“Come, ve must hurry.” Sasha whispered, rushing the girls up a stairwell.
“I don’t see why you're in such a hurry. I took out like hundreds of those things by myself.” Cass boasted.
“They vere vorkers, not guards or soldiers, that you ambushed. A proper soldier vould destroy you.” Sasha grumbled, pushing the human up the stairs.
“Blah blah blah, whatever, this body is weird but powerful, nothing can stop me!” Cass boasted.
“You vould be vise to listen to me Sergeant.” Sasha warned.
The group continued up the stairs for miles, the endless loop having no way to get off it, forcing the group to continue away from the heart of the hive. Everytime the group would slow or stop, a sound below would force them to speed up.
“Is that what I think it is?” Asked Scootaloo, who was being carried by Sasha at the moment.
“I smell fresh air!” Pinkie Pie yelled, zipping around the bend.
“Pinkie, wait up!” Twilight called after her rapidly disappearing back.
“Hurry guys!” Her reply echoed back.
The group, catching their second wind, sprinted as fast as the could, being suddenly blinded as they stepped into the sunny brightness of the outside. The sky was clear and they could see the Sweet Apple Orchards directly in front of them. The apples swaying invitingly from the branches in the breeze. The sweet smell of apples drifting up to them in their high perch halfway up a cliff.
“So, uh, how are those of us without wings going to get down?” Cass asked, leaning over and peering down the sheer drop.
“You could just jump.” Applejack said sourly, kicking a rock over the edge.
“Or, before we go doing something silly, those of us with wings can carry you down.” Twilight said, glaring at Applejack.
“But there are only 4 of us with wings, and who knows how long it will be before they get here.” Rainbow Dash said, the gears churning in her head.
“I can fly!” Protested Scootaloo.
“Sorry kid, but you look like you’re molting and you were never a flyer before, I don’t think you could carry someone else down.” Rainbow Dash said, laying a hoof on Scootaloo’s back.
“But I can help!” She protested, looking like she was about to cry.
“Don’t vorry little one, ve got this.” Sasha comforted before continuing.
“Now, Fluttershy, you carry pink one, Rainbow, you carry Applejack, Tvilight, you carry Rarity, I vill carry fat ass here.” Sasha ordered, the paired ponies settling together and beginning their descent.
“Gods, you vill lay off the cakes when ve get back.” Sasha grunted as he lifted Cass up and over the edge.
“When we get back your going on an exercise regime old man.” Cass teased back.
“Old man? I vill tea-” Sasha grunted in pain and dropped like a stone as a black streak struck him from behind.
“Cass!” Applejack screamed as he plummeted past her, his arms outstretched, clutching at air.
“Crap!” Cass screamed in return.
“I got ya!” Scootaloo yelled as she grabbed his arm and flapped with all of her might, barely slowing his fall. Sasha’s lifeless body falling past and landing with a crunchy bounce.
“Gah!” Twilight screamed in pain as the streak hit her next, both her and Rarity plummeting.
“Scoot, drop me and get outta here!” Cass yelled.
“Ugh!” Rainbow Dash grunted the streak struck her square in the face, sending her spinning through the air in lazy circles. Applejack flapping her arms uselessly as she also fell and landed next to her fallen friends.
“I can’t!” Scootaloo yelled.
“Help!” Fluttershy cried in pain as the streak landed on her back, revealing itself to be a changeling as it struck her in the back of the head with a rock.
Twisting around, Cass used his body weight to fling Scootaloo into the orchard, falling the last 30 feet or so onto his face with a thud.
Scootaloo, surprised by the sudden flinging, crashed limply through the woods before she struck a tree with a thwack. She slide down onto the ground, gasping for air, as she watched Pinkie Pie land on Applejack through a gap in the trees. None of the ponies on the ground nor Cass moved a hair as the changeling landed in their midst. The evil thing grinning as it kicked the bodies of her friends and family, checking to see if it had killed any of them by mistake.
“Leave them alone!” She screamed, her own voice sounding pitiful to herself, the changeling snapping around to face her.
“Oh, my little snack, how are you doing?” It asked, swaggering up to Scootaloo, swaying it’s hips in a cat like fashion.
