Chapters "Alright. Snacks? Check! Pillows? Check! Stereo if we wanna dance? Check!" Twilight Sparkle giggled, staring at the supplies piled around her.
"This is going to be so much fun!!" The Unicorn clapped her hooves together in glee, but stopped when Spike came running into the room, a scroll in his hand. He quickly placed it in front of her, and Twilight sighed as she picked up the scroll with her magic, opening it in the process.
"Another task from the Princess, Twi?" The young protege nodded solemnly, closing the scroll and tossing it to the end of the room, where five scrolls had already been set.
"She's asked me if I had any more reports to send, and that she would like to see one. I don't get it!! This is the fifth time today she's asked me to either send or help her with something..." Twilight sighed again, but stopped when Spike placed a claw on her shoulder, offering her a comforting smile. The Unicorn softly smiled back, showing her friend that she was okay.
"Yeah...okay. Spike?" The little dragon stood up, a confident smile plastered on his face.
"Yes, m'lady?" Twilight laughed at the giant ego the little dragon had, and then stood up straight. Twilight knew she couldn't let things bring her down.
"Get ready to send a message."
****
"UHHHH!!!!" Rainbow sighed, falling down in her cloud bed. Puffs of cloud flew up all around her as the mare spread her wings out, trying to ease the pain of having to fly around all day . Rainbow cringed as she tried to fold one of her wings, which resulted in a shot of pain going up her wing and to her head.
"Why am I feeling like this? I'm Rainbow Dash! Best flier in Equestria!! I don't fee-" The Pegasus stopped ranting as another shot of pain came from both her wings, causing her to slump back in her bed.
"This is torture." Rainbow Dash muttered, burying her face into her hooves.
"RAINBOW DAASSHH!!" A high voice called out, and the Pegasus groaned before slowly getting up, trudging over to her window. Rainbow groaned even more when she saw who it was. Pinkie Pie. The Pink Earth Pony jumped up and down below, trying desperately and happily to get her voice to reach where her friend was.
"Hey Rainbow Dash! Twilight's almost ready for the Sleepover! You coming?" Rainbow Dash groaned. She had completely forgotten about Twilight's get-together.
"Yeah!" The Cyan Mare called down, wincing as she folded her wings in. "I'll be there soon!!"
"Okie dokie lokie!" She heard the Earth Pony yell back up, and relief washed through her as the loud bouncing of her friend soon became a distant whisper.
****
Applejack jumped, flinging the cart of apples on her back into the basket waiting in front of her. She quickly turned around, scanning how many trees she had left. Only 100 more.
"Great." The Orange Mare sighed, but stopped when the distant sound of someone calling her name rang through her ears.
"Applejack! Sis! Wait up!" Applebloom soon came to a stop in front of her sister, her breaths large and heavy. Applejack smiled, waiting as her sister slowly caught up on her breaths.
"Can ah help in anyway?" The filly finally managed to speak, her breathing finally slowing down. Applejack quickly looked between the trees and her sister, guilt forming.
"Ah'm sorry Applebloom, y'all are just to young for this kind of work. Ah'll ask Big Mac to help." The filly grumbled under her breath, slowly trotting away, back to the barn in the middle of Sweet Apple Acres.
"Big Mac?".
"Eeyup?" A deep voice rang in Applejack's ears, and she smiled as she saw the oldest of the Apple Siblings stick his head out the top window on the barn, his eyes searching for who called. Soon, he finally spotted Applejack, and smiled.
"Could ya help me with Apple-bucking?" Her question came out slowly, and a ring of silence followed before she hard and answer.
"Eenope. Sorry, AJ, ah got other things to do." Applejack groaned as her brother's head vanished from view, and her only hope of the not going to Twilight's tired and aching.
****
"I'll be with you in a moment darling." Rarity raced alone the isles, grabbing dress along the racks with her magic and tossing them to awaiting customers.
"Excuse me, Miss? Could you patch up this hole on my suit? I have a party I have to go to tonight." The Unicorn raced by, ripping the suit out of the stallion's hooves with her magic, and charging back to her sewing room, she quickly slowed to a trot, picking up supplies and starting the sewing machine with her magic. She quickly began to work, and in mere seconds, was back to the impressed stallion, giving him the suit.
"Just leave the money by the register." She called as she moved on, trying to help all her customers. She sighed once more, but stopped when a hoof came down on her back.
"Miss Rarity? I've been waiting for over an hour, and I'm sure it doesn't take that long to grab a dress off the rack." Rarity blushed, and slowly floated a single dress off the rack, and into the awaiting hooves of the mad customer. That didn't satisfy her, and Rarity's eyes darted from left to right, trying to avoid the harsh glare she was getting. Finally, the Unicorn sighed with defeat, putting her head down.
"If you had I wait in hour...then I guess this one is free." She smiled with relief as the unhappy costumer grinned, trotting away toward the door. Before the mare walked out though, she turned around, saying something that made Rarity's eyes widen with fear.
"RARITY'S GIVNG OUT FREE DRESSES!!!" And then all was chaos.
****
"Oh, I'm sorry Mr. Bear, I just can't help you right now." Fluttershy said apologetically, staring at the bear in front of her. The bear quickly turned, glaring in the other direction. Fluttershy's eyes watered as she watched one of her favorite animals friend shun her.
"No! Please don't be mad! I'm sorry, I'll give you anything, just PLEASE don't be mad!" The bear slowly turned back to a crying Fluttershy, growling as he did so. After the growling stopped, Fluttershy's eyes widened with fear and disgust, and she started to back away slowly, fear growing in her eyes.
