Macintosh and Dolphin – The Switch
Chapter 20: The Final Push...
Applejack sat by the bedside of the red stallion whom rested in his bed with the Smarty Pants Plushy tuck under one of the forelegs, she put a cold damp cloth on his forehead trying to keep him cool. She look to him resting with worry in her eyes, the memoirs of little over eight hours ago hunted her...
---
“Big Mac!” a cry that made Applejack jump, she and the others just learned of the appending doom from high above but the one right on the ground was Applebloom shaking the large red stallion that collapsed.
“Oh no...” Applejack remembered what the Overseers said “no no no no!” she rushed over to his side and put a hoof over his head feeling the warmth from it. “Twilight get a doctor! NOW!!!!”
Twilight gasped seeing how frighten Applejack looked “I am on it Applejack!” she teleports in a flash to get a doctor.
Wayne looked at her “Ah'm ok AJ... just a little sleepy”
“Don't ya close those eyes of yer's! Keep them open!” Applejack said resting his head against her hind legs. “Those blasted Overseers... they did this...”
“Ah guess they done with both of us... hay?” he smiled weakly to her.
“Don't ya say stuff like that, ah'm not going to lose two of mah brothers tonight! No ser re!” she had tears fall rubbing a front hoof through his mane.
Rarity spoke with confusion “What do you mean by two brothers Applejack?”
“Yeah what up with that?” Rainbow Dash saw the sadness in her eyes with tears falling looking back to the stallion she was holding onto. “AJ...”
“Tell them... AJ...”
Applejack chocked a little with tears still rolling down her orange fur “This here is...” she sniffs a little as her nose start to become runny “Wayne... he been in Big Macintosh's body for almost three months... Big Mac been in his body for the same period of time... ah found out the truth a while back but to keep everypony safe” she sniffed again as she cried and spoke on. “Specially mah brothers... that stupid orb that the Overseers sent switch their minds and caused this whole mess in the first place... now they done with us they doing this!”
Wayne look to Applebloom “Big brother yer gonna to be ok?”
“Ah try to be Applebloom... ah give it all ah got...” he raise his hoof to her and she out her small hooves on his looking back at the soft green eyes. “Ah'm surprised ya still calling me big brother...”
“Ya might pretend to be Big Mac but that cause ya did it for the family, yer a good brother...” she said by her putting her head against his.
“Applebloom” he put his foreleg around her and hugged her a little.
“Oh my...” Fluttershy put a hoof to his head “You are really hot, I better get some water quickly”
“Good idea Fluttershy I'll help” Rainbow Dash replied and both pegasi left
Pinkie Pie look to Rarity “I don't like these Overseers... they sound like big old meanies...”
“Indeed they do Pinkie” Rarity look to the sky “Just hope Princess Celestia can stop this madness before serious harm come to both us and those on that other world...”
Granny Smith look to the Earth “Overseers... they don't deserve such a name... they toy with so many lives and only for what to learn about life? That make no sense at all...”
Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash returned with some water in a bucket landing by Wayne, Spike took a cloth putting it into the water place it on his head “I hope this cools the big guy down...”
“Yer such a good helper Spike” Granny Smith smiled and look to her grandson “Ah just hope we can do something for him...”
Applejack knew it wasn't going to help she knew when Twilight returned with Doctor Stable “Alright everypony back up a little” he quickly using his magic to check on Wayne with time passing by for about ten minutes...
“Strange... I don't see anything wrong yet all the signs are in plain sight...” he checked again “We get him to...”
“No please take me back home...” Wayne slowly getting up wavering a little “Can yer run the tests back at Sweet Apple Acres?”
“Sure I can but...”
“Don't worry ah will take good care of mah brother” Applejack said supporting him as he try to stand on his four hooves.
“Alright... let get him home” they all working together help walk the red earth pony back to Sweet Apple Acres...
---
Applejack sighed “Wayne...” she whispered
Wayne opened his eyes slowly looking to Applejack “hey there AJ, yer ok?”
“Ah'm the one suppose to be sayin' that to yer ya be dummy” she chuckled lightly seeing that smile on his snout. “How yer feelin'?”
Wayne look to the ceiling “wiped... ah feel like mah strength just being zapped for me... how long do ah have left?”
Applejack put her hoof to his “Don't ya speak about dyin' Wayne yer not going to yer hear me!”
“AJ... ya know how long ah got left... ah can see it in yer eyes...”
