Equestria At War - The Austral Protectorate

Chapters

The Smiling Protector
The (Less Than Honorable) Guards
The Loathsome Queen's Guard
The Breaking Hearts
The Dreaded Deal

The Smiling Protector

It was two months after the victory, three months after he first was charged with conquering the jungle, and one year ever since the Great War happened... So why in Chrysalis' glorious name was he given this reward?

Reward

Larynx glared down at the gun he was hovering with his magic. His smile was no use here, for he was alone.

I'm going to die in this forsaken region

Fearful and alone.

He had a right to fear, for in the month where he finally moved into the state he was placed as a "protector" there was 34 assassination attempts on his life alone. Too much partisans. Too much resistance mounting up. Everypony, everyling, they were at each other's throat here.

It was cursed, Larynx thought, This whole region is cursed, why was I placed in charge of it?!

The Protector slowly stared across his desk. It was full of maps of the jungle, of the city, and of the roads all over the region. It all a mess, the outdates maps were mixed in with the more up to date ones, and sometimes, they are dead wrong. Not to mention the city is missing MUCH more of its buildings now.

He sighed, staring upward as he contemplated just running off, he was a changeling after all, he can just turn into any pony, griffon, or whoever else.

That doesn't sound half bad... I should do it! Yeah! he was fully committed into just running off, and just...

Oh who was he kidding, he knew that there was many flaws to that plan. He fumbled with his magically held gun, before just tossing it at floor.

BANG!

A loud noise went off as the protector shrieked like a filly, covering his face as he heard a thud. Soon enough he found himself cowering on the floor, looking through one of his many holes in his legs, before noticing something was off... He wasn't bleeding, he wasn't dying, and he wasn't feeling like he was shot. What was going on?

"PROTECTOR! ARE YOU ALRIGHT-" As Larynx was trying to figure out what in the world was going on, he was soon interrupted as one of the bodyguards, "I heard the noise! I am- Oh you are fine. Why are you on the floor?" Hanx asked.

Out of all the bodyguards, Hanx was probably the best one to come and defend him, he was the only bodyguard, other than an unmentionable one, to STILL be surviving for this long with him in this miserable province. Smile, SMILE! Larynx thought on his hooves quickly.

He stood right up, stretching, pretending as if he was just doing some good ol' fashion... 'Push-ups', yeah that's good enough!

Hanx stared at him, giving a slow nod, though it was clear he was hiding something, as he reached for something in his big military bag of wonders. Mostly grenades, but to some ponies those were a wonder too.

"Well whatever you are doing, I... Support you?" The bodyguard said as stared with no hint of second-hoof embarrassment at the Protector. "Anyways, I got a scroll from all Vesalipolis." Soon enough he pulled a scroll from his bag, nearly dropping some of the countless grenades in his bag, Larynx made a BIG mental note to ask him NOT to bring in grenades again, after he stopped screaming internally that is.

"Well come on then, bring it here." Larynx said as he hovered over the scroll with his magic, unfolding it as he looked over it with a smile. Slowly reading the letter...

The smile grew larger and larger, the confidence in it was slowly shattering, the look into his eyes was that of a mad changeling, all he wanted to do was scream, cry, laugh, and run straight into the jungle and just wait for death...

Queen's Decree

Protectors of the Hegemony, your Queen decrees that the changeling race must not be left hungry any longer! To reach this goal, to finally rid ourselves of the hunger that we had to suffer for thousands of years, your queen demands that LOVE be brought into the hegemony. The establishment of the LOVE TAX is to be introduced to every region. You are expected to grab those filthy ponies (and whatever else) and take their love out of them. Your queen cares not if you kill them by "accident" to reach this goal, but you MUST reach this goal.

Signed - Your Queen, your Empress, your glorious one, your immortal, your charitable, your conquering, your Godde-

Larynx stopped reading the titles, she always seems to add more and more titles with each letter. He sighed, he knew that a love tax of some kind would come, he can at the very least rest easy knowing it is to serve the hegemony, and it is to- "What?" Larynx interrupted his musing as he stared at the lower part of the letter, at what he was expected to bring...

"A MILLION UNITS OF LOVE?!" Larynx screamed, his smile finally breaking, Hanx pulling out his submachine on reflex, staring around in a panic before realizing the situation. Hanx gave a stern look to Larynx, but he noticed he wasn't paying a attention. What Hanx saw was a protector running around, knocking the desk over and spilling the maps all over, as if he was trying to find a way out.

"Sir. Sir please. Sir stop shouting." Hanx casually said, not as concerned as he should be, as Larynx was shouting, screaming his heart out, ranting against all sorts of changelings. Not one of it was aimed at the Queen, for all changelings knew she was blameless. Well not all, just the ones who didn't want to get visited by the VOPS and taken into a camp.

It was two hours after the letter of the love tax was given to Larynx. He has regained his composure, his calm is assured. No time to panic, no time to panic, he kept thinking to himself, Okay maybe panic a bit, but I have to go meet with... The heads... His smile has returned, though he just wanted to groan.

"Protector, a Queen's Guard regiment is approaching the building." Hanx warned, staring out of the window, though he seems to be staring around to spot any other possible threats. Protector Larynx slowly inched his way to the window, staring right outside of it.

Boy, I could get shot here. The bloody garrisons are not numerous enough to ensure complete safety... Larynx mentally complained as he kept his smile up. It was cracking a bit, as he looked down to see the dozens of Queen's Guards coming into the building he was in.

A knock was being made at the door, each individual one making Larynx's exoskeleton tingle with anxiousnesss.

"Come on, Protector, the Obersturmführer might be here. Wouldn't want her to catch you off guard." Hanx said, as the knocking started to get faster.

"I wouldn't want her to catch me at all." Larynx complained with a cheerful smile, as he slowly stepped to his seat. It was at the end of the table, it would denote him as the leader of the upcoming discussions, but Larynx knew better than to assume that he'll be able to lead anything. The knocking was getting outright hostile.

It was a silly seating arrangement.

Larynx was sitting, window on his back, as he had his big giant smile, trying to seem relaxed and confident. It fooled no one in that room. He stared at the other changelings, for they will be his only hope for now.

There was Hanx, the most loyal one in there, the captain of the guard. He used to be a Jäger, so he isn't really pleased about being a glorified police chief. Nevertheless, out of all the changelings, he was the most professional.

There was Klein, an oddly named changeling, wearing the most GOOFY looking top hat. It was downright nearly too large for his head. Not to mention that it barely on his head. He seemed the most aloof, but there's greed in those eyes. Larynx was doubtful that he will be much of a help.

And then, dreadfully, there was the Queen's Guard's leader in the Austral Region... Elytra, a spiteful changeling, always out to control something. Not to mention her capacity to flaunt her accomplishment, she's wearing her uniform full of her medals, an obscene amount that must have felt awkward to walk around with, much less the clicks and the clacks it must have made.

Larynx smiled at her, even though he was in a bit of a panic right now. He looked at her many medals, as he started to remark something to ease the tensions. "Welcome, Elytra. I noticed that you are a Hauptsturmführer now, congratulations on the promotion." He leaned back, hoping that the wooden chair would absorb his worries.

"Oh thanks, it helps being an actual captain to an actual military force right now." Elytra mocking said, swirling her head to give a toothy grin at Hanx, who seems to still not care for her mockeries. Sadly for Larynx, the easing of tensions couldn't last, as Elytra turned her head quickly and moved into his personal space. "So. Why did you call me? And why did you call the war profiteer? Is this some kind of ploy? Do you think you can take us both out?"

Hanx hovered his gun up a bit, as Elytra stared at him with a smug grin, much to his indifference. Larynx held his hoof up a bit, waving it to try to call Hanx off. "Now now, Hanx, she's just joking." He said, as he looked at Elytra with his unwavering smile. "Can we please wait for the-"

Sadly for Larynx, the true menace has arrived. The sound of something sharp being slowly dragged across concrete can be heard outside the door, as Elytra gave a sigh. Larynx looked pleadingly at her. "Please. Please tell me you did not call her here too." Larynx said, his smile shaking as it tried to maintain itself.

