//------------------------------//
// Changing Tack 
// Story: My Little Investigations: Wonderbolts Under Fire 
// by Metool Bard 
//------------------------------//


January 14, 17:07
Wonderbolt Academy
Spitfire's Office
***


"Wait, he what?!"

"Trust me, I'm not happy about it, either," I told Blaze. "But, that's apparently what happened.  The assassin tried to kill Rapidfire and frame Fleetfoot at the Wonderbolt Derby."

Blaze snorted and shook her head. "That son of a bitch," she spat. "Another attack is one thing, but trying to pin it on one of us is just low.  The Wonderbolts don't hurt each other like that."

"At least not intentionally," I said. "Further proving my point that this guy lacks subtlety.  He could've just as easily made it look like an accident, but he chose to make it appear deliberate."

"Why would he do that?" Blaze inquired. "Does he think you're stupid or something?"

"Actually, I don't think so," I said, shaking my head. "If anything, this attack proves my tactician theory."

"How so?"

"I think he knows that I'm onto him."

Blaze gave me a worried look. "What makes you say that?"

"This particular assassination attempt breaks the pattern that he established with the previous two attacks," I said. "Before, his attacks were painfully obvious.  He caught me off-guard, but it didn't take me long to figure out that he was behind them.  This time, he was trying to be subtle and throw me off the scent by blaming somepony else.  He failed miserably, but the attempt alone proves that he knows somepony is trying to catch him."

"But it doesn't prove that he thinks it's you," said Blaze. "For all he knows, it could be that Mare-Do-Well weirdo."

That was actually a good point.  While he wasn't leaving any clues for me, I wasn't exactly leaving any clues for him, either.  He had no real way of knowing that I was trying to find him unless he was spying on me.  And with Mare-Do-Well stalking me, I highly doubt that any assassin could pull that off for long.  Even so, this scenario just made too much sense for me to disregard.

"My point still stands, Blaze," I said. "The assassin is readjusting his strategy to cover his tracks."

"So, what do you plan to do about it?" asked Blaze.

"I was hoping I could get your help on that one," I said, pressing my hooves together. "I mentioned before that we need to form a counterattack.  Trouble is, I'm not entirely sure what that attack would entail."

"Yeah, that's a tricky one, alright," said Blaze thoughtfully. "This guy is already one step ahead of us, and he can adjust his plans on the fly.  There isn't exactly a strategy to counter something like that."

"Then we have to think of one.  Because I'm not planning on just sitting on my hooves and waiting for him to try again," I said firmly. "I've had enough of that."

"I hear you," said Blaze with a nod. "So, where exactly should we start?"

"Like I said before, our best bet it to play off of his lack of subtlety," I said. "When he attacks, we'll know it.  After that, it's just a matter of reacting to it quicker than he can react to our countermeasures."

"So the plan is to, not have a plan," said Blaze, raising an eyebrow. "Uh, no offense, Sis, but that sounds stupid."

I sighed. "I know, but it's the best I've got," I said. "The problem is that I always figure him out either after the attack or while he's attacking.  I have no way of knowing when he's going to strike."

"There is one pattern I found, but I don't think it helps," said Blaze.

"Lay it on me anyway."

"It seems that he's only attacking one Wonderbolt per day," said Blaze. "After one attempt, he calls it quits until the next sunrise."

Blaze was right; it didn't help.  If anything, it made things worse.  One attack per day meant that once I got out of bed, I had to be on pins and needles until it happened.  It was almost as if this schmuck was going out of his way to make me lose my Celestia-damn mind.  If he is onto me, it's a smart tactic.  Or it would be if he knew anything about me.

Then a thought hit me, and it shook me to my very core.

"Blaze, we need a plan now," I said, intensity in my voice.

"Wh-why?  What's wrong?" Blaze asked.

"If this pattern you brought up is correct, that means he plans to attack at the Ghastly Gorge Gauntlet," I said darkly. "If that happens, the political fallout won't be pretty."

Blaze swallowed. "Yeah, I see what you mean," she said glumly. "But that doesn't change the fact that we're in a major rut here.  How exactly do we outsmart a guy who keeps catching us off-guard?"

That statement sparked something in my mind. "Wait, Blaze.  I-I think you're onto something."

"Um, I am?" said Blaze, giving me a blank stare. "What are you talking about, Sis?"

"Let me ask you something, Blaze," I said. "Do you know anyone who keeps catching ponies off-guard?"

"You mean besides this prick?"

"Don't get cute with me, Blaze.  I'm being serious here."

"Right, sorry," said Blaze, pausing to think for a moment. "Well, there is always Surprise, but..."

She trailed off for a moment, and her face lit up like a Hearth's Warming tree. "Oooooh~!  Now I get it!  Who better to fight an unpredictable dock-hole than the Queen of Unpredictability herself?"

"Bingo," I said with a self-mocking smirk. "Honestly, I don't know why I didn't think of this before.  It's actually pretty obvious."

