> Canter Tailor Soldier Shy > by CountDerpy > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pinkamena Diane Prideaux stepped into Control's office. She was once in line into getting this office, but was denied when Control was appointed head of the Equestrian Intelligence Agency, or as they referred to it as the "Elements of Harmony". The walls of Controls office were covered with pictures of her days chasing the Wonderbolts around, her desk littered with old letters and Changeling intelligence documents. "Ah, your already here Pinkie, you may have a seat. Tea?" Control said walking into the room. She hung her fedora and overcoat on the small rack that hung in the corner of the room. The rainbow-maned, cyan mare walked over to her chair that sat behind her oaken desk. " I guess your wondering why I called you here today." "Very much so, I mean it was my day off." Pinkie leaned back in her chair. "What do you have for me." "It's a special request. You are to meet our Changeling contact at a small coffee shop in Manehattan.This is going to be in changeling territory, so watch out. Anyways, she says she has information on a mole in the Elements. I need you to get this information to me." Control wiped her glasses, her pupils dilating as the light poured over her cerise eyes. "Do you think you can handle this? If not I can get Smiley to do this." "No, Fluttershy may be a good spy, but she isn't tough enough for espionage in enemy territories. I'll go, but I request to go alone." Pinkie slammed the legs of the chair into the hardwood floor. "If this wasn't such an important task, I would deny your solitary request in a heartbeat. But, since we are low on time, I have no choice but to allow you to go alone." Control slid a small file of papers over to Pinkie. "This file contains information on your contact. Do not open it until your escort arrives, is that understood?" "Crystal clear, sir." Pinkie grabbed the file and gave a nod to her superior. "Good. Now get going, your escort should be waiting for you any moment now." Control looked down and started filling out paper work. Pinkie turned and headed downstairs towards the entrance. She quickly pulled out her phone and dialed the buttons. Riiiing~Riiiiiiing~. Hello? "Hey it's me." Oh, you ok Pinks? "Yeah, I'm fine. Do you think you could watch the kids for me. I've got some business to attended to out of the country." Say no more. I'll take care of them,so don't you worry your pretty pink head. "Thanks. I got to go. I'll call when I'm coming back into town. Ok then. Bye Pinks! "Bye." She flipped her phone down and pushed the door to the outside open. The small black carriage stood out against the white tile road that lead up to the doors of the EIA. The two ponies that were to be escorting her were obviously changelings, she could tell no matter how good their disguises were. No matter what, they could never hide the fact that they did not have cutie marks when they weren't disguised as any pony in particular. "Ms. Prideaux?" A changeling open the door to the carriage. "Call me Pinkie, so we're leaving immediately I take it." "Control's orders ma'am." He said trying his best to impersonate a thick Canterlot accent. "Then let us leave." Pinkie stepped into the cabin, throwing her case in before her and slammed the door behind her. The changeling escort climbed onto the top of the carriage and started on the risky journey deep into the Hive. Pinkie sighed as the carriage bounced along it's route, the file held out in her hooves. She had a hunch at who her contact in the Hive was so she really didn't need to look at the file but decided to anyways. The file was bound with the normal thick leather chord which always took her several minutes to open. She grabbed the picture from atop the pile of papers. Starring, she wiped the dust from the image. The changeling was none other than her best friend Twilight Sparkle. About 4 years ago, Twilight struck a deal with several changeling contacts to convert that way she could relay information more effectively from inside the Hive itself. When everyone in the EIA's mane circle heard of the deal, there were many disapproving looks. In the end, however, it was allowed as the best option to learn of any possible rebellion from the changelings. Many things didn't change about Twilight except the obvious things such as her appearance and her...feeding habits. Pinkie shivered as she remembered the first time Twi had fed off of her, it was as if every ounce of happiness and feeling had left her body, but the feeling quickly passed. The carriage rolled up to the border of the changeling lands and Pinkie quickly slid on the hoof-cuffs that she was given. Going into enemy territory as a prisoner of espionage.... her favorite way to travel! The door flew open and a green light shinned upon her as the guard pulled her from the carriage. "Get down on the ground right now Pony!" The guard shouted as he aimed his sword at her neck. She knelled down into the dirt then pressed her muzzle to the ground. The guard looked over at her concierge escort. "Do you have the prisoners papers and warrant?" "All right here." He handed the guard the papers that sat beneath Twilight's picture. "Supina, Warrant, Prisoner Transfer Forms, and Change of Citizenship Possession to the Hive forms. All there and all in order." The guard looked over each paper, inspecting every line for even the slightest false detail. After several minutes of close examination, he trotted back over to Pinkie and implanted the normal GPS tracking device and prisoner passport tags to her neck. The pain was excruciating, but all of her training told her that she should not scream nor let a single tear fall. "You may cross the border." He used the hilt of his sword to bash Pinkie in the head. "Get up!" She slowly stood, blood dripping from the gash on her head. "Get your disgusting flank in there! Right Now!" Pinkie obliged at this opportunity, feeling several stings as his sword whipped her across the back. The guard slammed the door with a curse in the changelings native language. She could only make out two words before the carriage sped on towards the Hive. Disgusting Creatures Control stared out the window of her office and out across the rainy night that enveloped Canterlot. Even as she looked up at the black sky and saw the occasional flash of lightning, there was only one thought crossing her mind. Who is the mole? She looked at one of the pictures on her desk.... The picture was her last link to a life she knew from many years ago. She sat for a long time, just staring into the eyes for her friends, or at least of her friends that, back then, weren't in hiding or changelings. The only two that she even saw a lot was Pinkie and.... The door to the office opened. ((ALL IMAGE RIGHTS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS))