Chapters Apple Bloom sat down on her bed, too scared to fall asleep. Scared of her dream. Afraid of the monster with the pitchfork.
You don't have to be afraid.
Applejack jumped at the sound of the voice. Nopony was around, yet it sounded like it was right there in the room with. "Wh-who's there?"
I understand that you are scared. Fear of the unknown is natural. But you have to accept that you're going to be afraid, then go through the fear and become a better person for it.
"What do ya mean? I can't go through that dream again! The monster'll kill me!" Apple Bloom began to cry.
There there. Don't cry. Let me help you through your fear.
Apple Bloom's eyes grew weary and threatened to close. "Who are you?" she asked as she fell into her pillow.
I am Courage.
...
"I suppose I should thank you," the monster said.
"No! Wake up, Apple Bloom!" Apple Bloom pinched her cheeks and shook her head, but the dream continued.
"Without you, I would never have collected the Triforce."
"Stop! Just stop!!" She found herself staring down the tip of the wicked blade once more, knowing what was coming next. She was going to die all over again, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. The pig-beast raised its arm back and grinned maliciously. Apple Bloom closed her eyes and looked away, unable to bear the sight. The pig thrust forward...
Apple Bloom waited, but the blow never came. She opened her eyes to see the monster just standing there, frozon in place. Then she noticed a golden light in the shape of a triangle shining brightly from her hoof. It resonated within her soul, driving away the fear that gripped her heart.
"What's going on?" she said quietly.
Dodge the blow, filly! She looked back and saw the pig start to move again. She leapt to her hooves and jumped, landing with a thump a short distance away. She didn't move very far, but the blade missed her. Then she realized: The blade just missed her!
"I'm alive! I survived!"
Turn and grab the blade! The battle isn't over! She looked to her side and saw the sword that had been knocked from the small creature's grip earlier. She grabbed the sword. In an instant, a surge of energy flowed through her and cleansed her of all the fear of helplessness which had stolen her heart. Now she could fight back!
From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a small yet powerful glow. A golden triangle appeared and shone brightly from her forehoof, and from it she felt a power unlike anything in Ponyville. She whirled on the beast with newfound courage and determination.
"What is this?! You should be cowering!" The pig charged and brandished its weapon furiously. Apple Bloom clashed blades with the monster, and to the surprise of both of them, the monster's blade was sent flying away this time. The glow on her hoof shone more brightly than ever.
"I'm not afraid of you anymore! This time, I will win!" The beast roared and swung a great paw down to bear on top of her. She jumped backward to dodge, then leapt on the paw. Startled by the sudden change in character, the beast pulled back its arm, sending Apple Bloom flying into the air. She gripped the sword tightly as she fell back toward the earth, directly on top of the beast. She pointed the tip toward its head and thrust down...
*SCHICK*
...
Apple Bloom woke to a beautiful morning. The sun shined, and birds sang. The smell of an apple pie reached her nose. Granny Smith's tooth whistling pierced trough the door. Applejack was out in the orchard, tending the trees. Big Mac was wheeling a cart full of apples to Ponyville.
And for the first time in two nights, Apple Bloom had slept well.
"Thank ya, Courage..." she mumbled to no one in particular. A small shimmer of gold flashed across her eyes. Probably the sun reflecting from somewhere in the room before it moved.
~~~~~~~~~~
Darkness. In darkness, everything is hidden. Deeds. Words. Everything. It is the perfect place to conduct those things which must remain out of sight. Out of mind. Away from those who would seek to ruin plans. Plans which require utmost secrecy. Plots which must never reach the light of day until they are already complete.
A single light shines in the center of this darkness. It covers a round table and reveals an unknown number of chairs, where unknown ponies sit and discuss their secrets. One such pony enters from the darkness and sits in the light which doesn't reach said pony's face. Shortly after, another pony arrives. And another. Soon, the table which seats an unknown number of ponies is full, save one chair. The clop of hooves is heard. Slowly entering from an echoing expanse, the noise steadily grows until it reaches the table.
The seat is taken.
"What is the reason for calling us here? There is business to attend on the surface," spoke a raspy voice.
"Yes," agreed a smooth, sultry tone. "There is work to be done, and I don't have time to waste--"
"There have been some developments," said the pony who claimed the final chair, silencing the banter. "Developments that may have finally tipped the scales in our favor against." Murmurs flooded the darkness for several moments until the leader tapped a hoof on the table, restoring silence.
"What sort of... 'developments'?" a fourth asked.
"First, I have been contacted by Queen Chrysalis. She and her changelings have offered their services to our cause," the lead pony replied.
"This is ridiculous," one of the others grumbled. "Queen Chrysalis brought an army with her and she still couldn't defeat them. How can we rely--"
"Chrysalis isn't the only one who has offered to join us," the leader interrupted. "Discord has allied with us as well. As long as the Elements of Harmony are together, he is restricted and he doesn't like it. At the very least, he is bored of order."
"Discord is less reliable than Chrysalis!"
"We can trust him to do what he wants, and he wants to get rid of the Elements of Harmony. To that end, he has agreed to work with us. And not only Chrysalis and Discord, but the Diamond Dogs, the Dragons, the Griffin Empire, and even the Zebra Kingdom have all sworn to fight for us. And with our plans to resurrect Sombra in the final stages of their completion, our forces are nearly ready."
Silence claimed the room. Nopony dared even to breath at the list of allies gained by their leader. Powerhouses of magic and strength, cunning and stealth were all at their disposal. All that remained for the conspiracy to be complete was opportune timing. Timing which everypony in the room knew would soon be upon them. Finally, the lead pony spoke again.
"The time is almost upon us. It won't be long before our reign begins."
~~~~~~~~~~
Apple Bloom grinned with happy taste buds as she ate her lunch with her friends, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. The three were enjoying their meal under the sun in the park. At least, until Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon showed up.
"Hey, blank flanks. What are you doing in our park?" Diamond Tiara sneered.
"It's not your park! Anypony can come here and have a picnic," Scootaloo replied.
"Oooo, a picnic. What are you, three years old? Too young and immature to eat properly with silverware?" said Silver Spoon.
"Knock it off," said Apple Bloom. "We ain't done nothin' to ya."
"Knock what off? Oh, you mean your food?" Tiara swiped Apple Bloom's plate and sent her pie flying into the grass. "There you go! Hahaha!"
An orange blur crashed into the bully, causing her to roll in a heap. In Diamond Tiara's place, Scootaloo stood with wings unfurled ready to fight. "Leave my friends alone!" She began to rise into the air, but her wings weren't moving. Suddenly, she crashed hard on the ground. Silver Spoon's horn glowed as she picked Scootaloo back up and threw her away from the group.
"Hey!" Sweetie Belle's magic reached out and battled Silver Spoon's, locking them both. Meanwhile, Diamond Tiara was furious. She charged Apple Bloom and rammed her in the shoulder, knocking her backward. Apple Bloom found herself being pummeled underneath the angry bully. She threw her forelegs in front of her to defend against the repeated strikes. Diamond Tiara's face was contorted in rage, much like the pig's in her dream. The only difference was Diamond Tiara couldn't kill her, had no weapon, wasn't as strong as the pig, and was much smaller. Trying to compare the two...
Apple Bloom snickered and started to laugh. Everypony paused, completely stunned by the outburst.
"What's so funny?!" Tiara yelled.
"Oh, nothing. Ah've just fought stronger monsters than ya in mah sleep, is all." Tiara fumed and struck down again, but this time Apple Bloom was ready for her. She moved her head to the side and punched Tiara in the nose, using all the strength her chores around Sweet Apple Acres had given her. Diamond Tiara yelped in pain and jumped off of Apple Bloom. "Leave me and my friends alone," Apple Bloom ordered. In response, Tiara picked up a nearby stick and lunged at her, swinging it madly like a make-shift sword. Apple Bloom quickly swung her own sword and knocked the stick out of Tiara's hooves. The bully stared at her completely dumbfounded, her eyes becoming pinpricks.
"H-how... where did tha--" Her words cut off as Silver Spoon crashed into her. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stood huffing and puffing, but victorious in their struggle against the unicorn. The bullies climbed back to their feet.
"L-let's get out of here, Diamond Tiara!" The bullies fled. Diamond Tiara looked back at Apple Bloom with a look torn between terror and confusion, then sped off with her friend.
"That's right! Don't mess with us anymore, got it?!" Scootaloo yelled after them as she and Sweetie Belle trotted by Apple Bloom's side. Then she turned to Apple Bloom. "That was crazy! She was all 'RAUGHR!' and then you just laughed in her face and punched her right in the muzzle! And where did that come from, anyways?"
Apple Bloom looked at the object Scootaloo was pointing at: the wooden sword between her hooves. "Ah uh... Ah must've picked it up when Diamond Tiara picked up her stick. Yea, that's what happened," she said, but when she thought back on the fight, she couldn't remember grabbing it. Where had it come from anyway?
"No, not that. That. " Scootaloo grabbed Apple Bloom's hoof and turned it over, revealing a stack of three triangles. Two of them were just outlines, but the third was glowing a bright gold. "What is it, Apple Bloom?" The three of them stared in awe as the image faded from view.
Diamond Tiara huffed as she slammed the door to her home. Being forced to run away from blank flanks ? Her reputation would be ruined! Not to mention the embarrassment of losing a fight to that country hick, Applebloom. She would never live it down. Everypony at school would hear about it, and she wouldn't be able to run the show anymore.
She screamed and stomped her hooves in fury.
"Diamond Tiara, what have I told you about throwing temper tantrums?" said a voice from behind her. She whirled to see her father, Filthy Rich, staring at her sternly. She shrunk a little.
"Only when you can't hear..."
"That's right. Now tell me about what's bothering you, or I'll discipline you for being disobedient," Mr. Rich said coolly. Diamond Tiara took a deep breath.
"I was at the park with Silver Spoon, when I saw those blank flanks from school. They--"
"Stop," Mr. Rich ordered, raising a hoof. "The blank flanks?"
Tiara groaned. "Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo." Mr. Rich nodded. "Anyway, they had the nerve to have a picnic right where I was walking! I went to teach them a lesson in manners, but then Scootaloo tackled me. Silver Spoon and I couldn't just let them attack us without repercussions. She threw Scootaloo away and kept Sweetie Belle busy while I dealt with Applebloom. Applebloom's usually their ringleader, and we're both earth ponies, so it's only natural that I be the one to deal with her."
"Did you win?" Mr. Rich asked with a voice of authority. Diamond Tiara blanched and her mouth went dry.
"No, but--"
"Have you learned nothing from your training?!" he raged. "How often have I told you not to start a fight against somepony stronger than you?"
"But I didn't start it! Scootaloo did!" she protested.
"I have a feeling you provoked her," he said knowingly.
"A-anyways, I was winning! Even when the match became more balanced, I took up a weapon to make sure I wouldn't lose, just like you taught me!"
"So not only did you pick a fight you couldn't win, but your judgment was so poor that you chose an opponent who could beat you with a handicap," he said with a calm, emotionless fury. He grabbed his daughter and began to drag her upstairs.
"That's not it at all!" she exclaimed, struggling to get free. "If Applebloom hadn't pulled that stick out of thin air, I would never have lost!" she shouted. He paused, visibly holding back his wrath.
"Diamond Tiara, nothing appears from 'out of thin air'," he seethed. "Are your skills in observation so bad that you didn't notice a potential weapon?"
"No! I'm saying there was nothing anywhere near her, then she suddenly had a sword in her hooves. It appeared from nowhere like magic!" The anger burning inside Mr. Rich died instantly. He released Diamond Tiara's hoof and knelt to her level, staring directly into her eyes.
"Magic? I thought you said your friend was keeping the other two busy. Was there another unicorn nearby, or had she been defeated by that point?"
"Neither. It was just the five of us." She turned her eyes slightly, trying to avoid her father's penetrating gaze.
"Don't look away from me," he snapped, his tone firm but gentle. She looked back at him. "Tell me the truth. Are you sure there was no sign of outside magic?"
"I can't explain it... There wasn't a sword, and then there was." He searched her soul for any sign of falsehood.
"I see." After a moment, he rose back to his hooves. "Tomorrow, your training resumes."
"Tomorrow?! But school starts tomorrow!"
"You will not be attending. Get some rest. You are going to need it." Diamond Tiara stared wide-eyed at her father for several moments.
"You aren't--"
"Now," he commanded, and she disappeared from his sight. He waited until he could hear the gentle sounds of snoring before entering his study. He crossed the room to a mahogany desk and pulled out a scroll and quill from the top drawer.
"Magic in an Earth Pony... It would be unfortunate if the enemy got to her first." He began to write his letter.
~~~~~~~~~~
Applebloom waited until everypony was asleep before sneaking out her bedroom window and making her way back to the park where she and Diamond Tiara fought that morning. There were several questions that needed answering. Where had the stick come from? And when did she get that mark on her hoof? There was only one other creature she knew of that might have the answers.
The creature from her dream.
"Courage, are ya there?" she asked quietly. Slowly, a mist formed around her. It swirled with magical energy, making every thread of her fur stand on end. Then it coalesced in front of her, forming into stallion. He had forest green fur with a golden blonde mane. On his head, he wore a grass green cap that looked like a long cone. His eyes were a bright blue, and he had a little blue ring in his ear. On his flank, he had the stack of triangles from both her dreams and her hoof earlier that day.
"I am here, Applebloom," said the newly formed pony. He paused for a moment. "Is there something wrong?"
"N-no. Nothing's wrong." Applebloom forced herself to stop gawking. "Ah've just never seen anypony pop outta the mist like that 'cept fer Princess Luna."
"Ah. I suppose the entrance was a bit dramatic," he admitted.
"Yea... Anyways, Ah wanted to ask ya some questions. Is that a'right?" she asked.
"Go ahead. You've already started, after all," Courage replied.
"First things first. If Ah started talkin' to ya in a crowd, would the other ponies see ya? Or would Ah look like Ah was plum crazy?"
"When I take a physical form like this one, everyone can see me," he explained. "However, I usually reside within the mark on your hoof."
"That's another thing. Just what is this mark on mah hoof?"
"That is the symbol of the Triforce."
"What's a Triforce?"
"The Triforce is a set of triangles made of magic gold which represent the three forces that balance all life: Power, Wisdom, and Courage," he explained. He tapped a hoof to his chest. "I am the embodiment of Courage."
"Is that what your cutie mark is? A Triforce?"
"Cutie mark? Oh, you mean the image on my side?" Applebloom nodded. "Yes, that is also the symbol of the Triforce."
"Are ya the boy from mah dream? Ya both got the same mark." Courage's body sagged a little, and his head dipped low.
"I am not. He was... Well, we are not the same. I was giving him my power, so my mark appeared on his hand," Courage explained.
"So when the mark appeared on mah hoof..."
"It is the same mark," he finished. "Much like I gave him my power, now I am giving you my power."
"But he died, didn't he?" The silence that followed her question caused Applebloom to shudder.
"I did everything I could to protect him, and I will do the same for you," he answered carefully.
"Ya mean like the wooden stick when Ah fought Diamond Tiara?" she probed. "Was that you?"
Courage nodded. "Like my piece of the Triforce, that sword belonged to the boy. Now it belongs to you."
"But how did it end up in mah hoof? Ah don't remember ever pickin' it up."
"That may be easier to show, rather than explain. Close your eyes for a moment." Applebloom closed her eyes. "Now, reach over to your side. Imagine touching the sword with your hoof and grabbing it by the hilt."
She moved her hoof to her side, as far back as she could reach without pulling a muscle. She waved around a little bit, as though searching for something that should've been there but wasn't. "Nothing."
"Odd. Are you having trouble imagining it?" asked Courage, puzzled as to why the magic wasn't working.
"Yea. Can Ah ask ya another question?" she asked, opening her eyes.
"Of course."
"What's a hilt?" Courage deadpanned.
"The handle."
"Oh." She closed her eyes again and returned her hoof to her flank. Just as she passed the edge of her chest, she felt a strange sensation, as though she were touching something not completely there. She grabbed hold of the feeling, pulled her hoof away from her body, and opened her eyes. There before her rose a wooden sword, exactly like the one she used against Diamond Tiara. "It worked!"
Courage smiled. "When Diamond Tiara picked up her weapon and charged you, I imagine it reminded you of your battle against Ganon during your dreams. You naturally went for the sword, and it was there waiting from you. To put it back, just imagine putting it back." Applebloom did so, and the sword disappeared. She waved her hoof where the sword used to be and passed right through.
"Wow. So Ah can use it whenever Ah want, wherever Ah want, without havin' to worry 'bout carryin' it around?"
"That's correct." Applebloom sat down and stared at her front hooves.
"Ah wonder if this is how unicorns feel when they use magic. Never have to worry 'bout it, but it's always there with'em..."
"Now that you have this sword, you have a lot of responsibility," Courage warned. "It is a weapon, not a toy, so don't abuse your power."
"Ah know. Ah won't use it unless Ah really need ta," Applebloom promised. Then she yawned a deep, breathy yawn.
"You should go back home and get some sleep," Courage commented.
"Yea. 'Specially 'fore... hhhah... 'fore Applejack wakes up..." She began to walk back to Sweet Apple Acres, but before she left completely she turned around. "Oh, Courage?"
"Hmm?"
"Thanks." Courage watched as Applebloom left the park. After a few moments of solitary silence, he closed his blue eyes and allowed the beginnings of a smile to creep onto his face.
"That child... She's the first person to ever thank me..." he mused as he evaporated into the night's mist.
~~~~~~~~~~
To Whom it may concern,
Respectfully Requesting: Initiate Training for one Diamond Tiara, Earth Pony Filly. Location: Ponyville. Reason for Request: Indoctrination
P.S. Everything is ready. Respectfully requesting permission to initiate Operation Overthrow
"...Finally, the last of the pieces are in place." A grin slowly spread across the lead pony's face as a stamp made its way toward the message.
To Whom it may concern,
Respectfully Requesting: Initiate Training for one Diamond Tiara, Earth Pony Filly. Location: Ponyville. Reason for Request: Ind APPROVED
P.S. Everything is ready. Respectfully requesting permission to initiate Operation Overthrow
~~~~~~~~~~
Celestia approached her sister. Something about the night seemed strange. Almost like it was lonelier than before, even though seemingly nothing has changed. All the guards were at their posts. Luna was still on the balcony watching the night sky. The ponies in the city below were still up and about as they always were. Why then was the night so different? She flew up to Luna's perch. A troubled look was on her sister's face as she glanced almost nervously from star to star.
"What is wrong, Luna?" she asked of her sister.
"The stars are silent tonight." Luna looked lovingly over each of her constellations as though they were her own children. "It is the first night where they have completely stopped whispering to me," she said sadly.
"Completely silent? Not even one of your thousands of children are speaking?" Celestia asked, surprised.
"Not even one," Luna agreed. She shook her head. "I do not understand the reason behind their decision." Tears began to well in her eyes.
"It's ok, Luna. I'm sure they will be more active tomorrow night. These are your stars, after all," Celestia said, trying to console her nocturnal sibling.
"Yes, you are right. Still, it troubles me that I cannot even hear them chatter amongst themselves. It's as though they are purposefully shutting me out..."
"Luna..." Celestia sat and watched the stars with her sister for the rest of the night.
~~~~~~~~~~
Don't go to school today.
"Wha? Where did that come from, Courage?" Applebloom looked down at her hoof and saw the Triforce glowing. "Why can't Ah go to school?"
I don't know... Something feels wrong about the day. The land isn't as it should be.
"What the hay is that s'posed ta mean? Ah gotta go to school, or Ah'll never get mah cutie mark!" she protested. "'Sides, Applejack would tan mah hide if she found out Ah was skippin' class."
Trust me, Applebloom. There's something--
"Ah'm goin', an' that's that!" Applebloom said, resolved. Courage's mark vanished from her hoof as she walked out of her room and downstairs to the dining table.
"Gee, Applebloom. What's with that scowl?" asked Applejack. "Yer not poutin' 'cause ya gotta go ta school, are ya?"
"No," Applebloom huffed.
"Uh huh. Well, ya gotta go anyways, and ya'll be seein' yer friends there. It ain't gonna be that bad, just you wait an' see. Now hurry up an' eat yer breakfast 'fore it gets cold."
*****
Applebloom ran as fast as she could. How could she have lost track of time just from eating?! It was only the first day of school, and already she was going to be late! Coming from Sweet Apple Acres didn't help any either, being how far it was away. Finally, she saw the schoolhouse.
Applebloom slid to a stop as she looked at the school. First, it was way too quiet. Usually Miss Cheerilee would be out among her students, looking over them as they played before the bell rang. Second, the playground was full of dirt hills surrounding the building. Not mole hills or ant hills, no. These were massive , almost three times as big as herself. She climbed onto one and looked down to find a hole the size of a pony leading into the Earth.
"Oooooohh..." Applebloom's ears shot up at the groan. It was coming from the schoolhouse! She bolted inside to find her teacher collapsed on the floor.
"Miss Cheerilee!" she cried, rushing to her teacher's side. Cheerilee's ears perked, even when the rest of her wouldn't move.
"A-Applebloom, is that you?" she asked weakly. "Thank Celestia one escaped..."
"Yes ma'am. What happened here?" Applebloom asked as she glanced around the room. Desks were thrown everywhere. The chalkboard was scratched to pieces. Windows were broken. It was as if a tornado had come through and wrecked the room.
"The foals..." Cheerilee said quietly. "They took the foals..." Applebloom looked into her teacher's face and found her eyes red and puffy. New tears were forming in them even now. "They took the foals!" Cheerilee wailed, weeping bitterly. Applebloom sat next to her and hugged her neck briefly. Then, with a look of determination in her eyes, Applebloom stepped in front of her teacher's face.
"Who took them, Miss Cheerilee?" The tone in Applebloom's voice shocked Cheerilee to her senses. "Was it the monsters that made all those holes?" Cheerilee looked up at her student. This little filly was standing tall, ready to go against a danger that had claimed over 20 of her peers. Cheerilee could see the fury burning deep inside her, even through the nearly perfect appearance of total emotional control.
"The Diamond Dogs. They were taken by the Diamond Dogs," she replied. Applebloom nodded and ran to the door.
"Ah'm gonna get help! Don't go anywhere, okay Miss Cheerilee?" And in a flash she disappeared from the schoolyard.
Cheerilee sighed sadly. "Oh, Applebloom... Don't do anything stupid, please..." she whispered as her head fell back to the floor.
*****
Applebloom soon found herself at the library pounding on the door. Sweet Apple Acres was too far away to reach quickly, so instead of starting with her sister like she would have liked, she went to Twilight Sparkle. If she would only answer the door!
"Open up! Please open up!" Applebloom yelled. Finally, the door opened.
Spike was standing there, irritated at the impatience of the person outside. "Oh, it's you. Applejack's sister, right?"
"Spike, Ah've gotta talk ta Twilight! It's an emergency! Is she here?" she asked hurriedly.
"Whoa, slow down! Yea, she's here, but-- hey!" Applebloom rushed past him, completely disregarding his protesting.
"Twilight! Twilight, where are you?! TWILIGHT!"
"GAH!!" An explosion emanated from upstairs. "WHAT NOW?!"
"You could've picked a better time to show up, Apple Bloom..." Spike said, shaking his head. Applebloom rushed upstairs, where she found a frazzle-haired lavender unicorn picking up a relatively enormous pile of papers.
"Twilight, ya've gotta help me! Miss Cheerilee's--"
"Apple Bloom, I don't have time to help you with some project," Twilight interrupted angrily. "I'm in the middle of something very important, so if you'll excuse me--"
"They've all been foalnapped!!" Applebloom screamed.
Twilight Sparkle dropped the stack she had so carefully been restoring, rigid at the words which reached her ears. "What did you just say?"
"Everypony at school's been foalnapped by Diamond Dogs, Miss Cheerilee's hurt bad, an' all yer worried 'bout is yer stupid stack o'papers!" Applebloom fled the tree, furious.
"Wait, Apple Bloom!" Twilight called after her, but it was too late for words. Applebloom rushed home, where she knew she would find ponies she could rely on. Applejack should be in the orchard by now, and Big Mac would be tossing hay in the barn.
The barn was closer, so she went to see Big Mac first. She threw the doors open.
Nopony was there.
"Big Mac!" she called. No reply. She called again and waited a few more seconds. Still nothing. No time to wait, either. She rushed to the orchard and checked the log for where Applejack was supposed to be working that day.
No signature. No time to search every section of the large orchard, either.
She rushed back to the house, desperate to find somepony who could help. She ran inside and found Granny Smith sitting in her rocking chair, dead to the world and snoring like a bear. Applebloom knew there was no hope of waking her up in this state. At this point, there wasn't any more time to waste looking for help.
She would have to save them herself.
*****
Cheerilee woke with her head on a pillow and an IV drip in her leg. She looked around and realized she wasn't in the schoolhouse, but rather at the hospital. She smiled, grateful that Applebloom was able to find help. A glass of water and a note was beside her. She picked up the water and took a few sips, then grabbed the note.
Dear Miss Cheerilee,
I went to get help like I said I would. But there wasn't a whole lot of time. I could only look for Twilight and Applejack. Neither of them could help. I didn't see anypony else. I got you this first aid kit from the back of the room and I wrapped up your leg so you would stop bleeding. I hope somepony arrives to take you to the hospital. I can't do it. There's no time. I've got to save my friends.
Applebloom
P.S. I'm sorry I was tardy this morning.
Cheerilee read the note a second time. Then a third.
A tear blotted the paper next to Applebloom's name.
Apple Bloom finished her note and set it on the first aid kit. Miss Cheerilee would surely read it when she woke up and be happy to get better. Apple Bloom then went to her teacher's overturned desk and grabbed the emergency flashlight. Where she was going, she would need it.
She walked outside, climbed the nearest dirt mound, and shined the light into it. It was deep. Very deep. So deep she could barely see the light at the bottom. She gulped as she leaned forward and dove into the hole. Down she fell, bumping against the sides of the hole as she went, scraping and grinding against the walls. Then it opened into a large expanse, and there was nothing to break her fall but the earth that rapidly approached. She closed her eyes and braced herself for a nasty landing.
Suddenly, her fall slowed rapidly. She opened her eyes to see the ground approaching like a floating balloon. Then she noticed the hooves under her body. She looked up to see Courage holding onto her with his hindlegs while he clutched a leaf as big as she was.
"Really, Apple Bloom. Never jump into deep holes without some sort of way to stop falling," he rebuked. She felt her hooves finally touch the earth as gently as if she were hopping out of bed. Courage landed next to her on all fours, the leaf having disappeared. "Now then... It's been a while since my last adventure. What do you say we go and save some ponies?" he asked with a grin toward Apple Bloom.
"Ya mean ya'll help me?" He nodded. "Thanks, Courage!" She quickly hugged the green stallion's leg, catching him slightly of guard, then ran off down the tunnel with her flashlight.
"Wait for me, Apple Bloom!" he called. He paused for a moment to summon a little green orb of light, then chased after his charge.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Spike, if what Apple Bloom said is true, then we have a crisis on our hooves!" Twilight said frantically as she ran around the tree, collecting supplies. "The Diamond Dogs attacking the school? I know foalnapping ponies isn't unheard of. I mean, they took Rarity that one time, but what do they need a school full of foals for? Oh, did you send that letter to Princess Celestia?"
Spike belched a green flame which consumed a small scroll. "Yep. It's on its way now."
"Good. If I'm not back by noon tomorrow, send the second one. Can you take--"
"Care of the library while you're gone?" Spike finished. He put his claws on his hips and shook his head. "Do you really need to ask?"
Twilight smiled. "Thanks, Spike." She didn't waste time with running. In a flash, she was no longer with Spike in the library; instead, she appeared outside Fluttershy's cottage. She knocked on the door carefully. "Fluttershy? Are you home?" In a moment, a canary yellow pegasus opened the door.
"Oh. Hello Twilight. Why don't you come inside? I-I mean, that is, if you want to, I'm making tea. Would you like some?" Fluttershy offered. Twilight shook her head.
"Not now, Fluttershy. I need you to call Rainbow Dash. Right now. It's an emergency." Fluttershy saw the urgency in Twilight's eyes and demeanor. An urgency which usually meant some sort of experiment went wrong.
"What did you do to Rainbow Dash?!" Fluttershy asked sternly. She Stared into Twilight, demanding the truth with her gaze.
"I didn't do anything, I swear!" Twilight stammered.
"Oh." Fluttershy stopped Staring. "You didn't? Then what do you need her for?"
"Please don't make me tell you. I don't think you'd take it very well."
"Twilight, you know you can tell me anything," she said sweetly.
"Okay, if you're sure..." Twilight took a deep breath. "All the foals at the school have been foalnapped by Diamond Dogs and Cheerilee was injured in the attack."
"..." Fluttershy just stared at Twilight.
"Now, could you get Rainbow Dash over here? We'll need her speed against the dogs."
"..."
"Fluttershy? Hellooooo?" Fluttershy's eyes became pinpricks. Her breathing became rapid. "Oh, ponyfeathers... I knew you wouldn't take it well," Twilight sighed.
"Eeeeeeeeep...!" Fluttershy screamed quietly. Suddenly an explosion of sound shot across Ponyville and a rainbow colored streak arched into the sky. Then the streak arched out of the sky, directly for the cottage.
"Great! Thanks, FluttOOOO--" If anypony could have frozen the world at that exact point in time and seen what happened, said pony would have seen a blazing streak of rainbow colors emanating from the mane and tail of a cyan pegasus. The pony would have seen said pegasus' eyes filled with unlimited anger, burning with the need to destroy the creature that would dare to make Fluttershy eep with 9 whole e's. Her hooves would be outstretched in front of her, and wrapped around them would be the body of a lavender unicorn, bending much like a rubber chicken from the impact.
Then the world would return to normal, and the two connected ponies would be seen rolling along the ground until the pegasus ended up on top, pinning the unicorn to the ground. "--OOOOPH!!" The two ponies locked a gaze for a moment.
"Twilight?!" Rainbow Dash's eyes lost their hatred at the sight of her friend.
"G-good morning, Rainbow D-dash..." Twilight wheezed. Rainbow Dash hopped off and helped her up.
"What did you do to Fluttershy?" she asked, her anger not quite tempered.
Twilight groaned painfully. "I didn't do anything..."
"Didn't do anything? That scream lasted a whole nine e's! " exclaimed the cyan pegasus. Twilight explained the situation.
"And that's how it is. We've got to hurry!" Twilight waited for an answer that never came.
"..."
She facehoofed. "Oh, not you too!"
"..."
She brought a small watch out of her pouch and waited for the implications to kick in. "Three, two, one..." She placed her hooves into her ears.
"...WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!" Dash gasped melodramatically.
"We don't have time to foal around, Rainbow! Come on, girls. We've got to get the others and save those foals!" Twilight enveloped her magic around the three of them, and they disappeared from the cottage.
~~~~~~~~~~
Apple Bloom and Courage made their way carefully through the Diamond Dogs' lair. Courage had so far shown he had many more items than just a wooden sword and a really big leaf. Currently, he was sporting a green tunic that somehow channeled Equestria's ambient magic, a torch around his flank (one that ran on said magic, not batteries that die at the worst times), a set of silver braces around his thighs, a large metal shield carried on his back, and a sword with a blue hilt in its sheath on his side. All in all, he was an impressive sight to behold for the little filly.
These weren't his only pieces of equipment either. Hidden away in his magic were some clawed gloves that helped him dig through the ground as well as any dog. He also had a set of masks and rings (with purposes he never mentioned), a bag of bombs, a boomerang, and other strange items from his travels. By far though, his most prized possession was a little blue flute-like instrument with the symbol of the Triforce on its mouthpiece.
So far, the only enemies the two had seen were watch dogs just milling about. They had a system working to deal with the threats: Courage would stun them with a quick throw of the boomerang, and Apple Bloom would jump on top of them and whack them with her stick until they spilled the beans on where her friends were.
Finally, after a while of searching, the pair came across a new set of tracks. Pony Tracks.
"We're close," whispered Courage. "These tracks are still fresh."
"Finally. Ah was wonderin' if we'd ever find'em in here," Apple Bloom commented.
"Shh! I can hear voices." Courage held Apple Bloom behind him and slowly approached the corner.
"You didn't get the one I'm looking for!" shouted a muted voice. It sounded angry. "You had one job: capture the foals. Are you dogs so dumb as to leave the most important one behind?"
"Pony says 'Capture the little ponies' so Dogs take all the little ponies Dogs see and bring them here like Pony asks!" another voice yelled back in a raspy tone. "Pony never says he wants one little pony from a group of little ponies."
"Then find her! This is her picture." A pause. "Find that foal and bring her here, or you're not going to see a single gem from me!" The door opened violently. Courage shuffled Apple Bloom quickly out of sight and hid as several dogs passed by, followed by the angry stallion.
"Ah wonder what that was all 'bout," she remarked.
"I don't know, but at least we've found the others. Come on, we're almost at the end." Courage and Apple Bloom peeked around the corner to make sure nopony (or dog) was coming, then went into the next room. In the far back was a cage, and in the cage were all of Apple Bloom's classmates. Except Diamond Tiara , she noticed. Maybe that was who the pony was talking about, though Apple Bloom couldn't imagine Diamond Tiara being the most important filly to anypony outside her family.
"Apple Bloom! Hey guys, look! It's Apple Bloom!" One by one, the foals turned their heads toward the filly running toward them. "Apple Bloom, you've got to help us! We're trapped!"
"That's why Ah'm here, Scootaloo. Ah'm gonna get y'all outta this cage an' back home where we belong," she announced, but the cage door was locked tight. "Does anypony know if there's a key?"
"I know," said Sweetie Belle, crowding her way to the front. "There's a set of keys that might open it up, but they were taken by--" A small set of keys landed at Apple Bloom's hooves. The foals in the cage stood dumbfounded. "Where'd those come from?"
Courage appeared from around a corner carrying an unconscious Diamond Dog. Apple Bloom picked up the keys and smiled at the stallion. "Thanks, Courage!"
"Who's your friend? He must be really strong to take on a dog like that!" said Pipsqueak, one of the younger colts.
"Yea, he is," replied Apple Bloom as she went to work testing keys on the lock. Finally one of them clicked and the door swung open. "Listen, we gotta be quiet. We don't wanna let the dogs know y'all are free, got it?" Each of the foals nodded and poured out of the cage in twos.
"Alright everyone, gather around me. I'm going to get us out of here," said Courage. He lowered his head for a moment as his entire body glowed. The magic coalesced into a little green ball of light. "Is everyone--"
The door slammed open, revealing a troop of armored dogs wielding spears and one well-dress stallion. "The foals are escaping! Stop them!" the stallion ordered, and the dogs charged the group of ponies.
"Stay close, okay?!" He touched the orb, and the group disintegrated into a thousand particles of dust, flowing through everything in their path until they reached the entrance of the caverns. The particles touched the orb at the entrance, causing the group to reappear together in a flash, and the orb that caught them to dissolve.
"Is everyone okay?" Courage asked, counting the heads of the little ones. All were there with him. All except... "Where's--"
He was interrupted by a group of six adult ponies that fell from the hole above and landed on top of him.
"Well at least the landing wasn't as hard this time," commented the lavender mare, who happened to be directly on top of Courage. The group stood up and dusted themselves off, then suddenly realized they were surrounded. "Look, girls! It's the foals!"
"Sis!" cried Sweetie Belle, running toward her sister.
"Darling!" responded Rarity, opening her hooves to hug Sweetie Belle.
"Rainbow Dash!" shouted Scootaloo.
"Scoots!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash. "We were all worried about you guys!"
"Even you?" asked Scootaloo, wide-eyed and innocent.
"Me? Worry? Please! I knew you would be alright, especially once I got here." Rainbow Dash caught a glimpse of Fluttershy staring hard at her. She gulped and pawed the ground. "Well, maybe I did worry a little..."
"When we get home, I'm going to throw the biggest, most awesomest, most super duper whoopie scooper Hurray-the-Foals-are-Safe party EVER!" Pinkie Pie screamed at the top of her lungs.
"Twilight, ya seen mah sis at all? She ain't with the rest o' the foals..." Applejack whispered into Twilight's ear. Twilight scanned the room. Applejack was right. There was no sign of Apple Bloom anywhere.
"I don't see her either. Hey, has anypony seen Apple Bloom? We think she came down here to rescue you," Twilight called. The fillies and colts looked around. Apple Bloom wasn't with them.
I have seen her, replied a disembodied voice. In fact, I'm looking at her right now.
"Who are ya, and what have ya done with Apple Bloom?!" Applejack shouted into the air.
Oh, nothing. She's merely in a cage suspended over Cerberus' play pen, that's all.
"She's what?! Give her back, or Ah'll--"
You'll what? If you even move from that spot, I'll drop her into the pit.
"Y-You monster! She's just a filly!" she raged.
How callous! Did you think I would send a simple little filly like Apple Bloom to her doom just like that? No, that decision is yours.
"What do you mean?" spoke Twilight. "We would never choose to do that!"
"Yea!" Rainbow Dash added. "We're not crazy like you!"
In that case, just surrender the Elements of Harmony, and we'll have no issues. Everypony stopped at the ultimatum.
"Now that ain't fair! Mah sister's life or the Elements of Harmony? What kind o' choice is that?!" Applejack cried, half in rage, half in worry.
The moral kind. Do you save your sister, or do you save the world? A long pause.
"I wish I didn't have to say this, but the world is more important," Twilight said plainly. "We can't afford to give up the Elements of Harmony and risk a catastrophe."
"Twilight! That's Applejack's sister you're talking about!" Rarity rebuked. "I know if it were my Sweetie Belle, I wouldn't hesitate to do anything I could to get her back."
"Are you kidding? You've got to think about all of Equestria, not just one pony," piped in Rainbow Dash. "Would Apple Bloom ever forgive you if you saved her only to end up losing everything instead?"
"What about you, Fluttershy? What would ya do if ya were in mah hooves?" Applejack asked.
"Me? Um... Well, I don't know. If it were Angel bunny, I would probably ask for help rescuing him."
"But if we even move from this spot, that pony will probably send Apple Bloom to the bottom for Cerberus to make a chew toy," said Pinkie. "What are you going to do, Applejack? She's your sister. We can't make the decision for you."
"I..." Applejack started. Then she turned away and called to the air, "I wanna talk to Apple Bloom."
Of course. Another pause... Sis!
"Apple Bloom! What's goin' on?!" Applejack cried.
Ah'm trapped in a cage. Ah'm hangin' over a big room, an' Ah can't see the floor.
"Apple Bloom, Ah've been given a hard choice, an' I can't make up mah mind. The guy who's got ya prisoner said he'd free ya if we gave up the Elements o'Harmony."
No Way! Don't ya need those if somethin' bad was gonna happen?
"But if we don't, then somethin' bad will happen, Apple Bloom..."
Whaddaya mean?
"Sis, don' be frighten' now, but yer hangin' over the lair of a beast called Cerberus. It's a giant three-headed dog, an' Ah'm guessin' he likes the taste o'pony."
Ah'm WHAT?! Ah don't wanna get eaten! Apple Bloom wailed. Applejack nodded.
"It's a'right, Apple Bloom. Ah'm not gonna let--"
But. Applejack stopped short. Apple Bloom's voice was resolved in a way she had never heard before. Ah'm not afraid to die. Ah mean, not if diein' means everypony Ah love stays safe. Ya gotta keep yer Element safe, Applejack. Ya can't let anythin' keep ya from doin' that. Not even me...
"Apple Bloom, I..." Applejack broke into tears, unable to hold her emotions back any longer.
It's a'right, Applejack. Ah love ya, big sis, an'-- A release clicked loudly. AAAAAAAAAAaaaa aaaaaa......
"Oh Celestia, NO! APPLEBLOOOOOM!!"
Suddenly a bright glow emanated from beneath Twilight Sparkle. The soft green pad she landed on (which she now saw was a pony) rose up and morphed into a brilliant ball of golden light, then streaked away from the group.
The filly has chosen for you, it seems , said the voice.
The sound of snapping and shattering wood reached everypony's ears.
Applejack stared into the air. All around her was an uproar. Foals were screaming. Her friends were shouting furiously at the evil pony on the other end of the voice. Dogs were bursting from the ground and walls.
But Applejack heard nothing but her own heartbeat.
"She's... gone..."
Courage awoke pinned to the ground by a weight much greater than Apple Bloom's. He turned his head to find himself under the rump of a purple pony.
"It's a'right, Apple Bloom. Ah'm not gonna let--"
But. Courage's ears perked at the sound of Apple Bloom's voice. She hadn't been among the foals after the teleport. That, and her voice was resolved in a way he was all too familiar with. Ah'm not afraid to die. Ah mean, not if diein' means everypony Ah love stays safe. Ya gotta keep yer Element safe, Applejack. Ya can't let anythin' keep ya from doin' that. Not even me...
"Apple Bloom, I..." Applejack broke into tears, unable to hold her emotions back any longer.
It's a'right, Applejack. Ah love ya, big sis, an'-- A release clicked loudly. AAAAAAAAAAaaaa aaaaaa...... ...
"Oh Celestia, NO! APPLEBLOOOOOM!!"
No. Not again. I WON'T lose another! Courage morphed into his Triforce energy state and raced through the caverns, phasing through the rock and dirt to beeline for his charge. He found himself entering a large cavern. Several hundred yards beneath him, a cage was falling toward the bottom. Apple Bloom's scream was still cascading against the walls. The world seemed to move in slow motion as he plunged toward the cage. Within seconds she would hit the ground, and that would be the end of her forever.
Courage was there in a instant.
He reverted to his pony form and drew his sword, slicing through the cage before his body reached it. Then he reached out to grab Apple Bloom and flipped her on top of him. A sickening thud and several crunches shot out from his body as it made contact with the floor.
"In all the centuries I've been doing this, I've never actually jumped myself before... To... to think I had that boy... jumping a hundred feet through spider webs..." he wheezed. "Or that I let him ride a fan-powered cyclone to it's highest ledge, then hop off with his iron boots on..." He picked up his head painfully to make sure Apple Bloom was ok. When he saw that she was, he let his head thump back to the ground. He chuckled a bit to himself. "I remember the first one, up in Skyloft. It was the day he got his sail from the goddess, and she pushed him off the edge of the temple. Made his hand cramp up when he tried to open it, and he hit the center of that target like a sack of gravel. Hehehe... If I ever get back home, that's never... ever... happening again..."
Apple Bloom groaned. "Oooohhh... What a dream. Huh? Courage?"
"Hey there, Apple Bloom," he replied weakly.
"What's wrong? Are ya a'right? An' why the hay was Ah sleepin' on top o' ya?"
"I'll be fine. Just glad I could make sure you stayed alright. What did I tell you about falling without a way to slow down?" he scolded, though the effect was lost in the fit of coughing that followed.
"Ya mean that wasn't a dream?" Apple Bloom looked to her side and saw the severed cage. Then she looked back down at Courage with a sudden spark of understanding. "Ya caught me! Ya took the fall instead! Ya could've died!"
"A little fall isn't going to stop me. I've made jumps like that hundred times or more..." Well, not me personally, he didn't say. "As long as you're alright, it was worth it."
"Yer crazy..." she accused.
"You're alive," he replied.
An instant later, the room was filled with the light of tens of torches, revealing a large arena. Apple Bloom instinctively huddled next to Courage, who merely lay there, immobile. A small crowd of around six Diamond Dogs began chanting "Cer-Ber-Us! Cer-Ber-Us!" from a box above the ring. Apple Bloom felt the ground shake and quake from the footsteps of something enormous. "Cer-Ber-Us! Cer-Ber-Us!" A deep, guttural growl sounded throughout the arena. "Cer-Ber-Us! Cer-Ber-Us!"
A cheer came from the crowd as the earth erupted a few dozen feet from Courage and Apple Bloom. Out came a giant black paw which slammed into the ground. Another eruption just a few feet away from the first, and another paw revealed itself. Then the ground bulged, exploding as three enormous heads burst through, each slavering with drool. The dog dragged the rest of its body through the ground and growled menacingly.
"Well, it may not the biggest creature I've seen," Courage said flatly. "But it's definitely bulky."
The dog reared up onto its hind legs in a show of strength. Then it slammed down, and the earth shook from the force, spreading cracks across the floor.
"So much fer bein' alive," Apple Bloom commented. "Funny how ya can go through a near death experience only to end up in another..." Courage's body glowed and returned to Apple Bloom's hoof. "Courage?! Ain't ya gonna help me?"
My body is crippled, so I won't be able to fight this battle for you, he replied. However, I can give you the tools you need to defeat him yourself.
"Ya mean that stuff ya were usin' earlier?"
And more. Everything I have is at your disposal. Apple Bloom rose into the air as the glow on Apple Bloom's hoof expanded and engulfed her entire body. She flashed, causing the great dog to stagger backward, stunned by the sudden change in light. When the light died down and she returned to the floor...
She discovered she was wearing the green tunic that Courage always wore. She could feel his magic flowing through her and the magic of Equestria flowing around her. A green, pointed cap covered her red mane instead of the red ribbon that Applejack had given her. At her side was a wooden shield. Just underneath the shield was a small blade. Not Courage's sword, but it fit her hoof well. A small pouch was strapped to her chest. Somehow it held the digging claws and the boomerang, though how they managed to fit inside the pouch when she couldn't even fit her hoof in it was beyond her. Then she realized something peculiar.
"Didn't ya say Ah could use everythin' ya had? Where's all the other stuff ya showed me?"
I'm sorry, Apple Bloom. That fall must have damaged me more than I thought. It took all my strength just to transfer that much to you.
The dog growled low, drawing their attention back to the reality of the situation. "Well, it'll have to do!"
Cerberus reared up and slammed the ground then charged at the new Apple Bloom. She leapt to the side, barely avoiding its three sets of teeth as they chomped down. Apple Bloom drew her sword and shield as the dog slid to a halt. It whirled on its hind legs and slammed the ground again, charging her. She held up her wooden shield instinctively as the dog crashed into her. The teeth didn't penetrate it, but the force of the blow sent her flying backward. She hit the ground hard and rolled into the wall.
"Ouch... that didn't work..." she muttered as she climbed back to her hooves. Strangely though, she didn't feel like she had taken that much damage. The dog looked down again and saw her standing there. It growled deeply and slammed the ground again. Then it charged Apple Bloom, threatening to crush her against the wall. She froze up, unsure of what to do against the beast.
DIG! Use the mitts!
"How?! I can't get the mitts out of the pouch!" she cried as she ran to the side. The dog followed her closely, but she leapt to the side just as it snapped at her, narrowly avoiding what would surely have been a painful bite.
Remember how to summon your sword? Summon the mitts the same way!
Apple Bloom concentrated on the digging mitts. She imagined them taking form, giving her claws for grinding away the dirt and rock. Almost immediately, her hooves became a pair of brown paws with sharp tips.
The dog turned back and charged again at her as she stood in the center of the arena. Just as it got close enough to bite, she dug a huge swath of earth out from beneath her and dropped inside the newly formed hole. Cerberus' middle head slammed into the ground as it tried to chomp her. Its nose got caught in the hole, but the the rest of it kept going, sending it flipping along the ground. Apple Bloom climbed out to find it propped up on its chest and heads with its butt high in the air. She charged it with her sword and sliced furiously at its belly.
Her tiny blade didn't even penetrate the fur.
Suddenly Cerberus began to squirm, and its hind end began to fall. Apple Bloom rushed out of the way as its legs crashed against the ground. She ran a distance away and watched as the dog shook its heads.
"Now what? My sword won't even cut the fur..." Apple Bloom groaned at Courage.
There is a way to defeat Cerberus. You just have to find it.
"Can't ya gimme a hint?" she asked.
I already have. You must do the rest on your own.
"Ponyfeathers..." Apple Bloom dug down as the beast neared again, and again its nose was caught in the hole. She jumped out of the hole as the beast rolled to a stop, again ending on its heads with its hind end sticking straight up. Then Apple Bloom saw something else: the beast's front paws were outstretched behind its chest.
And there was no fur on them.
She ran over and stabbed her sword into his left paw. Cerberus howled and writhed in pain. Apple Bloom quickly ran to the other side and stabbed the dog's other paw before it could right itself. Then she moved away and prepared to dig another hole, but instead of charging again, the dog ran off to the other side.
"Pony hurt Cerberus. Dogs can't let pony win! Dogs will stop Pony!" The Diamond Dogs jumped down from their seats and rushed Apple Bloom with spears.
"There's too many of'em! Ah can't fight spears with mah li'l sword. Ah'll never get close enough!"
Fight them just like we practiced! said Courage.
"But when did we practice fighting Dogs?!" Apple Bloom used her shield to block the dog's strikes as they rained down.
Trust me, Apple Bloom! Remember, you have more than just your sword and shield.
"More than just mah sword an' shield?" She thought back to the things Courage had given her. A tunic that let her use magic, a nifty pointed hat, a wooden sword (and now a metal one), a wooden shield, a set of digging mitts, and... "Oh!"
The dogs jumped back at the sudden transformation, unsure what to make of the magic coming from this pony. No glow from a horn. Tartarus, there wasn't even a horn to begin with. How was this possible? Somehow her paws transformed back into hooves. Not only that, but without moving, she was now holding a small yellow curve with metal tips. Suddenly five of them reeled backward as the curve struck them in heads. The sixth just stared at them, hardly believing his eyes. Then a small blade pierced through him, and he fell to the ground.
Apple Bloom made quick work of the other dogs while they stood stunned by the boomerang.
Cerberus roared. The dog had given up on trying to fix its paws and was charging her on its belly, using only his hind legs to move. In its rage though, that dog could move. Apple Bloom barely had time to run out of the way before it was on her. Thankfully, it couldn't slow down and turn as well as it could earlier, so Apple Bloom had time to switch back to the mitts before it could charge again. A few moments later, she dug a hole just as it reached her as she had the past few times.
But the dog just passed over her. With its head sliding on the ground, it didn't have enough mobility to get caught in her trap. Apple Bloom looked out of her hole at the beast. It was still trying to slow down. Cerberus didn't stop until its noses touched the wall.
"Hehehe," chuckled Apple Bloom. "That gives me an idea." Apple Bloom ran across the arena, getting into the exact position she wanted. Then she let off a piercing whistle, the kind that Applejack used when she was called Winona. Cerberus' ears perked up as it turned around to face her. "Come on, ya big dummy! I bet ya can't catch me!" The dog's eyes went red at the taunts. With a fury, he charged her faster than ever. Apple Bloom smirked as she disappeared into her hole and the dog passed over.
A resounding crash reverberated through the ground and echoed throughout the arena. Apple Bloom dug her way out from under the dog. When she resurfaced, she looked back and saw a giant canine body sticking out of the wall, its heads embedded in the rock.
Well done, Apple Bloom. Courage reappeared from the mark on Apple Bloom's hoof, healthy and strong.
"Courage! Yer a'right!" exclaimed Apple Bloom happily.
"Look," Courage said, pointing at Cerberus. A black fog was steaming from its body. The creature seemed to absorb all the light around it, becoming a pitch black shadow against the wall. Suddenly the shadow lifted and dissolved, leaving three Diamond Dogs in its place: one was large and bulky, one was average, and the last was small and stocky. The three woke up groggily, shaking and clutching their heads as though they had been slammed into solid stone.
"Rover, what happened? How we get here?" asked the large one, licking his hands like they'd been stabbed by a thorn.
"Rover doesn't know, Fido," said the average one, clutching his head. "Spot?"
"Spot feels like Spot's nose is broken..." said the small one, holding his stubby nose. The three suddenly stiffened. "Were we--"
"Yes. Rover remembers too."
"Is that pony--"
"Probably." They turned around slowly. The filly was sitting there with a stallion at her side, staring at them. "WAAHH!"
"Fido wasn't dreaming!"
"Neither was Spot!" The three looked at each other. Then at the pair of ponies. The one called Rover looked around, searching for some way out of this.
"Idea!" He ran over to the wall and pulled out a large gem in the shape of a heart. "Here, ponies! We give you this, so you let us leave, ok?"
Apple Bloom started to speak, but Courage silenced her. "Of course. Set it down right there, then get out of here," he said. The dogs gladly obeyed, setting it down carefully before turning tail and fleeing. "Apple Bloom, go get that crystal."
Apple Bloom bucked him in the leg, toppling him.
