Chapter 22: Takes One to Know One
Light shined through the curtains awakening me from sleep. Unlike yesterday I felt rested, which was a welcome feeling after all of the recent events. However thoughts about Cyclone Shade being around and whatever was bothering Sinistar were still on my mind. Especially Sinistar. I want to help Sinistar but I can't. Maybe talking to him while he was drunk was a bad idea. I doubt he'll even consider talking to me about it anytime soon after last night. I should definitely give him some time before I try again. Whatever it is though, it must have something to do with what Cyclone Shade said before their fight. Something about someone named Storm... I pondered as I stretched my limbs.
I got out of bed slowly and attempted to use my magic to grab my cloak from the closet. But when I began to use the levitation spell, I felt weak due to how little love I had fed on recently. I made a mental note to feed off of Blast Shield when I saw him. Without the help of my magic I grabbed and put on my cloak then looked at the clock. I saw it was eight twenty-four AM as I walked over to the door. I guess I slept a little too well. I thought and left my room. I wondered who would be teaching me how to fly as I made my way to the dining room. Princess Celestia told me yesterday that she wanted Hofnarr to help me with certain things, mostly shapeshifting I'd guess, and I was curious if she'd ask him to help me fly. As I walked through the hallway I was surprised that I hadn't seen Blast Shield so far. I arrived at the dining room and found that food was still on the table but Princess Celestia wasn't there.
"Excuse me, Fragment." A maid said as she walked up to me. "I was asked to tell you that once you've finished breakfast you need to meet up with Blast Shield in the training room."
"Thank you for telling me." I replied with a nod of acknowledgment. I wasn't sure if the training room was a good place for flight training because it didn't have a particularly high ceiling, but I nonetheless headed there once I finished eating. I was surprised and confused when I got to the training room and Blast Shield wasn't there. I paced around the training room getting a small workout while waiting until I heard voices coming from the door. As the doors opened Blast Shield and Hofnarr walked in.
"And then he flips out. He starts yelling at me in the middle of the cafeteria about 'coordination' and 'immaturity' all the while I'm just trying not to laugh 'cause he's still got frosting on his cheek." Hofnarr said as Blast Shield closed the doors behind them with his magic.
"That's amazing." Blast Shield said in a careless tone. He and Hofnarr slowly walked further into the room as Hofnarr went on.
"All I'm saying is just because I hit the wrong guy with a cupcake doesn't mean I need an accuracy lecture."
"It's a shame they pick on you like that." Blast Shield said.
"They don't pick on me too much." Hofnarr replied with a shrug. I then noticed that Hofnarr's front and back hooves were cuffed and his wings were bound to his sides by brown leather straps. I guess they didn't want him getting away, even though he didn't have that much restraint when we took him to the hospital.
"I hope you got well quick." Blast Shield said and Hofnarr gave him an odd look.
"What are you―"
"If I was there I would've paid for the damages."
"That doesn't―"
"I just hope your hoof's okay."
"Fine! Be like that." Hofnarr said and put on a pouting face as Blast Shield smiled at his victory. "Hi, Fragment." Hofnarr said without looking at me.
"Do I want to know what you two were talking about?" I asked as Hofnarr lit up with a big smile as he got closer to me.
"Well you see, when I was in magic kindergarten―"
"NO! NOT AGAIN!" Blast Shield shouted as he dropped to the floor and put his hooves over his ears. Hofnarr shook his head as he said
"Oh stop being so dramatic. It's not like that time―"
"Please stop talking." Blast Shield said as he got back up.
"Jerk..." Hofnarr mumbled as I stood there with the most confused expression I have ever had on my face. I decided not to think about it and shook my head.
"So what else is going on? Why is Hofnarr cuffed and bound like this?" I asked hoping I wouldn't hear anymore of whatever Hofnarr was talking about.
"I don't know. Princess Celestia sent me to bring him here and told me to make sure he was 'secure.' Seems weird if he's going to help you fly."
"Well I certainly feel secure. Despite my insecurities." Hofnarr said as he tried to adjust his left wing. "Wait a minute, neither of you know what we're doing?" He said as he looked between us.
