Chrysalis lay on her back on a bed, sprawled out in a most unladylike fashion. She lay on top of the blankets, unclothed and staring at her hands and arms. She had awoken some minutes earlier, discovering she was dressed in some sort of gown that wrapped around her front. It was uncomfortable, so she tore it off. It now lay in a heap on the floor.

The sensation of not having holes through her limbs was an odd one. Having digits she could flex at the end of her hoo—wait, what was the word? Not paw. Hand!

Turning her hand over and flexing her fingers, she concentrated on feeling her muscles beneath the skin, fascinated at comparing the differences between this body and the one she had known her entire life. Pleased to find she still had a lithe and supple body, the fallen queen was not at all comfortable relying on two legs to stand on instead of four. There was no chitin or natural armor protecting her body. Her flesh was soft and her skin was smooth. Upon close inspection, tiny hairs could be made out on her skin. They stood out when she angled her view in relation to the lighting in the room. Why did she have teats on her chest? Why were they not covered in fur? Did they not need protection? How confusing! Equestrian mares had bodies that made sense to Chrysalis.

There was hair under her arms and in between her legs. Rational thought plucked at the purpose the hair served. She determined it was logical to assume it prevented chafing and perhaps even some protection for her nether regions. Chrysalis was pleased to find her mane had retained its original color. The majestic tail she had once had was missing, the lack thereof wounding her pride. It was shameful to not have a tail to cover her buggy bits! At least the hair down there was the same color as her mane.

The human body was an outrage, she decided, clenching and unclenching her hands. It was designed for efficiency, but lacked the proud displays a proper queen could do with her wings. Her fangs were too small and were not at all intimidating, in her opinion. Learning how to walk in this infernal form was proving to not be simple. It might have been an easy thing if she was still in her original form, which was a body of magic, but this was, and Chrysalis shuddered when she thought about it, flesh and blood. Everything was different. Even her mind felt altered and tainted. Her thoughts were without the voices of her children.

Her mind felt empty without them. It felt vast and unfilled without the hum of the Hive Mind. The magic which had connected her to her children was gone. There was something else. Chrysalis was not sure if it was magic. It was foreign, but there was something about it. Something untameable. It was attuned to this world. For as long as this world had existed, Chrysalis sensed this strange magic was just as old. Yes, it was magic. Very strange and dangerous magic.

Often her gaze would fall upon the ring on the second outermost digit of her left hand. She had heard it referred to as the ‘ring finger’. Many cultures among humans, be they religious or traditional, had married couples sport marriage bands upon their ring fingers. Chrysalis stretched her fingers and stared at the ring. It would not come off. No matter how much she tried, the damnable thing would not even budge. She could spin it on her finger, it wiggled as if it was just a little loose. The ring would not slide past the knuckle on her finger. There was no pain, no pinching, just no budging whatsoever.

It was true binding magic and very fine work, she admitted. The hand bearing the ring flopped upon her chest. Chrysalis sighed, fighting back the frustration. Her magic was there, she could feel it. Was it her magic? It felt different, wild. She had tried to reach out to it with a calm mind. It had welled up from within before, out in that frozen waste three days prior, fueled by her anger. Yet she could not unleash it then, no matter how hard she tried.

Starlight Glimmer could use magic. Her shifting thoughts went to the humanized unicorn. How was she able to use magic in this useless monkey meatbag form?

Her stomach growled. Chrysalis hated this different hunger. This sort of hunger was known to her, but never before experienced until now. It was a mortal sensation and was almost as persistent as the never ending hunger for emotions. This could be satisfied, if for a short while. Being able to taste her food was a new sensation. Even in Equestria, when she assumed a victim’s form Chrysalis could not taste food. It was like eating a solid nothing. Eating food in this form exposed her to new sensations.

Using her elbows, she pushed herself to a sitting position. She swung her legs over the side of the bed. Staring down at her feet, Chrysalis wiggled her toes and frowned. Why did this body need so many little moving parts? The fingers and opposable thumb were useful, but what was the purpose of toes? She thought that was what they were called. Toes. What sort of a word was ‘toes’?

