Masks
Fluttershy
Neither Applejack nor Rainbow Dash had come back when they had promised. All Fluttershy understood of their absence was half a day spent cooped up in Zecora's hut and the rest pacing the forest, setting the timber wolves out for their scent, hoping for any trace or sign of them. But all of their trails were cold. Only she or Zecora had set hoof in the Everfree forest for days.
Exhausted from her search, she slumped back to her valley and fell into a patch of clover. Birch Bite nosed over her wings and whined. Angel came up to investigate the patch and sighed to find Fluttershy obstructing most of it.
“Oh, Angel,” she said. “It looks like it's just you and me now.”
The bunny cocked his head and chattered.
“They're probably just busy, that's all. Things are always so dangerous. But they promised to come back... do you think something is wrong?”
Angel crossed his arms and nodded up to the sky, chattering again.
“I should go looking for them? But I have no idea where to start!” She paused and considered as both bunny and wolf gave their advice. “Well, if one of them is in trouble, it's probably Rainbow Dash. And she did tell me the way to Cloudsdale in case anything happened... I should check on her first.”
Angel hopped a bit closer and flicked a quick salute. She smiled and shook her head, nudging him into the clovers. “It's probably best you stay here. I'll have to fly, and this is the safest place for you. The wolves can make sure you stay safe and well fed.”
The rabbit's mouth hung open and he made a gesture at Birch, who gave him a thorough snuffle. Fluttershy kissed him on the forehead.
“Don't be silly. None of the animals here will try to eat you, I promise. Now be a good boy for me, Angel, and keep an eye on things for me while I'm gone, will you?”
Angel gave another weary look at the timber wolf, but sighed and relented to Fluttershy's request. He crossed a paw over his chest and then tapped it against a closed eyelid.
“Wish me luck,” she said.
Angel glanced around the patch, and then plucked a four-leaf clover, tucking it behind her ear. She smiled, and then flexed her wings wide. The forest had not given her many opportunities to fly and the sky loomed with its open void and only a speckle of clouds drifting overhead.
You can do this, Fluttershy, she told herself. For Rainbow Dash. And Applejack.
Her wings swept downwards and back up again, like a butterfly's, and she took to the air.
Being outside of the Everfree Forest made Fluttershy squirm inside. Part of her missed her cottage, and Ponyville, and the rest of Equestria. The other part felt naked and alone in the breeze, without the woods around her and her animal friends close by.
An autumn chill filled the air though the forests maintained a stalwart green. The sun's failure to rise continued to impact Equestria, though it did not abandon them as it had when Nightmare Moon ruled. And it gave Fluttershy enough light to travel by, making her way towards the mountains to the north.
It was strange for her to think of Cloudsdale in another place. It'd been close to Canterlot and Ponyville as long as she could remember. By the time she even caught sight of it, her wings were throbbing. The teeth of the mountain behind her, she found the first cloud she could and slumped upon it, panting for breath. Updrafts were few and far between, and the wind seemed to push against her every movement. A pony might think that it was a terrible place to put a cloud city, but she knew better. They made it hard to get to on purpose.
“Who's this now?”
Fluttershy looked up as two pegasi landed on either side of her. She hid her face beneath her wings, but she caught a glimpse of their flight suits and her heart leapt.
I just have to be brave long enough to find Rainbow.
“You're Wonderbolts?” she said. “Oh, I'm so glad I found you. My name is... um...” she swallowed and forced her anxiety back. “Fluttershy. I'm looking for Rainbow Dash.”
The two Wonderbolts exchanged glances and then lifted Fluttershy up into the air by her hooves. “Sorry, miss, but you're going to have to come with us. Can you fly?”
She gave an experimental wiggle of her wings. They were still sore, but she knew she could fly for a little longer. “It's alright,” she said. “I hope you know where she is. She was supposed to see me today.”
“Is that where she's been disappearing off to?” One whispered to the other. They both looked back at her and then flew higher, letting Fluttershy ride their lift.
The Wonderbolts wouldn't answer any of her questions, which she supposed was alright. It was a bit odd for her to be showing up out of the blue asking, anyway. Even if she WAS technically still a resident of Cloudsdale. She didn't feel like it anymore, though. All of the cloud houses floated behind cliff faces and under the protection of other, larger structures. The skies were also devoid of many ponies. Occasionally one would peek out a window or glide between circles of cloud.
They passed by the weather factory, which looked odd while stretched along the rim of the Unicorn Mountains. Still, it continued to pump out cloud after cloud, working as tirelessly as it ever had.