“You!” Scootaloo hissed venomously.
“Yes, it’s me, your pal. And I still haven’t found my bwig sister.” It mocked as it transformed into a small red filly, laughing as it stood above Scootaloo as she struggled to even breath.
“Ragh!” Scootaloo screamed, lunging forwards, smashing her forehead on it’s snout with a crunch that could be heard for miles.
“OW! That hurt! Now I’m going to have to punish you.” It hissed, holding it’s snout as it transformed back.
“You’re the one deserving punishment.” Scootaloo gasped as she stood up, pain lancing from her midsection.
“Oh, mighty words from one too weak to stand without shaking.” It mocked, circling her to the right.
“Weak words for something I’ve already destroyed.” Scootaloo countered, limping the opposite direction of it.
“But now you do not have your protector, you will be an easy foe now that he is gone.”
“As if! I’ve had awesome teachers in being awesome! I can take ya!” Scootaloo boasted, her voice shaking.
“We will see.” It muttered just before pouncing on Scootaloo, sending the two of them rolling across the ground.
The two of the rolled into a tree, Scootaloo striking blindly with her hooves, some of them actually landing on her foe. It morphed it’s forehooves into scythes and tried to cleave her in half, but their sheer size made it hard for her to reach a target so close.
Scootaloo got her hind legs underneath her and bucked as hard as she could, aimed for the things back legs that were braced on the ground, causing it to fall forwards, embedding it’s scythes in the ground. It being stuck gave her the opportunity to strike again with her forehead, crushing the already broken nose, again and again, before it demorphed and popped backwards in pain.
Scootaloo, lunging forwards, wrapped her legs around it’s waist and tossed it sideways across the ground. It skidded and rolled to a stop before she pounced, leaping high into the air. She came down hard, smashing both of her rear hooves onto it’s collar, crushing the metal inwards with a sickening crunch.
“You will leave him alone!” Scootaloo screamed in it’s face, tears streaming down her face as she struck downwards into it’s defenseless face over and over again as a black liquid leaked out of it’s mouth.
“Oh, I can agree.” It’s voice leaked out from somewhere, “You will be the one doing the harm!”
The liquid from it’s mouth leaped to Scootaloo’s face, forming to it like a mask as Scootaloo clawed at it, trying to pull it off as it poured itself down her throat.
Scootaloo struggled of breath, gasping and wheezing on the ground, thrashing against the thing she felt moving around in her chest. It slowly subsided, leaving Scootaloo feeling gross and need of a shower. But something else was wrong, she just couldn’t place her hoof on it.
“Oh there is nothing wrong, but everything right!” Her skull buzzed.
Scootaloo went wide eyed in terror, clutching her the side of her headl.
“Oh yes, I’m in here and there isn’t anything you can do about it.” It sang, teasing her.
“NO!” Scootaloo whimpered, falling forward into the fetal position.
“Easy now, don’t want to hurt my new body do you?” It asked, Scootaloo’s limbs not doing what she told them to as they flexed out, forcing her to stand back up.
“It’s still my body.” She grunted, trying with all of her might to move her legs.
“No it’s not, your now just a passenger. One that will be forced to watch as I consume your friends...”
“No.” Scootaloo sobbed.
“Your loved ones....”
“No!” She yelled, struggling so hard her nose bled.
“And especially your family, beginning with that Cass of yours.” It laughed.
“NO!” Scootaloo raged, smashing her hooves against her face.
“What are you doing?” It demanded.
“Not letting you do a thing!” She yelled, pulling at her ears, wings flapping out in an arch.
“No! You cannot dare defeat me! I am a changeling god! Second only to the queen herself! You are just a mere filly!” It screamed in her head.
“You will get out of my head.” She screamed as she slammed her face into the grass.
“Stop, please, you’re killing me!” It begged, it’s voice growing weaker.
“What if that is the point?” She grunted, scraping her face through the dirt, her blood mixing with dirt making a rapidly expanding spot of mud.
“Please, you cannot do this!” It begged, the buzzing barely noticeable.
