Those Who Dwell Under The Hills

Twilight lunged across the library, her horn flaring as she grabbed Lyra with her telekinesis. “Applejack? What’s wrong with her?”

“Easy!” Lyra said quickly, raising her forehooves even as she was yanked upright. “We have information that we recovered from one of the Changelings in the photos. There’s a Changeling at Sweet Apple Acres posing as one of the ponies who live there.”

“But why?” Twilight responded. The light around her horn died and she sat back down in front of Lyra, who inhaled deeply and sat down as well.

“As far as we know, the Changeling at Sweet Apple Acres was assigned to keep an eye on half of the Elements of Harmony. It makes sense. You, Fluttershy and Applejack still live in Ponyville. Sweet Apple Acres is partly isolated which would make it easy for a Changeling to hide out there while still being able to keep you three under surveillance. We believe that Macintosh has been replaced. You know Big Mac, right?”

Twilight felt her heart beginning to race. “Big Macintosh? But-” She paused as she thought back to all of the times she had spoken with the taciturn stallion. “But I just saw him yesterday! Downtown, at the market!”

Lyra simply nodded. “Then you probably saw the Changeling and didn’t even know it.”

Twilight’s mind wrestled with this. Big Macintosh was a friend, certainly not as close as some, but a friend nonetheless. He wasn’t given to speaking much, but Twilight was sure that Applejack, at least, would have noticed if he was no longer himself.

Applejack.

“We need to go, Lyra. We need to do something!”

Shaking her head, Lyra got back to all fours. “I agree, but it’s late and getting dark. We should go tomorrow.”

“Alright, then, we’ll meet up outside the library first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Agreed.”

The next morning, Twilight Sparkle found herself waiting nervously out front of the library. Spike had been out late, and so he was still asleep, which spared Twilight the need to make up any stories about what she was doing. Then again, he had seen the photos too, and if Twilight was supposed to investigate this reappearance of the Changelings, she’d need her partner. On the other hoof...

By the time Lyra arrived, she found Twilight pacing a tight circle in front of the library’s front door. “Morning, Twilight!” she said, waving effusively.

Twilight snapped out of her anxious thoughts. “Oh, Lyra!” She slowly walked over toward the other unicorn. “Listen, I was thinking-”

“Good!” Lyra responded. “That’s a great habit to get into! Bonnie says I don’t do it enough but I think she does it too much, sometimes. I try to! Carrot cake?”

Twilight stumbled back. This was the Lyra Heartstrings she was used to, or had been until yesterday. After what had happened the previous evening, however, she had not been expecting this. “What?”

Lyra’s saddlebags opened and a small, wrapped rectangle floated out in front of Twilight. “Carrot cake! I had it for breakfast. Well, I had a different piece for breakfast. I figured you might want some, too!”

“Um... Alright.” Twilight gingerly took the small package in her own telekinesis. The paper wrapping slowly opened, revealing nothing more than the promised slice of carrot cake. She looked at it for a moment. “Thank you?”

“Don’t mention it! So, off to Sweet Apple Acres!” Without waiting for Twilight, Lyra spun gracefully on one hoof, turned and began bouncing back down the cobbles.

“Lyra, wait up!”

The duo passed through Ponyville, heading toward Sweet Apple Acres. Lyra bounced along as if there were springs in her legs, while Twilight trotted along behind, nibbling at her carrot cake.

The day was in full swing, now. The pair navigated their way along the side of the cobbled road, the wood-and-metal autocarriages that were the road’s main occupants rattling and rumbling their way past. The buildings got larger and newer the deeper into the town the two traversed.

