Order of Eclipse

by Comrade Bagel Muffin

Solar Paladin Doctor Whooves

"Hungry," Changer complained to himself as he feel like a rock forty meters. "Must get to Whooves house, Derpy always nice, always give food." He forced himself to regain his lost altitude as he approached Ponyville. The Whooves lived on the outskirts of the small valley hamlet however they were on the other side. Worse the skies were crystal clear as the lone undisguised Changeling flew over the homes and heads of some forty-five hundred ponies. If Changer hadn't been so starved he would have become a bat, as it was he didn't even remember that Changelings weren't allowed near the ponylands. Let alone the last bastion of civilization before their capital. The exhausted nearly starved to death changeling more crashed than landed on the Whooves family lawn. He slowly stumbles up to the front door.

"Sunshine Sunshine ladybugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake." Dinky and Screw Ball laughed as they did the motions of the nursery rhyme.

"Girls supper is almost ready." Ditzy called from the kitchen. "Screw Ball I hope you like muffins."

"Yes ma'am I sure do." Screwball stood up with Dinky. Screw Ball's eyes widened at the table. "Wowzers do you guys like muffins or what?"

"Well I might have gotten a little bit carried away." Ditzy blushed as Screw Ball's eyes spun over the kitchen. Muffins covered everything; counters where buried under mountains of them. The stove had a five tier cooling rack where muffins were squeezed together, averaging twenty-two to a tier. Even the table was covered with an assorted verity of the baked delights. "It's just I didn't know what kind you liked so I thought that I would just make the best type of muffin." Ditzy explained. "But all muffins are equally good so I kind of, had to, bake all of them, you know." Ditzy finished face red and tapping her fore hooves together as her husband called Dinky's sister Amethyst down for supper.

"It's fine dear. Plus if we have any leftovers the girls will be able to take them for lunch." Mr. Whooves patted Dinky's head as he walked over to his wife.

"Ew oh, I call dibs on the chocolate chip muffins." Dinky bounced up and down, eyeing the muffins on the forth rack greedily.

"Dinky you know that chocolate chip muffins are dessert muffins, you need to take food muffins for lunch." Tap tap tap.

"But daddy Chocolate chip muffins are food and they're my favorite," Dinky answered. Tap tap tap.

"How about this if you take a Hay Oat muffin or an Apple Oat muffin with you, and eat it first, and if we have any chocolate chip muffins left you can take one of them also." Tap tap tap. "And Amethyst please stop the tapping"

"It's not me dad somepony is at the door."

"This late?" Ditzy asked. "Who is it?"

"I don't know I'll cheek," Amethyst answered walking past the kitchen. The click of the door was instantly followed by a scream.

"Dinky under the table now!" Mr. Whooves yelled. Dinky grabbed Screw Ball and pulled her under the table. By which time Ditzy had somehow already flown over landing in the hallway, with grace and agility that Screw Ball had thought impossible for the clumsy gray Pegasus.

"Hey what's going on?" Screw Ball asked Dinky confused and slightly worried.

"It's mommy and daddy's most important rule if they say 'get under the table, or bed, or whatever' you have to do it no questions." Dinky explained looking at the hall. A moment passed in silence and before Screw Ball could ask any more questions Amethyst appeared at the kitchen entry way.

"I'm sorry Screw Ball but dinner will have to wait a while longer." She looked pale but already color was coming back to her face. "Dinky, you and your friend can take one muffin a piece and go to up stairs to your room. You can play with your toys Mom, Dad, or I will call you down when things are sorted okay. Good get your muffins and hurry up stairs." Both nodded and grabbing a chocolate muffin a piece trotted up stairs. Screw Ball could have sworn she saw Mr. Whooves with a Changeling.

"So does the whole get under something, thing happen a lot?" Screw Ball asked through a mouthful of muffin. Dinky just sat on her bed a gave a casual shrug. Screw Ball looked around the room was clean and a little bit empty there was a bed a closet and a toy box and one circular pink rug on the floor. "Do you want to know what their talking about down stairs?" She asked her friend with a mischievous smile.

