Celestia's Finest: Queen of Hearts

[Miltonian]

Rose walks down the now-familiar path to the Canterlot Dungeons. 'Familiar path', huh. When she joined the Guard, she never thought she'd say that. The guards recognize her on sight now, though still check to make sure she's not a changeling. There's been rumors that a number of them hold secret sympathies for their queen, 'despite all reason', according to many ponies. However, if that is the case, the changelings are remaining very silent. King Thorax's primary concern seems to be that the hive-mind his subjects were trapped in is not replicated by another, foreign power. He has personally sponsored much research into how it was done and how to prevent it in the future.

Rose is not a changeling though and the guards let her in. The warden sighs when he sees her. "Hello again, Lt. Rose. Back for another visit?" He shakes his head and mutters under his breath. "You know, I don't know how you manage to put up with her."

[DigoDragon]

Rose flicks back a few stray hairs and smiles. She's wearing a more casual affair-- the blue, short-sleeve button shirt and aviator jacket with her ids attached. "I've built up quite a lot of patience in my line of work. Some say perhaps too much, but well... here I am," She says softly, taking no offense.

"Any medical issues with Chrysalis lately I should address?"

[Miltonian]

"Patience of a saint. This goes on, I'll contact the Solar Order and nominate you myself," the warden says with a gruff (but friendly underneath) voice. He gets up and grabs his keys. "Come along."

As they walk down the final corridor, he answers her question. "Nothing new to speak of. Other than that she smiles every so often. Right out of a horror movie, that. Like the one where the one mare is chased through a station by an alien Xenopony." He unlocks the door and holds it open. "Same as always. Call when you're finished. We'll keep an eye on things, just to be safe."

Inside, Chrysalis is reading one of the books Rose and Sniper provided. Actually, the one that Sniper wrote. She sets it down when Rose enters. And she does smile too. "Ah, is it that time of week already?"

[DigoDragon]

Inside, Chrysalis is reading one of the books Rose and Sniper provided. Actually, the one that Sniper wrote. She sets it down when Rose enters. And she does smile too. "Ah, is it that time of week already?"

Rose nods to the warden when she enters. Inside she approaches the bars. The changeling's smile is... toothy, for lack of a better word. A little creepy, but also a little hopeful. Maybe someday Rose will have done Starlight some justice by finishing the work she started. "Not quite time for an examination, my friend. I was feeling a bit lonely and thought of you, so, hope you wouldn't mind some company. I see you're reading Sniper's book. Any good?"

[Miltonian]

"Complete rubbish," Chrysalis says, "But more enjoyable than some of these others. He has a perspective on things that comes through in his writing. A perspective I approve of. Much more level-headed and sensible than most ponies with their flighty ideas of freedom." She smiles at Rose. "Present company included, but don't take it too hard. It makes you adorable, even if it makes the rest of your kind unbearably dense sometimes."

She rises from the couch and comes to the bars. "Dropped in just to see me, hmm? Whatever is the matter? Can't take your mind off me?"

[DigoDragon]

"Adorable, huh? Hmm, I'll take it."

Rose takes in a breath at the last question. It's hard to explain without... well no, it's easy to explain, but Rose doesn't want to say it so forwardly. "I dunno, maybe your mind control still works on some low level with me. I mean, I can't say we have much in common; changeling queen, cyborg unicorn. But I guess... yeah, I can't take my mind off you. Your history, the things that led up to where you are, whatever interest this... Lord of the Stars has in you."

Rose suddenly remembered a thing and her ears shot up. "Oh! And I can't believe your justices. Stars and moon, the gall they had when you were at that trial. Grr. I'm trying to get a hearing with them to give a piece of my mind why horn removal is the worst thing ever." She lets out a snort.

[Miltonian]

She grimaces. "You're sympathy is welcome." She shifts and leans closer. "I too wish to know some of those things. Perhaps when you find out you could share them with me, hmm? Since we're such good friends and all." She pats Rose on the head. It's a slightly condescending gesture, but it's friendly too. And not many ponies get anything friendly out of Chrysalis.

"Now, we talk about me all the time. But right now, I'm curious about you. Let's switch topics, shall we?"

[DigoDragon]

"Now, we talk about me all the time. But right now, I'm curious about you. Let's switch topics, shall we?"

Rose calms down and nods about sharing info when she finds any. "Sure, what do you want to know? How I got these cybernetics? What my favorite foods are? Hobbies?" she asks.

