Ch. 7

>Anon finishes the last of the non-toxic fruits and mushrooms brought to him by the former Queen of the Changelings.
>Licking a bit of berry juice from his fingers, he smiles.
>Chrysalis stares at him, unblinking eyes focused on his every movement.
>Anon ignores her, and looks up towards the sky.
>A soft breeze caresses his cheek.
>He closes his eyes, and sighs.
>Chrysalis leans forward in anticipation.
>Anon slowly looks back down at her.
>”She looks so different than when I first saw her,” he thinks to himself. “Or maybe…”
>He looks past her to the treeline.
A: “Maybe I’m the one who’s different.”
>Chrysalis cocks her head slightly, unsure what Anon is talking about.
>She shifts her posture slightly, as he simply stares off into space for an uncomfortable length of time.
C: “Anon?”
>He snaps back from his thoughts.
A: “Yeah?”
>His flat response almost makes Chrysalis wince, but she suppresses it.
C: “You enjoyed the feast I brought you, yes?”
A: “Oh, yeah. I was really hungry after tussling with this guy,”
>Anon pats the timberwolf behind him.
A: “Thank you.”
>He stands, looking away from her again towards the trees.
>He starts to take a step, but Chrysalis grabs his hand with her magic, gently pulling on him.
C: “That’s it?”
>She looks at him with wide eyes, attempting to conceal the disappointment in her voice.
>Anon looks down at her with a confused expression.
C: “Well?”
A: “What?”
>Exasperated, she stands up and stomps her hoof.
C: “What do you mean ‘what’!? I brought you food! Aren’t you feeling… Love?”
>Chrysalis slowly lowers her voice as Anon’s blank expression confuses her.
>He looks her up and down, squinting his eyes as he seems to ponder something.
>Growing irritated by his silence, she yells.
C: “Well!?”
>Anon smirks.
A: “You know, you’re actually really cute when you’re upset.”
>Taken aback, Chrysalis blushes and scrunches her face.
>Anon kneels down and brushes a lock of her hair from her face, and her expression softens, while her blush deepens.
>He leans in and gently kisses her.
>Her back arches as she tries to lean into his kiss, to draw more love out of him.
>But Anon, instead, pulls away.
>He stands again, and looks away from her, eyes on the horizon.
C: “A-Anon?”
>More confused than before, she tries to read his expression.
>His eyes are full of vigor, his slight smile eluding to thoughts beyond her reach.
C: “I… I want more…”
>She tries to push closer to him, but Anon place a hand on her head, stopping her.
A: “Not now. I want out of this damn forest.”
C: “Wha-? Don’t defy me! Give me your love!”
>Rather than sounding angry, or demanding, her voice sounds hurt. Pleading.
>Anon doesn’t respond.
>Instead, with one quick motion he picks her up and throws her over his shoulder.
C: “W-what are you-?”
>Anon walks over to the timberwolf, and it stands up, as if responding to some silent command.
>Without a word anon slings Chrysalis onto its back, and then hops on himself.
A: “Let’s go.”
>The timberwolf shivers, and then takes off at a full sprint.
>As the blur of green and brown passes them by, and the sound of creaking wood and snapping twigs echoes around them, Chrysalis cannot help but look up at Anon.
>He looks forward, paying the Changeling little mind as they speed through the trees.
>His visage is one of determination, of clear intent.
>Chrysalis jostles about as the timberwolf leaps across a stream, and is suddenly made aware of the embarrassing position she’s been put in, strewn across the beast’s back like a sack.
>She opens her mouth, ready to protest her predicament, but seeing Anon’s face drives the thought from her mind.
>Instead, she simply smiles.
>”Soon.” She thinks to herself. “Very soon…”

~

>The sun begins to set as Anon and Chrysalis finally reach the edge of the Everfree forest.
>A great plain stretches before them, flowers of every color dot the sea of green grass, rolling across like waves as far as the eye can see.
>On the horizon, many miles away, a twinkling reflection of the evening sunlight reveals their destination.
>The Crystal Empire.
>The timberwolf slows its pace, then stops.
>Anon, with a sigh, hops off.
>As he lifts Chrysalis from the beast’s back, she finally breaks the silence.
C: “Why have we stopped?”
>Anon scritches the timberwolf beneath its chin.
A: “We’ll have to walk the rest of the way.”
C: “What? Why?”
A: “This is as far as he can go.”
>With that, Anon nods to the timberwolf. It stares for a moment, then bows its head.
>A gust of wind blows around them, and with a flurry of leaves the timberwolf disappears.
>After a moment, Chrysalis smirks.
C: “So you speak ‘timberwolf’ now?”
>Anon just smiles at her mocking tone.
A: “Nah.” 
>He chuckles.
A: “I just- I could tell what it was feeling.”
>The smirk on the Changeling’s face grows as she gives him a mischievous look.