"That's horrible ! I would never give you some thing like that!" The bear swiftly turned away again, and Fluttershy stepped forward again, but stopped when multiple noises came from behind her. She turned around, and almost fainted when she saw all her other animals speaking to her, each telling her what they wanted.
"Please...one at a time..." All at once, the chattering stopped, and Fluttershy turned to the first animal she saw, a small deer. The deer quickly turned to her as well, telling her what it wanted.
"I'm sorry...we don't have anymore lettuce...I can't stop by the market toda-" her answer was interrupted as the animals started to rang again, leaving a terrified Fluttershy in the middle.
****
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, to Ponyville TODAY!!!!
Pinkie Pie finished, landing on her hooves. She panted heavily as she grinned at the new Unicorn couple, and her eyes gleamed as the couple smiled back, trotting away into town, bouncing a little as they did.
"Oh, rats! I forgot to ask them their names!! Well, I'll just ask them at the PARTY!!" Pinkie Pie jumped in the air, her grin grower bigger by the minute, but stopped when a small sniffle interrupted her thoughts. The Pink Pony quickly turned her head, and gasped when she saw Dinky Doo galloping along the road towards her, tears running down her cheeks.
"Pinkie!" The filly yelled, galloping straight into the awaiting pony's arms. Pinkie Pie softly held the filly, hugging her tightly as the young Unicorn cried. She smiled as she heard Dinky's cries calm down to just sniffles again, and slowly set the filly down, ready to make her happy again.
"What happened Dinky?".
"Well, I was walking down the road with my Mom, Ditzy Doo, and we were having a fun day, but then Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon came up," Pinkie Pie nodded, watching the filly closely to make sure Dinky didn't cry again.
"And they said I should be ashamed about having a mother like mine!" Pinkie gasped, her eyes widening to the size of dinner plates, and then narrowing into slits.
"They said that?" The Pink Earth Pony asked, earning a slow nod from Dinky Doo, and Pinkie thought for a moment before picking up the Unicorn, tossing her up onto her back.
"How about this," Pinkie started, her eyes gleaming. "Let's go to Sugarcube Corner, and we can both have some Cake and Sundees while we try to figure out how to prank Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon!" She smiled as Dinky nodded, and started to walk, before a loud voice yelled her name.
"Pinkie!!" Pinkie Pie slowly turned around, and her eyes twitched when she saw five other fillies come running towards her, each crying.
This is going to be a long day . Pinkie thought, sadly and cheerfully.
A small aqua bowl floated through the air, levitated by a tiny, magenta aura, which slowly moved the object toward a small table in the middle of the room. Twilight sighed as the bowl was laid against the wooden structure, and released her magical hold, the aura vanishing completely from her horn and the bowl. Sweat dripped off her brow and down across her muzzle, but the proud unicorn smiled at her work in a short amount of time. Six sleeping bags were placed around the room, each one differing in size and color.
"Hey, Twi!" Spike's sudden voice jolted Twilight out of her thoughts, and she quickly turned to find her number one assistant standing by the hallway door, a small scroll laced between his claws, causing Twilight's skin to crawl.
"Please don't tell me that's what I think it is?" Silence greeted her question, and Twilight sighed as Spike slowly set the scroll down and swiftly ran out without a word. After a moment of grief, the scroll was lifted up and rolled out in front of the distraught unicorn.
"I know she's my favorite mentor and teacher, and nothing could make me hate her but...this is the fifth scroll today."
My Most Faithful Student Twilight,
I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience, but I have just received a particularly curious object from the residents of Haywaii.
It appears to be a mysterious orb surround in a light aura of red. Our ponies here have had no luck on figuring out what it is, all they could tell was that it has more untold power inside then other artifacts we've found in a long time: this at least dates back to when the Tree of Harmony was formed.
I am explaining this to you because I trust you may be able to figure out what's behind this orb and if possible, contain this power and make sure it doesn't cause disaster. The orb should be on the way to you know.
Your Mentor,
Princess Celestia
**Knock Knock**
"Coming!" Twilight yelled, letting the scroll fall to the floor before trotting down the small hallway. Soon the familiar wooden door filled her vision, and the it was slowly opened, pulled by a light bit of magic.
"Delivery for Twilight!" At her confirming nod, Ditzy Doo, or mostly known as Derpy, smiled by the door and pushed one of her wings into a small bag by her side, and shuffled out a small box, which she dropped on the ground and pushed forward.
"Thank You Derpy, I very much appreciate it. But one last question? Where did this package come from?" The question was answered by the name Twilight loved but was dreading at the moment.
"That would be the Princess, Ms Twilight. Said it was to get here as soon as possible. Anyway, I've gotta go. More deliveries to make!" The pegasi's wings flapped hard, which shot herself into the air, accidentally slamming her into the upstairs balcony. Derpy stumbled for a bit, falling slightly before regaining her composure and speeding off.
"She's such a nice mare...why would someone think she's stupid just because of her eyes?" The small box was carefully lifted from the it's place on the ground, and Twilight's back leg slammed the door shut as she moved back toward the center of the room.
"Can I come back now, Twi? Are you calm?" Spike's tiny voice flew through the room, and Twilight smiled warmly before gesturing for the young dragon to come forward. Now full or comfort, Spike raced to the unicorn, but stopped when he saw the small box being set down onto the wooden table.
"What's in the box? I don't remember seeing it before."
