First Contact
The night air was cool, leaves rustled in the light breeze. No pony stirred, except for Fluttershy. "Angel!" her soft voice barely cut through the night, "This is no time to play hide-and-seek!"
She stepped softly through Sweet Apple Acres. Fluttershy followed Angel to this point, but even in the moonlit night, everything was dark. She stepped on a twig and yelped as she jumped into the nearest tree. She quivered, shaking the entire tree in the silent night. Fluttershy poked her head out, "Angel," she tried again, "it's really time to go."
Fluttershy hovered above the ground to make sure she didn't step on any more twigs. She looked for a long time in the orchard, but no luck. "Angel!" she was persistent, "Where are you?"
She levitated in one spot, she heard noises from her left. Swallowing hard she slowly flies over to the tree line. On top of a fence post Angel sat like a statue. "Angel!" Fluttershy grabbed Angel and hugged him, "Never do that again. You scared me."
Angel payed no attention to her. He was fixated on something in the distance. Angel jumped out of her grasp and pointed at what he was looking at. Fluttershy floated closer to the scene, her eyes widened. A fight was taking place. Three ponies versus one. The one pony was losing. "Come on." The tallest of his assailants said in his split voice, "We don't have time to fight, just let us take you back."
"I will NEVER go back!" The battered pony replied, his voice wavered.
The smallest one kicked him in the jaw, "You know, we have no issue killing you if we have to." he says smiling.
"They have two different voices." Fluttershy thought to herself as the pony dodged another hoof.
"Just come with us." the final one had female voices, "Mother would love to see you."
The pony charged up an energy beam and fired hitting the largest of the three, pushing him far back. "NEVER!"
"Tsk tsk," the smallest one flapped his tattered wings, "you would've been a good changeling."
"Cha-cha-changling?!" Fluttershy backed away.
"Hey." a voice came from behind her.
Fluttershy jumped up into the tree next to her. She looked down, "It's just me!" Applejack was standing at the base of the tree.
"Applejack," Fluttershy flew down, "a pony is getting attacked."
"I heard the ruckus from the house." Applejack looked into the clearing, "Oh boy he's sure taken a beating.
The ponies deep purple coat was shredded by cuts and bite marks. Blood ran down his legs and face. He charged up another energy beam. The female changeling charged him. Before contact was made he pony jumped high into the sky. The changeling tumbled over but got up quickly, "Where did he go?" he screamed.
The pony was no where in sight. The changelings were stumped, "How could a unicorn disappear without magic?" the large one asked.
"I didn't." The changeling looked up to see that the pony was flying.
Before he could do anything the pony shot a massive ball of energy at him. Making a direct hit it exploded. The changeling got knocked out. The pony fell and hit the ground hard, bouncing on impact. The pony was to weak to fight. The small changeling made a mad dash at him. "Come on," Applejack said jumping the fence, "We have to help!"
Applejack charged in while Fluttershy hid behind the fence. Applejack cut off the changeling and kicked him in the face. He quickly recovered and wiped blood from his mouth, "I'm going to make you bleed now pony!"
While Applejack was distracted, the female changeling casually walked over to the fallen pony, "You know," she started, "I always thought you were cute." she pet his mane, making him stir.
She pushed his head into the ground, "We could've had it all, but now I have to kill you."
Applejack was able to over power the changeling and pushed him into the one on top of the pony, knocking both of them down. The small one was disoriented. The female stood up quickly, "Oh, hey there pretty." She said with a smile.
"Leave him alone!" Applejack yelled.
"Why should I? He still is MY prisoner."
"What did he do to yah? Huh? What did he do to deserve this?"
"He didn't follow the rules." the changeling started to pace. "Rule 1: DON'T run away. Rule 2: Don't fight back. Pretty simple."
"Just kill her already!" The small changeling recovered.
"Fine!" The female changeling's horn glowed.
Applejack started to levitate inches above the ground. "Hey! Put me down!" She screamed.
"I don't want you to fight back." the changeling said, "I don't want to chip a hoof killing you."
She walked closer, "I wonder what pony blood actually tastes like." she showed fangs, "I guess we will find out."
Applejack started to struggle but it was worthless. Kicking the air as the changelings moved closer. Suddenly a flash of light blinded everypony. Applejack fell to the ground and the changelings were disoriented. "What am I?" Applejack looked up and saw the pony standing in front of her, staring at the changelings.
"Soon, a corpse!" the small changeling charged again.
He was stopped by an invisible wall, "Nightmare," the pony continued, "an allicorn of dark color. Said to be extremely rare." He opened his eyes, Applejack stared at them, crimson red, "And extremely dangerous."
He walked to the now floating changeling, "We can look into your mind and show your deepest fears."
The changeling spat in his face, "Yeah right!"
The pony wiped the spit off of his face, and then stared into the changeling's green eyes. Everything was still for a few seconds. The pony opened his mouth. Applejack got up and walked closer. He just stood there. There was a dull hiss. The changeling stopped moving. "What?..." he said.
Slowly multicolored snakes slithered there way out of his mouth. "No!!!" The changeling panicked.
Applejack stepped back, "Impossible." She whispered.
The snakes covered the changeling body. He was in hysterics. Then, the snakes were gone. The changeling was on the ground quivering facing the female changeling. "How did you do that?" she asked.
The pony turned to Applejack, "You should go check on your friend."
Without saying a word Applejack turned and ran back up the hill. She hit the fence and saw Fluttershy fainted, Applejack sighed and turned back to the pony. "Tell your 'mother'." The pony started.
His horn glowed and the changeling in front of him floated, "Never."
The changelings' head was a shoulder level. The pony stood on his haunches, spreading his wings for balance, "Chase me."
He grabbed the changelings head. "Again!"
A quick twist, a loud pop, and the changeling fell. Applejack stared blank faced at the pony, "Did he just?" was the only thought in her head.
The female changeling backed up, tripping over the larger changeling who woke up. He saw the body and crawled backwards. The pony walked forward, wings still spread out. "My name is Mystic Rush." He stated, his eyes looked as if they are bleeding, "Tell them I killed this changeling. Now, LEAVE!"
The two changeling flew past him with such speed it made his black and dark blue hair dance. They picked up the body and left.
Applejack sat down, dumbfounded by the entire scene. Mystic's eyes turned into normal eyes, with sapphire blue irises. He fell over, the cuts on his body bled more. Applejack slowly walked to him. She poked his side with her hoof. He was unconscious. Fluttershy flew down, "Wha-what happened?" she asked slowly, "I saw him, and then...I don't remember what happened."
"You don't want to." Applejack nervously, "Help me get him inside. He needs help."
Applejack and Fluttershy slowly dragged him up the hill back to the house. "Did he really just kill that changeling?" Applejack thought. She didn't really want to bring him in her home, but he might die if he doesn't get help. Fluttershy can't even look at him. There was so much blood. Applejack looked down, what she just witnessed was to much for her.
