//------------------------------//
// Act 4, Chapter 6 - Final Approach 
// Story: Hoof and Claw Versus the World 
// by Chythar 
//------------------------------//

Nightmare Moon and I had finally found someone that could deliver us directly to the President of the United States.  Our plan to conquer the United States was almost complete!







Once the Presidential Aide was in the middle of the room, he crossed his arms and demanded to get down to business.

So Nightmare Moon obliged him.

She shot him point-blank with a magic ray from her horn, and the man crumpled to the floor.  Her invisibility spell was shattered by her spell, and I dropped mine right afterwards.  The Night Mare sat down next to the sleeping man, and sent him into his first Loyalty dream.  Some twenty or so minutes later, the dark mare declared him fully subverted and woke him up.  The Presidential Aide got up off the floor, brushed off the sleeve of his suit with a hand, then wiped his glasses off on his tie.  

"What is it you wish of me, Mistress and Master?"

"We wish to speak to your President, in order to speak to him about the 'current subject at hand'."

As this was a trigger phrase used in the Loyalty dream, we hoped it would cement our control over the man.  It worked, but not quite the way we expected it to.

"You mean, enslave him like you just did with me?"

Nightmare Moon and I stood there, dumbfounded.  The Presidential Aide turned to look at the Commanding General, who was sitting calmly behind his desk working on his paperwork again.

"Did they enslave you too?"

The Commanding General nodded slowly but did not look up.

Uh, oh.  We could be in trouble.  These are two smart and savvy men, and if they're going to betray us this would be the time.

"Will this be a problem?"

"No.  The President is always someone's puppet.  At least you have the country's best interest in mind."

I let out a breath that I didn't realize I was holding.

"Great.  So, the Mistress and I have developed a way of sneaking her into places she normally can't get into.  She can turn into a mist form, then she hides inside a briefcase or duffel bag.  Someone carries her where she needs to go, then they open the bag when it's time to attack.  We were hoping to use the same trick to get her into the Oval Office."

"I can get you a meeting with the President, but you won't be able to carry anything except for some papers in a folder."

The Presidential Aide looked me up and down, and took in my feline look and Lunar Republic-inspired armor.

"Were you planning to wear that dreadful armor into the Oval Office?"

"Uh, yeah.  Under an invisibility spell, of course."

He turned back to the Commanding General, and gave him a condescending look.

"Idiots."

"That's what I said."

I had to speak up.

"I'm not sure if I should be insulted, or just glad that you're on our side."

The Presidential Aide snapped back an answer, then began to pace back and forth.

"Probably both.  Now, listen up.  Security at the White House is very paranoid, and for good reason.  They are constantly thinking of unlikely scenarios so they can better protect the President.  Unfortunately for you, they have thought of the exact plan you are using: a foreign agent attempting to sneak in and mind-control the President.  You will not be able to bring anything with you except for the clothes you will be wearing.  In light of the 'Shoe Bomber' in 2001, it's likely that they will make you remove your shoes and give you a replacement pair.  They will touch you and aggressively pat you down, so you cannot wear armor.  And even if you can somehow hide how the armor feels, they will suspect that you are wearing something under your clothing.  Everyone walks differently when they wear armor, even if it's just a bullet-proof vest."

"I shall keep your armor for safe-keeping, my Captain.  Once we are engaged in battle, I shall return it to you."

In a blink, my armor was gone.

Wonderful, I'm naked in front of EVERYONE.  This is like every high schooler's worst nightmare.  At least I have fur to cover everything.

I used a bit of illusion magic to salvage my pride, and make it look like I was wearing my favorite pair of denim shorts.

While I was busy whining about my not-so nekkidness, the high-strung Presidential Aide had paused to take a breath and think.  Suddenly, he spoke.

"If you can create an illusion to make you look human, it would be better.  Explaining a walking and talking cat would be difficult.

"Wait one moment.  Do you even have any government-issued ID?"

"Um, not anymore."

The Presidential Aide threw up his hands into the air.