The older style of wooden construction was a rare sight anywhere, but the last vestiges had been swept away long ago in Ponyville’s downtown, leaving only a mix of the newer styles that had sprung up in the last two decades. The harsh angles and bare concrete of the city guard building contrasted sharply with the stylish curved sweep of the new city hall facade. Some of the old businesses like Quills and Sofas had moved into modern streamline storefronts, all glass and smooth curves, proudly proclaiming their willingness to meet the future head-on. Many of the newer businesses, on the other hand, did their best to look like they had always been there. Those buildings were constructed in painfully self-conscious mimicry of a Ponyville that never quite existed, hearts and flowers scrolled into the eaves at calculated intervals, mercilessly loud paint colors that nopony would ever have paired without a focus group hiding the ubiquitous metal siding. They called it “New Revival” style.

“Hey, outta the way!”

Twilight started and leapt aside as an autocarriage clattered past, driving where she’d just been walking. She stopped and sat down to the side of the road, blinking and waiting for her breathing and heart rate to slow.

Lyra bounced up behind her, her bright smile turning into a lopsided and confused frown. “Twilight, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Twilight said. “Just... a bit distracted.”  She took another deep breath.

“Oh.” Lyra smiled brightly again. “Okay!”

Twilight stood up and dusted herself with a few quick flips of her tail, and the two unicorns resumed their trek across town. The old town proper had turned largely into the expanded Ponyville’s downtown, with much of the city’s growth northeast, toward Canterlot and away from the Everfree and Sweet Apple Acres. New construction aside, the walk to Sweet Apple Acres was much the same as it had always been, and the duo proceeded without further incident through the city and across the bridge leading toward Sweet Apple Acres.

The two passed under the wooden arch proclaiming the orchard in large, square letters, and the wood of the bridge gave way to a packed dirt road, one of the last remaining in the area. In the distance, past neat rows of blossoming apple trees, Twilight could see the barn, and next to it, the large farmhouse that together formed the heart of Sweet Apple Acres. Other than the extent of the orchard, which stretched as far as Twilight could see in every direction but back into the city proper, it was the same farm that had been there since Ponyville’s founding.

Lyra bounced cheerfully onto the packed dirt and then almost immediately veered off into the trees. Shaking her head, Twilight followed. “Lyra, where are we going?” she asked urgently.

The response was bright and cheery. “Well, I thought we could see the trees! The trees are nice! Oh, and nopony will see us in here.”

"What? Lyra, wait up!” Twilight ran after the other unicorn. Lyra had stopped bouncing when her hooves met the soft earth between the orchard rows and was instead trotting along with an obviously affected high step. With a scowl, Twilight focused, her horn flaring, and she teleported next to Lyra.

“Lyra!” Twilight said in a breathy stage whisper. “I thought you didn’t want anypony to see us!”

Lyra blinked back, stopping in the shade next to a heavy tree trunk. “I don’t see anypony!” she replied, her usual broad grin on her face. “Do you?”

“Well, no, but-” Twilight’s voice died away as she began to hear a faint whirring sound. “Do you hear that?”

“Uh huh!”

Twilight moved closer to Lyra as the sound grew louder, though she couldn’t pinpoint the source. It seemed to come from everywhere, no doubt baffled and echoed by the heavy tree trunks that were all around the two unicorns.

“Hey! Somepony over there?” a familiar voice drawled from some distance away.

“Oh, it’s Applejack!” Lyra said. Before Twilight could stop her, she bounced away from the tree. “Hi, Applejack!”

Twilight could hear crunching hoofsteps on the opposite side of the tree, accompanied by the strange whirring sound. She felt her muscles tighten up. Weren’t they supposed to be trying not to get caught? She watched as Lyra waved effusively to the unseen earth pony.

“Well, howdy, Lyra, what can I-” As she rounded the tree, Applejack froze, staring between the trees at Twilight.

Twilight looked back. In many ways, Applejack was just as she remembered. Her mane was bound in the same severe button braid she had worn since it had started thinning. Her hat was showing another few years of wear and tear but was the same Stetson Applejack had worn the entire time Twilight had known her. She was a little thinner through the muzzle, a little stouter in the neck, but by and large it seemed to Twilight that Applejack was as timeless and unchanged as her farm and orchard.

Except for her mechanical legs.

“Twilight,” Applejack said, coolly. “What’re you doin’ here?”

