Chain of Dreams

by Hippocrene Artifex

Chapter 2: Purple Shade

‘Flowers: check. Card: check. Box of Trust’s favorite chocolate-covered daisies: check.' Purple Shade ran through her mental checklist of anniversary items sitting in her saddlebag for her marefriend, Trust, and beamed with a happy-go-lucky smile that shone across her face.

She honestly could not believe that it had been a short two years since she met the mare of her life. Though, at the same time, she felt as if every moment they spent together was never long enough to fill that time thoroughly. To her, it felt as if the very day was celebrating her anniversary with the clear and lovely sky, barely being interrupted by a wisp of a cloud lingering in a sea of blue. It seemed a bit odd, Purple Shade had to admit; she thought she had remembered hearing the weather pegasi saying something about it being ‘partially cloudy’ today. To see such a lapse in the Ponyville weather team’s diligence was phenomenal.

‘Oh well,’ she thought, ‘this is probably what they meant anyways. Just so long as they don’t decide to throw in a random afternoon shower, then I am fine with it.’

Purple Shade had been a frequent visitor of Ponyville for quite some time now. She was a pegasus of a dark-grey coat and a neat purple mane that Trust never tired of arranging and having it coiffured to the latest fashion. Her wide green eyes that, despite all, portrayed the innocence of the soul within. Trust Fireheart, Purple Shade’s marefriend, was quite the cheerful mare and so full of life; giving Purple Shade every ounce of happiness that chased away any of her haunted dreams; dreams that made her aware of just how lucky she was to have earned Trust’s heart and love. Purple Shade knew love and was even able to give it back in return and that, perhaps, was the main catalyst that brought about her banishment from her old life: her love for Trust Fireheart that was portrayed in the cutie mark she earned when she embraced the carefree life of the Equestrians: a lavender heart of flames.

By the time she was done, Purple Shade felt so animated she even began to hum a cheery little tune to trot along to. As she rounded the corner that would bring her another block closer to her marefriend, she bumped into something that gave a loud, “oof!”

The other pony fell to the ground as Purple Shade staggered back to keep her footing against the unexpected collision. A moment of dizziness passed before Purple Shade gathered her wits and noticed the pony lying before her. The mare that she had knocked over had a pale tint of cream for her coat color and a blend of pink and red colored mane: Rose Luck, or at least that is what Purple Shade thought her name was. Her cutie mark was a perfectly pruned rose which reassured Purple Shade in her mind that her recollection of the pony’s name must have been correct.

Purple Shade offered her hoof as she made her apology. “Oh my gosh, I’m sorry. You’re not hurt, are you?”

Rose Luck, on the other hoof, was rubbing her head where she was hit after colliding with Purple Shade. Once she had realized that the dark coated pegasus was talking to her, she looked up and gave a deplorable scowl that made Purple Shade instantly retract.

“Why don’t you watch where you’re going!” And with that, Rose Luck brushed herself off and cantered along while mumbling darkly about ‘something being stupid’ or something that Purple Shade did not exactly catch.

This occurrence appeared truly odd for Purple Shade, to say the least; last time she had been to Ponyville, she never met a pony that had an attitude like hers. Most ponies would be excited to see another friendly face; especially a certain pink, cotton-candy manned earth pony that hopped around the streets, bringing smiles and laughter to all that crossed her path but even if that face had been the cause of a near concussion, there was hardly a reply heard that was quite so snobby.

Purple Shade, having been of a more considerate demeanor ever since she came to reside around Ponyville, concluded to herself, 'she must have been having a bad day, that’s all,' and pushed the whole ordeal behind her.

Another shortcut through the park, on her way to Trust’s house, was all she needed to forget ill-tempered mare and pick up her humming tune once again. Something in the sleepy village, however, did not seem quite as it should be. Her light canter slowed to a calculated trot. Indeed, last time Purple Shade had come through the Ponyville Park, there were ponies everywhere enjoying everything they could on a day like this but, today, not a single soul could be found aside from the woodland critters that inhabited the area. Purple Shade knew that nopony would waste such a day like this, which was why she decided to ask Trust if she wanted to go sit by the park’s butterfly grove to enjoy their anniversary.

“This doesn’t seem right; where is everypony?” Purple Shade whispered, beginning to get an uneasy shiver in her hooves. The more she thought about it, the more Purple Shade’s discomfort grew as she looked out over the empty park grounds. She decided it would be better to take the scenic route around the foreboding grounds and back peddled to the park entrance from whence she came. Once she was there, her entire body felt like it had been turned to stone; frozen in terror by something she thought she would never have to worry about again. She felt as if the very warmth of the day was being sucked away from around her into a bottomless pit. Her breath became shallow, coming out in short gasps as a certain scent in the air, that she knew all too well, hovered over her like a blanket of lead.

