Several hours earlier.

The two of them exited the warehouse: Scout with an excited spring in his step that left him hovering in the air for a fraction of a second, his wings whirring, Spy slinking along more cautiously as his glowing red eyes darted left and right. It was bright and sunny outside the warehouse, and the two found themselves in the middle of some kind of market place. Neighing and whinnying filled the air as ponies cheerfully chatted, coupled with the clip-clop of hooves on the cobbled road.

"So," said Spy, "has your television show provided any clue of our whereabouts?"

"Sure!" the pegasus replied. "We're in Bridlepath, a relatively small town known for its market and annual cake-decorating competitions. The town hall over there's the key - they're still rebuilding it after Nightmare Moon explodified a bunch'a places." Sure enough, a spindly and heavily charred building surrounded by scaffolding was clearly visible, rising above the thatched houses.

"I see. And are there any facilities of use to us?"

"Yup! There's a train station in just about every town in Horsetralia, an' we can ride it all the way to Ponyville."

"I'll assume you have some kind of plan once we get there. I assure you zhat alzhough I do not have one myself I do not wish to hear yours without first losing my wits." Scout rolled his large eyes.

"Sheesh, lighten up there, Spy. I could get us anywhere in Horsetralia once we get to the train station." It was Spy's turn to roll his eyes this time, but he followed nonetheless.

And then a scream rang out.

The pairs' heads whipped around, trying to pinpoint the location of the screamer. A blue-and-pink passerby stood rigid in fear, a hoof raised in the direction of their terror. Directly, as it so happened, at Spy.

"Um... I may not have actually thought this one through," said Scout as other ponies turned to look their way.

"Scout, what is happening?" Spy asked, watching in growing dread as more ponies drew in with looks of menace on their faces. It was amazing, he thought, how scary a group of cute pastel-coloured miniature horses could seem.

"I, uh, just remembered somethin' about changelings."

"Zhey wouldn't, by any chance, be shunned by zhe people of zhis town?"

"Um, more like hated an' loathed by the entire country."

"SCOUT!"

"We should, uh, we should probably just start runnin'."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"

Scout's and Spy's screams merged as they raced through the streets of the town identified as Bridlepath. Scout zipped through the air ahead of Spy, who although had just gotten the hang of running with four legs was making remarkable time.

"How... zhe hell... are you flying?" puffed Spy, as he glanced over his shoulder at the pursuing mob who were getting closer by the second.

"Use your wings!"

"I'm trying! How... did you get... into zhe air in zhe first place?"

"Double jump!" yelled Scout. "Jump, then jump again!"

"Are you insane?"

"Believe in your heart, man! Just do it!"

Spy ground his oddly pointed teeth. The mob was far too close for comfort now. He pushed up from the ground, then again in mid-air as he encountered resistance despite standing on nothing but air. Spy felt his insectoid wings unfurl, buzzing and propelling him forward. Drawing level with Scout, he saw the crowd lagging behind (even though several of them were also in the air), before disappearing completely as the two rounded a corner.

The pair rested on a thatched rooftop as they watched the mob pass them obliviously.

"Well, zhat could have gone better."

"Yeah, you said it. Sorry 'bout that, man, I probably should'a warned you."

"Yes, well. Anything else you'd like to tell me?"

"Apart from the fact that everyone hates changelings? Um..." Scout chewed his lower lip. "Oh, yeah! Changelings can make themselves look like other ponies. That's why they're called changelings. Kinda like you, if your disguise kit was in your horn."

"Hmm. Zhis may solve my image problem."

"Should do, yeah. You should try it out, see what happens."

Spy closed his eyes, concentrating on Scout's horsey face. A strange tingly feeling streamed from his forehead, cocooning him in fizzing warmth. A sudden shock, like a draft of cold air washed over him, forcing his eyes open. Scout stared at him in fascination.

"Woah. Freaky."

"What?" asked Spy in Scout's voice. "Is there something wrong?"

"Well, let's just put it this way: if we were back at Lakeside, I'd be shooting you in the face right about now."

"I suppose that will have to suffice." The changeling flickered, turning back to his abnormal self. "Zhis ability will provide ample replacement for my disguise kit. Alzhough I could really use a cigarette right now - Scout, are you even listening?" Scout was, in fact, staring at a point just behind Spy's head. He turned.

A green pegasus was hovering in the air behind them, a wicked smile on its face - no doubt one of the search party members who had remembered the existence of wings. It neighed menacingly.

"Ooh boy."

A few minutes later two pegasi walked down the street towards the Bridlepath train station: one scowling and red, the other green and with a nonchalant look on its face.

"I do not see what you are fuming about," said the freshly disguised Spy. "I had to incapacitate the pony somehow."

"You hit her! With me!"

"So?"

"I have four bruised shins! Four!" cried Scout. "That is not a suitable use of telekinesis!"

"Oh, please. Would you have preferred me killing it?"

"No..."

"Good. So stop complaining."

The Bridlepath train station was a small building for a small town, with only two opposite-facing platforms connecting it to the branch line. A tiled roof protected waiting passengers from unscheduled rainfall, while a large clock provided the time of day. No trains filled the sidings, but the smell of coal and soot was faithfully present. Scout and Spy clumsily took seats on a bench near the ticket queue.

"Uh, Spy?"

"Oui."

"Do you know how much two tickets'll cost?"

"But of course," Spy smirked. "Seeing as there is a sign proclaiming prices right next to where you are standing, it would be difficult not to." Scout turned and, exactly as Spy had said, there was a wooden sign. What was not there, however, was any readable words. Then Scout punched himself in the face.

"Aargh!"

"Are you all right?" asked Spy in amusement.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Clutching a hoof to his smarting face, he straightened up. "I probably shouldn't facepalm with hooves. Facehoof. Shouldn't facehoof with hooves. Anyways, what I was going to say was that I think that..." He lowered his voice. "I think that changelings can read other languages when they're disguised."

"Hmm. Interesting theory. The sign states that tickets will cost forty-one bits and thirty rayns for one adult ticket to Ponyville.. Assuming, of course, that we count as adults."

"Well, do you have any money on you?"

"I do recall having the presence of mind to take a small satchel from that pony back there." Spy clumsily lifted a purse-like bag from around his neck, prying it open. Scout craned his neck to see in, and found a number of glittering gold and silver coins. "Has the show of yours provided the knowledge of how much each coin is worth?"

"Yeah, Saxton Hale did a special episode to teach about how the Horsetralian cash system works. Denominations are ten-, twenty-, twenty-five - and fifty-rayns, and one-, two-, five-, ten-, and twenty-bits. Rayns are silver, bits are gold. Ten-rayns are circular, twenty-rayns are nonagonal, twenty-five-rayns are-"

"MON DIEU, I DO NOT CARE!" thundered Spy.

"Sorry, just thought that you'd like to know," Scout mumbled.

"Well, I do not." He passed the bag to Scout. "Look, you count out the coins and I will hold them. I presume you know simple addition, c'est vraix?"

Scout counted out seven coins of interesting geometric structure, and to his credit only dropped them once or twice.

"Good. And now, Scout, for the first proper inter-pony conversation today."

"Huh?" Spy rolled his eyes.

"Time to buy the tickets, simpleton."

Author's Note

What challenges will the two mercenaries encounter next? Will the monetary system of Equestria Horsetralia ever be explained? Find out whenever I finally get around to progressing this story!