"We can't," Dinky answered with a gentle eye roll. "The floor is insulated, and besides they'll be talking in the living room or kitchen which is under Mommy and Daddy's room silly, and their room is always locked."

"I know a trick." Screw Ball began.

"I don't think they'd let you over again if we broke into their room Screw Ball."

"What no silly, well okay that was plan A, but I know this other neat trick." Screw Ball looked over her shoulder then left then right, and for good measure also checked the toy chest, closet, and under the bed before continuing in a whisper. "But before I do it I need you to Pinkie Pie promise me that this stays between the two of us. You can't tell anypony no matter how much they tickle you."

"What are you going to do Screwy."

"Pinkie. Pie. Promise." Dinky nodded and preformed the ritual

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a muffin in my eye." Screw Ball sighed and nodded.

"Okay so I'm not like normal earth pony fillies." Screw Ball whispered "See I can do magic that would make even Twilight Sparkle jealous, but ponies don't understand. Trust me when ever they see me doing it they freak out. So you can't tell anypony. Okay." Dinky nodded. "Oh and try not to you know freak-out." Dinky nodded again, and satisfied that her friend meant it she took off her hat, reached inside, and pulled out an old analog phone.

"Is that it?" Dinky asked.

"Is that it?" Screw Ball repeated her face a faint tent of red. "I just pulled a phone out of my hat. What kind of an audience are you?"

"Hey I'm sorry it's just the way you made it sound you were going to do something really big like make the floors and walls invisible or something, not just magic up a phone."

"Well if I made the floors and walls invisible then they would see us and you're not suppose to get caught when your spying on ponies. Besides the last time I did this I turned all the clouds above Vanhoover into cotton candy." Screw Ball caught herself a second to late Dinky's face looked horrified.

"You can turn clouds into cotton candy?"

"You know what never mind." Screw Ball looked anywhere but at Dinky. "Let's just spy on your folks." Screw Ball took the receiver off of the hook and set it on the floor between her and Dinky.

"Here have another muffin." Ditzy's voice came out of the receiver. "Are you okay? What happened to you?"

"Fog starting to spread, again. Not fast, but still moving out." A weak voice answered her.

"Uncle Changer!" Dinky gasped.

"Uncle Changer?"

"He's not really related but Mommy and Daddy are good friends with him, and he plays with me and my sister all the time. You know when he's not busy working and doing stuff that Mommy and Daddy don't want me and Amethyst to know about. He sounds really bad; I hope he's not hurt."

"Amethyst go up stairs." Mr. Whooves voice said it was calm but something was encroaching on the edges. Something that made the hair of their manes stand on end. "The Black Fog is spreading again already it hasn't even been fifty moons since the last ceremony. Who else knows about this?"

"Changer will go to the cave after stomach not achy. It not be long now till Changer will summon the three High Paladins and then they will know about it. Changer's stomach almost full already. You and Ditzy give so much concern for Changer. Changer knows that Changer has good friends."

"Changer how fast is it spreading?" Ditzy asked her voice gave way to fear.

"By end of next winter. Black Fog will be out of the Bogs."

"We'll go too. Doubtless as soon as they're aware of this Black Wing will call a meeting."

"Other things too. Dark things that came from the Fog." Changer's voice already sounded stronger. "Changer not know when or whence they came or went but they reek of the Fog. High Paladins must know that also."

"Alright Changer make a disguise for yourself. Ditzy and I will tell the kids that we're going on an emergency tip to Canterlot. We'll say good-bye put Amethyst in charge till morning and head out."

"Okay." At the sound of Ditzy's voice Screw Ball clapped her fore hooves together and the phone disappeared. A moment of silence passed as the two fillies just stared at each other. Dinky was about to say something, but the door opened before she knew what she needed to say.

"Hey there's my little filly." her mom said as she hugged Dinky. "Your dad and I, well we've been called to Canterlot. We may be gone till morning so I wanted to tell you good night and that I love you."

"I love you to mommy. How long will you be gone?"

"We should be back by morning." Her dad answered from the doorway. "Maybe even sooner. Your sister will be in charge, both of you be good and have fun. Amethyst be patient with your sister. I love you both and good night if I'm not back before you're in bed."

