The Next Morning
Vinyl
I sit upright in bed, bleary and groggy. I rub my eyes and reach for my shades, putting them on as I get to my feet.
Has it really only been a few hours?
I look to the bed next to me, rumpled sheets the only thing betraying the fact that Octavia was sleeping there, just minutes ago from the looks of it.
I yawn and rub my eyes again, dispelling the last little bits of sleep.
It all feels like a dream.
As I step into the hallway outside our bedrooms, an eerie silence fills the castle. The only sound heard is the sound of my own footsteps echoing through the empty rooms.
"Hello?" I call. No answer.
"Where are they?" I say.
I keep walking, checking every room until I come to a split in the hallway with three paths to take. I summon up two clones and take the center path, the others taking left and right. I continue searching, borrowing the senses of my clones, until I hear a faint noise coming from up ahead. I dispel my clones and start running. As I approach the noise, I realize what exactly it is...
It's music.
I run faster as the music grows louder and louder, and the sound of muted voices joins the melody. Soon, I come to a door with light streaming under it. I open it to find the rest of the Bearers and Princess Celestia standing in a large round room decorated with streamers and balloons. A large cake fills an entire table in the center, with very large chunks taken out of it. Punch and other party snacks line a curved table across the room
"She's finally awake!" Celestia says with a grin, an entire cake on a large plate in her hands. "Welcome, Vinyl! Come enjoy the festivities!"
Puzzled, I walk in and start towards my friends, only to be interrupted by a familiar face.
"Oh there you are, Vinyl!" Pinkie Pie says. "I came here because I had some really bad news, but I saw that you were asleep and the others told me what'd happened so I thought I'd let you sleep in 'cause after all you've earned it and instead I'd throw a ginormous surprise party for you all! Are you surprised? Huh? Are ya?"
"S-Sure, Pinkie." I say, more to stop her rambling than anything else. "I just need to talk to my friends a bit, that's all."
"All right!" She says, walking off towards the dance floor. "Have fun!"
I walk over to where my friends are and join them as they resume chatting.
"Glad you're awake, Vinyl." Scootaloo says. "Did you see yourself out there? You were awesome, teleporting around like nobody's business!"
"Thanks." I say, grabbing a slice of cake.
"Not to mention the whole cloning thing." Sweetie Belle says. "That was really unexpected."
"Nearly gave us a heart attack there." Time Turner says.
"How do you know what happened?" I ask.
"The Princess told us all about it while you were asleep!" Applebloom says.
"Yes. It was quite the experience." Octavia says, smiling warmly. "I'm just glad you're all right."
"Speaking of Princesses," I say. "Where's Luna?"
"She had to rest." Celestia says. "Understandable, considering all she's been through."
"Not through so much that I can't enjoy a party." a voice says. We all turn to see Luna walk through a doorway and grab a slice of cake. There are several bandages wrapped around her and gauze taped on random parts of her body.
"What happened to you?" I ask.
"Your friend." Luna replies with a smile. "Octavia really did a number on both of us."
I turn to Octavia and she shakes her head, cutting me off.
"Luna and I already talked." She says. "It's all water under the bridge."
"Relax, Vinyl." Luna says. "Have some 'fun'. You've certainly earned the right to it after what you and your friends have been through."
Luna turns to her sister and I'm surprised to see tears in her eyes.
"Celestia, I haven't had a chance to talk to you after the whole thing. I never got to say I'm sor-"
Celestia wraps her younger sister in a hug, tears in her eyes as well.
"There's no need for apologies, Luna. You're safe, and that's all that matters."
"But I wasn't strong enough. If I had fought back more, perhaps I might have been able to keep Nightmare Moon at bay long enough for the Elements to defeat her again."
"It doesn't matter what could have or would have happened. It's over now, and I'm glad to have my sister back."
"Aww." Pinkie Pie says. "I really don't wanna interrupt a moment as touching as this, but I think it's time for me to tell you guys why I'm here. After all, every party has to end."
Pinkie Pie arranges eight chairs in front of a ninth and beckons us to sit down.
"This is gonna take a while, so you should get comfy."
Later
"And that's everything that's happened. Well, everything up until now, but you already know that part." Pinkie finishes.
There is a long silence as we all digest the story.
Scootaloo gets up and walks over to the cake, grabbing a colossal slice.
"Well, we'd better stock up." she says. "If we're gonna take back Ponyville, we'll need supplies."
"Right." Sweetie Belle says, getting up as well and stowing some extra food in her bag. "We'll need to leave soon if we want to take them by surprise."
