"So there are Agents of Chaos in Ponyville, Captain?"
"According to Lieutenant Crispin's report, Your Majesty, yes there are. We do not yet know exactly when they arrived there or if any incidents can be attributed directly to them, but we do know that there are two Upper Class Guards that were sent to 'investigate and monitor the town government on a standing basis' shortly after Twilight Sparkle's assignment there, according to Lieutenant Captain Aten. It is likely that was a cover story for the dispatching of the two Agents, who are working together undercover as a pair."
"Do you know what their civilian identities are?"
"I have been able to obtain their civilian identities based on the report of the dispatch, but Aten insists they are not Agents, and due to the loss of records in the tower archive attack we can't find any supporting evidence for them being Agents. I've tried to get Aten to issue a recall order, but he insists the posting was legal and without evidence of them being Agents he won't do anything. I have sent instructions to Mayor Mare and the Ponyville government to transfer them to Canterlot if they were arrested in the town boundaries, but that's as much as I can do from here."
"What about the hiding place?"
"All Lieutenant Crispin knows is that it's somewhere in the Everfree Forest. Unfortunately, he only has resources to guard Ponyville and its surroundings from the Agents' attack - there is no way he can spare any stallions to search the forest for their hideout. That is why he called for reinforcements, Princess Celestia."
"So reinforcements we will send. I will not permit them from interfering with affairs there! I may be able to utilize their efforts as a means of facilitating the friendship lessons Twilight Sparkle is learning, but I will not permit them to meddle directly in the process."
"Your Highness, surely Twilight Sparkle and her friends could take care of this themselves, considering how well they handled the dragon...?"
"No Captain, not this time. My assignment for handling the dragon was for the benefit of Twilight Sparkle and the filly Fluttershy. There is no more benefit to be gained by them if I were to send them to do this. As the Lieutenant has requested, I will send one unicorn and one pegasus I trust to Ponyville. They will execute the previous mission, accompanied by an earth pony from the Lieutenant's command as per the standard tradition of such missions. I will give the Lieutenant the option of making the choice of the earth pony to go with the two emissaries. Understood, Captain?"
"Yes, Your Highness. I trust you will make your selections and have them on my desk by the end of the day?"
"As always, Captain."
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Captain Gibraltar was about to move onto the next topic of the meeting when he was interrupted by shouting, followed by the clatter of objects being knocked to the floor. The Guard Captain and Princess Celestia only spare a moment to look at each other in surprise before rushing out of the meeting room in the direction where they heard the shouting coming from.
In front of them, as they approach the source of the shouting, they are further surprised to see Wonderbolt Captain Spitfire being forcibly tossed through a doorway to impact against the opposing wall! Captain Gibraltar and Princess Celestia slam on the metaphorical brakes and witness Lieutenant Captain Aten leap out after Spitfire, landing on top of her and smacking her a few times before Gibraltar can intervene to pull Aten off.
"Let me go, sir! She's gone absolutely bonkers!" Aten shouts, trying to wriggle out of Gibraltar's hold as Celestia helps Spitfire back up - it is clear that Spitfire has received a black eye already as well as several other bruises, doubtless from Aten's hooves.
"He's trying to undercut my authority, Captain!" Spitfire shouts back, pointing an accusing forehoof at Aten. "I've seen one of his Lieutenants in whispered conversation with Misty Fly - the Lieutenant Captain is in conspiracy against me!"
"I will remind you both you're supposed to be professional officers, not spatting little fillies!" Gibraltar shouts in disapproval, and a similar disapproving look crosses Celestia's face briefly.
"She started it! She's spouting nonsense, sir!" Aten loudly replies.
"I don't care who started it, I'm finishing it! And this is the last time I want this happening, UNDERSTOOD?!" Gibraltar shouts in his best drill sergeant voice. Both Aten and Spitfire give grumbling acknowledgements to that effect - it was rare nowadays Captain Gibraltar raised his voice like that, so when he did so it didn't matter your rank, you did what you were told.
"Captain Spitfire, I would highly suggest not antagonizing the Lieutenant Captain by visiting his office. If you have complaints, take them to Captain Gibraltar from now on." Celestia suggests to the annoyed Spitfire.
"But Your Majesty...!" Spitfire objects, her expression flipping to dismay, but Celestia raises a forehoof to shush her again.
"There will be harmony, Captain. The issue is settled." Celestia firmly replies, her tone one indicating that she did not want Spitfire arguing the point.
Spitfire is left in total dismay as Aten calmly brushes himself off and straightens his armor. The combination of his unshaken attitude and the smug smile he flashes in her direction tells Spitfire all she needs to know - Celestia has, wittingly or not, given him carte blanche to attack the Wonderbolts as much as he likes, with almost no way of stopping him...
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LATER THAT DAY...
"And now they are sending emissaries, WA! Can't those two buffoons over in Ponyville get it right?!" Agent Snake exclaims in his mountain interior lair, forehooves stomping on the rock floor to make a cracking that echoes through the tunnels.
"I'm sorry to hear their efforts did not work out, sir. Hopefully, they can stop the emissaries once they reach Ponyville." Agent WA comments.
"With Operation Whirlwind preparations underway, I need them there and doing their jobs correctly for it to succeed. The plan is contingent upon the Element Bearers being too distracted to travel to Canterlot and use the Elements of Harmony against us." Snake continues to explain.
"It's that vital to the plan?" WA returns.
"Correct. What I intend to unleash upon this kingdom - the 'chaotic one' - could only be stopped by the Elements. Celestia cannot stop them, even with Luna by her side again. Releasing the 'chaotic one' is all that matters to me now, and you are my emissary to disaffected pegasi to help with this, you understand Agent?"
"Yes, sir. But you still promised me you would make me a Wonderbolt Captain!"
"And I intend to keep that promise, Agent. As long as you succeed in recruiting the disaffected applicants rejected from Wonderbolt Academy, you will be their Captain against Spitfire. That is what you have been doing, correct?"
"Yes sir, through consultation with another Agent. Captain Spitfire..."
"Yes, yes, I am aware of that. It's too bad you got caught, I don't know how or why. The point is there are ways of dealing with her to prevent her messing things up, up to and including elimination if necessary."
"Would elimination really be necessary, Agent Snake?"
"Not for right now, containment is working. But elimination will occur when Whirlwind is executed, and you will become Captain unopposed. You understand, WA?"
"Yes sir."
"Good. Now go, and make sure to keep me informed on the recruitment process."
"Yes sir." Agent WA, aka Misty Fly, replies with a salute, before turning to leave. Unseen to her is Snake's treacherous smile - he only intends to honor his commitment as far as it suits his ambitions. The Agent, emissary to the disaffected and recruiter for chaos, would be expendable on the day of Whirlwind...