"Ah can't believe ya! Ya just accepted a bribe from the dogs that foalnapped all mah friends!" she raged. She bucked him again as he stood back up. "Yer the em-bod-i-ment o' Courage fer the princess's sake!" She bucked a third time. This time he caught her hooves and held them mid-air. "Let me go! Let me go, ya weasel!" He picked her up and stared into her upside-down eyes.
"First, those dogs couldn't have had anything to do with your classmates' abduction because they had a dark spell cast over them that turned them into the monster you just fought."
"But--"
"Second," Courage interrupted. "The stone they just handed over to us raises your endurance, meaning it'll take a lot more for you to fall when in a pinch."
"Really?"
"Third, there is no courage in beating down defeated enemies. Is there?"
"No..."
"Finally, I swore never to make anyone jump off a cliff ever again if I ever got back to my dimension. But I'm not in my dimension, and if you kick me again, I'll throw you over the edge of Canterlot Castle Town wearing a pair of iron boots. Do I make myself perfectly clear, Apple Bloom?" Apple Bloom stared at him, frozen. After a few moments, Courage set her down. "Remember to breathe, filly."
Apple Bloom gasped for air.
Calling all Diamond Dogs. The two of them perked at the disembodied voice. We have the Elements of Harmony. Prepare for the assault on Ponyville.
Apple Bloom opened her eyes and looked around. All around her was a black nothingness. She felt as though she were on her back, staring upward at something, but nothing was there.
"Hello? Is anypony there?" Apple Bloom asked aloud. No response. Nothing at all. "What is this place? How did Ah get here?" As much as she tried, she just couldn't remember. "Ok, Apple Bloom, think. Courage and Ah were in the Diamond Dogs' lair..."
*****
"They gave up the Elements?!" Apple Bloom shouted.
"Wait here," said Courage. He transformed back into his magic form and disappeared from her sight. When he returned a few moments later, he had a grim look on his face. "Apple Bloom, we have to get out of here, now!" Suddenly, the cavern began to quake. Apple Bloom looked up and saw large rocks plummeting toward them. "Let's go, Apple Bloom!"
*****
"We were escaping..."
*****
Courage and Apple Bloom fled as quickly as they could toward the surface. Diamond Dogs blocked their path and tried to capture them, but the two were too frantic to be stopped completely. They were, however, slowed down far too frequently, and cave-ins made their path erratic.
*****
"But Courage got caught..."
*****
Suddenly a dog rammed into Courage from an unseen passage, sending him rolling against the wall. The dog held him there, then pinned him to the earth with a spear. " Courage!" Apple Bloom slashed at the dog's ankles, bringing it to the ground. Then she sliced across its chest and went to help Courage. She removed the spear, and Courage disappeared into her hoof.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help..." he said weakly.
"Sa'right. Ah'll get us outta here! Ya just rest fer now."
*****
"We were almost at the surface, when..."
*****
Apple Bloom burst through the next door. She found herself in a forge, where all sorts of tools, armor, and weapons were hanging. In the far back, a furnace was glowing brightly. And next to the furnace was a Diamond Dog with a brand in his hand, aimed at Applejack. She looked as depressed and broken as when their parents died. She wasn't even trying to escape.
"Applejack!" Both the dog and Applejack immediately whirled toward her. She threw her boomerang and hit the Diamond Dog square in the face, making it drop the brand. Applejack bucked the dog in the head, knocking it unconscious.
The two sisters rushed toward each other, but then the earth rumbled again. A rockslide rushed in between them, separating them.
*****
"I tried to dig through the rubble, but the hole kept fillin' in. I hope she got out ok. After that..."
*****
Apple Bloom dug her way to the top. She emerged just outside of Fluttershy's Cottage. From her place on the hill, she could see all of Ponyville.
It burned.
Ponies were running around screaming for their lives as dragons razed the town to rubble. Princess Celestia was there trying to fight them off, but even she was badly outnumbered. Everything was ablaze in dragon fire. The Library. Sugarcube Corner. Carousel Boutique. Town Hall.
Sweet Apple Acres.
Suddenly a full-sized dragon flew down and landed at Fluttershy's Cottage not far from Apple Bloom. It inhaled, then belched a wall of flame toward her...
Apple Bloom opened her eyes and looked around. All around her was a black nothingness.
*****
Tears filled her eyes. "Everything's gone... Am I dead?" she asked to no one in particular.
A shot of red flashed by, startling the crying filly. Then a streak of yellow. Green. Blue. Pink. Apple Bloom watched in awe as the colors weaved themselves into a tapestry of light. The light began to take on a shape: a pony. Then a blaze of purple flew straight into the middle of the tapestry. The five streaks spiraled around it, getting closer and closer until they touched. Apple Bloom shielded her eyes from the flash that followed. When she looked back, the streaks had merged into a golden emblem endowed with six jewels worn by a great white Alicorn with a crimson mane.
Apple Bloom's eyes caught a glimpse of another glow. She looked at her hoof to see the Triforce shining brighter and brighter until it too flashed. There before her was Courage, only much larger and in his natural, bipedal form. The two powers standing together caused Apple Bloom to shiver in awe and excitement. Then, the Alicorn began to speak.
"Courage, is this her?" she said as she looked down at Apple Bloom.
"Yes," Courage replied. "She is the one I told you about."
"I thought she would be older. She is just a filly."
"Just a filly? She fought and defeated a Cerberus by herself."
"That's quite a feat. Especially for one so young, but can she restore Equestria?"
"As one with millenia of experience in this matter, I trust her completely. I have already given her my power, much like you gave yours to those you trusted."
The Alicorn nodded. "Very well." Then she turned to the filly. "Apple Bloom, I have a request to ask of you. The Elements of Harmony have been separated and scattered across the land, and their bearers reduced to shells of who they used to be. Equestria has been consumed by Fire and Darkness and Chaos. Its rulers have fallen to evil powers and it's people, to slavery."
Apple Bloom stared with pinprick eyes and stood on trembling legs as the great Alicorn told her the state of Equestria. The Alicorn paused, noticing her distress. Tears raced down Apple Bloom's cheeks and a swell got caught in her throat. Her breathing became labored and short, and her body shook.
"I know this all must be hard to take. Expecially for a filly," said Courage. All he saw were the tears. "But try to be strong, ok?"
She sniffed and looked down at her hooves. "Okay..."
"Apple Bloom, would you like a chance to make everything right again?" asked the Alicorn. Apple Bloom nodded without lifting her head. "Well, you can. Right now, you are sleeping. You didn't die during the Dragon Attack." Her eyes shot open. She lifted her head to face the Alicorn.
"Ah'm not dead?" she asked, as though to confirm the impossible. The Alicorn smiled and nodded.
"That's right, little one. You are most definitely alive."
"But Ah watched the dragon spit fire at me!" she said, still in disbelief.
"Courage saved you with the last of his magic," said the Alicorn.
"The last? You don't mean..." New tears began to well in her eyes.
"Don't worry, Apple Bloom. I'll always be around. You have all my power now, so even if you can't see or hear me, I'll always be there with you." Apple Bloom looked at the little golden triangle on her hoof. It took on a new meaning as she realized she may never see him again.
"Apple Bloom." The filly looked back toward the Alicorn, who had taken on a tone of authority. "I told you before that the Elements of Harmony had been scattered. I ask that you find them and their owners, restore Equestria to its former peace, and defeat the Darkness that currently rules over it. Will you do this for me?"
Apple Bloom hopped to her hooves, her tears completely replaced by determination. "Yes Ma'am!"
"Things will be different for you. In order to save you from the dragon fire, Courage had to seal you away from Equestria. While it may seem like only a few hours have passed, you've been sleeping in a separate dimension for a hundred years."
"A hundred...?!" Apple Bloom gawked.
"Yes. After a century of waiting, it is finally time for you to wake up." The image of the Alicorn glowed, then shattered into the streaks that formed it. "Find the Elements of Harmony" her voice echoed as everything faded away.
"Goodbye, Apple Bloom," said Courage as he too began to fade. "Never forget, I'll always be there." He disappeared completely.
...
Apple Bloom opened her eyes.
The little filly awoke groggily. The dreams she had must have affect her sleep, because she still felt tired. She tried to remember, but it was vanishing too quickly. It was something about a giant pony and... and... And it's gone, lost forever in time. She gave up and started to get out of bed.
Only to find herself not in a bed, but rather inside a large blue crystal. For some reason, she didn't feel afraid. Instead, she was curious. How did she get there? Who put her inside it, and how could she get out? She tried to think back... Nothing. Maybe her weird dream had something to do with it, but the dream was gone. She reached out to the crystal, and to her surprise, it shattered at the merest touch.
With the crystal gone, she found herself in an open field. She looked around. Not far away from her was a ruined old building. Under the brilliantly starry sky, she could see everything about it. It stood on a hill near a bridge and path that led away from it. As she moved closer, she saw it was made of a giant slab of solid clay. It must have taken an enormous furnace to make it.
Nopony could have lived here for a very long time, because the inside was a disaster area. Glass and wreckage was everywhere. The filly carefully tread the ground, making sure not to cut her hooves.
Then she saw a picture that wasn't completely destroyed. She picked it up off the ground and looked. Only the bottom right corner was missing. In it, she saw five ponies all smiling. On the left, a pink earth pony stood on her hind legs, propped over a white unicorn with a fancy purple mane. In the middle, a blue pegasus with a confident smile was propped on a lavender unicorn sitting behind a very yellow pegasus with tender eyes. To the right...
Nothing. All she could make out was the tip of a blonde mane before the picture singed. The filly set the picture back on the floor where she found it, then walked outside. The moon was shining brightly tonight, lighting her way as she went down the path in front of the cottage. Up ahead, she saw a crossroads. At its corner, there was a sign which read <-Canterlot||Ponyville->.
Ponyville looked closer, so she made her way to the right. A few minutes later, she arrived at a large wooden gate with two guard towers on each side. As she approached, a guard stepped from one of the towers and blocked her path.
"Halt!" he commanded. The filly stopped. "What is a filly like you doing out here all alone?"
"Um... I, uh... Walking?" she said.
"Smart Ass..." the guard muttered. "What's your name, filly?"
"It's--" she started. "It's, uh... Mah name is..."
"Well?" the guard asked impatiently. The filly struggled to find her name.
"There you are, my little pony! I've been looking all over for you!" The filly and the guard looked toward the gate to see a mare's head poking over the top.
"This filly belong to you?" the guard asked gruffly.
"That's right! You shouldn't have gone outside, little one. I know we were playing Hide-and-Seek, but that's going a bit too far, don't you think?"
"Uh... yea. Ah'm sorry." The filly played along. If it meant getting inside the gate, she was glad to do it.
"We'll discuss your punishment as soon as we get home. Mr. Guard? Would you be a dear and let her back inside?" the mare called. The guard huffed and grumbled as he walked back into the guardhouse. A moment later, the gate opened up enough for the filly to squeeze through and enter the town.
"Don't lose her again, got it? Next time I won't be so lenient."
"Thank you, Mr. Guard! Now then. We're going to have strong words on our way to the park, young lady." The filly followed the mare further inside. Only when they were out of earshot did the mare release her stern face. "Are you alright, little one?"
"Yea... Thank ya, ma'am. Ah dunno what Ah'd've if ya hadn't helped me," said the filly. "Why'd ya do it?
"Well, I couldn't just let a filly be bullied, now could I?" replied the mare sweetly. "Those bat-winged brutes are mean if they think they can get away with it. What was he bothering you about? Tolls? Population limits? Your strange accent?"
"Hey, what's wrong with mah accent?!"
The mare backed down nervously. "I never said anything was wrong with it, only that it was strange. I don't know anypony who talks like you do."
"Oh... sorry Ah snapped at ya, ma'am."
"Please, call me Harmonica." The burgundy mare smiled at the filly. "What's your name?"
"Ah, uh..." The filly hung her head in shame. "Ah dunno. Ah can't remember it fer the life o'me."
"You can't remember your own name? Well that simply won't do!" Harmonica cried aloud. "You have to be called something. After all, you are a pony. And all ponies have names."
"Ah know Ah'm a pony!" the filly huffed. Then she paused and thought back on what she just said. Ah'm a pony. Could that be mah name? Apony. No, Ah don't wanna be just a pony fer the rest o'mah life. Hmm... A-pon-y. Y-nop-a? No way, that sounds dumb! Y-pon-a? E-pon-a... Epona. "Epona."
"Epona?"
"Mah name. Ah just remembered it's Epona." The filly grinned nervously in hopes the mare would buy her story.
"Epona... What a lovely name." Epona's fake smile became real. "I'm glad you finally decided to tell me." Epona realized the mare didn't believe she really couldn't remember. For some reason, this made her sad.
The pair arrived at an open park filled with foals. "Well, here we are. It was good to meet you, Epona! Don't go running off again, ok?" And with that, Harmonica just suddenly up and left Epona by herself. Epona stared after the mare, wondering if she really cared at all, or if she was just talking to pass the time.
"Hey, leave me alone!" somepony shouted behind her. Epona turned around. Not far away near a swing set, three older colts were surrounding another, younger filly. "Stop, I mean it!" she cried fearfully. Several groups of ponies stood by and watched as the filly backed away. None of them moved a hoof to help her.
"Why, blank flank? What are you gonna do about it?" Something inside Epona burned. It was almost like she had seen this before, and she loathed it with every fiber of her being. As if by instinct, Epona drew a stick from her side and slowly made her way toward the group.
"I'll... I'll... I'll scream!" she yelled back.
"Ooooooo... I'm scaaared," sneered the leader. "Who cares if you scream? Look at everypony just standing around! It's play time, and nopony's going to--" Suddenly a stick slammed into the side of his face. He rolled across the ground ungracefully until he was finally stopped by a leg of the swings.
"Boss!" the others cried as they ran over to help. The filly looked at her in terror, like she was an even bigger monster than the bullies themselves.
"Are ya ok?" Epona asked the filly, not even regarding the other two bullies.
In a sense, she was.
"Please don't hurt me!" the filly begged.
"Why would Ah do that? I was keepin' them from hurtin' ya," Epona replied.
"Y-you aren't a bully?"
"Only to other bullies." Epona surprised herself with her words, but somehow, they just seemed natural to her.
"Why did you help me? You might get really hurt!" asked the filly.
"Well, I couldn't just let a filly be bullied, now could I?" She turned to face the other foals. "Ya might wanna go play somewhere else fer a li'l bit." The filly scurried to her feet and ran off.
"Thank you!" she called over her shoulder. Epona nodded, then returned her attention to the three.
"Dude, you're face is all black!" exclaimed one of the flunkies.
"And blue!" said the other.
"His whole body is blue, stupid!"
"Oh, right."
"Schuh dab! I'm vine, ya guyzh! Qui' worryin abou' me an go deetch da' girl nod dah mesh wid de Shcrubsh!" The two flunkies turned toward Epona and glared. They each picked up their own sticks and charged. With a calm fury, she held her wooden sword firmly in her grip and waited.
~~~~~~~~~~
What are you doing, Apple Bloom?
...
Apple Bloom? Apple Bloom, can you hear me? APPLE BLOOM!
Courage watched as Apple Bloom tore into the Scrubs with her sword. With her experience fighting stronger enemies, the colts were beaten soundly. Courage could understand that she would move to protect ponies. It was in her nature to do so, and he was proud that she would have the courage to stand up when no one else would.
What horrified him was that she didn't stop.
He remembered back to when she defeated Cerberus, all those decades ago. She had wanted to finish them off as well, but he didn't allow it. But now, something was preventing him from reaching her. He had ingrained himself into her spirit, thinking it would prevent any separation.
Unfortunately, he was right. When he was blocked, everything that made Apple Bloom who she was was blocked as well. Now she had his magic and everything he had accumulated from his travels, but no conscience. No guidance. Without anything to keep her in check...
Perhaps the little filly was right when she looked upon Apple Bloom as a bigger monster than the colts.
So many questions. Why couldn't she even remember her own name? Why did Harmonica bring her here? Why did she get so mad when she saw the colts being mean to the filly? Why did she keep hitting those colts after they stopped? Why did the filly stop her? Why did it hurt so much to think she was a bad pony? Epona wept silently as her thoughts dwelled on the memories.
"Stop! They're done! Stop hurting them!" a voice had cried from behind Epona. She had stopped mid-strike, just as she was about to bring her sword down on the head of one of the colts. When she turned her head back, she had seen the filly she saved earlier crying.
"Why are ya cryin'? They were gonna do the same thing ta ya," she had replied. "Don't they deserve it?"
"No! Not this. They were being mean, but this... this is cruel!" She realized she had been just as bad as the Scrubs. Maybe worse.
"Ah'm sorry..." She had pulled back her sword and put it away. She didn't care that the four other ponies were gawking when she turned and walked away from the Scrubs. Tears had filled her eyes and her heart hurt. She didn't understand what was going on, but she knew she didn't want to be a bad pony. Then she had come to this tree and laid down to be alone.
She wept silently by herself.
The sound of soft hoofsteps touched Epona's ears. "Um... A-are you ok?" asked a tender voice. She looked up to see the filly she rescued. Then she merely turned her head away, ashamed of her actions. "Are you hurt?" the filly asked. Was she? The colts never touched her, but she felt a pain in her chest. It was kind of hard to breath through the sobs. Did that count?
"Ah dunno. Maybe," she replied.
"Um..." The filly twiddled in the dirt for a moment. "I, uh... I wanted to thank you properly. You got rid of the bullies."
Epona looked up at the filly. Her off-white coat and mane gave her a strange, yet radiant aura in the moon and starlight. She was looking down at Epona with worried eyes. As Epona looked, she couldn't help but feel a little better.
"You're welcome," Epona finally said before putting her head back down on her hooves.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" the filly asked. Epona shook her head, so the filly sat next to her. "My name is Ivory. What's yours?"
"Epona."
"That's a nice name," she commented. "Are you new? I don't think I've ever seen you before today." Epona nodded. "Did you come with your parents?" Ivory asked.
"Mah parents...?" The word was foreign to her. Some things made sense, like protecting fillies from bullies. Some made no sense, like why she was hurting. But that word? It didn't have any sort of emotion attached to it. "No, Ah don't think so. Miss Harmonica helped me through the gate, then she brought me here."
"Where did you come from? Canterlot? Manehattan? Hoofington?"
"Uh..." Epona looked around. In the distance, she saw the ruined building on the hill. "That way," she said, pointing toward said cottage.
"But the only thing over there is..." Ivory blanched, an impressive feat for a pony already almost white. "...the Everfree Forest! "
"Huh? Ah didn't come outta no forest! Ah was next ta a house, but it was all burned."
"You lived in a burned house?"
"Ah don't think so, but there's a lot Ah can't remember. Maybe Ah did." The unicorn filly looked to the sky, then jumped up to her hooves.
"Hey, the stars are winking out! Come on, Epona," she said as she began to run through the park.
"Huh? Where are we goin'?" Epona asked, confused.
"You're going to stay at my house from now on. I'm sure my sisters won't mind when I tell them you're homeless. Now hurry up and come on!"
Epona looked up to the sky and sighed. Oddly enough, the stars were, in fact, disappearing one by one. When her eyes returned to the ground, she noticed that everypony else gave her a wide berth. She hung her head under the harsh stares of all the foals. "Over here!" Epona saw Ivory waving. Two adult mares were standing with her. One was purest white, and the other was a glossy jet black. She got up and went to the group.
"Who is this, Ivory?" asked the white mare.
"Yes, who is your friend?" asked the black.
"This is Epona. She's the one that saved me from the Scrubs."
"This is her?" The white mare turned and approached the filly. Suddenly she bowed low enough to lick the dirt. "Thank you, oh great hero, for protecting our sister!"
"Uh... yer welcome?"
"Canvas, you're making Epona feel uncomfortable!" The black mare gave a little buck to Canvas's flank, startling her back to normal. "I'm terribly sorry for my sister's behavior."
"It's a'right."
"Epona, this is Obsidian. She's my other sister and mare of the house." Obsidian extended her hoof at Ivory's introduction.
"It's nice ta meetcha, Miss Obsidian." Epona touched hooves with her in greeting.
"Oh, there's no need for formality." The two dropped the bump. Epona looked over at Canvas, who was watching the exchange with bated breath as though she expected some form of calamity to occur.
"Ivory, Ah think Canvas is a li'l weird..." Epona whispered.
"Weird? What are you talking about? That's completely normal for her," Ivory said nonchalantly. Epona stared at the trio. Then she shook her head and smiled.
"Well, it was nice to meet you, Epona, but it's time we got going," said Canvas. "It's getting late. See?" Epona looked up. The light of the stars was almost gone, and the moon was beginning to set. "Let's go, Ivory." Canvas and Obsidian turned and began to walk away.
"Oh, right! I forgot to ask!" Ivory ran in between them. "Can Epona stay with us?"
"Stay with us? You mean for the night?" Canvas asked.
"What does her family think about it?" Obsidian waited for Ivory's answer.
"W-well... she doesn't exactly... have one." The sisters gasped in unison. "Can we keep her?"
"Oh, the poor little dear! We cannot let our little sister's savior suffer alone!" the white unicorn wailed. "We simply must allow--"
"Canvas, don't get ahead of yourself!" The jet black mare looked back at Epona, then at Ivory. "I need to speak to her alone before I make a decision, okay Ivory?"
"Okay," Ivory replied. Obsidian walked to Epona and knelt down. Her face was stern.
"Am I in trouble?" Epona asked hesitantly.
"I keep a very close watch on my sister," she began. "If I think anything bad is going to happen, I step in and take control of the situation. I do not take kindly to anypony trying to hurt her."
"Did you know about the Scrubs?" Obsidian nodded. "Then why didn't ya help her when she was bein' bullied? Why'd ya wait fer somepony else do it fer ya?"
"Ivory is not as weak as you make her out to be. If I thought the Scrubs were any danger to her, I would have stepped in immediately. But when you showed up, I very nearly did."
"Me? I weren't no danger ta her! Ah was just helpin'!" exclaimed the filly.
Obsidian put her nose directly in front of Epona's and stared darkly into her eyes. Her voice became low, almost to the point of growling. "I'm going to trust you because you protected her. However, if you ever turn the anger you displayed against the Scrubs toward my Ivory, I will intervene. Am I clear?"
Epona gulped and nodded.
"Then you may stay with us." Obsidian turned and began to return to the others. Ivory's and Canvas's heads were pressed together, looking at her with large, expectant eyes. She gave a slight nod. The two danced around and whooped in glee.
"Come on, Epona! I'll show you the way home!" shouted Ivory as she bolted down the road. Epona looked up at Obsidian.
"Go on, then." Epona bolted after Ivory. The two adults followed behind as Ivory and Epona disappeared from sight.
"School?" Epona asked curiously. "What's a school?" She took another bite of oatmeal and waited for Ivory to finish chewing.
"It's a place where foals like us go to learn about math and history and other boring stuff," answered Ivory as they ate their breakfast.
"Oh, come now, Ivory. School isn't all that bad," Obsidian chimed in. "Don't you get to see all your friends?"
"It is a glorious thing to have friends in the most dire of situations!" Canvas held a hoof to her chest and closed her spontaneously tear-filled eyes. "I can't imagine what I would have done if I didn't have friends to help me through those boring lectures day after day!"
"Canvas..." Obsidian whispered harshly. "You aren't helping."
When her eyes returned to the ground, she noticed that everypony else gave her a wide berth. She hung her head under the harsh stares of all the foals.
"Ah dunno..." Epona murmured. "Ah don't think the other foals like me very much. Do Ah have to go?"
"Yes. You live in Ponyville now, so you have to go to school like everypony else," Obsidian stated firmly before looking outside. "The moon is almost up. Time to get going, you two." The fillies finished their meals then walked out the door. "I'll see you after school!" she called.
"Don't let the timber wolves eat you on the way!" Canvas called after them. Epona paused.
"Hey Ivory? What are timber wolves?"
"Timber wolves are magical wooden monsters with sharp teeth and claws that gobble up helpless ponies like you and me."
Epona whirled around. Her saucer-sized eyes were pinpricks. Obsidian facehoofed.
"Canvas!"
"Th-th-there are monsters like that here?!" the filly exclaimed worriedly.
"Don't worry, Epona. Canvas is just being Canvas. There aren't really any timber wolves on the way to school," Obsidian explained. Epona's entire body relaxed as she breathed a sigh of relief. She turned around to find Ivory staring darkly into her eyes.
"That we know of. But some fillies that take this road never return... "
*****
"Welcome to class! I hope everypony enjoyed their weekend and is ready for another great week of fun and learning!" A chorus of groans bombarded Jubilee's ears. She smiled patiently and grabbed a clipboard. "The first thing we're going to do today is take a roll call. Everypony stand next to your desks." All the foals in the classroom took their places. "When I call your name, please sit down. Juniper?"
"Here," called a blue and purple filly.
"Turntable?"
"Yo." A red unicorn colt with a scruffy black mane sat down.
"Twinkle Hooves?"
"Here!" bubbled a little grey pegasus filly.
"Truly?"
"Present," a pale pink unicorn sat down.
"Sticks?"
"Snapping," answered a brown colt.
"Seeds?"
"Sprouting," a green colt beside Sticks said.
"Deku?"
"Here." The blue leader of the Scrubs sat down and closed his eyes like the boss he was. Sticks and Seeds followed suit, like the flunkies they were.
"Ivory?" No response. Jubilee scanned the room. "Ivory? Not here?" The foals looked around the room. She was nowhere to be seen. "Absent. I'll have to talk with her sisters abo-" *BOOM! * The door suddenly flew open. A little white filly was huffing at the entrance. Behind her stood a life-sized replica of a yellow colored, red maned filly. It was so detailed that Jubilee thought she could see its fur flowing in the wind.
"Hergh...!" *skid * "Stupid...* *skid * "Scaredy..." *skid * "Pony..." Slowly, she dragged the model across the floor. Finally, she set up the model next to an empty desk and take her place. "Sorry... *huff* Sorry I'm late, Miss Jubilee."
"I might forgive you, if you tell me what this statue is doing in my classroom?"
"Statue?" Ivory looked at the unmoving yellow filly. "Oh, right." She reached over and smacked it. To everypony's surprise, it blinked!
"Ugh... What happened?" The model looked around to see 8 foals and an adult staring at her. "Are we at school already? How did we get here?"
"Be quiet, Epona. We're late to class because of you..." Ivory whispered sharply. Epona laughed nervously and sat down.
"Ivory, would you explain what's going on?" Jubilee asked as politely as she possibly could.
"This is Epona. She just moved in with me and my sisters, so she's going to attend school with us," Ivory explained.
"Wonderful! Always nice to have a new face. Epona, you said?" Jubilee wrote down the name onto her clipboard. "Good. Now that everypony is here, it's time to start our lessons. Today, we will be studying history." Another chorus of groans. "Now now, don't be rude. We have a guest speaker coming in today to give us a first-hoof account." A little grey pegasus raised her hoof. "Yes, Twinkle?"
"What does first-hoof mean?" the filly asked.
"It means she was there during the time these events took place, 100 years ago. Please give a round of applause for our speaker, Applejack." The foals lightly stomped the floor as an old mare walked through the doors. She was orange, very old, and very wrinkly, but even in her age the foals could tell she was still strong. She also carried a pouch which held some spectacles.
"Good Morning, fillies and colts."
"Good Morning, Miss Applejack," the class said in close unison.
"Thank you for having me as your guest speaker, Miss Jubilee. I knew your great great grandmother, Cheerilee, when she was a teacher here." She shook Jubilee's hoof, then turned back to the class and began her story.
"I used to be a farm pony, 100 years ago. Things were very different from now, back then. Back then, the day was lit by one very big star called 'The Sun'. It was so bright that the weather ponies could work in the day without blocking all the light."
"How could something be so bright that it would stay light even through clouds?!" one of the foals exclaimed from somewhere.
"May I borrow a few sheets of paper, young lady?" she asked Juniper, who was sitting nearby. The filly drew a few sheets and hoofed them to the old mare. "Thank you. Well, you know how bright the stars are now, right?" she said as he tore one sheet into several small squares. "Imagine taking all the light of those stars and squishing them into a giant ball." She crumpled up the squares into a wad. "Then add the moonlight to that." A second wad formed then joined the first. "Then do it again and again." Soon, the wad was a large mass of crumpled paper. "It was so bright that the sky's color went from almost black to bright blue. That's how bright the sun was."
"How could anypony see in that? We would all be blind!"
"We had a different ruler, named Princess Celestia," Applejack explained. "She would control the sun, like Empress Moon controls the moon and stars. She never let it get too bright for anypony to hurt their eyes unless they stared directly at it."
"You mean nopony could admire it like we can with the moon and stars?"
"That's right."
"She must have been very sad..." said Twinkle.
"Not at all! She was happy to help everypony see the beauty in the world around them, rather than the beauty in the sky."
"What do you mean?"
"Back then, there was a lot less blue and a lot more everything else. Trees were bright greens and yellows and reds and oranges like us ponies. Fields had many different colored flowers. The land's beauty belonged to the day, and the sky's to the night."
"Wow... What else was different?" asked Jubilee.
"Well, Ponyville wasn't as big back then, but we didn't need the defenses that we have today. It was a peaceful time, thanks to the Elements of Harmony."
"The Elements of Harmony are just a little foals story," sneered Deku. "They don't really exist."
"Aha, but they did exist. Would you like to hear the story of how they disappeared?" Cheers came up from the class, prompting her to continue. "Very well. I remember it like it was yesterday..."
Big Macintosh and Applejack were walking back home from the train station. They had just sent a shipment of apples to Canterlot, and the remains of breakfast pie and several glasses of cider were waiting for them at home. The two walked leisurely until they saw the other five Element bearers rushing toward them. Each of them wore worried faces.
"Hey, girls. What's wrong?" Applejack asked.
"It's the school! Everypony's been foalnapped!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash.
"What?!" The two Apples looked at each other. "Do ya'll know anythin' 'bout Apple Bloom? She was runnin' late today."
"Well, she's the one that told me, so she was ok..." Twilight said. The Apples sighed, relieved. "...but I think she ran off to save her classmates by herself!" A sudden terror gripped Applejack. She turned with frantic eyes toward her brother.
"Big Mac-"
"Go, AJ. Ah'll take care o'things here." She nodded and ran off with the others toward the school.
"Apple Bloom, please be okay..." she muttered as the village flew by. In the distance, she could see great mounds of dirt piled up in the schoolyard. "Diamond Dogs?!"
"Unfortunately, yes," said Twilight besides her. "Rainbow Dash has already taken Cheerilee to the hospital. She was injured in the attack."
"And the foals?"
"All underground. We'll have to search for them."
"Ah'm comin', Apple Bloom!" As soon as they arrived, Applejack jumped down the nearest hole, followed closely by the others. Her heart-rate was increasing by the second, and not just from the fall. She had to find her sister! Soon, she saw the ground hurtling towards her. She braced for a nasty landing, but fortunately, there was a soft patch of green right underneath her. She rolled out of the way quickly before the others landed on top of her.
"Well at least the landing wasn't as hard this time," commented Twilight. The group stood up and dusted themselves off, then suddenly realized they were surrounded. "Look, girls! It's the foals!"
*****
"When they reached the bottom, they were surrounded by the foals. All but one was safe and sound. That one... was my sister..." Old Mare Applejack sniffed a little bit as a tear came to her eye. Jubilee hoofed her a tissue. "Thank you..." *PBTPBTPBTPBTPBT!!! sniff * "When I found out she was gone, I was devastated. But my pain was nothing compared to what the Element Bearers had to go through after she fell..."
*****
*kechunk* AAAAAAAAAAaaaa aaaaaa......
"Oh Celestia, NO! APPLEBLOOOOOM!!"
The filly has chosen for you, it seems.
*CRASH* The world slowed down as the sound roared through Applejack's brain. "She's... gone..." She was vaguely aware of something grabbing her and putting something in her mouth, but her mind remained on that sound even as she was led away.
Hours seemed to pass as she walked through the corridors, deeper and deeper into the lair. The six mares were split up and taken to different areas. In Applejack's, there was a furnace and a brand, but she didn't care. Her element was removed from her neck and tossed in a safe. She could barely hear the dog chuckling over the echo of Apple Bloom's last moments. It pointed the metal toward her flank.
"Applejack!"
Applejack whirled. Standing there at the entrance to the room was her sister. She was alive! Apple Bloom threw an oddly shaped stick at the dog beside her, causing it to drop the brand. Applejack bucked it in the head and knocked it unconscious. Then she ran to touch her sister. Make sure she was real.
The earth rumbled, and a section of the room collapsed, separating the two sisters. "No! Apple Bloom!" She tried to moved the boulders, but they were too heavy. The earth rumbled again. Applejack barely had enough time to jump out of the way before another section crushed her, leaving a gap in the ceiling.
Had that really been Apple Bloom on the other side? No, it couldn't have been. The real Apple Bloom fell and died, and there was nothing Applejack could do about it. It may have been her ghost, helping her escape a horrible fate, but she was still dead. Having come back to her senses, Applejack ran through the gap and searched for her friends.
Suddenly a chorus of screams barreled down the corridor, striking her from all sides. Blood-chilling screams. The kind that paralyze you and rend at your soul. When she finally unfroze, her legs exploded with a sense of urgency matched only an hour ago. She saw an elevator. Each of her friends were muzzled and chained to the side.
And each of them had bright red squares on their flanks blotting out their cutie marks.
*****
"When Princess Celestia surrendered, the five Element bearers were paraded around Equestria as a symbol of victory," Applejack concluded. "Each element was divided among the kingdoms that assaulted Equestria as per the terms of surrender. The princess disappeared, our Empress assumed control of the throne, and here we are today."
"What about the sixth? Weren't there six Elements of Harmony?"
"Looks like somepony's been studying!" the old mare said with a wink. "There were, in fact, six Elements and six Bearers, but only five were captured. The stories say the sixth was lost during the cave-ins and that its bearer died underground."
"What do you think? You were there."
"Me?" The fascinated foals looked up at her with eager eyes. "I think she's still out there, waiting for the right time to save her friends."
"Do you think they're still alive?"
"It's possible. I mean, I'm still alive, aren't I?" Applejack chuckled. "I like to think they are out there somewhere, waiting to be rescued from their prisons." She yawned. "Hoo, gracious. It's almost time for my midday nap. Thank you again for having me, Miss Jubilee. And thank you all for listening to the story of a kooky old mare like me." The foals stomped in applause as she got up from her seat and walked to the door.
"Miss Applejack?" Applejack froze. That voice... It was so familiar, like a ghost of the past returned to haunt her. "Miss Applejack?" the voice repeated. She put on her spectacles and turned around to see the filly raising her hoof and calling her.
No... It couldn't be...
"Apple Bloom...?" she said quietly, a sob rising in her throat.
"Uh..." the filly lowered her hoof, a little confused. "No. Mah name's Epona."
"Of course... Silly me," she said. She regained what she could of her composure. "Can I help you, Epona?"
"Well, um, it's a little embarrassin', but... er... Would ya give me a hug?" The class looked at her like she was crazy. Asking for a hug from 100 year old strangers? What was Epona thinking? "Ah mean! Well, nevermind... Ah just felt like Ah needed to hug ya fer some reason. Sorry fer botherin' ya, Miss Apple...jack?" The old mare was reduced to tears. The two looked at each other for a moment before Applejack walked toward her with a purpose. "A-ah'm sorry! Ah didn't mean ta--"
The old mare's legs wrapped around Epona in a loving embrace. She froze from the unexpected contact, but soon she melted. Applejack was a really good hugger, she realized. Like she knew exactly how hard to squeeze, exactly where to rest her head. It was a perfect hug from a perfect stranger.
Epona hugged Applejack back, and Applejack melted the same way. This little filly was exactly the same as her Apple Bloom. Her coat. The way she talked. The way she squished her head into Applejack's neck. It was too much for her to handle, and she wept into the filly's mane.
Ah've missed ya so much, she thought to the filly. Ah love ya, Apple Bloom...
"Ahem," Jubilee coughed. The two released each other slowly.
"Th-thank ya, Miss Applejack. Ah'm sorry Ah made ya cry..." Epona wiped her own eyes of the mist that had taken them.
"It's a'right, Epona," she said, momentarily reverting to her old accent. "That was the best hug anypony has given me in a very, very long time." Applejack tearfully put her spectacles back in their pouch. The class was silent as she walked out of the room.
Epona led the two fillies back to the entrance of the ruins, and to an extent, she was glad to be rid of them. She didn't much like being interrogated with question after question to which she had no real answers. Where did she learn to fight like that? She didn't know. What else did she have hidden away? She didn't know. There were pockets that she couldn't open for some reason. Where was all that stuff hidden? In her mind? Impossible. Making something imaginary turn real would require seriously powerful magic, and she was an Earth Pony, so it couldn't be magic... Or could it?
When the group reached the entrance, the exasperated Epona all but threw Juniper and Twinkle onto the elevator and mashed the 'up' button.
She made her way back to the large room. The way to the left was now accessible. Pulling the lever had dropped not only the cage with Juniper and Twinkle, but also the elevator hanging above that door. Epona walked across and went through.
It was dark. Except for the soft glow around Epona's lantern and a small blue crystal above her head, everything was black.
Ah wonder if Ah can shake that thing loose... she thought to herself as she drew out her boomerang. After all, what's explorin' without treasure huntin'? She threw. *Ting * Suddenly the room was ablaze with light.
She stood in a small box above a massive arena. An odd sense of nostalgia swept over her as she stared into the expanse.
Cerberus! Cerberus!
She looked around the room. Had she been here before?
Cerberus! Cerberus!
This room... There were voices coming from this room, chanting from something. Then there was cheering. Did she dream about this place? Epona looked down into the arena. The three dogs from earlier were standing there, watching her as she watched them. The leader was holding something in his paw: a giant golden key.
"Dogs know Pony is looking for Pony's friend!" he yelled with his raspy voice. Then he lifted the key above his head. "If Pony wants key to friend's cage, Pony must come down!"
Epona jumped out of the room and floated down with her leaf. As she approached, the leader turned toward a jagged hole in the wall, where a giant treasure chest sat open. The dog placed the key inside the chest, then pulled something else out and closed it. He turned and revealed a vial in his paw.
"Dogs remember Pony," he said as he walked slowly back to his companions. "Pony like you came to Dogs' home long time ago. Pony with boomerang and knife." The dog uncorked the vial.
"Pony with claws. Pony with green shirt and hat." A black, wispy mist began to rise out of the vial and surround him.
"Pony like you fought us 100 years ago. Pony like you beat us." The mist spread to his companions and lifted them into the air.
"Now you come to Dogs' home!" He shouted angrily. The black mist swirled violently around the trio.
"Now you come with knife and boomerang!" His companions were completely enveloped in the swirl, and only his head remained visible.
"Now you come with claws and green clothes!" An explosion of darkness burst from the group, blasting Epona off her feet and sending her flying backward. She quickly opened her leaf, barely allowing her to slow down before she crashed into the wall. She looked up to see an enormous three-headed dog, not grey like the three had been, but pitch black.
"Cerberus will not be beaten by Pony again! " the three heads growled furiously. The beast reared up and charged. Instinctively, Epona summoned the digging mitts and burrowed into the ground just before getting mauled by the great beasts teeth. The beast slammed into the wall, causing everything to shake from the force. Then it slumped to the ground.
Epona dug her way out and looked at him. He just lay there, motionless. Satisfied her work was done, she went over to the large chest.
*SCHICK * A set of metal bars suddenly shot out of the ceiling, blocking her path. A moment later, the ground shook and a roar emanated from behind her. She whirled to see the great dog rising to its feet. It growled angrily.
"Cerberus had forgotten pony could do that ," the three heads rumbled in unison. It turned back to face her. "But Cerberus learn from mistakes !" The ground shook as he dug down into the earth. Epona ran to the center of the arena. If that dog popped up, she didn't want to be trapped by the wall! Moments later, the ground shook again and began to bulge underneath her. It erupted, and she flew into the air as the heads of Cerberus gnashed their teeth at her. Then she began to fall.
Epona opened her leaf, slowing her descent, but still falling directly into one of Cerberus' jaws. He laughed and held his mouths open wide enough to swallow her whole. Epona could see far enough into each of his mouths to see little fleshy protrusions dangling at the bottom.
"Ya wanna eat somethin'? Eat this!" She held both ends of the leaf in one hoof, then drew out her boomerang and launched it into the back of the right head's throat, striking his uvula. The boomerang flew out just before the head coughed and clamped its jaw shut. Epona put the leaf away and fell on top of the head, raised her blade in her hooves, and *splitch *
Cerberus roared in pain, throwing Epona away. The head thrashed violently from side to side, spewing ichor from its wounded eye. The thrashing slowly stopped, then the head slumped to the ground. A large section of black mist wisped away, and the largest of the three dogs appeared where the head used to be. He fell to the earth in an unmoving heap.
"Fido! " the remaining heads howled. The great beast dug its way back to the surface, followed closely by a jet of warm air. Both heads whimpered at the form, but it wouldn't respond. No motion. No breathing.
Already his nose was becoming dry.
The black mist began to rise off of Cerberus, evaporating even as Epona stood and watched. Soon it was completely gone.
"Fido..." the lead dog whimpered. Then he turned his head slightly toward Epona. "Pony... take key. Take key, take pony friend and get out..."
The bars lifted from the cave holding the great treasure chest. Epona trotted over to the chest and opened it.
Epona got the Gem Key! Use it to unlock the large door in the Diamond Dog's Lair!
When she looked back, the three dogs were already gone.
~~~~~~~~~~
Ivory slowly opened her eyes and stretched her tired muscles. *clink clink * "What the hey?" She lifted her head and found she was chained to the ground. Frightened, she struggled to get free but it was no use. She just lay on her side and set her head back down.
"Hello? Is anypony there?" No answer. "Juniper? Twinkle?" Still nothing. "HELLOOOO??" Helloooo... ellooo... ello... lo... Suddenly the dirt behind her erupted. "What was that?!" She tried to look but it was too far for her head to turn.
"Pony is coming for you," a voice rasped. "Strong pony. Stronger than Dogs." Ivory's heart leapt for joy, as her body could not.
"Hah! You're going to get it! I'm gonna get rescued, and you're going to prison!" she yelled triumphantly.
"No, pony. Dogs not go to prison," the rasp said sadly. "Dogs go to funeral."
"Huh?"
"And pony will help Dogs escape!" Ivory heard a cork popping, followed by a slight hiss.
"What are you doing? What's going on?!" she cried frantically as a blackness crept over her.
"Pony is coming for you, but Pony can't save you!" There was a shuffling of dirt, and Ivory knew the dogs were gone. She fought with everything she had to get the black away. Her horn flashed brightly, as though it would stop the relentless movement around her body. She flashed over and over again, until the darkness overtook her horn.
"Somepony help meeeeee!!-- " The black mist swallowed her cry as it enveloped her completely.
"Wow. It's even bigger up close," Epona muttered as she stood next to the giant lock. She withdrew the Gem Key and slid it inside. The key turned on its own, wrenching itself from Epona's hoof as it quickly spun round. In a moment, the key stopped abruptly, and the lock fell away from the door. The door split in two and separated as if to invite her inside.
She accepted the invitation.
"Ivory! Where are ya?!" In the center of the room, a pitch black mare was on her side chained to the ground, her face away from Epona. She wasn't moving except for slow breathes.
"Ivory? Is that you?" The mare's ears perked a little bit. Then she began to move.
The chains chinked and clanked as she brought her hooves under her body. She leaned onto them and began to rise, and the chains groaned and creaked. Suddenly, with several loud *POPS * the chains snapped and broke away from her. They fell to the ground as little more than shards of metal. The black mare turned her head sideways and glanced backward at Epona.
Her eyes were green slits.
"I-Ivory?" Epona asked nervously.
"Ivory? That weak unicorn? No. " The unicorn closed her eyes and tensed her body. Epona watched as her black coat misted, suddenly bursting away from her body and creating two great, leathery wings. "I am Ebony!"
Ebony flapped her wings and rose into the air. Epona quickly drew out her sword and shield and braced herself for attack. Ebony flew from side to side, testing the power of her wings. She paused and hovered, smiling darkly. "These are powerful wings. I wonder what else is stronger?" Ebony charged a dark green and purple ball of magic and flung directly for Epona. Compared to Cerberus, the ball was slow, so the filly easily had time to jump to the side and dodge.
But the ball followed. Epona cried out in pain as it struck her in the side and exploded, searing her fur and knocking her several feet through the air. When she returned to the ground, she rolled gracelessly on her flank.
"Hahaha! It's strong! " Ebony said victoriously as she charged another ball and fired. Epona stood up quickly and raised her wooden shield in defense. The ball exploded again, blasting the shield to pieces and sending her flying backward. "Very strong! How do you like it, Epona? How do you enjoy being the one to take damage? How does it feel to be on the receiving end, huh?! " Epona scrambled to her hooves and shot a glare into Ebony.
"What did ya do to Ivory?" she growled. "Where's mah friend?! Give her back!"
"Silly Earth Pony. Ivory is gone! She was weak. Pitiful. Unable to lift a hoof against mere bullies! " She flew high and spread her wings to their fullest, casting a dark shadow along the ground. "Now, I am everything she wanted to be: Strong. Majestic. Powerful enough to stand against anypony who tried to hurt her, just like you. Except now I'm stronger than you! " She began to charge another ball of magic. "I'm never going back to the way I used to be! " The ball flew toward Epona. Without a shield and unable to dodge, She did the only thing left: Fight back. She swung her sword at the ball as hard as she could. The magic met the metal...
And flew back toward Ebony.
"What?! " *Boom! * "Aaahh! " The ball exploded as it hit Ebony's chest, and she fell to the ground. Epona charged and struck down at the great black wings, hoping to cut away the mist she knew was controlling her friend. But the mist was like an armor and wouldn't be cut. It was then that she saw a glint. A slight gleam shining from Ebony's back.
It was a small vial.
A moment later, Ebony's horn glowed and Epona was tossed away from her. "How dare you... " she growled. "How dare you bring me to the ground! " Ebony flew back into the air and charged her magic again. "You were lucky that time, but do not expect mercy from me any longer! "
She fired. Epona struck the ball and sent it back toward Ebony. But then Ebony's horn flared and sent it back faster than before. She struck it again. Again Ebony returned it. Faster and faster the ball traveled, until finally- "Aaahh! " Epona charged at the collapsed Alicorn and slashed at the vial.
*ching *
A great roar emanated from Ebony's body. Epona jumped back as the Alicorn writhed and shook, rippling from the vial across Ebony's body. Sections of her coat began to mist and fog away. Seeing this, Ebony closed her eyes and flared up her horn. The mist was suddenly drawn back to her body, as though it had never left. She glared at Epona with her green, slitted eyes with a burning hatred. Yet there was something else. Could there also have been... fear?
"You... You're a monster. " Epona halted at the words. "To repel my magic like that and knock me to the ground? Only a monster can do something like that. "
"Ah'm not a monster..."
"It's no wonder those colts stood no chance when you attacked them, you monster, " Ebony continued. "After all, how could mere foals challenge a monster that fights on par with Alicorns? " She flew high above Epona's head. Her horn's glow steadily grew brighter, until a beam lanced the ground next to Epona. A smoldering, pony-sized hole and a short jet of hot air were the results. "Monsters like you can't be allowed to live. I'm going to erase you! "
"Wah!" She jumped away just as another bolt came down right where she was standing. Epona raced around, avoiding the lances carefully as they tracked her across the floor.
"Stop moving, monster! It's hard to hit you when you don't stand still! "
"Ah'm not a monster!" A lance struck directly in front of her. Unable to stop in time, she fell into the hole created by the beam of pure magic. Then she erupted out as the air jet forced her ten feet upward. She could hear Ebony chuckling as she flailed through the air. She managed to get out her leaf in time to slow her fall, allowing her to safely land.
Ebony resumed her lances, leaving more holes and jets as she followed Epona around. The filly just wouldn't quit running! All around the floor, as far away as possible, directly underneath-- Right in front of her?! Epona flew over Ebony's head, leaf in hoof, carried by a blast of air that threatened to throw Ebony's wings off balance. Then the leaf disappeared, and Epona fell on top of her.
The Alicorn tried to stay in the air, but the sudden force sent her plummeting to the ground with the filly on top. The filly jumped off her back at the last second, letting Ebony crash into the floor while she floated harmlessly above. She released her leaf and pounced on Ebony, then drew her sword quickly and struck the vial again.
*ching *
Epona jumped back and watched as the darkness around Ebony shook violently, threatening to completely unravel. It racked the Alicorn's body with tremors, and she screamed in pain and fury as her wings evaporated. Her horn flared brilliantly and shot out a slew of tendrils that grabbed the mist and forcibly pulled it back to her.
Once Ebony regained her composure, she turned her emerald eyes back to Epona. The hatred was still there, but the sense of urgency and fear that had only been a minor prickling was now swallowing all other emotions.
She glanced back at the vial which gave her her power. It was all but shattered. Cracks ran down from one tip to base, and she was certain the only thing holding it together was magic at this point. One more strike, and it would be all over.
"Why are you doing this, Epona? " she asked. "What makes you think I want to go back to being weak and pathetic? "
"The Ivory Ah know ain't weak or pathetic. She's nice, an' gentle, an' she don't like to hurt nopony. She's strong in heart an' mind." Epona dropped her guard and began to walk toward Ebony. "But right now, ya ain't none o'that stuff. Yer violent an' mean an' hateful."
"Who cares?! I've never been as strong as I am now, even in my dreams! But you want me to be weak again, you monster. That's it! You're just a monster that's not on top anymore, and you're afraid! "
"Ivory-"
"I'm NOT Ivory! I'm Ebony! " she screamed as her eyes pinched shut.
"Ivory," Epona continued, taking several more steps. "You're right. Ah'm a monster. Like ya said earlier, nopony but a monster could fight with Alicorns an' keep her ground. Compared to the other fillies at school, Ah'm the strongest one there is, an' everypony knows it. But ya know what else Ah am?"
Ebony opened her eyes and glanced at Epona with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.
"Ah'm alone. Ah got no real family. Sure, Ah live with ya an' yer sisters, but Obsidian's always watchin' me like Ah'm gonna do somethin' awful, an' Canvas hardly notices Ah'm there." Epona slowly closed the gap between them. "An' at school, Ah got no friends 'cause everypony's afraid Ah'll do somethin' to'em like what Ah did to the Scrubs. "
"... "
"Ya've got ponies who care 'bout ya. Ya've got good friends back home. Ya've got two great sisters who love ya fer who ya are an' care fer ya more'n anythin' in the world." She reached out and touched Ebony's black shoulder with her hoof. The Alicorn looked down into her eyes. "Ya can't just let all that go. Don't trade'em fer anythin', 'specially not fer a little extra magic. Don't push'em away."
"I... I just want to be able to stand on my own hooves without being afraid. I just want to be strong like you... "
"Ah know ya think everythin's gonna be all better now that ya got a little more magic in yer horn." She glanced over Ebony's shoulder at her wings. "Okay, a lot more magic in yer horn, but bein' stronger than everypony around ya ain't like that. What good is strength if ya push everypony that loves ya away? What good is magic if ya ain't got no friends?"
Epona drew her in and hugged her tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Please... Don't give up yer friends an' turn into a monster like me..."
"I... " Ebony's eyes began to revert to Ivory's normal brown instead of their current slitted green. The black mist began to fall back away from her face, revealing Ivory's pale, off-white coat. "Epona, help me please! I don't want to be a monster!" she wailed.
"Don't ya worry, Ivory. Ah'll get ya outta this black mist in no time!" Epona raised her sword.
*ching *
The vial shattered. Suddenly, the black mist exploded from Ivory's body, launching Epona away from her. When she returned to her hooves, Epona saw the mist swirling around and stopping abruptly, as though it were searching for something. Ivory was unconscious on her side in the center of the whirling maelstrom. Epona jumped forward in a rush to get Ivory away from the mist just as it turned inward and paused.
"Oh no, ya don't! Yer not gettin' Ivory again!" The world seemed to slow down as Epona urged her legs to carry her faster. The mist darted downward toward the unconscious filly. Epona grabbed Ivory and threw her out of the cloud, then everything went black.