The five of them when down stairs to the living room where a black Pegasus with a red mane and green eyes was waiting. "Amethyst, your in charge." Ditzy opened the door. "Dinky, you and Screw Ball should be in bed no later than Ten 'o clock. Be good and We'll be back before breakfast, and remember tomorrow we're going to Appaloosa for the hoofball game so if your tired you won't get to enjoy the game."

"Okay mommy."

"Thank you Mrs. Whooves."

"Bye girls have a good and fun night." Time Turner shut the door.

"Well that put's to bed any hopes that you weren't seen." Dr. Whooves walked down the street of Ponyville with his wife and the disguised changeling. The whole town was in a state of uncontrolled panic. That window of panic which would allow them to slip by unnoticed was closing however, as Twilight Sparkle and her friends began calming the crowds one by one at first, but slowly the tide was turning. And the three of them were still to far from the Everfree Forest.

"Hey Where are ya'll going off ta?"

"We're heading to the edge of town to see if the Changeling slips into the Everfree Forest." The pitch Black Pegasus answered the orange cowpony without skipping a beat.

"I ain't seen you aroun' here before," Apple Jack answers back. "Who are ya?"

"I'm Stop Watch, Time Turners cousin come in just today," Changer answered smoothly. "I was going to meet with them at the train to Appaloosa for a hoofball game, but decided to arrive early and surprise my nieces."

"That's the Changeling!" Bon Bon cries from the other side of the street. "I saw it land on their lawn!"

"Is tha' so, well mister Stop Watch, ya wouldn' mind ta taking a little test to see if yer who ya say ya are, now would ya?" Twilight and Rainbow Dash walked up behind his blind spot.

"Of course not I have absolutely nothing to hide." Changer began casting the counter spell, on Lyra, not seeing his mistake until it was to late. A purple ethereal flame wrapped around his body undoing his disguise spell. Changer took the moment of shock that was afforded by his sudden if not unwanted reveal to jump to the sky wings beating as hard as they could. And not a second to soon as Rainbow Dash now occupied the ground he had stood just a moment ago. "Changer not need this right now!" he screamed in frustration as he flew to the Everfree Rainbow Dash hot on his trail. The rest of the Elements of Harmony pursued the lone Changeling and their over eager friend into the Everfree forest.

"Come on Doctor we have to see if we can help." Ditzy charged with full abandon after them her husband at her side as they headed into the Everfree. As they watched the areal ballet above the untamed forest.

Rainbow Dash climbed rapidly overshooting Changers altitude and continued to climb higher and higher. Until the Changeling looked like a gnat then all at once she dived corkscrewing, fore hooves first. Changer thrust his wings shooting him backwards, avoiding Rainbow Dash by mere inches. The Changeling's horn glowed green as bolts of restraint magic shot at the diving Pegasus. She spun away staying just seconds ahead of the bolts of magic which whizzed past her body. A purple shield of magic glowed and flicked on the forest floor below them, as green bolts of changeling magic bombarded Twilight's shield. Rainbow Dash began to climb again at an acute angle; attempting to force Changer to choose which target to pursue with his magic. Instead Changer again trust himself backwards and continued his bombardment of the teal Pegasus and her allies on the ground. Rainbow steepened her assent, rapidly closing in on the changeling and barely avoiding his magical bolts and then passing him. "No more playtime. Changer has had enough!"

Ditzy and the Doctor watched from the ground in a small clearing as the battle waged above them. "Well this is somewhat unexpected." A burlap cloaked phantasm pulled himself out of a tree. "I wasn't expecting to see an areal showdown between Equestria's finest and my linguistically impaired partner."

"Aren't you going to help him?" Ditzy asked the cloaked phantom as she tried to catch her breath.

"Did you give him food." The phantom didn't look away from the aerial battle.

"He said he was full," she answered.

"Then no, I won't interfere." He watched Changer take a suicide dive. Rainbow Dash dived down with him. "If he isn't distracted by an empty stomach then there isn't a snowflakes chance in Tartaurus that Rainbow Dash can beat him."

