Chapter 31
Twilight
It was hard to contain my excitement as I watched the balloon slowly inflate. The stabilizer nodes were old, but they seemed to be holding a charge regardless. Still, I was uncertain if they’d be able to hold up the entire time and I couldn’t always be the one to recharge them. It was a simple spell to perform so I decided to go see if any other unicorns with us were up to the task of keeping them in good working order. I figured the balloon would be fine inflating on its own in the short time I would be gone, so I left and quickly trotted through the passageway.
When I returned I noticed the area was full of ponies all milling together. I was a little surprised at how quickly Prince Jake and the others managed to get everypony in here, though I suppose, being royalty, the Prince knew how to organize a large number of ponies. I easily found Rarity and Fluttershy huddling together, both with distraught looks yet doing their best to comfort the other. Even Angel Bunny was trying his best to assist, though with little success.
I walked over to them while weaving my way around other ponies. Angel Bunny was the first to notice my approach and notified Fluttershy. She didn’t notice his efforts at first, causing the little rabbit to cross his paws in annoyance and try again more forcefully. When that didn’t work, he hopped onto her back and gently shifted her head in my direction.
“Oh, Twilight. I’m sorry, I didn’t notice you were there,” Fluttershy said softly.
“It’s fine, Fluttershy. I didn’t mean to interrupt you two.” I took a moment to examine Rarity; her mascara was beginning to run, though she was taking pains to wipe it away before it became too noticeable. She was slouching ever-so-slightly and kept looking off into the distance. Fluttershy wasn’t much better off, the way she kept sneaking glances around in wide-eyed terror. I guessed she must have been worried about any more Changelings sneaking about.
“I’m...I’m sorry,” Rarity began. “I didn’t mean to cause such a spectacle.”
I shook my head slowly. “It’s fine, Rarity. Completely understandable.” I was about to continue when Spike came running up, clutching a bundle of leaves.
“I couldn’t find any tissues for you, Rarity, but these leaves are nice and soft. They should work,” Spike said, holding his collection up to Rarity. She gave him an appreciative smile before levitating a couple and dabbled her eyes.
“They’re perfect, Spike. Thank you.”
I was about to question Spike where he’d gotten the leaves — after all, the Everfree held such horrors as Poison Joke — when a ghastly shriek filled the room. I swung around towards the sound, instinctively readying a spell.
“The Changelings are here!”
“They’ve found us again!”
“Oh no...” I muttered under my breath, spying several ponies with panicked expressions all converged around a white unicorn stallion. He had a look of disgust and hatred in his eyes, which were focused not on the crowd, but at a cowering Applebloom.
<Twilight, we have a slight problem,> a female voice shouted — Rachel, if I remember correctly.
“No, really?” I muttered again as everypony began running around in a blind panic. Fluttershy and Rarity just stood in place, watching the chaos unfold. “Oh, we don’t have time for this!” I shouted as I formed a spellshield around the building just in time to stop anypony from leaving. I felt an odd pushing sensation as a few ponies bounced off it but shook off the peculiar feeling. Of course, this only served to worry them even further.
“Everypony shut up!” Spike shouted, his voice carrying further than I expected. On cue the panicked crowd froze and turned towards him. “Ok, now maybe we can get some answers.” He then shifted his gaze towards me and silently signaled me to continue.
“Listen, I know a lot of things seem particularly bad right now, but I can say that everypony here is perfectly trustworthy. Including the Changeling.”
“What?” a white unicorn with large purple glasses that obscured her eyes cried. “After what they did to Ponyville you expect us to trust one?!”
<She has a point there,> Marco said flatly. <Our Changeling friend did attack us just before we captured him.>
Not helping, I thought to myself. “Yes, recent events don’t really portray this situation in a positive light, but please listen to me on this one.” I inhaled deeply and collected my thoughts. "The Changelings are not the biggest threat we need to worry about right now. In fact, we may need their help.“
“Worse than the Changelings?!" the white unicorn cried. "Well, they picked a wonderful time to invade, then."
“Of course it wonderful time,” the Changeling said. “Yeerks planned for very long time. Make sure plan is foolproof.”
I heard a few concerned mumbles from the group.
"I've never heard of Yeerks."
"How does Twilight know about them?"
