//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: The Reception's Back On // by sister_mike //------------------------------// Chapter 8 Rarity "Big Mac!" Applejack screamed. "Flam, stay with the car!" Twilight shouted, as she, Applejack and Rarity ran to the edge. "Do you see them?" Rarity asked. She strained her eyes, peering desperately over the edge. Applejack cried, still shouting Big Mac's name. Rarity put her foreleg around her shoulders. "What happened?" Rainbow Dash asked, landing beside them. "Fluttershy and Big Mac just went over the edge; the rock cracked the tracks," Twilight explained. She looked up. "Where are the changelings?" "We took care of most of them, but the rest flew off; we think they're getting reinforcements," Titan Wings said. "We need to get down there," Applejack said, tears still streaming down her face. She began to pace around the edge, looking for a way down. "We could go down," Rainbow Dash said, flying up again. "I don't think that's a good idea; just hold on a minute everypony, let me think," Twilight said. "They could be hurt," Applejack cried. "Fluttershy's already hurt," Pinkie said, as she walked over. "It's ok; I'm sure they landed in the river," Rarity said. "I'm not sure if Fluttershy can swim very well," Rainbow Dash said. "Um, Rain-bow Dash," Derpy said. "Not now Derpy," Rainbow Dash said. "But the changings are coming back!" Rarity looked up. Sure enough, a bigger swarm of changelings was approaching. "We need to move," Twilight said. "But what about my b-brother? And Flutter-ershy," Applejack cried. The Shadowbolt began to whinny. Twilight looked at him. He began to gesture wildly. "Gah! If only you could talk!" Twilight shouted in frustration, "We don't have time for this!" The Shadowbolt stomped his hooves methodically and in frustration. "Wait!" Inkie shouted suddenly, "say that again!" "I said—" "Not you Twilight Sparkle; the Shadowbolt," Inkie said. The Shadowbolt looked at Inkie with surprise. He then stomped his hooves again. Inkie watched him carefully and then nodded. "He says he can go down and try and find them; they'll meet you in Canterlot," Inkie said. "How... how did you?" Twilight asked. "There's no time to explain; the changelings are coming," Inkie said. Twilight nodded. "Right. Ok, go Shadowbolt. We'll meet you in Canterlot. Everpony else! Back on the car!" The Shadowbolt dove over the edge and was gone. Rarity ran back onto the car and Twilight sat beside her. Once everyone was on, Flam put the car into full speed and they sped off again. "We need Fluttershy in order for the Elements to work," Rarity murmured quietly. Pinkie consoled Applejack, while Inkie readied the cannon. "I know," Twilight said quietly. "I really hope she's ok." The changelings were hot on their trail. They began to throw rocks at the car. The ponies threw apples back and fired them out of the cannon. Suddenly, one of the rocks from the changelings got wedged underneath one of the wheels of the car. Without warning, the car flipped off of the tracks and into the trees beside the tracks. Rarity coughed, climbing out from underneath the car. Immediately, she was assaulted by changelings. They pinned her down and lowered their horn to hers, getting ready to scramble or put her into a cocoon. "Help!" Rarity screamed. Somepony threw a swift kick at them and bowled them all over. Zecora helped Rarity up. "Thank you Zecora," Rarity said. Zecora nodded. The car was broken, overturned in a small clearing surrounded by a few sparse trees. The pegasi continued fighting the changelings, while those who had been thrown off the car tried to regain their balance. Pinkie and Inkie were trying to turn the cannon right side up. Rarity ran over and helped them with her magic. "We need to use some of the explosives!" Twilight shouted, kicking a changelings off of her. Inkie nodded and began to set a bomb. Trixie trying to gather the pinecones that had flown off of the car. Applejack and Zecora were helping Twilight keep the changelings from getting to the cannon, while Inkie and Pinkie got it ready. The pegasi continued to ward off any new changelings coming by air. Flam was trying to fight off a changeling, but was having difficulty since Flim kept getting in the way. There was another changeling sneaking up behind Flam. "Flam! Look out!" Rarity shouted. Flam turned around too late. The changeling tackled him to the ground and pinned him there. It lowered its horn to Flam's and began its spell. "Flim! Help!" Flam shouted instinctively. Flim continued dancing around. Rarity ran as fast as she could towards him. He had saved her from the same fate that they were trying to do to him. The other changeling grew bored of Flim, seeing as he wasn't a threat, and instead turned its attention to Rarity. "Hold on Flam, I'm coming!" Rarity shouted, trying to get around the changeling. The changeling knocked Rarity to the ground. Flam's eyes began to roll into the back of his head. Suddenly Flim focused on Flam. He stared at him in horror. He straightened his hat and charged at the changeling, knocking it off of his brother. "The unbelievable, unimpeachable," Flim said. Flam struggled to sit up. Flim stayed over him, as though he were guarding him. "Indispensable, I-can't-believable," Flim said. He glanced behind him at Flam. Flam slowly stood up. Flim smiled at him. The changeling suddenly charged back, knocking Flim over. The two wrestled. Flam tried to take a step forwards, but fell over, obviously still dizzy from whatever the changeling had done to him. The changeling suddenly pinned Flim to the tree. It lowered its horn to him and he began to turn green. "Flim! Nooo!" Flam shouted, trying to get up and walk, but unable to keep balance. Rarity kicked the changeling off of her, punched it in the face and ran towards the twins. But it was too late. By the time she reached them, the damage was done. She punched out the other changeling, and looked over at Flam. "Flam, are you alright? Did it... did it scramble you?" Rarity asked. Flam shook his head, sobbing. He sat on the ground in front of the tree that Flim had been pinned too. "He... he saved me," he sobbed, "He saved me, like he could remember." Flam pointed up into the tree. There, hanging from a branch in a cocoon, reaching out to his twin, was Flim.