//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Out of the Frying Pan // by AnnonyMouse //------------------------------// Author: Annonymouse MLP:FiM is property of Hasbro. This is a free fan-fiction, not to be sold or traded for any money, goods or services. ... A/N: No comments on spelling or grammar please. See my profile for details. ... Terra Harmony is back... and her presence brings anything BUT harmony... again. ... Out of the Frying Pan 02 ... Shale Nova, looking as ancient as she was, had tripped. The artifact she carried slipped from her grasp and flew through the air, tumbling toward the assembled ponies and small dragon. Terra watched, a mix of emotions running through her. Fear, terror, worry, curiosity, confusion, amusement. The artifact of unknown, and potentially dangerous power, flew toward the group. But it never touched the ground. Spike, somehow, caught it while the others scrambled to hide, except Scootaloo who wrapped her wings about herself. The moment Spike touched the metal disk, the gem seemed to 'expand' at explosive speeds, engulfing the entire rock quarry. Everything became a sea of black, nothing was visible. Pain ripped through everypony, even the two oldest ones. The as sudden as it happened, cracks appeared in the darkness, the the sound of shattering glass. The world returned to normal, leaving quite a few smoking forms laying about. Scootaloo, turtled away in her 'shell', unfolded her wings from around her, and folded them back to her sides. She looked around at all the smoking forms. “MOM!!!” She cried and rushed to the cyan blue form. A sudden gust of wind blew the smoke away, revealing an unharmed Rainbow Dash. “Mom, are... you... alright?” Scoots skidded to a stop and stared down at a form a little smaller than her own. Younger. Rainbow Dash was... a young filly? A groan to the side caught Scootaloo's attention. She turned and gasped at the sight of a pint sized filly that was wearing an oversized stetson. “What the hay?” A cute voice called out from under the hat, a moment before a hoof lifted it. “Scootaloo? What's goin' on? Why're ya so big?” Applejack said quickly. Everypony all stared at each other and started panicking. It was total chaos with much screaming and crying and Rarity whining. “Uh...” Scootaloo started looking around. Twilight. Pinkie Pie. Rarity. Fluttershy. They were all... fillies. “Oh no...” She spun around to see a tiny grey filly standing up, wearing silver and ruby jewelry that still fit her much smaller form. It had to be Terra. Behind Terra stood a desert sand coated filly with a dark grey mane and tail, both flowing down onto the ground and spread about. “You IDIOT Dragon!!!” Shale Nova screamed cutely. “Where is that... stupid... eep...” She was staring past Scootaloo and the others, even as they were panicking. She then looked up, and up, and UP. Scoots turned around, but Spike was not there. Another gust of wind knocked her back, making her look up. Every other filly was knocked down as well, making them paused in their panic. The massive, ancient looking dragon stood before them all, towering over them so much that his size seemed impossible. He made the red dragon they had met before look small, and he had been huge. “What just happened?” A tiny Twilight asked, then saw Scootaloo looking up. They all looked up. “Spike?” Twilight gasped. The massive dragon was looking around, then looked down and squinted. “Twi?” His voice boomed, making every pony flatten their ears. A shriek of fear erupted from the filly that could only be Terra. Again all heads turned to see a tiny filly trying to burrow (not very successfully) into the ground. “What he heck?” Dash cried. “Why are we all fillies... Why is my voice cracking? WHY AM I A FILLY AGAIN?” “No... Oh no... Of all the worst possible things...” “Don't even go there Rarity.” Twilight stopped Rarity's little cry of upset. “Spike? What happened to you? Why did you grow up while the rest of us became younger.” Spike lowered the large house sized head and whispered. “I don't know. I remember catching that thing the other pony dropped, and suddenly everything went all freaky.” He opened one of his claws and peeked at the tiny crushed remains of the disk. The gem was missing completely. “I think I broke it.” Shale Nova scrambled forward. “You broke it?” She glanced at the slightly larger Twilight and backed away a little. “But... I needed that to become younger again.” “You're younger now.” Pinkie Pie bounced over and sang. “Look at ME! I'm