“Ah never could lie...” she sighed “About 15 or so hours... ah was told when ah fell asleep... those Overseers are nothing but evil...”
Wayne put a hoof to her mouth she look to him “Ah believe there is hope but ya not gonna to like it...”
“What do yer mean?” Applejack looking at his green eyes and saw it “no ya don't mean...”
He blinks with some tears rolling down his eyes “Ah am... and ah'm scared...”
“Me too...” Applejack started to cry again “What do ya want yer sister to do?”
“When the time comes use the elements of harmony... and aim them for Earth, directly up around me... ah believe it the only chance we all have... not only me but all life, humans, ponies... everythin'... even Discord” Wayne whispered to her.
Applejack turn to the door “Princess Luna what...”
“Applejack we... I need your and the elements help, my sister and Discord they won't wake up... I did everything in my power and yet they won't wake, they are dreaming as if awake, no matter how much I try to tell them they asleep they do not wish to listen” Luna walked back and forwards speaking to them as she trots then look to both of them with concern. “I do not know what to do...”
Applejack had a feeling whom did this “Overseers... they must be behind it”
“My thoughts exactly Applejack... but I do not know what to do to stop them... they wish to end two worlds and we have little time or methods of stopping them...” Luna look to the window looking up at the sky seeing the Earth closer then ever just to the left of the sun with only part of it could be seen.
Applejack look to Wayne whom nods still in bed with little strength to get up now. “We have a plan but one yer not going to like princess...”
“Please tell...” Luna turn to her “any ideas would be grateful...”
Wayne spoke “The elements of harmony at the moment of my death...”
“WHAT!?” Luna gasped “But that not acceptable! I can not agree that is the only plan!”
“Sadly it is... ah'm very scared... ah'm going to die and ah can't do anything about it...” he started to cry again with fresh hot tears falling “Big Mac most likely thinkin' the same as ah am... and we both very scared because we can't stop them unless ya go with this... please...”
Luna shook her head “I won't believe this... it... can't...” she look to his eyes “I am the princess of the night and co-ruler... protecting my subjects and I can't even do that for you... I am sorry...”
“Ah am too... mah life cut short by some twisted creatures we never seen or met directly... they toy with life... what yer think about those before... they was pulled out of their bodies and put into others and used as experiments... it wrong and we need to stop them...” Wayne said in a serious tone of voice with his voice barely higher then a normal talking voice.
Luna sighed heavily “I will get the elements and the bearers...” she left to room with a heavy heart.
Applejack turn to him “Stay with me as long as yer can big brother... speak about our ma, brother and sister on Earth... speak about them to me...”
“Ah will AJ...” he smiled as the other apples entered “Granny, Applebloom yer like to hear about the Dolphin family?”
“Sure big brother” Applebloom beamed.
“Ah might be old but this is somethin' mah old ears would like to hear” Granny Smith joined them by the bed side and Wayne started to tell them with a smile on the red stallions face and happy to tell them about his family that he may never see again.
Twiosmicstar Forest, Snow Rose Cavern...
Being eased down the stone stairs a stretcher carrying Big Macintosh by two army personal working for Unit X-19 with Michelle, Nigel and Hazel walking behind them slowly, it been just over eight hours since Michelle's son fell from a sudden weakness in the body. They soon discovered from Matthew that the Earth was on a collision course with the planet they called Equus and there was no way of stopping the Earth since it was being held and dragged by a powerful magical force that caused this from the start.
Michelle saw the Snow Rose it was bigger then before and the magic aura from it could even be felt from where she stood, it felt like a blissful feeling of peace and harmonises magic flowing around it, she noticed a fair number of people inside the caverns with their children around small mobile heaters that was set up in the corners of the large carven.
“When did the Queen allow this?” Michelle asked seeing the children talking to their parents and as they look to the sky through the cavern the clear sky could see the very world that they was moving to and the strange aura in the atmosphere.
The soldiers place Big Mac down by the rose as ordered and one of them stood looking up to the sky “The Queen removed all restrictions soon as it was clear that we have little then 34 hours of life left... no one can panic, no one can do anything, the snow, storms everything that happened to this point has cut us all off from each other... all we have is all those around us” the man said looking to the people around whom looked up as he spoke. “My wife and kids are stuck in London and I can't do a damn bloody thing to get there... almost every chopper being used to give everyone something to live on for the remaining time we all have...”