They continued up and up until finally they approached the mountain again. The peak had been obscured by a large cloud, the interior of which had been quickly furnished. More blue-suited pegasi wandered in and out--mostly out, she noticed, as they entered into the cloud structure. Spitfire's ears twitched at the sound of their wings, their hooves settling in, and she turned about from the fore.
“Who do we have this time?” she asked, eying Fluttershy. “Ah. I remember you. One of Rainbow Dash's friends, no doubt.”
“Yes,” said Fluttershy, folding her wings against herself. “I haven't seen her for days and I'm worried something has happened.”
Spitfire raised an eyebrow. “You do know that she wasn't supposed to be running around... socializing with you in the first place?”
Fluttershy wilted back. “Oh. No. I mean, I'm sorry.” She shook her head firmly. “But is she okay? That's all I want to know.”
The firemaned mare nodded to the two Wonderbolts and they seized her up by her hooves. Fluttershy squeaked in surprise and gave an indignant flap.
“There have been an awful lot of ponies asking after Rainbow Dash,” she said, trotting forward. “The changelings don't think we know about them. But we do.”
“Change...what?” Fluttershy gave a flail of her wings, whimpering. “Maybe you could put me down now, please.”
The two Wonderbolts looked especially guilty, but Spitfire's hardened stare made them hold her nonetheless. “Shape changing creatures that can take the form of anypony you know. They've taken Rainbow Dash, and good ponies of mine. And they're quite eager for me to send more valuable pegasi after them. Is that what you were going to ask of me?”
“Well...” Fluttershy looked down at the cloud beneath her. “Yes. If she's in trouble, I just have to help her. We all do.”
Spitfire turned away and lashed her tail. “Well, we can't.”
“What?!” Fluttershy's wings flared and the two pegasi suddenly struggled to keep her in place. She growled and laid her ears back. “How can you say that? Rainbow Dash is my best friend! You can't just leave her in danger like this.”
“She knew the risks,” said Spitfire, rubbing her forehead. “I've had this discussion too many times. They've taken many of mine. Irreplaceable ponies. But I can't risk sending more after them. Cloudsdale comes first.”
“Then you're just going to abandon them?”
Spitfire's wings flared up. “You don't even know what it's like, do you?" She found herself inches from Fluttershy's face, staring into her watering eyes. She sagged and turned away, shaking her head. "No, of course you don't. What am I saying? You're just a filly. Look... whatever I do, I can't discuss it with you. I know they've already infiltrated Cloudsdale. A problem I intend to rectify. And that means I can't go after Rainbow Dash and the others.”
“It's okay,” said Fluttershy, trembling. “Where are they keeping her?”
Spitfire tapped her hoof against the cloud. “What, you don't already know?”
“No!” Fluttershy flapped her wings. “If I did, why would I be here, getting roughed up by you ponies?”
One of the Wonderbolts tugged her back a bit. “Should we check her?”
Spitfire glided up and squinted at Fluttershy, staring in her eyes. She sniffed her mane and glanced at the clover tucked behind her ear. Then she stepped back and sighed. “No,” she said. “They're not that good yet. I know this pony enough to know she's real.”
“Are you sure?” asked the other guard.
Spitfire glared at him. “Do you really want to hit her?”
Fluttershy squeaked and squirmed between the two ponies. They looked at one another, then down, then sighed and let her go. “Sorry,” one muttered. “We just don't want any more ponies kidnapped.”
“You don't have to justify yourself to anyone,” snapped Spitfire. She glanced over Fluttershy, her tone softening. “If I tell you where Rainbow Dash is, you're going to try to find her, aren't you?”
“I have to,” said Fluttershy, her heart pounding in her chest.
“I beg you to reconsider. If you go alone, then you will only share her fate. But if that's what you want to do, don't let me stop you.”
“Captain--” one of the Wonderbolts cut in.
“Let her go,” said Spitfire. “She's a free pony of Cloudsdale and she's not under our command. She gets to make her own decisions.” She watched Fluttershy wince at every word and then waved a hoof. “Give her some time rest her wings. Then take her to the woods.” The two wonderbolts saluted, wearily. Spitfire lifted Fluttershy's head. “If you're smart, you'll change your mind and stay with us until this whole crisis has blown over. I'm not going to turn my back on a mare who needs my help.”
Fluttershy gulped. “I-I have to do this,” she said, though she had a hard time convincing herself.