"I can't sneak you into the Oval Office!  You need to be a legal person so you can have a background check before we even get to the White House!  This is ridiculous!"

The Commanding General stood up from his desk and walked around it to stand next to the Presidential Aide.  He placed a hand on the man's shoulder in what looked like a comforting gesture.

"Patience, Mr. Nicholes.  There is always a solution.  Radonich, come here."

An aide I hadn't noticed left his spot next to the door, and walked over to the Commanding General.

"Yes, sir?"

"Take a look at the Master over there.  Imagine him without that fur, as a human.  Doesn't he remind you of someone?"

"Hmm.  Burke, I think?"

"Burke, exactly.  Go get his wallet with his driver's license, you know where he leaves it.  Then file paperwork to report it stolen."

"Yes, sir!"

The aide ran out of the room.

"Mr. Nicholes?"

"Hmm, yes?"

"The problem has been solved.  My aide is fetching the driver's license of someone who is approximately the Master's height and build."

"Is he a soldier?"

"No, he is a civilian.  Someone who I am acquainted with."

"Okay, okay.

"That should work.  The Secret Service shouldn't need to fingerprint him, so we should be okay.

"Now Master, you must be wearing real clothes as security will touch you so they can search you.  Do you own a suit?"

"Uh, not a real one."

"We'll need to buy one, then."

Mr. Nicholes turned back to the Commanding General.

"Is there a local tailor we can use?  I want him in something tailored, he'll blend in better that way."

"I'm sure something can be worked out."

The Commanding General beckoned over another one of his aides, who had entered after the last one had left.  In the meantime, Mr. Nicholes had more to say to me.

"Now, I'll report in that I have been fully briefed on the situation here and I am bringing someone with me that can make a detailed report to the President.  So you MUST be seen with me from the moment we leave this base, and cannot leave my side until you see the President."

Mr. Nicholes then turned to face Nightmare Moon.

"You cannot attend, Mistress.  There is no way to sneak you in."

"Impossible, my presence is required.  Can you not carry the briefcase, instead?"

"I cannot.  If I try, it will be opened and inspected and you will be discovered."

"Strewth!  There must be a way, we simply have not discovered it yet."

Silence for a bit, as we all tried to think of an idea.  The Commanding General spoke up first.

"My kids just rewatched Peter Pan last night.  Can you do anything like that, Mistress?"

"I do not understand.  Who is this Peter Pan?"

What does Peter Pan have to do with anything?

Wait...

His SHADOW!

"My Queen, can you hide in someone's shadow?"

"I have the ability to hide in shadows, yes.  What of it?"

"Hide in my shadow, and we can sneak you in that way!"

"Yes, yes!  I can hide in even the lightest shadow.  Discovery is great when the shadow is light, but only by magical means that do not yet exist on this world.  This plan shall succeed."

With that problem solved, Mr. Nicholes continued with his plan.

"When you attack Mistress and Master, you will have to block the doors quickly or you will have to fight off the Secret Service.  There are many cameras watching the President, and they will react immediately.

"How much time do you need to enslave the President, Mistress?"

"Perhaps up to twenty minutes before the shadow parasite fully takes hold."

"That's far too long, the Secret Service will break into the Oval Office before your plan is complete."

I did not hear the rest of the discussion, as I was subsequently hauled off to a local tailor to be fitted for a suit.  However, I could hear the Presidential Aide and Nightmare Moon argue loudly until I exited the building.

When I returned to the Commanding General's office a couple of hours later, I was wearing a dark blue suit with a white shirt, dark red tie and dark brown dress shoes.  I was also wearing a human illusion, crafted from the picture on the driver's license that Mr. Radonich had given to me: fair skin, short cropped brown hair and a pair of silver-rimmed glasses.  I inquired about the Oval Office plan, but I was simply told that 'the plan was worked out' and I merely had to look surprised when 'something' happened.

Great, I'm stuck being the 'clueless' minion.