"Yeah." Applebloom adds. "We'll need a way to get there as well. I'll go get us some train tickets."
"Girls-" Octavia tries to say, but Scootaloo cuts her off.
"I'm done with standing around and watching as other people fight and risk their lives for us." she says, a determined grimace on her face. "It's time for the Cutie Mark Crusaders to take a stand and show everyone what we're capable of."
"I agree." Luna says. "I know how it feels to be unable to do anything as those you love put themselves in danger on your behalf."
She turns to Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom.
"I'm in no condition fight alongside you, but there is something I can teach you. All of you."
"What?" Applebloom asks.
"A skill that will allow you to distinguish your fellow Bearers from changelings, as well as streamline all communication between the six of you: Telepathy."
"Like reading minds?" I ask. "That'd be so awesome!"
"No." Luna replies. "Not reading minds, simply sending messages mentally. We will discuss more on the way."
"The way to where?" Time Turner asks.
"Ponyville will be guarded, and although you six are powerful, there is no way you can fight off an army all by yourselves. We're going to the Crystal Empire."
Later
"All right. Now we can begin." Luna says as we all get settled in the train car. "Clear your mind, just like we've taught you."
I close my eyes and concentrate, the sensation of calm overwhelming me like so many times before.
"Now reach out with your mind. Focus on the essence of the person you are trying to reach, and then tap into the power of your Element."
I picture Octavia, playing her cello at a classy party, doing exactly what she loves most, that half-smile plastered across her face as she gets into the music...
Anyone out there?
Hello?
Tavi?
Vinyl? Is that you?
Yeah! Isn't it awesome? We can talk with our minds!
I must admit, it is very, very impressive.
Tavi. We can talk with our MINDS.
Okay; this is actually really awesome.
That's odd...
What's odd?
Your thoughts... I can taste them.
What?
I can taste your thoughts. They taste like licorice.
Yours don't have a taste...
Black licorice. It's kinda yummy and kinda gross.
Hold on a moment... Yes, I can taste something.
You can? Cool! What do my thoughts taste like?
...Vanilla.
Oh, come on! You get licorice and I get stupid vanilla?
That would explain why I couldn't taste it at first...
Anypony out there?
Grapes?
It works! Yay!
Is that you, Sweetie Belle?
Yeah! It's me! What were you saying about grapes?
Your thoughts taste like grapes. I wonder why...
Who all is here?
So far it's just the three of us.
...riously don't get it. I mean, how am I supposed to know if I've done it or not? Hello? Anyone out there? Not like they can hear me anyway...
Scootaloo!
GAH! Jeez, Sweetie Belle, take the volume down a notch, will ya?
Sorry, Scootaloo. I haven't quite got the hang of this yet.
There's not all that much to get the hang of...
How long have you been listening, Time Turner?
Ever since we closed our eyes. Hi, Octavia, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo.
I wonder... If our thoughts taste differently, what'd it taste like if two people thought something at the same time?
My thoughts taste like something?
-Like something? Dang it.
Where's Applebloom?
Whoa. Cherry-Chocolate. Neat.
Does anyone else taste apples?
Hello?
Applebloom!
Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo! I take it you two have managed to avail yourselves of this technique before I?
Yeah! It's totally awesome!
And weird. Everypony tastes different.
Tastes, Sweetie Belle? That sounds rather preposterous.
Yeah. For some reason, we all taste like food. Time Turner's chocolate...
I am? Huh.
Octavia's licorice...
Why? I'm not even Shadow...
And Vinyl's vanilla.
Vanilla's, like, the anti-flavor! Why'd everyone else get cool food-thoughts and I get frikkin' plain-ice-cream flavor? It's because I'm white, isn't it?
One must wonder what Celestia and Luna's thoughts taste like...
What's up with your voice, Applebloom?
Whatever do you mean, Scootaloo? I do say this has always been how I think.
You sound really... Grown up.
Oh, please. I don't sound anything like her. Although her tone does remind me of the snobs back home.
I think it's time we interrupted.
It looks like you've all gotten the hang of it. Excellent.
Celestia?
Luna?
Were you expecting someone else?
Now that you've learned the basics of mental communication, it's time to get a bit more complicated.
How?
You're going to start using images.
Images?
Yes. The goal here is to get you six linked so closely together you'll be able to communicate effortlessly and even share senses with each other.
Like with my clones!
Exactly. Let's start by sending images to one another. Simple things at first, a flower, or a cloud: memories. Then we'll move on to shared sight.
Shall we begin?
After a while, we manage to get sharing images down pat, even managing to share sights with one another as they happen, each of us gaining five extra pairs of eyes.
