In the country of Equestria, if one paused to ask a fellow passerby civilian how they defined power in modern day society, they could expect to receive many a varied answer. Some would say it was political power, held chiefly by the royal princesses who watched over the land and the people. Others would suggest military strength, pointing to Equestria’s well-bolstered forces and resilience in the face of challenges such as the invasion of Tirek, where even when faced with monumental adversity, their fighting forces would always win out one way or another. These would be considered rational answers to such an open ended question.

But to those who knew the truth, there was just one answer in the modern era Equestria resided in. One singular tool that could break an army, or foil political might with one decisive stroke. It was wealth. Those who hold the country’s money in their grasp control the very lifeblood of industry, the flow of development. It was a hidden power, one not known or recognized much in the eyes of the common man or woman. But those who knew of it, and strived to attain it, would find themselves with the means of creating change across the entire nation, and be heralded in the history books as a driving force of change, of purpose.

Chrysalis felt such a descriptor was apt for herself.

The changeling woman could be found that morning in her own home, lounging on the plush brown sofa that was positioned before the large flat-screen television that was rolling through the normal morning news briefs. Chrysalis made it a habit of late to mind the events that affected the world around her; people were so fragile lately. They could be affected by anything: a company announcing a new product, the royal family announcing new laws taking effect, even the aftermath of a sports event. With her position in society, it paid its dues to mind the thoughts and attitude of the populace.

“And in economic news, Onyx Enterprises is rumored to be negotiating a takeover of one of their closest rivals in business. Equestrian Money reported last Sunday that there were talks between the two companies taking place in secret, between shareholders and company staff involved in the negotiations. This would be the largest acquisition of Onyx Enterprises yet under the leadership of CEO Chrysalis.” The newscaster’s announcement drew a smile to her face, her lips parting to reveal perfectly aligned white teeth beneath in a grin of proud success.

Checking the time on the television, the changeling lifted herself up and stretched, deciding she had lounged enough for now. As she moved away from the sofa, her footsteps muted by the plush red carpet under her, her horn sparked to life and her magic aura levitated the remote up, switching the volume higher for her to hear as she stepped away towards the nearby bathroom to shower.

“Onyx Enterprises has really become a true force of strength in our nation’s economy. Standing high at all times on the stock market, with marked gains over the past few years, there seems to be little that can slow down Chrysalis’ momentum as she continues to head Equestria’s markets. The acquisition of Frostfire Industries, headed by Tony Moore, would further bolster Onyx’s connections into the many businesses that are spread throughout the country. Some have questioned the validity of such gains, citing claims of attempted monopolization.” The voice of the newscaster continued to follow Chrysalis as she entered the bathroom.

“Simpletons. It’s not my fault they have no vision.” She remarked. Her footsteps became light pats on the tile of the bathroom floor as she allowed the news to continue playing, able to hear it even as she flicked on her two-person sized shower. The sizable bathroom also sported a lavish vanity, the wide mirror giving Chrysalis an easy way of checking herself over as her water heated up.

The changeling CEO cast aside her bathrobe and let it fall to the floor as she inspected her features. From head to toe, the woman knew she was the envy of many, and the hopeless pursuit of many more. Her dark cerulean hair fell down past her neck and back in long, luscious strands that reached to just above her rear end. She kept it cut at the front, allowing her face to always be visible and to never hinder her vision. The eyes looking back at her were proud, confidence in the harlequin pools as they beheld her nude form. Her horn, arching in a slight curve upwards, was a sleek black, with small notches along the length that denoted the horn of a changeling.

Bringing a hand up, Chrysalis brushed her fingers over her cheeks on either side of her face, the soft flesh bearing no blemishes on the surface of her fair skin. Moving further down, her hand trailed down her long neck to her chest, dragging her fingers down along her cleavage first before giving an experimental squeeze of her impressive bosom, bringing her other hand up to join the first. Her full mounds, a size DD the last she measured, gave little sag once she finished squeezing them, jiggling for a moment until resting against her chest once more. Chrysalis relished in the knowledge of being the object of envy and jealousy alike for many women.

Stepping into the now heated shower, Chrysalis sighed and basked in the warm water for a moment before reaching for her shampoo. She could feel the rivulets of water washing over the expanse of her form, dripping down her back and over her wide hips and thighs, her long legs allowing her to stand almost at the same height as the shower faucet itself. The television’s sound came back to her focus as a new voice spoke up over the newscaster’s calm own.

