//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: The Body Swappers // by aceotaku //------------------------------// The group of body snatchers walked down the road into the town, looking around. “It would appear the dominant race here are quadrapedal equines.” The bespectacled Poindexter inhabiting Rainbow Dash’s body said. “Aww maaaan.” The simple minded Numbskull who wore Twilight’s face whined. “I Wanted hands. I like hands. Hands are fun.” “Inconvenient, however we will manage.” Their Boss, who had commandeered Applejack’s form, said dominantly. “I will hear no complaints from anyone. A body is a body.” “True.” The rougher Punk, who ironically now hid behind the feminine features of Rarity, chuckled. “Though we did end up with the mutants. I get a bony spike in my noggin,” he pointed to the Fighter, who wore a tough frown on Fluttershy’s normally timid face, and Poindexter, “They get wings, and the idiot gets BOTH. You lucked out boss.” Their Boss looked around stoically. “Do not be so sure, I see quite a few winged ones and horned ones. It’s possible they may just be different ethnicities or more varied in body type than our previous conquests.” “Like the fae?” Numbskull said. “I know I couldn’t tell ANYONE apart then!” “No.” Fighter growled. “We all promised to never speak of them again.” “What about the French?” The Boss shuddered. “Never the French. Not after last time.” “So uhhh should we be doing something about the original owners of these bodies?” Punk wondered. “We didn’t have time to imprison them, nor did we have anything to hold their souls in, thankfully it seems they were caught off guard enough to be pushed far away, and they’ll likely be wondering the country for a new body.” Boss smirked. “Even if they do manage to find replacements, which I doubt, I doubt they’ll be too much of a threat.” “Probably.” The group chuckled as they entered the town proper, only to see a small purple reptile almost half their height in size running towards them. The Fighter got into a battle stance only for the Boss to shake his head as the small reptile skidded to a halt in front of them, panting for breath. “Oh wow...sorry Twi I forgot you were helping Applejack...” The creature panted. Poindexter stared, his glasses nearly falling off his nose. “It can speak.” He whispered. The Boss was about to speak, but froze as the creature turned to the Numbskull. “Twilight, the Princess sent a letter just now! That’s why I came running, it sounds urgent!” Numbskull blinked. “Princess...uuuh....Sure!” he grinned wide. “Lead the way purple guy!” Spike’s brow rose at his caretaker’s response but shrugged and walked in front of her, leading the group to the tree house. Boss turned to Fighter. “This was unexpected...seems this ‘Twilight’ is more important than we believed...go retrieve the box, but be careful.” The Fighter nodded and turned back the way the group came. ------------------------- Applejack walked down the sidewalk, staring at her hooves. TRIXIE’s hooves. Her mind was swirling with thoughts. How did this happen? What happened to her friends? How are her family coping? The farm? Is Trixie in her body, and if so, what is she doing? Can Twilight fix this? Can anypony? Does anypony know this happened? Her face paled as the thought struck her. The thought that she was stuck in a body not her own, the possibility that somepony else, somepony she had known as a liar and a braggart and who caused a fair bit of trouble, was in HER body, and NOONE might possibly know or even realise it. Her hooves thudded down the street as she ran to the train station, skidding to a halt in front of the ticket booth, which was currently manned by a bored looking mare. “Ah need a one way ticket to Ponyville pronto!” Applejack blurted out. “That will be 20 bits.” “20!? That’s daylight robbery!” “20 bits, take it or leave it.” Applejack sighed in frustration. “Fine! Consarned money grubbing...” she muttered, searching her body, cape and hat....and realising she had no money, not a single bit. She looked around at the small crowd of other ponies. “Uhhh could anypony mind sparin’ some change? Ah...seem ta be a mite...short.” She chuckled nervously, her face falling as the ponies simply ignored her, tapping their hooves impatiently. “Ma’am, if you can’t afford a ticket, step out of the way so somepony else can get through.” The former earth pony slammed her hooves against the booth, face pale and eyes wide. “Please! Ah need ta go! There’s no telling what’s going on without me there! Please jus’ make an exception, Ah promise Ah’ll pay it back!” The mare simply gazed lifelessly. “Ma’am, if you cause a scene, I will be forced to call security.” Applejack blinked, looking around, sighing as she stepped off and started to leave, realising panicking would do her no good. She didn’t want to cause trouble anyway, she was just....worried. She walked along the sidewalk again, trying to