"I like skydiving. It takes a bit of a crazy mind to want to jump out of a perfectly working airplane, you know?" Rose smirks at her little bit of humor. "Yeah, but I wasn't lucky enough to be born with wings, so... next best thing--falling. Might go for a drop next Sunday. It's been a while since I went."

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis nods. "Changelings can fly and do magic. And shapeshift into any form. She nods. "We truly are amazing creatures."

"Tell me whatever you wish. Though, I am curious. Is there anything in your life that you feel is missing?"

[DigoDragon]

"Missing?" Rose has to ponder the question. Not because she's unsure what to say, but because she knows all too well the answer and doesn't know how to say it without sounding silly.

"Well, I... it's like this--I have plenty of friends and some of them are dating. And most of the time we're all cool with each other and we hang out. But sometimes I feel, left wanting? Like, I don't have anyone I could intimately share things with. It can be rough some days at work and I come home to a room with nothing but a robot dog and my laptop. I thought about trying a dating service, but I've had ponies get uncomfortable holding my hooves in the triage room. Can't imagine how a date would fair if they don't like a mare who's half machine."

She looks up at the ceiling for a moment. "Guess you don't have such problems. You seem confident and self-assured to find someone if you wanted to."

[Miltonian]

"No," Chrysalis admits, "I do not have that problem. The greatest problem I have is this cuff." She points to the one on her horn and sighs. "I wish I could be free again. I...the one good thing about our meeting on Tartarus Station was that, for the briefest period of time, I could do what I willed when I willed. I was free." She smirks. "It was amazing."

She looks at Rose and her eyes travel over her cybernetics. "You must have been very beautiful. For a pony. Do you have any pictures from before?"

[DigoDragon]

"Someday," Rose said idly as she pulled out her phone. She flipped through for some old photos of herself before the accident. In a sad way, she didn't keep many on the phone. She finally finds a set of her with the old airship crew. It was off duty, and Rose wore nothing more than a sleeveless shirt.

"I have these from some years ago. This was shore leave while our airship was undergoing maintenance. That's me, just before we went on a mountain hike. That's Pops, our head mechanic. Grumpy old pegasus, but like a father to most of us. The other two are Lance and Alta. Good friends. Lance I think is still in the forces."

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis studies the picture, eyes narrowing. Then, she transforms and Rose is looking at herself, younger, with flesh legs and real, shining eyes. Chrysalis grins and, for once, it's pleasant to look at. "Well, this is..." She spins around and glances back at her flank. She flicks her tail and grins. "Thiiiis is very nice." She lounges on the couch.

Then she looks at Rose and quickly transforms back into herself. She clears her throat. "Yes. Well, you are very nice. And you..." She grits her teeth. "You are very nice still."

[DigoDragon]

Then she looks at Rose and quickly transforms back into herself. She clears her throat. "Yes. Well, you are very nice. And you..." She grits her teeth. "You are very nice still."

Rose blushes a little. She... she did look pretty back then. But did Chrysalis say she's still nice? Was that a real compliment? "Well, thank you for saying so. I'm still trying to believe it from myself."

"I think what's fascinating about changelings is that, no matter who they transform into, they have striking eyes I think. Yours are pretty unique, not like the others."

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis takes the compliment in stride. "I am the queen of all changelings," she says with pride, "It's only natural that I am the best of all my kind." She grins and shifts backwards onto the couch, ending up in a slightly saucy position. "I'd be curious," she says with a low purr, "to hear your opinion on the matter."

[DigoDragon]

"Well, you do have an alluring charm without equal," Rose answers. "Tall, wise, cunning... capable. And inside there's a little hint of pain, hurt. A vulnerable side, if you will, which I no doubt you'd deny and spit in my face for even daring to say such. Yet, it intrigues me, that this side completes you. Makes you interesting. The guards always wonder why I come back as often as I do to visit. I guess it's because you fascinate me. I... just really want to know you."

Rose shuffles in pace a bit, thinking what she said probably sounded silly. "Sometimes I could be at base doing the dishes and I think to myself, 'I hope Chrysalis is getting enough to eat'."

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis' smile grows wider and wider until she mentions 'vulnerable'. True to Rose's prediction, she snarls. But her following words do alleviate Chrysalis' rage. She snorts, mollified. "Yes. Well, they found a ponies in addition to you who would feed me. They, however, had to be coaxed with a healthy bribe and are far less nourishing."

