It Takes a Village to Reform a Changeling
Chapter 14: Mandy's Magical Mystery Cure
On that fateful morning, Mandy got up at 6:00 AM (he'd learned the hard way that trying to shop during the morning rush hour would attract a lot of unwanted attention, so he'd started going earlier) and quickly got prepared to do a grocery run for Twilight. After taking a quick shower (noting that the hot water was rather depleted today), having a light breakfast of pancakes, and gathering the bits she'd left out for him, he quietly left the library at 6:30 and headed to the marketplace.
After consulting the grocery list, he made his way around the stalls to find everything he'd need. Some of the shop owners were afraid of him, a few outright loathed him, most were indifferent, and only one actually liked him (for the record, it was the asparagus seller), but regardless, he got everything he needed with 3 bits to spare – just enough to get Twilight a small bundle of extra quills.
But as he was finishing up at the Sofas and Quills shop, he started to hear singing outside:
There's the Mayor, en route to her office...
Mandy stepped outside to see what was happening, Davenport (the sofa and quill clerk) right behind.
Twilight was walking down the street, singing some sort of song, and several other ponies were also gathering to see the commotion. As she passed Mandy and Davenport, she sang:
There's the sofa clerk selling some quills!
"Morning, kid!" Davenport called after her as she trotted past.
Mandy, his interest now piqued, followed the book-loving unicorn as she made her way to Café Hay.
My Ponyville is so gentle and still
Can things ever go wrong? I don't think that they will!
As soon as she finished this line, she hopped onto a table and performed a short tap-dancing break. A waiter also joined in, dancing on another table. Mandy would've expected the patrons who were sitting there to be annoyed, but they were surprisingly enthralled by the musical number.
But as they were doing this, Mandy also spotted some clouds moving over Town Hall, being arranged into a checkerboard pattern. Seeing this, the Changeling started to get a sinking feeling in his gut.
Twilight stepped down from the table with the help of some patrons, and continued the song.
Morning in Ponyville shimmers,
Morning in Ponyville shines!
As she sang this, she made her way to Town Center, where several ponies began to do some elaborately-choreographed theatrics behind her. The sight made Mandy wonder how much of this was pre-planned.
And I know for absolute certain
That everything is certainly –
Before Twilight could finish the song on a high note, a torrent of water fell onto her from one of the errant clouds, drenching her completely.
"Rainbow Dash," she assumed, "That's not funny!"
However, what happened next shocked both of them.
Rarity, who was standing on a bridge nearby, called out, "Terribly sorry, darlings; I'm afraid I'm... I'm not good with the thunder-y ones."
Before either of them could ask what she meant, Rarity turned her head back towards the sky and lit her horn, trying to get the clouds in some orderly fashion. In this moment, they got a glimpse of her Cutie Mark.
Or rarther, Rainbow Dash's Cutie Mark.
Twilight blinked, but what she was seeing didn't change. "Something tells me everything is not going to be fine..."
Mandy couldn't believe what he was seeing as Twilight walked up to Rarity and began talking. A Cutie Mark swap? How did this happen? Was it only affecting Rarity and (assumedly) Rainbow, or were more ponies affected?
He was so distracted thinking of questions that he didn't notice Twilight rush back to him until she said, "Mandy! Quickly, wake up Spike and bring him to Fluttershy's Cottage; I'll meet you both there!"
Before Mandy could recollect his voice, she was off.
After several minutes, Mandy had dropped off the groceries, gotten Spike, and met up with Twilight at Fluttershy's Cottage.
Spike yawned from atop Mandy's back. "I still don't know what you had to wake me up for; I love sleeping in the rain..."
"It's not about the weather, Spike. Rarity had Rainbow Dash's Cutie Mark, and said this was Rainbow Dash's Cottage!"
Mandy blinked, processing that. "Something strange is going on..." he mumbled.
They reached the door, and Twilight knocked. A chorus of animal noises greeeted them, and they jumped back in fright.
A moment later, Rainbow Dash poked her head out. "Hey, guys," she said in a tone unlike anything Mandy had ever heard from her.
"Rainbow Dash," Twilight got straight to the point, "Why is Rarity doing your job?"