The look she gave back to him was NOT reassuring him, "While she is not a Queen's Guard anymore, she is still a... Capable? Reliable?" Elytra groped at the words, before giving up, "Okay she is none of those things, but I had no way to prevent her from coming here, honest." Elytra said, clearly lying about that last part.

Right before Larynx can prepare himself, the door started to knock, gently. Right before anyone would have reasonably opened it, a metal shard was lodged into it, the sounds of something dangerous and monstrous was heard. Hanx gave out a hiss, walking right up to the door. With a deep breath, unlocked the door.

The door was flung open, as the room was filled with the overwhelming emotion of dread. While it is true that changelings can sense emotions, they can equally be forced into experiencing an emotion if the situation allows it. Larynx wanted to jump out of the window and just fly to a hole, a safe hole, far from this damned city, and that damned beast at the door.

"You pieces of manure, you loathsome dog, you harlot, you ignorant bastard," A changeling came inside, shouting. She was short, her chitin was cracked, she was having trouble walking due to having one of her limbs cut mangled into a claw, and she seemed to be the most fearsome thing here. "Stupid pig, cowardly weasel, ugly cow, and MISERABLE PONY! THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE, LARYNX! YOU BASTARD, WHY DIDN'T YOU SEND ME A BUCKIN' LETTER TOO?!"

Larynx was frozen in place, as stiff as a bored, stuck in his dumb smile. He did not DARE to move as the short changeling turned her attention to him.

"The QUEEN demanded you to have TWO bodyguards at all times, the QUEEN demanded that you have one from the Queen's Guard as well, the QUEEN will get her way, you traitor, I should have you shot!" She kept on shouting as she stood right next to Larynx. Ripping some of his precious paperwork while she's at it.

"For the love of... Meister Sphecidae. Stop being a grub." Hanx tried to calm the crazed clawed changeling down, but it seems he only pissed her off more.

"First of all, I am to be called the CLAW! Second of all, MEISTER?!" She yelled enough to make everyone cover their ears for a bit, "I am an Obersturmführer, I will forever be an Obersturmführer, I will never be anything BUT an Obersturmführer, you hear me, bucking Hanx, I will bury your fangs and kiss your decapitated skull before I ever stop being an Obersturmführer!" She ranted right back at him. "I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE!"

"You aren't an Obersturmführer anymore." Elytra corrected, trying to make things worse on purpose. She earned a glare from the crazed one, much to her delight. "Besides, Hanx here is your captain now, you should be listening to him." Elytra tried to calmly explain now, though the changeling she was addressing was hissing, scratching up the table a bit, further ruining the paperwork.

A long moment of silence was slowly dawning, as changelings glared at each other, before finally Larynx gave a cough and shook his head. Larynx started to search for the letter in the pile of ripped paperwork now, "Ah, let's.. Let's move on, cause I have something important to tell you all. A decree from the Queen."

The 'Claw' froze in place, before glaring at Larynx and practically headbutting him. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US THE QUEEN SENT A DECREE?!"

"I WAS- I was getting to that." Larynx nearly lost his smile as he pushed her from his personal space. "The Queen has finally wished to introduce the love tax to all of her provinces." Finally he seemed to gain some kind of true confidence as he straightened up and explained the news. "The hegemony needs a lot of love and her gracious majesty decided to reward us with the task of retrieving some for her."

Larynx knew he was using too much praises, but he was in the presence of the Queen's Guard, even the smallest of slights against the Queen would earn an on the spot execution, probably even having his body burned to mere ashes later. "It is why her delightfulness has asked us for a million units of love in three months." Even the Queen's Guards were a bit stunned by the amount, only Elytra and the crazed changeling seeing the amount as reasonable.

"So what? You want us to round up some of the ponies around? Baltimare was 2 million strong before we conquered it, it still has a million now. Not to mention the other cities." Elytra dismissively said, leaning back on her chair.

Hanx slowly read the data, before tapping at one of the charts. "It is actually now a mere seven hundred thousand now." He tapped on another, "Tenochtitlan? Cut in half from a million." And another, "Stableside? Two hundred thousand. We slaughtered them down to THAT number. All the way from a million." He glared right at Elytra. "We are NOT in a good position right now."

With a dismissive roll of the eyes, Elytra simply started to tap at the charts as well. "Well that's more than enough then, we'd cover the tax one, and a half to spare." She then scratched the paper with her hoof. "Even if we don't get that much willing people to give their love, we can easily drain them to their last breath. You should know that draining something to their last drop should net atleast twice the units."

"Are you insane? We'd basically be dooming ourselves in the future if we do that, not to mention that we have ourselves to feed as well." Hanx retorted, he seemed to wanted to talk some more, but Larynx held his hand up.

My hoof is getting stiff... Larynx mentally complained, at very least he had SOME control over the conversation.

Klein coughed a bit, adjusting his hat. "I got an idea... How about you entrust me with some guards? If we can get the rubber plantations running, we can easily make a profit, perhaps even offset that love tax with some good ol' fashion bits." He smirked at his words. "Of course, we'd need workers. Let's start with changelings first, then we'll move on to the locals."

This earned a glare from Elytra, "Oh that's just lovely, invite more changelings here, that sure will work. We'll get them to see the jungle, you know, that one still filled with bat ponies. Brilliant idea." She grumbled, "Whatever, the Queen's Guard won't help you in this, you'll have to get little Hanx's guards to help you instead."

She glared at Hanx, knowing that he was already glaring at her. "We are here to keep the cities in order, not the dumb Tartarus pit known as the jungle out there." She made an excuse, a good one, as it made Hanx grumble.

"And I am most pleased by your help. I hope to see us through these three months, before..." Larynx said, trying to not seem so sarcastic even though he was. He noticed that the crazed changeling was breathing down his neck, literally, as he looked to the side to stare at her. "...Yes? Something the matter?" He asked after seconds of uncomfortable silence.

"Let me deal with the jungle-" She started, before Larynx simply shook his head. Nope, nope, NOPE! Larynx mentally screamed, NOPE! NOT FAILING FOR IT AGAIN, YOU CRAZY 'LING!

"Please, no, seriously, no, the last time you 'dealt' with something, you killed ten ponies and one changeling. You broke one of the panzers, and you nearly KILLED ME!" Larynx shouted, his smile faded for a second, before finally returning as he composed himself. "Besides... You have the prison to manage..."

She ranted under her breath, hissing a bit, but not arguing as she stared out the window, glaring with hatred at some of the regular guards outside. Larynx sighed with relief, looking down at the charts as he started to figure out a plan. Soon he would notice Elytra standing up as she started to turn around. "Hm? Going somewhere? We haven't figured out a plan-"

"The deadline's in three months, and I have my own plans to attend to." The Queen's Guard leader said, as she squinted at Hanx. "Besides, you have your captain of the 'police' here, Protector. He answers to you, but we? We answer to the Queen, and only the Queen." She trotted her way out. "Go ahead and hire your dumb investors and beg for help, we'll be busy keeping the Queen's Peace."

As the sounds of clicks and clacks from the medals was muted from the distance, Klein simply stood up as well as he tipped his hat. "I'll make the deal, but you'll have until the end of the week to actually decide if you wanna sign it. Else I'm just going to get mercenaries to help me tame that jungle." Klein said, as he made his way out the door, a bit faster, uncomfortable with the clawed one being so close.

And soon Larynx was left with only his bodyguards. Hanx gave out a hiss, closing the door, glaring at the hole that SOMELING made. "So. That was not useful at all." Hanx grumbled as he started to arrange the paper work again. "All that amounted to was us telling the Queen's Guard that we have nothing under control. We also made the Capitalist put us under pressure with that last minute deadline thing he pulled off." Hanx gave a small hiss, "Everything is fucked"

"PROFANITY!" The crazed clawed one said, but she was ignored by the two.

