Chapter 4: Home Truth
‘I have a bad feeling about this…’
I strafed sideways, half-circling the earth pony. She dropped back onto all fours and emerged from the shadows.
“I don’ believe I’ve seen you round these parts before…” she commented quietly as she in turn circled me.
I did a quick visual assessment of her: She was smaller than me in stature, but at the same time she had the air and toned muscles of someone who’d worked the land for a good portion of their life. And while I might be quick on my feet, I’d hardly be classed by anypony as being anywhere near the peak of physical efficiency.
I therefore strongly suspected that if it came down to hoovicuffs, I’d quickly find myself bucked halfway across the orchard and then hogtied for my troubles.
I shifted, stopping with myself acting as the only visual barrier between the newcomer and where Mimica lay not far off.
“I apologise for any intrusion. You might say I’m just…passing through.”
“That right?” she asked slowly in a guarded tone, never once taking her eyes off me.
“Kind of,” I said, “I’d have stopped at the hotel in town but I…just couldn’t find it, ended up wandering out here.”
“Prancing Pony’s hard to miss, friend. What brought you all the way to my orchard?”
“Just…lost track of time I guess. Didn’t notice the storm coming else I…“ I trailed off as the pony leaned about me, sighting the form laying under the tree for the first time, “I…ah…”
Her brow furrowed and she seemed startled suddenly. I found this strange actually, as up until now she had appeared completely cool and collected, as if she’d had some kind of expectation about me. She moved forward and I began to object, however she’d already passed me by the time the first syllable was out.
She regarded Mimica for a moment, “Your friend doesn’t look too spry. Is there a reason she’s taking a nap outside in a thunder storm?” she asked, glancing sideways at me.
My gaze fell and I walked back to Mimica’s side. Stopping before her, I reached a hoof down to touch her mane, “My friend, she…isn’t well.”
“She’s sick?” asked the pony, “Well what in tarnation are you doin’ keepin’ her out here in this weather? There’s a hospital in town, or did you miss that too?”
As if she knew what she was talking about...
I gritted my teeth and looked away, “This…this isn’t an ailment medicine can help with. What’s wrong with her, it’s not something a doctor can treat. Her problem is magical, and only magic can help her.
“No…” I corrected myself, “Only I can help her…”
The pony had gone quiet. She was no longer looking at Mimica, she was looking at me. It was as if she were assessing me; trying to work something out in her head.
After a moment, she spoke, “Come on then, bring her on inside. Can’t have her catching her death out here, now can we?”
I blinked, “B-but, but I can’t just-“
“-now let’s be havin’ none of that.” She cut in, “This is just good ol’ Apple family hospitality, nuthin’ more.”
I looked to Mimica and back, “W-well, if you insist…”
“Well I do insist,” she said, walking forward and lifting Mimica onto her back. She adjusted her footing, seeming mildly startled, “Huh, your partner’s a tad…heavier than she looks…” she grunted, bracing her legs to compensate for the weight and then walking on.
I folded the blanket away, “Yeah, well…she’s not what you’d call your average pony, Ms…”
“Oh, name’s Applejack. Pleased to make your acquaintance,“ she said, politely tilting the rim of her hat with one hoof.
I nodded my head, “Pleased to meet you, Ms Applejack.”
“Just Applejack is fine, we ain’t fancy round here.”
“Well, that’s Mimica you’ve got there over your shoulder. And I’m sure she’d introduce herself if she weren’t down for the count.”
She inclined her head curtly, “’fraid I didn’t catch your name there, friend.”
“I…th-that is, I-“ I was cut off by a violent crash of thunder nearby. It was so close that even Mimica was jolted before falling back to her slumber.
It was in the flash though that I caught sight of something: A glint of gold about Applejack’s neck, and the shimmering of an apple-shaped gem.
I knew what it was of course. Everyone had seen the images of them after the incidents involving Nightmare Moon and Discord. And of course after researching magical artefacts for not-so-nice reasons, their pictures had come up more than once.
I was looking right at the Element of Honesty and I couldn’t stifle the sudden intake of breath that came with realising that. The only problem was that the gasp came after the crash of thunder and right in the middle of the sudden quiet following it.
Applejack frowned, “Somethin’ wrong?” she asked, and I tore my gaze away from her, but not before she could follow my line of sight downward.
“N-n-nothing,” I stammered lamely, and I looked back again to find Applejack regarding her own Element before returning her once more cool gaze to me.
Her apple green eyes seemed to burn into mine. “That so?” she asked quietly.
My eyes were drawn to where Mimica still lay. A sudden gust of wind carried with it a blast of icy rain. Applejack didn’t appear to notice, and instead just stood there, looking at me…
“Please, take Mimi and go on ahead. If you don’t mind, Applejack…I’ll sleep in the barn tonight. If… it’s not too much trouble.”
Her eyes widened, obviously surprised, “What?”
I looked away from her, “I…think it’s best I stay away. Mimica needs her rest and…and I don’t want to be taking up any space. J-just go on ahead and lock up. I’ll settle down for the night.”
I looked back to find Applejack regarding me with bewilderment. It was as if she really didn’t know what to make of me now.
Finally, she just adjusted her hat with a sigh, turned back ahead, and started walking into the open once more, “Come along then…” she said, “We’d best all get indoors before we end up comin’ down with somethin’.”
