In Service of The Crown

by A Winters Rose

Chapter 1

I couldn't have felt more proud, happy, or accomplished in my entire life. As I stood at attention in front of a crowd of what must have been a hundred ponies, I could only smile in astonishment as Princess Celestia herself gave a speech. A speech that addressed nopony else but me!

"...and as such, in light of her heroic actions and her expert qualifications, I, Princess Celestia, hereby award the title 'Director' of the newly formed Royal Oversight Agency, to Violet Codexa!"

The crowd cheered and stomped their hooves after the declaration. Soon after, I was awarded a separate medal that was announced prior, had a couple photos taken, then led off stage to get the paperwork started. That was about 30 minutes ago.

"So, was that everything then?" I asked, looking up at the old mare. She wore glasses and looked to be in her 80's at least. She was the crown-assigned legal expert who was helping me throughout the process.

"Yes, yes... that was the last paper I think, let me just take a look here..." The old mare went back to flipping papers slowly, reading them over once more.

Increasingly loud hoofsteps sounded off from the position of the office's entrance, announcing a new pony having entered.

"Ms. Codexa, I hope you are aware of the responsibility of the position you were just given. It's going to be more than writing a few signatures to get things set up properly. Not to mention, I happen to have some experience in the area, I basically had to create the Crystal Guard from scratch. Are you sure you don't want my help?"

The pony who spoke up was none other than Captain Shining Armor of the Royal Guard. I guess he just let himself in, not that it was a problem or anything.

"I appreciate the offer, Captain, I really do. But if Princess Celestia believes I can do this, then so do I. I'm going to do my best to make her proud."

Shining Armor smirked. "Well, you don't need to worry about that, I'm pretty sure you already did. Good work again, by the way. If it wasn't for you going off and doing your own investigation, who knows what could have happened? Ponies like him aren't common, but you never know when they do decide to pop up."

"Yeah, you're telling me." I sighed. "Director Silv-"

"Former Director." Shining interrupted.

"Right... former Director Silvious wasn't that great at keeping his tracks hidden anyway. You would think the Director of the Equestrian Intelligence Agency would be better at keeping secrets. I don't really blame him though, he probably thought anypony who did find out what he was up to would be insane to stand up to him."

"And he was right! Insane enough to do a raid in his private residence without approval or backup!" The words that came out of Shining Armor's mouth may have been a bad look for my reputation if written on paper, but his tone and playful grin suggested I was in the clear on that small topic.

"And that's why I'm sitting here, and this time I'll have more backup and approval than I know what to do with, so there's no need to worry."

"Of course. But still, creating a new agency by yourself is just-"

"Shining Armor, please. I was in the EIA, remember? The ROA won't be much different in process. But instead of spying on the whole country, I'll just be spying on ponies in power. Honestly, it should be a breeze in comparison. Besides, I won't be alone, I'll have my subordinates do all the heavy lifting."

There was a brief pause in conversation for a few moments, which had me slightly concerned. Shining Armor was looking away with a slight frown, seemingly thinking something over in his head. I thought over our conversation again, but I didn't find anything out of place, so I just gave him some time.

The old mare coughed to get my attention. I admit, I forgot she was there for a moment.

"Everything here looks to be in order, you can leave these here with me and I'll get everything else taken care of." She said, tapping a stack of papers with her hoof.

"Ah, thank you very much, ma'am." I nodded in thanks.

"No problem. You take care now!"

"Will do!"

I got up from my seated position and headed to the closed door to make my way out of the room. Before I did, I stopped and looked around, blinking in confusion. Did Shining Armor leave? I didn't hear him make an exit. Our conversation ended at an unsatisfactory note, so I hoped we could continue, but I guess that route was closed off now. I had some more pressing matters to pursue regardless, such as getting the keys to my new agency's headquarters.

As I trotted down the hallway, my hooves echoing against the polished marble floors of Canterlot Castle, the weight of my new responsibility settled upon my shoulders. Director of the Royal Oversight Agency. The title still felt foreign on my tongue, like a spell I hadn't quite mastered yet.

Princess Celestia's words from the ceremony replayed in my mind: "...her heroic actions and her expert qualifications..." I couldn't help but feel a swell of pride, quickly followed by a twinge of anxiety. I had uncovered corruption at the highest levels of the Equestrian Intelligence Agency, yes, but creating and running an entirely new agency? That was uncharted territory.

The ceremony itself had been a blur of faces and flashing cameras. I remembered the warmth of Princess Celestia's smile as she pinned the medal to my chest, the thunderous applause that followed her announcement. It was surreal, standing there in front of so many important ponies, all looking up to me.

