//------------------------------// // First...Fight! // Story: A Bug?...In The Resistance? // by Dr Atlas //------------------------------// “Why do you wear that stupid green rag, Doomie?” Doomie snapped out of his daydreaming and turned to his brother as they continued walking through the forest. “U-Uh...y-ya know, to show how tough I am against those ponies.” He nervously adjusted the bandana around the top of his forehead, hoping it wouldn’t slip off on their walk through the forest. “No one else wears them.” His brother looked at all the other changelings around them, about twenty five of them were out looking for the pony’s hideout. ”It kinda makes you look like an idiot, to be honest.” Doomie just rolled his eyes. “Oh, what do you know about fashion?” “I know enough to know that fashion is something that isn’t apart of being a changeling soldier.” “We’re not all soldiers, Stan!” Doomie yelled. “Are you saying that you’d rather be some boring caretaker than be out here?” Doomie rapidly shook his head, not wanting to ever stop doing this...for reasons. “N-No...I-I do wanna be out here. Uh...h-hunting for the rest of the ponies...heh…” Stan just looked away. “Doomie, how long has it been since we took over?” Doomie shrugged. “Bout six or so months.” “And have we captured every single pony during these six or so months?” “Maybe.” Stan groaned. “We know for a fact that there’s still some out there...and that the forest is the only place we haven’t checked yet.” He looked through the many trees that were scattered along the path. “To think we just need two more to finally win this!” A sister named Sarah came up to their right. “Yeah! We already have more than half of the element bearers in our hooves! When we get the rest, we’ll have all of Equestria bowing down to us! It’ll be so cool!” Another changeling came in between them. “Let’s just hope they aren’t prepared like the other times we’ve tried looking for them.” Stan smiled. “Oh, don’t worry, Phil, I’m sure the eighth time will be the charm.” Phil glared at him. “You said that the last time, that ‘this time’ will be the day that the changelings finally find their hideout instead of getting ambushed, it should be us doing that!” Stan still thought it was this plan was foolproof. “Yeah, but this time we’re all attacking on the ground, they’ll never see it coming.” Doomie nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure we’ll win this time.” He pointed at Phil. “You just need to be more optimistic about stuff.” His brother turned away, still having doubts about this attack. “I just don’t get it. It’s like they always know we’re coming.” Phil said. “How can a bunch of stupid ponies know when and where we’ll be ?” Doomie shrugged and tried to play it cool. “I dunno, m-maybe they’re always prepared for us and we show up at the wrong time.” Phil shook his head. “Oh no, something is really wrong, either there’s a pony on the inside who watches us...or there’s a filthy, stickin’, low down, traitor that’s helping them!” Doomie flinched at his harsh words while Stan and the others laughed. “Pffff...P-Phil,” Stan said. “what kinda idiot brother would help them? You’d have to be a fool to actually ‘like’ the ponies. They’re food. Nothing more, nothing less. Right Doomie?” Stan nudged Doomie, almost making him fall to the ground. “U-Uh...Uh, y-yeah.” Doomie stuttered. “n-nothing but food for us...y-yup.” Stan raised an eye at him. “You okay, Doomie?” “U-Uh...yeah...I’m...uh…” Doomie looked ahead, finding the perfect distraction. “H-Hey, ain’t that a clearing?” Stan noticed it and stopped. He raised his hoof to making everyone else do the same. “Hold.” He whispered, his eyes going wide “This might be it.” Sarah tilted her head. “How can you be so sure?” Stan turned to her. “This has to be where their base is! We haven’t even been this far before.” He pointed at Phile. “You, take the right with John, Al, Tyler, Markus, Jeff, Jess and Nick. Me, Carson, Sarah, Mike, Lary, and Steve will take the left, Doomie, I need you to-” “ATTACK!” “What? I don’t want you to-” *SLAM* The group of Changelings gasped as a yellow pegasus dived down and uppercutted their main leader, Stan, right out of the crowd and into the dirt. The assailant then screamed out at the top of her lungs, “For the resistance!” Several ponies then started coming out from behind trees and bushes, completely surrounding the changelings. The bugs got into fighting stance while Phil faced hoofed. “Oh for chrysie’s sake...not again.” “FOR THE RESISTANCE!” The ponies cried out as the began to charge at them. Spears erect and ready to stab the first bug they make contact with. As the fight finally commenced, Doomie started walking out to the back lines, right where he saw a certain Pink pony of his that was charging at the others. “There you are...little pie.” He whispered before making his attack. Ready to take down that pony by any means necessary. