A Different Breed of Changeling

by Zoljen

The Day of the Attack

A familiar red pegasus strode through the ranks of the Renegades that were waiting to be called on. His leg guards lightly clicking on the ground as he stopped next to Cloak, his wings fluttering slightly as let out a soft sigh.

“So we are just watching?” Talon glanced at Cloak.

“Seems so, at least for now. If we need to step in, we will.”

Talon squinted to see the giant mesh of Shadowbolts approaching the Wonderbolt compound.

“Can't alter your vision to see better, can you?” Cloak asked, looking towards Talon.

“Wish I could, but no, sadly.” Talon shook his head, sighing a little. He glanced around at the nearby Renegades, a few looking at him questioningly, but others nodded back to him. “I assume Descent told everypony here?” Getting a mix of admiration and confusion in the air from them all.

“Oh yes, a few were livid that a changeling was with them the whole time. A few were jealous that you destroyed a crystal that belonged to one of the commanders. Which brings me to the question, why aren't you Au naturalle now?” Cloak turned slightly to get a better look at him.

“If we are going to save the Wonderbolts, do you think them seeing a changeling would be wise when they are already going to be confused?” Talon shrugged. “I can tell them when the time is right, for now they need to focus on what's ahead of them.”

“So, hiding it for now. And after we save their tails?” Cloak rotated a hoof.

“I said when the time is right, who knows when that will be, but it isn't right now.” Talon stated flatly, watching the sky above the Wonderbolt compound light up with pink bursts.

“So, I couldn't help but notice your fancy armor there, why is that?”

Talon let out a soft sigh, sitting back and lifting up his hooves and lowering the bands on his scorched hoof enough to show his blackened changeling leg beneath.

“Oh… Oh damn, you can't hide it, can you?” Cloak asked gently, staring at the hoof as Talon hid it.

“According to Ember, I burned the chitin and mana veins around it. I can still make my blade, as you saw. But hiding this? I can't anymore.” Talon stood, watching the battle above the compound. “And before you ask, it's something about me burning the fur off the area so I can't alter it.”

Cloak raised an eyebrow, “So what, you have a small layer of fur or something?”

“Something like that, it gets made thicker when we take on a pony-guise. But it can be made into feathers, scales, or the like depending on what we take.” Talon shrugged, “As long as I wear these or...socks,” he paused to shudder, “I’ll be fine.”

“Not a fan of those?” Cloak chuckled as Talon quickly shook his head.

“After all this is over, hopefully I won't have to hide.”

“Oh yes! I can see the headlines now!” Cloak sat and held his hooves out, “Changeling joins the Wonderbolts! Thoroughly enjoys the love of the fans! Literally eats it right up!” Cloak chuckled as Talon lightly punched him. “Hey now, I’m just saying it as I see it.” He grinned widely.

Talon sighed, looking back out above the compound, seeing the number of pink flashes slowly diminish. “They aren't faring too well.” Cloak looks out as well, sighing.

“No, the magic is what's giving the Shadowbolts an edge.” His voice taking on that rare serious tone. “Looks like we will have to step in. This won't be pretty.”

“Nope,” Talon stood at the ready, as did Cloak beside him.

“So, when we do join, where are you going?”

“To that mesh, I’ll leave the Commanders to the ones who can actually do something against them,” Talon made a head gesture towards the Ex-Wonderbolts, who had been standing at attention the whole time, ready to go lend a hoof towards their comrades. “I’m not recovered enough to fight them again.”

“Ha, agreed. I still see a few bandages on you.” Cloak snickered as Talon shot him a quick glare.

“And I am not going to sit on the sidelines when I am capable of fighting!”

“I get it, you can be a real dragon you know.” Cloak paused, “Literally I bet, huh?”

Talon just shook his head, chuckling. “I can…” He trailed off, just as he heard Descent whistle loudly. “That's our cue!”

Talon and Cloak took off into the air, followed by the other Renegades, towards the large aerial dog fight.

---

“Seriously! These things are no fun to fight!” Azure Star growled as she floated next to her captain. “Can't taunt what doesn't listen!”

“I hope you have an idea for getting us out of this mess, Lieutenant.” Moonbow shot at her, as she dodged a pink beam of energy, “Because I could use some R and R after this fight!”

“Well, unless we get some backup from an army, I got nothing!” Azure raised her arms, ready to block another beam of energy, but it never came. She glanced over them to see the clones before her explode in a pink light. A red stallion with most of a blue mane floating in their place as he grinned, wearing the shadowbolt uniform, slightly modified by a pair of deep blue leg guards, and wearing a set of red goggles with a tassel tied above them. He waved a moment, then dive bombed out of her view.

“Uh… I want a million bits?” Azure glanced skyward, watching other Shadowbolts explode around her as these mysterious Shadowbolts lookalikes swooped in.

“What was that Azzy?” Moonbow asked as she glanced to her squadmate.

“Just wondering if we got trolled, ma’am.”

---

Talon grinned as he almost bounced from Shadowbolt clone to Shadowbolt clone. Nearly three weeks of being stuck in a castle, and eleven days of that time was stuck in bed. He was certainly enjoying this, even if it was clones he was fighting against. He floated up after striking down a clone, looking around as Cloak floated to his side.