As I approached the office where I was to receive the keys to the ROA headquarters, I paused, taking a deep breath. The conversation with Shining Armor lingered in my mind. His offer of help had been genuine, I knew, but I couldn't shake the feeling that accepting would be admitting I wasn't up to the task. And that was something I refused to do.

"You've got this, Violet," I muttered to myself, squaring my shoulders. "You didn't get this far by doubting yourself."

I couldn't afford to have any negative thoughts, they would just be distractions. I had a job to do, an important one. Ponies were counting on me to keep the power structures of Equestria honest and transparent. It was a daunting task, but one I was determined to see through.

As I accepted the keys from the administrative pony behind the desk, I felt a renewed sense of purpose. This was more than just a job or a title. This was a chance to make a real difference, to protect the ponies of Equestria from those who would abuse their power.

"Thank you," I said, my voice steady as I took the keys. They felt heavy in my magical grip, a tangible symbol of the trust placed in me.

Stepping back out into the hallway, I took a moment to gather my thoughts. The path ahead wouldn't be easy, I knew that. There would be challenges, obstacles, and probably more than a few ponies who wouldn't be happy with my investigations. But I was ready. I had to be.

As I walked, my mind was already racing with plans. I needed to set up protocols, establish lines of communication, recruit trustworthy ponies... The list seemed endless, but instead of feeling overwhelmed, I felt invigorated.

With that thought, I trotted confidently down the streets of Canterlot, following the directions to the address I'd been given for the ROA Headquarters. As I turned the final corner, my eager smile faded into a look of disbelief.

Before me stood a dilapidated two-story office building that had clearly seen better days – possibly a century ago. The paint was peeling off in large chunks, revealing weathered wood underneath. A few of the windows on the upper floor were cracked, and the front door hung slightly askew on its hinges.

"This... this can't be right," I muttered, double-checking the address on the paper I held in my magical grasp. But there was no mistake. This sad excuse for a building was indeed the official headquarters of the Royal Oversight Agency. I squinted at the paper, noticing a smudge over part of the address. Had I misread it? No, surely not...

Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the creaky door and stepped inside. The interior was no better than the exterior. A thick layer of dust covered every surface, and what little furniture remained was old and worn. A desk in the corner looked like it might collapse if somepony so much as breathed on it too hard.

"Okay, Violet, don't panic," I said to myself, my voice echoing in the empty space. "This is just a... a minor setback. Nothing we can't handle."

I immediately set about trying to rectify the situation. I attempted to contact the castle's cleaning staff, only to be informed that they weren't authorized to work on external buildings. Next, I tried to arrange for new furniture, but hit another roadblock – apparently, I hadn't been given a budget to work with.

"What do you mean, no budget?" I asked incredulously to the pony on the other end of the magical communication spell. "How am I supposed to run an agency without funds?"

"I'm sorry, miss... but we have no accounts registered for the ROA... no statements or requests from the crown... or anypony else for that matter... and that means no budget... I can't give you anything." A very bored sounding mare on the other line responded. Of course, she probably didn't care about anything other than her own paycheck.

The response was not encouraging. Not only did I not have a budget, but my own salary wouldn't even start until the following week. It seemed Princess Celestia had officially created the ROA without actually providing any of the necessities to run it.

"Would you like to register an account for the ROA, miss... Codexa...? We're offering a two percent discount on all withdrawal and deposit tax for the first month..."

As I ended the spell, I couldn't help but let out a frustrated groan. "Some oversight," I muttered sarcastically. "I'm supposed to be overseeing others, and I can't even get my own agency off the ground."

For a moment, I considered marching right back to the castle and demanding answers. But I quickly pushed that thought aside. No, I had been given this responsibility, and I was going to prove I could handle it – budget or no budget.

I looked around the dusty, empty room, my mind already formulating a plan. "Alright, if that's how it's going to be, we'll just have to work with what we have."

I spotted an old broom in the corner and levitated it over. It wasn't much, but it was a start. As I began sweeping, I made a mental list of everything I needed to do. Clean the place up, scrounge up some usable furniture, maybe see if I could convince some of my old EIA colleagues to lend a hoof...

It wasn't going to be easy, but then again, nothing worthwhile ever was. This rundown building might not have been what I expected, but I was determined to turn it into a headquarters worthy of the ROA.

As I worked, my initial disappointment gave way to a sense of challenge. This was just another problem to solve, and if there was one thing I was good at, it was solving problems.

"You want to test me, Equestria?" I said to the empty room, a determined glint in my eye. "Well, challenge accepted. Just you wait and see what I can do with this place."

