//------------------------------// // Chapter 11 The Plan and the Machine // Story: The Pony and the Hurt Changeling // by Ugly-Duckling123 //------------------------------// Now, not a lot of ponies know this, but Changelings have very good senses of smell which help them to tell each other apart and to hunt down unsuspecting ponies. Chrysalis, knowing she will never find the prisoners any other way, went down to the ward and began to breath in the air. She could smell the ponies, a child worker, and a nurse Changeling. Picking up the trail, Chrysalis made her way though the Hive following the trail the ponies went down, passing 801 and his friends. Thinking quickly, and hoping it would get through, he tried calling Meep. In the Appleloosa town hall almost everyone was sleeping or getting after being outside all day. "Agghh..." Meep cried clutching her head scaring half the ponies "Too loud..." then she head what the voice had to say. '801 to727, Chrysalis is picking up the trail of the ponies. And she looks mad...' After Meep came to again she saw every-pony looking at her worry on their faces waiting for an answer. But all Meep did was run outside to try and find Rainbow Dash and tell her what just happened. Above the clouds Rainbow was fighting against the winds to get closer to the odd looking cloud to see what it was, smiling when she saw the Cloudsdale mark on the side of it and storm clouds come out from the base. Flying back down after getting her balance back, Rainbow was nearly knocked over by a small black something. "Rainbow.... Rainbow.... She's coming Rainbow.... She coming..." Meep said hugging her friend shivering thanks to the cold. "Whoa kid slow down, who's coming and," Rainbow Dash saw it was Meep "What are you doing out here? It's not safe for you." "I... I had to tell you Rainbow..." Meep said shivering "801 just told me Chrysalis is picking up our trail.... And she looked mad..." "That's one of the kids that helped us isn't it?" Rainbow asked putting Meep on her back shielding her with her wings from the cold. "Yes." "Rainbow, what's going on," Applejack asked when she made it back to her friends. "And why's Meep out here?" "Meep says that one of the Changelings that helped us told her Chrysalis has picked up our trail and is really mad..." Rainbow said then to Twilight "I also found the machine, but I was nearly blown away as I got closer to it." she explained as she took Meep back inside and shut the door to warm her up. "But you're the strongest flier in all of Equestria..." Pinkie said worried bouncing along in her usual way. "Hey, I still am ok," Rainbow said rounding herself to Pinkie "It's just I've never had to deal with stuff as strong as this before. And if you didn't hear us Chrysalis might be coming so we might have bigger problems than the weather." Rarity conjured up a blanket and gave it to Meep to warm her up a little, and then went over to join her friends in deciding what to do. But instead of staying still and getting warm, Meep went to find Little Strong Heart finding her upstairs looking out of the window. Little Strong Heart jumped slightly as she felt someone snuggle up next to her. "Oh hi Meep," she said smiling looking out the window again. "I liked the story Miss Strong Heart," Meep said looking up at her. "I felt all the emotions you gave off while telling it. You're a great story teller... Wish we had stories that good back at the Hive..." she said putting her head on her hooves and looking away. "Thank you," Little Strong Heart said not looking at her. Then sighing said "I just which I knew who they were. It feels like me and Braeburn are going though the same story as they did." "What do you mean?" Meep asked looking up at her. "Well my tribe and his family weren't always that close as we are now." Little Strong Heart said going into the story of how the peace between the two tribes were settled and how she and Braeburn began to like each other. "Won't your 'parents' know?" Meep asked cocking her head to one side a bit. "My mother died when I was a baby," Little Strong Heart said "And after how my father kept the Changelings a secret from me, I don't want to trust him anymore." "You don't mean that," Meep said backing away a bit scared. "Yes I do Meep, my Father's the worst one their is," "LAIR" Meep cried, "You love him, I can feel it, and you know he loves you." "How do you know?" Little Strong Heart asked turning to Meep. "Because I can feel it." Meep said "And you don't have to be a Changeling to do that." she said running back down stairs to try and find Rainbow Dash again knowing she was the only one who cared about her in this world, leaving Little Strong Heart to think. Downstairs Twilight was in the back of the room pacing around as little as she could muttering to herself thinking how to get up to the machine, while Rainbow Dash was trying to think about of a way to stop Chrysalis. Knowing not to butt in when their friends were like this the rest of the main six were sat around a table with a pack of cards they had found. Meep was making her way towards them when they both said. "What we need is more...." they said together... "Pegasi to fight against the winds" Twilight said. "Of us to confuse Chrysalis" Rainbow said. Hearing different answers from each other Twilight and Rainbow started arguing with each other as quietly as they could because