Hazel sat down by Big Mac “Hey Big Macintosh can you see it? It Equus your homeworld...” she whispered to him holding his hand. “Bro...”
“I can see it... but we heading right for it... so many lives that should live and not going to... why are these Overseers doing this...” Hazel look up and knew what he meant as he spoke to her. “If it was just me and Wayne then it be fine but this... only because more knew about them? What is to fear if you can not reach...”
Hazel rubbed her free hand on his cheek “I do not know bro...”
Nigel standing against the stone wall look to the rose “What up with this rose? It nothing I ever seen before... is it suppose to be this big and glowing like that?”
Michelle took a look at it herself looking up seeing that streams of light was going up “Not sure... I am sure it didn't do this when I was last here with the others, when did this start happening?” she was curious about it and turn to the solider beside her.
“About 8 or so hours ago ma'am, we got reports that it reaching the point of full bloom” he replied to Michelle “This magic is strange, I never believed in such a thing till now... guess seeing is believing...”
“Indeed” Michelle raised a hand to the flower with it through the light feeling the warmth from it. “For something growing in cold conditions it sure feels warm...”
Big Mac look to the rose “Bro... you miss Applejack don't ya?”
“Yep... I sure do...”
The soldier raised his hand to the headset he was wearing “Sir I do copy” he turn to Michelle “Ma'am he wants a word with you”
Michelle took the head set. “Matthew...”
London, Unknown...
Matthew stood in front of one of the control stations looking at all the images on the large screen showing the magical energy that was around the Earth that not only physical held Earth in another dimension but using it as a weapon to smash into another world.
The general could do little but watch but something came up that might give them the slimiest of chances to give everyone hope or even survive, he thought the whole world would be a loss cannon by now with riots and such but no one seem to be doing anything or little they could do with the damage to the Earth from all the storms he witness with his own two eyes...
Every life on the planet had been affected in so many ways that he couldn't see how riots could even happen. The east and west coast of the USA was under ten feet of water thanks to the super storms massive swells of low pressure forcing large sums of sea water in land, millions from both coasts fled inland to only run into snow storms... China was under snow almost on every inch with the deserts of Africa swimming in rain water, the muddy sands washing into cities, towns and villages displacing so many people.
Australia and New Zealand was also suffering from massive snow storms with millions stuck with only aid and food coming from the air. Even London high above Matthew's head was frozen, no planes could get in and many people now using shopping centres as camps to keep warm from the freezing clear skies...
“General we found something... odd” the lady spoke from her desk looking at her set of computers with a few others.
“Define odd...” he walked over to her desk looking at the screens.
“Well if this is right by about 23 hours 57 minutes and 56 seconds till impact for two minutes this column of energy will appear” she shows it on her display and on the larger screen with others looking at the image. “But what I don't get is how or why it showing us this...”
Matthew turn to his office seeing the Queen standing at the window looking at him with a equal surprised look in her eyes as his shown then turn back to the screen. “What exactly are at the centre point of this column?”
“Well Ponyville and Twiosmicstar Forest sir” she showed the satellite images of the forest and the images they got of Equus.
Matthew looking at the column on the display then the images “That centre point is Sweet Apple Acres” he point to the screen “And basically is the centre of Ponyville since it was there before the town even was around” Matthew said rubbing his chin a little with his fingers “And New Town was built next to Twiosmicstar Forest...”
“Sir?” she notice the pause
“Bring up a the forest perimeter and the town perimeter” he ordered and they did so and it showed on the screen before them all. “Now bring them together” they did so and both was exactly same size and shape. “My god...” he whispered
“Sir that not possible... how can two worlds completely different with one town not even 100 years old and a forest with no idea of it age have the exactly same size perimeter... that impossible it... this is...” she was trying to say the words to understand what she was seeing and so many others was talking among each other.
General turn again to his office seeing the smile from the Queen as she turn and head over to his chair with the guards still standing where they been the hold time. “So there is hope...” he smiled “Get me Michelle”
“Sir?”
“Please” the lady nods and give him the headset.
“Michelle...”
Telephone conversation...
Michelle “What is it general...”
Matthew “How would you like to pull a Genuine out of the hat?”
Michelle “There a way out of this?”
Matthew “Not sure but it highly likely that the element bearers from Equus have a plan and it may have something to do with what these computers are saying”
Michelle “And exactly what would that be?”
Matthew “Are you next to the Snow Rose?”