a fill EE!” The strait maned Pinkie grinned and giggled. “Oh dear...” Fluttershy whimpered. “How can I take care of my animal friends if I'm this young again.” Applejack and Rainbow Dash turned to the half buried Terra, who was STILL trying to burrow through solid rock. They grabbed her and pulled her out. “No, let me escape before that dragon eats us all.” Terra cried in fear. She dove back into her little hole and pulled a slab of stone on top of her. Twilight sighed. “We need to figure out how we're going to get back to normal... Especially you Spike...” She looked at Terra's hiding place, seeing a pair of wide, terrified eyes peeking out. “Spike?” YAWN! “Yea Twi?” “I think you're going to have to hide for a little while.” “And eat a tone of breath mints... please...” Rarity quipped. “Can I nap? If I'm all grown up all of a sudden, I think I'm going to be needing a REALLY long nap. Maybe one or two thousand years.” “No, no napping. Last time we had a dragon napping in Equestria, it caused a lot of smoke. You're at least five times bigger than him, so that would mean a LOT more smoke.” Twilight grumbled. “Where in Equestria can Spike hide without causing panic? You're the largest dragon I've ever heard of.” “I'm not that big... Am I?” Rarity wanted to cry. She didn't want to be a filly again, but she knew crying would solve nothing. She just had to be strong, and smart. “Well... If that thing sucked out all our age... Maybe because Spike was touching it, he got all the age we lost.” She tried to sound calm, but here was still a whimper in her voice. “Good observation.” Shale fumed. “Except it wasn't meant to be used by a Dragon, but only by me. And... and... y... you... Broooo-ooo-oo-k iiiit! She started crying, like the little filly she now was. Twilight backed away to avoid getting soaked by the waterworks and ignored Shale, for the moment. “Ok, Spike, once we figure out how to reverse this, we'll send for you. You'll have to find a place far, far away from any ponies or anything really.” “Where can I hide? I'm almost as big as a small mountain.” Spike was doing his best at staying still. He didn't want to wipe out a swath of forest or send trees and bounders raining down onto Ponyville. “Maybe that new island I heard about.” Dash suggested, glancing at everypony's hindquarters. All were blank, totally lacking cutie marks, including her own. (Not good... Not good at all...This is the THIRD time in my life I've been a blank flank... It's just NOT fair...) She wanted to cry, but Rainbow Dash did NOT cry... in front of others at least. Applejack nodded. “Ah think that might be for th' best. For now at least.” Her oversized stetson falling down and covering her head again. “I guess that's all I can do for now. I'll wait for your message.” Spike yawned again before lumbering off, not quite realizing he was sporting a pair of wings that could cover at least half of Ponyville from a rainstorm. “Okay...” Twilight turned to Terra, who was lifting her rock enough to keep an eye on Spike. “Terra, Spike's going to hide for a while. You can come out...” She turned to the smallest filly. “Shale Nova was it?” Shale Nova was even smaller than Fluttershy, who was still an inch taller than her. She whimpered and nodded. “What exactly was that thing that made us all young?” “An immortality vacuum. It would have sucked Terra's immortality and given it to the user, in other words, ME. But NOOO! That dragon ruined everything. It took me over a thousand years to make it...” “Of course it would take you so long...” Terra dusted herself off. “You were never smart enough to know that an item like that is flawed in it's design. All it does is suck out age and transfer it to the holder. If you had been holding it, you would have taken only my age. You'd have become... hmm, 10,000 years old? At the very least.” “But... Why would you create something like that?” “So I can have others foolishly use it on me... though I've never become this young before.” “You did WHAT?” Rarity glared. “You made ponies old so you could become young again?” Terra nodded. “That was before I was imprisoned, but after I was benevolent and... no, wait. Never was benevolent. Ok, after I was neutral. When I was in my raging mood and while I had joined up with Discord before he killed me, I wasn't exactly a good little pony.” “So... you did a lot of bad thing?” “Yea, like sealing most of my workshops with my assistants and servants still inside so none of my secrets would ever get out.” Terra shrugged. “What? Why