He stepped off the plane to arrive in Washington DC. While things were in session, it wasn't hard to find where a random representative might be. Paul worked his way through the airport, retrieving his luggage on the way. He had traveled light, just a single suitcase, and that was more for appearances than anything else.

Changelings didn't need a lot of the things humans did when traveling, but he'd look odd if he didn't have one for as long as he scheduled things. No need to draw attention, he figured. Not that he didn't prefer to wear actual clothes. He'd long ago grown used to the feel of them, and it was something he put on that was part of his appearance that he didn't fashion himself. It was...

It was the opposite of the human condition, in some ways, but also just like it in others. It was a choice he made, but he had a lot more choices about some parts. "Focus." The whole mission was getting to him! He wasn't a spy! Well, alright, he did kind of take over an entire country before... So calling him a spy wouldn't be entirely unfair, but still, he was retired! "You can do this." He emerged from a bathroom stall as an entirely new person, with new clothes that he had dreamed up. He considered leaving the suitcase behind, but that'd be a marker for someone to find.

He'd get rid of it somewhere less conspicuous. He pulled out a phone and drew up a ride sharing app... Huh...

It had changed. It no longer showed his location. Right, the GPS satts were down, so it had no idea where he was. He had to tell it. He punched in that information and got the call going. "Life has changed." He moved to the spot designated for taxis to come pick people up. "But in some ways, I suppose it doesn't..." He had gone back to his roots, serving as an infiltrating unit for a powerful female.

At least the president seemed more together than Chrysalis had, so... progress?

"This is... How can they?! You need them! We just..." With each statement, Sunburst stormed around the room, heaving for breath. "The system is just finished! We found a problem, we fixed it. I thought that was the human way?" He wheeled on one of his fellow scientists/engineers. "So why are they backing off now, before we even try it?"

The man he was looking at raised his hands in defense. "Hey, none of our choices. Not like we get to set the laws."

"Well..." He stormed to a window to peer outside at the few people wandering past on the sidewalk beyond. "How do we tell them how much they're messing up?"

"You could write your represenatives? Senator and such like that?"

"You sound like that's an odd thing." He twisted his head from the window back on his peer. "Do they punish people who say they did something entirely foalish?!"

"That your pun translated still cracks me up..." The engineer dragged himself off that tangent. "I never bothered, personally, but they can make a difference, if a lot of people are writing in about the same thing, especially by hand, er, hoof? On paper that is."

"What do humans do then? They just trust their leaders and forget about it?"

"Wow, hardly." He set his clipboard down with a plastic clatter. "We 'trust' them to get it wrong most of the time, when you get down to it."

"How does that work?!" Sunburst clopped his hooves to either temple, massaging a forming headache. "When ponies don't pay attention to Celestia, it's because she usually has it well in hoof. She doesn't leave much for us to worry about. Good on her! But she's not here. This isn't her kingdom."

"Nope." He set a hand on Sunburst's head, horn between two fingers. "But you did sign up for it."

"Yeah..." Sunburst deflated with miserable agreement on that argument. "Alright. I'm going to write that letter. But I want you, and you, and you!" He pointed at a different engineer each time. "We'll all write in! You said it works better when different ones arrive close together, on paper!" A pen floated free of his pocket and he grabbed a sheet of paper from a printer. "Together. This affects all of us!"

The noises that came were not the rowdy cheer of unified purpose he had hoped for. "C'mon! We have to do something about this. This is all the work we've been doing for months!" He threw a hoof wide. "What do you want to do, forget it ever happened?"

A female engineer tapped at the desktop next to her. "Unfortunately, basically. They'll give us a new assignment and we'll start working on that. It's our job to design and create, not make the laws." She tossed her pen onto the desk in a casual flip. "I can't say I like it much either, but they never asked me."

Sunburst wrote furiously on his letter. "Well, we have to try! This is not a problem we can't fix. Don't let me be the only one to write."

"Does it have to be by hand?" A male engineer tapped at a keyboard. "It's easier to type."

The female huffed at it. "And easier to ignore. If you're going to bother, write it and get the maximum return on your time." She grabbed a paper and got to it. "And we have time until the next assignment comes down."

"Thanks for joining me." Sunburst didn't look up, but he did smile. At least he wasn't entirely alone. He heard scratches coming from other directions. At least a few of them had joined the cause. It may do nothing, but he'd try!

"It's time we start moving." Grogar moved through his base with a feral grin. "Their eyes are closed. She can get something right after all. Good... While they're distracted, it's time to make our move. You!" He glared at one of his many humanoid minions, that one showing that he had the right to bear arms. Three of them. "I want a list of the countries with the least contact with America. I want it now, yesterday would be even better. Make it happen!" The bear-person grunted and hurried away on the task.

"I know how to start this..."

