//------------------------------// // What Is a Best Laid Plan? // Story: The Everfree Monster // by Iridescence T Wind //------------------------------// The best laid plans are contrary to popular belief in that they are simple rather than complex. The problems arrive in a complex plan when something falls out of place; the entire construction it was supposed to lead to tends to fall down after it. For example, if an enemy needs wood to build a siege craft so that they can rain a castle, and decide to raid the enemy wood supply. It would work unless that wood has been well guarded or burnt into cinders in prevention; you aren’t going to be applying a five point siege without the wood. Instead a good plan is simple, can rely on resources you already have, and most of all is flexible to unexpected changes. A good plan can replace the missing wood for those siege engines with your own supply, or have an alternate way through the castles defenses. Where one part fails an alternate part succeeds and forwards the plan onto the next step. This is a basis of strategy, if an orchard fails to produce enough fruit, do you have a second one that can make up for the loss? My forest often has an influx of animals per year that makes me compensate for the growth with the excess I have already made. Sure some years we have too much to use and some crops go to waste, but that is better than having too few for too many. The resulting chaos is a mess to deal with. However, some things you can’t expect or prepare for. Like an army of Changelings landing in your home. ((((((((((((((((((((o)))))))))))))))))))) Another morning, another day. The caretaker sighed, having worked once more worked throughout the night and onto the next day, his seed had paled from a bright rainbow to a set of different blue lines, the seed having taken a bit more than it could chew from his ministrations. He let it rest, the sheer amount of genetic code that made it what it was needed time to adjust the seed to its new set before he could alter it anymore. With the new day came the deal he had made with the little cocoon. A fact that Summer Song begrudgingly reminded him of, he didn't know why, but Summer seemed to dislike the queen for some reason. Her feathers were particularly ruffled, but she also had her own agenda. The little pony who lived near the edge of his forest had returned from her trip yesterday as well. Meaning that Summer not only knew the story of Canterlot from the little mare, but could relay anything she knew. Which albeit, wasn't much. Bidding goodbye to Summer he decided to take a new body this time in preparation to have Tea with his guest. What would he use? Oak? Too common… Red wood? No, he had used that yesterday. What about his… No… He couldn't possibly use that trees wood. Not unless it was an emergency… It struck him, Pine. A pine tree would be perfect. And thus his new body for the day was chosen. Now for the other matters... Like what sort of Tea should they have... So many choices, so little time. In the end he had settled for a quiet blend of Chalice mince, a herb he had made originally for the winter season as a replacement for peppermint. As for the decor, he had dusted up his old living quarters, a place, he remembered, that hadn't been used in ages. The tree like home that he had once lived in, now almost consumed by the massive tree that made up the center of his existence Clearing away the old and adding new furniture was easy for someone who controlled an entire forest. Growing a table, replacing the dead and rotted flooring, and refurbishing such a small structure was a breeze. However by the time he had finished, it was well into the start of the afternoon. ((((((((((((((((((((o)))))))))))))))))))) A Few Hours Ago... ((((((((((((((((((((o)))))))))))))))))))) Equestrian security couldn't be worse. Why did the elements of harmony live in such an exposed area with not a guard in sight? Chrysalis would of assumed that the police force that guarded their cities and towns would of increased, but they were... for lack of a better term... Lax. After replacing the chief officer of Ponyville with little to no trouble her drone had proceeded to assign the night shift to patrolling in a way that seemed to indicate suspicious behavior towards the white tail woods and gave her drones a fifteen minute gap to the library at the start of one in the morning. It was almost pathetic really, did they expect that they all had died in the launch from Canterlot? Well then again, they almost had. A time when most ponies would be fast asleep or knocked out. Soon enough, other members of her scouts had set themselves up in wait. One had even dared to go in when the bearer had reopened the library after returning home and had gotten a general layout of the building. Though they were forced to delay the research in favor of books more commonly rented by civilians in ponyville. When night had come, and the library had closed she was ready. Like thieves in the night they sneaked in, carefully moving through the library, three sets of wings humming almost silently as they maintained enough force to allow them to walk up the wooden stairs without causing them to creak. Three of her five drones should be more than enough for a sleeping filly and baby reptile, but just in case, the last drone who would be replacing Twilight was waiting in the main room as well. They reached the mare as graceful as a drifting feather, and from her drones vision she gazed down upon the sleeping Twilight Cornelia Sparkle. The same pony who had wrecked her intricately carved plan to take over Canterlot. At the same time she would also be it's destruction. She smiled to herself as the sleeping mare snored, the sound almost drowning out the chubby pile of scales that was sleeping in a basket at the foot of her bed. Silence was the key word, and one of the Changelings horns glowed briefly before they lunged. Twilight awoke bleary, tired, and startled. Her sounds of protest didn't even leave her mouth thanks to the spell of silence her drone had cast before hoof. And unlike before, she wasn't being supported by her friends and she was too groggy to properly use her horn before she was knocked this time into a more certain bout of unconsciousness by the drone gang up. A bed sheet and some Changeling brand green goop later and they had her tied up and disguised as a rolled up rug. the later not only as glue, but a magic absorber around the unicorns horn. In case she woke up and started casting. The three changelings then carried her swiftly down the stairs while the remaining one took her place. She smiled, her soldiers were still competent, even after their losses. Of course, Twilight wouldn't be alone, after the scouts had delivered her, they would replace three others and bring the security chief in. But with Twilight out of the picture, the other element bearers would be harmless. Their Elements little better than fancy necklaces without the sixth to fill the role of leader. What would Chrysalis do to her though? For indirectly getting hundreds of her subjects murdered at the hooves of the bride and groom of that awful wedding... An idea hit her, one that would be sheer irony for Twilight. She smiled and ordered a drone to prepare what she had in mind. But for now she needed sleep, there was a lot on her plate for tomorrow, and Twilight wasn't the largest of them.