//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: The Soldier // Story: The Friendly Changeling // by WezzaHD //------------------------------// Shadowflight was immediately in a defensive position. Random ponies were crowded in his new home, and he didn't know what to do, so he stayed in that position until they all quieted down. He looked in front of him. It was that pink earth pony from before. She broke into his house with a bunch of others, and he wanted to know what was going on. "What is this?" he asked with some hostility, never leaving his position. "It's your welcome party, silly" she replied cheerily "I throw one for every new pony in Ponyville, so I can know everypony here" Shadowflight saw lots of ponies, and he didn't even know how they got in here let alone fit in his small house. He saw all of those he met while looking around; Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash. The only one that wasn't there was the shy one, and that was understandable; he doubted she liked crowds of other ponies, and preferred to be in the company of animals. His house, which was previously dull and run- of- the- mill, was now covered with balloons and streamers and bright lights. There was lots of food on his dining room table, and ponies were just chatting. He decided to stick with who he knew and went up to Rainbow Dash and her friends. "So, hi, again. I guess you are all friends, then" he tried to make conversation. Just then, the pink pony came up to him. "Sooo, do you like the party?" She asked cheerfully. Twilight was by the food table, pondering on what to do about this changeling situation. Outside of her friends, she didn't want to tell anypony and alert the changeling that it knew of them. And on that note, how would she search without alerting the possible intruder? Maybe she should go over it with her friends, who she could see talking to that new pony. He wore an indigo coat with a messy black mane on his head, and had a storm cloud cutie mark. She stared at him; he appeared to be having some sort of conversation with Pinkie Pie and the others. He looked sombre, but slightly awkward. "I'm alerted of a changeling by the princess, then this new pony just comes in" she thought to herself. "Although, it could just be a coincidence, but the way he acts, he seems distant, and quiet. Then again, I was quite awkward when I moved here. I'll have to look into this more" "So, what sort of job did you have in Manehatten?" Rainbow asked. "Well, I was a weather pony there, and we had lots, considering the place is so big" Shadowflight improvised. That was basically all he knew about the place; that it was big, so he used what he knew. He would find out more about the place later. Just then, the princess of Friendship, herself, walked up to him. He figured he would show some respect and bowed to her. "Oh, it's okay, there's no need for that. This is a party, after all" She smiled, as if happy, but he could sense tension coming from her. He decided not to ask. "Thank you, princess-" "Call me Twilight" she insisted. She then started staring at him, it looked, almost analytical. "Soo, Rainbow..." This was a question he had been dyeing to ask "What's friendship like?" Canterlot was in flames, changeling's everywhere, with nothing but half- destroyed buildings, and more often than not, covered in green slime. Changelings were attacking everypony, but there was one flying through the buildings and encasing everypony in his path, be they civilians or guards,and occasionally killing those who were without love, those who were of no use to his queen. He was one of, if not, the most ruthless soldier in the hive, and he would gather those for his hive, but was not afraid to kill, and would do it. He was now chasing a family of four; two unicorn parents, their oldest son, and a filly. He soon backed them into a corner, and began advancing towards them. Just then, he suddenly received a blow to hie face. He looked over to where it came from and saw a rainbow- maned pony with a sky blue coat. "Oh no, you don't!" she shouted at him. Shadowflight hissed at her, then pounced at her and pinned her to the ground, snapping his fangs at her while she was pushing him away. "GO!" she shouted to the family, who ran off. She pushed him with her hind hooves and he fell to the ground. He got up, and started circling her like a shark. He soon pounced at her again, but she dodged and kicked him in the stomach. She took a glance at him, then spread her wings and prepared to fly off. She suddenly felt a rush of pain in her right hind leg. Her eyes widened as she turned and saw the changeling biting her. At a closer look, she could see red eyes on the beast, with green armour on it. He then tossed her to the side and began to knock her around some more. Soon, many bruises were present on her face, and her leg was wounded. He was going to deliver her to the queen, but then he decided to absorb her love personally. He began, and felt it, the love she had for her friends a pet and one small filly. It almost saddened him that he was doing this, but he, and many others, had to survive, and these Elements of Harmony were a danger to those plans. He saw the suffering of what he was doing in her eyes. He hesitated for a second. What was wrong with him? he had absorbed the love of families and never even felt a twinge of guilt. But that twinge of guilt gave her a chance to give him a slug in the jaw, and knocked his helmet off, then kicked him in his un- armoured face. He fell to the ground, nearly passed out. Rainbow Dash walked up to the pony, and stared at it coldly. She looked at him, the saw some royal guards near. Shadowflight saw them too; they were killing the invaders almost as mercilessly as the changelings were doing to them. It was their duty to kill should the need arise. "I should give you to those guards right now, ya know" she told him. He then began to pass out. He woke up and found himself near where they had just fought, in the remains of one of the buildings, with that pony looking over him. "The guards won't find you here" She turned around and began to walk away. "My friends need me" That was the last thing she said to him, and she flew away. "Well, my friends are really important to me. In fact, they're the best things that ever happened to me" She replied, smiling at her friends. "I can't even tell you how much they mean to me. I wouldn't trade them for anything" "Oh, wow. You're really loyal to them" He said. "Yep, I'm a great friend" She was proud of herself, while her friends rolled their eyes. "But if you want to know who the real expert on friendship is, you should talk to Twilight" "I never really had any friends where I was from" "Well, ya got some now" Applejack said cheerfully. Ponies were clearing out and Shadowflight looked at the time; 11:43. "Why, look at the time" Rarity turned to leave. "Bye" she waved as the others left with her. "See ya around" "bye" "Hope you enjoyed the party. I did, It was superly duperly fun!" "I guess I'll be seeing you, then" Twilight was the last to leave. As soon as everypony had left, he turned all the lights off and went to bed. He would clean everything up tomorrow, and went to bed, where he got into bed and went to sleep, but his eyes widened as he realised something. He was hungry.