Chrysalis

There were many days when Erin hated being a twin. This was not one of them.

"Run! She's right behind us!"

The young boys shrieked as Riley sprinted after them, her arms raised and her fingers curled like claws. Her long hair whipped behind her as she ran, dancing like a bright red flame in the wind.

Erin beamed as the children approached her hiding place. She tightened her grip on the end of the fishing line that she held in her hands, pulled taut across the doorway. The other end was tied down to a nail that hadn't been hammered in enough.

Catching her eye, Riley smirked as she neatly herded the screaming boys right into the line, before spinning and running back the way she came as fast as she could. It wouldn't keep her out of trouble; it wasn't like she could leave the valley, and the kids wouldn't hesitate to tell their parents just whose fault it was that they had a bloody nose or a twisted ankle. But she could be far enough away that by the time they caught up with her, they might not be quite so angry, and she wouldn't have to see their injuries.

For her part, Erin slipped across the doorway and quickly sliced the fishing line, stuffing the remains in her pocket to dispose of later.

"Why, what happened to all of you?" she gasped, feigning horror, "Is that blood?!"

"No, princess!" one boy rushed to assure her, "We're all fine! Nothing to worry about!

"We're tough!" added another, wiping the snot and tears off of his face.

All of the boys in the valley had been taught not to show pain. To show pain in front of a lady, especially one belonging to the royal family, would mean to Taint them with their own weakness, and everyone knew that the Tainted couldn't perform Metamorphosis.

Erin didn't want to perform Metamorphosis. She wanted to be Tainted, to be forever trapped in the form she was in, clunky and imperfect as it was.

Erin loved being human.

Riley was different. She always helped Erin pull her pranks, but she never stuck around for the aftermath. Riley wanted to be Pure and perform Metamorphosis. She thought it might cure her. So did Mother and Father and everyone else.

Erin didn't really think there was anything wrong with Riley.

Nevertheless, she respected her sister's wishes and made sure to plan pranks where Riley could join in on the fun but not have to see anyone get hurt. That way they could both be happy.

By now the boys had pulled themselves together and hobbled off to cry privately, where no girls could sneak up and see them. Erin let them go. She'd seen enough to be Tainted by now.

***

"Erin, stay still!" Mother scolded as she brushed back Erin's hair into a tight braid. Erin grumbled, but obediently stopped jerking away. It wouldn't matter soon enough. Once she declared herself Tainted, Erin would be dropped from the royal family, and free to do as she pleased.

Beside her, Auntie smiled kindly as she combed back Riley's hair. Riley's face was flushed and her hands were fluttering with nervousness. Erin could understand. It would be a big day for her, going through Metamorphosis alone. But Riley respected Erin's wishes just as Erin respected hers; she wouldn't put her sister in jeopardy for her own sake.

Just then, the sound of the horn echoed throughout the valley in three clear, high notes. The girls exchanged glances.

It was time.

"Hurry, hurry," ushered Mother, closing the door with a sweep of her tail, "We can't be late now!"

Erin and Riley ran ahead, their decorative capes catching the wind and trailing behind them as if they had wings already. Erin bounded in front of her sister happily, running around the corner of the house to where the carriage was ready, the horses pawing the ground impatiently.

Just then, there was a soft, "Ah!"

Erin peeked around the corner of the carriage to see Sir Vale, one of the older coachmen, curled on the ground, gripping his knee. His face was white with pain. By the looks of things, he had slipped off of the carriage and landed badly.

Erin quickly ducked back behind the carriage before Mother caught up to them and saw her watching. She didn't want to be found out before the ceremony, after all.

"Alright, Sir Vale?" Auntie called as she and Mother came strolling up at a much slower pace than Erin and Riley.

"Yes, ma'am, of course," replied Sir Vale, limping around to their side of the carriage to help them on, "Never better."

Erin watched him, wide-eyed. She'd seen how much pain he was in, but now the only sign of it was the lack of weight on his left leg and the thin sheen of sweat on his aged face. Erin wondered how he hid it so well.

The ride up to the ceremony was short but bumpy. The carriage rattled loudly as it jolted over rocks and dips in the road. Tearing her gaze away from the birds above their heads, Erin turned to look at Riley suspiciously. She'd been very quiet since they left the house. Not to say that she usually wasn't; it was hard for someone who couldn't talk to be loud. But usually Riley would be pointing out the different animals and plants excitedly instead of staring at her feet. Erin slid over to her while Mother and Auntie were distracted talking to each other.

"Don't be too nervous, Riley," she whispered, "Even if you still can't talk, nobody will blame you."