Twilight simply gaped as she took in the image that stood before her. They were well-made implants, sure enough. The outer hulls of the legs were articulated plating made of polished brass that glinted in the sunlight. Long hydraulic shafts were mounted to ball joints on the outside of the legs, connecting the forearms and gaskins to the legs’ cannons. Gaps in the plating at the knees and hocks showed where universal joints connected the upper and lower legs. The hooves were broad, heavy chrome steel semi-circles that gouged furrows in the soft dirt beneath.

“You gonna stand there catchin’ flies, girl?” Applejack snapped. “Whaddya want?”

“AJ,” Twilight stammered. “What... What happened to you?”

Applejack stalked forward past a confused-looking Lyra, soft clicks and whirrs emanating from her legs with each step. As Twilight staggered back in alarm, her rear hooves tripped over a root and slid out from under her. She fell heavily to her haunches, looking up at the infuriated farmpony.

“Three years! You don’t say no two words to me in three years, and that’s all you got to say for yourself?” Applejack said. She glared at Twilight from under the brim of her Stetson. “You know darn well what happened, Twilight Sparkle!”

“I really don’t! Was there an accident?”

Applejack looked down at Twilight, nostrils flaring. She didn’t say anything for a long moment, then took a deep breath and spoke slowly and carefully. “What in tarnation do you want here?”

“Well, I mean, uh-”

“Production schedules!” Lyra said. She bounced up between Twilight and Applejack, garnering confused looks from both ponies. “We’re working with the mayor’s office, and we need to know what Sweet Apple Acres’ production will be like this fall!”

Applejack’s expression softened and she squinted, reaching up to hoof her hat back from her eyes slightly. “Come again? What’s city hall need to know our production schedules for?”

“Um, transportation planning.” Twilight said as she clambered back to her hooves. Applejack looked over at her skeptically. “We’re looking at adjusting cargo train schedules and we need to make sure we have enough capacity for Sweet Apple Acres this fall.”

Lyra grinned at Applejack and nodded. “Right!”

With another deep breath, Applejack leaned against the heavy tree trunk. “Well, shoot, that’s, uh, mighty involved o’ the city council there. Truth is, I was worried about that this year. I’d hate to see all sorts o’ deadfall loss just ‘cause the trains couldn’t keep up with our production.” She stretched her neck with a crack and a small wince. “Mmm. Lyra, y’all two can go talk to Big Mac at the house. He’ll get our projections an’ all ‘at for you.”

“Great!” Lyra turned sharply and began trotting toward the main house. For a moment, Twilight simply stood under the shade of the apple trees, watching Lyra flounce off.

“Well?” Applejack snapped. “Y’all gonna go with ‘er or you got any more stupid questions for me?”

“Oh, um... Right,” Twilight turned to follow Lyra. She took a step, then looked back over her shoulder at Applejack. The earth pony was just watching, and her expression soured as Twilight looked back. “AJ, listen, I-”

“I ain’t gonna stand here listenin’ to you jaw all day,” Applejack said, icily. “The sooner y’all get what you came for the sooner y’all can get off my property.”

Twilight’s expression grew sour. “Fine,” she said sharply, then turned to trot after Lyra, toward the farmhouse at the center of the orchard.

The door to the main house was propped open as Twilight and Lyra approached, a warm smell of cinnamon drifting from the kitchen’s open window. A faint sound of heavy hoofsteps could be heard from inside. The two stopped, peering in through the window at the quaint blue-and-green kitchen. Twilight slowly paced closer, watching carefully for any sign of “Macintosh”.

“Mmm! That smells great!” Lyra said loudly, making a beeline for the window. “Maybe there’s pie!”

“Lyra!” Twilight’s horn flared as she grabbed her counterpart’s tail in a telekinetic grip.

The green unicorn tugged against Twilight’s telekinesis with a grunt. When the grip didn’t release, Lyra began bouncing rapidly in place. “But, Twilight! Pie!”