With renewed vigor, I threw myself into the task of cleaning and organizing. The ROA might be starting from the bottom, but there was nowhere to go but up.

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows through the dusty windows, I stood back to survey my progress. It wasn't much, but it was a start. And tomorrow... well, tomorrow was another day, another chance to build something great from nothing.

The next morning found me seated at an outdoor table of a quaint Canterlot coffee shop. The warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air as I sipped from my cup, a notebook hovering before me in my magical grasp. I was determined to plan out my day, to make some real progress in getting the ROA up and running.

As I jotted down ideas and to-do lists, I couldn't help but observe the ponies of Canterlot going about their morning routines. The streets were alive with activity - merchants setting up their stalls, young ponies rushing to school, government workers trotting purposefully towards their offices.

Suddenly, a commotion down the street caught my attention. Two royal guards were in hot pursuit of a fleeing pony. My first instinct was to leap into action, but I hesitated. This wasn't my jurisdiction, I reasoned. It was probably just a common thief, and the guards had it under control.

Or so I thought.

As the guards caught up to the suspect, they roughly threw the pony to the ground. My ears perked up in alarm as I saw one of the guards rear back and kick the downed pony. They were shouting something, but I was too far away to make out the words.

That was the last straw, I couldn't stand by and watch this abuse of power. Besides, wouldn't this fall under ROA jurisdiction? Probably. I leapt from my seat and galloped towards the scene.

"Stop this at once!" I demanded, my voice ringing out with more authority than I felt. "What in Celestia's name is going on here?"

The guards looked up, startled by my sudden appearance. The suspect on the ground whimpered, curling into a protective ball.

"This is official guard business," one of the guards growled. "Move along, civilian."

I drew myself up to my full height, such as it was. "I am not a civilian. I am Violet Codexa, Director of the Royal Oversight Agency, and I demand an explanation for this excessive use of force."

The guards exchanged uncertain glances, but the one who had spoken before narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Royal Oversight Agency? Never heard of it. Where's your badge?"

My confidence faltered for a moment. A badge. Of course, I should have a badge. How could I have overlooked something so fundamental?

"I... I don't have one yet," I admitted, inwardly cursing my lack of foresight. "But I assure you, I have the authority to-"

"No badge, no authority," the guard cut me off. "Now, unless you want to be arrested for obstruction, I suggest you back off. Now."

I stood my ground for a moment longer, my mind racing. I could try to push the issue, but without any proof of my position, it would be my word against theirs. And right now, they had the numbers and the official standing.

With a frustrated growl, I took a step back. "This isn't over," I warned, even as they roughly hauled the suspect to his hooves.

"Yeah, yeah," the guard muttered, clearly dismissive of my threat. "Come on, you," he said to the suspect, giving him a none-too-gentle shove.

I watched, seething, as they led the pony away. My teeth were clenched so tight I could hear them grinding. This was exactly the kind of abuse of power I was supposed to prevent, and I had been powerless to stop it.

As I trudged back to my coffee shop table, my mind was already whirling with plans. I needed a badge, or some other official symbol of the ROA. I needed ponies to know who I was and what I stood for. Most of all, I needed to make sure nothing like this ever happened again.

I grabbed my notebook, flipping to a new page. At the top, I wrote in bold letters: "ROA PRIORITIES". Underneath, I began to list:

1. Official badges/identification
2. Clear chain of command and reporting structure
3. Re-read where my jurisdiction's outlined
4. Find out who those guards were... why didn't I ask for their names? I'm going to have a word with their commander
5. ...

The list grew longer as I wrote, my coffee growing cold and forgotten beside me. I had a lot of work to do.

As I finally stood to leave, tossing a few bits on the table for my barely-touched coffee, I cast one last glance in the direction the guards had gone. "Just you wait," I muttered under my breath. "Things are going to change around here. I'll make sure of it."

With a determined set to my jaw, I trotted up the marble steps of Canterlot's Central Administration Building. The polished brass placard beside the ornate double doors read "Office of Governmental Affairs and Civic Management." If anypony could help me get official badges and documentation for the ROA, it would be the ponies here.

As I pushed through the doors, I was immediately struck by the buzz of activity. Ponies of all types scurried about, carrying stacks of papers, engaged in heated discussions, or hunched over desks scribbling furiously. The air was thick with the scent of ink and parchment, underscored by an unmistakable whiff of stress and coffee.

I approached the reception desk, where a harried-looking unicorn mare was juggling multiple floating quills and parchments.

"Excuse me," I said, trying to sound confident. "I'm Violet Codexa, Director of the Royal Oversight Agency. I need to speak with somepony about getting official badges for my agency."