"It just got here, Spike. The Princess sent it to me so I could try to figure out what it is and how it works. Now stand back, I don't have a clue what it might do." Spike slowly took small steps backward, but his eyes gleamed with curiosity and anticipation as Twilight broke the magic hold on the mysterious box and reached a hoof out forward. The hoof dug under the first flap, and she flicked it up, swinging the flap outward soundlessly. After a moment of silence, her hoof moved to the other side, flinging the other half up as well.
"Well, what are you waiting for," Spike yelled out, tempted to reach his claw in and grab the object himself. "Just pull it out!" With a large gulp, Twilight folded her hooves back to her sides, and magic flowed into her horn again, grabbing a hold of the object and sliding it out to reave-
"Hey, Twiiilight!! What'cha doing?" Shrieking in fright, Twilight slammed the object back inside it's package and carelessly flung the box into a small corner, not noticing how it started to lightly shake and become enveloped in a blood-red glow.
"Pinkie! Hi...why are you here so early?" The party pony just smiled happily, shrugging before bouncing around the room, taking in all the features.
"I'm gonna go to get snacks, alright guys?" Spike said before hastily fleeing from the awkward-exciting scene before him.
"Wooow!! You really made is place look great, Twi! Even the dusty, old books look amazing!" Pinkie Pie's hooves shook with excitement, but to Twilight's surprise stopped suddenly. Her hyperactive friend fell from the air, wobbling slightly and rubbing her eyes repeatedly. Twilight then realized why:
Dark circles had formed under Pinkie's eyes, and her eyes looked uncertain and glossed over as she desperately tried to force a smile again.
"Pinkie..." Pinkie jumped, finally realizing that Twilight was still in the room, staring at her with a confusion expression. "Are you tired ?"
She's either had too much sugar with the little fillies and colts, or she needs to take a day off sometime.
"I guess I am a bit." Pinkie Pie finally answered quietly, her hoof scraping across the wooden floor. "There were a lot of fillies and colts today who were upset, and you know me! I just have to make everypony smile!!" The grin was forced and had severe pain, Twilight noticed.
I'm gonna go with day off.
A large yawn escaped from Pinkie, and the young mare almost fainted on the spot if it wasn't for another loud knock that came from the door. Twilight swiftly turned to get the door, but was paused by Pinkie placing a hoof on her back. She turned around, and gaped when she saw Pinkie Pie's hair limp and falling down beside her, thought her eyes still sparkled with joy.
"Please don't tell anyone that I was like this. This is just one time and I don't want anyone obsessing. I'll be fine in a bit." A silent nod answered Pinkie's cheery pleas, and her mane changed within an instant, going from flat to bubbly and wide.
"Just a mooommeeennttt, I'm coming!!" Pinkie seemed to have erased every part of her that had appeared before Twilight, and was now bouncing lightly on her hooves toward the door. Twilight's mind was still whirring when the door opened to reveal a very familiar brown Stetson.
"Howdy, Sugarcubes! Is averything ready yet or did Ah come tah early?" Applejack smiled, trotting forward slowly, scanning the room with the same manner as Pinkie Pie.
"Not at all, AJ. I have everything set up before Pinkie got here, so you're fine." Twilight grinned, though she knew it was a little forced. Something was wrong with Applejack as well, and she knew it but just couldn't see it yet. Pinkie also seemed to notice this, her bounces going from hyper to sluggish.
"So...how was the day at Sweet Apple Acres today?" Twilight started, but winced as Applejack's gaze turned solemn and seemed to be pulled to the ground. A moment of silence passed before she forced herself to look up again at her friends.
"There were ah lot mah trees than ah thought there would be tahday. Big Mac had other things tah do so he couldn't help..."
"What about Applebloom? She's old enough the start."
Applejack sighed, reached a hoof upward and leaning her hat down to hide her blush and guilty look from the others. "Ah know it's just...ah still worry for her."
"Oh! This is like the time where you, Granny Smith, and Big Mac decided to leave her alone for the day and then you got too worried and left to go back just to find out she was perfectly fine on her own! And then right after that you had to save her from that weird tiger-goaty-snake thingy that came from the dar-" Twilight quickly stuck a hoof towards Pinkie, angrily gesturing for her to be quiet. Almost instantly the mare shut her mouth, still smiling with pure glee.
"Never mind about her, you know Pinkie. Anyway, how many trees too many did you exactly buck?" Twilight scanned her friend again, and her eyes widened when she realized what came out of bucking too many trees for Applejack:
Dark bruises covered her back legs, and small scraps laced around her hooves. Her legs shuffled very moment, and Twilight could know see the flashes of pain appearing on her face.
Better not push her until she's willing to talk. Applejack is it bit more sensitive to what she can and can't do than Pinkie.
"Ah think ahbout...286 too many? Ah'm not really sure. Ah lost count after ah while." Her sheepish smile said everything. But it was Pinkie who reacted. The mare actually lost her balance and toppled over onto the unsuspecting Applejack, causing her to shriek in surprise. Soon both ponies were in a tangled mess on the floor, and Twilight moved to untangle them when another knock rang through.
"Y'all go get it, Twi. We'll get out of thas before yah know it." Nodding in understanding Twilight turned again and focused her magic on the door, opening it up to reveal Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash.
"Pardon for my rudeness Darling, but do you have your brush on your upstairs? Never mind, I'll find it myself. Thank You!" Rarity sped on by, vanishing silently up the stairs with a speed comparable to Pinkie Pie.