“Aren’t we trying to-”

“Howdy,” a deep voice called out. The two unicorns turned to look at the door to the house, where a large, blocky red head had emerged. It certainly looked like Big Macintosh, the same blonde mane, the same fading red around his massive, square jaw.

Twilight swallowed nervously. “Um... Morning, Big Macintosh,” she said, releasing her grip on Lyra’s tail.

“Miz Twilight,” the massive red stallion replied, nodding cordially. “Miz Lyra.” The stalk of hay in his mouth shifted from one side to the other. “What can I do for you?”

Twilight inhaled deeply, hoping her nervousness wasn’t showing. Before she had a chance to speak, however, Lyra had already rushed over to the door. “Hi Mac! We were wanting to see Sweet Apple Acres’ production schedules and Applejack said we should talk to you!”

Macintosh blinked impassively at Lyra, then looked over at Twilight. “Production schedules?”

“Yes, production schedules,” Twilight blurted. “For, um... The trains. Cargo capacity. For the autumn harvest.”

The big stallion’s shoulders rolled, shifting the yoke that rested on them, and he nodded. “Well,” Macintosh drawled. “We got yield projections, and AJ drew up a harvest schedule last month. Come on in, I’ll get ‘em for you.” He drew back into the doorway, pushing the door wide with a hoof.

Twilight inhaled deeply as she watched Lyra trot through the door. If Lyra’s suspicions were correct, they could be putting themselves at serious risk. On the other hoof, what if Macintosh wasn’t a Changeling? Surely, Princess Cadance wouldn’t be playing around, not about something like this, but was Lyra really all that trustworthy? She exhaled and followed, walking into the kitchen.

The smell of cinnamon and apples filled the little kitchen, rising from a small pile of delicious-looking pastries in a small pile on a plate next to the oven. Twilight smiled involuntarily; something about Applejack’s house was always welcoming, even if the two ponies weren’t on the best of terms.

Lyra stood next to Twilight, grinning and looking around expectantly. After a moment, her ears drooped and her grin faded. “Aww. No pie.”

From the adjoining room, Macintosh returned, saddlebags heavy. “Well, Miz Lyra,” he said. “You’d be welcome to one o’ them turnovers.” He gestured with his head toward the plate of pastries, and with no further prompting Lyra made a beeline for them. “Anyhow,” Mac said, “I’ve got the information you both wanted. Mind helpin’ me get ‘em out, Miz Twilight?”

Twilight swallowed again, but did her best to appear nonchalant as she paced toward Macintosh. Her horn glowed and she flipped open the large stallion’s overburdened saddlebags, telekinetically withdrawing several heavy binders.

“Now, I ain’t rightly sure what information you’ll be wanting, so that there’s got our production projections for the last ten years, harvestin’ schedules for the apples and the fields, this year’s soil and water workups, copies of the weather schedule...” He paused, shifting the stalk of hay back and forth pensively. “I think that’s everythin’.”

Twilight blinked as she set the books down on the counters. Macintosh seemed so normal, so very Macintosh. Maybe he wasn’t a Changeling after all. Maybe Lyra was wrong. Twilight fervently hoped that Lyra was wrong. She glanced over at the green unicorn, who was cheerfully devouring an apple turnover.

“So, Big Mac,” Twilight said, as she made a show of opening the various binders and getting them situated on the counters. “How have you been?”

“Can’t complain.” Macintosh replied.

The three stood in silence for a moment, before Twilight chuckled nervously. “Right,” she said. “Everything... okay around here? Nothing strange going on?”

Another pensive look crossed Macintosh’s face for a moment. “Nope.”

Well, he’s got Mac’s mannerisms down, Twilight thought. She flipped to a page at random in one of the books, not really paying attention to what was written. “Good Winter Wrap-Up this year?”

“Eeyup.”

Twilight chuckled. “Sweet Apple Acres is so much bigger now. Do you remember when I tried to help with the plowing the first year I was in Ponyville?” She glanced over her shoulder at Macintosh, who was frowning very slightly.

