//------------------------------// // …Or Worse // Story: Cleaning up // by Less_than_good //------------------------------// Whinnyam was soon sat at a wooden table across from the changeling General, both of them flanked by two guards and an interpreter; changeling mandibles were unsuited to the Equestrian language, and pony tongues would never be able to replicate the rapid hissing and clicking that the changelings used as speech. Very few creatures were able to speak in both, changeling queens included. These limitations were forever aggravating to both sides. The General spoke first, then the pony interpreter, both of them saying the same thing. "Our demands are simple; hand us the Elements of Harmony, and it is unlikely that we shall see each other again; fail to do so, we will attack." The large changeling clicked his mandibles together in what seemed like a menacing way to Whinnyam, his lone compound eye gleaming. Whinnyam prepared himself for what he was about to say, and the effect it would have on their already dwindling chances of survival. "We don't have them; they left." Silently he found himself wishing he had them so he could give them to the General and make the nasty army go away. But he didn't, so he couldn't. The General began to make loud exclamations, shocking everychangeling, and everypony as well, despite not being traslated into Equestrian; Whinnyam's interpreter decided that the situation was better left this way. After a few seconds, the General calmed down a little, then began to speak again. So did the interpreter. "He thinks we're lying. We have three days to hand them over, and then he'll begin an assault on the town. Then..." The General continued, in what seemed like a harsh tone to Whinnyam. Whinnyam looked across to his interpreter, wondering why he had stopped. The interpreter now looked very troubled. "and then?" "Everypony suffers." ------------ Princess Molestia We have a small dragon, a captain of your pathetic guard and seven stupid mares. We know that six of them form your weak 'elements of harmony'. We told this to the changelings as well and they would pay a lot for these guys. We'll sell them to the highest bidder. We haven't hurt them... yet Diamond Dogs of the Great North Waste Mutts You are committing treason by holding citizens of the Equestrian state. If you fail to hand them over I shall find you, rescue my subjects and ensure you are brought to justice. Tread with care. Princess Celestia of Equestria. ------------ Whinnyam was trapped. The entirety of Ponyville was trapped. The situation was bad, very bad, and it was only getting worse as time went on and the changelings prepared by readying trebuchets, onagers, ballistae and even the occasional gun. It had already been two days. More specifically, two days, twenty-three hours, forty-seven minutes and five seconds. Changelings were very precise. Stockpiles of wood had been confiscated and used to reinforce the walls and barricade the gates. Stallions and unicorns had been put to heavy work across the town. Pegasi went on roofs to scatter traps. Holes had been dug and covered with weak sticks, cloth and just enough earth to cover the whole thing. Barricades had been put up. Archers were stationed in the taller buildings such as the library and the town hall, and they were now talking idly about anything that didn't relate to the coming battle. In short, everypony was delaying the inevitable. At least they wouldn't have that much longer to wait before it was over. -------------- Blade was bored, so dreadfully bored; for a couple of days now the dogs were running parallel negotiations with the ponies and the changelings, ensuring that both sides escalated their bids to ridiculous amounts as soon as possible; Blade thought they would make good estate agents, with all the lying and exaggeration the dogs did over the weekend using magical fire. In the end it turned out they were worth millions of bits to both sides. The changelings made the first offer, the ponies not too far behind. The changelings made a bid of 10'000; the pony's bid was of 9'000, and, while it was smaller, the dogs had very good reasons to allow them to remain in the auction. They informed the ponies of the miscalculation, and it was promptly corrected to 11'000. The changelings sent a bid of 13'000 in response to this, the ponies raising by 2'000. Changelings: 20k Ponies: 30k Changelings: 50k Ponies: 100k It went on like this for about two days. About midnight on the second day the ponies made a bid of two million, which made the changelings think twice, before offering 2.5. This was starting to have an effect on projections of the Equestrian economy. While many ponies dismissed these predictions as 'no better than chance', many were starting to doubt that this bidding war was worth it. Even the changelings, despite possessing a large empire stretching far out to the East from which to collect taxes, were worried that this could cripple their current growth. Meanwhile, the dogs felt like Zebrican Princes. They were going to be rolling in it, and it was all so easy! First they would get some kennels so they didn't have to live in holes, then some shiny new pony carts complete with well-muscled, healthy but weak-willed pony slaves to pull it. Then another letter came in. Three million!? This was already a hefty amount, but if they could get a raise from the changelings then all the better, so they wrote to the Hive. They immediately wrote back with a bid of 3.5. They forwarded this to the ponies who offered 4. They forwarded this to the changelings. The changelings wrote back. They offered 5. The Equestrian treasury did not have the money to raise their bid. Blade, Nightfall, the dragon and the Elements were all doomed. Doomed to what, they didn't know. -------------- It was about a minute until the attack. One minute Whinnyam had found fifteen ponies, good fighters, five of each race. The unicorns did not have magic inhibitors on their heads, for they were to use their magic in the fight. These were to be his personal guard, the ponies who would stand with him, who would protect him, and who would drag him away from the fight when his head got bashed in. He was still afraid. Thirty seconds He was still unmarried. He had no children, no family except the Prince. Twenty seconds He'd never asked out that DJ. He'd been meaning to do that for the past few days, but never managed to do it. Ten His life was effectively over now; it was doubtful that anypony would survive. Five He drew his sword. Four Gritted his teeth. Three Reared up into the slow, cumbersome fighting stance. Two Raised his shield. One "ALRIGHT GUYS, FORM UP! Let's batter the bugs!" And the bugs launched the first volley. Catapults loaded with fire, jars of pitch and even dangerous animals were launched through the shield at the town while changeling soldiers threw magical attacks at the bubble, creating small cracks. None of the unicorns left in Ponyville were powerful enough to conjure up a very strong barrier. Within five minutes the shield had been taken down. Whinnyam swallowed a lump in his throat. This was his final stand.