Part IV, Chapter 4 - Detrot, Part 1 - Customs and Security
A week earlier in Canterlot...
Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stood in front of a gathering of their royal guards. They were a mix of stallions and mares and all of them commanded one of the many posts for the royal guard spread across the kingdom of Equestria.
The ponies were conversing among themselves, some of them talking about official business, while others had personal conversations. For the most part, the mood was jovial, but the princesses both knew that that would be soon to change.
"Are you ready sister?" Celestia asked Luna.
"I am" Luna replied, giving her sister an encouraging smile.
Celestia returned it before facing the collection of commanders before her. Upon seeing the princess about to speak, the conversations all ceased as the guards quickly formed into lines and gave their full attention to Celestia.
"Thank you all for coming here on such short notice," Celestia addressed them, "but my sister and I felt it best to brief you on this situation and its uniqueness personally rather than by letter."
The guards gave each other quizzical looks. "What kind of situation are we being briefed on?" most of them thought.
Celestia turned back to Luna and gave her a nod. Luna returned it and lit up her horn, casting a projection spell that allowed her to show an image to the gathering.
The image they were being shown was the head shot of a changeling, one no different than if it were taken for official legal identification. In fact, it was the photograph of Thorax being used for his passport.
"I know that all of you are personally familiar with the changelings," she continued, "as all of you here were either called to fortify the city during the royal wedding or were assigned as part of the wedding detail itself. Now, we've called you here because of a situation that involves a changeling, but that situation is not what think."
This remark got a series of confused looks from all of the guards. Celestia elected to elaborate.
"The changeling you see photographed here appeared in the Crystal Empire nearly a year ago. He approached alone and with a request for asylum from persecution. Many in the empire were skeptical, including Princess Cadance and Captain Shining Armor, but several ponies stepped forward and spoke on behalf of this changeling."
A guard raised his hoof to be recognized as he asked the princess a question.
"How do we know they weren't under the influence of changeling magic?"
"The ponies who stepped forward are all powerful magic users that are not easily susceptible to the kinds of magic used on Captain Shining Armor during the wedding" Celestia answered. "Even Captain Armor is of such constitution that mind control spells are not something easily used on him. It is only because the changeling queen had managed to stay hidden under our muzzles for so long and siphoned away so much of his love that he was weakened enough to be susceptible."
"Aside from that fact, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza personally requested that we come and offer insight into the decision as to whether or not to grant asylum to this changeling."
"And Captain Shining Armor is okay with this changeling seeking asylum in the Crystal Empire?" another guard asked with a raised hoof, a bit of disbelief clear in his voice.
"At best, he is tolerating it" Celestia admitted. "You are all aware of what happened in regards to his interactions with the changeling queen. Asking him to put that aside was not an easy feat for him. Even now, I know he struggles to accept the situation he is currently in."
"That said, he has at least shown a level of begrudging tolerance on the matter."
"Your highness," another guard interjects, "you speak as though this changeling has been granted asylum already."
"It has been granted," Celestia confirms, "and more recently, this changeling has been appointed a full citizen of the Crystal Empire."
Several gasps can be heard as the guards turn to look at each other in surprise. A changeling being made a citizen?
"We advised our niece to trust her heart and not her prejudices," Celestia continues, "and it told her to grant his asylum."
"Things weren't easy in the beginning. From what I understand, after only a few months in the Crystal Empire, the changeling was attacked by ponies."
Again, the guards reacted with shock.
"Perhaps it was because he tried to feed off of one of them" a guard proposes quietly.
"He did not" Celestia says with a stern glare, immediately silencing any other accusing remarks. "In fact, at that point in time, and with his consent, he had been placed in restraints that prevented him from attacking anypony."
Another guard raised their hoof. "The changeling gave consent to be restrained?" the ask with confusion.
Celestia nods. "He did so in an effort to prove his intentions of peaceful relations to be true. Unfortunately, these restraints prevented him from being able to defend himself."
