Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Speckled Ink hadnt seen her best friend in days. With the Changeling War going on, it was hard to tell whether or not you're talking to actual pony these days so ponies preferred to stay indoors. And there was also the fact that the Changelings had managed to take over Phillydelphia and were advancing to Ponyville, which was their next target and after that Cloudsdale. The situation was worrying for ponies all over Equestria so Princess Celestia created "Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns" and fillys in Cloudsdale had to go through rigorous flight school, to train the young ones just in case they had to fight.
And with a name like Surprise, that's exactly what Speckled Ink's best friend did when she started pounding on the door with her hooves.
"INKY! HEY INKY! ARE YOU HOME? SPECKLED INK? ITS SURPRISE! YOUR BESTEST FRIEND!" she shouted through the door.
Speckled Ink was home alone at the time, her parents had left for work, leaving her alone. She knew that she wasn't supposed to open the door for strangers but the stranger on the other side of the door was her best friend.
Speckled Ink opened the door without hesitation.
Standing there was Surprise with a big smile on her face. Her yellow mane, as curly as always. Her white pelt blended with the white clouds she was standing on. "It's been so long since I've seen you Inky!" Surprise exclaimed happily. "I was so worried and I-" Surprise tried taking a step forward but Speckled Ink stopped her by putting a dark blue hoof onto her friend's chest. Speckled Ink was a dark blue pegasus with a light blue and black spikey mane and a light blue and black tail. A large black spot made up part of her left thigh.
"Not so fast," Speckled Ink said with a deadpan look on her face. "You have to answer a question first."
"Ooo! A quiz? We're going to do a quiz? What about?" Surprise asked happily.
Speckled Ink had little doubt that this was a Changeling acting like Surprise but she still had to make sure. "How did we meet?" Speckled Ink asked.
"That's too easy!" Surprise replied. "We were at Flight Camp and you were sitting all alone, reading a book when Dumbell and his goons came up to you and started teasing you. You were about to cry-"
"I was not!" Speckled Ink protested.
"so I stood up for you, telling those meanies to go away!" Surprised finished.
The two fillies stood there, staring at each other silently for a minute until Speckled Ink said, "Can you believe that that happened only 1 week ago?"
"It was the happiest day of my life! Can I come in now?" Surprise asked.
Speckled Ink chuckled and lowered her hoof. "Come in."
Speckled Ink's house was fairly small. When you came in through the door, you would see a long cloud couch on your right and the wall on your left. If you continued on through the house you would find the kitchen, Speckled Ink's parents' room, and the stairs that led to her own room, which was in the attic. Speckled Ink preferred sleeping in the attic because she had a view when looking out through the window.
"Your house hasn't changed since I last saw you," Surprise said as Speckled Ink closed the door.
"It's only been three days," Speckled Ink replied.
"I know. Hey did you hear that the Changeling army moved closer to Ponyville? There's a spot near their camp where you can watch them go in and out of the camp! Princess Celestia is going to place somepony there tomorrow to watch them!" Surprise said excitedly. "We should go look!"
"I-I don't know Surprise," Speckled Ink said nervously. "That's very dangerous."
"Oh come on! It'll be fun! We'll be back before your parents get back!" Surprise said. The two continued to argue about the dangers of going but after two minutes Speckled Ink finally gave in.
"Alright alright! Fine. I'll do it. Let's go now," Speckled Ink said.
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Speckled Ink and Surpise were on the edge of a cliff that looked out over the Changeling's camp. Surprise had to wear a full body black suit, because if she didn't then her white pelt would've glowed in the night air. Despite the fact that her white pelt was hidden, her violet eyes still seemed to glow.
Speckled Ink looked up at the night sky. Numerous stars dotted the sky, too many for her to count and the full moon glowed high above them. "Princess Celestia decorated the sky beauitfully tonight," she whispered to Surprise.
"Do you think the Nightmare Moon tale is real? Do you really think she'll come back?" Surprise asked in a whisper.
"Don't be ridiculous, that's just a pony tale," Speckled Ink whispered back. Her gaze moved back to the Changeling camp and her eyes widened when she saw something moving. "Shh! Something's moving!"
Both fillies watched as a Changeling shifted position while sleeping.
"Well that was exciting," Speckled Ink said sarcastically.
"It certainly was!" Surprise whispered excitedly.
"Surprise let's go back home," Speckled Ink said, pulling herself back onto her hooves.
"Yeah we should. It's getting pretty late," Surprise replied. Speckled Ink helped her friend up and the two set off on the long treck home.
"Well that was a waste of time, wasn't it Speckled Ink?" Surprise said as they trotted through the Everfree forest.
"Yup."
"But to see that they're that close to us, kind of scares me a bit. Does it scare you Inky?" Surpise asked.
"Sure."
"Have you ever been into the Everfree forest before? This is my first time!" Surprise said.
"Mine too."
"Did you hear that Applejack ran away? I thought it was because of the Changling army getting so close to Ponyville but if she had left to escape the Changlings she probably would've taken her family with her. Don't you think Inky?" Surprise asked, looking at Speckled Ink only to find she was gone.
"Inky? Inky where'd you go?" Surprise shouted into the night air.
Silence answered back.
"Is this a joke? Are you playing a prank on me?" Surprise asked. "Hahaha. Very funny! Great joke! Come out of your hiding spot!"
A scream suddenly pierced the air and Surprise recognized it as Speckled Ink's. Surprise burst through some bushes, where she thought the source of the sound had come but only to find a dark blue feather.
Tears started to well up in Surprise's eyes as fear struck.
"Inky?" Surprise said in a small shaky voice.
Another scream sounded.
But it wasn't her own.