"So what's the plan?" Hanx asked, stepping close to Larynx, "We're too far gone from the capital to expect them to bail us out if the locals in city decide to toss in another revolution, we're too spread thin to defend ourselves from the locals in the jungle, and I'm pretty sure even if we do make the love tax work, we'll basically be killing our chances for the end of the YEAR."

"I do not know," Larynx spoke honestly. "I am more worried about the.. Well, the 'dogs' at the gates, lacking a better metaphor." He stared at the map of the Austral Region with contempt. "As you said, this region is just a big bomb waiting to blow up again... And with the Queen having taken half of our garrison to help control her personally held provinces..."

Before Hanx can offer some advice, the crazed one tapped at the window, wobbling jamming her claw onto the floor. "Enemies can easily be made into servants." She stared at the two of them. "Why don't we try the collaboration route? Butter the communists? Seduce the lunatics in the jungle? By the hole, probably even trick some of the remaining resistance fighters to just help us."

Larynx was a bit taken aback from the suggestions of the mad one. While collaborations was a method of control in most of the Hegemony, in the Austral region, it would be very unthinkable. The region is filled with die hard resistance fighters, communists that hate the monarchy that the changelings are built upon, anarchists that just plain hate the state that the changelings brought, and bat-ponies who hate anyone that isn't them. Only the mad would ever think this would be possible... And yet...

"This is our only option..." Larynx said, grumbling as he stared at Sphecidae, glaring at her a bit as she smiled back, he hated this part of her. She seems to always switch her moods on the random. "...I need you to try to linger around the edges of the jungle, and the forests around Baltimare and all the other settlements around it."

"I live to serve. I'll kill to survive. I'll die to-" She was practically being pushed outside by Larynx, he didn't fear her when she was being strange in this manner, he just felt annoyance. He gave a loud sigh as he locked the door.

Well. Time for plan Purple Red. Larnyx thought as he turned around, staring right at his only not clinically insane bodyguard. "Hanx, I need you to most loyal uh.. Well, anyling, really. I need to you prod the cities, see if there is any shot at collaboration. Do not seem to friendly, lest the Queen's Guard mistake you for a pony sympathizer."

Hanx gave a salute, though he seemed to be a bit uncomfortable with the orders. "Will do, though I do not have much hope for those ponies. They are a loathsome species."

"A loathsome species. Filled with love" Larynx retorted before thinking to himself.

And quite possibly my only hope to uphold the tax.

Author's Note

First time making a fanfic.
This based on Equestria at War, mostly based on the Pax Chrysalia path. I was just wondering how much it would SUCK to lead the Austral Protectorate.

The (Less Than Honorable) Guards

Baltimare, a bedrock of communist, anarchist, syndicalist, and socialist mobilization, was always supposed to be the envy of many cities in Equestria. Even Manehattan would be envious of the port of Baltimare, but sadly, today it is a literal shell of what it used to be. Bombing, raiding, and the siege of it has withered it away to a mere shadow of what glory it had.

It was barely even a real city anymore, its shape was gutted, its population was mangled, and it's glorious port broken from the naval invasion. The sky was too cloudy now, it was always raining, making the rubble inside of it harder and harder to clean. It's dream to be the capital of the new revolution has been dashed aside. All it earned was damnation for its resistance.

Foolish Ponies. Thought Hanx, the changeling captain of the guard. They resisted too much. All they earned was a shattered home. He was buzzing over the heavy air, equipped with only his gun and uniform, he was only glad that he was near the operation building for his duties.

"Oh- Morning, Captain!" One of the guards said, a changeling with yellowish eyes, who seems to be giggling with every second he isn't talking. "Hope the emergency meeting with the Protector went well!" At the very least he gave a salute, showing some respect for the captain.

Hanx landed down, waving off the salute as he rolled his eyes. "It went better than expected since SHE got involved..." Hanx gave an accusatory side-glare to the yellow eyed changeling. "You didn't tell her about the meeting, Tarsus. Right?"

Tarsus looked to the side, covering his mouth with his holed-filled hoof. "I dunno, she sorta kinda threatened to cut me open if I didn't say anything..."

"For the love of- Get it together dude." Hanx demeanor and tone went from professional to downright brotherly. "If you keep letting her push you around, she's going to keep demanding more stuff. Remember, even if she isn't one of the Queen's Guards anymore, she is still as annoying as them"

The yellow eyed changeling looked around, trying to spot any of the Queen's Guards around, before sighing as he nodded. "Yes I know that. What I'm scared of is her actually committing to her threats. She's the type of person to get away with it." Tarsus kicked at the dirt, grumbling. "Though we should probably stop talking and lift the curfew... Pretty sure it's 5 AM now."

The sky was too damn cloudy to tell what time it was anymore, but Hanx trusted Tarsus more than enough to believe him. "Speaking of lifting the curfew, the Protector has a plan."

"And that'll be?" Tarsus asked, staring in curiosity.

"Collaboration." Hanx paused, only to be met with a confused Tarsus. "Not between us and the Queen's Guard, don't worry your head. He wants to see if any of the ponies want to... Help us get this manure-filled city back on the right road."

Tarsus squinted, before smiling as he had an idea. "Oh I may have somepony in miiiind.. Somepony who is loose with his politics, loose with his methods, and loose with who is allied with... That somepony is-"

"DEAD?! HOW'D SHE DIE?!" Tarsus shouted at one of the Queen's Guard, who was simply glancing at him with indifference. "She was literally one of the only ponies who was SUPPORTIVE of us when we were busy fighting the BATS! HOW'D SHE DIE!?"

"I don't know." The Queen's Guard answered as he stared up at a mare's corpse. "But she's a pony, so who cares?"

The mare swayed in the air by her neck, the rope was tightly gripping her throat, it was a clear struggle took place to have her hanged with all the scratching and bruises around her body. Tarsus looked livid, Hanx looked more professionally disgruntled. "I CARE!" Tarsus shouted, before Hanx placed a hoof on his mouth.

The Queen's Guard glared at Tarsus, before looking at Hanx. "Oh, Hauptmann, didn't notice you there. Why did you want a pony? Are you trying to get a supply of love for only yourself or something?"

"No, I was trying to do my job and control the population." Hanx stared up at the corpse as he said. "Not killing them for reasons that you don't even know. Take this body down and burn it."

"Bury it!" Tarsus tried to intervene with the body's fate, though all that earned was a roll of the eyes from Queen's Guard. "Next time don't interfere with our jobs! We're supposed to control the city, not you-"

"Enough, Tarsus." Hanx glared at him, before watching the Queen's Guard cut the body down, before dragging it through the street. Hanx grumbled to himself, What in the world am I going to do now? Fucking Queen's Guards...

Tarsus was not pleased either. "By Chrysalis, why are we even allowing them to 'help' us anyways?" He said with spite.

"Because they are the few that answered our call for help..." Hanx grumbled further. "And we lack the numbers to actually control the city by ourselves."

"...So what now?" The yellow eyed changeling said as he was staring down.

"Now we go for another try... A more... Indirect threat." Hanx said as he was figuring out a plan. "Tarsus, gather up all some of the ponies that you think are... Leaders, and make sure to grab their foals too."

The city hall, still with the revolutionary banners and propaganda plastered on it, was now filled with a ton of ponies, all looking unclean and grumpy. The old ones looked like they are barely staying awake, the young ones looked like they are filled with malice, and the really young ones barely knew what was going on.

The air was thick with anticipation, a sickening feeling in the stomach of everypony in the hall. Fears of a mass massacre, a purge, a vile execution of the masses was within everypony's head. That fear grew tenfold when the changeling soldiers fiddled with their guns, glancing with nonchalance at the terrified ponies.

Great, good job, GREAT JOB CIDER BREW, LOOK AT WHAT RUNNING FROM THE WAR GOT YOU IN! Cider Brew thought to himself. He was a green unicorn, he was cleaner than most of the other ponies around... And sadly he was still amongst them in the hall. They are going to shoot us, I JUST KNOW IT! I need to get out- Come on, think of a plan!

