"Ooooh, this is so exciting. I've never had a game night before," Chrysalis almost squealed, her hooves tapping together as her servants got to work bringing in the supplies needed for the night.

"Why's that? I'd figure you could have one whenever you want?" you ask, although you were more focused on the fact that the chair Chrysalis had made for you was comfy for once. Oh, how the cushion conformed to your ass, it was fantastic. Fant-ass-tic. Hah, you'd have to use that later.

"Nopony wants to play with her because they fear execution if they win," Apocrita answered, halfway between nervous as she sat across from Chrysalis and annoyed for being dragged into this.

"Rightfully so, as I should always win. But in the spirit of good fun, I promise that there will be no executions tonight," Chrysalis swore, holding one hoof over her heart... or at least, you think it was where her heart was. It seemed to be further down her abdomen than you'd have expected, but that might be due to the fact she was a bug monster.

"I'm still wondering why I'm here," Pharynx grumbled, staring at the currently blank table in annoyance. He only ever looked up when someone was speaking, but always seemed to return to looking at the table when it became clear he wasn't going to hear what he wanted, whatever that was.

"Game nights work best in groups of four or more," you explained with as little detail as possible. Part of you were excited that the badass warrior bug was going to join you, but you quickly learned he was... sort of a buzzkill. Pun intended.

"I suggested you, because Anon needs a strong male role model in his life," Apocrita added, shooting you a smug look as she did so.

Pharynx brow furrowed, looking at you before returning to Apocrita. "I'm fairly certain he's older than I am, if not the same age."

"Physically speaking maybe, but mentally he belongs with the larvae," Apocrita teased, only to yelp as you gave her a swift kick in the leg under the table.

Chrysalis didn't seem to take notice of the looks you and Apocrita gave each other, turning to Pharynx with a smile to say "I think it works as a great double date. Anon and I, you and Apocrita. We make such cute couples."

"D-date!?" Apocrita choked out, looking at her queen like she just sentenced you all to death.

"Date!?" you shout as well, quickly frowning. "Wait, that was wrong. I need a spit take," you state, looking over as one of the Changeling servants was bringing over a bottle of soda. You quickly snatched the bottle, chugged some of it, then tried to do a spit take.

Tried being the keyword, because you ended up with too much of the fizzy drink in your mouth, and the moment you opened it up, you ended up dumping the liquid onto your shirt. "Gah! Fuck! This is still my only shirt!" you cry out.

Giggling at your faux pas, Chrysalis said "Your clothing will be done tomorrow, I promise. For now, just... take it off."

"I can't, I was saving it for strip poker!" you declare, not wanting to give up a single article of clothing for that game.

"Anon... you're the only one with clothing," Apocrita pointed out. You could feel the mouse running in the wheel of your mind, only to trip and get stuck spinning helplessly. Poor vermin.

"Well... fuck this thing then. Better get it off before I get all sticky," you grunt, peeling the wet shirt off your torso.

Chrysalis gave a low, hungry purr as she watched you go bare chested. "If you do feel sticky, just let me know and I'll help clean you up."

Pharynx, the only one not annoyed or enamored with your clothing situation, seemed to focus more on the bottle of soda that you had, his eyes narrowing. Looking to Chrysalis, he asked "The provisions you had us steal from the ponies... as well as the fabrics... were they all for this? For him?"

Not at all intimidated by the growling, if anything giving him a look that made Pharynx lean back in his seat, Chrysalis answered with "Of course. Since when have we ever needed fabrics before Anon arrived? Or these menial snacks? Honestly Pharynx, I'd have expected you to recognize that it was all for him from the start. You almost make me wonder whether I should be reconsidering my elite guards."

There was a moment of silence as both Pharynx and Apocrita stared at their leader, concerned for their well being and positions as elites among the hive. While she was smiling, her tone and the look in her eyes had clearly indicated that there was some serious consideration going on there, leaving either of the elites unsure how to respond if at all.

