//------------------------------// // Dodge This! // Story: A Different Breed of Changeling // by Zoljen //------------------------------// Talon sidestepped as he dodged a swing from the similar colored pegasus before him. The pegasus’s bright red coat glistened with sweat as he spared with Talon. He stepped back and raised his hooves as he blocked an attack, and quickly moved his arms to block another side swipe from the pony before him. Talon continued to block swing after swing from the pegasus before him. In the past week or so his defenses had certainly increased. He was still getting hit, but it wasn't as often now. Talon smirked slightly as he saw a punch coming and sidestepped it, but failed to notice a kick that thrown a few seconds after. Talon suddenly found himself face first in the dirt as the red pegasus stood on top of him. “And that's another win for me, eh, Talon?” Talon just let out a soft groan as he glanced up at him. “Only five to zero in your favor, Crimson.” Talon let out a soft sigh as the pegasus took a step back and helped him up. “Aww, come on. You’re bound to win one of these. Aren't you a soldier where you're from?” Talon rolled his eyes slightly and nodded. The Retired Wonderbolts were the only ones who knew he was a changeling, the rest were just told he was a recent defector. After getting told of fake power, he didn't want a part of it, which is true, partly. “It was a peaceful time, so my combat skills are a bit lacking.” Talon shrugged some. “But I'm learning more out here than I have known.” He took a few steps back and spread his wings, taking a defensive stance again as Crimson retook a more aggressive one. Talon gave a quick nod as Crimson lunged at him, Talon ducked down as he dodged a swing. He bounced to the side and reared up, bringing his hooves up to block another punch. After blocking it, Talon tried to go on the offensive. He quickly thrust a hoof forward just for it to get swatted away as he felt a thump against his chest. He slid back and retook his defensive posture as Crimson watched him. Crimson sighed and relaxed. “You said you fought a drake, right? Your attacks a bit sloppy.” Talon shrugged slightly, “I guess I was lucky. He was royalty.” Which seemed true, now that he thought about it. The dragon was easy to fight, since he wasn't that adept at it. Now that he was actually thinking, he was a really poor fighter. He grunted and glared lightly at Crimson. “Care to show me how poor I am then?” “Well,” Crimson shrugged slightly. “If you insist.” Crimson grinned, waited till Talon got into a position. The second Talon got ready, Crimson quickly lunged at Talon, faster than he had before. The changeling quickly sidestepped and raised his arms to block. “Watch the chest,” Crimson said as he thrust a hoof forward, it getting blocked. Talon nodded, focusing on Crimsons chest. The pegasus was moving slower on purpose now, letting Talon block all of his moves. Talon kept blocking and dodging more swings until he finally saw another opening. He barely dodged a punch and spun around, catching Crimson across the back of his head with an arm. Crimson rolled with the blow, spinning around afterwards and landing a solid blow to Talon’s back. Talon landed face first on the ground again and gasped for breath as Crimson stood above him. “Man, I barely saw that one coming,” he chuckled as he waited for Talons’ lungs to refill. “You're certainly getting the hang of catching me off guard.” Talon wheezed a little bit, “Yea, it's what I do.” He slowly stood up and turned to face Crimson with a grin. “Well I’d keep practicing that. For now, we should break for lunch.” Crimson grinned back and turned towards the summer camp. “Race ya!” Crimson waited till Talon was standing before shooting off into the sky like a rocket. Talon grunted and jumped up, pumping his wings he tried to keep up. Talon managed to keep a good pace, of a few yards behind him. Talon sighed as he glided along, knowing full well he couldn't keep up with a true pegasus. He shook his head and quickly resumed pumping his wings, he wasn't about to let being an imitation stop him. His wings ached, heck his whole body ached after the sparring match, but he pushed himself further. A week into being here and he finally got kicked into gear, literally. He managed to catch up to Crimson, only to slow down as the site drew closer. Talon landed, gasping for breath as he glanced back at Crimson who had already landed. Talons wings were aching after that as he shook them out. “You don't go flying much, do