Wish Gone Awry. Enter Equestria! Enter New Life!

"Well, that was a nice trip. Still surprised that Canterlot has a red light district, but it makes sense," Julius said as the group returned to the castle.

"I'd imagine that our cultures have a few differences that'd be surprising to the other," Fancy Pants speculated. "That's the way things usually are. There is more to Canterlot, but it's starting to get a bit late, and some of the areas can get rather rowdy around this time. Better to keep your guards happy," he knowingly said.

"Yeah, keeping the help, whatever its form, happy is quite important. History teaches that much, at least," Julius said with a sigh. "Still, I'm guessing that Celestia and Luna are still busy," he said with a shrug.

"Possibly," Fancy Pants half-heartedly semi-confirmed. "They tend to be quite busy, and if they're helping out with something complex, then it may take a bit of time. We could start looking over the things I have in mind," he offered as the soldiers guarding the group returned to their stations by the castle doors.

"Why not? Assuming that you have the things that I need to offer any suggestions," Julius said with a shrug as he and the rest of the group followed Fancy Pants and Fleur.

"I should have them in my office here. I might have to look around for them, though. I don't exactly look at them very often. The last time I did was when I got advice from the staff planners. While their advice would work in theory, in practice, I could never put it to use," Fancy Pants tiredly sighed.

"Well, if you already got advice from professionals, I don't know how much help I'd be," Julius said with a shrug. "I mean, they're professionals; I'm not. It's their job to know whatever this stuff is, not mind."

"Yes, you'd think, but Equestria hasn't seen any international conflict in, well, longer than I've been alive. We have no international conflicts on the books, the only ones we think we've been in, but that's all hearsay and before the hundred-year dark age," Fancy Pants told Julius as he led the group to his office. "Our tactics and what not could be out of date. If what I've heard is true, you're from a culture that frequently engages in such things. That, combined with you owing no allegiance to any other country, and your own not existing here, makes you a near-perfect candidate. If I asked, say, a griffon, or a minotaur, there'd be a real risk of a security breach, which I cannot allow," he calmly said as he walked up to the door to his office.

"Fair enough. Though warfare in my world is significantly different than what it is here. Just off the top of my head, you have magic, and we don't," Julius told Fancy Pants.

"That might be true, but after surveying so many sights and learning as much about it as I could from other species, I've learned one thing," Fancy Pants told Julius as he opened the door to his office. "Thing might be different, but war never changes," he said as he walked into his office. "Now, just give me a few moments to find the papers."

"I probably should take my leave. My presence at this meeting would be quite naive. As what he said is true, and I would have conflicting goals. So it would make sense for me to leave you, souls," Zecora said as she went to take her leave. "You two to should come along. The impression of your presence could be quite wrong. Affairs of these sorts should be kept confidential lest an enemy gains significant potential. Therefore, our leave should be essential," she said as she looked at Twilight and Rainbow Dash.

"Zecora, my family has been friends with the Pants family for generations. I'm sure my presence wouldn't be a problem," Twilight protested.

"There's where you are quite mistaken, Twilight Sparkle. In this system, dangers come from without and within the hierarchal. Should an enemy of Fancy Pants ponynap you, or an enemy of Equestria do such a thing. To great disaster to Fancy Pants, it could bring. A ransom, your life for information, that's their offer, knowledge of his defenses their payment, not a full coffer. Such a misstep could draw many a scoffer," Zecora cautioned.

"I see your point, but still," Twilight lightly whined as Zecora gave her a stern look. "Fine, come on, let's leave the three," she defeatedly sighed as she looked at Rainbow Dash.

"Whoa, wait, why do I have to leave?" Rainbow Dash asked in protest.

"The same reason that I do. You could still easily be ponynapped and ransomed," Twilight firmly told Rainbow Dash. "Now, let's go see where Pinkie Pie is," she said as she and Rainbow Dash walked off.

"Thank you," Julius quietly said to Zecora as she gave him a knowing nod before walking off after the pair.

"Your Zebra mare is quite perceptive," Fleur commented as the three walked off. "Picking up that Fancy Pants wanted this too, more or less, be a private meeting was a good insight. Of course, I'll be there; we're rarely ever apart, but my presence is a special exception," she said as Fancy Pants opened the door to his office.

"Indeed, the lead mare of the herd rarely ever leaves the stallion. Even more so when she's a lady of the land," Fancy Pants commented as he looked at the two. "Now, come on in; I think I have everything that you need," he said as he ushered the two into his office.