You're all doing so well! We're ready to start sharing hearing, taste, touch, and other senses. First, clear your minds...
Now, imagine yourself leaving your body, keeping one foot touching it to avoid floating away. Now, reach out towards the others...
Later
I sit in the train car, looking out of six windows at once as we head towards the Crystal Empire. Snowflakes multiplied sixfold fly past as I adjust my hair bow and bowtie at the same time while checking my hourglass necklace to see what time it is.
Half-past three on the nose.
Thanks.
As I sneeze and cough at the same time while hearing said sneeze-cough from six different sets of ears, the sensations overwhelm me for a moment before I get my bearings again.
This is so weird, yet strangely awesome.
Indeed. Sharing another's body can be quite the experience.
I think we're ready to move on to the final technique. Be warned: This takes a great deal of effort and concentration to perform, let alone master. Use it only when it is sorely needed.
Clear your heads and enter the mind-space like you do to share senses...
I reach out with my mind, casting my consciousness outside myself as I concentrate.
Now let go completely. It may be disorienting at first, possibly even scary, but once you have removed yourself from your body, much will be open to you that was not open before.
As I let go of myself, I am greeted with a view of a woman laying slumped in a chair, a katana belted at her hip and her neon blue hair waving slightly as the train jerks around.
That's me. I'm looking at myself.
Indeed you are, Vinyl. You learn fast. Now we wait for the others to join us.
H-Hello? She wasn't kidding. This is unsettling...
Tavi!
Vinyl? How do you always get the hang of these things right before I do?
I'll tell you once I find out.
There are enough now that we can begin if you'd like. Or we could wait for the others.
I'm ready.
So am I.
Very well, then. Vinyl, go to Octavia's body. Octavia, go to Vinyl's.
I will myself towards Octavia, and suddenly I am in front of her.
Now enter one another's bodies.
Wait, what?
I see a blur of motion behind me and see my body sit upright and look at its hands, a shocked expression on its face.
I focus, and will myself to enter Octavia's body...
And suddenly I'm lying on a chair on the train, my grey hair trailing out behind me and a cello strapped to my back.
"T-Tavi?" I ask, shocked to hear not my voice but Octavia's come out of my mouth.
"Yes?" my voice answers. I look up to see myself smiling at me.
"What the crap did we just do?" I ask.
"Well, it would appear we've switched bodies." I- no, she answers.
"This... Is trippy."
"Indeed."
"What's going on?" Time Turner asks. "Why am I Time Turner?"
Time Turner covers his mouth.
"So that's what it's like to talk without an accent."
"Applebloom?" I ask.
"As hard as it might be to believe, Octavia, yes. It's me, Applebloom."
"I'm not Tavi." I reply, pointing to my body. " That's Tavi. I'm Vinyl."
"Whoa. You two switched too?"
"Yes we did." Octavia says. "Time Turner, how are you faring?"
"It's... Odd." Applebloom's body says. "I feel... Stronger."
That is to be expected. While in another's body, you gain their physical attributes, as well as flight and magic. Your Element, however, stays with you.
"So I'm a pegasus now?" Scootaloo asks.
"You've always been a pegasus, Scootaloo." Applebloom says.
"No, Scootaloo's over there." Scootaloo says, pointing at Sweetie Belle. "I'm Sweetie Belle."
"Okay, this is getting confusing." Sweetie Belle's body says. "Who's who?"
"Let's see here..." I say. "I'm VinylTavia." I point to the others in turn. "And that's OctaVinyl, Time Bloom, Apple Turner, Sweetaloo and Scooty Belle."
"No offense, Vinyl, but those names sound stupid." Sweetaloo says.
"Yeah." Scooty Belle says. "I think I'll still just go by Scootaloo, even though I'm Sweetie Belle."
It's time to switch back. Being in another's body for too long can have unpleasant side effects.
As I float out of Octavia's body and back into mine, a sense of relief washes over me.
"Sometime, Luna, you've gotta tell us how you and Celestia know all this." I say.
Maybe when the fate of Ponyville isn't hanging in the balance.
"Also, why do your thoughts taste like nacho cheese-flavored chips?"
...
In my head, I hear snickering.
Sister...
What? I haven't said anything yet...
"And why do yours taste like bananas?"
...
Later
The train arrives at the station, the warm glow of the Crystal Heart enveloping the city in the snow.
"Wow." I say. "It's beautiful..."
"I've wanted to go here ever since Rarity told me about it, but I never imagined I'd see it so soon." Sweetie Belle says.
