A Flitter of the Past
Across Equestria, all the radios were turned to one station, in anticipation of a famous radio broadcast.
“Good Morning Equestria! It’s 7 a.m., and you know what that means! This is K-Colt, and you’re listening to the Vinyl Scratch! I’m the Martyr of Metal herself, DJ-PON3!”
“And I’m Octavia, the only one with any manners in this station."
There was a fart sound.
“Vinyl!”
“Not me this time, Tavi. That, ladies and gentlecolts was our new changeling master of sound effects, Wubsy! That’s right, I’ve got a changeling working in the studio! I don’t see what the big deal is about these guys. If they want peace, why don’t we give it to them? Am I right, Wubsy?
“You bet, Vinyl!”
“My faithful listeners, these guys are our friends, and the sooner we accept that, the happier everypony is! Now let’s hear some calls! Just dial 4, and we’ll be standing by to answer!”
Had Vinyl known the importance her statement would foreshadow, she probably would have bet Octavia the deed to the house that it would come true.
…
OUTSIDE RAINBOW DASH'S HOUSE…
“…Are you sure this is the right place?”
“Yes, I’m sure! Quit asking! Do you know anypony else who lives in a house made of clouds?”
“Flit, all of Cloudsdale is made out of clouds.”
“Shut up, Fly! I wasn’t talking to you!”
“If you don’t want me to comment, then maybe you shouldn’t say such stupid things.”
“G…girls?”
“If we weren’t sisters, Fly, I’d break that face of yours!”
“G…girls?”
“It wouldn’t matter; I’d still be the pretty one, and I’d still be more outgoing than you.”
“G…girls?”
“’Pretty’ my hoof! If you’re so ‘pretty,’ then how come nearly everypony we’ve tried talking to has avoided us? And you can’t be ‘outgoing’ here! That means you’ve been blabbing about our lives! Our secrets! We aren’t allowed to do that*!”
“G…girls?”
“What is it Flap? Spit it out!”
“Um… should I knock now?”
…
Rainbow Dash looked up from her book when she heard the knocking.
“What is it now?” she muttered to herself, setting down the book (Daring Do and the Orphan Foals) and heading towards the front door. She stopped before she opened it, and looked back to where she had been sitting, noticing the book was out in the open where whoever was at the door could see it. She quickly rushed back to the book, taking it up to her room (nearly crashing into Tank) and stuffing it under her pillow. She enjoyed the series, but she still had a reputation to uphold.
She made her way back to the door and opened it.
Standing there were three nearly-identical pegasi mares, each with a dull yellow coat and green eyes. The one on the left had a blonde mane identical to Ditzy’s and a thundercloud cutie mark. The mare in the center (who was wearing a stylish saddlebag) had her green mane in styled into a braid, and had a mirror and brush cutie mark. The final mare, who was attempting to shelter herself behind the other two, had a simple short brown mane and a flower cutie mark. The left mare spoke first.
“You Rainbow Dash?” she asked, looking at a piece of paper. Her tone made it obvious that she had a short temper. Rainbow Dash didn’t like it.
“Yeah, you got a problem with…,” she trailed off as she noticed the paper was being held in an aura of green magic**. She also noticed the green necklaces the three mares wore. Her brain took a second to place the pieces together and come to an obvious conclusion: Changelings had come to her house on her day off. Wonderful.
“What do you bugs want?”
The mare on the left bristled, turning into her true form.
“WHO ARE YOU CALLING A BUG, YOU NO-GOOD PIECE OF-!”
She was cut off when the mare with the braid placed her hoof over the changeling’s mouth. She turned to Dash and attempted a strained smile.
“Forgive my sister. Allow me to introduce my sisters and I. My name is Fly. The mare behind me is my sister Flap, and this bundle of rage is my other sister, Flit. I’ll cut to the chase. We have purchased a home in Cloudsdale at an amazingly low price***, and we are seeking employment. I have managed to draw up a resume, and…”
Rainbow’s mind drifted off. The changeling’s voice… Rainbow had finally found something more boring than one of Twilight’s lectures. It was getting hard to stay awake. She shook her head and spoke. “Anyway, why are you here?” she said, a bit harshly.