Michelle “Of course... Big Mac rather be here then anywhere else at the moment plus he feels a bit more connected to his world with the magic coming off this rose, it glowing at the moment with golden white light... it really something”
Matthew “As I thought... so the legends are true”
Michelle “What legends?”
Matthew “Legends tell of a rose of harmonises magic that will bloom on the day that harmony will save the lives of all.”
Michelle “So your telling me that the Elements of Harmony will somehow react with this rose's magic and save us all? Isn't that a bit far-fetched?”
Matthew “Maybe a little Michelle but what other chance do we have? Billions of people are displaced across the Earth even if we somehow save the world it would take years to recover by that time will lose lives...”
Michelle “So either way it could be the end of humans but there is a chance we live on if we go with this wild card”
Matthew “Yes...”
Michelle “I guess that better then the lose of life of both worlds in a whole... but the question remains how can two worlds magic connect”
Matthew “23 hours 57 minutes and 56 seconds till impact we will have a two minute window if we or they screw this up we all dead in that said given time”
Michelle “I get you Matthew... well hope this crazy idea works... what the rate of success?”
Matthew “We estimate it to be 2%”
Michelle “Better then nothing I guess... thank you for letting me know.”
Matthew “No trouble at all... just hope for the best for all life on Earth... see you on the other side?”
Michelle “In your dreams mate”
Twiosmicstar Forest, Snow Rose Cavern...
Michelle ends the call tossing the head piece back to the solider “Thanks” she smiled and sat with Hazel and Big Mac “I got good news and some bad news”
Big Mac look at her in the eyes while lying there feeling that his body was not responding much at the moment “Why do I sense that both good and bad news are one and the same?”
“Mum?” Hazel look to her realising what Big Mac said. “Is that true?”
“It is... the thing is we have one chance of all surviving and it all up to the elements of harmony and this Snow Rose... as the countdown of this planet colliding with theirs reach 23 hours, 57 minutes and 56 seconds there be a two minute window with a 2% chance of both worlds unique magic connecting but we have no idea what the end results would be...” Michelle said sitting down by them.
Nigel got up and joined them “Sink or swim huh?”
“That would be...” Michelle replied looking to him.
Nigel turn to Big Mac “Since you been with us for three months how about sharing with us a story or three about your home. I believe Wayne might be doing it bro”
Big Mac smiled softly at the sound of 'bro' from Nigel “Yep”
“So lets hear it” Nigel spoke and sat down with the others. “Time is a wasting”
Big Mac laughing a little at that comment feeling happy “Alright... I'll tell”
Everyone in the cavern turn and start to listen to Big Macintosh's stories of Ponyville, Equestria his homeland the stories which never been heard or seen on the shows, he gladly started to tell them of his own tales never once been much of a talker but this time he broke all bounds and gladly talk away about his home.
Home... the land he may never see again, not the planet the land he grow up on and wished more then anything in his heart that both worlds could be saved and that somehow that a miracle could happen to all those he got to know, the family he got to know the home he started to call. Big Macintosh had two families now and this made him glow with passion like never before, he had new mother, brother, sister and so many more family members he yet to see but happy that Wayne also shared a link of experience that neither of them leaving not much of a impact but one on those hearts.
That when he felt it Wayne's heart beat not just in the chest of the body he been in but right above, he could feel a connection like no other, he felt Wayne's presence in his red stallion body the heart beating together with each beat they could feel their strength losing and knew from that point forwards that both would soon die before the link.. he knew they had to do the right thing not for them but for all life, 2% is a heck of a gamble but to Big Macintosh sometimes you just had to throw the dice and wish on luck... two possible outcomes, the end of all life or victory over the Overseers and saving both worlds... they was only the small pieces to the larger puzzle and he realised the rose... he stared at it when speaking to the others he sense it magic, someone knew this was going to happen and planted the seed right here in this one spot a chance for all life to survive...
24 hours 2 minutes and 32 seconds till impact...
Wayne's breaths became more shallow with every one he took, the stallion body was shutting down second be second that past and he could see Applejack was scared of how she was powerless to do anything for him. “AJ... don't... be... scared...”
“Please hold on ya got to!” Applejack pleaded with tears falling as she hugged him with all her friends and the Apples of Sweet Apple Acres around the bed.
Wayne look to all of them “Ya... got...” he felt it heavy to speak “one chanc... chance... everypony... do this please... all... life”
Granny Smith look to the view of the Earth it was larger then ever she could make out one land that was directly above them “We will do not worry...” Granny Smith smiled walking over to his bed side “Now go to sleep and dream peacefully...”