*****
"...Apple Bloom..." Epona found herself floating in a sea of black. "Can you hear me... Apple Bloom?" She turned her head toward where she thought the sound came from, but there was only nothingness.
"Hello? Is somepony there?"
A soft, yellow glow lit up beside her. She looked into the glow. There was a figure there. A strange, yet familiar figure. It stood on two legs, like the dogs, but it had longer legs and smaller arms. The figure stepped forward out of the light. She noticed it wore the same clothes she was wearing. Were they connected somehow?
"Hello again, Apple Bloom," the figure said. Epona started to speak, but the figure cut her off. "We don't have much time. You are unconscious, but you'll wake up soon."
"Ah'm asleep?"
The figure nodded. "It would seem so. I would wake you up myself, but unfortunately I still can't join you in Reality. I can, however, grant you access to a little more of my power from here." The figure reached into Epona and drew out a small pouch. Then a symbol on the end of his left paw glowed in the shape of a triangle. He reached inside the pouch and touched a pocket. After a moment, he pulled back and returned the pouch.
"Choosing to rescue that filly, despite knowing your chances were low, took a lot of courage. Thanks to the power of that courage, I was able to give you a few more items. Use them wisely." The blackness began to crack and splinter. "Ah, it looks like our time is up. Remember, Apple Bloom! You have to rescue the--
*****
"Epona! Epona, wake up!" Epona felt herself being shaken wildly. "Epona!!"
"Ah'm up, Ah'm up..." Suddenly the weight of a filly flopped on top of her, causing her breath to be lost and her eyes to be bulged. "Ooph!"
"Thank the Empress, you're alright! I woke up when you threw me, then you got hit by that black stuff! When it disappeared, you stopped moving and fell over. I thought you were dead!" Ivory hopped off and let Epona breath again. "But you aren't dead! And you look like you're okay. Are you okay?"
"Well, nothing hurts, so Ah guess Ah'm a'right..." What exactly happened? Epona could faintly remember something about... What was it? There was a... Nope. The memory's gone.
"Anyways, let's go back home. Thank you for saving me, Epona." Epona looked over at Ivory. She was smiling with as big a grin as she had ever put on. For some reason, Epona couldn't help but be happy at the sight.
"Yer welcome, Ivory." The two had just turned toward the large door when a wash of light flared up behind them. They turned to find a massive treasure chest just sitting there.
"No... Way..." The two looked at each other and squee'd. "We found treasure in the ruins! " Ivory cried. The pair of fillies were at the chest in two thirds of an instant, itching to see what was inside, yet not wanting to ruin the suspense.
"Go on, Ivory. Open it." Ivory giggled madly as she reached her hoof toward the giant box. But then she stopped.
"No, Epona. You open it," she said as she pulled back.
"Me?" Epona replied in shock. "Ain't this what ya were lookin' for?"
"Yea, but you're the one who earned it. You can have the treasure."
"Are ya sure?"
"Just open it already! I'm dying to see what's inside!" Epona shrugged and obeyed. The inside glowed as she cracked it open. Slowly the chest's lid rose on its hinges as Epona inched it upward.
Then it suddenly flew out of Epona's hooves and she fell to the ground.
"What the hay?" she said as she picked herself back up.
"Sorry. You were going so slow, and I kinda got impatient, so I kicked it." Ivory grinned innocently. Epona rolled her eyes then looked inside and found...
You obtained the Element of Honesty! This is one of the five ancient Elements of Harmony! There is rumored to be a sixth, but nopony knows what it is...
"WOW!!" Ivory exclaimed with large brown starry eyes. "That's really pretty!"
"Do ya want it?" Epona asked. Ivory's eyes would've widened even further if it were possible. Didn't keep them from trying, though.
"Do you really mean that?" Ivory asked.
"Sure. Ah don't really need it." Ivory stared at the tiara for a long moment before finally shaking her head.
"No. Something tells me you need it more than you think."
"Huh? Whaddaya mean?"
"Hey look." Ivory ignored Epona's last question. "There's something else in here!" Ivory pulled out a large gemstone. It was red with a white outline, carved in the shape of a heart. "This is also really pretty... Can I take this?"
"Sure. Ah don't need gems an' such."
"Thanks! Here you go, Epona!" she said cheerfully, holding out the jewel.
"What?" Epona asked, confused. "Didn't ya say ya wanted it?"
"I already claimed it! And now I'm giving it to you."
"Why?"
"Oh, because..." Ivory fidgeted.
"Uh, ya'lright? Yer face is real red. Ya got a fever or somethin'?" Ivory's blush deepened.
"No! I'm fine!" she said quickly with a nervous smile. Epona stared hard at her for a few moments. Beads of sweat practically poured down the back of her neck under the pressure. Finally, she was released.
"Yer weird, Ivory." Epona took the heart and placed it in her imaginary pouch with the rest of her belongings. Strangely enough, there was already one just like it sitting inside the pouch where she chose to place it.
Suddenly, the chest began to glow. It grew brighter and brighter until it flashed into hundreds of little sparks, fading out one by one.
"Ivory! Ivory, where are you?" a voice called from the room beyond the large doors.
"IVORY-chan! Doko ni imasu ka?!" called a second, much less serious voice.
"Canvas..." growled the first.
"Sorry..."
"Hey, that's my sisters!" Ivory said happily. Then she suddenly realized her words. "Wait, that's my sisters. I'm not exactly supposed to be down here..."
"Ivo-- There you are!" Obsidian appeared at the large door. Then she teleported directly in front of the pair of fillies. "Epona. I see you are here too." She looked at Ivory. "Did she put you up to this?" Ivory hung her head.
"No... I came--"
"Yes, Miss Obsidian, Ah did," Epona said quickly. Ivory shot her a surprised look. "Ivory didn't wanna come, but Ah kinda pressured her into it. Ah hoped that she could help me find some treasure or somethin' with her magic, but there wasn't anythin' here."
"Is this true, Ivory?" Ivory looked at Epona, who looked back. A glance of thanks passed from Ivory to Epona, which was responded to by a slight, almost imperceptible nod.
"Yes, it's true. I'm sorry I came down here, Obsidian." Obsidian nodded and patted her on the head.
"Canvas? Take Ivory back up to the surface. Oh, and let the townsponies know that we found them and that they are safe."
"Most certainly, venerable sister!" Canvas bowed low, then took Ivory up on her back and trotted out.
"As for you, Epona ..." The filly gulped.
There was a desk. On this desk, there was a case of quills made from the finest Griffin feathers. Next to this case was a well filled with the ink of the Kraken, defeated by the Zebrica National Navy. A gemstone from the Allied Diamond Dog Colonies acted as a paperweight for the scrolls parchment, and an ever-burning candle, with a flame of dragon fire, lit the entire area. Next to the desk was a chair made of the finest chitin in Equestria, courtesy of the Badlands Hive. And in the chair sat the most prominent mare in all of Equestria.
The Empress herself.
The Dark Alicorn looked down at the parchment and sighed. After a hundred years of alliance with the above mentioned kingdoms, diplomacy was starting to break down. Had she been younger and more rash, she would have gladly welcomed the conflict, but the century of relative peace had softened her. Not that she minded, of course. She actually preferred the lull that peace provided.
But it seemed destined to fail. To the North, the griffins were getting restless. The zebras had begun to patrol the waters to the South and East. Dragons stirred in the west. The beasts of the Everfree were growing stronger and more organized. And here was Equestria, caught in the center of it all. Sometimes she wished she were back on the streets again, tending to the amusement of various townsponies.
"Hey, you can't go in there!" came the muffled voice of a guard through her door.
"This is urgent! I need to speak with the Empress immediately!"
"Again, you can't-- Whoa!" The doors flew open, revealing a dark brown Unicorn. The Empress turned her gaze upon the mare. As the mare walked into the room, the Empress saw a glint fall in the background and crash to the ground.
"There was a time when I would have executed you for entering my chambers." The mare bowed low as was customary when addressing her. "Raise your head, messenger, and tell me what this is all about."
"Forgive me your majesty, but urgent matters require your presence," informed the mare as she rose to her hooves.
"What is so important as to interrupt my evening with your abrupt intrusion? Could this not wait until morning?"
"It's the Dogs, your majesty. They've sent an ambassador and he, uh... 'requests' your immediate presence."
"Tell the bitch to wait until morning." She turned back to the scroll in front of her. "Just use more diplomatic words than those. I don't need another power getting upset at the world."
"He said to tell you if he didn't get his audience with you, he would sh- uh, defecate on your throne."
"That would be an act of war." The Empress sighed. "Tell him I'll be there shortly."
"Yes, your majesty." The courier left.
"I guess I'll have to write my letter later..." she mused irritably. The Empress set down her quill and walked to an armor rack. She drew the silver helmet, breastplate, and hoof guards from the ponnequin. With her work clothes all set, she turned into a mist and flew to the throne room. A dog wearing the finest furs and braces set with diamonds was waiting for her. He did not look particularly pleased.
"Welcome, ambassador," she said ethereally as her body formed at the throne. With meetings like this, the entrance was everything.
"Empress Moon," the ambassador returned with a rasp. He bowed, then approached. "As you know, the Treaty of Nations allows each kingdom to have a limited military presence in every other kingdom to ensure mutual trust."
"Yes, I remember it well. I helped write it," she replied.
"Of course. Your majesty, I have just received some troubling news from my superiors. There has been an attack on our Equestrian outpost. Do you know anything of it?"
"I'm afraid not. I can't imagine who would be bold enough to make such an attack, especially on Equestrian soil. When was this, and do you have any idea who it was?"
"It happened three days ago. The report is still unconfirmed, but according to the sentries who were stationed there, it was a pony." The Empress was stunned. There were strict laws against entering the foreign nations' bases, and the outposts were granted authority to act should anypony approach. Who would be foolish enough to actually follow through with something like this?
"Wait. A pony? Not even multiple ponies? Are you sure?"
"According to the sentries, several ponies had gone in earlier, but were nullified and captured. A single pony followed and rescued the others, then defeated them."
"Did you not have a champion stationed there?" she asked. "Every base is allowed a Champion, in accordance with the Treaty."
"We did, but he was defeated. Our champion was Cerberus." The Empress looked at the ambassador in shock. That was not the answer she had expected. A pony capable of defeating Cerberus had not been seen since the time of the Elements. There were only a few ponies in Equestria skilled enough to discover a hidden base. Fewer still that could take one down, and even fewer that could do it alone. Less than 10 perhaps in all of Equestria. But to defeat Cerberus single-hoofedly?
"At this point, the location of your base is compromised. Will you tell me where this took place? I may be able to narrow down the list of ponies capable of such crimes."
"Certainly, if it will help find the invader. It was located near Ponyville."
"Did you... just say Ponyville?" An intense sudden urge welled inside her. She fought it with everything she could: emotions, reason, the need to keep up appearances in front of the ambassador, but it was too much. Her mouth curled. Her eyes slowly closed. Her chest felt like it was going to explode.
"BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!" Tears streamed down her face as she lost control.
"Empress Moon, I fail to see what is so amusing!" the dog said lividly. "Don't you know what this means? An attack on our outpost is an act of war!"
"The thought itself is utterly ridiculous!" she managed to say as she wiped the tears off her coat. "Ponyville is the most peaceful place in all of Equestria. It's far more likely that you were attacked by a beast from the Everfree Forest than a pony of Ponyville."
"No, our sentry was very clear. He said it was a pony."
"That may be, but not around Ponyville. There are no weapons there. No militia. No possible way of training a pony to do what you claim he or she did outside of my school, and all of my agents are stationed far from the region. The gatekeepers have spears, but only because the beasts of the Everfree have grown restless. They don't have the ability to defeat trained soldiers. It is completely absurd that Ponyville is capable of instigating this attack!" She broke into another fit of giggles.
"This is no laughing matter, Empress! There have been casualties. One of our dogs died in the attack, and the invaders stole the Element of Harmony." She immediately sobered.
"You take your jest too far. Are you implying that the ponies I love and trust are capable of committing such heinous acts?" she asked darkly.
"I was never joking about this. Perhaps you do not know your subjects as well as you think you do."
An almost cruel glare blazed in her bright green eyes. "How dare you, Ambassador. If there is one place in this world that know better than this very castle, it is Ponyville. I personally helped rebuild it after the Dragons destroyed it. I personally attend festivals there. I've personally known most of the families who live there for nearly a hundred years, and some for longer!"
The ambassador took several steps back. Under the harsh gaze of the Empress, his initial pomp withered. "I am sorry, your majesty. I meant no offense."
"You meant every offense!" She raged. "You come here to my castle, saying my most treasured haven of peace has somehow managed to stage an act of aggression unthinkable in Equestria. On top of that, you accuse them of stealing an international treasure from an allied nation! Not even the dregs of Manehattan would dare attack a base protected by the Treaty for fear of my wrath!"
"Perhaps, but-"
"I'm not finished! " she boomed in her ancient voice. "Not only do you sully Ponyville's name, but you have the gall to tell me to my face that I don't know my own ponies?! " The ambassador shrank back again, unable to look her into her enraged visage. Her voice became calm. No, not quite calm, but extremely restrained. "I will lead my own investigation into this matter. If I find nothing that backs your claim, then you have doomed any chance of peace with Equestria. Now get out of my sight! Your very presence is disgusting to me."
Several long moments of silence followed the ambassador's hasty retreat. Out from the darkness, the brown courier stepped toward the throne.
"Empress, if what the dog said is true, and somepony truly has taken the Element of Harmony, then they may go after the others as well," she whispered.
"It's unthinkable," the Dark Alicorn replied, deep in thought. "Completely unthinkable, yet not quite impossible..."
"Should I go and get her ?"
"No. I am in no real danger yet." She got up and paced the floor in thought. "Check to see if all agents have consistently checked in for the past month. Also, find out about any merchants who have gone through Ponyville in the past month and newcomers for the past six months."
"Right away, your Majesty!" The courier ran toward the doors.
"And courier?" The Unicorn halted waiting for the next words. "Summon the Dean of Students."
"Juniper! Twinkle!" Juniper and Twinkle Hooves paused and looked back to see Ivory waving at them. They waited for her to catch up, then all walked to school together. "Hey girls. How are you two doing?"
"I'm okay," said Juniper. "I mean, considering I was a prisoner just last week."
"What about you, Twinkle? How are you holding up?"
"I've never been so happy to see the stars..." the little Pegasus replied. "I never want to go underground again!"
"Don't worry. You won't have to, will she Juniper?" Ivory gave the purple filly a hard look.
"Hey, I'm sorry alright? I know it wasn't one of my better ideas." The school building approached as they came to the base of the hill. "I'm just glad somepony was able to find us."
"Yea, me too. Being in a cage was scary!" Twinkle agreed.
"Speaking of Epona, what happened to her?" Juniper asked. "I haven't seen her at school for a week."
"Well..."
*****
"Hey look! It's a letter from Obsidian!" Ivory exclaimed as she rushed over to Canvas. "Would you read it, please?"
"Why certainly!" Canvas opened the scroll.
Dear Sisters,
I've taken Epona for some quality time alone. We'll be back when I'm through beating the ever-liv soon.
-Obsidian
*****
"She's out with Obsidian." The school bell rang just as they arrived. They walked inside and took their seats.
"Good morning, everypony. It looks like everypony is here, except-" The door flew open. Epona stood at the entrance breathing as though she had run a marathon. "Welcome back to class, Epona."
"It's good to be here on time, Miss Jubilee," she said between short huffs. "Ah am on time, right?"
"Barely." Epona breathed a large sigh of relief and entered the building. "Take your seat please."
"Are you alright?" Ivory whispered. "What did she do to you?"
"Don't ask." The look in Epona's eyes was all Ivory needed to know not to question further.
"Now that everypony is here, I'd like to introduce a new student." A little grey filly with a flaming orange, yellow-tipped mane came from the teacher's office. She wore a strange mask that circled her head like a crown and covered one of her red eyes. There was also a strangely sharp tooth that stuck out from the upper corner of her mouth. "Why don't you introduce yourself?" She nodded and turned to face the class.
"Hello. I'm Mirror Child. I just moved here from Canterlot. I transferred here from the Empress' School for the Magically Gifted as part of a new exchange program."
"Aww... Looks like Ponyville got stuck with another weird one." Deku looked her over with an appraising eye. "What do you think, Scrubs? She look weird to you, too?"
"Looks like it, boss," Sticks and Seeds said dutifully.
A devilish grin spread across Mirror Child's face, emphasizing the lone fang. "I'm pretty sure ponies clean floors with scrubs back home. Did you name yourselves the Scrubs because ponies wipe the floor with you, too?" Deku and his flunkies stood up angrily.
"Sit back down!" Jubilee said sternly. "I will not tolerate bickering or fighting inside the school. If you want to rough house, you will have to wait until recess. Now, go and take your seat. It is next to Deku's, so try to get along." Mirror Child went and sat down.
"Listen, Broken Mirror. I run things here, so I suggest you watch your flank," Deku warned.
"How fearsome," she smirked. "I'll keep that in mind."
*****
The bell rang. In an instant, the room was empty except for two seats. "That was the lunch bell, Mirror Child. Why don't you go outside and sit in the circle with the rest of the foals? Get to know some of them better, and you'll make more friends."
"Okay." Mirror Child grabbed her lunch box then went and joined the other fillies and colts in their circle. "Mind if I sit here?" she asked.
"Yes. Go away, Broken Mirror," sneered Deku. Sticks and Seeds stood guard around him with their sandwiches in hoof. She rolled her eyes.
"Don't listen to him. You can sit next to us." Mirror Child looked to the side and saw an off-white Unicorn waving her over, along with a purple Earth Pony and a light grey Pegasus. She went and sat down. "Welcome to Ponyville, Mirror Child. I'm Ivory, and these are Juniper and Twinkle Hooves."
"Nice to meet you."
"Hey, nice doo." She looked around and saw a colt with flaming hair like hers wearing a pair of shades. "Name's Turntable. If you like music, I'm your buck!"
"And I am Truly. Truly Scrumptious." Sitting next to the colt was a pale pink Unicorn. "Expert on all things sugar. I can get you the best candies and baked goods in Ponyville."
"Good to know. I'll be talking to you later," Mirror Child replied with a fanged grin.
"And we're the Scrubs, but you already know that." Deku, Seeds and Sticks stood up and held their little wooden swords over their shoulders. "We're the bosses of this school. We do what we want, when we want, so don't make us mad!"
"Are you threatening me?" she asked coolly.
"I'm letting you know how things work. Don't forget it." The Scrubs returned to their seats and resumed eating.
Another filly appeared at the door to the school. It was a yellow Earth Pony with a red mane carrying a small sack lunch. She looked where the group was sitting, then turned the other direction and ended up under a tree.
"Who is that? And why is she eating alone?" asked Mirror Child.
"That's Epona. She's a monster," commented Deku.
"Would you just shut up? I'm tired of listening to you," she said, irritated.
"Actually, this time he's right," said Juniper. "She's brutal."
"Yea. If you make her mad, she'll beat the color out of your fur," said Turntable.
"Her?" Mirror Child pointed. "She doesn't have the face of a brutal pony."
"Remember that first day she was here?" Twinkle asked everypony. They all nodded.
"Don't remind me," grumbled Deku.
"What happened?" the dark grey filly asked as she munched on a sandwich.
"She walked right up to the Scrubs and beat them senseless with a stick."
"Hey! You don't have to say it like that!" Deku exclaimed.
"She was only trying to help..." said Ivory.
"That's not the only time I've seen her go nuts," Juniper announced. She looked around, making sure no adults were around. Then her voice went low. "Remember when I told you how me, Twinkle and Ivory were caught by the dogs in the ruins?" Mirror Child's ears perked up, her interest suddenly piqued. "Well, I kinda lied about our escape. Epona was there, too."
"What?! No Way!"
"Yea. Wanna hear about it?" Everypony scooted closer together and watched her with rapt attention. "It was like this. Me and Twinkle were captured by the dogs and put in the cage, like I said before. But I never kicked the door open. It was too strong for me..."
"Too strong even for 'Mighty Legs' Juniper?" Deku sneered. Juniper rolled her eyes and continued her story.
"We were trapped in that cage for what felt like forever. But then Epona showed up wearing a weird looking hat and a green shirt. I showed her where the switch was to lower us down, but then the dogs showed up!" The foals gasped.
"What happened next?" asked Mirror Child. Her eyes matched those of the foals around her: large and filled with wonder.
"There were three dogs: one was our size, one was bigger than Miss Jubilee, and the last was twice the size of both of them. They all charged her at the same time, but she was like a walking arsenal!" Juniper got up and began to act out what she had seen. "She blocked their punches with her shield, whirled around and smacked them in their ugly faces with a boomerang, cracked their heads with a wooden sword... I think it was the same one she used on you guys," Juniper said, pointing toward the Scrubs. "She even turned her hooves into claws and blew the little one away with a leaf as big as any of us!"
"I think you're making this up. Where would she carry all of this stuff?" asked Truly.
"I have no idea where she got it all from. They just appeared and disappeared as she needed them to. In no time at all, the dogs were digging away with their tails between their legs. You think the way she fought the Scrubs was scary? That was nothing compared to this!"
"Hmph. I don't believe it," Mirror Child announced. "Nopony just magically has a bunch of items that helps them beat up creatures that are many times stronger than a normal pony. And she's just a filly like us! There's no way this can be true."
"I can prove she's got them," Juniper said confidently. "But I'd really rather not."
"Do it!" the masked filly ordered, calling Juniper's bluff. "Do it, or you're a liar!"
"This is gonna suck... Ivory, can I borrow you for a minute?" Ivory looked at her curiously, then in comprehension. Her eyes became saucers.
"Are you crazy?! That's a bad idea even for you, and you've had some really bad ideas!"
"What exactly are you... Oh! Hehehe... I know where this is going," said Deku. "This I gotta see."
"Twinkle, would you go distract Miss Juniper?" She nodded and walked into the schoolhouse. As soon as she disappeared inside, Juniper turned back to the group. "Does Epona have anything with her right now? Other than lunch?" The group looked over and shook their heads.
"I'm waiting." Mirror Child sat with her hooves crossed in front of her. Juniper groaned. Then she punched Ivory in the nose.
"OUCH!" Ivory cried as she reeled backward. Juniper followed and bucked her in the chest, causing her to collapse to the ground. "Juniper," she wheezed. "Stop it. Stop it before-"
"Here she comes," Turntable said quietly. "She still doesn't have anything with her." Mirror Child took a glance to confirm, then returned her gaze to the fight at hand.
"Hey Deku!" Juniper called loudly enough for Epona to hear. "Toss me one of your sticks. I'm gonna pummel Ivory!" Deku laughed and threw her a sword.
"You're really getting into this," he smirked. "I never knew you had it in you!" Juniper raised her stick high over her head, then pulled her hooves toward Ivory's head.
She never moved. Epona had her hoof over the tip of the stick.
"Juniper, what are you doing?" she asked. Her voice was restrained, and her face was emotionless.
"Epona? You aren't going to hit me with your stick?"
"Nope." Epona yanked the sword from Juniper's hooves and smashed in into Juniper's side. The purple filly double over and howled in pain. "Don't do it again." She turned to Ivory. "Are ya alright?"
"Y-yea. I'm fine..." The Scrubs rolled in laughter, while Mirror Child, Turntable and Truly just stared at her with mouths agape.
"That really was brutal..." the newcomer muttered as Epona walked back to her tree.
"That's Epona for you," Ivory explained. "She's known for dealing swift and severe punishment when she sees something wrong."
"Particularly when it comes to Ivory," Truly commented.
"D-don't be silly!" Ivory exclaimed as her face glowed red.
"I see," Mirror Child mumbled, eying the off-white Unicorn. She turned her gaze to Epona with a new regard. "Still, even if she's a monster, I didn't see any weapons magically appearing from nowhere, like you said. Looks like you're a liar, Juniper."
"Shut up..." Juniper replied as she struggled back to her hooves. "I wasn't lying. I just can't prove it."
The school bell rang. "Alright, my little ponies. It's time for class to start!" The group stood up and went back to the school house. As she stepped through the door, Mirror Child looked back at Epona and paused. Were those tears in the so-called monster's eyes?
One Week Earlier
"Canvas? Take Ivory back up to the surface. Oh, and let the townsponies know that we found them and that they are safe."
"Most certainly, venerable sister!" Canvas bowed low, then took Ivory up on her back and trotted out.
"As for you, Epona ..." The filly gulped.
"Y-yes, Obsidian?" Obsidian raised a hoof. Epona cringed in preparation for what was surely a form of punishment.
A gentle touch came down on her shoulder. "You are going to tell me the truth."
"Huh?" Epona looked up into the black mare's eyes.
"I know you didn't put her up to it. I saw you in the house when Canvas and I ran out." Epona hung her head sheepishly. "Why did you lie?"
"Ah just didn't wanna see Ivory get into more trouble. She's been through a lot today."
"I see," Obsidian replied. "Very well, but now you will tell me the truth."
Epona nodded. "What do ya wanna know?"
"Everything. Beginning with why you came down here in the first place, and don't even think of lying to me again, or I'll reconsider your punishment."
"Well..." She explained about wanting to rescue Ivory. About finding Juniper and Twinkle trapped in their cage, and about finding Ivory in the back room.
"What about your bruises? You look like you've been beaten to a pulp." Epona explained about her encounters with the Diamond Dogs. "Diamond Dogs?! Those creatures are tough for full grown adults to handle! How in Equestria did you manage to fend off three?"
"With this." Epona drew her sword. Obsidian's eyes widened. She looked around to make sure nopony else was watching.
"Put that away," she ordered quietly. Epona did so. Obsidian's voice became very low. "Epona, listen to me very carefully. There are very few Earth Ponies who can use magic. One of ten-thousand, at most. Of those that can, maybe 1 in 100 can come close to the magic ability of the average Unicorn." She knelt to Epona's eye-level and looked straight into her. "What you just did is far beyond the capabilities of most full grown Unicorns, and you did it effortlessly. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Not really... Ah've never been good with fancy math," Epona replied.
"Hmm... I have an idea." Obsidian picked up a pebble and pressed it into the ground, then picked it out. Then she picked up a rock the size of her hoof and pressed it into the ground next to the pebble hole. Finally, she dug a hole out of the ground large enough for Epona to curl up inside.
"What are these holes for?" Epona asked as she sat in the largest hole.
"These represent magic. Most Earth Ponies can only use enough magic at a time to fill the tiny, pebble sized hole. Things like placing their bucks perfectly, or raising the best crops only require that much magic, and Earth Ponies are exceptionally good at it. A few, however, have enough magic talent to fill the second hole. They can use simple spells, like enhancing magic tricks or sleight of hoof. Do you see the difference?"
She nodded. "Ya can fit a lot o' pebbles into that one."
"Exactly. More pebbles, more magic. Now look at the hole you're sitting in. See how it's much bigger than the others? That's the power of a regular Unicorn adult."
"Wow... Ah never knew Unicorns had so much magic! Ah always thought they just had it, an' regular ponies didn't."
Obsidian nodded. "Most ponies are like that. It was only just recently that Earth Ponies were found to have reserves of latent magic, even if most can't use it. But even with that much magic, there are still ponies with more." Obsidian's horn suddenly flashed, stunning Epona for a moment. When the stars left her eyes, she saw a ten-foot deep crater next to the average Unicorn's hole.
"Whose magic is that? An Alicorn's?" she asked, her eyes wide in wonder
"No, Epona. That is the amount of magic you used when you showed me your sword." Her jaw dropped to the floor.
"Th-th-that's me?" she sputtered as her mind tried to process it.
"That's you without even trying," Obsidian corrected. Epona staggered backward.
"Ah really am a monster..." she mumbled to herself.
Obsidian knelt in front of Epona and looked her straight in the eyes, her face suddenly very serious. "Epona, you must promise me you'll never use this power without my permission."
"But-"
"Never, Epona! Do you understand?" Obsidian shouted as she shook the filly a little. "If anypony were to find out about your magic, the Empress would take you away and we would never see you again. So please, promise me..." Epona looked into Obsidian's fearful eyes.
"A-ah understand..."
"Good." Obsidian stood up, her demeanor restored to one of authority. "Now, about your punishment."
Epona's ears flattened. "But Ah told ya the truth!"
"I know. That's why I'm letting you off the hook. But!" she said before the filly relaxed too much. "If you ever tell anypony I let you go, I'll whip your haunches from one end of Ponyville to the other. After all, I have a reputation to maintain, so if anypony asks, just say 'Don't ask' and they won't bother you. Got it?"
Epona smiled. "Yes ma'am!"
"Alright." Obsidian's horn flashed, and a scroll and ink appeared in front of her. She wrote something down, then her horn flashed again and the parchment was gone. "That will buy us a few days. What else can you do?"
~~~~~~~~~~
Present Day
When school ended everypony went their separate ways. Turntable and Truly had begun spending more time together. The Scrubs went toward the park. Mirror Child left with a light blue mare with a silver mane, possibly her sister. Ivory, Juniper and Twinkle were off crusading, leaving Epona to herself.
She walked down the path that led both to the park and to home. When she reached the crossroads, she looked around, making sure nopony was around, then she leapt into a large bush. Under the bush was a soft patch of dirt, formed by repeated digging. Epona's hooves became claws, and she disappeared into the ground again. She dug down a few feet until she found a small cavern.
When she reached the end of the tunnel, she resurfaced next to the burnt building where she left the crystal on that first day. It was a peaceful place. Nopony ever came out here because it was outside the town walls and so close to the forest. She didn't exactly get permission from Obsidian, but nopony would see her using her magic here so it would be alright.
Out came two swords: one of wood, the other of metal. She set them down on the ground. Then a boomerang appeared, followed by a lantern, two clawed mitts, and a leaf. Those were placed next to the swords. Then Epona summoned one of the items she had discovered during her time with Obsidian.
It was a little box. She opened it and found several small rings inside. She took one that matched her coat's color, and it suddenly grew to the size of her leg. When she slipped it on to test the fit, she found it was perfectly sized, as though it was meant to be worn by her. Fascinated, she pulled out one of the other rings. After taking a closer look, she discovered an inscription on it: Steadfast. She put it back in the box, then pulled the other rings out and read their inscriptions:
Gold Joy, Rang 2, Roc, Snowshoe.
After a moment pondering why they were given such names, she set the ring box down next to her other items. The next thing she pulled out was a shiny blue feather. Merely holding it in her hoof made her feel lighter. She poked it behind her ear so she wouldn't lose it to any stray breezes.
Next, she found a leather bracelet that fit nicely around her upper foreleg. As soon as she put it on, she immediately felt stronger, like she could lift up boulders with her bare hooves. If there had been any boulders around, she would have tried it. But the only thing around was the building, and she didn't feel like knocking it down.
The next few things she pulled out were all bags containing various items, like seeds, masks, and strange blue balls with string coming out of them. Then there was a random fishing rod, a set of earrings that looked a little like flames, a slingshot, a large brown nut with a yellow center, and a shiny bug attached to a socket large enough for a hoof. She slipped her hoof inside the bug's socket. There was a small switch inside, so she pressed it.
She suddenly found herself slowly moving forward against her will, and a slight buzzing sound reached her. She looked around, but she couldn't find the source of the buzz. She turned around completely and saw her body with a hoof extended outward, holding a golden socket. Was she the bug?! A bright red pulsing flash encompassed her vision for a few moments as she panicked, then she suddenly found herself back in her own body, holding out the socket. The bug landed on the switch and clicked down, ready to be used again.
Epona through the item next to the rest in a hurry, afraid she might accidentally do it again.
The last thing she pulled out was a small blue, tear shaped... something. It had a small protrusion with a gold band around the base. There were multiple holes spaced oddly around the top. Maybe it was a type of flute or recorder or something, like what Turntable brought for show and tell once. Epona placed her mouth on the protrusion and blew.
The tone was mellow, yet as pure as crystal. The air itself seemed to shimmer with the magic of its sound. She held the note, unable to make herself put it down until she ran out of breath. The tone wafted across the field and rang in her ears for several long moments, then slowly faded away. She looked at the instrument in her hooves with a mixed sense of elation and fear that somepony else heard the note and would come looking for her.
She looked around, again making sure nopony was nearby, then quickly disappeared her items back into her imaginary satchel. The moon began to set behind the burned down cottage. Its light waned as the stars winked out and faded. Epona knew it was time to go, so her hooves became claws again, and she dug into the hill and vanished from sight.
*****
As the moon disappeared behind the horizon, its light caught two small yet brilliant cyan glows aimed at a small dirt patch on the hill from within the shadows of the forest.
"Epoooooooonaaaaaaa!" a cheerful voice called operatically. Epona's door burst open, permitting a large white Unicorn to enter. "Good Moooooorning, Apple Blossoooooom!"
The little yellow filly groaned and rolled over. "But its the weekend, Canvas... Can't Ah have five more minutes?" she mumbled.
"NOPE!" A tendril of magic yanked the covers off of her, exposing her to the chilly morning air. "It's a new day, and your friend has come over to get you out of the house!"
"Huh? Whaddaya mean?"
"What do you think I mean, silly filly? Better not keep her waiting!" Epona watched with droopy eyes and sighed as Canvas walked out with her blanket. "She'll be right out."
"Oh, you didn't have to wake her up," said a much younger voice. "I just came over to see if she wanted to hang out."
"Are you kidding?! This is a momentous occasion! I couldn't possibly let Epona miss out on the first time a friend came to call." There was a pause. "SO IF YOU DON'T GET OUT HERE IN TEN SECONDS, I'M GOING TO GROUND YOU TO THE MOON!!"
Epona sighed and got out of bed. She knew Canvas was just being dramatic, but she also knew how Canvas was prone to overdoing it when she set her mind to something. It was better to be safe than sorry in situations like this.
"Ah, there she is!" Epona looked into the living room and saw Mirror Child sipping on some tea with Canvas. "I told you she would be right out."
"Ah didn't have much choice if Ah wanted to stay outta trouble," Epona retorted. Then she turned toward Mirror Child. "What're ya doin' here?"
"Well isn't that a fine way to greet somepony! I walked from my house all the way out here, and that's what I get?" Mirror Child snorted and crossed her hooves. "Fine. I can tell when I'm not wanted. Thank you, Miss Canvas, for the tea." Mirror Child got up to leave.
"No, wait!" Epona shouted quickly, causing the guest to pause. "Ah'm sorry. Ah just never expected anypony to come askin' fer me is all."
Mirror Child touched her hoof to her chin as though she were pondering whether or not to accept the apology. "Well, I suppose I can forgive you," she said. She put her hoof down. "That is, if you come and spend the day with me."
Epona looked over at Canvas. The white Unicorn was holding up a picture of Epona and Mirror Child with a big check mark in it. Then she held up a picture of Epona on the Moon. Her horn flashed menacingly. Epona sighed.
"A'right, a'right, an get it." She walked over to the door and opened it. Her head turned back toward Mirror Child. "So, what did ya have planned fer the day?"
*****
Epona stared opened mouthed at the build that stood before her. "Ya live here? " She asked.
"Yep. Welcome to Sunset Manor," replied Mirror Child. The build was a multi-story mansion, complete with a torch-lit pathway leading to the door, giving the multicolored building a unique glow. The door was a bright yellow. Immediately around it, oranges and reds washed and blended together, leading into pinks and purples until finally, at the top of the house, a dark blue matched the sky above.
The door opened as they approached. A blue, silver-maned Unicorn was standing there. "Welcome home, Mirrors. Who is your friend?"
"This is Epona. Epona, this is Trixie. She's my guardian while I'm here in Ponyville." Epona and Trixie shook hooves. "Now come on! There's something I want to show you. Try and keep up!" Mirror Child bolted through the door and up a stairwell.
"Better hurry if you don't want to lose her," said Trixie. Epona nodded and chased after her. By the time she reached the top of the stairs, Mirror Child was already disappearing inside a room at the end of a long hall. Epona ran to the room and entered. Mirror Child was holding a small stone which glowed enough to brighten the entire room.
"What's that, Mirrors?" Epona asked.
"Catch!" She suddenly saw the stone flying toward her. Instinctively, she threw up a hoof and caught the object. The object's glow flashed blindingly, then the stone exploded half a second later.
"Aww... Now I won't be able to log it." Mirror Child stepped out from a shadow on the other side of the room. She was grinning darkly. "Oh well. I know the truth, so I'll just get Trixie."
"Hold on just a minute. What's goin' on?" asked a confused Epona. "What was that all 'bout?"
"That was a sort of magic measurer. When a pony holds it, it glows from the magic inside the pony. The brighter it glows, the more magic a pony has."
"Oh. But that don't make any sense. Ah'm an Earth pony, so it shouldn'tve glowed fer me." Mirror Child shook her head. Then she lifted the mane away revealing a barren forehead. Epona's jaw dropped. "Yer an Earth Pony too!"
"Well, yea. We've known for a while now that Unicorns aren't the only ponies with magic. It's just the vast majority of ponies that have magic are Unicorns." Comprehension slowly crept over Epona.
"Ya knew Ah had magic. That's why ya tossed me the stone," she said nervously. Mirror Child nodded. "How did ya know?"
"I didn't, until now. Thanks for the confession, Epona," the grey filly smirked.
"But, that stone--"
"That was just a flash bomb, but you wouldn't know that. I timed it so it would flash as soon as it touched your hoof."
"Ya tricked me!" Epona cried.
"Yep!" Mirror child said with her impish grin. "Now that I have your confession, my mission is all but over. I'll be able to go back to the academy and get away from all these backwater losers."
"M-mission?"
She nodded. "I came here to find the pony responsible for attacking the Diamond Dogs and kill her." Epona felt like the wind had been knocked from her, and she fell to the floor.
"Ah thought ya were mah first real friend. Ah thought ya actually cared, but yer just here to kill me..."
Mirror Child scoffed. "Look at you. They told me it was probably somepony with expert skills in stealth, deception, and combat to both hide here and defeat the dogs. They said this would be the toughest assignment I'd ever received at the academy, that I'd be here for months. So, I enrolled in school. Imagine my surprise when I heard the story about how you fought the dogs from Juniper."
Epona blanched even more. Obsidian had told her never to let anypony know about her magic, but Juniper, Twinkle and Ivory already knew. They were there. They had seen her do everything, but they never got Obsidian's ultimatum. Now she was going to die for it.
"B-but that could've been a lie..." Epona said weakly.
"I know, but I couldn't take the chance. I followed you out to the hill and watched as you foolishly pulled out object after object from thin air for all the world to see. That was when I knew for certain it was you."
"Ya saw me?"
Mirrors nodded. "I saw you. Can you imagine how disappointed I felt? I was picked because they said it would take a hunter. Somepony with skills in tracking and the ability to see through lies. After all the hype that the teachers built up, it was just some stupid school filly! Do you understand, Epona? Where's the hunt in tracking a school filly for less than a week?!" Mirror Child's eyes shifted from their normal red to an almost luminescent blue as she crouched down and stared into Epona. Her orange mane began to move as though it were being blown in the wind. "Be afraid! Run away, and let me enjoy the hunt a little more!"
"Wh-what's goin' on?!" the yellow filly exclaimed.
"I've already seen your magic, so it's time you saw mine!"
The grey of her fur darkened to a lustrous black, except for a white stripe down her chest and belly. Her hind legs also had a stripe of white lining from her hoo-- paws up to her haunches. Her body thickened and grew until she was roughly twice her original size. Her legs became longer, stouter. Her face, longer and more pointed. Her eyes, smaller and more focused. Her wild mane had become a ridge of orange, reaching all the way from the scruff of her neck down to her bushy tail. The mask she had been wearing formed a ring around the middle of the orange ridge.
"How do you like it? This is my special magic: lycanthropy. You look good enough to eat, Epona!" Her voice was low and gravelly compared to it's usually impish sound. She grinned a truly fanged grin. Each and every one of her teeth were pointed and sharp. Then she growled a deep, guttural growl and looked at Epona as though she were a fresh meal. Her jaws opened wide, allowing a small string of saliva to form and fall. Then she crouched low and prepared to pounce. "Any last words?"
"Wow... Ya look beautiful..." Epona said quietly.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Epona!"
"Yea. See ya at school!" Mirror Child waved to Epona as the yellow filly walked away from Sunset Manor.
Mirrors walked upstairs to her her room and closed the door. As she leaned back against it, her thoughts drifted to the morning. What had happened? Her target was right there in front of her. She had been ready to end the mission with a swift and wonderfully messy kill, but she didn't. Why? What changed? Could it really have been those three words? Just a simple phrase threw all her training out the window like Pegasus feathers? Impossible. Utterly impossible. There was no way.
Her mind wandered to previous missions. She had always worked her way into ponies' hearts with her unique blend of charm and sarcasm. It wasn't hard for her. She would then search for her quarry, tracking them through paper trails and word of mouth until she was certain of her target. Then she would stalk them and take them down.
But then this pony came along.
This one was supposed to be her toughest assignment yet. Track down a pony cunning enough to hide in plain sight, stealthy enough to infiltrate a hidden military base, and powerful enough to defeat a Cerberus. The projected time frame was months.
It only took several days, thanks to school ground rumors, but the pony she was searching for was none of the things she had been told. She didn't seem particularly bright, had no problems making herself known (if negatively) to all of her classmates, and was just a filly! There was no possible way she could take down a Cerberus, no matter how she looked when swinging a stick.
Then Mirrors watched as the pony displayed dimensional magic. She had already shown she was strong for a filly, but now she had powerful magic, too? So Mirrors tricked her into revealing she was actually the one who did it. Recorded the confession and everything. Then she changed her form, hungry for terror she had seen so many times before.
Ya look beautiful.
It was a response she had never expected. No matter the targets she had hunted, whether they were Ponies, Griffons, Dogs, or Changelings, the outcome had always been the same. Primal, instinctual fear had always taken hold. If they resisted, then all the better. The hunt would be an enjoyable pastime. It was exhilarating to hear their screams when they saw her transform!
But this? This was strange and foreign. Mirror Child crawled into bed and lay her head down as she thought.
Wasn't that filly afraid? Surely she had known she was about to get eaten. Nopony is that innocent. She must have known, but there was still no scent of fear. No scream. Did she think she was strong enough to escape if it came down to a fight? Maybe it was a misplaced sense of ability that stopped her fear.
But even if she hadn't been afraid, that shouldn't have affected the mission. Mirror Child still had Epona there, helpless in her claws! There was no way for the filly to escape her fate. All she had to do was take a quick bite and it would've been over.
She rolled over and stared at the stars. Maybe that's why. Maybe it was because there was no scream, no fear, even when there was no hope. Instead, she was called beautiful. Not terrifying or monstrous. Beautiful, even in her lupine form.
"Heh... What kind of pony are you, Epona?" Mirror Child laughed softly as an unexpected smile crept across her face. "I guess the others were right about you. Only a monster would tell another monster she's beautiful..."
A moment later, the door creaked open, letting in the halls light and a blue Unicorn.
"You chose not to kill her."
"That's true." Mirror Child sat up and looked Trixie in the eyes.
"Why not? That was the mark, wasn't it? You should be on your way back to Canterlot by now," noted the mare.
Mirrors shrugged. "She's just a filly. I was told I would be killing somepony worth the hunt."
"Your job is to hunt your target. Are you saying it isn't her?" asked Trixie.
"She's the target alright, but killing her would be a waste. There are better things that we can do with her. Besides..." The filly smiled darkly. "There are bigger fish in Ponyville," she said with a sparkle in her eye. Trixie looked at her curiously.
"Do tell."
~~~~~~~~~~
"Welcome home, Epona," said Obsidian sternly as Epona bounced through the door. "Ivory's already asleep. Any particular reason why you're so late?"
"Ah made a friend today!" She beamed happily, then yawned. "Ah had so much fun, but now ah'm exhausted. G'night, Obsidian."
"Good night, Epona." Epona's door clicked shut.
"I tooold you sooo! Bleeeh!" Canvas stuck out her tongue as she walked out from the kitchen. "Didn't I tell you she would be fine?"
"That you did, Canvas. That you did." Obsidian looked out the window uneasily. "But still. If I'm not mistaken, her new friend is part of that bloodline. Not to mention Trixie as that filly's guardian."
"Who cares? Ponyville is the Empress' 'Haven of Peace' as she likes to call it. They won't start anything here."
"But they're here on the Empress orders. They can do whatever they please."
"What are you so afraid of, Obsidian? Epona's a strong little filly." Canvas pointed out. "She'll be fine!"
"It's not Epona that I'm worried about, and you know it." Canvas opened her mouth to speak, but Obsidian silenced her with a meaningful glance. She withered.
"Ivory isn't going to like this..."
*****
Epona woke up the next morning to the sound of muffled voices coming from the living area.
"Y-you can't be serious..." She cracked the door open and peeked outside. Ivory's face looked like she had seen a ghost.
"When have you known me otherwise, Ivory?" said Obsidian. "Ponyville won't be safe for us much longer."
"But I don't want to leave! All my friends are here!"
"I understand that, but if we stay here, the Empress will find us and take you away. As your sister, I can't let that happen. You are too important." Ivory looked over to Canvas. The white mare nodded.
"It's true. I wish I could say everything would be alright, but sometimes these things happen. We have to get out of Ponyville, and quickly."
Ivory's head fell to the floor. "I'll go tell Epona to pack..." The older siblings exchanged a glance.
"Ivory, there's something else," Canvas said softly.
"More?"
Obsidian rose to her hooves. "Epona can't come with us."
"WHAT?!" Ivory screamed. "Why would you choose to leave her behind?!"
"A magic like hers is tough to hide," Obsidian said matter-of-factly. "If we brought her along, then the Empress would be able to use her to track us."
"We can't just leave her here! She's part of our family!"
"She's not part of the family. She just lives with us." Epona felt the words pierce through her heart like a well-sharpened blade. She staggered backward and flopped next to the bed.
"This is wrong, Obsidian, and you know it!" Ivory accused sharply. "Epona's just as much a part of our family as any of us. Even if she wasn't born a sister, she's our sister now!" Bitter drops fell to the ground as Ivory let out her rage.
"I'm sorry, Ivory... I'm sorry that this is the way it has to be." Canvas took her youngest sibling into her hooves and held her close. "But right now, you are the most important thing. We have to protect you above everything else, until--" The quiet click of a door silenced the group. A moment later, the sound of glass shattering in Epona's room reached the ears of the three sisters.
"Epona!" Ivory shoved Canvas away, rushed toward Epona's room, and threw the door open. The room was empty. "Epona, wait!" Ivory ran toward the window and looked frantically for her friend, but she was nowhere to be seen. All that was beneath the pane was a pony-sized hole in the ground. She whirled to see Obsidian and Canvas standing at the door. "Epona's gone! Are you happy now?!"
"Let Epona go, Ivory, please! It will only be harder for you if you hold onto her!" shouted Obsidian. Ivory kicked and screamed in Canvas's magic, trying to break free. "I understand this is hard, but this is what's best!"
"No! She's part of our family too! She saved my life!" Obsidian sighed.
"I didn't want to do this, but I have no other choice." Her horn began to glow as she walked toward her younger sister.
"Don't you dare! Canvas let me--" Their horns touched, and Ivory slumped unconscious. Canvas floated the little filly onto her back.
"I hope you'll forgive me one day," whispered Obsidian. A knock came from the door. Obsidian and Canvas went rigid. "Canvas."
"Already gone." The white mare's horn flashed, and in an instant, she and Ivory were gone. Obsidian opened the door. A blue Unicorn stood at the entrance with the filly who had visited the day before.
"Hello again, Obsidian," said Trixie. "Or should I say--"
Obsidian never let her finish her sentence, choosing instead to blast the pair with a burst of magical energy. Her horn glowed with its deep blue magic as she stepped outside and closed the door. "You are too late. The others are already long gone by now."
Trixie and the filly rose to their feet. "Mirror Child, track them down."
"On it." The filly transformed into her lupine form, much to the surprise of Obsidian. She stared into the air for a moment, then her head turned. "There's a trail of magic leading from the house toward the train station." Obsidian's eyes grew wide.
"Good girl." A thick shield rose up around the house. "I think you deserve a little reward for your effort. How would you like a nice, black chew toy?" The wolf grinned and turned to face Obsidian. Trixie stepped through the shield. "Tata, Obsidian! I'll give your regards to Ivory!"
"You will not take her!" Obsidian's horn flashed, and she disappeared. When she reappeared, she discovered herself next to the shield just a few yards from where she started.
"You aren't going anywhere," Trixie smirked and tapped her shield. "This shield is directly linked to my little prodigy. Nothing can get in or out. No light. No sound. Not even magic will escape unless I say so. If you want to stop me, you'll have to go through her." Trixie's horn flashed, and the shield became opaque. Obsidian pounded the shield and screamed in anxious fury. Then she turned toward Mirror Child.
"I don't have time for this. I'll make this quick." Obsidian charged her horn and fired a large blast of magical energy at the wolf. Suddenly the ridge down its back sprang to life and became a giant orange claw. The claw reached out and caught the magic without hesitation. The force of the magic shoved her back several feet, but the ball remained intact.
"Don't underestimate me, Unicorn!" Mirror Child growled and threw the ball back at Obsidian, who teleported off to the side.
In an instant, the wolf leapt at the pony. Obsidian ducked her head down and rolled out of the way, only to have the wolf bear down on her again. She turned and bucked, striking it in the chest, sending it stumbling back a short distance. She grimaced. Though the wolf may only have been as large as an average pony, it was far more dense.
The wolf got up swiftly, then dug its claw into the ground and picked up a large chunk of solid earth. With a howl of might, the wolf launched the boulder at Obsidian, but she was ready. She charged up her horn and blasted it, causing it to shatter before her.
She was not, however, ready for the wolf's following charge. A great, orange fist rammed into her with a force stronger than any she had felt since her skirmish with the buffalo several years ago. The breath was knocked out of her audibly as she crashed into the shield wall.
As soon as she raised her head, the wolf grabbed her by the throat and slowly lifted her against the wall. "It's been a long time since I've eaten Pony. I wonder if you'll taste as good as the last one?" Obsidian's vision began to blur. She kicked with her hind legs wildly and managed to strike the wolf in the snoot. It yelped in pain and lost its grip on her, allowing her to break free. Then she teleported up to the top of the house.
"I had been going easy on you since you're a filly," Obsidian said as she caught her breath. "It seems I was in error." Her horn glowed, and the ground began to shake. All around the house, pieces of the ground tore away and rose into the air. The wolf ran to the right as her assault began. Stone after stone flew toward the wolf as it darted across the yard. It dodged each one, and the ones it couldn't were swatted away by its ridge. The wolf threw a few back, but Obsidian quickly caught them with her magic and redirected them.
Then it threw one at the house itself. The boulder punctured the building and broke through several supporting walls. The house shook violently, then the middle caved in from underneath Obsidian and collapsed around her.
Mirror Child waited for a moment before grabbing another boulder. There was no movement from under the rubble, but that didn't mean she was gone. Then she heard a groan. Immediately, she leapt on top of the wreckage and began to smash it to dust. It would have been nice to eat meat again, but this mark was too dangerous not to deal with thoroughly. A few minutes later, what was left of the house was completely pulverized and all was silent. Satisfied with her work, Mirror Child tossed the boulder away and trotted away to find her mentor.
But something made her pause. There was a strange wind coming from the house. She turned around to see the dust beginning to move around the center of the wreckage. It moved faster and faster until it became a black swirling column of dust and air. She braced herself on the ground because the force of the wind threatened to sweep her off her paws. Then she saw the silhouette of a pony rising in the middle. The pony's mane whirled and flowed in the wind tunnel, giving her an ominous appearance.
"Why won't you just die already?!" she growled angrily. She hurled her boulder at the silhouette. A flash of blue erupted from inside the column and struck the stone, obliterating it. Then the pony's eyes opened.
They glowed an intense white, even through the darkness of the dust column. Their light seemed to beam directly at Mirror Child, as though they were looking into her very soul. For the first time this fight, she felt afraid of her opponent. And that made her mad.
"Grr... Obsidian!!" Mirror Child charged and reached out for the silhouette with her orange claw. The vortex suddenly exploded outward, blasting her powerfully off the ground. The shield's magic hummed in warning as she crashed hard into it. When she finally managed to clear the daze, she looked up and gasped at the image that was slowly approaching her.
In a last desperate ploy, she lunged at the terrifying creature with her claw, but it caught her with its magic and immobilized her. She suddenly felt her body shift and change internally, as though her magic were being forcibly made to act. In a moment, she found herself to be an Earth Pony again.