The guards all looked at each other with confusion, not expecting a changeling to allow themselves to be put into such a situation.
"Worse yet than this," Celestia adds, "is the fact that, a month or so later, three stallions then implicated this changeling in a plot to abduct a foal, using him as a convenient fall pony."
"How do we know he didn't dupe the stallions into taking the blame for him?" a guard asked in an accusing manner.
Celestia glared. "Because there was evidence of their wrongdoing."
"A trial was held in the Crystal Empire, and right before a verdict was to be turned in, evidence from a separate police investigation in Van Hoover was sent to the Crystal Empire that revealed the conspiracy against the changeling."
The guards all look at each other as they reflect on the story they were just told. A changeling approached the Crystal Empire with a desire for asylum and wishing to live in peace with ponies is physically attacked and nearly imprisoned on false charges that now has a full citizenship to the very territory ruled over by the two ponies whose lives were so nearly ruined by his kind.
After some time, a guard finally asks the question everypony is now thinking. "If I might ask, what exactly does all of this mean for us?"
Celestia takes a moment to steel herself before answering.
"In the simplest of terms," she says to the guards, "the reason for telling all of you about this is because you're all probably going to meet him in the near future."
Every guard at the table looks at the princess with confusion and trepidation. Luna decides to speak up and try to put some uncertainty to rest.
"I understand that you all have concerns about the current situation, but let me attempt to put some of that to bed. First, I have visited this changeling in his dreams, where he is unable to conceal any facts about himself, and he has proven himself to be a genuine article. His behavior is exemplary, and he has shown beyond any doubt to myself and many other ponies that he speaks the truth of his intentions."
"As for the situation we are briefing you on, it is simply this: This changeling, named Thorax, has shown a desire to visit Equestria. He saw portions of it during his original travels to the Crystal Empire, but he was too concerned with avoiding discovery and imprisonment to be able to enjoy his time here the way a normal pony would be able to. He approached Princess Cadance with his wishes not long ago, who then informed us of his desire to visit our kingdom, and after some discussion and collaboration, we've decided to allow him to visit Equestria and tour it as any other creature should."
A guard raises his hoof. "So what does that have to do with us?"
"Since he is now a recognized citizen of the Crystal Empire now," Celestia answers, "he is subject to the legal responsibilities associated with that role. More specifically, he cannot legally enter Equestria without a passport from the Crystal Empire. He has two of those now; one is for himself in his native form, and the other is for a disguise he has created for himself that Princess Cadance has allowed him to use."
"In addition to this, we are also going to be giving him a letter that states his current status in relation to Equestria."
"His current status?" a guard says with puzzlement.
"Yes" Celestia confirms. "We officially recognize Thorax as a diplomat for the changelings."
The guards gasp and look at each other in shock. A changeling being made a diplomat?
Celestia then steps back in to speak.
"Thorax's status as a diplomat comes with certain rights. Specifically, he is granted diplomatic immunity and pardon for his role during the incident that occurred during the royal wedding."
"I have personally questioned him in the dream realm," Luna chimes in, "and his involvement was virtually nonexistent. While he was present during those events, he did not engage in any hostile activities."
"In addition to this appointment," Celestia continues, "we have taken some time to get to know this changeling to a degree, and we consider him a friend of the crown. Any act taken against Thorax will be viewed as a slight against us, and treated as such."
The guards all look at each other with a bit of nervousness. However, there are a few stern glares mixed in as well.
Celestia decides to get to the heart of the matter. "We have called all of you here today because you will all be receiving special security protocols to follow if and when you should be approached by Thorax. These protocols reflect our decision, and failure to comply with them will be seen as an act of insubordination, which could potentially be punished with dismissal with unfavorable letter if the failure of compliance is deemed malicious and malicious enough to warrant such response."
The guards all look to each other again. They'd heard rumors that several guards in the Crystal Empire detail had received the dreaded DWUL. It branded the recipient as a no good, but was looked down upon even more by guards. Nopony in their right mind would want that.
