Along the Road to Chaos

The setting sun sees all, every little thing spread across the surface of Equestria. From the biting cold mountains of the north to the baking hot sands of the south, nothing escapes the all-seeing eye of the burning orb of the sky. The earth ponies of Appleooza, the unicorns of Canterlot, and the pegasi of Cloudsdale all live their days out being watched. Ponies can go their entire lives under the watchful gaze of the sun, never aware that their every move is being observed. And even if they did know, most of them would only find the warm, motherly gaze a comfort throughout their daily lives.

But without the shepherd of the sun to guide it through the sky and gently put it to rest at the end of each and every day, the sun was unsure what it should do. All the sun had ever done was watch. And as events unfolded on the ground far below it, tying together many fates and destinies, the sun could do naught but watch.

As the burning Friendship Express carried two changelings to their destination, as a group of youngsters vanished into a dark forest, the sun instead turned its gaze to a certain town. The sun’s attention was inexorably drawn to a certain room in the town where four mares sat in a circle. Purple, pink, white, and yellow, they were locked in discussion. Two other mares, one orange and one cyan, remained on the beds that were within the room, occasion contributing to the conversation.

“…and the way you just fell away from the window,” Rainbow Dash said from where she lay on her hospital bed, her squeaky voice shaking with suppressed laughter. “That was hilarious.”

“Humph,” Rarity replied, an annoyed look in her eyes as she turned her head away from the bed-ridden pegasus. “If you had seen it, you wouldn’t think it was so funny.” Her offended tone was almost enough to draw attention away from the embarrassed blush that lightly stained her cheeks. Unfortunately for her, Dash picked up on what she was trying to hide right away.

“Bwaahaha!” Dash laughed, easily blowing away Rarity’s flimsy rebuttal. “So what if I had seen it? It was a changeling. For Celestia’s sake, we beat ‘em by the dozens before, and even their Queen wasn’t all that impressive.”

“It didn’t feel like we were looking at one of the changelings from the wedding,” Twilight said, her eyes darting back and forth as she skimmed the book she had levitated in front of her. She just knew she would find the answers she needed in here. She just had to. When that large changeling had looked up here, it had felt like… like…

“It felt like a predator,” Fluttershy whispered, unknowingly finishing Twilight’s thought. Trust the animal lover to know these things.

“Well, shoot,” Applejack said as Twilight disappointedly put the book aside. “Now that ya mention it, Ah reckon that sounds about right, ‘Shy. Ah think Ah felt about the same the first time Ah saw one of them timberwolves hangin’ around the farm. Ah was just a filly and just hid in the farm, hopin’ against hope it wouldn’t find me.” She chuckled nostalgically at the mental image of her, no more than Apple Bloom’s age, hiding in the barn rafters and praying the giant wooden carnivore wouldn’t look up.

“But,” Rarity said, breaking Applejack out of her reminisce, “you didn’t seem to have any trouble facing down that hydra. Even though it did this,” she gestured at the various bandages and splints that covered the farmpony’s body, “to you.”

The fond look on Applejack’s face vanished, replaced with a self-disappointed scowl. “Ah’m older now, and the critter was threatenin’ my family. No way would I turn tail and run.”

“You go, girl,” Dash said with a grin, punching the air in front of her.

Rarity looked like she wanted to say something, but stopped as she considered Applejack’s words. After a few second’s thought, she inclined her head in acknowledgement. “I suppose that’s fair. I probably would have done the same.” Something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye and she gasped in shock as she turned to get a better look. “Goodness, Pinkie, what happened to you?”

“Nothing,” Pinkie said dully. In fact, Rarity felt that everything about the normally perky pony was dull. Her dull blue eyes stared dully out from behind her dull pink mane, which hung limply over her dull expression and dull coat. Even her cutie mark looked dull.