Before the pony can panic himself out of the hall, the changelings soldiers started to salute, shouting something strange in Griffon-Tongue, before all eyes were aimed towards one place.

A changeling with a military officer's hat stared down at the ponies, hissing a tiny bit as he seemed disgusted with them. The yellow eyed changeling stood next to him, speaking in Griffon-Tongue right next to him, before the changeling finally spoke to the crowd.

"So. Politicians." He spat that word, glaring downward at the ponies. "Or anarchists, or communists, or whatever made up fantasy you worthless friendship loving snacks want to call yourself. I am captain of the guard, you shall call me Hanx." He adjusted his hat a bit, as he leaned back to appear more imperial-like. "I have come to inform you of a new policy."

"More food?" One of the children said, as the speaking changeling looked a bit baffled.

"Oh! Are we going to have a pizza party?"

"Can we have pies?"

"We'd love pies!"

Hanx stomped downward as he shushed the room with a hiss. Soon he regained his composure as he stared at the children. "The new policy is three fold. Every foal in this city will be placed in education camps." the changeling said, though he was soon interrupted by protests from the ponies, which was only silenced as some of the changelings aimed their guns at them.

"Better now? Shut up and let me continue, or I'll have one of you shoot the other one." Hanx hissed some more. "The schooling will be provided to the foals to keep them away from the work camps. Unless you wish for them to be shackled far away from you."

Silence was in the air, it earned a smile from Hanx, even if he can smell the misery. "I have not only gathered you here for this news. I have gathered you hear to inform you of something else. About the weather. It's fucking shit."

The parents in the crowds covered their children's ears, glaring at the changeling, as if saying swears was more problematic than being forced into a group via gun point. Hanx didn't care, pointing his hoof at one of the pegasi.

Cider Brew was listening very quietly, but soon enough he was slowly inching his way out of the crowd, sweating bullets with every word coming from the changeling's mouth. Soon enough he was glancing around, noticing something.

One of the doors was left open. Perhaps to let in air? Sure it does have two changeling around it, but they looked dreadfully bored, one of them was literally chewing at their gun's barrel for no reason! This was his chance to escape! HE NEEDS TO TAKE IT!

He started whistling as he started to take a step, before taking another, and another, before finally finding himself between the changelings, and then-

"HEY!" Hanx interrupted his own speech as he pointed at the unicorn, as suddenly all the changeling stumbled to turn and face them. "WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!"

Cider Brew did what he did best. Hoof it out of there as fast as his legs can let him. He didn't slow down as a barrage of bullets barely missed him, using the rubble around as he was nearly out and then... Bumping into somepony... Or someling. He slammed into the floor, coughing a bit.

What he heard was something said in Griffon-Tongue, as he stared up to see a short changeling, with a horrible looking wound on her hoof, looking like a claw. "What? Don't know Herzlander? I said what are you doing? Rebuilding efforts are NOT in this side of the city yet." She spoke down at him.

Before he can make any excused, and just as he was standing up, he was pushed right back down into the rubble, groaning as he scratched his body on the rocks. The two changelings kept him on the floor, as he prayed to anyone that listened. "Oh great, another prisoner. Bring him along, I'm going to the prison anyways."

"WAIT WAIT! I WAS JUST GOING FOR A LEAK!" Cider Brew tried to make his excuses, but he had no more chances, he couldn't escape this fate. He couldn't run away from the prison. I should have just left for MARELAND! He kicked himself as he was dragged off.

"That was a fucking big mess." Hanx complained to Tarsus, "The plan to keep their children hostage with a school seemed fine, but thinking about it now, what the fuck was I thinking?"

Tarsus stared awkwardly at Hanx, never hearing him curse this much. "Atleast the three tribe strategy seemed well. The weather should be more clear, and we should have food supply for the ponies." Tarsus tried to cheer Hanx up, but he can see that's a losing battle.

"I don't trust the unicorns, Tarsus." Hanx cleared himself a bit, trying to calm down. "One of them tried to run away, and what did the people under my authority do? LET HIM WALK OUT THE FUCKING DOOR!"

"I mean, we didn't really give our guards much of a chance to... Sleep." Tarsus tried to explain.

"I... Get that." Hanx relented, sighing. "Fine. It has been a month since the war, and fighting a war to get a city is much difference than holding the city..." He looked at the tattered communists propaganda posters, as he ripped some of them down. He stared down at them. "But we're going to hold this city even if we die from it."

"Sure. Just let's leave the dying part for someling else, okay?" Tarsus patted at Hanx back, as he stared down at the posters. "Wouldn't want our comrades to die now."

Hanx squinted at Tarsus, before chuckling. "Yeah yeah, shut up." He rolled his eyes as he started to buzz his wings, hovering a bit. "I should head back to the Protector and explain the new plan we came up with. Hope he can get the Queen's Guard to atleast agree with half of it. Keep up the work, Tarsus, don't be afraid to be harsh on the ponies."

Soon enough Hanx flew off, as Tarsus smiled, before slowly sighing, his eyes staring at the tattered posters again. "We're going to die in this city, aren't we?"

The Loathsome Queen's Guard

The smell of fear was in the air, as a bunch of ponies were busy dragging concrete bags around. The unicorns had rings around their horns, stopping their magic. The pegasi had their wings tied to their sides, stopping their flight. The earth ponies... Existed, as changelings really didn't fear the earth ponies.

All this amounted to making the reconstruction effort infinitely harder on the ponies, as the changelings stood around with their guns, watching down as they flew around. Some of them snickering at the ponies that were clearly having trouble staying up on their hooves.

"The first pony to drop down on the floor gets shot." Elytra shouted, as she shot her gun into the air, hissing at the ponies that seemed just about ready to drop. This had the intended affect of making the ponies a bit more motivated to do their jobs. "Seriously, can you ponies do this ANY slower!? At this point we're going to be rebuilding this city until WINTER!"

All she got in respond was a few grumbling ponies. She glared down, before hearing a changeling landing behind her, making her slowly turn her head.

"Hauptsturmführer! Hail Chrysalis" The changeling said as he held their hoof up in a salute. Elytra saluted as well, though she seemed to be glaring at the changeling, who's clearly not of the Queen's Guard.

Must be one of my informants in that dumb Protector's regiments. She thought to herself as she turned around completely. "Hail Chrysalis. Now what brings you to this side? The Queen's Guard are the ones in charge of the rebuilding effort, fool." She spat with indifference.

"Well... The captain of the police guard is uh.. Well he is planning to utilize a school system on the ponies." The changeling said, noticing Elytra's annoyed expression. "He is also planning to... Separate the ponies into their tribes and putting them into work soon."

Finally, Hanx is doing something instead of just waiting for the dumb Protector. Elytra thought, though her expression turned sinister, as she smiled at the battered ponies. Now for a way to subvert this to my benefit.

"Dismissed. Next time don't come to me in the open, idiot." She waved the changeling off as she started to make her way to the one changeling that might have an idea for her plans.

"You want me to do what?" Said a pink-tinted changeling, who was busy staring at some of the ponies in the factory, clearly sniffing at the air, the taste of love was thin in the atmosphere of dread, but it was enough to drive her crazy. Of course, ignoring one's superior when they are right to the side, is not a bright idea.

"I want you to cease whatever you are doing in the factory, stop drinking the love since we need that for the tax, and then I want you to go-" Elytra stopped talking as she glared at the pink-tinted changeling, hovering her gun around to slam the butt of it against the changeling's helmet. "Misery, you love addicted idiot, FOCUS!"

Misery rubbed her head, as she took her helmet off, giving a weak nod and an embarrassed smile. "Sorry, Hauptsturmführer..." It was an odd sight to see a soldier for the Hegemony being as embarrassed as a foal to their crush.