"Oh shit! Chips!" you exclaim, breaking the silence as you take a bag of the salty snack food from the pile the servants had assembled, ripping it open and shoving the unhealthy substance into your mouth. You only get a few chews in, quickly realizing something that makes you spit the chips out. "Blagh! Ugh, oh god! Hay flavored!" you shout angrily, looking at the bag to confirm that they were indeed Hay-flavored chips. "Stupid fucking ponies," you grumble, throwing the bag aside.

Pharynx's brow twitched, something about the food he and his squad had risked themselves for being tossed aside irritating him, but whatever feelings he had regarding your outburst were kept contained as Chrysalis laughed.

"Indeed, they truly are stupid. Such poor taste too," Chrysalis agreed, doing her best to get on your good side as always. Her horn lit up, drawing forth another bag from the pile. "Here, I believe this one might be more to your liking. Jerky-flavor, made for gryphons," she offers you.

Your eyes light up like a Christmas tree, making grabby hands at the bag until it falls into your palms. Once more, the bag is ripped open like your life depended on it. "Jerky-flavored chips. There is beauty in this world," you whisper, a single tear rolling down your cheek as you took one chip out of the bag, reverent of it. When you brought the chip to your mouth at last, you almost wept from the flavor.

"... you're a sad man, Anon," Apocrita muttered. You were so lost in the wonders of jerky-flavored chip, you could only respond to Apocrita by flipping her off, your mouth too busy with food.

"This is what you regularly deal with?" Pharynx whispered to Apocrita, his eyes flicking between your pitiful display and Chrysalis watching you with delight.

"Unfortunately," Apocrita sighed, unable to say anything else about the matter.

As much as Chrysalis seemed to be enjoying watching you gleefully eat chips while shirtless, her horn lit up once more, lifting a box onto the table she had provided for the evening. "Now, where shall we begin? Unfortunately we only so many games stolen from the ponies, but I think what we have will work out well enough," she stated, opening the box and removing the contents one by one. "We have Monopony, where we'll take turns rolling dice and moving pieces around the game board, buying property and making each other pay if we land on each other's property."

You nearly choked on the chip in your mouth at the time, eyes bulging as you stared at the game box. It looked exactly like Monopoly, but pony style. Clearing your throat, you quickly answered "Not that one. That game ruins friendships in my world."

"Don't you have to have friends for them to be ruined?" Apocrita inquired, her brow doing a quick dance as it lifted inquisitively, only to quickly knit together as you threw a chip at her snout.

Ignoring the exchange, Chrysalis put the game aside. "Alright, then how about Battle Beasts?" Chrysalis offered up next. She quickly went about explaining the rules on the box, which made you realize that it was Battleship, but pony land style. Instead of ships, you just had different magical creatures

"Isn't that a two player game?" you asked, finishing the last chip in your bag and already eyeing some of the other snacks.

"Ah, but I have two copies of the game... three actually, but we won't need the extra," Chrysalis stated, lifting up two identical boxes with her magic. "We can each set up our own little board, then take turns attacking each other. I know the enemy grid on your board is to keep track of only one opponent, so we'll have each other keep track of one opponent's board. Apocrita and I will keep track of each other, and that leaves you and Pharynx," Chrysalis offered.

You considered it for a moment, then nodded. "Sure, that sounds like a surprisingly good idea."

"She is our queen after all," Pharynx muttered, but quickly got a hoof on his shoulder from Apocrita, a warning shake of her head telling him not to bother.

"Excellent! Let us start then," Chrysalis declared, passing out the little boards to each player. As everyone got busy setting up their individual beasts, a wicked idea came through your head.

Leaning in toward Chrysalis, getting her attention easily enough just by the closer proximity, you whispered "I declare a truce. You and I will focus on knocking out Apocrita, then Pharynx, then when they're eliminated, we'll go to war."

A sly smile came to the horse-bug queen's lips, reveling in your idea. "Such a sinister idea, I do so love it... but I must ask, why should I? This is all in good fun after all, so you must really sweeten the deal if you expect me to play along," she bargained, her hooves rubbing together as an idea formulated in her mind.

