Destinies Intertwined

Rainbow lay on her bed, she didn’t feel like going to the meteor shower; and after everything that had happened with the Changelings and Spike, her head could not process anything else. It wasn’t like another thing was going to happen, right?

*RING! RING!*

Wrong. Rainbow Dash picked up her wireless phone which displayed on its caller ID… Gilda’s number? Rainbow answered it, “What do you want?”

“Well, that’s a warm greeting,” Gilda scoffed sarcastically.

“Well considering how you left, it’ll be as warm of one as you’ll get. Now start talking.”

Gilda sighed, “Look, I need to talk to you, can we meet somewhere?”

“Sorry, but I’ve already been through a lot. Besides, why should I trust you after what you did to my friends.”

“You shouldn’t, I treated you guys like trash, I just wanna make amends…”

“Well, for one thing, ‘trash’ is an understatement, but you had it on the nose.”

“Yeah...I’m sorry, I just...really feel bad. Word must have gotten out because now I’m hated by even my own kind, plus I was arrested for a hate crime after punching a random pony in the face.”

“Well THAT’S reassuring…”

“Yeah, I’m living on the street now, no one in Griffopolis wants to deal with me…”

“Oh, then it looks like I’m not alone, because I don’t either.”

“I figured, I just...I feel really alone right now, and that’s saying something because I’m holding a baby right now.”

“Wait, what? Did you steal that baby?”

“No… He’s mine, he’s all I have left, and I’m afraid he won’t last long out here.”

“Gilda, I’m kinda having a hard time believing you, especially when you throw a baby in the mix.”

“I’m not kidding. I’ll show you his birth certificate if I have to, along with my record showing you the charge.”

‘I am so going to regret this,’ Dash thought. “Where are you?”

“I’m in Manehattan now.”

“So...I’m supposed to drop everything and meet you cuz you SUPPOSEDLY have a baby?”

“No, It’ll take me a while to get there. In fact, I finally got a ticket after… Well… You don’t wanna know.”

“Good Celestia… I hope the baby wasn’t involved. For that matter, I hope everyone’s still alive.”

“Dash, I’m not a murderer and the baby’s fine. Just don’t ask when I get there.”

“Fine… When will you be there?”

“In the morning.”

“Okay… I’ll meet you at the train station, when’s it arrive?”

“10:30 a.m.”

“Might be a little late then…”

“You still sleep that late?”

“Yeah.”

There was a laugh heard on Gilda’s end. “You haven’t changed a bit.”

“Well, it might not sound like it...But I hope you have… For everyone’s sakes.”

“I have, Dash, I hope I can prove that to you.”

“Alright, but if you pull one of your old tricks, all bets are off.”

“Okay, I understand. Dash?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks, this means a ton.”

“Whatever, just be warned, I’m bringing my friend Applejack, and she’s as good a butt kicker as I am, and she doesn’t even have wings.”

"Okay, thanks again."

“Just get some rest, because you’ll need it if you make one wrong move.”

"Sleep? You haven't been around babies, have you?"

“No, still single. Wait, how long have you had that baby?”

"He was born January 30th, so almost a year."

“Okay… I’m surprised the police didn’t take him from you.”

“They did, but I got him back After I served three months in jail.”

"Well, I'll give you this, you got all the elements of a sob story."

“Hm… Dad was right, maybe I should have become a writer.” Gilda shrugged it off.

“Maybe… but I'm still finding it hard to believe..."

“ALL ABOARD!” A male voice announced.

“I have to go now, See you in the morning,” Gilda quickly said.

“Okay, see ya in the morning.” Dash hung up and quickly dialed another number.

"Hello?" Applejack greeted.

“Hey, Applejack? This is Rainbow Dash. Could you meet me at the train station at 10:30?”

“Sure Sugargcube, but why? Who are you waiting for?”

"Well...an old friend called...a certain griffon friend..."

“What griffon friend do you-” It dawned on Applejack, “It’s Gilda, isn’t it?”

"Yup, and boy does she have a story."

“Let me guess, she’s homeless with a baby?” Applejack took a drink of apple juice.

“Yes.”

The juice sprayed out of her mouth. "Does she expect us to believe her?"

“No, she doesn’t, but what choice do we have?”

“Maybe hang up?”

"Eh… I almost did, the kid thing though..."

“Rainbow, why are you puttin’ up with her after what she did to us?”

“I don’t know. I guess because I just want her to change.”

"Ah do too, sugar cube, but I really have my doubts." She took another sip.

“Well, she was arrested for punching a pony, so I guess she learned her lesson.”

Another spit take. “WHAT?!?!”

"Yeah… They held her kid until she got out of jail three months later."

"Hmm...poor kid, having a mom like Gilda..."