figure out how she could get home and fix this mess. First of all she needed money...not just for the ticket, but she’d need food and supplies to keep her strength up... She could possibly get a job, that’d take way too long and besides she already had a job on the farm, she wasn’t gonna waste time as much as she could. But that still left the question of how she was gonna be able to get to Ponyville and feed herself... Applejack heard some noise, grumbling in annoyance as she saw a few ponies making a ruckus. She noticed some ponies on the sidewalk performing some sort of weird juggling act as a crowd formed around them and watched. Applejack frowned, reminded bitterly of Trixie’s antics when she first came to Ponyville, bragging and acting like a fool all for attention, and she didn’t like ponies like that, especially not now. She heard a small jingling sound, eyes widening as she noticed some of the crowd were throwing bits into a bucket in front of the performers. “W-why in tarnation are they all doin’ that?” She wondered aloud. A pony stepped over to her from behind with a chuckle, sporting a long black mane and a light green coat. “What, you never seen buskers where you’re from?” The mare raised a brow at the pony. “Buskers?” “Yeah, street performers, they perform and passerby will give whatever bits they’re willing to give, if they like the performance well enough.” “An’ why would they do that?” The pony shrugged. “Not all ponies can get good jobs in this city, so sometimes they have to fall back on stuff like this. I kinda figured you were one too, by the way you’re dressed.” Applejack fumed. “I ain’t no attention seekin’ thief!” she turned and started stomping away. The other pony for his worth simply shrugged. “Alright, alright, sorry if you’re in a bad mood, it was just a joke, I know who you are. Trixie Lulamoon right?” Applejack blinked, frozen in place as her eyes widened. “Uhhh....who wants ta know? “ The pony laughed, bowing dramatically. “You requested my employers to book you an avenue where you can perform, you were most adamant I believe, said you needed to recover some lost expenses?” Applejack frowned but stepped over cautiously. “Ya sayin’....yer gonna...pay me?” “Well of course! You’re a performer, nopony’s just going to make you work for free, unless they’re a cheat, and I assure you my talent agency does not staff scoundrels.” He winked winsomely. “Just come along with me, everything should be set in a few hours.” Applejack frowned. There were a lot of problems with this. She wasn’t Trixie, she was nothing like her, she couldn’t ‘perform’ and try and steal ponies’ attention with lies and chicanery. But...she really needed money and fast, and this seemed like the best bet for her. Hopefully she could just wing it and everything would work out. “Uhh alright uhh mister, jus’...” She realised she should probably try to at least talk like Trixie for now if she was going to impersonate her. “Just lead the way! Ah...Trixie will be...all too happy to show her stuff!” The pony chuckled. “That’s the spirit! And don’t worry; it’s just a small venue for now, testing the waters so to speak. Come follow me, it’s not too far from here.” The stallion turned and started trotting off, with Applejack following after. ----------------------------- The ‘venue’ as it turned out was a small time theatre with a large enough stage to be used for most small- to medium-scale projects. Applejack stood backstage, gripping her cape nervously. “Ummm this might seem like a...strange question but what should I do?” The stallion shrugged. “Whatever you feel like doing! You’re the magician here!” “M-Magician!? Ah-I can’t do magic! I-I don’t know how!!” The stallion trotted to her side, slapping a hoof against her should gently. “Hey relax, it’s just nerves. Look, if you’re having trouble remembering the basics, just close your eyes, try to find...well your magic, and just focus on what you want to do. Your reflexes should do the rest! Oh, and be sure to put plenty of ‘oomph’ into your performance! The audience doesn’t want to be bored, put some pizzazz in, like you showed us when you auditioned!” Applejack frowned, realising what Trixie would act like....there was no way she could act like that. It just...wasn’t right. The stallion turned to the curtains. “Show’s starting, go break a leg!” He shoved her on stage, causing the unicorn to yelp in surprise and trip on stage. “Ah! Why ya rotten...” As she got up, she noticed the rather sizable crowd in front of her, watching her. “Uhh...howdy.” Silence. Applejack paled, forcing a warm smile on her face. “Alright, I’m going to start simple here, I hope ya’ll really enjoy yourselves!” There was a quiet cough. Applejack chuckled nervously and pulled over a stray piece of rope. She tried to tie the rope into a lasso with a mere flick of her hoof, only managing to slap herself in the face with it. She tied it by hoof this time