“B-but, I really don’t-“
“-Were you dropped on your head as a colt or somethin’?” she snapped, looking back at me with irritation.
“-once or twice-” I interjected with a murmur.
She carried on as if not hearing, “-then don’t be simple. I can’t have no guest of mine stayin’ in no barn. Now get your tail movin’. I ain’t stayin’ out here all night!”
She then swaggered off without another word. Her gait became a canter as the rain began to intensify and I was forced to gallop to keep up, sploshing through the hastily deepening puddles of mud as the downpour continued to pelt us.
I ducked in through the farmhouse door behind Applejack, a wave of welcoming warmth striking me.
The earth pony gripped the corner of her hat in her teeth and flipped it up onto a nearby stand as she passed, “Applebloom!” she called, pausing to shake the water out of her mane slightly, “fluff up the guest pillows, we got company tonight!”
“Company?” called a small voice, and I saw a small filly with a red mane peek her head down from the top of a nearby stairwell, “We weren’t expectin’ anypony.”
“Yeah, well these two ponies went and got themselves caught out in that storm. Found ‘em hidin’ under the apple trees.”
“What in tarnation were ya doin’ out in that weather?” I gave a slight start at the sound of this new voice. I watched as an elderly green pony glanced up and around from a nearby rocking chair.
“Bad timing…sort of,” I muttered shyly.
“What’s wrong with her?” asked Applebloom, plodding down the stairs and looking curiously up at where Mimica lay across Applejack’s back.
“She’s just tired,” I said, and turned to Applejack, “Can we take her somewhere to lie down?”
She nodded, “Applebloom, you’re bunkin’ with me tonight.”
“No problem, sis,” called the filly happily.
“Follow me.” Said Applejack, and she lead the way into a large open bedroom with two opposing beds against either wall.
“Thank you for this, Applejack. And I really am sorry to impose,” I said.
“Now don’t you be startin’ that again,” said Applejack as she set Mimica down in one of the beds. I approached and gave her a hand to tuck her in, “It’s just common Ponyville hospitality,” she then reached for my bag, “here, let me take your load off.”
I flinched and took a quick step away from her, “No!” I said, possibly a little too hastily. “I...I ah...it’s…fragile. There are fragile…things inside.”
Applejack frowned, her eyes briefly becoming frosty once more, “I see…” she said, turning away and walking over to the other bed. She turned and settled down on the edge of it, “Well my brother’s away for the weekend, so you can take his room if it pleases you.”
I glanced warily back at Mimica, “B-but Mimi, s-she really doesn’t like it when I’m not-“
“-Come now,” cut in Applejack with a squint of one eye, “surely you can’t be expectin’ to be sleepin’ in the same room as all us ladies. I don’ know where you hail from, but that ain’t proper round these parts.”
“Of…of course not…”
Her expression softened slightly, “You can trust ol’ Applejack to look after your friend. There’s no need for you to be worryin’.”
I nodded solemnly and turned away, Applejack not making any move to follow.
As I walked for the door, only her voice followed me, “What’s eatin’ at you, partner?”
My hoof made a slight squeak on the well-worn wooden floor, “I…I don’t follow,” I replied, and when I turned back, Applejack was exactly where she’d been before, only now she had the smallest of smiles on her face, and her eyes were no longer cold, instead they had this strange, welcoming warmth to them.
I regarded her in silence for a long moment. And she didn’t push, didn’t prod, Applejack just sat there, watching quietly and waiting for me to speak.
I turned forwards again so I wasn’t looking right at her while I spoke, “Can I ask you something, Applejack?”
“Shoot,” she replied.
“How far…would you go for your loved ones?” I asked.
I glanced back at her. She averted her eyes in response before answering almost reluctantly, “I suppose I’d go as far as I had to…”
“Tell me, Applejack: if your family consisted of just one other –if you had nopony else in the whole of Equestria—and that pony was starving, and the only loaf of bread around wasn’t for sale, would you steal that loaf of bread to keep that pony alive, with the understanding that you fully intended to give an exact same loaf of bread back afterwards?”
Applejack was quiet again, “I suppose it would depend. What about all the other ponies who might go hungry? You might help that one pony, and you might give back what you took, but what about what might happen between those times?
“If it were me, I’d go and ask if they had any extra bread to spare for my friend. You’d be surprised how much folk might help if you give them a chance.”
I nodded, still unable to bring myself to look at her, “And what if your friend was…different? What if your friend wasn’t someone these particular townsfolk would help? What if asking would hurt more than help? What would you do, Applejack, if you had no other choice?”
Applejack was quiet for a while behind me. She then let out a quiet sigh, her voice saddening, “I suppose, if that’s what it came down to, then that loaf might just start lookin’ mighty appealin’ regardless…”
Both of us said nothing for a moment, “I’m…a little tired,” I finally said, “do you mind if I go and lie down too?”
“No supper?”
I shook my head, “Thank you, Applejack, but I don’t have much of an appetite tonight…”
“Last door on the right…” said Applejack with resignation, and I heard her flop backwards on the bed as I turned and walked away…
-α-
I lay in the dark, staring up at the wooden ceiling. The bed was both comfortable and to say the least rather big. It was quite an orderly room too; the only out of place item was a rather bizarre ragdoll that the regular occupant had left resting on his pillow.