"Wh-wha... Who are you?" she asked, unable to do anything else.
"I am the monster from your worst Nightmares," it said as it leaned down with its horn. They touched, and everything went black.
*****
"Ah, it looks like we're about to find out." The shield dropped. Obsidian walked out with the little grey filly on her back. Trixie was standing there with Canvas.
"Bleeeeh! I told you so! Now give her back!" shouted Canvas. Trixie nodded. A small white bundle floated from Trixie's back to Canvas.
"As promised."
"What in Tartarus is going on?" Obsidian asked, more than a little confused.
"I made a wager with Canvas. If my pupil defeated you, I would take you all back to the palace."
"And you agreed to this?!"
"I wasn't in much of a position to argue..." Canvas cradled Ivory lovingly. "Besides, I knew you would win. You're the strongest mare I know." Trixie cleared her throat, and Canvas looked at her. "I don't know you anymore, so you don't count."
"What's your angle, Trixie? Why are you really here?" Obsidian asked the blue mare.
"Do you mean here at- what's left of your house... or here here in Ponyville?"
"Both."
"I'm here in Ponyville to find a certain pony who attacked the Diamond Dogs recently." Obsidian gaped. She already heard about that? "Politically speaking, the incident has been a nightmare. I'm sure you can understand.
As for why I'm here at your house, there are two reasons. First, to find the filly who stopped by my house yesterday. Not only was she a great friend to Mirror Child, but apparently she has high caliber magic as well. If so, she would make an excellent addition to my school." Obsidian grimaced. Epona must have used her magic and gotten caught. She had told her not to do that for this very reason!
"Sorry, but even if I knew where she was, I wouldn't tell you," she replied.
"Then you don't know where she is?"
Obsidian shook her head. "She ran away earlier this morning." Trixie put a hoof to her chin and thought.
After a moment, she said, "I see. Well, that is most unfortunate, but I'm sure we'll bump into her eventually."
Epona, keep running... Obsidian thought to herself.
"Finally, I wanted to test Mirror's strength. When she told me Night & Light were here, I couldn't resist the opportunity to both gauge her ability and potentially take one of you down. To be honest, she lasted a lot longer than I thought she would," Trixie commented. "Are you getting weaker, or is she just that strong?"
"I didn't take her seriously from the start. If I had, then she would have lasted only a few seconds."
"That's still longer than I expected. You've gotten soft." Trixie took the filly from Obsidian's back, then turned to Canvas. "Looks like you won this round. As promised in our wager, I won't hunt you for a full month. Hide yourselves well, because after it's over, I'm coming for you with everything I have." She turned away from them, then looked over her shoulder. "Oh, and if you see Epona, tell her the same thing. When I capture her, I'd like her strong enough to be at least be presentable to the Dogs, or they'll never believe she was the one who did it." Trixie disappeared with Mirror Child.
The two adults exchanged a glance.
"Let's go, Canvas. We have a lot of work to do and only a little time."
Epona dug. She dug as far away from the house as she could. She dug until she couldn't dig anymore. Then she curled into a ball and wept silently at the end of her tunnel.
Oh, come on! I'm sick of watching you throw a pity party! Epona jumped, hitting her head against the dirt. She drew out her lantern to see who was with her, but there was nopony there.
"Ah must be hearin' things..." she muttered.
Buck yea, you're hearing things! Epona jumped again. Isn't the sweet sound of my harmonious voice lovely?
"Quit hidin', whoever ya are!" Epona felt as though something were pulling away from her. It tugged harder and harder, then finally the strain released.
Just in front of her eyes was a black wisp of fog.
"You!"
"In the mist! Did you miss me?" the wisp asked playfully as it formed a '?' mid air.
"What are ya doin' here?!" Epona exclaimed.
"Obviously I'm trying to get you out of your funk. Listening to your boo-hooing about having no friends or family gets old in a hurry," it explained.
"Ah mean how are ya here? Ah got rid o' ya back in the caverns!"
"That is correct!" The wisp made a rigid check mark. "Well..." It fuzzed out into an X. "Mostly anyways."
"Whaddaya mean, mostly?" she probed.
"I'm here aren't I?" The wisp laughed. "Unfortunately, this is all that's is left of my once glorious cloud." Epona racked her brain. She destroyed the mist when she beat Ebony... didn't she? "I can tell you're trying to figure out how I got here by that wonderfully confused look on your face. It's quite simple, really. You brought me here." It formed an arrow pointing straight at her.
"Me?"
"Mhmmmmmmm. When you destroyed my old container, I began to lose power at an alarming rate. Then I saw the white pony I had merged with earlier and tried again, but you shoved her out of the way. What rotten luck, getting stuck with an expert in self-pity."
"But if ya've been with me this whole time, why haven't ya shown up before now?" Epona asked. The wisp hummed for a moment, as though it were thinking.
"You know what? I'm not exactly sure. There's probably some magic inside of you that's been keeping me at bay until now. Or maybe I just needed something to wake me up." The wisp looked around. "Can't imagine what did it though."
Epona groaned. "Now that yer awake, go away. Ah don't want anythin' to do with ya."
"I'm afraid I can't do that," it sighed in mock sadness, forming two orbs at its top and a stream of bulges flowing down from them. "I am limited to my host, and that just happens to be you."
"Ya've gotta be foalin' me..." The wisp hovered over Epona's back, then sank and rested there. "How long am Ah stuck with ya?"
"FOREVER!!" It suddenly laughed maniacally and a slight sound of thunder cracked through the tunnel. Epona hit it with her lantern, smacking it into the wall.
"Ah got ya out of Ivory, an' Ah'm gonna get ya outta me. An' yer gonna tell me how to do it, got it?" The wisp shook itself and floated back in front of Epona.
"Oh, very well. There are really only two ways for me to change hosts," it sighed. "The first is, as you well know, the destruction of my current host." It exploded.
"But ya just said Ah'm yer host," Epona stated. A slightly longish pause made her sufficiently uncomfortable before the wisp continued.
"The second is to purge me using the Elements of Harmony. Not exactly sure what would happen after that, but it doesn't matter. That would take an adventure of grander proportions than Equestria has seen since... Well, since the Elements disappeared."
"Ya've been around that long?"
"And longer. The Elements of Harmony have had several bearers, and each set has done something more incredible than the last. A pony who has all of them can do anything." Epona thought to herself. Maybe if she got the Elements of Harmony, she would finally be recognized as somepony worth something. Maybe Obsidian wouldn't hate her so much. Maybe the other foals at school would stop calling her 'monster' and start calling her 'friend'. "It truly is sad. There are no heroes left in Equestria. There's nopony left who is willing give up everything to do the impossible. Nopony left who--"
"Ah'll do it."
"...will take up the mantle of the gods and wield a power beyond imagining!" it continued. "For who in the world would be so--" Epona smacked the wisp with her lantern again.
"Ah just said Ah'll do it!" she said, irked at being ignored. The wisp shook itself.
"You? You would give up everything? Even family and friends to do something like this?" it asked as it became a heart with a tear through the middle.
"Ah don't have any family or friends to give up. There's nowhere else fer me to go, so why not?"
"This could be very dangerous. You could die."
"Then ya'd be free. 'Sides..." Her voice became soft. "It's not like anypony would miss a monster like me..." The wisp suddenly became a bundle of energy.
"Oh, the fun we'll have! Sight-seeing the world, having an adventure to find the most important relics of Equestria's history (possibly dying in the process), just a lone filly and her faithful companion cloud!" Epona sighed. "Er... But first, let's get above ground. I'll need to find my bearings if I'm going to point you the right way."
*****
Epona resurfaced and discovered she was remarkably close to the burnt cottage. Somehow, she always seemed to wind up here when she needed to get away.
"Alright, give me a moment. I've got to do a super-powerful detection spell if I'm going to locate the Elements." The wisp exploded dramatically and scattered into a fine, slightly swirling mist just over Epona's head. A few seconds later, small sections broke apart and hovered on their own. This happened four times. The fifth section landed on Epona. "I've foooound them! Wait, this can't be right."
"Whaddaya mean?"
"Well, the way I feel it, there's one inside your head." Epona looked at the wisp curiously. "You didn't eat one, did you?"
"Ah don't think so..." she replied. "What do they look like?"
"The last bearers wore them as necklaces."
"A necklace?" Epona ruffled through her inventory and found the gold band with an apple on it. "Ya mean like this?"
"Now where did you get... Ah, yes. The Diamond Dogs had an Element in their possession." The fifth section diffused and joined the other four. "Well, that makes things 20% easier! Yes, they look almost exactly like that." Epona put it away.
"So, where're we goin'?" she asked.
"Judging by distance, direction, and magical interference, I'd say the other four Elements are hidden in different strongholds like the the one belonging to the Dogs." Epona groaned.
"Ya mean Ah'll have to fight them again? "
"Pshaw! That would be silly, considering the bases don't belong to them." The wisp became a wobbly X.
"Who do they belong to?"
"Well, each nation has a base here in Equestria. However, unlike the Diamond Dogs, they keep their Elements safe in their own countries. The Griffins keep their Element in Gryphona. The Dragons have their own mountain. The Zebras are across the sea in Zebrica, and the Changelings are hidden somewhere in the Badlands." Epona just stared at her wisp.
"So we can't get to any of'em."
"I guess this adventure's a bust, then," the wisp said dejectedly. "And I was so looking forward to it! Unless you just happen to have something that can help you fly, cross enormous volumes of water, withstands dragon fire, or detect hidden predators?"
Epona sighed. "Ah might, but Ah've got no idea what most of mah things even do. If Ah knew what Ah was capable of, maybe Ah'd know what to do next." The wisp perked up.
"Perhaps I can help with that."
"What about this?" Epona held up a brown nut. It was already splitting like it was ready to sprout, revealing a gold seed in the center. The wisp enveloped the nut, then began to chuckle.
"Oh, this is a fun one! Throw it at the ground." Epona threw the nut at her hooves. As soon as it struck, it burst and flashed brightly, catching her off guard and stunning her. "Wahahah! Your eyes are all wonky!" Epona shook her head after a few seconds of trying to keep her balance, then picked up her lantern and swung it at the wisp. It dodged playfully. "You could use that to stun other things too. Probably not something big like a dragon, but most things smaller than Cerberus. Anywho, what've you got left?"
"Just a couple more things, and we'll be done." The pair had spent the latter part of the morning going through all the items in Epona's inventory. With the wisp's ability to sense different forms of magic, they had successfully discovered and tested the nature of nearly everything she carried.
Each ring had its own set of magical effects. Steadfast made her balance better. Rang 2 helped her throw the boomerang twice as hard. Gold Joy made things stand out more. Like bits. In that field alone, she found 20 bits just sitting in the grass that she never would've found without the ring on. Snowshoe gave her hooves a lot of traction. Even on the dew-covered grass, her hooves didn't slip around when she ran. The one ring she couldn't test was Roc, which supposedly made it so that weak surfaces could support her weight.
The other items also had interesting effects. The blue, stringed balls were bombs that exploded after a few seconds whenever she pulled out the string. She could jump much higher than normal when she held the feather. The leather bracelet doubled her strength. The earrings that looked like flames supposedly raised her resistance to heat, but there was nothing around to test that theory. The fishing rod wasn't magical, and she already knew about the beetle. All that remained were two masks, some seeds and the instrument.
"Let's start with these seeds. Can ya tell me 'bout 'em?"
The wisp enveloped the small, golden seeds. "Well, there isn't much to tell about these, except they're harder than that head of yours. They'd work nicely as ammo for your slingshot if you ever needed to shoot something far away or kill a small animal." The wisp flew over to the top of the cottage. "Hey, see if you can shoot me!"
"Gladly," Epona muttered. She drew out her slingshot and knocked the small, hard seed and aimed it directly for the wisp. She fired, and the seed flew like a bullet. It barely missed her target.
"Phew, that was a close one! Er, Epona? What are you doing?" An instant later, she had already knocked another seed.
"Here's for prankin' me with mah items!"
"WAH!" The wisp darted about as the bullets flew like a torrent. The slingshot seemed to magically reload each time Epona pulled the sling back, making dodging increasingly difficult as her aim got better. Finally, a seed caught him square in the mist and punctured through. "OW, THAT... actually, that didn't hurt at all. I guess only magic things can affect a mist creature like me."
"Ponyfeathers..." Epona swore.
"If you're done shooting at me, can we get this over with?" Epona sighed and rummaged through her stuff. "What's next?"
"A couple masks. Ah wanna save this flute for last." Epona held up a dark, holed object which looked more like a torture device than a mask. "Ah can't imagine wantin' to put this on mah face fer any reason. What's it do?"
The wisp formed a series of Z's. "Don't worry, Epona. It doesn't do anything to you except keep you awake. No pain, no torture. No sleep." The Z's popped. Epona breathed more easily. "Of course, you're likely to scare the piss out of somepony if they see you wearing it." The filly giggled.
"I wonder what Obsidian would do if she saw me wearing it?" she mused as she pulled out the other mask. It was shaped like a bird, white with red eyes. "What about this one?"
"Somehow, wearing that ridiculous mask makes you a natural leader for small or domesticated animals," the wisp said incredulously.
"Really?" she asked.
"I can hardly believe it myself. I don't think even magic can make you a leader." Epona swung her lantern that the wisp, who dodged the expected attack. Then she put the masks away and drew out the final object.
"Last thing." Epona held up the blue, tear-shaped flute. "Ah think this is the most powerful thing Ah've got. What can ya tell me 'bout it?"
"Well, it's called an ocarina. Kind of a mix between a flute and a recorder. Other than that, it looks pretty normal to me. I can't feel any magic coming from it."
"Are ya kiddin' me? Even Ah can feel it, an' Ah'm an Earth Pony," Epona retorted. "If ya touched it, maybe ya'd feel the magic too." The wisp sighed and moved toward the ocarina.
"I don't how this is going to... change..." The wisp did the closest thing it could to losing its breath. "Wow... This thing..."
"What? What is it?"
The wisp struggled to find the correct words. "The ocarina itself doesn't have any magic, but it's got... It's almost like... I don't know. A soul, maybe?"
"A soul?"
"Not exactly, but something like it. It has emotions. Desires. Memories. It remembers the magic of the songs it played, and it longs to play them again. I've never seen anything like it, except the Elements of Harmony."
"Ah wish Ah knew the songs it played..." Epona said ruefully. "Fer some reason Ah wanna help it."
The wisp settled on Epona's head. "When the Elements were still with their bearers, they were connected by bonds that go beyond friendship. I think it's the same with this ocarina."
"So, Ah'll have to be its friend?"
"Something like that."
Epona closed her eyes and concentrated on connecting with the ocarina. She genuinely wanted to know what it knew. To play the songs it had played. She placed her lips over the mouthpiece.
Teach me the songs of your past.
(E)~, (G), (D)~~, (E)~, (G), (D)~~, (E)~, (G), ^(D)~, ^(C), (G)~, (F)(E)(D)~~
The air seemed to ripple as Epona played the song over and over again. Somehow, she just knew where to place her hoof, just how hard to blow, just how long to hold and just where to breath to make the music appear and flow. The music echoed across the field as the ocarina resonated. It gave off a slight blue glow and warmed in her hooves when she finished, and somehow, Epona felt as though she had just done something wonderful.
You have learned the Ocarina's Lullaby! The bond between a musician and her instrument goes beyond mere friendship. This song symbolizes that bond!
The ocarina has bonded with you and shared its melodies! You have learned: Epona's Song, Song of Storms, Sun's Song, Sonata of Awakening, Elegy of Emptiness, and Variations on Song of Time!
"Did it work?" asked the wisp. Epona looked down at her instrument.
"Yea," she said softly. "Yea, it did..."
"Great. Did you learn anything that can help us actually start our adventure?" Epona snapped abruptly out of her blissful reverie. "'Cause the way I see it, we're still stuck here with no real way of either getting to where we need to go or dealing with the dangers effectively."
After several long moments of thought, Epona disappeared her equipment and began to trot back toward Ponyville. "Are ya comin', Wisp?"
"Where are we going?"
"We're goin' back home."
"Why? What about our adventure?!"
"When Ah played the ocarina, it reminded me o' the bond Ah have with Ivory an' her sisters. Ah know they said Ah can't go with 'em, but at least Ah can say goodbye. Ah've got other ponies Ah already know at school, even if they think Ah'm a monster. Ah don't really need to go on an adventure just to prove mahself. 'Sides, Obsidian may want somepony to look after the house while they're gone."
*****
"So, about looking after the house while they're away... Got any other plans?" asked the wisp as Epona collapsed and wept in front of a massive pile of rubble.
*****
Epona knocked on the door. "Epona!" the filly who answered said, shocked to see her.
"Hey..." She held her head low.
"Who is it?" a mare called as she appeared at the door. "Oh! What are you doing here, Epona?"
"Um, er... A-ah know we haven't known each other that long, but, uh... can Ah live with y'all?" Epona asked, still with her head low.
"Don't be silly," the mare replied. "You should go home and be with your family."
"Ah can't..." she said softly.
"Why not? Won't they miss you?"
Epona visibly began to break down. "They're gone. The house is gone... Ah don't know where else to go..." The two tenants exchanged a glance.
"I don't know if we can take you, Epona," said the mare. Epona stared at the ground, droopy eared and saggy tailed.
"We can't just leave her behind! She has no home, no family, and she came to us for help!" the filly shouted at her guardian. Epona began to fear that this would end up exactly like it had earlier that morning. She would be forced to stay behind, and she would have nopony there for her. Nopony but her wisp.
"Even so, there are rules." The mare turned to Epona. "I really don't know how to make this sound any better, but you're just an earth pony. You can't live with us if you can't do magic."
"But..." But Obsidian said I'm not allowed to use magic without her permission, Epona thought to herself. But Obsidian isn't around anymore. "But Ah can use magic!" she said, determined. She refused to let herself be abandoned again.
"Oh really?" the mare asked with a raised eyebrow. Epona nodded. "Show me," she challenged. Epona withdrew her wooden sword. The mare looked down at Epona, appraising her. "May I see the stick?" Epona gave it to her. "This isn't an illusion. Really quite something, for an earth pony." She hoofed the stick back. "If it had been an illusion, I could teach you how to modify it into anything, but conjuring sticks isn't good enough for where we're going. I'm sorry, Epona." The mare began to close the door.
"Wait!" Epona cried. The mare paused. "Ya want more? I'll show ya more!" Epona backed away from the house. Then she moved her hooves to her chest and threw them outwards. Everything she owned suddenly appeared and scattered as if thrown across the yard. Both the mare and the filly gaped at the sight.
"That's not conjuration... That's dimensional magic..."
"Can she stay with us now ?" asked the filly. Epona held her breath.
"Mirror Child is a student at the Empress' School for the Magically Gifted in Canterlot," the mare finally said. "It's too late for you to join this year..." Epona hung her head. "...But I would be honored if you stayed with us until the next semester." She slowly lifted her eyes.
"Does that mean..."
"Yes. Welcome to your new home, Epona." She closed her eyes and smiled in relief.
"Thank ya, Miss Trixie."
~~~~~~~~~~
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAVE YOUR PROGRESS?
[YES]NO
Author's Note
End of Part 1!
I hope you all enjoyed reading this section of the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. This is an important milestone for me, as it marks the first time I've completed an on-going story since joining FIMFiction. Yea, my track record is superb, right?
Anyways, I'd like to thank everyone that pointed out little (or big) mistakes for helping to police the story and make its quality higher than it would've been on my own. Special thanks to GMZ_Casper for the many bugs you helped to squash.
I'd also like to thank everyone who posted their own ideas, especially JXWheeler , Stoneificaunt , and AxtontheMechanist . I'll admit, I have 'borrowed' ideas posted in the comments. This story was pretty much written as it went, with things frequently changing right up until each chapter was posted. I can remember playing with Tank the Turtle 's idea for mass fairy resurrection in a chapter, or Telly Vision 's idea for using the Song of Time to escape Mirror Child. Unfortunately, neither of them worked out this time, but they are still things I can use later.
Again, thank you for reading this far, and I hope you enjoyed Living Mark of Courage!
EDIT: The story is no longer complete. Read on, Viewer!
"Dude, I hate this job."
"Shut up and focus. You never know when something will sneak up on you."
"But that's just it! There's nothing there! There's never anything there! Heck, I'd settle for-"
"I said shut up! We're here to make sure that there's never anything there! Besides, even if something were there, nothing's gonna come by anyways for being driven away by your jawing."
Time passed in uncomfortable silence. The pair of gate guards returned to attention, facing the road which led into Ponyville, keeping on the alert for any sort of disturbance, including, but not limited to, monster attacks, rioting, foreigners coming down the road, children getting lost, cats getting stuck on the wall, or old mares crossing the street. Anything to relieve the boredom. Then something perked the first guard's ears.
"Hey... Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"That music..." To the astonishment of his comrade, the guard turned and walked away from his post.
"Soldier! What the hay do you think you're-"
^(C)(A)(G)~, ^(C)(A)(G)~, ^(C)(A)(G), (A), (G)~~
"Hey, I hear it too... It's so..." The guard never finished his sentence. As if driven by some primal instinct, he turned toward the melody and began to walk. Nothing else mattered but finding the source of that song. That beautiful, compelling song. He followed the music over a nearby hill, where a little yellow filly with a red mane sat playing a small instrument.
Then he fell in a hole.
Epona stopped as she heard the startled cry of the guard. She trotted over to the hole and peered inside with a mischievous grin. "Hey, it worked!"
The guards shook their heads. How had they gotten trapped in a pit? One moment they were at their posts, and the next... One looked up at the filly at the entrance. "You there! Filly! Do you have any rope or something that can get us out of the hole? We're trapped!"
"Sorry, but Ah don't have any rope," Epona replied.
"Then find us somepony who can get us out of here!"
Epona trotted off with a spring in her step. Her test had gone off without a hitch, and she had finally gotten back at the guards for bullying her when she first arrived. It was a perfect way to start her day. As she made her way back to Sunset Manor, she saw several other ponies running toward the hill where she had been playing. Each of them had that same enthralled look as the guards. Epona snickered as she saw a few of them fall into the hole.
"Well, at least there are more ponies to help. Kinda feel sorry for the guard on the bottom, though."
Epona crept inside and shut the door to the manor with a small click. When she turned around, she saw Trixie and Mirrors sitting at the dining room table, eating waffles with syrup.
"Welcome back," Trixie commented.
Epona hung her head sheepishly. She had thought she managed to sneak out of the house. Apparently her stealth could use a little work. "Er... Good morning, Miss Trixie."
"Good morning. Did you enjoy your little prank?"
"Ya saw that?"
"I didn't, but Mirror Child did. She was fighting tooth and claw to get to you when you started playing your song." The filly cringed a little. "There are better uses for your magic than making the guards fall into holes."
Epona's jaw dropped slightly. "Wait, ya heard me all the way out here?"
Mirror Child grinned. "I've got a beast's ears, Epona. I can hear a of things."
Trixie rose from the table. "Now that that is out of the way, it's time to begin formal training. If you are to join Mirror Child at the academy, you will need to learn how best to utilize your skill. First and foremost, that means learning how to stay alive. The school is a dangerous place for those who aren't prepared, and the... activities, shall we say, are even more so." She walked to the South-side window at the end of the dining room and peered outside. "That is why you and Mirror Child will be spending some time in the Everfree Forest."
"Th-the Everfree Forest?!"
"Alright!" Mirrors cheered. "Finally, I can stretch my legs a little! Ponyville is way too quiet. This is gonna be great, Epona!"
"Y-Yeah... Great..."
*****
"Here we are. Are you ready?"
"I'm ready! Time to find me some chow!" Mirror Child transformed into a wolf and bolted off into the forest. Epona, however, was less enthusiastic.
"No! Ah already told ya, Ah'm not going in there!" she yelled.
Trixie knelt down, looked Epona in the eyes, and smiled. "Epona..." Then her horn began to glow. "You don't have a choice."
Epona rose off the ground surrounded by a pink aura. "Let me go! Miss Trixie, let me go!" She struggled and fought, trying to regain purchase on the slowly distancing ground.
"If you insist." Trixie pointed Epona toward the forest.
"Wait, what're ya...? Oh no. No no no no! Ah take it back! Ah'll go in!" Trixie released her magic, and let go of the filly. "NOOOOOOOOOoooooo..." Trixie watched until Epona disappeared from sight. A couple moments later, Mirror Child returned.
"Hey, Epona, I found us some... Where did she go?" She looked up at Trixie. Trixie brought her eyes down to her. She cocked her head to the side. Trixie smirked. "You didn't."
"Happy hunting, Mirrors." And Trixie trotted off.
*****
Epona screamed as she flew and fell. Fortunately, Epona remembered that she had a leaf before she hit the canopy line and managed to find herself a nice little opening in the woods to glide her way down to the forest floor.
The darkness was thick around her. The trees provided little room for the starlight of day, so she drew out her lantern and lit its flame to illuminate the area.
"Well, that wasn't very nice of Trixie, now was it?" Wisp said as he floated out of Epona's mane. "I nearly lost my grip! And I had just started liking the mare, too." He looked around, examining their surroundings. "Nice place she picked out for us, though. Fresh air, plenty of food, and the service is excellent!"
Just then a deep, gutteral growl and a disgusting stench bounced into Epona's senses. She looked and saw a pair of bright green eyes staring at her.
"See? Swift and ready to please!"
Epona raised her shield just in time to deflect the blow of a great paw. In the lantern's light, she could make out the form of a creature similar to Mirrors' wolf form, only completely made of wood and leaves. Nothing seemed to be holding it together. No skin, no muscle, not even a glow of magic.
Epona drew out a bomb and pulled the string, then rolled it under the wolf. The creature stared down at blinking ball, unsure what to make of it.
Then it exploded.
Epona lowered her shield once the shards stopped flying. A couple claws were embedded into it, but she was unharmed. She walked up to a large chunk of its body and kicked it with her free forehoof. "Huh. Maybe Ah can survive out here," she thought aloud.
The body began to glow a faint green, and she felt a tug at her shield. The embedded claws also glowed as they pulled toward the main body. Epona struggled to keep herself from being dragged until her shield finally let go, causing her to topple backward. When she looked back up, the wolf was completely reassembled, as though nothing had happened to it.
"Epona, might I suggest running?"
"Good idea." She picked up her lantern and ran as fast as her legs would go. To her sides, she could see more and more sets of green eyes training on her. The heavy thudding of wooden paws continued to draw closer and closer. Epona drew out another bomb and let it go in the center of the pack behind her, but they had learned. The pack scattered into the trees, letting the detonation pass harmlessly by. She could hear the snapping of twigs beside her as the wolves approached again.
A set of green eyes leapt out onto the path in front of her. Knowing she couldn't slow down, Epona threw a bomb out and kicked it at the beast. The wolf's eyes widened at the swiftly approaching projectile, then disappeared in a bright flash of blue. Epona ran by as green outlines of wooden shards began floating back onto the path. However, the momentary pause used to kick the bomb brought the wolves right beside Epona.
"Wisp, grab mah Ocarina and hold it for me!" Epona willed the instrument out in front of her, and Wisp grabbed it. She bit down onto the mouth piece and blew.
^(C)(A)(G)~, ^(C)(A)(G)~, ^(C)(A)(G), (A), (G)~~
"And just what was that supposed to do?!" Wisp cried. Epona opened her mouth to answer, but it quickly slammed shut as a stray root sent her crashing to the ground. She rolled and tumbled for several paces before sliding to a stop. All around, she could hear the wolves growling menacingly at her. Green slits blinked at her from all directions, and the stench in the area became nearly overpowering. There was no way she could bomb them all before they got her. The pack howled as one, then charged her, leaping in for the kill. Epona desperately held up her shield, but she knew that her little slab of wood would never be able to stop them all.
Just then, a great orange fist shattered through the pack, blasting them into the woods in pieces. Time seemed to slow as Epona looked up and saw a lone wolf. A lone wolf with lustrous black fur and white stripes on its legs. A lone wolf with a ridge of orange down its back. A lone wolf with brilliant cyan eyes staring at her.
"Hop on, and hang on tight," it growled. The clatter of wood being pieced back together brought Epona back to reality, and she obeyed hurriedly. A moment after Mirror Child bounded off, howls were heard behind them. "There's a clearing a little ways ahead! If the wolves follow us, it'll be easier to fight them there!" The wolves did follow, and they were following closely. Mirrors was fast, but she was carrying Epona while the timberwolves were unhindered. Slowly, they began to gain on her. "Keep them off me until we reach the clearing!"
"Got it!" Mirrors picked Epona up with her mane and placed her so she was facing backward toward the wolves. She threw a bomb, but again the wolves scattered. They returned to the path, however, as it was faster than trying to keep up through the underbrush.
Still, Epona realized that bombs would be useless against them. She put them away, then drew out her slingshot and fired a seed. The seed struck its target, but to little effect. The wolf merely closed its eyes and dropped its head for a moment before returning to the chase.
"DUCK!"
"Huh?" Epona turned her head back toward Mirrors. A low hanging branch smashed against her, snapping from the tree. Her grip on Mirrors slipped, and she began to fall. Mirrors quickly reached back with her mane and caught her, barely preventing her from falling completely off. "Thanks, Mirrors!"
"Idiot!" the wolf shot back. "If you don't get your head down the next time I say duck, I'm leaving you behind, understand?! We're about to hit a rough patch, so hang on tight and do as I say!"
Mirror Child suddenly began swerving back and forth, nearly throwing Epona off. The filly held on as tightly as she could, but little by little she began losing her grip. She put her slingshot away to get a better hold, and for a few moments it helped. However, as Mirror Child's movements became more erratic, it became harder and harder to hang on. Epona searched through her inventory for anything that might help her hang on. A second later she donned the digging mitts, transforming her hooves into claws. She dug them into Mirrors' coat for a better grip.
"Ow! What the hay, Epona?! What are you- Ouch! Epona, you're stabbing me! Ow, STOP!"
"Sorry!" Her claws returned to being hooves, but the ride remained as treacherous as before, and she soon began to slip again. Then she saw Snowshoe.
"LEFT!" Epona leaned to the left as Snowshoe formed around her leg. Immediately after, a branch snapped against the back of her head. She yelped. "I said left, not right !"
"Ah went left!"
"MY left!"
"Oh, now ya tell me! Thanks for-"
"RIGHT!" Epona leaned to her left, or Mirrors' right. Another branch snapped against her and broke away from its tree.
"OW! What the hay, Mirrors?! Ya said right that time!"
"Just making sure you were paying attention!"
"Why, you-!"
"DUCK!" Epona dropped down immediately as a thick branch flew overhead. Two of the timberwolves crashed into it and shattered to pieces, but four others made it past. Finally, Mirror Child stopped swerving. "Alright, we're past the rough spot! You alive back there?!"
"Ah'm still here!" Epona cried.
"Good! I only heard a couple go down, so try to keep the rest off me until we reach the clearing!"
The wolves had gained on them in the rough and were now less than half a second behind. Epona could almost swear she felt their breath as they growled. She pulled out her slingshot again, but then she remembered that it had little effect, so she drew her boomerang instead. She aimed it at the far right wolf and threw. The boomerang hit the wolf, but merely bounced back and returned to her hoof without phasing it.
"Consarn it... Ah need something more powerful, but Ah don't- actually..." With Mirror Child running straight again, Epona put Snowshoe away and equipped Rang 2. She aimed her boomerang once more... "Let's see if this works." She threw.
The boomerang smashed through the wolf like a sledgehammer. Its pack-mates looked back at it as it returned to Epona, surprised by its sudden power.
"Finally! Ah can beat them!" She aimed at the middle wolf of the three remaining and threw her boomerang again. This time, however, the wolf dodged. She threw a second and third time, but each wolf avoided the attack. They were wary of the curved weapon. Epona drew out her slingshot once more. She knocked one of her hard, golden seeds and aimed for the center wolf's eyes, but again the wolf simply closed them and deflected the blow. Immediately after, her boomerang smashed through it, scattering its pieces across the path. "Dodge that, ya dumb dog!"
"Oh, ponyfeathers! Epona!" Mirror Child called.
"What is it?!"
"There's a large gap between us and the clearing!"
"Ya can still make it, right?!" At twenty feet across and fifty feet deep, with nothing but cliff faces and gravity leading to its base, the gap was a formidable barrier. It was simple enough for Mirror Child to cross without Epona on her back, but with her both adding weight and reducing speed...
"Not at this rate!" Epona fell silent. The last two wolves were almost within biting distance of Mirrors' hind legs. For a few seconds, the only sounds to be heard were they heavy breathing of ponies and dogs, and the loud thumping of paws striking the ground. "I'm sorry, Epona! We're gonna have to-"
"Jump it!" Epona shouted as she re-equipped Snowshoe.
"Are you crazy?! I just said we won't be able to-"
"Yes, we will! Trust me!"
"Epona, If I make that jump-"
"DO IT!"
Mirror Child swore under her breath as she approached the gap. "I hope you know what you're doing!"
"Let me know when you're about to jump!"
"Alright!" Just a few more paces. She could hear the timberwolves' teeth behind her. Just a couple more seconds... "Ready? NOW!" As Mirrors leapt, she felt her speed suddenly burst, as though something had pushed her forward. But that little burst wouldn't be enough to... to... Why wasn't she falling? The timberwolves howled and crashed at the gap's base, but she was leisurely floating through the air! She floated all the way to the other side and several feet further, landing safely beyond the edge.
"Ah told ya we'd make it!" Epona cried happily. She hugged Mirrors' scruffy neck and hopped down.
"What did you do? There's no way we should've made that!" The braying of more wolves echoed over the gap. "Grr... Come on Epona. The clearing is right there. That's where we'll fight them!"
"Nope."
"What?!" Epona pointed her lantern over the gap. In the distance, she saw four green sets of eyes bounding toward them at high speed. When she could make out the shapes of their bodies, Epona took out a small green leaf. "What is that supposed to be?!" Epona lifted the leaf over her head and waited. Finally, the wolves reached the edge of the gap and leapt, fangs dripping, claws outsretched for the other side.
Epona brought the leaf down to the ground with all her might. Mirror Child watched in awe as it expanded to an enormous size and launched a blast of wind straight into the wooden dogs. The wind caught them and stalled the four of them mid-air, cancelling the full force of their jump.
Epona grinned. Mirrors gaped. Gravity worked.
"Alright," Epona said after several moments of silence. "Let's get to that clearing and rest."
"That's... a big tree," Epona commented. The clearing itself was large, but in its center stood a willow tree whose trunk was as thick as a standard Ponyville house is wide and taller than several Sunset Manors stacked on their sides. "Ah've never seen anything like it."
Mirror Child looked at her curiously before Epona pointed. Suddenly her jaw dropped.
"No way... That's the Willow of the Everfree," Mirrors gasped. "They say that under that tree's branches is the single most peaceful place in Equestria. Not even Manticores will hunt the creatures found there. How did I miss that earlier?"
Epona looked out at the menagerie of animals that populated the region. Many different species of bird roosted and built nests in the tree's branches. Squirrels, rabbits, and other small creatures were abundant near its base, even as snakes and lizards slithered by. Dangerous beasts such as Manticores and Cockatrices also made a home in some areas, completely ignored by what would normally be considered prey.
The flora was just as diverse as the fauna. Berries of all sorts grew in hedges near the perimeter, acting as a sort of boundary between the clearing and the rest of the forest. Flowers covered entire regions of the ground in a wide array of colors, creating a tapestry of life and beauty for the animals to play and sleep in. Grasses and fruits also grew within the confines of the clearing, providing plenty of food options for the herbivores.
However, there was one region where no animal ventured closer than several yards away. A dense fog covered that relatively small patch of land, rendering it's earth invisible to the naked eye. "Why aren't any animals over there?" Epona asked.
"I don't know, but if its dangerous even under the willow's branches, I'm not going anywhere near the place." Epona nodded agreement. "Anyways, finding this place was probably the biggest stroke of luck we could get. We can stay here until it's time to go back."
"Ah wonder when that'll be..."
"Don't worry. We'll just stay long enough for Trixie to think we're actually doing something, and be back home in a couple days tops."
"Well, if it's all the same to you, I'm going to wait outside," said a third voice.
In an instant, Mirror Child was a wolf again, peering everywhere with her lupine eyes yet seeing no one. "Who's there?!"
"Hahaha! I simply love the look on your face! It speaks volumes about instinct and the fear of the unknown." Wisp floated casually from Epona's mane. "However, your fears are unjustified. I am merely a small black wisp of cloud."
"Oh! Mirrors, meet Wisp. He's been with me since Ah went into the Diamond Dogs' lair."
"And you never once thought to introduce us! You, my dear Epona, are a horrible host." Wisp moved in toward Mirrors' muzzle and sat on it. "Don't worry, though. Even without your hospitality, I've learned quite a bit by watching from the sidelines. For instance, last night Mirrors was dreaming about being with-"
A great orange claw grabbed the cloud and mashed him into the ground violently before he could finish his sentence. "You've been watching me in my sleep, you disgusting vapor?!" She pounded the dirt repeatedly to grind him into it. Epona just sighed.
"Calm down, Mirrors.," she finally said. "He's just a cloud. It's not like you're actually hurting him."
The cloud twitched and coughed. Mirrors glanced at her before punching the ground one last time and reverting back into a pony.
"Anyways, Why are ya staying out here alone?" Epona asked.
"Something about being around cute furry animals doesn't sit right with me," Wisp replied as he slowly reconstituted himself. "I have this completely irrational fear that the little angels are actually demons in disguise."
"Works for me! Let's go, Epona." Mirrors pushed Epona through the hedge barrier. As they passed through to the other side, the region immediately fell silent. Epona blushed a little when she discovered all eyes and ears trained on them. Mirrors kept pushing her until they reached a relatively uncrowded area. "Phew, all that running made me tired! I think this is a great place to sleep, don't you? Nice and peaceful." She forced out a yawn and stretched, then curled into a ball and closed her eyes.
Epona stared with confused brows at Mirrors, but a moment later her adrenaline wore off and she yawned as well. Soon, she was curled up on the ground, sound asleep.
*****
Mirrors closed her eyes and stretched her neck from side to side. Ever since she woke up, she had a twinge that refused to leave her in peace, like a needle poking her in the spine. Not that the herd of bunnies which had seen fit to climb her sides made things any better. She felt odd whenever she looked at them, as though she weren't viewing foodstuffs, but they were. Was the wisp right about-- she shook her head. There was no sense in entertaining that train of thought.
"Shoo! Go away, or I'll eat you!" she cried as she grabbed another off her back, desperately restraining herself from throwing it. She turned into a wolf, growled low, and bristled every hair across her back in an effort to scare them off. It was a little disconcerting to see them stare levelly back at her. Unfortunately, something about this place made it impossible for her to actually take that first bite.
"Maybe ya aren't intimidating enough," Epona mused with a smirk.
"Not intim-!" Mirror Child howled at the sky in rage. A few moments later, she turned toward the outside. "Tch. I'm gonna go hunt. If I stay here another minute, I will disturb this clearing's 'peace'!" Mirrors bounded up to boundary. "You gonna tag along? Or are you gonna stay here with those half-bites? " She glared at the bunnies again with similar results.
"Ah think Ah'll stay here. It's been a while since Ah could just relax. Have fun out there!"
Mirrors leapt over the hedge as Epona waved good bye, then sprinted off into the woods. Now this was living! The wind rushing through one's fur. The calls of a hundred different creatures, all waiting to be conquered. The smell of fear wafting toward one's muzzle as she neared her prey, then the warm red spray of life leaving its body. The thrill of the hunt... This is what Mirrors craved and loved more than anything else in the world. Much better than watching furballs stare at you without any respect for the food chain.
As the moon passed overhead, she pointed her muzzle skyward. This was another thing she loved about hunting: watching the day's sky. Out in the forest, where no torches flashed and no fires burned, each and every star could be seen clearly beside their larger cousin. Constellations such as Ursa and Canis, which were bright enough to be visible even within a city or a village, simply blazed with light against their dark background. The beauty of that sky made the interims between kills that much more enjoyable.
She also noticed that her neck pain was gone.
A slight tingle in Mirrors' fur brought her attentions back down to the ground; something magical was approaching. She crouched low to the ground and waited for her quarry to appear.
"Mirror Child? Oh Mirrors, darling, where are you?" She groaned inwardly. Of all the creatures she had planned on seeing, that creepy little cloud had been on the 'avoid' list. "Ah, there you are!"
"What do you want, cloud?" she growled.
"Just a little company from my dear friend's dear friend. Is that too much to ask?"
"You want company? Then leave me alone and go join your 'dear friend' in the zoo." Mirrors pointed her nose back toward the clearing.
"I would if I could, but I can't, so I won't. That's why I've decided to join you."
"Oh, right. You're afraid of the rabbits. Well, I can tell you from personal experience that they aren't demons in disguise. Even if they have no respect for the food chain..."
Wisp shook from side to side. "As amusing as that would be, that's just a story I made up on the spot. I literally can't enter that clearing." Mirrors cocked her head to the side. "Aha, I've made you curious, haven't I?"
"A little bit. Why can't you get in, and why didn't you tell Epona the truth earlier?"
"You see," Wisp began dramatically. "That tree and I had a sort of... friendship in the past; however, due to certain events critical to world history, our bond was severed!" Wisp breathed a deep, pitiful sigh. "Truly a tragic tale, don't you think?"
"A tree... and a little black cloud... had a thing?" she asked. Somehow, she got the feeling that Wisp's story needed to be taken with several grains of salt.
"My dear wolf, don't be silly. You make it sound like I've always been a little black cloud! No, there was a time when I was much more than what you see before you today."
Mirror Child leaned in close. "Were you a big black cloud?"
"I think that's enough about me," Wisp suddenly said. "Let's talk about you , Mirrors! How did you become a lycan?"
Mirror Child's head and shoulders sagged a little, almost imperceptibly. "Don't change the subject... You still haven't told me why you lied to Epona."
Wisp sighed. "There you go again, assuming something that simply isn't the case. I have no obligation to tell her anything at all, much less the truth."
Mirror Child leered at him. "What are you hiding, Wisp?" The two stared at each other with unflinching gazes. Seconds passed, then a minute, then another. It seemed that neither party would break the silence between them, but Wisp finally lowered.
"Why did you leave the clearing? You had an abundance of food readily at your jaws, yet instead you chose to hunt outside."
"I..." she started, but her words got caught in her throat. "I, just, didn't feel like being cooped up in there. It was too peaceful," she replied after a moment. Wisp merely shook.
"Hah! I don't believe that for a second," the little cloud retorted, and Mirrors huffed. "I think something inside was, shall we say, uncomfortable about the place. I don't mean like the bunnies from earlier. More like a little niggling feeling in the back of your skull screaming at you to get out."
"Shut up. I'm a wolf surrounded by prey! Why would I have a feeling like that?" Mirrors looked away. "Stupid cloud..."
"You know what I think?" he asked, slowly beginning to circle around her. "I think something forced you out. Something you have no control over. Some irrational fear that made you unable to stay any longer. Made you want to run and never turn back."
"I said shut up!" Mirrors barked, fur bristling.
"That's why I can't go in. There is a magic here that prevents me from getting inside simply due to my nature. That same magic affects you as well, to some degree, because of your nature."
"And just what do you know about my nature, hmm? What do you think you know about me?!" she raged, growling and barring her teeth, ready to spring on Wisp and tear him apart.
"I know that you're a wolf," he replied evenly. "I know that you're a wolf and that you didn't start that way, which brings me back to my question: How did you become a lycan?"
Mirrors paused and allowed herself time to think about Wisp's question.
"...I'm going to hunt."
She bolted into the forest, leaving him behind. She ran and ran, trying to drown out his words echoing in her ears with the rushing wind. When she reached the gap, she cleared it effortlessly. When she heard the bray of timber wolves nearby, she paid them no heed as there was no way for them to catch her unhindered. She ran until she spied a deer, then she sprinted even faster. It didn't even have time to lift its head before she was holding it down with her great orange claw and thrusting her jaws into its throat, but the kill did little to clear her head.
So she ran.
*****
When Mirrors finally returned to the clearing, she saw Epona parading around in a bird mask while playing her ocarina. She had amassed a troupe of animals, including several dozen rabbits, a flock of small birds, a couple cockatrices, and even one of the manticores, in a line behind her like a giant game of follow the leader. Those who weren't actively participating were listening and bobbing to the steady march. It almost seemed like the tree itself swayed to the rhythm.
She poked her head over the brush, closed her eyes, and waited for a few moments. A slight, almost undetectable pinch started to form in the back of her neck. When she pulled back again, the pinch faded into nothing, as though it had never existed.
"Epona!" she called from the edge. The parading filly paused and looked at her. "It's time to go!"
Epona nodded and put the ocarina away, then began walking toward her. However, something made her stop and look back at the tree. A few moments later, she pulled out a small pouch and hesitantly gave it to one of the squirrels, which darted up into the tree's branches. When it returned, the pouch was bulging slightly, as though it had been filled with something. Epona paused for a moment, staring into the open pouch, then glanced up at the tree and nodded. Finally, she put it away and made her way to and through the berry barrier.
"What was that all about?" Mirrors asked.
"The animals liked the parade so much that they gave me some seeds. Look at how many I have!" Epona held up her seed satchel.
"Great. When we get home, you can grow a garden. Now hop on. While you were playing, I was finding the way back home. Trixie's probably wondering where we are." Epona climbed up onto Mirrors' back and equipped Snowshoe. "All set? Then let's-"
"Don't forget about me!" Wisp cried as he quickly floated into Epona's mane.
"Empress forbid we leave you behind..." Mirrors grumbled. "Anyways. Epona, I'm gonna need your help getting back across the gap, so whatever you did last time, do it again." She pointed her nose away from the clearing. "Let's go home."
"Greetings, Empress. I have come regarding your search for the assailant who attacked our outpost and stole our Element of Harmony." Empress Moon sat back on her throne and regarded the Diamond Dog ambassador. She wore the traditional fur coat and bejeweled accessories, but there was a confidence in her that put the last mutt who wore the garbs to shame.
"What happened to the previous ambassador?" Empress Moon asked, though she suspected she already knew the answer.
"He was deemed unworthy of the title after his shameful performance before you, which is why I am here in his stead." The Empress nodded.
"I believe I owe him an apology then, for his words proved true. The attack was indeed committed by a pony."
"As ambassadors, we are representatives of the Allied Diamond Dog Colonies. We take utmost care to ensure our nation's interests are upheld, and lying about such serious matters would be counter to that missive. We would prefer to avoid a war against Equestria, if possible."
"As would I against the Colonies."
"Do you know who this pony is? My nation could receive no better relief than to know who it is, and that they have been taken into custody."
The Empress shook her head. "The exact identity of the assailant has not yet been confirmed; however, we have narrowed the list and are currently tracking the whereabouts of everypony on it."
"You don't even have a suspect in custody? That is most unfortunate." The dog lowered her head and closed her eyes. "I told you before that we would prefer to avoid a war with Equestria." She lifted her head and gazed directly into the Empress's eyes. "However, the leaders of our nation have been in uproar about the event. They demand retribution. They want to know that this wrong will be righted, and therefore have made two requests."
"Very well. What are these 'requests'?"
"The Element of Harmony must be returned to us. It is ours by right, and we will not give up that right."
The Empress nodded. "Of course. When we have located it, it will be returned to you with all swiftness. And the other?"
"Give us the pony responsible for the attack. We would see that the attack against the ADDC be punished by the ADDC."
She sighed. "As I have said before, Equestria does not know who exactly committed the act or the exact location of our suspects. We cannot fulfill that request at present."
"You have two months," the ambassador announced, changing her tone from diplomatic to almost accusatory. "If these demands are not met, or should you deny them, then the ADDC will publicize the attack to the world and brand Equestria as a country who breaks its treaties."
"Your government would slander me and my entire empire because of one rogue pony? Forgive my error, but I did not take your nation to be lead by fools!"
"Does that mean you are denying our requests?" An uneasy silence rose as the two stared directly into each other's eyes.
"No," came the Empress's reply after a moment of thought. "However, I do not wish to see another Dog in my presence until the time you have so generously offered has reached its end."
"Very well. I will return in two months." The ambassador bowed, then strode out of the throne room with her head held high.
Empress Moon thought for several moments. "Courier." A brown Unicorn stepped forward from behind the throne.
"Yes, Empress?"
"Have a list of agents within foreign nations in my chambers tomorrow morning. I think a little game is in order." Equestria's ruler chuckled darkly.
"Yes, your majesty. Shall I include the ADDC?"
"Especially the ADDC. Games are meant to be enjoyed by all, and they have been so generous recently." The Empress's body morphed into an ethereal magic and dissolved into the air.
~~~~~~~~~~
Epona and Mirror Child plodded out of the forest, huffing and gasping for breath.
"Ya said... ya knew... the way out," Epona complained.
"I said... I found ... the way out," Mirrors replied. "Doesn't... mean... I can't... lose it... okay?"
"Honestly, girls, I don't understand why you two are so whiny. That trip was exhilarating!" The fillies shot Wisp with weary glares, much to his amusement. "The way that Manticore- Ohp, here comes Trixie!" He disappeared back into Epona's mane just as the mare appeared at the door of Sunset Manor. She beckoned the two, so they plodded over.
"What took you so long? I expected you back by lunch, not dinner!"
"We found-"
"I'll tell her, Epona," Mirrors interrupted. "You go eat."
"Are ya sure? Ya did most of the work."
"I had some deer earlier." Epona shuddered a little. She still hadn't quite gotten used to the idea of a pony eating meat, even if that pony was part wolf.
"Well, a'right if you're sure." She went to the kitchen, letting the savory smell of Apple-Carrot Stew be her guide.
Trixie listened until she heard the uncouth slurping which signified Epona's eating habits. Then she turned back toward Mirror Child. "What did you find that's so important you have to tell me personally?"
"We found the Willow." Trixie slowly grinned, however Mirrors' expression soured. "Or rather, she found the Willow. I was completely blind to it until she pointed it out, even though I must have passed it several times while looking for her."
Trixie put a hoof to her chin. "Why was Epona able to see it while you, with all your lupine senses, couldn't detect it?" She walked over to the South window. "Epona, come here for a moment."
The tell-tale slurping paused, and Epona appeared at the kitchen's entrance. "Yes, Miss Trixie?"
"Tell me, where is the Willow of the Everfree from here?" Epona walked over to the window and peered out. Her brow furrowed.
"Ah dunno. It must be pretty far, since Ah can't see it from here."
Trixie nodded. "Thank you, Epona. You may go back to eating." The filly left and resumed her meal. "Mirror Child, how far would you say the tree is from here?"
"About 15 minute's run from here as a wolf, when I'm unhindered."
"And how big would you say it was?"
"Take the manor and stack it a dozen times. About that big in the trunk."
"Not even including the branches?" Mirrors shook her head. "That's... a big tree." Trixie smiled slightly. "A big tree with a powerful illusion surrounding it. Perhaps..."
As Trixie mumbled on, Mirrors thoughts fell back to the clearing. Should I tell her about the effect it had on me? There's something about that place that didn't sit right with me, or Wisp. I should probably mention him too, come to think of it. Him and what he said... How did he know about me? And why did the magic affect both of us?
"You look like you have something on your mind."
"Wha?" Mirrors looked up to see Trixie staring down at her. "Oh, it's nothing..."
"Hmm..." Trixie regarded the student as any teacher would when she knew something was up. However... "Very well. When you're ready to talk about it, let me know. Sooner would be better, if it's going to affect your performance."
Mirrors lifted her head high. "It won't."
"Good, because Empress Moon contacted me earlier." Mirrors lifted an eyebrow. "Pack your things, and be prepared for the worst. I'm about to send you on your toughest assignment yet."
She deadpanned. "That's what you said about finding Epona."
"True, however, there is one major difference between this assignment and the last. Instead of finding the one who stole the Element of Harmony, you are going to become the one who stole it."
A glimmer appeared in Mirrors' eyes, and a small tug curled her lips. Then her ear twitched. "Epona's done." Trixie looked back to see Epona emerging from the kitchen once more with a contented grin.
"Phew, Ah'm stuffed," the yellow filly yawned. "And sleepy. There's nothing like hot stew to knock a pony on her keister. If ya'll don't need anything, Ah'm gonna go to bed."
