Crimson

Twilight stepped outside of the massive alien ship, and felt a weird sensation running through her body. She looked around to try and find out what that was, but saw nothing near her. Focusing back on what she needed to do, Twilight found it actually possible to bring out the magic needed to teleport, as well as the magical energies of Equestria. Shocked by the feeling, she looked back to the ship, and then thought about why she wasn't able to teleport before.

"Does it have some kind of magical shielding?" she asked aloud to nopony.

Twilight would have continued to dwell on the thought had she not heard the growl of a random creature. Gulping in anxiousness, wanting to study the ship's qualities involving magical distortion and knowing she should leave, Twilight lit up her horn and flashed out of view, leaving for Ponyville.

\\\//////

Psych, Tumbler, and Sickle walked down the hallways of the alien ship, watching as the lights above flashed red to signal where they were to go.

"Is the Queen really sure about putting our hopes in that Five guy?" Tumbler asked.

"If the Queen believes that this soldier can help us find the path to our salvation, then I believe as well," Sickle stated.

"But what if he decides to pull a fast one, and kicks us off?"

"I sensed great sympathy from him," Psych stated. "He felt that he has an obligation to help our kind."

"Really? What stake does he have in our future?" Sickle asked, curious of the alien's intent.

"I cannot say for certain. What I am sure of, though, is that he is not harboring anger towards us. In fact, I sensed quite a dose of sadness, so potent one would think he was bringing up a memory."

\\\//////

Five walked into the Starboard Armory and watched as the lights flooded the room. Every wall and crevice shifted about to reveal the sum of weapons Five had at his disposal.

There were several rows of weapon racks extending straight outward from the wall, holding the M-7 SMGs in neat rows of 6 on each side. The center of each rack opened up to reveal magnetically locked magazines arranged in an orderly fashion. The walls beyond the SMGs were suspending Battle Rifles and magazines for them, as well as Magnums with their respective ammo. At the far end of the Armory were the Heavy Ordnance racks, holding what little explosives the ship had left. A few rocket tubes were strewn about across the floor by the opposite entrance, likely a result of whatever UNSC scavengers had to evacuate before Requiem collapsed, and have been there since the Frigate came to this planet.

Five set his Battle Rifle and Shotgun on a workbench as the doors locked behind him, before picking up the mess.

\\\//////

Applejack and Rarity were comforting Spike in Golden Oaks' public resting area, the only sounds in the building coming from the young dragon as he sniffled every now and then. They had agreed to look after him once they had heard about Twilight's apparent foalnapping, and were doing their best to ensure Spike that she would be fine.

"Ah'm tellin' ya, Spike, ain't no way in all o' Equestria that Twi's gonna stay there fer long," Applejack stated.

Spike could only sniffle in response, trying to not burst into hysterical sobbing. Rarity continued to run her hoof along his scaly back, cooing Spike with her soothing voice.

"Applejack, maybe we should just try and let this-"

Rarity was cut off as a familiar blink of lavender flashed from within the library. Spike jumped from his seating and ran through the library, Applejack and Rarity only a few hooves behind. When they reached the ground floor, they saw Twilight standing in the middle of the room, unharmed and alone.

"Spike! There you are," she greeted. "I need to send a-"

She was cut off as Spike practically tackled her, sobbing openly into the crane of her neck as he held onto her tightly.

"Twili-i-ight!" he sobbed. "I-I-I never thought w-we'd see you again!"

Twilight embraced the dragon as she ran her hoof across his back, sitting onto her haunches to hold him.

"I'm fine Spike. I'm alright," she reassured him.

"Twi, ya alright?" Applejack asked, examining Twilight's form for any faults, in case she wasn't really her.

"Yes, I'm fine, but right now, I need the Princesses' help."

"'Bout time," Applejack smirked. "Time ta teach those dirty varmints a thing or two 'bout-"

"No!" Twilight shouted, startling everypony. "We've done enough to them! I need the Princesses to hold a meeting so we can help the Changelings!"

As she said this, Spike released his grip on her and slowly started to back away, his eyes widening in fear. Applejack got into a defensive stance as Rarity levitated a chair closer to her side.