“You’re enjoying this far too much, aren't you?” Cloak asked in the momentary pause before the pair flew forward, striking down more clones as they went.

“Can you blame me? Stuck in a bed for the past few weeks; yeah, I'm indulging a little!” Talon grinned as he spun around, deflecting a bolt of magic with a sharpened hoof. He lowered a little, sliding up under a clone and driving a solid kick under its head, making it explode above him as he used the momentum to zoom down. He landed on another that was just about to zap a yellow stallion with a violet grey mane.

Talon waved to the stallion for only a moment, before rocketing off to another clone. Leaving the stallion floating there confused. A mottled brown pegasus floated up beside the yellow one.

“Are we being saved from Shadowbolts… by Shadowbolts?”

“I am so confused.”

Talon heard as he jetted off to help take care of more clones. He slammed into another clone, making it explode and floated there for a few seconds before he heard a snarl from his side. He quickly closed his wings, falling some and glancing up as a yellow and blue blur zoomed where he was.

“You missed it, Monkey!” He heard shouted, making him spin and see a pale pink mare flying towards him, the blue part mane tied up in a short tail leaving the close-cropped yellow part clearly visible and a face of rage as she snarled at him.

“Not my fault these Shadowbolts might actually be getting smarter, Aurora!” He heard from behind him, making him glance over his shoulder as another mare, this one bright yellow with vivid red mane and tail and strangely glittering wing-guards, flew at him.

“Right…” He smirked as he spun to dodge the two coming at him, making them zoom past each other. “No way to convince you two I'm here to help?” He shrugged as Monkey turned quickly, flying straight back at him.

“This one actually talks!” Monkey yelled as she reared back, ready to throw a heavy punch. Talon raised his arms up to block, floating back as he got hit and grunted. He felt her throw more, as he turned to deflect them.

“Seriously! I'm a friendly!” Talon shouted as he closed his wings, dropping some again to dodge a kick from the yellow mare. He turned quickly, blocking a fierce swing from Aurora and catching her arm. He continued to spin, making her rear hooves collide with a clone that was about to attack. The clone sputtered and flew back as Talon tossed Aurora aside, the clone exploding a few moments later.

Aurora leveled out and started to fly back at him, but Monkey was already back in front of Talon, throwing another heavy punch, making him grunt loudly as he blocked and was knocked back by the swing.

“Your both confused and tired, trust me!” he growled as he kept on the defensive against the mares.

“And why should we do that?” Aurora snarled as she flew in, joining in the assault on Talon.

“Because your real enemy wears yellow goggles!” Talon growled as he was forced to remain completely on the defensive as the two mares ganged up on him. As he blocked one, the other would narrowly miss him as he’d turn to dodge.

As Monkey landed another solid blow that was blocked, Aurora managed a solid hit on his side, just under his ribcage, which made him hiss and fall back.

As he let himself fall back, grimacing and holding his side, he glared up at Aurora who wore a smug smile, flying forward again. Talon wheezed as he floated, holding his arms close, ready to block, just as four bright flashes erupted over the area, which made Aurora stop.

“Huh?” She looked around, seeing the remaining clones explode after the bright flashes. Monkey floated up beside her, panting softly as they both glared at Talon.

“Now,” he wheezed, “Can we talk?” He remained holding his side as he floated there.

“I still want to beat your face in.” Aurora growled at him.

“I wouldn’t recommend that, actually.” Talon grinned, “We are on your side.”

“Right, and we should believe that?” Monkey stated with a faint growl as they floated closer to Talon, still ready to attack.

“Well, for starters, I never once threw a punch at you.” Talon chuckled, turned and gestured to follow back to the compound. “We should get out of the air, let you rest your wings.”

The pair growled, but followed after him. “So, what, you and your buddies have just been toying with us?” Aurora growled out as she flew up to Talons side, he gave her a once over, sighing slightly.

“I suppose you could say that, but… it's mostly them that did.” He points towards the ex-Wonderbolts that were starting to gather. “Everything will be explained later. Hopefully it will make sense then.”

He grinned to the mares and left them, flying closer to the little reunion going on as he felt a wave of happiness from them when they revealed themselves. He landed and kept somewhat close, but out of their sight, to regain a little bit of lost energy.

He sat by them and silently soaked it up, just grinning and watching the teary reunion, and catching a faint glimpse of Silver Lining. “Huh, so he is still a Wonderbolt...this will be awkward.” he mumbled to himself, as he sat there, enjoying the energy from the reunion. After a while, he glanced up as Luna floated down behind Descent. And upon hearing a request to gather up the wounded Wonderbolts, he took to the air to help find them.

Author's Note:

After an almost 4 month wait! It resumes!

The day of the Shadowbolts first magic using attack on the compound! from the view of a changeling and in the big dogfight while the Ex-Wonderbolts save the lead squads!

Comments

[Sylvian]

Talon, saving all of our OC Wonderbolts in one go xD

Also, I'm with Azure on this one! I want a million bits!

[harts fire]

first and for most welcome back Zoljen.

second exultant chapter.

[Zoljen]

7149281
7148674

Thank you, thank you.