> You're Locked in Here With Me
>  by McDronePone
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Interrogation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“How did she get in?”
“She just approached the gates.”
“Did she do anything?”
“Nothing. We moved in to secure her and she surrendered without conflict.”
“What about when you brought her in. Was she doing anything suspicious?”
“She just followed us as we lead her into the interrogation room.”
The griffon commander stopped. “So you expect me to believe that the Queen of the Changelings just decided to stroll right on up to the empire’s gates and hand herself in?”
The subordinate just shrugged.
The commander just shook his head. “What is she planning,” he asked his self. “Right, so this is the door then?”
“Yes, sir.”
He gestured to the iron-clad door that led to one of the dungeon’s interrogation rooms.
“I’m assuming she’s guarded.”
“We have two of our soldiers keeping a close eye on her.”
“Two?”
“Yes, sir. We also have her securely bound and placed an inhibitor ring around her horn. Couple that with the dispelling device and she won’t be—”
“Get more guards and send them here, now.”
“Sir?”
The grizzled veteran shot the young soldier with a glare. “We’re talking about the Queen of the Changelings, here. I don’t care if she’s locked in a steel box with magic seals, I want more griffons guarding her, now!”
“Y-yes, sir.” The soldier quickly turned tail and hurried back down the dimly lit hall.
The commander shook his head again. He knocked hard on the iron door and a small slot opened to reveal two eyes inspecting him. Upon seeing who it was, a series of locks were heard being unlatched before the door creaked open.
Two griffons standing guard beside the door gave him swift salutes, their spears held in their free talons. He nodded to them and entered.
The room itself was carved into the cave system, much like the rest of the dungeon. Lit by only torches that lined the craggy walls, the room represented a cylindrical shape. At the center were a simple wooden table with a gem-topped gold scepter upon it and two chairs. It was short enough that one could reach their fore leg to the other side in order to touch those sitting there.
Sitting opposite of the table was non-other than the Changeling Queen herself, her wings tied to her torso with rope and silver restraints bounding her hooves. “Cute things, they are,” she began. “I’m not one for jewelry, but I cannot deny the excellent craftsmanship. It’s as if whoever made these knew these would be put on a grand ruler.”
He simply glared at her as he took his seat, his saber making a soft clank on the stone ground. “I’m Grand-Commander of the Griffon Imperial Legion,” he began curtly, “and I want to know what business you have here in my kingdom.”
“Your kingdom,” she questioned. “Ha, I see someone is being a little haughty today. I wonder what your ruler would think upon hearing that.”
“I speak on the Emperor’s behalf,” he continued unfettered, “and while this seems like a matter he should attend to his self, I see it fit to make sure it’s safe for him to do so.”
“Worried AND bigheaded?” She feigned gasping. “Oh my, that’s a dreadful combination. Tell me, have you ever considered some relaxation classes? I do think you need something to relieve all the stress you must go through.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Let’s not act dumb here,” he said, pointing an accusing talon at her. “Don’t think that fiasco in Equestria didn’t reach our ears. We know what you are and we’re very much prepared for any of your tricks, Your Highness.”
“Don’t talk to me like a child, Commander. This infernal ring your griffon saw fit to place on me is evidence of your preparedness enough.” She gestured to the golden ring with arcane etchings that adorned her jagged horn.
“A fan of that, are you,” he said with a smile. “It’s a very powerful artifact. It’s especially enchanted to dampen any and all magic that any unicorn—or changeling—can muster. And then there’s this.” He picked up the scepter that lay on the table. “This little beauty is a dispelling rod. Be it Magic, Arcane, or an enchantment, this thing can dispel any of that with just a hit of the hilt.”
“Oh yes, your ‘in-depth’ knowledge of magical items has me so frightened.” She looked to the two guards. “I’d be more afraid if you two started dancing atop the table.”
They continued to simply watch her, though their eyes did narrow.
“Enough with the chatter,” he continued. “Why are you here?”
“Your toy soldiers insisted that I be brought in. What do you think?”
He sighed. “Let’s try this again. WHY are you in the Griffon Empire?”
“I was working too hard. Figured it was time to take a vacation. I heard the lilacs here bloom quite well this season.”
He took a deep breath, his talons resting on his saber’s hilt. “Last time: Tell me what your business here is.”
“I was feeling lonely and wanted to have a nice conversation with you. But clearly, you’re not being a good chat partner.”
His saber erupted from its harness as he brought it right to the changeling’s neck. “You arrogant, puffed up, roach. STOP treating this like an evening talk and tell me what I want to know!”
The Queen looked down to the steel weapon that lightly touched against her chitin. She looked back up to the commander, his wings flared and a bloodthirsty look in his eye. “So this is your plan, hm? Kill the Changeling Queen and then what? Report her to the Emperor?”
His glare grew less tense.
“What then? You know I came here for some reason, yet here you are, ready to take my life because I won’t give you information. What if I have a plan of attack that will commence the minute I’m slain?”