"So," Celestia says with a desire to wrap up the meeting, "you will each be given the protocols to follow when meeting Thorax for the first time. He has also been given protocols to follow, and he will be held accountable if he does not follow them himself. You will take these protocols back to your posts and inform your subordinates of this situation."
Princess Luna then stepped forward, a remorseful look across her face. "We must also swear all of you to secrecy about this matter as well."
The guards again look to each other with confusion and uncertainty. Princess Luna then elaborates.
"This action is not something we are taking lightly. Concealing this information to only the ponies in this room, and by extension the members of your respective guard posts, is a lot to ask for. We ask this of you because we fear that this information leaking out could very well start a panic among our subjects."
"Worse yet, this information could be misinterpreted by ponies and cause problems that even we could not foresee. In addition to that, the news getting out would eventually find its way back to the changelings and their queen, and they might use it to plot an attack against Thorax, or plan another attack against Equestria."
"It is for these reasons that we must ask you to keep this information to yourselves and not disclose it with anypony besides the members of your post, that you must then swear to secrecy as well so we can guarantee the safety of our subjects."
The guards look between each other for several moments. Eventually, one of them steps forward.
"My duty is to protect the citizens of Equestria from harm," the guard says to the princesses, "and if keeping them from learning this information will help keep them safe, then I suppose I shall have to swear that I will not disclose except to those that I must."
Another guard steps forward and gives a similar speech, promising to keep the information to themselves and their respective guard post. A third follows suit, followed by a fourth. Soon, almost all the guards in the room have sworn to keep the information that they've learned to themselves.
Despite this, there are a few guards who don't immediately step forward to pledge loyalty by keeping the information secret. Two of them have a short conversation between themselves.
"I don't trust this" one says to the other.
"I don't either," the second replies, "but what can we do?"
"Find a reason to arrest that changeling" the first spits out almost automatically.
"With the changeling being a diplomat?" the second responds in surprise.
"I'll find something to stick to it that'll take" the first retorts.
The second thinks about arguing the point, but decides to drop the matter. "Fine. You can try to pin the diplomat for something. I'm gonna do like I always have and keep the riff raff at my post to a minimum."
The first looks at the second with a small sneer. "Yes, keep on doing what you have. You'll go far in your position if you do." The pony goes to walk away, but a magic field grabs them and turns them to face the second.
"I do my job the way I do so that I don't have to worry about my post," the second responds with a pointed hoof at the first, "and if you did your job half as well, you wouldn't have to worry as much either."
Releasing the first guard from their grip, the second pony steps forward to swear an oath to the princesses too. The first guard huffs as they join all their fellow guards in agreeing to be sworn to secrecy about the changeling and the impact the information could have on the cities and towns they are placed in charge of.
Present Day in Detrot
Thorax disembarked from the train, his luggage loaded onto a trolley by some unicorns working at the station. After thanking them and giving a tip in some bits, Thorax took hold of the trolley's pull cord in his mouth and proceeded to the first stop on his visit: The Equestria-Crystal Empire security and customs office.
The small building was not attached to the station, but was added to the concrete slab that served as the platform for ponies boarding and getting off the train. There were some ponies in line already, so Thorax took his position and waited. As he did, he thought about what he'd been told about Detrot.
According to the history lessons from Sunburst, the city was once a small town built on the shore of a large lake which provided water for the ponies who settled there. After a few years, the town boomed with the discovery of some nearby deposits of iron ore, which were quickly mined and used in the crafting of steel and some other metals. The mine ran for years before it had been played out, but by that point, the ponies who had grown rich from the operation had wisely invested in other business ventures and had grown the town into a proper city.
In the years before the reappearance of the Crystal Empire, Detrot had been suffering from a recession and many ponies had lost work. Now, with the empire's return, the city was on an upswing, getting more economic contributions from a revitalized tourist trade.