"Nice office," Julius whistled as he looked around. Ornate, gilded furniture filled the room, along with plush red carpeting and cushions.

"Like it? The wood is made from pure bocote brought in from south-eastern Equestria," Fancy Pants said as he walked up to his desk. "Come, sit; I can assure you that the cushions are quite soft," he offered as he and Fleur sat down at his desk.

"Very well," Julius said as he accepted Fancy's offer. "Yeah, these are soft; I don't think that I'll want to move if I stay sitting down. So, these are the papers?"

"Yes, they are, various maps of the region showing differences in elevation, resources, population, geographical features, and so on. There are census data. The number of creatures that live there, how many are in the military, how many could be, and such. As well, there are a few of the more realistic plans offered by those I've already consulted," Fancy Pants told Julius as he waved a hoof over the papers.

"Yeah, that should be all I need, I think. First, let's start with the already offered plans," Julius said as he picked up a stack of papers. Reading through the papers, he slowly closed his eyes. "Please, tell me this is the least realistic plan."

"Most realistic; why?" Fancy Pants asked as Julius hit his head against the desk.

"Face desk, for when a facepalm just isn't enough," Julius moaned with a tired sigh. "This plan is basically 'oh, let's just build a wall,' I can see many problems with that. For example, you're defending against changelings; they can fly. Also, the sheer number of forts this plan calls for is insane. I'm pretty sure just trying to build half this amount would bankrupt you. I don't want to look at the other plans," he cried as he slowly went to look over the other offered plans.

"Believe me, we both said the same things. But, sadly, that was the best-offered plan," Fleur told Julius while Fancy Pants quietly nodded.

"The best-offered plan sucks. This one sucks even more," Julius firmly stated as he read through the plan. "Like, in what reality is this even supposed to be remotely viable. And the third one, are you sure a traitor didn't make it? At this point, I'm somewhat surprised that I haven't seen 'retreat' and 'surrender' as plans yet," he sighed as he continued to read through the offered plans.

"Yes, some of them get rather creative," Fancy Pantys politely said.

"Nice way of saying irredeemably stupid," Julius and Fleur both shot back.

"Well, yes. But it's important to keep up the appearance of being polite. We might be in private, but it's still good practice to keep good form in any setting," Fancy Pants calmly told the two.

"I know, dear, but I've never been that good at dealing with fools. I work in an industry that's filled with fools. Besides, you know how I've been," Fleur said before giving Fancy Pants a light kiss.

"Of course, dear, I understand. Still, I don't have that luxury. With the nobility, if you let the mask slip, you'll never get it back on," Fancy Pants responded with a smile.

"Speaking of, what does Fleur do?" Julius asked as he rubbed his eyes while reading through the plans.

"Well, aside from being a part of the upper nobility, I'm also a supermodel. I've been in every major magazine, fashion show, and even some racier shoots. While the racier ones don't quite pay as well, they're a lot funner than the other things I do," Fleur told Julius.

"Really? I know this may sound inappropriate, but I'm kind of curious," Julius said with a slight smile as he put down the plans.

"Here," Fleur said as she levitated a magazine to Julius as he set down the plans.

"Neither of you mind?" Julius asked as he grabbed the magazine. "Oh, yeah, culture difference, forgot. In my world, something like this would start a fight right away, hell, maybe even war," he said as he flipped through the magazine. "Is it weird that somehow you look more erotic with clothes than without clothes?"

"We get that, believe me," Fleur said with a slight smile.

"Indeed. So, I'm guessing that you don't think too highly of the offered plans," Fancy Pants said as he looked at Julius.

"Well, either they couldn't work for various reasons, or they just wouldn't work," Julius commented as he looked through the magazine. "Still, I need to see the maps and census and what not to try to come up with one of my own," he said while whistling at a picture of Fleur. "I know the male-to-female ratio is really screwed, but you could still make a guy thirsty."

"Not sure what that means, but thanks," Fleur said as Fancy Pants passed Julius the maps and censuses.

"It means that you're sexy, you're attractive, that guys want you, you know, stuff like that," Julius said as he switched over to reading the maps and censuses.

"Oh, well, thank you," Fleur thanked as Julius looked over the various papers. "Though it makes some mares quite angry, I'm used to getting those kinds of compliments. Still, it's always flattering to hear," she said with a warm smile.