“It’s an outright power play for Chrysalis to try and gain ownership over yet another business crucial to Equestria’s infrastructure. We have anti-monopoly laws for this exact reason; she has been making steady moves to become the sole beneficiary of the needs of Equestrian society, beating out competition to the point where no one else can keep up. It’s hardly fair, if you ask me!”

“Good thing I don’t listen to the opinion of empty-minded fools then,” Chrysalis told herself as she went about washing her hair, making sure to scrub every inch to give it the healthy shine she wanted it to have. Today was a special day after all. It wasn’t every day that one finally got to remove an aching thorn in their side from the playing field of life, and she was going to make sure they knew precisely who they were dealing with. She allowed the voices of the television to fade from her attention, and finished her shower a short while later.

Once she was in her closet, a towel the only item keeping her modest, the changeling let her attention wander between the various attires she could wear. What would suit her best on a day of victory: something formal and professional, to illustrate her position as CEO better? Or something more relaxed and showy, to have fun at the expense of the fools who would have trouble controlling themselves around her? The last time she went with showy, Chrysalis was certain the attendees of the meeting were far too focused on admiring her assets to pay her proper attention and respect. Granted, it did make them patsies that were easy to deal with, but it was a little boring.

Her cell ringing made the changeling stop and pull her phone to her with her magic, opening it and letting it hover as she stood there. “This is Chrysalis, go ahead.”

“Miss Chrysalis, it’s Moondancer.” The feminine voice replied on the other end. “Am I interrupting your morning?”

“Hardly, Moony. I was trying to decide how best to come to the office today. Are you calling in regard to this morning’s news?” Chrysalis questioned.

“Yes ma’am. The negotiations went better than expected. We’re poised to lay claim to Frostfire Industries and add it to our roster,” Moondancer replied.

Chrysalis brought a hand up to one of her formal dresses, the silver elegant piece glimmering under the closet light as she moved it. If anything, it was a touch gaudy for Chrysalis’ tastes: silver didn’t work well as a color on her, she reasoned.

“But your voice suggests there’s a hitch. Otherwise, you’d be telling me to just come to the office to sign the final papers.” Chrysalis pointed out.

“Yes ma’am. They insisted on meeting you face to face first. It was...Moore’s request. Something about ‘respect for their industry’ or such.” Moondancer said before sighing. “Honestly, it sounds like he might try to make a last minute appeal to change our minds. One of his last gambits.”

“Moore...always troublesome.” Chrysalis murmured while looking about the closet. Spotting a particularly sharp looking set of black business pants and button-up collared white shirt, the changeling felt she’d found her decision. “Very well then. Invite them to come to the main building. We’ll host them in one of the main convention rooms. And then we can see if there’s any bite to Moore’s bark.”

“I don’t see the point of him doing this, myself.” Moondancer commented. “We’ve already secured enough of the shares necessary to force this. Why stagnate on this last part?”

“Don’t worry, Moony. I know his game. It’s how Moore handles things when he’s at his last stretch. He likes to put on a tough show.” Chrysalis said as she took down the suit and pants to put them on. “Unfortunately for him, he’s met his match this time.”

Onyx Enterprises’ main building was situated in the between area of the Noble residence district and the heart of Canterlot’s travel network of roads and alleyways, a tall building several stories high that had affixed at the top the word “ONYX” in clear display for anyone to see whether they were on the ground or in the air. Some speculated that in a show of wealth, Chrysalis had actually lined the display with genuine onyx stones, just to show she could afford such a display. The changeling had yet to comment on the truth of the matter to the public: why not let them indulge in a little fanciful imagining, if it occupied them so?

Emerging from the limo that had driven her to the building, Chrysalis stepped forward towards her place of business, casting a glance up at the higher floors. It was the final few floors at the top of the building that housed the larger rooms meant for the meetings like the one she was coming for. In a way, it humored her to imagine Moore trying to glare at her from the window, as if he were hoping she’d be late. There was no way she’d be late to something as important as this.

Her personal suitcase in one hand, containing her copies of the documents pertaining to her acquisition of Frostfire Industries, Chrysalis used her other hand to open the door and walk into the wide lobby of the ground floor. A receptionist’s desk was centered in the middle of the floor, a circular design with three different workers tending to any incoming calls as well as mail. Her heels clicked against the tiled floor as she made for the main elevator to the right of the room, and the closest receptionist took notice as she passed by.

“Good morning, Miss Chrysalis!” The redhead chirped, earning a cursory nod from the changeling as she passed by. “You’re looking very savvy today!”

