An Earthbound Journey

by ShadeJak


We're Shy...

“Twilight!” the three ponies called out, overjoyed to see their friend show up before the Smooze could finish them all off.

“I see the Smooze didn’t go down as easy as we thought,” Twilight said, looking the massive, living purple ooze over as it advanced on her. “Let’s see if this time we can bring it down for good!”

“You can’t stop ME!” The Smooze bellowed, lashing numerous hands it formed at Twilight, who teleported out of the way and her horn began to charge up again and fired a brilliant sphere of light into the air that burst apart into numerous, glowing stars that rained down on the Smooze, vaporizing more and more chunks of its body away and causing its many faces to cry out in pain.

“But this starstorm spell from Starswirl the Bearded’s old archives sure can!” Twilight shouted as the Smooze advanced on her and slammed a giant, gooey fist down at the ground as Twilight charged up another spell. Before she could complete it, however, the ground below her shook and sent her flying into the air.

“TWI!” Rainbow flew past the Smooze and caught her friend, looking back at the angry slime monster as it suddenly flattened itself out into a gigantic wave that rushed towards them, its mouths opening wide as it drew closer.

“No!” a soft voice shouted.

“Stop right there!” another soft voice cried out, and the Smooze froze in place, looking at the source of the voices.

The four ponies looked over as well, seeing what appeared to be several filly-sized ponies with small butterfly wings, all of them different shades of yellow with pastel manes.

“Oh my gosh… flutterponies?” Twilight wondered aloud. “I thought they were a myth…”

The Smooze bellowed and began to advance on Twilight and Rainbow again, but as it did, the newcomers spread their gossamer wings and flew at the gigantic monster, sparkles of light glittering off their wings as they flew circles around it.

The Smooze cried out, glittering sparkles the flutterponies released seemingly causing its body to dissolve away! The Smooze flailed angrily at them but could not strike, smoke rising from its gooey mass as it writhed in pain and began to get smaller and smaller.

“Wow… well ah’ll be darned,” Applejack muttered, staring agape at the small ponies as they continued to fight the once seemingly invincible foe.

“Well it’s certainly a relief I don’t have to worry about getting smoozed again. I’m already filthy enough as is…” Rarity said, grimacing at all the grime on her coat and in her mane.

“NO! NOTHING CAN STOP THE SMOOOOOZE!” the Smooze cried out, swatting at the flutterponies; who flew up above it, avoiding its attacks as best they could.

“Now’s my chance!” Twilight shouted, focusing her magic again and summoning another Starstorm spell. In seconds, the combined efforts of the flutterponies’ strange power and the unicorn’s spell were brought upon the giant ooze monster, and with one final scream, the Smooze’s body petrified and shattered apart, its remains dissolving into smoke that faded away shortly after.

“Phew! Well that was close,” Rainbow said, flying Twilight and herself towards the flutterponies, who all paused and stared at them silently. “Hey… uh, thanks for your help back there!” she said with a big smile.

In unison, the flutterponies let out a collective, frightened ‘eep!’ and all flew into the mouth of a nearby cave, disappearing inside.

“Uhhh… okay?” Rainbow muttered, looking over at Twilight, who just shrugged.

“Well… I think a simple ‘you’re welcome’ would have sufficed!” Rarity said with an eyeroll.

“Ah reckon we oughta go show 'em they got nothin' to be afraid of, now,” Applejack said.

“Good idea,” Twilight said, teleporting out of Rainbow’s hooves and in front of the cave. “They can’t have gone too far. And I have a feeling this cave is the passage I heard about that leads to the Badlands.”

“Well then let’s get going, then!” Rainbow said, taking the lead and flying in first.

As the four got inside, they found a tunnel that led downward. Following it, they found themselves in a vast, underground village. Magic lanterns kept it illuminated and flutterponies quietly went about their activities.

"A spring! A hot spring! For baths! Yes!" Rarity shouted frantically, and sprinted off towards it, hopping in and letting out a relieved sigh as the swamp grunge washed off her instantly.

“Um…” Rainbow began, staring at her friend. The instant Rarity had helped herself to the hot spring, however, the flutterponies all paused and stared for a moment before retreating into their homes, though some simply cowered on the streets and stared at them with worried expressions. “Oh come on! What’s wrong with you ponies? We just wanna say thanks for helping us out back there!” the pegasus protested, getting only scared whimpers in response.

“Ah think yer just scarin’ ‘em more then Rarity's little outburst already has, sugarcube,” Applejack said, glaring at Rarity for a moment and reaching into her saddlebag. Taking out a fresh apple and nudging it forward, the farmpony put on her best smile. “Here, see, we ain’t here ta hurt ya. Try it, it’s delicious!”

The flutterponies stared at it, but one finally flew over, sniffing it for a moment before she ate it. “H-hi…” the flutterpony said meekly as Rarity emerged from the spring and shook off. “W-we don't m-mind you using our... bathing spring... th-the swamp is pretty nasty and all that's why it's there... just… just… we’re shy.”

