Part IV, Chapter 7 - Leaving Detrot
Thorax had gotten back from the Cheval Factory around dinner time. He had returned to his room with what he had been told was a pizza, but it looked nothing like pizza he had seen before during his brief stop in Manehattan originally. According to the pony making it, the cheese was at the bottom on top of the crust, with all the sauce poured over top and baked until there was a crust formed on top of that.
Thorax went over to his windows and drew them shut and locked the door. Thorax decided to change out of his Crystal Hoof disguise and eat in his natural form. Before he started, he went over to the chest Princess Cadance had given him right before he left and retrieved a flask from inside it.
He dumped the contents onto the pizza and tore into it with vigor. The love was filling and lasted as he ate, but it was not quite a good substitute for love from a real pony.
He cursed himself as he thought about taking love from ponies. Sure, his friends were willing to let him feed from them, but it still caused them harm in the form of the fatigue and headaches.
In fact, there was only one time Thorax can recall when a pony that was fed on for any significant amount of time and was fine was when he had been in a mini coma thanks to Feather and Elbow. Back then, it was Brass who had been drained, but she hadn't shown any signs at the time of fatigue or headaches. Since then, she would show the same symptoms as anypony else, but was able to endure longer than a normal pony.
What made Brass so special that she could endure better than others?
Thorax decided not to think about that problem for a moment, opting to finish the pizza before it got cold. He had to confess that is was better than he thought it would be. The crust was crisp and the pie cooked just right. The tomato sauce had been well crafted, with quality produce and the right blend of seasonings. He could understand very well why ponies loved eating these.
Once he had finished, he set the pizza box down and looked over a map of Equestria he'd gotten.
The nation of Equestria was big, and Thorax figured it would take a pony weeks to cover it all. Thorax quickly found Detrot, which was roughly in the central and northern parts of Equestria. A short distance away to the west was another city called Whinnyapolis. To the east was Coltlumbus and Ponyburg.
Directly south and past a mountain range was Canterlot, the capital city of Equestria, and home to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Just past that a little bit further south was Ponyville, the town where Twilight, Spike and all of their friends lived.
Thorax had his work cut out for him. He was unsure of where he wanted to go next. One thing he knew for certain was that he wanted to have his decision made by at least tonight; he had spent a good bit of walking around to find the pizza shop and found no other interesting places to visit before moving on. Making it tonight meant that he could either leave then on an overnight train, or he could leave on the first available train the next morning.
Feeling a bit uncertain, Thorax changed back into Crystal Hoof and decided to go for a walk to clear his thoughts. He often did so back in the Crystal Empire, and he saw no reason that it wouldn't work here.
Later that night...
Thorax had packed his luggage and told the inn keeper he'd be leaving soon. On his walk, he made a decision that he would head west and make a stop in Whinnyapolis. If he had memorized the train schedule right, then the train would stop there in the morning, which meant he should book a sleeping compartment for this trip.
Stopping at the inn keeper's office to return the room key, as well as settle up the bill, Thorax made his way to the train station. As he walked, he thought about the incident at the Cheval factory, and the rather generous reward the owner had given him.
A part of him wanted to refuse it, but he thought that might've been rude. After all, according to the stallion, those two ponies were going to steal his companies secrets in an effort to undermine his business. However, another part of him questioned what he would use it for.
It certainly didn't make sense for him to get his own carriage. For one, he had nowhere to put it when it wouldn't be used, and for another, he didn't have a carriage driver to pull it or the funds to employ one.
If Thorax did want a carriage, it would've have to be small, and he would have to pull it himself.
At that moment, Thorax had a thought. He'd used a taxi here in Detrot. Could he set up his own taxi business in the Crystal Empire?
Possibly, but for now, he decided that what he would do with the voucher could be decided later.
Getting to the train station, Thorax was about to approach the ticket booth until he remembered his passports.
"Oh, crumbs!" he thought to himself. "I gotta see the commander and tell her I'm heading to Whinnyapolis!"
Looking around, Thorax spotted a guard standing off to the side and looking over the ponies in the station. He approached the guard with his passports and letter at the ready. When he got a bit closer, the guard took notice of him.
"Something I can help you with?" the guard asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
"I'm supposed to let the commander know when I'm leaving" Thorax explained, then hoofed over his passports and the letter from Princess Celestia and Luna.
The guard took it and read it over, then looked at Thorax. "You're for real?"
"Um, if you mean am I serious," Thorax said puzzled, "then yes, I am."
The guard looked it over again before giving the paperwork back to Thorax.
"Alright" he tells Thorax. "Follow me and don't do anything stupid, like try to attack me or something."
"O-Okay" Thorax replied nervously as he followed the guard to the commander's office. Once outside, the guard knocked on the door.