“Nope. Been a lotta years.”

Turning back to the book, Twilight allowed herself a small smirk. “It has, hasn’t it? That sure was a busy summer, too.” She flipped a page, then pricked her ears as if remembering something else. “Oh, that reminds me! Do you know whatever happened to my Smarty Pants doll?”

A pause. “Don’t rightly know, Miz Twilight.”

Twilight turned, still smirking. “Oh, come on, Big Mac. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

The frown on the big red stallion’s mouth deepened, and Twilight could have sworn she saw a sheen of sweat rising on his muzzle. He took a deep breath, and then shifted the stalk of grass in his mouth again. “Like I said, been a lotta years.”

“I can’t believe you could forget so much!” Twilight said, affecting as much shock as she could muster. “What about your engagement to Cheerilee?”

Macintosh’s ears set back and his face grew hard. Twilight grinned inwardly but tried to keep her surprised expression.

With a snort, Macintosh stomped an angry hoof, the sweat now clearly visible on his muzzle. “Now, y’all ain’t here for reminiscing. You gonna get what you need from them books or not?”

Twilight sighed as Macintosh shut down, and turned away. She glanced over at Lyra helplessly. Lyra looked back, tilting her head, then swallowed the remains of her turnover. “Thanks, Mac, the turnover was delicious!” she briskly, sidling closer to the stallion. “So, how’s the apple business? Is the grain growing alright? Boy, that yoke sure looks heavy, do you always wear it? Do you want to go out sometime?”

With a barely-audible snap, part of Macintosh’s stalk of hay fell from his mouth. He coughed loudly for a moment before hacking up the remaining piece of hay. Macintosh and Twilight both looked at Lyra in confusion.

“Come again?” he asked, a small catch still in his voice from the coughing. Sweat was now beading on his brow.

“Your yoke! It looks heavy. You should really take it off sometime.”

The little green unicorn grinned broadly, while Twilight looked back with a stony expression. “I think he was asking about the part after that.”

“What part?”

“When you asked him out on a date!”

“I did?”

Twilight and Macintosh responded in unison, the resulting noise being somewhere between a flat “eeyup” and an exasperated “yes!” Lyra giggled and her horn glowed, telekinetically fetching another turnover.

“Well, okay, maybe I did. But he is cute!”

“Who’s cute, now?” Applejack’s voice came from the doorway. The three ponies in the kitchen turned to look as Applejack walked in, stepping gingerly as her steel hooves contacted the lacquered hardwood.

Twilight looked helplessly between the other three ponies. “According to Lyra, Big Macintosh.”

A glare came from under Applejack’s hat. “Weren’t y’all two here on business? What’s the big idea o’ flirtin’ with my brother?”

“I wasn’t flirting!” Twilight protested. “I don’t know what Lyra was doing.”

“Oh, come on, Twilight, admit it, you think he’s cute, too.” Lyra bounced over and shoved one of the folders off the counter. It fell to the floor, spilling pages across the hardwood. She hopped up and flopped herself on the counter in its place, hooves splayed in all directions. “Everypony does, Applejack! He has that ‘rugged, handsome older stallion’ look.”

“Older?” Macintosh said, furrowing his brow. “Now, jes’ you wait a minute-”

“Lyra, what is with you today?” asked Twilight, her voice sharp. Her horn flared as she picked up the binder and its contents from the floor and slid it back onto the counter next to her presently boneless partner-in-crime.

“Hold on!” The shout from Applejack drew attention from the other three ponies. “Now, I don’t know and I don’t care whether anypony thinks my brother’s cute or not, but if y’all two aren’t here on business after all, I don’t appreciate bein’ lied to. Especially by you, Twilight!”

“We’re not lying, Applejack!” Her horn glowed again and she yanked sharply on Lyra’s tail. With an awkward squawk, Lyra slid from the counter, landing on the floor behind the counter with a thud and a clatter of hooves. “We are here on business and I don’t think Big Mac is cute!”

