> The Rebirth of Flight > by Lee > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > The Town of Cavalcade > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Rebirth of Flight Equestria is a land happieness, a land of joy, a land of pea-BOOM!! "CRAP CRAP CRAP!!" Yelled the changeling as she ran as fast of her hole filled legs could take her. "After all the crap I did for this town and now there all out for my head." *Heavy panting* stopping only for a moment behind a sales cart, before taking off at full speed yet again. "I can't believe they found out." By now the changeling or Méditer as is her name, is being hunted down by her former friends and even a small group of royal guards that had been stationed there after the wedding....FIVE YEARS AGO. How they found out she was a changeling was far beyond her comprehension but that no longer mattered. What is of importance now is getting the hell out of town before they put her head on a spear. "OVER THERE QUICK FIRE ANOTHER SPELL IT'S GETTING AWAY!!" Before the leader (or the stallion who Méditer could only assume whas the leader) even finished his sentence. She tilted her head slightly back to see a blood red lightning bolt tear through the air straight at her striking the ground not ten feet away from her side and sending her threw an ally. "ow." Was the only word that escaped her mouth before being pick up and thrown (a shit-ton more than lightly) down the ally, slamming into a brick wall which, inturn made a nice little changeling-shaped figure in the wall. "AGGHHHHHHH!!!!" Méditer screamed out in pain."Please stop I didn't do anything PLEASE JUST STO-O-O-P!!" She cried but not out of anger but pain and desperation (mainly pain tho). Eight of the royal guards began to calm down the angry mod, there leader and the unicorn thats been giving Méditer a very bad and explosive day, and will also probably have to pay for the countless amounts of damage done to the town street and structures, considering how many times he's missed. Méditer, now finally able to examine herself and the damage done. She can easily say that her right hind leg is broken and bleeding VERY badly, most of the chitin that should be on her leg is gone, shattered all over the wall, ground and her just like most of her blood. A torn wing which is also spouting blood like noponies businesses. Looking up to her head she finds that her horn and most of the chitin on her head is crack like a spider web, which is also bleeding and yeah shes bleeding.....alot. "P-please just stop I didn-" "SILENCE YOU FOUL BEAST!!" Yelled the unicorn guardsmen right before he strikes her head with his spear. "AGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Grasping her head in no little amount of pain, she glances up with artic blue, tear-filled eyes to see the strandered blackish-grey unicorn guardsmen smirking down on her while standing next to there leader, who is a strandered pegasus guard but with purple stripes adoring his armor symbolizing his higher rank, who to her surprise isn't smirking but just plain pissed (guess it shouldn't be that surprising but oh well) "Stand down this waste of life isn't going anywhere." Tilting his head up to see the pitch black clouds above them. Only then does Méditer remember the untamed storm that wormed out of the everfree and decide to ever so kindly rest over the little village. "Now hit it with that paralyzation spell so we can take it back to Canterlot already. And while your at it just teleport it into the cage we had sitting with us in the center of town so we can inspect the damage done and put the civilians at rest." He said turning around to go help the other eight guards calm down the still angry populace. Cause beating the living crap out of the changeling just isn't enough for some untold and highly logical reason. "Yes sir, will do" giving a salute to his superior, before turning to the sobbing black heap on the ground. "Please I didn't break any law." her sobbing cutting of her speach but only to the amusement of the guardsmen." I've givin and done so much for the town and I had nothing to do with the invasion." Again her speech was cut off by her eminess sobbing but the unicorn only smiled darkly. "I've been here for seven years with my parents bef-" Méditer, unable to finish her sentence was cut off by a green blast to the face, stunning her so she was unable to move or speak, it didn't hurt but still stung like all hell. "Mhm and im sure your parents were ponies to." The unicorns force dripping with so much sarcasm you could lick it off the ground."But I digress, you'll be teleported by me into the cage we brought with us and by the time we're done with you in Canterlot." He finishes his sentence leaning down to the changelings ear and whispered."I look foward to watching you burn like the rest of your disgusting race." He finished VERY harshly, taking a few steps back before charging the teleportation spell and casting it towards the changeling,which in that precise moment a lightnting bolt strikes down unto the injured changeling, attracted by the spell. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!! "WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THAT!!" Yelled the leader as he turned around to see a small black crater and the charred remains of a certain unicorn guardsmen splattered all over the walls and ground. "THAT WORTHLESS BEAST!!" Shouted one of the guardsmen, have I mentioned he wasn't happy? Oh well you probably already knew that but any who lets get back shall we? "MIDNIGHT STRIKE!!!!!!" Yelled one of the pegasus guards throwing of his helmet, which inturn cancelled the illusion enchantment revealing a red coat with brown mane and matching tail as he flew quickly threw the ally. (surprisingly not hitting a wall or trash can) "Midnight?" He ask as if it was going to make a diffrence while taking of the unicorns helmet revealing colors that matched the pegsi's coat and mane pefectly, revieling that they were twins. His fellow gaurds already knew this but the few civilains that could see the sence in the ally gasp with pitty. "GET A MEDIC HERE!!" "Blaze he doesn't need a medic he needs a tombstone and a six foot hole." Said there commander matter-of-factly, but even a child could sence the sorrow and grief behind his words. "rrrrRRRRRR!" Growled the red winged pony as he began to let the water works flow refuseing to hide or hold back his emotions toward his fallin twin. "THOSE BLACK SHELLED, ILLUSION USING COWARDS!!" As it is the pegsi speeche's turn to get cut off by grief and pain."HOW CAN SOMETHING THAT FEEDS OFF OF LOVE CAUSE SO MUCH PAIN!!" He yelled before burying his head into his unicorn counterparts chest. "Blaze I understand, and before you call me out and say I don't my three year old filly was killed in the invasion so yes, I can relate, but we can morn midnights death at a later time we still have a job to do" He somehow says in a commanding yet caring tone. 'this guys good.' Thought one of the other guardsmen. "Newpony." Called out the commander. "Go check the cage maby that thing survived." He said with so much venom in his voice, to kiss the guy would end in your death before he could react. "Yes sir." And with a quick salute our brave knight was off to check...........THE CAGE DUN....DUN.....DUNNNNN but alas when our faithful knight got to.................THE CAGE he fou- "SHE'S GONE!!" DON'T INTERRUPT ME MORTAL!!!! any who, He says with shock. "By gone you better mean dead private" The commander said while walk closer to the cage."DAMNIT HOW DID SHE EVEN DO THAT THOSE CAGES ARE ENCHANTED TO CANCEL AND KNOCK OUT ANY FOOL THAT USES ANY FORM OF MAGIC INSIDE!!!" He said in a voice so loud only the royal canterlot voice could silence it. "HEY YOU, GRIFFON ON THE HOUSE GET DOWN HERE NOW!" Yelled one of the guardsmen whie pointing his spear at the rook of a nearby house. "Ah hell this won't be good." Spreading his wings." NO NEED TO FRET GAURDSMEN IM COMIN DOWN!" making sure they can hear him as he glides down to a very VERY pissed of commander................he probably just wants a hu- "DID YOU SEE ANYTHING IN THAT CAGE, A FIGURE OR EVEN A FLASH AND DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT LYING TO ME!" Flaring his wings in anger making it clear he's in no mood for games......or hugs. "Oi calm your wings lad I didn't see anythin I was watching all the ruckus from up there." Pointing to a two-story house while bring back his leg to stand on all fours."Then I moved over to that there house ye caught me on but I didn't even see a flash from inside that cage promise." Said the griffon as he put his left claw up to his heart as a quick pledge then taking it down. 'Well...." After giving the ground a good smack and letting loose a small growl the commander turned back to the griffon. "Sorry about that kid but now that that thing has escaped so now the towns going to start freaking out and now its my problem, and that means me and my men...or whats left has to stay another year or two." After letting out a annoyed sigh. "Damn changelings, well thanks for your time kid I got alot of work to do both and paper and in person, have a good day." He says turning around to face the griffon. "WAIT, before I go how the hell were you flying, you know, in this?" Waving a hoof around for emphasis of the weather. "LOTS and LOTS of exercise and practice lad." Saying with a hint of pride and a grin to match. " I wish I could show you how, But im falling behind on my schedule so i'll wish you a good night and be on my way. Oh and before I forget the name's Seamair but friends call me Rash so I guess you can to lad," He says offering a claw which the commander took without a glance. "Glory sword." He says letting go of the griffons talon. "Be seeing you." Giving the griffon a nod. "like wise lad." Flying away to the last sight of the changeling."Ohhh poor Méditer where have you gone lassy." Landing near the black crater where the shape-shifter was last seen. 'How pathetic these ponies are sometimes, so scared of a kind and generous girl and now they treat her like Nightmare Moon or that Discord fella only because of what her fellow changelins have done. I hope your ok lassy the world wouldn't be as bright without ya.' After dropping a MAN TEAR or two he flew away but not before being followed be a pair and guardsmen. > The Western Front > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Western Front 1918 February,22 France is a land of love, a land of beauty, a land of pea-BOOOOM!!!!! "FFFFFFFU- man that was a close one." After nearly getting blown out of the sky by german flak and straightening his SPAD 7.C1 the 'black american' ace wipes the sweat off of his scalp. (out of nervousness and certainly not the lovely weather considering its -5 and thats without being 2,000 feet in the air and going around 160 km/h ) "If they get that close again im divin for the deck man. Weak anti-air defences my ass." Mumbled the ace or Reginald as his name is. Peeking over the side of his SPAD he begins searching for any aircraft that has the balls to bear the iron cross. "Comon ya damn huns I only need to shoot down two of ya so I can make double ace, now where are yall all hidin at." After failing to find any other planes