stroking the cocoon. I can't wait until she wakes up. I'll be there when she does. I'll be the first thing she sees.

It was only a matter of time until Twilight Sparkle returned to her, brought back from death's door.
Turning away from her beloved workerfriend, Chrysalis set her eyes on the slightly drooling Grogar and sneered, baring her fangs.

Chrysalis knew that Twilight would awaken now. Grogar had outlived his usefulness.

Her horn lit up with eldritch power, more energy than even a sun goddess could muster, and she acquired her target. Her beloved Twily would never approve of killing…

...but Twilight was asleep right now.


> The Rebirth strikes back by Magicman7997
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By: MAGICMAN7997


Deep beneath the city of Canterlot, hidden away in the very mountain the city was built upon, one very exhausted alicorn sat tending an experiment in progress. Her eyes struggled to remain open as the past few days came crashing back upon her. She was so close to fulfilling her wish now. The two foals, nestled securely in their life pods were nearly full term. In the span of a short 3 weeks she and Chryssy had managed to successfully create the new lifeforms thanks to her royal highness's spawning pools. If everything went according to calculations, in the next few days, Twilight would have the first two of her friends back. If all went well, she will have made amends for two of the five lives that were on her hooves…

“Twilight! Run! You have to get the other princesses out of here. We can buy you some time! Don't worry, we'll be right behind you in ten seconds flat.”

“But I won't leave you! I can't! We all have to leave together or the portal might close! I won't take that risk Rainbow!”

“We'll be right as rain Twilight! Besides, it's Gummy's birthday tomorrow. And I have to throw him a party!”

“Oh, Pinkie...”

No matter how much time passed, the pain of losing her five closest friends still haunted her. Twilight had managed to carry the limp bodies of Celestia, Luna, and Cadance to the portal's entrance. Gently, she placed the three mares on the other side and turned to charge back into Tartarus to save her friends. It was then that the horror of the situation was made real to her. 

Twilight turned just in time to see an Eldritch demon consume the life essence of Fluttershy and Rarity. The behemoth towered over the four remaining ponies as it deposited the first two lifeless corpses into a river of lava. The tears flowed freely now from Twilight's face. The despair of this too much for her to reconcile. In the end, a quick shove through the portal's entrance by none other than the Element of Loyalty herself had saved Twilight from a similar fate.

“Rainbow, no!”

“It's okay egghead, you've got a lot more to do in this world than I do,” her smile trying to lighten the mood. “Besides, everyone's gotta go. I just get to be awesome when I do it.”

The magic around the portal destabilized then and sealed Twilight and Rainbow to their respective fates. There was no stopping the heart wrenching sobs that came from her chest now. She didn't want to wake Chryssy, but now, she couldn't stop if she tried.

Sensing the sudden wave of negative emotion, Chrysalis shot upright from her bed. Frantically she searched the chamber for Twilight and saw the lavender alicorn in the midst of her breakdown. Quickly, she came to her marefriend's side and nuzzled her. She let her guard slip for only a moment and tried to siphon off some of the negative emotional energy that poured from Twilight's very soul. Painful as it was to absorb, any pain was worth enduring if only to help ease Twi's misery.

“You saw them again,” she asked. “They're getting worse. Do you think it might be time to talk to Luna? She is, after all, the keeper of the dream realm. Maybe she could help you.”

Twilight sniffed away a rogue tear, “I'm fine. Nothing to concern the princesses with.” She rose to her hooves and stretch out every muscle that she could. “Besides, I don't think there's much she could do for me anyway. These aren't nightmares, they're a guilty conscious reminding me of the sins I've committed.”

“You committed no sin dear. You saved the rulers of your kingdom from a very ancient demon king. You and your friends knew the dangers when you entered that hell. The fact that ANY of you walked out of it is a miracle in and of itself.” Chrysalis pulled Twilight into a firm but warm embrace. “You can't keep doing this to yourself. It's not healthy. Besides, when we are successful, our first two younglings are going to need their mother,” she said with a wink as glanced over to the spawning pools.

Twilight sighed into Chrysalis's neck. She was right. Getting herself worked up wasn't going to do anypony any good. Especially somepony who was about to be the mother of twin filly foals. Her body began to relax as she shifted into a more comfortable position against her lover. Suddenly twin alarm spells went off as the spawning pools began to bubble. Confused and worried, Twilight rushed over and began to analyze them with her magic.

“I don't understand. My magic says everything is normal! What's happening?”

“Something wonderful,” Chryssy said with a smile. “Two new lives are about to enter the world.”

Chrysalis took her place at the terminal connected to the twin spawning pools. Deftly, she used her magic to begin draining away the nutrient rich fluid that surrounded the pods. As the liquid receded, Twilight began to see the translucent pods much clearer. She could see the two fillies beginning to stir and become a little agitated. She worried that they might somehow suffocate inside the egg like structures.

“What if they can't breach the pods? They won't have enough air!” Twilight moved herself into position to remove the first pod from the rack it was attached to. Chrysalis's voice stayed her hoof for just a moment longer.

“They need all the time in the pod we can allow. Trust me, the drone carrier strain I selected is quite hardy. They'll be fine and will break free with not a problem at all.”

Seconds seemed like hours as the last of the liquid drained from the pods themselves. Twilight began to fear the worst as the only sounds she could hear was the last few drips of fluids coming off the racks. Finally, just as despair threatened to take hold, she heard the faintest of crackling noises coming from the pods. More and more cracking joined the original noise until the room sounded with the cacophony of hatching. Suddenly, with a great crunch, the pods split open and the room fell silent once more…

Except, for the sound of two wailing pony fillies...


> Return of the Rebirth by Foals Errand
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Foals Errand

Twilight opened her eyes and moved back and forth making waves within the green goo she was surrounded by. She felt a hoof settle upon the side of her pod a trickle of energy encircling her horn. Twilight knew instinctively that the energy was love but it had the sweetest taste. Mmm, it tastes just like strawberries! She blinked as she was able to see outside of her cocoon.

“That’s it my sweet love, it’s time for you to hatch. Use your horn.”

That sweet buzzing voice made Twilight feel like she was going to melt. After a few moments of thought about if she was upside down or right side up she began knocking her horn into the hard shell. After several knocks her horn dug through the shell and she fell to the floor. Caregivers were on her within moments cleaning her of the green goo as she regurgitated the green goo that she had swallowed and breathed in during the week she was being changed.

Queen Chrysalis watched as her caregivers lovingly cared for the only ling she had ever produced love for. Soon the new Princess was clean. “Spread your wings carefully so they will dry Twily.”

Twilight looked up with a smile as she moved muscles she never had before. Who ever thought I’d ever have wings wow… I can’t wait to show the Princesses.

Chrysalis laid next to her little love feeding her a love which had been gathered for just her. It was the oddest mixture of love she had ever tasted. There was jasmine and cinnamon, sugar and mint, vanilla, and molasses, marshmallow and a dash of some type rare fruit… Softly she nuzzled Twilight’s cheek remembering vividly the day her marefriend had been late in meeting her. She was starting to get worried…





“Chrysalis please, please you have to follow me!” The pink princess of love was covered in a red liquid Chrysalis was able to recognize as blood.

“Princess Cadenza what is it?” Chrysalis reached to wipe some of blood from her cheek when Cadance grabbed her hoof.

“Please…”





Chrysalis would never forget what she saw the broken and bloody form of her dearest Twilight slung over Princess Celestia’s back as she flew towards Chrysalis’s hive. The Sun princess had no words as she followed Chrysalis into the hive. A caretaker had described the process the young unicorn would undergo in detail though she doubted Celestia nor Cadance heard a word that was said as Twilight was sealed in the cocoon. The blood covered Sun diarch turned to Chrysalis with just one simple question.

“Will she remember?”

“Everything.” Chrysalis assured her. That had been enough.

Celestia should be coming for her daily visit soon I hope she’ll be happy.

Twilight looked up at Chrysalis and smiled fully dry her carapace had finally hardened. “Is it ok? You keep looking at me funny.”

Chrysalis couldn’t help smirk as she remembered what Celestia had told her yesterday. Just wait until Equestria gets a look at their newest Princess “Everything is fine, you look radiant.” With that said Twilight squeed and tackled Chrysalis in a loving embrace kissing her muzzle. 



> Tirek 2 by Kildeez
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Kildeez

Chrysalis gazed lovingly into her lover's eyes, his deep yellow corneas meeting with hers.  Tirek smiled back, following up with a deep, rumbling chortle.  "What's that look for?"

"You know," she replied.  "Just...feeling so lucky to have met you.

"You feel lucky!?"  He shook his head and chortled again, pulling her in for another kiss, his powerful arms gently wrapping around her waist.  She quivered beneath his touch as their lips met, the most powerful creature in the world holding her with the care of a mother and her newborn foal.

"Oh Tirek," she gasped, voice dripping with lust.  "I...I think I'm ready..."

His eyes shot wide open.  "What, now!?"

"Yes, Tirek, please!  I need you!  I want you!  Please!"  She cried, practically shaking with need.

His surprise melting away, the centaur smiled as he gently set her down.  "For you, Chrissy, anything."

"Oh, Tirek..."

"Oh, Chrysalis..."

"Oh, Tirek!"

"Oh..."





"CHRYSALIS!"  Twilight screamed, bolting upright in bed, her chest heaving.

Next to her, her lover slowly sat up, her green, cat-like eyes glowing in the darkness as she blinked tiredly.  Chrysalis turned to the little purple princess and sighed.  "Who was it this time?"

Her fear giving way to embarrassment, Twilight replied: "T-Tirek."

Blinking a few more times, Chrysalis shook her head.  "Dammit all, Twi!  Last week it was Sunbutt, the week before it was that weird, pink, fluffy thing, when the hell is your head gonna stop shipping me with the most random ponies in Equestria!?"

"I dunno, Chryssy," Twi groaned, falling back into bed and groaning into her pillow with frustration.  "I don't know why I keep having these dreams, but...oh Celestia above, they get more real every time, and every time it leaves me feeling like...like you..."

"Like I'm leaving you?"  Chrysalis asked flatly.

Twilight whimpered and nodded, her lower lip quivering.

"You're lucky you're so cute," Chrysalis sighed, then turned a sultry little smile back on Twilight.  "But while we're both up, you feel like a nice, hard reminder of how I feel about you?"

Returning the smile, Twilight's wings fanned out, behind her as if she were offering herself up on a platter of purple feathers.  "Do you even have to ask?"


> Princess by Anonymoose
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Anonymoose

“Chrysalis!” Twilight screamed. “What have you done‽”

“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry,” Chrysalis wailed. “I didn’t mean to. She just yelling and and saying I didn’t deserve you and—”

“That’s no reason to kill her,” Twilight snapped.

She looked down at the body of her beloved mentor. Her first close friend. The pony she looked up to, at times, as a second mother. One of the most important ponies in Twilight’s life.

“Buck! We’ve gotta hide this,” Twilight said, pacing back and forth. “Luna said she had been able to raise the sun last time Celestia was gone… what if we?”

“You aren’t thinking what I think you are thinking, are you?” Chrysalis asked. She put a holey-hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, trying to calm the mare down.

“Yes. Yes I am thinking it, Chrysalis,” Twilight cackled, pulling her lover into an embrace. “It’s perfect! I know this will work, I am one-hundred percent certain of it!”







“Your highness,” Raven asked the mare atop her throne. “Are you alright?”

“Yes yes, quite fine,” Celestia answered, as a lavender aura enveloped her lower jaw. “Send in the next petitioner.”

“Are you sure, Your Majesty?” Raven asked. “I could send for the castle doctor to—”

“No!” Celestia answered with a shriek. “I am perfectly fine. As I said, send in the next petitioner.”
Obeying Celestia’s orders, Raven had the porter call the next petitioner.

“Announcing His Royal Highness, Prince Blueblood the Third, Duke of Canterlot.”

“Greetings Auntie,” Blueblood said as he strode into the hall. “It is good to see you in such good health.”

Raven stared incredulously at the pompous windbag. Was that a dig at Her Majesty? She was looking a little under the weather, but—
Oh, no. It wasn’t that. Blueblood hadn’t even deigned to lower his muzzle and even look at his aunt.

“What can I do for you, nephew?”

“As you know, Auntie,” Blueblood began with an air of self-importance, “the Royal Equestrian Society for the Preservation of History has recently opened their exhibit of Unicorn Royalty through the Ages. Our own family has several pieces of antique memorabilia from our own collection.”

“Yes, I was surprised your family was so… generous,” Celestia replied.

“Well, yes, the Blood’s have always been known as a generous family.”

The silence of the courtroom was such that one could have heard a needle being dropped… in Vanhoover.

“It is just that… oh, how do I put this delicately?” Blueblood asked himself. “It is just that, well, since the opening of the exhibit, filthy commoners have come in droves to defile our precious historical artifacts with their unworthy eyes.

“As such, on behalf of my family, I would like to request that an income check be placed on all attendee’s to the exhibit, to weed out the riff-raff. We thought that anyone with less than one-hundred-thousand bits in their account should be deni—”

“That’s over ninety percent of the population,” a very un-Celestia sounding voice screamed out.
Blueblood looked at his aunt for the first time. Her head was lolling to the side, her eyeballs rolled up into her head. And her tongue was hanging out obscenely.

“Twilight,” another voice said. “Calm down, it’s only—”

“It’s only the history of our nation! It is important that everypony should have free and unfettered access to such knowledge. He should be banished to the moon.”

Blueblood stared nervously at his aunt. Something was very wrong with her, and now she was threatening to banish him to the moon!

“Celestia would never banish anypony to the moon, Sparkle,” Celestia said, before pausing.

 “Well, aside from the obvious.”

“A-Auntie?” Blueblood asked with concern.

“Oh buck! He can hear us. You left it on!”

“Petition denied,” Celestia boomed out in her normal voice. Her head still continued to loll to the side. “Ravel, call the next petitioner.”

“Raven!” came another voice.

“That is what I meant to say. Raven! Call the next petitioner.”

“V-very well, your majesty,” Raven replied. “C-call the next petitioner…”

Duke Silverstar of Appleoosa strode confidently through the hall.

“Howdy, Yer Majesty!”

“Greetings, Duke Silverstar, what can—”

At that point, the Duke screamed, as Celestia’s head fell off her body and rolled down the steps, across the red carpeted floor, stopping at his hooves.







“Well,” Twilight said, looking up at the burning capitol once known as Canterlot. “That escalated quickly!”

Chrysalis laid her holey-hoof over Twilight’s withers. “It’s okay, love. Luna will sort this out.”

They both stared up at the flames, and the panicking lunar alicorn flying around trying to direct the emergency ponies.

“You know what…” Chrysalis said, breaking the silence. “I probably should have used my shape-shifting powers.”

“Buck!” Twilight facehoofed almost hard enough to give herself a concussion. “That would have been a much better plan!”


> Kingdom By TheWraithWriter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By TheWraithWriter

“So, you’re a princess now,” Chrysalis asked, nudging Twilight playfully as the two walked through Canterlot Gardens.

Twilight rolled her eyes and fluttered her wings. “How could you tell?”

“Changeling’s intuition,” the changeling queen replied. “How is that, anyway?”

Twilight shrugged. “It’s not really any different than before.”

“Really?”

Twilight nodded. “Yeah, I make a few appearances here and there, kiss some foals, defeat escaped demon lords, open burger joints.” she shrugged again. “Pretty much par for the course after the whole Discord fiasco.”

Chrysalis chuckled. “I can imagine,” she said, nuzzling the purple pony.

They walked on in silence for a time before Chrysalis spoke up again. “So, I was wondering that after these peace talks are finished up, you could show me your kingdom.”

Twilight gave Chrysalis a puzzled look. “My kingdom?”

“Yes, your kingdom. You know, the lands you and I shall rule over once these peace talks are finished and we can finally convince Celestia you’re not a changeling in disguise.” Chrysalis said with a smile.

Twilight smirked and chuckled, continuing down the garden path. A puzzled look crossed Chrysalis’ face as she made a quick gallop to catch up with the purple alicorn.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

Twilight gave her that knowing smile. “Oh Chryssi, I don’t have a kingdom.”

Chrysalis blinked a few times in surprise. “You, ah, you don’t?”

Twilight shook her head. “Nope, and believe me, I’m glad. Can you imagine governing a whole land? Sitting in some ivory tower, ordering servants around all day?” Twilight laughed again. “I don’t know how Cadance can stand it.”

A frown crossed Chrysalis’ features. “So, you control no lands?”

“Nope.” Twilight replied cheerily.

“Govern no ponies?”

“Not a one.”

“Control no resources?”

“Not unless you count knowledge, which is available upon the opening of any good book.”

What are you, an ad for public libraries? Chrysalis thought, staring at Twilight’s cheerful expression. “So, uh, what does being a princess entitle you to, if I may ask.” Chrysalis said hesitantly.

Twilight thought for a moment. “Well… I did get this really big and sparkly tree of magic or something. But the thing made Rarity throw up, so I’ll probably just replace it with an oak tree.” Twilight’s eyes got distant for a moment. “Oak tree…” she said almost longingly.

Meanwhile, Chrysalis was going over some choice things in her mind.

No lands, no ponies, not even a diamond mine? I know she’s so adorable and lovely I could just eat her up, but I’ve gotten use to a certain life style here!

Chrysalis frowned at Twilight, the latter currently engrossed with a large oak tree that dominated this section of the gardens.

So what if your marriage would make the treaty ironclad? So what if she’s the smartest, kindest mare you’ve ever spoken with? So what if she’s so damn sexy your heart flutters every time she gives you that smile and does that dance of hers…. Chrysalis frowned as an image of Twilight shaking her flank flashed in her mind. Stupid sexy Twilight, making me lose my train of thought.

“Chryssi, are you coming?” Twilight’s voice called from farther down the path, having apparently moved on while Chrysalis was thinking.

Chrysalis smiled and called, “Just a moment, dear.” she looked over at the oak tree Twilight had been staring at.

‘A certain life style’? Come on, Chryssi, what are you holding out for? Big, empty castles really aren’t your thing and it wouldn’t kill you to get off your flank and get your own soda. And an oak tree? You’d live in a damn hut by the sea, as long as you were with her.

Chrysalis smiled at the tree. “Yeah, I would. But let’s be honest, an oak tree sounds much better.”

“Chryssi!” Twilight called again, dancing impatiently.

“Coming, keep your wings on,” Chrysalis called back, giving the tree one last look. If her kingdom was a tree filled with books, that would suit her just fine. It was in her best interest, of course. Put Twilight Sparkle in a Library and you could live off the love for years.


> Badlands by Anonymoose
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Anonymoose

“Twiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilight!”

Twilight Sparkle sighed, taking off her reading glasses and putting down her book. She loved her wife, but was it too much to ask for just a little reading time?

“Yes dear?”

“Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?”

Twilight lit her horn, and turned on her bedroom light. Lying next to her, with the largest puppydog eyes she had ever seen, was Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings, and Equestrian Princess (by way of marriage) of the Badlands.

Twilight held a hoof to her forehead. “Please, Chrysalis. It’s late and I have a headache.”

“You always say that!” Chrysalis pouted.

“It’s always true,” Twilight muttered.

“Just a little bit?” Chrysalis pleaded.

She was met with silence.

“What happened to the fun loving, vibrant Princess I married?” Chrysalis whined. “She wouldn’t have said no.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “Yes she damn well would have! What in Equestria makes you think I’d approve invading another country?”

“But the Badlands suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!” Chrysalis extended a forearm, and started stroking Twilight’s mane. It was a great way for the changeling to get what she wanted.

“Well, whose fault is that, hmm?” Twilight batted Chrysalis’ holey-hoof away. “It’s your own fault they are the way they are today! Over-population, rampant militarization, a deplorably anti-environmental economy— I mean, for hoof’s sake, they were called the Verdant Plains before your changelings got a hold of them!”

Chrysalis crossed her forearms in a huff. “You can’t hold me responsible for the poor decisions made by changelings over seven-hundred years ago! It’s not fair.”

“Chrysalis,” Twilight grumbled. “You’ve been Queen of the Changelings for eleven-hundred years.”

“Just a little invasion. Nothing big. Maybe…” Chrysalis levitated a piece of paper from her study desk. “Look, here! Silver and Scout Meadows. Plenty of access to fresh water, lush foliage… and I hear Froud Valley has some high deposits of iron and silver. Just think of what my changelings could do—”

“You mean exactly what the current settlers of the meadows are doing?”

“Well, yes… but wouldn’t it be much better as Equestrian territory? I mean, sure… those Equestrians would be a little more black and chitinousy, but Equestrians none-the-same.”

“Those settlers are former Equestrians who left in protest of our marriage. How would it look to other nations if we approved of such an invasion?”

“Like the decision of a strong rulership who won’t allow dissent or deserters.” Chrysalis slid over Twilight’s shoulder, resting her barrel on Twilight’s back. “The other nations would respect us for it. And Luna’s already said yes.”

Chrysalis nibbled Twilight’s ears, the lavender mare squealing at the slight pinch of the changeling’s fangs, as gooseflesh ran up her back.

“Fine, what ever. Have your little invasion…” Twilight sighed, pressing herself into her wife’s chest. “Just don’t mess it up this time.”

“I promise, my love!” Chrysalis purred in Twilight’s ear. “You won’t hear another word about it from me again.





Five-hundred years later.

“Twiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilight!” Chrysalis called out, a new map held in her telekinetic grasp in front of her.


> Smart by Bobbananaville
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Bobbananaville

Chrysalis wasn't breathing.

This was fine. This was perfectly fine. Twilight was a smart pony; she knew that even after a being stopped breathing, it could still be alive. Even if its heart had stopped, so long as the brain wasn't destroyed or hadn't decayed there was still yet hope for survival. Hell, possibly even then - petrified beings came out perfectly fine even after hundreds of years, and there was probably SOME corrosion during that time period.

And who was to say that life ended there? There were so many stories about ghosts and the undead - stories she’d once dismissed as superstition, but now that she’d ended up in her predicament she considered that with so many fictional accounts, there had to be some basis in fact. Even if there wasn't, there were time-based spells that could possibly alter the past.

She was fine with her black book for the moment, though. She’d risk the time-space continuum after ensuring that necromancy wasn’t possible. It wasn't even very costly; all she needed was the eye of a dead mare she valued more than herself (to give Chrysalis a means to find the pony who valued her so much), a pair of wings from another who’d die for her (to help her beloved fly back to life), and the tongue of a mare who valued the truth beyond all else (so that when Chrysalis returned, the truth would know to change accordingly). And she already had all of these things - it was difficult, and she’d lost friendships along the way, but she got them.

The lavender mare placed the sacrifices on the three vertices of the triangle she drew on the ground, then floated Chrysalis’ year-old corpse onto the center. There wasn't much of it - it was just her carapace - but Twilight was sure it’d work anyhow. If nothing else, she’d make it work.

Twilight was a smart pony, after all.


> Poetry by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Europa

"HIDE ME HIDE ME HIDE ME!"

The doors to Twilight's chambers in the hive slammed open and in flew Queen Chrysalis, wrapped in green fire to give herself extra push. Twilight Sparkle, for her part, looked up from her book as her marefriend careened into her. For a split second she admired her form, and had just enough presence of mind to push her book aside to safety before her fiery lover hit her.

The fires burnt only for a moment before they went out, but Twilight gave out a strangled 'urk' when Chryssy knocked her off her bed and onto the hard floor. "HIDE ME HIDE ME HIDE ME HIDE ME!"

"What?! What?! What?!" Twilight squawked from where they lay, Chryssy's full body weight pushing down on her and admittedly making it a little hard to breathe. "Calm down, get off of me, and tell me what's wrong!"

Chrysalis did so, and both of them clambered to their hooves. "As queen of the changelings I'm expected to, among other things, keep up appearances for the nymphs. Normally I have no trouble visiting the little things but today's the day when they learn poetry!"

Twilight opened her mouth, closed it in confusion, then opened it again. "... and?"

Chryssy lurched in and grabbed her with her forehooves a little too tight, the jagged edge of a leg hole cutting her shoulder. "One of the first things you need to know about my kind is never, ever ever to let a changeling read poetry to you!"

"You're a changeling," she pointed out. "Isn't that kinda specist?"

"It's true!"

"You sang at the invasion!"

"That was singing, not poetry! I gotta hide!" Chrysalis's eyes darted back and forth in a panic, the slit pupils turning even thinner, and her eyes settled on the bed. Twilight could hear, in the distance, the scurrying of tiny hooves on stone coming their way. Chrysalis did too. "Hide!" And with that, Chrysalis shapeshifted into Sweetie Belle and dove under the bed.

A group of nymphs, maybe fifteen in all, galloped into Twilight's room. Like all non-royal changelings they had the fin, gray tail, and compound eyes. But they were also really small and their eyes were so big and adorable. Running after them was a changeling worker, panting heavily with the effort of keeping up with them. "I am so sorry, Princess Twilight," she said, dropping into a bow. "The younglings were simply trying to find Her Majesty after she fled." She rose and looked at her curiously. "Since Queen Chrysalis is missing, do you think maybe you could...?"

"Oh no," she said, putting a forehoof to her chest. "I'd be delighted!"

"Thank you, Princess." The changeling that Twilight assumed was the teacher nudged one of the nymphs forward and said, in Hemipid, "Alright Chitter, you're up. Don't be nervous."

The nymph in question, a filly if Twilight had to guess, stepped forward and cleared her throat. She looked up at Twilight and recited, 
 

"Green grass breaks through ground,


jumping over ponds,


I wonder where to go


to find where the pods are."





It lost a lot in translation, but in the original Hemipid it was very beautiful.

Twilight smiled and spoke over the muffled screams of anguish coming from under her bed. 
"That was very pretty, Chitter." She looked up at the teacher with a smile. "Who's next?" Another scream in Sweetie Belle's voice.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


After the school group had left, Twilight laid with Chryssy in her bed, stomach to stomach with each other. She'd wrapped her hooves around her marefriend's back and gently massaged the green shell on her withers. "You're a big foal," she said.

"Shut up," Chrysalis whimpered. "You did this to me."

"Chryssy, it was just poetry!" she protested.

"Exactly!" she shuddered in her grasp, and Twilight relented. She lit up her horn and began scratching her ears with her telekinesis. "Oh, mmm. Don't think that's gonna get you out of trouble, though."

With a sigh, Twilight said, "I know, I'm sorry. I should've considered you genuinely dislike poetry that much. What do you want to do?"

"... that thing with you in the cocoon." Twilight could already hear her marefriend's magic, and could feel the warm slime of a changeling cocoon forming over her rear and spreading upwards, covering every inch of her and matting her coat.

She pouted. "Fine. I owe you that much." It crept up past her withers, tingling as it engulfed her wings.

"Thanks, Twily."


> Busted by ShinyMoon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By ShinyMoon

Twilight and Chrysalis were exhausted. They had just left the castle after attending to some pressing matters concerning Chrysalis’ stay in Equestria. Needless to say, not everyone was as forgiving after the Changeling Invasion on Canterlot. After a long discussion on where Chrysalis would stay, it was decided she would stay with Twilight as her responsibility. The need for her weekly “check-ups” made weekly trips to the capital a necessity. Rather than take the late night train back to Ponyville, the girls decided to simply crash at Twilight’s childhood home. At this late hour, no one would be awake to question Twilight bringing the Queen of the Changelings with her as a guest. They’d slip out quickly in the morning, and no one would be the wiser! A brilliant plan indeed! However, it would appear as though fate had a different idea for them.

What started out as a normal and quiet morning for the Sparkle household, turned into one of screams and surprises.

“GAHH!!! Twily!! What are doing in bed with her?! What is she even doing here?!” screamed a very shocked and disturbed Shining Armor.

He had been sent by his mother to wake Twilight up for breakfast, however, he didn’t expect see his baby sister on top of a dishevelled Queen Chrysalis. They were both sporting bite marks on their bodies along with other marks.

“Huh, what? Who’s there?” asked a groggy Twilight. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she finally focused on the figure standing at the door. Her brain trying to comprehend what she’d seen, only to release her own scream after realizing it was her brother standing there with his hands covering his eyes.

“S-Shiny, w-why are you in my room?!” screamed Twilight, fully alert and embarrassed. The scream roused her bed mate from her slumber.

“Hgnh, Twilight?” asked Chrysalis, “why is there so much noise this early in the morning?”

“Um C-Chryssy, I think it’s time we got d-dressed.” stammered a blushing Twilight.

Regaining her bearings, Chrysalis’ eyes fell on Shining Armor but unlike Twilight, she did not freak out.

“Oh hello there Shiny, long time no see.” Chrysalis greeted nonchalantly with a smirk on her face. She even gave a little wave with her hand.

Unfortunately for Twilight, her mother had heard the noise and decided to check to see what was going on. Twilight Velvet came bursting through door, oblivious to a petrified Shining Armor standing there.

“Is everything okay Twilight? I thought I heard a scr-“,Twilight Velvet’s question was halted as she took in the sight before her, “O-Oh dear, I’ll leave you and…your companion to get dressed…and I’ll expect you to explain this downstairs” were the last words said before she flew from the room like a lightning bolt.

“Why does the world hate me so?” cried Twilight who was minutes away from a looking like a tomato permanently. Chrysalis chuckled at her disposition and gave her lover a kiss on the cheek.

“Come now Twilight, it might not be as bad as you think.” Chrysalis said, trying to appease her frantic lover.

“Oh but what if she doesn’t like you, I mean you did try to ruin my brother’s wedding and impersonate my babysitter. Not to mention you almost destroyed Canterlot and defeated Princess Celestia.” Twilight was frantically pacing, thinking of all the possible outcomes of this situation. None of them being good.

“You worry too much dear, I’m sure your mother will understand after you explain this whole ordeal. Now come, your mother is waiting for us downstairs.” Chrysalis said as she put on her clothes and made her way to the living room. Followed closely by a reluctant Twilight.

Now fully clothed, Twilight and Chrysalis sat on the sofa with Twilight’s mother opposite to them. Not a word had yet to be said.

“So…would someone care to explain how this came to be?” Twilight Velvet asked as she pointed to both Twilight and Chrysalis.

Taking a deep breath, Twilight began her explanation on how she and Chrysalis got together. Starting from how she found her injured and weakened from the battle to how they grew a mutual fondness for each other over the time spent with one another. Eventually ending up in a relationship, no matter how weird it seemed.

Once Twilight finished telling her story of how she and Chrysalis came to be, Twilight Velvet decided to interrogate the Queen of the Changelings sitting on the sofa next to her daughter. Despite the situation, she was calm and collected unlike Twilight who was a bundle nerves.
“Queen...Chrysalis is it?”inquired Twilight Velvet.

“Please, call me Chrysalis. After all we soon might be family,” sniggering as she said this.

“Ok...Chrysalis, might I ask what are your intentions with my daughter? I am a bit hesitant to understand why someone who almost destroyed Canterlot would want to date her subjugator.” Twilight’s mother said, still not seeing why a former villain would want to be in a relationship with their former enemy.

“Well as Twilight said, she found me injured and very weak after our little showdown. I don’t know what possessed her to help me but she took it upon herself to nurse me back to health. I guess forgiveness comes easily to the Elements of Harmony,” she paused for a bit,”well it comes easy for some of them.” Chrysalis remembered how the rainbow maned pony was all for attacking her, Rainbow Dash was it if memory served her right.

“Let us not diverge from the topic at hand, as I was saying, Twilight thought it necessary to offer me help. I flat out refused at first but she wouldn’t stop pestering me and in my weakened state I couldn’t put much of a fight, so I let her take me back to her home.” Chrysalis paused for breath before continuing.

“The first few days with us under the same roof were somewhat...difficult,” Chrysalis said with a hint of awkwardness.

“Difficult doesn’t begin to describe the hell she put me through,” Twilight interjected jokingly once recovering her voice.

“Oh hush, I wasn’t that bad,” Chrysalis lightly swatted Twilight’s arm at that statement.

“Not that bad? Are you kidding me? You practically made me do everything for you. From fluffing your pillow to carrying you to the bathroom,” Twilight exclaimed disbelievingly.

“That’s funny, I recall the bathroom was where we had our first...encounter and I don’t remember it being hell then,” Chrysalis said this with a sly look in her eyes.

“W-Well that was...uh...w-we...I-I,” Twilight was tripping over word she tried to say. She finally settled for a weak “I hate you.”

“Now come love, weren’t you the person who said they loved me with each breath they took,” before Twilight could react, Chryssy placed a soft kiss on her lips effectively silencing her.

Someone clearing their throat broke the two lovebirds from their reverie. Apparently they forgot Twilight’s mother was there with them as well.

“Ah, I appeared to have strayed from our previous conversation,” but before she could continue Twilight Velvet stopped her.

“No, I see no reason for you to continue. I can see that your affection towards Twilight is genuine. I’m just glad she found someone who makes her happy. Although I warn you, Twilight can be a bit eccentric at times.” Chrysalis and Twilight Velvet both laughed at Twilight’s expense who sat as still as a statue.

Twilight Velvet, having digested all of what she had heard, had only one question to ask.
“So...does this mean I should be expecting grandchildren from you?” she asked curiously.

“M-MOM!!!” exclaimed Twilight with her blush back full force. Chrysalis burst out laughing.

“I can tell I’m going to enjoy it here after all.” said Chrysalis followed with even more laughter.

Meanwhile upstairs, a frozen Shining Armor stood long forgotten.


> Honesty by Magicman7997
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By: Magicman7997

THREE MONTHS AFTER “REBIRTH”

Twilight Sparkle sat on a small pile of cushions in a hastily constructed nursery. It was still a strange feeling, being a mother of two foals. She'd always dreamed of children, just most times those dreams included thoughts of a wedding, and a house, and a husband. Yet here she sat, nursing a young cyan pegasus with a rainbow colored mane, not in a house, but a chamber deep underground. Still, as she looked down at the youngling graciously accepting nourishment from her, she wouldn't have it any other way.

She and Chryssy had been successful! Their cloning of the first two of her dearly departed friends went off without a hitch. After almost a month of sleepless hours pouring over data and countless more spent casting complex spells, they had done the (once) impossible. Two perfect copies of her old friends Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash now shared this new home with Twilight and her marefriend. They might not have the same memories as her old friends, but that was another problem for another time. For now, Twilight was ecstatic just to have them with her alive once more.

“I don't remember a time, in the five plus years we've been together, that I've ever sensed this much joy radiating from you,” the hive queen said. Walking into the nursery as quietly as she could, Chryssy beheld the beautiful sight before her in a mix of unabashed hunger and deep contentment. “I'm beginning to think I should have just changed myself into a stallion in one of our nightly romps if this is what motherhood does for you,” she said, winking playfully.

A blush crept across Twilight's muzzle. “I can't help it. I always dreamed of foals of my own, and now, it's real!” Twilight noticed that the little filly at her teat had stop nursing. Gently lifting her with her magic, she placed little Dashie in her crib. Within seconds, the young foal reached out with stubby forehooves to grasp a plush doll of her Auntie Cadance that sat in the crib. With the toy locked in a death hug, a small smile came across the filly's face.

Not to be outdone, as if sensing her sister was finished with her feeding, young Pinkamena began to stir. Sensing the oncoming unhappiness from the foal that she helped create, Chrysalis strode gently to the side of her crib. Softly, the changeling queen reached over the rail and brought the pink earth pony into a warm embrace. Pinkie cooed at her mother's touch and a smile, a genuine smile of happiness came across Chryssy's face.

“I think someone else does a pretty fantastic job at being a mom too you know,” Twilight said as Chrysalis walked towards her. “Of course, you've got a few more years experience and a heck of a lot more children under your belt too.” With all the eagerness of Cerberus with a new ball and the tenacity of a Diamond Dog protecting his gems, young Pinkie greedily suckled at Twilight's breast. Twilight gave a short gasp of pain as the foal latched on tightly to her. “Goodness, I didn't realize that your insatiable appetite was a genetic thing Pinkie. I knew you liked food, but...” Again, a small lance of pain shot through Twilight's body as the foal drank happily.

“About the 'years more' experience thing,” Chryssy asked hesitantly. “It...it doesn't bother you that I have, um, bore so many children. Does it?” If it were possible to see the blush of embarrassment on her ebony face, Chryssy was sure she'd be positively glowing.

“No, I've never really thought about it before,” Twilight answered quickly. “I mean it's a part of who you are. You're the progenitor of an entire race. I couldn't really hold that against you. Even if I wanted to.” With a soft flick of her wing, the lavender alicorn motioned for her love to come closer. When she arrived, Twilight gave her a soft kiss on the cheek and nuzzled into her, taking in her scent. “Never forget, I love you for you. All of you. What you are, what you have been, and what you will be. Nothing, not even Faust herself will change that.”

Chrysalis couldn't remember the last time she had shed tears. She wasn't entirely sure it was even possible. But then, in this most serene of moments, she found herself unable to hold back the well springs that were in her eyes. A short sniffle later, and the feeling had passed. Happiness, the most fulfilling of all the emotions that she could consume, had found a home here. With her, her hive children, her marefriend, and now, her pony children as well.

The moment was lost however when the skittering of footsteps crept into the room. “A thousand apologies your Highness. A surface pony is in the antechamber and says that she is here to see both her Majesty and the Zug'marshalproteca,” the drone prostrated himself to the floor as he finished his announcement. “We informed her that you were not receiving visitors, but she insisted that she be seen. She asked that we bring this as proof of her urgency,” the drone reached into a small pouch at his side. He withdrew and old weathered hair bow, one that was common for young fillies to wear. It's crimson color, long since faded and it's loops thread bare. 

“Shall I send her on her way by force your Majesty?”

Recognizing the bow instantly, Twilight looked to Chrysalis. “We both need to be there for this. Can you go and meet with her first. I'll be up as soon as I'm done here.” Chrysalis simply nodded and turned her attention to the drone at her feet.

“Rise, drone,” she commanded. As the drone found it's feet, it was instantly knocked back off them as Chrysalis struck him with a hoof to the head. “That, is for even CONSIDERING violence against a visitor. We have worked so hard to maintain peace with the surface ponies. And yet, your first thought was to 'send her on her way by force'? You still have much to learn. You will lead me to this pony and then you shall return to your post. Understood?”

Quickly, the drone found his feet again and saluted his queen. “Yes my Queen. I apologize for my actions. I shall do better,” the drone spun on his hooves and led the way for his monarch. The pathways lead closer and closer to the surface. Finally, the drone stopped before a door and swung it open. Natural light poured into the hallway from the antechamber, so much so that Chrysalis was momentarily blinded. The feeling passed quickly and she followed the drone into the room.

The antechamber was nearly the size of her own quarters. The major difference being that there was no furniture here. Just banners and tapestries depicting the entrance to the Hive below. Four other drone guards stood motionless in the room. Not the most pleasant of welcoming committees, but they did their job. If a visitor ever came, such as one did now, one drone would step through the entrance door to the hive and pass along the info to a messenger guard. Then it was a simple case of find the intended target and retrieve them. Efficient, safe (for the most part), and above all, it allowed Chryssy to control the situation. She couldn't be happier with how it all worked.

The room's other occupant, turned as she heard the door open behind her. A young blond colored mare wearing a bright green bandanna around her neck stepped forward to meet with the brood queen. She was instantly stopped by dual halberds as two royal drone guards intercepted her. It was hard to discern expressions on a changeling's face, but somehow, the young mare knew they meant business.

“Announcing her royal Highness, Broodmother, and Queen of the Hive, Chrysalis. All kneel in her glory,” the escorting drone dropped on his forehooves as he allowed Chrysalis to enter. As she came closer to the visitor, the guards slowly backed away and returned to their posts. With a careful sigh as if to steel herself for the conversation about to occur, Chryssy spoke.

“AppleBloom It is good to see you again. I apologize for any unfair treatment you may have been given while waiting for me. Drones make excellent guards, though sometimes they can be a bit overzealous. I understand that you wish to speak with myself and Twilight?”

“Good afternoon, yer Highness,” AppleBloom said through gritted teeth. “Yeah, Ah'm here to talk to you and Twilight about ma sister. Let's just get this over with before I say something Ah'll regret.”

Chrysalis winced at the malice and anger she could sense radiating from the young AppleBloom. She had gotten used to the fact that not all of Equestria's ponies were going to be welcoming or civil to her and her children. But the fact that the young mare before her was so close to her own marefriend made it a bit of a bitter pill to swallow. “Twilight will be along shortly. She's finishing up a few things in the lab. Would you like to come with me? We can surely find someplace a little more comfortable than just this antechamber.”

“If it's all the same to you, Ah think Ah'll stay right here. The less time Ah'm here, the better off Ah'll feel.” AppleBloom scuffed at the rocky floor with her hooves. She gazed all around the massive chamber trying to find something, anything to focus on rather than the bug queen before her.

Chryssy's nerves grated a little at the mare's behavior, she might not be friendly, but she didn't have to be so openly hostile about it. “AppleBloom, I know that it might be difficult to believe, but I really have changed. I'm not the same being I was that day of the wedding. I realize now that force got us nowhere. I know I have a lot of making up to do, to everypony. But it's hard enough to do that as it is, let alone if ponies won't even give me a chance to make things up to them.” She hoped that her words might reach the young mare's sense of honor in that sentence. From what Twilight had told her about the Apple clan, they were a hard working and dedicated bunch that put family above all else. They believed in second chances, so long as the one who had done wrong was willing to put forth the effort to redeem themselves.

AppleBloom sighed heavily, “Ah know. Ah should be givin ya a better shake than Ah am. But the truth is yer Highne...Chrysalis, a wolf can't change his skin. No matter how much he wants to. Ah know the princesses trust ya, and Ah know Twilight adores ya. As fer me, well, Ah'm not sure Ah can meet ya half way yet.”

“So long as you're willing to meet me, that's what matters,” Chryssy replied as she extended her hoof towards AppleBloom “Please, can we, start over?”

Reaching out, AppleBloom warily shook the queen's hoof. “Ah guess that'd be a start. I'm AppleBloom Apple.”

“A pleasure AppleBloom I am Chrysalis. High Queen of the Hive.”

“Glad to see you two making progress,” came the voice of Twilight from behind them. She crossed into the chamber and softly kissed Chryssy on the cheek. “They're asleep, though I'm not sure that Pinkie left me intact.” Twilight moved quickly to AppleBloom's side and swept her in a tight hug.

“And you young lady, are growing up way too fast. Look at you. Quite the pretty filly! I wonder, how many young colts do you have chasing after you?”

Bloom blushed at that but genuinely returned the hug. “It's great to see ya Twilight! Yer looking awfully fine yerself. As far as the colts go, well,” her blush deepening as thoughts of her young coltfriend flashed through her head. “Ah brought what ya asked for,” she said as she reached into her saddlebags. “Found as many of 'em as Ah could. Will it really work? Will Ah have her back, no foolin?”

Twilight took the small package from Bloom's mouth. Carefully, she opened it, revealing ten of AJ's old red hair ties. Woven into each tie, were several pieces of blond mane and tail hair. Tears came unwarranted as Twilight looked at the ties. It was if she was holding a priceless magical artifact in her hooves. She was scared to breathe for fear that she might destroy them. Gently, and with a surgeons precision, she passed the package to Chrysalis who took it in her own magical field with the greatest of care.  “To answer your question AB, yes and no. The cloning has been successful so far. But we haven't perfected all of the process yet. I assure you, if everything goes as we've planned. We'll both get her back.”

AppleBloom nearly tackled Twilight in a bone crushing hug. Tears rained down her muzzle as she held on to Twilight for dear life. “Oh thank ya Twilight! Thank ya ever so much! I've missed her so bad! I want ma sister back.”

The tears that Twilight had been holding back sprang forth as she stroked AppleBloom's mane. “So do I AB. So do I."


> Cold by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Knight of Lycaeus

Standing in line disguised as a pony about to petition to the throne was neither dignified nor was it expected especially for one of her station. How could she have imagined that her plans would not only be ruined but it would also destroy a sizable portion of her Hive. Her very public failure had damn the Changeling nation, her Hive were considered outcasts and promptly ejected from the Collective. The Changeling nation lived in scattered Hives but was unified in mind and in intent, to live and survive in anonymity, anonymity granted them the ability to feed, live, and survive amongst the other races. Chrysalis already considered an upstart for her more aggressive measures was now considered unfit to be among the Collective and so she and her Hive must make do and begin anew apart from the Collective.

Making do in this case seems to be grovelling for aid', mentally she reviewed what resources she had, An already small Hive made even smaller by the failed invasion, the majority of drones were injured and some have not recovered well, and a lack of food supplies. Two years later and recovery is still difficult, still slow. Then Tirek came.  Chrysalis sighed. His magic drain exposed us and reduced our already difficult recovery even more. Her plan had been to hide amongst the settlements of ponykind to recover all while plotting her next move to secure a place for her Hive.

The line moved forward taking her deeper into the looming structure, Not much to offer, my surrender may be the only viable option., she looked up to see the long branches of crystal reaching high above her. Is she really the best option?. Ponykind was not her preferred option but it was her most viable one, other options had been discarded due to the required distance to travel or some other factor. She held no love for ponies but the one she waited to speak to was the very pony who had derailed her invasion plans To see through my disguise when so many other failed to do so, she has my respect if nothing else. I refuse to return to Canterlot like this, I would arrested on the spot before I could even speak and I'm not begging the Sun Princess for aid. Of the other Princesses she despised Celestia the most for her position, it was secure and strong and she had her nation by her side. All her support and still I have bested her. The pink one would be pointless her homeland would be too harsh and her husband.... I could sense his hatred just before being forcibly evicted from Canterlot; the Lunar is rumoured to be far too unstable, the horrific tales ponies weave about her…. being restrained I could manage what she might do.... this is the better option.

She stood now before the circle of thrones and placed herself directly across from the presiding purple princess and before a question was asked she dropped her disguise. Standing tall in a posture of confidence even as she met the hard eyes of most of the ponies in the room she spoke out, "I, Queen Chrysalis of the Western Desert Ridge Hive am here to seek aid and sanctuary. Our Hive has been declared and branded as Outcasts by the Changeling Collective; I stand here to ask for aid from the newest Princess of Equestria. Princess Twilight, Princess of Magic and Friendship we have little to offer but are willing to cooperate for the continued existence of our Hive."


> Princess2 by Cloud Hop
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Cloud Hop

"I'm still in your debt for your wonderful magecrafting, Twilight." Chrysalis strode down caverns made of black chitin, a purple alicorn princess trailing behind her.

"Oh, it was nothing, really," Twilight replied, blushing. "It was the least I could do after you saved Equestria from a giant army of talking ducks with laser cannons from outer space."

Chrysalis giggled, and a soft teal light emanating from nearby bio-luminescent moss scintillated off her pink carapace. Her mane was light blue, streaked with purple, and she wore an incredibly frilly dress custom-tailored for her by Rarity. Upon her head sat a silver tiara, and she wore ornate hoofgaurds, specially crafted for her feet, made out of ruby.

"Oh, I almost forgot, I wanted to show you the hatchery before you left today!" Princess Chrysalis nuzzled her marefriend, before backtracking through a different set of caverns. Princess Twilight followed with nervous excitement, always eager to see what wonderful things her lover had in store for her.

Her smile fell once she reached the hatchery.

"Isn't is wonderful?" asked Princess Chrysalis, presenting the grand room with a wave of her pink hoof, and smiling with pride, utterly oblivious to the growing concern of her marefriend.

Normally, Twilight would have agreed, and praised the miracle of life. However, this time, she was having to deal with the very unintended consequences of a simple biological adjustment spell.

Thousands upon thousands of pretty pink changeling nymphs sat inside translucent pods, ready to be born into an enormous horde of little princesses. This was terrifying to Twilight for two reasons. One, it was a giant horde of pretty pink changeling princesses, and two, Cadance was going to kill her. Painfully.

Twilight smacked a hoof to her face and groaned.





"What have we learned today, Twilight?" Asked Cadance in a light and cheery tone. Twilight did not respond. "What was that? You shouldn't be toying with magic without fully understanding the consequences of your actions? Why yes, that's exactly what you should have learned!"

Twilight still did not respond. It's difficult to respond after an enraged alicorn princess rips your immortal soul out of your body and banishes it to the astral plane. Not sufficient to kill a fellow alicorn, but sufficient to ruin their day for a good 300 years.
Cadance laughed, and laughed, until her laughter was no more, and only her quiet sobbing could be heard, as an army of pretty pink changeling princesses blotted out the sun over the crystal empire.

Chrysalis was coming for her marefriend.


> Head by Foal Errand
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Foals Errand

Celestia smiled over at Luna as they sat with their withers touching while drinking tea. She closed her eyes with a peaceful smile as the sun began to set, coloring the sky in shades of twilight. Speaking of Twilight...

“It seems that Twilight and Queen Chrysalis are still very happy together,” Luna stated after taking a sip of her tea.

Celestia looked at her own cup lost in thought and nodded. “So it seems.” Both sisters continued to stare out the window until they heard a *thud*

Luna turned to look in horror at Celestia’s now headless body, her head rolling across the floor. She gaped at the sight, her eyes growing wider until she suddenly shut them and began to scream.

“Not so loud, Lulu!”

Luna stopped screaming to see Celestia, once again had a head. “...Wh-what was that?”

Celestia sighed while looking at her decapitated head. “I’ve developed a bit of a 'tic', I’m afraid.” She rang a bell and Discord appeared, scooping up the head.

“Alas, poor Sunbutt. I knew her well!”

Celestia rolled her eyes. “What are you doing with all those heads, anyway?” She followed him to the window where there was a half-completed bridge to Ponyville made from her fallen heads.

“Well, you always said you wanted to bridge ponies together!” He laughed as he vanished.

Luna stared at the puzzling scene before clearing her throat. “So you have a 'tic'?”

“Ah yes, I’m afraid that every time I think of my faithful Twilight and Queen Chrysalis together, I simply lose my head.”


> Tissue by Anonymoose
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Anonymoose

Rainbow Dash struggled against the restraints. “I just… I just don’t like ponies touching my hooves.”

“I know, slave,” Twilight said with a leer. “But if you want to be my pet, then you have to submit.”

Twilight stood over the restricted mare, wearing a black-lace bridle and a scandalously real leather saddle. In her magic levitated a long riding crop.

“Twilight, please—”

*whap*

“Did I give you permission to be so informal with me, slave?” Twilight glowered.

“I’m sorry, Mistress,” Rainbow Dash whispered.

“Much better. Now… let me get the tools of my trade.”\

From the wall, Twilight levitated a small hooficure file. She slowly levitated the file towards Rainbow’s hoof, revelling in the nervousness painted across the athletic mare’s face.

“Please, don’t—”

Rainbow shrieked as Twilight gently ran the file across a single hoof.

*whap*

“A good slave obeys her Mistress,” Twilight said, running a hoof across Dash’s cheek. “You want to be a good slave, right?”

“Yes, Mistress,” Dash whispered.

“Good, now let’s try again.”

Once again, Twilight ran the file over Dash’s hoof. And once again, Dash flinched and pulled away.

*whap* *whap*

“Unnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnmmmmmmmmmmph,” Dash cried, as green flames erupted all over her body.

A thick, green gooey ichor splashed all over Chrysalis and Twilight, the Queen going slack in her restraints.

“Really?” Twilight asked incredulously, levitating some tissues over. “Already?”

Chrysalis blushed a heavy green. “What can I say… you know how much I love the crop.”

“Yeah, I should have known that’d be a short scene,” Twilight laughed, wiping away the copious fluids. “Good thing we splurged on the magefire-proof restraints!”

Chrysalis giggled.

“I still can’t believe you cocooned ponies in this stuff,” Twilight chuckled as she wiped the last of it off. “Celestia would die if she ever found out what she was suspended in!”

Green fire erupted around Chrysalis once again, as she teleported out of the restraints, leaving her mess behind her. “Okay, now it’s my turn… let’s see who’s next.”

Twilight and Chrysalis sat next to each other, leaning against the other, as Chrysalis drew another card from the deck.

“Ooo, Miss Cheerilee!” Chrysalis squealed, as green flames enveloped her again.

“You get the school desk, and I’ll get the ruler,” the mulberry mare said as she trotted across the room.

Twilight lit her horn and teleported in a school desk.

Cheerilee came back across the room, her hips swaying as she walked. “Miss Sparkle, this is the third assignment you’ve turned in late… and while normally we don’t use corporal punishment, such tardiness requires extra disciplinary measures…”

Twilight shuddered.

Cheerilee’s eye’s flashed green for a few seconds as she spoke, “Remember, our safeword is ‘Shipfic’.”


> Growth By kochamara
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By kochamara

Twilight stood in front of the rows and rows of incubators, her body awash with the pulsating teal light they emitted. The walls of the massive chamber were pocketed with perfectly round holes and thin layers of slime. The floor was slick and chitinous.

She stood out in this alien landscape but took no mind, instead focusing on the notepad and pencil she levitated in front of her muzzle. With every incubator she passed, she mentally and quickly took note of the status of each and every embryo. Twilight beamed with pride.

"How are things progressing, Twilight Sparkle?" Chrysalis entered the chamber, making a beeline straight towards the young alicorn. Her head held high, as if she was balancing books on her snout, and her eyes bore the half lidded gaze of indifference. Even though she was essentially the queen of a bunch of embryos, Chrysalis was proud. Feral even.

Twilight almost jumped. She was just beginning to grow accustomed to the Queen's non hostility, but that didn't mean that she wasn't still spooked from time to time. Hiding her slight case of the jitters well, Twilight levitated her notes so that they were well within Chrysalis' eyesight. "They are growing at an exceptional rate! See?"

"Yes. Yes." Chrysalis waved a hoof around impatiently, not bothering to scrutinize Twilight's notes. "How long till they hatch?"

"I can't be sure...I'm sorry Chrysalis." Twilight levitated her notes back to her side, but abandoned them. Instead, she focused on the Changeling. One hoof rested on Chrysalis' shoulder in a reassuring gesture, but the Queen shook her away a mere moment later.

"That is enough, Twilight Sparkle. I will be off now. See you at dinner time." Chrysalis turned and walked away, leaving Twilight alone once again.

"Every day. She's like this every day," Twilight bemoaned, lightly banging her head against an incubator. She supposed that things could have been worse. After all, Chrysalis had made peace with Equestria, despite remaining aloof. She was actually fairly pleasant to Twilight, if a bit curt.

This turn of events was actually quite painful, now that Twilight realized that the Changeling wasn't a heartless monster.

Twilight groaned and removed her face from the incubator. Something flickered at the edge of her vision, causing her to peer at the embryo inside a little more closely. It was definitely growing faster than the others.

"Wait a sec...Chrysalis! Come back!" Twilight galloped after the other monarch. Maybe, just maybe, she would finally be able to make Chrysalis smile.


> Unexpected by ShinyMoon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Shiny Moon

Any foal who passed by Twilight’s library and heard the noises coming from inside the big oak tree, would simply mistake the moans and groans for somepony in pain. However, any adult would say otherwise. Many ponies were started by the loud groans they heard as the walked by the library. The most common reactions out of the shocked looks, were bright red blushes on their faces.

“Aah Twilight,” moaned a pleased Queen Chrysalis, who was lounged across the floor of the library with her head resting on a cushion. Above her, Twilight sat on her haunches diligently working on her task at hand despite the glowing blush she had on her face, courtesy of the sounds coming from Chrysalis.

“Chrysalis, tone it down a bit would ya? You’re keeping so much noise that ponies are going to wonder what’s going on in here,” came the flustered voice of Twilight. “It’s a good thing Spike decided to spend the day at Rarity, wouldn’t want him to walk in on this,” she thought to herself.

“But it feel so gooood,” whined Chrysalis before she releasing an extra loud moan as Twilight touched a sensitive spot, she buried her muzzle into the cushion as she was assaulted with waves of pleasure. “Hgnh!! Deeper Twilight, right there!!” she practically screamed as Twilight hit another sensitive spot. Chrysalis was sure she was drooling from the pleasure she was receiving.

Before Twilight could admonish her about her noise level once more, the door to the library was slammed opened. Standing in the doorway was an irritated Rainbow Dash. The noise had awakened her from her nap.

“Okay Twilight, I get that you two are dating and all but could yo-” her speech was cut off as she looked at the scene before her. She saw something else instead of what she had expected to see from the noises she heard coming from the tree. In front of her laid an almost catatonic Queen Chrysalis, her eyes rolled up and a bright green blush on her chitinous muzzle with a small stream of drool visible at the corner of her mouth. Next to her sat a wide eyed, blushing Twilight Sparkle with a...Q-tip?

“R-Rainbow Dash?! Don’t you know about k-knocking?!,” asked Twilight, stammering over her words. Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe it, all the moans and groans were coming from an ear cleaning?!

“You mean to tell me all those sounds I heard were because of you cleaning her ears?!,” before Twilight could reply, Rainbow Dash cut her off.

“Ya know what, save it. I don’t even wanna know. Next time why don’t ya cast a silencing spell or something? You are an unicorn after all.” With that she left the library, grumbling on her way back to the cloud she was sleeping on.

Maybe a silencing spell was a good idea. It would certainly prevent anymore misunderstandings.

“Twiliiiiight,” whined Chrysalis, no longer semi-unconscious,”why’d you stop?”


> Parents by TheWraithWriter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By TheWraithWriter

“This is a bad idea,” Chrysalis said as she followed Twilight up the steps to the porch.

Twilight frowned at Chrysalis. “Why do you keep saying that?”

“Because it’s true,” Chrysalis hissed. “I mean, me and you? It’s crazy, but it’s us so damn everything else. But this? A meeting with the parents? If Celestia fell in love with, I don’t know, Nightmare-Moon or some stupid thing like that, you think she’d take her home to her parents?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Come on, Chryssi, stop making up ridiculous things. You’re not getting out of this.” Twilight raised a hoof to knock on the door.

Chrysalis caught her hoof before it made contact with the wood. “Twilight, please,” the changeling whined.

Twilight scowled. “Chrysalis, we’re doing this now.”

The changeling queen was having none of that. “Please Twily? Pretty please with a sprinkle of love on top.” Chrysalis put on her best puppy dog eyes. Which were actually puppy dog eyes she ‘borrowed.’

“Wow, you’re really desperate.”

Chrysalis frowned and dropped the puppy eyes. That usually worked. Guess it was time for plan B…

Chrysalis adopted a more provocative posture and gave Twilight a sultry grin. “You know, we could always do that thing you talk about in your sleep.”

Twilight’s determined expression melted a little. “Uh… what thing, Chryssi?” she asked, a tad nervous.

“Oh, you know,” Chrysalis said, nuzzling Twilight’s hoof. “That terribly naughty thing you think I don’t know about. With the books and the black board…” she gave Twilight’s hoof a long, slow lick, “and the licorice whips.” Chrysalis bounced her eyebrows suggestively.

For a long moment, it seemed like Twilight was actually considering it. Chrysalis felt hope rise in her chest as she saw Twilight’s wings raise a little.

But her hopes fell as the alicorn’s wings settled at her sides again and the purple hoof was pulled from her grasp.

“Sorry, Chryssi, but my sexual fantasies will have to wait.”

Chrysalis sighed and hung her head. “Fine, I’ll do it then.”

The changeling turned and faced the door, raising a slightly trembling hoof to knock three times against its smooth surface. A minute went by before the door opened to reveal a dark figure.

“…Chrysalis?” the figure asked, green eyes squinting from behind old lenses.

A small smile tweaked the changeling queen’s lips. “Hi, mom.”


> Despair by Anonymoose
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Anonymoose

Twilight ran her hoof through Chrysalis’ holed mane as the changeling leaned over the toilet bowl.

Three days… three days, and Chrysalis’ nausea had not abated.

“Look, Chryssy…” Twilight whispered. “Yes… this changes… well, it changes a lot.”

Chrysalis’ only reply was to vomit a thick green substance into the toilet.

“It’ll be okay… we just have to, well, we just have to learn to deal with this new reality—”





Three Days Earlier…

Chrysalis and Twilight sat nervously across from Twilight Velvet and Night Light. Twilight’s parents themselves wore a pair over very concerned expressions on their faces.

“M-mom, Dad…” Twilight stuttered. “I… I have some news to share with you, and I hope you will be happy for us.”

Nightlight blanched, while Twilight Velvet swooned.

Chrysalis gently placed her holed-hoof over Twilight’s own, giving her marefriend her support.

“Chrysalis and I… we’ve decided to move our friendship… further.”

“Oh, thank Celestia,” Twilight Velvet whispered.

“Thank Celestia?” Nightlight boomed. “Thank Celestia? This is terrible!”

“Oh, I know it is bad, honey, I do… but it could be worse,” Twilight Velvet sighed. “I thought Twilight was going to tell us she was pregnant.”

Twilight Sparkle gasped. “What? Why… we haven’t even done that yet.”

“Oh, thank Celestia!” Twilight Velvet cried in joy.

Twilight Sparkle began to sniffle, while Chrysalis glared at her parents.

“I don’t understand,” Twilight sobbed. “You and Dad… you were so supportive of Chrysalis and I becoming friends… even after Shining’s wedding. Why—”

“Twilight, sweetie, it’s not—”

“Is it because I’m black?” Chrysalis asked, her anger boiling just below the surface.

“No, Chryssy, it’s not that,” Nightlight replied, sighing. “I just… we were happy that the two of you became friends, but you can never be more than that.”

“Why‽” Twilight screamed.

“Dear,” Twilight Velvet implored to her husband. “You-you should tell them.”

“Very well, dear.” Nightlight slumped his shoulders.

“Twilight, before you were born… your mother and I were having… marital issues. With the birth of Shiny, and my losing my job at the observatory.

“Well, you mother and I were at odds a lot of the time. We separated for some time. It was during the separation I met a young pegasus mare. She was very friendly with me, and… I was not used to the attention of such a pretty mare.”

Twilight Velvet shot her husband a slightly dirty look.

“Our relationship, if you could call it that, was very brief. It was less than three months after our first… meeting… that she informed me of her real identity.”

Chrysalis looked at Nightlight in horror, silently begging that he would not say the words she dreaded hearing.

“Queen Chrysalid, Mother of the Black Swarm.”

Twilight Sparkle and Chrysalis looked at each other in shock, then turned back to Nightlight.

“D-dad?” Chrysalis asked, tears in her eyes.

“I’m sorry I kept this from you, Chryssy,” Nightlight replied, his own cheeks dotted with tears. “It’s… it’s why I was so glad to hear that you and Twilight getting along.”

Chrysalis removed her hoof from Twilight’s. It no longer felt… appropriate.

“I can’t— Chrysalis is my—” Twilight sniffled. “Does Shiney kn—Oh buck!” Twilight turned to Chrysalis, wide eyed. “Didn’t you and Shiney—”

Twilight recognised the signs. Chrysalis’ pupils dilated and her entire face turned green. Quickly, Twilight levitated the trashcan from the kitchen, but was not fast enough.

*Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggghhhh*

Twilight Velvet hissed as the thick, viscous ichor covered her favourite Saddle Arabian rug.

“Honestly, Chryssy, did you even aim for the bucket?”


> Moonlight By Xaldon Ajide
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Xaldon Ajide

“Twilight! Don’t stop.” Said the felonian eagle, as experienced lavender hooves massaged Gilda’s wings.

A melodious voice vibrating in multiple tones, answers the griffons demand. “Hmmph, who knew, that all it would take to defeat the great Gilda would be a simple wing massage.” The changeling snickered as the griffon stuck out her tongue like an impetus child. The changeling queen looked upon her own work as she kneaded her own hooves into the sinuous muscles underneath her charges obsidian fur.

“Aww Chrysie, look at what you did, Poor Nightie is already asleep. Couldn’t you have at least tried to not make me look second rate? Twilight asked with a pout.

Holding up a holed hoof Chrysalis tried to defend herself. “Hey give me some slack here, I’m trying to go at the same pace as you here, it’s not my fault that my hooves are designed better. Besides with Nightmare asleep we can both focus on giving Gilda a massage.” Chrysalis stops ministering to the slumbering obsidian mare underneath her and silently steps over to Twilight and Gilda. Sitting down next to the white feathered griffon, Nightmare lifts her hooves and places them against the tightly wound griffons sore muscles. ‘Twilight, how does she even manage to get this out of sorts each night after working on Bigmac’s orchard?’

The lavender mare senses the changelings thoughts clearly through the link she had with the hives, with very little difficulty, Twilight Isolates the connection and responds along the thread back to Chrysalis with only her thoughts. ‘Griffon bodies aren’t designed for extended periods of physical labor on the ground especially the kind of repetitive motions that are involved in Applebucking. Due to Gilda’s exemplary physique before she started working as a farm hand at Sweet Apple acres, she never had to suffer any harsh side effects from the labor other than exhaustion and muscle hypertension.’ The lavender filly answers technically. ‘Also I think she fell asleep somewhere in the middle of my ra-’ “Meep!” Twilight squeaks as she feels a small tuft of velvety soft fur brush against one of her slightly plump teats and across her unmentionables, The unexpectedness of it causing the feeling to be intensified two fold.

Chrysalis having moved her hooves off of the slumbering griffon between her and her lavender unicorn, she begins snickering again as she watches Gilda’s twitching tail play underneath Twilight, causing her to make the most adorable squeeks imaginable. Just as Chrysalis decides to help her lover, Twilights next sound melts into a somewhat husky moan. ‘Oops’ Chrysalis allows the thought before the room flashes a bright white. When the light dies away half a second later, Chrysalis finds herself alone with a sexually aroused Twilight. Taking a second to gulp a small mouthful of fresh air, she tries to placate the alluring mare before her. “N-now Twilight, heh. You remember what happened last time right?” Twilight just looks at Chrysalis hungrily, not even dignifying the question with a verbal response as she takes a step towards the stunned changeling. “H-hah, umm, c-can we… atleast take this somewhere a bit more… com-fortable?” Chrysalis stammers out the room flashing once more before she even finishes her sentence.

This time, when the light dies down, she glances quickly around noting that she was within her shared bedroom with Twilight, however that’s all the time she has before she’s suddenly Tackled backwards onto Twilights queen sized cloud bed. Chrysalis turns her head downward fully expecting Twilight's horn to be glowing as she cast one of her signature spells. “Schnt, hehe hahaha, ooh the look on your face. Why don’t we just snuggle for tonight, it’s too late for either Gilda or Nightie to join in so it’s just us for tonight.” Twilight stated to the unresponsive changeling queen.

Twilight waves a hoof in front of Chrysalis’s eyes. “Hello? Chrysie? anyone in there?” Twilight asks before experimentally banging a hoof against the changelings head and jogging her back into motion.

“Uh wha? Oh Twilight I had the most terrible dream!” Chrysalis cries grabbing Twilight and pulling the lavender mare into a tight hug.

“Oh, and what would that be?” Twilight asks.

Chrysalis blushes furiously, “You were in heat and neither Nightie or Gilda were there to help.”

“Aww that’s adorable, however you know I never go into heat anymore unless I can experience it with all of you girls, besides when it’s just you and me I’d prefer to just-” Twilight presses her muzzle softly against Chrysalises warm and soft exoskeleton. “Snuggle.” the lavender filly finishes softly, as she wraps one of her forelimbs over the changeling queens dragonfly like wings and pulling her into a gentle hug.

“Hmm, a changeling could get used to this, Thank you Twilight.”

Twilight yawns somewhat her eye glancing at the grandfather clock next to the bed and reading Eleven thirty four on the timekeeping device before returning her gaze back upon the changeling held in her forelegs, a soft giggle escaping her lips as she sees the glazed expression upon the overfed changeling’s face. “I love you too Chrysalis, Too bad Gilda and Nightie had to sleep in their own beds tonight, we could have had a changeling sandwich.” Twilight and chrysalis both giggle softly, before going Quiet once more. after a few more minutes, Twilight allows the heartbeat of her bed buddy lull her to sleep in the comforting warmth and protection of her changeling.and Chrysalis does the same as she allows Twilight’s heart beat to lull her to a deep rest along with the rest of the changelings within her hive-mind.

After a few minutes of silence two pairs of eyes open one golden yellow the other teal. Both entities look upon the sleeping couple in the middle bed, as stealthily as they can both pony and griffin sneak over and plop themselves on either side of the slumbering couple before allowing themselves sleep in each others comforting presence.


> Epiphany by Knight of Lucaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lucaeus

To say it was a shock would be an understatement, for Queen Chrysalis to boldly walk in disguised as she had been was certainly something none of us had expected. I held court biweekly; there were not enough petitioners to warrant more regular sessions that also I was mindful that my friends would not always be available for every session so biweekly it was. I didn't need to look to know the expression of anger on Rainbow's face or the mistrust Applejack held for the Changeling Queen before us, I wasn't even surprised by Spike's hostility. 'She's proud even in the face of doom, I can see she would have preferred to never come here. But what can I do? She asked for aid which I could give but sanctuary not so much. Equestria is ruled by the cooperation of its Princesses and I'm only one part of the Triarchy although in this case Cadance and the Crystal Empire may be brought in as well.
'
I saw Rainbow fidget ready to lash out whether it would be physically or verbally I wasn't entirely sure. With what Chrysalis had done there was a possibility of her doing either at this point but in this case I think verbal was the likelier option.

"What are you doing here?" Rainbow Dash yelled, "Come to drain us or perhaps invade again?"

I stomped my hoof quickly to draw Rainbow's attention to me. Once she was quiet I asked, "Queen Chrysalis of the Western Desert Ridge Hive what exactly do you ask of us?"

Queen Chrysalis focused her attention on me, "Aid and sanctuary as I stated before. We need food and medicine to help heal the Hive, our earlier plans to live among ponies was ruined by the arrival of Tirek. As Outcasts of the Collective we are seeking a new place to secure for our own."

I saw Rainbow tense and ready to lash out and I quickly lifted my hoof to ask that she remain quiet for the moment. "Did your plans originally involve invading a settlement and taking for your own?"

Chrysalis tensed before sighing knowing her plans had truly fallen through, "Yes. The plan was to use a settlement to strengthen our own position."

Armed with what she had just confessed I knew we needed time. "Rarity would you please tell the ponies waiting that Court has been cancelled and they will be rescheduled for a later time. Queen Chrysalis please leave this throne room once Rarity returns and wait outside, we need time to decide."

Rarity left and returned then Chrysalis left. The seven of us needed to come to a decision on the request of Queen Chrysalis. The discussion was long and heated and more insults were hurled at the Changeling who awaited her fate like one awaiting their execution in days long past. After nearly half an hour I allowed her to enter the throne room again. Her posture was the same as before; she directed her focus towards me and her stance spoke of confidence even in the midst of the hostility she felt.

I didn't need to look to know the reluctance and anger on Rainbow's face or the torn look from Applejack who mistrusted her but at the same time could not simply turn her away while she needed help, Pinkie I knew was ecstatic as she hoped she could cheer up the cold Queen, Fluttershy was the same and hoped she too could help her, Rarity was still reluctant about this whole matter, and Spike was in the same position as Applejack. I knew he and Rainbow would have the greatest difficulty accepting what we had decided. To Rainbow, Chrysalis tricked her in abandoning a friend but to Spike, Chrysalis didn't just attack strangers but she had attacked his family. His family mattered more to him than anything else, I had suspicion that his hoard one day would not be jewels but the family he loves. I knew Spike would be angry but I also knew he too understood the need for mercy and forgiveness.

"Queen Chrysalis of the Western Desert Hive, are you prepared to listen to what shall be done?" I spoke out, grateful for the etiquette lessons from my parents and Princess Celestia.

Chrysalis gave a silent nod allowing me to proceed.

"By your actions in Canterlot in disrupting the wedding of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza of House Crystal and Sir Shining Armour of House Sparkle and the subsequent capture and detainment of a sizable portion of the population of Canterlot and by your own admission earlier you have been deemed a war criminal in Equestria. By your own plea for sanctuary and in light of recent circumstances you will not be detained here as a war criminal but as a political refugee. Equestria is ruled by the joint cooperation of its Princesses and your will remain under my protective custody here at the Crystal Oaks until such time that Princess Celestia and her Solar Court, Princess Luna and her Lunar Court, and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and her Crystal Court are able to convene with me and my Court of Friendship to decide upon your request for sanctuary. You will not be permitted to leave the Crystal Oaks without an escort and your Hive would not be permitted to leave Ponyville and its territories and aid will be provided until your fate has been decided."


> Savior by bobbananaville
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By bobbananaville

To the north was the moon, sitting in a sea of dark blue, shining upon Equestria’s denizens. To the east was the sun, surrounded by yellow and red. The stars filled the southern and western corners of the sky, and behind them was a backdrop of cerulean.

The world (or at least Equestria; nopony knew how other continents were doing) was in panic. It had been bad enough when Celestia was killed by her student, leaving the very much inexperienced Luna to pick up the slack both magically and politically - and now the lunar princess was dead too. Cadance was nowhere to be found, and wouldn’t be able to move the celestial bodies regardless, and Equis’ last hope - the bearers of Harmony - had been all but destroyed when Twilight Sparkle became the enemy the previous month.

Anarchy filled the streets of Canterlot in these last hours; on the dirty streets, cultists and preachers yelled out their doctrines to the unhearing masses, hoping to save at least a few more souls before the apocalypse; bars opened their doors wide, allowing anypony who came in to drink their fears away (not that it worked); and those who did not participate in the mayhem hid in their homes, closing their eyes and hoping to wake up from their nightmare. Discord would have loved it, had he not been killed earlier in an attempt to ‘fix the chaos he'd wrought.'

Twilight saw all of this from afar, strangely unaffected. She glanced up at her restored love, Chrysalis, and smiled. “It seems there’s nopony to move the sun or moon now, love. Is it time to swoop in and save the day, as you put it?”

“Of course. Who else but I could do the job?” The changeling queen stifled a laugh, then leaned down and gave the lavender mare a peck on the cheek. “Of course, I couldn’t if it wasn’t for you. Thank you for being my savior, Twilight.”

Twilight Sparkle blushed and looked away. “Of course! I mean, you’d do the same for me if you could.” She pawed at the ground, then shook her head to clear her thoughts. Twilight Sparkle grinned up at her beloved. “Shall we begin a new era of peace?”


> Hoofplay by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Europa

In Ponyville, there was a castle. In this castle, there were halls. Attached to one of these halls was the room that a baby dragon made his living in. Attached to that same hall was also the room that his surrogate mother/sister made her own living in. And sometimes more than just her. Like today, for instance.

Twilight Sparkle's bedchambers shimmered with soundproofing, a Somepony-Else's-Problem field, and several other protective wards. In her bed, there were two beings laying on top of the covers, the larger, darker one pressing her stomach against the smaller one's back as they laid on their sides.

The newly-minted Princess of Friendship was sleeping off her exhaustion from the week's events. The battle with Tirek, where she'd wielded the powers of Celestia, Luna, Chrysalis and Cadance in tandem with her own, had taken a lot more out of her than she'd thought and even three days later her horn ached and her muscles were sore. She was close to dozing off when she felt Chryssy shift behind her, and then…

"Nyah!" she said with a startled cry. Queen Chrysalis's long, serpentine tongue had reached out and gave a long lick along her left forehoof. "What was that for?"

"Hmm, just showing you I care," came the loving, multi-toned voice from behind her. The tongue reached out to her hoof again, tracing a long 'U' along the hard keratin. She jerked it away in response; it tickled! She needed her sleep.

There was a pulse of magic through the air, and Twilight felt something sticky all along her horn, inhibiting her magic, as well as around her legs, keeping them in place. The same tongue reached out to her right foreleg this time, the long length tracing all along her frogs and making her squirm. "Chryssy!" she complained half-heartedly. The long tongue lapped along her left hoof, then right, alternating between them and making Twilight squirm. It really tickled.

Then it stopped, and the changeling behind her shifted. "Twily," came her voice right next to her ears. "I'm moving to your hind hooves now."

Twilight decided that sleep was for the weak.


> Hive mind by TheMusicalBoy93
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By TheMusicalBoy93


The palace halls stood silent in the cool night of Ponyville. Stood near the occasional door or hallway corner, the sparse Pegasus guards kept a dutiful eye open for any disturbances. The crystalline tree palace loomed over the streets of Ponyville like an alien behemoth, totally out of place in the quaint little backwater town. Princess Twilight Sparkle lay in her Alicorn size four poster bed, nestled beneath the downy covers. After the attack from Tirek some months ago, Golden Oaks Library was reduced to little more than a, once living, bonfire. Twilight, imbued with a powerful magic granted to her and her five pony friends by the Tree of Harmony, avenged her beloved home, but she could never claim back what Tirek had taken away from her. That library was more than just her home. It was the home to many wonderful memories, as well.

Hundreds of dozens of tomes that each held a specific memory Twilight shared with her friends. The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide; the book that brought Twilight and her friends together the first day she spent in Ponyville. Supernaturals: Natural Remedies and Cure-alls That Are Simply Super; the book that could’ve saved her flank from deep embarrassment with Zecora, had she not been forced to believe the zebra was evil. All those books could be replaced, that was true. But the special meanings behind those books would be lost forever. When Twilight was helping the citizens of Ponyville clean away the charred remains of what was left standing of Golden Oaks, she found a hidden compartment in the back of one of the shelves. She couldn’t help but find it ironic that it happened to be the shelf Pinkie Pie had hidden in when she and Spike were looking up genealogy.

Inside the hidden compartment laid a black book, about as thick as Twilight’s hoof, left unscathed from fire damage or the explosion from Tirek’s attack. She decided to leave the book off to the side of the clearance crew before reading it; and continued to help with the clean-up op. Once Twilight returned to the palace, she locked herself away in one of the numerous studies to read her newfound book in peace. While the book bore no title on its binding, the title page announced itself to be The Ultimate Guide to the Chanegelings, by a mysterious author named Dark Blood. Twilight had never heard of a pony by the name of Dark Blood, and the author didn’t seem very intent on revealing much about his identity. The book was, surprisingly, detailed. Not even Celestia knew much about the changelings, yet this pony seemed to know them in, almost invasively, intimate detail.

The thing that caught Twilight’s attention the most was a chapter titled Changeling Hive and the Hivemind. According to Dark Blood, changelings were all telepathically linked to their fellows, and their queen, through a single, conjoined, consciousness. Whatever one changeling thought, another shared. Whatever pain a changeling felt, another shared. Whatever love a changeling tasted, the list went on. It was a rather ingenious feat of evolution. One thought shared between hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of conjoined minds. It made for many tactical and militant advantages, and it ensured that whatever love the changelings gathered was well distributed, especially in times of hardship. The most incredible part, however, was that Dark Blood even wrote, in unbelievable detail, how anyone could join, or leave, the Hivemind at any time. No matter what species; changeling, pony, zebra or dragon, anyone could tap into the Hivemind at will. Of course, Twilight had to give this a go.

The process, according to Dark Blood, was long and difficult. And, if done incorrectly, Dark Blood made no bones about it being incredibly fraught with danger. When entering the Hivemind, one needed to be in a state of complete relaxation, meditation and lucidity. Otherwise, if the foreign mind was full of alien thoughts, the sudden traffic from the Hivemind would overload the synapsis, and could lead to permanent brain damage. The same applied to leaving; the brain needed to slowly disconnect from the Hivemind, and allow the voices within to fade away into the background. If the mind trying to leave just decided to break away, it could lead to insanity. Not to mention causing chaos for the rest of the Hivemind collective. Dark Blood suggested entering a state of lucid dreaming when trying to enter the Hivemind.

Try to picture a clock face in your mind, focusing your attention on the second hand. As you watch the seconds tick by, try to imagine the second hand turning counter-clockwise. Once you achieve this, you are in a lucid dream. At this point, clear your mind of any and all thoughts, and focus on what you know about the changelings. I would suggest committing the following diagram to memory, as this may offer you a way into the Hivemind.



Twilight admitted to herself that the sketch in the book bore a striking amount of attention to detail, as if the picture were almost a photograph of a changeling model. She found it, however, unnecessary as a focal point for her lucid dreaming. She had her changeling focal point engraved in the back of her retina, whether she liked it or not. Over the follow weeks, Twilight practiced focusing on the face of Queen Chrysalis, and practiced entering lucid dreams. She made sure she never practiced both at the same time; she didn’t wish to enter the Hivemind prematurely.

After a month and a half, she was ready. And that’s where she found herself looking up at a clock face with the second hand ticking across the numbers. Counter-clockwise. Twilight smiled to herself as she tested her mobility, finding herself in satisfying control of her actions, her thoughts and her surroundings. She emptied her mind of any intruding thoughts and began to focus on Queen Chrysalis. She imagined the dark green eyes with elongated oval pupils, the twisted, gnarled horn that extended from her forehead. The translucent teal locks that fell about her head and the slender neck they draped down. She focused on the Alicorn-sized body, with holes peppering her every limb and the insectoid wings that graced her back. Slowly, her pointed form began to materialise directly in front of Twilight; her every feature offering an all too familiar feeling in her heart. The only unrecognisable feature of the illusion Chrysalis was her face. Instead of a scowl, or a smirk, or a sneer on her lips, the changeling Queen appeared to be… smiling. Not a false, misleading smile, like when she was posing as Cadence, but a true smile. A warm, welcoming smile, as if inviting an old friend into her home.

“Twilight Sparkle,” the changeling greeted, much to the Alicorn’s surprise. “I’ve been expecting you. Welcome to my Hivemind.” The changeling queen threw up a hoof to the sky, and the white backdrop of Twilight’s lucid dream fell away, giving way to a new scene. The colours warped and shifted into a deep green, the sound of humming faintly audible in the background. The air seemed to thicken slightly, as if wrapping a blanket around the two royals, and a comforting warmth enveloped them. Chrysalis sat down on her haunches, and a small granite table materialised between her and the Alicorn princess. A small black teapot appeared on the table top with two matching teacups. Chrysalis poured the rich smelling contents of the teapot into the cups, and offered one to Twilight, who politely accepted it with her magic. Chrysalis blew on her tea before taking a deep sip, moaning with delight at the rich floral taste. “Jasmine Dragon Pearl,” she explained, leaning back in a chitinous chair she seemingly summoned from nowhere. “A personal favourite of mine, for future reference.” She winked, causing Twilight to blush and hide her cheeks behind her teacup.

“H-how long have you expected me?” Twilight willed her wings to calm down as she gingerly sipped at her brew.

“I could feel your attention for many weeks, my dear.” The changeling smiled. “Your eagerness to learn more about the Hivemind was quite the meal.” Twilight fought down a blush, silently thanking Rarity for teaching her a simple cosmetic spell to cover blushing cheeks.

“W-well… I couldn’t just take the word of an author at face value,” she reasoned, sipping once more at her tea. “I just had to try it out. I… I’ve actually been looking forward to-“
“Getting to know more about me and the Hivemind?” Chrysalis offered a knowing smile, still with no hint of a smirk or manipulative sneer. Twilight hoped she could blame her pinks cheeks on her tea.

“M-maybe.” She blushed, sinking a little into her chair, which she still didn’t understand where it came from. Chrysalis chuckled, leaning forward on the table with a half-lidded gaze.
“Well then, what would you like to know?” Twilight didn’t waste any time to reply.

“Everything.”


> Caverns by Palaikai
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Palaikai

Love.

To some, it was the greatest feeling in the world; to others, it was breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Queen Chrysalis had learned over the years that love came in just as many varieties as the multitudinous foods the ponies stuffed themselves with; each had its own flavour, and there were some that she preferred more than others. Not that she'd always had the luxury of being choosy.

Caverns that had once been nothing more than a damp, smelly hole in the ground were now a home, rich with the piquant essence of true love. Ever since Twilight Sparkle had given up everything to be with her – her crown, her home in Ponyville, her Element of Harmony – a void that Chrysalis didn't even know was there had been filled in her heart; her Hive was more content than ever, feasting richly off the mutual bonds of affection that flowed between the queen and the former Princess of Friendship.

True Love was a taste unlike any other; the only time she'd experienced anything remotely comparable was after months of manipulating a fragile heart into believing that it was in love with her, but even that left a bitter byproduct that was at times hard to swallow.

Chrysalis traced a hoof lazily down the lavender alicorn's body causing her to stir lightly in her sleep, exhausted after the events of the night before. Satiating the desires of an entire Hive was an intense undertaking, but it was a sacrifice that Twilight Sparkle was willing to make, and the Changeling Queen's bosom swelled with pride at how well she had coped with the adjustment.

“Are you just going to look at me all night or are you gonna try and get some sleep?” the former princess asked sleepily, mulberry eyes unfocused.

The changeling hissed under her breath; she hated getting busted for staring, though she knew that Twilight didn't really mind it. The pleasure was in committing the act and getting away with it, but the alicorn loved nothing more than to ruin her plans. “D'you have any regrets? About what you've left behind?”

“I regret ...” Twilight started, then frowned. Articulating one's thoughts was always trickier when one was half-asleep. “I wish it had happened differently, that's all. My friends were supportive, even if they couldn't quite understand my feelings for you. Celestia, on the other hand … I think she felt betrayed.”

Looking around the grotto that was now their shared homestead, Chrysalis smiled. “It's not quite that fancy palace of yours.”

“That doesn't matter,” replied Twilight, snuggling in close to the Changeling. There were times she couldn't quite believe how much things had changed, but she felt in her gut that it was the right thing to do. Still, a part of her missed Ponyville and the friends she'd made there. “Home is where the heart is, so I've been told.”

Chrysalis' fangs brushed gently against her lover's coat as she peppered it with kisses, causing Twilight to moan softly. “You have to watch what you're doing with those teeth.”

“Do I?” asked the Changeling, a chuckle building in her throat as she bit Twilight's flesh just that bit harder. Love that hurt was spicy.

Twilight yelped, but not in pain, and her wings involuntarily unfurled. A blush broke out across her face, making her – in Chrysalis' admittedly biased estimate – at least twenty times more attractive. She pulled the alicorn close to her, their wingtips brushing against each other's, and kissed her passionately on the muzzle.

Her lips, just like her love, tasted sweet.


> Touch by Kochamara
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Kochamara

When she first touched the changeling queen it was completely accidental. She brushed against the other as a means to defeat her. With protective rage burning through her, Twilight bared her teeth. It didn't even register to her at the time; all that mattered was that the Princesses would be safe.

The second time she touched Chrysalis, it was no less accidental, but more welcome. The changeling was injured and sick and oh so very tired. On impulse Twilight touched Chrysalis' cheek in unexpected compassion. She realized then that she enjoyed the touch of carapace.

The third time was in greeting. As friendship ambassador to the now recovering Changeling Kingdom, it was Twilight's duty to aid Chrysalis and treat her with respect. Twilight gave the queen a firm hoofshake and a kind hello. It was the first, and definitely not last exchange of that sort.

She had lost count by the time the hoofshakes became hugs, but by then, she didn't care. When it first happened, Twilight was distressed over the death of her beloved pet. It was something Chrysalis didn't know when she burst into the alicorn's chambers. Angry protests died at the queen's throat, instead yielding to awkward comforts. By the end of the day, the two were cuddling at the edge of Twilight's bed.

After many months, Twilight's touch was more frequent and encompassing. Oftentimes, as Celestia rose the sun, the two monarchs slept in bed, with their barrels touching and manes entwined. When night fell and Luna's moon climbed higher, Twilight's touch would often settle on more intimate locations.

After one such night, the alicorn buried her muzzle in the chest of her queen. "I love you, Chryssy," she said in a muffled voice.

Chrysalis sighed happily, enjoying the soft fleshy touch of her mate. "I love you too."


> Smoke by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Europa

Out in the icy tundra, just beyond the Crystal Empire's protective sphere, stood Queen Chrysalis and Princess Twilight.

Or rather, only Chrysalis stood. Beneath her long, dark legs Twilight lay in a puddle of her own blood, gasping for breath, staining the ice pink.

"Twilight!" she said insistently, nudging her with a forehoof. "Twilight!" she shouted over the roaring of smoke around them. "Hold on, I'm going to get you safe, alright?"

Her wife, barely able to breathe around the large, dark crystal embedded in her flank, stared up at her fearfully with wide, purple eyes, begging her to run, save herself.

Chrysalis shook her head, ignoring the way the heavy wall of shadow smoke around them undulated in a perfect ring, or the way it had faint flashes of red lightning within, or the circle of small gray gems pulsing with hatred, slowly closing in on her.

This was all her fault. She'd been the one who shouted at her wife's brother, she'd been the one who stormed out into the cold and prompted Twilight to follow her, she'd been the one who'd walked just a little too close to the resting place of a curved horn. If it hadn't been for her and her stupid mouth, Twilight would be fine!

"You're going to be okay, alright? I'm sending you to Cadance. Look at me, Twilight. Keep your eyes open," she begged, ice crystallizing in the corner of her eyes.

"Nuh... no," the pony breathed. The crystals were getting closer now. If they reached Twilight, Chrysalis feared she'd never be able to save her. "Chrys... d-don't - "

"We'll both get out of this Twilight, I promise." Her horn lit up, green fire briefly outlining her wife's form before it whisked her away to safety.

She rose, her legs trembling and chitin cracking from the unnatural cold. The hatred shards reached her hooves, clinging to Chrysalis's exoskeleton and rising up her form like armor. She looked down and sobbed, an ice tear falling to the snow. In all honesty, she didn't know if Twilight would be fine; that was all in Cadance's hooves now. But she did know one thing...

Chrysalis, her head still down, glanced up at the smoke surrounding her. Inside of it she could see a figure, a pony stallion, his features blurry, mane and tail streaming from his body and enlarging into the shadows around her. The crystals were up her legs, spreading along her barrel now.

She shook her head and gritted her fangs, summoning magic to her horn. Twilight's love for her had granted Chrysalis strength beyond even Celestia's, enormous power that coursed through her veins and proved, beyond all shadow of a doubt, that love would always overpower hatred. Always.

As the gray shards began creeping up her neck she fixed the shadowy figure with her best glare, then threw back her head and screamed.

There was a supernova of eldritch flame.

There was the sound of crystallized hatred breaking like glass.

There was the whirling of angry smoke.

There was the thump of a metal crown in melting snow.

There was a terrible, piercing silence.

There was a terrible, piercing noise.

There was a terrible, piercing silence.


> Celebration by Cobalt Swirls
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Cobalt Swirls

The chorus of cheers was deafening.

Chrysalis had to shield her ears from the cacophony of screams and shouts as ponies of all ages whooped and hollered throughout the thousands of clouded seats around the stadium. The shouts only grew more and more intense as what Chrysalis could only guess to be the event announcer made her way toward the center of the flying stadium. Seizing the moment before the mare began her speech, the queen leaned to her left and tapped on a fuzzy lavender shoulder.

“Twilight, remind me why it was necessary that I attend this obnoxiously loud gathering?” she huffed.

“Princess Celestia wants you to become accustomed to Equestrian traditions and events.” She nudged Chrysalis’s arm with her elbow. “You should loosen up and have some fun! The Wonderbolt races are normally a show of hard work and prosperity, but this race is a celebration of the changeling integration, a celebration for you!”

“Hmph. I find it funny that the anxious bookworm is telling me to lighten up,” Chrysalis replied.

“Then let that be a testament to how grouchy you’re being. This is part of your integration process. The least you can try and do is enjoy yourself,” Twilight concluded.

“I suppose…”

“Ladies and Gentlecolts! Welcome to Cloudsdale’s annual Seas and Skies Wonderbolt Race!” the announcer shouted. She was immediately backed by a chorus of praise and cheers. “As always, bets are being taken at the betting booth just outside of the main entrance. Many fan favorites are making a return this year, and we’re even seeing some new faces! Will reigning champ Fleetfoot hold onto the title, or will arch rival Soarin steal the show? All of this and much much more on the way!”

The Wonderbolts in question streamed one after another toward the starting line, taking their positions and beginning their stretches. Chrysalis studied their exercises and movements. In their sleek jumpsuits, these ponies looked especially swift and agile. Perhaps this race would be more interesting than she had originally anticipated.

“And as is tradition, we will be starting our race off with the Equestrian Anthem!”

Then again, maybe not.

Rather than immediately singing, as Chrysalis had predicted, the announcer passed the microphone off to an attractive young mare who was to be the one to sing. The changeling queen actually caught herself staring at the mare’s backside before Twilight’s voice snapped her out of her gaze.

“Never took you for one to gawk,” she said smugly.

Chrysalis scrunched her face, “I’m no gawker. It is my nature as a queen to notice attractive creatures.”

“To find a potential partner?”

“To crush the competition.”

Twilight flinched. Chrysalis simply laughed.

The mare set upon singing the anthem which, thankfully was not nearly as painful as Chrysalis had anticipated. Although the mare was swaying her hips back and forth slightly, which provided a rather lovely bit of additional entertainment.

“You are totally gawking!” Twilight spouted rather loudly. She was met with a porous hoof that covered her mouth.

“Hush! Fine fine I’m gawking!”

Twilight smiled.

“Don’t gimme that look. I’m sure you’ve taken notice of attractive ponies before.”

Twilight nodded. “You could say that.”

Before Chrysalis could ask for an explanation she was interrupted by a loud shot in the air. Having missed the initial countdown, the race had already gotten underway, and was quickly becoming quite the spectacle. The Wonderbolts each had their own unique skillsets that made them particularly entertaining to watch.

Several minutes into the race and Chrysalis could not help but be engrossed by the action in front of her. Speedy turns, airborne traps, and gusts of powerful wind aplenty! She was so enamored in fact that Twilight had to bump her arm several times before she got the Queen’s attention.

“Who are you rooting for?” Twilight asked.

“Fleetfoot,” Chrysalis answered. “As a reigning champ this pony has obviously proven her dominance before. As of now she’s just playing a game of King-of-the-Hill in which she keeps the other players at bay with a hoof to the forehead.” She watched the pony take a sharp turn around a corner, just barely dodging a blast of cold air from one of the hidden cannons. “She’s been underestimated before, I can feel it.”

“Sounds like you really connect with her,” Twilight added.

“In a manner of speaking.”

As the race drew closer and closer to its finale, Chrysalis found herself gripping her seat with the crooks of her hooves. Fleetfoot and Soarin were neck and neck, with several other Wonderbolts trailing just behind. It was a straight shot to the finish, where the captain of the team waited to wave down the winner with a checkered flag.

“Come on, come on…” Chrysalis muttered.

Half of the straightaway was gone.

“Come on, COME ON.”

Just meters left.

“FLEETFOOT YOU HAVE GOT THIS!” the queen bellowed at the top of her lungs.

By what could only be a few follicles of hair, Fleetfoot zoomed across the finish line, taking the finish line tape with her. The crowd, including Chrysalis, began to scream and shout for their champion.

“WOOOO! WOOOOO!”

Without thinking, Chrysalis grabbed the princess sitting next to her and smacked her lips against hers. Still in the heat of the moment, it took the queen several seconds to realize what she had done, prompting her to awkwardly disconnect her lips and stare blankly ahead.

“Erm…my apologies. I suppose I got carried a-”

Chrysalis didn’t have time to finish before her mouth was blockaded by that of another. She looked down to see Twilight pressed up against her, trying her best to lean over without falling altogether. She too eventually broke the kiss, but unlike Chrysalis she was laughing by the end.

“If this is how you loosen up, I won’t hold it against you!” she yelled over the crowd.

Chrysalis smiled and shouted back, “Good, because I’m thinking of holding a celebration later today for my first kiss!”

“Oh good, we can celebrate that together!”

The two burst into fits of laughter, all of which were ultimately drowned out by the noise around them.        


> Incognito by Drynwhyl
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Drynwhyl

"Chrysalis," Twilight began, "I'm not sure this is a good idea."

The suit was long and lean, tight in just the right places; it rode her curves with a touch so delicate it looked more a part of the changeling than something she'd simply slipped into. A uniform, ostentatious red, save for the cape about her withers and the mask upon her face, she trotted about the table like blood from a wound and, as Twilight absent-mindedly noted, she didn't make a sound.

"Nonsense, Twilight. Absolute nonsense. I spent the last twelve hours toiling at my sewing machine to make this costume, so there's absolutely no way this isn't going to work." Chrysalis halted and turned to her companion. Her eyes narrowed a little. "Understand?"

Twilight sighed, pushing away her plate of cooling pancakes and cupping her chin with a hoof. She sat there for a moment in silence, considering the mare before her as an eyebrow crept up her forehead. "You realise they'll know it's you, right?" She waved her other hoof lazily in an all-encompassing circle. "I can see your horn and your wings, which are all very distinctive things, and the perforations in your legs are all very clearly outlined."

Chrysalis looked down at her hooves, twisted one about. Little dimples in the fabric sat where holes once resided. "I'm sure nobody will notice," Chrysalis replied. "It's not like ponies will be staring at my hooves. Unless they're criminals, of course." A pause. "Or if they have low self esteem."

"You're also very tall. Taller than everypony who isn't named Princess Celestia."

"That wouldn't be a problem if she hadn't placed that thrice-damned ring on my horn."

Twilight pushed her chair back with a groan of protest and rolled off, onto her hooves, and crossed the room. Once she drew close enough she nuzzled gently at Chrysalis' chin, drawing her gaze up and away from the floor. "You know disguises better than anyone else in the world. So I'm sure that if I know that this," she said softly, prodding gently at the catsuit, "isn't a disguise, then you know it too."

Chrysalis turned away, glancing out the window. Off in the distance a cloud scudded by, corralled by a couple of pegasi. She briefly followed their progress. "I just want them to love me. Nobody ever has."

Twilight frowned a little but bit her tongue; she knew what Chrysalis meant. She rested her head against her companion's shoulder. "I know. But you don't have to go incognito, Chrysalis. You just have to be you."


> E=MC^2 by Magicman7997
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By: Magicman7997

“So you see, it's all relative to the amount of mass of an object,” Twilight explained. The room full of unicorns merely sat dumbfounded, unable to comprehend even the slightest of what their professor had just told them. Their saving grace came as the bells tolled signaling the end of another class. The room filled with the sounds of hooves scrabbling to stand and exit as quickly as possible.

“Don't forget, this WILL be on the midterm. We will discuss quantum particle physics and how proper manipulation of such forces can increase your mana outputs by thirty eight percent!” 

Twilight returned to her lectern and began to gather up all of her lecture notes and other papers. She'd accepted the teaching position here at Celestia's Academy for Gifted Unicorns about a year ago. To be honest, she had been hesitant at first. But now, she couldn't believe that she got to teach third year students about the wonders of science and magical manipulation. It still made her giddy to think about the young minds she was molding. Only one thing made her giddier.

“Another successful class dearest?” asked Chyrsalis from the doorway. Time had been favorable to the Changeling Queen. Through the use of several complex healing spells as well as several sessions of deep psychological sessions, the queen stood now a beautiful ebony pony and not the chitinous being that she had once been.

“You know it! I think they're really beginning to understand,” Twilight said as a slight blush crossed her muzzle. “Relativity theory is foals play. I'll have them parsing quarks before the end of term!”

Hearing her love speak of teaching her students stirred something deep with in Chryssy. It was like watching a foal on Hearth's Warming Day. The joy positively flowed off of her. So much so that it was intoxicating. And, if she was honest, it made her a little horny.

“You know,” she said as she kicked the lecture hall door closed. “We have a large room all to ourselves. You're still dressed in your teaching clothes, and I know a few lessons I'd like to learn from you,” she purred as she sauntered towards Twilight. She nipped ever so slightly at her lover's ear, barely grazing it with a fang. “Think you could help me with my science homework Professor Sparkle,” she cooed as she batted her eyes coquettishly.

Twilight couldn't refuse, “Oh I'm sure I could help you discover just what happens when two large deposits of magical energy combine into one,” With a flash of her horn, the room was sound proofed and class was in session.


> Heat by The Wraith Writer & ArguingPizza
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By The Wraith Writer


“Chrysalis?”

No response.

Twilight sighed. “Chrysalis, you can’t stay in bed all day.”

“I disagree,” came the retort, muffled by the pillow held over the changeling’s head.

Twilight sighed. “Come on, Chryssi, it’s almost ten.”

“It’s too hot,” Chrysalis said from beneath the pillow. “She’s doing it on purpose.” she added sullenly.

“I seriously doubt Celestia intentionally made today hot with the sole purpose of your discomfort.”

“Once more I choose to disagree.”

Another sigh. “Chrysalis, look at me, please,” Twilight said softly.

Chrysalis huffed and removed the pillow from her head, looking to Twilight.
“Happy?”

Twilight smirked. “Exceedingly so,” the alicorn then promptly pulled the curtains open, hitting Chrysalis with the full might of the late morning sun.

The changeling queen hissed and threw her foreleg in front of her face. In a flash she cocooned herself within the blankets.

“That was cruel,” Chrysalis said in a hurt tone.

Twilight snorted softly and sat down next to the big lump of blankets. “Maybe, but need I remind you that you promised to meet with Zecora today?”

“The heat, it’s too much!” Chrysalis said dramatically.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Alright, what if I make you a deal?”

Tentatively, Chrysalis poked her head out from her blanket cocoon. “What sort of deal?”

“You get up right now and keep your promises. And I mean all day long.”

Chrysalis scowled at the idea.

“But,” Twilight paused for effect. “When you get back tonight, I’ll help you cool off with some ice cream.”

Chrysalis snorted. “Really? That’s your big cincher? Ice cream? What am I, six?”

Twilight grinned and leaned in close. “I didn’t say how we we’re going to be using the ice cream.” she licked the changeling’s snout.

Chrysalis blushed heavily and suddenly shoved Twilight back. She untangled herself from the blankets and began making herself presentable at a breakneck pace.

“Deal, love you, make sure you have lime, bye!” Chrysalis said rapidly as she went out the door.

“Heh, works every time,” Twilight smiled to herself from her new spot on the floor.

By ArguingPizza


Meanwhile, in Canterlot

"Sister, would you please turn the sun down?" Luna begged as a pair of sweaty Night Guard stallions waved enormous fans to cool their Sovereign.

Celestia shot her a glare, but quickly turned her eye back to the telescope aimed at Ponyville. More specifically, at its library.

"Not yet. I'm still trying to burn that damn bug." As if her magic, because it was, the temperature in the room(and Equestria) rose by another several degrees. Luna groaned and collapsed on her lounger, her guards best efforts only serving to circulate air that increasingly reminded her of an oven.

Celestia ignored her, her attention fixated solely upon the tiny black speck fleeing Twilight's home.

"Steal my Twilight, will you."


> Found by Bobbananaville
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Bobbananaville

It had been a rather grueling affair, trying to figure out who’d teach Twilight how to fly. Rainbow Dash insisted that she be the one, since she’d called dibs ages ago and already taught the alicorn the basics, while Chrysalis pulled the ‘marefriend’ card and accused the rainbow-mare of imposing on their personal space. Twilight, not one to choose between her friends, managed to make them play nice and convinced them to work out a joint session.

Rainbow Dash had begrudgingly allowed Chrysalis the honors of choosing location - a rocky canyon, of the sort where the changeling had been raised - and Rainbow worked out the training schedule (a recent habit, courtesy of Twilight Sparkle). It was perfect.

And now Twilight Sparkle and Chrysalis were gone.

She had no idea how it happened. There was something with rocks, and a loud sound maybe? Regardless, she woke up in a small cavern, separated from her friends. She’d been searching for twelve minutes now. Who knew how long she’d been out? For all she knew, it had been hours since -

There was a voice just then! Rainbow immediately flew in its direction and found an opening, then swooped in. “Twi, Chrysalis, I found you! You don’t -”

She stopped and gaped at the scene. Twilight looked away, blushing profusely, and a similarly embarrassed Chrysalis immediately shapeshifted back into a she. “Twi, I thought you said the sleep spell would last two hours!”

"It did!"

Rainbow Dash did not hear the rest of the conversation. She simply backed away slowly.


> After by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Knight of Lycaeus

I stood there as she spoke out each statement, each one filled me with hope and with dread. I knew that I would be branded a war criminal but it did nothing to soften the blow. Her words about convening with all the Princesses sat uneasy for me, there was no way to know how they would act or what they would bear upon me and the Hive and in the end their judgement would be final. It would be our salvation or our doom.

The pink one immediately decided she needed a party at some damnable place or another but was swiftly reminded of my limited access to Ponyville. Somehow she took it in stride and created the damnable thing in the palace in far too short of a time to be plausible. She proceeded to drag me to a room filled of sickeningly sweet things and far too cheery colours. What was of no surprise was how a sizeable portion of the population treated me with fear, disgust or for a few I could sense their hatred, no doubt for my acts during the failed invasion.

After the party, the princess and her dragon led me to a room where I would stay. Walking through the place affirmed an oddity I had noticed earlier, 'No guards around. Just how does she intend to enforce her rule with no guards?', thinking of the larger Changelings who served to enforce my decrees but also served to protect the Hive. 'Either she is powerful, naive, or stupid for not having any guards around; from the rumours I have heard I more inclined to believe it was either her being naive or that she believed her own power was enough.' Through the entire trip I could sense that the princess certainly wanted to help me just as easily as could feel the intense hostility the dragon was radiating the entire time.

It was to this that I would have to settle into for however long it would take for the Princesses of Equestria to convene. What I was glad was that my Hive was finally receiving the aid it needed. A few forgave us like that quiet yellow one and willingly offered what they could to provide the positive emotions needed to create the sustenance, the Nectar necessary for survival. One thing I had not expected to find was the patchwork creature that appeared around the yellow one.

"Oh look! Twilight has a new guest here or is it her newest friendship quest?" he announced as he appeared far too close for even my taste. "Discord's the name, chaos is my game. So what might you be? Failed alicorn experiment? Ascended inse...."

"Discord" the yellow one said firmly, "no bothering the new guest. Her name is Chrysalis, she is Queen of a Changeling Hive. She's here under Twilight's protection until the other Princesses arrive."

"Only joking, dear Fluttershy." he held out a paw, "Discord, Spirit of Chaos, the Mad King, and all those other fun titles." The paw was no longer empty but held a mini Changeling in the most glaring colours imaginable which proceeded to tap dance on me all while multiplying in numbers. I tried to speak but he suddenly vanished with a small poof along with his mini pests.

'Not a day in and I'm almost regretting not surrendering in Canterlot and facing swift death there rather than stay in this town! Disgust and fear I can deal with but those two it makes this place seem like a madhouse! ', I sighed, 'Will I make it to speak to the Princesses?'


> Jealousy by TheWraithWriter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By TheWraithWriter


“She’s doing this on purpose!” Chrysalis shouted before going right back to scrapping the brush over her tongue.

“Chryssi, I really don’t think Celestia would intentionally put extra salt in your food,” Twilight said, eyeing her mare friend with concern. “It was probably a mistake by one of the kitchen staff.”

Chrysalis dropped the brush and grabbed a glass of water, gargling with it before spiting it into the sink.

“Any servant would have just started a new dish, she tried to kill me!” Chrysalis insisted, refilling the glass and downing the drink.

Twilight sighed and patted Chrysalis on the shoulder. “Come on Chryssi, think rationally about this. We show up for a surprise dinner Celestia had no foreknowledge of and we had what she was having. How and when would she have had time to put extra salt in your dish in particular?”

Chrysalis took another drink and sighed. “Alright, it was an honest mistake then.” she gave Twilight a smile and pulled her close. “Besides, who could blame her for being jealous of me?”

Twilight giggled and rubbed noses with the changeling. “Yeah…”





Of the many things on Luna’s list of things to do before Friday, throwing up a salad with more salt than lettuce was certainly not among them. And as the lunar goddess violently expunged her stomach of the salty meal, Celestia paced back and forth, seemingly oblivious to her sister’s plight.

“But the old books said salt burns changelings,” Celestia muttered to herself. “A single grain could burn all the way through.” she turned to Luna. “Was that not what the old books said?”

“You could have warned me you psychopath!” Luna shouted before returning to her previous activity.

Celestia shook her head and left her sister behind as she walked back into her room proper. 

“Well if that and the heat wave didn’t work, perhaps I’ll have to get more creative,” Celestia said as she approached a seemingly innocent bookcase

Moving one of the books, ‘All You Never Wanted To Know About Your Parents Sex Life’, at just the right angle, the bookcase slid to the side, revealing a secret room behind it.

The room was most easily described a shrine. A shrine to a certain pretty purple pony princess. Celestia picked up the framed and signed picture of Twilight Sparkle and smiled at it.

“One day, my most faithful student,” Celestia said dreamily. “One day.”


> Puke by TheMusicalBoy93
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By TheMusicalBoy93

A princess’ throne is supposed to be grand and regal. A symbol of power and authority. A princess’ throne is supposed to be made of gold and plush cushions. Not made of cold, clinically white porcelain. A princess’ throne should not have a hole in the middle where a pool of sullied water gurgled and spat in disgust. Nevertheless, it was the throne that Princess Twilight Sparkle found herself. Hugging the sterile white bowl like a long lost friend, retching and gagging with great discomfort. She tried to blink the world back into focus. Tears streamed from her eyes while she tried to control her ragged breaths. Another wave of breakfast decided to break free from her stomach, leaving a terribly acidic taste in her mouth.

She felt the back of her neck shudder as a slight breeze caressed the nape of her neck. She glanced back to find her partner and consort; Chrysalis, lifting the back of her mane with her sickly green aura. The changeling queen offered a supportive hoof to the Alicorn’s back, for which Twilight was grateful. Her lips curled upwards in a comforting smile.

“I hate you sometimes, Chrysalis,” Twilight hissed before the tightness in her throat forced another load of bile up her neck. “I really do.”

“No you don’t,” the changeling chuckled, nuzzling Twilight’s neck. The Alicorn forced back a nauseating blush as her wife purred in her ear. “I haven’t gone hungry in weeks.” Twilight groaned and rested her forehead on the rim of the toilet seat.

“Why do I have to carry her?” the princess moaned, the cool feel of the toilet seat offering little comfort to her feverish brow.

“Because I can’t produce an heir in the same way as you can, Twi,” Chrysalis reasoned. “I can only spawn workers and other drones.” Twilight released another chunk of carrot. Always carrot. She knew she hadn’t had carrot in three days. Why did ponies always puke up carrot, every time they were ill?

“I can’t wait till she comes.” The Alicorn, half-heartedly, rested a hoof on her stomach. “Then I can banish her for making her mommy so ill.” Chrysalis chuckled and kissed her wife on her cheek.

“If you banish her, I’ll just give her her own little kingdom. Somewhere nice and populated. How does the Crystal Empire sound?” Twilight groaned dramatically.

“Fine, she can stay.” She slumped back into her wife’s fetlocks. The changeling held the stricken Alicorn gently.

“I’ll get you back for this, Chryssy,” the princess snarled, wearily.

“Good luck with that,” Chrysalis teased. “I find childbirth quite exciting.” The most unladylike gagging sound erupted from the Alicorn’s throat, and she almost didn’t make it to the toilet bowl in time. “Ew.”


> Duty by Ephraim Blue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Ephraim Blue

Chrysalis could feel the sweat falling off her brow. She was nervous, that was for sure.

Nervous? She chuckled a bit after asking herself that. Whatever for? I’ve done this every day for the past month! Why should I be nervous?


But she was, and she could tell. Nervous about her plan failing. Nervous about being caught by anyone other than her lover.

“Hey,” the stallion guard beside her began asking, “what’re you doing later, beautiful?”

She blushed at that statement. Really, she did. It wasn’t like her to be called that by anypony other than her lover. Then again, that was another reason she was nervous.

Her current disguise was a guard stationed outside of a castle that only showed a month ago. Before that, she had… Other ways of meeting her one true love. She calmly sighed and told herself: Just answer his question and get on with it Chrysalis. There’s nothing to be worried about. She’ll come soon and save you from this. It’ll be over soon… It’ll be over soon… It’ll be over soon…


“Oh, nothing much,” she replied in a voice she had borrowed. She was definitely disguised as a mare, but it seemed to be worse in this kind of situation. Mares were normally picked up on by stallions. And her lover wasn’t anything close to that…

“Wanna go by Sugar Cube Corner later and get some sweets? It’ll be on me!” he said with a smug grin. That grin was handsome too… Almost as beautiful as her lover’s beautiful smile. In several ways, this stallion reminded her of her lover. The one who anxiously awaited their time together.

But, this stallion wasn’t her lover. And even though he could feel the… want in this stallion, she didn’t dare spend any time with anypony but… her.


“I applaud you for your invitation,” she began, “but I’m afraid I must decline.”

She could feel the disappointment in the stallion’s emotions, even though he didn’t show it. “You sure?” he asked once more, still with the huge grin. “You’ll only be missing out!”

“Really, I’m flattered. However, I have some other… engagements.”


The stallion looked forward once again, still not showing his disappointment, even though it was clearly obvious. “Suit yourself.”

The next few hours most certainly didn’t fly by. The hot sun trudged overhead, and the stallion beside her constantly bugged her about going to Sugar Cube Corner to just hang out. Every time he asked that question, she always had the same answer.

And she was beginning to become even more worried.

Oh, how much longer does it have to be? She asked herself over and over. Normally, I’d be out of Celestia’s sun by now. How long does it have to be until I can spend time with her?


“Are you sure?” the stallion asked again. The same question… Over and over… It was asked one more time…

“Yes, I’m perfectly fine with my decision,” she said. “It doesn’t matter how many times you ask, it will always end the same way.”

“You sure about that?” he asked, much to Chrysalis’s anger.

She turned to the stallion, anger clearly in her eyes. “Look, I’ve told you about a hundred times in the past two hours. What does it take to send a message to that thick skull of yours?”

“A single ‘yes’ will suffice,” he grinned.

That was it. Chrysalis had had it. Her horn, a part of her unicorn disguise, glowed a bright green and transfixed the stallion’s eyes in it. They also turned green when he didn’t- No… Couldn’t look away. She grinned an evil grin… And what a very evil grin it was.

“So…” she said. “You love me, don’t you?”

The stallion nodded, completely hypnotized by the green aura of Chrysalis’s horn. He was unable to speak, and that was perfectly fine.

“Well, if you do love me, you wouldn’t mind if I have some of that, do you?” Another nod. “Do you mind if I take all of it?” This time, the stallion shook his head. Chrysalis’s grin grew even wider, as if they could almost touch her ears, which were also borrowed.

“Thank you,” she said, even though it didn’t matter. In a second, she opened her mouth and the stallion opened his in response. A pink flow of energy came from his mouth, swirled a bit in the air, and found its way into her own.

Delicious, delicious love, Chrysalis thought. Although, not as good as… hers.

The stallion slumped to the ground, his energy taken from him. Chrysalis grinned once more at her accomplishment.

And then, an idea struck her mind. A most certain idea that will most certainly get her closer to her one true love.

She turned and banged on the castle’s doors behind her. “Help!” she cried, hoping that somepony in that castle would hear her. Or… She hoped she would hear her. “There’s been an accident!”

To her relief, two more guards came outside of the door. “What happened?” the first one asked.
“I… I don’t know,” Chrysalis lied. “He just collapsed!”

“What is the meaning of this?” a new voice arose above the others. A voice that Chrysalis was glad to hear. The one voice that she actually wanted to hear.

The voice of Twilight Sparkle, her lover.

Twilight looked at the fallen stallion, and then back to Chrysalis in her disguise. More sweat dripped down her cheek, although it wasn’t clear whether it was from the heat or worry.

“You,” Twilight said, pointing a hoof toward Chrysalis. “Come with me. I’ll need to ask you questions about what happened. And you two!” Twilight turned to the other two guards. “I want you two to bring this one to the infirmary. After that, I want you to take these two’s places.”

“What about this one?” the second guard asked, pointing toward Chrysalis. “Shouldn’t only one of us take their place? This one is fine, and she can return to her own post.”

“I’m afraid that this one might be talking to me for a long time,” she replied. Twilight didn’t glare back at him, nor did she sound threating. However, Chrysalis could taste the anger in her. Very bitter… “And we cannot afford to be attacked by any invaders and only have one guard on duty.”

“Of course your highness!” the second guard replied.

“We’ll get on it right away!” the first continued. After that was said, the two of them continued to haul the exhausted guard that had been harassing Chrysalis not five minutes ago into the castle, on the way to the hospital wing where he would be treated.

“You,” Twilight said, looking toward Chrysalis. “Come with me.”

“Of course,” she replied. She smiled with anticipation. She was finally going to be with Twilight… All alone in her room.

After many sets of twists and turns, they found their way to Twilight’s… ‘Interrogation’ room… Where they would be alone for who knew how long.

Chrysalis couldn’t help but smile as she entered the familiar room, seeing the familiar bed that she missed. And the beautiful mare in front of her… Oh, how she loved that mare.

“Have a seat,” Twilight said. Chrysalis trotted over to the comfy bed and sat down of top if it, removing the armor in a green aura of magic as she did so. Once there, Twilight sat on a small wooden stool right in front of her. And then, the questions with an inevitable end began.

“Okay, first question,” stated Twilight. “What did you do to that stallion, Chrysalis?”

Chrysalis giggled like a filly in response. “Oh, Twilight, you always know when it’s me. The answer to your question is: I drained the love out of him.”

“I’m a smart mare,” Twilight said.

“A lucky mare,” Chrysalis corrected.

Twilight smiled and continued with her questions. “Will he be alright?”

“As long as he gets some rest, which is what we should be doing, he’ll be fine. I can also guarantee that he will be able to love again… You certainly were the first time.”

Twilight nodded. “Third question: How long are you going to continue looking like that?”

Chrysalis put on a fake pouty-face. “What?” she asked, sounding as innocent as she possibly could. “You don’t like the way I look to you?”

“I’d prefer to look at the changeling that I came to love, and not an impersonation of another mare,” Twilight replied, giving a devious grin.

Chrysalis sighed. “Alright, that’s fair… But I shall refuse to change back until you come into bed with me.”

Twilight smiled and lit her horn up in a bright purple aura before vanishing and reappearing beside Chrysalis. She, in response, changed back to her original form. Twilight smiled and began cuddling her lover.

“One last question,” Twilight stated, still cuddling Chrysalis, who had begun cuddling her back.

Chrysalis listened carefully to Twilight, even though she already knew what the question was.

“Do you love me?”


> Power by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Europa

When Twilight Sparkle walked into the throne room of Canterlot Castle, the last thing she expected to see was Celestia, Luna, and Cadance each sedated to unconsciousness, hanging in separate changeling cocoons from the ceiling. She also certainly didn't expect her marefriend - workerfriend! she'd insist - to be sitting on Celestia's throne, the crowns of the three alicorns on the arm rests. There were no guards, and every door save the one she'd just entered from was closed.

Twilight narrowed her eyes, but before she could speak Chrysalis opened her eyes, looked at her and said, "I know what this looks like, but I honestly have no idea how this happened." She blinked several times, as if... as if she were blinking sleep out of her eyes.

The lavender alicorn frowned. "You've been sleep-conquering again, haven't you?"

She shuffled in the throne, stretched and groaned, then stepped off, looking sheepish. "Maybe. Sure looks like it." She blushed fluorescent green.

"You know, it should've clued me in when I saw all the sun and moon cutie mark banners were taken down and were replaced with your country's flag."

Chrysalis rubbed the back of her head with a hoof. "Oh sheesh, I did that too? How far did I go?"

She put a hoof to her chin. "I'm pretty sure I saw some of your Imperial Guards moving into Ponyville when I flew over."

"Huh." Chrysalis put her hoof back onto the ground with a clack. "All in all, not bad. Much cleaner than my last episode." They both shivered; neither of them needed to relive Chrysalis's unconscious attempt to put the griffons under her hoof. Chrysalis looked around, then lit up her horn and pulled something out of the slime holding Luna in her cocoon. "I think this is the deed to Equestria... do you think I hypnotized them into signing it over to me?" she asked.

"Lemme see that." Chrysalis floated the slime-covered paper over to her. "Looks like it." No need to panic. This was all just a big misunderstanding. They could just sign it back over to the Princesses and be done with it. "Think you can wake them up and sign it over?"

Chrysalis bit her lip, the flexible but tough chitin protecting her from her own fangs. "I don't know... I mean, they've been ruling Equestria for, what, twenty five hundred years? Don't you think they've deserved a little, oh... vacation time?" she ended with a scheming smile.

She tilted her head. "Chryssy, please let them go. Cadance still has an empire to get to, Luna's still got to finish her reintegration final exam, and Celestia's kinda the face of the nation. Please give them back Equestria."

"But... the vacation! Having it all!" she said. "Please, Twily?" she whined. "Can't I just usurp the throne a little?"

Quickly sensing that her marefriend was about to enter Stubborn Bug mode, Twilight changed tactics. She tossed her mane and raised a forehoof, pretending to inspect that. "Well, alright. I guess in that case I'll just head back home and have a yard sale."

"Huh?"

"Oh you know, just getting rid of things I won't need anymore, like my saddle." Wait for it. "And the ropes." Chrysalis was sweating now. Just a little more. Twilight turned around and began to sloooowly exit the throne room. "Oh, and the bridle..."

"Okay okay I'll let them go!" Chryssy belted out.

Twilight allowed herself a brief smirk. Like clockwork. She'd definitely make up scaring her lover like that later, but for the moment she relished in the power she held over the changeling queen.


> Forgiveness by MagicMan7997
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By: Magicman7997

        
“Fluttershy, get away from there,” Twilight cried out as she watched the yellow pegasus attempt to dodge another round of spell fire from the demon. The lavender alicorn attempted to get to her hooves and rejoin the fight, only to find her strength quickly dwindling. They had managed to free Celestia, Luna, and Cadance from their prison, but now, ever so close to the portal that would take them home, they had been intercepted by the demon's minions. Their progress halted, the most they could do was stand their ground and hope for a miracle.

“I can't keep flying, I'm too eeeeeep,” Fluttershy was cut off as a large crimson hand snatched her from mid air. Despite the sounds of battle, the five remaining ponies could hear the gentle pegasus' ribs crunch as the hand squeezed around her barrel. Shy collapsed against the great force and pain and hung limply in the demon's had.

“You put her down this INSTANT! You uncouth brute!' Rarity charged forward to assist her dearest friend. As minion after minion was singed from the blasts from her horn, she reached the demon's feet. Bearing down with all her concentration and might, she charged her horn with as much energy as she could. The resulting blast was by far the best display of offensive magic the group had ever seen from the fashionista. Unfortunately, it was little more than a pin prick to the eldritch demon. Annoyed by the pest at his feet, he swept Rarity up into a crushing grasp as well.

“HMM,” he bellowed. “YOU TWO SHALL BE FIRST!” Slowly, the demon drew his grip around Rarity and she cried out in a mix of terror and pain. The howls echoed off the cavern walls and brought the four ponies attention to the scene playing out in front of them. Twilight could only look on in horror as she saw the soul stealing spell begin to charge from the demon's horns.

“NO! PLEASE, NO!” The violent spell settled over the two ponies in the demons clutches and slowly drained their life energy away. The last thing Twilight ever saw of Fluttershy and Rarity was the look of pain in their eyes as the spark of their existence was snuffed out.

Finished with the task of draining them, the demon discarded the corpses into a nearby lava bed. Laughing maniacally, he called out, “WHO'S NEXT!”

“NO, PLEASE, NO” cried a fitful Twilight in her sleep. The pain and torment she was suffering at the hands of her dreams was more than enough to wake Chrysalis. She quickly wrapped her hooves around the now shaking alicorn and attempted to soothe her awake.

“Twilight. TWILIGHT! Wake up! Please!” The changeling queen, quickly harnessed her magic and began to siphon off the fear and terror from her marefriend, hoping that it would wake her. The pain of such emotion was strong, especially since it was so very real to Twilight. After taking as much as she could stand, Chryssy canceled the transferred and looked down at her lover. With relief, she saw that Twi's breathing was slowing and she was beginning to wake.


“Oh no, not again,” Twilight cried burying her muzzle into Chrysalis as deeply as she could. “I can't go on like this. This is the fourth straight night! We're so close to AppleJack being brought back and Pinkie and Rainbow need me now more than ever! I can't keep losing sleep like this. I just can't!” Twilight lost it then. The weight of everything spilled out in the tears that Chrysalis now tried to wipe away. Stroking her lover's mane, she whispered soft words of encouragement and soothing into her ear. When the worst of the sobbing stopped, she raised Twilight's gaze to meet her own. With a look that spoke not only of determination, but of the deep love and concern she had for the alicorn, she simply spoke.

“We must go see Luna. Today.”

The pair arrived at the castle shortly after dusk. The foals were left in the care of the hive's matrons and AJ's spawning pool was ensorcelled to instantly alert Twilight or Chrysalis if levels went to far out of normal. As they entered the main throne room, ponies all around began whispering in hushed tones as the alicorn and the changeling strode side by side with their tails entwined. Twilight seemed oblivious to the attention they were drawing. Chryssy, on the other hoof, was very certain that she wished she could cause physical pain with the glares she was shooting the other nobles. They approached a small wooden desk at the head of the throne room. Behind it sat a studious looking unicorn mare. With a slick sliver coat and a unfurled scroll and crescent moon cutie mark, one could only assume this pony was perfect for the job she had. Stepping forward, they were not immediately recognized. A gentle clearing of the throat got the mare's attention quickly enough.

“Can I help you?”

“Good evening to you as well Moondancer,” said Twilight sweetly. “I know we don't have an appointment, but we need to speak with Princess Luna. It's a very serious situation.” Twilight scuffed her hoof across the floor as she spoke. Normally, she'd have to wait until all the other petitioners were seen since she wasn't on the docket for the night. She hoped that by explaining her situation this way, she might bypass the hassle. Worst case scenario, she'd just pull rank as a Princess of Equestria and use her title. She hated the thought, but in this case, she'd make an exception.

Moondancer looked up from her desk at the sound of Twilight's voice. She bowed her head instantly as she spoke. “Oh, forgive me Princess Twilight. I didn't realize it was you. I'm sure her highness will make some time for you. Please wait here and I'll announce you to her.” Quickly, the silver mare walked towards the dais that the thrones sat upon. As she moved, more eyes turned and glared at Twilight and Chrysalis. It was easy to tell their jealousy and disdain, both from the looks on their faces and their body language. Sensing the situation tensing up a bit, Chryssy found her sense of humor.


“Wow, didn't realize how much it helped being romantically involved with someone in high political circles,” she giggled. Twilight's only response was a deepening blush a look that said, “you-are-so-going-to-pay-for-that-when-we-get-home.”

Moondancer returned to the pair and spoke softly to them, “She's finishing up with a petitioner now. Once she's done, she will receive you in the south conference room. If you will, I can show you the way.” The two lovers followed the silver mare down a side hallway towards a conference room. As they entered the door Luna's voice echoed through the throne room halls, “We announce that court shall recess for 30 minutes.” Twilight and Chryssy made themselves comfy on several large cushions in the room. The room was more private lounge than conference room. Memories of many a day with Celestia while she held meetings in similar rooms came to Twilight. The fondness of which made her smile for the first time since the nightmares began. Seeing her marefriend smile but happiness to Chrysalis as well. For it not only meant that Twilight had found a little peace, but that she could finally get some decent nourishment.

The Lunar Diarch strode confidently into the room flanked by two of her Night Guard. Moondancer, Twilight, and Chrysalis all bowed their heads in respect as she entered.

“My friends! You do not have to be so formal. We would request that you rise and speak to us as equals.” With a glance, Luna dismissed the guards and her senchal. Once they were safely outside the room, Luna strode forward and nuzzled Twilight affectionately. She then did the same with Chrysalis as she made her way to her own cushion. “So, what can we do for our friends? Moondancer said that it was a serious situation. Has there been a problem between the pony villagers and the hive?”

Clearing her throat, Twilight began to shake, as the prospect of having to reveal the horrid dreams she'd been having became oh so very real. Sensing her marefriend's apprehension, Chrysalis took the initiative.

“She's been haunted by some very vivid nightmares as of late. Although, the way she tells it, they aren't really dreams. More like, memories trying to resurface. She wakes up terrified. I've tried to help as much as I'm capable, but even I can't siphon off enough of the negative energy to lessen their impact on her. I fear for her Luna, not just her mental health, but her physical state as well. Our project is just beginning to bear fruit, but we cannot risk any mistakes. And the lack of restful sleep is only increasing the chances of an error.”

The lunar alicorn sat back on her haunches slightly as she listened to the changeling queen. She levitated a small tea service over to the three of them as Chryssy finished her narrative. Pouring three cups of a strong Jasmine brew she offered the drinks to her guests. Gratefully, the two mares took their cups and settled back against one another. Luna sipped carefully as she knitted her brow in thought.


“You are reliving our fight with Ba'hal in the dream realm? My dear Twilight, that thou art still sane is a miracle. No one should ever have to relive those horrors again. But what could be causing the visions to appear? Perhaps some lingering dark magic from the encounter?”

Finally, Twilight found her voice. “No Princess, I'm certain I know what is causing them. It's my conscience. It's punishing me for leaving my friends to their death. It's punishing me for allowing Rarity and Fluttershy to be taken so easily.” Her voice began to quiver and tears rapidly formed in her eyes. “It's punishing me for being alive when they are gone!” Twilight began to wail uncontrollably. Quickly Chrysalis began to hold her love and stroke her mane. A quick glance over at Luna spoke volumes as to how often this very scene occurred. Gently, Luna took her place on the other side of Twilight and joined in the hug.

“You seek forgiveness when none is needed,” Luna said softly. “Thine friends are surely at peace in the fields of Elysium. Could they see you, we are certain they wouldst hold no malice towards you. We...I know I am most grateful for everything the six of you did for me. More so, I owe my very return to you and the other bearers. I have a debt that I can never repay to you. You are not the monster you make yourself to be Twilight Sparkle. You are a hero, warrior, lover to thine consort, but most of all, now a mother. Never, EVER, let anypony especially yourself ever tell you that you are anything less.”

Twilight's sobbing abated as Luna finished. Finally, with a soft sniffle, she croaked, “Thank you Luna. I will try. But what about my visions, er, dreams? What can we do about them?” Luna charged her slender ebony horn with a soft white light. Slowly, Luna lowered her horn until it ever so gently touched Twilight's own. The spell pulsed between the two alicorns for not more than a second. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief as the energy washed over her body.

“This spell will place a sentinel ward on your dreams. Should the nightmare attempt to come again, it will trigger itself to return you to the dreamscape. If for some reason it fails, it's last effort will be to summon me to thine dreams. It won't be permanent, but perhaps it will give you sometime to catch up on your rest and resolve the memories that haunt you,” Luna rose to her hooves as the Moondancer re-entered the room. “I must return to Night Court. Please, come and visit again soon my friends.” The lunar diarch bowed her head slightly as she took her leave of the mares. “One more thing,” Luna said as she was heading out of the door. “My sister and I would love to see the 'progress' you two have made. It has been far too many years since the sound of young foals has filled this castle.”

“I'm certain we can bring the girls by soon. After all, who are we to deprive them from their favorite aunts,” Twilight said as a grin spread across her face. Helping Chrysalis to her hooves Twilight and her lover followed Luna and her senchal out of the door. Leaving the castle, she felt more at peace with her memories than she had in years. “Thank you.”

Twilight's gratitude took Chryssy by surprise, “What for?”
“For being the greatest marefriend I could ever ask for.” Twilight nuzzled into the crook of Chrysalis' neck as they walked down the streets of the capital “I think it's time we go home, I'm sure the girls have driven the matron caretakers to their wits end. Besides, we need to check on AJ's progress.”

“I have the greatest marefriend ever,” Chryssy responded. “But, if you like, we could hold a contest tonight and see just how satisfied with our respective mates we are.” The sultry look on the hive queen's face nearly made Twilight ravish her right there. She scooped Chrysalis in a tight embrace and whispered into her ear as the teleport spell took hold.

“You, me, bedroom, NOW.”        


> Lyra Heartstrings by TheMusicalBoy93
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By TheMusicalBoy93



Lyra sat on her stool on the stage, plucking the strings of her lyre, singing her favourite love ballad. She looked out at the bar’s dance floor and watched the couples slow dancing in each other’s hooves as she sang. One couple in particular commanded her attention was the Royal Couple of Ponyville; Princess Twilight and Queen Chrysalis. Lyra could remember the panic and confusion when, one day, Twilight emerged from her crystal palace with Queen Chrysalis draping one of her large, insectoid wings across her back. Immediately, the rest of the Elements of Harmony were gathered but Twilight swiftly, and calmly, dispelled all belief that she was under some form of changeling spell. She explained to her subjects that she and Chrysalis had fallen in love after several months of, what had started out as, diplomatic negotiations between ponies and changelings. After almost a year of their relationship going public, the ponies of Equestria and the changelings started to slowly integrate themselves into a single community. After a further month or two, changelings and ponies were allowed to marry. Twilight and Chrysalis were the first to take this privilege, since it was Twilight who fought against the Canterlot Court for the right to marry Chrysalis.

Lyra’s song came to its inevitable conclusion, and she was met with thunderous applause from the bar patrons. She took her bow and excused herself from the stage, welcoming the next musician for the night. She shook hooves with Twinkleshine as they traded places on the stage and made her way to the bar front. She sat down on one of the bar stools, provoking one or two odd looks from her fellow patrons, as she sat in her usual bolt upright position, and waited to be served.

As she waited, she clocked a purple form slide itself into the seat beside her out the corner of her eye. She glanced over to her right to find Princess Twilight smiling at her. She nodded a brief greeting before a second shape slide into the stool to her left. She glanced across to confirm that Twilight’s wife, Chrysalis herself, had flanked her from the other side, effectively boxing her in at the bar counter. She wasn’t intimidated, but she did feel flattered that they decided to sit with her tonight.

“Thank you for singing that song, Lyra.” Twilight beamed. She waved down a bartender, who swiftly responded and was at their place in moments. “Can I get you a drink?”

“Oh. That’s really nice of you to offer, Princess, but-“

“Please, Lyra. Just call me Twilight. And I insist. Name your poison.” Lyra hid a small smile behind her hooves at the flattering attention she was getting from royalty.

“Well… I really don’t mind, in all honesty. Bon Bon’s out of town on holiday, so I’m not in any rush to get home.” Lyra was too busy trying not to blush in front of Ponyville’s Princess of Friendship that she didn’t see Twilight’s face light up with evil glee.


“Amaretto, three Irish Draught Iced Teas, please.” The tan mare behind the bar curtsied dutifully and rushed to prepare the cocktails. She returned moments later and, after being forced by Twilight to accept her money (plus tips), wished the three of them a pleasant evening.

One cocktail turned into three. Then five. After the seventh or eighth, the night seemed to whizz by in a murky haze. The three mares were all leaning against each other as they departed from the bar, giggling like schoolfillies. They stumbled over their hooves a few times as they helped each other navigate the midnight streets of Ponyville, back to Twilight’s palace.

“Well, itsh been a wunderful evenun, Twilighth,” Lyra slurred. “But Ah reeeally need ta ge’ home nah.”

“Oh no, you’re in no fit state to be staggering home all on your lonesome, Lyra,” Twilight purred, sidling up to the minty unicorn with a half lidded smirk. “Why don’t you say the night here?” Lyra tried, unsuccessfully, to cover her rosy cheeks, knowing she couldn’t blame much of it on the booze.

“No, itsh awrigh’. Ah can get mahshelf home.” The unicorn staggered woozily, and almost had a makeout session with the cobbles until Chrysalis caught her in one hoof.

“Twily’s right,” the changeling queen affirmed. “You can’t expect to get home on your own, at this hour. Come, stay with us for the night.” The changeling lead Lyra through the palace door. “You won’t be sorry, I assure you.” The two royals smirked mischievously as the heavy crystal door swung shut.

The morning sun peaked in through the window, causing Lyra to stir. An action she immediately regretted when a far-too-familiar stinging sensation coursed through her head, eliciting a hiss of discomfort from the mare. She never was any good at knowing her limits with alcohol. She tried to turn over in her bed, but found herself hemmed in by two large, warm masses. Slowly, she cracked her eyelids open and glanced to her sides, finding the sleeping bodies of Princess Twilight and Queen Chrysalis flanking her from both sides. The two mares seemed to be grinning in their sleep, and their manes were tangled and messy. She gasped as the events of last night quickly flooded back to her.

“Oh, horseapples,” she swore. “Bon Bon’s gonna kill me.”


> Impersonation by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Europa

Chrysalis looked left.

Noling.

Chrysalis looked right.

Noling.

She looked ahead at the mirror and let a wicked smirk grow across her fangs, before tugging at the magic inside of her. For a moment her vision was blocked by a wall of fire, and when it died down her Twily stared back at her. "Perfect," she said in the alicorn's voice.

She tossed her mane. "Who's a pretty pony? I am." Stage One of her plan was a success. On to Stage Two. She turned around and trotted out of the Friendship Palace's guest room where she was 'officially' staying, and into the corridors.

Not a minute into her odyssey to find Twilight, she ran into her little drake friend, who had a checklist in his left claws and a quill in the other. He looked up when he saw her. "Oh hey Twilight."

"Hello, Spike," she said in a perfect imitation. She briefly wracked her brain for what day it was. "Inventory going well?" she guessed with a smile.

He nodded. "You know it! Anyway, I'm heading over to Chrysalis's room, ask her if she wants anything to drink."

Her frown died painfully. On one hoof, she could continue her ruse and have him confused when she wasn't in her room, but on the other hoof... "Hey, Spike." She briefly let her magic show, glowing green. She winked at him, and raised a hoof to her lips and mimed the 'Shush' gesture.

"Ah, I see!" he said, realization dawning. Spike mimed zipping his lips shut and scurried away.

Chrysalis for her part went on to Twilight's room. If she was right, the pony would still be asleep after last night's study binge on the magical draining properties of centaurs. And pushing the door open to Twilight's room, she was proven right. Sprawled out on her bed, mane and tail messy and covers thrown away to reveal her entire body, was Twily. Still wearing her form, Queen Chrysalis snuck up on her and joined her in bed. Twilight was on her back, so Chrysalis stood over her and lowered herself belly to belly with the pony.

Twilight woke up at the contact, and looked up at her through bleary, confused eyes. "Hubuwha?" she stammered. "Chryssy, why are you in my form?" she asked.

She smirked. "Well, you were so tired after last night, I thought we could both use some... breakfast in bed." Her smile grew predatory, and she lowered herself on her hapless workerfriend.


> Conversion by TheMusicalBoy93
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By TheMusicalBoy93

“Now, are y’all sure ya want this, Twilight?” Applejack asked for, seemingly, the hundredth time.

“Yes, Applejack, I’ve never wanted anything more in my entire life.”

“But, darling, you must realize the potential perils of such an act. How do you know you’ll be safe?”

“I trust Chryssy with my life. She’s saved my flank more than enough times to earn that from me. Surely you girls could put just a little faith in her.”

“What if this is a trick‽” Pinkie glowered, conspiratorially. “Chrysalis puts Twi-Twi in that creepy cocoon thingy and then SPLAT! Twilight gets digested, and the changelings swarm all over us!”

“No, Pinkie. Chryssy would never do that. Never again. She promised me. She double-dipper Pinkie Promised.” Pinkie blinked.

“With chocolate sauce and sprinkles?”

“She even put a cherry on top.”

“…I’ll be holding her to that one,” Pinkie hissed as she slowly crawled backwards into a shady corner of the palace library. Twilight shook her head and looked around at her friends.

“I know you’re all concerned about this, but seriously, girls, I’ll be fine. Chrysalis talked me through the whole process. She promised me that she’ll be present at all times, to ensure no harm comes to me while I’m changing. And you have no idea what this means to her. What it means for us. To do something like this is not just some silly little schoolfoal’s gummy ring wedding. This is just about the most intimate act a changeling’s lover can do for her. This is a lovers’ pact that will last forever. I have to do it, you guys. You’ll see me again in a month’s time.” Twilight felt a small puff of breath being knocked out of her lungs as a weight thumped against her chest. She looked down to see Spike clinging onto her, digging his claws into the fur on her neck a little as he hugged her like a possessive little brother. His eyes wet glistening with extra moisture as he looked into her eyes.

“But how will we know you’re still you, Twilight? How will we know that Chrysalis hasn’t brainwashed you, or something?” Twilight nuzzled her number one assistant as she returned his hug with one hoof. She tapped her chin with her hoof to think about how to answer his question. With a small gasp and a twinkle in her eye, she pulled herself out of the hug to look Spike in the eye.

“How about you tell me a secret?” she suggested, eagerly. “Something nopony else would know, except me. That way, if I forget or… worse… then you’ll know for sure if I’m the real me or not.” 
Spike’s eyes widened at the proposal, and blushed as he suddenly found a corner of the rug beneath them very intriguing to look at.

“O-OK then,” he concurred. He scratched his head as he thought of any deep, dark secrets he could tell Twilight that nopony else could ever guess. After a minute of consideration, he made his decision. He beckoned Twilight to lean in close so he could whisper his secret in her ear. Twilight obeyed and the dragon imparted his secret directly into her ear. The Alicorn’s face turned pink as her closest friend told her his secret and, as they leaned away from each other, she cleared her throat and rubbed her foreleg with a hoof in awkward silence.

The Alicorn and dragon shared a knowing nod and Twilight turned to the rest of her friends. Nopony questioned what the secret was; it wasn’t their place to ask. The lavender Alicorn hugged her friends each in turn.

“Don’t worry, girls. This is what I want. I’ll be alright.”

“Yeah, you’d better be. Because if you die doing this, I’ll kill ya. And then I’ll kill your workerfriend.” Rainbow half-teased, extending her hoof for Twilight to bump. The princess hoof bumped her, but not before rolling her eyes. She said her last farewells and climbed the highest tower of the palace, to her observatory. As she entered the star gazer’s paradise, she found her beloved awaiting her. They shared a kiss and a nuzzle as Celestia’s sun disappeared over the horizon.

“Are you ready, my dear?” Chrysalis kissed her lover on the forehead, right below the horn, where she liked it.

“I’ve never been more ready for anything in my life.” Chrysalis nodded and gently tied Twilight’s legs with silvery silk, spun from her saliva. She tied the Alicorn up like a hog and suspended her from the ceiling by a long, thin, sticky thread. With the princess secured, she started encasing Twilight in a thick green slime, hacked up from a mucus sac within her chest. The slimy membrane began to ooze and spread across Twilight’s body, encasing her in a perfectly fitted chrysalis. When the inner yolk was settled around her, the out skin of Twilight’s pod began to harden into a translucent green shell, allowing observers to see in on her as she hung from the observatory ceiling, sleeping peacefully in her mucus egg.

Days turned into weeks. And the weeks ticked by slowly. True to her word, Chrysalis never once let Twilight out of her sight, keeping an ever vigilant watch over her sleeping workerfriend. All the while, Twilight slept. She dreamed of the times she shared with her friends. The wonderful adventures they embarked on. All the lessons about friendship and love they learned together. She dreamed of the times she and Chrysalis shared, and the warmth of her love would light up her pod like a Hearth’s Warming star.

Soon enough, Twilight’s metamorphosis period came to a close. Chrysalis summoned Twilight’s friends to welcome her back to the waking world. She levitated the, now opaque, chrysalis and severed the silk that held it to the ceiling, laying the precious egg down on the floor. Everypony held their breath as Chrysalis walked up to the cocoon, and whispered softly to the new-born life inside.

“Twily, it’s time to wake up.” The chrysalis twitched in response, as the princess inside began to stir and wake from her slumber. The pod began to glow bright green. Cracks split along the shell of Twilight’s chrysalis, a purple hazy aura radiating from each fissure.  Moments later, the cocoon erupted in a flash of elegant light, and the black form of a new changeling stood in its place. The changeling stood tall, eyes closed as she acclimated herself to the outside world. The newly converted princess stood a hand or two taller than she did before, her legs slightly longer than before her slumber in the chrysalis. She still retained her navy mane, though it had changed from horse hair to a more gossamer substance, with a translucent sheen. On her flank, the group of friends were relieved to find, her cutie mark was still intact, despite the fact it now sported a new colour scheme. Where the smaller stars and lines sprouting from the larger starburst were once white, they were now a dark shade of green, the main star in the centre of the image a slightly deeper shade than the rest. The changeling princess opened her eyes, to reveal the double ringed irises that framed her catlike, elongated oval pupils. The inner ring was a pale magenta, while her outer iris was lavender, like the colour of her former coat.

“Morning, guys,” the changeling yawned, stretching her back to pop her stiff joints. Her voice sounded an awful lot like Twilight’s, but sounded as if she was talking twice, slightly out of sync, into a tin can. The five ponies and single dragon all gawked in awe and wonderment at the translated Alicorn. The ponies took it in turn to question Twilight and Chrysalis to ensure they were satisfied that Twilight’s transmutation was nothing more than a change in species, and that Chrysalis was not indeed planning a final attempted to take over Equestria. Once each pony was satisfied, they bid their friend farewell and went back to their daily duties.

When all five ponies were gone, Twilight went into Spike’s room. He had purposefully distanced himself from the previous interviews, so Twilight was determined to lay his fears to rest personally. As she entered his bedroom, she found the young drake looking at a photo album of him, Twilight and their friends, highlighting their biggest parties, their most memorable accomplishments and the most influential ponies they had met along the way.

“Spike,” she called out, softly. “I’m still me. I promise you, I haven’t changed. Not really.” Twilight couldn’t blame the dragon for having a hard time accepting his mother/sister figure changing her species for the one she loved. But she’d changed species once before, and she knew for a fact she had his support when it came to her and Chryssy. 

Spike sighed and placed the book on his bedside table, closing the pages and running his claws down the leather binding one last time.

“Tell me something that only Twilight would know.” Twilight nodded without hesitation. She remembered Spike’s last confession to her before she became a changeling. She rubbed a holey foreleg with her hoof as she tried to form the correct words.

“Well… you told me that… that you used to have…” the rosy pink on her cheeks stood out like a sore thumb on her midnight black carapace shell. She sighed and walked up to Spike’s bedside, planting a brief, meaningful kiss on his lips. The dragon barely had time to react before the kiss ended and Twilight was gazing into his eyes. “Perhaps if you weren’t my little brother, you would’ve stood a chance.” 

That was all the confirmation Spike needed. He threw his arms around Twilight’s neck, tears he had held in for weeks finally receiving permission to fall as the Alicorn-turned-changeling returned his embrace, planting a small kiss on his cheek.

“Never change again, Twilight.”

“No more changes. Pinkie promise.”


> Magic by TheWraithWriter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By TheWraithWriter

“I’m pregnant.”

Queen Chrysalis looked up from her cup of recently brewed tea to look across the kitchen island at Twilight, who had just walked it, wearing a bathrobe and looking disheveled. The pair were currently visiting Twilight’s brother and his wife in the Crystal Empire, in an effort to show that the former invasion leader was indeed reformed and willing to make amends.

But among the many things Chrysalis had prepared herself to hear during the trip, that had not been high on the list. In fact, that had been on an entirely separate list that was condemned as the ramblings of a sleep deprived Princess of Friendship and subsequently burned.

Twilight’s brother Shining Armor, who had been eating some oatmeal adjacent to Chrysalis, dropped his spoon in shock.

“I’m sorry, Twilight dear, I had a late night, as you know, and have yet to have my morning tea,” Chrysalis said in a strangely calm tone. “Would you remind repeating that for me?” she asked as she lifted the cup of tea to her lips.

Twilight took a deep breath before speaking again. “Chrysalis, I’m pregnant.”

Chrysalis then did a magnificent spit-take, spewing hot tea all over Shining Armor.

“Ahhh!”

As the Guard Captain turned Royal Consort cried out in pain and dropped to the floor, Chrysalis stared at Twilight.

“Are you sure?” she asked, ignoring Shining’s plight.

Twilight nodded as she walked over to the island. “I did twelve of the best pregnancy tests and they all came back positive.” the purple alicorn let out a strangled breath. “Chryssi, what are we going to do?”

Before Chrysalis could answer, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza entered the scene. Noticing her husband laying in a puddle of tea on the floor, she helped him to his hooves before addressing the others.

“Good morning Twilight, Chrysalis, Shiny. Something I miss?” she said, looking at the other’s worried and/or shocked expressions.

“Twilight said she’s pregnant,” Shining said, removing his now tea-stained morning shirt.

Cadance’s face slipped into an oddly serene state. She glanced over at Chrysalis, focusing on the steaming cup of tea in her grasp. “Chrysalis, mind if I have a sip of that?”

Still trying to process what was happening, Chrysalis didn’t really think about the request, wordlessly hoofing over her tea. 

Cadance silently accepted the cup and took a long sip from it. And promptly sprayed it over Shining as well.

“My nips!” Shining cried in a voice several octaves high than normal, physically leaping into the air before crashing back onto the floor.

“She’s what?!” Cadance shouted at Chrysalis. She then turned to Twilight herself. “You’re what!?”

“Pregnant…” Chrysalis murmured, beginning to pace. “It doesn’t make any sense!”

“You two have been, you know…” Cadance gestured vaguely with her hooves.

“But we used a condom!” Chrysalis stated.

Cadance shook her head. “It’s been known to happen. They’re not a hundred percent effective you know.”

Chrysalis stopped pacing and pointed a hoof to Twilight, almost in an accusatory fashion. “She was the one wearing it!”

Silence fell over the kitchen as all of the ponies and pony-shaped insectoids thought over this information. Mostly anyway. There was the sound of retching coming from where Shining had fallen. Twilight was the first to break the relative silence.

“Chryssi, that was last night.” the sound of retching intensified. “I only checked because this was the third morning this week I threw up.”

Chrysalis let out a shaky breath. “…Oh. Good.”

Cadance nodded, feeling like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. “Well, that saves countless hours of therapy, for all ponies, changelings, and fetuses present.”

Twilight nodded. “But… how then? We’re very careful anytime we… ah, experiment.”

Chrysalis racked her head for an answer. “I don’t know…. Wait! When we went to see Celestia and Luna last month. You know, when she tried to kill me with salt.”

Candace raised an eyebrow. “Luna tried to kill you? With salt?”

“It was Celestia.”

“Celestia tried to kill you with salt?”

“She did not, stop saying she did,” Twilight interjected irritably. “After dinner we stayed up watching that show and drinking that wine you stole-”

“Borrowed,” Chrysalis insisted.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “-borrowed from the kitchens. And then you said you had an idea and we…” Twilight stopped short, blushing.

Cadance frowned. “So you’re telling me that you two…”

Twilight nodded.

Cadance looked to Chrysalis. “And you had a…”

The changeling nodded. “Yep.”

Cadance quirked an eyebrow. “Okay, but… how?”

Twilight seemed to think on it for a moment before shrugging. “Magic,” she answered simply.

Chrysalis nodded. “Magic.”

Cadance sighed. “Alright, magic.”


> Fluff by bobbananaville
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By bobbananaville


        “She’s mine! I saw her first!”

“Pftblbt!”

“I gave her my home and helped integrate her into society! All you did was mooch around!”

“Pfblbt!”

“Well whose fault was that?!”

On one hand, Chrysalis loved the attention she was receiving. All of this emotion, ripe for the taking, and it came even faster than she took it!

On the other, her hooves were starting to ache from all of the pulling.

“I’m not telling you not to be friends, just acknowledge that I’m Chryssi’s true love!”

“PFBLBT!”

The pain was certainly worth it.





Chrysalis stared hard at the pink, fluffy sweater that Fluffle Puff had made over a year ago, that cold winter. It was strange, how attached she’d grown to the cute furball; changelings were meant to take emotions, not feel them. And yet here she was, drying her eyes with one of the cute little thing’s momentos.

