//------------------------------// // Introduction // Story: Operation Sparrow // by Krass McWriter //------------------------------// Operation Sparrow By Krass McWriter Cadance crouched in the bush. The small, delicate branches cracking underneath her hoof were silenced by magic. Its other branches dug into her side, but she didn’t care. The day she had been waiting for was finally here. Cookie Dough, or more accurately the Changeling disguised as Cookie Dough would be returning to its hive today.   Cadance watched through the large windows of the shop as Cookie Dough finished shutting down his store. He'd gotten a lot of business since he suddenly came back after going missing for three months. Whenever he was asked about his disappearance, he only mentioned that he was seeking some rare ingredients for his sweets and refused to give further details. He looked around, seemingly to making sure everything was in order, and trotted out into the streets of Fillydelphia. He looked about before trotting west. Cadance had been waiting weeks for this kind of lead, there'd be no failures this time. Operation Sparrow would have its first victory. Quickly catching herself starting to feel emotion, she distanced herself from the situation and cleared all thoughts and feelings from her mind. Cadance cast a small illusion spell to muffle the sound of her hoof steps before following. No mistakes, not this time. Cookie Dough wound through the city, stopping at a flower shop for a light snack, wandering through the streets seemingly aimless. She followed as he stopped to chat with merchants, browsed the wares at a collectibles shop and returned a bag a mare dropped. Cadance started to get worried that he was on to her, but he finally exited the city. Steeling herself once more for what was to come, she silently stalked him. Cookie dough cut straight towards the mountains, and started to trot livelily, just short of a run. Every step was filled with determination and purpose as they grew closer to the forest at the base of the Foal Mountains. The fields in between made hiding hard, had it not been for the illusion spell Cadance was now beginning to struggle to hold, she would have been easily spotted. Cookie Dough ducked inside the tree line, causing Cadance to smirk ever so slightly with delight as the goal neared. Cookie Doughs' ears twitched and he stopped. Cadance held her breath, doing all she could to disengage every emotion and thought as Cookie Dough stood still and listened. Several long minutes passed before Cookie dough continued on. Cadance, relieved, continued the pursuit. If she could see his face at the distance she was, she would've seen a smirk flash across it. The prey continued on, deeper into the forest. Soon enough, the brush and trees got thicker and Cookie Dough trotted faster the thicker it got. Now at a full gallop Cadance was mostly following by sound, struggling to keep her spells maintained. Suddenly, she realized she had lost him. Stopping, she listened for the smallest twitch out of place, hearing naught but the chirping of birds and wind blowing through the trees. Seconds blurred into minutes, minutes hours, finally she realized she failed again. Silently cursing herself she dropped her spells reluctantly, turned to face back east to Fillydelphia and flared her wings to fly. Just as she was about to take off she was suddenly hit with what felt like a bag of bricks. The force winded her and sprained her right wing, She managed to get her hooves up, more by luck than skill, to protect her neck from a set of snapping jaws mere inches from it. Mustering her strength and gritting her teeth in effort and pain, she shoved the changeling off her and scrambled to her hooves. The changeling glared at the Alicorn, who returned the look. “So,” the Changeling spoke, “Princess turned changeling hunter, what brings such a thing about I wonder?” Cadance unleashed a basic combat spell, knocking the Changeling back into a tree. The Changeling's carapace cracked from the force and Cadance took advantage to cast a binding spell. “No backup for you,” she stated, “And no surprises.” The changeling coughed up green ichor, “Not your first run then? I can tell,” it groaned. “Doesn’t matter. The Hive knows of your presence, they left long ago,” it laughed weakly. Cadance swore, Fillydelphia may be safe now, but Equestria was in danger. A hive in search of a home was more dangerous than one trying to hide. “So what now Princess? Will you slay me? Take at least one Changeling out of the equation?” It taunted. Cadance considered her options. it was only the second time she was caught as such, but last time none of them survived. She could kill it, avenge the pony they abducted like last time. On the other hoof, it was alive and helpless... Cadance pondered over the two options and made her choice. She wrapped the changeling in a levitation field and headed back to FIllydelphia. “Oh, so you think you’ll get information or something out of me? I’m disappointed Princess, I thought you’d know better.” Cadance let her prisoner’s levitation path include a few thick branches and a thorny bush. “You’re gonna have to do better than that Princess!”  It cackled. Cadance bound its mouth with a quick spell and continued silently.The trot back was painful. Her right wing kept sending jolts of pain through her, and the various scrapes and bruises she had sustained throbbed. Cadance recast the illusion spell over her and her prisoner. While it didn’t make them invisible, no one would see them unless they were looking for them. What felt like a long walk after such an arduous day, Cadance arrived at the train station. Decloaking herself out of sight, she approached the ticket booth. “I’d like a private cart to the Crystal Kingdom.” she told the extremely bored looking pony manning the ticket booth. “That’ll be 120 bits Princess.” He replied. Cadance took out 150 bits and placed on the counter, “I was never here.” She instructed. The pony straightened up and printed the ticket, “Not quite sure what you mean stranger,” he beamed. Cadance took the ticket and boarded, heading straight to her private cart.  Once inside, she set the changeling down. Cadance then lay down herself. The changeling struggled against his magical bonds. “You better save your strength and prepare for what comes next Changeling, for it shall not be pleasant.” The changeling growled best he could through his intangible muzzle. It was silent except for the Changelings struggles until a good while after the the train started moving. “You are probably wondering why I’m doing this. A natural question.” Cadance used her telekenisis to pull her sheets over her. “Be a good little Changeling and try to get some rest,” She informed as she turned to doze off.