Of course, trade would not be limited to legal things. Soon enough, illegal trades, such as unlicensed exotic pets, would become a common occurrence at the newly christened border city. In a preemptive effort to combat this, Princess Celestia ordered a mandatory customs and security checkpoint be established at the Detrot train station. A structure was built there immediately, but rising complaints from tourists made it clear that a larger checkpoint and station was necessary. For now, ponies coming to and leaving from Detrot would have to simply put up with the delays until a newer and larger station could be built.
Thorax waited patiently as ponies slowly passed through a doorway, some voicing disgruntled complaints about their wait. Looking in through a window, he could see a metal fence set up inside with a gate for the ponies to step through, and a tall metal archway that the luggage carts were being passed through; these two metal objects were most likely magic scanners of some sort.
In front of the gate was a desk where a guard was seated. A pony would walk up to them and show their passport to him. After looking it over, he would stamp a page in the passport and hand it back to the pony, who would go through the gate and pick up their luggage.
As Thorax watched this, he became nervous. When it was his turn, would things go smoothly? Would the guards give him a hard time when they saw his paperwork?
He'd hoped not. After all, Princess Celestia and Luna both said in their letter that the guards that didn't follow the protocols would possibly be dismissed immediately for insubordinate behavior.
Eventually, Thorax found himself inside the building and only behind about three ponies. He heard the stamp on the passport and the guard tell them to go through the gate before calling the next pony forward. Without even reading his emotions, Thorax could tell he was bored.
"He won't be bored for long" Thorax thought as he made sure he had all of his documentation ready. As soon as the mare in front of him was cleared to pass through the gate, the guard called Thorax forward.
"Present your passport please" the guard said to Thorax in a very apathetic tone ofvoice. Thorax nodded and hoofed over all of his documents. The guard looked at him with confusion at first.
"What is all of this?" he asked with a suspicious look. "All I need is a passport Why do you have two?"
"I was told to give all of that to you" Thorax replied. "The letter there explains everything."
The guard eyes Thorax for a moment before taking the letter and opening it. After about two lines of reading, his eyes go wide as he then uses some magic on the two passports. Seeing Princess Cadance's cutie mark appear on both of them, he looks back up at Thorax.
"Don't move from this spot" he tells Thorax as he quickly stands up and goes through the gate, but not before telling a nearby guard to keep an eye on Thorax until he gets back. The guard gives a nod and watches Thorax, who simply stands there nervously as he waits for the first guard to return.
The guard in question immediately goes to his superior's office and knocks on the door three times.
"Enter" a voice calls out to him.
Opening the door and stepping inside, he sees his superior sitting behind a desk going over the guard handbook. The officer, a mare, looks quite bored with her reading material and decides to put it down and look her visitor in the eye.
"What is it guard?" she asks him.
"Apologies, Commander Hawkeye," he says to her, "but that thing you briefed us about a few days ago? Well, he's here."
Hawkeye is confused for a second before she recalls the meeting she had with her subordinates. "You mean he's actually here?" She then leans closer to quietly add "The changeling?"
"Yes, ma'am" the guard replies with the nod. "He presented me with the letter and two passports like you said he was supposed to. My magic confirmed that they were legitimate passports issued by Princess Cadance herself; the seals appeared on them. I have another guard keeping watch of him until I return with your decision. I figured you would want to handle this situation personally, ma'am."
"I do" she confirmed to the guard. "Have him come here and bring his luggage. I wish to personally see all of his paperwork and belongings."
"Yes, ma'am!" the guard replies and immediately bolts out of the office and back to his post. Commander Hawkeye retrieves a bottle of amber liquid from her desk and a set of drinking glasses. Pouring a measure in one, she knocks it back and hopes it's enough to stave off her impending headache.
The guard returns a minute later and instructs Thorax to come through the gate and wait. Thorax does as instructed, and once through, is told to follow the guard to his superior's office. Falling into step behind the guard, Thorax says nothing as he's brought to a door with a brass plate on it. On it is some writing that denotes the pony who works in this office.