A noise. A hint of confusion, love, lust, self-loathing. All of it overwhelmed by sadness. Chrysalis glanced up at the source - Twilight Sparkle. “Hello, Twilight,” the bug said.

“Hi.” Twilight sat beside the changeling (her queenhood having been voluntarily abdicated after that debacle a few weeks back, before all of... this). “How are you doing?”

“Not very good,” Chrysalis admitted. “It’s hard, not having her around as a teddy bear. Not having her love always with me.” Beneath the mournful sadness that Twilight wore, Chrysalis could smell the alicorn’s emotions warring; desire and hope began to rise, before being beaten back with respect.

“Chryssi, I-” Twilight stopped herself. She thought for a moment. “Lots of ponies miss her, you know? You’re not alone.” Twilight shuffled closer to the changeling. “You don’t have to stay alone.”

Chrysalis was tempted. Oh, she was so tempted. It would only take one small cuddle, one request, and Twilight would be happy to cheer her up for the night. Make her happy. Oh, the alicorn might hate herself for it, for indulging in her desires during a time of mourning, but that wasn’t Chrysalis’ problem.

“I’d like to be alone now, though.”

Twilight nodded, stood up, and trotted off.

“Oh, and Twilight?” The princess of friendship looked back at Chrysalis. “Maybe when we’re not like… Like this. Maybe it could work out.”

“I know.” With that, Twilight Sparkle left the room. Chrysalis choked back a sob, then hugged the fluffy sweater before her.


> 50th Special!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shiny moon

If you told Twilight Sparkle she would fall in love with Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings, she would’ve had you sent to a mental institution to have your head checked for such a ridiculous idea.


If you told Chrysalis she would fall in love with Twilight Sparkle, Celestia’s protege, bearer of the Element of Magic, newly crowned Princess of Equestria. She would’ve drained you of all your emotions and leave you for the vultures to eat.


But alas, here they both were, cuddled together under a heap of blankets, near the fireplace to escape the cold. Whispering sweet nothings in each other’s ears and giggling like a pair of school fillies.


The transition from pure unbridled hatred to love was a long and gruelling path. Having been blasted into the Everfree Forest by the power of love, ironically the same emotion she fed from, Chrysalis was weak and injured. Hating the fact that she was in this state, she was hostile towards anything that came too close to her. Being found by one of the ponies that led to her defeat only fueled her rage more.


Twilight Sparkle had been looking for ingredients for a potion Zecora had asked her to help her make when she heard the pained groans of a pony. However, the idea of finding the Queen of the Changelings laying on the ground, bloody and bruised, had not crossed her thoughts. Twilight’s hoof stepping on a twig had alerted the changeling that she was no longer alone.


When she saw Chrysalis’ staring at her, eyes filled with seething anger, Twilight felt a bit intimidated, scared even. Wouldn’t you be too? Seeing those slitted green eyes become even more horrifying, anypony would. The seething ire rolling of her in waves.


Despite her disposition, Twilight knew she couldn’t leave her, she would surely die if left in this state. Enemy or no enemy, Twilight was one to help anypony in need no matter the circumstance. Ignoring the changeling’s protest and futile attempts to attack her, Twilight hoisted her onto her back. Being bigger and taller than her, Chrysalis’ hooves dragged against the ground. Needless to say, Chrysalis was beyond annoyed and furious.


Not wanting to impose on Zecora, she decided she would take the changeling to her home. The glow from her teleporting had startled her friends who were helping tidy the place. When they saw the figure on Twilight’s back, they went instantly into attack stances.


Twilight tried to appease their fears and said she would explain later. She had also told Spike to send a letter to Princess Celestia about her discovery. It was only a matter of moments before Princess Celestia arrived in her home. Explaining her actions to the Princess, Celestia wasn’t sure if she should be proud or wary of her student’s ability to forgive so easily. Deciding it was best if Chrysalis healed before going, she told Twilight that she was now her responsibility but if she had any trouble to contact her right away.


Months passed, the first few were utter hell and torment. Chrysalis had been demanding and unreasonable at times. Sometimes she wouldn’t say a word to Twilight, other times she would give her ridiculous demands to go about doing. Twilight was nearing her wits end, until one day she heard soft sobs coming from the room Chrysalis was in.


She slowly opened the door to see a distraught Chrysalis crying her heart out, trying her best to muffle the sounds but failing miserably. That’s when Twilight did something unexpected, something that no one had ever thought to do for the Queen out the kidness of their heart. Twilight had comforted her, held her as she sobbed. She cried even more, but not of sadness, but joy, happy that someone would do something so kind for her. The warmth coming from Twilight’s body had soothed her and she fell into deep slumber.


After their little moment in the bedroom, Chrysalis had become somewhat easier to get along with. She no longer made outrageous demands such as taking the roof off the house cause it was too hot. She had also began trying her best to get along with Twilight’s friends. It was odd for the girls at first but they slowly warmed up to her - very slowly that is.


For once in her life Chrysalis had felt happy, not the happy she felt whenever a new changeling was born, but she felt true happiness. And this was all because of a little purple unicorn who didn’t know when to mind her own business.


Her happiness got the best of her and she did something out of the blue. She had kissed Twilight, straight on the lips. Realizing what she had done, she pulled away quickly; deathly afraid that she had ruined her once chance at a happy life. Her fears were appeased however, when Twilight nuzzled her neck gently, trying to calm her. Chrysalis then bowed her head to return Twilight’s gentle affection. It was then that Twilight whispered in her ears, saying she didn’t know what this was but she was willing to work it out with her. Tears of joy had poured from Chrysalis’ eyes at the statement.


So what if it was frowned upon? So what if it was unusual for a changeling and pony to be together? None of these things mattered to the two lovers as long as they had each other.








The Wraith Writer



“Okay, let’s do the check list one more time,” Chrysalis said to Cadance, the former pacing nervously while the latter sat on her bed.

Candace sighed. This would be the fifth time. “Alright, which tower is she in?”

“The farthest one to the east,” Chrysalis replied, still pacing.

“What’s the super secret password to get by the guards?”

“Lady bugs.”

“And when do you remove the disguise?”

“Before kissing her or doing anything resembling a sexual advance.” Chrysalis blew out a breath. 

“It all seems so simple.”

Cadance got off the bed and gave Chrysalis a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Trust me, love is never simple. But you can also trust me when I say it’s worth it. Now,” the pink alicorn glanced around even though they were alone “do you have what I asked for?”

Chrysalis nodded and pulled a box of corndogs out from a bag.

Cadance squeed and snatched the box from the changeling, holding it close like it was a precious artifact.

“Like corndogs, I take it?” Chrysalis said.

Cadance nodded. “I love them! But Shiny eats all the ones at home. Not these though. This box and me have a date with a Bucking Bad marathon.” the pink pony princess promptly dashed over to her couch, plopping down on it while magically heating up the corndogs.

Chrysalis shook her head. “And I tried to impersonate her.” she muttered as she left the room, flashing green as she adopted Cadance’s form once more.




“Twilight,” Cadance was calling her, but she didn’t feel like getting up.

“Go ‘way,” Twilight mumbled, drawing the sheets tighter around her.

“Twilight, wake up please, there’s something I have to tell you.”

“Five more minutes.”

“If I wait five more seconds I’ll explode.”

Twilight’s ear twitched. That didn’t sound like Cadance…

The purple pony princess propped herself up, rubbing sleep from her eyes and she yawned. 

Bleary-eyed she looked over to see Cadance standing near her bed, staring at her intently.

“Cadance? You sound funny.”

There was a flash green light and Cadance was suddenly replaced by Queen Chrysalis. Twilight bolted upright, scrambling to untangle herself from her sheets. She opened her mouth to shout in alarm.

And suddenly found herself sucking on Chrysalis’ foreleg.

“Shhhh,” Chrysalis said gently. “Please don’t scream.”

Twilight nodded and Chrysalis extracted her now drool covered hoof from Twilight’s mouth.

“Chrysalis, what in Tartarus are you doing in my room in the middle of the night!” Twilight hissed. She paused and smacked her lips. “And why do you taste like key lime pie?”

Chrysalis didn’t answer right away, idly wiping her hoof clean on Twilight’s bed sheets. Once her hoof was clean, she placed it on the floor beside its twin, the pair shuffling nervously.

“Twilight Sparkle, these past few weeks have been… strange for me.”

Twilight quirked an eyebrow. “And…?”

“And, well, these peace talks. They would have never happened if you had not given me a chance.” Chrysalis fluttered her wings nervously. “You had no reason to, after the things I had done to you, but I suppose not just any pony becomes a princess then.”

Twilight rubbed her eyes tiredly. “Not to be rude, Chrysalis, but is there a point coming soon?”

“That’s just it, you were never, aren’t ever, rude to me. The other ponies, the other princesses, they all eye me like they expect me to try and eat their hatchli- their foals.” Chrysalis sat back on her haunches, fore hooves pawing the marble floor. “But you never looked at me that way. You were always kind, pleasant. You were curious, you actually wanted to talk with me, and not just about how I was to answer for the invasion.”

Chrysalis stared down at her hooves. “I… I don’t know how ponies usually do this, but if there’s any point at all to this…” Chrysalis took a breath and looked Twilight in the eyes, “I suppose that it’s that I love you.”

Twilight held the changeling queen’s gaze, blinking a few times, but otherwise remaining still. Chrysalis blushed and looked away.

“No, this… this is stupid. I shouldn’t have let Cadenza talk me into this. I’m sorry I woke you. I’ll just go-”

Chrysalis was cut off as Twilight put a hoof to her lips.

“Just relax, Chrysalis, it’s okay to be nervous. Confessing love is rarely easy, if ever.”

Chrysalis blinked in surprise as Twilight removed her hoof. “You… have had experience with this?”

Twilight shrugged, “Rarity loaned me a few of her romance novels.” she gave Chrysalis a smile. “And I’ll tell you this: The feeling is much better than they say it is.”

“The feeling?” Chrysalis asked.

The smile only grew. “The feeling when you know the other one feels it too.”

Twilight craned her head up and caught Chrysalis’ lips in a surprise kiss. Startled, the changeling pulled back, but after a moment of staring into Twilight’s eyes, leaned back in. Lips and teeth parted and tongues danced as Twilight led them back to her bed, the two clumsily climbing in while trying to maintain their lip-lock.

Once they were on the bed proper, Twilight broke the kiss and leaned back on the headboard, panting lightly.

“Wow, that was much better than what the book described,” she murmured to herself.

Chrysalis crawled closer. “Well then, I suppose you know what comes next then. Hmmm?” Chrysalis grinned.

Twilight beamed. “You bet I do, I’ve been doing lots of research.”

Chrysalis laughed as she gave Twilight a peck on the lips. “Oh I bet you have, silly, sexy Twilight.” Chrysalis wrapped her forelegs around Twilight, pulling her close. “Now let’s see how well all that studying pays off…”





Then next morning found Twilight’s room a mess, with many chairs and assorted small objects strewn about the place. The mare herself was currently laying belly to belly with Chrysalis, the changeling sprawled on her back, tongue hanging out of her mouth while she snored the morning away.

The peace and serenity of the scene was promptly shattered by one Mi Amore Cadenza as she all but kicked open the door and ran inside. Both Twilight and Chrysalis were jarred from their sleep by the loud intrusion and opened their eyes just in time to be blinded by the flash of a camera.

Cadance pulled the developing photo out of the camera and waved it pointedly before the two startled lovers. “I’ll trust you’ll remember who to keep ion corndogs, you two horndogs, or this is going to be slipped under the door of a certain solar princess.” Candace glared at the two. “And just so we’re clear, say my name.”

Chrysalis and Twilight exchanged identical ‘What-has-she-been-smoking’ looks.
Cadance pouted. “Come on you guys, please.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow and hesitantly said, “…Cadance?”

Cadance smirked, “You’re godda-”

She was cut off by a pair of guard tackling her to the ground.

Thinking quickly, Chrysalis adopted Celestia’s form in a flash and cried, “This is an imposter who is clearly not Chrysalis, take her to the dungeons at once!”

“Yes, Princess!” the guards cried in unison, hauling a now cuffed Cadance to her hooves and escorting her out of the room.

“Wait, I’m not an imposter. She’s the imposter!” Cadance shouted, struggling in the grip of the guards.

“That’s exactly what an imposter would say.” on of the guards said as he and his partner dragged the alicorn from the room.

Once the door shut behind them, Chrysalis returned to her usual form.

“What in Tartarus was that?” Twilight wondered aloud.

“I blame network television,” Chrysalis said solemnly.

“Yeah,” Twilight snuggled a little closer to Chrysalis. “We should probably go tell them she’s not an imposter.”

“Yeah, we probably should.” Chrysalis paused. “Or we could have some more interspecies sex and then tell them she’s not an imposter.”

Twilight shared an evil grin with Chrysalis. “Yeah, let’s do that.”





Palaikai


Chrysalis woke up with a start; it took her a few moments to register that she was still in the unfamiliar confines of Twilight's library, rather than the more comforting environs of the Hive's underground caverns and her green eyes blinked uncomprehendingly. Memories came flooding back to her in fitful bursts: banishment after the failed invasion of Canterlot, wandering the Everfree Forest, being rescued by the unicorn after she'd finally decided to give up. She pressed a hoof to her forehead, trying to staunch the flow of disjointed thoughts before they gave her a migraine.

“Oh, you're finally awake,” said Twilight Sparkle, the concern evident in both her voice and her feelings. Hers was a compassionate soul, and it seemed that, despite her trepidation, she was fully-committed to helping the former queen recover her health. “You've been in and out of consciousness for the past few days now.” She levitated a bowl filled with water to the Changeling who took it gratefully.

“You've been looking after me this whole time?” This surprised Chrysalis. She'd half-expected to have been tucked into a nook somewhere and forgotten about.

“Yes,” replied Twilight. “Well,” she corrected herself quickly, “in between all the other craziness that happens around here on a daily basis. You missed the Breezie migration, by the way.”

“Why?” the Changeling asked, cutting off the unicorn's babbling.

“That's what you do when somepony is need,” Twilight explained as if it were obvious.

Twilight Sparkle's empathy for all things was obvious – it shone so brightly it practically glowed – and while it wasn't love per se, Chrysalis found that it had almost the same effect on her, reviving her flagging energies to the point that she felt she could finally get out of bed. “So. What now?” she asked, getting unsteadily to her hooves while waving away the unicorn's offer of assistance. If she could not stand on her own four legs, what was the point of getting up at all?

“Honestly? I hadn't thought this far ahead. I expected that you might still need more time before you would be up and about,” admitted Twilight with a faint smile tugging at her muzzle. “You're, ah, you're welcome to stay, unless you want to take the chance on returning to your Hive?”

Chrysalis thought about it. It was an impossibility, of course; the Hive would continue without her, appointing a new ruler in her stead, and if she tried to go back to them, her life would be forfeit. Failure was not tolerated amongst her kind. She looked at the unicorn who had taken her in. It was unbelievable that somepony could be so kind, especially to what must've looked like a monster to her. “It,” the Changeling hesitated. “It wouldn't be a problem for me to stay? For a while, at least, until I figure out what to do?”

“Of course not!” Twilight said brightly. “It's only me and Spike, here. Oh, and Owlowiscious, but he likes to keep to himself.”

A phrase that Chrysalis had heard somewhere, but had never used once in her life, escaped her lips, “Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”





It was over dinner, many weeks later, that Chrysalis realised something had changed; at first, she thought the overwhelming feeling of desire radiating from Twilight Sparkle was directed toward her food – the mare loved to eat, and could usually be found attacking her meals with the same kind of gusto that she set about her enemies  – but she wasn't quite as enthusiastic for once and was actually remembering to use tissues rather than dabbing the sauce splashed around her face with more hayburgers.

Despite herself, the former queen found it an endearing trait. Her species' method of ingesting food would probably look weird to outsiders also. Besides, there was something about her face when it was coated with crumbs and stained with ketchup … maybe it was the adorable way her cheeks puffed out? Maybe it was the expression of near-orgasmic bliss?

“What?” asked the unicorn, her muzzle pausing around a bunch fries as she noticed the Changeling staring at her. At first, she'd been uncomfortable with Chrysalis sitting at the table with her, but over time, she'd come to accept it as normal. They were both eating, after all, just in very different ways. She still didn't fully understand how the Changeling's feeding process worked, but Chrysalis was looking better than ever, so she settled for simply assuming that whatever she was doing was working.

Chrysalis groped around for a way to broach the subject and finally settled on, “How long?”

“What do you mean?” Confusion wrinkled the unicorn's brow. The fries were forgotten.

“When you first started taking care of me, you were doing it out of self-righteous concern for the well-being of another living creature, but now … it's different. The texture of your thoughts, the tenor of your feelings, they've changed,” explained Chrysalis. “There's something deeper there now.”

Twilight blushed. It was impossible to keep secrets with this sort of company. Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and now Chrysalis, could all read her as easily as she might read a book. “Well, you can't spend this long looking after somepony and not develop an,” she searched for the right word, “interest in them.”

“I'm just a curiosity to you, then?” asked Chrysalis with mock-hurt.

“Yes,” replied Twilight, grinning slightly. Changelings, terrifying as they were to normal ponies, were fascinating and she'd tried to find out more about them while Chrysalis was living with her. Sadly, even Canterlot's libraries had precious few resources to offer, and most of it was based on rumour and innuendo. “My friends are still suspicious of your motives. They think that you're gonna attack Ponyville and I'm being coerced into helping you.”

“You are no longer suspicious of me?”

“I never was. Not since I found you, alone and near-death, in the forest.”

“Maybe,” Chrysalis' hoof reached across the table, brushing against Twilight's own, “my feelings have changed also.” The feel of the warm fur was so different to that of the hardened shell of a Changeling, but it was not altogether unpleasant. “Have you ever been in love before, Twilight Sparkle?”

The unicorn shook her head. “I … there was somepony I liked.” She hadn't thought about Flash Sentry in some time. They had gone on a couple of dates, but it hadn't worked out. He was intimidated by her status, and she was too much of a social recluse to handle the pressures and responsibilities that came with being part of a couple. “He wasn't right for me. Have you?”

“Yes.” Chrysalis frowned, lost in a whirlpool of half-forgotten memories. “Or no. It's difficult to separate the moments of genuine love from all the times I've lied, manipulated and stolen what I needed.”

“Are you lying to me now?” Twilight's mulberry eyes were moist, her body was tense and shaking as Chrysalis' holey foreleg traced her own. “Are you manipulating me to get what you want? Are you stealing from me?”

“No, Twilight Sparkle, I am not. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Chrysalis.”

The food lay forgotten as the pair settled down to an entirely different meal. It may not have been as nutritious, but it was no less satisfying for that.






bobbananaville


It has been nine days since the invasion. Nine days since Chrysalis and her army had been blown back.

It has been eight days since Twilight developed these alien feelings. They were like respect, except that they felt somehow more… intimate. Like friendship, but somehow more fantastic - in the sense that it felt like a fantasy rather than the more modern meaning. Perhaps they'd been borne from her studies of the changelings; countless attempts at diplomacy initiated by the changelings had been interpreted as aggression, she’d read, and over the centuries, changelings had been forced to learn the art of subterfuge. It seemed to Twilight that rather than an act of malice, the invasion was an act of courage - a queen going on the front lines and facing insurmountable odds for her starving children.

It has been seven days since Twilight had recognized that she had a crush. She'd tried to deny it, but the fact of the matter was that she had trouble keeping her mind off of Chrysalis even when spending the day with Cadance and Shining Armor. The queen, for all of her wrongdoings, was a good pony (well, a good changeling), and her attempts to prevent casualties when she could have simply slaughtered ponies wholesale or even just killed Cadance made Twilight respect (she hadn’t the nerve to call it love yet) the Changeling all the more. Plus, the chitinous being was exotic - not that Twilight had any experience with more ‘normal’ romance, of course.

It has been four days since Twilight had left for the Badlands with the goal of finding the defeated queen; who knew how far from a food supply Chrysalis was? Were she and her subjects starving out there, forced to cannibalize each other’s love? Could they even subsist on each others’ love? And how separated were the changeling from each other? Twilight was worried, and she was determined to find some way to keep her - them - alive.

It has been half an hour since she found Chrysalis.

“I love you, Chrysalis,” Twilight says. “You’ve risked so much for your people, and I can’t help but love you for being so selfless. I love you for not becoming the monster everypony believes you are. I love you for not giving in, for doing what you believed was necessary - what may well have been necessary.”

The queen does not respond. Twilight doesn't know necromancy, after all.

The lavender pony turns to the gathered changelings; they stare greedily at her, but abstain from feeding. “I don’t truly know you, Chryssi,” she says, not taking an eye off of the chitinous beings. 

“But I love you.

“I’m done. Go ahead.”






TheMusicalBoy93



Twilight stared at the small black shard, twirling it over and over in her purple aura. She sighed listlessly. The shard was a small piece of a changeling’s carapace that Twilight had scavenged from the warzone in front of the Canterlot Vault, after the battle at her brother’s wedding. She had hoped to perform some simple experiments on the miniscule sample, to try and gain a better understanding of changeling anatomy and physiology. Instead, all the shard offered were memories of the queen that nearly overthrew Equestria. That horrible, monstrous, despicable, sexy bug. Twilight grimaced at that last thought. She couldn’t understand what she saw in that monster. She foalnapped her best friend, locked her away in the Canterlot catacombs, and nearly succeeded in brainwashing her BBBFF. And yet, she couldn’t help but admire her.

She was insane, that much she knew for sure. Queen Chrysalis was madder than fruit bat. But she did show intelligence. Brilliance, even. She had secreted her changelings into pony society over a course of many moons, gathering intelligence and love that could be used in secret combat and fuel the hive, respectively. Twilight remembered finding dozens of changeling drones in Ponyville alone, disguising themselves as multiple residents. She’d never realised how many ponies there were that seemed to be twins, until the changelings attacked the wedding ceremony.

Such a brilliant mind, wasted on delusions of grandeur and an incessant desire to conquer. It made her heart ache. The lavender unicorn sighed and deposited the chitinous shard into her secret drawer. She needed to get out.

“Spike!” Her ever faithful assistant poked his head round the door at the call of his name. “I’m going to go for a walk. You can close the library early, if you’d like, and go visit Rarity for the day.” The little dragon’s face lit up like a Hearth’s Warming tree at the proposal.

“You really mean it?”

“Yes, Spike. I think you deserve a rest, for all your hard work.” Twilight shook her head as the dragon rushed out the room in a cloud of heart shaped smoke. Someday Spike would either get over his little infatuation for the unicorn, or Rarity would put an end to it herself. But, Twilight was hardly in a position to judge; being in a very similar dinghy herself. She followed Spike out of the library and locked up before taking to the streets of Ponyville.

Twilight kicked a small rock along the grassy trail as she wandered aimlessly through the Everfree Forest. Her lonely trek had possessed her shortly after she headed out, and her hooves took over her direction as her thoughts began to wander. She thought back to Shining Armour’s wedding, and the beautiful beast who almost destroyed it. She was loathe to admit it, but Twilight couldn’t help but be reminded of Princess Celestia when she thought of the changeling queen. 

Chrysalis was a strong leader, who looked out for her own. She would do anything for the safety and survival of her hive, much like Celestia would do anything for the wellbeing of her subjects. True, Celestia would probably draw the line at conquering a new land and enslaving the indigenous populace, but surely Chrysalis only attempted such an act as a last resort.

She stopped walking as a sound of a snapping twig caught her attention. She lifted her gaze from the forest floor to see a small, black form only a few feet in front of her. Its four legs were full of holes. Its eyes were pale blue and devoid of pupils or noticeable emotion. Twilight didn’t need more than a brief glance to know she was looking at a changeling. But, judging by the size of it, this changeling couldn’t be more than a young foal. The changeling youngster looked at the unicorn with a gentle stare, as if probing her psyche with her eyes.

“You’re sad,” the changeling stated. “You are longing for something.” It wasn’t a question. 

“Please. Come with me.” The youngling turned away from Twilight, slowly walking into a thick glade of trees. “Maybe my queen can help you.” Twilight silently swore at herself for perking her ears and falling in step behind the young changeling, a little too eagerly for her comfort.

The silence was thick and tangible. Yet it felt comfortable to Twilight. Her wild, unruly thoughts had finally settled, and she was no longer thinking a million thoughts every second. She glanced every now and then at the young changeling who was leading her deeper and deeper into the Everfree. She had remained silent ever since they started walking together, and the anticipation of meeting her queen was starting to overwhelm her. After a while, a large formation of gnarled trees came into view among the forest foliage. It looked like somepony had taken several dozen trees and tied them up into a towering plait, almost making the tree look like a single plant altogether.

The youngling placed her horn against the thick, rugged bark, emitting a low green glow from its tip. The green aura spread along the grain of the wood, forming a rounded door arch shape. The door slide down into the ground and the young changeling walked inside, followed swiftly by Twilight. They continued to walk in palpable silence, barring the ambient buzzing sounds that seemed to irradiate from the walls. Twilight looked up and found the walls were paved with hundreds of black bodies, thousands of pairs of cerulean eyes trained on her as the changeling hive members watched her vigilantly as she was lead down a long corridor by her youngling escort.

Through the constantly shifting walls of crawling changelings, time was impossible to tell. There was no sunlight in this hive. Only a dim green glow from the changelings’ hides. After following the youngling for, what felt like, hours, Twilight found that the hallway soon opened up into a large hall, not unlike the conference hall back in Canterlot Castle. Stood in the centre was the tall changeling queen herself; Chrysalis. The youngling bowed at Chrysalis’ hooves, and Twilight followed her lead, out of well-bred etiquette.

“You may stand,” Chrysalis stated, her voice sounding calm and comforting. The youngling nodded as she rose and silently excused herself, leaving the queen and unicorn alone. “Twilight Sparkle,” Chrysalis greeted her. “What a surprise that you would visit. Though whether it is a pleasant surprise or not is still to be determined.” Twilight tried not to grimace at those words. They seemed so passive aggressive, yet the unicorn couldn’t rightfully claim she blamed Chrysalis for being cautious.

“I apologise to intrude, Your Highness.” Twilight bowed once more as a sign of respect. “But your subject-“

“Sensed your unrest, and thought it her duty to bring you to me,” Chrysalis finished her statement without question. “Yes, she made sure to notify me long before your arrival.” The changeling’s eyes seemed to probe Twilight, judging her. “I can say without doubt that I now agree with her judgement.” The queen slowly paced around Twilight in a spacious circle, never letting her eyes wander away from Twilight’s head. “I sense longing. Wistfulness. You feel something is missing in your life. Or you long for it to be a part of your life.” The changeling queen paused and stood straight before the silent unicorn. “Would it surprise you to learn I feel the same?”

Twilight gasped at Chrysalis’ words, bringing her gaze to meet hers. The changeling showed no hint of emotion, at least perceivable to the naked eye, and looked as if she had never spoken. Twilight blinked, wondering if she had just been asked an entirely separate question, but her mind had tricked her into believing she had heard her say she felt the same.

“I’m sorry?” Chrysalis didn’t react to Twilight’s dumbfounded response.

“Does it surprise you to learn that changelings have the capacity to feel their own emotions?” Twilight blinked, stunned that Chrysalis was stood there before her, opening her heart out to her like an old friend.

“Then,” Twilight’s mind spun into overdrive as the cogs and gears in her brain wracked themselves for a plausible answer to Chrysalis’ riddles. “Do you… do you know why I feel like this?” Twilight already knew, in her own mind, what the feeling in her heart was telling her. But she wanted the opinion of somepony, or somedrone, else, to cross reference. Chrysalis just stood there, unblinking. Under the bioluminescent glow of her hive, she looked more radiant than Luna’s moon.

“You feel a connection to someone. You feel that you and this being could connect on an intimate level, if given the chance. But they are flawed. They do not think in the same way as you. They do not share in your interests, or desires. It saddens you to think of the path they have chosen. But still, you wish to join them on that path. You may not follow their every twist and turn along that path, but you wish to show them new alleyways and tunnels on the road to where they want to be. Yes, Twilight Sparkle. I know what you feel, all too well.” Twilight’s eyes bubbled with salty tears as Chrysalis seemed to read her heart like an open book. She took a tentative step forward. Chrysalis didn’t stop her, or shy away.

“I… I-I know this is stupid,” she started, blinking back tears and swallowing air in an attempt to quench her rapidly drying throat. “But… how would you feel about meeting up with me sometime? F-for a coffee, perhaps?” Chrysalis lifted her eyes to her hive, as if looking to them for guidance at Twilight’s request.

“You mean as a date?” She queried, meeting the unicorn’s gaze with a soothing smile.

“Well… let’s try meeting on friendly terms, and see where it goes from there.” Twilight turned her face to the side in a vain attempt to cover her flushed cheeks. Chrysalis chuckled warmly before lifting her face with a hoof to lock eyes with her.

“It would be my pleasure.”




Magicman7997


“Wait, let me get this straight. You want ME to be the ambassador to the new Changeling collective? You do remember how this all worked out last time I saw Chrysalis and her brood don't you,” asked one very surprised Twilight Sparkle. She had been summoned to the Royal Court by her former mentor armed with only the knowledge that she was taking on a “new assignment in friendship”. Upon revelation of this new assignment, Twilight did the only thing she could think of. She looked at Celestia like she'd lost her damned mind.

“I know you're more than up to the challenge,” the solar diarch replied. “You're own ascension to the Princess of Friendship, plus your magical abilities make you the perfect candidate. If the Changelings are serious about peace, then we must put our best effort forward to ensure it. Luna seemed adamant about giving Chrysalis and her children a chance, given that their need for aid was dire. I'm inclined to believe her too. If you would have seen how broken she looked Twilight, I'm sure you would have been as quick to help her as we have been.”

Twilight was at war with herself. On the one hoof, she wasn't sure she could ever forgive the hive queen for what she had done to Shining Armor and Cadance. The wound was still too deep and too fresh for her to overlook. On the other, she didn't want to fail her former mentor either. If this was a way to help ensure further peace in Equestria, then it was her duty, no responsibility, to see it done. “I'd be honored Celestia. I'll begin preparations to leave for the new hive immediately.”

She could still remember her first meeting with the hive queen. “Wait, you mean to tell me that Sun Butt chose YOU to be the ambassador?! What did I do to deserve this,” Chrysalis lamented. It seemed to take forever for the two of them to find any common ground. But, when Twilight revealed her research into a self sustaining magical food source, Chrysalis' anger was replaced with wonder. How any ling, let alone a pony of all things could produce such wonders made Chrysalis giddy beyond words. Her hive would live, not only would it live, but it would thrive. And there would be no need to become scavengers once again. At the prospect of all of this, Chryssy was ecstatic, and, if she was completely honest with herself, a little turned on.

Through all of this, Chrysalis found more and more reasons to meet with the young princess. Their meetings went through the awkward phases of getting to know each other. Awkwardness gave way to genuine friendship. Friendship gave way to feelings that Chryssy had never had for any ling before. She could scarcely believe it, she was falling for this mare.

Twilight was honored by the hive's council for her work in supplying them with and endless food source. With an honorary title and permanent residency secured in the hive, she could stop coming up with “official” reasons for her visits. Over the next few months, the two rulers became as thick as thieves. Sharing private moments with one another caused their infatuation only to grow. At last, after many dates, the two decided to officially become a couple. Before every drone and worker in the hive, the two swore their love for one another. The resulting roar was tremendous as every ling celebrated this momentous occasion. After all was said and done, Twilight mailed off an official report to Celestia on her duties as Ambassador to the hive.

“Dear Princess Celestia...”

“SHE DID WHAT?!?!




Europa


        Twilight remembered where they were; it was the first place Chryssy had taken her out on a date. It was a restaurant in Canterlot, one she hadn't been to in a long time since moving to Ponyville. The Prancing Princess was really quite lovely. Not extremely high class, not too down to earth, but a comfortable in-between. The two of them sat around a table, Twilight eating a delightfully seasoned platter of spaghetti and hayballs, Chrysalis enjoying her love... and a side of soy bacon.

They got a few looks, but that was less of it being a pony and a changeling and more of it being a princess and a queen given that there were quite a few other changelings in their natural forms enjoying the taste of a meal.

She really enjoyed herself. She and her marefriend talked excitedly about multiple things, Chryssy pretended to want to invade the Dragon Highlands, Twilight conjured glasses and gave a mini-lecture on quantum thermodynamics that had them both laughing.

Eventually, they cleared away their meals and ordered desert. While they split a large chocolate sundae, Chrysalis began talking. "Oh, remember when... when I came back after the wedding? What was it, four years ago?"

"Four years, three months, seven days," she corrected.

She rolled her multi-irised eyes. "Yes, that. Remember that day?"

"How can I forget? Tirek was going to kill us, but you... wow, I don't know how you did that."

She shrugged. "Just hypnosis. Didn't hold on him too well, too much power, but it gave you enough time to open the box."

Twilight smiled. "Thank you for that, by the way. I still need to repay you for that."

Chrysalis shook her head. "No, no. You've done more than enough, talking the other princesses into allying with us." Twilight opened her mouth to protest, so in response Chrysalis levitated a spoon of ice cream and shoved it into her mouth. "I insist. And... and after the treatise you were so kind to me, no matter how much of a horsefly I was to you." She smirked. "Wasn't long before you worked up the nerve and asked me here."

Twilight nodded, the memories rushing back. She swallowed the ice cream and removed the spoon. "I remember. You laughed in my face, and then you said yes." Chrysalis had the decency to look embarrassed. "I thought you were really going to turn me down."

"No. You were just too cute." Chrysalis's horn pulsed, absorbing another scrap of love. "And your emotions are amazing. But that date was... it was fun. I found myself quite fond of you, you know. Very quickly. It's a shame I can't feed off my own love for you, or I'd be set for life. And after that first date, you invited me on another, and another, and another..."

Chrysalis sighed, staring off into space. "Eventually I called you to my hive, and you weren't totally creeped out like other ponies were."

"Oh right!" she said. "You showed me around, and then we went to your chambers..."

Chrysalis licked her lips and gave her a sultry look. "Indeed. I didn't know you could scream like that." Twilight began to stammer, and in response Chryssy shoved more ice cream in her mouth. 

"Relax. It was that day... I'd known for a while you loved me, changeling and all that, but that was the day that I realized I loved you. Honestly, truly did."

Chryssy took a deep breath, and then went on. "Twilight, you've done so much for me. You were the one who gave us a chance, who engineered the Consensual Feeding Act, orchestrated the mutual prisoner release. I can stay at this restaurant all night, just listing all you've done for me and my people, Twily." She reached up with a holed hoof and wiped away a tear. "Thank you, for everything."

Twilight smiled back at her. "Chryssy, you don't need to thank me for doing the right thing. Anypony would've done it."

"But that's just it! Not just anyling would've done it. You were the one who saw the good in us, the good in me, even when I myself didn't. You saved me, in so many ways."

"It hasn't been one sided, you know," Twilight reminded her. "You saved us from Tirek, you spied on that rebel group, and you... you gave me somepony to love, to hold me on all those nights that I felt so alone." She reached around the sundae in between them and rested her hoof on Chryssy's relishing in the feeling of the warm, hard exoskeleton on her coat. "Thank you. Thank you." She pulled the foreleg away and used it to wipe her own eyes.

Chrysalis looked back at her lovingly. "I know, Twilight, I know. You've given me so much of yourself, a-and I've given you so much of me. I don't want this to ever end." Her horn lit up, and Twilight heard the queen's saddlebags rustling. "Twilight, I love you with my whole heart, and I know you feel the same way." She pulled something out into Twilight's field of vision. It was a necklace made of fine green silk, and around the neck was a small sphere of amber and in that amber, figurines of herself and Chryssy embracing and kissing.

Chrysalis got up and stood before her, holding out the necklace. She leaned back her head and exposed her thorax, an old instinct commanding her to let Twilight bite her head off if she so chose. The changeling's already double-toned voice grew shaky. "Will you make me the happiest worker in the world, and marry me?"

Twilight's heart rose into her throat, then slammed down into her flanks. She couldn't breathe. It took her brain several moments to reset, to process the information, the request! When her mind finally got itself back together she stumbled out of her seat, dessert long forgotten, and took the necklace in her magic. She levitated it on and secured it behind her neck.

She couldn't speak. Her breaths were quick. She closed her eyes - tearing up - and nodded. It was... it was all too much. She nodded, and nodded again and again, then when Chrysalis came in to embrace her she leaned up and captured her in a long kiss, tracing her tongue along her teeth, the sharp points of her fangs.

Around them, the restaurant exploded into cheers and stomping hooves.




Knight of Lycaeus


Spike watched as Twilight wore a steadily deepening groove in the newly created castle, "Twilight", he said trying to catch her attention.

Twilight was silent as she continued her pacing.

Spike sighed, looking at the groove it was possible a bridge would be needed between the thrones and the door. "Okay Twilight", putting himself directly in her circling path.

Twilight stopped when she noticed that she had bumped into a dragon who she just stared at mutely.

"This needs to stop." Holding out a closed fist he began reciting a list. Raising the first finger, "One, this needs to stop. The groove is even worse than when you were messing with that time spell. This floor is crystal, harder than wood." as he led her out of the deep groove.

A second finger was raised as they left the throne room, "Two, I know what's wrong. You need to deal with it."

The third finger was raised in the hallway linking the throne room to the entrance hall, "Three, I don't agree with it but you should go for it anyway. You would be more sad if you don't."

They entered the entrance hall when Spike raised his fourth finger, "Fourth, consequences shouldn't stop you. Yes, you care about rules but not if it's for something so important. Crystal Empire, Crystal Heart, and Sombra are good reminders for that."

His hand was now open, "Lastly, we're at the door, so go." Spike pushed Twilight out the main door and placed a hand over a nearby ward. It wouldn't last against a determined Twilight but it would be a good delaying tactic for him to either come up with a better plan or to find a good hiding spot. But it also might ensure she that would deal with it.

Twilight blinked, her mind had been distracted and she had allowed Spike to silently kick her out of their home. "Damn it, Spike!" Twilight sighed, she could go back in to deal with her pushy assistant and then go back to worrying or she would take Spike's advice and go for it. It wasn't the best idea, at least to her but Spike had agreed that she should at least take the chance.
Another sigh and she lit her horn for a teleport to Canterlot, she had someone to see.




Chrysalis sat in one of the guest rooms, she and what remained of the Hive arrived at the doorstep of Canterlot Castle a few months ago looking for whatever could be spared. After the failed wedding invasion it had taken Chrysalis almost a year to locate all the survivors of the Hive and with how powerful the blast had been it took some of them far. The following year was spent trying to build a new home but Changelings were welcomed nowhere. Canterlot was the last possible solution, her Hive greatly diminished had come here with a desperate plea for aid. In the few months since, the Equestrian Triarchy and the Crystal Empress had provided aid and were exploring options about establishing the Hive near Canterlot. Things hadn't been easy, the fear from the populace aside, Tirek's brief return had set things back slightly and what was even more puzzling was how the youngest Equestrian Princess who had been helpful in settling the Changelings and their Queen into the new changes had been more distant lately. She had noted that Twilight Sparkle had been a bit distant a first, helpful but distant but slowly she had spent more and moe time with Chrysalis. However for these past few weeks she had steadily attempted to avoid Chrysalis, so it was a surprise to find Twilight outside her room.

"Hello Chrysalis", Twilight said quietly in the way of a greeting.

"Twilight Sparkle, this is u-" Chrysalis stopped when she sensed something different. What she had sensed, could it be? Was this why Twilight had been avoiding her?

Twilight gave a small smile, "You sensed it?"

Chrysalis nodded.

Twilight sighed, "It's true, it's been true for a while now but I thought it wasn't a good idea."

"So why now?"

"A certain young dragon gave me the push I needed. I'm still uncertain about this but yes I have fallen in love with you.





Anonymoose






“What do you mean, you’re leaving us?”

“What do you think I mean, bug brain!” Chrysalis angrily tossed another black-lace dress across the room, onto the pile on her sleeping ring. “I’m leaving, I’ve had it with your jealousy!”

“Our jealousy?” the voices screamed in unison. 

“We were not the ones who got knocked up by that… that harlot!”

“By the Spinner’s ovipositor, you can’t help but bring that up, can you!” Chrysalis looked down at her swollen abdomen, ready to burst with egg. “It was an accident! You know that neither of us planned on this happening!”

Chrysalis used her magic to open her drawers. She looked at the contents within in. How many nights had she degraded herself, wearing lingerie, socks, teddies and a variety of other naughty outfits… all in hopes that they would be able to have hatchlings together.

She closed the draw again in disgust.

“We have never had a problem with reproduction before… so it must be you!”

Chrysalis scoffed. “Yeah, right! She didn’t seem to have any problem. If you were half the stallion she was—”

Thousands of snarls echoed through the walls of the hive. The twelve changelings in Chrysalis’ bedroom screamed simultaneously, “We are literally ten-thousand times the stallion she is! Literally. We are ten-thousand strong… and she is a mare!”

“Mare enough to give me this,” Chrysalis whispered, tenderly rubbing her abdomen.

“You were nothing but a disgusting, fleshy little pony when we found you!” the changelings snarled. “We made you as you are today, beautiful and whole! We made you our Queen, and all We asked for in return was for you to bear us thousands of hatchlings!”

“It’s not my fault you can’t get it—”

“That’s never happened before,” the hive collectively muttered, a thousand chitinous faces ablush.

Chrysalis sighed. “Look, Hivey… we’ve had some good times… great times, even! But… I think it’s time for both of us to move on.” Chrysalis looked down at her stomach. “I don’t want them to… I don’t want them to grow up in this kind of hivehold. Can’t you… can’t you just be happy for me? Can’t you be happy for the mare you once loved?”

The faces of the hive turned away from Chrysalis, not wanting her to see the ichor running from their collective eyes. “We still love you, Chrysalis… We probably always will. If you wish to be with her… then We guess We can not stop you.”

Chrysalis placed a gentle hoof on the two changelings closest to her. “Thank you. I know you will find someone else. You’re a wonderful collective hivemind. You’ll see, soon enough, that this is the right move… for the both of us.”

She placed a chaste kiss on the forehead of each changeling in her room, before taking her leave.

“Goodbye, Hivey.”





“Honey,” Twilight Velvet called out to her husband, “there’s somepony at the door. Could you get it?”

“I’ll get it, Mom,” Twilight Sparkle replied, putting down the rolling pin.

“Oh, sweetie, you don’t need to do tha—”

“Mom, I have servants waiting on me hoof-and-hoof at home,” Twilight replied, already trotting towards the door. “I love coming here because I get to do the little things for myself again. Oh, you don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve answered a door!”

Twilight could hear her mother chuckling from the kitchen.

I wonder who it could be, at this hour.

Twilight opened the door, finding a cloaked figure standing before her. “Can… can I help you?”

“Hi, Twilight,” a voice from beneath the cloak replied. A very distinct voice. A voice thick with its own reverb, as if two or more ponies were speaking at once.

“Chrysalis!” Twilight hissed, lighting her horn. “I thought you got the point last time I blasted you! What are you doing here?”

“I mean you no harm, Twilight… in fact, it is about the, uhh… events… of the Secretariat Comet that we have sought you out…”

“What do you m—” Twilight gasped as Chrysalis removed the cloak, revealing a very swollen abdomen. “How‽”

“Changeling biology.”

“That doesn’t… wait!” Twilight turned around, and called out through the house. “Moooooooom! You can stop bugging me to give you grandfoals now!”





Meanwhile, two hundred miles from Canterlot, a mare staggered into a bar for happy hour. She stepped through the door, slightly unnerved by the eyes of every stallion watching her as she crossed the floor to the bar.

“Hey, Suds,” Berry Punch greeted her favorite griffon, “pour us a pint, would ya?”

As Berry Punch gratefully accepted the mug of ale from the griffon, twelve stallions stood from their table, and walked towards her.

“Hey, baby. You come here often?”










lyra_lover777


Chrysalis sat, curled up in her wet cell. Water was dripping quietly from the ceiling. Pit pat. Pit pat. Chrysalis sighed as  she felt her eyes start to water.

Chrysalis sucked in the tears, keeping a good composure. But then she realized no pony or changeling was around, and let it out, her tears pouring against the stone floor. Pit Pat. Pit Pat.

After several minutes, Chrysalis's tears began to dry up. She sniffed and wiped her eyes, rolling onto her back as she looked up at the dripping ceiling. The water hit her muzzle with a Pit pat. Pit pat.

Chrysalis rolled back onto her belly, groaning as her stomach rumbled. Suddenly she heard a sound, like hoofsteps, approaching her cell. They went pit pat. Pit pat.

The owner of the hoofsteps was a lavender unicorn, who was trotting towards her cell slowly. 

Twilight stopped at the bars of the cell. Water dripped above her and hit her head with a pit pat. Pit pat.

Twilight slid a tray with green goo on it under the bars of the cell. With each push, a noise sounding like rain emiited from the tray. Pit pat. Pit pat.

Chrysalis slowly got up, her legs shaking, her body weak. Her hoofsteps as she approached the tray sounded through the dark hall. Pit pat. Pit pat.

Chrysalis looked up into the eyes of Twilight, those beautiful purple irises digging into her soul. A feeling of warmth and happiness, the only other feeling besides depression, rushed through her heart, which went Pit pat. Pit pat.

She looked at the curved body of Twilight, her luscious mane wet from the dripping ceiling. 

Chrysalis grabbed the tray and began to eat, the spoon hitting the tray with a pit pat. Pit pat.

Chrysalis smiled up at Twilight as she pushed the now empty tray under the bars of the cell. And to her amazement, Twilight cracked a small smile before turning away, retreating around the corner.

The sound of Chrysalis's hooves as she danced around in joy made a happy sound, a familiar sound. Pit pat. Pit pat. Pit pat.






Ephraim Blue

What a silly question Twilight had asked her. A very silly question indeed. ‘Do you love me?’ And even though that seemed to be the only question Twilight asked her nowadays, the answer was obvious.

And even though the answer was obvious, Chrysalis couldn’t answer. She didn’t know why. She just never felt right answering that question. Not even when they first came to see each other, she didn’t admit her love then either. It was just too obvious.

‘Yes.’

That’s all it took. That’s all she had to say. And no matter how many times she told herself that, she couldn’t bring herself to admit it.

Why did Twilight still ask her that question? The answer was too obvious, wasn’t it? She didn’t have to answer, did she?

‘Do you love me?’

The question haunted her. The question that she had never answered since the two of them first started seeing each other. The question that was so obvious, it didn’t need to be answered…
Right?

But it still haunted her. It haunted her sleep. She’d spent the last month of her time away from her swarm to spend with her love, Twilight. And every night, she’d slept perfectly fine, no worrying at any point during that wondrous month.

Not tonight.

Tonight was different. Tonight, no sleep came to her. Luna’s moon shone brightly into the room of her love. It cast the window’s shadow across the floor, along with the curtains that had been left open. Was that the reason she stayed up? Because of the light of the moon?

No… That wasn’t it.

She had spent over half the day out in Celestia’s sun. Was that the reason? Was it because Celestia’s sun had left some sort of imprint on her during the day?

No… That wasn’t it either.

Perhaps it was that stallion she drained the love out of earlier. Was he the reason? He was handsome, even for a royal guard. And a royal pain in the butt, that was even more certain. But was he the reason? He was bothering her to head to Sugar Cube Corner, even if only to ‘hang out’, so he said.

No… She was certain that wasn’t it.

But… If it wasn’t any of those reasons… What was it?

She glanced over at Twilight, who had fallen asleep some time ago beside her. She looked cute while sleeping. Chrysalis smiled down at her, and bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Twilight shifted a bit after Chrysalis moved her lips away from the purple alicorn, but smiled in her sleep regardless. Chrysalis smiled as well, looking down at her lover.

Then a thought struck her. Out of all those times that Chrysalis was asked that question, she never answered. Although the answer was obvious, she still hadn’t answered. Maybe that’s what kept her up…

It seemed reasonable.

Although, if the answer was obvious… Then why should she answer? Twilight already knows the answer and telling her would be pointless!

Twilight stirred, causing Chrysalis to jump sudden movement. The purple alicorn looked up from the pillow her head rested on.

“Chrysalis?” she called quietly. “What’re you doing up?”

Chrysalis nervously smiled down upon the alicorn. “Nothing,” she lied. Should I tell her? She already knows, doesn’t she?

“Chrysalis?”

She looked down at Twilight. “Yes?”

“You never answered my question… Just like every other day this past month…”

Chrysalis gulped.

“Won’t you please answer for me?”

“Wh- Don’t you already know?”

“Of course I do!” Twilight said, slightly offended. “I just want to hear it from you.”

“Is… Is that the only reason?”

Twilight shook her head, but also moved her entire body while still lying down on the bed. Why does she have to do that? She looks so cute!

“I won’t say it to you unless you say it to me first.”

Realization hit Chrysalis. Twilight never said it to her…

Challenge accepted.

“Alright then.” She nuzzled down and pecked Twilight’s cheeks with her lips. “I love you Twilight.”

Twilight smiled back. “I love you too, Chrysalis.”







Foals Errand



Chrysalis carefully slunk into the Palace of Friendship. How foolish of you Twilight Sparkle, no spells to keep anyling out no guards even? A soft snore reached her ears and she grinned.That meddlesome dragon was asleep already, no need for a sleep spell tonight. Left, right, straight, right, right, left… here we are. In front of her was a crystal door with a very familiar mark carved into it. She carefully opened in stepping inside and closing it without a sound.

Curled up in a large bed was her target. The pretty purple pony princess, Chrysalis climbed onto the bed and laid down next to her. “Hello Twilight, you would not believe the day I had. The council outvoted me again about requesting aide from Equestria. Maybe I just need to request asylum?” She ran her hoof through Twilight’s mane.

Twilight breathed gently beside her.

“How long has it been since I started coming to visit you like this? I’ve learned so much from you Twilight since the failed invasion.” Her horn glowed a dark green sipping at the love that Twilight always radiated. “You taught me that the sweetest love is from friendship and that it feeds us as well as romantic love.”

Twilight mumbled.

“Why can’t I come to you during the day? Why can’t I bring myself to see you face to face with your eyes wide open?” Chrysalis laid her head on the pillow looking at Twilight’s peaceful face.

“...Why can’t I admit to you that…”

“Chrysalis?”

Chrysalis blinked Twilight was staring at her with a small smile. “You’re really bad at telling when a pony is pretending to sleep. Now get under the covers.”

The changeling wiggled under the blanket as Twilight curled to her “Tomorrow we’ll go to Canterlot, you can request asylum for yourself and any changeling who will following you.” Twilight smiled at the started queen. “I’ll vouch for you.”

“How do you know you can trust me?”

Twilight seemed to consider then pressed her lips to Chrysalis’ “because I love you.”

A tear trailed down Chrysalis’ cheek. “...I love you…”

I was wrong friendship is wonderful, but true love. The taste, the feeling is indescribable.
	
	
	
	
> Egglaying by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

The following morning I teleported to Canterlot to inform the other Princesses in pony, however my timing couldn't have been worse. I found only Luna but she was armed with her weapons ready to head out, a last minute issue she had informed me; a potentially dangerous creature was too near a pony settlement. Celestia was in some trade negotiations and couldn't leave before the week was up and Cadance and Shiny were on a goodwill mission…. on the other side of the world. It would be two weeks if not more before we could convene as it was not deemed a national emergency in light of Chrysalis's surrender and Outcasting from the Collective.

Promptly I was assigned Guards to help enforce my decree, I refused but Luna persuaded me and I relented to allow them around Ponyville and its territories to ensure that no Changelings leave the area. Ten Lunar Guards were joined by ten Solar Guards once Luna had managed to reach Celestia; three Pegasi, three Unicorns, four Earth Ponies, three Luxicorns, three Caligo Ponies, and four Thestrals who proceeded to escort me home. Upon reaching my home the Earth Pony and Thestral Captains proceeded to work with me to determine the best way forward.





A few days later I decided to try and introduce Chrysalis around beginning with my friends, I had hoped to start off with Rarity but I had forgotten she was out of town on business so Applejack it was. I knew that Applejack's acceptance or tolerance of Chrysalis would go a long way to help ease tensions in town. I led the way to Sweet Apple Acres with Chrysalis behind me a Solar Guard patrolling just above. As we arrive I saw Discord handing a basket over to Applejack, he noticed us and with a poof a mini-Discord hovered just between us.

"Fine morning for a visit is it not?" Discord snapped his talons and another poof he was dressed like a school teacher with thick glasses and Chrysalis looked like the most disgruntled student ever offering an…. egg, a polka dotted egg to the teacher; another snap and there were back to normal but Chrysalis still held the egg. "Eggs, something about new life isn't that what most of you call them. With how many of you that hatch from eggs, it makes sense." Discord leaned back, "Reborn, redemption from the bad sounds like hatching maybe bursting out of an egg." Another snap and he was full sized again, "Well I'm off to help Pinkie and Rainbow plant silverware. Ciao!" with a snap he was gone but not before leaving a garland of eggs and apples on Chrysalis's head.

Discord, reformed or not he still confused me at times. Chrysalis however looked annoyed either at Discord, her new headwear, or both I wasn't sure, I was going with both; Discord definitely took some getting used to. Chrysalis swiftly threw away her new headwear while Applejack who had gone inside to put down the basket had come back outside again.

"Mornin' Twi" Applejack said smiling at me but frowned when she noticed Chrysalis. "Mornin' to you as well" this greeting was certainly less friendly than how she greeted me.

"Good morning Applejack." I said.

Chrysalis however remained silent. Mentally I sighed, I knew this would be difficult but I had hoped for a bit more than just tense silence. I reviewed topics to see if anything would catch their interests, I thought of one. "Chrysalis, Applejack I realize this is difficult for all of us but I'm sure you two could relate on something."

"What might that be, Twi?"

Chrysalis finally spoke for the first time this whole trip, "Do enlighten us."

Mentally sighing again, why did I ever thought this would work, "Family" I said firmly. "Chrysalis you care for you Hive, I saw that when you pleaded sanctuary for your whole Hive not just you. Applejack the first time I came here and many times after that I was reminded how much family means to you."

"The Hive is not a family" Chrysalis retorted.

"It is, in a sense. You are their Queen and it is your eggs that allow the Hive to grow and survive. In a sense you are the mother of your Hive."

"Their existence allows the Hive to continue, nothing more." Chrysalis added, firmly set in her stance on the matter.

I shook my head, "They share a link with you. They know you like you know them. They may work for you but you care for them. Applejack may not have foals but she cares for her family." I took a deep breath knowing I was about to take a plunge, "You invaded Canterlot not for conquest but for food, didn't you?"

Chrysalis growled, "Of course I did! Changeling Hives are named for where they are based, I was in a desert! There were so few other beings around to provide positive emotions to create Nectar for the Hive. I needed food and I was tired that we lived endlessly in the shadows! A chance for me and the Hive to rise above our meagre existence, of course we would take it."

I saw Chrysalis breathing heavily after her tirade, I moved closer to see if I could comfort her but I was cut off by an orange hoof. 

Applejack approached Chrysalis slowly, "Ah understand" as she placed a hoof across Chrysalis's back. "Some years are bad, gettin' little for what we till. Hard harvest, hard year. Ah lived 'em."

Chrysalis turned to look Applejack in the eye, "So how did you get through them?"

"Family. Only thin' you have when every bit o' the harvest is rotten. Family, friends, neighbours, help gettin' through the year. They help us an' we help them, we share in the good an' the bad. Met Celestia b'fore. Likely would have helped, if y'all just ask. Did the same for mah family, gave us this here land." Applejack swept her hoof across the farm, "Apples been here ever since."

The two were silent for some time. Chrysalis was the first to speak, "You're still uncertain about me."

Applejack sighed, "Course. Your lies tricked me to turn mah back on mah family", indicating me who had backed off slightly to allow them to talk. "Family is more than just your kin. For me, Ah value mah kin and truth."

"Why?"

"As Ah said, family be yer only help in bad years. The truth or rather honesty, fact o' life when you be farmin'. Hidin' the truth dont' do much, acceptin' things as they come, part o' life for me.", Applejack removed her hoof. "Reckon we all need time. Twi, I need to get. Applebucking's soon and Ah got mah work to get things ready." 

Applejack headed off towards the barn leaving Chrysalis and myself standing on the edge of the property. Things had not gone smoothly, I didn't expect that it would but it seemed Applejack was starting to tolerate Chrysalis a bit.





Author's Notes

Lunar Ponies are part of my headcanon, each has a counterpart with Solar Ponies seen in the show. Their origins are unclear but they existed long before Luna ascended the throne.

Luxicorn = Unicorn

Caligo Pony = Earth Pony

Thestral = Pegasus

Frigidus Pony = Crystal Pony (Technically no one has seen one, doubtful of their existance)


> Diplomacy by bobananaville
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a radical idea. Completely contrary to what they believed - completely contrary to everything they’d learned in the centuries leading up to this. It was such a strange idea that she almost passed it over for aggressive tactics instead.

“Our people are starving. There is no love for us in the badlands, and wearing masks amongst your kind can only last us so long before it backfires. We implore you; please allow us legal refuge in Equestria.”

It would fail. Chrysalis just knew it. Her forefathers had tried it generations ago, and they’d been slaughtered. Stories in Changeling Literature almost universally discouraged trusting anything other than fellow changelings, and even the most radical pieces of literature only showed specific individuals as having worth. Even if it was possible, years of conditioning, conscious and otherwise - not to mention her species’ reputation (which was not quite undeserved), would hinder her attempts at diplomacy.

Even now, the solar princess glowered at the queen. “I’ve had many dealings with you… Changelings. They’ve tended to be unpleasant for all involved.” Still, the alicorn had a somewhat thoughtful expression - she was undoubtedly sincerely considering it.

Princess Luna, on the other hoof, seemed to have many more misgivings about the whole ordeal. “What couldst thou provide such that we may trust you?”

Greed? No, the Equestrian Princesses were anything but greedy. They was looking for collateral of some sort. But what could she provide? “Would information suffice?”

A third voice chimed in. “I can’t believe we’re even considering this,” Cadance said bitterly (insofar as serenity could be described as bitter) “Changelings have done nothing but destroy livelihoods, Celestia. They were some of Sombra’s most trusted minions!”

“I don’t think it’s fair to blame her for that, Cadance,” came a fourth voice - one that came from that strange lavender unicorn standing next to the Princess of Love. What was her name? 

“There’s nothing to suggest that changelings all act as a unified whole - and even if they did, Sombra’s conquest was over one thousand years ago. Hardly representative of modern changelings.”

“Do not discount evidence from the past, Twilight Sparkle,” said Luna. “While what you say is true, ‘tis also true that changelings have consistently used backhanded tactics and done things that hurt not only Equestria, but life in general. Trusting her based on her word after centuries of distrust is simply not smart. What is this information that would make us trust you, queen of Changelings?”

Celestia’s silence made Chrysalis uncomfortable, but she replied. “Us changelings unconsciously manipulate the emotions of those close to us, such that positive emotions are maximized without having any noticeable effects.”

The temperature of the room seemed to drop five degrees. Once the princess of love found her voice, she broke the silence with a simple “What?”

“Very useful information,” the lunar princess said, her voice laden with newfound loathing, “but I hardly see how making us trust you less could somehow makest thou more trustworthy.”

Even Celestia, in her serene state, frowned. “Yes, I’m not particularly happy with this revelation, either. Earnest though you may be, I can’t say I wish for your kind to be in Equestria.”

Chrysalis was almost in tears. Diplomacy had failed, and she’d removed a significant changeling advantage from their arsenal for nothing!

Cadance’s voice was panicked. “How many ponies have been affected? How many relationships swayed in their favor? We can’t let these things stay here! We have to drive them out!”

“We are in agreement,” Luna said, nodding. “Twilight, thou art the bearer of magic. Could you formulate a spell that reveals the - Twilight?”

This ‘Twilight’ trotted over to Chrysalis’ spot and stood next to her, defying the princesses. “I’m sorry, Princesses, but I just can’t agree with you.” The unicorn nodded respectfully at them. “The queen - what’s your name?”

“Chrysalis,” was the confused reply.

“Chrysalis made a huge risk in doing this. She’s so desperate to keep her people alive that she’s willing to try diplomacy - something which is, apparently, unheard of. It’s against their norm. And she’s shown us how much she trusts us by backing herself into a corner - by giving us information that puts her at a disadvantage. There is no way she could benefit from doing this more than she could from staying in the shadows unless she genuinely wishes for peace between our species.

“We’re playing the prisoner’s dilemma, but we already know that she’s picked Ally. Are we really going to betray her trust? Are we really so heartless that we’d ignore the pleas of the desperate?”

Perhaps it was premature - one unicorn probably didn’t hold much sway over three princesses, and she hadn’t even seen their reactions - but the existence of hope was so foreign to her, and to finally see its beauty was too much. Chrysalis cried.


> Fangs by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Europa

"So, changelings eat emotions, right?" Twilight asked as they trotted through the tunnels of her hive.

Chrysalis looked at her with a raised brow. "... well, yes. Eating love is kind of our thing, that and shapeshifting. Why do you ask?"

"Alright. You eat love through a magical process, so why do you have teeth?"

Chrysalis stopped walking, and Twilight stopped with her. The queen looked down at her in confusion. "Teeth?" she asked.

"Yes, teeth!" She reached up and gently bopped Chrysalis's fangs with a hoof. "I've never seen you eat meat, so they can't be for that. What are they for then?"

The changeling blushed vivid green and looked away, mumbling something beneath her breath.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"I don't want to talk about it," she said in monotone. She was still blushing, though.

Her inner scholar burned, but Twilight settled for ruffling her wings and saying, "Okay."

They continued to walk a bit, until they reached the surface of the Badlands. It was an endless plain of windswept, dry rock. Twilight really didn't see the appeal to it, but apparently the changelings saw it as home.

As they were looking about, Chryssy sighed. "Alright. So our fangs, um... you know how we identify non-royals, right?"

She nodded. "The pattern of your holes, like zebras and their stripes."

"Yes, well, they can also serve the purpose of beauty; contrary to most species's idea of beauty, the more asymmetrical our holes are, the more beautiful someling is considered." She tossed her mane. "I'm quite the looker."

Twilight stuck out her tongue. "And modest. But yeah, you are. So what does this have to do with your fangs?"

The blush returned with a vengeance. "Well like our holes they serve two purposes. One is intimidation, and the other is, um... they're part of our traditional mating rituals." It was amazing for Twilight to see the proud, confident changeling queen's voice lower to Fluttershy-like levels.

However, experience with said pegasus had enabled Twilight to pick up on the subtle words. 

"Really?" she asked. "That's... wow. Won't be thinking of your fangs the same way again... ever."

Chrysalis was so green, Twilight might've mistaken her for a green apple. "Can we please talk about something else? You can ogle my fangs all you want when we're in bed," she said. "But for now can we do what we came to do?"

"Of course." They began walking through the Badlands, on a date, just the two of them. Enjoying the scenery and heat.

Twilight still snuck in glances at Chryssy's fangs, wondering how they were used in the changeling 'mating ritual'.


> Tether by Drynwhyl
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Drynwhyl

A thin patina of sweat lay snail-slicked upon Chrysalis' chitinous brow, and under the imperious gaze of the plummeting sun it shimmered a dozen different colours and matted her mane like strips torn from a well-worn rug. Her features were twisted by both drive and exertion; her muzzle curled up in a menacing sort of half snarl, half frown which sat far too comfortably upon her countenance, as if she'd worn it many times before, perhaps more often than not.

She lifted a hoof, tried to push onwards. But the magic held her back and she could go no further. At length she pulled against it, hunched her body like so and flicked her hoof like that, but she could eke out little more than an inch or two before the line drew taut and she stood there, frozen, trembling, leaning into a non-existent gale and her muscles corded and screaming.

Finally, she collapsed to the ground, grass tickling her belly. Her hooves went to her horn once, grazing the mechanism upon it, but only briefly; seconds out of hours.

The sun fell. The world pulled night over itself like a blanket of stars and galaxies and mysteries uncountable. Purple hooves soon roused her from her stupor, arriving in a ragged, breathless gallop.

"I found you some flowers," Chrysalis said simply, though she didn't really want them anymore.


> Fallout by TheWraithWriter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheWraithWriter


~“Blue Moon
You saw me standing alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own…”~


Twilight smiled at the radio, thinking about how similar she and the singer had been, so long ago…

She supposed it was inevitable. The other races, the griffons, they minotaurs, the zebras, their outrage was not that she had married outside her own species, but that it was not to a member of theirs. The memories of the debates that always descended into shouting matches still bored her now. The delegates talked in circles, trying to hide their motives even when there was really no point. And all the while, Twilight was forced to sit there and try to ‘negotiate’ with the delegates when all she wanted to do was be back in her room with her marefriend.

There came a scraping sound accompanied by the howling of the wind, which temporarily drowned out the radio, as the door to her humble abode was opened. The howl was cut off as the door was closed again, followed by a click as the latch was secured.

There in the doorway stood Queen Chrysalis, wearing a heavy, dull green cloak with the hood drawn and carrying a large pack, which bulged with its contents.

“Nasty storm today,” Chrysalis said, removing the hood from her head and shaking the sand from her form.

Twilight winced slightly “I’m sorry for sending you out in that.”

Chrysalis brushed it off along with some sand from her shoulder. “Not a problem, my love.” she set down the pack and removed the cloak, hanging it up before giving another shake to dislodge any sand that still clung to her. She picked the pack back up and made her way over to Twilight, sitting down beside her.

“Did you find it?” Twilight asked anxiously, fidgeting slightly.

Chrysalis nodded, reaching inside the pack and extracting a white paper bag. Twilight squeed with delight, all but snatching the bag from Chrysalis and delving into its contents.

“You and your cravings,” Chrysalis said with a laugh as her lover began messily devouring the hay burgers she had brought.

“I still can’t believe there was a Burger Princess all the way out here.” Twilight said through a mouthful of fast food goodness.

“I’m really glad they decided to open one out here in the Badlands, otherwise who knows how far I’d have to go to find one,” Chrysalis said, smirking at her good fortune. It took her a whole day to find key lime pie and grape jam doughnuts last time.

Still, all the work kept her from thinking too hard about having accidentally impregnated a princess of Equestria and having to move with her to the Badlands to avoid the political fallout.

Twilight swallowed her first burger and before moving on to her second said, “Oh hey, they’re playing our song.” she pointed to the radio.

Chrysalis nodded, closing her eyes to better enjoy the music.

~“Blue Moon
Now I’m no longer alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own…”~


> Hand by SeanofTheDead
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by SeanofTheDead


Chrysalis was rather scared, actually she was terrified. Twilight had been complaining that she hadn’t been able to study often enough to her liking, and had been beginning to go a bit stir crazy. It’s my own fault, Chrysalis thought as her fetlocks shook with apprehension towards the forthcoming experiment and Twilight began, I suggested that we do this together for the sake of the added time together and even offered to be the test subject so we could spend even more time together...oh the things I do for love.


“T-twilight your s-sure this is safe?”

“Of course it is...now get ready love, this won’t hurt a bit.”

“Th-then why am strapped down?”

“Just in case you start thrashing uncontrollably, they will protect you from hurting yourself.”

‘Sweet Celestial Sisters I am going to die aren’t I?’ “O-okay. B-b-but what is this spell s-supposed to do again?”

“Well when I told Lyra Heartstring about the world of humans I had visited, she thought I was just being mean to her,” Twilight explained as her horn’s ethereal glow doubled in intensity, casting highly disconcerting shadows against the walls of her laboratory. “So I made a spell to turn somepony into one of those Humans. Okay here goes.”

A beam of bright purple light shot from Twilight’s horn and struck Chrysalis’ barrel with a muffled boom and a cloud of smoke, sending an odd tingling throughout her body, causing her to give a small cry of alarm. It felt odd to say the least. Chrysalis felt as though her body were made of bread dough, being kneaded, folded, and twisted into different shapes as her entire physiology was warped with that omnipresent, ludicrously powerful, vibrating tingle which was sweeping through her form, covering her like a blanket...until it reached her *ahem* filly bits…

“WOAH! TWILIGHT STOP IT! THAT FEELS REALLY WEIRD! GAH!!”

Twilight immediately killed the spell afraid that the discomfort her lover was feeling was a sign that something had gone horribly wrong. Causing the straps to undo themselves Twilight galloped forward preparing herself for the worst.

Chrysalis was only about halfway through the spell’s metamorphosis when Twilight had stopped it causing an altogether unexpected reaction. Chryssi still had her rear hooves, wings, tail, and horn. Her carapace was softer looking and had two distinct bulges where her barrel used to be. Her eye’s were slightly smaller, as was her muzzle. She now had the same kind of claws that the humans did and she only stood on her rear hooves. 

Twilight, remembering how the humans had been when she had traveled to their world wiped the drool from her chin and tried to speak to tell Chrysalis that it would wear off in a few hours. But all her mind could think was, wow

Chrysalis stood there waiting for herself to fall over due to a lack of balance from being on rear hooves. When she didn’t, she began to look herself over with little “hmms” and “well that looks odd…” She looked at her newly acquired hands in awe. feeling an itch on her forearm she scratched at it with her newly dubbed “claw-ish thingies” and instantly felt a sensation unlike any other. It was so easy to get rid of the itching feeling now. She looked over at Twilight and thought to herself as she grinned like a mad-mare, I’ll bet I can do even more with these than just that…

She shut the door with her magic and slowly began to approach Twilight slowly, and as seductively as possible. Upon reaching the aforementioned slightly drooling mare Chrysalis crouched down.

“Umm, Chryssi? What are you doing?” asked the somewhat nervous Twilight

“Shhhh just lay down on your back and enjoy…”

“But I- ohhhhhhh…"

Several hours later…

“So...did you enjoy that?” Chrysalis asked her smiling lover as she panted loudly into the air around them, slowly decreasing in volume as she winded down from the feeling of euphoria she had been immersed in only minutes before.

“I knew you liked it when I do that, and theses claw-ish thingies make it soooo much easier,”Chrysalis giggled.

“And feels much better,” the somewhat recovered Twilight said as she slowly turned to face her lover. “But next time I get to rub your tummy, and scratch behind your ears.”

“Deal.” Chrysalis said shivering in anticipation.

Little did she know Twilight would do far more lewd things than had been promised...


> Pie by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Europa

The three of them hid in an underground bunker, listening to the screams of panic from above. Save for the softly glowing light from Chrysalis's eyes, it was pitch black.

"So you two," Twilight said. "What have we learned today?"

"Not to bake pie without adult pony supervision," Sweetie Belle said morosely.

"And not to bake pie using changeling slime," Chryssy whimpered, like a kicked puppy.

Twilight smiled. "Very good, you two. Sweetie, I'll buy you a new encyclopedia when this is over. Chryssy, I'll wear the bridle."

The two of them thanked her for not being mad at them. Meanwhile outside, Ponyville was enduring a rampage by a giant, walking pie that cocooned its prey.


> Ring by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the first day, Twilight had awoken to utter darkness. She was bound by heavy chains around her forehooves, hind legs, and even her neck, chained to the ground so that she was stuck laying down with her head on the stone floor, unable to move at all. Her wings were kept folded by what resembled a large metal hoofcup around her barrel, with pockets for the wings. To top it off, there'd been two magic dampening rings secured to her horn, preventing even the dimmest spark from escaping her.

Alone in the dark, totally immobilized with only her voice free, Twilight had screamed and screamed until she lost her voice, but no response came. She'd never been so afraid in her life, and with the darkness, she didn't even notice when she fell asleep.

When she'd woken up on the second day, she found that somepony with glowing blue eyes was in her cell. By the dim light, she was able to make out how small her location was, barely twice the size of Princess Celestia.

The figure - changeling, get away, get away! - held a stone bowl to her mouth despite her protests. Twilight felt water touch her lips, and was suddenly aware of how painfully dry her throat was after all her screaming. After drinking it all, the changeling said, "Agent in water. Keep blood from clotting." Then he left, leaving Twilight alone in the dark, with only her racing, terrified thoughts for comfort.

She figured it was the fourth - or maybe, probably the fifth - day when the queen arrived. She'd been given water regularly, but no food, so she was famished. She had never gone so long without food in her life, and it showed in her weakly trembling voice.

"Twilight Sparkle," Chrysalis said as she entered, showering her in weak, green light. "I've brought you something." The changeling's horn lit up, giving Twilight even more light. The long, flickering shadows peeling away from the queen gave her an otherworldly, ethereal look. 

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, finding her nerve. "Where am I?"

Chrysalis hesitated. "You're in the Badlands, in my hive. As for why I'm doing this... I have no choice. We got a tremendous amount of love after the wedding, but even so we have been backed into a corner. This is my only available option."

"The Princesses will - "

" - never find you. They don't know where my hive is, they don't know it was me who took you since I framed that town drunk. Even if they did know it was me and even if they did find you, they don't know where you are in my hive, the tunnel here can be disguised as a thick wall, and I have you as collateral."

Twilight's breath caught in her throat. Collateral. If the Princesses or any of her friends tried to save her then Chrysalis would... "You'd... you'd..." she gasped, horror-stricken. She could feel what strength she had leaving her as well.

Chrysalis nodded. "I'd try to bluff, I truly don't want to hurt you, but if it comes down to it I must put the hive before my personal interests."

"Why me?" she tried to demand. "Why not anypony else?"

"You, and only you, foiled my plan for Canterlot," Chrysalis explained. "That grants me great respect for you, Twilight. But it also makes you a great threat. Furthermore the Rainbow Power attached to your soul amplifies the power of your love. Given a few weeks, I will be back to full power and your Princesses will not be able to challenge me, and even after, you are the only pony we'll need to feed us all." The changeling's ears flicked. "I'm sorry I need to cut this short, but I have royal duties of my own. I'll visit later, and rest assured that food will arrive more regularly now." She turned around and trotted out.

"Wait!" she shouted after her, but there was the sound of stone moving over stone, and her world was plunged into darkness. The climbing exhaustion stopped.

"... don't leave me alone," she whimpered.

***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***

Twilight very quickly lost all track of time, or of how many days it'd been since the changelings foalnapped her. Now and then a changeling drone came by with water or food, which she reluctantly - or gratefully, depending on how famished she was - took. The drone never spoke to her. She tried counting days with meals, but after around forty five meals she lost track.

There was a persistent tug at her soul, no doubt some technology the changelings had set up to drain her love even when they weren't around. It left her feeling chilled despite the warm air, an awful feeling that she couldn't shake. She wanted to stretch her limbs, crack her wings, and flare her magic, but none of that was afforded to her. And without her friends around her, she couldn't summon the Rainbow Power. At the very least her cell was somehow ventilated, so she had a steady supply of fresh air.

The worst was the darkness, the silence, and the loneliness. She only had any semblance of light when she had a visitor, and in the meantime she'd be amazed if there was a single photon of visible light with her. The only noises were usually her own breathing, the rushing of blood in her head, or the occasional trickle of her doing her business in a hole in the ground. She tried talking to herself to prevent sensory deprivation, and that usually worked, but she could only talk so long before her voice grew tired, and sleep was a fickle visitor, one that didn't bring any Princess Luna looking for her.

And the loneliness. The solitude. The only company she had was Chrysalis, who came by every now and then to vent to her, or to apologize for her capture, or simply to let Twilight herself vent. The times in between were horrible, and she found herself looking forward to the changeling queen's visits more and more. She knew she was slipping into Stockhoove Syndrome, but knowing that did nothing to lessen it.

Time passed, and Twilight soon realized that nopony was coming to save her. Her friends must have thought she was dead. She was going to live down here for the rest of her life. Despair grasped hold of her, and she broke down sobbing.

She hardly even noticed Chrysalis coming in, and only reacted when the queen laid down next to her and rested a hoof on her withers, rubbing it with the hardened limb while the changeling clicked and warbled at her in what must've been her native language.

"Twilight, thank you," she said at last in that amazing voice, the only voice beside her own Twilight had heard in so long. "I'm so so sorry, but thank you. You've done so much for us, thank you."

Her head was still chained to the ground, but she flicked her eyes over to where Chrysalis laid. She saw that, while she was still riddled with holes, the changeling queen wasn't nearly as gaunt and skeletal as Twilight remembered. She was full, curvy, and not at all unattractive. "What do you mean?" she asked quietly, forcing herself to stop crying around her mortal enemy.

"Your harmony-infused love, it's more than we could ever need. For the first time in centuries my kind's bellies are full. Thank you, so much, for your sacrifice. I can only convey how sorry I am for forcing this on you." A hoof reached out and tapped the two rings on her horn, but then retreated from them.

"I want to go home," she whimpered. "I want to go home."

"I know." The changeling came closer and wrapped her hooves around Twilight. The chitin was warm and surprisingly flexible. It helped push away the chill of the perpetual love drain. "I'm sorry."

She stopped trying to keep up appearances. With Chrysalis wrapped around her like a blanket, Twilight began openly crying.

***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***

After that session, Chrysalis visited more often than before, and spoke more freely with her. The quality of the food also improved, to Donut Joe's and Sugarcube Corner snacks, not just plain flowers and fruit. Twilight also spoke more freely with her. She'd accepted that she would never see her friends again and... and Chrysalis had never been deliberately cruel to her since the capture. The changeling was always so soft around her, always so regretful and always let Twilight rage at her however much she wanted, without a complaint. She even came by with some sort of cream to rub on her legs, her wings, that supposedly reversed atrophy.

She had Stockhoove Syndrome, bad. At any rate, that was what she kept telling herself.

Twilight Sparkle found herself looking forward to Chryssy's visits more and more, and dreading her departure less and less.

"Why didn't you just ask?" she asked one visit. According to Chrysalis it'd been a year since her foalnapping, and it felt like both a day and a trillion years to Twilight. "Why didn't you just come to Ponyville, explain your situation to me, and ask for help?"

"Think back to how you thought of me then, Twilight," Chrysalis said as she massaged her back, getting out the kinks and aches caused by months of immobility. "Can you honestly say that you would have willingly aided my people?"

She thought back. "No," she said sadly. "I'd have let you go extinct. Oh horseapples, I'd have committed genocide by negligence!" she squeaked. "Ah!" she cried as Chrysalis reached a particularly sore spot between her wings that made the free wings flap on their own.

"It's okay, Twily. That's in the past. How's this?" The changeling pushed against another area, sending waves of ecstasy through Twilight.

"Ungh, great. T-Thank you."

"It's the least I can do for you, given all you've done for us and all I've done to you." The massage ended, and Twilight saw Chrysalis walk around to in front of her. "I've heard that unicorns need to exercise their magic now and again, or their horns get damaged. I'm assuming alicorns also need to do so, if less often thanks to their earth pony resilience. I'm going to remove the rings now, Twilight, and shield myself. Blast me with as much power as you can, alright? Remember, you don't know where you are so you can't teleport."

The rings came off, and Twilight... didn't feel anything. Chryssy took a few steps away from her and a shimmering half-dome of green magic formed before her. It took a few tries for Twilight, still shackled prostate to the ground, to get her magic working, but when she did she unleashed a blast at the changeling, lighting up the cell.

Without the sun and moon for reference, Twilight had long ago lost her perspective of time. All she knew was that, eventually, her magic had run out. It felt like going to the restroom after holding it in all day, it felt like going for a gallop after being cooped up for a week, but so much better. Eventually the flow of magic stopped, and the two rings slipped back over her horn.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome, Twi," Chryssy said as her shield faded. "I'll see you soon."

***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***

One day, on what Twilight was told was a year and a half after her foalnapping, her marefriend was acting unusually eager; a brilliant smile spread across her face, her fangs had been polished, and her tail flicked eagerly from side to side.

Her neck shackle had been undone, letting Twilight lift and move her head freely, so she looked up from the book she was reading by the light of a glowing crystal when she heard Chryssy's hooves clip-clopping across the ground. She smiled. "Hi, Chrysalis."

"Afternoon Twilight," she said in Hemipid as she took a seat next to her. "What're you reading?"

"Oh, just some Pluck Twain. What's up?" She turned the page with her snout and then devoted her whole attention to Chrysalis.

"Ugh, the noble court was giving me a lot of trouble again. They want funding for the dumbest things, I swear! If I hear another request to devote over ten thousand ambers for constructing skylights in our underground hive I am going to kill someling!"

"Hey, shh." She leaned over and gave Chryssy a lick across the thorax. "It's okay. You know they're mostly just windbags."

"I know, but they also control a lot of our wealth. Still, I want to just grab one of those horseflies and... grah!"

More licks. "Relax, Chryssy. You know you don't like feeling stressed," she said in Hemipid, having learned the language from one of the books her marefriend gave her.

The changeling cooed and leaned over to lightly bite her nape with her fangs, sending shivers up and down her spine. "I know. Your accent's still atrocious, by the way." Twilight blushed. "Anyway, speaking of stress, how are you?"

As little as she could given the shackles on all four legs, Twilight shifted. "I'm... coping. Much better than the last time." The effects weren't nearly as... intense as stallions thought they were, but they were still very noticeable. Like a persistent itch, or a buzzing in her ears that never went away. "Could be better." She didn't have any pills to suppress it, either. Not in Chryssy's hive, since changelings didn't undergo estrus cycles.

"Right. Well, I was thinking..." Her horn lit up with acidic green magic and Twilight heard four clicks, followed by the chains around her legs falling off. "I was thinking I could help you out with that?" Chrysalis moved closer and wrapped her hooves around Twilight, who was still in shock about A) the binds being removed and B) Chryssy's really, really tempting offer. The queen rolled over onto her back, resting Twilight against her abdomen.

For a moment Twilight Sparkle thought of what her old friends and family would say, up on The Surface, about what she was about to do, but…

Leaning down to kiss her marefriend's lips, the two soon became intertwined. After over a year and a half with no release, it felt amazing.

... but they were as dead to Twilight as Twilight was to them.
	
	
> Disjointed by MagicMan7997
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By: Magicman7997

“Do it, do it. It'll be quick. Least you can do. It's your fault. YOUR fault she's gone. YOU drove her away. Do it. Do it. The rope will make it all better...”

“How long's she been like this Doctor?”

“Ever since her friends found her in the library that day your highness. It's a good thing they did too. Hard to believe one of Equestria's greatest heroes would think of something like that.”

Princess Celestia gazed through the observation window at the stricken mare that was once her faithful student. Her once beautiful lavender coat was matted and filthy. Her joyous eyes, now glazed and lost to madness. All the while, she just sat on her haunches with a magical suppression ring on her horn. The only words she would speak.

“Why Chryssy? Why did you have to go? Why?”


> Diet by TheWraithWriter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By TheWraithWriter

There was a silence shattering bang as the door to Twilight’s bedroom slammed open and the purple alicorn stormed out in a huff. This surprised one Princess of the Sun who was only casually walking by at the time and was in no way waiting outside with a bottle of alcohol in hopes of casually getting Twilight drunk enough to engage in casual sex. After the disaster of trying to kill Chrysalis via sodium poisoning a week ago, Celestia thought a different set of tactics was in order.

However, before Celestia could compose herself again and broach the topic of casual intoxication, Chrysalis followed Twilight out the door, dashing her hopes.

“Come on, Twily, you’re overreacting,” Chrysalis said, either ignoring or not seeing Celestia.

Twilight rounded on the changeling. “You called me fat!” she shouted, apparently not noticing Celestia either.

The Solar Goddess gently placed the bottle of forget-me-in-the-morning on the ground and teleported a bucket of popcorn to herself.

“I did not call you fat,” Chrysalis replied. “All I said was that you should think about going on a diet.”

“Which implies I need to go on a diet. Ergo, you called me fat!” Twilight spun on her hooves and began storming away again.

Chrysalis groaned in frustration. “You eat like twenty hayburgers a day!” she called after Twilight. “How many ponies are you feeding?”

Twilight stopped and half turned to look at Chrysalis. She held up one of her wings, all but the largest feather in the middle extended. The wing the dropped back to her side as she found a door and exited through it.

Chrysalis let out an exasperated sigh, not noticing Celestia come up beside her.

“She’s so damn emotional lately,” Chrysalis grumbled.

“Bad mood for a while?” Celestia asked casually.

The changeling barely glanced at the white alicorn before shaking her head. “No, but she’s been a regular rollercoaster of emotion lately. She’s all happy and sunshine one moment and then trying to strangle you the next.” Chrysalis glanced at Celestia again. “I don’t suppose you and your infinite wisdom know anything about that?”

Celestia scoffed and waved a hoof. “Please, you should have seen this one mare I was with. One minute she’s happy and bubbly, the next she’s trying to murder me and plunge Equestria into eternal night.” Celestia’s laugh was cut short once she realized what she had said. She coughed nervously, quite aware of the look Chrysalis was giving her.

“Are you saying you and Luna fu-?”

“Forget-me potion!” Celestia shouted, smashing her bottle of casual friendship over Chrysalis’ head.

The bottle shattered and Chrysalis dropped to the floor, liquid soaking her. Celestia glanced around to make sure nopony witnessed what had just happened and began quietly dragging Chrysalis’ unconscious form away.


> Tag by ShinyMoon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By ShinyMoon

“AAAHHH!!!” a very pained howl came from inside a cavern at the end of the Wastelands, home to the Changelings.

Deep inside the cavern, in the royal chambers, laid Twilight Sparkle with her face down on the Queen’s bed. She was currently having cactus needles pulled out of her by Chrysalis, who was highly amused yet a bit sympathetic at the new princess’ dilemma.

“Now Twilight,” came the multi-toned voice of the Queen,”what did we learn about playing tag in the Wastelands, especially with Changelings?” She removed another needle causing Twilight to release another scream.

“Never play tag with Changelings, as they can take it a bit too seriously resulting in somepony getting hurt,” she gritted out in pain as yet another pinkie sized needle was pulled out of her back. 

“Seriously, how did these needles even get so big?” Twilight thought to herself.

“Mhm, and?” Chrysalis paused waiting for her marefriend to further answer her.

“If you’re going to play tag with Changelings, wear lots and lots of protective spells,” she lamented over her now sore back and wings.

“Well done. Now, I’ll need to remove your pants since I’m done with your back. I have a feeling most of the needles are down below,” she said this as she pulled Twilight’s pants off. However, her actions were halted, seeing her lovers red and plump flesh gave her an idea.

“Say Twilight, how would you like to play a new game?” Chrysalis asked mischievously as a sly smirk slid across her lips.

“Huh?” but before Twilight could inquire more, she felt Chrysalis press her lips against her butt cheek after removing a needle. Pain was replaced with pleasure as Chrysalis kissed her cheeks each time after pulling out a needle, seemingly going lower and lower each time.

“Oh, oh, I think I’ll like this game,” were the last words said before pleasured howls filled the cavern.


> Crystals by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Knight of Lycaeus


The Hive was self-sufficient! We needed none to help us survive and yet the words of that orange apple pony are still bothering me! Why? Hard years are nothing to a lifetime of meager conditions and the very notion of family, ha! The Hive is not a family but our means to survive and every Hive operates on its own, it lives or dies on its own accord. I sighed. Yet why had I allowed myself to plea for help? Why would I do so? Was it for my own survival or the survival of the Hive or was I a coward for doing so? I wasn't sure anymore.

Thoughts like these dogged me as the Princess led me through the streets escorted by one of the new guards. I thought it was bad enough when the personal guards of the Canterlot Princesses landed a few days ago but these new guards were very different. A sparkling appearance that seemed to reflect the light and light blue armour in a style I had never seen before. Those damn ponies look like some foolish fairy tale that some fools dreamed up with shining coat and antiqued armours.

"Chrysalis, are you alright?" asked Twilight as she noticed Chrysalis trail behind.

"Fine." was the clipped response, "Where are we going to?"

"We're going to Rarity's. I had hoped to introduce you to her first but having you meet Applejack certainly helped. She may not like you but she has started accepting you. It helps the town be more at ease with you and the other Changelings."

I gave a brief nod, most of the ponies were still skittish but not to the same degree as before. As for my Hive, some of them have been disappearing only to return with an abundance of positive emotions enough to cultivate into Nectar. Despite the Hive Mind I had little idea of where they went to find such a fine harvest. What also confused me was the Princess, she had been friendly even to me, me who was once her enemy and by all rights certainly had power over. She held the fate of the Hive and yet she didn't crush us or destroy us but she offered to spend time with me to work on obtaining the best possible outcome from our surrender.

"Darling!" a voice called out breaking my train of thought. We turned to see a white unicorn sitting at an outdoor café.

"Hello Twilight. It's certainly pleasant to see you." She turned to face me, "Hello Chrysalis, I trust Twilight's been a good host?"

I merely nodded. The rather flamboyant unicorn was difficult to handle during the failed invasion; she seemed rather pushy once she started talking. Her talking! Her endless chatter was like the dull hum of the Hive Mind but far worse!

"You seemed more at ease with Chrysalis than you had been a few days ago." Twilight said.

"Ah, that darling was mere reluctance. What could I say, our only meeting was when the Changelings came charging in to ruin one of the most majestic weddings between the beautiful Princess and her dashing Knight."

"Rarity" Twilight said in a low tone, "That was not a romance novel; that was my family."

Rarity waved a hoof, "I know that my dear, I mean no offence. Still it before I knew what an opportunity there was to be made. Our dear friend Pinkie Pie has found that too."

This got me curious perhaps an answer to the wandering drones and workers, "What would that be?"

"Why, business of course! The very adaptability of their appearances works wonders for Pinkie's parties but also my own work. They capture a pony in a way no ponyquin could."

"What?", was this the mysterious source of positive energy?

"Opportunities such as these are positive examples of how Changelings and Ponies could co-exist." interjected a different voice. I turned to see that the Princess had added her thoughts to the matter.

I was about to argue but they had a point, those had given us access to create more Nectar.

The white pony looked startled, "Oh where are my manners? We started a conversation without proper introductions! I am Rarity, proprietor of Carousal Boutique and former Bearer of the Element of Generosity."

Mentally I sighed, far too used to the formal introductions that signalled the start of a meeting of the Collective. "Chrysalis, Queen of the Outcasted Western Desert Ridge Hive."

With that done the unicorn's eyes began darting all over me, "Well you do have a fine figure even without disguising yourself as Empress Cadance. Yes, without disguises, what a fine model you could be."

"Why would I even consider the idea?", personally it seemed to be a waste of time.

"As I stated earlier it is an excellent example of cooperation." Twilight answered, "These could help you and the Hive be granted permanent residency in Equestria."

"Indeed and you be the star basking in the praise and adoration and my talents could help. The gems or crystals of cutie mark demonstrate my abilities to find gems but also how I bring out one's inner beauty. A crystal may be considered a mirror; it is reflective of one's self. In my work I merely bring it out and shine it for all the world to see."

Again we were interrupted this time by a pair walking by looking for the talkative unicorn; it was that mismatched thing and the quiet pegasus. "Hello Twilight. Rarity good to see you. Oh and Chrysalis better being out and about than inside, hm?" Discord said.

Wonderful I could feel an oncoming headache from hearing that mismatched thing, it was a close race between the flamboyant unicorn, the crazy pink pony, and that mad patchwork for who would drive me insane first.

"We came to find you Rarity. You weren't home and today's our weekly get together." said the quiet pony.

"Indeed, look here's last week's project!" Discord said waving a long purple object.

"Is that supposed to be the worm from when Cadance and I went to fetch that flower?" Twilight asked.

"Oh no! No worm but maybe a larva after hatching from its egg gathering all that it can to become a cocoon", as he said this the purple object inched around his body, "No Twilight this is knitted yarn. This is a leg."

"A leg?" Why would he need a fake leg made of yarn?

Discord gave a wide smile, "Of course. A pony needs legs or it falls like a domino or perhaps a card house" as he snapped in an oddly shaped house of mismatched items that looked doomed to fall.

Rarity stood up to join the new arrivals, "Well I am running late so farewell for now. Oh and Chrysalis do consider my offer, it could be wondrous for us both." Rarity said as she followed the other two out.

As she left I had to admit putting some thoughts about her idea but the lingering thoughts about the fear that most ponies still held for Changelings made me doubt it. However with how some of the Hive had returned maybe there could be some merit to it.


> Firestorm by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Europa

It was the most major of all changeling holidays, celebrating the day that all their hives were unified into one country, centuries before Equestria itself was founded. Since it was held a few weeks before Hearth's Warming, the normally scorching heat of the Badlands had cooled to a mild warmth that Twilight relished, feeling the warm breeze wafting through her coat and playing with her ears.

Normally the Firestorm was kept from the world by way of a massive illusion cast upon the surface, but since Chrysalis had ended her people's isolationist policies, the ceremony was open to all. In addition to the massive swarm of chitinous changelings on the surface - as opposed to usually living underground - there were ponies, griffons, zebras, even a full grown dragon waiting to see the spectacle.

The spectacle was taking place around one of the Badland's mountains in the dark of a moonless night. At the summit were the changelings responsible for putting together the show, and on a raised platform just low enough that Twilight could still see her was her marefriend, Queen Chrysalis. She looked up at her and smile, and Twilight could've sworn she saw the changeling return the look.

This Firestorm, now that the changelings had ample love to go around, promised to be a feat to behold. And as the first shocks of green fire burst into the sky, everyone in the audience found themselves enraptured. The fires grew more and more plentiful, forming stars and swirls, arcs and crescents and all manner of shapes and styles, loud pops filling the air.

Then Chryssy joined the act, shooting forth a steady stream of fire up, and up, higher, higher! The emerald flame twisted and writhed around itself, coiling through its own body as it rose above the ongoing bursts from the mountain. It began to twist and assumed the form of an enormous replica of the queen herself, before the features changed into Princess Celestia, Emperor Grafna, and then into an enormous dragon many times the size of the real thing that swooped down, skimming above the audience.

The flames went higher and higher, and then began to shift, until they became an ever-flowing blaze representing an alicorn, with a green starry cutie mark. Twilight's caricature danced along the skies, read books, and performed amazing feats of 'magic' to the background of the changelings firing more bursts. A few changelings around her recognized Twilight and gave her knowing winks, which made her blush furiously.

Chrysalis soon moved on from mimicking Twilight, and when she did, she sought out Chryssy's eyes. Even as the changeling queen channeled a massive inferno, spewing from her jagged horn like a geyser, she looked at Twilight and smiled.

It struck her just how beautiful she was like this. Her mane and tail billowing, her power shown to its full extent, beautiful and confident.
Twilight wiped away a tear. And... and she had saw fit to include her in the most renowned of her people's holidays, to devote a good ten minutes of it to her, easily more than that. She felt so humbled, so flattered.

She had the best marefriend in the world. And the celebration only reinforced her decision to buy a wedding necklace.


> Beach by lyra_lover777
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By lyra_lover777

Twilight sighed as she leaned back into the sand, the warmth of the sun beating off her coat.Twilight earned many stares, as she was a princess and all, but the pony, wait, non-pony, next to her was receiving even more stares.

"Ugh!!" screamed Chrysalis as she squirted sunscreen in her eyes. "Make it stop!"

The queen of the changelings was drenched in white lotion, screaming and cursing.

Twilight smiled as Chrysalis screamed "How dare you defy me, sun screen! I will have you executed!"

Twilight giggled as Chrysalis wiped the lotion from her eyes. The queen murmured about cursed sun screen as Twilight prompted her to get up.

Chrysalis sighed as she followed Twilight into the ocean waves. It washed away the cursed white paste from her shell and wings. She sighed as she sank into the cool water.

All of the sudden Twilight pushed Chrysalis's head underwater, giggling. When Chrysalis recovered, she used her magic to harness the power of the sea and made a typhoon wave crash onto Twilight.

Chrysalis looked around to see Twilight not coming up from  underwater. Chrysalis frantically splashed around and dove under the water to find her lover.

When she found Twilight's leg, she pulled it out onto the shore, where a large crowd of ponies stood, gawking and drenched from Chrysalis's mighty wave.

Twilight groggily opened her eyes and saw Chrysalis's face right in front of her own, smiling down at her.         

Twilight pressed her lips softly to Chrysalis's. When they pulled apart, they smiled.

But then a young colt holding a bottle of sunscreen trotted over to them. Chrysalis saw the sun screen and screamed, dropping Twilight and flying up into the clouds.  


> Discord by lyra_lover777
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By lyra_lover777

Discord sighed as he soared through the air, jet plane wings sprouting from his back. He shot through the sky towards the Ponyville library, rolling his eyes as his jet plane wings folded up and entered the hole in his back.

Discord summoned a glass of orange juice, drinking the glass as he knocked on Twilight's door.
When there was no reply, Discord flattened himself into a sheet of paper and went under the door, popping up in the front of the library.

And what Discord saw was not what he expected.

On a light green sofa, Twilight was sleeping, passed out and mumbling "Harder!" Her mane was matted, and a small pool of drool had formed next to her.

But the thing with its black, pocket filled, legs wrapped around Twilight was worse. Way worse. It was Queen Chrysalis. She was snoring. Loudly. Her snores were akin to the sounds of a chainsaw.

Discord stared at the couple, and started to back away. He didn't realize that a giant book called "Changelings For Eggheads" was behind him. He tripped and landed with an "Oof." It was a very loud "Oof."

Twilight and Chrysalis opened their eyes groggily. "Who-who's there?" mumbled Twilight half heartedly as she slowly got to her legs.

Discord shrunk and changed into a small Discord-shaped lamp.

"I didn't know that I had a Discord lamp-p" said Twilight as she slowly made her way towards Discord.

Chrysalis started to get up too, rubbing her eyes.

Twilight reached her hoof forward and knocked over Discord-Lamp.

Discord yelped as he fell, turning back into his draconequus self.

"D-discord?" Twilight was wide awake now, and blushing profusely.

Discord quickly turned into a pink flamingo and pushed the door open frantically, flying away into the heavens. 


> Frozen by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Europa

Twilight trotted through Ponyville, Chryssy by her side. The first snowfall of winter had come and gone, coating the town in a thick layer of soft fluffiness. Though she'd be lying if she said it wasn't annoying when the snow caught in her fur and spread its chill to her long after she got out of the snow, Twilight really did enjoy snowfall. Especially the way it glinted and shimmered off her castle, casting points of light across the entire town that shifted as the sun moved across the sky.

The changeling queen next to her didn't like the snow quite as much. "Can. We. Go. In?" she ground it through gritted fangs. The changeling wasn't wearing any scarf, snowboots or - much to Twilight's personal disappointment - socks. 'It's just water, how cold could it be?' said the changeling who'd spent most of her life in the arid Badlands.

Twilight grinned at her. "But I still need to pick up some Hearth's Warming decorations from Prickly Pine," she said. Then seeing the way frost was gathering in the tiny, nearly microscopic gaps between Chryssy's exoskeleton plates, her eyes softened. "You're welcome to go back if you want, though. I don't want you getting cold on my account."

"I'm... fine!" she insisted, almost mechanically moving one pair of legs in front of the other. Despite her legs being much longer than Twilight, the alicorn was forced to slow down so Chrysalis could keep up with her. "Just keep... going."

Twilight frowned, but did as she said. She had half a mind to cast a heating spell on Chryssy, but she didn't want to know how the changeling would feel about her treating her like a foal. They continued to walk through town until, at one point, Twilight realized that Chryssy wasn't following her.

She backtracked and found the changeling queen standing in place, ice in her chitin, including her horn. Twilight reached up and waved a foreleg before Chryssy's eyes, which tracked her. Otherwise there was no movement, and no sound beyond a quiet 'mm!' from within her closed mouth.

"Oh no!" Twilight said, suddenly realizing what had happened. Her horn lit up and she grabbed the changeling popsicle in her teleportation field, whisking herself and her lover away to her home, specifically her room.

A flick of magic lit up her fireplace and she put Chrysalis in front of it. To compliment the fire, she started up that warming spell she'd thought of earlier.

"I'm so sorry, Chryssy. I really should've expected something like this to happen. Look left if you're okay, look right if you're not." She looked left. Twilight breathed out a sigh of relief. "Alright, good. Just hang in there, I'll get this ice off of you in no time."

A few minutes passed, during which Twilight took off her clothes and small rivulets of water dribbled down Chryssy's form, seeping out of her mane, her horn, her green shell, her tail. Eventually there was a series of cracks, and then Chrysalis all at once shook off the remaining ice holding her imprisoned with a gasp.

Twilight was there in a moment, hugging her around the thorax. "Hey, are you alright Chryssy?"

After sputtering a bit longer, the changeling leaned over to nuzzle her. "... I may need to buy some scarves. Maybe a dozen. Or... how many scarves do you think I can afford?" She shivered again. "I'm alright, Twily. I'm alright, just a bit cold. Can you... warm me up?" she asked.

Twilight pressed against her more closely. "Of course."

"Thanks."

A long minute passed. "You know, I get that you don't like being weak, and that your pride means a lot to you, but the next time you're in danger of getting frozen, couldn't you just..."

"Just what?"

"Let it go?"


> Casual by Ephraim Blue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Ephraim Blue

“Chrysalis, come on! You don’t look that bad!”

“That’s what you said about the last one, and the one before that!”

“How was I supposed to know they were too small?”

“My own size in comparison to it?”

“You could have shape shifted!”

“But what would you think of me?”

“…”

“Exactly.”

“Well, I’m certain this one is better…”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Rarity made it.”

“Rarity also made the last two.”

“But this one’s better, I’m certain. Trust me!”

“Where have I heard those words before…”

“Come on… For me?”

*Sigh* “Fine. I’ll try on the stupid dress.”


> Travel by lyra_lover777
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By lyra_lover777

Chrysalis huffed as she and Twilight stood in what seemed to be an endless line. Chrysalis was tapping her hoof impatiently as the line slowly began to move, but stopped after several seconds.
Chrysalis groaned as Twilight looked up at her.

"It's not that much longer. Maybe twenty minutes, and we'll be out of this line." said Twilight

Chrysalis looked down at her lavender lover, who was smiling up at her. She huffed. "But we've been in this line for eternity."

"Chryssy?" Chrysalis looked down at Twilight.

"Its only been a minute." the unicorn said.

Chrysalis slumped as they moved a few centimeters forward. She hated traveling.

After what seemed like an endless amount of time, the couple reached the end of the line. The security pony scrunched his brow at Chrysalis.

"Have you never seen a changeling before? Or are you just racist?" Chrysalis asked the security guard.

The security guard rushed them along to another pony, who was scanning them with those metal-bomb detector things.

She kept poking her tube through Chrysalis's holes. It was all Chrysalis could do to not slap the guard pony.

When they got out of security, the couple arrived at the gate. They got there just on time and boarded the plane.

They got to their seats. Twilight took the window seat after putting her bags above them.

Chrysalis tried to sit down next to her, but her giant body wouldn't fit. She tried every position and angle, but couldn't fit.

Then one of the flight attendees trotted over to the struggling changeling.

The attendant, named Forward Flight, asked Chrysalis"Would you like to move to the seats for, umm, bigger ponies?" She pointed to a row of three seats where two ponies that were bigger than the sun sat, their legs dwarfed by their giant stomachs.

Chrysalis glared down at the pegasus mare. "How. Dare .You. Call. Me. FATTTTTTTTTTT!" She surged forward, tackling the attendant, who screamed.

In the end the couple got kicked off the get after Chrysalis gave Forward Flight a bloody nose and a broken hoof.

Twilight started to summon her teleportation spell as the two stood outside the airport.

Chrysalis asked "Wait, so the whole time you could have TELEPORTED us there!?"

Twilight nodded shyly and Chrysalis screamed and cursed and huffed before finally giving in, taking Twilight's hoof as they flashed away to the Mexipony island called Cozemane.


> Hot Tamales by lyra_lover777
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By lyra_lover777

Twilight paced the library as Chrysalis snored on the couch. Twilight was all worried. She replayed what had happened in her head a million times, and she did so again.

Twilight and Chrysalis were having a picnic at the park, Twilight drinking Carrot-Cola and Chryssy drinking green goo when a bright flash appeared. It was a tiny portal! Out of it a small red box fell out, the words Hot Tamales printed on it.

Chrysalis had picked them up in her levitation, sniffing them. The pair had rushed to the library to test the box.

Now they were to afraid to open the box. While Twi had begun pacing, Chryssy had drifted off to sleep, snoring like a chainsaw.

Finally Twilight woke Chrysalis. They both sat next to each other as they opened the box.
They both raised their hooves in front of their faces., expecting the worst.

When nothing came at the, they slowly took away their hooves and looked down at the box. Several pieces of small, red candy had fallen out.

The couple smiled at each other as the both picked a candy up. They then put it in their mouths.
The two immediately got to their hooves, panting and waving their hoof in front of their faces as they searched frantically for water.

Twilight teleported outside, jumping into a small pond, while Chrysalis destroyed Twilight's kitchen searching for water before running into the bathroom, plunging her head into the toilet bowl, sighing in relief.

The pair met up after calming their taste buds. They quickly agreed to destroy the cursed candies and set the box on fire.

The next day Celestia came to visit. One Hot Tamale still sat on the table, unseen by the two lovers as they murdered the entire population of Hot Tamales in Equestria.

Celestia looked around before chucking the Hot Tamale into her mouth. Her screams sounded over all of Ponyville as Celestia flapped around frantically, searching for water.


> Parents2 By TheWraithWriter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By TheWraithWriter

Twilight Velvet broke the uncomfortable silence.

“So you’re…”

“Pregnant, yes,” Twilight nodded, her cheeks seeming to have gained a permanent red hue.

Night Light spoke next. “And you are…”

“The one who sired the child, yes,” Chrysalis finished, having sorted out how to phrase the explanation on the ride back to Canterlot.

Unfortunately, this brief exchange was followed by more uncomfortable silence and the conversation, if you could call it such, had failed to move forward.

Velvet coughed and sipped her tea and Night Light seemed overly fascinated with a spot he had just found on the armrest of the couch. Twilight and Chrysalis exchanged uneasy glances.

“So…” Chrysalis began slowly, “I take it you do not approve?”

That seemed to snap the two out of whatever state they had slipped into.

“Oh of course not,” Velvet said quickly.

“These things take time to process,” Night Light added.

“My best friend’s maid was a changeling.”

“I once shared a pizza with a changeling. I think.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Mom, Dad, you can stop the political correctness. I just thought you two should know why we’re moving.”

Silence briefly returned before being shooed away by Velvet.  “You’re moving? Again?”

Twilight nodded. “We have to,”

“Where?” her father asked.

“The Badlands are more than ready to receive us,” Chrysalis said. “It’s… more hospitable than the name suggests.” she added.

“But why?” Velvet asked.

“The nobles and the diplomats didn’t take to kindly to the changelings snuggling up with Equestria in the first place,” Chrysalis said.

“And they didn’t especially like me snuggling up to Chrysalis,” Twilight added. “Imagine what they’ll do once they find out about this?”

Twilight’s parents balked at that.

“Surely they’ll understand?”

“Could you perhaps hide it?”

“You could always say it was Princess Celestia.”

Twilight shook her head. “No, no, and Mom? Where in Tartarus did that last one come from?”

Velvet blushed a little under the other three ponies’ questioning gazes. “She was by here not too long ago, asking all these rather, uh, intimate details about you, I figured what she was planning later so…” Velvet blushed harder and shrugged. “She’s obviously not too subtle about it. 
Shouldn’t take too much to convince everypony she’s the one that, uh…” since Velvet couldn’t actually turn any redder, she settled for sinking down in her seat and hiding herself behind her tea cup.

Chrysalis looked to Twilight. “It’s not a bad plan, in theory. What do you think?”

Twilight shrugged. “I suppose not, but do you really want to do this? Lie about who sired our foal?”

Chrysalis chewed her bottom lip for a moment before replying. “No, I don’t. But the kind of havoc this will raise politically? I say it might be for the best.” the changeling smiled. “Besides, we can always go on one of those tv shows afterwards and do a big reveal.”

Twilight smiled. “Yeah, we could. But, we’ll have to convince Celestia to go along with it first.” 

“Not necessarily.”

Twilight and Chrysalis looked over to see Night Light adjusting his collar nervously. “I still play cards over at the Guard Barracks bar every week or so and chat up the guards there. Rumor is that Princess Celestia occasionally has a little too much and the previous night is fuzzy. So all you really need to do is get somepony Celestia will believe to go along with the story.” Night Light sipped his drink. “Luna, maybe?”

Chrysalis and Twilight looked back at one another, grins forming on their lips.

“That could work,” they said in unison.









Celestia stared at the cover of the magazine for a long time, long enough for one of her assistants to bring over the usual bottle of forget-me potion. The alicorn picked up the bottle, ready to drown the necessary images in vanilla flavored forgetfulness. But she stopped and looked carefully at the bottle before tipping it over and pouring its contents out with a sigh.

“Never again,” Celestia muttered.


> Angel by bobbannaville (Tragedy/Sad)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By bobbananaville

“Could you turn into my mom for me?”

“What?”

“It’s… Well, I’ve only got half an hour, if we're lucky. Probably less. And I haven’t spoken with her in so long; in light of everything…”

“I - Twi, are you sure? I can take her form; it’d be easy. But I can’t be her. Anything you say to her will…”

“I always enjoyed pretend, Chrysalis. Remember that night before Hearth’s Warming, when we pretended that you were the mailpony?”

“Oh, I remember. That was such a filling, fun day.”

“I miss those days. I miss the days when I could trust my friends with anything, and we’d just enjoy ourselves. I miss being in Canterlot, too; studying under Celestia, just learning everything I could.”

“I’m going to miss you, Twilight.”

“Yeah. Wherever I go, I’m going to miss you too. I don’t regret anything we’ve shared. My mom, though… I haven’t spoken with her in… Shy a year? I really want to spend some time with - Cough!”

“That’s blood!”

“Yeah, it’s happening sooner than I thought. Chrysalis, could you please…”

“...”

“Thank you. I… This isn’t as fulfilling as I’d been expecting. You can turn back now; I guess I‘d prefer reality.”

“Oh. Sorry I couldn’t…”

“No, it’s fine, Chryssi! Haven’t you learned to never guilt-trip a dying pony?”

“Please don’t say that you’re dying, Twi. I don’t want you saying that.”

“There’s no point pretending, Chryssi. I’ve got maybe… Five minutes. I’ve seen the virus work itself on other ponies - Pinkie wasn’t recognizable when we saw her, remember? Every single pony that had been bit has died or transformed, and there’s nothing to say that I’m any different.”

“But you are different! What if - what if my love did something? Helped fight it, or -”

“We tried that with Flutters, remember? It didn’t work then, either. Don’t waste your love, Chryssi.”

“But Twi-”

“Listen to me for a moment, okay? I don’t - *cough* - don’t know how long I’ve got. When I come back, I won’t be me. I don’t want to be something that’s not me, not even for a second.”

“Twi…”

“Angels are… They’re beings that take us to the thereafter, in old religious texts. When your life has ended, they bring you peace and take you to whatever lies ahead, so that you’re not scared or afraid in death.I know this may be a bit much to ask, but could you… could you be my angel?”

“Twilight… Why? Couldn’t we do something - anything?! Can't there be some way to save you - the elements of harmony? They saved you Nightmare Moon and Discord. Or what about the Crystal Heart?”

“I’m dying, Chrysalis. Even if they worked, it would take too long, and I’d have turned by the time we got there. Please, Chrysalis, please help me end it. I don’t want to be something that’s not me, not even for a second. I don’t want to spend half a second not remembering the times I had with my friends, or with Celestia or my parents. I want to remember you until my last breath. Please, Chrysalis, grant me that.”

“Twi!”

“Please!”

“...”

“Thank you, Chryssi. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

There is a high pitched sound, and a green light flashes.

An angel cries.


> Supernova by lyra_lover777(Random)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By lyra_lover777

Twilight flew the air, faster than a bullet, her purple and pink trail igniting behind her as she swooped and soared. She could see her target, a giant black changeling, who was flying towards her, her horn lighting up a disgusting green.

Twilight poured magic into her own horn and shot a beam of pink light at the monster. The creature swerved out of the way.

It shot several globs of green, acid goo. Twilight,s right hoof became burned. She started to panic, not having as much control as before.

The creature swooped towards her, a giant green light pouring from its horn. It hit Twilight, and she was blasted to pieces, a giant green supernova covering the place Twilight had been.

Suddenly the words "Game Over" flashed across the battle scene.

Chrysalis pumped her hooves and whooped, jumping around happily. Twilight, who was alive, was also cheering, for it was the first time her friend had beat her.

"All it took was the whole store of bits in the royal vault, and I beat you!" screamed Chrysalis
She picked Twilight up and embraced her, hard. Twilight was shocked, but pleased. After the Battle of Canterlot, Queen Chrysalis had been captured. They had reformed her, and Twilight had done most of the work. Chrysalis probably would have had a throne months ago in Twi's palace if her friends would even consider talking to Chryssy.  

But over their long time together, Chrysalis had grown on her, but not just as a friend, but as a love interest.

So when she was held in Chrysalis's forelegs, all she could think was Kiss. Kiss Kiss.

Chrysalis had stopped cheering, just staring into Twilight's eyes.

She timidly said "Twi, I have something to..."

But it was cut off by Twilight, who pressed her lips against Chrysalis's. They both melted in each other's forelegs, kissing for eternity.

Celestia trotted down the hall, going to the arcade room to check on the two new friends. When she entered,they were still making out, lost in each other.

Celestia gasped and the two lovers broke, looking at the princess, who was blushing brighter than her namesake.

When Celestia got nervous, she would always crack a joke. So this one flowed out easily. She would soon regret it.        

"Uh, Twilight? Your assignment was to become friends with Chrysalis, not become fillyfriends..."

Chrysails screamed in anger and shot thousands of pounds of goo on Celestia, screaming "FILTHY SUN-BUTT!"

Twilight shook her head sadly as she enforced the goo with several shield spells.

"You chose the wrong couple to mess with, beloved ex-mentor." said Twilight.

Celestia struggled as the two new lovers put more enforcements, leaving Celestia to struggle until her sister came.

The couple flew off, a giant supernova left in their wake.

"What in the name of thyself are you locked in a bubble of goo, dear sister?"

"Because I have a horrible sense of humor."


> Schooling by bobbananaville (cute)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By bobbananaville


Raising a child was… It wasn’t a wonderful experience, Twilight would begin. It was awkward and it made you lose sleep at night and sometimes it made you want to grab a pillow and scream as loudly as you could into it. It was especially hard in those first months, when she and Chrysalis had no idea what they were doing, and neither did anypony else; the halfling that was Twilight’s and Chrysalis’ filly was the only one of its kind (at least, the only documented one - it would not be smart to assume that literally no other pony/changeling couple tried this).

But, Twilight would note, smiling as she remembers the good times she spent with her daughter, raising Amorelis Sparkle (the halfling’s name) was also very fulfilling. Those moments like her first word, the first time she used her empathic powers (which had been a surprise to both Twilight and Chrysalis) and the second time she’d read a book (the first time not being something anypony talked about much); they all made the hardships worth it.

Twilight would certainly say that under normal circumstances - and normal circumstances these aren’t. Now she’d mutter bitterly about ungrateful children and frustrations and expulsion and broken lamps and thrown books…

“Can you believe this?!”

“Yes, actually,” Chrysalis replied. The chitinous being did her best to smile and placate her wife, but Chrysalis couldn’t deny being just as frustrated as her wife. “Adolescents often rebel against their parents; I learned that many times as the Changeling Queen. They generally don’t do it to this extent, but…”

“She’s been expelled! From school! How is this even possible - I didn’t even realize it was possible to be expelled in middle school!”

“Well, if I’d been a teacher at her school, I’d count drawing ‘Princest is Wincest’ all over the bathroom mirrors and yodelling the national anthem during assembly as crossing the line.”

“Why was she even doing this?!” Twilight Sparkle’s mane was taking a distinctive shade of red - one that Chrysalis was too familiar with, but one that the changeling couldn’t bring herself to do anything about. “To get the approval of her peers? Was she genuinely dissatisfied with the princesses? Or did she just want to rebel against us for some inane reason?!”

A white coat. Twilight paused and began her breathing exercises, trying to calm herself out of her rage-shift.

“Of course, now the question becomes how we’re supposed to school her,” Chrysalis says. “I doubt any school would be willing to take her right now, considering all of this scandal. Celestia might be willing to help us out, but I don’t think she’s happy about this whole ‘Princest’ thing. Are we just going to homeschool her?”

Twilight nodded. “I’m a good teacher. I know what sort of books to give her, and how to teach her the necessities. I’m sure I could get this ridiculous rebellious nature out her system with some books.”

“Perhaps we could teach her of her changeling brethren too? Learning of her extended family could help her as well.”

A bitter laugh. “Seems a bit light, if I do say so myself. No, she’s gotten herself into a huge mess already. She doesn’t need something as entertaining as an exploration of the catacombs.”

“I suppose not.” There’s silence. “Of course, this is all conditional on us finding out where she is.”

“Yes.”

“Where could she have gone? It’s only been half an hour since the school called us over here!”

Just then, a pony ran past the waiting room, his eyes clearly excited. Four others soon followed. 

“What’s going on?!” Twilight asked, the purple mare having run over to the door and asked one of the stragglers.

“Someone graffitied ‘Fuck School’ all over the wall, and everypony wants a look!”

“Fuck Scho-Oh, shit.”
	
	
> Shapes by Europa (sweet)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Europa

Oval.

The shape of the cocoon holding her beloved mentor, her friend, as the Queen of the Changelings celebrated in her victory, minutes before being expelled from Canterlot.

Rectangle.

The table that she and Chrysalis met around, setting up terms for their alliance. Trading iron from the changeling hive for allowing them to feed without reprisal, trading ponies held in cocoons for changelings held in dungeons. The queen was bitter and spiteful, but maintained a grudging respect for Twilight. The feeling was mutual.

Triangle.

The vague shape of the changeling's fangs. She had a very good view of said fangs, given that Chrysalis was openly laughing at one of her jokes. It felt... surprisingly good.

Prism.

The shape of the theater house they were in, watching the first joint pony-changeling play. It was amazing, and Chrysalis had payed for her tickets. That was... very sweet of her. Twilight was touched. Her company and wit - sharp enough to cut herself on - was the highlight of the evening. Oh, and the play was okay too. She wouldn't mind doing it again.

Square.

That was the general shape of Chryssy's underground chambers. She and her workerfriend spent a long time talking about their lives, their past adventures - Chrysalis's story about taking the place of the zebra high priest was hilarious - and eventually they moved to the bed. Chrysalis had a lot of things to teach her there.

Circle.

The shape of the cake she'd bought for Chrysalis's hatching day party. It was a tall thing, made with vanilla frosting and lime overtones, and Twilight had taken great pains to infuse it with love energy. Her lover said it was delicious, and Twilight's heart soared.

Cylinder.

The general layout of the chapel that the two of them were in. Twilight's attempts to hold in her tears were all for naught, and they stained her dress. That didn't stop her from saying that she did.

Circle.

The shape of the bed on the honeymoon. It was a very big bed too, which was good since Chrysalis liked it very rough.

Square.

The shape of Twilight's own underground chambers, shared with Chryssy. It had all the comforts of home, and a dimensional contraction field that let her walk through a closet and return to her castle in Ponyville if she ever needed to.

Prism.

The instrument that Twilight used to find spectral absorption lines in a sample of light from Celestia's sun. Chrysalis was very proud of her, and helped out with some of the equations.

Triangle.

The shape of love that she and her wife had, thank goodness, avoided.

Rectangle.

The shape of a single strip of paper, colored in a way that made them both gasp in delight.

Oval.

The shape of Chrysalis's egg. Their egg, holding their daughter.
	
	
> Chimera by lyra_lover777 (action)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By lyra_lover777

Chrysalis and Twilight where flying across The Badlands towards Chrysalis's home. It was Chrysalis's birthday, and they were going to meet her family. Twilight was nervous, and it wasn't helping her with long-distance flight.

Twilight began to lose altitude, huffing and wheezing loudly. Chrysalis swooped down after her, worried for her new alicorn lover.

The couple landed in the desert lands of The Badlands. About a mile away a small grove of trees stood.

"An oasis!" screamed Twilight as she galloped toward it, sweat dripping from her brow.

Chrysalis yelled for Twilight to stop, but her lover kept galloping towards the oasis. Chrysalis had no choice but to follow her. Chrysalis was scared for her. Because the name of that grove was The Chimera. It was named for what lurked within it.

Chrysalis finally caught up with her lover. Twilight turned around. her mane was sweaty and matted, and Twilight's one eye was rolling around in its socket. All she said was "Water, water, water."

Chrysalis reached out to grab Twilight, but her hoof was knocked away. Then Twilight advanced, smacking her in the face.

Chrysalis grabbed her now bruised face. She looked up at the lavender alicorn, who was galloping away, now at the edge of the grove.

Chrysalis hurried after her. She knew that ponies needed water, unlike changelings, who drank love, but she hadn't known that it made them crazy when there was a lack of it.

Chrysalis broke through the perimeter of the grove to see Twilight surrounded by four chimeras.
She quickly powered up a spell and blasted the chimera facing away from her. It fell, its body smoking and still.

Two chimeras advanced on Chrysalis while the other went after Twilight who had cantered farther into the brush in search of water.

Chrysalis charged the one chimera, putting her horn through its chest. It fell still, its blood coating her horn.

But while she had attacked the first, the second had jumped on her back, tearing one of her wings.

Chrysalis screamed in pain as she collapsed, her wing shredded and bleeding profusely.

All of the sudden Twilight burst from the bushes, chimera blood on her hooves and a glass of water floating next to her.

She shot a spell at the remaining chimera, turning it to ashes.

The couple sat down, winded and tired. They hugged before kissing each other on the lips.

When they broke apart, the two cantered out of the oasis, leaving it behind.


> Meet The Family by Listener (sweet)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Listener

Twilight took a deep breath, preparing herself for the unstoppable.

“Chryssy, Do we have to do this?” She asked, looking over at the changeling queen, who only chuckled in response.

“Why, Twilight. Are you actually scared of me meeting your family?” She said, teasing the  purple unicorn as she bumped into her side playfully.

Twilight nodded, looking around the street that would eventually lead to her parent’s house where her mom, dad, and brother would be there, ready to meet Chrysalis.

“Think of it this way, Chryssy. Would you like for your only daughter to bring home the very being who impersonated their son’s wife? Or, for Shining, his wife? I might’ve forgiven you along the way of teaching you friendship, but they sure as Luna hasn’t.”

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “Oh, dear me. What ever will I do if they don’t like me?” She said, acting tough.

“Chryssy, you know how important this is to me!” Twilight said, her breathing picking up a bit as they turned down the drive to her house.

Chrysalis nodded. “I do indeed know. Twilight, calm down. They’ve promised to be civil, as well as I. What’s the worst that could happen?”

-----------

The tension was palpable.

Twilight smiled nervously at the mood of the room as she looked around. Her dad wasn’t there due to a work call but as a bonus, Shining had shown up with his wife.

Lovely.

“So... Cadence! How’s the Crystal Empire doing?” She asked, trying to make small talk.

Cadence smiled at her. “Well, we’ve been doing pretty well recently. The Empire’s economy is sky-rocketing after we discovered a new vein of magically charged crystals.” She said, trying her best to lighten the mood, what with Twilight and Chrysalis on the couch opposite of them.

Shining snorted. “To tell the truth, it’s whenever we blasted Sombra out of the kingdom. Raised the spirits of everyone.” He said, rolling his eyes.

Chrysalis perked up a bit at this news. “Sombra? That pain in the flank is dead?” She asked, curious.

Shining looked surprised at this sudden interest. “Yes?” He said slowly.

Chrysalis smiled. “Glad to here he’s not around anymore. Guy was a tyrant.”

Shining snorted at this, rolling his eyes. “Sound familiar, Chrysalis?” He asked, the mood suddenly turning ice cold.

Chrysalis stared death at Shining. “No, not really.” She replied.

Suddenly, Twilight’s mom stood up. “I’m going to go grab snacks! Who wants snacks!” She said, going into the kitchen before anyone could answer.

Twilight stared at Cadence, who shrugged. “Shining...” She said, warningly.

To which Shining ignored.

“Oh really? How about whenever you had total control over me?” He said, arguing.

“I did what I had to do for my subjects.” Chrysalis said, calmly. “Besides, It’s not like I did anything. I was planning on giving you back.”

Twilight elbowed Chrysalis, as Cadence knocked Shining in the back of the head.

“Shiny, have you even tried to understand what the changelings were going through?” Twilight asked slowly.

Shining said nothing.

Twilight sighed.

Chrysalis closed her eyes, sighing. “For what’s it worth, Shining Armor. I... apologize.” She said, the last word coming out so softly that it was almost inaudible.

Shining looked up, surprised at what he thought he had heard. “Excuse me?”

Twilight smiled a bit. “You need to speak louder, Chryssy.”

She sighed loudly. “You’re loving this too much, Twilight Sparkle. I can tell.” She said, before looking at Shining Armor. “I apologize. What I did was in desperation for my people, but is not an excuse for what I did to your wedding.” She said, before leaning back into the couch, trying to disappear.

Shining blinked.

Twilight blinked.

Cadence smiled.

“Kill me now...” Chrysalis mumbled.

Just then, Twilight’s mom came back with some crackers and cheese.

“I have snacks!” She announced, putting on a smile.

Shining sighed, before another bonk to the back of his head came from his wife.

“Thanks mom. And... Chrysalis? I guess... apology accepted...” He said slowly.

Twilight and Cadence smiled.

Everything was going to be okay.

--------

Twilight smiled at Chrysalis as they left the house, Twilight laughing at her. “That went better than expected.” She said.

Chrysalis nodded. “Indeed. Though, the appearance of the sorry was unforeseen.”

Twilight nodded. “It didn’t hurt, did it?” She teased.

“Oh, just you laugh, Twilight Sparkle. Next week, you’re meeting my family.”


> Stairs by lyra_lover777(cute)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By lyra_lover777


Twilight and Chrysalis slammed the door to their house open, both heavily drunk and wanting to get to their bedroom.

The couple sloppily kissed as they made their way to the stairs. Chrysalis put one shaky leg on the stairs and fell, hitting her head on the guardrail.

Twilight attempted to step onto the stairs too, but her sluggish body would not let her. She slipped and fell on Chrysalis, bonking her head on her lover's hard carapace.

Twilight got to her hooves and attempted to fly up the stairs, but she couldn't stay aloft and smacked into the wall, breaking a picture of her and Chrysalis at the beach.

Chrysalis got to her hooves, dizzier than Derpy Hooves after she got off a carousel, and flew halfway up the stairs before flying to high, getting her head stuck in the ceiling.

Chrysalis freed herself and tumbled down the stairs, rolling into the living room. She landed at the foot of the couch, and looked over at Twilight. They both suddenly had the same idea.

Twilight drunkenly galloped over to the living room, pouncing on Chrysalis, who was already on the couch.

Twilight smiled mischievously down at Chrysalis before locking the door and closing the blinds. She then said "Who needs a bed, anyway."


> Gluttony by TheWraithWriter(7 deadly sins cute)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By  TheWraithWriter


“I’ll show you fat, you anorexic succubus,” Twilight said through a mouthful of hayburgers.
Gourmet hayburgers, to be exact. While she did prefer the openness that living in Ponyville provided her, Twilight had to admit that living in a castle in a capital city had its benefits.

“We are not that thin, Twilight Sparkle,” said Princess Luna with amusement.

“Luna!” Twilight jumped, nearly choking on her hayburger before a good thump on the back from the goddess of the moon sent the piece of food lodged in her throat sailing across the room.

Twilight coughed a few times, blushing heavily. “Thank you,” she said meekly, “I’m sorry Luna, I wasn’t-”

“Talking about us? We figured as much,” Luna smiled mischievously. “But making believe otherwise was great fun.”

Twilight returned Luna’s smile. “I suppose you’re right. All three of you.” she added with a smirk of her own.

Luna’s puzzled look quickly morphed into a more sheepish one, a faint blush completing it. “Ah, we- I apologize. I sometimes slip back into the old tongue. A thousand years with just yourself to talk to will do that.”

Twilight winced. “It’s okay, Luna, nopony is going to fault you for that.”

“My banishment is old news, Twilight Sparkle, let us talk of more recent events. Such as the ones that led to you sitting here in the royal kitchen stuffing your face with hayburgers.”

Twilight sighed and picked up another burger. “It’s nothing, really.”

“Nothing does not constitute calling somepony an anorexic succubus.”

Rolling her eyes, Twilight stuffed the burger in her mouth before answering. “Chrysalis,” she mumbled.

“Tis rude to speak with a full mouth, Twilight.

The purple alicorn swallowed. “Chrysalis,” she repeated.

“You had another fight, I assume?”

Twilight nodded as she reached for another burger. “She called me fat.”

Luna tilted her head to the side, a vaguely amused expression on her features. “Did she now?”

Twilight groaned. “No. Not directly, at least. She suggested I go on a diet.” another hayburger found its way down Twilight’s gullet.

Luna’s expression became less vague. “Imagine.”

Twilight shot Luna a glare. “She has no right to tell me what I should be doing with my life!”

“And you are showing her this by devouring burgers of hay like they murdered your family?”

Twilight gritted her teeth a moment and then sighed, tension draining from her form. “No, I’m just making it worse.” she said with a hung head.

“Might I guess that there is more to this than your eating habits?”

Twilight nodded. “We seem to be fighting a lot lately. We’ll be going along, having a nice day, and then something she says or does just upsets me for no reason and we end up fighting.” another sigh “She doesn’t deserve that kind of treatment.”

“Then perhaps you should tell her that instead of me,” Luna said with a smile.

Twilight brightened somewhat. “Yeah, I should. Thanks Luna.”

“Anytime, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna grinned.

Twilight hopped down from her place at the table, intent on finding Chrysalis and making up. She paused at the door though.

“Luna? …Have you been spying on my dreams? You seem to know an awful lot about what’s happening already.”

Luna giggled. “I have not been spying on your dreams, Twilight.”

“Oh, good.”

“Tia has been spying on you though and she insists on reading her notes back to me, for some reason.”

Twilight quirked an eyebrow. “What? The princess has been spying on me? For how long?”

“Oh, at least a few years now. Making you a princess meant frequent visits to Canterlot which made it easier for her. Ah, these are her words, not mine.”

Twilight’s eyebrows switched positions as she tilted her head the other way. “And she told you all this?”

Luna laughed with a wave of her hoof, munching lightly on a burger of hay before answering. “Oh of course not. Not directly anyway. She talks in her sleep.”

“‘Talks in her…’” Twilight’s entire coat stood on end as her brain came to a rather unpleasant conclusion.

“Is something wrong, Twilight?” Luna asked.

“I really need to talk to Chrysalis.”

“Don’t let me keep you.” Luna said casually, taking another bite of a hayburger.

Twilight dashed away from the kitchen with a speed a certain blue pegasus would approve of. She quickly made her way back to her room, hoping Chrysalis was still there and hoping she could somehow scrub out the scarring and arousing images in her head.

However, when Twilight reached the hallway outside her room, she found it devoid of changeling queens. In place of her lover, Twilight found shards of broken glass and a large puddle of something that smelled a lot like casual friendship. There were signs that something had been drug through the puddle and recently too. Nearby, Twilight found a folded piece of paper, not unlike an invitation left on tables.

Picking it up, the pretty purple pony princess began to read.


        -Dear Twilight,

I’m so very sorry I acted like a bitch earlier and called you fat. I’m really amazed you still want to be with me at this point, when the powerful and highly attractive Princess Celestia is just a letter away from making your dreams come true….

Anyway, if you still want to talk to me for some reason, I’ll be down at the train yard, contemplating my life.

Also, if you come, please bring cake.


        -Chrysalis
And not Celestia


Twilight blinked a few times, reading the letter over a few times. It certainly didn’t look like Chrysalis’ hoof or magic writing. And it certainly didn’t sound like Chrysalis either.

Twilight knew that she had to go down to that train yard. But, she still had to express her feeling over the current situation first.

“Fffffffffffffffffffffffu-”


> Envy by Europa (7 Deadly Sins Serious)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Europa


Queen Chrysalis looked over at her sleeping workerfriend. Twilight's barrel rose and fell slowly, repetitively, evenly. Her eyes weren't fluttering beneath their lids, so Chrysalis assumed that she was in deep sleep, not a dream to be found. Chrysalis for her part couldn't sleep. After enjoying her lover's bookish beauty for a few more minutes, she pulled herself out of bed.

In the dark silence of the night, she walked through the corridors of the alicorn's castle, looking at every corner. She would never admit it, but she was jealous of Twilight. She had so many things going for her. Born the most powerful unicorn in recorded history and probably even prehistory, with a loving family that, while not rich, was certainly well off. She had a future alicorn princess as her nymphsitter, caught the eye of the then-solitary leader of the country. Maybe small things did not go her way time to time, but when it came down to the wire she always succeeded, overcome any foe before her. Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, Tirek... and Chrysalis herself.
Chrysalis stepped outside and buzzed up to the top of the castle, then sat on her haunches and stared at the night sky.

And what about her? Her mother, Queen Spiracle, had been swamped with royal duties and so had little time to raise her. She tried to be there when she could, but Chrysalis couldn't fault her for putting the hive first. She'd been raised by her nanny Clackot, who for all her faults and specism against ponies, was very dear to Chrysalis even in her old age. And after her nymphhood, after she'd ascended to the throne, what accomplishments could she claim?
Slightly delaying her people's starvation. A partially successful raid on Canterlot that could have easily - easily! - been a complete success, if not for her own bumbling idiocy. Making an alliance with their food source only years later, when she should have done so immediately, and losing a good fifth of her population to hunger.

There was no way to avoid it. No matter what way she sliced it Twilight Sparkle was infinitely more successful than her. She wondered what the little pony even saw in her. Why did she even love her? What had Chrysalis done to deserve -

"Can't sleep?"

She didn't even jump when Twilight's voice rang out. She looked over her withers to see the pony lowering herself, sitting next to her. "Yeah."

"Want to tell me what's keeping you up?" she asked carefully.

"No." She grimaced. "But I really should."

"I don't want to push - "

She held a hoof to Twilight's lips. "No, I have to say this. Twilight... you're... better than me." Chrysalis lowered her hoof.

Her jaw dropped. "What?" she half-shrieked. "Chryssy, where in the world is this coming from?"

"From history!" she said. "Your life, Twilight, can be best described as... as a repeated series of successes marred only be the occasional, small-scale failure. Mine on the other hoof is the opposite, a long series of buck-ups with only the occasional victory. I... I don't want that to be my life! I want things to go right! I want to be able to claim a good triumph for myself!"

"Chryssy..."

"And that's not even all of it! We're completely at your mercy! Everything my people do is because yours allows it, there is nothing we can do without your express approval because without you ponies and your especially-powerful love, we're all dead! I may as well abdicate my throne and give the Badlands over to Equestria, because no matter what decisions I make it's only ever because you and the other princesses allow it!"

"That's not - "

"I don't want that to be the case! I want my people to be strong, independent! I want us to be able to stand on our own hooves. I want, if Celestia or Luna come down with an idea that I disagree with, to be able to say no to them! I want - "

"Chrysalis!" She looked at her. "Please, you know that's not the way it is."

"Like Tartarus it isn't, and you know it!" She took a deep breath to calm herself. "I'm sorry, Twilight. I shouldn't have gone off on you like that."
.
"No, you needed to get that off your back." Chrysalis nodded. She had needed to. "You... have a point. But you're only taking into account physical ability, you're not taking into account the fact that the princesses would never try and make you a figurehead. You know they respect your position, they respect your people, they respect you."

"And if push comes to shove, hmm? What then? For all they may not want to, you know as well as I do that if I decide to do something they strongly disagree with they'll make me stop."

"Then you're at full power, and you can fight them. And... and..." She hesitated. "... I'll help you."

"And there it is again! Even just standing up for my own decisions, I can't do that on my own!"

"And why is that the measure of success?!" Twilight shouted back at her. "Do you think I beat Nightmare Moon on my own? Do you think I was the one who atomized Sombra with the Heart, or stole back the magic Tirek had with the Rainbow Power? Do you think I did all of that just by myself?"

"No, but - "

"So if you can count my successes as my own, even when they're only possible with help, then why not your own?" Chrysalis opened her mouth, but no words came out. She closed it. 

"Chrysalis... Chryssy." Twilight scooted closer and put a hoof on her own. "If you only ever count the things that you and only you made go right as a victory, then you're not going to have many at all. I'd probably have less than you, in fact. Nobeing is an island. We each owe part of our successes and shortcomings to others. I'm no exception, and neither are you. So please, please, stop feeling that way." She lowered her head and pressed it into Chrysalis's side, tickling her chitin. "I don't like it when you're sad."

Chrysalis smiled and wrapped a hoof around Twilight, wiping a tear from her eyes with the other. "Y-You're right. Thank you, Twilight."

Together they looked up at the stars, not breaking their embrace. As Chrysalis reflected on her life, in a new light, a smile grew on her face that showed off her fangs. The Amber Callback Act to settle the economy, personally healing the injured after Canterlot so that there were zero casualties, seducing an alicorn princess and getting to call her her own…

I am pretty awesome, aren't I? It just took until Twilight for me to see that.


> Wrath by lyra_lover777 (7 Deadly Sins Tragedy)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By lyra_lover777


Twilight shook as she ascended the stairs. She could hear her lover, Queen Chrysalis, humming to a tune as she took a shower.

Twilight slammed the door open, her body on the edge of a rage shift. Her breathing was heavy, and a glare was set upon her eyes.

        "Oh, Twily, is that you? Would you like to come join me?" Chrysalis's voice bounced from the bathroom, the shower running.

Chrysalis got out of the shower, confused. Usually Twilight would be pouncing on her the second she got home from work.

Chrysalis stepped out of the bathroom, drying herself off with a towel. This was  the last straw for Twilight, who suddenly turned red and white, fire in her eyes as she floated in the air, screaming in anger and wrath.

"YOU PROMISED!" Twilight screamed as she advanced on Chrysalis, backing her into a corner.

"YOU SAID NO PONY WOULD GET HURT OR DIE!" Twilight screamed.

"Twi, I have no idea wha-."

"YES YOU DO!"

Twilight just screamed and stomped around for several more minutes before collapsing on the ground, huffing and moaning.

Chrysalis knelt on the ground, looking into Twilight's eyes. "Twi, tell me what happened."

"Well, I know we made an agreement that your hive gets to feed off our love in exchange for the precious metals buried in your hive, along with part of your land. But you agreed that no pony would get hurt."

Chrysalis nodded slowly. "Somepony got hurt, didn't they?"

Twilight broke into tears. "T-the changeling feeding off of-of my mom go-got really angry at her, and to show his wrath, he sucked all her love out of her. She, she, she..."

Twilight couldn't continue, just bury her head in Chrysalis's mane as she sobbed, tears rolling down her face as she shook and muttered in agony.

"She died!" screamed Twilight. The sound was muffled by Chrysalis's mane. Chrysalis's features formed from concern to anger.

"I will hunt that little blob of goo down and put a end to him. And I will make it painful, painful as possible!" said Chrysalis as she slowly stood up, her face contorted with need for vengeance.

"No-o. We'll lock him up,  but there is no need to kill him." said Twilight. "We can't let wrath control our actions and our lives. If we still hated each other, your hive would be starved, our economy would be dead, and we would have never found our love for each other."

Chrysalis looked down at her lover as she reigned in her emotions. "You are right Twi." said Chrysalis, snuggling into Twilight's neck.

"You have taught me a valuable lesson today, my love." said Chrysalis. She then kissed Twilight softly before getting up and signaling for her guards to come. She instructed them to capture the criminal, but to keep him alive and not to hurt him. The soldiers followed orders directly and flew off in search of the criminal.

Twilight had started crying again, thinking of her mother. Chrysalis looked down at her before sweeping her in a hug.

"Twi, you will always have me. We are both immortal, so you can come to me forever. I have already lost all my non-immortal family, which is all my family. I will help you through this, no matter what happens."

Twilight smiled and hugged Chrysalis back as the two smiled down at each other, pressing their lips together.


> Lust by Europa (7 Deadly Sins Adventure)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Europa


Faster!

Faster!

Fly faster!

If she had known earlier that Tirek was back, she'd have taken her swarm to fight him days ago! As it stood she and her swarm was making great time to Equestria. Ever since the treatise, her people were well fed. They were strong, and she was strong, beyond Luna, beyond Celestia, beyond any alicorn. And she was going to rip the stolen magic out of his body, banish him to Tartarus, and cocoon him there!

Except there was the matter of Twilight. Her infiltrators had reported over the hivemind that her beloved Twily was wielding the power of four alicorns against Tirek in a battle even then. She had to hurry if she were to make it in time.

She came across Twilight and Tirek outside of Ponyville, locked in a vicious battle. They were sneaking up on Tirek from behind as he faced Twily, a condensed ball of demon magic between his horns unleashing a fiery ray at the alicorn, who was responding with a positively blinding ray of energy. The two beam were evenly matched... but as Chrysalis and her sky-darkening swarm approached casting range, Tirek grunted and pushed his head forward.

In that one moment, his beam redoubled in strength and closed in on Twily, knocking her back, back, back, until Chrysalis couldn't see her anymore. In mid-air she pulled back into a stop, her heart pounding in her chest. Her swarm still filling in behind her, she gazed upon Tirek. The centaur then seemed to hear their buzzing wings and turned around.

"Well then, this is a surprise."

Chrysalis saw red. He had just... hurt Twilight! Was she okay? She had to be okay! She mentally directed some of her soldiers to go provide first aid to the fallen alicorn. She swore, if Twilight wasn't okay…

"I didn't expect to get to the changelings until I finished draining the zebras. Well..." His eyes shone and he opened his mouth, but that was all that her changelings afforded him. A hailstorm of emerald bolts descended upon him and, before he could drain their magic, sealed his mouth shut with slime.

With a keening cry, her entire swarm descended upon him, blasting away and thickening the slime around his mouth despite his best attempts to rip it away.

She closed her eyes as her changelings rushed past her, shaking, then opened them. Under the red haze of a bloodlust, she saw Tirek reaching to rip off the slime.

And she was going to kill him.

With a scream, she dove at him, unleashing a fireball the size of the centaur's head at the orb of demon magic between his horns. With a muffled roar the magic exploded between his head, throwing Tirek's head back as more fireballs from her subjects peppered his impossibly tough hide. She lit up her horn and began draining him, of his life, of his love for conquest, of his energy, everything but his magic. The energy drained out from him in the form of a massive green beam, which circled around her horn, spiraling lower and lower into her head.

Under the onslaught, Tirek soon gave up freeing his mouth and resolved to blast them. 

Chrysalis's army had formed a shifting, buzzing tornado around him, an ever-moving wall that rained in green blasts. And inside that shell she flew circles around him, and her Imperial Guard grouped up into formations. When Tirek launched a blast out at them, they dodged and the cocoon of changelings bent away from it, like a balloon getting blasted outwards before reforming.

Ducking underneath an expanding scythe of demon magic, Chrysalis got close to him, real close, and hardened the slime. Tirek raised his fists to swipe at her, but she ducked beneath them, and channeled changeling magic into her eyes, letting them shine brilliant green. And then she looked at Tirek, and made eye contact.

He strained to close his eyes, and in response her magic pried them open. Even with so much strength and magic in him, they were eyelids, so she was able to keep them open and maintain her hypnosis spell. He bellowed and struck at her, and in response her people swarmed closer to him, distracting him and blasting him, as the sinister yellow of his eyes was ever so slowly filled with green, as the black sclera brightened to lime. His mental wards were like nothing she'd ever seen before, but slowly, over half an hour, Chrysalis wore them down and bent the mighty Tirek to her will.

"Stop fighting us," she said over the wind her army had kicked up. And he did, extinguishing his orb of magic and lowering his hands, standing there dumbly.

She... she did it. She'd won.

Flying back and ending the hypnosis in her eyes, Chrysalis called her swarm back to her, watching Tirek through the red haze. She panted in exhaustion, and smiled. "Tirek, be a dear and give back all the magic you've stolen," she shouted over the immense buzzing of changeling wings.

He looked at her blearily through shrouded eyes; green looked good on him. "Why, Your Majesty?"

"It's to take over Equestria," she 'clarified'.

"Oh." He raised his head and shook his fists in effort, then opened his mouth to the sky. A torrent of colors flew outwards, arcing through the air presumably to the ponies it'd been stolen from. Even as he did, Chrysalis watched in sinister delight as Tirek shrunk, his red skin dulled, his horns shrunk, and his muscles vanished. When it was done, he was so... feeble and frail.

With a burst of telekinesis, Queen Chrysalis snapped his neck. Finally, the rage ended and its bitter taste flowed out of her mouth.

'Your Majesty,' came a message over the hivemind. 'We've located Sparkle Princess and are administering first aid. She is stable.'

Her wicked smile turned warm. 'Excellent news, I'll be right over.' She did just that, flying over to where she'd seen Twily fall.

She winced when she arrived. Twilight was in bad shape; she was no expert on pony biology, but she was absolutely certain legs and wings weren't supposed to bend that way. When she arrived, there was a sickening series of cracks as the changelings standing over her popped the limbs back into place.

Twilight didn't respond; she was unconscious.

The last of her limbs were fixed and Chrysalis landed, pushing the other changelings aside. With a burst of magic, she put hardened slime around her legs and wings to keep them in place, then leaned down to nuzzle her. "Hey, Twi."

The alicorn's eyelids snapped open and she gasped. "Tirek - "

"Isn't going to hurt anyling ever again," she promised. "Thanks for softening him up for me, love."

She smiled. "No problem. I'm... I'm gonna go back to sleep now, alright?"

"Of course, darling."

Later that day she walked past the body of Tirek and spat on it.


> Sloth by Knight of Lycaeus (7 Deadly Sins Hopeful)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Knight of Lycaeus

One would be quick to paint Canterlot, capital of Equestria as perfection with its graceful tall white marble walls and towers trimmed and decorated in gold. But for Chrysalis the endless sea of white meant nothing. She let out a deep sigh, nearly a year ago shortly after the failed invasion she was captured. Chrysalis bound as she was magically and physically still made her case to the Diarchy during her trial.

The verdict? Chrysalis and what remained of the Hive would be brought to Canterlot while a better solution would be devised. A year later had brought little fruit to the plan and despite her worries regarding the Hive she couldn't bring herself to care much more. The last year had been trying and very draining, the citizens had closed themselves from the Changelings they now harboured and from that even more Changelings had withered away. By now only about half to a third of the Hive still lived.

The main driving force against the Changelings had been the politicians from all parts of the realm. Their disgust for Changelings was especially strong among the Canterlot politicians who had witnessed the events, their hatred was akin to the unseen part of Canterlot, the darkness beneath the veneer of light. Canterlot was not just the lustrous city of white but there was more hidden away, carved deep into the mountain. The unseen Canterlot was where Luna had formed her own half of the government within the caverns where the darker realm was more suitable for the Lunar Ponies that served her for their greater sensitivities to light made the gleaming walls a hazard under the rays of the bright sun.

'Twilight Sparkle, when will I see you again?', the unicorn had been the true bright spot to her life, an oasis away from the raging desert of petty arguments and endless debates. Their first meeting after her capture had been difficult, the unicorn radiated anger and hatred in abundance but also reluctance and concern no doubt due to her learning of the dire situation. Despite the dark feelings that were mutual between them, Chrysalis also held a grudgingly given respect. She was no mere drone or worker, she was their Queen and skilled in infiltration yet one pony had pierced and seen through her disguised form and upset her entire plans. One error and everything that the Hive worked for, everything which had hinged on its success went to pieces.

Over time the unicorn became friendly, more open. In what was also a surprise to herself, Chrysalis also began seeing the unicorn less as a respected enemy but more as a friend. 

Chrysalis looked away from the window and sighed again, 'I believe Twilight said in her last visit she was deep in some studies. It will be some time before I see her again. Is there any reason to hope any more? Will the Hive live again? There is little reason to hope that this new suggestion would work, perhaps this truly is the end of the Hive, the end of the Changelings....'.

Chrysalis left the window and settled herself on the floor and lowered her head, by this point survival for the Changelings seemed hopeless and for her it was becoming too much. Perhaps it was better that the Changelings fade away, fade to legends among ponies. Why should she care anymore when the world despised them and when both their efforts at conquest and at peace had failed.

Her door opened and in the doorway she could see the figure of an alicorn with their wings outstretched. What was curious was that the alicorn was noticeably shorter than either of the Diarchs.

"Chrysalis?"

'Who would even come here? The Diarchs certainly have no time.... The only one would b....'. 

Chrysalis raised her head, the voice had sounded familiar yet something was different. She looked as the alicorn walked in....

"Twilight Sparkle?", confusion evident in her tone. Her friend was a unicorn not an alicorn!

"It's me Chrysalis. I, uh, guess somethings have changed recently." Twilight answered.

"What?" Chrysalis was stunned, 'How? What does this mean now?'.

"There's a story behind this." Twilight said sounding a bit nervous. Twilight walked up to the Changeling Queen slumped on the floor. "However that could wait." Twilight began in a clearer tone, "With some recent changes I'm now a Princess of Equestria. As my first act I invite you and the Hive to build a home just outside of Ponyville. I know there will be some difficulties but hopefully it will be a chance at a fresh start."

Chrysalis was truly stunned, a year of futile efforts and now here was an offer to start anew. The road ahead would be rough but if it meant being close by her friend perhaps it would be worth it in the end.




> Pride by bobbananaville (7 Deadly Sins Sweet)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By bobbananaville


“Diamond Dogs,” the dirty gray unicorn began, “Don’t have the best reputation in Equestria. Tales of their misdeeds - theft, forced labor, violence - are not particularly uncommon, and in fiction they’re name is almost-”

“Oh, you used the wrong ‘their’,” said a much taller, lavender alicorn. “With an apostrophe, the word contracts ‘they are’, but you’re looking for a possessive.”

“Mom, I know how to spell,” Amorelis replied, “But this is meant to be oral. Spelling doesn’t matter right now, since nopony’s going to read it anyways. Please just stick to critiquing my speech’s content.”

“Haven’t you kept Twilight occupied long enough, Amore?” The halfling almost jumped at the voice; Chrysalis, queen of changelings, opened their door and smiled at the two. “It’s been four hours; whatever have you been doing?”

“Just having my mom critique my work. You know, spot any logical fallacies, inconsistencies, or factual falsities. We’ve sort of only just started.”

“Only? But you’ve been here for so long! What could you have been doing this entire time?”

Twilight decided to reply herself; “Amore here had to rewrite much of the original script after spilling coffee on it; I stayed to help her out, salvage what I could, you know.”

“What’s the speech about?”

“Diamond dogs,” Amorelis replied curtly, glaring at her changeling parent. I’m trying to convince nobles to pass a law allowing them the rights of a normal citizen in Equestria - help cut down on unjustified discrimination, you know?”

There was an awkward silence. “Are you still-”

“Yes, mom. I’m still angry that you scared off my stallion friend.” The unicorn stood up and walked out of the room, levitating her speech alongside her. “I’ll read it to you when I’m in a more suitable mindset, Twimom,” she said without looking back.

“Alright.” The door closed, leaving Chrysalis and her wife alone in the royal bedroom.
Chrysalis sighed.

“Hey, come on Chryssi,” Twilight Sparkle smiled. “She’ll get over it - she did it last time. She knows you’re looking out for her.”

