//------------------------------//
// Issue #1: Fit for a Queen 
// Story: The Blue Queen 
// by TheLegendaryBillCipher 
//------------------------------//

Chrysalis’s rage was palpable as she stalked through her Hive. Normally, she was content to let her workers and soldiers go about their business and sit upon her throne, awaiting their status updates. 

But that had been before the disaster at the Canterlot wedding.

A month had passed, but it was still a stinger in Chrysalis’s side. Nearly a year of planning, subterfuge and delicate sabotage that had taken weeks to set up, insert, and secure. She’d even managed to secure enough love to lay Celestia low before she could interfere. All of it was wasted!

And now everything needed to change. Her troops were still returning from being displaced all across Equestria. Poor Thorax has been thrown all the way to the Frozen North, while others were returning from as far away as Saddle Arabia and Yakyakistan. Dozens of carefully placed gatherers needed to either be evacuated or had their positions reinforced, lest they be outed to the ponies.

Most importantly, she needed a new scheme. Something bigger, something with too many roots to be torn up as easily as her last endeavor. Something that would secure her changelings’ food source and their well-being.

And this time, she would ensure every thorn in her side was snipped from the stem.

She checked in on her drones and gatherers as they came and went. Her troops were steadily increasing back to full strength, their flow of love into the Hive was only slightly impacted, and so far none of her gatherers had been caught. Her changelings flinched away from her unyielding scowl, and she could only imagine their level of worry was near her own.

Finally, Chrysalis made her way to her throne room, the innermost sanctuary of the Hive. The doorway sealed behind her and she sat down on her throne with a sigh, racking her brain for her next plan. She just needed the right idea…

Her thoughts were interrupted by the door unsealing and one of the guards entering the throne room and bowing to her. “Your Majesty, Gatherer Antenna wishes to see you,” he reported.

Chrysalis grunted. “Was she successful in her mission to the Dragon Lands?”

“Indeed, but she wishes to speak with you personally,” the guard said with a nod.

“Very well, send her in,” Chrysalis said with a dismissive hoof, resting her chin on the other propped up on her throne.

Aside from love, currency was a valuable asset to the Hive. It allowed her to finance her disguised gatherers in their undercover positions, and perhaps pay off ponies who got a little too close to the truth. The best source of income was the Dragon Lands—the older dragons with their ancient hoards of gold and jewels. The ones who wouldn’t notice if a few trinkets went missing.

The guard bowed and left, replaced by a chipper, younger changeling who was grinning from ear to ear and had a pair of saddlebags at her sides. Chrysalis could practically taste the excitement radiating from her, but after their defeat, she couldn’t fathom where it came from.

“What is it, child?” Chrysalis grumbled.

“Your Majesty, I have brought you back a gift from the hoard of Korg the Dragon,” Antenna said with a deep bow. “A royal treasure fit for a queen such as yourself.”

Chrysalis raised an intrigued eyebrow at the sweet gesture. “Well? What did you bring me?” she asked, some of the harshness leaving her voice.

Antenna reached into one of her saddlebags and produced the lone item aloft.

Chrysalis’s eyes widened. Dragons were known to have some treasures in their hoards beyond simple gold and jewels, but she had never heard of anything quite like this. It was an ornate scarab beetle, only a little bigger than an apple. The elytra was of an unidentifiable, deep blue jewel, trimmed in gold the rest of the way, including its head, legs, and mandibles. Two, small blue gems made for the scarab’s eyes.

“You found this in the dragon’s hoard?” Chrysalis asked, rising to her hooves and stepping down to her changeling.

“It was on this pedestal, I think made from a severed stalagmite,” Antenna explained. “When I saw it, I thought of your regal splendor.”

Chrysalis smiled softly, gently taking the scarab in her magic, and bringing it closer for inspection. She turned it over this way and that. It was of expert craftsmanship, so much so she wondered if even ponies could have made such a thing.

“It is rather exquisite,” she agreed. “Thank you, my child. It is a lovely—” Chrysalis was cut off by a subtle clicking noise.

All attention was drawn to the scarab, which had lowered its legs and was moving them as if trying to walk. Chrysalis dropped the thing from her magic out of surprise, and it landed perfectly on its feet.

“What is the meaning of this?” Chrysalis snarled, backing herself up on her throne like a mare seeing a mouse.

“It’s alive!” Antenna exclaimed, astonished. “It wasn’t moving when I found it, I swear!”

Guards rushed into the throne room at the commotion. The scarab turned its attention to Chrysalis. 

“Seize it!” Chrysalis ordered, jabbing a hoof at the small bug.

As the guards dove for the scarab, it lunged at Chrysalis. It powered through the surge of magic she used to defend herself and latched onto the queen’s chest.

“Get this thing off me!” Chrysalis demanded, tugging at the bug with both hoof and magic.

Antenna and the guards rushed forward to try and help their queen, only for Chrysalis to suddenly jerk forward and knock them aside. Chrysalis shakily got to her hooves and her eyes widened at her chest. The scarab had dug its legs through her black chitin, and was embedding itself further despite the queen’s efforts.

A numb, but burning sensation expanded across Chrysalis’s dark chitin. She watched in wide-eyed horror as black material darkened her carapace, heralded by an orange glow that resembled burning paper. The scarab was promptly buried underneath of it.

“What’s happening?” one of the guards demanded as he turned to Antenna.

“I don’t know! I thought it was just a treasure!” Antenna pleaded, on the verge of tears.

The material crawled up Chrysalis’s neck, covering her face. A pair of ovular, orange lenses covered her eyes. She let out a cry, her face scrunching up. Blue armor followed the black, covering her entire form, swiftly spreading. 

“Do something, you fools!” Chrysalis shouted to the guards.

The guards rushed to her aid, but just as they reached her, the black and blue armor had encased their Queen completely.

“Assimilation complete,” came a female voice in Chrysalis’s ear.

No. It was in her head.

“What is this?” Chrysalis demanded, looking around above her. She winced at the electronic tone of her voice. “Who is speaking to me?”

“Initiating Systems Check in 3… 2… 1.”

The blue armor along her back shifted as her blue-encased wings buzzed to life on their own. A series of blue nozzles extended out and flared to life with exhaust.

“What do you mean ‘systems check?’’” Chrysalis snarled.

“Your Majesty? Are you ok?” one of the guards asked.

Before Chrysalis could reply, the exhausts roared and she flew out the throne room at mach speed, her scream vanishing down the Hive’s corridors.


To Be Continued…