//------------------------------//
// The Queen's Swindling 
// Story: Beauty Lies Within 
// by MiraculousDragonMaster 
//------------------------------//


Beauty Lies Within

Chapter 15

The Queen's Swindling


That very same night, while everyone the Mane 6 knew were getting worried sick about them, a smiling Sabina had returned to her home from a nightly stroll.

She was celebrating in secret as she recalled the last couple of months. Though some of her minions were captured by that traitor Thorax and that confounded Starlight Glimmer, and that Equestria knows she is active again, her main scheme has been accomplished. The Mane 6 were gone. And now there was no one to stop her from recovering her power to begin her conquest of Equestria.

Sabina grinned evilly as she entered her lair after she made sure that there was no intruders around. Once she was certain, she started her transformation into Queen Chrysalis. Then, she entered her room where her magic mirror was hanging on the wall.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall." She chanted to the mirror. "Who now is the fairest one of all?"

The familiar green mist swirled in a haze over the surface of the mirror. Then, the hollow voice gave her answer.

"Deep within the Everfree, in a place hidden from all, dwells Princess Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie; the fairest of them all."

Chrysalis was shocked and furious. "What?! How is that possible?!" She shrieked. "They should've been dead by now!"

The mirror gave her its answer. "A friend of theirs, the Chaos Lord, hid them all away from sight. When the six maidens return to take their stand, it's obvious that my Queen will lose the fight."

Chrysalis growled viciously. Now what? "Can you tell me where they are?" She demanded.

The voice spoke again. "The magic of Discord is unpredictable, as you see. He had hidden the maidens you seek where I cannot find for thee."

Chrysalis clenched her fists and turned away from the mirror. Her night had just gotten worse in one fell swoop. Those girls were still alive, and hidden somewhere in the Everfree Forest, but thanks to that old nuisance Discord, she can't rely on her mirror to figure out where they are.

"But, I do know their hearts' desires, my Queen." The mirror added. Chrysalis perked up and turned back, showing that she was listening. "Though the maidens are safe, in their hearts they are unhappy as you have now seen."

The green mist again spiraled over the surface, revealing the girls' faces. They did seem a little lonely as they all stood outside, looking up at the moon, all dressed up and looking oh-so-pretty.

Princess Twilight was wearing a sleeveless dress with a blue bodice; the majority of it bright blue and a part of it a darker shade, a high collar, the skirt was purple with navy blue stripes, and there were stars all over the dress. She also wore leggings with one leg yellow and the other bright blue, and on her feet were star-themed heels. 

Rainbow Dash wore an aqua sleeveless vest, with one strap having a yellow lightning bolt on it, a black skirt with rainbow bolts, leggings with one leg yellow and the other neon green, and bright blue heels with yellow lightning bolts.

Applejack wore a green shirt with horse tails sleeves and red patterns on it like it was the half on an apple, a yellow skirt with red apple prints and bright blue horse tail trim underneath, a brown belt around her waist with a blue music note as the buckle, leggings with one leg neon green and the other red, and gold cowgirl heels with apple imprints. On her head was a red cowgirl hat.

Fluttershy was wearing a sleeveless dress with a neon green butterfly on the bodice with bright purple underneath, the green skirt having black stripes and purple butterflies and a white trim underneath, leggings with one leg bright purple and the other pink, and neon green heels with butterflies.

Pinkie Pie wore a dark pink sleeveless dress with a blue heart on the bodice, the skirt was white with colorful balloons and confetti on it, leggings with one leg dark pink and the other purple, and turquoise heels with hearts.

And Rarity wore a sleeveless pink dress with a blue star near her chest, a black belt with blue diamond studs around her waist, the skirt having maroon music notes and the same blue diamonds on it, leggings with one leg bright blue and the other pink, and soft pink heels with blue diamond studs.

"Their only wish is to attend the Gala in two days' hence." The mirror continued. "But knowing that it is unsafe to come out because of my Queen, they stay within their fence."

Chrysalis thought about this new information given to her as the mirror became still. "So those little beauties want to go to the Gala." She said. A smirk then came on her face. "Well then, this time, I hope their wish gets granted."

As she moved over to a table where a large spell book rested, she continued talking while flipping through the pages, looking for a specific spell. "Knowing those girls, they would convince that crazy fool Discord into letting them go out for one night, especially that Fluttershy." She said. "I remember when that so-called heart of stone wouldn't beat for anything or anyone, until that wimpy pegasus girl came along and became his friend."

She then finally came to the spell that she was looking for. "So, once they do come to that Grand Galloping Gala, I'll leave them with a parting gift to heal their aching hearts."

The spell she had found was for a poisoned apple. Chrysalis then began gathering some ingredients from the shelves in her room. "A poisoned apple for each of them. And how deliciously ironic that will be, especially for that dusty farm girl, Applejack. One taste of those apples, they will all fall deeply asleep, and when the clock strikes twelve after they have it, they will finally be gone forever!"

"I must warn you, my Queen." The mirror became active again. "The spell is all-powerful, as you have seen. But there is one thing that the curse cannot dismiss, and that is love's first kiss."

"Love's first kiss." Chrysalis scoffed. "What a bunch of rubbish. Once those girls fall under the curse, I'll quickly take them away from the ones they love, where at midnight, they'll die!"

The changeling queen began cackling evilly, as everything turned black.