BEDLAM Minus One

"Evenin' Bedlam!" Hustle called as his team hauled in our wagon. Once it was in position, our fancy new golems and drones began unloading our boxes of gold and supplies while Hustle's goons relaxed off to the side in the cozy little reception zone we'd finished in the castle foyer.

I stood up from the side of the flying machine Jury and I had been working on, knocking the panel I was digging inside shut, and waved. "Hello you!" As I strode up to him, the earth pony's head swiveled and he scanned the foyer with a wry smile.

"Hey, hey, where's that lil' grease monkey friend of yours?" He asked with a low chuckle. I waved toward one of the exits leading to the rest of the castle.

"It's late, and she went to bed early," I explained, laughing to myself as his expression fell.

"Dang. Well, hope you'll let her know I got a hold of some of those white chocolate-covered cherries she likes so much!" He chirped before nodding and tucking his mouth into his saddle bag. "I also got this week's paper, as requested."

"Excellent," I hummed as he handed me the item in question. I scanned the front page for just a moment before crying out. "Fuck yes!" I pumped a fist as Hustle recoiled.

"Jeezaloo, you kiss your mother with that mouth?" Hustle cried with a nicker and a raised eyebrow.

"I never met my mother, but look at this!" I replied, kneeling to show him the headline.

WHO IS BEDLAM?

Within the last two weeks, Equestria has seen a sharp increase in criminal activity believed to be linked to certain so-called Mob rings within Manehattan, Las Pegasus, Fillydelphia, Baltimare, and certain outlaws dwelling south of Equestria's borders.

This crime wave has come in the form of smuggling of illegal or controlled substances, disruption and extortion of major routes of travel, including one train line which was destroyed, and finally, open desecration and destruction of public property, an act our contact in the Royal Guard believes was performed as part of what they referred to as a protection racket.

While this is all quite distressing, there remains a silver lining. In response to these events, the Royal Guard has redoubled their efforts to combat those villains living outside the law, and more than a dozen arrests have already been made, and we have been assured that the princesses are taking these reports as seriously as any other calamity which has befallen the country in recent years. Indeed, it is believed they may even have a lead on the source of these unhappy developments already.

Among the dozen or so criminals who were captured, six revealed some key details during interrogation. Nearly all of the destructive acts performed recently, including blockading our roads and the illegal demolition of the railway from Dodge City to Ponyville, were achieved with a dangerous alchemical concoction sourced from an individual known only as Bedlam.

None of the captured crooks know who or what this Bedlam is for certain, or even where he is, as they claim to have received their supplies from a middle stallion. Despite this, the knowledge that it is a single creature enabling and motivating this string of mayhem means that if they can be captured, peace and stability can be returned to our home.

Any information on this Bedlam may be reported to your nearest Royal Guard post with a reward being offered by the Crown for anything leading to an arrest.

Hustle grimaced and gave me a sideways look. "Y'know, we usually don't like much attention being tied to our names," he declared, nodding his head back at his team. "That's, uh, why we hire lackeys to turn over joints and do the dirty work and all that." I laughed and studied the front page again.

"I know, but that's one of the key differences between our operations. You need discretion in the long term," I gave him a knowing grin. "There is a rapidly approaching time when having some semblance of a legend about myself, some degree of terrible rumor and reputation will be very beneficial to me." And wasn't that the truth? Once I was ready to reveal myself, having the populace already scared and aware of how dangerous I was was sure to make terrorizing the general public into submission easier.

I just had to figure out where to really take my first real steps. As I rolled up the newspaper and beat it into my hand, my mind raced with thoughts and ideas. As I did, I scanned the foyer around me with a giddy smile.

My golems had finished unloading the wagon and were now depositing the mob's delivery of deadly potions and inactive animunculi, complete with instructions on how to work both. The whole room was a microcosm of the rest of the castle. All the ruined walls were repaired and reinforced, and the place was lit up with glowing crystal, charged by the latent magic in the air, casting a calming pale blue light over everything.

The thugs Hustle had brought were being waited on by smaller metal golems, delivering tea and treats, warmed in magical automated ovens which were themselves essentially just animunculi. Our deal was paying off in spades as the underworld delivered plenty of worked metal for Jury and me to use as well as alchemy and living supplies. To say nothing of the raw cash they started kicking our way after whoever their boss was realized how beneficial my contributions were. Of course, as they were my primary outside contact, any purchases were done through them, meaning their money was just cycling back to them anyway. But still!

Pinch Penny's ill-advised attempt at blackmail had sped up my plans by months, maybe even years. It almost made up for the fact I had to let the mob take him in to be destoned. Apparently, he was too valuable an asset to just leave petrified, and they made it clear he was in no position to rat me out anymore.

The thugs of Equestria's underworld were providing me with ample materials and funding to fuel my research, but what should I put it all towards?

I knew what I wanted to do with the country itself, of course. I'd completely upheave the place, cast the ruling pegs into the mud like where they'd kept me, and then use my machines to advance the whole country. The real question I was faced with was where to begin.

A full frontal assault?

Sabotage with my potions and drones, like what the mob was already doing?

Establish a dominant industry base that stomps out all competition with my ability to endlessly meet demand with endless supply?

A mix of all three? That sounded very tempting, but what to do about the Alicorns or Discord? Or what about the Elements?

I bit my thumb at that thought. I would wind up bumping heads with Twilight and her friends, wouldn't I? My eyes slowly drifted left and right before a bump against my leg drew my attention to my guest.

"You good?" Hustle asked. I didn't respond right away, causing him to frown for just a moment before he spoke again with a smile. "Just remembered! The boss has an associate who'd like to discuss extending your distribution." He leaned toward me with a smirk.

"For which you'd be appropriately compensated, of course," he wagged his eyebrows. "And let's just say this guy can be mighty generous, even by our standards." I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh-hoh? And who might this associate be?"

"How much do you know about the Southlands?" He asked with another smirk that held for just a moment before he looked at me critically. "Though, you're probably going to want to consider a change in wardrobe before you meet him. And he does want to meet you." I blinked and looked over myself. It was patched in places, but I was in the same t-shirt and pale brown slacks I'd worn.. Pretty much since I left Twilight's castle. I frowned and shrugged.

"What do you recommend?" I asked with a huff. He narrowed his eyes and slowly nodded.

"Something black, I think."