Spitfire sighed and sunk into the clouds a little. “Suit yourself,” she said. “These two will escort you to where you need to go. But they will go no further. Even we have no idea what's within the changelings' lair, and that's all that I can offer you.”
She looked at Spitfire for any trace of consideration, as if she might sympathize and send a few pegasi to aid her. The captain looked at her at length, studying her with intensity, seeming to wrestle with something inside. And then without a word she bade the guards to unhoof her.
Fluttershy turned away. “I understand."
The pegasi gave Fluttershy a chance to rest her wings, a drink from the spring and some of the mountain flowers to eat. She couldn't find anypony she knew—most of the pegasi stayed well out of sight. And after she felt strong enough to continue, the Wonderbolts led her back down the mountain. It was much easier leaving than flying up, and it did not take them long at all to come to the dense thickets in the crook of the mountain.
They landed at the edge of the forest, where a small deer run cut through the trees, and the Wonderbolts snapped their wings shut.
“This is where we part ways,” one said. “Unless you change your mind.”
Fluttershy shook her head. If only my animal friends were here. I'd feel a lot less unsure about this. But Rainbow Dash is in there... and who knows what's happened to her?
The thought was the only thing that made her steady her shaking legs and step beneath the low-hanging branches, into the woods. It felt so much different from the Everfree—more like a forest that had been planted and then allowed to run rampant on its own course than one that always knew its wildness. Old, sickly pines rose around in poles and blotted out the sun above.
She strained her ears but only heard the distant cawing of birds. All cautious signals. Even if she hadn't known about the changelings, she would have known that something awful lurked in the woods. All the creatures of the forest and mountains, from the bear to the wolves to the cougar and all the magical beasts in between... she couldn't hear signs of any of them. And what little sound she did pick up told her one thing: there was danger here.
Her head filled with the sound of her heart pounding and blood rushing through her as she stepped further into the forest. Come on, she thought. She needs us...
And before long, the light from behind her had all but vanished. Something snapped in the branches nearby and she screamed.
“No!” she cried, and turned about, and ran as hard as her hooves could take her. She didn't realize how far in the woods she had gone. She didn't know if something was chasing her or not. She didn't care. She closed her eyes and barreled through the branches until she felt the woods fall away around her.
The sprawl of grass outside was empty. The Wonderbolts had already departed. She looked about for them frantically but could find no trace of life. The forest, behind her, remained still and silent. But she could not bring herself to go back in. Not alone. Not there.
She began to flap her way back towards the Everfree with tears streaming down her cheeks.
I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash... I just can't. Not alone. I'm sorry.
Rainbow Dash
Rainbow Dash scanned the enclave in which she had been imprisoned. A viscous green goop held her hooves taut to the rock of a mountain cave, her body stretched between the craggy floor and ceiling. There were other prisoners, but she knew little more of them than their occasional moan of desperation. All she could see coming in was the darkness of the caverns and now all she could see was the edge of the forest outside of her own prison and the occasional changeling buzzing by.
A trickle of water dropped from the ceiling every few seconds, matting her mane with grime. The first time she'd gone to drink she spat it out, her mouth filled with grit. Once she got thirsty enough though, she made herself drink it and snuck a drop whenever she was sure that no one was looking. She pulled her hooves and strained her wings, tugging and stretching the green goo. The further it stretched, the tighter it got, squeezing her hooves and legs until it hurt. She squirmed and shuddered at the sensation, and became still again when the sound of buzzing wings echoed into the cavern.
The changeling that visited her then was unalike any she had seen before. This creature was massive, dwarfing the other changelings and even herself, rising to a stature that may have rivaled Princess Celestia—were the changeling not full of holes and carrying an insectoid musk. But even Rainbow Dash could not help but find a mesmerizing quality in her translucent blue wings, the sprigs of a crown upon her head, her burning emerald eyes...
Rainbow Dash shook her head and squeezed her eyes, gathering her ferocity. “So are you the big bad of this dump?”
The changeling laughed and skittered closer. “You could say that,” she said. She lifted a cold hoof and raised the pegasus' head, forcing her to make eye contact. “But I'm afraid I still have the advantage here, Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow's mane frizzed and she growled. “Don't pretend like you know anything about me.”
“Oh, but I know so much more about you than you may realize. From your utter failure during the rise of Nightmare Moon to how you abandoned your friends to Discord's terrors. Ponies talk, Rainbow Dash, and I have ears everywhere.”
