Blush. Eyeliner. Eyeshadow. Lip tint.

It was an early Saturday morning, and Chrissy was already up and about, applying her makeup and doing her hair. She mentally went through the list of things she hoped to do today-

A faint pounding, like a fist knocking on the inside of her skull, interrupted her peaceful reverie. Chrissy whirled around, catching sight of Yu Jin thrashing around in the cocoon.

They locked eyes, and though she couldn't hear what he said, she knew what he meant: let me out. His eyes held unspeakable fury, and she turned back to her vanity so she didn't have to see the look on his face.

What he said next was incomprehensible, so she attempted to find a way to make his speech audible while keeping him trapped in the cocoon.

"Maybe part of this is a sound-blocker?" Chrissy asked no one in particular, but her eyes flitted over to Yu Jin hopefully. He looked askance, avoiding all contact.

"I-I just want to talk to you," Chrissy said.

There were many layers of the cocoon. After getting rid of the first protective layer, she lightly prodded the new outside. It felt more fragile, and was a paler green. When her fist collided with the squishy material, it created the same thump Yu Jin had made.

This one. She got rid of it, and created a new protective layer.

"Yu Jin," she called his name like he was far away, lost in his own world of confusion. "I want to talk to you."

"You promised you wouldn't hurt me," Yu Jin spat. "You promised me."

"You promised you wouldn't leave," Chrissy replied, a tear running a black streak down her face, her fresh makeup ruined. She ignored it as it trailed down her neck.

Yu Jin curled his arms around himself protectively.

But she was at her breaking point. "Then what was that, huh?!" She screamed. "Using the excuse of needing to get some air? That's what they always say RIGHT BEFORE THEY RUN AWAY FROM YOU!"

He winced, cowering into the back of the cocoon. "I-"

"Am I not pretty enough for you?" She questioned him.

"What?" Yu Jin's face contorted from fear to confusion. "No-"

"It's my hair, isn't it?" She scrutinized, peering closely at her reflection in the mirror. "I get it. It can't compare to Evie's."

"What are you talking about? This has nothing to do with your looks!"

Chrissy ignored him, murmuring about the imperfections of her appearance before she stopped. A shaking fist raised next to her head, clenching, unclenching.

"I hate you," she growled at the mirror. "You cause so many problems."

"You destroyed what we have together," she snarled. "JUST GO AWAY!!!" The mirror splintered into pieces as she threw a punch, her knuckle dripping blood.

"You don't need to change for anyone else," she chided herself. "You don't need to change for anyone else!"

"Chrissy! Stop! Just tell me what exactly happened, and why are you so-"

"Everything else is the same about me, except for my appearance-"

Bang! The living room window seemed to shatter in slow motion, shards raining down in silver. A tall girl with brown hair in a tightly bound braid leaped through the window, brandishing a frying pan. "DON'T WORRY CHRISSY!!! I'M HERE TO SAVE YOU!!"

She landed on the floor and her jaw dropped. Her wide eyes took in the two changelings, one in a cocoon, along with the ruined vanity and makeup products strewn around the room.

"Seunghee?" Chrissy gasped.

"How do you know my name?" Seunghee implored. "Torture! I knew it!"

"Seunghee, it's-"

"TAKE THIS, BITCH!!!!"

She lunged at Chrissy, who didn't move in time. Heavy hammers pounded pain into her skull, and Chrissy tripped on the carpet, landing on the floor. Through her tear-blurred vision, she found the outline of Seunghee's legs. Chrissy caught her ankle, dragging Seunghee to the ground with her.

Rustling noises-Seunghee digging in her jacket for something. Chrissy latched onto the frying pan, prying it out of Seunghee's left hand, whose right hand was still busy. She grabbed Seunghee's wrist, and a flash of metal swung at her. A knife.

She drew back and it only managed a shallow cut on her collarbone. Chrissy quickly rose to her feet, to hopefully get the upper ground. Seunghee followed, taking a stab at her, which cut inches from where Chrissy's throat would've been.

Chrissy swung the frying pan, which collided with the knife in a shrill shriek. Metal against metal.

Seunghee was stronger and had more leverage, but Chrissy pushed back with warning, causing Seunghee to drop the knife, which skidded across the wood floor.

"Dammit!" She exclaimed, clenching the hilt of the frying pan. The girls pulled back and forth, back and forth. Chrissy kicked Seunghee in the stomach, who grunted in pain. Chrissy fell with Seunghee, hitting her funny bone on the way down.