and decided to twirl and flick the lasso around her in a display of dexterity, but she could barely make the rope stay in the air for more than a split second. She became frustrated, flinging the rope around wildly until....she became entangled, falling to a heap. A few ponies in the crowd laughed at her, though most of them sighed in annoyance or rolled their eyes, and a fair few began to get up to leave. “No! Come back!” a voice suddenly cried out in Applejack’s head, surprising her. “I can’t fail again, especially not at this!” “Get off the stage you hack!” one of the ponies jeered. Applejack grunted as her mind was assaulted by a memory....Trixie’s memory. She was in Ponyville, she’d recognise it anywhere, ponies surrounding her....and three in particular glared at her balefully, insulting her and saying disparaging things about her. “Shut up! I just want to perform! What did I do that’s so wrong anyway!?” Trixie’s voice echoed. “How dare you!? I didn’t come here to be judged by you...you snobs! I’ll show you who’s full of it!” Applejack barely dodged a tomato that an audience member had thrown, and upon looking at the offender, the image of Rainbow Dash overlaid over him, making her eyes widen as the image bore a cruel smirk. ‘I-is that how we look to her?’ The farmer thought to herself. “You idiot!” Trixie’s voice railed. “Give them a proper performance! Cast a spell, perform an illusion, act so that they’ll look at you and you’ll have their undivided attention! You must be larger than life or nopony will remember you, let alone watch you perform!” ‘A-are ya kiddin’ me!? No way Ah’m gonna act like a high an’ mighty unicorn who’s full o’ herself!’ “Do you want money or not!? No audience means no pay!” Applejack glared over at the crowd, gritting her teeth. This body didn’t seem to be able to do the things she could do, so doing things her way weren’t going to work, but she couldn’t act the way Trixie does... As more ponies huffed in annoyance and started to leave, Applejack realised that if she wanted to get home, she had no choice. She focused on her memories of Trixie, mainly when she first showed up in Ponyville, and tried to think about how unicorn magic could work, focusing on her horn... “FILLIES AND GENTLECOLTS!” She stood on her hind legs, forelegs spread wide as fireworks exploded behind her. “The GREAT and POWERFUL Trrrrrixie apologises for her strange behaviour, but please, stay and watch the show, for Trixie promises it will be a show you will not soon forget!” The ponies that were leaving froze, turning to look at the stage. The unicorn continued to speak, smiling confidently as she held up the rope, going with the flow without thinking. “Now, the GREAT and Powerful Trixie shall demonstrate feats of magic and wonder, tales of bravery and danger and, of course, risk her very life here on stage!”She closed her eyes, horn glowing as her magic wrapped the rope around her body tightly till only her head was visible and unrestrained. “Now, may the gentlestallion with the tomatoes try his hand at staining the Great and Powerful Trixie’s beautiful face one more time?” The stallion in question blinked in confusion, then smirked, bouncing a ripe tomato on his hoof. “Yes, yes that’s the spirit, go ahead and put all your might into it!” Applejack called out, closing her eyes. ‘Ah ain’t got no idea how well this’ll work but Ah got no choice now, jus’ gotta dive in with no second thoughts!’ The stallion hurled his ‘weapon’ through the air, the fruit flying at a rapid speed, only for the rope to unwind with no aura moving it, the tip slapping the tomato and sending it flying backwards, only for Applejack to leap from one of the seats and grab the fruit in midair, landing back on stage as she took a bite of it. “Tangy.” She muttered before turning back to crowd, bowing. “A fairly simple trick of speed and dexterity, but Trixie promises she has MUCH more in store for you, my dear audience.” The ponies returned to their seats, looking much more interested and excited as Applejack continued the performance. ---------------------------- After the show had ended, Applejack sat in her dressing room, face in her hooves as she stared into the mirror. “What was all that?” She wondered to herself. “Ah heard Trixie in mah head...well, Ah guess it is HER head, after all...but AH didn’t hear a peep from her all through the show afterwards. What CAUSED that? Me freezin’ onstage? An’ how the hay can Ah use her magic now, when Ah didn’t even know HOW!? Is Trixie still in this body, somewhere, hidin’? Then, what does that mean about me, an’ about back home? An’ the farm?” She shook her head, mind swirling with too many unanswered questions, thoughts going back to the show itself. “Can’t believe that mah simple, homegrown talents completely failed me tonight, and Ah had to resort ta Trixie’s braggin’ and arrogance. Ah suppose it DID get the audience’s attention, but it still