Scrunching her nose, the fallen queen shook the trifling thought from her mind. No, there were other things to deal with, things far more important than pondering the meaning of toes. She looked around her small gray room and sighed.

There was her bed, pushed into the corner. Several thick blankets had been provided, along with sheets and two pillows. They were of good quality, as was the rest of the furniture.

She had a small writing desk, with everything she needed in case she needed to write a letter. There was also a strange device with a flat glowing surface set in the center of it. In front of it was a rectangular device with a variety of square and rectangular buttons on it. The humanized changeling did not know what purpose it served. Chrysalis was intrigued, yet suspicious. Was it a trap?

For now, she chose to ignore the device. Rising to her feet, she shuffled over to the sink by the door. Her fingers brushed against everything along the way, the sensation of having such a sensitive sense of touch a marvel in her mind. She found this new body to be far more sensitive to the world around her, though there were some drawbacks. Her skin was not thick and bare. Plucking up a white bathrobe draped over the end of the bed, she put it on as she shivered. Next to the wash basin was a smaller room containing the toilet and a small shower. Both served as a reminder having mortal flesh was several notches below having a magical form.

Once she had the robe on, Chrysalis put herself in front of the small mirror over the sink. The reflection staring back was disgusted at what she saw. A disheveled mane framed her smooth and unblemished oval face. Deep emerald eyes stared back in her reflection. They seemed to swirl as she leaned closer for a more detailed examination of herself. She could see her own magic within those eyes and ground her teeth in frustration. Why could she not tap into her own power? It was there! It was in her eyes!

Grabbing the mirror, she tore it from the wall and hurled it across the room. It shattered and fell, leaving nothing but a hook on the wall where it had hung. She gave a humorless smirk; at least her ability to manipulate objects without the use of magic was improving.

Her eyes sought out and found the door exiting her room. It was closed. She went to it and reached out for the knob. The door was not locked. Wondering if this was another trap, she opened it with care, wary of any threats that might be lurking on the other side.

Scott sat at a dining table made of stained cherry wood. He wore a tee shirt and gray sweatpants. A pair of flip flops adorned his feet. Across from him sat a man in a dark blue suit and a red tie. A briefcase was opened and set to the side. Papers were stacked in several piles. One was currently being leafed through by the man in the suit. There were two cups of coffee between the two men.

The man in the suit had introduced himself only as Mr. Smith when he had come into the building. He had an air of professionalism to go with a sweaty handshake and a snake oil salesman’s smile. Scott felt uneasy, the back of his mind screaming, I need an adult!

The voice in his head snarked, Act like an adult!

“I am sorry the ambassador could not make it, Mr. Bronson,” the man said. His voice reminded Scott of Ben Stein. Short blonde hair and a receding hairline went with an unassuming face. “He did want to make sure your concerns were addressed and to see about getting things you need.” There was a pause, “Within reason, of course. There are just a few things I would like to go over with you before we get to any requests you might have. Miss Glimmer should be with us shortly to provide answers to questions you no doubt have.”

“Okay,” Scott crossed his arms over his chest and gave the suit an impassive stare. “What sort of things?”

“I just want to make sure what information we have on you is correct.” He found the sheet he wanted and fished a pen from inside his jacket. Clicking it a couple of times, he held it poised and ready. An expectant look greeted Scott.

“Fire away.”

“Date of birth?”

Scott told him.

“Where were you born?”

The hospital’s name and the city was spoken.

“Which state?”

“Washington.”

“Did you graduate high school?”

“Yeah.” Scott included the name of his school. He picked up his coffee and drank.

“Any college?”

“Some. Never graduated.” He leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table. He hooked his feet around the front legs of the chair and stared at Mr. Smith. “You guys know all this boring stuff.” He made a gesture at the papers in front of the suit. “Why do you need confirmation?”