"Apparently not. Why?" Blast Shield asked as he raised a brow. Hofnarr smiled widely before he answered.
"Because I do know what we're doing."
"What? How do you know?" Blast Shield asked as Hofnarr continued to smile.
"Because Princess Celestia talked to me last night." Blast Shield and I opened our mouths to say something but Hofnarr cut us off. "At some point after dinner had been brought to me Princess Celestia came to my cell and asked me to help Fragment learn how to fly by helping the pony she's asking to teach him. I wanted to know what I'd get out of it and she said that for starters I would get better meals, but if I was willing to help where I could then I might even get my own room like Fragment. There were a few catches like this annoying amount of chains, but overall for me it's worth it."
"She told me yesterday that she wants to build trust between you and the ponies here. And she also said that once she feels she can trust you she'll send you back to the Hive to try making some kind of treaty between Equestria and the Changeling kingdom." Hofnarr and Blast Shield looked very surprised by that. Then Hofnarr just started laughing.
"Hahahaha! That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a month!"
"Why is that ridiculous?" I asked with a glare.
"Because in the thousands of years that changelings have recorded history every time we try to make peace it's either never considered, or, we get betrayed. The last time a changeling kingdom tried to become allied with a non-changeling nation it got destroyed. The Diamond Dogs let the changelings of that kingdom openly trade with them. Some changelings went as far as to immigrate. But when the changeling kingdom's guard was down the Diamond Dogs annihilated them. Slaughtered every changeling regardless of age or gender and publicly executed the Queen. The few changelings who survived the massacre fled to different kingdoms to tell what happened. After that the High Changeling Council declared that changelings were to never again attempt peace with anything else. This was about fifty years ago. The Queen's name was Thorn." As Hofnarr finished explaining I found myself at a complete loss for words. What could I say to something like that? Now I see why Gezähnt was so distrusting...
"Equestrians aren't like that." Blast Shield said and Hofnarr and I looked at him. "Equestria hasn't even been involved with a war in more than a thousand years."
"Doesn't change the fact that every other time we've tried to be nice we got burned. And as if that weren't enough reason for me to believe a treaty of any kind would be impossible, then the fact that this is Chrysalis we're talking about would be. To keep this simple I'll just say that she doesn't play well with others. From what I've heard not even with other changeling kingdoms. She likes things done her way or not at all. Besides, from what I last heard she's not on good terms with the other Queens and doesn't want to further their disapproval." Hofnarr said.
"What can you tell me about Chrysalis personality wise?" I asked.
"Well the word 'friendly' comes to mind... but only long enough for her to kill it in front of someone who cared about it..." He nodded to himself with that. "Anything else you'd like to know?"
"No. I think I've heard plenty for now." As my sentence ended I began to feel a little lightheaded from hunger. "Do you mind if I feed off of you, Blast Shield?" I asked as Blast Shield shrugged.
"Go for it." I took the offer and began to feed, Green energy flowed from Blast Shield into my mouth as I kept a careful eye on him to make sure I didn't feed too much. After a few seconds Blast Shield began to lose balance and so I stopped feeding. "Feels like a head rush." He said as he shook his head to help regain focus.
"Side effects may include, headaches, nausea, lightheadedness, migraines, confusion, drowsiness, ringing in the ears, boredom, poor sexual performance, the need to blink, heightened awareness of life, spontaneous crying and the need to slap something very specific." Blast Shield and I just stared at Hofnarr as he grinned.
"I don't think the last one is true, and I really have no idea about the one before it." Blast Shield said as Hofnarr's happy expression turned into a small frown.
"Are you okay, Hofnarr?" I asked as Hofnarr looked at him with sad look on his face.
"I haven't fed on emotions in days..." Was all he said. There was a bit of an awkward silence after Hofnarr said that. I considered the fact that he had no one to feed off of and was slowly starving. I wasn't going to make him suffer.
"Let me transfer some power to you." Both Hofnarr and Blast Shield gave me surprised expressions once I said that.
"You... you will?" Hofnarr asked with a growing smile while Blast Shield looked uncertain.