"What do you want?!" A muffled voice calls out through the door. "I'm in the middle of paperwork!"
"Ma'am," the guard replied, "the changeling is here to see you again."
There was silence for a few moments, then some shuffling could be heard. After a minute, the commander called out for Thorax to come inside, which he did.
"What do you want?" she asked rather curtly.
"I'm leaving tonight," Thorax answered, "and I'm heading for Whinnyapolis. I'm hoping to get there in the morning so I can find another hotel or inn to stay at."
Hawkeye's previously aggressive look turns a bit confused. "You're... telling me you're leaving?"
"Isn't that what I'm supposed to do?" Thorax countered with a bit of uncertainty, now wondering if notifying the commander was actually necessary.
As quick as the glare gave way to confusion, it returned with a heavy amount of skepticism. "How do I know that you're actually leaving?"
"Well, you could have a guard follow me the whole way to Whinnyapolis" Thorax offered.
"I can't spare the pony power for something like that," she admitted, "so I guess I'll just have to take your words at face value and hope you won't backstab us."
Thorax winced at the accusation. Hawkeye's glare softened again and she leaned back into her chair.
"You're different" she said as she regarded him. "I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."
"I'd like to think it's a good thing" Thorax tells her.
"We'll just have to see about that" she says, then leans forward to look Thorax straight in the eye.
"Well, you've kept your word so far, and you haven't went against any of the rules, so I won't keep you any longer. I'll give you a word of warning: my colleague in Whinnyapolis is a lot less tolerant than I am, so if you are really as genuine as that letter says, I would watch myself there."
Thorax gave a nod. "I, uh, appreciate the warning" he told her.
Hawkeye asked for the letter from Celestia and she put a stamp on the back of it. Handing it back to Thorax, she told him that the guards would want to see the letter, as it served as proof that it was actually him appearing in the cities. She also told him that she would let the commander in Whinnyapolis know he was coming.
Putting the letter back in his saddle bags, Thorax bid Hawkeye adieu and went to get his ticket and board the train.
Later, On the train
Thorax reserved a sleeping compartment for his trip to Whinnyapolis. He wanted to have some privacy so he could be in his natural changeling form; maintaining a constant disguise was exhausting. He would get some rest on the train ride to Whinnyapolis and wake up in time to get off the train.
As he lay on the cot in his compartment, he thought about what happened at the Cheval factory with the two stallions. He hadn't understood why, but he realized he had heard of those two stallions from Applejack, the element of honesty. According to her, they had tried many different times to swindle ponies in Ponyville, once with the aforementioned apple cider machine, and then again later on with a miracle tonic of some sort.
He hoped that those two could learn the error of their ways and find a path that kept them on the straight and narrow, but he had some doubts about that. From the simple fact that they had a reputation as tricksters and swindlers, he had to concede that they would likely attempt some other type of illegal activity once they were released from the dungeons.
Or would they go to a prison? Thorax wasn't completely sure.
Thinking of the two stallions and Applejack's story also had him thinking of the mare, and all of her other friends. With him visiting Equestria, Thorax would get to visit with each of them again, and perhaps this time, he could get to know them better and become actual friends with them. It was a nice thought, and one he hoped he could make it a reality.
Before he knew it, Thorax had dozed off, and after what felt like only a few seconds to him. Apparently, he was a bit more tired than he thought.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Thorax jolted awake as he heard the sudden knocking. Still a little bit groggy, he looked around to find the source of the noise. He eventually figured out that it was coming from the door, as he heard the sound again. This time, it was accompanied by a voice.
"Sir?"
Upon hearing it, Thorax realized it was the train conductor.
"Uh, yes?" Thorax responded.
"I just wanted to make sure you were awake in time" the conductor called through the door. "The train will be arriving in Whillyapolis in about fifteen minutes. I figured you'd want the time to gather your belongings and prepare to disembark."
"I'm just glad I locked the door so you didn't barge in on me sleeping" Thorax thought as he shook the mental cobwebs free from his mind. "Thank you, sir. I'll be ready in a few minutes."
"Take your time" the conductor called back. "Like I said, we're about fifteen minutes out, so you've got time to gather your belongings and give yourself a quick brushing."
Hoofsteps could be heard walking from the door as the conductor moved on to the next compartment. Once he was sure that the conductor couldn't see, and nopony else was approaching, Thorax donned his Crystal Hoof form and gathered his luggage.
Thorax stepped off the train platform into a rather opulent station. The building was made from ornate, large stones, clearly meant to stand the test of time. There were several platforms with rail lines that went in many directions. Some went to Canterlot and cities south of Whinnyapolis, while others moved to the east and back in the direction of Detrot.