C: “You’re getting stronger…”
>She licks her lips.
C: “Can you tell what *I’m* feeling?”
>Anon ignores her teasing, looking out across the field before them.
A: “It’s going to take us a while to get there. C’mon.”
>Chrysalis doesn’t move.
>After a few steps, Anon realizes that she isn’t following him, and turns around.
A: “What’s wrong?”
C: “Hmph.”
>She turns her nose up at him, and looks away dismissively.
C: “Nothing.”
>She trots over to stand beside him, while refusing to look in his direction.
>Anon sighs.
A: “Are you… Mad?”
>She doesn’t answer.
A: “Tired?”
>Her ear twitches, but she gives no response.
A: “Hmm. Hungry?”
C: “Hmph.“
>Anon grins.
A: “Alright, alright. I get it. We’ll take a break here.”
C: “That isn’t necessary.”
>Her voice is almost a pout.
>Anon laughs.
A: “Clearly it is.”
>He gives a last look over the horizon, then plops down onto the grass.
>He pats his lap.
A: “C’mere.”
>Trying to keep a serious face, Chrysalis silently lays down beside him, and cuddles up close to his side.
>A tiny smile betrays her feelings.
>Anon smiles, too, and puts an arm around her.
>She lets out a quiet gasp at his brazen affection.
>Anon closes his eyes and lays back onto the grass, pulling Chrysalis with him.
>He opens his eyes and stares up at the stars as he holds her close to him.
>He can feel her strange body pulse beneath his grip as she relaxes.
A: “The stars here are beautiful.”
C: “Hmm?”
A: “I’ve never quite got used to how different the sky is here.”
C: “What do you mean?”
A: “It’s just… The sky is so clear. So pristine. So… I don’t know. It makes me happy just to look at it. But also… It makes me kinda sad. You could never see the stars so clearly back in… Back where I come from.”
>Chrysalis looks at the stars, and then leans her head over onto Anon’s shoulder to look at him.
C: “Where *do* you come from?”
>Anon sighs.
A: “I don’t know if you’d believe me if I told you.”
C: “Huh? Nonsense. Tell me.”
A: “I’m from another world. Another dimension, or something.”
C: “How did you get here?”
A: “I don’t know. One day I just… Woke up. And I was here. Well, in Ponyville.”
C: “Ugh. Ponyville.”
>Anon laughs.
A: “The ponies were actually really nice to me when I showed up.”
>Chrysalis is silent for a moment, looking wide-eyed at Anon as he gazes towards the heavens.
C: “So why did you leave? You were pretty far away from that horrible place when we met.”
>Anon sighs.
A: “I’m not like those ponies. They’re too… Nice. I guess I just felt bad being there.”
C: “Humans aren’t nice, then?”
A: “Some are. But most are… How do I put it? Self-centered, I guess. Most people are so focused on their own lives and problems they never really stop to think of anybody else.”
C: “Hmm. Your world is very different from this one, then?”
A: “Oh yeah. Way different. For one, there’s no talking ponies. And the ponies we have look a lot different, too. Not nearly as ‘cute’.”
C: “I think I might enjoy your world, Anon.”
>Anon smiles.
A: “It can be a crazy place. You just might fit in. Why do you hate ponies so much, anyway?”
C: “Their incessant friendliness and positivity are overbearing. They disgust me.”
>Anon chuckles.
A: “You’ve been pretty friendly yourself, recently, Chryssi.”
>She scoffs.
C: “A Queen is expected to provide for her subjects.”
A: “I’m not one of your ‘subjects’.”
C: “You’re my King, and as Queen it is my duty to-”
>Anon’s laughter interrupts her, and he sits up, shaking his head.
C: “W-what? Why are you laughing?”
A: “Since when am I a King?”
>Realizing the implication of what she just said, Chrysalis begins to stammer out a response, but Anon interrupts her, his tone becoming serious.
A: “I’m not a puppet. I’m not gonna roll over and let you control me, Chrysalis.”
>There is silence between them for several minutes.
>Emotions swirl through Chrysalis’s head, and she can’t find the words to express what she wants to say.
C: “Anon…”
A: “Yeah?”
C: “Why do you want to go to the Crystal Empire? I thought… Do you really desire conquest?”
>Anon looks up at the stars.
>”I just want to be free of this curse.” He thinks to himself. “Right?”
>He looks down at his hand.
>”But… Do I really? I’ve never felt so powerful. I’ve never felt so… Alive.”
>He clenches his fist.
>”What *do* I want? Maybe… Maybe this is what I’m meant to be. Maybe I’m…”
A: “I’m a human. Conquest, war… That’s sorta what we do.”
C: “So humans are a race of monsters, after all. You’re only following your nature.”
A: “No, that’s… Not quite right. At least, I don’t think so. Humans in general are… Well I wouldn’t call them monsters.”
>Anon looks back towards the sky, just in time to see a shooting star.