Mr. Smith clicked his pen. He had been writing with each of Scott’s answers. “The Russians want to make sure the information they have is correct. There are cameras and microphones in your living quarters. The United States agreed to this interview to make sure the information they have on you is correct. There is also going to be several copies distributed to other nations who have a vested interest in this project. The British received an incomplete report and we’re just making sure the same mistake isn’t repeated. It’s all just your typical diplomatic and political red tape. Everyone wants to make sure they have the same thing the other guy has.”

Scott deflated. “Oh.”

“May I continue?”

“Uh, yeah, sure.” More coffee was slurped.

“Four years ago you were diagnosed with, ah, let me see...ah! Type One diabetes. Is this correct?” Mr. Smith looked at Scott for clarification.

This had the man’s attention. “Yeah. I’ve been meaning to ask someone if I was going to get my insulin. Kind of need it. Kind of important. You know how it is.”

“No, I don’t, actually. Rest assured, there will be a doctor in here to make sure any medical needs you have are taken care of. I’ve been told they already know.” Mr. Smith gave a lip service smile. “Your medical records were among the first seized—”

Scott put up a hand. “Hold on a second. Seized?” he asked.

“As soon as you were selected, all public information regarding you was sealed.”

“Why was I sealed?” the red headed man sputtered, “I’m an American citizen! You can’t do that to me! I have rights!”

“I’m sorry, but your rights were suspended the moment we found out you were a match.”

Bewildered for a moment, Scott stood up, slapping his hands over its surface. “Match?” His chair toppled back and clattered on the concrete floor. “What the fuck, man!,” he yelled. “What do you mean ‘suspended’?”

Mr. Smith ignored the postering. Setting down his pen, he folded his hands before him and regarded the angry man. “You are now property of the United Nations. You are at the forefront of a brighter future for all of mankind. You have no idea how good you have it right now. Thousands of candidates were passed over for the position you currently hold. If only you knew how big this was, you’d shut up and thank your lucky stars you are in the position you are now.” His voice droned as if he was bored. “There are some good things to come out of this, if you’d be so kind as to calm yourself and listen. Please, Mr. Bronson.” A seating motion was made with his hand.

His appearance and tone might have eased Scott down from his anger. Turning, the irritated man bent and righted his chair. Plopping down on it, he refused to look at Mr. Smith, instead crossing his arms and looking at one of the ceiling lights. “There go my freedoms,” he sighed, his brows in a knot. He found himself drawn to his wedding ring. There go my freedoms indeed!

“May I please continue where we left off, Mr. Bronson?” The pen clicked again. It was such an annoying sound.

“Sure. None of this is your fault,” Scott sighed in defeat, swiveling his head to the suit. “Just doing your job, I guess.”

Mr. Smith blinked and gave a single nod. “I’m glad you’re being reasonable about this. Cooperation will make things a lot more manageable for you. Now, where were we? Ah! You have military experience.”

“Four years in the Air Force. Security Forces.”

“And your rank at the end of your Active Duty service?”

“Senior Airman. E-4.”

“Very good. And your current occupation?”

“Night shift lead in the warehouse. Skyreach Pharmaceutical Distribution. Been there going on five years.” Scott blew air from his mouth. “I was up for a raise. Five percent on my five year mark.” The coffee beckoned. He partook, staring into his cup. The slurping was as loud and annoying as he could manage.

“I am sorry for your loss, Mr. Bronson,” Mr. Smith offered his condolences with what Scott suspected to be something less than complete sincerity. “But right now, this moment, you are probably one of the most important figures in history. You are becoming part of history. Please remember that.”

“What is going on here?” a woman’s voice demanded. “I was expecting a trap. Instead, I find this.”

Both men spun their heads in the direction of that voice. Mr. Smith paled, his eyes going wide before he jerked his head away. Scott came very close to spraying coffee everywhere.