Despite my best efforts, lying in a warm bed after a long day with an early start soon had the inevitable combined effect and my eyes were quickly drawn closed.
-☾-
I pulled my eyes back open, cursing myself for briefly drifting off. Taking a breath, I looked about. For some reason I felt the room had suddenly become extremely dark and oppressive. And for some other reason, I couldn’t find the energy to get up and close the window which was now mysteriously wide open.
I wanted to close the window, I really did, as I’d suddenly gotten the horrible feeling that if I didn’t, something unfriendly was going to get inside.
I gripped the sheets in my hooves as a wailing gust of wind blew through the room.
With an almost deafening squawk and a fluttering of black wings, a shadow tore through the fluttering curtains and into the room.
The raven coiled about and, in act I was sure was impossible for its species, proceeded to hover in the air above the base of my bed.
I shuddered. I wanted to shoo it away, so it would stop looking down at me with those dark, glistening eyes. I tried to shout out, but every word was drowned out by another squawk from the raven.
It made no move to attack. It just hovered, watching.
I choked a breath. The fear felt irrational, confusing.
And then it came: a spark of inspiration in the dark, an answer to this puzzle.
And with that spark, I found my voice, “Go away, Luna,” I said, glowering defiantly at the raven.
The bird’s feathers bristled. Suddenly, it flicked its wings back and the entire avian evaporated into a small, angrily crackling wisp of black smoke which proceeded to expand and then coalesce into the unmistakable form of Princess Luna.
There was a loud sound of displacing air as Luna flicked her great wings outward, hovering on a non-existent air current as she glared down at me.
“A raven, really?” I asked dryly, “What? So now you’re resorting to just plain terrorising me in my sleep?”
Luna seemed to ignore the jibe, “It was intended as a warning, but it would appear thou failed to grasp the symbolism, but no matter. The net is closing, Alpha Spark, and thy time runs short. I know it is Ponyville where thou rest. Should thou-”
“-Can you tell me how to save my friend, Princess?” I found myself asking, cutting her quietly off.
The question seemed to take Luna aback, “I…I ah…” I was shocked to actually hear her stammer as she pulled a hoof back uncertainly, “Does thou wish to make…a deal?”
“If that’s what it takes…”
Luna descended until she was perched on the edge of the bed, “Your princess is…not unreasonable. She will listen to your offer.”
“Just tell me how to make Mimica well again and I’ll return everything I took directly to you.”
“Mimica? You mean your friend; the one whose dreams we were unable to see?”
I nodded.
“Does her ailment have to do with why we were unable to see her?”
“It might, I suppose…”
“Then speak: what makes this pony different?”
I sighed, deciding it might be time to try and take the proverbial bull by the horns, “What makes her different is that she’s not a pony…”
“Oh? Mine eyes tell me otherwise.”
I was quiet for a moment, “...she’s a Changeling, of the royal caste on top of that...”
There was a widening of the eyes, followed by the inevitable.
Luna reared back, taking back to the air as lighting crashed deafeningly behind her. Her eyes pulsed white as she stabbed a hoof down at me, “TREACHERY! Thou wouldst betray thy people to the Changelings!”
I pushed myself up, “You’re not listening! She’s not like that!”
Obviously Luna wasn’t in the mood to listen, “Silence! Thou wouldst feed the most sacred magics of Equestria right into the maw of our enemies! What hath driven thou to such madness?”
“I’m not mad –though I might be getting it right now—, she’s just not like the others. Won’t you at least hear me out?”
“We shall hear thee out…when thou art sealed away in our dungeon for consorting with the creatures who would dare attack mine sister and attempt to-“
“-ENOUGH!” I roared right back into her face. This she obviously didn’t expect because it had her recoiling away in the air until her wings bumped into the ceiling. I prowled after her until I reached the edge of my bed.
“So full of preconceptions and not listening to the dreams and thoughts of those in your care like you’re supposed to…” I intoned, glowering at her, “You’re no different from my-” I bit off the end of my sentence and just glared up at her in silence.
Recurring dreams flashed around me unbidden in the air, “We are different from the way others would prejudge us; capable of breaking the moulds fate would try and force us into…how stupid of me to think that you of all ponies would understand that.”
Anger had turned to a flash of shock, and beyond that, possibly even a glint of hurt.
I lowered my voice, “Get out, Luna…”
There was a pained look in her eyes as the dream vanished in a swirl of silver smoke.
-α-
I awoke to darkness, my expression unchanged from the dream.
“Stupid…stupid, stupid, stupid,” I cursed under my breath, “Why did I think she would understand?”
‘Forget the guards,’ I thought, ‘we’ll probably have every pony in Equestria chasing us by this time tomorrow. But that’s what I get, I suppose…’
-α-
I lay there for a while in the quiet. The storms had concluded and the moon was now peeking out from behind some blackened clouds. A shaft of white illuminated me through the window like some great celestial spotlight. I suddenly felt oddly exposed.
The Apple household was silent; the only sound through the open doorway was the distant ticking of a grandfather clock back down in the lounge.
I glowered at the moon for a moment.
Gripping the blanket in my hooves, I flicked it off and slid out of bed and back into shadow.