“Get out of my head, now!” She ordered, her voice spraying a fine black mist from her mouth and nose.
“No!” It whispered, barely louder than a breeze.
With a final puff of breath, Scootaloo hacked up a chunk of tar, that hit the ground and bounced once before settling on the ground. It quickly dissipated, leaving no trace of it being there.
Scootaloo crumpled on the ground, her eyes blurry and her head fuzzy. She twisted towards the others and crawled towards them. Her body dragging against the ground as she gasped in pain.
“Cass! Applejack!” She cried as she reached towards them, vision fading to black near the edges.
With a last gasping cry, she collapsed in a heap. The world escaping her grasp leaving her in the warm, comforting embrace of unconsciousness.
“The fuck did I drink last night?” Cass grunted as he sat up, eyes scrunched shut as he clutched the back of his head.
“Pumpkin?” He called out after a moment, opening his eyes a fraction, scanning the surroundings.
“Oh, yeah.” He sighed sadly as he saw the ponies collapsed around him.
Attempting to stand up, he found his left leg refused to take any weight, the painful way too. As he fell to the ground again, he saw an orange fur ball in the nearby tree. A black shape heaped behind it.
“Atta girl.” He grunted as he pulled himself towards her.
“Cass?” Applejack called from under Pinkie Pie.
“Here Applejack, you okay?”
“No. I don’t know if I can make it back to the farm.” She replied feebly.
“And you won’t have to.” Luna said, picking up Scootaloo gently with her magic and carrying her over.
“Princess!” Applejack grunted.
“We told you to call me Luna, and we meant it.” Luna chided softly as she scooped Pinkie Pie up off of Applejack.
“And besides, in the condition you are in you shouldn’t be talking.” Celestia said, appearing from the same direction as Luna did, her magic picking up ponies as well. “You need to conserve your strength.”
“Princess!” Applejack gasped as she was lifted into the air.
“Oh come now, is that the only thing you are capable of saying now? Oh how boring this is going to be.” Discord drolled on as he stepped into the light, gently picking up Fluttershy with his arms and holding her like a newborn.
“Now ah know ah hit my noggin hard.” Applejack sighed as she slipped back into unconsciousness.
“Who the fuck are you.” Cass grunted as Luna lifted him up, draping him over her side so he could use her as a crutch.
“I know I have some explaining to do, but in all due time, for now, we need to get you back home. It is not safe to tarry here.” Celestia said, turning back the way she came.
“Perhaps we could stop for some ice cream?” Discord suggested, a cone appearing in his hand.
“Shut up Discord.” The Luna responded instantly, ignoring the cone stuck to the side of her head.
“Guard, go to town and gather the nurse and bring her here.” Celestia ordered as she strode into the house, a string of unconscious ponies floating behind her.
“Ma’am?” The guard questioned, looking at Luna.
“Go, now, I'll explain why my sister is here later, but don’t tell anypony, just get the nurse and be fast about it.” Luna sighed as she started settling ponies on whatever soft surface she could.
The guard, noticing the urgency in her voice, and took a second to glance the wounded, and then rushed out of the door leaving a puff of dust in his wake.
“You’re back!” Came a shrill cry from upstairs.
“Shh!” Luna scolded as a trio of heads poked over the edge of the stairs.
“Can we help?” Sweetie Belle asked, concern all over her face as she looked at her sister.
“Yes, go with Discord and gather all the medical supplies you can.” Celestia ordered.
“Oh, great, place the immortal god of chaos on babysitting duty. What’s next, you’re gonna ground me?” He grunted as he set Fluttershy gently on the couch.
“Think of it this way, I trust you enough to help them find medical supplies to help Fluttershy and the others.” Celestia said as she glared at him.
After Discord left into the kitchen, Cass turned to Celestia and asked, “I’m getting the vib you don’t really like Discord.”
“I would be in a much greater mood if I hadn’t been locked in my own dungeons for months on end to only be released by one of my great rivals as he poked me in the ass and called me fat. All in all you can spare me some slack because I have yet to discuss what you are.” She said, her tone cold enough to freeze lava.
