//------------------------------// // Turnaround // Story: Fun With Changelings // by Shukumei //------------------------------// Mrs. Cake was behind the counter at Sugarcube Corner, cleaning up and getting ready to close up shop. She had heard about the drama going on in the town square and had decided it was none of her business so she had stayed behind to tend to the bakery while Pinkie had gone to investigate. She was just about to go lock the door when it banged open, causing her to jump in surprise. “The nerve of that mare!” Rarity huffed as she entered the bakery. “She outright attacked me with something she knew would cut deep!” Rarity noticed a startled Mrs. Cake looking confused behind the counter and softened her tone, becoming the picture of sophistication with practiced ease. “So sorry about the abrupt intrusion, darling. Could I trouble you for some scones and tea? If it wouldn't be too much bother.” The elder baker nodded. “Of course, dearie. It's no imposition. Just give me some time to put the kettle on.” And the baker disappeared into the kitchen to prepare refreshments for her unexpected guests. “Ah hate to say it but ah think you're right, Rarity.” Applejack said as she came into the bakery with the rest of her friends. “Twilight was acting mighty rude. Ah can understand stress and all but that ain't no reason to go off on her friends. Not to mention insultin' mah kin.” “You got that right,” Rainbow Dash added. “She's seriously going way too far. I mean we come over to check on her because we're worried and she treats us like the bad guys. I'm starting to think maybe that bug has gotten to her.” “Yeah. She was acting pretty grumpy,” Pinkie muttered to herself. “Then again, we weren't exactly at our most understanding either.” “If you ask me,” Rarity continued. “That changeling is influencing her and turning her on her friends. We can't get rid of that bug soon enough for my tastes.” “Yeah. Get rid of the bug and Twilight will snap out of it.” Rainbow Dash hovered a couple feet off the floor, boxing in the air. “Heck, leave me alone with her for five minutes and I'll take care of the problem myself!” “Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy shouted, garnering the attention of all present. “How could you ever suggest such a thing! You sound like those ponies in the town square! You're really suggesting that you'd be willing to kill another creature with your own hooves?” she yelled, staring the pegasus to the ground. “Hey, relax Shy,” Dash said plaintively. “I didn't mean it. Not really. I'm not the type who goes in for that kind of thing.” Fluttershy glared at her. “This isn’t just about that, Dash. The fact that you’d even suggest taking a life is bad enough but... we turned our backs on her just now. Twilight is our friend and she's under a lot of pressure right now. How could we just walk away like that? How could I...” Fluttershy trailed off, her eyes beginning to fill with tears as she began to realize the implications of her actions. “Oh my goodness. Fluttershy, you're absolutely right!” Rarity shouted as the situation impressed itself on her as well. “I just don't know what could have come over us. Here Twilight is trying to defend the life of somepony the entire town is already willing to execute and all we can think of are our own petty concerns over bruised pride. Oh I feel so ashamed of myself.” “Alright. That's all well and good,” Rainbow Dash interrupted a little testily. “But you're all forgetting something here. What if the changeling really HAS gotten to her? Are we really going to help set her free?” “Rainbow Dash, think this through,” Rarity appealed to her. “If Twilight really is under its spell then that's all the more reason for us to be there. We need to be watching for any signs that Twilight isn't herself. And who knows, us just being there for her could give her the strength to break free. We owe it to her to be there in her time of need.” Rainbow Dash deflated, slowly drifting back to the floor. “Okay. You're right. We did kinda leave her hanging there. I've been feeling pretty rotten about that ever since we left but I was just so sure that she was wrong.” Rainbow Dash hung her head dejectedly. “Some element of loyalty I turned out to be.” “It's not too late to fix this,” Applejack said, determination in her voice. “Ah ain't gonna let my reputation as the most dependable pony in Ponyville be just an empty title. Ah say we head to the library and apologize properly.” “Here here!” Rarity agreed, followed shortly by the rest of the ponies in the room. “Right! Off we go then! No time to waste!” The five friends stampeded out of the front door, dead set on making sure they preserved their friendship come hell or high water. “Here you are dears,” Mrs. Cake said congenially as she entered the foyer of the bakery again, a fully loaded tea tray and a platter piled high with scones balanced precariously on her back. “Tea and scones enough for six. I hope you don't mind if I join....” The baker looked around the empty room. “Uh... Hello? Rarity? Pinkie? Anypony there?” Minutes later, the five ponies arrived at the library, panting from the exertion of running all the way there. “The lights are