“Oh, it’s not that,” Chrysalis said. “It’s just that… Well, it was only eight years ago that Amorelis was scrawling offensive graffiti all over walls and wearing blood-red clothing. And now she’s a politician - and an influential one, too! To think, Amorelis of all ponies is advocating inter-species cooperation and is succeeding!” The changeling queen smiled a beatific smile at her wife. “I’m just… Even when we’re on bad terms, I can’t help but feel so proud of her. Don’t you think so?”

Twilight Sparkle smiled back. “Yes, I do.”

Chrysalis closed her eyes. “I didn’t even consider peace before declaring war. You may be the princess of friendship, but you’ve never been that good at diplomacy. It’s just amazing, how our daughter could surpass us both, how she could bring peace to the land where we couldn’t.”

An angry, muffled yell came from one of the lower floors - Amorelis. Twilight chuckled. “I don’t think you could tell by living with her.”

“My point still stands.”


> Greed by Magicman7997 (7 Deadly Sins Dark)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By: Magicman7997


This is just wonderful. A perfect way to end an ever so perfect day. Luna and Celestia cocooned and in the process of becoming my newest workers. That insipid Cadance at my hooves shining them just perfectly. A ling could get used to this. Of course, as Queen, I should have no less. Still, something is missing. Can't quite put my hoof on it, but I'm certain I could use a little more in this castle of mine.

Hmm, all of the riches of the Equestrian treasury, check. Complete control of the Crystal Empire, check. Complete control of the Equestrian nation, check. Destruction and subjugation of Griffonia, check. What could it be? I need more.

“YOU THERE, DRONE! COME TO YOUR QUEEN!” So hard to find good help these days. Don't think I've ever seen a ling scramble so fast in it's life. It'd be cute, if the drone was cute, even by changeling standards.

“Yes your highness,” he sheepishly responded. His muzzle kissed the floor like a good subject's should. I looked down at him from the (former) solar throne. His wings were abuzz in a mixture of fear and anticipation. He certainly was eager to please. Wonder what other use he might have.

“Have the invasion hordes returned from their last assignment? Has my empire grown any in the last 24 hours?”

“They have your highness. Shall I send for it's commander to debrief you on the mission?” I gave him a simple nod of affirmation, to which he quickly rose and rushed from the throne room. I looked down at the worker Cadance who, for some forsaken reason, had stopped her polishing. Time to remind her of her place…

“Did you hear me tell you to stop worker?” I brought her face to mine and I charged my horn with a simple compulsion spell. “You do want to keep your queen happy don't you?”

“Oh yes my dear queen. Please forgive a lowly pony like me. I am unworthy of your attention. Please my queen, feast on my love. Let me feed you with my very essence.”

Ah, much better. You know, for a pony who's special talent was love, Cadance's isn't very fulfilling. Oh well, nourishment desires aside, I drink from her until I feel myself satiated. It was then that my most trusted general, a worker by the name of Kerrigan, entered my throne room. With a graceful bow, that betrayed just how deadly she was, Kerri stopped at the foot of the dais and spoke.

“Hail Chrysalis, Queen Mother of the Hive. I come bearing good news. The last pony settlements have fallen to our hordes. We have captured another 200 ponies who I'm sure will serve the hive well. And, I have a surprise for you your highness. The one piece of your royal set that you've been missing...”

A predatory smile graced her lips as she rose to her feet. Quickly, Kerrigan walked out of the room, only to return with a hooded pony bound in irons. Her purple coat matted and filthy from her time on the run. Iron bands cutting into her wings holding them securely to her barrel. Through the top of her hood, I could see a slender horn clasped in a silver magical suppression cone. She was broken, beaten, but most of all, she was MINE!

“Ah, the Princess Twilight Sparkle! So wonderful you could join us!” I crossed down the stairs of my throne and stood before the lavender alicorn. “Now, now, there's no reason to be shy. Show us that pretty face,” I said as I slowly pulled the hood off of her face. Even in her pitiful state, her beauty still shone through. Of all the princesses, she was the only one I was interested in really keeping around. Sure, Celestia and Luna were going to be nothing more than glorified time keepers in their new worker roles. And Cadance was the perfect handmaiden. But Twilight, oh stars Twilight! I want so much more with her.

That's it! That's what I've been missing! A devilish smile crossed my face as I looked at the cowering alicorn. I could already feel the magic charging in my horn. Her love was going to be oh so sweet, and oh so fulfilling.

“Stay away from me! I'm warning you, I'll find a way to stop you Chrysalis.” Her bravery makes her even sexier. “I..I...I don't know how, but I'll find a way!”

“My dear Twilight, why would you want to do that. All I want to do is make you comfortable and give you a life of luxury. To make you my worker/consort. To take you into my personal chambers and to feast off your love until I burst!”

“What makes you think I'll let you even get near me?”

“Because,” I said with the prettiest smile I could, “I'm a greedy little queen who ALWAYS gets what she wants...”

And before the last princess of Equestria could react, I was building her a spacious cocoon of her own.


> Yummy by Lyra_lover777(adorable)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Lyra_lover777

Twilight was kneeling in her bed, groaning and moaning loudly as she slurped and licked the sweet substance almost euphorically,

Twilight let out a loud moan as she slurped up the last bit, licking the remains of the substance from her lips, smiling endlessly as she rolled onto her back.

Twilight got onto her belly as she stared at the Pony Tracks milkshake she had just finished. She condensed the last drops of the drink in a tight, small bubble and placed it on her tongue, the ball of cream exploding across the valley of her taste buds.

Twilight sighed as she leaned back into a sea of pillows, melting away. She hummed a tune as her bedroom door opened.

Chrysalis stepped in, a sexy smile on her face, She looked down at the milkshake glass on the bed, along with another dozen scattered across the floor.

Chrysalis jumped onto the bed, making Twilight bounce into the air. When she landed, Chrysalis had her legs spread, on her back.

"Wanna taste something sweeter?" asked Chrysalis seductively.

"Sure," said Twilight, bouncing around on the bed.

Chrysalis used her magic to summon another milkshake, this one rainbow colored.

"Behold the Rainbow Yumminator!" said Chrysalis in a male announcer voice.

Twilight was salivating as she stared, almost in a trance, as she slowly grabbed the milkshake in her forehooves, gently rocking it as she stared at it for several seconds.

She then shoved her muzzle into the cup, chugging it all in a record time.

She pulled her snout from the cup with a loud "Shnap!"  She licked her lips and rolled into Chrysalis's embrace.

"I have a new favorite thing." said Twilight.

"Me?" asked Chrysalis, smiling at her lover's thoughtfulness.

"No, Rainbow Yumminator milkshakes!"


> Slime by ShinyMoon (random)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By ShinyMoon

“Had I known that this stuff was so hard to remove, I would’ve found some other alternative a millennia ago,” said a frustrated Chrysalis as she sat in her own version of the royal baths. 

Infront of her, with her back turned to Chrysalis, was a disgruntled Twilight Sparkle. Chrysalis was currently using her magic to remove bits of slime left behind from her failed...experiment.

“Gee, who’da thunk,” Twilight said sarcastically, still miffed about their current situation. “I mean come on, of all the viscous substances you could’ve chosen, you chose slime?!” she said with a tone of exasperation.

“Ok, ok, I know that it wasn’t of one of my best ideas.” Chrysalis said hoping to placate her marefriend’s semi-hostile behaviour.

“One of your best ideas!?” exclaimed Twilight,”I can give you a list of your oh so brilliant ideas. Remember the time you made us run through a field of poison prickle? Or the time you made me look for that hideous timber wolf statue you’re so fond of? Only for me to pick up an actual timber wolf pup?” Twilight said as she gave Chrysalis a record of some of her so called ideas. The timber wolf mother wasn’t very please with her pup being taken.

“How was I suppose to know it was poison prickle, it looked exactly like purple fluff,” whined Chrysalis as Twilight recounted her mishaps. “Besides, I can’t really be blamed for that timber wolf one can I? I mean, how could you mistake a pup for a statue?!”

“Maybe because purple fluff would have been fluffy?! And that pup was as still as the statue.” exclaimed Twilight, folding her hooves across her chest.

Finding no suitable way to answer, silence was the only response.

“So...are we going to have any more experiments?” asked a hopeful Chrysalis breaking the silence.

A loud smack echoed throughout the bath.


> Causality by Europa (romance)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Europa

The relationship between two events, where one is understood to be the physical consequence of the other. Hence, cause and effect. The cause will always precede the event, and the event will always follow the cause. The fact that an effect can become the cause for another effect is what drives the universe into motion, what keeps the stars burning and the mosquitoes buzzing.

Cause: Twilight Sparkle had gone on another study binge.

Effect: Twilight Sparkle was passed out on her bed. She was on her side and her wings were limply splayed out.

That effect in turn became another cause.

Cause: Twilight Sparkle - not Princess Twilight, not here - was passed out on her bed.

Effect: Chrysalis was going to get her.

Wiggling her flank behind her, Queen Chrysalis lowered her body and tensed her legs. Three two one…

Jump!

With her imitation earth pony magic, and the tremendous amounts of love coursing through her vein, her horn nearly went through the ceiling. Luckily it didn't, and she arced down onto her love with a fanged smirk. Twilight's high-pitched "WHABUHUWHA?!" was music to her ears. As the alicorn's head shot up and her horn lit up, Chrysalis's hoof pushed her back down and she spat a small glob of her slime onto her horn, extinguishing the magic before it could properly form.

"Well hello to you too, Twily," she intoned menacingly, looking down at her purple workerfriend.

She blinked repeatedly. "Wha... what time is it?" she slurred.

"Two in the afternoon," she replied. "Spike and I had time to play an entire game of Risk."

Twilight blushed. "That long, huh?"

She nodded. "Indeed. You know, I had half a mind to wake you up by shouting that Celestia has a test for you," she said, watching the soft, squishy pony beneath her shiver in terror. "but, I think this is much better, isn't it?"

Without giving Twily a moment to respond, she lowered her head and pressed their lips together. She snaked out her long, forked tongue into Twilight's mouth and roamed around, enjoying the way she could make the pony moan and squirm. She came up after about a minute, watching the flustered blush on Twilight's face.

Cause: She'd just made out with her workerfriend.

Effect: Chrysalis was getting lunch.


> Reverence by bobbananaville (serious/loving)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By bobbananaville

“Did you know that ponies have are naturally compelled to revere alicorns?” I look up at Twilight Sparkle - my sweetheart, and the mare who’d decided to spend the past five minutes ranting. 

“It’s almost completely divorced from cultural biases and other attributes; without actively trying to do otherwise, most ponies immediately attribute godlihood to alicorns regardless of the circumstances or a pony’s personality. It’s why practically nopony thought to protest my ascension, even though I have no political experience and specialize almost solely in magic and friendship.”

“Interesting as this may be, Twilight,” I drawl - and then stop, because she’s giving me that look. The one that says ‘stop drawling because as much as I love you, that drawl isn’t any less annoying.’ I cough. “Well, as I was saying, while you may be completely right about everything you’ve said, I fail to see how this is relevant to our bedroom activities.”

“Right,” Twi says, blushing slightly (the lavender mare is still shy in bed, even after a month).

 “Well, Rainbow Dash is fine with me, and Pinkie’s never really bothered being reverent to anypony, but other than that nopony but the other princesses really treat me as equals - not even you. It’s always just bows and -”

“I revere you?” I ask, startled. I love Twilight - I really do, no matter Luna’s suspicions - but ‘reverence’ seems much too strong and submissive a word.

“Don’t you? I love you, and I’ve no doubt that you love me, but outside of the bedroom you’re always searching me for approval. You constantly ask me for advice, and that’s fine; you’re new to Equestria, and you need a third party to help you understand what’s acceptable and what isn’t. But every time you take my advice, it feels like you’re changing yourself to accommodate it. You’re changing aspects of yourself - not just your actions, but your beliefs - such that it fits my - well, my vision, I suppose - of goodness. Isn’t that reverence?”

“I just… I just want a break from that. A break from carrying the title of ‘moral paragon’ when I never earned it. A break from being a princess. I just want some normal time with ponies - some time just being Rarity’s good friend, or maybe some time just browsing a bookstore and making smalltalk without my words being treated as gospel.” She looks me in the eye. “I just want some time with you. Not lovemaking; as fun as it is, it doesn’t give me a chance to appreciate you for you. Just... Just some time truly together, with no reverence or anything like that. Can we do that?”

I spend some time staring back at her. It’s a bit like a staring contest (I always win those), in that she’s trying to compel me to break the silence and I’m trying not to - or at least, trying to think of the right words with which I could break it.
I consciously notice that I’m trying to figure out exactly what words she wouldn’t disapprove of.

“I don’t know if I can promise that, Twi,” I begin. “I don’t know if I can keep myself from being like that; it’s not something I can just change about myself - I respect you too much.”

“But I do know that no matter what, I’ll love you. I’ll always care about you, and I’ll try my best to make you happy. I don’t know if I can provide what you want, but I’ll do my best.”

Twilight smiled a small smile. “Thanks.”

There’s an awkward silence. I cough. “So, is there some sort of thing that we're supposed to do in this no-reverence, no-sex evening activity?”

Twilight seems just as lost as I am.


> Immigration by Lyra_lover777 (Sad!)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Chrysalis flew as fast as she could under the beating rays of the sun. Usually Chrysalis basked in the sun's warmth, but it was almost to hot for her. It was definitely the case for the purple alicorn flapping next to her.

Twilight had a Cool Air Spell full blast cast over her, gusts of cold, fresh air hitting her coat constantly. A whole bottle of sunscreen was applied to Twilight's muzzle. Chrysalis stuck her tongue out in disgust, remembering her first vacation with Twilight.

Chrysalis looked over her shoulder at the massive swarm of changelings, her hive. They were flapping slowly, the overly heated day weakening them all.
Chrysalis covered her mouth in shock with her hoof when she spotted a dark shape fall from the black mass of the hive.

Chrysalis swooped after her falling subject, tears in her eyes, leaving her lover behind. She knew this changeling's name. She knew all of their names.

Chrysalis wiped the tears from her eyes as she landed on sandy ground. The fallen changeling, named Swiper, was heaving, his eyes wide open. Suddenly he stopped moving, his eyes glazed over, staring at her.

Chrysalis wailed and clutched Swiper to her chest, heaving and sobbing, rocking him. He was a guard at the nineteenth sector, the nursery.

Chrysalis knew her whole swarms names, professions, interests, fears, anything and everything.

Twilight landed behind her grieving lover. She whispered, "We are all waiting for you. we are only a day away Chrysalis. One more day, and you won't be homeless. This migration will lead you to your new home. Equestria will open its doors for you immigrants and let you in. We have to keep moving so we don't lose any more changelings."

Chrysalis looked up at twilight. She realized she would have to leave Swiper behind. She started to cry. "But-but I don't wanna leave him!" she sobbed as she clutched the dead changeling to her chest, which was heaving from her sobs.

Twilight touched Chrysalis gently. Chrysalis turned, her eyes puffy as she ran into Twilight's forelegs, hugging her hard.

Twilight hugged back. When they split, Twilight suggested that they bury Swiper.

Chrysalis smiled sadly at her lover as Twilight dug a hole with her magic ten feet deep. It was then Chrysalis's turn to work.

Chrysalis hugged the dead Swiper to her chest once more, weeping, as she slowly set him down in the hole with her levitation magic.

She set him down and Twilight put the stone and dirt back on. Then Chrysalis summoned a tombstone made of black stone with Swiper's name carved across it.

The pair then hugged and took off, flying away, the hive in tow.

> Chivalry by Europa (funny!)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Twilight thought she was in for a quiet day, right up until Chrysalis slapped Blueblood across the muzzle.

"I challenge you to a duel!" Slap. "In the name of Twilight's honor."

Twilight's hoof didn't 'meet' her face so much as make sweet love to it. Why hadn't Chrysalis just let it go? It wasn't like Blueblood's backhoofed insults bothered her, since he was all bark and no bite when it came to politics. Now, she was pretty much forced to sit there on her throne, watching as Chrysalis and Blueblood walked to the opposite ends of the throne room.

Next to her, Rainbow snickered. "This should be good."

On one end was Prince Blueblood, descendant of Princess Platinum, who had practiced dueling magic ever since he was a colt to defend his honor - which, after all, wouldn't defend itself. He was practically undefeated, save for a few small slip ups that could be legitimately blamed on illness and injury. And he was awake and completely healthy.

Then again, he was dueling Queen Chrysalis, ruler of the Unified Changeling Swarm, she who had undercut all of Canterlot's security and attacked the seat of the sun and moon itself. The changeling who trained side by side with her Imperial Guard. The being who, with Twilight's love coursing through her veins, was the second most powerful person on the planet, surpassed only by Discord himself. It was going to be brutally one-sided.

"Alright," he said nervously. Blueblood was clearly nervous, but in the way of anticipating a good challenge that he was reasonably sure he could overcome. Meanwhile Chrysalis was frothing at the mouth and grinding her fangs, muttering under her breath, 'Call my Twily a peasant will you,' repeatedly.

The two of them reached their positions, and Twilight counted down. "Combatants, prepare your defensive spells." Blueblood layered himself with enchantments and a half-dome pointed in the changeling's direction. Chryssy meanwhile, to Twilight's surprise, simply simmered in anger, but summoned no spell. "Alright, you two know the rules. Three, two, one."

Twilight had expected a lot of things. What she hadn't expected was for Chrysalis to wrap herself in an inferno of green fires and launch herself forward with a deafening, animal scream. She came out of her inferno-dash just before the startled Blueblood and pointed her horn right at him. There was a pulse of pressure through the air and a blinding green light. Chrysalis's laser shot Blueblood - shields and all - back and into the castle wall, where more emerald energy flowed along the walls, into Blueblood, and then punched a hole outside. The unicorn fell into the streets and Chrysalis panted.

While everypony - Twilight included - tried to pick their jaws off the floor, Chryssy looked at her over her withers. "Did I win?"

> Lost by Knight of Lycaeus (Story)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

"Let's review each Princess and their Court, this information could be useful to arguing in your favour." Twilight said.

Twilight and Chrysalis were seated in the spacious library of the Crystal Oaks they had been reviewing the last two weeks and the growing number of possible opportunities for Changelings in pony society for the last hour. Now they were preparing for when the Princess of Equestria and the Crystal Empress would convene in two week's time.

Twilight pointed to a file labelled with a crescent moon, "Each file contains information for each member of the Courts, reading it over should help familiarize you with them. But I'll start with some quick overview beginning with Luna. The Lunar Court and Luna should be the easiest, that Court has probably the most diverse members in regards to species and occupation. As well Luna is one who tends to be direct, fitting as she was once the Bearer of Honesty, but she also looks well on being respectful not grovelling. Luna also certainly understands being granted a second chance."

"So the Lunar Court should be no trouble and Princess Luna herself prefers being direct and straightforward, a show of respect works best with her." Chrysalis said summing up Twilight's brief overview.

Twilight nodded and pointed towards a sun labelled file, "Celestia is very understanding and is willing to give amnesty if you can explain your case well, her Court may have some problems. Most of them were present in Canterlot during the failed invasion and were not happy at being injured or imprisoned, as well there are a few traditionalists which could likewise make it more difficult."

Chrysalis sighed, the Solar Court was the one she figured would be the most trouble and right now it seemed like they would, "Her Court will be difficult but Princess Celestia is more reasonable so long as the argument presented is well-balanced.", Chrysalis continuing her summarizations.

Twilight then pointed to heart marked file, "The Crystal Empire is young, recently returned from a thousand years disappearance. They're not fond of tyrants given their recent history but they shouldn't object much to your plea. Cadance wouldn't turn you away in spite of what she might feel for Changelings personally." Twilight sighed, "The biggest problem however is the Captain of the Crystal Guard, he's also the Emperor

"What problem does he have with Changeli...." Chrysalis paused as comprehension dawned, "It's Shining Armour, isn't it?"

Twilight gave a weary nod, "Shining Armour, Shiny. My loving, caring, wonderful brother....", Twilight sighed and slumped over, "my stubborn, thick-headed, overprotective brother.... He doesn't like Changelings, he doesn't like me being in danger, so naturally he despises this current situation of you and your Hive being in my custody. This is why he sent ten Crystal Guards over, he likely would have sent an entire battalion if Cadance hadn't convinced him otherwise." Twilight sighed again, "He's the biggest concern among those in the Crystal Court, he likely won't want to listen to your case and will likely be against it. Otherwise you should be fine."

Lastly Twilight pointed to a star marked file, "Lastly my Court, you've met them. Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and myself are on you side. Applejack still has doubts about you but present it right and she'll go with it."

Chrysalis sighed, "I still have two others to contend with."

"I was hoping to find Rainbow and get her to calm down but she's been surprisingly elusive. Spike downright ignores you, he's also been avoiding us mostly you though." Twilight rubbed her head feeling the building headache, "Unfortunately like my brother they're also stubborn."

Twilight rose planning to leave for some fresh air when Chrysalis stopped her, "I have one thing to ask."

Twilight sat back down and nodded.

"Why?" Chrysalis had been starting to warmup to staying here once she saw how the Hive had been doing but she was still weary of some its more bizarre residents. One thing still confused her and she needed answers, "Why would you help me? For the Collective, I was a problem and not worth dealing with and it was why I and the Hive were Outcasted. A lost cause was what every other Hive Royals called me, they felt my aggressive attitude was pointless and dangerous. I had lost, you had beat me in what Changelings are good at, disguise and infiltration; you held us in custody as refugees when you could have held us as your prisoners. You said to me I had been deemed a war criminal and yet you have helped me, why?"

Twilight just sat there, the question was not one she had expected Chrysalis to ask. She thought on the question before she came up with the answer, "One thing I have learned these past few years is the importance of forgiveness and second chances" Twilight said starting off slowly, "You know that my friends and I were the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. What few know was how we met. I've learned how important friendship is and it took five bizarre yet wonderful mares and a looming return of a powerful alicorn for me to learn that."

"I've heard the Bearers defeated Nightmare Moon, are you telling me it was through chance?" Chrysalis asked.

"In a way yes but also no, I think we were linked together long before we actually met. I used to be a social recluse and if it weren't for five insistent mares I would have likely failed. They stood by me as we faced threat after ancient threat, together we turn Discord back to stone, we reformed him, forgave him, we helped to defeat Sombra and you, together we return Tirek to his prison. They've stood by me through dangerous threats and the general mayhem of life in Ponyville. I've messed up, my friends have messed up, we all in the end forgave each other."

"Where is this going?" Chrysalis interrupted as she was not seeing the point of this.

"I've learned forgiveness is not earned but given, I have to admit not being fond of Changelings given what had happened but I've come to enjoy you and the Hive being around. There are ponies, I and others who are willing to give you a second chance. To give you and the Hive a fresh start. Celestia has been my teacher and mentor for almost two decades, she strives for the same thing and it is one of her lesser known achievements. Equestria is strong to defends its citizen but it is also safe, a sanctuary and there have been others in situations like your's that she has welcomed." Twilight stood up and walked over to Chrysalis looking her in the eyes, "I'm privy to more of Equestria's history than most and I know how.... bloody the early history was." Twilight sighed, "Celestia has worked to change perceptions, she does not want to be reminded of the bloody eras. Perhaps I am imitating her but I know how important forgiveness is. I'm helping you, Chrysalis, because everyone should get a second chance even if they don't always deserve one. Tirek and Sombra have been exceptions but neither was willing to ask and both were set in their desire for power and conquest."

Chrysalis sat silent, thinking of what Twilight just said. 'It does seem ponies are big on the whole forgiveness and second chance thing. Maybe things would work out in the end.'.

"If you have the chance, speak to Discord." Twilight added.

Chrysalis was about to ask why when a blur crashed though the window.

A rainbow maned mare slowly rose from the floor, "Sorry ab-" The new arrival locked eyes on Chrysalis, "You!", the mare than propelled herself forward using her wings.

> Insignificant by Fuzzyfurvert (Walking that line)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Fuzzyfurvert

“...pose an insignificant threat to Equestria.”

Queen Chrysalis hissed from her perch on her throne.  The Hive surrounded her, watching as she listened to a drone read off the by lines from a stolen newspaper.  She slumped where she sat, sinking into the molded chitin of generations of previous Queens.

“They think we Changelings are...’insignificant?’”  Chrysalis sighed and shook the mane web out of her eyes.  “Foolish foals...I’ll show them ‘insignificant!’”

The Queen hissed again and let her lazy slump and gravity pull her from the throne and pool her on the floor before she rose to her full height.  She stalked forward, her voice rising as she moved.  “We are Changelings.  We are the scourge of Equus.  We will not be stopped!  I WILL NOT BE DENIED MY VENGEANCE UPON THOSE EQUINES!”

Chrysalis paused as she grew even with the drone and looked down on it.  “Drone...tell me, just where did you learn to read ponyscript?”

The drone holding the newspaper blinked back up at her.  “Um...I learned it during the Canterlot invasion.”

“That generation of drones died more than a month ago.”

“Uh…”  The drone started to shake.  “I mimicked a really smart pony recently?”

Chrysalis leaned down, her voice dangerously soft.  “I issued strict instructions to halt all operations within Equestria.  Also months ago.”

The drone started to shake harder.  “Uh…”  The drone jabbed a hoof at a drone to Chrysalis’ right.  “Number 42 taught me!”

“42‽”  Chrysalis swung around to face the guilty drone, her fangs bare and her eyes flashed with rage.  “What have I told you‽”

“It wasn’t me!  She lies!”  42 held up his limbs in front of his face.  “I’ve learned my lesson and nothing else, my Queen!”

Queen Chrysalis roared and fell like an avalanche where the literate drone had been standing, only to find the spot empty.  No trace of the drone remained except for a faint hint of lavender and ozone.  She cast about but didn’t see any fleeing chagelings or anything else even remotely out of place.

“What are you all standing around for?  FIND THAT IMPOSTER!”

“How will we know if one of us isn’t one of us?”  42 pointed out.

“I don’t know...bite every changeling you see!  If they bleed blood, bring them back to me!”  Chrysalis growled and buzzed her wings angrily.  “I want the entire Hive searched.  Celestia thinks she can send an imposter here to insult me, does she?  Well we’ll see whos laughing when I send that pony back to her in a pod!”

Her drones and workers fled the throne chamber to do her bidding with a the haste of those that feared becoming food for the next generation.  She scowled at where the disguised drone had stood.  Such a lapse in security would need to be shored up immediately.

“My Queen!”

“What?  That was fast.”  Chrysalis looked up at the drone that ran into the chamber without a prisoner in its jaws.  “Wait, I told you all to bite each other until the imposter is found!”

“But my Queen,”  The lone drone skidded to a halt in front of her, “there is no one to bite me and prove my authenticity.  They ran off to quickly!”

“Uhhggg, sometimes a Queen must do things herself if she wants anything done at all.”  Chrysalis sighed and bid the drone to come closer.  “I will bite you.”

“Thank you, my Queen!”  The drone happily jumped up and came to stand before her and offered its sensitive juncture of shoulder and neck.

She struck quickly and ran her fangs into the tough chitin.  The drone tasted surprisingly sweet and its exoskeleton gave away easily to the soft, short fur underneath and the heady musk of a mare that’s been running.

“Ooohh yeah...now pull my mane…”

“Waif...chanf’ings don haf mmans.”  Chrysalis mumbled with her mouth full and running her long tongue over the little patch of skin she’d exposed.  Things clicked a second later and the Queen yanked herself back from the imposter.  “WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?”

The drone smirked at her and in a flash the disguise evaporated magically ro reveal none other than Celestia’s Chosen, Twilight Sparkle.  The pony advanced in time with the Queen’s retreat until Chrysalis found her back pressed again the foot of her throne.  Still, Twilight advanced until she stood over the stunned changeling.  Twilight leaned down and kissed Chrysalis softly on the lips.

Chrysalis gasped as she felt her serotonin sacks swell pleasantly.  “...what?”

“We’re not so different after all.”  Twilight Sparkle smiled and took a step back.  “See you soon, my Queen.”

In a flash of pony magic, the invader was gone, leaving Chrysalis to lay there dazed and confused.

“What?”

> Spider by Lyra_lover777 (humor)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 by lyra_lover777

Twilight and Chrysalis were trotting down the halls of the Canterlot Castle. They were headed to the gardens for a picnic date. The picnic basket was clenched between Twilight's jaws.

Twilight and Chrysalis stopped in their tracks when they heard loud shrieking coming from a room they were passing by.

The pair shared a scared stare before Twilight gave Chrysalis the picnic basket. She then proceeded to open the door slowly.

In the room Prince Blueblood was galloping around crazily, screaming like there was no tomorrow. Twilight stopped him, holding back laughter.

"W-what's wrong?" asked Twilight, her face contorted as she tried to hold back her laughter. She could hear Chrysalis giggling in glee outside the room.

"Sp-spider!" the greedy prince whimpered. He then pointed to a pile of dirty clothes.

Twilight rolled her eyes as she moved toward the pile. "There's no spider, see?"

Twilight moved the pile of clothes with her magic while Blueblood cowered in the corner, his bloodshot eyes open wide as he covered his face with his hooves.
Twilight screamed, backpedaling, as she saw what lurked underneath the pile of old clothes.

Underneath, a giant black spider with a teal star lay, clacking its legs together as it advanced on Twilight. She was to scared to summon magic to blast the spider to bits. All she could do was gallop over to Blueblood, who was shaking in the corner, and scream and cry with him as they clung to each other.

Then Chrysalis came in.

At the sight of Chrysalis, both ponies stopped crying. So they were surprised when Chrysalis leaned forward, enveloping the spider in a deep hug.
It turned out that spiders and changelings were closely related, and this spider was a close relative of Chrysalis.

"And that is how me and my Auntie Cocoon here were the first of the hive to reach the top of the hill."

Blueblood and Twilight clopped their hooves together, smiling.

It was then time for Auntie Cocoon to go. All three hugged the enormous spider. The spider then waved its leg at them before crawling away, out of Canterlot.

"Well, today was quite interesting..." remarked Twilight Sparkle.

> Pheromones by ShinyMoon (Romance)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by ShinyMoon

“Faster! Gotta go faster!!” was all that flew through Twilight’s mind as she sped through the Everfree Forest, dodging branches and bursting through bushes that blocked her path.

She needed to get as far away as possible if she had any hope of surviving. Her blood turned cold as she heard the voice of her pursuer hot on her tail.

“Oh Twily,” purred the voice of Queen Chrysalis,”why are you running? Don’t you want to have some fun with me?” Twilight could practically hear the lust in her voice.

“No. Not this time. Not again,” thought Twilight as she kicked in another gear, going faster than before. Her speed would make a WonderBolt feel a sense of shame at the momentum she was going.

Slowing down as she came to a stream, Twilight stopped to catch her breath. She looked back to see if Chrysalis was still behind her but saw no one. Thinking she had gotten away, she turned around only to come face to face with the chitinous muzzle of her pursuer.

“Boo.” Chrysalis said, revealing her fangs as she grinned, happy to have finally caught her prey.

“ACK!!! C-Chryssy, when d-did you get h-here?!” exclaimed Twilight, backing away swiftly on her haunches.

“Oh you know, the moment you stopped running,” Chrysalis walked foward each time Twilight backed away,”you would’ve probably escaped me if you had kept running. Probably.”

Twilight’s heart dropped as her back hit a boulder. She was now trapped with nowhere to go. She looked up at Chrysalis, her eyes were hazed over with lust and her fangs elongated further. Seeing that she could no longer escape her fate, Twilight lowered head. However, her eyes widened as she saw that Chrysalis had a space opened between her legs, a space big enough for Twilight to fit through.

“My goose isn't cooked yet,” Twilight said in her mind. As soon as she was about to execute her plan, she froze in her tracks. A strange musky scent filled her nostrils, freezing every limb on her body. Her wings were twitching wildly, the smell overpowering her senses.

“Oh no,” Twilight said out loud, to which Chrysalis chuckled.

“Oh yes, quite handy aren't they,” Chrysalis said as she approached her victim,”pheromones that is. Especially effective when it’s mating season for Changelings and guess what,” she lowered her head to whisper into Twilight’s ear,”it’s mating season.”

Meanwhile inside the royal dining hall, Luna spat out her tea, spraying it in Celestia’s face. Celestia was too shock to react as the liquid hit her as she too heard the noises her sister was hearing. Sometimes an alicorn’s enhanced senses weren't a good thing.
> Possessive by Europa (Romance Dark)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Another day in her gilded prison. At least she thought so, it was hard underground with no sun and moon to go by. According to her warden it'd been five years since she'd last seen the light of day. Five years since Tirek had won and Chrysalis brought her down here to live with the changelings. As far as hiding places went it wasn't bad, since Tirek was busy ruling Equestria with an iron fist and apparently didn't even know about the existence of changelings. She was in a prison, but it wasn't to keep her in but rather to keep the rest of the world out.

She turned over in the 'bed' she shared with Chryssy. It wasn't actually a bed so much as a web of finely woven green silk, which she nestled herself into. It was unbelievably soft and warm, better than even cloud beds. As she turned over she inadvertently pressed her muzzle into Chryssy's stomach; she was spooning her. She didn't want to leave, but as queen Chrysalis had royal duties, and as consort so did she.

Chrysalis seemed to realize it too, stirring. "Morning, Twily."

She nuzzled deeper into her lover and 'jailer'. "Morning."

After some more stretching, the two of them got out of their bed webbing and shared a nuzzle. It was very dark, and the only light was the gentle, permanent glow of the changeling's eyes. "Well," Chrysalis said. "What have we on the agenda today, Twily?"

"Well, after breakfast I think you've got a meeting with the Swarm Commander, and then you're going to the eastern nymph school."

She nodded. "Breakfast it is then. Let's not keep the others waiting." After a brief kiss, the two of them left their room and trotted through the chambers. The underground hive of the changelings, deep beneath the Badlands, was immensely labyrinthine. It had to be, in order to hold a population of one million changelings. However, after living in the magically-ventilated hive for half a decade Twilight knew them like the back of her hooves, and her eyes had long ago adjusted to the darkness. It didn't take long at all for her and Chryssy to make their way to the dining hall, which had been set up solely for herself and the other princesses.

They were the first ones there in the squat, oval chamber. In its middle, the dark red stone of the Badlands had been carved into a table and covered in silk tapestries. They each took a seat next to each other, and Twilight found that a changeling servant had already brought her food on a stone plate. Cut off from the surface world as they were, the only thing Twilight had eaten in the past five years was the green slime changelings used to make their cocoons. It was very nutritious, it had to be in order to keep ponies inside cocoons from wasting away.

She couldn't help but smile at the way she'd been revolted by it in the past. She dug in, but...

... she tried to use her magic to lift it closer to her mouth. When nothing happened, she was reminded painfully of the gaping wound in her soul where four alicorns worth of magic had been torn out of her and not even her own returned. Chrysalis seemed to notice her internal pain and moved over to her, hugging Twilight tightly. "It's alright, Twily, it's alright." Chrysalis brought some of the slime to her and she took a bite.

Even with the sweet-and-sour taste making her taste buds dance, Twilight shivered. In her mind she could see her friends, staring in dismay as the Elements of Harmony were simply shrugged off by the monstrous centaur. Pinkie, Rainbow, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack, battered and dying while the Rainbow Power seeped out of their bodies and she hid behind a tree...

"They're here, Twilight."

She pulled herself out of her memories to look at one of the other tunnels. In walked the dull-eyed forms of Celestia, Luna, and Cadance, all bereft of their royal trappings. Changelings emerged out of side tunnels and delivered plates of slime for them as well, which the three looked at uneasily. Twilight could hardly blame them; it'd only been a few weeks since they'd freed them from Tartarus and tricked Tirek into thinking them dead. It was the first time Twilight had seen them since, since they'd been in private recuperating from their stay in Tartarus.

"Twilight," Cadance said. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she whimpered, still in Chryssy's grasp. "Just having some flashbacks."

"You know," Chrysalis said behind her. "my offer for hypnosis therapy still stands."

Twilight nodded. "I might have to take you up on that," she whispered. She blushed when Chrysalis nuzzled into the top of her head, and directed her attention to the former princesses across from her. "How are you three adapting?"

"It certainly is superior to Tartarus," Luna said. "Though the slime..."

"It grows on you," Twilight said. The way she saw it, it made sense. The changelings fed off her Rainbow-empowered love, so that just herself alone was enough for all of them, and in return she fed off something they made. "It doesn't really taste that bad."

Chrysalis licked the top of her head. "I'm flattered you think so, Twily. Anyway, dig in everyling. Err, everypony."

Twilight eagerly ate the slime, but the others ate it hesitantly, slowly. Eventually, Celestia looked up. "Queen Chrysalis," she said tiredly. In fact, both Celestia and Luna had looked so frail ever since they'd given Twilight their powers. Twilight could only imagine how it must've felt to have the greatest earth pony magic in the world for thousands of years, strengthening every step, and then suddenly having none of it. "may I ask what you plan to do regarding Tirek?"

"Nothing," she said simply. "We're going to hide here as long as possible. If an opportunity - and I mean a real opportunity - presents itself to dispose of him we will, but until then we're just going to wait. We're all immortal here," Was she? Even without her magic, were they immortal? Twilight decided to trust her workerfriend on that point. "we can simply be patient." She nuzzled Twilight again. "Even with Twily's love, I would not stand a hate's chance with love against Tirek."

The changeling queen unwound from around Twilight and moved to the side, grinning wickedly in that sexy way Twilight had learned to love over five years. "No king rules forever, and that goes for Tirek as well. One day, he'll grow complacent. One day, he'll grow a chink in his armor. One day, he will have his back turned... and then we will strike." She looked at the three recently-liberated alicorns. "I swear to you this: one way or another, I will reinstate you three as the rulers of Equestria. It may not be tomorrow, or next year, or even for three millennia, but I swear on the name of Queen Tenodera the Unifier that it will happen."

"Three?" Cadance asked, tilting her head to the side. "What about Twilight?"

Chryssy blushed bright green and looked away bashfully. Twilight saw Luna take a bite of her slime, make a face, and swallow it. "Twilight's... grown on me. She's also grown to have a place within my kingdom." She turned to Twilight. "Twily, I want you to stay here, with me, once we eventually overthrow Tirek. I've grown rather attached to you."

Twilight finished up her slime. "I'd love to, Chryssy."

"Good." She leaned in close and gave her a sultry look. "Because you're mine, Sparky. All mine." She leaned in and gave her a kiss. Twilight, used to the actions by now, opened her mouth and let the changeling's long, serpentine tongue into her mouth, the incredibly sensitive muscles sending bolts of electricity up her spine.

Cadance squeed in delight.

> Banished by MagicMan7997(Series)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Magicman7997

“On the count of high treason against her royal highness Queen Chrysalis, how do you plead?”

“Unrepentant.”

“On the count of dereliction of duty, how do you plead?”

“Unrepentant.”

“On the count of destruction and murder of over 200 of your fellow hive members, how do you plead?”

“Unrepentant.”

“Then we, the council of 7 elders of the Black Swarm, judge you, General Kerrigan, Blade of the Swarm, to be guilty without remorse. Your punishment shall be death in the acid pits. Your sentence to be carried out immediately.”

Quickly, two of the largest of the Royal Guard drones swooped down upon the former military leader. Pressing her muzzle to the hardened floor of the council's chambers, they quickly bound their former colleague in their own sticky mucus. She was drug from the chamber in order to meet her fate when a voice echoed suddenly from every corner of the room.

“WAIT,” a huffing Twilight Sparkle exclaimed as she came charging into the room.

“Zug'marshalproteca. We are honored to have your presence,” said the lead elder of the council. “However, we have reached a decision. Justice must be served.”

“I offer an alternative,” Twilight said as she straightened out her coat. “The good general may have caused severe damage to the hive and to pony/changeling relations, but I firmly believe she was behaving this way out of fear. A fear that the advances I have brought to the collective will fail and once again that you and your kind will be forced to scavenge for food. You cannot, in good conscious, punish her for that.”

“What do you offer, your highness?”

“Banishment, to the frozen lands beyond the Crystal Empire. But, banishment with a purpose. True, she would be on her own, but send her there to reconnaissance for the Crystal Monarchy. If she truly can be reformed, let her earn it by helping Shiny and Princess Cadance.”

The elder seemed to contemplate this offer. Without words, the other elders chimed in with their feelings on the matter by way of subtle clicks and the buzzing of their wings. “If this was to be your punishment, would you obey it to the letter under penalty of death?”

Growling to herself, Kerrigan refused to make eye contact with the elder, a clear sign of disrespect. Instead, she focused her icy gaze on Twilight. Twilight bucking Sparkle. The bane of her existence. The reason her beloved queen had gone from ruthless ruler, to a marehood whipped foal. If anything, the banishment would give her time to plot her revenge. Even if she had to nearly freeze her mucus sac off to do it. Plus, the chance to screw with two ponies oh so very close to that damned alicorn was just to good to pass up. “I will. If the council deems this as my punishment, then I shall take my exile.”

“Very well, Kerrigan, Blade of the Swarm. You are hereby banished to the Frozen Wasteland. You will be responsible for finding your own shelter upon your arrival. You will make contact with the Crystal monarchy within one week of your arrival. The monarchs will be made aware of your arrival and will also be made aware of your punishment. So is the will of this council. Guards, remove her.”

The guards once again made to remove Kerrigan from the chambers. As they led her away, she stopped and looked at Twilight. “I'll see you again, sooner than you realize.”

The statement sent a shudder down Twilight's spine. “What the hay was that all about?”

Upon returning to her and Chryssy's chambers, she was immediately besieged by two bouncing balls of pony foal.  “MOMMA! MOMMA! We missed you so,” said Rainbow as she quickly jumped onto Twilight's back. Pinkie soon joined in the pony pile and was instantly met with a raspberry to the stomach. “TeeHEEHEEHEE! That tickles Momma!”

“How'd it go my love,” said a clearly concerned Chrysalis. She gently cradled a nursing AppleJack in her hooves as she spoke. “Were you able to spare her?”

“I was, but, I'll be honest Chryssy, I still don't understand why you had me do it. She betrayed you. Attacked an entire pony village against orders, and then killed her entire unit. Why in the name of Celestia would you want her to continue to draw breath?”

“It's...complicated. I love all my children. But with Kerrigan it's...different.”

“How so,” asked a clearly curious Twilight. She noticed that the hive queen seemed quite uncomfortable trying to explain it. Twilight warred in her mind as to whether her marefriend's privacy was worth more than the headache her insatiable curiosity would cause her. Eventually, curiosity won out. “Please Chryssy, I want to know. If it's a part of you, I would want to know. Remember, no secrets between us...”

Sighing, Chrysalis resigned herself to tell the brief version of the story. “As you know, much like many other insectoid species, as queen, I lay eggs which turn into new workers and drones. Hence, why all of the collective are my children. But, once every 20 years or so, I am able if I choose, to take a mate into my bed. We lie together as lovers do and instead of a new egg sac, a single embryo is created. That embryo, nourished much like a foal in pregnancy, grows to term and is actually born rather than hatched. This worker, and it will always be a worker, is to be the next in line for the throne. You could say the Kerrigan, is really a princess. And she...,” the queen stopped as tears formed in the corners of her eyes and her voice caught in her throat.

“Is closer than just an egg that hatched from your spawning pools,” said Twilight. “She's..”

“My daughter.”


> Snap by Europa (Humor)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

She and Chrysalis were in a very... awkward position. She wasn't entirely sure how they'd gotten into that situation, but there they were. Up in the Everfree's canopy, where the leaves and branches were too thick to use their magic. The pack of mana-hunters had left them long ago, but they still didn't have enough magic to do anything more than make light.

Chryssy had found a thick 'mat' of branches and sat against a tree trunk, but Twilight's position was a little more uncomfortable. She was, by virtue of the stupidly thick trees around them, just as immobile as the changeling. She, however, was sprawled along Chrysalis's hind legs, stomach down, with her right wing pinned between her body and Chryssy's... lower abdomen.

"How did it come to this?" she muttered. She was getting a crick in her neck. It must've been an hour since they were chased up. A very, very long hour.

"Wish I could tell you, Twily," came Chrysalis's double-toned voice. "You know, I think..."

"Yes?"

Suddenly their weight shifted. The leaves around them rustled.

"... I think this next part is going to hurt."

Snap!

The branches beneath them gave way and they plummeted down, bouncing off of tree limbs and each other in a cacophony of 'Ow' 'Oof' 'Gah' and 'Ouch' until Twilight reached the bottom, the fall laying her prostrate.

"Ow," she groaned. And then...

Fwoom! Chrysalis fell on top of her.

"... ow," came her whimper.

> Fun by Meltian (*snort* to many)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Meltian

Chrysalis was singing.

To uninformed, and indeed, any outsiders to the hive this might not have been a strange occurrence, or any cause for alarm; to the changelings of the hive though, a singing Chrysalis was a dangerous Chrysalis.  A singing Chrysalis meant a happy Chrysalis and that usually meant that something was going absolutely, terribly right for the Changeling Queen for it to bring her to a state of ecstasy usually reserved for gloating over the beaten, broken bodies of her enemies.

As such, the changelings of the hive; the drones and the wet-nurses, to the soldiers, and even all the way up to the Matriarchs -The oldest of changelings whom grew into their own unique roles to serve under the Queen as her counsel- knew that to disturb and to question her uplifted mood meant punishment most severe.  So it was that Chrysalis found herself quite undisturbed as she waltzed down the halls of the hive, the click-clack of her hooves echoing as she trod the surprisingly smooth, obsidian surface, flanked by two of her best guards.

Chrysalis continued her song, letting the melody guide her actions as she continued her path deeper into the hive through seemingly endless twists and turns that any unfamiliar with her abode could never hope to decipher, and for good reason.  Changeling hives truly were a thing of beauty; they practically defended themselves.
“My Queen, we’ve arrived.”

Chrysalis was broken out of her reverie by the sudden declaration, pausing to take note of the seemingly nondescript door set slightly into the wall, its surface absent of knob or handle, or even any feature indicating its ability to be opened at all.  Indeed they were, it seemed.

She cleared her throat, giving a curt nod after a moment, head held high and eyes closed, a dangerous smile upon her lips.  Her horn alight in its soft green glow, she craned it forward, giving the lightest of taps to the smooth surface, causing it to slowly come to life.  The door gave a small shake before sliding smoothly to the side, allowing Chrysalis entry.

She gave no command as she strutted inside, breaking her spell’s connection to the door in the process and letting it fall back into its groove.  They were her personal guards, after all.  They needed no instruction.  The Hive mind would see to that.

Let it never be said that Chrysalis ever doubted the resourcefulness and ability of the changelings of her hive.  After all, even she had to admit that a Queen was only as great as the sum of her changelings, but this… she had to stifle a small chuckle as she observed the struggling form of Twilight Sparkle before her. She had to admit, Twilight had done well to dodge capture until now; it was to be expected from her precious Twily, but ultimately, the Queen had prevailed, and here she was.  The Princess of Friendship’s obscenity filled rant about just what she would do to her captors upon her escape would surely be enough to make even that accursed Sun Princess blush, surely.

Chrysalis wondered if a horn could even be used that way.

“Now, Now.  What would your pony friends say if they heard such foul, foul language hmm? My dear Twily?”

“Chrysalis?  Chryssie, what is this!?  Get this sack off my head and untie me right now!”

Chrysalis let out her previously stifled chuckle as she observed her helpless prey, hogtied and deprived of her vision as she was.  It was amusing really, how unbelievably simple it was to inhibit even the most powerful of magic, if only for a short time. All one needed was the proper grade of inhibitor ring; scrounging up such a ring was nothing for one with her vast resources.

“Ohoho, I’m afraid that’s just not how it works, my dear, sweet Twilight Sparkle.  The rules clearly state that I, and I alone am in control of the situation here; Did you forget?”

Chrysalis smiled in smug satisfaction as she waited for Twilight’s response.  A tick.  Two ticks.  Any second now…

“Chryssie?... What are you talking about?”

Her eyes blinked open as she looked upon the captured Princess once again, frowning.  She lit her horn, undoing the knot on the cloth sack and flinging it aside so as to talk to Twilight face to face.  “What do you mean what am I talking about?  It’s obvious, isn’t it?  It’s the rule, Twilight Sparkle! The most important rule!”
The look of confusion from Twilight was enough to give her pause.  Surely she-… no, she had to know… Chrysalis would look like a total fool if Twilight didn’t know.

Twilight sighed.  “No, Chryssie.  No, I don’t know.  What I DO know is that I was winding down, treating myself to a nice night of stress-free study after a day of dealing with stuffy bureaucrats, snot-nosed Nobles, and entirely too much dry paperwork, even for my tastes.”  She fixed Chrysalis a disappointed glare as she continued.  “Next thing I know, my magic is suppressed, I’m bound and blindfolded, and then I’m dragged to Celestia only knows where.  That’s what I know.” She fixed another glare toward her possibly Ex-workerfriend, clearly awaiting sufficient explanation.  

Chrysalis blushed, suddenly feeling much more miniscule than the proud Queen she really was.  She scuffed her hoof against the ground, silently willing herself to explain. 

“…Spy and Abduct.”

Twilight blinked in surprise, her eyebrows arching.  “Excuse me?”

“Spy and Abduct,” She repeated, standing a bit taller now, making eye contact with the Princess.  “It’s a game involving heavy stealth and espionage to successfully trick one’s quarry in order to abduct and lead them to the home base of the abductor’s choosing, where the victor is then entitled to whatever they so wish from the loser.”  She slumped after her explanation, deflating ever so slightly.  

"Changelings normally use it to teach the basic concepts vital to serving the hive, but I have had scouts in the past report that ponies enjoy such a game as well.  I had thought it would be a… fun, experience for us to share.

Twilight groaned, letting her head fall to the smooth, stone floor as she fixed Chrysalis with another stare.  “Chrysalis… That’s hide and seek.  Ponies play Hide and Seek.  A bunch of ponies hide, and one pony tries to find the rest.  I suppose in a purely academic sense they share similar concepts, but ultimately, those are two very, very different games.”

A blush of embarrassment hinted at Chrysalis’ ebony cheeks as she muttered a quiet “Oh.”

An Awkward silence filled the room for a time as Twilight focused her attention at a suddenly very interesting smudge on the wall.  It made sense, really, now that she thought about it.  It was likely that no changeling would have made such a basic mistake, but she doubted that until recently, Chrysalis revealed herself outside of her hive only when it had been an absolute necessity.

Still, it wasn’t as if this situation couldn’t be salvaged, with the right words…

“So…” She trailed off as the heat slowly but surely started to gather in her cheeks.  She snuck a glance over at Chrysalis, suddenly very aware of her position on the floor; hooves tied tight and tail slack, her body was practically on display.

Chrysalis nodded in response. “So…”

“You can ask for anything, huh?” Twilight craned her neck back around to face Chrysalis, a small, tentatively playful smile tugging at her lips, holding no small amount of embarrassment.  It was a simple question, but one that spoke volumes of its intent.

At this, the haze of awkwardness that had pressed down on the atmosphere of the room seemed to suddenly lift, taking with it the uncomfortable weight that had settled down upon the two awkward lovers.  Chrysalis’ gaze turned predatory, giving Twilight a playful smirk as she sauntered over to the captured Princess, her hips swaying all the while.

“Indeed I can, dear Twilight.  Now, let’s have some… fun, shall we?”

> Tongue by Europa (Fluff)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Chrysalis was licking her ear.

Chrysalis was licking her ear!

That thought, combined with the tickling and wet sensation of the changeling's long tongue seriously why the buck are their tongues so long tracing circles on the inside of her ear, woke her up from her nap with a start.

"GYAAH!" she shouted, sitting straight up... and hitting her head in Chyrssy's armored exoskeleton. With the power of her love behind Chryssy's chitin, nothing short of Tirek himself could mar that carapace, so Twilight's head meeting it had the expected result.

Twilight fell back down with a pained moan. Above her, Chrysalis gasped. "Twilight! Are you okay? Quick, what's the integral of secant x from pi to three pi halves?"

"Negative infinity," she murmured.

"Oh thank goodness, you're okay. What was that about?"

"You were... you were licking my ear!"

"Yes, you're very tasty."

"Why do you even have a tongue like that?!" Fangs, she could get. Used for 'mating rituals' and such. But a tongue?

"Ah!" Chrysalis said, hopping off her bed and grinning. "Do I detect Twilight Sparkle asking for a history lesson?"

Ignoring the painful pulse in her head and the coolness of the air in her wet ear, Twilight sat up. "Alright, please do." One interesting thing about the changelings was that their records of history went back incredibly far. Whereas every other nation's records had been obliterated by Discord's first rise to power, not even he had found the changelings and so their history went by unscathed. Apparently, before Discord reset everything, ponykind was very technologically advanced, with skyscrapers and an 'internet' and so many other things. History lessons with her workerfriend were always so enlightening.

"Alright," Chrysalis said. "So, you know how my kind didn't always resemble ponies so much, that's something that happened in the last dozen millennia or so in response to your exceptionally powerful love." She licked her lips. "So before that, we were much more insectoid than now. Our tongues resemble a moth's proboscis."

"Really?" she asked. "But don't you feed on love? What good would be a proboscis?"

She shrugged. "We didn't just feed on love back then, apparently. We hadn't perfected that process, so some nutrients we can get out of emotions now we couldn't back then. Noling really knows what kind of flower we used to supplement our diet, but whatever the case our tongues are the remnants of those days." She stuck out her tongue, showing off its full, impressive length. "That answer your question, Twily?"

"Mmhmm. Please don't lick my ear again, Chryssy." She crossed her hooves. "It's very ticklish and not comfortable."

"You got it, Twi." Chrysalis slithered closer and let her fangs gleam in the sunlight. "So, what's on the agenda today?"

"Well, we need to go and ACK!" The changeling had licked her wings.

> Wonderbolts by Foxler (sweetness)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Foxler

It was a curious position Chrysalis found herself in she thought. Here she was, in Cloudsdale, in the Cloudiseum, sitting on the royal observation Cloud, and. Buck me! There’s only so many times you can say cloud before…

*Ahem*

No. One insectoid-equine found herself in wholly unfamiliar territory. She, a former enemy of the state, was invited to an almost Pegasus-exclusive city, to sit in the royal box of the most prestigious aviation arena ever sculpted, by invitation of her marefriend, one of the rulers of the country, which the aforementioned city was a part of, to watch said lover take part in an aerial acrobatics show when the mare in question had not been known to Chrysalis to take part in much exercise that didn’t come under one of her many forms of research.

In laypony’s terms, Chrysalis was very, VERY uncomfortable.

Twilight was very, VERY uncomfortable. Here she was in the most prestigious aviation arena in the world, and had been invited to participate in the First Wonderbolts show of the season, ‘as an honoured guest’ which roughly translated in her mind to; ‘You’re a princess, crowns draw crowds, come be part of our show as a publicity stunt’.

Of course she had every opportunity to refuse the offer…

But…

Oh come on, it’s not like she’d ever get this chance any other way. She had said yes of course, partly due to Rainbow Dash’s teasing, partly because, as a unicorn, it was something she wouldn’t have even dreamt of, and of course partly because; deep down, any pony with wings has the inherent genetic trait which causes them to desire to one day become a Wonderbolt.

Except Fluttershy…

Well, honorary Wonderbolt anyway, this much was clear just by looking at the pony across from her, Rainbow was everything Twilight wasn’t at that moment in time; athletic, confident and with the innate passion of wanting to impress.

Oh sure she had done the training, she’d spent weeks with Rainbow Dash, and frequent trips to the Wonderbolt’s training course to try and prepare her. All behind her marefriend’s back of course, it was going to be a surprise after all! But nothing could prepare her for the sheer anxiety that threatened to overwhelm her at any second.

Yet all it took was a gentle hoof on her shoulder, a confident look from Rainbow, and the thought rushed into her head.

“I will do this, for HER!”

It was all going so well, for all about 5 seconds, until a tan mare walked into the room.

“One minute till show-time!”

…

“Oh… hello anxiety, I missed you for a second there.”

The trumpets blared out their fanfare, and Chrysalis scooted to the edge of her seat, peering up to the course above.

There!

Perched on the edge of a large flat cloud, flanked by Pegasi on each side, stood Twilight. Head aloft, mane billowing in the wind, looking the part for sure.

Chrysalis didn’t have perfect eyesight for sure, but she could pick up on the little things, the twitch of her ear, the slight tic under the right eye…

Her anxiety was clear, Chrysalis had to be there for her, now and for after, she set her jaw and then,  Twilight looked down, Chrysalis looked up.

“This is all going to go horribly”

“This is all going to go wonderfully”.

The horn rang out and the show began.


Later in a Cloudsdale hotel

One Changeling Queen lay serenely on a fine cloud bed, One Alicorn rolled around on it in glee.

“Eeeeee, and then, when the three of them all did a barrel roll at the same time and SWOOSH! There was me, right through the middle…”

Her eyes glanced to her right, where Chrysalis stared at her with a knowing smile on her lips,

“Ahem, erm… well…” Twilight gathered herself “I suppose I’m just glad…”

She was quickly interrupted by her marefriend stroking her mane

“You worry too much Twilight, you know that right?”

“Well…”

“You should have more faith in your abilities”

The changeling pulled her close and pecked the mare on the cheek, winking she finished.

“Like I do”

> Duel by lyra_lover777 (Hate/Forgiveness)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Chrysalis's eyes were tiny slits as she stared across at her opponent, who was sharpening her horn.

Chrysalis stood up straight, the faint breeze making her wild teal mane fly away, moving around like a snake as it circled in the air.

Her opponent's mane was also floating in the breeze. The multi-colored locks swirled around the pony's head.

Her opponent ruffled her wings, staring Chrysalis down, her pupils tearing into Chrysalis's soul. Chrysalis did not flinch from the cutting glare, only glaring harder at her opponent.

The pony's long horn sparkled in the light as a faint shimmer of magic lit up around it. With her magic, Chrysalis's opponent summoned a giant wave from the ocean behind them, just beyond the drop of the cliff they were standing on.

Chrysalis spotted the flare of magic and put up a magic shield just in time. The wave crashed across the surface of the force field, Chrysalis staying dry the whole time.

The lightly colored body of the alicorn in front of her shifted as she flew up into the air, firing another spell. this one, a giant ball of fire, almost slipped under the back of her shield.

Chrysalis was done playing defense and set a jet of acid goo towards the alicorn, hitting one of her wings. The alicorn winced as the acid burned a large hole through her wing.

A gasp came from the sidelines. Chrysalis looked over to where Twilight, her alicorn lover, was locked away in a giant ball of sunlight, powered by her opponent, who had regained herself from her wing injury and was wheeling towards Chrysalis, a spell on her horn.

Chrysalis dodged the beam of pink light. The beam shattered her shield spell, the blue bits of the force field exploding, a piece cutting Chrysalis on the leg, making her stagger.

The gold plated hooves of the alicorn hit the ground as they moved slowly towards Chrysalis, who was getting up, blood pooling at her feet from the curt on her leg.

Solar Flare raised her hoof, smacking Chrysalis across the face, hard. She crumpled, her nose bleeding and broken.

Solar Flare was about to shove her horn through Chrysalis's heart when Chrysalis changed into a version of Solar Flare.

Solar was taken aback as her clone mimicked her every move. By the time Solar shook herself, Chrysalis was already shooting green fire her way.

Solar Flare reared, her wings flaring, as she screamed, her body engulfed in green flames.

When Solar finally collapsed, the sunlight that was holding Twilight captive flitted away.

The two lovers nuzzled against each other as a ragged Celestia emerged from the pit, her mane two colors, green and pink. Her mane was no longer flowing, only laying flat and mangled over her neck and face.

The gold armor and shoes were smoking, split apart behind Celestia.

"C-can you forgive me?" Celestia stuttered.

The two, the alicorn and ling, smiled at each other as they lifted Celestia at the same time, flying away towards Canterlot.


> Future! by Europa (sweet fluff)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

When she'd first become an alicorn, she wasn't immortal. She was like Cadance, with her physical mane and regular lifespan.

At first, she was not too worried about Chrysalis outliving her. Her workerfriend was nothing if not tough, after all.

Then the spirit of Starswirl emerged, and all her friends and her love tried to combat him, but what he lacked in power he more than made up for with experience and intellect. In the end, it had been Twilight on her own, facing down the isolation-maddened ghost. It was no battle of magic, but a battle of wits, and against all odds she prevailed and became immortal in the process, her mane and tail turning into a flowing rainbow of the colors of harmony, shifting from loyalty red to generosity purple and on and on.

Forever. She was going to live forever. Or at least, damn near close enough. With that thought in her mind, she summoned her courage and wed Chrysalis, putting their nations' history as enemies behind them forever.

With that done, life settled into a smooth monotony. World-ending threats stopped, and for the first time since moving to Ponyville Twilight's life was somewhat resembling normal. And so it continued... for a very long time.

They had a son, a thousand years after Luna's return. There hadn't been any point in rushing, they could both wait. It wasn't a halfling either, but rather a pureblooded changeling by some bizarre quirk of Chryssy's genetics. They named him Moonlit Web. He went on to become an architect, would you believe it?

Changeling history went back far, uninterrupted by Discord, and apparently ponykind was once incredibly advanced. Slowly, they returned to that level. With phones, internet, even space travel. When Kneeling Arms took his first step on the moon, fifteen hundred years after Luna returned, Princess Luna cried like a foal.

Things picked up after that. Tirek returned once more, allied with Grogar, and drained the magical power driving their technologies while the ram raised an army of the dead. In the end, Twilight fought Tirek to another standstill, long enough for her wife to hypnotize Grogar and send him after Tirek. Both demons died that day.

Time passed on, and on, and on. Nations grew and nations absorbed each other. Relations between species grew better and better. Eventually the URP - Unified Races of the Planet - formed, with Luna - Celestia had abdicated a while ago - Cadance, Emberbeak, Chrysalis, and many others on the highest level of its government. And then, with the world united, they turned their gaze up, and up, and up.

Eternal time passed as they slowly spread through the solar system, through the stars, through the galaxy, absorbing new species and allying with others. She and Chrysalis had long ago entered a dual-hypnosis pact, so that their love for each other wouldn't fade with time. Unethical? Maybe. At the time - and after - it seemed like a good idea.

Time passed in dizzy waves. Eventually the URP fell and Chrysalis, in a fit of rage, left the galactic group with her changelings to found a new empire, and Twilight went with her.

She'd left all her friends and family for Chrysalis. She never could say for certain if it was worth it.

And that was how she and Chrysalis found themselves, a billion years old, facing a random red giant from a ship. A billion? Damn, she was old.

"It's nice, isn't it?" she asked, leaning into Chryssy.

"Mmhmm," said the changeling. Chrysalis rested her head on top of Twilight's, no doubt feeling her ethereal mane massaging the bottom of her chin. "Do you ever regret coming with me?"

She sighed. "Sometimes. It's Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Discord. They're my friends, and I love them."

"But not as much as me?"

Twilight couldn't help but smile. "Not as much as you. So, what're your plans for this supercluster?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe enslave its populace, maybe send them over to... back there."

She poked her side. "Chryssy, no enslaving the indigenous population!"

The former-and-again queen pouted. "You never let me have any fun."

"If you want to conquer a people, do it in virtual reality."

"But it's not the same if they aren't real!"

"Then make it so you think they are," she suggested.

"Alright." They sat and kept watching the red giant swell, its apocalyptic light scouring its solar system of life, dimmed by their ship's screens. It was almost poetic, for Twilight to watch a dying sun with her wife. Not to say that Celestia was unwell, but her presence in her life had been waning for a long, long time.

She looked forward to the eternity ahead.
> Trollestia by SeanofTheDead (...huh?)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by SeanofTheDead

It was chaos in the Royal Palace as Twilight Sparkle ran through the halls. Guards were sticking out of the walls, black burn marks decorating the walls, floor, and ceiling. Shouts from the recently arrived cleaning staff consisting mainly of "are you bucking kidding me?!" and that of the greetings from the improperly positioned guards permeated the air in a cacophony of noise as Twilight sprinted towards her goal, the chambers of Princess Celestia. New cries of noise" how could you?!" and "promised to never tell!" as well as "I didn't tell anypony!" only served to spur Twilight onward, knowing what they meant. Earlier that day

Twilight was confused. Not your average kind of confused either, no this was the kind of confused she only became when something truly odd happened. Like last Tuesday when she saw Fluttershy's pet bunny Angel surrounded by his bunny brethren, riding a clearly hypnotized Spike while holding a banner that read 'FOR SPARTA!' who was charging into a line of squirrels outfitted in full battle gear. Yes she was very confused at that time. Though it was nothing compared to now as she walked to daily meeting with Queen Chrysalis, having just received a very interesting letter from the princess about the emotional state of  the changeling she was about to meet with as well as the reason behind her wanting to spend so much time with Twilight. As she approached  Chrysalis spoke " Hello Twilight! You seem rather confused...may I ask why?

Twilight (being unused to such matters put it very bluntly) "Celestia sent me a letter today. It's about you and why you are here so often."

Chrysalis turned white and froze. For a few tense moments Twilight feared she may have broken her before the letter was ripped from her grasp and placed in front of Chrysalis' muzzle. Slowly the she began to regain her color, though not her usual color. She first became pink then slowly darkened to red. As soon as she finished reading the letter she slowly floated it to Twilight whom now had a very serious look on her face.

"Well?" Twilight asked.

Chrysalis responded with a sad smile which immediately turned into a fierce scowl.

"You two-faced troll of a whorse! You said you'd let me tell her!" Chrysalis screamed as she took off headed in the direction of Canterlot.

And now Twilight was galloping down the halls of the palace in absolute terror of somepony being hurt because of her. Thankfully she was nearing her destination if the shouts were anything to go by.

She burst through the door with her magic inadvertently ripping it off the hinges and sending it flying through the wall out into the streets below.

"STOP!!!!"  Twilight screamed as she ran through the now ruined doorway to see Chrysalis locked in hoof to hoof combat with Celestia.

She lifted both mares in her magic and kept them suspended in the air.

"Okay now Chrysalis if I thought dating you like the letter said was a bad idea wouldn't I have said so?"  Twilight asked calmly. "And Celestia regardless of whether or not it was you that sent that letter, in the future please stay out of my love life unless I go to you for advice. Now why don't we talk to each other rationally about all of this?

Luna slowly backed away from the gaping hole that used to Celestia's bedroom door.

Perhaps giving to her hadn't been the best idea. But now at least I don't need to listen to their complaining about one another. I need to thank Trollestia as soon as possible...and ban her from this universe forever.

> Hypnotism by TheMusicalBoy93 (Transformation, Trust)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

Twilight and Chrysalis sat in the library by the fire, reading the spell Twilight had summoned her workerfriend to discuss. Chrysalis ran her tongue over her fangs as she looked over the description of the spell, and the brief synopsis of the effects it would have.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright, Twily?” the changeling asked, doing little to mask the concern in her tone. The Alicorn smiled assuringly.

“Absolutely. It’s only a tier three transformation spell. Besides, what better way is there to learn about a new species than to become the creature you’re studying?” Twilight beamed as she gazed over the page again, her hoof tracing the tail of the lamia on the page. “Lamias are a rare sight in Equestria. And nopony would ever dare travel to the Badlands to study them. Especially Fluttershy.”

“To her credit, she is pretty justified to be terrified of the Badlands,” Chrysalis reasoned. “Why do you think I was so eager to move my hive here, to Equestria? Changelings may be, technically, a predator to ponies… but in the Badlands, our position on the food chain is dramatically different.” Twilight shuddered at the thought of wild Badland animals eating each other in cold blood, and tried not to dwell on that thought.

“Anyway… I’ve been wanting to try an impersonation spell for a while now but… well, not many ponies are willing enough to be in the same room as a creature like a lamia. Even if it is just one of their friends transformed into a temporary lamia.” Twilight pulled the cutest puppy-dog face she could muster. Chrysalis rolled her eyes at the display with a chuckle.

“Alright, alright,” the changeling conceded. “We’ll try out your special little spell.” Twilight let out a comical squee and wrapped her hooves around Chrysalis’ neck, nuzzling her affectionately.

“Oh, thank you, Chryssy. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Chrysalis rolled her eyes with a chuckle at Twilight’s enthusiasm. Sharing a quick nuzzle, the changeling queen looked down at the spell in the book.

“So how does this work?” Twilight bounced to her hooves, eager to start casting.

“All I need to do is focus the spell on my own body and try to morph myself into a lamia. Then, once the transformation is over, we can start experimenting with my new body and abilities.” Chrysalis started looking a little less sure of herself as Twilight explained. “Relax, Chryssy. I’ll still be Twilight. I’ll be in complete control of what I do, and if I start getting a little too excited about it, I’ll cut the spell. You can trust me.” The Alicorn planted a kiss on her lover’s cheek, calming the changeling down. With a silent nod, the black mare signalled her partner she was ready to start the experiment.

Twilight closed her eyes and lit her horn. A soft magenta glow shrouded her body as she pictured the features of her desired new form. Her hind legs began to tingle as the spell began to mould her body into her desired shape. The flesh of her legs fused together, binding her legs into one singular limb. Her hips widened to support her new lower body shape, as her pony tail seemed to burn away like a sheet of tissue paper, her extended limb growing more and more into the shape of a serpentine tail. Instinctively, the snake tail coiled around itself, allowing Twilight to sit on top of its mass as she changed. The fur on her lower half fizzled away like boiling water, replacing itself with smooth, shiny scales.by the tie her transformation was finished, Twilight stood more than five feet tall, sat on her coils, while her tail itself was more like ten feet long. Chrysalis blinked in awe at the sight, a faint buzzing sound eliciting from her bug like wings as she took in her lover’s new form.

Twilight opened her eyes slowly as the glow from her horn dimmed to nothing. She shook her mane from your eyes and gave a soft smile to her workerfriend. 

“So… how do I look?” Chrysalis licked her lips unconsciously as she took in the elegant, serpentine body her love now sported.

“I wish I’d went out on the town more often when my hive was in the Badlands,” the changeling purred, giving Twilight a very sexy half-lidded stare. Twilight blushed and stuck her tongue out at her lover for teasing her.

“Yeah, well, you’re stuck with a pony for a lover, now.” She smirked, letting her eyes wander down to her hips to inspect her new body. “Wow. I have to admit, I didn’t really expect it to be so long.” Chrysalis snorted with laughter, falling onto her side and rolling around in roars of joy. Twilight blushed deep crimson and gently whipped her lover with the tip of her tail. “Oh, grow up,” she mumbled, embarrassedly. She looked at her scaly tail and shifted on where her haunches used to be. “Come here,” she beckoned, sweetly. Chrysalis calmed herself down, and sidled up to Twilight, sitting tantalisingly close to her coils. Twilight leaned back on her tail and allowed herself to slide down her coils, using her forehooves to drag herself across the floor. She wrapped herself loosely around Chyrsalis, encircling her a little with her scaly snake tail. “First test; how do I feel?” the Alicorn asked, innocently. The changeling nickered with a cheeky smirk. “Not like that,” Twilight whined, playfully booping her lover on the nose. “I’m just asking you to run your hoof over my scales and see what it feels like.” Chrysalis nodded once she’d settled down, and slowly ran a holey hoof across her sweetheart’s scales.

It was a rather pleasant texture. The scales were smooth, but you could feel the faint bumps and nooks where the scales linked like natural armour. She placed her other hoof on another part of the tail, and slowly caressed Twilight’s coils. Twilight’s breath hitched at the sensations that prickled her serpentine coils. Chrysalis smirked a little at the sound of Twilight’s gasp.

“Your scales feel warm to the touch, but it’s more like they’re room temperature, rather than irradiating heat themselves,” she commented, snuggling herself a little deeper into Twilight’s tail. The newly transformed lamia sighed happily as she closed her coils around her lover.

“You feel so warm, Chryssy,” she cooed, nuzzling her workerfriend affectionately. “I guess my tail must be cold blooded. It’d make sense, since lamias have snakes tails, so they must be cold blooded. Or, at least in their tails, they are.” Chrysalis softly peppered Twilight’s smooth scales with little butterfly kisses, making the lamia shiver a little at the feeling. The purple snake-pony closed her coiled tail around her lover slowly, settling them both in a very intimate cuddle. She dragged her torso along her tail to meet her eyes with Chrysalis’. “It says in my book that lamias are capable of hypnotising their prey,” she cooed. “Is it OK if I try that out on you, Chryssy?”

Chrysalis blinked in surprise at this request. Twilight had been rather secretive about the reasons for wanting to try this transformation out, but now she was beginning to see why. Not any ponies considered hypnotism a pleasant experience but Twilight, as Chrysalis helped her discover, found it quite invigorating. Finding out about a spell that allows her to be on the other end of the hypnosis? Of course the purple Alicorn would want to try it out. The changeling shook her head in amusement.

“Fill your horseshoes, my love,” she purred. Twilight let out an excitable squee and slowly wrapped her coils tighter around her workerfriend, securing her in a loving, if slightly tight, embrace. She looked her gaze onto her lovers and slowly willed her magic into her eyes, focusing on creating the psychic link needed to override Chryssy’s will.

“Look into my eyes,” she whispered, sultrily. “And let your mistress take control.”


> Sing by TheMusicalBoy93 (Musical, adorable!)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

Chrysalis stood outside the Palace of Friendship. The only light from the crystal tree was the moonlight dancing over its crystalline trunk. She shifted from one holey hoof to the other. Looking up, she could clearly see the landing that lead to Twilight’s bedroom. For many months now, Chrysalis and Twilight had been meeting for diplomatic discussions, after Chrysalis found her hive landing on hard times. She all but begged Princess Celestia to allow her to meet with somepony in power to try and reach some form of agreement, hopefully even alliance in the distant future, between ponies and changelings. Celestia decided that Twilight, the freshly crowned Princess of Friendship, should be the one to attend the meetings with her. Chrysalis was forever in Celestia’s debt that she had allowed the changelings a chance to redeem themselves. What she didn’t expect was to fall in love with her diplomatic correspondent.

She looked around at her assembled changeling subjects, each baring a look of anticipation and anxiety, much like her own. They were nervous of being caught in pony territory outside of diplomatic discussion, but they wanted to support their queen in her hour of need. This was a big move for her. She was going to do something she had never done for anyone. She was going to sing.

The changeling queen drew a deep, greedy breath and steeled her nerves as best she could. She glanced up once more to the distant balcony overhead, before turning to her followers and giving a small, near imperceptible, nod. One of the changelings took a swift breath and began singing the bass line for his queen’s song. The changeling to his left joined in with the tenor line, while the changeling to his right added her alto harmony. Finding their rhythm, the changelings began chorusing their instrumental as Chrysalis closed her eyes, and readied herself for her impromptu concert.

“Don’t go stealing my love
I couldn’t if I tried
Honey if I get restless
Please know I’m not that kind,”


A light flickered into live from Twilight’s window, although it was shrouded by a dark magenta curtain, so the choir on the ground couldn’t see what effect they were having on the inhabitants.

“Don’t go stealing my love
Please see the good in me
Honey, when you first met me
You could see through me

Nopony knows it
When I was bad
And that was all that I had
Nopony knows it
Right from the start
You wormed right into my heart
You wormed right into my heart,”

The glass doors opened and a bleary-eyed Twilight plodded out onto the balcony, rubbing her eyes as she came to investigate the noise. She placed her forehooves on the railing of the balcony and looked down. Her eyes shot wide open when she realised she was looking at three changelings and a queen, singing away in the moonlight.

“So don’t go stealing my love
Cos I’m not stealing your love,”

Chrysalis looked up to find Twilight looking down at her with her hooves jammed into her maw, a look of shock on her face. She hoped it was a good sign, but carried on.

“Don’t go stealing my love,”

The changelings harmonised, before the three drones released an array of bright, vibrant coloured beams of light from their horns, the colours dancing through the night sky like a disco for fireflies.

“Nopony told me
And nopony showed me
And now I need you, babe
Can you help me make it?

So don’t misunderstand me
You put the good in my heart
You put the gleam in my eye
You gave a brand new start,”

Chrysalis was now lost in her own words, pouring her heart and soul out to the beautiful purple mare who watched her from her balcony, bobbing her head along to the tune.

“Don’t go stealing my love
Please see the good in me
Honey, when you first met me
You could see through me

Nopony knows it
When I was bad
And that was all that I had
Nopony knows it
Right from the start
You wormed right into my heart
You wormed right into my heart

So don’t go stealing my love
Cos I’m not stealing your love,
Don’t go stealing my love

Nopony knows it
When I was bad
And that was all that I had
Nopony knows it
Right from the start
You wormed right into my heart
You wormed right into my heart

Don’t go stealing my love
Cos I’m not stealing your love,
Don’t go stealing my love”

Chrysalis finished her song and looked up to see Twilight trying to discreetly wipe her eyes dry. The Alicorn princess gave the changeling queen a heartfelt smile before disappearing back into her room. Chrysalis felt a pang of despair pierce her heart, as she watched Twilight run back inside without a word. She was ready to turn tail and flee, until she noticed something fluttering down towards her from the corner of her eye. She looked up and found a small white handkerchief softly falling toward her on the cool night breeze. She extended a green tendril of her aura to catch the cloth and hold it to her face. The changeling mare stepped up to her with a quizzical look on her face.

“What does that mean?” She queried.

“I think,” Chrysalis smiled to herself as she looked up to the abandoned balcony. “It’s a ‘maybe’.”

> Bug juice by Europa (humor)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 by Europa

"This is offensive towards changelings."

"I know I know, but you know it's a free market and all that."

"What's worse is that it's one of my own people heading up this enterprise! I should have him executed for this."

Twilight slapped Chrysalis's shell where it wrapped around her barrel. "Chryssy, what did I say about executions?"

"I'm the monarch of a sovereign nation, and I say this deserves death!" She held up the offending box, threw it a fair distance into the air, and smote it with an emerald blast from her horn. "Disgusting."

"It actually doesn't taste that bad," Twilight admitted. "I mean, even knowing what it's made from..." she trailed off.

"Our slime is for cocooning our victims! Restraining motion and sedation. Not... not for being made into juice boxes!" the changeling shouted.

Twilight sighed. "Alright Chryssy, how much money is coming in from this?"

"Hmm? Several thousand bits a month, comes out to a few hundred ambers. Why?"

"Alright, what's that one project you've been wanting for a while now, but haven't found the funding for?"

"I have been wanting to get the statue done in the hive... and more funding for organic detachment spells for the military..."

"Right, well, instead of shutting his business down, why don't you support it? Help it grow big and strong, and then tax the buck out of it?"

Chrysalis looked skyward, a perforated hoof tapping her chin. "Hmm... not bad. Ruthless, insincere about my true opinions..." She turned to Twilight and gave a fanged grin. "I'm rubbing off on you, Twily!"

She blushed. "Yeah, well... yeah." She turned around and eyed the ashes of the latest drink craze on the country, made by changelings in more ways than one. "I also still think it's better right from the source."
	
> Prehistory by TheMusicalBoy93 (Whoops!)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

Twilight twirled the small helix in her magic idly, glancing around at her setup. A small tank of saline solution sat on her science desk, cables and electrodes protruding from the glass container and spiralling off into two formidable looking machines that whirred and buzzed with static excitement. Chrysalis popped her head round the corner, blinking in wonderment at the bizarre equipment before her.

“Let me guess,” she quipped with an eye roll. “You’re trying to revive your little pet rock there, right Twiliy?” The changeling queen winked as she strode across the laboratory floor. Twilight booped her on the nose as she leaned in for a nuzzle before stealing a short kiss.

“It’s not a pet rock, it’s an ammotine fossil,” the Alicorn berated. “Ammotines are probably the most mysterious of prehistoric creatures, since we know so little about how they evolved, what they ate, or how they lived. I’m hoping to bring this fossil back to live so I can study its behavioural patterns.” The purple pony dropped the fossil into the saline solution and started mixing a few test tubes of multi-chromatic fluids together in a large flask. “Who knows? If this test proves successful, I may be able to revive more extinct species for scientific research.” She clapped her hooves together in excitement, eliciting another eye roll from her changeling lover.

“So how does this work, then,” she queried as she peered over Twilight’s shoulder. “In theory?”

“Well, in theory, the potion I’m making should be able to find some sort of DNA trace in the ammotine fossil. Obviously, the shell itself is not made of fleshy organic matter, so the shell itself doesn’t contain any genetic coding. But, hopefully, some small scrap of living tissue became petrified over the millions of years the shell took to fossilise, which would be what the potion would use for a genetic template. The solution should then, hopefully, repair the DNA strands into something understandable for the genetic reading machine,” Twilight pointed to the machine on her left as she explained her experiment, “to translate into a basic binary code, which it can transfer to the cloning machine,” she indicated to the right machine, “to create a synthetic flesh replica of the original organism.” Chrysalis scratched her head as she tried to piece together the puzzle of jargon and mumbo-jumbo her workerfriend had said.

“So… it’s supposed to make a clone of the ammotine from a projected guess of what a computer thinks it was like?”

“Yes, if you like.” Twilight beamed as she finished her complicated potion.

“Well, I hope you know what you’re doing.” Chrysalis slowly backed away as discreetly as she could to try and distance herself sufficiently in case something went wrong and she needed to summon Spike to send a letter to Celestia.

“Only one way to find out.” Twilight squinted with concentration as she slowly dropped her potion, meticulously, into the saline solution. Once the glass flask was emptied into the salty bath, the machines began to whirr and sputter as they sent out electrical discharges into the tank. Sparks flew around spastically as the machines attempted to make sense of the fossilized helix caught between them. Readouts and dials spun wildly as they processed what little data they could extract

Suddenly, the two machines began to flicker and fade in and out of existence, making a very strange wheezing, groaning sound, like something extra-terrestrial. Shortly after the noise came a bright flash of dazzling white light and when the two mares dared open their eyes again, they found themselves surrounded by a strange alien world.

The trees were a mile high, and the air felt thick and muggy. The soil beneath their hooves felt rough and sandy, and the stench of sulphur and marshland swamped their nostrils.

“What happened?” Chrysalis looked around at her strange surroundings. “Where are we?” The sounds of roaring send shivers up the lovers’ spines. With great trepidation, the two mares looked toward the general direction of where the noise had come from. What their eyes saw before them was too much for both their brains to comprehend, combined.

“I think the better question is… when are we?” Twilight stuttered. “I think, don’t ask me how, but I think my experiment just time warped us.” The mares looked out over the wilds of the strange lands they found themselves in. Giant reptilian creatures, all in various shapes and sizes, roamed the land. Some walked on four legs, sporting large horns on their faces of thick clubs on their tails. Some roamed on two legs, each limb ending in razor sharp talons. “We’ve been sent back in time to when the ammotines were alive,” the Alicorn swallowed thickly. “Some sixty five million years ago, or more.”
	
> Sorry by Europa (Tragedy, Dark, bad end)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 by Europa

It hadn't been enough.

That was the sole thought that raced through Twilight's head as she, with her friends accompanying her, galloped frantically through Canterlot, ready to summon forth the Rainbow Power and bring it down... upon Chrysalis. She was glad they were with her, without her friends next to her Twilight couldn't summon the Rainbow Power.


The alliance hadn't been enough. Cadance's friendship hadn't been enough. Twilight's love for her hadn't been enough and Queen Chrysalis had again turned on ponykind with ruthless efficiency. Her first strike had been to frame Discord and trick them into petrifying him again. She didn't know where his statue was, but Twilight feared the worst. After that, changelings throughout Equestria wrought havoc, and Chrysalis herself conquered the Crystal Empire before it could so much as call for help.

With the full power of the Crystal Heart fueling her, she'd turned her attention on Canterlot, which was why Twilight and her friends were running there now. But it was slow going. If she thought that Chrysalis had brought a lot of changelings to invade Canterlot the first time, it paled in comparison to the full might of her half-million strong army. Horseapples, her army was as large as the entire population of Canterlot, and it showed.

They blotted out the sky. Twilight had seen Luna and Celestia both take to the air to battle Chrysalis herself, but the wall of changelings - seemingly following her and her friends - kept her from seeing where they'd ended up.

"Come on, Twi!" Rainbow shouted, taking point. "Move it!"

"Right," she panted, pushing herself harder. While in theory they could've teleported, she wanted to keep her magic in reserves in case her ex-workerfriend had a trick up her carapace. Twilight would've been surprised if she didn't.

As they grew near the castle, the changelings made their move and dove down at them in a funnel. All six of them gaped as the black, chitinous swarm grew closer, and closer. Twilight gulped, and Fluttershy whimpered.

"Here goes nothing!" She was no Shining Armor - wherever he was - but she was no slouch with a shield either and had much more raw power than him. A violet shield flickered into existence around her and the girls, flickered again, then solidified.

The changelings swarmed around it, blocking all sight beyond, and began blasting it. The power pummeled her shield, but she held firm. She knew the castle by heart, and pointed the way. "Go, hurry!" They ran, but the bombardments grew into a perpetual hailstorm.

And then, green rings opened inside the shield, winking out with a flash as changelings teleported inside.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


She summoned all her might into one finishing blow, and defeathered Princess Luna's wings. Without the feathers to channel her pegasus magic, the dark alicorn cursed and fell, quickly surrounded and overwhelmed by her swarm. A moment later she heard a telepathic message confirming that Luna was cocooned.

Chrysalis turned her attention on Celestia, and winged out of the way of a fireball. As the flame orb passed it shot out tiny, fiery darts in all directions which peppered her hard carapace uselessly.

She retaliated with an emerald beam, one that simply scattered off of the Daybringer's golden shield. That wasn't the end, though. She grabbed hold of the scattered magic and turned them into emerald swords, driving them into the shield and cracking it. While Celestia focused on repair it she flew over, turned around, and bucked the shield with both legs. It broke like glass under her immense imitation-earth pony magic.

"Down you go!" she shouted, wrapping Celestia's throat in her magic and squeezing. She flew out of the way of another beam and tossed Celestia down into the castle. Celestia was battered and exhausted, but Chrysalis was strong, empowered, and fresh. She flew down, through the hole Celestia had punched in the throne room. Wrapping herself in emerald flame she slammed into the ground next to Celestia, throwing the alicorn through the air.

Before Celestia could hit the ground, Chrysalis reached through her hivemind's link to the Crystal Heart and siphoned power, then prepared the spell and blasted Celestia into her throne.

Immediately, the pretty pony princess was wrapped in a cocoon in the midst of a gasp of pain. That let the oxygenated slime travel down her throat, sedatives and all. Chrysalis stepped forward and looked down emotionlessly as the alicorn gasped, sparked her horn, and pawed desperately at the cocoon with her hooves. She and Celestia made eye contact, the pony begging her to stop, for mercy, right up until the slime's effects took hold and she fell asleep.

She... she did it. She'd won. She'd won.

... she'd won. She didn't really feel like it. Her betrayal to the one she cared about still clawed at her but... she had no choice! It was the only way to save her hive, to stop the disease spreading through them. Cocoons gave so much more love, enough to stop it, and it was the only way and she hated herself for doing it!

Chrysalis reached up and wiped a tear away, just in time for the doors to the throne room to open. In spilled the one mare she was hoping not to see, and her friends. With a mental command, Queen Chrysalis called her soldiers away from them, letting them enter the room unmolested.

"So," Chrysalis said at last, turning to face her.

Twilight nodded, face grim. "So." She looked to her friends, and nodded. "Alright girls, now!" The pony closed her eyes, tensed... and nothing happened. Chrysalis watched, unsurprised when the five ponies around her workerfriend flashed into changelings, then teleported away.

Without her friends next to her Twilight couldn't summon the Rainbow Power.

Twilight's gasp was heartbreakingly loud. "No, no no no no..." She dismissed her shield and looked up at Chrysalis, her face grim. "I-I don't care. I'll find a way to make this right, I have to, I have to..."

Chrysalis frowned. "I know this is hard for you, Twilight. I have no choice, though."

"Don't give me that, Chrysalis! There's always a choice, always, and you... dear Celestia, no." She swallowed, and lit up her horn. "I have to try, I have to try."

She nodded morosely. "I know Twilight, I know you do." This was really happening. She was going to fight Twilight again. A few months ago she would have relished in the chance and jumped for the opportunity, but now she wanted to be somewhere else, anywhere else. She too fired up her horn.

Clearly, getting to her had tired out Twilight. She only released a simple magic ray, not even marking Chrysalis's carapace. The next hit came to her thorax, barely warming her. Chrysalis bit her lip, hard enough for her fangs to draw green blood, then fired her own magic at Twilight.

The alicorn gasped in pain and buckled as the eldritch energy shot through her, but grit her teeth and, swaying, got back to her unsteady hooves.

"Please stop," Chrysalis pleaded silently. More inaccurate magic blasts fired. One hit her in the snout, another in the hoof, one passed right through a hole in her leg. When one hit her eye - that actually stung - she winced, closed her teary eyes, then opened them and fired another spell.

"YAAAH!" Twilight screamed as changeling magic burned through her nervous system. She collapsed to her side, panting weakly. Princess Twilight stared up at Queen Chrysalis, made a brief futile effort to stand, and reignited her flickering horn.

"Please Twilight," she begged as her love shot at her from the floor. "Please just stop, don't make me do this." Another blast went wide, hitting the throne. "Stop, please!" Two blasts hit Celestia's cocoon to no effect. Another one hit her in the chest. "Please, please Twilight, don't make this harder than it has to be." Another shot, to her horn. "Please, please just lay there. Please!" Twilight shot her one more time, then Chrysalis shuddered, cursed herself, and attacked her workerfriend again.

Twilight twitched, and then fell still. Were it not for the weak rising and falling of her chest, Chrysalis would've assumed her dead. She almost wished that was the case.

Letting her haunches fall, Chrysalis bowed her head, the only one awake in the dimly lit throne room. "I'm sorry," she whispered, over and over. "I'm sorry."
	
> Don't Leave Me! by MagicMan7997 (Sad, Tragedy)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by MagicMan7997

“Twilight! Mail from the Princess!” Spike called out from down in the library. It was an early spring day in Ponyville. A slight chill reminded everyone that winter had just wrapped up. Twilight dashed down the stairs faster than anypony thought possible. Tearing through the wax seal, she quickly scanned the text.



Dear Twilight,
I regret to inform you that my Lunar scouts have returned from the Badlands and are empty hoofed.  There was no evidence of Chrysalis or any other being other than the native wildlife. If you desire, I can send another team back towards the San Palamino Desert. But, to be frank, I feel it might be a waste of time. I will never mince words with you Twilight, you mean too much to both my sister and myself. I fear that your beloved my be eternally lost. I do not say this to crush your feelings. Merely to help you begin the process of grieving. As always, if you need to, you are always welcome to come here. Celestia and I are here for you. Always.
I await your reply.

Regards,

Luna



Tears came unbidden from Twilight's eyes. Spike gently laid a claw on her hoof trying to show his own support for his mother/sister figure. He could remember the day that Chrysalis left. He could also remember how devastated it left Twilight, even if she didn't show it at the time.

“I have to go love. If the rumors are true. If the princess' scouts have found evidence of other changelings, then I need to go to them. If they've been leaderless for this long, there is no telling what kind of shape they are in.”

“I know. But at least let me come with you. There is no telling what you might encounter out there. I'm more than princess enough to handle anything you might run into.”

“That's just it dear,” Chrysalis said as she gently nuzzled her lover. “You are a princess. You are needed for your royal duties. Luna and Celestia would never let me hear the end of it if you went along with me and were injured. And I damn sure couldn't live with myself if something like that happened. I'll only be gone a couple of weeks. If you like, I'll send you progress letters everyday. That way you can keep up with where I am.”

Twilight sighed heavily. She knew there'd be no budge on this one with Chrysalis. And if she was honest with herself, she knew that it was the right thing to do. “Okay. It's important to you, which makes it important to me. And if it's important that you do this yourself, then I'll stand behind you. One hundred percent.” Twilight wrapped her hooves gently around Chrysalis and kissed her ever so softly. “Promise you'll write me.”

“I promise.”

That had been almost a year ago. Chrysalis last update had come over 9 months ago. Not even an hour after the first missed update, Twilight fired a letter off to Celestia, concerned about her marefriend and her whereabouts. Celestia replied post haste trying to ease Twilight's fears. When a week passed, Twilight teleported directly into the Solar Court, falling at her mentor's hooves sobbing uncontrollably. Celestia instantly dismissed her court and summoned Luna and Cadance as quickly as possible. The three alicorns worked through the first night trying to console and comfort their counterpart. Luna offered the use of her neigh perfect lunar pegasi scouts. If there was anyone missing in Equestria, the LunarSight Brigade could find them. But, after months of searching, even they couldn't find any trace of the former changeling monarch.

As the months passed, Twilight's health began to deteriorate. She saw less and less of her friends, spending days on end never leaving the library. Spike had tried everything. Contacting the girls, Shining Armor, her parents, even going so far as having Discord drop by one day and turn the entire place into a literary petting zoo. None of it seemed to phase her. She began speaking to herself at odd times (more so than even normally did). She forgot to bathe, forgot to eat, never slept, the descent into madness was now running off the rails. Spike pleaded with the princesses to come and help her, but even they weren't able to reach the distraught alicorn.

And then one day, out of nowhere, Twilight was better. Spike woke to her humming a happy tune that sounded strangely like the Winter Wrap Up song. He found her downstairs in the kitchen fixing breakfast. She never cooked, she couldn't cook! But, lo and behold, there she was making muffins. Spike was shocked, he couldn't believe it. He didn't know what had brought about this great mood, but he loved it!

“Morning Spike!” Twilight said, just a little too cheerily.

“Morning Twi! What's all this?” Spike asked as he tucked in to his spot at the table. There were two heaping plates of muffins sitting directly in front of him. Each was covered in shards of some of the finest gems in all of Equestria. It was all Spike could do not to let his greed overtake him and hoard the muffins. He savored the first few by slowly chewing each one. It was then that he noticed just exactly what type of gems were on his muffins. “Whoa! Twilight! These are Minotaurin Diamonds! These things are rare! Where'd you come up with so many?”

“Oh, I just traded away some stuff to a local gem trader that I didn't use anymore. It's the least I can do for my number one assistant.”

“How many old books did you get rid of?”

“Oh, I traded off all my lab equipment.”

Spike nearly choked. “TWILIGHT! What the buck did you do that for?” Spike winced as he realized his slip. But Twilight said nothing. It was surprising to say the 
least. She always was on him about coarse language. But today, it seemed as if she didn't even register it. “You shouldn't have done that! I appreciate the thought, but what about your potions work?”

“Oh, I gave Zecora my potions notes. She'll be more than capable of doing it.”

Spike couldn't understand, why was Twilight giving everything away. None of this made sense. As he finished his last muffin, he hopped off his chair and wrapped Twilight in a surprise hug. “Twilight, are you okay?”

“I'm fine Spike, in fact, I've never been better. I think I've finally had a breakthrough. Oh, could you do me a favor? Could you run by and see Rarity and let her know that I want her to come by and pick up that antique couch that I picked up in Canterlot. Now that I've got it, I won't use it. I'd rather see it get some use.”

Now something was really up. Playing along, Spike decided to go and see Rarity, but not to let her know about an antique couch. “Okay Twi. I, uh, will just head over there now. Be back in a bit!” Spike slowly let go of Twilight and walked cautiously towards the door. As he left, he could swear he heard her mutter to herself, “The rope will make it all better...”

As soon as the dragon was out the door, Twilight flew to the rafters of the library and strung the rope she'd hidden from the highest one. With a satisfied sigh, she tested the tension on it. After assuring that it would cause a clean break and not suffocation, she moved the chair into position under it. A simple matter of a magic inhibitor ring later, and she was ready. She climbed onto the chair and carefully slid her neck into the noose. Using her hooves, she tightened the knot until she was sure it was ready. With a deep breath, Twilight said aloud to no one in particular, “I'm coming my love. I'm coming to be with you.”

As Twilight kicked the chair away, the fall began. Her eyes screwed shut as she prepared for the bliss of Elysium. But, rather than the sudden rush to darkness, she heard a scream. Half a second later, she felt herself wrapped in a magical aura. Even without her own magic, she could tell who it belonged to.

Rarity winced against the weight of her dear friend. Spike had managed to reach Carousel Boutique in record time. Once there, he found both Rarity and AppleJack sharing an early breakfast. The two had been inseparable since becoming a couple after Hearts and Hooves day. Now, he was glad they were available to help.

“AJ, dear,” Rarity said through gritted teeth, “Be a darling and HELP ME! I can't hold her up much longer!” Twilight kicked and thrashed against the magical hold. The whole time screaming, “NO! LET ME GO! I HAVE TO DO THIS! I DROVE HER AWAY! I DESERVE THIS!” Quickly, AppleJack rushed to where the rope was tied off and quickly undid the knot. The rope, now slack, presented no further danger and allowed Rarity to gently lower their lavender friend to the floor. As soon as she was set down, AJ and Rarity piled on top of her wrapping her in a tight embrace. The sobbing came freely now as Twilight felt two warm ponies wrapped up around her.

“It's okay sugarcube. Let it all out. We got ya Twi,” AJ said as she stroked the alicorn's mane. Rarity was gently nuzzling her friend while removing the rope from her neck. “Spike, please send a letter to Princess Celestia, she needs to know about this. AppleJack and I will take her to get checked out.”

“You got it Rarity!” Spike quickly scribbled a letter giving a brief description of what had happened and where Twilight was going to be. The girls got Twilight to her hooves and out the door towards Ponyville General as Spike sent the missive. As it wisped away in a puff of green smoke, he said to himself, “Help us Princess. You're our only hope.”

> Conquered by TheMusicalBoy93 (Horror, Sex)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

Twilight groaned as the feeling of a cold hard floor beneath her hips started irritating her muscles. She tried to turn onto her back, but the sting in her temples kept her still, hissing with displeasure. The Alicorn slowly willed her eyes to open, finding her field of view swarmed with nothing but green ambient lighting. The faint sound of buzzing filled her ears, and for a moment Twilight entertained the idea she may have been going deaf. As her vision stopped swimming, however, and the black shadows began to sharpen into focus, the shadows slowly became pony-like in shape, albeit with holes perforating their limbs in many places and emotionless blue, iris lacking eyes embedded in the sockets of their faces. The purple princess yelped and attempted to jump to her hooves to defend herself, but swiftly found her hooves tangled in a mess of heavy iron chains that held her legs still to the spot she stood.

Desperately, she willed her magic into her horn, ready to blast the first changeling that made a move on her. To her horror, however, not even sparks came from her horn. She tried to lift a hoof to her forehead and found a pair of tightly fitted silver rings hugging the base of her horn. Silver inhibitor rings. The mare drew in on herself, trying to regulate her breathing as fear took hold of her and she panicked feverishly. The changelings surrounded her on all sides, and Twilight knew she was never going to win in hoof-to-hoof combat. But the looks in their dull eyes gave Twilight the impression she wasn’t looking at a fight, here. These changelings, clearly, had other plans for her.

One of the changelings stepped forward to meet muzzle to muzzle with the purple pony princess. He placed a chitinous hoof on her breast and gave her a sharp shove, sending the pony tumbling onto her back. She cried out and begged for mercy, but the changelings were already spreading her hooves and pulling them out to her sides. She tried to resist, to pull her legs back in on herself and shield herself from their advances. But the changelings were too strong. She begged and pleaded for mercy, but her cries seemed to fall on deaf ears. The changeling who had pushed her climbed on top of her and gave a sadistic hum. For the next hour, the only sound to be heard in the underground caverns was Twilight’s pained screams of unheard protest.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Twilight laid still on the cold stone floor, curled up in a defenceless ball as her assailants departed as emotionlessly as they had violated her. Her coat was sticky and her mane was tangled in thick, heavy knots. She wiped her puffy red eyes, the moisture long since dried into her fur, no longer able to cry as she whimpered pathetically. She remained still in the puddle of her shame, not even registering the dainty tapping of approaching hooves. The hoof falls picked up pace as they drew nearer to her, and she felt a large body lay down beside her.

“Oh, sweet Egg Mother, what did they do to you?” Twilight winced as a familiar voice pierced through her ears. The voice was completely unwelcome to Twilight, but the evident care and concern in her tone was much needed. She tried to erect her mental shields as best she could as she felt a soft, rubbery tongue slowly glide across her coat, cleaning her messy fur of the shameful reminder of what had happened to her. “I told them to observe you, and to not interfere,” the voice lamented, as the tongue continued to wash over the Alicorn’s soiled fur. “When I find whoever the ringleader of this was, they will wish they had never spawned.” The caring, nurturing tone the new arrival was using was sickening. Why in Equestria should her give a flying feather about what Twilight had just been through?

“Twilight,” the queen cooed softly, snuggling against the defiled captive in an almost loving embrace. “I promise you, they were not acting under orders. You were never to come to harm. I will find whoever did this to you, and they shall be severely punished.” Twilight shivered as she felt a soft breath tickle her ear. “I promise you.”
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
For the next four months, Twilight remained chained in place in the cavernous chamber. She was kept well fed and watered, which she didn’t know whether to be grateful for or refuse, for hope of death aiding her escape from this lowly state of existence. Once a fortnight, and never conforming to a pattern, she would be visited by several changelings at once, when they would take advantage of her again and again. Every time this happened, Chrysalis would follow, having seemingly sensed a disturbance in Twilight’s emotional state and coming to investigate. Every time, she found the purple pony princess sticky and broken, whimpering feebly, after having exhausted her voice on useless pleas for mercy. She would clean her fur, pet her mane and make Twilight feel like she was more important than anything else, before swearing to avenge her and to tighten security so it would never happen again. Twilight couldn’t understand why it did keep happening, but Chrysalis was clearly doing the best she could to rotate the guardlings as often as possible so she could be sure of fresh eyes looking out for changelings with less than pure intentions. With Chrysalis around, she felt wanted. She felt as though she was loved. With Chrysalis, she felt safe.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Chrysalis listened with deafened senses to the sounds of despair for, what she hoped to be, the last time. Her plan had been going well. Kidnap the Princess of Friendship, have her drones force themselves upon her, then step in after the attacks and offer the broken mare some much needed TLC. Given time, she hoped to earn the trust of the purple Alicorn, and she would willingly offer up her love to the changeling queen, which she could then harvest to restore her stricken hive. She had weighed up the pros and cons of such a scheme, and spent more time than she cared to admit obsessing over the morality of her stratagem. Over all these contributing factors, however, the survival of her hive was her first and foremost concern.

It wasn’t so much as stealing Twilight’s love, as it was encouraging her to willingly part with it through deceitful and manipulative means. By very nature, the changeling queen would normally be the only active member of the hive, secreting dampening pheromones to mask the urges of her drones. For this, however, she was willing to make an exception. She would release different pheromones to stimulate the drones and have them seek out Twilight’s chamber, where they would proceed to assault and soil her to slake their own greedy needs. Once they were done with her, and Chrysalis had dampened their urges again with her natural incense, she would enter the chamber and offer Twilight sympathy, which she couldn’t be sure for herself whether it was hollow or not.

The latest attack came to its end and the drones went about their usual routines as if nothing had happened. Chrysalis took a moment to take a few deep breaths to make herself look like she had cantered across the hive to reach Twilight’s prison before rushing to the mare’s side. She stayed by the Alicorn for the best part of an hour, in which time the Alicorn had opened up to the changeling queen a lot more than Chrysalis had ever expected. She wept openly in her embrace, begging her for comfort, nuzzling and licking her breast like a suckling infant searching for attention. When she felt she had spent enough time with the broken pony, she made her excuses and went to take her leave.

“NO!” The changeling was stopped by a large weight throwing itself around her hind legs, anchoring her to the ground. She turned to find Twilight hugging her hooves and kissing her ankles pleadingly. “Please don’t leave me on my own again,” the Alicorn begged. “I don’t feel safe when I’m alone.” Tears fell unbidden from her eyes as Chrysalis watched her, her expression unreadable. “I’m scared of being alone. Scared of never seeing a friendly face again. Scared of…” the Alicorn swallowed thickly, “I’m scared of never seeing you again.” Chrysalis turned to fully face the crying princess, who threw her fetlocks, as best she could, around the queen’s shoulders. “T-take me with you?” she whimpered. “Please?”

Chrysalis gave the broken pony princess a lick on the cheek and nodded her response. She slackened the chains around Twilight’s hooves to allow her easier mobility and slowly lead the pony princess away, tucking her under her wing as the Alicorn snuggled against her, kissing her side gratefully. Chrysalis sighed inwardly with relief. She had done it. She had conquered the Princess of Friendship.

> Held by Listener (Dawww)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Listener

Chrysalis wandered around the castle, looking in the many rooms she knew Twilight Sparkle would generally be found in. As much as she would be loath to admit it, she had come to expect the time she spent with the strange purple mare.

But, she would never admit it to anyone, of course.

The studious unicorn had set up times in which she would sit down with the changeling queen to ask her questions about her society. At first, she had only put up with it because of the stupid treaty she had signed.

Today, though, Twilight Sparkle had not showed up. So, it was up to her to go find Twilight.

Chrysalis rolled her eyes, peering into yet another room to find nobody present besides one of the cleaning staff, who peered at her for only a moment before going back to work.

She sighed. After about a month of her being at the Canterlot castle, she no longer had the ‘scare factor’ she once had.

Shaking her head, she tried to think. “If I were that purple mare, where would I be?” She asked herself, rolling her eyes as the answer struck her. “The library.” She muttered. “I can’t believe I didn’t check there.”

Quickly working her way along the castle, making sure to avoid Shining Armor’s route, she made it to the library in almost no time at all. Opening the door, she sighed as she took in the vastness of the library. The place was simply huge.

“Why do I even bother?” She muttered to herself. Truth be told, she didn’t know why she did. She sighed again, starting to search the book stacks for her.
------
After about a ten minute search, the changeling smiled as she finally found what she thought was Twilight’s doing. To describe it, the best way she could would be to call it a ‘book fort’.

She walked up. “Twilight Sparkle, may I ask why you weren’t in the sitting room?” She asked, to the book fort. Twilight was in there, she could sense. But she also sensed... sadness?

“Twilight Sparkle, what is wrong?” She asked, sitting down next to the book fort, talking to it.

No reply came from the fort.

Chrysalis sighed again. “Twilight Sparkle, I know you are in there, and that you are distressed.” She said, trying logic.

No response to that either.

“Twilight, I will take that book fort down around you if you don’t answer.” She threatened playfully, hoping for a response one last time.

She waited for a moment, and was about to start removing books before a quiet reply came from within. “Please don’t.”

“Why not, Twilight? This is most unlike you.” Chrysalis said.

It was quiet for a moment or two, before she heard a soft sigh. “I know...” She said, slowly pushing her way out of the book fort until it was just her head poking out.
“Hey Chrysalis.” She said, forcing a smile. “What are you doing here?” She asked innocently.

“I came here searching for you.” She explained, looking down at her. “And, what is the matter, Twilight?”

“Nothing, Chrysalis.” Twilight said smoothly, looking away. “I just lost track of time.”

Chrysalis shook her head. “If there is one thing you should’ve learned by now is you can’t lie to me, emotion wise. You are distressed.”

Twilight started to shake her head, before stopping and sighing. “Yeah... I know.” She admitted.

Chrysalis smiled. “Indeed. Now, what is worrying you.” She asked again.

Twilight sighed, lowering her head and lying down slightly. “I’m not quite sure how I can put it into words.”

“Try me.”

She sighed, remaining silent for a few minutes, before speaking up again. “I had an... argument with Princess Celestia.” She said, sighing.

Chrysalis moved closer, awkwardly putting a hoof on Twilight’s back, trying to comfort her.

“I’m sure it’s not that bad. I mean, surely she’ll forgive you?” Chrysalis said, unsure if what she was doing was good. It wasn’t often she had to give comfort.

Twilight flinched slightly, but relaxed. “I don’t know... This time the fight was... different. We’ve never fought, and this was... she just seemed disappointed.”

“What were you two discussing whenever... this occurred?” She asked, trying to be helpful.

Twilight paused. “I don’t know.” She said slowly.

“Twilight, you know that you can’t lie to me. I can sense your emotions playing about like a little musical.”

She sighed again. “We were discussing... you.” She admitted, turning away again.

Chrysalis started before regaining her composure. “Oh? And how did that turn to this?”

Twilight remained silent as Chrysalis just remained there, trying to put pieces together as she waited for Twilight to answer. Then, she paused, a familiar emotion coming from an unfamiliar place.

“Twilight Sparkle. Are you...” She said, trying to say it in a non-accusing way as she drew her hoof back. “Are you in love with me?” She asked, in slight disbelief.

Twilight stilled, before letting out a shaky breath as she nodded slowly, starting to crawl back into the fort as she simultaneously blushed and started to cry a little bit, stress and tension finally getting to her as she felt the dam break.

Chrysalis froze mentally for a moment as she was suddenly confronted with two things. One; Twilight Sparkle was in love with her. Two; Said Twilight Sparkle was currently experiencing an emotional breakdown.

Seeing no other option in sight, and with such little time to think about it, Chrysalis reached down and grabbed Twilight softly, simply pulling the unicorn out from her book fort and holding her softly, much as she would a distressed changeling foal.

She had no idea how long she spent there, simply holding the unicorn, letting the tears go on their own course. Twilight, after a few minutes, turned and hugged Chrysalis, crying on her shoulder.

But still Chrysalis stayed there, simply holding her, rubbing her back. She may be inexperienced in the ways of providing comfort, but she knew what to do in this situation.

After a while, the crying slowly stopped as Twilight rubbed her eyes, sniffling a bit as she was able to talk.

“I’m sorry that you had to see that, Chrysalis...” Twilight said, softly.

Chrysalis was faced with a choice. And she knew which one she was going to make.

She slowly nuzzled Twilight. “It is alright, Twilight Sparkle. I, of all creatures, should know how much crying can help.” She said.

Twilight started at the touch, before looking at her. “Y-Yeah...” She said.

“Now, I believe you said that you love me, Twilight Sparkle?” She said slowly, smiling softly.

Twilight looked away, blushing.

Chrysalis smiled, still holding the mare in a hug.

“I believe... Twilight Sparkle, that I am okay with that.” She said, nuzzling again.

Twilight held her breath, suddenly turning her head to look at the changeling queen, who had an uncharacteristic smile on her face.

“Chrysalis?” She asked, uncertain.

“Oh, hush. I believe, as you ponies would put it, ruining the moment.” Chrysalis said, hugging Twilight.

Twilight smiled, tears afresh in her eyes as she simply leaned against Chrysalis, her head on her shoulder and the changeling leaned back against the bookcases, simply and tenderly, holding Twilight.

And in that moment, everything was okay.

And tomorrow was a problem for tomorrow.

> Igloo by lyra_lover777 (Dawww)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Twilight huffed angrily into Chrysalis's coat. They were smashed together, curled up inside a small plastic igloo. Twilight could barely breath. Oh, and she was claustrophobic.

"You just had to find out if the Santa Pony at the mall was real." Twilight muttered. Chrysalis hugged her tighter, making Twilight gasp. "CLAUSTROPHOBIC!" Twilight moaned, and Chrysalis retracted to give her fillyfriend a few extra centimeters of space.

Twilight had volunteered to take the CMC to the mall for a day. Chrysalis just HAD to have forced her to let her come.

They went shopping for a bit, where Chrysalis had destroyed over a thousand bits worth of merchandise and had somehow set a little colt on fire.

Then they had been waiting in line for the Santa Pony. It was near Hearth's Warming Eve, after all.

Then Chrysalis had gotten suspicious. She had sauntered right up to the fellow and ripped his white beard off. Which turned out to be real.

The whole mall was in uproar as the CMC became lost, and Twilight and Chrysalis were chased by a whole FBI squad. They found a little winter display sitting outside one of the stores, Jill Jewel's Jewelry, and had dived inside. Twilight had used magic to shrink them, but she could not shrink them enough for them to fit comfortably inside.

Suddenly Twi heard a noise outside. The FBI had realized they were inside. Suddenly the were being lifted. Twilight moaned as her stomach flipped.

Then the igloo flipped, them falling out and smacking against the floor.

Twilight looked up dizzily at a giant crane parked in front of them. The igloo was hanging from it. A FBI pony was manning it.

Suddenly Applebloom trotted up, her hooves in cuffs.

The three CMC laughed as they shouted "Cutie Mark Prisioners!"

> Round Table by Europa (Silly!)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Twilight trotted alongside Chrysalis. The wedding of her old foalsitter and BBBFF was looming on the horizon, so meeting up with her marefriend outside the city was a surprise.

"So... why?" she asked.

Chrysalis looked up at Canterlot, under disguise of a random pegasus pony known as 'Lovey Dovey'. Around them was a small entourage of disguised changeling soldiers. "Why what?"

"You know what I mean," she said. "Invading Canterlot... why? I mean, we haven't done anything to you."

Chrysalis had the sense to look abashed. "Well Twily, it's been a dream of mine for ages to rule Canterlot. The Badlands are nice, but Canterlot Castle has such a view! Ever since I was a nymph, I've wanted this. I've wanted to invade Canterlot so badly..."

"You don't wanna do that," she warned. "Let me show you why." Twilight summoned her magic, and opened a scrying portal into the middle of Canterlot.

It revealed a guard barracks, where a group of royal guards broke into song and began to play instruments. "We're guards of the round table! We dance when're we're able! We do routines and chorus scenes with hoofwork impecc-able!"

Chryssy's jaw dropped and her diguise petered out in shock.

A group of griffon immigrants entered the scene. "We dine well here in Canterlot; we eat ham and jam and spam-a-lot!"

The royal guards were playing trombones and drums, dancing on tables and upsetting plates. And then: "We're guards of the round table! Our shows! Are for! Mid-able! But many times we're given rhymes that are quite unsing-able! We're opera mad in Canterlot," they sang, upending one of the tables. "we sing from the diaphragm-a-lot!"

They kept dancing, kicking food off tables and nearly stepping on a stray cat. In the corner, a thestral guard gloomily tapped her hoof in tune with the beat. To Twilight's own surprise, Princess Luna levitated a spoon and was playing four guard helmets - complete with guards - like drums.

"In war we're tough and able!" sand a chorus with Shiny in it. One of the changelings scoffed. "Quite indefatig-able! Between patrols we play with trolls and impersonate Dark Cable! It's a busy life in Canterlot!"

Prince Blueblood popped up from behind a table. "I haave to push the pram-a-lot!"

Twilight closed the portal before more could happen, and turned to her stunned lover. The worker's eye twitched, then she composed herself and turned to her now-undisgusied changelings.

"On second thought," she said. "Let's not invade Canterlot. It is a silly place."

> Sing 2 by TheMusicalBoy93 (Sequel)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

“Tell me again why coming out here in the middle of the night was so darn important, Twilight.” Rainbow Dash scuffed her hooves through the thick leaf litter grumpily as she trudged along the non-existent path alongside her friends, Twilight at the head of the group. The purple Alicorn had assembled all her friends in a hurry, and requested they all follow her without question. Though confused, they all agreed, and soon found themselves wandering the Everfree Forest, the less-than-full moon being their only source of light in the overgrown wilderness. Twilight had explained to them what she had planned before reaching the forest, but the idea was so insane they five friends could hardly believe what was happening.

“Do you have any idea how much it meant to me to see Chrysalis outside my bedroom, singing to me, Rainbow?” the princess chastised her. “That took courage. Especially for the queen of the changelings. To confess her love to a pony princess, outside her palace in the middle of the night, in song…” the purple mare’s eyes seemed to glimmer with glee as she thought back to that magical night that happened just two nights before. “I’ve never seen such passion before. Especially from Chrysalis.”

“But why would you rope us into this, egghead?” Rainbow complained, yawning most unladylike. “Some of us need sleep, or else I can’t keep up how awesome I am.” Rarity rolled her eyes at her friend’s insolent comment.

“Really Rainbow, darling, I’m shocked and appalled at you. Twilight has experienced every mare’s dream. Having an admirer sing to one from below the bedroom balcony. Oh, how I envy you, Twilight.” Rarity swooned dramatically, causing Applejack to roll her eyes.

“While Ah may not share Rarity’s froufrou attitude over the matter, Ah must confess, it does sound rather romantic, all the same. “ The orange Earth pony placed an assuring hoof on Twilight’s withers. “And Ah’m happy ta help ya woo yer knight in chitin armour, Twi.” The two ponies smiled at each other and Twilight nuzzled the farmer’s cheek.

“And I’m grateful. To all of you. I promise, I’ll make this worth your while,” Twilight promised, eliciting eager smiles from her friends.

Not long later, the six ponies found themselves outside a large mass of gnarled tree trunks and roots, all meticulously woven together into a large domelike structure in the middle of the forest. This was Chrysalis’ hive. Twilight felt her heart flutter with nervous butterflies, which she wished would just stay on Fluttershy’s flank. She looked round at her friends, who all gave her reassuring nods. She smiled at them before taking a steadying breath and holding up a hoof to signal her friends to get ready.

The five friends all stood to attention, rolling back their shoulders and holding their heads high in a perfect choir formation. At the drop of the magenta hoof, Applejack started the choir with a simple bass beat. Her voice wasn’t as deep as her brother’s, but it was sufficient for Twilight’s means. Dash quickly followed with the lower tune line, while Fluttershy added an alto. Rarity sang her soprano top, and Pinkie supplied an excellent beatbox to accompany the melody.  The five ponies bobbed along to the beat, keeping perfect time with each other. Twilight watched the hive dimly light up with a pale green glow as the hive members slowly filtered out of the knobbed tree trunks to investigate. The purple princess took a deep breath and began her accompaniment.

“Sometimes I feel I want to
Run away, I need to
Get away
From being a princess and an Alicorn
I want your love
And I want you to be
By my side, day and night
For nothing before has ever felt so right
Once, I hated you

Now, I’m wanting you
Give me a chance to love you,
I’ll give you all a mare can give you
Take my love, but not my magic, OH!”

The six ponies harmonised perfectly on Twilight’s ending line before returning to their separate parts again as Chrysalis slowly emerged from the entwined trees with a look of complete shock and awe upon her face at the sight before her. The changeling’s heart pounded heavily in her chest at the sight of the mare of her dreams amid a gathering of ponies singing to her, just as she had done two nights ago.

“Changeling love,” Twilight winked at the changeling queen, causing Chrysalis to blush and hide her face behind her gossamer mane. “Changeling love,

Now I know I have to
Have your love, I’ve got to
Win your love
Cos I really want to have you love
To keep me warm
At night and make me feel safe
And I know you’ll keep me safe
I know you’ll be the lover I’m praying for,”

Chrysalis wiped her eyes as she watched Twilight slowly stalk up the twisted tree roots that formed the stairway to her hive in such a perfect sequence, she had to wonder if the purple Alicorn had choreographed it just especially.

“Once, I hated you
Now, I’m wanting you
Give me a chance to love you,
I’ll give you all a mare can give you
Take my love, but not my magic, OH!

Changeling love
Changeling love

Oh, touch me, please
I just can’t stand to be away
I love you, will you love me too?
Oh, I want to do things that lovers do,”

Twilight reached the top of the stairs and started circling around the changeling queen, dragging her tail along the queen’s black chitinous legs teasingly. Chrysalis blushed bright crimson as she followed Twilight’s half lidded gaze through her translucent mane.

"Changeling love, Changeling love
Changeling love, Changeling love

Give me tainted changeling love
Give me tainted changeling love

Changeling love
Changeling love
Changeling love”

The ponies finished the song and Twilight stood muzzle to muzzle with Chrysalis, who was blushing like a ripe tomato. Twilight did her best to supress the urge to giggle at the sight of the stunned queen. She offered a soft smile and slowly sidled up closer to Chryssy’s face.

“Queen Chrysalis Bladequeen,” Twilight addressed her. “Would you allow me to treat you to a date?”

The changelings, collectively, held their breath, as Twilight’s friends leaned forward, eagerly awaiting the queen’s response. As she stared into the Alicorn’s eyes, Chrysalis felt the dam burst, and her tears rolled freely down her cheeks as she threw her fetlock around the pony’s shoulders.

“Yes!” She rejoiced, and the Everfree Forest rang with a chorus of cheers. But none, not even Pinkie Pie’s party cannon, could drown out the sound of Fluttershy’s legendary Flutteryay.

> Empowered by Kildeez (Sequel)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by kildeez

Tirek had forgotten how long it had been since he was imprisoned down here.  Again.  Days?  Months?  Years?  In Tartarus, there was no way to know.  No sun and no moon orbited here, and this meant he had no way to keep track of time.  Ironically enough, the reminders of the very bane of his existence were also the only way he’d ever had of keeping track of time.  He had determined that every fourth bubble that burst in the lava pit beside him was about two minutes, but he’d lost count of those after about 4,000 of them , and minutes grew meaningless after 5,000 ticked by anyway.

Something stirred in the distance, a faint glimmer, and he eyed it.  Mostly out of curiosity: besides the lava pit and the three-headed dog just down the pathway to his cell, nothing ever moved in Tartarus.  Though there was something familiar in that glimmer…what was it…had it been emerald, if he wasn’t mistaken?  And flickered like fire?

“Tirek,” a familiar voice said coldly, it’s strange, multi-layered tone perking his ears.

“Ah, Chrysalis,” he whispered, grinning ear–to-ear.   He rose to all fours and trotted over to the changeling queen, standing just outside the bars of his cage.  His skeletal hands grasped them and he leered out at her, feeling a surge of joy at the sudden pang of fear that rose in the changeling’s cat-like irises.  “I must say, I didn’t know this prison allowed for conjugal visits.  And here, after a thousand years, you’re only now visiting me.  Have you anything to say for your absence, my little slut?”

The changeling’s eyes flared, her fangs baring.  “We were never wed, you evil fuck!”  She bellowed.

“Oh, but we might as well have been, for how close we were,” he said mockingly, his voice creaking as a malevolent grin crossed his face.  “Tell me, do you miss the nights we spent together?  All that time…”

“You’re implying that there was ever any love between us, and that you didn’t force yourself upon me every night all those years ago,” she hissed.

“Ah, forced, as if there was anything to take,” Tirek mused.  “I already owned you, silly little slut.  Or did you forget how I defeated you in battle so completely?  How you promised yourself to me in exchange for sparing your changelings?”

“I had no choice!”  She screamed, and an evil glint entered his eye at seeing the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.  “My changelings depend on their magic to feed on love!  They would have starved if you’d drained them!”

“Oh, but I kept them fed, did I not?  True to my word,” he licked his lips lecherously.  “All I asked for was a bit of…repayment for my generosity.”

Chrysalis took a step back as his tongue darted out between his lips.  “I-I’m not afraid of you.  Not anymore,” she said, her voice shaking, though her eyes did manage to meet his.

“Oh?  Then why did you run when I broke out again?  Here I was, expecting a kiss from my loving whore, only to discover she had picked up her entire hive and run to the farthest corners of Equus upon hearing of my escape,” he stroked his chin in a mockingly quizzical gesture.  “I couldn’t understand your fear, my little slut.  I heard from the other inmates that you were only found after Celestia’s little protégé tracked you down.”

“Twilight,” Chrysalis insisted, stepping forward again, regaining the ground she had lost.  “Her name is Twilight Sparkle, and you would do well to remember that.”

“Ah yes, Twilight Sparkle,” Tirek sneered, infuriated by the name of the pony that had played such a major part in his second downfall.  Then, the grin returned to his face.  “Word is she found you in your throne room, hiding in a corner and shaking in fear.  Such a sad, sad, sight, my little slut.  Did you miss your Tirek so badly?”

Instead of the fear he expected, Chrysalis’s eyes bulged with unbridled rage.  Suddenly, her magic seized the tips of his horns and slammed him against the bars.  She danced back at the same time, remaining well out of reach of his ability to drain her magic, and as a result he was helpless to resist.  She pressed his head against the bars, increasing the pressure until he was sure she might just tear the horns out entirely.  His face became a grimace of pain.  

“You listen to me,” Chrysalis hissed.  “And you listen good.  I’m going to say this once, after which, I’m going to turn around and never look back.  Twilight Sparkle picked me up from a very dark place.  She found me and helped me even though I was an enemy because I was in pain, and because that is just the kind of mare she is.  She picked me up after the memory of what you did dragged me down, and she introduced me to an entire new world filled with new beings and incredible ponies that have done nothing but repair the damage you did.  I know I will never quite be over what you did to me, Tirek, but I do know that with them at my side, I can do anything.”

She released her grip on his horns, allowing him to drop to the floor of his cage.  “And by the way,” she added, her cold eyes gazing down at his weakened body.  “She’s a better lover than you’ll ever be, you rapist pig.”

With that, she spat in his eye, turned, and started trotting back out into the darkness.  Her ebony form soon melded with the black, and eventually the only evidence that she was still there was the clop of her hooves.  Regaining his marbles, Tirek stood again, gazing out at Chrysalis’s retreating silhouette.  “That Twilight Sparkle sounds like quite the mare,” he called after her, an evil grin spreading across his face.  “I think I’ll take some time off to get to know her better next time I’m out.”

All at once, the clip-clop of her cloven hooves stopped.  His grin grew wider, believing he had struck the fear back into his little slut’s heart.  But then her voice returned, echoing out of the black: “Tirek?”

Confused, he called: “Yes?”

“Oh, good, judging from the placement of your voice, I can see you haven’t moved away from the edge of your cell.”

“Wha…”

All at once, the magic seized his horns again and slammed his face against the bars with a speed that was blinding.  The pain didn’t even have time to register before his head whipped back and repeated the motion.  Then it happened again.  And again.  And again.  Around hit ten, his nose broke and he lost track of how many times he’d been forced through this motion.  He could do nothing to defend himself, to stop the disorientation, the panic, the agony screaming through his face.  Finally, the blows stopped falling, and he was allowed to drop to the floor, his face a bloody, pulpy mess, his eyes swollen shut, and every one of his teeth lying in a puddle of blood at his hooves.

As promised, Chrysalis still hadn’t turned around to see him, nor did she when her voice rose, trembling, yet with an incredible inner strength.  “That is what her love has given me, Tirek.  Keep in mind that you will face that power again should you foolishly choose to escape.  And one more thing: if you ever lay a single finger on that mare, I will throw you in a hole in my hive and devote the rest of my existence to finding a way to kill you, starting with breaking every bone in your body.  And that’s counting every single one of your vertebrae as individual bones.”

She left him then, allowing him to heal and collect his broken teeth.  It would take time for the physical scars to heal, but then, time was all he had.  Which was actually for the best, because it would take even more time for the sudden twist of fear that entered his heart at Chrysalis’s words to leave again.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chrysalis stumbled out of the portal to Tartarus in tears.  She collapsed to the floor of the cave, whimpering like a filly and shivering.  She curled up into a little ball and wailed, hardly even aware of the hoofsteps approaching until the pony they belonged to was practically standing on top of her.

Chrysalis looked up into the warm, loving eyes of Twilight Sparkle.  “You were so brave, Chryssy,” she said, smiling apologetically as she held out the inhibitor ring the Canterlot nobility insisted she wear while in Equestria.

Chrysalis let out a few jagged breaths, and nodded.  Twilight smiled and slid the ring over her lover’s horn, sealing it in place with a kiss, then rushing in to wrap her forelegs around her.  Chrysalis returned the hug, still sniffling.  Her breath still went into spasms occasionally, like a foal’s after a good, hard cry, but as Twilight continued to hold her, they faded.

“So many ponies wouldn’t be able to do what you just did: face down someone who…did what he did,” Twilight whispered, the word “he” hissing between her lips with as much venom as she could muster.  “I’m so proud of you, Chryssy, so proud.”

Chrysalis continued to say nothing, continued to just hold her lover for a few extra minutes.  Finally, she whispered: “What happens now?”

“Now?”  Twilight smiled as she pulled away, tears of happiness gathering in her eyes.  “Now the healing can finally begin.”

> Duck by bobbananaville (Funny!)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by bobbananaville

“Rainbow Dash!” A ‘nonchalant’-looking (by which I mean, barely capable of breathing, she’s trying so hard not to laugh) Rainbow Dash looks down at me from her cloud. “Did you-”

“Oh, hey Twilight!” she says. The pegasus snickers. “How are you doing?”

“Don’t act innocent, Rainbow,” I growl, “Get down here right now!”

There is a pause. She’s probably weighing her options. She might have a checklist pertaining to whether a situation is of acceptable risk, if she’s been listening to my lectures - and she likely hasn’t.

Half a minute later, she finally descends from her cloud, wearing what she probably believes to be a composed face which is actually cleary five seconds from bursting into tears of laughter. “What’s u-” snicker, goes the insufferable prankster. “What’s up, Twi?”

Luckily for her, I’d taken the time she’d taken to compose herself to do the same. No longer am I afraid that I’ll do something drastic like pounce on her and rip out her jugular vein, or ban her from the library. No, I’ve calmed down, and can now ask in an orderly manner: “Did you tell Chrysalis that I was into ducks?”

“I don’t-” snicker, again, she keeps on snickering. “- I don’t know what you’re talking about. Why, is she-”

“Because that’s what she told me, when I finally asked her what she was doing. She’d turned into one and was squatting on the bed. She was wearing lipstick on her beak and shaking her backside and she was trying to quack alluringly, shut up Rainbow Dash!”

“Oh man, this is hilarious!” Finally, she drops her guise of innocence. “Did she really?”

“Yes! And she was so embarrassed and confused and she was still - Stop laughing!”

“Oh man, what about her feathers?!” I can make these words out between her giggles and gasps for air. “ Because I told her that you were really into preening ducks, and -”

“How could you - UGH!” I huff, and turn away. I don’t even know why I confronted her anyway. She won’t listen to anything I ask of her (well, not so long as it pertains to pranks), and I’m only fueling the flames by giving her details about her success. “I’m going to find a way to get back at you, Rainbow Dash,” I mutter loud enough for her to hear. “I’ll find some way.”

I make my way back to the library, plans forming in my mind and being discarded in split seconds, hundreds of  -

“In all seriousness, though,” comes the voice again. still impetuous yet no longer quite as unbearable. “You have a good marefriend. I mean, she believed all of that stupid stuff I said -” urge to kill: rising - “but she became a duck anyway. She had no clue what she was doing, and she was embarrassing herself, but she did it for you. That’s saying something, isn’t it?”

I opt not to say anything and continue walking away. Nonetheless, the beginnings of a smile form on my face.

> Internet by TheMusicalBoy93 (Breaking the fourth wall!)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

Chrysalis sat at Twilight’s desk, staring at the strange box that stood on the wooden surface.  It hadn’t been made from natural resources, that much was clear to the changeling. It looked to be made out of hard plastic with a glass front to it, with long cables leading down into a tall tower under the desktop. She glanced sideways to her workerfriend, who looked back at her with excited, glittering eyes.

“So, what’s this “internet” thing you were telling me about, Twilight?” Chrysalis looked at the home screen of the contraption – computer, if she remembered correctly – and the dozens of icons that seemed to open to different files on the computer, such as Ponysoft Text and some odd looking game called Mineblock. Twilight leaned across to cup a small boxlike device in the crook of her hoof. As she moved the… mouse?… Yeah, mouse, across the desk, the small white arrow on the computer screen seemed to follow, which confused the queen, because the mouse wasn’t even connected to the computer in any way.

“This,” Twilight started, clicking an icon of a blue “E”, which opened a software window, displaying the homepage; “Derp Search”. “Is the internet.” The purple Alicorn smiled broadly as she clicked through a few random web pages she had bookmarked, whatever that meant. “Here’s the website I wanted you to see, Chrys,” she giggled as she brought up a page that showed a picture of Chrysalis and Twilight, Chrysalis looking down at Twilight with a speech bubble saying “We should be lovers”, with an unimpressed looking Twilight looking up at her with a speech bubble stating “We can’t do that”. The changeling leaned forward to read the title above the picture.

“Tainted Love: A Twysalis prompt tag Collab,” she read. Twilight nodded, eagerly.

“Yep. Looks like a group of ponies have decided to write stories about us.” The two mares blushed as they considered the thought of ponies writing tales about their love life. It felt weird; it was flattering but, in a sense, it felt so creepy.

“Shall we have a read?” Chrysalis suggested, finding the silence too awkward to bear. Twilight blushed and nodded, clicking open a few pages for them to read through.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Chrysalis almost fell out of her chair in fits of giggles as she read the comments on a chapter written by somepony called ‘Opera Phantom’, calling Twilight a ‘neurovore’.

“It’s SO true!” She guffawed, holding her sides as her breath grew shallower and shallower. Twilight continued to shrink into her seat, her whole coat turning crimson in embarrassment.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
“Aww,” Twilight cooed, wiping away a tear, as she finished reading the chapter called ‘diplomacy’. “That’s so sweet.” Chrysalis wrapped a hoof around Twilight’s withers and pulled her close as they clicked the next tab.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Both mares stared blankly at the screen as they read, re-read, and re-re-read the last line of a chapter, just to try and understand what they had just read.



The two of them thanked her for not being mad at them. Meanwhile outside, Ponyville was enduring a rampage by a giant, walking pie that cocooned its prey.



“Well,” Twilight stuttered, after the longest, most heavily pregnant pause imaginable. “That was… that was… certainly a thing… that-that happened.”
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Chrysalis shushed her weeping workerfriend, whispering reassurances into her ear, after having read the most disturbing of chapters thus far in the story collection.

“You… you wouldn’t actually,” Sniff, “DO that to me, would you Chryssy?” Twilight asked, fearfully. Tears brimmed in her eyes, making the changeling’s heart sink like a lead balloon.

“Of course not, petal,” she smiled, kissing Twilight on the nose sweetly, “I’d never allow my drones to harm you like that.” Twilight smiled meekly and Chrysalis turned to face the computer screen once more. “I believe I’ve learned something today,” She announced.

“What’s that?” Twilight wiped her eyes on the backs of her hooves and looked up into her workerfriend’s eyes as she brought her attention back to the Alicorn.

“I don’t think I like the internet very much.” Twilight nodded with a sniffle.

“Agreed.”

> Lyra Heartstrings2 by TheMusicalBoy93(Walk that line)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

Lyra cantered as briskly as she could to try and catch up to her marefriend, who was stomping far ahead of her, snorting like a fighting bull as she made a beeline for the Palace of Friendship. Bon Bon had been relentless when Lyra came clear about her drunken night with Princess Twilight and Queen Chrysalis and, after punishing her marefriend – in quite a kinky manner, now that Lyra could think back about it – she went charging off to chew out Ponyville’s royal couple, too. After untying herself, thank Celestia for being double jointed nearly all over, Lyra ran off to intercept her lover, knowing first hoof what Bon Bon was capable of when she was on the rampage. She knew Twilight and Chrysalis would, no doubt, be able to defend themselves, if needs be, but she didn’t want anypony getting hurt in the crossfire.

Finally, a few hundred yards outside Twilight’s palace, she caught up to the fuming candy maker and tried to reason with her.

“Bon Bon, I’m sorry. I really, truly am.” Bon Bon merely snorted at this apology, not once looking away from her destination. “I told them I could get home on my own, but they insisted I stayed.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt you, sweetie,” Bon Bon all but sneered, although it was clear in her voice she was no longer directing her anger at Lyra. “But I’ve punished you now, so now I need to knock Twilight and Chrysalis’ stupid royal heads together so they’ll never take advantage of you like that again.”

Lyra felt a little flattered that Bon Bon loved her so much as to prize her as highly as she did, but she also felt a small chill traverse her spine at the thought of how far Bon Bon would go to assert her ownership over her marefriend.

“Just… try not to commit an act of treason, OK, sugar lump?” She pleaded.

“No promises,” Bon Bon smirked as she thumped a hoof on the heavy crystal door loudly. A loud kerfuffle could be heard high up in the canopy of the crystalline tree, emanating from, where the two mares guessed was, Twilight and Chrysalis’ bedroom. After an irritably long wait, the door slowly creaked open. But the creature opening the door was what stopped Lyra and Bon Bon entering the palace.

The creature stood on two legs, which ended in pony like hooves, but the rest of its body wasn’t at all like a pony in any way. It stood bolt upright, and had a very well defined pair of hips above its legs. Its torso was long and slender, with a rather well toned abdomen and two large round lumps on its chest. Instead of hooves on its forearms, the creatures wrists seemed to end in five slender claw like thingies. And its face was quite flat, with little to no muzzle worth noticing. A few features about this being, however, were quite recognisable; the gnarled horn on her forehead, the translucent green hair and the gossamer wings on her back. Lyra’s jaw dropped at the sight of creature, and a long trail of drool slowly drooped from her lower jaw, landing on the palace step with a plop.

“Oh. Good afternoon Lyra, Bon Bon,” the creature welcomed her guests in a friendly, eerily familiar, voice. “What can I help you with?” Bon Bon stuttered, working her mouth like a fish, but failing to create any comprehendible words. It was Lyra who found her tongue first.

“Ch-Chr-Chrysalis?” She stammered, noisily slurping up another trail of slobber as she looked up at the transformed changeling. The queen simply smiled and nodded.

“Twilight’s upstairs. Come, follow me.” She opened the door to allow the ponies into the palace. Hesitantly, the pair walked through the doorway, and the changeling anthro closed the door behind them before slowly leading them up the spiral staircase at the back of the grand hall.

When they reached the bedroom door, Chrysalis gave a knock on the door. The sound of a fumbling pony could be heard on the other side, making the two pony mares blush.

“Are you decent enough, Twily?” Chrysalis teased, and she could practically hear her workerfriend rolling her eyes at the retort.

“It’s OK, Chryssy, come in,” Twilight called, and the anthromorphic changeling opened the door, allowing the ponies in before her.

The two mares noticed Twilight sitting up in her bed, the bed covers pulled up tightly over her breast. Her mane was a little tangled, clearly given a hurried, half attempted brush. Her face was a little flushed, and she seemed to be panting a little, offering an awkward smile to the, still stunned, ponies before her. The smell of sweat and jasmine filled the air, and the two ponies were quick to notice the scented candle on the bedside table, clearly an effort to mask the sweat. But if the smell didn’t hint at what was going on before their arrival, the small damp puddle on the bed covers was definitely a traitorous sign.

“Hello Lyra, Bon Bon,” the princess greeted them, with an almost guilty smile. “How may I help you today?”

“Well, um… I, uh. That is. I…” Bon Bon mentally bucked herself for being unable to form a comprehendible sentence, despite her current circumstances.

“What did you do to Queen Chrysalis?” Lyra blurted out, making Bon Bon splutter at the outburst. Twilight turned her focus to the minty unicorn with a beaming smile.

“Oh! That’s right. I totally forgot why I even made that spell in the first place,” Twilight blushed as she caught sight of Chryalis waving at her suggestively, moving only her fingers – as they had learned to call them – at her behind Lyra and Bon Bon’s backs out the corner of the eye. “Remember when I told you I’d been to a parallel world inhabited by humans?” Lyra’s ears stood to attention at this question, her eyes threatening to bulge out of their sockets.

“You… you mean you weren’t just teasing me‽” The mint green unicorn’s eyes lit up like a Hearth’s Warming Tree as she zipped over to Chrysalis and started checking her up and down with hungry eyes. “Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh! This is so amazing! Is this what a human really looks like?”
Twilight rubbed the back of her head sheepishly as Chrysalis gave her a look that said “Seriously? What’s up with this chick?”

“Well, kinda yes, and kinda no,” she explained. “The top half is anatomically correct, minus the horn and wings, but humans don’t have hooves. Funny thing, really. The first time Chryssy and I attepted the transformation spell, we stopped halfway through, because it hurt her a little. Ever since then, we… just never went with the full transformation.” Twilight blushed as she decided to omit the full reason as to why they never went full human. In truth, Twilight quite preferred the half human, half changeling hybrid anyway. Suddenly, Twilight felt herself being hit like a missile had socked her in the stomach as Lyra lunged forth at her, pinning her down on the bed, pressing her muzzle close into her own.

“Twilight, you have to teach me that spell!” Lyra’s eyes twinkled eagerly as her inner filly stole complete and utter control of her body, unabated. Bon Bon rolled her eyes, while Chrysalis and Twilight just giggled.

“Of course, Lyra.” Twilight gave a squee at the musician’s eagerness to learn the new spell. Lyra glanced over her shoulder at Bon Bon, gining her a half lidded, bedroom stare.

“Just think of all the things we could do with human bodies, Bon Bon,” she purred, causing her marefriend to let out a huff. Chrysalis smirked at the display and cupped a hand over Bon Bon’s withers, slowly leading her toward the bed.

“How about Twily and I give you girls a little sample of what’s to come?” She offered in a sultry tone. Bon Bon gasped indignantly, and was about to protest until she was cut off but a long, slender digit rubbing her in a very intimate place.

“Wh-what do you th-think you-‘rrre doing‽” Bon Bon tried to wriggle away from Chrysalis’ advances, but the anthro queen pushed deeper, holding the Earth pony snugly under her arm as she felt her up along her curves. She suddered and tried her best to supress a few moans at the alien sensations.

She heard somepony else moaning and was horrified to find Lyra sat next to Twilight with the Alicorn licking her horn slowly and sensually and, though she was loathe to admit it, seemingly getting more of a reaction from her minty lover than Bon Bon ever did whenever she did that to the musician. To make it worse, one of Lyra’s forehooves was between her thighs, making small rotations under the bedspread.

“Holy horseapples, that’s hot, Bon Bon,” Lyra slurred, her eyes glazing over as Twilight serviced her horn. Bon Bon was ready to raise her voice before a jolt of pleasure coursed through her, sending an electrifying tingle up her spine as Chrysalis’ fingers struck a very sensitive nerve clump. The Earth pony gave a weak squeak and her knees slackened, allowing the human queen to scoop her up in her arms and carry her to the bed. Bon Bon’s eyes rolled back in her skull as she submitted herself to Chrysalis’ will. Maybe having a kinky, human crazed marefriend could have its plus points, she thought to herself, before losing her mind to the misty veil of pleasure.

> Charity by SeanofTheDead (...Huh?)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by SeanofTheDead

“Chrysalis!” Twilight yelled as she stomped into the room she shared with her marefriend, furious over the catastrophe caused by her earlier. To her credit Chrysalis had been rather charitable....though NOT in an expected manner.

“Yes Twilight my love?” Twilight’s mouth dropped open and began to leak a small amount of drool at the heavenly sight before her. Chrysalis was wearing brand new Carousel Boutique lingerie, the fabric of the panties clinging to her…wait no I’m mad….aren’t I?

To be completely honest Twilight was no longer sure of her motivations for coming into her bedroom. What she did know however was that Chryssy looked REALLY hot. And that was making her feel REALLY hot.

“ I see you have found something you like…” Twilight could only nod her head dumbly in response at this point. “Good, because after today’s earlier mishap, I bought all new lingerie for the both of us to last us a few years.”

A lewd smile spread across Twilight’s muzzle at her marefriend’s words. Twilight had remembered why she was angry...however she no longer cared. screw Manehatten, they’ll figure it out.

Manehatten did in fact find a solution to the problem plagueing their city. The homeless population had never looked better...thanks to a mysterious donation of hundreds of sets of very well made lingerie from a completely anonymous source in Ponyville...

> Bondage by Knight of Lycaeus (Not what it looks like/Story)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

Today had been a productive day, Chrysalis and I actually had time to discuss the last two weeks. Never could I have imagined or thought that Chrysalis would willingly surrender or that she would approach my Court to do so.

Today had been a relaxing day, no disasters or crazy monsters out to destroy Ponyville. Even after living here for some years now the craziness never stops and still gets to me at times. I’ve noticed Chrysalis having a similar problem to when I first arrived here, it hasn’t helped that Discord kept popping up…. Although I’m glad he’s not causing too much chaos, some chaos but it’s manageable and certainly reversible.

Today had been relaxing until a rainbow blur shot through my window, again, then said rainbow blur launched herself at Chrysalis. Or rather it seemed like that until a bright flash blinded us momentarily.

I blinked when I saw Rainbow Dash bound up and lying on the ground before us, she was bound by what appeared to be cocoons in a rainbow of colours. Before I could speak, I was interrupted.

“Cut!” yelled a mini Discord who climbed up from Rainbow’s back. He was wearing protective gear complete with helmet; to me it looked like he just rode in on Rainbow’s back, somehow….

Discord removed the helmet and gear with a snap and now he looked like a villain that Spike would have called sleazy, understandable given his top hat, flowing cape, and pencil mustache. “Nope! All wrong.” A quick snap and Rainbow Dash was now bound in yarn and candy in again a rainbow of colours. I saw Discord raise a clapperboard and snapped it, “Action!”

I could see Chrysalis from the corner of my eye and I could tell she was likely close to snapping. Sighing I turned to the mini Discord who looked quite pleased, “Discord, was binding her really necessary? Also were those actual cocoons?”

Discord answered by placing his talon and paw over his heart as he acted out the dramatic death seen in plays, “Actual cocoons, never! As for our friend Rainbow Dash here, I would say yes.” His expression became thoughtful or thoughtful for Discord which looked more like he was scheming, “Perhaps her Element is Fire not Loyalty. But in any case, binding her up like a cocooned insect was important. Now you three could have your all important friendship talk.” Discord shifted forms to a blue spider that shot off a web from one of his legs and used it as a swing, “This has been your friendly neighbourhood hero, Discord. Farewell!”
I shook my head and turned to see that Chrysalis was still having some issues over Discord’s appearance. Quickly I grabbed her attention before we both turned to face Rainbow Dash who was trying unsuccessfully to escape her bonds.

“Rainbow Dash” I began hoping I could help ease the hostile and reluctant duo into actually talking, “this is Discord’s work. I doubt you’re leaving that until we finish here.”

Rainbow grunted, “Twilight, can’t you use magic or something to get it off?”

I tapped my chin with the tip of my hoof, “Probably. Although I doubt it’s that easy, knowing Discord. I think Discord is right though, talking might be the only way out.” I nudged Chrysalis gently, “So could we start?”

Chrysalis snorted, “What is there to talk about? She’s been hostile since the beginning.”

“Chrysalis,” I said in a warning tone. Sighing again, “Could we at least try? I would rather not have Rainbow bound here all day especially since Discord managed to bind your wings.”

“That thing tricked us, why should we trust her?” Rainbow yelled out as she tried again to escape.

“That thing as you called her is Chrysalis, leader of a Changeling Hive. Have you ever thought that you two might share something in common?”

My ears flattened as both of them started shouting at each other, at me…. This day was going so well, I should have known something like this would happen. I raised a hoof, silently asking but also hoping for silence.

“I know Chrysalis tricked you and many others but she has a duty to her Hive. From what I’ve learned from her is that every Changeling in the Hive need to work together. Without bonds between them the Hive would fall apart.”

“It’s true, without us working together,” Chrysalis said although I could tell she was still reluctant to the whole thing, “without the Hive working together we couldn’t survive.”

“So what does this have to do with your stupid invasion?” Rainbow growled out still not happy at the situation.

Chrysalis sighed, “My Hive lives on the fringe of society and there are few settlements near us and certainly not enough to sustain us for long.” Chrysalis growled, “Hives like mine are rarely large in numbers, this likely stopped me from assert myself above the rest of the Collective.” Chrysalis turned to look at Rainbow, “From what Twilight has told me you would do anything for your friends.”

“Yes” Rainbow answered, not certain where Chrysalis was going.

“Then understand that I would do anything to ensure our survival even if it meant using underhanded tactics, anything to gain the advantage. I protect and lead them just as the protect and work for me.”

Rainbow glared at Chrysalis for a while before doing something I never really see or would have expected. Rainbow sighed, “Fine Twilight’s over there is right, we both would do anything to protect those we care for.”

I blinked, “Wait…. Since when do you admit defeat, especially this easily?”

Rainbow turned her head to look at me, “Fluttershy. A few days ago I was visiting Fluttershy and she confronted me about my attitude towards Chrysalis. But confront’s too strong more like stern talking.”

I shake my head, of course Fluttershy one of Rainbow’s oldest friends could get through to her in a way that few could “So what does this mean?”

Rainbow grunted, “Still want to take her down for her stupid invasion, for tricking me to abandon you. Fluttershy said no and that I should forgive her. Maybe I don't need to start a fight and I guess what I did just now was stupid. But still not forgiving her.”

Chrysalis nodded, “I think this is about as close as we’ll get.”

I nodded; I knew getting them to talk was a long shot. Getting them to be friendly was an even longer shot, I’ll settle however for civil. “So this leaves us where then?” I asked.

“I’m not sorry for doing what I must but I’ll take civil.” Chrysalis said.

“Still not forgiving her, but truce for now.” Rainbow said.

“I’ll take it as it is now. But you should try to forgive her,” I said pointing at Rainbow, “and you should try to make peace with her.” pointing at Chrysalis.

“Probably won’t happen anytime soon,” Chrysalis said.

“Not likely, Twilight,” Rainbow said.

Another blinding flash and the bonds were gone from Rainbow’s body.

“Finally!” Rainbow yelled stretching out her wings, “Right, sorry about the window Twilight.” Rainbow shouted as she shot out through the window she had broke.

I nudged Chrysalis gently, “I think something relaxing is in order. I’m heading over to Sugercube Corner, are you coming?”

Chrysalis nodded, “I might as well check with the Hive.”

Before we could leave, the door slammed open and Spike walked in.
> Diligence by Europa (Hope)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

She would never let Chrysalis know, but every night she stayed up long after her wife had fallen asleep, refreshing the wards on their room, worrying endlessly. Twilight would sit up in their web-bed, looking down at the changeling as she slept, her barrel rising and falling slowly and evenly. Worried that somepony rebelling against their love would come crashing through the window, Twilight only slept when she could keep her eyes open no more.

A month after their honeymoon, Twilight still couldn't relax. Every night was like this. Being careful not to wake Chryssy, she got out of bed and trotted through her castle aimlessly.

She walked to one of the balconies and looked at the night, out at Ponyville, at Equestria. It seemed like anypony could be out there, plotting her and Chryssy harm. There were six million ponies in the country, after all. That was a lot of people for there not be at least somepony out there. Maybe she could put some more protective wards around their room. Or their castle. Two more, five more, ten never hurt anypony...

A figure flew before her, swerved around to her, and approached. Twilight took a few steps back, allowing Luna to land safely and fold her wings. "Twilight, what keeps you awake this night, along with all other nights since your wedding?"

She laughed nervously. "Oh, you know about that."

"You haven't been dreaming. Everypony dreams every night, whether or not they realize it. You have not been; what is wrong?"

She wasn't going to get anything by Luna, was she? She had born Honesty centuries ago. "I'm scared, Luna," Twilight admitted. "You know how many ponies were against me dating Chryssy, who knows what they'll do now that... you know?"

Luna smiled gently at walked over to her side, draping a long wing over her withers. "Your worries have a note of sense within them, Twilight, but you worry too much. While it is true many of our little ponies oppose your union, not many would have the nerve to strike against a Princess and Queen's Consort, or a Queen and Princess's Consort. Fewer still have the ability to harm you."

"What do you mean?"

Luna poked her in the chest. "Consider, Twilight. Your friend Applejack bucks trees for a living. Your friend Pinkamina's sister, Maud, was able to shatter stone. Disregard the strength; how tough must they be so that, when they and their charges meet, they are not the ones who break?"

"Pretty tough." She had an idea where it was going, but Princess Luna continued regardless.

"Now you are an alicorn. Poison can not touch you, for the ichor in your veins simply burns it out. You possess earth pony magic in the extremes, so it will be... difficult to harm you. Changelings are naturally impervious to toxins as well, and their magic must - by the nature of their disguises - mimic earth pony magic in some regards. Whatever they wish, they can not harm you."