"Celestia! Luna! To what do we owe this surprise visit?" a voice says. We turn to see Shining Armor standing at the entrance to the station. He walks over to Luna, noticing the bruises and scrapes.
"What happened to you, Luna?"
"There will be time enough for talk later." Luna says. "Right now Ponyville is in trouble, and we need your help."
Shining Armor's eyes grow wide, and a worried expression crosses his face.
"Is-"
"Twilight's A-OK." Pinkie Pie says, stepping off of the train. "The last I saw of her, she was sad and tired, but unharmed."
"Good." Shining Armor says. "But still... What could be so bad that Twilight and her friends can't handle it?"
"Changelings." Celestia says.
Shining Armor's face grows dark, and he pulls out a crystal. Touching it to his, the crystal starts glowing.
"Cadance. Come quick. Code Green."
Suddenly a blue flash of light emanates from thin air. When it fades, Cadance is standing there holding a dagger, an angry look on her face.
"Where are they?"
"Ponyville." Shining Armor replies. "Twilight and her friends are okay, but Ponyville isn't."
Cadance steps onto the train.
"What are we waiting for? Those changelings aren't gonna kill themselves, hope though we might."
"All right!" Scootaloo yells. "Let's get going!"
Meanwhile, in the Everfree Forest, a paper airplane floats through a window, unnoticed by the demoralized residents of a small jungle hut...
Twilight
"Thanks, Zecora." I say, taking the bowl of soup. She nods and hands the others their wooden bowls. Fluttershy starts eating the soup. The others just sit there holding the bowls.
"Pinkie hasn't been back in a while." I say.
"She's probably been captured again." Rarity says with a sigh. "She shouldn't have left."
"I'm going to look for her." Fluttershy says, finishing her soup.
"You can't!" I say. "If Pinkie got captured, what chance do you have?"
"Thanks for your confidence in me." Fluttershy says sarcastically, which surprises me. "But I can handle myself. I know nature more than they do. I have animal friends. I can sneak around. I'm not useless."
"But Fluttershy-"
"No! I'm done sitting around and watching while everyone else is brave! It's time for me to be brave!"
She looks at the others and scowls.
"Because it looks like I'm the only one who can be brave right now."
She opens the door and storms through the opening, slamming the door behind her.
In the wind created by the door, something white floats into the air. I levitate it to me.
A paper airplane?
I look at the airplane, noting the name written on it, as well as the three balloons drawn on each wing.
Figures. Only Pinkie Pie would name an airplane The Unfold...
Facepalming at my own stupidity, I unfold the airplane.
Dear Twilight,
It's clear that none of you are willing to step up and help me motivate the others, and there's only so much cheering up I can do by myself. I've gone to get help. Maybe with the new Elements fighting alongside us the others will be more willing to fight back.
-Pinkie
"Of all the-" I say. "Girls! Get ready."
"Fer what?" Applejack says glumly. "Fightin'? Ah'm not ready ta die quite yet, Twilight."
"Give it a few minutes." Rainbow Dash says. "She'll come around. Death or glory!"
Her eyes have an odd light behind them.
"Or, in this case, both."
"Rainbow Dash-"
"She's right." Rarity says. "If Sweetie Belle's already gone, then there's no point holding back. I'll fight with all I have, even if it means my life."
Her eyes have the same odd light.
"Especially if it means my life."
Applejack gets to her feet slowly and picks up her hammer.
"I guess y'all're right." she says. "No point standin' around when we can avenge our kin."
The same strange light I'd seen in Rainbow Dash and Rarity's eyes ignites in hers.
"Ah'd always thought Ah'd die on the farm. Ah never thought Ah'd die defendin' it."
"What are you talking about?" I ask. "We're just going out to find Fluttershy, that's all."
"Oh." they all say, though that strange light is still there in their eyes.
"You sound almost disappointed." I say.
They say nothing, and eventually I decide to lead the way out of the hut. I throw open the door and look out at the forest.
It looks almost peaceful.
"Let's go." I say.
Fluttershy
Pinkie's right! If we don't fight back, what good are we?
The wind whistles through my hair as I fly over the forest, climbing higher and higher until Ponyville is the size of a serving dish.
I fly over the town, making note of the ant-sized changelings as they go about their work. There is an odd line surrounding the town. I fly lower to get a closer look at it...
Oh no.
There is a large stone wall surrounding the town, thin but tall.
This is bad. How'd they build that so fast? How much time has passed? I need to tell the others.
I turn to go back to the hut when I notice something on the horizon. A line of smoke.
Smoke! And where there's smoke there's fire!