Before Dash could answer, another wave of animal noises, followed by a crash of furniture, rang out from inside. Rainbow Dash jumped, then zipped back inside, leaving the door ajar.
Twilight opened it up the rest of the way. "And what's going on in... here...?" She trailed off as all three of them saw the scene before them:
Chaos. Utter chaos. Animals were running around in fits of mad hysteria, and Rainbow Dash, who suddenly had Fluttershy's Cutie Mark, was trying in vain to calm down even one of them.
Then she started singing.
These animals don't listen
No, not one little bit
They run around out of control
And throw their hissy fits
It's up to me to stop them
'cause plainly, you can see
It's got to be my destiny,
And it's what my Cutie Mark is telling me!
Twilight, Spike, and Mandy all looked at each other, and silently agreed that they needed to find Fluttershy next.
They certainly found her, alright.
She was at Sugar Cube Corner, with Pinkie's Cutie Mark, trying to keep several ponies entertained.
They then checked on Pinkie, who was in a similar situation at Sweet Apple Acres – her hair was flat as she failed to harvest apples.
It especially hurt Mandy to see Applejack at Carousel Boutique, miserably failing to make dresses.
They even passed Rarity again on their way back to the Library, and heard her singing as well.
Each one of them, in turn, had a verse to add to the song, and it didn't sound like they enjoyed it.
All-in-all, the situation had officially gone to shit.
Twilight burst into the Library and began running in place in panic. "This is bad! This is very, VERY bad!"
Mandy came in next, Spike still on his back.
"What's going on!?" Mandy asked.
"Why's this happening?!" Spike concurred.
Twilight stopped prancing, and began, "Last night, when Spike was taking one of his 7-hour bubble baths,–" (Spike blushed slightly at this) "–I got a special delivery from the princess!"
She grabbed out an old notebook with some stars on the cover, along with a note.
The note said:
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
The spell contained on the last page of this book is Star Swirl the Bearded's secret unfinished masterpiece. He was never able to get it right, and thus abandoned it. I believe you are the only pony who can understand and rewrite it.
– Princess Celestia
She flipped the journal to the last page, and showed the spell in question:
From one to another, another to one, the mark of one's destiny singled out alone, fulfilled.
Spike scratched his head. "That doesn't make sense; it doesn't even rhyme!"
She continued, "I cast the spell so I could find out what it was, but nothing seemed to happen." She turned around and gestured to the Elements of Harmony, which were still in their display case, and added, "But now I know something DID happen! The spell has changed the Elements of Harmony; that must be why their Cutie Marks are all wrong!"
The two guys looked; indeed, all the Elements (aside from Twilight's tiara) were miscolored.
Mandy offered, "So just cast a counter-spell to switch them back!"
Twilight blinked, then deadpanned, "It's an unfinished spell; I doubt that it would have a working counter-spell when the spell, itself, isn't properly finished."
Spike then chimed in, "Why don't you just use that memory spell you used to fix everypony when Discord was here?"
Mandy nearly spoke up to ask for clarification, but then realized he was talking about the FIRST time Discord was there, and promptly shut up.
Twilight countered, "It's not their memories that've been altered; it's their true selves!"
Mandy blinked at this. 'Wasn't their memories'? That made no sense, considering that the other Elements didn't seem to realize that anything was different about them, which meant that they couldn't remember when they had their actual Cutie Marks; ergo, their memories were altered.
But before Mandy could voice this, Spike offered, "Zecora's cure for the Cutie Pox?"
"That won't work, either," Twilight denied, becoming more dejected as she turned around to walk up the stairs.
Spike, trying to keep her from freaking out or giving up, added, "Well, uhh, maybe it won't be so bad? Maybe our friends could grow to like their new lives?"
Twilight sighed somberly. "No, Spike. They're not who they're meant to be anymore; their destinies are now changed, and it's all my fault..."
With a stifled sob, she trudged upstairs. Mandy and Spike quickly followed, finding her on her bed and singing a depressing song:
I have to find a way
To make this all okay
I can't believe this small mistake
Could've caused so much heartache
Oh why?
Oh why-y-y?
