Reviews:
iTsTealblast (ch1): Maybe. There's gonna be bloodshed, that's fosho.
(ch2): yes. And I can't wait to read it!
Author's Note: Just for you all to know, this is going to be put out at least three times a week. I'm working on this at both school (paper) and home (laptop), so it's gonna get done fast.
"What's our first action?" Doppel asked me as I examined the map intensely. It helped that Celestia's and our troops last known locations were circled around major cities. Celestia's were red, ours was green, and Chrysalis' is yellow. I hate to say it, but we only have one green and yellow circle to every four of Celestia's. Cadence had her own little circle, all the way up in Alaska. From what I could tell, she had a few hundred troops and that was it.
I only knew about this because Twilight and co. had to take a trip up there to save Anchorage, or the Crystal Empire, from some bastard named King Sombra. I debriefed Dawn, Duffy, and Blake when they returned, so I knew that they successfully did their job without a single casualty. (Author here: The Crystal Empire in MiE will be done later)
"Get our troops and start shitting out propaganda." I replied, taking a seat while also being thankful that the table was low enough for me to continue doing shit to the map.
"Propaganda?" Doppel asked in confusion. Right, changelings don't need that shit because they do whatever their Queen requires.
"Pretty much a morale booster." Gallan replied, sitting across from me. "For the U.S. when we entered WWII, it was mostly posters, news articles, and radio transmissions telling us to join or support the military, while metaphorically slapping the enemy in the face at the same time."
"Since the ponies, and you lot, don't have radios, we're stuck with posters and news articles demeaning Celestia and the day guard." I then turned to Dawn. "If at all possible, keep Cadence out of this. She reminds me too much of my cousin to make me want to see her fight. If you have to involve her, it should be strictly non-combatant."
"I already made ten plans concerning her, Mark. Only one of them involves her joining." He replied. I sighed in relief and nodded.
"Good. First, and most important, order is to gather forces and food. We have a substantial amount of changelings, because Chrysalis said that if it should come to it, all will fight for her." I said, standing up.
"Luna and I were able to 'take' enough gold before leaving to be able to hire a regiment of mercenaries, should it come to that." Dawn said.
"It definitely will." I muttered. "See if you can appeal to the Zebras, Minotaurs, Dragons and Gryphons. Also bring in some human mercenaries."
"We won't have enough for more than two dragons, but I'll see what we can do." Dawn said before teleporting, leaving the war room empty save for Gallan, Doppel, and I.
"Next order of business; who are the changeling spies in Ponyville?" I asked, looking at Doppel. "And don't lie to me and say that there isn't any; if Chrysalis is as half as smart as she looks, there's at least one keeping an eye on things in every town."
"The Queen thought you'd ask that." She said, before pulling a few photos out of her ass or something and handed them to me. "These three are our spies here, not including Jakob."
"Knew Jakob arranged something with Dawn and Chrysalis to stay here..." I muttered, before looking through them. "Well, who'da thunk it?" My favorite barkeep was a spy for Chrysalis. So was Vinyl and Bon Bon. Gotta tell Huka that sooner or later, if Vinyl wants me to. Surprised he didn't notice it, myself.
"Pegasus, unicorn, and earth pony." I muttered. "Tell 'em to come here as soon as possible, but turn into a random redshirt to not arouse suspicion just yet." I told Doppel, who nodded, turned into Octavia, and wandered out.
"Leaves just you and me." Gallan said, moving a few wooden ponies around the board.
"Yep." I sighed. "Would ask for a game changer, but I'm sure Luna doesn't even know what the hell a Destroyer is. Or anything that's not from Williams' time. Would be great if we had a few nukes, but I don't want to fuck up America."
"Nuke?" I forgot he died before they brought them out.
"More known as either an atomic bomb or nuclear missile. We used two atom bombs in 1945 to force the Japanese to surrender. Leveled the fuck out of two different cities, and decades later people were still dying from the radiation." I explained.
"Oh." He nodded. "Alright, so who's doing what?"
"We all know that I'm leading us." I said instantly. "But I can't lead everyone. And we also need a POW camp." I looked at him. "Feel like watching over any prisoners we capture?"
"With all due respect, sir." He began. "My place is on the battlefield. I would suggest Callum or Duran, myself. Maybe one of the guards that were able to escape."
"I'll dig somebody up, then." I said with a nod. At that moment, the three I wanted to see came down the steps.
"Woah..." Pale Mead said in awe, looking around the room.
"You wanted us for something, Mark?" Vinyl Scratch asked, looking at me.
"Give me your names. Changeling ones, because I know what you really are." I said. All three of them looked instantly nervous.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about." Vinyl said, looking around for an escape route. Doppel was in their way.
"Relax, Chrysalis said it was fine." I dismissed, and Pale Mead was the first to explode into green fire. When he stopped burning, a changeling with green eyes and irises was looking back.
"My name is Striker, sir." He said with a small bow.
"Fine... I am Sleeper." Vinyl finally said.
"And I am Xerox." Bon Bon said.
"I'm sensing something here..." I muttered, but waved it off. "Alright, I just called you three down here to tell you that I know."
"Then why did we have to tell you our names?" Xerox asked.
"Easier for me to ask for you if you all are in a crowd of other changelings. Can't just say 'would the changeling impersonating a earth pony named Bon Bon please step forward?'" I answered. "That and to let you know that I have no quarrel with you."
"Is that all?" Striker asked.
"I need to speak with Sleeper for a second, but yes. You can leave now." Xerox and Striker nodded and changed back into their pony disguises, while Sleeper turned to Vinyl and stayed behind.
"What is it? I gotta start getting set up for a gig in a few hours." She asked, raising an eyebrow. I couldn't help but chuckle.
"It's about Huka." I said, knowing they humped the bunk with each other.
"Yes?" She instantly got worried.
"He's gonna be in a war, and I know you two are together, but that's beside the point. What I really want to know, is if you want him to know that you're a changeling or not." I said, leaning forward a little.
"What would you say if I said no?" She asked carefully.
"Absolutely nothing at all. This is entirely your choice, just remember that." I assured her.
"...After the war is over and if he's still alive, I'll tell him..." She finally sighed, before looking up at me with those beautiful red eyes. "But let me tell him, alright?"
"My lips are sealed, Vinyl. Now, go and get yourself started, because Huka can't really help you that much." I said, patting her on the back and turning around.
"Where are we hitting first, Mark?" Gallan asked, looking down at the map with me.
"Celestia's gonna expect us to hit Washington DC (Canterlot), I bet." I muttered, looking over several cities. "So we hit Las Vegas (Las Pegasus) first. Get your shit squared away, we move out at 0630." I then got up and went to talk to Dawn.