"And... and my friends?" she realized. Oh no. Had she been warding the wrong place? What if they were breaking into Rainbow's cloud house right now? Or Rarity's store? What if they wished to go through her friends to get to her, what if - 

"Twilight Sparkle," Luna said sternly as she tightened her wing's grip. "You worry too much. We've assigned night guards to them, and your wife herself has Imperials under disguise shadowing your friends from a respectful distance. Please Twilight, go in and get sleep. This is coming from the mare who was once driven to madness by ponies sleeping at night, so go." With some bizarre movement of Luna's wings, Twilight was pushed towards her castle.

"Luna - "

"I'm not saying don't take care of yourselves, Twilight," Luna said. "But do try not to worry yourself too much over it. You don't want to know what stress-aging does to somepony who's immortal."

She nodded, then trotted back inside her castle. Twilight found her wife still fast asleep on her side, so she nestled up against her stomach as the little spoon, feeling her shell moving as the changeling breathed.

She closed her eyes and slept.

> Dat Ass by Listener (humor)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Listener

Twilight stared.

Then she stopped.

Then she looked back, blushing.

Then she stopped again, gnawing on her lower lip.

The purple unicorn sighed, moving forward still, slightly behind Chrysalis on their trip through lower Canterlot. "Chrysalis, I understand the need to walk around disguised while in town, but why did you choose that form?" She asked, catching herself looking again as she tore her gaze away.

"Twi, this is my standard disguise whenever I am out and about, why?" Chrysalis said, stopping and looking back at the mare.

"N-No reason. J-just wondering why I always see you with that form!" Twilight said, covering up where she was looking.

Chrysalis looked at Twilight strangely, before rolling her eyes and continuing to walk. "I still don't see why you want me to go with you to this… "Donut Joe's?" She said, thinking she got the name right.

Twilight grinned sheepishly. "Yeah. Sorry. Just wanted for you to get out and about." She said.

"And, to see dat ass moving.' She thought to herself, before blushing.

"Twlight, dear." Chrysalis said, stopping suddenly as Twilight kept going and accidentally running into her butt.

"Eheheh, sorry Chryssy. What is it?" She asked, her blush fully visible.

"I was just wondering why I was in front, if you're the one that knows where we're going."

Twilight shook her head, clearing it. "You make a good point, Chryssy. Hang on, I'll lead." She said, taking the point and walking quickly.

Meanwhile, Chrysalis smiled softly, looking at the purple butt in front of her.

'Dat ass'
	
> Sick by Rain Fire (...Wha?)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Rain Fire

“You did what?” Twilight shouted as she stomped through the doors to her… well, their bedroom.

“I only put him in that cocoon for a little while!” Chrysalis said as she followed behind Twilight. The bedroom was mutually shared, and not for a simple reason like lack of room or that there was only one bed. No, they were marefriends, special someponies, lovers, and yadda yadda yadda.

“The time amount isn’t the point, Chrysy! The point is that he was in the cocoon in the first place! He’s my brother for Celestia’s sake!” Twilight yelled as she turned around to face the now bashful Chrysalis. It was amazing that the dark chitinous armor could even blush like that. Of course, Chrysalis wouldn't take her marefriend yelling at her without putting up a fight.

“He was being annoying and suspicious! He tried to poison me!” Chrysalis shouted back, her eye twitching slightly at having to bring that back up again.

“It was marinara sauce! Ponies put that on pasta all the time!” Twilight groaned loudly, having already had this arguement with her marefriend once.

“That disgusting stuff should be disbarred from the entire world!” Chrysalis shouted, stomping her hoof hard against the crystal flooring. She would not stand idly by while that disgusting stuff was still around, all she needed was the support of her lover to help banish it permanently.

“This isn’t about the sauce! You can’t just go around putting ponies into cocoons like that! Think of the reputation that would come from this!” Twilight shouted a Chrysalis.

“There is only a reputation if they speak about it afterwards. Just a simple hypnotism spell afterwards….”

“It’s not about the single pony reputation but about the moral standard that you would be putting out from doing this! It would be like Celestia banishing ponies for making her the wrong tea!”

“I thought she didn’t lik-”

“That’s not the point!” Twilight shouted, waddling up to Chrysalis who also waddled closer.

“I’m Chrysalis, and I like to manipulate the feelings of ponies,” Cadance spoke in a voice attempting to imitate Chrysalis, waddling the plastic figurine of the changeling back and forth.

“I’m Twilight, and I argue about semantics,” Cadance spoke , moving the Twilight figurine.

“I’m Chrysalis, and I hate Twilight’s brother because he ruined my plans in Canterlot,” Cadance said.

“I’m Twilight, and I like books and fixing problems that are not of my business” she said, this time holding the figurines closer together than before.

“Fight, fight, fight!” She stated eagerly as she shook the dolls back and forth before bringing them together in an attempt to make it look like they were kissing, “kiss, kiss, kiss.”

From outside the door to Cadance’s room, Twilight and Shining just stared, slack jaw at what they were witnessing. Eventually they managed to pick up their jaws before giving a glance at each other. After one final look to the pink alicorn who was still pretending to be the couple, with the help of the figurines, they slowly backed themselves away from the door, silently swearing to never speak of what they saw.  

“That’s just sick and twisted…” Shining said as they continued to back away down the halls, “and she’s my wife!”

“Yeah…” Twilight started, “I need some bleach.”
	
> Temperance by Knight of Lycaeus (humor)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

"No Chrysalis," Twilight said firmly.

"But Twilight, didn't y-" Chrysalis said trying to counter.

"You didn't let me do something of the things I wanted to do on our last trip."

Chrysalis huffed, "That’s because there were better ideas."

Twilight nodded, "Of course and we did those but you don't need another magic kingdom."

"Of course I do!"

Twilight shook her head, "You have one. It's been more than enough to feed the Hive so let's hold back on being greedy. The last thing we need is for you to gorge on love again."

"That only happened once, not counting the failed invasion. Besides it's not like the last time did anything.... except terrorize several small cities about invading Changelings.... Besides I'm not greedy.... much. Also you hoard books."

"I'm still running the town library, so that means books are required to adequately stock the shelves."

Chrysalis rolled her eyes, "Most of the town don't even go over there much. Even fewer are avid readers."

"Still no magic kingdom, your one magic kingdom is enough." Twilight said firmly.

Twilight paused and turned to Chrysalis, "But if you have to be greedy, we could go back to the hotel or maybe somewhere secluded" Twilight said on a suggestive tone.

Chrysalis smirked catching the hint, "Of course. Hotel room it is then.". The two turned to return to their hotel room leaving behind the “magic kingdom”, a cheerful place with plenty of children running around in mouse-ear hats.
	
> Overripe Banana by SeanofTheDead (humor, meta)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by SeanofTheDead

To any casual visitor to The Treeastleace of Friendship(I don’t care what it’s canon name is I call it by what it looks like. A tree, a castle, and a palace)  the overall atmosphere wouldn’t be far from normal compared to any other building in Ponyville besides it’s size and the materials used to build it. The only true difference they would notice would be the mildly fruity smell permeating the structure’s interior. Of course the casual visitor wouldn’t be allowed near the denizens bedrooms, unlike Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash, who were in fact able to traverse deeper into the Treeastleace than any visitor. Being denizens of the aforementioned abode, had it’s privileges after all. It also had drawbacks, considering the fruity aroma only became more and more cloying the further into the building you went. And their rooms were close to the source of the now horridly, powerful odor. The source being Twilight’s room. Or as they had been calling it for the last year and a half now, much to the dismay of the rooms occupants, Twi and Chryssy’s’ Love Palace. Though what the odor had to do with the occupants, the room, or even the building was anypony’s guess. But Twilight hadn’t been seen much lately and so here her friends were braving the ungodly smell to find their friend and ask what was going on

“I’b delling you guys, we shoulb jusd burn the hall and dell them to run for id,” Rainbow said as she held her nose shut while walking on the other three.

*sniff* *hack* *gag* “Foul blasphemous banana smell, apples are better fer ya and everypony knows it too,” said Applejack as she tried to keep her apple themed lunch down.

“Maybe we should ask them why the smell is so stong here, if that’s okay with you I mean…” said the official spokespony of the “I’m a doormat and proud of it club.”

“Screwb it, I’b goin in!” Rainbow shouted as she threw her body against the door just as it was opening, revealing a very shocked Twilight Sparkle and massive pile of old banana peels, and another slightly larger pile of whole bananas.

“Well that explains the smell, but Twi...how could you betray me like this?” Applejack asked tears in her eyes at the monumental betrayal of her best friend. “I thought we had somethin’ special...you said you loved my apples...but ya was just lyin’ I guess.”

“Applejack I didn’t betray you, or your delicious apples. Chryssy is just um….well she’s…” Twilight stumbled to find her words as most socially awkward ponies do when confronted with an awkward or embarrassing situation. Thankfully she had friends like Rainbow, whom when confronted with something awkward or embarrassing, blurt it out as soon as they figure out what it is.

“CHRYSALIS IS PREGNANT!!!” Thank you Rainbow, for being ‘that’ friend.

A quick look towards the bed confirmed the blurting from Rainbow to be true. Chrysalis was VERY pregnant.

“Yes,” Twilight sighed, “Chrysalis is about eight months pregnant, and she has been craving bananas.”

“But, if you don’t mind my asking that is, how in the name of Celestia’s hot flank, did you get pregnant?” asked a very confused Fluttershy. “I mean you are both mares, so just...how?”

Twilight and Chrysalis exchanged a mortified look of complete embarrassment and blushed.

“Well you see…”

But that is a story for a different prompt.

> Prank by lyra_lover777 (Title says it all)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Discord was twidiling his paw and hoof together nervously. It had been a week since he had walked right into Twilight's library to see her sleeping with Queen Chrysalis.

Discord sighed as he put his head in is lap, quite literally. The cut-off head sighed before growing wings and zooming back onto Discord's neck.

Discord, god of Disharmony, the master of tricks and pranks. Even he respected Chrysalis's talent at pranking.

It was because while his jokes were funny and care-free, hers were always painful and violent. He had been through a few before.

Discord pulled his right eye out and kept throwing it in the air. He was waiting for Chrysalis to strike. He knew she would strike.

Then the door to his home in Canterlot groaned loudly as it opened an inch.

Discord was instantly to his feet, a balloon sword in his paw, outstretched towards the intruder. He was ready to fight.

Hooves could be heard running along the roof. Discord shrank back, a with a swipe of his paw, he made cotton candy clouds raining chocolate milk gather above his house. With a boom, gallons of brown milk poured against the roof. But no pony or ling fell from the roof. No, both had wings and had soared away.

A light yet scary knocking on his window could be heard, he spun to the sound, a black hoof quickly flashed out of view.

Discord wiped his brow, making his brow fall off his face and hit the floor. He picked it up and re-applied it to his countenance.

Suddenly hoofsteps could be heard along the creaking steps. Discord slowly shuffled towards them, breathing quickly as his heart lept into his throat quite literally. It was pounding there, and could be seen when he opened his mouth.

He reached the foot of the stairs. He looked around warily, his frantic gaze sweeping the stairs.

A purple alicorn and a changeling, who were clinging to the ceiling by suction cups on their hooves, could be seen, trying to hold back giggles..

Twilight shot a can of silly string at Discord while Chrysalis turned into a piranha and landed and Discord's head, snapping at it relentlessly.

Discord screamed like a little filly and bolted away, turning into a cheetah as he flung Piranha-Chrysalis off his head.

Twilight flapped over to her lover, who had transformed back into a changeling. They shared a look and then fell over laughing, rolling around in the dirt.

> Teacher by SeanofTheDead (love and learning)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by SeanofTheDead

Luna couldn’t for the life of her understand why she had been sent to monitor Chrysalis, who had recently been inducted into the royalty of Equestria via a treaty. The changeling queen had far surpassed the expectations of anypony, and was behaving very well. She hadn’t so much as attempted to hurt anypony. While this would normally be cause for Luna to return home to Canterlot, Celestia had said that there was a lesson to be learned from the situation, and that Luna was to remain there until it had been resolved.

Luna had been at the Palace of Friendship for three weeks now, and she had yet to see any such opportunity to teach any sort of lesson. Though she had been able to see a budding friendship be created from Chrysalis and Twilight’s teamwork to defeat the usual threats the Ponyville usually saw. From an angry Minotaur lord whom was seeking Chrysalis’ hoof in marriage in order to further his political ambitions, to an Ursa Minor attack, though that was same old same old for the little town. Through these and other trials she had borne witness to a strong friendship that grew each day. And though it was a beautiful thing to behold, it wasn’t what Celestia wanted her there to see. She had also learned that Chrysalis was quite adept at dealing with suitors she had no interest in. The Minotaur Lord might not have gone on a rampage had Chrysalis not chosen to say “Moo!!” at him quite as often as she did. She had used the same tactic on Blueblood as well, though he ran away screaming about eating more salad. Blueblood suspected changeling magic was used and had asked Luna to act as a witness to the event. However Luna had very clearly stated she had been watching a very comical show at the time. No other ponies were there at the time so no charges could be leveled against Chrysalis.

More recently Twilight had given in to her urge to learn and had learned the changeling language both written and spoken from Chryssy as she was now known to her friends, and had done so in only two weeks. Yet despite these and other lessons having been learned, and Luna’s assurances that Chrysalis was indeed no threat to anypony Celestia still refused Luna’s requests to return home. The only other thing she had noticed that was even remotely out of the ordinary, was that Twilight Sparkle had become somewhat more like her yellow pegasus friend whenever Chrysalis was around. This change was so minute however that nopony save for Luna seemed to notice.

Luna had come to the conclusion that Celestia wanted her to see that no matter what you are, or dark secrets you may hide love was possible for you provided you went about it with hope. The problem with this lesson was that Chrysalis had told her and Twilight over breakfast one day, the she would never love someone who only entered the relationship to gain something. All of her suitors however, both the stallions and the mares all wanted to gain something from the relationship. Some (like Blueblood) had even brought contracts. The others who attempted to mask their intentions were found out quickly once Chrysalis used a bit of changeling magic to discern their true feelings, after all being an emotivore has benefits. Insults of the highest caliber always followed.

And so here Luna was after raising the moon, laying on a couch in a common room with Chrysalis, feeling homesick and with none of her subjects having any nightmares yet to distract her and waiting for Twilight to show up from her super secret week long trip. Just before Twilight entered the room though Chrysalis said the most peculiar thing.

“Well, somepony is VERY nervous, but also very...hmmm, determined? ” Chrysalis said as the door opened revealing Twilight who was carrying a box in her magic.

“That’d be me,” Twilight said with a small, almost nervous sounding giggle as she set the box down in front of Chrysalis.

Luna raised her head to better view the unfolding event before her. It wasn’t everyday that Twilight Sparkle was nervous, unless of course she was tardy.

“What’s this?” Chrysalis asked, clearly confused by the rather large package.

“It’s a gift silly, and yes it is from another suitor,” Twilight said as a small twinkle in her eye belied her true intent to Luna who covered her muzzle with a hoof as she made sense of what was happening.

“When will they learn?” Chrysalis asked in exasperation, as she moved to open the package “who was it from this time? Some other stuck up noble from Canterlot perhaps?”  

“Noble yes, from Canterlot no and yes, stuck up... well maybe a bit,.” Twilight answered as Chysalis opened the box...and dropped the lid. The inside was full of letters, and on each letter was an individual name from each of the members of Chrysalis’ hive.

“ Twilight...who sent this box…”

“..............I did, this is why I was gone last week, and why I was so eager to learn your language,” Twilight explained while blushing furiously. “ When you signed the treaty between our countries you said that you were doing this because it would benefit your hive, that even though it would hurt to leave them, you would do it because you loved every last one of them dearly. And that was when I started to fall in love with you.”

“...” Chrysalis’ horn began to glow softly as she looked into the still very nervous eyes of Twilight Sparkle

Luna watched the scene unfolding before her in complete awe. Twilight had gone to a nearly superpony effort just to say that she loved Chrysalis. She had not only flown to the changeling hive, but taken the time to talk to every drone, worker, and warrior in it. Then she had learned their individual names, written letters for them all, and flown back. This would have taken.... an immeasurable amount of patience and focus as well as mental and physical fortitude to complete.

As the light from Chrysalis’ horn died down she whispered with tears of joy in her eyes, which were widened in surprise “You-you really mean it… you love me… despite everything I’ve done, every bit of hell I’ve put you and your friends through...you have grown to love me...”

Twilight smiled and replied, “Yes I have, and I always will.”

It wasn’t until now that the lesson Celestia had wanted to teach became clear to Luna as the new couple embraced before her. It didn’t matter who you were, or what you have done in the past. As long as you have hope and love for somepony in your heart, true love will find you. And when it does, it will never let you go.

Luna smiled as she rose to give them some privacy and thought to herself So, there is hope for me after all... thank you sister...  

> Cosplay by AuthorGenesis (o.O)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by AuthorGenesis

Chrysalis leered at Twilight as the mulberry mare entered the room, looking about the room, with an apprehensive expression on her face. Her violet eyes glancing towards Chrysalis, before looking away, her cheeks flushing, though whether from embarrassment, shame, or something else, only Twilight knew. It simply added allure to the already attractive mare.

“Miss Sparkle, do you know why I’m meeting with you like this?”

“Yes Ma’am.”

Chrysalis smacked a magazine, the cover of which had a picture of Fleur Dis Lee bound in treated hemp rope and suspended from supports and a pulley system attached to the ceiling.

“To intentionally bring such filth onto the sacred sanctuary of knowledge and learning, to pollute the minds of your innocent peers by sharing the contents within with them, I find myself extremely appalled.”

Twilight looked at Chrysalis, her head hung low, tears collected near her tear ducts, she issued a pitiable sniffle. “I’m sorry!”

“Normally this would cause us to contact your parents and set up a parent-teacher conference do discuss such deviancy and what might be done to address the problem.” Chrysalis stroked the bottom of her chin, her eyes pointed towards the ceiling as though in contemplation and retreating inward, as she if seriously pondering the very possibility of contacting Twilight’s parents. “I wonder what your father will think, once he sees the filth you bring into his home … .”

“No, please, don’t let Daddy know about this!” Twilight cried in a panicked sounding shout, clasping her hooves together as she petitioned Chrysalis’ for mercy.

“Then what do you suggest be done, Miss Sparkle? There must be some sort of punishment for violating the school’s rules and bringing such—” Here, she gave a mock shudder, dangling the offending media from the base of her hoof, making a disgusted face, as she wrinkled her nose and averted her eyes from the abomination of graphic media.

“ … Spank me.” The offending mare suggested, her cheeks flushing into a deeper rosate hue than it had previously been.

“Surely you know how the faculty and this institution feels about faculty members dispensing corporal punishment to any member of its student body.”

“I won’t tell.” Twilight vowed.

“Not good enough, I’ve seen and heard that song and dance before, and have seen such promises broken, for whatever reason.”

Chrysalis rummaged in her faux desk, and withdrew a faux agreement, which essentially absolved Chrysalis from any legal repercussions which Twilight might decide to pursue at a later date. “Sign here, if you don’t wish your father to know about your dirty, perverse fetishes.” She sneered, sliding the document over towards the student, as well as sliding her inkwell and quill over.

“O-okay.” Twilight hesitated momentarily, before signing her name in a flourish.

Chrysalis deposited the document in an anti-magical lock box, to prevent any unicorns that might have less than honorable intentions and abuse their vaunted magic powers to destroy any sensitive information within.

“Now lean over the desk, and hike your skirt up.”

“B-but … .”

“It’s either submit to getting your pert buttocks spanked, or I’ll be seeing you with your father and mother once a parent-teacher conference has been scheduled with them. It’s really your choice.”

“Y-yes.” Twilight, pretending to be unsettled by having a trusted faculty member of the same sex anywhere near her tush, well, one that wasn’t her family, or a licensed medical practitioner.

She bent over the desk, her hooves reaching behind towards her rump, as she flipped up her skirt, and moved her tail out of the way. She looked behind her, awaiting for Chrysalis to procure the expected measuring ruler. “Where’s the ruler?”

“Oh, It’s not much of a punishment if I use a ruler, now is it?” She purred, her voice sounding slightly husky. “No, Miss Twilight, I prefer to take a more … hooves-on approach.” With that, she raised her hoof, and brought it down, as a loud whapping sound announced in an auditory manner, the beginning of Twilight’s punishment.

But instead of another blow to her beautiful buttocks, she felt a hoof rub the flesh of her rear where she’d been smacked, the tender touch seeming to draw more of her attention towards her flanks, seeming to make them even more sensitive than before due to her teachers tender caress. That made the next blow sting more.

After awhile, Twilight’s tush was a deeper purple hue than it had previously been. Twilight’s left foreleg had slight indents in it, indicating that she had been biting on her foreleg to keep from crying out too much. Twilight lowered her skirt, her rear legs giving out from beneath her, as her rump contacted the cooler, and therefore pleasant feeling wooden floor beneath her.

“Don’t let me catch you bringing such deviant media to school, or I’ll have to be sure to punish you again.” Chrysalis admonished.

“Yes Ma’am.” the most faithful student replied, the corner of her mouth pulled slightly upwards. Clearly remedial lessons were in order.

The door to the Friendship Manor opened and closed, as Twilight’s number one assistant entered, not even having to lift a claw thanks to the servants and guards that now served Twilight, her friends and really, anyone that happened to live or visit the castle.

He opened the door to his room, and froze in shock and fear. For there, lying on top of his neatly made bed was the latest issue of The Equestrian S&M Enquirer. One hesitant step, two, three, his trembling claw reaching out for his treasured porn stash. A flash of light registered in his eyes, as he began to turn around.

“Boo.” Chrysalis grinned in a predatory manner at him, her ebony fangs glistening in the light of the room to great effect. Perhaps even more effective was seeing her in a lycra corset, a pair of hotpants, thigh high boots, and a bullwhip coiled up in her magical aura. Spike’s eyes rolled upward, and he collapsed onto the floor in a dead faint.

Twilight levitated him up in her magic aura. “I can’t believe you did that.” She rolled her eyes at her marefriend, but unable to completely hid her smirk at Chrysalis’ antics.

“I can’t believe you didn’t join in.” Chrysalis responded, squinting her face, and sticking her tongue out playfully at her workerfriend.

“I can’t believe Spike managed to hide these from me. Either he didn’t anticipate me finding that hidden room behind the bookcase, or he’s been acquiring them from like minded friend and acquaintances.”  

“He’s going to mature someday.”

“But, it’s Spike. It’s just hard for me to accept that he’s growing up, that he’s no longer the cute chubby hatchling that adored me, and followed me everywhere I went.

“You’ll always be very dear to him. You’re his mom. The way he interacts with you may change. But you’re his family, and you raised him to cherish the bonds he has with his family.”

“Thanks, I needed to hear that.” Twilight’s smile began to take a slight predatory quality to it. “So, how about you get into that nurse outfit, and see if you can’t make me feel better.”

> Patience by Europa (Sweet)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Twilight ran through the tunnels of the hive, hooves pounding upon the stone. She passed several changelings, the drones and workers flattening themselves to the side before she arrived - again, because of her hooves on the stone being loud - and let her pass. She zipped past the underground marketplace, avoided groups of nymphs out on school outings, until eventually she found a tiny little tunnel with a breeze going into it. The perfect hiding place. She dove in head first and made herself as small as she could. Given that she couldn't use magic for anything besides lighting, she was forced to rely on her own self control.

She extinguished her horn - she didn't want Chryssy finding her by its light - and was engulfed in darkness. There were tiny little echoes of light if she looked closely, probably the residual passive glow of changeling eyes, but even with that she couldn't see her snout in front of herself. All that she had was a slight breeze from parts unknown.

Forcing her breath to calm down, she waited for her lover to find her.

And waited.

... and waited.

... seriously, what was taking Chrysalis so long to find her? She couldn't have hid that well, could she?

... and waited.

Twilight's back was beginning to protest from curling up so tight against a stone wall. Slowly, she started to relax. Still no sign of Chryssy. It was dead silent and darker than night.

She had to go to the bathroom.

And then... she fell asleep.

Twilight woke up with a snort when she felt a harder-than-normal hoof poking at her ribs. She opened her eyes to meet the gently-luminescing compound eyes of a changeling drone. "Hubuh?" she asked.

"Queen Consort Sparkle, Her Majesty has sent out search parties looking for you," he explained. "She is quite worried. Please follow me." 

"Oh, of course," she said, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and following after the changeling. Before too long, he led her through the winding tunnels into Chrysalis's throne room. Chrysalis herself was sitting on the throne nervously. When she entered, her escort turned and left.

"Twilight!" the queen said, getting off her basalt throne and trotting over to her. "Where were you? I was looking for you for nearly an entire day!"

Her eyes bugged out. "That long?" she asked.

Chrysalis wrapped a forehoof around her neck and pulled her close; Twilight nuzzled into her chest. "Yes! I couldn't find you anywhere, where were you?"

"I don't know. I just... took a turn and ended up in a small, cramped tunnel."

Her workerfriend considered that for a moment. "Cramped tunnel... oh buck, you went into one of our ventilation tunnels didn't you?"

"Maybe, I don't know."

Chrysalis sighed and stepped back, smiling. "Regardless, let's not try out hide and seek in my hive again, alright?"

"Deal."

> Blessed by lyra_lover777 (In the future...)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Aura Star knelt at the foot of a giant mosaic, her neck bent as she prayed rapidly. Aoon she lifted her eyes to the mosaic.

On it were pictures in marvelous colors. The mosaic depicted a lavender alicorn swathed in white robes and a black changeling, the last rulers of Equestria.

But now there was no more Equestria. All that was left was piles of rubble on the toxic surface which was plauged by creatures of unfathomable ferocity and power.

Aura burned a bundle of juniper, which was nearly impossible to find on the surface. She then began to pray once more, praying for the last two rulers to restore the ruins of her world to the glory of its old days.

Aura sighed as she began to get to her hooves and began to slowly trudge down the cracked corridor, clacking her hooves along the cement.

But a bright flash appeared behind her. Aura turned swiftly around, her sawed-off shotgun loaded and ready to fire.

But two giant glowing figures stood in front of the mural. It made Aura drop her gun from her magic aura. They were Princess Twilight and Queen Chrysalis.

The two supernatural beings strode towards her, walking on air as they smiled kindly down at her. They had their wings wrapped around the other, and were nuzzling each other playfully.

"Aura, precious child, we have come to bless you for your unstoppable will and drive." Twilight said.

"We shall now give you three gifts. First, the blessing of unstoppable magic." Twilight touched her horn against Aura's pouring magic into it.

"Now." said Chrysalis. "The second gift. The gift of wisdom." Chrysalis tore a bit of her mane off and placed it on Aura's. It melted into Aura's own mane, and suddenly Aura felt a million times smarter.

"And finally the gift of grace." Both wrapped their wings around her, their whole group glowing as they rose into the air.

When Aura collapsed from the air, the two goddesses had vanished. Aura slowly picked up her shotgun with overwhelming ease, vaulting easily over to the gun before doing several back flips down the hallway and out of sight.

> Harem by TheMusicalBoy93 (*blink* okies)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

Twilight rolled over onto her back, her face flushed and her mane tangled with sweat. She grinned to herself. One month ago, she had become Princess Twilight Sparkle-Bladequeen, and she and her new wife had recently come back from their honeymoon in Las Pegasus. The grey Pegasus beside her rolled onto her side and cuddle up to her, tucking her head under her armpit and nuzzling her chest as the Alicorn embraced her. Twilight smiled at Derpy’s affection. Since becoming the first member of the Bladequeen Harem, she was entrusted to take care of everypony in the harem as Twilight and Chrysalis’ second-in-command. She nuzzled the mailmare, who had recently gotten her job back – after some… “gentle” persuasion from Twilight to her boss; Crafty Crate.

“Thanks for that, Derpy.” Twilight nuzzled the mailmare’s head as they lay in each other’s’ embrace.

“I should be the one thanking you, Mistress,” Derpy responded, kissing Twilight’s foreleg up and down, worshipping her body lovingly. “I don’t know how Dinky and I would’ve coped if you and Mistress Chrysalis hadn’t offered me this job. I’m so honoured.” Twilight blushed at this statement, still not used to being treated like somepony’s superior.

“Well, it’s thanks to you that Chryssy and I were able to complete the harem before our wedding,” she said, kissing the Pegasus on the forehead before levitating a bell toward herself from the bedside table. “Which reminds me. Breakfast in bed?”

“Oh that’d be wonderful.” Twilight giggled knowingly as she gave the bell a short jingle. Seconds later, the very ground holding the foundations of the palace 
trembled, as if disturbed by an earthquake. The doors of the bedroom swung open and, starting from the doorway and stretching out in a long, long queue down the palace stairway stood the entire population of Ponyville, all dressed in Prench maid costumes.

“You rang, Mistress?” They all chorused.

> Kawaii Chibi by TheMusicalBoy93 (K-kawaii!)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

Chrysalis and Twilight walked through the doorway of “Foals Errand’s Home for Foals”, and were immediately greeted with the sound of dozens of young fillies and colts playing throughout the establishment. The happy couple walked up to the front desk, where they were met by Foals Errand herself. She was a young unicorn, roughly in her mid-twenties. Her fur was lemon yellow, with a white circle spread around her muzzle. Her mane was draped over her shoulders, her blue locks framing her face, while the white stripes complimented her free spirited style. Her blue waistcoat was unbuttoned and hung loosely from her shoulders, fitting her form beautifully. To any normal, unsuspecting pony, Foals Errand looked like your average, everyday pony. But Twilight and Chrysalis knew that she was, in actuality, a young changeling queen, who had come to Ponyville two years ago, seeking asylum for her and her hive. Her hive wasn’t as expansive as Chrysalis’, but it was one of the most close-knit, and they were never lacking in love and caring among their fellows. The young queen smiled at them welcomingly.

“Good morning, your highnesses,” she bowed with a giggle as she saw her fellow monarchs returning the gesture. “How may I help you today?”

“Hello, Erran,” Twilight greeted her with a warm smile. “We’ve come here to adopt a foal, if you don’t mind.” Erran’s eyes glimmered happily at the thought of her fellow queens adopting a foal from her care, and she gladly showed them into the house, introducing them to the young fillies, colts and other children the orphanage took care of.

There were dragon hatchlings, gryphon pups and buffalo calves, to name a few of the other species the orphanage tended to. The Ponyville Royals looked over each of the orphaned youngsters with interest, making mental notes of which particular young they would like to consider getting to know.

After a few minutes of touring the orphanage, Erran took Twilight and Chrysalis into the living room, where the last little filly was sat watching an anime show, cuddling a Kokeshi doll in her fetlocks.

“And this is Kimono Chibi,” Erran announced, causing the young pony filly to turn round, curiously. She tilted her head to the left as she looked up at the changeling and Alicorn stood behind her, sucking softly on one of her doll’s ears. Twilight immediately, and audibly, cooed at the sight of her, and rushed forward to fawn over the little filly. The filly was of Neighsian descent, and had her mane tied up in two cute little Neighsian buns. She wore a red and white kimono with a pattern that looked like a dragon stretched all over her garment. She giggled at the silly faces the princess was pulling for her.

“Aww, she’s so cutesy and wutesy,” Twilight fussed, squidging the filly’s face gently with her forehooves. “Oh, I just wanna snuggle and wuggle her, because she’s so pwecious,” she gurgled in baby talk, unable to resist the adorableness of the kawaii filly. “Oh, let’s adopt her, Chryssy.” Twilight turned to her lover, only to find her and Foal were clutching their tummies, as if they’d eaten too much chocolate cake at one of Pinkie’s parties. Chrysalis looked pale as she wobbled on her hooves, while Erran looked like she’d just eaten a little too enthusiastically at a dinner party, rather than looking like she was going to throw up like Chrysalis. “What’s wrong?” The Alicorn asked, clearly concerned for the two changelings.

“You know the expression “adorableness overload”?”  Chrysalis did her best to hold down the contents of her stomach. Twilight blinked blankly.

“Yeah?”

“Well, it’s not just a figure of speech,” Erran elaborated, seeing as Chrysalis was trying her hardest not to throw up. “It’s also a changeling illness. Too much adoration, such as fawning over a cute little filly like Kimono Chibi, is like a pony eating a feast made of nothing but Pinkie Pie’s rock candy and cupcakes.” Twilight gasped. That’s a serious amount of love and adoration, if it made her Chrysalis sick as a dog like this.

“Wait. Why does Chryssy look like she’s going to pass out from the adorableness, but you look just a little overfed?” Twilight questioned.

“Well, I’m used to adorableness,” Erran replied, puffing out her chest with pride. “I work in an orphanage. Plus, you haven’t seen my hive, and how much adorableness they subject me to all the time.” Twilight blushed, and made a mental note to be formally introduced to her hive at some point. She looked to her workerfriend, who looked like she was slowly recovering from her little sicky spell.

“Umm… is that a no?” she puzzled, her ears lying flat against her skull. Chrysalis shook her head with a smile.

“I’m sure I can manage,” she assured her lover. “As long as you put a warning on her filly stroller, saying; WARNING! KAWAII CHIBI ON BOARD.”
	
> Entrails by AuthorGenesis (Line dance that line!)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by AuthorGenesis

Twilight looked down, eyes wide, and her mouth tight, as her hooves were strapped to an operating table and an no less than 3 inhibiting rings upon her horn. Her eyes followed as Chrysalis wheeled a tray with medical instruments upon it. Scaples, clamps, and a blood clotting poultice to name the most prominent and familiar tools to Twilight.

“Are you sure this is safe?” Twilight’s voice pitched several octaves higher, indicating her nervousness.

“Surgery is never ‘safe’ my dearheart. Risk factors can be reduced, and sometimes even to the point of being a non-issue, but never eliminated.”

“Yes, that is not exactly easing my nervousness, or reassuring me any.”

“Twilight.”

“Yes?”

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes.”

“If at any point I feel that I’m not capable of handling whatever might happen, I’ll teleport to Ponyville’s hospital, and get a doctor, by force, if I must. After all I wouldn’t want to lose you.”

“Explain to me, why are we doing this again?”

“Surely your memory can’t be that terrible, can it? I mean, we only talked about doing this last night, and I explained my reasonings then.

“You’re right. It might, however, reassure me if you went ahead and told me anyways. I want to do this for you dearheart. Really, I do. But I’m also nervous and scared. Hearing your explanations in your voice might reassure me and help me not be so nervous.”

“I want to lay a claim on your body, Twilight. Other ponies have embraced you, kissed you, spoken words into your ears, been seen by your eyes. I want to do something to you that no one else has. It’s sort of like taking your virginity, to lay claim on something that is untouched. To receive a gift that is given to no other. Letting me do this not only shows me the extent by which you trust me, but I hope will strengthen our relationship.”

“I do trust you Chrysalis. You may proceed when ready.”

A green magical field surrounded a scalpel as she gently applied a slight pressure, the flesh of Twilight’s pelt dividing before the bladed instrument. Each cut was carefully inspected to insure that no vital organs had been cut. It was a tedious and time consuming process, but necessary to make sure that Twilight’s internal organs didn’t suffer any damage from the scalpel.

Once a square flap of her flesh had been cut deep enough to get through the skin, but not damage her internal organs, Chrysalis attached several clamps, as she peeled back the flesh. Next the poultice followed to staunch the bleeding, and prevent further blood loss. Next floated an instant-print camera, as Crysalis took pictures of Twilight’s exposed organs. It was important to do this, so that she could put Twilight back together properly once they were finished.

Chrysalis’ magical field gently grasped Twilight’s intestines, taking a picture as each layer was unraveled. She made sure to number the pictures, so that she could reverse the process and put Twilight back in the same way that she was, prior to her disembowling.

After some time, Twilight’s entire intestines lay outside of her body. Chrysalis clapped her hooves in glee, as she proceeded to gently place kisses all along the length of it, as Twilight twitched and shivered at feeling something so alien, and yet it was also really perversely intimate. After the entire length of her intestines had been kissed, Chrysalis began to drag her tongue over the organ, making obscene sexual moans, grinning to see that Twilight wasn’t completely unaffected by her actions, as she noticed the fur near Twilight’s foal hole become matted down due to her vaginal secretions.

“Tha-that feels really, really weird.”

“But not unpleasant, I hope?”

“No, it is not unpleasant, but it is an alien feeling, given that my guts usually are not supposed to be touched like this.”

Chrysalis chuckled, her laughter being transmitted directly to Twilight’s intestines, causing Twilight to squirm and giggle. “Ooh! Ticklish are we?” Chrysalis’ voice sounding playful, as she leered at Twilight with a mischievous grin.

“Chrysalis, don’t you dare!”

Chrysalis paused, placing a hoof beneath her chin, stroking her hoof back and forth, as her eyes turned towards the ceiling as though seriously contemplating not doing what she was thinking about.

“Nah.” Chrysalis replied, before blowing raspberries along the length of Twilight’s intestines. Twilight laughed and giggled, helpless against her beloved’s onslaught of tickle torture. Soon she was gasping breathlessly, tears streaming from her eyes, and an occasional giggle, as she came down from her tickle high.

“It’s a good thing that Spike did not see you doing that. He would probably be traumatized.”

“Why would I―Sweet Celestia! Help! Somepony help! Chrysalis is hurting Twilight!” Spike cried, as he left the basement laboratory, as if Cerberus was after him.

“You should probably put me back together now. You should probably cast a shield spell on the door, to buy you enough time.”

“And I wanted to have some more fun.” Chrysalis sighed, as her horn glowed brighter, several magical layers being woven from her horn, as she cast her strongest shielding spell. Hopefully it would buy her enough time for her to get Twilight put back together and then explain the situation.

Grateful for the photographs, Chrysalis managed to put Twilight’s intestines back in the proper place, before releasing the clamps and then sewing Twilight’s stomach closed. She removed the three inhibiting rings and released the straps just in time for the door to fly off and imbed itself in the opposite wall as the shield spell finally shattered under enough repeated assaults.

Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Rarity came rushing down into the basement laboratory. “Don’t worry Twilight, we’ll save you!” Applejack cried.

“Get behind me, they won’t hurt me, and they can’t get to you if you’re behind me.” Twilight whispered loudly, already moving to come between her friends and her dearheart.

“I’m fine guys. See?”

“B-but your guts were all over the place, Twilight!” Spike rushed over to her, tears in his eyes, and his body shivering, as he held onto Twilight as if afraid she might slip away.

“I don’t plan on leaving you anytime soon, Spike.” She nuzzled him, as she worked to reassure him that his mother wasn’t going to die on him.

“But, she did have you spill your guts out, didn’t she? I know that Spike knows what kind of pranks aren’t appropriate, and his panic was very real.” Applejack inquired, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

“Yes, she was a real cut-up today. But I trust her. I wouldn’t trust just anypony to surrender all of me to.”

“Yes, I’d rather be hurt, than let my beloved Twilight get hurt.” Chrysalis replied, gently pulling Twilight into a tender kiss. Spike covered his eyes, making fake gagging noises, and running upstairs to escape the scarring image of his mom kissing Chrysalis.

“Don’t hurt Twilight, or we’ll put the hurt on you for hurting our friend!” Pinkie Pie warned, as the others murmured their assent.

“Well, if you’re sure your okay, then I’ll be on my way. I’d rather not stick around when you decide to suck each other’s face.” Rainbow Dash added.

“Like I said, I’m fine guys. Thanks for worrying about me. I’m so fortunate to have such great friends like you girls.”

“Group hug!” Pinkie declared, somehow wrapping her hooves around everyone gathered, as they too throw their hooves around their friend, and even Chrysalis was pulled in, much to her discomfort and awkwardness. It just felt so strange to reconcile with ponies that had been ready to attack her because they thought she had been hurting Twilight, for her own sadistic pleasures.

The other mares trotted out, leaving Chrysalis and Twilight alone in the basement.

“Shall we get the table and tools cleaned up?”

“Of course! You probably wouldn’t let me do it again if I had nothing but dirty tools on hoof.”

“No, I most certainly wouldn’t. You wouldn’t either, would you?”

“No.”

Twilight nuzzled Chrysalis, before parting with a tender kiss. “I love you, Chrysalis.”

It was the sweetest, most fulfilling taste in the world.

> Dungeons and Dragons by ShinyMoon (Silly!)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by ShinyMoon

Two figures were sprinting through the dungeon, running for their lives. Hot on their tails was a dragon, a 20ft tall-firebreathing-spineshooting dragon. It was roaring, shooting fire every and anywhere. Spines were being lodged into columns as the dragon tried to hit its targets. Simply put, this dragon was furious.

The taller of the two figures was holding a rock in their arms. It was shaped like a sphere, though it was not perfectly round like a sphere, the bumps and humps made sure of that.

“Chrysalis I promise you this, if we die here I’ll revive you and kill you again!”

“Just shut up and keep running!”

Panting from having been running over a good five minutes now, Chrysalis and Twilight were beginning to tire. The dragon released another stream of fire, forcing the two women to hide behind a wall.

“I can’t believe you! Are you honestly going to risk our lives for a stupid piece of rock?!” Twilight screeched in disbelief.

“What’s so special about this rock anyways?” continued Twilight, having finally caught her breath.

“Oh you’ll see when we get out of here,” answered Chrysalis.

“Don’t you mean if we get out of here?” Twilight’s eyes narrowed as she gazed upon her dark lover.

“Yeesh, and I thought I was the pessimist in this relationship,” muttered Chrysalis under her breath.

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” came the quick reply.

“This better be worth it or so help me I’ll make you sleep in the cold and you know what happens to you when you get too cold.”

Chrysalis gulped knowing all too well that Twilight wasn’t kidding. The thought of her joints seizing up was not pleasant in the slightest.

“It appears the dragon has stopped, come, let us make haste.”

With a groan, Twilight pushed herself off the wall and ran behind her over-eccentric girlfriend. Luck wasn’t on their side this time as the dragon let loose another torrent of searing hot flames. Chrysalis and Twilight had to hide behind a pair of columns this time.

So this is how the game was played out: run, dragon breathes fire, hide behind a large construct. It was done this way until they reached the exit.

Quickly darting towards the exit, they were narrowly missed by the fire. Before they could settle their selves, Twilight used her magic to levitate a large boulder in front of the dungeons entrance. Effectively blocking it.

“Now,” she panted, “let’s see what’s so important about this rock.”

Fatigue forgotten, Chrysalis’ eyes lit up like a little child on Christmas morning. Extending her claws and enchanting them with magic, she dug them into the rock and split in half. Inside of it was a shiny liquid. The liquid was pink in colour and gave off a delightful aroma.

Curiously, Twilight stuck one of her fingers in it and popped it into her mouth. The liquid was sweet and sugary, it tasted almost like...jelly?

“Is this jelly?”

“Oh no, this isn’t just any jelly. It’s ancient royal jelly.” Chrysalis’ enthusiasm did not carry over to Twilight.

“You almost got us burnt to a crisp...for jelly?” Twilight’s tone was low and dangerous. Her hands and eye twitching with irritation.

“Um...yes?” Chrysalis said nervously.

Twlight’s eyes were now glowing white, her hands sparking with purple electricity. All of this irate energy was directed at the changeling before her.

“N-Now now, I know this seems bad but it was really worth it. Do you know how hard it is to find this jelly?”

“CHRY-SA-LIS!!!!” bellowed Twilight, releasing every ounce of electricity she had summoned unto Chrysalis.

“GAAAAHHHHH!!!!” Chrysalis’ scream startled all those who heard it. Even those in Ponyville.

> Luna by Europa (Adventure)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Twilight, now one hundred seventy years old, flipped on the screen and opened a video conference with her wife, back in the Badlands. The imagine flickered, accounted for radiation, and then showed Queen Chrysalis in their chambers back home, a warm smile on her fangs. "Twilight, hello," she said.

Twilight smiled back. There'd be nearly two seconds of light-speed delay, so she had to be somewhat careful with how things went, but regardless she returned the greeting. A moment later Chrysalis cocked her head. "So Twilight, what's it like?"

Keeping her voice down so as not to wake her shipmates, Twilight scooted in closer. "It's cramped and uncomfortable, and the air is so stale. But it's all going to be so worth it. You'll be watching through Poser's eyes when we land, right?"

"I am, Twi. Eager, much?"

"Of course I am! This is the first expedition to a cosmic body ever since Nightmare Moon was banished away - or Celestia to the sun if you want to be technical - and we're going to be able to walk on it and take samples to bring back!" She looked through a nearby window of the Luna II, at where the moon was slowly growing and taking up more of the sky. The multispecies venture had taken a lot of time and effort - and math, so much math - but finally, it was happening.

The minotaur Beorn snored in the distance.

"How much time, Twily?" Chrysalis asked.

"It should be five hours," Twilight said. "And then... touchdown."

"Alright. Good to see you're okay Twilight, but now I think you should go get some sleep. Wouldn't want to fall asleep on the moon, would you? That diamond dog, the one with shaggy red fur, what was his name?"

"Olme?"

"Yes, him! I don't think he'd ever let you live it down."

Twilight blushed, but nodded. "Alright. Good night, Chryssy. Love you."

"Love you too."

The connection shut off, and Twilight leaned back and exhaled into the recycled air. Just five more hours, and they'd land. They'd suit up, and as one, touch the moon at the same time. And Chrysalis would - in one way - be right there with her.

Her eyes slid shut, and she dreamed of an ocean of viridian stars.

> Monster by Knight of Lycaeus (Story)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

I sighed; a few days ago I had been talking to Twilight about the upcoming meeting with the other Princesses….

Then I had to deal with the chaotic mess and the rainbow one although the second required actions from the living chaos for us to talk. Then the dragon walked in! I knew he was about to yell at me like the rainbow one did but Twilight teleported him away with her before he could say anything.

I had to say I was more impressed than before and I had a bit more respect for Twilight, a dragon regardless of age is very resistant to magic and for her to teleport one took a lot of strength.

I almost wish I was dealing with the dragon instead of the chaos devil lying on the ceiling above me! Him, Discord he said his name was, he was treating gravity as though it doesn’t exist…. I had been wandering the hallways when a cough from above drew my attention and I found him using the ceiling as the floor for his lounge chair.

“Good day, Chrysalis,” Discord greeted, “What a pleasant afternoon is it not?”

I swear he was in a race with some of the ponies of this town to see who would drive me insane first…. “Hello Discord.” I said curtly hoping not to deal with him for too long.

Discord floated down in a form about half his usual size, “You know, you’re far too grim. Perhaps a little smile when you see ol’ Discord for once?”

I began rubbing my head with a forehoof knowing that dealing with him is always a headache, “If you’re looking for Twilight, she’s elsewhere in this palace maze.”

“Oh, I’m not looking for her. I am however looking for you.”

“Why?” I really had hoped my curt answers would have made him leave but it wasn’t working.

“Just checking that you’re learning the all-important friendship lessons, you knowing helping out a friend.”

“We’re not friends Discord.”

Discord pulls out a black knitted pony…. “You really are grumpy even more than Luna is and she can be quite grumpy.”

I stared at the pony in his talons, “Is that suppose to me?” I thought I recognized some of the features but I couldn’t be sure.

“Perhaps!”

I groaned, “Please get to the point.”

“Was the insect analogy I made not enough?”

“What insect analogy?”

“Oh you know all those times I spent with my friends just around when you appeared.” Discord said as the black pony was put away in favour of a dish of pastries which he proceeded to eat the plate….

“Wait…. What did you do?” I growled as I turned to face him.

“Nothing harmful I can assure you.”

“No, all you did was made me question why I thought surrendering to a mad town was a good idea. You showed up before with eggs, a purple thing you called a larva, and a few days ago with a coccoo-”

I stopped to think as some of the pieces clicked into place.

“You know I’m surprised Twilight didn’t clue in sooner.” Discord said while sitting in a stiff throne in front of me.

“You’ve been messing with me because of an insect analogy?”

“Helping, not exactly messing. Well, messing but in a helpful way!”

“What? How?”

“A seed or rather an egg of doubt to shake your notion of the perfect infinite food source you saw ponies as. This pastel land is not utopia; Applejack understands that and besides nothing says bonding quite like shared misery, hm?”

Discord poofed and appeared on the floor which forced me to look down at my hooves just to keep eye contact.

“Rarity and Pinkie showed there are ways to co-exist, you have food like larvae have food that allows them live, grow.”

Another poof and Discord was on the wall beside me, “Cocoons, they slows things down, allows them develop, grow. Our mutual rainbow friend just needed to slow down and think.”

“Then what’s the butterfly in your analogy?” I interjected.

“Me.”

One word said more softly and more sincerely than anything else I had heard.

“What?”

“A butterfly showed me the path to friendship and now I guess I’m here to see that you don’t falter like I did.” Discord poofed and was back on the ceiling, “A butterfly some more sentimental beings then me have called them signs of new life.” Discord snapped and a detailed map of Equestria appeared between us, “This little town is where I fell and rose anew….”

Discord paused before frowning, “Bah, too poetic for my taste. A new Discord was born here, if you want to call it that. Once I was the monster that everyone feared. You didn’t listen that first night but I was the Mad Tyrant, the Chaos King. I ruled the world and all its beasts and creatures. I ruled everyone and everything from gryphons, dragons, zebras, ponies, and many more. I used to rule the world, everything changed at my whims. I was the stuff of nightmares, the great monster…. until I took some Princesses with magical harmony to the chest.”

“Wait! Then how have Changelings never heard of you?” I could not recall a single Changeling legend about Discord or any creature like him.

“That is a long story,” Discord said simply. “Twilight wanted to help you, so I’m helping her. Besides you would have an easier time than I did at convincing the other three for freedom.”

“You sound confident that this will work out. I’m sure you know that a sizable portion of the Princesses and their Courts would be against me on principle.”

Discord snapped and four ponies of yarn floated in front of him. He waved the larger white one, “Celestia doesn’t hate you in the same way she still hates me at times.” I saw him pick up the blue one, “Luna has never met you but the populace sometimes still views her as Nightmare Moon, the monster who almost brought nighttime forever and you’re the monster that almost brought down Canterlot, she’ll understand.” He raised a pink one, “Cadance the empathy would likely help you.” The last he had I saw was purple, “Twilight…. she saved me. I was reformed until the promise of freedom and to be that monster again was too great to turn down. I took it and it would take Tirek nearly destroying us all for me to reform for real.”

I just stared at the chaos devil floating there; it was true that I never heard of him. But if his claims were true then something was off about Changeling history, 

something was missing. My thoughts were broken when I felt something placed on my head. Using my magic I lifted it off to find the purple pony who I could now tell resembled Twilight. “What? Why would you give me a knitted Twilight? Actually why do you even have one?” I yelled at Discord.

“Oh reasons, have fun!” Discord said as left by walking through the wall…. I swear he will be the one to drive me insane!

> Chastity by Europa (Pure Sweetness)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Twilight was rather grateful that Chrysalis was so patient with her. The changeling queen was more than happy to let their relationship progress as slowly as Twilight wanted.

It had, after all, been Twilight who approached her after discovering that the changeling hive was located in the Badlands, letting the changelings feed off her Element-amplified love. It had been Twilight who was the first to confess her emotions, and the first to take Chrysalis out on a date in Equestria.

Of course, she knew what sex was but... as far as she could tell she'd never really been interested. Not quite asexual, she experienced attraction, but it was always something that could come later, that didn't - and still didn't - seem that important. Which was a large contrast to Chrysalis, whose stories about intercourse made her blush so much Twilight always feared she'd catch fire again. But she was very sweet and never pressured her or anything.

She turned around in their bed, woven from green silk, and snuggled into Chyrssy's stomach. Twilight was very happy that Chrysalis didn't pressure her into something she wasn't comfortable with, but that didn't mean she didn't like cuddling with the big bug.

Maybe tomorrow, she thought as she drifted off to sleep. Or next week, or maybe...

> Submission by Kildeez (...O.o)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by kildeez

Chrysalis couldn’t possibly be happier.  Her changelings had swept over Canterlot like a tidal wave, annihilating the Royal Guard as they had last time.  Only now there wasn’t any loving couple to send them flying away with some sort of last-ditch love spell: her first act this time was to ensure every couple in Canterlot was split up in separate containment cocoons, not only making it so that a repeat of the Wedding Fiasco was impossible, but also giving her changelings the ability to take the place of those ponies in the dreams the cocoons produced, granting her an even greater supply of love than she could have ever imagined!

Yes, things were going well.  Her banner flew over Canterlot, her swarm was laying siege to Manehattan, Baltimare and Ponyville had just issued their official declarations of surrender, and she sat upon Celestia’s throne, the Royal Sisters imprisoned in special, maximum security cocoons in the Crystal Caverns beneath the castle.  There was only one thing she needed to make her victory absolute: a concubine.

The massive doors to the room burst open, and a squad of her most elite changelings stormed in.  Between them, they carried a small purple blob.  Chrysalis grinned at it.  “Secure her, then leave us,” she commanded.

The drones obeyed immediately, hoisting the little Alicorn up, shackling her rear hooves to the ground while her forehooves were suspended above her head on a long chain.  With that, the drones all bowed and left, the door slamming behind them.  At last, Chrysalis could drink in the imprisoned Alicorn.

Twilight Sparkle glared up at the changeling, though it was obvious she posed no threat.  The trio of magic suppressors on her horn and the chain meshing around her wings would see to that.  Plus, it was hard to take her seriously with the frilly pink panties and the see-through lingerie she was dressed in, not to mention the suppressors had been made up like golden rings, giving her a vaguely Saddle Arabian look, along with the polished, metal collar locked around her neck, complete with a little ring on the front.  Chrysalis licked her lips.  No matter what, this was going to be fun.

“Twilight Sparkle,” she purred.  “Face-to-face, once again.”

“You won’t get away with this, Chrysalis!”  Twilight barked.  “Friendship and Harmony will always win in the end!”

Chrysalis grinned.  She’d been waiting for some spiel about friendship and harmony.  “Oh?  Then where was your precious Harmony when I captured your family?  Enslaved your brother to me?  Tore his precious Cadence away?  Imprisoned your beloved Princesses?”

Twilight glared defiantly for a moment, but quickly looked away.  There wasn’t much she could say to that.

“But all that is neither here nor there,” the Queen of the Changelings purred, stepping down from the pedestal the thrones sat upon and strutting towards the bound Alicorn.  “You see Twilight, I need you for my next conquest.”

“I would never help you, monster!”  Twilight spat.

“Oh, you misunderstand,” Chrysalis said, her voice oozing false sympathy as she strode behind Twilight.  “You’re not going to have any choice in the matter.  You see, my next conquest is you.”

There was a pause, Twilight’s knees buckling, her body only suspended by the long chain shackled to her forehooves.  “M-Me?”

“Yes,” Chrysalis suddenly seized the little pony, her hooves wrapping around her barrel, and she was delighted when the Alicorn shuddered beneath her weight.  “I want to own you, Twilight.  I want you to be my personal little slave, to use as I please, to play with as I please, and to leave you behind and have you pine after me, waiting for the moment when I grace you with my presence again.  I want you to become my possession.”

She followed this up with a lick up the side of Twilight’s neck, and the mare gasped and shivered again.  “Now, are you going to pledge yourself to me,” Chrysalis whispered, levitating a whip in front of Twilight’s eyes.  “Or do things have to get…rough?”

The mare shook beneath the changeling’s weight, and though her response was exactly the kind of defiance Chrysalis responded, it quivered with obvious fear.  

“N-no, I-I’m my own pony, you can’t own me!”

“Insolent fool!”  Chrysalis snarled.  She pulled the whip back and bought it down on Twilight’s exposed back, and the mare cringed with a frightened yelp.  “Of course I own you!  You are totally at my mercy!  I could destroy you here and now!”

“I-it doesn’t matter!  I won’t obey you!”  Twilight shrieked as the whip smacked against her exposed back again.

“Submit!”

“Never!”  The whip came down again.

“You can’t last forever, now submit!”

“No!  F-for Equestria!  I-I…”

“Submit now!  Proclaim yourself my slave!  Realize that you are now my property, with which I can do as I please!”

“I won’t!”  Another crack of the whip.  

Twilight’s back and flank were a network of angry, swollen marks now.  Chrysalis snorted in frustration, snarling at the little Alicorn, darting into her view.  Twilight flinched, but held her ground, her shivering face locked on the changeling’s.  Chrysalis had to admit, her defiance was impressive.  Most other ponies would have buckled by now, but not Twilight Sparkle.  That was why she needed her, needed to break her!  Twilight was an open act of defiance, a representation of what Equestria once was, and so Chrysalis needed to own her!

“Very well,” Chrysalis said, turning away.  “I’m quite disappointed in your response, Sparkle.  In fact, I might need to go take that disappointment out on your friends.”

“My…friends?”

“Yes,” Chrysalis said, rearing back, her fangs bared, her muzzle pressing against Twilight’s.  A shiver went up the former princess’s spine, but again, she didn’t look away.  “Every day you refuse to submit to me, I will drain another one of your friends.”

“No…”

“No?  Who will stop me!?  Equestria is defeated!  In fact, I just received the official surrender from Ponyville!  Your friends are mine now!”  Chrysalis bellowed, her hooves stretching out to the green banners hanging from the halls of the once-great palace.  She returned to all fours, glaring down at her prisoner.  “That’s the deal, little slave.  Submit, or your friends pay.  What do you say?”

Twilight’s head bowed, her eyes squeezing shut.  She trembled again, this time her wings rattling against their chains.  “I say…I am yours.”

“You are my what?”

Twilight shivered again, but continued.  “I am your slave…mistress…”

At last.  She’d done it at last!  Twilight Sparkle was hers!  Of course, she still needed to be broken in, but with this act of submission, Chrysalis was well on her way.  Grinning, she dropped the whip and reared up on Twilight, giving the ring on her collar a little tug.  Not enough to be painful, but more than enough to remind her of the cold steel locked around her neck.  

“Say that again,” she cackled, leaning in.

“I…I said…” Twilight swallowed, still shaking, but unable to resist as Chrysalis tugged her in closer by the collar.  “I am your slave, yours to do with as you please, my…mistress…” she closed her eyes, and Chrysalis followed suit, their lips drawing nearer and nearer, their warm breath dousing their muzzles as they closed in…

“TWILIGHT!”  A familiar voice hollered from above.

Both creatures’ eyes darted open in horror.  “Spike!”  Twilight screamed as the double-doors were flung wide open.  “Don’t come in-“

Too late.  The little dragon marched in, hardly even fazed by the massive room towering above him.  “I’m looking for the popcorn, I know we have some, but for the life of me, I…”

He cut himself off as he drank in the scene.  His sister.  Her marefriend.  Chrysalis with her forehooves wrapped around her.  The shackles.  The collar.  The lingerie.  He took in a very deep breath, and let out a long, deep sigh.  

He turned to the mare he thought of as his sister, his eyes half-lidded.  “Lemme guess: expansionist spells to contain the entire illusion in a smaller space, followed up with a few memory projection spells to give the illusion of Canterlot.”

She looked away bashfully, her cheeks growing red.  The chain above her clinked loudly, which didn’t help at all.  “E-exactly,” she sighed.

Nodding, Spike turned to Chrysalis and hooked a thumb over his shoulder.  “And I take it those changelings you bought with you aren’t just here for poker night?”

“Uh…no,” Chrysalis said, still managing to look right at him even as her cheeks flushed a dark teal.

Spike sighed.  “Well girls, I can’t say I’m surprised.  I gotta know one thing, though:  you two have been granted fantastic powers, both magical and political, that put you among the most important and powerful creatures on the planet.  And you’re using all that might, the entirety of those incredible gifts, to play weird sex games with each other.  Aren't you ashamed of yourselves?”

Twilight looked away.  “Yes."

“Nope,” Chrysalis shrugged.

“That’s what I figured,” Spike sighed again.  “Alright, just try and keep the noise down.  I’m gonna go wrap up poker night with the guys.  And then take a shower. A cold one.”

“Alright,” Twilight said as he turned to head back upstairs.  “Popcorn’s in the second cabinet, just so you know!”

“Thanks!”  Spike hollered, not turning to look right at the pair.  He slammed the door behind him, and looked over his shoulder.  Once again, he was just staring at the plain, oak-paneled door to Twilight’s room.  He shook his head.  Her power never ceased to amaze him.  If only she was using it for something a bit more constructive at the moment…

A shiver raced up his scales as he plodded up to his attic room, where four changelings waited around a table covered in poker chips, cards, and potato chips.  The four all glanced at each other, obviously suppressing snickers as he took his seat and picked up his cards.  He glared at them.  “That was a dirty fucking trick, you know,” Spike hissed.

That was it.  The changelings broke down laughing, one of them falling out of his chair and rolling on the floor, his hooves clenching his stomach.  One of them eventually calmed down and chittered excitedly at Spike.

“No, I did not enjoy the free show!”  Spike yelled back.  “That’s my sister, you goddamn pervert!”

Most of the changelings stopped laughing.  The one on his left looked at him with concern and let out a quick series of clicks and chirps.

“Yes, I am aware that I’m a dragon and she’s a pony, and therefore it’s impossible for us to be blood relatives,” Spike rolled his eyes.  “Actually, it’s a pretty funny story, see…”

 ”Oh…Mistress!”

 ”Dammit, slave!  Who gave you permission to cum!?"

Spike rolled his eyes as the changelings around him all started giggling again.  He grabbed a broom, slamming the handle against the floor.  “KEEP IT DOWN IN THERE!”  He hollered.

”Sorry, Spike!”

”I apologize for nothing!”

Spike regarded the snickering changelings around him and thrust his face into his cards again, his face turning bright red.  “Oh, shut up and play cards!”

> Kindness by Europa (Daww)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

The grass tickled her green shell as she laid on her back, staring up at the sky. Hailing from the Badlands, she wasn't exactly a big fan of 'vegetation', but she couldn't argue with how nice it felt, tickling the spaces between her exoskeleton plates as she relaxed, soaking up the sun's rays with her dark chitin.

Twilight was going to Sugarcube Corner to get sweets for them to eat, and Chrysalis didn't have royal duties right then, so she took the time to relax. She didn't get much of that anymore.

There came the soft sound of hooffalls on soil, and she turned around to see Twilight trotting her way, a basket on her back. "Hey there," she greeted the alicorn.

"Hey yourself," she said, taking the basket in her mouth and plopping it between them. She laid down on her stomach next to Chryssy and levitated out a cupcake. "How's your day off?"

"It's great," she said, taking a pastry in her own magic and biting it. Not that bad. "I needed this; it was really kind of you to handle my morning load for me, Twi."

"Don't worry about it," she said as Chrysalis draped a ragged, ephemeral wing over her withers. "I'm happy to help."

"Hmm," she purred, nuzzling into the pony's soft, squishy neck. "And I appreciate it." Twilight was always so kind to her, it made Chrysalis feel like the luckiest worker in the world. She could only hope to try and repay her.

> Tummy Ache by nioniosbbbb (Hearts and Hooves Special)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by nioniosbbbb

Princess Twilight couldn’t believe herself. She couldn’t be the one to think of something like this, she couldn’t comprehend why she was doing it. She tried to listen to her heart, tried to discern any inconsistencies. To her dismay, her heart beat for one mare she would never have expected it to beat for. She had butterflies in her stomach and her little tummy hurt because of it.

It was just a few months ago that Chrysalis had come to Ponyville. The day the changelings reappeared was marked by an entire town filled with high-pitched screams. Twilight really wondered how her ear drums hadn’t bled that day.

Twilight was even more surprised to hear Queen Chrysalis apologizing of all people. She! APOLOGIZING! She was praising her, calling her Messiah!

Does not compute! 

She learned that, during Queen Chrysalis’s absence in Canterlot, usurpers had grabbed the chance to steal the changeling throne. Heck, the Canterlot invasion had largely begun from a very intricate conspiracy!

Twilight didn’t believe it… not one bit, and she was more of a conspiracy nut than her friends (even Pinkie Pie admitted that). But the events were confirmed, and time after time Chrysalis proved her wrong in more ways than one… 

Every day she was there, talking, negotiating, participating in the attempt to make up for the damages she caused. She was the first to rise, and the last to sleep. She always stood tall and strong: taking the disbelief, the doubt, and the fear. Unwavering...

Day by day, Twilight saw the changeling Queen show a determination unlike any other. Twilight learned that the changelings were trying to escape a Dark Age of Morality, and that she had granted them the opportunity to achieve it.

It turned out that when Tirek first came to Equestria he had stolen changeling magic, and that had caused an instability in the changelings’s bodies creating a magical ailment that the changelings knew as “Lov-e-lipsis” aka “Lack of Love”. Their own life-force was leaking out of them, causing holes in their bodies, and worse should their brains be affected by this they turned into rabid beasts called “Devourers”. Twilight shivered in terror when she was told how many of her own people Chrysalis had to kill to keep the rest safe. So when Twilight defeated Tirek the changeling magic was finally released, allowing the changelings to prosper once again.

In due time, Twilight came to appreciate the selflessness that Chrysalis showed, her sense of duty, and her love for her changelings. A feeling of mutual respect developed between them.

She didn’t know where it had begun, where the respect turned into love, but after countless conversations through endless nights the two royals found themselves enjoying each other’s company more and more. But it wasn’t until yesterday morning that both of them realized it.

Chrysalis and Twilight had woken up together on the same bed. After signing the treaty Chrysalis got a bottle of “Dark Daphne” red wine to celebrate the occasion. A few more drinks than normal led to a drunken stroll that Ponyville would never forget. One that ended up in a bewildered Applejack’s barn, where the two royals were sleeping after the whole of Ponyville had seen them singing and dancing in the streets. Chrysalis was quite the singer and her voice attracted a decent amount of ponies, all of which watched with their jaws on the ground, stunned by the Queen’s voice, and by the hilarious spectacle that was their drunken dancing. That night the citizens of Ponyville learned what it truly meant to have a “Rave Party”.

Though the incidents caused by their drunken behavior were something that Twilight regretted hearing about, there was one thing she couldn’t deny. Drunk or not, those feelings were there, the drink had just lowered their inhibitions.

She couldn’t hide from the truth, Princess Twilight was in love with Queen Chrysalis, and today on Hearts and Hooves day she would finally admit it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Queen Chrysalis couldn’t believe it! She couldn’t feed upon love! After Tirek’s defeat love only served to empower changeling magic, but now she couldn’t absorb it! Any of it! The mana crystals wouldn’t offer her the satisfaction she needed, and her belly rumbled in discontent until it was offered the meal it craved. She couldn’t go out there and walk like a magicless pony!

Stupid belly! Stupid mind! Stupid sexy Princess Twilight Sparkle! GRRR!

Why did she have to fall in love with her? Chrysalis knew a potential relationship with Twilight would be taboo, but that wasn’t all! By rules of magic, a changeling in love would have to feast upon his or her’s partner’s romantic love at least once, else said changeling would remain magicless for the rest of their lives!

Chrysalis sighed… how could she have let that happen?

When she was stopped by Twilight at the Canterlot Wedding, Chysalis was so angry for having her plans stopped! It wasn’t like she would keep them imprisoned forever in a parasitical tyranny, right? She just wanted to get back the love that was being stolen by that annoying Princess Cadance and her husband Shining Armor.

She was such a fool not to have seen the truth. She spent almost two years getting the changeling Kingdom back on track after that, regretting the invasion altogether. She thought all was lost.

But then the little brat saved them! Unknowingly sure, but she saved them! Defeated Lord Tirek and released their true magic being held back. There was no reason for any more wars, and perhaps in their moment of victory the ponies could be lenient. Hoping for this, she went in with her envoys and pleaded. She had to explain, to talk over and over, to fight the prejudice, the doubt, but mostly… her own mistakes.

It was tiring but after draining her mouth of every ounce of moisture, she had convinced them. Of course, she had to pay up for what she had done and compensating for the damages at Canterlot was not cheap, but she had done it!

By that time their hatred for each other had waned. Although Twilight was suspicious at first, she proved to be true to her new crown and title as Princess of Friendship, and gave it a go. As she did Chrysalis found that the two mares shared a lot in common. Their love for magic, their friends, their subjects, family and bonds, but also… good wine.

In one of their talks Chrysalis decided to celebrate their achievement, the treaty was finally signed and Chrysalis indulged herself to open a good ol “Dark Daphne” wine from the vineyards back home.

Big mistake…

When she woke up her black chitin turned red from the awkwardness of the moment. If that wasn’t enough she was a running mess of hair and blushing once she heard what they had done during their drunken stupor. How in Tartarus did they manage to wake up the whole of Ponyville at three in the morning?

Chrysalis was a bit… disappointed they didn’t consummate this unlikely union. At least after the debacle a good session of “bow chika wow wow” would at least make it worth it. She shook her head… oh who was she fooling? She was in love! The aches in her belly and her naughty thoughts confirmed it.

There was no denying it, she should have seen it from the time they were spending together. She should have seen it from the way they were looking at each other. She had to confess.

Queen Chrysalis was in love with Princess Twilight Sparkle, and today on Hearts and Hooves day she would admit it.
> Gorge by Europa (Hearts and Hooves Special)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Darkness on ephemeral wings flitted beneath the rooftops, unnoticed by the food-sources engaged in chatter within their homes. Cluster, without his Imperial Guard armor since he was off duty, moved from one house to the other. Under cover of night on this most holy of holy days, Hearts and Hooves day, Cluster and his fellows were free from guard duty, free to move around the ponies and gather up their sweet, sweet emotions.

He buzzed his wings by a house, having layered noise-canceling illusions over his wings to achieve silence. He lit up his horn and began drawing in the energies from the house inside. Emotions had no flavor has ponies understood them, so it was tricky to describe. From this house he felt the smooth energies of familial love and the nauseating yet filling love of a widow. After having his fill, Cluster moved along to the next house.

It was the cloud-house of the Bearer of Loyalty, and his emotion senses revealed that she had company over. He reached in, ignoring the other changelings buzzing around, and found the stallion Soarin's love, and felt the intoxicating rush of romantic love. Then he reached towards Rainbow Dash herself and took the slightest of whiffs of her romantic love's aura. But even that tiny taste sent him reeling, energy overflowing from his holes and tingling his horn.

Cluster shook himself off and landed. He knew the Rainbow Power made their love strong, but by the Queen!

He got an idea; he winged his way over to the Crystal Palace under cover of Luna's night.

Once there, he opened his senses and was almost struck numb by the sheer amount of love and lust radiating from the palace, and -

'GET OUT!' thundered the Queen's voice in his mind.

'Y-Yes, my queen!' he sent back hurriedly. Cluster's magic flared to life and, still empowered by the Rainbow-infused love from the Bearer, he wrapped himself in green fire and inferno-dashed the buck away from the castle. He landed some distance away in Sweet Apple Acres.

Worth it, he thought.
> Tummy Ache by Foals Errand (Hearts and Hooves Special)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Foals Errand

Chrysalis groaned, as she searched the medicine cabinet, for something to settle her stomach. She twitched, feeling like she was going to vomit. I just don’t understand this, I haven’t felt like this since the whole Canterlot invasion, when I practically drained Shining Armor. She stuck her tongue out a bit in disgust, finally finding the vial of love away Zecora had given her on her wedding day. Ugh, thinking of Shining Armor and love like that…  

Chrysalis gulped down the remains of the bottle, and sighed as her stomach felt better. She shook herself and wandered downstairs to the living room, where her perfect purple pony wife was laying on a cushion reading a book. The fire crackling away in front of her. Chrysalis laid down behind her nuzzling into her mane, after a few moments Chrysalis groaned, her stomach feeling upset again.

Twilight turned her head, brow furrowed “Chryssy? Are you alright, love?”

Chrysalis groaned “Nuh Uh, I can’t figure it out Twily, I keep feeling like i’ve over eaten.”

Twilight clicked her tongue in thought. “When does this occur the most?”

Chrysalis opened a single eye to look at the worried expression on her wife’s face. “M-mainly when i’m near you Twi.”

Twilight cocked her head, then blinked her eyes going wide. “So, um do you have a way so that you can feel better?”

Chrysalis lifted an eyebrow, but nodded “Zecora, gave me a vial for our wedding night, called “Love Away,” It seems to work well, why?”

“Well, i’ll talk to Zecora, tomorrow to see about getting a nine month supply.” Twilight smiled, closing the book she was reading.

“Nine months worth? Why would I need nine months worth of Love Away?” Chrysalis rolled onto her back rubbing her belly.

Twilight giggled and lay her head on her wife’s belly. “Because silly, i’ve figured out why you keep feeling so sick when you are near me.” She sat up, and took Chrysalis’s hoof placing it on her tummy. “I’m pregnant.”

Chrysalis stared then put her cheek to Twilight’s fuzzy tummy. Nine months of tummy aches? So worth it…
> Gorge by Knight of Lycaeus (Hearts and Hooves Special)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

Twilight walked into the throne room of the Crystal Oaks, the book she was reading was hovering in front of her. She was not alone in the room and she could tell by the sprawled out Changelings dotting the area near the thrones, in particular there was a larger Changeling slumped over on her throne. Twilight walked over to the semi-unconscious form and lightly sighed as she moved her book off to one side. Chrysalis and her Hive had moved into the Ponyville area about half a year ago when they entered Equestrian territory looking for food and supplies. After some initial rough patches involving several residents of Ponyville, the town had more or less gotten used to seeing Changelings around town.

That was then and this is now, today was Hearts and Hooves today and like most other times this "holiday" came around Twilight had intended to do what she did every year which largely amounted to burying herself within the confines of her library while this superfluous celebration went on around her. Despite her sister-in-law being the Alicorn of Love, Twilight did not really agree with the whole tradition of the day which led to her usual plans, and that would have been what she would do until she started to notice that there were a growing number of people around town consisting mostly of Ponies although she did spot a few non-Ponies wandering around. A few letters to her fellow Princesses plus some "subtle" hints from Rarity that led her to the conclusion that there were many who had wanted to meet her on this "holiday" which apparently also happened to her fellow Princesses. Celestia had chosen centuries ago to open her throne room at certain hours their admirers, subjects, and so on to visit. Luna had likewise adopted this tradition while Cadance was opting for a festival instead. It did make sense how she had not known about the tradition given her preferred activity on this so-called “holiday”.

However upon hearing of this tradition, Twilight began working on weighing the pros and cons between following the same traditions as her fellow Princess, cancelling it outright, or taking an overly long vacation to perhaps the other side of the world if not further. That was until Chrysalis somehow caught word of the tradition and of her plans and offered to stand in her place for the meet and greet at the Crystal Oaks.

While she was somewhat skeptical that it would work, Chrysalis had ensured her that it would be fine and that her acting should be good enough to not draw attention that she was not the Alicorn they had come to meet. After numerous discussions, she had relented to allowing Chrysalis and some her Hive to stand in as her and a few Guards. Apparently the event went off smoothly given that she had not heard of any disastrous commotion in the few hours that they had agreed to open the palace doors for. It was now about half an hour after the event ended. Twilight had planned to go outside the palace with Chrysalis once the event ended, but she had not shown up and now Twilight had come down to look for the Changeling Queen who she now found along with some of her Guards half asleep in the throne room.

"Good afternoon Chrysalis," Twilight said trying to rouse the Changeling Queen.

"Should have thought of this sooner," mumbled Chrysalis not really responding to Twilight's greeting.

Twilight raised an eyebrow as she tried to help the Changeling Queen sit up properly, “Thought of what sooner?"

"Invasion plans," Chrysalis said not even trying to move her slumped position on the throne.

Twilight sighed lightly and asked, "Didn't we agree to move on from that?"

"Should…. never invaded the Royal Wedding. This holiday's better," Chrysalis said sleepily.

"Ah, that," Twilight said in acknowledgement as she gave up trying to help Chrysalis up with marginal success. "From that statement I would guess that you didn't know this holiday existed before that or that you did not know what exactly the holiday entailed."

"I’ve heard of it," Chrysalis answered as she aided Twilight’s efforts and sat up straighter on the throne, “I just didn't think it would be this good and with this I could have taken everything."

Twilight shook her head, "Perhaps, although given how you're reacting when I first found you here, I think the army would have just been lulled to sleep by the excessive amount of available food."

Chrysalis now seated on the throne managed to raise her head and look at Twilight directly, "Still, the thought is a good idea…." Chrysalis paused as an idea came to her so she quickly lit her horn and in a flash of emerald light a pile of various assorted sweets and pastries appeared around the two of them. "Not to mention I now have the means to douse any resistance against me without promises of delicious sweets."

Twilight looked at the large piles of sweets, "Well the cakes would likely have distracted Celestia for a short while, although I'm certain most of this would then be devoured near instantaneously by her and Pinkie going on a sweets binge. Luna and Cadance wouldn’t have even gotten more than a morsel or two before those two finished everything."

Chrysalis pushed herself off the throne, her stance was initially slightly uneasy after the abundant feeding, but gradually evened itself out. Focusing her attention on Twilight, her smile turned into a smirk, "Well, there’s an idea for a future invasion plan! Sweets laced with sleeping potions would bring low the [i[mighty Alicorns and then it would be easy to conquer the city!"

Twilight shook her head and smiled, “One you promised no invasions in exchange for safety and supplies shortly after moving here and two you’re not invading Canterlot armed with laced sweets as I know there are security measures that would pick on your plan faster than those sweets would get eaten and with that in mind, could we move away from hypothetical invasions and plans of conquest?”

“Just imagine the possibilities,” Chrysalis suggested as she turned and led the way out of the throne room.

“Yes possibilities that likely might have merit if it made it past security, but you have to admit it does also sound almost cliché,” Twilight said as she followed her out of the room.
> Rarity by TheMusicalBoy93 (Second date?)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

“I just don’t understand, darling.” Rarity scratched her chin as she pawed over her notebook, crossing out the latest in a long line of names. “Whatever happened on your date with Hugh Jelly?” Twilight rolled her eyes and rubbed her temples with a frustrated huff at the mention of the stallion’s name.

“Have you ever seen a stallion get himself off by immersing himself in a giant pot of jelly?” The Alicorn cringed at the memory; the awkward walk back home after the display, and the four hour hot shower she subjected herself to before curling up in bed with Smarty Pants the Second. Rarity shuddered at the thought, looking once more at the list of ponies she had set her friend up with.

After trying to pursue a relationship with Flash Sentry from the guard of the Crystal Empire – which, subsequently, ended in Twilight getting her heart broken, because Flash Sentry turned out to be an arrogant sack of horse apples – Rarity had made it her sworn purpose to play matchmaker for her friend. She’d decided with the princess to organise a weekly meet up, where Rarity would ask Twilight what her preferences were, what she looked for in a partner, if she had any turn-ons, or turnoffs, and any other details she wanted to specify.

So far, not one matchup had made it past the second date. And it was starting to frustrate the alabaster seamstress.  Not to say that Twilight was to blame. She was really trying to move on from the Flash Sentry incident, and try to open herself up to new potential partners, but nothing was working out. She was just too upset after learning how arrogant, stuck up and self-centred Flash Sentry was.

“Well, never fear Twilight. I have one more pony in mind for you.” Rarity chewed her lip as she looked at the, now very barren, list of potential suitors for the newly crowned Princess of Friendship. There was only one name left, and it was – by far – a long shot. Earlier in the year, Queen Chrysalis Bladequeen had come crawling to Ponyville, begging for asylum and allegiance with Equestria. After being forcibly ejected from Canterlot at the wedding of Twilight’s brother and her foalsitter, the changelings fell on very hard times. The hive was separated, and trying to regroup them all had taken a lot of time, and was incredibly perilous. However, once the hive was back together, a new problem arose. A group of vigilante ponies, calling themselves the Exterminators, set about attempting to hunt down and kill Chrysalis and her hive. Stricken, weak and ill-equipped to defend her hive, Chrysalis swallowed her pride and begged Celestia for reconciliation between their kinds. Luckily for the changelings, Celestia was willing to offer them a final chance.

Chrysalis was ordered to take residence in the Palace of Friendship, under Twilight’s supervision. Four weeks ago, the changeling came to Rarity as her boutique, looking very bedraggled and sleep depraved. Once the two mares had helped themselves to a couple of cups of chamomile tea, Chrysalis informed the dressmaker that she was in love with the Alicorn, and came to her seeking advice. Rarity, though shocked by the confession, was happy to learn that the former villainous queen had grown to think of Twilight in an affectionate light, so offered to add her name to the list of suitors she was setting the princess up with. 

However, Rarity hadn’t dared try hooking Twilight up with the changeling until she was absolutely sure that there were no other options. It wasn’t that she still distrusted Chrysalis; the changeling queen had put her fears to rest months ago. She was just afraid of how Twilight would react to such a radical suggestion. Rarity fidgeted a little in her seat as she drank the last remaining dregs of her tea before looking up at Twilight’s defeated expression.

“Rarity, look. I appreciate the effort, truly I do. But it’s clear that there just isn’t a special somepony for me.” Twilight lifted herself from her chair and started toward the door, before a white hoof tapped her on the shoulder. The Alicorn turned to face the fashionista, who wore a look of trepidation on her face.

“Actually, darling… there’s one more suitor I had lined up for you,” the alabaster unicorn twirled her coiffure around her hoof as she stumbled for words. “And, well, she’s expressed an interest in you.” Twilight’s eyes twinkled hopefully. “It’s Chrysalis.” And her wings sprang outstretched at the mention of the suitor.

“Chr-Chr-Chrysalis? As in queen Chrysalis? As in the queen of the changelings, Chrysalis?” Rarity rolled her eyes at the obvious nature of the responses to Twilight’s rhetorical questions.

“Of course, darling. Who else could I be referring to?” Twilight’s face flushed bright crimson, and she rubbed her foreleg with a hoof as she tried to find a point of focus that didn’t include Rarity in it.

“I-I don’t know, Rarity. What would ponies do if the Princess of Friendship started dating the queen of the changelings? I mean, Chrysalis is still a wanted mare, with a bounty on her head.”

“Oh, don’t you worry about that, darling,” Rarity waved a dismissive hoof with a smile. “Just give her a chance. She seemed pretty smitten with you when she came to me for advice.” Twilight blushed, but offered no protest as she made her way to her palace to ask Chrysalis out on a date.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Venom Tack rolled her eyes as she watched Chrysalis rush around her bedroom in a tizzy, alternating between fussing over her hair and makeup to picking out a dress to wear to the restaurant, and making no progress in either.

“My queen, I honestly see no reason for all this concern,” the changeling said, watching the queen wrestle with a navy blue dress she had made for one of Celestia’s Grand Galloping Galas. “I’m sure Princess Twilight doesn’t mind what you look like, so long as you enjoy yourself on your date.

Chrysalis paused in her frantic panic and took a deep breath, counting to ten in her head. She made a mental note to thank Cadance for teaching her this technique.

“You’re right.” She turned to her subject with a smile and nuzzled her gratefully. “Twilight is the princess of friendship. I’m sure that, if I relax and just enjoy my time with her, things will go smoothly.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Chrysalis turned the tap on full blast and willed the torrent of water to splash her in the face with her magic. The date was a total disaster. She clammed up when Twilight asked her what made the changeling queen fall in love with her and, when the waiter delivered their soup starters, she spat some of hers on Twilight’s dress because it was too hot. Chrysalis fell back on her haunches and cupped her face in her hooves as she reflected on what a terrible night Twilight must’ve thought this was. Her ears twitched at the sound of the bathroom door creaking open, and looked up to see Twilight walking up to her, her eyes full of concern and worry.

“Are you OK, Chryssy?” the changeling queen shivered at the Alicorn’s pet name for her, but sadly shook her head.

“I’m so sorry, Twilight,” she whimpered. “I ruined our evening. I must look a fool to you.” The changeling slumped to the floor in misery, but a purple hoof gently cupped her chin and brought her eyes up to meet Twilight’s soft smile.

“Actually, I haven’t had this much fun in a while,” the Alicorn princess smiled as her date’s eyes bugged out. “So what there were a few hiccups? I’ve made my fair share of mistakes and stumbles. That’s part of what makes me a pony.” She helped Chrysalis to her hooves and dusted her gown. “I’d be happy to go on a second date.” The Alicorn nuzzled the queen’s thorax, which made Chrysalis’ heart pound happily. Twilight blushed as she thought back to her discussion with Rarity about giving the changeling a chance. She silently promised herself to thank the dressmaker sometime. Maybe she could find her a special somepony of her own…

> Spike by lyra_lover777 (Bah?)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Twilight cantered through out the halls of the new crystal palace of friendship, her purple and pink mane flowing behind her as she looked around frantically. She threw open a door to see a maid tiredly scraping some weird green gunk off the ceiling. Twilight blushed, remebering that that was the room she and Chrysalis had, um, used last night.

She soon was brought back to her senses and slammed the door shut, making the maid fall into the bucket of green goo she had scraped of the ceiling with a loud plop.

Where are they?! Twilight frantically thought as she opened another door. Inside Prince Blueblood slept with his right foreleg draped over Trixie's side. Trixie was deep in sleep, snoring loudly and drooling a bucket fool of spit.

Twilight rolled her eyes. The weirdest ponies snuck into the castle for a night together all the time. She summoned a giant air horn and squeezed it with all her Alicorny might. The couple jumped awake, their manes flying in their eyes as they frantically leaped out the golden window.

As Twilight began to leave, she took a glance at the bed. It was destroyed, the linens very wet with, umm,juices.

Twilight grudgingly called a maid. The maid who had been cleaning the room next door galloped into the room. Twilight tiredly pointed to the bed before making her exit. As she walked past the teal maid, she bumped into her. A little bit of goo was still in the mare's mane, and it landed on Twilight's left wing when Twi bumped into the maid mare.

Twilight looked down at her wing before slowly shifting her eyes up to meet those of the maid, who looked utterly terrified. Twilight then proceeded to scream her lungs out in the mare's face before teleporting her away to a long forgotten place.

The mare plopped up on a small sandy island. Ten other ponies were huddled there. Two were cooks, one was a troubadour, four were maids, and three were guards.

"Princess Twilight get mad at you, too?" the troubadour asked.

The maid tiredly nodded before curling up on the sand. "This couldn't get any worse."

All of the sudden hundreds of sharks began to circle the island.

"You gotta be bucking kidding me!"

"Were not, Miss," one of the sharks said before promptly scooping one of guards into his mouth and swallowing.

Meanwhile, Twilight had went through every room in the castle in search of the two, a small scaly sack of dung and a hard shelled piece of buck.

Twilight soon gave up, galloping into the throne room, collapsing onto her throne. All her fiends were gone on royal affairs(both kinds) and visiting family.

Twilight huffed and watched as a lowly scribe approached her, his paprika colored body shaking in fear as he bowed before the princess.

"Are-are you all right, my majesty?" he asked meekly.

"NO I AM NOT!" She then proceeded to send him to the island massacre.

After several minutes of moaning she teleported to her favorite relaxation spot, on the mossy banks of a clear, cold stream deep within the heart of the Everfree.

When her hooves hit the fizzy emerald moss, she collapsed, groaning. "Where are you, Spike? Chryssy?" She then rolled sideways.

And there both were, sleeping soundly on the carpet of forgiving moss.

Twilight rose into the air, her coat turning white and her mane red and orange, like a flickering flame, and roared, scaring both out of their sleep.

Twilight then collapsed to the found, giving both a hateful glare as she confronted them.

"I was just teaching Chryssy the art of napping."

Twilight facehoofed and giggled. Soon all her problems melted away and she was rolling around the the mossy ground, laughing uproariously.

Eventually Twilight teleported her servants back, which now were only eleven of their original twelve. Twilight found the shark and made him spit up the eaten guard. It consisted of riding the shark all the way to Canterlot and back to the sea, causing the shark to barf up the guard.

After her adventures with "Sharky", she settled down for a nap in her royal bed.

"Finally," Spike said. "I finally got her to take a nap."

The whole of Equestria celebrated as they danced about, happy to be free of the crazy princess for an hour or two.

> Bayonet by lyra_lover777 (Oh, dear)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

"What is it?" Chrysalis asked , stunned, confused, and weirded out all at the same time as she stared down at the thing in Twilight's hooves.

Twilight and Chrysalis, having been seeing each other for a year, had then decided to move in together. To Chrysalis's annoyance, Twilight refused to live in the gooey, gunky Hive, and so Chrysalis was forced to buy a nice, clean, apartment in the suburbs of Manehattan.

Now looking down at the twisted metal knife-thing-a-ma-jig, she was annoyed once again.

"I'm getting rid of-of it" Chrysalis said, picking the half-sword-half-knife thing out of its velvet box, carrying it towards the window to toss it into the streets and possibly impale somepony.

"NO, NOT MY BAYONET FROM THE GRIFFIONIAN CIVIL WARS!" Twilight then dived, tackling Chrysalis as she bit and snarled like a wild animal. Like a wild ass. And if your wondering, like both kinds.

Finally Chrysalis surrendered, scurrying behind the counter in their new, shiny kitchen. Twilight was still seething, only a little bit away from a rage shift.

Chrysalis pushed the bayonet across the tile floor, saying"It's still ugly. You can keep it, but not up here. Keep it in the basement."

"But you got to keep your first cocoon up here! It's as ugly as a piece of snot!"

"First of all, it does look like snot because it is made of snot. And secondly, it was my first cocoon. My first!"

Twilight huffed and opened the door to the basement, glaring at Chrysalis as she began to trudge down the steps.

"Anyways, why are you being such a hater of cocoons? You love them at night, when I make one and we snuggle up inside, and then we kiss and then you get on top of me..."

Twilight rage shifted and slammed the door in Chrysalis's face, smashing her muzzle into her eyes a she became white, red, and orange in the safety of the basement.

"And then after you get on top of me, you start to grin-"

Twilight burst through the door, her bayonet held ready.

"I HAVE A BAYONET!!!!!!" she cried.

Chrysalis slid an object out of one of her boxes. It was a long, emerald sword with diamonds and gold studded all over its length.

"Behold the mighty Blade of Serpentine, the blade used to kill the zebra king Blathemeous and drive the zebras from the Badlands so we could take them for our own."

The blade glistened int he light. A faint green aura that was not Chrysalis's could be seen around it.

Twilight dropped he rusty bayonet and screamed as Chrysalis chased her into the basement, the Blade of Serpentine outstretched.

> Mural by TheMusicalBoy93 (Future Sad)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

Marble Masterpiece stepped back from her latest installation, nodding to herself in approval. She looked at the paintbrush she had laid down to dry, taking in the sight of the three balloons etched into the handle. The brush had been handed down to her from her mother; Penned Sketch, who told her the art set the brush came with was a family heirloom, dating back over twenty generations – the original owner of the arts and crafts set being her great-great-great-insert-appropriate-amount-of-greats-grandmother Pencil Craft; the eldest daughter of the Element of Laughter; Pinkie Pie. Equestria became a very different place, almost overnight, when the Elements of Harmony started dying off.

Rarity had been the first; having suffered a massive stroke that landed her in a coma for two weeks before she passed away in her slumber, surrounded by her six lovely children and her widower; Spike. The six Thestrals went on to work for Princess Luna’s night court, while Spike confined himself to the usual dragon way of life. Though, he did maintain contact with Princess Twilight Sparkle; acting as a sort of, unofficial, ambassador for the dragon clan. The mighty dragon had passed away over four hundred years later, happily succumbing to fatal injuries during the Great Dragon Uprising. His final words were well documented; “When I see Rarity again, I will tell her that dragons and ponies are finally living in harmony”; and he was right. A month after Spike’s death, the Dragon King; Rhosalth, the Lord of Fire, agreed to negotiate with Princess Twilight for peace between the clans.

Applejack was the second of the Elements to go; dying with a smile on her face as she kissed goodnight to her four children, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren at the ripe old age of one hundred and two years old. Her legacy continued and, while many other businesses and companies moved with the times and employed more mechanical equipment, Sweet Apple Acres stuck to its old Earth pony roots, and became Equestria’s biggest pony employing company – employing over a hundred thousand ponies every year, and holding the nation’s apple market in one giant monopoly.

Pinkie Pie died doing what she loved most. According to attendees to her last party, when asked what the party was about, Pinkie announced she had had a quivering knee, eye flutter, ear flop and twitchy nose. She revealed that the combo signaled her upcoming demise and, true to her word, Pinkie Pie was announced dead the following morning.

Rainbow Dash, by far, made the biggest splash when she died. Or, rather, the biggest boom. She had achieved her goal of becoming a Wonderbolt; rising through the ranks to captain before retiring from the corps and becoming the Wonderbolts Director until her death. The prismatic pony resigned from her post as the Director of the team she admired; passing down the title to her daughter; Blazing Glory, before – she claimed – “flying home”. She never intended on reaching her home, however. While she was flying over Canterlot Castle, she began to push her body to its absolute limits. She flew faster than any pony over the age of eighty had ever flown before. Rainbow successfully executed one final Sonic Rainboom and, in the process, reduced herself to ash and cinders in the process. Many news mediums attempted to call her death a “cowardly suicide”, but were quickly put to shame by the oldest daughter of Rainbow’s adopted daughter, Scootaloo. The former Wonderbolt’s adopted granddaughter; Lightning Reflex, announced on national broadcast that her grandmother was always a fan of spectacle, and this supposed “suicide” was her way of leaving the world in style, and that she would be remembered for being a showmare to the end.

The last of the Elements to die was Fluttershy; who died quietly and unnoticed by many in her cottage, and was laid to rest by her animal friends when her best friend; Discord, announced her passing. The draconequus continued her legacy alone, finding love in the form of Fluttershy’s youngest daughter; Butter Cream, who worked as a baker, having been Pinkie Pie’s apprentice for ten years before the party pony’s death. Discord passed nearly a millennium after; having decided his time had come, and he was ready to rest. He died instantaneously, and his body turned into clouds of cotton candy that shrouded Equestria in pink shadow for three days, offering the odd shower of chocolate milk during the midday hours.

Princess Twilight Sparkle and her wife; Queen Chrysalis Bladequeen, were left to rule Equestria together after the passing of the Celestial Sisters.

Celestia ascended to the spirit realm two hundred years after the return of her sister, Luna, leaving the Princess of the Night heartbroken. Twenty years later, Luna began visiting ponies in their dreams, telling them to look to the skies and look, not just at the clouds and the sun in the day, or just look at the moon and stars at night. Instead, she wished them to look up at the sky and see hope, and harmony for all who live under its careful watch. A year later, on what was once celebrated as Nightmare Night; the night Nightmare Moon was banished, and the night Princess Luna returned, Luna performed – what could only be described as – a miracle. She looked to the stars and proclaimed.

“This shall no longer be the night to remember the banishment of Nightmare Moon, nor the return of Princess Luna!” The Alicorn ignited her horn and announced to the nation, in a Canterlot Voice that echoed from Equestria to the lands beyond; “This shall be the night that the Heavens were brought together in perfect harmony!” And with a flash of magic, the Princess of the Night brought forth the sun, and aligned it side by side with the moon. And, for the next hour, the sky was both night and day, in perfect harmony. Neither of the celestial bodies competed for dominance over the sky, and the stars and clouds both floated above the ponies below in perfect synchronisation. It was a tremendous sight to behold. And one that was documented by many. When the sky returned to the dead of night, however, Princess Luna was nowhere to be found.

Princess Twilight and Queen Chrysalis resumed the throne of Equestria, taking on the burdens of controlling the sun and moon, respectively. The Crystal Empire allied itself to Equestria, and later joined its borders.

Prince Shining Armour died in the arms of his wife, happy with all he had achieved in his life, and in the knowledge that his legacy would not soon be forgotten. Princess Cadance joined him a decade later; finding her purpose of spreading love between ponies an exercise of futility, after the loss of her own true love.

Twilight and Chrysalis ruled Equestria side by side, maintaining harmony, friendship and love for over two thousand years, before an ancient force awoke from the Badlands.

An old volcano, once believed to have been extinct, suddenly became active, and a giant lava creature climbed from the pit of the mountain, naming itself Lavan; an ancient king of an extinct race of lava creatures that tried to overthrow the ponies over ten thousand years ago. The lava king raised an army of countless lava people, and attempted to overthrow Equestria in – what would later be referred to as – the War of Fire.

Half the population of Equestria battled against the lava monsters, and half the army lost their lives fighting for their families. In the end, it was Twilight Sparkle and Queen Chryslis’ love for each other, and their kingdom, that destroyed Lavan and his army – as well as the Equestrian Rulers themselves.

Marble Masterpiece reviewed her mural; a perfect timeline of all the Elements of Harmony had done for their homelands. The Return of Princess Luna. The Defeat of Discord. The Rediscovery of the Crystal Empire. Discord’s Reformation. Twilight’s Ascension. The Defeat of Tirek. Twilight and Chrysalis’ Marriage. Luna’s Night of Harmony. And the Victory of the War of Fire.

Marble turned as the sound of hooves clacking against the crystal floor echoed through the palace hall. Kerrigan Bladequeen; the only daughter of Princess Twilight Sparkle and Queen Chrysalis Bladequeen; Blade of the Swarm and, soon to be coronated, Queen of Blades, walked up to her subject and gazed upon her masterpiece. A warm smile stretched across her face as she turned to the artist with a grateful bow of her head.

“It is perfect,” she commended, warmly, “in every way.” Marble bowed deeply in appreciation before Kerrigan offered her a hoof and lifted her to her hooves.

“I’m glad you approve, your highness.” Marble smiled as she gazed once more upon her proudest work. “Now your mother may be remembered forever. As will their friends.” Kerrigan smiled and draped a gossamer wing over the artist’s withers.

“Yes. And we shall see to it that their legacy lives on forever.” The future Queen of Blades smiled, happy in the knowledge that her mothers were watching her from the Fields of Elysium, and smiling down upon her.


> Double Date by lyra_lover777 (Whoops?)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Chrysalis and Twilight sat erect in their seats, barely breathing. The carriage they were riding in rode smoothly, its white wood walls sparkling and glimmering in the light.

They were on official Canterlot business, heading on a double date of sorts at the Hayburger. It was there that they would negotiate the fate of Equestria and the surrounding lands.

Yes. At the Hayburger.

Finally the elegant carriage came to a stop. The passerby gawked as their two newest princess/queen stepped into the streets of Ponyville in all their royal finery. Trotting into the Hayburger.

The whole building had been cleared out. For extra measures, Twilight put an undetectable force field around them in case anything got out of hand.

Twilight and Chrysalis slowly pushed the door open, the slab of wood creaking and moaning as Twilight took her first step in. The cashier and cook were cowering behind the counter, barely not screaming and running for their lives. The janitor was passed out on the floor, and the other cook was retrieving him, a broom held ready to attack their guests.

Twilight's eyes moved up to the so called guests. They were two giant mounds of lava, the wood floor and the wood ceiling above and below them slowly setting alight with flames.

"He-hello, King Lavan and Queen Laviana." Twilight cringed when Lavan screamed out.

"HOW DARE BOU BE WATE FOR OUR MEEETINGAH!" Lavan moaned, his voice sounding like one of a foal's. 

"YEESH, HOW DARESH SHOU BESH LATESH?" Laviana groaned. A piece of lava burst form her mouth at these words, flying out the open door and hitting some poor mare, who screamed and leaped into a nearby lake.

Twilight sat down on the opposite side of the table. Chrysalis sat next to her. They could not put their hooves, or anything for that matter, on the table since it had raging flames running across its once smooth surface. It was hard for Twilight, who was all about safety, to not run and grab a fire extinguisher.

Laviana banged her fist on the table when the waiter hadn't come out five minutes after Twilight and Chyrsalis had gotten here. Lavan and Laviana had already ordered their food.

Then Lavan pointed out that they had hung the waiter from the ceiling by his legs when he had said that they did not serve lava drinks.

Laviana cooed and kissed him and they hugged tightly. Their fatty lava bodies flabbered around when they moved, and it was all Twi could do not to stick out her tongue in disgust.

This was going to be even worse than the double date with Spike and Rarity, where Spike had gotten angry with Rarity and burned her mane off with his fire breath. Not a good style, even for the queen of fashion who could make almost anything look gorgeous.

Suddenly Lavan burped, lava flying towards Twilight. It hit the force field and hit the now burned down table with a splat.

"BOU BUSE A BORCE BEILD BUITH BOUR GUESTAS!" Lavan screamed.

"HOWSH DARESH YOUSH DOSH THISH TOSH USH!" Laviana screeched.

"NOSH MORESH ALLIESH TALKSH WITHSH EQUESTRIASH! Laviana belted before smashing through the walls of the Hayburger as she began to terrorize Ponyville.
Lavan smashed through the opposite wall with a few cursed profanities that sounded as if they had come from a baby's mouth.

WORST. DOUBLE. DATE. EVER. Twilight thought as she and Chryssy ran out into the streets to fight Lavan and Laviana.

> Herd by Europa (ROFLMAO)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

"Say it after me," Chrysalis said. The next sounds of out her mouth were a series of clicks, chirrs, and chirps.

"My... name," Twilight repeated in Hemipid carefully. "is... Twilight... Sparkle."

"Almost," she said. "At the end, raise your voice a little more. You just said that your name is Twilight Peanuts."

Heat rose in her cheeks and she pawed a hoof at the park's grass. "Oh, um woops. Let me try again." Forming the words in Hemipid was difficult. While remembering what she had to say itself wasn't hard, nor were the grammatical rules a challenge for the all-consuming mind of Twilight Sparkle, the actual pronunciation was quite difficult.

By the time Twilight was done with her second relation, Chrysalis smiled. "Very good. Now." She switched to the changeling language. "Clitter asked me how far the house is from the pond."

Before Twilight could even begin to respond, the ground beneath their hooves trembled. She and Chrysalis both looked towards the sound of paws on dirt, lots of paws on dirt, heading there way.

"Oh not again!" she exclaimed. But before Twilight could set up a barrier spell around them, Chrysalis's own horn lip up and a beam shot from it, scorching a perfect ring around the two lovers and leaving changeling slime where it was.

Seeing her confusion, Chrysalis explained. "Predator pheromones, they'll know we mean business." Sure enough, the rabbits reached the ring, slowed down, sniffed, then went around it. "What do you mean 'again'?"

"Long story, but this isn't the first time Ponyville's experienced a rabbit stampede," she said over the noise. "The Flower Sisters must be panicking."

"Oh yes, the ones that fainted at the sight of me." Chrysalis chuckled sinisterly. "I may have to pay them another visit soon..."

"Riiight," Twilight drawled. "Anyway, let's continue the lesson. So." She licked her lips. "Clitter asked me how far the house is from the pond." At least that was what she thought she said.

"Clitter asked me how deep the fish is under the house," Chrysalis repeated back to her.

Twilight swore in Hemipid. At least she could do that much.

> Meet The Hive Special
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Europa

Changelings had a somewhat different idea of 'leisure activities' than ponies. For example, when she'd suggested to her marefriend/workerfriend - still working that out in her head - that they go on a camping trip, Chrysalis immediately suggested the middle of the damn Everfree Forest.

In the middle of the forest, night hadn't fallen so much as 'collapsed limply'. They'd set up camp by way of using changeling slime to make makeshift tents, hanging from the trees and weighing down the branches. Around her the woods were eerily filled with the sounds of native life, howling and screeching, but Chrysalis had assured her that none of them would dare come to an area that smelled of changeling.

All the same, she'd kept arguing with Chryssy about it until both she and her lover had relented, and they compromised with Chrysalis bringing a guard with them.

If only she had brought... well, any other guard.

Chrysalis had already retired to the tent while Twilight finished setting up the campfire. The Imperial Guard had already moved to cover the entrance, ever-vigilant. Twilight moved towards him, intent on getting past to be with her beloved. He moved into her path and...

"None shall pass."

She sighed. "Cluster, please, I'm not in the mood." She moved towards him.

"None shall pass."

Twilight backed off with a light growl in her throat, and switched to Hemipid. "Alright, what is your problem?" she asked. "I have done nothing wrong but you insist on obstructing me wherever I want to be with Chrysalis! Why?!"

Cluster's compound eyes narrowed, and he responded in Hemipid as well. "You are an outsider. Outsiders are not to be allowed near the Queen's bedchambers."

"I'm her marefriend, didn't she give me an exception?"

"The Imperial Guard swears to protect the Queen from all threats, even if it is the Queen herself. You have compromised her judgement, pony."

"Is that what you think? That she shouldn't trust me?"

"That is exactly what I think. I was there at the invasion, remember. I hid in the mountains when you did battle with Tirek. You are dangerous, you are not to be trusted."

"I'm pretty sure Chrysalis packs a lot more power than I do, and has more combat experience."

"That does nothing to change the fact that you are a threat," he said calmly. "I would be remiss to allow you near our Queen."

"Wouldn't that make you a threat as well?" she countered. "I know that everyling is as powerful as I was when I was a unicorn, ever since the treatise. You're a threat too, aren't you?"

"I am able to trust my motivations, not yours."

"But then how am I to trust yours?"

"You don't have to, you are not my Queen's guard."

She stamped a hoof impatiently. "Just let me through."

Twilight made forward, but the imposing Imperial Guard leaned towards her. She backed off. "None shall pass."

She growled. "Why don't you trust me? Haven't I proven myself enough? What would I need to do to make you let me through?" Sure, she could teleport past him, but it was the principle of the thing.

He frowned, looked off into the distance briefly, then back to her. "There is no particular reason, but ponies do not change - in mind or body - as well as we do." It was true, changelings were ready to change world views very easily. How else had Chrysalis gone from dreams of conquest to dreams of peace so fast? "It would be folly to assume you so quickly changed to love our Queen."

Her mouth gaped. Was he... was he actually doubting that she loved Chrysalis? "You think I don't - "

He nodded. "And as such, I can not simply allow you to pass." But he couldn't take outright action if she decided to teleport either, being a member of foreign royalty.

Around them, the creatures of the Everfree howled.

Eventually, Twilight got control of her vocal cords again. "You think... how could you even imagine - ! Why don't you? Ponies change, you know that!"

"Not that fast."

"The buck we don't! I'm proof of that!"

"So you say," he countered immediately.

"I can't believe this," she said in Equestrian. "You know what? Fine." She lit up her horn and teleported past Cluster into the tent. Chrysalis was already curled up in her sleeping bag, sound asleep. Twilight saw her barrel, and the band of her shell that wrapped around, rising and falling gently.

The alicorn moved to her and snuggled into the sleeping bag as well. She wrapped her forelegs around Chryssy, relishing in the queen's warmth, and let her rhythmic breathing lull her to sleep.






nioniosbbbb

Alpha, A, the beginning, the start, the prologue…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am Ao the changeling. But Ao wasn’t always me… I was once trapped in the form of Tidal Rider, a blue pegasus stallion with a brown and black mane, i had a cutie mark of a white and blue wave with a wing upon it. I couldn’t return to my true parents. I had suffered a rare changeling psychosis called “Immersion”. I was so caught up in my experience of being a pony that I couldn’t hear the calls of my siblings, my mother, my father…

But she did.

She was the Queen of my kind, and her name was Chrysalis. She came to me, she freed me… Once I overcame my fears I saw my true form: insectoid wings, silver hair, heterochromic eyes: honey-brown and soft-sea green. I felt relieved. The true Tidal Rider was returned to his parents and I returned the love of his parents back to my Queen. A notion of equivalent exchange as we thought of it that time.

But changelings grew tired of this. We didn’t want to give our children away any more, we wanted to live in the light and so in order to fulfill that wish my… no, OUR Queen went to war.

She was willing to do this so that we could live as we deserved. In the end, we failed. Sensing an imminent war, Chrysalis secretly called Twilight Sparkle to her chambers to stop a full-scale war with Equestria. An orb was sent through Twilight’s assistant Spike. Acting like a map with its magic it guided her to our Kingdom’s gates south through the Appaloosan Mountain range and then on through the forest of Leota. From there I escorted her to my Queen.

I loved my Queen, I strove to become one of her top guards just for that reason. She had saved me, I owed her my life, and with that I would repay her. As the time passed I sensed bonding between Twilight and Chrysalis. I was a creature of empathy, I knew. I wanted our Queen to be happy, so I was happy for her.

A few days later, I woke up to see the world had changed for the worse. None remembered Chrysalis!

Absurd! Impossible! Inconceivable!

Why, I would find the one responsible and twist their necks a thousand times over! I tried to remind my fellow warriors of their Queen! We had a new Queen, her name was Foals Errand. As I reminded her of that Queen, warriors from my old Hive-Kingdom came to challenge us. They wished me to forget, it was the wish of the Queen they said! I wouldn’t believe that, and even if that had been true, I was due of an explanation!

Foals Errand agreed to help me… we went to the Equestrian Princesses to look for answers. They directed us towards the legend of the temple of Judgement, they said they would be there to witness the events, but they couldn’t interfere.
The Temple of Judgement, a place where all Queens were judged worthy to lead the changelings by the spirits of three ancient rulers:King Proteus the Overfather, Queen Metis the cunningly wise, and King Nousios the blindingly fair.

We fought to get there. And now… now we have come to get our Queen back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Omega, Ω, the ending, the stop, the conclusion.

“Why are you here Ao?”

I never thought I’d be fighting in the sacred temple of judgement, a holy place I had dreamt of visiting one day. To be here was an honor for me, but that didn’t matter. I couldn’t enjoy the glorious architecture, the marvelous magically suspended libra with its three edges, each standing for the soul, the body, the mind. Nor could I enjoy the grand statues of the ancient changeling rulers.

“Why did you come this far?”

Olive green mane, lavender eyes, and an ornate longsword: besides me was Foals Errand and other warriors I had called forth, friends and more. Behind us were Celestia, Luna, and Cadance with her husband Shining Armor. In front of me, however, was the TRUE Queen. She wore a mage’s battlegarb in teal. She was the Liberator, the Monarch of the Black Sanctuary, the Black Siren.

She was Queen Chrysalis.

I wanted to hear the reason why she had left us! As if she knew what I was thinking she spoke first.

“I wanted to be forgotten, I wanted you to live your lives without worrying about me, yet I should have known better…” she paused, looking down.

“The core of the Primal taint of the changelings resides within me. Until now it manifested itself as us feeding from love. But with my failure in Canterlot, it awakened. If I don’t seal myself it will consume all of the changelings, but even if you defeat me it will infect you like the parasite it is.”

Behind the tough composure, the fierce gaze she was giving me, she was masking something… pain. I could feel the taint of the changelings manifesting in all its evil greatness.

I told her the truth behind my presence here.

“I couldn’t just let you be forgotten. You did so much for us...”

She closed her eyes as she frowned, a shadow “grew” over her face and dark determination overcame her.

“I see… so you came here...” she paused, and I heard hoofsteps behind her.

She walked steadily from behind Chrysalis. I quickly recognized the unicorn dressed in purple battlegear, the stripe on her head, the star-shaped cutie mark on her shoulder.

Twilight Sparkle…

Suddenly, they both emanated a crimson red glow that pulsed around them like a taint. I knew this glow: it was the taint of the changelings in its most primal form. But it wasn’t just coming from them. It was coming from the soldiers behind them that were now stepping from the darkness. The veteran members of Chrysalis’s hive were present there.

“Impossible… you mean to tell me that the primal taint of the changelings has reached even the Element of Magic?” I gritted my teeth in anger.

“Ao… the couple you love so much doesn’t exist anymore. Right now I’m going to use all of our dark love’s might to beat you!”  Her gaze was locked upon me.

“Twilight…” whispered Celestia, narrowing her eyes upon the sight of her former student, surrounded by this kind of magic.

“What a black cloud filled with sadness.” Said Luna, astute as ever, observing the heavy tone.

“This is intense, Twilight: I never thought you’d go this far.” Shining Armor was standing on guard next to his speechless wife, but neither he nor the princesses were going to be involved. This was a matter changelings had to resolve and the only thing they could do was push towards the resolution of it.

Chrysalis turned towards the Princesses.

“I thought you knew why I kept myself locked in here. I wanted to keep this undying taint sealed forever! You said you’d be neutral.” there was a hint of anger on her words.

Celestia smiled awkwardly “I’m sorry. You see, in the end I had to give my support to the one who might have a chance of finding a way out of this.” She turned towards Luna, who closed her eyes for a bit and exhaled.

“I do feel sorry for this… but I am not willing to live in this world at the expense of others’ lives. When you took that decision I didn’t know any alternatives, that’s why I proposed to my sister that we remain neutral while we subtly fed the changelings.”

Foals Errand took the word next as she stepped next to me. She had aided me and the changelings, and we had finally arrived.

“Chrysalis… we’re not going to let that taint overcome us, or the world! But in order for us to have a chance we need you back! And if we have to fight about it, then SO BE IT!!!”

As the battle began, it was almost too fast paced for the spectators to follow. Commands were mentally sent from one to the other.

A changeling surrounded in a fire-red aura dashed across the battlefield, knocking everyone out of his path. One of Chrysalis and Twilight’s warriors with a curved blade poised to meet the  blazing changeling. Gusts of wind pushed the opposing back. One of Chrysalis’ warriors came from behind me, but fortunately I had enough time to block him as I extended my hoof forming a hexagon barrier spell. I felt a hoof from my back and as I turned to see Foals Errand I was quickly teleported up and behind Chrysalis and Twilight, who covered their warriors with illusions and blasted spells respectively. I grabbed the chance and skydove at them while Foals Errand summoned a series of swords, launching the projectiles against them. Twilight noticed it in time, pushing Chrysalis to the side while shielding herself.

Chrysalis and Twilight jumped back. We didn’t have time to stop their next spell.

“I see… so it’s your friends that grant you power, right? But there are some things friends can’t change. Let’s show them, Twilight!”

All the brightness of the temple vanished for a moment and the crimson red glow in Twilight’s and Chrysalis’s bodies intensified. As quickly as it appeared it was gone, and big chunks of ice appeared around my comrade’s bodies. Foals Errand and I tried to reach them but they were covered so quickly.The ice didn’t break when I struck it, nor could fire melt it.

“That…” I turned to see Twilight, who was speaking

“... is what happens when you challenge our love! As for you Ao...” I gulped.

“IMPRISONMENT!!!” Before I knew what hit me silver ropes constricted my body. Everything went black and I found myself suspended in the void, unable to move. It was strange however… even here I could hear some voices, spirits talking to me. What trickery was this? I focused my thoughts on Foals Errand and, connected through the hive mind, I saw her. Even if I was this far, our bond couldn’t be shattered.

“Is this your intent?” she said as she clashed with Twilight in bladed combat, their gazes locked upon each other. “To prevent all of my options and make me surrender?” She gritted her teeth. “Even so, I’m going to advance!”  Her body glowed and everyone retreated as a small wave of energy pushed them back. She took the time to gather energy that manifested as an orange glow around her body. I knew this spell: it was the “Call” and I mentally prepared for combat once again. If this worked…

She whispered internally her: “Thousands of trials besiege you, but your soul rises again and again… my noble champion! Break through your prison and come to me!” I saw it around me as I opened my eyes. The magic of the changelings, those who bonded close could perform the “Call of the Ally” to call upon their friends wherever they were. I felt the light pushing me forward and as my speed grew through the void I saw its’ edge break and I landed next to my Queen. We grabbed the chance of our enemies’ surprise and dashed at them, together.

“Our voices will be heard! Our wishes will be answered!” With joint hooves our flight was faster than ever. We shared magic, we shared strength. Right now our magic, our strikes, they were all made by one person. The veterans that stood before us couldn’t hold us back as our charge broke through.

“Let it be heard, the voice of the people!” Foals enhanced our charge with speeding runes while her conjured blades kept the others at bay. Our attack hit on the combined shield made by Chrysalis and Twilight. Curses! Just a little bit more! A swordfight ensued as the remaining combatants struggled for victory. Chrysalis and Twilight joined their hooves together, magic clashed and surged from them. I jumped in front of my Queen as a beam of dark crimson energy was launched against us. Conjuring five runes in pentagonal formation I cast the Quintet Wall spell. As it impacted it pushed me back, but I held my ground. When we raised our heads to see our opponents, Chrysalis and Twilight were casting that spell again!

“I can’t quench your fighting spirit, Foals Errand. I know that. If that’s the case then you’ll be the one imprisoned this time!” said Chrysalis as Twilight unleashed it. I watched in horror as in the blink of an eye what had hit me hit my Queen. What was there to do? Was there a solution? I closed my eyes…

“This is the end…,” I heard the voice of my Queen. I could guess that they were charging at me. I heard the same voices of the void whispering to me, and then it dawned upon me.

“I got it!” I said as I raised my sword, deflecting Twilight’s spell. But there was still Chrysalis, who was launching a blast. “Shield Wall!” I said slamming my fist to the ground as I knelt, standing against the brick wall that had risen from the stone beneath me.

“WHY!” Chrysalis raged as Twilight tried to hold her back by grabbing her arm. “WHY DO YOU PERSIST?”

“Incredible! He blocked it!” Said Shining Armor from the back, giving an impressed whistle.

“But that’s not all.” said Celestia.

“You noticed, sister?” Luna smiled at Celestia while Shining and Cadence looked at them quizzically.

“He has figured something out.” said Celestia, smiling.

I didn’t waste time responding to Chrysalis. “If the primal taint has awakened within you… then I take it upon myself to bear, it my Queen. I swore  that I would give you the chance to be happy as you did!”

“Don’t… don’t sacrifice yourself for us!” pleaded Twilight as she held Chrysalis from attacking. She didn’t want her to snap and do something she would regret.

“Even though you did the same thing for us, you don’t want me to do this?” Twilight was taken aback, maybe a little guilty at the thought that she was claiming the glory of this sacrifice for herself. There was silence.

“I guess… I am the same way. I wouldn’t like to shift the blame, or burden, to anyone.” There was no answer to this. “Chrysalis, Twilight… there’s no need for you to sacrifice yourselves. Let us all bear this burden!”

“What? The core of this taint can only exist in one person!” Chrysalis responded, the attention of which I had. I knew this much at least.

“There’s a way out. When you imprisoned me in the void it became clear to me. The ancient rulers residing here would never allow such a taint to overcome us! As avatars of empathy they were trying to find a way to take in that taint, and neutralize it! If this is the case then with their help we can start undoing this! They were waiting for the love that could change this! And it is here!”

“That’s… impossible.”

“HEY EVERYONE! Who here is prepared to share in their burden?” I shouted, demanding an answer out of those surrounding me. The note of their answer was unanimous, so much that it halted Chrysalis and Twilight’s reactions by sheer surprise. Even the Equestrians joined in the chorus.

“My Queen… I am going to defeat you. And I’m going to prove to you that I’m right!” I clenched my hoof and started gathering my strength. Not physical, nor magical… I gathered the strength to live, to continue, to overcome my burdens. As I focused on avoiding direct confrontation with the rest of the warriors I whispered my wish. “Amidst despair and loss… a new Queen is born!” I focused my heart at this, and as I did an orange glow gathered around me.  I raised my hoof, sending it up. A small glint of light at the end was a sign: my wish had been heard, and I smiled as Foals Errand descended, slamming on the ground next to me.

We wasted no time. We thundered forth, but this time it seemed as if the very magic of this place answered our wishes. Our eyes glowed, our hair flowed as magic surged around our auras. A sword of magic answered our call at our joined h. With one simultaneous swing, it reached the pair. There was no stopping this attack, and  Chrysalis and Twilight’s attempts to block this proved to be in vain. As the force sent them to the walls I could grasp the awe of the warriors: both friends, who with the magic binding them gone were now free, and enemies.

Chrysalis shifted from her position and her aura swirled wildly in shades of crimson and black. There was something sickening shifting from her chest, like a jetblack rock. I understood, as did everyone, that this was the core she was talking about. She screamed wildly as the pain of it coming out overwhelmed her. As the crown fell from her head and rolled towards my hooves my instincts told me to pick it up. The “Taint Shard”, as I called it in my head, launched itself towards me and my Queen. Grabbing the crown tighter, I prayed.

“Ancestors, aid us!” I pleaded. The crown vibrated and glowed in response. Guided by a will of its own, the crown hovered in front of me. An insectoid figure quickly formed below it, shining with a fierce emerald glow, armed with a greatsword half its height. Three voices echoed from the figure and the statues around me.

“TAINT THAT WOULD CONSUME THE PROTEANS. BY LOVE YOUR HUNGER BE SATED, BY EMPATHY YOUR RAGING INFERNO BE DOUSED!”

The figure charged at the shard, its booming voice echoing in the halls.

“LET FORGIVENESS WASH AWAY THE SINS AND PAIN YOU HAVE CAUSED!” It struck the shard, whos’ will was staggered by the slash. The avatar of the changelings, Proteans as our ancestors called our race, struck again. But this time it took my form. It struck again with a different form, this time Queen Chrysalis was striking. The next was Twilight, the princesses, the hive that was present, all of them delivered a blow that split the shard to even smaller pieces. The pieces then rushed to those present, but the figure didn’t vanish.

The avatar of the Proteans restored all present to their full health and beckoned them forth. Its voice, however, was softer now.

“Listen children. The taint of evil cannot be destroyed completely. But it is now too small to actually force our species into extinction, or otherwise. It is now up to you to eventually see the end of this by accepting this Taint and turning it into something good. With forgiveness, resolve, and empathy all is possible. As you do, the Taint will split and one more step towards defeating it will be taken. When you have spread this message to all of Equestria, the Proteans will no longer need to feed upon love.”

There was a murmur of disbelief around Chrysalis as she spoke. “No longer needing to feed upon love? When will that moment come?”

“In due time. The Proteans are known for their perseverance. The ascension from the Abyss, the Armageddon's Exodus, and now… the Cleansing of the Taint. Sometimes we need to be reminded what we are capable dear Chrysalis. Go in peace, and spread forgiveness and love. Remember to be empathetic.”

With those words the avatar faded.

“The long journey is over…” was all I could think as the hive met their Queen again. As the two smaller ones became one once again.

We were granted the title of “Vanguards”, that equates to heroes for the changelings, leaders that took the initiative in crucial moments. All we wanted was the happiness of the changelings. Finally… we had the chance to make this dream a reality. The journey was going to be long… but we had each other, and so we feared nothing.






Foals Errand

Foals Errand yawned and stretched as she uncurled from around the foal who had been having a nightmare. She smiled as the blue pegasi foal opened her eyes with a smile. "Did Princess Luna chase your bad dream away Smokey?"

The filly nodded and licked Erran's nose, which caused the young queen to wiggle said nose while basking in the love she was being fed. With another stretch she was covered in a green fire and took the form of a lemon yellow unicorn which called the filly to giggle and clap her little hooves.

Erran lifted her onto her back "You like it when I do that, don't you?"

"Uhhuh! Magik!" Smokey squealed as she was held in Erran's magic to steady her as she began to walk downstairs, nodding every now and then to a pegasus or unicorn who in reality were changelings like herself; her sweet drones. She suspected that even without the children in her orphanage she'd easily stay fed just from the adorable antics of her drones. That was neither now nor then though. Today was going to a busy day as one of her foals was leaving to go to their new forever family.

After dropping Smokey off in the kitchen with several other children and Cluster, Erran began searching for the little filly. Kimono Chibi was usually in the rec room so she checked there first. Unsurprisingly, there she was, watching those vids from Neighpon. "Kimi? Come on Kimi, your forever Mommies are coming today, remember?"

The little filly didn't answer, but there was no need as Erran could taste the apprehension rolling off of her. She sat next to her after a moment in her normal form wrapping a wing around her tiny body. "What is it Kimi?"

"Wha if dey bwing me bac?" Kimono asked, looking up into Erran's eyes with her own tear filled ones, her ears pinned back against her head.

To see one of her foals so upset made Erran's heart hurt, a feat which she felt would have occurred even if she not been a changeling. "Kimono, your new mommies love you so much already. I know, I can taste it on them. Any time i've seen either of them in town they have asked only about you. Twilight even took me to see your room in their home. I am certain you will like it."

"Why havn dey com see me den?" Kimono asked blinking the tears out of her eyes as she cradled her plushie in her hooves.

Erran sighed. "Silly big pony rules that shouldn't matter. It doesn't matter though Kimi, because they are coming for you today. I promise." Her ear flicked, hearing hoof steps stop in the doorway and a familiar chitter. She grinned "Thank you Musical Boy." She lifted Kimono onto her back "Your mommies are downstairs."

Erran smiled as she helplessly absorbed the massive amounts of love that always came when one of her foals left her. Princess Twilight Sparkle had Kimono in her hooves snuggled to her chest as Queen Chrysalis gave them both soft nuzzles. Erran grinned. Chrysalis had been surrounding herself in cuteness for over a month to avoid cuteness overload when they were allowed to take Kimono home. Erran could see the elder queen was a tiny bit green but it was nowhere close to how bad she had been upon previous visits.

After only a short amount of time, Kimono was buckled into her new stroller and Erran smiled sadly as it was time to say goodbye. "Be a good filly for your mommies Kimi."

Kimono beamed and blew a kiss to Erran as Chrysalis took ahold of her stroller in her magic. Twilight Sparkle bowed once more and then hugged the juvenile changeling queen. "Thank you!" She then hurried after her wife and new daughter.

Erran watched them go with a pleased smile as one of her drones arrived with a note from Ponyville hospital. "What is it Europa?" Erran opened the note and sighed. A newborn changeling foal had been found abandoned. She smiled. "Well, let’s go get them Europa, after all, where would be a better place for an abandoned changeling foal then here?"






lyra_lover777

"So you're telling me you stole a warehouse's worth of precious metals and other valuable materials, as well as injured ten ponies and almost killed another just to send me a love letter form Chrysalis?!" Twilight asked me.

I nodded slowly.

"Ermmmm, remember me? The one who served you drinks at the pool at the resort during the evil 100th special?"

Twilight looked at me quizzically.

"Swiper!? That's my name. Remember it?"

Just more silence.

"Ungh, okay, maybe it wasn't totally necessary to hurt and steal that much."

Twilight raised her eyebrow at me.

"Okay, maybe barely."

Her eyebrow had risen so far that I had no idea how it was still on her face.

"Okayyyyyyyyyy, maybe it wasn't necessary at all. But can't a changeling have some fun around here?"

Twilight just looked at me like I was a crazy changeling before swiping the love letter from her hoof.

"Hey, my name's Swiper! Only I should do the swiping!" I screeched.

But Twilight was distracted since she was reading the love letter. She soon gave a guttural moan, and then a primitive growl after reading for about a minute..

"I-I need to go to my room," was all she said before waddling awkwardly into the bathroom, still avidly reading the letter and creepily groaning and moaning.

Ponies. I thought as I turned into a skinny filly, sliding my hooves out of the shackles that held me before changing back to my black carapaced self and buzzing out the open window into the clear, blue sky.






TheMusicalBoy93

Twilight and Chrysalis made their way through the market square by Ponyville Town Hall. A few weeks ago, Princess Twilight Sparkle had approached Foals Errand, a local orphanage runner who was the young queen of a changeling hive that was living in Ponyville. A while back, the Royal Couple of Ponyville had visited Erran’s orphanage to adopt one of her residents; a small Neighsian filly named Kimono Chibi, who was happily riding on Chryssy’s back, gurgling cheerfully as her changeling other bounced and rocked her as she walked through the town square.

After a passing comment from the young changeling monarch, Twilight had grown curious about Erran’s hive, and so requested to meet the changelings she looked after, and find out what they did with themselves, both in the hive and in Ponyville itself. Foals Errand had happily imparted the names, both changeling and pony aliases (if applicable), of her hive members, and where Twilight might find them. One of Erran’s hive members was a young thespian known as Opera Phantom, by unknowing ponies, and Mirror Image by his fellows. Mirror Image was the director of Ponyville’s new theatre, which stood tall and proud a few blocks down from Sugar Cube Corner. The theatre had been built to seat the whole town, with a stage that could accommodate a cast of over two hundred cast members. Mirror’s pride and joy of the establishment was the tricks and effect that could be achieved on the vast stage; as it could be fitted with a rotating floor for chase scenes, a vast underground set storage for scenery that raised and lowered from the floor, and flying wires for non-Pegasus ponies who may be required to fly during a performance.

The citizens of Ponyville had greatly accepted the theatre, and shows were frequently sold out. As the theatre came into view, Twilight started thinking about the types of questions she could ask the changeling; what role would he play in a changeling hierarchy? What made him decide to work as a theatre director? The building was grand, that could not be denied. The pillars that held the high arching doorways were made of marble, and styled like ancient Pegasus temple hallway pillars. There was a large bronze bust of the great poet and playwright; Willow Flankspeare, inset above the doors. Inside the building continued the style and grandeur that would make even a Canterlot Elite pony gawk in awe. The carpets were regal red, and made from the finest Onikuma bear fur. Giant crystal chandeliers dangled from the ceiling, each one hoof crafted from the Crystal Empire and made out of rare Alexandrite. Even the Box Office was made out of exquisite materials; the surface of the desk was crafted from the tusk of an Orbis Elephantus, or World Elephant, while the wood that lined its walls was carved from the trunk of a Baobab tree from Zebrica.

The two royals gazed in awe and wonderment at the architectural marvels that surrounded them, before the sound of approaching hoofsteps broke them from their stupor.

“Good day, Your Royal Highnesses,” the newcomer greeted, in a rich Canterlotian accent. He bowed deeply as a sign of respect. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” The couple turned to greet the new company; a grey unicorn stallion with a grey mane and tail. On the right side of his face, he wore a white mask that covered half his face. His black cape fell about his sides in fluid motions, and on his flank, he had a picture that looked exactly like the mask he wore on his face.

“Hello there, Opera,” Twilight greeted with a warm smile. “I was wondering if I could talk to you about your involvement in Foals Errand’s hive.” The grey stallion rose to his hooves with a knowing smile. Twilight guessed he must’ve been alerted by Erran that he could expect such a visit ahead of time; changelings were very good at conveying messages in next to no time. Opera closed his eyes and his horn ignited with a bright green glow. Green flames erupted around his hooves and quickly engulfed the unicorn, fading away as suddenly as they had appeared to reveal his true self.

The changeling was almost as tall as Big Macintosh, but wasn’t nearly as muscular. His shoulders were broad, but his form looked slightly softer, less than the body of a fighter, but more like the body of a gentlecolt. The shell upon his back was shiny and reflective, not unlike a mirror, and the shape of the theatre’s ceiling was visible on its reflective, convex, surface. Once the changeling opened his eyes, Twilight and Chrysalis, involuntarily, stepped backwards. His eyes, rather than being a dull blue without detail, like most changelings, were reflective mirrors that bounced back a perfect image of everything they saw, and the two royals found themselves looking at their own reflections whenever they made eye contact with the changeling. Mirror Image only smiled warmly, as is oblivious to the couples’ surrealist gawks.

“Mirror Image, at your service,” the changeling announced grandly, his voice still holding a gentlecoltly tone. Twilight shook the pins and needles that tickled her neck and regained her composure.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mirror Image,” she said with a dip of her head. Mirror smiled once more and ushered his guests to the auditorium, where he had set up a play pen for Kimono while the adults talked.

“So, you have questions,” Mirror stated, knowingly, receiving a simple nod from Twilight. “Well then, whatever you wish to know, I am all too happy to enlighten you, Your Highness. Fire away.”

“OK. So, “Mirror Image”. I’m guessing that name’s not just a formality.” The changeling chuckled heartily.

“Correct, Miss Twilight. My name is more than just a simple identity tag. I was bred to be a spy.” Twilight nodded as she thought of how the name would correlate to the class of “spy” in a changeling hierarchy. “If I may, I would like to give you a demonstration of what it is I would do when out on the field.” Twilight nodded and gestured for the changeling to demonstrate his talent. The changeling spy stood from his seat and closed his eyes, focusing on how he wanted his magic to behave. Slowly, long thin tendrils of silvery magic extended from his horn and weaved their way around him like a cocoon. After a few seconds, the cocoon of silvery aura dissipated with a soft flash. Standing in place of Mirror Image was a purple Alicorn with navy hair and a star for a cutie mark; Twilight Sparkle. Twilight spluttered and fell on her haunches as her doppelgänger smiled knowingly at her.

“You’re… yo-you’re me!” The purple pony princess exclaimed, dumbly. Chrysalis chuckled to herself as she helped her lover to her hooves.

“I cannot tell you what I’m feeling right now,” she said in her bedroom voice. “It isn’t very foal friendly.” The doppelgänger giggled, her voice an exact imitation of the real Twilight’s.

“I replaced many ponies in big fancy dos in Canterlot,” Mirror Twilight boasted. “Photo Finish, Hoity Toity, Upper Crust. I even posed as Fancy Pants from time to time.” Twilight gawked at the confession. “And, not only do I take on the appearance, voice, personality and talent of the pony I imitate,” Mirror Twilight’s face twisted into a knowing smirk that made Twilight’s fur stand up on the back of her neck, “but I also take their memories. And, my, my, Princess. You certainly have had some interesting ventures with your workerfriend.”

Twilight ran from the theatre, her face blushing bright as a beetroot as she fled for the sake of her modesty, Kimono Chibi gurgling gleefully as her pony mummy levitated her at her side as she ran. Chrysalis giggled conspiratorially as she leaned in close to Mirror Twilight.

“So… if you have all of Twilight’s memories… where does she hide her Big Macintosh toy?”






Magicman7997

He wandered the chambers of this new hive still learning all of it’s twists and turns. He still couldn’t believe it. By all rights, he, along with his fellow lings should have perished. After her highness failed attempt at a takeover in Canterlot, they were left banished and starving. If it hadn’t been for that purple pony…

Magus shook his head. Twilight Sparkle, that was her name. His race’s savior was none other than Equestria’s newest princess. Such a sweet pony. He could never admit it, but Magus was a bit softer than his fellow ‘lings. Don’t misunderstand, he was as deadly as the next ‘ling, but for him it was so much better to talk his way out of situations rather than fight.

Which is why he had garnered the position he had. As royal envoy, he carried messages from her highness to the rest of her collective. Though he never understood why his job was necessary (after all, the hive mind would allow her to send out orders just as effectively), he was still proud that he was trusted to deliver his messages to their owners. Today’s task, was one he really enjoyed. He was taking this month’s supply requests to her.

Magus buzzed a little as he thought of her lithe form. The way her carapace was just that perfect shade of black. The way her greenish mane was braided and the way her tail matched. Her light blue wings just so colored that they were almost invisible. Grant you, the queen might suppress MOST of a drone’s desire to mate, but it didn’t eliminate it totally. He just hoped one day he’d get the chance to maybe act on it.

Reaching her chambers, he walked up to the twin guards stationed outside the door. Their faces a blank slate and their armor clad in very deadly looking wing blades and other weaponry. Magus swallowed hard as he began to speak, “I have reports from her highness the Queen for General Kerrigan. May I enter?” The guards merely stepped aside and allowed him access to the chambers. Stepping inside, Magus saw her in all her raw beauty. Her muzzle buried in a mountain of paperwork. He could just barely make out her double ringed magenta and maroon irises as she scanned over another report. He stopped in front of her desk and waited for her to notice. Within seconds, she rose her gaze at Magus and bared her fangs.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of her highness favorite errand boy?”

“I have reports for you to oversee General,” he said bowing slightly. Even in anger, she was gorgeous. He’d gladly offer his throat to her if she asked (as well as any other part of his anatomy…), “I can just leave them if you’re busy.”

Glancing at him again, Kerrigan sniffed the air. She could smell his mix of fear and arousal. She had to admit, it was cute that he had a crush on her. Damn shame for him that he was no where near mate potential. Still, pawns like these, whose weakness is bared before you were just too good to pass up. The only reason she was having to deal with the blasted reports in the first place is because of that detestable pony that had ensnared her former queen. After her banishment from the Black Swarm, Kerrigan had been able to slip free of her exile and take refuge with this small hive she’d found just outside Ponyville. It wasn’t nearly as strong as her former home, but Queen Errand showed potential as a ruler. If Kerrigan could only bring out that bloodthirsty side she’d seen in her a little more often, she’d make a fine queen to serve. Of course, if she couldn’t, then she could always take her rightful place on the throne. From there, it would be no problem to eliminate Sparkle. If she could only be rid of her, she could easily help Chrysalis regain her true form and lead the hordes in the domination of the pony lands instead of making peace treaties with them. If this drone before her was trusted enough by her queen to deliver messages, then he already had an in to get closer to that pony. “Actually, maybe you can help me,” she said as she caught his eye. She instantly dropped the cold hearted killer facade and switched to her most demure and alluring act. “You see, ever since our beloved queen has been spending more time out of the hive with that pony, I’ve been having trouble getting accurate security reports. It seems that the Queen’s desire to slip in and out at will is making it difficult to keep reliable security details in place. What I’d like for you to do, is to go to Sparkle. Get to know her a bit. Find out what routes would be best to station patrols on. After all, I’m sure she fears for her highness safety as much as we do.” She batted her lashes as she crossed around her stone desk.

Magus instantly felt the temperature of the room rise by a hundred degrees. This was the most Kerrigan had ever spoken to him. Hell, it was the most she’d ever payed attention to him. And now, she was coming around her desk and coming muzzle to muzzle with him. The sweat beaded from his brow in buckets as Kerrigan closed in. He became intoxicated on her scent as it filled his nostrils. “But, m-my lady, I-I already have an assignment. I can’t just abandoned my duties.”

Kerrigan gently nuzzled into Magus’ ear, “Oh, do this for me, and I’m sure I could find a way to make it worth your trouble.” She gave her best smile to him and watched his resolve instantly melt away. “No ‘ling would need to know. All you’d have to do is speak to Sparkle, do a little scout work, and send the reports back to me. Do that, and I’m sure you’ll be happy with your reward…”

That was all it took, the last of Magus’ resolve melted at as Kerrigan’s tongue slithered into his ear for the briefest of seconds. “As you wish oh beautiful Kerrigan. Only for you. I will get you as much information as I can. I shall return soon!” Quickly, Magus took to his wings and buzzed himself to his quarters. Moments later, he packed a few supplies in a sack and slung it over his head. Leaving a note for his shift relief that he was going to be gone for a few days, Magus shot out of the hive and made the flight to Ponyville.

“Guess it’s time to introduce myself…”






Knight of Lycaeus

Twilight was quietly reshelving the larger libraries in her new palace, Ponyville had made no move to rebuild the town library nor any move to suggest Twilight step down. So for the time being, Twilight’s new home still served as the town library and Twilight was still the librarian. She had been enjoying the relaxing quiet even though she did wish she could have spent today with Chrysalis however the Hive Queen had matters to deal with today regarding her Hive but had promised she would return in the evening.

There were few patrons in the library today as most had opted to spend the day outside in the warm sun, so it was the sound of hooves clicking against the crystal that alerted Twilight to the presence of a visitor. Walking near her was an Earth Pony mare with a midnight blue coat, a goldenrod mane and tail and a book and quill Cutie Mark. “Oh, hello there, welcome to Ponyville’s library. I’m Twilight Sparkle, is there something I could help you find?”

“Hello Twilight, my name’s Wolfsbane. I’m just browsing, not really sure where to start.” Wolfsbane said.

“Was there any subject in particular that you’re looking for?” Twilight asked.

“History, I’m interested to see what you have in terms of history books.” Wolfsbane answered.

Twilight walked over to one of the shelves, “Well these few shelves here are what there is on history. Most of it is on pony history, we have a few books on non-pony history.”

“Anything on Changelings?” Wolfsbane asked.

Twilight mentally reviewed the titles on the shelf before levitating a thin book over, “A Guide to the Species of Our World, this is all we have unfortunately. It’s also a bit old so it may not be all that accurate.”

Wolfsbane nodded, “Thank you.” Wolfsbane took the book carefully in her mouth and walked off to find a place to read.

Twilight returned to reorganizing the books when she heard a book being slammed down, putting her books down she went to investigate. She found Wolfsbane at a table with the book on the floor.

“Wolfsbane please do not destroy the books in the library, these are meant for everypony to read.”

Wolfsbane looked at Twilight and sighed, “Sorry…. It’s just…. the book’s very inaccurate. It depicts Changelings like they’re some evil, sadistic vampires who leave nothing behind but dead husks.”

Twilight lifted the book off the floor and opened the cover to check the date, “It was published a few decades ago by one Guiding Light. From the description inside the cover, Guiding Light spent a fair amount of time travelling to learn about Changelings and then he wrote this book. It was highly regarded at the time as being an excellent guide to the mysterious Changelings.”

Wolfsbane snorted, “I think I heard of him before, Dim Light they called him. Never knew the title of his book or that I would ever find the damn thing.”

Twilight inspected the book for damage, “Well it looks to be in good condition,” she turned to stare at her visitor, “Despite how much you may dislike it, it is still a book that needs to be well respected. Ponies didn’t really know about Changelings until more recently and so there definitely needs to be a better guide.”

Twilight placed the book on the table, “May I ask why you are researching Changelings? Is it for a paper or some other research, I may be able to find better information from one of the two Hives here in Ponyville.”

Wolfsbane shook her head, “I am sorry about mistreating a book, I usually don’t do things like that but Dim Light’s books are so wrong. I was looking for books on Changelings because I wanted to see what Ponies have written about us.”

Twilight opened her mouth to speak but then paused as she reviewed the last sentence, “Changeling?” Twilight asked.

The blue pony nodded, “I am and I from Foals’ Hive.”

“I guess that explains the curiosity in Changelings and your disgust with his book. Although I don’t think I've seen you around Ponyville before. Did you move here together with Foals’ Hive or were you a Changeling who came to Ponyville later?”

“I moved here with Foals’ Hive, I’ve just haven’t gotten out much.” Wolfsbane said before sighing, “One of my friends finally convinced me to get out and to go meet other Ponies.”

“Oh? I know Ponyville’s been fairly welcoming to Changelings.” Twilight said.

“I know that but…. bad experiences have made me a bit weary.” Wolfsbane said quietly.

“Sorry,” Twilight said hoping to not prod into an uncomfortable topic. “So what have you been doing in Ponyville?”

“I help at the orphanage, I make up stories to read to the children we have there,” answered Wolfsbane.

“Is that your role in the Hive too? You seemed interested in non-pony history, was this because you picked up some history or stories from other species, I remember Chrysalis telling me of the stories and history that Changelings have collected from infiltration a….” Twilight trailed off when she noticed her guests discomfort.

Twilight walked closer to give the Changeling a hug but she could see the disguise drop when Wolfsbane flinched away. The brief flicker of her Changeling form that Twilight could see looked average except for two healed over gashes on the back of her shell. The disguise quickly returned and the blue Earth Pony leaned into the hug.

“I seem to keep making things awkward for you,” Twilight said evasively trying to avoid more uncomfortable topics.

“It’s fine,” Wolfsbane said, “some of my past I’m not too fond of remembering. But in my previous Hive….” Wolfsbane paused to take a deep breath to help steady herself, “I was meant to be an Infiltrator, those who entered societies secretly for information or sometimes elimination of targets and our natural skills reflected that. We had disguise and our natural weapons at our disposal and mine was poison hence my name. However I never really could be one…. I have a defect.... my disguise abilities don’t always work…. especially under emotional stress…. and because of that I was never given more than a few mundane tasks on any assignment if I got any, mostly I was ignored or discarded.... But I did enjoy the rare opportunities I had living among other species and studying the local history and folklore, it became my hobby. In my new Hive, my hobby became my work and I guess I could say that I’m akin to what you Ponies call historians although I have always liked the title of Chronicler or Storyteller better. My role is to help to maintain and preserve the history and folklore of Changelings along with other species.” Wolfsbane smiled, “I used those to help make stories for the children at the orphanage.”

"Any particular story you like?" Twilight asked, "As I said earlier, our collection of non-pony works are a bit sparse."

Wolfsbane nodded, "Many, I could tell you about some if you like. I promise there will be no more thrown books.”

Twilight nodded and led Wolfsbane to a quiet corner of the library.
> Fame by Knight of Lycaeus (news)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus


Wedding of the Century! Princess Twilight Sparkle to wed Queen Chrysalis

In a public press conference today they happy couple have announced their intent to be wed in the following spring, is this the beginning of stronger relationships between our two species?
Canterlot Inquirer. By: Fine Weaver, Staff Reporter. September 20, 5 CS (1005 SM)


CANTERLOT (CI). A shocking piece of news has sounded throughout Canterlot today. For weeks now numerous citizens has been been passing a rumour concerning Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship and Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings. The two had been spotted together for several months since the Surrender by the Changelings before the Equestrian Courts. The verdict led to Queen Chrysalis being granted Equestrian citizens and her Hive allowed to settle on lands between Canterlot (our fair capital and home to our ruling Diarchy, the Celestial Sisters) and Ponyville (where Princess Twilight Sparkle has taken up residence).

In the wake of her newly granted citizenship Queen Chrysalis has been spotted in close company with Equestria’s newest Princess, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Rumours have been persisting throughout the city that the two were in a romantic entanglement. Some ponies have stepped forward to naming it a new step towards bridging relationships between Ponies and Changelings after they had been soured a few years prior due the Invasion during the Wedding of Princess now Empress Mi Amore Cadenza of House Crystal of the Crystal Empire to the Captain of the Royal Guard now Emperor Shining Armour of House Sparkle of Canterlot.

While the benefits that could come as a result of this union is currently unknown, it is possible it is the means to repair the strained relationships between our species. Whatever the benefits may be is currently unknown however it has been noted that the Diarchs have vouched their support for this union and their support had been vocally heard at today’s press conference.

“We must congratulate the happy couple and hope they celebrate many happy years together. It is our hope that this is a step towards build stronger ties between the Ponies and the Changelings.” This was the response that the press received today from our ruling Diarachy. We too here at the press hope for the best for the happy couple.

> Fallaciloquence by lyra_lover777 (Misunderstanding)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

"She-she's cheating on me!?" Twilight said, her eyes wide open as she stared at Gilda.

"Well, not exactly. But she was hanging out at Trixie's place all night long." Gilda said, a persuasive undertone to her words. "Sure sounds like cheating to me."

Twilight's eyes watered as she began to whimper and soon was wailing. Gilda hugged her, wrapping her large wings around the weeping Twilight.

Gilda smiled as she clung tighter to Twilight. Soon she will be all mine. All mine.
===
Chrysalis lounged on the couch, sipping a can of Carrot Cola as she looked out the window, watching pastel colored birds flutter around the elegant trees and flower bushes. Chrysalis loved living on the edge of the Everfree. The flora, the fauna, the cool temperature, the wonderful streams that you could leap around in all day to cool off in.

Suddenly the door slammed open. Chrysalis got to her hooves, buzzing over to the door. She really wanted to make out with Twilight right then and there.

But Twilight's eyes were red and puffy. She looked up at Chrysalis, who had her lips puckered, waiting for Twilight to kiss her.

"Don't act like that. I know what you did!" Twilight screeched at Chrysalis. She then galloped up the stairs, cantering into their bedroom and slamming the door shut, locking it with a loud click.

Chrysalis followed and pressed her ear to the door to hear Twilight weeping openly on the bed, moaning and groaning as she tried to fight the tears.

"I-i now your-your out there!" Twilight croaked before falling back onto the bed and curling up in a ball.

"What did I do, Twi, honey pie?" Chrysalis was genuinely concerned. She could easily rip the door of its hinges and barge in there, but she knew that would only make matters worse.

"You-you stayed overnight at Trixie's and-and probably slept with her!" Twilight groaned.

"I was just helping her learn some new magic tricks when she accidently shot me with a Freeze spell. I had to stay there over night until I thawed out because I was to heavy for Trixie to carry. Anyways, Trixie's straight and dating Prince Blueblood, or Blueballs, if you prefer."

Twilight could hear the truth in Chrysalis's words and even giggled at the last joke. She slowly got off the bed and opened the door a crack.

Chrysalis pushed it open the rest of the way and pushed Twilight onto the bed, enveloping her in a deep kiss.

When they broke, Chrysalis asked her who had planted the lie.

"Gilda," was all Twilight said before she kissed Chrysalis's cheek softly.

"That bucking bitch."


> Big Macintosh by Cupcake_Swirl (new author)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Cupcake_Swirl

"Hey, Big Mac!" Apple Jack shouted trying to find her big brother, Apple Jack had checked all of the house when she realized that it was Big Macintosh she was looking for, Big Macintosh the workaholic, and with that she galloped out to the field she turned frantically looking for him,

"eeyup" Macintosh replied shaking his ginger mane out of his eye appearing from behind a tractor, Apple Jack shook her head,

"One of these days you'll give me a heart attack" Apple Jack said pretending to be angry "Anyway," Apple Jack continued "a certain pony is coming round for diner tonight, a certain princess pony!" Apple Jack said emphasizing the princess part for a more dramatic effect. Sliding up to her brother she then carried on to say "And stay for a WHOLE night!" Big Macintosh looked at Apple Jack and squinted trying to tell if she was joking or not a couple seconds later he looked Apple Jack in the eye, wiped away a bud of sweat that had appeared on his fore head and said,

"Is she bringing a guest?" Apple Jack laughed and bowed her head with laughter

"Now look-y here Mr Over-Protective-I-Love-My-Little-Sisters-Best-Friend-Who-Happens-To-Be-Princess *GASP*, Twilight is bringing a guest, and yes he is a partner of sorts and no you are not aloud to make him leave!" Apple Jack looked at Big Macintosh who currently looked like he'd seen a puppy die "Do A Make Myself Clear?"Apple Jack asked

"eeyup" sighed Big Macintosh plodding back out to the field. Apple Jack looked after him wondering how her big brother could love her best friend.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Apple Jack it's amazing to see you!" Twilight gushed hugging her friend close

"It's amazing to see you too Twilight but where is this handsome devil you've been talkin' 'bout so much!" Apple Jack asked looking behind her.

"Well, You see he isn't exactly, he's not , emm" Twilight stuttered

"Well, Spit it out then, is he not coming?" Apple Jack suggested trying to help her friend,

"Okay," Twilight started "He isn't a he he's a she and she isn't a pony she's a changeling and she isn't a regular changeling she's the queen changeling, Chrysalis" Twilight said without stopping for a breath

"Twilight, have you lost your mind the last time she was in Equestria she ruined a wedding and not just any wedding, your brothers wedding, terrorized everypony and.."Apple Jack said getting cut off by Twilight mid rant

"Yes I know Apple Jack but when you look at it from her point she did exactly what any one of us would've done in her situation, her people were going to die" Twilight said as Chrysalis came up behind her and stood next to her,

"How do I know she won't kill me and my family during the night?" Apple Jack asked looking at Chrysalis like she was a rather nasty bug that she found in one of her apples.

"I don't want to even think that you would suggest I wound bring somepony to your home that would harm you" Twilight said sounding quite appalled, Twilight turned to Chrysalis and whispered something in Hemipid that Apple Jack didn't under stand

"What was that now?" Apple Jack asked "Actually, never mind Twilight, I'm sorry please come in your bed is all ready. I didn't mean to offend you or Chrysalis" Apple Jack said looking extremely apologetic. Twilight turned to give Chrysalis a light kiss when Big Macintosh came out just to see his crush kiss Chrysalis.

> Paint by lyra_lover777 (Anthro)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Twilight loved her creative arts class. Every Saturday, her only day off of work at the local Chicago Library, she would get up, stretch her long lavender arms and comb out here long trusses of dark hair highlighted with pink. Then she would go to her class.

It was in a run down building in a sketchy part of town. At first Twilight was skeptical, but even if it was a bomb out, at least she would be able to study ones who lived in the "ghetto" as her friends called that part of town.