Fluttershy followed in after, offering a smile of apology to Twilight. "Sorry. Rarity had a very rough day at work. Her mane's very shriveled and to her dismay she had to give her brush to a customer to apologize for being so late on their order. Oh! I hope she won't be angry that I told you that..."
"It's alright Fluttershy. She won't mind. I mean, that's what friends are for, right? To help each other." A small sigh of relief cause Twilight to giggle lightly and open the door further to let the two pegasi in. Fluttershy seemed to be perfectly fine, but Rainbow Dash looked awful.
For one thing, she wasn't flying. Not even a hover. The brash pegasus was just trudging on the ground, her eyes seemingly glued to the floor.
"You okay Dashie? Why aren't you flying. You arrreee Rainbow Dash...riigghhtt??" Pinkie Pie had suddenly appeared, and was now squinting at Rainbow Dash, as if the pegasi's face would fall off at any moment to reveal an imposter. But the mare suddenly jumped back as Rainbow glared straight back at her with full anger.
"Why would I be fine , Pinkie!?! I can't even fly!!" Her wings were raised in anger, but were snapped shut again as slices of pain came flying through them. Pinkie also seemed to lose her composure for a moment, her eyes glistening with tears and mane started to flatten, but it was quickly lost again, gone as if nothing happened.
Did everypony have a terrible day!?! What's going on?
"Ah! There we go! Alright, I'm better. Now, what we'll we be doing this lovely evening, my dear Twilight?" Rarity froze on her way down, staring confusingly at the scene before her. Twilight seat-dropped as she looked up at her friend, smiling warmly before gesturing for Rarity to come down. Carefully the white unicorn trotted down and came to a stop.
"What happened? And where is Applejack?" Pinkie suddenly froze, staring at the hallway door guiltily before grinning widely.
"I have NO idea, Rarity!"
"PINKIE PIE!!"
Applejack's familiar accent tore through the walls, freezing everyone in the room once again as heavy stomping came from upstairs, slowly becoming closer and closer with each passing second. After a minute of waiting, Applejack finally game into view, her breaths ragged and short and her mane matted down with sweat.
"How," The word came out almost silent, but so much force was packed behind it that Pinkie's ears flattened themselves tightly against her skull. "Were y'all able to untangle yourself from that mess, but somehow Ah got stuck tangled with mah own hooves!?!" All was silent for a moment, until Rainbow's voice seemed to break the awkward silence surrounding them.
"I don't know about you guys, but how this days been going, I find this pretty funny."
"Funny!?!" Applejack's eyes burned with fury, but Rainbow didn't notice as she laughed like crazy. "Ah was tangled in mah own hooves!! And what's worse, ah already had the worst day of man life! Ah have bruises all over mah legs, and the scratches rip open every time I move! I can bet mah day was worse than any of y'all's!!"
"No offense Dear Applejack," Rarity had now spoken up, a light-hearted laugh bubbling it's way up her throat.
"But my day was far more worse than yours."
The silence that followed Rartiy's remark was everlasting, and the unicorn sweat dropped as Applejack's look of surprise started to morph, twisting into a steel glare.
"Your day was hard?" The question came out as a slow whisper, and Rarity shrieked as a comically large book came blasting towards her head, ceasing its attack just millimeters from her horn as it was enveloped in a blue aura.
Her friends around gasped, but stood still, frozen as Applejack turned to them, her stare cold as ice. And the way her mane had now dried and was sticking awkwardly only added to their uppermost terror.
"Ya had a bad day!?! " Her scream reverberated the walls of the library, and Twilight desperately tried to catch many of the books falling from particular shelves.
"Uh, dear Applejack," Rarity started, placing the giant book on the floor, eyes still calculating her friend's every move. "W-What I mean w-was that-!" Her explanation was cut off as her muzzle snapped shut, as she finally gazed upon her friend's nature.
Courage tried to resurface, but instantly dissipated as Applejack's emerald eyes seemed to ignite and burn with an everlasting flame barrier, trained now on one mare alone.
Pinkie, thought extremely tired, immediately noticed her friend's hate and placed a hoof forward, despite the chorus of no's coming from everypony except AJ. She went as cautiously as she could, but stiffened as the floorboards creaked, causing Applejack's head to snap backward, intimidating what may be described as a horror scene.
"Apple...jack?," Pinkie sighed with relief as her friend nodded slightly in recognition, not making a move to lose control once more. "Maybe you're just taking this a teensy-weensy bit to far? I mean, this is a party! Shouldn't we all have...fun?" The last part was almost virtually silent as it was spoke , and Applejack's mouth opened when she saw the terrified looks on each of her friends...but then stopped when she saw Rainbow Dash, who was holding a hoof over her muzzle to stop a large grin from forming.
"What's s'funny over there Rainbow?"
"Oh nothing," The pegasus waved a dismissive hoof, but stopped when she came to the mind-warping realization that all eyes were on her. Her grin quickly melted to a dastardly smirk when an idea formed in her brain.
"It's just that, how could your day be worse? You buck apples. Nothing can go wrong with that job."
Applejack glared and sluggishly backed away from Rarity, letting the traumatized mare finally sigh with relief and sink back, pulling her eyelids back with her hooves. The satisfying moment did not last long, for Twilight gasped when the earth pony rammed into Rainbow Dash , sending both mares tumbling back into the sturdy oak of the library.
Dust went flying, and Fluttershy and Rarity went down while yells and violent hits, whose culprits were hidden by the blanket of particles, were swiftly staring to increase in volume.