But Riley just turned away from Erin helplessly, her eyes blinking rapidly. Erin didn't understand. Was Riley reconsidering going through Metamorphosis? Was she really all that hung up on being "cured"? What had changed?

Before she could get an answer, the carriage rattled to a stop. They were here! Erin grabbed her sister's hand and pulled her off of the carriage. She couldn't wait to see everyone's faces when they realized one of the princesses was Tainted.

When they walked up to the front, the crowd parted for them. Seas of families watching their own daughters and nieces and sisters inclined their heads as the two princesses trotted up to the front of the line. Erin grinned at the long line of girls their age watching them with envious eyes and bowed heads. There were a few things she would miss after leaving the royal family.

"Princess Riley, have you ever been Tainted with the weakness of the others?" asked the Graduator, a tall woman with elegant wings and a gleaming golden tail. The question was asked more out of ritual than necessity; anyone who had been Tainted tended to go running home sobbing, and by the next day everyone knew.

Riley shook her head, shifting her weight back and forth.

"Step forwards and begin your Metamorphosis."

As Riley stepped on to the platform, Erin tried to catch her gaze. But Riley was strangely closed off. As the crystals surrounding the platform began to glow, marking the beginning of the Metamorphosis, Erin followed her sister's gaze. Was she looking at Mother? At Auntie? No, it seemed she was looking at… Sir Vale?

No, Erin realized as her blood ran cold, at Sir Vale's knee.

Riley had seen Sir Vale in pain! But how? Had she peeked over Erin's shoulder before Mother and Auntie had arrived? Erin watched her sister fidget on the platform, her figure nearly swallowed up by the piercing light of the crystals. Erin squeezed her eyes shut, feeling like she was going to throw up.

The Tainted couldn't go through Metamorphosis. Everyone knew that. So what was happening to Riley?

As the glow died down, Erin slowly raised her eyes to the platform. She felt her jaw drop, a gasp escaping her. It was lost in the noise from the crowd, murmurs rising and falling like a brook babbling over a large stone.

Riley stood in the center of the platform. She had no wings and no tail. Instead, she stood hunched over on four legs, with the knees on her legs bent backwards. When she raised her head, the crowd's whispering swelled up, for her eyes shone like shattered gemstones through her red hair, and her teeth were sharpened like cat's claws.

She was magnificent.

Erin felt a smile grow on her face. Her sister looked powerful and strong, like she could fend off any pain that happened to befell her. If this is what Tainted Metamorphosis looked like, then一

"Freak," hissed a girl behind Erin, "She's a monster."

What?! thought Erin, ready to turn around a give the girl a piece of her mind, but一

"Tainted!"

"Liar!"

"Evil!"

Words found their way out of the crowd and into the open air, growing louder and louder as they were not refuted. Erin turned towards Mother and Auntie desperately, but they had turned away, ashamed.

"What's going on?!" Erin demanded, turning to the Graduator, "What, just because her Metamorphosis is different一"

"That was no Metamorphosis, princess," said the Graduator gravely, "That was a Transformation."

She paused, letting the ominous words ring out and hush the crowd.

The tension was broken by a low wail, and everyone refocused on Riley, who had finally seen her reflection in one of the crystals. It was the first sound Erin had heard out of her twin's mouth, and she wished for her sister to be silent once more.

Once she started, it was as if she couldn't stop. A terrible, agonized moan was wrenched from Riley's throat, and she began to spin around frantically, pawing at her face and body as if to peel off her skin.

"What's the difference?!" Erin blurted out, tearing her eyes away from her sister. For all that she tried to Taint herself, she had never wanted for Riley to be the one in pain, "What's so wrong with a Transformation?!"

"You see, princess," explained the Graduator, never taking her eyes off of Riley, "When one undergoes Metamorphosis, they go from being human to something greater. When one undergoes Transformation, they go from being human to something else."

Erin waited for a moment. Just 'something else'? That was it? Not even 'something worse'? Was everyone so scared of not being greater that they rejected being different? She turned back to Riley, who had crouched behind a crystal just outside of the platform, whimpering and shaking. Erin made a choice.

"Well, that's all well and good, but I believe it's my turn now, isn't it?" she declared, raising her chin. The Graduator gave her a patronizing smile.

"Ah, well, I suppose it is, but…"

"Good. Ask me."

"Princess Erin, have you ever been Tainted with the weakness of others?" murmured the Graduator uneasily.

"Yes," Erin stated, "Just now, when I watched everyone hurt my sister."

And without another word, she marched up to the platform to Transform.

THE END