are you all looking at me like I'm evil? I spent 3,000 years with my soul stuck in a little rock.” She patted the Element of Love that she wore. The element was a little large for her and actually hung loose. Shale Nova stared at Terra. “You were sealed these last 3,000 years?” “Yup. Body got blown up, real bloody mess covering at least a hundred square miles. Then Discord sealed my soul in this gem... which I had altered to be a prison. Now it's what it was supposed to be, the seventh Element.” “I don't care about that.” Shale yelled. “Please be quiet shorty before I...” She paused and grunted. “Before you what? Fart?” “Magic... I can't use my magic...” She looked at all the blank flanks, then at her own blank flank. “I'll be screaming about now...” Applejack pulled her hat over her head and covered her ears while the rest covered their ears and waited for the massive incoming earthquake. But no earth shattering scream came. Just a little scream of a young filly. Ok, it was still pretty loud, and flattened all ears, but no world shaking happened. Twilight tried to use her magic. Nothing. “Rarity, use your magic, make something float.” “Um... ok... But once I do get home, and after a bath, I'll be freaking out thank you very much.” She concentrated, and nothing. “Um... nothing happened.” “Aww, I can't wink. That's no fun,” Pinkie flopped and sat down, and pouted cutely.. “An' Ah can't do nuthin either.” AJ shrugged. “Well...” Terra glared at Shale. “You did this to us. What are you going to do too fix this little mess up?” “Little?” Rarity filly muttered. “What do you expect ME to do?” Shale replied, her eyes wet from tears. “I'm a blank flank too in case you failed to notice. Not that this matters to me. I'm young again.” Terra was just a tiny bit smaller than Scootaloo, but still taller than the others. She towered over Shale. “I expect you to go back to the workshop you crawled out of and... Um, which one was it?” “Workshop number three hundred and fifty four.” “Oh... One of the ones I had to abandon because of the low quality of available materials.” Terra frowned. “I thought you were out at the time.” “No I was not... I was taking a nap.” Shale fumed. “Not that you care.” Scootaloo had enough of the bickering, and 'technically' she was now the eldest one here. “Okay, enough. We shouldn't be fighting. We should be trying to think of some way to get everything fixed, including Shale Nova's old age problem... and ESPECIALLY Spike's big problem.” She looked at her adopted Mom. “Um... Mom?” Dash smiled weakly. “Yea Scoots?” “Are you ok?” “Oh sure.” Dash kicked a rock. “I'm a filly and a blank flank for the third time in my life...” She then turned to Terra. “Can't your visits ever, oh, I dunno, NOT throw our lives into the blender?” “Maybe one of these days.” Terra grinned. “But apparently not today.” Twilight hopped up onto a rock. “Everypony, I have to agree with Scootaloo. We need to work together. This may have been between Shale Nova and Lady Terra, but we're all in this together now.” “Ankle deep in pony apples...” Applejack muttered. Rarity cringed. “Eew. That's disgusting.” “Sorry Rare. Just an expression.” AJ grinned. “So... How are we gonna hide this from th' ponyfolk in town?” “We need to sent a letter to Princess Celestia.” Twilight turned and froze. “But we already sent Spike off to hide.” She promptly facehoofed. “Well this was not well thought out.” Scootaloo spread her wings. “I can deliver it for you. Tia and Luna and I are pretty close. Not as close as you Twilight, but, I did spend some time in their bodies and I do take a weekly lesson from Luna in magic.” “That is a good idea.” Twilight beamed. “Let's sneak back to the library and get the letter written.” Rarity whimpered. “But... I'm dirty. I want to go home and wash up.” “You can use my bath.” she looked down at her own coat. “I don't have enough hot water at home to let us all take separate baths. We'll have to share.” “But...” “No buts Rarity.” Twilight gave the white unicorn a glare. “Let's go.” ... The group of eight fillies had to rely on stealth to reach the library unseen. Okay, only seven needed to use stealth. Scootaloo was well known in town, especially with her magical artificial wings. She just flew up above and gave the all clear or incoming signs. Finally they managed to sneak into the library. Twilight closed and locked the doors, put out the closed sign, and shut all the curtains. “Who lives in a tree?” Shale Nova asked, looking around. “And using paper for