you?” Talon glanced up as Crimson looked him over. “I go flying often, I just never push myself like that.” He grunted as he sat down. “Any tips for increasing wing strength?” Crimson rolled his eyes before narrowing them at Talon. “Do wing ups. I’d suggest you do at least ten a day. Seriously, it's like I'm teaching a foal.” He stuck out his tongue at him with a grin. Talon chuckled softly as he stood up and they both went inside the mess hall. “How long as he been like that?” Cannon Ball asked he gazed at the sight before him. A waterfall flowed into a lake that flowed downstream towards Canterlot. Sitting at the base of it was Talon, eyes closed and horn a glow. His hind legs crossed and he looked to be in a meditative position, arms out to the side and hooves pointed up as he breathed low. A thin barrier floated above him, directing most of the water away from him, only a part of it going over the edges of his outstretched wings. His tail twitched slightly as did an ear at hearing Cannon’s voice, but he remained silent. The other pony who was watching him just shrugged and looked back at Cannon. “I don't know. I was just told to go out and find Talon.” Lightning Dust looked back at the changeling. “I’ve been here for maybe half an hour.” “I’ll sate both of your tasty curiosity,” the changeling said calmly, yet loud enough for the pair to hear. “I am meditating.” He opened his eyes and looked towards Cannon. “Something I read back in my hive, each of the pony tribes who weren't strong, fast, or as magically gifted as the others would try to focus themselves. Try to better themselves, and this was one way. Tapping into Nature itself.” Cannon started to laugh as Talon glared at him. “I'm not as fast as a normal pegasus, not as strong as an earth pony. So I'm trying to use my magic to boost it.” Dust tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. “But isn't your magic not limitless like a unicorn?” “True, it has a limit, but every source of magic has a limit. Even a mighty alicorn can be put to a limit. It just takes another god or black dragons or something equally devastating to do it.” He grinned, then winced as his horn flickered and faded. The barrier fading as well and letting the waterfall hit him directly. “Ack!” he squeaked out before vanishing under the water. Cannon Ball started to laugh again as Dust stood up quickly and started towards the lake. After a moment, Talon’s head poked out of the water as he grumbled, “And there is mine.” He grunted and climbed out of the water, shaking his wings as he moved towards dry land. Dust let out a sigh and sat back down. “Shouldn't scare me like that.” Talon raised an eyebrow. “Concern? For me?” He grinned widely at Dust. “I didn't know you cared!” “I... Er...” She puffed her cheeks and turned away. Talon laughed a little and shook himself out next to Cannon Ball. “It's okay, Dust. I'm kidding. I am just thankful you're not like the rest of the hardasses glaring at me constantly.” “But the only ones who know what you truly are, are the retired Wonderbolts.” Dust looked back at him with a tilted head. Talon sat and shook off the glare Cannon Ball was giving for getting him wet. “Yes, but Descent told me how the old code was for the Shadowbolts that he and the majority of the Renegades are from. Everypony for themselves basically. I feel they wouldn't hesitate to leave me behind were something to happen.” He turned towards Cannon Ball. “Heck, even with the retirees, I feel that way.” Cannon shook his head, “Would go against the Wonderbolt Code to leave a teammate behind. You may not be a Wonderbolt yet, but you're certainly pushing yourself to be one.” He spoke seriously, as he looked over the changeling. “Also, can you even fly with wet wings?” Talon smirked and took a few steps from them, spreading his wings out as his horn glowed softly. He inhaled and exhaled lightly, his fire coming out with a red glow around it's orange form. The fire curled around himself and seemed to just hover about him for a bit before putting itself out and left him grinning with wings that looked dry. “One trick I learned, when I first got my fire, was a way to keep myself dry.” He extended a wing towards them, showing it was indeed dry. “Granted, can't do it as a pegasus, but feathered wings are a bit waterproof anyway.” Dust looked over the wings, then glared at him. “That is so cheating! Though I bet you could do it as an alicorn.” Talon shook his head. “Have you seen those manes? Only a queen can copy that kind of appearance. The best I can do is blend