My hooffalls were muffled by the rug as I began pacing back and forth, ‘So that’s what honesty and reaching out for help gets me, does it? And from the princess herself no less…’
My eyes were suddenly drawn to the open doorway. My gaze narrowed, ‘alright then, if that’s how everyone wants this to be…’
I began walking; my steps silent as the night as I began drifting down the corridor, closing in slowly on the doorway to the adjoining bedroom.
I turned the knob and the door opened without a sound on well-oiled hinges.
My eyes had adjusted to the dark and so the room seemed quite brightly illuminated by the moonlight shining in through the large window.
I stopped a few steps beyond the threshold.
Mimica was curled up and contentedly asleep, the white of her fur seeming to glisten in the silvery light bathing her. I might have to wake her, I realised. And I could only hope that I’d be able to rouse her enough to get her moving. There was also the task of keeping her quiet enough to not wake the ponies sleeping mere feet away.
My gaze then turned to the opposite side of the room where Applejack lay in her slumber. Her straw-blonde mane had been loosened slightly and was draped across the side of her face. Peaceful, was how she looked. It was a peace that I had come to shatter.
My eyes were drawn left to her nightstand. Upon it, glinting gently in the moonlight was the Element of Honesty, completely open and unprotected.
‘What were you thinking?’ I would’ve asked out loud if I’d dared. I felt myself drawn step by step towards the golden adornment.
‘So easy…’ I thought, my hoof drifting up towards it.
Then it stopped. And I found my eyes drawn back to Applejack as she slept not a foot away.
She seemed so honest, kind, and hospitable to the core, and this was my repayment…
I looked over to where Mimi lay. A Changeling princess: whose very nature was the deceit of others, and yet she was still a far more honest being than I.
The question was: Just how much was I willing to dirty myself? Would I go so far as to steal the very symbol of honesty itself?
I almost prayed for Mimi to open her eyes, to beg me not to do it. That way I at least would have the reminder of her selflessness as a spell to push me onwards and do what I had to in order to help her.
To think I actually wanted her to tell me not to just so I could once again force myself into playing the well-meaning villain. All so I could retain the ability to stand looking at myself in the mirror.
How selfish was that…
I shook my head to try and dispel the war inside and then returned my attention to the object of my conflict.
I steadied my hoof, and then made my choice…
-AJ-
Sensing the shadow over her depart, Applejack waited for a moment before opening her eyes, being careful not to shift and disturb her sleeping sister. She let her attention be drawn downward to her bedside table.
The earth pony’s expression could not be read as she regarded the spot where her Element of Honesty still sat untouched. She then turned her attention to the still open doorway.
-AJ-
Applejack emerged into the tranquillity of the night, her mane freed and loose about her shoulders as she walked.
She inhaled a breath, pausing to enjoying the still-humid air from the recent storm.
She found him standing in silence under the full moonlight, his forehead resting listlessly against the fence surrounding the field.
Applejack approached silently, stopping a good few metres away from the still unicorn.
She couldn’t see his face, but somehow Applejack knew he was crying in silence. She also knew he was aware of her being there.
“My friend is going to die…” he said thickly after a moment, “And there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m not strong enough to carry on like this anymore…”
“Why didn’t you take my Element of Harmony?”
“Couldn’t bring myself…” he said, barely getting the words out, “Turns out, when I tried sinking that low, I found my bottom. You know who I am…” he said, not phrasing it as a question.
She nodded, “Alpha Spark, ain’t it?” She sighed and took a few steps forward until she was leaning up against the fence by his side, “The infamous thief.”
“Infamous?” he choked with a sad chuckle, “That’s a laugh…”
“It’s lookin’ like it from here,” she commented, “you mind if I ask you somethin’?”
Alpha took a calming breath, “go right ahead…”
“Why haven’t you asked for help yet?”
“I did,” he muttered, “Tried asking Princess Luna. It backfired on me…badly.”
“B-but why?”
He shook his head, “I suppose Luna had her reasons.”
“W-what about your family then? I hear they ain’t without means. Surely they-“
“-Don’t…talk about my family,” he cut in harshly, his sorrow converting briefly to anger.
“H-hey now, don’t be talkin’ like that. Family’s important. Family's help their own in their time of need.”
Applejack watched as his forehoves scraped a downward line in the wood, “Not my family. Not my parents. Selfish, useless ponies…why would they help if there’s nothing in it for them?”
“You shouldn’t talk like that…” said Applejack quietly, suddenly turning to regard the stars above, “You never know: One day you might wake up to find you don’t have parents no more…”
“I did wake up to find out I had no parents…” he hissed, “or at the very least I woke up and realized it. Celestia knows I had a long enough time to sleep and think about it.”
“What happened to you, anyways?” asked Applejack with a frown.
He stood back up and brushed his mane aside, revealing openly the horn concealed beneath, “Can you imagine, Applejack, having an ability you can’t control, an ability that’s supposed to be what makes you special?”
Her eyes were drawn to his flank, “That symbol…”
“It’s ‘alpha’, the start of all things. That’s my ability: I inspire the first light of inspiration, or at the very least I provide what ponies need to get the inspiration for their ideas.”
“Sounds like a fine thing to have if ya ask me.”
He scoffed, “Hardly. It drives me mad most of the time. Can’t tell if I’m being inspired toward doing something smart or something dumb, I’m just a mountain of sparks and the stubs of abandoned ideas and plans. It works better on other people: one spark at a time flaring an idea to life for them to work with.”
