//------------------------------//
// Fall of a Shining Star (pt. 1) 
// Story: The War of Black Days 
// by TheBrownBrony 
//------------------------------//

	It seems like ages ago now, though it’s only been a few months. We thought Equestria had gone to hell right when the Changelings had attacked. We didn’t know what we were in for. No one had expected Rainbow Dash to go rogue and certainly no one had thought it possible that Shining Armor could die. But I saw it happen. I was there on the night the stars fell. 

“Cloudchaser, report!” Shining Armor barked. 
“No movement, sir! All quiet,” I replied. The general gave a nod and paced off.
“It’s almost like he wants the changelings to come,” Silverspeed sighed. 
“I think he does,” I told her. “And I know how he feels.” Silverspeed gave me a quizzical look. I shrugged. 
“I feel useless here. I’m a good soldier, but I got stuck in the back. I could be doing something in this war and I’m not. Then there’s Shining Armor, the next best thing to an Alicorn. If he wanted to take on legions of those monsters, I bet he could, and instead he’s as far from the fighting as Celestia could put him while other ponies are out there dying. Imagine how that must feel.” Silverspeed snorted. I took it as assent.

***

That’s pretty much how every day went. Silverspeed and I would sit up on top of our clouds and watch. Waiting for any sign of a Changeling army that would never come. We whittled away our time playing games. Sometimes we’d race. We got secure, not a mistake I’m likely to make twice. 

***

“Cloudchaser, slow down!” Silverspeed gasped. She was pushing hard today. 
“Sorry, Speedy, but that’s not how races work!” I turned around to look at her. She would gain a little bit this way, but I wasn’t worried about losing. She was already winded, sweat dripping from her nose. Her windswept mane was knotted and whipping around forcefully. The poor thing was exhausted and our set finish line was still a ways away. I turned back around just in time to jerk out of the way of the flying mass of black chiton that had appeared in front of me. The Changeling took Silverspeed instead, forcing her into a deadfall. Droplets of blood lingered in the air for a second, filling the space they’d occupied. I collected myself quickly and dove, catching them mid-fall. Silverspeed was trying to fight back, but, like I said, she was exhausted. The changeling was taking chunks out of her and the best she could do was keep it off of anything vital. I did a quick roll and swept around to take the changeling in the side, throwing it off my friend with all the force I could muster. It hissed in anger, bloody fangs standing out starkly from the black form. Silverspeed was still falling; I knew she wouldn’t be able to recover on her own. But I couldn’t leave an angry changeling at my back. I cursed myself for being too cocky to bring any weapons with me; a lone changeling wouldn’t have been much of a fight at all with my hoof-blades on. I prayed for a miracle and attacked. 
I kicked it as hard as I could but I might as well have been kicking stone through that carapace. It struck back, trying to sink its fangs into my wings and drop me. I fought harder. Every second this thing was alive was another second my friend could hit the ground. I pushed away from the Changeling, noticing an eerie silence. 
Silence. I couldn’t hear Silverspeed screaming anymore. My blood ignited.  I threw a savage kick at its back knee and was greeted with a nauseating crack. It thrust its face next to mine, shrieking, saliva that bore too close of a resemblence to bile flying into my face. I cocked my head back and smashed my forehead into its teeth. It fluttered back, dazed. I took advantage of the opportunity, rosing a little then dropping, ramming my back feet into its head. The carapace shattered, greenish ickor spraying out as it fell. It was dead before it touched the ground. I scanned the area below me as quickly as could, searching for any trace of Silverspeed. I found her as a red spot on the moorish ground. I was at her side in seconds, biting my lip so hard I could hear it crunching. I leaned next to her, and my heart leapt into my throat, hammering out a frantic tattoo. She was breathing, but it was shallow. Someone had heard my prayer, but even so, she was barely alive. I picked her up as gently as I could and carried her back to camp. I’ll never forget that flight. I still see her blood on me when I look in a mirror. 
Sentries spotted us a good fifteen minutes before we reached base; Shining Armor was waiting for us at the medical station. 
“What happened?” he asked, his voice harsh even as he levitated Silverspeed from my back, carrying her inside as steadily as he could.
“A Changeling scout,” I told him through gulps of air. 
“Where?” He whipped his head towards me with a star that could have melted metal. 
“Ten clicks south of Cloud 13, sir,” I told him. 
“How many?”
“Only one that we encountered, sir.” 
“Scouting parties are never that small. Do you think it was a straggler?” The nurses had taken Silverspeed away. More doctors were being called in. 
“No, sir, stragglers have never engaged before. This one tried to drop me while my back was turned.” He nodded. 
“I’ll send a squad to investigate. Are you hurt?” 
“Scrapes and bruises, sir,” I told him. 
“Good, then you’ll be their guide. I want any Changelings found and exterminated.”
“Roger that, sir. There won’t be any left when we’re done with ‘em.”  
“See to it, Sergeant,” he said, turning away, “dismissed.” I waited in the med-center until the squad arrived. I could still feel the fire in my veins. Those bastards had hurt my friend and I’d had every intention of making them pay for it. 

