Together Banished #5

>You’re watching the activity outside, dirt thrashing about violently with the wind.
>All while sitting down on your bed, having ‘breakfast’ with this scenery before you.
>The corridor leading outside is quite long too, so you aren’t in danger of being buffeted or anything.
>Sighing, you dig your teeth roughly into the bristly, concrete rock you just picked out of your food cabinet.
>Rock?
>Bread, your mistake.
>Stale, stale, stale bread. Practically beyond eatable, but it’s all you have left now.
>Thanks to HER.
>You shoot a sharp glance towards her direction.
>Chrysalis is still resting on YOUR bed, with YOUR bedsheets, looking unfulfilled as ever.
>There’s also that subtle hint of anxiety in her eyes as she peers at you.
>It’s a look someone gives when they think you’re going crazy, but don’t want to admit it?
>Yeah, that kind of look.
>At the moment you really don’t feel like being reasonable.
>So you summarise her behaviour as being a rude cunt, standard.
>Holding back anger, you tear another chunk of bread into your mouth, crunching loudly.
>The worst thing is you can’t leave the cave.
>A massive storm decided to meander over during your time of crisis.
>A first occurrence, too.
>It’s almost like a sandstorm, but with dirt and stone instead of sand.
>No rain either, just hot, ferocious and dangerous winds.
>Maybe it’s to balance out the extreme fortune you had two months ago?
>God knows.
>It chose the worst time to come around though.
>You’re mentally exhausted, on edge and under the weather.
>Being holed up like this isn’t making anything better.
>Groaning, you go over a few jobs you could’ve performed today, breaking more teeth against your bread.

>Firstly, you could have gone about with that desperate search for food. It’s the biggest threat right now.
>Or take a small expedition to find some more caves in case something happens here.
>Perhaps scale out the distance for a proper trip too, for when you really plan to leave
>Maybe you could find that statue in-between it all.
>You REALLY want to take a quick walk right now, stretch your legs a bit.
>Getting your lungs some fresh, sandy air will help search for thE staTUe.
>Come on, conditions aren’t THAT bad.
>Heck, you might find a carcass to butcher while you loOK for tHe statuE.
>Hit two birds with one stone!
>But the staTUE IS  MoRE IMpOrTANT.
>What’s a little sand going to do? Just head out right now and SeArch fOR the stAATuE.
>sSEaARCcchH FOr STatUE-
>You gasp, choking on the very air that springs reality back from your immersion.
>Coughing fiercely, you realize that you’re now standing, lingering near the exit of the cave.
>Now that you’re closer, the storm’s power is really apparent to you.
>The storm’s turbulence is constantly making your clothes ripple and furrow.
>Dust is completely overwhelming the environment, you can hardly see five feet ahead.
>Some dirt and sand stings against your face, the sensation makes you stumble back a little.
>What got into you? These conditions are impossible to travel in.
>More importantly, why are you standing here?
>...WHEN did you get here?

>You don’t remember moving an inch, just...those thoughts.
>Painful throbbing pounds relentlessly inside your head.
>It’s as if you mentally assaulted yourself.
>Clearly, that dream has done something to you.
>Rationalise things, it’s what you do best.
>Like you said, the dream is having an impact on you.
>Mentally of course and only that. It’s all in your head.
>So you must be extremely stressed, that’s all.
>Worrying about food, getting out of here, dealing with Chrysalis’ complaining.
>You must’ve...had a mini-breakdown.
>The whole ‘search for the statue thing’, you suppose it’s just because you want answers.
>Frowning, you don’t feel satisfied in the slightest.
>The painful drumming in your head makes thinking difficult.
>Mulling it over whilst getting hit by sand won’t make anything better though.
>So you grasp onto your forehead and stiffly retreat back into the main chamber.
 >”Back so soon, sorcerer?”
>You try not to regard her welcome, but fail miserably.
>Looking back into her smug harassing leer, it’s a sight that makes your headache worse.
>But you must look like hell. It makes her drop all that daringness immediately.
>She tips her head upwards loftily, watching you stumble towards your bed.
>”It would have been a foolish attempt anyway, even you must have realized that. Anyone with half a mind wouldn’t even consider contesting against those winds.”
>What is she talking about?
“I was never leaving in the first place.”
>Her brows contract, bemused.