"Twilight, if you can hear us in there," Rarity spoke slowly, "this isn't you. The Changelings are controlling-"

"No, they're not! I'm still me! They aren't controlling me or influencing me!"

She tried to take a step forward before Applejack lunged at her. In reflex, Twilight teleported out of the way of Applejack's charge and tried to speak again.

"Girls, please! You haven't seen what they're going through!"

"You shut yer mouth, ya brain-washed crazy!" Applejack countered, returning to her defensive stance.

"If you could just listen for a few seconds, you'd understand that they need help!"

"Help gettin' outta Equestria!" Applejack shouted.

Spike ran to the kitchen behind Twilight, tripping on the table on his way. When his clawed foot hit the table, a book fell off of its surface, causing the alicorn to turn her head to see Spike fleeing.

"Spike, wait!" she called, turning to chase him.

Rarity took the chair in her magic and threw it towards Twilight's path, managing to stop her as it broke apart before the alicorn. Twilight turned to see where the chair had come from when Applejack managed to tackle her into the ground. The farm pony landed her hoof onto Twilight's horn, sending a blazing pain through her skull. As Twilight let out a scream of pain, trying to clutch the appendage, Applejack managed to pull out her rope and tied Twilight up in a hog-tie fashion. Twilight began to struggle against the bindings of the rope, unable to use her magic due to the intense pain in her head.

"Spike, send a letter to the Princesses," Rarity said, her voice wavering as she watched her "possessed" friend begin to cry.

Spike walked out from the kitchen, tearing up as well, watching his closest friend struggle against Applejack's rope.

"Please... they don't deserve..." Twilight was barely able to say, the pain in her horn overloading her thoughts.

The doors burst open to reveal a pair of golden clad members of the Royal Guard. They stepped inside with their heads held high before saluting.

"Ma'am," the one of the left spoke, "we heard that Princess Twilight has-"

The Guard stopped mid-sentence once he saw Princess Twilight laying on the ground, crying and bound. The two scowled at the two Bearers of Harmony and dragon before moving forward to grab the Princess.

"Wait a sec-" Applejack started before being knocked aside by the first one, the second going straight for the Princess as he drew a feather-blade and sliced her bindings.

The two quickly helped the Princess to her hooves and stood between her and the offenders, wings flared while they stood defensively.

"Princess, what's happening?" the second one asked.

"Guards, you don't understand!" Rarity interjected. "She's under the Changelings' influence!"

The two Guards widened their eyes at the accusation before one of them turned around to look the Princess in the eyes.

"Crest, front and center, on the double!" he commanded, not looking away from the mare's eyes.

A third Guard came in, this one a grey unicorn. He saluted to the first Guard before standing at attention.

"Check to see if there's Changeling magic influencing the Princess," he ordered.

The unicorn Guard nodded before igniting his horn a light blue. The same color began to encompass Twilight's cranium before spreading over her entire form. After thirty seconds of the glow running across Twilight's body, the magic's glow faded before the Guard shook his head.

"Negative, she's clean," he said, shocking Rarity and Applejack.

"What? Nah, she... she's possessed," Applejack insisted, "she was talkin' 'bout helpin Changelings, fer pony's sake!"

"Princess, are you alright?" one of the Guards asked her.

Twilight took a few deep breaths while motioning her right foreleg before she answered.

"I'm fine. And yes, Applejack, I'm aware of what I said, and I still stand by it. The Changelings need our help."

The Guards had a look of shock on their faces as they stared at the Princess.

"P-Princess?"

"They're on the brink of extinction. There's barely enough left of them to fill up Ponyville, let alone pose any kind of threat to Equestria. If we don't try to help them, they'll all die out. I've seen them. They're hurting and they're scared of us. They think that we're actively trying to wipe them out, and as the Princess of Friendship, I refuse to sit by and let so many suffer because of a failed attack."

She walked past her friends, who were frozen in shock, and approached Spike. The dragon made no attempts to move from his spot in the doorway, and watched as Twilight stopped before him.

"Spike, I'm sorry if I made you worry, but we need to get some letters out as soon as we can."