There were also lines running to the west and northwest, which were the ones he'd be using after he had seen all there was to see in Whinnyapolis. In truth, he wouldn't have known to travel in that direction if he hadn't had his map, and he wouldn't have decided to travel that way if he hadn't read it during his walk in Detrot.
In that direction was a place Thorax very much wanted to visit: Van Hoover.
The city held a great deal of significance to him. After all, it was the police force there that proved his innocence during the trial against him for foalnapping and assault. If he was lucky, he could get to thank the ponies responsible face to face, perhaps even doing so without having to wear a disguise.
He shook the thoughts from his mind as his thoughts led him to taking care of his first priority in Whinnyapolis: a hotel room. He knew he wouldn't spend a lot of time in the city; perhaps a bit more than one day. He wanted to find a hotel so he could have a place to rest after his "day out on the town".
Before he could do that, however, he needed to find the guard commander for Whinnyapolis. Unlike Detrot, there wasn't an immediate customs desk right inside the train station. That meant he'd have to find-
"You!"
The sudden loud voice caused Thorax to flinch. Turning around he saw a guard approaching him.
"Or I could just wait for a guard to find me" Thorax thought as the pony stopped and glared at him.
"Where is your letter and your passports?" the guard questioned asked rather curtly.
Thorax blinked for a second before realizing this pony was aware of what he was and what he was supposed to do. Immediately, the changeling produced the requested documents and gave them to the guard. After looking them over, the guard looked back at Thorax.
"Follow me" he commanded as he turned and headed off in the direction of some doors in the wall, likely for offices for different personnel who worked at the station. As they walked, Thorax could feel the contempt coming off of this stallion. If his voice hadn't already been an indication, the guard didn't like Thorax, and was quite displeased with what he had to do.
The two approached a door and the guard knocked on it three times.
"Yes?" a voice called out from inside.
"He's here" the guard told the voice. "You demanded to see him as soon as he arrived."
There was silence for a few moments before the voice gave a reply. "Send him in."
The guard opened the door and gave his head a quick jerk towards the door. Thorax just walked inside, the guard following him through.
The office was similar to Hawkeye's back in Detrot; they probably all looked the same because of some kind of guard regulation about areas of official business or such. That said, there were a few personal trinkets scattered about the room. Mostly personal photos, as well as a few plaques and varios awards.
One item, however, did stand out.
It was a poster on the wall. On it were the silouhettes of pegasi flying through the air in the background. In the foreground was a pegasus stallion. His charcoal muzzle could be seen through an opening in the skin tight suit he was wearing. His eyes were covered by a pair of goggles, so it was hard to say what his eyes looked like.
As Thorax looked at the poster, he realized what it was. This was an advertisement for a Wonderbolts acrobatic flight show, but according to the dates at the bottom, the show had long since been performed.
"Changeling."
The tone of voice ran ice cubes up Thorax's back. He turned to face the voice addressing him.
It was a stallion, and more specifically, a charcoal colored one. Looking back and forth between the poster and the stallion, Thorax realized they were the same pony. He had a blonde mane and golden yellow eyes. He was wearing a jacket similar to what Prince Shining Armor had taken to wearing as captain of the royal guard, only this one was a dark blue and had different medals pinned to it.
"Lose the disguise and sit down" he commanded.
The authority his voice shook with made Thorax obey immediately, losing his Crystal Hoof form and finding a chair to plant his flank in. The commander took a seat behind his desk once he had gotten the passports and letter from the guard.
"So, this is for real then" he commented dryly as he set the passports and letter onto his desk. "Hawkeye told me you were coming, but I didn't believe you'd actually show. I guess we have our first official piece of evidence that a changeling can keep its word."
Thorax could feel the hate in each word. It was honestly starting to dash his hopes that this trip would go well or that guard interactions would improve in any meaningful way.
"I'll cut right through the fat" he continues. "I don't like you in the slightest. I had to fight your kind in Canterlot during that wedding, and rest assured, I did get several good licks in on you lot before I was pinned down."
"You lot are nothing but parasites. You just weasel your way into our towns and cities and just feed and feed and feed until there's nothing left!"
His last statement is punctuated by him slamming his hoof onto his desk, the force actually causing a few items to tip over.
"As it stands," he continues, "I am a guard that was sworn to do my duty with integrity and honor. Since the princesses recognize you as a diplomat and give you immunity, I can't just throw you in our jails and leave you to rot for no reason other than you are what you are."
"So, I give you this one, very clear warning: Do not do a damn thing here in this city. I've been charged with protecting it and its citizens, and I have no intention of allowing anything to happen to anypony on my watch."
The stallion grabs a stamp and puts a seal on the back of the letter Pricess Celestia gave Thorax. A closer look reveals the two stamps being nearly identical: A shield with a sun and moon on it, with a ribbon going across the bottom part of the shield.