>”After putting on those petty fabrics, you stated you were going to go outside and ‘look for something’. Your expression spoke otherwise, personally I thought you were heading out to slaughter the next individual you could find.”
>She raises one of her hooves, twirling it after she rolls her eyes.
>”I warned you of the stupidity about setting out in such conditions, but of course my benevolent considerations were ignored. After all, no powerful sorcerer would submit so easily, their heinous crimes prevail over all else, even nature.”
>A progressive, toothy grin stretches across her face.
>”Or so I thought.”
>You grip your hands together. Nothing she said rings a bell, or even makes sense.
>Your legs are killing you, so you fall down onto your mattress.
>Come on Anon, think man, think. You use your clasped hands to tap frantically on your forehead, as if trying to pound something out.
>”Uh, what are you..”
>Nothing. Your hands tighten considerably, what on Earth is going on here?
>You can even feel the void that grew during that mental ramble of yours.
>It’s not like you fell asleep or anything, you even remember what exactly was being thought out.
>”Sorcerer.”
>Plus, you have Chrysalis as an attester.
>Why can’t you REMEMBER doing such SIMPLE things?
>You moved, but why can’t you REMEMBER that?
>Are you losing control of your body or something?
>Christ, that hole in your mind is so uncomfortable.
>It’s a bulging infection.
>Squirming, convoluting and curling relentlessly like some sort of malignant tumour.
>”Sorcerer!”
>Your hands split apart and lift, both palms suppress against your face.
>You can’t control your composure anymore.

>Are you overreacting? Shouldn’t you be screaming already about this? Or should you try to break things down?
>What if you wind up having another lapse like that and wind up miles away from your cave? With no food, no water and no chance of survival?
>Either way you’re practically out of food regardless, so you’re going to starve out here, how are you going to find more food to survive?
>What about that nightmare too huh? That has a relation to all this.
>But it just happened several hours ago, you can remember it piece by piece.
>Thinking about it makes you want to throw up though.
>Plus you’re APPARENTLY one of those sorcerers, right? It’s all nonsense, it has to be. But what if you really ARE one of those guys?
>Now you’re contradicting yourself. You can’t be a sorcerer, just look at yourself.
>...Or you could just be setting up some false dichotomy with this question.
>You just can’t piece anything together, everything is in shambles, what do you DO-
>”ANONYMOUS!”
>You jump, yanked out of your bubble again.
>Chrysalis’ reprimanding scowl is the first thing you notice.
>”Your unnecessary theatrics, fascinating as they would be for drama, are beginning to disturb-“
>You then notice the sweat trickling down your palms, you even feel more moving down your brow.
>You’ve never reacted to stress so severely before, but neither have you lost your calm like that.
>Especially mentally, you’re normally pretty good at being introspecti-
>”WOULD YOU LISTEN TO ME!?”
>You jump again, body flinching back.
>Despite complaining about theatrics, Chrysalis is now breathing wildly, eyes glowering with impatience.
>She begins grumbling

>”Such a pitiful, disgusting display. I can’t believe I have to consider you...”
>She suddenly breaks off as if she blundered, biting her tongue softly.
>After her odd trip up, Chrysalis clears her throat and glances to and fro awkwardly, gradually settling a patronising stare back down towards you
>Her smile is nothing like you’ve ever seen before, it’s all awry and clumsy.
>”W..What I MEANT was...you appear troubled, Anonymous, why not confide your problems with me?”
>Placing a hoof on her chest proudly, she continues, building more confidence while also losing that strange expression she owned before.
>”Oh yes, a Queen knows best on how to console her subjects about all...matters. You would hardly be any different, Anonymous., all you need do is come a little closer..”
>You stare.
>Her smile twists into a more voluptuous grin.
>You stare.
>That grin tapers into a smirk. She inclines her head briefly, a long slender strand of her hair adjusts over one of her eyes.
>You stare.
>Eventually, she takes your silence with offense and grows a fussy glare again.
>After even more silence, her mouth opens to speak, but instead she slams her raised hoof down onto the floor beside her mattress.
>Although it looked as if there was force behind it, her action hardly makes a noise.
>You don’t even blink.
>That only makes her angrier.
>She snarls, visibly struggling to maintain her restraint.
>A struggle she loses to.
>”Seldom do I offer an opportunity like this you ungrateful, shaved BABOO-“
>Wincing, Chrysalis cuts her sentence off abruptly, just as before.
>Biting against her lip, she staggers a clumsy, artificial giggle.
>It takes her a few seconds to fight against whatever she just jammed down her throat in order to finish what she started.

