9. Save The Saviour

Toy roamed the streets in search for the object of her desires, swooping one moment only to stop on a dime the next while glancing at all the faces of the ponies under her wings. One face caught her eye, and for good reason. Orange fur, a cowmare hat, a wide smile a,nd a welcoming gaze. It was her friend Applejack, or so Dash’s memory said to Toy , going home after a long day at the market selling her apples and apple related products. Applejack signaled to her to come down, which the pegasus gladly obliged in hopes of finding Bass Cannon.

"Howdy Dash! You seem to be in hurry, you lose something sugercube?” Applejack asked, willing to help a friend in need.

“Yes, as a matter of fact. I was looking for a friend of mine. Unicorn by the name Bass Cannon; white fur, blue mane, a divine dancer…” Toy wandered off, her mind intoxicated by the mere thought of her savior.

“Wow, you seem to be quite fond of this mare. Do I sense some love even?”

“Oh I do love her, with all my heart! That is why I need to find her. Did you see her Applejack? Please say you did!”

“As a matter of fact, a pony like the one you described asked me to stay for a few nights at Sweet Apple Acres. If you follow me, I can show you where she is staying right now.”

“Really?! Oh thanks AJ! How can I ever repay you?”

“Well you could help me pull this carriage back home. I could use another pair of hooves.”

And with that, the two mares began to pull the carriage out of Ponyville and towards the home of Applejack, Big Mac, Apple Bloom and Granny Smith.

Vinyl ran and ran through the streets of Ponyville, only to have nothing to show for it. At least her visit to the Club was fruitful to some extent. Dash, or rather Toy, had been there and left. The barcolt said that she mentioned going to the market in search of a white mare. Once she arrived at the market she asked the ponies who usually worked there. The conversation with Carrot Top was not that lucrative, as the orange mare didn’t seem to recall seeing Rainbow Dash the whole day, let alone some hour or so ago. The same thing happened when she talked to Derpy, Berry Punch, and BonBon. Devastated, she placed her behind on a bench and placed her head deep inside her outstretched hooves. Just as she was beginning to belittle her own abilities, a warm feeling came over her shoulders. She looked up, only to find one hoof around her placed in a hugging fashion. The distinct shade of green was uncanny; this was the hoof of Lyra Heartstrings, sitting in her favorite spot in her own unique way.

“Hey Vinyl, why so down? You had to pay the bills for trashing Snail’s house again?”

“No Lyra! First of all, how was I supposed to know the kid filled his walls with popcorn? All I wanted was to have some safe fireworks in the garden, that’s all! Second, I need to find Rainbow Dash and I'm failing miserably! ” Vinyl protested, only to collapse into a sobbing wreck the next second.

“Why didn’t you say so in the first place? She went with Applejack to their farm. Something about some mare visiting them and Dash wanting to meet her or something.”

“What?! You sure?”

“One hundred percent.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Vinyl screamed, kissing Lyra on the cheek, making the mare blush and jump a little.
But the smile and happiness within Vinyl quickly gave way to a foreboding realization. Her gaze became serious and focused, making Lyra even more uneasy.

“Are you sure she mentioned a white mare visiting them?” Vinyl asked, with a grave tone in her voice.

“Yes… is there something wrong Vinyl, are the girls in trouble?” Lyre replied, her concern increasing with each passing moment.

Then Vinyl began to sniff, prodding the air for evidence of some kind. Only after three or four prods did she come the conclusion she feared.

“Lyra, I must ask you to not tell anypony about this talk. Can you promise me that?”

“I guess, but you have to tell me why.”

“Later, now I need you to contact the mayor and tell her ”code 57” is in effect. Can you do that?”

“Sure, but you'll tell me what in the world is going on here!”

“Deal.” Vinyl replied as the two mares shared a hoof bump.

As Lyra sat up and ran to the town hall, Vinyl hid in the nearby bush, and waited for the green mare to leave her line of sight. Sure, lying to her wasn’t the nicest thing, but one white lie to save the lives of everypony was not really that big of a deal. She concentrated her power and soon enough she was nothing more than a white blur running at the speed of sound toward Sweet Apple Acers.

Twilight’s mind began to race, like so many times since she was burdened by the curse. The possible bad outcomes that could result out from Toy roaming the streets of Ponyville were flashing before her, right until she reached the Boutique. A quick flash of her magic opened the doors wide open, making both Rarity and Sweetie Belle jump in unison. She managed to hide her distress in front of the member of CMC, but Rarity knew her friend too well and quickly escorted her to the study room. A quick explanation later, Rarity suggested to inform Luna and try and meet up with Vinyl to search for Dash.