“So you’re sayin’, if I say…had trouble tendin’ this year’s crop’…” she offered, trying to grasp it.
He nodded, “I could give you the inspiration to possibly work out an idea to solve that problem.”
“Huh, I suppose that’d make you mighty handy to keep around.”
His expression darkened, “And that brings me back to my point…”
“Can you imagine, Applejack, what my parents –two artists, struggling to keep up with their own family names- felt when they discovered their precious little colt turned out be nothing short of a literal muse?”
AJ frowned, rubbing her chin with one hoof, “I’d imagine they’d be mighty proud to have you joinin’ the family business.”
He shook his head, “Started out so simply; accidental teleportation when I was in my mother’s studio. She used to spend so long just pacing back and forth. Father was similar, though he preferred to sit and brood. And so I reached out, I made what she needed to get her idea appear. In that case it was a simple leaf from the garden outside. You ever heard of a painting called the Evergreen Dale?” he asked.
“S-sorry, partner, guess I’m not too uhh…into that kind of art.”
He shrugged, “That was one of mine, or at the very least I was the start of it. Two hundred and fifty thousand bits that sold for…”
Applejack whistled, “I could raise few barns with that kind of change…”
“Yeah? Well that was just the start. Especially since it didn’t take them long to figure out it was me who’d caused it. I guess the cutie mark appearing right when it happened helped with that…”
“But it sounds good though. What went wrong?”
He scoffed, “Greed. My abilities weren’t matured; I wasn’t ready to exert the kind of magic they kept triggering in me. They stopped raising me, Applejack, and they started wielding me. And oh, they became so sublimely good at it: They knew just what to say or think to get me to kick in with some help. They’d parade me round their friends at high society functions, amazing them with what I could do for them too.
“Celestia help me, I was just a colt…I could not keep up. But they didn’t care, just said it was the ‘life of an artist to have strife and graft’ if I ever started to look too tired for some reason.
“I fell behind in my studies as a result, but those two were so new-agey that they felt magical talent was a natural thing; that no outside interference or control was needed. But that wasn’t it…they were just afraid of losing their control. The sleepless nights, the nosebleeds, the pounding headaches…I was pouring out magic at such a rate that it would make an academy instructor want to take a vacation after a day.”
“Gosh, I’m sure they weren’t meanin’ to hurt you. Didn’ you tell em’ it was gettin’ too much for you?”
He just shook his head, “’Live up to big expectations’; ‘make your parents proud’: isn’t that what all good little colts and fillies are supposed to do? I was stupid to have faith that they had my best interests at heart. And I was naïve enough to keep thinking I would soon been strong enough if I just kept on persevering. I should’ve run away when I had the chance...”
“So somethin’ happened eventually?”
He leaned forwards, studying the grass, “Sometimes, like that first time, an idea or spark isn’t enough. Sometimes it has to be something physical; like an item or whatever random object is needed to inspire whoever it is in the direction they need. When that’s the case I…I just bring it to whoever needs it; It just happens: I teleport whatever it is, from wherever it is, right to whoever needs it.
“And it doesn’t matter how far away it is, or how much strength or magic it’ll take to grab that item. Once the process starts, it can’t be stopped and I have to go through with it.”
Applejack remembered the report Shining Armor had read to her, about where it was Alpha Spark had vanished from five years ago. She had a sinking suspicion as to where this was going.
He continued, “I was exhausted that day as it was. Mom had commissions she needed to begin and dad had to prepare a sculpture for the Summer Sun Festival that year; something to commemorate the banishing of the dark. I’d never seen him so stressed. The Princess herself was going to attend and he didn’t have so much as a sketch for the centrepiece he had to design.”
“So you…helped?” asked Applejack.
Alpha smirked grimly, “Oh yes, I helped…I gave him exactly what he needed to begin.”
“Which was…?”
He looked up at her and smiled weakly, “A moon rock…”
“Oh, w-well that’s not so…” she then blinked, “Oh…y-you mean…” she trailed off, cocking her head upward.
“Yeah,” he breathed, “Right from the source.” His eyes then narrowed, “Was such a tiny thing too, barely the size of a grape…I remember how it clattered to the floor in front of me; the chill it seemed to make in the air, the chill that I could swear was travelling up my veins, seconds before I joined it there on the ground. Then everything was black; black for the longest time.”
“So…how bad was it?”
“Let me put it to you like this, Applejack: you see my mane”? he asked, pointing a hoof to his head, “What colour is it?”
Applejack shrugged, “Sorta stripy; black an’ white. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with that.”
His smile turned sardonic, “I suppose…except for the fact that it used to just be black.”
Applejack winced, “That sounds…nasty.”
“I was barely more than a colt, and my own father used me to perform a spell that I doubt even Celestia herself would try without doing some warm-up stretches and taking a breather afterwards. And I’m not sure, but I think I actually died for a little while back there.
“The first thing I did after waking up was to crawl away somewhere safe, away from where ponies…no, from where they could find me. Two years asleep tends to leave you a little weak though, but I managed to get away; got strong enough to stay hidden and survive. I even managed to trick one of the banks into releasing one of my trust accounts early. I’ve been living off that ever since.