"Of course I will. It'd be flat out cruel not to. Now just hold still and let me focus." Hofnarr nodded and stood perfectly still as I slowly touched my horn to his. When our horns touched there was a spark of green light which remained as a dim glow as I felt my power slowly transfer into Hofnarr. It was weird to be on the other end of feeding. It felt a lot like when I was losing consciousness, but at a much slower rate. After a few seconds I cut the transfer by pulling my horn away from Hofnarr's. I felt weakened but not so much that I'd have trouble in training.
"Thanks." Hofnarr said with an appreciative smile. As I rubbed my head I heard voices coming from the doors. As Blast Shield and I turned to the doors they opened, revealing Princess Celestia and a pegasus that I didn't recognize. She had a yellow coat with a mane and tail that had two shades of orange. She was wearing a blue shirt with some badges and she wore a whistle around her neck. Blast Shield and I bowed as Princess Celestia and the pegasus walked in. Princess Celestia gave the room a quick look around before she spoke.
"Blast Shield." She began as the two of us stood back up. The pegasus was giving me an observative look. "Where's Hofnarr?" Both Blast Shield's eyes and mine widened once we heard that. But before either of us could say or do anything we heard the sound of a throat being cleared from above us. We all looked up and saw Hofnarr casually standing on the ceiling literally looking down on us.
"What are you doing?" I asked beginning to regret feeding him.
"They said I could become anything, so I became a chandelier." He said as I facehoofed. However Princess Celestia seemed to find it amusing.
"Would you come down here please?" She asked as Hofnarr nodded and started walking back down the wall.
"So who is this?" I asked as Hofnarr stepped next to me and took a pose imitating a guard pony, with his chest out and a blank face. Blast Shield wasn't amused by it.
"Fragment, this is Spitfire, Captain of the aerial performers the Wonderbolts. And for the next few days she will be your flight instructor. With Hofnarr to provide advice for both of you." The moment Princess Celestia's sentence was over Hofnarr raised a hoof. "Yes, Hofnarr?"
"Where are we going to be training? This room isn't nearly big enough for real flight training."
"That's part of the reason I asked Spitfire to help. She's not only going to be teaching Fragment flight, she will also take you to the Wonderbolt Academy as a place to train." Princess Celestia explained.
"How are we getting there? From what I know the Wonderbolt Academy is impossible to get to without flying." Blast Shield asked. Princess Celestia motioned for us to follow her with a hoof. I tried to get a sense of Spitfire's emotions and sensed a mixture of curiosity and unease. The unease wasn't like fear. More of just uncomfortable.
"To answer your question, Blast Shield, you'll be taking the royal chariot to the academy. A flight from here to the academy using it will take about an hour." Princess Celestia said as we came to a part of the castle I hadn't been to before. After a few minutes in that area of the castle we came to a large balcony where the chariot was. "If all of you are ready, you should leave now. All of you will be staying at the academy until four PM." She explained as she walked away leaving Blast Shield Hofnarr and I with Spitfire and the two pegasi who would pull the chariot.
"Let's not waste time. We have a lot to cover and you're not the only one I'm teaching." Spitfire said as she stepped onto the chariot, pulled a pair of sunglasses out of her pocket and put them on. One by one we stepped on board with Spitfire, me being in front with her, and Blast shield with Hofnarr in back. It was a bit of a tight fit with the four of us but there was enough room. As the guards began to pull us into the air I looked back over my shoulder to Canterlot. Viewing the city from the air almost instantly reminded me of my flashback where I first remembered Gezähnt. A small amount of pain grew in my head as I stared so I turned to face forward again. For about ten minutes our flight to the Wonderbolt Academy was silent aside from the wind. But Hofnarr decided it was time to start talking again.
"I have a question."
"What is it, Hofnarr?" Blast Shield asked in an annoyed tone.
"How does the wind work?" Even Spitfire looked at Hofnarr with a dumbfounded expression on her face.
"Um... what?" Blast Shield replied.