She attempted to climb onto Seunghee, but was easily jerked off. The two rolled around, still holding the frying pan. Chrissy tried to use her left arm to pin Seunghee by the neck. In retaliation, Seunghee bit Chrissy's other hand, which was holding the drying pan. Hard.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" She howled, dropping the frying pan. Using her left hand to claw at Seunghee's face she attempted to free herself, she finally yanked her hand away.

Seunghee tugged Chrissy's hair down, snapping her head back. "You piece of shit!" The frying pan was going to hit Chrissy-

A web of green caught it in midair, trapping it in sticky substance. Chrissy tentatively opened her eyes, staring in disbelief at the close call.

"WHAT?! Fancy powers? I can't defeat this!" Seunghee yelled as she bolted out the door.

"You don't get to invade my house and then run away!"

Chrissy steadied her aim. A ball of slime flew through the air-and fell splat on the ground. Time to play dirty.

She jumped onto her friend, tackling her to the ground and readying a ball of slime. "Sorry, Seunghee."

******

By the time Chrissy had come back with the groceries, Seunghee was awake. Chrissy had regretted turning Seunghee into a changeling six hours prior. But Seunghee was the type to talk. And the only way to make sure the news wouldn't spread was to keep Seunghee here. With her.

Chrissy hummed as she cooked, flavoring the dish with exotic spices. She didn't need food in the same way she used to, but it got rid of lethargy and still provided crucial nourishment.

While waiting for the dish to cool, she strode into the living room. Twin cocoons side by side and the previously broken window mended by a simple magic spell. So far, so good.

And for once, she understood Sombra's desire for power. She may not have had an empire like him, but she had emotions, something she deemed much more important than a throne. Everything was under control.

Back in the kitchen, she fixed three plates, along with bowls of sorbet, before returning. "Dinner?"

Yu Jin turned his head away bitterly, Seunghee quickly copying him, before trying to determine what food was being served. "Wait. Is that chicken?"

Chrissy nodded, nearly laughing at her comment. Oh, how she loved her best friend's company!

With trial and error, she freed Seunghee's head and arms from the cocoons. "Magic never was my thing," she mused, exhaling in relief as she finally managed.

"Thank goodness I'm starving," Seunghee remarked before taking the plate out of Chrissy's hands and stuffing a forkful in her mouth.

"That could be poisonous!" Yu Jin chided.

Seunghee, with a mouthful of food responded incomprehensibly, before swallowing hastily. "If she wanted to kill us, she would've done so already, and soaked our bodies in acid to get rid of the evidence! Also oh wow the food is great."

Chrissy sighed. "Do you really think I'd try to harm you?"

"No," Seunghee said, while Yu Jin said, "yes". Eyeing each other warily, both of them switched their answers.

"I'm guessing Yu Jin filled you in?" Chrissy asked her friend, who nodded.

"Well, I suppose I should tell you the full story..."

So they listened about the war, Evie, and of that haunting night with the Wish Granter. "Yeah. Great life."

"Wait! You're telling me you dated the King of Shadows' brother?!" Seunghee burst out.

"That's your takeaway?" Yu Jin demanded. "Chrissy lives through a war, defeats the Shadow Night Tribe, gets cursed and all you can think about is her ex-boyfriend?"

"Romance is important, ok? Especially for us. We changelings survive off love! I don't know, kiss or something! That will feed both of you!" Seunghee advised in between bites of grapefruit sorbet.

"You're a genius!" Chrissy beamed. I know what to do now, so I won't end up hurting Yu Jin.

"But, Chrissy, the last time-" Yu Jin objected.

Chrissy kissed him like she did last night, except this time, nothing horrible was going to happen-

The energy she poured in seemed to fade and die out immediately. She opened her eyes, furrowing her brow. Yu Jin was still sickly, scrawny. Somehow, it had failed as soon as they had begun.

In bewilderment, Chrissy lifted a hand to her mouth, she was starting to hyperventilate, her body shuddering, as if it erupted with chills. Nonononono. Why was the world torturing her like this?

"Why isn't it working?" Seunghee dared to ask.

Chrissy pondered the issue, her eyes squinting ever so slightly. "I-it's because.....you don't love me," she seethed. "Yu Jin! How could you do this to me? I still love you!"

"How can you say you love me when you keep me locked up as your prisoner," Yu Jin spat. "That's not love. That's obsession."

