//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Bat friendship // by dredaich //------------------------------// Twilights plan has worked excellent so far. The strange creature Fluttershy has turned into was floating in midair looking into the mirror Rarity was holding with her magic. Now was her time to make things right. Twilight closed her eyes, she tapped into her magic energy, letting it flow around her horn to create the spell that would heal Fluttershy. But when Twilight opened her eyes to direct it at her friend, something unexpected happened. Fluttershys stare affected Twilight. Her concentration faded as she fell under its influence. She felt her friends emotions, the confusion, the hunger and her desire to be with her own kind, with her friends. Unknown to Twilight her magic engulfed herself, she was just completely mesmerized by the stare. Her mind changed, becoming simpler, her memories faded, until only instincts remained. The magic bubble that surrounded her vanished. Her body begun to change, but she didn't bother because her only desire was to share with her old friends. Rainbow Dash flew towards her making noises which she didn't understand anymore. She stopped in front of Twilight and begun to make strange gestures with her hooves. Twilight ignoring whatever Rainbow Dash was doing, touched her with her horn, making Rainbow Dash in another bubble of magic. Before anypony could react Twilight jumped at Rarity touching her with her horn as well. Spike, Pinkie Pie and Applejack overcame their shock and begun to run away screaming. Twilight spread her wings, which have already changed into bat wings, and took off. She got Pinkie and Spike in flight and started their transformations. Applejack evaded three attempts of Twilight to touch her with her horn. So Twilight instead rammed into her, hooves first. They struggled on the ground for the upper position. It was a fierce fight as Applejack fought as if her life depended on it. But in the end Twilight overpowered her with her new animal strength and fighting reflexes. Applejack was pinned down, her face was pale and she was shivering. She looked away and closed her eyes and her struggles died down a bit. Twilight lowered her head to her friend, but nothing happened. Her horn was gone. She tried it some more times but nothing happened. Finally Applejack found her will to fight again. She freed one of her hind legs and bucked as strong as she could, only to run as fast as her legs could carry her. Twilight was tossed against a tree. A shriek of pain escaped her mouth and she fell to the ground. Her right winged bled a little bit above the shoulder. Rainbow Dash hoof appeared in Twilight field of vision. She felt something wet at the wound. She looked up to see her friend was licking her wound. Rainbow Dash was folding her wings that were about to lose their last feathers. From what Twilight could see that was the last change that had to occur to her. Rarity landed next to them with Spike on her back. They were both still changing, Raritys wings were fully developed, but her teeth and her ear were still very small and her horn was still its old size. Spike head has changed into a foals one and his claws have become hooves and the lower parts of his legs were covered with fur. The torso and the upper lags were still covered in scales, but two tiny appendages that would become his wings were already visible. His tail was far shorter and the firsts green hairs were visible on it. Rarity set Spike to the ground next to Twilight, where he lied down beside her. Only a few moments later she felt him sucking at her mammary glands. Twilight smiled motherly at him. The next to come were Pinkie and Fluttershy. Pinkie wings were still developing therefore she came walking and not flying. Her fangs looked healthy and her ears were even a little bit bigger than Fluttershys. Fluttershy was bringing apples for all of the them. Happily they sat together and dug their teeth into the apples. They feed and cuddled together while the last changes washed over them. After some time they got up, Twilight took Spike into her hooves, since he was to young to fly and the group started a raid on the orchard. ---.--- Applejack was awoken from her slumber by the light of the sun shining into her room. She was as exhausted as when she had gone to bed. Memories of the last night invaded her mind. She tried to make herself believe that they were just a nightmare, but it didn't really worked. She trotted to the window slowly. Her movement was stiff and she winced a couple of times on her way. For her it felt like she needed hours for the way, but it had to be in fact less than a minute. Her eyes were still barely open when she reached the window and looked outside. Her eyes shot wide open, her hind legs gave way, bringing her into a sitting position and her jaw dropped. Normally the window granted her a nice, calming view on the orchards. But at this day it just showed her misery. Most of the trees in sight were at least partially defoliated and none of the trees near enough, that she could normally see apples on, had more than two or three still on their branches. Tear filled her eyes and streamed down her face. Her family was ruined, these apples would have brought them the main part of their income for the whole year. But what hurt her far more, was that she lost her friends. They even became a hazard to her orchard and her family. No, that wasn't right. They were just doing what their new body needed them to do. She shouldn't condemn them for this, especially since it was her own fault that they were in this state. She didn't know how long she sat at the window. But her mind led her to a new idea, a new hope. The night before the disaster Fluttershy has devastated the orchard, but was completely normal the day after that. Maybe they just transform at night and turn back at day. This thought gave her strength. She will have her friends back, at day at least. She ran out of her house, her sore muscles were forgotten. She just wanted to find her friends and see that they were alright.