The scouting party found a few other changelings and exterminated them, like we’d been ordered.. Everypony seemed put at ease by that, but I was the only one who was happy. I’ve been told that, when I came back to base that night, covered in grime and gore, I had a smile on my face, a great big one. They were a little frightened, thought I might have lost it. They might’ve been right. Y’see, I wasn’t happy that I’d killed those Changelings, I was happy about what it meant. If they’d been stragglers, it would have meant nothing; they’d be dead and the matter would be over. The war would have been as far away as ever. But that was a scouting party, a real one, and an army couldn’t have been far behind.
*** 

“Cloudchaser,” Silverspeed said, looking up at me with a smile. Her eyes were bloodshot and she still couldn’t move, but she remembered me today; it was a step. 
“I’m here, Speedy. How’re you feeling?” 
“Hungry,” she told me earnestly. 
“I’ll see if I can get the nurses to bring you something,” I told her quickly, moving towards the door. She stopped me with a little noise of dissent. Words were still hard. I came back to her bedside. There was silence for a moment, me not knowing what to say and her unable. She just looked at me, a small smile playing on her scarred lips. There was a quiet knock at the door and Shining Armor entered. 
“How is she?” he asked gently. 
“Better,” I replied absently, “better.” 
“I need to talk to you about something,” he whispered. A look of confusion came into Silverspeed’s eyes. “Can we go outside?” 
Silverspeed made another sound of dissent. 
“She wants me to stay here,” I told him. He looked uncertain, a rare occurrence. He looked at Silverspeed, her eyes pleading with him softly not to make me leave. He relented. 
“Fine.” There was another pause. 
“Sir?” I asked, wondering if he would continue. 
“Yes,” a steely look came into his eye. “I need you for a mission. You’re the fastest flyer we have on base right now, and we know that there’s a Changeling army on its way. We need to find it. You’re the only person for the job.”
“Thank you, sir,” I said with no small amount of pride. He looked less pleased.
“We’ve been encountering more scouting parties. You won’t be safe.” 
“Sir, I didn’t join the military for the security,” I told him. He nodded. 
“Nonetheless, try not to be reckless. We can’t risk soldiers we don’t have.”
“What do you mean, sir?” I asked quizzically. 
“We both know this camp wasn’t really meant as a military installation. I’ve sent to Celestia for reinforcements, but I’ve got a bad feeling about the messengers.” I felt my gorge rise. The camp was abuzz with rumors of Shining Armor’s repeated attempts to contact the capital. He’d sent out almost a dozen pegasi. No word had returned. We all hoped they’d just been delayed, but we couldn’t be certain. 
“I’ll do my best, sir,” I told him. He nodded and we traded salutes before he left. 
“Don’t go,” Silverspeed whispered. 
“I’ll be fine,” I told her with a smile, “After all, if I disappeared, who’d be here to bother you?” She didn’t look any less worried. I laid a hoof on her arm, being careful not to apply any pressure. 
“Look after Shining Armor ‘til I get back, all right? I think the stress is getting to him.” She nodded and I left the room. I took into the air with a few gentle flaps of my wings, rising as high as I could. I flew far and wide that day, looking for any trace of Changelings. I found a couple of scout parties, making sure to stay out of sight, but the main force eluded me. 
‘How could an army hide so well?’ I thought as I flew through a stray cloud. I received no answer. 

