Applejack?

Chapter 2: Reveries and Realizations

          After the events of yesterday Applejack had sobbed herself to sleep. She was lying on the stone floor of her cell with her back turned towards the iron-bar door, her right hind leg still chained to the wall. It had been cold in the cell that night, and condensation stuck to the stone-brick walls and floor.

          Applejack still couldn't believe what had happened. One moment she was helping her friends to defeat the changelings and the next she was one, she didn't even know why. Her own friends had imprisoned her. Her own friends had questioned her. Her own friends had abandoned her. And all because of what she now was. Tears began to run down her face at these thoughts.

          Why did this have to happen to her? Applejack was sure it had something to do with Chrysalis. Most likely it was the Queen herself who had done this. One last deed to make ponies suffer. Well, it sure did work. Applejack thought to herself. But why me?

          Applejack was startled out of her reverie by the sound of the prison door slamming shut. She heard nothing more until the sound of four hooves clacking against the stone echoed just outside her cell. Applejack didn't need to look up, she knew who was there. After so long being close friends she had learned to recognize the sound Rainbow Dash's wing beats. The cyan pegasus opened the cell door and entered slowly.

          Rainbow stopped just behind the changeling. She saw the creature that had pretended to be Applejack in the same position it was in last night. It looked to her as though the creature had cried itself to sleep, which it indeed had. She actually felt a bit sorry for the changeling, Rainbow never liked seeing others suffer, but cast the thought away, remembering what the creature had done. Rainbow took one last step towards the changeling, scowling down at the creature. She was intent on getting the information she needed, but it spoke up first.

          "Go away, Dash."  the chained changeling said weakly.

          The sudden command slightly surprised Rainbow, but she was not deterred. Rainbow stamped her hoof against the floor in determination. She had to get her friend back. "No! You know where Applejack is and I'm not leaving until you tell me!"

          Applejack shifted slightly on the ground. "Why? Not like you'll believe me if Ah do."

          "You will tell me!" Rainbow had to get Applejack back. She just had to.

          The changeling starred at the floor and sat up. Applejack half turned her head in Dash's direction but kept her gaze low. "Ah already told you. But ya don't believe me..." Applejack looked up at Dash. "None of y'all believe me... "

          Rainbow stared into those alien eyes, unable to look away. She saw deep sadness in them, but she knew she couldn't trust the creature. Changelings were untrustable. So in hopes of tricking the shapeshifter, she decided to play along.

          "Fine, if you really are Applejack, then prove it." She said with just the barest hint of a grin.

          Rainbow saw the changeling's eyes flare with a small amount of hope and surprise as she said this, but it quickly faded and they filled again with sorrow.

          "Ah can't." She stated simply. Applejack turned and trotted into one cell's corners before sitting on her haunches again, while Rainbow remained where she was in the center.

          Of all the responses the pegasus had expected, this was not one of them.

'I can't.' what the hay is that supposed to mean! Ugh, this changeling is starting to act he same way AJ does when she ... No! This isn't AJ. This is the monster that took her from us. Rainbow reminded herself. Just play along and eventually it'll slip up and we can get Applejack back. Then we can finally get rid of this... thing. Just keep playing along.

          "What do you mean you can't! There must be something only Applejack can do!"

          "But there ain't nothin' that'll prove it to ya." AJ lowered her head and starred at the seam of the floor and wall.

          Applejack knew what she said was true. Rainbow had a stubborn streak almost as wide as her own. Convincing her of something was neigh impossible. The Applejack Rainbow knew wasn't a love eating monster, she was an honest, hardworking farm pony, and nopony could convince her otherwise.

          "Then tell me where the real Applejack is!" Rainbow took a few steps towards the changeling, abandoning her little plan.

          Applejack didn't respond this time, the familiar question resuming the wetness down her face. She knew that nothing she said would convince Rainbow.

          "TELL ME WHAT YOU DID TO MY FRIEND!" there were tears in Rainbow's eyes now, but there was still no answer.

          "Tell me!" Rainbow faltered and fell to the ground, sobbing. She couldn't take it anymore. She was supposed the be the element of loyalty, the one who is always there, but she had let her friend be taken from her. It was too much for her to bear.

          Applejack heard scuffling behind her and turned to see Rainbow Dash bawling on the floor. She hated, as all good friends do, seeing her friends cry. Applejack trotted over to Rainbow and lied beside her, resting a hole-filled hoof over her friend's withers.

          Applejack had never seen Rainbow cry before. In all the years they've known each other Rainbow Dash had always stood strong, if sometimes a little too much so. But now, seeing her like this, Applejack knew just what this whole mess had done to her friend, and she began to weep as well.