"You're talking to yourself." Tirek strode towards him with crossed arms. "What did you send that thing off to?"

"Oh, just in time." He flashed his teeth at Tirek. "We're going to start our operations. Cozy Glow has blinded the giant, so we will move where it won't notice us. The time for subtelty is almost behind us, and the need for speed comes on us instead. How does that sound?"

"It sounds way less boring." He leaned in, brows going up together. "So what do you plan on me doing?"

"Grabbing creatures." Tirek reared up to clop his hooves together in one firm strike. "By the handful. We will grow our army, considerably. Where they thought there were strangers, enemies. Friends will come after that, but only we have a standing army ready to face their rage when they begin to catch on that we've begun moving." He fell to all fours. "And by that point, it'll be too late. They may be gods of the sky, but even they take time to do it. Delayed, they will be far too slow to be ready by the time things really begin."

"Grab everything in sight and bring them to you so you can do your... stuff on them, got it." He flexed his powerful muscles. "Alright if I drain a few of them?"

Grogar rolled his eyes. "Don't do that, moron. Take them all, and if you do a good job, I'll feed you myself." She shook to make his bell jangle around his neck. "I have enough to keep you sated for a time, and your success will give more for that purpose. The monsters I fashion need to be full of magic, however. No draining them before then!"

"As you command." Tirek clopped off without waiting to be told where he'd be going. As soon as he was out of sight, he grunted. "Damn fool... He won't miss if I take just a few... Not like anycreature's counting them." He chuckled at his duplicitous plan as he moved back to looking like he was busy. He'd be ready when the word came of where he'd be going and how.

"Told you." Chrysalis in her human guise smirked viciously at her 'employer'. "Hook, line--"

"--and sinker." Cozy put out a hand and they met in a loud clap. "Hey, thanks for the assist. Plans are so much easier with a quality helper around."

"I am not a helper," stormed Chrysalis with a scowl.

"You're officially my administrative assistant." Cozy rolled a hand slowly. "That's human talk for 'helper'. Now, how about we lower that defense budget?"

"I can't recommend that." Chrysalis rolled her shoulders slowly. "That's one of the human's sacred things. They met suggestions on lowering it with derision and universal condemnation from all but a few. That this kingdom remains full of weapons is part of its identity and even you would be hard pressed to change that."

"Sounds like a challenge." Cozy clasped her hands quietly and leaned forward on her desk. "I like a good challenge..."

"Cool it." Chrysalis shoved Cozy back by the head into their chair. "Don't we have lower hanging fruit to take care of? Like... if you could make the relations between here--" She tapped one part of the desk. "--and Equestria." She tapped another part far away with another finger. "Weaker, that would be lovely, hm? They're good friends, but there's no tradition there yet. If you can fracture that, Grogar will be so impressed."

"Hm..." Cozy looked between the two fingers. "Golly... He would be... That's a real challenge too! No fair giving me two of those at the same time." She crossed her new human arms with a loud huff. "I can't do both of those at once... can I?" Her gears turned, trying to think of an angle that would drive disarming the humans and driving them away from the ponies.

"I doubt it... Driving them towards the ponies would up the odds of that, which is the opposite of what you want, and making them feel isolated would make them want their weapons even more." She shrugged softly. "This is why you're in charge, isn't it, Miss Better Spy."

"I'm better because I can keep my mind on the goal." Cozy tapped at her head. "Instead of enjoying the trip too much. Watch me and you might learn somethin', Chryssie! "

"I doubt that." Chrysalis leaned against a filing cabinet, watching Cozy through half-closed eyes. "You're just enjoying your mind whammy powers. Those aren't even spy powers!"

"Maybe with that attitude, gosh. If it lets you go where you shouldn't be and see things you shouldn't see... then it sounds like a spy power to me." She clapped her hands and hopped to her feet. "If it gets the job done, it's already too late to say it doesn't count, Chryssie."

"Stop calling me that!" She grabbed the pot of coffee. "Refill?"

Cozy sank back into her chair, looking surprised. "Oh, yeah. That'd be great!" She put her mostly empty cup forward on the desk. "That's really sweet of you."

"What are assistants for?" That Chrysalis spilled a little on those clutching fingers was entirely an accident, she would swear, laughing maniacally to herself and claiming, silently, to have won that day entirely.

"Watch where you're aiming that." Cozy was still rubbing her burned hand. "That thing makes it really hot! It'll burn!" Not that Chrysalis didn't know that. "Golly, alright, enough of that." She took a sip of her refilled coffee. "It's time to get back into motion."

Author's Note

Chrysalis and Tirek are eager to stretch their arms, it seems. This may be trouble? Grogar is making his moves!

Join the special community of folks who like my stories and/or get your own written here at atreon!

Join my discord to chat!