“Great, somepony created a whole race of Fluttershys!” Rainbow muttered.

“Y-you know Fluttershy?” the flutterpony asked, her blue eyes wide with curiosity before she cowered again and muttered unintelligibly for a moment.

“Fluttershy knows these ponies? Somehow that sorta news don’t surprise me one bit,” Applejack remarked.

“Sh-she’s… our friend… yes…” the flutterpony said timidly, hiding behind her mane.

“What’s your name, darling?” Rarity asked, approaching the one that had come forward.

“L-Lily. S-sorry. I’m… not as shy as the others… but th-they won’t even talk to strangers. N-none but Fluttershy when she v-visits the s-swamp. I-I'm the only one who does. P-please don't be mad at me for that.”

“Then why help us back there?” Twilight asked.

“We… didn’t want you to get hurt,” the flutterpony said. “B-but… Even the flutterpony leader Rose Dust is very shy. If there was… a way to get her t-to open up… m-maybe the rest of us will,” she explained, shifting nervously.

“Well, let me spend a few moments with this flutterpony leader and I’m sure I can get her thinking more my way!” Rainbow said with a grin as she marched onward, only to crash into a gigantic, ridiculously muscular flutterpony that was a deeper shade of yellow.

“Eep!” the hulking flutterpony squeaked in a tone belying its size and appearance and hiding behind a large boulder it’d been standing near.

“Okay, this is just way too weird,” Rainbow said. “So which one’s the boss around here? Giganto over there?” she asked, gesturing to the large one she’d just met.

“N-no… th-that’s just Flutterhulk, the strongest flutterpony of all. She k-keeps that p-passage to the B-Badlands closed u-up for us,” Lily said. “I’m… I’m sorry I can’t help more… I-I understand if I’m a disappointment,” she said, looking downcast.

“It’s alright. Nopony’s perfect,” Twilight said with a weak smile, patting the flutterpony on the back. Her face suddenly lit up. “Wait! I think I have a solution!”

“What would that be, Twi? We don’t have time for this,” Rainbow said.

“Back in the library! I have a new book that came in on self-help for overcoming shyness!” Twilight explained, before facehoofing. “Oh, right… I let the Cutie Mark Crusaders borrow it for a class assignment and no doubt an attempt at getting self-help cutie marks. Guess we’ll have to ask them where they left it. Where’s that candle?”

“Got it right here!” Rainbow said, taking the magic candle out of her saddlebag while Twilight floated out a parchment scroll and a quill and began to write.

“Okay… Dear Cutie Mark Crusaders…” Twilight began as she wrote. “If you still have that book you borrowed from the library, please send it to me right away, it is of utmost importance! Signed, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Do tell Sweetie Belle I said hi, won’t you?” Rarity asked.

“An’ get Applebloom to lemme know she’s alright.” Applejack added.

“Aw heck, tell Scootaloo I’m doing awesome as ever!” Rainbow said.

“Fine, fine,” Twilight said, adding the PS’s and lighting the candle, sending the scroll off to wherever the three fillies would be though hoping they were in Dr. Whooves’ care by now.

Only a minute later, however, the candle lit up brightly, and a scroll popped out. Unrolling it, Twilight’s eyes went wide with horror.

“Twi, what’s wrong?” Rainbow asked.

“Oh no…” Twilight muttered, reading the message over again.

“What’s goin’ on?” Applejack asked as she and Rarity joined their friend to see what the message said.

Miss Twilight,

I don’t have long! Changelings have attacked! Luna has been taken and Celestia has been subdued as well! I’m certain the fillies and I are going to be next VERY shortly! Come quickly!

~Dr. Whooves

“We have to get to Dr. Whooves’ lab immediately!” Twilight ordered, her friends gathering around her. “Rarity, help me focus!” she said. As Twilight’s magic charged, Rarity channeled her own into her friend’s, strengthening the spell, and the four were gone in a flash of light.

~

“Attacking while Canterlot was still recovering from the penguin invasion was a stroke of genius on my part… I wouldn’t have dared make a move against you otherwise, not without such an opportunity where the odds were enough in my favor,” Queen Chrysalis mused as she looked smugly at her cocooned captives.

“Brilliant… but vile none the less,” Dr. Whooves replied, glaring at the changeling queen as she paced around them.

“I suppose, but only in the best possible sense,” Chrysalis said with a shrug. “With my alliance to Sombra, my dreams can be made a reality. With the royal sisters abducted, and the rest of you as extra prizes, infiltration will be easier then I expected… and so, too, will conquest.”

“What do you expect to get out of a bargain with the shadow king?” Luna asked angrily.