"Well there are the Princesses for day and night, but what about everything else? Why do the Sun and Moon need to be moved around by someone but things like gravity, wind and earthquakes work on their own?" None of us had anything to say to that. That was actually a good question and there was nothing any of us could do about it. We all sat there trying to think of an answer.
"I've got nothing." Blast Shield said after a time.
"Me neither." Spitfire said as she looked at a watch she was wearing then to the air in front of us.
"I don't get you, Hofnarr. Are you just stupid when you feel like it or is this just a bolt of genius for you?" I asked as Hofnarr laughed lightly.
"I like to act stupid so that others can feel good about themselves." We stared at each other with blank faces after he said that.
"That's a lie, isn't it?"
"Biggest one I've ever told." He replied with a smile while I rolled my eyes. "Anyone want to play a game?"
"What kind of game do you think we can play here? We're hundreds of feet above the ground." Blast Shield reminded.
"Let's play I spy!" Hofnarr happily suggested. "I spy something... white!" I facehoofed while Blast Shield groaned in annoyance. "Oh come on! You don't have fun if you don't play." Hofnarr insisted as Blast Shield gave in.
"Um... a cloud?"
"Yup! Your turn." Hofnarr said with a smile.
"I spy something blue."
"Fragment's eye!"
"No."
"His wing."
"No..."
"Spitfire's shirt?"
"No." Blast Shield didn't seem to be enjoying this as much as Hofnarr was.
"That lake down there?" Hofnarr asked as he looked over the side of the chariot.
"Did it look like I looked over there?"
"I don't know. Is it... Um..."
"The sky." Blast Shield said.
"The sky?! But that's the most obvious thing up here to choose!"
"And yet, you didn't pick it."
"Of course not! No one picks the sky!" Hofnarr shouted as he attempted to cross his forelegs, but his cuffs made that rather difficult. "You wanna play, Fragment?" Hofnarr asked me.
"Nope." I replied quickly.
"Spitfire?"
"Not interested." She said without bothering to look at Hofnarr.
"Aw. You guys are no fun." Hofnarr whined. After that it was quiet for awhile. All the way to the point when Hofnarr started asking: "Are we there yet?"
"No." I said through clenched teeth. This was the fifth time he asked and the fifth time I answered with no.
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"NO!"
"Which do you think would hit the ground first? My spit, or Hofnarr?" Blast Shield said as he glared at Hofnarr.
"Well we've been flying for like two hours!"
"It's been forty minutes." Spitfire said with a growl in her voice.
"And we didn't bring any snacks for the trip! Or any drinks! What if we get into an accident? We'll have no supplies!"
"An accident with what? There's nothing up here but us and clouds!" Spitfire shouted. Hofnarr's constant stupidity had spared none of us from getting angry, it just seems that Spitfire had more tolerance to it than us. But she nonetheless gave in.
"Are you saying that there's no more traffic in the whole sky? 'Cause that's just crazy."
"Blast Shield, do you by chance know a silencing spell? Or maybe have some duct tape?" I asked as I felt a non-flashback related headache coming on.
"I still think we should just throw him off and claim he escaped." Blast Shield said as he peered over the side of the chariot.
"Then you'd have to explain to the Princess how you dropped the ball on making sure I was secure." Hofnarr countered with a smile.
"We're here!" Spitfire said as we all looked forward. Through a thin layer of clouds we saw a large, vertical mountain with grass and buildings on the top. The academy itself didn't look too special, but I guess being associated with the Wonderbolts was all the special it needed. Our chariot slowly lowered to level with academy grounds, and as it did I looked in the air above the main building and saw groups of pegasi in formations flying through all kinds of obstacles made from clouds in a rather large track. As the chariot touched down I saw a light blue stallion in a shirt like Spitfire's with a dark blue mane and tail flying towards us.
"Please keep your hooves, tails, wings, horns, heads and other appendages inside the vehicle until the ride has come to a complete stop." Hofnarr said in a happy tone as the chariot slowed down and Spitfire hopped out. "Thank you for flying with―" Blast Shield smacked Hofnarr upside the head.
"Stop it."
"Didn't have to hit me..." Hofnarr said as he tried to rub the back of his head. As we stepped off of the chariot the new pegasus landed in front of Spitfire.