          They remained like this for some time until Rainbow noticed the hoof across her back. She didn't look at the pony beside her. Rainbow wanted to believe that it was her friend. That Applejack was here with her, and this had all been some terrible dream. But she eventually did look. She looked again into those eyes. In them Rainbow saw the same deep sadness she now felt in herself, but she also saw concern, concern for the pony lying beside the owner of those eyes.

          Rainbow shrugged off the holey limb and jumped up to stare accusingly at the shapeshifter. She would never allow herself to be fooled again by that creature. She stared at it with more hate than she had ever felt against anything before.

           Applejack remained lying next to where Rainbow had been, staring at the floor with a teardrop splattering on the ground every few seconds.

          Rainbow Dash turned, the tears still falling from her face, and left.

~~~~~~~~~~

          As Rarity was cantering down the streets of Canterlot she spotted Rainbow Dash trotting in the direction of the Castle. She had seen Pinkie Pie as well, earlier, but when she asked the party pony what she was doing all Pinkie had sad was that she was a following a lead or something of the sort.

          As she approached her friend Rarity began to take notice of the pegasus's attitude. Rainbow was trotting along the side walk with her head down, ears drooped, and wings hanging by her sides. Rarity, being the emotional expert she was, knew almost immediately what had happened, and, being the good friend she was, Rarity could not allow Rainbow to go about like this.

          Rarity galloped over to Rainbow and began trotting along side her. She noticed the redness in the pony's eyes and the wetness on her face, but she had expected this. "Why Rainbow, whatever happened to you, dear? You look like you just went on a date with Prince Blueblood." Rarity asked her voice full of concern.

          Rainbow sighed. "If only that was the problem. That changeling isn't telling us anything and who knows what they could be doing to AJ right now!" her usually rough voice was slightly hoarse from her previous episode.

          Rarity put hoof in front of Dash's chest, stopping her from walking any further. She walked around to Rainbow's front, suddenly much more serious. "Now, Rainbow, we all miss Applejack and want her back just as much as you do, but you have to remember what Twilight said. We will find her." Rarity stated sternly.

          Rainbow Dash lifted her head to face Rarity, looking her in the eyes. "I know what Twilight said and I know we'll get her back," Rainbow looked away from Rarity. She feel her eyes begin to sting with emotion. "But one of our friends has been taken away from us... AND IT'S LIKE WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT!"

          "Rainbow Dash wait!" Rarity called as Rainbow flew away, not willing to break down again in front of her friend.

          Rarity stood where she was. She had never seen that pony so upset.She wanted desperately to help her friend, but Rarity knew only one pony could do that, and it wasn't her.

          "Oh, Rainbow... "

~~~~~~~~~~

          It had been about three hours since Rainbow Dash had left. Applejack hated the fact that she had made Rainbow so distraught. She hated that her friends wouldn't listen to her. But most of all, she hated what she had become.

          When Rainbow Dash left Applejack retreated back to a corner of her cell. She  had been lying on the bone chilling floor for hours, but, her new chitin being surprisingly warm, she didn't feel the cold. However, Applejack was not sleeping nor weeping, she hadn't shed a tear since Rainbow left her. She had just thought.

          Applejack thought about her new life. Whether or not she would go back to Ponyville, if she even got the chance to that is. Likely if she ever returned she would be run out of town. How she would have to eat now and what she would eat? She refused to enthrall anypony. If she needed love she would not steal it like other changelings.

          Applejack thought about her family. What might happen to the farm now that she was gone. Applebloom, Big Mac, and Granny Smith would never get over her absence. Granny Smith would die from the greif of losing her granddaughter. Big macintosh would never speak again. Applebloom would probably lock herself in her room for months upon hearing the news. And the rest of the Apple clan would shun them without a doubt.

Applejack thought about her friends. If they didn't believe her, they would think the real Applejack had perished. If they did believe her, they would banish her from Equestria. If they found a way to change her back into a pony things would never be the same among them.

          Applejack was suddenly startled out of thought once again by the sound of another closing door. This time, however, she heard hoofsteps in the long hallway. Applejack stayed where she was. She did not want anypony, especially one of her friends, to see her like this again.

          Applejack heard the hoofsteps stop at her cell and the iron-bar door open softly. She desperately wanted the pony to go away, but her voice caught in her throat.

          "Um... H-hello?" asked timid voice.

          Applejack got up and turned around to see the last pony she ever expected to visit a prison alone shaking with fright in the cell doorway.