“Six or so months ago I came across Mimi. She was ailing and had no one else in the world to look after her. She’d completely given up on herself too. And so she gave me something to care about again, gave me a reason to move forward. She became my family, and I promised myself that I’d do whatever it took to help her.”
Applejack wasn’t really sure what to say to all that, but she couldn’t help but feel lame when after a long pause, all she managed to say was, “I miss my parents…” with a coarse whisper.
That seemed to throw Alpha off, and he turned to regard her as she returned her gaze skyward, “I’m sorry…” was all he in turn had in response.
They stood there for a while after that, looking at the stars and talking quietly about idle topics, feeling comfortable in one another’s presence.
“You know…” said Applejack after a period, bringing back things to the topic at hand, “I’m sure if you asked Twilight or some of the other ponies in town they’d be glad to help your partner. I mean, sure, the Princess might be sour with you on account of you thievin’ her stone and all but-”
“-It’s not that,” he said, shaking his head with a sad smile, “You wouldn’t help Mimica, not if you knew…”
Applejack scowled, “Now what in tarnation’s that suppose ta mean? We’re kind folk round here. We won’t toss a pony out on her flank just ‘cause she’s different.”
Alpha turned away from the fence and began walking back to the house, “I wouldn’t ever think you would do that to any pony, Applejack. And that’s the problem…”
The earth pony’s frown deepened, “Now that don’t make a lick o’ sense!”
The unicorn paused and looked back at her, smiling weakly, “Don’t worry about it, Applejack…and thank you. It felt good to talk. Mimi and I will be out of your mane in the morning. You have my word that I won’t try to steal your Element of Harmony. I’ll make do with what I’ve got…somehow.”
Applejack watched him go and then slumped back against the fence. She’d hoped to convince the pony to return what he had in the morning before running off. It wasn’t like she could just go rummaging in his belongings either. She’d promised him a safe roof over their heads and her pride as a member of the Apple family would be tarnished if she broke her word in that regard.
If she were wearing her hat she’d have tossed it to the ground in frustration, and instead just resolved to get up early and seek out the others for advice…
-α-
I roused Mimica with a gentle nudge, pressing a hoof to her mouth to stop her muffled query as I looked warily over at the other bed.
I could see Mimi look about with startled eyes and I only then realised that she would have no idea where she actually was.
As the dawning light struck the bed opposite, I noticed Applejack was absent, her younger sister being the only one curled up under the covers.
The rest had done Mimica some good, though it was clear she still seemed dazed. While rest and relaxation may help ponies recover strength, it was Mimi’s lack of sustenance as a Changeling that was continually draining her.
I knew that if I didn’t somehow convince her to tell me precisely what it was she needed to consume then there’d be no end to her problems. Unfortunately, most of the information I’d been able to gather on Changelings had been anecdotal and spliced with rumour and hearsay. Even the news reports from the recent invasion attempt had been sketchy in terms of actual detail.
Mimi smiled sheepishly as I brushed her mane aside with one hoof to reassure her she was safe.
‘What aren’t you telling me?’ I found myself wondering as I looked into her large, dark eyes.
-α-
I checked my bag and led Mimica silently through the hallway and to the main door, “I think its best we sneak out before breakfast. We’ll hide out by the station and be gone on the first train out.”
“Do I even want to know where we are?”
“A farmhouse,” I whispered, “The owners of the orchard were kind enough to give us shelter for the night.”
“They found us?” she asked, “Can you trust them?”
I shook my head, “I guess we’ll find out…” I said as I carefully opened the outer door.
I walked out into the open…and then I found out.
We were surrounded…
-α-
I took a hesitant step back as the group of ponies that had obviously been waiting for me tensed.
“Back, Mimi, back…” I murmured, my eyes flicking about at the group.
It was quite a mixed bunch: Two unicorns, two pegasi, two earth ponies…and one alicorn.
Heavens help me, it was Princess Twilight…and Shining Armor was with her too.
I couldn’t help but notice that the pink earth pony from the previous day and Applejack were among them also. The other thing that immediately came to my attention was that, with the exception of Shining Armor, every single pony surrounding us was adorned with an Element of Harmony.
I almost felt nauseous when I found myself forced to admit that my benefactor was right about something: I really should not have stopped in this town.
“Applejack…” I found myself saying in a low tone, keeping my eyes locked ahead on Princess Twilight, who was standing at the front of their formation at Shining Armor’s side.
“I’m sorry, partner…” came the earth pony’s genuinely apologetic voice, “I tried tellin’ ‘em what you said to me, and that maybe we could still talk this out but-“
“-But the fact still remains,” cut in Shining Armor in a strong, firm voice, “you have stolen items from good and innocent ponies and as a result have put all of Equestria in danger. You will return what you have taken and submit yourself to my custody.”
“Hello, Shining Armor,” I said, ignoring his demand for now.
“Alpha Spark…” he intoned in response, “If you cooperate then you have my word we will do all we can to help you with your…issues. Despite what you seem to think, we can be civil about this.”
“Spark…” came Mimi’s voice from behind me as she edged up to my side.
“Don’t worry, Mimica,” I said as confidently as was possible given the circumstances, “There are two of us and…uhm…”
“Seven…of them?”
“Y-yeah really didn’t think before speaking there.”