Mr. Nicholes took several seconds to look me and my new suit over.  Finally, he declared that I 'would do' and that he and I would be leaving for the airport immediately.  Nightmare Moon then did a little hop and somehow JUMPED into my shadow.  Man, that was weird to see.  I was quickly ushered out of the Commanding General's office and outside to a waiting limousine.  The warm spring air that drifted by carried with it the scent of blooming flowers.  By the height of the sun in the sky, I guessed it was Noon or close to it.  Mr. Nicholes and I climbed into the back of the limo, and as soon as the door closed the vehicle drove off.  

Mr. Nicholes spent the hour long drive to the San Diego Airport prattling to me about White House protocol, which could be best summarized as 'shut up and don't talk unless spoken to.'  At the airport, the two of us were escorted past TSA security and were led directly to the gate our flight was departing from.  From the look of the harried gate staff, and the dirty looks we got from the other passengers when we boarded, the airline had held the flight for us.  As soon as we had boarded and buckled into our first class seats, the outer door was closed and the plane taxied away from the gate.  After a short wait in line, the plane maneuvered on to the runway and promptly took off for Washington DC.

According to the display in the seat back in front of me, the flight was a little under six hours long.  We had left just after 1pm local time, and we were crossing three time zones, so we would be arriving around 10pm Washington DC time.  A bit late to meet with the President, even though Nightmare Moon and I were more than ready to meet with him.  I lamented the fact that we couldn't simply sneak into the President's bedroom and get him when he was sleeping.  I spent the trip listening to the music on the in-flight radio stations.

As predicted, we landed at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport just before ten in the evening.  Mr. Nicholes and I were allowed to de-board first, and we were met on the jet bridge outside the plane by a Secret Service Agent who never gave us his name.  The agent was big, Caucasian, and very intimidating.  He had no hair on his head; whether this was deliberate or due to balding I had no idea.  The man wore mirrored sunglasses, and he never took them off.  His suit was a dark gray and he wore a white shirt with a solid red tie around his neck.  His whole look and ensemble made me wonder if I had fallen into a Hitman video game and I was one of the idiot NPCs that needed to be escorted to a checkpoint far away.

The Secret Service 'Hitman' Agent led us down the terminal, past baggage claim and out to a waiting black limousine.  The chilled air outside the airport was a shock after the warm California weather, but it could have been worse.  The weather report on the plane had predicted rain in the DC area, but the ground was completely dry.  Mr. Nicholes and I got into the back of the limo, while the agent sat up front with the driver.  Thankfully, Mr. Nicholes kept quiet this time, and the trip away from the airport was peacefully quiet.  A short fifteen minute trip later, and the limo pulled up to the curb in front of a hotel.  The door on the right side opened from the outside, and I exited the limo into the night air.  I shivered as a cold gust of air blew past.  Fortunately, the suit I was wearing was real and thus provided me some protection from the weather.  I briefly noted the 'Hitman' Agent standing next to the opened door, then paused to look at the ornate entranceway to the hotel.  Above the entranceway, I saw the name "Sofitel" in lights.  Mr. Nicholes exited the limo behind me, and paused momentarily to make a comment.

"Ah, yes; we shall be 'slumming' at the Sofitel Lafayette tonight.  I was unable to book two adjacent rooms at the Hay-Adams."

With that, Mr. Nicholes walked through the front doors of the hotel and strode into the lobby.  I followed, with the 'Hitman' Agent right behind me.  At the front desk, Mr. Nicholes retrieved two room keys, and handed one to the 'Hitman' Agent instead of me.  I gave a pointed look to both the agent and Mr. Nicholes, and was informed by the agent that I was not allowed to leave my hotel room for any reason.  He also told me that there would be a guard outside my door until I left for the White House in the morning.  I wasn't interested in a tour of the town that evening, so I accepted that and simply followed Mr. Nicholes and the agent to the elevator lobby.  

While we waited, I noted the white marble surrounding the elevator doors and how they contrasted with the teal couches and wall hangings behind me.  I thought the teal coloration was unusual, but but I know nothing about interior design.  We rode the elevator to the third floor, and I followed the two men as they exited the elevator and turned left down the hallway.  The decor in the hallway looked posh and clean, with the walls and carpet done up in dark grays and whites.  The agent paused at one door and held out a hand to stop me, while Mr. Nicholes continued to the next door down.

