//------------------------------// // 23 - The Elements of Harmony // Story: Change: Queen of The Hive // by tom117z //------------------------------// Ponyville Spike looked down upon the quiet, sleepy town from his vantage point high in the sky. Ponyville was much the same as it always was, though a few new homes had been built in the past eight years. Looking down at it now, Spike could hardly tell that the place had essentially been a warzone at one point in time, and only then through memory alone. The denizens of Ponyville had rebuilt as they always had done, and always will do, leaving no trace or scar. He could easily make out the Apple family farm, Fluttershy’s quaint cottage, Rainbow Dash’s cloud mansion, Sugarcube Corner and the ever so familiar Golden Oaks Library. He could also see the carousel boutique, which was almost his destination until he reminded himself that Rarity was away in Manehatten. He would likely have to send her a message after speaking to the other Element Bearers. After circling the town a few times, mulling over what he would say to them and how he was going to explain everything that had been going on, he finally decided to stop wasting time and land. Looking down, the building that was now closest to him was Sugarcube Corner, where at that point in the afternoon Pinkie Pie was likely still working. Thus, he decided it would be prudent to collect her first before spreading out to find the others. He saw a few ponies out and about as he descended, some of them waved on recognising the purple dragon, to which he returned the greeting happily. A few ponies were exiting the bakery as he finally touched solid ground, whom he passed by with a simple nod. He could already hear signs of life within, and it sounded like Pinkie Pie was loudly humming a song to herself. With her own infectiously good mood already increasing his own, he entered Sugarcube Corner with a strong confidence about him. Big mistake. The moment he walked into Sugarcube Corner, the dragon was beset upon by a missile of the pink and bubbly kind. His mood and confidence evaporated like moisture during a drought as the mare all but backed him into a corner. “It’s about time you got here!” Pinkie stressed to the suddenly wilting Spike. “You took SOOOO long! I mean, if this were a book or a fanfiction or something, over twenty chapters and several big action scenes and deaths would have gone by before we even made an appearance!” “I…” Spike squeaked, scared of the two massive blue eyeballs pressed against his own. Pinkie then pulled away however, tapping her chin in thought. “Except for Rarity maybe. I think she would have turned up for one chapter early on…” Pinkie stopped tapping her chin, looked around and only then seemed to take Spike in properly. “Hi!” “…Hi, Pinkie…?” “Hey, what’s with the question in your voice?” “Well, you did kinda ambush me,” Spike pointed out. “And… what was all that other stuff you said?” “Oh, nothing to worry about. So, what can I do for ya?” The pink mare bounced back behind the counter, waiting patiently as Spike recovered from the onslaught and regained his faculties. Once he was sure he hadn’t gone spontaneously insane, he let out a sigh and approached the counter where all kinds of baked goods were lovingly placed on display. “So, I take it business is good?” “Uh-huh!” Pinkie Pie responded. “I’ve just come from feeding Gummy, and then made a sale. Mr and Mrs Cake are in the kitchen, the kids are upstairs playing. Heh, they’re ten years old… Time goes by so fast.” “Speaking of aging,” Spike moved the conversation forwards. “Shouldn’t Gummy have grown by now? I mean, how old is he now and he’s still the size of a baby?” “Oh, Gummy’s happy the way he is,” Pinkie assured. “He doesn’t want to change, and neither do I want him to!” “But… you can’t control aging. At least, not unless you’re an immortal alicorn.” “That’s what you think!” Pinkie stated, and then said nothing more on the subject. “Right…” “Hey Pinks!” the gravelly voice of Rainbow Dash greeted as the door slammed open, only for the mare to stop in her tracks on seeing the present draconic individual. “Spike? What are you doing here?” Spike turned to see the cyan Pegasus, greeting his friend with a smile. “Do I need and excuse to visit friends?” “I don’t see the egghead with you,” Rainbow noted, tilting her neck in an exaggerated display of trying to look behind him. “Whenever it’s a social call you’re kind of a joint package, at least most of the time.” “Well spotted,” Spike admitted. “Yeah alright, it’s not a social