I strongly recommend you read the prequel. Otherwise this won't make a lick of sense as the later chapters come out. Especially with how different this is compared to it.

The end of this chapter will pretty much jump straight into the creepy, so don't say you weren't warned beforehand. Although it is pretty tame at the moment, the next chapter will be all but so.

In any case, welcome one and all. This story is the sequel to Never Judge A Bug By Her Cover. And although the chapter length may pale in comparison, I assure you that the plot will not.

Last warning…no, still here?

Okay then. There will be two halves to this story. Cosmos's and Chrysalis's. Every character bar Twilight will be in it, so lay back, grab some popcorn and enjoy the taboo goodness.

Begin!

Prologue

Cosmos Pov

My life is hell.

No, no that's not fair. I suppose from another point of view, one could say that my life was fantastic. I live in a luxurious castle, get fed whatever I want until I'm stuffed, and by the end of it all I have a pretty comfy bed waiting for me.

But if you all knew what would join me soon after…who would join me, I have a feeling that the lot of you would change your tune fairly swiftly.

Hmm, I suppose that I better introduce myself.

My full name and title is Prince Cosmos De Sol, though I prefer to just be called Cosmos. I am, as stated, a Prince of Canterlot, of royalty.

My mother is just about the best known being on this world. You all curse her name, praise it, pray to it, and bless your children with it.

If you hadn't guessed by now, my mother's name is Celestia, Princess Celestia. The most benevolent, beloved pony in all of Equestria. Everypony loves her…everypony that is, but me.

Well…not quite. I love her, yet I hate her. I want to run away, but I can barely stand to go out without her. It's a confusing twist and spiral of emotion I have no control over.

Perhaps I should start at the beginning…

I suppose it all started when I first tried to bathe on my own. Usually I'd have select number of servants assisting me with my ever growing wings, but as I reached the tender age of thirteen I decided that I wanted to wash on my lonesome.

The servants were alright with it. Featherduster, who had helped me ever since I was out of diapers, even seemed proud that I was willing to take the next mature step And yet when they all left and I was happily scrubbing myself for the next few minutes…Mom came in.

No, I don't just mean the room. I mean the extremely wide bath.

At first I was surprised, not exactly embarrassed. We ponies are pretty much always naked after all. But Mom hadn't joined me in the bath since I was about nine years old, so yeah, I was a little bit startled.

And when I asked why she was…

"To help bathe you, of course," she tittered, a warm smile adoring her muzzle.

Of course she was always smiling, but I always knew when it was meant for me.

In any case, I more or less tried to shrug her help away. I was a stallion; I did not need any more help when it came to bath time!

"Oh?" she chuckled, her smile somewhat sly as she nuzzled my left wing and plucked out a loose feather…much to my satisfaction. "But you've missed so many feathers my darling. Are you truly sure that you do not require any…help?"

There it was. That voice she used every time I was even the slightest bit unsure. I never quite knew what did it, but when Mom used it, I found myself suddenly filled with hesitation, with doubt not previously there.

And so, inevitably, I responded with the only thing I could.

"I…I don't know…"

And of course, Mom swooped in without any hesitation and took a firm hold of my uncertainty, before swiftly using it to its full potential.

"Of course you don't sweetie," she soothed lovingly. "But don't worry Cosmos, don't even think on it for a moment. Just let Mommy take care of everything…"

…I did, I always did.

"Such a good colt…"

Thus bath time was reduced to me trying not to collapse as Mom effortlessly plucked a feather here and smoothed another there, making sure that I was doing nothing more than breathing between each one. Sometimes I did move, I did try to do it myself.

But it was pointless. With but a bout of gentle magic, I would be placed back into a relaxing position and told, loving and gently, to leave it all to Mommy.

Of course, this help ended up affecting whatever normal life a Prince could have, especially with Princess Celestia of all ponies as his mother.

At the age of fourteen, I made my way into Canterlot under the cover of cloak, admiring all the wonderful sights, sounds and smells I so rarely managed to obtain. Of course I visited the city with neither permission nor notifying my mother, feeling a slight rebellious at my 'imprisonment' within the castle.

But after around twenty minutes, it backfired badly.

The entire COUNTRY was put on lockdown. Nopony could leave or would be able to leave until I was found. Naturally I was terrified at such a reaction. I hadn't meant to scare anyone, and certainly not my mom into doing such a thing. But at the same time, I was just as scared of what would happen upon returning home.

And so with a fourteen year old mind and all the common sense that came with it, I chose to remain in hiding for the rest of the day. It probably would have been longer…but as I navigated my way through the city, I accidently bumped into somepony's horn…causing my cloak to rip down the side, revealing my right wing.

The unicorn in question blinked stupidly, but took no time in shouting his jubilant "I FOUND THE PRINCE" before I managed to run away, leaving him to search for me himself.

Unfortunately, a rather bright golden flash, followed up with what felt like a my face slamming into a brick wall, stopped me from running any further.

And as I looked up…it was only to swallow nervously at the trembling lips, teary eyes and furious expression belonging to none other than my Mother.

She didn't listen to my half arsed excuse of 'imprisonment'. She didn't even look at me when she personally grabbed the remaining scruff of my neck with her teeth and threw me into my chambers, leaving with nothing more than a disappointed look and that I would have no dinner that night.

Of course I took it all like an idiotic child and raged about my unfair life. I felt smothered, I felt caged no matter how gilded. But as with all children, I eventually burnt out and sulked under my covers.

It was under my covers that Mom's tight embrace woke me up.

She spoke to me that night, not letting go of me no matter how many hints I gave her. She told me how badly I had scared her. She told me that she feared I was kidnapped or worse. And then she told me how disappointed she was with me, in turn making me feel like absolute crap.

"I'm s-sorry mommy," I choked tearfully.

"I know sweetie," she said. "We can go out together next time, just don't do this again, okay?"

Desperate to win back her approval, I readily agreed and never did.

For a time at least.

Because you see, I think that one night was what started it all off. Mom rarely let me out of her sight, and even when she did she had her guards following me as subtly as they could to compensate.

We spent more nights cuddled together, more than we ever did before. I didn't mind at first, it was innocent enough and to be honest I kind of enjoyed it…a lot.

But as I got older and started to…look at the maids and such within the castle; I began seeking more privacy, which in turn meant less cuddling times with Mom.

And of course, some of maids that cleaned my room were around my age, give or take a year or so of difference. Some took interest in me and my curious looks, but out of all of them there was this one maid that caught my interest.

Her name was Lavender Fragrance, a beautiful name for a very cute filly. Her coat was purple, as well as her eyes, though her mane and tail were a light blue, and somewhat short.

We talked quite a bit, even with the supposed no talking to royalty rule imposed upon the servants and co. Of course nopony knew about our secret meetings, meetings where we would do naught but talk and laugh…like friends.

It got to the point when the two of us, both filled to the brim with raging hormones, gave each other our first kiss.

I loved it, she loved it, and so we did so a few more times, a few more days.

But then one day, she was gone. I was in the dining room when I overheard Mom talking about her replacement. And when I all but shouted why she had been let go…

Mom merely smiled and said it was for the best.

Yet as I came to find out later that day, the real answer, the real reason was simply because of one, little, tiny emotion.

Can you guess what it was?