book? Metal lasts much longer.” Terra rolled her eyes. “Ingrate.” “Slave driver.” “Runt.” “THAT'S IT!!!” “Oh, PONY PILE!!!” “Pinkie wait...” Twilight turned in time to see the pink pony jump on top of the other two that were starting to fight, knocking them flat. “Never mind... I'll just get my quill and paper...” Twilight climbed the stairs. “Why are these stairs so big...” She muttered as she reached the upper library loft. Rarity sat next to the very quiet Fluttershy. “Fluttershy?” “I'm worried about my animal friends.” “They'll be alright. As soon as Scootaloo can deliver the letter to Princess Celestia, the sooner we can get turned back to normal.” The white filly then flicked a little dirt off her shoulder. “Come on, let's go take a bath and get cleaned up.” The two friends headed up to the third floor where the kitchen, small living room and washroom were. “I need help up here.” Twilight called. “Preferably somepony who can write without magic.” Scootaloo flapped her wings and was up with Twilight quickly. “I can use my magic to write. It's a lot neater than my mouth writing.” Twilight wanted to cry hearing that. Scootaloo was a better magician than herself now. “That's great. Just write what I tell you.” She cleared her throat and started. “Dear Princess Celestia. I hope this letter finds you well. We need your help as my friends and I, along with your sister Terra and one other pony have all been turned into fillies, and we are lacking our magic and cutie marks. Spike was turned into a 10,000 year old dragon and is heading off someplace to hide. We await your response. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.” “Anything else?” Scootaloo asked as she finished writing. Twilight looked the letter over. “No, that's very good. Your writing is better than Spikes. I'm impressed.” “Really?” “Yes. No spelling errors and you were even faster.” Twilight smiled and retrieved a seal and candle. “So I take this now?” “One sec...” She concentrated, trying to do ANY magic. Nothing. “I can't even light this candle.” She sighed and retrieved the wooden matches, lit the candle and sealed the letter with the seal stamp. “I haven't used this thing... ever. Spike always delivered the letters with his magic breath.” “Well, I'll have this delivered in an hour. I'll be back as fast as possible.” She took the letter with her magic and paused. “Do you have a bag or something with pockets I can use?” “Yes, I do.” Twilight headed up to her room and retrieved her old saddlebag from when she was younger. She brought it down. “Will this do?” “I do have wings...” Scootaloo flapped her magic wings, then looked at them. “Hey, I was there, why wasn't I made younger?” “I think it's because you have magical wings. They must have shielded you somehow.” Twilight then took the bag downstairs. “But first... Where's Rarity?” Rainbow Dash pointed to the stairs that lead up. “I saw her head up the stairs to your home. I bet she and Fluttershy are talking a bath.” “Great.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “I guess we wait.” ... Rarity knew she couldn't modify the bag in her current state, so she referred to Fluttershy. “You can do this, right?” Fluttershy nodded meekly. “I think so.” “As much as Ah'd love to stick round an' wait, Ah gotta be gettin back to Sweet Apple Acres... Ah really aught to tell Big Macintosh about this. Apple Bloom will most likely think this is really funny.” “I really have to check on my animal friends. I told them I wouldn't be gone too long.” Fluttershy said as she worked away on the saddlebags. “And I'm hungry.” Pinkie Pie was sitting still, which was odd, but still smiling. “I haven't eaten in nearly an hour.” “Sweetie Belle should be getting home soon... Oh what AM I going to do now. I'm all left hooves when it comes to doing physical labor.” “What about me?” Dash muttered. “I'm grounded... again... I have weather clearing duty. It's supposed to be a clear night tonight. There's clouds starting to build up.” Twilight sighed. “Your weather team can handle it once they realize you're not available.” She nuzzled Dash. “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna will be able to get things back to normal... I hope.” “Done.” Fluttershy held up the saddlebags. They looked brand new, and sported Scootaloo's cutie mark on the sides. How Fluttershy had done that was unknown. “That looks awesome.” Scootaloo beamed as she slipped it on. “It fits perfectly too.” She hugged a blushing Flutter-filly. “You're the second best, only