CMNDR. HAWKEYE - DETROT GUARD
CMNDR - DETROT SECURITY AND CUSTOMS
The guard knocks on the door and waits for a reply. After getting one, he opens the door and directs Thorax to go in. Once inside, the guard pushes Thorax's luggage through and closes the door.
The office is, for lack of a better term, spartan. There is only a desk, some filing cabinets, and a table with two chairs off to one side. On the desk are some papers and a ink and quill set made of brass.
Sitting behind the desk is a mare that looks similar to the element bearer Rainbow Dash, but with the rainbow spectrum being distinctly different shades of the same color, and if the mare combed her mane to be straight. She was a yellowish beige color and had brown and black hair. Her eyes were a bright yellow and watched Thorax as he fidgeted uncomfortably in place. On her flanks was her cutie mark: A screaming hawk.
"Sit down" she instructs Thorax, who takes a seat in one of the chairs placed in front of the desk. The mare pours another drink and knocks it back before addressing him.
"So, you're Thorax."
"I am" Thorax responds.
Hawkeye draws the shades to the windows shut, giving them as much privacy as possible. "Lose the disguise."
Thorax becomes a bit more nervous but complies, dispelling his Crystal Hoof guise in a wash of flames. He feels Hawkeye react a bit but doesn't see any sign of fear on her face. The mare in question takes another swig of the amber liquid. Putting down the glass, she looks at Thorax with a cold expression on her face.
"I'm gonna begin this with one very simple thing to say: I don't like your kind."
"Well, that much was obvious" Thorax thought, but simply kept quiet.
"Were it my decision," she continues, "I would have you locked up right now and not give it a second thought. As it stands, I have orders, and according to all the information that's been presented to me, you are attempting to have peaceful relations with both Equestria and the Crystal Empire."
"I'll keep this simple. As long as you stay in Detrot, you will be watched by my guard. You will be allowed to move in the city unimpeded, but if you make any kind of move to disappear or harm anypony in the city, you will regret that decision to your last breath."
"I had friends who were hurt during that little stunt of an invasion your hive and queen pulled, and I don't forgive easily. You will be on your best behavior in my city. Is that clear?"
"Y-Yes, ma'am" Thorax said while nodding.
"Very well," she concludes, "I believe we understand each other."
Sitting back, she pours another drink. After knocking it back, she then gives him further instructions.
"If you become aware of any changeling activity in the city, you are to report it to us immediately. Under no circumstances will you attempt to cover it up or feign ignorance. If we suspect you knew something and didn't speak up, you will be detained indefinitely until we can either prove or discredit your knowledge of the events."
"You are also to remain in that disguise you had on for the duration of your stay here. The only time it will be permissible to dispel it will be when you are in total privacy, such as when you use a non-public bathroom or you are going to bed in a room with shades drawn shut or if it has no windows."
"You are to treat everypony you meet in this city with the same respect and kindness you claim to want from them. If you fail to do as such, then you will be detained until it can be decided what should be done with you."
"These are the rules you must follow. Outside of them, you are free to move about the city in a manner that the average pony is able to. Areas where the general public isn't allowed are especially off limits to you, and if you are stopped by a guard, you are to cooperate to the fullest extent."
"Do you understand what I have told you?"
"I do" Thorax replied.
"Good" Hawkeye concludes as she produces a stamp and puts a mark on both of Thorax's passports.
"You may leave now," she tells him, "but remember: my guards will be watching you. Adopt that disguise again."
Thorax gives a nod as he returns to being Crystal Hoof and takes back his passports. After Hawkeye gives the luggage a thorough scan to check for prohibited items and finding none, she finally allows him to leave.
Once outside the office, Thorax finds the exit and makes his way out of the station. His first order of business will be finding a place to spend the night. In the morning, he would take a tour of a pony city in Equestria, but this time, doing it with the permission of the authorities of Equestria.
Thorax is officially in Equestria!
As Thorax goes about his journey, he will encounter each of the commanders for the guards stationed in the cities and towns he visits. Some will be amiable and some won't. In this instance, it's kind of in-between but leaning more towards disdainful, but trust me when I say that it can get worse in terms of their attitudes towards him.