When she got there, this her tenth session,  she was among five ponies. Her, the teacher, a snow white skinned lady with beautiful red, green, and blue hair and ice blue eyes, known as Pastel Palette. There was also two others, twins, named Blue Skies and Bright Sunrise. Blue was, as his name stated, all blue. Bright had light orange skin, and her hair was dark purple like Twilight's with streaks of light blue and pastel orange in it.

And then there was Chrysalis.

The long legged, black skinned, weird translucent haired woman was enticing. Twilight was disgusted with how much this woman evoked her attractions. Sure, Twilight knew she wasn't straight and had slept with plenty of mares, none notable. (Except Cheerlie...ahhhhhhhhhh.)

Anyways, today Twilight got out of the taxi that ha driven her there. She walked inside. Pastel was, as it being her studio, already inside, along with the twins Blue and Bright.

Twilight sat in a hard backed beige chair as they all waited for Chrysalis so they could begin. Three giant canvases were laid along the back of the room, resting on the cold tile floor.

Finally Chrysalis arrived. She was wearing sexy, tight black leggings and a pajama shirt. Blue wore old, ill fitting jeans and a ripped shirt, and Bright wore an old faded skirt with a stained crop top. Twilight herself had worn an old pair of short shorts and an old pink and purple stripped sweater over and old t-shirt.

Pastel walked to the front of the room while Twilight marveled at Chrysalis's curves once again. in out, in out, in out...

"Today we will be doing body painting," Pastel said, her voice smooth, quite like Chrysalis's.

The pairs were Bright and Blue, Pastel by herself, and...Twilight was over the moon...Twilight and Chrysalis.

The five split into their pairs. Pastel showed them what to do.

First she poured an array of colors, from coral to navy, and suddenly hit the canvas, rolling around as she smeared the paint all over the white board with her body. Soon she got up. A wonderful mix of colors popped across the canvas's surface. Now Twilight understood why they had been asked to wear old, ratty clothes. Pastel was covered head to toe in garish colors, her beautiful multi-toned hair blending in perfectly.

Blue and Bright quickly swiped the brightest blues and oranges and spilled them onto their crisp canvas, soon diving onto it. Pastel also dived back onto her artwork, smearing and mixing the colors rapidly as she laughed.

Chrysalis chose elegant teals, greens, and one small can of black. Twilight scooped up the pinks, purples, navy, and reds.

They poured all the colors onto the canvas. Immediately Twilight vaulted onto the canvas, rolling around a she shouted in joy.

Chrysalis soon joined in, and soon the pair was laughing along with the others. After a few minutes, the two flipped to face each other. Chrysalis was busily smearing some teal and pink with her hands, distracted. Twilight used a dirty finger to spread some greasy red paint as a heart around the pair. Chrysalis looked up when she stretched over her. She watched as Twilight finished the heart. Twilight was about to wipe it away when she noticed Chrysalis staring into her eyes. 

Twilight stared back, mesmerized , as she looked into those deep, neon green eyes that faded to teal. Their faces were inching closer together, Twilight was about to pucker her lips...

"Hey," Chrysalis said. "You have some paint on your cheek. Oh, and cool heart." Twilight blushed and wiped the speck of paint from her face, but then she realized her whole face was covered in it. Chrysalis was so oblivious sometimes.

Twilight had thought they were having a moment, but it was probably nothing. It probably only lasted for a second instead of almost a minute. Almost a minute is how long Twilight thought it had lasted. Probably nothing.

Chrysalis stole a glance at Twilight. She had no idea that she was staring at her future wife. Chrysalis wasn't even into mares at all then, but over the years she would softened to her creative arts buddy. Chrysalis took a swipe of coral paint and, for some reason unknown to her, made her own little heart, next to Twilight's big one.

> Brawl by Europa (Cute)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

What in the flying buck am I doing?

She eyed Chrysalis from the other side of the small ring they'd set up. The changeling queen's ragged wings were tucked away beneath her turquoise shell so that if Twilight didn't know better, she'd say that she didn't even have wings. "Alright Twily," she asked, bouncing on all four hooves to give the illusion of being about to move in a certain direction, but Twilight was utterly unable to predict the same. The alicorn did the same, but she got the impression she wasn't as graceful. "Ready, Twilight?"

I'm going to die, here and now. "Ready."

Chrysalis didn't dart at her like Twilight expected. Instead she began slowly approaching, hopping unpredictably. Twilight moved to the side, watching her sparring partner warily. Chrysalis lunged forward and Twilight tensed her wings to retaliate... only for Chrysalis to move right back. She lunged again, making Twilight flinch.

She decided she was never going to win on the defensive. Going after Chrysalis was a bad idea, but waiting for her to come to her was even worse. Twilight bounced closer and closer, her wings out for balance, then tucked them in to keep them safe and darted around Chrysalis, aiming a jab at her side.

Chrysalis sidestepped easily and deflected her hoof, then brought her own perforated one up to strike at her. Twilight eeped and dodged back. "Good reflexes, but you're too head-on." Faster than Twilight could even blink, Chrysalis was there and slammed her hoof into her muzzle. It didn't hurt as much as it would've in the past - earth pony resilience was a Tartarus of a thing - but either way Twilight's head jerked back and pain blossomed along it.

Twilight dodged the next strike and aimed for Chrysalis's side, but the changeling danced out of the way with grace that her size betrayed, then turned around and aimed a one-legged buck at Twilight. She dodged around it - barely - and tried to hit Chrysalis again. She succeeded, but only managed a thump against her solid exoskeleton.

Oh buck, she thought. That's right, natural body armor.

Then, before she knew what happened, Chrysalis slipped a hoof around one of her forelegs and tugged. There was the vague sensation of limbs moving across her form, and when Twilight next knew where she was she was pinned beneath Chryssy, with all four of her legs and her wings twisted so that moving any of them in the slightest promised immense pain. "Uncle, uncle!" she cried.

"You okay, Twi?" came Chryssy's concerned voice from somewhere above her.

"Yes, just please get off!" The changeling did so, and then Twilight took a moment to untangle herself and look over at her workerfriend - and for now, sparring partner - sheepishly. "So, um, I guess I have a lot to learn?"

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "You have no idea."

> Public Displays of Affection by Kildeez (O.o)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by kildeez

It was a little bit early for Chrysalis to think of Twilight Sparkle as a “friend,” but over the weeks, the changeling did find herself developing a certain fondness for the purple mare.  It was hard not to, given the situations they’d found themselves thrown into.  As part of her community service to Canterlot since the signing of the treaty, Chrysalis was obligated to handle certain “clandestine” situations on Celestia’s orders, with Twilight as her handler.  Though it burned her to have to follow the orders of another, she did have to say it certainly added some excitement to her life.  There was the Diamond Dog rebellion in the south, the bandit ring she’d infiltrated out west, the Griffon nationalist group that had been planning a terrorist attack on Canterlot, all pulse-pounding adventures that had tested the Queen’s abilities to their greatest limits.  She couldn’t help but admit this new life had added something which had been missing from her time as the Changeling Queen, and it certainly helped that the mare aiding her and keeping her in line was so damned attractive.  Of course, her latest assignment was certainly making her question the wisdom in running around at Celestia’s beck and call.

Her latest assignment, an investigation into teleportation signatures being detected just outside Canterlot castle, should have been one of her easiest.  Just hop in, find some weird stuff, maybe hit on Twilight a little to freak her out, and head on home for a weekend of pampering at the hive.  It wasn’t supposed to be a prelude to an all-out invasion of Canterlot by beings from another dimension, and certainly not…

“…Nazis,” Chrysalis grimaced, lighting up her cigarette as she glared at the swastika hanging from Canterlot castle.  “Always gotta be Nazis.”

“Chryssy?”

The monarch quivered at Twilight’s nickname for her.  It was just so cute she couldn’t help but want to sweep the purple mare into her hooves and give her snuggles.  As it was, she settled for cocking an eyebrow in Twilight’s direction.  “Yeah?”  She asked around the cigarette.

“What do we do now?”  Twilight asked, gazing fearfully out the window.  The small convenience store they were cowering in had been overlooked by the enemy forces patrolling the streets, but Chrysalis knew that wouldn’t last long.  They had half a day, tops, before one of the black-clad, gas mask wearing thugs kicked the door down and started spraying bullets.

“We fight,” Chrysalis grumbled, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“I knew that, but how!?  They’ve already taken my friends prisoner, so using the Elements is out, and since they’ve already overpowered the Princesses, we know we probably don’t have the firepower to take them down!”  She shook her head and ducked just as an enemy patrol marched by.  “How are we even going to get to them?”

Chrysalis frowned.  Her little partner had a good point.  While her own power was impressive, and she knew Twilight could be a heavy-hitter herself (her performance during her own attempted invasion of Canterlot proved that), if the invaders could overpower both Luna and Celestia, she knew she was outmatched.  She needed something, some kind of weapon to even the odds.

She looked over Twilight and frowned, deep in thought.  She couldn’t help but think back to the invasion of Canterlot, when her changelings had informed her of the incredible fighting abilities of each of the Element Bearers, especially Twilight and the pink one.  Apparently, the pink one had not only utilized her “Party Cannon” to great effect, but had also scooped Twilight up and used her as…

Chrysalis paused.  A wide, fanged grin crossed her face.  Twilight turned to see the other mare smiling at her with a grin that looked nearly predatory.  “Chr-Chryssy?  What’s up?”  She asked, taking a few steps back.

“I got me an idea,” Chrysalis replied before scooping Equestria’s youngest princess up in her magic.  

“Chryssy, what…”

“Just trust me, my cute little Sparkle, I know what I’m doing,” Chrysalis replied, and with that, shoved her hoof up Twilight’s cooch.

“Chry-HHIIIIIIIIII-salis!”  Twilight gasped, fighting back a lust-filled whinny.  “Wha-wha-wha…”

Without replying, Chrysalis worked Twilight’s tail, and the little princess responded with a loud “Cha-CHUNK!” noise, followed by a brass shell rising up out of her throat and clattering to the ground.  Now, the changeling’s grin turned absolutely wicked.  “This is gon’ be fun.”
----------------------------------------------------------------

Celestia glared from the bonds sealing her to the wall, holding her captive in her own throne room.  Luna knelt beside her, chained in place, a suppressor matching Celestia’s locked around her horn.  She mimicked her sister’s glare at the black-clad human pacing around the room, the red swastika band around his upper arm practically gleaming at her in the midday sun.

“I am not goink to ask again!”  The Nazi officer bellowed.  “Vhere is das Element of Magic?”

“I will tell you over my sister’s cold, dead body!”  Celestia yelled.

“Yeah, you’ll…Wait, what!?”  Luna added.

“Very well,” the Nazi leapt at the pair, pressing a scalpel to Celestia’s throat.  “Ve haff vays to make you talk, my little pony.”

Celestia swallowed fearfully, almost ready to tell the bastard the combination to the secret cake vault beneath her throne, when a great cry echoed from somewhere high above them.  “Vas is das…” the officer had time to say before the great, stained-glass window dominating an entire wall of the room crashed inwards in a spray of magenta bolts.

“GOTT IN HIMMEL!”  “NEIN!”  “SCHNITZEL!”  The soldiers crowding the room all screamed as they were cut down beneath the neverending fury of the newcomer.  

“EAT SHIT AND DIE NAZI SCUM!”  Chrysalis screamed in reply, obliterating the ranks of soldiers in a display so amazing that it bargled the cogwiganny to flerple the turned any attempt to describe it into a string of gibberish.  The Princesses had simultaneous orgasms upon witnessing it.  All around the castle, man and pony alike dropped their weapons and engaged in a massive, cross-species orgy as Chrysalis’s rampage continued, the action so incredible that every single Nazi immediately gained an American citizenship, a Midwestern accent, and the name Stanley Friedman.  An American flag spontaneously appeared in the skies over Canterlot while a trumpeter somewhere played the Star Spangled Banner, tears of true patriotism streaming down his face.  When the smoke settled, Chrysalis stood amidst a pile of Nazi bodies, Twilight still clenched in her hooves.  Smoke drifted off of Twilight’s horn, and she had a look of pure exhaustion on her face.

“Here sweets, this’ll help,” Chrysalis said, taking one drag off her cigarette before sticking it between Twilight’s lips.  She pulled her hoof out with a wet, smacking noise, setting the little princess down as gently as she could, where she promptly vomited a few more spent brass casings.

“You go on ahead and let your Princesses out, I’ll go find your friends,” Chrysalis added, setting Twilight in motion with a smack to the flank.  “I’m probably gonna molest a few of ‘em before I let them out, just so you know.”

“Hokay, Chrisshy, you go ahead and rel-releashes…you go on ahead and hump my friendsh,” Twilight replied, barely able to remain on her hooves as she stumbled towards the throne, Celestia and Luna still watching awestruck.  

Chrysalis nodded and donned a pair of shades, getting ready to take off back out the glass window she’d crashed through when she paused.  “And Twilight?”

“Yeah?”

Chrysalis turned, arched an eyebrow coolly, and then lifted the hoof that had just been inside Twilight to her lips, trailing her long tongue up and down it a few times.  Celestia orgasmed once more.  Chrysalis grinned and took off in the direction of the dungeons.

“Oh, I see what she did dere, oh yah,” the Nazi officer said before dying of patriotism.

“I’m gonna marry her,” Twilight said matter-of-factly.  “I’m gonna marry the living bejeezus out of her.”

Celestia gazed up at the shattered window, and then turned back to her student.  “Sheeit, Twi.  I’ll be your best mare so long as I can get a turn with her before you lock her in forever.”

“Get in line, Tia,” Luna said.

> Demon by TheMusicalBoy93 (sad)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

Chrysalis tossed and turned in a fitful state, her face contorted in defensive snarls and fearful grimaces. She muttered to herself, begging for forgiveness and pleading for her life. Sweat dotted her brow, and tears leaked from her eyes as her silent tormentor continued to mock her.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
The changeling cowered in the corner of the castle dungeon, huddled in a defenceless ball as she shivered from the cold and whimpered in fear. She looked up at the abomination that kept her here; a large bipedal beast with gangly arms, each of its hands ending in four metallic claws. The creature’s mane was made of fire, and its piercing red eyes bore into her very soul, judging her with the utmost prejudice. The colossus trudged toward her with lead feet, dragging its steely claws across the floor as it towered over its quivering prey.

“It’s your fault,” the vile creature spat, its saliva falling on the cobblestone floor, eroding away at the surface like molten acid. “If you hadn’t been so cowardly, your magic would have made her stronger. It’s your fault she’s gone!” The demon’s words cut into the changeling like a hot knife, her heart squeezing tightly into itself, as if trying to hug itself in defence. “But you ran away like the snivelling coward you truly are.” Chrysalis whimpered as she tried to stand on her own four hooves, but quickly returned to her crouched position as the beast lashed out at her with its large talons, slashing her flank in warning.

“I… I didn’t run away,” Chrysalis pleaded, too terrified to look at her grizzly auditor.

“You left her behind!” the monster snarled in response. “She needed you, and you abandoned her. And you have the audacity to claim you loved her.”

“I DO love her!” Chrysalis wailed, weeping openly. “She means more to me than anything in the world!”

“And yet you let her die,” the demon snarled scornfully, its victorious smirk taunting the broken queen as the world around her faded into a black haze.

“I didn’t let her die! I wanted to protect heeeeeeeeeeeeer!”
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Chrysalis screamed as she jerked to sit bolt upright in her bed, sweat dribbling down her carapace and soaking the sheets. A small part of Chrysalis’ mind hoped it was only sweat making the sheets damp. She looked to her sides, finding herself all alone in a bed that was big enough for two Alicorns. She cupped her face in her hooves and wailed in despair.

“Twilight,” she murmured, miserably. “Please. Come back.”

Deep within the darkest recesses of her tortured brain, a deep, malevolent voice cackled to itself.

> Batrachophagous by lyra_lover777  (story)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Aura Star knelt on the ground in one of her many prayer sessions, her mouth moving with unfathomble silent words as her bent neck began to hurt. She murmered one last quiet prayer before rising to her legs, stretching her legs and neck, which were as stiff as boards.

Aura picked up her new weapon, an AK 40 something or other.The paint had chipped off the gun, leaving the name of the gun unreadable.

She loaded the weapon, which had also turned out to fire quietly, so silent Aura could barely hear its fire when she put her ear against its barrel.(Which she had been foolish enough to try.)

Aura swooped the gun up in her magic. Her eyes traced the skyline, a spout of smoke twirling around above the horizon. Someone or something was camping out there. Aura was running a bit low on food, and with her new AK, she could probably steal some food pretty easily.

She trotted along for several miles before the sun dipped below the horizon. She found a small grove of orange trees, their few leaves sickly gray with large, plump brown-orange fruits hanging from their weak and bendable branches. If she hadn't been as smart as she was know from the Goddesses's gifts and her lifetime of Ruin living, she would have plucked the fruit right of the branch and swallowed it whole and died several days later from radiation poisoning.
Soon she drifted off to sleep, her eyelids fluttering closed. She fell into dream the second those eyelids closed.

Aura was galloping through the desert, the wind picking up hoof fulls of sand and whipping it in her face and mane. She shot a glance behind her. A dark shape, a shadow that was ever changing, was chasing her. The murderer of Twilight and Chrysalis. Shadow Stalker.

She looked up at the sky to see two clusters of stars twirl about above her head. They were what had become of Shadow Stalkers victims. If she did not speed up she would become another twinkling star above the Ruin.

Two stars, one in each cluster, shone the brightest. The Twilighticious Star and the Chrysalisionius Star. The stars of the goddesses.

The brightest two stars formed ghosts of the supernatural beings. Their transparent forms melted off of their respective stars, swooping down into the air above Aura.

"My child," Twilight said. " You have two choices. The palace-" She motioned her hoof towards a dune, which suddenly turned into a majestic ivory castle with golden windows and jade rooftops.

"- or the shack," Chrysalis finished for her wife as she nuzzled Twilight's neck. She motioned her head and a small pillar of red sandstone turned into a creaking wooden shack that seemed ready to collapse.

Aura could see guards stationed with guns on the rooftop of the palace, but knew the only way out was what seemed to be the dumber thing to do.

So Aura dove into the shack, swinging the door closed moments before Shadow Stalker got near.

A lonely earth pony stallion, his coat a pepper gray and his mane a rusty brown, sat on a rocking chair, eating cooked pieces of something. Probably veggies, but it was not unheard of for ponies to eat meat in the Ruin, but Aura was a vegetarian.

"Want some frog?" the stallion asked, extending a hoof that clutched a piece of... cooked frog.

Aura almost screamed. The stallion's cutie mark was one of a frog cut in half, its blood splattered across his flank.

"YOU. WILL EAT. THIS. FROG." The stallion then tried to force the frog down her throat. Aura screamed and started to gag as he stuck his hoof in her mouth. The second her tongue touched the frog...  

Aura woke with a start. To find a green frog had fallen asleep in her mouth. Aura spit the amphibian out, its snot like body smacking against the trunk of one of the radioactive orange trees as Aura made a run for the smoke trail to get as far away from the frog as possible.

> Parasite by Knight of Lycaeus (story)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 by Knight of Lycaeus

With less than a week to the planned convention, I held another Court session that was slightly tenser than the last one had been. Spike was the only one who still refused to forgive Chrysalis, that and he refused to even allow her to speak. I knew something had to be done and soon otherwise it could be disastrous once all the Princesses and their Courts had gathered. Other than that I had expected a fairly normal Court session, minor complaints and requests. Nothing major, just like what I usually dealt with. Apparently the universe decides to be cruel and gives me another curveball.

One group that waited to see us were some workers from Canterlot Castle who had asked where would everyone be staying when the meeting commenced at the end of the following week. I was confused and frankly so was all of my friends. It took a hurried flamed letter and about fifteen minutes to clear up the confusion. Apparently the meeting had been mistakenly written in as Crystal Oaks instead of Canterlot Castle. The clerk who caused the error could not be found although he had left a name…. Peaceful Disaster. I swear I could hear Discord laughing in the background.

With no time to readjust the meeting back to Canterlot I went with the only other option, I assured the workers that accommodations will be found and I invited them to return the next day. Court was declared close after that. My friends and I devised some plans to see if some accommodations could be made by the week’s end, however the first task at hoof was the Mayor’s office. Mayor Mare held much the same power and position as before, I had interfered little to none with the local politics and I preferred our arrangement. So our meeting was something I had hoped would go more smoothly, but again the world conspires against me.

It took about an hour of questions, fainting, smelling salts, and tea before the cycle repeated itself again and again…. By the end of it, we came to the decision that the local inn was too small to even consider using not to mention the expansion cost would have been ridiculous. That left only one place that would have enough space, that one place was my home. Wonderful…. This led to me, all of my friends, Chrysalis, the entire Hive, the Canterlot workers to begin all the necessary preparations. Fortunately this later snowballed into almost the entire town all pitching in to clean and furnish every possible room large enough for guests. Now instead of an almost bare crystal tree, I had a very richly furnished crystal tree.



[/hr]

With the tree fully furnished came the other issue that needed to be dealt with, Spike and Chrysalis. In the past three weeks since Chrysalis moved in with her Hive, I had grown to enjoy spending time with her. Due to the constraints she was under she spent the majority of her time either in my home or with my friends. 

In that time I learn quite a lot more about her, or really what I could glimpse beneath the arrogance and entitlement. Still when she was being more pleasant, I did find her to be good company. I heard of her life in the desert which was a lot harsher than it is here but it seems that Changeling maintained a thriving culture that was interesting to hear about. Another thing I had learned about her was how willing she was to do anything for her Hive; the desperate invasion of Canterlot was proof of that. It was something that I could I understand and relate to in a way, although my measures are usually less drastic…. usually.

However Spike refused to speak to Chrysalis at all and at this point the only thing I could only hope for was for the two to be somewhat civil…. So a day after we had finished furnishing the crystal tree that I, who was tired of waiting for the two to do anything at all, more or less politely  asked the two to meet with me in one of the smaller rooms which I sealed off.

Before I could even speak, I was cut off by a cold voice.

“I hate you.” The first words I heard out of Spike’s mouth and I knew he meant it.

“I’ve been called worse dragon.” Chrysalis snarled.

Spike just glared at her, I swear this was going exactly as I thought it would, absolutely nowhere.

“I hate what you did. You attacked my family and for what?” Spike yelled.

“Food, positive emotions are our food source.” Chrysalis answered back curtly.

“Food, you Changelings feed off emotions, drain ponies dry. Do you even think about how we feel about that?” Spike continued to yell, this made me thankful for the silencing spell I had placed on the room which would ensure no Guards barging in.

Chrysalis returned his glare, “Why would we? Food is food, what would you do to survive?”

Spike growled silently.

“Have you any ideas of our living conditions dragon?” Chrysalis asked.

“No….” Spike growled out.

“This land is almost paradise compared to my own homeland! Do you have any idea of how hard it is to find even the most meager scrape of food?”

“No….” Spike said more quietly.

I watched the two resume their silent glares, I sighed as I watched this. I knew it was nearly hopeless but I wanted them to be at least civil when the meeting began, so much for thinking that.

“I hate you,” Spike began more quietly this time, “you Changelings live off of others with nothing in return.”

I continued to stay silent watching the two carefully; watching Spike was almost like watching a fire grow increasingly more intense especially as his voice picked up in volume again, “Parasites, that’s what Changelings are! We serve as your damn food and you leave us as nothing, which is the very meaning of parasite!”

I moved from my position and hugged Spike tightly hoping to prevent another outburst.

I could see Chrysalis staring at us both intently. After a while I could feel Spike calming down.

“I do not like you or Changelings.” Spike said firmly breaking free of my embrace, “I might never like you.”

“Fine dragon, hatred is something I’m more than used to.” Chrysalis said crisply.

Spike slumped slightly, the fire dying down somewhat. “I did however learn about forgiveness, especially when you almost hurt those closest to you….”

Spike breathed deep, “I will agree to move past this…. but attack my family again.”

Chrysalis nodded understanding the unstated threat, “I’ve learned some things as well dragon, that ponies are more than just food sources, so fine…. we’ll move past this.”

Both of them resumed glaring at each other although less intense than it had been earlier, I knew it would take a long time before either of them would be ready to move past this stage of uneasy peace. I was glad that both of them would likely remain civil enough for the meeting next week.

> Policy by lyra_lover777 (well, buck)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

"I'm sorry, but that is our policy," the mare said. "It is just the way things are here."

"Just because we're bucking gay were not allowed to eat here?! While the straight couples do?!" Twilight said, outraged.

"Yes." The frizzy maned earth pony was getting frustrated.

"How dare you not include us here because-because of our sexuality!" Chrysalis screeched. All heads turned towards the debate. The cream coated mare began to sweat.

"Is there a reason. Or is it just preference?" Twilight said, insulted.

Suddenly a burly pegasus stalked out of the kitchen.

"Ya'll harassin' my wife here? Scram, little bitches."

Chrysalis's face turned red and she slapped the stallion. Hard.

He took a step back, and slapped her back. Chrysalis crumpled on the ground. A police pony was eating there with his wife saw and ran over. He quickly took hoofcuffs around all four's forelegs while his wife, a nurse, tended to the unconscious Chrysalis.

"Bucking Policies," Twilight muttered as she, her lover, and the owners were smashed all into a back seat of a police car.

> Fantasy by Kildeez (Sweet and Sad)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by kildeez

Twilight Sparkle giggled to herself as she sailed high over the Badlands, performing barrel rolls, dips, and dives that would have impressed even Rainbow Dash.  Equestria’s youngest Alicorn couldn’t help but bask in her own genius.  It was she who had masterminded Celestia and Luna’s kidnapping.  She who had them transported to her marefriend’s hive right beneath the noses of the Royal Guard, her own brother included!  She who had convinced her beloved Chrysalis to locate the most virile, masculine, and talented changelings in her hive specifically for the princesses’ arrival!  And why?  Only to give them the well-deserved vacation they wouldn’t take otherwise, of course!

Twilight beamed up into her mentor’s sun.  In just a few short minutes, she would be arriving in the hive, with plenty of time left in the day to smuggle the pair home, hopefully before anyone could notice that the royal decree declaring the Day Courts to be closed and that the rising of Luna’s moon would be delayed a few hours was a terrible fake.  Twilight frowned at that.  It was really the biggest flaw in the entire plan.  One would think a race of spies and deception artists would know a thing or two about faking government documents, but no, the stupid declaration had looked like it was drawn up in crayon, with numerous spelling and grammar errors.  For pity’s sake, what idiot thought “decree” was spelled with a ‘y’ and four e’s?  

She shook her head.  No, this plan would work, the princesses deserved this.  Other than that little oversight, everything was going perfectly.  Twilight’s smile returned as she touched down outside her beloved’s cave, already grown used to the darkness and cold, completely desensitized to its disappearance as she stepped out of the light and immersed herself in the chittering of the swarm around her.

“Diplomat Sparkle,” a voice reported out of the darkness to her left, marked only with a couple of wide, pupil-less eyes.

“At ease,” she sighed, knowing the changeling was standing at attention and saluting.  She never could wean them off that automatic display of respect to anyone and everyone in positions of power.  Still, she was growing used to it.  

The changeling obeyed and walked alongside her, which had taken ages to get them to do, as opposed to trailing behind.  “The Queen has requested your presence in the upper hives, madam,” the changeling reported.

Twilight grinned, her feathers ruffling.  “Ah, yes, thank you,” she said, gleefully bounding off towards the stairs, navigating the twisting hallways with an ease that only came from months upon years of practice.  She could hardly even wait to get up there!  Just what depraved things would Celestia and Luna be using their “suitors” for?  Oh, after thousands of years of life, who knew what sort of insane fetishes they could have developed!  She could hardly wait, being able to finally catch sight of a side of her mentor she might never get a chance to see!

“Chryssy!”  She chimed happily, bouncing into their shared bedroom with more energy than Pinkie in a sugar rush.  Without even thinking, she bounded to the changeling mare, smooching the side of her face and landing rump-first by her side.  Twilight opened her eyes, still smiling as her vision adjusted to the green glow in front of her face.  “Ooh!  This is the viewing portal spell I taught you, right?  Glad to see you could set it up on your own!”

Chrysalis said nothing, her gaze remaining locked onto the portal.

Twilight shifted uncomfortably.  “So, does Celestia really have a cake fetish?  I’ve been wondering about that for so long!”  She said, trying to gain her lover’s attention.

Chrysalis suddenly let out a choked sob.  For the first time, Twilight turned and really looked at her marefriend, and gasped at the tears running down her cheeks.  “Chryssy?”  She gasped, turning to look the changeling mare in the eye, stepping between her and the glow of the portal.  “What’s wrong?  Is…it’s not that bad, is it?  They’re not doing anything too depraved, are they?”

Chrysalis turned to her, and Twilight’s weakening smile faded out completely.  The changeling sniffled, her lower lip quivering, her fangs somehow appearing smaller and duller than when Twilight had seen them last.  Finally, coughing up some mucous, Chrysalis responded: “They just wanted one more…”

“What?  Who?  One more what?”  Twilight asked gently, shifting from lustful and bouncy to calm and caring as if a switch had been thrown inside her head.  She stroked her marefriend’s cheek with the tip of her wing.  “Chryssy, tell me.”

Chrysalis just shifted her gaze back to the viewing portal, a renewed bout of sobs wracking her body.  Curious, Twilight blinked until her vision adjusted and peered into the portal herself, watching intently.  She gasped immediately.  Celestia and Luna laid together in a bed, their eyes shut, contented smiles on their faces.  At their bedside, towering over them was a regal, pure-white Alicorn with flowing red hair and gorgeous, teal eyes.  Twilight recognized her immediately from the historical texts she had spent a lifetime reading and from dozens of stained glass windows in Canterlot and elsewhere.

“Faust…” she gasped, a hoof rising to her face.  She watched the late Queen of Equestria as she gently laid the Princesses to rest, tucking them in beneath the heart-shaped blankets covered in rose petals: Twilight’s personal touch meant to add to the romanticism of the evening.  Noticing the red-headed Alicorn’s lips moving, her horn flared with an instant spell, acting almost on instinct.  Immediately, sound flowed through the portal, though it did nothing to alleviate the ache growing in Twilight’s heart.

“-aby, and good night, go to sleep little baby,” Faust sang, her voice oozing with melody as she gently laid Celestia to sleep with a kiss to the forehead, just beneath the horn.  Twilight’s eyes stung as she watched her friend and mentor snuggle into the sheets, a look of complete peace on her face such that Twilight had never seen before.  She watched as Faust circled the bed to Luna’s side, tucking her in and laying a kiss on her head as well, turning to leave, only to be stopped by a hoof reaching out and grabbing her tail.

“Mama?”  Luna asked, her eyes still closed.  “You’ll still be here when we wake up, right?  You won’t go away like last time, right?”

It was a true testament to the acting abilities of the changelings Twilight had selected that the false Alicorn didn’t break down right there.  Instead, her eyes just flickered for a moment, momentarily returning to their original, dull blue as a few silent tears trickled from them.  “Of course, sweetheart,” she lied.  “Of course I’ll be here.”

“They just wanted one more!”  Chrysalis sobbed, wrapping her forehooves around Twilight and crying like a filly at the funeral of a loved one.  “Just one more…day with her…”

“P-Princess,” Twilight sobbed, breaking down in her marefriend’s arms, the pair spending the rest of the night in one another’s warm embrace, grateful for one another’s presence, unable to tear their gaze off the portal and dreading the revelation that would need to come with the setting sun.

> Slenderman by TheMusicalBoy93 (Horror)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

Twilight and Chrysalis picked their way slowly through the Everfree Forest, taking great care not to trip on any stray vines or roots that may have posed an obstruction to their trek back to Ponyville. Normally, Twilight would’ve been fine making the trip back from the old castle in the forest on her own, but ever since her second trip to the human world, she was too scared to even travel to Canterlot on her own. After defeating the banished sirens at the Battle of the Bands, Twilight had managed to find some time to get to know her human friends a little better, and learn about their alternate world.

All of her friends decided to teach her about different things; Fluttershy focused on wildlife and charities, Applejack talked to her for hours about music, Rarity gossiped about celebrities, Pinkie talked about the festivals and holidays of their world, and Rainbow thought it would be funny to teach Twilight about the scary horror stories of the human world. The one that Twilight found the most disturbing, however, was the tale of the Slenderman.

According to the websites Rainbow showed her, the Slenderman was supposed to be a ten foot tall, humanoid creature with no face and white skin, who wore a black suit and stole children to create mass fear and paranoia. Of course, Applejack and Rarity made an extra special effort to tell Twilight that, in the human world, there was no such thing as a Slenderman. In fact, there were no creatures that existed in Equestria at all; no manticores, dragons, griffons, or even any minotaurs. Even Sunset Shimmer testified to this, having lived for so long in both worlds. However, Equestria was an entirely different world from alternate plane of existence. In Equestria, many mythological creatures and old ponytales, were true, and they were real creatures and events that really existed and happened. The idea of a pony equivalent of the Slenderman stalking around in Equestria was enough to make even Chrysalis shiver with anxiety.

*SNAP*

Twilight leapt into her lover’s hooves, trembling with fright at the sudden disruption to the eerie silence. Chrysalis looked around at the surrounding trees in an attempt to locate the source of the noise. For the longest time, the two lovers remained still as statues, petrified that even the slightest movement might spell certain doom for them both. A rustling sound from the trees behind them drew all the blood from their faces. The pale ponies turned to find the source of the sound.

Standing behind them, unmoving, was a tall, slim, pale figure, with a bald, faceless head and dressed in a smart black suit. Twilight quivered in her lover’s hooves, who wasn’t faring much better herself. The faceless monster stared at them ominously, not moving a single muscle towards them. With a shrill shriek of terror, the two royals fled toward Ponyville, crying out for their respective mothers.

The monster chuckled and snapped its fingers, revealing itself to be Discord. The draconequus hugged his belly as he rolled around on the ground in fits of giggles, only to halt as another presence appeared. Discord gulped as he looked behind himself, finding a tall, slender pony figure with a blank face with no mane, nor tail, dressed in a black suit staring at him emotionlessly. Discord was not a creature that feared for his life. For Slendermane, however, he’d make a big. BIG. Exception.

> Roses by Europa (Sequel)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Twilight was certain she'd found it. The rose was enormous. One of its orange-striped red petals were the size of her head. The brown stem had thorns the size of her hooves, and with the yellow stamen and pistol sticking out in an odd spiral shape, Twilight wondered if it was not instead a carniverous plant.

But that was silly. She was confident she'd found it.

After her discussion with Chryssy about why changeling tongues were so long, she'd gotten the idea in her head to find the flower their ancestors had used to supplement their diet of love. It was likely a foal's mission; from what she could tell of changeling prehistory it'd have been hundreds of thousands of years ago, so if the flower hadn't gone outright extinct it'd likely evolved into something else. But that didn't stop her from trying.

Equestria had formed when the three tribes moved there to escape the Windigos, the land they came from turning into the Badlands, which the Unified Changeling Swarm had taken for their own. Before that, similar to ponies, the changelings had been divided into multiple hives before being united by one 'Queen Tenodera'. Tracking down where changelings had lived in prehistory was difficult, and even more so was predicting what flower they would've used as food, and what would've happened to it.

But Twilight Sparkle had never shied away from an academic challenge, especially not for her workerfriend's hatching day that was coming up. Now, in the uninhabited Jungle of Despair (It was just a name), slicing through brushes with anti-tick and anti-mosquito wards around her, Twilight found it. She hoped.

She encased it in a temporal stasis field, so the nectar would stay fresh and it wouldn't decay, then shrunk it so it was no larger than a normal rose, put it inside a glass box, then slipped that into her pack. With that done, she took off into the air and began the long, long journey back home.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


Chryssy's hatching day party was a marvelous occasion, as was always the case with the leaders of a nation. The changelings of the Badlands had gone all out for it, getting days off from work, school, and so on. It reminded Twilight a lot of the celebration the Minotaurs had of the birthday of Chancellor Minos. The portion of the hive that served as 'royal grounds' was carefully cordoned off, with only some of the Praetorian Council as well as Chrysalis's Imperial Guard allowed inside. And, of course, Chrysalis's close friends along with Twilight herself.

The party was long and Twilight would've said it ventured into the night, but that was very difficult to tell underground. Some of Chryssy's friends among the changeling praetorians spoke at length of their lives in the hive, with Twilight respectfully nodding along and slowly nodding off. Eventually, gifts were given to Chrysalis herself, though Twilight noted there wasn't a cake.

In retrospect, that wasn't a surprise at all.

She herself didn't give her present, and waited until she and Chrysalis retired to her chambers.

"So," the changeling queen said. "You said you had a present for me?" she said, laying down on her bed and flicking her tail alluringly.

With a light blush, she opened up the dimensional pocket she'd conjured and brought out the case holding the rose - scientific name pending - that she thought was most closely related to the kind Chryssy's ancestors had drank from. She took it out and returned it to its full size.

Chrysalis cocked a brow. "What is this?"

"Well, remember how a while back you told me why changelings have such long tongues? And, um, how nopony - noling, I mean - knew what flower it was?"

The changeling's multi-irised eyes went wide. "This isn't - "

She floated the flower over. "Happy hatching day, love," she said while actively keeping her voice from shaking.

Chrysalis took it in her magic and floated it over. With a snap of eldritch-green magic she removed the stasis spell from the flower, brought her muzzle to its opening, and breathed deep. "It smells... wonderful." She extended her tongue and pushed it into the flower, then drew it back with some pale yellow liquid along it, and hummed delightedly. "Tastes just like adoration," she whispered.

"I'm not one hundred percent sure this is the right one," Twilight said. "But it's the closest thing I could find, so I hope it's - "

"Twilight," the changeling cut off with her double-voice. She set the flower aside on her bed, clambered off to stand before Twilight, and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Thank you. It's lovely." Chryssy leaned down to nuzzle Twilight, a motion she returned. "I couldn't have asked for more."

> Recovery by Level Dasher (foal steps)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Level Dasher

“Don’t you realize that you could lose complete use of your lower extremities, Chrissy? You need to get up and move around!” the alicorn chastised.

“…But I’m still tired. Besides, I have been moving around.” Chrysalis stretched out on the bed, her rear legs tingling.

“Trotting six hooves to the little fillies’ room and back doesn’t count.”

“Oh, come on! It’s better than nothing!” Chrysalis whined.

“Oh Faust, Chrissy. You really don’t understand how serious this is, do you? Do you want to be able to walk again?”

“Well… I could always fly if I—”

“That’s not the point! There are ponies out there that can’t use parts of their bodies because they don’t have a choice! I am not going to let you WASTE your legs because you were too lazy to get out of bed!” The newly acquired Royal Canterlot Voice rebounded around the room, causing Chrysalis to put her front hooves up. When she brought them back down, a look of sheer terror lay on her face.





It took a long time for the majority of the pony community to get accustomed to Twilight and Chrysalis’ relationship. Some were still unsure about it, but they learned to tolerate it. Of course, nopony ever actually tried to harm either the Queen or the Princess over it. Who in their right mind would attempt such a feat?

That was why it was such a surprise when Chrysalis and Twilight were out late one night together in Ponyville, and five cloaked figures attacked the two of them as they approached Twilight’s castle. One figure attempted to restrain Twilight, while the others attacked Chrysalis as quickly as they could.

Restraining an alicorn is difficult. In fact, it proved too difficult for the single figure to achieve. After a mere five seconds, Twilight broke free and retaliated, causing all five figures to flee. However, those five seconds were enough for the other four figures to beat Chrysalis within an inch of her life.

Twilight rushed to Chrysalis’ side, hoping against hope that she was alright. She couldn’t imagine how five ponies (at least, she assumed they were ponies), could injure Chrysalis so badly. It could have been that their guard was down. Unexpected attacks usually do cause the most damage, after all…

Twilight rushed Chrysalis to Ponyville General to have her treated. It was clear upon their arrival that some of the doctors and nurses were nervous, but who were they to question Equestria’s newest princess? After a preliminary treatment, enough to bring Chrysalis back to consciousness, a horrifying realization was made by the patient.

“They… they were drones!” Chrysalis exclaimed when she had enough energy. “They were some of my drones! How could they do this to me?!”

Twilight sighed. “Well, the entirety of the pony community hasn’t quite accepted ‘us’ yet, Chrissy. It seems that—”

“NO!” Chrysalis cried. “You don’t understand! We are a hive mind! If any of my drones had any objection to us, I would have known! How dare they attack their queen! They must have severed their connection somehow! And if that is the case…” Chrysalis paused. “…they are a danger to the entire pony race. They must be captured!”





Seeing the fear upon the Changeling’s face, Twilight sighed and shook her head. “Chrissy, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to use the voice. I’m still trying to control it. I just want you to understand the gravity of the situation. You know, you’re not participating in the Running of the Leaves here. We just need to work with foal steps. Simply walking to the entrance of this chamber and back is a start. We can do a little more than that another time.”

“But… but the bed is safe,” Chrysalis whispered.

“Chrissy, I told you, the last of your attackers was apprehended. Celestia sent me a message. They’re all in the dungeons in Canterlot and are nowhere near any of us. Not you, not me, not Ponyville, not the rest of the Hive.” Twilight sighed again. “Getting up and walking 15 hooves to the door and back is not going to put you in danger, and I’ll be right next to you if you need help.”

“Oh… okay.” Chrysalis stretched her legs again, swinging her rear extremities to the side of the bed. After being discharged from Ponyville’s hospital to be under Twilight’s care in the Hive two months ago, she hadn’t moved from that spot, aside from the occasional six-hoof walk to the restroom. She touched all four hooves to the floor, feeling the strain in her rear legs.

“Do you need any help?” Twilight asked.

“No, I… I think I’m alright.” Chrysalis slowly began walking forward, toward the chamber’s entrance. She focused on the chitin-armored doors, but made sure that Twilight was still by her side. Slowly advancing, Chrysalis turned to Twilight and said, “This… this isn’t so difficult. I don’t know why you made such a big—” Her right rear leg suddenly gave way and she began falling sideways, but was caught in a magenta-colored aura.

Her horn glowing, Twilight responded, “That’s why I made such a big deal out of it. Your legs are starting to atrophy, Chrissy. I’m surprised your left didn’t falter as well.” Twilight shook her head. “Now, don’t think you’re getting out of this. I’m putting you back down, and you’re going to continue walking.” She lifted Chrysalis and set her back on all fours.

Pressing her hooves into the floor, Chrysalis regained the feeling in her leg. “I… I see what you mean, Twilight. This is no condition for a queen to be in.” She continued to walk towards the door, being wary of any strange feeling in her back legs. “This is indeed a good idea. A good start.” When the two of them reached the armored doors, Chrysalis let out a sigh.

Twilight smiled. “Very good. I’m proud of you, Chrissy.” She leaned toward her wobbly companion and kissed her on the cheek. “See? Foal steps. Eventually you’ll get full feeling back in your legs, and you won’t even need to think about it. Do you want to go back to the bed?”

Chrysalis slowly turned around and looked at the large bed in the chamber. It was so inviting, but the feeling of helplessness she had felt moments ago when her leg fell from underneath her was frightening. She turned back around. “Perhaps…” Chrysalis let out a deep sigh and looked at Twilight. “Perhaps I ought to address the Hive.” She put a hoof to the armored door and opened it.

Then, with foal steps, she walked out.

> Flatulence by SeanofTheDead (*snorts*)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by SeanofTheDead

Chrysalis and Twilight sped down the halls of Canterlot palace, flying for their lives. For behind them only a slow painful death awaited. Hot on their heels a very angry/gassy Princess Celestia flew screaming at them.

"How could you do this to me?! I am going to be the *flblbrt* laughing stock of the entire *flblblbrt* kingdom!"

Chrysalis only laughed at her misfortune, while Twilight attempted to mollify her.

"I am sooooo sorry Princess! I honestly didn't know that Chrysalis put THAT in the cake! If I had I would have told you, I swear!"

"I have no intention of *flbrt* harming you Twilight. Just slow down *flbrlbrlbbrrt* so we can talk," Celestia said with a manic gleam in her eye. *flbbbrt*

"I am sorry Princess, but I think that would harm me anyway. You see the smell is-"

With a wordless cry of rage (from both ends) she poured on the speed before suddenly shouting, "BATHROOM!!" and disappearing down a hall.

As they kept flying out the doors of the palace, Twilight scowled at Chrysalis.

"I am sorry dear but how was I supposed to know that changeling slime would have such a...violent, effect upon an alicorn?" Chrysalis asked sweetly.

"You are sleeping on the couch until I say otherwise." Twilight said still scowling at her lover.

" Awwww but Twilight....."

> Entropy by Level Dasher (sad)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Level Dasher

“We can’t trust her! Not after what happened at the Royal Wedding!”

“She’s a menace! Ponyville would have been next!”

“Everypony, please listen to me!” Twilight attempted to make herself heard over the din. When word of Twilight and Chrysalis’ relationship became public, it was as good a time as any to hold a meeting at the town hall to discuss the possibility of diplomatic relations. Twilight would have called in Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, but she thought it would be wise to start small. “Queen Chrysalis has changed! I can assure you! No harm will come to anypony, not here, not Canterlot, not anywhere else!”

“How can you be so sure? Maybe you’ve seen a change in her, Princess; maybe you see a reason to trust her, but—”



[/hr]

“We must witness this for ourselves!”

“The ponies attacked us when they knew we were in dire need of sustenance! Why should we trust them?”

“My children, you must see it from their point of view! It was, after all, an invasion!” Chrysalis’ headache was turning into a migraine over the roar of the Hive Mind. “In hindsight, it was not the wisest idea to request their love by attempting to conquer them…”

“Why not?”

“Because we need them to trust us if they are going to agree to sustain us! We could potentially receive the greatest love they have to offer!” Chrysalis shouted to the crowd. “If they trust us enough, then they will offer their greatest love, but we must trust them in return or they will not be willing to do so! The greatest love they have to give will satisfy our hunger without harming them in our feeding process! I have seen how sustaining their love can be…”

“And you do not share it with us?”

“What kind of queen are you to refuse your Hive the sustenance it so desperately needs?”

“It is not that simple!” Chrysalis cried. “I experienced the love from one pony at a single point in time! If I could share it, I would! But that is my point! If we can cooperate with the ponies in such a way that will convince them all to share their greatest love, then we will be supplied with sustenance for generations! What is it—”



[/hr]

“—that you don’t understand?”

“What’s to not understand? They’re simply not trustworthy! Besides, what do we get in return for our emotions?”

“What do we get in return?” Twilight repeated. “The continuation of an entire race! Isn’t that enough? The invasion was due to a need for sustenance! The Changelings will not survive!”

“Who needs ‘em? They’re a danger to Ponykind!”

Twilight put her head in her hooves. There seemed to be no way of convincing them. “Oh Chrysalis, I hope—”



[/hr]

“—you’re having an easier time than I am.” The Changeling Queen shook her head.

“It’s not worth it! How can we trust they will keep up their end of the bargain?”

“Mutual trust is key! If we give them reason to trust us, then they shall, and there will be no need to doubt them!” Chrysalis tried screaming over the roars of the Hive. She was having no luck with her drones. The majority of the Hive mind seemed to be against their queen’s good intentions.

“Well…”



[/hr]

“…we tried.”

> Ashamed by nioniosbbbb (mystery)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by nioniosbbbb

The cool afternoon breeze blew upon Chrysalis’s castle. Built into the rocky sides of Styx gorge, the whole construction was a miracle of architecture. Shielding the changelings inside from rain, built on the crossroad of two other nations: the Dragonic Empire, and the Equestrian Diarchy, the Changeling capitol thrived.

It went without saying, that the sudden, “strange” and “weird” relationship of Princess Twilight Sparkle with the infamous… no… notorious Queen Chrysalis, did wonders to aid the two species in crossing the gap.

It was a little bit embarrassing to see Twilight wandering inside the castle’s many corridors. It would take her time to adapt, it was not too long ago that Chrysalis had finally relented and introduced her to her own subjects. Chrysalis had made her relationship with Twilight known, but she hadn’t yet made any public appearances. When she did, some were suspicious, others were happy that their Queen had finally found a mate.

The most genuine smiles were the ones of the hatchlings. The little ones had curiously approached the equally curious unicorn with hungry looks upon their faces. Just as Chrysalis’s heart had melted with Twilight’s love, so had the changelings slowly opened up.

But there were still things that Twilight wanted to ask. Things Chrysalis kept avoiding. But now, the last week before solidifying their bond, Twilight could wait no more. She needed to confront her about those moments, before she confronted the joint presence of changelings and ponies at the ceremony.

Chrysalis said  that she would tell her. When that time did come, if she still wanted to know, she would give her the answer to the long overdue question: how she ascended to Queenhood, and how she gained her kingdom.

Each time Twilight asked Chrsyalis turned her face around, hid her expression with her mane, and pleaded her to change the subject one way or another. After cornering her in a fight Chrysalis had looked Twilight with eyes ready to burst in tears.

She finally found it: the door that led to the throne room where Chrysalis resided during the day, handling the diverse political problems of the “Proteans”, as the changelings called themselves.

Chrysalis noticed her first and promptly urged the others to bow respectfully.

“You really shouldn’t do that. I get really embarrassed when that happens,” said Twilight, rubbing her neck and smiling awkwardly.

“They must learn to pay proper homage to their future Queen.” responded Chrysalis.

They looked at each other, and after a minute Chrysalis understood. It was time.

“Leave us…” she said in a serious tone. The changelings sensed the heaviness of the situation and wasted no time exiting the room.

“It’s time, isn’t it?” She continued.

“Yes. You said that I would know in time. That I needed to be “ready.” I still don’t get it… What’s so terrifying about your ascension that stopped you from telling me? What is it Chrysalis?” Twilight was clearly worried. Why all the secrecy? What happened in the past? Twilight took Chrysalis’s hoof and held it towards her heart. Chrysalis turned away for a moment, closing her eyes tight. She realized she couldn’t turn away from Twilight.

“Twilight… it’s not important how i gained my kingdom. Right now my kingdom, is the kingdom that resides inside my heart. The kingdom that you made my love, my messiah.”

She leaned in closer rubbing her nose with Twilight. Still… Twilight did not budge with flattery. She was determined on finding out the root of the problem, and cut it off.

“However I said I would answer, and I will.” She sighed, her hoof brushing her teal mane to the side.

“By the time I gained my kingdom, by the time I ascended to the throne, I gained three things and lost one.” Twilight gulped… she could sense it, here goes.

“I gained the love of my subjects. They called me ‘Liberator’, for I freed them from their squabbles, united them in one kingdom.” She paused a bit.

“The ancient rulers of the changelings came. Metis the cunning and wise unifier of hearts. Proteus the overfather, unifier of souls. And Nousios the blind and fair, unifier of minds. They judged me capable of leading the changelings. To them i was the ‘Monarch of the Black Sanctuary’.” She smiled at her lover as she got ready to speak once again.

“The enemies I faced were many. As my kingdom came into being, as I waged war against all that would oppose the formation of a united Protean nation i gained my third title…”

“The Black Siren.” The moment she heard that title, Twilight finally figured out why Chrysalis couldn’t tell her this story. Why she couldn’t look at her while remembering those events.

She was ashamed.

> Return by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

As I walked towards the castle, I paused to have a better look at Canterlot Castle; on my last visit things had been very different. On the last visit here I had made my way into the mountain city through subterfuge with the intent of conquering the mountain city for me and the Hive. I had very nearly succeeded in this goal only to be stopped at the very end by one Pony.

Despite failing that goal, I now found myself back in the mountain city and things had certainly changed since that day over two years ago, yesterday had been a momentous occasion where I learned that the Hive had been granted the rights to live freely in Equestria. In a way my goal had been fulfilled although not as I had expected. What did succeed was that the Hive had been granted a secure place to live but also with growing numbers of opportunities for co-existence with Ponies. As well our rights to live in Equestria along with the circumstances of our departure from the Collective also granted us Equestrian citizenship.

That was why I was here today, to publicly accept Equestrian citizenship from the Princesses of the Triarchy who would in turn formally welcome me and the Hive into Equestria. It was to present to the public the results of yesterday’s events. Suddenly I felt a gentle nudge at my side and it broke my attention from the marble castle to see Twilight standing next to me.  Twilight Sparkle, the Pony that nearly destroyed the Hive through her actions had also been the one to lead the fight to give the Hive and myself a new home. When this all started a month ago I only held respect for Twilight and nothing more than that. But overtime I had found that my respect towards Twilight had grown and despite my fears about the insanity of Ponyville and its inhabitants, I was glad that the Hive had found a home where food was not in short supply.



[/hr]

Walking with Chrysalis back to Canterlot Castle for a press conference seems almost surreal; never would I have thought that she would return to Equestria after what had happened last time. I think this even though I do know that stranger things have happened, Discord’s reformation still baffles me at times. We were both making our ways to Canterlot Castle from the train station, in the end we had decided that a sky chariot would be overboard and would draw the press in like they were a wake of vultures. So going by train along with a simple disguise would allow us to make our way through Canterlot with minimal interruptions.

Walking towards the castle gates I noticed that Chrysalis was no longer beside me. I turned to see that she had stopped to look at the castle and in a way it made sense given the circumstances of her last visit here. While I knew how powerful friendship could be but even that never could have prepared me for a visit from Chrysalis. Even now it’s still a sight at times to see Changelings so open in Ponyville. Well fairly open, I knew that there were still some holdouts against them. Even yesterday that was made clear by how adamant some Ponies were against allowing Changelings to settle in Equestria as citizens. I sighed at this thought, I knew it would be a long time before the two species were no longer near possible hostility, I knew it would be a long time before the hatred and distrust would fade.

I walked over to dark unicorn standing in front of Canterlot Castle and nudged her gently. She took the hint and followed me inside the castle. The future for Changelings in Equestria was still fraught with complications and things would take time before it got better. I was glad however that Chrysalis and her Hive had been granted lands near Ponyville to settle. It would be nice to have more chances to learn about and to meet Changelings in general but also to hopefully spend some more time with Chrysalis who I had found to be good company over this past month.

> Dampened by SeanofTheDead (Sad...)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

SeanofTheDead

It had been almost a month now since Twilight's return after her disappearance. Six months since the massacre of her hive. Chrysalis lay in the bed they had both shared before the tragedy had occurred. And before the other changeling hives had decided that she was no longer fit to rule her own. And that the changelings under her control weren't "pure" enough anymore. It had been horrible, the princesses had barely shown up in time to save two hundred of her little changelings. They had been over forty-thousand strong.

The sheer numbers of the other hives combined had overwhelmed them quickly, and yet her little changelings had kept fighting anyway. They had decided that they wouldn't die cowering and they would die defending the the young. Would that they had been successful. Chrysalis could still hear their screams as she had raced towards them. She and Twilight had been able to save twenty. Her eyes filled with tears at the very thought of it. She wanted nothing more than to curl up and die, to forget the tragedies she had brought upon her hive, and her wife. She had next to nothing now. Her changelings had praised her for managing to protect what she had until Celestia and Luna had arrived. Thankfully after Chrysalis had shouted that they had killed the young ones, the princesses hadn't shown mercy.

But now she was alone in Ponyville while Twilight was in Canterlot receiving the best medical care possible within this world. Seeing her love beaten and tortured as she was...it had been too much for Chrysalis to bear.  Chrysalis made daily trips to see Twilight, and every time she would appear to be slightly better. She now appeared to be fully healed, but she still hadn't awoken. Celestia was currently interrogating the changeling queen that had been responsible for Twilight's condition. And Shining Armour was en route to assist her. They could only guess that Twilight's experience had been SO traumatic that her mind was still processing it all. Or that the other queen had done something to her. Hence the interrogation, hence Chrysalis' despair...hence the tears that had dampened the pillow beneath her head.

> Nectar by lyra_lover777 (Sad)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Twilight whimpered as she approached the slate gray tombstone, her eyes full of salty tears that began to streak down her face as she placed a bouquet of teal flowers on the foot of the grave, the tears splattering on the bright and cheerful petals of the flowers. The teal seemed out of place. Wrong.

Her eyes locked on the name scribbled on the stone that stood erect in the muddy earth. The tombstone was still wet from the recent storm. The name, carved in elegant letters, read : Queen Chrysalis Grubbiana Buzzwings. 1982 to 2014.

The tears just kept coming as the events of her wife tragic end rushed into her mind, making Twilight sob even faster.

Chrysalis had always been fond of the drink, but in a Changeling's case, this was nectar, made with goo from the walls of a Hive and the sweetest, sweetest drops of love found in Equestria.

One day her addiction got the best of her, after a fight with Twilight, and she cracked open a whole cellar of the drink with a crowd of her minions.

She was making her way home, barely able to trot. A few of her minions trotted beside her, trying to prop her up while struggling with drunkness themselves.
They crossed a cobblestone street, as they were in the heart of Manehattan. It was their turn to cross, but another drunk one, this one a young mare and her coltfriend, weren't watching the road as they pulled their carriage,  and smashed right into the pack of changelings. No one, except a lucky one named Swiper, who was struggling to move at the back of the pack, made it out alive.

Twilight dropped to the ground, out right bawling as her coat became matted with dirt and mud. Dark clouds gathered overhead once again, driven by a pegasus weather team, and began to shower. Her tears mixed with the rain and the mud as she whimpered once again, the tears streaking down her face.
===
The widow sat at a bar, sipping a virgin Mudslide. She had given up anything that could make her drunk, fasting herself of beer and wine until she loathed their tastes.

An older stallion approached her, a cocky smile on his face as he gripped a mug of frothy beer.

"Care for a taste?" he asked as he swayed, the cup falling from his grasp and spilling over the floor.

"Buck," he whispered as he forgot all about Twilight as he groggily attempted to wipe the drink up with his hooves before simply getting up and trotting away.
The beer on the floor still supported a large number of foamy bubbles. And they floated around, forming a shape quite like a heart. Twilight bit her lip before she shed more tears, her time at the grave still fresh in her mind. Another pony, this one a mare, began to approach her with a seductive look on her face, but Twilight galloped out of the bar weeping loudly.

Twilight reached her house, her small mansion that seemed so much emptier than it had with just one more pony living within it.

She reached her room and snuggled herself under the covers. She glanced at a small bayonet hung on the wall. It was from the Griffonian Civil Wars. Every night she was tempted to rip it right of the wall and shove it in her chest, to end the suffering.

But then she knew Chrysalis would shame her. Why end your life when you still have so much to do? It was my time, so I left. Just wait until yours.

She gave one more glance at the silver killing instrument before snuggling under the covers, falling into a fitful sleep.
	
> Parasite 2 by Europa (dark)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa


Chyrsalis trotted through her underground chambers, taking turns and buzzing up to higher levels when she needed. She passed several of her subjects and nodded her greetings to them, while they respectfully bowed and moved out of her way. Queen Chrysalis moved rapidly through the hive, heading to where her workerfriend lived.  On her back there was a little platter of pony-food 'acquired' from Equestria.

She pushed the purple curtain aside and strode in, seeing Twilight Sparkle on her bed, reading a book. The unicorn looked up at her and smiled weakly. The bags under her eyes were very noticeable. which made Chrysalis frown. She may have to have her subjects feed less on the lovable pony. She'd have to ease up as well.

Seemingly ignorant of her concern, Twilight got off her bed - her legs wobbled once when she stood - and came over to her. "Chryssy!" she said in accented Hemipid. Twilight pressed her head into Chrysalis's thorax, who wrapped a foreleg behind Twilight's head and rested her head on the pony's head. "It's good to see you!"

"You too Twily," she said earnestly. "You don't look too good. Have my changelings been feeding on you too much?"

She looked down and blushed. She's so adorable like that. And ponies blush red! "I just wanted to help them," she muttered. "They looked so thin."

Chrysalis cooed at the pony. "Twilight, I know you want to help, and I'm so grateful that you let us eat your love. But you're no use to anyling drained to death. Please promise me not to let them? At least not until you get better? Remember, when you get to a biological level we're parasites. You need to be careful."

"Alright," she said weakly, pulling away and sitting on her bed. Then Twilight's face was overtaken by a sly, saucy grin. "You know, if I'm unwell by having the love drained out of me, maybe you - " she said, a hoof tracing a circle in Chrysalis's thorax plate. " - could help restock?"

Chrysalis hummed low in her throat. It was tempting, but... "Maybe later, my petal." She lit up her horn and telekinetically moved the plate off of her back's shell, plopping it on Twilight's silk bed. "For now, I brought you lunch, and I was wondering if you could give these plans a look?" Another pop of magic, and a fire circle appeared on the stone floor. When the emerald flame faded away, there was a stack of documents. On the top was, in bold Hemipid letters, the title Canterlot Invasion II.

Twilight grasped it in her magic and levitated it over, flipping through it. At the same time she lifted a hayburger out and began devouring it as if it murdered her family.

Chrysalis, for her part, moved behind the young unicorn and hugged her from behind, holding her warm-blooded body close to herself. A wide, fanged smile overtook her face as Twilight reviewed the plans and ate her lunch.

"Alright," Twilight said after reviewing it. "It looks good, but you may want to tighten up the left flank, and move more of the Imperial Guard's antimages to the observatory, that's where Celestia and Luna like to keep their battlemages." The pony twisted around and looked up at Chrysalis with large, innocent, sickly green eyes that sent a jab of guilt through her. "What do you think?"

"I..." she started weakly, looking down at the blameless emerald irises. "I think that's a brilliant idea, Twilight." She winced and looked away, hugging the unicorn tightly.

One day, she promised herself. One day I won't need hypnosis. One day, Twilight, I'll give in return instead of just taking.
	
> Model Student by nioniosbbbb (History)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by nioniosbbbb

Twilight still couldn’t understand what had happened. It was not like Chrysalis to be ashamed.

“I am not proud of all the things I’ve done. My parents Amalthea and Abectrozeus didn’t teach me what they did so that I could twist them.”

Silence. Twilight waited and listened, this was a story that she was determined to hear, plus the way Chrysalis touched her chest with her hoof now…it seemed like she wanted to lay those memories to rest, to lift a burden off her shoulders.

“My mother was the lady of House Mirrorhoof, one of the twelve houses that formed the changeling nation. We were split, divided, fighting amongst ourselves. Each house had the ambition of uniting the rest, of defeating them. None, however, could gain a definite advantage to win victory. So I had to learn. Learn how to rule, to inspire, to devastate them all.”

There was a bitterness, combined with anger, in that voice. Twilight gulped, something had definitely incited anger in her marefriend. It was clear at that moment that she bore hatred towards her former enemies, it reminded Twilight of the Chrysalis at Canterlot. Nevertheless, she didn’t interrupt.

“And so I learned. My mother called Mirage Strike, a mare of infinite wisdom, one I would learn to call my teacher, my mentor, my guidance. I can tell you one thing Twilight… if I owe my parents the life I am living, I owe Mirage the quality of life that I am living.

“She taught me more than just magic. She taught me how to inspire, to lift the spirits of my brethren, to… to sing.” Chrysalis paused, her heart skipped a beat. Twilight spotted the water in her eyes shifting, but before she could confirm what she saw Chrysalis composed herself.

It seemed that she and Chrysalis had a lot more in common than she thought, was this why they were attracted to each other? Both model students, both with aspirations, plans to lead.

“Chrysalis…” said Twilight, but her lover raised her hoof, stopping her.

“I was just like you… eager to learn, to satisfy my peers, to live up to the challenge. I became a model student not for myself, but for the sake of a better future. I stayed at my parents’ meetings, learning the tricks of diplomacy. I learned how to take care of the hatchlings, I learned how to battle, how to defeat opponents superior to me. It’s then that I started losing myself. The one thing that I lost on my path to ruling. But you won’t understand… unless you see for yourself.”

Magic gathered on her horn, but it was different than a normal spell. Her magic didn’t gather around like a glow in her horn. Instead, it flew in spirals from the base of her horn. Soon, her form started turning black with a green outline, and now Twilight was truly scared. 

“W-what are you doing? Stop!” She pleaded, but Chrysalis continued.

The spirals changed directions and formed an atom-like trajectory around her. Before she could marvel at the sight, a small wave of magic came from Chrysalis, changing everything in its path. Twilight cowered and closed her eyes. When she opened them she wasn’t inside the castle anymore, had Chrysalis teleported them somewhere else?

She seemed to be outside of Chrysalis’s castle, and it was burning.  There were screams and fire, the unmistakable clash of magic. There was a battle going on inside the castle... Though from what she saw it was smaller this time. Where she remembered rooms, walls, and other facilities, there was stone. It was also dark, and the position of the stars was different. 

She was thinking Chrysalis had transported her back in time, but the spell didn’t look like that. Her own form was transparent and soon Chrysalis appeared with the same spirit-like form as her.

“Where are we, Chrysalis? Where did you take us?” She said as her curiosity overtook her.

“These are my memories, Twilight. You will see this first hand… and judge me accordingly.” The way she said it, it was like Chrysalis awaited a conviction.

There was a low buzz that rapidly intensified from where the east wall was supposed to be. From the sides of the gorge another, younger Chrysalis appeared in battlemage garb. Her eyes were glowing more than normal: they were like two raging fires promising destruction and pain. She flapped her wings to their limits as if she was driven by some madness to reach her goal in time. Her mane was at the mercy of the wind, and she was dirty all over with blood.

It dawned on Twilight: Chrysalis had just returned from a battle, and it seemed that her enemies had decided to maneuver around her troops and attack her stronghold. As if guessing her thoughts, Chrysalis responded.

“You needn’t worry about my victory Twilight, from the moment they attacked my home they sealed their fate. You should worry about one thing.”

“What is that?” She said, fearing the answer. As Chrysalis responded a flash of green ran through her eyes that made Twilight shiver.

“Retribution.”

> Citizen by lyra_lover777 (sad)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Twilight looked down into the blood red coffin, tears streaking down her face as she stared at the body inside. It was pastel yellow, its mane golden rod with swirls of blue. The dead pony's name, scribbled on cards and in front of innumerable flower bouquets said "Carrier Kane." The pony's flank adorned a picture of a newspaper.

Only Twilight knew the pony's real name, or what she actually looked like.

It was Chrysalis.

The pony wasn't even female like Chrysalis. It was a hunky stallion, but Twilight didn't care. When they were alone, she changed back to herself.
Or had, anyways.

President Celestia, Twilight's adopted aunt, trotted over to her grieving niece. She nuzzled Twilight softly while a single tear streaked down her face, Celestia wiped it and rubbed her eyes to persuade the tear's kin to stay locked away in her eyes.

"K-kane. Wh-hy did you ha-have to le-leave?" Twilight asked before burrowing her face in her aunt's swirling mane, sobbing her heart out as Celestia nuzzled her softly.

Soon everyone sat down in over thirty rows of seats. Celestia and Luna, who was Vice President, sat on Twilight's right side. Twilight's family and a few changeling drones disguised as Carrier Kane's family sat to her left.

Twilight watched as various ponies stood behind a podium and gave short speeches about Kane.  Twilight had no idea who they were. Probably work friend's of Chrysalis.

But Twilight watched as the last work friend, the pony before her turn to tell about the life of her late wife/husband, took the podium. He had a gray coat with a white fur spot where his cutie mark was, which was a band-aid with two hearts around it. His purple and blue mane, styled so it stuck up in the air around his horn, shone in the artificial light of the room.

"I am Aidan Aide. I worked closely with Kane for many years. He invested in my hospital while I placed ads all around my city and throughout my hospital. i even named a wing of the hospital after him."

Twilight slumped as a tear trickled down her face. Just another boring story. But then it began to pick up.

"But the thing about Kane was that he wasn't just like any other old business stallion. He wasn't uptight and afraid of manual labor. He couldn't care less if he spilled coffee all over his suit on his way to a meeting. And the funny thing is nopony else really cared either."

Twilight almost smirked. Sounded quite like Chrysalis, all right.

"Kane was different. A good different. He was so much like you and me that he could be mistaken for an everyday civilian. A Citizen. A Citizen Kane."

Twilight looked up into the eyes of Aidan while everypony around her clopped their hooves together. He smiled sadly at her.

Citizen Kane. Twilight thought as she began to trot up to the podium to read her speech.

Citizen Kane.

> Pillars by TheMusicalBoy93 (Sweet)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

I never had anyling in my life who believed in me. My hive respected me, as one would expect. Some even feared me an, though I’m loath to admit it, not without good reason. I was not the most forgiving queen; a fact I deeply regret, and hope to someday redeem myself for in the eyes of my hive. The vast majority of my drones and workers tell me they forgive me for my brutish behaviour in the past, but I have my doubts.

The invasion I led against the ponies at the wedding of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and, now Emperor, Shining Armour was an act of desperation. Yes, I’ll confess that I was desperate. My hive was starving; love is very sparse in our homelands.

We travelled thousands of miles in search of creatures that could provide us with love. We travelled to the Badlands, but the dragons were waging a civil war, and love was non-existent. We travelled to the Northern Kingdom, but the griffins are a militant race, so the closest emotion they have to “love” is “respect”. And respect is not enough to feed a changeling.

But then, we found Equestria. And the ponies that lived there were positively bristling with love. Particularly when it came to the love that surrounded, and radiated from, Princess Celestia. When Cadance and Shining Armour announced they were to be married at Canterlot Castle, I jumped at the chance to harvest the love of the Equestrian populace. It took months of preparation; secreting my hive into pony society, gathering information and earning their trust, and their love as I strode around, underneath their noses, as Princess Cadance.

But, in my desperation and greed, I became cocky. I celebrated too soon, expected the ponies to surrender as soon as Celestia was trapped in my cocoon. It was a bitter irony that love, the very emotion that fuels my kind, was the very thing that defeated us.

Weeks after the invasion failed, I found myself captured by Celestia’s guards. But, instead of being thrown in a dungeon, or banished from Equestria like I’d expected, the Princess of the Sun offered me a chance to redeem myself. Naturally, being the proud changeling royal I was, I refused, outright. But once Celestia started talking about an alliance with the changelings, where the ponies would willingly feed us, in return for defence, I was desperate enough to accept.

It was a difficult task; earning the trust of the ponies I had sought to imprison and drain of all their magic. I can’t possibly understand why (!) Happily, I was not alone in this venture. Celestia had entrusted Twilight Sparkle, the newest Princess of Equestria, with the task of my “reformation”. At first, of course, I was insulted and cold toward her. But, over time, I came to enjoy her company. Then I grew to respect the purple princess. Then, I grew to love her. And now, we are lovers. Twilight Sparkle is my pillar.
__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**
I used to think that friendship was just a waste of time, and a distraction to my studies.  I never went out to meet other ponies, or go to anypony’s parties when I was living in Canterlot. I cared a great deal about Spike, but he was more of a little brother and, don’t tell him I said this, a son to me, in later life. There was my BBBFF, Shining Armour, but he’s my brother. Of course he was the closest thing to friend I had at home. Him and Cadance, but I always thought of her as above me, with her being a princess and all.

So when I was charged with the task of chaperoning Chrysalis, I was glad that I wouldn’t be alone in this venture. My friends were always at my side – Rainbow Dash taking it a little on the literal side, making sure that Chryssy didn’t try any funny stuff. At first, Chryssy was completely unable to grasp anything about pony culture. She kept making comparisons to changeling culture, which wouldn’t have been so bad, if she didn’t keep saying that changeling society was “far superior in every way”. Over time, however, she learned to fit in with the ponies of Ponyville, and even helped out in the various shops and businesses. After a couple of months, she even found herself going out on the odd date or two.

But I never would’ve expected that she and I would fall in love with each other. It turns out that Chrysalis is like a walking encyclopaedia; she soaks up knowledge like a sponge, and she has over a hundred years’ worth of knowledge knocking around in her adorable, chitin skull. She would snuggle up in her bed, right beside mine, and tell about all the things she learned on her travels through Equestria, with maybe a teensy tiny little bit of nagging and begging on my part. As time went on, I started feeling like Chryssy and I were perfect company for each other. She was a knowledgeable, courageous leader, and I was a well-read group organiser. It just made so much sense.

Since the start of our relationship, I haven’t been feeling half as stressed as I used to. I no longer feel like the weight of the world is pressing down against my withers, or that I’m the only pony who can fix every little problem my friends encounter. Because I know that, no matter what obstacle may get in my way, my beautiful workerfriend, Queen Chrysalis Bladequeen, will always be there to lend me a helping hoof. She taught me everything she knew about politics, and how to handle the mountains of paperwork I receive day-in, day-out. She helped me in my court sessions, sorting through all the requests I got from the ponies in Ponyville, and what causes were just. Chrysalis is my pillar.

> Flaky by Europa (Sweet)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

"You have got to take better care of yourself!" Twilight insisted. She rubbed the cloth, moist with various oils that Fluttershy assured her was good for chitin, over Chryssy's turquoise shell. As she did, tiny flakes of carapace that she'd shed came off and stuck to the violet rag, which was more than a little worrying. "Is your shell even supposed to shed?"

"Well... no," said the changeling queen, who laid on Twilight's couch. For her part, Twilight stood above her and worked her magic on the cloth. "It's usually not healthy for that to happen."

"Right, then you need to eat more adoration. Maybe cut back on the hero-worship."

"Yes, mom," Chrysalis said from beneath her. However, her quick breaths and heaving sides betrayed how good the cleaning felt.

"Alright," Twilight said, finishing the brief wash-down all along Chryssy's body. "I need you to fold your wings." Chrysalis's insect wings buzzed, then slid inwards and hid under the shell Twilight had been cleaning just moments ago. Twilight lit up her horn and begun running her telekinesis over the changeling's chitin, specifically the narrow gaps in between the plates. The alicorn laid down on Chryssy's back, relishing the feeling of her smooth exoskeleton as she did her work, the changeling gasping and moaning in delight as the gunk and detritus of daily life was scooped out in the form of a dark gray plaque, which Twilight tossed in the nearby wastebin.

First she focused on the grooves of Chrysalis's horn, which caused the changeling to channel magic involuntarily, then her neck, lower and lower, including the holes dotting her forelegs, then her hind legs.

"Okay, extend your wings." Panting, the changeling did so, her wings framing Twilight on both sides. Twilight then pushed her magic gently under the shell and began scooping out the gunk out from underneath it. First she started at the front of the shell, near Chrysalis's neck, then began moving down both sides at once. The changeling beneath her kept groaning as she worked her magic, reaching a crescendo when she reached the dock of Chryssy's tail.

Then stopped, and Twilight flew off of her workerfriend. She gave the near-comatose changeling queen another once-over with the doused rag, and then nodded. "Alright. Chrysalis, you need to keep yourself healthier than this! You're the face of the changelings, plus I don't want you to be sick."

Chrysalis shuddered, and looked towards her. "If... if it means doing that more, I may just let it happen again," she panted.
	
> Hypnotism2 by TheMusicalBoy93 (Transformation, Trust)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

Chrysalis rolled her eyes at Twilight’s cheesy hypnotist line, but focused her attention on the swirling pattern that was slowly taking over her lover’s irises. The changeling queen knew it would take more than just pretty colours to put her in a trance, so she offered a little bit of resistance against the hypnotic force of her marefriend’s gaze. Twilight, sensing the resistance, merely smirked and raised herself to look slightly down at her changeling lover, tightening her coils a little to add to the intimidation and force of will she was exerting over the queen. Slowly, Chrysalis began to lose control of her will and her eyes started misting over, a similar spiral pattern worming into her own eyes to match Twilight’s.

The purple lamia princess smirked as her lover’s eyes began to glaze over and spiral hypnotically, perfectly in sync with her own hypnotic gaze.

“How do you feel, Chryssy?” Twilight hissed enticingly. “Sleepy? Mesmerised? Hypnotised?” Chrysalis stared blankly into her lover’s eyes, her mouth hanging limply open and a small trail of drool dangling from her lip.

“Sleep-y. Mes…merised. Yes,” the changeling queen drawled, dreamily. “Hyp…no…tised.”

“Ex-sssssss-cellent,” Twilight hissed, teasingly. The hissing was clichéd and cheesy, and the former Alicorn knew it, but she’d make her apologies later. Right now, she had her lover completely under her control. Time to have some fun with her. She lifted the changeling’s jaw with her hoof and kissed away the small trail of slobber before intensifying her control over her workerfriend.

Chrysalis could feel her body beginning to loll and sway as her mind misted over, and her eyes slowly drooped as she stared, unblinking, into her lover’s eyes. She felt her mouth being closed by a soft hoof, and stay closed, as if commanded in silence. Twilight tightened her coils around her lover a little, lifting the changeling queen off the floor as she snuggled herself in the former Alicorn’s scaly body.

Twilight started to loop a few coils around Chrysalis’ body, pinning her forehooves to her chest, and securing her wings to her sides. The changeling queen offered no resistance to her bonds, instead giving a soft moan at the comforting hold.

“You enjoy being wrapped in my scaly coils, my little changeling pet,” Twilight hissed seductively, pouring every ounce of willpower she could muster to overpower the queen’s will. “You enjoy the feeling of safety in my embrace, and the slightly forceful control I have over you.” Chrysalis smiled at the warm tone of her lover’s voice, a sense of security washing over her as she felt her scaly prison snare her a little tighter. “Struggle for me, my love,” the purple lamia pony cooed. “Do not try to escape, but struggle just enough to find a comfortable position in my coils. But if you feel short of breath, let me know.” Chrysalis squirmed and wriggled, giving Twilight an opportunity to tighten her serpentine body around her. After a short struggle, Twilight looped two coils of her body around Chrysalis’ hind legs, holding them closed and sealing her lover in her firm hold. The changeling monarch panted softly like a dog, her breaths shallow but not uncomfortable.

Twilight grinned at the control she had over the changeling mare. So many times, Twilight found herself on the receiving end of Chryssy’s hypnotism and, as fun as it was to be turned into a mindless puppet who needed to be told when she was a good little girl and how to please her mistress, she had always wanted to feel the power that came with total domination of her lover’s mind.

Twilight’s grin became a confident smirk, as she gazed into her lover’s vacant eyes. Chrysalis was completely within her control. She could mold her workerfriend into anything she wanted like living putty. She could even erase all her memories; making her a blank slate to write upon. There’d be no more hive for her to look after. There’d be no more diplomatic business between changelings and ponies. For all Chryssy knew, there might as well not even be a Ponyville outside the crystal walls of the Palace of Friendship. Twilight was now on the brink of something wonderful. She could tease her lover for all her worth, then give her back her mind with the memories of the devious deeds she did for her. Or she could become the Mistress of Equestria.

> Vector by Knight of Lycaeus (humor)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

"Come around and listen close, a tale I have here to tell. I heard it first from a friend of mine who learned it from a quiet town so small, that to find was quite hard.

He tells me of the town's dark curse, the Ponies of beauty beyond compare that roam the looming forest. These strange Ponies haunting its residents, stealing breath and life with their dark and mysterious charms.

They speak to travellers to heed the warnings. Never shall one set hoof in the forest, remain true to the path. They bade them to leave this place and to return nevermore lest they too be entranced by Ponies of beauty beyond compare.

They tell of those with foolish hearts that leave in search of the cursed beauty. To catch a fleeting glimpse of it. To know of beauty beyond compare. One such stallion, hale of body, dull of mind believed his fortunes were fair.

So set out he did to find the Ponies whose beauty were beyond compare. By the forest on a lonely road he walked when he spied upon a mare of dusky blue so beautiful unlike any he seen before. To her crying by the road's side he bade his greetings, inquiring of her distress.

She spoke so soft, so hard to hear. Lost she said, her way home was lost and no hope she had of finding it before the sun had set. The stallion, good and true offered his aid.

She led him within the forest to seek the lost way home. He began to search, deeper and deeper within the forest still. His search went far from the path he had walked.

By chance he spied another mare of emerald green, beautiful as the first. Around he saw stallions handsome and strong, mares beautiful and fair. He knew now they were the Ponies of beauty beyond compare.

The stallion grinned for his good fortune. Entranced he noticed not that the others fade to nothing, only two mares remained. Noticed not that their forms were changed. Dusky blue with wings of bat and emerald green upon a serpent's coil. With eyes ablaze like fire and fangs sharp to pierce.

He noticed not as they began to feast upon his flesh. His mind fogged by their dangerous beauty. All the town could find was a lone skull by the forest's road. Thus ends the tale, the tale of cursed beauties that haunt a town so small, that to find was quite hard."

By the side of the dense forest that loomed around, the weaver of tales finished the narration.

The audience before the speaker looked on in fear, "Is it true?" one asked.

A nod.

"It's not true." shouted another.

A rustle was heard. From the forest so thick came a mare of dusky blue, her companion of emerald green. Mares with features beautiful and fair. Out came the Ponies of beauty beyond compare.

Stepped out of the forest they did. Forms slowly changed, with eyes ablaze like fire and fangs sharp to pierce. Dusky blue with wings of bat and emerald green upon a serpent's coil.

At the sight the gathered broke for home, screaming all the while. The Dragon storyteller turned to smile at his friends. At the grinning Changeling and Alicorn with whom he shared a laugh tonight. Tonight, tales of horror live and roam, tonight on the night of monsters and fear. Tonight was Nightmare Night.

> Revenge by TheMusicalBoy93 (Dark, Story)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

Chrysalis sneered as she looked around her new throne room. The banners that once depicted the sun and moon now displayed a pair of double iris’d, slitted pupil’d eyes. The grand hall of Canterlot Castle was abuzz with changeling activity, all of whom were tending to the decorative cocoons that housed the former Princesses of Equestria, hung proudly from the chamber’s ceiling. The three Alicorns remained motionless inside their slime-filled prisons, the sickly green ooze maintaining them in a state of dreamless hibernation.

Several of the former Royal Guards stood around the throne room, chains linking them all together within a two foot span of each other. Pegasi guards had their wings clipped, while unicorns had their horned cracked from base to tip, and the cavity filled with molten silver. The changeling queen laughed to herself as she watched her slaves toil over multiple other cocoons, each containing ponies who were deemed potential threats to the changeling empire. Two cocoons, situated side by side, contained a minty green unicorn and a cream coloured Earth pony. Another contained a blonde Pegasus mare with seven bubbles on her flank.
__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**

It had taken months. Years! Of preparation. Underground operations. Tunnel networks from Fillydelphia to Las Pegasus. Night after shameful night of breeding the perfect army, bred for one purpose, and one purpose alone. To fight to the death. After several months of surveillance, Chrysalis had learned that the ponies of Equestria never fought to mortally wound. If conflict ever did arise, it was ended without casualties. Once her new army of deadly kamikaze changelings started storming the major cities of Equestria, the ponies were completely taken by surprise. Hostages were captured by the score, and the royal guards were completely unwilling to kill her changelings. The only casualties the changelings suffered was in the final two battles; for Ponyville and, lastly, Canterlot.

Naturally, Twilight and her friends had planned on harnessing their Rainbow Power to defeat the changelings, but Chrysalis was more than prepared. The night before Twilight’s predicted day of invasion, the changelings ponynapped Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, sealing them in specially fortified cocoons, and holding them hostage. Chrysalis demanded that the four Equestrian Princesses were to surrender their thrones, and their freedom and, in exchange, Chrysalis     wouldn't kill the Elements.
__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**__--**

Chrysalis looked down upon the pony chained to the foot of her throne. The purple former princess glared back in defiance, blushing furiously as the revealing lace costume her captor had forced her to wear. While the outfit would have been modest in a different choice of fabric, the translucent white lace did nothing to compliment Twilight’s modesty. Every naughty detail of her body was highlighted and accentuated by the skimpy attire.

“You’re a disgusting creature, Chrysalis,” the purple Alicorn sneered, venom dripping in her words. Chrysalis merely chuckled, patting the cocoon housing Pinkie at her side to silence the defeated mare.

“Now, now Twilight. Don’t forget your position.” Twilight growled hatefully, eliciting an amused smirk from the queen. “I’m sure little Pinkie Winkie would be very unhappy to see you badmouthing a queen, don’t you think?”

“You’re not even worthy of the title of KNAVE!” Twilight bit back, only succeeding in making her tormentor chuckle as she strode down the steps from her throne to stand over her.

“I’m sorry you feel that way, my little pony.” The changeling queen ran a hoof through the purple Alicorn’s mane, mockingly. “But I’m sure we can change your tune soon enough.” With a flick of her magic, Chrysalis gave a short sharp tug on the chain attached to the iron collar around Twilight’s neck, causing the Alicorn to stumble forwards, landing face first on the throne room floor.

Chrysalis lifted the purple pony’s face with a firm hoof, smirking at the disgruntled look of hatred in her eyes. “I’ll make you an offer, Twilight Sparkle. If you can resist me for one week, I shall return your friends to you, and allow you to banish my changelings from Equestria. But, should you fail, you will become my obedient consort.”

Twilight growled defiantly, maintaining fierce eye contact with the changeling queen. “I will never succumb to your wickedness, Chrysalis!” The queen smirked evilly in response. Oh, what fun she was going to have, breaking the mind of Princess Twilight Sparkle. Soon, the newly crowned Princess of Friendship would become the Harlot of Equestria.

> Model Student 2 by Meltian (Sweet, Learning)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Meltian

The first quick succession of notes flowed and danced their way through to the outer reaches of a modest, top floor, upper class apartment in Canterlot, just shy of the grounds of Canterlot castle itself.  The apartment’s sole occupant muttered to herself before taking a pause, bow held out to her side.  That wouldn’t do at all… from the beginning, then.  The notes played once again, in perfect rhythm this time, much to the mare’s satisfaction, and they gave way to Für Elise, her own personal arrangement, (for cello, of course.)

It was as she really started playing in earnest that Octavia let her mind wander, her hooves already settling into a familiar rhythm that only thousands of hours of practice could impart.  She couldn’t help but marvel at the beauty of music, --All music, she begrudgingly admitted to herself.  Unfortunately, Vinyl’s ‘Wubs,’ as she affectionately called them, did count-- in that music itself was a language.  Not just any language, mind you, but an international one.

It mattered not who you were, where you came from, what language you spoke, or any of those other trivialities.  Everypony still understood and found enjoyment in music.  It was a language of emotions, both beautiful and cruel; it spoke of fear, anger, jealousy, joy and excitement, all the way to… love.

The last notes of her piece died out as the bow ran across the strings, the song ending on one last smooth, drawn out note, and then, silence.  She gently lowered her hoof, letting the silence reign as her thoughts continued on, head held low and eyes closed.  Love was a big one.  Countless pieces of music through the generations had been written for the sake of love, and it would continue that many more would be.

She had written many, admittedly, for the sake of her own love, as much as that particularly pony drove her up the wall on a daily basis.  She cracked an eye open, taking a glance at the clock resting against the desk on the far wall of the room. It was almost that time.  Soon, after nearly a year of preparation, of tutoring consisting of four or more hour sessions at least three times a week, she would be assisting another in doing the same.  Her student wasn’t quite there yet; It would still be another month at the least before Octavia felt that she was well-versed enough in her new art to competently construct a composition of her very own (With some creative assistance, at least.)

Of course, she thought to herself as she set her cello down in its usual stand in the corner of the studio, Chrysalis had surprised her quite thoroughly in the past.
She had been quite surprised, obviously, the day that the Queen of Changelings had come knocking on her door.  Vinyl had been out setting up for one of her gigs, so Octavia found herself with a rare moment of peace, and as such, had decided to spend her late afternoon with what Vinyl would have called a ‘Jam session.’  

The knock on the door had come with a start, pulling Octavia away from blissful reverie.  She hadn’t been expecting visitors, and she certainly hadn’t been expecting to come face to face, or rather… face to chest, with the being that only a year and a half prior had invaded Canterlot in a vicious attempt to usurp the throne.

It was different now.  Since then, changelings had started integration into society, led by the combined efforts of the Princesses, --Princess Twilight Sparkle chief among them-- and the very changeling queen that stood before her.  That did not make the sight before her any less jarring, however.

Chrysalis stood before her, her posture straight, and her head held high.  Octavia noted that, whatever her reason, the Changeling Queen seemed to be trying to inflate her own sense of self-importance.  It was then, as she finally made an attempt to speak, that she noticed the terrifyingly familiar flyer that Chrysalis held within her magical grasp.

“Octavia Melody?  I hear tell that you give… lessons.  I’m hiring you, and I want to start right away.”

Thus was the start of perhaps the oddest year of her admittedly short life.  She had her doubts at first, of course.  What could a changeling, and a Queen at that, have any use for learning the cello?  She strongly believed that Music was a language of many different concepts and emotions, but a race whose focus seemed to be on the gathering and making use of love didn’t seem the type to have time for such kinds of recreation.

In the end, bits were bits, and though Chrysalis remained aloof and distant, it came as a great surprise to Octavia that she was picking up on the basics quite quickly.  She learned later that as a race that practically lived and breathed espionage, they had to be able to adapt to their surroundings quite fast.  It was no less surprising, though.

And so, time went on, and Chrysalis’ visits became just another routine part of the week, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at exactly one PM, just after lunch, and they would go over the previous lesson briefly, followed by a warm-up, and then discussion of what they would be accomplishing that day.  Not once did Chrysalis object to what she was being told, nor did she groan or yell in frustration when she hit a snag in their lessons that she just couldn’t overcome.  It was only a matter of time before she had begun working through the entire works of several different composers.  She was rather stoic, really, and it was another three months into their lessons that a sort of odd friendship had formed, and Octavia had learned Chrysalis’ motivations.

“I daresay that the answer has been in front of you for quite a while now, Octavia,” Chrysalis replied as she tuned her Cello one particularly pleasant afternoon, which they had decided to spend out in the park for their lesson in the shade of a particularly large, rugged oak.  It was on this day that Octavia felt that their odd little friendship had reached a point of comfort close enough to pry into the Queen’s social life.

“Tell me, what do you feel when you look upon that odd little DJ companion of yours?  I already know the answer, of course, being what I am, but please, humor me.” She grinned that dangerous, off-putting grin of hers, fangs bared, and her teeth on full display.  Octavia was sure by this point that Chrysalis didn’t even realize when she did it.

“I-I…. I feel…” She blinked in surprise.  That was it, then.  Chrysalis gave a curt nod, and her bow glided across the strings of the cello to test the tuning.  Satisfied, she started going through her scales.  

That was it, then.  It felt odd to think about, even considering just what kind of race Chrysalis was, but still, The Queen of the Changelings?  In love?

“With… with who, if I might ask?” Octavia sat across from her, tail swishing to rest at her side.

Chrysalis broke into laughter, jagged and maniacal, the kind that Octavia was sure only mad scientists had any right to laugh.  She wondered if Chrysalis was even aware of her habit of scaring the living daylights out of ponies; the suddenly empty park must have been some sort of tip-off at the very least.

At last, the laughter died off, and Chrysalis smirked, and stared at Octaiva with lidded eyes as she broke the ensuing silence with three simple words.  They were the last three words that Octavia could have possibly expected.

“Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

Octavia chuckled as the clock struck exactly one PM and a sharp rapping at the front door caught her ears.  As she trotted out of the room to answer, she couldn’t help but feel some sense of amazement at how much things picked up after that particular conversation.  Lessons were filled with much more enthusiasm, their conversation topics branched out into much more interesting places, and her student shared intimate details of her exact plans to woo her beloved Twilight into marriage.  

She would have to file ‘proposal via music’ away for a later date.

> Feast by Europa (Dark? ...)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

"Pods, pods," she heard her workerfriend mutter. The unicorn trotted over to the large cocoons holding her latest prisoners from Equestria, and Chrysalis followed her. Twilight levitated a notepad and pencil before her and scribbled down some figures into it. "Alright, I think that's more or less Manehattan's population."

"That's great news, Twily," she said as she gave the pony a brief nuzzle. She briefly glanced at the ponies, sleeping soundly in their cocoons, sedated into dreamless sleep that meant their bodies would be utterly unable to fight the feeding process. Sure, sometimes they'd have to refresh the slime so they'd continue to get oxygen and nutrients, but that could be done without removing the ponies, and the energy they got eclipsed the energy they had to put in. Now, after so many decades of barely scraping by, they had a great feast before them that would never run out. "That's the last of them, right?"

"Mmhmm! With that, Equestria and the Crystal Empire have been conquered. The Cosmic Manipulation Mechanism is working as planned, and the other nations are too scared stiff of your military to avenge Equestria. Everything's perfect."

She nodded. Perfect. It was, wasn't it? Equestria was finally her's. The decapitation strike had gone off without a hitch, and even now the alicorn sisters slumbered in dreamless sleep within their pods. Cadance was in the same situation. "Great! Then you and me can go back to our room," she said, her voice carrying a hint of things to come.

Twilight blushed bright red through her purple coat - the novelty of blushing red never wore off - and nodded. "Of course, of course!" She banished her notepad and pencil away to who-knew-where and trotted to her side. "Lead the way, Chryssy."

She did so, leading the pony through the corridors of her hive. They passed many changelings on the way, all looking full and healthy. Queen Chrysalis herself was no longer as twig-thin as she'd been. Twilight was recovering as well from being fed on voraciously in the past, and if it weren't for the royal purple irises being flooded with the emerald light of hypnosis, noling would have suspected anything was wrong with her in the first place.

Most of the changelings they passed first were soldiers in case anypony broke out, and harvesters who specialized in ripping the most love out of ponies as possible. Then as they went further into the tunnels they passed civilians, nearly everyling bowing to their Queen as she passed by. Then they entered the noble area of the hive, then further into the royal tunnels, and then deeper and deeper, past the enchanted-armor-wearing Imperial Guard and into Chrysalis's private chambers.

They were essentially a large, rectangular prism. Unlike most of her hive, there were sources of light beyond her glowing eyes; enchanted torches with green fire that never consumed air, never burnt down or gave off smoke. Her bed was a large circle, covered in luxurious green silk with four posters around its circumference. Dotted around her chambers were drawers and tables, littered with all sorts of projects both Chrysalis and Twilight had set their hearts on.

Chrysalis closed the entrance with a soundproof forcefield, grabbed Twily in her forehooves and stood on her hind legs, buzzing her wings for balance. She lifted off and flew over to the bed, landing on top of Twilight and looking down at her workerfriend, down at her green eyes.

She winced in guilt. There weren't many things that Chrysalis regretted doing to take over Equestria, but hypnotizing Twilight was one. She hadn't changed much, just Twilight's loyalties were altered. The pony's personality was untouched and... and she liked her personality. Twilight Sparkle was, contrary to her first impressions, a wonderful worker and she didn't deserve what Chrysalis did to her.

Her conflict must've been apparent, because Twilight's face softened and she reached up to stroke her cheek with a hoof. "Hey, Chryssy, what's wrong?"

She rolled off of Twilight and sat on the edge of the bed, her head hung low. "I can't do it," she muttered. "I can't keep doing this to you."

Twilight sat up and hugged her from behind. "What do you mean?"

"I hypnotized you," she whispered. "I did that to you, made you betray your friends and family. You don't really love me, I made you. I just, just undo it..." Her horn lit up...

... only for Twily's magenta aura to swirl around it and gently extinguish the magic. "Chryssy, you didn't."

"Yes I did!" she snapped, turning around to look at Twilight. "You know as well as I do that you should hate me for what I've done! You would if it wasn't for me."

"So what's the solution?" she asked. "Chryssy, all you did was change who I was loyal to. You didn't make me love you. The same would've happened had you chosen to make peace with Equestria, I'm sure of it." Chrysalis scoffed. Yes, peace. That was an option. "And even if I had, what do you even want to do about it? Unhypnotize me and have me filled with hatred and despair? Retain my feelings for you, but not my loyalty, and be conflicted?" Twilight hugged her harder from behind. "Chrysalis, please just let it stay. Let me stay with you. Please."

She looked back at the pony, into her magic-tainted eyes, and nodded. She shifted around so she was facing Twilight and leaned over her, pushing the pony down into the bed. "Thank you," she whispered, nuzzling the pony. "Thank you."

> Late Night Snack by Knight of Lycaeus (Adorable)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

A dark shadow carefully crept through the darken hallways of the Crystal Oaks. Silently the shadow made its way to its destination, avoiding the use of any magic so as to avoid alert any of the scattered patrolling Guards.  At last the prize was in sight; the door ahead at the end of the hallway was unremarkable and looked like any other door in the castle. The shadow smirked knowing the layout of the Crystal Oaks and that their prize was just beyond the threshold of the door.

The shadow knew this last hallway would be the trickiest, there was a lone Guard on patrol but the curtains had been drawn back allowing moonlight to stream through the windows banishing most of the darkness preventing the shadow from using them to hide. Still the shadow was smart, it had a plan. Wings that the shadow possessed, but had yet to use for it knew it might draw the attention of the Guards, drew itself to its full span before quietly flying up towards the ceiling. It flew high above the patrolling Guard and to the door. The prize it had been searching for was so close; all it had to do was open the door. The shadow carefully opened to door so it would not creak and stepped inside.

Stepping inside the room flooded with lights and revealed the shadow to be….

“Twilight, Twilight. Sneaking around in your own palace?” Chrysalis said tauntingly.

“Oh, er, hello Chrysalis,” Twilight said nervously.

“Now what could have gotten my lover up so late?” Chrysalis pondered out loud, “I would say books or research but we’re not standing in the library are we?”

Twilight said nothing but gave a shaky nod.

“No, we’re in the kitchens!” Chrysalis continued. “So why would you be here? Didn’t a certain Pony lecture me about late night snaking?”

Twilight slumped over, “Yes….”

“Yet here you are, in the kitchens.” Chrysalis said.

“Fine, I was here to find a snack.” Twilight admitted.

Chrysalis waved a hoof beckoning Twilight to continue.

“And I shouldn’t have lectured you about it, especially since I was doing just that.”

Chrysalis nodded, “Good, although I do wonder why you would break one of your own rules.”

Twilight looked sheepish, “I was kind of buried in research earlier and I probably, kind of, forgot to eat….”

Chrysalis smirked, “So late night snacking?”

Twilight nodded.

“I’ll let this slide…. this one time.” Chrysalis said before turning towards Twilight with a grin, “I know I don’t eat the same food as you do most of the time but maybe we could still bring back some things to share.”

Twilight who was slightly tired thought there might be a second meaning to what Chrysalis said…. actually knowing Chrysalis there probably was and for Twilight her only response was to nod.


[/hr]
A pair of Guards stationed outside the Royal Suite had just admitted their rulers back into their rooms when they heard a loud thump and a squeal. Sighing one said to the other, “I’ll find us a spellcaster for a silencing spell.”

His partner mutely nodded as more sounds could be heard before blurting out, “Quickly, please!”

> Sunset Shimmer by lyra_lover777 (Humor)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

"I just hate her." Chrysalis said to Twilight as she looked behind herself to see Sunset Shimmer idly eating a piece of bread. Sunset sat in the royal mess hall along with a variation of scribes, guards, and other types of servants.

"Why?" Twilight asked, confused. Hadn't they both been villains at some time? How had they got on each other's bad side? Twilight could see Sunset glaring rather obviously at Chrysalis, who's face was red with anger.

The pair sat down at a table a good distance away from the sun flanked unicorn. A servant scampered over to them the second their rumps hit the benches around the long, thin table.

After ordering daisy sandwiches and some goo and alcoholic nectar.

Finally then Chrysalis responded to Twilight.

"It's nothing. I really don't have to tell you. Just some petty thing."

Twilight gave her a questioning look, prompting the changeling queen to speak.

"Well, lets just say I snuck in here on day, a little before the changeling evasion of Canterlot-"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Failed invasion, you mean?"

'Oh, shush you. Anyways," Then Chrysalis began her story as they waited for their food.

Chrysalis was disguised as a peach coated pegasus. Her mane was pure black, and her mane and tail were short and choppy. Her flank was adorned with the picture of a dark black rumbling thunder cloud with several bolts of lightning emitting from it.

She entered a tavern called "The Bottom of the Barrel." It was a run down bar, only poor ponies, along with an assortment of criminals, visited.

When Chrysalis entered, she took a seat next to a mare with a similar coat who's mane was a mixture of canary yellow and deep, loud red.

She gave a disapproving look at Chrysalis while Chrysalis ordered a tin of beer.

She told the barpony her name was Stormy Thunder, and that she had just moved here from the little isolated town of Seaton.

Sunset narrowed her eyes as she glared at Chrysalis.

"I'm from Seaton. There was no like of you there. There was only one pegasus, a it was a he! Your a fake!"

Sunset then sloshed her foamy beer in Chrysalis's face. Her disguise flickered, showing her real self for a second.

Sunset gasped as Chrysalis galloped out of the bar, leaving a bewildered Sunset and a confused barpony.

When Chrysalis finished her story, Twilight looked up at her. 'So why was that such a big deal?" she asked.

"WHY. WAS. THAT. SUCH. A. BIG. DEAL!?" Chrysalis screeched. "If she hadn't decided that night to travel to the human world, she would have given us away! Then I wouldn't have gone and then I wouldn't have been prompted to try a second time where you captured me and reformed me! Then we would have never fallen n love! As of this, this trade, this cultural conversion-" Chrysalis pointed to a small changeling talking to an earth pony.

"-Would have never happened!"

"I-I guess you're right," Twilight muttered.

Suddenly Sunset trotted by with an empty tray and a half full silver mug of ale.

She then poured the contents of the silver mug all over Chrysalis before trotting away smugly.

'That little whor-"

Twilight clamped her marefriend's mouth shut and grabbed the food from the servant before pushing Chrysalis away, hoping to avoid conflict.

> Banished To The Moon by Europa (*snorts*)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

It was exquisitely empty. The land was a pale gray, covered with dust, rocks, and the mammoth indents of craters. The horizon was much closer than it should have been, which threw off her sense of distance nauseatingly. The planet - Equus in Equestrian, Ixkla in Hemipid, Axion in Avian, etc - hovered like an enormous blue-green moon in the sky, four times larger than she felt it should have been. The sky was black as pitch and devoid of any stars except for one, and that star - the sun - burned steady in the corner of her vision.

As she walked towards her target, Twilight noted that her hooves left prints on the ground, which she knew would never go away. It was weird to feel no air against her coat, to feel utter vacuum around herself, to be able to leap so far but not fly at all, yet still be able to breathe and operate normally thanks to some bizarre lunar magic.

The black figure of Chrysalis sat on her haunches, a stunned look on her face. Twilight opened her mouth and quivered her vocal cords, but no sound came out. The changeling queen tilted her head, then got up and trotted over to Twilight. She lowered her horn to her's, sparked it with green, then sat back.

'Can you hear me?' she asked right into her brain's hearing center.

'Oh you've done it this time!' she raged. 'What were you thinking?!'

'Relax, Twily! She won't leave us up here that long, will she?'

'Why did you even decide to offend Celestia like that?'

'It's not like I knew she could banish us to the moon! I thought she needed the Elements of Harmony to do that.'

'And it's not like she's had a thousand years since then to figure out how to do it without!' Twilight gritted her teeth and pawed the ground.

'Well I'm sorry, but I stand by what I said!'

Were there any air around, Twilight would've been sputtering. All the same, spittle came out of her mouth and tried to freeze, boil, sublimate and deposit all at once in the vacuum. 'Stand by what you said?! You accused Celestia of sleeping with her sister!'

There was a pause where Chrysalis stared at her intensely. Then she turned away with what might've been a huff, her mane flying in some odd slow motion thanks to the low gravity. 'I regret nothing!'

> Thanksgving by Europa (sweet)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

In spite of their first impressions, Twilight loved Chrysalis. Honestly, she did. But sometimes, the changeling made that so difficult. Like now, for instance. For some reason she and her workerfriend, her parents, Shining and Cadance, were seated around a table covered in a cloth with, of all things, a cooked turkey in the middle. Given that Chrysalis was the only one at the table who could stand the smell of cooked flesh, let alone not get sick from eating it, the atmosphere was about as awkward as one would imagine.

Besides the turkey, thankfully, was a wide spread of herbivore meals. Mashed potatoes, cherries, the list went on. Twilight wondered just how Chrysalis had gotten this much into their home unnoticed, or how many ambers it had cost the changeling.

"Why are we celebrating this again?" Cadance asked.

"Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for what we have, what changes have improved our lives for the better," Chrysalis said nobly, raising her snout just enough to give her an air of grace, but not so much that it would be seen as snobbishness. "It is something worth reflecting on."

"No, I got that," Cadance said. "What I don't get is why we're celebrating it, since it's a griffon holiday."

Chrysalis blinked dumbly, as if not understanding the question.

The pink alicorn sighed. "... never mind. Ms. Velvet, could you please pass the biscuits?"

> Steatopygia by Europa (daww)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Like a thunderbolt, the voice rang out through Ponyville's crystal palace and out into the streets. Ponies stopped what they were doing and looked towards in the source of the disturbance, before deciding - wisely - to ignore it. Animals retreated into their hollows and clouds shook under the four simple words.

"I AM NOT FAT!"

Inside, Chrysalis clamped her hooves over her ears to shield them from her incensed workerfriend's roar. "I never said you were!" she protested. She sat on the bed and lit up her horn, engulfing Twilight in her kinetic field. The pony crossed her forehooves and glared as Chrysalis floated her over to her and dropped her in her lap. Quickly, she started gently brushing her mane with a hoof. "All I said was that you have a lot more fat in your flanks than changelings do. It was surprising."

She could sense Twilight's anger dipping, but she kept her tone as hostile as before. "Is this another one of those biology differences?"

"Probably," she admitted. "We don't really store fat there, we use it to make our slime. You, however..." She flipped around so that Twilight was laying down on her stomach, Queen Chrysalis doing likewise on top of the pony.

"Hey!"

"You however, are much softer than a changeling." Chrysalis leaned her head over and rubbed her face against Twilight's. "I'm not saying you're fat, just that your pony-ness makes you - " She moved up a hind leg to poke her workerfriend's plot, resulting in a yelp. " - much squishier than us, in the way of more fat."

"I think that can be chalked up to me not having a carapace, Chryssy."

"Maybe," she said, continuing to poke. "But the fat stores are definitely a part of it."

"I hate you so much," she deadpanned from beneath her.

"Oh really?" Chrysalis poked harder. "Then I think I should fix that..." She slid down...

> Rainbow Factory by Knight of Lycaeus (scary)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

Storm clouds, dark and grey formed the walls and ceiling, heavy, noisy machinery cluttered the floor, blacken Ponies move to and fro checking on the humming machines. Walking between the blacken Ponies were other Pegasi in pristine suits; they surveyed the area as the workers began to inspect one of the more foreboding piece of machinery in the room. The machine they were inspecting was likewise blacken but small drops of rainbow could faintly been seen leaking through minute cracks. In another isolated room with the same grey walls along with thick, heavy bars of metal was a group of huddled together Pegasi fo-

“Stop!” Twilight yelled.

Chrysalis looked confused, “What’s wrong. I was just describing what our Hive will be doing for Nightmare Night to make it a scary attraction for visitors.”

Twilight rubbed her head with a forehoof, “This already sounds like too familiar.”

Twilight turned to glare at Chrysalis, “You are recreating something that haunts a lot of Pegasi into wondering if it is or was true!”

“I’ve heard a few Pegasi mention it before, but you mean the Rainbow Factory legend might be true?” Chrysalis asked.

Twilight sighed, “No, but it doesn’t help that the upper levels of the Weather Factory are constructed of dark grey clouds or that the rainbow recipe is top secret.”
Twilight spoke quietly as she began to pace around Chrysalis, "You will not scare Ponies with this, Ponyville may not have a very large population of Pegasi but even without many Pegasi this will be enough to scare most Ponies and possibly give nightmares to the Pegasi!” Twilight finished the end with a loud yell.

Chrysalis winced at the volume of Twilight’s voice; she suspected that it was getting close to matching the full volume of the Royal Canterlot Voice. “Okay so no stories about the Rainbow Factory and its possible use of foals in rainbows.”

Chrysalis thought of some other ideas, “We could have an empty orchard where there a large, menacing stallion roaming around hunting Ponies.”

“No,” Twilight growled as stopped her pacing. “Ponyville is mostly inhabited by Earth Ponies, it is an Earth Pony village and many of them depend on farming for a living. They, the farming community, would cause a ruckus over your Hive portraying their livelihood like that.”

“You’re the Princess so it shouldn’t matter too much besides it’s a night for scares. Next idea I have is about a sweet school teacher who puts on a play to torture her students. How about that one? The visitors could just watch it be performed by Changelings.” Chrysalis suggested.

“No!” Twilight screamed. “Do you have any idea how many parents would be after us for attempting the idea? Also I may be the Princess but I don’t want the town after my head for doing something like this.”

Chrysalis sighed but nodded, “You’re no fun because some of these ideas are great. So next idea, a crazy mare goes around killing Ponies and hiding their bodies by turning them into tasty confections like cupcakes?”

“No!” Twilight yelled again, “I would have Bonbon and the Cakes and probably Pinkie after me for allowing you to do that!”

Chrysalis sighed, “Probably my last idea, how about a tall pony with a featureless white face wearing a dark suit that is lurking in the woods and silently follows unsuspecting travellers.”

Twilight sighed, “That last one might do.” Twilight walked over to Chrysalis, “The idea is to scare Ponies not mentally scar them for life.”

Chrysalis nodded, “That’s all we’re going to do, although I may some other ideas that I could work into that last one.”

“Wonderful, we’ll just put a massive sign saying “Enter at Your Own Peril,” Twilight sarcastically suggested.

Chrysalis embraced Twilight, “Don’t worry, I promise I won’t go over the top on scaring Ponies.”

> Voyage by lyra_lover777 (sad)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

I sat huddled on the deck, squatting on the cold hard metal floor of the giant ship. Waves crashed against the ship's hull, usually splashing over the edge and drenching me and my fellow voyagers in briny sea water.

My eyes, which had been glued to the floor, took one last glance out at sea. The shoreline of my home was still visible, though barely. Soon the low hanging clouds and the mist from the waves swallowed it up entirely.

The journey, I knew, was expected to be long and hard, with little to none survivors. But we had to do this. We were the smartest, the bravest, the strongest, and only we could find a cure.

And if we failed, the whole of Equestria, and everywhere else, would scumb to it.

I felt my eyes travel up to my fellow sailors. There were ten of us in total. Me, who was huddled in a heap on the deck, looking frail and not even alive, my long, nay, pink, and purple mane spread out around me.

Junebug, who had given Spike a flower on his birthday, was steering the ship's wheel, a depressed look on her face.  Gizmo Pointdexter, the zitty, nerdy stallion sat next to her, checking the gauges and meters.

Mane Goodall, who had checked on Spike during his growth spurt, was sorting through the luggage, halfway through dragging it all downstairs. Big Macintosh, Applejack's brother,  had been looking out at sea, but turned to her and began to help ferry the suitcases and supplies below deck.

Sadly, the little filly Dinky Doo had been forced to come with also. She was weeping in a corner. After she had gained her cutie mark in magic, she had become Princess Luna's apprentice, much like how I was Celestia's. Both of us wanted to become a princess some day and gain wings.

But first we had to survive this.

Cheese Sandwich was stooped over Dinky, cracking a few jokes while he played a yellow violin. Soon the little filly was giggling, barely able to control herself as her light lavender coat, much like mine, became even wetter when she rolled into a puddle.

Cherry Jubilee was the farthest from me. She had been spending most of her time below deck, and had now just emerged.

Blossomforth was flapping above the ship, trying to keep up, struggling to propel herself forward in the speedy winds.

The last one was the most out of place. Everypony else seemed to be appointed on this mission because they had particular skill in areas that would help in the cure for it. Some of them, like Big Mac and Cheery Jubilee, and Blossomforth, were specialized in plants. Mane Goodall was specialized in animals, me, Dinky, and Gizmo were the smarts and magic, and Cheese was to keep the morale up, if not for anything else.

But her.

Chrysalis.

Her life had been wrecked in the past months. She had been running her monarchy in the Badlands when her younger sister, Princess Pupa, introduced the idea of a democracy. The Hive was taken by storm, and Pupa, after taking over, exiled her sister from the lands she had lived in her whole life.

Chrysalis had then taken refuge in Equestria while she tried to put her life together. But the word of the new democracy was spreading like fire in a bone dry wheat field. Before the virus had hit, protests had begun to pop up. The two alicorn monarchs could have easily had a virus on their hooves if the deadly virus hadn't hit Equestria, carried by an ill traveling llama from LLamaialia far in the east.

I eyed Chrysalis, who was fiddling with her hooves as she drooped in a corner, alone.

I scooted over to her, moving a centimeter at a time. Soon Chrysalis began to notice my efforts, and straightened her back.

"Hi," I said in a quiet voice, smiling sympathetically. She just smiled back.

Soon the mist began to clear, and a small island, with a jungle running rampant over its surface, appeared through the gloom.

We got to our hooves and went to the front of the boat along with everypony else except Junebug, who kept steering the boat.

My face cracked into a bigger smile as we reached the shore. Maybe we would find a cure. Just maybe.

> Cyborg by ColdGoldLazarus (Sweet)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by ColdGoldLazarus

It was ironic, really, how the mare who lived with change would be the one most opposed to it. That was how Changeling society had survived undetected for so long, and continued to get by even after being revealed to the world, but on some deep level, Twilight found it incredibly amusing. Her marefriend changed her form daily, yet as magitech had taken off in recent years, had nothing but disparaging remarks for the changing times – and most heinous of all in the queen’s eyes, those ponies who chose to become one with the technology, adding onto or even replacing parts of their own bodies with the monstrous metallic machinery.

And at the moment, it was that amusement Twilight hung onto like a sailor holding a lifeboat, as other, less pleasant emotions threatened to intrude. Painful memories lingered, of two dark red eyes atop the highest spire of Tambelon, of the curled horns that glowed with the whiteness of moon-bleached bone, of the terrible beam of solidified fear and hatred and agony as it lanced toward her… Those memories were bad enough, but almost worse was the gut-wrenching feeling of waking up to find a part of herself gone.

Her left legs and wing, along with a good portion of her side, had been utterly obliterated by Grogar, and she had passed out from the pain. The good news, the doctors had been quick to reassure her, was that her friends had continued the fight while her marefriend had ferried her away from the pitched battle, and the backup elements – Spitfire, Silver Shill, Coco Pommel, Sea Breeze, Cheese Sandwich, and of course Discord, had finally banished the demon ram and his city of the damned.

But the worst of it was probably the growing apprehension gnawing at the alicorn’s stomach. (thankfully left intact) As she stared helplessly at the sleek chrome limb resting across her belly, scenarios and possibilities ran through her head at the speed of light – the best of them involved yelling; the worst involved stilted language and dying love. She knew she should have more faith in her marefriend, but the memories of too many hard looks, too many scathing comments, too many failed attempts at reason all undermined her normally optimistic outlook.

To distract herself, she more closely examined the prosthetic. It was bizarre – it responded to her every movement with a slight whirr and a smooth, fluid motion as natural as any normal leg, but she couldn’t really feel it. Sensation ended at the burnt stumps of her withers and flank, yet motion continued past that, and for all her intellectual prowess, Twilight just couldn’t wrap her head around it on an emotional level.

If she couldn’t accept it, then how could her marefriend ever do so?

“You have a visitor, ma’a- er, your Highness. Shall I let her in?” A nurse stood in the door, peering in on the patient nervously, a common side effect in those who had recently met Twilight’s marefriend, and one that all but confirmed said Alicorn’s worst fears.

For a brief moment, she actually considered telling the nurse to turn her away, say she was still not ready to speak to her… but the moment passed, and she gulped reluctantly. “Let her in.” As she’d learned and passed on in not one but several friendship letters, it was better to face the issue head-on instead of letting it build up, and cause more pain than necessary to everypony involved before it could be resolved.

She just hoped this issue could be resolved…

The nurse opened the door again, and in strode Twilight’s marefriend. The Alicorn stared at the long, chitinous legs, the iridescent green shell across the mare’s back, and the individual gaps in the intricate leg armour that gave the illusion of holes; not because she hadn’t seen them before, but rather because looking upward, and meeting those eyes… Grogar had been terrifying in his power, and Twilight doubted that he would ever stop haunting her nightmares after what he had done to her, yet in some ways he paled utterly to the fear of rejection from her lover.

So what happened next shocked her beyond words. “Oh, Twilight.” The slender frame, even after all these years rarely accustomed to dropping its haughty stature, rushed at the patient, black chitin filling Twilight’s vision. Then, incredibly soft, two hooves wrapped around her barrel, gentle and hesitant and oh so loving. Chrysalis lay her head under Twilight’s chin, careful to point her crooked horn well away from the love of her life, and breathed in that lavender fur with a sob of relief. Twilight took in a deep breath of her lover’s cyan mane, the familiar scent of pine and moss filling her senses. For a moment she forgot about her earlier worries entirely, too caught up in the heady rush of love and affection for such trivial matters to affect her.

Unfortunately, the peace was not to last, and the faintest whir from her hind left leg brought it to a crashing halt. Chrysalis slowly disengaged, settling down in a seat beside the bed. Twilight still couldn’t bring herself to meet her lover’s gaze, staring instead at her own contrite expression in the sheen of her prosthetic foreleg. “I’m sorry.”

“For being so Draril-damned reckless? You should be.” Her voice was harsh, angry and hurt, but turned suddenly very soft. “For… this? A hoof was waved vaguely toward the metallic limb. “Did no one tell you that it was I who insisted they give you this operation?”

Twilight’s eyes shot open as she stared her marefriend right in the eyes, oh right in the eyes and she was not angry, not disappointed, not awkward, but simply sheepish and timid and oh Celestia! Twilight couldn’t help it anymore, tears beginning to flow as she leaned forward to hug the queen, both real and prosthetic limbs wrapping around her lover the same way…

“Twilight,” Chrysalis said, “This will take some adjustment on my part, but please do believe me when I say that you  are worth it to me. You will always be worth it to me.”

“I-I” Twilight managed between sniffles, “I love you too.”

In the closeness of her embrace, both of them shook slightly as a bittersweet chuckle rose from the changeling’s throat. “For a being who lives with change, I really needed to get with the times, anyway.”

Twilight couldn’t resist the sneaky grin that developed. “My thoughts exactly.”

> Fertilization by TheMusicalBoy93 (Line? What Line?)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

TheMusicalBoy93

“You have got to be kidding me.”

Twilight blushed, shuffling her hooves as she stood in her bedroom doorway, looking at the prone form of her beloved spread out across her bed sheets. The queen’s hind legs were spread at very unladylike angles, leaving nothing to the imagination. Chrysalis flashed the pony a look of mock innocence, batting her eyelashes alluringly as she moved her tail slowly to one side of the bed.

“Now Twilight, why would you assume I would joke at a time like this?” The changeling licked her lips enticingly, her horn glowing dimly as she willed the lights to fade away, lighting half a dozen nearby scented candle strewn around the bed chambers. The purple Alicorn’s cheeks flushed brightly as she tried her darnedest not to look directly at the sight before her on her bed.

“Please tell me this is some sort of dare, or prank, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow set you up to do.” Twilight’s eyes glanced downward, catching a brief glimpse of the little “present” Chrysalis had given her. Chrysalis smirked as she watched her lover’s breaths deepen, her generous gift swaying underneath her purple belly.

“Oh, this is no prank, my dear,” the changeling cooed, temptingly. “I just thought you might to relieve some of your recent stress, is all.” Twilight’s eyes focused on her lover’s hooves, slowly roaming up her prone form before settling their gaze on her rose. The Alicorn would never admit it out loud, but the offer was an inviting one. What with all the stress she’d been dealing with in her day court, Twilight had to confess she was feeling a tad pent up. And, perhaps, that’s why she loved Chrysalis so much. She was always there to offer her some much needed relief. And she wasn’t ashamed to get dirty while doing it.

“OK then.” Twilight smirked as she slowly advanced on her workerfriend. “Get ready for the breeding of your life.”

> Laser by lyra_lover777 (Dark, Tragedy)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Twilight screamed as she beat on the glass walls of her enclosure. Her knuckles soon began to bleed from her relentless beating, and the blood seeped down her arm and dripping on the pristine white hospital gown the hung loosely on her slim frame.

She collapsed in a heap, tears streaking down her face, making her bangs matted and wet.

She looked out the window to see her, Chrysalis, her Chrysalis, wearing her thick black armor over her even thicker carapace. In her hands were two twin pistols.

And then there was her brother, Shining, clad in full body metal armor, a giant laser gun in his hands.

"CHRYSALIS! SHINING!" Twilight screeched, pounding on the glass windows of her prison. Her bleeding knuckles smeared their blood over the window while Twilight continued to shriek like a mad woman.

Which she could easily be.

Shining fired his gun. Chrysalis ducked, and the laser beam hit a small shack behind her, with lit up with flames.

Twilight began to gnaw on her fingernails while sobbing, mumbling and muttering utter nothing while she calculated her surroundings. She always felt calmer that way.

Ten feet high,ten feet wide, ten feet long.

A perfect cube.

Claustrophobia began to set in. Twilight rocked her body while she wept and gnawed on her fingers. She was still watching the mayhem outside.

The two ponies she loved most in the world were fighting to the death.

She watched as Chrysalis fired both of her pistols at the same time. One missed Shining, but the other dented his armor greatly, almost breaking it.

But then Chrysalis seemed to realize that there was a giant white cube holding her lover floating ten feet away from her. She was distracted for just a second, but that was enough for Shining.

"CHRYSALIS!" Twilight screamed.

But it was to late. The laser beam hit Chrysalis's right hand. It exploded in a blast of red, both magic and blood.

`    Chrysalis shrieked and fell to the ground, clutching her now stump of a hand to her chest to ease the blleding.

Shining, smiling maniacally, cocked the gun.

He fired again. This time his laser hit Chrysalis's head. It exploded in a giant splatter of blood that landed all over the windows of the glass cube.

Twilight screamed, tearing her robe to shreds before collapsing, weeping profoundly.
===
Twilight sat up in bed with a start. She quickly looked around. It was a dream. It had all been a dream.

"Oh it was a dream," Twilight said, relieved.

She turned to look at Chrysalis.

But there was no pony there.

Just empty sheets.

And-

Twilight screamed.

-Blood.

> Evil Twilight Good Chrysalis 1 by Europa (Story)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Princess Chrysalis stared at her dearest friend, Genasi. The shorter changeling - not royal caste like her - approached her. "It's okay, Chryssy. I'm sorry, I've just been under a lot of stress lately," she admitted sheepishly.

Chrysalis drew her into a hug. "It's okay, it's okay. I know how it is."

"You're not the one getting married."

She chuckled. "Okay, maybe not." She pulled away. "I'm just glad we're okay."

"Me too, Chryssy."

Chrysalis turned around and began to trot away. "Aaanyway, I got to go see if mother's still angry at me. Catch you later."

"Yes," Genasi said, her voice suddenly cold and hard. "Your mother, Queen Thorax the Orange." Chrysalis turned around at the surprisingly hostile tone, and was taken off guard by what she saw. Genasi's short, curved horn was lit up with blinding luminescence. But instead of the orange magic that nearly all changelings shared with her mother thanks to the hivemind - Chrysalis herself was royalty, so her magic could be its natural green, heralding she had great things ahead of her - Genasi's horn was a swirling maelstrom of magenta, dark blue, teal, and golden magic, its core so brilliant as to be white, the colors swirling around her horn like a whirlwind.

"Genasi, what - "

That was all the time she got to speak. The crushing torrents of certainly-not-changeling-magic wrapped around her. There was a flash, a jerk in a direction she couldn't see, and then the magic faded.

Princess Chrysalis looked around. The room she was in was made entirely of dark stone, with bookshelves all around her, filled to bursting with tomes. The only light was the gentle bio-luminescence of her eyes. There was some strange magic layered upon the walls, and nothing more.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


Queen Twilight Sparkle, Ruler of the Dusk, Goddess of Magic, monarch of Equestria, finished teleporting away the young Princess Chrysalis and sighed. There. That was one problem taken care of. Making sure that the polymorph spell disguising herself as an average changeling - Genasi was her name, and being a statue was now her game - held, she trotted back to the underground chamber that 'Queen Thorax' had prepared for her upcoming wedding to 'Swarm Commander Polin'.

It was just too easy. For a species that apparently made their living around shapeshifting and espionage, beating them at their own game was pathetically simple. Then again, what wasn't pathetically simple for the Channeler of Love, Mover of the Orbs? She'd hoped that overwhelming the changelings would provide her with a challenge, but no such luck.

Oh well. When she was done here, maybe she could go let Tirek loose, give him a head start to feed, then cram him back into Tartarus.

Some infinitesimal small part of her, from millennia ago when she only had the power of an exceptionally strong unicorn, wondered if maybe what she was doing was wrong. After all, the changelings did no harm; they made sure of that. They'd never hurt her. She was a monster for doing this.

Queen Twilight ignored that and closed the door behind her with a flick of orange alicorn-disguised-as-changeling magic. She trotted over to the bed and flopped down on the green silk sheets. It was very luxurious and soft, but nowhere near as comfortable as her enchanted cloud bed back home. Good enough for bugs, she supposed. 

She closed her eyes and fell asleep, ready for the 'wedding' tomorrow that would spell the end of the changelings with a swift decapitation strike. There was nothing they could do about it; all their power combined wouldn't match her, and while Queen Thorax could've overpowered any single alicorn, Queen Twilight had much more than one alicorn's worth of magic in her. And it wasn't like they had hypnotic magic either, so she was safe.

Twilight Sparkle had no dreams, and she was up and about quickly. Reapply her polymorph spell and the emotional suppressor to keep her field of emotional energy suppressed. She conjured nutrients directly into her stomach to nourish herself, and then stepped out of the seaweed-esque door flaps into the tunnels of the hive. She had a wedding to go to, and with that admittedly intelligent Chrysalis safely hidden away in a pocket dimension, there was nopony - and noling - who even suspected her.

Too easy.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


She had to get out, she had to get out! Chrysalis blasted the walls with all her formidable power, but didn't even mar the books. She screamed and lashed out again and again, but no matter what she did she couldn't escape. No fire portals, nothing! How much air was there? Would Genasi - if that was even her real name - ever let her go? Would she be doomed to starve here, over the course of weeks, slowly and painfully, begging for rescue that would never come?

The thought sent chills down Princess Chrysalis's shell.

She had to get out, though! It couldn't end like this. With a scream of anger, she gripped a bookshelf and tugged, but it didn't fly off. Some magic had affixed it firmly to the cylindrical wall. Instead, she lit up her horn with eldritch emerald energy and ripped a line of books off.

One of them landed open, the picture of some strange, mismatched being on it. Chrysalis cocked a brow.

FLASH!

A surge of white light filled her vision, accompanied by the feeling of fibrous feathers tickling the spaces between her chitin. Then there was a loud, "AAAAAH! Oh man, that feels good! Cooped up in a book for five thousand years, can you believe it?"

The chimera - no, not a chimera, even chimeras had more sense to them than this - looked her way. "Hey hey there! You must be the 'ling that let me out! Great going on that, by the way."

"W-Who are you?" she asked, backing up against the wall.

"Why, my name is Discord, first and only draconequus!" He flexed, his lion arm and eagle arm suddenly bulging with ridiculous muscle. "Most powerful being on the planet!" The muscles, and Discord's expression, deflated. "Well, was. Miss Purplesmart's rather crafty. Cruel too, putting me in a book like that! Do you have any idea how boring it gets to read charts describing the equations for torque and angular momentum for five thousand years?!"

"Um, no?" she squeaked.

Discord nodded, hovering in the air without flapping his strange wings.  "Well, anyway! If you're here, then I guess you must've had a run in with ol' Sparklebutt. Now, listen. I can't fight her; my chaos magic is very powerful but she's developed counters to it and ways to predict it. I can get us out of here though, but you'll have to deal with her on your own, kiddo."

"That's, uh, good?" she asked. "But wait, who put us here?"

"Twilight Sparkle, ever hear the name?"

Princess Chrysalis gasped. The Twilight Sparkle? The only living alicorn, mover of the cosmic orbs? She'd heard reports stating that the Queen of the Ponies was acting strangely; was it because Twilight had left an imposter on her throne to come to them under disguise? Why? She couldn't imagine anything pleasant.

Then there was a snap of light, sending her back to the hive.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


Chrysalis ran like she'd never run before. Normally she would have taken a fire portal, or inferno-dashed her way there, but she needed to save her magic for the Dusk Alicorn. A quick sip from the hive's repository of love refueled her, and gave her all the power she could hold.

She ran and ran. She bowled over Imperial Guards and guests alike as she neared the Wedding Hall, then burst inside.

It was a magnificent cavern, decorated with multicolored silken tapestries. At the ceiling clung stalactites upon stalactites, empty cocoons resting in them to provide lighting. On the floor and ceiling clung a great mass of changelings, chittering and buzzing to each other excitedly in Hemipid. A line through the middle had been cleared, up to the dias where no more than three figures stood.

The largest, of course, was her mother, Queen Thorax the Orange. She stood as tall as Chrysalis herself with orange, multi-ringed eyes and a unique collection of holes in her mane, tail, wings and legs. Her horn, instead of a crooked back-and-forth like her own, looked more like a lightning bolt.

Before her, wrapped in green silk around their abdomens, was 'Genasi' and Swarm Commander Polin. From her distance she couldn't make out which was which.

"STOP THE WEDDING!" she bellowed, continuing to run forward. All at once, everyling looked towards her as she approached. Soon she could make out the changelings by their hole patterns; the one on Chrysalis's left was Genasi and, therefore, Twilight Sparkle. "STOP!" She pointed a hoof at the utterly stunned imposter. "She's not Genasi!"

"My daughter, what is - "

"She's the Pony Queen, Twilight Sparkle! She's an imposter!"

Murmurs broke through the hall as Chrysalis stared down the disguised pony. 'Genasi' looked down and bit her lip, then back up at her. She sneered, baring her fangs. "You bucker!" she shouted. "You've just made the biggest mistake of your life!" Her horn lit up again with the same multicolored swirl as before. Chrysalis and her mother both shielded themselves, just in time for Twilight Sparkle's magic to detonate.

Twilight's entire body exploded, transformed into a shell of pure magic that surged through the hall. Everyling it touched was wrapped in a pulsing bubble of alicorn power and levitated, helpless and thrasing, into the air. Chrysalis and Queen Thorax, for their part, were untouched, but the burst of magic rent their shields asunder. Strands of magic swirled back together and coalesced into Twilight, the pony - as tall as Chrysalis - floating in mid air with her ethereal, galaxy-filled mane and tail flowing in an unseen gale.

The pony hmmphed and turned around. As she did, her flowing tail extended like a whip towards Chrysalis, and before she could react the surprisingly solid mass blasted into her chest and knocked her far back, burning away nearly all her magic, leaving her to land on the ground with a crisp thud.

By the time she recovered, Queen Thorax and Queen Twilight had switched positions. Her mother's forelegs were buckled as a geyser of orange magic spewed from her horn at the Goddess of Magic. Twilight, standing tall and proud, effortlessly channeled a thin ray of intertwined colors. Despite being much smaller in girth, it was slowly pushing back Thorax's magic.

Chrysalis grunted and pushed herself up on her forelegs, but her hind legs weren't responding; her back had broken?! If they got out of this, she was going to need weeks in a pod to heal that. She gasped when Twilight's magic beam pulsed in brightness, all at once overpowering Thorax and sending her back like a rag doll, unconscious.

Twilight Sparkle chuckled to herself, looking around at the stunned, helplessly floating changelings, and shook her head. "Honestly, I thought this would be so much harder. Strongest military in the world, and what have you to show for it?" Chrysalis screamed when a ray of magic shot over her head, petrifying the Imperial Guards that were streaming in. "Nothing."

Suddenly, an idea dawned on Chrysalis through her throbbing head. It was absurd, but she'd practiced the spell for a while now. It was their only shot. She wove a disguise on her eyes so no unusual glow would show through, and let her changeling magic pour into her green eyes. She took a deep breath. "Twilight Sparkle!" The pony - so much fur, eugh - snapped her attention at Chrysalis. "Why are you doing this?!"

Just for a moment, Twilight Sparkle wavered. "Ah yes, Princess Chrysalis. I don't know how you got out of my temporal prison. I didn't leave a book on deciphering space-time anomalies in there, did I?"

"Better, someling named 'Discord' was there. I let him out of his book, he let me out of your cage."

She snarled, continuing to hold eye contact. "Discord, of course. Bucking Discord! I think I'll go visit him."

"No, don't! You're already here, so indulge me." Twilight stayed. That was good, it meant her suggestion spell was working, however slowly. "You already went through all the effort of invading us, the least you owe is an explanation."

"Isn't it obvious?" she asked. "I'm bored. All the power in the world, such that none can challenge me. I can calculate the economy's status decades from today. Every scientific law is mine to hold. I've had to resort to letting a demon out of Tartarus like... like letting a fish out on reel, just so I can have anything resembling a challenge." Twilight approached, the aura of power around her making Chrysalis's eyes burn. "Here I was, hoping you changelings would challenge me, but no!"

Chrysalis took a deep breath. "Shut up." Twilight did. She'd been looking into Chrysalis's hypnotic eyes for a while, after all. "Now, surrender." Twilight sat down and bowed her head.

"Why am I - "

"I said shut up. Keep looking at my eyes." The pony did so. "Now, release everyling." A pulse of world-shaking magic, and everyling was free and unpetrified, some changelings attending to their fallen Queen. "Now, do not use magic until I say. Do not shield your mind. Do not do anything that may endanger us."

"Y-Yessss, my princessss," she hissed through gritted teeth as an emerald light began to overtake the pony's eyes.

"Now, allow yourself to be cocooned and sedated." The raw magic radiating off of Twilight was burning her. Chrysalis felt she didn't have long...

"All... right. Alright, I will." 

The Imperial Guards from before tackled Twilight, who did nothing to resist. Flashes of changeling magic later, and the pony rested in a cocoon.

Then, after having been blasted, manaburned, crippled, and scorched by Twilight's aura, Chrysalis passed out.


TO BE CONTINUED

> Evil Twilight Good Chrysalis 2 by Europa (Story)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Princess Chrysalis opened her eyes to find that she was in a cocoon. The green slime drifted around her lazily, and she exhaled in relief. If she was in a cocoon, then she was safe, safe from... she thought back.

... from Queen Twilight! That was right, the pony queen had invaded their hive and all but confessed to intending to perform genocide on her species. And her motivation? She was bored! So pick up a hobby or something!

She shifted in her pod and breathed the enriched slime, and realized that she could move her hind legs. She must've been in for a while, for it to have healed a spinal fracture in that time. Of course, Chrysalis couldn't see very far outside of the cocoon. Odds were that she was in a medical ward. Closing her eyes, the changeling princess drifted back to sleep.

When she next woke up, it was to a wet shhhlk tearing through her cocoon. She saw the tip of a sharp horn slicing down through the outside of the pod, and braced herself for what she knew was coming. A moment later, the slime poured out and took her with it. She landed on her hooves and immediately began the long, unpleasant process of throwing up the slime to clear her airways.

When she was settled, she looked up to see her mother was the only one there with her. "Oh Chryssy!" She was hugged, and she returned the embrace whole-heartedly. "I thought I'd lost you."

"I did too. I mean, for you," she said awkwardly, pulling back. "What happened after I, um..."

"Apparently your 'hypnosis' worked," she said proudly. "We've got Queen Twilight cocooned and are ready to try her under our laws. In fact, that's part of why I came to wake you up." Queen Thorax's face was overtaken by a dark fury. "The two of us are going to go have a discussion with that squishy little pony."

Chrysalis frowned. "Now? I just got out of my shell."

"Now, Princess Chrysalis the Green." Chrysalis winced. Mother rarely used her full title, and when she did it was either because she was furious or terrified. "Come, we are going by fire portal."

Orange flames licked around them in a perfect ring, and Chrysalis braced herself. There was a sinking feeling, a rising feeling, a pop, and then she and her mother were elsewhere.

The chamber was small, dark, and filled with Imperial Guards, all of whom had their horns pointed at one gently glowing, queen-sized cocoon. Inside rested Twilight Sparkle, sound asleep. Her ethereal hair had condensed back into solid fibers, blue with a tint of purple, and a bright pink streak running through it. A thrill of fear rested in her, remembering when the all-powerful Goddess had turned her eyes on Chrysalis with the intent to smite, to erase.

"How are we going to talk to her?" she asked.

"Simple. I've taken precautions to limit her strength; I'm going to let her out."

"What?!" Chrysalis looked over at her mother. "You can't be serious, she tried to kill us!"

"And she can't anymore, nor can she answer our questions in there. Stand back." Queen Thorax's horn took on its luminescence, and a square window opened in the cocoon's outer layer. Then, out fell Twilight Sparkle.

All the Imperials tensed, as did Chrysalis. She summoned magic to her horn, ready to fight if needed. "What are we going to do with her?"

"We're going to keep her here, and we are putting her on trial; after all, the ponies can't stop us. Before you ask, Spike the Peacemaker came by a little before you awoke and told us we could keep her, said it might do her some good." Queen Thorax shook her head sadly.

As Twilight Sparkle began to come too, coughing and vomiting the slime in her body back up, Chrysalis's mother filled her in on what she'd missed while in a cocoon. "Genasi was apparently unpetrified when you hypnotized Queen Twilight; she was hidden in her own room, under a distraction spell that would make anyling who passed her ignore her existence. She's recovered and is now married to Polin, as was originally planned. Equestria is understandably upset, but with Spike giving us permission, they aren't making a move." Twilight, on her hocks, stopped vomiting and looked up. "Ah, Twilight Sparkle. How nice to see you awake," she said coldly.

Now that the pony - she'd never seen a real live pony up close before - was free of the cocoon, Chrysalis could get a better look. There wasn't much interesting about the pony, except for the way her fur coat had changed color and texture now that it was moist, or the fact that there were so many iron inhibition rings attached to her horn that she couldn't see the horn itself. Her wings were splayed out limply along the ground."Queen Thorax," she sneered out. The pony rose to her hooves and shook her head. No aura of power radiated this time. "You - ugh - you really think a few magic inhibitors can contain me?" Twilight made a motion with her head, but nothing happened. Confused, the pony tried again, and again, growing frantic and desperate as she tainted the air with her fear.

"No," Thorax said. "But they certainly help the poison in your veins. Strength removers, wing muscle relaxants, and temporary deadening of the neurons connected to your horn."

Chrysalis watched in odd silence as Twilight continued to attempt magic, the tall pony's breaths growing heavy and ragged. She began to back up against the wall, shrinking down. "No, no no no, you can't. You can't!" she said with wide, pleading eyes. "No, my magic, my talent, no no no. Spike will, Spike will - "

Chrysalis found her voice. "He's given us permission to do with you as we wish," she said. "As of now, you will be fed and given some time to recover, then tried in court for your crimes against the Unified Changeling Swarm."

Thorax gave her a confused look, as if to ask, 'You want to give her time?', but returned her attention to the now-hyperventilating pony. "Twilight Sparkle, you have invaded our lands, assaulted our people, and threatened the extermination of our species. For ages beyond measuring, you have been kept safe by your power but now, in your recklessness, you have none of it." A smile broke out on Queen Thorax's face when she saw the whimpering queen's horrified look. "For the first time in ages, you will now know accountability."


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


"Chrysalis, do not pout."

"I'm not pouting, mother." Her horn lit up green and absorbed another green mote of love from the crystal before her, discarding it carelessly into a fire portal. "I'm just angry that you appointed me to be her handler!" Why did she have to be the one to reform the foreign queen?

"You've been bugging me to give you more responsibility," Queen Thorax said. "And here it is. You're not a nymph anymore, Chryssy. You're a full grown royal worker, and rehabilitation should be well within your capabilities." She turned Chrysalis around and pointed her towards the chamber, divided off by a curtain, and pushed her forwards. "Now go, princess, and handle." Mother gave her a gentle push, and Chrysalis trotted the rest of the way into her room.

The Imperial Guard that had been watching Twilight Sparkle saluted her, and she dismissed him. Queen Twilight still had the suppressor rings affixed to her horn, and Chrysalis's mother's poison in her veins.

Chrysalis trotted up to the pony, who laid on her bed limply, her face null and void of expression. Despite that, Chrysalis could sense the storm of worry, fear, and hatred inside the pony. She sneaked a glance at the pony's flank, confused by the stars printed on her flank.

Twilight looked up at her when Chrysalis stepped in. She gave a low whinny in her throat, but beyond that made no move. Princess Chrysalis, for her part, circled around and, still apprehensive of the pony but trusting in her mother's toxic abilities, laid on the bed next to her.

She grimaced, looked at Twilight Sparkle, then looked away.

This was going to be a long day.


TO BE CONTINUED


> Evil Twilight Good Chrysalis 3 by Europa (Story)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Time passed in monotony. Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. And through all that, Queen Twilight remained stolid and practically unreachable. She went through the motions to keep herself healthy; she drank, she ate the nutrient-rich slime they made for her. The pony kept her coat clean and exercised to prevent atrophy. But on the emotional side of things, they were making no progress.

Princess Chrysalis could sense her emotions, of course; hateful and vengeful, waiting for the moment where she could break free of her bonds and finish what she'd begun. Luckily, mother kept her enfeebling poison going, so Twilight was never afforded the chance. Whenever Chrysalis tried to speak to her about it, try to perform something at least resembling therapy, the pony just blew her off and retreated into her 'shell'.

But not today. Today, she had had enough. She was going to march right up to that pony and demand answers. She stopped outside her room, took a deep breath to steel her nerves, and then stormed in.

Twilight was in her usual place on the floor, laying on her belly, meditating. Chrysalis aimed to break her out of it. "Alright, enough of this!" she barked. The pony jerked and stared at her with one eye. "We're getting to the bottom of this, right now!" She lifted the pony in her magic and tossed her onto the bed.

"Gah! Changeling, you have some nerve - "

"First, my name is Chrysalis, Princess Chrysalis the Green. I have addressed you by name ever since you came here, you could at least return the favor!" She clambered onto the bed and sat on it, staring at Twilight intensely. The pony returned her glare and then some.

"You have no place to tell me - "

"I have every place to tell you! You tried to murder me, Twilight! Now, I want you to tell me your life story, from the top." Maybe that way she could get to the bottom of it. "You can either tell me on your own, or I can hypnotize you and have you tell me anyway. So which will it be, Sparkle?"

Twilight snarled, revealing very unimpressive herbivore teeth. "Fine. I was born, five thousand years ago to my mother, Twilight Velvet, and my father, Night Light. I had an older brother named Shining Armor. I became an immortal alicorn later. Here I am today."

Chyrsalis snarled, revealing her long, sharp fangs, and let her eyes glow green. "You're going to have to do better than that!" She wove a suggestion spell over Twilight Sparkle.

The pony shuddered and, while Chrysalis hadn't used enough magic to tint her eyes, the pupils dilated slightly. "Fine, fine. If it'll get me out of here sooner. When I was a little filly unicorn, I saw Princess Celestia raise the sun and Princess Luna raise the moon, at the Summer Sun and Winter Moon festivals respectively." Celestia? Luna? That was the first Chrysalis had heard of those names. "I wanted to be just like them, so I researched any bit of magic I could. Eventually, when performing magic test, my horn flared and Celestia noticed. She suppressed my flare and took me under her wing, as her personal student."

"Who was Celestia and Luna?"

"The rulers of Equestria at the time, alicorns. Celestia moved the sun, Luna moved the moon. She taught me so much about magic, and later friendship. But things were always going wrong. Equestria had a history of monsters coming to attack it. Time and again my friends and I helped the princesses fend them off. We reformed Discord, banished a sentient Nightmare that sought to control Luna, and so much more." She frowned. "But they just kept coming! So I got a better idea. Fifteen years after I too ascended to alicornhood, I stole Celestia and Luna's magic, in addition to the ruler of the Crystal Empire, Princess Cadance's alicorn magic."

Twilight grinned wickedly. "With that power, I could stop it. I didn't trust Discord as far as I could throw him, so into the book he went. The other princesses tried to stop me, so I sealed them in Tartarus until they learn that I deserve their power, that as the goddess of magic it is I and I alone who deserves alicorn power."

"You just... betrayed her?" She upped the strength on her suggestion spells. "And then what? Discord mentioned it's been five thousand years, what did you do meanwhile?"

"I... please stop, I'll tell you." Please. Twilight had said 'please'. It was a start; Chrysalis eased up her hypnosis. "Alright. I mostly ruled over Equestria and annexed the Crystal Empire inside. Hardly any country was fool enough to challenge me, and the few that did I erased, from land and history. You know the Glassed Lands? It used to be called Saddle Arabia."

"That's horrible!"

"They brought it on themselves," Twilight defended. "They knew what attacking me and my ponies would entail and they did it anyway." Chrysalis wasn't impressed by her justifications; what of the civilians that had no doubt wanted no part in it? "After that, everypony learned to fear my power. I put into law the proper restrictions and freedoms on the economy to let it flow freely, optimized the military to what would be needed, and so on. That was in the first thousand years, and since then, I've grown bored. Hobbies do not hold, I've run out of discoveries, so here I am." She shrugged. "I figured maybe some genocide would spice things up, I haven't gotten my hooves dirty in centuries."

Almost by reflex, Princess Chrysalis asked, "And what would Celestia say about that?"

Twilight recoiled as if she'd been bucked in the muzzle. She stiffened and looked down. "She'd... she'd be so ashamed of me," she muttered. Chrysalis felt there was still a bit of suggestion spell, making Twilight more open. "Celestia always preached to me patience, understanding, harmony. She taught me the values of being loyal to one's values and generous to all. I... oh Celestia, oh no..."

Chrysalis pulled her hypnosis magic off the pony, but the damage was done. Twilight's head dipped and she nickered sadly. Slowly, her breathing began to speed up and turn shallow, tears flowing from her eyes as the pony queen slowly but surely devolved into wracking sobs, now that Chrysalis's magic had given her the push to really think about her actions.

The changeling frowned, looking at the wretched creature blubbering on her bed. The sudden change in her demeanor was jarring, and for a few minutes she didn't know what to do. Eventually, she moved closer and draped a foreleg over Twilight's withers. Her fur was warm and incredibly soft against her chitin, the skin beneath squishy and flexible. "Um, there there?" What could she possibly say to comfort a being five thousand years old, who had the weight of mass-murder and who knew what else now on her conscience?

Eventually, Chrysalis decided to just hold Twilight into the long hours of the night.


TO BE CONTINUED


> Evil Twilight Good Chrysalis 4 by Europa (Story)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

"So tell me about yourself," Twilight asked a few weeks after her hypnosis-aided breakdown. Much to Princess Chrysalis's relief, the pony had grown much more open and comfortable sharing stories about her life, about five pony friends that were long gone. She suspected that their death hadn't done much to revert Twilight Sparkle's fall, but that was why she was here now. Even better, Chrysalis could taste Twilight's hatred and genocidal tendencies falling by the hour, especially when the pony queen was around her.

"Myself? What about myself?"

"The libraries at home have very little about your species's hierarchy. There's a lot about changeling biology, but not much about social structure. How do you fit in?"

"Well, my full title is Princess Chrysalis the Green. The swarm's color of magic is dependent on the queen's, so they're all orange."

Twilight shifted around on her guest bed. "So I assume that, being a royal yourself, you're exempt from that rule?"

She nodded. "Our slime, cocoons, and blood is all green, and so is my magic." She raised her muzzle proudly. "I am a Green Queen, like Queen Tenodera the Unifier. I have great things ahead of me once I take the throne, I just know it!" She deflated. "When I take the throne, from my mother." Chrysalis didn't like to think of it in that context.

All at once, a shudder went through Twilight Sparkle's body. The pony closed her eyes in bliss and rested her head on the bed. "I'm... I'm learning things," she breathed. "Please, teach me more."

She raised a brow. "Um, alright? So, I only serve an advisory role to my mother, though in practice my authority is second only to hers. I'm learning a lot about military strategy, as well. It's very interesting."

"Eh," Twilight said off-hoofedly. "I don't find it so invigorating. There's not much use for military strategy when I have - well, had - so much power." She tapped her horn ruefully. While the rings upon rings of magic inhibitors had been removed, Queen Thorax kept Twilight Sparkle's magic, strength and flight disrupted with her poison. "It's not that it's hard, it's easy. But that was always my brother's interest, not mine." She let out a breath through her nostrils. "Oh Shiny, I miss you..."

Chrysalis spent a little while longer talking with Twilight, explaining to her the intricate nuances of the queen's duties, what would happen in the event the royal lineage was broken - Twilight was very interested in royal jelly - and the role of the noble houses. That one had them talking for a while, since apparently one of the first thing's Twilight had done after usurping the throne was eradicated the existence of nobility in Equestria. Then, after a few hours, Queen Twilight decided to go for lunch. Chrysalis, being her handler, followed.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


For all that her lack of magic grated at her soul, Twilight liked it in the changeling hive. For the first time in ages, she wasn't bored. She was learning so much. And even when she wasn't, Chrysalis's company was invigorating and life-giving. In the months since her capture, Queen Twilight had grown to consider Chrysalis a close, close friend. It was for the best that her attack on the Unified Changeling Swarm had failed.

She found herself thinking back to the old days fondly. When she'd gone on pet playdates with the girls, and attended Shining and Cadance's wedding, and written friendship letters to Princess Celestia.

Celestia...

She stopped in the tunnel and fell to her haunches, spirits immediately crushed. Chrysalis stopped to look at her. "Twilight? What's wrong?"

"Celestia," she whimpered. "Oh Cadance, Celestia, Luna. No, no, what have I done?" For a long time she'd tried not to think about it, but this was a time of revelations and hindsight. And regrets. So many regrets.

Chrysalis stepped closer. "Twilight? Twi? Are you okay?"

Twi. The pet name she'd had so many decades ago. Oh, hearing it again sent a shiver through her entire body. Not even Spike, on the rare occasions he stopped by, called her that anymore. 

She breathed in sharply. "No," she whimpered. "No, I'm not."


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


Chrysalis escorted Twilight back to their room, keeping close to the tall pony and relishing in the surprising warmth of the warm-blooded mammal. Twilight shuddered and squeaked quietly next to her as they trotted. Princess Chrysalis herself could taste the emotions flowing off of her, despair and guilt. Attachment, regret and... was that love? Romantic love? Oh, that made things complicated. Admittedly there wasn't much of it, not yet, but the spark existed and it was her duty as a changeling to nurture the flame. Even if it was directed at her.

But at the moment Twilight was so crushed. Whatever she had thought of left her horribly saddened, and that took priority. Chrysalis pushed Twilight down so she was leaning against a tunnel wall. The pony queen looked up at her, hiccuping. "Hey, hey," she cooed at the pony. "What's wrong?" It hurt her to see anyling so sad; it was, after all, her duty as future queen to look out for their well being, and that instinct transferred to Twilight Sparkle.

"M-My friends, m-my family, they trusted me," she said weakly. "They trusted me and I, and I... I betrayed them just so I could... what?" She laughed bitterly, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I didn't even accomplish that much; oh, nopony dared attack Equestria but t-they didn't need to, not when I did their work for them."

Hearing that made a sharp pain blossom in Chrysalis's chest. She sat down next to Twilight and wrapped her in her hooves, resting her chin on the pony's shoulder. "It's okay, it's okay."

"No, it's not," she moaned. "It's not. I'm a tyrant, I'm a bucking tyrant." Chrysalis... couldn't offer any objections to that. Queen Twilight was well known for her ruthless manner of ruling and swift removal of anything that even resembled criticism of her. She was a tyrant, through and through.

"Maybe, but the important thing is you know that now," she cooed. "You can work to make things right."

Twilight shook again, then looked up at her. "Make things right," she muttered. "Yes, I need to make it right but... how can I?"