let alone huns Reginald or, 'Reg as he is called by his fellow pilots' inspects his beloved plane searching for any unwanted damage that blast might have made. "Nope." He confirms to himself before checking his instruments before leading on to what (to him) matters most, the guns. Unlike your conventional SPAD 7 Reg installed a Lewis Mk.1 which fires a 7.69 mm round with 388 rounds a box, circle mag, or clip which ever you pefer to call it. After test firing his weapons and getting a satisfying BANG! from both the Lewis and his Vickers which is mounted on the nose (where as the Lewis is mounted on the top wing much like a british S.E.5) he returns to his hunt. "Man I am not going back to base with this much ammo on me." After glanceing right below his plane straining to see from the thin layer of clouds. "ABOUT DAMN TIME!" He yells before decreasing his planes throttle to nothing and heading down in a complete vertical dive. -5 degree wind rushes past his grin plastered face like a speeding train toward his target which happens to be a very unlucky DFW recon plane. 110 meters....70 meters..50 meters. BA-BANG BA-BANG-BA-BANG opening up with both guns and showering the unsuspecting germans. The rear gunners instincts kick into overdrive but before he can grab hold of the Parabellum machine gun mounted on the back he is struck down by a hellstorm of Lewis and Vickers machine gun fire. "AGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!" Clutching his chest with his left hand and his neck with his right he falls into the turret sections floor gasping and crying for air. "RECHTS RECHTS BRECHEN!!" After using a fair amount of energy to warn his pilot (cause theres no way in hell the pilot would realize his plane is being shoot at) the rear gunner goes back to his current mission trying to stop the bleeding but has little luck with the matter. BANG! after jumping from the loud explosion the pilot leans over the right side of his aircraft towards the engine to find out its caught fire albeit not death-insured fire but still big enough to become one considering all planes are made from wood and canvas. Even more to the germans horror theres rattling and a blood chilling clanging sound coming from the aircrafts engine before the propeller slows down to windmill speed. "WIR GEHEN RUNTER!!!!" After giving the warning the german pilot kicks his rudder to the left to stop the flames from licking the right side of the DFW before pushing the stick up to descend the airplane and landing after three full minutes of near heart-stopping terror. "WHOOOO NUMBA NINE SON!!" Standing out of his seat giving a fist bump to the sky. "TRY AND TELL ME I CAN'T FLY AND DOGFIGHT CAUSE IM BLACK!!" After his short boast his sits back down in his seat he descends to the downed DFW. "Schauen." Pointing up at the SPAD 7 to see its pilot waggle its wing in salute before going balls-to-the-wall before unwanted company arrives. "Zumindest ist e*cough*r ein Gentleman." said the gunner coughing up a fair amount of blood mid-sentence. Without missing a beat the pilot runs over to help him stand and walk to the nearest town or german airfield for medical attention. "Long as they live helps me sleep at night even if they ain't all that lucky." Says the ace remembering the time he shot a german albatrosses engine so much it exploded ripping off both sets of wing and engulfing the rest of the plane in flames. "Not the way I wanted to make ace but it IS war we cant all live threw i-"THUMP THUMP THUMP! "SHHHHIT!!!" Yelled out Reg as he turned around to see one of the very FEW planes he didn't wish to see. Not so much as the plane even tho dogfighting a Fokker DR.1 was always a bitch in a SPAD regardless if it was a 7 or 13, no it was the german PILOT Reg didn't wish to see after taking a quick look at the nose of the fokker he instantly knew he was in trouble. "Werner." Said the ace with not only venom and disdain but also while disregarding the storm of bullets flying at him. With sight seeing over with Reg kicks left rudder and pulls back the stick with all his might, throwing the SPAD into a sickening barrel roll while droping his speed from 188 km/h down to 121 km/h but to no success, only to have Voss copy the move with MUCH more grace and experience before opening up with his twin Spandaus yet again. "DAMNIT!" He cursed, jamming the stick forward to dive out of the fight only to have Voss pursue. By no means can a fokker DR.1 out run a SPAD, but with Voss being so close bye around 21 meters he still has plenty of time to fire before the SPAD is long gone. "Comon girl your the fastest plane on this side of the planet don't give up on me now!" Maby not that side of the planet, but with the 'modifications' Reg and Harry made to his planes 180hp Hispano-suiza V8 engine was no longer your run of the mill model anymore, infact Reg was able to beat his friend in a race when he had the new 220hp SPAD 13 C1 and even then that wasn't at max speed. CLANK CLANK WHRRRRRR-RR-R-R-R-r "SHIT!!" Yelled the pilot before turning back to Voss and giving Werner 'the bird'. Voss only able to chuckle at the americans gesture while slowly pulled up trying not to have his DR.1s wing ripped off by the force of which he was pulling out of the dive. "Alright alright cool down reggie, gotta land safely behind french lines I can be pissed of later." Peering over the left side of his plane to see him pass to the grey layer of clouds that to his knowledge weren't there to long ago, but aleast he was now behind french lines. "Where the hell did this little storm come fro- FOCUS MAN!..... alright theres a nice spot...hmm looks like lightning struck that ground like a damn artillery shell." After find the nice little landing zone surrounded by a pretty thick forest Reg pulls back on the stick and stables the airplane to land softly on the wet snowy ground as snow begins to drop at a even more rapid paste, not seeing a 3ft tall horse-bug creature in the shrubs watch in stunned amazement as the 180hp engine roars back to life only to decrease to a growl as the strange camo colored machine lands solfly with a loud THUMP on the ground before pulling into a full stop. 