The outfit she’d picked at home was fit for the occasion: crisp black business pants that were form fitting, but loose enough around the hips and waistline to not feel like a vice-grip on her large figure. The white button-up shirt was tucked in, and she’d thrown on a black jacket overtop it as well, leaving it undone to let her breathe with ease while retaining a formal, professional appearance. Her hair had been pulled back into a straight long ponytail that started high atop her head and ended at the small of her back. To cap it off, a small pair of glasses sat cozily on her nose, unnecessary for her vision but only furthering the appearance of a professional CEO that she liked to exude.

“Thank you, Cherry. Is Moondancer waiting for me upstairs?” she questioned as she awaited the elevator’s arrival from the higher floors.

“Yes, ma’am. Do you want us to divert any calls to your office until the meeting is done?” Cherry asked.

“That’d be greatly appreciated. I wish for no interruptions particularly today; it’s a very important meeting after all.” Chrysalis replied. A moment later, the elevator gave a clear ding sound as the doors slid apart. It wasn’t unoccupied, though; Chrysalis arched an eyebrow at the spectacled woman standing inside. “Moondancer. Got a little impatient, did you?”

“I wanted to make sure to talk to you before you got into the room.” she replied. The mare’s multicolored mane was a little frazzled, but it was natural to see the amaranth and purple strands looking a little haphazard. Being Chrysalis’ personal assistant meant she was on the go a great deal, though it elevated her to a high status within the company. It was through Moondancer that Chrysalis had an easier time managing busy days, as she stayed punctual and efficient even when tired.

“Oh? Is this finally an attempt at asking for a vacation?” Chrysalis teased her as she entered the elevator, pushing the 6th floor button and folding her arms as she eyed her assistant. “I thought you’d never get around to it.”

“I can hardly take a vacation when you go and manage to acquire one of our biggest rival companies, now can I?” Moondancer replied. “I almost spat my coffee this morning when I received the confirmation papers. I thought we’d need to wait for another couple of weeks before getting a decision.”

“Well, it's hardly my fault they’re quick to act. The ship Frostfire’s been sailing for the past few years may have weathered many waves, but it only takes one mutiny to change a ship’s course.” The changeling said. “Of course, Moore isn’t one to just step aside so readily. I imagine that’s why he’s called for this meeting in person. If he can find some loophole or glitch to let him retain control over his company, he’ll not pass it up.”

“Be that as it may, ma’am, I’ve double checked each page along with Thorax. There’s really nothing he can do here. It’s grandstanding at the most.” Moondancer answered. “We’ve secured enough shares to acquire them, and we’ve been cleared by the Canterlot Financial Bureau as well for it. What’s left to do?”

Chrysalis just smiled as the elevator came to a stop on the final floor. “I’ve tangoed with Moore a few times now leading to this. He doesn’t give ground just because someone tells him to. If anything, its something he’ll only give if he knows he has to.” Chrysalis stepped out of the elevator with Moondancer following behind her, the pair making for the meeting room in the right corner of the floor.

When the changeling entered the room, her magic wasn’t needed at all to pick up on the tension that was swirling about the room. On her side of the meeting table was an ebony-haired and black-suited individual, who bore a dark horn in a similar style as she did. Looking up from his paperwork to her, she could see Thorax’s usually relaxed, youthful face was taut with nervousness. Moondancer must have left him here to fetch her from the ground floor, but he seemed to ease up a little with her return and the CEO’s presence joining his side of the table.

“Miss Chrysalis.” he greeted with a bow of his head, earning a nod from the changeling woman before she turned her attention across the table. The two busybodies on either side of Moore were no one that Chrysalis recognized herself, but she guessed they were likely legal associates attending to aid Moore if necessary. They both bore similar grey suits, the only marked difference between the two men being one had on a red tie while the other wore a green tie.

Moore was a marked difference compared to the other two would-be protectors of Frostfire’s assets. Tony Moore, the CEO of Frostfire Industries, was a thorn that had been stuck in Chrysalis’ side for the better part of seven years. Unlike his tense looking lawyers, the black-haired man was calm, his hands clasped together on the table while he stared her down. He sat at a taller height than his company did, though he still came short in comparison with herself. His cornflower blue eyes couldn’t hide his irritation in being at such a meeting, but his body language otherwise communicated patience. His shoulders weren’t squared, and if she could see his legs beneath the table’s edge, they’d no doubt be planted on the floor, feet kept from tapping as he sat there. To his credit, unlike his accompanying assistants, not one drop of sweat fell down his tan peach-colored skin.