call. Twilight sent me.” “Oh! Is there a big bad monster from Tartarus we have to fight?” Pinkie asked enthusiastically. Rainbow Dash’s eyes lit up. “Oh please tell me that’s it; that would be awesome! Spitfire hasn’t given me an assignment in weeks, I need some action.” “You’ve not been given an assignment? Even with everything that’s been going on?” “Yeah, something about me being in reserve in case things really hit the… Oh wait, you’re here about the changeling attacks aren’t you?” Spike nodded in confirmation. “Afraid so. We need Applejack and Fluttershy for this.” “What about Rarity?” Pinkie asked. “She’s still in Manehatten. We’ll have to send her a message after I’ve talked to the rest of you. Things… well, they aren’t great right now.” Rainbow frowned. “Is… Twilight okay?” Spike’s face visibly fell, his mood falling with it. “I… no, she isn’t. But I’ll tell you more once we get the others.” “Alright then,” Rainbow stated. “Meet at the library. I’ll get AJ, Pinkie can get Flutters. That alright?” “That’ll work. Just be fast.” “Do you know who you’re talking to?” Rainbow cocked an eyebrow. “Good point.” Spike admitted So with a confident grin and a nod of her head, Rainbow Dash zipped off at almost the speed of sound, probably overshooting Sweet Apple Acres in her eagerness and having to double back. Pinkie Pie also vanished, likely going off to get the town’s resident veterinarian. While his friends were doing that, Spike made his way directly to the Golden Oaks Library. The journey was quick, and he soon found himself in front of the hollowed out tree he once called home. Judging by the sign on the door, the librarian was on a holiday and the library was closed until they returned. A slight sensation of nostalgia pinged in his heart on seeing the tree, but he quickly pulled himself out of it when Rainbow Dash unceremoniously dropped a rather irritated Applejack to the ground; a few moments later Pinkie Pie also appeared seemingly out of nowhere carrying a terrified Fluttershy who was clinging onto the other mare for dear life. “Spike?” Applejack was the first to speak. “What’s this all about now? And why was Rainbow here barging into my home and carrying me like a rag doll all the way out here?” “Was knocking too hard?” Spike deadpanned, glancing at Rainbow Dash. “Hey!” Rainbow Dash protested. “You wanted us to be fast!” “Too… fast…” Fluttershy shivered, Pinkie Pie giving her a sheepish grin of apology. Spike grumbled in exasperation, but said no more on the matter; what he had to discuss with them couldn’t be delayed by simple antics between friends. Even this particular group of friends. “So, you wanted to tell us something, what’s up with Twilight?” Rainbow asked. “Twi?” Applejack said questioningly. “What about her?” “Spike said she isn’t doing so well,” Rainbow explained. “But wanted to get us together before saying anything else on the matter.” “Well darn, this sounds serious.” “Darn, ya’ll think so?” Rainbow Dash snarked out in an almost perfect Applejack impression. AJ opened her mouth to give Rainbow a verbal lashing, but was immediately interrupted. “Girls!?” Spike said with a raised voice, getting their attention. “Focus.” “Right, sorry Spike,” Applejack apologised. “Now, what’s all this about?” Spike sighed, taking a moment to make sure the other four were finally paying attention before continuing on forwards. The Element Bearers were now being patient and aware, waiting for Spike’s reply. With that assured, Spike could continue. “Yes, Twilight’s in trouble. We all are.” Rainbow Dash snorted. “Is that any different to normal?” “It is,” Spike growled. “Because Queen Draco is dead.” That shut the prismatic mare up. “D-dead?” Fluttershy was the one to ask. “What? How?” “She killed herself,” he responded, eliciting gasps from the others. “Something had taken control of her, almost forced her to do… something to Twilight. She fought back, and decided to end her own life to save Twilight’s.” “And Twilight sent you?” “Yes. She’s… in a bad way emotionally, but very determined to see whoever is behind this brought down. Even more so than usual, this crisis has hurt her, it’s become personal. And both she and the princesses want all of you ready to go at a moment’s notice. They didn’t want you involved unless they had to, and that time is approaching fast.” Applejack hummed as she mulled over the news. “OK, I see the urgency. And who exactly is it behind all of this?” “We don’t know. A she, but that’s about all the information we have on her at this time.” “Not much of a target for us to