"Just a moment, Epona," Trixie replied. "Tomorrow, I'm sending you back to the Willow for a week, so you should do some packing tonight."
Epona's ears flattened. "Ya mean Ah have to go back into the forest? It was bad enough getting there the first time!"
"Don't be like that. If it helps, think of this as the second phase of your training," Epona sighed and nodded, then trotted upstairs. A moment later, the click of a door sounded, and Trixie turned her attention back to Mirrors. "After you get Epona to the Willow, take the train to Canterlot. The Empress will be addressing every agent involved in this operation at noon."
To Whom It May Concern,
It has come to my attention that there is a rogue pony on the loose. Said pony attacked the Diamond Dog outpost in Equestria and defeated it's champion, Cerberus. Upon the victory, the attacker absconded with the Element of Honesty, an international treasure as you well know. The exact identity and whereabouts of this pony are unknown; however, an internal investigation has produced a list of possible suspects, as follows:
*****
Mirrors was on the train to Canterlot when Empress Moon's image appeared before her. "Greetings, Agent."
*****
Mirror Child: Earth Pony Filly : 13 : Ponyville, Equestria : Tracking, Close Quarters Combat : Grey fur, Orange mane/tail, Red eyes, Single tooth protruding from mouth : Cyan spiral surrounded by 90* angles : Wolf : Black fur, White stripe on underbelly and hind legs, Orange mane down the back, Blue eyes
Despite her age, she is an experienced hunter and has taken down over two dozen marks. She uses a blend of wit and charm to win over people's hearts until she confirms her mark. She is capable of waiting for months at a time for the opportune moment to strike, at which point she assumes her wolf form and kills them. She is known to enjoy toying with the mark before making the kill.
Her senses are highly attuned in both forms, especially smell and hearing. On several occasions, would be ambushers have found themselves the ambushed due to this. As a wolf, her senses are enhanced even more, as well as her physical strength, speed, and stamina. She is capable of controlling her mane as a weapon, preferring to use it as a claw for catching, holding, throwing, or punching.
*****
A Pegasus deep in Gryphona stopped his work and looked up at his ruler. "You have been selected to undergo what may prove to be the single most dangerous mission of your career."
*****
Tortoise: Pegasus Draft Stallion : 40 : Cloudsdale, Gryphona : Smithing, Aerial/Weapons Combat : Burnt orange fur, Brown mane/tail, Yellow eyes : Hammer crossing shield : None : N/A
He can tell the quality of most things at a glance, whether it be metals or people. He uses this ability primarily for smithing armor and weapons, gathering his own materials and forging them into some of the best equipment currently on the market. He also uses this ability to know a person's intentions and to tell friend from foe without prior interaction.
When not smithing, he is either searching for materials or training with his weaponry, typically in full armor. He takes to the skies to maximize his efficiency during combat, preferring the enhance mobility of the air. His weapon of choice is the Zweihänder. He has also been known to use a broadsword and shield. His last known set of armor consisted of a silk-lined leather suit covered by steel plating.
*****
The most dangerous mission of my career, eh? Could be a good story to tell my colt back home. "Just a few short weeks ago, somepony attacked the ADDC outpost here in Equestria, defeated Cerberus, and stole Element of Honesty. This situation presents a unique dilemma. The precedent has been set that a single well-trained assailant can successfully conquer an entire stronghold. Other nations will surely realize this and begin sending out their most skilled agents to obtain the remaining Elements. The first nation to reclaim all of them will become the greatest military power in the world."
*****
Baba: Unicorn Stallion : 34 : Zebrabwe, Zebrica : Plants : Blue-green fur, Green-blue mane/tail, Magenta eyes : Thorny vine with a fanged bulb : None : N/A
His skills as a mage are limited, but he is a master of many fields requiring the use of plants. One of the few applications in which he uses his magic is enhancing the potions and poisons taught to him through training with the Zebras. Another is in crafting and wielding his bows and arrows.
His marksmanship is among the world's finest, as proven in numerous tournaments in Gryphona, Equestria, and the Crystal Empire. He has shown ability to shoot moving targets with pinpoint accuracy up to 100 meters away and stationary targets up to 300 meters. When hunting, he typically coats his arrows with poisons, debilitating or deadly, of various functions.
*****
So that's what the doozy was! "This is where you come in. You are among my most elite agents, making you prime players in this global game of capture the flag. Unfortunately, because the one who stole the first Element was a pony, politics has forced me to give you a handicap. There is a false list of possible suspects being sent to the leaders of your current nation even as we speak. To make the list seem legitimate, your name and description have been included.
You have two primary objectives. First, you are to prevent capture of the Elements of Harmony by the other nations and root out their agents. Second, you are to attempt to locate and obtain the remaining Elements."
*****
Pinkamena Pie: Earth Pony Mare : Unknown : Furmingham, ADDC : Baking, Parties : Pink fur, Hot pink mane/tail, Blue-grey eyes : Removed. : None : N/A
Cannot be successfully engaged. Avoid if possible.
*****
"If you successfully capture a 'flag', you will contact me directly and I will give you further instruction. If you are caught, you will be regarded by all nations, including Equestria, as the true thief. You will have to fend for yourself or rely on the other agents involved. Of course, I have every confidence that you will be able to avoid such dire situations."
*****
Canvas: Unicorn Mare : Unknown : Ponyville, Equestria : Magic : White fur, Pink mane/tail, Purple eyes : Yellow circle surrounded by tendrils of flame : None : N/A
Light, of the Night Light Sisters. Weaker and more dramatic than Obsidian, she is still a formidable mage. She is well-versed in all schools of magic, but prefers fire-based magic in combat. She is somewhat diplomatic, preferring to settle engagements with words rather than with force. The bond she shares with her sisters is extremely strong, especially with her youngest sister, Ivory, and will do whatever she feels is necessary to protect them. When paired with Obsidian, the pair is known as the Night Light Sisters and are a nearly invincible team.
*****
"In addition to your primary objectives, you have one secondary objective. The infamous Night Light sisters were discovered in Equestria shortly after the attack, but have since fled. Should you come across them, nullify them and bring them immediately to Canterlot. Again, this is a secondary objective. Collecting the Elements of Harmony is your first and foremost concern."
*****
Obsidian: Unicorn Mare : Unknown : Ponyville, Equestria : Magic : Jet black fur, Dark blue mane/tail, Blue-green eyes : Crescent Moon : None : N/A
Night, of the Night Light Sisters. Stronger, more level-headed than Canvas. She is well-versed in all forms of magic, but specializes in sleeping magic. She typically does not resort to diplomacy, preferring more definitive methods of threat removal. The bond she shares with her sisters is extremely strong, especially with her younger sister, Ivory, and will do whatever she feels is necessary to protect them. When paired with Canvas, the pair is known as the Night Light sisters and are a nearly invincible team.
*****
"Because every nation will likely be involved, teamwork will be vital between you. These are all of Equestria's agents involved in this operation." Empress Moon's image dissolved and reformed to display Mirror Child, Tortoise, Baba, and Pinkamena. "Do not trust anyone else, pony or otherwise. Be especially watchful of anyone who seems to know about the disappearance of the Elements of Harmony."
*****
Extreme caution is advised when approaching or engaging any of the aforementioned ponies, especially if found as part of a group. All of them have the necessary skill to attack a military outpost, and any of them could be the individual who stole the Element of Honesty. There may be attempts on the other Elements in the near future should they be left unchecked.
*****
"You have your mission. Good luck."
*****
Ruler of the Equestrian Empire, Empress Moon
Epona equipped Snowshoe and trotted along Fluttershy's large branches. It was like a small city within the foliage, with each branch being a street and each large plume of leaves a home to birds and squirrels and other creatures. And changelings. She kept a wary eye out for the strange ponies, all the while searching for the safe that would contain the Element of Kindness.
'Epona, be careful. More changelings have entered the clearing. I won't be able to hold my Stare on all of them.'
"Thanks for the warning, Miss Fluttershy." Epona quickened her pace. "By the way Miss Fluttershy... Do ya have any idea where the safe is supposed to be? No offense, but you're a really big tree. It'll take ages to search every nook and cranny."
'You can find the safe at the top of my trunk, almost directly in the center of my foliage.' Epona looked up. She was near the bottom edge, where the branches had been low enough for her to reach. Several changelings flew past her and into the deeper reaches of the tree. More were flying up from other areas around the clearing and into the higher branches, carrying wingless variants and dropping them onto Fluttershy.
"That's not fair..." Epona tucked her feather deeper into her mane and jumped from branch to branch, slowly making her way up.
A glint of moonlight shining off of a set of shiny carapaces caught her eye, so she paused her ascent and hid among Fluttershy's leaves. A patrol of five changelings was roving the area and heading in her direction. If she moved from her spot, she would be seen and probably attacked, but if she didn't move soon, the patrol would be on top of her.
There was no helping it. She had to move.
"Time to see if these seeds are everything Miss Fluttershy said they were..." Epona withdrew her slingshot and her seed satchel and looked inside. It held five different types of seeds, including the ones used for bullets and the Pegasus seeds. 'Ember' seeds were supposed to burst into flame when they struck something. 'Gale' seeds magically created a sudden rush of wind when broken, and 'scent' seeds would give off a smell that attracted most, if not all, of the creatures nearby. Epona knocked a gale seed and fired it directly into the center of the patrol.
Immediately upon striking the branch, the seed formed a small but violent tornado, catching all of the changelings in its wind and swinging them around each other like balls tethered to a pole. It dissipated a moment later, flinging them all in different directions. One of them flew over Epona's head and nearly took her with it.
She watched the changelings fall as she trotted along the branch. Then she watched them reorient themselves mid-air and start flying back. One of them pointed and chittered loudly at her. The others immediately trained themselves and flew toward her position. "Aww, ponyfeathers..."
Epona began to run. She ducked and jumped as the five changelings flew past, trying to strike her and knock her off the branch. With each pass, they got closer and closer, until finally one of them clipped her hind quarters and sent her rolling on her side. She rolled and slid to the edge of the branch, barely managing to keep from falling. She slowly climbed her way back up, watching her step and making sure not to slip. Only when she reached the top of the branch did she allow herself to look up.
Just in time to see a changeling crash directly into her chest.
The two fell. Epona tried to force the changeling away, but it held fast with its holed hooves and snapped at her with its fanged mandibles. "Get off me, ya dumb bug!" A small seed formed in her hoof which she rammed into the changeling's hard carapace.
A vortex of air immediately swirled around them and tore them apart from each other, flinging them in opposite directions. The changeling flew into another patrol while Epona crashed into the side one of Fluttershy's limbs. She shook her head to get rid of the ringing, then she opened her eyes to see the branch getting further away and eight changelings following her down.
She drew out her boomerang and threw it, striking and stunning two of the changelings before it returned. She prepared to throw it again when she saw another branch go by. She turned her head behind to see. There were only two branches left before she would reach the ground! She pulled out her leaf but then realized that the changelings would be able to catch her easily if she slowed down. But if she didn't stop her fall, she would either be back where she started or dead.
A quick mental search of her inventory gave her an idea as another branch quickly approached. She put her leaf away and pulled out her fishing rod, then flung the line out line as she passed the branch, allowing it to wrap around and hook into the wood. The line went taught, jerking her to the side and up underneath the branch. As she came around over the top, she put her rod away, launching herself at the incoming changelings.
Her power bracelets formed around her hooves as passed through the group and caught two of them in her hooves. She slammed them against each other and against the branch as she landed. She quickly pulled out her slingshot and aimed a hard seed back at the group of enemies, sending the bullet straight through a gossamer wing. The changeling screeched and flew out of control, crashing to the ground below.
Epona ran and started jumping from branch to branch, climbing back up into the tree. The last three changelings flanked her from a safe distance then began to fire a sort of goo from their mouths. One of the shots caught Epona's back leg, trapping and holding it against the branch.
As the filly struggled to free herself, the enemies continued to fire blob after blob. She drew out her sword and shield and hacked at the solidifying glue, but her little sword wasn't strong enough to cut through and her shield was becoming difficult to use from the uneven weight applied by the goo.
On of the changelings flew to her other side. A blob struck her flank. Another caught her sword hoof. Another hit her side and oozed down, solidifying as it reached the branch. Another landed on her back and dripped over the other side. Soon, she was covered in the glue from head to hoof with only her head and belly left untouched. The three changelings leaned their heads back and prepared to finish the job. Epona quickly reached over to her shield, grabbed it with her teeth, and hid it underneath her as three blobs struck the back of her head, holding it against her body.
Having completely cocooned their foe, the three changelings landed on the branch. One of them chittered then flew off toward the center of the tree while the others stood guard on either side.
"Oh, this is gonna hurt..." The changelings turned toward the cocoon and peered at it. A moment later, a strange sound could faintly be heard from inside, almost like something was sizzling. Suddenly the cocoon shattered and exploded outward, blasting them away from Epona.
The filly groaned and spat a little white string out of her blackened mouth, then pulled out her boomerang and struck the two dazed changelings with it, knocking them unconscious. Then she removed her shield from her belly and rested.
Epona finally made it to the top of the trunk after avoiding and fending off several patrols that managed to spot her. It was made of several large branches meeting and converging to form a sort of bowl. In the center of that bowl sat a small metal safe, exactly where Fluttershy said it would be. However, something was strange.
Where were the changelings?
Not a single one could be seen within the bowl. There were enough of them to guard the branches all the way up, and they must've known where the Element was hidden. They may have been the ones that hid it all those years ago, so why weren't there any around?
"Miss Fluttershy, where are the changelings? Ah don't see any here." No response. "Miss Fluttershy?"
'I can't take my focus off of the ones on the ground. I'm sorry, but I can't help you right now, Epona. Be careful, but please hurry!'
Epona sighed and slowly made her way into the bowl. Suddenly, she heard a roar high above. She turned her gaze skyward to see a swarm of changelings attacking and combating a Manticore. The Manticore appeared to be fending them off valiantly, but it was sorely outnumbered. One of the changelings managed to break through its defenses and bite it on the back of the neck.
The beast stopped fighting mid-swipe. It's eyes glazed over and began to glow an eerie green as the poison seeped through its body. The changeling on its back went in front of it, then pointed down at the chest. Then it noticed Epona and pointed directly at her. The Manticore dive-bombed in front of Epona and roared a bestial, guttural roar.
"Easy, kitty..." Epona said softly, lifting her hooves. "Ah don't want any trouble, just what's in that chest there."
The Manticore leapt forward and swiped at Epona, who rolled out of the way. It then shot its stinger at her, but she blocked with her shield. She pulled out her metal sword and faced it.
'Don't hurt it, Epona!' Fluttershy cried. 'It's under the effects of the changeling's poison. It isn't in control of itself right now!'
"What, ya want me to wait until the poison's gone? Ah'll be chow!" Epona dodged backward just as the Manticore leapt again. "How am Ah supposed to get to the Element without beating this guy?"
'I don't know, but please try!'
"If ya say so, Miss Fluttershy..."
Epona put her sword away and darted out of range of the beast's stinger, then ran to the edge of the bowl. The Manticore followed her, swiping and throwing its stinger at her at every opportunity. She traveled along one of the larger branches in an attempt to lead it away from the safe, then disappeared into some leaves. The beast followed continued to follow her, but when it passed through the leaves, a bright flash disoriented it. Epona ate a pegasus seed and sprinted back to the safe in hopes that the beast would lose track of her, but no such luck. It still followed her by her smell until its eyes cleared.
Epona realized she had to get rid of her smell, so she pulled out a scent seed and cracked it open, releasing its smell over her body. The beast sniffed, it's eyes going wide. Then it sprang at her with increased vigor. Epona ran, but it caught up to her and pinned her down.
Strangely, that's all it did. It just stood there, sniffing her.
Epona drew her slingshot shot another scent seed a little further up the branch. The Manticore immediately turned and followed the smell. So she shot another, and another, sending it further and further away from the chest. Finally, she shot one to the farthest reach that she could hit and watched the Manticore disappear.
She made her way back to the safe which held the Element of Kindness. Epona turned the handle which locked it round and round until she heard a gear click inside. Slowly she opened the door. Inside sat a necklace with a butterfly emblem on the front.
Just then she heard a roar. She whirled and barely formed her shield before the Manticore spun on its forepaw and struck her with its tail, sending her flying backward over the safe until she crashed into the side of one of the larger branches. She slid down the branch and landed on her haunches with her head slumped forward between her legs.
The Manticore slammed the safe shut and twisted the handle back into the locked position with the flick of its claw.
Epona punched the ground. Then she picked herself up, dusted herself off and stared directly into the Manticore's eyes with dark, angry slits. "A'right, kitty," she growled. "Ah tried to be nice and listen to Fluttershy, but now Ah'm ready to play mah way."
She popped a Pegasus seed into her mouth walked forward without chewing. The power bracelets formed around her right hoof as she walked, and Snowshoe formed around her left. Her feather appeared within her mane. A small nut appeared in her hoof, which she tossed lightly at the Manticore. The beast watched as the nut arched through the air and landed softly at its feet. It leaned in and touched the nut with a claw. Suddenly, the nut flashed with a blinding light.
At that instant, Epona bit into the seed and sprinted for the stunned beast. She grabbed it by the stinger and carried it all the way until she reached the far wall and swung it over her shoulder, slamming it into the ground. Then she grabbed it by one of its great paws and slammed it into the wall. She leapt backward, drawing out her wooden sword midair, then dashed forward and brought its edge crashing into the beast's face.
She leapt high into the air, not waiting for the Manticore to reorient. Snowshoe disappeared from her left hoof, replaced instead by Rang 2 and her boomerang. She launched the projectile and drew out her slingshot. Even as the boomerang struck the Manticore in the jaw, she fired a gale seed just in front of the beast. The newborn tornado caught the boomerang and rapidly swung it around, pummeling the Manticore repeatedly. As the gale subsided and she fell back down to the tree, she dropped a bomb and brought her wooden sword down hard on the beast's head. Then she opened it's mouth, shoved the bomb down its throat, and forced her shield up against its muzzle.
Epona felt a pressure against her shield. When she looked up, she saw the Manticore's eyes rolling back as its body slumped over.
'Y-you killed him...'
Epona lifted the Manticore's eyelids. They were bloodshot. "Yep."
'Even though it didn't know what it was doing, you killed him.'
"Yep." She put her shield away then turned to face the safe.
'I asked you not to hurt him!'
Epona sighed. "Ya said try, and Ah did. Ah really did. But Ah couldn't get to the Element without beating it."
'But you didn't have to kill him!'
"If Ah didn't kill him, he would've eaten me! And Ah couldn't just ask for you to Stare him down 'cause you were too busy to help, remember?!" She walked over to the safe.
'Epona, you... You're a monster!'
"So they keep telling me." She opened the safe again and reached inside.
She suddenly felt as though a weight had been forced on her shoulders, and an uncontrollable fear took hold of her senses. Her pupils became little more than dots. She cringed, backpedaling until she bumped against the wall. When she could no longer move backward, she curled into a ball and stared out everywhere, paranoid of seeing the thing which had gripped her with terror.
'How could you, Epona? You said you wouldn't hurt him!' The weight on Epona become even heavier. Under the great tree's power, Epona could hardly think, much less move. 'What do you have to say for yourself?!'
"A-Ah had no choice!" Epona cried.
'No choice?! You could have spared his life, or waited until the poison's effect wore off, but you didn't! You could've-- Aaahh!!'
The weight vanished as if it had never existed, and the terror left Epona. All she knew now was that Fluttershy had screamed. "Miss Fluttershy, what's wrong?"
'Hurry! Take Kindness and get away from here!' Epona saw a faint flickering light coming up from over the edge of the bowl. She climbed up the side and looked over.
Fluttershy was burning.
Epona's eyes grew wide at the sight. Hundreds of changelings with torches were flying all around her, setting her leaves ablaze. The flames were traveling up her branches, becoming hotter and more violent.
'What are you waiting for?! Take Kindness and get away from here or you will die too!'
Epona turned back to run toward the safe, but four deafening roars made her pause. A large serpentine head with glowing green eyes appeared over the other side of the bowl. Then another, and another until four long necks were visible, all joining into a single body. The heads stared down at Epona and roared again.
Epona stared back up at the heads. "How in the hay am Ah supposed to fight that?!" One of the Hydra's head shot down and grabbed hold of the safe, lifting it back away from Epona. "Hey, wait!"
"Sstupid Earth Pony! We will not let you ssteal the changeling'ss Element!" A score of changelings flew up from behind the Hydra and landed on the trunk. "It'ss time for you to dissappear!"
"INCOMIIIIIIIIIIING!!" A pink blur streaked down from the sky and crashed into the center of the changeling swarm. When the dust cleared, Epona saw a pink Earth Pony mare standing in the impact site. The mare waved to her. "Hiya, Apple Bloom! Long time no see! Something like a hundred years, I think. Wow, you haven't aged a bit! You'll have to tell me your secret when we get a chance to talk, but that'll have to wait right now. My pinkie sense is telling me that we've got a friend to save!"
"That'ss one of the poniess the Queen sspoke of! Sshe musst be the real thief!" The swarm of changelings pounced on the strange mare, forming a pile on top of her.
"Mind if I borrow these? Thanks!" Epona whirled to see the mare standing beside her holding a set of blue orbs with white string just like her-- She checked her inventory and discovered that her bombs were missing! How had that mare taken her stuff?!
The mare pulled a cannon out from nowhere and loaded the bombs inside. "FIRE AWAY!" She pressed a button on the back and shot a bomb at the piled swarm, scattering the changelings in every direction. "Hey, Apple Bloom!" Epona glanced at the mare. "Stop gawking and save Fluttershy already! Do you want her to burn?"
Epona snapped out of her reverie and looked back over the bowl's edge. The fires had spread closer to the trunk and were climbing higher and higher. "How am I supposed to put out that huge fire by mahself?"
"Whenever I feel a fiery rage burning inside me, I sing to myself and that makes it all better!" The mare aimed the cannon at the Hydra and held its button down, shooting rapid-fire bombs at the monster like fireworks at a festival. "WOO!"
"How is singing supposed to-- Wait, a song?" Epona stared up at the starlit sky. "Will that work?" She pulled out her ocarina and began to play.
(A)(C)^(A)~, (A)(C)^(A)~, ^(B)~^(C)^(B)^(C)^(B)(G)(E)~,
As the filly finished her song, she looked up. The stars were suddenly blotted from the sky, and flashes of lightning arced in their place. The air became humid and sticky, saturated with moisture, but no rain fell to quench the flames, so she played the song again. She repeated the song over and over until finally she felt a large droplet strike her hoof. When she looked up, she saw millions of orange reflections falling from the sky. She grinned, then continued playing until the water breached the canopy and reached the branches below, cooling and dousing them with its life saving power.
A tree shaking crash struck the ground, causing Epona to stop. The Hydra's heads had fallen, and the safe was now free of its jaws.
"Well, it was nice to see you again, Apple Bloom! Tell Applejack Pinkie says hi!" Pinkie strode up to the safe and opened it, then took out the Element of Kindness.
"Hey, wait! That's what Ah was trying to get!" Epona called. The mare glanced back at her.
"Sorry, but I've got orders from the Empress herself to take this little doohickey." The mare tapped the Element. "I can't just let you have it."
"Then Ah'll just have to take it from you!" Epona drew out her sword and shield and faced the mare.
"Apple Bloom-"
"Mah name's Epona!"
"Apple Bloom, " Pinkie reiterated. "Put that away. You could hurt somepony with a sharp little dagger like that, especially in this weather! Oh, these are yours. Thanks for letting me borrow them! They really helped against that Hydra!" She tossed the bombs at Epona's hooves, then pulled out her cannon again and loaded herself inside.
"Wait!" Epona rushed forward.
"Don't worry, Apple Bloom! I'm sure we'll meet again. Bye for now!" Epona instinctively held up her shield as the cannon fired, launching Pinkie into the distance with a force powerful enough to blow the cannon to pieces.
"You haven't touched your food."
"Huh?" Epona's mind returned to her body to find it holding a spoon in her hoof and stirring a bowl of soup on the table. She made a face as she forced down a swallow of the now cold meal.
"You're not convincing anypony. Want to tell me what's on your mind?" She looked up and met Trixie's neutral gaze. Then she shook her head and went back to stirring. "Does it have to do with why you're back so early?"
"Ah don't wanna talk about it," she muttered.
Trixie appraised her for a moment before taking another swallow of her own food. "Very well. When you're ready, let me know. Sooner would be better, if it's going to affect your performance."
"Is that all ya care about? Mah performance?" Epona slammed a hoof on the table and glared at the mare. "Ah ain't some sorta machine, Miss Trixie! Ah'm a flesh'n'blood pony!"
"Stop shouting." Epona snorted and looked away. "Why are you so angry? Did something happen?"
The filly got up from the table and took her bowl to the kitchen before walking upstairs and slamming the hall to her room behind her. She walked over to her window and stared out at the forest.
"Miss Fluttershy, are ya alright?"
'I will be, after I've recovered.'
"Don't worry, Miss Fluttershy. Ah'll find all the changelings and-"
'It's not the burns, Epona. It's the loss of a friend.'
"Oh... Er, Ah didn't mean to--"
'I watched everything, Epona. You had no regard for his life, just because he made you a little angry.'
"Ah'm sorry..."
'Thank you for stopping the changelings from taking the Element, but I think you should leave the clearing now.'
...
"What are ya thinking, Wisp? Ya've been really quiet."
"I was thinking about Fluttershy. Why would she just let them burn her?"
"Maybe there were too many for her to handle?"
"That's just it, though. She only had a couple points of focus at any given time. Whenever another showed up, she would pin it with her Stare for the animals to corral, then she would Stare at the group as a whole. But suddenly, she just stopped Staring, like something else had caught her attention. I can't imagine what would be so important to distract a tree from a horde of flame-wielding changelings!"
"...Ah can..."
Epona sighed. "Why did Ah get so mad? If Ah hadn't, Ah wouldn't have killed that Manticore. If Ah hadn't, Fluttershy wouldn't have burned." Stray thoughts niggled into her head. "No, it doesn't take one to beat one." She turned to the bed and jumped in, burying her face into her pillow. "Ah'm just a pony, so why did Ah act like such a monster?"
"Because you have powers far beyond that of a normal pony?" Wisp offered as he popped out of her mane. "I mean, what kind of normal pony can do what you can do?"
"So what? Why can't Ah have this power and still be a normal pony? Just because Ah have these items doesn't mean Ah have to use them!" Epona straightened, her eyes wide. "Ah don't have to use them. Ah can be a normal pony."
"I hate to break it to you, but everypony you know already knows what you are capable of. They already see you as Epona the monster."
"Then Ah'll just have to stop being Epona," she replied with confidence. "Ah'll never use my powers again. Ah'll just be a regular pony, not the monster that Ah've been acting like before."
"And how, pray tell, are you going to manage that? If you can't be yourself, then who else could you possibly be?"
"Apple Bloom."
*****
The next morning, Epona snuck out of the manor and made her way into Ponyville to find Applejack. It didn't take her long to find out the old mare lived on the outskirts of town in a farm called Sweet Apple Acres. She reached the property before the moon reached its peak.
Sweet Apple Acres was made up of several buildings. There was a large house with a porch and cellar and two barns on either side. A short distance away stood a chicken coop with a small fence around it and a well in the front.
As she made her way up to the house, she spied a group of four ponies tending to the trees, bucking and shaking them to make the ripe apples fall into a number of buckets underneath. One of them spotted her and broke away from the rest, strafing her until she reached the gate leading into the property. Her fur was burgundy, and her mane and tail were bright yellow. She wore a large brown stetson that looked old and well worn, yet at the same time it was also rugged and tough.
"Well, howdy there, li'l filly! What kin Ah do fer ya?" the mare asked.
"Ah'm looking for Miss Applejack. Does she live here?"
"Maybe. What's yer name, lil'un?"
"Epona, Miss."
The mare raised an eyebrow and appraised Epona. "Ya'll sound like ya got a li'l Apple in ya. Who's yer Ma an' Pa?"
"Mah Ma an' Pa?"
"Raritan, if ya'll don't let that filly through the gate in five seconds, Ah'm gonna hogtie ya an' whoop yer hide from here ta Can'erlot an' back, ya'll hear me?!" Epona looked past the mare at the house. At the window stood Applejack, hollering and scowling and waving her hoof at the pair.
"Looks like the old mare's home. Come on in." Raritan opened the gate and allowed Epona to pass, then closed the gate behind her and led her to the porch where Applejack was waiting. "Mornin', Ma. This here's-"
"Epona. Don't worry, Tani, Ah already know'er. We met that day Ah went ta the school." She looked down at the filly. "Come inside and sit at the table, Epona. I'll get ya some coffee."
"A'right then. Ah'm gonna git back ta work. If ya'll need anythin', jes' holler." Raritan trotted back to the orchard, but snuck a glance back at the pair. There was something familiar about the filly, but she couldn't place her hoof on it.
"Now then," Applejack said, using proper Equish like she had used on the first day of school as she went back into the kitchen. "What brings you to Sweet Apple Acres?"
"Ya'll have the same accent Ah do..." Epona went and sat down at the dining room table.
"Yes, we do. I suppose that's part of the reason I thought..." The old mare glanced at the filly and sighed. "Nevermind."
"The reason for what?"
"Don't worry about it, little one."
"The reason ya thought Ah was Apple Bloom?" A long silence crept through the building. Epona held her breath. Applejack sighed.
"Yeah. Like I said, don't worry about it. I was just being an old mare with old memories."
"What if... What if you're right?"
She paused and stiffened, unable to process Epona's words. "What did you say?"
"What if Ah really am Apple Bloom?"
"It isn't right to play with an old mare's heart, filly," she replied as she stirred some cream into the coffee.
"Miss Applejack, Ah'm not-"
"Epona, stop. I could handle it when you just looked and sounded like her, but now you're saying you are her?" Epona got up and looked through the kitchen doorway. Applejack was stooped over the percolator with her eyes scrunched shut and a small droplet of water in each. "Let the dead rest in peace..."
Epona backed away and returned to the table with her head hanging low. She hadn't meant to hurt Applejack. When she sat down, she looked up and spied a picture on the mantle piece. It was as if something drew her toward it, captivating her. There was a brand-new barn standing behind a large group of ponies, all of them Earth Ponies. Most stood on the left side, while a few stood on the right, but it was the group in the center that caught her eye.
Directly in the center, a much younger Applejack was laid out on her side, wearing a hat much like Raritan's, only newer and less worn. Just above her was a large red stallion with a yoke around his neck standing beside an old green mare. To the left stood an exact copy of Epona wearing a large red ribbon in her mane, and just to her left stood a brown filly with a short red mane and tail.
"Applejack... Big Mac... Granny Smith... Babs..." Epona pointed to each pony as she muttered their names.
"How did you know those names?" an old voice whispered.
"Ah... Ah dunno... Ah just named'em as Ah saw'em. They feel so familiar, but Ah don't know why..." Epona stared at the picture, unable to take her eyes away.
Why is this happening? Who is this filly that's calling up ghosts from the past and tearing my heart out of my chest? Applejack thought as she looked at the filly standing before her. Next to the picture, the resemblance between Epona and her sister was identical, minus Apple Bloom's ribbon. Epona even recognized Apple Bloom's immediate family and called them by name. What if...
Applejack looked out the window. "Oh, would you look at that! It's almost time for lunch! I'd better call in the rest of the family." She walked out onto the porch and started ringing a bell. Epona followed her out and began to take the path back to the gate.
"Ah should get going, then. Ah'm sorry for bothering you, Miss Applejack."
"Hold it right there, filly," the old mare called. "You're not going anywhere until you've had some chow, and no buts!"
"Ah swear, Ma," a wide-eyed Raritan whispered as she watched Epona scarf down yet another fritter along with two foals outside. "Way she eats, ya'd think that filly's got more Apple in'er than a pie on Reunion Day, but she won't say who'er folks are. Think she's an impostor?"
"Why don't you take her out to the orchard for a little apple bucking later and find out?" Applejack replied with a slight smile. "If she's got Apple in her, she'll know what to do."
"Ah think that's a fair enough test," said Baldwin, a full grown stallion and brother to Raritan. His fur was red with green speckles, and his mane was a bright green-yellow. "But she ain't much bigger than Crabby, and most families don't work their foals like we do."
"She looks like she's got enough meat on her to handle the smaller trees. Give her a bucket and send her into the dwarf grove."
"Alone, right?" asked Raritan. "Nopony helping?"
Applejack nodded. "It wouldn't be much of a test if anypony showed her how to do it, now would it?"
*****
"So all Ah've gotta do is pick the apples and bring them back to the house? Sounds easy enough." Epona said as she looked up into the tree.
"Yep. Try ta be done by dinner." Raritan pointed to a small wagon and a stack of buckets at the edge of the grove. "Ya'll kin use them ta carry'em back."
"All those buckets for one tree?" asked the confused Epona
Raritan chuckled. "Ah don't think ya'll're gettin' it. We need ya ta pick the whole grove , not jes' one li'l tree."
"The whole grove?!" Epona gaped. "Ya want me to do all this by myself?"
"Sorry, Epona. Me'n Baldwin got the rest o'the orchard ta worry 'bout, an' Crabby an' Alkmene're helpin' us load'n unload. Ma thinks ya'll kin 'andle this bah yerself. It's only twen'y trees."
"Only..." she muttered. "If Miss Applejack thinks Ah can do it, then Ah'll do it."
"Great! See ya at dinner!" Raritan disappeared into the main orchard, leaving Epona alone.
Epona sighed and stared up into the tree. There were a lot of apples. She grabbed one of the buckets and began to pick the ones that she could reach, but most of them were beyond even jumping distance. The tree didn't look like it would support her weight, and there weren't any ladders or step stools nearby either. She could try stacking the buckets, but something in her gut told her that the Apple Family probably didn't do that. They must have had some way of getting the higher apples out of the tree, but how?
She went around the other trees, picking apples as she pondered. She tried shaking one of the trees, but it was too sturdy to move much. She tried tossing a bucket at the branches, but that only succeeded in bruising one of the fruits. An hour passed, and she was only finished picking the low fruit on the 4th tree. Only two buckets were full.
"How am Ah supposed to do this?!" she cried in frustration, beating her head against the tree. A dull thud sounded next to her and startled her. She jumped away and looked at the offending object.
It was an apple.
A slow realization crept over her as she glanced between the fruit and its tree. She walked up to the trunk, turned around, and lightly kicked it.
Another apple fell right next to the first.
She rushed over to grab another bucket, then placed the apples inside and lined up another kick. This time she put all her strength into it, causing a slew of apples fell from the tree and land in a neat pile inside the bucket, along with another pile on the other side. When she looked up into the tree, there wasn't a single fruit remaining.
"Yes!"
*****
"If she were a true Apple, she'dve been done bah now."
"Hold your horses, Raritan. She's still got a few minutes left, and like Baldwin said earlier, the other families don't work as hard as we do."
"Ma's gotta point."
Raritan shook her head. "Ah'm jes' sayin' that even without bulkin' up from yer crazy weight trainin', an apple 'er size should've at least finished the dwarves. She ain't even brought a single bucket!"
"Tani's gotta point."
"The condition was to be back by dinner. That's in a few minutes, so I'm going to give her a few minutes."
"Ma's gotta point."
"Whose side are you on, colt?" Applejack asked, briefly fixing him with a steely, but playful glare. Baldwin chuckled, then returned his gaze to the outside.
A moment later, Epona's nose poked through the gap in the orchard where the path made its way out. A couple moments later, the rest of her sweat-covered head made it through, followed by a harness. Soon the front end of a wagon passed into view, stacked side to side with buckets. Only it wasn't the little wagon that she had been provided.
"By Celestia's beard, that's Belmont's wagon! You two, go help that filly! She must've brought the whole grove with her!" Baldwin and Raritan stopped gaping and rushed out to help, pushing the bucket-laden cart from behind much to Epona's relief. With the three of them working on it, they made their way to the barn's store room.
"Is it dinner time, yet?" the filly gasped breathlessly as soon as the cart was situated where it needed to be. Raritan unhooked her from the wagon.
"Will be in a couple minutes."
Epona smiled, then collapsed where she stood. Baldwin picked her up and put her on his back as she breathed gently. Raritan couldn't help but smile at the pair.
"Tani, take a look at this," Baldwin said, pointing to the cart.
"What 'bout it?"
"Do ya think she could've pulled this wagon with big ol' Belmont's hitch?"
"Now that ya mention it..." Raritan looked at the cart more closely. "This looks like it came from the li'l wagon Ah gave 'er ta use. She even reinforced it ta handle the extra weight."
Baldwin nodded. "Filly's got a little craftspony in her."
"Filly's got Apple in her." The adults turned toward the barn doors to see Applejack standing there. "Her name is Apple Bloom, and she's my little sister." They stared at her.
"Ma, are ya'll goin' senile?" Raritan asked after several moments of silence. "She might be Apple, but she cain't be older'n twelve. Ain't no way she's yer sis, ya batty ol' coot."
"That filly is her," Applejack replied. "I just know it."
"Ma, listen ta yerself. Ya've told the story a thousand times 'bout how yer sis died tryin' ta make sure ya were safe, even ta the point o' comin' back as a ghost ta help ya escape certain doom. If yer sis died a hundred years ago, then how is this li'l filly her?"
"Ah don't know, but that's mah sister. Are ya'll tellin' me Ah don't know mah own kin?"
"Calm down, Ma." The old mare realized she had slipped back into her old accent and fought to recompose herself. When she had calmed a bit, Raritan continued. "Ah ain't sayin' ya don't know yer own kin. Ah'm jes' sayin' that after a hundred years o' bein' dead, it ain't likely that this li'l filly's yer sis."
"Take a look at this picture." Applejack produced the picture from the mantle. "See that girl with the red bow in the center? Now look at filly on Baldwin's back and tell me it isn't the same pony."
"Ma's got a point."
"Ya'll better stay outta this if yer just gonna start wi'that again," Raritan said, glaring at the stallion. She took the picture and compared it to Epona. "Ah'll admit, the resemblance is crazy. Enough ta convince me she's Apple after seein' 'er bring in that wagon. But that girl in that picture'd have ta be almost as old as ya'll are, Ma. Unless she's a ghost're somethin', she ain't yer sis."
"Ah'm not a ghost." The three adults looked at the filly. Epona was still lying down on Baldwin's back, but her unflinching gaze was fixed on Raritan. "Don't ya'll dare call me a ghost. Miss Applejack ain't the only pony who thought..." She looked away and sighed. "Ah know it's stupid, but Ah really thought Ah finally figured out who Ah am. Ya'll are right, though. Ah might be a monster with crazy magic, but Ah sure as shootin' ain't no ghost."
"A monster? Why would you say that? You seem like a charming filly to me." Applejack smiled at her. "Hardly a monster."
"Because Ah-" Epona stopped herself before she said something she may regret. "It don't matter. Ah don't belong here." Epona jumped off Baldwin's back and passed by Applejack through the barn doors.
"Now just a minute, missy. Don't you go walking away just like that!" Applejack called after her, but she didn't stop. "Apple Bloom!"
Epona paused, and her head dipped a little lower toward the ground. "Mah name's Epona," she said softly without looking back. Nopony followed her as she made her way to the gate, leaving a small, dark splotch of mud the dirt every so often. She almost turned her head back when she reached the gate, but instead she just shut the gate behind her and ran.
Through misty eyes, she saw Crabapple and Alkmene staring at her as she ran from the property. They were the only foals that had treated her like a pony since Ivory left. They didn't look at her with disgust or fear, but rather with trust and friendship. She could play with them like all the other foals did at school and be happy. She pinched her eyes shut to clear them of the water that was blurring her vision.
Suddenly, she slammed headfirst into something and bounced backward. "Whoa, there!" exclaimed a deep, resonating voice. She wiped her eyes and looked up to see a large stallion carrying two full sacks. His fur was bright yellow, and his mane was a reddish orange. "That was a mighty powerful crash, little missy. Why are ya runnin' so hard from the Acres all cryin' and makin' a mess o' yourself?" Epona looked away, but she couldn't hide her tears. "Don't be shy. Ya'll can tell ol' Belmont what's troublin' ya."
"Belmont?" Epona wiped her eyes again. "You're Belmont?"
"That's right. Ma hasn't been talkin' bad about me, has she?"
"No..." Epona replied. "Ah borrowed your wagon for a little while. It's in the barn. Ah may have modified it a little bit so Ah could fit the hitch..."
The great stallion raised an eyebrow. "Now what could ya be needin' my big ol' cart for?"
"Miss Raritan said Ah needed to pick and store all the apples in the dwarf grove. When Ah was done, there were too many buckets for the little wagon, so I used yours."
The great stallion raised his other eyebrow. "Ya put all the buckets on the cart at the same time?" When Epona nodded. Belmont laughed heartily. "Ah'm impressed ya could pull it! That cart's made of pure verawood, and there's a lotta apples in the dwarf grove."
"Yea, there are."
"But none o' that has anythin' to do with why you're cryin, does it?" Epona looked up into Belmont's eyes. They were soft and gentle, full of kindness and understanding, without a hint of judgment. Just like the other Apples, except Raritan. She shook her head. "So what's the matter?"
"Ah don't wanna talk about it..." She looked away.
"A'right, Ah won't pry. Ah'm gonna talk to Ma about this, though. Sendin' a filly runnin' all distraught and stuff ain't the Apple way." Belmont picked up his sacks and his torch. "You take care, little miss."
"Belmont, wait!" He paused. Epona took out a small necklace with an apple-shaped pendant in the center and gave it to him.
"Well, this is a fine little treasure! Did your folks give it to ya?"
Epona shook her head again. "It's for Miss Applejack, but Ah forgot to give it to her while I was there. Would ya give that to her for me?"
"Sure thing." Belmont smiled and placed Honesty in a sack, then took out a set of four metal shoes just large enough to fit a filly. "Here, take these."
"What are they?"
"A little somethin' for givin' Ma such a nice gift. Ah figure ya'll either train as hard an Apple or ya do some crazy things in your life to have such powerful legs, so these should be good for ya. Go on, try them on."
Epona put them on and tried lifting her legs, but she could only get them a few inches off the ground. "Wow, these are heavy."
Belmont laughed and nodded. "They're made o' thick steel. Movin' in them will be slow at first, but you wear these boots everyday, and your strength will grow faster than a Zap Apple in season."
"Thank you, Mister Belmont."
"You're very welcome. Is there anything else Ah can help ya with before Ah go?"
"Oh, there is something else. Would ya tell Miss Applejack that Pinkie says hi?"
"I'll do that." Belmont aimed his body toward Sweet Apple Acres. "Now then, Ah've gotta check in with Ma. It was nice meetin' ya, little missy. Have a good night."
"Bye, Mister Belmont!" Epona watched him travel up to the gate. Everypony but Applejack was there waiting for him and looked happy that he was there. She sighed, then trudged toward home in her new boots.
Belmont looked around as he ate dinner with his family. The foals had grown quite a bit since he had last been home. Baldwin was looking more fit than ever, almost ready to pull the custom cart if he needed to. Raritan had grown into a fine mare and had probably already begun making many a heart in Ponyville flutter. But there was something, no, two things wrong with this picture.
Applejack wasn't with them, and everyone was silent.
Belmont cleared his throat. "Ah thank ya'll kind folk for your hospitality, but Ah'm afraid Ah can't stay."
Everypony looked at him in shock. "But ya just got back! Do ya have ta leave so soon?" Baldwin asked.
"Ah'm afraid Ah do. Ya see, Ah'm lookin' for the Apple Family. Maybe ya'll have heard of them? Lively bunch, kind to strangers."
Raritan punched him in the shoulder somewhat playfully, somewhat annoyed. "Ya had us worried there, ya big dolt. Don't be playin' games like that."
"Ya'll still have me worried," he replied. "Ma's not eatin' with us, and ya'll are quieter than a mouse in an owl's parliament. The old mare ain't gone and kicked the bucket, has she?"
This time Raritan really punched him. "Ah said don't be playin' games. Ma's real upset. Some filly came by an' got Ma convinced with all 'er soul that she was 'er long dead sis, then she jes' up an' left sayin' she weren't. Broke the old mare's heart."
"A filly? Was she bright yellow with a red mane? Had a little accent to her?"
"That's the devil. Did ya'll meet 'er on the road?"
"Ah didn't meet a monster like that, but Ah did meet a filly that was weepin' an' cryin' like her puppy died." Belmont looked toward his saddlebags. "Sad part is she was comin' from this direction. There was a story in her eyes that Ah'm sure ya'll can help clear up for me, but ya'll reminded me Ah've got somethin' to do first. Excuse me."
He got up from the table and grabbed his saddlebags, then went to Applejack's room and knocked on the door. He waited a few moments in silence before knocking again. "Ma, it's Belmont. Ah'm comin' in."
As he slowly opened the door, he heard silent sobs creep from inside. Applejack was curled up on top of her bed's blanket facing the window with her head on the pillow. Her eyes held a steady trickle of water streaming down her face, but they never closed to stop the flow. She refused to take her gaze off of a small square object in her hooves.
"Ah don't want any company," she stated without turning her head.
Belmont closed the door then looked at the familiar picture. The last time he had seen it, it was on the mantle in the living room. "Ah met her on the road, an' Ah must say, she looks a lot like the one in the middle of that picture."
"Same eyes, coat, mane, accent... She hugs like 'er. Not even yer closest friends can hug like family, but that filly... Ah cain't believe she led me on like that..."
He sat down and held her silently as she wept. For many long minutes, the only sounds that could be heard were the gentle creak of the bed as he rocked back and forth and the old mare's quiet gasps. After a little while, her gasping stopped, replaced by the soft and occasional sniffle. The stream from her eyes slowly dried away, leaving thin stains across her face.
"Feelin' better?"
"No, I'm not," Applejack rasped quietly. "But I will get over it. There's too much work to do in the present to dwell on the past."
"Speaking of presents," Belmont reached over to his saddlebag and pulled it close. A moment later, he pulled out the small necklace with the apple-shaped gem in the middle. "That filly asked me to give ya this. Said she forgot to give it to ya while she was here."
"Would you hoof me my glasses so I can take a better look?" He took the glasses off of the nightstand and gave them to Applejack. When she put them on, she stared with wide eyes at the object in his hooves. "Well I'll be..."
"Pretty little thing, ain't it?"
Applejack slowly took the necklace from him. As she took it, it became warm in her hooves. As she held it, she felt a familiar magic coursing through her like it had a century ago. As she touched the gem in the center, a tingle in her very soul cast every shadow of doubt about its true nature away.
"Had Ah known ya'll were this into jewelry, Ah'dve bought ya a necklace decades ago," Belmont mused, seeing Applejack's stunned expression.
She snorted. "Don't give me those horseapples. You know I'm not interested in some fancy shinies." The stallion just raised his eyebrows at her. "This isn't just any piece of jewelry, Belmont. You remember the stories I told about the Last Day?"
He nodded. Then comprehension struck. "Wait, are ya'll sayin' that necklace is..."
"That's right, but there's something even more important than that. I lost something else that day, something far more precious to me than an old necklace."
Belmont looked down at the picture. "Your sister."
"Belmont, what if Raritan's right? What if Epona really is Apple Bloom's ghost?"
"Ah dunno... The filly Ah met seemed pretty real to me."
"Apple Bloom is dead, but Epona had some of her memories. What if Raritan's right, and she really is my sister's ghost? What if the reason she doesn't remember everything is because she's been lost for so long?"
"That's a bit far fetched, don't ya think?"
"She pulled your cart, fully loaded with the entire dwarf grove's apples. She'd have to be at least as strong as you to do that! Or, if she's a ghost, she used her power to help her with the load. Spirits can move real objects, you know."
"Ma, this is crazy talk. Earth Ponies don't suddenly become Unicorns after they die."
Applejack huffed, but Belmont could see a determination in her eyes that told him this wasn't over. "Belmont, I want you to find Epona. And if you can't find her, find out everything you can about her. Who she really is, where she's from, who her folks are, where she currently lives, everything. I need to know if she's genuine or not."
"Is that a job offer?"
"It's a favor request." Belmont sighed, but nodded. "Good. You can start tomorrow at the school. That's where I first met her."
*****
"Epona? Not very much, to be honest. She was a quiet filly. Never gave me any trouble during class. The other foals seemed to shun her during recess though. That always saddened me. I would look out the window and see her at the edge of the school grounds under that tree over there, lying down all by her lonesome. There was one student who she seemed to get along with named Ivory. They lived together with Ivory's sisters, Obsidian and Canvas. A little while ago, Epona, Ivory, Juniper, and Twinkle Hooves went galavanting into the ruins on the edge of town. They all came home safely, but I shudder to think what might have happened to them. You know, cave-ins, getting lost, etc.. As for where she is now, I couldn't say. I believe she moved away, probably with Ivory."
"They moved away?"
"I assume so, since they haven't been coming to school."
"Ah see. Thank ya kindly, Miss Jubilee."
"Always a pleasure talking with you, Belmont." Jubilee gave him a wink, and he smiled back. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"No, that's it."
"You might ask the foals about her. To be perfectly honest, they probably know more than I do."
*****
Everypony looked at each other and in unison answered, "Monster."
"Monster? That's the one word ya'll would use?"
"Epona was scary strong, and she had a quick temper too."
"Yea, especially when it came to Ivory."
"Deku learned the hard way when she first got here."
"Aww, shut up. I could've taken her! She just-- caught me by surprise, that's all."
"Riiiiiight . She didn't catch the Dogs by surprise, but she still beat them like punching bags. I watched her do it!"
"Yea yea, Juniper, we all know the story already. You've only told it 10 times."
"Ah haven't heard this story. Ya'll say she fought a gang o' Dogs?"
*****
"Ah'm lookin' for a group o' ponies that may have used the train a couple weeks ago. Names are Canvas, Obsidian, Ivory, an' Epona."
"Alright, gimme a sec. Ah, here they are. Obsidian, Canvas, Ivory. Nice family. Used to stop by and chat with the conductors. When they left, they had a look in their eyes like something terrible was going on, so I let them board free of charge."
"Did ya record where they were goin'?"
"Are you implying I don't do my job? Of course I did! They got tickets to Hoofington."
"Hoofington... Ain't that a seaside town?"
"Biggest port this side the ocean."
"Thank ya kindly, Ticketmaster."
"One more thing, Mister Belmont. I don't know if this will help, but they tried to leave twice. The first time, somepony stopped them. Light blue mare with a silver mane. Unicorn, if memory serves. Crescent moon and wand for a cutie mark."
*****
"Evenin', Miss Harvest."
"Evenin', Mister Belmont. Shop's about to close, but I'll make an exception for you."
"No no, that's a'right. Ah just wanted to know if ya've seen any newcomers around the market."
"Sure, a few. Anypony in particular?"
"Yea, a little yellow filly with a red mane. Has an accent a bit like mine."
"Sorry, but I can't say I've seen any new yellow fillies with red manes. Not here, at least."
"What about a light blue mare with a silver mane?"
"Now there's somethin' I can help you with. A grey filly wearing a strange mask came in one mornin', picked up a bundle of carrots, then left with a mare like that. I thought they were kinda suspicious, so I had Street Ear tail them. They live up in a Mansion on the northern edge of town."
"Harvest, ya'll are a blessin'."
*****
"Hold on, let me find the house in the registry... Here it is: Sunset Manor, and the residents match your description. The mare's name is Trixie Lulamoon, and the filly is Mirror Child. They moved here as part of a student exchange program with some fancy school in Canterlot. I wonder who the lucky foal that got to switch places is?"
"Thank ya very much. One more pony, an' Ah'll get out o' your mane. Her name's Epona."
"Epona. Epona. Epona... I'm sorry, but I don't have the mare you're looking for."
"What do ya mean?"
"My records have everypony that has been within the town walls for the past 60 years, whether they were born here or moved in, residents or visitors, pony or otherwise, and that name isn't on my list. There are no Eponas in Ponyville."
"Ah meant no offense."
"I take my job very seriously, Mister Belmont. Will that be all?"
"Ah'm sorry, just one more. A family o' three. Names are Obsidian, Canvas, an' Ivory. Ah need their address."
"One moment please... 17 Cherry Tree Lane."
"Thank ya kindly, ma'am. Have a nice day."