Chrysalis raised a hole-filled forehoof to the queen's head and brushed her mane aside. "Well for starters... hold still, this will hurt." Chrysalis surged her head forward and down. She opened her mouth and snapped it shut on Twilight's neck, piercing her with her fangs.

"AAH!" the pony screamed, trying to get away.

Chrysalis just held Twilight tight in her magic and injected a potent antivenom that Mother had taught her to make. She kept her fangs deep in the side of Twilight's neck and pumped more of the fluid inside, until she judged there was enough. She pulled back and gave the two punctures wounds - bleeding golden blood - a lick with her forked tongue that accelerated the healing. "There, that should do it." Chrysalis moved to hold Twilight's right hoof in both of her own, releasing the pony from her magic.

Twilight rubbed the injury with her free hoof. "Why did you... why did you... oh." Slowly but surely, Twilight's solid mane and tail began to flow in an invisible wind, glinting stars and swirling galaxies forming in the billowing waves of infinitely deep hair. The alicorn's wings stiffened against her side, and Twilight's eyes shone. "Oh."

Suddenly, there was a wave of emotion from Twilight Sparkle. Fury, vengeance, indignity. Her long, straight horn blazed to life with swirls of magenta, teal, gold, and dark blue, all surrounding a brilliant white aura. Queen Twilight grinned... then looked at Chrysalis's horrified face. Immediately, the emotions were replaced by a spike of shame, and Twilight extinguished her magic.

She leaned forward and rested her head on Chrysalis's exoskeleton. "Thank you, Chrysalis. Thank you."

The changeling princess hugged the pony in return. "It's alright, Twilight. You're pardoned."

The feelings of love amplified, coming out from Twilight. She took a sip from them. "How about I take you to a restaurant first? I know a nice place in the hive where they offer pony food to immigrants?"

The pony looked up at her and smiled. "That, um, that sounds good. Also, do changelings have libraries?"


TO BE CONTINUED


> Evil Twilight Good Chrysalis 5 by Europa (Story)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

"You know," Chrysalis said to the pony that matched her height. "You don't need to do this alone."

Twilight sighed. "Yes I do, Chryssy. It was my mistake, and it's mine to fix as a result."

"But - !"

Twilight leaned over to nuzzle her. "Please, Chrysalis. I need to do this on my own. I have to face them. Don't make this any harder than it has to be."

The changeling princess leaned over to give the pony a lick across the cheek. "Promise you'll come back?"

Twilight nodded resolutely. "I promise." The pony took a deep breath from Chrysalis's carapace. "Take care, Chyrssy." With that, Twilight spread her wings and descended through the gate into Tartarus, leaving Chrysalis to sit on her haunches in the middle of the Everfree Forest.

She wasn't particularly worried about the local fauna; even animals knew better than to anger a well-fed changeling royal just on scent alone. The flora itself was more uncomfortable; having lived most of her life beneath the Badlands, coming to Equestria was a shock. There was just so much green, leafy vines and roots strangling the disgustingly liquid dirt. Where was the dust? Where was the cracked stone? Ew.

Then there was the sun and moon, the sky. She'd been above ground before on occasion, during the Firestorm, but that was always at night. Watching the sun that Twilight - and until recently, her Mystic Council - controlled, always burning out of the corner of her eyes, was painful. Much too bright for her liking; how did ponies live in Equestria?

With Twilight gone to Tartarus to meet her fate, it gave Chrysalis time to reflect and worry on how they'd come to this. So much time spent in the hive, just talking with Twilight after she had pardoned her. Mother hadn't been happy about that, of course, but made no move to counter it for which she was thankful. And of course, Chrysalis nurtured Queen Twilight's feelings towards her, and eventually she whole-heartedly returned them. When Twilight wasn't being genocidal or withdrawn, she was quirky, adorkable, always on the prowl for new information and a truly kind, caring, humble soul. It wasn't that hard to love her, and it was amusing for Chrysalis to realize that, despite being five millennia old, she'd never had sex and that ponies as a whole were rather shy about it. That had been fun to clear up.

Of course, it would come with all sorts of political problems, with Twilight being a Princess's Consort and Chrysalis being a Queen's Consort. There was also the fact that Twilight Sparkle was five thousand years old, whereas Chrysalis herself was twenty five, but when Twilight let down her guard, when her queenly mask crumbled, anyling would think that Princess Chrysalis was the older one.

It had been a year and a half after Twilight first opened up to her that she'd asked to go to Tartarus and visit the princesses she'd imprisoned there. Chrysalis didn't ask. She didn't need to; the guilt and regret wafting from the pony had spoken more than words ever could. Which lead to her current situation of fidgeting in the Everfree Forest, in Equestria, in the middle of the blinding day.

CRACK-FWOOM!

The ground about a mile away exploded upwards. Three streaks soared into the air; midnight blue, pink, and brilliant yellow. Chrysalis scrambled backwards as the three points spun around each other, then angled away to the west, where she knew the Equestrian capitol of Canterlot rested.

She fell onto her back with a light snap, her hoof raised to her breast. She looked behind herself and saw that her wings had broken off from her fall, and groaned. "Buck! Growing those back is going to itch!" Suddenly, she gasped. "Twilight!" She sprinted towards where the purple pony had gone, but Twilight got to her before she could reach Tartarus.

"Twily! What happened? Are you okay?"

Demurely, the pony queen nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine." There were tears staining her fur, and Chrysalis swore she saw a bruise under her coat, forming on her cheek. "I'm fine," she protested when Chrysalis approached.

"You're not fine, you're hurt." She reached up and caringly stroked her lover's cheek. "We should get you back to Canterlot, I know that you'll probably be needed on your throne to - "

Twilight looked up at her. A tense pause stretched between them like a canyon. At last she asked, "What throne?"

"What do you mean - oh. Oh." That explained so much. "Twilight... what do you want to do now?"

"Can we... can we go back to the hive? I don't want to be around Equestria, not for a while."

Chrysalis nodded and leaned in to embrace the pony. "Of course, Twi. Of course."

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Twilight's horn light up with a magenta corona. Not the blinding, multicolored swirl she'd always seen before, just an even purplish-red. Then there was a flash, the familiar tug of pony-teleportation, and they were off to the hive.


TO

BE

CONCLUDED


> Evil Twilight Good Chrysalis 6 by Europa (Story)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

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


> Discovered by SeanofTheDead (Adventure, Sweet)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by SeanofTheDead

Chrysalis wasn’t happy. She had been captured by Shining Armor, dragged in front of the Princesses, had a joke of a trial, and been forced into signing a treaty. Even though she knew it right to do so. And that in the long run it would help her hive, she had said as much when she signed it. She had only been saved by Twilight Sparkle’s timely appearance. Now she had been forced into reformation and was under the watch of Sparkle herself. And the stupid minotaur that had wanted her to marry him she had gotten rid of him easily enough. (they hate it when you moo at them) Things could not be worse.

Twilight wasn’t happy, she had risked everything in defense of Chrysalis, and was currently being treated like dirt for it. Chrysalis took every opportunity to berate her on her conduct from the way she walked, to the way she acted when she was with her friends. She called her mean names, insulted her appearance, and was all in all being the worst pony Twilight had ever met. Things could not be worse, though Chrysalis was rather pretty…

This day had gone like the others, don’t let Chrysalis out of her sight, spend time with friends, be incessantly insulted by Chrysalis. She had been planning this trip to the Everfree with fluttershy for months, hoping that she would get Fluttershy to help her study some of the natural fauna here. Chrysalis had ruined it, she was constantly scaring her and Fluttershy (as well as the animals they were trying to study) and insulting both of them every step of the way.

“And furthermore you are by far the most repulsive-”

“THAT’S IT!!”

A wave of magic slammed into Chrysalis, sending her flying through the air to land heavily on her stomach on the grass. “Ooof!”

“Twilight what are you doing to her?!”

“Stay out of this Fluttershy!”

“Meep!”

Twilight approached her swiftly anger burning in her eyes Fluttershy could only look on as she watched her friend who looked as though she was about to kill Chrysalis.

“I am sick of your near constant insults! I saved your life, and feel as though you need to berate me constantly, pushing me down into the dirt, so that I am beneath you because you think you are superior to me!” Twilight shouted at her, relieving herself of the accumulated stress of the past two weeks, venting to the former queen, and despite the queen being constantly abusive towards her...Chrysalis found herself feeling sorry. This was most unbecoming. And the feeling only became worse, as she laid there while Twilight bared her soul.

“I admired you for doing what was necessary for your hive, even though it branded you an outlaw, so I stood up for you. I stood up to Celestia, my teacher, my idol, my friend because I hoped that you might be grateful, that you might be capable of showing gatitude kindness or something! I put with two weeks of heart crushing verbal torment at your hooves, because I thought that if somepony showed you some kindness, you might reciprocate and change. It’s in the name of your bucking race for Luna’s sake! Yet all you do is torment anypony who tries to help you! I was driven to help you based on the hope that you might be able to show you could care for somepony other than yourself. And the worst part is that I was kinda starting to have a crush on you because you are pretty and you are SO dedicated to your subjects, but it turns out you are only capable of caring for yourself.… well? What do you have to say for yourself?”

Chrysalis was absolutely stunned. Twilight had put far more on the line that she had thought… Celestia was her idol, her teacher, her friend...”I am sorr-”

“CHRYSALIS!!! You will pay for disgracing me!” It was that minotaur Grangor (or something like that) from earlier in the week, he had in his hands a massive mace that made a pony seem small. Twilight jumped in front of him causing his mace to hit her instead, sending her into a tree trunk, and breaking her wings and two of her legs the bones jutting out of the skin at odd angles. While Chrysalis was still in a state of shock, and kicked Fluttershy in the side of the head felling her before swinging the mace like a golf club throwing Fluttershy into the same tree, then turned to Chrysalis. And promptly wished he hadn’t come back.

Chrysalis’ eyes were glowing with rage, she picked up the minotaur and slammed him into the ground repeatedly, then she picked up his mace... When she has released the majority of her anger, she threw the now rather misshapen minotaur as hard as she could, sending him over the horizon. Discord appeared momentarily, and disappeared as the minotaur flew over the horizon. The minotaur screamed a blood curdling scream, the cause apparent to anypony who had a brain. He reappeared shortly after, with more...red than usual.

Twilight wasn’t moving, Chrysalis hurried over to her as princess Luna descended from the sky.

“What in the name of me happened here!?” Luna said her voice full of anger.

Chrysalis pointed a stunned hoof at Discord, and Luna’s jaw simply dropped.

“None of this matters right now!” Discord snapped, “MY Fluttershy is hurt and you two are staring at a VILLIAN that killed something, as though it is a big surprise! Luna, go tell Celestia these two were hurt and Chrysalis saved them. And I made sure he will never set hoof into Equestria again. Chrysalis, pick up Twilight.”

Luna immediately departed in flash of light as her teleportation spell activated. The instant Chrysalis had Twilight in her magic Discord snapped his fingers and they were instantly at Ponyville’s hospital. They rushed through the doors and the receptionist gasped as she saw the two villains with beaten, broken forms of two of Ponyvilles  most beloved citizens. The doctors rushed into the waiting area as she screamed.

“SHUT UP AND HELP THEM!!” Discord screamed. The doctors moved quickly, yelling at them to follow.

Chrysalis was pacing the hall outside the operating room, when the first of Twilight and Fluttershy’s friends had shown up. Rarity and Rainbow Dash were furious. Rainbow launched herself at Chrysalis and Discord, surprisingly so did Rarity. They would have pummeled them if Discord and Chrysalis hadn’t caught them in their magic.

“What did you do to our friends!?” Rarity spat, speaking for the two of them, Rainbow was far too enraged to say anything.

Slowly and calmly the situation was explained, Twilight had jumped in front of an angry and VERY stupid armed minotaur, who also hurt Fluttershy. They had dealt with the situation and he will NEVER harm anypony ever again. After the rest of their friends had shown up, the process of explaining had been repeated several times. Then Celestia and Luna had shown up. Celestia was beyond anything the rest of Twilights had been as far as anger goes. She had teleported the two villians herself and Luna outside… and had proceeded to attack Discord and Chrysalis. The battle (Discord had to completely restrain her while Chrysalis was diverting her attention) had been short. But once the situation had been resolved, Celestia had only a few words for them.

“If this happens again, I get to kill them.”

And now most of them were asleep. They had been waiting for six hours for any word as to the condition of their friends.

After six hours of waiting the sun had set and the moon had arisen. Luna had to leave to patrol for nightmares, and Celestia was asleep.

So why is it that I can’t sleep? Chrysalis wondered to herself as she lay on the floor of the hospitals waiting room. Every friend of theirs is asleep and I am not...do I like Twilight?

“Still awake huh?”

Chrysalis started when she heard the somber voice, and turned towards the source to find Discord. She was about to give a scathing retort, when she saw the way he looked. He had been crying, his eyes were bloodshot and he held a cup of coffee in his eagle talons. He looked as though he may never be happy again, nothing about him showed the joyful prankster the denizens of Ponyville had come to know. As he moved to sit beside her Chrysalis moved to make room.

“I’ll bet you haven’t figured it out yet.” Discord stated calmly, a small sad smile playing across his features.

“Haven’t figured out what Discord?” Chrysalis snapped.

“Why she tried to save you, why you attacked after she was hurt, or why I killed their attacker,” he stated simply. He chuckled, “or why I was there in the first place.”

Chrysalis was stunned yet again by the draconequus, first by his actions now by his words.

“Why were you there?” she asked suddenly curious, while trying not to let her curiosity show through too much.

“To make sure you didn’t hurt my Fluttershy. I knew Twilight wouldn’t let you leave her sight, and that she had been making plans to study some of the Everfree’s fauna with Fluttershy. And that you might take advantage of the lowered visibility the shadows provide and attack them.”

“WHAT?!”

“Hey you asked, I just answered,” Discord replied calmly, “and lets be honest, you did think about it.”

“Fine,” Chrysalis seethed, “Why did you kill him?”

“I realized that he might have killed her...he might have taken what is the most important pony in the world to me. My first and only friend, the mare I grew to love…and that if she survived and he did as well, he might try again and be successful,” as he spoke his expression became more and more sullen, his eyes filling once again with tears, as he recalled his failure to protect the only pony he held dear.

“I didn’t know you were able to, um…”

“Feel? Of course I can feel, I am made of flesh and blood...though I doubt you knew that either,” he said with another chuckle.

“So why did she jump in the way even though I was the intended target?” Chrysalis asked, even though she was now dreading this answer.

“Because she cares. She wants to be your friend, make peace between our races and she might have been well on her way to loving you when all of this took place back at that treaty signing, what with your speech and all.”

“Okay bu-”

“And before you ask, you fought for her, you were positively enraged AFTER she was hurt. Whether or not you are ready to admit it-”

“I like her. She stands her ground, has near infinite patience, is highly intelligent, and I enjoy time with her...she has grown on me, and I might love her now and I may lose her,” and with that, Chrysalis began to cry.

Discord smiled his sad smile. “I am sure that she will be fine, get some sleep.”

Chrysalis was so deep in her sorrow that she didn’t notice the magical compulsion behind the draconequus’ words, and was soon asleep. Her last words before she fell asleep touched his heart with the sincerity in them.

“If she makes it, I am going to be kind to her, I am going to be her best friend until she has discovered her love for me, like I did for her, and then… I will cry some happy tears.”

“Now,” Discord said as he wiped his eyes of the excess liquid pride in them, “ I have two mares to heal... And Celestia… you might want to make Luna stay for awhile longer in Ponyville… just sayin.”

And with those words, he vanished.

“Fluttershy’s kindness, friendship, and love really did change him,” said a very much awake Celestia with a smile, “I think I’ll let his plan play out this time.”
> The Games Begin by TheMusicalBoy93 (Dark, Story)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

Twilight fell to the floor with a thud, the air knocked from her lungs on impact. Her captor towered over the vulnerable purple Alicorn with a sadistic smirk on her lips. The changeling queen started circling her captive prey, allowing the former pony princess to regain her breath. Twilight looked around to gain her bearings. From the looks of the multiple devices and violent looking accoutrements that littered the room around her, she guessed her captor must’ve taken her to the Canterlot Dungeons.

“You’ll pay for this, you monster,” Twilight spat, her voice dripping with hatred. “I swear to Celestia, I will make your life a living Tartarus when this is over.” Chrysalis placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder and gave her a sharp shove, rolling the lavender Alicorn onto her back and pinning her down.

“My dear, dear, sweet Twilight,” the changeling queen taunted. “I assure you that this will never end. The changelings have won. Your pony empire has fallen. And, from now on, you belong to me.” Twilight spat, managing to land a glob of saliva just below the queen’s right eye. The changeling cursed in Hemipid before wiping the spit wad away and giving the offending unicorn a firm slap to the face. “I’m getting just a little bit tired of your impudence, Sparkle!” The changeling stormed across the dungeon floor towards a bright green chrysalis, looking in on the butter coloured Pegasus who slept within.

She called out in her bug-like tongue, and a changeling drone scrambled to her side in response to the call. “If you’re not willing to play a little game with me, Twilight,” Chrysalis taunted, eyeing the sleeping Pegasus with a sadistic smirk. “Perhaps I can play with your little friends, instead.” She ran a holey hoof across the surface of Fluttershy’s prison. “You friend Buttercry here is an animal lover, right?” The changeling queen smirked evilly as the drone at her side engulfed himself in green flames, transforming his body into that of a bear. The newly transformed changeling let out a deep, throaty roar before looking into the chrysalis that held the animal caretaker, a sinister, hormone driven, smirk creeping over his face. “I’m sure she’s well acquainted with animal breeding patterns.” Twilight’s muscled immediately tensed at the tone of Chrysalis’ voice, quickly cottoning on to what the changeling queen was implying. “I wonder, do you think she’d enjoy some first-hoof experience in bear breeding?” The queen mocked, leaning forward slowly to pierce the skin of Fluttershy’s cocoon.

“No! Wait!” Twilight pleaded, holding a hoof out to grab Chrysalis’ attention. The changeling queen spared her a casual glance from the corner of her eye, showing little interest in her, her thoughts seeming to tilt in favor of the idea of turning Fluttershy into a feral breeding mare. “Don’t hurt Fluttershy. I’ll…” Twilight’s head lolled forward in resignation. She knew when to fight and when fighting would only hurt the ponies she loved. Chrysalis chuckled darkly and waved the bear off. The creature engulfed itself in flames before transmuting itself back into the drone it truly was, who returned to his post obediently.

“Very well, Princess,” Chrysalis crowed, practically spitting the word “Princess” out as if it was a status given to a peasant. “If you think you’re ready to play with the big girls, we’ll play big girl games.” The changeling queen stalked up to Twilight like a Timberwolf stalking its prey. She placed her hoof under Twilight’s chin and gently brought the Alicorn’s face up to look her eye to eye. “Here’s an old favourite of mine; Truth or Dare.” The changeling pulled Twilight up, lifting her forehooves off the stone floor, and roughly connected their lips. Twilight tried to pull away from the kiss, but Chrysalis held her firm, hooking her hoof around her neck and holding her close while she slipped her tongue into the purple Alicorn’s mouth. After a few seconds, Chrysalis broke the kiss with a wet slap of her lips.

Twilight’s eyes bugged out of her skull as she felt tremors coursing through her body. She shook and shuddered as if she had a cold in winter. Her brow beaded with cooling sweat, and her vision became faded round the edges the more she tried to look straight. The Alicorn lolled this way and that as woozy grogginess, not unlike that of a hangover, dulled her coordination. Chrysalis smirked at the sight of the swaying pony before her.

“Here’s how the game goes, Twilight. I’ll ask you whatever questions I please, and you have to answer them with complete and honest truths, and nothing but truths. But, if you dare to defy me, I’ll start roping your friends into our little game. One. By. One.”

Twilight grimaced as Chrysalis’ venom started to worm its way through her body, clouding all of her rational thinking and inhibiting her self-control. She was being mind-washed. If she didn’t play her cards right soon, she may never win this sick little game her captor was setting up. Chrysalis settled herself down into a comfortable seating arrangement and prepared to begin the games.
> Claustrophobia by Europa (Silly)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Laying in bed with the changeling queen, deep under the ground in her expansive hive, Twilight's heart hammered in her chest. It wasn't that there was a million changelings in the same hive she rested in; she wasn't a specist, after all. It wasn't that Chrysalis had her hooves wrapped around her barrel as the 'big spoon', she relished in the comfort provided by the hole-riddled hooves. No, none of that was why she was stiff with raw, chilling fear.

Twilight had never had trouble with confined spaces before. She would never have built book forts as a filly if she did. So why was it so bad here, in the changeling hive, with her lover's hooves tight around her? What was it about the changeling hive that was so different as to make her claustrophobic?

Probably the location. Chryssy's chambers were located a mile underground as a protective feature, down where the stellar heat of the planet's core seeped up as a toasty summer heat. There was so much stone and air above her, pressing down with an unusual pressure that made her ears hurt; now she knew what Chrysalis felt like on the surface.

So much stone. Just in the area above her body rested a hundred and fifty tons of solid material, poised to crash down upon her any second. The only thing that kept her safe was the changelings' sixth sense for high-balance architecture. So much stone over her, so much pressure...!

Next week, she thought. Chryssy's coming over to my place.
> Trixie by lyra_lover777 (Human, sweet)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

"WHAT!?" Twilight screeched, her face contorted confusion and outrage.

"Yes, the Great and Powerful Trixie sees this to be true."

"Shut the hell up. I-i would never go out with-with her!"

"The Great and Powerful Trixie has predicted such. It shall come true."

"I said shut the hell up! I want my money back!"

Twilight then slammed her chair against the wall, pushing open the door and ducking out of the dark and dank classroom. She gave one last look at Trixie, who was smiling as she played with her crystal ball.

Twilight had been hoping Trixie would say that Flash Sentry would be her match, would be her future. Sure, she didn't believe in voodoo and such, but she was at least hoping Trixie would say that she was destined to be with a male!

Suddenly a tall figure, her teal hair dyed with black streaks burst from Trixie's room, having also hearing her fortune.

Twilight froze, looking up and down the goth girl.

They both stared at each other, frozen in place.

"So-o, what-t was your-r fortune-ne?" Twilight asked nervously.

"Uhhh-hhh-hh, yo-ou-ou?!"

Twilight became even more frozen, if possible, and couldn't control the words that flowed from her lips.

"You-ou were mi-mine too-o."  

> Ancient by Knight of Lycaeus (History)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

“Are you sure I can be here?” Twilight asked. “I know how important this place is to Changelings and I know we’re at peace but still…. it feels like I’m intruding somewhere I shouldn’t be.”

Chrysalis walking beside her nodded, “You are not an intruder here. I know that this is somewhere that no outsider has ever ventured before but as my wife-to-be and along with my position among the Collective, I say you that you can be here.”

Twilight glanced around looking at many structures of the large Hive. This Hive unlike most others was inhabited by Changelings from many Hives rather than just one. Everywhere she looked she could see the different distinct marking on the Changeling shells marking them from their Hive. The buildings here were a mess of newer, larger buildings and caverns to the older, more humble ones. The archways lining the main road of the Hive was decorated in pictograms of the history of Changelings from the first Royal, Queen Amarantha, to the recent past. A few drones and workers could be seen working on carving in some of the more recent events.

“Still I’m uneasy being here. I know there are still some Changelings especially some among the Collective who don’t like me being around. They don’t me, they don’t like me being with you, and they definitely don't like me being here in a Hive most Changelings consider sacred.” Twilight said.

“Relax Twilight. There are at least two things which prevent Changelings from even attempting anything. The first is that you are a ruler of a foreign nation, an attack on you could be seen as an act of war and war is not something most Changelings want. I know what you’re about to ask, my failed invasion could have been seen as an act of war but Celestia pardoned me understanding that it was in desperation after our main food sources were running low. The settlements were my Hive works were facing difficult times with low resources making our own resources low. As well among the Collective, I have strength and allies that makes it difficult to remove me from my position. That leads to me to the second reason, I am respected and feared and only a foolish Changeling would attempt to cross me.”

“I guess,” Twilight said hesitantly. “It’s just surreal, I feel uneasy being here and yet this is somewhere that I have thought about trying to visit. I wanted to visit here after reading about the Wonders of Our World but also after I started studying Changelings. I wanted to see the Hive that Changelings call the Beginning.”

Chrysalis looked away from Twilight to see that they were nearing their destination, “I can assure you that you are safe here. There has not been a true Royal uniting all the Hives for many generations but I am close to that position, more than any others in the Collective. This is why they answer to me and why I lead the Collective and under my protection you are safe. But rather than continuing this talk about whether you can be here or not, we’re here,” Chrysalis said while pointing a hoof slightly upwards towards the towering stone before them.

Twilight looked to where Chrysalis was pointing and noted it was not a stone wall like she first thought but a large statue that had been built in front and downhill from the large palace perched on the hilltop. The statue was well crafted with minute and careful details that seemed to make the statue look alive. The statue depicted a regal looking Changeling who wore no adornments except for an intricately woven crown signifying her position. The statue stood on a pedestal and written on the front of the pedestal was a name and list of achievements and accomplishments.

“Is this the statue?” Twilight asked.

Chrysalis nodded, “This is the statue. The statue of our first Queen and from her all Changelings were born. She is our creator and the All Mother of the Changeling Collective, Queen Amarantha.”

Twilight carefully examined the statue but she was having some difficulty in withholding her excitement, the Statue of Queen Amarantha was considered one of the Wonders but it was also the one that no one besides Changelings had seen before. Everything she knew about the Statue came from writers who heard rumours and tales from wandering Changelings about the magnificent Statue. Standing so close to it Twilight noted that the written descriptions paled to properly define the sheer size or presence of the Statue, how well it was carved with its fine lines or the extra details from that came from the paints and gems highlighting and accenting the Statue.

“This is amazing; I never thought I would ever have the chance to see this.” Twilight commented as she slowly circled the Statue.

“Chrysalis chuckled, “I’m glad you’re impressed. It is quite awe inspiring to see especially the very first time. It’s almost like a beacon, a guidepost back to here, back to the Beginning. Knowing you, I’m sure you want to study it right?”

Twilight gave an excited nod, “Will I have a chance to do that?”

Chrysalis waved a hoof to the palace sitting behind the statue, “There’s a few books in the library here that talks about the All Mother and some about her Statue. As well I thought you might like to see the Council Chambers where the Collective meet, the Throne of the Changelings is also there even though none have sat upon it for many generations.”

“I liked that. Although I am still curious as to why there hasn’t been a unified leader for the Changelings in so long,” Twilight said.

“That’s a long story, one that has unfortunately grown longer with every generation. It’s now a long epic of power, blood, greed, betrayal, lust, and love and it’s become very cliché,” Chrysalis said, “While some of those things happened, not everything did but I’ll tell you about the actual story on the way to the library.”
Author's Notes

There are a total of Ten World Wonders (based off of the actual World Wonders) and the Statue of Amarantha is the only one hidden away so that only Changelings have seen it.

> Link Joker by Cupcake_Swirl (humor)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Cupcake_Swirl

I gallop down the dark dusty hallway trying to find another way out. I stop and turn on the spot  there was meant to be a way out right here, I turn back the way I came and panic, the shadow is getting closer I stare at it. Before when I saw it it looked like another pony but now I see it slightly closer it looks more like, no, it can't be, it looks just like, Discord?

"Twilight, pssst!" I turn to see where the whispering came from. I look down and notice a small black hoof and smirk to myself, "PSSST, TWILIGHT!!" the black hoof shout-whispered. I notice the shadow getting closer, before I know it I' m being whisked under the rock. I can make out the silhouette of Chrisy,

"Chrisy, the thing it was chasing me!! AND IT WAS DISCORD!!" I say only 35% sure of the last part,

"What do you mean Twi? It was Link Joker not some dis-whatsit!" Chrysalis looked at me like I should know who she was talking about,

"WHAT, there's another draconequus?!" I almost shout!!

"Oh, is that what he's called Link Joker, mm ,well yes then there is another. Why is that a big deal?" Chrysilis asks sounding rather calm.

"Chrysalis! Don't you see that means there are more of Discords' kind!" I gasp Discord would be so happy! Maybe not at the fact I thought it was him, but he won't need to know that.

"Yeah, Link showed up when he was just young we didn' know what he was but he had the beautiful pink mane with a draconequus body. We took pity and kept him. He doesn't usually do this whole charging thing though." Chrysalis shrugged, I looked at her PINK MANE.

> Pillow Fight by lyra_lover777 (humor)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

"MAN THE WALLS, BLUE!" Shining shouted at one of his soldiers, a young, light blue pegasus.

Suddenly a giant fluffy pillow soared through the air and hit Blue. He fell backwards, tumbling through the air as he tried to regain balance. He finally gained leverage, and swooped off to one side of the area, waiting in a small grove with a few other ponies and changelings that had been hit by a pillow.

Two towering fortresses, made of giant blankets, pillows, and quilts, stood on opposite ends of a sprawling meadow. On the right end, the flag of Equestria swerved around in the air, while on the left end, the symbol of the changelings, a giant cocoon crossed by drips of slime, flapped lazily in the soft wind.

Meanwhile, back on the fortress, Shining loaded a wooden catapult with twenty pillows of varying sizes. He then pulled the trigger, and the pillows bombarded the other fortress, smashing into drones left and right.

As a return attack, the Changelings, armed with giant shields made out of tables, advanced. They chucked up pillows, taking out around twenty guards before falling back.

The leaders of each of the warring nations sat at the top of their towers in throne rooms, watching the battle.

Applejack scuttled into the throne room where Twilight sat alone on a giant amethyst throne.

"Twi, they're advancing. A few have infiltrated the tower, and-"

But she never got to finish the sentence. A changeling ran through the doors, quickly taking out Applejack.

But he was immediately drowned in a pile of pillows.

Chrysalis sat in her respective throne room, a frown curled across her face. A changeling brought her a goblet of goo that she quickly sucked dry.

A changeling dressed in heavy emerald armor, the same stone as Chrysalis's throne, barged into the room.

"Our attacks were working. But then they fired their catapults. We lost a good thirty lings and the rest were forced to go back."

"Go and pull the pegs of their tower, Swiper. It will fall, and then it will be total chaos. They will lose any order they had, and we will swoop in and win easily.

Swiper, the changeling knight, set off on his task.

Meanwhile Shining had been tasked with the same goal by his sister, just like Swiper.

The two generals crept into the other's tower and pulled the pegs.

At the same time both towers collapsed, the whole meadow thrown into utter chaos.

Lings and ponies swooped and dived left and right. Soon half of both armies was on the sidelines.

Both queens watched soldiers fail and win tiny battles before hovering over to the next.

Before both knew it. The only ponies left were themselves and their generals.

Both generals threw at the same time, and hit each other at the same time.

Suddenly Chrysalis bounded over to Twilight. Their pillows hit each other at the  same exact time, signaling a tie.

Then Chrysalis tackled Twi while the soldiers cheered and shouted in glee.

"You have the weirdest fetishes," Chrysalis whispered into Twilight's ear while nibbling it.
> Hearth by lyra_lover777 (sad)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Chrysalis sat by the window, which was becoming clouded from her warm breath against its cool surface.

Snowflakes danced about in the wind. Icicles hung from the roof, acute and clear, like blades of glass.

This was her first Hearth's Warming Eve in Equestria, and her first time in winter, too.

Twilight  was curled up on a giant, cushy couch, sinking even farther into its core by the minute as she flipped the page of her book.

Owlicious had long ago died, leaving behind a flock of chicks for the couple to take care of. Several were snuggled up against Twilight, and one pure white owlet was perched on her horn. He leaped into the air every time Twilight's horn fired up with magic.

Chrysalis removed herself from by the window. Spike was also gone, visiting with his mysterious marefriend's family. Chrysalis and Twilight just hoped she wasn't an all out slut or anything.

Chrysalis sat down in a rickety old rocking chair made of wrought iron. She snuggled under  several fuzzy blankets of varying size and color.

Twilight got to her hooves to get some hot chocolate for them both, prompting the small parliament of owls to spread their wings and flutter to another resting place.

As Twilight entered the kitchen, she called out to Chrysalis.

"Light the hearth, now won't you?"

Chrysalis sighed happily, getting to  her hooves and buzzed quietly over to the fireplace. It was already stocked with a pile of identical oak logs.

She fired her horn up with magic, and flamers eagerly licked at the logs.

Chrysalis pushed  her magic little more, and then suddenly fire exploded across the room, engulfing the fireplace and everywhere around it.

Including Chrysalis.

The owlets began to squawk feverishly, their cries being heard by Twilight.She rushed into the room to see Chrysalis writhing on the floors while the flames advanced along the walls.

Twilight screeched and put out the flames. She then pulled Chrysalis to her hooves and teleported them to the hospital.

> Dark Truths by TheMusicalBoy93 (story, Dark)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheMusicalBoy93

Chrysalis rolled her tongue across her lips, savoring the taste of Twilight’s soft lips from their earlier kiss, before locking her gaze onto the mare in question. The Alicorn was breathing heavily, the queen’s powerful venom playing havoc with her brain. The pony’s concentration was wavering, at best, and her eyes were duller than usual. They weren’t completely empty, but the little gleam of life one would expect from Twilight was definitely missing.

“So, let’s start with a very simple question.” Chrysalis started, with a smirk. “Do you prefer mares or stallions?”

“Mares.” Twilight immediately replied, not taking a second to hesitate. The purple pony eeped in horror, clasping her hooves over her mouth as soon as she realized what she had said. The damage, however, was already done. Chrysalis smirked at her new found knowledge, and immediately started making a game plan she could use to turn this information against her.

“I see. And, tell me, Twilight. Have you ever found any of your friends attractive?”

Twilight opened her mouth to reply again, but this time forced herself to hesitate, giving her enough time to close her mouth again. The urge to answer the question, however, was stronger than her will to remain silent, so she ended up nodding instead. The changeling queen smirked, choosing to ignore Twilight’s hesitation, for now at least. Now, she had a bargaining chip if the Alicorn princess got feisty.

“Interesting. So, Twilight, how are you feeling? Tell me what symptoms my venom is giving you.”

Twilight twitched and squirmed against her bonds, heat coursing through her spine and across her breast. She felt heat blooming in her cheeks, and an irritable itch too unspeakably lewd to think about that begged to be scratched, and only one thing would ease her pain.

“Please,” she whispered, hoarsely. “Please, make it stop.” Chrysalis quirked an eyebrow at this vague cry for help.

“Make what stop. You’ll have to be specific, Twilight. Or else, I won’t know how to help you.” The changeling queen shifted in her seat, finding a more comfortable position to watch her captive writhe like a worm, desperately trying to rub her thighs together as discreetly as she could, and failing spectacularly. “Tell me your symptoms,” she repeated herself, cruelly. Twilight gave a defiant moan, trying not to concede defeat at the hooves of her torturer.

“P-Please… I feel s-so… ho-hot. I feel… oh Celestia, I need relief. I need it so badly. Please. I’m begging you. Have pity.” Twilight looked up at the changeling like a starving puppy, tears bristling in her eyes, her teeth grinding against each other, and Chrysalis could hear the dentist bill increasing each every grind. The changeling reclined in her throne, a cruel smirk wiping across her lips.

“Very well. I will offer you relief,” the queen started, eliciting a reluctantly hopeful expression from her captive. “But first, I require two favors.” Twilight whined like a filly who had been told by her mother she wasn’t allowed a cookie until she had finished her homework, but nodded all the same, signalling for Chrysalis to continue. “First,” the queen extended a holey fetlock, lackadaisically, barely presenting her bare hoof to the Alicorn, “kiss my hoof,” she commanded. Twilight flinched at the demand, and debated to herself whether or not she should obey. Slowly, and reluctantly, the purple pony princess crawled to the foot of Chrysalis’ throne, and planted a fleeting, unfeeling kiss on the monarch’s hoof. Chrysalis shrugged at the gesture, having fully expected a half flanked effort on Twilight’s part. The changeling lifted her nose so that she could no longer see Twilight, not even in her peripheral vision, and made her second command. “Now tell me; which one of your friends are you attracted to?”

Twilight let out a strangled scream at this question. She jammed her hooves into her mouth and bit as hard as she could, puncturing the frog and drawing blood. Chrysalis looked down at the Alicorn with an impatient scowl.

“Well, Sparkle?” The changeling queen demanded. “Are you not going to tell me?” Twilight shook her head vigorously, making it very clear she wished to maintain at least one secret. Chrysalis sighed, albeit not out of surprise, but disappointment. She was well aware that Twilight would try to keep at least one secret to herself, it was only a matter of time before she disobeyed the rules of the game. “Very well. Have it your way.” Chrysalis gave a piercing screech in a harsh, commanding tone, and the changeling drone from before rushed to her side, bowing before her. The queen clicked and chirruped in Hemipid, and the drone smirked evilly, offering Twilight a mocking glance as he made his way to Fluttershy’s cocoon.

Twilight’s eyes bugged as the changeling drone drove his horn as deep as he could into the leafy shell of the chrysalis, before running his horn up the side of the shell like a knife, allowing the gooey contents of the prison spew out, and Fluttershy with it. The butter Pegasus slid a few inches across the floor, before the goo carrying her dispersed and deposited her at the hooves of the drone. Free form the chrysalis, Fluttershy’s body began convulsing and quaking, gut wrenching gagging noises erupting from the timid mare. Fluttershy gagged and retched as her body began the long and unpleasant process of regurgitating the slime she had inhaled while in her cocoon to clear her airways. After five minutes, the Pegasus regained motor control of her lungs, and was breathing shakily, her mind on auto pilot as she slowly rose to her hooves like a newborn foal. Twilight turned to Chrysalis with a look of pure horror plastered to her face.

“No, please. You can’t. Chrysalis, you CAN’T!” The Alicorn pleaded, wrapping her fetlocks around the queen’s hoof as she begged for forgiveness. Chrysalis snatched her hoof away with cold indifference.

“You knew the rules, Twilight,” she berated, coldly. “You dared to defy me. So now Buttercry gets to join our little game.”

“It’s FLUTTERSHY, you WHORSE!”  Twilight choked on her tears, sobbing as she tried to plead her friend’s case. “Alright, I’ll tell you, it’s Rainbow Dash! OK? It’s BUCKING RAINBOW DASH!” Chrysalis tutted at the purple mare.

“Too late, Sparkle. You had your chance.” The changeling queen wrapped her eldritch magic around the weeping pony, lifting her into her lap and wrapping her hooves around the pony tightly, forcing her to observe as the changeling drone engulfed himself in flames, transforming himself into a towering bear, snarling down at the butter Pegasus, who was now frozen in fear at the sight that greeted her. “Now let’s have a little game of Teddy Bear’s Picnic.” Chrysalis sneered, licking Twilight’s neck, tauntingly.

> Arceus by lyra_lover777 (crossover)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Twilight watched, in a trance, as her brother, Shining Armor, and his real to be bride, Princess Cadence, rose into the air. A pink aura exploded around them, pushing Queen Chrysalis back.

Suddenly a giant portal sprung from their magic, smashing the couple through the stained glass windows behind them. They then toppled into the changeling infested streets of Canterlot.

The portal zoomed towards Chrysalis, who attempted to buzz away. Her insect wings flapped so fast that they became a blur of teal.

But soon the portal, with it prodigious, gaping mouth, swallowed her whole. The Queen disappeared into its hazy pink depths.

Then the portal moved forward, making the other ponies in the room cower and back away.

It smashed against the ground, tearing a large rift in the floor, so deep that it reached down to the Crystal Caverns where Twilight had been only ten minutes before.

It began to suck the three bridesmaids out of the caverns. The Queen's magic had lost its hold on them, and now they were just three frightened unicorn mares screeched and shouting for help.    

The first one, a minty one named Lyra, was engulfed quickly. Her other friend, a light blue mare with a hourglass cutie mark, was also swallowed along with her friend.

But the last did not struggle as it was lifted out of the caverns. She was dead, the Queen's magic and the pull of the portal having been to much for her frail body to handle.

The mare was dropped by the portal, falling into the dark depths of the Crystal Caverns once again.

Twilight was backing away slowly. She was lost in thought of what the mare's name was. She was thinking so hard that she didn't hear the frantic shouts of her friends and family.

Too slowly.

Aha! Her name was Twinkleshin-
But then she looked up to see the hazy pink portal mere inches from her muzzle. She screamed before she was enveloped into its maw. Soon everything went black and the only sound she could hear was the loud buzzing of silence.
===
Twilight groaned. Her body felt a stiff as a board. She tried to shift her body, but she could only feel a light breeze flitting over her form.

She sniffed the air. The smell of wet wood and flowers met her nose as she continue to sniff.

Her eyelids fluttered open. She was surrounded by towering oaks, who's branches reached to the sky, twisting and turning in random directions. They were un-manicured, unlike Equestria's trees.

Her eyes swiveled around, taking in the surroundings.

Lyra lay the closest to her, her mint limbs and hair spread around her like she was a windmill.

Colgate was a few feet away from her. She was struggling to get to her hooves, her face contorted in effort.

And Queen Chrysalis was already on her hooves, looking to the sky.

Twilight jumped at the sight of the Queen, and fell backwards onto the rough hewn trunk of the nearest oak.

The Queen turned her her head towards Twilight, her eyes locking in on Twilight's own.

She charged. Twilight dived out of the way, just in time. Seconds later Chrysalis' horn was hilt deep into the place where Twilight's head had been only moments before.

Chrysalis removed her horn from the tree. It was now covered in sap. She attempted to pick up Twilight with her magic, but the sticky sap from the tree was making her magic go on the fritz.

Suddenly laughter and barking could be heard up ahead. Chrysalis and Twilight, along with Lyra and Colgate, who were on their hooves now, turned their heads towards the sound. It was now coming closer.

An auburn haired girl burst from a small grove of birch trees, and tiger dog at her side. A beat up jean pack was slung across her back.

"I can believe we caught him, Arcanine! That Azure Flute sure helped a lot..."

Auburn was petting the half dog half tiger when she looked up at the four pastel ponies in front of her.

Auburn screamed and took off, while the four ponies shrieked in fear. Auburn's pack flew of her shoulders and into a patch of tall grass.

Lyra was still shrieking long after the other three stopped.

"IT IS A HUMAN!!!" she finally managed to squeak before scampering off after Auburn and Tiger Pooch.

Colgate yelled after her and took off after Lyra. Soon the two unicorns and the girl and her tiger dog were gone, their voices soon gone on the wind.

Twilight and Chrysalis eyed each other, and then the backpack, for several minutes.

Then all of the sudden both jumped towards the ripped up pack.

They tussled in the tall, golden grass, grunting and shoving.

After a minute of fighting, Chrysalis's sap covered hron tore a large hole in the pack.

Out fell ten red and white balls, some meat and cheese, and a weird looking blue flute.

Twilight lunged for the flute, but Chrysalis pushed her, and Twilight ended up falling backwards onto the flute.

She tried to get up, but Chrysalis pushed Twilight down, the shards of the blue flute digging into her back and bringing up blood.

She yelled, and pushed Chrysalis off of her with her magic.

Twilight studied the white and red balls while Chrysalis was held aloft, struggling. But it was no use. Without her magic, she was completely under Twilight's control.

Twilight touched her horn to one of the balls.

Instantly it exploded, and a giant white creature emerged from it.

Twilight screamed while the creature shook its head.

It made no noise as it glanced at her. Then it was off, soon gone into the depths of the forest.

Twilight looked at the ground where the creature had been.

A word was there.

Arceus.
====
Celestia sat up in bed, sweating profusely, her mane frizzy and knotted.

"Father." she whispered.

> Fusion by Europa (Scifi)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

The spaceship Celestia. A marvel of magic and technology, working in tandem to do the impossible. The previous spaceship had been the Luna II, which brought representatives from each race that worked on it - changeling, pony, minotaur, diamond dog, and more - to walk on the moon. Now, mere decades later, the spaceship Celestia was poised to go to the sun itself.

Obviously that meant many more hurdles to overcome. First of all the journey was immensely long. Even if the sun's gravity aided them in their approach, it was still a very long journey back. So the ship was large to hold the necessary life-support equipment. The ship itself was layered with thousands upon thousands of radiation and heat dispersal spells, enchanted into magically-accepting Osmium alloy. The spaceship Celestia looked like an arrow, shot into Celestia's sun, and it was on that arrow that Chrysalis lived.

They'd already made it through the biggest hurdle; the million degree corona of the sun. Even with Celestia herself on the spaceship, she could only protect them so much.

It had caused great protests on the planet when Chrysalis offered to go. Celestia was understandable; she was the sun goddess, so she could give them some protection. But eventually, Chrysalis had set up safety measures and been allowed aboard the Celestia just as Twilight had traveled on the Luna II.

She trotted up to the observation deck, which looked 'down' at the approaching sun. It completely obscured the entire area, an eternally writhing sea of brilliant gold and light that was darkened to tolerable levels by Twilight's own patented Eternal Dark enchantments.

Twilight... she missed her. So many millions of kilocanters away from her beloved wife, with nothing but void and solar wind stretching the distance between them.

The clip-clop of hooves on metal ground approached, and Chrysalis turned her head to see Celestia approaching. So close to the sun, with mere days until 'touchdown', she alicorn appeared different. The flood of light made her coat gold and her mane and tail akin to flame. Celestia - not princess, for there were no such titles out here - stopped near her and watched the sun.

"Anxious?" she asked.

"Very. We're going out onto the sun, Celestia. It's ten thousand degrees out there, the gravity twenty eight times that of back home. The only thing that will stand between us and utter vaporization is a thin layer of suit and a hooffull of enchantments."

"You'll be fine, Chrysalis. I promise, you'll return to see Twilight safe and sound."

She smirked. "Good. Because if I die here, I am going to haunt your cake-fed plot until the end of time."

Celestia came over and put a hoof around her neck. "I promise."

Chrysalis nodded and looked back out at the sun, seething and roiling with eternal wrath and undying light.
> Halo by lyra_lover777 (sad)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Twilight sat at the foot of the hospital bed. Lights blinked and screens beeped, but for once Twilight wasn't focused on the details, on the facts. All she cared about right now was Chrysalis.

Twilight looked at her lover's ruined body. Her carapace had caved in in several places, and a bloody mess could be seen underneath. But the gore didn't bother Twilight. She was just lost in Chrysalis, her eyes closed as tears trailed down her cheeks.

Nurse Redheart briefly entered the room. She replaced the IV bag before looking down at Twilight, who was hunched over and weeping almost silently.

"Twilight-" she began.

But Twilight shrunk into an even tighter ball, and Nurse Redheart left her alone.

Twilight knelt on the ground while still loosely clutching Chrysalis' immobile hoof.

I know I may not be the most religious pony. Heck, I don't even remember praying that much before. But I just need you to do something for me. I can't go on if you can't do this.

Chrysalis doesn't deserve to go yet. She may have done some bad things in the past, but look how far she's come. If you ask me, that just makes her halo glow brighter.

Keep her, I beg of you. It might be selfish and self centered, but keep her. Just do this one thing for me, and I'll do anything for you.

Suddenly the door creaked open. Shining, Cadence, Night Light, and Twilight Velvet stood there.

They cautiously approached the praying unicorn, who's eyes still were freely leaking tears.

"Twi," Shining whispered.

"Shi-ining?" Twilight asked. Her eyelids cracked open, and she scanned the four ponies before her.

She was about to collapse in tears again when Spike, now taller, skinnier, and with wings, burst in through the door, a blonde unicorn filly behind him.

"Spi-ike," she managed before beginning to ball.

The five crowded around her, weeping with her or clutching her tightly, while Spike's marefried, Dinky Doo, now a full grown mare, stood on the side awkwardly.

But then Twilight Velvet pulled her into the hug. She was surprised, but melted into the group hug.

After a long while they split. Then Cadence began to sing.

"I can see your halo, I can see your halo, oh ho ho."

> Alicorn by lyra_lover777 (sad)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

"No-o," Twilight whimpered, a coarse, dry sound.

Chrysalis just merely nodded her head.

"But-t I thought you were immortal. You promised."

"You were so far-r gone in depression-n at the ti-ime that you wouldn't have made it if I told you," Chrysalis croaked. The effort of one sentence seemed to tap all her strength, and she fell backwards onto the hospital bed.

"Twi-i."

"Chrysalis."

"Do you love me?"

"Of course."

"Okay."

Then Chrysalis fell limp in the sheets.

"Chryssy?"

"Chryssy?!"

"CHRYSSY!?!?!?!?"

Twilight shook the still changeling, weeping.

"CHRYSSSYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!"
====
Twilight lay limply on her ornate bed, curled up in a furry purple ball.

Why did she have to be an alicorn? It had been only weeks and she was barely able to eat. How could she go through this for the rest of time?

I wish I wasn't an alicorn.

Suddenly her wings disappeared with a pop. Then her mane faded into a silvery grey, and pounds of wrinkles burst on her face.

She croaked, her throat dry.

Then a terrible pain shot through her chest, and she collapsed. Soon everything was black.

A pinprick of light appeared, and she moved towards it.

All her friends, her family, and Chryssy, were at that light.

She sped up, content.
	
> Brash (sequel to Halo) by lyra_lover777 (sad)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Doctor Stable and several nurses were clustered inside Chrysalis' hospital room. Twilight, her family, and Dinky were forced to sit outside the door.

Twilight was still at one word sentences.

"Mom."

Twilight Velvet scooted over to her daughter. She nuzzled her neck, cradling her daughter.

"Thanks."

Twilight Velvet smiled weakly before releasing Twilight from her grip.

"Okay?" Twilight whimpered.

"Huh, honey?" her father asked.

"Chryssy?"

"Oh. I hope so."

Twilight nodded slowly before smacking her lips.

"Thir-irsty."

Shining smiled pitifully down at his sister,and got up to grab a cup of water.

When Shining returned, Twilight guzzled the drink.

The the door creaked open.

Doctor Stable was there, a hard frown set on his face.

"Come sit down honey."

Twilight slowly got to her hooves.

"No," she heard Cadence whisper before Cadence's voice cracked and crying could be heard.

"Spike, come."

Spike, with tears twisting down his face, got to his feet and followed her.

Doctor Stable sat Twilight down on a small, plush velvet couch.

"How's Chrysalis?" she whimpered, looking like a tiny filly, looking up into the eyes of the doctor.

"Well, um, the burns got infected. And well, we had to do some quick surgery. There wasn't even any time to ask you if it would be okay."

"Well, lets go see!"

"Well, um, Twilight-"

"Yes?"

"Chryssy isn't-"

Doctor Stable choked up a bit.

"-She isn't waking back up."

"No."

Doctor just nodded solemnly.

Twilight collapsed, her body racked with crying.

"Asked me!!!" she cried, barely able to speak clearly.

"Uh-"

"Whorse!" Spike cried. "She's her wife! You could've asked!"

Doctor Stable took a step back, the guilt apparent on his face.

Then Twilight took off, pushing the doctor out of the way. She flew down the halls, past her family, who started after her.

"Twi?! Where are you going?!" Shining cried.

But then Twilight teleported away, leaving her family without her.

"Who can teleport here?"

Dinky slowly raised her hoof in the air.

"Follow her!"

Dinky, shaken, used her magic to search through the air, to feel where twilight had gone.

The roof.

"Horseapples."

"What?!"

"She went to the roof!!"

Then Dinky teleported away.

Dinky reappeared on the roof.

Twilight sat there, at the lip of the roof.

"Twilight."

Twilight turned around to see Dinky cautiously moving towards her, the wind whipping up her blonde mane.

But Twilight ignored her, and poised herself over the edge.

"TWILIGHT!" Dinky screeched.

This time Twi turned around to listen.

"Twilight, if you do this, you're family won't be able to go on. What if Spike can’t handle it, and does this? Then what if I do it because I can’t go on without him  Then my mom, and her friend, then her son, and then his father? You could hurt so many ponies besides yourself doing this.

And then Twilight slowly started to move away from the roof.

But then she lunged from it again while Dinky was relaxed.

She jumped.

Dinky caught her in her magic and brought her back on the roof.

Suddenly the door was pushed open. Twilight’s family was there.

The all hugged her once again, and Twilight calmed down.

“Come down with us,” Shining suggested.

“We can get through this together,” her mother spoke.

Twilight just nodded slowly and entered the doorway back into the hospital.

> Bulk Biceps by lyra_lover777 (...huh?)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

"Ugnh," Fluttershy groaned, her wings erect on her back.

"Ahhhh," Rarity gapsed.

" Ohhhhhoho!" Rainbow giggled.

"Dang nabit!" Applejack said.

"AWESOME!!!!!" Pinkie squealed.

"Ew," Twilight  and Chrysalis said at the same time, revolted.

The Mane Six, plus Chrysalis, had decided to go to the new gym that had recently opened shop in lower Ponyville, near the Spa and Sugarcube Corner.

They were all on the treadmills, running (or flapping) their hearts out.

And most of the Mane Six were gawking over Bulk Biceps, who was bathed in sweat. It shone against his perfectly toned muscles, dripping down him ever so slowly while he lifted weights. His muscles rippled again and again...

All but one of the Mane Six was now on the floor after not paying attention. They had stopped running to gawk and had payed the price, which was faceplanting on the smelly gym floor.

Suddenly the door popped open, and Blossomforth trotted in. She trotted over to Bulk and lightly pressed her lips to his cheek before ushering him out of the gym. He wiped his body with a scraggly towel before leaving with Blossomforth.

"Unfair!" Rarity whined.

Chrysalis and Twilight rolled their eyes.

Later...

"Hey, big bro?" Blossomforth asked.

"Why were the Mane Six so pissed? Did they think we are dating or something?"

"Hope not. Cause I ain't no incesty pegasus."

"Me either."

Then they both started off again, stealing glances at each other's bodies.

> Sour by Europa (Happy fuzzy Romance)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Chrysalis fell against Twilight, pinning her to the bed. She let her head fall down, locking Twilight in a long, sensuous kiss that made full use of her long, forked tongue. Twilight liked the feeling of it, especially when the inverse triangle that made up the 'fork' of her tongue caught her own tongue inside it. She panted and pulled back, running her hooves along the sleek, chitinous body above her, feeling the smooth underbelly and wrap-around of Chryssy's shell pressing against her coat.

She pulled Chryssy back down and put a hoof on the back of her head, lightly brushing the natural crown for just a moment. That action made the changeling chirp lightly, a ridiculously adorable noise coming from the otherwise proud and strong queen. She poked her tongue into the changeling's mouth and poked the sides of her mouth, sending her message loud and clear.

Still locking their maws, Chrysalis chuckled. Twilight soon felt her producing slime from her mouth, letting it drip into her own. The intense, sour liquid coated her tongue as she gulped, drinking the highly-nutritious fluid down. It had the consistency of syrup, sticking to the inside of her cheeks and under her tongue, but it wasn't really that bad once she got over the fact that she was drinking her marefriend/workerfriend's spit.

Chrysalis chuckled and pulled away, leaving a strand of green liquid between their mouths. "You really are a glutton for that, hmm? Maybe I should put you in a cocoon instead of a bed," she purred.

Twilight smiled up at her, swallowing the last of the slime. "That might not be so bad. And did I tell you to stop?"

Chrysalis bared her fangs in a wide grin, then dove back down.

It was a good thing Twilight knew soundproofing shields.

> Horn by lyra_lover777 (prank)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Chrysalis strode down the lengthy halls of Canterlot castle, the faint breeze calmly snapping her mane back in forth so that it seemed to be alive, quite like the princesses'.

She soon came to a door where she stopped. She sighed, a long, drawn out sound, and flicked the door knob open with her magic.

The golden knob, encased in teal magic, turned in its slot, and the door creaked open.

She stepped through it easily sniffing the air, which smelled of fresh baked cookies and lilac.

She looked on the bed. Twilight was curled there, quietly reading a book, her plush wings folded across her smooth back.

Twilight perked up when she heard her lover enter. Her book was quickly and effortlessly levitated to the bedside table while she got to her hooves to hug Chrysalis.

Chrysalis grabbed her, nibbling on her ear. They then kissed softly before they fell backwards onto the four poster bed. The pillows and sheets around them flew up in the air while they kissed once again.

Suddenly, form the balcony the connected to their room, hoofsteps could be heard.

But the two lovers were to lost in each other to notice.

The sliding doors, ever so quietly, slid open. There stood the sun flanked little menace known as Sunset Shimmer. A golden object with three keys on the top of it floated in front of her.

She smiled wickedly while she advanced towards the kissing couple, bringing the instrument close to her lips.

She felt the cool metal meet her mouth. She licked her lips, her tongue tasting metallic from the trumpet's mouthpiece.

Then she blew.

Of course, she had never even blown into a trumpet before, and the sound that emitted from it was squeaky and high pitched, so shrill that it could burst ear drums.

And it was only inches from Chrysalis's ears.

She and Twilight writhed on the bed, clutching their heads in pain.

Chrysalis cracked open her eyes to see Sunset standing there, smirking.

Then the wretched unicorn bowled out of the room, sliding the sliding door closed and barreling off of the balcony.

> Blank Flank by Europa (I've got the giggles)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Queen Chrysalis raised a brow. Were all pony nymphs like these three? If so, then she sincerely worried for the future of Equestria and - by parasitism - her people. They'd come to study with her workerfriend, but Twilight had needed to step out of the castle for one of her royal duties - Chrysalis could relate - leaving her alone with the three nymphs. Err, foals. They just hadn't shut up about the stupid rump tattoos that ponies were oh-so attached to. Like it meant something. 'Oh, you've discovered who you truly are, celebrate it with magic fur paint'. Hmph.

"So we even tried bungee jumping, but we didn't get our bungee jumping cutie mark," the one known as Apple Bloom said. "What about you, what's your cutie mark?"

Like an idiot, she said, "I don't have one."

All three gasped. "You mean you don't have a cutie mark either?!" the unicorn foal squeaked. "That's horrible! But you're all grown up, what if we never get our cutie marks, what if - "

"SILENCE!" she shouted, stopping the meltdown before it could begin. With the resonance in her voice, it carried, making the three ponies shut up and folded their ears. "I have no cutie mark because changelings don't get cutie marks. Neither do griffons, dragons, minotaurs, diamond dogs, deer, the list goes on. When we discover our 'special talent', nothing happens besides us knowing it. I can shapeshift a cutie mark, but it can be whatever I want regardless of what my actual talent is."

They sighed in relief. "Oh, good," the pegasus said. "I was worried for a moment." She gave her feathered wings a quick buzz, which prompted Chrysalis to raise her other brow. If she didn't know better, she'd have guessed the pegasus was part changeling. "So when do you think we'll get ours?"

"As if I know. I don't care so much about your flank marks." She didn't see why it was a big deal, either. Noling had ever had a cutie mark, and they got by just fine. Stupid ponies, so soft.

... was Twi not back yet?!

The pony foals gasped and, as one cried, "Don't care about cutie marks?!"

Uh oh. Twilight, get your flank back here!

> Fission by lyra_lover777 (lost victory)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

"And so if this happens to the protons-" Twilight said, gesturing to a board filled with complicated equations and various diagrams sketched in a chalky white.

"- Then there is a possibility of anything."

The crowd of scientists, teachers, and nuclear power enthusiasts alike clopped their hooves together.

The applauds of the ponies distracted Twilight, so she did not notice when a pocket marked black leg slithered up from under the table and snatched a paper full of the new information on explosives and atoms.

Queen Chrysalis chattered, her Hempid slurs and clicks being heard by a changeling in the crowd disguised as a portly stallion with a bald spot and wearing an ill fitting polo.

He suddenly lit up in a flash of light. He changed back to a changeling, his black, sleek body startling everypony i the crowd.

As he was taken on by a crowd of magically powerful unicorns and bulky pegasi and earth ponies, his bloody screams were heard. They racked and echoed across the halls while Queen Chrysalis scampered away to safety.

She whispered one last sentence as she glanced sadly back at her child, who had sacrificed himself for her. And for the hive. He had lived up to the Hive's motto, which was Esad Hemit Opale Teral Onan Kelle; Unat Kopel Cune Reu Rett Serqy Qerta Uqint Polonmp, which meant "There are many in the Hive; we all work for each other, and for all."

"Egala Iona Gerea Jenkina." she whispered, which meant in Hempid, "You shall be remembered."

She glanced once again, and saw Twilight Sparkle.

Chrysalis sneered.

But then she realized that Twilight was trying to push the crowd off of the changeling, who was probably long gone by now.

She twisted behind a corner, and found an open window. She leapt from it, and soared away, a fleet of her changelings soon joining her.
===
Chrysalis was sneering once again as she barked orders in fluid Hempid.

"Persho!" she screeched, which meant "load."

Then seconds later she cried "Lopero!"

From the giant metal beast of an airship hundreds of cannons fired, their metal cannonballs raining down like snow over Canterlot.

She watched as a squadron of pegasi guards zoomed up towards them.

They threw a barrage of long, goldne spears. One hit one of the many giant ballons that kept the vessel aloft. It began to sag.

But one cannon fire disposed of the quickly, and their bloody corpses splattered along the side of the ship.

Chrysalis shook out her mane, and ordered again.

"Persho!"

"LOPERO!"

The ship bucked a little as the cannons fired again. She giggled gleefully as she watched buildings light up in flames and come crashing down on crowds of evacuees.

She continued to bark orders, but she never hurt her children in any way, either physically or mentally.

Soon they began to drop down small groups of changelings to fight on the streets and spread fear even farther.

Chrysalis ordered load and fire once again.

She heard a command from her leading officer on a mic.

"Rert Yesha Opera Twion Sparkleo!"

Chrysalis gasped.

It translated to 'We have found Twilight Sparkle!"

She ordered he right hoof ling, Evion Blossoms, to take control of the ship. She heard Evion's shrill voice clicking "Persho!" while she sped down the halls.

Several seconds later the cannons fired once again. She stumbled, but was quickly helped up by a passing duo of soldiers.

She quietly nodded her head before speeding off once again.

She soon reached one of the places where they were launching smaller metal hot air balloons. Many were getting shot down, but more then three fourths made it to the ground to fight.

She pushed a group of armored soldiers out of her way and hitched a ride on the nearest balloon.

She summoned her armor and sword magically, and soon she was sling-shotted out of the metal behemoth.

She felt the wind try to rip her hair and skin off as she swooshed across the sky. She had no control over its direction.

Soon the ground neared.

A spear soared from a nearby pegasus.

Chrysalis had recovered and stopped the spear and snapped the guard's neck easily.

She soon hit the ground. She shut off the flame and watched as the balloon deflated around her, its leathery black skin dragging across her side as she exited it.
She tossed a bomb, created by the method of "fission", as stated in Twilight's notes.

She whispered harshly into her mic, pulling the small lack instrument close to her muzzle.

" TI Herya Uyhy," which translated to "I am here."

The officer responded that they had her location and were on their way with the prisoner.

After two minutes of waiting, a group of fifty changelings approached, a lavender unicorn bound and chained in their midst.

The leading officer, Slash Scar, nodded to her solemnly and pushed the dirty purple unicorn to the Queen's hooves.

And the Queen, against her common sense, said-

"You are free."

Her words hung in the air.

One of the soldiers laughed out loud.

And for the first time ever, Chrysalis hurt one of her changeling.

The bug found himself on the ground, his face red from her hoofslap.

The anger left her body and she whispered, "Oona, Berat," which meant "Sorry, child."

Chrysalis turned to look back down at Twilight.

But she was already gone, a lavender blur on the wind.

She looked up at the hulking airship spewing nuclear fire down on the city. One charge blew apart the catsle.

They had won. Somehow, at least.

And yet Chrysalis didn't feel the victory, even though her children cheered and smiled.

All she felt was empty.

A dark void.

Cold.

> Antebellum by Knight of Lycaeus (sad)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

“What!” Twilight yelled. “Why you, why do you want to go?”

Chrysalis sighed heavily as her magic worked to pack what she would need, “It’s not a matter of want Twilight but necessity.”

“Twilight sniffed trying to hold back her tears, “Was this the only way? Couldn’t we try diplomacy instead, like we did with you?”

Chrysalis shook her head, “Diplomacy won’t work because the ones who would accept it don’t have the strength to stand up against those who want war. The Changeling Collective need to have a unified leader again; our idea of scattered Hives living anonymously in coexistence isn’t working any more. Some of the Hive Royals were like how I once was, arrogant and confident in our power. We want the world to bow down to us and that the other races are nothing but food sources.”

Twilight sighed before asking, “I don’t really understand Changeling politics but I understand the need to do what you must. But please answer me this, why did it have to be you? You were exiled from the Collective, so why would they accept you as the next High Queen?”

Chrysalis embraced the Alicorn, “It must be me as I was one of the few who would dare challenge them. As I have said before most of the Collective are passive and unwilling to provoke a war. Yet there is a minority that holds most of the power and they want to provoke a war. They will not listen to reason; they are like I once was. Unreasonable, stubborn, arrogant and it took a very special Pony with a lot of patience to change my mind.”

Twilight blinked away her tears and leaned into the hug, “I remember those many months, I often wonder if my stubborn Changeling Queen would ever understand who Equestrians are and what principles guide us.”

Chrysalis nuzzled Twilight, “So you know why I must do this, why I must go even though I know war is coming for the Changeling Collective.”

Twilight moved out of the nuzzle and kissed Chrysalis, “I don’t like the idea but I do understand. I wish I could be there for you but I know why I can’t be. All I can ask is that you come back to me.”

Chrysalis returned the kiss, “You know I will do everything to return home to you, you never had to ask. I know my future is to be with you.”

Twilight despite a lingering reluctance to Chrysalis departure and her doubts about what was to come, found herself relaxing at her marefriend’s words even as one hoof idly laid itself over a gold and black band that she kept on a chain fasten around her neck.

> Diaspora by AuthorGenesis
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by AuthorGenesis

Chrysalis trembled, lying in a shallow crater near the Ponyville water fountain. Luminescent green ooze seeped through the cracks in her chitin, as her lips curled into a grimace of pain. She grunted as she tried to stand up, her legs wobbling like a newborn foals, before she collapsed back onto the ground. She saw ponies rushing towards her, many with wide eyes and tightly stretched lips, frowns of concern and fear. She was helpless to defend herself, and her eyelids lowered in a glower of hatred, before her world faded into blackness, her face becoming neutral upon unconsciousness.

Location: Ponyille Hospital
Time: 9:37 A.M.

Chrysalis awoke to a typical hospital room. What pictures that broke the monotony of the pistachio green colored walls were of tranquil scenic views, or a flower painted large. She tried to exit the bed, only to notice that her body was strapped down. She tried to access what magic she had remaining after the failed invasion of Canterlot, but nothing happened. She looked into a mirror on the far wall, to see a magic inhibiting ring on her horn.

The door opened and Nurse Tenderheart entered the room. “Ah, you’re awake. I shall go inform Lady Twilight at once.”

*45 minutes later*

Six ponies, the famed Bearers of the Elements of Harmony entered the room. Twilight moved towards Chrysalis’ bedside, looking down upon the defeated would-be tyrant. “Now Chrysalis, I want to remove your horn inhibitor, but you need to be on your best behavior and not use it to attack anypony, or attempt to escape before the doctors are ready to release you.”

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “It doesn’t raise my opinion of you ponies, when you take away any means I have of defense and forcibly starve me in doing so. I’m powerless and completely at the mercy of you ponies, broodmare of the Sun Princess.”

Rarity gasped, and swooned, slumping limply against Applejack, as Fluttershy blushed furiously and hid her face behind her cascading mane. Rainbow Dash hovered over Chrysalis, giving her the stink eye, while Pinkie Pie’s mane deflated and her eyes glared at Chrysalis. “Hey! Don’t be disrespectin’ Twilight!” Applejack glared back at the Changeling queen, as Rainbow Dash agreed with her.

“Yeah, what she said. Don’t be mean to Twilight! Or I’ll make you regret it!”

“Or you’ll what? Beat up an invalid? It must take a lot of courage to do that, you walking gay pride flag.”

“Enough!” Twilight shouted. “Look Queen Chrysalis, I do not like this any more than you do, but unless you give me your word that you will behave, the magic inhibiting ring stays on.” She turned around to her friends. “You guys need to quit expecting the worst out of Queen Chrysalis, and give her a choice between behaving in a socially acceptable manner or not! She’s going through a difficult time right now, and it does not speak well for the magic of friendship, or of the pony race, if we are waiting to jump on her like hungry sharks in bloody waters at the first sign of failure!”

Queen Chrysalis stared dumbly at Twilight, before asking the foremost thought on her mind. “Why? Why are you not condemning me? Why don’t you hate me? I tried to enslave the pony race!”

“Because everypony deserves second chances. We all fail and make mistakes. That is why forgiveness is paramount towards a healthy relationship and a healthy society. Besides, who’s to say that I would not have done the same, had I had the exact circumstances and choices before me? If you’re truly remorseful regarding your attempted invasion, then I can not hold any bad blood between us.”

“I—I don’t know about remorse, but I do think that improving relations between changelings and ponies is in the best interest of my children right now. So to answer your demand, yes I vow upon my children to behave myself.”

Twilight sighed, a slight upward curve of her mouth, pleased that the Changeling queen agreed to this. She manipulated her hooves,  unlatching the horn inhibitor’s clasp, and removing the ring from her horn.

Once that was off, the bucks on her restraint was removed hastily, before the Chrysalis gripped her head between her forehooves, her eyes spinnning around slightly.

“Easy. You lost a lot of blood. So you’ll want to use your magic sparingly, at least until you replace the blood you lost.” Twilight informed her.

“Right. Well, I’m starved, is there anypony willing to feed me?” Chrysalis inquired, looking about the room at the assembled ponies.

“U-um, are there any negative side effects to being fed on?” Fluttershy asked softly.

“Only if a pony is completely drained of their love, but that usually only happens with rogue changelings. It wouldn’t be very good for our disguises if emotionally zombified ponies started to pop up. We’ll drain them until just before the Depression and Listlessness stages. But otherwise, there is no negative side effects to being fed upon, as long as they aren’t drained of their love levels too far.” Chrysalis informed, looking directly at the shy pegasus.

“Y-you won’t do that to us, will you?” Fluttershy asked, her eyes opened wide in fear.

“I vowed on my children to behave, so no, I won’t drain whoever feeds me dry, or dangerously low love levels.”

Pinkie Pie’s hair poofed back up, as she hopped excitedly over to Chrysalis’ bedside. “Oh, oh! I’ll feed her!” She tilted her head, presenting her neck to Chrysalis.

“What are you doing?” Queen Chrysalis asked confused.

“Don’t you have to bite me with your vampony fangs to feed off of me?” Pinkie replied, raising an eyebrow.

“Ugh, No!” Chrysalis replied, rolling her eyes. “Stupid vampony lore.”

“Then why do you even have fangs?” Pinkie inquired, raising an eyebrow, as she stared at Chrysalis intensely.

“They’re vestigial parts from our insectoid ancestors.” Chrysalis replied, looking slightly irritated at explaining common changeling knowledge with the pink pony.

Chrysalis lit her horn, as Pinkie twitched and giggled as Chrysalis fed on the love she had inside her. “Hey! That tickles!”

“Twilight?” Chrysalis inquired, her voice sounding soft and hesitant, rather like Fluttershy’s in that moment.

“Yes?” Twilight looked up, her quill writing down as much as she could remember about what Chrysalis had said about Changeling fangs.

“I know I have no right to ask this of you, but could you send a notice poster throughout every populated region of Equestria, to inform my children of where I am..” She broke into a heartbroken sob at that point. “T-the ones that survived, that is.” Tears streaming down her ebony face. A- and could you draw up a treaty between the Equestrian kingdom and my changelings and I?” Chrysalis asked.

Twilight placed a comforting hoof over Chrysalis’ chitinous barrel. “Of course I will.”

“Will any of them even come back? I mean, their mother did fail pretty badly.” Rainbow Dash inquired.

“Rainbow Dash! Show some compassion! But to answer your question, I honestly don’t know. If they have any autonomy at all, it will end up being to each changelings decision. If they have a ‘hive’ mindset though, like that of ants, then their first priority will be to locate, care and protect their queen.” Twilight ruminated.

“The drones, and the sentients will come back. The ones that survived, that is. The sapients will either decide to go rogue, change loyalties to a different Hive, or return to me, so they’re the only ones that I don’t know about.” Chrysalis responded.

“Well, I’ll come by tomorrow to feed you, if one of the other girls haven’t done so, and to get your opinions and feedback as I draft up a Treaty between Equestria and Changelings.” She turned to her friends. “Come on girls, let us let Queen Chrysalis get some rest.”

Twilight was the last to file out, but before she exited the room, she could hear a grateful, “Thank you.” from Queen Chrysalis. She smiled, and inclined her head in acknowledgement to the Changeling queen, before she closed the door to get started on drafting Notice papers to send to every populated city, town, and settlement in Equestria. “Get well soon, Chrysalis.” She murmured quietly.


> Queen by AuthorGenesis (horror)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by AuthorGenesis

“Twilight, why?” gasped a bruised and bloody Princess Celestia. Princesses Luna and Cadence were in similar condition, but unconscious. Rubble and furrows in the earth, as well as the crumbled and collapsed ruins of the former beauty of Canterlot surrounded them, as crows and vultures cried raucously overhead. Dust blew through the streets, carrying the stench of sewage with it.

“Because, I came to realize that a government with multiple heads of government will eventually fall into chaos and anarchy. I don’t want that for my beloved homeland. I am grateful to you for ruling well and wisely, but I won’t sit and wait for corruption to pervert this land’s government. You wanted for me to rule alongside you, but you withheld information from me. You didn’t consult me when you were putting into place the pieces for my Ascention into an Alicorn. You didn’t consult me when deciding to use Discord to stop Tirek. You didn’t even believe me, when I tried to point out the inconsistencies between the Cadence that I remembered and Cadence as Chrysalis changed herself into! There’s an idiom; that too many cooks spoil the broth. It would seem that it can be applied to government as well.”

Chrysalis appeared from around a pile of rubble; pebbles and stones clacking as the loose debris tumbled to the base of the pile. An arrogant smile and gloating looks as she looked haughtily down upon the defeated solar princess.

“My, my Celestia. Finally learning to prostrate yourself before your betters? It certainly took you long enough. Was asking food for my subject and asking that the proper courtly etiquettes due me so much to ask? You have no one else but yourself to blame.”

”You! You poisoned her mind against us, didn’t you?” Celestia screamed furiously, trying to get her hooves back under her.

“Poisoned? Good heavens, no! I simply opened her eyes to how you really saw her. A pretty pony puppet princess to help administer your government. She wasn’t an equal, but your pawn. Just a pretty figurehead to smile and wave to the important dignitaries. She decided to tolerate it no longer, and institute a more beneficial dictatorship style of government.”

Twilight used her magic to topple Celestia back to the ground. “And thanks to you three, I hereby pass judgment. Celestia, you are hereby stripped of your title as Princess of Equestria, as well as your magic, for using your powers in your own interests, instead of the common interest of Equestria’s citizens.”

Twilight’s horn lit up, as she cast a forbidden magical assimilation spell, absorbing Celestia’s alicorn magic within her. Celestia watched in shock, as her cutie mark vanished, much like during the Tirek affair.

Twilight moved towards the unconscious Cadence, her eyes trickling tears of sorrow. “I’m so sorry that it has to be this way, Cadence. As long as you are more loyal to Celestia than me, then it falls upon me to prevent you from retaliating against me. I can only hope that you see reason and change loyalties. Only then could I consider returning your alicorn magic to you.” She felt Chrysalis gently wipe away her tears, nuzzing Twilight in a gesture of comfort and reassurance. Twilight gave a brief small smile, before casting the assimilation magic once again, feeling her magical reservoir swell even more. It felt like eating an elephant’s weight in magic. Her magic felt over full and her reservoir felt like it was being strained, like the stomach of a pregnant mare to contain the growing foal within her.

Twilight and Chysalis moved to Luna. “I’m so sorry, Luna. I don’t want to do this, but I know that you’ll always stand by your sister. I don’t know if I can ever do your nighttime celestial artwork justice, but I’ll try and do my best, to honor your efforts and contributions to the beauty of our nighttime world.” Twilight lit her horn once again, casting the forbidden spell for what she hoped would be a final time, watching as Luna’s cutie mark vanished, like the other time it had, when they had given her their magic.

Chrysalis summoned her warrior drones, along with a sapient, issuing an order for the three to be incarcerated in a secure dungeon until the military had regained or surpassed its former might and numbers.

“Now to pick up the pieces.” Twilight murmured, looking in the direction of her home, Ponyville.”

*Six months later*  

“By the consent of my fellow Equestrian ponies and by my magic, I hereby crown myself Queen Twilight of Equestria!” She levitated a fine filigreed tiara upon her head. The titanium crown’s shaped in a series of six narrow diamonds, the tip of each inset with a different gem reminiscent of those of the Elements of Harmony. Her fellow Queen and marefriend Chrysalis looked on with pleasure and approval.

Cries of ‘Long live the Queen’ resounded from all sides of Twilight’s new Crystal Palace of Friendship. She smiled and waved, as her former Element Bearers stood behind her, looking on silently. Each had been promoted in some manner or other. Rainbow Dash had been promoted to Imperial Weather Overseer of Equestria and newly inaugurated Captain of the Friendship Brigade, to replace the Wonderbolts for the premier aerial acrobatics team. Pinkie Pie had been promoted to Imperial Event Coordinator and Pâtisserie. Rarity had been promoted to Imperial Fashion Designer and Seamstress. Fluttershy had been appointed Imperial Menagerie Caretaker. Applejack had been appointed Imperial Head Chef.

“Come, Queen Twilight. Let us take our place in the Royal Pavilion so we can see the display that the Friendship Brigade has in store for us.” Queen Chrysalis smiled, pressing her barrel against Twilight’s. “What’s wrong, dearheart?” She asked, noticing Twilight’s sombre mood.

“I know that it had to be done, but everything inside me aches for Cadence, Celestia and Luna. Like I sent my own friends to rot in prison, after I robbed them even of their magic.”

“Oh, love.” Chrysalis cooed, throwing a hoof around Twilight’s barrel, and pulling her in for a hug. “It just goes to show that you have a good heart, and why I know you’ll make a wonderful Queen.”

“But, Celestia has a good heart, and yet look what I did to her!”

“That’s why you rely on your friends to advise you. Because true friends won’t be afraid to tell you when they think you’re doing something wrong. And you have me, and my experiences as a queen of my own people to draw from.”

“I know, but it doesn’t ease the pain in my heart.”

“I know. I’ll be here to support and love you through it all.”

“Thanks Chrysalis.”

“Now come on, I really want to see what Rainbow Dash and her group has in store for their aerial show!”

Twilight giggled, correcting her crown on her head, as it had taken a skewed angle, from the insistent tugging of her excited marefriend.

> Pony Pregnacy by Europa (Sweet)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

"Um... Chryssy, is that what I think it is?"

"Of course it is. How else did you think we were going to have a nymph?"

"I thought we were just going to, I don't know, genetically engineer it based on tissue samples from the two of us. How is that even possible?"

"Have a little faith in the shapeshifter! And don't tell me this isn't more exciting..."

"Um... you know what, I'm okay with this."


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


Chrysalis pranced happily into the crystal castle, finding Twilight in her bedroom hunched over a workstation. "What does it say, what does it say?"

Her alicorn wife looked over her shoulder and smiled, tears in her eyes. Her magic flared to life and moved a small strip over to Chrysalis's sight. Her multi-irised eyes narrowed at it, reading the bright blue color on it. Then, connecting the dots, her eyes lit up and she looked at Twilight. "So you're..."

Twilight nodded, a grin splitting her face. "I am!" The pony got out of her seat and flew towards Chrysalis, hugging her around the thorax. "I am, I am!"

"We're going to be parents," Chrysalis breathed, staring off into the distance. "I'm going to have a nymph..."

"Well, foal," Twilight said. "I'm the one carrying it, so it'll be a pony." She pulled away and shrugged, her grin never diminishing. "Dual species pairings are weird like that."

"WHO CARES?!" Chrysalis bellowed in the Royal Badlands Voice. "We're going to be mothers! We need to let everyling know!" She said giddily, already preparing a fire ring around them.

"No teleports!" Twilight warned.

Chrysalis let her magic peter out with a frown. "Right, right, of course. Still gonna let everyling know."

Twilight rolled her eyes. "You do that, Chryssy." Her eyes bugged out and turned a rather pleasant shade of green. "Bathroom!" She galloped out as fast as she could, leaving Chrysalis to do a happy dance on her own.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


Twilight was getting rather clingy in her sleep, two months into her eleven month gestation period. 

Eleven months! Changeling gestation was similar in length, but only the first three months were spent inside the womb; after that the egg was layed and hatched eight months later. Chrysalis didn't envy Twilight for carrying around a child for nearly a year. 

Twilight was a little clingy, not that Chrysalis minded; she quite enjoyed being her snuggle bug. They laid together on the pony's bed, Chrysalis behind her with her forelegs wrapped around Twily's barrel, which now had a barely noticeable bulge.

She couldn't help but smile, a joyful tingle throughout her limbs. The slight bulge. Her child, her foal. While the excitement and raw joy wasn't as overwhelming as it had been two months ago, it still made her heart flutter. She'd never had her own child. She was expected to raise someling to succeed her as queen, but she was always set on something else. Finding food for her subject, developing a counterspell to the latest of revelation magics, putting together military strategies with her Swarm Commander to take over Equestria. Children were the farthest thing from her mind, especially given how much changeling queens were instinctively protective of their young. After all, as an entire subspecies of the changeling race, they had to be.

Queen Chrysalis licked along the nape of Twilight's neck and bit down gently with her fangs, rousing the pretty purple pony princess. Twilight shuffled in her forelegs and turned her head around, eyes half open as a smile developed on her face. "Morning, Chryssy."

"Morning, love. It's time to get up."

Twilight nodded and began to long process of rousing herself, swinging herself off the bed with grace. Chrysalis for her part simply began to buzz her wings, lifting into the air and onto the ground. "So, what's on the agenda today?" she asked.

Moving over to her desk, Twilight picked up a notepad in her hoof. "Some paperwork, then we go to the hospital for a checkup, I have a meeting with Mayor Mare and you have a meeting with the mayor of Trottingham, after that free time, then I need to hold Dusk Court, then we're free for the rest of the night."

"Great! Now - " Twilight's stomach grumbled. " - now how about we go see if Spike's up yet making breakfast?"

Twily hummed. "Hmm, he probably is. Oh, I hope he's making pancakes. Though I was thinking I could, um, use some of your slime as syrup instead? Oh, and some blackberries!"

Chrysalis raised an eyebrow. Outside of their bedroom activities, Twilight never asked to drink changeling slime. Was she alright?


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


Queen Chrysalis knew she was not welcome in Canterlot, not by the populace. While officially the Unified Changeling Swarm had made peace with Equestria, she knew that the citizens would never forget what she had done, nor did she wish for them to. There was mutual dislike, especially by the Royal Guard. Her army had kicked their flanks, and they knew it. Now that they had a stable, bountiful source of love, they could do it again with even greater ease, so they responded instead with glares and polluting the air with as much dislike and hate as they could. 

She hated being in Canterlot, but since Twilight was going to the castle, she was going to go with her.

Twilight, now halfway into her pregnancy, was very obvious about it. While she ate... well, enough for two, her cravings never became too outlandish. Though she had regressed into becoming a nervous wreck whenever Celestia asked something of her. Good thing Chrysalis was around to pull her out of it. And then of course, her stomach's bulge was impossible to miss.

Royal Guards remained out of sight, following Twilight, while Chrysalis could smell her own Imperial Guards doing the same to her under disguise. Citizens looked at them warily, some bowing, some whispering to each other as they passed.

Chrysalis, for her part, jumped around and bared her fangs at any of the ponies who looked at them funny. This had the side effect of constantly clearing away crowds, until the next street's crowd came into view, where she could repeat the process.

Her beloved, of course, was rather nonplussed about this. She could taste the non-plussedness in the air. "Chryssy, I appreciate the concern, but any reason you're acting like a guard dog?"

"Excuse me for trying to keep you safe," she growled. A pegasus moved a mouth to her saddlebags and pulled out... what was that?! Chrysalis wrapped herself in green fire and inferno-dashed over to the pony, towering over her with her fangs bared and horn lit. "What do you think you're looking at?!" The pegasus zipped away, her camera clattering to the ground. Nodding to herself, she inferno-dashed back to Twilight. "You see?"

"Chryssy." Twilight stopped and magically pulled Chrysalis into a hug. "I know you're worried about me and the foal, but could you please tone it down? They're just curious, nopony's going to try and hurt me. Even if they did, I have Abselv's Reactionary Aegis cast and several of your own wards on me. Please, you're scaring everypony."

Her ears lowered, thoroughly scolded. To think that she, Queen Chrysalis the Green, was being chastised by a pony. "I'm sorry," she muttered, tightening the hug. "But this is our first child, I'm worried. I want everything to go right for our little colt... I'm sorry for being overprotective," she breathed.

"It's okay."


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


At first Chrysalis had been the one with the most worries about the child, but as the days ticked on and the weeks flowed by into month nine, her stomach swelling, Twilight began to do what she did best.

Panicking.

Twilight, now flightless for three months, paced back and forth along the castle worriedly. "What if he doesn't orient properly to come out? What if he wraps the umbilical cord around his neck? What if he's teased at school for having famous parents? What if he never makes friends like I didn't until it was almost too late? What if he's deformed and is inhibited for the rest of his life?" Twilight froze as if paralyzed, then wheeled on Chrysalis. "WHAT IF HE'S STILLBORN?!"

Chrysalis fire-portaled the short distance to her and placed her perforated hooves on her wife's shoulders. "Twilight, Twilight. Relax, you're going to be fine."

"How do you know that?!" she demanded with tears in her eyes. The emotional sensors in Chrysalis's ears were going haywire around Twilight. "Changelings can't predict pregnancies, nopony can!" She began hyperventilating, her ears flopping wildly. "Everything's going to go wrong and it'll all be my - "

Slap!

It wasn't often that Chrysalis did anything to physically hurt Twilight anymore - outside of bed - but this warranted it. Twilight's head snapped around and her breath caught in her throat, pupils shrinking. "Right," the pony breathed. "Right, I needed that. Thank you."

Chrysalis lit up her horn and shot a ray at Twilight's hooves, building up a cocoon from the ground up. It went up to Twilight's neck, the density low enough not to put any undue pressure on Twilight's stomach and their unborn foal. Twilight gave a little 'whoa!' as she rolled onto her back. Chrysalis telekinetically scooped the cocoon up, sat on her rump, and brought it to her lap. "Twilight, tell me what's wrong."

Then the dam broke. "I'm just so worried about having a foal because up until recently motherhood never even crossed my mind and I'm so worried about doing things wrong because my motherhood books didn't help and if the books didn't help then it must be so tough and I'm going to fail and he's going to hate me and grow up to be a delinquent and I'm so ugly and I feel so heavy and I have to pee all the time and eat all the time and eat the grossest things and we haven't had sex in months because you're afraid of hurting me and the foal but it feels like it's because you think I'm ugly even though I know that's not the case and I'm worried about how much the actual birth is going to hurt because ponies' heads are so big compared to their bodies and lactating is so uncomfortable - "

Twilight spilled on and on, Chrysalis listening as intently as she could to the high-speed vent. Eventually Twilight slowed down, and she took the cue to lean down and nuzzle the pony. "I know, Twilight. I know how much you're worried; changeling, remember?" That got a grin out of the pony. "I'm not going to say your worries are without merit, because most of them are." With a flick of magic she dispelled the cocoon and held Twilight in her hooves, running one over her greatly enlarged stomach just in time to feel a kick. "But they won't be as bad as you think, because you have Spike to go to, your friends, your fellow princesses, and me."

Twilight nodded, slightly teary eyed. "Thank you. Thank you, you're right."


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


"Um... Chryssy?"

"Mmm, what is it? I was sleeping."

"Chryssy, I think the foal is coming."

"That's nice... wait, what?! We're going!"

"No fire portals!"

"Buck! Right! Okay, get on my shell!"


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


It only took a small amount of suggestion magic to get the doctors to let Chrysalis stay with Twilight during the birth. The smell was sharp, Twilight's breathing was frantic and her grip was tight, not to mention that her screams were agonizing. Oh how Chrysalis wished she could do something to ease her beloved's pain. The minutes ticked on into the night, the doctors and nurses and Chrysalis all shouting and whispering encouragements at Twilight.

The last pushes came and went, ending with Twilight reclining and gasping for air as it was finished.

One of the ponies - Doctor Stable - snipped the umbilical cord with magic and said aloud, "Time of birth, three fifty seven in the morning, October seventeenth. Congratulations Missus Sparkle, Missus Bladequeen, it's a colt."

Chrysalis caught the first sight of their son and went silent, her jaw gently dropping. He looked so small, squishy. His pale, glacier blue coat was matted with various bodily fluids from his mother. Both of his ears were flat against his skull, the tiny wisps of turquoise mane - just like her own - also slick with liquid. His tail was very short, letting her easily see the dock of said tail. He was an earth pony, laying on his hooves by Twilight's hind legs, small purple eyes flicking this way and that curiously.

Twilight shifted and gently - oh so gently - moved her hooves to bring their son to her head.

The others smiled. "We'll just leave you two alone for a bit," said that Redheart pony as they filed out.

Twilight had started murmuring. "Oh my son, oh my son you're here," she said breathlessly, sticking out her tongue to lick at his face. "You're here, you're here." She kept licking, going all across his body and cleaning him.

Chrysalis remained quiet, walking around to get a better view of their son nuzzling against Twilight as she groomed him from where she laid. She came closer and leaned her muzzle towards the small pony. The colt turned away from Twilight and towards her, sniffing. He made a little motion towards her with his hooves, and successfully belly-flopped. Chrysalis's breath caught in her throat, but he didn't start crying. Instead, he waved a hoof around, sniffed her scent, then stuck it out and punched her in the muzzle.

She wasn't really hurt - carapace, after all - but she backed up and blinked from the shock, then grinned. "He's violent, I like it."

"I'm a mother," Twilight whispered, shellshocked as she lay on the wrinkled white sheets. Chrysalis looked at her; her fur was matted with sweat and her mane was bedraggled to the point where it had none of its regular shape at all visible. 

Twilight had never seemed more beautiful.

Slowly, their son moved in his flopping-attempting-to-walk motion down Twilight's body. He clamped down on skin and began to suckle one of Twilight's teats for milk.

"So, you think the name's good?" Twilight asked. Chrysalis just nodded, continuing to look at their son as he nursed peacefully. Their little pony.

"Chryssy, are you... crying?"

"No!" she said, raising a hoof to wipe her eyes. "T-There's just... there's just a raincloud in my eyes!"

Their darling little Veridian Light.

> Instrument by Level Dasher (cute)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Level Dasher

“Was that a good enough ‘study session’ for you? I think I learned plenty.” The newest Alicorn princess laid her head on the Changeling queen’s chitinous shoulder, a blissful smile on her face as her partner spoke. “But seriously, must we continuously use your code terms? Even when it’s just the two of us? It feels a bit silly.”

Twilight turned her head and made eye contact with Chrysalis. “Do you really mind it that much? It kind of turns me on…” Twilight said with a small blush.

Chrysalis smiled at her. “If it’ll make you blush like that, I guess I can deal with it.” She brought a hoof to Twilight’s mane and began stroking it, causing the alicorn to giggle and shut her eyes.

After a minute of caressing the princess’ mane, Chrysalis began lowering her hoof. She stopped it mid-motion when Twilight groaned, turned her head, and said, “No, don’t stop. That felt nice.” Letting out a slow, deep sigh, Twilight heard a light whistle, which caused her ears to perk up. “What was that?” She opened her eyes, but all she saw was Chrysalis’ hoof in front of her, shaking slightly.

Apparently not hearing her question, Chrysalis said, “Woah, try not to blow on those, would you? They’re sensitive.”

“They?” Twilight asked as she looked at Chrysalis’ hoof— her holey hoof. Realization hit, and Twilight smirked. “Sensitive you say?” she said to herself quietly. When Chrysalis stopped shaking her hoof, Twilight took another breath and blew across one of the smaller perforations in Chrysalis’ leg, eliciting another, yet slightly higher-pitched whistle.

Chrysalis retracted her leg from Twilight’s vicinity and began shaking it again. “Hey! I just asked you not to do that!”

Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Oh, that’s so cute! The holes in your legs whistle different notes! Like cider bottles with different amounts of cider in them!”

Chrysalis sighed and glared at Twilight. “Of course they do. The cavities in my extremities are not all the same shape. Different formations and dilations elicit alternate frequencies.” Twilight stared at Chrysalis as she spoke. Chrysalis glanced at Twilight, then sighed and said, “Yes, I know certain scientific terminologies, especially since they have to do with my anatomy.”

Twilight continued staring at Chrysalis as she turned and got on top of the changeling’s chitinous form. “Keep doing it.”

Chrysalis furrowed her brows. “What?”

Twilight panted, “Keep doing it!”

The light above Chrysalis’ head clicked on, and she rattled her own brain. “Uuuh…” She blanked for a moment, but the Hive Mind kicked in. “Um, the telepathic link between equines of shape-shifting nature can only be severed by means of temporary paralysis, and, uh, the possible lasting effects of separation have been deemed fatal in certain instances…”

The guards could hear the panting outside the Queen’s quarters.





“I can’t believe I’m letting you do this.”

“Oh come on, it’s going to be fun! I may not be as musical as Pinkie, but you beat out ALL of her instruments combined!”

“Fun for you, maybe. I had to let you tie me up so I wouldn’t shake my legs on reflex! I told you my cavities are sensitive!”

“I thought you liked being tied up! Besides, just think of what you’re going to get when I’m done ‘playing’ you!”

Chrysalis sighed and shrugged. Well, yeah. I guess THAT’S worth it…

Twilight smiled. “That’s what I thought. So, are you ready to be a living, equine instrument?”

Chrysalis smirked. She couldn’t resist.

“Blow me.”

> Overprotective by MichelleTwistaloo
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by MichelleTwistaloo

Opposites.....

She meant, it’s what they were, basically, though how much of an opposition there was was entirely dependent on the other creature.

She had, in the back of her mind, plenty of reasons of why she should, could and would, and had, already fallen for the other creature.

That it mystified her with the way it had been used in place of the boogey pony? To scare little filly herself? That its method of feeding was dangerously, closely, unique, and she liked unique?

That the other had displayed a somewhat daunting and wonderful presence in front of her, even when her cover had been blown?

No, those were all good reasons, and they were helped calm her fears but the real reason?

Not curiosity, or fear, or love stealing, or macabre tricks of the mind.

Opposites....

And she being overprotective.

...

She should explain herself.

To Twilight there was nothing more important than those friends who, well, believing in herself or not, were still that, friends.

She gave them tremendous importance, and, in fact, not being able to befriend the other creature, the queen, the changeling, had stricken her.

She knew the myths, and some, still permeating from her childhood, she still remembered, a creature unable to feel love, only to take it.

“But no creature is without love”  - Twilight reckoned. And to see how the other creature, female, treated her own minions....

Well, she certainly seemed incapable of love, but Twilight knew for sure that was just a facade, something, a mask, not reality.

And even if she is wrong,  teaching the other female the value of friendship (and non judgment and everything in between), is something she desires.

Her feeling of  Over protectiveness expand, not only to her friends, but to the other creature, not a mare, but oh so deserving of  the joy of friendship.

And deep within herself, Twilight knows, but doesn’t admit, there lingers more than friendship, within, like a small light, one she can’t put out.

But one day, she reckons, she’ll get to find the creature, and protect her, from harsh judgments and from the emptiness of no love...though she quickly replaces love with friendship on her mind.

> Humming by lyra_lover777
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Twilight had no idea how she had been roped into this.

She looked around as the Ponytones plus Fluttershy sang out loud, their vocal chords doing overtime.

Fluttershy's hoof twisted awkwardly into Big Mac's grasp. He flashed her a sly smile before becoming one with the song once again.

She was beginning to hyperventilate, sweat dripping off of her brow while she shuffled her hooves nervously.

The crowd was loving the song. It was so silent. She could imagine their ears perked up, turned in just the right direction to collect the most of the flowing melody.

She licked her dry lips.

Soon she would see the crowd for herself.

She looked behind her. A lone stage worker rushed past her, speaking rapidly into a headset.

He stopped in front of her, his ill fitting spectacles barely staying a perch upon his snout.

"Get out there!" he whispered sharply before turning his back. Soon he disappeared, along with all of Twilight's courage.

She gulped, and took one step onto the stage.

Immediately she felt the searing heat of the stage lights bearing down on her skin. She winced a little as she shuffled forward a bit.

No wonder Fluttershy hates these things. she thought.

Her eyes then moved to the crowd.

Her ears pressed close to her head as she took a step back.

They were all intently watching, a few swaying with the tune quietly.

Then Twilight heard a splitting note the cascaded through the air like sweet honey to her ears.

It was her cue.

She sung.

Twilight was nowhere near as good a singer as Fluttershy, but she did have better chops then most other ponies out there.

Her breath was expelled from her mouth, and her music burst forth.

"Noooonononononono!" she sang, her voice naturally gritty.

The crowd was taken aback by her voice. They had been so captured by the performance that they hadn't realized the new addition to the stage.

Then she fell back, taking on the place of drums, her voice reminiscent of crashing symbols and beating snares.

Soon the performance ended. The curtains collapsed, covering the six spent ponies on stage and muting the sound of thousands of roaring hoofclops.

Big Mac quickly kissed Fluttershy before heading back stage with Toe Tapper to grab water for them all. Their lungs were overworked.

"Good job, hun!" Torch Song complemented. She then flashed a smile up at Twilight before turning away, fixing a few of the beads on her giant bee's hive mane. 

She then promptly left the stage as well.

"Yeah, good job, darling!" Rarity squealed, flicking a bead of sweat of her forehead before enveloping Twilight in a deep hug.

When they split, Fluttershy agreed with Rarity's proclamation. She then quickly hugged Twilight before stepping away. She seemed uncomfortable, fidgeting the whole while.

Suddenly then Big Mac burst from back stage. Fluttershy's face immediately lit up, and she to was gone ,back stage, without a single goodbye.

Rarity sighed.

"Now it's just us two." she said before turning her back to Twilight, tiredly teleporting a broom to the stage. She then began to sweep sorrowfully.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, first it was Rainbow Dash. Sure, maybe she did hit Fluttershy, but then she eloped with the dung bag of a pony named Thunderlane. Have you heard a word out of her in the past year?"

Twilight thought long and hard, but was lost at the last time she had seen her rainbow maned friend.

"And then it was Pinkie. She met that Cheesy Sandwich, and ran of with him into the unknown. She might send letters every month, but we haven't seen her face in at least three years!"

Again, Twilight was forced to agree with Rarity.

"And then Applejack, running off with Caramel. Last time I saw her was six months ago at their wedding. And the last letter I got from her was three weeks ago, and it was about I had left a horn ring there. And then it arrived the next day in a box, the diamond gone, the silver tarnished, and the ring itself crooked and stained with who knows what!"

Twilight just merely nodded her head while Rarity motioned dramatically.

"And now it's happening to Fluttershy! All gone and hooked up with that hunk a hunk Big Mac...ungh."

Twilight could now see the crystal clear truth.

"So you're saying that they're going to get married soon, and then we'll be the only ones left not married?" Twilight said.

Rarity just nodded sadly.

"I bet my spa partner spot will be opening up in a few months..."

Twilight nuzzled Rarity's neck, smiling.

Rarity smiled back at her friend.

The noise of the crowd had long faded away. Most of the crowd had probably filed out of the large, makeshift amphitheater set outside the Everfree Forest.

Rarity tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear, settling it with its mates.

"I must go now, darling. The Boutique awaits!"

The two giggled for a moment before Rarity left.

Soon even her hoofsteps were gone, and Twilight was alone.

Utterly.

She sighed. She slowly moved towards the exit of the stage, feeling as though she was in slow motion.

The second she broke from the structure, the dank forest greeting her with its wild and sweet smells and curious tunes, she felt a bit better.

Her eyes rested on a small, winding path, only two cobblestones wide, that wound to the heart of the jungle.

Twilight felt an insatiable thirst to go done that path and see what she would find come over her.

She broke into a gallop, and soon she was tearing down the path.

Her mane flew behind her like a dark cape while she ran. She vaulted over a fallen log, then swerved out of the way of a passing fox.

Soon a glow danced across the path.

Twilight stopped in her tracks, watching as the light formed into a little bunny.

It was a light green, reminiscent of slime.

But Twilight didn't mind. She watched it morph again, this time a ferocious wolf.

It snarled at her before turning into a little doe and scampering away.

A light tune twisted into her ear drums, ensnaring her in its beauty. Unbeknownst to her, her eyes had glazed over and she was neck deep in a trance.

She followed the doe, which flipped to an eagle and soared into the air, its wings beating it to lofty heights.

She spotted another wisp of light, this one a green mouse. It scampered through the underbush, pursued by a bright neon lime owl who's claws were ready to tear the mouse to pieces.

But then the mouse morphed into a bear, and swallowed the green owl whole.

Twilight changed her path. More and more light creatures wound their way around and to her. Soon the sound of rushing water joined the serenade and the sounds of the light beasts.

She broke through a thick grove of pines to see the most glorious sight she had ever beheld in her life.

A flowing waterfall, slow yet fast all at the same time, cascaded down a shelf of limestone, which was streaked with red, purple, and yellow.

The water was green, yellow, blue, red, pink, purple, orange, all at the same time. Creatures emerged from it, prancing and bounding around, playing with each other and occasionally snatching another up.

In the center of the pool at the bottom of the rushing, yet dripping waterfall, there was a pinpoint of green light.

A pony lay there. Sparks of magic sprung from her horn, hitting the strange H2O.

The sparks then, hitting the water, became shapes, the creatures.

A fox, a robin, and a frog, recently formed, bounded to the edge of the pond.

A Twilight was taken aback by the figure inside the pool.

Her teal mane, splayed around her, swirling in the greenish water as more and more embers of magic popped off of her horn.

Twilight felt herself continuing to move forward. She was there, now. There was no way out except to touch the water, then swim to the beauty, the wonderful, unimaginable beauty...

Her hoof touched the gentle waves of the pool.

Suddenly all the purple light there rushed towards her, gathering around her like eager puppies, hungry when you had a bag of treats.

Her horn sparked a single ounce of magic.

It hit the water, swirling in a purple ball until a figure broke through the surface.

It was a little sparrow. It darted through the air, chirping quietly.

Its song echoed in her mind, for it was the same song that had attracted her here.

Then she realized that all the animals were singing it, either if it was inside their hearts or out in the cool, open air, the song beat through all of them.

Even her.

She felt the song rise through her throat until she was singing, her raspy voice cutting above all others. Her horn became a faucet of magic, hundreds of creatures forming around her as she sang, becoming lost in the song of life while she slowly moved towards the beauty in the center of the pool.

Twilight looked down, watching a snake, then a deer, and then a hummingbird all pounce out of the water in a mere second.

Her voice increased volume, causing the flow of magic to somehow become even greater.

Soon her purple circle of water touched the beauty's circle.

The beauty sat up straight, and all the music stopped, except for Twilight's song, which twisted and curled through the air like an speedy cobra.

But then Twilight looked into the eyes of the beauty.

They were cold as ice.

And soon her song petered out until it was just a whisper, a shrivel of noise.

And soon it was entirely gone, just a beating rhythm in her heart.

> Population Expolosion by lyra_lover777
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

"Welcome to Canterlot News, keeping you up and running with breaking news daily!" a dark coated stallion said, who sat in the middle of a group of three reporters.

"Well said, Marque!" an younger, grey coated stallion said, who sat on the right of Marque.

"Now, breaking news from the coast city of Vanhoofer!" a light purple earth pony mare said, sitting to the left of Marque.

"Tell us what's been happening, Fritz!" Marque said to the pegasus on his right.

"The citizens of Vanhoofer are complaining after Princess Twilight Sparkle and her wife, Head of Embassy, Chrysalis, moved thousands of homeless caribou into their city after the caribou's country was destroyed by Griffon invaders."

"The city, without the added thousands, was already buckling under the weight of almost three fourths of a million living on its streets." the lavender mare said.

"Very true, Hyacinth," Marque said. "Cities all over Equestria are having the same problem, from the exploding population of Manehattan that increases by hundreds everyday, to the streets of Baltimare that are so jam packed that cars have been outlawed there do to lack of roads to drive them on."

"Here's a picture of the Vanhoofian protesters," Fritz said. He motioned his hoof to a large screen behind them.

The screen came to life, depicting screaming hordes of ponies toting signs and flags that waved in the air.

The screen shut down, and the attention returned to the reporters.

"Equestria is starting to become over crowded. How long until we'll be sending refugees to shores of other countries?" Hyacinth inquired.

"This has been Marque, Fritz, and Hyacinth for the Canterlot News. Goodbye!"

> Embrace by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

The tension could be cut with a knife. Twilight frowned and looked back and forth between her workerfriend and her sister-in-law, who stood at opposite ends of the conference table and shot glares at each other. It was a small fortune that her BBBFF had excused himself before he did something he would regret. It wasn't that Twilight was worried for Chryssy; she'd knocked down Celestia for pony's sake. No, Twilight was more worried for everypony around Chrysalis should things come to blows.

"I hardly see how it's my fault," Chrysalis sneered. "You wouldn't even have the Crystal Heart if my kind hadn't invented it!"

"If you're so good at inventing love distributors, then why did you run out anyway? Acting too much like locusts?" Cadance spat back.

"I'm so sorry that we lost the technology when Discord emerged all those centuries ago and wiped the world back to the stone age."

"Then why's it malfunctioning now?!"

"Garbage in, garbage out. You should make your little crystal ponies happier; I understand you like to throw around love like cheap Hearth's Warming presents to those who don't need it, but hoard it from those who do."

"You're one to talk about mind-altering magic!"

"Because I could just let him keep the shield up, right?!"

"You could've not invaded at all!"

"You could've not invaded at all," she said mockingly. "You could've asked Celestia for help oh yes the information I had at the time painted such a sympathetic picture of your little sun goddess, little miss blast-the-problem-with-an-unnecessary-show-of-force!"

Twilight groaned and facehooved. The two continued to argue, their tones rising until it was starting to give her a headache. Finally, she took a deep breath, tilted her head back and, "QUIET!" she bellowed. Both changeling and alicorn shut up. "Thank you. Both of you, please! The wedding invasion was years ago, can you two please just move on?"

Simultaneously, both of them pointed at the other and exclaimed, "She tried to kill me!" They snapped to glare at each other. "No I didn't!"

Before they could begin again, Twilight lit up her horn and shot a bolt of magic between the two. It opened up into a miniature portal into the vacuum of space. The roar was immense and the wind was undeniable. Cadance and Chrysalis both strained to pull away from it as it pulled their manes in. Before things could get too much worse, Twilight turned off the portal.

"Thank you," she said sweetly. "Chrysalis, I want you to apologize to Cadance for leaving her for dead under Canterlot."

She didn't need to be a changeling to know how the queen felt; Chrysalis was a very pride worker and disliked apologizing for anything. All the same, she gritted her fangs and spoke. "I'm sorry for leaving you to die in the caves."

"Good. Now Cadance, apologize to Chrysalis for blowing her hive up."

"I'm... sorry for destroying half of your hive with my magic."

There was a tense silence, then Twilight piped up. "Good!" She banished the conference table away. "Now everyone hug!" She telekinetically pulled them towards her and forced them into a group hug. "Feeling better now?"

"... yes Twi."

"Of course, love."

> Youtube by AuthorGenesis
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by AuthorGenesis

Chrysalis watched in rapt fascination as Twilight connected cables and wires to the bulky boxy object with the grayish window attached to the front. Another metallic box contained the ‘brain’ of the computer, as her marefriend Twilight analogized.

Next came the telephone line connecting into the back of the computer tower, and Twilight lit up her horn, and hit the button with the circle with the line through the top half of the circle. Why they used that as a symbol of power activation, and not a cool jagged lightningbolt symbol would ever mystify Chrysalis.

She watched as the loading screen made programming script fly past at lightening fast speeds. Twilight went into the internet connection screen, adding the necessary information necessary to activate their internet connection.

She had actually headed a task force to seek a way to quickly disseminate information, knowledge and wisdom to ponykind. It really wasn’t hard for the epistemophile and sophophiliac to devise a method using pre-existing phone lines to accomplish a dissemination method. It was a matter of building the proper machinery to decipher the raw data and assemble it into something other than zeros and ones.

Now, three years later, every Guard outpost and barrack had at least one computer, and the governmental buildings, hospitals and regional governor had a computer connected to the internet.

Now the more innovatively minded of the Apple family had formed Apple, LTD, and were pioneering breakthroughs in electronics both digital and analogue. She’d been given a complimentary computer: the Apple π, but using the mathematical symbol, and not the pastry image, the first publicly available computer by the Apple company. Chrysalis particularly remembered the fang grinding squee her marefriend had made upon finding what the computer model had been called. She loved Twilight, but carbon based organisms just should not reach certain decible registers.

Chrysalis watched on nervously as Twilight’s grin grew to maniacle proportions, as the interwebs provided massive amounts of information at her fingertips, entire libraries, knowledge and whatnot digitally accessible to anyone with access to a computer terminal and internet access.

She did a search on dissertation on the feasibility of microsizing chips, and proposing nanomachines being the technological future. Ironically Changelings had joined the digital software competition with their company Goo-gle.

Chrysalis smiled, watching her marefriend’s amusement on the word play they had done with their company name. Right now the Changelings at Goo-gle were rushing to consolidate their position as a digital powerhouse, as they implemented more end user friendly features, better customer service, and creating goods while buying companies their company saw as advantageous to swelling their popularity and their coffers.

Near the top of one of Twilight’s searches, was a link to a brand that Goo-gle had snapped up fairly quickly upon seeing the popularity of the site. Twilight browsed the site for a little while, before deciding to see if there was anything on her.

“What’s this? Twilightlicious? Weird. Well, c'est la vie. She clicked, and waited briefly for the video to load.

Soon a unicorn mare that had had a dye job to look like Equestria’s newest princess, started to do some suggestive dance move, while singing a rather inane song. Chrysalis tried to stifle her chortling behind her hoof, as she watched her marefriend’s cheek flush, turning her already purple cheeks even darker.

“I can’t believe this!”  Twilight raged, slamming the mouse down, the plastic casing cracking beneath the sheer force the tool had been treated to. Twilight trotted out of the room, her head raised high, her pupils narrowed at the offending video as it continued to play the offending video, before slamming the door behind her.

Chrysalis grinned lecherously at the dancing mare, moving the slider back to the beginning of the video, as she slid the chair in, and started learning the sexually suggestive dance moves that the mare was performing. Not only could she tease her marefriend with the seductive dance, but it would make for great teasing material as well. She felt as giddy as a pupae for Hearth’s Warming, a lecherous grin on her face, as she repeated the dance, and the video once again.

> Peanut(s) by lyra_lover777
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

"Christmas time is hereeeee. Christmas time is hereeeee."

Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, and Linus sat on the edge of a frozen pond, their skates discarded in the snow several feet away.

The friends laughed, and Snoopy fell on his face, sliding out onto the pond.

Charlie Brown put on his skates and slid and skittered over to him.

Charlie twirled through the air, and soon he was next to Snoopy. Linus and Lucy had also donned their skates, and were making their way over to the duo.

When all three skaters reached Snoopy, the bent over to pick him up.

But under their weight, the ice creaked, and then broke in half.

The quartet screamed as the plunged into the icy water.

===

Chrysalis smiled, nuzzling Twilight's neck, which was wrapped in a thick scarf.

This was the couple's first Hearth Warming's time together. Twilight had gotten two pairs of sleek, black skates for the both of them.

She was determined to make her fillyfriend learn to ice skate.

They made it down to the pond. Over the years, Twilight had come far from the miserable skating failure she had been at her first Winter Wrap Up.

Pinkie was already there, and so was Fluttershy and Big Mac and Applejack.

But they were all not skating, but leaning over a hole in the ice and hoisting things from it.

The duo scampered down the slope and Twilight slipped on her skates, dashing over to the small crowd around the hole while Chrysalis just abandoned the skates all together and buzzed over to the fiasco.

Three little, hairless, two legged ponies and a white and black dog, wet and shivering, lay next to the ice hole.

"What are you?" Twilight inquired.

"I'm Charlie Brown and this is Lucy, Linus, and Snoopy."

"Where's your cutie marks? Huh, huh, huh?" Pinkie squealed. She bumped her snout into Charlie Brown's rump.

Twilight face hoofed.

This was going to be a long day.


> Who and Malapropism by AuthorGenesis
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by AuthorGenesis

It had been a wonderful time for both ponies, as Twilight and Chrysalis laid on the highest balcony of the Golden Oaks Library, as they gazed at the star spangled heavens, The barest sliver of a moon suspended in the sky. It looked as if some foal or pupae had taken glowing glitter, and had been very liberal in parts. Twilight had spent most of the night pointing out constellations that ponies had identified many years ago. Like the Hunter, an arrangement of stars which formed an image of a fox. Or the Scales, another arrangement of stars which looked a scale with two weighing pans suspended from either side. Or the Judgment Constellation, an arrangement of stars that made the image of a gavel and hammer.

The two had headed inside, however once the morning sky had indicated that sunrise was almost here. First the black of night started to shift into a deep purple color, which then transitioned into a deep blue hue. Stars began to slowly fade and wink out from visibility as vibrant reds gradually followed, as did the oranges and yellows in their turn.

Twilight had gone into their room, and already snuggled under the covers, while Chrysalis had continued downwards to the kitchen to get several glasses of water, before she intended to snuggle up to Twilight and be the big spoon to Twilight’s little spoon.

Chrysalis, after she had sated her thirst and placed the empty glass in the kitchen’s sink, turned about, and saw Owlowiscious calmly perched on the stand Twilight had gotten for him, whenever Twilight did one of her late night study binges and she required the assistant of somepony when a tired and exhausted Spike was no longer capable of assisting her.

“Hoo.”

“—Do you think I am!? My horn will be the horn that pierces the heavens!” Chrysalis magicked up a pair of red rimmed triangular shades, which she put on, the longest points being the upward corners of the triangle farthest away from her muzzle.

“Hoo.” The unperturbed owl hooted.

“—Am I? How can you not know who I am!?” The changeling queen pointed an accusing hoof at the sleepy looking owl.

“Hoo.”

“♪—is that Diamond Doggy in the window/ the one with the waggely tail.♪” Chrysalis sang

“Hoo.”

“—Will go for me? And who shall I send?””

“Hoo.”

“—Goes there! Show yourselves!”

“Hoo.”

“—Is asking?”

“Hoo.”

“—Shall be called great in the kingdom, but those who live in accordance to the law, and teach ponies how to live in accordance with the law?”

“Hoo.”

“—Are you talking to?” A sleepy Twilight Sparkle trudged down the stairs, in search of her marefriend and snuggle buddy.

“—Nopony.” Chrysalis hastily denied, eyes looking anywhere but at Twilight’s junior assistant.

Twilight looked about, and only saw Owlowiscious. She remembered hearing him hoot from the top of the stairs. A look of understanding started to form on her features, which swiftly shifted towards mirth, as she started giggling behind her hoof, her eyes sparkling and dancing with merriment. “Y-you were talking with Owlowiscious?”

Chrysalis felt her cheeks grow hot, at being caught red-hoofed. “What!? N-no! I-I was trying to insult him, so that he would shut up and let some ponies get their sleep.”

Twilight continued to giggle unashamedly at her marefriend. “—Right.” Her vocal tone indicating that she clearly didn’t believe that one bit.

Chrysalis gave a brief glare at the owl, before bumping her flanks against Twilight’s “Let’s just go to bed.” Her cheeks were still flushed in embarrassment, and could feel the vibrations of Twilight’s giggling when their bodies made contact.

“Sure.” Twilight paused, before affectionately kissing Chrysalis on the cheek. “You’re just so adorably cute, when you blush.” She giggled to see her marefriend’s cheeks flush even darker, but for a different reason. She trotted up the stairs saucily, her tail swaying, teasing her marefriend, but never letting her see the treasure hidden beneath.

Chrysalis watched the display, before shaking her head, as though to shake the cobwebs from her head, and quickly trotted up the stairs in pursuit of her marefriend.

“Hoo.” The owl hooted, winking in the stairs direction, as he closed his eyes, and settled down to sleep.

> Improve by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus



Twilight,

I knew that by accepting this task what lay ahead and I never anticipated that this would be easy. The ones who deny my claim to the High Queen throne have proven to be as strong and resourceful as I feared. Still in spite of setbacks we have been making progress in bearing down on their forces. Yet I don't know how much longer this struggle, this civil war will last. I hope that it will end soon with our forces victorious. There is nothing more I wish than for you to be here with me or I was home with you but we both know why this can't be. But no matter what happens you'll be in my thoughts always, I look forward to the day when I'll be with you again.

Love from Chrysalis



I set down the letter after having read it over again. I had received that letter months ago when the civil war began.

That was the first news I had of the progressing civil war, a war that seemed at times to be balanced on the point of collapse, there were no certainties in war. Every new letter told of success and failures in removing factions and elements opposed to her challenge to the High Throne.

I looked around the room which was much more disorganized than usual. Whatever books I could find on war, rebellion, titles, ascension, and Changelings were all piled on the every available surface. On top of the books were quills, ink pots, letters, notes; the entire mess was the result of me trying to understand the war more ever since Chrysalis left.

That was what I had told everyone else around me but everyone I knew could tell what the truth was. In truth it was all a distraction to keep me from worrying endlessly about Chrysalis and her well being. I just couldn’t help myself, Chrysalis had become increasingly important to me and not knowing just how she was doing worried me, her letters only told so much. I looked to one of the more recent addition to the mess that lay nearby, another letter that came only a few days ago.



Twilight,

We have made good progress in driving out most of the factions opposed to ascension to High Queen however a few factions still remain. I miss you still even more than when this damn war began. It has been a long road and I have no idea how much longer it will be before the last of the rebellious factions have been quelled but I can only hope it will be soon. My forces in spite of losses still remain strong but morale is wavering, some have expressed doubts of removing these last few factions. Despite this I must press on, I hope that by removing one of these stubborn factions I can boost morale but the remaining factions are the ones I knew from the beginning would be the hardest to remove yet I long for the day that this all ends in our favor and I can return home to you. I still remember our promise and I hope I will be able to fulfill it.

All my love,

Chrysalis



Often I would write back as soon as I was able to, most of my replies were almost immediate but now after all this time something was making me hesitate from replying to this letter. Seeing that first letter I had received made my mind drift back to when this all began.

A couple months ago Chrysalis had left to fight for the right to be the first High Queen that the Changelings had not had for many generations. I wanted to support her not because she dreamed of being High Queen, no that was not her dream anymore, I wanted to support her because I love her. She had entered my life suddenly and unexpectedly and now I wanted nothing more than to be with her for as long as we have together. My love had left because duty demanded it of her, she left alone because she must. We had word that the Changeling Collective was falling apart on itself and we knew no one else we could trust but Chrysalis.

Chrysalis accepted the difficult task even though she knew she was going back to deal with those that had once exiled her. Her duty took her away from me and it's her pride and her species' culture as to why I couldn't be there no matter how much I wish I could be there even if all I do is sit there as Chrysalis' support.

Setting down the letters I began pacing my room, it's something I've been doing more and more lately. From the bare minimum that Chrysalis has taught me on Changeling culture still confused me by its paradoxes. A society that thrives on a peaceful co-existence of being unknowns yet within the Collective power sets one apart, it divides the Hive Royals from every other Changeling and it sets the hierarchy of the Collective. Peace and dominance, seemingly so paradoxical to the other.

It was this strength, this need to prove yourself by exerting power over others that determined that I could not go with Chrysalis despite my own wishes. This strange paradox I barely began to understand, how peace and coexistence is the source of life but so is strength and dominance for it keeps them unified.

I let out a deep sigh as I continued to pace, despite the crystal floor being many times stronger than magically reinforced oak I still had managed to leave a noticeable enough groove.

The moon was high in the sky yet I could find no solace, sleep or even rest was difficult. I missed her presence. I missed just being with her. Every time I received a new letter I could not help but feel anxious as my stomach churned, I had no idea what each new day would bring. The next letter I receive could be the last time that I would hear from her. The remaining factions who challenged her right to lead could have a final triumph that rendered all of Chrysalis' work for the past couple of months useless.

I ceased my pacing and went back to the bed carefully avoiding Spike's slumbering form. Spike had taken to staying with me as much as he could even more than usual, a source of comfort in this rough time. However even with his help I just couldn't sleep. Like so many nights and so many days I couldn't help but place a hoof on the ring I wore around my neck. The black and gold ring, commissioned as a pair and worn by both of us as a necklace. Our promise, our commitment to each other to be together even if the laws says otherwise.

A gentle knock on my door alerts me to the presence of another. Opening the door I found a Changeling Guard with deep green plates that Changeling Guards wore as reinforcement to chitin. The Guard remained silent but merely bowed before presenting a letter to me.

Just as quickly the Guard left. The scroll was like so many I had received over the past few months. Tightly bound with a deep green ribbon and stamped with Chrysalis' seal in black wax.

Unfurling it, I found her fine script with a simple message.



Twilight, I’ve kept our promise. I'll see you soon.



> Politics by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

I stood quietly looking over the town that welcomed me as one of their own. It was a hard adjustment at first, hostile glares everywhere I went with only a few willing to spare some time or a hoof towards helping me. Over time things changed and now the town, well most of the town welcomed me as though I lived there my entire life. This strange town on the edge of an even stranger forest where life changed greatly for me.

A gentle nudge disturbs my thoughts and I turned to see the Pony who helped make the change all possible. Instead of asking me questions as she would usually do at any other time she instead quietly nuzzles me gently. It hasn’t been long since I’ve returned from dealing with the Collective and the factions that opposed me in my push for the right to rule as High Queen.

“Hello Twilight,” I said breaking the quiet.

“Hello Chrysalis, have you been doing any better today?” Twilight asked, I could hear the concern and hesitance in her voice as she spoke and knew how difficult the past few months as been for both of us.

“I have, I was just enjoying watching the sunset from here.” I answered.

“Are you sure?” Twilight asked.

“I am.” Looking at the Alicorn next to me I knew she was curious about how I was doing. I figured it would be best that I should answer her better than I had been since I came back.

I gently broke away from the comfortable embrace and made my way towards the bed, Twilight seeing what I was doing joins me.

“Twilight,” I begin. “I have been somewhat hesitant telling you anything about what had happened.”

“Are you comfortable about discussing it, I didn’t want to push you.” Twilight interjected.

I gave her a soft nuzzle before continuing, “I am. I’ve been quiet since I’ve been having difficulties describing what I feel. Changelings live from feeding on positive emotions especially love. The species as a whole are in a sense emphatic, with that in mind it’s hard sometimes to describe the feeling when usually I can feel it and so can everyone else around me. I needed time to put my thoughts in order.”

I felt a soft weight fall across my withers and noticed the lavender wing, Twilight gave me a supportive smile as she tightened the hug.

“I’m not scared of killing, that I knew would be one of your first questions. I have killed before, not often since it wasn’t a sensible idea when you’re trying not to draw attention. But I have killed before, on assignments and for protection of the Hive, our homeland is more hostile and dangers can be anywhere. Killing Changelings is a different matter, I feel some conflict from doing so as I am fighting my own kin but even though we were at war I wanted to minimize the loss of life.”

“Did that work? With how strong some factions were, did that work?” Twilight asked.

“It did, most Changelings we fought we managed to restrain and secure away until peace had been made. No, what confuses me the most is myself.”

Twilight blinked, “How?”

I knew I had confused Twilight if all she could muster was a single word, “Myself, how I viewed others, how I conduct myself. If I was who I used to before I met you, before the failed invasion than I would have reveled in the victory. You knew how I used to be, arrogant, proud, subjecting others through power.”

Twilight smiled, “My stubborn Changeling. You're still like that.”

I nodded, “Sometimes but not always. Those words can define those who opposed me and in a way I now understand how you were confused by the paradoxes that our species lives on. In a way I feel conflicted, caught between two parts of myself. Who I was and who I am now. I may still be as I once was but I’ve changed. This town and you especially have changed me. Before I would have loved the opportunity to crush my enemies through strength and to prove myself by claiming the High Throne through force. Yet after my exile I went back to claim the High Throne not out of desire anymore but out of duty. I went back to help stop the Changeling Collective from collapsing on itself. Now I don’t want war anymore, I’m not the warmonger I used to be. I may enjoy fighting for the thrill of it but I don’t see a reason to kill or go to war needlessly anymore.”

Twilight nuzzled me again, “That why you wanted to leave Changelings alive.”

“It is, I can’t see myself just crushing skulls in, destroying those who oppose me. That isn't my life or aspiration anymore. I’ve found a life, a more peaceful life than I had imagined but a life I enjoy. But now I have absolute power yet I don’t want absolute power anymore.”

“There’s more to this isn’t there?” Twilight asked.

“There is more. By our strong connections through the Hive Mind I could feel the mood of those who fought for me. So many were wanted to return to the peace they knew yet they gave up what they had to help me. They willingly gave their peace and their lives to someone who they once declared a traitor. I’m not just conflicted but I feel the pressure, the desire more now. I want to be able to take this power that I fought for so I can protect the Changelings properly. I want the Changeling Collective to have peace, a proper lasting peace. Yet I can’t forget those who lost their lives in the conflict, I could feel their deaths even as they severed the link to spare us all the pain of feeling their end.”

Twilight had shifted so that her hooves were now wrapped around me strengthening the hug she was giving me, “I know in a small way how it feels, that pressure of wanting to protect. I want to protect my friends, my family, this country I live in. I have felt that and continue to feel that pressure, more so now since my ascension. Although the other thing about the connection, I can’t understand what it is like to feel someone die. I have not been to the battlefield living in a time of peace. As well the Hive Mind still confuses me and is likely something that will take me a long time to understand if I ever do. But I know that our desire to protect is something we share, so please know I’m here whether you want me to talk or just to listen.”

I returned the hug and gave her another nuzzle, “Thank you. I just wanted to you to know why I’ve been so quiet since I came home. More than any thing else I’m glad to be home, to be with you again.”

“That’s all I wanted too, for you to be here,” Twilight said. “As for the conflict you feel, it’s hard and I’m probably not the best one to give advice but that something we can all feel. Our lives are shaped by what we do, your life took a great change recently and a greater one is still to come. I know I’m not the same Pony who came to Ponyville more than four years ago and I mean more than just physical appearances. It won't be easy nor will it come quickly but I’ll be here to help you find who you are between the two sides.”

I couldn’t help but smile, some of her lectures go beyond my understanding but hearing her lecture was comforting.

“We all have faults and virtues but to me you are the Changeling who turned my life upside down by coming here. You are stubborn, proud and protective, a bit arrogant at times. It may seem overbearing but I like seeing you being proud for who you are and what you can do. You bring something different and unique to this town and to my life, you are the one who I want to spend my life with for however long we have. You have many strengths and I know that one of them is that you are loyal, to your people, to those you protect, and to your promises.” I knew that as she talked that she was idly playing with her ring again.

I smiled, "Thank you, I had some ideas what you would say, how you would respond but even though I knew that I think hearing it helped. Now there is one other thing I would like to talk about, something that I would like to announce during my coronation in a few weeks."

"Oh? Now I'm curious as to what you have planned." Twilight said.

Using my magic I took off the necklace I wore, the twin to Twilight's. Lifting up the ring I could see her putting it together.

"Marriage," I said. "While everyone we trust knows we're together and supports us in our decision. It has not been easy getting officially married due to flimsy laws and excuses created by those who are opposed to even the idea of it but now here's the best excuse. What could help cement ties between Changelings and Ponies than a marriage between two rulers. So Twilight Sparkle will you marry me?"

A happy shout of "Yes!" and the very firm hug were the only answers I needed. We had kept our promise to be together and we would keep it for however long we had together. For us marriage wasn't necessary, it was the outward sign but also a public symbol to the world about what we already shared.

> Traditionalists by lyra_lover777
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Twilight paced outside the room. Doctors and nurses bustled around inside, masks over their muzzles and tools afloat in the air, ready to be used.

Her mother was having a mental breakdown in a hard backed chair several feet away. Tears streaked down her face as she huddled herself closer together.

She mother was actively ignoring Twilight's sister in law, Cadence, who was whispering in her ear and giving her loving hugs.

And Shining stood, stoic as ever, against the opposite wall, still, as if her were on duty as a guard in Canterlot.

Cadence whispered in Twilight Velvet's ear once more, and then she pushed her out of the way, shouting:

"NO! IT'S NOT GONNA BE ALRIGHT!"

The shout echoed down the halls of the hospital and through the air that smelled of disinfectant.

Cadence attempted to cheer her mother in law once more, but Twilight Velvet shunned her again and again. And Twilight never ceased her pacing, and Shining didn't even glance at the fiasco his mother was creating.

A nurse suddenly burst through the door, a cheery look on her face.

"He's alive!" she said.

Shining came back to life. It seemed as if her had been a cold hard stone statue, and had been removed from his mold by the nurse's proclamation.

The quartet quickly rushed into the hospital room while several nurses filed out after they came inside. Soon they were alone with Twilight's father and one nurse.

A large, dark shape was huddled under the covers. Twilight's hoof shook as she reached out to uncover him.

"G-go slow. You'll be-be surprised," was all she said as Twilight continued with her advances.

Twilight's hoof hooked around the sheets, pulling them back swiftly.

What lay on the sheets was nothing like the dark blue unicorn Twilight knew and loved.

It was a tall, long legged, hole filled changeling. He was of a towering height, so that if he stood up, he would be only an inch shorter than the royal monarchs of Equestria.

"Who-who is he?!" Twilight exclaimed.

Even Twilight Velvet was lost for words, her hoof covering her mouth as she gasped.

"It...it's your father," the nurse replied.

===

Some might call it incest. Others, disgusting. And even others might remark that it was unnatural.

But they didn't care.

Currently, Twilight stood on a balcony overlooking the Canterlot Market, a thoughtful look on her face.

Chrysalis, now a spouse to a leader of Equestria, was also declared a noble. The two lived in spacious chambers towards the top of the Canterlot Castle.

Chrysalis buzzed out of the bathroom, an alabaster towel wrapped around her soaking mane. She shook, and a few remaining water droplets form her shower fled off of her body in many different directions.

She smiled seductively at Twilight, ready to pounce on her lover, ready to go down on her on that sublime place, rack her body with-

She was about to nibble on Twilight's ear when she saw the scene taking place below. She immediately took a step away from Twilight, her ear nibbling apparently cancelled due to current circumstances.

A crowd of over a thousand ponies had gathered below in the Market, toting homemade signs and flags, shouting catcalls and chants up to the royal lovers.

So screamed "INCEST ISN'T WINCEST! REMOVE PRINCESS TWILIGHT AND CHANCELLOR CHRYSALIS OF THEIR TITLES!" and "PUT OUT THE INCEST, PUT IN THE STRAIGHT, AND EVERYTHING IS WINCEST!" and other such things, although many were better than the last stated here.

A few protesters even began to launch tomatoes and other fruits and veggies up at the loving duo.

One, blasted by a rather powerful unicorn, smashed against Twilight's cheek, making her stumble and fall over the railing.

And the crowd cheered as Twilight struggled to regain balance, flipping and corkscrewing through the air towards the ground.

Thankfully she recovered several feet above the ground, and soared back to safety on the balcony.

Before the two shut the balcony doors and returned inside, they gave one last glance at the riot.

What had just happened?
> Gypsy by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Vinur wasn't used to being around ponies. Things back in the griffon empire were much... further from ocean level. The high air pressure was giving him a headache, and the heat! Why, water left on its own actually remained liquid instead of freezing! Madness.

He walked around the Equestrian mobile marketplace, and came upon a stall that called to him. He approached it, and a wizened old mare came to greet him.

"Why hello there," the moss-green earth mare said. "Come to browse or buy?"

"Just browsing," he said noncommittally. He knew their kind, willing to pounce at anything of interest, even in Equestria. 'Soft, naive herbivores' his furry flank! "What do you have?"

"Well, I don't have much currently, just sold out. But..." She turned around and rummaged through her wares, then returned with something in her hoof. "This is a relic from the Equestria-Changeling treatise," she explained. Vinur inspected it; it was a twisted green mass of some wax-like substance. "This was the present that then-Queen Chrysalis gave to then-Princess Twilight Sparkle as a show of their nations' friendship, and of their personal love."

Vinur raised a brow. What were the odds that a random vendor would happen to have something like that? "Forgive me for being doubtful."

She waved a hoof. "Oh, perfectly understandable! After all, it's been five hundred years since they abdicated, let alone since they met. Here." The mare produced an ancient, wrinkled yellow parchment. "Here is the actual treatise itself."

Vinur's brow raised even higher, trying to attain lift-off from his head. Still, he leaned in carefully and inspected the paper, the old-fashioned Equestrian words blurring together from age. It seemed legitimate. "Interesting. Chrysalis and Twilight you say? If that's the case, it's held up remarkably well."

The pony nodded happily. "Oh yes, it's quite good. Takes a fair bit of earth magic to keep it fresh, but changeling slime doesn't deteriorate much anyway."

That made sense. Vinur didn't know earth pony magic could be used to do that, but he didn't know much about pony magic anyway. "Alright, how many chirrups - I mean, bits for the relic?"

The pony tapped her chin. "Hmm, well normally it'd be twenty bits, but for a handsome tiercel such as yourself I'll sell it for ten."

Vinur nodded and lowered his head to the bag hanging around his neck. He fished out ten bits with his beak and gave them over. The mare slid over the sculpture, and he nodded. "Pleasure doing business with you, miss," he said, taking off into the air. Ten bits for such a priceless relic? What a steal.

***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***

The elderly pony snickered as she watched the griffon sail away. "Oh," she said in a voice that was not the voice of an old mare. "the pleasure was all mine."

She put out the sign saying she was closed, secured the bits, and headed deeper into the store. A spacial compression spell made it bigger on the inside, so she turned a corner and let the flames rise, up from deep within, all around, and they faded to reveal Chrysalis there. "Too easy."

Chrysalis saw Twilight laying on the wooden floor, her right wing extended limply as she poured over a book. "So, how long until he realizes it's just a worthless lump of changeling slime you threw up the last time you were sick?"

"I give him a month, didn't take long to talk him into it."

Twilight chuckled and flipped the page. "Nice." Her horn lit up magenta and a pendant around her neck moved up into sight. "Of course I'd never let you actually sell this."

"Nor would I try, my nectar," Chrysalis said as she looked at the red, stone statue; a changeling and a smaller alicorn standing side by side, their manes lifted in a breeze. "Nor would I try."
> Miscommunication by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

Chrysalis stood outside the doors to the Crystal Oaks. She smiled to herself as she thought about the evening she had planned with her marefriend Twilight. A few months ago they had agreed to starting dating. Since then they've been on many dates, it was rough going at first, but soon both of them found a nice rhythm.

Tonight's date was simple, a relaxing evening with minimum fuss. Some dinner and then maybe they could catch a movie or they would just come back to either her place or Twilight's.

Normally Chrysalis would have told Twilight the plans herself, but she had been busy the whole day with political affairs and work on properly settling the Changelings into Equestrian society. So instead she had sent a quick message through the Hive Mind for a Changeling to be sent as a messenger.

Before Chrysalis could knock on the doors, they were opened from within. Standing before her was Twilight Sparkle.... in a beautiful formal dress. An outfit better suited for dinner at a fine restaurant. Exactly the opposite of what Chrysalis had been planning.

"Hello Chrysalis," Twilight said. "Are you...."

Twilight trailed off as she finally noticed what Chrysalis was wearing or rather not wearing.

"I thought this was going to be a more formal date?" Twilight asked slowly.

Chrysalis resisted the urge to sigh, "I had planned for tonight to be more simple. That's what I told the Changeling who I asked to deliver the message."

Twilight looked sheepish, "I think I might know what the problem was…. You know how my lab is downstairs in the basement. Well I was testing with some new components and you know about the safety precautions I have.”

“Don’t go down without you or Spike, all messages are to be left upstairs in writing.” Chrysalis recited before sighing. “I guess the Changeling I sent didn’t either didn’t know or ignored it.”

“Um, I think he didn’t know and well…. He had a mild reaction to something.”

"Is he okay?" Chrysalis asked.

Twilight nodded "He's fine. But he wasn't really able to speak and so another Changeling came. But he left the note on my desk in the lab.... I think I might have spilled something before I noticed it was there.”

Chrysalis looked at Twilight and the finery she was wearing, "So what should we do now?"

Twilight used her magic to teleport the dress off her body, "Let's skip going for a formal date tonight, that can wait for a more special occasion. A nice, simple date sounds good.”
> Gatekeeper by lyra_lover777
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777


Twilight Sparkle shoveled the manure into a wheelbarrow, wiping sweat off of her brow.

Her robes were torn, dirty, and made out of a flour sack. The itchy fabric was fraying and had ripped in several spots. A large gash ran down one leg, made by an angry bull.

She heard a tinny bell ring, and she threw the shovel down, quickly hitching up to the manure-barrow and dragging it into its slot before galloping into the meal house.

She was a slave. Pure and simple. The family that owned her were a bunch of snobby Plantationeers, trying to work their way into the upper class of the Commonwealth.

Her slave master, a slave to the family himself, threw a bowl of thin gruel at her hooves, Twilight slurped it down quickly, licking her lips. She left her dish at the table and got up, heading to the dorms.

Suddenly a blaring hot pain was felt against her flank.

She yelped, turning around to see the slave master behind her, whip drawn.

"DID I SAY YOU COULD GET UP?" he cried, whipping her again.

"My-my apologies!" Twilight whimpered, bowing low to the slave master before taking her seat once again.

She knew what her punishment would be. No breakfast.

She groaned.

No one would share with her anyways because they barely got enough food to keep themselves alive; if they started sharing, both would die of starvation. It was the perfect trick for the Plantationeers that were so cheap that they wouldn't even pay for water for their slaves to bathe in.

All around her sat pegasi and earth ponies. But not a single unicorn. No, all the unicorns were either Plantationeers, Poliees, Testers or Testeds.

That's why she was hiding here. She wasn't related to any Plantationeers, and she lacked the class to be a Poliee and the age to be a Tester.

Which only left her to be a Tested.

Which was bad.

So that night, heading home, her Plantationeers owners watching from above, when a bratty foal stole her robes for herself, she was shown to all to indeed have a horn.

She tried to escape, but soon she was shackled down in the back of a truck, being driven to a Lab. She prepared herself for death.

She hoped against hope that the legends of what awaited her inside the pristine, disinfectant smelling corridors of the Labs were all fake, all lies, all made up...

Especially the Gatekeeper.

Supposedly they stuck you in an animated world where you had to fight to survive, and if you died there, you died in real life. Simple as that.

The Gatekeeper was supposedly some cryptic black carapaced being that could shift shapes and beat the fabled alicorns that had ruled the world with an iron fist so long ago...

The white building of the Lab appeared on the horizon.

Twilight gulped, her throat dry.

They parked and headed inside.
> Loading by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

The download started.

1%

2%

3%

4%

Chrysalis's eyes focused on the machine, watching as the little green bar sloooowly moved across the computer screen. Computers were a minotaurian invention, and of course, her people had stolen the technology for their own and adapted it to their purposes. Combined with the idea of the hive mind ingrained in themselves, it was mere months before they'd perfected the idea of an internet.

18%

19%

20%

So what if Equestia had expelled her from the country, right at the peak of her glory? They'd still gotten a tremendous amount of love from the invasion. They still had the most powerful military in the world, as well as ChangelingHypnosis©. Already her harvesters had turned their focus on Saddle Arabia, and her top magicians were developing counters to Equestrian revelation magic. Conquering Canterlot would've been nice, but it wasn't a necessity. Oh well.

Still, there was one thing in there she now really wanted. Not an object, but someling. Or rather, somepony.

51%

52%

53%

Such an intelligent pony, so capable, so beautiful, powerful and well-formed! Even with all the fur, and the straight horn, and the lack of cavities in her limbs, she was gorgeous. Which had inspired this little search among the internet, and the downloading of the file.

76%

77%

78%

Chrysalis licked her lips, eagerly awaiting the completion. Once the file was open she could project it onto a wall-sized screen. The changeling nation was proud and mighty, they did not settle for tiny, eye-damaging screens. And then... the fun would begin.

Casting another sound proofing and privacy ward around her spacious, underground bedroom, Chrysalis watched with baited breath as the bar crept up the final few percent.

97%

98%

99%

100%

Open File.

Chrysalis giggled like a school-nymph when the pictures were projected life-size onto the screen. One of her subjects had taken the initiative to assume the form of Celestia's pupil in rather... enticing poses.

She eagerly drank in the form of Twilight Sparkle on her back, hooves close to her body in socks. Laying down on her stomach, facing away with her tail raised just so slightly, and more. So many more, many of them so revealing.

So maybe they didn't need Equestria for food anymore. But she had special interest in nymphnapping one particular unicorn...
> Chimney by Europa 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

"Chryssy, why are you trying to kill Canter Claus?"

The changeling - who was stuck up the chimney so as to give Twilight a rather good look at her flank and tail - said, "I'm not trying to kill him!"

"Then what are you doing?"

"I'm laying a trap. When that reindeer comes down I'll cocoon him, then have someling take his place. With all the love Canter Claus gets year-round, it will be enough to feed my people and then some!" It would've sounded a lot more intimidating if her workerfriend's flank wasn't wiggling around in her face. "I just need to get the slime trap all set up..."

"You know, I'm not looking forward to explaining to my parents why there's changeling slime stuck in their chimney."

The changeling flank wiggled some more, then there was a faint splortch of changeling slime. "Don't worry, it'll be fine! Just need to get this string attached to the hook... there!"

"I am very conflicted about the morality of this, Chryssy," Twilight replied, sitting down and resigning herself to watching the free show her workerfriend was giving her.

Eventually, the hind legs and toned flank gave some frantic movements, then some short jerky ones, then stopped altogether. "Um, Twilight?"

"Hmm?" she asked, drawing her focus away from areas.

"I'm stuck. Help me out?"

Twilight sighed and went over to Chrysalis, flapping her wings to get good leverage. She cast a spell around her lover's barrel to make it slippery and pulled. Slowly but surely, the changeling slid out until, with a pop, she flew out and landed on her back. "Ow," the queen said. "Okay, that could've gone better, but I got the trap set up. And now we wait."

"Just wait?" Twilight asked as she clip-clopped over to her side. "How long?"

She shrugged. "Oh, as long as we need to. What should we do to pass the time?"

Twilight blushed. "Well... while you were in there I got a very good, um, look."

Chryssy arched a brow. "What do you mean - oh." She blushed bright green. "Oh. That works. Come here, you squishy pony."

And she did. And they were so caught up in their... ahem, activities, neither one of them noticed a blast of northern magic clearing out the chimney, and only the next day would they notice the letter in the fireplace that said, 'Nice try, bug butt'.
> Serendipity by AuthorGenesis
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by AuthorGenesis

Chrysalis’ mouth pulled tighter, her cheeks swelling slightly, as a slight smile graced the Changeling queen’s. She waved to ponies, friends, neighbors and ponies whom she saw frequently enough to recognize them on sight. She shook her head, likely to some amusing thought which had occurred to her.

It had been a long road, for both her and Twilight, in adjusting her social attitudes and interactions to be in alignment with the behavior which was acceptable to a member of Equestrian society. During the early part of her budding relationship with Twilight Sparkle and her slow process of learning the proper social etiquettes appropriate to a member of Equestrian society, it wasn’t an uncommon sight to see her storm out of the library, the loud slamming of the door announcing Chrysalis’ frustration and anger with her etiquette lessons, with how slowly it seemed she was assimilating the lessons, and with how frequently she seemed to fail, when she had thought she had gotten a particular lesson learned.

Chrysalis had not been the only frustrated pony, as ponies got used to seeing Twilight teleporting to the base of the mountain which they had ascended to request that he find somewhere else to take his rest. Beams of her raspberry-pink magic could be seen, as Twilight used her magical spells until she either was no longer angry or frustrated, or had exhausted herself to where she was too tired to be angry or frustrated. The pegasi and resident gryphons of Ponyille had learned to avoid that particular region of airspace, after one of the pegasus ponies nearly fell to her death, when a stray bolt burned through her primaries, leaving a large arc, where her feathers had been. Twilight had fortunately heard the pained scream of the plummeting pegasus, and used her kinetic magic to rescue her from a gruesome death.

Chrysalis trotted along the winding path, suddenly finding a bouquet of coral colored roses. She counted, only finding 11 of the budded flowers, instead of the dozen rose bouquet that the Flower sisters frequently sold. She gingerly picked it up in her muzzle, and turned about to bestow the unexpected find upon her marefriend.

*                     *                    *                    {Serendipity}                     *                     *                     *

Queen Chrysalis had a large grin on her face, as upon presenting her unexpected find, Twilight had been rather … persuasive in her insistence that she show just how much she had liked Chrysalis’ gift. And that had been a couple of hours ago. It was a bit of a shame that Twilight’s room wasn’t soundproof, as after fun behind closed doors, Twilight had to deal with a traumatized Spike. Chrysalis found it rather amusing when some ponies would look her way and suddenly start blushing furiously. It was how she could tell who had visited the library during their sexy fun times during the day.

She paused, contentedly patting her swollen belly, as she had gorged herself silly on Twilight’s love during their sexy fun time earlier. She strolled along a beautiful pristine lake, and recalled that how sloppily Twilight had eaten a mango, while moaning her approval of the fruit. She chuckled, shaking her head at the memory.

Suddenly her vision was obscured, as her body felt the vibrations of something impacting her chitinous shell. She saw a burlap sack, and used her magic to open it, curious about the contents. Inside, lay the egg-shaped fruit, the skin in hues gradually shifting from a dark green to a deep burgundy red color. The sweet aroma greeted her senses. Her smile grew upon the sight of a bag of mangos. She looked about, for anypony to whom the produce might belong, but not finding anypony in sight, she picked up the sack, and elatedly cantered towards the Golden Oaks with her fortuitous find.

*                     *                    *                    {Serendipity}                     *                     *                     *

Chrysalis watched in amusement, as Twilight messily ate one of the mangos, storing the rest in the refrigerator’s crisping drawer. She swiped a chunk of mango off of the side of Twilight’s face, placing it in her mouth, and then leaning over to Twilight, stunning her marefriend, as she passed the chunk of fruit into the mouth of her marefriend, enjoying the sight of the darkening cheeks, and the sweet, tangy flavor of the mango juice.

She heard a gagging sound, as Spike walked in on the two of them ‘sucking face’ as he called it. And upon hearing a shout of ‘I can’t take it anymore!’ she heard the front door slam, feeling his tumultuous emotions fade in the direction of Carousel Boutique. She snickered, rolling her eyes at the young drakes behavior, as she started licking the mango juice off of her marefriend’s cheeks, who was as still as a statue, only her breathing indicated that she had not died.

She chuckled softly, once she was finished licking Twilight’s face clean of any of that mango juice, and figuring that it might be awhile before Twilight’s mind refocused upon the present, she trotted out the door once more.

*                     *                    *                    {Serendipity}                     *                     *                     *

Chrysalis had been walking along the edge of the Everfree, when she felt the vibrations of something colliding with her shell, her legs splayed out, watching Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo soar through the air over her head. She quickly activated her magic, casting a simple kinetic magic spell, catching the three fillies before they hurt themselves. She gathered her hooves beneath her, when a vine caught her rear left hoof, causing her to stumble and trip, impaling her horn into the trunk of a dead tree.

She struggled, grunting and cursing rather colorfully in the Changeling’s language. While she could have cursed in the equine’s language, she just didn’t feel like dealing with the drama that doing so would bring her, either from her marefriend, Applejack, Rarity and possibly Rainbow Dash.

“We’ll go get help!” Apple Bloom cried, before the sound of 12 hooves could be heard, getting fainter as they left her horn stuck in the infernal tree.

*                     *                    *                    {Serendipity}                     *                     *                     *

Applejack bucked the dead three, the trunk shearing due to its age and how rotten it had become. Rarity’s eyes grew large at the sight of a large sack containing precious gems of all sorts. Chrysalis proceeded to secrete a fluid from within her body, a green rope of what looked like drool being woven into a sturdy, yet flexible sack. Chrysalis chuckled, as she toyed with Rarity, seeing her eyes sparkle when the bag moved over towards her, and then getting a dejected look, with tears in the corners of her eyes, and biting her quivering bottom lip, with her ears splayed against her skull.

Satisfied that she had teased Rarity enough, she placed the sack before her. “I’ll let you have all these gems, on the condition that you create a stunning dress for Twilight,” she whispered into Rarity’s ear. Rarity giggled, as the Changeling queen’s breath tickled her ears, her ears flicking to rid itself of the ticklish sensation.

“Done! When I’m done, stallions and mares are going to stop dead in their tracks when they see Twilight’s dress!” Rarity squeeing rather giddily at the mental image.

Chrysalis smiled and nodded her thanks, before moving over to Applejack. “Thank’s for getting me free from that tree.”

“Was only the right thing to do. After all, you protected Apple Bloom from harm, and they ‘bout near ran you over, as I’m to understand it.” Applejack glared with disapproval towards her younger sister.

“I’m sorry, Miss Chrysalis.” Apple Bloom apologized, her eyes looking down at her hooves, and her ears were flattened against her head.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Chrysalis.” Sweetie Belle echoed, her ears also flat against her head. She nuzzled Chrysalis, looking into Chrysalis’ eyes, small beads of tears in the corner of her eyes. “Does it hurt anywhere?”

“Sorry, Chrysalis.” Scootaloo also looked ashamed, with her ears flattened against her skull and looking anywhere but at the ‘ling that she possibly might have hurt.

Chrysalis chuckled, activating her magic, and using her kinetic magic to hug each filly, before returning them to their sister’s side. Or mentor, as it was with Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo. The old Chrysalis would have demanded that they have been placed in the pods, until all their love and energy had been sapped from them. “No ‘ling was hurt. But girls, you really need to think about how your actions might affect another pony. Just because I wasn’t hurt this time, doesn’t mean that I’m invincible, had it been another pony, you could have really hurt them. You don’t want ponies to hurt you, do you?”

“No,” each filly responded, looking at the Changeling queen, but was otherwise silent.

“I know you want to have fun and crusade for your cutie marks, but every action has a reward that comes with it, and sometimes, that reward either isn’t what we thought it would be at the time. Or it is a reward that we do not like, but must accept, because it is the reward for our decision and actions that we had taken at that time. But you should think about your choices, and if they might hurt another pony. Because you should treat your fellow pony as you would want to be treated.”

“Okay!” Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo responded, each filly looking a little less despondent.

Every pony started to break up, each heading to their respective home, as the ‘ling felt herself enveloped in the familiar tingle of kinetic magic. Seeing the raspberry-pink magic, she relaxed, as she floated over to Twilight’s side.

“I’m fine, really,” Chrysalis protested lightly, rolling her eyes at the coddling treatment that she was receiving.