'Where in the name of all living things am I at!!' Thought the odd creature. "N-nerver mind its probably just some earth pony or unicorn's fly machine or mady a zebra or don-FOCUS.... alright just walk up to him and look really weaHHHSSSssssss." After literally hissing at the pain in her sides, she comes to a conclusion. "ok... weaker than I already and and maby he'll take pitty on me and help me." She says trying to convince herself. 'Or he or she will run away screaming or even attack me...oh well worth a try' By no means was Méditer easy prey or victim no no no no not by any means at all. Méditer's mother was a grand Illusionist for what ever hive she originated from and her father was one of the hives finest alchemist and could make poisons that could melt the inside of your body to healing potions that could mend wounds in only seconds, but that needs ALOT of expensive and hard to find materials but he could still do wonders even with common things like bark from an oak tree, mushrooms and even grass, not to mention he could still hold his own in a fight as long as it wasn't a illusionist or some over the line elite troops that can take out 30 men on his own. Now Méditer's mother on the other hand could take on 30 of those elite troops that could take out 30 men.......with only minimum effort which is where Méditer gets her skills from but only after bugging (sry no mean for puns) her mother over again she finally begain to teach her daughter how to fight like an illusionist changeling, Méditer was even able to beat her own father in a friendly spare after 2 years of training, but only to get stomp by her mother in there friendly ( but quick) spare, all tho Méditer thinks she did good considering her mother could probably take on 1 of the princesses so long as the guards don't jump i- " WHAT THE FUC-" The strange biped was cut off by a small ball of green fire impacting his face.....HARD knocking him out cold. "OH MY GOSH IM SO SO SO SORRY!!!" Yelled the smaller creature as she bolted for the thing she just struck with a collision spell. "Ohhhhhhh not good not good." She said with a worried tone (wouldn't you?..............you know what......don't answer that.) "Well I guess its my job to take care of...." She trailed of wondering if it was male or female. "I can burn that bridge when its awake. *sigh* well come on lets get you in the thick of the forest before you soke or freeze to death out here and get you healed up." > The Forest > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The first thing that came to Reggie's mind when he regained conciseness was. 'my face....it is in pain sooooo much pain.' Which ment that he wouldn't have any patrols or missions set for him today. Only a pilot with a death wish would get hammered the night before the day when he had a flight scheduled the next day, a fresh rising sun + hangover +flying a loud ass plane + possible dogfight = a VERY VERY bad day, and most likely your last. Wait a sec I never returned to base yesta day where the hell am I? Then the memories returned,' shot down a DFW and scored my ninth victory, got shoot down by Voss, landed in a forest openin- Ding we have a winner.'What the hell was that thing that shot me, and what did it shoot me with? After disregarding that portion as him having a dream or just going slightly crazy, or crazier by army or navy standereds sence only a mad man would fly a plane. Reg begins, or atleast attempts to open his eyes only to have the sun assault them. "aghhhh." After groaning and a few toss and turns his brain just so happens to think now is the time to reveal the fact he is covered in snow. "Freakin snow, got no place in the world we would be better off without it." One thing that the rest of the 103rd learned about reg is that he HATES snow with a burning passion that could match the eternal fires of hell. "Oh good your up I was starting to worry." Called out a feminine voice. Which is weird because it was usually Reggie told the girls that and not the other way around.......what? Bitches dig fighter pilots don't blame me. "Do you need help getting up?" Ask the girl in a worried tone. Which again should be the other wa- never mind. "Nah i've been through much wor-" His sentence getting cut off by him opening his eyes and looking up to see a bug-horse-vampire thing. Reggie's eyes grew about twice there size oh most popping out of there sockets. " WHAT THE FU-" The ace's words were cut of by a hoove that was filled with...holes? gross.... "Please please please don't freak out I don't mean you any harm. And don't make any sudden movements with your neck up it took me quite some time to fix all those cracks in your skull." She demanded in a mother like tone....wait SHE DEMANDED??!!! THAT DAMN THING JUST SPOKE!! After taking her hoove out of Reggie's mouth, which tasted more like snow then anything else but she still walks on that.....ew. " W-w-w-what are you?" Asked the biped nervously. Méditer could smell the huge amount of fear the biped was giving off, but to Méditer's surprise it didn't run off, if it were a pony they would be long gone if they were scared this bad. Fear was not Méditer's favorite emotion, that was happiness, but fear tasted good none the less in fact, fear was probably her third favorite, which is odd to Rash considering how she's always picking up spirits, helping and just making others happy. "Shouldn't I be asking you that i've never seen your species before and I love books about mythology." To which Reggie could only think. 