Fly stopped talking and glared at the cyan pegasus. “We asked around, and a nice pegasus stallion recommended we find you, which I found odd, considering you don’t actually run a business of any sort, not to mention the fact that, while you do have a job, you don’t actually really work at it, constantly going off on unofficial breaks to sleep on clouds, coming in late, running off during your bathroom breaks…”
“Which stallion?” Rainbow interrupted before she could become too sleepy. How did this mare know so much about her?
“He said he was from Los Pegasus. He was kind of lanky, pale, red mane, wearing a Wonderbolts hoodie? Sound familiar?”
“It’s a long story. Anyway, how do you know so much about me? Am I so awesome that even changelings are fans?” She struck a heroic pose.
“No, we were spying on Ponyville months before the Wedding.”
Rainbow deflated. “Oh. Well, sorry, I can’t help you.”
Fly cocked her head to the side and flicked her left ear. “Why?”
“Because I don’t want to,” Rainbow replied before starting to close the door.
“Please, you have to,” said a quiet voice, almost like Fluttershy’s. Rainbow stopped.
Flap looked at her with tears in her eyes. “I…if you a…are such a b…big hero, than you h…h…have to help us.” She was on the verge of crying her eyes out.
Rainbow sighed. “Fine, I’ll help you.”
Flap gave a small smile.
“But only because I don’t want you guys around here any longer than you have to be.”
Flit, her disguise restored, snorted. “The feeling’s mutual, Crashy.”
Rainbow glared at Flit. She hoped she could get rid of her first.
…
“How did I get stuck with you?” Rainbow asked Flit about three hours later.
“Pfft, because those other jobs were lame, the bosses were lame, my sisters are lame, and you’re lame,” Flit replied with a wry smile.
That was the last straw. Rainbow had had enough of this changeling (who sounded a lot like Gilda). She had done nothing but berate Dash the entire time they had been together. Her sisters hadn’t been that hard to get rid of****, but Flit was aggressive enough that she couldn’t be trusted to do a job without flying into a rage. And she blamed Dash for everything. The cyan pegasus had had enough. She turned and blocked the changeling’s path.
“Why are you targeting me? Out of all the ponies in Equestria, why me?"
“Because my head still hurts.”
“What!?!”
“Oh, you don’t remember? The wedding? That yellow pegasus?”
Rainbows eyes widened.
…
NINE WEEKS AGO… CANTERLOT…
Fluttershy had barely managed to trick the three changelings who had taken on her appearance. Carefully turning, she ran into four very angry looking Rainbow Dashes. She cowered as the four pegasi raised themselves on their hind legs, preparing to strike…
…only to have the real Rainbow Dash reveal herself by kicking the snot out of the three doppelgangers who had taken on her appearance.
…
THE PRESENT... CLOUDSDALE...
“That was you?”
“Yeah, and we fought exactly five times during the battle, and I’m still sore, so forgive me if I’m not exactly courteous to you.”
Rainbow considered this new information. Then she spoke.
“Those were some good moves.”
Flit blinked. “What?”
“That fighting. Listen, kid, you aren’t cut out for a run-of-the-mill job, but now that I know who I’m dealing with, I have an idea…”
…
The white pegasus stallion looked at Rainbow Dash. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Come on, Bulk! She’s good! I’ve seen her in action!”
The over-muscled pegasus looked over Flit.
“I’ll tell you what; I go against her, and if she manages to pin me, I’ll agree to it.”
Rainbow smiled. “Deal.”
Both participants entered the ring. Bulk Biceps smiled.
“Don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re a chick.”
Flit transformed into her changeling self and bared her fangs in a grin. “I think you’ll find that this chick has quite a sharp set of talons. You know what? I’ll give you the first move.”
“YEEEAAAH!” Bulk screamed. Then he charged.
Flit reared on her hind legs and held her position, holding her hooves out before her. The stallion rammed into her…
…only to be lifted by Flit’s hooves, swung over her head, and thrown on his back. Flit pounced on top of him, managing to last three seconds.
Bulk stood up, looking at Flit, then Rainbow Dash, then Flit again. He grinned and held out a hoof.
“Welcome to the Cloudsdale Crushers.”
Flit smiled and bumped the proffered hoof. She then turned to Rainbow, still smiling.
“Thanks, Crashy.”
“No problem, kid.”
As Rainbow flew away from Cloudsdale’s Fight Club, she smiled to herself.