His wings folded back as he sat down.
“There, now we’re being smart about all this.” She flicked a strand of her thin hair aside. “And good timing, too. I was beginning to get bored of this whole ordeal. Now it gets fun.”
He cocked his brow. “What is that supposed to mean.”
She turned her head away. “This whole show of anger and threats is boring. It’s bland, overused, and simply stupid. Sometimes I wonder why I even chose this place.”
“Chose this place for what,” he asked, almost shooting up from his chair.
“Did I just say that? Sorry, I tend to let things slip. Especially, if it’s concerning a matter of espionage.” She looked back at him.
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, please. You can’t be this dense. You said it yourself. Your kingdom knows of my people and their abilities. And with the introduction of me, surely you have at least some suspicion.”
He said nothing but continued to intently look.
“Did it really not cross your mind that maybe I had some of my changelings hide among your ranks? Did it not occur to you that some of your own comrades were one of my own?”
He sat back in his chair, eyes darting around as he looked down.
The guard to his left did much the same.
“And did you not think for a second that, maybe one of them were in this very room right now?”
The Commander looked back up at her, simply staring at her for a moment.
She looked back, brow cocked.
He began chuckling. “Nice try, you she-devil. I’m not stupid. I’d know if one of my own weren’t who they say they were. I personally check every roster and assignment that my guard is given. Last time I checked, nothing was wrong.” He leaned in close, smiling as he did. “You can’t fool me.”
“And is your companion over there so certain?”
He lay back and looked towards the guard to his left.
The guard looked back up, eyes wide.
She continued. “Are you so certain that I didn’t plant imposters here?”
The Commander shot his head back. “I already told you—”
“I wasn’t asking you,” she interrupted before gesturing to the griffon before. “Are YOU so certain that your friend across from you isn’t a changeling in disguise?”
The guard on left quickly looked to the other.
“Soldier, use your brain,” the commander warned him. “She’s obviously lying.”
“Yeah,” the guard on the right agreed, “she’s pulling this out of her rear.”
“W-why do you say that,” the left guard asked.
“What do you mean why do I say that? I’m agreeing with the commander.”
“So why did you want to reinforce that,” he asked as he raised his spear.
“Hey, hold up. You can’t honestly believe…”
“Soldier,” the Commander tried to intervene, “I’m ordering you to put that spear down.”
“Yeah, calm down, you idiot!”
“J-just,” the left guard stammered as he pointed his spear between the right guard and his superior, “stay back and let me think, okay.”
“You have to be blind,” the Commander started, “or you wouldn’t have pointed that thing at your commanding officer. Second time: Put. The spear. DOWN!”
“What if she’s telling the truth? For all I know, you’re both changelings.”
“She’s bluffing, you moron,” the right guard argued. “Now stop pointing that thing at us before I have to use mine on you.”
“Yeah, I bet that’s what she wants, right? Make me strike first so you can kill me without any problem. Well, I-I ain’t having that, you cheese-legged freak!”
“DON’T compare me to those bugs, you dodo bird!”
“Don’t think you can use our own words, you blue-eyed spider’s food!”
“Commander!”
“SHUT UP!”
The commander was about to knock the left guard upside the head when he remembered the dispelling scepter. In one swift motion, he picked up the artifact and slammed the hilt down hard on the table.
With a loud thud, a flash of pink light erupted from the jewel, encasing the entire room in a transparent light. The flash was bright enough that they all had to shield their eyes before it subsided. Once the dispelling was over, the left guard quickly looked to his companion.
He saw a griffon looking back. Looking to his commander showed much of the same.
The only changeling in the room was the Queen herself, who had looked down at her hooves with a frown.
The Commander let out a small laugh before going on. “You finally get it now, don’t you? You can lie and bluff all you want, but it won’t matter.” He leaned back in, wings flared in an intimidating fashion. “Because in the end, you’re the one locked in here with me and I’m the one in control.”
She said nothing back, but simply closed her eyes. “That… is where you’re wrong, Grand Commander.” She tilted her head back up. “Now, YOU’RE the one locked in here with ME…” Her eyes opened half way as a smile crept on her muzzle. “And you just allowed me to use my magic.”
The commander’s wing suddenly exploded from his body as his saber shot out of its harness and sliced it off. Twirling in the air, the blade darted for the left guard and impaled his shoulder before embedding itself into the rock behind. In that same instant the Queen had flipped the table onto the screaming commander with her forelegs. Doing so stood her up and she quickly inched herself back as the right guard rounded the overturned table. Attempting to pierce the Queen, he accomplished severing the rope that tied her wings down. Before he realized it, she brought her legs back down upon his head, knocking him out in that instant. Wasting no time, she stretched out her gossamer wings and flew straight for the impaled guard. Using him as a cushion, she knocked all the wind out of him as she bounced back off and onto the writhing commander. Before he could react to her, she placed her hooves onto his neck, pressing down hard.