"And thank you for just taking the compliment," Julius thanked back as he looked over the papers. "Hmmm, I see some things here. Definitely something I can work with," he hummed as he flipped to another paper.

"Do you? That's good to hear. I can guess what they are; some of the others also saw some workable things," Fancy Pants said happily.

"Yeah, there's definitely something I can work with here. And a defensive line would be possible if you could prevent the changelings from flying," Julius commented while looking over the papers.

"We can, well, sort of," Fancy Pants told Julius. "Magically enchanted crystals and stones can make flying difficult. Also, some specifically enchanted crystals can shoot lightning bolts into the sky. They're a bit dangerous due to the crystals firing at anything that flies, but still, they exist," he told Julius, who immediately looked at him. "What?"

"I can design a defensive line for you at a fraction of the cost that should work," Julius confidently told Fancy Pants.

"Well, that was quick. I'm guessing that you're taking inspiration from your world," Fancy Pants commented.

"Yes. A combination of the inundation lines for the Benelux and Verdun. The lines will be on a much larger scale, while the forts will be on a much smaller scale," Julius flatly told Fancy Pants.

"Interesting, here, draw out your plan here," Fancy Pants said as he levitated a map over to Julius.

"Alright," Julius said as he started to draw a few features on the map. "And done," Julius said after a few minutes.

"Again, that was quick," Fancy Pants commented as he looked over the map. "There's not much added, a few forts, some ditches, but they're doing nothing," he said as he followed the ditch lines over to the Luna Bay. "Oh, oh, that's smart. Vicious but smart," Fancy Pants commented with a light smile.

"Don't thank me, thank Maurice of Nassau. He thought of the inundation lines to protect the Benelux," Julius told Fancy Pants.

"I see; well, thank house Nassau for me. But these forts, what's the purpose of them? This first line of forts looks like they could easily be taken from behind, and they're right where the land would be if it were flooded. This second line, though, it looks like it could withstand anything," Fancy Pants commented as he looked at the few forts on the map.

"That's the point. The defenders hold those forts just long enough to sucker the changelings in; then, they fall back to the second line. After the changelings have fully moved into the forts, that's when it happens; that's when we release the flood. The whole occupied area will be flooded, the only places the changelings can stay will be flooded, and everywhere they can go will be flooded. By the time they realize the trap, the race to the sea will already be over. This second line of forts has to hold long enough for the rest of Equestria to get together, mobilize, and come to the front. I believe that it's capable of holding that long. After the rest of the Equestrian army comes, that's when the counter-offensive begins. The first lines of forts being easily taken from behind will then greatly benefit the Equestrian army," Julius told Fancy Pants.

"Vicious, but effective. Now, as for the ditches, how will they be dug? That'll still be expensive," Fancy Pants asked as he crunched some numbers in his head.

"Simple, the military will do it. That'll serve a secondary purpose of preparing the army to dig trenches," Julius simply told Fancy Pants.

"Trenches, ditches, forts, flooding, air, you certainly aren't leaving anything to chance," Fancy Pants commented with a smile. "While this plan will still be expensive, it's not too bad. Maybe, it could be justified if the ditches were built with the stated purpose of being used for farming, from crown stipends that'd cut down on the cost a lot. We'd be defending, so not as many ponies would need to be drafted. Yes, this could work," he commented with a growing smile.

"Wait, Equestria has the draft, really?" Julius asked with disbelief.

"To my knowledge, it's never been implemented, but yes, it's technically on the books. Equestria has many laws that are technically on the books but never acted on. For example, Equestria technically has the death penalty on the books, but it's never been used. The closest it's come in recent memory was on Steel Stallion. Some of the nobles called for it in private, but Celestia oversaw the trial herself. After hearing the trial, Celestia pardoned Steel Stallion on the condition that he stays in the castle for the next decade while she resolves the situation in Severnaya. It was house arrest, and we all knew it, but he accepted nonetheless," Fancy Pants told Julius.

"That's surprising. But still, that's a very merciful response from Celestia. In my world, if you tried to rebel against your government, they'd more likely call in their allies and declare war on you than sit down, talk things out, and try to improve them," Julius flatly told Fancy Pants.

"Please, don't take this the wrong way, but your world sounds like a very violent place," Fancy Pants commented back.

"Oh, trust me, you have no idea. Now, shall we hammer out the details of the plan?" Julius asked as he, Fancy Pants, and Fleur worked out the plan's details.