As the bell rang to signify the end of the day, I got together my stuff to go home. collecting my stuff, I felt a nudge. Turning, I saw Brightstar.

"Hey Mesmer," she greeted with a smile, "I was curious as to if you might wanna hang out."

"Hmmm," I had to think on that. Would it be a good idea to bring her home?

It might be a good place to teach her who's in charge, I thought mischievously. But then again, I needed to be responsible, like Pathfinder said. I spent a few moments thinking before discarding his advice. I could easily make him agree with me in that everyone should obey me! "Sure," I replied as I finished gathering everything. Brightstar smiled wider as she pulled me along outside. After taking a moment to regain my bearings after the sudden relocation, she asks,

"So where do you live?" I explain my residence with Pathfinder and where we live, and it's a relatively short trek over. Upon entry we're immediately greeted by a certain Earth pony.

"Ah, welcome home, Mesmera!" He greeted me happily, and then noticed the filly next to me, "Er, Mesmer. I see you've brought a friend.

"I'm Brightstar, Mesmer's best friend," 'best friend' was rather presumptuous, but a brief moment found it to be accurate.

"Ah, I see. Well why don't you show her your room, Mesmer. I'll get the two of you a bit to eat," he said as he went to the kitchen. I followed his advice, bringing Brightstar up to my room. It didn't have much, having yet to be properly converted from Pathfinder's room to mine. It was still his nightstand and dresser, and an unfortunate lack of a toy chest.

"I only recently moved in, so we're still getting things set up for me," I explain, trotting around the fact that this was Pathfinder's room and he now sleeps on the floor.

"You don't have any toys? How about board games?" She looked a bit disappointed at the lack of toys, though it was clear that she had some hope regarding games.

"Lemme check with Pathfinder, stay here a moment, alright?" I smile innocently at her as I move towards the door. She smiles and nods in return as I head downstairs.

"Hey Pathfinder? You have any board games?" I call out, walking towards the kitchen where he's baking something in the oven.

"hmmm, well I have a few in the box in the living room. Not much though, just things like dominoes and playing cards. Perhaps I could teach you two how to play," He looked a little excited at the prospect,"It's been a bit since I've had anyone besides Storm to play with, and he's been a bit ‘ehhh’ about them recently." I nod.

"One other thing," I say, suddenly shifting back to my regular form in a burst of purple flames and spreading my wings wide apart. Before he could question the reason behind my transformation his eyes had already been turned into pulsing glowing rings, his body having completely relaxed.

"So then, first thing is that I'm allowed to have cookies again." my statement is returned with a nod, "and secondly, you know that I am your queen," I pause to take the most regal posture I can muster, "and a queen must have subjects."

"Of course, my queen," he said mindlessly, much to my delight.

"And so just like me, you want as many ponies to serve me as possible. You want every pony to serve their rightful ruler," I command just as regally.

"Yes...all must serve...all will serve you, my queen," he droned, and I nodded, letting my wings settle. A few moments passed without any change in his expression, his eyes still pulsing with my hypnotic colors. I stared at him for a few moments before the existence of another set of appendages came to my awareness. The armored part of my shell was like a beetle's shell another set of wings, though lying underneath my flying ones instead of over top. I lifted them up and clicked them together, and he instantly snapped out of it. After he regained his bearings, he kneeled,

"Mesmera, I'm sorry for taking away your cookies, and for holding you back from finding new servants like myself " he apologized earnestly, "To make up for it, how about I help you with Brightstar?" He looked up at me hopefully, his eyes having a deeper purple haze than before. Nobody else seemed to notice it before, perhaps only I can see it?

"That's exactly what I was thinking. Come," I turned away and began walking away, and Pathfinder nodded eagerly, quickly moving to follow me back upstairs to Brightstar.

"Oh Brightstar," I called as I opened the door, "I'm back,' I smiled mischievously as her smile suddenly turned to fear.

"Mesmer, you're…you're a changeling!?" She panicked and backed up as far as she could as I slowly approached her, wings spread. Suddenly, her fear turned to anger. "No! Mesmer can't be a changeling! what did you do with her!?" Suddenly, she lunged at me. I was brought to the ground, one of my wings being folded back onto itself. I yelped in pain and Pathfinder sprung into action, quickly pulling Brightstar off of me and pinning her against the wall. She gasped and struggled against him, wings flapping uselessly as I slowly got to my hooves, bringing my damaged wing forwards into view and trying to unfold it with my magic.

"No, I am Mesmer. Well, not really. I am Queen Mesmera, and Pathfinder here is my loyal servant," I smile smugly at Pathfinder.

"Of course, my queen."

"And soon, you will be too," I winced for a moment as I experimentally fluttered the wing, though the pain dissipated after a moment. She struggled more violently as I began to spread all of my wings and make them glow. She closed her eyes, shaking her head rapidly, "No, you aren't going to get me!"

"Brightstar, please open your eyes," Pathfinder begged, "I need to make it up to Mesmera." She shook her head rapidly.

"No no no no no!" Eyes still closed, she bit down on the hoof pinning her to the wall. Pathfinder yelped and pulled it away for a moment, and that moment was all she needed to wiggle out of his grip and begin to fly towards the open door. The door which I shut in her face, knocking her to the floor, dazed.

As she regained her bearings, I stood atop her, my wings glowing and pulsing brightly, and when her eyes refocused they swiftly found themselves being replaced by the pattern shown on my wings.

"You shouldn't have fought back," I said condescendingly.

"I'm sorry," she droned, completely devoid of any original thoughts.

"But now you can redeem yourself like Pathfinder did. Join him as my loyal subject, serve me. Serve your queen."

"Serve my queen...Yes, queen Mesmera... my queen…" Her mind slowly reshaped itself according to my words. processing it a bit more than Pathfinder did, "Yes...I will serve you, my queen," She finally decided.

"Good, good. You'll be very happy with this, I'm sure," My ego probably wouldn't have been able to fit in this house were it physical.

"Yes...happy to serve…" As it all finally set in, I laid my wings against my side and clicked my shell against my carapace. She snapped out of her trance, eyes hazy like Pathfinder's. "Mesmer, er... Mesmera, my queen, I'm so sorry for fighting back. I should have just let you do as you wished. I'll be good for you from now on." I couldn't have been happier.

Author's Note

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it’s one I’m rather proud of, and I’m glad to bring some attention to her elytra, which is the actual term for the beetle shell thing. I’d appreciate feedback and criticism if any of you want to provide. Thanks!