Something is wrong, it's plain to see
This isn't how it's meant to be
And you can't see it like I do
It's not the life that's meant for you
Oh why
Oh why-y-y?
Losing promise
I don't know what to do
Seeking answers
I fear I won't get through to you
I'll try
And I'll try
I'll try
And I'll try
And with that, she finally allowed herself to start crying.
"Oh, Spike," she choked, "What have I done?"
After letting her mope for a good few minutes, Mandy sighed. It was really disheartening to see Twilight Sparkle, of all ponies, give up. It was unlike her to quit so easily, especially when she hadn't actually done anything to try and solve the problem yet.
So he steeled himself and got up. "Twilight, listen to me: You will find a way to fix this."
Twilight sniffled, looking up at him with downcast eyes that were reddened from all the crying. "You really think so?"
"I know so," he countered.
Twilight sniffled. "You're right; I have to at least try. They're my friends, and they mean more to me than anything."
Mandy helped her up to her hooves, and she started pacing. "Alright, so what can we do? There aren't any counter-spells, we can't use the Elements to summon Discord since they're out of whack, and potions won't help, either."
"And it's not like they can just re-earn their Cutie Marks," Mandy commented offhandedly.
Twilight perked up at this. "Re-earn their Cutie Marks?"
Mandy shrugged. "From what I've heard, nopony has ever gotten a new Cutie Mark after they've already earned one."
Twilight, however, wasn't paying attention; instead, she was thinking it over. A plan was forming in her head, and for some reason, she was starting to glow brighter and brighter the closer she got to it.
"Uhh... Twilight? You alright?" Spike hesitantly asked.
As soon as she reached that Eureka moment, a replica of her Cutie Mark showed up in her eyes for a split second, and she beamed. "I've got it!" She exclaimed as she stopped glowing, "I know what to do!"
Spike and Mandy gasped. "You do?!" they asked in unison.
Twilight began to run back down the stairs, and they hurried to follow. "I may not be able to remind them of who they are, but I can show them what they mean to each other. They'll find the part of themselves that's been lost so they can help the friends they care about so much! Come on, guys!"
Mandy blinked, barely registering any of that. Help them by having them help each other...? He couldn't quite wrap his head around it.
But once again, before he could speak up, she'd already grabbed the Elements of Harmony and bolted out the door. Spike leapt onto Mandy's back, and they raced out to follow.
They found Fluttershy at a hot air balloon port, carrying her bags with her. The group made their way past the crowd (who seemed especially irritated today), and Twilight called out, "Fluttershy, wait!"
The yellow pegasus turned and saw them. "Oh... Hey, Twilight..."
"Where are you going?!" the purple unicorn asked.
Fluttershy composed herself, but it didn't stop the tone of sadness from entering her voice as she confessed, "I'm moving back to Cloudsdale! I don't know what's wrong, but I can't seem to make anypony laugh."
As if to demonstrate, she pulled out a whoopee cushion and pressed it, deflating it in front of their faces.
Nopony laughed.
Her point made, she turned to pay the balloon pilot, but Twilight intercepted her. "Before you go, I was wondering if you might be willing to help Rainbow Dash; she's really struggling with her animals."
Fluttershy twirled her hooves abashedly. "B-but... I don't really know the first thing about animals..."
Twilight interjected, "But you do know something about Rainbow Dash."
Fluttershy thought for a moment. "I... I know that she's a true friend, and she would do anything to help me, so I'll do anything I can to help her!"
Realization began to dawn on Mandy as he slowly started realizing what Twilight's plan was.
Twilight beckoned for Fluttershy to follow, and the group headed off to the Cottage.
Before they even got to the door, they heard something heavy ram into it, and Rainbow Dash called out for help from inside.
Twilight rushed up to the door. "Rainbow Dash!"
"I'm in here!" she shouted back.
Twilight reared up on her front legs and bucked the door open, and they gaped at what they saw:
Rainbow Dash was tied up inside a metal cauldron, and a bunch of animals were marching around her, holding up silverware and chanting as though at some ritualistic sacrifice.
"Help, I'm trapped!" she screamed as a ferret began to garnish her with pepper.
Fluttershy clung to Twilight out of fear. "Hurry, Twilight! Can't you do some sort of spell to get her out?!"