"You were gone longer than you said. What held you up?" He asked as Blast Shield, Hofnarr and I walked up next to Spitfire. To my surprise, the pegasus didn't seem bothered by me or Hofnarr at all.
"There was a lot the Princess had to tell me." Spitfire said as she stepped aside and gestured to us with a hoof. "Fellas, this is my colleague and friend, Soarin. Soarin, this is Fragment, Blast Shield and Hofnarr." She said, pointing to us as our names were spoken.
"Why did you introduce me last?" Hofnarr asked, sounding offended.
"Nice to meet you all." Soarin said with a friendly smile. "So you're Fragment?" He asked with more focus on me. "I read about what you did in the newspaper. You saved that mare's life as well as her kid's." Hofnarr looked between Soarin and I with a very confused expression.
"Did I miss something? Something rather big and/or important."
"I'll tell you later." I said as one of the groups in the sky started to come down to land.
"I still have the newspaper, so you could read it yourself." Soarin said.
"Before we get started with your training, I'm going to explain to the cadets what's going on." Spitfire said as the seven cadets landed. Most of them looked at Hofnarr and I a few times before turning their attention to Spitfire. Before Spitfire even started talking they formed a straight line side by side. "Listen up, everypony." Spitfire said in an assertive tone, easily getting everyone's attention. "I'm sure you're all wondering why there are two changelings here. Late last night I was contacted by Princess Celestia herself, asking me to come to Canterlot today so we could discus me giving training to someone specific. I'm sure you can imagine my surprise when she told me that that someone was a changeling. This is Fragment." She pointed at me as she said my name. "I'm sure you know about him if you've read the newspapers or heard the latest gossip."
"No, really, what did I miss?" Hofnarr whispered to me as Spitfire went on.
"For those of you who don't know, he has amnesia, and Princess Celestia has decided that she should help him. And now, I'm going to be helping him learn to fly, with the assistance of Hofnarr." Again, Spitfire pointed at the one she named.
"Why does she keep introducing me last?!" Hofnarr angrily whispered as I shushed him.
"Let me make this perfectly clear to everyone." Spitfire glared at Hofnarr with the last part of her sentence. "I don't care what your personal opinions of changelings are or if you think we should be helping Fragment or not. Princess Celestia thinks I should help him, so I'm going to. And I expect all of you to treat both Fragment and Hofnarr with respect. Any questions?"
"No, ma'am!" The group said in unison.
"It's like hoof camp all over again." Blast Shield said as Spitfire turned to me.
"Okay, Fragment, are you ready to begin training?"
"Yes." As soon as my sentence stopped, Spitfire got right in my face.
"Yes, what?" She asked threateningly.
"Yes, ma'am." I said again as Hofnarr chuckled and said
"This is gonna be fun to watch."
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"Side effects may include, headaches, nausea, lightheadedness, migraines, confusion, drowsiness, ringing in the ears, boredom, poor sexual performance, the need to blink, heightened awareness of life, spontaneous crying and the need to slap something very specific." Blast Shield and I just stared at Hofnarr as he grinned.
Wow.
Forget adventure, this is comedic gold!
Also: a little demanding on the A/N, dont you think, Darkie?
3501789
DO AS I COMMAND!
3501895
Never!!!
What the fuck is twitter? I will not use that stupid birdie crap stuff! You can just tell me what's up with the next chapter darkie!
3503333>>3501789
Thanks a lot, Brony323, I have a new nickname. Darkie.
3503409 Hey someone called me LSS once! Darkie is really good nickname!
3503409
Let the nick among commence!!!
I swear, Hofnarr is almost like a Pinkie Pie Changeling. Heh, like it was mention before, this chapter is comedic gold. Next, we get to see how Spitfire and Hofnarr will train Fragment...and, who know, maybe we might get to see Rainbow Dash again...
A quick C&C:
I guess they did want him getting away...
> I think you mean "didn't" or 'did not'.
3503409 Oh shit! LSS also means Legendary Super Saiyan! Yes I am that badass! RAGH!
3503673
Trust me, you're really not.