"We'll need to brief her on everything," said Blaze. "Shall I go get her?"

"By all means," I said. "Just one thing."

"What's that?"

"Let's keep Mare-Do-Well between you and me, alright?  I don't want Surprise to lose focus."

"Got it," said Blaze with a salute. "I'll be back in two shakes of a pony's tail!"

With that, she was off like a shot.  I couldn't help but smile to myself.  If this guy thought I was an idiot, I was about to prove him wrong.  It was time for me to bring out the big guns.


***


A few minutes later, Blaze came back alone.  I raised an eyebrow.

"Where's Surprise?" I asked.

Blaze looked behind her, and became equally confused. "I dunno.  She was behind me a second ago..."

"SURPRISE~!"

I don't know why I expected anything different.  As was her wont, Surprise appeared out of nowhere and yelled right into my ear.  As I recovered, I noticed that she actually came in through the window.

"You wanted to see me, Cap?" Surprise asked with a salute.

"Um, yes," I said, clearing my throat and composing myself. "Now, listen carefully, Surprise.  I have something to tell you, but you have to promise me not to tell anypony else on the team.  This is between you, me, Blaze, and the security detail.  Understood?"

"That's a big ten-four, Cap," said Surprise with a nod. "Your secret is safe with me."

"Good," I said. "Now then, let me ask you something.  Remember the attack yesterday?"

"The one with all the fireworks that were misused?"

"Yes, that one."

"What about it?"

I took a moment to readjust my shades. "I have reason to believe that whoever was behind that attack was also behind the thunderbolt that attacked Misty Fly," I said sternly.

Surprise frowned. "Really?"

"Yeah," I said. "Also, did you hear about the incident at the Wonderbolt Derby today?"

"I just heard about it from Wave Chill.  He said you really read Fleetfoot the riot act," said Surprise, looking at me with sad eyes. "She's not in trouble, is she Cap?"

"Not the kind you're thinking of," I said. "See, I think that incident also had something to do with the same guy behind the previous two attacks.  The point I'm trying to make is that someone is trying to take us out, and we need to stop him."

"How do you know it's a boy?" asked Surprise with a shrug. "It could be a girl."

That's the thing about Surprise.  She's able to somehow say things that are relevant and irrelevant at the same time.

"W-we'll cross that bridge when we get to it," I said. "Anyway, I want you to be on high alert.  If anything seems suspicious, you come right to me.  Also, this assassin seems to be rather slippery.  Think you can come up with a little something to trip him up?"

"Or her," Surprise corrected.

I sighed. "Yes, or her.  Now, can you do that?"

"Consider it done, Cap-a-rooni!" said Surprise with a firm nod. "This meanie isn't gonna get away with hurting the Wonderbolts!  I'll give him or her the surprise of his or her life!"

"Glad to hear it, Surprise," I said with a smile. "Get started as soon as you can."

"Sure.  Would the sixteenth be good?"

I gave Surprise a look. "Surprise, that's two days away.  I just told you to get started as soon as you can."

"Right, I know.  But we have the big festival in Ponyville tomorrow, and you know how I love a good party," said Surprise. "Besides, I don't think we should let the meanie know that we know what he or she is doing.  It'll ruin the surprise."

I, guess I couldn't argue with that logic. "Alright, fine.  You can start working on this after the festival is over, but I'm holding you to that.  And keep your guard up in the meantime."

"You got it, Cap," said Surprise with a salute.

"Both of you, dismissed."

With that, Blaze and Surprise left.  As I watched them go, I couldn't help but feel a little proud.  The news didn't seem to rattle Surprise in the slightest.  If anything, it just strengthened her resolve.  That right there made me feel a whole lot better.

As I started in on my paperwork, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye.  Raising an eyebrow, I saw that Surprise had forgotten to close the window.  With a sigh, I walked over to close it.  When I got there, I saw a note hanging off of the edge of the window.


When in Ponyville tomorrow, don't forget what's important.  I'll see you there.

~Mare-Do-Well


Remember that good feeling I just had?  Yeah, it's gone now.  Overly-cryptic stalkers tend to do that.

I didn't really need to think too hard about what she meant by that.  Mare-Do-Well left me this note to prevent me from trying to find out who she was.  Though honestly, I don't know why the note was necessary.  Out of all the mysteries dumped onto my lap, this was the one I had made the least headway in.  I had no clues; no suspects; nothing that would lead me to the identity of Mare-Do-Well.  So, why the note?  Did she know something I didn't?  Was there something special in Ponyville?  All of these questions were just more mysteries to add to the pile.  Great.  As if I didn't have enough of those.

I heaved a sigh and got back to my paperwork.  I suppose there's no use fighting it.  I just have to keep my head in the game and take things as they come.  I may not like it, but if it means protecting my team and unravelling all of these riddles, I'll live with it.