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pinkie yelled out a battle cry and sprang from the bushes, landing on top of a bug. She hopped off and spun around with her spear out, knocking any changeling that was unlucky enough to try and get her. After that she plunged the spear into the ground, pulled back the stick, and shot it right into a bug’s face as it went for her. “Take THAT! You overgrown cockroach!” Pinkie took her spear out and prepared for another spin, but she got tackled from her side, landing back first into the ground with her spear just a few inches from her hoof. “L-Let me go!” She yelled out as she started to struggle. “G-Get your hooves off me, you dang, dirty cha..change…” Pinkie stopped struggling and looked up at the bug that was pinning her to the ground. The green rag tied around its head and a faint smile was a dead giveaway as to who this changeling was. D-Doomie?” The changeling put his nose against her’s. “Who else?” Pinkie squeaked and hugged him, giving him a very rough kiss while doing so. Doomie then sat up, pushed her away and stood on all fours. “Get back here! You pink little pony!” Pinkie smirked and picked up her spear, knowing those acting lessons really paid off. “You’re gonna have to catch me first!” With that, she turned and fled. Doomie smirked and scraped the ground with his hoof like a bull, charged right at her seconds later. The two of them dashed right through the battle, dodging hooves, sticks, heads. It was only when Pinkie stopped and turned around that they stopped. She grabbing Doomie and looked right in his eyes. “Okay,” She said. “I think they’re not noticing. Ready?” Pinkie grabbed both his hooves. Doomie did the same. “Ready.” With a smile on both their faces, they started spinning around together like a small pink and black tornado. After a quick flash of green appeared on one side of the constant spinning, they stopped and look at each other’s eyes again. Doomie raised his eyebrows twice. “How do I look?” Pinkie giggled at her now disguised lingfriend, who was a black, red haired pony with a blue cutie mark that trailed down to his legs. “As unoriginal as ever.” Doomie flopped his fake, bat like ears. “I don’t see how this is still unoriginal.” Pinkie put her hooves to her hips. “I think I know when something looks kinda silly, Doomie.” Doomie rolled cat like eyes. “Oh please, that facepaint you're wearing looks even more ridiculous.” Pinkie looked over her camouflaged body. “I think it looks cool, by the way, how are you brothers reacting to the rag?” Doomie looked up at his forehead, seeing the green headband was still there. “They think it’s stupid, but at least they believe it’s for wear and not for helping you.” Pinkie knew what he was talking about. “I’m sorry, Doomie, but it’s really hard to tell you guys apart.” “You’ll figure it out, maybe then you’ll believe who’s a pony and who’s not.” Doomie pointed at his eye. “It’s all in the eye.” Pinkie shook her head, knowing she would never understand Changeling eyes, they were far too similar to tell apart. “Maybe some day…” Doomie was about to say something, but he felt a tap on his shoulders coming from behind him. As he turned around, he saw one of his brothers looking at him like he was the biggest idiot he had seen. “Uh, bro,” He said. “you do know that disguising isn’t really-” *SMACK* The changeling got a hoof full of pain from Pinkie, landing right into a tree. Doomie nodded in astonishment. “Impressive.” Pinkie smiled. “Thanks! Those training courses from Zecora really brought out our fighting sides.” “I like it.” Doomie cracked his hoof. “But I think you’ll like this more.” Doomie reached his hoof out into the crowd, making one of his sisters run right into his arm, knocking the ling out. “Ha HA! Learned that from Carson, just let them run into the hoof.” Pinkie had to ask. “Are you sure doing that is okay?” Doomie sighed, getting tired of explaining this. “Pinkie, I’ve told you before, my siblings and I fight each other all the time, I see this more as payback for every time I get a zebrian rug burn from those jerks.” Pinkie picked her spear back up. “If you say so...but, why do you still live with them? I’m sure no pony will-” “Pinkie, you and I both know I can’t come with you...that stuff all over your body is really itchy...my brothers hate it. Pinkie swung her spear right at another changeling, sending him into a puddle of mud. “I just wish there was another way of meeting each other instead of...like this.” Doomie grabbed her and pulled her in as a changeling missed her by a few inches, landing right into another pony close by. “Pinkie, I know you will win, you guys have to win, and when you do…” He held her hooves. “We can really be together again.” “Doomie…” Pinkie looked around, seeing no one else was paying attention. “T-They’re starting to get suspicious.” Doomie found that hard to believe. “Pinkie, I’d think it’s the other way around, because my siblings are getting a little bit paranoid too.” “It’s not that, it’s finding out about us meeting up like this.” Pinkie remembered the last time she told them an attack heading their way. All of them believed her, but knew there was more to it than her ‘sense’  “I-I don’t think they’re falling for my ‘Pinkie Sense’ anymore. T-They’re really concerned about me telling them what you tell me.” Doomie frowned. “B-But how else am I supposed to help you? Giving you battle info, showing you plans, and telling you all our flaws is the only thing that’s keeping you guys winning right now...Don’t tell me I’m wrong.” Pinkie knew she couldn’t. With every piece of information she was getting from Doomie, they’ve managed to win every battle and keep them away from finding out their base, but she knew this couldn’t keep up forever. “There has to be a way to end this, Doomie.” “Soon, Pinkie, I promise.” Doomie decided to