Elytra gave out a hiss, before rolling her eyes as she repeated herself. "Cease being here. Cease drinking love until we GIVE you your rations for it, and get your chitin to the Protector's office." She placed a hoof on Misery's mouth before she protested the love rations part. "Understood?"

Misery looked... Well, miserable at the orders, but she tilted her head at the last order, moving back to able to speak. "The protector's office? Is he calling for me?" She asked her commanding officer.

All she was met with was a glare, but then a devilish smile formed on Elytra's face. "Oh yes, I believe he's interested in... A partnership, perhaps he'll even let you in with his love stash." Elytra said, delighting in Misery's face, believing her lies.

"Really?" Misery simply said, a bit baffled.

"Oh yes, I'd never lie to you, Misery." Elytra lied as she breathed, patting the pink-tinted changeling's head. "Now go and speak to him, endure his smile and excuses, he's clearly so interested in you."

Misery soon enough placed her helmet back on, as she ran out of the factory, leaving Elytra alone, as she smiled like a monster, watching its prey walk into their path.

The distraction is set. Now it is time for... Elytra's smile slowly faded, as she glared to the side. The Claw...

A strange event was going on the street in front of the prison, a large changeling running like a filly from a more smaller, yet meaner looking changeling. What made it so bizarre is the shift in the large changeling's posture as Elytra came in, he stopped immediately, giving a salute. "Hail Chrys- OW!"

Big mistake, considering that the smaller changeling never stopped chasing him, biting at one of his hooves, almost trying to create new holes in it. The big one shook her off, trying to point out the fact that Elytra was here.

"Hail Chrysalis. Sphecidae, what in the world are you doing?" She pointed at the smaller changeling. The clawed smaller changeling finally stopped trying to bite off the larger changeling's hoof, glaring up at Elytra. "Stop trying to discipline Metamorphous, unless he decided to waste more of the panzer's ammunition."

"I'll discipline him as I please, you placed him under my authority, now that you made him into a lieutenant as well, he thinks he doesn't need to show respect, I'LL SHOW YOU RESPECT YOU LITTLE MANURE-EATING BASTARD!" She ranted as she pointed her claw-like hoof at the bigger changeling, making him uncomfortably shift.

"Hauptsturmführer, please control her, she's been cranky ever since she came back from the protector. Not to mention she keeps... Blapping about something that I have no clue what she is saying." Metamorphous tried to explain, as he kept inching away from the claw of the changeling.

Elytra just glared at them both, before figuring out a plan. "Sphecidae, I have an assignment for you." As she said so, the smaller changeling went from a feral beast, to a very very VERY disciplined soldier, standing up straight as she awaited her orders.

Once more Elytra glared, not enjoying the fact that she can't anticipate this changeling. "Find your sister, tell her to stop the infiltration of the 'residence' here, and tell her to start endearing herself with Hanx. After that, I want you to go and to give the wardenship to Chicanery." She stared, thinking that there will be objections or questions. She didn't receive any.

"Wait, Chicanery?" Metamorphous said, as he tilted his head a bit. "Why're we trusting one of the Protector's guards? I thought we were trying to keep the prison within only Queen's Guard's rule, ma'am."

"Well, idiot, I have DIRT on that dumb changeling, that's why." She said it so matter-of-factly that she made it so true that it was akin to calling the sky blue. "But since you want to talk so much, I want you to help set up some of the Anti-Air equipment of the roofs of the tallest buildings around."

The big changeling shut his mouth up, as he nodded, waving at some of the Queen's Guards around as he started to march off. Elytra stared, rolling her eyes before staring at Sphecidae.

"Do you seriously not have any questions? Usually you can't keep your mouth shut." Elytra asked in a very condescending way.

"No, Ma'am. There is one thing to clarify. The Protector sent me to guard the forest, the jungle, and the towns outside." The clawed changeling said, as Elytra stared with amusement.

"Oh, so he's trying to keep you away from him, well if he wants that so much, go and bother any of his guards that step outside the city, tell them that you have the entire region under control." Elytra spat with sarcasm, before realizing who she was talking to. "Don't do any of that, he was clearly trying to keep you away, after done with my assignments, go back to him. I don't want to see any assassination attempt on him, you hear?"

The clawed one gave a salute, before buzzing away, leaving the Hauptsturmführer alone. She gave a sigh as she stared at the crumbling buildings.

If I can't get this place working, it'll mean humiliation to me. She thought to herself. While I'll enjoy the Protector's demise, I do NOT want his demise to become mine own. I need to get this city fixed before winter comes...

And I think I know one changeling that might make that possible.

"So, what have I done to earn this... Visit?" Klein spoke in a sleazed up manner, his top hat crooked a bit, as he leaned back on his comfortable looking chair. His office was decorated with all sorts of things, not to mention how much he seems to be gloating this fact to Elytra.

The one building that was left not even SCRATCHED from the invasion. She ranted to herself. "Oh you haven't done much, except for being rich, profiteering off the war, and... Being fashionable." She wanted to tell him he was a prick in the end, but she had to get him on her side. For now.

Klein gave out a chuckle, spitting a bit on the desk as he leaned a bit close. "I'll do much more than that now that the war is over. Equestria is a land of plunder and wonder, you know?" He tried to offer her a drink, which she at first refused, before she looked down at it.

"Is that... Bottled love? Seriously, you are bringing this commodity in here, are you stupid?!" She was baffled by the fact that he brought something so dangerous here. The bottled love was blue, frozen love that would turn pink if anyling would have opened it up.

"Oh please, you have so few trust in our soldiers in here. I mean, half of them are Queen's Guards. Those won't disappoint the Queen and take love for themselves, no?" Klein teased, as he dragged the bottle close to Elytra.

She glared at him, making him pull the bottle back as he seemed to notice that she was being a bit more serious than he thought. "Whatever, I don't care, be a fool, if you get shot by one of the guards for that love, blame yourself. I have come here to ask you something. Do you know any contractors?"

Klein's smug look turned into one of genuine interest, thinking to himself. "Let me guess... You have guns, you have the numbers... But you don't have the skilled workers to fix the city, am I right?" Klein spoke, smiling some more as he noticed that Elytra giving a small nod.

"Mercenaries is out of the question for this region, specially since the Protector seems so against any 'compromised' regiments." She started to walk around, fiddling with some of the oddities that Klein had. "But what I know we can convince him of is the use of construction workers. I mean sure the war's over, but plenty of changelings are used to building stuff fast, no?"

"And since this has nothing to do with the military, the Protector can not say no without looking very suspicious." Klein added, enjoying this a bit too much.

"Yes... But if we do this, what's to stop him from taking all the credit?" Elytra slowed down the enthusiasm, though she noticed Klein was still smiling.

"Capitalism." He bluntly said. Elytra stared at him, she was looking more confused now. "We will rebuild the city, and while he is the Protector, which means he is utterly in charge of the city... That doesn't mean he'll be in charge of individual buildings."

"And if we rebuild half of the city's buildings, we'll have... Half of the buildings... We'll basically be much more free of his infernal grasp." Elytra slowly spoke as she came to realize, a smile forming on her face. "Golly, I love Capitalism."

Klein rolled his eyes. "I'm more of an enjoyer of using capitalism, the system itself is too competitive for my liking. I prefer to stay on top, rather than have an upstart on me. Of course, there is a catch to all this."

Elytra dropped her smile, glaring at the Klein as she figured that he would be making a demand. "Let me guess, you want something out of this deal."

"Oh yes, of course I do. I don't like Baltimare, so I don't really care for owning but a single building in it... However, if you can convince the protector to allow me to finally start my rubber plantations in Tenochtitlan." Klein dropped the offer like it was a mere suggestion, though Elytra looked uncomfortable.

You fool, you'll die if you head into that city, it's barely under control. She thought to herself, before squinting at the changeling. "Let me guess... This is the part where you tell me to try and convince him to give you the right to hire... Mercs, right?"

"A changeling after my own heart" Klein teased, as he nodded. "It's a simple trade, I give you half of the city, the Protector gets his capital finally running and working, and then I get to FINALLY get to work on my rubber production. It is a win win for everyling."