          "Fluttershy?" Applejack asked, still not quite believing the shy pony was actually there.

          "eep!" Fluttershy cowered under the gaze of the creature before her. "Y-y... yes?" she said in a barely audible whisper.

          "What're you doin' here?" Applejack replied, still confused as to why the pony would come alone.

          "Oh, um... I just thought... t-that when Shining Armor... h-hit you, I mean... he may have.. h-hurt you." said Fluttershy quietly, still managing to cower under Applejack from across the room.

         "Oh, uh... " Applejack raised a hoof to her face, feeling the ragged crack. She winced. "Yeah it stung a bit, but don't worry about it. It's nothin' really. Why?" Applejack understood now. She should have guessed it was just Fluttershy being kind and considerate as always.

          "Oh, well... I saw the crack in your chitin he made, and um, thought I should take a look at it... if it's Ok with you, that is."

          "uh, sure."

          Strangely enough, Fluttershy's eyes lit up upon hearing Applejack's answer. Fluttershy rushed over as eager to learn about this new creature as she was when she first saw butterflies. As soon as she reached the corner Applejack was standing in, she began scrutinizing the crack in the changeling's protective chitin. After a moment longer, Fluttershy reached into the saddlebags she was carrying and pulled out a glass jar full of a evil looking, dark green substance.

          Applejack didn't notice the jar until Fluttershy had covered her hoof in the stuff and was about to rub some on Applejack's face. She instinctively recoiled and took a few steps away from the contaminated hoof.

          "Uh, Fluttershy, what in tarnation is that?" she asked.

          Fluttershy jumped at the changeling's sudden motion, but responded nonetheless. "oh, um... T-this is just some chitin medicine. I usually only make it whenever Mr. or Mrs. Lobster gets hurt... But I thought you might need some... if that's Ok with you." Applejack nodded her consent and returned to Fluttershy's side.

          Fluttershy began to apply the medicine and Applejack visibly relaxed. To Applejack it felt like a gentle wave of cool water washing over her, emanating from the injury. She had no idea it had been hurting her so much, probably too caught up in thought to notice.

          But then Applejack began to think again. Why would Fluttershy be helping her? Applejack was the enemy now. Fluttershy, herself, had almost been willing to physically injure the changelings during yesterday's invasion, and Fluttershy would never hurt anything. Was that only yesterday? To Applejack it felt like so much longer. But still, she had to know why Fluttershy seemed to care when noponyelse did.

          "Fluttershy, why are ya helpin' me?" she whispered.

          By now Fluttershy had finished applying the ointment, and gave Applejack a stare almost as powerful as The Stare itself and answered sternly. "Because, nopony, no matter what they are or what they've done, deserves to be treated like this."

          "Does that mean you believe me?" Applejack was filled to the brim with vain hope. If there was anypony who would believe her it would have to be Fluttershy.

          Fluttershy lowered her head. "N-no." she admitted softly.

          Applejack, her last hope gone, closed her eyes and drew a few shaky breaths and asked, "Why?"

          Fluttershy was taken aback by the question. Not only was it unexpected but the way the changeling had said it.

          "I... I think it's because..." Fluttershy gave a large sigh and answered confidently. "Because Applejack would never lie to us about what she was."

          That was it. Applejack couldn't hold it back any longer. She sat down on her haunches before Fluttershy and wept. She wept for the life she had lost and the betrayal of her friends.

          Fluttershy's jaw worked but no sound came forth. She was at a loss for words. She never expected changelings to have so much emotion, but she knew it was genuine, Fluttershy had too much experience to be fooled by a facade, but she still hated seeing anything be in such misery.

          "N-no, please... don't cry!" She begged.

          Much to Fluttershy's dismay, Applejack's sobbing continued, unabated. So Fluttershy did the only thing she could think of.

          She jumped forward and enveloped Applejack in a comforting embrace, repeating over and over again, "Don't cry. Please don't cry." Being wracked with grief and sorrow Applejack barely noticed the contact, and the sound of her own sobbing drowned out Fluttershy's soft words. So they remained, Applejack weeping and Fluttershy comforting.

          Eventually though, Applejack finally ran out of tears to shed and the blubbering ceased. That was when she noticed Fluttershy, who had been holding Applejack now for well over five minuets.

          Applejack embraced her friend and simply said, "Thank you."

          Fluttershy did not shy away from the contact. She was glad that the sobbing had finally stopped, but she couldn't look away from the creature's eyes. Those strange, red tinged, amber eyes, although not focused on her, we're filled with emotion. But she found something very disturbing in those eyes, something very familiar. She eased her embrace just enough to look the changeling's eyes directly.