tell her something else to lightin up the mood. “You’re friends are doing okay, by the way.” Pinkie smiled. “Nice rhyme, but define ‘okay’” Doomie shrugged. “Well, your rainbow friend told me to tell you the cell she’s in sticks and that she’s still trying to find a way to break out.” “Heh...Classic Dashie...How’s Rarity taking it?” Doomie couldn’t hold a straight face. “Heh...well, she’s still pretty mad about being chained up twenty four, seven.” Pinkie turned around and socked another changeling that was about to attack her right in his gut before facing Doomie again. “Did you guys really need to do that to her?” Doomie crossed his arms. “She’s almost escaped three times already and every single time they always got to her, she even punched me in the eye when I tried to tell her the way out...Snotty little-” Pinkie pushed him. “Doo-Mie!” Doomie coughed. “S-Sorry, sorry...s-she’s just...really high tempered, your apple friend is just as bad, but at least she appreciates the food we bring to them.” Pinkie almost gagged. “Is it still the same rations?” Doomie sadly nodded. “Yup, a full serving of our finest green gunk along with a bowl of water, which is really hard to find, you know.” Pinkie swung her spear at another changeling, this time sending him into a thorn bush. “But they’re still doing okay after eating it, right?” “The stuff's nasty, but it’s nutritious.” Doomie could remember the complains they gave them, word for word. “I keep telling them that, but they just won’t listen.” “And Twilight and Spike, how are they?” Doomie fidgeted. “Well, their cocoon cell is doing okay...a-and their weekly interrogations are...fun…” He gulped, not even wanting to know what Chrysalis did to her in that room. Pinkie flopped her ears. “I just wish they were back already.” Doomie brought her in for a hug and backed up. dodging a brother as it flew into another sibling, knocking the two of them out. “They’ll be back soon, I just gotta get the job of guarding them during the night alone...then I can get them out...but until then...it’s books for this changeling.” “At least you’re starting to pass those classes of yours again.” Doomie smiled smugly. “Eh, I manage...anyways, I think that’s about everything...when do you do night patrol?” Pinkie could already see them meeting again during this next night. “Three days from now.” Doomie frowned. “Eh...mines four days away...and the journey from Canterlot to here is pretty tough...but I guess I can survive another round of yelling from Shawn for being back late..” Pinkie was still a little peeved at how mean his brothers treated him. “Does he have to be so mean to you?” “General Shawn is mean to everyling, so stop worrying and-.” Pinkie put a hoof to his lips while the other held her spear out to closeline a bug in the throat. “Just let me ask for an extra day off, I promise Zecora is more lenient than him.” Doomie couldn’t argue with that. He heard all about that zebra being pretty nice to them. “Alright.” He said, brushing the hoof away. “You go ahead and ask, as for me, I’ll be waiting for ya.” Pinkie giggled. “Same place? By the waterfall?” Doomie nodded. “I’ll be there, don’t you worry...now, how long do you think this fight will-” “Retreat! Reah...RETREAT!” Doomie got out of his disguess once he heard that word come out of the leading changeling, Stan. it was like music to his ears. “Wow, already?” “Well,” Pinkie said. “better luck next time, changeling.” Doomie had to laugh at that, knowing it would take more than luck for them to stop the ponies. “Yup, looks like we lost this time...so~” Doomie leaned on her. “Are we ready to fight again next week when me and the other brothers try to find your hideout?” Pinkie nodded and lightly grabbed him by his throat. “I’ll be ready to bring the pain, little fly.” She gave him a quick kiss before tossing him yards away from her. “That’s right! Go ahead!” She yelled .”Run back to you mother!” Doomie stood back up and shook his hoof at her. “You haven’t seen the last of us!” With a wink of his eye, he turned around and fled along with the rest of his siblings. As the last of the changelings ran away, the ponies cheered in victory. Pinkie was the only one staying silent and, instead, leaning on her spear and smiling. “See you soon, Doomie…” “Aheam! Pinkie.” The pink pony snapped out of it and turned around, looking right at Fluttershy. “Oh, h-hi Shy. Uh…” Pinkie then pointed her spear to where the changelings ran. “D-Did you see the way those bugs ran, HA! We sure showed them, huh?” Fluttershy’s face stayed blank. “Pinkie, Zecora want’s to see you.” Pinkie held her spear closer. “S-She does? Why?” Another pony came up behind the two of them. “Well, when you’ve warned us several times about a group of changelings trying to attack our base and it’s been true all those times...we’re kinda thinking something's up with you.” Pinkie facehoofed. “I already told you, my Pinkie sense has been really good these last few times.” “She still want’s to see you.” Shy insisted, pointing toward the clearing where the village was just yards away. “Now, are you on your way or not?” Pinkie sighed and rested her spear on her back, hoping this was just another victory party. “Alright...let’s go.” As the three of them started walking, Pinkie took one last look behind her. Trying to hold in her excitement for the next time they charge at them.. “Be safe...little fly.”