*****
"Fifteen... Sixteen... Land sakes. Ah can see why Ticketmaster said somethin' was wrong."
"I'm sorry sir, but this is a crime scene. I have to ask you to stay back."
"What happened here?"
"We're not sure about the exact details, but it appears to have been a magic attack. Nothing was spared."
"Was anypony inside when it happened?"
"We found some blood on a few of the planks, but no remains. Whoever was here either survived or was moved."
*****
"Hey, it's Belmont! Good afternoon!"
"Good afternoon, Chief."
"What do you need today?"
"Ah'm doin' a little research into a home that was destroyed. 17 Cherry Tree Lane. Mind if Ah take a look at the case file?"
"Go ahead, but there isn't much in it. I'd say visit the site yourself, but they've already begun clean up. Sorry about that."
"Ah've already been there, sir. Just show me the files."
"Follow me."
*****
"Two weeks in a row! You flatter me, Mister Belmont."
"Hello again, Miss Jubilee. How are ya doin'?"
"It's been a long morning, but you know how foals can be. What about you? How is your investigation going?"
"Ah've learned a little bit. Got a couple more questions for ya, if ya have the time."
"It's recess, so go ahead."
"What do you know about a filly named 'Mirror Child'?"
"Well, she came from Canterlot as part of an exchange program. It was a little a strange though. We didn't send anypony to Canterlot, so why would she come here?"
"Please, continue."
"My apologies. Anyways, she was very confident and very bright. I think the other students were a little intimidated by her, but nopony showed it. She had a sort of witty charm about her that made her easy to like, yet also frustrating at the same time. She and Deku would often butt heads during class. The colt sees himself as the ruler of this little kingdom, and she didn't buy into it for a second. At some point, she took an interest in Epona. I would often catch her staring at the filly during recess or stealing glances during class. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was studying her."
"Do ya know any better?"
"Hah. I'm not sure to be honest. She may have been, but it's more likely that she had a crush. Foals don't really know what to do with themselves at that age, and young love is hardly uncommon."
"Ain't that the truth. Well, Ah must be goin'. Thank ya kindly for your help, Miss Jubilee."
"As I said, it's always a pleasure."
*****
"Yes?"
"Good morning, ma'am. I'm lookin' for a Miss Trixie Lulamoon?"
"Speaking."
"Mah name is Belmont. Ah understand that a filly named Mirror Child lives with you. If ya don't mind, Ah'd like to ask a few questions. Is that a'right?"
"I'm sorry, but she no longer lives here. She returned to Canterlot two weeks ago."
"Perhaps you could help me, then. Ah'm looking for a filly named Epona. Do ya know anythin' about her?"
"...Come inside."
"Thank ya kindly."
"Such an interesting accent you have. A sort of blend between townspony and countryside."
"Ah'm just a simple Apple, ma'am."
"Would you like some tea, Mister Belmont? I already have a pot on the stove."
"That's mighty kind of you, ma'am."
"Just a moment, then. ...Are you a detective?"
"Closer to a private investigator. Mmm, that smells good."
"Why are you searching for Epona? Has she done something wrong?"
"I'm searchin' because mah client asked me to."
"Your client?"
"Confidential."
"Of course. What would you like to know?"
"If ya know where she is, that'd be most helpful."
"I'm sorry, but I don't. She came over one time with Mirror Child, but I haven't seen her since. You see, her home was utterly destroyed. Mirror Child found the building as a large pile of rubble just the day after she brought Epona over. I can only hope the filly wasn't there when it happened."
"Ah don't believe ya have to worry about that, ma'am."
"That's good to hear."
"Tell me, how much do ya know about her?"
"Not very much outside what Mirror Child has told me."
"And that would be...?"
"That she was a loner. She was brutally protective of one of her classmates, and that alienated her from the others. I would often see her crying by herself underneath a tree at the edge of the playground when I picked Mirror Child up from school. Also, she has the appetite and manners of a full grown Griffin."
"Ah see... This is some excellent tea, Miss Trixie."
"Thank you. It's a brew made from herbs only found in Canterlot Gardens. Would you like some more?"
"No, but thank ya. Ah've still got a job to do."
"As you wish. Good luck with your search."
"Oh, before Ah go, there's somethin' else. Ah'd like to get in touch with the family Epona lived with. Do ya know where Ah can find them?"
"I don't. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help."
"It's a'right, Miss Trixie. Thank ya kindly for the tea."
*****
"A red-maned yellow filly with an accent? That's incredibly vague, even for you, Belmont. I'll need a little more info--"
"Hold on, Sarge. I met a filly like that once. She was by herself outside the walls, just over that hill."
"Did you just interrupt me, Private?"
"Er- Sorry, Sarge!"
"And now I'm a sorry Sergeant, is that it? You got a problem with me, colt?!"
"N-no, Sarge!"
"That's 'No Sergeant! ' By the moon, you are so far outta line it makes me sick ! Get your flank back to the barracks! We're gonna have a heart-to-heart, you and I!"
"...Was that really necessary?"
"Every time, Belmont. The young blood doesn't always understand respect for the chain, even when their fresh out of boot."
"Well, could ya bring him back? Ah'd like to hear his story."
*****
Belmont walked up the hill where the guards had fallen into the hole. There was nothing special about it, except that there was a burned down house not too far away. There were also several rather large mounds of dirt.
He heard a faint rustle coming from one of the mounds. He peered toward it and noticed the dirt shifting. Suddenly a claw shot out of it and grabbed onto the solid ground. Dogs?! Another claw came up and grabbed the ground just next to the first. Belmont ran behind the claws and waited, ready to strike if he needed to. A filthy head poked out.
"Ah'm not gonna get caught, Wissp. They won't exxpect me to be out here, and poniess never come here becausse the Everfree'ss sso closse," the grime-covered beast said as it pulled itself out of the hole. Except for the claws, the creature before him was strangely similar to a pony. And that voice...
"...Epona?"
Suddenly the clawed beast whirled. A blinding flash of green light followed by a powerful blow to the head, and the world went dark.
"This isn't exactly your brightest idea, and you've had some pretty dim ideas. Raritan already didn't like you, but then you admitted to lying to her Ma for an entire day! Why are you going back?"
"Because it's the right thing to do. Ah wanna apologize for tricking Miss Applejack."
Epona trotted back toward the gate. Nopony was around, so she went through and shut it behind her. She could hear voice coming from inside as she walked up to the house.
"Sad part is she was comin' from this direction," said one of the Apples as she peeked through a lit window. The voice as Mister Belmont's. Raritan, Baldwin, and the foals were all sitting around a table, eating their supper. "There was a story in her eyes that Ah'm sure ya'll can help clear up for me, but ya'll reminded me Ah've got somethin' to do first. Excuse me." She ducked down as he slid back his chair and slowly walked toward a different room. She heard a few knocks. "Ma, it's Belmont. Ah'm comin' in." A door opened, then shut.
For a few moments, all was silent except for the clink of silverware against dinner plates. This seemed to be as good a time as any to do what she came for, so Epona slowly trotted up to the door. She was just about to knock when heard a loud bang and some plates rattling. Complete silence.
"Crabby, Alkmene, why don't ya'll go play outside for a bit?" Epona quickly donned her feather and jumped onto the roof of the porch as she heard a quick shuffling of hooves toward the door. The light came on and the door flew open beneath her, then two small figures rushed into the field.
"Tani, ya can't be losing your head in front of the foals like that."
"Don't talk ta me right now. Ah'm plottin' a murder."
"Don't ya think that's a bit much?"
"Tartaros' gates, no! Thinkin' 'bout that damn devil right now just-- EERGH!!" Epona jumped at the sound of breaking porcelain. "It makes me wanna kill somethin'! Nopony messes with Ma like that an' gets away with it!"
"I understand your sentiments, but ya can't just go and kill her. She's a filly."
"That don't mean nothin'! Filly's kin die like any other pony!" Her eyes shrank to pinpricks. "Ah'll skin 'er alive! Ah'll cut 'er flesh into tiny pieces an' feed it ta the pigs! Ah'll crush 'er bones inta chicken feed! An' when they're all done digestin' 'er, an' she ain't nothin' but pig an' chicken shit, Ah'll scrape 'er off the ground, throw 'er in a pile an' burn 'er 'cause she ain't even fit fer fertilizer!"
Epona gulped and slowly backed up the roof away from the window.
"Well, so much for apologizing. Any other bright ideas?" A step later, her hoof missed the house and she slipped and fell into some bushes below. "Nicely done."
"Shush, you. Ah've gotta get outta here!" Epona was just about to run when she heard a different set of voices coming from the side window. Curiosity got the best of her, and she found herself next to the wall under the window sill.
"Had Ah known ya'll were this into jewelry, Ah'dve bought ya a necklace decades ago."
"Don't give me those horseapples. You know I'm not interested in some fancy shinies." Epona hung her head. Miss Fluttershy said Honesty belonged to Miss Applejack, but-- "This isn't just any piece of jewelry, Belmont. You remember the stories I told about the Last Day?"
"Wait, are ya'll sayin' that necklace is..."
"That's right, but there's something even more important than that. I lost something else that day, something far more precious to me than an old necklace." Epona caught her breath. She had a feeling she knew, but she hoped that it wasn't true.
"Your sister." Her heart sank. Miss Applejack must hate her even more than Raritan does for what she did today.
"Belmont, what if Raritan's right? What if Epona really is Apple Bloom's ghost?"
"Ah dunno... The filly Ah met seemed pretty real to me."
"Apple Bloom is dead, but Epona had some of her memories. What if Raritan's right, and she really is my sister's ghost? What if the reason she doesn't remember everything is because she's been lost for so long?"
"That's a bit far fetched, don't ya think?"
"She pulled your cart, fully loaded with the entire dwarf grove's apples. She'd have to be at least as strong as you to do that! Or, if she's a ghost, she used her power to help her with the load. Spirits can move real objects, you know."
Epona's thoughts began to churn. "Apple Bloom's ghost..."
"Please don't tell me you're thinking about doing what I think you're thinking about doing."
"Wisp, Raritan wants to kill me, so Ah can't be seen around here again. But Ah still wanna make it up to Miss Applejack for tricking her. This could be mah chance!"
"So instead of tricking them into thinking you're Apple Bloom..." Wisp took on the shape of a pony. "...You're going to trick them into thinking you're Apple Bloom's ghost?" The pony's back legs merged into a small trail of smoke.
Epona shrugged. "Ah'm just gonna help out around the farm a little bit. As long as they think it's a ghost helping them, Ah'll know Ah haven't been caught. Besides, Ah'd rather be a ghost that helps a farm than a monster that kills."
Wisp formed a wide grin. "I love the logic of foals! When do we start?"
"Tomorrow."
*****
Just as the first stars began to appear, before the moon rose into the morning sky, Epona made her way to Sweet Apple Acres. She snuck past the gate and went to look at the schedule posted on the barn door. Each member of the family was listed with a number of tasks for the day, except Belmont. Baldwin was to work in the D block of the orchard for the morning, then the C block after lunch. Raritan's job for the day was to sell the dwarf apples in the marketplace. Crabby and Alkmene were going to tend to the animals, then help Applejack indoors. After lunch, they were free to do what they wanted.
"It looks like the safest one is working in the orchard. Only one pony to worry about, many places to hide, and lots of room to run if you have to."
"Hold on, Wisp. Every time we rushed into things without thinking, something bad happened. First, Ah gotta learn how things are done so Ah can figure out the best way to help."
Wisp raised a newly formed eyebrow. "We? I don't remember rushing into anything since I've been with you."
"No, not you. Me and... and..." Epona thought. She never spent time with anypony besides Mirror Child and Ivory, but even she was with them, they never did anything together. Who had she been talking about? "Huh. Well, Ah wanna take things slow anyways. At least for today."
A light appeared from the dining room just as the moon began to peek over the horizon, signalling Epona it was time to hide. She stuck her feather in her ear, jumped onto the barn and watched the house. A few minutes later, the entire family walked outside. Belmont walked toward the gate carrying his saddlebags as Applejack waved goodbye, and the rest of them came over to the barn and looked at the schedule before parting ways.
"So, who are you going to 'study' first?" Wisp whispered.
"Raritan," she whispered back. "It's too dangerous to go inside, and animals don't always stay quiet. Especially if they don't know ya. Baldwin's probably gonna do the same thing over and over so Ah can watch him any time. The only thing Raritan's gotta do before she leaves for the market is prepare. Ah'll learn that, then go watch Baldwin later."
Epona noted the general direction Baldwin was going, then followed Raritan to the back of the barn. The mare hooked herself up to a cart, then pulled it out to the front and opened the barn doors with a loud creak. Just inside was a green and white tent with a large red apple in the center to attract attention. There were two square poles beside it which Raritan fitted into the tent, then placed the whole assembly onto the cart. She placed two buckets of apples onto the cart, then closed the barn. Finally, she hooked herself back to the cart and left the Acres.
"That doesn't seem too hard, except that Ah'll have to open the barn without being heard. Remind me to get some oil or something to fix that before Ah try it. Now, time to find the D block."
*****
Applejack was in the kitchen when she heard the door open. "Who's that? I didn't ring the lunch bell!"
"Baldwin, Ma," he replied as he closed the door behind him. "Got any water?"
"Are you already done out there?"
"Not yet. Ah've started on the C block, but Ah got a little heated in the moonlight." Applejack turned and looked him over.
"Harumph! You aren't even sweaty, you slacker!" she scoffed playfully. "Back when I was your age, we had a little thing called 'The Sun' beating down on us whenever we worked. You think you're hot now? Hah! Go back a century and work the summertime!"
Baldwin chuckled then turned to the colt at Applejack's side. "Crabby, would ya fetch me some water?"
"A'right!" Crabby started, but Applejack stopped him and whispered in his ear. They exchanged a pair of devilish grins and glanced at Baldwin, then Crabby ran to the fridge and grabbed an ice tray. No, two ice trays while Applejack filled a pot with water in the sink.
"What are ya'll up to?" Baldwin asked with a leer. Applejack dumped both trays into the pot.
"You said you were heated, so we're gonna help you cool off. Get'im, Crabby!" The little colt grabbed the pot and charged the stallion, sloshing water everywhere.
"What?! No! Aah!" Baldwin danced around the able in an attempt to avoid being completely soaked while Applejack chuckled and Alkmene giggled at the spectacle. Crabby wielded his weapon with mirth, doing his best to keep hold of the pot as he tried not to laugh too hard. Finally, the colt leapt onto a chair and over the table and released his payload all over Baldwin. "Crabby! NOOOOOO!" The stallion couldn't help but grin as he dramatically fell to his knees and let Crabby pounce him and dump the rest of the pot on him.
"Way to go, Crabby! You got him!" Applejack cheered. She hoofed a glass of water to Alkmene and sent the filly to Baldwin.
"Phew! I'm not hot anymore! Brr!" He accepted the glass from Alkmene and drank. "Ah, that was good." A towel smacked him in the face as he set the glass down.
"Alright, now dry off, you big foal," the old mare said with a smile. "You look very frazzled."
Baldwin scrubbed himself down with the towel, then gave it to Crabby. "Might wanna clean this up before somepony slips, alright?" The little colt nodded and went to work on the floor as he went for the door.
"Hold it right there, Baldwin. The moon's just about high enough for lunch, so you may as well stay here. Would you mind helping to set the table?"
An hour and one full belly later, he returned to the orchard. When he arrived, he stopped dead in his tracks. There, sitting on the path before him, were fifty buckets filled with apples. And standing proudly behind those buckets was the C block, a field of barren apple trees.
*****
For a week, Baldwin and Raritan found their jobs being mysteriously completed while they were distracted by something else. Baldwin hadn't told the family about his experiences in the orchard until Raritan brought up that her cart was being prepared before she made it outside. The old mare had simply smiled and said, "Maybe there's a ghost on our property." Crabby and Alkmene liked the idea of a friendly ghost in the Acres, but Baldwin and Raritan didn't buy it. They thought Applejack was playing a practical joke on them, but when she and the foals stayed asleep and the cart still appeared, they conspired to discover the truth.
The very next day, Baldwin and Raritan started working together. Epona watched and waited for opportunities to sneak in and do a little work, but with at least one family member always there, none ever came. So that afternoon, she turned her attention toward Crabby and Alkmene. She never really saw what they did once they stopped helping Miss Applejack since she had only been helping the adults.
After lunch, the two foals rushed into the orchard. She followed them as closely as she could until they came to a small clearing. In the center was a large dead tree. Its branches held a burnt and decayed building. There was something about it that captivated all of her attention, but she couldn't place what. She felt something trickling down her face. When she lifted a hoof and touched it, she found a small drop of water resting there. When she looked back up at the building, a wash of bitter sadness swept over her.
Epona wiped her eyes and tried her best to control her raging emotions. It was just an old building. She had seen other old, burned buildings before. So why did this one hurt so much? Also, she need to stop crying soon, or somepony would hear her. She fought to control her breath until it finally stabilized.
She tried to distract herself by watching the foals. Crabby and Alkmene had climbed inside without a care in world. The pair looked out the window and yelled at an imaginary pirate captain before Alkmene started shouting something about cannons. Every time she would put her hooves in her ears, Crabby would jump to make sound effects.
All of a sudden, Crabby fell though the floor. Alkmene whirled back and looked down at him, then screamed. He wasn't moving, and a charred wooden spike was sticking out of his now backward foreleg. She climbed out of the tree as quickly as she could and picked him up to carry him back home, but she couldn't move very quickly under his weight, and he was bleeding badly.
(F), (D)~, (A), (F), (D)~, (A)
Several things happened in the seconds that followed. First she felt something lift her and Crabby off the ground. The next thing was the rush of air blasting her face as she watched herself move forward at speeds only Pegasi could dream of reaching. She tried looking down at the creature carrying her, but a burst of extra speed forced her head back up. Before she knew it, she saw the house. Then she found herself standing on the porch, wide-eyed and wild-maned, with Crabby still unconscious on her back.
Suddenly, somepony let out a blood-curdling scream behind her, catching her by surprise and making her cringe, but when she turned to see who, nopony was there...
As Applejack, Baldwin and Raritan rushed toward the filly and her brother, a pair of orange eyes and a small black cloud watched from the roof.
*****
"It's finally done. Nopony's gonna to get hurt here anymore. " Epona stood back and looked at the newly rebuilt tree-house. It had taken her three days to complete, even with the help of some new items she had found in her inventory over the course of her time at the acres. The first day, she smashed the walls down with a hammer covered in bone and tore the floors out of the tree from the ground with the help of an extending claw.
On the second day, she gathered materials from around the Acres while wearing a mask shaped like a rock. Wisp had said it would make her 'not quite invisible, but definitely unnoticeable,' and he was right. Applejack never saw her, even in broad moonlight.
Day three, she rebuilt it from the floor up. With new nails, new wood, and a longer, sharper sword to cut them with, she soon had a refurbished tree-house, complete with a door, windows with sills and shutters, a set of stairs for safe climbing, a strong roof to keep out the weather, and a fenced patio surrounding the whole thing. Still, it felt incomplete, but she couldn't understand why. It looked exactly like she remembered and had everything a tree-house needed.
...Like she remembered? How could she know a place she had never been? Yet like so many things about the Acres, the memories were there. She did know this place and she knew it well, like she had been here not just once or twice, but many times in her life. Yes, she used to come here often with... With...
"Epona, you're crying again. Are you alright?"
*****
Applejack sat and rocked in her chair, letting the evening pass by. It was quiet this time of day. Good for reflecting on the blessings life gave. Crabby had come home that morning in a cast. The doctors said he was a lucky colt. He had gotten to the hospital in time to prevent infections in the wound, and a clean break meant he should make a full recovery within a couple months.
"Thank you for saving Crabby, Apple Bloom," she sighed with a contented smile, recalling Alkmene's story.
"Miss Applejack..." said the soft voice of a filly. The old mare looked over to see Epona appear next to her. Her eyes were downcast, puffy and bloodshot.
"Land sakes, filly. You look worse than a sheep with the mange. What's wrong?"
Epona sniffed and looked up at her. "...Who were Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle?"
Tainted Apple
As the porch lights came on and the moon fell below the horizon, Epona found herself captivated by Applejack's stories of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Apple Bloom was hard working, loyal, and full of ideas. She was energetic and fun, and she loved trying new things for the sake of finding her cutie mark. Scootaloo was an adventurous and headstrong Pegasus, and was often the one who started the CMC's adventures. Even though they didn't work out most of the time, she was always raring to go and start the next one. Sweetie Belle was a smart and level-headed Unicorn and a great singer too. She also loved to do arts and crafts because her sister was a dress-maker, even though she wasn't very good at it.
"What about you? What are your friends like?"
"The only ponies Ah really got to know either abandoned or wanted to kill me, and everypony else just tries to avoid me." Epona hung her head. "Ah wish Ah had friends like the Cutie Mark Crusaders..."
"What about Alkmene and Crabby?" Applejack offered. "The three of you look like you got along just fine."
"That's because they don't know me. They don't know what Ah've done."
"Listen, sugarcube." Applejack turned Epona's head and looked straight into her eyes. "When you have true friends, it doesn't matter what you've done. You might argue and fight. You might get angry and say or do some things that will hurt each other, but nothing you can do will make them stop being friends. Besides, you saved Crabby's life. That alone is more important than anything you might have done in the past."
Epona put her head into Applejack's shoulder. "Even tricking you?"
"Oh, sugarcube..." The old mare smiled and wrapped her hooves around Epona. "You wouldn't have asked about Scoots and Sweetie if Apple Bloom wasn't in there somewhere."
The door opened beside them. "Miss Applejack, who were Swee--" Epona looked up to see an exact replica of herself staring down at her with equal surprise.
"Changeling!" they both cried in unison, the replica leaping backward and drawing a sword seemingly from nowhere just as Epona freed herself from Applejack's grasp and swung her own sword.
"Two Eponas?" the old mare asked in bewilderment.
"Ah'm the real one! She's the fake!" they shouted, each pointing at the other with their weapons. "Ah'm not the fake, you are!"
The two fillies leapt at each other and clashed blades. The newcomer didn't waste any time parrying Epona's to the side, following the maneuver with a buck to her side and knocking her off the porch into the dirt.
"Are ya alright, Miss Applejack?" the impostor asked. "That changeling didn't steal your love, did it?"
"Ah'm not a changeling! Ah'm the real Epona!" Epona yelled back.
"Ah'm the real Epona!" The impostor leapt at Epona blade first. She quickly deflected the blow with her shield and thrust with her sword, but her strike was dodged by a swift roll to the side. "Ah'm the real Epona, and Ah can prove it!"
"What in Equestria's goin' on out there?" somepony called from inside. Raritan opened the door and scowled. "How's a mare s'possed ta cook when ya'll're makin' all this-- What the hay?" She looked back and forth between the two fillies. "Two o' them?"
"Raritan!" shouted the impostor. Epona only turned her head for a moment, but in that brief moment the impostor charged and caught her in a headlock, cutting off her breath. She bucked and struggled to get the enemy off of her, but soon Epona started to feel weak and lightheaded. Her legs buckled underneath her and she fell with her enemy on top of her. "Watch!" She felt a hoof drive into the back of her neck.
Surrender to the hive.
A sharp pain lanced through Epona's psyche.
Surrender to the hive!
In her mind's eye, she could see vast caverns filled with hordes upon hordes of changelings. Suddenly, she found herself in their midst. The entire multitude turned turned and faced her, shining thousands of sets of solid blue eyes upon her, and as a single unit cried out:
Surrender to the Hive!
Epona could feel the full weight of their collective minds pressing against her own, trying to crush it out and subject it to their will. She collapsed, unable to stand against the mental onslaught. The horde repeated those four words continuously for what felt like an eternity to block out every other thought.
Until something silenced them.
Epona gasped for the breath she realized she had been holding. With the noise of the changelings gone, she relaxed. When she dared to open her eyes, she could see them still screaming at her. The motion in their lips was still 'Surrender to the Hive,' but their words somehow weren't reaching her.
"Epona?" In the silence, the voice startled her. She turned around and came face-to-face with a forest green stallion. His mane was blonde, and he wore a lighter green cap. "Epona, can you hear me?" he asked with a worriedly look on his face.
"A-Ah can hear ya..." she replied slowly.
The stallion smiled and visibly relaxed. "Thank the goddesses. I was worried I wouldn't be able to reach you in time." Epona looked around. The changelings were still silently screaming at her as though this new pony didn't even exist. "Don't worry. You're safe now."
"What did ya do?"
"I blocked the changeling's magic from reaching your spirit. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about your body. Look at yourself."
Epona looked down at her holed-hooves. She looked back at her glossy black flank with gossamer wings. She reached up and discovered a curved horn where her forehead should have been. "Ah'm... Ah'm a..."
"You're a changeling now, Epona."
"How is that even possible?"
"I don't know, but that's not important. What matters is that no matter what body you have, you're still Epona." The stallion looked upward. A bright hole began to widen in the sky above them. The changelings stopped screaming and disappeared into the blackness as her body rose toward the light above. "That, and there's a way to change you back." The stallion's voice was becoming distant.
"There is? How?!" she cried as her body began to speed away from him and the world around her began fading into the light.
"Ask the..." With those final words, the stallion and the rest of the world disappeared completely.
Epona felt her consciousness pull back to her body. Numerous unseen voices filled her thoughts. Her skin became acutely aware of the soft breeze that had been gently tugging at her fur. A foul scented flavor crossed her tongue and nostrils, and her entire body tingled with some unseen energy.
She became aware of a hard pressure pinning her head to the ground. Finally, the pressure lifted, allowing her to scramble away. Her breathing was labored, and she could faintly hear gasping, but she couldn't tell if the sound was coming from her or someone else. As she looked around, she discovered that she was back at Sweet Apple Acres.
"See? She's the fake one," someone said with her voice. Epona looked around and saw someone who looked exactly like-- well, what she used to look like. She examined herself, remembering what the stallion had said, and found his words to be true. She really had been turned into a changeling.
"Ah can't believe it. A changeling! On mah farm!" Raritan screeched. Epona picked up her head just in time to see Raritan and Baldwin charging her. She tried to get up and escape, but with her senses still playing havoc, the most she could do was hobble toward the gate.
"Look out!" the fake Epona cried. The Apples barely managed to slide to a halt just before six greens streaks crashed into the ground between them and Epona, leaving small craters where they landed. Out of each crater stepped a changeling. "Reinforcements!"
The rear-most changeling turned toward Epona. "We felt your disstress and came to help! Run, ssisster! We will guard your esscape!" Sister? Epona just stood there, not quite able to understand everything that was happening.
"Don't just stand there! " Wisp thought to her. "Get out of here while we still can! "
*****
Raritan saw the changeling turned tail and flee. "Get back here, ya giant bug!" She tried to chase it, but two of the others jumped in front of her. "Outta mah way!" she cried as she barreled right through them.
Epona jumped in behind her, blocking the changelings' pursuit. "Go get her, Raritan! We'll take care o' these guys!"
Raritan nodded and resumed her chase. The one that had impersonated Epona had gained some time on her and was nearly out of sight, but she was larger and faster. She had almost caught up to within grabbing distance when it suddenly stopped sideways on all fours and launched itself underneath her, catching the front of her hooves with its hard back. She rolled and tumbled for several yards before she managed to stop and right herself. When she did, she looked up.
*WELCOME TO PONYVILLE*
The changeling was already gone. "Horseapples! If Ah lose it in there, Ah'll never find it!" Raritan rushed into town.
*****
"So, you've been hiding with the Apples, huh? Well, Epona. I won't let you go so easily. A filly who has the power to defeat Cerberus and Manticores is too valuable to just let run away. And of course, you had to choose the time when Mirror Child was away. If she was here, I would never have lost track of you."
Trixie arrived at Sweet Apple Acres to find it a battleground. A stallion and a filly wielding a sword and shield were battling a squad of changelings, outnumbered five to two. The two ponies were being driven back toward the porch, and an old mare was watching from inside the main house as they others fought just outside. Trixie sighed and walked through the gate.
"Stay back, Miss!" shouted the stallion. "It's dangerous!"
Trixie sighed and walked up toward the house. One changeling broke off from each group and charged her, fangs bared. She just continued walking as they crashed headfirst into a magic barrier. A pink aura surrounded them and smashed them together, then dropped their unconscious bodies in the dirt. The other changelings stopped and stared for a brief moment at the new threat. Then they fell as Baldwin and the sword-wielding filly capitalized on the distraction. When Trixie reached the porch, the old mare walked outside to greet her.
"Thank you. If you hadn't appeared, we would've been in trouble."
"I'm looking for a filly named Epona. I have reason to believe she is here. Do you know where she is?" Trixie asked. The Apples looked down at the filly who was climbing the porch steps.
"Right here, Miss Trixie."
Trixie's gaze darkened in the firelight. A sudden wave of pink magic blasted the filly away from the house and pressed her body against a barrier. As the magic flooded past, her fur and mane was burned away from the hooves up to reveal the black carapace of a changeling. A sword and shield fell from its side as Trixie walked up to her with venom in her eyes. "What. Did you do. With Epona?"
*****
Epona breathed heavily from inside the alleyway.
"That wass too closse, Wissp." Epona's eyes widened at the sound of her own voice before she remember what had happened to her.
"Far too close, if you ask me. Why didn't you use one of your gadgets to get away? You've got a ton of stuff that could've helped."
"Ya think Ah didn't try? Nothing would sshow up when Ah wanted it to. For ssome reasson, Ah can't get to mah itemss." She looked down at her holed hooves. "Maybe it'ss causse Ah'm not a pony anymore..."
"Wait. You're a changeling." Epona deadpanned at Wisp. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not just pointing out the obvious... Actually, I kind of am."
"Thankss, Wissp. Ah had no idea." She rolled her eyes.
"Epona, if you're a changeling, can't you just change into a pony?"
"..."
"..."
"...How am Ah ssuppossed to do that?"
Wisp raised a disembodied eyebrow. "Really, Epona? You've been using magic as an Earth Pony and you can't figure this out?"
"But thiss iss different," she protested. "Ah've never ussed changeling magic before!"
Wisp chuckled. "Oh goodness. I suppose it's only natural that you wouldn't understand how this works, so I'm going to tell you a secret. This secret has been heavily guarded for centuries, so don't go blabbing it to everypony, okay?" Epona nodded. "The secret is: Magic..." She leaned in close. "...is magic." The filly pulled back her head and glared at Wisp. "Why are you looking at me like that? It's a very simple concept."
"Wissp, you-! Ah'm tired of running, all of Ponyville'ss out to get me, and you're jusst making jokess!"
"Dear filly, I don't think you fully understand. Magic is magic, whether you're an Earth Pony, a Unicorn, a Pegasus, a changeling, an Alicorn, or even a Draconequus for Equestria's sake."
"Then how come Earth Poniess can't levitate thingss? How come you never ssee a Pegassuss turn into a Manticore? And what the hay iss a Draco-doohickey or whatever you jusst ssaid?"
"Because, my dear pupil, different species have different affinities in the application of magic. Nothing can do everything. In fact, most creatures can only do one or two things. But that doesn't mean magic itself changes every time. No, the magic a creature uses is always the same. Using it is just a matter of will, affinity, and innate ability. You have always had a great deal of innate ability my dear, but right now you have a changeling's affinity so you can only use changeling magic."
Epona leaned back and beat her head softly against the wall. "Ah don't get it, Wissp..."
"In other words, just do it."
"Who's back there?" Epona turned her head to see Raritan standing there. The instant her solid eyes met the mare's, Raritan screamed and sprang for the filly like a panther on the hunt. She only caught the air though, as Epona jumped across the trashcan and grabbed the lid to use as a shield. The miss didn't deter her for more than an instant, and she quickly leapt over the garbage after the filly. Epona jumped backward, barely avoiding the furious mare's stomp, but Raritan turned on a hoof and bucked, catching her mid-air and sending her crashing into a wall. Epona barely had enough time to lift up her make-shift shield before Raritan was pounding down with all the strength in her fore hooves, and what strength it was! Each and every hit felt like it would shatter the metal from the force of the blows.
Of course, that's only if Epona's leg didn't shatter first.
She knew she wouldn't be able to take much more if she didn't stop Raritan somehow, but this wasn't like fighting the Manticore. She couldn't bring herself to fight back and attack someone related to her only connection to the past. To Apple Bloom and her friends. Her shield was cracking, and she could do nothing stop her impending doom.
Suddenly, the pounding stopped. Epona peeked over her shield. Raritan was just standing there, silent and motionless. A strange green tint entered into her eyes. "Can't have you dead, hatchling. The Queen wantss you."
Epona lowered her shield to see a changeling head pulling away from Raritan's neck. "Y-you bit her?"
The changeling nodded. "You will learn more about your heritage when we return to the Hive, but we have a venom that linkss other animalss--" The changeling didn't get to finish its sentence, for Epona grabbed its hoof and yanked it headfirst into the wall.
"That'ss for biting mah family." Epona looked over at Raritan just in time to see the green fade from her eyes. The mare shook her head, then stopped and held a hoof to where the changeling bit her. She looked pained. "Ah'm sorry, Raritan..."
Epona could hear more voices and hooves coming their way. "Wissp, how do Ah change again?"
"It's an act of will, like drawing out your items. Just think of what you want to be, and be it."
"That's what Ah thought." Epona imagined herself as the one creature she knew would be safe from the prying eyes of ponies and changelings alike. She closed her eyes and concentrated. A bright green flame began to flicker at her hooves.
"There it is!" someone shouted, startling her just as the flame began to rapidly ascend from her hooves to her head.
An instant later, the world disappeared as she used her new Diamond Dog paws to burrow into the ground and out of sight. She dug until she reached one of the many tunnels she had created since arriving. She knew her way around these tunnels better than most ponies knew their way around Ponyville, and she had a specific destination in mind.
"Coming here isn't going to save you," Wisp commented as Epona found the hole she was looking for and began to dig upward. "It won't be long before Ponyville finds you at the cottage, and the changelings will always know where you are now that you're one of them. You'll be caught within minutes."
"Ah'm not gonna get caught, Wissp," she replied as she climbed out of the hole. "They won't exxpect me to be out here, and poniess never come here becausse the Everfree'ss sso closse."
"...Epona?"
No way! Epona instinctively reverted back to true changeling form and whirled, bucking the offender in the face. Then she saw who it was. "Belmont?! How did he find me here?"
"Oh dear. I hate to say I told you so, but... actually, that's a lie." Epona stuck her tongue out at the little black cloud. "So, what are we going to do about him? I can feel the changelings coming. Unless you want him to fall victim to them, we'll have to hide him."
Epona knew Wisp was right. Several of the hissing voices that had been part of her thoughts since becoming a changeling were getting stronger. She still couldn't access her inventory, so she wouldn't be able to fight back if they attacked. She didn't have time to waste, so she grabbed him, dragged him over to her tunnel, and pushed him inside. A few moments later, several changelings flew towards her from the forest and surrounded her.
*****
Trixie threw the changeling to the ground in fury. "You did what?! "
The changeling coughed through strained laughter. "I musst have chossen the right pony for the 'Great and Powerful' Illussionisst to be sso angered."
"Captain, that filly is quite possibly the worst target you could have chosen to convert." Trixie blasted her with another beam of magic, illiciting another pained chuckle. "You have made a powerful enemy today."
"Hehehe... Blasst me all you want, Illussionisst. You're too late! Your toy belongss to the Hive, now!" The captain continued laughing as Trixie bombarded her with magic until she finally fell unconscious.
"By the moon... Are changelings so powerful that they can turn ponies into changelings at will?"
"Only Captain-class Infiltrators have that kind of power, Applejack." Trixie answered without taking her eyes off the captain at her hooves. "There are only a dozen or so in the entire changeling Hive, which begs the question: Why would they send an Infiltrator of that caliber to a backwater farm?" She glanced at the old mare. "Are you hiding something?"
Applejack tensed. As she looked into Trixie's unflinching gaze, she knew she couldn't keep her secret any longer. Her eyes and head dipped toward the ground as she nodded. "A couple weeks ago, your filly brought me a gift..."
Author's Note
Sorry for taking so long with this chapter.
The Badlands. Once home to a great underwater nation, it now stood an empty canyon surrounded by the Everfree on all but its southern side, where the Mediquestrian Sea and its waves crash against tall cliffs. The faces of its mesas were all but eroded by time and desert winds. To traverse its depths meant certain death for all but the hardiest of creatures. Even those would only last if they could find its nearly non-existent plant-life among the long-dried river beds. Otherwise, even they would lose themselves to hunger and starvation.
That is, if the sandstorms didn't get to them first. The polished bones of hundreds was a testament to the region's ability to stamp out life.
Hidden beneath the mesas of this inhospitable region stood the Badland Hive. During the hundred years of continued night, it swallowed every Hive within Equestrian borders until it stood as the capitol for a single, unified changeling empire ruled by Queen Chrysalis. It was there that Epona found herself when she awoke after struggling against a squad of Collectors, the drones responsible for apprehending rogues and criminals within the empire.
The first thing she noticed when she came to was the sheer volume of mental voices. In Ponyville, there had only been a few sporadic exchanges between the ones that attacked the Acres and the Collectors. Here, there were thousands, tens of thousands of conversations all going on at once flooding through her mind. The second thing was that it somehow didn't bother her. Despite the multitude, she could think clearly and individually.
She tried to move and stretch, but she found her legs to be bound. A cord was wrapped around and through the holes in her ankles. She could hear the buzz of wings steadily grow louder as more and more drones populated the nearby area. When she opened her eyes, she saw the spires passing by as her captors took her toward a large cave in the ground.
There were many drones busying themselves around the entrance as the group entered. Deeper inside, Epona saw a massive structure being constructed. Swarms of drones surrounded the monolith. Most of them were Spitters applying the same goo that they had used on Epona. Some carried torches for extra light while others wielded strange devices that drew in sand from the floor and blasted it at the structure, leaving it looking smooth and polished.
The large room disappeared as the Collectors took her deeper into the caverns. The passages were covered in the same green glow which she saw when she was first transformed. They passed several hallways leading to various parts of the Hive. Most of the areas were combat and training oriented. There was a Spitter range, a small mock village that looked eerily similar to Ponyville, a room filled with dummies of various shapes including pony, dog, and something that looked like a cross between a Manticore and a chicken.
As they passed deeper into the earth, Epona felt a powerful presence begin to press onto her mind. She glanced around, searching for the source of the connection. It didn't feel like one of the Collectors. Whatever it was was mentally incredibly powerful, like when she felt the Hive pressing on her during her conversion, and it was only getting stronger as she went deeper. Finally, when the pressure became almost overwhelming, the group entered a chamber which housed a single changeling.
["Why have you entered my chamber with this hatchling?"] Epona heard inside her mind. The voice commanded respect, and even though she had never seen its owner before now, she knew it belonged to the tall, slender mare. All other voices seemed to fall silent in comparison when she spoke. ["Speak, Collector."]
"My Queen, thiss hatchling iss a convert."
["Another one?"] the Queen asked, mildly annoyed. ["It was Captain 8 again, wasn't it?"]
"Yes. This one is from Ponyville."
The Queen sighed. ["Throw it in with the others. I'll test it later."] Epona could hear the Queen grumbling under her breath as one of the Collectors picked her up and carried her away. Something about Captain 8 and the Hive getting cluttered.
The pressure on her mind eased the further she got away from the Queen. The Collector took her to a chamber filled with other drones. Most were chained to the walls and floor, staring around at the innards of the cavern and at each other, but there was one that was free. That one was carrying a bag of crystals and placing one in front of each of those that were chained.
"SStill wassting your time on the convertss," the Collector carrying Epona scoffed. "You sshould go back to gathering, CT1."
"They are living creaturess like you and me, Collector," CT1 replied without glancing up. "We have hundredss of Gatherers, but none who will care for thesse." She placed another crystal down and scratched its drone under the chin, much to the drone's contentment and the Collector's annoyance.
"That'ss becausse they are less than the beasstss in the Everfree. Nothing but worthless trassh. They aren't even usseful as bait for the Gatherers."
CT1 glared at him. "Did you come out of your way just to belittle my work? If sso, then your bussiness iss done and you may leave."
"Actually, I came to bring you another one. I hope you enjoy ssplitting your love ration into even more partss." The Collector threw Epona gruffly to the floor not far from CT1 and walked out with hissing laughter.
CT1 scowled after him, but soon turned her attention toward Epona. She approached slowly and without and sudden movements. "Don't be afraid," she cooed. "My name is Caretaker 1, or CT1. I'm not going to hurt you." As she tugged on the ropes that bound Epona, she grunted in frustration. "Tied thesse a little tight for ssimple transportation... This is abussive, especially to simple converts. Damn thosse Collectorss..." Finally, the cord came undone and she pulled it away from Epona's hooves. "There. Doess that feel better?"
"A little," Epona mumbled as she tried to rub her sores.
CT1's eyes widened "You can talk?" Epona suddenly realized that she made a mistake. She was a convert. So far, every changeling she had met looked down on her. The Collector called converts trash. The Queen was annoyed when she found out another convert was in the Hive. Even CT1 seemed to think of them as pitiable creatures. As she scanned over the others nearby, most of them looked like they were in their own little worlds, completely detached from reality except for CT1, that little crystal she placed in front of them, and occasionally the chains in their legs. "Convert," CT1 said softly. "Can you talk?"
Epona pulled a hoof to her face and licked where the cord had rubbed it raw.
CT1 sighed, a little disappointed. "Musst've been my imagination. Come with me, little one." She led Epona to an empty section of the wall. When she picked up a chained cuff, Epona recoiled and hissed angrily, doing her best to act like an abused animal. "SShh... I'm not going to hurt you," CT1 said softly.
If Epona had fur, it would've been bristling. Part of it was play-acting, but another part of her truly didn't want to be chained again. CT1 seemed nice enough compared to the other changelings, but even a nice changeling was still a changeling and couldn't be trusted. She did a quick mental search of her inventory out of habit before she realized she still couldn't access any of her equipment. Strangely enough, she still felt a connection to her Ocarina, but that wouldn't help her in combat.
"Please, trusst me. I'm not going to hurt you at all. Here, I'll even put a fuzzy covering on the cuff sso it won't be painful." CT1 reached into her bag and pulled out a fluffy pink circlet. She wrapped the circlet around the cuff then rubbed it against her cheek. "SSee? It's ssoft and comfortable."
"We don't have much choice right now, " Wisp thought to Epona. "We're deep in enemy territory, you can't get to your items, and there's no way to hide with your connection to the Hivemind. "
Epona wanted to argue, but she knew Wisp was right. Slowly, cautiously, she stepped forward, wary of the cuff in CT1's hoof. She may have to accept it, but that didn't mean she needed to look like she accepted it.
"That'ss it, convert. That'ss good. Keep coming. You can do it. Jusst a little closser now. Good, good. Now, turn around pleasse, and this will all be over." When she was within reach, CT1 reached out and took a gentle hold of Epona's back hoof and clasped the cuff through it. "There, now. Wass that sso bad?"
The Caretaker took a few steps away, then pulled a small glowing crystal out of her bag and placed it in front of Epona, just out of reach. "Here you go. This crysstal hass all the love you'll need for the morning. Whenever you get hungry, just sstand near the crysstal and feed, like thiss." CT1 pulled out another glowing crystal and set it down in front of her. As she opened her mouth, a small green flame surrounded the crystal and flowed inside. When she was done, the flame died down and the crystal was as grey and lifeless as common stone. Epona's belly gurgled, and CT1 giggled. "Don't eat it all at oncce. I'll be back to refill it in the afternoon."
As CT1 walked away to tend to the others, Epona stood near the crystal and fed. She could somehow feel the love coursing through her, calming the hunger inside. It didn't necessarily have a flavor, but the sensation it gave her was so much better than a simple taste.
When she finished, she lied down contentedly. However, her happy feeling sank once her belly touched the floor and reminded her where she was. Epona looked back at the weight on her leg. The bright pink cuff looked rather silly compared to the black of her skin and the dark green of the cavern, but it still marked her as a prisoner.
And there was nothing she could do to change that.
Caretaker 1, Log entry 64.
Day 1: A new convert, henceforth dubbed 64, came to me two days ago from Ponyville, courtesy of Captain 8. Female, appears to have been little more than a filly upon conversion due to her size. Her wings and horn are small, even by a hatchling's standard, leading me to believe she was an Earth Pony. Her left foreleg is thick and nearly solid, but perforated with several small holes. Physically, nothing else of note. Her behavior is similar to the other converts, animalistic and reminiscent of the Everfree beasts, but she appears to be intelligent. She may even be trainable if given the proper motivation. I shall look into this matter.
Day 2: It's clear that 64 doesn't trust me. Whenever I approach, she bares her fangs and hisses violently. Since her arrival, our only interaction is when I set her rationed love crystal in front of her. She usually waits until I leave the area before draining it completely. She prefers to keep to herself during free-time, sometimes even choosing to stay near her chain and simply watch the others.
Day 3: 31 attacked 64 today. 31 is the largest convert under my care and has long considered himself what ecologists would term the 'alpha male', usually spending his time strutting around to gain attention from the females and respect from the males. On the other hoof, 64 has proven herself to be quiet and indifferent to them, choosing to lie down alone and let them do as they please. So when 31 strutted in front of her, she just ignored him and continued to lie down. He took offense and attacked her before I could separate them. Fortunately, 31 somehow managed to get himself caught in 64's leg chain before he could do any serious harm.
Day 5: I don't believe 64 fully trusts me yet, but I may finally be winning her over. When I approached this morning, she didn't hiss at me like usual. Instead, she regarded me with indifference like she does with the other converts. Progress!
Day 6: Due to the growing love shortage, the Queen has ordered the cessation of all conversions. I fear I will be reprimanded in the near future, because I let my emotions get the better of me and stuck the messengers to the wall with goo upon hearing the news. I'm not sure whether to be upset that I won't be feeling any new presences or happy that our hive won't collapse... No, I shouldn't dwell on such things. I have 64 charges to care for.
Day 8: It has been one decade since the arrival of my first convert. To commemorate, I decided to give them all an extra ration of love. Several of them were so excited that they nearly broke their chains trying to get to the second crystal. Thankfully, not all of them are as aggressive as 31. A few, like 64, remained calm and accepted my gift gently, thank the Queen.
Day 11: I woke during the night due to the sound of a wind instrument, similar to a set of pipes. Shortly afterward, there was a scream and a bright green flash of light. When I rushed out to see who was there, 64 was bleeding from her chained leg but no one else was there. I applied medical spit to her wounds, and that calmed her down. It troubles me that someone can slip through the Hive so easily undetected. If I catch the intruder who hurt my converts...
Day 12: Success! I don't know if she's finally beginning to trust me, or if she just likes me better for healing her yesterday, but today 64 accepted the love crystal directly from my hoof! Perhaps she will let me stay and observe her more closely from now on. Tomorrow, I will remove her leg chains.
Day 14: Someone attacked the Hive! Based on the few mental connections I can receive from inside this cavern, the assailant was lupine in nature and incredibly powerful. It attacked several of the Convert Caverns lined along the western stretch of the Hive. This may sound callous later, but I'm glad it wasn't here; there was another outburst from the converts today. Strangely enough, this one was caused by the usually calm 64. She seemed frantic to escape, like something was hunting her. What's worse is she's somehow learned to spit! Her skill is clearly sub-par, but she nearly hit me with a ball of goo during all the confusion. I will have to be constantly on guard. If she catches me unaware, or if she manages to teach the other converts, I don't know if I will be able to contain them safely.
Day 17: It has been several days since the outburst, and everything seems to have returned to normal. It doesn't look like the others have learned any new tricks since then, but I will remain watchful. My only concern is that 64 has returned to her former seclusion. It may take some time before she trusts me or the others again.
Day 18: Last night, I awoke to the sound of a wind instrument, the same instrument of which I have previously logged. There were no attacks this time, but I will again spend several nights in vigil to determine the source. Hopefully this time will prove more fruitful.
Day 19: The Queen has put out a notice informing all changelings that healthy drones have been found dead inside the Hive. It is possible that the intruder from last week never left the area. In fact, that is more likely to be the case than a second infiltrator managing to breach the Hive undetected. She has advised every changeling to be especially watchful for anything that might be suspicious. The mysterious instrument has been reported to the proper authorities. With the close proximity of its music to the attack and the disappearances, I cannot help but think they are somehow connected.
Day 22: 31 has never liked 64 after their first incident, but recently he has been growing more openly hostile toward her. I was forced to charge him in order to separate them today. It is only a matter of time before he starts another conflict. I may need to re-install the leg chains to keep the peace.
Day 24: 31 attacked 64 again today, and I must say I am surprised at the result. I never expected 64 to be a capable fighter. She's always been so quiet and non-confrontational, but today she displayed combat ability worthy of a CSF trainee. Is it possible that she learned to charge and spit from me? Tomorrow, I will take her aside and see if she is capable of learning other techniques.
Day 25: Not only is 64 capable, she is gifted. She isn't a particularly powerful fighter, but the way she uses the techniques she knows is nothing short of astounding, especially for a convert. She has the ability to spit, charge, transform, and though her wings aren't powerful enough for true flight, she can hover for a short distance. This unexpected display of ability has piqued my interest greatly. I believe that with some training, she would be on par with junior CSF.
*****
"You really are ssomething, 64. You know that?" CT1 said, watching as 64 sucked her rationed crystal dry. "I've never sseen a convert sso... sstable." The convert cocked her head to the side and stared at her. "SSee, that'ss what I'm talking about: little thingss like the way you cock your head. It'ss like you undersstand what I'm ssaying, or maybe it'ss a ssort of feral curioussity. Maybe both. Either way, I've never sseen a convert sso closse to reality, mentally sspeaking. You're even intelligent enough to be trainable, unlike the otherss. By the Queen, I could sspend hours jusst--" A bell rang from her chamber, a room connected to the convert's cavern be a small entry at the side, and she sighed. "Well, I could if I didn't have my dutiess. I will be back, sso don't go anywhere, okay?"
CT1 went into her room. Just inside, a large panel filled with dials, switches and buttons stretched out beneath the window. In the center of the panel was a small screen with several buttons on the right and a dial surrounded by a circle of indicating lights on the left. One of those light, labeled 'QC', was flashing as the buzzer continued to sound. The buzzer shut off once she turned the dial toward the flashing light and pushed the top-most button next to the screen.
"Queen'ss Chamber, Convert'ss Cavern 0, Caretaker 1 sspeaking."
There was an audible chuckle as Queen Chrysalis' image appeared on the screen. "Still so formal, even after leaving the CSF?"
"The military never truly leavess the changeling, my Queen, but I doubt you ussed thiss method of communication perssonally for ssomething sso trivial."
The queen nodded. "As you know, our love rations are stretched thin. I have even had to slow my laying rate to avoid over-population. Therefore, I want you and your subordinates to remove all converts in your care."
CT1's jaw dropped to the floor. "My Queen! Thesse convertss are changelingss jusst as much as any other drone! They have a right to live!"
Chrysalis fixed CT1 with a steely glare through the screen. "Did you not tell me when you first started that you would not allow yourself to become attached? That you knew this order may come? I gave you years to create fruitful changelings from these converts, and not a single useful member of the changeling empire has come from them. I have been lenient and allowed you to continue your project as a reward for your prior service, but now our resources are spread too thinly. Our love reserve has never been stretched like this but once before, while I was still a young Queen. We as a race reached the point where our only options were war or starvation. We chose war, and we survived, but we suffered greatly for it. I refuse to allow my changelings to be forced into that position again, and mindless converts that absorb love which could be given to able-minded changelings do not help the situation!"
CT1 wanted to refute the Queen, but she knew she had neither the authority nor the means to argue. The Queen was making a valid decision for her Hive based on past experience. CT1 sighed. "As you wissh, my Queen."
"Good. As you know, I have already contacted the Captains and ordered them to cease conversions. Inform your subordinates that all converts must be removed by the end of the hour. I will be sending a Squad of Soldiers to ensure the task is complete at that time."
"My Queen, may I make a requesst?"
"What request?"
"There iss one convert that I have become rather fond of. I would like to keep her under my perssonal care." The Queen would understand. Just one convert of the thousands that had come through CT1's care and been distributed between her and her and Caretakers. Thousands of converted changelings was one thing, but just one shouldn't be a problem.
"No."