'Did this bug-horse cross breed call ME mythology?' "Ummmmm not sure if you've noticed but me and other humans pretty much ar-...or where the only sentient species on earth. Now can you tell me what YOU are." The biped said pointing at Méditer for emphasis. "I'm a...a changeling." She said lowering her head a bit like it's a sin, until she noticed the 'human' looked at her quizzically. Méditer simply asked. "What?" Picking up her head and blinking a few times. "So your the off spring of a fairy, troll, elf or other mythical creature that replaces and takes the form of a human child?" He asked as his mind begains to explode with questions, mostly that changelings were suppose to have the appearance of a wisp or troll until they take the form of a human newborn, but here was that same creature with the appearance of a bug-horse cross breed. He eventually noticed her staring at him like he grew wings sung an opera and flew away. 'What?" He simply ask. "I don't know where you got your information from but thats VERY inaccurate." She stated matter-of-factly. Méditer also realized that the human was no longer scared, well until she flipped her vesion she could see VERY little fear, like one drop of water in a desert. Regardless she continued to dine on the fear that was still in the air, no need to let it go to waste right? But now she could only smell confusion and ALOT of curiosity. "Inaccurate, as in not a complete miss, as in some of what I just said in correct." He asked raising his right eyebrow awaiting her response. Oh goody he was a smart one. Méditer could always trick someone when she needed to, like Rash when he found her out to be a changeling, she didn't give him all common info a changeling would know. Like being able to not only eat emotions but also smell and even see them even through walls but eventually did when the subject was brought back up again and she knew she could trust him, not a good idea when a group of guardsmen know you can smell and see them coming before there even in sight. "Y-yeah we can take the forms of others depending on how skilled we are and what creature we take form of like ummm...I can take the form of a pony, zebra and all the way up to a timber wolf or lion. Where as one changeling who's not as skilled as I am at transformation could only take the form of a zebra or pony. Same way for small creatures the smallest I'm capable of would be a raccon but my mother could transform into a rat or frog." The curiosity grew even more to Méditer's pleasure, she loved the fact that not only was this creature not even scared of her but wanted to know even more about her species, as did Méditer about this strange new cre- no he wasn't a creature or animal he was a living, breathing sentient being with emotions, desires and fears just like a pony or changeling. Regardless Méditer also wanted to learn more about him, but not just his species but him, who he was. "Thats actually really bad ass what else can you do?" Ask the human. Méditer begain to get nervous she wasn't sure if she could COMPLETELY trust the human just yet. He might not want to be around her or even hate her if he knew she fed on other beings like they were her prey or if her species was known for being lying, backstabbing, deceiving, illusion using monsters. "Oh just this and that but I believe i've forgotten my manners my name is Méditer and im pleased to meet you." Méditer said with a heart warming smile while stretching out her left hoof. Which surprised the human that they knew what a hand..er...hoof shake was, but none the less he took it with a smile. Which was to Méditer's surprise when to grabbed her hoof and shook it instead of just bumping it, but then again griffons where known to do that when they where new to a country that was mainly filled with species that had hoofs. "Well your really respectful and well mannered. But I doubt you where raised like a silver spoon considering you ain't bitchin about this shitty wheather." He asked repositioning himself up against the tree to get more comfortable and also to get out of all the snow. After giving a giggle (what to Reg reminded him of his only girl friend) Méditer replied. "No, infact my parents HATED nobles and upperclass folks of all species, they perfered the hardworking type, which they raised me to be.....and I could never thank them enough for it." This is when she caught the major increase of curiosity and a fair amount of respect, but waited for him to ask. "Other species?" He asked raising his right eyebrow. "As in more then changelings and humans?" Méditer simply nodded before answering "Ponies, g-griffons, donkeys and z-zebras tho you never r-r-really find an upperclass zebra." She simply as Reggie noticed she was beginning to shake maraca. "Hey can we continue this later looks like you need to warm up." Reaching out to pat her left shoulder till his hand made contact. "OH YEAH, you need to get warmed up you fill like a tank thats been sittin in a glacier." He stated while standing up, rubbing his hands together for warmth. After wondering what he ment by that she decided to ask him later. "Y-y-yeah I t-think I would l-l-like that." Méditer started to wonder why she