“Don’t give me ‘nothing’, dear,” Rarity chided. “Anypony could tell just by looking at you that something’s wrong.” As the seconds ticked silently by, the others could practically see the moment that Rarity ran out of patience. “Now Pinkie,” she said firmly. “Don’t think for an instant that I won’t force the answer out of you. I’ll… I’ll… I’ll unleash Fluttershy on you.”

“Eep.”

Pinkie grunted at Rarity’s threat and Fluttershy’s resultant squeak, clearly not impressed.

“Alright, don’t say I didn’t warn you. Fluttershy, darling, if you would be so kind? Fluttershy?” Noticing a sudden lack of shy pegasi in her field of vision, Rarity glanced around the room, rolling her eyes when she spotted a bright pink tail poking out from under Dash’s bed. Her horn glowed a bright blue as she gripped the tail in her magic, dragging it and its owner out from under the bed and depositing them both in front of Pinkie.

“Oh… Um…” Fluttershy hedged, torn suddenly from the safe darkness. “Um… if you wouldn’t mind,” she said to Pinkie, “could you maybe tell me what’s wrong? Oh, if that’s okay with you?”

Pinkie frowned at her friend, but not even the sturdiest of depressed emotions was able to stand up to the incredibly adorable concerned look the butter-yellow pegasus was giving her. Pinkie felt herself getting lost in the giant cyan eyes, not even noticing as color gradually returned to her coat. Her mane poofing out, she released a giant smile and wrapped Fluttershy in a giant hug. The little surprised squeak let out by Fluttershy just made Pinkie hug harder. “You’re just so cute!” she exclaimed. “Give your Auntie Pinkie a hug!”

“I’m… a year… older… than you…” Fluttershy gasped, struggled to escape the unexpected embrace. “Can’t… breathe…”

Twilight rolled her eyes as she looked away from the sappy moment to look at the others in the room. Just Pinkie being Pinkie. “I think we can agree that the situation’s changed,” she told the others. “If the changelings came all this way, they’re probably after us.”

“Not to question ya, Twi, but do ya really think so, sugarcube?” Applejack asked. “Why would them changelings want to come after us, right after they’ve gone and taken Canterlot?”

“Ain’t it obvious, AJ?” Dash said, her rough voice nearly cracking with excitement. “We’re the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Those freaky things know we’re a threat.” She banged her front hooves together, a violent smile spreading on her features. “And I look forward to proving them right!”

“No Dash,” Fluttershy groaned as she struggled against the entrapping hug. Pinkie had started humming happily while nuzzling Fluttershy’s neck, ignoring Fluttershy’s weak struggles. “You can’t get up yet; you still haven’t recovered.”

“Aw, don’t worry, Shy.” Dash said, cheerfully ignoring the very real reasons Fluttershy had to be worried. “It’s just my wing that’s hurt. The rest of me is still as awesome as ever. I’ll show those buggy things a thing or two even with both wings tied behind my back.”

“Ah know Ah'm normally supposed ta keep Dash from rushin’ in and doing somethin’ dumb,” Applejack interjected, “but this time, Ah agree with her. The sooner we kick them out, the sooner we can get things back to normal.”

“That’s sounds like so much fun!” Pinkie burst out, finally releasing Fluttershy. Bouncing around the room, she left all sorts of colorful party streamers and confetti in her wake. “And once we beat them, we can throw a Yay-We-Saved-Canterlot-Party!”

Rarity cleared her throat awkwardly, cautiously edging away from the colorful detritus the party animal was spreading around the room. If any of that stuff ended up in her mane, it would be a nightmare to clean out. “Well, dear,” Rarity said, unobtrusively distancing herself from Pinkie as the eccentric earth pony made another pass around the room. “You certainly seem to have recovered nicely.”