"Prince Jake doesn't look like any animal I've ever heard of. Is he a Yeerk?"
<Excuse me, everyone!>
Everypony turned towards Cassie, who had fluttered over and landed on the Changeling's back. <I understand that everything seems chaotic and hopeless right now, but now isn’t the time to get at one another’s throats. Me and my friends have been facing the Yeerks for a while now, and even stopped them from taking over other faraway lands. We’ll help you guys here as well.>
"I've been to many distant lands," a black pegasus with a thunderstorm cutie mark said, stepping forward. "And I can say I've never met anything that can shapeshift as drastically as you."
<Of course not,> Prince Jake said matter-of-factly. <We're shapeshifters, and we prefer it if very few know of our existence. It makes our job easier, and keeps us alive.>
The room went eerily silent for a long while, everypony just standing there taking in what Prince Jake had said. The silence was suddenly broken by a gust of wind and a loud booming voice filling the room.
“I almost believe this is a joke. What is wrong with you pony folk?”
Everypony turned to look at the entrance, and at the very familiar zebra now standing in the passageway. Unperturbed by the attention, Zecora continued, “Ponyville's overrun, Changelings fly far and near. And yet all you ponies do is argue in here. Twilight has never steered you wrong before; her faith in this Changeling makes me trust him all the more.” At this she walked over to the Changeling and stood in front of him defensively.
The crowd mumbled and shuffled their hooves, nopony willing to speak up at the moment. It was then that I remembered what I’d come up to do. “Everypony, there’s a ship just down those stairways that we can use to get out of here.” I gestured to the pathway behind me.” I looked it over myself and it seems to be in perfect working condition.”
“Really?” somepony asked from the crowd, who all looked at me with hopeful faces. I nodded back to them and they all began to head eagerly towards the stairs. I was suddenly aware of a weight on my back and turned to see a bat resting.
<Thanks for helping us get them under control,> Prince Jake said. I nodded in return and he turned towards Zecora and the Changeling. <Who is she, anyway?>
“Oh, right. Zecora, could I see you real quick?”
“Making sure I’m not some trick?” she asked cryptically as she walked over. I smiled at her as I lowered my horn to her head and quickly cast my Scan spell. I nodded gently as I backed away from her.
“She’s not a controller,” I said to Prince Jake.
<Well, that’s one worry off my mind. Now, who is she and how did she find us?>
“Oh, right, forgive me your highness. This is Zecora. Zecora, this is Prince Jake.”
“Many a pony I’ve known you to chat, but I never thought I’d see you converse with a bat.”
<Charmed,> Prince Jake said dryly. <I’m not normally a bat, but circumstances recently required me to be one.>
“A bat who can speak in the local tongue! Fluttershy would love to talk with you one on one.”
<Does she rhyme every time you talk with her?> Marco asked, flying over and landing on me as well.
“I’ve never thought about it, but yes,” I replied after a moment’s reflection.
<So, how did you find out we were here, Zecora?> Prince Jake asked again.
“I was aware of the impending invasion thanks to Applebloom, but I was not aware it had happened so soon. I managed to evade capture by retreating to the Everfree, though I feared for the safety of each and every pony. I knew I could not return to my hut, I had a horrible sensation deep in my gut. I found some tracks laid by you when you had fled, and followed them here in your stead. I was waiting outside for quite a while, unsure of what hid behind a friendly smile.”
<It’s almost hypnotic listening to her,> Marco whispered. I smiled and hid my face behind a hoof as I giggled. After a moment I cleared my throat and turned back towards Prince Jake.
“Prince Jake, I may need your help keeping the balloon in working order. It’s a simple enough spell.” I thought for a moment. “Marco could probably help as well.”
<It keeps the balloon inflated or something? Yeah, I’d be glad to help.>
<So long as you keep Rarity and any combs away from me, I’m in.>
I nodded and looked at Zecora. “You’re welcome to join us, Zecora.”
“I would prefer it to being stranded here. There is a great battle fast approaching, I fear,” Zecora said and headed for the passageway. I looked around the hall, empty now except for myself, Prince Jake and his followers, the Changeling, and Applejack and Applebloom.
“Why are you still here, Applejack?”