was getting cold all of a sudden, not that it wasn't cold before snow usually tends to be cold. "I-its get-t-ting dark." She stated when she look up at a hole the trees left oncovered revealing a red sky which confirmed a setting sun. Her hooves where beginning to hurt as she started to walk after the human. "HHHSSSSsssssss!" She sai-or hissed at the pain in her hooves. "WHAT the hell?" Said the ace as he flinched at the hiss. "scared the shit outa me for a moment." Only to have Méditer give a apologetic smile. "It's cool im still breathin ain't like ya killed me. Here let me carry you." He stated before walking back to her. "N-n-no i-it's ok r-really." She put on a sheepish grin but to no avail, only to have the pilot lower his gance and lift an eyebrow as in saying 'oh really?' "Ok i-if you d-don't mind." As she was lifted into the pilots grip she noticed how the pilot was still warm and snuggled into a ball trying to make herself easier to carry and also to regain warmth faster. Being a changeling has its disadvantages, which one of those is the carapace + snow = unhappy changeling, which is why even the children disliked snow. "DAMN GIRL!, you cold as hell how are you not sufferin from hypothermia?" To which the shivering changeling only shrugged before turnning into a tighter ball while trying to snuggle closer to the ace's chest for warmth, to which he had to hold down a giggle but the grin still made it to his lips as he followed the trail of hoof prints and what looks like a naga trail back to the SPAD. Méditer sensed and feasted on the joy do to the fact all the fear was gone only to realize how hungry she was. She still had to resist the urge to say 'if you want to laugh you can' sence she didn't want to reveal the fact she can smell, sence and see emotions. "By the way the name's Reginald but friends call my Reggie or just Reg, guess you can to." He said while stepping over a fallin tree to look up and see the remains of a plane stuck it the treetops, but couldn't identify the plane itself let only it's national symbol, mother nature has clearly been beating the poor bird down sense 1917. "Pleasure to finally now your name Reginald, your a real gentlecol-I mean gentlemen." After disregarding her slip up, he simply stated with a small chuckle. "Please your starting to sound like mah mother just call me Reg or Reggie. Oh and welcome to France home of romance, beauty and the western front." After hearing Méditer giggled yet again she looked up at him and said. "You sound alot like my friend Rash you know that?" Before turning back into her changeling-sized ball. "And thank you for the welcome it's nice to now where I ended up after all of this." She says while closing her eyes as she becomes tired. "Rash?" He said looking down at the black blob in his arms and chest. She didn't weigh to much probably around 132pds at the most, but he wasn't about to see if the changeling males knew about 'hell hath no furry like a women scorned' so he VERY wisely dropped that thought "Griffon friend." She stated while on the brink of sleep. She did deserve it after being hunted down having the shit knocked out of her being hit in the face with a paralyzation spell and sent to a whole new world (or she thinks a whole new world so she just decided to leave it there sence nothing else makes sense or added up). After a small chuckle. "Ok i'd love to hear about him, but now you get some sleep you seem tired." Méditer responded but Reg couldn't make it out sense it was just a tired moan. And thus she followed as said and drifted off into beloved sleep while Reg continued to walk back towards his plane so she could have some cover from the snow as it begin to fall at a very rapid pace. > Questions and Answers > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- February,23 1918 3:17 AM -8 degrees ferinheight When Méditer began to awake, two things popped into her mind.'Where am I? And. 'Y IS IT SO DAMN COLD!!??' After picking to get an answer for question number one first. The changeling slowly begin to open her eyes and groggily get to her hooves. *BUMP* "Ow....got to admint I'd pick having chitin over skin any day." After rubbing the spot where she bumped her head she comes to a realization. "Where in the world am I at?" Wiping the last bit of sleep out of her eye. Méditer looks around to she that she's in a box or chest like container made of wood. That instead of having a lid, it's covered by what appears to be a small blanket which is nailed or tied down to stop the most of the snow and the vicious wind from getting in. "Y is a chair built into a chest?" Looking around Méditer starts to doubt she's even in a chest. Observing around she can see she's nearly wrapped around a metal pipe or stick poking out of the chest...or whatever she's in. Other then that she spots cables and thick wires on the side and even under her that connects the metal stick, various other parts and what appears to be a strange piece of wood that has indensions where someone would put there hoove or paw. Pushing on the left side of this strange stick making it move away from her, the right side comes towards her as some of the thick wires below her begin to pull with each motion she makes on the wooden stick. Her mouth agape she does the same to the metal stick but finds it can circle around as if she was mixing pancake batter, to her amazement, cables and wires all around her begin to pull, strain and loosen to her will. Moving from her spot to crawl into the chair and forming into a ball, which left no room as her front left leg was left to dangle over the side of the chair, clearly it wasn't met to fit the pony or changeling body. Glancing up, her mouth fell agape once more as she saw five to seven gauges with numbers and markers of all kinds from one saying fuel in bold letters to others that she couldn't even describe. Atleast it was nice to know that humans used modern equestrian language and numbers, even if she had no idea what they meant. Méditer looked over from some of the gauges to see other brass colored instruments that she couldn't even discribe, infact she wasn't sure if even train engineers could identify them. Looking back down under the gauges but above the floor she spotted two big dirty gold colored circles held in place by black braces. Before she could even wonder what they where one VERY important question popped into her head. 