The receptionist blinked at me, her quills pausing mid-air. "Royal Oversight Agency? I'm not familiar with that department. When was it established?"

"Just yesterday," I replied, my confidence wavering slightly. "It's a new agency, created by Princess Celestia herself."

The receptionist's brow furrowed. "I see. Well, new agency registrations are handled by the Department of Organizational Structure and Nomenclature. Third floor, office 317."

"Oh, I'm sorry, but I believe it has already been registered. I did sign a lot of things..."

The other pony scratched her head. "Apologies, but I don't think it has been. I would know, all registrations come through here and we certainly couldn't miss something as big as the creation of a new agency. Well, if it has, I'm sure Organizational Structure and Nomenclature would know, and you do need badges created anyway, yes? Just head up there, I'm sure it will be handled for you."

A knot of unease began to form in my stomach. Something wasn't right here. I distinctly remembered signing all the necessary paperwork with Shining Armor present. How could there be no record of it?

"Thank you," I managed, turning towards the staircase. Had there been some kind of administrative error?

I found Office 317 easily enough. The placard on the door read "Quill Bind - Head of Organizational Structure and Nomenclature." I took a deep breath and knocked.

"Enter," called a gruff voice from within.

I pushed open the door to find an elderly earth pony stallion seated behind a massive oak desk. His mane was more grey than blue, and his cutie mark appeared to be some sort of organizational chart.

"Ah, you must be from the new agency," he said as I entered, not looking up from the papers on his desk. "I've been expecting you. Sit down, sit down."

I took a seat, watching as he shuffled through a towering stack of documents.

"Now then," he said, finally looking up at me. "I've been reviewing the royal decree establishing your agency. Quite interesting, quite interesting indeed. Tell me, do you understand the full scope of your jurisdiction?"

"I... I believe so," I said, suddenly feeling less certain. "We're tasked with preventing corruption in government entities."

Quill Bind chuckled, though there was little humor in the sound. "Oh, it's a bit broader than that, my dear. According to this decree, your jurisdiction covers 'any and all government-owned entities.' Do you realize what that means?"

As he spoke, the implications began to dawn on me. Government-owned entities... that could include everything from the Royal Guard to the weather factory in Cloudsdale, from the train stations to the schools.

"That's... quite extensive," I managed to say.

"Extensive?" Quill Bind snorted. "It's unprecedented. You're going to ruffle a lot of feathers with this, mark my words."

He wasn't wrong. Already, I could see the challenges looming before me. Every department, every official I'd need to deal with would be under my potential scrutiny. No wonder ponies had been whispering as I passed.

"Now," Quill Bind continued, "about those badges and documentation. It's not as simple as just printing them up, you know. We'll need approvals from the Department of Security Measures, the Bureau of Insignia Design, the Office of Jurisdictional Demarcation..."

As he rattled off a list of departments and offices, each with its own approval process and paperwork requirements, I felt my head start to spin. This was going to be far more complicated than I'd anticipated.

"And of course," he added, almost as an afterthought, "all of this will need to be cleared by the various department heads whose areas fall under your jurisdiction. Just a formality, you understand, but it could take some time."

I narrowed my eyes. A formality, he said, but I could read between the lines. Those department heads would be in no hurry to approve an agency that could investigate them.

"How long are we talking about?" I asked, dreading the answer.

Quill Bind shrugged. "Oh, a few weeks. Months, maybe. Hard to say, really. Bureaucracy moves at its own pace, you know."

Months? I didn't have months. Canterlot needed the ROA now, not after who knows how long of paper-pushing and hoof-dragging.

"There has to be a faster way," I insisted. "This agency was created by royal decree. Surely that counts for something?"

Quill Bind's expression softened slightly. "Listen, Miss Codexa. I understand your frustration. But you need to understand something too. You're asking for the authority to investigate some very powerful ponies. Ponies who have spent years, decades even, building their positions and influence. They're not going to make it easy for you."

I sat back, my mind racing. He was right, of course. I'd been naive to think this would be simple. But I couldn't let that stop me.

"Alright," I said, standing up. "Where do I start?"

Quill Bind smiled, a glimmer of approval in his eyes. "That's the spirit. Here's the first set of forms you'll need to fill out. And a word of advice? Make friends where you can. You're going to need them."

As I left Quill Bind's office, my saddlebags weighed down with forms and my mind heavy with the realization of the task ahead, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong. The missing paperwork, the unexpected hurdles... it all felt too convenient, too orchestrated.

The next few days passed in a blur of paperwork and frustration. I'd set up a makeshift office in a corner of the ROA headquarters, using a wobbly table and a cushion I'd brought from home. Stacks of forms surrounded me, each requiring multiple signatures, stamps, and approvals.