Annoyed glares came from both Lyra and Applejack. AJ opened her mouth but was cut off by a sudden barrage from Lyra, directed at Twilight.

“Twilight, I’m surprised! You were telling me you thought he was cute and that I should ask him out and all this time you were just playing games?” Lyra stamped a hoof, her eyes growing puffy. “Well, I think he’s cute anyway and you shouldn’t insult other ponies to their face, it isn’t nice and it isn’t fair! You just want him all to yourself, admit it!”

“What?” Twilight asked, her eyes bulging in confusion. “I don’t!” She watched as Macintosh began edging away, his eyes shifting nervously between the other three ponies.

“Consarn it!” Applejack snapped, stomping up to Twilight, her hooves gouging the shiny floor. “Twilight, if you really are here on business jes’ take the books and git on outta here!” She gestured expansively toward Lyra. “I ain’t puttin’ up with no more o’ this from you or her!”

“Applejack, you don’t understand-”

“I understand jes’ fine, Twilight Sparkle! I understand you think you can just run all roughshod over me and my whole family and there ain’t nothin’ nopony can do about it!”

“And I understand you’re trying to steal Big Mac from me!” Lyra shrieked. She dashed over toward Big Macintosh, horn flaring.

The next moments were a blur for Twilight. Lyra jumped toward Big Macintosh, her hooves spread wide, even as the large stallion was stepping back nervously. Applejack shouted something Twilight failed to hear, and at the same moment there was a flash of light from where Big Macintosh had been standing.

The room was suddenly silent as the flash faded. As the spots cleared from Twilight’s vision, where Lyra and Macintosh had been she saw Lyra, the glow on her horn fading as she took quick steps back from the black and green insectoid creature that stood where Big Macintosh had been just a moment before. The Changeling’s faceted eyes glittered in confusion for a moment, then its wings began buzzing furiously as it attempted to turn and dart down the hallway.

Twilight lashed out telekinetically, her aura wrapping around the Changeling’s midsection and arresting its escape. “Lyra, we’ve got it!” she cried as she fought against the creature’s tugging. “What did you do?”

“That-” Applejack said, the color drained from her face. “That’s a Changeling.”

The changeling’s horn glowed, and to Twilight the world went white. There was a loud crack and a blinding pain shot through her head. Her telekinesis dropped as she fell to her knees with a sharp cry. She could hear sounds of scuffling, a shriek and a loud thump. After a moment, she forced her watery eyes open, her head still in agony, and she stumbled back to her hooves.

The Changeling hovered before her, hissing and pulling uselessly against a green aura that surrounded the creature’s jagged horn. “It shot you in the horn,” Lyra said matter-of-factly. She jerked her telekinesis and the Changeling began drifting across the room, away from the hallway and back into the kitchen.

“You... You alright, Twi?” Applejack asked.

“I’m fine,” Twilight said, wincing and blinking the last tears from her eyes. “So,” she said. “What do we do with it?”

Lyra jerked on the thing again, drawing an unnatural shriek from the Changeling. “We should take it back to Canterlot. It might have information we can use.”

The Changeling’s mouth twisted upward, the ragged gash turning into an ugly sneer. “You’d like that, but I won’t talk,” it said, its voice a thin whine.

“You all say that,” Lyra replied. “Ampulex was fairly forthcoming, though. That’s how we knew where to find you.” She jerked her telekinesis, shaking the Changeling roughly.

“Ampulex,” the changeling said, voice dripping with venom, “had only just undergone his final molt. He was barely more than a nymph. I never knew ponies tortured children.”

“Where is he?”

Lyra and Twilight turned toward Applejack. The earth pony’s eyes were tearing up and her lips were peeled back from her teeth. She stepped toward the suspended Changeling slowly. “Where is my brother?” she asked.

The Changeling snickered, a sharp, buzzing sound. “You’re going to let this one interrogate me? I really was hoping to see Canterlot, first.”

“Applejack...” Twilight took a step forward.

“Twi, this critter is gonna tell me where my brother is, right now.”