The rivalry they shared had started in a small fashion back then, a competition between growing businesses over clients and who could outdo the other. One couldn’t ascertain if there was ever a clear winner between them when they clashed: when Chrysalis would seem to edge ahead of Moore, he’d come from behind with an unexpected twist that put them even with each other. Likewise, any time Moore seemed to triumph over Chrysalis’ efforts, the changeling would make a surprise maneuver that would neutralize any gains Moore had. It was sometimes vicious to the point that Chrysalis had made it a general rule that no one who ever worked for Moore could come to work for her company, no matter how well-accredited they were.

“Chrysalis.” Moore spoke, a firm but calm recognition of her joining the table.

“Moore.” she replied back, giving him the same courtesy but managing a smile just to spite him. She cast a glance at each of his lawyers, both giving a twitch at being under her stare. “I see you brought your guard dogs with you. Was our reception that cold?”

“I always come prepared, Chrysalis. When someone’s coming for my company’s throat, I tend to try and react accordingly.” He replied. “A hostile takeover isn’t something you just pass over at the breakfast table.”

“Well, it makes for a humorous show. But you need to face facts, Moore. You slipped and let your guard down, and I acted.” Chrysalis said, continuing to smile as she saw the corner of Moore’s right eye twitch. “Of course, some would try to argue that you have ways out. That’s why tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum are here. But as you no doubt saw from Thorax’s documents, which were inspected by the Canterlot Financial Bureau themselves, there’s no loopholes here for you to jump through.”

Moore sighed and straightened up in his seat. He kept his gaze on Chrysalis only, not even pausing to acknowledge the passive insult to his lawyers. “And what’s stopping us from buying out the stocks you have from under you? One call, and this whole situation could swap right now.” He countered.

“The Pac-Man defense only works when you have investors to buy from. The stocks of my company are invested only in the top levels, such as Thorax and Moondancer here. Along with my board, for instance.” She fired back. “And you’d be borrowing more than you can collect. We’ve been steadily climbing in price ever since the rumors broke of us making a move on your company, while yours has only held steady.”

Moore grit his teeth but steeled himself, making Chrysalis’ smile only grow. “And suppose the company suddenly plummeted in value?”

“You could try that, of course. But you’d only be muddying your own reputation, and your business. Not to mention your employees’ futures who would still be attached to Frostfire.” The back and forth had the other attending members of the room left to just watch as the heads of each company sparred verbally. “Face it, Moore. By the time you could even try to enact that countermeasure, I would already be in possession of your company and preventing any sort of sabotage. And if any of your would-be helpers tried to aid you, I could cut them at a moment’s notice.”

Moore’s hands tightened their grip on each other, his frustration silent while Chrysalis held back a derisive laugh at his defeated aura. As she had told him, every avenue or recourse he could take had been prepared for by her and her team. It was just a matter of getting him to concede, and he was almost there. Finally after several years, she had him right where she wanted to pluck him from her side and be done with his annoyance. It was almost a little sad in a way; she was going to miss having that kind of competition from him. Not that she savored him as a person, far from it; more that if nothing else, Moore was a worthy competitor to her business.

“Perhaps you’d like a minute to discuss your options with your lawyers?” She offered, making him look up from his clenched hands. The white knuckles eased a little and relaxed their coloring at her words. “What options you have, at least.”

“That would...be very gracious of you.” He told her. Nodding, Chrysalis stood from her seat, straightening her jacket before turning and walking out of the room, Moondancer and Thorax in tow. Once outside of the room, she closed the door shut but could still see inside since the blinds were still up. The three were conversing in what looked like harsh, angry words, no doubt inspired from Chrysalis’ unrelenting block of every recourse they thought they had available.

“You’ve got him on the ropes already. The stress of this acquisition must be really getting to him.” Thorax commented, drawing Chrysalis’ attention to the smaller changeling. “I could pick up on it with every few seconds passing.”

Moondancer piped in from her right.“I expected a little more bark out of him, myself. But he can think ahead. He’s probably trying to see if there’s a way to salvage the company from your impending grasp. He could sell off the most important assets to try and limit your gains from the takeover.”

Chrysalis turned her back to the room and looked out at the open space of the conference level room. “That’s not like him. He’s not a man to cut and run, he’s far too proud for that. If I had to garner a guess, he may try to barter to secure the safety of his employees over himself. Like the noble little twit he is.”