I don't plan on having another chapter for this story ready anytime in the near future because I plan to include a piece of artwork in the next chapter of the story - Thorax's first tourist photo. As for where our favorite bug will be snapping his first selfie, here's a bit of a teaser for you all.
UPDATE 1/6/2023 - I changed the title of the chapter to reflect that there will be multiple chapters taking place in Detrot. I also fixed a formatting issue I didn't catch originally. Also, I updated the photo at in these author's notes with a newer version of the teaser image.
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Will Neighsay appear in the story?
11466574
probably, but then again as they were briefed. Thorax is classified military information so its not his business to know
11466574
11466600
I don't have any plans to include Neighsay in the story. That's not to say that couldn't change.
Hope he likes losing his job.
I hope I don't get raked over the coals for this, but let's just say I'm not enthused for yet another arc of Thorax getting framed for something and dragged through the mud. I know there has to be a lot of hardship, both for typical story structure and plot necessity given the world and circumstances, but it seems like every time the story crests a hill, the next destination is practically just labeled "Thorax torture porn", and it's getting personally exhausting.
I'm still looking forward to traveling adventures, but it doesn't exactly feel great when the authors notes foretell "even worse" circumstances, especially after the last arc.
11466776
I'm not gonna put Thorax through the ringer like I did in Part 3. That said, all of his hardships are not completely in the rear view mirror.
couldn't she ask them to keep a secret?
You all are nuts, beihg framed for something would probably just get boring for him and i am sure the author will not repeat the same thing. I am betting on pony highjinks as they try and fail over and over without him even noticing.
What i think woukd be hilarious is in one city or another his pony persona gets pulled into a 'Ling-Ding party' where he gets to see freeky ponies dress up in spadex and cheesy changling masks, talk with a horrable buzxing voices and have kinky sex. That would be funny.
The "you" in this sentence has apparently decided to follow Thorax's example and go on a tour of Equestria itself.
You know, I know it probably won't put a definite end to the whole silly "but mind control" argument...but it'd probably still be worth Equestria's while to publicize that information as far and wide as it can to everyone it can, private or public. It's not like it's sensitive information needed to be kept withheld from potential enemies--Thorax has already made clear the changelings are fully aware of these details, and it'd only serve as a deterrent for any other enemies that might resort to such tactics--and the best way to combat conspiracy theories such as this is with accurate and verifiable information, which this definitely would be, and it'd also be a bit of a morale boost as it'd be public proof that such a scenario can't just happen a second time too easily, so why not do it?
That's...not how I'd phrase it, personally, but whatever. Trying to save face still and all that.
I'm surprised the royal guard weren't briefed, or at least heard something about, a certain Feather Duster, considering how...high-profile...her arrest was. Don't even need to include all the details concerning Thorax specifically, just that she'd preemptively attacked a changeling that was otherwise doing nothing wrong because changeling, and as a result got the book thrown at her big time.
Ooh, ooh, tell them the part about how the jury was going to find Thorax innocent of all charges even without the sudden appearance of the Van Hoover evidence! That'll really get their heads to turn.
Oh, so they'd heard about that, but not about Feather who was not just directly connected with the issuing of those DWULs, she was also the chief instigator that got those guards into that spot.
Yeah, no, that's a mistake. I know they're trying to do it for Thorax's own protection more than anything else, but shrouding the matter in such secrecy only makes it appear shady as all heck when it gets out to the public anyway--which it ultimately will. The fact all of the Crystal Empire knows about Thorax (and are under no such stipulation to keep it quiet themselves) as well as the high-profile state of his recent court victory pretty much guarantees that. Besides, publicizing Thorax would only help to further normalize his presence as well as the idea of a "good" changeling in the public eye--hiding it, however, will not, and only serve to perpetuate the strong biases against him...and we've already seen plenty of examples of how far those biases can go, and it's not pretty.