Twilight smiled, before pressing her lips in a brief, tender kiss. “Why don’t you let me verify that for myself? But, I am very pleased with how you forgave the Crusaders, while telling them why they should be more careful in the future. I love seeing you be the bigger pony.”

Chrysalis gave her a deadpan look, before a jocular smile spread on her face. “Twilight, I’m nearly always going to be the bigger pony.”

Twilight giggled, shaking her head at her marefriend’s sense of humor, as the door to the Golden Oaks library shut behind the two twitterpated ponies, with golden rays of Celestia’s sun indicating the lateness of the day. The large, fluffy clouds being dyed in brilliant oranges, yellows, reds, purples and charcoal-blues.
> Messenger by Europa 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

She wondered what had become of them. It had been over two years since she'd last seen the changelings, at the fateful wedding, and so far Equestria had not seen hair or shell of them since. Twilight was especially worried about what had become of their Queen, who'd shown Discord-like disregard for pony life. So when she became the Princess of Friendship, devoted to spreading harmony throughout Equestria and beyond, Twilight Sparkle decided that the first she'd visit would be the changelings. She would come, not with hoof-spikes, but with an olive branch.

At least, that was what she would be doing, if she could just find the damned hive! The Badlands were vast and chaotically uniform, mesas and canyons criss-crossing the landscape with no pattern, but any one place was indistinguishable from the other. She flew around and around, but Twilight simply could not find the entrance to the hive. What was worse, the wards she kept active to shield her from the heat and dryness were taking a toll on her magic; she'd spent all day flying around the Badlands, and now she was totally lost and totally exhausted.

She swerved underneath a bridge of red, sun-swept stone and banked right to circle a mesa. Maybe she should call it quits. Go back home, try again next week. Maybe pack some more supplies.

Then there was something out of the corner of her vision. Twilight looked over at it, and just had time to gasp in surprise when the green bolt of magic hit her. It was so cold it burned, and then it solidified into slime that wrapped around her wings and pinned them to her body, and her horn was too tired to dispel it as she started to drop like a rock. Flailing wildly and screaming for her life, Twilight looked down and saw a collection of black, insectoid bodies. She screamed again as the swarm came up to meet her. She felt a dull impact, and was out like a light.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


Twilight opened her eyes groggily, but she couldn't see anything. It was like she hadn't opened them at all. She shook her head left and right, but paused when she found that her head was heavier and off-balance. Reaching up with a hoof to her neck, she realized that a heavy, iron shackle was clasped around her neck and chains attached that to a wall.

Her breathing was beginning to quicken. Twilight thought back to the last thing she remembered... changelings! She hadn't found the changelings, they had found her. If what she felt was correct, then they had taken her prisoner. No problem. She hit up her horn...

... she lit up her horn...

... why wasn't her horn lighting up?

Twilight raised a hoof to her forehead to try and find what was wrong with it. It couldn't be a magic inhibitor; there weren't any magic inhibitors in the world that could keep her down. She touched the spot where her horn would have been, but felt only air. Panic beginning to rise, Twilight waved the hoof around her head, then pressed it to her skull to feel around. There, beneath her mane, was a disk of hard mode that was all that remained of her broken horn.

"No, no no no!" she cried out. Twilight screamed and cried, begging for her to be wrong, for it to be anything else but her horn being broken. Pony horns didn't grow back. Sure, if they were just filed on the outside a bit they'd fill back in, but a total fracture like this? She was never going to perform magic again. Her passion, her talent, her cutie mark, had been stripped away for the rest of her immortal life. No, no no...

Clip clop, clip clop, clip clop. Twilight noticed there was light now, coming from the green, multi-irised eyes of Queen Chrysalis herself, who strode in. The light let Twilight see that she was in what approximated a dungeon. "And what did you think you were doing, trespassing in my domain?" she asked coolly in her resonant voice.

"M-My horn, m-my horn," Twilight whimpered, curling into a ball as best her shackle allowed her to. "You broke my horn."

"A safety precaution. Can't have you blasting and teleporting all over the place now can we? Should I ever decide to let you go, I'll stick you in a cocoon to grow it back. Now, tell me why you intruded upon the lands of the Unified Changeling Swarm." She stepped forward and put a hoof under Twilight's chin, raising her head to shine eyes like spotlights on her own teary face. "Now, what was your purpose here?"

"I-I wanted to speak peace with you, I wanted to negotiate terms now that I'm the princess of friendship, to bring the message of harmony to your people, tyrant!"

Chrysalis let her head go and took a step back, snarling. "Tyrant you say? And what - " Eldritch magic lit up her cell and Twilight was lifted until the shackle around her neck pulled taught, making it hard to breathe. " - reason do you have to believe I am a tyrant? I do not care for your people, a separate nation. I do not care for you ponies, an inferior species. My subjects I will do anything for. I keep them happy and safe and well-fed, as is my duty as queen. Including protecting them from nosy ponies who come under guise of peace with a dagger in their manes."

"W-What?! You think I'm - "

"Why would I not? Out of all the ponies, you are by far the most competent. Almost changeling competent. And I am well versed in the arts of infiltration."

"But this isn't one! I just wanted to speak to you about maybe forming an alliance between our peoples!"

Chrysalis hummed. "So you say. Very well then." Magic flared, and Twilight's neck was free. She rubbed the sore spot, looking at the changeling queen. "Convince me, Twilight."

TO BE CONTINUED
> Deadpan by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

"Would you run this by me again?" Spike stated.

He was staring flatly at the duo in front of him. Twilight was groaning lightly and constantly massaging her forehead, while the Changeling Queen looked dazed and close to passing out.

"Drinking, Changeling magic. Things happen." Twilight managed to say.

Spike resisted the urge to sigh at this. As he had spent his life with Twilight he knew that broken speech only happened in rare occasions. Drunk was one of those states, but he also knew how to decipher her incoherent grunting.

"Alicorns' nearly impossible to get drunk, but you're drunk. So Twilight "I am responsible" Sparkle got drunk while celebrating her engagement due to something involving Changeling magic.

A shaky nod from the semi-coherent Alicorn.

"So Changelings have bad effects from alcohol?"

Twilight shook her head, "From me, not alcohol.

"Great.... So Chrysalis got drunk...." Spike said sarcastically.

Spike looked over at Chrysalis to find her unconscious.

"Less low. More high," Twilight grunted.

Spike rolled his eyes, "Fine, Chrysalis "Leader and face of Changeling Collectives" got somewhat high from feeding on the magic of a drunken Alicorn. That made you more drunk."

"Was tipsy, not drunk. Also science."

"Science?" Spike asked hesitantly.

A nod, "Did magic experiment, success. Gave much food, repeat for results."

Spike tapped his foot while maintaining his flat expression, "The damage to the bar means you won't go there again.

"Lab?" Twilight suggested.

Spike shook his head, "The lab's being rebuilt from your last experiment. We're almost over the annual budget, so that'll take a while to finish."

"Different bar?" Twilight suggested.

Spike shook his head again, "I may be an adult by Equestrian laws, but I can't legally drink. Nor will I go to any bar to help you drink."

"Birthday?" Twilight tried.

Spike sighed, "Next month you want to celebrate at a bar? That sounds like a disaster."

Unfortunately this last part went unheard as the Alicorn had joined the Changeling Queen in the land of unconsciousness.

Spike groaned, "That's it. I'm changing everything at their wedding to remove alcohol. "
> Asylum by AuthorGenesis
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

 by AuthorGenesis

Twilight had been languidly reading The Aggregated Agricultural Omnibus Volume 1 when the familiar belching sound coming from Spike announced the arrival of a scroll from Princess Celestia. Spike used his claw to sever the ribbon sealing the scroll, and cleared his throat, before unrolling the scroll to the heading of the scroll.

“Twilight,

I require your presence in Canterlot as soon as possible.  Code Khar-aw-daw!”

Twilight froze, the book in between her forelegs falling to the floor as Twilight scrambled to the storage space beneath the stairs, as she levitated her Code Khar-aw-daw saddlebags in the event that an event of such titantic proportions should ever occur.

“Twilight!?” Spike called frantically, upon seeing his mother’s frenetic state.

“No time! Go to Fluttershy, have her look over you. Can’t talk, gotta go!” Twilight hollered, galloping towards the train station.

Spike slowed down, his stomach twisting as he watched the rapidly vanishing figure of his mother. “Oh no.” The dragon called out in a low voice. He turned himself about, running as fast as his little feet could carry him. If this Code Khar-aw-daw could put Twilight in such a state, it couldn’t bode well. Twilight’s friends would want to know what’s going on.


*          *          *          {Asylum}          *          *          *


Twilight rummaged into her saddlebags, removing an official letter authorizing her to commandeer any ponies, services, or buildings required to ensure that the problem which caused the Khar-aw-daw code to be activated was addressed as soon as possible. Noncompliance or rebellion to perform whatever the bearer of the letter requested or required would be seen as treason against the Crowns, and the ponies who were found guilty of treason would be punished accordingly.

“By the authority given to me by the Crown Royal, I hereby requisition the Friendship Express to deliver me to the capital city of Canterlot as swiftly as it is safe to do so.” Twilight informed, her horn alit in it’s raspberry pink color, as she unfurled the document authorizing her to do the thing she was ordering the Trans-Equestrian Railway Company to do.

“R-right! Just take that document of authorization to the train conductor and tell him what you told me. Once you’re on board, the train will depart.” The deep crimson coated mare with the brilliant raspberry mane informed, peering over her small silver rectangular shaped spectacles. She had vivid cerise irises, and crows feet at the outer corner of each of her eyes. Her mouth also had several wrinkles, and her jowl sagged slightly, indicating that she was probably about the middle age age bracket.

Twilight nodded, before scurrying to the familiar stallion who worked on the Friendship Express. “All Aboard! Celestia has summoned me to Canterlot using a Code Khar-aw-daw!” She once again used her magic unfurling the official documentation, letting the light grey coated stallion with the dark grey mane read the authorization document, his eyes becoming wide. There had only been three times that Twilight had requisitioned the Friendship Express, but Code Khar-aw-daw hadn’t been invoked for any of them. The conductors of the Friendship Express trusted Twilight to be responsible enough not to abuse her authority, so they usually were rather quick to listen when she had opined that requisitioning the Friendship Express for an express trip to Canterlot was called for.

“Sweet Beresheet!” The stallion breathed. He proceeded to unhook the cars after the first train car, before going to inform the train operator of the situation. Once he was satisfied that Twilight was as comfortable as she was going to get, he exited, and walked around the coal car, to the Friendship Express’ engine. He spoke briefly, before picking up a coal shovel in his mouth, and after adding more coal to the already hot fires, sat down near the door to the train engine, as the Train slowly lurched out of the station, the shrill whistle announcing their departure from the station.


*          *          *          {Asylum}          *          *          *


Twilight flew from the station, as the aerial pegasi Royal Guards spotted Princess Twilight, and flew in formation, their heads turning as they scanned for possible threats aerial or otherwise. The unicorn guards at the massive front doors saw the airborne guards and waited for the airborne party to land.

Each guard was subjected to a magical scan, as was Princess Twilight herself. It had become a common safety practice to guard against any changeling infiltration in the wake of Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor’s wedding.

“Alright, Princess Twilight. You may proceed towards the Treaty Rotunda.” One of the magically disguised unicorn guards, as five each of Earth, Pegasi and Unicorn guards formed a perimeter around her as they escorted her towards the Treaty Rotunda.

“Does anyone know why Code Khar-aw-daw was called?” Twilight inquired.

One of the Earth pony guards replied, “A detachment of guards apprehended Queen Chrysalis and the Changelings which were with her at the border of Equestria near Canturbury. Once enough guards were dispatched they were escorted to Canterlot, and promptly incarcerated to await the Princess’ decisions regarding their plea for asylum.”

“What!? Chrysalis is here!?” Twilight exclaimed, stopping momentarily, the entire guard detachment stopping abruptly, as they waited for their newest princess to resume her journey.

“Do not worry, Princess Twilight. Chrysalis is incarcerated and she and her changelings have agreed to wear magical inhibiting rings when they’re not feeding, at least until a decision regarding their request for asylum has been reached.” One of the unicorn guards replied.

They had resumed walking, and it wasn’t too long, before they had reached the Treaty Rotunda. About 20 guards patrolled the perimeter of the rotunda, as two unicorn guards scanned the entire group once again, before using their kinesis  spell to open the door for Twilight, though only Twilight entered the room, the doors closing behind her with a click.


*          *          *          {Asylum}          *          *          *


“Ah! Twilight, it’s so good to see you, my faithful student!” Princess Celestia greeted, affectionately nuzzling Twilight.

“It’s good to see you too, Princess Celestia,” Twilight responded as she nuzzled her mentor.

“Twilight, you don’t have to add my title, when it’s not in an official setting. Aren’t we friends?” Celestia looked down at the newest co-ruler of Equestria, her mouth pulling slightly, as her cheeks framed Celestia’s mouth.

“Force of habit, sorry.” Twilight informed, her ears lying flat against her head, fearing she had offended her friend and long-time mentor.

“Thou have nary a greeting for us, young Twilight? We perceive how it is.” Princess Luna turned about, pretending to sulk, though her mouth stretched slightly, betraying her good humor.

“Sorry, sorry! I meant no offense, Luna,” Twilight hastily replied, her eyes wide and her mane slightly frizzy, as she started to panic.

“Be thou at ease, young Twilight. We wast jesting in good humor.” Luna turned about, a mischievous smile on her face.

“Cadance!” Twilight squealed gleefully, as she cantered over to her sister-in-law.

“Twilight! Ohh, it’s so good to see you,” Cadance greeted as she hugged Twilight.

“Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!” Both ponies cried out, as they crouched down, as though in a pouncing stance, before sitting up and clapping their forehooves together, before turning their backs to each other, and raising their rumps to each other and wriggling their rumps back and forth at each other.

The two sister-in-laws giggled upon completing their fun greeting ritual.

“Oh, Twilight. We absolutely must hang out once we’ve decided what is to be done with Chrysalis and her Changelings.” Cadance mouth tightened, as she smiled at her sister-in-law.

“I don’t see Chrysalis. Why isn’t she here?” Twilight inquired as she looked about the rotunda.

“Why did you think that she would be here, Twilight?” Princess Celestia asked, furrowing her brows and rubbing her right forehoof  in the middle of her forehead.

“Because, we should have a Changeling that is familiar with Changeling behavior and society, if we’re going to properly decide on whether or not to grant asylum to Chrysalis and her Changelings. You’d want to be present if a leader of another country was going to make important decisions involving you and your ponies. I know I would. Shouldn’t we extend the olive branch, and not the hemlock?” Twilight reasoned.

“Twilight’s rhetoric does proffer exceeding reasonable conjecture, mine sister.” Luna added, agreeing with Twilight’s rhetoric.

Celestia nodded and opened the door outside, and soft murmurings could be heard, before the clopping sounds of several retreating hooves indicated that the guards had gone to fulfill whatever their ruler had commanded them to do.


*          *          *          {Asylum}          *          *          *


“Now, we’re going to trust you to not use your magic in any offensive capacity, when we remove the ring.” Princess Celestia informed Queen Chrysalis. “Breaking our trust will ensure the magic inhibitor ring is returned upon your horn. Captain Iron Hoof, you may proceed with the removal of the inhibiting ring, before resuming post outside the rotunda.”

Iron Hoof was a unicorn stallion with a light grey coat and a silvery-white mane and his cutie mark had two silvery horseshoes threading through the other’s inner edge of the horse shoe, with the two pointing at a 45° angle to the ground. What was most astonishing were his eyes, as they were a brilliant turquoise.

“Yes Princess Celestia,” he replied, snapping off a quick salute, before using his magic on the ring, and inputting a special magical sequence to disengage the locking mechanism on the ring so that it could be removed from Chrysalis’ horn. It didn’t take too long before the inhibiting ring was once more in the captain’s possession, who placed it in a small bag around his neck.

He briefly watched Chrysalis to see if she was going to make any immediate trouble, and when satisfied that she wasn’t going to misbehave, he exited the rotunda and closed the doors behind him.  

“Okay. Why should we grant you asylum?” Princess Celestia inquired, looking directly at the Changeling queen.

“Because you would want it granted to you, if our situations were reversed,” Chrysalis immediately replied.

“Soothly dost thou utter forth thy speech. What contributions might Equestria receive, assuming asylum is granted thee and thy subjects?” Luna then inquired.

“Changelings make for great infiltration agents, though our abilities can be used in entertaining ponies. Or if you need physical labor, and the ‘lings to manage the worker ‘lings. Only the sapient ‘lings have enough autonomy to not be affected by my Hive mind, to specialize in skill and ability. But I don’t know what talents or skills the sapient ‘lings have, as I tend not to micromanage the minutia of my ‘lings. I’m sure I could get a sentient ‘ling to survey all the sapient ‘lings with what skills, talents or knowledge each sapient ‘ling is strong in. It might take awhile to do, if you really want to know.”

“That would be really helpful, your Eminence. The tri-archy of Equestria would greatly appreciate if you could get such information to us,” Princess Twilight responded.

“And would you and your subjects agree to abide by the laws of the Kingdom of Equestria, should asylum be granted you?” Princess Cadance inquired. “And if a ‘ling broke a law would they be punished by you, or tried and judged by a Court of Law in Equestria?”

“If asylum is granted us, then yes we would agree to observe the laws of Equestria. As for any of my subjects breaking a law, then while I’d prefer to judge them myself, it would probably be best if an Equestrian Court of Law judge them. If I were to do so, ponies would argue that I would lightly punish the offender, or show favoritism to my ‘lings. I only ask that the judge judge justly, and not let any personal animosity in regards to my subjects for our failed attempt at overthrowing the then diarchy of Equestria,” Chrysalis expounded.

“Well, you will be free to appeal to a higher court circuit, should you feel that the ruling was not impartial,” Princess Celestia reassured. “Now, what about feeding your subjects? I am aware that you and your subjects feed on love. Can they feed only on love, or can they feed on other emotions? And are there any negative side effects to being fed on, both short term and long term? And why the fangs if you feed on emotions?”

“While we are capable of feeding on other emotions, love is the most delicious and filling of the emotions. The other emotions may have negative consequences depending on the emotions. Especially emotions like anger, hatred and wrath. ‘lings that go out of their way to feed on those emotions usually become violent and are either exiled out of the Hive, or are forced to be productive attached to some method of restraint. Usually chains and hobbles. As for short term feeding, a pony might notice feeling more tired or hungry than they might otherwise be, but otherwise there isn’t anything too detrimental to their well-being. Most ponies won’t even know they’re being fed on by a ‘ling. Long terms include extreme lethargy and procrastination, a loss of drive and passion, and an emotional ‘deadness.’ Depression and suicide are also frequently effects to long term feeding. While ponies are capable of recovering from the effects of long term feeding, it is a long, arduous and costly process. I say costly, because usually it requires psychological treatment. However, Changelings don’t like to feed too long on one pony, because of these long term effects are detectable, and can indicate that a Changeling is in the area. It’s counterproductive and not in a Changeling’s best interest towards blending in with the ponies. The ‘lings that do commit long term feedings are usually treated like the ones that feed on wrath, anger, and hatred,” Chrysalis explained.

“Please excuse us, while the other princesses and I confer and discuss whether or not your request for asylum will be granted,” Princess Celestia informed Queen Chrysalis, before moving off to the far side of the rotunda with the other princesses to debate whether or not Queen Chrysalis’ request for asylum should be granted.


*          *          *          {Asylum}          *          *          *


“I’d like to hear your thoughts on whether or not Queen Chrysalis’ request for asylum should be granted or not.” Princess Celestia announced, before letting the other princesses speak.

“I think we should. I mean she does have a point about how we would want an asylum request granted if our situations were reversed. Plus, they could be a valuable asset to Equestria. Also, doing so will ensure that Queen Chrysalis’ hive will be well fed, while also demonstrating us to be the ‘bigger pony,’ and eliminating any antagonistic drive or negative consequences which might arise by not granting their request for asylum,” Princess Twilight reasoned.

“Twilight’s rhetoric is well reasoned. We, however, art against it, as doing so might enable Queen Chrysalis to enact harmful schemes against Equestria and the Crowns.” Princess Luna cautioned.

“No. Just no,” Princess Cadence said.

“Is that a no as Princess Cadence, or is this a no from the Cadence whose wedding was delayed as a result of the Changeling invasion?” Princess Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow at her niece’s negative response.

“ … It’s a no as Cadence the pony. Both Twilight and Luna bring up valid arguments in favor for granting and abstaining from granting Queen Chrysalis’ request for asylum. However, barring any personal animosity that I may hold towards Queen Chrysalis or what she and her subjects tried to do, and the resulting consequences, I’m going to side with Twilight on this one,” Cadence answered,  though the thinness of her lips, and the furrowing of her brow indicated that she wasn’t all that pleased with her vote.

“Alright. I have heard your reasonings. While Luna’s argument is concerning, possible intrigues by the Changeling queen isn’t enough of a basis to refuse her and her subjects request for asylum. Twilight’s had stronger logic in favor of granting Queen Chrysalis and her Changelings their asylum request,” Princess Celestia announced.


*          *          *          {Asylum}          *          *          *


“We, the Crowns Royal, have discussed amongst ourselves and have opined to grant your petition for Asylum. You and Princess Twilight will collaborate in drafting an official treaty, with all its appropriate stipulations and grants.” Princess Celestia announced. “You and your Changelings will be removed to Ponyville until such a time that the ensuing treaty is ready to be ratified.”

Princess Twilight opened the door, and rotated her hoof in a vertical circular motion, after she had caught the attention of Captain Iron Hoof. Once he stood before her, she commenced with issuing  his instructions. “The Changelings are to be released from their prison, and a guard detachment are to relocate them to Ponyville. A detachment of about 500 guards are to relocate to Ponyville and commence with building barracks and fortifying the Frienship Castle. Mayor Mare is to be informed, and make an announcement to the citizens of Ponyville about the arrival of the Changeling Hive amongst them. A detachment of guards will act as riot control until the nervousness of the ponies die down, or until I can properly address the concerns of her citizens at a later date.”

“As you command, your Highness,” Iron Hoof replied, before saluting smartly. He trotted off, barking orders as a third of the Guards patrolling the Rotunda broke off their patrol and followed after him.

Twilight returned to the rotunda in time to see Princess Celestia shake hooves with Queen Chrysalis.

“Let me be the first to welcome you to Equestria, Queen Chrysalis,” Princess Celestia said.

Twilight grinned watching the awkward look and the hesitancy with which she shook her hoof with Princess Celestia’s. She didn’t know what the future might hold, but getting to live in moments like these weren’t so bad either.
> Keymaster by lyra_lover777
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Twilight yelled, screamed, cried, and slept fitfully. Time lost its hold on her as its rhythmic continuation became to much for her brain to handle.

She could have been in there for seconds, hours, days, even years. She had no idea at all. Cry. Sleep. Dream. Nightmares. Wake up. Cry. Repeat.

But one day, or it could be one year, or one second, a scientist in pristine white robes extracted her from the padded chamber, and shoved her lightly into black cube with a pair of half filled saddlebags hung across her spine.

And then violet light washed over her, and she was screeching, weeping, and shouting all at the same time. The blinding light and the different emotions were too much to handle and she collapsed into a lavender heap, blacking out.


===


Twilight awoke in a pile of orange leaves, the pile bursting apart a she shot to her hooves. The leaves crackled under her feet as she advanced deeper into the unknown terrain.

She tripped, and fell down. A flash of pixels flew in front of her. She looked down to see a crimson leaf squashed beneath her hoof, slowly fading away in a miniature storm of maroon 3D cubes.

She turned around swiftly to see the whole leaf pile rising up in a cloud of orange dots.

And then she looked at herself.

Her body was like it had always been except that it was...it was...

Pixelated.

She shuddered at what her body had become.

On her neck was a metal brace. It was some kind of homing device so the Lab workers could track her.

She flipped open her animated saddlebags to see what was inside.

There was about two weeks worth of food and water, a laser gun with three laser canisters, and a small handbook labeled "Surviving the Tests: How to Be a Tested."

She shuddered again and began to read the paper booklet.

You have been chosen as a candidate of the LTTIOFB tests, or the Lab Testing To Improve Our Future Bureau.

You, lucky unicorn, have been chosen to help save the world!

It may be exciting, but read through this booklet to discover some facts and tips to help you survive your Test and give us the best results!

Chapter One: The Goal

For the LTTIOFB workers, our goal is to make the future a better place for the foals of this world.

But what's your goal, other than to survive, of course?

Well, in the back of this pamphlet there is a map of your pixelated world.

Twilight quickly flipped to the back of the book, finding the map easily. She tore it out and unfolded it into its full size.

She continued to read.

There are three artifacts you must collect, each in one of the three corners of this triangular world.

"It's triangular!?" Twilight exclaimed.

The three treasures are The Tarnished Templar, The Bronze Bronco, and The Amethyst Armageddon.

Suddenly a ruslting noise sounded in a nearby bush. A few fading leaves faded away in a blast of pixels. Twilight slid the first canister of laser into the laser gun and fired.

A yelp sounded through the air as a sky blue unicorn mare toppled out of the bushes, face planting on the ground, a hole smoking in her chest.

Twilight took a step back in horror.

Her eyes flitted down to the last words in the chapter.

You must become the Keymaster, as well as bring the Gatekeeper what she desires the most. Good luck, unicorn!

Suddenly the pamphlet blinked out of her hooves in an explosion of tan particles. The unicorn who had been sneaking up on her was half gone, her sky blue body a plume of blue pixels as her dead body was eaten up by the program.

Twilight heard more noises, and began to canter away briskly.
> Suburbanization by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

The ledger, tucked away within the town hall's archives, tells an intriguing tale. There are many things written down throughout the years, but only a few of note.

Year 2483 AD: Ponyville is founded. This page is littered with a series of houses constructed, land bought, many of it connected to the Apple Family.

Year 2525 AD: The building of the Ponyville Library is completed.

Year 2555 AD: Ponyville Library is renamed from Books and Branches to Golden Oaks.

Year 2556 AD: The reformation of the Ponyville Weather Team under the instruction of child-prodigy Rainbow Dash, and the budget allocations required.

Year 2560 AD: The signing of the deed to Golden Oaks over to one Magus Twilight Sparkle.

Year 0 RH: Major reconstruction to Parasprite Swarm and Ursa Minor rampage.

Year 3 RH: Golden Oaks reclassified as Royal Dwellings for Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Year 4 RH: Damage count for Golden Oaks. Zip code and address created for Crystal Oaks, Royal Dwellings for Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Year 5 RH: Minor reconstruction to Changeling Scare.

Year 5 RH: Construction of tunnels beneath Crystal Oaks to house changeling immigrants from Unified Changeling Swarm.

Year 6 RH: Completion of tunnels beneath Crystal Oaks.

Year 7 RH: Multiple additional buildings to Ponyville.

Year 10 RH: Airship port constructed in Ponyville.

Year 12 RH: Airship The Hidden Friendship commissioned for Princess/Queen's Consort Twilight Sparkle and Queen/Princess's Consort Chrysalis Bladequeen.

Year 15 RH: Further construction as Ponyville expanded due to the presence of Royalty.

Year 25 RH: Prince Veridian Light abdicated throne and purchases construction of Veridian Light's School for the Gifted.

And as the years tick on into the years Returned Harmony, Ponyville grows and grows, centered around an alicorn and a changeling queen...
> Addiction by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

"I don't have a problem!" her marefriend said through a mouth full of hayburgers. "I can stop whenever I want!"

Chrysalis raised a brow. "You do realize that is the most cliché thing you could have possibly said for this situation?" She flicked her tail across the Burger Princess's seats, resting her chin in one hole-riddled forehoof.

"I fail to see your point," the pretty purple pony princess said, spraying bits of burger everywhere. Taking a gulp, she swallowed far more than she should've been able to and went for another.

"Isn't high amounts of fat to you like narcissism is for us?"

"Yes?"

Chrysalis activated her telekinesis and snatched the burger away from Twilight, earning an indignant Hey! "I can't believe this." She tied up Twilight in her magic as well, making sure to temporarily deaden the neurons leading into her horn. "I'm actually going to have to stage an intervention to get you to cut back on hayburgers. Hayburgers, of all things!"

Reaching into her saddlebags, she fished out a few ambers and left them as payment, then took herself and her lover out of the establishment, the pony sitting in her magic with crossed forehooves. The furious look on her face probably would've been more effective if said face wasn't also coated with ketchup.

She shook her head, ignoring the way everyling/everypony looked at them curiously. "Honestly, and I thought I was aggressive with my food."
> Possessive 2 by Europa (direct sequel) 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

For Tirek, life was good. Two thousand years of ruling Equestria and all the lands beyond? Twenty centuries of all life on the planet bowing to his will? Two hundred decades of having all the magic of Equestria swirling inside of him? Two millennia since ripping his traitor of a brother limb from limb? Nothing could be better.

After draining the alicorn magic, he'd found that he reached a sort of 'cap'. Draining more magic just sent it into the core of the planet, as he soon found out with the zebras and horses of Zebrica and Saddle Arabia. Of course it was well to rip the geomancy out of the diamond dogs, the durability and enchanted fires from the dragons, ensuring there would be no magic ever brought up against him. And once it was all concentrated in him, it was even easier to ensure no technology advanced against him, especially with dark magic to twist his enemy's wills...

He rested atop Canterlot, his pegasus magic lightening his body to allow the city to bear his weight. He was imposing, he was all-seeing, he ruled all! With his advanced knowledge of chaos magic, geomancy, alchemy, and infinitely more, there was none on the face of the planet he couldn't see.

Which was why this one alicorn approaching him was so... curious. He summoned his pegasus magic and levitated off the city, then flew out over the barren, tormented wasteland he'd delighted in visiting upon Equestria, and landed with such an impact it sent the ground rolling like waves.

The pony stumbled as the waves reached her, but didn't fall. Tirek put his hands at his waist and grinned down at her. "Well well, if it isn't Princess Twilight. Here I thought you were dead." She had grown, too, to the size of that Luna who had committed suicide in Tartarus so many years ago. Looking at her, Tirek felt a tiny itch form in the back of his head, but brushed it off. Why wouldn't he? He hadn't been in actual danger for two millennia, and that was a long, long time.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


"We need somepony to distract him," Celestia said. "Without something to focus his attention on, Tirek will simply lay waste to our plans with his supersight."

"I'll keep his attention," Twilight said grimly. "I was the one he fought to a stalemate, I'm the only one he'll have any modicum of respect for, the only pony he won't outright blast. Get me close to him, and I'll ensure Tirek is focused solely on me."


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


"You thought wrong," Twilight shouted up at him. The effort wasn't needed of course, Tirek's ears were more than sensitive enough to pick up on her words even at a whisper. "I've been alive and in hiding all this time."

"And where exactly have you been hiding?" he asked, bemused. He sat his equine half down and rubbed his chin with a finger. "I can see everything on the face of the planet. You'd have nowhere to hide."

"Unless I wasn't on the planet at all," she retorted. "You may have shattered the Rainbow Power, but it was still more than enough to get me safely to the Yellow Planet, alive for all this time."

He smirked and nodded. "Well." He clapped, the sound like thunderbolts. "I most congratulate you on that. But your mistake was made in coming back! Discord had convinced me not to kill you ponies as I went, but with him no longer around..." He bared his fangs and channeled his demon magic up his horns, causing black lightning to flicker around them. Tiny specks of fiery energy formed and coalesced into the large 'chamber' between his horns, coalescing into a shimmering ball. Tirek leaned back and shot out a gout of demonic power, wide as his body.

He cut off the magic, seeing the charred, blackened land and expecting to find Twilight vaporized, but she stood unflinching, looking up at him from a ring of undamaged land, and the pony smirked. The itch in Tirek's head continued, and his eyes watered ever so slightly.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


"He'll try and attack us, obviously. He's too conceited to try using chaos magic right away, so he'll use his centaur magic. Chryssy," she asked, turning towards her wife. "Are the crystals ready?"

"They are," the changeling queen said. "All enchanted and everything. I fire-portaled them beneath the chosen area myself. When Tirek tries to blast you, you'll be safe. And of course, the energy they absorb can be put to good use..."


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


He opened his mouth in shock. "That's... that's not possible!" he said, sustaining his magic and pointing an accusing finger at Twilight. "Your magic is gone! Your Rainbow was too weak! You should be dead!"

"And you... should be in Tartarus," Twilight said, not breaking eye contact. Tirek's head was starting to hurt... "Did you think I came back to Equestria just to shout at you? GET HIM!" There was a flare of pain in his head, rising higher and higher. Tirek's magical orb sputtered out, and he tried to reform it... and a gout of demonic power spurted from the severed horns on his head and spilled over his face.

He roared in pain, then fixed Twilight with a glare.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


"The three of us know how to manipulate resonance crystals," Celestia said. "Hide us below ground, set up some audio transponders, and we'll be able to blast Tirek. If we sever his horns, then hopefully he'll be distracted long enough for him to be cut down to size."

"Celestia," Cadance said. "Are you sure? I mean, I was the ruler of the crystal ponies but I never..."

Luna draped a wing around her. "Relax, dearest Cadance. We will be fine."

Chrysalis nodded. "Indeed. Cadance, despite our... first impressions, I have faith in your abilities. You can do this."


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


"I lied to you!" Twilight shouted as Tirek doubled over in pain. His horns, his precious horns! "I wasn't on another planet. I hid underground, with the changelings! And you know what?"

Tirek looked at her, his vision swimming with green and his will to fight back with chaos and rocks diminished. "What?" he growled, knowing not of these 'changelings'.

"I should thank you! Because thanks to you, I have a feeling ponies and changelings will be the best of friends from now on!" With that Twilight was engulfed in green fires, which faded to reveal a hole-riddled hybrid of an alicorn and an insect, the eyes glowing bright green.

"Surprise motherbucker!" Her long, crooked horn simmered an acidic green, and Tirek felt the stubs of his horns...

... leaking magic!


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


"Once he is in position," Chrysalis said. "I can drain him. I have long ago repurposed my love-feeding powers to drain his magic. My mother taught me how to drain life, and magic is not too dissimilar. I can send it back through the hivemind, and I have changelings ready to absorb the magic for themselves or store it in crystals if needed. I've crunched the numbers, it should be enough. Once he's dead, we'll simply redistribute it."

"Are you sure?" Twilight said, resting a foreleg over her love's perforated one. "How will you get to him without being noticed, even if I'm distracting him?"

"Simple. You won't be distracting him." She grinned, showing off her fangs. "I will."


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


Tirek roared and thrashed as his strength left him, swallowed in thick filaments into the horn of the - changeling? - and away from him. He could feel himself shrinking, growing weaker and weaker. The ground grew closer and closer at an alarming rate, and he had the idea to snap his fingers and use chaos magic, but before he could the creature spoke.

"Don't use any magic." The command was like an edict from the heavens, and his hand stopped in its tracks. Even so, he roared and wailed in confusion as he grew smaller and smaller, weaker and weaker, until he was no larger than a pony, his muscles gone and his skin desaturated. He fell over and looked up as the changeling stepped forward, grinning wickedly. Her horn pulsed and there were four pulses next to her. His eyes widened in horror. The alicorns. They weren't dead. All of a sudden he understood precisely what had happened, what would happen.

Before he could contemplate any more Princess Luna trotted over and snapped his neck, then he never understood anything ever again.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


Time passed afterwards. Slowly but surely the world recovered from Tirek's long, treacherous and unimaginably destructive rule. Rubble rebuilt into cities. Alicorns were redeemed, and helped reform governments. New countries rose along new borders. Magical artifacts, old and new, were put into place to help the world's leylines heal. The cosmic orbs began to move more fluidly, on a tighter schedule, not just whenever Lord Tirek felt like giving a reprieve from the temperatures. Rain fell more often.

Deserts faded away, wastelands were rejuvenated. Much of Tirek's magic was simply dispersed into the leylines, but what could be returned was returned.

Deep beneath the Badlands, ruled by the enigmatic, numerous changelings, amidst the moving of drones and workers, parents and nymphs, Queen's Consort Twilight Sparkle rested in bed, smiling broadly as she levitated a mirror before her, admiring her cutie mark for the first time in forever. With her alicorn magic returned to her now matured body, her mane and tail had taken on an ethereal, star-filled quality.

She looked away from the mirror but kept it floating, hesitant to turn off her magic for fear that it would again vanish if she weren't using it. Twilight spotted her loving wife, Queen Chrysalis, and moved over to her. The changeling wrapped a chitinous foreleg over her withers and nuzzled the top of her head. "Thank you, Chryssy. For everything."

"It was my pleasure, petal. It always was."
> Windego by lyra_lover777
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

A young changeling princess stood in front of a white marble altar. A withering changeling, an old adviser of the crown, surveyed her and her thirteen brothers and sisters, all potential heirs to the throne.

The fourteen's mother and father had both recently passed away in a tragic battle in the jungles of Zebrica trying to find a better source of love than from the meager four thousand diamond dogs that they lived next to. The Hive was barely surviving with such a small source, and the structure of the Hive was creaking like rotten wood ready to snap in half. When that happened, the Hive would become a total anarchy as changelings fought for a helping of love bigger than what they were receiving,

The Hive had been on the brink of collapsing when the king and queen left to find new love sources in Zebrica. Their deaths had just sped up the hasty decline into the fiery destruction of order in the Hive.

The princess buzzed her wings for a moment, stretching them but keeping her hooves planted on the ground.

The old geezer of a changeling reached forward with his magic, for he had been blessed with a horn like the royals(and the princes and princesses themselves.) He continued, enveloping a small velvet bag, in which twenty chips sat, waiting to be drawn.

His voice, creaky and dry, echoed in the massive chamber.

"Each possible heir to the throne must choose a figurine from the bag. Each tile depicts a specific specie of vicious animal or monster. The first heir to return to the Hive with the head or heads of their chosen beast will become the new king or queen of the Hive as well as choose five advisers and a spouse from their batch of siblings. The leftover heirs will then be properly disposed of."

Each sibling nodded in agreement to the ancient tradition. When it was young Chrysalis' turn (who was the smallest and weakest), she nodded heartily.

"The oldest must go first," the adviser muttered, walking over to the front of the line where Chrysalis' oldest brother, Prince Mothball, stood proudly.

There was seven princes and seven princesses.  Each stood in their place in line. Chrysalis was at the very back.

Chrysalis watched as Mothball used his hoof to fish around in the bag. No magic was allowed, but it wouldn't change anything either way. Each monster had about the same ferocity.

Mothball finally settled on a figure. His hoof exited the bag, clutching a mottled brown figurine.

It was a carved representation of a four headed hydra. He smiled triumphantly. The adviser shuffled through a pile of yellowing guide books, pulling out one labeled "Hydra."

But Prince Mothball refused the booklet, his cockiness getting in the way of his brain.

Her oldest sister, Princess Grub, quickly picked her figurine. She pulled out manticore, its scorpion like tail chipped from rough handling in the past.

She quickly accepted her pamphlet when it was put in front of her, and she galloped out the doors at the other end of the chamber. Prince Mothball had already left the place minutes ago.

The adviser went down the line quickly, as each sibling was eager to start on their quest. Each also received a magically enhanced map of the positions of every other sibling. Foul play was allowed. If and when only seven heirs were left, then it would resort back to the oldest becoming the king or queen, and so on and so forth.

Soon the second youngest was speeding down the hall, a booklet on Ursa majors in his grasp.

Chrysalis smiled kindly up at the elderly adviser, who smiled warmly back. He had always had a soft spot for the youngest of the bunch, even though it might have been mostly out of pity for her weak demeanor and lack of strength.

Chrysalis knew that there was only seven figures left. She had always had a bit of a better sense of touch, sight, smell, taste, and hearing than her siblings (though it might have been gained because her lack of strength.)

She felt the long body of what had to be a Tatzlwurm. She quickly pushed her hoof away from that one, knowing that facing a creature such as that was imminent death.

She felt around, avoiding the body of a chimera, and felt a smooth figure. She decided to chance it and pulled it out.

It was a frosty white color, strands of clay streaked white flying off of its frame.

"Ah, our close cousins the windigos. By far the most changeling like and the most intelligent creature in this bag. Be wary, young ling."

Chrysalis nodded, and set of at a brisk canter, bursting out of the doors.

The adviser spilled the last six figures onto the table. He picked up the Tatzlwurm, remembering the cheating of one of the past advisers that made him an adviser and not a king.

He sighed, stuffing the statues back into their bag and carrying the bag back to a dusty storeroom, setting it down on a place on a crooked shelf where it had sat for many a century.

===

Twilight Sparkle sighed as she pressed her snout against the chilled glass window, looking out onto the vast tundra. Soon, her breath clouded the window and she was forced to wipe it away to be able to see again.

The winds drove lines into the snow and ice, and smacked against the building, trying to flatten it. Young Twilight, a filly on a quest or sorts, wanted to go out and investigate possibly the biggest scientific discovery in the past century, but here she was, stuck behind glass and iron walls "to protect her."

She looked over at the other ponies lounging around in the base. There was Brainsmart, a young earth pony colt who literally could do equations in seconds in his mind. A pegasus mare, about her mom's age, named Blustery was curled up on a cot since she had contracted a cold. Another pony, an aged unicorn named Ice Cube, sat in another corner, drawing shapes on the foggy window with his wrinkled hoof.

All the smart and strong ponies were out studying the ice caverns a few miles away, searching for the mythical beings that had supposedly died out when the fire of friendship shredded them to pieces so many centuries ago.

But Twilight had been waiting here for over a month, doing nothing except the occasional short expedition into the frigid wastelands for a few hours. She had only gotten to research in one of the caverns once, and that had been for only ten minutes.

Twilight wasn't normally one to be daring, but this was insane. Over a month trapped ina flimsy metal building being harassed by the winds?

Not any more.

Twilight slowly donned a furry parka, as well as a scarf and boots and earmuffs.

She pushed Ice Cube aside, who was trying to stop her, and sped out the door.

She spotted a sled and a few mushing dogs in a few heated kennels. She freed them , hitching them up to the dogsled.

She then yelped at them, cracking the whip against their backs. The mutts barked and sped off into the snow, which flurried around the lavender filly as she rode across the icy tundra.
> Logophile by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

"Can't we just not do this?" Spike asked as he followed behind Chrysalis through the maze of crystalline bookshelves.

Chrysalis shook her head, “I find it interesting that Twilight’s managed to find a way to block our inherent ability to sense emotions. I never considered that it would possible and I would have asked Twilight, but she’s been distant lately. That I have found to be unusual especially given how many times she fired questions at me when I first came here.”

Spike asked, “Why would you go this way then? There’s nothing really over here, this is the reference part of the library. It’s not like you can borrow from this part.”

“Something felt off to me when I came near here before,” Chrysalis answered as she looked for that place. “It was like being in the older parts of the Hive, there are hidden passages everywhere.”

Spike slapped a claw over his face and sighed, "While your desire to find secrets and hidden areas makes sense, it’s also bad. Almost as bad as Twilight in the middle of a research session and I really want you to stop, before we start tripping off the wards."

"Wards? It does make sense to block off restricted areas, but those shouldn’t be a problem. How many does she have?" Chrysalis asked.

Spike groaned, "I’ve lost track. I know where a lot of them are, but there are far too many. Some of her wards are intense and sort of unpredictable since she was experimenting a bit with ward magic when she placed them in."

Chrysalis stopped when she noticed she was in front of a blank wall, "Here, this is the place. Something’s off about this wall, I think something’s hidden here."

Chrysalis lifted a hoof and ran it over the blank wall looking for an opening. She was looking at the wall one moment, but at the ceiling the next moment. She looked around to see that Spike had tackled her down.

“What was that for?” she asked as she got up.

He sighed and pointed to the blank wall where a single rune was faintly glowing, "You tripped a protective ward, looks like a paralyzing bolt.”

He raised a claw across a section of the blank wall, “While I don't like it especially since we’re breaking into Twilight’s private space I'll help you. There are too many wards here and some could be dangerous, better not trip those ones.

Chrysalis watched as the area where his claws went over glowed faintly as miniature wards came into view. The glowing dimmed and the wall looked the same as before, it was at this point that Spike walked straight through the blank wall and a confused Chrysalis followed behind him.

After passing through the wall Chrysalis found herself in an unexpected type of place, the protection on the room was heavy and she had been expecting something a bit different. She looked around to see that they had entered what looked to be a cozy reading room decorated more like the previous library had been with hardwood floors and solid wooden walls that looked faintly like tree bark. Part of one wall was built of stone bricks to accommodate a fireplace, while the rest of the walls were covered in wooden shelves that held numerous tomes and many of them looked quite old. A few books however were placed on a few pedestal dotted around the room.

“Surprised to find such a large space behind that wall?” Spike asked.

Chrysalis nodded, “That was elaborate protection for a reading room, it doesn’t make sense to me to hide a reading room like that.”

Spike shrugged, “It fits Twilight though as it lets her keep her books safe and away from most people.  This is a room that Twilight’s kept quiet for the most part, mostly for what’s in here and slightly for what’s in here,” Spike said informing Chrysalis. "Your answers are probably in here."

Chrysalis who had been admiring the room was confused by the Dragon’s statement, “What? There’s no difference between what you just said.”

“There is. Most of the stuff in here is old and rare, the stuff most would certainly put wards and spells around like crazy to protect,” Spike said.

“Most, what about the rest and when did she get all of this together? I thought she told me she took everything with her when she moved here and then most of that was lost afterwards,” Chrysalis interjected.

Spike shook his head as his eyes became downcast, “Yeah, a lot was lost that day. Most of these survived since she left them behind in Canterlot. She said there wasn’t enough room here to display it all and she only took two sets with her, or actually she took a set and a book.”

Spike lifted a slim tome off one of the pedestals; the edges of the book were slightly singed. “This is the book that she brought with her, ‘A Guide to Abjuration Magic by Starswirl the Bearded’. His only one on this field of magic and only twenty copies were ever printed.”

Spike waved a claw across a shelf that was built just above a fireplace, “The other is the complete collection of ‘The Complete Hooford Dictionary 4th Edition’. While Twilight loves books in general especially books on magic this series in particular is special. She cares for it even more than most of the other books she owns. However a lot of students used to mock her about it when they found about her liking and owning an expansive dictionary set, that’s the other reason she used to refuse admitting that she liked reading through the dictionary.”

Chrysalis blinked and said, “I will admit that I find it a bit odd that Twilight likes a dictionary series. But having it placed behind so many wards seems excessive.”

Spike shrugged, “This set was once owned by her family, she picked up on reading it about two years before I was born. After she moved into Canterlot Castle, her parents gave the set to her.”

Spike walked to the shelves and picked off the last volume in the series and held it up to Chrysalis, “Here’s your answers.”

Chrysalis looked at the last volume, admittedly slimmer than the other volumes. “How would a dictionary volume help?”

Spike lifted up the front cover and quickly leaf through it, “It’s actually her research journal. A mistake in the first printing of this edition from a last minute decision put the last two volumes into one book, but the book binder didn’t get the note. They bound it as though it was just the second last volume, not as the combined volume. It’s rare to have the mistaken set, but Twilight’s family had one. With her interest in the set, her parents gave her the entire set and then Celestia contributed as well by adding a special book charmed to be endless and looked like it belonged in the set, like it’s the missing last volume.”

Spike handed the book over to Chrysalis. “Start from here, skim through to the end. It's her study on Changelings, but like many things she researches it gets long in many places.”

Chrysalis took the offered book and looked to where Spike had opened the book to.



This marks the first entry on my studies of ‘Equus Metamorphia’ or what we commonly call Changelings. The Changelings lack a formal classification as there had long been relegated to the tales of myths and folklore; as such I have devised my own classification for the purposes of this study. Unlike other beings classified as ‘Equus’ which encompasses all of the Pony races, Changelings do not belong to either the two genus of ‘Solarus’ or ‘Lunarus’. However they share a similar body type and hence will be classified as part of the ‘Equus’ species. Secondly their innate abilities pertaining to shape shifting has led to the use of ‘Metamorphia’ resulting in their classification as ‘Equus Metamorphia’.



Chrysalis groaned lightly at she realized why Spike had advised her not to read the journal so thoroughly. Taking his advice, she skimmed the following pages until one small passage dated from a few weeks ago caught her attention.



I have found myself spending more time in the Queen’s company and enjoying myself immensely. This has gone beyond its initial study into Equus Metamorphia and I have yet to find a conclusive answer. However “hints” from some friends have alluded to the idea that what I have been feeling for the Queen goes beyond friendship and as such perhaps this is the potential cause for recent deviation from the intended purposes of this research journal.



It took a moment for it to sink in especially since the journal writing was dense and had been giving Chrysalis a headache trying to read it. At last the comprehension sank in and her eyes widened as she started to realize what was going on. Before she could look at the journal again to confirm her suspicions a polite cough came from behind her.

“Well I didn’t think you would find out this way,” Twilight said as calmly as she could. “I couldn’t find you anywhere in this palace and then I find you here snooping around my personal reading room aided by my “trustworthy” Draconic assistant.”

“Sorry Twilight,” Spike mumbled. “I just wanted to minimize problems, some of your wards are nasty….”

Twilight sighed, “You’re forgiven Spike.”

“Was that last line true?” Chrysalis asked.

“You mean about what my meddlesome friends have suggested so then yes, it is true. Although

I should have realized that you would have taken my retreat as an invitation to snoop,” Twilight said.

“So where do we go from here?” Chrysalis asked.

“I’ve been trying to determine that answer for the last few days, I’m sure we could come up with something. We could at the very least make an attempt to see if what my friends were implying was indeed the cause for my more recent distractions.”

Chrysalis ignored the urge to rub her forehead again, “I have disguised myself many times over and that was the most unromantic way I’ve heard someone ask for a date. We could try one, if you could spare me the long scientific discussions.”

Twilight nodded, “Of course. It's last minute, but would you like to do something tonight?”
> Harassment by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Queen Chrysalis flew high, high above the arctic tundra, looking down at the Crystal Empire so far below. A warmth enchantment surrounded her with gently flickering fire, keeping the carapace-freezing cold of the Frozen North away. Once above it, she angled herself and engulfed herself in a fireball, the force of the magic propelling her down like a fireball. She inferno-dashed the entire way down, screaming through the Crystal Heart's temperature regulating barrier.

The buildings and crystal ponies tumbled in and out of her vision as she fell downward. Just before impact, she summoned a flame portal right beneath her and inverted her direction, sinking into the street and sailing 'up' from it elsewhere to burn off her momentum. She flew towards the Crystal Palace, intent on finding the three ponies she was visiting.

The crystal guards didn't give her any trouble as she flew in and landed on a balcony, trotting in as if she owned the place. Chrysalis wound her way through the various corridors and stairs until she reached the dining hall, pushing open the doors and trotting in. "Hello," she greeted.

Cadance, Twilight, and Shining Armor all looked up from their meal, with expressions of interest, joy, and wariness respectively forming on them. "Chryssy!" her workerfriend stated, standing from the dining table and galloping over to her. "You made it!"

She leaned down to hug the small unicorn, sweeping her into a deep kiss. Once she had her fill, she drew back. "Of course I did!" She looked up at the other two. "Hello Cadance. Oh, and hello Shining. Lookin' good." The stallion grumbled into his salad dressing, blushing heavily.

Blushing red. She still couldn't get over that.

Chrysalis moved with Twilight to the dining table and looked down at the spread prepared for her. The ponies were eating - obviously - pony food, and while the ambient aura of the Crystal Heart fed her splendidly she did enjoy the taste of some pony foods, which apparently Twilight had seen fit to prepare.

A devious idea came to mind. Chrysalis continued to telekinetically lift spoonfuls of carrot soup into her mouth, she magically reached over to Twilight and lightly nipped the frog of her hind hooves, under the table.

Twilight yelped and nearly leaped out from the table. All three of them looked at her. "What's wrong?" Cadance asked worriedly.

"Nothing, I-I'm fine," she insisted, returning to her meal.

As dinner progressed and conversation drifted around the impending civil war in Labyrinthia, with Chrysalis having a lot of insight thanks to her infiltrators. As they did, Chrysalis made sure to harass Twilight relentlessly, slowly working her pinches across her hooves, and slowly up her hind legs, taking great pleasure in watching her face try to mimic a tomato.

"You sure you're fine, Twily?" Shining Armor asked as Chrysalis's magic worked just a little further up her legs.

"Y-YES!" she squeaked as Chrysalis went closer to her ultimate target. "I'm perfectly fine and..." Target acquired. "That's it!"

For a moment, Queen Chrysalis thought that the unicorn had suddenly sprouted wings. She was tackled out of her seat and landed with the clack of chitin against crystal. Twilight laid belly-to-abdomen with her and relentlessly licked her neck, hugging her hard enough to make breathing a challenge while her hind legs made motions. For a moment Chrysalis lay stunned, then she returned the motions....

"Ah, come on, Twi!" Shining Armor said, holding a foreleg over his eyes.

They broke the kiss and looked their way. The stallion galloped out, but Cadance didn't seem perturbed. Instead, the pink princess had a bucket of popcorn before her and stared intently at them. "Please, don't mind me." Chrysalis and Twily shared an embarrassed look.

Cadance ate a hoofful of popcorn. "Go on."
> Spoiler by Ephraim Blue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Ephraim Blue

"That was nice, wasn't it?" Twilight asked.

"Yes," Chrysalis responded in a satisfied tone. "Yes it was. And I hope that you'll do the same for me next week too."

"Right," Twilight said as Chrysalis climbed out of the bed, slow moving from that fulfilling meal she got. "Hey Chryssi?"

"Yes Twilight?"

"Do you actually remember how we first met?"

"Of course I do. Why do you bring it up?"

"Well... It's just that I can't exactly remember how it happened... Would you remind me how it happened? Please?"

That face... Chrysalis thought to herself as she gazed at Twilight's 'adorable face'. Please, not that face!

"Alright," she responded after a while. "it happened many different ways. For once upon a time, we were enemies before coming to love each other, and in another way, we were never enemies."

Twilight lied down on the bed to get comfortable as Chrysalis told the story.

"Another way is by me bumping into you and saying to myself: 'Wow... She's beautiful.'"

Twilight blushed at that. "You speak as if they all happened, but I don't recall it happening in any of those ways."

"Oh Twilight... Young, naive Twilight. They all have happened, and they all live on?"

"Live on?" she asked. "How?"

"Through stories," came the response. "And our story will last forever and ever to the ends of time."
> Voltage by lyra_lover777
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

The fences soared high into the sky, seeming to lick the cloud covered sky. Twilight could plainly see the zapping bolts of electricity running up and down the crisscrossing tines of metal. She did not dare reach out a hoof, no matter how enticing the dancing light looked.

But her goal was not the fence. No, it was the lands on the other side. They were just as dusty, just a dry, and just as desolate, but they held something that Twilight Sparkle relied on heavily to make it through her tedious life. But this thing had been lost to her when this barrier, flashing with lightning, had been placed in front of her path to it.

The sky rumbled, and lightning bolts punctured through the cloud layer, wrapping around the fence. It was lit up in a brilliant shower of brazen light that made Twilight's eyes burn like they had been lit up with sparks themselves.

She unfurled her wings. The small itch that had sprung up in her chest in need had now intensified into a rash that crawled over every inch of her frame; she wanted to wriggle around on the ground, cry, pout, scream until she was at the side of her.

She leaped into the air, slowly swirling around in the sky, ascending to the cloud cover. She hoped that the fence might cut off before she had to fly into the lightning infested thunderclouds. After all, the structure couldn't go on forever...right?

Up and Up she flew until she felt a lightning bolt zap by her, singeing the ends of her mane. But now determined to have her embrace, she went to the top of the cloud cover, despite almost becoming electrocuted hundreds of times.

Twilight suddenly broke through the last of the slate gray clouds. She stood atop of them. The fence did not go up this far, but she had no idea where to descend from.

She began to buck clouds wildly, making them shudder and poof away from their slots in the cloud ceiling.

Soon a large gap was visible. Twilight dove through it, zooming at top speed out of the egress from the top of the layer.

She spotted the dusty ground, and attempted to land. She crashed miserably, a large plume of dust rising around her.

Twilight was now salivating for the warm yet hard feel of her chitin, snuggled up against her side while they napped for a moment.

She flapped as fast as she could in hopes of finding her lover.

Sadly, her lover had been gone many a year, and this was her daily routine.

Twilight arrived at her lover's cave. She grinned as she snuggled up against Chrysalis, who didn't move a muscle.

Because she didn't have any left.

Twilight kissed the bony snout of her lover and feel asleep wit her forelegs wrapped around the giant skeleton.
> Bit by lyra_lover777
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Clink! Clink! Clink!

The sound of cold hard cash.

Chrysalis cackled as she turned the crank of the machine, watching as golden coins plopped out into a bucket.

"Oh, ho ho!" she squealed as the bucket began to overflow. She shoved a new collection basket under the machine while she inserted another sheet of gold into the apparatus.

"A money making we go! A money making we go!"

"I have no idea what this is supposed to teach her?!" Twilight exclaimed as their niece, Princess Radiance, pushed a bucket full of counterfeit bits over to a corner where another dozen of them rested.

"Work ethic, dear. Work ethic. Oh, and we get a little cha ching, too!"

"But we're royalty! We can take as much as we want from the royal vaults!"

"Work ethic, darling, work ethic."
> Dollhouse by lyra_lover777
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by lyra_lover777

Twilight smiled down at her niece, the amiable Princess Radiance, child of Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor. The filly, born a unicorn, had an alabaster coat like her father, but it was a bit darker (a murky white, I suppose) so that it was not to the purity of freshly fallen snow. Her mane, taking the influence of her father rather strongly, was all teal and featured a few golden stripes running through it. Her eyes were the purple grape color of her mother's.

The filly's 3rd brithday had recently passed, the whole of the Crystal Empire celebrating joyous festivals for a whole week. The family had now traveled to Canterlot to visit their relatives and to celebrate the milestone in the foal's life.

Princess Radiance smiled up at her aunt and laughed as she tickled the filly playfully. The filly's snout was smudged with icing and cake crumbs as the consumption of the delicacy had recently taken place.

Twilight and Chrysalis, the ex changeling queen who was talking casually with Twilight Velvet, felt as though Radiance was their own. Unable to have children, their niece had become a source of comfort for both. Even though the option of adoption of a poor, abandoned foal still stood, the couple felt content with just their niece(for now, at least.)

The time for the foal's gift unveiling was now present. Her parents had already given her her birthday present back in the Empire. It had been a  miniature castle for the princess to live in exclusively. It was the royal way of giving one their own "room", even though it was many rooms.

The filly naturally gravitated to a present wrapped in thick, luminescent yellow wrapping. She tore through the shiny paper, her mother leaning over her and ripping open the card and reading it aloud for the guests to hear. The filly continued her frantic ripping while her mother finished. The present appeared to be from her grandmother Twilight Velvet.

The filly squealed with delight as she pulled the present out of its wrapping. It was a beautiful gown, stripes of lavender, faded gold, and light pink its components.

Next the filly tore open a present from Twilight and Chrysalis, who were hosting the party in their home.

As the wrapping cascaded to the floor, the filly almost fainted at the sight before her.

It was a massive dollhouse, a exact replica of the Crystal Palace. Hundreds of figurines lay around its base. Princess Radiance drew out a select few and placed them over the dollhouse.

The first was one of Twilight Velvet, who she placed in the throne room. Then Night Light. Then Twilight and Chrysalis. Followed by her parents, who she placed on the throne. She the retrieved ones of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, who had been forced to miss the party due to unwelcome happenings in Zebrica and Griffonia. And then she finally placed herself.

The happy family, standing in the throne room, looked much like their family now, standing in Twilight and Chrysalis's family room.
> Inferno by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

“When you said you had a trip in mind to show me something special in return for me showing you around our oldest Hive I didn’t think we would be here, especially since I thought that Ponies had abandoned the lower parts of Mount Canterhorn,” Chrysalis said as she followed Twilight through a large stone door that blended in with the rest of the mountain. “That’s why I had used the crystal caverns to hold you and Cadance.”

Twilight nodded, “The caves down here being abandoned are mostly true, but there is more to it. Originally these caves were once highly profitable mines that broke down once the resources ran out. However there is something else still down here that Ponies still make the journey to see which is located under the crystal caverns, much deeper in the earth.”

“What could possibly convince you Ponies to make the trek into some abandoned caves? I thought there was a preference for you to live among nature and the sky, or something like that, although this place looks like it would be better suited to house a Changeling Hive, if it wasn’t for the fact that it is quite cold down here,” Chrysalis commented as their trek continued deeper and deeper. The caves were largely unlit save for a few scarce lanterns located along the tunnel.

“Well saying all Ponies would make the trek down here is largely untrue. The stone door was enchanted by a rune master to respond to Unicorn magic only. It’s Unicorns who still make the trek down here, or rather well most Unicorns. There are some who view this place as archaic and irrelevant, which is ironic given how some of them are part of the very vocal minority that still maintain archaic traditions and rituals. Earth Ponies on the other hoof see little interest in coming here especially as all the resources are gone or are too small to be of any use. While Pegasi are not fond of leaving the sky for the ground especially when it’s deep underground.”

Chrysalis was about to question Twilight again before the Alicorn made a motion asking her to remain quiet for a bit. Twilight led Chrysalis towards the end of the tunnel where the light was gradually growing brighter and not because there were more lanterns.

“This is what I wanted you to see,” Twilight said indicating for Chrysalis to look into the next cavern.

Chrysalis walked into a new space, one that was large and rather expansive. A few veins of small crystals poked through the walls and ceilings in places, but what was important was what was at the center of the large cave. The center of the expansive cave was noticeably hotter than the rest of the place had been and it was now easy to see where the heat and light was coming from, a large pillar of fire in the middle of the room.

“What? How is there a fire burning down here and who would build a fire here of all places?”

Twilight walked next to Chrysalis, “Actually no Pony knows who built the fire here. The early Unicorn settlers to the mountain were a mining camp who had sought shelter within the mountain during a bad storm. One of the miners found their way here and word soon spread amongst the Unicorns of this place. For centuries Unicorns were divided about how they would view this place; however many of them were heavily religious and believed it was a gift from their deity, a continuous source of warmth and given how fire figured into their mythology and beliefs it is easy to see why they would think so. A rare few sought to study how a pillar of fire continues to burn despite all evidence suggesting that no fire has enough fuel to burn for as long as it did.”

Chrysalis looked over at Twilight, “You mean to tell me Ponies have a constant burning source of fire for over millennium?”

Twilight nodded, “Several millenniums actually, the first settlers came here before the Unification and for a time built a thriving town around the base of the mountain. A few wealthier Unicorns established homes as high as half way up the mountain, but raids from other Ponies tribes along with erosion led them to abandon the town. It wasn’t settled again until after the Equestrian Civil War.”

Chrysalis looked around the room again and the pillar of fire still burned as hot as it had been when she first entered the room a few minutes ago. “So what do Unicorns even use this place for? Executions? Sacrifice?” Chrysalis asked.

Twilight paled slightly and shook her head, “Please don’t suggest those ideas as some Unicorns have tried to use this place for one or the other, but thankfully they failed. Down here, this place is considered sacred especially since fire is connected to the Sun, the dawn, life, and so on. Many used to throw in offerings as means of giving something to their god in hopes of a better year. It’s an old tradition that only a few still maintain, but given its cultural significance many Unicorns still make the trek to see this place.”

Chrysalis chuckled, “Now I understand why you wanted to drag down into old caves. It certainly is an incredible place, I can’t believe Canterlot was built over such a heat source and it’s not even a volcanic mountain.”

Twilight nudged Chrysalis, “Why could you possibly think I would drag into old caves for?”

Chrysalis grinned and opened her mouth before it was shut by Twilight’s magic, “You know what?” Twilight said. “I rather keep guessing, so let’s pretend that I never asked that question.”
> Peanut Butter by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Twilight took a deep breath, taking the comb to her mane again. With that done, she gave her tail a final straightening, then took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror. "I can do this." Butterflies flitted around her stomach, and why wouldn't they? This wasn't just her first date with her workerfriend, this was her first date with anybody period.

She trotted out of the Harmony Palace and, making sure her feathers were well aligned again, found Chrysalis.

The queen was leaning against a rock, inspecting the hole in a foreleg and magically picking out dirt from it. She looked up when Twilight approached and stood, approaching her. "Hello," she said stiffly. "You look... nice, Twilight."

"You too, Chrysalis." Of all the things they figured out to make peace between our species, they had to set me up with a date with her didn't they? She wasn't lying though. Chrysalis looked really nice. While the holes and carapace were still somewhat offputting, her general body was very close to that of a pony, and so Twilight could certainly, certainly see the appeal in her form.

"Should we go then?"

A cold pit dropped into Twilight's stomach. Right. Chrysalis had insisted that their first date be in the hive. Celestia had fussed over her and placed all sorts of protective wards over her like a mother hen, and Twilight couldn't blame her. She sighed. "Fine."

Chrysalis stepped near her and, after a moment of hesitation, draped a foreleg over her. The chitin was cold and hard on her coat, like glass. Were changelings warm blooded at all? Then Twilight flinched when flickering, scorching green fire erupted in a perfect circle around them. She gulped when she and Chrysalis began to sink beneath the ground, eldritch magic rose up  before her eyes and overtook her vision. There was a lurch...

Immediately, her vision was overtaken by darkness, the only light shining from Chrysalis's eyes. Twilight lit up her horn, casting grasping, reaching shadows all along the tunnel she was in. Twilight grimaced, the stony scent of the air already cloying in her nostrils. "Alright, we're here. Um, lead the way?"

"Yes, please, follow me." Then Chrysalis started through the winding tunnels of her hive, and Twilight followed after her. They passed hundreds of changelings, each of which bowed to their queen and gave Twilight a mixture of looks; hopeful, angry, apprehensive, and most disturbing of all, hungry.

They made their way through the hive to one of the few restaurants that offered solid food. Solid food was produced and eaten in the changeling hive, apparently, just for the taste, so Chrysalis was bringing her to a sandwich shop. It was a circular-ish carving into the rusty stone of the Badlands, with tables and such in it. A number of changelings were already in, setting Twilight's nerves on edge even as they bowed to Chrysalis. Twilight followed Chrysalis to a 'window' behind which stood two changelings, a worker and a drone. Chrysalis took her order, but Twilight wasn't listening. When it was her turn, she stepped up and cast her horn's light on the inscriptions above.

Then she frowned at the sharp-angled symbols. "Um, I can't read Hemipid," Twilight said sheepishly.

Chrysalis came back and smiled at her in what was probably supposed to be a reassuring manner, but was ruined by her giant fangs. "Should I order for you?"

Twilight considered that. "Sure, I trust you." Trust had to be given to be returned.

The monarch nodded and turned to the two changelings, then spouted out a string of Hemipid chitters, clicks, and churs. A few minutes later, both changelings passed out what must've been sandwiches, wrapped up in something that looked like green seaweed but probably wasn't.

Probably.

After Chrysalis paid for their food and some glasses of water with a few ambers - amber chunks shaped into a shape reminiscent of the queen's natural crown - they both gripped their meals with their magic and Twilight led the both of them to an unoccupied table.

Chrysalis's sandwich was some unholy conglomerate of tomatos, pickles, cheese, and bacon. Twilight, meanwhile... had a simple toasted peanut butter sandwich. Just as well. She started eating, and so did Chrysalis.

A tense, awkward silence stretched between the pony and the changeling like a canyon. "So..." Chrysalis said. "How has your day been?"

"It's been nice," Twilight said. "A grad student sent me a request for access to my infrared thaumometer, they want to see if the planet's leyline nodes have any relation to what lands are fertile and which are not."

"Well, there are a series of highly tangled leylines beneath the Badlands," Chrysalis said. "They likely interfere with each other and the leaking magical energy inhibits plant growth."

"I was thinking that too, but apparently he wants to actually put it to the test. I'm excited to see the results."

"Hmm. Have you heard about the diamond dog alpha pack's latest invention? I hear they're constructing some sort of machine to calculate on its own."

"Really?"

"Mmhmm. My infiltrators say that even at early prototype stages, it can in theory compute five hundred multiplication problems every second for hours on end and never make a single mistake."

Twilight's jaw dropped. "That's... incredible!" She had used a similar device to try and test the Pinkie Sense, but that sort of power?

"Of course, displays are something else."

"Huh." Twilight ate more of her peanut butter sandwich. "Still, it'll be interesting to see. Oh, did you see the latest magical theorem from... "

They two of them soon began to talk eagerly about magical discoveries, eating their meals as they did. Very soon, the darkness and oppressive air pressure of the changeling hive went unnoticed by Twilight, and the fact that her conversation partner was the wicked Queen of all changelings became an inconsequential fact.

Before too long they finished up their meal and Chrysalis had escorted her out of the restaurant. "I had a really great time today, Chrysalis."

"So did I, Twilight," she said with a surprisingly gentle grin. "So... how about I come meet you in the castle, same time next week, and you can decide where to go?"

"I'd like that. Um... sorry, I'm still sort of new to the whole dating thing. Do I just leave, or do we hug first, or - "

Chrysalis leaned down and swept her into a kiss. Twilight's eyes widened comically as the changeling's long, forked tongue invaded her mouth and moved over her own, the surprisingly sensitive muscle responding favorably, as were her sensitive lips. After a few long seconds Chrysalis pulled back and grinned. "I'll see you next week, Twi."

"Y-Yeah," she panted, stumbling into a half-conscious teleport home. She flopped down on her bed, giddy with excitement.

"Next week," she whispered. It couldn't come soon enough.
> Thunderstorm by Liquidfirest0rm
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Liquidfirest0rm

It was a quiet night at the Crystal Oaks castle, the newest edition to Ponyville. The entire building was dead quiet, save the raucous snoring of one small dragon. Outside of the castle, there was a massive storm brewing. The three occupants slept on peacefully, unaware of the threat that loomed just outside the windows.

KRACK-BOOM!!

The first peal of thunder was so loud, it shook the entire building. Twilight awoke suddenly. It wasn't the loud noise that had awoken the recently dubbed 'Princess of Friendship', it was the feeling of suddenly being squeezed to death.

Lighting up her horn, she turned to find her attacker, finding instead the reflected light from her horn on her marefriend's chitin.

"Chryssy... do... you... mind?" she said, struggling to breathe. She was released a moment later, greedily gasping for air.

"Sorry," Chrysalis said, looking flustered for some reason.

"What was that about?" Twilight asked once she had recovered.

"Nothing." Chrysalis replied, idly playing with the sheets between her hooves. Twilight cocked an eyebrow, a look of disbelief on her face.

"Honestly, it was-"

A flash of lightning, followed by another massive clap of thunder, found Twilight once again the victim of a bone crushing squeeze, compliments of her marefriend. Chrysalis heard a snort of laughter come from the pony in her grasp. She glared down at her in warning.

"Don't you dare." she said threateningly.

"Whatever could you be talking about, my love?" Twilight replied, failing very badly to contain her mirth.

"It's not funny." Chrysalis pouted.

Twilight finally lost it, her torrent of laughter earning her a harsh glare.

"The mighty queen of the Changelings, defeated by a mere thunderstorm!" Twilight manages to get out before falling into another laughing fit.

Her laughter was suddenly interrupted by a pillow hitting her in the face. Feeling the bed move, she moved the pillow to see Chrysalis walking out of the room.

“Chryssy,” she whined. “come back.”

She got up and followed her marefriend out of the room. She found her out in the hallway, sitting down, looking over the railing at the main hall. sitting down next to her, she draped a wing over her much larger form.

“Chryssy, I’m sorry.” she said, squeezing her with her wing. “I shouldn’t have laughed at you.”

“It’s alright.” Chrysalis replied, pulling her into a hug. They sat there like that for a few moments before Twilight spoke again.

“If you’d like, I can cast a sound dampening spell over our room so you won’t have to hear it.” she offered.

“I’d like that.”

She let Twilight go and they both got up and made their way back to their bed. Twilight lit her horn up, the entire room shimmered for a moment with the same lavender glow as Twilight’s magic, before returning to normal.

“There, now you won’t have to be afraid of the big, bad thunderstorm anymore.” Twilight said, getting one more jab in.

Chrysalis promptly returned the pillow to her face, before turning on her side, facing the edge of the bed. Twilight snuggled up behind her, nuzzling the back of her head.

“I love you, Chryssy.” Chrysalis turned back around, embracing her properly.

“I love you too, Twilight.” she replied. They both soon fell asleep again, the only sign of the storm raging outside was the occasional flash that came through the window.
> Economy by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

“There’s no rate of conversion that has been set yet. I realize that the talks about setting trade and currency is scheduled for next week, but I think it is important to at least have some ideas about what we would like to  discuss next week including currency conversion. I’m not sure about the current strength of the Changeling economy, but I think that we could set it as perhaps the rate of two ambers for one bit or is that….”

Chrysalis silently sighed from hearing Twilight’s ongoing lecture on economics. While she was no stranger to discussions on economy it wasn’t something she enjoyed doing, it was however something that was necessary. What was not needed was for her marefriend to start the talks in advance. Chrysalis had invited Twilight to visit the Hives and see more of Changeling society, however there was no currency conversion rates as Twilight found out when she tried to make a purchase.

‘This all began with the idea of a date! That I would have some personal time with Twilight before we meet next week for trade between the Collective and the Triarchy. Now it has become a long lecture on economics!’

Chrysalis looked to see that Twilight was still going and had somehow managed to make a chalkboard appear which was quickly filled with complex equations.

Chrysalis smirked at the sight, ‘As dull as economics can be, she does enjoy it. It isn’t too bad listening, most of the time. Maybe I could weaponize her lectures, I could give her a list of dull topics that she could talk about to lull enemies to sleep with.’

Chrysalis stood up and walked over to standing next to the Alicorn who was lost in her world as she continued into the nuances of economics for her sole audience who was no longer listening. Chrysalis grinned before wrapping a leg around the Alicorn and teleporting off.

Twilight blinked when her mind finally realized that they were no longer in Chrysalis’ quarters. She looked around to find herself seated at a fine restaurant and Chrysalis sitting opposite of her. Chrysalis leaned over to kiss Twilight.

“Welcome back to reality Twilight,” Chyrsalis said grinning at the confused Alicorn.

“What?” Twilight asked. “Where did you take us and what about the discussion we were having?”

“Discussion?” Chrysalis asked. “Discussion requires two people talking, not one person lecturing.”

“Economics is important in establishing trade properly,” Twilight grumbled.

“Save that for next week, I’m sure we could aim you at all of those opposed to opening trade routes. With your extensive lecture on economics of both Ponies and Changelings, I’m sure we could convince them of the benefits,” Chrysalis teased while lifting out a small pouch. “Here are some ambers, we’re at a restaurant, and we have most of the week available. So maybe we could have some more practical experience?” 
> Luminescence! by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa 

Twilight, now three hundred years old and having long ago grown into her full Princess-Luna esque alicorn height (Luna herself had grown to match Celestia), cuddled with her wife in the crystal palace. It was one of those lazy days, where the hive was at rest and the country was at peace, and there was nothing for them to do but sit back with each other and enjoy the others' presence.

They were both on a couch, Chrysalis laying under her and Twilight on top of her. They were both tangled in each others' limbs, and Twilight rested her head on the larger equines' chest, listening to her heart thumping through the carapace.

It was almost pitch dark, and the only light was the gentle bioluminescence of Chryssy's irises. The light from them reflected in a hundred thousand ways off of the crystalline walls, casting the chamber in a dim green glow.

Twilight was barely awake, as was Chrysalis. Both their eyes kept drooping, so the green light wavered as she did so. Twilight continued to look into them as long as she could, losing herself in the tinted sclera, the exotic double-iris and slit pupil, a gentle light flowing from them. But the call of sleep was too much to resist. She relaxed her head against her wife's, and fell into blissful slumber.
> The Love Of A Queen by nioniosbbb
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by nioniosbbb

The teal, silken covers of the royal bed shuffled as Twilight and Chrysalis waged a “legendary” tickle war. From the one side, Queen Chrysalis with the numerous tips of her diaphanous wings, the forked tip of her tongue, and her own magic-manipulated mane. From the other side, Princess Twilight Sparkle armed with a legion of pillow feathers levitating with magic, blowing raspberries, and a razor sharp mind. Each was struggling to gain the advantage over the other. The battle was relentless and the storm of giggles could be heard outside, making a lot of guards smile and blush at the thought of what was happening inside.

They were happy to hear such a fuss. As they say: a good day starts with a good morning.

As Chrysalis’s and Twilight’s fight died down, they rose up from the heart-shaped bed. Moving the semi-transparent curtains away Chrysalis went on to open the windows, letting the warm sunlight enter the room. Twilight stretched her legs and wings, absorbing the rays of the sun like a daisy.  The morning breeze was inviting but regardless Chrysalis and Twilight stayed right there, with their right and left wings on each other’s backs, watching as the new day unfolded. As if Celestia knew that their marriage was coming soon, she did her best to honor both them and all the changelings with increasingly magnificent sunrises and sunsets. Luna did her best as well… every night she set up a romantic atmosphere in the sky hoping to invite the royal couple, among others, to chase after love. She had taken advice from Cadance who hoped to push the couple towards… “progeny creation”.

“So… about the wedding,” said Twilight, breaking the silence.

“The wedding preparations are right on schedule, Twilight. Six days from now, so if you please, don’t go down there today, okay? Let’s spend this day without you being worried about schedules, right?” Responded Chrysalis, closing her eyes and moving her own snout against her lover, sharing a short kiss. As they stood, each lost within the sight of the other Twilight surrendered to her request.

“Okay…” she sighed lightly and Chrysalis smiled widely. She wasn’t just happy because she had convinced Twilight, but that sigh of hers! Such a cute little noise!

Since Twilight didn’t have to check anything right then, she was a bit low on ideas. Well, not that her nerdy, perfectionist behavior didn’t serve a purpose other than the practical one. She enjoyed Chrysalis’s reactions at her own little kinks and tics, anything to keep that toothy smile going. Like Pinkie Pie said, “A smile a day keeps the grumpy-bug away!”. Then it hit her! An idea on how to make Chrysalis smile.

She took Chrysalis’s hoof with eyes widening as the idea visualized in her mind. She knew that Chrysalis liked to spend time with the hatchlings, so what better way to cheer her up other than to take a look at the hatcheries? Plus she had another idea that could spice things up.

“Wait, Twilight don’t pull so hard!” Said Chrysalis but Twilight was just giggling out of control.

“Come on Chryssie, let’s go to the hatcheries! I’ve got an idea!” Twilight was relentless, something she might have learned from Chrysalis. Right now, Chrysalis wasn’t sure she wanted this, knowing Twilight her idea was likely to be worth a million bits. However, that also meant it was equally dangerous.

Following her, Chrysalis soon found herself in the lower regions of the castle. Whether it was by sheer coincidence, focus, care, or guided by love and empathy, Twilight made no mistake on the corridors this time.

As they descended, they saw a crew of changelings constantly moving debris and cleaning dust from the corridors leading to the hatcheries. Thanks to the peace with Equestria, the birthrate of hatchlings had increased, new tunnels and rooms to house the young were built as the workers dug into the mountain to expand the castle. Everywhere they went the changelings bowed, only to be left with a smile. The trait most apparent to the changelings was empathy… empathy that could result in happy behavior becoming infectious.

At last the familiar glow of the changeling pods appeared before them. They looked like eggs filled with green liquid, inside which miniature changelings floated in fetal position. They had a fleshy core at their bottom that was connected with a umbilical cord to the changeling’s belly. From the core, fleshy tendrils hugged the rocky ground, absorbing the necessary minerals, trace elements from the mountain in order to form carapaces, sturdy bones and everything the baby changelings needed. From time to time the parents and the caretakers would refresh the love energy of the pod. As Twilight had learned love was an allegory for life to the changelings.

As they entered, the gazes of the changelings shifted towards them. The caretakers, the guards, and the parents that were there bowed in respect. Twilight and Chrysalis returned the gesture, wanting to show humility. There was a light whisper from the parents that stuck closer to their pods as she passed.

“At ease my changelings… you may continue your work.”  Chrysalis said as slowly but steadily the changelings went back to their work. She turned to Twilight, who was still smiling, that idea of hers was surely going to be crazy, Chrysalis could tell. There was no way she hadn’t noticed the stray looks the changelings were giving her, not that Chrysalis could blame them. It was natural, especially for the parents to care about their babies so much. It was hard enough with the slow development of the pod having a 3 month gestation period inside the mare, it was even harder that the mare couldn’t transform during that period. So during the 9 month incubation, one was always there. Changeling parents were extremely paranoid, protective, and lashed out easily during those periods. Especially if a pod had more than one changeling in them.

“Alright, I think it’s time you told me what this idea of yours is, Twilight.” Chrysalis finally braved herself enough to break the awkward silence between them. Twilight’s face was unwavering as she turned to see her. She had a smile like no other and a spark in her eyes that betrayed a deviousness like no other’s, but when she spoke she was calm and collected.

“Well from what I understand it’s still a bit hard for changelings to accept us as a couple right? You said that we ponies aren’t naturally empathetic like you are.”

Chrysalis nodded in agreement.

“Yes… it’s another thing to be observant and spot the feelings of another, and another to be able to see them. We call them “Aurora Emotica”. Not to mention that when you have spent eons practicing magic that revolves around emotions, it kinda becomes natural and the magic seeps into the genetic code.”

Twilight never ceased to be impressed from what she learned about the changelings. There were so many things to know! As if she hadn’t scratched the surface of it! Regardless, she proceeded a bit more seriously to make her point, but nevertheless kept her smile.

“I look at the hatchlings all around and I want to feel like you do, I want to feel what it’s like to feed upon emotions like love. I want to see what you do, feel like you do…”

She stopped as Chrysalis turned a bit to the side, hiding part of her face with her mane. She didn’t have to explain to Twilight that there were things she wish she didn’t feel. Regardless, she continued.

“But that’s not all. I want you to feel like we do, to step down for a moment, to relax, to see things how we ponies do, to understand how we operate. I don’t just meant a transformation Chryssie… I want a total conversion of us to each others’ species.”

Chrysalis’s eyes widened and she just stood there, stupefied, with her mouth agape. Okay, this is flippin crazy! Thought Chrysalis. She just couldn’t speak.

“Yeah, I know it’s a surprise to you. But recently I’ve discovered a spell in your castle’s royal library that could do just that! Please Chryssie… Imagine it for a moment. It’s not just for us, the changelings and the ponies will learn from it too! I brought you here for a reason. I mean, you saw how they looked at me, right? They are afraid I’m a threat to their young, when I consider it unforgivable to even bat at them jokingly! But they are empathetic.” She paused for a moment, letting Chrysalis think.

Certainly this was a crazy enough idea, one that could have great effect on the understanding between changelings and ponies. It was an idea crafted with deviousness and care, wits and will, determination and resolve. A smile managed to creep onto Chrysalis’s face, soon to be reflected by another on Twilight’s face that only grew as Chrysalis’s did.

“Alright Twilight… let’s do this…”
> Heart of Gold by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

It had all started with an innocent question. Chrysalis had been touring the Crystal Palace with Twilight. She was happy to have her workerfriend over, seeing just what the Tree of Harmony had prepared for them. Then the changeling queen had found something, and asked the most innocent, yet most terrifying, of all questions known to common sense.

"What's this button do?" The changeling pushed the red button.

Twilight's eyes bugged out of her head and she leaped towards it. 

"WHATAREYOUDOINGWEDON'TKNOWWHATTHAT - !"

A surge of something like chaos magic washed over them. Twilight thought fast and erected a shield around the palace, and then...

Blam!

Poof!

Squeak!

Swoosh!

Something was wrong. They weren't as they should have been. Twilight felt... large. Blind. It was as if she'd turned into... fabric? She could still move her mouth but her mouth was near the center of her body, far too wide, and her upper lip felt like it split in two. She began tracing the contours of her body, and the conclusion was inescapable.

"Chryssy?" she asked. Her voice, at least, was unchanged.

"Yes, dear?"

"I think I'm a sofa."

"Believe it or not? I know how you feel."

There was a pause, then both of them screamed. "Aaaaah!" There were two pops, and Twilight found herself once again a pony, but her coat was covered in thread and... blah! Some of it had gotten in her mouth!

"Damn it Chryssy, what did you do?" Her eyes widened. "Oh no, what did you do?" She galloped over to the nearest window and her jaw dropped. Instead of the familiar town of Ponyville beyond the castle, there was simply... water. Water, as far as the eye could see. A pond. A lake. An ocean.

Chrysalis joined her and looked outside, both of them taking in the scene. "Well, buck me," she whimpered.

The pony turned her head up to glare at her. "After this? Not for a month."
> Nuisance by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Spike blinked blearily from his room - his own room, yes! - in the castle, tossed over in his basket, and screamed into his pillow. Why couldn't they be quiet? They'd been at it for hours! He would've thought that at least one of them would've had the presence of mind to use a sound-proofing aura, but no. Given that his room was located next to Twilight's, he could hear - crystal clear - the squeaking of her bed since Chrysalis was over today. At least next time, Twilight was going to the changeling hive instead of Chrysalis to Equestria.

Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!

"Oh come on! Rrr!" He growled - dragons were quite a bit better at that than ponies - and leaped from his basket. He stomped over to the door, opened it, and entered the castle halls.

The walk to Twilight's room was short, but in the dead of night with sleep deprivation tugging at the corner of his visions, it may as well have been the Running of the Leaves. From here the squeak squeak squeak of Twilight and Chrysalis's late night activities was even louder. He opened the door and slammed it open, revealing the pony and changeling that were the bane of his life jumping up and down on the bed like a pair of excited fillies. Or nymphs.

"DO YOU MIND?!" he snarled. The two of them stopped and fell on the bed, looking at him with wide eyes, Twilight's horn hastily firing a sound-proofing spell on her room. "Thank you," he drawled, slamming the door shut behind himself as he left, hearing it lock behind him.

Once he got back to his room, he curled up in his basket and pulled the covers over his cold-blooded body. "Ah," he said. "That's better."

And then...

Squeak! Squeak! Squeak! And that wasn't the only noise. There were other noises too, lewd groans that would haunt his nightmares for the rest of his life.

"Hey, keep it down!" he shouted. Nothing happened, and he realized with horror that Twilight must've inverted the sound-proofing spell's effect; sound could get out, but not in. "AAARRGH!"
> Argonauts by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

The play was going smoothly. Jasclaw and his Argonauts - the griffons were all wearing garb perfectly for the time period, she'd helped ensure that - sailed on an illusory boat.

On the stage, rocks 'sailed' into view on the ocean. Atop them were three earth ponies in costume to appear like seaponies, red gems in their hearts.

"Jasclaw!" the orange one sang, her voice enchanting and lovely. "You and your crew are weary, tired and broken."

"Jasclaw!" the lavender one sang, the song just as alluring. "You will never succeed in your quest to find the Golden Claw! Not without taking a break..." she sang seductively.

The ship began to take a course for the rock, the griffons on it all playing hypnotized. "Jasclaw!" the blue one sang. The gems were glowing brightly now. "We'll help you on your quest, give you rest and relaxation, then send you on your way! For realsies!" That got a light chuckle out of the audience, Twilight included.

Then the cabin door of the ship opened and out trotted a tall mare, covered in black armor with a green shell, fake translucent wings, and a long, crooked horn glued to her forehead. Twilight's jaw dropped as the backstage lightning managers made it appear like the pony playing her workerfriend, Queen Chrysalis, lit up her horn and projected a bubble around the ship. The griffons came back to awareness, blinking.

"Do not be deceived!" the pony-as-changeling shouted. "They are sirens, wicked sea spirits who wish to lure you to them with their voices and feed upon the strife in your hearts, growing it and harvesting it like you were fields of wheat! Turn away now, Jasclaw!"

The griffon prince sprung into action and wrenched the boat away, the sirens' rocks fading out of vision despite their singing in protest. When they were out of view, the pony playing Chrysalis dropped the shield and the play continued.

Sitting up in a private, royal booth, Twilight looked over at the real Chrysalis. "You never told me you were the Green Temptress of the Argo!"

The changeling shrugged. "Honestly? I barely remembered. I was just a princess back then, it was so long ago."

Twilight rolled her eyes and smacked her carapaced flank with a wing. "Just a princess, hmm?"

"Oh you know what I mean! Really, it was three thousand years ago, you can't expect me to remember everything back then."

"Still, I'd think something like being one of Jasclaw's Argonauts would be something you'd remember!"

Chryssy waved a hoof. "Oh please, he's not that impressive. And he was such a bore! All business, no pleasure. Always blah blah Golden Claw, blah blah appease the gods, blah blah not attracted to chitin, blah blah get out of my bed."

She giggled. "I can only imagine. Not attracted to your carapace?" Twilight leaned her head onto Chryssy's barrel, feeling it rising and falling with each breath, the microscopic plates flexing against each other. "Mmm, ridiculous. So, what happened after that?"

"Why don't you keep watching and find out?" she asked.
> Glare by RF and AG
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by RF and AG

There they stood, on the edge of the precipice of no return. It was nothing the likes of which any mortal had seen before, and would never see again. How long had it been, hours? Days? Minutes? Years? Months? And so on and so on. Either way, not a single soul could guess, and not a single soul in the room dared to take a shot.

“How long?” Dash whispered over to Applejack, all the while floating in mid air with lazy bats of her wings.

“Don’t know, reckon it has been longer than what Rares guessed,” Applejack said with a smug grin.

“Honestly, how does Twilight not have a clock in this room? She’s so punctual and meticulous about being on time,” Rarity said dramatically, sweeping her hoof over her head.

“Don’t be a spoil sport because you lost the first bet, besides, there is always round 2,” Rainbow said with a smirk. “Though we all know who is going to win that one.”

The bickering went on among her friends, but Twilight paid it no heed; she was too focused. There was too much at stake, too much riding on her not losing. If she lost here then it all would be over. She would never be able to look her friends in the eyes if this moment was not seized by the one and only, Princess Twilight Moondancer Sungazer Sparkle. Of course those middle names were not her true middle names but instead those she had been given upon being welcomed into Royalty, but that wasn’t the point!

It was now or never!

Carpe diem!

Fight or die trying!

Those who dare, win!

She would crush all resistance and win what was rightfully hers, and she would stop at nothing to have it!

A bead of sweat dripped down the side of her head, before lazy floating to the ground. The room was still and silent enough that the salty water made a resounding splash amongst the ground. Perhaps it was the heat of the moment that made the sound so overwhelmingly large, or maybe the crystal flooring amplified the sound of water splashing against the floor.

Most likely it was the faint green  glow that had encased the water droplet.

Whatever it was, it snapped Twilight out of her glare and caused her to whip her head to the side.

“Victory! Mwuahaha!” cried a near hysterical Chrysalis! “I get to be the bride!”

“Arrrrgh!” moaned Twilight as she pulled both of her front hooves over her face in annoyance of being defeated at something she was nearly critically acclaimed for. Her glare face had withered the best of the best at Equestria’s National Glare Competition, even Celestia who had countless years of practice! She had been hailed as the nation's best, and possibly even the world's best of if everything went her way. Yet today was her first lost, and it would be forever imprinted in her mind.

“Called it,” Rainbow said excitedly as she pumped her hooves in the air. While Applejack and Rarity started to count the bits that they had lost in the wager. A wager of both who would win and in how long.

“That’s no fair! You used an sound amplifying spell on the sweat bead! That’s cheating,” Twilight exclaimed as she pointed her right forehoof at Chrysalis.

“All is fair in love and war, my sweet,” she said before closing the gap and placing a deep kiss on Twilight’s lips. A kiss that lasted far too long for the three other mares in the room. Neither Chrysalis nor Twilight minded though and continued to share in the kiss until a certain rainbow coloured pegasus spoke up.

“Oh, get a room you two,” Rainbow said mockingly.

“We have one, it’s right upstairs and within talking distance from here,” Twilight answered with a smug look aimed at Dash.

“Oh… right…”
> Ocean by Liquidfirest0rm
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Liquidfirest0rm

"Chrysalis! You are being ridiculous!" Twilight shouted from the water, just off the beach. Her patience was quickly growing thin with her new wife.

They were on their honeymoon, on a secluded island, far away from any pestering guards or drones who always felt the need to be close by incase either needed something. They had been there for two days now, and Chrysalis had refused to go in the water even once, always coming up with some excuse or another. Today, Twilight wasn't having any of it. She was going to spend time in the ocean with her wife, if she had to flood the island to do it.

"No. I'm not going in and that's final!" Chrysalis retorted from her hiding spot in the nearby treeline.

"Oh for the last time, you aren't related to any type of slug species, the saltwater isn't going to melt you!" Twilight yelled, stomping her front hooves and inadvertently splashing herself in the face.

"I know that," Chrysalis replied, "Do I look slimy and squishy?"

Twilight's eye twitched.

"Wha... You...  Urgh!!!! Fine! You wanna do this the hard way? We'll do this the hard way!" she yelled, the water around her starting to give off steam.

Lighting up her horn, she encased the entire area that Chrysalis was in in her telekinetic grip and pulled everything up into the air. Several trees, bushes and a boulder made their way out over the water,  Her wife screaming pleas and threats as she floated along with the debris. Once she was happy with the distance, Twilight released her hold and everything fell into the water.

She wore a smug grin on her face as she made her way over to where Chrysalis should be. Her smile fell as she saw the mass of writhing black limbs and heard a half strangled cry for help. She immediately dove under the water, swimming over to where Chrysalis should be. She felt something latch onto her, and started making her way towards the surface.

As she broke the surface she took in a big breath, hearing her wife coughing and sputtering behind her. She started making her way towards shallower water, stopping once she could stand up to let her passenger off. Chrysalis made a beeline to dry ground, coughing a few more times before turning on Twilight, a furious look on her face.

"Are you crazy! You almost KILLED me!" Chrysalis screamed.

"Oh it wasn't that bad, the water was only eight feet deep," Twilight said dismissively.

"I can't swim, you featherbrained moron!" She yelled before a new coughing fit started up.

Twilight looked at her, a mix of horror and hurt on her face. She rushed over and patted her on the back, trying to help her out of her coughing fit.

"Are you ok?" Twilight asked.

"Just peachy." Chrysalis replied, swatting the hoof off of her and walking away. The venom in her voice was not lost on Twilight as she followed her wife.

"Chrysalis. I'm sorry, I didn't know." She quickly stopped as Chrysalis rounded on her, bringing them nose to nose.

"If you would have just let it go this wouldn't have happened!"

"If you'd have told me this from this beginning, I would have!" Twilight replied, her anger coming back a little.

They both sat down, letting out sighs as they realized they were both to blame. They spent the next few minutes, looking anywhere but at each other.

"I'm sorry," they both said in unison as they looked back at each other.  Twilight held up her hoof so that she could speak first.

"You're right, I shouldn't have pushed you so hard. This is your honeymoon as much as it is mine. Why didn't you just come right out and say that you couldn't swim when I asked you the first time?" Twilight asked.

Chrysalis looked off to the side, a blush growing on her cheeks.

"I didn't want you to think less of me. Sorry for yelling at you, and for the name calling."

Twilight reached up and wrapped her arms and wings around the larger mare.

"I would never think less of you just because you can't do something. Besides, now we have something we can do together." She beamed a smile at Chrysalis. Chrysalis shot her a questioning looked in return.

"Swimming lessons!"

Chrysalis groaned and rolled her eyes

“I should have known,” she said, rolling her eyes as she pulled Twilight in tighter.
> Tornado by Liquidfirest0rm
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Liquidfirest0rm

Chrysalis sprinted through town, desperately trying to make it to Twilight's new castle. The wind had picked up quite a lot and her mane was whipping about behind her. She could see the dark funnel shaped cloud approaching from the horizon in the opposite direction.

She quickly made it to the front door, throwing it open and darting inside. Another short sprint found her at the door to Twilight's study. Bursting into the room she saw her marefriend sitting at her desk, still engrossed in her book. Chrysalis' sudden entry didn't so much as cause an ear twitch from her.

"Twilight! There's a tornado coming, we have to get out of here!" Chrysalis yelled.

"Mhmm," Twilight murmured as she continued on with her reading.

Chrysalis stood there for a moment, dumbfounded with her mouth hanging open.

"Twilight, did you hear what I just said? There's a tornado coming."

"That's nice."

"Celestia is outside rutting half of Ponyville!"

"Quite interesting." Twilight turned a page but was otherwise unfazed.

Chrysalis threw her hooves in the air, letting out an exasperated sigh as she turned and headed out of the room. She made her way out of the castle, the wind immediately throwing her mane across her face. She pushed it down and headed across the field, the tornado slowly dissipating as she grew closer. Rainbow Dash landed in front of her with a smirk on her face.

"Didn't faze her did it?" Rainbow asked, already knowing the answer.

"No. She didn't even look at me," Chrysalis said dejectedly.

"Told ya she gets like that when she goes on her reading sprees."

"But she's boring like this, how do I make her stop?" Chrysalis whined.

"Beats me, that's your problem," Rainbow said right right before she took off.

Chrysalis sulked back towards the dwelling she shared with Twilight.
> Gods by nioniosbbb
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by nioniosbbb

Twilight was the happiest mare in the world. Convincing Chrysalis to do anything was hard work, if anything her marefriend proved that she had unquenching determination. Twilight had to study her behavior closely  to find a way to make arguments with her. Now this was important for her and since it paid off, she had to take advantage of the moment.

Twilight had proposed to Chrysalis that they switch species. One of her… less sane ideas for sure, but even a temporary transformation could do wonders for public relations. Empathy, while being a primary characteristic of the changelings, was not limited to them. The ponies would identify more with Chrysalis, they would be less hesitant or scared of her pony form. Humility wouldn’t go unnoticed either.

“Twilight… a little… air... Twilight!” Said Chrysalis, trying to pry herself free from Twilight’s hooves, which that were constricting her like a boa before swallowing his meal. Pulling the mental brakes on her marefriend’s hype train and bringing her back to reality was no easy task. At that moment, Twilight caught wind of her enthusiastic over-reaction and let out Chrysalis, who gasped in an attempt to get some air.

“I’m uhmm…” Chrysalis coughed a bit, and shook her head in an attempt to compose herself. 

“I’d like a warning before you do things like that.” She also noticed her body betrayed her with small shakes and shivers. Maybe the prospect of the body change was subconsciously making her appreciate her current one.

Twilight’s cheeks turned red with a tingle of guilt in her stomach. There were small giggles all around the hatcheries. Even for a Princess of Magic, enthusiasm expressed itself in equal intensity.

Fortunately for her, Chrysalis was more than alright. Judging by her shy smile hiding behind her fangs Twilight guessed Chrysalis felt a bit flattered as well. Wanting to shake the fuzzy feeling of shyness, Chrysalis took the word. 

“Alright, back to the point. I know you think you can do this with magic but there’s a problem: deep magic within our race forbids anyone to turn into a changeling. Only superficial transformations can bypass this, but this isn’t something we want, trust me. But don’t worry Twilight, there is a way. Come with me.”  She smiled as she motioned Twilight to follow her.  Once they were out of the hatcheries, she had all the space she wanted to make a long range teleportation spell. Turning around, Chrysalis offered Twilight her hoof, which she took with a knowing smile as both closed their eyes.

When Twilight opened her eyes, she was in the center of a giant gazebo-like structure. There were three paved roads coming from the edges of it, converging on the point Chrysalis and her were standing. Huge columns supported the structure, along with three changeling statues holding the roof with their horns. Each had an inscription on it.

The first statue depicted a bald, blindfolded changeling wearing a white toga. The bold form of the changeling, and his slightly bigger fangs, betrayed his male nature. He had a smaller set of wings below his normal ones like a moth, and held a folded scroll upon his left hoof. His inscription said “A healthy mind… - Nousios the Fair”.

Twilight had studied changeling history while she was with Chrysalis. Nousios was one of the three greatest kings of the changelings. In a time of deception, backstabbing, and civil war that plagued the changelings, Nousios was known for one thing: having his mind in the right place. Merely by watching a changeling he could tell a lot about them.  Just like a detective formed a potential profile about his opponent, it also granted him the chance to pierce through lies, illusions, and such. With this ability he was able to shatter the opposition. He decided that as a backup to the monarch system there would be a chain of houses that would form each portion of the kingdom, twelve in total. With safety guaranteed even without succession, Nousios proceeded to make a cultural renaissance. Laws, education, medicine all flourished in an age of peace. It was not guaranteed that the changelings wouldn't squabble, but through this system it was ensured that hope would always shine through. 

On his right, however, the changeling depicted seemed to have no holes or fangs to speak of. He had a semi-long,  grey mane and beard. He wore gold and silver armor with a triangular red gem on the chestplate. On his back he had a dark blue cloak with golden trim. His hooves were placed upon a greatsword with its tip plunged on the base of the statue. Beneath his helmet his azure eyes were staring ahead. His inscription read “... within a healthy body… - Proteus the Overfather”.

To Twilight he looked exactly like the heroes of legend, from the novels Shining Armor used to read when he was younger, still aspiring to become a royal guard. While studying changeling history, Twilight learned that this was the first of the changelings to transform, but surprisingly he didn’t transform to other creatures. He could shift to stone, metals, water, air, fire, supposedly he could take the form of any material imaginable. He was said to have protected the changelings against the rampage of various forces like windigos, sirens, and others. However, the casualties were too high. The changelings, being a young race, had little defense. To aid them during the peak of his power, he scattered pieces of his body to the entirety of the changelings. His magic transferred to all changelings despite the fact that its overall effect had been lessened. Some of this history was myth to be sure, but the results were unquestionable, the actions of the ancient rulers or the changelings were still the same. Twilight knew all too well the romanticisation of history by biased historians.

One thing was sure by the form of this King: his was the time before the changelings fell, a time before their forms deteriorated to what they were now. As a testament to that the third statue was like a mix of what Proteus and Nousios looked like. The changeling that was depicted had small fangs, and a few holes upon her legs, but none in her mane or wings. She had a sun-golden mane and wore a white chiton with silver lining. There was a hidden smile behind her face and a sparkle in her soft sea green eyes. She bore the crown of the changelings, the same one that Chrysalis wore. Chrysalis had told Twilight that the crown adapted to the color scheme of the wearer, and on this changeling’s head it was silver with the gems on top being blood-red. Beneath her hooves the inscription read: “... and a heart in peace. - Queen Metis the wisely cunning”.

Her’s was a tale of tragedy, as Twilight would learn in her studies of changeling history. It was believed that when she wore the crown the Overfather himself came to contact her and measure her abilities. Regardless, Metis became a Queen. At the time, the changeling kingdom was underground. Like every changeling she displayed her skills at an early age, bonding with friends and family like it was natural. This bond allowed the changelings to respond mentally to each others' needs no matter how far. She, however, possessed the skill on another level, bearing in her mind the thoughts of even a whole town! It was not to last... natural disaster struck and the changeling kingdom was besieged by the eruption of a volcano, which struck the foundations of the city. Between the sulfur-filled air, the lava, and all the chaos the changelings panicked and couldn't find a way out. Forcing herself to her limits, Queen Metis attained the ability to communicate with all of her subjects. This bond of a selfless heart guided the changelings to safety. It cost her life, but the gift she gave was not squandered. The crown was etched with her own magic, and this ability became hereditary for any worthy changeling King or Queen that could wear it for enough time. Those unable would be qualified "temporarily unworthy" until they could attain the necessary levels of empathy required to bear it.

This was the monument built in front of the temple of judgement. A place Twilight remembered all too well crossing two years ago, when Chrysalis had decided to seal herself for the good of the changelings. She remembered the wooden gates and the bronze inscription molded beneath the roof reading: “Judgement through Empathy”.

“Enjoying the view, Twilight?”  Came the distant voice of Chrysalis in her mind. She shook herself back into attention and nodded at Chrysalis. Twilight noticed Chrysalis had a serious expression, she had folded her wings and was taking small steps in front of the grand statues as if not to disturb the spirits of the ancient rulers.

“I know you must have studied them, curious as you are, so I won’t bother explaining who is who. These Twilight… are the ones who judged me worthy to become a Queen. When demons threatened our race their magic protected us. When our bodies were tainted they kept our sanity. When we needed guidance we could call upon their wisdom. Yes… the legends, the stories about them are all true. These...” she paused for a moment as if to add dramatic effect.

“... are the changeling Gods, and they are the ones who can make this wish a reality.”
	
> Rumor by Liquidfirest0rm
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Liquidfirest0rm

Twilight was pacing around the room, as she was apt to do when face with a problem that she was unsure how to deal with. She was a starting to wear the faintest hint of a groove in the floor, which would also be normal in times like this, except the floor was one of the crystal ones inside her new castle. Chrysalis eyed this new discovery, cocking an eyebrow and casting a worried glance at her marefriend.

"Ruining the floor isn't going to make them go away," Chrysalis said from her position, sprawled across their bed. This earned her a glare from the alicorn.

"You think I don't know that? Pacing helps me think," Twilight said with a huff and started pacing again.

"Why does it matter what they think? We know the truth and so does anyone else with a half a mind to look into it."

"It matters because I'm a princess now. I have to hold myself to higher standards."

"Well I'm a queen and you don't see me worrying about it."

"You're also queen of the changelings, they don't hold you to the same standards they do for me.

"Well if it's bothering you so much, why don't you just get everyone together and tell them the truth. If they hold your title in such high regards then they have to accept what you say." Twilight just stared at her for a few moments.

"How did I not think of that?" Twilight asked, half to herself. Chrysalis just shrugged in response.

Making her way across the room, she opened the doors to the balcony and strode into the sunlight. She saw all of the ponies making their way around town, as well as the small crowd that had been gathering near her home.

Ever since  that blasted newspaper article had come out, stating ludicrous notions about her and Chrysalis' bedroom activities. A few of the notions were more than a little outlandish and she had been furious ever since incinerating said newspaper. Preparing her Royal Canterlot Voice she began to speak.

"ATTENTION EVERYONE! PLEASE GATHER UP ALL THE TOWNSPONIES, AND HAVE EVERYONE MEET BACK HERE IN HALF AN HOUR! I HAVE AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE!" She immediately turned and went back inside, closing the doors behind her. The ponies below looked at each other in confusion for a few moments before carrying out her wishes.

After the allotted time had passed, Twilight made her way back out onto the balcony with Chrysalis in tow. The steady din of conversation could clearly be heard from the massive crowd gathered below. Her gaze swept across the mass of gathered ponies, satisfied, she cleared her throat.

"THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING ON SUCH SHORT NOTICE. I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE BUSY LIVES TO GET BACK TO SO I'LL KEEP THIS SHORT. I'VE ASKED YOU ALL TO COME HERE TODAY SO I CAN PUT TO REST SEVERAL RUMORS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING AROUND IN THE NEWSPAPER LATELY." She glanced over at Chrysalis before continuing on.

"FIRST OF ALL, I IN NO WAY HAVE ANY SORT OF "STALLION PARTS". SECONDLY, CHRYSALIS DOES NOT "RIDE ME ALL NIGHT LONG" WHILE SINGING OFF KEY LOVE SONGS. AND LASTLY SHE IS NOT PREGNANT WITH MY OFFSPRING."

"Actually, Twilight, that last one is true," Chrysalis said sheepishly. Twilight immediately turned to face her.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE PREGNANT?!" Twilight bellowed, the full force of her Canterlot Voice aimed at Chrysalis. A mutual gasping sounded out from the crowd. Twilight's pupils shrank as she realized she had said that last part loud enough for Celestia to have probably heard it in Canterlot.

"Oh, buck me," Twilight groaned, slumping to the ground.

“Later," Chrysalis replied with as smirk.
> Bollocks by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

A string of Hemipid curses washed throughout the hive, emanating from Queen Chrysalis's chambers. The angry clicks and chatters bounced off the walls and made anyling who heard it, military or civilian, flatten their ragged ears to their heads and wince. The Queen was angry.

Queen Chrysalis stomped out of her chambers, muttering under her breath. "Rot-bitten unlovable daughter of a horsefly, make a fool out of me will you, when I get my hooves on her she's gonna wish she never hatched..." She made her way to a cocoon chamber. The mare within floated in dreamless sleep, love chemicals endlessly activated by the slime. She lit up her horn bright green and tore a long stream of love out of Volunteer Cobalt, and with that love's power she summoned a ring of fire and teleported to the surface of the Badlands.

Once there, her wings buzzed to life and lifted her into the air. She soared across the familiar, barren plains of her home until she reached the disgustingly verdant, overgrown lands of Equestria. So much plant life everywhere, how did they put up with it?

Her anger began to fade, but when she saw the spire of Twilight's castle as she approached Ponyville it flared back to life, and she bit down so hard her fangs nearly drew blood.

She spotted her quarry near the outskirts of Ponyville, having a picnic with her friends. Gnashing her teeth in anger at the mere sight of the purple pony, Chrysalis shrouded herself in green fire and dove down. "TWIIIIIILIGHT SPAAAARKLE!"

The ponies scattered before she could impact them. Her inferno dash into the ground charred the grass and left a crater, from which she stood and locked eyes with her soon to be very sorry marefriend.

"Look out, it's the changeling queen!" the rainbow one said, dive-bombing her. Chrysalis snarled, looked her way, and encased her in a cocoon.

A few more magic blasts incapacitated the rest of the purple alicorn's friends, letting her trot towards her menacingly. "Twilight... Sparkle," she growled.

Scrambling on her back, Twilight laughed nervously. "Heh, hey there Chryssy. What brings you here? GRK!"

Chrysalis lifted Twilight face-to-face with her. The alicorn tried to use her own telekinesis to escape, but Chrysalis's infinitely more powerful magic clamped down on her attempts. "So Twilight, mind explaining to me why I had a little surprise in my bed?"

She blushed hard. "W-Wait, Chryssy, it's not what it looks like!"

"And why my subjects found it?!"

The 'Rarity' pony gasped. "Twilight, do you mean to say you and this beast are - mmphph!" Chrysalis silenced her with slime across the mouth.

"Not what it looks like, hmm? We'll just see about that!" She summoned her magic and engulfed the two of them in a ring of green fire. The ponies she'd encased would be free of the slime in a few hours as it dissolved on its own, but she and Twilight would be long gone by then.

They teleported all the way back to Chrysalis's chambers, since she could more easily return to home than leave it, and Chrysalis made Twilight look at her bed or, more to the point, the articles of clothing on it. "So, care to explain these... items?"

"I-I thought only you would see them! I swear, I didn't want to embarrass you!"

Chrysalis paused at her explanation, and softened. Her emotion senses weren't picking up deceit."You didn't? I thought you'd... willingly embarrassed me like this."

"I'd never!" she said earnestly. "I'm still sorry, I should've expected someling might find them before you."

She sighed. "It's alright Twilight," she said with a light buzz of her wings. "Since we're here, mind helping me into them?"

"Sure!"


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


Later in the day, the door to Queen Chrysalis's bedroom burst open to reveal Princess Celestia, currently in full-blown Vengeful Sun Goddess mode. The aurora-esque mane and tail were alight with flames and her eyes glowed brilliant white. "CHANGELING QUEEN! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH TWILIGHT - " The flames and light sputtered out when Celestia beheld the scene. "What are you doing?"

Twilight paused and so did Chrysalis. The queen in question wore a Santa Hooves hat, all four of her perforated legs were in green stockings, and she had a red and green festive saddle across her shell. Twilight, in turn, wore antlers behind her ears, a red gem on her snout, and Chrysalis was busy painting her brown.

"This isn't what it looks like!" Twilight said hastily.
> Halycon by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

“So this is where you were hiding out,” Twilight remarked as she entered the room she was sharing with Chrysalis in Canterlot Castle. “You look calm given what tomorrow will be.”

Chrysalis turned from the view she had been watching from the balcony to face the Alicorn that had just walked in. “This is not the first time I’ve been in events like these Twilight,” Chrysalis said as Twilight walked over to join the Changeling on the balcony. “Besides from the stories your friends have told me about past incidents, I believe worrying is more you than me.”

Twilight huffed, “It’s not usually that bad.”

Chrysalis smirked, “Oh? So the numerous stories I’ve heard from Spike….”

“Exaggeration,” Twilight said flatly. “Things happened, they went wrong, they were fixed, and that’s it.”

Chrysalis continued to grin.

Twilight huffed again, “Okay, fine they were that bad. Happy?”

“You tell me,” Chrysalis said as she turned to look out over the city again. The road and tracks leading up to the city were filled with more traffic than usual as Ponies, Changelings, and diplomats poured into the city. “Tomorrow’s an important day, for both of us.”

Twilight walked over to join Chrysalis in watching as the city was filled with foreign visitors, “I know it is, although frankly I wanted the event to be smaller…. and in Ponyville.”

“You know why it was moved here and why there are so many guests,” Chrysalis said. “Although I do wonder what convinced you to leave the party held in your honour so early.”

Twilight leaned into Chrysalis’ side, “I could ask you the same question, but I think we can agree on the why.”

“One last day of peace, for tomorrow will be busy,” Chrysalis said relaxing against the leaning Alicorn as she answered the unasked question.

“We will have peace after tomorrow for a little while at least. Before setting off for a grand tour that I can’t say I’m entirely looking forward to,” Twilight remarked.

“Agreed, this is one last quiet night for us both which I think is much better than attending parties held in our honour,”  said Chrysalis.
	
	
> Icicle by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

She was cold.

Twilight shivered in the glacier, icicles dripping around her. She was in a small cave made entirely of ice, looking like somepony had dropped a stick of dynamite in the middle of the ice, let it carve out an area, and then stuck her into it. Twilight laid on her side, head limp, eyes dull, and hooves motionless. She was too cold to move.

She'd tried everything to escape. Teleportation, heat spells, bashing at the ice. Nothing worked, the icy chamber may as well have been a pocket dimension. She was so, so cold. The chill seeped through her fur and through her bones. It made her muscles weak, too weak to stand or move. It made every breath ache on its way through her throat, and her nose was eternally runny no matter how much she wiped onto her forelegs, freezing there. She was beyond shivering, her muscles didn't have the energy. She was in full-blown hypothermia, the kinda ponies died from.

But he didn't let her die.

The cloud of inky, smokey shadow slipped through a ventilation crack. In the past Twilight had fought back, whimpered, or tried to get away, but now she was too cold to do anything more than look up at him in helpless dread. From the cloud formed a face, that of a fellow unicorn, but the horn was red and it curved like a changeling's. The irises were red, the pupils slit, the sclera toxic green, and they billowed violet mist which flowed back into the black cloud. His muzzle was long and gray, his mane part of the flowing shadows, and his mouth was filled with razor sharp fangs.

'There is nothing left of your world.'

The shadow - King Sombra - never spoke to her. He never entertained her with riddles, or responded to her pleas, or mocked her with how helpless she was, or pretended that it was for her own good. He never delayed, he never stalled. Every time, he went right to work, and this time was no different.

A dark gray crystal burst from the ground before her, and then a warmth spread through her horn, down her head, and throughout her body. It stung against her ice-encased body, but she knew the worst was yet to come.

The pain was as unbearable as ever, but she was too cold to scream and twitch. Only moans escaped her muzzle as her magical reserves were drawn out through her horn and into the solidified dark magic, leaving a scorching emptiness behind. Once all her magic was gone, the King lifted the crystal up with his bubbling dark powers, and it sank into his shadow body. Once there the crystal dissolved, letting her reddish-purple magic loose, which the other unicorn swiftly absorbed. That done, Sombra wrapped her in his dark magic again, horrible and slimy against her skin as it preserved her life and kept the cold from claiming her, and then he slithered back out, leaving Twilight to her misery.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


Sleep came with fitful, horrible nightmares. Wherever she was, she was beyond Princess Luna's reach, so her mind was allowed to torment her to its endless delight. Every time she woke up, she remembered that in the nightmare the fringes of her vision were filled with bubbling green and purple magic, so Twilight suspected that Sombra's dark magic had something to do with it.

I never should've told Shiny to help the girls into the shield, she thought. I never should have tried to hold off Sombra. She'd thought she stood a chance. After all, she was the most powerful unicorn alive and in the prime of her life. She should have easily been able to deal with Sombra and thus, defend the empire. But it wasn't to be. King Sombra was one thousand years old, and even if she outclassed him in power his knowledge of dark magic was seemingly infinite. And dark magic was far more powerful on its own than regular magic; if Rarity attacked her with the same magics she would have had a tough time fending her off.

So here she was, chained in unbearable, maddening cold and isolation, total darkness. Sombra's shadow form, ironically, gave off light in the form of his eyes, but beyond that she was blind. And that allowed the hallucinations to come forth. Rings of fangs coming to bite her in half, causing phantom pain. Celestia, the mare she looked up to more than anypony else, gored and maimed in a thousand horrific ways. Spike, her little brother, torn limb from limb. Everything she had ever loved, destroyed, each more horribly than the last. And sight wasn't the only one of her senses out of whack.

'You can never leave this place. There is no way home...' whispered an insidious stallion from right next to her, but she hasn't the strength to turn their way. She feared he/it was right.

Sombra came. Sombra went. Day in and day out, with her nightmares and waking horrors tracing dancing circles above her. It must've been months.

'All of your friends are dead.'

And she feared it was right. There were no friends in this place. No family. Only cold, tearing dark magic, and endless fear.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


Time continued to pass. Twilight was cold, so very cold. The snot running from her nose, smeared across a foreleg, was crystalized into an off-color coat. Her horn ached perpetually. She couldn't move. Couldn't see. Sometimes it felt like she couldn't breathe. She couldn't eat, so her stomach seemed to suck at her insides. She couldn't drink, so she'd long ago wished to lose feeling in her throat. But the dark magic didn't let her die.

'It was your fault.'

She thought she heard something. Actual noises. The sound of magic. Blasts. Crystals. Dark magic.

The sounds drew closer. Lights tickled the blackness of her world, and then...

WHOOSH!

If she could have, Twilight would have jumped. The ice on her coat instantly melted from a furnace blast of heat as an enormous blast of green fire shot past in front of her, carving a wide tunnel through her cave. Inside the painfully bright light she could see a stallion fighting tooth and hoof against the torrent, which cut out as suddenly as it started. Her eyes adjusted to the armor-clad form of King Sombra, in his pony form, just long enough to see another black figure, encased in green fire, tackle him out of sight.

There was darkness again, lit up by flashes of purple and green light, the silence pierced by feminine and masculine grunts and screams. Finally, the green light grew brighter, there was one last scream from both of the voices, and it fell quiet.

Not silent, though. The sound of magic and hooves on ice came closer, as did a green light, until the black figure stood before Twilight's cave.

She easily recognized the form of the changeling queen - she'd never gotten her name, though - as she approached, sending a new spike of fear through her veins. Her horn glowed with eldritch power and tiny, illusory flames licked along her sleek carapace, which was dotted with cracks and stained with green and red blood. "Twilight Sparkle," she said in her two-toned voice. "I didn't think I'd find you here."

The queen stepped closer and lifted Twilight in her magic. She gave a little squeak, but didn't and couldn't fight back as the changeling placed her on her back, resting against the reflective turquoise shell. The fire illusions around the changeling's chitin began warming Twilight, slowly chasing the bitter frost up her extremities and bringing feeling back to her limbs. As much as she feared the changeling, she'd take any warmth she could get. The queen couldn't possibly be any worse than the king, after all.

The queen began moving with a deafening series of clip-clops. "Let's get you out of here; I don't want to be here any longer than is necessary and I suspect you don't either. A lot has changed since you last saw your friends, Twilight." She began cantering out into the tunnel her blast had carved, which Twilight could see - even with her lolling, limp head - went all the way to the surface in the middle of the day.

Slowly, she got her voice working again. Twilight's throat was like stone and the words were soft, but she asked them regardless. "What's your... name?"

"My name?" The changeling chuckled, making the shell beneath Twilight move. "It's Chrysalis."
> Chaos by ashi
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by ashi

Chrysalis braced herself against the cold, her face practically disappearing into her woolly red scarf, wondering for the millionth time just what it was that had compelled her to agree to this chaotic little jaunt through the Whitetail Woods. The wind was fierce enough to almost knock her on to her behind, and her companion was lagging some way behind as her boots continued to stick in the deep snow. “Now would be a good time for you to grow a pair of wings, Twilight,” said Chrysalis mirthlessly, watching the girl – no, the young woman – negotiate each step like a newly-calved deer.

Through gritted teeth, Twilight replied, “And now would be a good time for you to keep quiet and focus on walking.” Of all the people I could've gotten lost in the storm with it just had to be Chrysalis, didn't it? If she could've avoided taking a mouthful of snow, she would've sighed in exasperation at this point. There were few people in the world who knew how to needle her as expertly as CHS' new gym teacher did.

“Let's face it,” Chrysalis said, drawing to a halt and trying to peer through the hail, “we've probably been going around in circles ever since we first got separated from the rest of the group. You of all people will know that, without the sun or moon, or any other frame of reference for that matter, it's nigh impossible to keep to a straight line.”

Breathing hard, Twilight had to sprint to catch up to where Chrysalis had stopped. Their fellow hikers – composed of a mixture of students and teachers from Canterlot High school – had, so they hoped, been able to forge ahead and make it to base camp before the blizzard had become dangerous. With the countryside buried under several feet of snow, none of the markers depicted on their maps would be of any use. As much as she hated to admit it, Twilight knew that her companion was most likely correct: they were probably retracing their steps over and over again without realising it.

Luck was not on their side either; the storm had shown no signs of abating, and if the way the sky was darkening, despite it still being the middle of the afternoon, was any indication it was probably only going to get worse. Twilight huddled deeper inside her jacket, wishing desperately that she'd thought to bring a few more layers. Say, nine or ten. There had been nothing on the news about this kind of weather, and all the forecasts had shown that it would be mild for the rest of the week. Twilight was under the impression that this was yet another one of those freak storms that blew in from the Everfree Forest from time to time. Someone needs to do a proper survey of that place one day, she thought irritably. So many freak happenings seem to occur around there.

Of course, the Whitetail Woods weren't any better at the moment. If it hadn't been for the battering hail, the howling wind and the perilous snow, it might actually have been pretty to see the landscape swathed in an endless expanse of white.

“Hey, uh.” Chrysalis frowned, suddenly unsure of what it was that she wanted to say. Not that she wanted to start thinking negatively or anything, but unless someone from CHS or the ranger service happened to accidentally stumble across them it was looking increasingly unlikely that she'd have the chance to say anything to anyone ever again. In these conditions you could barely see your own hand in front of your face, never mind find two people lost in the depths of the woods. “I, er, I want to apologise for all the crap I've given you since I got here.”

Twilight paused, rather taken aback by what she'd just heard from her colleague. “You? Apologising?” She raised her eyebrow sardonically, though the fact that her face was frozen stiff made it more effort than the gesture was ultimately worth. “You don't think we're gonna make it out of this, do you?”

“I'm being serious here,” Chrysalis said, her voice taking on a tone of mock-hurt as she playfully slapped Twilight on the arm. “I know I teased you a lot about being hot for teacher when Principal Celestia asked you to be her new assistant after what happened to Luna and maybe I went a little bit overboard with it.”

“Yeah, you were kind of a jerk to me,” Twilight replied, inclining her head slightly in agreement, though she felt far too tired, too cold and too drained to harbour any real sense of malice toward Chrysalis for her asinine behaviour. Plus, she reflected, she just wasn't the sort of person to hold a grudge. What was the point? Besides, the huge crush she'd once held for Celestia while she'd been a student of CHS was so obvious that it was probably visible from some bizarre parallel universe.

It was a crush that had gradually faded, however, much to Twilight's surprise; it had begun to disappear when Celestia had asked her to become the new vice-principal during Luna's absence. The principal had needed someone that could be relied upon as a friend, confidante, and was exceedingly thorough in every task assigned to her, no matter how trivial it may have seemed. Who better than the Princess of Books, as Twilight had been nicknamed due to her studious habits and fondness for libraries. “You'll probably end up living in a library,” was a much-loved taunt.

Chrysalis extended her gloved hand in Twilight's direction. “Friends?”

“Friends.” Twilight took the proffered hand with a wry smile. “So. Have you made your peace, then?”

“Yup, no regrets,” replied Chrysalis.

Eventually, through the endless sea of white, they were able to discern the opening to a cave; it wasn't exactly an ideal shelter, but under the circumstances there wasn't a whole lot of choice when it came to places that they could hunker down until the storm passed. Any port in a storm, as the old saying went. “Of course,” Chrysalis said, shooting Twilight a surly look, “with our luck there'll be a ravenous bear in there that'll tear us apart the second we try to cross the threshold.”

“Shall I call Fluttershy? She can talk down almost anything,” replied Twilight, feeling a slight pang of regret the moment she mentioned the name. “Or Rainbow Dash? She could barrel through this snow until we got to safety.” She suppressed a sigh as she reminisced over her dear friends, all of them having long since moved on from Canterlot to new places.

“Come on.” Chrysalis grabbed the recalcitrant Twilight's arm and urged her inside the safety of the cave. “You'll catch your death if you stay out there much longer.”

“Oh.” Twilight shook her head to clear the sudden downpour of memories she was being deluged with. “Right.”


*


The cave wasn't very deep, but it was incredibly narrow, so Twilight and Chrysalis were forced into some uncomfortably close quarters in order to get far enough into the hollow that the worst of the wind and snow could no longer reach them. They placed their backpacks in front of the entrance to provide additional protection from the elements; in the end, apart from the sharp rocks digging into their legs and backs, it was actually pretty cosy. If only they'd packed a picnic …

“How long d'you think this'll go on for?” asked Twilight, wishing that she could stretch out her aching joints, but was prevented from doing so by both the tightness of the cave and the proximity of Chrysalis. Any sudden moves and one of them was likely to end up maimed.

“Damned if I know,” replied Chrysalis heatedly, feeling the effects of the cavern a little more acutely than Twilight. She'd hated small spaces ever since she was a child. “They average about four or five hours, but given that this is a freak storm that no one predicted …” She hesitated before adding, “Some of them have been known to last for days on end.”

“D-Days?” Twilight's eyes widened in fear. Surviving five hours, even in the relative safety provided by the cave, was going to be a big ask.

Putting as much teacherly authority into her voice as she could muster – which wasn't a whole lot, truth be told, because she preferred to take a more laid back, nonchalant approach both at work and at home – Chrysalis looked Twilight straight in her pretty mulberry eyes and said, “Look, all we can do right now is try to keep our spirits up. Whether it's for hours or days, we are gonna be stuck here for a while and our energy is too precious to waste on fretting.”

For just a moment, Twilight looked at Chrysalis the way she used to look at Celestia. She shook her head as soon as she realised what she was doing and blushed, hoping that her companion hadn't noticed. “Right. You're absolutely right.” She took a deep breath and found, to her surprise, when she blew it out that a lot of her nervousness dissipated along with the rapidly evaporating crystals of ice. “So, uh, should we do something to pass the time?”

“Like what?”

“Um, we could play a game? Or tell stories? I mean, we're gonna end up going stir crazy pretty quickly if we don't find something to keep our minds occupied.”

“Fancy a game of I Spy?” Chrysalis asked sarcastically.

“I'm glad you haven't lost your impeccable sense of humour, anyway,” Twilight replied with a roll of her eyes.

Chrysalis pulled her knees up to her chest and folded her arms around them in order to keep as much warmth in as possible; she hoped that it was too dark for Twilight to see how on edge she was, and she quickly came to the conclusion that a distraction would be welcome at the moment. “Fine. Tell me a story. How are things going with Dreamy McCuteBottom?”

“With who?” Twilight's eyes narrowed as she ran through the list of people she knew; it took a moment, but then she remembered the stupid nickname some snotty girls had come up with after his, ahem, energetic dance moves during a music contest a few years back. “Flash Sentry?”

“Yeah, him. You two seemed pretty tight. When you weren't swooning over Celestia, that is.”

“I thought you were gonna stop that?” Twilight said darkly.

“Sorry, habit. Anyway, spill.”

Once upon a time, it would've been a sore subject to contemplate, but time, as it always did, had salved the wound. Her one foray into the world of dating. “He was too hung up on another girl. His first girlfriend, in fact. I suppose if I'd been a bit less naïve about romance, I would've cottoned on a lot quicker than I did that he wasn't really satisfied with me.” Twilight laughed sourly. “Actually, I haven't thought about him much lately. I mean, I was heartbroken at first, but after a while it seemed pointless to bemoan the fact that he'd ditched me for her. Honestly, I hope he and Sunset Shimmer are happy now.” She shot Chrysalis a look. “How about you? Seeing anyone?”

Shifting awkwardly, as much due to the cave as Twilight's question, Chrysalis said, “Me? Nah. Free spirit. I don't go for all that mushy stuff.”

“Rainbow Dash used to have that exact same attitude, you know?” replied Twilight. “Look at her now: married to a Wondercolt and expecting her first child. I don't think settling down necessarily means having to give up your freedom.” If she got out of this alive, Twilight decided that the first thing that she was going to do was look up all her old friends and arrange some kind of reunion party at Sugarcube Corner. It had been so long since they'd seen each other properly; after college, they'd promised to stay in touch, but as always real life happened and got in the way. Still, who could resist the siren call of Sugarcube Corner's hot chocolate and pastries? It would be heaven.

“You're drooling,” said Chrysalis dryly. “I wouldn't mind, but you're leaking it on to my shoulder.”

“Hm? Oh!” Twilight wiped away the sticky film of saliva collecting on her chin with her gloved hand and looked sheepish. “Sorry, I was thinking about Sugarcube Corner.”

“Ah, say no more,” replied Chrysalis knowingly. “I would commit murder to get at one of their pecan pie slices right about now.”

A hideous, echoing rumble filled the cave at that moment, and for a split-second Chrysalis was afraid that the bear she'd prophesied earlier had come for them. “What the …?”

“Uh.” Twilight blushed and patted her stomach gently, wishing that she'd been in charge of the backpack with the food in it. “Maybe we shouldn't discuss food?”

“Good plan,” Chrysalis said sagely and changed the subject. “So. Sunset Shimmer, eh? She was kind of a Queen Bee, from what I heard around the school, and I'm not talking about the insect variety.”

“You're one to talk. Ow.”

The Ow had been elicited from the younger woman by a sharp poke in the ribs courtesy of Chrysalis' bony elbow. The older woman shot her companion a toothy smirk. “You deserved that.”

“Fair enough,” said Twilight, wincing slightly and feeling as though Chrysalis had overreacted. She shook her head. “But yeah, Sunset Shimmer was a little bit difficult in the beginning. Once you got to know her, though, she was actually quite a nice person. She'd had kind of a rough childhood and liked to keep people at a distance unless she felt she could trust them. It took a lot for anyone to get close to her, though she finally mellowed out during her last couple of years at school. Mostly, the kids just remember her worst aspects, unfortunately.”

“I didn't have such a great childhood either. It doesn't give you a license to treat people however you wish,” Chrysalis replied. “People will use any excuse for their behaviour, but it's ultimately up to them how they choose to act.”

“What was it like? Your childhood, I mean?” Off Chrysalis' look, Twilight said, “You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, of course. I was just curious.” Like I am about everything. I should just learn to keep my big trap shut.

“Oh, it wasn't anything terrible, really. I was just kinda … forgotten about, I suppose.” Chrysalis rubbed the back of her neck, unsure as to how to put her difficult thoughts into words. It wasn't something she'd ever spoken about before, and hadn't ever expected to. Still, that look from Twilight Sparkle was difficult to ignore. What impressed her was the knowledge that it wasn't even politeness, or the sympathy a teacher was expected to display when confronted with a problem, but the actual, genuine empathy that a person had to be born with.

“What you say to me doesn't leave this cave,” Twilight said, putting her hand on Chrysalis'.

“My parents,” Chrysalis continued, taking Twilight's hand in her own, “they were always fighting, and it was pretty obvious from a young age that they hadn't been happy with each other in a long time. Hardly a day went by without one of them threatening to leave the other, and I soon began to see this as normal.” Her chest felt heavy and the beat of her heart quickened. “I learned later that it was all my fault. My father was on the cusp of leaving when he discovered that my mother was pregnant with me. He couldn't bring himself to abandon us, but he, uh, made it repeatedly clear that he blamed me for the situation and for ruining his dreams.”

“I'm so sorry that you had to go through that.” People had this crazy notion that verbal abuse wasn't as harmful as physical, but they were so wrong; the scars it left often ran deeper, too, and could affect someone long into adulthood. Twilight realized that her own formative years had been, for want of a better word, perfect: her parents never argued, at least never about anything serious; her older brother was always looking out for her, even rushing to her aid whenever she was bullied at school; and her former babysitter, now sister-in-law, was about the sweetest, kindest soul on the planet. Add to that, five of the best friends one could ever hope for, and the most loyal, attentive dog it was possible to imagine.

“Naturally, I got out of there as soon I as could,” Chrysalis went on, “and I ended up getting myself into one bad relationship after another.” Names and faces flashed before her eyes: Tirek, Sombra, Discord. She seemed to attract the worst possible men. Manipulative, emotionally-needy, cruel. “They'd start out all right at first, but as soon as they got what they wanted from me, they were quick to turn into monsters. That's why I've not been in a relationship for a long time. I don't want to take the chance on giving my heart to someone only for them to step on it.” She let out a pent-up sigh. “Sorry for dumping all this on you.” That said, Chrysalis did feel a lot better for having got this off her chest at last.

“I just wish I could do something to help,” Twilight said. “If you ever want to talk more, I'll be there for you.”

“If you really wanna help, you could let me use you as a pillow,” Chrysalis said, arching her back until a satisfying click reverberated through her spine. “I'm bushed.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” said Twilight with a slight shake of her head. She lifted up her arm to allow Chrysalis to rest her head against her side, however; with nothing else for it, once the woman had gotten herself into a snug half-sitting/half-lying position, she let the arm go around Chrysalis' shoulders. “Comfy?”

“Eh, it'll do,” Chrysalis, who was already beginning to nod-off, replied with a tired smile. “You might want to get some shut-eye, too. From the sound of things, this storm's going to be an all-nighter.”

So wrapped up had she been in Chrysalis' story, Twilight had completely forgotten about the storm raging outside; she shifted her legs until they were a bit more comfortable, and less prone to having her legs jabbed by the plethora of stones dotted around the cave floor, then placed her head atop Chrysalis'. The wind blowing past, coupled with Chrysalis' light breathing, was oddly comforting and the sounds lulled Twilight to sleep.

Just before drifting off, she heard two words, “Thank you.”
> Fluid by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

"Aaaaah," she sighed, sinking into the underground basin. The off-green fluids surrounding her crept around her chitin, seeping into the damaged cracks to heal it, buffing out scratches and slowly popping out dents. "This is just what I needed."

Taking a deep breath, Chrysalis dove beneath the surface and allowed the thick fluid to wash over her, sticking to her mane. She opened her eyes, looking up through the green bath to the ceiling of the private cave. She frowned and cocked an ear when the strands over the doorway parted, admitting Twilight Sparkle inside.

Chrysalis rolled over and swam to the surface, taking a deep breath and shaking the slime out of her eyes. "Didn't expect to see you here, Twi!" she said in greetings to her marefriend.

"I was looking for you; I was worried," the alicorn admitted.

"Well as you can see, I'm perfectly fine."

"You don't look fine. Your exoskeleton's cracked, and you're bleeding!"

"Actually, it's already scabbed over. This stuff really does the trick for changelings." She took a deep breath to fill her lungs with buoyant air, then floated on her back. Twilight sauntered over and lifted a hoof above the pool. "I don't recommend coming in, however. It's medical to changelings, but it's a powerful acid to other life forms."

Twilight retreated her forehoof with a strangled 'eugh' and looked across at her. "Well, then don't let me bother you. I'll just wait on your bed."

Chrysalis rolled her eyes and summoned her magic, wrapping up Twilight and dumping her into the pool. The pony screeched, taking a big gulp of the non-toxic slime, and flailed around for a few seconds before finding her balance and coming up with a sputtering cough.

The changeling, meanwhile, burst into laughter, rolling against the edge of the pool and pounding the stone outside with a hole-ridden forehoof. She looked back at the soaked, not-acid-eaten pony. "You... you should see the look on your face! Snrrk - AHAHAHAHAAaaa!"

The pony, paddling to keep herself afloat, glared at her. "I hate you so much."

Chrysalis got a hold of herself and wiped a tear from beneath her left eye. "Oh, relax. You're fine. At the very most you'll smell like a changeling for a few minutes later, and you go around doing that enough as it is thanks to me." Twilight blushed bright red. She never tired of making her do that, the novelty of blushing red just never got old. But she still looked angry. Chrysalis softened her expression and swam over to her. "Hey, Twilight, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you that bad." She kissed her forehead, right beneath her horn. "Forgive me?"

The pony sighed and kissed her in the same spot. "Sure, sure." Then she swam away and, with a wing, splashed Chrysalis with a torrent of slime, resoaking her moth eaten mane.

Chrysalis blinked, then grinned. "Oh ho ho, it is on!"
> Icicle 2 by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

At some point she must've fallen asleep, which was odd because she had no dreams or nightmares. Twilight blearily opened her eyes, and after a few moments of blinking the sleep out of them, looking this way and that, she realized she was in something like a hospital. Cheerful pictures of foals lined the pinkish crystal walls. She laid on her back, she couldn't move her limbs, and she saw an IV drip connected into her right foreleg, the bag filled with purple fluid.

"Twilight!" said a wonderful, wonderful voice she'd feared she'd never hear again. Twilight looked over and found Princess Celestia, bereft of any regalia, standing from the walls and rushing over to her. "Don't try and speak, Twilight. Your body has been through a tough time, with only dark magic supporting it. There's a breathing and feeding tube down your throat, don't try and talk. Blink once if you understand me." Twilight blinked once. "Okay. I'm going to open a neural link between us. Just think what you want to say." The Princess's horn flashed brilliant gold.

'Thank you,' she thought to the alicorn. 'Thank you, thank you, thank you!'

'It's no worry, Twilight. It was Chrysalis who found you and ended Sombra.'

'Sombra!' Her eyes widened. 'Princess Celestia, I'm so sorry! I tried to fight him off so the others could get in, but he got me and you told me to protect the empire and I, and I - '

A wave of warm, soothing emotions washed over her, snuffing out her panic. 'Twilight, you have nothing to be sorry about. I'm just so happy you're all right. You were gone for so long... ' Twilight could see tears running down the princess's cheeks and matting her fur. 'I never thought I'd see you again. You were with that vile stallion for eleven months, Twilight.' Her breath caught in her throat.

'What... what happened? He kept draining my magic reserves, what was he doing?'

 'Later, Twilight. For now, get some sleep. You need to get your strength back, but rest assured everything's going to be alright now.'

As if summoned by the Princess's words, Twilight's eyes slid shut.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


When she woke back up, the tube was removed from her throat, which ached. Now that she was more awake than last time, she noticed her horn had a medical-grade suppressor ring to prevent uncontrolled flares, and her limbs were tied down, likely in case of night terrors. How thoughtful of the staff. The changeling queen was with her instead of the princess, which set her nerves on end.

"Relax," she said in her exotic double-voice. "I'm not here to hurt you." The longed, crooked horn simmered with eldritch energies, and Twilight felt her mind open up again. The long horn's glow went out.

'Can you hear me?'

'Yes,' she thought back. 'Why did you save me? I thought you... hated me.'

'For a while I did, but like I said, a lot of things happened since you were taken by Sombra. Would you like me to tell you?'

Twilight forced a smile. 'Not like I'm going anywhere.'

Chrysalis came over to her bed and sat down. 'So, after Sombra nymphnapped you he continued to batter at the Crystal Empire. You wouldn't know, but your sister-in-law had erected a shield of love energy around it to keep Sombra out until a more permanent solution could be found. Your friends pieced together that they needed the artifact known as the 'Crystal Heart' to do the same passively, but Sombra had hidden it away. Before they could find it he pierced the shield through attrition, and filled the Crystal Heart with dark magic's hatred and fear.'

Twilight gasped as hard as she could in her state. 'My friends? Family? Are they okay?!' she demanded.

 'They're all fine, Twilight. But... not without harm. Sombra enslaved the empire and waged war on the rest of Equestria. You wouldn't think such a small city could do so, but he was ruthless in his use of the Heart, enslaving vast swaths of the Royal Guard and terrifying Equestria's allies into staying out of it. Of course, the Heart had long-range effects as well; we could taste the fear in the air, even if it had no effect on us.'

'So you helped Equestria,' she concluded. 'Why?'

'Well think about it, Twilight,' she said with a little grin. 'It's not in my best interests to let anything overly bad happen to your kind. Sombra's hatred would've starved us in the end and made you miserable, but we would've at least encouraged couples and herds to form.'

'Makes sense,' she decided. 'How long did it take?'

Chrysalis sighed. 'My people have always had a proud military history; half of our million-strong population enlists. We outnumbered the Crystal Empire enormously, we outnumber Equestria ten to one. But even so, King Sombra's knowledge of dark magic was terrible, and your princesses said he'd never had so much raw power before. I suppose now we know why.'

'He was draining me...' she thought sadly. 'It's my fault he was so strong.'

 'Perhaps, but there was nothing you could have done. Sometimes, these things just happen, Twilight. And in the end, we freed Cadance and in return, she fed me enough love so I could track down Sombra and fight him. My changelings separated him from the Crystal Heart by faking the magical signature of his thralls, and I believe you saw me kill him myself.'

A chill went down Twilight's spine. Kill him. The changeling queen was a killer. 'Oh,' she thought sadly. 'So... what's happening now?'

'The Crystal Heart is purified and spreading love instead of fear. Our people are...' Chrysalis stammered over the word even in telepathy, as if it left a bad taste in her mouth. '... allies, and your friends will be by once you're better. They're worried about you.' The changeling queen stood and began leaving. 'You should get some rest.'

A spike of unholy terror lanced through Twilight's heart as she watched the receding changeling. 'WAIT!' She did, turning around with bored eyes. 'Please don't go. I-I don't want to be alone,' she stammered out, her eyes pleading.

Chrysalis's green-tinted eyes softened, and she gave a wordless nod. With loud clip-clops she came back to Twilight's side, and magically dimmed the lights.

'Thank you,' she sent. She was tired again. Being ill was the worst.

'It's nothing,' she thought back to her, projecting memories of warmth, suspension in fluid, well-being. With those, Twilight soon fell asleep, a pair of fangs being the last thing her closing eyelids let through.
> Tin Can by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Twilight turned over in bed and nudged her wife. Meanwhile outside of their chambers, a one-changeling chorus was going on. "Hey, your turn," she muttered.

"No," Chryssy said in return. "I got her last time. It's your turn."

"Mmr, hoped you wouldn't remember." Twilight pulled herself out of bed and ruffled her wings to try and get the feathers to align. It was no substitute for preening, but it would have to do for the time being. She rolled onto the castle floor and clip-clopped her way out, leaving Chrysalis to have the bed all to herself.

Twilight trotted out into the cold castle, empty save for the pony Royal Guard and changeling Imperial Guard dotting the doorways. They saluted to her as she passed, until she reached the room in question. It used to have been Spike's, until he moved out to begin his draconic adolescence, and then Veridian Light - Twilight had carried him as opposed to Chrysalis, so he'd been born a pony - until he also moved out.

She found her room and opened the door. The lights were off, so the only light came from the shining eyes of the inhabitant. Inside, Princess Diplotera, a tiny little nymph about the size Twilight had been when she hatched Spike, was dressed up in an orange gown at least ten sizes too large for her, and was busy banging a kitchen spoon against a tin can like a drum, hollering at the top of her lungs a discordant tune. She held the spoon in one of her leg holes.

"Hey, honey," Twilight said.

Diplotera, or 'Tera', yelped and dropped her instruments of annoyance, looking her way. The royal changeling's double-ringed purple irises narrowed in shock, and she laughed nervously. "Hi mommy," she said in a weak resonant voice.

Twilight walked over to her daughter. "Tera, it's way past your bedtime. Plus you're keeping everyone else awake."

Her ears - like changelings, her ears were narrow and horizontal to the ground - folded down. "Sorry, mommy," she whimpered.

Lighting up her horn, she gripped the tiny changeling in her magic and lifted her carefully. Twilight walked with her and floated her over to her bed, which looked as though somepony had taken a changeling cocoon, opened up the top, drained it of the paralyzing fluid, and filled it with pillows and bedsheets. That was, of course, precisely what happened, and Twilight carefully set her down.

"Now, go to sleep honey, okay?"

"Yes, mommy." For a moment, Tera lit up her tiny horn which had just started growing out of her chitin with a miasma of magic the same color of Twilight's own, adjusting her pillows. She gave her membranous wings one more light flutter, tucked them under her purple shell, and closed her eyes. When she did, the dim purple light of the room went out in tandem. "Night mommy."

"Night, Diplotera." Twilight walked away, closed the door, and went back to her and her wife's room.

She slid inside and closed the door behind her, making her way to the bed. Once there, she groaned.

Chryssy was hogging the sheets again.
> Shock by Cytotoxin
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Cytotoxin

"...What?" - she just asked the same thing a second ago. Try as she might, Twilight simply couldn`t envision anything else to say. The revelation was unsettling. Profoundly wrong, even. It violated common sense, many axioms of magic, and most importantly - her personal feelings on the matter. Yet, she wasn`t exactly keen on flatly denying princess Celestia out of hoof.

"I`m sorry to dump this on you, Twilight, but you had to know the score." - white alicorn proffered apologetically - "It`s highly likely you might end up dealing with her again in the future, and you have to know just what exactly you`re going up against." She shuffled her hoof on the ground sheepishly, casting a wary glance behind herself, where a black form of dimensions comparable to her own slept on the bed fitfully, hooves wrapped in bandages almost all the way to the barrel.

Twilight considered the sleeping form critically. "So. What you are telling me is that changelings do not exist?" - she proffered after a few awkward moments of silence - "That the invasion we had to stave off was really just one being of immense power experiencing a maddening fit of jealousy?" Her eyebrow twitched when Celestia nodded and sighed.

"It`s one of the most profound talents of Chrysalis - an ability to manifest many lesser forms of herself to distribute the labor and attention." - she proffered quietly, shaking her head - "After the Time of Madness, she was the force that rebuilt Equestria. In many ways, she is similar to Luna, but affected far more subtly and deeply then Luna was. I`m afraid my both of siblings are... less then stable. At times, I wonder if I`m not mad myself."

Twilight rubbed her chin as she reconsidered the facts. One of the sticking hairs went limp and merged with her hairdo, but the other stubbornly remained as her consideration hit a snag. "Alright. I can accept that Chrysalis is actually your elder sister. I can accept that, in ways similar to Luna`s, she also fell from grace and resents ponykind for not showing her appropriate attention." - she mused - "But why now? Why haven`t we heard about her for so long there is no mention of her in history whatsoever? Luna is featured in some old books, at least, but this is literally the first time I have heard about Chrysalis at all."

Celestia shook her head. "As a firstborn, Chrysalis experienced and suffered many things that me and Luna avoided simply by the virtue of her experiencing them and passing the knowledge on to us to avoid making same mistakes. All of it bore a mark on her body. To put it really simple, Twilight, until very recently Chrysalis refused to believe ponies could actually find any appreciation for her. Back in old times, when we took charge of the country... It seemed too convenient. Three tribes, three sisters to represent them. None of them wanted to be represented by Chrysalis, though. Unlike Luna, she had voluntarily elected to fade from public`s eye, intent to continue her labors in secrecy. When Luna went mad, Chrysalis withdrew from the land entirely, working her magic on the less hospitable areas to make them habitable for ponies in the future. It is by her labor that we are the primary economic power of the world." - she explained.

"So... how does benevolent deity turn into a wedding-crasher, if you don`t mind me asking?" - asked Twilight a bit more acerbically then she originally intended to. Celestia`s smile turned bitter and pained. "Cadence." - she proffered simply, - "Cadence is the reason. Chrysalis have had long ago sapped herself - she needs love to survive. As she is, well... the best option we could work out is to use me as a conduit. I am the pinnacle of Equestrian society, love flows to me from all corners of Equestria... and then, through my sisterly love for her, powers Chrysalis. Unfortunately, Chrysalis wanted more."

"And so, she tried to supplement your love with that of my brother?" - inquired lavender unicorn, glaring at the slumbering form - "Forgive me, princess, but I find it hard to have any sympathy for her. With her talents, she could be beloved by whole of Equestria on par with you."

Celestia`s head dipped low. "The truth... is far more sordid then that, Twilight." - she offered softly - "It was not your brother`s love she coveted." She paused to collect herself, then lowered her body on the rug, settling down comfortably - "What I am going to tell you now, Twilight, should NEVER be revealed to Cadence or your brother. If you are unable or unwilling to keep this a secret from them, tell me now."

Frowning, Twilight raised her hoof in a traditional Pinkie promise. "I have trust in you, princess. If you think they shouldn`t know, I will trust your judgment. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." - she intoned gravely, wincing as the hoof poked her eyelid unpleasantly.

"Cadence is a... preplanned alicorn." - proffered Celestia uneasily, - "Her conception is not a labor of two ponies in love, but rather a chore of two alicorns and magic far beyond what equinity is capable of. To put it really simply, after we realized that the only way to heal Chrysalis to a better state is to have somepony love her, we... created a pony to love her. Cadence was designed from the ground up to be an alicorn of love, capable of passively adsorbing the love throughout the land and outputting it into a single lover with utmost efficiency."

Hair toinged out again. "Wait, wait... WHAT?!" - exclaimed Twilight incredulously - "You mean to tell me Cadence is a golem?" Celestia shook her head. "Equimunculus?" Another shake. "Sustained apparition?" Yet another shake. "....You actually magistructed a living pony?" - she proffered finally, her voice an almost equal mix of fearful and reverent as she received a curt nod - "...This is incredible. And insanel But..."

Celestia raised her hoof. "The rest is rather simple. Cadence have had been posited to the public as an orphan who was born alicorn by some twist of fate. Obviously, no one thought it strange when I adopted her as my niece. She grew up like a normal pony... except a princess. I personally thought she`s doing quite well." - she proffered - "If it wasn`t for your brother, I think the plan would have went through without a hitch."

"Shining Armor? What did he do?" - inquired Twilight cautiously. A thought occurred to her suddenly, making her hop up and pace around Celestia - "Oh, no... no, no no no... He... he lured Cadence away from Chrysalis, didn`t he?" Another curt nod almost sent her fleeing th room. Twilight plopped down resolutely, and started doing breathing exercises Cadence taught her. "In, out, in, out, in, out... I`m calm. i`m calm!" - she called out, visibly wrestling down her nervousness.

Celestia nodded thoughtfully, musing - "You are right. Ever since Cadence became old enough to understand the matters of heart, she`s been with Chrysalis most of the time. She knows her as Arbor Shade - a stallion a year older then her, with special talent in global agriculture. For years, they were good friends, and we`ve done everything possible to nudge them on the road of romance... Until your brother happened. I don`t know how, but he managed to steal the attentions of Cadence away from Arbor Shade. There wasn`t much I could do without actually hurting your brother`s career or reputation, and try as he might, Arbor Shade just couldn`t regain the relationship. As silly as it sounds, the most powerful of alicorns have had been friendzoned. Chrysalis... didn`t take it well."

Twilight winced. "That`s... an understatement. So what exactly did she want to do?" - she inquired thickly, glancing on the recumbent mass of blackness and bandages with newfound apprehension and a smidgen of pity. She supposed there was more justification to Chrysalis then it was from the first glance. Not exactly like she was innocent, not at all, but in the same time... there was a reason to it all, now.