Chrysalis stood before them, one hand on the wall to help keep her steady as she stood wearing an open white robe and nothing else. The other hand was on her hip as she regarded them with shameless, cold eyes. There was nothing left to the imagination as she flaunted her breasts with zero concern for modesty.

“Madam!” Mr. Smith stood and averted his eyes. He jabbed a finger at her. It shook as if it was scolding her. “Madam, please! Cover yourself!”

Chrysalis looked down at herself, quirking an eyebrow. “Why? Am I ugly?” A twinge of panic was in her words. “Was I given a hideous monkey body?” Instead of covering herself, she peeled the robe from her shoulders and let it hang around her sides and arms. Her breasts were eye magnets for the only redhead in the room.

He stared, trying to put his cup on the table. “Nope. Not ugly at all!” It clattered a couple of times as he fumbled his grip.

The robe dropped to the floor. Chrysalis turned her body one way, then the other. “Are you sure?” she asked, pleading. There was a great deal of jiggling. It was the right amount of jiggle. Nothing sagged.

“Oh my God,” breathed Scott. By now, his vision had drifted south. The teal hair was mesmerizing. “How long were you standing there?”

All sense of trepidation fell away. “Good,” Chrysalis straightened herself and walked with slow and measured steps towards Mr. Smith. “I heard everything, not that I wanted to. Who are you, well-dressed monkey? Why should I not vent my frustrations from being dragged to this Tartarus-cursed world upon you? Speak quickly, monkey! My patience is frayed and I hunger!” Her hips swayed from side to side.

The poor man stumbled back from her, gibbering and trying not to stare. Onward she came, ruthless as not a single trace of a smile could be seen. Her eyes had a hunger in them, her lips parted, revealing the tips of her fangs.

“I’m an aide to Ambassador Sharon Williams of the United States of America!” he cried, backpedaling from the encroaching naked woman with the dark skin and long, teal hair. “Cover yourself, please! This isn’t proper!”

Behind him, the door opened. Starlight Glimmer strode in. She was wearing jeans and rose colored turtleneck sweater. “Chrysalis, I’m going to have to ask you to cover yourself.” A very determined look accompanied her walk. “Humans tend to frown on nudity.” Waving a hand in a simple gesture, the robe on the floor was wrapped in her aura and rose. It hung in the air, hanging at shoulder height. “If you please,” she insisted.

Smouldering anger became a growl from the fallen queen, but she complied, slipping her arms through the sleeves. The aura faded, the robe fell upon her shoulders. Without being prompted, Chrysalis closed her front and tied it shut. She gave a wary growl, “Happy?”

Starlight smiled, chirping, “Yes! Thank you!”

“How I loathe you,” Chrysalis snarled, huffing as she brushed a strand of her unkempt hair from her eyes. With angry grace, she sat at the table and began drumming her fingers on its top with one hand while she rested her chin on the other. She wore the expression of a grumpy lady.

“Everpony, please take a seat,” the young woman said as she guided Mr. Smith to the indicated destination. “Everyone, I mean.” She giggled and Chrysalis’ scowl deepened, complete with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. “I’m so glad you’re adjusting to your human body, Chrysalis.”

“Queen Chrysalis,” snapped the irritable former and fallen changeling queen.

Scott refilled his coffee cup from the counter in the kitchenette. Trudging back to his seat, he sat down with Chrysalis to his right. Mr. Smith resumed his former seat, his nervous and furtive glances flickering to the now brooding teal haired woman. Starlight took the last seat, to Scott’s left and interlaced her fingers on the table.

“All right then,” Starlight surveyed the table, looking very positive. “Sorry I was late. Our Russian hosts had a few concerns I had to take care of. None of that is important to anypo—one at this table, so let’s get down to it, okay?”

“I for one am glad you showed up, Miss Glimmer,” Mr. Smith said with a nervous laugh.

“I did ask you to wait until I could join you,” she told him with an arched brow.

He nodded. “You did. I just had no idea she—” he pointed at Chrysalis, “—would flaunt herself so shamelessly.”

“Social experiment,” Chrysalis explained with a shrug.