“Why, the love of the Crystal Heart of course! With that in our possession, hunting your kind down as food will be a thing of the past! Imagine the love we can feast on that the Crystal Heart can provide!” the changeling queen chuckled to herself.

“In a state of fear and oppression, the Crystal Heart will never provide what you need!” Celestia responded.

Chrysalis made a condescending wagging motion with her hoof. “Not necessarily. Not when I have them trapped in a dreamlike state that the lot of you will be in shortly. Sombra gets his kingdom, and I get my needs met! Everypony wins!” she said with a laugh.

“You’re a fool if you think Sombra will hold his end of the bargain…” Celestia muttered coldly.

“We’ll see about that, won’t we?” the changeling queen replied and turning her attention to her drones. “Guard the entrances. If Celestia’s little protégé and her friends somehow track us down, I want us prepared!” The numerous drones in the shadows immediately saluted and scattered off.

~

“Looks like they’ve come and gone…” Applejack said, looking around at Whooves’ ransacked lab.

“Then we’re too late! Oh, Sweetie Belle! You poor, poor dear! This is the worst thing EVER!” Rarity wailed, falling back on a couch just behind her.

“…Rarity?” a soft voice asked from inside a closet.

“Spike?!” Rarity shouted, jumping from the couch and rushing to the closet, joined by her friends.

A few clicks and the door opened, and the young dragon tumbled out. “Ohmygosh! You’re safe!” he shouted, hugging his crush as tightly as he could.

“I’m quite well, Spikey-Wikey.” Rarity said stroking the top of the dragon’s head assuringly with her hoof. “But I’m worried about my sister!” A concerned look appeared on her face. “…Discord didn’t happen to show you any pictures, did he?” she asked.

“What’re you talking about?” Spike asked, prompting a sigh of relief from the unicorn.

“Where is everypony?” Twilight asked.

“She’s gone! They all are! The changelings took ‘em! I was hiding in the closet but I guess they found everypony else,” Spike said with a downcast look on his face. “I think the Princesses are gone, too…”

“We’ll get them back, don’t worry!” Twilight said. “Spike, do you have any idea where they could have taken them?”

“Yeah! I overheard them talking as they were leaving!” the dragon said. “The Queen was ordering them to meet her at the ruins in the Everfree Forest… I just wish I coulda done something about this.”

“You did, Spike.” Twilight assured. “If they’d captured you, we’d have no idea where to look. This definitely makes our search a lot easier.”

“Whoa, whoa, WHOA… how do I know YOU’RE not a changeling and trying to lead us into a trap?” Rainbow asked, hovering in the dragon’s face.

“Rainbow, everypony knows changelings can only take the forms of ponies.” Twilight explained.

“Besides, like any changeling can imitate someone like me!” Spike said proudly. “So when do we leave? This place is kinda creepy when I’m by myself.”

“Alright, you can come along,” Twilight said with a smile and prompting a cheer from the young dragon.

“Just make sure you keep up!” Rainbow said as she stood next to Twilight, and the others joined.

“Hold on tight, Applebloom… I’m comin’ for ya,” Applejack said softly, worrying for her little sister’s safety.

“Chrysalis is going to pay dearly if even a hair on Sweetie Belle’s mane is harmed!” Rarity said with an angry snort.

“Hold on, girls… next stop, the Everfree ruins!” Twilight said, her horn charging up and once again, her magic empowered by Rarity’s…

…only to be interrupted by the sound of a familiar fanfare.

“Really?!” Twilight demanded angrily as her magic fizzled out.

Up above the skylight vanished and a familiar form spun down and landed before them.

“Oh, my! Off so soon? I’m SO glad I caught you first!” Discord said with a grin.

“Whatever, just get it over with!” Rainbow said with an eyeroll.

“Fine, be that way, Rainbow Dash. Personally I was hoping we could savor this moment of being reunited with one of your friends and preparing for top-quality heroism!” the draconequus said.

“Wait, you know about all this and DID NOTHING?! Applejack protested.

“Of COURSE I did something! I broke out a bowl of popcorn and enjoyed the show! I can’t go getting involved in your grand adventure, now can I? That’d be so rude of me!” Discord replied with a laugh. “Now, everypony and dragon close together!” he said, making his camera appear. “Say fuzzy pickles!”

“Fuzzy what?!” Spike asked, turning his head to look to his friends for answers and the moment he did, the click of the camera was heard, immortalizing their annoyed expressions and the confused looks on Spike’s.

“Oooh! This one turned out perfectly!” Discord said proudly as the photo slid out of his camera and he looked it over. “Make no mistake, you’re going to thank me once the scrapbook’s made! Ta-ta!” he said, and with that, he spun back up through the skylight and into the darkening sky.

A moment of awkward silence followed before Twilight spoke up. “Okay, let’s try this again.”

Taking a moment, Twilight’s teleportation spell recharged, aided by Rarity’s magic, and the five vanished in a flash of light to the Everfree ruins…