Slowly, as if trying to postpone the conviction that settled upon her, Purple Shade glanced up to gaze upon her worst fear: changelings by the dozens and their numbers growing all around her in the streets, many more ordinary-looking residents of Ponyville transformed in a blaze of green, magical embers. Her fright was so tremendous that she screamed loudly and her hyperventilation breathing felt like it had been laced with broken glass.

All Purple Shade’s thoughts of happiness disappeared like a ember going out in the night wind.

“Changelings, they’re back!!!” shouted a panicking pony at the top of his lungs. She did not need any more warning and galloped as fast as her legs would carry her. Ponies all around her screamed and wailed as the changelings moved in from every which way, corralling groups of victims for only Celestia-knows-what. Purple Shade ducked and weaved through the panicking crowds knowing that if she took flight, she would only make herself an easier target to prey upon.

There was a loud crash as one brave stallion of flame-red coat and orange mane tried to fight back against the feral creatures but earned himself a seat in a now crushed fruit cart courtesy of the changelings. The powerful stallion stood once again right in front of Purple Shade facing an entire horde of hissing changelings like a shield but she decided that she had to get out of the open, and quickly at that. Making another sweep of her surroundings, Purple Shade found a back alley and ran for it, finding it devoid of changelings. Taking refuge behind a couple trash cans, Purple Shade attempted to catch her breath away from the chaos that was just a mere alley away from her.

‘They shouldn’t be here! They were defeated seven years ago! How did this come to happen?!!! Purple Shade thought feverishly, Oh Celestia, I have to get out of here! I have to... oh no, Trust!’

Purple Shade felt as if the blood had drained from her. She could not believe she had forgotten about her marefriend; Trust was still in the town, if not already in the hollow hooves of the changelings. Purple Shade knew she had to go back; to go and find Trust and get to her before the worst happened. Watching for a break in the streets, Purple Shade prepared to sprint at the first chance. Another three changelings zoomed by, hot on the heels of another victim, when Purple Shade leapt from her cover and back into the streets. More and more ponies were already caught and being taken away by changelings to places unknown but Purple Shade was too preoccupied, which led her right into the waiting hooves of another changeling ambush.

“Going sssomewhere?” The lead changeling hissed with a mad and hungry grin.

Purple Shade’s heart skipped up into her throat, keeping the scream she had intended upon from even escaping. Another changeling circled around her giving an audible sniff to the air. “Say, you don’t smell quite like the other poniessss.”

Purple Shade froze, unable to move as the other changelings closed in but the lead changeling cut in the other’s musings. “Forget that, just get her back for the processing.”

Before Purple Shade could even blink, two of the changelings grabbed hold of her and hoisted her into the air. Her immobility was cured as soon as the first one touched her and she finally found the will she needed and found her voice as well. She thrashed and screamed as the changelings began to carry her off the ground.

“Help me!”

Purple Shade knew it was futile; the changelings against her were more than enough to subdue her and any other that might even consider coming to her aid and soon realized that there was no hope of escape. Suddenly, though, her world flipped upside-down as the two changelings that were carrying her away lost their grip and dropped her. Recovering from the fall, Purple Shade looked up to see something she did not expect: another pony bearing down upon the group of stunned and confused changelings.

The mare had sharp eyes as she gazed upon the changelings. Her coat was pale-orange and her mane was green but what attracted Purple Shade’s attention was that her right foreleg appeared to have been encased in metal.

“Are you okay?” The good-samaritan pegasus asked with a resonating voice as she glanced over Purple Shade.

Purple Shade herself could not quite believe it but now realized that this pony had just saved her. All she wanted to do was cry out of relief but the mental trauma of it all locked up all thoughts outside of survival.

“I-I have to get out of here. P-please help me.” Purple Shade barely managed to squeak past her quivering lips. She was so shaky that she was not even able to stand properly. She was as good as captured if she could not get back on her hooves but the pale-orange pegasus that had already saved her, offered her hoof in support and helped her up. In the time it took them, however long it was, to leave the town was a mere blur to Purple Shade as her mind began to shut down. Indeed, the last thing she remembered was the sight of Ponyville from atop a hill; looking down into a scarred and slowly dying settlement before darkness engulfed her thoughts and she knew no more.

Comments

[CrystalMoon884]

I love this story so much.