“She has great lungs,” Scott observed. He sipped his coffee. “Has a great arm, too. Did you see her chuck that soldier at me yesterday? Felt like high school gym class all over again.”

Chrysalis glared at him. He gave her his middle finger. Starlight cleared her throat while Mr. Smith appeared even more uncomfortable now. “This is an important meeting. Please, can we just get through this without bickering?”

“No!” Chrysalis and Scott said at the same time while they glared at each other.

“Wonderful,” Starlight sounded strained through her smile, “you both sound like a married couple.”

“He is aroused,” Chrysalis grunted, making a sour face and glaring at Scott. Her outrage was plain for all to see.

Sipping his coffee, he retorted, “Yes I am.” There was pride in his voice. “She’s not my wife.” A furious blush was showing on his face.

She rolled her eyes again. “Starlight Glimmer, let’s get this over with so I can get away from this cretin.”

“Of course!” The humanized unicorn nodded and rubbed her hands together. “Explanations are needed. Explaining why you are here, Chrysalis, should be easy. You on the other hand,” she said to Scott, making a rapid succession of expressions before settling on an apologetic grimace, “are a complicated issue. The Security Council has been in an uproar. You weren’t even on the list until most recently. We really did not want a fan of the show and especially not a Queen Chrysalis fan.”

Chrysalis blinked in disbelief. “I have fans on this planet of the apes? What fans? What show?” she demanded, perking up and swiveling her head around from person to person. Her emerald eyes widened, then narrowed, “I demand answers!” She pounded the table with a fist for emphasis.

Starlight’s voice rose, “And you’re getting them!” In a much calmer tone, she added, “But I need you calm. Please.”

Grumbling, the dark woman sat back in her chair and crossed her arms under her breasts. “Fine.”

Satisfied, Starlight Glimmer pulled out a small remote from her pocket. “All right. Pay attention to the wall over there,” she pointed the remote and pressed a button. The lighting in the room dimmed and the wall lit up as if a projector had been turned on.

A smiling image of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza appeared. She was an alicorn, her ears perked forward and a warm and loving smile gracing her muzzle. It appeared as though she was sitting, her eyes flicking down before her eyes widened. “Oh, is it recording? Oh! Well, let’s get started.”

She straightened herself, tilting her head to one side a touch. “Hello and welcome to Project Baba Yaga! This is a unified effort from all members of the United Nations, led by the Security Council, to bring magic back to this world. The project was originally founded by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna a thousand years ago—”

“Does everything start a thousand years ago with you guys?” Scott muttered, glaring at the all-too-cheerful pink alicorn. Chrysalis gave a snort in agreement.

“—but had to be put on hold due to unforeseen circumstances. It was revived ten years ago and contact was re-established between Earth and Equus. Celestia avoided appearing as she did before; a goddess who tried to guide Humanity away from evil and showing the ways of Harmony. Humans, she discovered over time, were violent and resistant to changes. She had some followers, but ultimately, she did not want to interfere with human cultural development.”

“There is so much wrong with what I just heard,” Scott whispered to himself, blinking in disbelief.

“Get to the point,” Chrysalis slumped on the table, a hand snaking out ahead of her. It brushed up against Scott’s arm. He flinched from her touch. Her head adjusted and he found one of her eyes glittering up at him before focusing back on the wall.

Cadence appeared to enjoy giving her lecture. “Project Baba Yaga was conceived on the foundation of restoring the use of magic to humans by having a powerful Fae travel the lands and seek out the so-called myths in each land. It is believed the magic of Earth is dormant and can be awakened by finding and reviving creatures that exist in the myths and legends of all cultures and regions. This Fae would have to endure the inherent dangers and find a way to convince the creatures encountered to help restore the magic lost to human antiquity.”

To say Chrysalis was stunned was an understatement. She pulled herself up, trembling. Scott winced from her, feeling a pain in his chest. Was this fear? It didn’t feel like it was his.

“She expects me to what?”