The agent opened the door with the room key, then held the door open for me.  As soon as I crossed the threshold, the agent pulled the door closed and I heard the latch shut with an audible click.  With nothing else to do, I began to explore the hotel room.  Down the short hallway and to the left was the bathroom, with the expected shower, toilet and sink.  The hallway ended just after the bathroom door, and led into the small room.  There was a closet with mirrored doors next to the bathroom door.  I was standing next to the closet, in the left corner of the room.  There was a single king-sized bed up against the right wall, which took up about half of the space in the small room.  There was a nightstand with a lamp on either side of the bed, with two red footstools at the foot of the bed.  On the left wall in front of me was a dresser with a large flat-screen TV on top of it.  Beyond the dresser in the corner was a desk.  The far wall was made up of windows that gave a view of the darkened street outside.  While the quality of the furniture and bedding seemed to be quite nice, the hotel room looked no different than any other hotel I had stayed in.

I heard a knock at the door, then the sound of the door being unlocked and opened.  A voice spoke to me, which I recognized as the agent's.

"Take off your suit, and I'll have it dry-cleaned for the morning."

A moment later, I heard the door click shut once again.

I guess it wouldn't look good to show up tomorrow while wearing a wrinkled suit.

Experience told me I would find hangers in the closet, and I was not disappointed.  I also found a fluffy white robe hanging in the bathroom.  I carefully took off my suit coat, pants, dress shirt and tie, and put the clothing on the provided hangers.  I included my socks for good measure.  After donning the robe, I carried my suit to the front door and opened it.  The agent was standing in front of the doorway with his back to the room, but turned his head around as soon as I opened the door.  Once he saw I had my suit ready, he turned around and took it from me.

"Good.  Room Service is on its way."

With that, the agent turned his back to me and said nothing more.  

I let the door close on its own and walked back to the bed, intending to watch some TV while I waited for Room Service to arrive.  But to my surprise, Nightmare Moon jumped out of my shadow and stood in the space between the TV and the bed.  As always, she was clad in her silver armor.  A moment later, she used her magic to drag the curtains in front of the windows.

"For such a high-class accommodation, I would have expected something much more spacious."

"Mr. Nicholes did say something about wanting to stay in a better hotel.  Maybe this is the best he could do on such short notice."

"Perhaps, but I am still not impressed."

Spoiled brat.

"The room was intended for a basic guest, and not for royalty such as yourself.  Maybe a bigger room would have raised suspicion."

"A very good point, my Captain.  Regardless, the room is acceptable for a single evening.

"Now what, pray tell, is 'dry cleaning' and 'room service'?"

"How did you hear about them?"

"I can hear and see everything that occurs around you when I am hiding in your shadow.  It would not be a very safe place to hide if I was not aware of my surroundings while hidden."

"I guess.  I never thought about it."

"So, 'dry cleaning'?"

"Ah, right.  Dry cleaning is a way of cleaning clothes without water, as water can damage some of the fancier clothes we humans wear."

"I see.  And, 'room service'?"

"Food and/or drink is ordered, then delivered to the room; essentially providing a 'service' to the room."

"Interesting.  As we do not need to eat, why did you order this 'room service'?"

"I didn't.  I presume Mr. Nicholes did it for me.  Humans still need to eat, after all."

"A fair point.  We shall see if the food is edible, and if not we can always turn it into ash."

"I'm sure it will be fine."

Nightmare Moon then went around the room asking what each item was for, until room service finally arrived.  I took the tray of food from the hotel employee, then closed the door behind him.  As soon as the door closed, I dropped my human illusion and emerged from the hallway, still wearing the robe but in my ebony feline form.  I then carried the tray over to the nearest footstool and set it down upon the plush surface.  The dark mare sat down next to the footstool as I lifted the cover off the plate, revealing our meal: a large boneless steak, baked potato covered in butter and chives and sour cream, and some steamed broccoli on the side.

"Ah, good choice.  I always did like a nice steak."