“Maybe changelings aren’t so bad after all,” she said as she flew into the sunset.
Meanwhile, below her, a pink earth pony headed for Sweet Apple Acres, dragging behind her a suspicious covered wagon.
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CHAPTER 4 IS UP!!! I WISH FOR REVIEWS!
KREKKGA NIKSHIMAST KRINTOXXI!!!
("The prince politely requests that you respond, offering it as a suggestion in a tone of voice that makes it seem like a command" in Ancient Changeling)
(Yes, that is a literal translation of those three words in a language I made up for this fic)
(Writing a new language is fun)
Nice. I like it. You really got a thing going here. Waking patiently for the next chapter. Still wondering what Pinkie has in the wagon.
Hope it is not a batch of 'cupcakes'. 
2133545
...NO!
Well, technically yes, but not that kind. Let's consider for a minute:
Pinkie does one thing when a new pony comes to town.
It has been 7 weeks since the changelings came (9 weeks since the invasion attempt)
There are possibly enough changelings to rival the combined population of Ponyville and Appleoosa
Pinkie has not been seen since chapter one
any guesses as to what she could have been doing?
(if this comes across as harsh, i'm sorry, it's not supposed to be, I just want to see if the information helps you guess as to the mystery wagon's contents.)
Also, i'm worried I didn't portray rainbow well enough. your thoughts?
Now its much better 1,5k words and that should be your minimal chapters longevity ;p
Don't do that "*" marks just do this somehow in story, ofc you don't need to explain just after something happens. Maybe later with story progress reader will get that facts. Reader don't need to be omniscient, some stuff we can learn with our fellow ponies
And i need to say you have very good grip on characters of canon ponies, RD is harsh, blunt and show off and you showed that.
2134649 Okay, it's just that I saw it on another fic and thought it would be helpful if I did something similar. chapter 5 will be a long while in coming though.
2134603 Thank You! Do you mean like this?
IT WORKED!!!
Also, I think this is the best way to write the story, but i'm considering only doing one other chapter like this before re-entering the main story line I left off at in chapter 2.
RD? Hardest to portray? Never heard that. But your impersonation of her is pretty accurate.
2140779 Well Thank You!
*
I was told she was the hardest to get right because when most newbies try, they either make her a complete jerk or a complete idiot. I'm glad i apparently managed to get her right on the first try! I deserve a smug face :*
2140890 oh, I guess that does make sense. Pinkie Pie is a bit easier because you can exaggerate her personality and it's still spot on
2140900 Yeah, Pinkie's fun to try because she's so random!
or the Rainbow Factory
And once again, Brilliant work on your fic!
I'm so sick of stories that portray Pinkie as Insane, and i hate any fics along the lines of "Cupcakes"
They Make Pinkie Cry
2140955 LOL. Once again, I am flattered!
2142089 I live to please.
!
I am a troll's worst nightmare because I learned from the best
Discord: O RLY?
me: FUS ROH
Celestia:
me: get out.
and also, 2 DISLIKES!?!
Well it's about time!
I wonder who they are?
I honestly don't care if they like the story or not, i'm just glad people are reading it.
but everyone who likes this story gets cake and a moustache
POINT THE FIRST: Three words, WALL OF TEXT, seriously, this chapter is in need of some serious spacing, also, the parts about... uh, the first two changelings getting jobs could have been included in the main text, as well as the other asterisked notes.
I only point this out because the asterisks in question were really bugging me by the last two.
I have no point the second here, simply because all this chapter seems to need is some better spacing to prevent the wall of text effect I experienced while reading.
As a final point, I really hope you don't expect me to remember which sister is which, I can't even remember all the names, as I'm pretty sure they weren't Flip, Flap, and Flop.
is that wubsy from the vinyl and octavia fic?
2696709 yes.
2133541
I enjoyed it, and the fics you referenced.
The pacing seems to have settled down to a sane level compared to a peace treaty and castle move in chapter one.
_________________________________________
I have two questions though:
1. Does the fact that Changelings were kind of getting clobbered before winning by sheer numbers mean that the Mane 6 are awesome fighters, Changelings are physical lightweights, or something in between?
I'm guessing the throw on Biceps was more about using his force against him than raw strength.
2. How many Changelings are there in that castle relative to the population of Cloudsdale and Ponyville?