“You and I will run down to the city hall, as that is the course of action for us when something like this happens. But I must beg you not to follow us, as the exposure to Dash in her current state will undoubtedly destroy your new defenses.”

“But Dash is my friend! I can’t just stand aside and watch this thing eat her alive!”

“I know it hard for you darling, but going with me and provoking Bass will only achieve the opposite. Stay with the major and wait for Luna. Promise me this!”

“Okay, fine.”

“Now let’s run, each second we stay here is a second wasted. Sweetie Belle, you can handle the house while I am gone?”

“Okay sis, but whatever you're doing be careful.”

“Of course my dear.”

After a kiss to both Sweetie Belle and Opalesance, Rarity and Twilight rushed to the center of town.

Vinyl reached the farm within minutes, and made her way to the front right window. The smell was now intense and undeniable. A quick glance through the window confirmed her worst fear.

A changeling with a cowbcolt hat sat next to Dash as they smiled and laughed. She couldn’t understand what the two were talking about, but considering Dash’s face, a fair amount of cider was consumed during the time she had been there. Every muscle in her body was now tense, as she devised a surprise attack through the same window she spied on them. As she moved away to get a running start, she noticed two more changelings in the room, one bigger and one smaller. They were posing as Big Mac and Granny Smith but, thanks to her special eyesight as a Sister, Vinyl could easily see through their charade. This change of odds however forced her to lay in wait for her Sisters to help. She may be faster, but they were stronger. Each passing second, each innocent giggle from inside was met with crunching of teeth from the bush next to the farm house. Completely focusing the changelings made her vulnerable, and suddenly quick hit over the head made her lose consciousness.

“Wake up, white filth!” the changeling with the cowboy hat yelled, as Vinyl began to return to her senses.
She was tied to a pole on the main farm, free to move her hind legs but unable to change her state of being nothing more than a damsel in distress, at the mercy of her captors. In front of her were four changelings this time, with one smaller one grinning manically. She forgot about the filly, and that realization almost hurt as much as the bulging headache she got from the hit she received. She tried to use her magic, but the fiends thought about that as well, as the rope was enchanted by some magic-blocking property.

“That wretched curse saved your flank once again. Otherwise you would be hanging up there just like your little friends!” the main changeling pointed to the ceiling.

The sight was a known one for Vinyl, but she still cringed every time out of sheer horror. Dangling above her head bouncing inside green, fluorescent cocoons was the real Apple family, including poor little Apple Bloom. Rage, pure distilled rage, filled every fiber of the DJ-s body.

“You freak! Get me out of these ropes and I will show you who the real filth here is!”

“Shut it! You will not interfere in our Queen’s plans. Soon the catalyst will be with her and she will have all the love she needs!”

“The catalyst?”

“That is to no concern to you! If fact, after we are done with you, you won’t have any concerns at all.”

The band of changelings was now closing in on the defenseless Vinyl. She cursed her own carelessness, and mentally prepared herself for her final show. The large front fangs of the main changeling shined brightly, and the hoof-holed menace jumped upon her prey.

A bright beam of magic cut the jump short, as the changeling found herself in the haystack behind Vinyl.

“Stop right there you savages!” Rarity screamed, trying to make herself look as big possible.

A blue blur later she was behind Vinyl, untying her friend and comrade. The two mares then went back to back, as the changelings swarmed around them.

“Thanks Rarity, you really saved my flank this time! I can feel my magic again as well!”

“No time for pleasantries, darling. It’s still four of them and two of us.”

“What about those ponies above us?”

“And having to explain to them this mess? We better buy us some time until Luna shows up.”

“Okay, you lead and I’ll follow.”

The small changelings took the first step, and tried to pounce, only to be quickly dispatched by a swipe from the hind legs of the freed DJ, who gracefully took a sidestep and knocked the changeling into the wall of the barn, leaving her out stone cold.

“One down, three to go! Guess she couldn't rise to the challenge.”

“You really love those cheesy action flicks don’t you?”

“Almost as much as I love music!”

“Silence!” the main changeling yelled, fully regaining her composure.

The big and large changeling was upon them next, but he proved to be smarter than his smaller compatriot, and managed to place a hefty blow into Rarity’s chest. The force of the blow made her wince, and another blow to the head followed. Rarity chuckled, and wiped a small amount of blood of her bottom lip.

“Just because I am a style icon, doesn’t mean I don’t know how to throw down. Take this!”

Rarity darted towards the big changeling, elegantly avoiding his next big swing, arching back on her hind legs, only to go into a full back bridge and hoofstand soon after. That pose soon changed again as she used her now free hindlegs to swipe at the forelegs of the enemy barreling towards her, forcing his face to meet the hard dirt floor of the barn.