He blinked with the green eyes are her and look to Luna “May your dreams guide you” Luna whispered and he closed his eyes with a smile
They watched as the breathing stopped and Pinkie Pie mane was starting to deflate but Luna put a hoof to her “Princess...”
“Look at him and what can you see”
Pinkie Pie saw the smile and her mane returned to normal “girls let do this! For Wayne and Big Macintosh! Let save them all and have a party!!!!”
“For all life” Rarity replied
“Oh yes and to everything that excised small or big” Fluttershy joined
“For mah brothers” Applejack put her hoof out and the others did too touching hooves over the red stallion.
Twilight smiled “We will make sure that we save the worlds and defeat those Overseers!”
“That the spirit girls let kick their flanks till there no tomorrow!” the girls laughed at that comment Rainbow Dash brought forwards.
Luna put her hoof on theirs “For the lives of all those dream of hope and salvation”
“For mah big brothers” Applebloom on top of Applejack head put her hoof on top of theirs reaching out.
“For mah family and friends” Granny Smith smiled putting hers on theirs
The Elements around the necks and head of the six bearers started to glow with energy with rainbow whirling winds around them, the light became blinding as the whole room was lit up with Spike covering his eyes from the light, he fell back and as the light starts to dim he saw they was all gone every single one of them. “Whoa...” he step up to the window and gasped with shock he saw a massive whirling cloud of rainbow aura streaming from around him and above into the sky as he saw a beam of rainbow light shooting for Earth. “Good luck girls...”
The rainbow swirling aura moved to the Earth while the beam shot right ahead and smashed right through a magical shield, the shield starting to break down in a wave as if it was made of glass and turn to dust with magical rainbow aura flooding around the Earth.
Michelle held Big Mac as he smiled and fell to sleep and pass away she with the others Hazel and Nigel in a little circle of three around the body holding each other when the beam of light smashed into the rose the solider could see it engulfing the family and he stood back against the wall of the tornado of rainbow light spinning around the rose he look to the sky seeing a whirling cloud of rainbow aura forming all over and in the sky swirling up towards the other one coming from Equus with the spinning tornado of rainbow energy from the elements of harmony connected right in the middle of the slow whirling rainbow energy.
Matthew look at his screen seeing the bridge with is own two eyes but he noticed something with all the other live feeds they was frozen he was looking at a image of people and snow to rain drop lets all frozen in time even the dust but why wasn't he or everyone inside the base of X-19 frozen “My god...” he whispered with shock “Report...”
“Time has frozen sir... at 23 hours, 57 minutes and 56 seconds exactly...” the lady replied “I can't get anything from the feeds and the only one that seem to be working in the satellite that directly in line with the beam sir...”
Matthew notice the timer going up “lieutenant...”
She glance at him then the screen many others was startled by this “Impact due in 24 hours 23 minutes... wait it says 26 hours... now 29 hours... sir the timer speeding up”
“I can see...” Matthew felt everything starting to shake “The Elements and the Snow Rose magic must of shattered the hold on the Earth, we being pulled back to our rightful dimension and time is also reversing for both us and Equus... amazing... are we getting all this?”
“Yes we are and the timer is now at 7 days 23 hours and 54 seconds...” then the timer before their eyes vanished completely “Sir we back”
Matthew look at the images seeing the cities, towns and villages was all fine and day to day life was going by as if nothing happened. “Bloody hell... we not only back but all the damage to the Earth is as if it never happened...”
Spike back and Sweet Apple Acres was rubbing his eyes the Earth was gone and so was the aura that was around, he next saw Derpy land by the letter box with some mail and placed it in there. “Derpy did you see where the Earth went to?”
Derpy looked at him with a frown “Earth? Isn't that what I am standing on, that want dirt is isn't it?”
Spike nods “Yeah that right, sorry to bother you”
“Bye got mail to deliver and...”
Spike raise his hand claw up “Wait Derpy” she look to him with a pause and all the sudden lightning from a cloud from the Everfree forest hit the tree near her causing her to jump in shock “Whoa... that creepy”
“Your telling me, that could have been me...” she gulped “Thanks for holding me back” she hugged him as he came out and flies off.
“Aw it was nothing” he beamed and happy to stop Derpy from getting really hurt and hospitalized. “I hope the others are ok...” he look up to the sky with wonder.