The only difference was that on one ribbon it said Detrot, and the other said Whinnyapolis.
"There's your papers" the commander said as he threw them towards Thorax. "I have a few rules you'll need to follow while you're here."
"One - No feeding on ponies. They already told me about your little 'love potion' collection. If it means my citizens are safe, go get drunk off it for all I care."
"Two - If you see a changeling, REPORT IT! If I find out you were covering for one of your hivemates, you'll wish you'd never had your egg laid."
"Three - A guard will be watching you at all times. If you make an effort to evade the guards following you, you will be found and arrested."
"Last - No disguises besides that Crystal Pony one you came in here with. The guards have ways of finding changelings in disguise."
With his rules finished, the commander turned and looked out the window behind him, his hoof creating a slight gap in the blinds over top of it.
"You may leave now" he said curtly as he moved from the window to a cabinet where a bottle of amber liquid and some glasses were sitting.
Deciding not to test the pony's patience any longer than he already had, Thorax grabbed his documents and stood up. As he did, he looked down at the desk and saw a brass nameplate with the commander's name on it.
Steel Wing, Commander, Royal Guard - Whinnyapolis Division
Thorax made a note of the name and put his passports in his saddle bags. Looking at a clock, he realized he would need to find a hotel room so he could take a potion for the day, so he left the commander's office as quickly, but as calmly as he could.
After Thorax left, Steel Wing downed a glass of the amber liquid and shuddered at the burn in his throat. While he didn't show it, he had actually been a little afraid of being confronted with another changeling. His memories of the royal wedding and what happened to him coming back to the forefront of his mind.
He took another belt of the alcohol in a futile effort to calm his nerves. Regardless of how long Thorax stayed in Whinnyapolis, it was going to be a nerve wracking time for the commander.
So, Thorax has left Detrot and ended up in Whinnyapolis. What shenanigans will he get up there? Well, hopefully these pieces of artwork will provide some kind of a clue.
They're part of some other artwork I am going to include when I post the next chapter for the story.
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At least she's quicker to catch onto that than...well...most.
You mean the one and only, the biggest and the best
The unbelievable
Unimpeachable
Indispensable
I-can't-believe-able
Flim Flam Brothers' Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000!
And by which you mean The Flim Flam Miracle Curative Tonic
which is just what the doctor ordered, I'm sure!
...Look, if there's one thing that can be said about Flim and Flam, they could whip up some really great and catchy songs.
Well, they do have this resort they're supposed to be free to run in a couple of seasons...
Oh really? Well, Thorax...I do happen to know of this lovely little books and stationery shop out that way that you could always visit while you're there...
Instead of letting the horseshoe drop, can we just catch it and hurl it back at 'em for a change?
Actually, we already have quite a laundry list of evidence of that--would you like to see? Or would you rather remain in the hole in the ground you've been burying your head in?
This wouldn't happen to be that same guard from back when the princesses filled in the guard on the Thorax matter, the one who was ready to openly defy orders just so to one-up anything labelled as "changeling," would it?
...and yet, why do I get the feeling this guy will still manage to come around to Thorax well before Shining Armor does?
At least, not without risking the same for himself. And of course, his own skin (and career) is ultimately more important.
Yes, but as usual, I have immediate doubts over whether or not those methods have actually gotten any serious field testing as of yet.
In any case, this is at least pretty much exactly the same rules Thorax had been given in Detrot, almost verbatim in fact, and seeing that ultimately proved to be no problem for Thorax there, I suspect it won't be again here.
...excepting that "report other changelings" aspect, but as I recall, I already commented on that in length back in Detrot, so I won't repeat it here.
...also, the fact he has to pretty much order Thorax to report other changelings they haven't detected...just proves my earlier point that the aforementioned "ways of finding changelings in disguise" isn't actually solid.
But I digress.
Darn it, Thorax, you're driving all these ponies to drink!
Please do not make EVERY commander like that... It would make the story very boring and depressing. Not trying to be rude, but it is better to have multiple character archetypes then stick to one.
Let me guess, his letters to sunbursts or such will be intercepted , think they're spy letters or other bs. I hope Thorax does grew a spine and report the harassment or well.. the fact locals can see a poor lost Crystal Pony being watched by guards.. rumors will spread XD
11512111
They won't be.
11512125
Despite the reputation they've garnered, the guards in the cities are capable of surveillance without being obvious. As far as letters go, they'd have to somehow prove that the contents are somehow an encrypted message, and I'm sure we'd all like to see them prove that.
Of course, the whole loan sharking operation that got Thorax implicated in foalnapping and assault charges operated on a type of coding sent through the telegraph.
Cool artwork! And can't wait to see what Whinnyapolis has in store for our bug!
11512801
yeah, as subtle as that one guard who called him out loudly to come to the guard office. XD