"But, well, there is always a gnawing hunger at the back of my mind," she says, "But I am used to it. I dealt with it for a hundred years now. I can deal with it for a little longer. At least until I am released." She grins. "Or escapes."

"But back on the subject of you," she says, "Of all the ponies out there, what sort would be your preference?" She shifts into a strong, tall earth pony. "Is this better?" she asks in a deep, male voice. Next, she shifts into a petite pegasus with soft, silky feathers and a mane. "Or this?" she asks in a demure, honeyed tone. She returns to her natural form. "What is your dream, Rose?"

[DigoDragon]

"My dream? Well..." Rose sits down and looks hard at her own machine hooves. She slowly wiggles them. "To be honest, I don't care about their physical appearance. I just want someone who genuinely wants to share their life experience with me. My dream is to be snuggled with someone under a warm blanket on a cold night reading an awful book and exchanging terrible puns, and openly talking about whatever bothered us that day. Someone to go skydiving with on a sunny day, or want me along to terrorize the neighborhood kids on Nightmare Night."

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis listens politely, but a little stiffly. “I see,” she says, sounding mildly...off. Disappointed? Annoyed? Rose isn’t sure. “I suppose I have simple tastes. I just want the boundless, endless love of every creature in the world.” She chuckles. “If they ever permit Happy Hooves to visit me, I think I could grow powerful enough to snap this cuff off from a single hour spent with her. She is...naive, but innocent. And that makes her kindness genuine.”

[DigoDragon]

"I could actually see that. Happy Hooves is quite pure of heart. Like a fine Chianti wine, while someone like me is probably more like... I dunno, cheap champagne?" Rose lets out a single chuckle as she grins at her comparison. "Well, you do look healthier since Sniper and I have been visiting. I guess we're at least better than grape juice."

"Have you ever loved anyone, Chrysalis? Like, someone that truly made your heart flutter and you couldn't stop thinking about them?"

[Miltonian]

“No,” Chrysalis says flatly, “Never. Does my skin have a garishly green, blue, or orange tint to it? One that makes you want to claw your eyes out and forget what it was like to ever see? It doesn’t.”

She falls silent for a moment. Then, a grin spreads slowly over her face. “Yes. More than grape juice, but more like an appetizer than a full meal still. But I know how to fix that. I simply have to make you love me more. You know what I am, so there’s no point in hiding my motives. And to do that...I teach you my tricks. Teach you how to find and snare that pony who will do all...those things with you.” She looks triumphant. “What do you think of that?”

[DigoDragon]

Rose was a bit sad that Chrysalis never loved, but it wasn't an unexpected truth. She was right on the second part as well. Rose knew what she was; a flame in the night that lured in moths with her enticing light. If Rose wasn't careful, she would flutter too close to her fire.

Still, temptation was a curious thing. "I think... that I'd be curious to hear some of these tricks," she responded. Rose stood up slowly, leaning close to the bars with her attention fixed.

[Miltonian]

With a smirk, Chrysalis turns into a perfect copy of Rose, imitating her flawlessly, even down to how she carries herself. “First problem,” she says in Rose’s own voice, “You hate yourself. It shows in the way you walk. You hunch over and glance down whenever someone...looks you over, like you’re trying to hide your legs. It’s subtle. I doubt many ponies consciously notice it. You didn’t, I’m sure. But subconsciously, it broadcasts to the whole world that you’re worthless and their time would be better spent talking to anypony else.”

Then, she shifts subtly. Head held straighter, chest puffed out slightly, and eyes narrowed by the barest degree. “Change that and you can project confidence and power.” She loosens her posture, letting her shoulders roll easily, and gives her lips a slight upturn. Her eyes widen and she blinks several times to moisten them so they sparkle. “Or fun and friendliness. Both are vast improvements. You could also…” She hunches down a bit, but puts her head forward a little bit with eyes slightly hooded. Her tail rises every so slightly and flicks side to side. She looks, well, Rose looks sexy like that. “Try this.”

[DigoDragon]

Rose's heart-rate was ticking up a few points. Yeah, that looked... sexy. Chryssi's tips burned in her ears in a way that intrigued her. Rose never thought about her own body language like that! She would smile at other ponies, sure, but there was so much more to it. The pose, the glance, the way to move one's tail. Rose felt like a filly in front of the master of confidence.