of the resting ponies. Hearing what they said and thinking for a bit Meep buzzed with happiness as a idea came to her, and she rushed over there stopping in between the two ponies. "I can help, well Nurse 516 might be able to help," Meep said when she had their attention. "How?" Rainbow said folding away her wings looking at the Changeling in front of her. "Changelings can change more things than just themselves," Meep said looking around the room for something to demonstrate on. Then seeing an apple at the bar, pointed her horn at them, thought hard, and shot a ray of green light at it. After every-pony got their vision back, where the apple was, was now... an orange. Shocked all the ponies who saw that went over to the bar to look at it. "The size of the stuff goes with the size of the Changeling though," Meep said looking down at the ground. Suddenly the orange turned back into an apple. "As does the time limit." "So wait," Applejack said looking between Meep and the apple trying to get all this into her head. "You're saying, you can make us Earth Ponies into Pegasi, to shut of that machine, and into us to confuse Chrysalis?" "Well I can't," Meep said looking up at Applejack. "I'm too small. But I think Nurse 516 might." They all looked over to the other Changeling still asleep. Suddenly Meep clutched her head again. '801 to 727, Chrysalis is just leaving the hive... Repeat Chrysalis is just leaving the Hive' Shaking her head Meep ran over to Nurse 516 and said when she woke up, "She's coming, She's coming to get us." Nurse 516 didn't need to ask what got Meep so worried to know who 'She' was. Sheriff Silver Star on the other hoof, "Who's coming?" "Who do you think Dimbo" Rainbow said picking up Meep and heading for the door. "Wait Rainbow," Twilight said "Where are you going?" "To get some help," Rainbow replied, "Tell Nurse 516 the plan. We'll be back as soon as we can." And with that they were out the door. Rainbow Dash flew as fast as she could, while not trying to scare Meep over to the Buffalo Village. When they got there Rainbow looked around, not seeing anyone she called out "Hello? Any one there?" After a few minutes and some walking, they found all of the tribe in a big cave most of them asleep, some telling stories, and others sharing what food they could save from their tents. They all looked up when Rainbow stopped in front of the opening. Thunder Hooves came over to her first and welcomed her in. "It is good to see you again Rainbow Dash." he said bringing her up to the front of the cave, Meep under her wings. "Thanks Chief, but we kinda need your help down in Appleloosa," Rainbow said speaking to the whole tribe. Then turning to look over her shoulder said "You can come out now..." Slowly, Meep raised her head up from Rainbow's back looked around and jumped to the ground, eyes wide with wonder and fear. This got the Buffalo a little touchy. "You dare bring that thing here Rainbow Dash?" Thunder Hooves asked speaking for the tribe pointing at Meep. "Where is it's colony, where is the queen who tried to take the love from my daughter?" He asked stopping when he saw Meep hide behind Rainbow covering her head with fear from the Chief, and Rainbow spread her wings in anger to protect her. "I don't know what you're talking about Chief," she said looking annoyed stomping her hoof. "But I bet it has nothing to do with Meep. And if you had let me finish, we came here to ask for your help. Meep's been told by some of her friends that Chrysalis is hunting me and my friends down. One of them being Strong Heart..." she paused here to let the message sink in. "What are we to do then Rainbow Dash," Thunder Hooves said backing off a bit. "Well the first thing I think would be say sorry to Meep... But we don't have time for that." Rainbow said. "We need to get back to Appleloosa as quick as we can." With that she put Meep on her back, and flew out of the cave and back to the town. When Rainbow, Meep and the Buffalo's made it back to the town hall, Nurse 516 had just about finished sorting out the plan. The real mane six, Strong Heart, and Braeburn were on stage and called them over to ask what the next part of the plan was. "Those who are Pegasi, will come with me in a few minutes to help shut of the weather machine." Rainbow ordered. The rest of you, will be given a different pony Chrysalis is hunting to confuse her, and will split up around the town and keep her distracted and make her mad enough that she will go away. If that does not work, then we will all work together to see her out of the town!" Cheers came after this, then Rainbow turned to Nurse 516, and asked "How long are your changing spells?" "10 to 15 minutes, from when I put them on," she replied "So some are already part done." "Alright every-pony," Rainbow called out again "Get out there and wait for the Queen. Changed-Pegasi come with me." with that she and all the 'Pegasi' went out the door and flew up to the clouds while the groups went to different places around Appleloosa. Chrysalis was happy with herself. She could smell she was getting closer to the ponies as she got closer to the town that was in front of her. Suddenly the sent trails split apart from each other. Not knowing where to go, Chrysalis decided to go to where it was strongest. The town hall not caring about the weather. "I know your here little ponies..." Chrysalis