//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: The Shot // Story: The Changeling's Attack On Cloudsdale // by captinalex1 //------------------------------// “Ah, what a beautiful day today in Ponyville. Huh hey there's Twirl, should probably go check on him.” I speak to myself while trotting over to meet my friend. “Hey Twirl, so do you feel a bit better after” - sniff - “what happened to your mom." I ask worryingly. “Well I feel a bit better, thanks for checking on me. Booklolly helped me get through it.” The kind colt told me so I feel better. “Oh, that’s good to hear.” I tell Twirl happily. "Well I’ll be going now Twirl. I need to get my right wing back into shape after what happened a few nights ago.” I tell him, hoping I didn't scare him. “Ok, I might join you later and we can talk.” Twirl smiles, as he waves to me. So I’m back in the sky looking around and practicing my flying skills. I notice another pony wandering around the park singing a tune it looks like it. So I fly down to say hello. “Hello, whats your name?” I ask the pony that was singing a sweet tune. The pony happily answers, “Hello, my name is Jake. What's yours?” “Hello Jake, mine is Alex." I smile back. "Hey Alex, what's with your Wing?” He asks noticing that I had my wing wrapped in a bandages and slightly showing a sign of red. I look at the pony that asked me the question and then think back to what happened on that night. My wing wasn’t damaged that much. However, it looks like it was enough to bring it to his attention. “Well lets just say that I was ambushed by some Changelings a couple of nights ago, and they shot an arrow at me. I thought I dodged it but when I looked at my wing, the arrow was stuck pretty deep. So what I did is land into a bush and stayed quiet until they left. After that I painfully flew back to my house in Cloudsdale and patched it up. Now I’m here bringing it back into shape like my other one.” I tell him. “Wow sounds serious. Well, at least you're alright.” He smiles gladly seeing that I can fly again. “Wait now that i think about it, something is missing.” I wonder. “Missing? Like what Alex.” He asks. “Wait, I know what my blueprints!” I remember. “Your what!? Thats not good, do you remember where you dropped them?” Jake asks, hoping to help. “I know where I dropped them but the Changelings must have stolen them. I say that because I remember seeing them take one of them.” I tell him. “Those thieves. And I reckon that they attacked you aswell?” Jake asks. “Precisely. They attacked me to get my plans. I wanted to fight back, but was too injured to.” I tell him. “Hey its ok Alex. You did what you could, it'll happen. Say you want to get something to eat?” Jake asks. “I would, but I promised Twirl i'd wait for him.” I tell Jake. “Oh, well ok sure we can wait for a few more minutes.” Jake agrees. “Hey you two!” Somepony says playfully. “Huh.” Jake replies with a sense of startlement. “Hey Twirl.” I answer with joy. “Told you i’d come and talk.” Twirl trots to my side happily. “Alright, now that we are all together, lets hit the Cafe.” I tell them happily. “Well alright then lets move out.” Jake begins to trot. But before I start trotting towards the Cafe, something is not right. I begin to hear things that are out of place. It feels like i'm a target to somepony. “Huh, why is my ear twitching?” I start to slightly panic. “Jake what about yours?” He stops trotting and listens, “Yeah, mine is twitching as well” He replies with a sense of danger approaching. “Hear what? I cant hear it.” Twirl answers while trembling from a feeling of terror. I push Twirl out of the way just in time. That was honestly the closest thing that has ever happened. I do start to wonder why somepony would attack, especially Twirl. He is only a young colt. I help Twirl get up and ask, “You Ok Twirl? Also, anypony know what that was?” Jake picks it up and begins to inspect the mysterious object. “It is an...an arrow?!” He jumps in shock. Twirl gets up. “Ow, my muzzle hurts.” I check back on Twirl. “Aw crap its bleeding!” As I scramble for my First Aid kit I always carry. I pull out a paper towel. “Here Twirl, use this to slow the bleeding down and Jake stay with him. I’m gonna go check out what's going on.” I then begin to fly towards the direction of the shot. “Twirl you alright?” Jake asks worried for Twirl’s safety and condition. “Yeah I’m ok, well just startled and scared but other than that I’m ok.” Twirl says holding the paper towel to his muzzle, and wiping off the blood. “Hey Twirl, can I ask you something?” Jake asks as he sits next to Twirl. “Yeah Jake.” Twirl answers in a voice that shows terror and pain on the inside. Twirl then looks up at Jake. “Does this happen a lot?” Jake asks, knowing that i'm a Wonderbolt and I might be a moral target to enemies. “No, not at all, this is actually the first time anypony has ever tried to attack me. Even when Alex is with me nopony does anything harmful. This is really frightening to me” -sniff- “I...I...I think I’m going to. c...c...cr.” Twirl bursts in to tears. “Uh, uh don’t cry Twirl, everything will be ok. Alex went to check out what's going on.” Jake says trying to calm Twirl as he puts his hoof over Twirl’s shoulder and hugs him. "Ok” - Sniff - sniff - ”Jake. Thanks for staying with me.” Twirl answers in a quiet voice still trying to get over what's going on.