“Ah’m not so sure trustin’ this Changeling is such a good idea, Twi. He attacked Applebloom without a moment’s hesitation.”
“I attack Yeerk!” he said defensively. “You said nothing about Yeerk being here!”
“We didn’t plan on it, I’m sorry for it,” I said before turning back to Applejack. “I understand your concern, but we need him to get us through the Changeling Hive. Besides, we all thought the same way about Zecora.” Applejack hid her face under her hat at the memory; I guess she was still embarrassed about the whole affair.
<I hate to interrupt this touching moment, but we should probably board the airship ourselves,> Prince Jake cut in. I nodded in agreement and led the way down.
“Alright, Ax, you ready for this?”
<I still find it difficult to believe this will fly, but I am prepared, Miss Sparkle.> He had changed into Pinkie again and was looking over the balloon one last time, popping up on top and on the sides in that way only Pinkie knows how to do.
“Andalite weird.” I looked at the Changeling beside me, still in his white unicorn disguise. I laughed and smiled at him.
“No, that’s all Pinkie right now.” He gave me a skeptical look but didn’t say anything.
“Alright, the balloon looks ready to go!” Ax shouted, popping up between me and the Changeling. The Changeling gave a strangled cry of alarm and leapt back.
I smiled and headed to the control room with the Changeling and Ax following me. “Prince Jake, Marco, we’re good to go!” I called to them upon entering. The two of them turned to me and carefully lowered the dead power crystals I’d given them to practice on.
“Ok, so remind me what we need to do exactly?” Marco asked.
“We’ll each take turns checking on the stabilizer nodes and recharging them as necessary. I’ll show you the spell you’ll need to cast when one of them runs out. Ax will head down to the engine room to keep everything in working order.”
“Okie-dokie-loki!”
“Wait, who’s going to pilot the ship?” Prince Jake asked. “I doubt I could do it with either my telekinesis or hooves, and I can’t take the risk of demorphing and having any of the ponies walking in on me.”
Before any of us could continue a bright multi-coloured blur shot into the room. “Hey everypony, what’s going on in here?”
“We’re just going over who will fly the ship, Rainbow,” I replied. No sooner had I finished speaking did she push her face up to mine.
“Oh, Twilight! Ya gotta let me fly it! Please please please please!”
“Exactly what qualification do you have to pilot this vessel?” Ax asked.
“I’m the best flyer in Equestria! There’s nopony else on board more able than me!”
“Just because you can fly better doesn’t mean you are capable...able. Cape-able.”
“It does make sense, though. I don’t think Rarity would be willing to touch anything in here, Fluttershy is helping to keep everypony calm, and I think Pinkie is planning a party in the cargo hold,” I said slowly. “Either Rainbow or the Changeling are the only ones who don’t have anything to do.”
“Well, the Changeling's needed to navigate us to the hive, so really only she has nothing,” Prince Jake added.
“Am I the only one who feels a bit odd about just calling this guy ‘Changeling’?” Marco complained. “I don’t call you ‘Unicorn’, or you ‘rainbow-mane’, or you ‘Andalite-in-disguise’.”
“I identify,” the Changeling said in a bored manner. “I already tell you.”
“You told us a serial code. That’s not much for us to work with.” Marco scrunched up his forehead in thought. “Hmm, serial, like a brand. On one hand it works, since you tend to talk very blandly about yourself, but I’m not sure...” Suddenly his eyes lit up and he shouted “IDEEEAAA! Illusion, because you can mimic the appearance of anypony you choose.” He paused and looked around the room. “What? Why’s everyone staring at me?”
Both Prince Jake and Rainbow burst out laughing, and I soon found myself laughing with them. After a few minutes Prince Jake calmed down enough to say “Ok, ok. Illusion. I like that. Any objections?”
“If it make you happy, then no,” Illusion said. I thought I even saw him smile a little, though he quickly turned away from me.
“Good, now everyone, to your places,” Rainbow Dash said before gripping the ship’s helm tightly with her hooves. Ax gleefully bounced out of the room, headed to the engines. After a few tense moments the ship lurched forward, sending all of us except Rainbow crashing to the floor. I unsteadily got to my hooves and hurried outside, looking over the edge. I giggled excitedly at the sight of the ground pulling away from us.
We’re on our way.