          "Applejack?"

~~~~~~~~~~

          It was early morning in Canterlot. The sun had only just begun to peek above the horizon, but the mountainside city was bustling with activity. Some ponies were opening restraunts, shops, or government buildings; others were closing down bars, clubs, and other night-life establishments; while still more went about on their own morning routines. Amid all the ponies of the glistening city was the center of activity itself, Canterlot Castle.

          Inside the castle were hundreds of ponies going about their daily duties. Politicians bickered amongst themselves in the halls and reception rooms. The guard ponies in their gleaming, golden armor stood at attention trying desperately to not roll their eyes at the arguing politicians. The cooks cooked, he maids cleaned, and the scholars studied, but one pony in particular, off in some hallway in the castle's north wing, was on a mission.

          Twilight Sparkle marched down a long hallway, her anxious hoofsteps echoing loudly throughout the castle. She was on her way to meet with the princess. She had not been summoned nor been given permission, but there was one thing she needed to discus with Celestia and it could not wait.

          As Twilight trotted down the hallway at a brisk pace, none of the guards gave her a second glance, but as soon as she approached the royal bedchambers there were spears, wings, and unicorn horns, two of each to be exact, there to block her path. Twilight could hear ponies talking behind the door, but she knew the drill and just waited impatiently.

          One of the earth pony guards faced the door and announced Twilights presence. The voice that replied, however, was not that of the princess but of Shining Armor.

          "Let her in." Shining said through the door. The guards obeyed and lowered their weapons before opening the door and ushering Twilight inside.

          The royal bed camber was filled with light. The rays of the morning sun entered the room through one of two enormous windows that took up most of the east and west walls. The room was heavily decorated with murals and relief carvings of famous and not so famous events, there as if to remind Celestia of her mistakes, and there, in the center of the room, sat Celestia's bed and upon that bed, Celestia herself.

          Twilight saw the princess as she had looked the night after the attack, albeit she was conscious now. Celestia lied in the center of her circular bed, the comforter covering her from the chest down. She wore a pink cast on her damaged horn just as one might for a broken arm, and Shining Armor, still dressed in his purple armor, was standing by the side of her bed. To twilight, the pair looked as if they just had been arguing.

          The alicorn put on a forced smile when she saw Twilight enter. She was still in terrible pain from the spell Chrysalis used against her, but Celestia would never let her prodigy see it. "Hello, Twilight." she said in a slightly hoarse version of her normally regal, motherly voice.

          Twilight trotted to Celestia's bedside and addressed the issue that had been plaguing her mind. "Celestia, I need to talk to you. It's about-"

          Celestia abruptly silenced Twilight by raising her hoof from the bed. "I already know, Twilight. Your brother and I have been discussing the matter at length for some time now."

          Twilight's mouth was still half open in frozen speech from being interrupted, but she recovered quickly. "You... Then you know about Applejack?"

          "Yes, Twilight." Celestia nodded her head.

          "So... can you help us?" Twilight asked hopefully.

          Celestia nodded again. "I would like to speak with this changeling."

          "I'm sorry princess, but I can't allow that to happen." Shining Armor said in an exasperated tone.

          "Shining." Celestia made an expression as if she were scolding a child. It was quite obvious to Twilight what the two had been arguing about by now.

          "No, princess. To bring a changeling into the castle... into the royal chambers... And in the condition you're in now! It's just asking for trouble!" By now Shining was pacing at the foot of the bed, almost shouting in volume. "The changelings just attacked the city and now you want to invite one into the castle?!'

          Celestia sighed. "Shining Armor, do you hold no faith in me?" her voice showed no sign of anger or annoyance. Maybe it was just the way she was lying on the bed, but Twilight could tell she was very tired of this conversation. "Do you honestly think I would invite a possible enemy into the heart of the city unless I was absolutely sure no harm would come of it?"

          Shining Armor stopped his pacing. "N... n-no..., my princess." he stammered.

          Celestia seemed slightly pleased at his response. "Good. Then tonight, after Luna raises the moon, bring the changeling into the throne room."

          "but-" Shining sighed and hung his head in defeat. "Yes, princess."

          Celestia turned to Twilight. "And, Twilight, gather your friends and meet me and Luna there as well."

          Twilight bowed. She was glad this was finally going to be over with. She and her friends would get Applejack back and this whole changeling mess could finally be over, and then things could return to normalcy. The princess would fix everything. "Thank you, Celestia."