“Why are we even bothering to talk about this?” demanded one of the two pegasus ponies; a young blue mare with a rainbow mane, “let’s just take them!”
“Rainbow Dash, no!” called Twilight as the Pegasus swirled about in the air charged at me with what I can only describe as breathtaking speed.
However, the instant her forward hooves made contact with the bag on my side, a blinding green flash shot out from within and struck the pony in her flank, sending her careening back the way she’d came and skidding through the mud to an ungraceful halt.
“Rainbow Dash!” cried the alicorn. Her concern quickly became relief though as the rainbow coloured pegasus quickly dragged herself out from the dirt, seeming frazzled but otherwise unharmed. She was certainly resilient, I’d give her that.
“So the reports were true,” said Twilight, “The first high profile theft was the chest of Parenses. That’s how you’ve been keeping all of those things hidden.”
“The what?” asked Rainbow as she approached, shaking off both her disorientation and the mud from her mane.
“The Chest of Parenses,” clarified Twilight, “is a mythical case said to prevent anything within from being taken from the owner unless he or she wills it. It also stops the chest being taken and its contents seen without his permission once it’s been bonded to a particular pony.”
“And yet he managed to steal chest itself?” asked Rainbow Dash.
Twilight shook her head, “It was just a museum piece. It’s been inactive ever since Starswirl defeated Parenses himself centuries ago. That also proves one other thing…”
“Which is?” I asked with a sigh.
Twilight stabbed a hoof at me in response, “That you must have had an accomplice. Parenses was an evil wizard, and it would’ve taken a massive amount of dark magical energy in order to get one of his artefacts working again. There’s no way you could’ve done it alone. And from what Applejack’s said about your friend, I doubt she could’ve pulled it off either.”
“Spark, what’s she talking about?” asked Mimica.
“I’ll tell you all about it later, I promise,” I said, keeping my eyes on the alicorn.
“From what you say, Twilight, it would appear we’ve reached a stalemate,” I said, “You can’t take me since the chest will protect me regardless, and I in return have no interest in attacking you.”
Okay, that was me severely bluffing and I was painfully aware of it: I knew that if they took me without making contact with the chest then they would all be fine and dandy. The only reason the pegasus had been repelled was because she’d accidentally touched the artifact through the thin canvas of the bag.
The question was, would they risk it anyway?
“Is there nothing we can do to talk you out of this?” asked Twilight, her tone quieting suddenly, “Please, Alpha Spark, it doesn’t have to be this way. If you'd just give me a chance then perhaps I can find a way to help both you and your friend.”
She seemed so sincere, and I actually felt my resolve crack.
Then I remembered Luna. I remembered how even she had seemed to genuinely want to talk.
I looked to Mimi and then back at Princess Twilight.
There was only one answer, “I’m sorry, Princess, but I’ve tried that option and it didn’t work out. There really is no other way…”
The alicorn’s gaze fell, “Then I suppose there really isn’t anything else for us to say.” And just like that, her eyes hardened, “You have left me no choice, Alpha Spark.”
I knew an upcoming threat when I heard one, “No choice but to what? You can’t drag me in and neither can you teleport me so long as I have the chest. And I’m sorry, your highness, but not even your magic is enough to overcome its enchantments.”
“Perhaps not,” she admitted, “I will admit that my power alone is rarely the solution to my problems,” she then lowered her head at me, “That’s why I have my friends!”
That was when I noticed the fizzling of light about the adornment on her head, “My magic might not be enough to stop you, Alpha Spark, but together, we possess a magic far greater than anything you may have assembled!”
I resisted the urge to facehoof, ‘Oh, don’t tell me she’d actually go so far as to…’ my thoughts trailed off when I noticed five other points of light begin to illuminate the dawn around the princess.
I heaved a sigh, ‘Yup, Elements of Harmony…knew I’d forgotten about something…’
“Not only will this be enough to break the dark magic protecting you, but perhaps the magic of friendship will help you see the error of your ways,” decreed Twilight as a glowing aura began to lift the other wielders of the Elements up into the air in formation about her.
‘And doomed with a capital do,’ I thought dismally as I watched what had to be the most powerful combined magical strike known to all Equestria begin to build, readying to blast yours truly at point-blank range.
To be frank I considered it overkill almost to the point of flattery…
Through acceptance of the inevitable came sadness. I had no idea what the Elements would do to me: Would they take away my pain? Turn me into a smiling fool who’ll run tearfully back to my parents and apologise for making them worry? Would it turn out that it was only through my pain and resentment that I ever felt anything for Mimi –a supposed ‘enemy of Equestria’— to begin with?
Would I stop caring for her?
“Mimi…” I said, keeping my voice as even as possible and ignoring Twilight as she prattled on, no doubt continuing her friendship-related ranting.
“Spark…?” she asked, and I noted she was still by my side, unmoving and unflinching.
What a silly girl she was…
“I want you to run. I want you to take the chest and get as far away from here as possible.”
“W-what?” she gasped.
I found myself frozen to the spot as the points of light began gathering together, “I don’t know what might happen when this is over, but I know it’ll end with me giving back everything I took one way or the other.”
I swallowed, “It might also…change me. So I want you to go and get to someplace safe. The others won’t be able to move while they’re using the Elements. If you use your wings then you can outfly Shining Armor and escape.”