As I worked through the mountain of bureaucracy, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being deliberately stymied at every turn. Forms would come back rejected for the most minor of infractions – a missed checkbox here, a slightly smudged signature there. Each rejection meant starting the process over, and with each iteration, my patience wore thinner.

On the third day, I decided to take a more proactive approach. I made my way to the Department of Security Measures, determined to speak directly with the pony in charge of approving agency badges.

The department was housed in a windowless section of the administration building, its entrance guarded by two stern-faced unicorns. After a thorough magical scan, I was allowed into a waiting area that seemed designed to induce boredom and despair.

Hours passed before I was finally ushered into the office of Swift Seal, the department head. He was a pegasus with a cutie mark of a stamped document, and he regarded me with thinly veiled disdain.

"Miss Codexa," he said, not bothering to rise from behind his imposing desk. "I understand you're here about badges for your... agency."

I nodded, forcing a polite smile. "Yes, sir. I was hoping we could expedite the process. The ROA needs to be operational as soon as possible."

Swift Seal's expression didn't change. "I see. And tell me, Miss Codexa, why exactly does Equestria need yet another oversight body? Are the existing checks and balances not sufficient?"

I took a deep breath, reminding myself to remain calm. "The ROA's mandate is unique, sir. We're tasked with preventing corruption across all government-owned entities. It's a comprehensive approach that-"

"That sounds an awful lot like you'll be poking your nose into other departments' business," Swift Seal interrupted. "Including, I assume, my own?"

The tension in the room was palpable. I realized I was walking a dangerous line. This pony had the power to delay my badge approval indefinitely if he chose to.

"Our goal isn't to interfere, sir," I said carefully. "It's to ensure transparency and accountability. Surely that's in everypony's best interest?"

Swift Seal leaned back in his chair, regarding me with narrowed eyes. "Transparency. Accountability. Pretty words, Miss Codexa. But in my experience, ponies who talk about rooting out corruption are often looking to settle personal scores or advance their own agendas. How do I know you're any different?"

The accusation stung, but I refused to let it show. "I understand your concerns, sir. That's precisely why we need official recognition and clear guidelines. If you have any specific concerns about the ROA's operations, I'd be more than happy to address them."

For a long moment, Swift Seal said nothing. Then, to my surprise, he chuckled. "You're either very brave or very foolish, Miss Codexa. Possibly both. Alright, I'll tell you what. I'll expedite your badge approval – on one condition."

My heart leapt. Progress at last! "What's the condition?"

Swift Seal's smile didn't reach his eyes. "The Security Measures Department will be exempt from ROA oversight. After all, we deal with sensitive information. Can't have just anypony snooping around, can we?"

I felt my stomach drop. This was exactly the kind of corruption I was meant to prevent. But without his approval, I'd be back to square one. I needed those badges.

"Bribery, Mr. Seal? Really? The decree establishing the ROA was quite clear about our jurisdiction."

Swift Seal's smile vanished. "I see. Well, in that case, I'm afraid I'll need to conduct a thorough review of your application. For security reasons, you understand. It could take quite some time."

I left the office feeling quite baffled. How many more ponies like Swift Seal would I encounter, each demanding their own exemptions or concessions?

Back at my makeshift desk, I stared at the stacks of incomplete paperwork. I'd known this job would be challenging, but I hadn't anticipated feeling so... alone.

As the sun began to set outside my grimy window, I made a decision. If the system was going to fight me at every turn, then I'd just have to find a way around it. The ROA would become operational, with or without official badges.

I pulled out a fresh sheet of parchment and began to write. If I couldn't go through official channels, then I would make my own. I had some time to read over the officialization papers again, and as far as I knew the only ones we had to officially answer to was the crown. Besides, was it not corruption in and of itself to be hindering the people trying to stop corruption? Of course it was, and they would be dealt with in due time.

"I wonder how my friends in the EIA are doing..."

Comments

[PaintedPony]

This looks really interesting. I've enjoyed this first chapter, even though I had a bad feeling when she didn't take Shining's offer of help on this one. It's good to have a pathfinder on your side and somepony that's been there and done that. Hopefully, she gets it done, also Celestia should have had that paperwork all handled ahead of time. With one signed and officially stamped note with the simple "give her what she needs within reason" and "If I think her needs were within reason anypony interfering with her needs is going to get a stern talking to" could've gone a long way towards expediting getting it up and running soonest. Unless this is a test by Celestia, in which case not taking Shining's help was a big mistake.
I am looking forward to more. Have a like and a follow.