“Sister, do we need to go acquire you some cake?” Luna asked, looking at her sister fearfully after her little outburst.
“Oh yes, that would be wonderful, but not chocolate! I swear that’s the only thing that Discord can conjure up.” She sighed as she turned her magic on Twilight, her bruises and cuts healing before Cass’s eyes.
“If you can heal them like that why are you getting nurses?”
“Because I can only do the superficial, I’m a god, not a doctor.”
“Lame excuse, but whatever. I still can’t shake the feeling that I should be trying to tear your teeth out one by one, seeing how you don’t have fingers to be breaking.”
“Ma’am, should he be talking you like that?” Amp asked from the top of the stairs, his sword half out of it’s scabbard.
“Your consort?” Cass asked as he hobbled over to the lazy chair and plopped down in it.
“NO!” Amp violently protested, Cass staring wide eyed at the sword that suddenly appeared, embedded in the chair between his legs, a few centimeters of a travesty.
“So I see I found a touchy subject not to talk about.”
“And if you ask Discord for pictures I will be sure to gouge your eyes out.” Amp threatened as he stepped down the stairs.
“Sister, are we all getting along in here?” Luna asked as she reentered the living room.
“Perfectly, in fact I was about to start a good hearted game of poker, should I deal you in?” Celestia asked sarcastically.
“Fine then no cake for you.” Luna said, placing the plate on the end table.
“Did I miss something?” Discord asked as he walked in with a bag with a red cross on it.
“Only end of the world as immortal gods are arguing and fighting with cake.” Cass replied sourly, sword still stuck in an awkward spot, despite his attempts to remove it.
“Oh that happens more often than you think.” Discord laughed as he settled down next to Fluttershy, kit open.
“Foul being, what have you done with the fillies?” Amp asked.
“Oh, them, I turned them into potted plants and threw them in the trash, they said I looked funny.” He said as if that explained everything.
Amp, jumping into action, lept over the couch, yanked his sword free, and sprinted into the kitchen.
“The little ones are in the basement looking for the extra blankets, I saw them go down there.” Luna said as she levitated a gauze roll towards herself and Cass.
“Oh boo on you widdle woona, ruining my fun, you should be ashamed. Next your going to be caught doing naughty things to your guards.” Discord said as a picture appeared in his hand.
“Discord, don’t.” Celestia warned.
“But then again, he was the one doing all the work, she just accepted him.”
“I will banish you to the sun.” She threatened.
“Sister, what do he mean by all of this?” Luna asked, halfway done tieing a splint on the grimacing human.
“Oh, but I cannot show you widdle woona, it’s not safe for your eyes.” Discord sang, growing a third arm just to hold the picture so he could use both hands for bandaging.
“Sister?”
“Fine, he took a compromising photo of me.” Celestia sighed.
“And?” Discord egged on.
“Amp.” Celestia said, burying her face in hooves in an attempt to hide her blush.
“Who?” Luna asked, not noticing that she was tightening the bandages too tight and that Cass was lifting himself out of the chair, face frozen in pain.
“The overzealous guard who will someday be the death of me.” Celestia said, yanking the cake from the end table, ignoring her sisters attempt to block it.
“Overzealous is not the word I would use. I think highly devoted to his Princesses wants is more accurate.” Discord said with a flourish.
“Have you nothing better to do?” Celestia demanded.
“Other than take up gardening, no. But I do think somepony should answer the door and let the nurse in.”
That, of course was unneeded, the nurse merely barged into the building, literally dragging the guard pony by his tail. She took one look around the room before pouncing on Rarity, a large medical bag bouncing on her hip as she started applying aid.
“Hello?” Luna asked, looking confused.
“Quiet, you should have not moved them. You might have made injuries to their spines worse. If we are lucky some of them might still be able to walk.” Nurse Redheart spat at them.
Luna, opened her mouth to say more, but was interrupted by a group of heavily armed guards burst through the door, knocking the already battered thing clean off it’s hinges. They swarmed the room, surrounding Celestia, and leveled their weapons with her face.
“Princess Luna, we just received word that this is an imposter.” One of the yelled out, poking Celestia in the cheek with his spear.