in with the area.” And he demonstrated this by taking on an earth pony whose coloration matched the local area. His hooves were brown and fading into the grey that mimicked the mountainside behind him. “Even holding this set up takes a bit of effort. Most ponies come in one or two colors, easy to copy, while others are three or more. Most changelings can really only do two, that's why we prefer simple schemes.” The two stared at him slack jawed as he blended in, at least until they moved to the side and noticed it didn't go all the way around. His front and back, and what wasn't facing them, were the grey of his chitin. “And now you see the other problem too.” He grunted as he took on his normal pegasus guise. “To do that from all sides, constantly changing the colors. Only one or two could do it in my hive, and my hive was small.” “That explains why Chrysalis took on Cadance’s appearance. She doesn't have a flowing mane like Luna or Celestia.” Dust sat and put a hoof to her chin, “Nor does Twilight, though she is the youngest of the four. I am sure with time they will get similar manes.” She looked at Cannon ball, “But could you take on their form. Forget the manes being colorful, just the horn and wings as a pony?” “For a short time, possibly.” Talon mused, “Given I am a soldier, I do have more magic capability then a harvester. If it's just the appearance of one, then yeah not a problem at all. Performing anything close to what they can do? Heck no. My blasts fall short of a trained unicorn in general, though I surpass an untrained one.” He grinned. “Speaking of magic,” Cannon started as he looked over Talon, “can you stand on a cloud like a pegasus?” “Yes,” Talon stated flatly. “Make one and I’ll show you.” Cannon raised an eyebrow. “You don't know how to make a cloud?” Talon shook his head. “I know what goes into it, but I’ve...never actually tried to make one. I am sure it's something we are going to see if I can do.” Talon watched Cannon as he moved towards the lake. “Making a cloud is easy, come on. Let's see if you can do it.” Cannon stuck a hoof in the lake and glanced back at Talon. “Come here. I’ll show you.” Talon grinned slightly and walked over. Cannon waited until Talon was at the lakes edge. “Stick your hoof in, and feel the cold water around it.” Talon did as he was told, sticking in it and looking at the water. “I assume you kind of have like, three ways your magic can go, right?” Cannon asked, getting a nod in return. “Focus on what makes up a pegasus. Sitting on clouds or flying through them. This is probably easier as your currently a pegasus.” “Yea, my unicorn magic is turned off, at the moment anyway.” “Well good, keep it that way. Now using that pegasus feeling, tug on the water. Gently lift your hoof out of the water and try to take as much water as you can with it.” Cannon demonstrated as he pulled his own hoof out, a globe of water around it and staying in a near perfect shape. Talon watched, then looked towards the water. “I'm not expecting you to get it on the first try, but grabbing something should be easy when you do it with your unicorn magic.” Talon gave a quick nod and focused on the water, “You make it look so easy.” He withdrew the hoof, some water clinging to it for a second before falling back into the lake. Talon let out a sigh, and stuck the hoof back into the water. He glanced to Cannon to see he was already forming a small cloud. “Show off,” Talon grumped and sat, keeping his hoof in the water. Cannon Ball chuckled as he was already forming a cloud. “I am a pegasus after all. It comes naturally to me. Keep practicing just holding water around your hoof.” Cannon chuckled as he lightly bopped the cloud towards Talon, making it float over. Talon glanced at it, then took his hoof out of the water to stand on the cloud. “See, just kind of natural.” He sat on the cloud and looked at the two. “Huh.” Dust chuckled, “What about as an earth pony?” Talon blinked, then looked down at the cloud. Talon shrugged slightly and took on a dusty red colored earth pony guise. He continued to sit on the cloud and watch the others reactions. Cannon just shook his head. “That looks so weird.” Dust just tilted her head, then grinned and poked the cloud, making it pop and him fall to the ground with a soft yelp. “That wasn't fair!” He grumped as he stood up, taking on his pegasus guise again and looking back at the lake for a moment, then to the others. “You mentioned you were told to find me?” Dust nodded with a grin. “Yup, just wondering where you have been. That's all.”