I fly as fast as I can towards what I assume is a large forest fire until a familiar sound enters my ears.
...Or a train.
Octavia
It's really quiet... The younger ones seem so distant.
Distant and ticked off are two different things.
Oops. I forgot. My thoughts border on public now.
There are some things you can secret away, but yes. Our thoughts are forever linked, never to be separated.
I still can't get used to Applebloom's mental voice. It's kinda creepy...
...
Oops. Did I say that out loud?
No.
You know what I mean.
Yes.
Sorry, Applebloom.
I still fail to see what the matter is with my voice! This is how I have thought since I was a child, it is how I think now, and it shall forever be how I think.
I tune out of the mental dialogue for a while and start tuning my cello. Perfect pitch, as always.
Some music would do us good, actually.
You think so?
Music's always helped calm me down. Why don't we play something?
You play?
Piano.
I never knew. How interesting. But where are we going to find a piano on a train?
There's a show car two cars down. There's a piano, a stage, even an amp outlet...
Vinyl gets to her feet and runs to the door to the next car down.
Oops. Forgot our thoughts are public. I suppose she's setting up a makeshift soundstation.
Sure enough, a heavy beat starts emanating from a couple of cars down.
All for moving three cars up say 'I'.
I.
I.
Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo get up and enter the door opposite the one Vinyl entered.
Kids these days. No taste in music...
Suddenly there is a knocking coming from the door the Crusaders went through.
"Changed your minds, girls?" I ask, opening the door.
"Um..." a voice answers. "Is this a bad time?"
"Fluttershy?"
"H-Hello, Octavia. Can I come in?"
"Of course! How did you get here?"
"I flew."
"Fluttershy!" a voice says from the door leading to the theater car.
"Oh, Pinkie! I'm so glad you're okay!" Fluttershy says, hugging her friend. "I was so afraid something had happened to you, and the others weren't doing anything, so I went out to look for you, and then I saw the smoke from the train so I few onto it, and-"
"And people say I can talk." Pinkie says, laughing. "We're all okay, Fluttershy. Celestia and Luna are coming to help, as well as Shining Armor and Cadance and some of the Crystal Guard."
"Oh, good."
"How are the others?"
"Just like when you left."
"Did you get my message?"
"What message?"
"I'll take that as a 'no'. I sent a message saying I was gonna get help."
"You did?"
"Yeah. We should be arriving in Ponyville within a few hours."
Fluttershy's eyes widen, and a worried look crosses her face.
"That's why I came here! We all need to get off of this train!"
"Why?" I ask.
"The changelings have built a wall around Ponyville, including the tracks! If we don't get off soon, the train'll crash into the wall!"
"Oh no!" Pinkie says. "We need to tell the others lickety-split! Octavia, Time Turner, do the mindy thing!
"Mindy... Oh!" I say.
Guys, we need to get off of this train!
Why?
Whatever for?
It's gonna crash soon! If we don't get off, we'll all be in big trouble!
The beat stops, and the sound of breaking glass comes from a couple cars down.
I'm off.
What if Octavia's wrong, Vinyl? I hope you like walking.
Nope! There's a clone on the train. If it turns out there is no wall, I'll switch with it. If there is, It'll be dispelled when the train crashes. But honestly, I think you guys should get the heck off of this train.
Why?
Because I'm standing on the wall. It's pretty strong, especially around the train tracks.
The sound of a door opening resonates from the car next to us.
We've absconded.
Good. Celestia, Luna, can you hear me?
We're aware of the situation. We're preparing to disembark, as are Cadance, Shining Armor, and the Crystal Guard members.
Good.
I open the door in between cars, the wind whipping past as I step out into the gap.
I'm leaving. Time Turner?
Right behind you.
I jump off of the train, landing in a bush. I hear Time Turner land near me.
OW.
My sentiments exactly.
I got lucky. Pond.
Us too.
As the train zooms by, twenty figures jump off of it, landing somewhere in the forest with a splash.
Why couldn't I get a pond?
Vinyl, girls, start walking along the train tracks until you reach Octavia and Time Turner. We'll meet up with you.
After ten minutes or so, I see Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo walking along the tracks.
"Hello."
"Oh, there you are, Tavi!" a voice calls. I look behind the girls to see Vinyl walking along the tracks, waving.
After a minute or so, we start walking towards the others. We must have been walking for half an hour before Luna and the others met us.
"What's the plan?" Vinyl asks.
"You and I will get the others to Zecora's." Luna says. "We will launch our attack from there."
"Sounds good." Vinyl says. "How do we get to Zecora's?"