Plus, telling these guards all of this but then telling them it also must be kept secret, like there's something to hide, is only going to make said guards all the more suspicious that something nefarious is up that they are being kept out of, something any anti-changeling biases will of course play right into. We've already seen this exact sort of scenario already play out before in this story, after all--you'd think Thorax's allies would have learned the lesson from that by now.
Ah, but that's politics for you, I guess.
That's a valid concern, but again, the counterarguments I already gave still make a case to going against that anyway, and besides, publicizing Thorax's existence doesn't necessarily also include publicizing every detail about who he is or, more importantly, where he is. In fact, you don't really have to tell them this is about Thorax specifically, just that it's about a non-specific changeling who's done all the same things, presented in basic detail--enough to get the point across without also making it all too easy to know the whos and wheres. It'd probably still be enough to catch Chrysalis's attention (assuming she's even interested at this point, something I'm not certain she actually would be given her non-response to it in show canon), but also not put her on the precise trail of who and extracting revenge straight away at least. Then, just keep a watchful eye on Thorax as a precaution, and...
In fact, Thorax going on his world tour would actually work to his favor in this regard, because then his whereabouts are both constantly shifting and not clear or exact at any given time...until at least the tour is over, by which time circumstances could have changed, or at least news of Thorax's existence has had enough time to settle and adjust amongst the public, removing most of the threats lying there, and let's be honest here--it's the possible threats posed by the Equestrian public that Celestia and Luna are really thinking of here, not Chryssi.
Now, now, don't be Feather Duster. If you had been told about that little affair, you'd already know going that route is both unwise and ultimately self-destructive, e.g., you'll only end up doing more harm to yourself than Thorax--not really worth it in the end.
Well, it'll still be way farther than where you'll ultimately end up in at this rate.
Can't say I can sympathize--it's a headache of your own creation, after all, so I can only hope you walk away from this thinking it was ultimately worth your while in the end.
Best way to do that is to not harm the best bug, by the way.
I mean, you wouldn't be doing your job very well if you didn't, but don't worry--I don't expect Thorax will give you any motives or reasons to act as such...assuming you don't try to...you know...invent some anyway, but as I already forewarned, that wouldn't end well for you.
Okay, that might be a small problem. Particularly as there's no way she's going to mention specifically that and then have Thorax not find himself in a situation where he would be compelled to act upon that request later.
Well...she's still being more reasonable about it than Shining has been...if only because Shining has managed to set the bar so very low, but still...small victories and all that.
11467257
And you say everyone else is nuts.
And we're off to see the world at last!
Good to see he’s encountered the firm but fair officials first rather than the corrupt ones. Their demands basically amount to having Thorax act as a good tourist should as well as things he was going to do anyway, so the only one really getting anything from this is a sense of control for the officials.
11467729
None of the guard commanders are corrupt, but let's say the term "malicious compliance" would apply to a few of them.
11467733
So will they be similar to Thorax's coworkers from his original job in part 1? Go alone with everything but are all huge jerks about it?
11467869
You're thinking of part 2, but no. Their protocols state that outright hostile behavior would face a reprimand, so the most they can do is "go to the end of the chain and bark"
11467733
I usually consider "malicious interpretation of law for personal reasons" as a form of corruption.
11468076
My point was some of the guards will act like major asshats, but Thorax won't suffer for it.
11468082
Ok thanks for the clear up
11468082
Hey, spoilers! Worry of conflict is good tension!
Unless you’re lying to redirect tension. That would be sneaky.
11468626
I'm not lying to throw readers off. However, I haven't spilled ALL of the beans
11468626
It’s not a spoiler if we already knew it.
11469242
y'know what would be hilarious? The guards harass Thorax alot, and on the outside it looked like bigoted guards are targeting a poor defenseless Crystal Pony and they can't out him unless they want to get hauled away for treason/exposing government secrets
11471197
why do you think he was pulled into the commander's office?
11471209
yeah thats just one where they try to be subtle. But you know as much as I do the royal guards are just as stupid as their captain