3503649
The difference between Pinkie And Hofnarr is that Hofnarr knows full well that no one around him has any idea what he's talking about. Also, we won't be seeing Rainbow Dash (or any of the main six) for about four or five more chapters. And thanks for pointing out the typo.
3504382 Ouch that hurt! Awe poor Darkie your just mad that Pinkie Pie would call call you that name every time!
3504586
Weather or not that is true, this:
Nice fail, dude.
3504612 Now you see here! Well shit I got nothing. You got me but I still bad ass!
3504639
We've been over this. No you're not.
3504649 Yes I am !
Don't be so mean to me
You big bully!
3504664
Whatca gonna do? Cry?
3504691 No I gonna make cupcakes with Pinkie Pie!
Your gonna make them taste so good!:pinkiehappy Oh I mean I gonna invite you along with me and Pinkie and you have no say in the matter right Pinkie! 
Yes were gonna show you what we do to big meanie pants not to say you are one!
3504715
This must be fail night for you or something.
3504725 *Gives Darkie the finger*
3504758
*Takes and deep-fries it* Off to McDonald's.
3504771 *enjoys his mcdonalds, finds a weird fry, throws it out window where it gets shit on by a bird*
Have I succeeded?
Powered by Insanity.
3507930
Well that depends. What were you trying to do?
3508101 I have absolutely no idea.
3508257
Then you succeeded!
3508261 Success.
*Spins in chair while saying 'PONIES'*
3508301
You= 24.media.tumblr.com/9d77e623e1de524d78c91c156ab5c74b/tumblr_mjv7vvHhoq1s6051io1_400.gif
Me= media0.giphy.com/media/7Tkik4ZfutBkY/giphy.gif
3508316 I spin way faster than that.
*Continues spining*
3504586
Hahaha, missed that the first time:
You're*
3511020
How is the art deceiving?
3511020
There are a lot of comments here, I'mma add one
3512002
And a fav, and a like.
3512006 Duh, because it's good.
3512010
You've... been reading it? o.o
3512013...Yes. Well I just started, but i'm liking it so far! I'm a sucker for changelings, what can I say?
3512019
Yay!
random huge comment
3512099
I am tempted to delete this...
3512103
better?
3512108
LOL
3512139
L̛̆͛͒̃͂̆̓̏̉̏́̅̎̏̀͂̓̉̃̆̾̉̊̈́̆͒̿̅͌̌̎̅̎͝͠ư̛̈́́̈́̋̐̈̐̌̈́̓͒̑̓͋̏̊̏͛̌̒͂̆̒̑̑̎̀̑̋̕͘̚͝͝r̅͒͒̌̓̈́̔̾̌̓̔̎̓͗͋̈͌͊͌̈́̃̈̊̾̽͐̍͐̐̍̉̊̕̕͠͠v̈́̿͌͋̈́͑̉̎̏̉̋̓̃̔͐̎͛̎̇̏̋̋̑̒̀̍͛̐̂̏̀̇̉̌̚̕
3523904
This story has exploded far beyond what I had in mind when I first started writing. But I think this new story line is far more interesting. Fragment will still go treasure hunting, but it won't become the ultimate focus.
As for the things Fragment's done, you'll just have to wait and see how those come into play. It ain't pretty.
HEY, Darkie!!! I've got a review for ya:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/99894/hole-hearted
Just click on this story and look for my comment
3541671
I'd bet that your review of The Adventures of Fragment will be a much longer one given that it's a much longer story. I look forward to it nonetheless. 
Seems professional to me.
~A Dark Reminder
3541951
Yours will be a bit the same. You do know you've made my character opinion section EXCRUCIATINGLY long, right?
3541964
As of now, yes.
3542028
Not nice
3542171
Disagreement.
3542180
You do the writing, but I do the REAL work: making a review that covers content from 45 chapters. On top of that, I have to put in my own opinions with it. Don't even get me started on character reviews...
3542219
YOU do the real work? I've been throwing a ball at the wall for the last two hours! You what I've got out of it? I know that the last chapter (whatever number it will be) will be called "Inhale. Remember. Let Go."