//------------------------------// // Drone Dash and Soured Apple // Story: Monstrous Metamorphosis // by DreamCatcher //------------------------------// Drone Dash "Hold still you varmit! I SAID HOLD IT!" Fluttershy whimpered, curled up behind Twilight, Discord perched atop her head as they watched the scene unfold. The gold-maned changeling was hissing violently, wrestling with the one with dimly-glowing rainbow streaks on the ground. It was scary almost, seeing how violently they tussled. Applejack had been pretty frightening ever since they had snapped her out of it anyway. She had demanded an explanation, and they had given her one the best they could. To Twilight's surprise and concern, the farmer had said hardly anything. The mare had been silent, a small frown on her face and her brow furrowed. She had simply asked where the others were and followed after them. It was only when they spotted the rainbow-textured changeling had she sparked back out of her funk. In fact, Twilight had barely attempted to formulate a plan when Applejack had tackled her, hissing with fangs bared and wings fluttering violently. Fluttershy had let out a squeak of fear, huddling out of sight. Applejack was violent, very violent; she had always had a bit of a temper to begin with but this was...frightening, for her. She kicked, bit, stomped on the rainbow-streaked changelings throat, biting and hissing. Ultimately she pinned an exhausted, wounded changeling, panting as she looked at her companions over her shoulder. "Are ya gonna fix her now or what?" she asked, her voice low and raspy. "Yikes, you're certainly taking this well, eh?" Discord appeared by her head, still miniaturized. "We don' have time for that," she replied curtly. "Ooo....you've kinda developed a bitter taste, eh? Are you a rotten apple now?" "Twilight are ya gonna help Dash now or should we drag her off somewhere?" Twilight shook off her daze and quickly trotted up, her horn glowing. "Hold her still." Applejack said nothing, watching as Twilight and Discord brought a spark back to Rainbow's eyes, which glazed just a moment before clearing. "I- what the?" She shook her head. "What's...?" Discord slapped his paw flatly against her mouth, suddenly doning a pair of bookish spectacles. "Now now, questions after the lecture, mm? Twilight why don't you fill her in- oh this is getting boring, I'll just put the information directly into your head." "Huh? You can do that?" Twilight stared. "Watch and learn." Discord put a claw to Dash's forehead, much like when he would distort their minds before. Dash's eyes whirred a moment then cleared, Discord moving his paw off her mouth as she stared off into space. "I- guys?" she shook a bit, violet eyes wide. "We're all...?" "I'm afraid so," Twilight said, frowning. "Applejack, let her go." AJ backed off, allowing Rainbow to unsteadily get to her hooves, wincing a bit from her wounds. "Ow...dammit, Applejack did you have to be so rough?" "If Ah hadn't ya would've flown off and yer too fast for any of us to catch like that. If ya had you would've told the rest of the hive an' we'd have been caught. Did what Ah had to do, but I am sorry." "That's..." Twilight frowned. "Very insightful and brutal all at once," Discord chuckled, reclining on Fluttershy's head. "Oh I am liking this." "D- Discord, please..." Fluttershy fidgeted. "Rainbow is hurt and...and Applejack, did you really have to be so...mean? I- I know you didn't want to but- but-" Applejack frowned, turning and walking a few steps down the tunnel before stopping and looking back at them over her shoulder again. "Sugarcube...listen ta me, all of ya." Her face furrowed, frowning. "We can't afford ta be nice now. We're on our own, we don' got the elements of harmony to help us anymore, an' from what you told me we shouldn't be countin' on anyone else. The princesses are either dead, captured or slaves like we were, so are the soldiers, our friends and family too prob'ly. We got nothin' to help us, Discord is probably our only chance an' he's as useless as a rake in winter now. Ah know it's scary but we got nothin' but each other, we can' take chances anymore, we can' play nice." They stared at her, stunned into silence. Discord rose a brow, the little smirk on his face showing his amusement but a glint in his eye also conveying his interest. "Applejack..." Rainbow Dash stared. "You-...You've never been like this before. Are you sure you're snapped out of the hive-mind thing?" "Yup, an' Ah wanna make sure none of us get in it again, ya hear?" she said, dead serious. "One slip up an' we're toast, an' we're all Equestria's got." "B- But..." Fluttershy whimpered. "No, she's right," Twilight said with a frown. "We have to do whatever it takes...but we can't become complete animals either, we have to try to be kind when we have the leeway." "No, she's right," Rainbow Dash said, wincing a bit. "I'm hurt but I'll be okay, if I had gotten away we all would've been bug slaves again. No one's faster than me and Applejack is the only one stronger. I'm not mad." Twilight frowned. What was wrong with them? Had her spell not worked all the way? They seemed so...harsh, but Fluttershy seemed the same as she used to be.. Could it be maybe they really were truly themselves again but they really thought this? It bothered her, to think they would really believe stuff like this. Or...or was she just being naive? While she was shocked by Applejack's harshness, she had always been the most down to earth of them all. She had been raised on a farm, her entire life was doing what she had to do for the sake of her family and her farm. That and...she probably knew just how harsh things could be more than any of them. After all, she had to work to support her family since she was just a filly, since her parents died so young... "Hey, let's not get down guys, we have to keep our spirits up best we can!" Rainbow said, hovering above them a bit. "Let's find Pinkie Pie and Rarity, bust out of here and then find a way to kick Chrysalis' twisted ass!" "Shhhh...." Twilight frowned, looking around. "We're still in the hive, we have to be careful." "And quiet," Fluttershy added in a tiny whisper. "Yeah...we don't want anyone to figure out we're not changelings-..well, not really. Not yet." "Seconded." AJ nodded. However, they were not the only group of 'infiltrators' sneaking about the tunnels of the hive at present. A troupe of ponies donning black cloaks crept around, inside of a dim glowing pink bubble of magic that was being produced by one of their group "How much further to the main chamber?" one whispered to the lead mare. "Shhhh...the great- er, I'm trying to concentrate on the cloaking spell," hushed a blue unicorn. "As if you're one to talk about being quiet," another muttered. "Everyone hush, the main chamber shouldn't be too much further. Princess Luna gave us very precise directions and she's counting on us to accomplish this mission." They quieted, the lead mare looking ahead, determined. Spitfire wasn't good at losing, she especially wasn't good at the idea of not accomplishing her missions.