“Kinda makes me wonder how well she treats the kid, but still…”

"Is that why you want me to come? Rescue the kid?"

Rainbow laughed, “No, but would be good to keep in mind if she makes one wrong move.”

"Gotcha, should I bring my revolver?"

“No, bring your rope.”

"Okay, anything else?"

“That should be it… Now I just need some peace and quiet… I’ve been through too much in one day."

"Know how ya feel, I need some sleep, too. G'night, Dash."

“Good night.” Dash hung up and collapsed on the bed. She kicked her shoes off and slipped out of her jacket, before throwing the comforter over her.

******

Comet and Twilight laid a blanket on the ground. They had picked a spot on an almost vacant hill, that Comet said would have a great view. "Why isn't anyone here? if this is such a great view." Twilight wondered.

“I’m sure they’ll show up,” Comet relied.

“They better. It’s about to start.”

"Trust me, I'm an Astronomer, I know the stars."

“I was talking about the other ponies. They’re going to miss this.”

"Oh, do you want to let them know?"

"I think it'd be the right thing to do..."

"Okay...want me to go with you?"

“No, you stay here and make sure no one steals the blanket, and I’ll be right back.”

"Okay, see ya in a bit."

“Okay.” With that, Twilight vanished in a flash of light.

This left Comet alone with his thoughts. This was the first time he had gone to an event with a girl, not to mention she was awfully attractive...

******

Meanwhile on the balcony of Canterlot castle, Luna and Celestia were conversing with their own boys. "So Solaris, how long have you two been friends?" Celestia asked.

“Well, Eclipse and I have know each other ever since we were kids.”

"I see... So, Eclipse, have you enjoyed dating my sister?"

“More than you know…”

"I see...have you enjoyed your time with him, Lu-Lu?”

“More than thou knowest, Tia…”

"Well...I'm glad you found someone, Luna." Celestia grinned.

Solaris looked at Celestia. “I feel like they’re having all the fun right now."

"Indeed, but it's good to see her having fun with someone."

“Yeah…”

"So...do you enjoy living with Eclipse?"

“Oh yeah, but I do have to “nag” him about some things.”

“No you don’t,” Eclipse snapped.

“Yes I do. You are disorganized on certain things and you don’t seem to have much… What’s the word I’m looking for… Urgency! That’s was the word. It’s a wonder you were able to keep a date.”

“Well, it’s hard for me to want to do that when you keep leaning over my shoulder about that kind of stuff. Trust me, it’ll get done.”

“When will that be?”

“Careful you two. Thou might have another Nightmare Moon be born right here,” Luna joked.

"We definitely wouldn't want that." Celestia sternly replied.

"A what?" Solaris asked.

“Wait, thou hast no known of Nightmare Moon,” Luna asked.

"Sorry..."

“Don't be, it was...a difficult time for us..." Celestia frowned.

“Again, sorry…”

“But why don’t we leave that behind us for now,” Celestia suggested, “This is definitely not the place for such a story.”

"I concur," Luna blushed.

“Okay…” Both boys just sat there.

"Solaris, I assume the necklace is of your cutie mark?"

“Yes, it is. I figured it best fit with my name, so there you go.”

"I see, how did you get your cutie mark?"

“Oh that? Well, I learned that I could take the sun’s energy and convert it into energy. I just did it enough times to realize that this was what I was meant to do. When I went to take a shower, there it was.”

A thought of Solaris in the shower entered Solaris' mind. "Interesting, especially considering how I raise the sun, which is how I earned my cutie mark."

“I kinda figured that part.” Solaris immediately started feeling a little awkward after that statement. “Um…”

“What’s wrong?”

"Nothing..."

'Dobt you wonder HOW he figured that?' Luna asked telepathically.

‘Oh, ha ha,’ Celestia replied.

"Hey," Eclipse said, "I brought over some Sandwiches...would you like some?"

“That sounds wonderful," Celestia smiled. 'He cooks?'

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” Solaris said, “and yet I can’t get him to organize his room.”

'Hes perfect for you, since you can't and all.'

‘Oh shut up…’

‘You know it’s true, Lu-Lu...’

'Well...perhaps...but there's more to him than his cooking.'

‘Sure there is…'

'He's very attractive.'

‘And...’

‘And he has a great personality...’

‘And...’

“Those aren’t meteors.”

‘And...’ “Wait, what?”

“Take a look, these lights are too small to be meteors, and the angle is to low..."

“You’re right,” Eclipse noted. “Do you think…”

“We could be facing an invasion…”

******

Twilight sat down next to Comet. “Well...apparently everyone else was engrossed in other things, so it looks like we’ll have this hill to ourselves…”

"Apparently..."

“Yeah...But don’t try and make any moves on me.” Twilight teased.

"Believe me, I've already had enough of that excitement, and it wasn't even intentional."