"I hate you, I don't think the mercs will be that much of a help, but whatever. Make the paper work, we'll show this tomorrow." She turned around to leave, as she grumbled to herself.

"Elytra, remember. You need me more than I need you." Klein casually said, as Elytra glared back at the wording.

You'll get what's coming to you. Elytra plotted inside her head.

You all will.

The Breaking Hearts

Within the deepest pits of Tartarus, within the most tallest of prison towers, and within war itself...

That's where Chicanery would rather be then this pitiful excuse for an occupation. She would rather have been snuggling naked in a hole in the wall rather than be awake at this moment, for she hated these ponies with a vengeance.

All her work and dutifulness during the war, and what does she get? Guard duty, the worst kind, watching from so high up, down at the disgusting earth ponies, the mindless pegasi, and the annoying unicorns.

Sadly for her, she would have rather had been saddled with this boredom than get a visit from... The Claw.

"ATTEEEENTION! YOU WORTHLESS ONE! QUIT STARING AT THE PONIES BACKSIDES AND LOOK BEHIND YOU!" Shouted the annoying short one, the one with the aforementioned 'claw.' Chicanery looked behind her, looking bored, she had to deal with this one during the battles in the jungles. She wished it was the last time she had to be with her.

"Yes?" She asked, before noticing that the short changeling wasn't alone, she had with her a more suspicious looking changeling, who seemed to be smiling warmly at Chicanery. The bored changeling did NOT enjoy the smile, it was too warm.

"Congratulations! You are now a warden as per the orders of the Queen's Guard. No, you don't get to say no, I am going to force HANX to order you if you say NO! So no saying NO!" The overexplaining changeling said, before the hoof of the taller one silenced her a bit.

"What my sister is meant to say, the Queen's Guard is relenting control over the prison to you. Word from the top is that we're going to do plenty of re-shuffling of duties to make things work. I suggest going to the prison now." The changeling spoke, and finally Chicanery figured who she was from the mention of 'sister' and the feeling that she might stab her in the back.

"Infiltrator Malaise, I get the 'Claw' being here, but why are you with her?" Chicanery couldn't help but ask, even if she wanted to just go to the prison and get away from this pointless job. "I thought you 'Hearts' are supposed to be on different jobs now."

"Like I said, the top are re-shuffling duties for the bottom." Malaise dodged the question, giving a much less warm smile.

Fine, don't humor me then. Chicanery thought, as the 'Claw' was turning around and flying back down. "What- Rude." She said, upset at the sudden flight. She glared at Malaise, who seemed to still be here. "Aren't you going to follow your sister?"

Malaise gave a shrug, seeming to be too relaxed at the moment. "My sister's business is not my own, besides we are parting ways soon, I have business with Hauptmann Hanx." She said the name as if it had to be dragged out of her mouth.

Chicanery cared not, before suddenly waving over one of the changelings from below to come up. "Well, can you tell that guy that he has my job now? The prison won't function without a warden."

Malaise gave a nod, as the new warden buzzed her wings and flew off. Malaise gave a smug smile, plotting something in her mind.

"Well, time to see if Hanx is ready."

"Misery, please." Larynx begged.

"Come on, I heard someling say you liked me, so come on, share some of the love, I know you have a stash somewhere!" Misery said as she was getting uncomfortably close to Larynx.

The office was now a mess, again, all because of one love-addicted changeling. I swear to Chrysalis I am going to bite whoever told Misery this lie. Larynx thought to himself, as he smiled uncomfortably at Misery.

No weakness must be shown, she is a viper, a snake, she will strike if I show weakness!

Misery was looking pitiful, practically laid down on the, now metal, meeting table. Most of the charts and maps under her were being caught in her holes and some were being ripped from how much she was shaking with anticipation. She looked at Larynx like he was a prize.

"Come on! Come ooooon! Just one little drink, I need it! I'm dyiiiing for it!" Misery begged without a hint of shame, before Larynx finally saw a changeling coming. Help was coming, finally, he can be...

Miserable, he can be miserable, that wasn't help, that was the one changeling above the current one that he didn't want to see!

"PROTECTOR! I HAVE RETURNED! YOU! YOU WERE TRYING TO KEEP- Oh- What?" The clawed changeling known as Sphecidae said, as she stared at the strange occurrence in the office. In her eyes, on her one good eye, she had judgement, only the slightest hint of embarrassment. "Are you wooing while you are working, Protector?" She said with alarming calm.

"NOPE!" Larynx shouted as he finally pushed Misery off the table, giving his biggest smile yet as he re-organized the paperwork, feeling like several of his organs were going to bust from all the panic he was feeling at the moment.

Misery, as stupid as she was love-addicted, simply whined as she stood up. "Come on! Someling told me you liked me, am I to assume they lied to me?!"

If it was a changeling, YES!, Larynx wanted to scream that to her, but he merely thought it as he was too focused on the 'Claw.'

For once the 'Claw' was doing her job as a bodyguard, biting down at Misery's tail as she dragged her away from the Protector. "Misery, get it together." She was unusually gentle, until Misery kicked at her face to try and keep close to the Protector.

Then all Tartarus broke lose, as the 'Claw' did not take the kick kindly, pouncing on top of Misery, pushing her against the desk, ruining the files yet again. Larynx gave up all hope on an organized desk.

The short fight finally ended with the 'Claw' on top, being short didn't mean she didn't have more guts, specially since she kept on hissing at Misery to finally calm her down. "ARE YOU QUITE DONE BEING A STUPID GRUBLING? YOU MISERABLE MAGGOT! NO WONDER THEY CALLED YOU MISERY, YOU ARE LOATHSOME! YOU-"

Misery simply took the insults, trembling a bit as she was hissed on closely, as Larynx tapped on the metal table, giving both of them a smile. The smile was barely one, as it was shaking too much. "Can you two please get off of my desk, please?"

Both Misery and the 'Claw' stared at the Protector in a confused manner, before Larynx realized that he is probably saying 'Please' a bit too much, before he finally gave a more stern order. "Get off the desk."

Finally taking the order seriously, the 'Claw' got off the desk. Misery was taking her sweet time getting off, grumbling to her pink self that she lost to a pint-sized menace. Of course, now that she finally figured that she was lied to, she turned around and tried to make a quick run without so much as saying good bye.

"Good Chrysalis, why did I end up with this job." Larynx accidentally said out loud, then the 'Claw' soon answered.

"You didn't end up with it, you got REWARDED with it!"

Looking over a schedule of the days to come, both Hanx and Tarsus were busy trying to figure out something for the tribes of ponies to do.

"I'm telling you, we need to focus on the pegasi first. As far as we're concerned, the sky is getting too hectic for any meaningful farm work to happen." Hanx tried to explain, though Tarsus seemed unconvinced.

Tarsus tapped at window, watching one of the skinny earth ponies pulled a bag of concrete towards one of the many buildings that need repairs. "And I'm telling you, we need food, we might not be starving, but the ponies we have under us are barely surviving. If we go another month without any farming being done, we'll die. We need to restart the farms, or get a shipment of food."

Hanx was about to say something, before hovering his gun and aiming it at the door. Soon enough it opened, making Hanx breath in a bit, before lowering the gun as she squinted. A Queen's Guard.

"PISS OFF!" Tarsus shouted, in pure changeling tongue. Hanx gave him a glare, he hated using such low-language anymore, he'd rather just speak Herzlander. Of course, the shouting didn't deter the Queen's Guard from entering, though they seemed to be smiling warmly at the both of them.

Hanx didn't like this one bit. "Why are you here? You got the other side to focus on, Protector's orders." He practically tried to nudge the conversation to already end, not wanting to deal with the Queen's Guards at the moment.

"I am Malaise, one of the Hearts." The Queen's Guard spoke, as her warm smile didn't fade from the stern looks.

Tarsus glared even more, realizing what she met. "Oh goodie, one of the crazies." Tarsus could deal with fanatics, but the Hearts were always more fanatical than most Queen's Guards.