'WHERE IS REGINALD!?' Once learning that the blanket was tied down by to two loose rivets over a strang looking window and two loose rivets that where on the outsideof the pit she was in.The chanegling the proceeded to until the blanket, careful not to rip it. Méditer then began to neatly fold the small blanket before placing it on the seat. "Atleast the wind and snow stopped. And I thought Equestria had annoying wheather." Jumping onto the very top of the strange flying contraption, next to a weird metal thing which, to Méditer's surprise, it had a dirty gold colored circle thing stuck to it that was just like the ones inside the wooden pit. "REGINALD WHERE ARE YOU!!" Méditer yelled but got no response. "Well he'll come back when he wants to I gues-" Méditer was cut off by the sound of something impacting the snow with a. *THUMP* Sniffing at the air wildly trying to locate any emotion or scent coming from a creature or predator dumb enough to mistake her as prey, she barely catches the scent of a certain black skinned human along with irritation. Looking down towards the source of the noise. The changeling spots a tan colored panel in the snow followed by Reg climbing out of the front of his strange machine. If Méditer had skin her nose would have wrinkled at the strange new scent that adorned her new friend. The human has slightly covered with a black fluid on his right arm that somehow oh most covered his entire scent. "Mornin." Said the ace in a lazy tone, clearly she had awoken him. "Sorry for the smell but it was either sleep on the wings and freeze to death or behind the panel next to a warm albeit leaking oil engine...or atleast it was warm when I could finally go to sleep." Reg then proceeded to pick up the panel that had fallin of the plane walk back to the hole he slept in and tighten it back on with a screwdriver he had takin out of his sleeping hole. "It's fine, sorry for waking you up so early." Méditer said with an apologetic smile "Pffft, you thank this is early. Try wakin up at around 2:30 every single day when it's even colder than it is now." While tossing his screwdriver back into the machines pit, turning to face Méditer. "And to top that flying at over 150km/h, while also possibly gettin into a dogfight with some hot shot german." "Dogfight?" She asked "The new term for air-to-air combat. It's also the only form of combat that has any chivalry or honor left in it." He says while messing with the bottom of the chair, only to hear a *CLICK* before pushing the seat up to the control stick. "Ummmm... what are you doing?" Asked Méditer as she leaned over from her spot on the 'wing' as Reginald put it "Me and mah pal Harry, or Rachet has most of us call him made alot of modifications to mah girl here." He said proudly with a smile to match, patty the machine on it's back. "And one of mah favorites is the storage compartment behind the seat which has cables that hold down a few boxes. The box im getting right now has some drinks and food inside, want some?" He asked pulling a box out off the pit before opeing it and setting it on the machines back. "Judgin by the size of those fangs you got inside ya mouth I assume you don't eat apples tho?" He said, taking a bite of said fruit, taking a seat on the back of the snow covered machine while raising a brow. "Well I can, but I perfer bananas if im going to eat a fruit." "If your going to? So you do eat meat." He said while reaching for a bottle of- "BOOOOZE!!!" Yelled the changeling as she dived on the bottle like a hungry lion would its prey, snatching it out of the humans grip. The ace could only stare at his hand where a certain bottle USE to be. After staring for about 2 minutes he turns over to see a content changeling relaxing against the tailfin of his plane, with hind legs crossed holding the bottle sky high with both hooves gobbling down the alcohol like she hasn't had a drink in three days. "Damn....." Deadpanned the ace as Méditer continued to drain the bottle like a thirsty vampire would to its victim. "So about you eating meat?" Still no response. "Yo, earth to Méditer you there?" *GULP* *GULP* GULP* *GULP* *GULP* *GULP* GULP* *GULP* *GULP* *GULP* GULP* *GULP* "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhh." the changeling finally through with her vicious murder of the bottle, lazily tosses it aside and into the snow. Resting and crosses for forehooves on her stomach. "That..........was........amazing. BUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRP!!!" "Excuse me." She said giggling After giving a light hearted laugh the ace once again repeats his question. "So what kind a meat do you like?" Méditer pondered to herself if she should tell the pilot that changelings eat emotions but decided that was for another day. "Birds." She said calmly. "preferably eagles, hawks, vultures and crows but I have yet to eat a breed of bird I havn't liked yet." "Ah, i've had crow before back home but I perfer shell fish over anythang." There was a small pause in the air but before Méditer could kill it the ace beat her to it. "Hey can I ask you somethin, its sorta been buggin me sense last night." pointing at her with apple in hand. "I don't see why you can't, ask away" She was more the ready to answer any questions but she still had alot of her own, but as before her friends come first. "Only me, my parents, Charlie and my docter know I have cracks in mah skull, so if the rest of the guys of the 103rd dont know, you sure as shit shouldn't." He said, not in an angry or distrust tone but a curious one as he lowered both his brows, as in trying to figure out an algebra equation. 