MiE: Divided Path

I finished the device (after spending half the night awake, fiddling with it), now I had to test it out. Which is why I was currently in the hospital, talking to the changeling that was admitted yesterday.

"You want me to try on this device of yours?" The changeling, code name 'Bubba', asked. Somewhat eagerly, might I add.

"Yes, Bubba." I answered while checking the mask a final time for flaws. Thankfully, both male and female changelings (aside from Chrysalis, but that's because she's bigger) have the same facial structures, so I was able to mold it against Doppel's face. She seemed eager to help me, too.

I made a mold for Chrysalis' equipment, but I haven't had the time to make it yet. During the mold creating, I had a heavily discussed topic; her changelings need to stop calling me King. She reluctantly agreed and told all of them to stop over a telepathic message.

Since, (according to Chrysalis) Bubba and Doppel have joined my hive, they've been excluded from that order.

"Are you sure this will work, my king?" Bubba asked as I strapped him in, lifting his front up a little.

"I'll admit; I had to jury rig half the damn thing, and was half asleep. And I'm also not an expert in SCUBA equipment, but I did a pretty good job with the stuff I had on hand." I confessed, before nodding and releasing his body.

"I'll do this for you, King Mark!" He exclaimed as I slid the mask into place. As soon as I gave him the go ahead, he started sucking on a tube that lead into the twin tanks strapped to his belly. After a moment of sucking, his eyes widened in surprise as a pleasently warm liquid flowed into his mouth.

"It works!" He exclaimed after he finished swallowing, pushing the mask down to his neck.

"Keep it on ya. With work on the final design already being funded, we'll need the data coming from your trial run." I suggested. Being one of my soldiers in my hive, Bubba took that as an order. "Try walking around."

'Jesus, that sounded like every video game tutorial ever.' I couldn't help but think. Once he got down a slightly awkward walk, the two of us left.

"So, what was that liquid?" He asked as we walked down several hallways.

"Cum." I answered, my mind on other things. Namely, Applejack's presuasive way of making me sleep.

"W-What?!" He blushed deeply, probably thinking it was mine. Once I realized what I said, I preformed a facepalm that would make /b/ proud.

"Shit, sorry. My wife had sex with me last night to make me go to sleep." I apologized. "The fluids are mere salt water. Gallan had done an experiment on a willing Doppel a few days ago and it works the same as love does."

"How has Queen Applejack been treating you, sir?" Bubba asked after a moment of awkward silence.

"Better than Celestia has, that's for damn sure." I answered. "...And Obama did when I was back in my true time." God, I haven't even thought about that black dude for four years. Everyone back home said he was a shitty president, but then they went around and reelected him. Fucking American logic.

"Who's Obama?" Bubba asked as we left, heading towards the Emporium. Half of the damn town knew where the HQ was, but what they didn't know is that we have two HQs in Ponyville. The other one was under Dawn's basement.

"One of the leaders of this country, but like a billion or something years ago." I answered.

"Equestria?" Bubba asked.

"Nope. This is, to me and all of the humans, the United States of America." I answered, before pointing at the hazy image of Canterlot. "Right under that mountain and a billion pounds of dirt, rock, and other crap is the capital. Washington DC, where Obama ran the country. The building is called the White House, and it's been standing there ever since I left the time of 2012."

"Did anything happen to the White House?" He asked while we continued strolling.

"A few times, besides new Presidents living there." I answered. "The first major event was the British, Blake happens to be British by the way, burned it down to the ground."

"Do you want me to do something about him?" Bubba creepily asked.

"No? That was about 200 years before either of us were born, Bubba, and he's my ally now. It's all water under the bridge concerning our countries." He seemed a little disappointed. "Hey, what do changeling hives do about invading hives?" I asked to take his mind off of killing Blake, probably brutally.

"We crush them." He answered without missing a beat.

"Then that's what we have to do with Celestia and her troops." I answered with an evil grin. Bubba's grin matched mine as we took the hidden stairs going into the war room/barracks/mess hall/training grounds/errything else.

"What's with the grins?" Doppel asked, a little confused.

"Nothing important." I answered, before going over to the map. Apparently, there was two new colors; my 'hive'(grey) and Schmidt's German ponies (black).

'Well, I'm screwed over because it's official; I'm a fucking king.' I couldn't help but sigh, before shaking my head. Winning comes before my negative emotions.

"What's with the tanks strapped to Bubba?" Doppel asked after noticing them.

"New battle kit for changelings." I answered. "It's why I used your face as a mold, remember?"

"Uh.. Yea." She hesitantly replied, blushing green.

'Oh Jesus...' She fucking heard, or saw, me and AJ going at it.

"Alright." I said, shaking my head. "Any suggestions on where to strike besides Canterlot? We need to throw off Celestia's predictions on where we'll strike next."

"Cloudsdale?" Doppel suggested.

'That... Might be a good idea. Only pegasi and changelings can fight there, unless in a chariot, airship, or helicopter.' I thought, before nodding.

"Alright." I nodded. "Chrysalis' changelings and the night guards will be the main force, with the humans providing sniper support and death guards as combat medics." I planned out.

"And what'll we be doing, King Mark?" Doppel asked, looking at me.

"Well, since we're only using pegasi and changelings in Cloudsdale (and a Black Hawk for two snipers), the ground forces will be en route to New York." I answered. At that moment, Ryan stepped up next to me.

"How many are assaulting Manhatten?" He asked, while Doppel and Bubba lowly growled.

"Only leaving a skeleton crew to keep up the HQs and POW camp." I answered. "For what Schmidt's sending, only he can answer. I don't run his troops." Looking at my changelings, I rolled my eyes.

"What's with them?" Ryan asked, also noticing.

"They're, so far, the only two changelings in my Hive." I answered. "Stand down, he isn't a threat. Boy just broke out of prison with me, if he wanted to plug a bullet in my ass he would've done so already." They relucantly did so, going back to my side.

"Hive?" Ryan asked in confusion.

"Aye. Almost all of the changelings you see are a part of Chrysalis' hive. Doppel and Bubba are mine. Striker, the only changeling in Luna's Night Guard, is a part of Luna's hive." I think, anyway. "A hive has to have a King or Queen leading it, and that's why Striker keeps calling Luna 'Queen' instead of 'Princess'."

Don't think she understands why, either. Might have to tell her before she snaps and hurts him or something.

"Ah, I see." No he didn't. He left a moment later to go alert the humans.

"I'll go alert the changeling troops." Doppel said, teleporting off in that changeling-only way. With the green fire and all that.

"Bubba, go send a message to Schmidt." I said, writing down something in half-assed German for him to read.

"Yes, m'lord." He said, taking it with a somewhat awkward bow, before teleporting off too.

"Wonder what's down in South America..." I muttered, rubbing my chin as I stared at the map of the world.

"It's all uncharted, and for good reason." Dawn answered, walking over to me. "Take most of the desert area in Africa, for example. 20 foot or so flesh eating worms burrow underground, ready to eat whatever poor sod decides that it's a good idea to go deep into the area."

"Sounds like the movie Tremors..." I muttered. "How come they don't go after the Zebra villages?"

"They got smart and built on rock formations." He grinned.

"DEFINITELY sounds like Tremors." I said, shaking my head. "Anyway, I just sent a message to Schmidt via changeling. I need your pegasi to start kitting up, cause all of 'em are going to Cloudsdale."

"And what of Luna's?" He asked as he started chargin' his horn.

"Same. And the grounders are going to New York. Leave a skeleton crew to keep things running smoothly." I answered. He left with a nod and a pop, leaving me relatively alone.