>A wicked smile creeps upon his face.
A: “But me?”
>He points at himself with his thumb, and looks down at Chrysalis beside him.
A: “I’m definitely a monster.”
C: “So you’re not lying when you say you want to take the Crystal Empire?”
>Anon thinks to himself for a moment, and then suddenly stands up.
A: “I’ve decided.”
>Chrysalis looks up at him.
A: “I’m not going to take the Crystal Empire.”
C: “You-”
A: “I’m going to take everything.”
C: “Oh?”
>Chrysalis’s growing concern and broiling despair suddenly begin to fade, as she watches Anon look out upon the night, an odd fire in his eyes.
A: “This world… This perfect little world…”
>He raises his arm, hand outstretched, palm facing upwards.
A: “I’m going to make it mine.”
>His fingers curl into a fist.
A: “No more living like a hermit. No more running away.”
>A vision of Twilight and the other ponies flashes through his mind.
>“No more pain.” He thinks to himself.
C: “Anon…”
>Chrysalis is breathing heavily, staring at Anon with glittering eyes, enraptured by his ambition.
>He looks down at her.
>He’d got so caught up in his own thoughts he almost forgot he was talking to her, and not to himself.
>”This curse…” He thinks. “No. Fuck the curse. This is what I want.”
A: “That means you, too.”
C: “W-what?”
>Chrysalis’s expression is a mix of arousal and worry.
>The dark flames in his eyes frighten her, but at the same time, he’s everything she wanted him to be.
>No.
>He’s more.
>What is this she’s feeling?
>This isn’t love…
>Is it?
>He steps closer to her, standing directly over her.
C: “A-Anon!?”
A: “You’re the first. The first thing in this world I’m taking.”
>He kneels beside her, and reaches out a hand to touch her chin.
A: “You’re mine.”
>A jolt of fear shoots through her, and something finally snaps.
>Chrysalis regains a bit of her composure, and her pride.
>She stands straight up, and knocks Anon’s hand away.
C: “Don’t get ahead of yourself! I am a Queen! I belong to nopony!”
>Anon stands tall, and crosses his arms.
C: “You-!”
>She hesitates.
C: “If anything, you belong to me! I’ll use you to take my revenge on those detestable ponies!”
A: “Go on then. Try it.”
>Silence.
>The two stare each other down.
>Anon stands tall, with a stoic stance and evil smirk.
>Chrysalis stands in a fighting stance, with a defiant glare, horn beginning to blaze with magical fury.
>After several painful seconds, Anon finally moves first, but before he can finish lifting his hand, green electricity explodes from the Changeling Queen’s horn, striking him in the face.
>Chrysalis’s eyes spark with energy as she asserts her dominance using her magic.
C: “Bow before your Queen!”
>He laughs.
A: “No.”
>With a loud *SNAP* her magic flashes brightly and explodes, and the backlash sends her tumbling backwards.
>Anon stands, unscathed, unmoved, still staring her down.
>Chrysalis jumps up and gets back into a fighting stance as quickly as she can.
>She looks into Anon’s eyes, trying to understand what he’s thinking.
>What he’s feeling.
>Pride.
>Greed.
>Lust.
>Chrysalis’s eyes widen as his wicked emotions overwhelm her.
>Her shoulders slump, her body relaxes, and she lowers her head in defeat.
>She is prepared for painful retribution from the Human Monster before her, and closes her eyes as he approaches.
>Anon gently trails a finger down the side of her face, and lifts her chin.
>With ragged breath she nervously allows him to tilt her head up to face him.
A: “Chrysalis.”
>There is no anger in his voice.
>She slowly opens her eyes, and he smiles.
A: “You’re mine.”
>Anon kisses her.
>She closes her eyes again, savoring the taste of his cruel love.
>He breaks the kiss, and she nearly collapses, but he catches her, and leans down, slowly allowing her to regain her footing.
A: “You want me to be your King?”
>She blushes.
C: “Yes…”
A: “Good.”
>He leans towards her ear and whispers.
A: “Because I want you to be my Queen.”
>Chrysalis’s body shudders at his words. She can feel the power emanating from him.
>She never imagined he’d grow in power so quickly.
>There’s no way she can control him now.
>There’s no way she can resist him now.
>But…
>She doesn’t want to control him anymore.
>She doesn’t want to resist him anymore.
>She wants to be controlled.
>She wants to give in.
>She wants him to take her.
C: “Anon…”
>Gently, he pushes her down.
C: “Anon, please…”
>His fingers trail down her neck.
C: “Take me…
>He leans over her.
C: “Make me yours…”
>His hands grasp her waist and pull her closer.
C: “Please…”
>He teases her with soft kisses on her neck, spreading her legs with his hands.
>She gasps.
C: “Please!”
>Anon looks into Chrysalis’s eyes.
C: “Give me your love!”

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