//------------------------------// // Betrayal // Story: Apples // by Ninjab33z //------------------------------// The two girls burst out laughing. "I WILL DESSSTROY YOU!" Twilight would be terrified if she didn't know what the shout came from. Standing in front of her was a baby changeling that couldn't have been older than two. In an attempt to look menacing it began charging a spell up. Through her laughter applejack managed to speak. "D'you think we could keep this cute critter, it won't be any harm to us and I just wanna give it a hug." Applejack began to break out into fits of laughter again while Twilight looked at it. It tried to release it's spell it charged up but the spell backfired and knocked the changeling into it's back. The creature let out an ear-splitting cry and began to flail it's limbs about violently. "If we don't shut this thing up, we'll have an army all over us," Twilight managed to shout over the screams Something snapped into place and Applejack started to feel a maternal attachment to the child. She smiled slightly and took it up in her magic. "It's okay little fella, we won't hurt you none." Applejack shot a glance at Twilight who hastily agreed. The crying died down as Applejack brought the child close to her and began rocking the child while humming a simple tune she used to help Applebloom sleep when she was younger. After the changeling fell asleep Applejack made a simple nest. Quietly whispering farewells, Applejack wiped a tear away and began to silently move on. "I wanted to keep it as much as you did but it's a changeling. Not to mention the fact that they would be an extra mouth to feed," Twilight said trying to support her only friend in this desolate place. All she got in return was a stare that rivaled Fluttershy. Applejack visually calmed herself and wiped away another tear. "I know Flutterbug's a changeling but she's still young. And if we can change someone like discord then I'm sure that we could make her see our side of things too. I know it's happened before..." she trailed off. "Flutterbug?" Twilight asked "That's what I named her," Applejack said They walked on in silence for a while. A low buzz started surrounding them. Applejack opened her mouth to speak but before she could speak a battalion of changelings assaulted them from all sides. "Applejack, hold them off.Shining Armour taught me a spell that repels changelings." Twilight began cast to but was interrupted by a strike to the flank. The strength of the hit knocked her on to her side. She was about to conjure a bolt of lightning but what she saw caused the spell to die in her horn. A changeling stood over her. A changeling with a stetson and a cutie mark. A cutie mark of three apples. "I'm sorry, Twi. I just... I can't let you do that," she whispered with tears in her eyes "Applejack?" "Her name is Web Spinner," A deep but feminine voice boomed out behind Twilight. She turned her head to see who was speaking but all she could see was a pair of piercing green eyes. "I believe it's time to remove the trash." Twilight caught a flash of pristine fangs before she was bucked in the head Twilight awoke in a pitch black room. It smelt like an ordinary hall. The smell of wood mixed in with the smell of food. She called out in to the room but the only reply was her echo. She tried to get up and nothing stopped her. But it was then that she noticed something cold around her left rear leg. She heard a rattle as she tried to move and guessed that she was being held by a chain. She sat down in what felt like the softest spot in her reach and began to think. She spent five minutes wondering what to do when she briefly saw a beam of light from a guard light! She began a simple illumination spell that, even as a foal, she could hold for days on end. As soon as the spell lit up the room there was a sharp pain digging into her leg. Twilight collapsed from pain and stopped the spell. The manacles were glowing a deep green. Enchantments. Her one weakness in the fields of magic. Realising her magic would be useless she began to take an Approach Applejack and Rainbow Dash preferred. Brute force. She wasn't the strongest of ponies but all those years of running home to study more must of done something. After fully exhausting herself Twilight heard the harsh sound of a door creaking open. A familiar face could be seen from the light a flickering flame provided. "YOU!" Twilight spat out the word like it was a hot coal. "Why are you here?" She fired out the sentence with more hatred than she thought possible. Twilight saw that Applejack's face was devoid of emotion as she threw her torch into a large fireplace in the far side of the building. Twilight saw this was a dining hall as she guessed from the smell but she could also see that the room hadn't been used in a while. It was large and had a curved roof that was covered in cobwebs. It looked like the room would have put Celestia's throne room to shame if it was properly maintained. A guard poked his head round the corner. "Don't forget, we need as much information as we can but keep her alive. We can sell her back to Celestia when we've finished with her. And get out of pony form when you're done. It confuses the guards." The guard wandered off down the path. Twilights hatred was replaced with fear. She glanced at the fire and saw a sword in the fire. Panic spread through her mind like a wild fire. Applejack's magic grabbed her head in an iron grip and moved it so Applejacks mouth was right next to her ear. "I hope you scream."