Chapter 4

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“Fluttershy’s house should be… there,” I smile as I see the lopsided two story cloud house with four varying in size top floor windows and clouds on the roof that look like curly hair.

Quickly walking passed the rainbow fence separating the house from its neighbours, I walk up the front path and knock on the purple door.

After a few moments, it opens, revealing a yellow mare with a red mane and tail in a style that reminds me of those old sitcoms. She’s also wearing green square glasses over her red as her mane eyes and a yellow pearl necklace around her neck.

She blinks in surprise, backing up slightly.

“I… um… what’re— who’re you…?” she asks timidly.

Immediately I inwardly sigh. Yeah, with her parents being even more Fluttershy than Fluttershy, talking isn’t going to be as easy as one would hope.

“Hi, Mrs. Shy,” I smile, waving. “My name’s Max. I recently moved into Cloudsdale and was just wanted to meet you.”

I think my voice sounding so young makes her drop her guard, myself suddenly remembering that, to most ponies, I probably already look like I’m full grown, since I’m taller than an average pony already, because the tension in her body lessens and she gives a small smile.

“How old are you, dear?”

“Twelve,” I answer. I mean, it’s not quite true. I’m definitely more around six, but I look twelve, so better to just go with that.

We don’t get to talk further, however, as I hear a voice yell “Look out!” before I feel something slam into me and press me down.

“What’re you doing?!” Mrs Shy’s voice cries out in alarm.

“Don’t worry, Mrs Shy! You’re safe now!” I deadpan into the cloud sidewalk I’m being pressed into as I recognize the voice.

Shifting my head to glance over my shoulder, I see a brown coated stallion with short brownish-grey mane atop me, his hooves pressing firmly on my back. Good thing I pulled my wings in, or he’d have really messed them up.

“Thought you could go around and hurt innocent ponies, here, freak?” another voice says, Dumbell’s lackey, Hoops, coming into view.

I actually pause, before deadpanning up at the pony holding me down. “Oh, sure. Just chatting is so dangerous. I could’ve said something painful. Thank you for stopping me from my evil ways of friendly communication.”

“Did you think we didn’t know what you were when we saw you, Changeling?” Dumbell says.

I pause, actually taken aback by that, before rolling my eyes. “Yes, because, if a Changeling wanted to kidnap Fluttershy’s mother, they’d totally turn into a creature Mrs Shy has never seen before in her life instead of Fluttershy or her husband. Because random creatures are so much better disguises than family members.”

“Yeah. We’re pretty amazing,” Hoops says and I decide not to say anything… though I’m pretty sure that penny’s gonna keep falling.

“Well, this has been fun and all,” I say, my mood incredibly sour now thanks to these knuckleheads, “but, I think I’m done playing your stupid games.”

Before either of them can react, I extend my wings out with a thrust, the sudden motion taking Dumbell by surprise and knocking him off me.

I quickly stand up and turn around to face them, glaring. “Last I checked, even in Equestria, assaulting a minor is against the law.”

“You really are dumb,” Hoops says as he stands next to Dumbell. “Why would you say your job is mining if you give your disguise wings?”

I pause, before facepalming. Oh, good grief, these two are idiots.

“Once we turn you into the Royal Guard, we’ll get a nice reward,” I remove my hand to see the two of them moving towards me in what is clearly meant to be a sneaky fashion… as if I can’t actually see them right in front of me.

I growl. From what I remember of these two, trying to reason with them using my words is gonna do jack. So, I guess I’ll try tiring them out first. Maybe then they’ll somewhat listen.

“You want me?” I extend my wings out to their full length, before thrusting them down, hard, sending myself rocketing into the air. “Come and get me!”

I shoot back down, flying right past them, knowing it’ll throw them off.

I soar above the cloud pavement, eventually hearing the duo yelling and flying after me.

Now, I’m aware this could backfire on me, badly. According to the Junior Speedster Flight School, my top speed is barely better than the average Pegasus and that’s when I’m in a dive and using Warp Drive at the same time.

However, while I’m aware these boys did go to Flight Camp and the same school as Dash, I’m also aware that they’re your average Pegasus. So, with my more mauverable body and definite intellect advantage, I used be able to outpace them.

Seeing a group of ponies up ahead, I angle my wings and soar higher, flying right over their heads, causing confused cries, followed by angered ones as Dumbbell and Hoops clearly don’t avoid them as easily.

After a few minutes, during which it’s made clear these two morons are not going to give up, I realize I’m reaching the edge of Cloudsdale.

I almost stop, not wanting to risk getting lost if I leave the cloud city, but a glance behind me reminds me why that isn’t a good idea.

Just have to try keeping Cloudsdale in sight, I think to myself, before I pass over the edge and dive.

“It left the city!” Hoops voice yells.

“After it!” Dumbell’s follows.

I maneuver around several clouds as I continue my dive, focusing my sight ahead.

Thanks to my enhanced eyesight, I can see Cloudsdale was recently passing over a large lake near what looks like a small fishing town.

Not that I’m really given time to absorb too many details as I hear the yells of the two small minded stallions behind me.

I increase my diving speed, glancing over my shoulder to notice the two definitely look like they’re struggling to keep up.

My hunch was right. While my top speed, which I haven’t even reached yet, isn’t much faster than the average Pegasus, these two still aren’t that fast as flyers.

Turning my gaze forward again, I have to change my path instantly as a yelling grey blur shoots past me and I hear a collision behind.

“Oops. My bad!” a familiar voice says and I can’t help smiling.

I turn to look back, calling out, “Thanks for the assist, Derpy.”

“Any time,” a happy voice calls back.

“Hey!” Dumbbell yells, before I can tell the two have resumed their chase.