“For this to happen,” Cadence went on, shifting the tilt of her head, “the Fae in question would need to have an anchor to this world in order to tap into the magic. It has proven in the past that tapping into the magic of this world by beings from Equus causes mental and physical trauma.”

“Nightmare Moon?” Scott guessed.

“Project Baba Yaga aims to allow a Fae from Equus to tap into her magic abilities by binding her soul to that of another soul of Earth with a strong link to Earth’s ley lines. This does not have to be a human capable of magic, but one sensitive to its presence. The more sensitive the human subject, the easier it is for the Fae to convert Earth magic for her own use. However, the soul of the Fae and the soul of the human must be bound to each other through marriage. Artifacts such as wedding bands to connect the souls must be used as links. Their bond is strongest when they are together, becoming weaker the farther apart they are.”

“He has to be near me so I can channel my magic?” Chrysalis threw her attention at Starlight. “What idiocy is this?”

Cadence’s video went on. “At the conclusion of the project, when we are confident we have enough access to magic in order to properly study it and introduce it to humans, the Fae will hopefully be reformed and be able to continue contributing to the refinement of magical research and development, having become a permanent resident of Earth. As the project must be flexible and adjust to unforeseen complications, the United Nations has been given full authority to make changes with advice readily at their disposal from Canterlot’s finest minds in magical research.”

“Sparklebutt,” Scott guessed.

“As this project is delving into the unknown, Canterlot has provided for the United Nations the skills and knowledge of the unicorn Starlight Glimmer, a very capable individual who is intimately familiar with the married couple. Her responsibilities will include keeping any damage inflicted to privately owned property at a minimum and, of course, prevent harm to civilians. It is hoped the Fae will learn a newfound appreciation for love and life by caring for and having a human companion as a life partner. I know this does not explain everything, but I do hope this video helps to point you in the right direction. Good luck and good hunting!” Cadence smiled, exhaled in relief and looked off camera. “Are we done? We are? Oh, good, I’m star—” The screen went dark.

There was a long period of silence as the four sat at the table in the dim light of the room. The lighting improved. Scott raised his eyebrows. “Intimately familiar? Life partner?”

Starlight smiled at him, “The video was pre-recorded. Princess Cadence never considered same sex couples to be an issue. Love is love, after all.”

“Ah. Well, I want nothing to do with this,” he told her in a flat tone. “I want a divorce, an annulment, or something!” It was a futile effort, but he still tugged at his ring. “This is bullshit, this is slavery, this is stealing my personal freedoms as an individual! How fucking dare you motherfucking assholes steal my life from me!” He was roaring by the time he finished, leaping to his feet. Grabbing the sides of the table, he flipped it towards Mr. Smith, who was scrambling away from the enraged man.

Starlight Glimmer moved, her expression grim. With one hand, she pointed at the table. It froze in midair and stayed there, bathed in her aura. With the other, she clawed her fingers in the air. Scott was also engulfed in her aura. With the hand channeling the magic keeping him in place, she guided him to a couch while righting the table with her other hand. Releasing him, he plopped onto the couch, his arms and legs splaying as he yelped.

“Oh, please, Mr. Bronson,” she told him, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m sorry this is a huge inconvenience to you, but there weren’t enough candidates who had a higher rating than you. The ones that did would not have been a good match at all for Chrysalis. Too domineering. This was a choice based on a matter of scientific analysis and a hunch from Princess Cadence. You will be compensated and outrageously so. You’ll have so much money you won’t know what to do with it. All of your debts; car loan, mortgage, insurance, medical bills have been taken care of. Your roommate will not have to move. Everything is taken care of.”

“Nobody asked me if I wanted to do this!” Scott sat up with veins popping on his forehead.

“Nobody asked me, either!” Chrysalis thundered back. She spun on Starlight, “Where is your husband, unicorn? Where is your conduit?”

The young woman pulled a pendant from beneath her sweater. “Here.”

