Ponyville Shimmers

Storm and Rainbow Dash were flying over Ponyville. The cool air was passing through his mane. The town was quiet and everyone seemed to have locked themselves in their homes. Everything was a peaceful, welcoming mask over what was going on. What was a peaceful town full of content ponies was now a ghost town. Storm looked over at Dash. The usual brave and adventurous look that she normally wore was faded. She looked as if she was angry and focused, but there was also a look of fear as well. He didn’t know what to think. Everything felt like it wasn’t real to him. How could something like this happen in Ponyville? It was like a dream… or a nightmare. He looked down at the ground where ponies normally would be but there was no one.

They had no idea where to start. Everypony was locked away in their homes in fear of their lives. They knocked on a couple doors and kept getting the same result. Ponies would stay silent or tell them to go away. Some of the other Pegasi had even left to be safe in the sky in Cloudsdale. He almost wanted to do the same, but he didn’t want to leave his friends and he certainly couldn’t ditch Rainbow.

Rainbow stopped. “It’s no use! No pony is going to talk to us or even come out!” She complained.

“What should we do then?” Storm asked.

Rainbow thought for a second then sighed and let herself fall onto a nearby cloud. “Ugh… I don’t know.” She rolled over on her stomach and looked down at Ponyville. “We’re never going to find her. She might not even be here in town anymore…” She looked like she had completely given up.

Storm landed and sat next to her. “Why don’t we catch up Pinkie and Improv at Sweet Apple Acres?” He said with a smile.

She gave him an odd look then looked back down as if she was scanning the town. “You go ahead… I’m gonna keep looking.”

“But you said yourself, it’s no use. You’re not going to get anything done here. Besides, Applejack may know something,” Gray said.

“No…” Rainbow looked at him. Her face was full of anger and pain. She almost looked as if she was about to cry. It was quiet for a second as they sat looking at each other. Storm was confused and speechless.

“Dash...”

She looked back down at Ponyville. Gray put his hoof on her shoulder.

“Dash…What’s wrong?” She pulled away.

“Dash talk to me.”

“I’m not going to Sweat Apple Acres,” she finally said.

“Why not?” He asked.

“I… I just can’t.” She sat up with her back to him.

He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t understand why she was acting this way. What could’ve been so bad at Sweet Apple Acres to make her…upset?

“Why can’t you go? Don’t you want to make sure AJ is ok?” Storm walked over and sat to the right of her at the edge of the cloud. He could see tears in her eyes and she continued to look down. It was hard for Storm to see her that way. She looked as if all of the color in her mane was about to fade out.

Storm suddenly wrapped his wing around her. She didn’t say anything or move for a second. She then leaned onto him and he put his arms around her. She looked up at him, eyes red and full of tears. Then she hugged him back, buried her face into his shoulder and began to cry. She squeezed him tightly, almost enough to hurt. Storm didn’t move. He didn’t know what to say. He just held her quietly as she wept.

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Improv and Pinkie Pie arrived at Sweet Apple Acres. They both looked around. It seemed to be deserted. Applebloom, Granny Smith, and Big Mac were nowhere to be seen. The farm was quiet, something was wrong.

“Where is everypony?” Pinkie said. “Aaaapplleejaaacckk!” She yelled, but the only reply she got back was her own voice echoing in the distance.

“Hmm where could they be?” Improv said.

Pinkie looked over at him and smiled. “Well let’s check the barn!” She said with enthusiasm. She then bounced over to it. It was about 60 yards away. Improv followed her cautiously. Something was wrong and he could feel it. When they got to the barn they both heard voices coming from inside.

Pinkie got excited, “There’s Applejack!” She went to open the door when Improv stopped her.

“SShh,” he said. “Hold on a sec Pinkie, don’t open the door yet.” She nodded.

He cracked the door open with his magic, just enough to see through. The voices were now louder and understandable. Pinkie climbed onto his back so that they could both see.

“Why are you doin this big sis?”

Improv and Pinkies eyes widened. There they saw Applejack. She had ropes around the rest of her family. She was finishing tying Applebloom’s.

“Shut up!!” Applejack yelled.

Applebloom had tears in her eyes. Granny Smith had a black bag covering her head and wasn’t moving. Big Mac had his mouth tied shut with a piece of fabric of some sort. He was trying to scream at the top of his lungs and trying to break the ropes. It was no use. He squirmed around and his yells could not be made into words.

“You all have been a nuisance long enough and I’m not going to have it any longer!” Applejack yelled in Big Mac’s face before kicking him in his side. He became quiet. Applebloom was shaking. She looked terrified. Applejack walked over to her and put a tie over her mouth, then a bag like the one on Granny Smith.

Pinkie jumped off of Improv’s back, and looked very scared and confused. Improv looked over at her and looked back through the door.

He walked over to her. “What is happening?!” Improv whispered. Pinkie didn’t say anything. Improv went back to look again. It was quiet. He looked all around the barn and Applejack was nowhere to be found.

“BAM!!” The barn door slammed open hitting Improv. It sent him flying back and hitting the ground hard. Pinkie sprinted over to him.

“Immppyyy!” She yelled. Improv slowly opened his eyes and could see Applejack standing in front of them.

“You made a terrible mistake coming here…” She said.

Improv slowly got up. He struggled a little bit but finally managed. He could hardly stand and Pinkie had noticed he now had a black eye.

“Applejack. What did you to your family?!” He said.

“I’m not done yet” AJ said back with a sinister look in her eyes.

“What’s wrong with you Applejack?” Pinkie said with a voice of hurt.

Improv had noticed she wasn’t speaking with her normal accent.

“And why are you talking like that?!” Improv called out.

Applejack began to step towards them, “What do you mean? Ah always talk like this, yall are crazy.” She let out a small laugh. “Nothins a matter I feel just fine I reckon.” She said very sarcastically. She was getting closer to them. They took a step back and then she stopped.

“Why yall backin up? Pinkie Pie, come give yer best friend a hug.” She said in her normal voice with a hoof stretched out.

Pinkie hid behind Improv and said nothing.

He voice reverted back. “No? I thought we were friends?” She put her hoof back down. “You know that’s no way to treat a friend of yours. I guess I’ll have you put you with the rest of them…” Applejack now had an insane look on her face and was smiling.

“The rest of who?!” Improv said.

“Haha, you’ll see…” She replied evilly.

Applejack began to walk toward the again. “Make this easy for yourselves and get in the barn.”

Improv and Pinkie began to pace back. “NO! We’re not going anywhere!” Improv yelled.

“Suit yourself then, we’ll do this the hard way…” She then began to run at them. Before they could do anything she had already reached them. She rammed into Improv knocking him to the side, and tackled pinkie to the ground.

She stood over her and Pinkie cowered in fear. “This would have been a lot easier if you would have just did what I told you to!” Applejack screamed. She lifted her hind legs and was about to kick her when Improv shot a powerful green beam at her. Applejack flew away and hit the dirt.

“STAY AWAY FROM HER!!” Improv yelled loudly his eyes were glowing green.

It was quiet. Improv ran over to Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie, are you alright?” He said. She laid on the ground shaking with her eyes closed. “Pinkie?” Improv said. Her eyes opened and she could see his eyes glowing before they slowly faded back to their normal color. She through her arms around him.

Improv helped her stand up. They both looked where Applejack was. There was a thick cloud of smoke surrounding her. They couldn’t see her through it. Improv slowly walked closer until he could see the silhouette of her body. Then the smoke cleared… Applejack was gone. Laying in her place was... a changeling…