“I assume you’re a military strategist,” she started, “otherwise, you would've known that little light show of yours would dampen the inhibitor's affect. So tell, how would you rate that take down? It only took, oh let me think. Four to five seconds for me to completely subdue you and two of your griffons in one fell swoop? All of this while being held prisoner. An event for the history books, if I do say so myself.”
The commander clawed and scratched at her hooves as he struggled to breathe.
A key floated from one the guards’ pocket and flew to her bindings, unlocking them one-by-one. “I’m sorry, repeat that. I couldn’t quite catch what you said.” Her shackles off, she released one hoof only to press the other one down harder.
The commander could barely make a sound as she brought herself closer to him.
“Do you feel that, commander,” she asked, bringing her voice down to a whisper. “That’s Death knocking at your door, begging to be let in. I want you to remember this. I want you to think of this when you think of me.” She made sure his gaze met hers. “Remember that when I held your life in my grasp, I decided that you were worth only a smidgen as a tool.” Her eyes glowed a tint of green as his glowed much the same. “And REMEMBER, that if you ever do anything to aggravate me again, I WILL kill you.”
Blessed oxygen rushed back into his lungs as the Queen’ hoof left his neck.
As he panted frantically, she turned her back to him. “You griffons sure are a hardy bunch. Honestly, if I had any other choice, I’d find a much better meal for my changelings.”
He slowly stood back up, looking to her.
“But as it stands, you will have to suffice. I’m just surprised you actually brought me in. I’d thought you all would at least be a little more intelligent, but now I see you’re more hard-headed as I previously thought.”
He slowly strolled up behind her, his claws reaching for her head.
“It’s irrelevant at this point, though. You have love, albeit it being hard to get out of you. But that’s fine. We changelings are patient and resourceful, if anything else. We’ll find another feeding source for the Hive. Until then, we’ll just have to live with you for awhile.”
His talons reached for the inhibitor ring and released the latch that held it in place.
“You sure did take your time with that. I wouldn’t mind it so much if it didn’t make me strain to use my magic.” He looked to him with a smirk. “That probably would have been a useful thing for you to know. Unfortunately, that seems worthless now.”
He said nothing, but looked at her expectantly.
“I have to say that I’m disappointed in you lack of will. Granted, I weakened you by mutilating your wing and practically choking you to death, but I’d thought you’d be able to resist my mind control even a little. Doubly so with the ring on.”  She sighed. “And here I was thinking you’d be helpful as a bountiful food source, but after what I’ve seen today, it seems you’ll just have to be held in stasis. At least we can still feed on you, though extracting love from an unconscious host tends to make it bitter.” She shook her head. She then looked to the saber, the smirk widening. “But, you may still be able to do one thing to make me feel better. Firstly: Take your uniform off.”
The commander did so accordingly, dropping the symbol of his rank unceremoniously on the floor.
“Good,” she purred as she levitated it onto her back. “Now, kindly take this…” She pulled the saber out from its place and levitated it in front of him.
He grasped the weapon in his talons.
“And eviscerate your face with it.” The smirk kept still on her face, never leaving as the commander slowly began to lacerate himself. “This may seem like overkill, but think about it. What if some griffon happens to find you? We can’t have them knowing who you are.” Green flames suddenly enveloped her before dispersing to reveal a duplicate commander standing in her place. “We need them to think I’m you.” She turned away to open the door. “Oh, and be sure not to kill yourself doing that. Makes for a mess to clean up, let me tell you.”

Closing the door behind him, the fake commander was about to head out when he stopped.
In front of him was a fresh contingent of guards, including the one who talked to him before.
The two had simply stared at each other, the silence encompassing the dungeon halls.
The Commander spoke. “The prisoner’s ready to be moved. Make sure to keep this under the Emperor’s beak. I don’t want him knowing about this.”
The front most guard gave a salute. “At your command…” A smile crept on his beak as his eyes flashed green. “Queen Chrysalis.”
“I’ll be posting you all about the kingdom after this. When the swarm strikes, you’ll be the ones to lure these idiot birds to ‘safety.’ Until we have the kingdom fully under our control, you are NOT to drop your disguises for anything. Feed on whom you must, but do not give them any inclination of who you are.”
The group saluted their queen proudly.
She smiled. “Good.”
As the contingent moved to secure the room, Chrysalis marched down the hall. Griffon bodies were foreign to her, but then again, so were all the bodies her brood impersonated. It wouldn’t matter either way. Come tomorrow, her changelings will have a new food source for the time. She’ll have to commission scouts to find a new one. They certainly can’t feed on the griffons, or anything for that matter, forever. But she’s sure all will be fine. Changelings always find a way to survive.
The day had certainly gone smoothly. The infiltration went off without a hitch, and the griffons were none the wiser. It may be too early for her to say it now, but she couldn’t help but feel that this day was…

Perfect.