“You’ve not really been too clear with us on what will happen after the acquisition. I think that’s part of his stress, since you’ve kept that card close to the chest ma’am.” Thorax said. “Some of the employees reckon you’ll squash it outright, just to spite him.”

“I could.” She admitted. “And it would be a lot of fun to sit and watch the wrecking balls plow through the office to make room for a new parking structure. But...hmm.” She paused to let her train of thought wander. Just what could she do with his company? Standard takeover procedures meant that this was merely a transfer of ownership and control, and the company’s business could continue on with only minimal changes as needed. But Moore would no longer run the business, as she would be claiming his spot as owner of Frostfire. The victory was clear, but the satisfaction wasn’t rising with it. Something was still missing.

“It’s going to be an awful lot of paperwork either way. We’re going to be ordering plenty of takeout for long nights going over all the forms and adjusting everything.” Moondancer said with a sigh. “The banes of being in a successful business.”

“Won’t be that bad, Moony. You always like ordering Eastern veggies. Or from that little family place on Restaurant Row?” Thorax replied. “You remembered to add on their coupon booklet to your mail list, right?”

Chrysalis paused as something clicked in her head. Something terrible, devious, but wicked and cunning no less. Turning around to look at Moore and his lawyers still within the conference room, Chrysalis’ lips spread into an evil smile before she turned to Thorax.

“Thorax, dear, I believe you just gave me a wonderful idea. A wonderful, awful idea.”

“You have an offer for us?” Moore asked. The incredulous expression on his face made Chrysalis resist rolling her eyes, and she settled for a slow nod instead.

“My partners here reminded me of a particularly important detail I may have overlooked in this scenario of ours. But it’s something that can work to benefit the both of us.” She explained. By this point, Moondancer and Thorax were also looking a little confused. Chrysalis had yet to explain what the idea was that she’d come up with out in the hallway, but it was too tempting an idea to let it be sidetracked by them or any concerns they could’ve issued.

“Last I checked, this was a situation of my loss and your gain only. Unless you’ve grown some sort of charitable streak in the ten minutes from when you stepped outside, you’ll have to forgive me for not believing you.” Moore replied. Chrysalis felt her smile slip a little, but bit back the irritation at his remark to focus on the plan.

“Not many discuss it often, but acquiring a target company takes its toll on the host company as well. If the target company has low stock wealth, for instance, it takes a good deal of labor to bring that company up to par. Yours is currently low, meaning I would have quite a bit of legwork to do. On top of that, assimilating your office’s staff, their procedures, and all their contracts and clientele would add untold amounts of work to my own staff, since they would be adjusting your business to suit our standards.”

“Get to the point, Chrysalis.” Moore said. His gruff tone made the changeling scoff, and she gave her cerulean hair a toss behind her shoulder before eyeing Moore, boring into his blue eyes with her harlequin green own.

“It’s a job offer. You come to work for me, and help oversee Frostfire’s transition into my company.” She stated.

Moore flinched, as if he was flicked on the forehead by Chrysalis’ words. Chrysalis herself could feel the confusion and abject shock of Moondancer and Thorax on either side of her, but stayed put, letting the offer hang in the air.

“You cannot be serious.” Moore replied after several seconds of quiet. “Is this really the time for a joke at my expense?”

“I’m hardly joking.” Chrysalis insisted. “You see, Moore, it takes a strong woman like myself a fair bit to admit when she may or may not be at a disadvantage. Now, could I handle your company on my own? Of course. I hold no illusions of that.” The changeling scooted her chair back and stood, speaking as she paced over to the side of the table. “But efficiency is one of the key tools of any business, big or small. I’ve managed to keep the gears of my business turning so fast because I keep things efficient. Now, I stand poised to add a large piece to my carefully constructed empire, and it bears considering how I can maintain that efficiency.”

“I’m not hearing a job offer coming out of this.” Moore interrupted, standing from his own seat.

“Tony, you need to hear her out.” One of the suited lawyers with him started, only for Moore to shake his head.

“No, Bensly. This is how she plays. She makes it sound like she has some sort of good offer, dangles it in front of you like a cat’s toy, and then swipes it away before kicking you to the curb laughing.” Moore insisted. “This offer is all a sham for something else. It has to be.”

Chrysalis frowned at Moore’s steadfast objection, and huffed. “If this is how you handle negotiations, no wonder your company fell to mine so fast. Now you can either let me finish, Moore, or I can indeed kick you to the curb, as you so aptly put it, and kill any chance you have of staying with your company.” She threatened. When Moore stayed silent, his eyes still glaring at her even with the threat withstanding, she continued. “Now...if I bring Frostfire into the fold, it's going to take very in-depth knowledge of your company’s connections and workings to make the transition smooth and easy for all involved. And you are the most qualified in that department, are you not?”

