//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 - Greetings // Story: Not Just A Bug 2 : Not Just One // by Bringiton6611 //------------------------------// (Make Yourself Known) (Stick To The Shadows) This is such a bad idea... but it is my job to find changelings, and that means confronting them, as much as I would rather just keep walking, but that's not a option. Retrieving my stuff, I slowly stand up and look at the camp. The two changelings are still sitting by the fire, still talking about who knows what. One of them stops talking and starts walking toward the tent they have, I have to catch them before that one goes. Here goes nothing... I slowly walk forward and put my hands in the air in front of my chest. If things go bad, I have my knife in my pocket. Yes, I can get it in time, I have quick reflex's. I'll just have to hope that they're quick enough. "Hello?" The changeling by the fire immediately stood up and charged their horn at me, while the other one, halfway in the tent, acts like they just shit their self. So there's a tough one, and a not so tough one that reminds me of Thorax, but not so much. Thorax isn't a female, and that yelp sounded a lot like a female. "Take it easy..." I say. I really don't want to get shot...again. "Who are you?" The tough one asks me, not breaking eye contact with me. Okay then, two can play at that game. Show no weakness. I respond staring right back. "My name is David, I was sent here the royal guard to find changelings to-" "-lock up, right?" He cuts me off. "No thanks. I don't feel like rotting and starving in a prison cell." "No, just to bring them back to the Crystal Empire, to give them shelter, and a chance." "Heh, a chance? Yeah, right. You expect use to believe that? How stupid do you think we are?" While I could be a smart ass and say something I might, and will regret, no matter what a say, but I don't want to piss him off. There goes something I really wanted to say... "You haven't given me a reason for me to think you're stupid. You're clearly not if you managed to hide this camp so well. The only reason I found it was because it was straight in my path." "... How do we know your really part of the guard? You're not a pony, clearly, and you could be one of those bastards that's been hunting us. You're going to have to give us proof. A lot of it." So swearing does exist in this world. I thought otherwise because I have not heard a single person swear in this world. I guess I have to watch what a say in front of Flurry. NOT because I've done it before, mind you. Well shit.... what the hell I'm I supposed to do? I have nothing on me... wait... "I know about those ponies that have been hunting you, they attacked me and my group and caused us to get separated. Don't believe me? They use bow and arrows, and one of them shot me in the leg. Do you think they would attack each other?" The changeling's eyes looked down to my leg, and saw the bandage, which now had a little blood seeping through. "I know you..." I hear a new female voice say. I look up and see that the other changeling had spoken up. "In the woods, I saw you on the other side of a-" "-Old fence." The changeling nodded. The other looked surprised. "When was this?" "A few hours ago, when I went out to search for anything useful." There was a blood trail... "I saw some blood on the ground once I got through the fence with my group, was it yours?" "...Yes. I ran into a group of those hunters, (Last Of Us flashbacks) and of their arrows it my in my leg. I was lucky I was able to hide from them." She turn to her partner, "If he was one of them, he would've been with them. They never go anywhere alone." "... Okay, so maybe your not a hunter, but your still not a guard, and even if you are, how can we trust you?" What can I say? I can't say that much to... wait... yeah, that might work. "Does the name Thorax ring a bell?" Bingo. They both look surprised. "Where do you know that name?" "Thorax is a changeling just like you. He's kind of shy, nervous, and didn't want to do the invasion of Cantorlot. He's my best friend and was the first living thing that didn't try to kill me when I meet him." I don't want to mention Twilight, so I'll leave her out. "He was one of the members in my group that I was separated from. Still don't believe me?" The Changeling that is holding me at horn point looks like he wants to believe me, but can't. The other looks the same. "To prove that I'm not some asshole in the woods, and that I'm from the Crystal Empire, there's a thing in the city that protects it, right? "Yes..." "It's a crystal heart. Keeps the weather out." I'll have to thank the library and Cadence later. "And on top of that, you said you were hurt, right?" She looked caught off guard that she was just put on the spot. "Yes." "I have a first-aid kit in my bag. I can bandage it for you." ... The two looked at each other for a few seconds before looking back at me. "...Okay, I believe you." I can tell he doesn't really want to, his voice says that. "But the more eyes we have the better. If you try anything, or do anything that we don't like, you're gone." "Fair enough... do you have names?" The changeling that was threating me spoke for the two. "My name is Sean. My friend is Luo."