She cleared her throat and lifted her head, taking a more regal stance. She ignored Rainbow Dash's gnashing and thrashing and paced a bit in the narrow confines of the tunnel. “Ah, but there is something you can do for me. We have yet to figure out what your plans are, up in Cloudsdale. Tell me anything you know. I'll make it worth your while.”
“I don't know anything,” said Rainbow Dash, “and even if I did, I wouldn't tell some over-sized stink bug.”
The changeling tossed her mane as if to deflect the insult. “That's a pity,” she said. “Are you absolutely certain?”
Rainbow Dash closed her mouth and refused to say anything. The changeling laughed and took a step closer, lowering her horn until the craggy point pinched against her forehead.
“So angry. So afraid. You don't have to be, you know. There's a place in my hive for ponies who are cooperative.”
Rainbow Dash couldn't help herself. “Would that happen to be hung up in caves as food?”
“Well, in a manner of speaking,” laughed the changeling. “But it doesn't have to be unpleasant. Let me give you a taste.”
Her horn flared and her eyes glowed with green fire as her magic worked its way into Rainbow Dash. She tried to close her eyes but found that she couldn't tear herself away, and her mind slipped into a warm numbness.
Get out of my head... she thought, though even her voice seemed to fade within her. Stop it. Stop... Please...
“That's not so bad, is it?” She brushed Rainbow Dash's mane as her head sagged. “Let's start over. You can begin by calling me something a little more appropriate. Perhaps 'my queen' for starters.”
Rainbow Dash felt her lips moving on their own, though she tried to stifle them. “... Queen...” she muttered.
“Close enough,” said the changeling queen, her tone more tender by the moment. “You look awfully uncomfortable. I could get you a nice soft bed to rest on, food and drink...”
The pegasus stared vacantly, the part of her screaming in protest shrunk to a tiny speck in the back of her thoughts.
“Are you sure that there's nothing you can tell me? Nothing about your mission, nothing about Cloudsdale?”
“Spitfire won't tell me anything...” murmured Rainbow Dash, looking down at the cave floor. “No one knows what she's planning. She doesn't trust us.”
The changeling queen snarled. “Filthy mare.” Then in another moment she smiled and shook her head. “But clever. I suppose the only way to find out what she's thinking is to pry it out of her head myself. What about your friends, then? The unicorn seeking the princess... and that yellow filly? I have the feeling she'll be joining us very soon.”
Rainbow Dash snapped her wings open, her fury coming back in a flash. “If you so much as touch Fluttershy I will end you.”
The changeling queen laughed. “My, you're a strong willed one, aren't you? Breaking you will be a true pleasure.” Her eyes flashed again and she suppressed Rainbow Dash, a dim green glow taking her eyes. “When time allows. I have a whole land of ponies to conquer, after all. If you will not be useful to me in this endeavor, then there is another way you can serve me.”
The changeling queen then clicked her wings and turned her head. “Servant.”
Within moments a lanky looking changeling emerged from without the cave and stood at attention. “Yes, my queen?” Rainbow Dash knew right away, somehow, that this was the one who had tricked her. Who had worn the skin of her friend and led her into a trap.
The changeling queen nodded to the pegasus. “Change,” she commanded.
The changeling gave only a glance at Rainbow Dash and smirked. Her whole body twisted and churned beneath a green fire. Chitin faded into skin, fur, and feathers. Blue wings sprouted where her insectoid ones once rested. Fountains of rainbow hair flowed and spilled down her mane. Rainbow Dash felt a dim sense of panic as the changeling stole her appearance down to the last twisted feather.
The changeling queen looked between them and smiled. “I can hardly tell the difference. Can you?” She laughed. “My children are so very talented. It's almost a shame that they have difficulty understanding how your mushy pony minds work.” She shocked Rainbow Dash's mind again and turned to her doppelganger. “The doorway is still open. Find Twilight Sparkle and make sure that she does not find the princess.”
The Dash-clone nodded and saluted. “Yes, my queen,” she said. “But what of Discord, and the princess' sister?”
“Leave them be,” said the changeling queen. “Discord will never win Celestia's ear, and her sister is too far gone to darkness to make a difference. Do this one task and you will please me greatly.”
The changeling in disguise bowed again. Rainbow Dash might have felt anger, terror, any feeling to drive her to react, but for having her mind sapped by the queen again and again. Little by little the magics in Rainbow Dash's head were fading, though more slowly than the first time, and the reprieve left her aching and exhausted. She only watched, half-conscious of herself, as the queen departed.