“You’re damn right I am.” He muttered. Chrysalis folded her arms over her sizeable chest and smirked at the defiant man before her.

“Then I have every reason to offer you a position as advisor and consult to help manage Frostfire’s interests and business. Of course, it won’t be quite the authoritative post you’ve had till now. You’ll be under my banner, after all. Meaning you answer to me with every decision. And as my advisor, you would also be responsible for helping manage this company as well, not just the one sole interest.”

“What’s the catch?” He questioned.

“Aside from suffering through the regular work week we all do? Hardly anything.” Chrysalis replied. “You’ll just transition from working for your own interests, to mine.”

“And what of my employees? My coworkers? My friends who would likely be screaming for me to not take this?” He pressed on.

“They keep their jobs. I’ve no reason to make things harder for myself. No one loses anything in this venture, Moore.”

“Except for me, since I’m being pulled out of my CEO position by you.”

“And being moved into a much more profitable, much more reaching line of work instead of your current, stagnant position. Under me, Frostfire will benefit greatly, and become a great tool to further my own success, and your own by association. With me at the reins, I can propel Frostfire and my own company to even further heights. And with that will come profits and success abound for all of us involved.” Chrysalis spared a glance at the two lawyers still seated and smirked. “You could even give tweedle-dee and dum a vacation.”

“And all this comes just from me agreeing to work for you? A partnership?” Moore asked.

“Partnership is a little too strong. The offer is you coming to work for me. It means I will be your boss, and you do what I tell you to.” Chrysalis explained. “Do that, and Frostfire gets to stay alive and active, instead of being demolished for parking. No one takes a loss. At least, not a whole one.”

Moore stayed put for several seconds, staring down Chrysalis with all the intensity he could seem to muster. His unwillingness to yield was bending with each passing moment, and the changeling could feel it in the air between them. Merciless in business as she was, she was still honest where it counted. No one else spoke up between the two, as she was sure they knew this was a negotiation solely between them; it was a battle of wills between Moore and herself. When he finally bowed his head, Chrysalis raised an eyebrow, prepared for some ridiculous tirade of “integrity of character” or “no amount of money could bribe him” or whatever he wanted to pitch.

“I want it in writing. A full, proper, legal contract. Binding on both ends.” He said, lifting his gaze to hers again. “No loopholes. No tricks. No backdoors.”

Well. Even she could be surprised.

“Thorax?” She called to the other changeling, who had been jotting down notes since Chrysalis had first pitched her offer.

“I can have one prepared by tomorrow, ma’am. And adhering to the guidelines you offered, as strict as Mr. Moore would require.” He assured to them both. “Mr. Moore’s lawyers will be free to look it over as well, to meet their satisfaction.”

“There you have it then. So, do we have an agreement?” Chrysalis asked, bringing her hand up between herself and Moore.

The weary-looking man eyed her hand with caution, as if she had a mousetrap waiting to pop as soon as their fingers touched. But she didn’t pull away, and finally, Moore brought his hand up and shook hers. His skin was a little cold, she could tell, but the grip was firm even so. His tension left him the moment she finished the handshake, the aura around him shifting to one of resignation.

“A pleasure doing business, Moore.” Chrysalis declared before turning away and nodding at Moondancer and Thorax, the pair getting up to follow after her as she made for the door. “We’ll be in touch tomorrow then. If you have any further questions, you can direct them to my office or Moondancer.” She called over her shoulder.

“Chrysalis.”

The changeling stopped, and looked over her shoulder at her business rival turned partner. “Yes?”

“...never mind. We’ll...be in touch.” Moore clipped out, and Chrysalis smirked.

“You’re welcome, Moore. And welcome to the Onyx family.” She said, exiting in triumph with her associates behind her. She knew the two would have plenty of questions concerning the sudden decision, how the board of directors would take it, and a mass of other issues that she could expect to handle later today. It would all be worth it, though. Finally, after several years of conflicting interests, clashing over clients, and a cold war waged through customers and products, Chrysalis had gained the true upper hand over her rival.

It’s good to be the Queen of business.

Author's Note

And thus a new saga begins! Chrysalis stands victorious over her longtime rival, but a new cunning twist changes the game for both parties! How will Moore handle working for someone who was once his bitter rival, now turned boss over his job? You'll just have to read next week to find out!