"Y'all as rotten as the Zap Apple that goes bad!" A loud thump followed afterward, and Pinkie let out a shriek and ducked, allowing a tumbling Rainbow to speed back through the house and land harshly on her back, wings crippling under the sheer pressure.
"My mane!" Rarity managed to shriek out as the dust silently drew closer, like a predator hunting its prey. "I just got it brushed!"
"Oh, suck it up , Rarity!" Rainbow hissed through the pain coursing through her veins, and winced when she saw her wing bending oddly along her side. The pain only fueled her fury, and with a growl the pegasus charged again, catching Applejack by surprise with a blow just under the legs.
"P-Please m-m-make it s-stop..." Fluttershy quietly whimpered, forcing her hooves to push harder down on her ears to block the horrible crashes and hits.
"Girls! What are you doing !?! Why is it so important who had the worst day?" Twilight managed to yell over the ever-increasing noise, but her breath was caught short when Rainbow turned a gazing eye upon her, leaving a stunned AJ on the floor as she casually walked stomped along.
"What," Rainbow whispered in her ear, sending shivers down Twilight's spine. "Did your little mentor give you a little assignment to stop this? You seem to always follow and worship the ground Celestia trots on."
Twilight's vision went grey. To far, Rainbow.
Applejack's breath hitched along her throat as she finally regained her senses, struggling when she found herself being lifted by Twilight's magic. The telekinetic grip only tightened, and she stiffened when her was pulled until she was gazing into the pure white eyes of her friend. She fought again, turning her head left and right, and her anger rekindled when she found Rainbow doing the same thing next to her.
"Don't, " The soft voice of the young unicorn had left her, instead leaving behind the voice of undeniable power, making Applejack numb as the fight left her in an instant.
Rainbow 's head pounded against her skull, her vision going in and out as her world view came to screeching halt.
Twilight spoke again, only this time her old voice was starting to return in short blows. "I don 't worship th e ground Princess Celesti a walks on. But, even you wouldn't stand a chan ce against a godde ss with that muc h pow er."
Rainbow let out a sly grin through her wooziness, though something in the back of her mind told her this was a bad choice to make. "Try me, egghead. The princess is so kind, I bet you're day was all about calm reading and gifts from her."
She let out a strained oof when the magic released her in midair, dropping her promptly on the wooden floor. Applejack fell a moment later, and the two pounced immediately, stomped, and prepared the charge again.
"You two couldn't compare with what my day was like." Twilight stated, her voice cold as stone, signaling she had joined the conflict, that anypony knew should only end in madness. "How would you like all day getting letters and new items?!"
Rainbow deadpanned. "They're just papers, Twi. What they say can't possibly hurt anypony or anything." Twilight was nearing the point of screaming in frustration. "They're Assignments , Rainbow! Oh my goddess, you know nothing !"
"Whatever," The pegasus rolled her eyes at the gesture, ignoring as the other mares winced when they recognized that it made Twilight only angrier.
"What I mean is," She launched forward, waiting until she was centimeters away from Twilight's own muzzle. "You can't have a bad day. You can't do anything to have one."
"Now hold on, ya two." AJ's haunted voice floated behind them. "Ah had the hardest day, y'all established that."
Rainbow gaped, her narrowed eyes turning to slits. "No, y'all didn't . I obviously did, just look at my wings!" She winced when they outstretched again, shuttering as they folded back. "I can't fly with these babies all messed up like this!"
"And what about me?" An extremely whiny voice cried from behind them. All three mares twisted to find the owner of the call.
"You?! " Applejack and Rainbow now screeched at Rarity, who was pushing herself slowly with her magic. Twilight though was silent though and kept her composure, but her magic still flickered as a sign to keep away.
Rarity had never knew this kind of anger towards her friends like this until now. Her magic disappeared as she took another shaky step forward, her usually pristine coat now covered in dirt and bruises. "Well yes," She hissed through clenched teeth. "You've all been hurt physically in some way, but how about emotionally ? I just got cheated out of good pay, all because of how many customers I had today! "
Applejack's eyes widened as she swerved her head towards the door. Escape seemed like a good option...
"Seriously. Emotions?!"
Or not.
Rainbow held her hooves to her cheeks, eyes flashing in a cutesy way as she pranced. "Oh, no! " She exclaimed in mock horror, the others cringing at the ear splitting high voice she was accompanied by. "All my dresses got bought and that's * terrible*! And I couldn't do my job! " She paused, returning to her own state as she crossed her front hooves to smirk confidently.
"Do want to court Princess Celestia as well? "
"Girls?" Fluttershy asked shyly, raising a timid hoof...only to be shot down without haste as the others glared at her with untold anger. "Ok..." She whispered, crawling into Pinkie's embrace as both mares watched the fight continue to unfold.
Rainbow seemed to be in the center of attention, as all her friends glared in her general direction as she slammed her hooves down. "It's obviously useless to fight," She choked out a laugh.
"I'm still winning with the worst day."
And she passed the point of no return. Surprisingly, Rarity sent a shattered cry outward this time as she lifted the pegasus in the grip of magic she defined as her own.
"Rarity. What in the gosh-dan-doodle are you doing?!" Pinkie inquired with a squeaky voice, still overly petrified. "Let me go !" Rainbow struggled as she bucked in mid-air.
"Hey!" Twilight shouted, latching her own magic onto the pegasus, a dangerous tactic. "She's mine! I still got a bone to pick with that featherbrain!" Applejack came next, wrapping her unwavering front hooves around Rainbow's own legs.