“S-Spark?” she said, her voice breaking as she realised I was preparing myself to break my most important promise…my promise to never abandon her.
I was aware of my body shaking, “I said go! And…and I’m sorry…
“…I’m so sorry I failed you, Princess Mimica.”
The light was so beautiful; every colour in the spectrum and as warm as the dawning sun.
And like some reverse prism effect, the light glowed radiant white through the eyes of the six ponies.
Then there was pain. But it was not from the mass of rainbow light about to strike me head-on.
No, it was Mimica. With strength I’d never felt in her before, I felt her rear hooves slam into my flank.
I was lifted off my hooves and knocked violently aside an instant before the full force of the Elements of Harmony struck Mimica in my place.
Seeing her ailing slowly was one thing, but the sound of Mimi’s scream almost tore me apart inside as she was engulfed in a cyclone of rainbow coloured magic.
I saw Twilight, her eyes still ablaze with white light take a step back in shock, “No!”
Then came a low, strained voice from somewhere within the storm of magic, “W-won’t…
“Won’t…let you…” and then I saw Mimica within the coloured spiral, her glamour pulsing white as she began forcing herself back up to her feet, straining under the weight of all the magic about her.
I saw the blast of energy try to lash out in my direction as Twilight attempted to adjust her aim, only for Mimica to brace her legs outward, teeth bared, a low growl rumbling through her throat.
She was holding the attack around herself, forcing them to keep focus on her.
“W-what’s going on?” gasped Twilight, her glowing eyes wide with shock.
“I won’t let you…” growled Mimi from within the light, “…hurt…my…FRIEND!!” And with that one last, screamed decree of defiance, the swirling cyclone of energy convulsed and shuddered as the flow suddenly inverted, being forced by some unseen force into changing directions.
“Mimi…ca?” I breathed out as the roaring sound of battling energy transformed into a gentle swishing as something brought the cascade of magic under control.
Suddenly, the spiral of light began to unfurl itself from around the Changeling’s body, becoming narrower and narrower as it gathered upwards to a glowing point at the tip of her horn before vanishing completely.
Only once her body was fully revealed did I notice that Mimica’s eyes were now glowing with the same light as Twilight’s.
“But that’s…impossible…” breathed the alicorn princess as silence fell, her eyes and those of her companions returning to normal as the Elements finished discharging.
Mimica exhaled a long breath as crackles of white light danced over her form.
“Who…are you?” asked Twilight.
Mimica narrowed her eyes at Twilight and there was a violent displacement of air as the Changeling’s wings tore free from behind her glamour and spread out, lifting her off the ground with just that one simple movement. I scrambled back a bit on reflex as the gust passed over me.
It was the first time I’d actually seen her with enough strength to actually hover off the ground.
“You’re an…alicorn?” gasped Twilight.
“Hardly,” glowered Mimica, and there was a deep resonance in her voice that I’d never heard before. I then watched as the light in her eyes shifted, changing from gentle white to an angry, pulsing neon green, “I am Mimica, daughter of Chrysalis and Princess of the Changeling race. And I think we are done here...”
Mimica swept her large wings upwards as a fizzling of green crackled over her forward hooves. She then slammed herself down into the ground, releasing a massive shockwave of shimmering green light directly at the waiting circle of ponies and blasting them out of her path.
I was frankly too stunned to say or do anything as Mimi scooped me effortlessly up under one foreleg and then erupted into the skies. There was a deafening sonic boom released in her wake as she punched straight into supersonic flight.
‘Well...’ I found myself thinking somewhat lamely as I was yanked into the sky like a ragdoll, ‘that was unexpected…’
-T-
Twilight groaned as she pulled her chin up from the dirt and onto her forehooves. She flinched down again as the shards of glass blasted free from Applejack’s windows pattered to the ground around them.
Rarity struggled to her hooves, “What in the devil happened there?” she demanded before gasping as she realised how caked with mud she’d become.
“What in the hay did that pony do?” asked Rainbow Dash as she helped a stunned Fluttershy up.
“She wasn’t a pony, Rainbow Dash,” grunted Twilight as she pushed herself up, “She was a Changeling, and I may have just made a horrible mistake…”
“A Changeling?” echoed the blue Pegasus, “if she was a Changeling then why didn’t the Elements of Harmony make short work of her? I mean they took care of Nightmare Moon and Discord easily enough.”
“The Elements of Harmony only work on those with darkness and malice in their hearts, Rainbow. She may have been a Changeling, but I felt it when the Elements connected us: she really was just trying to help her friend, nothing more…and there was nothing the Elements could do against that other than sympathise with her.”
“And Changelings feed on the power of love and affection. I know that better than anyone…” said Shining Armor as he dusted himself off. He then turned to regard the skies in the direction the Changeling had fled.
“What kind of Changeling even feels compassion and affection?” asked Rarity.
“I’m not sure, Rarity,” said Twilight, “I think there’s a whole lot to this situation that we still don’t know about.”
“I’m not sure I’m really getting all of this, but are you saying we just accidentally supercharged a Changeling?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“Yes,” sighed Twilight, slumping slightly, “That’s exactly what we just did, Rainbow…”
“Oh…” The pegasus winced, “Umm, oops?“
Shining Armor narrowed his eyes off into the sky, “And now…we have a real problem.”
-α-
To be continued…