"Behave, Tarsus." Hanx didn't try to be much commanding, as he too wanted to say that. "What's one of the Herzen doing here? You hunting for rebel leaders inside the main building of the Protector's Guards?

"Oh, I'm just a peace offering." Malaise giggled.

Tarsus and Hanx simply stared, with Tarsus looking a bit more uncomfortable. Hanx rolled his eyes. "You are making it sound like we are at war with each other." Hanx said.

"But are we not? We've cut the cities into two parts, not officially, but for what? Better management? Or just to keep the troops segregated?" Malaise mused to the two as she started to walk inside, looking over the charts.

Tarsus placed his hooves over the data, glaring at Malaise, still not trusting her one bit. "I'd rather us stay segregated, you know the Queen's Guards doesn't mix well with anyling." He said.

Malaise giggled some more, smiling tenderly. Tarsus wanted to recoil. "Sure, but we Hearts aren't technically part of the Queen's Guard." She said even though she was wearing one of their uniform. "We're supposed to help all the soldiers, within the army."

"The Heer." Hanx fixed the wording, as Malaise stared at him, confused a bit. "Soldiers are supposed to speak Herzlander, not just officers."

"Yeah but... What are you, a griffon lover?" Malaise tone shifted from a warm figure, to that of an annoyed little sister. She then shifted right back. "Besides, we are not out in battlefield, and technically, what we are doing is policing the city."

Hanx gave a hiss, he did not like his work being called mere 'police' work. He was a soldier, an officer. Not a 'police' chief. Tarsus seemed to be nodding with what Malaise said, but he still didn't like her one bit.

"Well. Fine then." Malaise said as she finally glared back. "Let's just do this the rough way then. If you don't accept my cooperation, then maybe you'd rather the 'Claw' be with you instead? You know we 'Herzen' don't leave a job undone without using every option, right?"

Tarsus glare went a bit soft as he thought about the threat, but Hanx was still glaring, before rolling his eyes. "Elytra's stupid, and I know you got more than one 'sister.' Don't you have that one 'disgrace' or whatever you call it." Hanx said right back.

"The 'Claw'?" Tarsus guessed, but he quickly stepped back as both Hanx and Malaise glared at him. "Uh-"

"She's a cripple, not a disgrace, she fought for the Heer even when her body was broken." Hanx showed some respect to his fellow Bodyguard, even if deep inside her hated her guts with a vengeance.

"My 'clawed' sister is no disgrace, why do you think they still have her? She can still do her fair share of work, and she is still a grand leader." Malaise tone was a bit too protective, as she gave a sigh as she stared at Hanx. "As for the 'disgrace' we have... I assume you mean our sister that renamed herself to a filthy pony name?"

Hanx gave a nod while Tarsus looked a bit baffled. "Isn't that treason?" He said, though Hanx waved it off.

"No, it's not treason. She had that name changed during the war, it was strange. But I'm more concerned about her fascination with the ponies." Hanx said as he spat at the floor, with Malaise spitting as well. They both seemed to share the same kind of loathing for ponies. Tarsus awkwardly nodded.

Malaise adjusted herself a bit. "Sometimes infiltrators get too washed up in their disguises. I assume she must have had an identity crisis, she did spent more time and deeper inside the ponies lines than I or any of my other sisters did." She spoke with the hushed tone of shame and embarrassment. "By the Hole, she called herself 'Ice Dice'. ICE DICE!"

Hanx and Tarsus looked at each other as Malaise seemed to have started to kick herself into a frenzy.

"I mean- 'ICE DICE'?! What is she?! INSANE?! WHAT'S WRONG WITH BEING CALLED KANX?! IT'S NOT A BAD NAME! IF SHE DIDN'T BLEED WITH US AND CHANGE BEFORE OUR VERY EYES WE'D..." Malaise stopped her ranting as she looked at the others, giving an awkward cough as she calmed down.

Tarsus tried to ease the tension in the air. "So... I can now see the resemblance to your uh.. 'Clawed' sister." Hanx glared at Tarsus, as Tarsus shrugged. "What? They both sound the same when they rant!"

Malaise rolled her eyes, she tried to smile warmly, but she scoffed as she glared. "This was a big waste of time. I'm going now, my calm is too compromised for this manure. I'll leave you with this." She said as she walked close to Hanx. "We need to start cooperation between the two guards... Or else we're going to drown in the sea of ponies that we are currently trying to control. Okay?"

Hanx nodded, as Malaise walked away, leaving the two alone again. Tarsus gave out a cough as he tapped at the chart. "So... You trust her?" Tarsus asked.

"She is a one of the Hearts, so not really. I've dealt with them during the war, they are good at making stuff up and of emotionally manipulating people..." Hanx squinted as he stared down. "But she seemed to be on her wit's end. I mean, only three hearts are in this region, I don't know if they even have any more of them outside here."

"I meant one of the collaborators." Tarsus tapped at the chart again, tapping at a picture of an earth pony. "Never trust any of those weird Queen's Guards."

"I suppose that is the safer option... Also wait a second, damn it, Tarsus, you are trying to pull a fast one, we are NOT going to restart the farm first, the weather is shit for it!" Hanx tone flipped on a dime as he noticed what Tarsus was doing.

Tarsus grumbled with Hanx, as soon as night came...

Somewhere... A Protector was about to get a very annoying visit from two changelings he does NOT like one bit.

The Dreaded Deal

In the night's embrace, as the city's pulse slowed to a slothful rhythm, the weary moon shined its veil over the urban landscape. Shadows, and more importantly the guards, lurked in every corner, silently staring, judging, and probably dozing off in the job. In one particular building was Larynx, the Changeling Protector of this ruined city and the ruined region that comes with it.

"And that's the last paperwork for today... By the Queen that was too much..." He audibly complained, finding his mind too full of anxious planning, as administer work was still very much different than his military background. A sip of a heavy drink would calm his chitin and his mind... Until someone slammed into the door, causing him to spit his drink, going into a coughing fit as the 'bodyguard' approaches.

"PROOOOOTECTOR! I HAVE MAIL! YOU GOT MAIL! Why are you COUGHING?! You are supposed to be WORKING!" Shouted the 'Claw', a wicked crippled 'bodyguard' of his, whom he is cursed to have her this close to him. "And also- IS THAT A DRINK?! DRINKING ON THE JOB ARE WE?!"

Larynx was still coughing, still dying from the fact that he was nearly drowning himself in alcohol. After a few more harsh hissing and coughing, he finally managed to regain some composure, giving a weak toothy grin. What did I do to piss off Queen Chrysalis for me to have this fate?, he thought to himself as he wiped his mouth.

"Okay... Claw, what I did I tell you?" He started to say, ignoring the letter that she was trying to jab into his face, easier to do now since he's not dying at the moment. "About knocking? About not slamming into my door... That I just fixed this afternoon." He gave a look at the door, noticing that once again, it has a big hole on it. He stifled a sigh, trying to smile a bit wider.

"Who cares!? This letter is important! FOR IT WAS FROM ELYTRA!" She shouted at him, still trying to shove the letter on him, before slamming it on the table, glaring down as she noticed she slammed it on some of the alcoholic liquid.

Larynx's smile turned much more toothy as he heard who the letter was from. "Oh. That's marvelous. Thank you. Very much." He spoke as his horn glowed, holding the letter up to open it. The 'Claw' suddenly hopped right next to him, trying to not so secretly read the letter as well.

Urgent

For Protector's Eyes Only

That means you shouldn't read this Sphecidae

Dearest Larynx. How are you doing? I don't really care. Let's get down to business. You are to meet me and Klein in the Stupidly Equestrian Trash Known As "Sweet Hoof Donut Delights". We are trying to meet in a neutral place. Do not bring anyone else. Not Hanx. Not Sphecidae. If Sphecidae is reading this, I am going to hurt you for not stopping her. Also do not wear your protector uniform.