"Give her!"
"Never, darling!"
"Ah was first, ah still get m'time!"
"Pinkie?" Fluttershy's voice quivered, and she touched the pink mare's cheek, Pinkie jittering as she came to reality, nodding at her Pegasus friend. The one still sane.
Fluttershy pointed to an abdominal sized box, the surface area radiating a crimson red as it lightly shook. "Oh, that does not look good." Pinkie obviously stated, earning a frantic nod from the timid mare.
"Let go of me! I'm not a filly play toy!" Rainbow screeched on, causing the unicorns to lose focus as she bucked the earth pony down off her. The Pegasus sighed as she finally found ground once more, than changed to stone cold rage as she snorted.
"Me." She hissed to the others.
Rarity seemed to have diminished the forgiving state, scraping her hoof against the ground as she readied her magic once more. "Bring it." She spoke in a sparingly unladylike tone.
Applejack kept silent as she stretched, forest green eyes burning with untamable flames. Even with her pain, she knew as a fact she had enough power to prove she was right.
"Girls?" Pinkie and Fluttershy called out simultaneously, their eyes trained on the darkening box, the atmosphere suddenly becoming then slightest bit denser, unknowing to the raging group.
"Stop this now." Twilight forced herself to say to her beastly friends. She knew it was hopeless as they all shook their heads, heaving. "Why not?" Another question useless in the moment of passing time. Rainbow coughed as she turned to Twilight, stumbling lightly, her eyes dazed but sparking.
"You'll never understand, teacher's filly."
"Girls? " Pinkie called out, her tone shaky as her lake blue eyes shook as if they were in a violent storm. Fluttershy had buried herself beneath the desk, cowering in fear as the cardboard box grew ever darker, the red glow encasing it's surroundings.
Twilight took no notice as she shook, a magenta aura encasing her horn, awaiting the attack. "I..." She stammered, scarlet flames flickering off the end of her mane.
"Am not a teacher's filly."
"Girls!
"What?! "
And a devastating hitch of magic blew them all off their hooves.
Fluttershy already couldn't handle the winds and snapped backward, back arching as it virtually busted the stairwell, splintered pieces whirling as they left her out cold, hung along the side.
Pinkie Pie, her eyes wide as saucers, landed gently on the floor, gasping as an avalanche of books towered upon her, leaping over the poor mare and distancing her from the outside as they completely trampled her screams.
Rainbow Dash was already unconscious as the blowing air placed her above the shelves, litters of plant remains pitching on her mane, turning its normal rainbow of colors a crude brown.
Applejack and Twilight found the worst of their troubles, doubling into one another head first, Twilight stuck under the earth pony as they let loose their knots connecting them to reality.
And Rarity stared, horror explaining her full feelings as she caught a glimpse of her friends predicaments, before a sharp pain blew in the back of her head, echoing into her skull as she dizzily fell back, tongue rolling out straight from her mouth.
The storm shut down as suddenly as it began, the box seemingly pulling the power in as a soft puff of smoke swirling into the air, then into the soft breathing of the ponies who had suffered.
****
Rainbow Dash groaned, proving her eyes open as she tried to make sense of the objects moving around her. Had her friends already woken up? What had happened?
She gingerly lifted her head into the cool air, blinking to readjust her vision. She instantly regretted as she finally saw what was not meant to be seen by pony eyes.
Makeshift lines of dramatically varying colors traveled like snakes around the room, hovering over one of her friend's before moving on to the next in their oath. She froze as a segment came her way, shining bright as it stopped as well.
The others seemed to take its statement as a calling, and plunged down, traveling into the pony they had been observing. The mare's outline shone with the equal color, before fading away as they continued their sleep.
Rainbow always knew confusion, but nothing prepared her for that display as her brain momentarily stopped its functioning.
She could only mouth an unintelligible 'what' as the line segment twisted to stare with its fake eyes at Twilight, almost looking regretful as it turned back, glowing brighter in almost a menacing way at the slightly frightened pegasus.
Nor could she stop the gasp of pain that erupted from her muzzle as the being lunged at her, pushing Rainbow back into the unforgiving darkness.
The silence pounded in Twilight's ears as she groaned, leaning on her side to stop the discomfort. Everything was fine, until she found herself releasing a sharp cry as her body tumbling downward, protesting as it slammed against the sturdy oak.
The mare grumbled as she stood on wobbling hooves, but then paused as she realized an important realization;
She had the rememberance of passing out on the ground, on top of her apple friend. Twilight then snapped to attention, scanning her unconscious friends with worry. No one seemed to be awake. Then who could have moved her body onto...
She unhooked her gaze and followed upward the angle she had fallen. Her eyebrows rose in surprise.
Tuffs of cyan pegasus feathers flittered down by her hooves, falling down to Twilight from the light breeze coming through the shot window. Twilight hummed, placing a hoof along her chin; she was going to have to get it fixed soon enough. The mare took a slight step back, then cringed as she tripped over an at the moment undefinable friend's unconscious body.
She dipped her head to mutter an apology, only to mutter an 'ouch' as her muzzle connected with a sturdy horn. She suddenly froze,
Eyeing a very familiar violet horn.
Twilight cried out as she shot back, hooves skidding along the floor as her eyes remained trained on herself. Luckily, it seemed the other her was out like the others, soft breaths cascading from her mouth.