called out looking around her. "Come out, come out where ever you are." Suddenly an apple pie was thrown and hit the queen right in the back of the head. "Who DARES throw a pie at royalty!" she screamed buzzing her wings in anger. "I dares..." a hat free Applejack stepped out. At that moment as Chrysalis was charging up her horn, another pie hit her. "And if you ask me," a Rainbow Dash said "You're not worthy of being called royal." "Enough of this," Chrysalis said shaking the pie off herself. "Where are those Changelings who helped you escape my Hive, so I can kill them?" "Like we'll tell you where they are," the 'Applejack' said picking up another pie in her hoof. While Chrysalis was looking at the fake one, the real Applejack, was prepping her lasso for the right time to strike, wishing to Celestia it would work. After Chrysalis breathed in the air around her, she smiled, reveling her fangs and said. "You're not the real Elements of Honesty or Loyalty, whoever you are." shocking everyone who could hear her stopping the real Applejack in her tracks. "Sadly that means it wont make any difference then... WHEN I KILL YOU!" she screamed and shot her green magic towards the the two ponies who only just dodged the beams. Up in the sky, above the clouds, Rainbow Dash was leading the other ponies towards the machine. "NEARLY THERE EVERY PONY!" she screamed moving her wings as hard as they would go but only inching her way to it. Everyone was working as hard as they could to help the true Pegasus get to the machine. At last Rainbow landed on the cloud holding the machine and digging her hooves in turned and said "EVERY-PONY, GET OUT OF THE SKY, YOU ONLY HAVE AT LEAST FIVE MINUTES BEFORE YOU TURN BACK TO EARTH PONIES!" she cried to the crowd above the over the howling winds. After every-pony was gone, Rainbow made her way into the clouds surrounding the the machine to shut it off. The inside of the clouds, reminded Rainbow Dash of the types of weather that were around when Discord was in control. Over there it was rainy, down the line a bit it was windy, on the other side, it was snowing and all around the machine forks of lightning were striking every three seconds each time in different pattens. The once 'Most greatest flier in all of Equestria', now stood frozen in place remembering it was something like this that made her and Fluttershy lose their parents. ~~*~~ "Um... Happy birthday Rainbow," a ten year old Fluttershy said holding out a blue box to her friend. "Yeah more presents!" a seven year old blue filly cried snatching the gift away and tearing at the paper. "Rainbow Mirrum Dashery" her mother's voice said above her, causing the filly to look up. "You know not to go around snatching things. Even if they are for you. Now say you're sorry." Firefly said looking at her daughter. Knowing she wouldn't be allowed to finish opening her gift until she did Rainbow got up and plodded over to Fluttershy and mumbled "I'm sorry for snatching the present away..." "That's ok Rainbow," Fluttershy said hiding behind her pink hair thinking it was her fault Firefly was mad at Rainbow. With that settled Rainbow zoomed back to her present, while Spectrum and Firefly, welcomed Aurora and Orion into their kitchen and gave them refreshments, leaving the two filly's to to play the new game Rainbow had just got 'Battle Clouds'. It was less than half an hour later when a messenger pony from the weather factory the grown ups all worked at came and said there were some out of control storm clouds and all Pegasi were asked to help deal with them. "But it's our day off," Spectrum said to the pony at the door. "We took it so we could be with our daughter on her birthday." "I... I know Mr Spectrum, Sir," the messenger pony said. "But I... I'm just handing out the message. The boss said he'll give all the Pegasi who help a week's vacation for helping with this problem." he said looking scared knowing Spectrum, one of the highest worker at the factory, and one of the strongest fliers who could easily, if he wanted, break his wings out of anger. Hearing the fuss at the door, the other grown ups came out to see what the problem was. After Spectrum had seen off the messenger, and told the parents what the fuss was about Orion said. "I told them not to do all the storm clouds at once. But would they listen?" "Well it's doesn't matter wither they did or not Orion," Spectrum said pacing around thinking of the deal that could be given if they helped. "What matters now is how are we going to sort them out?" After calling Nana Prism to look after the girls, and saying goodbye and to be good. The parents went off to sort out the storm clouds. The next morning Nana Prism had some very unwelcoming news to give the girls. ~~*~~ Shaking her head to get rid of the memories, Rainbow Dash slowly and carefully made her way over to the machine. She felt like her favorite story book heroine, Dareing Do while inching ever closer to the 'STOP' button, feeling the weather trying to keep her away from it,nearly being hit with the lightning with every step. Closing her eyes and reaching out her hoof, Rainbow pressed the button stopping the weather. But before she could celebrate six bolts of lightning hit her making 60,000 volts of electricity go though her. And because the clouds around the machine were breaking apart, dropping her out of the sky, unconscious.