“Yeah...Sorry again for making you look through all that, guess the bop on the head made me forget…”

“‘Bop on the head?’”

“Yeah, I was helping my friend Applejack on her farm, and I had a little accident with a tree branch,” Twilight brushed her hair back so she could show Comet the bandage on her forehead, “See?”

"Ah. Sorry that happened."

"You weren't involved, so it really wasn't necessary, but thank you though."

“Yeah. Anyway, I was thinking I- Ugh!”

“What’s wrong?”

“I forgot some stargazing books at home, I was going to bring them, and that notebook you gave me, tonight, but I guess I forgot them at home.”

"Oh. Well it's okay. You still have time before they're due."

“True, and maybe I could bring my telescope…”

“If you want to, I guess, I would have brought mine but it’s broken.”

“Oh...well I might be able to take a look at it, if you-” A sudden flash of light streaked across the sky. “What on earth? The meteor shower’s not supposed to start for another twenty minutes!”

The meteor flew to into a tree, only a few dozen yards from them!

“What in the world?!” Twilight was shocked it had come so close, by her (and Comet’s calculations) the meteors would all end up in uninhabited regions of Equestria, not a mile from Ponyville!

Comet froze, he had never been so close to a meteor, and there was a possibility it was dangerous...but at the same time...how many chances does one get to examine a meteor?

“Comet...Has this ever happened?”

“No, not that I know of at least.”

“What should we do?”

“I...don’t know, it’s not like there’s an interstellar police force or anything…”

“I’m sure there is in one of Spike’s comic books.”

“Yeah, to bad they can’t come out and help.”

“Yeah…”

All of the sudden, a shrill scream broke through the peaceful night. They both got up and ran towards the screech, which came from Ponyville. “Do you think there was another meteor,” Twilight asked.

“I don’t think so…But that one wasn’t supposed to land where we were.”

“Good point…this is really a wacked out day.”

“Agreed.”

*****

“Luna, are you sure about this,” Celestia asked, “Aliens don’t exist.”

“When you live on the moon for a few days, you begin to see things,” Luna replied

“But...Aliens?”

“Maybe they’re friendly,” Eclipse suggested.

“Or maybe they want our world,” Solaris commented. “We don’t know.

“I guess, but I think maybe we should go out there and investigate.”

“You won’t be going anywhere,” a voice said.”

“Funny, Solaris, but this is a lousy excuse for chickening out.”

“Um...That wasn’t me…” Solaris said. “There’s someone closeby.”

Suddenly, Eclipse felt a slight pain in his back. “Ow! Luna? Are you poking me with your horn again?”

“Eclipse, I’m right in front of you.”

“Then who did?” Eclipse turned around to see a very tall changeling, dressed in gold armor, with a large sword pointed at Eclipse. “Whoa! That’s a pretty big sword…”

“Yes it is, I could kill you all in one maneuver,” The stranger replied, “But I’m not here to kill you.”

“Then why are you here?”

“We’re here to rescue those who were taken from us.”

“Who was taken from you,” Celestia asked.

“My wife and her, in your terms, ‘adopted brother’, they were arrested for no reason and when I asked for their release, I was denied.”

“I see…What did the officers say their crime was.”

“Being an ‘enemy of the crown’, even though they had captured a Siyah spy attempting to conduct liebe on a young dragon against his will.”

“Liebe?”

“I believe your kind calls it, ‘sex’.”

“Oh. Can you describe this dragon?”

“I never saw him, but the two girls I spoke with kept calling him ‘Spike’.”

“I think I know him, but what would a changeling be doing in Ponyville, let alone three?”

“The two we were trying to rescue were pursuing the spy and the spy herself was a renegade from the Siyah.”

“The Siyah?”

“A rebellion, led by Chrysalis.”

“Chrysalis… You mean the one who invaded my niece’s wedding?”

“Yes, she’s currently locked up in Changeypt, where she won’t be a nuisance to anyone for a long, long time, but she does have remnants of her army scouring Equestria. That spy is just one of them.”

“I see, but nonetheless, why threaten us before explaining the incident?”

“I did not.”

“Oh, so that sword’s poke to my back was just your way of saying ‘Hi’,” Eclipse asked.

“I was merely ‘showing off’.”

“Seriously? Are big swords a ‘thing’ in your country?”

“No.”

“Then why did you-”

“Enough,” Celestia snapped. “Sir, I’m sorry that your wife and her...brother? Were taken to prison, I will try and do all I can, but it may be difficult considering I ordered all changelings to be brought to jail until further notice, and the attack at the wedding caused… bitter feelings…”

“I see; however, my patience will not hold for long. If they aren’t released soon, we will take matters into our own hands.”

“I understand...but know that we aren’t pushovers, either. We WILL fight back if we are attacked.”

“Then so be it.”