***

The sun was resting on the horizon, preparing to fall for the night before I started back to camp. I hadn’t realized how far I’d come. There was no way I’d be able to make it back to camp before dark, but I couldn’t say I was afraid, just annoyed. If I couldn’t spot a giant, black army on an orange, craggy moor in the middle of the day, I would never be able to spot it in the night. 
The moon had almost reached its zenith before I could see camp again. It was covered in one of Shining Armor’s force-fields. Looked like I was sleeping outside. I found a secluded spot and covered up for the night, planning out my report for Shining Armor as I drifted into Luna’s realm. 
The buzzing of Changeling wings woke me. My eyes shot open, but the night was black. I was almost grateful for it. An entire Changeling scouting party hovered around me, only their eyes glowedthrough the dense night, eyes focused entirely on me. 
“Little pony, little pony,” one of them hissed, “what are you doing out here?” I’d never heard of a Changeling other than Chrysalis speaking before. Its words came out harsh and strangled. My blood curdled, but the fire hadn’t entirely left it. I stood, shaking ferociously, unable  to tell how much of it was fear.
“You’ll get nothing from me,” I told it, teeth clenched to keep from chattering. It didn’t seem to notice I’d spoken.
“Your shield can’t protect you when you’re not inside, you know,” it told me with its sickening voice, “You could be stuck out here. You could be killed.” It stuck its face very close to mine, so close I could make out the faint outline of its head, ghostlike against the night sky. It took a deep breath in and grinned menacingly. “Or worse.” I could feel myself shrink back away from that thought. I didn’t know what could be much worse than being killed, but I didn’t doubt that the Changelings did. I felt the urge to run and scream, to escape; instead, I drew back my hoof and rammed it into the changeling’s snout. 
“You don’t scare me,” I spat. My voice was quivering violently; so was the Changeling. A grim grin spread across my face, only to be swept away when I realized that it wasn’t shaking in pain; it was laughing. I’d given it my best punch and that damn thing was laughing at me. I couldn’t let that continue. 
“You hear the little pony?” it asked the others, “It is not afraid of us.” The others joined in the laughter. The sound was wrong. No natural creature made a noise like that. The only thing I could relate it to is the cough of a shovel digging into the dirt of a fresh grave. 
“That’s right!” I said louder, “I’m not afraid.” The Changelings only laughed louder. I ground my teeth, wishing one of them would come close enough for me to kill. 
“Well then,” the speaker came close again, hovering just outside my reach, “why don’t we change that?” Then there was pain. Fangs dug into my flank as chitinous hooves battered me. I threw a kick behind me, sending a Changeling flying. The others didn’t care. Some held me down; some hurt me. None of them could resist taking at least one bite. I screamed and struggled, trying to wrench myself free, but to no avail; I couldn’t escape. I sent a silent apology to Silverspeed for lying. I prayed she would forgive me. I prayed Shining Armor would avenge me. And I prayed that the Changelings would get tired soon and finish me quickly. I didn’t bother praying for a savior.
I got one anyway. Just as my voice gave out, there was a blast of violet light and the Changelings were thrown off of me. I opened my left eye- the right was swollen and crusted shut with blood- right as a white leg stomped down above me. 
“What did I say about being careful?” Shining Armor asked. I couldn’t give any reply. The Changeling replied instead. 
“Oh look, little pony prince has come to visit. Do we think it is afraid?” The Changelings let out another cascade of hideous laughter. 
“I’ll show you fear,” Shining Armor said gravely. His eyes turned as black as the changelings’ hide, made visible only by the violet ring of light around them. The Changelings stopped laughing. Shining Armor smiled and let loose of beam of that same blackness on the nearest changeling. I turned my head just enough to see its head disappear in the blast. The body stood a moment, as if a remnant of the Changeling’s will possessed it. I worried for a moment that it would continue to fight, but that fear was put to rest. It collapsed in a dense heap. The Changelings took to the sky, but none of them survived. I watched in awe as Shining Armor cut them down. I didn’t know such magic even existed. I guess when you stop relying on love and friendship to fight your enemies, a few new possibilities emerge. That was my last sight as I slipped into unconsciousness, my general showing what ponies could really do. 