"The meal smells quite appetizing.  I presume the large slab is the flesh of some animal?"

"Yes, it's from a cow.  Remember, hooved animals aren't sentient here."

"I have always wondered why bovines burnt by flame always smelled so scrumptious.  I believe I am about to find out why."

"With how much you loved the buffalo wings, I figured you were an omnivore like me.  Here, let me serve you your first taste."

I used the supplied fork and knife to cut off a small piece of steak, including a chunk of fat from the edge.  I pierced the piece of flesh and fat with the fork, and lifted the utensil up into the air.  I held the laden fork in front of my dark Queen, who daintily took the morsel of food off of the fork.  She chewed the meat for a few seconds, then her eyes lit up and she gasped loudly.

"This is wonderful!  I was not aware that my bovine cousins were so tasty!"

I chuckled at the mare's childlike enjoyment of our meal.

"Well, some of that is the preparation and spices used to cook the meat.  But I do agree with you."

I cut off another piece of steak, but this time I cut off any trace of fat.  I speared the meat with the fork and placed the morsel into my mouth.  I slowly chewed the tender flesh, and rolled it across my tongue a few times to savor the full flavor of the meat.  I judged it to be one of the better steaks I had ever eaten.

"Yes, it's quite good."

"May I have another piece?"

"Of course."

I cut off a larger piece of steak and fat, then offered it to the Night Mare.  She eagerly snatched the steak off the fork and eagerly chewed the tasty treat.  I turned back to the plate of food and decided to try out the baked potato.  The knife slid through the flesh of the potato with ease, and I lifted the chunk of spud to my waiting taste buds.  The potato's flesh was soft and tender, with the skin a nice contrast in texture.  The butter was rich and creamy, the sour cream a nice contrast to the butter, and the chives added a tasty crunch to the dish.  I closed my eyes and sighed at the savory sensations simmering on my tongue.

Moments later, I felt a feathery touch caress my forearm.

"More, please?"

I opened my eyes and smiled at my dinner companion.

"Sure.  You definitely need to try the baked potato."

I cut off another piece of tuber, slathered it in butter and sour cream, and offered it to my ebony mare.  She gave the morsel a dubious look, then daintily took the potato off of the fork.  As with the steak, her eyes popped open once the tender taste finally crossed her tongue.

"Goodness!  This is a potato?  The ones from Equestria are hard and somewhat unpleasant to eat."

"So are our potatoes, but they turn into this when cooked properly.  And covered in butter and sour cream, of course."

"A wondrous surprise.  Pray tell, what other surprises dost this meal have in store?"

"Well, there's the broccoli but I doubt it'll be as good as the steak and potatoes."

I speared a piece of broccoli and brought it to my mouth.  I was pleased to discover that it was cooked just right, leaving the vegetable crunchy and slightly sweet.  In my experience, it was easy to overcook the broccoli and lose that natural sweetness; the result was a vegetable with little flavor.

"Mmm, the broccoli has been cooked right but it's not as rich as the rest of the meal."

I offered a piece of broccoli to the dark mare, who snatched it off of the fork.

"Interesting.  You say that this has been cooked?  Its flavor is certainly more subtle than the raw version."

"Yeah, steamed actually.  Cocking usually alters the texture and sometimes makes it soggy if overdone."

"I see.  Its texture is a pleasant compliment to the meal but I greatly prefer the bovine flesh."

"We call it a 'steak', actually."

The two of us finished the rest of the meal, with Nightmare Moon consuming the majority of the steak and potato while I finished off the broccoli on my own.  Afterwards, we decided to get some rest to recharge our magic as we were likely to be in battle the next day.  Nightmare Moon magicked her armor off and set it on the floor, then crawled into the bed.  I was ready to join her, but I had one task in mind first.  I didn't want any unwanted visitors with Nighty in the room, so I quietly walked over to the door and slowly flipped the security latch on the door closed.  My task done, I turned the lights off then dropped my robe and crawled under the covers.  The two of us cuddled together and discussed plans for the next day, then fell asleep.