Pinkie bounced to a stop in front of the fashionista, her broad grin practically splitting her face in half. “Yeperoony! See, I saw that big scary-looking changeling, and I thought for sure that he wouldn’t want to be my friend. There was just something about him. Like there’s a wall there. That made me sad. But then I realized I have five of the best friends anypony could ask for, and that made me happy again.” Her forelegs reached out at that, grabbing the five mares in question and wrapping them in a giant group hug. She was somehow able to include Applejack and Rainbow Dash, despite them being confined to beds on opposite side of the room.

As the girls were wrapped in Pinkie’s hug, a new voice entered the conversation. “The best of friends to the end. These are those who Equestria would depend. If this is who the world would choose, then truly we are in good hooves.” As one, the six mares turned to look at the doorway as Zecora entered the room, the zebra’s jewelry jangling slightly as her hooves beat a short pattern against the floor.

“Oh, Zecora,” Twilight greeted the arrival, disentangling herself from the hug. Her horn glowing, she zipped over a pair of chairs, one for her and one for the tired looking zebra. “Is this… about what we talked about last night?”

Zecora shook her head, gingerly dropping herself down on the offered chair. Her eyes looking both sad and serious, she gazed at the six mares as they quieted down and listened to her. “Listen my friends, and listen well, to this story that I must tell.”

_________________________________________

The six mares listened in silence as Zecora explained to them what she had witnessed down at the train station. From when the mayor had stood up to the two changelings, to when Spike and Apple Bloom and her friends had disappeared onto the train, while Zecora had done nothing to stop them.

“Oh, Spike…” Twilight mumbled, staring out the window. She could almost feel as the warm, comfortable life she had built up was coming crashing down around her.

“So, you said that you did nothin’ to stop them, Zecora. Mind explainin’ yourself?” Applejack asked the zebra. When Zecora only looked down at the floor shamefully instead of answering, Applejack sighed as she leaned into the hospital pillow. “Ah suppose you had your reasons. If you don’t want to share, Ah won’t pry.”

“Well, we were just talking about leaving,” Rarity said as she stretched, her back giving a satisfying pop. “Now we’ve got our destination. Canterlot. And then I am sitting Sweetie Belle down and giving her such a lecture.”

“Do we even know they’re in Canterlot?” Fluttershy asked. The meek pegasus was unsure about simply charging into what was now changeling headquarters. “I mean, it would be so frightening to show up and the girls aren’t even there.”

“Where else would they be?” Dash flexed her one good wing as she talked, ready to get out of this hospital bed. She’d already been confined to the bed for a full day. A full day! If she didn’t get out soon, the physically active pegasus was going to go completely stir-crazy.

“Don’t worry, Dash,” Rarity interjected. “Leave that to me. Zecora dear, you had said that you saw Apple Bloom wearing her Crusader cape, correct?” As Zecora nodded, Rarity’s horn lit up again, casting the room in a gentle blue light. “Then if you’ll excuse me, darlings.” The unicorn’s eyes closed as she mentally distanced herself from the room, and giving herself over to the spell completely.

Pinkie gently padded over to where Rarity stood, giving the spellcaster a light nudge on the side. When Rarity failed to respond, Pinkie gave her a harder shove, nearly knocking the unicorn to the ground. “Hey, what’s wrong with her?” Pinkie asked, looking at the others.”

“Pinkie, don’t bother her,” Twilight said tiredly, stepping between the pink earth pony and the white unicorn. Pushing Pinkie away from Rarity, she stopped when they were a few strides away from the spellcasting unicorn.

“Okay!” Pinkie chirped cheerfully, not seeming to even notice Twilight shoving her. “So what’s she doing?”

Twilight’s hoof met her face as she struggled to figure an answer for Pinkie. She loved Pinkie Pie, but the earth pony could just be so… draining sometimes. “She’s casting her gem-finding-spell, Pinkie. Remember? The same one she used to find Apple Bloom before when that creature in the Everfree took her?”

“Oooh,” Pinkie exclaimed.  “Neat!”

“You forgot, didn’t you?” Twilight groaned.

