Queen Chrysalis takes Manehattan

by Ponyess

Setting Up Shop: 3

Author's Note:

Queen Chrysalis / Ruby's POV

Pinkie Pie had apparently managed to secure a local for us, from which to operate a small Enterprise. The kitchen is located on the second floor of a Manhattan Skyscraper.

At this time, I find the city intimidating. Is this the fact that we are so few, or that I never saw a city quite this big? This will be a challenge to get use4d to, but I hope we can expand out shop and hive soon.

Compared with Manehattan, Canterlot seems small, and we were so many back then. As desperate as I had been to secure love for my Hive, back then.

“This is the kitchen, Flames, and your domain!” Pinkie Pie had pointed out.

“There is a stove, freezer and fridge. I even have room to prepare the meals for both the restaurant, and for all of us!” I declared.

“Yes, Flames and it is all yours. Apparently you do have some food to work with. We're not left in the cold, just yet!” Ruby pointed out.

“I can't prepare any of the 'Love-Soup' with what I have, but I guess you can help us with that. Once our restaurant is open, I expect to see happy and loving Ponies in the room. Then we will have enough love to make us intoxicated!” I said.

“I have announced your restaurant will open today, then I had asked a few Ponies to slip by. Critics, to the point!” Pinkie Pie stated.

“Then we'll have something to do, and a means to acquire bits to buy more food too!” Wind suggested.

Now Pinkie Pie is looking at the three light pink Earth Ponies in our group. I could see she was considering something, but exactly what.

“Since you are in the form of Earth Ponies, and just happened to choose the colour of Human skin, I guess we know what you're going to do. You're the scratchers. Hitomi, Chihiro and Riku will be your human names as Scratchers. I hope you can live up to the names!” Pinkie Pie announced.

“Should we try our new form now?” enquired Hitomi.

“The earlier you get into your new positions, the better you can play your respective parts. As strange and odd as it will be to see you in a new form like this, I guess I'm looking forwards to see how you're making it!” Ruby pointed out.

“Yes, yes yes. This is so much fun!” responded Hitomi as she slips into her new form, now looking like the girl who was scratching her, back at the scratchers in Ponyville, only her hair is still the same blue as it was in her normal Earth Pony form, her nails clear just like the girl had, her hooves now shiny, as if she had had them polished the same day.

“I feel strange!” Chihiro pointed out in her new voice.

“You look exactly like me and Hitomi, and your mane is still the same cerise as it was before. Even though it does feel new to walk like these girls on my hind hooves and have hands like them!” confessed Riku.

“You could change your tails according to the customers wishes later, but this should look as if you are several girls, not just the three of you changing tails for their joy!” Pinkie Pie pointed out with an uncharacteristically stern look on her face.

“How about we try this out, in order to see how well you've absorbed your new personae, Hitomi, Chihiro and Riku?” Pinkie Pie suggested.

“Flames, could you prepare a light salad from the current supply of food items? Wind and Nimbus, would you have a seat with me by the table? I guess you'd be sitting with us, Pinkie Pie?” Ruby commanded.

“I'm on it, Ruby!” I declared proudly, just as I rushed out to my new kitchen for the first time.

Once in the kitchen, I soon found all the common tools of my trade, knives, forks, spoons, plates, bowls. Then I found the stove, oven, fridge, freezer and the food storage. At least I have enough supplies to prepare the light salad to

Good thing the kitchen works the same as a Unicorn, as it did in my original Changeling form.

If I am to be surprised, but this kitchen feels awfully familiar, or because I had been here or in Manehattan, I may have seen the kitchen in the castle at the wedding we were to crash, but that would be the limit to my experience with how Ponies organised their cooking. The thing is, since everything looks the same, a kitchen is still just a kitchen.

“This feels strange, but exciting!” Hitomi giggles.

“I have acquired a set of menus for your restaurant, Ruby. What's so fascinating about this kind of menus, they instantly adapt to the moment. They're apparently called “Ruby's Scratch”, and the front has three framed images, symbolising your Girls who are serving the Scratching!” Pinkie Pie announced cheerfully.

“This is after all your place, Ruby, and it is supposedly a Scratchers. The name sounds delicious!” Hitomi expressed.

“Yeah, it sure feels strange now. I'm sure we can get used to this form as quickly as we've gotten used to every other form we've used in order to hide who we truly are. It's exciting, I'm anticipating so much from this place!” Riku responded.

“Somehow I'm starting to feel unaccustomed feelings, just as if I had been the girl who was scratching me back in Ponyville. She always looked so exciting and exciting to me. Not just the way she moved, but in how she affected me, while she enjoyed doing her work in a way I can't quite put my finger to!” Chihiro exclaimed.

“I had that feeling from the girl scratching me too, Chihiro. Just like you, I can't quite put a finger to it. Just as I feel like saying hoof, even though I currently do have fingers to put to the mysteries now!” Riku pointed out.

“I think this is the time I go out, buying a few ingredients to complete the menu for you, Ruby!” Pinkie Pie stated, as she walked out of the small establishment, now dubbed “Ruby's Scratcher”.

“Thanks, Pinkie Pie, that would be great, I appreciate it!” Ruby responded with a smile on her face.

The next moment I could see the Pink mare enter what is to be my kitchen.

“Hi Pinkie Pie, welcome to explore what's available, and what's missing!” I told her.

“I inspected the kitchen once earlier. Now I just need to see what's missing. You'll need some more ingredients to serve everything on the menu, and more than a few portions!” she merely responded.

“I figured the remaining ingredients in my kitchen wouldn't last a full night as I inspected it, before I started to prepare the salad!” I responded.

“Sounds as if you're a great cook, Ruby is lucky to have you!” Pinkie Pie stated, as she finished the inspection and moved out.

I could see her for a moment, before the door closed between her and me as I finished shopping up the last few ingredients of the salad ordered.

Once I had mixed the salad, I poured up eight portions, one for each of us, including not just me and the Scratchers, but one for Pinkie Pie, figuring it was the least we could do for her after all she had done for us.

Placing the bowls on a cart, then checking the supply of forks under the top of the cart. The door moved aside for me as I back out of the kitchen and moved towards the table where Ruby is sitting. Slowly going the rest of the way, before placing a bowl on each place.

Now I finally got a good look at the face of Ruby, as Hitomi was scratching her ear. Then she picked up a fork and stabbed vegetables before she moved it to the lips of Ruby who soon parted her lips eagerly, as she saw the salad I had prepared for us all.