Flaring her nostrils, Chrysalis pointed a shaking finger at the pendant. “Why can’t I have that? Why do I instead have that?” The accusatory finger levelled at the red-headed ape.

“The answer is simple,” Starlight explained as she tucked her pendant away. “Having a living conduit should keep your scheming to a minimum. Mr. Bronson, our research shows, should be able to control how much magic you can channel at any given time.”

“Oh, good, I can run away,” sarcasm dripped on every word as he waved his arms in the air.

“Well, technically, that would work,” Starlight admitted. “She’ll only be able to work her magic so long as you are within a certain distance. We’re still not too sure of the limits, but we will find out. No, what I meant was, with training, you should be able to control how much magic she can draw upon at any given time.”

“But I can’t use it.”

“Ah, no, you can’t. Humans can’t use magic directly. At least, not anymore. The magical bloodlines have thinned out considerably. We’re still searching for magical humans, but chances are a lot of it was bred out of the world population or just disappeared over the centuries. All we have are living artifacts like you, Mr. Bronson.”

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes. “I see. Clever. Flawed, but clever.”

“Well, there is a way for you to not need him. You can be rid of him and the rings.”

The dark woman worked her mouth, and chewed on her bottom lip. “You have my attention. No doubt there’s a catch.”

“Well, if you can develop true love for your husband and it’s an honest relationship you build with him, I’ve been told there is a possibility the magic of this world will become fully open to you.” Starlight smiled at the fallen changeling queen. “You’ll then be able to remove the rings.”

Chrysalis closed her eyes and hung her head, shaking it. “Never going to happen. I’ll not accept this! What if I were to refuse to this so-called Baga Waga lunacy?” she proposed.

Mr. Smith spoke up, “Then you’ll be imprisoned on this world at a location of choosing by the United Nations. There, you will be subjected to experimentation as you are not human and are therefore not afforded the rights granted to humans. You are a magical creature and therefore do not exist. No one will care if an imaginary fairy was dissected in a secret location. All you have going for you right now is your natural physical strength, but other than that, you have no other means to protect yourself. Humanity can be ruthless and without remorse, Queen Chrysalis. I suggest you play ball with us. It will make your life so much easier. In the end, you’ll be able to live in the lap of luxury, pursue your carnal desires to your heart’s content. Within reason, of course. You will be constantly under close observation.” His smile was small and terrifying. “And the name of the project is Baba Yaga. The Russian President insisted on the name.”

Starlight blanched at the man’s words. “Harsh, Mr. Smith. Wasn’t there a more diplomatic way to tell her she’s screwed?”

“Of course there is, but I wanted her to know exactly where in the pecking order she is. Her attitude is insufferable and her arrogance has no place considering what she is. She’s a war criminal who has been transferred from your world and given into the custody of the World Security Council. The United Nations now holds the reins of your fate, Queen Chrysalis,” he turned to the now sputtering former queen. “I suggest you start racking up your good girl points. You might get off early on good behavior.”

There was uneasy silence in the room. Chrysalis was fuming, clenching and unclenching her fists as her eyes threatened to burn holes through Mr. Smith’s head.

Starlight broke the silence. “In case you were both wondering,” she said to Scott and Chrysalis. She clapped her hands together and assumed a nervous grin. “Your rings were a gift from one of the living myths of this world. She was once an adversary of Celestia herself.”

“Who?” Scott asked. Chrysalis remained silent, no doubt tuning out the noise around her.

“The project is named after her. She is looking forward to meeting the both of you and will be your first mission.” The humanized unicorn became excited and bounced on the balls of her feet. “I’m excited! I get to meet a real Yoda, but a bit darker and a tad more gruesome.”

“How the hell do you know about Yoda?” Scott demanded.

Starlight Glimmer placed her hands on her hips and stood tall and proud. “YouTube.”

Author's Notes:

Maybe now we can get this adventure started!

Who is Baba Yaga? Why is she keen on helping Mankind rediscover magic? And what is going on in the Legion of Doom?