The Windshear Chronicles

Windshear watched until Bladewing's figure was but a speck in the distance, after his commander was out of sight he started to think about how he was going to carry out his mission. There were many different ways that he could carry it out and he was trying to figure out the best way to take it up. He was so engrossed in his thoughts he didn't notice the pony that was sneaking up behind him.

He heard a small gasp and he whirled around and came face to face with a mint green mare, that had some sort of string instrument emblazoned on her flank. He swore under his breath and berated himself for being so careless that he was seen. The mare spoke out excitedly and said "Oh my faust, a changeling I’ve never seen one up close before, this is so exciting."

Windshear stood there for a moment contemplating what to do. He could let her go and make her swear not to tell anypony but it was still very risky. He could kill her but Bladewing had said to try to keep the killing to a minimum. So that left only one other option, he would have to wipe the mare’s mind.

Barry sighed, he hated to do this but the mare had seen him and he had no choice but to wipe the mares mind. He spoke to the mare, his voice laced with sympathy and regret. "I am very sorry, but since you have seen me I have no choice but to wipe your mind. I regret this but I have no choice."

The mare reeled back at what the changeling had said to her, the fear was evident on her face. "Why? I won't tell anypony I promise."

Windshear looked at her with even more regret, and he said "I'm sorry but this is what my queen has instructed me to do if I was spotted. If there was another way I would take it, mind wiping is an invasion of privacy and I hate to do it."

The mare was clearly panicking now. "But why, what could be so important that you have to wipe the mind of anypony that sees you? What did I do, I don't want you to do this I'm scared." She whimpered.

Windshear spoke again trying to comfort her, and he made a decision one that would affect the rest of his life from that moment forward. "It won't hurt I promise, you will feel a bit of a headache afterwards but you will just see a bright light and it will be like this conversation never happened." Windshear continued looking at the mare who looked as if she was about to breakdown and start to cry. Sighing again and knowing that he was going to regret this decision for a long time to come he said “I’m sorry” and then the ponies mind went blank.

Lyra woke up and rubbed her head, she had a wicked headache and it felt as if she was missing something. Whatever it was, it was on the tip of her tongue yet she just couldn’t remember. That’s strange, I don’t remember being out here, I wonder what happened. Lyra thought to herself. Slowly rising to her hooves she tried to remember but it seemed as if  somepony had ripped the information out of her skull. Lyra looked around puzzled and noticed something there was a broken branch right next to where she had been lying. It took her a couple seconds to put two and two together but then it dawned on her. Oh that makes sense, I must have been walking in the woods and that branch must have fallen on my head, that would explain both the headache and the memory loss. Feeling satisfied that she had a logical explanation she trotted off back in the direction of Ponyville.

---\-o-///---

As Windshear flew he started to think about what he had done, he knew what he had done was necessary but he couldn’t help but feel guilty. Well at least she won’t get dragged into this mess. Windshear thought to himself. After about 10 minutes of flying he came upon the motel he would be infiltrating, it was an old building on the outside of Ponyville, it’s brick walls had many chips in them and it seemed overall quite rundown. But the ponies he was supposed to spy on were staying there so he didn’t have much of a choice. In a puff of green flame Windshear assumed the form of the pegasus janitor he would be disguised as.

Windshear landed by the front doors of the motel and scanned around to see if there was anypony around, making sure it was all clear he walked towards the doors and threw them open. What he saw greatly surprised him, while the motel looked very rundown on the outside that was not the case on the inside. The floors were spotless, there was a large fireplace crackling in the far end of the lobby and the whole place had a warm atmosphere to it.

Walking up to the front desk he saw the pony that the intel had named Beatrix Lulamoon, a former street performer that had been reformed by Princess Celestia’s prodege Twilight Sparkle. He walked up to her and said “Good morning Mrs.Lulamoon, what would you like me to do today?”

Beatrix looked up from the book she was reading and said “What I always have you do everyday, look around and clean any mess you come across, otherwise you can just relax.” With that Beatrix looked back down and continued to read.

Windshear continued to stare at Beatrix for a few more moments before he walked off towards where the three ponies were supposed to be staying.