Left alone to its own devices, the changeling stood in front of her. “I want you to know that I am going to enjoy disposing of your friend,” said the changeling, sneering, her face almost touching Rainbow's. “She trusts you. She loves you. And that's why she'll fall. Isn't that just wonderful?”
Rainbow Dash's expression didn't change. But it did not stop her from rearing back her head and ramming it into the changeling's. The creature screamed and stumbled back, halfway turning back into her insect form before gaining control again. She stomped to the edge of the cave and glanced back.
“I want you to remember this,” she said, “when your kind has fallen and I have taken all that you love.”
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Nothing ever goes as I plan it. I think that applies both in the story and out of it. I guess I can keep breaking schedules as long as there are updates, but, fff, I feel behind. I'm revising more as we speak.
"She began to flap her way back towards the Everfree with trees streaming down her cheeks."
1656311
By Celestia, I'm useless... fixed.
1656316
Interesting imagery! I pictured broccoli tumbling down her face and piling up under her hooves.
Also, score Dash for a Chrysalis-headbutt.
1656381
That is a different changeling she summoned her servant and then left the room. People always call this one Chrysalis for some reason... am I being too vague?
1656311>>1656381 Perhaps some remnant of Discord's Weirdifying things? I also doubt fluttershy'll be duped by Phoney Dash for more than a few seconds, Thanks to knowing about Changlings already. One Question about their childhood later and then Fluttershy gives it a massage
fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/288/2/3/badass_fluttershy_by_mezkalito4p-d4cyahd.gif
The changeling that visited her then was unalike any she had seen before
Is it uhh... Unlike?
1656476
It is a word. 'adj. unalike - not alike or similar; "as unalike as two people could be"' But it seems to be going out of common use, so I may just give up on it.
1656399
Maybe not too vague, but when reading one tends to skip a couple words based on context alone. Likely there's just only one reference to Chrysalis leaving and the new changeling servant taking over Chrysalis tormenting Dash.
Maybe also that the servant and Chrysalis kind of acted/sounded the same overall, so if you missed the fact she left it doesn't seem like she did at all.
1656491
Thanks. I'll take this sort of thing into account.
We're missing a noun here.
1656444 Then it's a good thing for her she's going after Twilight, not Fluttershy, isn't it?
The story jumped the tracks a bit when you brought in the changelings. Honestly, I think there are a few too many plotlines and sub-plots to follow.
First we have.
Twilight and Discord
NMM And CMC
Applejack
Fluttershy
Rarity
Cadence/Canterlot
Rainbow Dash
Spitfire
The 'Other' world
Celestia, maybe
and of course Changelings
It's a bit much to keep track of.
wow ive just spent about 4 hours of my life reading this and it was totally woth it :)
1656884
Heh, I know. There's some truth to this. This was kind of my first experiment in multiple POVs ... and there is some purpose to establishing them this way. I wanted to fold in the setting up to the end of season 2 to satisfy the premise. Though there may have been a more efficient way to do that.
All I can say is that I have a plan to tie them all together, and have confidence that it will pay off.
Can a Changeling survive the undying world by itself? Not sure the Pale Mare would allow it to cause problems.
I have feeling the changeling is going to find Fluttershy a harder target than expected.
Given the context, I think you mean "wary" ("weary" is "tired")
1656487
most modern speakers would drop hte 'a' in both cases. not like = unlike. 'alike' as one word is pretty archaic.
Way to pull a Shepard Dash, head-butting things always works
1656935
Confidence is good. Fear not failure. Efficiency is not all (says the person of few words, really I make a horrible spokesperson for ideas... why let it stop you? You don't let it stop you).
1656487 It's not that it's out of common use, it's that it's the wrong part of speech there.
unlike is a, er, preposition? It has an object. 'unlike any changeling'. The whole phrase is then used as an ajective.
unalike is just an adjective.
So, 'she is unlike any changeling she'd seen before' vs 'the new changeling and the previous ones she'd seen were unalike'.
1656719 Ah. I must've misread something. Oh Well, Fluttershy'll still (hopefully) kick some ass
1657184 The changeling ain't after Fluttershy, Chrysalis sent her into the land of the dead with the mission to make Twilight a permanent resident.
1656935
I think you're doing a good job of each POV, but when we have so many, some can get lost to time between updates on each POV. I would suggest having a little of each POV in every chapter to keep each one fresh in the readers mind...but you have so many that it would hard to do. Worth it, but hard.
Your portrayal of Chrysalis is truly villainous. That ending gave me chills - kudos to you, my friend.
What's with the changlings?