A Different Maestro Spectrum

by The REAL Mister Pkmn

Chapter The Nineteenth: The Search, Part Three

Maestro looked around to see that he had indeed reached his intended destination. With a nod to himself he made his way through the vast wasteland that surrounded the area. As he made his way, he could feel eyes upon him. He kept pushing towards the changeling hive, until he could feel himself being followed. He stopped, and spoke. “I know that you’re there! Now why don’t you save all of us some trouble and come on out!”

The wait for a response was agonizing, but soon enough he saw changeling drones come out from behind the rock formations. One of them was a bit different from an average drone, but not quite the queen. He spoke in an intimidating tone. “What do we have here? A pony has ventured far from Equestria… This is most unusual.”

Maestro didn’t like the way they were eying him, like he was some kind of battery. He understood, sure. The changelings were in desperate need of love to feast on. Maestro decided to try and calm down, though. He’d been in tough spots before and made it work. This’d be no different… he hoped. He steeled his nerves, and tried to negotiate. “Hey, I’m just passing through. I only intend to stay for a short time. Surely your people aren’t entirely heartless so as to prohibit such a benign request, right?”

The guard (that’s what Maestro had inferred the one who spoke earlier to be) spoke up again after some deliberation. “I’ll have to appraise your case with Queen Chrysalis.” He turned his back back towards Maestro and barked out orders to the drones. “Come on, you nitwits! Let’s get this captive to the Queen!”

Maestro was about to object to that comment when the drones surrounded him on all sides. Realizing his position, he decided to just comply for now. The group started moving and Maestro fell in step as he felt his magic sensor’s reaction slowly build. As they approached, there was no longer any doubt in Maestro’s mind. One of the mana pools was inside the changeling hive. Although, this one felt… different. It was strangely dormant from what his spell was relaying. Maybe this was why the changelings were always so antagonistic? Probably not, but it still was his job to awaken the pool somehow.

It wasn’t much longer before he was brought before Queen Chrysalis. She was taller than all the other changelings, that much was expected. However, she looked far less rugged than the others. Less holes in her chitin and overall less unruly hair. She was the Queen, so it made sense that she was the best cared for of the hive. Her piercing green eyes leered at her guardsman. “Why has a pony found their way to us, Gossamer? I thought that we were concealed…”

He sighed. “Pardon me, my Queen. But… this pony says he is only passing through. What should be done with him?”

For an uncomfortable amount of time, Queen Chrysalis stared at him. Maestro wasn’t sure why, either. He did his best to not shrink, though. After a few minutes, she spoke. “What have you come here for? Be honest. You didn’t come to just ‘pass through’. I can tell.”

Maestro was a bit surprised, but not entirely. She was the Queen of the Changelings! Who could possibly hope to hide something from her? Well, Maestro decided to try his luck by only telling her what he absolutely had to in order to escape the fate of being a love battery. “Well, you’re correct. I do intend to spend more time here than ‘passing through’ would normally imply. But I promise you, I won’t do anything heinous to your hive. I’m just going to check this place’s mana flow, and be out of your manes in no time.” He stopped talking, thinking that he’d said too much.

Chrysalis regarded Maestro for a while longer, until she sighed. “Release him. He speaks truthfully.” The guard was appalled at first, but followed orders nonetheless. After Maestro was released, Chrysalis continued. “Find what you came to find, and then leave. If you outstay your welcome…”

Maestro gave a nod, knowing what she implied. After she dismissed him, he went on his way through the corridors of the hive until his spell reacted better to the source that he’d come looking for. He started running in order to find it faster, and soon went deep into the catacombs of the hive. It took a few minutes, but he soon found the spot that reacted the strongest. It was a decrepit throne that was made of marble. It was built on top of the source, so he had to move it aside. It took a bit of doing, since he wasn’t an Earth Pony, but he did manage.

He felt the ground while trying to figure out how he was supposed to “activate” this mana pool. He then had an idea. He focused his magic and began to reach out carefully with his magic to the mana pool. He then focused so he could connect the pool to the spark he was lending it. With a flux of will he ignited it and the mana pool started to flow outward, beginning to refurbish the mana-drained walls. Maestro looked at the display of ambient magic reclaiming the walls in awe. It was like an aurora, with many colors seamlessly seeping into each other. He left the chamber after collecting the sample, and made his exit from the hive.

Before leaving, Chrysalis came out to meet him. She bore a strange unreadable expression on her face as she spoke. “Our home’s magic hasn’t fed us in generations… What you’ve done has changed everything… Now, we no longer starve. We’ll give back to our home, so as to not dry it up again.” She gave a small nod. “You have my thanks.”

Maestro gave a nod of his own and was on his way. His next target was waiting...