Twilight's eyes narrowed, only one conclusion coming clear. "Changeling." She growled, channeling her magic to fire a sharp blast of her signature magic, but only to freeze herself as a substance brushed against her backside. Her head snapped back, and the mare's pupils shrank.
The cyan wings went rigid as well, following the commands in Twilight's mind. The mare's eye twitched...
Before the pegasus let out an ear-piercing shriek .
Rainbow Dash jolted away as the sound raked her ears, and she turned to the noise, ready to rant on how she was trying to keep her energy.
But it faltered as she saw what appeared to be her pegasus body screeched madly, eyes tightly shut, as if trying to block out the world. Rainbow didn't even think before she screamed as well, fear gripping her body like a blizzard.
While the two mares tried to shake their terror, Pinkie awoke in a groggy daze, slipping up and ignoring her friends as she stumbled into the nearby kitchen. She didn't take a care as her new horn lit up in a light glow, cascading the mug in a sky blue grip as the faucet came to life.
"What in tarnation?!" Applejack shouted as came to life as well, jumping up as she tried to focus her vision. "What's going on?"
Her breath became caught in her throat as Rainbow charged to her, gripping her friend's shoulders tightly in fear. "I don't know!" She replied, then unlocked, trying to escape to he rown calming world.
Applejack then suddenly noticed how the mare who had just spoken to her was her normally delightful friend. She stepped forward, only to trip over her abnormaly long mane. She spat out the hair, then started her own cries as she realized it was a light pink.
Pinkie then came trotting back out, setting her backside down on the wood stairs as she watched the scene unfold in a oddly quiet silence. She took a dainty sip from her mug as Rarity stumbling awake in a way such as the others, promptly fainting once again as the uncanny screaming caused her mind to run hot.
Rainbow was the only one who seemed content on not moving from her feeble position. "N-No wings." She murmured. "No...wings." Her pupils trembled at the realization. She glanced upward and locked eyes with Twilight, who eyed her carefully, shrieks dying out as her throat became tight.
The earth pony watched her old wings just the same. I need to fly. She mouthed, lower lip trembling as she curling back inward.
Twilight blinked. Never before had she seen her brash friend in such a state. With a deep breath to calm her rampaging nerves, she slammed her more durable hooves down, causing her friend's panic to cease in an instant.
"Calm down, everypony." Twilight breathed, then looked up to find what appeared to be Rarity watching her curiously.
The new pegasus then had to cover her ears at the girlish squeal. "Twilight?" Rarity was now by her side, twisting her face in her direction with her white hooves. "Is that you, silly?" Said mare was unnerved when the unicorn let out a abdominally large smile.
Something belonging to a certain pink pony she knew.
Twilight said "Pinkie?" As she pushed herself back out, wings tucked tightly by her sides. "Is that you?"
"O-Of course!" The new unicorn giggled, falling to hide her discomfort about the unwelcome silence that had appeared. Twilight tapped her chin in thought, then turned to the shell of Pinkie Pie. "Pinkie?"
"Rainbow." The earth pony responded nonchalantly, hiding her own fear quite expertly. With a simple twist of the hoof who gestured back to Twilight. "Me?"
Twilight shook her head, glad the scene appeared to have calmed. "Twilight." She confirmed. Her actual unicorn body squeaked as eyes were directed on her, and struck a hoof toward a butter-yellow pegasus.
"Ah," Twilight nodded in understanding. "Fluttershy."
"Actually, sugarcube," Twilight hummed as she tilted her head to the pegasus. "Ah'm Applejack." She explained, reaching for her hat only to frown as she found it gone. She swiftly whipped by Rarity, the mare humphing as the Stetson was pulled off her mane.
She shook her head, ripping out the cheery red ribbons and grasping her new blonde hairs as she attempted to keep them straight. "I'm going to need the brush again Twilight, dearest."
"Ah-hah!" All heads were turned to Rainbow Dash, who had her hoof shot in the air. "Rarity, am I right?"
The cowgirl nodded. "Well of course, darling. Wasn't it obvious?"
"Very."
They paused their miniscule conversation as Twilight waved her hoof to grab their attention. "Girls, please. Now, are we all calm?" She grinned at the confirming nods form her friends. "Great. So, anypony know what had happened."
Rainbow gave her a deapan expression. "Twi, we've quite literally changed bodies . How would anyone of us know what is going on?" She inquired, leaning closer to see if her friend had a real answer for her response.
She frowned as Twilight shrugged nonchalantly. "Honestly?" She sighed, eyes glazing over. "I have absolutely no idea."
"Um, Twilight?" Said pegasus squinted. Fluttershy appeared to have woken up earlier when their screams had come to an end, and was now holding the gift that Twilight recognized was from her mentor, inspecting the magical item as if she was a professional scientist. "Does this have anything to do with our problem?"
She squeaked as the sphere gleamed a blood red, and she scampered away as the object slammed on the wood. Twilight was cautious as she approached, gingerly grabbing the new seemingly dead gift.
She shook her head solemnly. "I don't think we'll be able for fix this problem for a while." Her brain suddenly sparked toa fight from earlier. "So who starts out?"
The seconds passed in tranquility.
Rainbow cocked her head. "Excuse me?" She questioned, hooves unconsciously beginning to pace as she moved. The others followrd, but their movements have to an abrupt halt as soon as they began.
"You heard me; we said that we could do each other's jobs better. Now's the time to test our statements in reality."
The last words spoken terrified them; was she really serious?
Twilight swiveled to the group, her smirk confident. "Alright, who wants to go first?" she challenged.
