Hivemind Control

The day had gone about as expected, but with a few drawbacks. Fluttershy seemed to have a harder time chattering with the animals than usual, either being unable to draw their attention or unable to stop their gossiping. It wasn't a simple as asking if they'd seen the carriage and receiving an answer. They either didn't want to talk to her, or would not stop talking after revealing the correct direction. Usually, Fluttershy had a firm handle on the situation, but now, not so much. She could not control the local animals, either attesting to their unfriendliness or general apathy. Fluttershy couldn't explain the change in behaviour, but they were at least able to determine which direction they were supposed to be going.

Further problems arose when they set up their camp for the night. Due to improper storage, Applejack and Pinkie's tent had rolled aside and dragged along the ground, wearing a bit of a hole into it. Normally, this would have been a problem, but for the fact that Rarity was there. Having a skilled seamstress nearby should have resulted in a swift and painless patch job.

Alas, the carefully constructed plans of mice and mares often go awry. Despite her wealth of experience and expertly packed equipment, Rarity was having a hard time sewing the patch onto the tent. Twilight hadn't seen so many pricks in one hoof since she accidentally stumbled upon Cadance's personal erotic photo album. Fluttershy wasn't much help, either, despite her knowledge on the subject of sewing.

"D'y'all think there was somethin' off about them two today?" whispered Applejack, specifically addressing the other three. "Their behaviour this mornin' was a little weird."

"It's not nice to talk about ponies behind their backs," pouted Pinkie, "but yeah, something seems different about them."

"You don't seriously think they had something to do with the princesses' disappearances, do you?" scowled Rainbow. "Fluttershy wouldn't even think of doing something that dangerous, and Rarity wouldn't want her precious reputation to be tarnished. They're not behind this."

"What if they're imposter's though?" questioned Twilight. "That would explain their shift in abilities."

Applejack shook her head. "I ain't sayin' they're different ponies, I'm just thinkin' that p'r'aps they're feelin' a mite too stressed, is all. While I appreciate them puttin' forth the effort, I can't help but wonder if this upset has grabbed ahold of 'em in a bad way."

"Oh," smiled Pinkie. "If it's a morale boost you needed, I'm totally on it! I'll swap places with Fluttershy tonight, and make sure Rarity is treated to the restful sleep she deserves."

"I'll swap with Applejack, then," added Rainbow. "No offense, AJ, but Fluttershy requires a light touch. You're not exactly known for being particularly gentle."

"I'm gentle as a lamb," retorted Applejack. "I been raisin' animals of all varities for decades. Me 'n Fluttershy have a rapport."

"And I've been her best friend since flight school," replied Rainbow. "We slept right next to each other back then, and we can do the same thing now."

"You're both close friends with her," sighed Twilight. "I don't care which of you comforts her. I just want her to feel better. The sooner we can find the princesses and go back home, the sooner we can all return to normal. Just make a decision."

Looking each other in the eye, Rainbow and Applejack threw themselves on the ground and grasped each other's hooves. with a countdown from three, courtesy of Pinkie Pie, they immediately began grunting, their elbows digging holes in the dirt as their bodies tried to wrench the other's wrist to the ground.

Pinkie stayed to watch and judge the winner while Twilight made her way to the other two. The patch was slow going, but almost done. "How's it coming along?"

"Just about finished," smiled Rarity. "I have the hang of this, now."

"Now? You're a seamstress. You make dresses."

"Yes, but the material here is very different than what I'm used to. How often, really, am I stitching two slats of glue-soaked polyester onto a wax-infused canvas using leatherworking tools?"

"By lanternlight, no less," added Fluttershy.

"Why didn't you just use your horn?" asked Twilight.

"I needed to devote my full attention to the stitching. Rest assured, dear, Pinkie will be completely safe from the elements if it rains tonight."

"Well, she would have been, anyway. We were talking by the fire, and we think that there should be a few switches in the sleeping arrangements. Pinkie's moving to your tent, Rarity."

"And Applejack's moving to yours?" she smiled. "Perish the thought. There will be no need to reshuffle everypony, as we have all of the tents. See?" Putting away her sewing supplies in her kit, she displayed the patch, with the stitching becoming more uniform the further it went around the edge. "We can have it in place in five minutes, before Rainbow and Applejack finish their competition for... whatever it is they're fighting over."

"Right," sighed Twilight. "We're reshuffling anyway. It's just to calm everypony's nerves. Pinkie will be with you, and Fluttershy is to stay with one of them. Whichever one wins, I'm guessing."

"And whoever loses is sharing your tent," nodded Fluttershy. "Do you have a preference?"

"Not really, no. How about you?"

"Between them, I was kind of hoping for Rainbow," admitted Fluttershy, blushing. "There's more of a history there than with Applejack, though not by much."

Nodding, Twilight returned to the others, still struggling against each other. "Okay, girls, time for an announcement."

"Make it quick," grunted Rainbow. "I'm winning!"

"Like hay, you are!" growled Applejack back. "You're goin' down!"

"There's hardly been any movement," whispered Pinkie. "Turns out they're pretty evenly matched." As they struggled, Rainbow suddenly rolled twice over, kicking up a large chunk of dirt and grunting as her body slammed against the ground. "Applejack wins!" cried Pinkie, bouncing up and down.

"That was an unfair victory," grunted Rainbow.

"Look at it this way," grunted Applejack, picking her up. "The way I see it, ya didn't lose. It weren't your hoof that gave out, but the ground. Consider us square."

"Then who--" wheezed Rainbow, turning into a cough as the sudden shift in elevation coupled with the impact caused her to lose her breath and stumble.

"I'll share with Rainbow," said Fluttershy, pitching the patched tent. "I know you wanted to compete over it, but I'd rather we didn't fight."

"I agree," nodded Twilight. "Let's all settle down for the night and rest. We need to resume our work in the morning, so... Good night."