She takes in a breath and then attempts to copy Chrysalis' third stance (as herself). It was like interesting, like a living mirror image to follow. She does her best impression of the sexy pose. "How is this?" she asked in a lower tone.

[Miltonian]

“You look like you’ve had a long day at work and are about to fall asleep on your hooves,” Chrysalis says bluntly, “Don’t close your eyes that much. It makes you look sleepy. And thrust your head forward, don’t hang it. Tail higher. Oh, just come to my side of the bars and I’ll fix it.”

There is a small button which allows visitors access to the prisoner’s side, but the door to the hallways is sealed once it is pressed to prevent escape.

[DigoDragon]

“You look like you’ve had a long day at work and are about to fall asleep on your hooves,” Chrysalis says bluntly, “Don’t close your eyes that much. It makes you look sleepy. And thrust your head forward, don’t hang it. Tail higher. Oh, just come to my side of the bars and I’ll fix it.”

There is a small button which allows visitors access to the prisoner’s side, but the door to the hallways is sealed once it is pressed to prevent escape.

Rose tried earnestly to follow the instructions. When Chrysalis suggested to come over on her side, Rose didn't think much of the request. She walked over to the control and pressed the button to access her cell.

[Miltonian]

Chrysalis takes full advantage of this access to Rose and poses her however she wishes, playing with her mane, her tail, and her posture until it is just perfect. She grabs Rose’s head and adjusts it so it’s in a comfortable, but forward, position. She lifts Rose’s tail up until she begins to feel a slight breeze and more than a little indecent. When she tries to lower it again, Chrysalis growls and yanks it back up, but a little higher this time. She puts Rose’s shoulders down and her hips up, like she’s a cat on the prowl. And she slides Rose’s legs a few inches apart. Her mane ends up behind her ears, not a strand allowed to come down over her face and eyes. And then, under her careful watch, she makes Rose raise and lower her eyelids until she is perfectly satisfied with them.

Stepping back, Chrysalis nods to herself, satisfied. Now,” she says, “I want you to walk and hold that posture.“

[DigoDragon]

Stepping back, Chrysalis nods to herself, satisfied. Now,” she says, “I want you to walk and hold that posture.“

Rose was a little nervous. She didn't want Chrysalis to feel that her time was wasted. Rose cleared her mind and took several steps with this new posture. She kept her joints loose and let her legs move naturally. There was attention paid to keep them apart and her tail high. She felt... a little exposed, but Her eyes wanted to focus and move, so she struggled to keep those eyelids where they were. Her head and shoulders seemed to be in the right places. Well, at least she thought so.

When Rose reached the wall, she stopped. She looked over her shoulder and gave Chrysalis her best devious smile (which probably wasn't skillful in the eyes of the expert there). Then she turned around and walked back to Chrysalis as best she could muster in the same pose. When she finally reached Chrysalis, Rose felt anxious to know how well she did.

[Miltonian]

"Hmmm..." Chrysalis considers her performance. "Passable," she declares at last, "For a first attempt. Do remember to blink. Most ponies find it creepy when you don't. Just make sure you get those eyelids back into position afterwards. And by the Hive, your tail. I could tell you were trying to keep it up, but it kept slipping down. If you can't do it right, I'll take a string and tie it in place. Posture was alright. And you need to work on your smile a bit. Don't show so much teeth. Makes you look scheming, not sexy."

She demonstrates. Each stride is quick and short, giving her a smooth gait. Her tail is high and bounces side to side slightly, though never too far. It's enticing enough to turn heads, but not so much that ponies will think she's simply flaunting herself. And when she turns and grins, Rose almost falls for herself. It's a knowing, playful grin.

"If you can pull that off," she says in a slightly husky voice, "I guarantee almost anypony will stop and take notice. What you do from there is up to you."

[DigoDragon]

Rose swallowed. The sight of Chrysalis (as Rose) with that graceful walk was enough to convince her that she could be beautiful. Part of Rose wondered what kissing herself was like. Yeah, that part was awkward and short lived. Rose pulled herself back to reality before her thoughts got too deep.

"Wow. I want to be able to strut that so bad. You're quite beautiful. Or, you make me look beautiful. When you're me, I mean, but it's you..." She hushed herself to stop the stumbling of words. Rose studied Chrysalis' position and made a second go at the walk. This time she put a little more 'oomph' to hold up that tail the way Chrysalis instructed. She wanted the lesson to stick, and that would mean practice.