As much as you had to curse the idea of her blackmailing you, you also had to respect it. After all, you weren't in a position to take the moral high ground when it come to cheating. "Fine, fine. If you do this, I'll let you see my dick," you offer, going strong from the start.

"I want to touch it!" she hissed real low, trying to avoid drawing the attention of her elites.

Ooooh, she was playing hard ball. You half wanted to agree right there, but needed to keep things balanced. "You can touch only with your hoof for up to ten seconds, no other part of your body!" you countered.

As much as you were sure she was disappointed it'd end there, Chrysalis seemed more than pleased. "You have a deal."

"What are you guys whispering about?" Apocrita asked, giving the two of you suspicious looks. She was as shrewd as she was annoying, certainly she'd see through you if you didn't give her an acceptable answer, so you did the only thing that would throw her off your trail.

"I was suggesting to Chrysalis that her elite guards needed a new uniform addition. Butt plugs with the little gems at the end of them. It'd totally tell the ponies that she's so powerful, she can afford to put jewelry in her guards' assholes," you quickly covered, earning a look from the entire table. Chrysalis' somewhat shocked, yet also amused look would have been a give away, had Apocrita and Pharynx not been focused on you with equal looks of horror and disgust.

Catching onto the lie though, Chrysalis said "Indeed. I believe his word were 'Show them ponies that gems ain't shit to you'. Quite a moving argument that I'm considering." Ooooh, she was good. You were tempted to let her use more than hoof now.

"If that's a new addition, I formally put in my resignation for the elite guard," Pharynx stated, his eyes still on you with utter irritation, knowing it was your fault.

"Yeah, that's just... yeah, lets play the game already," Apocrita stated, trying to move away from the disturbing conversation topic.

You gave a nonchalant shrug, but quickly grinned mischievously as the game began. You each took turns going clockwise around the table, starting with Chrysalis, then you, then Apocrita, and ending with Pharynx before starting over again. It was a fairly easy set up, and you were making sure to sweet Apocrita's board. Chrysalis did a good job of aiming for a checkerboard pattern, going for every other space, only forgoing the strategy when she hit something and aimed to eliminate it. You on the other hand... just made a straight line across the D-row, waiting to be asked why so you could answer that you were giving Apocrita the D. You and Chrysalis had almost wiped Apocrita out, when Pharynx made a move that made you realize something.

"You've slain my dragon!... wait... that was my last beast... WHAT THE FUCK!?" you shout, looking at your board and finding every one of your creatures had been eliminated. You hadn't taken notice of it until now, but you'd been getting hit hard. Just as much as... "You guys cheated! You've been teaming up on me!" you declare, pointing an accusatory finger at Apocrita, switching it over to Pharynx and then back several times.

"Not intentionally, but yeah," Apocrita admitted like it was a simple fact.

"That butt plug commentary really made us want to take you out, so we just both ended up targeting you," Pharynx blatantly admitted.

Shooting a dirty look, Apocrita followed up with "And don't think I didn't notice you and Queen Chrysalis targeting me. The only reason I didn't acknowledge it is because Pharynx was gunning for you as well, and I figured I'd be able to at least make sure you didn't win the whole thing. Just my luck you ended up out of it before I did."

"B-b-but that's petty as fuck!" you whine, throwing your hands up in the air.

"Coming from the man that was conspiring to team up in the first place. Butt plugs for the elites my... well, that might be better off unsaid," Apocrita had started to chide, only stopping herself when she realized where the implications would have gone.

Patting you on the shoulder, Chrysalis said "Oh well, it was a nice try Anon. Now sit back and watch as I finish this."

And like a child who had been told to wait five minutes while mommy spoke to some friends, you sat there with your arms crossed, glaring as the Changelings finished the game. As expected, Apocrita was quickly taken out soon after, being the easiest to wipe out. Then it quickly became a regular game of sorts between Pharynx and Chrysalis, seeing as neither had really been targeted up to this point. In the end, Queen Swiss-Cheese-Legs won it, practically beaming in her victory.