don’t sit right.” During the show performed many elaborate illusions, including fighting a massive dragon, trapping herself within a locked box, sawing a pony in half only for her to turn out be fine, and many others. “All those tricks sure went over the crowd pretty well too, an’...if Ah’m honest...it was kinda excitin’, using magic like that, seein’ so many ponies lookin’ at me in excitement...awe, even.” She shook her head at that, frowning. Before she could ruminate further, there was a knock at the door, and the mare turned and opened the door with an insticual use of Trixie’s telekinesis, blinking in surprise at the realisation. “Consarn it, Trixie, what did ya do ta me!?” The stallion who brought her here, Trixie’s agent, trotted up to her, a tag on his suit readin ‘Scout’. “Well I’m glad your little case of nerves at the start there didn’t ruin your big show, Miss Trixie! You really knocked it outta the park there!” “Ah, yeah um, thanks?” “No, thank YOU. Remember, finding good work for talented ponies such as yourself earns us some bits too, and your show really took off! Why, my boss has given the okay to let you tour across Equestria!” Applejack gasped in shock. “T-Tour!? Y-ya mean!?” The agent nodded. “Correctramundo, ma’am, you’re gonna perform magic shows all across Equestria!” “Hol’...Hold on, Where exactly am Ah...uh...The Great and Powerful Trixie touring?” “Oh all sorts of places! Fillydelphia, Prance, Appleoosa, Canterlot...” “H-how about Ponyville?” Applejack asked hopefully. The agent shook his head. “Too small time and dangerous, what with that Everyfree Forest and all. Besides, you specifically requested us NEVER to return to Ponyville, emphasis yours.” “W-well I changed my mind!” Applejack said resolutely, then after some quick thinking, added, “No venue is too small for the great and powerful Trixie! If Trixie is to make her big come back, she must face her fears and have a show in the one place she failed!” “That sounds believable.” “Excellent! We leave first train tomorrow for Manehatten! I see some big things in your future kid!” Applejack couldn’t help but smile. The situation wasn’t ideal, but this way, not only would she be making her way home, but she’d be making some good money the farm could use too! “If you say so, uhh...” “Oh sorry, I guess you forgot my name huh? No problem, most stars tend to.” The stallion smiled winsomely. “Name’s Talent Scout. On the nose, I know, but a name’s a name.” Applejack shook the stallion’s hoof. “Pleasure to meet you, Mister Scout.” “well shucks, thanks for that. Now, you deserve some R&R, so come along, we’ll get some nice food somewhere to celebrate your first successful show.” “Well...shucks, if you’re offering.” At the stallion’s smile Applejack trotted off with him, already feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. “Don’t screw this up.” She heard Trixie whisper in her mind as she walked. ------------------------------ The group of mares looked up at the large treehouse standing over them as they followed Spike. “Does he...live here?” Punk asked aloud. “Well given the direction we are heading, and the purpose in his stride, I would say that could be the most likely conclusion.” Poindexter said. They followed the young dragon into the house, Poindexter’s eyes widening and he started dashing around at a fast pace, inspecting the shelves and shelves of books. “This is a veritable GOLDMINE of information!” Spike stared, raising a brow. “Dash, you don’t usually have that big of an interest in books.” Poindexter froze, sweat pouring down his brow as he turned to look at the dragon. “W-well...I...” Spike narrowed his eyes. “In fact...none of you guys seemed rather...weirded out by me...almost as if...” Suddenly a massive chest was thrown through the window, followed by Fighter. Spike turned in shock, eyes wide. “Fluttershy, what are you doing!?” The drgaon exclaimed, rushing over to the push the box. “Twilight’s right here, you don’t want her blowing a gasket for wrecking the place!” Fighter rolled his eyes and lifted the lid, a ball of blackness flying into Spike’s body and knocking him over, a purplish ball of light flying out, which was promptly sealed inside a glass jar by the yellow pegasus. “I got jars.” Boss smirked. “Excellent. It seems we have gotten rather sloppy, Poindexter almost blew our cover.” “In my defence, none of us know about our current possesses.” Poindexter pointed out. “well then, good thing we’re in a library then: search the books, heck search everywhere, surely there’s a diary stashed somewhere that will inform us more about at least one of our current bodies.” Boss looked down at the dragon. “It’ll be some time before he wakes up.” “Or she.” Punk interjected. “Or she.” The Boss rolled his eyes. “Either way, it’s high time we stopped bumbling like a pack of morons and start acting more strategically. It’s time to make the entire world ours once more.”