"No," Twilight lied, "Fluttershy, you're the only one who can help! Rainbow Dash needs you!"
Fluttershy shivered, not budging at first. But then she looked Rainbow Dash in the eye, saw how utterly terrified the prismatic pegasus was, and took a deep breath to steel herself. "Um... Hello, little woodland... Creatures? I know that you're all very upset and feel like giving Rainbow Dash a hard time, but we'd all really appreciate it if you'd calm down and, um, maybe... Rest for a bit?"
The animals stopped their ritual and looked at Fluttershy.
The timid pegasus looked around, spotting a slightly open cupboard containing a bag of lettuce. "Oh! Uh... Look, here's some nice, juicy leaves for you to munch on." She rushed to the cupboard, pulled out the bag, and filled a bowl that was lying in the carnage. Immediately, a few rabbits hopped over, warily sniffed the food, and dug in.
She then spotted some acorns further back in the cabinet, and grabbed those as well. "And some crunchy, munchy acorns, too!" She poured these onto the floor, and some mice and squirrels rushed over.
She approached a ferret and some mice that were still standing by the cauldron and asked, "Um, wouldn't you like to take a break and have a snack?"
The ferret looked at his rodent companions, shrugged, and they threw down their utensils and joined in on the feast.
Some detached part of Mandy's mind absently recalled that ferrets were carnivorous, but he didn't dare question something that was working.
Fluttershy strolled up and watched the animals as they ate. "Aww, look at that. I guess you were all just cranky because you were hungry."
One of the rabbits, whom Mandy recognized as Angel, turned and hopped into Fluttershy's arms. Some birds also landed on her shoulders.
"Oh, you are very welcome, little friends!" she replied.
Harry the bear approached and picked her up, giving her a bear hug and kissing her on the forehead.
Fluttershy giggled, then began to think aloud, "Goodness, it's like I can understand them!"
She began to glow, flying out of the bear's grasp. Twilight readied Fluttershy's Element of Harmony.
Fluttershy continued, "I–I feel strange, like... Like this is who I am! My destiny!"
At this, Twilight rushed forward and used her magic to place the necklace onto Fluttershy. She looked down reactively, then gasped as something magical happened. A bunch of images flashed in her eyes in rapid succession, and the glow became blindingly bright.
When the light subsided, Fluttershy was getting up off the floor. "Wha– What happened?"
Twilight cheered, "Fluttershy, look! Your Cutie Mark!"
Mandy peered over and gasped.
Fluttershy's Cutie Mark was back!
"It worked, it worked!" Mandy cheered.
Twilight rushed over and gripped the pegasus in a hug as music started to play from seemingly nowhere. "Oh, I'm so happy you're back to normal!"
Twilight then looked Fluttershy in the eye and declared, "Now, we need your help!"
A true, true friend helps a friend in need
A friend will be there to help them see
A true, true friend helps a friend in need to see the light
That shines from a true, true friend.
Mandy blinked. Four songs in one day? This must've been some kind of record!
Then Rainbow Dash cleared her throat. "Umm, hello? Friend trapped inside, remember?!"
Mandy quickly untied her, then winced as Twilight teleported them all to a hill near the Town Hall, where Rarity was still trying to get the weather under some modicum of control. Twilight continued singing, her voice unhindered by the effort it took to teleport them all there.
Rarity needs your help
She's trying hard, doing what she can
Fluttershy then joined in:
Would you try? Just give it a chance
You might find that you'll start to understand!
They directed Rainbow towards a nearby low-hanging cloud, and she hesitantly kicked it. Once she did, her face brightened from 'confused and apprehensive' to 'why did I enjoy doing that so much?'.
Then, as Twilight and Fluttershy repeated the verse, Rainbow Dash kicked, busted, blew away, or otherwise disposed of all the errant clouds in the sky, doing so in ten seconds flat. When she landed and wiped her brow, she started glowing, and Twilight put the Element of Loyalty around the pegasus's neck, causing her to regain her Cutie Mark.
"Uhh... What just happened?" She asked as she picked herself up off the ground.
Twilight replied hurriedly, "There's no time to explain, but we need your help: Applejack's trying to make dresses!"