out!” Rarity said, her face falling in disappointment. “I thought for sure she'd still be awake.” “Maybe she's working downstairs,” suggested Applejack. She tried the door but it wouldn't budge. “Locked. Guess she really did go to bed.” Rainbow Dash was in the air in an instant. “Don't worry. I'll get us in.” She pulled back and rushed one of the higher windows, meaning to barrel her way through but was stopped short by a blue aura that engulfed her tail. “Rainbow Dash! She's rather upset with us as it is!” Rarity chastised her, dangling the stuntsmare in the air with her magic. “Do you really think the best way to start our apology is breaking into her house in the middle of the night?” “Just trying to be helpful,” she pouted as she hung in the air, Rarity gently lowering her to the ground. “I know dear, but smashing windows most likely isn't the best course of action at this time.” Rarity explained as she finally released her telekinetic grip. “Anyway, I think it would be a good idea to give her the night to cool off. Maybe we should come back and make our apologies tomorrow.” This was met with agreeing nods from the rest of the group and they all headed off towards Sugarcube Corner once more, Pinkie giving the door a suspicious look before she departed. “Dear Celestia, Dash. I could FEEL the knots in your tail,” Rarity said as they walked. “Would it kill you to run a brush through it now and then?” “I'll have you know I take great care of my tail and mane,” Dash retorted. “I have to keep it streamlined for aerodynamics after all. I use every single tip in the Wonderbolts official biographies.” The two of them bickered over proper mane care all the way back to the bakery. “Dash, if it will help I will set aside an hour three times a day to make sure your mane is properly groomed,” Rarity said, getting a little desperate. “No chance!” Rainbow Dash returned. “If you think for an instant I'm going to let my schedule revolve around your primping you've got another think coming!” “Well here we are,” Pinkie said, trying to interrupt the heated debate. “Home sweet home. Thanks for walking me back girls.” “For Luna's sake, Dash! Are you really that opposed to looking decent?” “No problem Sugarcube,” Applejack said, hugging her friend goodnight. “We'll meet up here tomorrow and head over to see Twilight together, alright?” “I look just fine! Just because I'm not all done up in ribbons and froofy perfumes doesn't mean I'm some homeless slob!” “Sounds good,” Pinkie said as she hugged the farmer back. “See you tomorrow.” She repeated the hug with Fluttershy and the four of them headed into town to disperse to their own homes. The last thing Pinkie heard before she shut the door was Rarity shouting “A broom does not count as a brush! If you're using a broom you're not brushing your mane, you're sweeping it!” Pinkie chuckled at their antics and then turned and headed to bed, passing Mrs. Cake who was nibbling scones and sipping tea. “That's an awful lot of scones for one pony,” Pinkie observed. “If I were you I'd think about sharing that with somepony.” “What a novel idea Pinkie,” Mrs. Cake snarked. “I'll be sure to remember that for next time.” Pinkie headed to her room and climbed into bed but after a few minutes of tossing could not seem to find rest. Her left hind leg was tingling and keeping her awake and she knew it could only mean that one of her friends was coming to visit. "Quit it," she told her leg authoritatively. "You're all mixed up. My friends just left. You're getting your signals crossed." Her leg of course did not reply except to sustain the tingling running through it. Pinkie gave up and crawled back out of bed again, walking in circles around her bedroom and trying to work out the phantom sensation. She was rather surprised when she heard a small tap, followed a few seconds later by another. She looked around the room, searching for the source of the sound and eventually narrowed it down to her window. Something was tapping against it. She walked to the window and pulled it open and was immediately hit in the nose with a small rock. "OW!" A deep pleasing baritone followed the rock through the window. "Sorry." "Macky? Is that you?" Pinkie rushed to the window and peered into the darkness below, able to make out the shape of the large stallion in the dim light of the town. "Eeyup." "It's a little late for you, isn't it?" "Eeyup." “So why are you here so late? Oooh! Is it a guessing game? Oh goodie! I love guessing games! Okay, let's see... You're here because... you're hungry and you're hoping I have some cupcakes to spare?” “Nnope.” Mac sighed. At this rate she would be guessing until morning. Pinkie furrowed her brow in deep thought. “Alright... Then... You've been thinking about Wubsy and you realized that the town is overreacting and doesn't really have any proof that Wubsy is bad so you feel guilty about your part in getting her captured so now you want to break her out of jail and you came to me because you need help and I'm the only pony crazy enough to help you?” Big Mac looked up at her in dumbfounded shock. “Uh... Eeyup.” Pinkie beamed down at him. “Really? Wow. That was a long shot. Okay. I'll be right down and we can start scheming.”