“Kinda. But that’s why Rarity asked if Apple Bloom wore her cape, right? She’s attuned herself to the gems on it.”

“Yeah, sure. Good job, Pinkie,” Twilight snarked with a shake of her head. “She attuned herself with the gems, and can now find them anywhere.” Talking spell specifics with any non-unicorn was always a trial in patience.

“Yay!” Pinkie said with a bounce, completely oblivious to Twilight’s sarcasm.

Thankfully for Twilight, the conversation ended there when Rarity let out a sigh and released her spell. The white unicorn’s eyes opened slowly, and she gazed tiredly around at the others, her legs quivering with exhaustion. Collapsing into a chair Fluttershy brought her, she raised a hoof to massage her horn. “That was harder than I had expected,” Rarity said.

“Are you alright, Rarity?” Fluttershy asked in concern, hanging off the back of the chair.

“I’m fine, dear. Just a little magic exhaustion. I’ll be right as rain in a few minutes,” Rarity waved Fluttershy off. “More importantly, I found all three of the clasps I had made for the girls.”

“So? What’s the verdict?” Applejack asked after Rarity stopped talking. “We’re listening, sugarcube. Don’t keep us in suspense.”

“Alright.” Rarity rolled onto her back, staring blankly up at the ceiling as she talked. “Scootaloo’s was in their clubhouse. She must have forgotten it there. Sweetie Belle’s was back at the boutique. And Apple Bloom’s…” Rarity voice faded out for a few seconds, and she swallowed before finishing. “Apple Bloom’s is heading towards Canterlot.”

Stunned silence filled the room. They had feared that the fillies had foolishly charged into Canterlot, but to hear it confirmed somehow made it real. Each mare remained silent, each thinking their own thoughts about what this meant. Before the brooding could become too deep or too dark, a single giggle sliced through the room.

“Woo-hoo!” Pinkie exclaimed, practically quivering with excitement “Road trip! I’ve never walked to Canterlot before! This is going to be so much fun! We can have cook-outs, and campfires, and sing around the campfires, and-“

“Pinkie!” Twilight interrupted, staring at the happy mare in disbelief. “This is serious! We’re not going to have fun!”

“Actually, Twi, Ah reckon Pinkie’s got the right of it,” Applejack interjected. “If we go in all stressed out, we’ll wear ourselves out long before we even get near the castle.”

“I think so too,” Fluttershy said, her quiet voice sliding into a lull in the conversation. “Just calm down, Twilight.”

“Calm down? CALM DOWN? Why wouldn’t I be calm!? Just because Celestia’s gone because of me, just because Canterlot’s been overrun by the changelings, Princess Luna’s gone off who knows where,  my brother and his wife are probably being held captive, and Spike’s gone off to what is probably one of the most dangerous places in Equestria with the fillies doesn’t mean that I’m not calm! I AM CALM!” Seeing Fluttershy recoil away from her made Twilight realize what had just come out of her mouth. “I’m not calm at all, am I?” she asked the room at large. Getting only headshakes in response, Twilight stared down at the floor, muttering to herself. “Alright, deep breaths. I can do this. Ah-phew. Ah-phew.”

“Right.” Applejack turned to look at the others, giving Twilight a sidelong glance. “Anywho, while Twilight works out whatever she needs to, somepony’s got to figure out how to get me off this bed.” She gestured with her chin at the various straps and restraints pinning her to the hospital bed. They were supposed to keep her still while she recovered, but now they were in the way. “My sister’s out there, and Ah ain’t bein’ left behind, no matter what happens.”

_______________________________________

“This is humiliatin’.”

“Oh, hush. Remember, darling, just be careful of the injured wing.”