>”...what...a lucky day for you! To have your Queen give such a...a...SPECTACULAR, valuable, and honourable privilege! You should be on the brink of bowing down for this permission – in fact you’d probably be DEAD given normal circumstance! But here I am! Offering it to you, as a mere token!”
>You stare.
>It be can’t helped, her acting is so painfully hammy that even she appears to realize this, so she tries to force it further to the point it’s almost comical.
>You can’t even tell what she has planned with this, so you’re genuinely confused.
>That’s not even getting to what she’s said. ‘Come closer’? Really?
“I think...I’ll pass.”
>You swear you hear a mirror smash immediately after you say that.
>Chrysalis’ smile is trembling.
“Uh...I like to keep my problems to myself, nothing personal just...”
>Her pupils are becoming more acute. She’s going to explode, louder than ever before.
>Sighing, you prepare yourself for the big bang.
>Perhaps give defusing her one last try?
>That’ll mean giving in to her whole...bah, whatever.
>You really don’t want her shouting too loudly right now.
“Alright! Alright. Earlier, I mean, last night I had...a, uh, pretty unpleasant dream, you know, when I woke up screaming.”
>Your attempt actually...works.
>The venting rage in her eyes temporarily stalls, it’s probably still THERE ready to be unleashed later but...
>...any time other than now will make it easier to cope.
>She purses her baring teeth, prompting you onward with a silent nod.
“It started off with me in this courtyard, everything was all misty...”

>And so you go on to explain the details of your dream.
>Explicably defining the sensations you felt, the fear that you couldn’t overcome...
>...you even brought up the amnesia you experienced.
>You rarely speak about your problems too, so there was a queer tugging in your throat that never shook off as you spoke.
>Describing things actually made you worry about throwing up, you definitely came close with it.
>But after you got through it all and left her there contemplating, you actually felt a lot better.
>Articulating out everything actually got rid of most of the clot in your head, popping out some of the questions inflating inside your head.
>As for Chrysalis? She just...listened.
>She broke eye contact contemptuously a few times, but you didn’t mind it, she seemed mostly attentive.
>You’d probably do something similar, if she told such a crazy dream to you.
>”A vision.”
>She finally affirms, utmost certainty in her voice.
>Staring, her statement almost reflects off of you.
>You shake your head, you won’t take that as an answer.
“Impossible. I’ve never had a vision before in my life.”
>”You have now.”
>Glaring, you shake your head again to be rid of her complacent smirk.
“Chrysalis, that wasn’t a vision.”
>”Then what was it?
>Crossing your arms, you clench hard against your sleeves.
“...Just a bad dream.”
>”Oh please. The realism, the statue, the emotion, the loss of thought, the MESSAGE. Pushing it aside as a mere bed fright is absurd.”
“Message? That was hardly a message! It just said one sentence over and over until I exploded! What kind of message is that!?”
>She glances up at the ceiling, looks like she’s calculating an answer.
>”You’ve made a deal which will result in your explosion.”
>Groaning, you flop onto your back.
“Whatever. If that’s your real answer, then I’m not convinced.”

>”How on Equestria am I supposed to know you imbecile!? It was YOUR vision, not mine, YOU need to interpret it, decipher the message and find the answer for YOURSELF.”
>Your hands limply rise up, air quoting every emphasis in her outcry.
>”Pft, churlish ape...”
>With that comment, your hands drop. A little regret kicks in.
>Yeah, you’re being pretty dick right now.
>She did help you out, all in good favour.
>And quite frankly it worked, you’ve stopped sweating, the headache is practically gone.
>Plus you don’t even feel like throwing up anymore.
>Even after eating half a stick of stale bread.
“Hey, uh, you did a pretty good job listening back there. I feel a hell of a lot better right now than well...earlier.”
>She doesn’t respond.
>You can’t see her from this position, you’re pretty thankful for that.
>She could be beaming with optimism for all you know.
>Kind of like a kid getting praised.
>...You’re not sure why that’s the first image that came to mind.
“So...thanks, I really appreciate you helping me out and all.”
>Silence.
>Something in you wants this to feel awkward, but you take it with a grain of salt.
>It felt right. So this time you’re not about to worry about her reaction.
>You’re pretty content with relaxing back for now.
>It’ll give you some time to think what you should do after the storm dies down.