I head for the town, maneuvering around startled ponies as I try to lose the two chasing me, though they’re annoyingly insistent.

As I avoid a cart of cabages, followed a few seconds later by a crashing sound and a voice yelling “My cabages!”, I realize I’m close to the town’s docks… and get an idea.

Glancing behind me and seeing the two pegasi still chasing after me, I grin, giving them a two finger salute and say, “Catch me if ya can, boys!”

With that, I aim for the docks, angling myself so I start to rise as the docks get closer and closer, before going into a dive once I’m high enough above the water and as far out as I dare.

I hear confused calls from my chasers before I hit the water, it surrounding me all around.

Once I’ve slowed down from loss of momentum, I just float, looking upwards.

Hoops and Dumbbell are both hovering over the water, looking left and right, clearly not able to see where I am in the water.

Thankfully, my guess is write as I find myself breathing easily and able to see just fine.

I smirk. I can literally just wait it out here until they leave… which isn’t long. Turns out, when you chase after a random creature, yelling about catching a Changeling, you draw a lot of attention.

I snicker as I watch an exchange between the local authorities and what are clearly Cloudsdale’s own police, with the two dumbasses clearly trying to explain themselves and failing.

I wait until the area above the water is clear, then rise up to the surface and breathe in fresh air.

Glancing around, I wonder where I am and whether or not I should spend some time swimming.

A clearing of a throat startles me and I look around to see a Cloudsdale police officer standing at the edge of the dock, looking pointedly at me.

He’s a relatively strong build, have a brown coat and a familiar light-blue mane and tail, the former cut very short. He’s wearing a stereotypical blue police officer outfit.

I wilt a little as he looks firmly at me. “Would you please get out of the water? We’d like to hear your side of the story so we can make a police report.”

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“Well, I’ll admit, I was surprised to learn you’ve taken this young one in, Misty,” the stallion says as we sit around the dinner table.

It’s late afternoon now.

After I went along with Officer Brawny Build to the Cloudsdale police station, he asked me the usual questions you’d expect from police as well as asking for my specific side of the story… which, it turns out, made WAY more sense than it needed to be compared to the statements Hoops and Dumbbell’s gave.

Simply explaining them I’m new to Cloudsdale and they attacked me under the idea of was a Changeling was what I was expecting to have my story compared to… but, oh no. Those two apparently thought it was some huge, epic adventure.

To use their exact words, I was apparently an evil infiltrator intending to take Mrs Shy’s place, then attack Fluttershy and replace her so I could get to Princess Twilight.

And, when I was found out, I went on a rampage, them listing everything they damaged while chasing after me as if I’d done it as part of some epic plan and how they’d valiantly put their lives on the line trying to stop me.

Yeah, with the absurdity of it all, along with the numerous witness testimonies, their story fell flat fast.

Once all was said and done, Officer Brawny offered to take me home and, after everything I’d been through, I happily accepted.

Turns out, Officer Brawny is Misty’s dad.

“Perhaps you should ask somepony else to show you around Cloudsdale for a while, hey, Max?” Misty looks to me.

I pause, a huge chunk of fish inches from my mouth and nod.

“Well, at least you were able to confirm that theory of yours,” Misty says, taking a sip of orange juice. “You can breathe underwater.”

“Good chin, choo,” I say through my mouthful of fish, before swallowing. “If I hadn’t thought of diving in the water and been able to stay in there so long, I dunno how long I’d have been flying to keep away from those two morons before the authorities got to them.”

“Well, you won’t have to worry about those two,” Brawny says, shaking his head. “They’ll be doing community service for the next two weeks and have been informed they aren’t allowed to interact with you unless given your express permission.”

Considering how rough they tried to be with me, it feels like a light sentence, but this is Equestria, not Earth, so I guess I’ll let it slide.

Sure, they assaulted me… but they’re also idiots and were under the impression they were saving Equestria from a threat. I’ll let it slide… this once.

Derpy and Mrs Shy stopped by a little while ago, Derpy wanting to apologize for accidentally colliding with those idiots.

I explained to her she’d actually helped and thanked her, her offering to Misty to watch over me whenever she wasn’t able to.

Mrs Shy was similar. She apologized for not being able to stop me from behind attacked, but I told her it was totally fine. She also offered watch over me if ever it was needed.

It feels kinda demeaning to have others offer to look after you like your understandable to look after yourself when you know you can, but it’s sweet that they offered, so I didn’t say anything against it.

Plus, Derpy could even show me around Ponyville whenever I decide to go there.

Once Brawny leave, I decide to turn in early.

Please let tomorrow not be as crazy. Please.

Author's Note

Well, i'm sure this is a surprise.

Due to events, i just couldn't bring myself to go out today, so i decided to try doing some writing.

not feeling up to work on my WITCH story though, i decided to dust off this one... though realized quickly i wasn't quite ready to fully tackle it yet, so i'm not sure how well this reads.

my initial plan was to have Max be invited by Mrs Shy inside and to the two chat a bit, getting along... but then realized that would seem pretty dull and i wanted to write Max really testing out her wings.

So, i decided to bring in two of the dumbest pegasi to give her a reason to have to fly instead as well as introduce a member of Misty's family AND give Max a legitimately reasonable way to test out her underwater breathing powers in the process without it seeming odd for Max to actively just look for some water to dive into and then leave.

Still, i didn't feel as invested as i did this morning and i hope that doesn't show in the writing.

Regardless, i at least now found a way for events in the show to flow naturally regarding a certain trio of filly's so, when Max eventually does meet them, they'll already have their cutie marks.

as for what i plan for next chapter and when that will be?

...

I don't have the foggiest clue.

Hope this was good enough and, til next time, stay safe, stay clean and see you later everybody