Celestia shrugged, offering - "To the best of my understanding, she just wanted to disrupt the wedding. To crash it so badly it wouldn`t be considered again for quite a while, if not abandoned altogether. All of it is moot, now, however. Cadence will be happy with your brother, I suppose. As for Chrysalis... I don`t know, Twilight. I don`t know. I`m not sure if I want to try again, and I`m not sure Chrysalis would even care to try again either. But... This, I can tell you. One way or another, sooner or later, I wil find someone who will love her. I owe her that much."

Taking a deep breath, Twilight began speaking. Her voice cracked, but even so, she managed to spit out - "Well, then, how about me?" Celestia quirked her brow. "You? I don`t think even you can make yourself love on command, Twilight Sparkle." - she replied cautiously - "Besides, I am not sure if Chrysalis wants another attempt so soon  to begin with."

Twilight`s lip quirked a little. "Maybe not. But I`d like to try." - she proffered back, her voice suddenly hoarse and dry , - "I`m... not the best at meeting ponies, princess, and Chrysalis definitely knows and remembers much of what I`m interested in. It wold be nice to talk to someone who can actually understand what I`m saying... besides you, of course. And, well... if what we saw at the wedding was a fit of jealous rage, and not the regular attitude, then I guess she must be rather nice casually. I`d probably.... probably shouldn`t think about how I`d interrput the ceremony if I were in her place. If she can let go of her grudge, then maybe I can learn to love her in time."
> Lime by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Changeling slime was sour, like lemons. Or limes.

It was something Twilight had come to terms with, suspended in a changeling cocoon like she was. She eyed Chrysalis on the outside angrily, but beyond that she couldn't do much. The nutrient rich, oxygenated slime filling her lungs also contained a powerful paralytic toxin, so Twilight was utterly unable to move or summon magic. Glaring though, that was something she was more than capable of.

"Now Twilight," the changeling queen said in her duel-toned voice. "Look to the right if you're ready to be reasonable about things." Grudgingly, Twilight looked right. It was better than staying in the cocoon, at any rate. "Good. Now, this isn't going to be comfortable." Chrysalis, instead of using her magic, stepped closer and used her long horn, with its wickedly sharp tip, to cut a gash down the cocoon. Twilight felt gravity grasp her and she fell out with the slime. She almost crumpled, but Chrysalis's magic grabbed her and set her down gently.

Then she began the long, painful process of coughing up the slime in her lungs. It took the better part of an hour, Chrysalis patting her on the back to help, but eventually she cleared out the blockage. Her magic was still on the fritz, though.

"There there," Chryssy cooed. "Now, are you willing to let me explain?"

"You - " She retched once, twice, then took another deep breath. " - fine."

"I didn't mean to cocoon your sister in law this time, I mean it! It was an accident. We got into an argument, and we both said some things we didn't mean, but we're past it now. Okay?" Twilight didn't speak. "Hey, what's with the distrust?" she asked. Stupid changeling emotion senses

"I thought you were attacking her," she grumbled. "I thought you'd..."

The changeling's luminous eyes softened and she wrapped Twilight in a warm, carapaced hug. "I'd never, Twilight. I was a different 'ling back then, you know it. You helped me change for the better, and I would never go back."

Twilight nodded. "I'm sorry for not trusting you. It's just, when I saw her in the pod, I remembered - "

"Shh," she whispered, lightly biting the nape of her neck. "It's okay. I'm sorry too, I should've have overreacted with Cadance either."

Twilight turned around and pressed her snout into the much taller equine's chest, coughing a little from the last remnants of the cocoon. "Let's just say we both bucked up, but now we're going to move on?"

"Sounds good, Twi."
> Free by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

Chrysalis walked in through the front doors of the Crystal Oak, upon entering she noticed two things, one how quiet it was and this was emphasized by the lack of the ever present pair of Guards standing about like statues and second was the usually heavier weight of ambient magic. It took a only a moment for her to determine what it was and when she did she sighed and turned to head to where Twilight had likely buried herself in.

She had first returned to Equestria as part of the diplomatic envoy sent by the Changeling Collective to negotiate peace with the Equestrian Triarchy. That had been months ago and the result of the peace agreements was the increased interaction between Changelings and Ponies. Over those few months Chrysalis found herself spending time with newest Princess who at first resented her for what she had done, but over time warmed up to having the Changeling Queen around as a friend.

Ahead of her was the last barrier between her and Twilight, she had already pushed through the wards that Twilight had installed. Thankfully the wards that were up were only protective wards and not more dangerous one. Pushing open the thick door of solid wood in front of her with her magic aura, Chrysalis entered the expansive library. The library shelves were thankfully sturdy as the sheer number of volumes crammed in the available spaces likely would have destroyed flimsier shelves. It was still baffling that these shelves had been bare only a few months ago, the size of the collection had her believing it was the result of several years of collecting.

Her friend, the third Alicorn Princess of Equestria was seated at a sturdy table with books piled on any and all available space on the table and the nearby floor. Twilight seemed deeply engrossed by her latest text. This was a sight she had grown used to seeing; often she would find her camped here with piles of books, scrolls, ink bottles, and quills.

The sight of seeing Twilight reading was nothing unusual although Chrysalis had to sigh as she recognized what subject Twilight was trying to research and which book she was likely consulting.

With a strong pull Chrysalis gripped the book with her magic and wretched it away from the reading Alicorn.

“Hey!” Twilight yelled as she noticed that her book had been taken away from her.

Chrysalis ignored Twilight’s cries as she proceeded to remove a slim chapter from the book. However she was stopped by the opposing magic of Twilight who had quickly recovered from her shock.

With a firm tug of her magic Twilight wretched the book away from Chrysalis before turning to glare at her guest, “I know you don’t like this book in particular, but we don’t destroy books here. These books are part of the library and anypony should be able to borrow and read them which they can’t do if you go destroying books.”

Chrysalis returned the glare, “I only dislike one section, an unnecessary one at that.”

Twilight rested the book on the nearest book stack, “That is not an excuse to destroy books.”

Chrysalis snorted, “I’ve heard of the so-called author from my predecessor, a true coward who refused to set hoof on Changeling lands and instead turned myths into facts for his research ”

Twilight sighed, “His writings as fictitious as it may be is all there is written on Changelings. We have great number of accounts on Changeling physiology and appearances, but almost nothing on culture or society.”

Chrysalis tapped her chin with a forehoof, “I’ll agree to tell you more if you can get his writings removed from the next edition.”

Twilight nodded and walked over to the nearest available table space while she also pulled out a fresh scroll and some ink. “Good idea with the greater number of Changeling visitors it would be good to clear up any misconceptions.”

Chrysalis shook her head at the excited actions of her friend as she look for an available space to sit. “The Hive Mind is a myth,” Chrysalis began, “one of the first things Dim Light claims is false. Our minds are our own, free of the influence of others to direct our actions. If we wanted an example, then my failed invasion was a poor decision on my part. My Hive was lacking food and we were getting desperate but, instead of asking for help I devised a plan to forcefully capture the city because I was too full of pride to ask for help and it is our way to blend into society to cultivate emotions into food. The plan was originally simpler, but the lure of the oncoming wedding was tempting and I gave into greed hoping that in success I would have a steady supply of food for my Hive some time.”

Twilight nodded as she continued to write her notes down, “I have to ask about why you call them Hives, both your people and your cities.”

“Those are connected, Hives can refer to those who live together collectively which Changelings do. We have a unified government in one sense, but for the most part each Hive is largely independent. The Hive in this sense refers to our collectively way of living. Hive as a people is because of our close ties with each other, we Changelings have many stories that are believed to tell of origins. In one was that we were once something else perhaps Ponies who banded together for protection and that magic works in unusual ways. That over time the closeness between those beings intensified into a sense of empathy between them.”

Isn’t that still a Hive Mind of sorts?” Twilight asked. “The close connection that Changelings share could be considered akin to one as your minds are linked in one way.”

Chrysalis tapped her chin again, “Maybe, but far too often others associate the concept of Hive Mind with mindless orders from a leader. Our empathy allows us to sense the general emotion of fellow Changelings and it forms a sense of comfort knowing others are around and that we can sense them in a way. The empathetic connection is usually limited between Hives and it is a social custom and a common courtesy not to intrude, intrusion often makes things difficult as each Hive being independent runs in their own ways. Only when the Hives gather to form the Collective in which case those decisions usually affect Changelings in general.”

Twilight looked up to look at Chrysalis with a confused expression on her face, “How do you keep Hives apart like that? Couldn’t one Changeling just connected emphatically to whoever they wanted to?”

“The Hives themselves are part of the separation as I mentioned it is part of social custom, but there are also the Hive Royals and one of their task is to be part of the separation. For one to be considered for the position they need to be mentally strong since the Queen or King with the use of artifacts they can feel the emotions of all Changelings in their Hive and through them they help maintain the separation. Of course any Changeling could break this and connect with another Hive if they wish as these artifacts are not always on, to maintain the artifacts’ powers is very taxing mentally.”

Twilight continued to write and finished the last sentence off with a flourish before looking up again, “I think that cover a lot of the basics and while I would like to continue discussing Changelings, we do have somewhere to be.”

Now it was Chrysalis’ turn to be confused, “We do? I can’t remember what it could be though.”

Twilight’s magic picked up her various books and began slotted themselves to their proper places, “Tonight promises to be warm and my friends and I have invited you to join us for dinner. We’re supposed to be at Sweet Apple Acres in about half an hour and I thought since the weather’s good that we could walk there.”
> Cookie Jar by ZOMG
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by ZOMG

Twilight struggled in her binds. The sickly green goop bound her hooves together. She blanched as it trickled down her mane from where the scouts had lathered it over her horn.

Magic was useless. No matter how hard she tried, it just cancelled out as soon as it made contact with the slimy, disgusting… stuff!

“Well, well, well!” Her breath caught in her throat. Twilight knew that voice, the same one that she’d obsessed over since her brother’s wedding day!

She turned, staring into the slitted eyes of the mare who had nearly stolen Shining Armor. “Chrysalis!”

The changeling tutted, stalking around her like she was circling her prey. “That’s Queen Chrysalis, Twilight Sparkle.” She whispered huskily, blowing lightly on a felt tipped ear. Twilight flinched, drawing away from her. “Oh, come now, little pony! Don’t play coy! Not after you came all this way to see me!”

“I am not here to see you!” Twilight growled. Her struggles grew more frantic. She tried to inch away, but found herself caught by a smooth, black hoof and pulled back into Chrysalis’s chest. “I came here to… to…” She trailed off at the sight of the teasing smirk on her captor’s face. Something… offputting.

Chrysalis leaned in, touching their noses together. “To stop me? To bring me to justice? Make me see the error of my ways?” She threw back her head and laughed at the blush that crossed Twilight’s muzzle. “Oh, come now, Twilight Sparkle! You, who saw through my disguise, can do better than that!”

“That’s why I’m here! Don’t try to twist this into something!”

“I don’t have to do anything of the sort!” Chrysalis bared her fangs. “You’re going to tell me yourself!” Quick as a viper, she sunk her fangs into Twilight’s neck.

Twilight screamed. Fire flooded her veins, the skin beneath her coat seemed to crawl. “What did you—ah!—do to me?”

Drawing back, her captor licked her lips. “Just a little something to loosen up that cute little tongue, dear!” A chill ran down her spine as Chrysalis drew her close.

She tried pushing away, but her limbs falter as the burning intensifies. “What did you—poison!” Twilight gasped. “Some sort of venom? What… you…”

Chrysalis tightened her grip. “Yes. We changelings have a very special type of venom. I’d tell you about it, but it’s more fun to experience it firsthoof! A fitting punshiment for such a cute little mare who was caught with her hoof in the cookie jar!” She paused as a thought occurred to her. “Though, in a moment, you’ll think of it as more a reward.”

“I-I don’t—” A hoof was placed on her lips.

“Shhh! No speaking unless your Queen tells you!” Chrysalis grinned. “Tell me what I want, and I’ll give you exactly what you came for! And,” her tongue snaked out and licked her lips, “even a little more!”

Twilight found herself nodding, her breath came in ragged pants. “Y-Yes…”

“Good mare!” A teasing lick to her snout sent Twilight screaming within the confines of her mind. But, to her horror, the world spun. She leaned into the touch. “Now, tell me, why are you here? Hmm? What is such a lively, delicious little thing like you doing such a long way from home?”

“W-Wanted… Wanted to find you.” What was she doing? Why was she answering?

“Hmm, I suppose that counts.” Twilight’s chin was lifted, her lips captured in a light kiss. She whimpered as it ended all too soon. She wanted more! She needed more!

A bop to her nose brought her back to reality. “Now, now, don’t go spacing out on me yet! We can play later.” Chrysalis chided as if talking to a foal. “Why did you want to find me?”

Don’t answer! Don’t answer! Don’t answer! She’ll twist it around! She’ll turn it into something… something…

Fun.

“I wanted to understand…” Twilight pressed herself against Chrysalis’s barrel. She had to stop the burn somehow! It only abated with the changeling’s touch! Anything else brought it back with the fury of the sun! Even thinking about anything else set her mind afire until her thoughts came back to their proper place. “I wanted to understand you… and learn about you…”

A deep, husky chuckle made her breath catch in her throat. “Is that so? Well, that’s all you had to say, dear!” Chrysalis trailed a hoof under her chin, regarding her captive through hooded eyes. “I’ll teach you all you want about changelings! But you have to do two things for me! Just two little things!” She pecked Twilight’s snout, staring deep into her eyes while her lips lingered. “That’s easy enough, isn’t it? Isn’t your Queen being fair?”

Twilight nodded. “Yes… My Queen is fair…” She leaned up, trying to return with a kiss of her own, but a hoof to her chest stopped her in place.

“Not yet, little one!” Her ears pinned back. Had she disappointed her Queen? The loving changeling who wrapped her in such a warm embrace? “Oh, don’t fret! We all make mistakes! We’ll just let this one slide!” She squealed as her Queen pecked her nose. “First, you must promise never to leave my Hive without my permission.”

Twilight’s heart nearly stopped. Leave the Hive? Leave the presence of her loving Queen? Unthinkable! “Yes, my Queen. I will stay as long as you say.”

“Wonderful! Now, the second condition,” Chrysalis’s grin turned hungry. She closed the distance, stopping just short enough so that her lips ghosted over Twilight’s. “You will love me unconditionally. Your heart, your soul, your mind, your body, everything will be mine. Every night, you will satisfy my appetites. And, in exchange,” a warm tongue trailed along Twilight’s bottom lip. She whimpered, parting them slightly as they were teased, “I will be whoever you want me to be!”

“Yes, my Queen!” She didn’t even stop to think. Because all thought was for her Queen. Her beautiful, loving, perfect Queen.

The full, toothy grin sent butterflies dancing in her stomach. “Well, then, Twilight Sparkle,” Chrysalis leaned in, “who would you like me to be tonight?”
> Icicle 3 by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Days turned into weeks. Weeks into months. Twilight's recovery was slow but steady, and every time she woke up she wasn't alone. Whether it was the Princess, or Chrysalis, but none of her friends and family had yet dropped by to visit her. Was it simply bad luck on her part? Had something happened to them?

That thought worried her the most. Sombra had, so she'd been told, waging war on the world. It wasn't out of the question that the unspeakable had happened to them, and nopony wanted to tell her while she was so unwell.

Each time she awoke it was for a longer time, too. Slowly, the dark magic in her system was pumped out and Twilight was allowed to drink water, or to eat a soft mush of food, which steadily grew more plentiful and solid. She asked for a book to read, which she did inbetween the times she slept.

After a few months in the Crystal Hospital, recovering and making small talk with the Princess and the Queen, she was dismissed with a clean bill of health. Princess Celestia had helped her exercise as best she could to cure her atrophy, and supposedly Princess Luna kept her dreams free of nightmares. She'd have to thank the Nightbringer when she next saw her.

Under Celestia's wing - literally - the unicorn weakly cantered out of the hospital, catching sympathetic looks from everypony around. Before long they left the hospital, and Twilight saw the Crystal Empire for the first time. Spectacular, gem-shaped houses with doors and windows punched into them lined the streets with almost geometric precision. And the crystal ponies! They looked like earth ponies, but their coats shimmered with thousands of lights and, if she looked really closely, they almost appeared translucent. Far off in the distance was a massive spire, radiating warmth and love, chasing away the chill of the arctic north.

Princess Celestia led her there, and Twilight tried not to frown at the concerned looks the ponies sent her. It felt so wrong for them to be worried about her. It was her fault Sombra had enough power to do what he did, after all.

Once they reached the Crystal Palace after a moment to marvel at the Crystal Heart, Princess Celestia led her up some stairs to the throne room. They stood before the monolithic doors, and Twilight scooted out from under the Princess's wings. Her horn sparked once, and Celestia laid a hoof on her withers.

"Twilight please, don't. You may be out of the hospital but you're still weak. Allow me." A golden glow lit up the doors and they swept inwards, revealing the Crystal Hall...

... covered in streamers and ribbons.

"Surprise, Twilight!" the beings within called out. Twilight's jaw dropped. There was Pinkie, and Fluttershy, and Rainbow and Spike and Applejack and Rarity and Princess Luna with none of her regalia and her parents and Shiny and Cadance and two compound-eyed changelings standing next to Rainbow and Pinkie and Chrysalis, all standing under a banner that read 'WELCOME BACK TWILIGHT' in gay letters.

She stepped forward in a daze, looking back only when the doors shut behind her. She saw that Celestia must'e removed her regalia too when her back was turned.

Twilight turned back to her friend and teared up. Then she galloped forward and was engulfed in a group hug.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


The day finished winding down, the party having lasted long into the night. She'd spoken at great length with all of her friends, listened to their tales of the war, broken down in tears two more times than Fluttershy, hugged her family half to death and been hugged by them in return, talked warmly with Chrysalis - Pinkie called her 'Chryssy' and Twilight had to admit it sounded nice - and eaten her favorite meals of hay and sweets until she felt like she'd explode.

Chrysalis was the one who ended up bringing her to her room in the castle, keeping pace with her slow-and-steady walking despite the changeling's longer legs. Twilight grinned dizzily with the truly happy memories brought on by the party, her spirits at their highest in over a year. The changeling beside her clearly noticed her joy, since she kept licking her lips with her long tongue.

Soon she was brought to her wide, spacious room with all the comforts she could ever want. Spike, who had tuckered out early, was already inside and sleeping in a basket.

"Alright Twilight, here's your room. Tomorrow your friends are all headed back to Ponyville, you should join them. I know I would."

She nodded and leaped into her bed, manually pulling the covers over herself and laying down, looking at the changeling queen through eyes lidded with exhaustion. Chrysalis turned around, but Twilight spoke up. "Wait!" She stopped and looked back at her over her turquoise shell. "Can you stay here? I'd feel better if you did, since you... you saved..."

Twilight was spared from having to complete her sentence when Chrysalis nodded. "Of course," she said in her rippling voice. Chrysalis clip-clopped her way over and, with a buzz of her wings, lifted herself up and into the bed. Twilight felt her slip under the sheets and hug her from behind, pressing her back into the green shell wrapping under her stomach. The carapace was hard and smooth, like glass, but glowed with warmth beneath it.

"Thank you." She fell asleep before she could hear Chryssy's reply. Here, she was safe.
> Orphan by bobbananaville
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by bobbananaville

On an average day, I ignore the scrutinizing eyes.

The smiling face on which they're worn belies

The arrogance of those that desire their very own foal

So that they can shape her very soul.

I refuse to live for such selfish desires as theirs.

I do the same this day, though 'normal' it is anything but.

They stare like I'm a diamond, uncut

And I detest it. I dare not speak up against the two, though;

The princess and her chitinous bride know

How to destroy my life with ease, should I speak against them.

"Why do you ignore us?" Says Twilight Sparkle, Friendship Princess

"We wish to give you reprieve from distress:

A home." I say nothing, but look closely at her insect bride

'Tis her pitiable face which I eye

The ultimate proof, guilt of the selfish. I turn away.

---------------

A tear falls from Chrysalis' eye as she watches the orphaned filly. "Her," she says, much to Twilight's surprise. "We should adopt her."

"Are you sure?" Twilight asks, frowning as she looks at her, tearing herself away from the other pleading eyes in the room. "She wasn't particularly responsive, and I don't think she really wants parents anyway.

Chrysalis continues staring at the young one; she's deliberately avoiding her gaze now. The paranoia, the self-loathing and the fear and hatred of everypony around her was still present on Chrysalis' tongue. She hates that taste.

"She needs us, Twilight. Trust me on this."
> Radiance by nioniosbbbb
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by nioniosbbbb

Twilight gulped. To say she was stressed would be an understatement. She was going to meet spirits that were centuries, hell even thousands of years old! How would she react? What if she said something that offended them? What would happen if she wasn’t ready, or worthy? Thoughts swirled in her mind, making her dizzy. 

Noticing the movement of her eyes:up and right, occasionally going up and down, Chrysalis figured Twilight was trying to remember what else the books said about the great changeling rulers.

“Twilight…” Chrysalis moved her chitinous hoof, caressing her cheek, trying to bring her lover back to reality. Chrysalis approached and sat on her haunches. She continued to caress her lover, looking her in her purple eyes, her oh so radiant eyes full of the spark of life.

Twilight saw Chrysalis’s smile. There wasn’t one tense muscle on her face, no furrowing or grunts. There was nothing forced at all in her kind expression, full of understanding, full of compassion as her eyes were focused upon Twilight. While metaphorically, Twilight understood the concept of empathy, it was still wondrous to her. She didn’t understand how it felt to delve into another’s emotions, how it felt to be in your own biology to care.

She was so beautiful at that moment that Twilight could have sworn she was like a shining sun.

She wanted to know… she wanted to be able to feel how Chrysalis felt, to stand by her side when she was sad, to feel it when she was happy, to share in the burden, and not just relying on her educational guesses that books helped her achieve. She was… envious of sorts that Chrysalis could understand when she was hurt, or frustrated, or confused. The heavenly soft touch of Chrysalis’s hoof was just one of the things that motivated her into this.

“Trust me…” Chrysalis said as she took Twilight’s hooves. Twilight relaxed and let her take them, sitting on her haunches as she surrendered to Chrysalis’s touch. There was something about what she was doing that struck her as… odd. 

“Chrysie? What are we doing?” She asked as a smile crept on her face. She didn’t know why, but this felt good. She could hear the birds tweeting far away, she could smell the aroma of the flowers carried by the wind, and she could see… just how beautiful the world could be.

“I am going to take you to the spirit world Twilight.” 

Twilight almost froze, losing her focus.“The spirit world?” She raised an eyebrow quizzically.

“The ancient rulers can only materialize themselves on this world for a limited amount of time. More often than not they use others as vessels to tell what they wish, or give their advice. In order for us to enter the spirit world we have to connect ourselves with their world through empathy and magic. Are you ready?”

Twilight was still a bit hesitant. Chrysalis could sense a small chill running up Twilight’s spine.

“Chrysalis…” Oh boy, she didn’t use her nickname… “If the rulers knew about your taint, why didn’t they save us before?”

This was a question really out of place for Chrysalis, but perhaps it wasn’t unexpected, knowing her lover’s inquisitive nature. Twilight was a scholar, one that would doubt curses, leeches, even gods. It all fell into place. Now Chrysalis understood why all the stress, why the hesitation, why her touch was so effective.

“Because we thrive in adversity. We learn through bridled conflict. Indeed, they could have stopped the problem in its tracks… but what would that have achieved? Wouldn’t it be better if we were independent from them most of the time? Wouldn’t it be better if before they fixed it we had learned how to prevent it from being a problem again?” She said, waiting for a response.

“I guess… I just don’t want my doubt to tick them off. I mean, we’re going to be asking a favor, I don’t want to be unwillingly mean.”

“You worry too much, Twilight…”

“But…” she protested before being cut off again.

“I thought of the same thing once. When I was forced to face my first changeling that was maddened with hunger, I thought there would be no hope for me. I couldn’t face the Ancients knowing inside that I had failed to preserve them. Not from those that oppressed them, but from something I could have stopped. After the invasion, I was too ashamed for my own good, but despite my doubts, despite my wrongdoings… they came in our time of need.”  She paused for a moment.

“Now, we have the chance to fix this, to go the next step. If there’s one thing I’ve learned through this whole ordeal, it’s that in order for good things to happen, you need to be open to them. If you think they are going to reject you for stating your opinion, then no matter what they say you’ll feel rejected.”  Something bright awakened within Twilight as she heard those words. As Chrysalis’s voice rose a bit in volume and her tone became happier, she felt like the brightness of their surroundings had returned. Chrysalis moved her horn against Twilight’s. As they touched she closed her eyes. Twilight allowed herself to be led and closed her eyes as well.

“Concentrate on the sound of my voice… Feel the magic flowing through our horns.” Twilight obliged, feeling their magic intertwining in spirals climbing up. 

“Feel my heartbeat beneath the chitin of my hooves, sense the veins-the blood flowing through them.”

As she focused on Chrysalis’s body, she heard the galloping sound of her heart, and there was a red light pushing through her eyelids. For a moment, she took a peek through her closed eyes to see they were both radiating with the colors of their bodies. It gradually intensified, whatever this spell was it was working. Not wanting to mess with the focus of the moment, Twilight immediately closed her eyes again. She heard Chrysalis’s voice, but this time it was as if she speaking from Twilight’s heart. Her voice was in there, it was in the wind that blew through the grass, it was in the sun’s rays high above. But Twilight was there too, she felt like part of this world. The radiance was there too, it was in her...

“Life is like a big tunnel, everything seems bleak at first. But if you just keep going, if you keep on moving forward…”

Twilight understood now… what Chrysalis was doing, what the radiance was. It wasn’t just magic… As Twilight allowed herself to be enveloped in the shining beauty of the world she understood.

“You’ll end up in a better place.” 

It was the beauty of the world revealed through love.
> Vorgon by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

The Tuesday morning had started out just fine. Then a changeling queen crashed into her bedroom.

Twilight was nowhere near as terrified as she would've been in the past; she'd been exchanging letters with Chrysalis for a few weeks now, in secret; as far as anypony else knew Chrysalis was still 'somewhere else, not affecting Equestria' but Twilight knew better.

But still, she flipped out and teleported out of her bed into a combat pose, because breaking through somepony's window into their castle was just not something you did. She prepared to fire at the changeling... when a tap on her back made her realize she'd assumed a combat stance facing the wrong way.

She snapped around to glare at Chryssy. "What reason could you possibly have had for - "

The changeling lit up her long, crooked horn and glued her mouth shut. "No time, Twilight. I'm afraid I have some bad news. You see, the world's about to end."

She blinked, and then sighed. Her wings, which had been extended in her combat pose, folded against her sides. "Oh. So I'll just go get my friends and - "

Chrysalis shook her head. "Won't work. The world will end before you can get them together, even with teleportation. I'll explain on the way, come here."

"On the way?" she asked, stepping next to Queen Chrysalis's side regardless. "On the way to where?"

"The Badlands, where else?" There was a dark, groaning noise outside, and suddenly the sunlight streaming from her windows darkened. "Oh, sooner than I expected." Before Twilight could ask anything, a ring of fire surrounded her, and the two of them sank...

... and the red, dry stone of the Badlands spat them up. Twilight craned her neck back, since the sky had something she did not expect. It was wide, it was made entirely of overlapping plates of metal, and over all loud. She could feel the deep thrum of massive engines deep in her gut.

"What the buck is that thing?!" she demanded.

Chrysalis shouted in return, "They're aliens spaceships! They use radio waves to talk like our hive mind, so I picked them up just now!"

"Shouldn't you be with your people?!" she demanded.

"Not gonna have a 'people' much longer! This only works with one other!"

Then the dull rolling of engines was replaced by a slimy, lawyer voice. "Attention people of... whatever you call this world. As you all know, plans for the development of this region involves building a hyperspace express route through your star system, and your world is as a result, scheduled for demolition."

Twilight's eyes went wide. DEMOLITION? No, she was not going to take this laying down! She fired up her horn and began firing blasts straight up into the air.

"No, stop that!" Chrysals wrapped a foreleg around her and let loose a steady, pulsing beam straight up. "Don't destroy them, they're our ticket off this world!"

"No point in acting surprised about it. We've been in contact at your nearest starport councilor for fifty of your years. If you can't be bothered to take care of your affairs, it's your fault." The voice continued, but seemed to forget it had the communicator still on. "Apathetic bloody planet. I've no sympathy at all. Razincs zzilarlo."

Chrysalis held her tighter, and Twilight screamed. In rage. In fear. In surprise. Chryssy briefly extinguished her magic and lowered her horn, then raised it up again brighter than ever. Lightning flashed throughout the cloudless sky. Then... fwoom!

They were in an enclosed metal room, with only one door leading out. It smelled like cooking gas. There were pipes everywhere.

The changeling let go of her, muttering to herself. "Damn it. Should've brought a towel, it smells awful in here."

Then the lightning crackling far beneath them reached a crescendo. There was a loud rumble, and Twilight created a vision portal to the world.

The Badlands, and the neighboring Equestria and the ocean, entered her view. She watched, and later when asked to describe the destruction of her homeworld and nearly everything she had ever loved, she would simply say, 'It was there, and then it wasn't.' Because that was precisely how it went. One moment the world was there. The next, as if she had blinked, there was nothing but rectangular ships and inky stars.

Carrying its equine passengers, the Vogon Constructor Fleet slunk off into the void. It was a good thing they had magic, otherwise the aliens might've been able to command them around.
> Overlord by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

"Spaawwwn more overlooords!" came the voice from the screen.

"Oh buck you I need more overlords!" Chryssy shouted at the screen, her telekinetic glow rapping on the keyboard and moving around the mouse frantically.

"Aww, did someling supply block themselves again?" came her marefiend's voice over the headset. "Don't worry, let me help you out with that."

As she heard that, Chrysalis saw a massive army approaching hers. The enemy's units were more expensive, but were individually stronger and worse, it seemed Twilight was fielding Colossi, game units specifically designed to counter her large swarm of weaker, individual units. How had she known?! And where were the Colossi coming from? The changeling - the game's interpretation anyway - she'd inserted in Twilight's base hadn't seen any of the buildings that Colossi required to be produced.

She gritted her fangs and began moving the mouse frantically, ordering her various units to perform various actions, but it was no good. Twilight had gotten the jump on her, and the Queen's entire army was rent asunder while barely destroying half of Twilight's.

The enemy units, clad in golden armor, moved into her base, destroying the organic structures easily as reinforcements streamed in. Chrysalis didn't surrender, obviously. She tried to amass units for one last push, but they too were destroyed. She sent her worker units to escape and perhaps start a base elsewhere, but Twilight's air units tracked them down to the last.

As the army started beating down her central Hive, Chrysalis asked, "How do you even have Colossi? You don't have a robotics bay!"

"Yes I do," she said smugly. "I just didn't keep it near my base. Also, I had an observer over yours for a long time."

She cursed in Hemipid.

Her Hive was dead, and the small minions it created were easily mopped up. Twilight turned her army to her two remaining, defenseless Extractor structures. "Cheer up Chryssy!" the damn pony said, far too smug. "You'll get out of Wood League sometime."

That's not even a league! It doesn't go below Bronze! she raged internally. Externally, all she muttered was an indignant "Hmmph!" as the You Lose screen came up. "I hate this game."
> Ikea by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Twilight kept the instruction manual lifted before her, scanning the instructions. "Okay, now move plank B over the ridge, and use an A5 nut to secure it in," she said.

In response, Chrysalis manipulated her acidic, emerald telekinetic grip around the pieces of wood and metal, screwing them together. "Done."

"Alright, now raise the first frame and use a B3 screw to attach it to the second frame."

Chrysalis did so, hoisting the newly constructed bed in her incredibly powerful magic. "Alright, there! Is that everything?"

"Nope, that's it." She tossed the instruction to the side of the hive chamber and smiled at her workerfriend. The bed was finally done, a large round thing with a green mattress and purple covers. It'd been a chore getting the parts to the Badlands, and then to Chryssy's chambers, and then assembling them. But they hadn't really had a choice, after the previous bed - ahem - broke.

But that was in the past, and the new bed was done. Hers and Chrysalis's schedules were both clear for the rest of the day, so after the big bug belly-flopped onto the bed, Twilight joined her. They rolled around belly to belly and embraced each other with their forelegs, intertwining their hind legs as well. The changeling queen's green shell, as well as the rest of her chitin, was smooth and hard, like warm glass, but could rise and fall with her breaths. It was an interesting thing to snuggle against.

"Glad this is finally over," she muttered. "I can't believe a bed could have so many parts."

"Hmm, you're telling me," came Chryssy's resonant voice. "I don't know about you, but I'm beat."

"Yeah. A nap sounds good?" she asked, using her earth pony strength to roll them over so that she rested on top of her workerfriend, laying her head against the plates of her thorax. With the sound of a changeling's buzzing breath as white noise, Twilight slowly drifted off into a cat nap.


***-_***_-***-_***_-***-_***_-***


One week later, Twilight Sparkle walked into Beds and Pencils. "Hello," she greeted the stallion behind the counter. "I'm here for a bed."

The old one had broken.
> Icicle 4 by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

She tried to move on, she really did.

During her stay in the hospital she suffered no nightmares, nor did she after moving back to Ponyville, thanks to Princess Luna. Chrysalis hovered over her - literally on occasion - like a mother hen. Twilight returned to Golden Oaks, and Chrysalis set up a portal array in the guest bedroom so she could teleport back and forth from her throne room with ease. Twilight didn't mind; they had grown close in the time she'd spent in the hospital.

But while the nightmares were gone, Twilight noticed things. Any time the temperature dipped below a certain point, she locked up and, no matter how she wished, found herself unable to move. When alone in the dark, she broke down sobbing. She could tolerate green, or purple, or red, but when two or more of the colors contacted each other she ran screaming, such as when she'd been helping Rarity with her shop and the fabrics mixed.

She laid under her covers, shivering from her latest spike of terror from seeing ice cream. Spike was by her side, resting his claws on her barrel worriedly. "Twilight, you can't just keep hiding here whenever something happens. You're scaring us."

Twilight shifted. "I know," she bemoaned. "But I can't help it. You don't know how horrible it was, Spike. I thought I was going to die in that place, alone and forgotten," she said, her voice cracking at the end. An idea sprung to mind. "Can you, um, call Chryssy here? Please?"

Spike frowned, but he moved away from her and nodded. "Alright."

Twilight pulled herself deeper under the blankets, shivering, as Spike walked away. She remained there, quaking, until she heard a rush of eldritch flame, followed by the clip-clop of chitinous hooves.

"Hey," came her concerned double-voice. "What's wrong?"

"I had another episode," she whispered. "I'm so sick of it! Y-You know a lot about mind magic, isn't there anything you can do to help me?"

The bed rocked as Chrysalis climbed onto it, holding Twilight through the covers. "There is hypnosis therapy, but even then it'll take a while to cure you fully. And the process wouldn't exactly be... pleasant."

"I don't care," Twilight protested. "I can't live like this, Chryssy! Please."

A moment of hesitation. "Alright. Can I take the cover off your head?" she asked.

"Y-Yes."

She heard the channeling of magic, and squinted when she was suddenly exposed to brilliant light. The changeling queen's concerned face loomed over her, fangs poking out over her lip. "Alright Twilight, now relax..." The double-irised eyes began to shimmer and glow. "... and just look into my eyes."
> Alluring by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Everything was just perfect. She had dreamed of this day since she was a little nymph and now, finally, everything was coming together. Sure, the plan had been derailed slightly, by that purple pony, but Chrysalis was clever and adaptive. Her kind were in the city. The Royal Guard were inferior to the Imperial Guard. The power of love had overwhelmed the power of the divine. She had a little surprise in store for the Bearers in the Elements' chamber. And she had the Alicorn of Love in her grasp.

She trotted over to Cadance, whom she'd stuck to the ground beside her husband. Out of the corner of her eyes, her soldiers were busy cocooning the unconscious form of Celestia. "You know, I didn't expect this would go so well, but it seems you escaping made hardly a difference," she gloated. "If anything, it helped out a little."

"You're never going to get away with this," she growled. "Evil never wins."

"Evil, my dear Cadance," she explained, getting in her face and hissing her name. " - is a point of view. We need this love. You have it. It's that simple."

"You could've asked - "

She shut her up with slime across the muzzle, leaving airholes for her nostrils. The pretty pink pony princess's eyes went crossed. "Why should we? We are changelings, you are ponies. We are inherently better than you; we do not ask. We take. Now excuse me, I have a show to watch."

She stepped away and closed her eyes, reaching through her magic to the changelings fighting the Element Bearers. She nearly facehooved; they were taking the form of the ponies to try and confuse them, but that was such a terrible plan. It never worked; everyling who tried did more harm to themselves than the enemy. There were going to be a series of demotions once this was over...

The yellow pegasus cowered, the blue pegasus divebombed. They bucked, fired, punched, and lastly, used magic. Oh did she use magic. Twilight Sparkle was her name, the so-called student of Princess Celestia. Chrysalis watched through her soldiers' eyes as she spun and blasted them back left and right, her back arching, hooves dancing, eyes narrowed in determination. It sent a shudder through her eyes to watch the pony dance. She'd never been trained in combat magic, but even then she put up such a brilliant fight. She started to feel rather tingly near her hind legs.

Soon, the six defeated the changelings, then activated her trap. Chrysalis pulled herself out of her spell and turned to the pink alicorn. "Move her to the dungeons," she said, dispelling the slime on her mouth. "Sedate her too."

A swarm of drones and workers surrounded Cadance, pulling her free of the slime. She, of course, fought back weakly. "No, no! Please!" One bit her along the barrel, injecting the poison. "Y-You don't want to do this. There'll be no love if you invade, there'll - "

"Yes there will," Chrysalis said as Cadance's struggles grew weaker and she was pulled more strongly out of the hall. "I'll make sure there is," she said with a brief glow of her eyes.

The doors opened up and Twilight Sparkle, all alone, was led in, with slime around her horn. Chrysalis walked up to the pony and placed a hole-ridden hoof under her chin. She forced the terrified pony to look up at her. "Oh, Twilight Sparkle... you and I are going to have such fun for the rest of today."

Tingly.
> Wood by RF and AG
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by RF and AG

“This way, Chrysalis,” Twilight said urging the Changeling Queen forward. Their hooves trotted calmly down the halls of the Crystal Palace, earning many confused glances from the guards that also moved the halls. They weren’t going the same direction as the Changeling and Alicorn though.

“I still don’t understand why you needed to bring me here, Twilight,” Chrysalis said with a confused tone.

“Trust me,” Twilight replied, “this is of vital importance to the survival of everyone. You remember the Palace Hospital, right?”

“Of course, there were numerous Crystal Guards in there unconscious but I still don’t see how that pertains to you herding me down the hallways,” Chrysalis said before being stopped be a purple hoof.

Before she could ask why they had stopped, a small group of stretcher bearers rushed by, more unconscious guards laying on top of said stretchers. once they had rushed by, Twilight moved her hoof and thus continued to lead them down the halls. It was beginning to worry Chrysalis, since it somehow involved her. Had one of her guards gone rogue and began attacking ponies?

No, she could feel each one of them and could personally account for all of her guards. Perhaps it was all a ruse? Some form of way to lull her into a false sense of security before springing a devious trap on her! Of course she quickly dismissed such an idea, as that would break all the treaties that they had worked so hard for. Chrysalis only wished she had some insight into what was happening.

“Shining!” Twilight called out, moving a bit faster to embrace her brother who had … glowing ears? That made little sense, and only brought up more questions as the group of guards around him also had glowing ears.

“Twily, I’m glad you could get her here so quickly,” he said giving a small smile to the Changeling Queen.

“How’s the situation?” Twilight asked sternly.

“Not good, we are running out of guards and the deafening spells on work until a certain distance,” Shining said while pointing to another guard that had been pulled out of the room that they were blocking. “We can’t get close enough to end this madness.”

“Wait, what madness?” Chrysalis asked, looking at both of them.

“Should we show her? If she falls then all might just be lost!” Shining exclaimed.

“We have no choice, Shiny. Besides, I trust Chrysalis, if anyone could do this then she could,” Twilight replied with a smile aimed at Chrysalis.

“Alright, Chrysalis let us show you,” Shining said. At first she wondered why she didn’t get this deafening spell that they mentioned but Shining quickly answered her unasked question. “As long as you don’t breach the room you won’t need the spell. Now go, see for yourself.”

The guards around the door parted just enough to let the Queen through, and the moment she could see and hear what was inside, she immediately regretted it.

“Oh, Chrysalis! My lady wood is just begging to take you right now!” Cadance said, mocking Twilight’s voice, while dancing her doll of Twilight back and forth.

“Hehe, not here, my love! What would your brother and sister say?!” The fake Chrysalis doll replied while slowly getting closer to Twilight.

“We could ask them to join!” The mock Twilight doll said.

“Ooooh, I do like your thinking, love! Why don’t we go get them!” Doll Chrysalis said eagerly.

“No need, you sexy Changeling,” a fake doll of Shining Armor and Cadance danced into the scene. “We’ve been waiting for the invitation.”

“Why don’t we all go back to the Royal Chambers,” doll Cadance purred, “and continue this?”

At that moment, Chrysalis scurried back from the door, running the way that she and Twilight had originally came from. Her screams of ‘nope!’ echoed through the hall, never reaching Cadance who continued to act out lewd and crazy scenes in her room. The few guards that had been looking in had passed out despite the deafening spells, while Shining Armor called for a hasty retreat
> Cafetiere by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Chrysalis watched as the unicorn blearily stalked through her library.

"So Twilight..."

"Cooooffeeeeeee," she growled, plodding past the changeling queen.

Chrysalis turned to follow Twilight - taking a moment to ogle her flank - and trotted after her. "... I take it you didn't get much sleep last night?"

"Cooooffeeeeeee."

She nodded. "Didn't think so. You'd think someling as smart as you would know not to do this to yourself; you need sleep."

"Cooooffeeeeeee."

They'd reach the kitchen, and Twilight's lavender magic flared to life and slammed around with all the grace of a drunken griffon. Eventually, it grabbed hold of beans, a large jug, and several other ingredients, smashing them together. Meanwhile, Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "The things I do for love," she whispered to herself in Hemipid. She used her own magic to nudge Twilight's, controlling the whirling of machinery and coffee beans into something more civilized. Before long, a cup was brewing, its putrid stench filling the air.

"Ach," she gagged. "How can you stand that stuff, Twi?" she asked her marefriend.

"Cooooffeeeeeee."

"Right, right," she muttered. "I don't know what else I expected."

A few minutes later, the coffee was done. Twilight blindly grabbed the jug and pulled it to her, forcing Chrysalis to hastily use a cooling spell on it lest the pony burn her - ahem - wonderful tongue off. There was a series of glug glug glug and then Twilight put the jug on the counter, wiped her snout with a foreleg and turned to her.

"Okay," Twilight said. "What were you saying?"
> Telephone by Level Dasher
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Level Dasher

Chrysalis laughed again. “No, Twilight. You just said ‘My title is Dusk Glitter.’ It’s important to have just enough emphasis on the proper syllable. A lot of words sound similar, so you need to get it just right.”

Twilight groaned and put her head in her hooves. “Ugh, I’m never going to get this right. How am I going to be able to talk to the other changelings if I can’t speak Hemapid?”

The Changeling Queen smiled. “Twilight, just the fact that you’re trying is enough. Don’t worry about it— I can keep interpreting for you when you go to the Hive. Besides, a small screw-up will probably make my drones laugh a bit. Everyone can use a good laugh— Pinkie Pie can attest to that.”  

Twilight shrugged, falling back on the mattress. “I guess… I just wish this wasn’t so difficult!”

Chrysalis patted Twilight’s hoof. “It’s a lot easier to learn Hemapid when it’s your first language, Sweetie. Give it time. My drones won’t think less of you— they know you’re trying.”

Twilight sighed, rubbing her temple as she glanced at her marefriend. “But how do you know?” Chrysalis smirked, cocked a brow, and tapped her skull. Twilight smacked her face with a hoof. “Right… Hive mind.”

Chrysalis chuckled. “Okay, that’s enough for now. You need to rest— you’ve been trying way too hard.” As Twilight tried to get up and protest, Chrysalis pushed her back down on the bed and said, “Rest. You clearly need it.”

Twilight sighed again. “Fine. I guess you’re right, I do need a break.”

Chrysalis nodded. “That’s better. I’m going to go out for a walk— I could use some exercise. I must admit, it’s nice that everyone in town has gotten used to my being around. I don’t need to go out in disguise anymore.”

Twilight smiled, still staring at the ceiling. “Well, living with the Princess part-time does have its perks, Chrissy.”

“Hey, don’t go taking all the credit. The ponies in this town are much more tolerant than the ones in Canterlot.” Then again, I did try to invade them… Probably not the best way to make friends.


~~~~~


“Oh! Hello, Chrysalis. Nice to see you again.”

“Likewise, Fluttershy,” Chrysalis responded as she came up the path from the castle. “You weren’t on your way to see Twilight by any chance, were you?”

Fluttershy’s smile faded. “Actually yes, I was. Why? Is something wrong?”

Chrysalis shrugged. “Well, to a degree. She’s been having a little trouble in our lessons lately. She needs to rest, so it would be better if you stopped by a little later if it isn’t an urgent matter.”

“Oh no, it’s not urgent. I’ll talk to her later. Thank you for letting me know,” Fluttershy said, turning around to head back to her cottage. As she and Chrysalis continued walking in opposite directions, Fluttershy called, “What was it Twilight is having trouble with, exactly?”

From the distance, Chrysalis called back over her shoulder, “Oh, she’s just upset that she hasn’t learned to speak Hemapid properly!”

Continuing her walk back to her cottage, Fluttershy thought, Hmm… I didn’t know Chrysalis was familiar with floriculture…


~~~~~


“Ah’m glad Ah caught ya, Flutters. Winona’s been actin’ all funny-like. She don’t look sick or nuthin’, but she’s actin’, well, kinda lazy. That ain’t like her.”

“Are you sure she isn’t just tired? She does work with you pretty hard, Applejack,” Fluttershy responded.

“Pretty sure, and she ain't been lately, that's the problem. The only time I’ve seen 'er up an’ about is when Apple Bl—” Applejack put a hoof to her forehead. “Ah bet that fllly’s been gettin’ Winona wrapped up in 'er crusadin’ again. Shoulda thought’a that first. Sorry fer botherin’ ya, Flutters.”

“Oh, it’s no trouble, Applejack. Don’t apologize for being worried about your pet. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to Angel, or any of my other animals!” Fluttershy said.

“Well, hopefully we’ll never need ta find out. If’n ya’ll excuse me, I gotta go talk to Twi fer a minute ‘fore Ah find out what mah sister’s been up to lately.”

Fluttershy put a hoof up. “Oh, no! Wait, don’t go see Twilight right now.”

AJ cocked a brow. “Why not?”

“Well, I was going to speak with her, too, but I ran into Chrysalis on the way there. She said Twilight needs to rest. It sounds like she’s been working really hard in the garden.”

Applejack flinched. “Wha?”

Fluttershy nodded. “Oh yes. Chrysalis said Twilight is upset about the orchids on the castle property. She’ll probably be fine later. Just give her some time. You know how Twilight is about everything being just right. I can’t imagine it would be any different with the garden.”

Applejack shrugged. “Nah, wouldn’t surprise me, either.”


~~~~~


“Ah’m tellin’ ya, Rares— it’s like somethin’ a filly would get worked up over. She could always ask one’a the flower mares to give ‘er a hoof. They’d prob’ly be happy to oblige,” Applejack said, chatting with Rarity as they walked through the market.

“Well, yes, but I know the feeling. When you have a vision in your head, and you want it done just right, you usually need to do it yourself. I had the same issue with the boutique’s decor,” Rarity responded. “I hired a decorator when I first moved in, but she just didn’t understand me at all. I practically tore the place apart.”

“Yeah, Ah get it, Ah get it. But still,” Applejack said, “Twi’s got enough on her plate. Why worry about the garden?”

Rarity scoffed, “You clearly don’t understand the importance of proper decoration, my dear Applejack.”

Applejack put a hoof to her head and responded, “Let’s not get inta this again, Rarity. You know mah family don’t care about that prissy stuff.”

Rarity huffed, “Well, excuse me for being moi!”

Applejack shook her head as she headed back to the farm.


~~~~~


“I don’t know, Rainbow. Despite what I told AJ, I do agree— with all the things Twilight needs to worry about, I’m not sure she should be focusing on the flowers if it’s causing her stress.”

“Yeah, I’m with AJ— Twi should plant her nose in a book instead of an actual plant, heh-heh,” Rainbow Dash replied. Rarity rolled her eyes.

“That was a horrible pun, Rainbow, but again, I agree. Focusing on something that’s causing that much stress seems rather childish to me, especially when a number of the mares in town would likely be happy to help. Then again, her vision is her vision. If she wants something done her way, she’s the best pony to do the job,” Rarity said. “I still don’t understand her sudden fascination with flowers, though.”

“Eh, she probably saw something in a book. That’s usually how everything strange starts out when it comes to Twi,” Rainbow Dash answered.

Rarity nodded. “True, very true.”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Rarity, when are you gonna let me out of this thing? Can’t you ever find somepony else to model your pegasus lines?”

“Oh, hush. You have just the right build for this line. Now please, hold still!”


~~~~~


“It’s a little too loud in here, Dash! I think Chrissy and I are going to head back to the castle and call it a night!” Twilight shouted over the din. After being invited to another one of Pinkie’s Because-We-Haven’t-Had-One-In-A-While parties, Twilight and Chrysalis had had enough, and headed for Sugarcube Corner’s exit.

Rainbow Dash found her way to the punch bowl, where Pinkie stood happily, admiring her latest success. “Heya, Pinkie! Looks like another hit!” Rainbow shouted.

“Abso-tootle-lutely!” Pinkie screamed back. “Was there ever any doubt?”

“Nah! I think it was a little too much for Twi, though— she and Chrysalis headed home! I think she’s had a funky day, anyway!” Rainbow called over the noise.

“Huh? Whaddaya mean?” Pinkie asked.

At the height of the music, Rainbow Dash shouted, “I heard she was acting kinda foalish today! Something about the garden!”

Pinked screamed, “What was that?”

Raising her voice, Rainbow shouted, “I said, Twilight’s acting like a foal! Over something silly, too!”

Pinkie’s eyes suddenly bulged. “WHAT?! AND SHE DIDN’T TELL US? I’VE GOTTA GO CONGRATULATE HER!”

As Pinkie disappeared in a cloud of smoke, racing up the stairs, then out of the bakery in a flash, Rainbow Dash cocked a brow at the door.

Wait, what?


~~~~~


“No, Twilight. We’ll continue tomorrow. Let’s get some sleep.”

Twilight sighed. “Oh, fine. But first thing in the morning, I want you to help me with those introductions aga—”

Twilight was cut off at the echo of loud pounding at the front door of the castle. “Who in Equestria is that?” Chrysalis said.

The two of them walked to the main hall and approached the door. The second it opened, Pinkie came bounding inside with a basket. “OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH CONGRATULATIONS! Why didn’t you tell us sooner how long have you known how did you do it?” Twilight and Chrysalis glanced at each other as they tried to interpret Pinkie’s mile-a-minute speech.

Twilight finally stuffed a hoof in Pinkie’s mouth so she could get a word in. “Pinkie, what are you talking about?”

“And what is all of this for?” Chrysalis asked, staring at the pink blanket and booties in the basket Pinkie had brought with her.

Pinkie grinned, patting Twilight’s stomach. “As if you didn’t knoooooow, Chrissy-Whissy! You thought you could keep a secret like this from me? Auntie Pinkie always knows!”

Twilight pushed Pinkie back and asked, “No, Pinkie, seriously— what are you talking about?” She looked at the basket Chrysalis was holding. “That looks a lot like the basket I gave to Cadance at her baby shower. What do you think is going on here?”

Pinkie’s hair deflated and her ears drooped. “Huh? You mean you’re not having a foal? Dashie said it was a filly!”
> Lose by nionionsbbbb
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by nionionsbbbb

Two months ago, if you had told someone that Princess Twilight Sparkle and Queen Chrysalis would be together. they would have assumed you were talking nonsense.

It wasn’t often that you saw enemies coming together and shaking hooves, but the chances of fall in love were even fewer.

Loss is not always something that causes grief or sorrow.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Pioneers thrive in finding what is lost. Right now while Twilight entered the changeling kingdom she felt like one.

All the Princesses had been invited to sacred ground, that much Twilight had been told. Crossing the Macintosh hills and south into the Badlands she arrived at the jagged peaks of the “Spirit Wall”, as the changelings called it. There she was escorted through carefully concealed entrances to the interior. Her eyes widened and she gasped as she looked behind her. The mountains were no mountains at all! She saw a wall over a thousand hooves high towering behind her, stretching for miles, and miles left and right were dozens of changeling wizards, maintaining the illusion by feeding the wall with their magic.

The extent of this illusionary shield was something that even Shining Armor would be jealous of.

As if that wasn’t enough, she soon found the biggest tree she had ever seen. Nestled near a big river and roughly the size of Canterlot itself, the “Grand Olive” as the changelings called it extended its roots into the ground. The tendrils that made its roots were so big that some changelings even carved their own houses in them, and many of them housed a great amount of bees and butterflies that fed on the lush surroundings. It was hard to think that such a lush environment could exist in the Badlands.

It took Twilight half an hour to calm down from the amount of swarms existing there.

The royal quarters were built near the center of the tree, in one of the roots that led to its heart. Chrysalis and Twilight were standing in the master bedroom’s window, looking at the stars above.

But that wasn’t all! This place wasn’t even Chrysalis’s actual palace, or capital… or house for that matter.

“Wait, it’s not? I expected our love would warrant you taking me to your place by now! Bad Chrysalis!” She said, playfully tapping the side of Chrysalis’s face with her hoof, to which Chrysalis responded by faking a shameful frown.

“Do I have to spank your smexy bottoms to get you to take me there?” The two royals nuzzled after a mutual giggle.

“Mmmm I feel jealous. I bet as a Queen you had all those changelings courting you...” She nuzzled her darling, whose behavior was rubbing off on her, proven by the lewd smile that now adorned Twilight’s face. Time spent with Chrysalis was time both she and Twilight discovered kinky sides of themselves. A lot of this was often combined with giggling, singing, and of course… good red wine.

“Hmmm yes… let’s see. Know the arrow to the knee joke?” Chrysalis said casually as she rubbed her chin, looking up and trying to remember.

“Yea…”

“It started from my first suitor. The second one lost his “spear” before “le sexy time” was about to begin. Let’s just say that I don’t tolerate power hungry mongrels who don’t truly love me,” said Chrysalis, winking while smiling at Twilight’s gaping mouth and wide-eyed expression.

“Relax Twilight… You’re not like them.” Chrysalis shut Twilight’s lips with a kiss, and Twilight, though surprised, slowly submitted. It didn’t matter if Chrysalis sought to scare her with what she said. She was lost, drunk by the scent of danger and the allure of the Queen standing before her. They parted for a moment and Chrysalis spoke.

“I lost love, and I lost the fight with you. But I am glad I did, for if I hadn’t I wouldn’t have known the truth behind this wondrous emotion.” She took Twilight’s hoof, gently tugging her to their bed.

“I want to lose myself to you tonight, Twilight Sparkle, and I want to explore you thoroughly as well.” Deep breaths were exchanged as their muzzles moved together like dancing serpents, wanting to succumb to the need to wrestle in the arena of love.

“I love you…” said Twilight Sparkle beneath Chrysalis while gazing into her eyes.

“I love you too…” Chrysalis responded. 

To win when you lose… that is the result of love.

And tomorrow the Badlands would experience it too.
> Lighter by TheWraithWriter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by TheWraithWriter

*Chuwnk*

*Fwek*

*Clink*

“Chryssi?”

*Chuwnk*

*Fwek*

*Clink*

“Chryssi,”

*Chuwnk*

*Fwek*

*Cli-*

“Chrysalis!”

Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings looked up in annoyance at Twilight Sparkle.

“What?”

The purple alicorn sighed. “Listen, Chryssi, I know you like your new toy, but we’re having dinner. Could you please put it away?”

The changeling queen pouted. “It’s not a toy, it is an essential part of anypony’s life.”

Twilight sighed and put down her fork, knowing this could easily turn into one of those things. “Chryssi, it’s a lighter.”

“And it’s useful,” Chrysalis argued, gesturing to the candles that sat on either side of the table.

Twilight tried smiling reassuringly. “Yes, it is, but it’s also dangerous.”

Chrysalis blew air out of her muzzle as she again flicked the lighter in her hooves. “Oh please, what’s so dangerous about-”

*Chuwnk*

*Fwek*

*slip*

*FWOOM*





Fire carriages chirped and flashed in the background. A very unamused Twilight sat next to a trembling Chrysalis, a trauma blanket draped over the latter.

“Learned your lesson?” Twilight asked, watching the Ponyville Firecrew haul out the blackened remains of her new table.

Chrysalis nodded furiously.

“Are you upset that you had to destroy my new dining table to do it?”

Chrysalis nodded her head again, tears welling in her eyes.

“And what are you not going to do again?”

“Accept any sort of present from Celestia,”

Twilight sighed, bringing a hoof to her forehead. “No, not play with anything dangerous. You have to treat any item that has the potential to do harm with respect.”

Chrysalis sniffed and nodded again. “Fine, it was my fault. I promise I’ll never do it again.” She dared to snuggle closer to Twilight. “And I’m sorry I ruined your new table.”

Twilight allowed a small smile to creep onto her face. “I know you are. And I know exactly how you’ll make it up to me.”

Chrysalis tentatively raised an eyebrow. “Y-you mean you want me to-”

“Yes,” Twilight giggled mischievously. “And this time, remember to check the labels on the potions before you drink them.”
> Wrong Lever by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

Doors were originally constructed from wood, simple construction that did little to barricade truly valuable things. So the concept of heavy doors made of metal was truly a prized thought. These doors were meant for secure protection of whatever was behind it however at the same time these doors were not meant to be shoved open with as much force as one could muster to the point that the door slammed open warping the sturdy frame and cracking the thicker stone wall behind it.

Across the threshold came Twilight and closely behind her was Chrysalis who was quickly overtaking the Alicorn.

“So remind me again why we came down here in the first place?” Chrysalis yelled as charged ahead.

“We came for some key items such as rare ingredients and artifacts, I needed them for some spells,” answered Twilight as she tried to keep pace with the Changeling Queen.

A series of loud roars came from behind them as the things chasing them were stalled by the size of the metal door which their greater size could not go through.

“We really need to seal off this old lab!” called out Chrysalis.

“Later! Escape first, I pretty sure I that I now know what had happened and that is when this lab got pushed down by the growing roots of the Crystal Oaks it made everything especially the wards unstable which then led to this mess.”





What happened earlier that day….

“That was horrific,” said Chrysalis as tried to calm her breathing down. She tried to place a forehoof before herself to help her stand, but she had troubles finding the floor.

“It was not as bad as it could have been,” Twilight commented as she moved over to help the stumbling Chrysalis.

“Not as bad?” Chrysalis asked as she rested tried to soothe her headache with a forehoof. “We came through a series of backdoors, switchbacks, and the odd sinkhole just to get here. What other surprises could be worse than that mad trip you subjected me through just to get down here?”

“Many things, I have been experimenting with potions, alchemy, wards, glyphs, quite a long list,” Twilight said as walked over to the tables. “Although thankfully with the wards the damage should be contained and then absorbed and dissipated and then all we would have is a large mess to clean.”

“Why is your lab so far down?” Chrysalis asked as she joined Twilight in browsing through the stuff and poking and prodding at whatever was down here.

Twilight paused and sighed deeply as her shoulder drooped, “Tirek. This lab was the basement of Golden Oaks and the only part to survive. The sudden growth of Crystal Oaks pushed it further down into the earth which is why I had to construct a convoluted means to get down as the wards prevent teleportation, warping, portals, and generally all transportation magic. Well except for one place in the lab that lets me teleport out.”

Chrysalis wrapped a leg around the Alicorn who return the gesture with a nuzzle and a smile. “Thanks,” Twilight said.

Chrysalis moved off and continued to poke through the lab and as she looked through the odds and ends that she could not decipher their use including strangely some preserved food called a Deep Fried Doorstop. Seeing some of the odds and ends gave her an idea and she turned to Twilight with a smirk across her face as she asked, “Oh Twilight you mentioned a lot of what’s down here, but what else? Is there a means by which I could lead a grand conquest, perhaps a conquest of one of Equestria’s neighbours maybe?”

Twilight softly nudged Chrysalis, “I see that smirk and I know what you have in mind. For sure this time I will not help you in any way, shape, or form in constructing something that you could use for conquest. Besides we don’t need you conquering a nearby nation. Your near conquest of a nearby county was bad enough; we don’t need that chaos in our lives.”

“Oh? I guess you have that mismatched creature for that,” Chrysalis commented.

Twilight ignored her comment as she pushed past to find their intended destination. Chrysalis trailing behind could now see that they were before a large vault and off to one wall were a few containment wards holding a few alchemical creations.

Twilight began moving parts here and there and getting the lock opened up. “Chrysalis could you please put your hoof on the glyph over there,” Twilight said pointed off to the wall opposite of the wall with the containment wards.

Chrysalis nodded. “That sounds simple enough,” Chrysalis said as she walked over to push the glyph.





Twilight pulled ahead and veered towards one of the walls. “Some of these precautions should still work.”

“I hope so,” Chrysalis yelled as she heard a louder roar behind her.

The escaped alchemical creations had by either the mad forces that conspired against them or by whatever they were created from had merged into a large thing that looked vaguely like a crocodile and had barged through the thick stone wall.

Twilight slammed her hoof on various wards inscribed on the wall with each ward lightning up as she did, “Hit the glyph over there!”

Chrysalis looked to see a pair of glyphs that she could not figure out. She was about to ask when she could hear the monsters’ roar even more loudly than earlier. She took a chance and hit one of them and it looked like nothing happened. “What was supposed to happen?”

“The barriers should have gone up.”

Before either of them knew it the alchemical crocodile was over their heads and about to bite down. Before they could defend themselves they both felt the warmth of the sun and Twilight quickly realized they were outside in a field just beyond Ponyville and above them was the alchemical monster.

“Wrong glyph!” Twilight shouted as she turned to glare at Chrysalis.

“You need to label those things better!” Chrysalis shouted with a glare of her own.

However a loud roar distracted both of them and they look to see the alchemical thing lumbering off towards the town.

“Oh right, that thing was with us,” Chrysalis commented.

Twilight facehoofed, “Oh wonderful, we have managed to unleash a giant terror on Ponyville…. again.”
> Icicle 5 by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

The simmering green light around Chryssy's horn faded, and her glowing eyes dimmed back to their normal double-irises. The cotton in Twilight's head dissipated and she shook herself off. Standing from where she laid in the changeling's grasp, Twilight raised a hoof to her chest and breathed heavily.

"Alright, that's enough for today," the queen said. "Let's get you back to Ponyville."

Twilight nodded, looking around the queen's private, underground chambers. She climbed out of the cocoon-bed and stretched her legs, feeling the last remnants of the hypnosis therapy's buzz fade away. The hive of the Unified Changeling Swarm was dark and oppressive, but after Sombra's defeat Twilight had never been unwelcome there, and Chrysalis's chambers were well-stocked and furnished by the changelings' utilitarian standards. Every weekend for the past few months, she came to the queen's private chambers for hypnosis therapy, and then she returned back to her life as Ponyville's library.

Chrysalis came to stand by her and placed a hole-riddled foreleg over her withers, and lit up her horn. Twilight didn't even flinch when bright green fire appeared in a circle around her, nor when her stomach dropped out as she and Chrysalis began to sink into the ground. The stone floor rose up before her vision...

... and then was replaced by the ceiling of Golden Oaks Library. Twilight flailed for a moment as she started to fall, but before she needed to levitate herself Queen Chrysalis grabbed her in her forelegs and, buzzing her insect wings, lowered her to the floor.

The changeling nodded. "Alright Twilight, I'll see you next - "

"Wait!" Twilight said, causing the queen's building magic to fizzle out. "Chrysalis, do you want to, maybe stay a while after the next time? Head out into town?"

Chrysalis smirked, showing off her fangs. "I think I'd like that, Twi. It's a date." Twilight flustered, but despite that Chrysalis frowned and stepped over, placing a hoof over her withes again. "Be well, Twilight." She lit up her long, crooked horn again and sank into another fire portal, leaving Twilight in the library.

She walked over to a window and looked outside. The weather team had brought in snow while she was gone, and Ponyville was blanketed. Foals played in sleds and with snowballs, adults huddled for warmth and either wore scarves or had let their fur grow shaggy. Roofs were covered with precariously high snowbanks. Beneath the window Twilight looked out of, icicles hung.

They didn't scare her.
> Mad Science by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

"Hooahahahaha, AAAAHAHAHAhahahaha!" Twilight cackled, looking down at the changeling queen she had at her mercy. Chrysalis laid on her back on a smooth metal table, all her limbs stretched out and tied down with binds that slipped through the holes. A plethora of high-grade magic suppressors clung to her crooked horn and the queen had tucked her wings away beneath her shell to keep them safe.

"N-Now Twilight," Queen Chrysalis stammered, squirming helplessly. "Let's think about this. Don't you think this is a bit much?"

Twilight grinned a bit too wide and lit up her horn, pulling a massive apparatus from her castle's basement over the changeling queen. It rose up like a cobra and ended in a cone, with rings of thaumatic conductors around it. She aimed it right at the changeling's head.

"Come on, Twilight!" she begged. "This is ridiculous! Stop it!"

"I'm sorry," she said, grinning manically. "I can't hear you over how much I won the bet!" Though being forced to engage in the dominance games Chrysalis liked in bed probably wouldn't have been so bad. She teleported over to the console and tapped several buttons with a forehoof, ending with the 'Activate' button.

The machine began whirling, drawing on electric power from the nearby hydroelectric dam. It began to crackle with energy, moving down the 'cone' pointing at the writhing changeling. "Wait wait wait! Twilight this isn't necessary, isn't there some other way you can get a - " The machine releases a narrow, pale blue beam at Chrysalis's neck, wrapping around it like ribbons. "Ahahaha! Wait, wait Twilight, pleassssaahahaha! No, noooaaahahahaAHAHAHA!" she begged between laughs. Twilight watched intently as a tiny green stream of energy began flowing up the beam and into the apparatus, flooding the terminal besides her with magical data.

"AHAHAHA! TWWILAAHAHA! STOP IT, STOP IT PLEASAAHAHAHA! I CAN'T, I CAAHAHAHAHA!" her workerfriend pleaded, thrashing around with her eyes closed and tears streaming from them. Not that it would help; the bonds were so strong that no amount of imitation earth pony magic would help Chrysalis.

As the minutes passed and Chryssy writhed around, the machine analyzed her changeling magic and produced a readout comparing it to the three tribes' magic. Once it was done, Twilight shut down the analyzer. Chrysalis kept laughing long after the effect stopped, slowly calming down and controlling her gasping breaths. Once she was down to giggles, Twilight stepped up to her and began undoing her bindings.

"Thanks love," Twilight said, reaching up to stroke Chrysalis's belly, where her green shell wrapped around her underbelly. "This'll really help my paper." She took off the magic inhibitors from her horn and stored them in a nearby drawer.

Still giggling, the changeling sat up on the table and rolled off onto all fours. "Hehe, well I have to own up to my mista-ha-hakes. That'll teach me to think I can beat you in a math bee."

Twilight rolled her eyes. "I don't know what you were thinking when you made that bet."

"Well..." Chrysalis rubbed one of her forelegs over the other. "... I really wanted to see you tied up."

Twilight shook her head and smiled. That was Chrysalis, always with sex on the brain. Species considered, it probably wasn't that big a surprise. "Alright. How about for your hatching day, hmm?"

The queen smiled and leaned down to nuzzle into Twilight's mane. "Thank you, petal."

Ding!

Twilight whipped her head over to the magical apparatus and teleported over to it. The machine was busy printing out sheets of paper, filled with various scribbles describing Chrysalis's magic. She grinned, and began to read over it.

This information would help her so much...
> Throne by Kildeez (DARK!)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Kildeez

For longer than Twilight could remember, she had been approaching her mistress with a single request.  The routine was always the same: she would climb up to the black throne, bow as was expected and repeat the words: “Let me go.”

And for longer than Twilight could remember, the answer had been: “Never.”

Queen Chrysalis.  Her captor.  Her tormentor.  The changeling that had taken her from her bright world and bought her down here, away from the sun, away from her friends and family, away from even her magic.  Her horn was bound, her wings were wrapped in that changeling goo, the dignity and pride that should have come with her Alicorn status was long gone, all thanks to Her.  Twilight wanted to hate her so much, wanted to just hate the mare who had enslaved her, but something in that forlorn look the queen got every night when she asked…

Shaking her head to clear it, Twilight returned her attention to the task at hoof.  For the past couple weeks, she had been picking at the lock at the collar around her neck, and now she thought she finally had it.  It was only logical: the only time she was left alone was for sleep periods, during which she was left chained up in a small bedroom, a padded metal collar locked around her neck.  This, of course, would be her chance to escape.  It was the only time she was left actually unobserved by the changeling guards, if she could just…

One more twist of the hairclip in her hooves, and the collar suddenly popped open and clattered to the ground, the long, twisted length of attached chain clanking with it.  Twilight sighed with relief and rubbed at her neck, grateful to finally be free.  At least that part had gone well.  She had stolen the clip nearly a week ago while she was being led through the barracks, down to the mines where she spent her days.  The work wasn’t nearly as hard as she’d thought it would be, and better yet, it cleared her head, giving her a chance to think while the meager magic she was allowed worked on clearing rocks for another group of changelings to begin work on the next tunnel.

Twilight didn’t know what the changelings were working on that required so many tunnels.  Perhaps another route into Canterlot?  Another way to conquer the city?  Either way, she knew she couldn’t keep on like this; whatever the changelings were working on, Princess Celestia would have to be warned!

Escape while she was working would seem the obvious choice: it was the only time she was allowed any magic, albeit just a tiny bit.  She’d been quick to dismiss that possibility, though.  Any attempts to free up more of her magic would undoubtedly shoot up an alert to Chrysalis herself, and she was constantly surrounded by guards while she worked.  A small army of them, in fact.  If, by some miracle, she did manage to free her magic, she could never defeat the sheer amount of guards surrounding her before reinforcements arrived, and she was in no shape to take on the changeling army.  So, a stealthy escape it would have to be, but even that would be terribly complicated.

The only time she was left alone for any length of time was right now, during what she could only assume was nighttime.  Even though her magic was restrained the entire night and she was forced to wear the collar that kept her leashed to the wall, like some kind of pet, she knew it would have to do.  Well, she had just taken care of the collar, but what now?

Tip-hoofing quietly, she slunk to the door, still aware that her magic was completely restrained.  She could do nothing except crack it open and peek, praying she wouldn’t be noticed.  Taking a deep breath, she slowly turned the door handle, surprised when it clicked open.  Well, okay then.  At least she wouldn’t have to put her newfound lockpicking skills to the test.  She cracked the door open and peeked through, grimacing at the pair of changeling guards standing just outside.  It may have only been two, but they could probably still call for help before she managed to defeat them.  This would have to be quick, which meant being less gentle than she would usually care to be.

Yanking the door open, Twilight sprang at the guard nearest her like a coiled cobra.  She struck him against the back of his head, knocking him out cold.  The guard next to him proved to be a slight problem, but she easily back-flipped off that first stallion and landed on his back, only to discover that he was actually a her.

Blinking away her own surprise at her sudden gymnastic ability, Twilight remained focused on the changeling mare beneath her, clamping a hoof over the changeling’s muzzle and pinning her to the ground.

“P-please,” the mare quivered, but Twilight didn’t even give her an opportunity to finish the sentence before knocking her out with a hoof to the back of the head.  With both changelings unconscious, she dragged them back into her room and bound them with her chain, locking it in place with the very same collar that had been used to contain her for weeks.  The irony was not lost on her.

Returning to the door, Twilight crept into the hallway, her wing bindings actually working for her to keep her wings covered and inconspicuous.  Again, irony.  She easily navigated the halls into the large network of tunnels she was familiar with.  Once there, she knew just one direction: up.  She had to keep going up.  She approached the first tunnel she’d ever noticed that led up, away from this level, which was the highest she’d been allowed to travel since being captured and enslaved by the changelings.  She crept up the tunnel, mindful of any other changelings she might come across, and…

It was so exciting: a portal to another dimension!  Something like that just appearing right in their own backyards, what were the odds?  More importantly, what was beyond it?  Oh, if only they could see…

Twilight blinked.  What…what was that?  A memory?  Why had it just come to her now, out of the blue!?  It had seemed pretty recent, which only made sense.  She knew there was a gap in her memory from when the changelings had kidnapped her.  All she remembered was going to sleep in her own palace one night, and waking up in this awful place.  But just how big was that gap in her memory?

Twilight grimaced, her eyes burning with determination.  Whatever spell the changelings had placed to lock up her memories, a little of it had come undone by ascending up these steps.  Maybe whatever kept the spell in place was further on, deeper into the Hive, and the further from it she got the more of her memory would come unlocked?  Either way, she knew she absolutely had to get out.  Equestria was probably still in danger, and whatever was locked away in her memory might hold the key to saving it!

A few more minutes passed unhindered.  Again, she blessed the bindings around her wings.  She might have been tempted to take flight if the option hadn’t been taken from her.  This way might have been slower, but it was certainly quieter.  Besides, now she had time to slow down and think before the next memory got called…

They had learned so much!  That portal’s mere presence had thrown Equestria’s understanding of magic ahead by centuries!  And now, the readings coming off it must have meant something was coming through, something new…

She shook her head again. Seriously, what were these memories?  They all centered around some portal popping up in Equestria…why?  What was so special about a portal?  Perhaps it was some strange, naturally-occurring one unlike any detailed in the Canterlot Archives?  Or perhaps…

Her head swimming with questions, Twilight didn’t notice the changeling laborer trundling along with a couple buckets of gems until she was practically muzzle-to-muzzle with him, staring right into his eyes.  The changeling blinked.  She blinked back, a hoof still pressed to her chin in thought.

“Escape!”  He screamed, turning to run.  “The Princess has gotten…”

Once again, she didn’t give the changeling time to finish his sentence, bounding off the wall and coming down on his back as hard as she could, pressing him to the ground.  Too late.  She could hear shouts further on down the cavern, the clanking of armor, the stomp of hooves.  Just great.  Now, she wished for her wings to be unbound.  Twilight took off at a dead gallop, shooting through the tunnels, praying for the strength to make it to the surface.  At the very least, let her see the sun with her own two eyes before being dragged into the darkness again.

“Where is she!?”  A voice cried faintly behind her.

“I can feel her emotions…she went this way!”  Came a reply.

“Oh gods…if the Queen finds out we let her get this far…oh gods!”

Twilight focused all her might into galloping.  She had never been much for physical activity, and now she regretted every day she’d spent ignoring her physical well-being in favor of her mental.  Sure, a sharp mind had been her saving grace on more than one occasion, but fast hooves never hurt either.  Oh, how she wished Rainbow or Applejack were here!

As she ran, she kept an ear out for the voices and hoofsteps thundering behind her.  She had to know if the changelings were getting close.  What’s more, she had to know if Chrysalis was joining the chase.  She didn’t know what she’d do then, but it would have to be rather drastic.  Much like this entire escape.  But most of all, she had to ignore the snippets of unclear memory flashing before her eyes.  There was no time to stop and piece them together, she would just have to wait to be out in the sunlight before trying to work it all out in her head.  Though what she did have time to pick up wasn’t all that encouraging.

Lost…all hope…lost…

Rarity, just run!  I’ll hold ‘em off, just…NO!

Kill me…oh Celestia and Luna please, kill me…

That last one almost made her pause in her step, despite knowing that would be the end of her escape.  The changelings were almost on top of her now.  Even the smallest trip-up would be enough for her to fall into captivity, inexplicable kung-fu powers or not.  But she stayed on her hooves anyway.  There seemed nothing else she could do.

Finally, a light appeared!  At last!  Ignoring the cries behind her, Twilight poured on whatever speed she had left in her body, ignoring the aches in her knees and the sweat matting her coat.  All that mattered now was the light, feeling her mentor’s sun on her face again would set everything to rights, she just knew it would!  Whatever was really going on, as long as she could feel that sun again, she would be able to piece it all together.  

Oh Celestia, what is that thing!?

Breached!  The castle walls have been breached!  Oh Luna above, help us!

KILL ME!  PLEAAASSSSEEE!  JUST…

“Twilight!  Stop!”  Chrysalis’s voice!  Ohnononono…this was bad!  She was so close!  She just had to…

Using whatever will she had left, Twilight summoned every scrap of magic the goo permitted.  It turned out to be no more than was allotted during her hours toiling in the mines, but that was enough.  If it could open up a cavern, it could close one up too.  Twisting in place, she unleashed a single burst of magic at a spot of roof between herself and the changeling horde.  There was a quick roar, then a crack, then the entire section of tunnel collapsed, creating a perfect blockade that would take the changelings hours to get through.

Oh Celestia, this is the end…they’re dead, the princesses are really dead…

Gritting her teeth, Twilight turned to the light.  Whatever was going on, it would all be clear in a short while.  All she had to do was take a few steps, and she would be in the sun again.  Then everything would make sense, she felt it.  So she ignored the twist of anxiety deep in her gut and the pleading voices on the other side of the barrier, begging her not to leave, probably out of desperation to keep her as a trophy.  Fat chance of that.

Twilight trotted off, shaking her head with each new memory as it bombarded her skull.

Hell.  It’s hell on the other side of that portal.

Celestia and Luna above…are you all seeing this?  What is that thing!?  WHAT IN…

She stumbled, losing her balance and slumping against the cave wall, dirtying her coat even more.  Streaks of mud and dust clung to her, and for some reason, tears were soaking her cheeks.  But she wouldn’t stop, she couldn’t because…

Because…

Dead.  They’re all dead.  Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow, Pinkie…all gone…what’s left?

“Nuh-no…” she mumbled, taking off for the light at top speed, desperately reaching for it, needing to drink in Celestia’s sun and gaze out over the green pastures of her homeland, because the alternative…the alternative…it couldn’t be true, it couldn’t be…

This is Princess Twilight Sparkle broadcasting on all magical frequencies: Equestria has fallen.  I repeat, Equestria has fallen.  To anypony left alive, listen to me.  Don’t fight.  You can’t fight them.  Just run.  Pick a direction and run.  Doesn’t matter where.  The Minotaur lands, hell, even the changeling Badlands would be decent.  Maybe they’ll have better luck fighting these things than we have, and a lifetime in a pod is a better choice than what THEY have in store for you.

One last thing: if THEY are about to capture you, kill yourself.  That would be better too.  That is all.  Goodbye…oh Celestia and Luna, no…get off me, please…no!  NO!  LET GO OF ME NO PLEASE…

Twilight looked out from the top of the changeling hive, perched on a charred, scraggly remnant of rock.  Her chest heaved, her cheeks soaked with tears.  A scorched hellscape stretched out in every direction.  Twisted remnants of trees barely poked out of the tortured land next to the dried mud patches that had once been lakes and rivers.  At the base of the mountain stood what had to be the ruins of Sugarcube Corner, the patched-together, shaky wooden structure the only thing recognizable.  Celestia only knew where her old library, her palace, and her friend’s houses would be.

All at once, Twilight Sparkle sank to her haunches, weeping openly as it all came to her.

The portal had opened up just outside Canterlot last summer.  Celestia knows why.  Perhaps it was a weird twist in the interdimensional magics, or perhaps it was created by someone…or more accurately, something…on the other side.  Either way, the initial reaction had been of mixed curiosity and wariness.  The thing had the potential to throw understanding of teleportation magic ahead by decades, if not centuries, even if nopony could say what might have created it.

Then it actually opened, and all hell came pouring through.  Leather-winged things with razor-sharp talons and eyes as black as night, tentacle-covered things that oozed acid from every pore, creatures with eight arms clenching a sword each, fat-blanketed things the size of villages with mouths like caverns, lined with razor-sharp teeth.

Fluttershy was the first to go.  Despite the things’ horrifying appearances, she’d had a reputation as a tamer of beasts to uphold.  The winged demons ripped her to shreds and spread her bits all across the countryside, as if in warning.  After that, the guard had gotten involved, as had her friends.  They’d all been torn apart, the “battles” with the demons nothing short of massacres.  Any attempt to stand and fight with sword, magic, or weather control had become a bloodbath.  The very next day, Canterlot fell.  Twilight wished the Princesses had merely been killed, but no, they had to be made an example of…there had been things done to them, horrible things that exploited every hole in their bodies with precision that suggested practice, and it only got worse when the demons had realized how durable the pair were…

Oh Lulu…kill me.  Please, just kill me…

One by one, her friends had stood.  One by one, they each had fallen, each death longer and more drawn-out than the last.  It seemed as though the demons learned with each life they took, figuring out how much pain a pony could take and still live.

The Elements did nothing, even with what magic they could summon without Fluttershy.  In the end, it had just been Twilight making one final transmission from the basement of her ruined palace, a transmission that led the things outside straight to her.  Oh, if only the pain had ended there…

What followed was weeks of torture and imprisonment, right in the Canterlot dungeons.  Her horn was snapped off at the base when she’d first been captured, and even that horrible pain had been nothing compared to the weeks she’d spent bound in barbed wire, kept alive on a steady diet of blood and raw flesh forced down her throat, dreading every night when her tormenters would randomly visit with tortures that were brilliant in their ability to break her both mentally and physically…

Twilight looked out over the edge of the cliff.  Straight drop to the twisted rocks below.  Okay, that was good.  With her magic and wings still restrained, there’d be no backing out.  Somewhere in another world, she heard something break, a crash, a dozen voices screaming her name.  Didn’t matter.  That was someplace else now.  Someplace that didn’t matter.  

Twilight just dropped.  She simply leaned forward and went over the edge, dropping away.  She anticipated the rocks far below with a tiny smile, the tears peeling away from her face from the wind now.  She fell, and the last memory before her mind was suppressed reappeared in her mind’s eye:

The day she’d heard voices up above was the day it all ended.  It could have been a year, it could have been a century after she’d been imprisoned, she’d never cared to keep track.  After losing her friends, why would she?  Then came footsteps on the stairs.  She’d risen to her hooves, as instructed whenever the things upstairs wanted their fun, and a changeling had appeared before her instead.

The drop continued.  Gossamer wings rustled overhead.

”Holy hell, we found one!”  The changeling gasped, turning back upwards.  “Everyone!  We found one!  Somepony’s alive down here!”

“What?”  Then, Chrysalis herself appeared before her, looking over Twilight as if she were a bipedal, talking monkey.  “Dearest Maker above, it’s Twilight Sparkle.”

“H-how?  How is she still alive?  Oh sweet chitin, look at her wings…look what they did to her wings…”

“I…I don’t know, my little drone…Sparkle?  Sparkle, are you…”

The rocks approached.  Twilight closed her eyes.

”…and, there!”  The nurse minotaur took a step back.  “That should be the last of the barbed wire.”

“Ye gods,” the diamond dog next to her shook his big, shaggy head.  “Didn’t think the ugly-ones left any of the royals alive.”

“This is good,” the griffon joining them said, her head lifting in hope while she stroked her silken feathers.  “If she’s royal, she’s strong.  She can help take back the city.”

The ground shook, and the small group looked up towards the ceiling with wary glances.  “It’s as good an idea as any, so long as it spares more of my changelings from dying at the hands of these abominations,” Chrysalis said, and the others nodded their agreement.  Twilight took note of the scuffs and dents in Chrysalis’s chitin, the bags under the minotaur female’s eyes, the loose feathers covering the griffon’s coat.  This was a group that had been through a long, hard war.

But Twilight had been through hell.  She was done fighting.

“Okay Sparkle, look, I know we’ve had our differences, but now’s the time to put them aside,” Chrysalis said, reaching to one of her guards and retrieving a crossbow.  “It’s the final push, and then we’ll be rid of these monstrosities and finally be able to rebuild, but we could use your help.  Your horn still looks damaged, but do you think you could use this?”

Twilight took the crossbow when it was offered.  Her thousand-yard-stare rolled down to it, then back up to the changeling.  She nodded, her jaw still hanging agape.

“Good,” Chrysalis nodded, then turned back to confide with the others.  “We still need to drive for the palace, once we have that the city’s ours.”

“It’ll be a damned slaughter,” the griffon pointed out.  “The Unholy occupy every structure along every street we could use, they’ll be pouring fire onto us the entire way.”

“This whole damned war has been a slaughter!”  The diamond dog shouted, thundering his huge fist against a table.  “The sooner we end it, the more lives we’ll save!”

“What’s the point though, if…”

Twilight was only half-listening.  Her attention was focused on the crossbow.  What little was left of her sanity knew what had to happen.  Some deep, part of her gasped at the mention of this, flooding her with disgust, but she ignored it.  She cocked the weapon.

The dog’s ear twitched.  He turned, his eyes widening.

Twilight’s eyes opened to slits.  The rocks were close now.  It would be any moment.

The dog gasped as Twilight lifted the crossbow, pressing the tip of the bolt against the fleshy patch of skin beneath her own chin.

“TWILIGHT!”  A voice cried somewhere behind her.  

Oh no, not her.  Not again.

”TWILIGHT!”  That same voice cried as the group realized what was happening.  Chrysalis lunged.  Twilight raised a hoof to the trigger.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, both now and then.  “I just can’t.  Not without them.  I’m not strong enough.”

She increased the pressure on the trigger, feeling it start to give.  It was stiffer than she’d thought it would be, but then she’d never been interested in triggered weapons such as this.

She leaned forward, hastening her fall.  This was taking longer than she’d thought, or perhaps that was just in her head?

Whatever…

…it would…

…all be over…

…soon.  Twilight leaned forward, and felt…

…something was blocking the trigger….

…something snatched her out of mid-air.  Twilight opened her eyes.  Chrysalis stood over her, pinning her against the rock, her breath coming out in rapid gasps.

“Twilight, please,” she whispered.  “Please, just stop.  We need you back.  We all need you back.”

Twilight regarded Chrysalis with that thousand-yard stare.

“Twilight, please!”  In a flash of green flame, Chrysalis transformed into a carbon copy of Celestia.  “We’re changelings!  We can be anypony you want!  We’ll do anything you want!  But we need you to bring back Equestria, we need you to help rebuild, please!”  

Sniffling, Celestia’s form vanished in a burst of green fire.  Chrysalis pressed herself against Twilight.  “Please, just tell me what you want.  Please, I need you.”

Slowly, Twilight wrapped her hooves around the Queen.  “Let me go,” she whispered.

Sniffling, the Queen pressed a kiss to the fallen Princess’s forehead and nuzzled her cheek.  “Never,” she whispered back.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For longer than Twilight could remember, she had been approaching her mistress with a single request.  The routine was always the same: she would climb up to the black throne, bow as was expected and repeat the words: “Let me go.”

And for longer than Twilight could remember, the answer had been: “Never.”

Queen Chrysalis.  Her captor.  Her tormentor.  The changeling that had taken her from her bright world and bought her down here, away from the sun, away from her friends and family, away from even her magic.  Her horn was bound, her wings were wrapped in that changeling goo, the dignity and pride that should have come with her Alicorn status was long gone, all thanks to Her.  Twilight wanted to hate her so much, wanted to just hate the mare who had enslaved her, but something in that forlorn look the queen got every night when she asked…

Please, just tell me what you want.  Please, I need you.

Shaking her head to clear it, Twilight returned her attention to the task at hoof.  For the past couple weeks, she had been picking at the lock at the collar around her neck, and now she thought she finally had it.  It was only logical: the only time she was left alone was for sleep periods, during which she was left chained up in a small bedroom, a padded metal collar locked around her neck.  This, of course, would be her chance to escape.  It was the only time she was left actually unobserved by the changeling guards, if she could just…
> Makahadoma by Bekdontraz
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Bekdontraz

One of the perks of being a Queen was that you learned to savor the emotions others simply let radiate off themselves. You could stretch out your enjoyment of it for as long as you wished. Sitting across the table from the Sun Princess herself had at first seemed like a barren affair, the damned Alicorn gave not even the barest hints to her emotions. I'd sworn I’d gotten more from the ambient feelings that had seeped into the Hives walls through the millennia than I did in the two hours I’d spent with her.

It was then the ancestors sent me a gift. Her young Apprentice, that little purple unicorn I’d found so insignificant at the Wedding. She’d hardly changed in the year between then and now, the same gleaming intelligence in her eyes, and a flank you could bounce a quarter off of. The first thing I noticed was the sheer amount of curiosity wafting off of her was overpowering, sure it was chased with hints of anger, and apprehension, but she was nearly beside herself with the chance to question me.

I closed my eyes savoring the supple raspberry lemonade taste of her emotions. I let the time slow as I felt it and shivered dissecting the different emotions, the subtle heat of her anger, and strangely a slight hint of resentment. I blinked allowing myself back into the moment and then I bowed my head

“It is nice to meet you on proper terms Twilight Sparkle”

It would be fun to find the reason behind each and every taste.  
> Cider by Europa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Europa

Drunk ponies were hilarious.

No, scratch that, the idea of 'drunk' was hilarious!

Really, it was! Ponies would voluntarily make their drinks filled with microorganisms, microorganisms whose only purpose was to take in the drink and replace some of it with poison. Then the ponies would go and sell that poison, and willingly gather to celebrate occasions by drinking poison, have fun by drinking poison, or try to make themselves feel better by drinking poison! An example of the second was resting on her shell right that second as she brought her back to the library.

"And... and nopony ever seems to get it!" the unicorn ranted. "They always... always go on about how nopony can ever daaaare move the sun and moon besides the Princesses, and, and nopony knows how but they never ever seem to consider that, hey, maybe we should go to the Canterlot public libraaary. It's not like, like the Princesses published books on what spells they use to... to get around the sun and moon's incredible mass. Bunch of... bunch of ostriches. Heads in the sand."

Having visited the ostrich nation before, Chrysalis could confirm that Twilight's prejudice was entirely accurate.

"And they're... they're always so skiiitish about you! I mean, so what if you, if you invaded the capitol's nation, overpowered a goddess, and intended to turn Equestria into land of the pod ponies?" Thanks for the flattery, she thought humorously. "You're soooo nice when you're not, like, ordering changelings around and... and threatening executions." Chrysalis still didn't get why that was so frowned upon.

"Thanks, love," she said as they neared the library. "Let's get you into bed."

"Nooooo," she wailed, flailing her hooves around on the queen's back. "Don't wanna sleep. So much to dooooo. Life's too short for sleep."

Chrysalis winced at that. Unlike Twilight, she was immortal. At least, she was so long as she kept enough power that she could overwhelm Celestia. Twilight mentioning life was too short... at least the pony probably wouldn't remember that in the morning.

By that time, they'd gotten inside the library, and Chrysalis was clip-clopping her way up the stairs to the unicorn's bedroom. She reached the top and opened the door with her magic, taking care so as not to put so much strength in her magic that she tore it off its hinges... again. Then she walked inside and levitated Twilight off her back - I'm a pegasus! - and deposited her on her bed.

"Mmm, Chryssy, you know I love you, right?" Twilight slurred.

"Of course I do, love." She moved Twilight around so that, if she threw up, she wouldn't suffocate herself. "I love you too."

The pony giggled. "You're my liiiittle lovebug. You can, can, be my snugglebug tonight too."

Chrysalis shook her head. "Not tonight petal, why don't you get some sleep?" She lit up her horn again and did two things; first she put Twilight to sleep, second she conjured slime around Twilight's body to keep her from rolling out of the safe position she was in; the pony could teleport out of it in the morning.

... speaking of the morning, Twilight would be hungover after Applejack's birthday party, so Chrysalis would need to come by with water.

She sighed and shook her head. Ponies were such high maintenance. A queen's work was never done...
	
> Centurion by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus

“Chrysalis?” Twilight asked as she entered the underground throne room which was just one part of the series of interconnected chambers and tunnels that formed the Changeling Hive beneath Ponyville. It had been almost a year since the Changelings had arrived in Equestrian territory and while things were less tense it didn’t mean things were completely fine either.

Chrysalis looked up from here work, “Hello Twilight, you’re early.”

Twilight huffed, “There’s a reason for that.”

Chrysalis got up from her work and walked over to the annoyed Alicorn standing at the entrance. “You know if you were early I would have thought it was because you had a surprise in mind or something.”

“It’s something alright,” Twilight muttered darkly. With a flash of magic she had a flask in her telekinetic grip, the fluid within glowed faintly blue. “Mind explaining what this is?”

Chrysalis shrugged, “Chemicals, Twilight. You’re the scientist between us surely you know what exactly it is.”

Twilight began to pace around the Changeling Queen, “Explain than Chrysalis why I found it from one of your Drones then? I know several of your Drones went out of town to fetch supplies. When they got back one of the attendants noticed a lot of flasks and vials in their saddlebags much like this one.”

Chrysalis stepped in front of the pacing Alicorn, “Supplies as you said, some of the chemicals you Ponies have created are useful for us as well.”

With the looming Changeling Queen stopping her pacing Twilight instead settled for a glare, “This is an explosive! Not some chemical that could be used for anything else, but as a component in explosives.”

“We need to excavate through rocks and explosives make it easier than magically forcing our way through,” answered Chrysalis trying to take the flask from Twilight to no success.

“I’ve studied the local geology, there’s one deposit of stone that breaking with magic would require far more energy than it’s safe to do so and that’s on the outskirts of town.” Twilight’s glare intensified, “It’s about that statue in Fillydelphia isn’t it?”

Chrysalis sighed as her composure dropped, “Fine, it is. That statue is horrific and I doubt the town will miss one small statue!”

“Small? That statue is the center piece of one of the larger parks in the city. I’m certain everypony will notice its disappearance,” Twilight retorted.

“Does that matter? The statue has a heavily armoured Pegasus standing-“, Chrysalis began her voice rising in volume.

“That’s the memorial for Centurion Storm Strike of Clan Thunderwing-“, Twilight threw in with her voice just louder than Chrysalis’.

“-over a pile of dead bodies. All of them are Changelings, there’s no other-“

“who led the 3rd Century of the 7th Cohort of the 12th Legion, the Northwind-“

“-species. He’s standing over them like they were a carpet!”

“-and defended the town from Changelings during the Battle of Gust Plains.”

Both Alicorn and Changeling were panting lightly from trying to yell over the other.

“Fine,” Twilight said as she tried to slow her breathing, “maybe that statue is horrible, but its history and you can’t just destroy it.”

Chrysalis had managed to mostly get her breathing under control, “Fine. Not destroyed then, but maybe removed!  Shouldn’t it be removed given how much this nation is about harmony and such? That doesn’t seem like it would be a good gesture for peace and co-operation if there’s a public statue depicting dead Changelings.”

Twilight sighed, “You are mostly correct yet we can’t destroy it. His descendants would be furious if his memorial was destroyed or removed.”

Chrysalis snorted, “Why is that?”

“Cultural. The Pegasi were and still are the most militaristic of the Three Tribes and they believed strongly in ancestral memory. Honour the ancestors and it’s from them that one can find protection and guidance, that’s why Pegasi memorials from simplest wood and stone to more expensive cloud-iron and skystone tend to depict their ancestor in their moment of glory. No matter how horrific that moment was. To remove it would be to disrespect their culture and their beliefs.”

Chrysalis sighed, “Fine, if it’s cultural than I guess I shouldn’t try destroying it.”

Twilight exhaled as she tried to relax, “I know it is not the best thing to see, but it is an element of culture here regardless of how long ago that was or how things have changed.”

“It’s just frustrating that nothing can be done,” Chrysalis said.

“Learning of other beliefs is difficult and changing how others view yours even more so. All you can do is challenge those perceptions and work towards changing them and in time you will be able to find success,” Twilight recited quickly.

After a pause Twilight continued, “That’s more or less what a few Ponies have stated before from some of the books I’ve read. It wasn’t easy to integrate three nations together and it took a lot of time. I think Changelings are on that same path now and it will take time for cultural perceptions to fade, but it is possible.”
> Protean by Bekdontraz
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Bekdontraz

“Are you sure about this?” I ask the little unicorn, of course I knew the answer already I could feel her eagerness at my offer. She was practically glowing with the build up of emotions. I was most certain that if I pinned her to the wall and drained her, she would be the most tasty morsel I’d ever tasted. Now that I’d had the thought though, I doubted I’d drain her if I pinned her down.

“Y...yes, Its just Protean Magic is forbidden to most Mages. The likelihood of failure and…..mishaps is too great,” Her voice startles me out of my imaginings and I had to struggle to catch up with myself once more.  

“That is why I am here, I will….” I pause for a moment searching for a better word, I doubt impregnate would be a good choice, before settling on, “Infuse you with my changeling magic. It is an old technique not used by any of the hives in this age. It will plant a seed of our energies in you. I can then teach you to draw on that, and infuse your own magics with it to allow you to change almost as easily as any of my children,” Again I feel a wash of resentment from her, but I brush it off and focus on my task. “Are you really sure about this Twilight Sparkle? Only your Princess will be able to undo what I am doing to you.” I say fixing my gaze on her.

"I am” She answers standing firm under my gaze. I’m not sure if her own kind can see the same things in those deep pools of violet that I do. To me her eyes show the marks of a great mage, the swirling energies that she unleashes through her horn. It was then I made my choice, I’d throw caution to the wind.

I lean in and press my lips to her’s and I can’t help but smile as our horns touch. A thrill shoots down my spine as my magic and her’s pulse together a bit of my own sliding down into her core. I hear her muffled gasp and then, to my surprise and pleasure she pressed back into my kiss. I let the kiss linger and enjoy myself, our tongues meeting for a few moments, before I pull back from her panting faintly for breath.

“Th-” I start to speak before I am cut off by a slap across my muzzle. I stumble back blinking in surprise, and look up feeling a wash of mixed emotions from her.

“Not without my permission.” She says glaring at me, with a luminescent blush across her cute little cheeks. The emotional colors are swirling around her pooling in her heart, and elsewhere. I have to remind myself what I was doing to keep myself from pouncing on her right then and there.

“Then let us focus on our lesson. If you can master a changeling form, then we can visit this nice little place by the docks, if not I suppose you know of someplace I could take you.” I put on the airs of a Queen once more, but I feel a slight flutter in my chest from her feistiness. It had been years, since I’d taken a personal consort, I supposed working to earn one the pony way wouldn’t be a terrible burden. Did I mention she was adorable and tasted amazing?

She smirks at me,

“Deal, but you’ll go as a unicorn,” She says before closing her eyes. I see her horn spark, traces of green flame in her purple light. “It feels empty, hungry.” Her voice sounds worried, I was glad for that. Fear was a good feeling, it would keep her from pushing too fast.

“Yes, that is why I caution you to only use this sparingly. Too much and you may become a…” Again I search for a term, “A zombie I suppose is the best way to put it. You would become lost in the hunger, you might retain your form, or become more like my children, but you need not worry. You will only truly risk it if you exhaust yourself using the seed.”

She nods and looks to me. I see the fear flowing away under a new wave of eagerness. She was soon glowing with determination.

“Alright, what now?” She asks smiling her horn still glowing, I see the green traces becoming more pronounced as I begin my instruction. I’d often found watching unicorn magic fascinating, the build up from their core and cutie marks, channeling through their bodies and released through their horns.

“Focus on the seed, feel it and then feel yourself becoming something else. Use your memories of my drones as a template.” I watch the glow in her magic core start to glow more brightly as the seed was drawn on.

She nods again and begins her try. I expect her first attempt to fail but instead she is engulfed in flames of purple and green. I’m almost blinded by the bright magics, but through the glare I see her body shift. My eyes water as I look away from her and I feel my breath taken away as I clear them

“By the Ancestors” I mutter looking at her. She was gorgeous.
> Siren by nioniosbbbb
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by nioniosbbbb

The next morning found Chrysalis and Twilight talking in their quarters about the upcoming event. Chrysalis, wanting to keep it a surprise, had waited until the last moment to reveal this.

“So… the tree is the source of life in the Badlands?” Asked Twilight. She listened to Chrysalis’s words, making notes as they spoke, always asking questions like a young filly whose curiosity couldn’t be sated. Chrysalis smiled, more than eager to explain to the cute bookworm the how and why. She was lucky they weren’t interrupted by that wyrm of her’s Spike. The adorable little dragon had taken a journey to the Dragon Empire to learn more about his kin with no definite time to return.

“Yes… It’s over four millennia old. This was once the Tree of Harmony, the tree that supported the land. It gave three ponies the strength to draw its power with their song, giving the ponies around them the power of harmony and peace.”

“The Sirens…” Twilight gasped, the realization hitting her.

“Exactly… the Sirens, however, grew arrogant, wanting to keep all the power to themselves and not the undeserving races that squabbled around the tree. So they did. The “lesser” races, as they called them, became puppets to their songs, fighting amongst themselves for the eyes of their puppeteers...”

Twilight felt a chill run up her spine. She remembered how the whole village had fought over a simple doll when she had cast the “Want it, need it” spell. If she could do so much with a single spell, then what could the sirens have done if their real magic had been restored? Only now did she realize how lucky they were to have fought in the human world.

“Twilight?” asked Chrysalis, waving a hoof. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing, I was just thinking how lucky me and the girls were to have defeated the Sirens in the human world… if it happened here…”

“The changelings would have stopped them.” Chrysalis broke her train of thought.

“You… you would?” Twilight cocked an eyebrow.

“If the sirens came to Equestria they would have come to our tree immediately. Why do you think the “Spirit Wall” was created?”

“I see… well it’s good to know despite the differences we had you would defend the land as well.” Chrysalis chuckled a bit.

“Well if you hadn’t taken care of Tirek you would be in big trouble for keeping him from us. But you didn’t know, and in the end you cancelled that out. Plus i fell in love with you stupid. So… shall I continue on the Sirens?”

“Oh right… sorry for interrupting.” Twilight gave an awkward smile.

“So, the Sirens twisted their powers, feeding on the conflict they once sought to prevent. They ruined their forms, marring their beautiful radiance. They would have twisted the tree too, had Starswirl the Bearded not banished them to another world. The Tree of Harmony was damaged, but not all was lost. Starswirl took a seed and planted it near Equestria. But the hole left here couldn’t be fixed. When we changelings encountered this place it was nothing more than a field of exploding mana and rampart arcane fires burning about. The Queen of the changelings at that time, Minerva, had the idea to drop the seed of an olive tree into the center. From it came the tree you see right now and every year the tree pulses with energy into the land, increasing its fertility and maintaining a hospitable environment for both flora and fauna...”

“But… the Badlands…” 

“Eh-hem…” Chrysalis faked a cough at being interrupted. Twilight silenced herself, embarrassed a bit as Chrysalis plumped her cheeks.

“Bad Twily... pay attention! Anyway, as I was saying, ever since that moment we changelings prospered around it. However, sometime after its creation the energy well… destabilized. Or is it de-harmonized? Anyhow, to preserve the balance of the land here we devised a solution: we feed it every year our energy with our song.”

“The song of creation? I never really under-...” Twilight found herself suddenly moaning into Chrysalis’s kiss, which didn’t stop until she was quiet again.

Guess that’s one way to get her attention. Mmmm... Chrysalis licked her lips as their mouths parted ways.

She coughed a bit and Twilight shivered in response, getting back to reality. Before she had a chance to speak Chrysalis stood up.

“The song of creation is not something that can be described,Twilight, which is why you will find no description that does it justice. It is why you must experience it first-hoof. Come… it’s almost time.”

Chrysalis gently tugged Twilight’s hoof until she decided to follow her. As they trotted towards the center of the tree, she had the chance to think about what Chrysalis said. During their conversation Twilight had noticed a strange gleam in Chrysalis’s eyes. She had felt a mix of interest and fear… She didn’t know what it was but it worried her. There was something more about this event, something…

“Twilight!” The alicorn jerked her head only to spot the other Royals of Equestria, led by Cadence, who rushed to her as soon as she spotted her. Unfortunately due to his duties Shining Armor had to stay behind in the Crystal Empire. After “The Dance” as Chrysalis called it - she always turned away a bit embarrassed from the sight - Twilight hugged Cadance.

“How are you, Twilight? Haven’t seen you a lot outside, has Chrysalis been treating you right? Or do I need to loveblast her again?”

She was glad Chrysalis pretended not to hear that. Shaking her hooves she was trying to mutter an excuse. Fortunately she didn’t have to…

“Stop being such a tease, Cadance, ‘tis simply a matter of love.” Said Luna, laughing.

“Perhaps our two lovebirds are dripping so much honey that they simply thought we might slip and fall if they walked out of their home,” continued Celestia, making the couple blush.

“How much wine did you drink?” Chrysalis asked sharply. Celestia was the one to respond first.

“Please, Chrysalis, lighten up… I don’t need to drink wine to joke about my former student. I’ve seen her mind-control an entire village.” Chrysalis’s jaw dropped.

“You never told me that!”

“Well you’ve never told me how you became a Queen, either!” responded a flabbergasted Twilight.

“Touche…” said Chrysalis, shivering at the memory.

“Like you don’t have your fair share of chaos in your life, Celestia. Do I need the Discord issue, sister?” Luna rebutted.

“Discord issue?” Said Celestia, eyes constantly shifting left and right..

“Right… remember the time he gave you flowers? Wiiiinking?” 

Chrysalis whistled, complimenting the Solar Monarch as Cadance tried to stifle her laughter.

“Don’t worry, I already have auntie on my shipping chart. I foresee marriage in six months tops.”

“Way to go, Big Sexy! Didn’t know you had it in you. Remind me to give you the new guide I got from Neighpon. Really could help you with Discord’s anatomy, being as flexible as the dragon ponies.”

Twilight did NOT want to hear any more of this.

“Don’t we have more important things to do? Like the ceremony?” 

“Right, right. Follow me…” Though others might have been fooled, Twilight noticed the drastic tone shift as Chrysalis turned. A knife cut all talk as her look changed. She didn’t speak as she continued to their original destination, not waiting for more interruptions. There it was again, Twilight spotted that look in Chrysalis’s eyes, the cold, determined mare, that unquenchable fire burning. 

The same look she had when she invaded Canterlot...


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The royals followed Chrysalis in the maze of leaves, branches and structures that were built into this extraordinary tree. They followed the buzz of the gathering changelings: children, adults, and elderly alike flocking to the center, or “heart,” of the tree. Once they crossed the final set of branches they saw it: a two-part structure featuring an auditorium, and an orchestra. The sun was shining above, making it all look like a forest clearing. The tree rings formed the shape of a heart in the center. Chrysalis stopped and sighed.

“Please allow the guards to guide you to your seats.” Her eyes gleamed once more. “This is my dream.” Twilight instinctively put her hoof upon her, but she didn’t know what to say. She only received an understanding smile as the guards directed them to their seats.

Chrysalis slowly but steadily stepped towards the heart, looking down at her hooves. She felt the life of the tree, she heard its beat. This tree was older than the Princesses themselves, it was the achievement of the changelings. It showed their potential, their united strength, their power to change the world… to protect nature.

As Chrysalis made the final steps into the center, she took a deep breath. She turned to her changelings, tapping her hoof twice in the wood. There was silence.

“Life… is strength.” She stated simply.“This is not to be contested. It is simple enough. You live, you affect your world. It is the logic by which we’ve lived for hundreds of years now since we lost our strength to Tirek.” She paused.

“But is it what you want? Do you submit to the fate appointed to you? Do you accept this suffering willingly?” She took a deep breath, pumped her chest, and jerked her head up. She could hear the murmurs and the “no’s” to each of her questions. The answers she knew, but still wanted to hear.

“The time to change has come! It’s time to give back! To show the world that changelings can be strong, that we can contribute!” A thoughtful whisper was heard from the crowd.

“Yea! She’s right!” Whispers became voices.

“We are not Parasites!”

“Yeah!” 

“We are not monsters!”

“Yes!” voices turned to shouting.

“We are the guardians of nature!”

“WE ARE CHANGELINGS!” The shouting turned into a rallying cry, echoing through the stadium. Several changelings started uniting their hooves, connecting one with another. For Chrysalis this moment was hers. She didn’t notice the Princesses, nor her love watching with interest, she didn’t hear their chat as they marveled at her rallying speech. Once the changelings had completed this hoof-linking gesture and were in position, Chrysalis continued.

“My brothers, my sisters, my blood…”

The Queen’s pose invoked silence around her.

“SPEAK TO ME!!” 

A chilling wind swept across the area and Twilight mimicked the other Princesses, grabbing herself in her seat firmly, expecting an explosion. The changelings’s eyes started as did Chrysalis’s. Chrysalis rose into the air without a single flap of her wings and stopped midair.

For a minute, as Chrysalis hovered, there was quiet, and then she heard it. The distant whisper, a soft voice in the wind, a light aura that caressed Twilight’s cheeks. Silence had overcome the Royals of Equestria as each noticed something different.

“Listen! The river…” Twilight heard Luna say. She focused a bit and heard the rush of the water that now had a steady rhythm.

“Look at the sky…” this time it was Celestia. Twilight noticed above the clearing clouds were hugging the sun without obscuring it.

“This is.. beautiful.” Cadance said, dumbfounded as she saw the branches move in tandem with the rise and fall of the volume the changelings’ song had. As they sung silver threads emerged from their hearts, offerings to Mother Equestria. Twilight noticed the wordless choir of nature that intensified around her. She heard the cymbals that thunder summoned, the drums the river beat, the violin and other cord instruments called forth by the movements of the tree’s branches, all while the wind played a godlike melody around them. 

And inside all that Chrysalis, like a siren unmatched, an orchestrator of living music, led the way accepting their offerings. A steady beam built up from the center of her horn spiraling towards the sky and steadily the Queen became encompassed in its’ glow. Twilight had to admit Chrysalis was right: this event was mind-boggling and awe-inspiring at the same time.

But…

“Do you hear that?” Twilight said as she focused upon it. Cadance was to respond.

“What is it Twilight?”

“There’s something wrong…” Twilight noticed the beam lean slightly to the side and cut off a branch threatening to fall on the innocent. She fired a beam at it vaporizing it before it had the chance to hurt anyone. The river roared angrily as Chrysalis shook from her position, but remained there still singing, unmoving, unbending. She shook again, and re-established her control once more. The changelings were released from the magic, they looked bewildered as their Queen battled the instability.

Celestia rushed to them. The other Princesses promptly followed her.

“What happened? What’s going on?” Celestia asked one of the guards.

“We’ve offered all the energy that’s necessary. S-she’s unable to keep it together, she’s losing control! Oh by the maker what are we gonna do? If she can’t control it everything’s gonna blow up!” He responded, grabbing his head, his teeth chattering as he spoke. 

Luna put a hoof on his shoulder. “Be calm changeling. Panic will not help. We shall figure this out. Right Tia?” 

Celestia nodded. “Right. I’ll try to handle the storm. You see if you can handle the water, the moon should give you some control. Cadance, you take the changelings out of here. Twilight you…”

She turned only to see Twilight looking at Chrysalis intently. She was focused on her lips, trying to read what she was saying. They moved over and over in the same motion, saying the same thing again and again like a mantra to calm herself down. After a few seconds it hit her.

“This is her dream. To restore the land, to change the world. We cannot stop this, nopony can, she won’t allow it. We can only finish it.” She trotted towards her Queen, defiant against the rampant energies that her lover tried to harness. 

“Twilight DON’T!” Cadance said, rushing after her, only to receive an arcane lightning bolt right in front of her hooves.

“Cadance NO!” Celestia and Luna held Cadance back, she struggled against them, trying to pry herself from their clamping hooves.

“We have to get those people to safety before this escalates further!” Celestia’s voice trembled.

“She’s my sister…” Cadance felt Celestia’s caress on her mane.

“And she’s like my daughter…” she responded.

“And my friend.” Luna chimed in. Celestia continued.

“We have to trust that she knows what she’s doing! There’s nothing else we can do right now! Cadance!” Cadance’s breath slowed and she calmed down. She nodded. She was released, and as the other two rushed to do their work, she spared one last glance before she did the same.

“Good luck, Twilight.”


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Whether it was dumb luck or sheer stupidity, Twilight’s gamble paid off. She had dodged death, but maybe this was something that was meant to be. This wasn’t something she had studied before, she didn’t know what to do… 

She extended her hoof, and brought Chrysalis’s attention to her. Staring into Chrsyalis’s big, glowing eyes, she maintained that calm expression. Chrysalis was repeating the same thing over and over.

“This is my dream, I must do it. This is my dream, I must do it. This is my dream…” lost in her own words she barely felt Twilight’s feelings reach her. She stopped for a moment and turned her attention at the warmth grabbing her hoof, noticing the vague shape of Twilight.

“This is my dream Twilight, I must do it. I must succeed, I cannot fail. I…” a hoof gently pressed against her lips.

“You… don’t have to do it alone. Your dream is my dream. We share in the pain, the joy, the sorrow. That’s where our bond lies… our love.” For a few moments the rage of the magic around them was silenced.

“Okay…” Chrysalis paused, a small smile building up on her face, and as she said “I love you,” it was reflected in Twilight’s face. The two joined hooves, the glow in Chrysalis’s eyes being shared in Twilight’s own. Twilight felt a warmth unlike any other overwhelm her as she hovered together with Chrysalis above the tree’s heart.

The song which she heard before now came not just from her voice, but from her whole self. She couldn’t pinpoint it but she was now the voice, the instrument, and the player as well. She wanted comfort as much as she needed to give it.

“Hang on Chrysalis, we can do it.” She was unsure if her voice even made it past her ears as everything started blurring around her. She was looking for Chrsyalis among the information that her brain was getting.

“Hang on, Chrysalis!” She said, once again unsure if her love even heard her. Was she alone now? Alone in the buildup of arcane, her hooves going numb, confused from the multitude of emotions, feelings, and sensations. She spoke one last time, one last time before what she considered the point of no return.

“Hang on…” And there, amidst the storm that was her mind she heard it crystal clear. 

Chrysalis.

“I’m alright, Twilight…” as everything went white Twilight felt Chrysalis’s hooves surround her as her wings draped over her own.

“I got you...”


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


“Look at how peaceful they are…”

“The Queen is so beautiful when she smiles…”

“So calm…”

Chrysalis fluttered her eyes open and yawned groggily. Twilight shifted in her position, stretching a bit.

“Shhh!!!!”

“They’re waking up!”

As the couple woke up they were greeted by the changelings surrounding them, waiting with bated breath. They looked at each other, then at the changelings. 

Once Chrysalis was allowed to focus the first thing she noticed was the air. Like golden dust pollen danced in the wind, the golden dust of the tree of peace dancing in the aether all around her. There was a cool wind blowing around them, not the currents of blistering heat that battered them from outside the badlands. Love, the herald of all rebirth granted the holy tree new blossoms. 

Twilight took a deep breath seeking to cherish every scent, every new feeling. As she closed her eyes she felt the rays of the sun peeking through the leaves like small rays of hope. The musky scent of the tree brought an instinctive smile upon her. The smiles of the changelings were now the smiles of new friends expressing their gratitude in the simplest way possible. This place really felt like home.

As the two turned against each other their smiles mirrored in their faces the sign of gratitude that couldn’t be expressed by simple words.

A dream came true that day…

“Twilight? Chrysalis?” the couple heard Cadance’s voice. The crowd parted revealing the other Princesses of Equestria. Once they reached them the two lovers received a hearty hug by the Princess of love...

“Don’t you two ever scare us like that again!” 

...followed by a hard double Cadance Bitchslap™. A joyous laugh echoed as everyone, changelings and alicorns alike joined in an embrace. The celebration followed lasted until late. They say the sun and moon cycle was thrown off by two hours each to extend the celebrations.

A new era was beginning...
	
> 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.
> Five by Knight of Lycaeus
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Knight of Lycaeus



   
Changeling Invade the International Conference?: The Return of a Lost Race, Why Did They Come?


At the biennial International Conference between allied nations, Changelings barged into the rom just as the meeting was beginning. The lead Changeling who was flanked by a pair of armoured Changelings announced the arrival of their representative.

The representative in question was introduced as Hive Queen Chrysalis of the Western Desert Ridge who was serving as the representative for the Changeling Collective. Hive Queen Chrysalis was quickly identified by presiding Guards as the Changelings who led the failed Invasion of Canterlot more than two years ago.

An attempt was made to arrest the Changeling Hive Queen yet a stern word from Princess Celestia of Equestria stalled the procedures and allowed the Changeling to remain. However she would be subjected to questioning once the Conference was over and would be accompanied by armed Guards of the allied nations.

It became apparent as the conference progressed why the exiled race had made such a bold appearance at a closed international event as unexpectedly Hive Queen Chrysalis made herself a part of the ongoing procedures. The Changeling Collective were seeking better terms amongst the allied nations and in sending a convicted criminal was seen by the leaders as a gesture for the terms of surrender.

The Changeling Collective proclaimed before the gathered leaders the loss of their Hives and their Swarms largely by the ongoing settlement infringing on Hive lands. Those settled on Hive lands would in turn chase out the settled Changelings, although unconfirmed was that the Changeling Collective reportedly mentioned some more extreme measures had been taken in a few cases.

After the conference Hive Queen Chrysalis herself was questioned before the gathered leaders with Princess Celestia leading the proceedings. After much deliberation and discussion among the allied leaders a decision was made. The verdict was that the Changeling Collective would be forgiven for past faults and aid would be provided along with lands for their exiled Hives to settle.









 
 Stronger Ties Between the Changeling Collective and the Realm of Equestria: Forgiveness and Hope, a New Era of Co-Operation


Today marks a new era between the two nations, the Realm of Equestria and the Changeling Collective had been on uneasy terms since the failed Invasion led by one of the Hive Queens almost three years ago.

Representatives of both nation have signed the finalized the treaty which is the result of months of work. The treaty is seen by leaders of both nations as a chance to begin anew, with both forgiveness for past transgressions and co-operation for a better future for both nations.









    
The First Equestrian Hive, Where Is It?: Progress Towards Closer Ties


Yesterday the Tiarchs announced at a press conference that after much deliberation with various towns and cities a site has been chosen for the first Hive to relocate onto Equestrian soil. The location in question is a large grove of trees just outside of Ponyville. The grove is located some miles from the town and far from the dangerous Everfree Forest.

Which Hive will be resettling on Equestrian soil was not announced at the press conference, yet we should start seeing more Changelings around Ponyville in the weeks to come.









 
Royal Wedding, A Union of Nations: Crown Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria to be wed to Hive Queen Chrysalis of the Changeling Collective


Today is a day of celebration as Crown Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria weds Hive Queen Chrysalis of the Changeling Collective in a large ceremony just outside of Ponyville, a small country town home to the Royal Couple.

The Royal couple announced their relationship rather publically nearly two years ago. In short, the couple appeared before the International Conference and made it clear to all of their relationship. Also of note is that in the wake of this announcement was the growing number of Pony and Changeling couples.

But for today we wish for nothing, but the best for the couple and for many years together.









 
 Crown Princess Twilight Sparkle and Hive Queen Chrysalis Welcomes New Members of the Family


In a short statement from Canterlot Castle, we have confirmation of the healthy birth of twins from the Royal Couple. At this point the staff at Canterlot Castle have not provided more details nor have they confirmed the names or species of the twins, only to mention that one was male and other was female.



She smiled as she carefully placed the newspaper clipping in the scrapbook, the twins had been born only a few days before and she and her wife couldn’t be happier. Speaking of her wife and the babies, she knew her wife would be bringing them around to meet her soon. It would nice to finally return home.
> Home Run by Fuzzyfurvert
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Fuzzyfurvert

Twilight Sparkle, magical genius extraordinaire has joined forces Queen Chrysalis to form the Equestrian Wonder Twins Crime Fighting Force.  With their amazing powers of transformation they defeat evil and generally pester Celestia!

On today's  chilling episode: Hot Soup with a side of....crackers!

Evil waits on no pony.  It is always active, always scheming, but not always so salty!  Today evil takes the form of lightly salted saltine crackers!  Crackers that have been soaked in the hot broth of villainy!  Crackers that are about to infect their reduced sodium blasphemy upon none other than Celestia, Princess of Equestria!

Twilight Sparkle gasped.  "Quick, Chrysalis!  We must stop this travesty!"

Queen Chrysalis nodded.  "If she eats that it make her retain less water, shrinking her ass and thereby reducing all the love for it from the populace I get a contact buzz off!"

The Wonder Twins of Equestria hoofbumped.  Twilight yelled.  "Form of an arcane torcano!  It's like mixing a volcano and a tornado, with magic!"

Chrysalis yelled.  "Form of a horsecock dildo!"

Twilight stopped in whirling, molten tracks and looked back.  "Again?  Thats like, the only shape you ever take!"

"So?"  The dildo flopped onto the floor and rolled a few inches.

"So how are we supposed to do stuff with you like that?"

"I dunno.  Throw me at Celestia's face!"
> Dampened by SeanofTheDead
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by SeanofTheDead

Chrysalis stumbled through the Palace of Friendship, lost in her own despair. Twilight's friends had abandoned her weeks ago in favor of sitting beside their friend each day as she lay in the hospital feeding tubes and a breathing apparatus making her look more like an alien and  less like the mare that had warmed her heart. The same questions continued to pour through her mind, and this time she spoke them aloud to the deadened echoing halls of the home that seemed as empty as her heart. "Why? Why Twilight and not me? Or somepony else? What did I do to deserve this kind of pain? What could she have done?!" Chrysalis was now screaming louder than she thought she could, but she didn't stop. "WHAT IN THE NAME OF TARTARUS AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW?!! HOW CAN I KEEP GOING LIKE THIS?! HOW CAN SHE?! WHAT THE BUCK IS STRONG ENOUGH TO KEEP HER CLINGING TO SUCH A FRAGILE STATE!!!? WHY DO WE HAVE TO SUFFER SOO MUCH WHIST EVERYPONY ELSE JUST FEELS BAD ABOUT IT?!"

Unbeknownst to her, Celestia was standing in the entrance to the hall she was in tears streaming down her face as she wept at Chrysalis' pain. Someone so new to love going through the kind of pain she herself had recently experienced with her own other half. Her student suffered and her student's wife was basically incapacitated as well.  She was brought from her reverie by near strangled scream of Chrysalis' next words, "AND WHY AM I TOO AFRAID TO END IT!!?" And with that Chrysalis broke down simply slumping to the floor as she wept. Celestia's covered her mouth at these revealing words from her friend. Had she tried to...? Yes, she could see the marks on her chitin left from the tight rope that had been around her neck, possibly only minutes before she had come here. Celestia knew she needed to act, NOW. Given enough time, whatever was holding Chrysalis back from her dark deed would disappear. And yet another life would be lost to this tragedy that had befallen those she loved.

"It's not about fear. Not all of it anyway, it is about hope. You are still hoping that with the love you and Twilight share, you will escape the cruel fate that has been given to you. And as far as the fear part goes, you are afraid that WHEN Twilight comes out of whatever has happened to her, if you aren't here she might make the same mistake. And you don't want her to die, by your hooves or another's."

"Alright, *sniff* let's say you are correct. *sniff* How much hope is there Celestia?! How well has the interrogation been going hmm?! Exactly what have the doctors found out about her condition?!" Chrysalis asked "You are likely right about the fear part of it, but show me where the hope is in this." Chrysalis stared down Celestia with the kind of rage one might expect from a griffon looking at the creature that destroyed their chicks.

And eventually Celestia hung her head... before speaking again. "I can't do this in front of anypony else they all look up to me, they need me to be strong and hopeful... but maybe in front of you... I will be safe. T-Twilight..." Celestia's voice began to warble and shake as she continued, "Twilight is the cl-closest thing t-to a daughter that I have... I miss h-her s-s-soo much..." And with those words, she collapsed to the floor, and began to weep just as hard as Chrysalis before her. Chrysalis looked on in awe as the single most powerful alicorn broke down and sobbed like a foal in front of her. Chrysalis' eyes began to water as she picked up the weeping immortal in her magic and carried her to what was once her and Twilight's bed. And as she laid her down on Twilight's pillow she seemed to stop crying as she smelled the last remnants of her student's- no. Her surrogate daughter's scent. But that hardly mattered, the pillow would need to be washed soon anyway. It was now dampened by two sets of tears. 
> Insanity by nioniosbbbb
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by nioniosbbbb

Twilight Sparkle couldn’t find words to describe this world. It was as if a poet had set free the beauty of the world with his imagination. She and Chrysalis were drifting from the boundless, dark blue ocean that was the sky, riding on two streams of energy, one purple and one teal. As Twilight looked up she saw the streams slowly fade as their hooves touched the ground.

She let go of Chrysalis, who watched amused as the alicorn inspected her surroundings. A soft wind brought to them the exotic scents of the flowers, that welcomed them like a luxurious round carpet forming a circle around them. They ranged from margaritas, to roses, to carnations and more. Twilight watched with excitement as every one of her hoofsteps rippled her colors, mainly that of her coat, all around her. 

Twilight went to pick a red rose and checked Chrysalis to ask if it was okay. Chrysalis nodded with a smile, watching as Twilight’s flower changed to purple, livening up and spreading its leaves, sharing in the happiness of the mare that picked it. The more her smile brightened the more the rose pridefully reflected it.

The ground around Chrysalis’s hooves was covered with teal lilies, calmly showing their beauty. She watched as Twilight turned around, bringing the flower to her. She offered it, raising it to her level in two hooves.

“Purple rose? Clever little Twilight…” said Chrysalis, nuzzling Twilight’s snout with her own. Purple roses were a symbol of how enchanted the one giving it was with their mate.

“Well, you deserve it. I mean, the way changelings fascinate me each time I come here. There is a new thing every time to try out, to know. And now this world…” Twilight looked around. Beyond the circle of flowers, three paths filled with greenery were stretching out, positioned in a similar manner as the statues of the ancient changeling rulers. On the sides of each path, mountains of white granite and crystal reached for the sky in all kinds of shapes and curves, bending left and right as if they were drawn by Stablo Picasso. Huge pieces of land floated in the air, small islands defying gravity. 

“It’s just so beautiful…” Twilight closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. This was totally crazy! The whole place was like the tales she heard as a filly about ‘Wonderland’, a place where all dreams could come true, where fantasy roamed wild, and where true magic existed.

“Now, now my little daydreamer!” Chrysalis smiled playfully as she started trotting again. “Don’t get too carried away or you’ll get lost in the spirit world. Stay close to me, don’t use too much magic, don’t try to fly too much either. Not all spirits are welcoming here.” Twilight only now realized that despite the beauty of this world, there was little sound to be heard, even from the supposed wind that blew across the flowers.

As Twilight followed, Chrysalis’s ears were perked all the way, as if she was looking for something, or watching out for something. At the same time she kept a calm face, which meant that whatever she was looking for she had a course of action ready.

Black tentacles slithered from the edges of the crystals around the pathway Twilight and Chrysalis were treading. Twilight blinked, thinking that she didn’t see well, but then it happened again. A shadow the size of a pony, with tentacles where the mane should have been, moved effortlessly inside the reflection. Its glowing white eyes looked at her for a moment before slithering to cover, without a flap of wings or magic, so Twilight concluded it was through mental prowess that it did so. Was this why Chrysalis had told her to not fly? The rules of the real world seemed to be a bit more… lax in this place.

She trotted closer to Chrysalis, who either didn’t notice, or wasn’t bothered by the strange shadows that were now gathering around them. Twilight poked Chrysalis, while simultaneously shying away from the narrowing pathway. She didn’t notice the pathway going down and into a dark cave until Chrysalis laid a hoof in front of her.

“Chrysalis…”

“Shhhh!!” Chrysalis raised a hoof in front of her mouth, motioning for her to be quiet, but that didn’t stop Twilight from gulping as the shadowy forms emerged out of the crystals. Shyly, the black figures shimmered as they crossed their crystalline refuge, and as they did Twilight noticed them gaining color, their features becoming more distinct and clear. They looked like a mix of changelings and ponies, and wore masks of different colors with different expressions painted on each of them. Curious, and attracted by the magic of the couple, their liquid semi-transparent forms slithered in the sea that was the aether of the spirit world. Their eyes wide open, never closing, watched the living couple in front of them with interest, tilting their heads to the side.

Faced with such a sight, even Twilight’s attention failed to stop her from bumping into Chrysalis.

“We’re here.”  The Queen of the changelings turned to her mate and rubbed her neck, smiling awkwardly “Sorry Twi, forgot to tell you where we’re going. This is where Queen Metis lives in the spirit world.” 

She made sure the two of them stood firmly on the ground. “Don’t mind the spirits, so long as you don’t harm them you’ll be fine. Just don’t make any rash movements. If need be I will defend you, trust me, okay?” The Queen held Twilight’s hoof to her own chest, looking deep into the young alicorn. Twilight smiled, unable to resist Chrysalis’s comforting eyes, and the steady warm beat of her chest. She took a deep breath, focusing on the positive emotions in her heart.

She nodded as she felt, no, heard something. A soft aura in the wind was felt, softly playing with it, dancing around the crystalline arrays echoing from the maw of the earth ahead, slowly rising each second. The spirits raised their heads, their ears fully perked as they listened and breathed the alien song that flowed through the air, filling everyone that heard it with a blissful serenity that calmed them as they held dearly the singer’s wish and exalted the life that was given to them.

The singer made her way out of the maw of the earth, her very essence calling to the world around her. Earth, stone, and sky started singing with her, endless love burned around them, embers shared the colors of ‘her’ eyes and shimmered in her sun-golden mane. Her pure white chiton flowed effortlessly around her body, the silver lining complimenting her grace. 

All Twilight could say was swallowed up in an instant, and Chrysalis wasn’t much for words either. The couple was enveloped, immersed in the experience, basking in the glory of the ancient Queen. The tall changeling continued her enchanting song, honoring those who had come to her. Concluding her performance and leaving a profound nostalgia for her singing in their hearts Queen Metis spoke.

“Welcome to the spirit world, I am Queen Metis. What can I do for you?”
> Pyroblast by AuthorGenesis
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by AuthorGenesis

Chrysalis watched with interest as she watched her ally Twilight Sparkle siphon the mana portions that a Changeling could create and feeding it into a rapidly swirling magic sphere with orange, reds, and yellow hues.

Once each Changeling couldn’t give any more mana, a pair of worker ‘lings would lift them to the side to rest and recover. Twilight continued forming this magical sphere growing it and growing it until it was the size of a large stallion, such as Big Mac and Shining Armor.

“Twilight? How is it that there are no Royal Guards attacking us? I mean, it’s pretty hard to miss a patrol of changelings out here just off the main trading route,” inquired Queen Chrysalis.

“What? Oh! That’s easy! I just simply used an enviro-meld illusion spell and combined it with a perception aversion  spell. As long as they don’t bump into any’ling under the combined spells, then they’re essentially rendered invisible to the pony eye,” Twilight explained, vastly simplifying the more complex and technical parts so that Chrysalis could understand. It wasn’t that she thought Chrysalis was stupid, by no means. But the time that she spent with her friends taught her that not everyone could understand the same complex ideas and verbose vocabulary as she did.

“Another question then. Why haven’t any of the wagons and caravans detected what you’re doing on the road?” Chrysalis asked Twilight.

“Because I’m using the same spell as I am on the ‘ling patrol,” Twilight explained succinctly.

“Okay, then why hasn’t anypony felt anything or raised an alarm when passing through it? For that matter, why hasn’t anypony been blasted yet?” Chrysalis asked, still gazing in wonderment at the complexity of Twilight’s magical spellweaving.

“Well, because I’ve disguised the magical frequencies to match that of a natural mana node. As for why it doesn’t go off, it’s because I haven’t yet woven in the magical targeting algorithm. No target set, it’s not armed, and if it’s not armed, then it doesn’t have any reason to trigger the explosion,” Twilight explained.

“I don’t understand you, Twilight. Why would you help us Changelings after the attack on Canterlot Castle during your brother’s wedding day?” The Changeling queen asked and raised a brow as she continued to watch Twilight at work.

"I was upset, really upset. I wondered why you would attack the castle with such numbers, with such swiftness and then bind or place in pods the captured ponies. It got me to asking myself why you would chose to reveal the Changeling race when before we hadn’t even known what a Changeling was, or even what one might look like! Why come out of the shadows in which you remained hidden? I would find myself asking questions like these quite often over the next several days. Then, while I read a book about domestic and foreign military tactics, then I started having a thought. I thought to myself, ‘Twilight, what if this was a supply/ demand problem for the Changelings? What if they only attacked because their demand was greater than their current supply? As a ruler of a kingdom, would their attack on Canterlot make sense as a desperation tactic? A sort of gambol on the success of the offensive operation, and thereby claiming spoils of war to help a hungry nation? So, while I disagreed with your execution, I am not unsympathetic to the plight of you and your ‘lings,” Twilight expounded to Chrysalis.

“Okay, that still doesn’t answer why you would abandon your subjects to aid the Changeling cause. Nor of why you would even bother to find me,” Chrysalis asked Twilight.

“I don’t exactly see what I’m doing as a betrayal or abandonment of my subject or my kingdom, but rather that I’m a pioneer in favor of establishing healthy Equestrian-Changeling relations and alliances. As for finding you? That was sheer dumb luck,” Twilight explained as she continued to siphon one of the last six ‘lings for their mana to feed into her spell.

“Explain,” Chrysalis requested.

“Well, after the majority of the changelings were ejected from Canterlot, the Royal Guards captured some Changelings that hadn’t gotten blasted away. They were taken as prisoners of war and then Celestia, Luna and I studied Changeling physiology and their arcane matrices in order to try to discover a way to ‘decloak’ them, without them being aware of their having been discovered. I have to say that many of your soldiers held out, even unto death. You should be proud of how loyal they were to you and their fellow ‘lings. Still, hunger can break even the mightiest warrior, so we had enough Changelings who showed us their bio-arcane disguising methods. Also, we discovered that a Changeling’s body temperature is not the same as ponies, so really it was far easier to repurpose a thermal vision spell for catching disguised changelings. I merely had mine active to determine how many changelings there might remain in Canterlot. So, I had it active when I encountered you. So, from your size and your temperature matching mostly with that of a Changeling, then while my encountering you was mere chance, I knew with a lot of confidence that you were likely Chrysalis in disguise,” Twilight continued her verbose and informative explanation to her ally.

She had just finished siphoning the last ‘ling and proceeded to weave the targeting spells as well as the activation spells along with some guidance spells and an anchoring spell. “Alright, every’ling, retreat into the forest line!” Twilight commanded.

The Changelings looked to their queen, getting a nod of confirmation, and so every’ling retreated into the forest, the bushes and shrubs hiding them from plain sight.

“Still, doesn’t this kind of tactic go against your attempt to establish peaceful Equestrian-Changeling relations and alliances?” Chrysalis asked.

“As much as I’d like to jump straight to peaceful negotiations, do you really think that the ruling Sisters of Equestria will really welcome you back to Canterlot with open hooves after an attack by you and your ‘lings against them and their subjects?” Twilight asked.

“... Most likely not,” Chrysalis admitted.

“That’s why, this time we focus on attacking their supply routes and caravans. Then there will be less goods and distribution, eventually leading to a similar state of deprivation and starvation that the Changelings faced. Then as they weaken, they may be more sympathetic to your plight and be more willing to establish a truce or alliance between the Equestrian nation and the Changeling one,” Twilight reasoned.

“So how does this spell of yours work?” Chrysalis interpreted for one of the ‘lings who asked Twilight.

“Just watch, here comes a caravan now. Be prepared to loot and plunder every’ling!” Twilight responded.

Once the leading wagons of the caravan was dead center, there was a wagon sized explosion of fire. The cloaked spell moved to the next cart setting off another explosion and it continued until the end of the wagons in this caravan. It looked like a fiery serpent from a distance. There could be smelt the disgusting odor of ponies being burned alive, others screaming in pain, their coat and hide seared with severe burns. Others were running to and fro trying to extinguish the burning wagons.

“Go, go, go, go! Leave none alive!” Twilight shouted as Changelings burst out from the forest, like a raiding band of brigands. They transformed into unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies. Pegasi fought with Changeling pegasi ponies. Unicorns fought against Changeling unicorns. And earth ponies fought against Changeling earth ponies. While all this was happening Twilight was casting a Deluge spell to extinguish the fires of the caravan, so that no all of the supplies would be lost.

Chrysalis had been helping to defeat the unicorns, and then the earth ponies. Once they had been slain, then all of the remaining ground-bound Changelings shed their disguises and helped slay the remaining pegasi.

“Right! Let’s unload the wagons, see if there is anything salvageable. We take it if it is, or we’ll burn it with the wagons if it isn’t,” Twilight instructed, a hoof gingerly touching her over-worked horn and wincing from the aching throb it gave.

The Changelings went to work with a will, as they salvaged what could be salvaged, or they moved the stuff that couldn’t be salvaged into a pile, the charred remains of the wagons encircling the pile.

Many of the Changelings conversed animatedly with their fellow lings’ in their unique inequine tongue, filled with hope and the rush of being victorious.

The Changeling Queen looked over to the slumbering form of Twilight, carrying her to their camp in the woods, and using the hivemind to instruct her ‘lings to carry the loot to the camp and that several should light the pile of the unsalvageable goods and wagons on fire until there was nothing but ash.

“I don’t understand you, Twilight Sparkle, but thank you for giving me and my children a second chance.”

The Changeling queen felt something within her carapace. It was a warm and happy feeling. It surprised her, because surely Changelings couldn’t generate emotions … . Could they?
> Archeological dig by neokiva
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by neokiva

Morning outside of Ponyville a blinding light appeared high above the clouds, it hurtled towards Ponyville at high speed, before impacting the earth just outside Twilight’s tree library. the impact shook the library waking Twilight groggily looked out the window, Only to find a large crater with what looked like a hole.

“Oh my Celestia this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to study a real live star!” Twilight waking up fully gathered parchment, a pith helmet and her favorite quill made from one of Celestia’s feather’s. Twilight hurried down the stairs of her library, popping into her basement lab to collect sample beakers and tools. Swiftly she left the library, leaving a slightly bewildered Spike alone in the library kitchen.

As Twilight made it to the lip of the crater, she heard the sounds of a groaning mare. What a pony was hit!? forgetting her studies she rushed into the crater and came upon the black form of Chrysalis the changeling Queen. She had wounds all over her body, her green blood pooling into the bottom of the crater.

Gasping Twilight darted towards Chrysalis’s mutilated form, as she galloped up to her Twilight used her magic to turn Chrysalis on her back to clear her airways. When she looked at the extent of her wounds Twilight grimaced, Chrysalis looked up wearily to see what was picking her up. When her eyes met Twilight’s she laughed at her misfortune, coughing up blood.

“Come to finish me off Twilight Sparkle? Well do it, get it over with kill me, the last changeling, I don’t think I’ll survive and all my children are dead.” Chrysalis said as she resigned herself to her fate, tears falling down her chitinous face as she closed her eyes, waiting for a final blow to end her.  

Minutes passed and nothing happened “Twilight Sparkle, do you mean to let me suffer. Haven’t you done enough!? At least grant me the mercy of a quick death!” Chrysalis shouted coughing and sputtering blood over herself and Twilight. Twilight frowned,

“I will not kill you Chrysalis! Why would you think that I would?”  Twilight asked.

“Because you’re already responsible for the death all my children, just as surely as if you held the weapon that ended their suffering!”Chrysalis Raged at Twilight. “You ponies are all the same!”

Twilight’s horn glowed as she charged up a spell. “Finally, I am coming to join you my poor foals.” Chrysalis said as she closed her eyes. All pain ended for Chrysalis as she ceased to exist. The sense of numbness disappeared as they returned in full force, the only new sensation she felt was a softness beneath her battered body. Chrysalis felt another spell flowing over her as the pain finally subsided.

Opening her eye’s she saw Twilight Sparkle holding rubbing alcohol and other medical supplies in her magic as she was cleaning Chrysalis’ wounds “Twilight Sparkle, why are you helping me? Is it to ease your guilty conscience? What does it matter anyway, the Changeling race is doomed with only me alive to repopulate, the species and what pony would even want a monster as a mate?” Twilight looked up from her task quirking an eyebrow. Now that her pains had been numbed she could sense emotions again and she felt a wave of concern wash over her. Which confused her immensely.

“Chrysalis, I am not going to let you die, especially when I can do something to keep you alive. Despite my feelings towards how you ruined my brother’s wedding kidnapped my sister-in-law and tricked my friends into turning their backs on me, I don’t hate you. Besides even though you went about it the wrong way you only thought of feeding your children, if you were a real monster Chrysalis you wouldn’t care at all. You were doing the wrong thing for the right reasons.” Twilight finished up bandaging Chrysalis’ wounds and put away her medical supplies in her wardrobe.

Turning around Twilight lit her horn and used her magic to tuck the bewildered Changeling Queen in bed.  "Now you lay there and rest, while I inform Spike you are here."

“What in Tartarus just happened?” Chrysalis mutter to herself, finding the whole situation bizarre.


******


Twilight trotted down the stairs to the library proper and turned to see, Spike waiting for her. “So are you going to tell me what is going on?”

Twilight grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of her neck, “Well you see I found Queen Chrysalis in a crater, near death and I brought her in to heal her wounds.

Spike’s widened “What!? Why would you help her after what she did?”

“Spike, if I didn’t help her then I would be the monster not her, it is the right thing to do. Everypony deserves a second chance and if she is dead how is she going to make it up to everypony she hurt hmmm?” Twilight said tapping her right hoof waiting for Spike to try and overcome her unassailable logic. Eventually after trying to think of a way that Twilight was wrong Spike slumped down.

“Fine, just be careful Twilight, don’t let her brainwash you.” Spike said grumbling.

“I am going to check up on her, again. You stay here and tend the library.”


******


As Twilight returned to her bedroom she saw Chrysalis deep in thought. When she noticed Twilight’s entrance she asked “Okay what’s your angle, how do you benefit from saving me?”

Twilight shook her head smiling at Chrysalis, which unnerved her.  Twilight climbed up onto the bed and booped Chrysalis on the nose causing her to scrunch her nose up. “You silly mare, there isn’t anything in it for me.”

Suddenly a burst of light filled Twilight’s bedroom, out of it Celestia appeared her wings flared anger on her face. “Chrysalis get away from my student! Twilight get behind me!” Celestia shouted her horn glowing as she charged a spell to end the changeling before her. A flash of purple telekinetic energy ‘Flicked’ Celestia’s horn causing her to lose her spell.

“Princess Celestia, use that brain in your head and not the one in your horn and use your words not your magic!” Celestia blinked owlishly at Twilight’s outburst.

“Twilight! Why did you stop me!? I came to save you!” Celestia exclaimed

“That’s because I don’t require saving, that’s more your thing!” Twilight shouted causing Celestia to flinch back as if slapped.

“I am helping her, because she was injured and near death of course you would know that if you’d just talk instead of coming in all horns blazing!” Twilight waved her hoof at Celestia. As she continue her rant, Celestia fell back on her haunches her ears pinned back as the dynamic had switched between them.

“Anyway since you are here, I will be helping Chrysalis get back on her hooves and helping her make amends for what she did.” Twilight explained to Celestia.

“But she attacked Equestria!” Celestia shouted back

“So did your sister and where is she now?” Twilight retorted “Or do you plan on taking back the lesson you taught me about second chances and becoming a hypocrite?” Twilight asked as Celestia reeled back as if punched in the gut.

“And how can I be your faithful student, when you keep on doubting me or what I say? this is the second time you’ve doubted me.” Twilight said as Chrysalis behind her began snickering earning a hoof upside the head from Twilight.

“Chrysalis, don’t laugh at Princess Celestia’s predicament.” Twilight said as Chrysalis rubbed her head where Twilight had swotted her with her hoof pouting. Celestia snickered in response, only to earn a death glare from Twilight silencing her.

“Now what do you two say to each other?” Twilight asked

Celestia drew circles with her right forehoof and Chrysalis looked away both mumbling

“Sorry, I invaded Canterlot to feed my foals.” Chrysalis said almost petulantly

“I am sorry, I tried to kill you.” Celestia said pouting

Twilight smiled cheerfully “Now that’s better.”

“Well this has been one of the weirdest days for me, ever.” Chrysalis bemoaned.

“Yes it’s up there for me too, why do I feel like a scolded foal.” Celestia replied, a way she hasn't felt in over a thousand years.

Turning to look at the beaming Twilight, Celestia groaned and cast a spell, that should shield your mind from her brainwashing attempts.

Twilight glared at Celestia who promptly added “It’s just a precaution Twilight. And I gotta go I have the thing with the pony.” Celestia with all haste teleported away.

Twilight turned to look at Chrysalis who had a thoughtful expression on her face she opened her mouth and closed it several times, before settling on “Twilight thank you for defending me from princess Celestia’s wrath. Before I continue I want to ask you, what do you think of me? Aesthetically I mean.” Chrysalis asked red colouring her cheeks.
> Pounds by Level Dasher
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Level Dasher

Chrysalis turned over in the bed, reaching for her partner. When her holey hoof found empty space, her eyes shot open.

“Twilight?”

“Over here, Chrissy,” Twilight called quietly from across the room, laying back in a huge chair. “Sorry, I didn’t want to keep waking you up.”

“You only woke me up twice. I can understand feeling a bit restless— royalty comes with stress,” Chrysalis responded.

“I woke up again, Chrissy. And again. And again. And that’s not why I was getting up. I’ve been…” She groaned. “I was using the restroom like mad. After the third time, I moved over here.”

“Oh, Sweetie, you didn’t need to—”

“Yes, I did. It’s not fair that you should get an unpleasant night’s sleep because I’m… having issues. And I don’t even know why.”

“Are you feeling alright otherwise?”

Twilight sighed. “Meh. I’ve felt better. Stomach feels a little off, but nothing crazy.”

Chrysalis started for the door. “Maybe some breakfast will help you feel better.”

Twilight put a hoof up. “Don’t. I don’t really want to eat.” She sighed and put her head down, then put a hoof over her barrel. “I feel like I even put on a few pounds. I need to watch myself at Pinkie’s parties. I’m getting as bad as Celestia.”

Chrysalis couldn’t help but snicker at that remark. “Sweetie, you look beautiful. So what if you’re gaining a tiny bit of weight— it certainly doesn’t look like it.”

“Yes it DOES!” Twilight whined. “I’m getting fat and there’s nothing I can do about it! I’m tired and I want to sleep, but I keep getting up to go to the bathroom!”

Chrysalis let out a sigh. “I’m sorry, honey. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?”

“Yes. Hypnotize me into thinking I’m asleep.”

Chrysalis grimaced. “It… doesn’t really work that way, sweetie. Besides, only actual rest would help you feel better. If anything, my hypnotism would make you feel worse.”

Twilight let out a growl. “Grrrr… This isn’t fair! Why is all of Equestria against me?! All I want is a good night’s sleep, but I can’t even do that without worrying about getting myself wet! What’s wrong with me?!”

“Honey, honey, please,” Chrysalis walked to Twilight, who held her head in her hooves. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong. I’m sure it’s just—”

A switch flipped in Chrysalis’s head. “Honey, what’s that stallion’s name? Chad? Brad? Fre—”

“FLASH SENTRY!” Twilight screamed. “Why does everypony have some kind of problem with him?!”

“I don’t, honey, I don’t,” Chrysalis said, trying to calm her partner down. “Do you remember a few weeks ago when you asked me to transform into him so we could role play?”

Twilight crossed her hooves and grunted, “Yes, why?”

Chrysalis cleared her throat. “Umm… have I told you that when Changelings transform into the opposite gender, their biological anatomy changes as well?”

Twilight pouted. “What does that have to—”

Her eyes popped.

“Are you kidding me??”
> Toothbrush by Mare Imbrium
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

by Mare Imbrium

Even if you've been in a relationship for a long time, moving in together always comes with new challenges and adjustments.  It's a time of strife and adjustment; of new boundaries and compromises.

Corollary to this, no area of any joined household has spawned more conflict throughout history than the toilet.

"Chrysalis, what in the world is that," at a loss for words, Twilight Sparkle pointed at the object of her offence with a hoof, "that thing?  And why is it in the toothbrush cup!?"

"Well, I think you've just answered your own question, now haven't you?"

"Are you really trying to play that game?"

"What game?" Twilight rolled her eyes.

"The one where you feign ignorance instead of answer the damn question," she growled.  Chrysalis doubled down.

"I wouldn't have to 'feign ignorance' if you didn't 'feign outrage' at my toothbrush going where toothbrushes go."

"Chrysalis."

"Yes, love?"

"That's not a toothbrush."

"Why would you say something so hurtful?  What did it ever do to you?"

"Nothing!  I mean, no, I, aaaagh!  No.  Look.  Just look at it.  What part of this thing says 'hello, I am a brush and I go in your mouth' to you?  It doesn't even have bristles!"  Indeed, it did not.

"My dentist gave this to me, you know.  I asked her for a purple one because it would remind me of you, but she was out." Chrysalis grimaced at the disappointing memory, then brightened up. "So I ate her!" Then she sighed, "Such a pity, I liked that dentist, too..."

"You what?  What!?"  Twilight was momentarily taken aback before logic reasserted itself. "No, you don't go to the dentist!  You've never gone to a dentist!  You don't even have teeth!  Not in the conventional sense!  I should know, I wrote the only current book on changeling biology!"

"You're not being very tolerant, Twilight," Chrysalis pouted.

"It's not about tolerance!  That just can't possibly work!"

"Well it works fine for me!"

"Also, it's made of metal.  Sharp metal."

"Are you calling me weak!?  Oh Twilight, is that how you think of me?  Just a weakling charity case who you date out of pity?" Twilight's sigh was one that spoke of long torment.

"It was cutting through my magic," she deadpanned.  "I levitated it.  It was cutting through magic, stars alive what is that thing, you can't cut magic, I can't even-" Twilight's accelerating urgency as reality made a valiant effort at falling apart on her was interrupted by concern.

"You used magic?  Shells, I hope you didn't break it!  These are expensive and you can't handle them with magic!"  Completely at odds with her explanation, Chrysalis lifted it with her magic to inspect it closely.  Twilight sighed again.

"You bought it?"

"Duh.  I'm no criminal, Sparklecheeks.  You know this."

"No, I mean you said before that your dentist gave it to you."

"What's a dentist?"

"You are-" realising the situation was well on its way out of control, Twilight cut off her peevish response and breathed deep to calm down.

"No I'm not.  I'm a changeling queen.  Do you need another 'anatomy lesson' to clarify things, little miss author?"  Twilight never finished her breathing exercise, as she began coughing.  Chrysalis managed to hold her serious face for only a second longer before breaking down in laughter.

"Grrr, Chryssy! You are impossible!"

"And you're too easy, love.  Anyway, it's about time for bed, move aside I need to brush my teeth."

"But!  Oh, I give up.  I'll just observe what's going on for my- OH CELESTIA'S BEARD, WHAT ARE YOU DOING, MAKE IT STOOOOP!"

Shortly after, the royal suite had a second powder room added for Chrysalis's exclusive use.