'CRAP' she thought. "Ummm...well...remember when I told you it took me a while to fix all of those cracks?" She asked sounding guilty, to which the pilot took note. "Yes and I ain't mad acha just curious. And I also woke up with no pain on the right side of my lower jaw, which hasn't happened sense 1898." "Well my mother taught me healing magic when I was fifthteen and I sorta perfected it as much as I could, especially when I met Rash when I was eighteen." She paused letting loose a sigh 'I don't see why I shouldn't trust him and even if he does try something I can take him.' "He loved stunt flying and often got himself hurt which is where I came in." She finished her sentence to see the ace slowly nodding, taking in the fact that magic wasn't some cheap trick or a make believe tale. Throwing away his apple remains into the snow, he turned to Méditer for her to continue. "Anything else you would like to know?" Now she could smell not only gratitude but respect and happiness, which she gladly help herself to. "Anythang you're comfortable with i'd love to know." He said with very little excitement. But he couldn't full the changeling, he was practically leaking of excitement to the point he might have burst if it were possible. After holding down a giggle, which took much more effort then you may think. Méditer begain explaining all the basics. "Well you already know I can do healing magic, but my mother taught me how to fight like a changeling which is mainly illusions and trick. Our bodies are built to protect us from danger, so we can take alot of physical damage, but were not to good at dishing it out. A smart changeling will trick and let an opponent weaken his or herself before we go in with weapons, be it a sword, spear, axe, magic or even our own hooves. A changeling thats a soldier either a illusionist or morph class always learn to polymorph their forelegs into weapons, the most common and easy being a big blade." Which she then demonstrated, much to the aces amusement before reverting her hoof back to normal. To a human it was be like a pitch black small calvary sword as if it was built for a child, but that doesn't make it nonlethal. "I'm gona assume the morph class get higher training in that profession?" "Yes, they get about five or six years and are much better at it. Your a soldier to?' She ask, changing the subject. "Aviator, to be more specific i'm a fighter pilot. What we're sitting on is a fighter plane or a french SPAD 7.C1 to be more specific." He says with pride, rubbing the back of the plane, knocking off the annoying snow. "I've been meaning to ask you some questions sense yesterday, do you mind?" She ask trying to do the puppy eye trick, which was in vain do to no pupils. "I guess but." Holding up his left arm sliding back his coat to reveal a watch. "We'll have to do it quick, sun's bouta come up and I still need to get back to base before the right me down as KIA." "How much magic does this........ fighter plane use?" She ask, excited that she can get some answers on this strange technology. "Don't use magic." He said flattly. "Human tech runs mainly on combustion, cars, ships, subs, and planes all run on fuel and other fluids." To the ace's surprise, the changeling had a slight look of disbelief but then quickly disgarded it and begin to ask away. "What other modifications did you and your friend make?" "Rivets to tie a small blanket over the cockpit so rain or snow can't harm the cockpit, which is where you slept if shes gota stay outside, an extra gun on the top wing for extra firepower, the compartment I told you about, adjustments to the tail and wings to enhance maneuverability and made it WAAAAAY faster then a stock model." Wiping the oil off his side with a rag he pulled from his jacket. Reg begain to walk over to the compartment to take inventory on spare parts as he put away the box he had takin, as Méditer spoke back up "Wow." She said dumbfounded. "You must really love flying your plane to spend all that time and effort." She said with a small smile. "Never did care for flying that much. I just wanted to get away from all the bigots, and I love having this much power at my disposal, and to boot even that I can serve and protect my country while doin it, whats not to like." "You could die." "Only a fool would sign for the air core and be scared of death. Besides i'm gona meet the bastard some day, no point in bein scared of him." He said, matching her smile while pointing a wrench at her. "Comon instead of walkin i'm just gona fix the brokin hoses. Oh and take this last bottl-" The ace was cut of but a black flash passing through his vision. Turning to see the changeling laying down, her back agianst the wing while murdering her second liquid filled victum. "You'd make irish proud." Chuckling to himself while bringing over the spare parts needed to repare the plane.