"That was a fun start, and with an unexpected benefit," Chrysalis sighed happily, her eyes darting over to you, the look in them indicating she still expected to touch your dick later. You could have bitched about it not working to your plans and the deal was off, but you doubted she'd accept it and honestly would have just seemed like a pussy at that point. "So, what shall we play next?" she inquired, levitating a few more games to inspect them.

"Lets choose something that Anon can't cheat at," Apocrita suggested, her sparkling violet eyes narrowing at you angrily. You were about to counter, when you realized that... they were sparkling. Her eyes didn't always sparkle like that. Maybe she was just that pissed at you? But then again, she always seemed to be pissed at you. What was different?

"Does it have to be a board game?" Pharynx asked, derailing your train of thought, leaving many passengers dead and even more injured while authorities race to save them.

"Oh yeah, charades would be a good game to play," you offer, feeling pretty proud of yourself.

Shaking her head, Chrysalis said "Sorry, but it doesn't quite work out for Changelings. We tend to shapeshift into the answer, making the game pointless. We rely on it so much, it's hard for many to express the answer any other way."

Pouting, you lean back in your chair and kick the underside of the table. "This was stupid anyway."

Ignoring your childish behavior, Chrysalis' face lit up for a moment as she selected one of the games. "Who Am I! I've heard of this one. We take a piece of paper, write something down on it, then tape it to somepony's head, then they have a select number of yes or no questions they can ask to try and figure out who or what they are."

You looked at Chrysalis with intrigue, not so much over the game as how she reacted to it. "You seem... oddly interested in this one."

"I've played it once before. A bonding thing that Shining Armor's parents wanted to do when I was impersonating Princess Cadance and had to live her life for a bit. It was actually a bit of fun. He had nice parents too, I would have gladly let them live once I ruled over Equestria," Chrysalis recalled, an oddly fond smile on her face.

"Ah, but now that your plan failed and you blame Shining Armor and Cadance for your loss, you want to disembowel his parents before him and force him to live in the dungeons with their corpses as a reminder of the fact he is to blame," you state, nodding your head in understanding. "You're one twisted bitch Chrysalis, but I respect your brutality."

"Anon... WHAT THE FUCK!?" Apocrita cursed, using the harshest of your curses. You'd be putting that into your win column.

"I... no... I'd probably just want to play with them again, it was fun..." Chrysalis muttered, for once a bit disturbed by your overly violent commentary.

"Oh, well... um... I'll go first," you quickly state, opening the box so they could get the items out. The three looked at you in a moment of silence, before Chrysalis used her magic to write something on one of the provided cards, then taping it to your forehead.

"Alright Anon, you have twenty questions. Those include any direct guesses," Chrysalis explained, her smile returning as the fun was about to begin.

"Gotcha. Can I start?" you ask.

"Yes, nineteen questions left," Apocrita answered, a smirk playing at her lips.

"What!? That's bullshit!" you shout at her.

"The game started is what. Eighteen questions," Pharynx answered this time, taking some humor in your frustration. You were pretty sure it was the first time you'd seen him smile.

"No, these don't count, right Chrysalis?" you inquired, knowing she'd side with you.

"I'm afraid it does. Seventeen questions," she answered. Maybe this was punishment for the more than graphic idea you spat out a moment ago. You growl for a moment, then suck in a breath of air to calm yourself. They wanted to play hardball? Fine. You'd get your revenge.

"... am I a living being?" you ask.

"Yes, sixteen," Apocrita answers, still smiling, although you could see a slight bit a disappointment from how quickly you recovered.

"Am I a sentient being?"

"Yes, fifteen," Pharynx takes his turn answering.

"Do you guys really have to keep listing how many questions I have left?" you quickly grunt, only to realize your mistake.

Smirking, Chrysalis replied "No, we don't. Fourteen."