The Changeling laughed again, wings buzzing furiously. “You should be glad he’s gone,” it whined. “I’ve been him for months, and I can’t think of any worse fate than being stuck living with that!” It grinned horribly at Applejack, eyes tilting down against the pull of Lyra’s telekinesis. “The truth is, he’s probably already dead.”

The wooden floor shuddered as Applejack slowly and deliberately stepped across the kitchen, metal hooves tearing chips and splinters free under her stomping gait. Twilight and Lyra watched silently as she advanced on the sneering Changeling. Applejack’s teeth were bared in an expression more suited to a timber wolf than a pony, the wetness around her eyes doing nothing to dull the anger and threat in her face.

“That’s a lie,” Applejack said, her voice cracking. “That’s a damn lie an’ I won’t ask again. Tell me where my brother is.”

That thin, hateful laugh pierced the air once more. “Or what? That big, red lummox is dead and there’s nothing you and your unicorn friends can do about it. I wonder how many eggs She laid in him? Or maybe She just mesmerized him and drained his-”

A whine erupted from Applejack’s legs as she spun and drove one steel hoof into the Changeling. It ripped free from Lyra’s telekinetic grip and exploded across the small kitchen, striking the old gas oven. There was a shriek of metal and a sound of tree limbs breaking as the Changeling’s body simply snapped across the edge of the range top. It slid down and fell heavily to the floor, leaving a trail of green staining the range and the oven door.

Moving far faster than Twilight had ever seen any earth pony move, Applejack was on top of the fallen Changeling, her massive front hooves hammering furrows into the creature’s fractured chitin.

“Where’s my brother?!” she screamed as she pounded the inert Changeling. “Give ‘im back!” Applejack’s eyes welled up with tears even as she screamed and pounded on the limp monster.

For a moment, Twilight just stared. The Changeling’s side was completely caved in by Applejack’s thunderous kick, its torso nearly broken in two by the encounter with the oven. Thick green slime that Twilight assumed was the thing’s blood seeped from gaps in the creature’s exoskeleton, the fluid that wasn’t being spattered about the room pooling on the floor beneath. The light streaming in through the windows glittered from the facets in the Changeling’s otherwise empty eyes. Reflected spots danced on the walls as the thing’s head was tossed back and forth by Applejack’s strikes.

“Give my back my brother!”

“AJ,” Twilight said. She took a tentative step forward, swallowing hard to keep down her gorge. “It’s... It’s not going to answer.”

Another blow landed on the Changeling, and another, and then Applejack fell back on her haunches, angered shouts dissolving into sobs.

“Come on, AJ,” Twilight said, tentatively.

Applejack pushed herself up on her hooves, stumbling back from the Changeling. Twilight stepped between Applejack and the inert creature, trying hard not to look at it.

“Celestia... Twi, I-” Applejack said between sobs. “I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s okay,” Twilight said. Her horn glowed and she began to brush the green spots from Applejack’s legs. “It was just a mistake.”

“It jes’... It wouldn’t answer and all, and- And I jes’ meant...” Applejack stumbled back another step and then fell back to her haunches, the wooden floor shuddering with the impact. She looked up at Twilight, her muzzle streaked with tears. “Why did it have to say those things, Twi?”

Carefully, Twilight sat down next to Applejack, avoiding the spatters of green ‘blood’. “I didn’t want you to find out like this, AJ.”

“But, why?” Applejack asked, staring at the broken Changeling. “Why’d they take Big Mac?”

“We think he was spying on you, me and Fluttershy.” Twilight inhaled deeply. “They might be planning another invasion.”

Suddenly Lyra was standing over Twilight, her shadow blocking out the sun shining in through the window. “Twilight, I’m not sure-”

“We have to tell her, Lyra.” Twilight looked up, her expression once again hard. After a moment, Lyra nodded and stepped back. Twilight turned back to Applejack, who was sobbing quietly.

“He ain’t dead,” Applejack said firmly to no one in particular.

“We’ll find him, AJ. Together.”