***
I woke up in the med-center in a bed next to Silverspeed’s. She was staring at me, worry clearly etched into her face. I gave her a smile and a wink with my good eye; she returned it. 
“She hasn’t stopped staring at you since I brought you in,” Shining Armor’s voice came from behind me. I turned my head, my vertebrae applauding the feat as I did so. I opened my mouth to speak but he stopped me. 
“Drink something first. You won’t get much out of a parched throat,” he told me. He passed me a glass of water and I sipped it slowly. I hadn’t realized how thirsty I was until I felt the water touch my throat. It felt heavenly. Once I’d finished the cup, I pushed myself up a little in the bed, grimacing as my body protested. 
“Ready to report, sir,” I told him once the pain had subsided. He nodded seriously and listened intently as I recounted everything I could remember up to going to sleep. 
“...and you know the rest from there, sir,” I finished. 
“I see,” he thought for a moment, “but no sign of an army?” I shook my head.
“Just scouts, sir.” 
“I’ve been thinking about that,” Silverspeed spoke out. We turned to face her. She was moving well and her voice was back to normal. I couldn’t help but smile at how much better she seemed to be. 
“Continue,” Shining Armor commanded. 
“Sir, maybe they’re using some kind of shield, like you do, but instead of keeping things out, it hides them from everything.” 
“Shielding an entire army?” he asked, chuckling a little. “Only a few ponies have that kind of power, and, unless Chrysalis is with them, I don’t think it’s possible.” 
“No sir,” she protested firmly, “think about it. Everypony in the army has some kind of magic. I know most Changelings aren’t very good with it, but if they all worked together, I think they could pull it off.” Shining Armor thought about it for a second then asked, 
“If that’s true, how would you suggest finding them?” 
“Throw out a cancellation spell,” Silverspeed replied matter-of-factly. 
“Where? I don’t have the strength to cast it over all of Equestria. I’d need something to hint at where they’d be.” Silverspeed swallowed, suddenly nervous. 
“Sir,” she said meekly, “I think they’re here.” Shining Armor raised an eyebrow. 
“Explain.” 
“Well sir, I’ve been listening. Word is that their scouting parties are densest near the camp. Our messengers had to have been spotted as they left or at least one of them would have made it out of the area, right? And what about the ones that got Cloud? They would’ve been scouting for the base right? And they must’ve found it. Why stop to harass one pony when they could be reporting to their superiors?” 
“That would explain how they found me so easily last night,” I added. Shining Armor’s face darkened. 
“Why?” he asked, “Why wouldn’t they just attack?” Silverspeed shrugged. 
“Maybe they’re waiting for orders?” 
“Or maybe they’re trying to infiltrate first,” I said. “Why spend a few lives in a fight when you could win for free by replacing everypony one by one?” 
“Impossible,” Shining Armor stated, “Even if they managed to bypass all of the other security we have in place, each pony’s Pattern is unique. We’d have found at least one of them by now.” 
“Not if they’re that close, sir,” Silverspeed replied steadily, “They’d be able to watch for as long as they needed to to learn a pattern.” Shining Armor shook his head, struggling to grasp the situation. Then his eyes widened and he ran out of the room. Silverspeed and I exchanged looks and she got out of bed. 
“Can you help me out?” I asked her, struggling out of the bed. 
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” she asked, “You’re still hurt.” 
“If we’re right,” I told her, “a lot of Changelings are about to be revealed in this camp. Would it be better to be stuck here alone?” Silverspeed bit her lip, then sighed and moved to help me. We hobbled out of the med-station, asking after Shining Armor and following the trail until we caught up with him in the main watchtower at the center of camp. He was massing energy for a spell. 
Silverspeed and I just looked on, wondering what was about to happen. The tension built and the air fairly hummed with energy. Then there was a crack like thunder and a wave of violet emanated from Shining Armor, spreading in every direction. And that’s when we saw it. Less than half a mile outside of our gates, an army of Changelings greater than any we’d seen before. My jaw hung open, so did Silverspeed’s. Shining Armor remained stoic, though a single tear escaped his eyes. We forced ourselves to look away from the army and down towards the camp, which was no longer full of ponies. Changelings walked the paths as confidently as our soldiers once had. Safe and secure and undetected. 
“There- there’s no way,” Silverspeed breathed. “Are we- the only ones left?” I shook my head not ready to believe it. Then the screaming started. 
The Changelings looked around in confusion, then anger...then joy. Their wings started buzzing as they took to the skies and the screaming increased. Sounds of fighting rang out. I looked to Shining Armor. 
“General?” I asked. He returned my gaze steadily, an intense fury burning in his eyes. I saw it and I knew exactly what he was feeling, how badly he wanted to kill. It was the same thing I’d felt when Silverspeed was hurt. It was wrath.
“Stay here,” he told us. 
“We can help you fight!” I protested. 
“No you can’t,” he snapped. His eyes had gone black again. “If you try, you will be a liability. You will get in the way and you will die. Stay here unless you see a chance to escape, but do not come after me.” Then he leapt from the tower, blazing with that anti-light. 
There is only one day fixed more clearly in my memory than this one. We watched, Silverspeed and I, as Shining Armor cut down enemies, leaving nothing behind him but scorched earth and scattered remains. Hoards of Changelings descended upon him, only to melt as their hooves entered that anti-light aura. Their hisses turned to screams as they died, but they kept coming. First dozens, then hundreds. Shining Armor killed more than I could count that day, but it was not enough. They swarmed him and he fell. We watched from the tower as he was dragged away. Silverspeed pressed close against me and I could feel her shaking, or maybe it was me. Maybe it was both of us. I didn't know, I wasn't even sure if I cared; our last hope was gone.