With Love

Elytra Bienenstich

The Protector stared at the letter for a moment before relaxing the fact that Sphecidae was also still reading. "Claw... Stop reading this. I really don't want to get stabbed by my own kind." He said, smiling a bit, trying to push the letter away, but all that happened as the 'Claw' glaring at him.

"SHE WISHES TO DISPOSE OF YOUR GUARDS! Chrysalis DEMANDED you to have TWO at all time- WAIT A MINUTE, WHERE IS HANX!" She shouted as she started to look out the window. "HEY HANX! YOU GRIFFON-LOVING EGGLING BASTARD, GET OVER HERE!"

With a deep sigh the Protector stared, before noticing she wasn't paying attention to him. He looked at his drink, his one little respite, his one little chance to get through this horrible night without wanting to just do something very drastic. He took a big swig of it, trying to balance himself. He needed just a bit to keep his grin, his smile, but not too much to become a dangerous drunk and reveal too much about himself.

The drink was finished. Larynx gave a satisfied sigh, stared down at the bottle, and shrugged. "Oh well." He said, placing the bottle on the table as he started to dress in a less fancy 'uniform.' Only to hear the 'Claw' gasp at him.

"HOW DARE YOU?! Wearing the clothes of a common GUARD?! To deny yourself the clothes that was granted by the Queen herself?!" She shouted, though Larynx was very confused, tilting his head even, but never losing his grin.

He really wasn't wearing anything different, it was just his regular uniform, but without the jacket, and without the medals that went along with it. "I... Yes? I wasn't given this by the Queen, someling just handed this over to me when I was a- You know what, not important, I really need to go, Claw." Larynx gave up mid-way into the conversation, speaking with a brick wall is one thing, speaking with a brick wall that screams and shouts incoherently most of the time is another thing.

The 'Claw' wanted to shout at him some more, before stifling herself, grumbling as she growled. "Fine! But I am NOT leaving you to walk out ther-"

"Enough, 'Claw', just let it go." Larynx spoke, a bit tired from all the shouting he had to hear. "If it makes you feel better, you can try to stalk me and stay hidden, okay?"

She glared at him, unsure if she should take his offer, squinting at Larynx. "Do not get fooled by her."

Larynx rolled his eyes before taking a sip from a new bottle he got from somewhere. A satisfying sigh is given as he clears his throat. "Hey, I'm sure whatever she has will be fair, reasonable, and moderate."

"This is unfair, unreasonable, and outrageous!" Larynx drunkenly slammed a hoof against the table as he glared at Elytra, where she also returned the glare, though hers was more out of disbelief.

They were in a donut shop, which seems to be scarce, and becoming scarcer still as Klein practically chews on the last remaining donuts. "You know it's a shame you soldiers..." Klein started to speak, before eating in the middle of his comment. "That you guys kept the bakers out of their shops, they make some good stuff."

"Don't you top-hat wearing chub-grub change the subject," Larynx shouted at Klein, who seems to be not bothered by the anger that much. "You two are trying to screw with me! Giving HALF of this MISERABLE CITY?!"

Elytra kept her baffled glare going, "You. Showed. Up. Drunk." She said through her sharp teeth. It didn't help that she seems to be annoyed at Klein's gluttony as well.

Larynx was about to say something, before burping as he rubbed his mouth. Collecting himself for a moment, he gave a sigh. "Yes yes, I'm drunk, let's just move on." Of course, he didn't move on, as he noticed something, staring at the uniform that Elytra had, "Wait, why do YOU have YOUR uniform?"

"Oh you know, I couldn't go anywhere without my medals." Elytra said with a smirk, tapping at her chest. The medals started to jingle, clicking at each other. She would smirk a bit harder as she noticed that Larynx was glaring again.

"Then what was the POINT of telling me to not bring MY medals?" He would shout again.

"Let's just move on, isn't that what you said? Who cares which one of us looks like a proper officer and which one of us looks like a poor guard." Elytra said, clearly caring about those things. "Besides, half of this miserable city 'for now' you know."

Larynx finally decided to let the matter go, before grinding his teeth again. "And what makes you think I'd agree to this NONSENSE?" He slammed his hoof against the paper, before looking down, trying to hold his drunkenness together. That is until he stared at another part of the paper.

Klein finally finished up his little light snack of 3 whole boxes of donuts, giving a little cough as he adjusted his top hat. "Because, as you can see from out the windows, this city is a mess." He made a very long gesture to the window. "And I have the capital to fix this mess."

"What is this..." Larynx finally took another glance at the paper as he squinted at a lettering. "Mercenaries? MERCENARIES!?" Panic was on his voice before he switched it to a glare... And then switched it to a pitiful attempt to swallow some vomit, panicking while drunk is not fun.

"Yes?" The top hat wearing changeling was annoyingly calm about this. "I'll be allowed to hire mercenaries to deal with some bat problems down south. You and I know that the production of rubber MUST commence at the earliest." Klein spoke in a matter-of-fact manner.

Elytra started to be a big smug as she said, "And since you've been busy trying to contain the communists here with your army, it shouldn't be that hard to grasp on why you'd want this. It's practically a gift to you."

Larynx was finally done with choking on his vomit before he swallowed it in, shivering in disgust before he returned to glaring at the two. "You two both know that if I even allow ONE mercenary in this damn region, Chrysalis would have my HEAD!" He wasn't wrong, changelings, in the Queen's eyes, were supposed to stand alone.

For the first time in the meeting, Klein seemed a little discouraged. "Come now," Klein started, "It will be under my wing, I would be the one beheaded." He made an awkward tap on his neck, not wanting to actually lose his head just yet. "Besides, I know of a team that are very sneaky when it comes to this sort of thing."

Larynx glared at him for a moment, before switching his eyes to stare at the Elytra, "And you'd let this? You? One of the Hauptsturmführer of the Queen's Guard? This is practically going against her will!"

Elytra rolled her eyes. "She would understand if she knew the circumstances that is going on here. Besides, she need not know what is going on, as far as she'll know, we'll just be done with our bat problem. For now atleast."

Frustration was in Larynx's eyes as he stared at the paper for a while, before scoffing as slumped on his chair. He was beat, he didn't know exactly how to object to any of this, he was facing too much trouble, and the offer was basically giving him a working city, and a much less of a headache down south.

And then he realized. He is the Protector of this region. He can just flat out say-

"No." Larynx said, finally flashing an action smile. He was staring at Klein for the most part.

That smile was being tested now, as Elytra was glaring at him, and Klein was a bit confused.

I really shouldn't have come to this place drunk. Larynx thought to himself before he collected himself. "Okay. Maybe not a no but... A quarter of the city, you fix the rest, and then you can have your mercs." He said to Klein.

"No deal, it'll be half or nothing!" Elytra slammed on the table as she glared close to the Protector. "Do not screw with me"

Larynx slowly stared at her, his smile had a smug element to it. "See that's the thing... Right now, this deal? I need him more than I need you. Actually, I might need you for this deal at all." He said, though his smug smile was a bit faltering as he noticed the murderous eyes of Elytra.

"...How about... Uh... You let her pick which quarter she wants and... She gets whatever else is in that quarter too..." Klein tried to calm the tension, all it did was make the Queen's Guard even more mad, before she would let a hiss.

"If." Elytra started, "And only 'if' I get to do whatever I bloody want in that bloody quarter of mine. It will be MY part of the city, MY rules will be in it, and anyponies in it will be MINE." With every demand was creeping closer to Larynx, to the point where they were pressed against each other.

Larynx took a few seconds to think, this... Was a good deal to him, a good deal for Klein, and a horrible deal to the Queen's Guard. Probably a horrible deal to the ponies in whatever part she will pick. "Uh. Deal." Larynx gave in.

The angry Queen's Guard suddenly changed her mood as she gave a smirk, before tapping her hoof against one part of the map. "Then I want the harbor and the little areas around it."

Oh. Thought Larynx. I really shouldn't have come to this damn place drunk.