Chrissy raised a shaking hand, green already forming at her fingertips. Rage, pure rage. How was this fair? Why was she being punished for love? "I don't like having to control you like this!"

"Stop," Seunghee commanded, her usual playfulness vacant. "Both of you are upset, I get it. But is anything good gonna come out of fighting each other? Calm down so you don't kill each other and discuss when you're in better emotional states! Chrissy, go eat some chocolate."

She gritted her teeth. "I can't just back down from a situation like this!"

"Chrissy. Eat some chocolate. Now," Seunghee maintained.

Chrissy inhaled, the green magic sputtering. Seunghee was right. Losing control of her emotions would only make things worse. To accomplish what she wanted, she had to formulate a well-thought-out plan, not act impulsively. Time to try something new. A sly grin crossed her lips as she exited. Yu Jin, you WILL love me.

"She's so manipulative," Yu Jin growled as soon as Chrissy left the room.

Senghee shrugged casually. "A lot of people are. Hers stems from insecurity. She's been in a lot of toxic friendships. Lots of betrayal."

"She scares me," Yu Jin shuddered. "I go through a traumatic event and need some air, then she kidnaps me?"

"We're her only friends. This is her trying to take control, and not be a doormat. She wants to take what she feels she's losing. It's a way to make up for her past betrayals."

Yu Jin tilted his head to one side, absorbing the information he'd been given. "We have to get out of here, if we have the chance. Build up trust, and then leave."

"No!" Seunghee pushed back. "That will break her completely! Would you really do that to your girlfriend?'

"That, is not my girlfriend," Yu Jin spat. "My girlfriend isn't deranged and possessive."

"Chrissy is still there! She's still a person. She's not just something we can discard when relationships get tough," Seunghee countered.

"But what about us? Is it fair that we pay the price for her insecurities?" Yu Jin demanded.

"You can do what you want, but I'm not going to be the one to leave," Seunghee said firmly.

"Is that what you want? Huh?! To be locked up here forever?" Yu Jin fumed.

"We still need her, if you haven't noticed! There's still lots we don't know about being changelings. We could die out there!"

Yu Jin scowled, a look of contempt marring his usual pleasant gaze. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Five minutes later, the door to the living room unlocked. In sashayed Chrissy, clad in a low-cut green dress and heels pushing four inches. She set a tray of drinks down on the coffee table.

Seunghee tensed as Chrissy offered her a beverage. "Orange juice."

She felt uncomfortable with consuming her captor's food, but what other choice did she have? It wasn't causing any side effects. And she needed to be able to physically defend herself if it came down to it.

"Thanks," Seunghee croaked, sighing in pleasure as tangy citrus slaked her thirst.

"Yu Jin?" Chrissy asked. She raised a perfect eyebrow, almost daring him to say no. Earlier, he had fainted from dehydration.

"No," he rasped, his throat parched.

When you're mad, count to ten. Chrissy remembered the trick. Getting mad had only alienated Yu Jin from her. One.

"Yu Jin? It's freshly squeezed," Chrissy added, strutting over to him. Two.

"No." Three. Yu Jin countered with more force this time.

Four. She ran a freshly painted nail over his cheek. "You're dehydrated, Yu Jin. You need to take care of yourself." Five.

"What do you know about self care," Yu Jin wheezed. Six.

"Look at me, look at you. And tell me who knows what about self-care," Chrissy continued, tossing a lock of hair over her shoulder. "Now, drink." Seven.

"Why can't you take no for an answer?" Yu Jin pleaded. "Why can't you just take no for an answer!" Eight.

She drew in another deep breath, her patience dwindling dangerously. "Because, it made me weak. I've learnt that this world doesn't spoon-feed you things, Wang Yu Jin. You need to take what you want," she hissed. Nine.

Neither of them flinched under the others' gaze. Not Chrissy, who was praying that this time Yu Jin would love her. Not Yu Jin, who was terrified of Chrissy's new powers.

Ten.

Chrissy grabbed his hair and forced his head back. Gingerly picking up the glass of orange juice, she held it to his lips. Yu Jin tried fruitlessly to struggle against her, but with his body restrained and in the deep stages of malnutrition, she easily subdued him.

"Don't fight it," she whispered seductively. "Don't fight it."

And as the juice slid down his throat, his body seemed to exhale, muscles relaxing.

"Drink, my dear."

Yu Jin shot Chrissy a lovestruck grin. "You're so beautiful," he marveled.