CT1 paused. "My Queen, I would ssplit my love ration, sso there will be no need to use exxtra ressourccess on her."
"I already said no. If I allow you to keep one, then how could I not extend the other Caretakers the same favor? There are at least twenty of you now in the Capitol alone caring for converts who aren't capable of being fruitful members of the changeling empire."
"But my Queen, there'ss ssomething different about thiss one!" CT1 protested. "64 sshowss ssignss of individual intelligencce and sseemss to have have mild undersstanding. I have only had cusstody of her for four week'ss time, but sshe'ss proven to be highly trainable. She could become a fruitful member of the changeling empire!"
"The decision is final, Caretaker 1. There will be a Squad in your cavern in one hour's time to double check your removal efforts." Several moments of tense silence passed.
"...As you wissh, my Queen." As the panel screen flicked off, CT1 sat back on her haunches. She had to admit, her job had become little more than caring for the infirmed, and she knew that someday this would happen if she couldn't help bring the converts into society, but to happen so soon after finding a convert with actual potential was somewhat saddening. She sighed then pressed the bottom-most button next to the screen. "From QC: Project terminated. Remove all convertss. One hour. SSoldier-enforcced."
Upon completing her message, she walked outside and began chaining each and every convert back to the wall. When she was finished, she went back into her room and over to the far right side of her panel. Beneath a clear dome sat a large button marked with a changeling skull. Just as she raised the dome and prepared to press the button, a faint yet familiar tone reached her ears. It was the mysterious pipes that she had heard in the past several weeks, and it was coming from inside the Convert's Cavern! She rushed to the door in an attempt to catch the brave, if foolish, intruder.
What she saw, however, brought her fury to a halt. 64 was blowing across the holes in her left leg, similar to how a pan-pipe is played. The sound was similar in quality too, and there was a definite rhythm and purpose to each note. She, a convert, was making music , and the whole cavern resonated with her song .
A drop of water spattered against the ground, catching 64's attention. CT1 looked down to see another drop fall from her face and strike the floor. 64's head was low and wearing a frown when she looked back up. She realized the convert must've thought she was sad and quickly wiped away her tears.
"You really are ssomething sspecial," she said with a smile she couldn't hold back. A moment later, the caretaker was behind the convert and unshackling her leg. "Don't worry, 64. I won't let anyth--" A bestial, paralyzingly powerful howl interrupted CT1 as it reverberated throughout the Hive. CT1 turned her head toward the entrance just in time to see a large wolf with a long orange ridge running down its back slowly come into view. "By the Queen..."
"Which one is Epona?" the beast growled with an angry snarl.
"64, go to my officce..." CT1 said calmly without looking back. "I don't know who your Epona wass, but if sshe came to me, then sshe iss not the wolf you remember. I'm truly ssorry for your losss." ["Intruder! Wolf, Convert Cavern 0!"]
"She's not a wolf. She's a converted Earth Pony who was stolen from Ponyville almost a month ago, and she's a very dear friend of mine." CT1 steeled herself, resisting the urge to look at the office. The beast was after 64! "I can see you struggling against yourself. You know where she is, and you aren't telling me!"
The beast lunged at her with teeth bared. She leapt upward and flew out of reach of those dangerous fangs. "I do know of a convert matching that desscription, but I can't jusst let you take her." A slight buzzing noise came from the hall leading to the entrance of the cavern. The wolf turned her head back toward the entrance and growled as a swarm of Soldiers began to enter the space. "You sshouldn't have come here, wolf." In a moment, the wolf was completely surrounded by trained military drones.
The wolf crouched low while the ridge on its back rose up and began to wave as though it were a flag blown by the wind. From her aerial vantage point, CT1 could see a thin sphere ripple away from it and connect with every Soldier around it, leaving an almost imperceptible trace of magic behind. Then, like a blitz, it suddenly attacked. CT1 watched in awe as the wolf shot through the drones, biting and slashing with her claws every drone within the sphere faster than their reflexes could save them. I just a few short seconds, all the Soldiers were limp on the floor.
It looked back up at CT1. "Now..." it growled. "Tell me where Epona is."
"I told you before, wolf," CT1 said calmly. "The pony you knew iss gone. Now leave my demesness before you regret coming here." She began charging her horn.
"Don't lie to me, drone! I heard her song." The wolf crouched down and cast out its sphere again extending it so it reached CT1. "I will not leave without her."
"Then try and take her from me!"
The two charged each other like streaks of fury, CT1 surrounded by a green flame as she hurtled toward the ground and the wolf with fangs bared as she pounced with magic-enhanced speed and precision. The wolf flashed its teeth at the CT1 as it passed by, but the flame acted as a minor shield and deflected the attempt. The instant the wolf's head turned away, CT1 shot out her hoof and punched the wolf's neck just above the shoulder. While she landed in a crater a moment later, the wolf landed in a paralyzed heap. "It'ss over."
When they next wave of Soldiers arrived, they found the bodies of fallen drones strewn all over the floor and CT1 with her fangs sunk in the back of a small pony's neck. "By the Queen, what happened here?"
"Take thiss intruder to the CCellss. It iss the one ressponssible for the attackss." CT1 walked back to her office as the Soldier took custody of the mind-controlled pony and led her away. "I'm back, 64. I musst say, you really are ssomeone sspecial for that wolf-pony to... 64?" CT1 looked around. No one else was in the office. "Oh no... 64!" She sprinted back out, hoping to find the little convert among the others or at least within the cavern.
64 was gone.
CT1 did a quick scan of the cavern, only to confirm that 64 wasn't somewhere in the area hiding. She checked the bodies of the Soldiers to see if the wolf had inadvertently hit her with the sphere. CT1 gave a brief sigh of relief when her body was not found among the fallen. However, that meant she was somewhere out in the Hive. She could be scared and all alone, exploring forbidden areas, or worse: following the Soldiers taking that wolf to the Cells. With the Queen's order in effect, if she got caught, she would be executed on the spot!
The caretaker rushed outside and closed her eyes, projecting herself across the Hivemind in search of the little convert's mental signature. She found it after a moment of searching, but it was getting further away. She held her concentration and dashed in the direction of the connection. Thankfully, 64 hadn't gone too far. If she hurried, she would catch her before--
The connection vanished.
*****
Epona ducked into an empty room and put the drone mask in her inventory. "Phew. It feels good to be a pony again," she said with a stretch.
"I bet it feels even better now that you don't have a chain embedded in you."
"Don't remind me, Wisp... It hurts just thinking about it." She glanced back at the scars on opposite sides of her hind leg. "Ah'm just lucky CT1 had that healing spit. Hope Ah never get put in that position again." She peered around the corner. "Anyways, now that Ah'm free, we've got some work to do."
"I'd say. Escaping from a teeming changeling Hive isn't going to be easy."
"It'll be easier once we're together with Mirrors." Epona pulled out the ocarina and played her song, then waited. Several moments passed, and neither howl nor hoof step responded. "What's taking so long? She should've done something by now."
"Maybe they beat her," Wisp offered helpfully. "There were a lot of them, after all."
"No way. Mirrors is too strong to lose to a bunch of drones."
"And yet she's made no reply."
Epona began to get worried. Mirrors was strong enough to handle herself, but what if Wisp was right? It's possible that they had drones as strong or stronger than the one she had fought before being brought here. What if Mirrors hadn't responded because she couldn't? "Ah'm gonna try again. If she still doesn't respond, Ah'm going back for her." A few seconds after she began to play, she heard rapid hoof steps coming her way. "Mirrors?" She paused and poked her head out from behind the corner. "Not Mirrors!"
"A ssecond one?" the changeling muttered before its face contorted into a snarl. Its horn glowed until a shield of magic formed in front of its head. Epona leapt backward into the room just as the foe charged and crashed into the side of the entrance, leaving a sizable crater in the wall. She drew out her sword and shield and prepared to fight. The drone entered slowly and scanned the room. "Where iss sshe? What did you do with her?"
"Who?"
"There wass a little changeling that came here. I felt her pressencce enter thiss room jusst before it dissappeared. Where iss that changeling now?"
Epona lowered her weapon. "CT1?"
The drone wavered, but never dropped its guard. "You sseem to know me, but that dessignator doessn't exxisst outsside of the Hive. Who are you, how do you know my name, and where iss my convert?"
"Ya already know me, just not like this." Epona put her sword and shield away. The drone mask then appeared on her face, and she transformed back into a changeling with a small burst of green flame.
CT1's stared with wide eyes. 64's mental signature had been gone. Not dim, like if she had been unconscious or suppressed, but gone completely. There was no possible way that she could be alive. Now it was back in the Hivemind as though it had never left, and where a pony filly had stood, there now stood a small changeling with a nearly solid left foreleg. "I-Imposssible... What...?"
"CT1, mah name'ss Epona, but ya know me as 64."
"Are you really 64?"
"Ah am."
"But I felt the connection dissappear! That only happens when... when a changeling... I thought..."
"Ah'm sstill here, CT1." Epona took off the mask and reverted back to her pony form, severing the connection. "Just not the same as ya thought Ah was."
"Are you an enemy?"
Epona opened her mouth to speak, but she stopped herself. She had fought many changelings. It was the changelings that burned Fluttershy. It was the changelings that attacked her and the Apples. It was the changelings that captured and imprisoned her for who knows how long. The changelings were her enemies. Yet at the same time... "Ah'm not your enemy," she decided. "Ya were kind to me. Ya gave me food and shelter just because ya wanted to. Ya healed me after Ah injured mah leg. Ya protected me from the other converts, and even though the wolf was mah friend, ya tried to protect me because ya thought she was a threat."
"I only did thosse thingss becausse I thought you were a changeling!"
"The Collectors thought I was a changeling too. They were cruel anyways, but ya've been kind ever since we met." Epona lowered her head and giggled a little bit. "Ah've only had one other pony truly care for me like ya have. Ah dunno if ya reported me like ya did with Mirrors, but after everything ya've done for me 'til now, Ah'll still see ya as a friend. No matter what happens next."
CT1 didn't have long to think about what Epona just told her, because just a short moment later, another swarm of Soldiers appeared and flooded the room. One stepped forward and patted CT1 on the shoulder. "Thank you for sstalling the intruder, Caretaker 1. I will take care of it from here."
"What are you going to do with her, Collector?" CT1 asked, her body unusually tense.
"Come now, Caretaker," the Collector smirked as he wrapped his hoof around her shoulder. "You as former CSF sshould know SStandard Protocol. SShe will be immediately placced in a Cell and drained of every sscrap of love sshe hass in her. When sshe iss nothing but a lovelesss, lifelesss hussk, sshe will be left outsside for the desert to play with. That iss, if sshe comess quietly." The Collector shrugged. "If sshe doessn't, well... who knowss what will happen before she makess it into a Cell?"
"That'ss what I thought you were going to ssay." CT1 suddenly grabbed his leg and whirled, swinging and throwing the Collector into the swarm. She then strode forward and stood next to Epona. "I refusse to let that happen."
The Collector glared up at the pair. "Are you inssane, Caretaker? Thiss iss treasson!"
"Throwing you issn't treasson. Neither iss preventing anything from happening on the way to the Cellss." Epona felt two sharp pricks on the back of her neck.
*****
CT1 pulled out her fangs and watched as the filly's eyes changed from orange to a glowing green. "Don't you think it'ss better thiss way, Collector? Now you won't have to worry about another intruder wiping the floor with your troopss."
The Collector stood up and brushed himself off. "Thank you for your continued ssupport, Caretaker," he replied with venom in his tone. "However, I'm ssure my droness could have handled thiss ssituation on their own."
"Like they did with the wolf?"
"Wolvess are wolvess, not Earth Pony filliess." He turned to his drones. "Squads 1 and 2, return to your posts. You, Intruder, follow Squad 3 to the Cells." He stood off to the side and allowed the pony to join the drones as they dispersed into their respective groups. However, when CT1 started to follow them out, he stepped in the way. "Why don't I esscort you back to your cavern? I sstill have to enssure that your removal effortss were effective." CT1 scowled, but since she had no argument to prevent him from doing his Queen-assigned job, she simply nodded and walked past.
As they walked through the halls toward her Cavern, her thoughts dwelt on 64. She thought back to the time when they first met. All the fear that she had felt from the little convert at the beginning had slowly transformed into a sort of associative comfort and finally into... not quite happiness, but perhaps contentment. She remembered the first time 64 had accepted love from her hoof and the joy that welled in her heart. Up until the end, their relationship had only gotten better, their bond becoming closer and stronger than she had allowed herself to form with any of the others. Then this morning happened, and 64 vanished, replaced by the filly Epona.
"Bleh, ssomething tastess terrible. Are thosse wonderfully bitter emotionss coming from you, Caretaker?" For some reason, CT1 felt her heart start to hurt. It was an uncomfortable feeling, and she didn't like it. As she searched herself for the cause, her thoughts fell on a single subject: Was everything 64 had been just a lie? Were all the times when she felt joy and pain fake? Was that Epona pony simply taking advantage of her? "Well, here we-- By the Queen, Caretaker!" The exclamation snapped her back to reality. She and the Collector were back in her Cavern. Everything was the way she had left it when she started her search for 64.
CT1's hooves were suddenly sealed in placed by four mounds of solidifying goo. "Collector, what iss the meaning of thiss?!"
"I came perssonally to ssee the efficienccy of your removal effortss, only to find a wall filled by living convertss!" He walked slowly past her and glanced back with a dark grin. "Here, why don't I help you with that?"
CT1 fought and struggled to free herself as the Collector laughed his way toward the converts.
Author's Note
Alright, so it's been a little while (read: months) since I've actually worked on this story, so for those who have read this far and still want to keep going, I'm sincerely sorry for the wait. Hope you enjoy!
Treason
59 fell.
CT1 fought against the goo and cursed herself for not being able to break free. Was it so long ago that she had been part of the CSF? Had her ability diminished so far?
60 fell.
Slowly, cracks began to form around her ankles. The goo was weakening, but she knew it wasn't enough. She had to move faster.
61 fell.
"CT1, you've been feeding them too much love. That lasst one took me sseveral ssecondss to kill!"
62 fell.
"Or perhapss you have favoritess? That one wassn't even worth the effort of lifting my hoof... What about thiss one?"
63 fell.
"Damn you, Collector!" CT1 screamed. "I sswear on the Queen'ss name, you will die today!" She renewed her struggle with more vigor and urgency. If she couldn't break free...
"Ooo, thiss one lookss like a toughie." Collector paused just before 31. "Maybe I sshould releasse it into the hive and make chassing it a ssport? SSee how many of my droness it takess to bring it down. It iss the lasst one, and it'ss jusst boring when they can't fight back."
"If it'ss a fight you want, then fight me! Those convertss were just convertss. They didn't even pose a threat, and you butchered them like animalss!"
"Yess, that'ss true. Dieing by my hoof iss more than they desserved, but ssomepony had to do it. You ccertainly weren't going to." Collector looked back at 31. "Sstill, at leasst I get ssome pleassure watching you ssquirm. You alwayss had a ssoft sspot for lessser creaturess." With a swift, well trained motion, the Collector sank his fangs deep into 31's throat and held the convert there until it stopped thrashing. A moment later, 31 fell.
"Collector! " The goo restraining CT1 exploded as she tore her legs free. She was on him in a flash, baring her fangs and slamming him into the wall with her entire body. She held him pinned there, glaring into his eyes for several moments.
The Collector then smiled. "Hah. You've gotten ssoft, CT1." He suddenly spat, coating her entire face with the same goo that bound her ankles. "Far too ssoft. You should have killed me in that instant." She reeled backward, unable to breathe, and struggled to free herself. Finally, once she realized it was completely solid, she slammed her head against the ground and shattered the mask away, gasping for air. "The old you certainly would have. I'm ashamed to call you former CSF." She grimaced and lunged again with a barrage of punches and bucks, but he dodged her as though she were as inexperienced as a foal. "You're sslow." Another dodge. "You're weak." Another. "You're nothing but a sshell of who you were." He stopped her hoof mid-swing. "But I guesss that'ss what happenss when you deccide to play nanny for ten yearss."
He grabbed her hoof and whirled, slamming her into the stone wall before throwing her to the ground. Before she could fully stand back up, he darted forward and struck an uppercut in the jaw, knocking her several feet up. A leaping backflip kick sent her flying back. A charge from behind pounded her forward. As she fell, he slid underneath her and bucked her hard into the air. Then, surrounded by green flame, he arched around and struck her from above, launching her at the ground. She hit the cold stone with a powerful crash, but he continued the assault, blasting her with his magic until he landed with all fours directly on top of her.
"Tell me, CT1," he said as he leaned in close. "How doess it feel to know you wassted a decade of your life on thingss that were sslated to die anywayss?" He lifted his forehooves and began stomping hard, causing her to cry out with each blow. "To know. That in. The end. Everything. You. Did. Wass. For noth-" He suddenly paused and looked up toward the entrance. "Well now, iss that what I think it iss?" CT1 followed his line of sight and gasped. In the entryway stood a small changeling with one nearly solid leg, staring at the pair. "It iss! That'ss the convert I brought from Ponyville!" The Collector stomped one last time before hopping off and beckoning the convert. "Come here, you. I won't bite."
"6-64, run!" CT1 cried weakly.
"No no, 64, don't run. I jusst want to play, that'ss all." 64 just stood there, staring at him. "You ssimple-minded creaturess like gamess, don't you? I've got a great one! Do you know how to play dead?"
"Get out of here, 64!"
"SSilencce, trassh!" The Collector turned and struck CT1 again in the chest. "I didn't ssay you could sspeak!"
An instant later, a green streak of flame crashed into his side and sent him tumbling into the back wall. He shook his head and looked up to see the convert glaring at him from where he had been standing. "You jusst charged me..." Something like a small giggle left his throat. His mirth grew into a chuckle, then full blown laughter as he stood up. "You, a convert, jusst charged me!" A moment later, a green flame surrounded his body as he slammed into 64, sending her flying out the entryway and against the hall. "Well two can play that game, and believe me: I am infinitely more exxperiencced."
"Leave her alone, Collector!"
The Collector glanced down at CT1 with a dark sparkle in his eyes. "Leave her alone? After sshe attacked me? Oh no, my dear, sshe brought thiss on hersself." He watched as 64 stood back up and shook off, then ran down the hall. "Don't worry, CT1. I'll be back for your traitorouss head ssoon." He resealed her to the floor, then took off after the fleeing convert.
*****
Epona ran, ducking and dodging past working drones as she made her way through the corridors. A moment later, she felt the Collector's presence leave Cavern 0. 'It's working, Wisp. The Collector left CT1,' she thought as she glanced at her misty partner.
'Perfect. There's a room just up ahead where we can-' Epona suddenly slid to a halt just in front of a crossroad. 'What wrong, Epona?'
She looked down at the ground, confused. 'I lost him.'
'What do you mean, you lost him? You're a changeling! You have a direct connection to everypony here!'
'That's just it, though. His connection disappeared!' Epona replied as she looked around warily. 'There's no trace of him anywhere.'
A speck of green caught the corner of her eye from down a hall. She barely had time to raise her hooves in defense before it smashed into her and sent her flying into a nearby room. "Hello again, little convert. I hope you didn't think you could escape from me that easily." When she finally rolled back onto her hooves, she saw the Collector grinning at her from the entrance. "What a fitting placce for you to die, thiss little mock-up."
Epona looked around and found herself in a massive room, standing next to the gate leading into a nearly identical replica of Ponyville. In the center, she could see town hall. On the far side, there was the school and a faux Sweet Apples Acres. A fake treeline represented the Everfree and a torched building similar to Fluttershy's Cottage stood between it and the town. Even Sunset Manor had been constructed.
"Do you feel at home, little convert? This iss as closse to Ponyville as you will ever get." The Collector sealed up the entrance with goo and patted his work. "Thiss room blockss out the Hivemind, sso there won't be any interruptionss. I wonder... If you could talk, how would you choosse to die? Maybe I'll hang you from Town Hall. Burn you in the abandoned cottage. Or maybe I'll jusst have a little ssport with you in a friendly game of 'tag'. What do you think?"
"Ah think ya sshouldn't have ssealed that door." The convert held a hoof up to its face and pulled it completely off. A momentary burst of green light flooded the room, causing the Collector to hold up a hoof as a shield for his eyes. When he looked back, the intruder filly from earlier stood before him.
"You were 64?" He grimaced unpleasantly. "Is CT1 really sso weak that sshe can't even hold a thrall?"
"Is your team so weak they can't even hold an earth pony filly?" Epona returned as she drew her sword and shield.
"A quesstion I will bring up to them oncce you are dead." Collector spat a large wad of goo at her. She raised her shield in defense, but the force of the goo sent her sliding backward into the gate. The force of the Collector's following charge blasted her through the gate and several buildings. "I honesstly don't ssee what gave them sso much trouble."
A moment later, a claw connected to a long chain shot out from the shadows and latched on to him, forcefully dragging him chest-first through the wreckage. He crashed through walls and furniture until Epona suddenly came into view, wielding the chain-claw in one forehoof and swinging a massive skull-shaped hammer with the other. The hammer connected just as the claw let go, blasting him sideways into the next block of shops.
As Epona stepped out from the shadows, the building Collector crashed through exploded in all directions with him grinning in the middle. There wasn't even a scratch on his carapace. "Now that'ss more like it! I wass beginning to think thiss would be as boring as the other convertss."
'Be careful, Epona. Something about him is making me feel a bit strange,' Wisp whispered in her mind.
The Collector leapt upward and flew high into the air, spitting several great globs of goo at her. She popped a pegasus seed into her mouth and bolted down the road as the first ones fell. He pursued, spitting volley after volley along the street at her while she darted back and forth. She turned her head to get a bearing on where he was, then spun around and began firing gale seeds at him with her slingshot which, when struck by the goo, erupted into small cyclones and flung it in every direction.
The Collector paused his spitting to dodge several stray blobs that had backfired. He streaked in green fire across the sky, charging to and fro through the air as he avoided Epona's counter-attack, but the cyclones started erupting in pairs all around him, disrupting the calm air and created a varying current, making it difficult for him to maintain stable flight.
"Thiss iss growing tiressome. Iss thiss the exxtent of your sstrength?" He hissed angrily. With a quick charge in his horn, he sniped the incoming seeds from the air with green beams of magic. Epona kept firing as rapidly as she could, putting as much pressure on him as she could to force him to make a mistake and miss, but his aim proved true. Slowly, his beams grew closer as he took out the seeds faster than she could fire them. The cyclones drew nearer and nearer to her until she was forced to sprint into a building for cover.
Not that it was much help.
Collector seized the opening and charged straight through the wall, slamming Epona into the ground and grabbing her slingshot before taking her into the sky through the ceiling. When he was well above the town, he launched her upward and barraged her with charges from all sides. She twisted and flailed with each strike, trying to get a bead on where he would come from next, but that proved to be nearly impossible. He was just too fast in the air.
She took out a gale seed and crushed it between her hooves to form a cyclone around her just as he charged again, dragging him into its vortex and flinging both of them away from each other. The momentary respite allowed her to latch onto the roof of a house with her clawshot and speed back toward the ground. Rang 2 formed around her leg as she whirled and launched her boomerang at the airborne.
However, Collector's aerial ability was much greater than the changelings she had faced in the past. He was upright and stable quickly, and with a quick dodge and a deft hoof, he snatched the boomerang out of the air. "Toolss like thesse won't work. You'll have to do better!" He sank his fangs into the boomerang, and with two powerful bites, both it and the slingshot snapped into pieces.
"Hey!" Epona cried as she felt the pieces return to her, completely unusable. She didn't have long the worry about her broken equipment though, because less than a second later, Collector resumed shooting with his beams. She dove out of the way and ducked into buildings, but he simply blasted them until they either burned or otherwise destroyed away, forcing her to find new cover.
Then there came a building where she didn't reappear. He flew down and landed beside the building, inspecting the area for signs of life, but there was nothing left. Not a trace that she even existed. "Little convert, there'ss no way you were killed sso eassily. Where are you hiding...?" His senses told him she was gone, but his instincts screamed at him to get away from the area.
Too late.
The ground suddenly erupted from underneath him. A great claw slashed across his body as Epona rose up from the dirt, swinging wildly. She raked his body repeatedly, knocking him backward with every strike. Then she picked grabbed him by the throat and mashed him against the ground before tossing him into the air, forming her hammer in her hooves, and blasting him skyward.
But her assault didn't stop there. Before he had the chance to right himself, a hammer-propelled bomb smashed into his stomach, knocking the breath out of him, and detonated. An instant later, her chainclaw grabbed him by the head him and dragged violently back toward the ground.
He never reached it.
With another swing of her hammer, the Collector flew through house after house, breaking windows and woodwork on his high-speed journey. She chewed into another pegasus seed and sprinted beside him, slashing at him with her dagger as he continued to fly. Then she bolted in front of him, donned the metal boots Belmont had given her, raised her hooves high, and stomped down on his chest as hard as she could just as he flew within reach. The ground cracked under the force of her blow, jags and cracks forming as far as several yards away and spewing up a thick cloud of dust around the pair. She stood on top of him for several seconds, breathing heavily in the silence.
A deep, dark chuckle broke that silence. Epona suddenly flew backward, launched by a shockwave of magic. She doffed her boots and opened up her leaf, slowing her down and allowing her to land safely. When she looked back where she had come from, she saw a large black cloud.
"No way..."
"I have to thank you, convert. I haven't been forcced to actively usse thiss magic ssince your failure of a caretaker left the CSF." The black cloud rippled around the Collector and condensed. "For the firsst time in a long time, I can fully pussh to my limitss without holding back!"
Epona watched as the changeling mutated in front of her. His wings shrank inward and disappeared as the rest of his body stretched and contorted. His forelegs bulked out, and his forehooves flattened and split into five small appendages each. His hindlegs twisted backward until he could stand upright on them alone. They cracked and popped as they bent forward and flattened from the ankles while his hooves became similar, if much smaller, appendages. His chest grew wide, and his muzzle and horn shrank and disappeared into his head, leaving his head domed and egg-shaped.
"That wasn't changeling magic..."
'I knew there was something off about him! ' Wisp exclaimed. 'That's a piece of me he's exploiting! '
Epona grimaced. "Ya mean he got a power boost like Ivory?"
"A power boosst? You could ssay that. I may not have magic in the traditional ssensse in thiss form, but..." The mist shot out at her from the Collector's arm, formed into an almost exact replica of her own clawshot. "I can change it to suit my needs." The claw reformed into his large hand, holding onto her with an iron grip. He picked her up with a single arm and pounded her repeatedly into the ground before throwing her down the street.
She hit the ground rolling until she made it back on her hooves with Snowshoe around her leg to slow her to a halt. However, she didn't even have time to stand straight before Collector was on her again with a powerful kick to the chest. She rocketed into the air, hurtling and flipping like a hoofball. Several nauseating seconds passed by the time she opened up her leaf to slow her flight, but that only served to let Collector tear through it with his mock clawshot. A moment later, she reached the ground again, aided by the clawshot's pull.
The ground shook as she struggled to her hooves. When she looked up, she saw the Collector dragging a large black hammer and slowly walking toward her. Her breathing was labored, and her body ached, but her determination didn't waver. She lifted a hoof and shot her clawshot directly for him. He sidestepped and caught the claw between his fingers, then yanked her forward and crushed the claw's head in his grip. As she flew, the broken clawshot vanished into her inventory to be replaced by her hammer held in both forehooves. The instant he came within reach, she swung with all her might.
The Collector merely held up a hand and caught the hammer by the head in his palm.
"What happened, convert? Where did your sstrength go?" he asked, grinning menacingly. He suddenly punched forward, butting Epona with the back of her hammer and causing her to lose her grip. He then took it between both hands and squeezed, mangling and deforming it to the point of uselessness. "You're finisshed, filly."
Epona huffed breathlessly and wiped her bloody nose. She drew her sword and shield, but Collector was upon her in an instant, breaking the little wooden shield with a single blow and swatting the sword out of her hoof. He picked her up by the throat and snarled. "I ssaid, you're finisshed!" He tossed her up and swung his hammer, smashing her high over the town from Town Hall all the way past the gate. She didn't even have the strength to flail as she spun toward what she knew would be her doom. She heard a small blast nearby and watched as the ground got closer with every turn.
Until something green streaked out and caught her, setting her down gently near the door.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing? Don't go getting yourself tossed around like that!" Epona cracked open her eyes to see a little grey filly staring hard at her.
"M-Mirrors...? You're okay?"
"I'm better than you, that's for sure," Mirrors chided. "You look like you got beat from one side of the arena to the other!"
"How did ya get free? How did ya find me? Ah thought ya were taken..."
"CT1." The masked filly pointed her nose toward the entrance, where CT1 was resealing the door. "She released from from her control poison and asked me to help you. Said you were fighting some super-powered changeling soldier." A black shadow barreled through the gate, splintering what was left of it and sprinting toward them. "I'm guessing that's what she was talking about?"
The Collector slid to a halt once he saw the two fillies together and CT1 behind them and grimaced. "Now I undersstand how it iss you esscaped." He turned his gaze toward the changeling. "CT1, I may have been willing to overlook the convertss being alive due to your love for them, but taking food away from the Hive iss treasson at the highesst level. Do you have a death wissh?"
"I do," CT1 replied as she finished sealing the door. She looked over her shoulder with unmitigated hatred in her eyes. "Yourss."
The Collector's laughter was dark and mirthless. "And who will be doing the killing?
Mirrors raised a hoof. "I'd be more than willing to kill you. Any objections?" she asked her companions.
"Not from me," CT1 replied.
"Perfect."
"You?" Collector scoffed. "You were defeated by CT1, and I defeated her in changeling form. You won't even be a challenge!"
Mirrors turned back toward CT1. "This guy's really full of himself, isn't he?"
CT1 nodded in response.
He grimaced again. "You will all die here, sstarting with you, intruder!" He sprinted forward with a roar and brought a large black fist down upon the grey filly. His fist crashed against her, but instead of pummeling her into the ground, he was stopped midstrike. "What?" When he looked down, it was not a filly beneath him...
"You're underestimating me." It was a wolf. A wolf with a large, scruffy orange arm extended from its neck, its palm beneath his hand. It suddenly shoved his fist up and out of the way, then formed its own fist and slammed him, sending him flying back into the town and scattering bits of gate and building as he landed. "I don't appreciate being underestimated."
Collector shoved away some debris that had made it on top of him and stood up. "Perhapss I wass too hassty in my asssesssment." A wide, dark grin spread across his face. "You may prove to be enjoyable."
The wolf mirrored that grin and charged in after him.
"Are ya sure, CT1? He's really strong. She may need help..."
"SShe will be fine until we can help her, but firsst I need to heal you. You are in no condition to fight." CT1 spat two large wads of goo into her hooves and began to work them into Epona's fur. Epona made to speak up again, but CT1's glare kept her silent. The filly sighed, knowing she could only watch and wait until CT1 was finished.
Belmont groaned awake, head throbbing from the blow the strange pony-thing had given him. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in pitch darkness. A dungeon? Possible, but unlikely. His legs weren't bound. He felt around the the ground with the tip of his hooves until he gently kicked something. A pouch? Not a pouch, a saddlebag. As he rummaged through it, he discovered it was his saddlebag. He felt around until he found a small torch and lit it.
He was in some sort of tunnel system, similar to the kind used by the Dogs, but much smaller. Perhaps only large enough for a pup or a filly to pass through comfortably. He thought back to the creature that had appeared. The tunnel would fit that thing nicely, making it likely that this system was created by it. He smelled the air. It was clean for a tunnel. He must be near an exit. He felt the dirt around him and found the patch just above him to be soft and loose. When he pressed, the ground gave way to his hoof and collapsed around him, revealing a void. He climbed out.
All around the exit were signs of a scuffle. Many streaks of broken grass outlined by small clods of dirt. Depressions where somepony--or someponies --had been brought down on their side. There were two depressions that stood out as odd compared to the rest. The first one was larger than the others and connected to the hole he just escaped by a wide line of flattened grass. That must've been his after being knocked unconscious. A thought struck him: if he hadn't been dragged into the hole, he would've been at the mercy of the attackers. Was it luck? Or had his assailant thought to protect him against whatever had come later?
The second depression was much smaller, roughly the size of a foal, and all around it were deeper hoofprints and scores on the ground. Whoever made that one put up a hell of a fight. Something else, though... There were no hoofprints leading away from that spot. Once the fight was over, the victors went to the sky and took the small one with them. A group of pegasi? Doubtful. The scores were too deep for the light-hooved fliers. Guardsponies perhaps. Bulkier, and the hoofguards they wear would be hard enough to scar the ground like this. But if that were the case, why would they leave a clear sign of dragging like the one he himself left behind uninvestigated? The first thing they would've done after securing their target would be to comb the scene, which left an unsettling thought in his mind.
Somepony else?
He sighed and shook his head, and the ache flared up again. With a groan, he began to make his way to the guardhouse to report the incident, and if they had caused it, to have strong words with the pony in charge. But what if it hadn't been them?
*****
"Are ya tellin' me that your boys haven't been out to the hill tonight?"
"Not yet, but we'll be fixing that pronto. If there's been a kidnapping incident, there'll be hell to pay once we figure out who it was."
"Right. Best of luck, Sarge."
"Get home safe, Belmont. That bump on your head's a doozy."
*****
He was so focused on what had happened that he almost walked into the gate. "Belmont!" He looked up and saw Applejack standing next to Raritan and Baldwin, and none of them looked like they'd had a peaceful evening. That thought was reinforced by a pile of hogtied changelings, and one silver-maned mare whom he recognized from his visit to Sunset Manor.
Changelings.
Belmont grimaced as the past few weeks' events fell into place: The creature who talked like Epona may have been a changeling spy. It had gained Applejack's love and trust and cemented its place in her heart with the Element. It hadn't shown its face since then, but the way Ma had been going on about her and with all the 'ghostly' help they'd been getting, the air must've been saturated with love. Then, once it was discovered, its brethren came in for the rescue. Probably also to take the Element back. After that it fled to the tunnels, though its brethren were defeated and captured. 'They won't exxpect me to be out here, and poniess never come here becausse the Everfree'ss sso closse.' It must've meant the Apple Family, and it would've been right. A search would likely prove fruitless if it lived there, as it could easily escape into the forest once it sensed somepony coming. He had found its hiding place, but it was coincidence that he met it there at that moment. The flash of green that had stunned him was its magic flaring off, giving it the opening it needed to knock him out.
But even if all that were true, it still brought up more questions. Why would it fight the ones that showed up later? Why would it take the time to conceal him from his would-be captors instead of hoofing him over as a food source? It didn't make sense, but perhaps he'd be able to learn something from somepony here.
"Judging from the looks of things, Ah take it ya'll have had as interesting a night as Ah have."
"That's one word fer it," snorted Baldwin. "Ah'd use 'disastrous', but that's just me."
"You're the investigator who dropped by my house the other day, aren't you?" said Trixie. Belmont nodded. "I thought so. I had hoped to find Epona here, but it seems our changeling friends beat me to her."
Applejack gave Belmont the story, starting with her conversation that evening. When she reached the part where the squad arrived, Raritan chimed in with her chase and ultimate loss of the drone, though when she found the larger changeling lying unconscious beside her and a small Dog hole, she tied it up and took it straight to the authorities. At that, Belmont added his own experience. About finding it just as it emerged from its tunnel, and about his thoughts on what happened afterward.
"Well, that all makes sense. Epona wouldn't have just given family over to changelings," Applejack finally said once Belmont had finished. He just shook his head.
"Ma, that Epona was a changeling drone! It was just trickin' ya into thinkin' it was really your sis." Belmont hung his head. "And Ah hate to admit it, but it had me fooled too."
"Actually, Belmont," Trixie interjected. "That drone was genuine." Belmont gave her a look of puzzlement as she pointed to a drone separate from the rest of the pile. "The captain here may have transformed her into a changeling, but Epona is not the enemy you think her to be."
"Wait, did ya just say transformed? "
"That's right. The changeling you both met was the real Epona, turned into a changeling by the good captain's magic."
"That's crazy talk!" Raritan yelled. "Even if she weren't a changelin' before, she is now! She suckered me inta a trap! Ah'dve been bug food if somepony hadn't beat the big one an' drove her off!"
Trixie shook her head. "Normally I would agree with you. The process used by changelings to turn ponies into drones is known as 'Conversion', and up until now, it has had a perfect track record. From what we know, the victims lose everything that made them a pony. Creativity, individuality, emotion, purpose. Nothing is left."
"That only proves Tani's point," Baldwin chimed. "Epona went through that process right in front of us. If what you're sayin' is true, then Epona's gone an' she ain't comin' back," Raritan nodded with a snort.
"That's the problem though, isn't it? If you look at Epona in that light, Raritan's and Belmont's stories don't make much sense."
Raritan bristled and pawed the ground. "Are ya callin' me a liar , unicorn? By the moon, are ya callin' Belmont a liar?!"
"Absolutely not," Trixie replied matter-of-factly. "Raritan, you said she ran away in fear, and when you caught her, she was afraid and tried to protect herself. Is that right?"
"Yep. What's that gotta do with anythin'?"
"For one, it shows that Epona still had emotion, in the form of fear, and the creativity to improvise a shield from a trashcan lid. Belmont's account shows she maintained individuality by fighting against the squad on her own, with the purpose of protecting both herself and Belmont." Trixie paused to let her words sink in. "I'm not saying you are lying. The Apple Family's tradition for honesty is legendary, but if Epona had truly been like every convert before her, she would never have acted the way she did. No, what I'm saying is that, for whatever reason, the conversion either failed or was somehow incomplete. She may be a changeling in body, but her mind and soul are still very much pony."
Silence descended on the farm as everypony stared at Trixie. Applejack with a mix of elation and horror. Raritan with unwavering hatred. Baldwin with simple confusion. Belmont with understanding. The changelings with growing awe and fear.
"That settles it then." Belmont finally broke the atmosphere and walked toward the house, leaving the others just standing there watching him go. A few moments later, he returned with full saddlebags. He exchanged a glance with each and every one, looking them in the eyes with confidence. "Let's go get our filly back."
Trixie grinned. "I appreciate your enthusiasm, but if we are to rescue Epona from the heart of the changeling empire, we will need some help."
A jet black unicorn looked outside her cabin window to see a small filly gazing over the harbor where the boats were moored. Every morning for the past month or so, the filly would climb to the top of the hill near the cabin and look down as the piers sprang to life with merchants and fishers, townsponies and the occasional posh. It had become a sort of hobby of hers to count the ponies as they came ashore or set sail that day. It wasn't exactly the most fun thing to do.
But it helped take her mind off her old home.
"Do you ever wonder if we made the right decision?" asked a pale white unicorn from beside the black.
"Every time I see her sitting at the top of the hill," came the slow response. The black mare turned to her sister. "What if we had brought her friend with us? What if we had stayed in Ponyville?" She sighed and looked down, a small tear forming beneath her eye. "What if I had never let that filly come into our home? Did I make a mistake somewhere along the line? I'm supposed to be the leader of the house, but did I lead us down the wrong path?"
The white mare wrapped a hoof around her neck and pulled her into a gentle hug. "Shh... You did what you thought was best. That's all we have ever asked for."
"But what I thought was best may not have been," the black mare quietly sobbed. "I wish I could make things better. She doesn't deserve the life I've given her..."
The white mare picked up her sister's chin and smiled. "Go up and be with her."
"I can't... She hasn't forgiven me yet..."
"You haven't asked." The white mare nuzzled her. "Go on. It will do you both good."
She looked into her sister's eyes, then nodded. She made her way up the hill and lied down next to the filly, unsure how to begin. After a few moments of silence, she finally gathered the courage to speak. "Hello, Ivory."
"What do you want, Obsidian?" Ivory asked without turning her head.
"I... I just wanted to talk with you. You haven't spoken much since we left Ponyville."
"You drove my best friend away and dragged us all out to the middle of nowhere." Ivory said with a subdued tone that made Obsidian flinch. "Epona was just as much of a sister to me as you or Canvas. She saved my life, and you just threw her away like she was nothing."
"I know..." Obsidian looked down at the ground. "I was just trying to protect you."
"Protect me from what?" Ivory looked into her sister's eyes. "Why is Trixie so scary to you?"
Obsidian looked down at the town below and sighed. "A long time ago, Canvas and I fought against the Empress and lost. We went into hiding, but for years we kept fighting whenever we could. That all changed when you were born. Canvas and I swore to protect you from her, so we've been keeping our heads low, avoiding trouble and running whenever the Empress's ponies came close."
"I know that much." Ivory looked away. "It's the same story every time we go to a new town. But that still doesn't explain why we left Epona behind..."
"We talked about this. Epona hasn't lived our life. She doesn't know how to keep her head down when the authorities come near. Bringing her would have been like painting a--" Her train of thought came to a screeching halt as she looked down at the harbor town and spied a bright blotch of yellow and orange among the blues and greens of Hoofington. "Oh no... What's he doing here?"
"Who?" Ivory asked as she peered toward where Obsidian was looking. A light blue hoof lifted and pointed toward them, turning the yellow pony's gaze.
"Ivory, you need to get inside."
"Is it one of the Empress's ponies?"
"Worse. Get inside, now."
Ivory nodded and ran back down the hill and into the cabin, but Obsidian stayed behind for a moment, eyeing the stallion. Then her horn glowed and she disappeared.
*****
Belmont thanked the fishmonger and looked back to the top of the cliff. According to the monger, there was a cabin up there where lived a family of newcomers matching the descriptions Trixie gave him of Canvas, Obsidian, and Ivory. It didn't take long to find the path leading up.
A small pop sounded behind him, causing him to pause. "Can I help you?" he asked.
"Why are you here?" He turned around to see a jet black mare with her horn trained on him and glowing.
"You're Miss Obsidian, right?" he asked carefully. "Ivory's sister?"
"And you're Belmont," she replied coldly. "Investigator and bounty hunter."
He bowed, but kept his eyes on her. "It's good to meet you, miss. Ah've been looking for you."
"Am I your target? Because I can assure you you've never faced anypony like me." Her horn crackled.
"No, miss." He rose. "Ah came because Ah need your help. Epona's in trouble."
*****
Trixie closed her eyes and established a link to her student. "Mirror Child."
A snort entered her mind. "You know, I'm supposed to be in hiding, and tracing telepathic links is pretty simple for the Empress's goons."
"I know, but it was the fastest way to get in contact. Epona has been taken by the changelings."
A pause. "...And? What do you expect me to do about it?"
"I expect you to be back in Ponyville in two days. We're going to get her back."
"Have you gone senile? She's probably being used as food right now. By the time we get to her, there won't be anything left to get back!"
"Actually, she was converted."
" Then it's already too late! Why are we even--"
"I will brief you when you get to Ponyville. See you in two days." Trixie closed the link.
*****
Canvas watched as Ivory twirled several bowls and spoons through the air with ease before aligning them and bring the table up to meet them. When she set it back down, everything was set neatly in their proper places. "Very good, Ivory! Your levitation is getting better everyday! I bet you're even strong enough to start practicing teleportation, now."
Ivory beamed under Canvas's praise.
"Alright. While both involve moving an object through space, teleportation is functionally different from levitation. Levitation takes matter and forces it through space. Objects will interact with each other as if you were pushing or throwing them." Canvas wrapped her magic around a bowl and lifted it into the air, then bumped it against the table a few times before setting it down again. "Teleportation converts an object into magic first, meaning it isn't hindered by matter while moving." Her horn glowed, and the bowl disappeared. A moment later, she levitated it out from under the table. "When it's finished moving, the magic is converted back into matter as the original object."
"What if somepony runs out of magic before they finish teleporting and they end up in a wall?" Ivory asked with wide eyes.
"That's impossible. Everything has to be prepared beforehoof, or the spell won't work. That means gathering enough magic for both conversions, tethering the object to the space it's going, and clearing matter out of the way to make room for when you get there. Teleporting magic only has enough pushing power to move air out of the way, meaning you can't end up halfway through a wall or with a table stuck in your leg. However, you can end up cramped in a box or stuck in a hole, if there's room for your body."
Canvas cocked her ear as she heard hoofsteps approach. "Thank you for letting me stay here for the night, Miss Obsidian. Ah appreciate your hospitality."
"Ivory, go to your room. We'll practice later, ok?" The filly nodded and trotted to the back of the cabin, looking over her shoulder before disappearing through her door.
*****
"Have you ever heard of the term 'conversion'?" Belmont asked as he sipped his tea.
Obsidian paused. "In what sense? There many types of conversions."
"The changeling sense."
Canvas grimaced. "I have. It's a process that removes everything which makes the converted pony a pony and turns them into a mindless drone."
"That's the one, and it's the reason Ah'm here. Epona was converted and taken to the Hive." Obsidian and Canvas looked at Belmont in stunned silence. Then they exchanged a worried glance with each other. "Ah need your help to get her back."
"As much as we wish we could help," Obsidian said slowly. "...there's nothing we can do for you. The conversion process is irreversible. Even if we got her away from the Hive, she would never be Epona, or even a pony, again."
Belmont took another sip of his tea before setting his cup down and looking them each in the eye. "What if Ah told you you were wrong?"
*****
Trixie arrived at the train station just as the train pulled in from Canterlot. Only one passenger emerged. "Welcome back, Mirror Child."
"Wanna explain why I came out of hiding for a brain-dead drone?" the filly replied as the train continued on, though her harsh tone was laced with a hint of sorrow.
"You didn't. You came out of hiding to rescue Epona." Trixie walked off, back toward the town.
Mirrors rolled her eyes and followed. "Who went through the conversion process and is now a brain-dead drone."
"You would think so, wouldn't you?"
Mirrors paused, a momentary confusion overtaking her. "I would, except the way you said that makes me think you're hiding something. Are you trying to say she's not brain-dead?"
A bright light flashed behind them with an audible pop. When the two turned, they saw a large yellow stallion standing there.
Trixie looked around and behind him. "Mr. Belmont, is it safe to assume you can't teleport personally?"
He nodded once.
"Then is it also safe to assume you found them, and it was their magic that brought you here?"
He nodded again.
"...Then why aren't they with you?"
Belmont sighed and shook his head. "They refused."
Mirror Child shivered as a tingle ran up her spine. Trixie glanced at her as she shook it off. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," the filly replied. She shook it off and placed a hoof on the cliff face. "I just don't understand. This is where I heard the pipes, but I found nothing when I searched the immediate area."
Trixie observed the cliff. "Hmm... Give me a moment." She closed her eyes and charged a spell. When she reopened them, her eyes were purest white. The world brightened with varying shades of blue as scanned the area. "Interesting. Nothing appears to be an illusion, nor do there appear to be any tunnel systems or caverns."
"Then where are they?" Mirrors growled. "I know I heard music right here."
"I wonder..." Trixie's horn flashed again, and a bubble of magic blasted outward. In her periphery, a large boulder shimmered and glowed before turning red. She turned and smirked. "Clever." As the pair approached, she cast the spell a second time. The rock disappeared, revealing a wide shaft underneath. "There you are."
"That rock was an illusion? How did you not see it before?" Mirrors asked her mentor.
"I wasn't expecting the illusion to be two-fold," Trixie replied, still regarding the hole in front of her. "This illusion looked like a rock to the naked eye, but the one on top of it looked like reality to scrying spells. I should have expected this sort of thing from the masters of their craft." She turned to Mirrors and attached a small tendril of magic to her. "Ready to get started?"
Mirrors was down the hole before Trixie even finished her question.
*****
"You look like you've been having fun," Trixie mused as Mirrors bounded up the shaft and back into the open desert. "Did you find her?"
"No. Even after weeks of searching, still nothing." the wolf replied, shaking off dirt and blood caked in her fur. She reverted back into a pony and turned away with a grimace. "If only I had been closer to the shaft. Maybe I would've been able to find her cavern's offshoot before the music stopped..."
Trixie eyed her curiously. "...Tell me, Mirror Child. Why exactly are you here?"
Mirrors snorted. "You tell me. You're the one who called me out of hiding."
"Don't give me that. We both know that's not the real reason. Who is Epona to you?"
She cocked her head at Trixie. "What do you mean?"
"Your relationship with each other."
"Hah. What relationship?" Mirrors shook her head. "We haven't seen or spoken to each other for over a month, and I didn't even know she existed several weeks before that. What sort of relationship could we possibly have?"
It was Trixie's turn to snort. "Don't pretend like she doesn't mean anything to you. Your emotions are like glass to me. After all, a poker face is just an illusion, and I am very good at seeing through illusions."
Mirrors paused for a moment. "Alright, fine. She makes a great partner in the field. We work well together, covering each others weaknesses and boosting each other's strengths. It would be a shame to lose somepony like that. Happy?"
"I don't care about any of that. We both seen good partners come and go and think nothing of it. I'm talking about off the field."
She grimaced. "I don't know what you're getting at, Trixie. What do you want me to say?"
Trixie locked eyes with Mirrors. "I want to know your thoughts on Epona. Not as a hunter assessing a mark, or an agent assessing a partner, but as a pony who went to school with her. Who lived with her. Who ate the same meals and drank the same water." Her eyes widened as Trixie took a step toward her. "Ever since you met her, you've been uncharacteristically soft. When she was your target, you spared her life. When she became your partner, you worked as a teammate and not an individual. And now you're putting your life on the line to save her from a fate that may already have happened." She tried to take a step back, but Trixie put up a barrier behind her. "I want to know why you're here , instead of somewhere the ADDC, Gryphona, or even Canterlot. And don't say it's because I called you to do this. You may have put up a token resistance when I first summoned you, but we both know that you would have, as you have in the past, refused my summons in order to continue a mission you felt was more important." She made as if to speak, but Trixie continued on, not giving her the chance. "And that means that not even a mission coming directly from the Empress was more important to you than rescuing this one filly." She found herself staring eye-to-eye with her mentor. "So think hard about your answer before you give it, because I'm only going to ask one more time. Who. Is she. To you? "
Silence. Mirrors found herself unable to move or blink, much less turn away from Trixie's piercing gaze. "I-- I don't..."
"You don't what?"
"I don't know..." she finally eked out, barely a whisper. Trixie backed up a step to let her speak. "She's... just a school filly who nopony likes, with no real family or friends. She isn't very smart, and has no instinct for trouble." Her eyes fell. "She's just some nopony who did something incredibly stupid and got a lot of attention from places she probably hasn't even heard of. And now it's gotten her into bigger trouble than anypony can hope... can hope to escape..." Her voice lowered as her head sank. "Does she even know we're trying to save her? She's been changeling for weeks... Does sh-she even care anymore?" Her flank hit the ground. "Will I even recognize her when I s-see her? What if she saw me and didn't... didn't recognize me? What if... What if she saw me and she did, and I just... just p-passed her by...?" Two knees fell to the dirt.
"Are you alright?"
Her forehead met the soggy desert sand. "...My chest... It hurts so much..."
Mirror's ears shot up as the sound of pipes echoed from the shaft for the first time in over a week. Without waiting for Trixie's link, Mirrors shifted to wolf form and bounded down the shaft faster and more focused than she had ever before. She pause for a fraction of a second to get her bearings on the branch where the song echoed loudest before sprinting down the next tunnel, searching frantically for the offshoot which lead to the song's source. Faster and faster, she pushed herself until--
She skid to a halt and swiveled her ears backward. A few steps backward and a turn of her head confirmed it: she had found the song's vent. And just in time, too; a few seconds later, the music stopped mid-song. She dropped out of the ceiling and looked around. No drones in sight, and the door was just a few short feet away. Finally, after all this time, her search was over! With a victorious howl, she stepped past the door and into the cavern.
In the back was a wall of drones, all chained to the ground except for two which were unbound and looking at her. If Epona was on that wall... An angry snarl left her throat. "Which one is Epona?"
The larger unchained drone turned away from the smaller to face her. "I don't know who your Epona wass, but if sshe came to me, then sshe iss not the wolf you remember. I'm truly ssorry for your losss."
"She's not a wolf. She's a converted Earth Pony who was stolen from Ponyville almost a month ago, and she's a very dear friend of mine." The drone's face shifted subtly, tensing as though it were trying not to look away. "I can see you struggling against yourself. You know where she is, and you aren't telling me!"
She lunged at the drone with teeth bared, but it jumped up and flew out of reach. "I do know of a convert matching that desscription, but I can't jusst let you take her." She heard a buzzing noise from the hall behind her. When she turned her head back, she saw a swarm of Soldiers flooding the space to surround her. "You sshouldn't have come here, wolf."