>Time goes on.
>So does the silence.
>...And the storm.
>It isn’t showing any signs of stopping soon either, you’re starting to get a little frustrated.
>You’re hungry, but not enough to jam more stones down your throat.
>Idling about like this was comfortable an HOUR ago, but not anymore.
>You push yourself up into a stand.
>The sudden upspring makes Chrysalis flinch gently.
“Gonna go for a quick wash.”
>You quickly snatch some unused bedsheets, a bucket and move for the river passageway.
>As you pass by Chrysalis’ bed, she glares ever more expectantly with each step you make.
>You don’t really acknowledge it.
>But then she barks just as you reach the passage’s entrance.
>”And what about me!?”
>The question catches you off guard, you almost double take as you turn to face her.
“What...about you?”
>Her glare becomes more severe.
>”I require to be clean too, don’t you realize this?”
>Poker face it, Anon.
“Yes. Just use the river after me?”
>She glances suggestively to the bucket.
>Oh. Right, she can’t...
“...Uh. You haven’t gotten back any of your strength?”
>Her eyes narrow.
“Not even a LITTLE?”
>You provoke nothing more than a growl.
>Your poker face dissolves, apprehension takes over.
>Honestly, you should’ve seen this coming.
>Thinking it over, you’ve done it before, right? With her wounds.
>And that was FAR more intricate than a quick wash.
“We’ll need to be careful, I don’t want to get some of your bandages wet.”
>She slowly starts to get up on her feet, er, hooves.
>”My face and mane shall suffice.”
>Despite her attempt at a regal, powerful gait, she staggers several times during her approach.
>Only when she moves like this do you realize how lucky you were with saving her.
“Hey, you alright with..“
>”I am PERFECTLY capable of-“

>A disaster is about to occur.
>One of her hooves makes a ruinous misstep.
>After a scream, she starts to topple.
>Dropping both objects in your hand, you launch yourself forward, arms outstretched.
>To her surprise as well as yours, you manage to catch her before calamity strikes.
>With her between your arms, she stares up at you, completely astounded.
>You blink towards her confused stare, your only able to stare back as everything registers for you.
>Her eyes, they’re really exotic. Almost as if staring into boundless emeralds, they completely mesmerise you in a matter of seconds.
>..Uh.
>You jerk yourself back, holding her steady as she regains balance.
>Clearing your throat, you press an issue to regain initiative.
“I think its best we...drop that whole act, Chrysalis, before you get hurt.”
>Your complaint seems to boot her out of her gawping, her nervous anger returning.
>Glancing towards the passage, you look back at her sternly.
“So I’m going to carry you to the river and back.”
>She practically yelps.
>”W-WHAT!?”
>She even tries to recover her assertiveness, even after a cry like that.
>“That was...mere happenchance! Release me at once, I can move perfectly fine!”
“I don’t want to risk any of your wounds reopening, I doubt I’ll be able to fix them up again if you wind up tripping onto one of your larger lacerations.”
>”I’M FINE!”
>Sighing, you shrug, reason isn’t going to work here.
>She’s already trying to get out of your grip, stubborn to the bone.
>Counterbalancing the position of your arms, you adjust your hands for a firmer grip, preparing to lift her.
>She easily catches on and begins to squirm.
>”W-What are you-...NO! You HEARD my answe-“
“I’m gonna count to three, get ready.”
>”Mark my words, sorcerer! I do NOT consent with this PROFANE IDEA!”
>You cock a brow up.

“One.”
>She visibly panics, her voice turning drastic.
>”SORCERER, CEASE AT ONCE! YOU WILL NOT DEPRIVE ME OF MY DIGNITY!”
“Two.”
>Her squirms intensify into frenzied flailing.
>But you angled your arms perfectly for this scenario.
>Her hooves only hit your forearms, perfectly tolerable.
>”STOP! I DEMAND YOU STOP!”
“Three, aaalley OOP!”
>With a heave, you lift Chrysalis up off the ground in your arms.
>She continues to struggle, but it’s easily suppressed.
>Luggage acquired, you march towards the river passageway!

>She’s mad.
>Like...MAD.
>After you put her down near the river, she sat motionless, eyes fixated forward.
>Her expression in one word? HATE.
>It beats having her break several bones over her own balance though, that’s for sure.
>Didn’t you say you’ve carried her before? Maybe you should’ve reminded her, it might’ve made things easier.
>Oh well.
>You return with the bucket and bedsheets.
>She hasn’t moved a muscle.
>Queens don’t pout, Chrysalis.
>Moving beside her, you drop the bucket down, tossing the sheets behind you.
“Right, you said you needed help with this?”
>Her head twitches, anger spasm probably.
>No response other than that though.
“Can’t wait here forever, Chrysalis. Either way you’re being carried out of here, clean or unclean.”
>With visible repression, she rigidly raises off her backside and takes a few aggressive stomps forward into the river.
>Popping your shoes off and rolling up your jean’s cuffs, you follow behind her bucket in hand.
>Scooping up a good measurement of water in the bucket, you bring it over Chrysalis’ mane.
“Head’s up, it’ll be cold.”
>Her head bows a little, you imagine that’s her bracing.