The mares just stared at her for a few moments...then Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack immediately took a step back.
"Rainbow, that's so brave of you!" Twilight cheered, clapping her hooves together in glee.
The pink mare blinked in a realization before peering back over her shoulder to find the distance the other four had made between her. "You have got to be kidding me." she groaned, dropping her gaze as her entire body sagged with disappointment.
"You'll be fine." Twilight assured as she placed her hooves on Rainbow's back and started her journey to the door. "It's only a day o-"
"A day !" Rainbow cried in alarm, tumbling back over Twilight and onto the wooden ground. Pinkie chuckled as Rainbow collected her thoughts. "Yes," Twilight confirmed as she trotted back. "And you volunteered, so you're going."
Rainbow felt her eyes twitch at the thought of the role she had to play. She planted her hooves on the floor and gave Twilight an eerie expression.
"Twi, I never agreed."
"Well there's a first time for everyone." Twilight countered as she now hoisted the stubborn mare on her back. Rarity gave a squeal of joy as she trailed behind. "This will be so. Exciting!" she gushed.
Rainbow switched to a frown. Rarity copied the expression as she placed a hoof to her chin in thought. "If you're going to be Pinkie, dear, you need to smile more."
Twilight paused in mid-step. Rainbow flopped back once again to the floor as her real body tipped back. Her pegasus body then began to stare directly at her. Rainbow glared back. "Stop staring at me. I'm not your science junk." she growled.
"Ooh!" the mares jumped at Pinkie's yell. "I have an idea!" the white unicorn clarified as she reached a hoof into Rainbow's mane. "Hey!" Rainbow whined, swatting the hoof back out. But Pinkie continued to smile as she held up a small cut price of paper, painted to resemble a large grin.
"There!" she slapped the paper onto Rainbow's muzzle, the earth pony grumbling as she failed to get a tight hold.
Twilight just watched, confused. "How does that stay put?" she ventured.
Pinkie raced to the side of Rainbow's body. "Invisible string." she concluded. A soft boing resonated when she pulled back what appeared to be nothing. Pinkie giggled. "Boing!" She mimicked the noise, taking the wire back once more.
Boing.
Pinkie laughed this time. "That's right, that's right! Boing!" Her eyes crossed as she tilted her head, now speaking in cinque with the sound.
"Pinkie." Twilight deadpanned. The white mare ignored her friend and continued to laugh as she jerked the string continuously. "Pinkie. " Twilight forced through gritted teeth, and Pinkie turned as she let the string slap into Rainbow's cheek.
"Ow."
Applejack shook her head as her mind calculated the picture. "Ah guess it could work." she tried. "Ah mean, if Rainbow never really stared directly at anypony."
"Mhlieme me, I mom't." Rainbow snapped, voice muffled by the paper.
"We're going to need to fix that." Twilight told Pinkie, gesturing to the lack of holes in the paper mâché. "On it." Pinkie poked into her body's mane for the second time, and Rainbow decided not to fight, but instead repeatedly poke her friend's hoof as a sign.
"Alright, alright." Pinkie slowly laid the hoof down as she grasped a pair of scissors in her front hooves, looking closely relative to a mad mare as she loomed in. Rainbow gulped, sweat beading on her forehead as she crammed her eyes shut.
She whimpered as she snaps were heard. "Done!" Pinkie swiftly stuffed the tool back into Rainbow's mane as she opened her eyelids.
"I wasn't scared." She barked. Twilight rolled her eyes as Rarity groaned. "Darling, I'm already beginning to regret letting her speak." Twilight nodded in agreement.
Pinkie grinned, teeth glinting in the evening light that shone from the windows. "Now, if you wanna be Ms. Pie, you must act like her." She struck a pose, holding her hoof out delicately. She shrugged as Rainbow remained unamused.
"Now, do your Pinkie voice, Dashie!"
"No." Rainbow shot back. Twilight stomped her hoof. "Do it." She commanded. "No!" Rainbow whined like a filly.
Pinkie eyes watered as her lip trembled. "Pleeeeeease?" she asked in her cutest voice possible. Rainbow shielded her eyes from the scene. "No..." Her voice died out. Uh, with the face and the eyes and the voic-
"Alright I'll do it!"
Pinkie squealed in delight, sitting on her hunches as she watched intently, eyes sparkling. Rainbow grimaced as she remembered the last time she had tried a voice this high.
"Don't laugh." she warned the group, all nodding silently as they waited in a patient anticipation. Rainbow cleared her throat, placing a hoof up to her neck.
"Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie! What's your name?"
Applejack burst into an uncontrollable laughter, gripping her sides as she crumpled to the floor. Twilight followed, gasping for air as Rainbow snarled at them both. "Ah'm sorry, Rainbow. Ah really am-" Applejack apologetic words dissolved into minuscule sniggers.
"Applejack, that's not very nice." Fluttershy scolded, through nopony noticed the hint of a smile that played across her lips.
"That's...a good start." Pinkie said as the ridiculing laughter fizzed out. "But your gonna need to make your voice just the teensiest bit higher, 'k?"
Rainbow reared. "Higher ?" her voice cracked. Pinkie nodded. Rainbow's ears lowered to her skull as she scrapped her hoof against the floor. "Can't we do this...another time?" she mustered.
"Oh alright." Twilight complied, and Rainbow sighed with content. "But you're gonna have to practice somewhere else, your day starts in the morning." Twilight finished, getting a sputtering squawk from the not-so party pony.