Chrissy set the glass down triumphantly, playing with a lock of her hair. For once, paying attention in school had amounted to success in her life. It's a good thing I didn't doodle in eleventh grade Magic Chemistry.

"Chrissy, I love you!" Yu Jin proclaimed, all the past contempt he had for her gone.

Was it working? Was the potion really working? Chrissy blinked. Once, twice. Yu Jin was prattling on about how compassionate she was, how lovely she was, how he would do anything to be hers.

You have him at your feet, Chrissy. He's all yours. She had earned this. This was what she deserved.

It took quite a while to remove Yu Jin from the cocoon without splattering the living room with changeling slime, but the cocoon was already weakened. She had to figure out how to maintain stamina.

Seunghee's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Chrissy...what did you do?"

"Nothing, really. Just a little potion." Chrissy waved her hand dismissively.

"I-I can have you thrown in jail for this. For everything," Seunghee threatened, before realizing what she had said, covering her mouth quickly.

"You can try," Chrissy drawled absently. "But do you really think anyone will actually believe you?" Chrissy challenged. "You're a changeling too. Besides, you have absolutely no evidence."

"I can gather witnesses," Seunghee countered. "The neighbors surely think suspicious things are going on in here. What a coincidence that both of us have left your house and not returned since."

"But I have witnesses too." Chrissy curled her hand possessively around Yu Jin's shoulder. "Yu Jin will support me."

"Chrissy! Do you see what you're doing? You're using him!" Seunghee burst out. "Just like you were used! Does this make you feel good inside?"

"I'm not! He loves me!"

"That's because you poisoned his drink with a love potion!" Seunghee refuted.

Chrissy bit her lip. How dare her friend turn on her like this?! Yes, she had used a love potion! But it was in her right to do so! She gritted her teeth, chest heaving. She could destroy her if she wanted to, and then she'd be sorry-

"Chrissy, are you alright?" Yu Jin asked worriedly.

Control your emotions, remember? She plastered on a fake smile, while in reality she was enraged at her friend. "I-I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You look a little down," Yu Jin doted. "Could we....do something together?"

Can't you see I'm in the middle of something? Was what she wanted to scream. But she couldn't let him go now, not when she had come so far. Besides, she always went out on Saturday nights. Not going would cause suspicion. There was no way Seunghee could break out. She was trapped in the cocoon, and Chrissy had encased the insides of the windows and door with extra changeling slime.

"Ok, that sounds great," Chrissy agreed. After teaching him how to change forms, they set off into the sunset for a night of ecstasy.

*****

When they returned, they found the front door busted open and smashed, wood splinters adorning the front porch.

"She escaped," Yu Jin remarked. "How?"

She didn't know. Chrissy recalled Luna telling her about emotions influencing spells.

Strong emotions can strengthen spells. But weren't her emotions strong? She hadn't been very emotionally stable today, which probably had something to do with her spells being weaker. That, combined with a massive influx of magic use over the last day or two.

"Should we try and follow her?" Yu Jin offered.

"No." Chrissy smiled, shaking her head as she cast a spell to mend the door. Three broken things in one day. That's a first.

"She-she might tell someone or-"

"Yu Jin," Chrissy cut him off. "The odds are stacked against her."

"Aren't you mad?"

Chrissy kicked her heels off, collapsing onto her vanity stool, Yu Jin taking a seat at the foot of it. "You know, I've finally realized something. Everything is so superficial. Very few people actually love you for who you are. But the ones who do....are valuable. And I cherish them," Chrissy stated, playing with a lock of his hair. "I'd rather have no friends at all then be surrounded by two-faced snakes."

She let her hair down, fussing with the slightly rumpled blue-green strands. She was starting to like it.

"I see what you've done, Chrissy," Yu Jin realized. "You've put Seunghee's loyalty to the test. You'll see if she comes back or not, and that will reveal her character."

"Not intentionally," Chrissy objected, running a manicured hand over the newly mended mirror. Evidence of the cracks still remained, as she was relatively untrained in material spells. "I'm not that strategic. I guess I just realized...there are many different ways to control people."

She turned back to face him. "A former friend of mine taught me that."

The King of Shadows controlled many things. People, empires, magic.

But not me. You'll never control me, and no one ever will again.

This is the END of the Transformation Sub-Arc! What do you think of the love potion? Chrissy developing into the Changeling Queen we know her to be (if you've seen the show)? 

Remember to vote if you enjoyed it, and comment ANY thoughts! I LOVE reading your reactions!