She smirked and crouched low, her mane waving and rippling with magic. She expanded her awareness, touching each and every nearby drone with the spell. Like a streak of tooth and claw, she leapt through her enemies, slashing and biting and dodging wild strikes until each and every one of them had fallen. She took a moment for a small breath then turned her eyes upward toward the drone. "Now. Tell me where Epona is."
"I told you before, wolf. The pony you knew iss gone. Now leave my demesness before you regret coming here," it warned.
"Don't lie to me, drone! I heard her song." She crouched low and spread her awareness again to reach the hovering drone. "I will not leave without her."
The drone surrounded itself with a layer of green fire. "Then try and take her from me!"
She pounced angrily at the drone, and it charged back at her. Her jaw snapped at the drone when she passed by, but its flame prevented her from getting a clean bite. A lance of pain shot through her body, starting from her neck and paralyzing her legs as she fell with a crash. "It'ss over."
Mirrors struggled futilely to move as her body returned to its pony form. "No! Not when I'm so close! Epona, where are you?!"
"I am ssorry, wolf," she heard the drone say as it got closer. "I truly am. The love you hold for her iss potent and sstrong, and I can tell you've been trying to find her for a long time, but like I ssaid before, the pony you knew iss gone. SShe may be the mosst sspecial convert I've ever sseen. Quiet, eassy to work with, capable of mussic and a little combat, but sshe iss sstill jusst a convert." The hoofsteps stopped, and she stopped struggling. With the drone's presence right behind her, she knew at this point she couldn't do anything to stop her fate. "And you are jusst an intruder."
Mirrors felt the fur on her neck move aside just before two small pricks pierced her skin.
*****
"Damn it, filly!" Trixie fumed, tracking Mirrors' paw prints through the tunnels via her scrying spell. "Every time we aren't prepared, something bad happens. Why didn't you give me time to link you?" The tracks finally doubled up and moved toward one of the vents. At the base, she found them almost completely covered up by hoofprints. She groaned. "I swear, if you got yourself captured, I'm going to leave you down there for the bugs."
When she made it to the cavern, she found two live changelings inside, one pinned under the other and taking a heavy beating, and a wall in the back lined with dead ones. "To know that in the end, everything you did wass for noth-- Well now, iss that what I think it iss?" Trixie's eyes widened as it looked directly at her. Wait... No, not at her. Through her. She turned her view around to see a small changeling standing there. "It iss! That'ss the convert I brought from Ponyville!"
Trixie grimaced. If this was Epona, where was Mirror Child?
"6-64, run!"
"No no, 64, don't run. I jusst want to play, that'ss all." Epona just stood there, staring through her at the drone on top. "You ssimple-minded creaturess like gamess, don't you? I've got a great one! Do you know how to play dead?"
"Get out of here, 64!"
"SSilencce, trassh!" Trixie heard another thud. "I didn't ssay you could sspeak!"
Suddenly Epona flashed green and blasted through Trixie's vision, startling her. She turned around to see the filly standing next to one of the drones, while the other was getting up from among the dead in the back. "You jusst charged me..." It started to laugh, almost maniacally. "You, a convert, jusst charged me!" A moment later, copied the maneuver and slammed into Epona, sending her flying back through Trixie. "Well two can play that game, and believe me: I am infinitely more exxperiencced."
"Leave her alone, Collector!"
"Leave her alone? After sshe attacked me? Oh no, my dear, sshe brought thiss on hersself. Don't worry, CT1. I'll be back for your traitorouss head ssoon." It pinned the injured drone to the floor then sprinted out of the cavern. Trixie turned to follow, but she hesitated. She now knew Epona was alive and kicking, but she still hadn't found Mirror Child.
*****
CT1 just laid there. With the injuries she had suffered, she was too weak to even try breaking free from the goo pinning her to the floor. Yet even in her state, battered and broken among the dead converts, all of whom she had cared for, and waiting for a psychopathic Soldier to come back and kill her, her thoughts remained on 64. Or was it Epona? She couldn't tell anymore. How had the little convert escaped the squad? Her skills in combat had been surprising, but not good enough to face a trained group like that. And besides that, why would she come back and intentionally draw the attention of a Soldier from whom there was no chance of escape? Against whom there was no chance of victory?
"64, you foolissh little convert... What were you thinking?"
A pop echoed from behind her. "If I know Epona, she was thinking 'That drone just hurt my friend.'"
"Who'ss there?" She picked up her head and turned to see a light blue unicorn with a silver mane stepping into view. One that every changeling was trained to recognize. "Illussionisst..." She paused for a moment, then started to laugh weakly. "What a day. I've been attacked by a wolf, my convertss are dead, and I've been branded a traitor by Collector. 64 iss going to die, and now you are here and I don't even have the strength to warn the Hive." Her head fell to the ground. "Do whatever it iss you are going to do. I can't sstop you."
"Wonderful. Now listen closely, because we don't have time for me to explain this more than once. I'm going to mark you with a tracer spell, and you're going to tell me where you keep your love crystals. After that, I'm going to give those crystals to you and set you free."
"Wha--"
"Don't interrupt! You're going to devour them until you're healthy again, and then you're going to rescue my wolf. If you're fast enough, the two of you be able to find 64 in time to keep her alive. If Epona is the filly she's rumored to be, you should have at least a couple minutes. Once you find her, I'm going to teleport the three of you outside, and all of us are going to return to Equestria."
"Why are you helping me? Couldn't you jusst ssave them both yoursself?" she asked as Trixie's horn glowed.
"Possibly, but I don't know the Hive well enough to move quickly. The wolf would either be a thrall or emotionally drained when we finally met, and 64 would likely be executed before I found either of them. You, however, know both exactly where to find both of them and how to get there, so I suggest you let me help you help me before we both lose what we want. I've already set the tracer, now tell me where you keep your crystals."
The two foes stood still, their eyes never breaking contact despite the ragged breaths that plagued them both. One, a black, disfigured cross between a Diamond Dog and a Minotaur. The other, a grey wolf with a vibrant orange mane which now lay limp against the ground. The pair just stood in silence, unwilling or unable to break the temporary truce, each knowing that the first motion would resume their battle.
"You," huffed the Collector, "...are tougher than I gave you credit for." The black cloud surrounding Collector slowly dissolved away to reveal the battered changeling underneath. His haunches hit the ground with a rough thump, and he collapsed on his side. "When did poniess... get sso powerful...?"
Mirror Child sighed with a small grin before collapsing as well and reverting to a pony.
Before the caretaker could stop her, Epona leapt up from CT1's hold and rushed up to her fallen friend. "Mirrors! Are you ok?"
Mirror Child let out a pained chuckle. "I'd like to say I've been worse... But I'm not exactly sure that's true."
"CT1! Isn't there something you can do to help her? She's really hurt!" Epona pleaded, but CT1 just shook her head. "Why not?! You helped me, didn't you?!"
"I don't have enough power to help her as sshe iss now, and I ussed all my crysstalss when I wass healing you."
"Don't worry about me so much, alright?" Epona looked back down at Mirrors. "I may look broke, and I definitely feel broke. But I'm alive, and I'm nowhere near as bad as you were. I'll be fine with a little sleep."
CT1 closed her eyes and passed a small wave of magic over Mirror Child's body. After a moment, she reopened them. "SShe iss right. Her vitalss are all sstable, and there iss no ssign of internal bleeding." Epona breathed out a heavy sigh of relief and hugged the beaten filly, much to her body's displeasure. A pained groan was all she had strength for to protest, but it was enough to get Epona to tone down her emotions. CT1 snorted. "However, it will take a lot more than 'a little ssleep' to heal you."
Epona gently buried her face in Mirrors' neck. "I'm so sorry..."
"Hey now... Don't go acting like this is your fault."
"But it is my fault! If I hadn't gotten captured-"
"Then I wouldn't have gotten to feel you pour out your heart for me." She smiled weakly before realizing what she said. She groaned and gave herself a hard, mental facehoof. "Ugh, that sounded really sappy... Don't tell Trixie I said that."
Epona giggled.
"It iss true though," said CT1. "The love you're pouring over her right now... If sshe were a changeling, sshe would be completely healed by now."
"Not jusst healed..." came a mirthless voice nearby. "Revitalized. "
CT1 was the first to respond, and did so with several quick shots of solidfying goo at the Collector, who now appeared as though he hadn't been fatigued or even touched between his battles with Epona and Mirror Child. With renewed strength, he easily dodged to his right.
"64! Take her and get out of here!" CT1 cried as she rushed forward and attacked the Collector with fury.
"But what about you?! Ah can't just-"
"I ssaid get out! The one you call Trixxie iss waiting for you, but sshe can't ssensse you in here!" She didn't even turn her head to look at the ponies. All her attention was focused on the threat to her convert and her convert's friend. However, except for her the sounds of fighting between her and Collector, the room was silent. "What are you waiting for?! I will hold off Collector until you are ssafe and away from the Hive!" A few moments later, she heard the entrance to the room being destroyed.
The Collector grimaced as he watched them escape, and was rewarded for his inattention with a powerful blow to his chin. He reeled backward on his hindlegs and caught several more strikes in his belly until he made it back down to the ground. A blast of solidifying goo caught his face, blinding him and stopping his breathing momentarily before something smashed the shell to pieces and knocked him to the ground. A pair of hardened hooves bore down on him mercilessly from above before he finally rolled far enough away to charge free from his assailant. He and CT1 exchanged a glance.
There was nothing but a burning hatred for each other in their eyes.
The black cloud returned in full force, transforming him back into the monster from before. "CT1, you are guilty of treasson, aiding a fugitive, obstruction of jussticce, ressissting arresst, and on top of all that, you're pisssing me off. Do you have any lasst wordss before I carry out your death wissh and hunt down the two you freed?"
"Yess."
An explosion from CT1 threw the Collector backward with such force that he slammed against the far wall of the chamber from the concussion of the air alone.
"My firsst misssion as a Gatherer wass to a little village in Equesstria. While there, I met the perfect candidate for harvesting: a pegassuss mare who freely sshared her love with all thingss. It would have been exxtremely difficult to drain her in a ssingle sesssion, sso I chose a form more ssuitable for long term gathering. Back then, I was misschievouss and posssesssive of her love, and I alwayss tried to drive other creaturess away to hoard that love for mysself and the hive, but sshe would jusst ssmile and continue loving everything anywayss. It wass infuriating."
The buildings of Mock Ponyville were rendered little more than splinters and rubble a moment later.
"And then there wass another who came and ssought to hoard her love. Eventually we became alliess, even comradess, but we initially competed directly for her attention. SSometimess desstructively sso. However, that pegassuss mare would ever only sscold uss and remind uss to do better, and she never sstopped loving both of uss. In doing that, sshe taught me many thingss. Resstraint. Patiencce. How to lissten and love like sshe did. But thosse were not the mosst important thingss she taught me."
Cracks and fractures spread like tendrils across the walls of the chamber from the strain of trying to contain the raw, otherwise unrestricted power.
"SStrangely enough, her mosst important lessson wass how to drop everything in the blink of an eye. To casst asside all those thingss and become the most dangerouss of terrorss, one which can be ssummed up in ssixx little wordss."
The room stopped shaking, but Collector found himself still pressed against the wall, unable to move by sheer weight of the power directed at him. He could barely hear the small, nearly silent patter of paws approaching him. It was all he could do to open his eyes and see what it was: a little white rabbit with blackest eyes walking slowly nearer.
"You do Not. Hurt. My. Friendss. "
I have two siblings. My brother, sister and I have worked together over the millenia, raising the world from its infancy and growing it into a prosperous place. Yet even with the many good things that we have brought, my brother has frequently grown restless and thrown the world into chaos. He has seduced many evil men with the promise of his power. He has destroyed villages, massed armies of vile beasts, and even conquered entire realms through his vassals.
My sister stands guard against him, and through her wisdom, the land remains peaceful. She has appointed noble and mighty families to govern the valleys, the mountains, and the waters. She has placed a clan of virtuous people to quietly watch from the shadows, defending and guarding the royal family with their strange magic. Even so, even she cannot always protect her people with the system she has in place, and sometimes she deems it wiser to allow my brother to have his way with with world, lest everything we've done be ruined.
My role in this has always been to maintain balance between my siblings. When my brother grows restless and causes destruction, and my sister becomes powerless against him, I step in and raise a man of character to stand against my brother's vassals. A man with the courage to stand against them, even when conventional wisdom would tell him to back down and submit to their power. I defend this man personally until such a time that he can stand on his own and fulfill the destiny I give him. And when he finally defeats my brother's schemes, my brother, sister and I return to our balanced state, and the world returns to harmony.
While the times and battles have changed over the millenia, this cycle remains constant. My brother rises, my sister falls, I weaken him enough to restore balance. Sometimes, it takes both me and my sister to finally bring my brother down, but the outcome has always been the same. Balance has always been restored, even if we have needed to seal him away to do so.
This time, however...
This time, we were the ones defeated and sealed away...
~~~~~~~~~~
Twilight put down her quill and examined the parchment before her. After checking it several times, she smiled and called, "Spike!"
A moment later, the little purple dragon walked through the entry to the stairs. "Hey Twilight. Need something?" Then he saw drawings on the parchment she held in her magic. "Nope. Not gonna do it."
"But I haven't even told you what I want yet."
"I already know! You want me to test some spell that's supposed to allow interdimensional travel or something like that." Twilight stared at him, mouth agape.
"Not travel, connectivity. This spell will-- Wait, how did you know? I haven't told anypony yet!"
"You sleep talk." Twilight looked at the floor sheepishly, then shook her head.
"Please, Spike," she begged. "I need you to be my number one assistant right now, okay?"
"Twilight, if something goes wrong, there may not even be a number one assistant left. Don't you think you should practice on something, I don't know... not alive, first?"
"Don't be silly. I've gone over the calculations more than a dozen times, and everything is perfect. There's absolutely nothing to be afraid of," she replied calmly. "Besides, this spell requires a living being to bear any results. A potted plant can't reach into a separate dimension very well, now can it?"
"Can't you do it yourself?" Spike asked.
"You have no idea how badly I want to try this, but I can't. I have to know that I can fix it if something were to go wrong."
"And I don't want to risk my claws trying to reach into something that I don't know will give them back!"
"But Spike!" she shouted.
"Find somepony else to do it. I'm going to Rarity's."
Spike slammed the door on his way out, leaving Twilight both flustered and exasperated. She was at the very end of perfecting a spell for opening the space between dimensions, but she had no one to help her test it. She couldn't risk trying it out on herself or her friends, in case something happened and the Elements of Harmony were needed. Spike just walked out on her. Who else could she turn to? She felt like she could only rely on herself at times like these. If only there were more of... actually...
"NO!" Twilight thumped herself in the head, driving out the dangerously stray thought. "It was bad enough with Pinkie Pie. I don't even want to imagine a multitude of aimless unicorns with my ability running around. I'll just have to find somepony that's willing to help me." Twilight walked downstairs and outside.
"Watch out!" Two moments later, she found herself staring at the sky after tumbling down the path in front of the library. "Way to go, Scootaloo. You killed Twilight!"
"No I didn't! See, she's groaning." Twilight groaned and climbed back to her hooves. "I'm sorry, Twilight. I didn't see you in time." She shook her head to clear the stars. All she managed to do was make herself dizzy and fall back to ground.
"You didn't kill her, but you definitely broke her!"
"You two go an' get mah sis," said Apple Bloom. "Ah'm gonna stay an' take care o' Twilight. Ah'll meet y'all at the clubhouse." The three nodded and went about their tasks. "Come on, Twilight. Let's get ya inside." Apple Bloom helped Twilight to her hooves and walked her inside until she reached a nearby stool. "Can Ah get ya anythin'?"
"I could use some water..." Apple Bloom was gone and back in a flash with a cup of water in her hoof. Twilight accepted it and drank it slowly, careful not to drool on her fur.
"Ah'm real sorry 'bout that, Twilight. Ah tried to get Scoots to slow down, but ya know how she gets," Apple Bloom said nervously. "Is there anythin' else Ah can do to make it up to ya?" Twilight put a hoof to her chin.
"Well, there is one thing you could do for me..." the lavender mare answered. Just then, Applejack burst through the door.
"Twilight! Ah heard about the crash. Are ya a'right?" she asked worriedly.
"I'll be fine," Twilight said. "Apple Bloom has been taking care of me."
Applejack's face beamed. "That's mah sis, fer ya. Always willin' to help a pony in trouble."
"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that," said Twilight with a sparkle in her eyes. "I need an assistant for a spell I'm perfecting, but Spike is... out of the house."
"Sorry, Twilight. Ah'd love to help ya, but Ah've gotta get back to the orchard. Zap Apple Season's comin' up mighty quick," AJ explained.
"Then would you be willing to let me borrow Apple Bloom for a bit? It won't take long."
Applejack eyed her suspiciously. "That depends on what yer tryin' to do."
"I'm trying to tie a pocket dimension to a living creature."
"What's that mean in plain pony?"
"Unlimited storage. She could carry every apple harvested from your orchard for the next twenty years, and they would all still be as fresh as the day they were picked." Applejack just shook her head.
"Ah dunno, Twilight. Sounds too good to be true, if ya ask me."
"Maybe she'll even get a 'Magician's Aide' cutie mark?" At those words, Apple Bloom stopped meandering and stared, and Applejack knew she had lost. Apple Bloom stared up at her big sister with the largest puppy eyes and the smallest widdle frown she could muster.
"Oh, all right." Apple Bloom bounced around the room, grinning ear to ear. "Just make sure she's home in time fer supper."
"I will!" Twilight called as Applejack walked out of the tree. "Thank you for doing this, Apple Bloom."
"Do ya really think Ah'll get mah cutie mark?" she asked.
"It's possible. Now, just wait here for a moment while I get my notes." Twilight disappeared with a flash. A few seconds later, she walked down the stairs, checking her parchment several more times to be completely prepared. Once she was satisfied, she set them down on the step and glanced at Apple Bloom. "Are you ready?"
"Ready!"
"Okay. Just stand still for a moment."
Apple Bloom nodded and became stiff as a board. A swirl of magic built up around Twilight's horn, glowing brightly before firing into Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom rose into the air as the purple beam infused itself with the filly. Even through her excitement, she managed to stay perfectly still. After a moment, a flash erupted from the filly, knocking books off shelves, pictures off the walls, and Twilight off her feet. She fell to the floor in a heap.
"Apple Bloom, are you okay?" Twilight asked as she stood up and brushed herself off. "Do you feel any different?"
Apple Bloom climbed to her hooves, shook her head, and opened her eyes. "I don't think so... Wait a minute!" Her head flashed back to her flank, but there was no mark. "Aww... Nothing's changed." She looked back at Twilight. "What were ya tryin' to do, again?" she asked, but Twilight was already lost in her thoughts.
"Hmm, if I adjusted the amount of magic... changed the pitch... maybe crystals..." Gone. If there was one word to describe the state of Twilight's attachment to reality, that would be the word.
"Okay, well, if you're done with me, Ah guess Ah'll uh... just be goin' then." Apple Bloom backed out, eying Twilight in hopes that she would still have something for her, but no such luck. She was still muttering to herself and scribbling when Apple Bloom finally shut the door behind her.
~~~~~~~~~~
A strange creature dressed in green from head to hoof shouted a battle cry as it charged a beast. The large, pig-like monster and the smaller creature fought each other mercilessly: the creature with its sword; the monster with a long pitchfork thing. The creature did its best to attack the monster's tail, as that was the only part it could really reach, while the monster swung powerfully with its weapon.
Suddenly, the monster struck the creature, knocking it far through the air and making it drop the sword. Then the monster leapt and landed in front of the creature, pointing its weapon at the creature's throat.
"I suppose I should thank you. Without you, I would never have collected the Triforce." Suddenly Apple Bloom found herself staring down the end of the wicked blade. "Your rulers died at the edge of my blade, and now you will too." The monster pulled its arm back and grinned maliciously, never turning the point away from her. Apple Bloom screamed as it thrust forward...
~~~~~~~~~~
"Aaaaaaaahhhhh! "
"Apple Bloom!" Thumps came from just outside the door before it flew open with a slam against the wall. "Apple Bloom, are ya okay?!" Applejack stood at the door with large, purple bags under her eyes.
"Er..." Apple Bloom found herself back in her room, under her blanket on her bed. "Ah'm okay. It was just a bad dream. Sorry Ah woke ya."
"If ya need anythin', let me know, okay?" Apple Bloom nodded and Applejack left. The filly watched the door for a little while longer, trying to get rid of the memory of the dream.
"What about rafting?"
"We went rafting last week! No, this time it's gotta be something awesome! "
"Maybe we could go look for the Willow of the Everfree. That would be exciting!"
"That's not exciting. It's crazy. Even if we could sneak past the gate guards again, we could get eaten! Or worse: punished by our parents when we got back."
"Good point... Wait, I've got it! We could..." Silent whispers tittered among the three fillies. "What do you think?"
"I think it's the most insane idea you've ever had!"
"Then we'll do it?"
"I don't know... Obsidian and Canvas told me never to go in there..."
"Are you kidding? What could be more fun than searching for buried treasure?" A glance passed between them.
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS: TREASURE HUNTERS!!" The three bolted toward the school house.
*****
"It sure is dark in here. Even darker than nighttime." A little horn glowed and illuminated the hall. "Thanks, Ivory."
"No problem. We've got to support each other down here if we want to find the treasure."
"Hey look! There's a crystal switch hanging up there. Twinkle, could you fly up and kick it?" *Ting * The cavern immediately brightened. "Great! Now we can see everything."
Hehehehehehee The fillies stopped and nervously looked around. "Wh-what was that?"
"I don't know, Juniper... Twinkle?"
"Eeeeeeeeeee! " The two fillies still on the ground watched in horror as a set of claws reached out, grabbed Twinkle from her place next to the switch, and abducted her into the ceiling.
"Twinkle!"
"AAAAH--mmph!" Ivory looked back at Juniper. Or rather, the soft patch of dirt where she had been standing just a moment earlier.
The switch went out, and all was dark again.
"J-j-juniper...? T-twinkle...?" The little unicorn glowed her horn. Two pale green flashes lit up in front of her. She tried to scream, but a great paw covered her mouth and silenced her.
Hehehehehehee...
*****
Obsidian chopped the cucumber into tiny pieces and tossed them in with the rest of the salad, then moved on to the carrots. Canvas sat beside her, watching like a hawk.
"Is it done yet?"
"Not yet." Obsidian tossed the carrots into the salad. Then she levitated a pair of large wooden spoons and tossed it expertly into the air, mixing its contents until it was practically impossible to take a bite without getting at least three different vegetables.
"Hey Canvas, would you hoof me the--" She paused with a start, her eyes widening. Canvas also perked up, a look of worry crossing her face. "Did you feel that?"
"It's what I don't feel that worries me." Canvas replied, unusually serious. "Ivory went into the ruins, didn't she?"
"That's the only place I can think of where we wouldn't be able to sense her. What is that filly thinking?!" Obsidian put down the knife and hurried for the door. "We have to find help immediately. She isn't ready to face the beasts below yet." She and Canvas rushed out, nearly slamming the door behind them.
From behind the corner, a sense of dread began to overtake Epona. Canvas had never sounded so serious before. Ivory must be in real trouble for them to be in such a hurry. She had seen them training Ivory, and their magic was really strong. What could be so bad as to make them ask for help?
She trembled. Partly in awe, partly in fear. If Ivory was in a really bad situation, there wasn't any time to find anypony else. She needed help now.
"But Ah'm nothin' like Obsidian an' Canvas. If they can't even help'er, what can Ah do?" she muttered to herself. Strangely, a sense of familiarity crept over her, like this had happened already. She knew that was impossible, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she had done this before. That she had to do it again.
Epona knew that going into the ruins would mean she was being disobedient. Being disobedient meant she would be a bad pony, and that Obsidian and Canvas would probably get mad at her. But not going meant Ivory would be in danger even longer...
...
...
Epona chose to be bad.
*****
It didn't take long for her to reach the entrance to the ruins. As she stepped onto the elevator, it started automatically and lowered her down inside. It was dark at the bottom. She imagined that place where her sword was kept and searched. She could've sworn she had seen something in here that would help. Stick... Knife... Boomerang... Leaf... Claws... Ooo, a shirt and hat! Epona closed her eyes and willed them into existence. The clothes gave her a little protection from the cold, damp air. Shield... Aha! She found what she was looking for. In accordance with the laws of searching, it was in the last possible place.
Epona pulled the lantern out into reality and strapped it to her chest, lighting the hall in its warm orange glow. As she walked deeper into the caverns, her imagination wandered to the story Applejack had told about the Elements. How they were surrounded by Diamond Dogs and taken prisoner. She imagined battling the dogs herself, with her sword in one hoof and her shield on the other, fighting her way to rescue the Elements.
Then she thought about what Obsidian and Canvas were saying. If there really were beasts down here, they could be the Diamond Dogs! What if the dogs foalnapped Ivory like they had foalnapped the foals of a hundred years ago? Or taken her to a furnace to be branded?!
"IVORYYYYYY!!!" she called as loudly as she could. IVORYYY!... Ivoryy!... voryy... ry... the caverns echoed. No response from her friend, though.
Epona finally reached a door at the end of the winding hall. A large expanse opened up before her as she passed through. The room was even darker than before because there was so little to reflect the light. Beside her, Epona noticed a pair of torches. She passed her lantern over them, setting them ablaze. In a moment, the entire room lit up as if by magic.
To her left was a set of doors. One was just a short distance away, but there was a hole at its base so she couldn't reach it. The other was higher up and led to an elevator on a pulley. To her right were two other doors, one of which was locked with chains. In the distance, across a large gorge, she saw an enormous gate sealed with a lock as big as she was. Whatever was behind that gate must be very important to have such a thing keeping ponies out.
Epona went to the right and walked through the only accessible door. Her shoulders drooped. There was no sign of Ivory. Instead, there was a furnace, just like the one Applejack talked about. A large fan was attached to the top of it, and a raised bellows aimed its tip at the furnace. It had probably been used recently since the furnace was still glowing red. She walked over to the bellows and pushed it down, sending a large gust of air into the furnace.
The furnace lit up immediately, sending a rush of heat through its chimney. The fan accelerated rapidly, turning a rope coiled around it. Suddenly, the floor rose into the air! After a moment, the elevator stopped next to a stone platform above where she had been standing. Then it began to fall back to the ground. She quickly jumped onto the platform before she descended.
Not far away sat a small treasure chest. Oh, if only Ivory could see her now! Finding treasure buried in the Diamond Dog Ruins! Inside the chest was a small key. Epona tucked the key in a pocket in her tunic and walked back to where the elevator had dropped her off. The fan had stopped moving, so the elevator wouldn't be rising on its own. She was trapped.
Or was she? Epona thought back to her small collection of items and found her leaf. Maybe it was big enough to act as a sort of parachute? She drew it into reality and held it in her hoof. All of it. The tiny leaf was barely as big as her hoof. She threw it down, frustrated that she was stuck.
*WHOOSH! *
The leaf suddenly expanded to a massive size and launched a gust of air forward, knocking Epona backward. She stared at the again tiny leaf in wonder, then picked it up and swung it. Another blast of air shot forward as the leaf grew again. Maybe she could help her get down, if the leaf grew on command like that. Epona looked over the edge again. It wasn't that far of a fall. Even if the leaf didn't help, she shouldn't get hurt too badly, especially if she aimed for the bellows. She closed her eyes, took a few steps backward, then ran forward and leapt off the edge. As she had hoped, Epona's leaf grew and caught the air, allowing her to float gracefully to the ground.
She trotted out the door, feeling accomplished in her discovery and in the key that she had found. Wait, the key! She looked over at the locked door and took the key from her pocket. It looked like it was just the right size, and she was right. The lock clicked open and dropped away from the door, the chains sliding backward. She went inside.
"Epona! What are you doing here?!" Epona's ears and eyes shot up at the sound of Juniper's voice. The blue maned filly was hanging from the ceiling in a cage with Twinkle. "Hey, can you get us down?"
"How?" Epona replied. Juniper pointed toward a lever.
"The dogs used that to raise us up here. Maybe if you switch it back the other way, we'll come back down." Epona walked toward the lever and reached out to grab it. "Look out!" Juniper cried. Epona instinctively rolled to the side just as the great paw of a Diamond Dog swiped past.
"Curses! Stupid loudmouth little pony!" it swore angrily. It turned toward Epona and prepared to lunge, but paused. "Hmm... Pony looks familiar..."
"Let mah friends go!" she commanded. The dog just laughed.
"Pony wants pony's friends? Pony must defeat dogs first!" The dog held his paw to his mouth and let out a piercing whistle. Two mounds grew beside him until they erupted into two dogs: one large and bulky, the other small and stout. "Hehehehehehee! Spot! Fido! Attaaack!" The three charged.
Epona's wooden sword and shield materialized at her hooves in an instant. She shielded herself from the leader's swipe and jumped backward to avoid the swing of the large dog. The small dog was upon her in a flash, claws bared. She held up her shield again, protecting herself from the barrage of attacks. The large one threw a punch which struck the shield and sent her sliding backward. The leader suddenly appeared from a hole behind her with a smug grin on his face, his arms ready to catch her. She whirled as she slid and threw her boomerang. The projectile caught him off guard and smacked directly in his face.
"Rover!" the others yelled.
Juniper watched the battle from her perch in the cage. Her eyes were completely glued to Epona. She had heard about Epona's fight with the Scrubs, but she couldn't believe that such a sappy filly could even swing a stick. The weird filly had hugged an ancient mare just because she felt like she needed a hug, for the Empress' sake! There was no way she had it in her to beat up a group of older colts all by herself, or even dream of fighting monsters.
Yet there she was, going hoof to toe with the Diamond Dogs like a whirlwind. The lead dog was leaning against the wall after Epona stunned him with that boomerang she pulled from nowhere. The large one was charging her and swinging his great claws, trying to hit her but never making it past her shield. The little one jumped off the large one's back and leapt toward her. Juniper gaped as she swung a giant leaf, launching the dog backward in a gust of air. The large dog watched as the little one sailed over his head and crashed against the far wall. Without warning, a hole opened up from underneath him. Epona's hooves had somehow turned into claws just like theirs! Her sword reappeared in her suddenly normal hooves as she jumped toward him and brought it down on his head. He slumped and fell to his knees, not having room to fall any further. Now the lead dog was back to his feet. Juniper watched as he parried Epona's attacks with his bare paws.
"Hehehehehehee! Pony can't beat Rover with a wood-- AAAAAGH!" What just happened? How did Epona turn her wooden sword into a sharp metal blade?! "Pony...! Pony cut Rover!"
"An' Ah'll cut ya again! Ya foalnapped mah friends, ya criminal!" She swung her blade at him again, but he dug into the earth to avoid the attack. Soon he reappeared next to his comrades.
"Pony is too strong! Dogs must retreat, for now!" At the sound of his voice, the other two rushed to his side. The three dogs burrowed away and didn't return.
Epona waved goodbye as Mirrors darted back into the forest to return to Trixie. When she turned to face the tree, she noticed many of the animals rushing toward her, especially the small ones. They were all chattering and tweeting and bouncing and climbing onto her back as she walked forward and approached the tree.
'You came back,' came a soft and gentle voice from seemingly everywhere. 'It's good to see you again, App- I mean, Epona.'
"Hello, Miss Willow." All the animals jumped off her back and stared up at her. "And you too, little critters."
'I am glad you came back. It's been so long since I've had pony visitors, especially two days in a row.'
"Ah'm not gonna lie. When Ah said I would come back, Ah didn't actually mean the next day. But mah caretaker said Ah should visit ya again and learn about ya, so here Ah am." Epona laid down among the animals and took out an empty journal and a pencil.
'Oh, I see... Well, there isn't much to tell about myself,' the willow began. 'I am a willow tree. I've lived here in the forest for 100 years, watching over my animal friends. I don't like violence, so I enforce a policy of non-aggression in my clearing. Creatures from all over the forest can come here and rest in peace, without fear of being attacked or eaten.'
"Wait. How do ya enforce a rule like that as a tree?" Epona asked. "Do ya have guards or police?"
'Oh no. Having guards implies that I need them to keep the peace, and less creatures will think my clearing is safe. No, I give any offenders "The Stare." That usually stops any fighting.'
"'The Stare?' How do you stare without eyes? Come to think of it, how can you see without eyes?"
Willow was silent for a moment before answering. 'I don't really know how it works. I just sort of understand that things are happening in my clearing, but I can focus on a small area if I try. It's a lot like seeing for a pony, so I just call it seeing. Staring is kind of the same way, only I'm focusing really hard on a single creature instead of a general area.'
Epona finished writing in the journal, then spat out the pencil. "That don't make any sense. How would you know what seeing is like for a pony?"
'Do you see that foggy area at the base of my trunk?' Epona looked at Willow's base. To the right was the misty area that she and Mirrors had noticed yesterday. She nodded. 'Stand just at the edge of the mist, but not a step closer. You will be safe there.
Epona stood up and walked toward the mist. The animals started to follow her, but when they realized where she was going they immediately stopped, and those on her back jumped away from her. She reached the edge of the mist and stood still, waiting for whatever the Willow wanted to show her. As the mist faded, Epona began to see glimpses of blue peeking out from beneath the white. Finally, the mist disappeared completely to reveal a blanket of blue flowers connecting Willow's base all the way to the bushes at the edge of the clearing.
"Wow, they're so pretty!" Epona exclaimed. She started to reach in to pick one.
'Don't touch them!' Willow suddenly screamed in her gentle voice, causing Epona to jump back. 'Those flowers are called Poison Joke. Its effects are different for everypony, but they can be drastic. Like changing a pony into a tree.'
Epona looked back up at the Willow with a new understanding. "Ya used to be a pony, didn't ya?" The silence was all the confirmation Epona needed. "Were ya by yourself when it happened?"
'There were some changelings with me, but they were turned into beetles.'
"Wow... Did ya ever miss your friends?"
'All the time... I think about them all the time... They... We...'
Epona heard quiet sniffles coming from somewhere. She scratched the bag of her head and looked down at her hooves, knowing she was responsible. She walked away from the blanket of Poison Joke with her head hung low, then she looked up at the tree. An idea began to form in her head.
"Miss Willow, would you tell me more about yourself before ya were a tree?"
'About before being a tree?'
Epona nodded. "Ah know what it's like to be without friends. To not have anypony to talk to, even about the simplest things. Ya haven't had anypony like that for 100 years, so talk to me. It'll help to get the past off your chest- er, trunk."
'Oh, I couldn't. I don't want to impose...'
"Ya aren't imposing. Ah want to help ya because Ah know what it's like not to have anypony there for ya. Let me help ya, Miss Willow." Epona stared up at the tree with wide, imploring eyes.
'Well, okay. It is nice to finally be able to talk with a pony. What would you like to know?'
"Do you remember your name?"
'My name? My name was Fluttershy.'
*****
Fluttershy was just finishing Angel's salad when she heard a knock. "Fluttershy, are you home?"
"Here you go, Angel Bunny. Don't eat to quickly or you'll get a tummy ache." She set the bowl down on the floor and went to answer the door. When she opened it, she found Twilight standing there.
"Oh. Hello Twilight. Why don't you come inside? I-I mean, that is, if you want to, I'm making tea. Would you like some?" she offered, but Twilight shook her head.
"Not now, Fluttershy. I need you to call Rainbow Dash. Right now. It's an emergency." Fluttershy saw the urgency in Twilight's eyes and demeanor. An urgency which usually meant some sort of experiment went wrong.
"What did you do to Rainbow Dash?!" Fluttershy asked sternly. She Stared into Twilight, demanding the truth with her gaze.
"I didn't do anything, I swear!" Twilight stammered.
"Oh." Fluttershy stopped Staring. "You didn't? Then what do you need her for?"
"Please don't make me tell you. I don't think you'd take it very well." Twilight glanced away.
"Twilight, you know you can tell me anything," she said sweetly.
"Okay, if you're sure..." Twilight took a deep breath. "All the foals at the school have been foalnapped by Diamond Dogs and Cheerilee was injured in the attack."
"..." Fluttershy just stared at Twilight.
"Now, could you get please Rainbow Dash over here? We'll need her speed against the dogs."
"..."
"Fluttershy? Hellooooo?" Fluttershy's eyes became pinpricks and her breathing became rapid. "Oh, ponyfeathers... I knew you wouldn't take it well," Twilight sighed.
"Eeeeeeeeep...!" Fluttershy screamed quietly. The next thing she knew, there was a loud, concussive sound and a rainbow-colored streak coming Ponyville.
"Great! Thanks, FluttOOPH!!" The streak struck Twilight and rolled several yards down the path. When the dust cleared, Fluttershy saw Rainbow Dash standing and staring into space and Twilight facehoofing.
"Three. Two. One..." Twilight put her hooves in her ears.
"...WHAT?!" Rainbow gasped.
"We don't have time to foal around, Rainbow! Come on, girls. We've got to get the others and save those foals!" Twilight enveloped her magic around the three of them, and the cottage disappeared, replaced by the interior Sugarcube Corner. "Pinkie Pie!" Twilight called.
"What are you doing here?!" The three looked backward to see Pinkie Pie and Rarity. Pinkie was pointing and glaring at Rainbow Dash.
"Why are you mad at me?!" Rainbow exclaimed.
"You're supposed to be saving Cheerilee! Didn't Twilight tell you that she was hurt? You're the fastest one of us, so get your butt over there and take her to the hospital already!" Rainbow stared at her for a moment, then facehoof'd.
"We'll go get Applejack while you're taking care of Cheerilee," said Twilight. "Hurry to Sweet Apple acres as soon as you're done." Rainbow saluted, then blitzed away.
*****
"Ya knew Miss Applejack?"
'I knew an Applejack, though she probably died a long time ago,' Fluttershy replied. 'She would be nearly 120 years old by now.'
"That's her!" Epona explained that Applejack had come to the school and told the class about what the past was like. About how the Element bearers went to save the foals, but were defeated and branded.
'That's exactly how it was. After we lost our cutie marks, we were split up and given to the different kingdoms that united to conquer Equestria. I was given to Queen Chrysalis, ruler of the Badland changelings; however, I never made it back to their stronghold.'
*****
Fluttershy's head remained low. She was accompanied by several changeling drones. One carried a safe containing the Element of Kindness while the others held Fluttershy's leash and kept her complacent. On occasion, she would pick herself up to see where she was, but they would immediately beat her back down. And so she kept her muzzled nose near the ground. At least, until she caught a glimpse of blue approaching.
She looked up again and saw the dreaded plant, Poison Joke. She tried to run the other way, knowing full well that it was dangerous to enter, but the changelings only saw that she was acting up again. They struggled to hold her down, yanking and pulling on her leash in an attempt to keep her moving forward. When they overpowered her, she took to the air to stay away from the flowers. Finally, the drone holding the safe put it down and joined in the fray, flying above her and lunging downward to slam her into the ground. It looked down and found a vine, then it began to tie her wings down.
The drone never got the chance to finish. What had been a Badland drone was now a scarab beetle.
When Fluttershy picked up her head again, she found herself lying down in a sea of Poison Joke. The changelings who had been guarding her were little more than common bugs, and the safe holding her Element was a short ways away.
She stood up and tried to run to it and reclaim her Element, but her hooves were tethered to the ground. No, they were embedded in the ground. Her legs were slowly becoming stiff and rigid, and her mane scratched her back like it was covered with twigs. She stood up on her hind legs and flapped her wings desperately to pull herself out of the Joke, reaching for the safe with all her strength, but soon they also solidified. Her breathing and heart rate quickened, faster and faster until she could feel them stop altogether. Her torso stretched upward and outward, elongating to ridiculous lengths. Her fur hardened. Her forelegs stretched outward and sprouted appendages tipped with leaves. Her mane, tail, and wings became stiff, except for the tips of the hair and feather which remained soft. She closed her eyes and screamed voicelessly, until her neck and head solidified completely.
Fluttershy was a tree.
*****
'And here I am today. Thankfully, many animals came by and kept me company. I don't think I could have made it through all those years without their help. The changelings have also visited periodically. They usually come several times a year and stay for a week at a time.'
Epona's eyes grew wide. "They aren't gonna be here while Ah'm here, are they?"
'I don't think so,' Fluttershy reassured. 'They were here last month, so they shouldn't be back for a while.'
"Phew..."
'Epona, would you like to see where I lived while I was a pony?' Epona nodded, then felt herself being lifted upward into the sky, caught in the grip of a Manticore. The Manticore took her up to Fluttershy's canopy and set her down on the highest branch.
She gasped. From this height, she could see all of Ponyville. It seemed so small from this point, even Sunset Manor.
'Do you see that hill nearest to the forest with a building on it? The one outside the walls?'
"Yeah."
'That's where I lived. I used to take care of all of my animal friends in that cottage.' As Epona squinted, she discovered that it was the same burned cottage where she would go to be alone. Epona suddenly had an idea.
"Let me down." The Manticore took her back to the ground, and she bolted for the border of the clearing.
'Epona, where are you going?' Willow asked.
"Ah'll be back in a little bit, Miss Willow. There's something Ah have to do..." Epona stuck her little blue feather in her mane and ate a wing-shaped seed, which Fluttershy had called a 'Pegasus' seed due to its shape. Her speed instantly tripled, and she leapt out of the clearing.
*****
"Epona, what are you doing?" Wisp asked as she rummaged through the debris of the cottage.
"Ah'm looking for- found it!" She ate yet another Pegasus seed and rushed back into the forest.
"Wait for me!"
*****
"Miss Fluttershy!" Epona cried, bursting into the clearing over the berry boundary.
'Goodness, Epona! What has you in such a--' Fluttershy stopped as the filly held out a small picture. 'Is that...?'
"Ah found this when Ah first arrived in Ponyville." Fluttershy gazed at the picture. Only the bottom right corner was missing. In it, she saw five ponies all smiling. On the left, a pink earth pony stood on her hind legs, propped over a white unicorn with a fancy purple mane. In the middle, a blue pegasus with a confident smile was propped on a lavender unicorn sitting behind a very yellow pegasus with tender eyes.
'That was our first group photo...' Fluttershy finally said. 'I was the yellow Pegasus. The pink pony was Pinkie Pie. She was always laughing, and loved to make her friends laugh too. She worked at Sugarcube Corner, a bakery with the best cupcakes in the world.
Rarity, the white Unicorn, was a dressmaker who dreamed of living in Canterlot. We would go to the spa together every week. She wanted fame and fortune, and she had the skill to get there, but was the most generous pony I have ever known, even if she was a bit selfish sometimes.
The blue Pegasus was my first and best friend, Rainbow Dash. She was the only pony in Equestria fast enough to do the Sonic Rainboom, and she prided herself in that speed. Before we were captured, her life's goal was to become a Wonderbolt, one of an elite group of Pegasi known all over the world for their flying ability, but she would have dropped that goal in a heartbeat if following it meant she couldn't be loyal to her friends.
The lavender Unicorn was Twilight Sparkle, the smartest pony I have ever met. She wasn't perfect, but she was the best friend a mare could ask for. All of us looked up to her as our leader and as the Element of Magic.
The pony that's missing is Applejack, the most honest pony in the world. Only Discord could make her lie, and only because he brainwashed her. She was strong, athletic, competitive, and she had a family to match. She loved her family, friends, and farm more than anything.' Fluttershy sighed. 'I wonder what happened to everypony after they separated us...'
"Wait, was everypony in that picture an Element Bearer?"
'That's right. Pinkie Pie was Laughter, Rainbow Dash was Loyalty, Rarity was Generosity, Applejack was Honesty, I was Kindness, and Twilight was Magic.'
Epona took out Honesty and stared at it. "Ah guess Ah should return this to her, then."
'Oh my!' Fluttershy exclaimed. 'That's the Element of Honesty! Where did you find that?' Epona explained to Fluttershy about her journey through the Diamond Dog Ruins. About how her friends were taken, about Cerberus, and about how she found the Element at the end.
"But if it's Applejack's, Ah should give it back to her. It doesn't belong to me or the Dogs. It belongs to its rightful owner."
"Then give that charm to uss, thief!" Epona found herself surrounded by dozens of green-flamed circles with strange, bug-like ponies standing inside them. They had holes in their legs and gossamer wings, as well as a hard, shiny carapace instead of fur.
"What?! Where'd ya'll come from?!" Epona cried, startled and a bit angry.
"We have been here ssincce the beginning! Thiss tree iss a natural ssourcce of love, esspecially for ssmall creaturess. We've been tapping thiss love for nearly a ccentury!"
'Tell me what you have done with all my animal friends!' Fluttershy commanded. 'I-I mean, that is, if you want to...'
"Sstupid tree! We ARE your animal friendss!" The changelings assumed their disguises as the bunnies and birds, then returned to changeling form. Fluttershy gasped.
"If ya'll have been here this whole time, why are ya only attacking now?" Epona asked, keeping on the alert for any sudden moves.
"Our Queen Chryssaliss has jusst learned of a pony that iss sstealing the Elementss, sso she ordered uss to protect it from any thievess. Thievess like you! Earth Pony Epona, give uss the Element of Harmony!" The small horde stepped toward Epona.
"No way!" Epona jumped upward and put the Element back into her inventory just as they pounced at her. She threw down a flash nut, which popped in the center of the group and stunned them. When she landed, she jumped over the group and bolted away from them. They didn't stay down for long, however, and soon gave chase.
'You will not hurt MY FRIENDS!' Epona looked back and paused as she saw the horde, who had suddenly stopped. They were trembling wide-eyed, cringing back from some unseen force. 'Epona! The changelings must never get the Elements of Harmony. Quickly, hidden in my branches is the Element of Kindness. Climb up, take it, and run far away from here! I will hold this horde under my Stare until you are finished!'
Epona nodded and leapt up into her branches.
A small tapping on her study door alerted the Empress to the coming intruder. She looked up from her scrolls to see her courier standing in the entrance. "Come in."
"Thank you, your majesty." As the mare entered, she pulled a small scrolls from her satchel. "Report from our agent in Ponyville."
"Ah, yes. I was beginning to wonder when this would arrive. Thank you, Courier. You are dismissed." The courier bowed and left the room in silence. "...You aren't usually the late-comer, Trixie. After last month's report, let's hope you have better news."
The last set of reports had contained a mixed blessing. On the one hoof, the Empress knew that Epona had vanished. That had left a bitter taste in her mouth, as it meant she no longer had the pony responsible for the destruction of the ADDC's base. It also meant she no longer had access to the Element of Honesty. If Epona wasn't found soon, she would find herself at war with the Diamond Dogs.
On the other hoof, the changelings hadn't followed up similarly on the following destruction of their base in the Everfree. That may have been thanks to Pinkie Pie's appearance at the site. The energetic mare had left her a gift-wrapped Element of Kindness, complete with a little red ribbon for a bow with last month's report. Still, it wouldn't have been possible without Epona. If she hadn't stirred up the changelings, Pinkie never would have been able to find the Element.
Still, that was just Epona's situation. It didn't even take into account all the other reports coming in. According to her agents abroad, the other nations had begun to mobilize and fortify their bases. She had no doubt they knew what was going on and were making their Elements more secure. Several of them had already fallen under attack to enemy agents, though all had proven unsuccessful thus far. And every failed attempt made them even harder to overcome.
Only the filly had proven capable of a successful attack, which made finding her ever more important. The Empress looked down at the latest report and read silently.
It was not good news.
A light tapping signaled the courier's return. "Pardon my intrusion, your majesty, but there is an Emissary from the Badlands to speak with you."
"Thank you. You are dismissed." As soon as the courier was gone, she sighed. "Trixie, you damned fool..."
*****
"Your majesty, I... Yes, yes I did, but... I thought they would... No, it was a local... I asked, but they placed a geas on him... No, she isn't. She's stable, but I don't have the skill for... I tried, but it didn't work. She needs an antidote... Your majesty, somepony has to stay and keep an eye on... You want me to what?!.. With all due respect, your majesty, I don't think that's wise... I understand. As you wish, your majesty." Trixie re-entered Mirror Child's bedroom.
"Miss Trixie?" Trixie looked down to Epona, then to her sleeping student.
Then she sighed deeply.
"Epona, why don't we go and visit the Apples?"
Epona shrank back a little. "What about Mirrors? Somepony should stay behind and keep an eye on her. You know, in case she wakes up and needs something?"
"That's a good idea," Trixie replied with a nod. "I'll stay behind and keep an eye on her while you go and say your goodbyes."
"Wait, goodbyes? What do you mean?"
"The Empress has... asked, me to re-unite you with your family."
Epona's brows furrowed in confusion. "If Ah'm going back to them, why do Ah have to tell them goodbye?"
Trixie shook her head. "Not the Apples, Epona. Your other family."
"Mah other..." Epona's eyes flew open as understanding came. "You mean...?"
Trixie nodded. "Mhmm."
"But... What about the Apples? What about Mirrors? What about going to magic school?"
The mare knelt down and looked her in the eyes with a small smile. "It's okay, Epona. The Apples will understand, as will Mirror Child when she's strong enough to stay awake. And don't worry about school just yet, alright? There's still some time before the next semester starts, and even if you can't make it this year, there's always next year. Or the year after that. Who knows? You may find that you don't even need it with how fast your magic has been growing."
"Yea, but..." After a short pause, her head fell. "...What if they still don't want me?"
Trixie's eyes widened slightly. "How could you think that? They do want you. I know they do."
"How? How do you know?" The filly's eyes began to water as she sniffed. "They left me behind. They didn't even say goodbye..."
"Oh, Epona..."
"And now you're trying to get rid of me too..."
The mare reached out and pulled Epona into a hug, much to the surprise of them both. "Don't you dare think that. Do you think I want to do this? Do you think Mirror Child will be okay, losing her friend like this? When she heard you were converted, she thought she lost you and it nearly broke her."
Epona pulled back and looked up at Trixie. "Then why?" Her eyes pleaded with Trixie not to go through with what the mare knew she had to. The events that were coming were not meant for this little one, no matter how much she thought she could be of use.
"Because it's the right thing to do," she finally replied. "We will miss you too, but they are your family. You should be with them."
Epona leaned back into Trixie's hug before she nodded. "Okay."
Saying goodbye to the Apples was hard for Epona. Baldwin stood strong for them, made easier as he had the least contact with her. Raritan offered an apology for everything she said and for chasing her when she was turned into a changeling, which she gladly accepted. Alkmene and Crabby tried to use the sad puppy eyes on her to make her stay, but the magic didn't work because she was still a filly. Then there was Applejack. There were no words between them, just a look of understanding in each others' eyes followed by a hug; one of those hugs that only comes through experience.
She didn't say goodbye to Belmont, as he would be guiding her to her new home. Instead, she waved a tearful goodbye to the Apple Family and followed the large stallion to the train station. A part of her hoped that she would find Mirrors and Trixie waiting there for her, but she didn't let their absence get to her too much.
*****
To Whom It May Concern,
You are already aware that the Badland's base in Equestria was recently destroyed, its Element taken, and that two ponies were involved in the attack. One was Pinkamena Pie, of whom I previously warned, but the second was an unknown filly. While Pinkamena's whereabouts are currently unknown, it has come to my attention that the filly had been tracked and captured by the Badland Hive.
She has escaped. Mirror Child, whom you may remember as another rogue agent from my previous message, infiltrated the Badland Hive and escaped with her in tow and is currently at large. I have attached the other filly's description, as provided by the Hive, to this message.
Ruler of the Equestrian Empire, Empress Moon.
*****
Apple Bloom: Earth Pony Filly : 10-13 : Badland Hive : Unknown : Yellow fur, Red mane/tail, Orange eyes : None : None : N/A
According to patrols stationed at the Badland's base, she uses various items in combat, including a sword and shield, boomerang, slingshot with various ammunition, and bombs. She is reported to be strong enough to lift and throw a manticore, and she has the ability to create thunderstorms using music. She seems to be important enough to the rogues to warrant a rescue mission from the Hive capitol. Little else is known about her. Investigations are in progress to determine who she is and her connection to the rogues.
Author's Note
Finally.
Finally life lets up enough to let me get the creative juices flowing. I know the chapter isn't much, especially after 5 months of inactivity, but hopefully I'll get more out sooner. And faster.