use the elements on.” “I know. We need to see what Twilight comes up with at the Council, and we need to get Rarity here anyway.” “There should be some stuff to write on in the library,” Rainbow noted, nodding a head at the golden oak just to the side of the group. “We can go inside, and you can explain to us everything that led up to now. And I mean everything.” “I can do that. But how are we going to get in? The librarian is clearly not home.” Rainbow shrugged, walking over to a plant pot near the door and picking it up; under the pot a familiar key that Spike recognised had been rather poorly hidden. “Seriously? She keeps it hidden under the plant?” “She told us where to find it, in case we ever needed to get in,” Rainbow stated. “A lot of Twi’s egghead stuff is still in the basement, the librarian never goes down there.” The Pegasus swiftly opened up the door and led the other four inside. The Golden Oaks Library was much the same as Spike remembered it, even the smell was the same. For a moment, he forgot he and Twilight no longer lived there, and part of his brain expected to see a lavender unicorn filing her books as she desired them. A time long past. The last time he had been inside was in the aftermath of the Battle of Ponyville, where some of the wounded were being treated within. That, however, was hardly Spike’s favourite memory of his old home. Reminiscence cast aside, he found a neat pile of paper on a nearby desk along with a quill. He wasted no time in writing a letter addressed to his childhood crush, they would need all the Element Bearers if push came to shove. Rarity. It’s Spike, I’m with the others (except Twilight) in Ponyville. Things are at their worst, and we need you home. Equestria may have need of the Element of Generosity. What’s more, Twilight needs you. And so do I. Safe travels. Spike. Spike rolled up the paper and bound it, taking in a deep breath before unleashing his magical flames upon the letter. With the message sent, he could breathe a sigh of relief with the knowledge that the last of the elements would be arriving sooner rather than later. “You done?” Applejack asked. “Yeah, that’s that. Now, explanation?” “That would be nice, yes. What happened out there?” Spike told them everything. The way he told it was far less formal than the report given to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna by Broad Sword, Shining Armor and Vladimir, but it got the point across nevertheless. Hearing the tale direct from his maw, the four ponies began to fully understand the urgency he had been displaying, and a new horror plagued their minds as they realised the extent of the emotional trauma the Bearer of the Element of Magic was undergoing. “The world of changelings can be a harsh one, can’t it?” Rainbow muttered. “Crap…” “It’s the same world as ours, Rainbow,” Applejack stated factually. “It’s cruel and unfair. But that’s why Twi has friends like us, right?” Rainbow Dash puffed up. “Damn straight it is! Give us a target Spike, Element of Loyalty and forever awesome Wonderbolt Rainbow Dash is on point and ready to fly!” “I didn’t say forgo caution and run straight into danger,” Applejack retorted. “Oh please, I am the image of caution.” The farmer’s eyebrow reached her hat, a look of clear bemusement on her face. While this was going on, Pinkie Pie seemed to shift left to right with an uncomfortable expression on her face; it was as if she could feel something coming on. “Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked in concern. For once, the group all heard Fluttershy’s voice and all turned to see what was up. “Pinkie, are you alright?” Spike enquired cautiously. “Huh?” Pinkie looked up, trying to re-inflate some of her mane. “Oh, fine. Just feeling a little-” Pinkie jerked up, her body undergoing several seemingly random spasms. To the uneducated, it would seem like the mare had just undergone a severe seizure. To any resident of Ponyville however, it was recognised as something far more terrifying “Pinkie sense?” Applejack enquired. Pinkie just sat there for a moment, staring into the distance with shock filled eyes. “Pinkie?” “Spike?” the pink mare spoke up. “Uh, yeah?” “Remember earlier when I said we could be in a book?” Spike flinched, he tended to lock away ‘Pinkie Pie memories’ as they perplexed him too much. “Yes… unfortunately.” “Well, the readers of that story better watch themselves,” Pinkie muttered uncharacteristically, something obviously haven shaken the usually bubbly mare. “Because I bet, I know, that something bad is about to happen.”