Applejack groaned as she dropped her head, resting it atop Dash’s skull. Her nose twitched as she inhaled some of the pegasus’ rainbow mane, and she quickly suppressed a sneeze. After some discussion, the group had decided that Rainbow Dash would be the best pony to carry Applejack. The doctor had protested, not wanting to let any patients leave when they was still in such poor condition, let alone two, but Twilight had used her authority as Princess Celestia’s only pupil and the doctor had been forced to back down. Twilight still felt bad about it. Her position wasn’t something she liked to draw attention to, and she always felt like a bit of a bully afterwards.

With no choice available to him, the doctor had acquiesced and helped to get the two mares ready. Rainbow Dash’s injured wing was immobilized with a splint and pinned against her body. A layer of bandages went over the splint, around her torso and under the opposite wing, further preventing it from being jostled even by accident. Since the wing was her only injury, she was able to move almost freely other than flying. Prepping Applejack had been far more difficult.

With almost all of her limbs crippled, Applejack was completely unable to walk out the hospital doors. Somepony had to carry her. Dash was volunteered, since the showy sportspony was the only one strong enough, her wiry muscles best able to support the farmpony’s sturdy frame. When Dash had tried to worm out of it, the doctor had pointed out – with no small degree of vindication – that she wouldn’t be able to fly anyway. As a result, Applejack lay draped over Dash’s entire body, from her chin lying on Dash’s skull to her yellow tail flowing over Dash’s rainbow tail. Twilight and Rarity were using their magic to tighten the straps holding Applejack in place.

“Awww,” Pinkie whimpered, pouting slightly as her large blue eyes looked up at Applejack jealously. “I want a pony ride, too.”

“Maybe later, Pinkie,” Twilight said from underneath Dash, not really listening to what Pinkie had said. Lying on her back, she reached up and tested the stability of the makeshift harness they had devised. “Could you give a little shake for me, Dash? Thanks.”

“Humph.” The doctor frowned at seeing the harness completed as Twilight began to run Dash and Applejack through a series of tests to make sure all was in order. “Well, I can’t approve, but you should be able to at least get outside without hurting yourself further. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have paperwork to fill out.”

Twilight looked up as the doctor left the room, firmly shutting the door behind him. “I’ll have to apologize to him later…” Sliding out from under Dash, she quickly got to her hooves. “Alright, looks like you two are good. Just avoid doing anything strenuous. Like fighting.”

“Wha- Hey! Not cool!” Dash frowned at Twilight. “You’re not keeping me – or us – out of the fun that easily.”

“Ah agree.” With a well-practiced flex of her muscles, Applejack snapped her tail out behind her. “Just give a rope, and Ah’ll show what it means to be one of the best rodeoponies in Equestria.”

“Alright, I’ll leave all that to you.” Turning to the others, Twilight stamped her hoof once to get their attention. “Okay, girls, we’ve got our destination. Go get what you need and meet up at the library in an hour. We don’t know when we’ll be back, so be ready for anything.”

A sudden cough from right behind Twilight nearly made her leap out of her skin as she wheeled around to see who had made the noise. Coming nose to nose with Zecora, she blinked in surprise. The zebra had been so quiet that Twilight had forgotten she was there.

“It’s obvious that you have the situation well under control,” Zecora said. Twilight smiled slightly at the unexpected praise, wondering where Zecora was going with this. She didn’t have long to wait. “Nevertheless, I wish to travel with you to your goal.”

Twilight blinked in surprise, taking a step back so she was no longer muzzle to muzzle with Zecora. “You want to come with us? Are you sure? I mean, we’d love to have you, but it’s pretty dangerous, and-” Zecora gave her a look that Twilight correctly interpreted as ‘I live in the Everfree Forest. I can handle a little danger.’ “And it’s good to have you along,” she finished, changing what she was originally going to say. Zecora’s knowledge of plants and remedies would be really helpful while they traveled. Besides, there was that thing she had wanted to tell Twilight that had piqued Twilight’s curiosity.

“Dibs on bringing sweets!” Pinkie said, bouncing out the doorway. The others shrugged and followed after her, splitting up as they began their individual preparations for departure.