“That was awesome, Rarity!”

“Elegance is my element darling."

"Really, I thought Generosity."

"Watch out!"

Rarity’s warning forced Vinyl to switch her focus from her friend to the changeling behind her. She shifted her shoulder and managed to grab the outstretched hoof of the lead changeling, throwing her hard to the floor as well.

“We can do this do all day!”

Her moment of triumph was short-lived as the last standing changeling grabbed her by the neck, holding her fangs right next to her veins.

“Don’t fight back and I won’t have to sliver her open right here and now!” she commanded.

Rarity stood still in shock, but soon her shoulders dropped, and she was in the grasp of the recovered changelings, while the small one was still lost in the haystack.

As the big one grabbed her by the forelegs, the main one took one punch after the next. After a plethora of vicious hits, Rarity coughed up some blood, and smiled.

“That’s the best you can do?”

“Well, how about seeing your best friend bleed to death?”

The smile faded quickly, as Vinyl tried to struggle, but to no avail.

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Just watch.”

A slam opened the barn window used to place hay and the moon princess swooped in, knocking the older changeling away from Vinyl’s neck. Rarity kicked her captor in the hind leg, and one quick foreleg strike knocked out the big changeling out cold. Vinyl, filled with rage, placed a heavy right hook and delivered the sweet embrace of unconsciousness to her captor.

“You are defenseless, surrender and we will not have to kill you.”

The main changeling stood silently, and then began to laugh manically.

“Like that makes a difference! Look around you, you false royalty! Missing something?”

“… Dash!” the three mares screamed.

“Indeed. Our mission in Ponyville may have ended, but the catalyst is already near the Hive as we speak.”

A stern look was now on Luna’s face, and she used her magic to free the Apple Family from their cocoons.

“Take the ponies to the hospital while I deal with them.”

Rarity and Vinyl nodded, and carried the Apples on their backs.

The barn was now empty, bar the unconscious changelings and one pretty much the opposite of that and the Princess of the Night.

“I don’t agree with my sister that much, but the idea of banishment is appealing to me at this moment.”

A dark aura engulfed Luna at that moment, and black vortex appeared under the changelings. The main changeling laughed as the void sucked the group in

“See you in Tartarus.”

Applejack awoke in the hospital, with Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Vinyl and Luna surrounding her bed.

“Apple Bloom! Big Mac! Oh no, Granny!” she yelled and jolted upright, only to be forced back to bed by Twilight’s hoof.

“They are fine, don’t worry. They are still in the lab, doing some tests. You were in those pods for quite some time. What happened?”

“Well we were coming back from the market, when a pony came to us, seeking help and a place to stay the night. We offered them the barn, as it had rained the whole day and everypony should be safe during a rainstorm right? So a few hours later I had to get some wood from the barn to make fire. I opened the barn door, and the next thing I remember is this room and you here sitting next to me.”

“The main thing is that you are safe now.” Fluttershy said, a sweet smile on her face.

“Wait, where is Rainbow Dash?”

“The changelings took her, but don’t worry we will find her and save her” Twilight replied, a strong resolve in her voice.

“What are we waiting for!?”

Applejack tried to get out of bed again, but her strength was not there. She lost her consciousness once again.

“Yes, she is right! We want to help too!” Pinkie protested.

“Princess, they deserve to help us.” Rarity pleaded.

“I am sorry Rarity, but the deal I made all those years ago was a blood pact. I can’t change the rules. Those were different times, and I was different mare. The only way for them to help, is to be … like you” Luna admitted.

“No, out of the question!” Twilight screamed.

“Twilight, please, we want to help, we really do!” Pinkie Pie pleaded.

“You don’t deserve this, no one does!”

“The only thing we can do is let them choose, but after they thought it out, not tonight.” Rarity concluded.

“Fine, but girls remember, once you’ve chosen, that is final.” Luna reminded the two mares.

“But how can we choose if we don’t know what we are choosing?” Fluttershy asked.

“I have an idea. Twilight, please write your experience so far with this on a paper. The deal was about not saying anything, but not writing about it. Once they have read it, they can choose.” Luna said with a wink.

“Okay, I will give you guys the letter tomorrow at the library. Once you make your decision, we will know what we will do then.”

“Okie dokie.”

“Alright.”

“And don’t forget Twilight, you and I have some more preparations tonight. I'll see you in your dreams.”

“Yes princess.”

The mares sat there for a few more hours, and watched as Applejack took short breaths. They knew she would want to choose as well the next day.

Author's Note

And we finally can show you why Luna stood in the Sisters protection in the first place. Die hard has nothing on this, am I right?
Next time, we meet an old "friend", Twilight's next lesson, and the others have a difficult choice to make.