"What?"

"Rainbow Dash, upon her death will have become one of the top one hundred flyers of all time." There was a subtle green glow in the sky, and suddenly Changer was on Rainbow Dash's six. "However, Changer upon his death will be in the top twenty. In a one on one aerial battle, Rainbow won't win. Not even one in a million." Changer horn glowed and green light struck out at Rainbow Dash, who had to use every trick she knew to avoid a direct hit. "But really what could you expect from a Changeling general from the second empire?"

"Wait you mean that that's High General Changer."

"You didn't know, really Doctor I'm surprised, it's not like you and your wife weren't the main reasons for his aspirations to greatness. Besides changelings don't reuse names. It's a strange cultural thing; those with the honor of a name will be the only one with that name. I personally am waiting for all the good names to be taken and the only ones left to be Bob and Lisa. Really intimidating. And one last little reason even if she could beat him in a fair one on one fight. Changer doesn't fight fair he has magic and he has no problem using it." Rainbow Dash pulled up faked a pull away, and slammed into Changer as he tried to maneuver around. He was pushed back only a little before pulling into it causing Rainbow to slid away. He didn't give her a break instead he started to press against her, horn glowing and refusing to brake off of her side. A green bolt of magic shot out striking her square in the head. Motivations, intentions, reasons to why she was where she was all suddenly became blurred. She just flapped there aimlessly as Changer dropped in a suicide dive and renewed his bombardment on the remaining five Elements of Harmony. The daze my have been designed to last longer, but old motivations, intentions and reasons weren't needed She saw her friends under attack and returned her pursuit on the Changeling.

"Oh no you don't!" Rainbow Dash screamed as she slammed into Changer and dived to the forest floor below. "Nopony. No one. No thing. Hurts my friends!" There was a distinctive sound of breaking tree limbs and disturb dirt echoed in the forest.

"Ditzy, Ditzy's charity case, go to the cave I'll need it opened when I get there." The Phantom descended into the dirt, and a shadow raced toward the crash site.

Changer's carapace was strong, and apart from the slight wobble he had getting up he showed no signs that the crash had harmed him. The soft flesh and light bones of Rainbow Dash however had proven less protective. She laid unconscious, bruised, bleeding, and bent in all the wrong ways, on the ground at his hooves. He let out a long tired sigh as he picked her up in his magic. Bones started to bend with terrible effort back into place. Good that colorful pony asleep this would make screams and screams bring bad things in this bad forest.Apple Jack blasted out of the forest toward the Changeling. Changer didn't drop his focus from Rainbow Dash for an instant. He just shot a stray bolt of restraint magic and the orange pony, which congealed into green slime, gluing her hooves to the ground.

"Ya put 'er down right now ya hear!" She shouted. Changer didn't even spare her a glance.

"Apple Jack!" A purple counter spell struck the slim.

"Now yer in fer it." Changer didn't bat an eye. Instead he just recast the spell, stronger this time. It struck the orange cow pony with such force that she was blasted into a tree which the quickly spreading green slime glued her entire body to. He then put the unconscious teal Pegasus between him and the remaining four Elements of Harmony.

"Friend hurt." He shock Rainbow Dash for emphasis. "Can't fix by myself, you help."

"Okay we'll take care of her, but why would you care?"

"We do not need to answer that question Twillight Sparkle." A dark shadow specter rose from the ground and swallowed the changeling into the darkness of its cloak. Then it burst into nine parts and shot apart in all directions. Leaving them in the forest alone.

Nine shadows raced across the floor of the Everfree Forest, and streaked up the mountains on all sides in to a hidden cave. They continued along the floor walls and roof of the cave, and slid into the hidden camber at the back of the cave. They coalesced into a sphere on the back wall; out of which came a cloaked phantom. He pulled back his cloak and Changer stepped onto the stone floors of the cavern.

Comments

[Comrade Bagel Muffin]

7242236
Many thanks to you comrade for your assistance.
I ask you would you care to help me, and proof read a Fallout Equestria story?

[Comrade Bagel Muffin]

7242796 It is not a one Chapter stand alone Comrade