Rainbow blinked, then saluted with a, "Say no more!"
Twilight teleported them all, including Rarity, to Carousel Boutique, where AJ was still failing miserably to create appealing clothes.
Applejack needs your help
She's trying hard, doing what she can
Wouldja try? Just give it a chance
You might find that you'll start to understand!
As the growing group of restored ponies sang the verse once more, they had Rarity take over the dress making. Applejack watched in awe as she went through her process instinctively, creating a fabulous dress and having her Cutie Mark restored in the process.
Rarity jolted up. "Oh my, what a terrible dream I've had! Or," she added as she saw Applejack next to one of her failed outfits, "maybe I'm still having it?"
Twilight approached. "Rarity, Pinkie Pie's about to lose the Apple Farm; we need Applejack's help!"
Rarity blinked, then declared, "Lose the Apple Farm? Well, we can't let that happen, now can we?"
She grabbed Applejack, and they all bolted out the door.
Pinkie Pie is in trouble,
We need to get there by her side
As they ran, Twilight used her magic and teleported them again, keeping the pace of the song intact.
We can try to do what we can now
For together, we can be her guide!
The group of four ponies sang the verse again as Applejack's family arrived (they were on some unknown trip up until this point, which had allowed Pinkie to wreak havoc on the farm) and got her to help them save the farm. With Mandy's help, they fixed the entire orchard in a couple of minutes (Mandy found this impressive even considering what Earth Ponies were usually capable of), celebrated, and AJ got her Cutie Mark back.
"Yee-haw!" The country pony whooped, "Now that's more like it! What's next?"
Twilight replied, "The townspeople are furious; we need the old Pinkie Pie back!"
"Ah'm on it," AJ replied, eyeing Pinkie, "Ah know just the thing!"
Another teleport later, and they were walking down a street, Pinkie on AJ's back as she sang.
The townspeople need ya
They've been sad fer a while
They march aroun', face a-frown
And never seem t' smile
And if ya feel like helpin'
We'd appreciate a LOOOOT!
Rainbow Dash quickly flew up into the sky, then dove back down, causing an explosion of color to shoot out from where she broke the sound barrier. Mandy had never seen anything like it; it looked incredible!
Pinkie seemed to like it, too, because as soon as she saw this, her hair poofed up, Twilight gave her her Element, and she got her Cutie Mark back.
If you'd get out there and spread some cheer
From here to Canterlot!
Pinkie jumped up and exclaimed to the ponies walking by, "Come on, ponies! I wanna see you smile!"
They took one look at her, collectively cheered her name, and suddenly, there was an entire parade following them as they made their way down the street, singing the verse one final time and ending the musical number in a giant hug.
All-in-all, Mandy had to admit that the song would be stuck in his head for quite a while afterwards.
Suddenly, Twilight opened her eyes and gasped. "Wait a second, that's it! I know how to rewrite the spell!"
She broke off from the hug and sprinted to the library, the group following her closely.
When they got there, she grabbed the journal and began to write in the space underneath the old spell:
From all of us together
Together we're friends
With the marks of our destinies made one
There is magic without end.
And with that final period, she sealed her fate.
The Elements of Harmony, which were still being worn by the others, began sparking, then suddenly ignited and shot colorful beams towards Twilight. She looked around in a panic, but quickly seemed to calm down.
And just as suddenly as they'd started, the Elements finished with a blinding flash of light. As soon as it was over, everyone gasped.
Twilight was gone, and all that remained was a scorch mark in the shape of her Cutie Mark.
Fluttershy screamed, then promptly fainted.
"Oh no!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie, "This is gonna mess up my party schedule!"
"What the hell just happened!?" Mandy shouted, knowing fully well that everypony else was just as in-the-dark as he was.
Suddenly, a bright flash of light came from outside, dispersing that dark. They all rushed outside, where they were shocked to find a giant apparition of Twilight's Cutie Mark lowering itself to the ground. As soon as it touched down, it winked out of existence, leaving a purple pony in its wake.
"Twilight? Is that you?!" AJ squinted, her eyes still recovering from the light.
Twilight stood up.
Then she flared out her wings.
And Mandy fainted.