because Mom's the best.” She released Fluttershy and headed to the door. “I'll be back as soon as possible.” With that, the 'oldest' filly present left and took to he sky. Twilight's shoulder's sagged. “Well... I guess we have no choice but to try to get on with our lives till everything is sorted out.” With that, all but Twilight Sparkle, Terra Harmony and Shale Nova agreed. “What now?” Shale asked, her head hanging. “Research.” Twilight's eyes lit up. “Maybe I can find some sort of aging spell that can return us back to normal. We can ask the Princesses to cast it on us.” Terra patted Twilight on the withers. “Great idea. You get on that and I'll be mailing Shale back to the workshop.” She glared at the small foal. “In multiple packages if I have too.” “Lady Terra, no.” Twilight stepped between the pair. “Shale made a mistake. You did too, remember? But we accepted you as a friend. Can't we at least give Shale a chance as well?” Shale stared wide eyed at Twilight. “You... You're willing to forgive me?” “Let me tell you about the first time we met Lady Terra Harmony. I think you'll understand then.” ... Scootaloo finally landed outside the castle gates and trotted up to the guards. “Hi guys.” She could never tell them apart. All the guards looked identical in their enchanted armor. “Miss Dash. Nice to see you again.” One guard smiled. “What brings you to Canterlot today? You're lessons with Princess Luna are not till tomorrow night.” “I know, I know. I have a really important message for Princess Celestia.” The guards nodded to each other. “Go on in Miss Dash.” “Thank you.” Scootaloo Dash smiled. She loved that name. Scootaloo Dash. It was an awesome name. She trotted through the gates and headed through the halls till she reached the throne room. She sat down and waited to be called in. It only took fifteen minutes till she was called in by the herald. Scootaloo trotted in and bowed before Princess Celestia. “Princess Celestia, I come today not as a friend or a student, but as a messenger.” She made use of the etiquette lessons she had been taking. “What message is that Scootaloo?” Celestia smiled. Scoots fluttered her wings and floated the letter from the bag. She held it up before herself and waited for the Princess to take it. Celestia did so and opened it, read it, and stifled a giggle. “Oh Terra... You've done it again... somehow.” She smiled at Scootaloo. “I will make solving this a matter of utmost importance. In the meantime, I think I will be needing to see this for myself.” “You're coming back to Ponyville with me?” “Yes, or rather, you will be coming to Ponyville with me.” She turned to her aide. “Mr. Checklist?” “Yes my Princess?” “Reschedule my meetings for the afternoon, and send my apologies to my nephew, Prince Blueblood. I won't be making his birthday dinner party tonight.” “What shall I tell him? I do not enjoy his... temper.” “Send Silver Lance to deliver the message. I don't think my nephew's temper will dare show itself around her.” “Will do.” Checklist Checkers bowed and took his leave, a grin on his face. Silver Lance was the only Unicorn mare that could keep the Prince in line with just a glare. “Now, Scootaloo, shall we go?” “Thank you Princess.” The Princess's horn flashed with light, and the pair vanished from the throne room. ... Twilight, Terra and Shale emerged from the bath and were drying off when they heard Scootaloo call from downstairs. “Twilight? Are you home? Where is everypony?” “One sec Scootaloo.” Twilight trotted down the stairs and instantly spotted an amused looking Princess Celestia. Terra stepped next to Twilight. “Hi Sis... Um... This isn't my fault this time.” “Oh pony apples...” Shale Nova paled at the sight of the tyrant. She bowed and scrambled forward. “Please, I beg your forgiveness... I... Please don't disintegrate me or turn me into a pebble or banish me. I'll try to do whatever I can to sort this out.” Celestia raised an eye. She did not recognize this filly. Terra walked up and bonked Shale on the head. “Quit groveling Shale.” She rolled her eyes. “Yea, it was a 'simple' mistake with an artifact that Shale Nova made. It backfired and, well, you got the letter.” There was a twinkle in Celestia's eye. One that made Terra nervous, Twilight curious, and Shale downright terrified. “Gather the others. While we work to resolve this... interesting issue, I think I know exactly what to do.” Celestia rarely had a mischievous grin on her face. She was not even attempting to hide this one. ... To Be Continued...