>You tip the bucket over her mane, trying to avoid the bandages over her neck.
>As water spills over her hair, it begins to gloss.
>Her mane flattens over her face and eyes considerably.
>Quite frankly, the mass of her mane never really struck you.
>Until now, of course.
>Taking another lade of water, you pour it over her mane again.
>You can see her gritting her teeth. Cold water still sucks to deal with, even for you.
>Now comes the awkward bit.
“Uh...you want me to...”
>You stop talking prematurely, you forgot about her whole tantrum for a moment there.
>Sighing, you reluctantly start running your hands through her drenched mane.
>It’s extremely lithe and tenuous, your hands practically go right through it.
>Maybe that’s why it possesses...holes?
>Unfortunately as you work downwards you feel lumps of dirt, tresses of grease...
>...you try not to feel ill, plucking whatever feels potentially unhygienic and immediately soaking her hair through with more water.
>Her hair just has this...loamy, dampish smell that keeps bothering you.
>You can’t accurately describe it, but it isn’t pleasant.
>The odour is beginning to rub off into your hands, so you start ensuring most of the water flows through your fingers as you work.
>If only you had a comb...
>...and soap. And shampoo. OR A SPONGE.
>After going through most of her crown and below, you anxiously collect the hair covering her eyes and below her face.
>She winces as you pull it back, growling bitterly.
>Both your hands and fingers come back in one piece, thank heavens.
>You do the same as before. Washing out dirt and grease by gradually kneading through her hair with your hands.
>After one last bucketful of water, you finish your job.
>Altogether, you think it took about fifteen minutes. Not the longest time you’ve spent here, certainly.

“Alright, I’ll dry you off, step out of the river.”
>She complies, apart from the faint clattering from her teeth due to shivering, she remains morosely silent.
>You really can’t believe she’s still sulking.
>Leaving the water yourself, you grab the bedsheet and approach her after she sits down.
>”...That cloth stinks, nor is it a towel.”
>Your face remains completely neutral.
>Fifteen minutes of moping and that’s what she breaks it with.
>What a joke.
“What, do you want to stay wet? These are the cleanest sheets I’ve got right now.”
>She doesn’t respond, sulking persistently.
>Accepting that as surrender, you move behind her and throw the sheets over her.
>Kneeling down, you start drying her off.
>Mane first, proceeding downwards to her back.
>The sheet works as well as ever, soaking up most of the moisture.
>Her mane is left a little messy, first world problem though.
>Pulling the makeshift towel off her body, you slap it over your shoulder.
“Request fulfilled.”
>You then begin reaching for her.
>She grimaces, but does not put up another scene as you begin lifting her in your arms again.
>You respect her silence and simply go about in taking her back into the main chamber.
>Delicately as possible, you set her back down onto her mattress.
“You want anything else before I’m gone? I bathe for a while.”
>”No.”
>Still sulking. Nothing else you can do, Anon.
>Taking some...less clean bedsheets, you move back towards the river passageway.
>Leaving her like a pot to boil doesn’t seem like a good idea, what else can you do though?
>Might as well enjoy your ‘bath’. Maybe you’ll finally get rid of this headache.

>You are now Chrysalis.
>Conflict wages within you. A conflict you rarely feel.
>A conflict of emotions.
>All of these impertinent, felonious, suborned actions consistently made against you.
>He has systematically disregarded your authority as Queen; such a title is meaningless to him.
>It disgusts you, it ANGERS you.
>Never have you felt so helpless, never have you had such little control.
>Yet, he insists on caring for you, like a child.
>Does he not understand your pride? Your royalty? The shame you feel?
>The embarrassment you have become?
>You hear you teeth creak as you grit them against each other intensely.
>This helplessness, it brings your thought back to your plan.
>A plan you realize is impossible.
>Even after hundreds of others.
>Be they male, or female.
>Nobles, or peasants.
>Soldiers, or farmers.
>You observed them, learning their personality, their motivations, their dreams...
>...and took the face of their true love, their fantasy date, their greatest desire.
>Their love would be yours, regardless of who they loved, or wanted to love.
>It was you whom decided when. Whether you needed a few hours, or a few weeks.
>You could play whatever role necessary, fooling all to the end.
>You would seduce them all, perfectly.
>Every. Single. Time.
>But now? You are powerless.
>You have no mask you can wear, how can you seduce?
>You cannot seduce him as the fair maremaid.
>Or as the aristocratic, honourable knight.
>Or even as his dream love.
>He must be seduced YOU. QUEEN CHRYSALIS.
>Why is that so problematic? Is that not what you have always done?
>...It is isn’t it?
>You feel an alien sensation.
>Your body begins to freeze over with insurmountable horror. How is it possible!? This love was meant to last...
>...you feel hunger.
>Why, are you hungry...?