"I thought you were on my side!" you shout, looking at Chrysalis with puppy dog eyes. She seems to falter a bit, but instead shuts her eyes and turns away to block out the image. Snorting, you look between them and continue "Am I specific person?"

"Yes, thirteen," Apocrita continued their answering trend. You considered it for a moment, knowing it had to be a sentient person, but it would be by the standards of this world. You honestly knew only so many specific people here, but at the same time, you felt that Chrysalis wouldn't go outside the realm of what you should know.

"Am I a pony?"

"Yes, twelve," Pharynx answered, his smile already wearing off. He seemed to be catching onto the fact that you were actually thinking this out now.

"Am I royalty?"

Chrysalis smirk seemed to slip as you clearly got closer. "Yes, eleven."

Giving an already victorious grin, you asked "Am I Princess Celestia?"

"No, ten."

"Am I Princess Luna?"

"Yes," Pharynx answered, the Changelings all leaning back in their seats a bit, almost disappointed.

"Hah! Too easy! Even with a handicap!" you proudly declare, getting your first win of the night.

"More like Queen Chrysalis went easy on you," Apocrita muttered, reaching to the snacks to get herself some grubs. You wanted to bitch about her choosing that over the good stuff, but realized that you'd get more if she didn't.

"You did need a spirit lifter after the Battle Beasts," Chrysalis admitted, offering you a comforting smile. Instead of thanking her, you gave a gasp of indignation.

"How dare you!? Why, I'll show you all!" you declare, grabbing the next card and writing on it. Before any of them could ask, you slapped it to Apocrita's head, smiling like a madman with a slight giggle following up.

Apocrita blinked in confusion, then turned to her fellow Changelings, seeming a snicker from Chrysalis and a disturbed look from Pharynx. Then her confusion disappeared, replaced with one of utter disappointment. "I'm a dick... no, not just a dick, I'm YOUR dick," Apocrita stated, not even addressing it as a question.

Another gasp escaped you, now of fear. "She's a witch! She can see into my head!" you declare fearfully, grabbing something from the snack pile and throwing it at her. Thankfully for Apocrita, it ended up being a bag of marshmallows, bouncing harmlessly off of her face... which you then reached over and took, wanting to eat them.

"You're just terribly predictable and have a terrible poker face," Apocrita countered, choosing to ignore the thrown marshmallows to tease you more.

"Poker face..." Chrysalis mumbled, barely more than a whisper, going unnoticed by everyone.

"Fuck you in your face!" you shout, shoving a couple of marshmallows into your mouth. "Iwe bwef Iwe cwalt qwif wahf aff!" you mumble through the mouthful of marshmallows, almost choking from how many you put into your mouth. Oh how you had a comment about stuffing a mouthful of white stuff, but you couldn't right now.

"... chew your food, then say that again," Apocrita commanded, sounding almost like a mother.

"I guess we're done with Who Am I," Pharynx commented, looking at the box with hopes that they'd continue, not getting his turn, but alas, he was not important enough for you to truly care about. Also, fuck everyone else's desires.

Swallowing the mouthful of marshmallow, you repeated "I said that I bet I could kick your ass."

"Bet..." Chrysalis muttered once more, stroking a hoof under her chin.

Scoffing, Apocrita leaned forward on the table, baring her fangs as she said "You do realize I'm an elite guard, right? You may be bigger than me, but I'm more than capable of taking you down."

"I meant outside of fighting," you corrected her, not bothering to say you totally thought you could beat her in a fight. She was a girl less than half your size, you'd won that fight before and you'd win it again.

Before you could continue your argument, Chrysalis slammed a hoof down on the table, drawing your attention. The smile on her face was the most truly sinister of all the ones you'd seen on her so far. "I have a new game," she stated, licking her lips as she eyed you, the look in her eyes one of a predator that just found its prey. "A game... with high stakes."

Author's Notes:

What? A cliffhanger? Bullshit! What could possibly require suspense in this comedic series? Perhaps something... plot relevant? Dun-dun-duuuuuuun!... yeah, wrote this before I went to sleep. We'll see how it works out.